《Endless Journey: Infinite Realms》


 Chapter 1 Its a Cold, Snowy Night.

    "I''m dying¡­" That was all that Alex could think to himself as he lay on the cold ground.


    The wind was whistling loudly around Alex as they harshly pelted the surroundings with thick, white snow.This sight can be considered to be cool for those who lived in the tropics, but for Alex, what he could only see was his possible graveyard.


    While his eyes were still open, Alex could see only thick piles of snow starting to pile up around him. To his dismay, the height of these snow piles only continued to increase as time went on.


    This sight managed to shake off Alex''s lethargic feelings, as he began to feel scared for his life.


    "Move, d**nit!" Alex muttered to himself angrily as he forced himself to move.


    But no matter what Alex did, his body refused to budge, as it already gave up under the effects of hypothermia.


    Alex could feel his extremities starting to turn cold and his heartbeat starting to slow down. He also realized that he was slowly losing his consciousness.


    Alex knew that if he could even survive right now, his fingers and toes will have to be amputated, due to the effect of frostbite on them.


    "From the looks of it, there is no way that I can survive right now¡­" Alex thought to himself as he let out a cold sigh.


    "I have done a lot of things in my 17 years of life, and the place where I will die is actually on a cold, snowy road? What a fitting and ironic end for me."


    At this point, Alex knew that there is no way out for him now.


    His whole body was wounded on numerous places, and the cold had already penetrated deep in his body.


    "Not even the best doctor can save me now¡­" Alex thought to himself as he closed his eyes in resignation.


    Alex''s life then began to flash before his very own eyes, with him seeing all the mischievous and daring things that he had done in his life.


    He could also see all the friends and enemies that he made, and all the love and hate that he accrued.


    "My life is so fulfilling, and yet it is also so lacking¡­" Alex thought wryly as he began to feel sleepy.


    Alex knew that this is the final stage of hypothermia, where the victim will start to feel sleepy.


    Alex knew that if he slept right now, he will never wake up.


    But Alex knew that struggling for his life right now is already futile, so he just decided to end it all now.


    "Is there an afterlife? Well, I will know the answer to that after I die¡­" Alex thought as he wearily closed his eyes.


    "Crunch, crunch."


    But before Alex could enjoy the final moments of his life, he suddenly heard the sound of crunching footsteps on the snow.


    This surprised Alex so much that he was able to muster the will to open his eyes.


    He looked toward the source of the sound, and what he saw made him slightly disappointed.


    He saw an extremely disheveled man walking towards him.


    The man looked around 30-40 years old, but his face looked older because of his messy hair and scraggly beard.


    Even if his surroundings were covered by white snow, Alex could see that this man was extremely dirty.


    "He''s a homeless person." Alex thought to himself as he began to lose interest on this man.


    But before he could close his eyes again, he suddenly heard a voice speaking towards him.


    "You think that I am a homeless person? Well, from the way that I look right now, you are actually right. But even if I look clean, I am still technically homeless¡­"


    Alex''s eyes opened wide with shock as he realized that it was the homeless man that was talking to him!


    "Oh, it seems like you cannot speak due to the cold." The homeless man said, much to Alex''s irritation.


    But before Alex could feel angry to this homeless man, he realized something weird.


    Because of his current condition, Alex had no way to speak.


    Alex''s comment about this homeless man being homeless was only made inside his mind.


    But this homeless man somehow had managed to catch Alex''s thought about him being homeless!


    "Can this guy read my mind?" Alex thought amusedly to himself. "Oh, there is no way that it can happen. Maybe I am just hallucinating right now¡­"


    "Oh, I can read your mind, young one." The homeless man suddenly said as he sat beside Alex.


    "What the hell!" At this point, Alex was already sure that this homeless man can really read his mind!


    "You do not need to think of more things, young one." The homeless man said as he saw Alex''s current condition.


    "Yeah, so what if you can read my mind? I am about to die anyway, so I do not care about that anymore." Alex thought deprecatingly as he realized chatting with this homeless man might not be that bad.


    If Alex was in his normal condition right now, there is no way that he would believe that this old man can read minds.


    But right now, with Alex nearing his end, he decided to believe this homeless man. After all, what else might go wrong even if he believed him?


    "Oh, so even if you are dying right now, you still wanted to chat to me? What a humorous person!" The homeless man chuckled as he continued sitting beside Alex.


    "So, you are not going to help me out?" Alex thought drily as he saw that the homeless man did nothing to dig Alex out of the snow. "You know, for someone that can talk to minds like you, digging me out should be just easy¡­"


    "Why should I save you, young one?" The homeless man said as his gray eyes stared at Alex.


    "Young one, I could clearly feel that you are fine with dying right now. I can feel your resignation. I can feel your desire to just sleep."


    The homeless man then stood up as he let out a weary sigh.


    "I will not save you, as you are already prepared to die¡­"


    "Do you think I really am prepared to die? I still have a lot of things to do!" Alex declared angrily as his mind have seemingly snapped.


    "You think I want to die? Of course not! The only reason I am fine with dying right now is because I felt that there is no more hope for me to live!"


    Alex''s eyes seemingly have turned red as he thought,


    "Homeless man, since you can read my mind, then come and read my whole life inside my mind! Once you see that, you will realize that I really am not prepared to die!"


    These words by Alex seemed to have stirred the homeless man''s eyes. He then stared at Alex as he said,


    "You really are interesting, young one. Since you said that, then allow me to read your whole life!"


    "!!!" Alex then felt a searing pain inside his mind, which managed to wipe all of his drowsiness away.


    Alex wanted to just scream and flail around in agony, but his body would not respond to him at all.


    This painful ordeal of his had lasted for around a minute.


    "F**k!" Alex cursed as the pain inside his head began to disappear. He gave the homeless man an accusatory gaze, as he blamed him for that sudden pain.


    "Hahaha! This is splendid!" To Alex''s surprise, the homeless man suddenly started to laugh uproariously, as if he just found the greatest treasure in his life.


    "Your life is extremely interesting, young one!" The homeless man said as his empty gaze at Alex earlier turned into a praising one.


    "I never expected that someone like you could have existed in this realm!" As the homeless man said these words, Alex suddenly saw something more mind-boggling.


    Everything around Alex and the homeless man have literally stopped.


    The snow lay suspended in the air, while the roaring winds earlier have all disappeared.


    "What the hell is this?" Alex thought to himself as he began to stare at the homeless man with horror. "This is definitely not normal!"


    "Young one." The homeless man continued talking to Alex, as he ignored Alex''s shocked countenance.


    "If you were given a chance to live right now, what is the first thing that you will do?"


    Alex suddenly felt himself wanting to answer that question honestly.


    It was as if there was a hidden power inside the homeless man''s question that is prompting Alex to answer truthfully.


    This compelling desire to answer was so strong that Alex forced his stiff lips and freezing throat to give his answer.


    "I¡­. I want to travel¡­" Alex croaked out of his mouth.


    "Excellent answer, young one." The homeless man smiled, seemingly impressed with Alex''s answer. "You really did not let me down."


    "Woosh!"


    A bright object suddenly flew out of the homeless man''s forehead, which buried itself right into Alex''s forehead.


    "Hiss¡­" Alex could not help out but recoil in pain as he felt heat on his forehead. This pain just continued on increasing until Alex could not take it anymore.


    "...¡­.." Alex''s consciousness collapsed as his head lolled to the side.


    As for the homeless man, he watched Alex''s ordeal with satisfaction as he turned around to leave.


    The snowstorm then continued its assault as the homeless man walked farther away.


    "Young one, I have already given you a chance to fulfill your wish." The homeless man muttered to himself as he continued on walking away. "But don''t think that you will have a peaceful life after this. Everyone branded with the symbol of the Endless Monarch is now destined to live chaotic life!"


    "Hong!"


    A symbol suddenly glowed at Alex''s forehead, illuminating the surroundings around him.


    This symbol was like a series of knots which seemed to be unending by itself.


    A few second passed by, and the glow disappeared, along with Alex''s body.


    The snowstorm, not knowing that its latest victim had escaped its grasp, continued its assault on the hapless town.


    ****************


    "Ughh¡­" Alex held his head in pain as he woke up with a start. The beating, maledicting pain in his head continued until he felt that is was somehow bearable for him to move.


    "What the hell?" After looking around him, Alex realized one thing. And that is that he is not in the snowstorm anymore.


    Alex saw that he was inside a room, with a modest bed and table.


    There was also a piece of bread and a glass of water in the table which Alex observed with wariness.


    While he was looking around him warily, Alex suddenly remembered about his encounter with the homeless man in the snowstorm.


    "That homeless man did something to me that brought me here¡­." Alex thought to himself as he cupped his chin in thought.


    But before Alex could further observe his currently weird situation, he suddenly heard a crashing sound behind him.


    As he looked behind him, Alex saw the door of his room crashing down to the floor.


    A figure then entered into the room, and Alex''s breathing almost stopped when he saw his guest.


    His unwanted guest was a black-haired woman wearing a black sleeveless dress and black skirt that reached until her knees.


    She also wore long black socks and black shoes.


    Her body seemed to be fit and also sexy, as Alex could see that this woman all had the right curves for a healthy female.


    As for her face, Alex could not see it as this woman was wearing a mask. But Alex was sure that this woman''s face is that of a peerless beauty.


    But the reason for why Alex''s breathing almost stopped was not because of this woman''s beauty.


    It was because he could feel an extreme sense of danger just by looking at this woman.


    "You have been identified by the World Diagram as a Class-S Intruder." The woman coldly said as a katana suddenly appeared in her hands. "As such, I have been sent here to eliminate you."


    "What?" That was the only thing that Alex could say before the woman slashed her katana towards him.

 Chapter 2 One Near Death Experience Equates to One Beauty

    "Dodge!" That was the only thought inside Alex''s mind.


    Even though the woman was 3 meters away from him, Alex had the inkling that her katana can affect him even with that distance!


    Of course, Alex was not sure how the katana can do that to him, but Alex could somehow sense that being in the general vicinity of the katana will be bad for him.


    This danger sense had been honed by Alex from all the countless dangerous fights that he had experienced already.


    He had been saved by this danger sense many times before, so Alex did not hesitate to follow his danger sense.


    Alex ducked low as the woman slashed her katana vertically, right at the part where Alex''s waist should have been.


    "Rip¡­" Alex heard a ripping sound above him and when he looked up, he saw that the space above him was seemingly affected by the katana slash.


    Alex then looked behind him, and there he saw a long gash along the wall.


    "Hm?" The woman seems to have been surprised by what Alex did. It was rare for her to find a person that was able to dodge her surprise attack.


    She tightened her grip on the katana and this time, she let out three slashes.


    "Oh s**t!" Alex cursed inwardly as he tried his best to dodge all three slashes. He jumped high in the air in order to avoid the first slash, which was almost hugging the ground.


    The woman seems to have anticipated this move, as the second and third slashes were both barreling towards the airborne Alex.


    "Ha!" Alex let out a shout as he forced his joints to follow his will.


    He contorted his body while he was airborne, and this allowed him to somehow keep his limbs intact.


    But the way that the woman placed her second and third slashes were so exquisite that one of the slashes managed to hit Alex''s back.


    "Guh!" Alex suppressed his scream of pain as blood began to dye his back. It slowly dripped into the floor as the woman looked at Alex coldly.


    No matter which way someone will look at it, Alex is already doomed to die.


    But even if he seemed to be in a losing situation right now, Alex still had the gall to smile as if he discovered something important.


    "Your power¡­ it is slashing across space, right?" Alex muttered as blood began to come out of his mouth. "It is a pretty versatile power, both in close and long-range combat."


    The way that Alex said these words seemed to show his extreme confidence on his analysis.


    But Alex was not really sure on this woman''s real power.


    After all, Alex had not seen any kind of this powerful abilities in his life!


    Only when he had met that homeless man earlier that Alex realized that things like mind-reading actually exist.


    The only reason that Alex guessed that this woman''s ability was to slash through space was the fact that this is the best explanation for what the woman just did!


    "Impressive. You managed to see through my Esper Ability with just two clashes." The woman said as she pointed her katana at Alex''s direction.


    "Since you are an Intruder, you should have a difficult time discerning my ability. But it seems like you were able to recognize mine with ease. That just means that you really are a dangerous Intruder."


    "Wait what? Did this woman just say ''Esper Ability''?" Alex exclaimed to himself as he stared at the woman''s sword warily.


    Poor Alex. He has just woken up after a near-death experience, and he was here facing one again.


    What was worse was that Alex still had not sorted his mind with all the weird stuff that happened with the homeless man.


    For God''s sake! Alex just literally woke up before this woman suddenly came in talking about Esper Ability and Intruders while trying to hack him alive!


    If Alex did not have a great mental fortitude, then he could have already just given up right now.


    "So you still do not have any idea about Esper Abilities huh. I better finish you off before you can know more." The woman said as another sword appeared on her left hand.


    Alex looked at the woman with twitching eyes, as he realized that she is going to use dual-wielding to turn Alex into mincemeat!


    "I must escape!" Alex thought as he tried to look for the best escape spot.


    Unfortunately for Alex, the only exit in the room was the door where the woman had crashed in.


    There is no way for Alex to approach that door without being chopped into pieces by the woman.


    The black-haired woman seems to have sensed Alex''s dilemma as she said,


    "There is no way out for you now." She then wielded her twin swords at Alex''s direction.


    But before the space slashes could hit Alex, his forehead suddenly glowed as a glowing symbol appeared on it.


    The glow coming from this symbol covered Alex, and just a moment later, Alex disappeared from the room.


    The black-haired woman stared blankly at what happened, as her space slashes only managed to decimate the whole room.


    "He escaped." The woman muttered to herself as she slowlyambled out of the room. It was hard to know what her exact emotions on what happened as she just continued on muttering to herself.


    "Lord Ergo will not be happy about this..."


    ******************


    A few seconds earlier.


    Right before the black-haired woman could attack with her twin swords, Alex suddenly heard a voice inside his mind.


    The voice sounded feminine, but the innate haughtiness in that voice made Alex immediately dislike the speaker.


    "Traveler, since you are about to die here, you have the choice to use the One-Time Protection Service. This service will save you right now. But remember, you can only use this protection once. Once you use it, you have to rely on yourself to survive your next fights."


    This haughty speaker seemed to not care on what happens to Alex as she took her time to talk to him.


    "So Traveler, do you want to use the One-Time Protection Service right now?"


    "Hell yes! Just do that One-Time thingy that you are talking about! I do not want to die here!" Alex thought as the black-haired woman started her attack. "Faster! I am about to die here!"


    Alex then felt the same searing pain in his head as he saw a golden glow covering his body.


    He then felt a sudden lurch as he felt that his feet were suddenly flailing in the air.


    "Ahh!!!" Alex let out a shout as he fell downward.


    Luckily for Alex, his body was only floating around 5 meters above the ground, which allowed him to have a safe but painful fall.


    "Ouch¡­" Alex winced as he stretched his body.


    Upon seeing that his body was still whole, he let out a sigh of relief as he sat on the ground.


    "That was really something else." Alex thought to himself as he let out a deep breath.


    He looked around him, and he realized that he was not in the room that he was in earlier. Even the woman that was attacking him was also gone, as Alex could only see lush grass and tall trees around him.


    "Don''t tell me that I teleported?" Alex muttered to himself disbelievingly as he ran his fingers through his hair.


    "S**t, this it not the time for me to panic. I need to analyze what actually happened to me..." Alex thought to himself as he began to apply the one special rule that he had always used before.


    This special rule is that no matter how weird or wrong things may be, Alex will still do his best to believe and accommodate them.


    This special rule has saved Alex''s life numerous times before.


    After all, trying to outrun a lunatic doctor when he was 10 years old required a lot of wits and mental toughness.


    "I do not believe that I will be unable to understand everything that happened to me right now!" Alex muttered as his mind began to replay everything that happened.


    First, he was left to die in the snowstorm, and that was when he met the homeless man.


    That homeless man then did something to Alex, and the next thing that Alex knew, he was already in that room earlier.


    Then a sword-wielding woman that can slash through space attacked Alex, as she talked about Espers, Intruders and the World Diagram.


    Then a voice inside Alex''s head saved him and brought him here at the forest.


    "Ok, now I have basically outlined everything that happened." Alex muttered to himself as he leaned his back on the nearby tree.


    "But that does not still explain the reasons why these things had happened to me. Not only that, there isalso this weird voice inside my head which saved me. I really need to know more about them before I try to make a move."


    "Hmph, so have you calmed down now?" This time, the same haughty voice talked to Alex again. "You are impressive. You did not panic even when you saw something that should be unfamiliar to you. You will need that kind of attitude for the days to come."


    Alex nodded sagely after hearing this. After all, if there was one thing that Alex can boast that he was good in, it was his mental fortitude.


    "As long as something is believable and that I saw it by my eyes, I will personally believe it." Alex replied proudly. "After all everything is possible."


    "Hmph, now I am not sure if you were just a tough guy or just another crazy person." The haughty voice murmured as Alex let out a yawn. "Hey! Don''t you yawn while talking to me!"


    "Oh, sorry, that was out of my habit." Alex replied sheepishly. He then cocked his head as he muttered to himself,


    "This is also weird. I am talking to a voice inside my head. Are you real or are you just part of my already collapsing sanity?"


    "Of course I am real!" Alex then felt a hot sensation on his forehead which prompted him to make a move.


    He rushed towards the nearby river, and its clear surface showed Alex an image that he will never forget.


    He saw a symbol engraved in his forehead, which is quite similar to the Ulzii Symbol, which he had already seen before.


    It looked like a series of knots that start and end at the same place.


    As he continued on observing his forehead, Alex saw a figure that came out of the symbol.


    "Woah." That was all that Alex could say as he saw that it was a woman that came out of the symbol.


    This woman was the second beautiful lady that Alex had encountered today.


    If the woman earlier was a silent, brooding beauty, then the one in front of Alex right now is quite the opposite


    This woman had a long, blonde hair that reached her ankles.


    Her body was an hourglass figure, with her bosom and bottom bulging out perfectly.


    Her thin waist and satin-white skin were enough to show that this woman was a peerless treasure that must be protected.


    And her blue eyes only further emphasized the woman''s beautiful face.


    But there is one problem with this woman though.


    And that problem was her size.


    "You are so tiny." Alex exclaimed as he saw that this beautiful blonde was only as large as a chick. "Are you my new pet?"


    "Hell no! You better apologize to me now!" The tiny blonde exclaimed as she glared at Alex angrily. "You do not want to see me angry!"


    "Oh¡­ I am weally scared¡­" Alex blurted out sarcastically. "Pwease don''t kill me¡­"


    "Hmph!" The tiny blonde could only stomp her feet angrily after realizing that Alex is just teasing her.


    After seeing that Alex would never treat her that seriously, the tiny blonde decided to make him pay for what he did.


    She suddenly floated in the air, much to Alex''s surprise. She then hovered in front of Alex''s face as she gave him a pouting expression.


    "Hmph, if you do not apologize to me right now, then I will not do my job as your Guide!" The tiny blonde declared as she stared at Alex with anger. "You will need my help so that you, a Traveler, can survive your journey on the different worlds! Without my help, you will be dead immediately!"


    "Umm... I think you are already doing your job as a Guide now." Alex pointed out as he tried not to snicker. "You just explained to me what your job is¡­"


    "Argh!!!" This angry shout by the tiny blonde sounded like music to Alex''s ears.


    After all, a beautiful and mature woman shouting with her 2-inch tall body is something that every man must witness.

 Chapter 3 Why have a System when you have a Guide?

    Alex continued teasing the tiny blonde for a minute before he stopped what he was doing.


    By this point, the tiny blonde''s face was already red, as she could only huff and puff in anger.


    Alex, who already had a fair share of interaction with women before, knew that he had to stop right now.


    Since he had his fun already, its time for Alex to get serious.


    "Ok, ok, I humbly ask for your apology¡­" Alex deftly said, as he gave the tiny blonde a bow. "I hope that can appease your anger already?"


    "Hmph! Since you had the courage to ask for my forgiveness, then I will give you the chance to earn it." The tiny blonde said as she stretched her miniscule right hand towards Alex.


    "Kiss the back of my right hand, and I will consider all of your past transgressions to me as fully forgiven."


    "That''s what you want me to do?" Alex thought wryly as he looked at the tiny blonde with incredulity. "Maybe its just me, but I think it is impossible for me to kiss the back of your right hand with the way that you are right now¡­"


    "Hmph, just kiss it!" The tiny blonde muttered as she glared at Alex. "Do it right now or else you will feel my wrath!"


    "Yes, yes, yes, your Highness¡­" Alex sarcastically muttered as he did his best to kiss his target.


    "Hmph, at least you can do something like that." The tiny blonde said in satisfaction as Alex drew his head back.


    "Now that you have kissed this one''s hand, then you are now worthy to know my name." The tiny blondesuddenly said as she straightened her body.


    "I am the 2,531st Fairy Queen! I am Fairy Queen Asteria, and I am your Guide!" Alex could swear that he saw golden lights spilling around him when Asteria declared her name.


    "A Fairy Queen huh. I am not sure what that means, but if it has a queen word in it, that just means this woman is a bigshot." Alex thought to himself as he looked at Asteria, who was giving him a smug look.


    It was as if Asteria was waiting for Alex to come and worship her.


    "Ok then, since you are my ''Guide'', then I will call you Asteria." Alex said, which just made Asteria angrier.


    "You¡­." At this point, Asteria already knew that she had no way to change Alex''s mind. All the threats that she told him earlier were just all empty threats, something that she''s using to boost her morale.


    "Sigh¡­" Asteria could only slump her body as she flitted towards Alex''s left shoulder.


    She sat on that spot as she hung her head sadly.


    From the looks of it, Asteria has no more energy to retort back to Alex.


    Upon seeing that Asteria had partially accepted him, Alexgrinned as he started to give his questions.


    "Asteria, you told me that you are my Guide. What does that really mean?"


    "As your Guide, I shall assist you on your travels on different worlds." Asteria said, almost repeating what she just said earlier.


    "Aside from that, I will also be the one that will join you on your transactions with the Endless Monarch."


    "The Endless Monarch. Who is that guy? Is he related to my situation right now?" Alex pressed on as he felt the thirst for answers.


    "I do not know anything about the Endless Monarch. I do not even know if this Endless Monarch is a person or an organization." Asteria replied quickly. "What I only know is that this Endless Monarch is the one responsible to your situation."


    "See that symbol on your forehead? Only the Travelers of the Endless Monarch will receive that symbol." Asteria said as she pointed her fingers at the symbol on Alex''s forehead.


    "That symbol has the power to bring you to different worlds. Not only that, but you can also access some unique items and cultivation techniques through that symbol."


    "Ok, hold up." Alex said as he raised his hands dramatically. "You are saying that this symbol on my forehead can bring me to different worlds?"


    "Yes, exactly." Asteria replied quickly.


    "Then let me clarify one thing first." Alex said as he rubbed his forehead. "Why is that feature here in this symbol? Am I supposed to do something on each world that I go to?"


    "Oh yes, you have something to do in each world." Asteria said as she began to give Alex a pitying smile.


    "Every time you go into a new world, you will be given a certain mission to do. These missions have a time limit, and you must finish them on time."


    "What would happen if I fail?" Alex said, even though he already had the inkling of the answer.


    "Oh, if you fail the mission or if you do not succeed it within the time limit, that symbol on your forehead will kill you." Asteria said as she gave Alex a smile that was also not a smile. "I will also die if that happens."


    Even with Alex''s mental fortitude, it took him some time before he can recover his wits.


    ***********************


    "Asteria, can I ask you one more question?" Alex muttered after an hour of awkward silence.


    "What is it hooman?" Asteria muttered, looking quite delighted as she saw Alex''s distraught expression.


    "How am I supposed to do the effing missions!" Alex shouted as he waved his hands around him.


    "Maybe you already had forgotten it, but I was almost killed by a swordswoman earlier! And by analyzing the words that she just said, it is highly likely that there are more like her in this world! How am I supposed to do what you want me to do in this kind of setting!"


    "Oh, do not worry about that Alex." Asteria consolingly said as she did her best to pat Alex''s back.


    "The Endless Monarch will not abandon its Travelers. Just use the symbol on your forehead to connect with the Endless Monarch, and in that connection, you can trade for some items and even some special cultivation techniques."


    "Oh right, you mentioned about that earlier." Alex''s expression started to clear up as if he saw a ray of hope shining down on him.


    "But, for me to get those things, I must give something as payment, right?" Alex was not a stupid person.


    Alex knew that for somebody like the Endless Monarch to give Alex these great benefits, there must be a hidden agenda in it.


    After all, there is no such thing as free breakfast, lunch, and dinner in this harsh world.


    Asteria''s tiny head bobbed up and down, indicating her agreement.


    "Alex, you will just have to pay with your lifespan." Asteria said these words so casually as if it was just something normal. "The more powerful or special the object that you want to get, the more lifespan that you should pay for that."


    "Wow, that kind of payment is something else." Even if this payment sounded weird to Alex, he realized that for someone like the Endless Monarch, money and influence must be already useless.


    "Wait Asteria." Alex said as he furrowed his eyebrows. "How am I supposed to spend more lifespan in the future? My lifespan is always doomed to decrease, and I have no way to increase it¡­."


    "Every time you complete a mission, you will be rewarded with additional lifespan." Asteria replied. "As for the amount of lifespan that will be given, that will depend on your performance."


    "Oh great, that just means I have to do more and more missions to stay alive¡­" Alex muttered with a resigned sigh.


    "Oh, and before I forget to tell you, every time you finish a mission in a world, you will be forced to transfer to a new world." Asteria said, which shattered Alex''s plans of having a relaxed vacation after a mission.


    Asteria then said one more line which made Alex more depressed.


    "Oh, and every transfer to a new world also consumes your lifespan. So, you must do your best to increase your lifespan every mission. Who knows, your next transfer might literally suck all the life out of you¡­"


    "...¡­" By this point, Alex was already regretting being in his position.


    Alex knew that people like him only had around 40-50 years of lifespan left.


    If Alex wanted to survive in this world and complete his mission, then he must spend some of his lifespan to increase his power.


    Then this lifespan of his will be further reduced one he goes to another world.


    And the only way to increase his lifespan is by completing a mission!


    Even someone bad at math can already see that the chances of Alex losing all of his lifespan is somewhat higher than his chance to live long!


    As such, Alex could only wish that his lifespan reward will be high while the expenses for a world transfer will be low.


    "Ok then. Since we are talking about the trade, then maybe I should try trading something right now." Alex thought to himself as he gave Asteria a quizzical look.


    "Oi, Asteria, how should I initiate the trade?"


    "Ah, you don''t need to actually do anything, as I will be the one that will initiate the trade for you." Asteria said as she touched the symbol on Alex''s forehead.


    "I shall tell you about the available items and techniques, and you will tell me what you want to get." Asteria said as she closed her eyes.


    "Hey¡­ why don''t I just be given something like a system interface?" Alex muttered, remembering some of the fantasy system novels that he read. "Won''t that make things like this easier?"


    "The Endless Monarch had tried using the System Interface before." Asteria replied as she continued on closing her eyes. "However, every Traveler that used the System Interface became so strong that they became a menace for the plans of the Endless Monarch. So the Endless Monarch scrapped the System Interface, replacing it with Guides like me."


    "Oh." Alex replied with disappointment as he waited for Asteria to be done.


    "Here it is!" Asteria''s eyes glowed as she started to speak in an ethereal tone.


    "Alex, right now, there are only three items available for you." Asteria then enumerated these items for Alex.


    [[[Electromagnetic Saber. Cost: 1 month of lifespan.]]]


    [[[Star-Crusted Dagger. Cost: 15 days of lifespan.]]]


    [[[Esper Cultivation Body. Cost: 11 months of lifespan.]]]


    Asteria then continued talking before Alex could say something.


    "I recommend that you choose the Esper Cultivation Body, as it is something that will allow you to gain Esper Abilities. It will be a perfect fit in this world, as this world is only filled with Espers."


    "Well, if you say so¡­" After hearing the name of the items, Alex was also sure that he must get the Esper Cultivation Body.


    Alex could still remember his near-death encounter with the black-haired woman earlier.


    Alex clenched his fists as he knew that once he had the Esper Cultivation Body, then he will be able to find ways to keep himself alive! Maybe even getting his payback will be possible!


    "Wait, before I buy that item, can you tell me the current amount of my lifespan?" Alex asked as he rubbed his hands nervously.


    "Alex, you only have 12 months of lifespan left." Asteria replied.


    "Huh?" Alex''s mind went blank, as he could not believe what he just heard.


    "Just 12 months? That''s all the lifespan that I have?" Alex croaked out of his suddenly parched throat. "How could it be that few¡­"


    "Every time someone becomes a traveler, almost all of their lifespan will be sucked away, leaving only 24 months for the traveler." Asteria said without any hints of emotion in her voice.


    "Since it is your first time going to a new world, your first world transfer has only consumed 12 months of your lifespan. That leaves you with the grand total of 12 months of lifespan." At this point, Asteria tried to sound as sympathetic as possible.


    Asteria''s next words however, hammered the nail on Alex''s metaphorical coffin.


    "Traveler Alex, I wish you luck on managing that limited lifespan that you have."


    "...¡­"

 Chapter 4 Lets Shake it All Off!

    "Does this mean that if I purchase the Esper Cultivation Body, then I will only have 1 month of lifespan left?" Alex muttered to himself as he tried to understand what was going on. "This trade is a real scam!"


    "You think this is a scam? How na?ve." Asteria coldly replied as she heard what Alex said.


    "Do you know that the real price of the Esper Cultivation Body is way higher than just 11 months? The only reason that you can still afford it now is because you have been given the first-timer discount!"


    "What the hell, that price is the discounted price?" Alex suppressed a shiver as he realized that if these items were already this costly at the discount rate, then how expensive will they get later?


    "Hmph, if I were you, I will buy the Esper Cultivation Body already." Asteria said, as her demeanor became similar to that of a salesman. "You will have no more discount once you go to the next world, so you must make yourself as strong as possible here."


    "¡­ Can you tell me about my mission first?" Alex sullenly replied as he decided to put off the trade first. "I need to know my mission first before I make any purchases. Who knows, maybe I won''t need to buy anything to complete my mission."


    "If I can only think as positively as you¡­" Asteria shook her head as she detached herself from the symbol on Alex''s forehead.


    "Your mission is actually simple. The Endless Monarch told me that you should destroy the World Diagram. Mind you, the World Diagram is heavily guarded by Espers, so you will be immediately killed once you go there in your current state."


    Once Alex heard Asteria said, the only thing that he could do was to kneel on the ground helplessly while muttering,


    "This is really the worst."


    ***********************


    When Asteria told Alex about his mission, Alex knew that the first thing that he must do is gather information first.


    Alex must know everything about this world, their power system, and all the intricate stuff that there is.


    Alex tried asking Asteria for these information, but Asteria only gave him a cold look, saying that it should be up to Alex to know these things.


    Because of that, Alex knew that he had no choice but to obtain the information by himself.


    That means that Alex will have to personally go to a city to get all the information that he needs.


    But before he and Asteria could go into the civilization, Alex decided to purchase the Esper Cultivation Body first, as Asteria told him that Espers will be given preferential service in this world.


    Alex knew that he will need that preferential service if he wantedto get better treatment and for him to get near the World Diagram.


    The process of the trade was just simple. Alex just stated what he wanted the Esper Cultivation Body, then Asteria used her link to obtain it.


    Alex did not feel anything weird when he lost his lifespan. He only knew that he lost 11 months of his lifespan when Asteria informed him.


    Alex then felt a something warm entering his body, which spread all over him.


    "Is my body being transformed right now?" That was what Alex thought.


    Seconds later, and the pain came next.


    "Ah s**t!" Alex shouted as he curled in the ground in agony. He could feel every part of his body being destroyed and reconstructed at the same time.


    And even with all that pain, Alex could somehow feel that the most painful part of his body was his head.


    It may be just an illusion, but Alex could somehow sense that even his brain was being remodeled by that warm thing that entered him earlier.


    But that did not make Alex feel better, as it just made him both worried and agonized.


    "Traveler Alex, do not dare lose consciousness right now. If you do so, you will die." Asteria reminded Alex as she played with a crown of flowers. "I know you are a tough guy, so you can get through with this."


    "What the hell! Why did you not tell me that it will be this painful!" Alex roared out as he felt waves and waves pain blossoming inside his head.


    It was as if someone had conjured a hammer inside Alex''s head and used it to hammer the insides of his skull.


    That was the pain that Alex was going through right now.


    "Ahhh!!" Asteria just ignored Alex''s agonized state as she plucked more flowers nearby.The combination of her cheerful whistling and Alex''s agonized shouts created a terrifying melody that made all creatures nearbyshiver in fear.


    ********************


    Half an hour later, and Alex started to feel the pain disappearing from his body.


    "...¡­." Alex slowly stood up as he attempted to stabilize his sanity.


    He then inspected his body, and he saw that nothing actually changed from his outward appearance.


    However, Alex could feel that his mental state has somewhat changed.


    He could think faster, and he felt that most of the mathematical equations that bugged him in school was just child''s play for him now.


    He also realized that he could sort out multiple sources of information at a more optimized rate.


    "Hmph, it seems like your brain has been remodeled perfectly right now." Asteria gave a knowing nod to Alex as she saw him.


    "My brain? Is that where the abilities of the Espers lie?" Alex murmured as he slowly closed and opened his fists.


    "Yes, that is the place where Esper Abilities originate." Asteria said as she sat on Alex''s left shoulder.


    "When you purchased the Esper Cultivation Body, it only did minor changes to your body. The majority of it remodeled your entire brain."


    "So that is the reason for my extreme headaches earlier¡­" Alex muttered wryly as he stretched his body.


    His eyes then narrowed as he gave Asteria an accusatory look.


    "Oi Asteria, I thought I could gain an Esper Ability right now?" Why am I still not feeling any?"


    "Hmph, its because what you obtained from the trade is just the chance to be an Esper." Asteria replied coldly.


    "If you want gain an Esper Ability and start cultivating, then you must go to the city and awaken your Esper Ability there."


    "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go now!" Alex said as he started to run.


    According to Asteria, the time limit for his mission is just a month, so Alex must do his best to get stronger at that limited amount of time!


    "Hey slow down you big dumb oaf!" Asteria howled out as she grabbed Alex''s shoulder. "Can''t you see that I am about to fall off?"


    Alex just continued running as he said,


    "Well you are the Fairy Queen. Don''t tell me you can''t do something as easy as keeping up with a mortal like me?"


    "...¡­."


    ******************


    It took Alex around an hour to approach the nearest city. He had to rely on seeing various landmarks and structures along the way so that he can somehow locate the nearest city.


    "Sniffle¡­" When Alex was around a kilometer away from the city, he heard some weak sobbing sounds beside him, and there he saw a teary-eyed Asteria glaring at him angrily.


    "You¡­ You are a big bully!" Asteria bawled as it seemed like she was about to cry. "You.. you are always up to no good!"


    "....." Alex could only scratch his head as he realized that he had somehow overdid his prank with Asteria.


    "Um¡­ sorry I guess?" Alex said as he shrugged his shoulders.


    "Hmph! I hope you get beaten up later!" Asteria cried out as she bit Alex''s shoulder.


    Alex winced slightly at this, but this minor pain was something that he can endure.


    "....."


    Alex just smiled lightly as he walked towards the city while Asteria was nibbling his shoulder.


    But before Alex could approach the city, he paused in his tracks as he remembered something important.


    "Oi Asteria, can you do magic?" Alex asked as he looked around him warily. "Like a magic that can somehow change someone''s appearance?"


    "Hmph! There is nothing that I, Fairy Queen Asteria, can''t do!" Asteria seemed to have forgotten that she cried earlier as she gave Alex a smug look.


    "We fairies produce Fairy Dust, and this Fairy Dust is extremely useful for creating illusions! In fact, it can even make a hulking male look like a beauty as long as the right amount of Fairy Dust was used."


    "That''s great. Give me some of them." Alex said as he backed away from the city.


    "Ha? Why should I do that? For your information, Fairy Dust is extremely precious, and the Fairy Dust that comes from a Fairy Queen like me is even more lucrative!" Asteria angrily replied as she bopped her tiny fists on Alex''s shoulders.


    "Oh, so you don''t want to give me some huh. Then I supposed I can only take it by force." Alex said as he grabbed the hapless Asteria with his hand.


    "Hey Alex, what are you doing? Don''t- ah- don''t shake me around!" Asteria let out some surprised shouts as Alex proceeded to shake Asteria in an upward-downward direction.


    "You know, I have watched a tv show before where one of the characters shook the fairy a little to obtain her Fairy Dust. Maybe that approach will also work here." Alex said as he continued on shaking Asteria.


    "Don''t worry Fairy Queen, it won''t hurt."


    "Huhuhu¡­ you really are a baddie!"


    The truth is, Alex was not that happy on having to use Fairy Dust to change his appearance. But Alex knew that he must change his appearance right now, as going to the city with his real appearance is a big no-no.


    This world is a technological world, and since Alex is somehow considered to be an enemy, there is a high chance that his appearance was recorded by the computers.


    Because of that, Alex knew that he had to have a different appearance while he roamed the city.


    And Asteria''s Fairy Dust is the answer to his problem.


    "I''m really sorry about this Asteria." Alex said as he saw golden particulates coming out of Asteria. "If I don''t do this, I will die¡­"


    These particulates swayed in the air merrily before all landing on Alex''s face.


    Alex then felt as if there was a thin mask covering his face. It did not feel uncomfortable, as this mask seemed to have perfectly melded with his face.


    "Hmph, let me go now! Your face has already changed!" Asteria shouted as she bit Alex''s hand.


    "Ow!" Alex shouted as he opened his hand.


    Asteria took this as her chance to escape, with her hovering around a meter away from Alex.


    "Hmph, you owe me a jar of honey for what you did!" Asteria declared as she slowly approached Alex. "And if you want more Fairy Dust, then you have to give me more honey!"


    "Did this woman just use her own Fairy Dust to get some honey?" Alex thought wryly to himself as Asteria perched on his left shoulder.


    With his appearance changed, Alex decided that it was time for him to approach the city now.


    "Oi Asteria, don''t you need to hide right now?" Alex muttered as he approached the city. "A tiny fairy is a sore sight in this place¡­"


    "Who are you calling a sore sight huh?" Asteria glared at Alex as she let out a pout. "Do not worry about me. Since I am your Guide, you are the only one that can see and touch me."


    "If you say so." Alex replied as he fixed the clothes that he was wearing.


    As he got nearer to the city, Alex tilted his head as he thought to himself,


    "Oh right, how do I look right now? Well, since I used Fairy Dust, then maybe I look like a handsome prince right now¡­"


    Little did Alex know that his current appearance will give him far more trouble than he could ever want.

 Chapter 5 Trash in my Palace

    As Alex approached the city, he saw that it was unlike what he had envisioned.


    Instead of a sprawling metropolis made up of large buildings, what Alex could only see was a large, metallic dome.


    This dome covered an area of approximately 10 kilometers, which just show its massive volume.


    The metal of the dome was glinting brightly against the sun, creating a dazzling sight which almost blinded Alex.


    "This¡­" Alex was at a loss for words as he was not sure on how to describe the scenery in front of him.


    After seeing Alex''s dazed look, Asteria let out a hmph as she pushed him forward with her tiny body.


    "What are you gawking for? Move your legs!"


    "Ok already¡­" Alex muttered as he continued on walking.


    When he was only around 100 meters away from the dome, Alex saw a line of people, all lining in a straight line.


    Alex''s eyes traced this line of people, and he saw that these people were lining up to enter a rectangular-shaped hole at the base of the dome.


    This hole was around 3 meters in width and 5 meters in height, which can allow any person to pass through it.


    What made Alex intrigued was the fact that there are no people guarding this hole. Alex could only see people patiently entering the hole one by one, with each of them not doing anything to disrupt the process.


    Upon realizing that he will not get any answers by just standing idly. Alex let out a sigh as he joined the line.


    Now, Alex was the last person in the line, and with the rate that the people were entering the hole, it will take Alex around 10 minutes to get his turn.


    "Hey." Alex tapped the shoulder of the person in front of him as he tried talking to him. "Why are these people lining up like this?"


    "Huh? Are you drunk or something?" The person that Alex was talking to was a young adult, around 20-25 years old.


    In terms of age, he might be only slightly older than Alex, but his looks and demeanor are that of generic gangster.


    He was decorated with tattoos all over his body, and there are countless earrings and piercings on this guy''s ears and skin.


    The way that this guy looked was so intimidating that Alex noticed that he was the only person that was near to this guy.


    The other people in the line were all maintaining a healthy distance from this gangster guy, as if he someone that must be avoided.


    "Oh, seems like I asked the wrong person..." Alex thought wryly as he envisioned some countermeasures against a hardened gangster.


    "Ah well, I experienced an accident which led to me having amnesia, hahahaha..." Alex said as he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Because of that amnesia, I forgot most of the practical stuff¡­"


    "That''s the best lie that you can make up right now?" Asteria shook her head as she seemed disappointed with Alex. "What a waste of your brainpower!"


    Alex did his best to ignore Asteria as he observed the gangster''s next move.


    But to his surprise, he was suddenly hugged by the gangster, as if Alex was his newfound friend.


    "It must have been difficult for you." The gangster mumbled as he patted Alex''s back. "Do not worry, I am here to help you!"


    "Umm¡­ so you believe me?" Alex hesitantly asked the gangster as he broke up their hug. "Even though I told you something like that, you are still believing me?"


    "Hahaha, of course I believe you! After all, I already experienced amnesia before!" The gangster said as he clasped Alex''s shoulder.


    "When I got an amnesia, I felt extremely lost." The gangster mumbled as he gave Alex a sympathetic look. "I found it extremely difficult to live, as I do not know how to use the objects around me. I had to rely on the help of my friends and family so that I can slowly recover."


    "And you, mister, is having the same lost look as I had before." The gangster said as he gave a confident smile to Alex. "Just seeing that lost look of yours is already enough to confirm that you have an amnesia."


    Asteria could not help but cringe after hearing all the words that the gangster had said to Alex.


    "Did this gangster''s amnesia damage his intelligence to?" Asteria mumbled as she gave a withering look at the gangster. "It seems like you have found a friend with the same level of intelligence as you, Alex!"


    Alex tried his best to not look angry as he resumed talking with the gangster.


    "So, what is happening in here?" Alex asked the gangster one more time as he looked at the line of people. "Is that hole made so that it can only allow certain kind of people to enter?"


    "Well, that hole has countless sensors in it that will scan the appearance and the body of anyone that tries to pass through it." The gangster said, as he seemed to be trying to give his answers as concise as possible.


    "If you are not an Esper, then you will not be allowed to enter." The gangster said as he looked at the start of the line. "The sensors are 100% accurate so nobody can cheat against it."


    Right after the gangster said these words, Alex saw a commotion happening right at the start of the line.


    The source of the commotion was an old man, who was trying to enter through the hole.


    "God**nit! I thought I can enter with this gadget!" The old man muttered angrily as he held a phone-sized contraption. This contraption was smoking, as if it was just recently destroyed.


    While this old man looked flustered, a robotic voice sounded out from the hole, which was obviously aimed towards the old man.


    "Subject 1432-X. You are not an Esper, so your presence is not allowed here in the Dragon Esper City. Not only that, but you also tried using a Fake Esper Field to fool the sensors. That constitutes a Capital Offense, thus, you shall be sentenced to death."


    Before the old man could utter a word, dozens of red beams shot out from the top of the dome, obliterating the old man in an instant.


    The people behind the old man seemed unperturbed by what had happened, while the others mocked the old man.


    One of these mockers was the gangster, who wore a smirk as he explained what happened to Alex.


    "There are 1,024 Esper Cities around the world, and these cities will only allow Espers inside them. If someone that is not an Esper tried to enter, the energy forcefield in the Esper City will force them out."


    The gangster then pointed at the dust particles of the old man as he continued talking.


    "As for that old man, not only he tried entering while not being an Esper, he even attempted to fool the sensors! For that old man to die is just right."


    "....." Alex knew that since this was a different world, some of the values of its inhabitants will inevitably be different from his.


    Even if these values are obscure to Alex, he will still try to understand and respect them.


    "Since I already have an Esper Body, I surely will have no problem with this entrance." Alex thought to himself as he let out a sigh of relief.


    Since he still has to wait a little longer before he can enter the city, Alex decided to chat with the gangster more, as he liked this man''s friendliness.


    Asteria could only pout and glare at Alex angrily as if she was not happy with Alex''s attention not being on her.


    "Hmph, you are just deliberately ignoring me!" Asteria mumbled darkly to herself as she observed Alex''s facial expressions. "Well I don''t care whether you ignore me or not. After all, you are my hooman, and you will inevitably still serve this Fairy Queen!"


    When Alex heard these words, he resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he thought to himself,


    "This fairy really had the gall to treat me as her pet huh¡­ Maybe I have to show her later who really is the boss!"


    ********************


    Just like what Alex had expected, he was able to enter through the entrance easily.


    As for Asteria, it was as if the sensors were not able to detect her at all.


    But once Alex went through the hole, Asteria suddenly flew and hid inside Alex''s collar, with her tiny body trembling greatly.


    "Don''t tell me this fairy is scared of the dark?" Alex mused as he found himself inside a long tunnel.


    According to the gangster, the whole Dragon Esper City was actually just 9 kilometers in diameter. The extra 1 kilometer in diameter was actually a tunnel.


    This tunnel was filled with more sensors and weapons. The gangster said that this was made in order to make sure that there is nothing suspicious that will enter the city.


    "...¡­"


    Upon seeing that Asteria is still huddling inside his collar, Alex smiled as he realized that this little woman is actually scared of the dark!


    "Hehehehe¡­" Alex let out a creepy laugh as he could already imagine all the pranks that he can do to Asteria.


    "So Alex, what is your plan going here into the Dragon Esper City?" The gangster, whose real name was Clint, said as he and Alex rode a mobile vehicle that will lead them to the city. "You are not here for any ordinary business, right?"


    "Ah well, I am actually here to awaken my Esper Ability¡­" Alex said as he tried to make himself look as excited as possible. "The one who took me in while I have an amnesia said that I have the potential to be an Esper, so he told me to come here."


    "Wow! That''s impressive!" Clint suddenly blurted out as he clapped Alex''s shoulders.


    "Alex, do you know that the chance to awaken the Esper Ability appears when a person is around 8-10 years old? Any time earlier or later than that will be almost impossible already. But you, you are already a teenager! For you to have the chance to awaken your Esper Ability at this age is actually miraculous!"


    "Oh, is that so¡­" Alex resisted the urge to facepalm as he did not expect it to be like this!


    "S**t! If I awaken my Esper Ability right now, many people will surely give their attention to me¡­ I do not know if that attention will be good or bad for my mission¡­"


    "Sigh, since it has already come to this, then I just have to continue. There is no merit if I back out now." Alex thought to himself as he leaned back on his ride.


    "Woosh~" The mobile vehicle plodded on, bringing Alex and the trembling Asteria towards the Dragon Esper City.


    *************************


    "I apologize for my failure to kill the intruder." The black-haired swordswoman, who was the one who attacked Alex earlier, was currently kneeling with one of her knees on the floor.


    Her head was bowed down, as if she does not dare to look at the person in front of her.


    This person in front of her was wearing a long, white cloak which trailed across the floor. This person''s face was obscured by the darkness, making it hard to see his/her features.


    He/she then started to talk while looking down at the swordswoman.


    His/her voice sounded both feminine and masculine at the same time, making it hard to know his/her gender.


    "Oh, you really are a waste of my resources and time¡­" The black-haired swordswoman resisted the urge to tremble as she heard this person saying these words to her. "You already have the advantage of a sneak attack, and yet you failed to kill him. Are you really skillful?"


    Before the swordswoman could give a reply, the white-cloaked person continued his/her tirade.


    "You are so boring! Your sister was better than you! I had so much fun with her! But you? You are just a trash in my palace."


    "Swish!"


    The white-cloaked person left the swordswoman still kneeling on the floor as he/she told her,


    "Go, that intruder is still alive. Go kill him for me. If you do so, then I might give you some extra minutes of visiting time¡­"


    The swordswoman''s body, which was trembling uncontrollably earlier, started to calm down as she heard what the white-cloaked person said.


    "Extra minutes. Extra minutes. Extra minutes¡­" The black-haired swordswoman muttered these words like a chant as she left the place.


    "Extra minutes. Extra minutes. Extra minutes¡­"


    "She''s really a loco." The white cloaked person muttered as he/she threw the matter about the matter of the swordswoman at the back of his/her mind.


    He/she then rubbed his hands excitedly as he/she headed towards a certain place in his/her house.


    "Today is playtime day! Have you prepared yourself yet?"

 Chapter 6 Can we call that Serendipity?

    The first sight that Alex saw when he came out of the tunnel were countless metallic buildings.


    Wherever Alex put his sight on, he could only see tall spires of metallic constructs.


    All of these structures were standing together, producing a city that seemed to have been born from metal.


    The next feature that he saw were the vehicles.


    Unlike the vehicles that Alex knew, the vehicles that whizzed by right in front of him were all hovering by around 6-12 inches from the ground.


    The structures of these vehicles were still similar to the cars, bikes and buses that Alex knew. It was only the hovering function that was different.


    "Hmph, you better finish your mission fast!" Asteria mumbled as she crawled out of Alex''s collar. Her face wore a distasteful expression as she looked at her surroundings with loathing.


    "I hate being around things like these, so you better give me more honey later!"


    Alex thought that what Asteria said seemed to be plausible as she''s a fairy, and fairies are more attuned to the nature.


    Something artificial and mechanical like the Dragon Esper City must have been a great source of discomfort for Asteria.


    "You seem overwhelmed." Clint commented as he saw Alex looking all around him. "Well, those who saw this city for the first time also acted like you."


    "But you never know, maybe I have been to this city before already, maybe I just forgot due to my amnesia." Alex said, adding more and more colors on his lie.


    "Well since I felt a sense of camaraderie with you, then let me be your guide!" Clint declared as he approached Alex.


    "Umm¡­" Now that Alex was inside the city, he realized that the aversion of people to Clint were not that simple.


    Even here inside the Dragon Esper City, where everyone is an Esper, most of them were still avoiding Clint, as if they were scared of him.


    "Clint, why are more people avoiding you here? Are you some sort of mafia member?" Alex asked tactlessly as Asteria let out a sigh of disappointment.


    "You know, you should never ask sensitive questions like that." Clint smiled weakly as he bopped Alex''s shoulders. "But since you and I are already friends, then it might be better for you to know my identity."


    Clint then started to lead Alex to a dark part of the city, where countless small paths diverge.


    While they were walking, Clint gave Alex an encouraging smile as he told him,


    "I am the head of one of the top gangs here in the Dragon Esper City. My real name is Clint, although everyone here calls me the ''Mad Jackal''."


    "Oh, so you are a gang leader. Now I am sure why those people had avoided you earlier." Alex muttered as he seemed to not look scared. "You must be a pretty powerful leader to do things like this."


    "Oh?" Clint''s eyes perked up, as if he saw something extraordinary. "You are not scared of me, even when I am a gangster leader? Hahaha! It seems like you and I are really fated friends!"


    "Sheesh. Just stop spouting stuff like that." Alex mumbled as he looked around him.


    Suddenly, Alex realized that there are no more buildings in the area, as they were replaced by disheveled houses and dirty children.


    This place was the exact opposite of the dazzling, brilliant city earlier. This place was damp, dirty, dark, and decrepit.


    Even someone like Alex frowned as he saw these horrendous living conditions.


    "Why exactly did you bring me here?" Alex could feel with his danger sense that Clint has no wicked intention against him.


    As such, Alex has no qualms on where Clint will bring him. But still, knowing everything before going in will be much better compared to just going in blindly.


    "Listen man." Clint said as he gave Alex a grave look. "I do not know where you came from, but you must know that once you have awakened your Esper Ability, you will be forced to be a part of World Esper Organization(WEO)."


    "Oh, and I presume that this WEO is not a good place to be in?" Alex replied as he smoothed the collar on his shirt.


    "Oh, that place is good for the Espers." Clint said as he shook his head from side-to-side.


    "The only problem is that everyone joining the WEO will be restricted in their actions. They cannot do some things, and they have to do some things for the WEO too."


    "Oh, so you do not like the feeling of being controlled." Alex said as he remembered some of his bad memories from childhood.


    "Exactly!" Clint declared as he led Alex into a dark alleyway.


    "Let me guess. You have a way to awaken my Esper Ability without being forced to join the WEO?" Alex slowly said as he gathered the context of Clint''s words earlier.


    "Once again, you are right." Clint said as he and Alex approached a 5 meter-tall steel door. This door was seemingly guarding something important, as countless materials were welded in, on, and around the door.


    "Hey Alex! Do not listen to this tattooed freak!" Asteria hastily said as she tried to pull Alex back. "What if he is just after your brain?"


    "No, he is not after my brain." Alex whispered back to Asteria as Clint left them to ''get the keys''. "He is after something else."


    "Oh, don''t tell me that he likes you?" Asteria muttered as she gave Alex the death stare. "I thought you can only charm women. As it turns out, even men are affected too!"


    "Oi! I am not talking about that kind of interest!" Alex grumbled as he shook his shoulder a little.


    "Then what are you talking about?" Asteria said as she gripped Alex''s'' clothes to prevent herself from tumbling down.


    "This is just my hunch, but I think that the face that I have right now is similar to the face of Clint''s previous friend." Alex said as his fingers traced all over his cheek.


    "When Clint saw my face for the first time earlier. I noticed the expressions of shock, delight, and bitterness appearing in his eyes for around a second. You can even see that he was hostile to me earlier."


    Alex then tapped his head as he continued talking.


    "But when he heard that I have an amnesia, his attitude to me drastically changed, and now he is treating me like a friend. Even if Clint had an amnesia before, that still does not explain why he acted so friendly to me."


    "And while we were walking here at the slums, their residents were not only looking at Clint. Some of them were also looking at me with shock in their expressions, as if they could not believe seeing me."


    Alex then gave a suspecting look at Asteria as he said,


    "They can only give me that look if they have seen my current face before!"


    Asteria suddenly fidgeted as he averted her gaze away from Alex. "Oh¡­ so you think that my Fairy Dust changed your face to look like a person that knew Clint before?"


    "Stare¡­" Alex just gave Asteria a blank stare, as if he was waiting for her confession.


    Seeing that Asteria seemed to be obstinate on not conversing at him properly, Alex decided to use his trump card.


    "You know, I could request Clint to but some honey for me¡­ But since someone here is not being honest with me, then maybe the honey will have to wait."


    "The Fairy Dust mimics the face of an already dead person." Asteria rapidly said these words in order to appease her Honey Dealer. "The higher the quality of the Fairy Dust is, the better face mimic will occur."


    "..." Alex does not know where to shout angrily as he realized that there is no way out for him now.


    Asteria''s words had already confirmed the thing that Alex dreaded the most.


    And it was that Alex was currently wearing a face that looks extremely similar to a former friend of Clint who was already dead!


    "It''s a good thing that I used the amnesia reason earlier¡­" Alex thought to himself as he imagined what could have happened if he tried using a different reason. "Ugh, I better not think about it."


    Asteria was about to talk to Alex more when Clint came back, bringing out a set of keys with him.


    "Goodness sake, I told that brat to leave the keys in that safe¡­" Clint muttered angrily as he jabbed the keys into the metal door. "I did not tell her to stuff the keys into the pillow!"


    After 4 unsuccessful attempts, Clint was able to find the correct key, which allowed him to open the door.


    "Creak¡­"


    A strange, metallic sound could be heard as the hinges protested against the door''s rotation.


    Alex watched with incredulity as he saw a room.


    This room was comprised of mostly metals, wires and weird-looking equipment. There are also some furniture, but the accumulation scrap materials above them made them almost impossible to use.


    Clint smiled as he saw the unsettled look on Alex''s face.


    "This right here is the experiment room of Dr. Natasha Barton, who is my wife."


    Alex did not ask on how Clint could have a wife as he just listened on Clint''s rant.


    "You know, my wife is an extremely talented researcher, and her specialty is Esper Abilities. She had a good lab before, but her co-workers did some malicious things that had her fired, and now this is the only place that she can use as her lab."


    "Ok¡­" Alex looked around the room warily as he tried to ignore the prominent-looking helmet that was placed at the center of the room.


    "So, how are you going to awaken my Esper Ability then?" Alex muttered as he avoided stepping on the wires on the floor.


    "Easy. I will just stimulate your brain with electricity, and that stimulation will let you awaken your Esper Ability." Clint said as he picked up the helmet that Alex was avoiding earlier.


    "You want to put that thing on my head? Thanks, but no thanks." Alex said as he stood up. He tried to back away from Clint while saying,


    "Even if that helmet really works, I would not really want something like that placed on my head¡­"


    There is no way that Alex will allow that helmet to be placed on his head.


    According to Asteria, nothing bulky or large should be placed on Alex''s head, as this might mess up the illusion made by the Fairy Dust.


    The helmet held by Clint is definitely large and bulky.


    So even if that helmet really can awaken his Esper Abilities, Alex would not dare to use it now, as his disguise might be blown off.


    "Hey this might look scary, but me and my wife have already used this helmet on some test subjects." Clint said as he edged nearer and nearer to Alex. "All of them survived¡­."


    "The way you said ''survive'' does not sound good to me." Alex said as he stepped his right foot back.


    "Oi Alex! Do not step on that spot!" Clint''s warning however was too late as Alex''s right foot had directly stepped on an exposed wire.


    "Bzzztt!" Alex''s body then stiffened as thousands of volts of electricity went past his whole body.


    "Ah!" Asteria was somehow unaffected by the shock, although her face looked extremely worried as she watched the spasming Alex suddenly falling to the floor.


    "Pzzt!" Clint acted quickly as he immediately cut off the electricity in the room. This action of his led to Alex being spared from more electrical shock.


    "Um, are you okay?" Clint said as he slowly approached the downed Alex. "Oh s**t, I just brought him here to test his identity. How could it have turned into something like this?"


    Clint''s lamentations however were cut short as the limp body of Alex suddenly stood up.


    Even though some parts of his body looked singed and burnt, Alex did not look like he was hurt at all. In fact, he wore a look of excitement on his face.


    "Clint." Alex tried to contain the excitement in his voice as he talked to the gangster. "Your theory is right."


    "What do you mean by theory?" Clint said as he observed Alex''s injuries.


    "You said that your helmet uses electricity to stimulate the awakening of Esper Abilities, right? Well when I was electrocuted earlier, I managed to awaken my Esper Ability!"


    "What did you say?" Clint''s eyes widened as if he could not believe what Alex had just said. "Quick, show me your Esper Ability!"


    "Ok, I will use it right now." Alex said as his eyes looked like child that was about to test his new toy. "Here I come!"


    But before he Alex could start, he and Clint suddenly heard an angry person shouting from outside the lab.


    "God**nit Clint! I told you to not play in my lab unless it is important! You better give me some explanation on why you are there and on why the electricity was also cut off!"

 Chapter 7 Gamblers Fallacy

    Alex gave Asteria another suspecting look as Clint left the room to explain his case to the angry newcomer.


    "Asteria, maybe its just me, but isn''t this a little convenient?" Alex said as he looked at the exposed wire nearby him.


    "I just randomly thought of using your Fairy Dust, and then the face that I got is actually Clint''s friend. What''s more suspicious was the fact that this new face of mine led me here at this place and allowed me to awaken my Esper Ability without any need to expose myself to the WEO¡­"


    "Huh? What are you harping on about? Shouldn''t you be happy that you already got your Esper Ability?" Asteria mumbled, with the tone of her voice indicating that she wants to change this conversation.


    "Well¡­ I just feel that I am too lucky right now¡­" Alex said as a worried look appeared on his face.


    "And why are you worried about that? Shouldn''t you be happy right now?" Asteria said as she seemed to be leading Alex onto something.


    "Well, I just have the hunch that if I let the things that happened right now get to my head, then I will have more difficulties in the future." Alex said as he cupped his chin in deep thought.


    "I have known some gamblers who got lucky on their first attempts at gambling, and after these lucky wins, these gamblers gained the confidence to do more gambling activities. And since these gamblers have won before, they will be thinking that they can still win more, and they will try bigger and more expensive ways to gamble."


    "And you know what happens to a gambler who got cocky and overconfident." Alex muttered as he gingerly stepped over the scattered wires. "All of them go bankrupt and they lose all their money to the grubby casinos."


    (A.N. This is called Gambler''s Fallacy.)


    Asteria stayed quiet for a few seconds before hesitantly saying,


    "Are you telling me right now that this whole Endless Journey is a gambling game, where you are the gambler and the Endless Monarch is the casino?"


    "Exactly." Alex agreed as he brushed off some soot that had formed on his clothes. "I have the feeling that first-time Travelers will experience some sort of lucky experience in their first missions."


    "Once that lucky experience happens, these Travelers will then feel as if they were already invincible, as if they had a ''plot armor'' protecting them. That kind of thinking will lead to these people being cocky on their next missions, and I am sure that most of these poor Travelers die early."


    "Hmph! You did not disappoint me!" Asteria''s tone suddenly changed from sullen to proud as she gave Alex a beaming smile that had somewhat dazed him.


    "Most of the things that you said was right." Asteria said as she flitted around Alex. "Through some unknown way, the Endless Monarch will set up some set of events at the first missions of the Travelers that will make them feel lucky and invincible. Once that happens, these Travelers will feel that they can take more risks on their next missions. However, just like what you have said earlier, most of them die because of their overconfidence."


    "So the Endless Monarch is actually a shrewd businessman." Alex said as he sat on a nearby chair. "And I presume that you are not allowed to tell me about this slimy move, and that I have to discover it by myself?"


    "There are some things that I am not allowed to say, and this lucky event is one of them." Asteria said as she somehow looked apologetic, but also not apologetic. "It will be up to the Traveler if he/she can see the truth¡­ And you Alex, are one of the travelers that saw through this scheme."


    "Yeah, it''s a good thing that I noticed it." Alex said as he felt more terrified against the Endless Monarch.


    Now that Alex realized that what happened to him right now was not his luck helping him, but rather a malicious move to increase his confidence, he managed to cool his head off as he started to become more prudent of everything.


    "Oh right, you said that you gained your Esper Ability already, right? Come tell me what it is!" Asteria said as she bopped up and down like an excited child.


    "My Esper Ability is Electromagnetic Wave Manipulation." Alex said as he squinted his eyes. "Just like what its name says, my Esper Ability allows me to manipulate Electromagnetic Waves."


    "You know, your ability sounds cool, but I am not sure how powerful that could be." Asteria hesitantly said. "Like, I know that there are 7 types of EM Waves. Can you use them all to your advantage?"


    "Of course, I can." Alex replied confidently.


    "It doesn''t matter what kind of power a person has. What''s more important is on how he or she uses this power."


    *******************


    Electromagnetic Waves, or EM Waves, are a form of energy waves composed of electric and magnetic fields.


    They can carry energy through everything, even through the vacuum of space.


    The EM Waves are distinguished via their frequency and wavelength, separating the EM Spectrum into 7 portions.


    The EM Wave with the longest wavelength is the Radio Wave, and they are mostly used for communications and data transmission in Alex''s world.


    The next one is the Microwave. They can penetrate through clouds and smoke, making them useful for communication. They also have the property to vibrate water at an extreme rate, which is a useful property for heating up foods.


    The Infrared on the other hand is produced by anything that emits heat. Its can be also used on devices like remotes to control nearby things.


    The most common EM Wave to humans is the Visible Light.


    Visible light has a lot of application, and more of it are being discovered as time passed by.


    Next is the Ultraviolet Wave. They contain much higher energy than the visible light, which makes this wave extremely harmful if left unprotected from it.


    X-Ray on the other hand, contains higher energy than the Ultraviolet Wave, but its use had been regulated for medicine and astronomy.


    X-Rays can penetrate soft tissue like skin and muscle, allowing precise observation of the human body.


    The final wave is the Gamma Wave, and it contains the highest amount of energy among all the EM Waves.


    Gamma waves are created from nuclear explosions and cosmic events like supernovas.


    The power of this wave can be used in weaponry and sometimes, even cancer treatment.


    When Alex awakened his Esper Ability, he somehow instinctively knew that his Esper Ability is EM Wave manipulation.


    "Ok, let me try it out now." Alex muttered to himself as he tried sensing the EM Waves around him.


    "Argh!" The first thing that Alex felt was pain, as his mind became overloaded will tons of information.


    The normal human being can only sense visible light. As for the other EM Waves, he/she will only know that it exists through indirect observation.


    But Alex, who gained the ability to manipulate them, can sense them all at once!


    Now, Alex knew why his brain must be remodeled for him to become an Esper.


    Just the mere act of sensing all of the EM Waves around him is already extremely taxing for Alex.


    He could sense streams of radio waves whizzing around him, with some of the houses nearby emitting microwaves. Alex also felt as if the visible light became more ''visible'' to him, with him perfectly sensing all the colors in the visible light!


    Add the infrequent streams of UV and X-Rays shooting out erratically, and Alex''s brain found it hard to deal with all these new sources of information.


    "Hooooh¡­" Alex had no choice but to temporarily deactivate his Esper Ability first, as he realized he still need some time and practice to get used to sensing all the EM Waves.


    "Hey Alex! Are you alright!" It seems like Alex''s scream of pain was heard by Clint, as he immediately rushed inside the room. He gave a worried look to Alex as he rubbed the temples of his head wearily.


    "Don''t worry about me, Clint." Alex said as he gave him a weary smile." I just tried sensing my environment with my Esper Ability, and you can say that my mind is still unable to keep up with all the new information that flowed to me."


    "Can you tell me about your Esper Ability? Maybe I can help you out." Clint said gave a worried look to Alex. "Many of the newly awakened Espers die because their brains could not keep up with their abilities. You were lucky that you were able to stop yourself, as if you continued on haphazardly using your Esper Ability, your brain might be mush now."


    "I''ll take that advice in my mind." Alex said as he shook his head.He then told Clint about his EM Manipulation, and the feeling that he had when he sensed all of the EM Waves around him.


    "Oh, that''s an extremely versatile ability." Clint said as he cupped his chin.


    "EM Waves are everywhere, so you can say that nobody can hide from you, as long as they are in your Range. And no matter where you go, you will be able to attack easily as you have an unlimited supply of EM Waves around you. Your only problem is your defensive skills. There is no way you can defend yourself perfectly with just EM Waves."


    "That I agree with." Alex nodded, as he discovered that his analysis about his ability was pretty similar to the analysis that Clint made.


    "So, what is your current Range right now?" Clint asked Alex as he closed the door of the lab. "Oh, and if you do not know what a Range is, Range is the area around an Esper where he can freely use his Esper Ability."


    Clint then lit a cigarette as he continued talking. "So if an Esper with Pyrokinesis(Fire-Starting ability) has a Range of 1 meter, then that Esper can putanything in fire as long as that object was within 1 meter around that Esper."


    "Oh, let me try first." Alex closed his eyes as he reactivated his Esper Ability, but this time, he tried focusing only on the Visible Light.


    It took Alex some tries do it, but in the end, he was able to successfully filter out all the other EM Waves except for the visible light.


    Alex then tried ''grabbing'' the Visible Light nearest to him with his ability. He then propelled this light beam away from him, as he continuously used his power to bring it away.


    Alex felt his connection with the light beam being cut off when its distance from him had exceeded 10 meters.


    "Argh!" Alex suddenly felt extreme pain inside his head, which forced him to deactivate his ability.


    "Ha, ha, ha, it seems like I still have to train more if I want to use my Esper Ability more efficiently." Alex muttered as he endured the rolling waves of pain inside his head.


    "Well, you are just newly awakened, so you still lack the enough Mental Power to completely sustain your Esper Ability." Clint said as he helped Alex up.


    "Your Range and the power of your Esper Ability all depends on your Mental Power. The higher your Mental Power is, the larger your Range will be, and the more powerful your Esper Ability will be. Oh, have you already found your Range?"


    "It''s 10 meters." Alex said as through his gritted teeth. "Is that good?"


    "Hahaha! Its more than good!" Clint said as he clapped Alex'' back happily. "Most of the times, the largest range that an Esper gets when they awaken their Esper Ability is only around 1-2 meters. Of course there are some exceptions. And you, Alex, with your 10-meter Range, is one of those exceptions!"


    "Now that makes me excited¡­" Alex face lit up as he let out an excited smile. He then gave a hopeful look at Clint as he asked him,


    "So does that mean that my Range and power will increase as long as I increase my Mental Power?"


    "Exactly." Clint replied quickly.


    "But how should I increase my Mental Power?" Alex asked quizzically. "Should I get injected with some kind of drug or something?"


    "Where did you get that idea? It ain''t like that!" Clint said as he shook his head rapidly. "Listen Alex, there are only 2 ways to increase Mental Power."


    Clint then raised his index finger as he said,


    "The first one is by continually using your Esper Ability until you exhaust your Mental Power. Your Mental Power will increase marginally every time you use it all up. Continue doing this process for a long time, and your Mental Power will experience a slow, but steady increase."


    "The second way is through some Mind Stones. These stones contain Mental Power inside them, and they can be absorbed by an Esper to increase his/her Mental Power. However, Mind Stones are extremely rare and expensive, so do not expect that you can use them easily for training."


    "Ok, I get it." Alex nodded his head as he heard what Clint told him. "So, the first way is used by the poor Espers, while the second way is used by the rich Espers. Am I right?"


    "...¡­"

 Chapter 8 Ism a Mad Scientist, Sunnavabich!

    Clint continued to talk to Alex as he answered all of Alex''s question, especially the questions related to the Espers.


    According to Clint, the power of the Espers were ranked based on the amount of their Range and their Mental Power.


    Once an Esper''s Range was around 1 meter in radius, they will be considered to be a Tier 1 Esper.


    Subsequent increase of the Range by 1 meter will increase the number of tiers by 1.


    That means that an Esper with a Range of 10 kilometers will be declared as a Tier 10 Esper.


    Alex, at his current state, could be considered to be a Tier 10 Esper.


    The only way for Espers to increase their Tiers was by increasing their Mental Power, as this is the only way to increase their Range.


    However, Clint noted that once the Range of an Esper reaches 1 kilometer, their designation will change.


    Instead of Tiers, Espers with at least a kilometer in their Range will be ranked with Stars.


    An Esper with a Range of 1 kilometer will be called a 1 Star Esper, while an Esper with a Range of 10 kilometers will be called a 10 Star Esper, and so on and so forth.


    According to Clint, the amount of Star Espers in the world could be counted by hand. That just shows the difficulty of becoming a Star Esper.


    Tier Espers like Alex and the majority of the population will have to train arduously if they want to reach that level.


    "Hey, is it possible for a Star Esper to be defeated by a Tier Esper?" Alex asked as he looked at Clint intently.


    "It is possible. It happened a few times before already." Clint said as he let out a deep breath.


    "Eh really? I thought Star Espers will have their advantage because of their superior Range and power?" Alex tilted his head as he drank the bottle of water beside him.


    "Range and power are only parts that can make an Esper powerful." Clint said as he stood up from his seat.


    "You must know that even the type of the Esper Ability is also important!"


    "Oh, I see your point." Alex said as he digested what Clint had told him. "So you mean that some of the Tier Espers have very powerful Esper Abilities that allowed them to win against some Star Espers?"


    "That''s right." Clint nodded as he gave Alex some examples.


    "For example, there was a Tier Esper whose power is Cryokinesis(Manipulating cold). He fought against a Star Esper whose power is Hydrokinesis(Water manipulation). It is pretty obvious who won amongst the two, right?"


    "It''s definitely the Cryokinetic Tier Esper." Alex said as he tapped his fingers against the table. "Even if the Star Esper has far superior Range and power, his Hydrokinesiswas unfortunately weak against Cryokinesis."


    "That''s exactly what happened." Clint said as he rubbed his hands excitedly.


    "Even if your mental power is weaker than your opponent, as long as you use your power ingeniously, you will still have a chance to win!"


    "Ilike this kind of battles¡­" Alex thought to himself as he let out an excited smile.


    When Alex came to this world earlier, he thought that he had to reachthe peak of his power if he wanted to survive here.


    But it looks like Alex has to rely more on his wits!


    Of course Alex will still have to increase his Mental Power, but he knew that his more important priority right now was to perfect his EM Manipulation.


    "Oh, it seems like you are wanting to fight¡­" Clint mumbled to himself as he sized Alex up. "Alex, I recommend that you research ways on how to use your Esper Ability. That is the best way for you to improve your abilities."


    "Agreed."


    But before Clint and Alex could talk more, the door of the lab suddenly opened, and in came a short-haired woman wearing a labcoat.


    Her features were comparable to that of a person living at a cold place.


    Pale, white skin, light blonde hair, blue eyes, and rosy lips. This woman was a definition of ice-cold beauty, and the indifferent look in her eyes just exemplified that look.


    "Clint, it seems like you are having some fun talking with that guy." The woman said as she slowly approached the terrified Clint. "You told me that you will follow me to our house after a minute. But 30 minutes have already passed by!"


    "Ah Natasha, just like what I told you earlier, this friend of mine had awakened his Esper Ability earlier." Clint hurriedly said, as if he was afraid of his wife. "I just got held up because I had to explain some things to him."


    "Oh?" Natasha raised her eyebrows towards her husband before she looked at Alex by herself.


    Her bright blue eyes seemed to be boring right into Alex''s mind as she just stared at him intently.


    "So you got electrocuted huh. You''re lucky that you are still alive." Natasha said as she suddenly started roving her hands all over Alex''s body.


    "He-hey!" Alex started to panic as he gave Clint an apologetic look, but Clint did not look angry at all. It was as if what Natasha was doing was just the norm.


    "Hmm¡­ None of your muscles have atrophied because of the electric shock. And from the way you looked right now, you seem to have no internal injuries too." Natasha mumbled to herself as she finished her ''inspection''.


    "All in all, your Esper Awakening had zero side effects." Natasha declared as she let go of Alex. "Congratulations, you are the first one to awaken through electrocution without any negative side-effects."


    "¡­." This statement of Natasha made Alex realize that he successfully averted a possible tragic fate with the helmet.


    "Can I know how the WEO awakens their Esper?" Alex asked as he looked at the helmet with twitching eyes. "I reckon its way different from electrocution."


    "From what I know, their Espers will be awakened by exposing those Espers to some kind of signal that will light up the portions of their brain related to Esper power." Natasha said as she idly played with the helmet on her hands.


    "I am trying to mimic that phenomenon, but instead of using that signal, I am using electrical current."


    "Maybe I am the only one thinking of this, but isn''t using electricity really dangerous?" Alex said as he looked at the helmet with trepidation. "Putting thousands of volts into people''s brains is not really that good¡­"


    "But you just experienced that process right now Alex, and you even awakened your Esper Ability." Natasha said as a manic glow appeared in her eyes.


    "Alex, your existence right now just confirms that my efforts on Awakening by electrocution is actually worth it!"


    "Now I understand why this Natasha was expelled from her old lab." Asteria off-handedly said as she leaned her back on Alex''s neck."She looks like a mad scientist."


    "She''s a mad scientist indeed." Alex thought as he saw something more with Natasha''s appearance.


    Her eyes had eyebags below them, and her skin actually looked paler than normal. It was quite easy to assume that she had countless sleepless nights doing God-knows-what.


    Clint seemed to have noticed it too, as he gave Natasha a worried look.


    "Wifey, you look extremely tired now. I think you should better rest already."


    "No." Natasha stubbornly replied as she hugged the helmet tightly. "I need to observe Alex''s body in order to see how he was able to go through the process unscathed. I can use that data from that to improve this helmet. Maybe I can even perfect it now¡­"


    "Oh well, that does not sound well to me¡­"Asteria said as she gave Alex a panicking look. "Alex, I think you should go and leave now. The way that Natasha looked at you makes me remember about those hamsters used in experiments."


    "Its white mice, not hamsters!" Alex thought wearily as he stood up.


    No matter how kind Clint was to him, Alex will not allow himself to be experimented upon.


    But Alexrealized that he does need to leave anymore, as Clint suddenly made a surprising move.


    His body disappeared, and before Alex knew it, Clint was already behind Natasha.


    Clint then poked a spot behind Natasha''s neck which led to Natasha suddenly closing her eyes and her body becoming limp.


    Clint caught the unconscious Natasha as he gave Alex an assuring look.


    "Alex, do not be surprised with what I did." Clint said as he hoisted Natasha over his shoulders.


    "My wife sometimes gets so engrossed in her work that she stops sleeping for countless nights. Of course, as her husband, I am not allowing her to stay that way."


    "So when you see that your wife is about to reach a breaking point due to her lack of sleep, you will personally knock her out?" Alex said as he looked at the sleeping Natasha dubiously.


    "Well, as long as my wife stays sane and healthy, then I am willing to do something like this." Clint said as his eyes turned dim. "Besides, there is no way for me to stop Natasha from doing her experiments. It''s like her second life already¡­"


    "...¡­.." Alex chose not to comment on that statement, as he realized that he was about to go into the area of marital issues.


    "So, where are you planning to go now?" Clint said as he adjusted Natasha''s position on his shoulders. "If you have nowhere to go, then maybe you can stay in my house first."


    "Well, I would love to, but your wife¡­" Alex hesitantly said as he looked at Natasha. "I am afraid she will do something weird against me."


    "Oh, do not worry about her." Clint said as he gave Alex a comforting smile. "As long as my wife is near our daughter, she will behave herself."


    "You have a daughter?" Alex exclaimed as he looked at the tattooed body of Clint.


    "Huh? Are you thinking that my daughter is a tattooed freak like me? Hell no!" Clint said as he glared at Alex.


    "My daughter is an angel! She''s pure and innocent, and she is the joy of my family!"


    "Blergh." Asteria made some gagging sounds as she could not contain the fluffy atmosphere being emitted by Clint. "Its like I am seeing a cockroach wearing cute clothes!"


    "So, will you stay at our house for now?" Clint asked Alex as he gave him an assuring smile. "If you want, you can just stay there for tonight. If you want to leave, then you can do so tomorrow. But if you want to continue your stay, then we will gladly accept it."


    "Well if it is just one night, then I agree." Alex said as he ignored Asteria''s indignation.


    "Great choice my friend!" Clint said as he swung his arm over Alex''s shoulders. "You will enjoy your stay there!"


    "Hmph"! Asteria could only glare at Clint angrily as her spot on top of Alex''s shoulder was occupied by Clint''s arm. "We shall see if that daughter of yours really is an angel!"


    ************************


    "Welcome, Tier 999 Esper, Alina." The hole, which Alex had passed through earlier, suddenly spoke out a greeting as a masked woman wearing black clothes appeared.


    If Alex was here, he will definitely recognize this woman as the black swordswoman who tried to kill him earlier!


    This woman gave an indifferent nod as she said,


    "I am chasing a Class S Intruder right now, and according to my data, this city is the nearest location to the place where I saw the Intruder."


    "So, Miss Alina is saying that the Intruder had somehow infiltrated this place?" The robotic voice sounded somewhat amused, as if it had real feelings.


    "That Intruder managed to escape from me even when I was just in front of him. For that Intruder to infiltrate this city is highly possible." Alina coldly said from behind her mask.


    Before the robotic voice could retort, Alina pulled out something from her pocket. This object was a black card, which glinted ominously in her grasp.


    She then showed the black card to the hole as she said,


    "With the authority bestowed to me by my Lord, I command you to put this city in a lockdown. Do not allow anything or anyone from entering or leaving this city. The lockdown will only end once I confirm that the Intruder is not here or when I kill him."


    "It shall be done, Miss Alina."The voice said as Alina made her way towards the city.


    Alina''s black clothes melded perfectly with the darkness of the tunnel, creating the sight of an assassin ready to claim her kill.

 Chapter 9 The Big 4

    For someone like Clint who was supposedly a leader of a gang, his house actually looked quite decent.


    Even if it was located in the slums, Alex could see that it was made up of materials sturdier compared to the materials used to make the other houses.


    Even the way that the house was built was carefully planned, with each of its structures seemingly on their perfect position.


    "Whoever made this house deserves to get a good pay." Alex said as he and Clint arrived in front of his house.


    "Daddy!" An unmistakable cheery voice could be heard by Alex coming from inside the house.


    Clint, who was looking like a terrifying debt collector earlier, was now wearing an ear-splitting grin as he ran towards his house.


    The gate swung open, and a little girl came out, heading straight towards Clint.


    "Daddy!" The little girl squealed in laughter as Clint enveloped her in a tight hug.


    "Your daddy just disappeared for an hour, yet you already miss him?" Clint said as he continued wearing that foolish smile on his face.


    Clint then dug out something from the bag on his back, which turned out to be a stun gun.


    "Daddy just bought this stun gun for you!"Clint said, ignoring the shocked expression on Alex''s face. "You can use that to stun those that you do not like!"


    "Yay! I will use this on big bro!" The little girl said as she rushed back to the house.


    Alex then saw a small figure running away from the little girl.


    This small figure was a male, and judging from the way that he looked, he''s obviously older than the little girl.


    "Hehe big bro, come taste this new toy of mine!" The little girl said as he brandished the stun gun towards her big bro''s location. "Just let yourself be hit!"


    "No way!" The small figure, who was the big bro, shouted as he ran back to the house. "I am not like Dad, who''s happy getting electrocuted by Mom! If you want to stun someone, then use it on Dad!"


    "I won''t do that! I love Daddy! He gives me these toys!" The little girl declared as pursued her big bro inside the house.


    "¡­ Did you just give your daughter an effing stun gun?" Alex asked as he and Asteria could only stare blankly at the event that transpired. "And you are even letting her use it on her brother?"


    "Well¡­ like mother, like daughter you know." Clint sheepishly said as he rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Both of them loves electrocuting stuff¡­ so I have no choice but to comply."


    "Hmph, this Clint just likes getting electrocuted by his wife! He''s the greatest pervert here!" Asteria said as she let out a hopeless sigh. "I thought this guy and his family will be a decent one¡­ It will be better if they are just cardboard characters¡­"


    "Wait, but how about your son?" Alex said as the chase between the little girl and her big bro continued. "Isn''t it unfair for him to get hurt?"


    "Oh, do not worry about him." Clint said as he went through the gate. "Both me and my son have ways to resist electricity, so we have no qualms getting shocked like that."


    "Is that a hint of your Esper Ability?" Alex asked as he went through the gate too. "Don''t tell me that your Esper Ability is controlling Electricity and Magnetism?"


    "Your answer is actually just 1/4th correct." Clint said as he gave Alex a smug smile.


    "How could my answer be 1/4th correct?" Alex said as he tilted his head. "I mean, can an answer even be 1/4th correct?"


    "Well before I answer that question of yours, let me ask you something too." Clint said as he looked at Alex.


    "Do you know the Four Fundamental Forces of the Universe?"


    "Of course I know about that." Alex said as he enumerated what he knew.


    "The first one is the Gravitational Force. It is the attractive force between objects, as long as they have mass.It is also the weakest force, but it has an infinite range. It is a fundamental part of the Universe since gravity is what holds most of the things together in the Universe. "


    "The second one is the Electromagnetic Force. This force affects everything with electrical charge, which produces magnetic and electrical effects. It is long-ranged, but its power is less than the Strong Nuclear Force. My Esper Ability, EM Manipulation, can be said to be derived from this force."


    "The third one is the Weak Nuclear Force. It was called weak, since it deals with very weak interactions, like radioactive decay. This force has a very short range, and it deals with stuff like conversion of a proton into a neutron(This phenomena is called the Beta Decay)."


    "Last and not the least is the Strong Nuclear Force. Just like what its name says, it is extremely strong. In fact, this is the strongest amongst all the Fundamental Forces. However, it also the one with the shortest range. This force is responsible for holding the nuclei of atoms together.But basically speaking, it was the gluons that carry this force."


    "Hohoho¡­ it seems like you have a great knowledge in physics!" Clint said as he gave Alex a slow clap. "Now that you have said those things, have you already realized why your answer is only 1/4th correct?"


    "Don''t tell me¡­" Alex''s eyes widened in shock as he managed to piece together the clues that Clint left for him. "Don''t tell me that your ability is the manipulation of the Four Fundamental Forces?"


    "Bullseye." Clint said as he gave Alex a wink. "That is indeed my Esper Ability. As long as an object is within my Range, they will succumb quickly under my power!"


    "That is so broken!" Alex shouted as he took some deep breaths to calm himself down. "Even if I do not have your ability, I can already imagine all the stuff you can do. Hell, you can even destroy this planet just by using your Gravity Manipulation!"


    "That''s right." Clint smugly said as he opened the door of his house. He looked back at Alex, who was still shaken by Clint''s revelation. "What, are you coming in or not?"


    "Tell me¡­" Alex suddenly muttered as he stared directly at Clint. "Are you one of the strongest Espers in the world?"


    "Well technically speaking, I am the 3rd strongest Esper in the world." Clint said as he ignored the pointed look given to him by his wife.


    "What? There are twoEspers that are stronger than you?" Alex said as he shook his head to clear up his mind. "Is their Mental Power greater than yours?"


    "Nope. My Mental Power is just similar to the Mental Power of #1 and #2." Clint said as he leaned back on the doorframe. "The only reason they are more powerful than me is because their Esper Abilities are more ridiculous than mine."


    "Hah? What ability can even outmatch yours?" Alex said as he tilted his head in confusion.


    "I promise you, there are abilities like that." Clint said as he opened the door wider. "Come, my wife is serving dinner. It will be bad if you miss the food."


    But to Clint''s surprise, he suddenly saw Alex dashing towards him, only stopping when he was right in front of him.


    Alex then kowtowed in front of Clint, with his head touching the ground.


    "Please, teach me, Master!" Alex shamelessly said as he continued on kowtowing in front of Clint. "You have the ability to manipulate Electromagnetic Force, so you are the best teacher that I can have! Please teach me!"


    "...¡­.." To Alex''s dismay, he only received a silent stare from Clint. Alex was about to give up and leave the place when Clint suddenly said,


    "Why do you want to get stronger? Why are you in a rush?"


    "I¡­ I have to do it, or else I will die." Alex truthfully said, as he decided to not lie.


    "Hmph, you are speaking the truth¡­ but your reasoning is unacceptable to me." Clint said as he turned around, with his back facing Alex. "No matter what happens, everyone will still die. Even if I teach you, your death will still be inevitable in the future."


    "....." Alex dared to not speak back as he just listened intently to Clint.


    "But¡­ I can sense that you are not a wicked person and that you have a quick wit. One week!" Clint shouted as he gave a narrow stare at Alex. "I will teach you for one week starting tomorrow. It will only depend on your effort and your skills if you will learn a lot within that one week!"


    "Thank you, master!" Alex said as he did not dare to stand up right now.


    "Ugh, stop calling me master, ok?" Clint said as he pulled Alex up. "You are my friend, so just call me Clint. However¡­ during my lessons, you must treat me with respect, or else, you will get the prime treatment of my wife."


    Alex ignored this weird shift in Clint''s tone as he nodded rapidly like a chick pecking on grains.


    "Ok, now that we have fixed that up, its time for some dinner." Clint said as he dragged Alex with him.


    Asteria, who was still sitting at Alex''s shoulder, could only snort aloud as she told Alex,


    "It''s good that you followed my advice to make this Clint your master. With him as your guide for a week, your chance of completing the mission will be much higher compared to before!"


    Alex''s only reply to this was a grateful look to Asteria. Upon seeing this, Asteria''s reply was,


    "Make sure that I will get 10 jars of high-quality honey tomorrow! I will not forgive you if you mess that up!"


    "....."


    ****************


    "Are you still in your right mind, Clint?" Natasha said to her husband as she washed the dishes.


    They just finished eating dinner, and her daughter and son were at their respective rooms, sleeping peacefully already.


    As for Alex, he was provided the attic as his room and right now, Alex was busy cleaning that attic.


    "What do you mean wifey?" Clint shot back as he cleaned the dining table.


    "What do I mean?" Natasha glanced at the direction of the attic, before her head swiveled back at Clint as she said,


    "You just told about your Esper Ability to a complete stranger!You have done your best to keep your identity as the 3rd Strongest Esper a secret. But why did you tell about your secret at that stranger? Not only that, but you also agreed to be his teacher for a week!"


    "But¡­ he is not a stranger!" Clint said as he looked at the attic with desperation. "Look at his face! He looks just like-"


    "Your student is already dead 2 years ago, Clint." Natasha said as she gave Clint a leveled stare. "Even if that guy looks like your former student, he is still not him! I mean, even their Esper Abilities are not similar!"


    "...¡­." Clint''s only response to this was to stay silent as he looked down on the floor with a weary expression.


    "I''ve¡­ always wondered." Clint suddenly said after he stayed quiet for a minute. "What if I listened to my student''s request before? What if I joined him going at his home? Will he still be alive today?"


    "There are no ifs in like, Clint." Natasha said as she hugged Clint from behind. "What''s done is already done."


    "Natasha¡­ please¡­" Clint gave his wife a pleading look as he leaned his forehead into her forehead. "Just let me do this¡­"


    "Fine¡­" Natasha mumbled as she broke up the hug. "But if that guy turns out to be an Intruder, you will be the one to kill him! Do you understand that?"


    "Yes Mam!" Clint said as he bounced up with a delighted expression on his face.


    "Oh, and let me remind you one thing too." Natasha said as she locked the front door of the house."I knew that you knocked me out earlier, so as a punishment, there will be no sexy time for a week. Use all that pent-up testosterone of yours to train that Alex guy. Hehehe, there is no way that he can endure a ''starved'' person like you."


    "Nooo!!!"

 Chapter 10 Is Honey supposed to act that way?

    Midnight.


    Alex had already finished cleaning up the attic, turning it into something habitable for him.


    But instead of sleeping, Alex opted to leave the attic first, as he felt the desire to talk to someone.


    The floorboards creaked as Alex treaded the living room. He made sure that he was quiet, so that none of the sleeping residents will wake up.


    "Still can''t sleep too?" Alex looked behind him, and there he found the person that he was looking for.


    Clint was currently lounging on the sofa, with his legs placed on top of the sofa''s armrest.


    Clint was puffing a stick of cigarette, producing a plume of smoke that hovered around Clint.


    "I find it hard to sleep today¡­" Alex said as he sat on the chair in front of Clint. "Besides, there is one question plaguing my mind right not, and I want it answered."


    Clint raised his eyebrows after he heard what Alex said. "You need to sleep right now, because tomorrow''s training will be a hard one. So, tell me that question of yours so that you can already sleep."


    "Well..." Alex looked around him warily before saying,


    "If you really are the 3rd strongest Esper, then what are you doing here? I thought the strongest espers will be more¡­ free. But looking at you right now, that does not seem to be the case."


    "Oh Alex¡­" Clint shook his head while smiling, as if he found Alex'' s question humorous.


    "Let me tell you something." Clint said as he inhaled a deep puff of smoke. "Once an Esper has reached the peak of their strength, they will find no freedom. Instead, they will be restricted far more than they can imagine."


    "What do you mean by restricted?" Alex said as he leaned his head forward in interest.


    "I cannot explain it fully to you due to the rules, but here is a simple explanation." Clint stood up from the sofa as he threw his cigarette on the ash tray.


    "Once an esper enters the top 10 rankings of the 10 strongest Espers, something will happen to them that will restrict them from doing one thing." Clint said with a sigh as he found out that he had no more cigarettes left. "D*mn, seems like I have to buy a pack later."


    "And what exactly are they restricted from doing?" Alex asked as he tried to ignore the Clint''s smoky smell.


    "They are restricted from interfering with normal affairs." Clint said as he laid back on the sofa.


    "After all, the top 10 Espers were too strong, and if they were to use their abilities to the fullest, a lot of innocents will surely die. So, they are not allowed to fight on normal situations."


    Clint said these words with a disappointed expression on his face.


    "However." Clint added as he raised his index finger. "If there is a catastrophic event or an extremely powerful enemy that appeared, someone from the top 10 Espers will be allowed to deal with that problem. But if the situation is not that catastrophic, all the espers at the Top 10 will not be allowed to do something to it."


    "Wait, hold on." Alex said as he raised his hands in front of him. "Are you telling me that even you, with all that power that you have is also restricted from fighting? Maybe its just me, but I find it hard to believe that someone like you can be forced to not fight."


    "Alex, you may not believe me, but there is something in this world that is able to restrict all of us Espers." Clint said with an undiscernible glint in his eyes. "Even I have no choice but to follow the rules. If I don''t, well you can say that my end will not be pretty."


    "¡­ I understand." Alex said as he stood up. "Well¡­ see you tomorrow at the training I guess?"


    "Yeah, just sleep tight for now." Clint said as he rummaged the cabinet beside him, maybe in an attempt to find a stray pack of cigarette. "Tomorrow will not be a really good day for you."


    Alex stumbled on his way to the attic, as he tried to downplay the ominous tone in Clint''s voice.


    "....."


    **************************


    "Sigh, I thought I will have an easy time completing the mission now. Turns out I still have to rely on myself." Alex muttered to himself as he lay down on his bed.


    Asteria, who was playing in the pillow, let out a snort as she sneered at Alex.


    "When you discovered that Clint is the 3rd strongest esper, you thought that you can use his power to complete the mission, right? Hahaha, too bad for you, he cannot help you at all!"


    "Yeah, it really sucks¡­" Alex said as he let out a heavy sigh.


    Alex did not expect that the strongest Espers were actually banned from participating on the normal or mundane matters of the Esper world!


    And they were just allowed to make their move if the problem is too much to handle!


    "Well, imagine what the other people would think when they see someone like Clint who can control all the fundamental forces." Asteria sighed as she began to shred the skin of the pillow. "They will see a monster, who can easily kill many people if he willed it."


    "With that kind of fear present, it is not unexpected that the higher-ups will place a countermeasure against the strongest Espers." Alex said as he tossed around the bed. "However, I still could not fathom on how these strong Espers were restricted from doing as they please."


    "Well, this is an Esper World, so you should expect that something technological exists that can restrict all these strong Espers." Asteria said with her back facing Alex. "So don''t overthink it and just accept the facts."


    "Hmm¡­" Alex narrowed his eyes as he heard that Asteria''s tone sounded somewhat¡­ evasive. "Asteria, let me guess. You know the thing or person that is restricting the Espers, right?"


    "Hah? What are you talking about? Just go to sleep already!" Asteria said as she kicked Alex''s shin.. "Didn''t you say that you will have your training starting tomorrow? Then start conserving your energy!"


    "Hooh¡­ so you will not tell me huh. Well fine then, I will find it out by myself." Alex said as he covered himself with the blanket.


    "Hmph, remember about my honey!" Asteria said as she saw Alex falling into a slumber.


    "...¡­.."


    Alex''s first day here in the new world was an eventful one, and Alex was not sure if the following days can top it off.


    **********************


    As it turns out, they really can top it off.


    "S**t." That was all that Alex could say as he lay down on the cold floor, gasping for air as he recovered his breath.


    His body looked battered, with sweat drenching his clothes and his skin looking extremely flushed.


    "That''s all that you got?" Clint said as he looked down at Alex coldly. "I thought you were something good. Turns out you are just all talk. Natalia, zap him."


    "Yes daddy!" Natalia, who was Clint''s daughter, brandished her stun gun and fired it at Alex.


    "Grrh!!" Alex gritted his teeth as electricity travelled all over his body.


    "Hmph, electrocution might be painful, but it will also help your body familiarize with the EM Field!" Clint said as he watched Alex writhing on the floor.


    "..."


    Training started earlier when Alex finished eating his breakfast.


    According to Clint, his training will consist of two portions.


    In the morning until noon, it will be power training.


    Clint will release variations of EM Waves from his body, and Alex must do his best to control them.


    Doing that will be hard, as these EM Waves were personally bolstered by Clint.


    If Alex fails to control these EM Waves under a minute, then he will be zapped by Natalia, who seemed to be extremely eager to do it.


    This torturous process will continue until noon.


    Right now, there''s still an hour before noon, and Alex was already at his limits.


    His Mental Power is near rock-bottom, and none of his attempts have worked.


    "By now, you should have at least tugged the EM Waves around me, even by just little." Clint coldly said at Alex who lay panting on the floor. "Since you failed to do that, you''ll get another zap from Natalia."


    "Yes Daddy!"


    "Ah!"


    But even when the pain from electrocution was too much, Alexdid not dare to complain about the punishment given to him.


    It was because everytime he gets electrocuted, his body somehow feels more and more attuned with the EM Waves around him. This helped Alex to sense the EM Waves easier.


    After repeated zappings, even Alex had the suspicion that maybe the whole point of the power training is to just repeatedly electrocute him.


    Of course, Alex did not dare to say this thought out loud, as he feared it might just tick off Clint more.


    "Ok, today''s power training session is done." Clint said as he and Natalia left Alex, who was lying down spread-eagled on the floor. "You have 1 hour to rest and replenish your energy. After that rest will be ability section."


    "...." Alex was unable to give any reply as he found it extremely difficult to speak right now.


    "Ugh." It took Alex some seconds before he can fully stand up. He then hobbled slowly towards the attic as he intended to rest there.


    However, when he went in, the sight that he saw made him feel more depressed.


    He could see Asteria slurping down a jar of honey through a makeshift straw.


    Honey, which was supposed to be extremely viscous, acted just like a softdrink as it entered through the straw and towards Asteria''s mouth.


    Alex could barely suppress a frown as he saw how carefree Asteria was.


    "I am being repeatedly zapped there and all you did during that time is to slurp some honey? I am really lucky that you are my Guide."


    "Hmph! Don''t you know that it is rude to interrupt a girl from eating her comfort food?" Asteria said as she did not stop slurping the honey.


    "Shoo! Shoo!" Just bother me later!"


    "..." Since Asteria was this obstinate, Alex was left with no choice but to leave the attic.


    He then headed straight to the bathroom to wash of all the accumulated dirt and sweat on his body.


    "Tsk, that woman really is irritating!" Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head.


    When Alex gave Asteria the 10 jars of honey that she demanded earlier, Alex thought that Asteria will eat these jars of honey in moderation.


    But that expectation of his went astray as Asteria told Alex that aside from her, even the honey that she will eat will also turn invisible to other people.


    Because of that, Asteria became fearless on consuming all of her honey.


    "S**t, if that fairy asks for more honey after this, then I will just tie her up." Alex mumbled to himself as he reached the living room.


    There, he saw Clint and his daughter Natalia playing a board game with Natasha.


    Natasha flashed Alex an indifferent look, which seemed to be much colder than the look that she gave him yesterday.


    "Seems like you have recovered already." Clint said as he glanced at Alex. "If you can recover that fast, then maybe I should amp up the voltage of the stun gun tomorrow."


    "Do it daddy!" Natalia said as she flashed Alex an excited smile.


    "...¡­." Before Alex could give a retort to Clint, he and the others suddenly heard a robotic voice.


    This voice was not only heard by them. Everyone at the Dragon Esper City could hear this voice, and they could not help but get angry when they heard what the message was.


    "Due to an unconfirmed threat of a Class-S Intruder, the whole city will be in a lockdown. The lockdown will only be lifted is the threat is confirmed to be neutralized."


    "Due to an unconfirmed threat¡­."


    "Due to an unconfirmed threat¡­"


    "Now isn''t that interesting." Clint commented with interest, as if he was not that worried by what he heard.


    "Well, if it is unconfirmed, then this lockdown will not last for long. Maybe around 1 day at most." Natasha off-handedly said as she made her move.


    "Yeah, I think thatwill be the case." Clint then looked at Alex as he said,


    "Alex, don''t expect that this lockdown will lighten your training. Maybe you can expect it to even get harder."


    "...¡­.."

 Chapter 11 World Diagram

    "Umm¡­ is this a common occurrence?" Alex asked Clint as the announcement of the robotic voice went on.


    "Well, if it is a weak Intruder, killing them will be just a piece of cake for the Espers, but for something like a Class-S Intruder, lockdowns are really necessary." Clint said as he made a move in his board game. "Hahaha! Wifey, let''s see if you can still win now!"


    "¡­." Alex fell into a silence as he remembered what Clint told to him about the relationship between the Espers and the Intruders.


    According to Clint, around 1000 years ago, nobody that lives in this planet are Espers. All of the people at that time were all ''normal'' humans.


    But then one day, a powerful gamma ray burst went through the planet, and this gamma ray burst broughtcountless changes in the planet.


    Majority of the living beings died, as the heat and energy inside a gamma ray burst were extremely fatal to living beings.


    If the scientists in Alex''s world saw this, they will exclaim that this gamma ray burst is a world-ending calamity.


    But not everyone died from that gamma ray burst, including humans.


    Even if they were few, some humans survived the initial disaster.


    But for these surviving humans, something within them changed.


    They were different from the normal humans.


    They gained the power to manipulate the objects and even concepts around them just with their mind alone.


    They were the first Espers.


    With that power in hand, the humans were able to redominate the whole planet, and just after 1,000 years, they were back as the apex species.


    Even their technology had changedas both Esper Abilities and Technology improved mutually with each other.


    This prosperity in human power and level of technology ushered the Golden Age of Humanity.


    However, that gamma ray burst brought in something else.


    500 years after the gamma ray burst incident, a race of foreign beings suddenly appeared amongst humanity.


    These beings have varying abilities and properties, but they all have one thing in common.


    And that was that all of these beings wanted to kill the humans.


    Up until now, nobody knows where these beings come from. They just spontaneously appear at a certain place before anyone could expect it.


    Because of this and the fact that these beings wield powerful abilities too, most of an Esper''s job usually deals with combat against these beings.


    Because of the nature of their arrival, these beings were just called Intruders.


    When the Intruders first appeared, humanity suffered a lot, since they were unable to anticipate where the Intruders will appear. Many powerful Espers died because of this.


    But these problems were alleviated when the first quantum computer was created.


    By pooling all the possible resources the humanity can use, they were able to create thestrongest quantum computer of all time, which was called the World Diagram.


    The processing power of the World Diagram was so great that it can monitor the whole planet 24/7, 365 days a year with all of its cameras.


    As long as an Intruder gets detected by one its cameras, the World Diagram will immediately take note of its arrival.


    The World Diagram will then record this Intruder''s location, and it will also estimate the Intruder''s level of strength.


    An Intruder''s strength will be ranked in Letter System, with Class-F as the weakest, and Class-Z as the strongest


    [F, E, D, C, B, A, S, SS, SSS, Z]


    The World Diagram will then send a warning signal to the nearby Espers, telling them about this certain Intruder.


    This efficient information-gathering system by the World Diagram had allowed the humanity to push back the unrelenting invasion of the Intruders.


    When Alex heard about this part, he smiled wryly, as he realized that when he was brought to this Planet, the World Diagram must have mistaken him to be an Intruder.


    And it actually treated him as a Class-S! Alex was not sure if he should feel proud of that.


    It was a good thing that Alex changed his face before entering the Dragon Esper City, or else he might have been shot to death with lasers too.


    But aside from defending against the Intruders, the World Diagram is doing other things too like weather forecast, business management, Esper training and many more.


    In fact, one can say that the current human civilization fully relies on the World Diagram.


    If the World Diagram somehow gets destroyed or taken, then humanity will surely take a hit.


    This fact alone made Alex extremely angry.


    After all, his mission was to destroy the World Diagram.


    Won''t the very act of him doing this lead to a catastrophic life for humanity?


    Alex of course is not happy that his mission might lead to deaths of countless innocent people.


    So much was his anger that he confronted Asteria about this fact last night.


    **************************


    (Flashback)


    "So what if many will die because of your mission?" Asteria said as she gave Alex an indifferent look. "Your mission is to destroy the World Diagram. Nothing more, nothing less."


    "But the World Diagram is the pillar of the humanity!" Alex exclaimed as he glared at Asteria. "Do you want me to just destroy it?"


    "Well, if you don''t want to destroy it, then don''t do anything. But if you do that, you will be the one dying¡­" Asteria said as she closed her eyes. "Well, its still up to you if you will do it or not."


    "...¡­."


    "Fine. Then I will just solve both of the problems at the same time." Alex muttered to himself as his eyes glowed with determination.


    "I¡­ will find a way to destroy the World Diagram and keep the humanity safe and intact at the same time! "


    "Wow, good luck with that." Asteria said with her eyes closed.


    "Just the act of trying to destroy the World Diagram is already hard. And now you want to find a way to keep the humans safe once the World Diagram is destroyed? You are just digging a grave for yourself!"


    "We''ll see." Alex declared as he closed his eyes to sleep.


    (Flashback ends)


    **************


    Back to the conversation with Clint


    "But just to make sure that everyone is safe, nobody will be coming out of the house during the duration of the lockdown." Natasha said as she played her move. "Only I and Clint will get out to get supplies and other stuff."


    "Mommy, that''s no fair!" Natalia said as she raised her tiny little hands. "I want to play outside!"


    "Just play with your father and Alex." Natasha replied quickly. "Aren''t you having some fun with them?"


    "Oi, don''t sell me out like that!" Alex thought to himself as he saw Natalia agreeing to what her mother said.


    "...¡­.."


    Clint and his wife spent most of the noontime playing their board game while Alex and Natalia ate their lunch.


    As for Natalia''s brother, whose name was Clive, he was holed up in his room playing video games.


    Alex could not help but smile a little as he watched the tiny Natalia stuff food in her mouth, making her look like a hamster.


    "This is a nice family¡­ If my sister just experienced this too¡­" Alex thought somberly as he continued eating.


    ********************


    "Now that you have trained your body and mind, it is now time for you to train your creativity." Clint said as he tapped the wall in front of him.


    At the instant that he did this, a white screen appeared on the wall which was filled with countless scribbles.


    Cint waved his hand, and these scribbles disappeared.


    "You will spend the whole afternoon creating new ways of using your abilities." Clint said as he tapped the white screen.


    "This screen will record your progress all throughout the process. As for me, I will be here to prevent accidents from happening if you mess up with your training."


    "That¡­ sounds ominous." Alex muttered as he looked around him. "Are you telling me that I could create an explosion just because I slightly messed up on my training?"


    "If you slightly mess up in the process, you might create a heat ray that can penetrate your skull." Clint sternly replied as his eyes told Alex that he will not leave. "If you want your head to be a slot machine, then feel free to experiment without me around."


    "......¡­"


    *****************


    As it turns out, Clint was right.


    Just the number of times that Alex almost died that afternoon far exceeded the amount of his fingers and toes.


    "Do not worry. Now that you have somehow grasped your power, you will have fewer accidents like this happening in the future." Clint said after he stopped a thick stream of electron beam from melting half of Alex''s face.


    "And once you have perfect control over your power, you will experience no accidents at all."


    "Tsk." Alex obviously did not look happy about this. "But can I achieve a perfect control over my ability in just a week? I will be happy if that was possible."


    "It is possible." Clint said as his gaze at Alex became more serious.


    "But if you want that to happen, then you must prepare for a more intense power training starting tomorrow. Not only that, but I will also include punishments everytime you mess up in the ability training¡­"


    "Fi-fine! Do that!" Alex exclaimed as he scrunched his eyebrows. "I am not scared of some mere electrocution!"


    "Then can you tell me why your legs are shaking right now?" Clint mused as he looked down.


    "This¡­ this is just the remnant shock from earlier!" Alex replied desparately. "That''s right! There are some residues of electricity earlier, and my legs are just feeling it now."


    "¡­.If you say so."


    "...¡­"


    Alex was able to finish his ability training for that day, with him being saved by Clint half of the time.


    "50% fatality rate. Not bad for the first day."


    "...¡­.."


    *****************


    "Schwiing¡­" Alina pulled out her swords from their sheath as she started her daily routing of cleaning them up.


    She rubbed them carefully with military-grade alcohol, and she made sure that she''s using silk cloth as the medium for the alcohol.


    She observed her swords intently as she looked for any signs of damage in them. Upon seeing that there was none, she let out a deep breath as she sheathed the swords back.


    She then opened the door to her room as she left her current dwelling.


    Right now, Alina was near the center of the Dragon Esper City.


    She spent the night resting here in order for her to recover her energy.


    At the instant that she left the hotel that she was staying in, she heard the robotic voice announcing about the lockdown.


    "So it just decided to start the lockdown when it saw me ready to hunt the intruder? What a scary sense of timing." Alina muttered to herself as she walked briskly among the panicked crowd.


    Her clothes and mask might stand out if it was a normal day, but with people rushing back towards their houses, none of them noticed Alina''s unsettling visage.


    "If the Intruder will hide in an Esper City, 70% of the time, the Intruder will hide in the slum area." Alina thought to herself as her foot led her towards the slum area.


    Her presence started to become hazy as if she was about to meld with the air.


    Even the killing intent that Alex felt from her yesterday was also gone, as if it was not there at all.


    Alina then adjusted her mask as she muttered to herself,


    "No matter what tricks you use to hide, I will see through them all!"

 Chapter 12 Of course, it will always be a Small World

    Both of Alex''s mind and body were tired and weary, with him feeling extremely sleepy and lethargic.


    Alex could not help but wince as he imagined all the pain that he will feel tomorrow.


    "S**t, I just told Clint to increase the pace of the training tomorrow¡­" Alex thought sourly as he let out a despairing sigh. "It really sucks¡­"


    But even if Alex felt that the whole training that he had was painful and tiring, he discovered that his Mental Power and control had actually improved.


    His Range, which was originally just 10 meters, changed into 30 meters. That meant that Alex is now a Tier 30 Esper.


    That kind of improvement in already shocking, as Alex only took a day to do this!


    However, Clint did not look that impressed when Alex told him about his improvement.


    "You should know that an Esper who just awakened his Esper Ability will experience a massive boost in their MentalPower a week after they awakened their ability." Clint coldly said to the excited Alex. "Couple that with training, and your Mental Power is bound to grow exponentially."


    "Not only that. You are also under the training of an extremely powerful Esper, whose ability is compatible to yours." Clint said as he gave Alex a dismissive look. "It is no surprise to me that you improved that much. Actually, I am a little disappointed that you did not reach 40or even 50 meters..."


    "Woah, woah, woah, even I think that is too much¡­" Alex said as he waved his hands in panic. "Won''t I die from something like mental overload?"


    "As long as you do not feel anything wrong, your mental power will naturally increase¡­" Clint said as he let out a yawn.


    "From what I can see with you Alex, maybe you can hit 100-150 Tiers at the end of the week. That''s not bad, since you are training under me."


    "Wait, once the 1-week period after my awakening passes by, will the growth of my Mental Power slow down too?" Alex said as he tapped his forehead.


    "Obviously it will." Clint sternly said as he glared at Alex. "So do not expect to infinitely grow stronger under me. That was the reason that I will only train you for a week. Since that week is the only time period that you can grow stronger. What you will do after that will be up to you already."


    "Ok¡­" Hearing these words just made Alex more determined to finish the training.


    But aside from his Mental Power, his control over his Esper Ability had somewhat improved too.


    Even though he almost died earlier due to failures on trying out new moves, Alex was still able to sort out some things regarding his ability.


    One of these was the part where Alex was able to bend the path of light around him. This is pretty useful for Alex, as he can use this to make himself invisible.


    Of course Alex will still need to adjust the path of the light if he wants to create a perfect invisible form.


    Aside from this, Alex was also able to use radio waves in a way comparable to sonar.


    If a sonar uses sound waves to detect objects from afar, Alex uses the radio waves in the same way too.


    With the radio waves having the longest wavelength among all the EM Waves, they can easily bounce through buildings and architecture, making their use perfect on cityscapes.


    Alex''s only dilemma is that these new techniques that he developed were all just at the macroscopic side.


    In regards to the manipulation of EM Waves at the microscopic level, Alex still had no success in it.


    In fact, most of the accidents that Alex experienced earlier were due to him messing up in microscopic manipulation.


    Thisof course made Alex slightly disappointed, as he knew that the most powerful attacks that he can use with his ability will come from microscopic level.


    One example of that is the Electrolaser, which is a long-ranged version of a stun gun. This weapon uses lasers to ionize the air in front of it. It will then release an electric current, which will pass through the ionized air, creating a phenomenon similar to lightning.


    Alex wanted to try this, but he immediately failed on the part where he should create a laser.


    He knew that to create lasers, he must first use his ability to force electrons to go from a higher energy level towards the lower energy level.


    Doing this will force the electrons to release photons(This process is called stimulated emission.)


    Continue doing this on countless electrons in an instant, and the amount of photons produced will be enough to create a deadly laser.


    Only when Alex can do this part that he can make a powerful Electrolaser.


    However, forcing the electrons to release photons proved to be much harder than what Alex had expected.


    It was lucky that Clint was there, or else Alex''s face would have been gone by now.


    "Hmph, I still have 6 more days in here." Alex muttered to himself as he forced his battered body to lay down on the bed.


    He then glared at Asteria, whose whole body was covered in honey. This made her look extremely sticky, and Alex had no plans on putting his hand near her.


    "Hmph, that''s some high quality honey that you got for me." Asteria said as she let out a satisfied sigh.


    "Ok, since you have pleased me greatly, maybe I can tell one important secret to you." Asteria made a shushing gesture with her finger as she said in a low voice,


    "In every world that you go, there will be some hidden bonus missions. If you find and finish these missions, you will also gain more lifespan¡­"


    Alex''s eyes immediately brightened as these words by Asteria removed a load from his shoulders.


    "How can I find them?" Alex asked as he gave Asteria a heated look. "Will I encounter them along the way?"


    "Well, it will just be up to your luck." Asteria said as she stuck out her tongue. "If you are lucky, then you might get 1 or 2 hidden bonus mission here. If not, then you will get none."


    "Of course, of course, everything will not be that easy." Alex muttered hollowly to himself as he closed his weary eyes. "And I suppose that you are not allowed to guide me on where to look for these hidden bonus missions, right?"


    "Of course traveler. It will be entirely up to you to encounter them." Asteria slyly said as she gave Alex a sleazy smile. "Why are you interested on getting more lifespan right now? Do you want to buy something so badly right now? Hoooh¡­ it must be that electromagnetic saber¡­"


    "...¡­." Alex chose to not reply as Asteria''s guess was actually right.


    One of the available things that Alex can buy right now was the Electromagnetic saber, which costs 1 month of Alex''s lifespan.


    However, Alex''s current lifespan right now is exactly 1 month of lifespan, so there is no way for him to buy that saber now.


    This of course is a little disappointing to Alex, as he felt that this Electromagnetic Saber will be extremely suitable for his EM Wave Manipulation.


    But now that Asteria stated that Alex can actually gain extra lifespan by doing the bonus missions, his desire to buy the Electromagnetic saber have resurfaced once more.


    "Ugh, but how will I find a bonus mission right now?" Alex muttered to himself disconsolately as he let out a sigh. "Tsk, if I find one, then I will do it. If not, then I just have to make do with what I have right now!"


    Right at the moment that Alex said these words, he suddenly heard the sound of the ringing doorbell.


    Alex immediately stood up with an alert expression in his face as he remembered that everyone from Clint''s family were inside the house already.


    That means that whoever is ringing the doorbell must be an acquaintance of Clint''s family.


    "Should I hide or not?" Alex struggled on making his choice, but before he could make a decision, he heard a knock on his door.


    From the way the knock sounded, it came from Clint. Alex stood up to open the door, and there he saw Clint giving Alex a tired look.


    "You must have heard the doorbell, right?" Clint said as he let out a yawn.


    "Yeah, I heard. So, who is that visitor of yours?" Alex asked as he looked past Clint. "That visitor seems like a close friend of yours."


    "Oh, we really are friends with her." ClInt said as Alex heard the sound of the front door being opened. From the looks of it, the visitor was already inside the house.


    "Her?" Alex tilted his head as he realized that the mystery visitor was a girl. "Is she an Esper like you?"


    "She is an Esper, and also a powerful one at that." Clint said while chuckling.


    "Is she¡­ in the top 10 too?" Alex asked hesitantly to Clint. " If that was true, then that will be really epic."


    "Nope." Clint replied as he shookhis head. "This friend of ours is still a Tier Esper. But, her sister is within the top 10."


    "Oh~" Now, Alex felt interested on knowing more about this visitor.


    Alex did not dare to ask on who this sister was, as he saw Clint having a sad face while mentioning the sister part.


    "Come, join me in greeting her. She had always been a shy and quiet woman, so maybe a little bit more company will help her out." Clint said as he pulled Alex with him.


    "Well, since I am curious to see her image, then I am in." Alex said as he followed Clint down the stairs.


    When they reached the living room, Alex''s eyes saw the person that was standing out like a sore thumb.


    This person was a woman wearing black dress, black skirt, black socks, and black shoes.


    Her mask was glinting inside the room, which did not fail to impress Clint''s children.


    "...¡­" Alex does not need a good memory who this woman was.


    Alex was 100% sure that this woman was the one that almost killed him yesterday! Someone like Alex would not be able to just completely forget about that!


    "Oi Alina, long time no see!" Clint cheerfully said a he led Alex behind him. "See this guy with me? He is my new pupil!"


    Alex badly wanted to retreat right now, as even with his disguise he was afraid of the possibility of being seen through.


    "How could it have been like this?" Alex complained to himself as he looked at Alina, who was staring back at him.


    A few tense seconds for Alex passed by as he wished that Alina will not recognize him.


    "..." Alex let out a small sigh of relief as he saw Alina ignoring him entirely.


    But before Alex could celebrate, he suddenly heard Asteria saying something to him.


    "Alex, go and talk with that woman. I just received a notification saying that you have received a bonus mission right now! As for the contents of that bonus mission, it was just quite simple. You just have to gain that woman''s trust and you must help her out!"


    "Why don''t you just command me to die?" Alex whispered back angrily . "I rather face a million Natalia than approach that Alina!"


    "Well, if you don''t do it, you will lose your chance to get the Electromagnetic Saber¡­" Asteria said as she adopted a very disappointed look.


    "Do you really want that to happen?"


    "...¡­.."

 Chapter 13 Why so Serious, Comrade?

    Alex was not enthused with his current situation. After all, he had to talk with Alina, who was the first person that tried to kill him.


    Alex kept his composure in check as he hid his fear. After all, there are some people that can smell fear, and Alex is not willing to let them sniff it out.


    "Just talk to her normally, and everything will be fine." Alex muttered to himself as he asked Clint something.


    "Your friend¡­ is she always wearing a mask?"


    Clint gave Alex a nod as he said,


    "Ever since I first saw her with her sister, she had been always wearing a mask. The only time that she does not have her mask on is when she''s eating. However, Alina is making sure that''s she''s in a secluded place everytime she eats."


    "That''s some excessive secrecy there." This comment by Alex as heard by Alina, who swiveled his head to look at him.


    Alina''s voice sounded both cold and seductive as she said,


    "That guy¡­ he looks like someone I have met before¡­"


    The atmosphere suddenly turned awkward, as Natasha and Clint both gave Alina strained smiles.


    Alex winced inwardly, realizing that this Alina is not that good with people.


    The whole crowd stayed this way for a few minutes, as only Natasha was the only one who had the courage to talk to Alina.


    As for Alex, Natalia, and Clive, there were just standing there, staring at Alina.


    The way Clive looked at Alina made it obvious that he has a crush on her.


    "Well, he will grow out of it." Alex thought as he ruminated on how to approach Alina.


    Natalia on the other hand, seems to be giving Alina a worshipping look, which is just like the look that children give to their role models.


    "Ehem." Clint let out a cough, in an attempt to dispel the awkward atmosphere. He kept wearing his strained smile as he asked Alina,


    "Alina, can I ask the reason for your sudden visit? You did not even mention to us that you will come!"


    "It''s because of my job." Alina said as her body tensed slightly. "I am currently chasing a Class-S Intruder, and my hunch is telling me that the Intruder is staying here."


    "Oh, so that lockdown is out of your volition then?" Clint said as he scratched the back of his head. "Well, it might be a little inconvenient, but with you here, I am sure you can catch that Intruder in no time."


    "Actually, I am not sure about that." This was the first time that Alex heard hesitation in Alina''s voice.


    "That Intruder, even though he just newly arrived at our planet, he was still able to dodge some of my blows." Alina said with a hint of irritation in her voice.


    "And when I am about to use one of my killing moves, he suddenly disappeared at that place. I can sense that he used some sort of spatial transmission ability that brought him to a different place."


    "That''s a little worrying¡­" Clint said as Natasha''s expression slightly dimmed. "If we are dealing with an Intruder that can move through space, then we will be in a lot of trouble."


    "Do not worry uncle." Alina said as she patted Natasha''s shoulder. "I can take care of him alone. If the worst comes to worst, then I will just ask for your help."


    "Hehehe, if my help is needed, then that Intruder should be really strong." Clint replied with a light smirk on his face.


    "She''s your niece?" Alex exclaimed as Natasha and Alina went to the kitchen, probably to prepare something to eat.


    "Why, is there something wrong with that?" Clint asked Alex with his narrowed eyes.


    "Well¡­" Alex averted his gaze as he tried to think up of a reason that he can give right now.


    "You have been acting weird since Alina arrived." Clint said as he gave Alex a suspicious look. "I notice you sneaking glances at her multiple times earlier¡­"


    "..." Alex''s body began to turn sweaty as he started to feel the intensity of Clint''s gaze.


    A few seconds of awkward went by, and it was Clint who broke this silence.


    "Don''t tell me¡­ that you like her?" Clint uttered this accusation with narrowed eyes as he stared at Alex. "Just tell me if that''s true or not."


    "....." Alex was slightly stunned with that Clint just said.


    The only reason Alex was looking at Alina earlier was because he was too scared, and he wanted to see if Alina was secretly looking at him.


    "Hahaha! Now this is embarrassing!" Asteria laughed hysterically as she rolled on the floor in laughter. Her eyes had bits of moisture within them, showing that she had started to tear up because of too much laughing.


    Clint seemed to be not in a humorous mood like Asteria, as his lips were set into a grim line.


    "....." Since it had come to this already, Alex decided to just go on with Clint''s assumption.


    "Yeah¡­ I think I like her¡­" Alex said as he made himself slightly blush. He then leaned forward awkwardly while his head slightly swiveled away from Alina''s direction.


    Alex just perfectly emulated the appearance of a shy guy declaring his crush to someone, and Clint seemed to have believed it.


    "Do you want to ask her out?" Clint suddenly said as he dragged Alex away from the living room. He brought him into one of the spare rooms nearby, with Clint locking the door to make sure that no one will hear them.


    The sudden shift in Clint''s mood threw Alex off the rails. After all, this guy was Alina''s uncle. Alex found it hard to believe that Clint would just allow his niece to be courted by some random male who liked her.


    "I may have just known you for around a day, but I know that you are a decent person." Clint said as he slapped Alex''s shoulder. "I think your openness and Alina''s stoic attitude will be a good match."


    "Wait, wait, wait." Alex raised his hands defensively as he gave Clint a bewildered look. "Did you just encourage me to ask your niece out?"


    "Why, what''s wrong with that?" Clint tilted his head as he gave Alex a devious smile. "Even if you are a pervert, I thinkthat you would not be able to do anything against her since she is way more powerful than you. So, you can say that I have no problems if you go out with her. The one that should be worried is you."


    "Do you think she will agree if I ask her out?" Of course Alex had no plans of asking Alina out. That will be just too risky for him!


    Alex just asked this question to Clint to make it appear that he, Alex, is somewhat interested in Alina.


    "Well, I am not sure too." Clint said as he cupped his chin in deep thought. "After all, that girl had no experience with something like this. So you can say it will be an unknown territory."


    Alex heaved an invisible sigh of relief after hearing this statement as he said,


    "Um, if that was the case, then it might be better if I do not ask her out."


    "No! That won''t do!" Clint suddenly shouted as he glared at Alex. "Hmph, it seems like you are a wimp regarding females. Well, you have no need to worry! I will help you in your endeavor!"


    Clint then dragged the hapless Alex with him towards the kitchen.


    There he saw Alina and Natasha cutting up some vegetables.


    Alex''s eyes could not help but twitch as he saw Clint and Natasha giving mischievous smiles at each other.


    "Alina¡­" Natasha''s voice drawled as she looked at Alina. "Do you have any plans tomorrow night?"


    "I only plan to sleep tomorrow night." Alina said as she continued on cutting the vegetables. "After all, my only job here is to catch that Intruder."


    "Won''t that feel so boring?" Clint suddenly said as he gave Alina a sad look .


    "I feel like you two are onto something here." Alina muttered as she saw the extremely eager gazes of both Natasha and Clint. She deftly ignored Alex, who was standing behind Clint awkwardly.


    "Well¡­ since this is your first time to visit the Dragon Esper City, don''t you think that you should also enjoy its sight as a tourist?" Clint said, with emphasis on the word enjoy. "After all , you cannot be just always working!"


    "I..." Alina tried to say something, but her resolve to answer failed as she saw the excited gazes given to her by her uncle and her aunt.


    "Fine, I shall do that tomorrow night." Alina said in defeat as she sagged her shoulders.


    "Uh, uh, uh, I think a mere promise won''t suffice here." Natasha said as she smirked at Alex''s direction.


    Alex felt his body turning cold as he realized where the conversation had been leading to.


    "I think someone should accompany you tomorrow, just to ensure that you will really do it." Clint said as he smiled at Alina.


    "Well, won''t Aunt Natasha be the one to join me?" Alina said as she finished chopping up the vegetables.


    "Nope, I think we have a better choice right here." Clint then pushed Alex forward as he said,


    "This guy right here is a new resident in this city. So just like you, this guy also needed to see some of the good places in the city."


    Natasha swung her hands over Alex as she gave him a small wink. "And since you are about to roam the city tomorrow, then it is better if Alex joins you."


    "Hey!" Alex shouted out with embarrassment as he made himself slightly blush. "What the hell are you doing?"


    "Huh? Didn''t you tell me that you want to roam the city?" Clint muttered as he gave Alex an innocent stare. "Since Alina will roam tomorrow, then you will just have to join her."


    "But the training!" Alex started to looked panicked as he glanced at Alina, who seemed to be unperturbed by the situation.


    "Don''t worry, I will make it so that you will gain a lot from tomorrow''s training, while also making sure that your body will be fine." Clint said as he seemed to be intent on shooting down Alex''s opinion.


    "Come on, you also need a break from time to time. Tomorrow night just turns out to be the perfect time¡­"


    "Ugh. You did not tell me about having a break while your daughter was electrocuting me earlier." Alex said as he rolled his eyes in exasperation.


    "Well, since you two have no prior engagements tomorrow, then you two shall roam the city tomorrow night!" Both Clint and Natasha said these words with finality, which sealed Alex''s fate.


    "¡­Fine." Alina seemed to be not disturbed by the idea of Alex joining her. No, being indifferent could be the better term.


    As for Clint and Natasha, both of them were having silly smiles right now, while Alex tried to not look miserable.


    As for Asteria, she was back in her laughing spree as she pounded her fists on Alex''s shoulders.


    "Hahaha! You have been forced by your master to date the woman who tried to kill you earlier! Hahahaha! Now I do not know if you are lucky or just plain misfortunate!"


    "...."


    "

 Chapter 14 So you also have a Fetish

    Alex was not sure if the queasy feeling that he is having right now is due to his fear of getting discovered by Alina, or just plain nervousness from going out with a girl.


    "What a wimp." Asteria scoffed as she saw Alex''s nervous look. "You will just go outside and roam! How could you look that scared?"


    "Shut it pixie." Alex muttered as he fixed his shirt. "I bet you have zero experience on things like this too."


    "Wha-what do you think you are saying!" Asteria stuttered as she retracted her glare. "With this queen''s beauty, many men have fallen heads over heels on her!"


    "Yeah right." Alex''s noncommittal reply clearly showed that he did not believe Asteria''s claim.


    "Hmph, the only reason that you agreed to join that Alina is for the bonus mission, right?" Asteria taunted as she waved her hands. "I bet that without the reward, you will do your best to avoid her."


    "....." Alex knew that Asteria was right.


    If it was before, Alex would not attempt to contact Alina at all. But now that he was practically forced by his temporary teacher to join her, combined with the rewards of the bonus mission, and Alex was left with no choice but to comply.


    After all, it will look suspicious if Alex continued on refusing.


    "That s**ty teacher of yours really did make your training easier today." Asteria mumbled in dissatisfaction. "Its just obvious that he cares more for his niece than you."


    Alex frowned after hearing this, as he remembered what happened to the 2nd day of his training.


    Instead of amping up the difficulty of the power training, Clint actually made his control of the EM Waves weaker, which allowed Alex to pull more of them.


    This saved Alex from more body pain, but still, he was not happy to be treated like this.


    As for the ability training, it actually just went on just like yesterday, although Alex realized that he had lesser mistakes now.


    From the looks of it, his experience with the Ability Training yesterday made his attempt today to become easier.


    This justfurther reduced Alex''s exhaustion that day.


    Because of these factors, Alex was only able to reach Tier 35 today.


    It was a pretty dismal improvement compared to yesterday, but Clint just waved it off, as he said that the training on the 3rd day will be much more difficult so that Alex could catch up with all the possible Tiers that he lost.


    This of course made Alex more deflated as he ignored Asteria''s cackling laughter.


    ************************


    With the 2nd day of the training finished, Alex has to suit himself up for his appointment with Alina.


    But before he met up with her, Alex decided to have a private talk with Clint.


    "Master, can you care to tell me why you are really interested on making Alina go out with me?" Alex said as he gave Clint a glare.


    "I do not believe that you can just casually make us go together without any reason¡­"


    "It''s out of desperation, ok?" Clint replied exasperatedly as he looked at Alex.


    "..." Alex was unable to muster any word, not because of the way Clint answered him, but with the way his eyes looked.


    Clint''s eyes looked extremely raw, as if he was remembering something incredibly painful to him.


    Clint took Alex''s silence as the consent to continue talking as he said,


    "My niece Alina has been through a lot already. I cannot tell that much about her, but what I can only tell you is that she is currently risking her life for her sister." Clint said as he let out a weary sigh.


    "Poor girl had no choice but to do it, or else her only real family will be gone from her."


    "Wait, I thought you were her uncle." Alex pointed out tactlessly.


    "I am her uncle because I volunteered to do so." Clint replied with an edge with his voice. "Alina''s sister requested for me to take care of Alina as her uncle 5 years ago, and that''s what I did."


    Alex felt his head swirling as he realized that he is now hearing an extremely sensitive issue. "If Alina was with you 5 years ago, then why is she like that now?"


    "As I told you earlier, it''s all because for her sister." Clint replied quickly.


    "So, Alina left you 5 years ago and placed her life in dangerous situations just for her sister?" Alex muttered with a sudden tilt on his head. "I thought Alina''s sister was the 2nd strongest Esper?"


    "Was." Clint said this word with emphasis. "Right now, Alina''s sister is incapacitated, and is being kept in a facility to keep her alive."


    "I still do not get how that can force Alina to leave you." Alex replied hesitantly.


    "Just like what I told you for the 3rd time,I''m unable to tell you the reason." Clint coldly said, and this time he talked in a way that forced back any of Alex''s retort.


    "Oh and Alex, if you are wondering why my family is not helping out Alina that much in her situation with her sister, you can say that we are being forced to not help." It was clear at this point that Clint''s anger was not only focused at Alex.


    "Oh, now this really gets more complicated." Alex mumbled to himself as he fixed his hair.


    ***************


    Right now. Alex was fully convinced that his bonus mission to contact Alina and help her is a legitimate one.


    Alina''s story was full of intriguing twists, so much so that Alex was now genuinely interested on knowing more.


    "With that kind of intriguing backstory, I am sure that helping Alina out might help me in my main mission." Alex thought to himself as he saw Clint starting to calm down.


    "Alex, we just want to at least let Alina experience how to be real teenager for once." Clint said as he gave Alex a pleading look.


    "She spent most of her childhood making herself strong, and the rest of her life until now risking her life for her sister. That obviously deprived Alina of things that she should experience."


    "And you think I am the right person for the ''dating'' part?" Alex asked incredulously as he cocked his eyebrows.


    "Well, any men will do, as Alina will just beat them up if they tried perving up on her." Clint replied nonchalantly. "You just turn out to be the convenient choice, so do not think that you are that special¡­"


    "Didn''t it even cross your minds that Alina might like a girl?" Alex said as he imagined the forbidden lily paradise. "Maybe she has a secret girlfriend now¡­"


    "Alex, we have tried setting up Alina with a woman before already." Clint replied with embarrassment clear in his tone. "It did not work out that well, so we rejected that notion."


    "Ok then." Alex was about to say more when he suddenly heard the same robotic voice that made the lockdown announcement.


    "After a thorough searching, the authorities confirmed no traces of a Class-S Intruder in the Dragon Esper City. Thus, the lockdown shall be terminated.


    "After a thorough¡­"


    "After a thorough¡­"


    Clint''s face split into a smile as he heard the announcement. It was pretty obvious why he looked so happy.


    "Alex, I thought your date with Alina will be awkward with that Class-S Intruder. But with that Intruder confirmed to be not here, Alina will be surely less wound up! Take this night as your chance to impress her!"


    "Hell no, I will not be doing that." Alex thought to himself as he decided to make his ''date'' with Alina as fast as possible.


    Alex decided to bring Alina to places that are considered to be not good places for dates.


    Alex thought that these places might be enough to make Alina''s interest to Alex turn to zero.


    The less interested Alina will be to Alex, the better it will be.


    "Oh, and speaking of Alina¡­" Alex then heard the sound of the doorbell from outside the house, indicating that someone is arriving. "Seems like she''s here already."


    His confidence, which he already built up earlier, had seemingly disappeared again as he saw Natasha guiding Alina inside the house.


    Instead of her usual attire, Alina was wearing a more casual set of clothes now.


    She wore a black long-sleeved t-shirt, complemented by a pair of black pants, and of course, a pair of black rubber shoes.


    Alina was currently wearing a ponytail, making her look somewhat more innocent today.


    However, she was still wearing her mask, which reduced her approachability factor.


    "¡­.." Alex could not help but slightly gulp as he saw Alina''s tight pants hugging her shapely legs. Alex had always like legs, and seeing a perfect pair of legs right now just made him excited.


    "So you also have a fetish huh." Asteria off-handedly commented as she noticed Alex''s gaze at Alina''s legs. "Just continue staring, and Alina will be creeped out by you."


    "¡­" This forced Alex to tear his gaze away as he focused on the mask on Alina''s face.


    The mask was just a plain white mask. It had no holes or design, making it look extremely plain. But Alex was sure that this mask is hiding one or two special functions.


    "Alina! You really changed your clothes!" Natasha exclaimed as if she could not believe what she saw. "When I told you yesterday to wear casual clothes for tonight, I thought you will just ignore that. But it seems like you are excited for this date too!"


    "I am not excited at all." Alina quickly replied, much to Alex''s relief. "I just feel guilty for making you and uncle worry, so I decided to follow this request of yours."


    Even if he was relieved that Alina only agreed on this date because she felt obligated, he still could not help but wince from the brutal way that she said it.


    "Don''t cry buddy, I am here to support you, whatever happens to you." Asteria said these words as she patted Alex''s back. "Being acquaintance-zoned is not a really good feeling."


    "..." It''s quiteobvious from her tone that Asteria was just messing with Alex again


    "Well, the night is just short, so off you two go!" Clint and Natasha practically pushed Alex and Alina out of the house, forcing them together on the street.


    Alina and Alex both looked at each other, with both of them struggling to say the right word.


    It was Alina who broke the silence as she said,


    "Just bring me to the places you want me to bring. I want to get done with this."


    "Yes ma''m." Alex replied a little stiffly as he brought Alina to their first destination.


    His first destination was a streetfood stall that he researched earlier.


    This stall basically serves the type streetfood that even the poor can afford.


    Alex had the inkling that with her upbringing, Alina will surely hate streetfoods. After all, they were dirty and they were produced in the street.


    "I don''t care if her opinion on me goes to the negative state after this." Alex thought to himself as he gave a smile as the vendor. "Making Alina disgusted against me is better than me being butchered by her!"


    Just like what Alex had expected, Alina had frozen up as Alex brought her in front of the streetfood stall. Now, Alex had to only wait for a few seconds before he could hear Alina''s outburst.


    But what came out of Alina''s mouth was not a shout or an angry beration. Instead it was a whisper, which sounded sad and nostalgic at the same time.


    "My sister and I¡­ used to eat these when we were young." Alina said as her body slightly trembled.


    "They''re really delicious. I used to like them mixed with hot sauce. My sister on the other hand, likes them with vinegar¡­"


    Even if Alina had her mask on, Alex was 100% sure that Alina is smiling right now!


    Both Alex and Asteria stared at the happy Alina with shock. Asteria could only blink her eyes in confusion while Alex thought to himself,


    "Did I just impress a girl with a mediocre foodtrip? Gah! This is not how it was supposed to be!"

 Chapter 15 The way through a womans heart is though her stomach

    "Um, so how many sticks would you like?" Alex asked Alina as he glared at the vendor.


    The vendor, upon seeing his look, could not help but think,


    "Bro, your girl just liked my place. Why are you looking so angry?"


    "Give me 50." Alina abruptly said as she fidgeted on the spot. "Make sure they are cooked well."


    "She''s a glutton!" Alex thought wryly to himself as he made sure that he did not show any expression of surprise on his face.


    His eyes could not help but look at Alina''s slender body as he wondered on where all the food that she ate went.


    Alina seemed to have noticed his stare as she said,


    "Put your eyes in the right place. You may be my date, but that does not mean that you can undress me with your eyes."


    "Hey, I''m not doing that!" Alex blurted out as he shook his head quickly. He cringed inwardly as he realized that Alina is not really good with speaking with other people.


    "Oh. I assumed that you were doing that when you gave me that stare." Alina bluntly said, with her head facing the direction of the food.


    "...¡­"


    Alex did not dare to strike a conversation with Alina right now, as he can see that Alina was entirely focused on waiting for the streetfood to be cooked.


    He could not help but feel sorry for the vendor, as he could feel that Alina was glaring at the vendor, urging him to cook faster.


    "Umm¡­ so is this your first date?" Alex asked as he saw Alina fidgeting restlessly on the spot. "Because it is my first date too."


    "Its my first date. But so what? I want to eat now." Alina seemed to be a child as she began to bounce restlessly on the spot.


    "No, Alina''s not like a child." Alex thought as he began to smile wryly.


    "She is like a cat¡­"


    Of course Alex did not dare to say this thought out loud, as he knew that it will be rude.


    "Here''s your order!" The vendor said as he shoved 50 pieces of streetfood in front of Alex and Alina.


    Alex could not help but praise the vendor, as he managed to endure the scary glare of a starving Alina.


    At the instant that he paid for the streetfood, Alex heard a sound that made him and the vendor open their mouths in shock.


    "Nom nom nom¡­" Each time a stick of streetfood was brought by Alina near her mouth, they suddenly disappear, as if they were suddenly wiped out.


    This phenomenon was shocking, as Alina was still wearing her mask when she ''ate'' the streetfood.


    "Nom nom nom¡­"


    "She is a¡­ unique person." The vendor said, as he struggled to find the right words to describe Alina.


    "You can say that anytime." Alex said as he took a bite of one stick of streetfood. "Oh! This actually tastes good!"


    Alex could not help but get another stick of streetfood, but to his dismay, he found out that Alina already finished it all.


    At that time, Alex already knew what he should do.


    "Give us 50 more sticks." Alex said as he saw Alina looking at him intently.


    "Coming right up!" The vendor said as he flashed a competitive smile at Alina.


    Both Alina and the vendor seemed to be fired up, as a brewing rivalry started to form.


    "Hmph! Honey still tastes better!" Asteria muttered angrily, but it was quite obvious that her eyes were concentrated on the juicy and tender content of the streetfood.


    "Mister vendor, cook another 50 pieces as take-home." Alex said as he gave a smug look at Asteria. "There are some people that would love to taste your dishes."


    "Yosh sir!"


    ********************


    "That was satisfying." Alex murmumred as he patted his tummy.


    How could he expect that streetfood could taste that good? Now Alex understood why Alina seemed to be really excited as she ate the streetfood earlier.


    "Umm¡­ so the way you ate earlier¡­" Alex trailed on his words as he struggled to find the right words. "It was certainly unique."


    "That way of my eating earlier was an application of my Esper Ability." Alina replied, with her voice much warmer than before.


    From the looks of it, her view of Alex had improved after he treated her with some food.


    "So the way through this girl is through her stomach huh." Alex thought inwardly as he continued talking with Alina.


    "Wait, what is your Esper Ability anyway? Its fine if you don''t tell me, since that is your power."


    To Alex''s surprise, Alina actually gave him an answer. It seems like the food had really loosened her up.


    "My Esper Ability is Weak Space Manipulation." Alina said as she followed behind Alex. "It allows me to affect Space in small ways."


    Alina then pointed at the trash can nearby as she said,


    "With my Weak Space Manipulation, I can cut the Space within my Range." As if to prove her point, Alina made a slashing motion with her hands, which resulted in the trash can being cut in half.


    "Cool¡­" Alex did not lie when he said this.


    For him, seeing Alina using her ability on something else instead of him made Alex feel surreal.


    He inwardly shivered as he imagined his body being bisected by that strike.


    "It''s a good thing I was agile at that time." Alex thought as he took a shuddering breath.


    Alina then went silent after doing these things, which brought her and Alex back to an awkward silence.


    "Umm, so let''s go to the next location now." Alex said as he brought Alina to his next marked destination.


    "Is it another foodstall?" It may be hidden, but Alex could hear a tinge of hope in Alina''s voice. He resisted a smirk as he shook his head.


    "Sorry, but its not a foodstall. However, we will look for another one once this date has finished."


    "Okay." Alina nodded her head obediently as she seemed happy with what Alex said.


    "Hmmm, this Alina seems to be a good girlfriend material." Asteria said as she gave a leery smile at Alex. "Aren''t you excited dating someone like her?"


    "If I will not be bisected by her like that streetfood earlier, then being with Alina will be great." Alex thought as he and Alina arrived at their next stop.


    "Is this¡­ the hospital?" Asteria muttered to herself as she scrunched her tiny nose.


    Asteria then let out a laugh as she shook her head wryly. "Alex, you''re really dedicated on ruining your date huh."


    While Asteria was bemused by Alex''s antics, Alex was inwardly nervous. He glanced at the motionless Alina, as he waited for her reaction.


    "Well, bringing a girl in a date to the hospital surely is a wrong move. I just hope Alina will not be that angry." Alex though to himself as he braced for Alina''s reaction.


    "Your choice of places sure is unique." Alina mumbled as her head looked at the direction of the hospital.


    Alex was about to give an apologetic smile to Alina when Alina suddenly said,


    "I am supposed to go to this hospital tomorrow to visit some people¡­ But since you have brought me here already, then I will just visit them now." Alina''s ponytail swished as she rushed towards the hospital.


    "Seriously?" Alex could not help but facepalm as he realized that his second attempt to make Alina angry at him failed again.


    "Aren''t you joining me?" Alina paused in her tracks as he looked at Alex. "You brought me here, so you should join me too."


    "Wait, is it fine for me to join you?" Alex asked as he glanced at the insides of the hospital. "Maybe your friends would not want to see you with me."


    "Don''t worry. They won''t bite you.'' Alina bluntly said as she continued walking.


    Alex could only shake his head as he followed her.


    **************


    "I thought this is your first time in this city. If that was the case, then how come you have friends here?" Alex off-handedly asked, not realizing that is sounded a little offensive.


    "These friends of mine are in a different hospital not long ago." Alina said as she turned left. "They were just recently transferred here."


    "Oh." Before Alex could say more, he and Alina stopped in their tracks as they arrived in a large room.


    In this room, Alex could see a dozen of children playing with the toys around them.


    All these children wore hospital clothes, and the pale pallor on their faces showed their sickly constitution.


    But these pale faces of their turned red as they saw Alina.


    "Sis!" The children shouted in happiness as they surrounded Alina. All of them looked extremely happy as they tugged at her clothes.


    "Sis, you look pretty now!"


    "Sis, I want to wear your mask!"


    "Sis, you smell like food! I want food!"


    Alex''s face could not help but cramp as he saw the crowd of children around him and Alina.


    Alex was particularly not good with children, as he felt that they were too mischievous and naughty.


    At that point, Alex decided that he should leave Alina alone with the children. But before he could do so, he suddenly heard Alina talking to the children.


    "All of you look so healthy! Are they feeding you well here?"


    "What!" Alex could not help but stumble as he heard a sweet voice coming out from Alina.


    This was way different from the cold, detached voice that she was using earlier.


    It was too sweet, so much so that its like he was hearing a different person talking right now!


    "Sis, all the food that they give us are bad!" One of the children complained as she tugged her dress. "They said we should just eat vegetables, but they always taste bad."


    "Don''t worry, your Big Sis will talk to them later." Alina continued speaking in her sweet voice, which just made Alex more bewildered.


    This spectacle with the children continued for an hour before Alina left them.But it was quite obvious from her body language that she was reluctant to leave.


    "So, what is that?" Alex said as he and Alina left the room. "I could not fathom what just happened there."


    "Those children are experimental subjects for inhumane Esper experiments." Alina said, with her voice back to the cold, detached mode. "I could not stomach what was happening to them, so I rescued them all."


    "Oh, so that is why they all call you Sis." Alex nodded his head in understanding as he saw the delighted looks on their faces.


    "But why the sweet voice though?" Of course there is no way that Alex would not ask about this part.


    "Those children cry when they hear my original voice." Alina said as she seemed to be embarrassed. "So to ensure that they won''t be scared of me, I always used a sweet voice in front of them."


    "You must really like children for you to do that" Alex said as he looked at Alina intently. "However, I still prefer to hear your real voice. It sounds like music to my ears."


    "..." Alina did not say anything when she heard what Alex said, but Alex swore that he saw a slight tinge of red in her ears.


    "Well, that might be just my imagination¡­" Alex thought to himself as he and Alina left the hospital.


    Alex then let out a sigh as he wondered on how Alina could be a cold-blooded executioner while also be a food-lover and a big sister.


    "Does she have a split-personality or something? Nope, that''s too clich¨¦." Alex thought wearily as he brought Alina to their next stop.

 Chapter 16 Star-Crusted Dagger

    Alex could not help but feel elated as he saw the satisfied demeanor being let out by Alina.


    But this also made him feel conflicted, as he was supposed to be distancing himself from her now.


    "Where should I bring Alina next?" Alex muttered as he remembered that he was supposed to bring Alina to the police station.


    But with Alina loving streetfood and her actually knowing some residents from the hospital, Alex thought that maybe Alina will also have some acquaintance in the police station.


    Now that Alex thought about it, Alina will surely have some acquaintance from the police station, given the fact that she''s a powerful Esper.


    "So I should cross off the police station then." Alex muttered to himself as he looked extremely indecisive right now.


    "¡­.." With Alex deep in his thoughts and Alina not taking the initiative to talk, both of them just stood on their spot awkwardly.


    "Hey Alin-" But before Alex could talk, he suddenly heard a powerful roar above him.


    "Raaarrr!" Alex felt his ears ringing as his ear bled lightly.


    As for Alina, her pleasant demeanor disappeared, as it was replaced by the same aura that Alex felt when she tried to kill him.


    Alina is back in her killer mode.


    She held a sword in each of her hands as she stared right above her warily.


    There, both Alina and Alex could see an enormous creature right above them.


    The dome that was covering the whole Dragon Esper City has a hole in it now, with the body of the enormous creature slipping through the hole.


    Chunks of broken metal and electrical wiring fell out from the lining of the hole, which fell to the houses below it.


    Everyone who saw what happened started to panic as they did their best to run away from the danger.


    The enormous creature looked like a lizard with three heads, with each head spitting flames. Its body was scaled, and it had 10 limbs, with each limb serrated with 10-meter long barbs.


    This appearance and its own thunderous entrance clearly painted that this mutated lizard is not here for some warmhearted talk.


    "Wait, is that an Intruder?" Alex asked as both he and Alina started to run towards the direction of the monster.


    "That is an Intruder, and from the looks of it, this Intruder is clearly one suited for battles." Alina said as she waved her swords around her.


    "Scwhing, scwhing, schwing."


    A large block of metal, which was about to fall on a house, were cut into three pieces by Alina''s move.


    What made Alex impressed was the fact that the said metal block was around 800 meters away from them.


    "So Alina really is a Tier 999 Esper." Alex thought as he saw that the lizard''s body was now halfway through the hole that it made.


    "That creature is at least a Class SS Intruder." Alina muttered to herself as she run towards the direction of the enormous creature. "But for it to be a Class SSS Intruder is also plausible."


    "Are you going to fight that?" Alex muttered as he saw how large the Intruder was.


    "What choice do I have?" Alina muttered as their distance from the lizard reached 2 kilometers.


    With the speed that he and Alina was running right now, there might be not enough time to stop the lizard from fully entering.


    Alex immediately realized this point as he asked Alina,


    "Will Clint be allowed to assist us here? With his power level, he might only need one zap to finish that lizard off."


    "It is only when the power of the Intruder was Class Z that someone from the Top 10 Espers can help." Alina grimly said as she vaulted over an overturned vehicle. "This Intruder right here is way behind that power level, so Uncle Clint will not be allowed to attack it."


    "Drats." That was all that Alex could say right now.


    "Can you hurt it?" Right now, Alex knew that it was Alina that will have the higher chance of hurting the lizard in front of them.


    "I do not know unless I get to use my power against it." Alina said as she quickened her pace. "The higher the class of the monster will be, the greater their resistance will be to my attacks. A Class Z Intruder will just treat my space slashes as mere tickles. As for this lizard, I might only deal surface damage on it."


    "Now that is not good." Alex exclaimed as he knew that they must do something now, or else the lizard will kill the both of them and other people.


    "F**, I am still trying to acclimatize with my life here, and then this s**ty lizard just appeared." Alex darkly thought to himself as he looked at Alina. "But at least my date is now finished¡­"


    When Alina and Alex were within a kilometer of the lizard, Alina started to brandish her swords once more.


    This time she brandished them for 16 times, showing 16 rifts in space heading towards the lizard.


    "Spurt!" The lizard''s skin split open as they were unable to stop the space slashes.


    But the injury stopped there, failing to penetrate further.


    "It''s a Class SS." Alina muttered as she fished out a phone-size crystal card from her pocket.


    "Contacting Headquarters." Alina muttered as she talked at the crystal card. "Contacting Headquarters."


    Alex then heard a static sound coming from the crystal card followed by the formation of image above the crystal card.


    "A hologram." Alex thought to himself as he stared at the person being projected from the crystal.


    The person was a handsome blonde male, around 20-25 years old. His piercing blue eyes and chiseled jaw might be enough to swoon the majority of the females.


    His eyes were emitting a heroic air, making him look extremely valiant.


    Alex was sure that this guy''s body must be ripped, as that is the only fitting body for a guy with this kind of face.


    Alex also noticed that this handsome blonde was giving Alina an extremely fond look.


    "Either this blonde is Alina''s relative, or he''s one of Alina''s admirers." Alex thought to himself as he could not help but get disgruntled with this blonde.


    "Hey Alina! How are things right now?" The blonde looked extremely happy as he talked to Alina. Alina on the other hand, did not look that happy as she said,


    "While I am having my date here in Dragon Esper City, a Class SS Intruder suddenly appeared, tearing a hole through the dome of the Dragon Esper City in the process."


    Alina continued talking as she ignored the blonde''s ashen expression.


    "I know that the World Diagram have already identified that Intruder by now, but I figured that I must also report it to the EWO Headquarters personally."


    As it turns out, the blonde''s face was ashen not because of the Intruder.


    "Wait, you have a date right now?" The blonde blurted out in surprise as he stared at Alina. "Is that true?"


    "I just told you that earlier, Lord Gallius." Alina said with a hint of edge in her tone.


    The blonde, whose name was Lord Gallius, swiveled his projected head until he saw Alex, who was standing beside Alina.


    "So, you are Alina''s date huh." Lord Gallius mumbled as he glowered at Alex. "I do not know how you managed to force Alina to date you, but I will make sure to investigate-"


    "Right now, a lot of civilians will be in danger if you don''t move your bodies." Alina said, interrupting whatever nonsense Lord Gallius was talking about. "If you have a beef with Alex, just deal with it after the Intruder."


    "Alex huh. I will remember your name and face." Lord Gallius said as he gave a nod to Alina.


    The crystal card then blinked as the projection disappeared.


    "So, that guy¡­" Alex was about to ask Alina something when Alina waved him off.


    "You said that you have awakened your Esper Ability, right? Then help me out right now. We still need to deal with that thing."


    "Sure."


    Right now, Alex could see that there are multitude of Espers crowding around the lizard.


    They fired multitudes of attacks toward the lizard, but its tough skin took the brunt for most of these attacks.


    The attacks that did went through were just few, and these attacks just served to infuriate the lizard more.


    "Rarr!!" All three heads of the lizard then threw fireballs towards the Espers, which all exploded in mid-air.


    The power in these fireballs were too great that most of the Espers below the fireballs were immediately killed.


    Those who survived were heavily injured, making the whole situation bleak.


    Alex gritted his teeth as he realized that the situation is really not that good.


    Even with the speed of the World Diagram, it will still take around 5 minutes before any reinforcements can arrive from outside of the Dragon Esper City.


    5 minutes will be enough for the lizard to kill more people.


    And Alex and Alina will surely be included in that death tally.


    "Do you have a plan right now?" Alina muttered as she looked at the lizard despondently. "That monster can be only hurt by a Star Esper, as only their Mental Power will be enough to penetrate that kind of defense."


    "Can you be a Star Esper right now?" Alex muttered as the lizard descended on the ground. "Since you are already a Tier 999 Esper, then you just need a little push, right?"


    "It is not that easy." Alina shot back with irritation clear in her voice.


    "There is a massive gulf between a Tier 999 Esper and a 1 Star Esper. It is not something that can be just done overnight."


    "So you can''t do it right now?"


    "I can''t." Alina answered resolutely.


    "Sigh, in that case, maybe I should buy that¡­" Alex thought despondently as he remembered the second item that is being sold to him by Asteria.


    This item is the Star-Crusted Dagger, which costs about 15 days of his lifespan.


    The function of this Star-Crusted Dagger was actually simple.


    Its blade, which was made up of the essence of stars, contain enormous amounts of Mental Power inside them.


    If this dagger was stabbed into a person, the person stabbed by the Star-Crusted Dagger will experience a 500% rise in their current Mental Power which will last for 5 minutes.


    If the dagger was stabbed to two people at the same time, the boost will be divided, with each of the stabbed person receiving 250% boost.


    This pattern will apply if the persons stabbed were 3,4, or more.


    These effects might look impressive, but Alex''s impression of the dagger dimmed when he saw its side-effects.


    Once the 5-minute time limit was used up, the person boosted by the dagger will experience severe paralysis that will last depending on the boost used.


    When he saw this side-effect, Alex decided to not buy the dagger anymore.


    The side-effects alone will put his life in massive risk. And the fact that it gets 15 days of his lifespan just makes it worse!


    But with the lizard currently barreling towards them, and the fact that Alina was here, Alex realized that he can still put the Star-Crusted Dagger into use.


    "How much Mental Power do you need to become a Star Esper?" Alex asked as he glanced at Asteria.


    Asteria immediately recognized what Alex''s look meant. She flew towards the seal on his forehead as she connected with its trading system.


    "I need to double my current amount of Mental Power to reach 1 Star." Alina said crossly as she seemed to glare at Alex. "Even with my current resources, it will take me around 2-3 years to become a 1 Star Esper¡­"


    "Well, I have a way for you to temporarily reach 1 Star tonight." Alex said as he gave Alina a reassuring look.


    "I can allow you to raise your Mental Power by 250%, for 5 minutes. I think that is enough for you to reach 1 Star temporarily." Alex said confidently. "However, once that 5-minute time was, up, you will be in a severely paralyzed state that will last for half a day¡­"


    "If you believe in me, then allow me to do that power boost on you." Alex said as he waited tensely for Alina''s reply.


    It did not take Alina a second before she gave her reply.


    And Alina''s reply was well, a typical reply from Alina.


    "If what you said is indeed true, then I will agree. But remember that my uncle and aunt know that I am on a date with you. If you do something nefarious to me, they will discover it, and they will just have to contact some of their Esper friends, and that will be the end of you."


    "¡­ I understand." Alex said as he saw Asteria purchasing the Star-Crusted Dagger for him.


    The feeling of 15 days of his lifespan vanishing made Alex sigh in exasperation.


    "I should not have signed up for this."


    **************


    After hearing that Alina needed to just double her current Mental Power, Alex decided to use the Star-Crusted Dagger on Alina and himself.


    Alina, because she needed to be a Star Esper to fight the lizard.


    As for Alex, he needed to use it to since he saw some Espers looking around them with malicious intentions.


    These Espers surely are up to no good. Maybe they decided to do crimes right now, with all the chaos around them.


    Alex of course was not happy seeing this.


    Alex was now itching to use his new skills on a fight, and these Espers will provide that chance to him.


    With Alex''s current Mental Power, he could sense that these Espers have mental powers around 100-120.


    Alex knew that if he used the 250% boost of the dagger on himself, he will raise his Mental Power from 35 to 122.5. That will bring his Mental Power above them.


    Combine that with some of his skills, and Alex was sure he can give these Espers some good beating that they deserve.


    As for the paralysis after 5 minutes, Alex already had a countermeasure for that.


    Alex activated the small radio that was given to him by Clint earlier, and used it to call Clint.


    "Master, I need you to fetch us in our place 5 minutes from now. Alina and I will do something against the Intruder that will leave us defenseless 5 minutes from now, so I need you to be there to fetch us. I presume that will not violate your restriction from fighting, right?"


    "Hmph, I know what is happening right now." Clint replied as his voice sounded unhappy.


    His voice sounded husky as Alex could hear Clint''s children being rowdy. "I am highly tempted to just roast that lizard right now, but this damn restriction is stopping me from doing so! But it seems like you and Alina have a plan prepared already¡­"


    After a few seconds of hearing Clint admonish his rowdy children, Alex could hear some sighs over the radio as Clint said,


    "Well don''t worry. I will fetch you 5 minutes later, so have all the fun that you want."


    "You heard that Alina?" Alex said as his predatory gaze went to the criminal Espers, while Alina''s gaze went to the Intruder.


    "Let have some fun."

 Chapter 17 Now thats Ho

    "Is that the thing that you are talking about?" Alina warily asked as Alex made it look like he got the Star-Crusted Dagger from his pocket.


    Alex stared at the dagger that he held, remembering its image in his mind.


    "S**t, this thing cost me 15 days. Combine that with my 2 day stay in here, and I only have 13 days left¡­" Since Alex have already bought the star-crusted dagger, he has to accept his current predicament.


    After all, if he did not buy the Star-Crusted Dagger, Alex will be obviously killed by the lizard.


    Dying instantly is way worse than having 13 days of lifespan left.


    So Alex did not regret his purchase of the dagger.


    "Since it had come to this already, then I have no choice but to complete my bonus mission with Alina." Alex thought to himself as he raised the dagger up in the air.


    "What are you doing?" Alina asked as she saw Alex''s weird action. "Don''t tell me you are going to stab yourself with that dagger?"


    "Well, daggers are for stabbing, right?" Alex said as he plunged the Star-Crusted Dagger on his left arm.


    "F**k them sideways!" Alex cursed as he felt extreme pain as the tip of the Star-Crusted Dagger penetrated his skin and muscle.


    Alex ignored the fact that he just cussed in front of a girl as he felt more pain coming from the stab wound that he made.


    "Sorry, but I need to stab you too." Alex said as he pointed his knife at Alina''s direction. "If I don''t do it, then I will be the only one to get the boost. You could sense it right?"


    "I can sense it." Alina said as she noticed that Alex''s Mental Power began to rise after he stabbed himself with that weird-looking dagger.


    This coincides with the claim that Alex made earlier.


    "I need to stab you now, or else all the Mental Power Boost will be used by me!" Alex said in panic.


    But before he coulddo more action, he saw Alina deftly grabbing the dagger, with her using that dagger to stab her left thigh.


    "!!!!!!!!!!!"


    ********************


    If Alex was lying right now, then Alina will personally use the dagger that she held to kill Alex.


    Luckily for Alex, and the dagger did its job splendidly.


    "It really is working." Alina exclaimed as she felt her extremely stagnant Mental Power staring to rise once more.


    Even though the Range difference between a Tier 999 Esper and a 1 Star Esper was just 1 meter, there was still a metaphorical wall blocking anyone from easily gaining this extra meter.


    Nobody was sure why this phenomenon is happening, but all Espers know that they will also face this blocking someday.


    They will need large amounts of Mental Power and Ability Mastery to break down this wall.


    But one must know that the progress of an Esper Ability decreases as time went on. This means that an Esper must become a 1 Star Esper as early as possible if they want to breakthrough.


    In Alina'' case, she had no problems with the Ability Part. Her only dilemma was the Mental Power part, as her ability to increase her Mental Power had decreased significantly compared to before.


    When Alina told Alex that she can become a 1 Star Esper in 2-3 years, that was the perfect case scenario.


    But Alina knew that with the everyday detoriation of her ability to absorb Mental Power, it will realistically take her 10 years to become a 1 Star Esper.


    Of course, Alina knew that what was happening to her was very uncommon.


    In fact, Alina knew that she was the only person that experienced something wrong with her Mental Power.


    It was so suspicious, that Alina suspected that someone wanted Alina to stay stuck as a Tier 999 Esper.


    And there is only one person that Alina knew might do this to her.


    "Lord Ergo¡­" Alina muttered this name with venom laced in her voice, as if she wanted to just see this guy''s body sliced to pieces and fed to the vultures.


    "If you think you can prevent me from saving my sister just because I could not easily become a 1 Star Esper, then that is where all your machinations will fail!"


    Once Alina felt that she had received the whole boost, she gathered all of her Mental Power to break the wall that was separating her from her goal.


    "Boom!" Alina''s mind shuddered as she felt like her brain has stepped into another level. Everything felt clearer to her, and she felt more powerful compared to before.


    She inspected her Range, and to her delight she found out that she had indeed have a 1-Kilomter Range.


    But while Alina was feeling elated right now, she also knew that this state of hers wont last.


    Since the Mental Power that Alina used to break through was just a borrowed one, once they disappear, Alina will be forced to go back as a Tier 999 Esper.


    With what Alex had told her earlier, Alina''s Mental Power will only stay boosted for around 5 minutes. Once that time limit is used up, Alina will go back as a Tier 999 Esper.


    Alina had not qualms with it, as this will be a good experience for her once she reattempts to become a Star Esper in the future.


    "If my sister was here, she would be definitely wanting to roast this lizard¡­" Because of the food that Alex gave her earlier, Alina''s appetite was at its peak.


    Right now, Alina was not trying to drool as she imagined how the lizard might taste. Just the sight of its fried legs or steamed belly is enough to make Alina happy.


    But that was not the only thing that Alina was salivating at.


    Alisa was also salivating from the fact that she will receive large Contribution Points once she slays the lizard.


    "I should stop daydreaming right now. I still have to finish off the opponent in 5 minutes." Alina stood up valiantly as her two swords flew around her.


    Because of her limited Mental Power before, Alina has to hold her swords in order of her to easily create rifts in space.


    But right now, Alina was using her boosted Mental Power to control the swords remotely.


    This will grant Alina''s attack with more variety, as her swords right now were just feely floating in the air.


    Alina looked at the lizard, andthen she looked at Alex who was walking towards a group of 4 Espers who looked like they were the type that collude themselves with crimes.


    Alina knew what Alex was planning, so she just let him do his thing. As for her, its time for her swords to show her power.


    "Ok, now how should I cut this lizard up?" Alina thought as she sent her swords slashing down again.


    *****************


    "D**n! I feel so stuffed!" Alex exclaimed as he tried to feel his whole body right now.


    He felt so alive and giddy that he could not help but shake his body in anticipation.


    His mind was much clearer than before, so much so that some of the problems that Alex faced in the Ability Training were all solved by him theoretically right now.


    From the looks of it, a jump of Mental Power from 35 to 122.5 did quite a number on his brain.


    He glanced at Alina, and he saw that she was now ready to attack the lizard.


    With her dealing with the lizard, Alex was now free to deal with the rogue Espers.


    He slowly walked towards them as he adjusted his body to the sudden changes.


    He then paused as he realized that instead of making his presence seen, he can approach these rogues in a better way.


    Alex closed his eyes as he sensed all the light waves within 122.5 meters around him.


    He forced them to follow his will, making sure that all of these light waves will follow the trajectory that Ale wanted.


    This turned Alex into a perfectly invisible person, as nobody could see the light waves that carry Alex''s appearance.


    However, this was only an optical invisibility. His sound and smell can still be detected easily, so Alex must still be careful on approaching them.


    It was at that moment that Alex realized something funny.


    Before he went to the date, Alex could only barely make himself invisible for a second.


    But right now, it took him just a second to make his body auto-invisible.


    And this invisible state of his will last until he wanted it to stop.


    This clearly shows that Alex had somehow improved his insights regarding his EM Wave Manipulation.


    "Don''t tell me¡­" When Alex tired to recall his ideas about the radio sonar and the Electroaser, he felt that he had new ideas right now that he could not wait to try out.


    It was at that point that Alex realized that when his Mental Power was raised, his own intelligence was affected by this increase too.


    This is the only explanation for Alex''s new revelations.


    "So that is why the Star-Crusted Dagger was sold to me." Alex thought wryly to himself. "It''s so that my Esper Ability will improve quickly¡­"


    Of course Alex would not put that boost of his to waste.


    "Now this is what we can call a fair fight¡­" Alex muttered as he approached the four Espers.


    All of them held knives in their left hand, while their restless eyes looking around them.


    The bellowing sounds released by the lizard were so great that they did not hear Alex''s footsteps approaching them.


    By the time they have realized it, it was already too late.


    Alex started his move as he attacked them.


    He clicked his fingers as he produced localized size of EMP which hit the Espers directly.


    It did not hurt them at all, but all the electronic devices and weapons with them are all destroyed now.


    Even their getaway car would not start as the EMP short-circuited the car battery.


    "Who!" The leader of the rouge Espers swiveled his head as he tried to look on where the culprit was.


    Once he saw the that Alex was not around, the leader started to panic as he decided to use his ability right now.


    Objects near the leader began to float as they hovered all around him. Some of the cars started to float too, as they seemed to be affected by the leader''s power too.


    "So, telekinesis huh." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at the 3 other Espers.


    They were also panicking like their leaders, as they were spooked of what happened.


    One of them started to randomly shoot air blasts around him, hoping that he can get a lucky shot.


    The second one brandished a flaming knife, which actually looked cool.


    As for the third one, she was more level-headed, as she looked for any weird signs around her.


    Too bad that vigilance did not help her as Alex made his next move.


    "Since making an Electrolaser is still hard for me, I guess I will just use a simple conversion." Alex thought to himself as he remembered a certain fact about EM Waves.


    As long as you change the frequency and wavelength of a certain EM Wave, it will transform into another kind of EM Wave.


    Alex applied this principle right now as he compressed the light waves around him.


    He decreased the frequency of these light waves until they changed to become Ultraviolet Waves.


    Alex wanted to change the light waves into Gamma Waves, but he found out that his current Mental Power is not yet enough to do this.


    "Seems like I have to reach Tier 500 to create Gamma Waves out of a Light Wave." Alex thought to himself as he gathered his newly converted UV Waves above his palm.


    Alex knew that by decreasing the frequency of an EM Wave, its energy will decrease too.


    He used this principle as he decreased the frequency of the UV Waves to decrease its fatality.


    With its power now set to ''stun'', not ''kill'', Alex unleashed this converted UV Wave towards the 4 Espers.


    "~~~"


    His UV Wave Blast went through the 4 Espers, searing their skin and damaging their insides. If Alex did not hold back, they will be already dead by now.


    "Ah!" All of them let out shouts of pain as they fell on the floor, unconscious.


    "Ok, now that''s hot." Alex muttered to himself us he undid his invisibility.


    But before Alex could celebrate his success, he suddenly felt a powerful presence behind him.


    He swiveled his head, and there he saw a small boy looking at him with a cocky smile on his face.


    "That was a scary blast." The kid said as he started to suck on a lollipop. "However, if you used that on expert Espers, they will notice what you were doing before you can even attack."


    "Oh¡­ It seems like you know some stuff." Alex said as he narrowed his eyes.


    He could feel with his danger sense that this kid is dangerous.


    In terms of danger, he could feel that this kid is as just as dangerous as the Alina that tried to kill Alex.


    "Well, I have some jobs that require me to know stuff." The kid said as a gun suddenly appeared on his palm. The kid then spun the gun around his palm as he said,


    "And right now, you are my next job."


    "Now that''s not hot anymore." Alex muttered as he realized he was back again to some trouble.

 Chapter 18 Having a Fairy is sometimes Unfair

    "Hmm¡­ you seem like you have been doped." The kid muttered as he sensed the powerful fluctuations coming out of Alex''s body. "Was it because of that dagger that you used earlier?"


    "!!!" Alex stiffened as he realized that this kid was actually tailing him and Alina earlier! That was the only reason that this kid could notice what Alex did.


    "So you have been tailing us earlier huh." Alex said as he discreetly began to activate his ability.


    His next attack will take some time to work, so he needed to distract this kid first.


    "I am actually not tailing you." The kid said as his eyes narrowed at Alex. "My job is to observe what Alina does in her mission. And if I were to see that there is something that is distracting her, then I will eliminate those distractions."


    "Oh, so you''re treating me as Alina'' distraction now?" Alex said as he felt his boost time reduced to 4 minutes. "That was actually flattering."


    "Hmph!" The kid''s eyes began to blaze with anger as he spat away the lollipop. The lollipop''s glistening candy was stained with dirt as it rolled beside the kid''s feet.


    The kid then crushed the lollipop as he slowly said,


    "My Lord treats Alina as his own property¡­ Nobody is allowed to lay claim on her except for My Lord. And since you dare to lay claim on her, it will be up to me to stop you."


    "Property you say?" Alex stared to laugh as he urged his ability to go faster. "How the hell could Alina be a property of someone? That Lord of yours must be an idiot!"


    "Hmph, you know nothing, Alex." The kid said as he began to smirk.


    "Even if Alina has no feelings for My Lord, My Lord knows that it will be only a matter of time before she will be his. Besides, even if my Lord thinks that Alina is just a useless toy, a toy will still be a toy."


    "This is getting ridiculous." Alex said as he shook his head. "This Lord of yours cannot just force Alina to like him. It''s her own free will to do so."


    "Free will? Hahahaha!" The boy began to laugh as his body shook. He started to tear up as the laughter seemed to be too much for him.


    "Ever since my Lord took hold of Alina''s sister, there is no more free will that Alina can have!" The kid said as he wiped the tears on his eyes. "Right now, Alina is just a slave for my Lord, doing all of his bidding. It will be only a matter of time before she becomes his bed warmer!"


    It was at that moment that Asteria told Alex that his bonus mission was halfway done.


    "Ok, so that is Alina''s situation huh." Alex muttered to himself as he heard what the boy said.


    "So Alina''s sister, who was very powerful before, became incapacitated and was then captured by this kid''s Lord. This Lord then used Alina''s sister to force Alina to do jobs for him, and from the looks of it, this Lord''s next aim is to make Alina his woman."


    Alex ignored the bitter taste in his mouth as he reached this conclusion. "So that means this Lord must also be the one who commanded Alina to kill me."


    One Alex had fully realized Alina''s situation, his wariness and hostility that he had against her were reduced, as he started to feel pity and loneliness for her.


    Alex could empathize with what Alina was feeling, as he was also forced to do things for his little sister before.


    "...¡­." Alex suddenly gritted his teeth as he began to remember the memories of his little sister that he prefers to be just forgotten.


    The kid ignored Alex''s angry appearance as he looked greedily at the Star-Crusted Dagger on Alex''s left hand.


    This kid has seen what this dagger can do, and now he wanted to take it for himself.


    "Oh, you want this kid? Then come on and get it." Alex taunted as he played around with the dagger.


    "Hmm¡­ Since this kid is just as dangerous as Alina, then his power must be scary too." Alex''s mind began to accelerate as he envisioned all the possible Esper Abilities that this kid can have.


    "Tsk, there are just many possibilities." Alex thought sourly to himself as he readied his body.


    He can see that the kid was ready to attack, so Alex must prepare himself.


    "Since you have invited me in, then I shall gladly partake on the feast." The kid said as he suddenly disappeared.


    Alex''s eyes widened before he suddenly felt danger descending from his left side.


    Ever since Alex started to fight the 4 Espers earlier, he had been constantly shooting out radio waves all around him.


    Since Alex can sense the radio waves freely, he can sense when something or someone appears within these radio waves.


    This allowed Alex to sense that the kid appeared instantaneously on his left side.


    "Dodge!" Alex leapt away from his spot, which allowed him to avoid the kid''s first attack.


    "Boom!" The floor under Alex''s former spot shattered as the kid''s fist crushed it.


    "S**t, this kid packs some power!" Alex thought grimly as he leapt away 2 more times.


    "Impressive." The kid said as he stared at Alex with amusement. "So you can use your ability to sense you surroundings. Tsk, I hate to fight people like you."


    "You are impressive too." Alex said as he stared at the kid with trepidation. "You suddenly appeared behind me to attack me. That''s some scary movement."


    "Is that teleportation? Or is it time stop? S**t, this kid is no good!" Alex thought grimly to himself as he increased the power of his radio wave sensing.


    "If I discover what this kid''s Esper Ability is, then victory will be mine!" Alex thought as he waited for the kid''s next move.


    "Hehehe, let me tell you one thing." The kid said as he began to suck on another lollipop. "My Esper Ability is not teleportation or time stop. It is something much simpler than that."


    The kid then drew a sword from his back as he said,


    "You must be thinking on attempting to decipher my power. Just give it up, as since my next attack will kill you!"


    After hearing what the kid said, Alex just smiled as if he was not worried about the kid.


    The reason for that smile was revealed as Alex looked at his left shoulder with gratitude.


    "Thanks Asteria." Alex thought to himself as he gave Asteria a grateful look.


    Alex truly has no idea on how the kid was able to suddenly appear behind him.


    However, Asteria seems to have figured out the kid''s power, and when she told Alex about her suspicions, Alex found it to be actually plausible.


    "Hehehe, you can stop someone''s mind for a certain period of time, right?" Alex said as he trusted the answer given to him by Asteria.


    "Once you stop someone''s mind for a second, you can use that time to attack that person." Alex muttered as Asteria let out proud smirk.


    "For the person that you used your ability on, they would not sense the things that happened when their mind was stopped. They will just assume that what happened before the mind stop and after the mind stop were the ''real connected'' events." Alex said as he relished the astonished expression on the kid''s face.


    "Even if it appeared that you teleported behind me, all that you did was to just run towards me when my mind was stopped." Alex concluded his speech as he looked at the kid''s constipated face. "My explanation hit the mark, right?"


    "...." The kid glowered at Alex for a second before he out a sigh. You''re d**n right, kid."


    "Hmph, I told you I am right!" Asteria arrogantly said to Alex as she crossed her arms. Her face was so smug right now that if Alex was not fighting this kid, he might have pinched Asteria''s cheeks already.


    ***********


    According to Asteria, when the kid made his move earlier, Alex suddenly froze in place, as if he was forced to stop.


    Since Asteria was Alex''s Guide, she can sense all of Alex''s vital signs.


    Asteria noticed that while most of Alex''s vitals were good, his brainwaves appeared to be extremely sluggish.


    In fact, they were so sluggish that it was as if Alex''s mind has stopped.


    Add the surprised expression on Alex''s face when the kid attacked him from behind, and Asteria was able piece together all the clues.


    She naturally told about her discovery to Alex, as she will die if Alex dies.


    **************


    The kid''s expression turned green with anger when Alex discovered his power. However, this expression of his only lasted for a second before he let out a laugh.


    "So what if you know my power now?" The kid said as his smile twisted into something feral, something predatory. "You still have no way to stop it!"


    "You think so?" Alex smiled as Asteria told him how long he was stuck in a mind stop. "You can stop my mind for 1.5 seconds huh. That''s neat."


    "How could you have known that!" The kid suddenly stiffened his body as he realized the answer.


    "You, you have another person surveying our fight!" The kid muttered as he shook his head. "So someone can actually hide their presence better than me."


    "Yes, that person really is good at stealth." Alex said. "And right now, that person is still here, ready to strike you down."


    Of course Asteria has no way to fight against this kid, but the kid does not know that it was a weak fairy that was surveying him.


    The kid was most likely thinking that the person who was hidden right now was another powerful Esper.


    The fear of being attacked by a hidden Esper was enough to make the kid hesitate.


    Alex took advantage of this hesitation as he unleashed the attack that he had been building up earlier.


    "...."


    A hole suddenly appeared on the kid''s torso, as a powerful laser beam tore through it.


    "What¡­" Blood dribbled out of the kid''s moth as he looked at the hole in his torso. "How could this be¡­"


    "It worked!" Alex thought with relief as he looked at the hole in his right shoe.


    While he was talking to the kid earlier, Alex had been busy building up EM Waves inside his right shoe.


    Inside his right shoe, Alex has placed a special metal that when hit with the right amount of EM Waves, will release a powerful beam composed of excited photons.


    The problem in using this technique is that it will take around a minute to fully build up the right amount of EM Waves to create the photon beam attack.


    That was the reason why Alex tried stalling for time.


    There are a lot of risks by doing this, and Alex almost failed when his mind was stopped by the kid.


    It was lucky for Alex that his body continued on amassing EM Waves even when he was mindstopped for 1.5 seconds.


    Alex then reached the breaking point when he told the kid about his mindstopping power.


    At that time Alex only needed the kid to be distracted enough to not see his coming attack.


    This chance came when the kid began to look for the ''hidden enemy'' warily.


    He bombarded the metal on his right shoe with all the EM Waves that he has gathered, and the resulting laser beam tore through the kid''s torso like it was butter.


    "No hard feelings kid, but I have to do this." Alex said as the kid kneeled on the floor in agony.


    But before Alex could feel more smug with what he did, he suddenly saw the kid injecting himself with a syringe.


    "S**t!" Once the syringe was used, Alex could see the kid''s wounds healing at a visible rate.


    The kid began to pant as his pale complexion cleared up.


    He slowly stood up as he glared at Alex murderously.


    "Now you''ve really done it!" The kid said as his face became a twisted expression of anger. "I planned on making you die quickly, but now I will just hack your limbs one by one!"


    "Hey, mind your words kid.'' Alex said as he backed up slowly. "You just healed and you are blabbering that much? That won''t be good for your mind!"


    "Shut up!" The kid said as gripped his sword tightly. "Let''s see if you can still survive right now, you bastard!"

 Chapter 19 I doubt that you can blink them properly

    "Of course he will have something like that." Alex thought to himself as he stared at the fully-healed torso of the kid.


    Both Alex and the kid were standing apart from each other, as they both readied their abilities.


    Alex and kid could heard booming sounds from the background. This was obviously produced by the fight between Alina and the lizard.


    "..." Right now there are only 2 and a half minutes left until Alex''s boost will be used up.


    It seems like Alina will be unable to help Alex within that time, with the lizard fighting against her.


    That means its up to Alex to win against this kid in 2 and a half minutes. If Alex fails to defeat this kid within that time, then he will be toast meat.


    "Should I have just gone for the head earlier?" Alex mumbled to himself.


    With this control over EM Waves, Alex could have just blown the kid''s head off earlier, but Alex hesitated on doing it, opting to attack on the kid''s torso instead.


    And now, that decision of his has backfired on him.


    "Drats."


    ****************


    Alina never have felt this exhilarated before,


    She felt extremely free, as if she could just do anything that she wanted now.


    Of course Alina knew that this was just an illusion, but she was sure that she was way stronger now compared to before.


    Her attack, which could only barely graze the lizard''s skin earlier, now has successfully hacked off some pieces of the lizard''s flesh.


    "Grya!" The three heads of the lizards shouted roared angrily as blood went out pouring out of its wounds.


    It spit a set of fireballs towards Alina, which she just nonchalantly slashed back.


    "Boom boom boom!" All the fireballs were forced to prematurely explode by Alina''s attack, saving her from the brunt of the damage.


    These kinds of exchanges were all that happened for the 2 and a half minutes that Alina temporarily became a 1 Star Esper.


    Alina felt slight panic as she knew that if this goes on, she will be unable to kill the lizard.


    What made it worse was the thing that the lizard in front of Alina did.


    Its body began to change its appearance and size, with the lizard quickly shrinking.


    Its three head disappeared, as well as its limbs.


    It took only the lizard a second to complete its transformation.


    "..." Alina gritted her teeth as she realized what the lizard just did.


    "This Intruder just changed its Type." Alina muttered darkly to herself. "Now this just makes everything worse."


    Although the Intruders that appear to attack them all vary, they can be put together in two broad categories.


    First one is the Tank Type and the second one is the Humanoid Type.


    The Tank Type were the huge, hulking Intruders that wreak havoc with their large and powerful bodies. Just like a tank.


    The lizard that Alina fought earlier was clearly a Tank Type.


    Although the Tank Type Intruders can dish out massive amounts of damage, their immense sizes render them to be extremely slow.


    Alina took advantage of this earlier, as she was able to dodge the lizard''s attacks with ease.


    As for the Humanoid Type, these are the Intruders that have taken human shape.


    The damage that they can deal is obviously less than the Tank Type, but their small size and mobility allows them to deal better with agile opponents.


    Not only that, but some Humanoid Types have their own special skills that make them sometimes more dangerous than that Tank Types.


    Alina was sure that the Class S intruder that she met 2 days ago was a Humanoid Type. Maybe its special ability is to teleport away.


    Alina shook her head as she ignored the matter of that Class S Intruder, as right now, another Humanoid Type has appeared in front of Alina!


    "How come I did not expect this?" Alina muttered darkly to herself as she stared at the hew form of the lizard.


    Right now, the lizard was only about 3 meters tall, still taller than most people.


    It had humanoid features, with two legs, two arms, a torso and a human-sized head.


    Its skin was pale gray in color, and there are some scales that covered the humanoid lizard''s joints.


    Its eyes were red in color, and its long tongue was flickering out of its mouth.


    "Now I am in trouble." Alina muttered to herself as she increased her vigilance.


    The lizard has no way to hurt Alina earlier, as its body was too large, making it slow.


    But right now, the lizard transformed to be a Humanoid Type Intruder. Its speed has most obviously increased!


    As if to prove this point, Alina suddenly saw the humanoid lizard''s body flickering.


    Before Alina could process it, she suddenly ''felt'' the lizard coming at her at insane speeds.


    "!!!" With her Weak Space Manipulation, Alina could sense everything within 1 kilometer around her. Naturally that includes the lizard.


    Alina earlier thought that with her spatial sensing, even if the lizard has become faster right now, she can still dodge its attacks.


    Well, that thought of hers was right but also not right.


    The humanoid lizard had moved so fast that by the time Alina could realize it, the lizard was already in front of her.


    Alina was left with no choice but to hastily set up a Space Barrier in front of her.


    If Space Slashes were Alina''s offensive ability, then Space Barriers were her best defensive ability.


    Alina creates a Space Barrier by compressing the space around her. The explanation is just as simple as that.


    Objects will need to have more kinetic energy if they want to move through the compressed space.


    The more compressed the space is, the more energy is needed by objects to move through it.


    Alina was using this exact principle to protect herself from attacks aimed at her.


    As long as an attack was not insanely powerful, they would be stopped by the space barrier from ever reaching Alina.


    This is the classic sword-and-shield build.


    ******************


    With the sudden appearance of the humanoid lizard, the space barrier that Alina created was hastily made.


    Still, with Alina''s current Mental Power, it was way stronger than the Space Barrier that she can create when she was a Tier 999 Esper.


    The space barrier was able to slow down the lizard''s kick, but before Alina could feel relieved, the humanoid lizard let out a roar as it applied more force on its legs.


    "Puchi!" Alina was barely able to dodge as she humanoid lizard''s kick went right past her torso.


    With Alina dodging out of the way, she was able to prevent her torso from being cut into two.


    However, the kick still managed to gouge a deep wound from Alina''s stomach.


    "Gh!"


    Alina gritted her teeth as she activated her third move, which she called the Space Blast.


    This move requires the presence of the Space Barrier first.


    Once the Space Barrier was present, Alina will then remove the compression of the space in the Space Barrier.


    When she does this, the reaction of the compressed space will be quite similar to the reaction of a compressed spring that was released.


    Both of them will expand outwards, bringing large amounts of energy with them.


    That was exactly what the Space Blast was.


    It was a blast that was produced by the recoil of decompressing a Space Barrier.


    This move of hers had taken down many tricky opponents before already.


    "Boom!" the resulting space explosion generated large amounts of energy that it looked like the whole place around Alina and the humanoid lizard was covered in light.


    Both Alina and the humanoid lizard was pushed back by the Space Blast.


    Alina, with her Esper Ability, was able to reduce the damage of the blast on her body.


    As for the humanoid lizard, its body was caved in on many places. One of its arms were also gone while its body looked extremely bloody.


    It might look extremely miserable, but Alina could feel that this humanoid lizard could still move.


    Alina wiped the blood that dribbled from her mouth as she muttered,


    "Let''s finish this."


    *******************


    Alex and the kid were both staring at each other intently, making sure that one of them will make the move before their opponent could.


    "Say, are you a kid or an old man?" Alex said as his face suddenly became relaxed.


    "Huh? Don''t call me a kid! I am much older than you!" The ''old kid'' declared as he lowered his body further.


    "Oh, in that case, I will not feel guilty anymore once I kill you. After all, I hesitated on killing you earlier..." Alex said with a relieved expression on his face.


    "Huh? Are you telling me that you could have killed me earlier, but I just survived because you thought I am a kid? Now that is just making me more pissed!" The ''old kid'' snarled in reply.


    The ''old kid'' then pointed his sword at Alex as he said,


    "As a thanks for your ''kindness'' earlier, I shall kill you by decapitation. Maybe you can count how many blinks you can do when your head is cut off."


    "....."


    "....."


    "Now!"


    Both of them let out a shout as they started to make their move.


    But before they could even activate their Esper Ability, they were suddenly covered by large amounts of light.


    This light was the light produced by Alina''s Space Blast!


    Alex was unaffected by the sudden increase of light, as he subconsciously filtered the light so that only the right amount of light reaches his eyes.


    But as for the ''old kid'', he let out a shout of pain as he covered his eyes in agony.


    "!!!!"


    Even though Alex only allowed the right amount of light to reach his eyes, he could still sense that there''s a sudden increase of light around him.


    He also noticed what happened with the ''old kid''.


    "Now is my chance!" Alex knew that he can now make his attack, as the ''old kid'' was distracted by the sudden increase in brightness.


    And the best medium for Alex''s attack right now was all the new light around him.


    "Gather!" Alex shouted as he forced all of the new light around him to be compressed on his palm.


    This compression was different from changing an EM Wave''s wavelength.


    What Alex did right now was pure, physical compression of the light wave.


    This resulted in an increase of temperature of the physically compressed light.


    He then shot it towards the old kid''s eyes, which started to slowly open.


    Alex made sure that the compressed light that he shot was around the size of the old kid''s eyes.


    "......"


    Alex''s attack perfectly penetrated the old kid''s eyes when he fully opened it.


    "Sizzle¡­" Alex started to smell cooked flesh as his attack proceeded to burn both of the old kid''s eyes.


    "Argh!!" While the old kid was in pain because of his burnt eyes, Alex rushed towards him as he waved his Star-Crusted Dagger.


    With Alex and Alina under the effect of the Star-Crusted Dagger, Alex knew that stabbing the old kid with the Star-Crusted Dagger would not help increase his Mental Power at all.


    But Alex was not planning on stabbing the ''old kid'' anyway.


    "Sprut!" With a scary precision, Alex deftly decapitated the defenseless ''old kid''.


    The old kid''s head flew into the air, before landing on the ground with a thud.


    Anyone who saw what Alex did can say that this is not the first time that Alex decapitated someone.


    Alex then let out as sigh as he looked at the head of ''old kid''.


    Alex proceeded to wipe the blood from the Star-Crusted Dagger as he said,


    "Well, you can try counting your blinks now. But with your eyes burnt that badly, I doubt you can blink them properly."


    "...¡­"

 Chapter 20 Its time to Cook

    "Ugh¡­ Where did that light come from?" Alex knew that if it were not for that massive surge of light, then it might be his head that is rolling on the ground already.


    "....." Alex tried to ignore the old kid''s headless body as he watched Alina''s fight with the lizard.


    Except that there is no lizard in sight.


    What Alex could see was a bleeding Alina squaring off against a human-looking lizard man?


    "Huh. What the hell is happening here?" Alex then shook his head as he realized that it''s not the time to ask questions now.


    Since he still had some time left before the time limit is up, Alex decided to assist Alina in in every way that he can.


    "But what can I do?" Alex thought sourly to himself as he saw the intense battle between the two.


    Because of his limited Mental Power, Alex can only rely on his vision to see everything that happened.


    But even with that limited sensing, Alex could not help but feel that he was lucky to have Alina with him right now.


    "Even if Alina became a temporary 1 Star Esper, she was still able to perform these powerful attacks¡­ D**n, if she attacked me right now, even my danger sense would be unable to save me." Alex grimly thought as he realized the gravity of his main mission.


    "If Alina and this Class SS Lizard was already this strong, then how strong would the other Star Espers would be?"


    Alex then shook his head as he put this matter at the back of his head.


    Alex had just been in this world for 2 days, and now he already had the power to protect himself.


    Give Alex more days to train, and his progress will be greater!


    Asteria seemed to have detected Alex''s melancholic thoughts as she said, "Traveler, you may not know it, but when you became a Traveler, your body had been remodeled by the Endless Monarch."


    "Your body right now will accept all kinds of cultivation and strengthening techniques, provided that you can afford it with your lifespan." Asteria said these words that can make any cultivator faint in anger as if it they were just mere facts.


    "Not only that, but your ability to grow stronger has been improved in your current body too." At this point, Alex can already understand what Asteria was saying now.


    "Traveler, that just means that as long as you put in the effort to get stronger, then you will stronger quickly." Asteria concluded as she patted Alex''s cheek.


    Did Asteria just became sympathetic to Alex?


    "So make sure that you do not do anything stupid now. Because if you die, you can''t experience the quick growth that I am talking about."


    Nope, Asteria is still the same.


    "Hai, hai, I won''t die here." Alex said as he looked around him.


    With the intensity of the fight between the lizard man and Alina, there is no way that Alex could get near right now.


    In that case, Alex has no choice but to only use long-range moves to assist Alina.


    "But there is no way that my attacks can damage that thing." Alex knew that if this lizard man can stand toe-to-toe with Alina, then that must mean that his power is around the Star Esper Level too,


    Alex''s Mental Power of relatively measly 122.5 won''t do s**t on that lizard man.


    "If direct attacks won''t do, then that just mean I can only assist Alina by somehow distracting or slowing the lizard man down." Alex muttered as his mind began to churn.


    With his brain enhanced by the boost, Alex was able to think up of thousands of possible ways to slow down or distract the lizard man.


    Alex discarded the ways that required a long time to use, and the ways that are too unrealistic to use with his current Mental Power.


    Alex then quickly eliminated the remaining ways until there was only one way left.


    Alex suddenly wore a fearless smile on his face as he digested the contents of the remaining way.


    He shook his head as he glared at the lizard man balefully.


    "Well then, here I come." Alex whispered as his face suddenly turned focused.


    *******************


    "This is getting worse." Alina thought to herself as he continued exchanging attacks with the humanoid lizard.


    With the lizard''s speed, most of Alina''s attacks missed and those that did were unable to hit the lizard''s vital spot,


    Alina was also getting slightly overwhelmed by the lizard''s attacking speed, as she has to create numerous Space Barriers at a time to protect herself.


    Add Alina''s stomach injury that is not getting any better, and Alina was being slowly pushed into the corner.


    Right now, there are only 1 and a half minutes left before her boost gets used up.


    Looking at her current situation, Alina knew that she is already f**ked up.


    "It seems like I have no choice but to do that¡­"Alina thought as an extremely determined expression appeared on her face.


    "My sister will not be happy once I did this, but this is the only way that I can win right now."


    But right before Alina could start doing that, she suddenly remembered that she was not the only Esper in here.


    There is still Alex with her!


    "S**t! If I do that here, Alex will surely be implicated too!" Alina''s eyes narrowed as she decided to make Alex run away now.


    With her busy attacking and defending , Alina can only use her sensing of space to see how Alex fared.


    She could sense in her space that Alex was relatively uninjured, with a headless body and decapitated head near him.


    Alina tried to identify who the unfortunate victim was, and to her surprise, it was someone that she knew!


    "Mindbreaker is dead..." Alina thought grimly as she was perfectly sure that this guy was a loyal minion of Lord Ergo.


    "From what I know, Mindbreaker was supposed to be doing something at the mansion now, so how come he just suddenly appeared here? And why did he and Alex even fight! And how was Alex able to win?"


    There is no way that Alina''s questions can get answered right now, with her being extremely busy.


    As such, she can only inquire Alex about his matter with Mindbreaker on their next meeting.


    That is, if they can still stay alive here.


    As Alina started to feel helpless, she suddenly heard Alex''s voice shouting out to her.


    "Alina, I have a way to help you beat that lizard! However, we can just do it once. If it fails, we are dead."


    Alina could not help but to feel suspicious with what Alex said to her.


    Sure, Alex was a pretty great guy when he treated her to her favorite streetfood and when he joined her to visit the experimented children¡­ but that greatness of his does not equate to his battle power.


    Alina could sense that Alex''s Mental Power was around 122.5 right now. That kind of power would not be enough for any of his attacks to help Alina.


    So how can Alex have the guts to claim that he can help Alina right now?


    "I have a plan, but I need your help for it." Alex shouted as he glanced at the body of the humanoid lizard.


    After he successfully killed the old kid, Alex suddenly had a bright idea regarding his use of his abilities.


    "Maybe that can work, although it will only hurt the lizard¡­ Well as long it is hurt and distracted, Alina will have time to kill it." This is what Alex thought to himself as he looked at Alina hopefully.


    Fortunately for Alex, Alina chose to believe him.


    "Boom!" Alina used a quarter of her Mental Power to create a Space Blast that catapulted the humanoid lizard towards Alex''s location.


    With that move, the humanoid lizard was forced to be inside Alex''s Range.


    "Well here goes nothing then." Alex muttered as he felt a head-splitting headache blossoming inside his head.


    He decided to use the majority of his remaining Mental Power for his next move, just to make sure that it will work.


    -1 minute left for boost-


    Alex reached out with his ability, and all the light produced by Alina''s latest Space Blast all converged towards the humanoid lizard''s location.


    Alex then forced all this light to go through the humanoid lizard''s eyes.


    "Oh, so you want to use the light to damage the brain of the humanoid lizard? Sorry, but I think that will not work¡­" Alina muttered as she saw what Alex was doing. "The organs of this humanoid lizard are much tougher than what you could expect."


    With the tough body that the humanoid lizard had, even its internal organs were all tough too.


    This allowed the humanoid lizard to resist all the light waves that are inside its head now.


    "Who told you that I will just use light wave to attack its brain?" Alex said smilingly as he raised his right hand upwards. He then closed it into a fist as he said,


    "Compress!"


    This time, Alex changed the wavelength of all the light waves inside the humanoid lizard''s brain.


    He compressed them until all of them turned into Ultraviolet Waves.


    "Grya!!!" Just like what Alex had expected, the humanoid lizard''s body started to jerk around as his brain was being slowly melted by all the UV Waves that Alex conjured inside its brain.


    But to Alex''s dismay, he sensed with his EM Wave sensing that the humanoid lizard''s brain was slowly regenerating.


    "D**n, this this lizard is tough as heck." Alex muttered as he slumped forward to the ground, extremely exhausted. "However, I have done my part already."


    With the stunt that Alex did, the humanoid lizard was distracted greatly.


    Of course Alina will not let go of this chance.


    She used all of her remaining Mental Power to create 3 Space Slashes towards the defenseless body of the humanoid lizard.


    With the humanoid lizard busy regenerating its brain, it was unable to dodge Alina''s final attack.


    "Swish! Swish! Swish!"


    Alina''s charged attack managed to cut the humanoid lizard easily like tofu.


    Its body was bisected vertically, then it was cut horizontally, and finally diagonally.


    This resulted in 6 pieces of the humanoid lizard''s body falling to the ground.


    Alina''s body hovered in the air for a second, before she started to fall towards the ground.


    Because she used all of her Mental Power in that last attack, she was unable to sustain floating on her space. Naturally this led to her falling to the ground.


    But before her body could crash to the ground, someone rushed in to catch her.


    That person was of course Alex.


    "....." With her body extremely spent right now, Alina was unable to open her mouth to talk.


    But Alex could see gratitude in her eyes, as well as curiosity.


    Alex scratched his head, realizing that Alina might have already seen the corpse of the old kid earlier.


    "I know that you have some questions for me right now, but why don''t we just talk about that tomorrow?" Alex said as he suddenly crashed down to the ground.


    With the time limit of their boost all used up, both of them experienced the severe paralysis that was warned to them at the start.


    Just a second after they crashed, a figure suddenly appeared behind them.


    This figure let out a low whistle as he looked at the devastation around him.


    He then looked at Alina that was on the ground, and Alex who was lying on top of her.


    Obviously, they were in stuck in that position since they were both paralyzed now.


    But anyone who can see these two right now will have no context of what happened¡­


    The figure, who turned out to be Clint, let out a smile as he said,


    "Alex, you just had your date, and now you are already on top of her? That was quick!"


    "...."

 Chapter 21 Congratulations, Traveler

    If Alex could move right now, then he will do his best to punch that smirk off from Clint''s smug face.


    Too bad he''s already paralyzed.


    He and Alina could only let out groans of protest as they glared at Clint with their eyes.


    "Yo chill¡­ it''s just a joke!" Clint said as he raised his hands defensively. "Tsk, people these days can''t even take a joke! What happened to our society?"


    "....."


    "Well anyway, congratulations! Both of you defeated a Class SS Intruder, and this guy¡­" Clint said as he looked at the headless corpse of the old kid.


    "This kid was sent by that sleazy bastard, right?" Clint suddenly seethed with rage as he began to trample on the headless corpse.


    "You. F**king. S**t!" Clint enunciated each word with anger with every kick that he made on the corpse.


    "You. Dare. Spy. On. My. Niece? You. Really. Are. Pushing. It! If. It. Were. Not. For. My. Restriction. I. Would. Have. Been. The. One. That. Killed. You!"


    If Alex could wince, he could have done so by now.


    As for Asteria, she could only look at the raging Clint with worship as she muttered,


    "Wow, this guy looks scary as hell."


    "Hooo¡­" Clint let out a deep breath as his smug smile returned. "Now I am refreshed."


    "...."


    *******************


    What happened after that was all a blur.


    Clint called the majority of his gang to help on the rescue and retrieval operations of the people in the battle area.


    As for Alex and Alina, they were brought back by Clint to his house.


    They were then placed on two beds to accommodate their current state.


    "So, these two will stay paralyzed for 12 hours?" Natasha muttered as she looked at the paralyzed Alina. Natalia, who was standing beside her mother, suddenly giggled as she said,


    "Mommy, we can play dress-up with Big Sis Alina! She cannot stop us now!"


    "Yes, she can''t stop us right now." Both Natasha and Natalia grinned as they approached Alina with a scary glint in their eyes.


    "....." Alina tried to use her Esper Ability, but even that was also restricted by her paralysis.


    "There''s a lot of dresses that I have bought for you Alina¡­" Natasha said in a sickly sweet voice. "It will be a waste if you don''t wear it, right?"


    "...."


    "I''ll take that silence as yes." Natasha said as she and Natalia brought Alina out of the room.


    "Dress-up? Now I want to see that too." Asteria declared as she flew out of the room.


    With those three women leaving, Alex realized that he was now all alone in the room.


    Realizing that he has to spend 12 hours staring at the same piece of ceiling, Alex wondered if buying that Star-Crusted Dagger had been worth it.


    "...¡­"


    ************


    16 hours later.


    Right now, both Alex and Alina had recovered from their paralysis.


    Sounds of clacking utensils could be heard as the two of them were eating along with Clint and his family.


    Alina was looking down on the floor as she ate while Alex tried to not look interested.


    The reason for their strange behavior right now was caused because of a certain mother-daughter duo.


    "Oh, this one is cute¡­" Natasha and Natalia giggled as they both looked at the pictures in their camera.


    They spent the first 4 hours of Alina''s paralysis playing dress-up with her.


    They stopped after that time because they could feel the intense glare that was coming out of Alina.


    But that 4 hours of dress-up provided Natasha and Natalia a lot of good materials.


    "Alex, don''t you want to see some of Alina''s pictures?" Natasha crooned as she began to swing the camera at Alex''s direction.


    "You know, I had her wear this cowboy shorts with knee-high socks¡­"


    "Let me see that!" Alex blurted as his head swiveled towards the camera.


    But he was forced to lower his head as Alina gave him the death glare.


    "Hmph, what is so good about legs?" Asteria muttered angrily as she saw Alex''s reaction. "They are just used for walking!"


    "You will never know their wonders¡­" Alex thought to himself as he gave an apologetic smile at Alina.


    "Oh come on, can you just tease Alina about her pictures later? We are still eating here¡­" Clint said as he wolfed down his food.


    Alina, who was the main subject of this conversation, had her head lowered more with her ears tinged red with embarrassment.


    After a few minutes of eating, Clint suddenly let out a sigh as he looked at Alex.


    "Alex." Clint''s face suddenly turned grave while looking at Alex. "I need to talk to you and Alina later."


    "Okay." Alina ignored her embarrassment as she and Alex wore grave expressions on their faces.


    Everyone on the dining table continued eating quietly, as if their moods were affected by what Clint said.


    ****************


    "You two were nearly killed there." Clint said as he rubbed his forehead wearily. "I know that you wanted to delay the lizard long enough so that it won''t kill a lot of people. But seriously? You actually fought him by yourselves only?"


    "Well regarding that master-" Alex was about to say something, but Clint raised his hand to interrupt him.


    "I know what you are going to say Alex." Clint said as he gave Alex a glare that effectively shut him up. "You are telling me that because of that dagger of yours, you two can deal with that lizard easily. But were you able to fight against that lizard easily?"


    "...¡­." Alex and Alina did not reply, as they knew the answer.


    "Alina had her stomach slashed open by that lizard." Clint said as rage smoldered in his eyes.


    "It was a good thing that I gave her a High-Grade Healing Stock at that time. As for you Alex, even if you were not injured, you were almost killed by that kid."


    "I know that Alina has the responsibility to fight those Intruders, but Alina, you must also choose your fights." Clint said as he gave Alina a soft look.


    "I know that you are doing all of these for your sister, but if you overdo it¡­"


    "What I do for my sister is my decision alone. Its not like you can help me out anyway." Alina blurted out as she marched out of the room.


    Her body was trembling, as if she was trying to contain all for her emotions right now.


    Before leaving the room, she looked back at the two as she said,


    "Don''t follow me."


    The door closed with a slight bang as Alina left the house.


    "You. Go follow her." Clint said as he pushed Alex forward.


    "But she said that we should not follow us!" Alex hissed in reply.


    Upon hearing this reply, both Clint and Asteria shook their heads in disappointment.


    "If a girl says that you should not follow her, that just means that you should follow her." Clint said while Asteria nodded in agreement.


    "But¡­"


    "I am already married, Alex." Clint said as he stared at Alex. "You should trust my advice. Trust me, you won''t regret it."


    "Ok¡­" Alex replied uncertainly as he bounded out of the house.


    At the instant that Alex left, Natasha entered the room. Both Clint and Natasha gave tired smiles at each other as they said,


    "Teenagers."


    ****************


    It did not take Alex that long to trace Alina''s tracks.


    Even without using his Esper Ability, Alex could recognize a set of tracks that could only belong to Alina.


    He followed this track closely, and after 10 minutes of walking, he saw Alina huddling inside a dilapidated building.


    Alex started to approach the hut slowly, with him making sure to not make any noise.


    But it seems like he was still detected as Alina''s head swiveled in his direction.


    "...¡­"


    Alex''s breath was taken away as he realized that Alina has removed her mask.


    He has no words to use to describe what he was seeing right now.


    Alina''s face was like a finely sculpted piece of jade, both beautiful and attractive.


    Her bright eyes, thin nose, and cherry lips made her beauty extremely ephemeral.


    Only Asteria''s beauty can match the beauty that Alex is seeing in Alina.


    But that was not all that Alex could see.


    He could also see two streams of tears flowing down from Alina''s eyes.


    Her nose was slightly puffy, and there are some sobbing sounds coming out of Alina''s mouth.


    Alex stopped in his spot awkwardly as he realized that the cold beauty Alina is crying.


    "Well, she has been through a lot¡­" Alex thought to himself as he remembered everything about Alina''s situation.


    She had been forced to do almost anything for her sister, and her extremely slow progress has been extremely frustrating to her.


    For someone as young as her to carry this heavy burden Is just unfair.


    It is already impressive that Alina was able to hang on until now.


    "Why did you follow me?" Alina said as she wiped away the tears with her forearm.


    This action of hers looked both sad and adorable to Alex. Alex''s heart began to ache, as he could not help but feel sad for Alina too.


    "....." Alex knew that anything that he will say right now will just rile Alina up, so he decided to answer her through his actions.


    Alex approached Alina quickly before enveloping her in his hug.


    "She''s so warm¡­" Alex thought to himself as Alina''s soft and lithe body was pressed against his.


    Her perfume, which smelled like jasmine, began to tickle Alex''s nose.


    Her hair smelled extremely fragrant too, and Alex had to do his very best to not sniff her hair right now.


    Alina tried to struggle out of Alex''s hug, but Alex held on as he whispered to her,


    "You did great Alina. Nobody is blaming you for what happened. We all support you¡­"


    Alina''s tremblings began to slow down as Alex continued whispering encouraging words to her.


    In the end, she began to hug Alex back as she cried loudly in his chest.


    Alex ignored the wet feeling in his clothes as he patted Alina''s back.


    Asteria, who saw everything that happened, could only rub her nose in incredulity as she said,


    "Congratulations for raising your first romance flag, Traveler."


    "...¡­.."

 Chapter 22 Now, whos the dominant one, huh?

    Alex and Alina stayed in their respective positions for around half an hour.


    By the time that Alex wondered if his clothes could contain any more water, Alina broke out of their hug.


    She let out one adorable sniffle as she wiped her tears away.


    "Thank you¡­" These were the words uttered by Alina before she suddenly disappeared.


    Alex let out a sigh, realizing that she went away for real this time.


    He then stood up as he dried his clothes with microwaves.


    Asteria, who had been watching everything that happened intently, let out a disappointed sigh as Alina left.


    "Alex, that''s it? You just let her leave? You did not even say anything more?"


    "What do you think should I do, huh?" Alex replied angrily as he fixed his clothes. "Alina is feeling sad! I cannot just say some things to her. In this case, just me accompanying her is enough."


    "Hmph, what if I am the one in Alina''s place? What if I am the one feeling sad? Would you also do that to me?" Asteria asked as she looked around her. "It''s not like that will happen anyway¡­"


    "Well knowing you, I will do my best to cheer you up." Alex said as he began to look at his palm.


    "I will pat your head, give you cute clothes, and I will also give you lots of honey. Maybe you will feel better if I did those things."


    "Hmph! At least you know how to please this queen!" Asteria replied, with her tone sounding less harsh than before.


    "Ok¡­ now its time to train again." Alex said as he looked at his clock.


    Right now it was 12 Noon, which means that it should be the Ability Training later.


    Alex measured his Mental Power, and to his surprise, it permanently increased from 35 to 60.


    This increase technically should not happen, since Alex did not do any more training last night.


    When Alex inquired Asteria about this, Asteria''s only reply was,


    "That''s the thing that I am talking about to you yesterday. As long as you fight, the cultivation ability that you will use in that fight will also grow."


    "Ok, so that means that as long as I fight opponents while using the Esper Cultivation Body, then my Mental Power will grow? And that principle will also apply on other cultivation methods?" Alex tilted his head as he digested what Asteria told to him.


    "Exactly." Asteria said as she nodded her head in agreement. "So you better fight many opponents now! The stronger they will be, the faster you will grow!"


    After Alex heard what Asteria said, he began to cup his chin as he bit his lips in concentration.


    "I have a plan now." Alex muttered as he closed his fists. "I just hope my master will agree."


    **********


    When Alex came back to Clint''s house, he stopped in his tracks as he saw Alina inside the living room.


    She''s wearing her mask again, and her demeanor was back to the cool and silent Alina that he had always known.


    She seemed to be unperturbed when Alex came in, as if what happened to them earlier was already forgotten by her.


    "Oh, hi Alina." Alex resisted the urge to hit himself as he realized how nervous his greeting was.


    "Umm, hi too, Alex."


    "...¡­"


    "...¡­"


    Alina actually sounded nervous too!


    Both Natasha and Clint, who heard the awkward exchange, gave Alex leery smiles as if they have already seen through on what happened.


    "Sigh..." Alex scratched the back of his head as he gave his master and his wife an admonishing look. But their smiles did not falter, which just shows how thick their faces are.


    After seeing what they were doing, Alex let out a sigh as he opened his mouth.


    "Master, I need you to fight me." Alex suddenly blurted out, effectively breaking the atmosphere in the house.


    Alina almost let out a choke while Natasha almost slipped on the floor.


    As for Clint, he did not look surprised at all. He just closed his eyes as he took a deep breath.


    "So, it seems like you have discovered it already." Clint said as his eyes looked at Alex with intensity.


    "What do you mean discovered?" Natasha tilted her head as she could not fathom what her husband was talking about.


    "When I trained Alex two days ago, I discovered that he is a special type of Esper." Clint said as he began to look excited. "Alex actually is a Battle Esper."


    "Wow! That is big!" Natasha blurted out as he began to look at Alex with a more¡­ predatory look. "Hehehe, so you are a Battle Espers huh. Hehehe, I can''t wait to run some tests on you¡­"


    "What do you mean by a Battle Esper?" Alex mumbled as he tried to ignore everything that Natasha said.


    "Well, you can say that Battle Espers are the kind of Espers that grow stronger through fighting." Clint said as he sat down on his chair.


    "Unlike normal Espers, who can only get stronger by absorbing Mental Power and strengthening their Esper Ability, Battle Espers can get stronger too by fighting!"


    "The more a Battle Esper fights, the faster their Mental Power will grow, and the easier it will be for them to use their Esper Abilities."


    "Oh, so that is why I am like that yesterday¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he remembered about his fight last night.


    Alex managed to think of extremely creative ways to defeat and kill his opponents last night.


    At first, Alex attributed that from his increased Mental Power. But from the looks of it, him being a Battle Esper was the reason for that.


    And with the noticeable increase of his Mental Power last night, Alex was highly sure that he really is a Battle Esper.


    He slightly glared at Asteria''s direction, as if he was asking for her explanation.


    After seeing his glare, Asteria could only let out an awkward laugh as she said,


    "Hahaha, your Esper Cultivation Body obviously turns you into a Battle Esper¡­ I should have told you that earlier, but well, you did not ask me¡­"


    Alex resisted a facepalm as he decided to give this naughty fairy some fake honey later.


    "Are Battle Espers rare?" Alex asked as he noticed the awed¡­ and nervous looks of everyone in the house.


    "They are extremely rare." Clint said with a knowing nod. "However, it''s not only their scarce birth rate that is making them extremely rare. There is also the fact that all Battle Espers are battle junkies who are addicted with fighting!"


    "Wait, so are you telling me that most of the Battle Espers die because of their addiction to fighting?" Alex inquired as he suddenly felt uncomfortable.


    "Exactly." Clint gravely replied as he gave a level stare at Alex. "Most Battle Espers get drunk with their own power that they start to recklessly fight anyone that they want to fight with. This resulted in most of the Battle Espers dying in battle. Those who survived are the truly powerful ones, or those who are sane enough to avoid fighting too much.


    "...." Now, Alex could understand why Clint seemed to be worried that Alex was a Battle Esper.


    "Will I¡­ be like that too? Will I be addicted to fighting too?" Alex muttered as he looked at his palms.


    "Huh? Are you still asking about that? Do you even remember what happened yesterday?" Clint said as he massaged his temple.


    "You and Alina could have just thought of some ways to delay the lizard. But instead, what you did was to goad Alina to fight that thing."


    "¡­." No matter which way Alex tried to rationalize his actions yesterday, he knew that something happened to him that night that made him want to fight that lizard.


    "It was a good thing that you have that dagger and Alina with you." Clint gruffly said as he stood up from his chair. "If not, then you could have been my second student that diedthat way."


    "Your first student¡­" Alex talked hesitantly, as if he was trying to find the right words to say. "Was he a Battle Esper too?"


    "Yes he is, and he is a fine one at that." Clint said as he closed his eyes. "He is one of the sane ones that can stop their impulse to fight. But one day when he went back to his hometown, something happened there that made him so consumed with so much rage¡­ You should already know what happened after that."


    "...¡­"


    "Before I could rescue him, he already died from countless injuries."Clint said as he opened his eyes, which looked a little watery now.


    The tiny Natalia trotted towards her daddy, hugging his large frame in order to comfort him.


    Clint then looked at Alex as he placed his daughter on top of his head.


    "I will not fight you, since that will just feed your raging impulse to fight. If you want to fight someone, you can choose her." Clint said as he pointed his finger towards Alina.


    "Alina, are you fine with helping Alex out?"


    "Yes." Alina said, much to Alex''s surprise.


    "Wait, I thought that you will leave this place since the Class S Esper that you are chasing is not here¡­" Alex suddenly blurted out.


    "Do you really want me to leave that much?" Even though it sounded faint, Alex could hear that Alina was hurt by what Alex said.


    "No, not at all!" Alex waved his hands in panic as he tried to pacify Alina. "I just think that your job is more important than you babysitting me¡­"


    "And who are you to think about the importance of things?" Alina shot back as she stood up from her seat.


    "It will be up to me, Alina, to decide what I want to do. And right now, what I want to do is to train with you. Do you have any complaints about that?"


    "No mam." Alex replied quickly as he straightened himself. "No problem at all."


    "Good." Alina''s silky black hair swished as she gracefully headed towards the basement.


    "I will wait for you here in the training room 30 minutes from now. Make sure that you are prepared."


    The whole living room was placed into stunned silence, as if everyone just saw the sun rising out of the west.


    "...¡­"


    "So Alina is the dominant one huh. I did not expect that you, Alex, is the sub."


    Of course only Asteria has the audacity to say these things.

 Chapter 23 An abrupt change

    6 hours later.


    "Ugh¡­" A very beat-up Alex lay spread-eagled on the floor. His limbs were twitching while his extremities were trembling.


    His face looks exhausted as he let out labored breaths.


    Alina on the other hand, was standing proudly as her swords disappeared.


    She did not show any signs of exhaustion except for the slight shortness of her breath.


    "That was¡­ intense." Alex uttered out as he rolled over from his position.


    "You have good grasp of your power, and you sometimes make creative moves that can catch me off-guard." Alina said as she just watched Alex''s struggle to stand up.


    "I really can''t stand up right now¡­" Alex complained as he felt that both of his legs were too weak right now.


    "Won''t you at least give me a hand?" Alex pleaded as he looked at the silent Alina. "Please?"


    "No. I do not want to touch your sweaty hands." Alina coldly replied as she left the basement.


    "You got OWNED!" Asteria shouted out, much to Alex''s displeasure.


    "Can you at least say something decent from time to time?" Alex snarled as he wiped the sweat off from his body. "You have always been like this!"


    "Well I can do it, but that still does not change the fact that you got OWNED." Asteria obstinately replied.


    "...¡­.."


    ********


    By the time Alex had finished cleaning himself up, Alina had already worn her old set of clothes.


    "Let''s go out now." Alina said as she practically dragged Alex out of the house.


    "Wait what?" Alex mumbled as he realized what was happening. "Why are we going out again?"


    "Its because our ''date'' yesterday was interrupted by that lizard." Alina said as she slowed down her pace. "Since there are no problems now, we shall continue our ''date''."


    "Ok¡­" Alex replied uncertainly. "Then this time we will go to-"


    "This time, it will be my choice for our next destinations." Alina forcefully said as she stared at Alex. "You have no complaints about that, right?"


    "No complaints." Alex replied while Asteria giggled at the background.


    ***********


    If there is one thing that Alex learned today, that is that he should never let Alina lead the date.


    Why? It was because Alina only led Alex to one kind of place.


    And that was all places with food.


    Alina brought Alex first to the streetfood stall that they went to last time.


    After finishing 100 sticks of streetfood there, Alina brought Alex to a pastry shop.


    There, Alex and the customers could only watch with wide eyes as Alina wolfed down 4 extra-large cakes.


    But Alina was not yet done.


    She then led Alex to a seafood restaurant, and there she had her fill of three pots of seafood stew.


    "God, how could you have that much appetite?" Alex complained as they left the restaurant.


    "I can use my ability to burn up all the food that I eat." Alina said as if it was a matter of fact.


    "Of course you can do that." Alex muttered to himself while shaking his head.


    After a few more minutes of walking, Alex realized that Alina was not bringing him to a food-related place anymore. As for where he and Alina will go next, Alex could only wait to find out the answer.


    After another half hour of walking, Alex found himself in front of a small building.


    There was a metal door in front of the building, which blocked the entrance.


    Alina ignored it as she walked towards a fallen tree that was just 2 meters away from the door.


    Alina pulled the tree up, revealing a trapdoor underneath it.


    "After me." Alina said as she opened the trapdoor, revealing a set of stairs that descended downwards.


    She then started to use the stairs, lowering herself with each step that she took.


    "Hello darkness my old friend¡­" Alex muttered as he started to use the stairs too.


    Once the two of them were in the stairs, the trapdoor closed itself automatically, and the tree earlier went back to its place.


    Anybody looking at the place right now would never imagine that two people just used it to access an underground bunker.


    ***************


    "Thud." Alex heard this sound as his feet landed on the floor. He squinted his eyes as he used his EM Sensing to determine his current location.


    "So we are inside an underground bunker right now¡­" Alex said as he felt the dimensions of his current place.


    The whole Underground Bunker was abandoned, and Alex felt that there are no people nearby that can hear them talking.


    Alex can also sense that there are no electrical devices nearby, which meant that this place was free from all kinds of surveillance.


    "So this kind of place inside the city exists too¡­" Alex knew that only people with security issues would know about this place that he is in right now.


    And Alina just happens to be one of these people.


    "Are you about to say something to me that requires this much secrecy?" Alex said as he raised his arms. "Because just looking at all these things makes me curious on what you are about to tell me."


    "...¡­.."


    Alina stared directly at Alex for one second before she said,


    "There is a chance that you might get killed from this day onwards. So I am asking you to be careful and vigilant, especially when I leave this place 7 days from now."


    "Oh, are you talking about the master of that ''old kid''?" Alex replied with a chuckle.


    "For the 10th time, that old kid''s name is Mindbreaker." Alina replied as she rubbed her temple. "And yes, the master of Mindbreaker might be after your life."


    "Is it because of what I did to the old k- Mindbreaker?" Alex replied as his eyes narrowed. "Well, I think for him to take revenge on me is just plausible¡­"


    "It''s not just for Mindbreaker." Alina said as she shook her head rapidly. "He''s¡­ probably aiming kill you mostly because of me."


    After hearing what Alina said, Alex closed his eyes in concentration as he let out a deep breath.


    "This master that Mindbreaker is talking about¡­ He is your ''master'' too, right?" Alex said as he pieced together all the conversations that he heard between Alina, Clint and Mindbreaker.


    "Yes¡­" Alina bowed her head down as she gave a weak reply.


    "And your problem with your sister, was it related to this ''master'' of yours too?" Alex said, as he tried to observe Alina''s reaction.


    "Yes¡­" It was another affirmative reply from Alina.


    "So, this ''master'' of yours is extremely possessive of you, and he might kill me because I messed with his possession?" Alex said these words with a bitter taste in his mouth. "Just hearing that makes me want to puke already."


    "That is all correct. As expected of Uncle''s student." Alina said as she praised Alex with her low voice.


    "..."


    Alex badly wanted to say something comforting to Alina right now, but his words got stuck in his throat as he saw Alina''s body language.


    She''s cowering inwardly to herself, not daring to show more of her emotions.


    Alex knew that if he will do something rash right now, Alina will surely lash out mostly to herself.


    Alex cannot risk to bring such pain to Alina.


    "...¡­"


    *******************


    Deep inside her heart, Alina knew that Alex will be implicated with her ''master'', given her close contact with Alex.


    If Alex continues to associate himself with Alina more, he will just put himself into a great risk.


    As such, she silently pleaded Alex to leave her alone.


    But since Alex is acting this obstinately, Alina had no choice but to verbalize it to him in an indirect way.


    "Alex, do not worry about my problems. I can handle it all. Besides, all my Contribution Points right now will allow me to visit the World Diagram to make my request." Alina said as she wished that he will take her hint.


    "Did you just say that you are going to the World Diagram?" Alex''s eyes suddenly lit up as his mood seemed to have changed.


    "Yes.I will use all my remaining Contribution Points to make a request to the World Diagram, and that request will be related to my sister." Alina said as she took a deep breath. "With the Contribution Points that I have rightnow, I will be able to talk to my sister at least."


    "Wait, just talk?" Alex tilted his head as he could not believe what he just heard. "You took down a Class SS Intruder, and all you can get is a talk? How much Contribution Points would you need to save her?"


    "Why are you so fixated on helping me regarding my sister?" Alina said with gritted teeth as she clenched her fists tightly. "My matter with my sister is none of your business, so just buzz off!"


    Alex''s eyes went wide open when he heard Alina''s harsh rebuke.


    Alina on the other hand, inwardly winced as she realized that she hurt Alex with what she said.


    It was at that point that Alina remembered Alex''s genuine kindness to her, his willingness to put up with her antics, his eagerness to fight with her, his appreciation for her, and his warm, manly body hugging her¡­


    "...¡­."


    Alina gritted her teeth as she tried to hide the pangs of guilt that formed inside her.


    "What I am telling you right now is that I will train you for the next few days before I leave, so that you can get strong enough to fend for yourself." Alina said as she tried her best to make herself sound uncaring.


    "So, you really do not want my help regarding your sister?" Alex immediately went straight to the point as he stared straight at Alina''s eyes.


    Alina tried to not stare at Alex''s blue eyes as she said,


    "I do not need your help anymore. Just stay in this place and get strong enough so that you can live your life freely."


    "Sigh¡­" Alex let out a weary sigh as he gave Alina his signature smile. Alina suddenly tensed, as she knew that something big happens once Alex gives this kind of smile.


    "Ok, I will ignore your sister, since it really is NONE of my business. However, there is another thing that I aminterested in."


    "And what is that?" Alina mumbled in reply.


    "The World Diagram." Alex said as he showed his perfect smile at Alina. "I want to see it up close and personal."


    "I see. You want to be beside me as I give my request to the World Diagram¡­." Alina muttered as she felt slightly disappointed with what Alex said. "I think it can be managed, since you helped me slay the lizard."


    "But you must be careful when going with me to the World Diagram¡­" Alina said as she scrunched her eyebrows. "My master might try to kill you when you go with me to the World Diagram¡­"


    "That''s what the 7 days of training will be used for, right?" Alex said as he gave Alina another smile. "So that I can somehow protect myself when I leave with you!"


    "...."


    Alina was not sure why, but she felt extremely lonely when she saw Alex''s smile.


    Alex''s smile felt so forced, so artificial, that she wondered if what she was doing to him now was right.

 Chapter 24 Wassup!

    Alex and Alina went back to Clint''s house silently, with their faces housing a cloudy expression that made both Natasha and Clint worried.


    Once Alex was inside the house, Alina hastily left the place.


    She never once looked back as she walked away.


    "That girl¡­" Clint shook his head as he realized what Alina did.


    Clint knew all about the matter of Alina''s sister and Alina''s current master.


    Clintalso knew how much of a madman Alina''s master was, and the lengths that he can do with that mind of his


    If he could do it,Clint would have already gone out of his way to whoop Alina''s master to solve her problems.


    But Clint cannot due to his restrictions.


    "Alina must have wanted Alex to distance himself with her." Clint said as he saw Alex entering the attic. "Logically speaking, what she did was right, since Alex will just be in more danger if he gets closer with her, but¡­"


    "But Alina looks affected by her decision." Natasha said as she remembered Alina''s expression earlier.


    "Sigh, I thought that we could set those two up as lovebirds¡­ It seems like fate really is not in store for them." Natasha said as she arranged a flower vase.


    "Well, there is still a chance that Alina will change her mind." Clint said as he suddenly talked to Alex, who was in the attic.


    "Oi Alex, did Alina said something about training you more?"


    "Alina said that she will continue to fight against me every day until her departure day." Alex''s reply sounded subdued but also tense. "She also said that I have to use those days on my advantage."


    "See?" Clint said to Natasha as he pointed at the attic. "If Alina will continue to visit here for the next 7 days, her mind might still change."


    "That is if Alex makes the effort to change her mind." Natasha replied as she casted a doubtful look at the attic. "But seeing Alex right now, it seems like that will not be the case."


    Clint did not give any answer in return, as he felt that Natasha was right.


    *****************


    "Well, that was awkward." Asteria hesitantly said as she glanced at Alex.


    Alex had been quiet at the return journey, and he still stayed quiet here inside the attic.


    Asteria did not like what she was seeing, so she attempted to talk with Alex right now.


    "Are you¡­ really fine with what Alina told you to do? "Asteria inquired as she tilted her head. "That''s a Bonus Mission wasted!"


    In regards to Asteria''s question, the only thing that Alex gave her was a small shake of his head.


    "I¡­ have plans regarding that."


    "Plans?" Asteria scoffed as she thought that Alex might have been bluffing.


    "Are you sure about that? You have a plan to destroy the World Diagram, save the people from its repercussions, and help Alina, all in just 15 days? That is really impressive, if your plan really exists."


    "I have been making research earlier." Alex said as he let out a sigh. "At those research materials, I can somehow see that the World Diagram¡­ is not really how it is portrayed in reality."


    "Oh, so you believe those crackpot conspiracy theories in Feddit?" Asteria snickered as she remembered Alex surfing the net earlier in his free time.


    "Huh? What is wrong on making my research on Feddit?" Alex retorted as he seemed to be offended. "That website is a free site where everyone can post their opinion!"


    "But I saw one post in Feddit saying that the World Diagram is a captured space whale, and that it wants to turn every Esper into Unicorns..." Asteria said as she watched Alex cringe. "That is a crackpot theory, and you know that the other theories in Feddit are crackpot too."


    "That theory of course is fake!" Alex retorted as he tried to somehow justify himself. "But there are some reliable opinions posted in Feddit about the World Diagram, and I just pieced them all together to make my plan."


    "Oh, and are you inclined to share your plan to me?" Asteria said as she stared at Alex.


    "Nope, I won''t be telling it to you for now." Alex said as he smirked at Asteria. "After all, even if you know about it, I am sure that you cannot do anything to improve it. Besides, it will be better for you to just watch me perform my plan."


    "Hmph fine!" Asteir mumbled as she crossed her arms angrily. "But let me clarify something first. Are you interested in Alina?"


    "Oh yes, I am indeed interested with her." Alex replied quickly.


    "Oh, you don''t have to deny it anymo- what? You just admitted it that quickly?" Asteria spluttered out after she heard Alex''s reply. "Weren''t you scared and wary of her earlier?"


    "I am still scared and wary of her now." Alex replied calmly. "However, after staying with her for the past 2 days, you can say that I gradually grew to like Alina."


    "2 days. You just interacted with her for 2 days, and you say that you are already interested with her." Asteria monotonously muttered as she stared at Alex. "Isn''t that a little too fast?"


    "If you like a person, it doesn''t matter how long it took. If you like a person, then you like that person. Just as simple as that." Alex replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.


    "I think your viewpoint is really¡­ carefree¡­" Asteria hesitantly replied.But that hesitation of her disappeared as she smirkingly asked Alex,


    "Do you think that Alina''s view of you is just as carefree as you?"


    "Well, why should it matter?" Alex replied with a hint of sadness in his voice. "Even if there is a small chance that she likes me, it will be also terminated once I leave this world for my next mission."


    "That is the cruel truth of being a Traveler." Asteria said as she gave Alex a pitying look. "No matter what bonds you make in a world, that bonds will also disappear once you go to another world¡­"


    Alex visibly shook after hearing this, even though it looked like he had already prepared himself to hear this.


    Alex then took a deep shuddering breath as he asked Asteria,


    "Is it¡­ possible for me to return to this world in the future, even when I am on a different world?"


    "It is possible traveler." Asteria replied quickly. "As long as you have enough lifespan to pay for it. Although the price for that will be astronomical. Like, super astronomical."


    "Its always about the lifespan. Seems like the Endless Monarch really loves to suck our essences¡­"


    "...¡­"


    "....."


    Asteria let out a cough, as she tried her best to forget what Alex just said.


    "Alex, I feel that you still have another question." Asteria said as she observed Alex''s face. "Ask it to me now."


    "¡­ I don''t want to ask it right now." Alex replied as he seemed to have retreated.


    Asteria frowned, as she knew exactly the question that Alex wanted to ask right now.


    If Alex was not keen on asking the question right now, it just means that he''s still not prepared for its answer.


    Since Alex is thinking that way, then Asteria will respect his decision and just wait for his move to ask the question.


    "Well, I will still be around you for the following days, so you can ask me that question of yours whenever you feel like it." Asteria said as she landed on Alex''s shoulder.


    "Oh, and you owe me 5 jars of honey tomorrow."


    "Yes, yes." Alex said as he plopped down on the bed.


    "..."


    Clint''s house that night was silent, as if it was punctuating the heavy feelings of its occupants.


    *******************


    6 days later.


    The following days for Alex were literally and figuratively hell.


    He has to endure the physical battering unleashed to him by Alina, while he also has to struggle with the extremely awkward atmosphere between him and Alina.


    Alina''s mood seems to be same as Alex too, as she was letting out the ''f**k-off'' aura around her.


    It seems like the only one enjoying the whole situation was Asteria, who brayed like a mule everytime Alex was pounded into the ground, and who also giggled like a young lady when Alex''s and Alina''s bodies sometimes tangle on the floor.


    "Now, this is the reason I became a Guide." Asteria commented as she trotted around Alex, who was leaning against the wall.


    "...."


    Today is the last day that Alina will stay in the Dragon Esper City.


    She will set out for the World Diagram tomorrow, and just like what she promised Alex, she will bring him with her.


    "With your current power right now, as long as you do not act careless, then you will not be in any real danger." Alina commented as she left the training room. "Rest up, and we will set out tomorrow."


    "Yes mam." Alex replied as he looked at her departing back.


    Alex looked like he wanted to say some words to Alina, but he stopped himself as he headed for the bathroom.


    ***************


    1 day later.


    Clint stared at Alina and Alex, who are both sitting in front of him.


    Clint had his mouth set into a hard line, as if he was struggling to find the right words to say.


    "Sigh, since I know that you two have made up your minds about this, then I will respect your decisions." Clint said with his eyes closed.


    "However, I wish that you two, especially you Alex, will act more careful. You should know about the risk in your life."


    "I will remember it Master." Alex replied with his head bowed.


    "I do not know why you want to see the World Diagram, but make sure that you will not do anything to mess up things there." Clint warned Alex as he gave him the best ''you should behave'' look that he can give to Alex.


    "¡­Ok." Alex replied with his eyes averted.


    Clint tried to ignore Alex''s suspicious answer as he looked at Alina.


    Clint''s lips trembled for a second, before he said,


    "Alina, you may not feel like it, but my family will always be here for you. If you ever feel tired or overwhelmed, then you are welcome to visit us anytime."


    "Thank you, Uncle." Alina replied quietly. "I will make sure to visit again."


    "Ok."


    Clint looked at Alex as if he was about to say something more, but the sound of the doorbell interrupted him.


    Natasha ushered in the guest, and what Alex saw made Asteria laugh.


    The visitor was someone that Alex had already seen before, although their first encounter was via a hologram.


    The guest sported the same handsome look that Alex saw in the hologram, and just like what Alex has suspected, this guy''s body is ripped.


    "So I guess this guy will be your ride towards the World Diagram." Clint grunted as his eyes raked all over the guest''s body.


    "Oh yes, Sir Jackal. I will be Miss Alina''s service towards the World Diagram." The guest said as he gave a respectful bow to Clint.


    "Let me introduce myself to those who do not know me." The guest said as his eyes bore down on Alex.


    "I am Lord Gallius of the World Esper Organization, and I am under their orders to bring Miss Alina to the World Diagram."


    "Well wassup blondie."Alex replied casually. "Does your neck hurt a lot? Coz I imagine they will, with all that super straight pose that you are doing."


    "....."

 Chapter 25 Its time for Afro Cu

    "¡­ Miss Alina had told me about you accompanying us¡­" Lord Gallius replied with a cold voice. "Even though you joining Miss Alina is legally allowed, there are many that will still frown upon what you did."


    "Well, as long as it is legal, then I see nothing wrong with it." Alex replied with a shrug of his shoulders.


    "Hmph, its shady characters like you that besmirch the image of the World Esper Organization!" Lord Gallius said as his body bristled.


    "I know all about your unlicensed awakening! The only reason that you are not arrested right now is because you awakened under the guidance of Sir Jackal." Lord Gallius said as he stared at Alex with narrowed eyes.


    "What''s worse was your very ''dubious'' background. If it were not for Sir Jackal himself, then you should have been in the jail already for severe case of identity theft!"


    "..."


    "So, you better behave this time, for I will be watching your actions." Lord Gallius then spun on his place as he left the house.


    Alina, who watched the banter between Alex and Lord Gallius impassively, looked at Alex as she said,


    "Let''s go now."


    "Ok¡­" Alex took a deep breath as he followed Alina.


    Clint and his wife did not give any farewell to the two, as it was not needed.


    Alex looked back at Clint one more time, before giving him another bow.


    "Take care." Clint finally said as he let out a sigh. "You can go back here in the future. That is, if you still have the ability to do so at that time."


    Alex gave Clint another bow before he left the house.


    "Now that farewell sounds ominous." Alex thought to himself as he run after Alina.


    "...."


    "I really hope you can come back." Clint muttered to himself as he went towards his basement.


    Booming sounds were then heard from the basement later, rattling everyone nearby.


    They stopped in wonder and fear, as they could only imagine the things that could cause these fearsome sounds.


    ******************


    "If there is one thing that a technological world should have, it''s is obviously a cool flying ship." Asteria said as she flapped her hands around.


    "And this ship we are in right now is a cool flying ship!"


    "You already said those things for the 7th time. Sheesh, get a grip already!" Alex muttered to himself as he looked around him.


    Right now, he was in an expensive-looking room filled with countless valuables furniture.


    One might think that this is a part of a house, but the truth was that Alex was not inside a house right now.


    Alex is currently riding a flying ship that is flying across the sky.


    The ship itself had a sleek and aerodynamic design, but what made it better was its high-class accommodations inside.


    There are countless rooms filled with velvety beds and its other amenities all seek to provide maximum comfort to its passengers.


    With just one look, Alex knew that this whole ship was only meant for the extremely special and powerful people, and that Lord Gallius seems to be one of them.


    "Well, what a way for him to show off." Alex muttered to himself as he fully recognized what Lord Gallius was doing.


    He''s blatantly flaunting about his richness to Alina in order to impress her.


    But that attempt of his has failed as Alex could see Alina ignoring Lord Gallius throughout the whole trip.


    Needless to say, Lord Gallius was unhappy about this.


    Alex could feel Lord Gallius'' piercing glares at his back, as if he was wishing that his eyes could bore a hole on Alex.


    Alex of course ignored these glares as he continued on just staring outside.


    As for Alina, she did not say anythingas she just sat on her place, not showing any willingness to communicate.


    It was only when Alex offered her food that she moved


    But once the food was gone, Alina immediately went back on her stationary state.


    "So, everything will just be like this until we reach our destination? I do not know if I can endure all this awkwardness¡­" Alex thought as he let out a sigh.


    ****************


    At an unknown location.


    Blue light could be seen spilling out everywhere, illuminating the walls of what could be said to be a room.


    This room had the dimensions comparable to that of a typical house, only if the house was 100 meters tall, 100 meters wide, and 100 meters long.


    There seems to be no human presence in the room, as only countless pieces of wire and machinery could be seen inside the room.


    But as the blue light continued on illuminating the whole room, a shadow of a person could be seen hovering at the walls.


    This shadow seemed to have a life as it moved horizontally across the wall, only stopping at the middle of the wall.


    Of course this shadow was produced by a person, and this person was standing at the center of the room, with his shadow casted by the blue light.


    Most of the features of this person seems unidentifiable with the current lighting in the room.


    This person however, sported a large afro that is a very rare hairstyle these days.


    This afro was swaying side to side as the person inspected the object placed in the center of the room.


    All the blue lights inside the room were coming from this object, and from the looks of it, this object will not stop on emitting these blue lights for a long time.


    "Victoria, show me the arriving guests later." The Afro person said as he looked at the object.


    "Here is the video." A disembodied voice came out of the object,which sounded like the eeriest sound that a person could ever hear in their life.


    Even the Afro person, who spent a long time with the object, still shivered imperceptibly when the object talked to him.


    But now is not the time for the Afro person to complain about the object being creepy, as he focused on the video in front of him.


    This video was being emitted by the blue object, and it shows a real-time coverage of Alex, Alina and Lord Gallius sitting awkwardly inside a room.


    "There she is¡­" The Afro person muttered as he looked at the part of the video where Alina was shown.


    It was hard to determine what the Afro person was thinking as he looked at Alina that intently.


    "Victoria, is there any chances that a mishap on the WEO Headquarters will happen today?" The Afro person had asked this question every single day, just as a way for him to pass his time.


    But the Afro person''s light-hearted intention was shattered into pieces as the object replied,


    "There is a 100% chance of a mishap happening today.User is advised to stay indoors as it will be not safe."


    "Oi, oi, oi¡­ Why did the danger chose to appear now of all times¡­" The Afro person lamented to himself as he let out a yawn.


    "Oi Victoria, tell me who will be in orchestrating this mishap."


    "Sorry, but only people with Class Z clearance can ask this kind of questions."The object replied bluntly. "User has a Class SS Clearance, so your question cannot be answered."


    "¡­.."Upon realizing that he will get nothing from the object for now, the Afro person shook his head as he said,


    "Victoria, stay in standby mode."


    All the blue lights inside the room then dimmed as the Afro person left the room.


    "Welp, its still the same now." The Afro person muttered to himself, obviously referring to the object that he was talking to earlier.


    "There are still no signs of mental degradation, nor mental obscuration." The Afro said as he nodded his head.


    "Conclusion: The machine is still fully functional."However, the Afro person seemed to be disappointed as he said these words.


    It was as if the Afro person wanted something more to happen at the object.


    "Security?" The Afro person suddenly whipped out his phone as he called someone with his phone.


    "Em, what can we do sir?" The voice that replied sounded extremely hesitant and scared, as if talking to the Afro person is an extremely forboding and scary matter.


    "I have received a warning that the WEO Headquarters will experience an upheaveal today." The Afro person then continued talking as he ignored the stunned silence on the receiving end.


    "As such, I want your firm to send some of their best security personnel to guard this area. As for the other areas, I will just ask the other firms."


    "You won''t regret this sir!" The voice on the phone replied as the voice sounded less tense and more high strung than before.


    "Make sure that you do your jobs well. If not, then you will regret that you failed." The Afro person saidas he closed the phone shut.


    "Now that I have dealt with that, it is now time for my next scheduled meeting." The Afro person muttered to himself as he shimmered like a rainbow, before his body disappeared entirely.


    This display might look and endearing and cute to children, but anyone who had seen rainbow colors before will tell you that these colors are the prelude to a nightmare.

 Chapter 26 By the Power of Vibration

    Alex was already feeling sleepy by the time that the flying ship he''s in stopped its flight.


    "Oh, are we here already?" Alex mumbled to himself as he looked around him. "That trip was pretty long¡­ considering how fast this ship is."


    Lord Gallius let out contemptuous snort to Alex, as if he could not believe what Alex was saying.


    "If you do not know, the World Diagram is regarded as the most important invention and treasure of the current society. For it to have countless security measures is a must, and that security measures are what slowed my ship down." Lord Gallius said these words with slight venom in them, as if he wanted to show Alex his mediocrity.


    "I get it compadre, so can you please calm yourself down?" Alex shook his head, effectively removing his drowsiness.


    "Don''t call me your friend." Lord Gallius said as he stood up from his seat.


    The numerous medals pinned on his chest all jiggled, making Alex hear a cacophony of metal tinkles.


    "The only reason you are allowed to be in this place is because Miss Alina vetoed that you will behave" Lord Gallius said as he gave Alina a warm look, which she duly ignored.


    "So for the visit this time, I, Lord Gallius, will be accompanying you to make sure that you will not do anything rash." Alex could not help but wince as he heard what Lord Gallius said.


    Now that this stuck-up blond decided to accompany Alex on seeing the World Diagram, finding a way to attack and destroy the World Diagram later just became extremely harder.


    "Don''t you have like, any important things to do rather than accompanying me and Alina?" Alex said as he tried to remove Lord Gallius on the visit. "It''s just a visit¡­"


    "Hmph, the higher-ups have already decided that I will guard you, vermin!" Lord Gallius said to Alex as he stood up over him.


    With Lord Gallius'' healthy and tall body, he easily towered over Alex, whose height was just comparable to that of a normal adult.


    Anyone who''s stared down by someone as ''big'' as Lord Gallius would have been shaking on the spot already.


    But Alex was Alex, so the only the thing that he did was scoff at the glowering Lord Gallius.


    "You''ve got guts!" Lord Gallius roared as he saw Alex''s blatant disrespectful attitude for him. "It seems like I need to personally discipline you!"


    At the instant that Lord Gallius said these words, Alex felt everything around him starting to vibrate endlessly.


    All the equipment, metal apparatus, and even the water and wine were all vibrating continuously.


    Heck, Alex could ''see'' with his EM Sense that even the air molecules around him were all vibrating too.


    "Vibration. That is your Esper Ability, right?" Alex muttered as he looked around him in wonder.


    Even if Alex could feel that his whole body was vibrating too, he did not feel flustered or worried.


    "Hmph, if you know my power, then you should be already aware of its lethality." Lord Gallius said as he gave Alex a withering gaze.


    For these words by Lord Gallius, Alex''s only reply was a nod with his still vibrating head.


    Even though vibration looks like a lame power, Lord Gallius'' Vibration is very lethal as he uses it effectively.


    One of the ways that Lord Gallius uses his power was by forcing objects to vibrate themselves at an extremely high frequency.


    By doing this, the structural integrity of these objects will weaken greatly, allowing any external stresses to destroy these objects easily.


    There are even instances that objects disintegrate because of too much vibration.


    Not only that, but Lord Gallius can also greatly increase his offense by vibrating his weapons.


    If Lord Gallius chooses to vibrate a sword in an extremely high frequency, the resulting sword will be able to cut through anything with ease!


    However, these applications are only surface level applications of Lord Gallius'' ability.


    When Alex saw Lord Gallius'' hologram 8 days ago, he decided to make a research about this guy, and there Alex found more ridiculous things about Lord Gallius.


    With his ability, Lord Gallius can actually manipulate temperature itself!


    Temperature is basically just the measure of the vibrations of the particles of an object.


    The more vibrations of the particles there is, the hotter an object will be.


    Conversely, the lower the number of vibrations of the object''s particles, the colder that object will be.


    And if there are no vibrations at all, the object will have the temperature of Zero Kelvin, which is the absolute zero.


    All this information showed Alex why Lord Gallius acted like he owned the world.


    "Your power is pretty awesome, but are you really allowed to use it on me right now?" Alex said with a hint of smirk on his face.


    If it was the Alex of a week ago that was here, he would be not as confident.


    But his week-long combat with Alina brought Alex''s strength to much higher levels.


    Right now, Alex''s Mental power was at Tier 150, meaning that his Range is already 150 meters by now.


    Its still somewhat far compared to Alina''s almost 1000 kilometer Range, but reaching this level in just around a week is extremely impressive.


    "Hmph. I am just showing you what happens if you dare trying something funny." Lord Gallius growled as the vibrations ceased.


    "I think you should give me a better warning." Alex replied as he gave out a low sigh. "After all, what you did earlier is like just a slight tease. Nobody likes to be just teased, you know?"


    "¡­." By this point, Alex started to praise Lord Gallius'' self-control.


    "Well, now that you have said your piece, can''t you start sending us two towards our destination?" Alex said as he flitted behind Alina.


    At this position he could smell the fragrance of Alina''s hair wafting towards him.


    Alina stiffened when she felt Alex''s proximity behind her, but she did not voice out any complaint.


    As for Lord Gallius, he clenched his fists so tightly that veins could be seen protruding from them.


    All these varying expressions just managed to make Asteria, who was still perched at Alex''s shoulder, more and more delighted.


    "Yes Traveler, this is how you should live your life! Don''t just be here to exist, be here to insist!"


    "...¡­.."


    *************


    With many people around him, Alex was not able to give a snarky reply to Asteria. But the expression on his face tells Asteria that Alex will be up to something against her later.


    By the time Alex had left the ship, Alina and Lord Gallius were already talking to a delegation of white-clothed individuals.


    Their clothes look extremely formal and convenient, as if they were made for the purpose of easing the actions of these people.


    Not only that, but Alex also noticed that these people were extremely hardened fighters and killers. No matter how good they did it, Alex can always sense their killing intent with his danger sense.


    "Why are they here?" Alina muttered to herself as if she found the appearance of the white-clothed people shocking. "Shouldn''t they be doing patrol services now?"


    One of the white-clothed people, who was basically the tallest among them, looked at Alina with a smile as he said,


    "The President himself has decreed that it will happen. I do not know why, but the President gave the command that all the Security Firms affiliated with the WEO should send their best guards for this day. "


    "Hmm¡­" Alina chose not to probe deeper in this matter, as the only thing in her mind right now was to talk to her sister.


    As for Alex, his heart sank as he these white-clothed people milling around them.


    Forget Lord Gallius, even Alex will find it hard to perform his plan with these people around.


    "Can you just take us to the World Diagram already?" Lord Gallius said as he scoffed at the white-clothed guards. "I want to be donewith this already."


    "Of course, Lord Gallius, it will be our pleasure to lead you." The leader of the white-clothed guards said as he briskly walked away from Lord Gallius and the others.


    Alex and Alina took this as the cue to leave, with their footsteps following closely that of the white-clothed guard.


    Lord Gallius was the last one to follow, and with the way he casually walked, he seemed to be used in this kind of situations already.


    "Hey Alina," Alex whispered to Alina ashe noticed something weird.


    "I thought that we will go to see the World Diagram¡­ But I can''t see any powerful structures around that can house something like the World Diagram. Hmm¡­ unless it is underground. If it was underground, less facilities will needed that will obviously save more budget."


    "Well, I think you have answered your question already." Alina said impassively as she saw the white-clothed guard stopping in his tracks.


    The guard then unsheathed a sword from his right side, which he promptly stabbed towards the ground.


    A few seconds of silent waiting later, and the ground around them opened up, showing another hole descending downward.


    Just like that traphole at the Underground Bunker, this new hole also had stairs in it.


    Seeing this somehow made Alex more nervous, as he did not know where this place will lead.


    "In order for the World Diagram to be safe from any kinds of radiation or stray elements from the outer space, its creators decided to place the World Diagram at the confines of the underground." The guard said with a hint of pride in his voice.


    "The ground can block most of the harmful stuff, and anything that manages to pass throughthat will be dealt with by the structures below."


    "Yeah, we get that this place is really awesome." Lord Gallius said with his expression saying otherwise. "So let''s just go on and be done with it, ok?"


    "In that case. Let''s get a move on already." The guard gruffly replied as he disappeared inside the hole.


    Alex could only shake his head with a bemused expression as he and the others placed their hands and feet on the stairs.


    They then started their slow descent, which lasted for around 30 minutes


    At the instant that Alex reached the end of the stairs, he started to look around to see potential sources of danger.


    But before he could try to look around him, he suddenly felt a tap of on his shoulders.


    Alex looked back and there he saw one of the strangest man that he had seen in this world.


    This man''s body was bony and thin, as if all the food that he ate were sucked out of him.


    Even his handsome face was gaunt, making him look like a handsome Ske***or.


    What made his appearance somewhat comical is the extremely large Afro hairstyle that this man sported.


    "Alex and Alina, I have been waiting for you arrival since earlier." The Afro guy said as his eyes roved all over the two. "With you two here, then I guess we can already proceed to the next step."


    "Um, who is this guy?" Alex asked to Alina, who seemed to be petrified by the man''s presence.


    "Don''t dare to ask it right now!" Alina hissed as she glared at Alex.


    "The only thing that you should just know is that this Afro Guy is one of the two current owners of the World Diagram." Alina said as she lowered her voice further.


    "If you try to offend him greatly, your death will not be a pretty one." Alina concluded as she forced Alex to slightly bow in front of the Afro guy.


    "Ok¡­" That was the only reply that Alex could give in response to Alina''s somewhat grim revelation.


    "I like behaved kids, just like you guys." The Afro guy cheerfully said to the nervous duo. "However, if you try to be naughty, then expect me to give you lots of pain and misery!"


    "...¡­"

 Chapter 27 This is so sad. Victoria, please play D***acito

    Alex found it hard to believe that the afro guy in front of him was such a big deal.


    The afro guy''s demeanor and appearance just show that he looks like a creepy pushover, someone who can be disregarded.


    But Alex knew that it was people who look like this that are the most dangerous.


    After all, even when Alina told him that this afro guy is dangerous, Alex''s danger sense did not detect any hint of danger from this afro guy at all!


    If this afro guy really is dangerous, then he''s doing a very good job of hiding how dangerous he is.


    Alex was extremely wary of this kind of people, as they are the type that can attack Alex when he had least expected it.


    "You chose to come at a very bad day, Alina¡­" The afro guy drawled as he walked forward, with Alina and Alex struggling to follow him.


    "Bad day?" Alina tilted her head as she remembered the white-clothed guards that she and Alex saw earlier. "Is the appearance of the guards related to this ''bad day''?"


    "Well, the World Diagram predicted that a very unfortunate event will happen at the WEO today¡­." The afro guy said as his eyes narrowed into slits.


    Alex tried to not make his gulp sound audible as he somehow felt more awed by the capabilities of the World Diagram.


    According to what Alex knew, the whole World Diagram was related to a network of quantum computers.


    There''s a total of 1,024 fully functional quantum computers in the whole world, and each one of them are located in Esper Cities.


    Individually, these quantum computers are powerful, but a certain Esper decided to link all these quantum computers together.


    Of course linking them normally is just impossible so an object must be used to administer these links.


    All the needed inputs and desired outputs all pass through this object. Without this object, the whole quantum network will not work at all.


    This object which houses the links between the 1,024 quantum computers is the World Diagram.


    By combining 1,024 powerful quantum computers, the calculative prowess of the World Diagram was raised at an extremely high level.


    Its calculative power was so high that the World Diagram can create its own simulations, that lets it predict to a certain extent, some future events.


    It can also use these simulations to guide the current generation of Espers.


    The World Diagram can create a training manual for a certain Esper, which lets that Esper reach his/her peak strength at the most efficient way there is.


    This insane calculation prowess also allows the World Diagram to vaguely perceive a threat for WEO or even humanity as a whole.


    But this threat predictions were not wholly accurate.


    These threat predictions usually only hover 20-40%, which is already impressive for a machine.


    Of course weather prediction is the staple contribution of the World Diagram, something that everyone in the Esper World have somewhat taken for granted already.


    *****************


    These mind-boggling abilities of the World Diagram are somehow making some people fear that it might gain sentience.


    This fear is not that unfounded, given that the calculation power of the World Diagram was already way beyond the capacity of a normal human brain.


    Of course the WEO had denied the claims of the World Diagram gaining sentience. And even if the World Diagram did gain sentience, Alex was sure that the WEO will immediately cull this sentience.


    But Alex knew that he should not be thinking about these things right now.


    "From the way the afro guy is talking, it seems like the World Diagram does not know that it is my real target¡­" Ales thought to himself as he looked around discreetly. "The World Diagram must have only predicted that something bad will happen today. If it predicted that it will be in danger, then this afro guy should have not allowed anyone to get near it¡­"


    This hypothesis managed to make Alex''s footsteps feel lighter.


    ****************


    "You really love your sister¡­ Well, I still could not fathom why you are still resorting to these actions..." The afro guy said to Alina as he watched her with his hollow eyes.


    "I think that the Esteemed President will surely understand it in the future¡­" Lord Gallius commented as he gave the afro guy a fawning gaze.


    "Whether I understand it or not is none of your concern, Gallius." The afro guy said, as he seemed to not care about the ''Lord'' in Lord Gallius. "Just do your job right now instead of yapping like a dog in heat."


    "Although," The afro guy gave Alina a sideway glance as he sneered. "You are literally a dog in heat right now, Gallius."


    "Mff¡­." Alex had to cup his mouth to stop himself from snickering while Alina let out a snort of derision. As for Lord Gallius, his whole face was twitching as his fists closed and opened sporadically.


    "I actually like this guy¡­" Alex thought to himself as he saw that even though the Afro guy looked and sounded scary, he still has some sense of humor right where it matters.


    "President." A formal-looking woman suddenly approached the afro guy, with her face wearing a tight expression.


    "We just caught some of the Espers that was involved in the jailbreak last month." The woman said as she tried to catch her breath. "What should we do about them, President?"


    "Cut off their heads, stick them into pikes, then display them in front of the prison." The afro guy nonchalantly said. "Those d**ned prisoners will surely learn their lessons from now on."


    "...¡­" Alex retracted his thoughts earlier. This afro guy is scary af.


    *****************


    "So, do we just walk here?" Alex muttered to himself as he looked around him. "This looks like a really long walk to me¡­"


    "Hmph, something like this is necessary to protect the World Diagram." Lord Gallius said with the same contemptuous expression that he gave to Alex earlier.


    "¡­.." By this point, Alex already knew that it was far better for him to just stay silent and let this guy ramble on.


    Right now, Alex, Alina, Lord Gallius and the afro guy were walking inside a long tunnel.


    The whole tunnel was pitch-black, not allowing Alex to see anything with his eyes.


    As such, he can only rely on his EM Sensing to look around him.


    He knew that Alina and Lord Gallius had their own ways of sensing things too, so he did not bother calling out to them.


    "We will just walk here." The afro guy replied as he seemed to have smiled. "But don''t think that this whole tunnel is just a tunnel. There are countless weapons in this tunnel, and they will attack anyone that is not within 5 meters of me. Even if you are a Star Esper, these babies of mine pack some punch that can shoot you down!"


    Alex did his best to stick closely to the afro guy by that point.


    "¡­." But aside from the afro guy, Alex was also pretty close with Alina, evidenced by the fact that their shoulders were touching.


    Alex paused a little, before he decided to wrap his right hand around Alina''s left hand.


    Alina obviously stiffened at this, which prompted Alex to say,


    "Even with your Space Sensing and my EM Sensing, there is no guarantee that we will not get separated. So, us holding hands together will be for the best." Alex made sure to whisper these words to Alina, so that a certain blonde would not overhear them.


    "Ok¡­" Even without the lights nearby, Alex was sure that Alina was looking extremely embarrassed right now. "Just don''t go overboard¡­"


    "¡­." Alina and Alex spent the rest of the journey with their hands wrapped around each other.


    "1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144¡­" Alex started to recite the Fibonacci Sequence in his mind, so that he can ignore Alina''s soft hand caressing against his.


    Suddenly, lights blazed out inside the tunnel, covering Alex and Alina with a blindening glare.


    They immediately leapt away from each other as they massaged their hands.


    Alex tried to discreetly smell his right hand, and with that action, he was able to smell Alina''s fragrant perfume.


    "Ew¡­." Asteria cringed as she saw what Alex did. "You did not just hold Alina''s hands in the darkness. You even sniffed it out now! Ugh, and to think that I am staying with you¡­"


    "Then you are free to leave¡­" Alex thought sourly to himself as he blinked several times to adjust his eyes to the new level of brightness.


    Once he felt that his eyes are fine, Alex slowly opened his eyes, and there he found himself situated in a new place.


    With his EM Sensing, Alex was sure that he was inside a cube room right now, with the exact dimensions of 100 meters in length, width and height.


    The whole room was white, without any spots of blemish decorating its walls, floors or the ceiling.


    The only thing that was ''dirtying'' the room was a human-sized capsule located at the center of the room.


    The capsule itself was standing upright, and there are countless wires wrapped and attached to the capsule.


    With more observation, Alex realized that there are also extremely small machines attached to the surface of the capsule.


    Alex had no idea what these small machines can do, but he does not care about that for the moment.


    What he was more curious was the fact that his EM Sensing could not probe anything inside the capsule.


    It was as if there was an extremely strong barrier inside the capsule which prevented Alex''s ability from coming in.


    "I cannot sense it with my Space Sensing too." Alina said as she saw Alex''s confused and confounded look. Lord Gallius seemed to be at the same predicament, as he nodded after hearing what Alina said.


    It was at that moment that the afro guy made his move.


    "Out of all us here, only Alex has seen ''her'' for the first time." The afro guy said as he started to slowly caress the capsule.


    Alex shivered, as he realized that this afro guy was right at the top of Alex''s Creeptastic People List.


    The way that the afro guy looked at the capsule while tenderly caressing it is just¡­ so weird, disturbing, and creepy.


    "Victoria¡­" The afro guy breathed out as he gazed at the capsule with misty eyes. "Come greet your guests."


    "Hello." A more creeptastic voice came out of the coffin, which made Alex''s skin crawl. "I am Percentile 50. Nice to meet you."


    "That¡­" Alina muttered as she tried to not look revolted, "Is 50% of the World Diagram, hence the name Percentile 50."


    Alex then gave Alina one confused look which conveyed the one question that he was itching to ask right now.


    Alina was already sure what that look meant, as she whispered back to Alex,


    "The reason why President calls Percentile 50 as Victoria is unknown. We just know that the President had always been treating Percentile 50 like this since he first got it under his ownership."


    "....."


    "...¡­"


    "Maybe it just me, but don''t you think that a body could be inside that capsule?" Alex whispered back, as Alina used her ability to isolate their conversation. "That capsule freaks me out."


    Alina''s silence and the annoyed glare that she gave Alex was already enough to shut Alex up.


    "..."

 Chapter 28 100

    Even though Alina told Alex that he should not worry about the weird capsule-shaped of the object in front of him, Alex could still not help but feel extremely wary of the object.


    "¡­." Alex looked at his left shoulder quickly, and anyone seeing this might think that he was just checking for dirt in his left shoulder.


    But the truth was that he was looking at certain someone right now, with his eyes holding an unspoken question.


    "Oh? You want me to tell you if there''s a body inside that capsule?" Asteria tilted her head as she saw Alex''s gaze on her. She then narrowed her eyes as she looked at the capsule with concentration.


    "Hmmm¡­" Asteria assumed a contemplative pose as she stared at the capsule.


    "Interesting¡­" Asteria muttered to herself as her curious look at the capsule changed to a look of interest.


    She suddenly flew towards the capsule, entering its body fully, before she came out of it seconds later. Whatever was inside that capsule was already seen by Asteria.


    Her reply however, was something that disgruntled Alex.


    "Welp, sorry, but I think I cannot answer your question." Asteria replied with a wistful expression on her face.


    Alex''s eyes must have narrowed in indignation, as Asteria was forced to quickly add something to her earlier statement.


    "In my opinion as your Guide, your mission and bonus mission will be in jeopardy once I tell you the answer to your query. Thus, with my utmost judgement, I shall not answer your question."


    "....." Even if Alex was not happy with what Asteria said, he did not dare complain.


    Even if he knew that Asteria was sometimes useless, and that she spends most of her times speaking nonsense, Alex knew that she was still doing her job as Alex''s Guide properly.


    Thus, if she said that she will not answer the question, then Alex will accept that.


    "That just means that I have to observe it a little more¡­" Alex thought to himself as he frowned a little.


    "According to what Alina said earlier, this World Diagram in front of me is only 50% of the whole World Diagram¡­ So does that mean that if I destroy this object in front of me, I will only destroy 50% of whole World Diagram? Hmm¡­ will that already count as completing the mission?"


    Alex knew that there is no way he can ask this question right now. But if his hunch was right, then he might probably need to destroy 100% of the World Diagram just to ensure that he will complete the mission.


    "Hey¡­" Alex whispered to Alina while the afro guy was doing some tweaking on the capsule. "If this guy right here has the 50% of the World Diagram, then where is the other 50%?"


    Alina''s reply came quickly, and it came along with an unpleasant expression on her face.


    "The other 50% is with my current master." Alina replied with a frown.


    "Hooo¡­ that is neat." Alex replied as he tried to not show the pissed expression on his face. "But why is the World Diagram even split into two halves?"


    "It was done so that the World Diagram could be kept safe." Alina replied curtly. "If someone manages to destroy the 50% World Diagram here in WEO, the whole World Diagram will still work, as the other 50% is still fine with my current master. Of course its performance will be subpar compared to before, but that will be better than just allowing the 100% of the World Diagram to be destroyed."


    "That is so irrit- amazing!" Alex exclaimed loudly. "Just hearing what you said makes me think that the WEO itself values the World Diagram highly."


    "That is the undeniable truth." Alina said with a sigh as a forlorn expression appeared on her face.


    "After all, it is the World Diagram that is currently restricting the Top 10 Strongest Espers from wreaking their havoc everywhere."


    "What?" Alex''s eyes widened as he heard what Alina said. Alex''s mind flashed as he remembered about Clint.


    Clint supposedly had the power to manipulate all the 4 Fundamental Forces, but even a guy like him has to follow the rules of not interfering on important matters.


    If Clint was already that strong, then what could have forced him to follow the restrictions?


    Alex thought at first that it was another extremely strong Esper that is forcing all the Top 10 Espers to follow the restriction rule.


    But from what he just heard from Alina, it was actually the World Diagram that is restricting the Espers!


    "How the hell¡­ could a network of quantum computers have the ability to restrict all the strongest Espers in the world?" Alex said harshly as he gave Alina a disbelieving look. "I find it hard to believe that someone like Clint could be restricted by that World Diagram."


    "¡­ That''s the first thing that went through my mind when my sister told me about her getting restricted too¡­" Alina whispered back as the afro guy began to wipe the surface of the capsule with a clean cloth.


    "But even if I find it hard to believe, I know that my sister is not lying to me, so I will still believe in it." Alina said as she glanced at Alex. "How about you? Do you believe me?"


    "Well, if it is you saying it, then it should be true." Alex said as he let out a sigh. He had already seen weird things in his childhood, and a computer network that can restrict reality altering mind wizards is just at the right level of weirdness.


    After giving this answer, Alex decided to bring Alina at the corner of the room so that he can talk to her more.


    Lord Gallius saw what the two were doing, as he made a motion to approach them.


    Alex clicked his teeth, obviously unhappy that Lord Gallius is about to interrupt his educational conversation with Alina.


    "Let''s pretend that we are talking like a very, very, close friends." Alex said as he clasped Alina''s hands tightly. "That way, Lord Gallius will back off away from us."


    "Ok¡­" Alina''s slight tremble in her voice as she replied helped on their alibi, as Lord Gallius'' face paled a little before he backed away from them. Of course he did not forget to glare at Alex the whole time, as if he was itching to make a gelato out of him later.


    Alex ignored Lord Gallius'' piercing gave to him as he continued talking with Alina, of course while he was still holding her hands.


    With the current situation of the World Diagrams,Alex realized that he must find a way to full destroy both the 50% of the World Diagrams.


    The problem is that, how can Alex destroy both the 50% of the World Diagrams when they are situated at different places?


    Well, Alex had no idea on what to do. However, he has three-word principle that he can use on his current situation.


    IMPROVISE. ADAPT. OVERCOME.


    If Alex has no plan for the other half of the World Diagram, then he will just IMPROVISE one right now.


    If Alex faces unknown factors later, then he will just change his plan to ADAPT on these factors.


    And If Alex faces a powerful adversary, then he will just have to OVERCOME it.


    Alex knew that if he wants to use all these principles right now, then he must make sure that Alina will be in his plans.


    It will be only through Alina''s help that Alex can succeed in his Main Mission.


    "Seems like meeting you really is not just an unfortunate accident." Alex thought to himself as he glanced at Alina''s masked face.


    "Alina, can you please use your ability to make sure that no one eavesdrops on us?" Alex said as he glanced around him warily.


    "Ok." Alex felt a wave of power washing through him, and he knew that it was Alina using her ability to lock the space around her, specifically to prevent sound waves from leaving the area 1 meter around her.


    Anything that Alina and Alex will say right now will not be heard by anyone nearby.


    Thus, Alex and Alina could freely talk inside without any fear of ostracization.


    Anyone seeing this from the outside will not suspect anything, as both Alex and Alina looked like a sweet couple that are too embarrassed to be heard.


    Alex took a deep breath as he realized that they can talk freely right now.


    "I am not angry with you trying to chase me away, as I know that you just want to keep me safe." Alex started to say as Alina dipped her head down. "I understand your reasoning."


    "However¡­" Alex''s carefree smile changed into a stern one as he said,


    "I cannot just allow you to stay that miserable." Alex grumbled as he fixed a stray hair that fell in front of Alina''s mask.


    "I told you that I do not need your help." Alina replied as she gritted her teeth.


    She gazed at Alex intently as she continued talking.


    "I am only tolerating everything that you are doing to me right now as we will be separating later. Think of our talk right now as the last talk that we will have. So, if you want to say more goodbyes now, then you bett-"


    "Your sister, she was defeated and enslaved by your current master, right?" Alex blurted out, interrupting Alina''s tirade. "And you, the younger sister, is doing her very best to free her, right?"


    "....." Alina clenched her fists so tightly that Alex felt that his hand that was touching her hand seemed to break. It was good thing that Alina loosened herself as she replied,


    "That is right¡­ Did Uncle Clint tell that story to you?"


    "Yes he did. Two nights before our departure." Alex said as he gave Alina an apologetic smile. "Sorry about that."


    "...."


    ******************


    What Alex said was true. Two days before the end of his training with Alina, Alex chose to privately talk to Clint about Alina''s real problems.


    Since Alex was already deeply implicated, with him even killing MIndbreaker, Clint must have thought that Alex already has the right to know about the truth.


    So Clint told everything to Alex, and Alex was partly surprised from what he heard.


    According to Clint, Alina''s sister, whose real name was Elizabeth, was the 2nd Strongest Esper, and her ability was Strong Space Manipulation.


    This ability was of course leagues stronger that Alina''s ability, which is already hinted by the name of their titles.


    Unlike Alina who had to rely on techniques to manipulate space in limited ways, Elizabeth can do manipulate space in any way that she wanted it with just minimum effort.


    Elizabeth can twist, bend, or even break the space in her Range!


    She can destroy anything in the space around her, or she can make them invulnerable.


    She can also technically be called invincible, as her space manipulation allows her to shrug off any kinds of attacks thrown at her.


    Physical attacks, mental attack, telepathic attacks, all of these attacks require space to travel on.


    Elizabeth can use her ability to banish these attacks on the space around her, which essentially gives her an extremely powerful defense.


    With this kind of Esper Ability, it is hard to imagine her losing.


    But according to Clint, Elizabeth actually lost to Alina''s current master, whose name was just known as Lord Ergo.


    Lord Ergo was considered as the strongest Esper there is, given the fact that he defeated all the other Espers in top 10.


    However, Lord Ergo''s Esper Ability is still unknown, even until now.


    That just made him more enigmatic and mysterious.


    This and the fact that he is plain creepy makes Lord Ergo one undesirable Esper.


    As such,Clint was unsure why Elizabeth, who was a very cool-headed person, would try to pick a match against Lord Ergo.


    Lord Ergo effortlessly won that match, and Elizabeth was ''killed'' by Lord Ergo already.


    Of course this death is not a biological death, but rather a death of the person''s will.


    Whatever Lord Ergo did to Elizabeth in their fight was so effective, as it practically turned Elizabeth into a mindless slave that only follow Lord Ergo''s orders.


    For Clint, the current Elizabeth was already dead.There is no chance for her to recover already.


    But Alina, who loved her sister so much, did not give up, as she did her best to gather money and contribution points to find a way to help her sister.


    And out of desperation, Alina employed herself to be one of Lord Ergo''s followers, so that she can get nearer to her sister.


    But even with everything that Alina did until now, her sister Elizabeth was still within the tight grasp of Lord Ergo.


    ****************


    When Alex heard all of these 2 days ago, his only thought that this time was that it was a really bad situation for Alina.


    But right now, Alex knew that this info that he had can actually help Alex on completing his missions.


    Alex only needed to do the right actions and say the right wordsto nudge him and Alina on the best path for them.


    "I have a plan to help your sister." Alex said as his mind stated to IMPROVISE a plan. "You know deep inside your heart, that you sister cannot be saved by what you are doing right now. Heck, you''re even using your contribution points to just talk to your sister!"


    Alex then gazed deeply at Alina as he slowly said,


    "What you are doing right now is just a desperate attempt to stay afloat."


    "Pak!"


    Alex felt a stinging pain in his cheeks as he realized that he had been slapped.


    Alina''s whole body was heaving up and down, as if she was trying her best to contain her anger.


    Alex took a deep breath as he knew that his words has all resonated with Alina.


    After all, Alina would only get this angry if what Alex told her affected her.


    Alex suppressed a smile as he knew that he has fully gotten Alina''s attention now.


    What Alex needs to do next is to keep that information focused on him.


    "It might hurt, but you know that it is the truth." Alex said as he rubbed his stinging cheek. "Of course if you do not believe me, then you can just kick me away now. But if you know deep inside you that what you are doing with your sister''s rescue is hopeless, then you should stay and listen to me."


    Alex then closed his eyes and waited for 10 seconds.


    "...."


    He did not receive any kicks or harsh ejection within that time. At that point, Alex knew that Alina will not be kicking him out harshly.


    It is safe to say that Alina chose to believe Alex, for now.


    "SPEECH 100." Asteria muttered as she gave Alex a knowing smirk. "You get my reference, right? Right?"


    "..."

 Chapter 29 What you see is what you usually ge

    Lord Gallius'' mood has turned for the worst when he saw that Alina and Alex huddled at the corner of the room, with them talking at each other discreetly.


    To make matters more irritating for him, Lord Gallius noticed Alina using her Esper Ability to prevent sounds from coming.


    As such, he can only watch the two talk with each other.


    "..." After a few seconds of watching, Lord Gallius saw Alina becoming extremely angry, followed by her slap at Alex.


    "D**n! I do not know what happened, but just keep at it, Alex!" Lord Gallius thought to himself as he watched at the conversation intently.


    He resolutely ignored the afro guy, who was still busy wiping the capsule with a cloth.


    To his dismay, Lord Gallius found Alina looking like she has calmed down, followed by her and Alex talking again for a few more minutes.


    "That was refreshing." Lord Gallius heard Alex saying these words as Alina dispelled her sound nullification field.


    Both of them approached the afro guy once more, with Alina''s formerly despondent look replaced with a determined expression.


    "Oh¡­" It seems like the afro guy has noticed the change in Alina, as he paused what he was doing in the capsule.


    The afro guy peered at Alina''s determined eyes, before he looked at Alex who was just standing beside Alina.


    "When you came in here, you look like a soulless sailor, whose goal is to just go where the ship goes. But right now, you look like the ship captain. You look like you have a destination in your mind right now¡­ I like that." The afro guy said as he stepped away from the capsule.


    "So, I presume that you have a different request now?" The afro guy muttered as he kept the cloth in his shirt pocket.


    "Yes, I have a different request." Alina replied.


    When Lord Gallius heard this, he could not help but feel a sinking sensation in his stomach, as if he could feel that something unpleasant was about to happen.


    "¡­.." Lord Gallius pushed this sensation down as he refused to believe that something bad will happen right here at the WEO Headquarters.


    "I want the other 50% of the World Diagram to be brought here¡­" Alina said, much to Lord Gallius'' surprise. "That is my request, and I think all my contribution points is enough for that."


    "¡­You want to see the whole World Diagram in its entirety¡­" The afro guy muttered these words like a spell. "Is that¡­ really your request?"


    "It is, and I won''t change it anymore." Alina replied with a defiant look on her face.


    "Sigh¡­" The afro guy shook his head as he sagged his shoulders.


    "You know that the reason the two parts of the World Diagram were separated was because it ensures that the World Diagram will be much safer from attacks¡­ What you are wishing right now puts the whole World Diagram in jeopardy¡­"


    "Well, I only need to see them at the same room for a short amount of time¡­" Alina replied quickly again. "There is no problem if that is the request, right?


    "Hmmm¡­ I know that you are plotting something in here." The afro guy muttered to himself as he gave Alina and extremely serious look.


    "Well, with all your security here, do you still have to fear for the World Diagram?" Alina drawled as she stepped towards the afro guy.


    "Hmph! Victoria! Should I allow Alina''s request?" The afro guy suddenly shouted out.


    In response, the capsule began to glow blue as it began to talk.


    "Chances of Alina doing something nefarious against the World Diagram: 0%. Victoria confirms that Miss Alina has no intent to destroy the World Diagram."


    "Huh?" The afro guy widened his eyes in surprise as he heard what the capsule said.


    "How about him?" The afro guy pointed his fingers towards the direction of Alex, who just raised his eyebrows in curiosity.


    "Chances of Alex doing something nefarious against the World Diagram: 0%. Victoria confirms that Mister Alex has no intent to destroy the World Diagram."


    "What?" Now, the afro guy is really surprised.


    "Hehehe¡­" Alex shook his head as he saw that flabbergasted expression on the afro guy''s face. "There is no way that your machine can detect danger from us. After all, I have Asteria with me!"


    ***************


    What Alex told to Alina earlier was just simple.


    Instead of requesting to see her sister, Alina should just request for the two parts of the World Diagram to be brought together.


    Alina obviously objected at this, as she said that there is no way that the afro guy will allow this to happen.


    And even if he allowed it, the afro guy will will surely use the World Diagram to foresee if Alina and Alex had hostile intentions against the World Diagram.


    In response to that, Alex''s reply was that he had a countermeasure for that.


    This countermeasure was Asteria, the stuck-up Fairy Queen.


    "Hmph, so that is what you are planning to do huh." Asteria muttered as she heard the conversation between Alex and Alina. "Tsk, now that we are here, I have no choice but to do what you are implying to do¡­"


    Asteria flew up in the air as she scattered some of her precious Fairy Dust on both Alina and Alex.


    This time, instead of creating an illusion of their faces, Asteria''s Fairy Dust created the illusion of safety.


    Alina had some faint intentions to destroy the World Diagram, while Alex arrived in this place to fully destroy the World Diagram.


    If afro guy asks the World Diagram to scan both Alina and Alex, it will surely detect their killing intent towards it.


    Asteria''s Fairy Dust however, used its illusion ability to cover up the hostile intentions of both Alex and Alina.


    This was the reason why the World Diagram had deemed that both Alina and Alex had no evil intentions against it.


    While Alex was relieved after what happened, Alina retained her poker face as she stared at the afro guy intently.


    "...." The afro guy was silent, while Alex looked so smug.


    Alina repressed the urge to sigh as she decisively ignored Asteria whispering to her.


    "Alina, you can see me just like Alex¡­ Why don''t you just tell Alex that you can see me too? That way, Alex will not be this tense in front of you."


    "...¡­."


    **************************


    Aside from her Weak Space Manipulation, Alina had another ability.


    That ability was to see through all kinds of falsehoods, and only see the truth.


    This allowed her to know when someone is lying, and it also allowed her to see through illusions.


    She does not know how she got this Truth Ability, but Alina knew that she can just do it.


    There are some people that she cannot use this ability on, and it included Lord Ergo.


    Unfortunately for Alina, she was not sure how Lord Ergo becameimmune to her ability.


    But aside from Lord Ergo and other rare people, she can use her truth abilityon almost everyone, and that saved her from a lot of unnecessary effort.


    And Alex was included in this ''everyone''.


    ****************


    ------Around 9 days ago.------


    WhenAlina saw Alex inside Clint''s house, she was able to see through Alex''s facial disguise with the Fairy Dust.


    Alina felt like she can see Alex''s real face using her Truth Ability, while she can see the fake face of Alex with her naked eyes.


    At that time, Alina was about to attack Alex, as she recognized that the Alex in her uncle''s house was the Class S Intruder that she was chasing.


    Alina was sure that Alex used his Intruder Abilities to change his face, allowing him to approach her Uncle.


    But she restrained her impulse to attack as she noticed three weird things about Alex at that time.


    First is the fact that her Uncle allowed Alex to stay with her.


    Even if her Uncle has no way to see through illusions like she can do, her Uncle is still one of the best Espers there is, and there is no way that he will allow someone like Alex in his house unless he deemed it safe.


    Second was the fact that even if the World Diagram has considered Alex to be an Intruder, the disguised Alex did not act like he was one.


    He seemed... too human for Alina.


    An Intruder, even an Intruder that is good at infiltration will not act as human as the Alex in front of Alina.


    If these two weird things were the only things that Alina saw, they will be not enough to stop Alina.


    It was the third weird thing however, that effectively stopped Alina.


    "...." Alina could see a small, human-like creature sitting on Alex''s left shoulder.


    This creature looked like e female human.


    A beautiful, blonde, and sexy woman.


    She was only the size of a small bird, but her overall appearance managed to light up the whole room.


    "Cute¡­" That was the only thing that Alina thought to herself as she saw this small blonde perched at Alex''s shoulders.


    Alina was not sure why, but she felt the sudden urge to approach and pet the small blonde.


    However, she restrained herself from doing so, as she realized that this small blonde is not seen by her Uncle and his family.


    "So this small blonde must have been only be visible to this guy¡­" Alina then acted like she did not see the small blonde, so that she will not rouse Alex''s attention.


    Alina then narrowed her eyes as she remembered something about that small blonde.


    That was the fact that this small blonde was not with Alex when Alina tried to kill him at their first meeting.


    "That means that this small blonde just appeared after this guy escaped from me earlier¡­" Alina thought to herself as she gazed at the small blonde with interest.


    The small blonde suddenly trembled, as if she felt Alina''s gaze on her.


    Alina tried to hastily avert her gaze away, but the small blonde caught Alina staring at her.


    "..." The small blonde gave Alina a dazzling smile, which just served to intrigue Alina more.


    "Ugh, I want to take her home as my pet¡­" Alina thought to herself as she tried sneaking glances at the cute blonde.


    Because of that small blonde, Alina lost her chance and drive to kill Alex at that place.


    ----Minutes later.----


    "...." Alina left her Uncle''s place with a brooding expression as she tried to understand the enigma that was Alex.


    And naturally that includes the mystery of that small blonde.


    "That Alex guy¡­ he is not just an Intruder¡­" Alina thought to herself as she reached her current dwelling place.


    "I need to investigate him more¡­ especially that small blonde." Suppressing her urge to sigh, Alina changed her clothes as she went into a deep sleep.


    Her sleep however was thwarted when she felt someone entering her room.


    It was around 3 in the morning when Alina detected someone intruding her room. Her body tightened in tension as she looked at the intruder warily.


    "Hey, it seems like you really can see this Fairy Queen. Hmph, you should have been happy that you saw my visage!"


    The person who entered Alina''s room was actually Asteria.


    Alina reveled on Asteria''s extremely adorable and beautiful appearance as she tried to sense if Asteria was here with hostile intentions.


    As far as Alina could sense it, Asteria was not here to fight.


    "Hmph, I applaud you for not trying to kill Alex earlier." Asteria said as she gave Alina a haughty look. "However, with that ability of yours, Alex''s chance to stay discreet is in danger of blowing up. Because of that, I have no choice but to talk to you right now."


    "Woosh~"


    Alina suddenly stood up from her bed, revealing her nightgown which hugged her lithe and shapely body perfectly.


    Alina ignored Asteria''s somewhat intense gaze on her body as she asked her,


    "So, small blonde, you want to talk with me about keeping Alex''s secret safe?"


    "Yes. That is my intention here." Asteria said, with her eyes looking enviously as Alina''s silky black hair and slender legs. "Will you accept this Fairy Queen''s regal invitation to talk?''''


    "I agree." Alina nodded her head quickly, like she was a chick pecking on some grains.


    But before Asteria could start talking, Alina suddenly stretched her right hand towards Asteria''s direction as she asked Asteria,


    "But can I pet you first?"


    "...."

 Chapter 30 All-Seeing Eyes

    ----Still 9 days ago----


    After Asteria infiltrated her room and demanded that a talk should happen between them, Alina decided to ignore what Asteria said as she proceeded to pet Asteria on the spot.


    Asteria''s smooth, silky hair felt like velvet on Alina''s fingers,and the constant purring sounds that Asteria made just encouraged Alina to pet her more.


    "Is this small blonde a cat?" Alina thought as she idly watched the purring Asteria. "Welp, she feels like a cat, so maybe I will just treat her like a cat¡­"


    It was only after 30 minutes of petting that Alina decided to let go.


    "T''was a nice petting¡­" Asteria muttered with a vacant expression on her face. Her expression cleared up after a second, as her face was covered with a light scowl. "Hmph human, don''t think that you can push me out of the right path just because you are good at petting!"


    "¡­So, how do you explain what you are?" Alina said as she ignored everything that Asteria said to her earlier. "Are you an enemy too?"


    "You think I am an enemy?" Asteria smirked as she gave a smug look at Alina''s direction.


    "I assure you that I am not your enemy." Asteria said, jabbing her fingers at Alina. "Your All-Seeing Eyes can attest that I am telling the truth."


    "What? All-Seeing Eyes?" Alina tilted her head from confusion.


    What Asteria just said earlier was the truth, which meant that Asteria is not Alina''s enemy.


    But even if that was the truth, that does not mean that Alina could just understand what Asteria said all about the All-Seeing Eyes!


    "Oh¡­ so you do not know about that¡­ Well you are in an Esper World after all¡­" Asteria muttered to herself as she suddenly seemed to be engrossed in her own thoughts. "For your eyes to appear in this worl-"


    "Ehem." Alina let out a light cough as she glared at Asteria. "You were saying?"


    "Oh."Alina''s light cough managed to break Asteria out of her stupor, just enough for her to continue talking with Alina.


    "You have the All-Seeing Eyes, which lets you see through anything, including lies and illusions." Asteria said in a casual tone, as if something like this was just a common fact. "This pair of eyes is extremely rare, and those who get it are destined for greatness."


    "..." Even if what Asteria said sounded ridiculous, Alina could not refute against it, as she realized that Asteria was actually telling the truth!


    Each word that Asteria said about the All-Seeing Eyes were all the truth!


    Alina rubbed her temples in frustration as she reeled from what Asteria said.


    In order to calm her nerves, Alina started to look around her, feeling relieved that her room was free from security cameras and listening devices.


    Alina personally removed these devices in order to protect her privacy from the World Diagram.


    And right now, this privacy is helping her.


    After all, it would not be good if anyone or even the World Diagram notices that Alina was talking to someone like Asteria.


    "Hehehe¡­." Asteria giggled as she saw the distressed look on Alina''s face.


    This fairy queen must have been happy seeing someone this troubled because of her.


    "It doesn''t matter if what I said was ridiculous or not. After all, your eyes deem that it is the truth." Asteria said as she saw Alina opening her eyes. "So, do you believe me now?"


    "Tsk, I believe you." Alina replied begrudgingly. There is no way that she can say that Asteria was lying, as her own eyes stated that Asteria was telling the truth.


    The only thing that Alina can do now is to just continue listening to Asteria.


    "Since you believe me, then I can start by introducing myself first." Asteria then straightened her small body proudly as she said,


    "This fair maiden in front of you is the Fairy Queen Asteria! The sole ruler of the Fairy World and the direct descendant of the great Traveler Sinbad!"


    "I do not understand why all those words that you just stated is the truth." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "Well, I will just choose to believe everything that you say right now¡­ After all, I have no choice but to believe it¡­"


    "Hmph, you should keep that attitude, since I will tell more unbelievable things to you." Asteria then took a deep breath before she started to tell Alina all about the Travelers and Alex''s role as a Traveler.


    By the point Asteria had finished talking, Alina had already laid her head on the bed, refusing to move her body by even an inch.


    "Why are those ridiculous statements all true?!" Alina groaned out as she glared at Asteria with blood-shot eyes.


    "They are the truth, because they are the truth." Asteria said as she tried to look like a wise sage. "If you see that the rock is white, then you better believe that the rock is white. If you don''t, then I will smash your head open with that rock."


    "..."


    "..."


    At this point, Alina knew that there is no use for her to be suspicious of Asteria anymore.


    However, there is still one more thing bugging Alina right now.


    "Why are you telling all of these things to me?" Alina asked Asteria as she stared the much smaller woman.


    "Won''t it be better if you just silenced me, or do something to prevent me from exposing Alex? Why did you spare the effort to tell me everything about the Travelers?" By this point, Alina already held both of her swords, with her body prepared to attack at a moment''s notice.


    Asteria just looked at Alina''s swords like they were just toys as she said,


    "I am Alex''s Guide. My role is to make decisions and create decisions that will be beneficial for Alex''s Path as a Traveler. Everything that I did to you right now are all within my plans."


    "So you want me to assist Alex." These words rolled of Alina''s mouth smoothly, as if it had been there in her mouth since earlier. "By telling me everything about the Travelers, you think that I will be tempted to help Alex."


    "Well, are you tempted to help him?" Asteria replied with a smirk as she observed Alina''s face.


    "I am not interested." Alina bluntly replied. "After all, what would I get for helping Alex? Nothing at all, except for just some inconvenience on my way."


    "Hoo¡­" instead of looking discouraged, Asteria''s countenance seemed to glow as she gave Alina another smile.


    "What if I tell you that if you can help Alex on succeeding on his mission, then your sister will be saved?"


    "What did you say?" Alina''s formerly cool expression changed when she heard what Asteria said.


    Alina seemed to have ignored decorum as she grabbed the floating Asteria out of the air.


    "Hey!" Asteria''s complaints were cut off as she saw the primal look on Alina''s eyes. It was the eyes of someone who will not accept bull***t anymore.


    Asteria''s face contorted into anger for a moment before it smoothed out into a calm expression.


    "If you help Alex on his Main Mission and Bonus Mission, then your sister will definitely be saved." Asteria said this sentence as she stared into Alina''s eyes deeply.


    "....." Alina stayed still in her place, as she concentrated her gaze on Asteria.


    "So, is that statement of mine a Truth or a Lie?" Asteria said in a joking tone, maybe in an attempt to diffuse the tense atmosphere.


    "¡­ You are telling the truth." Alina said as she loosened her grip on Asteria.


    Asteria rubbed her sore elbows as she glared at Alina. "Hmph, that''s really rude! Do not just grab someone when they are flying! Accidents can happen, you know!"


    "¡­" Alina chose not to comment the fact that people floating in the air like Asteria are extremely rare to find right now.


    "So, what should I do now?" With Asteria''s assurance, Alina knew that her chance to save her sister is already within her reach. She only has to follow what Asteria says, and Alina will get her sister back.


    "Oh, just join Alex." Asteria replied confidently. "As for what you do with him, that already depends on you. Just make sure that he will be alive until the end of this month."


    "¡­Fine." Alina replied quickly. "If I only have to accompany Alex, then that I can do. But can you tell me what his Main and Bonus Missions are? Maybe I can help him if I know¡­"


    "I''m sorry, but I cannot tell you that." Asteria replied, much to Alina''s disappointment. "If you want to know what Alex''s missions are, then you just have to observe his actions. You will have a faint inkling on what his goals are once you talk to him."


    "Ok¡­"


    ****************


    Alina followed exactly what Asteria told to her.


    She joined Alex on a date the next day, and to Alina''s surprise, she actually enjoyed her date with Alex.


    The arrival of the lizard was an unpleasant surprise, but she and Alex managed to take the lizard down.


    What made Alina worried however was the appearance of Mindbreaker.


    "S**t." Alina rarely cursed, but when she did so, that just means that everything went to s**t already.


    "If Mindbreaker is nearby, then that just means that Lord Ergo could be spying on me now!" Alina thought with a panic as she stared at Alex.


    With the precautions that Alina did earlier, she was sure that Lord Ergo had no idea about the existence of Asteria.


    But the same cannot be said to Alex.


    Mindbreaker has seen Alex having his date with Alina. If Mindbreaker saw that, then Lord Ergo must have seen them two together too.


    With the kind of attitude that Lord Ergo has, he will surely order one of his minions to kill Alex.


    "I cannot let Alex die¡­" Alina thought to herself as she decided that Alex must stay alive.


    Alina knew that Lord Ergo has no intention of letting her sister free. He was only using her sister to force Alina to work for him.


    Right now, only Alex is Alina''s real hope on saving her sister. There is no way that she will let him die.


    With that thought in mind, she decided to act cold against Alex, as she tried to tell him that he should leave her already.


    Alina told Alex all about Lord Ergo''s intention to kill him, and the dangers that Alex will have if he continues on sticking with Alina.


    With Alina saying these words, Alina was sure that maybe Lord Ergo will let Alex off.


    Asteria of course was unhappy when she saw what Alina did, but all that changed when Alex blabbed all about him wanting to go near the World Diagram.


    "Oh, so your Main Mission is related to the World Diagram huh¡­" Alina thought to herself as she tried to not show her happiness.


    At that point, Alina felt a fire blazing inside her as she realized that now is her chance to save her sister.


    That sense of urgency just increased when Asteria discreetly told to Alina that Alex only has 14 days left to live at that time.


    If Alina wants to save her sister, then she must do it quickly.


    That brought Alex and Alina into their 7-day combat training, followed by their trip to the World Diagram, which now brings Alina to her present state.


    *****************


    Alina resolutely ignored Asteria, who was talking to Alex about something related to corny jokes.


    Alina''s entire attention was focused on the afro guy, as she waited on this guy''s next set of actions.


    Even though the wait was for just a few seconds, each second that passed by was agonizing, and Alina could only stop herself from trembling as she waited for the response of the afro guy.


    "Contact Lord Ergo. I want to talk to him about something." The afro guy said to his secretary standing nearby, much to Alina''s relief.


    "Tell him that there are two Espers here that wants to see the World Diagram as a whole." The afro guy said as he scratched his bushy head.


    But before Alina could feel happy, the afro guy added some words that made her blood run cold.


    "Also, tell to Lord Ergo that we will use Elizabeth as a hostage. If anything bad happens to the completed World Diagram later, then Elizabeth will be killed in return."


    "!!!!!!!!!!!"

 Chapter 31 Virtual Reality

    "What the hell do you mean by that?" Alina was unable to contain her cool after hearing what the afro guy said. "Are you serious on using my sister''s life against us?"


    "Well, if you have no schemes against the World Diagram, then you should have no problems with what I am doing, right?" The afro guy said as she gave Alina a mocking smile. "After all, your sister will not be in danger if nothing bad happens to the World Diagram later."


    "...¡­" Both Alina and Alex were inwardly angry at the slimy move that the afro guy used on them.


    The secretary, who immediately left when the afro guy gave her the order, took only a minute to come back, and this time, she was bringing the same crystal phone that Alina used before.


    "Hehehehe¡­." A hologram appeared from the crystal phone, showing a masked person.


    "...¡­" Alex felt chills covering his body as he heard the voice. It sounded both male and female at the same time, and even with his skills, Alex was unable to determine which is which.


    As for Alina, her face was currently looking down as she clenched her fists tightly.


    "So I heard that my ''servant'' made this ridiculous request¡­" The masked person said as his/her hologrammed image looked at Alina''s direction.


    "¡­ It is my request, Master." Alina replied while gritting her teeth, which plainly showed her unhappiness towards the masked person.


    "Knowing you, my servant, you must have been planning something, right?" The masked person said as he/she broke his/her gaze at Alina. He/she instead looked at Alex''s direction as he/she seemingly smirked beneath the mask.


    Alex''s body stiffened as he stared back at the hologram.


    Alex was not sure why, but he could feel an intense sense of dread even when he was just staring at a hologram.


    "You¡­ you are the guy that is now sticking to my servant like a leech." The masked person said in a neutral tone.


    This tone might imply that the masked person was calm, but Alina knew that this tone is the one that her Master uses when he/she was extremely angry.


    "Who cares if I am a leech? I am a handsome leech!" Alex confidently replied, ignoring the shocked expression on Alina and Lord Gallius'' face.


    The afro guy did his very best to not retort, while Asteria snickered as she cringed at Alex''s corny reply.


    "You have some way with your words huh." The masked person said as his/her body visibly shook. "I presume that you are the one that forced my servant to change her request, right?"


    "What your servant requested is all up to her. I think that you should not question it, even if you are her ''Master''." Alex replied dismissively.


    "Good. Good. Good." Instead of looking angry, the masked person''s body only shook for a second before staying still. "What you said was right."


    Even though the masked person sounded calm, the simmering anger beneath his fa?ade was quite obvoius.


    Alex and Alina could only hold their breath as they braced for any anger erupting from the masked person.


    The masked person then looked back at Alina, with him/her suddenly wearing an air of superiority.


    "So, is your request for the 100% of the World Diagram still valid? Because if it is, then I will use your sister''s life as the deterrent."


    "...¡­.." Alina''s body language showed that she was extremely unsure now, as if she was suddenly trapped within a cage.


    Alex did not like what he was seeing, knowing that it was partially his fault that things had proceeded here.


    "I accept." It took Alina a full minute before she could say her decision. "Just don''t do anything bad to my sister."


    "Well, as long as you and Alex will not do anything against the World Diagram later, then your sister will be safe and unscathed." The afro guy said, with his cold eyes boring down on Alex and Alina.


    "¡­." Alina''s only reply was to look at the afro guy, while Alex could only let out a sigh.


    "Okie, then we shall see each other 6 hours from now!" The masked person said as his hologram started to fade. "Just do whatever you want until I arrive!"


    "Lord Ergo, can''t you just come in now?" The afro guy as he stared at the fading hologram with irritation. "I do not want to delay things longer, you know that."


    "Well, I am a little busy with something related to my project, so I am currently stuck here in the Negative Plane¡­" Lord Ergo replied as his/her hologram dissipated completely. "Even with my power, it will take me 6 hours before I can leave¡­"


    "S**t, he''s always doing those weird experiments¡­" The afro guy muttered angrily as he dismissed his secretary.


    "You and you." The afro guy muttered as he pointed at Alex and Alina. "Some of my workers will bring you to a waiting room. You two will wait here until the arrival of Lord Ergo."


    "I assume that our waiting room will be full of security and weapons, right?" Alex said as he felt Alina huddling closer to him. That made Alex felt slightly better, but that made his mood sour as he knew that they will be on their separate paths later.


    "Well of course it will be." The afro guy dismissively said as he shooed them away. "We can''t just allow you two to do something later. So just like what you are thinking, we will be forcing you to behave and stay still."


    "...¡­"


    "Can I say something here?" Out of nowhere, Lord Gallius, who was largely ignored, suddenly spoke up as he looked at Alex.


    "This should be interesting¡­" The afro guy seemed to have picked up what Lord Gallius wanted to say, as his eyes suddenly twinkled.


    "Instead of just waiting in boredom, why don''t we use the remaining time to entertain ourselves?" Lord Galliussaid as he sent a knowing smirk at Alina.


    "Oh, you mean that kind of entertainment¡­" Alina muttered dryly as she understood what Lord Gallius wanted.


    "Umm... am I missing something here?" Alex tilted his head as he saw that everyone around him seemed to have understood what Lord Gallius was talking about. "I''m afraid that I am not understanding what you are talking about¡­"


    "We are talking about holding a virtual match right now." Alina replied as she glared at Alex. "Didn''t I tell you all about virtual matches already?"


    "Oh that¡­ Hahaha, I understand now." Alex said as he scratched the back of his head.


    "...¡­"


    ***********


    7 days ago, when Alex was about to start his combat training with Alina, Alina told Alex that they can use the option of having virtual matches.


    Just like what its name says, virtual matches were matches that happens in the virtual reality.


    Anyone who reads cheesy light novels like Alex before will definitely know about virtual reality and virtual matches, especially the games developed from virtual reality.


    In this Esper World however, the technology of virtual reality is not that fully developed yet.


    In this world, virtual reality is still only on its initial stages.


    There are no virtual reality games that are out for the public to use.


    From what Alina told Alex, virtual reality in this world can only be used on military and training applications, which include virtual matches.


    According to Alina, when two people fight at a virtual match, their consciousness will occupy a virtual avatar, which will be their body in the virtual match.


    Unlike the real world, the amount of Mental Power of the virtual avatars are only set to be at the same amount with each other.


    This means that two people fighting in a virtual match will have the same amount of mental power in their virtual avatars.


    With the advantage of mental power gone in a virtual match, the only way to win in a virtual match was through better Esper Techniques and Abilities.


    Alina gave Alex one example to simplify her explanation further.


    If Alina and Alex were to fight in a virtual match, they will both occupy virtual avatars.


    Each of this virtual avatar will have Mental Power of 100, ensuring that both Alex and Alina will have the same virtual power.


    These virtual avatars can wield the Esper Abilities of Alex and Alina, and they will move and act like normal human bodies.


    Alex can win in the virtual match if he can defeat Alina''s virtual avatar before his Mental Power gets exhausted.


    If both Alex and Alina loses their Mental Power with their virtual avatars intact, then it will be a tie.


    When Alina explained about virtual matches to Alex, she also told him that fights in virtual matches will not increase Alex''s Mental Power, since it is not a real fight.


    The only benefit that Alex can get in a virtual match is the improvement of his Esper Ability.


    Because of that reason, Alex decided to not conduct a virtual match with Alina, as his goal at that time was to increase his Mental Power.


    Because of that reason too, Alex threw the matter of the virtual matches at the back of his mind.


    He only managed to remember about it when Alina mentioned it to him right now.


    ************


    "Seems like you remembered what I told you before." Alina said before glancing at the smirking Lord Gallius.


    "Lord Gallius, I presume that the reason that you brought up the matter of virtual matches is because you want to fight a virtual match right now?"


    "That is exactly my reason." Lord Gallius replied before his gaze swiveled towards Alex. "And to make the virtual match better, I decided that the virtual match will be between me and Mr. Alex."


    "Hmm¡­ that is actually interesting¡­" The afro guy interjected, interrupting Alina before she can complain. "I want to know if Miss Alina''s¡­ friend isa capable individual."


    "Don''t do it Alex." Alina said before Alex could say anything. "Even if you and Lord Gallius will have the similar Mental Power in that virtual match, it will be much harder for you to win. He has tons of experience that I fear you cannot match."


    "That will really be a big problem for him." Lord Gallius said as he sent a provocative gaze at Alex. "But knowing that you are a Battle Esper, I am sure that you are sorely tempted to fight me now, right?"


    "Tsk, so you knew about me being a Battle Esper huh." Alex muttered as he let out a sigh. "Fine by me. Let''s fight right now!"


    Alina saw the glint in Alex''s eyes, and she realized that she cannot stop him now.


    "Sigh, just make sure that you win." Alina said as she stepped back by two steps.


    Alina then looked at Asteria, who somehow looked pleased with what was happening.


    "What?" Asteria mouthed as she saw Alina glancing at her.


    "...¡­" Alina chose to not say anything as she just wished that Alex''s Main Mission will not involve destroying the World Diagram.


    Because if that is the mission, then saving her sister will be back to impossible levels again.


    ****************


    "Put this on your head first." Alex heard this instruction from Alina as he held a sleek-looking helmet in his hands.


    "Oh, so this is the virtual reality helmet huh." Alex said as he tried to not geek out.


    Alex liked science fiction and fantasy when he was young, which made him somewhat worshipful of anything cool.


    The virtual reality helmet that he is holding right now is one of those cool things.


    "Don''t you drool in front of me." Alina muttered as she seemed to look at Alex with disgust. "Each one of these helmets costs a lot, so dirtying them with your bodily fluids is a big no-no."


    "¡­" Alex chose to not mention the fact that numerous bodily fluids will surely be ejected in the future once these virtual reality helmets became available for everyone.


    Information like that will surely be predicted by the World Diagram itself. There''s no need for Alex to mention it.


    "Ok, so once I put this on my head, should I say something like ''Link Start''?" Alex said, remembering a very divisive light novel that he read before.


    "No." Alina said as she looked at Alex as if he was a freak. "Just close your eyes for 5 seconds after wearing the helmet, and you will be in."


    "Gotcha." Alex followed what Alina said, and before he could realize it, he felt that he was in a different place now.


    Alex tried sensing his environment, and he found out that even though he can still sense everything properly, there is still the feeling of unreality, as if there was something artificial about his surroundings.


    "So this is the virtual reality..." Alex muttered as he looked around him. "Not bad, not bad."


    But before Alex could enjoy the scenery around him, he felt weight pressing down on his left shoulder.


    "How could you be here?" Alex has the right to be surprised, since he saw Asteria, the small fairy queen, sitting on his virtual left shoulder!


    "I am your Guide, and you are my Traveler." Asteria said as she gave Alex her pearly-white grin. "Wherever you go, whatever you do, I will be right here waiting for you."


    "..."

 Chapter 32 A fitting name and title

    "¡­." Even if he was actually curious on how Asteria was here, he decided to shut his mouth as he realized where he is right now.


    If he continued talking to Asteria as he is right now, people watching him from outside the virtual reality will see what he was doing.


    That will not be good for Alex, as he is the only one that can see Asteria.


    "Tsk."


    Alex just shook his head, thinking that Asteria being here could be one of the results of those absurd boons that a Guide can have.


    "Are you ready to fight now?" Alex heard a voice behind him, and when he looked back, he saw a body materializing from motes of light.


    Alex watched with great interest as he saw Lord Gallius'' body, no, ''Virtual Body'' forming in front of him.


    It was quite an unnerving but also exciting scene to watch.


    "Maybe after I ask you some more questions..." Alex said as he looked around him curiously.


    "So, we just fight here in any way that we want? No injuries here will affect our real bodies?"


    "We can do anything that we want here." Lord Gallius confirmed as she swung his virtual arms around him. "As long as our current Mental Power permits it."


    "So, both of us have around Mental Power of Tier 100 then?" Alex mused as he observed the inherent Mental Power inside his virtual body.


    "Just like what you know earlier, both of us will have the same Mental Power, so yes, both of us have Mental Power of Tier 100." Lord Gallius replied, with his face contorting in irritation. "Can you stop asking questions now? Its quite pissing me off already."


    "Ok, chill Vibrator." Alex replied as he raised his hands. "Just asking questions here."


    The roar of rage that came out form Lord Gallius was overlapped with Asteria''s raucous laughter.


    "You dare call me that!!!" Lord Gallius shouted in anger as his face flushed. "You better know the consequence of saying things like that!"


    The way that Lord Gallius trembled and the way his face looked showed how offended he was by the name that Alex just dropped.


    "Hahaha! That is the best one that I have heard from you, Alex!" Asteria said as she wiped away a tear form her eye. "Out of all the names you can call him, you really chose Vibrator?"


    "Well, that is literally his power." Alex thought to himself as he prepared himself. "Its only his misfortune that vibrators are used on an entirely¡­ different way."


    ******************


    Alex knew that with his current Mental Power, the things that he and Lord Gallius can do were pretty limited.


    But that did not make him feel confident, as he knew that Lord Gallius was originally a Star Esper.


    The things that he can do, even in his current state, is not something that Alex cannot just ignore.


    And that thinking of Alex was confirmed when he saw Lord Gallius muttering something.


    [Authority Invocation: Summon Longsword]


    Few motes of light appeared Lord Gallius, which all proceeded to converge at this right hand.


    Alex only had to watch for a few more seconds to see a longsword hanging on Lord Gallius'' right hand.


    Alex then remembered what Lord Gallius said seconds earlier, and he immediately realized what happened.


    "You are one hell of a cheater." Alex said as he glared at the longsword held by Lord Gallius. "How come you can summon things like that?"


    "Well, its because of my [Authority], duh." Lord Gallius replied offhandedly. "I am a high-ranking official in here, so I can have some access on some of the workings here in the virtual reality."


    "Oh." Hearing what Lord Gallius said, Alex realized what he was talking about.


    If Alex can understand it right, [Authority] is something that only high-ranking officials can use.


    And it seems like this [Authority] allows Lord Gallius to tweak some of the things in the virtual reality.


    Seeing that Alex was in contemplative mood, Lord Gallius smiled, despite his apparent anger.


    "Of course I cannot just use my [Authority] here to make drastic changes.At most, I can only summon a small weapon with me at every virtual match¡­ And right now, the best thing that I can do is to summon this longsword, which I will definitely use to chop you to pieces!"


    "He''s not lying." Asteria muttered after hearing what Lord Gallius said. "He can only summon at best a longsword right now, and oh, just a heads up,he will definitely chop you to pieces."


    "I do not know if I should be relieved by that or not." Alex muttered as he heard humming sound coming out from the longsword. "Oh great, here we go¡­"


    Judging from the humming sounds that he could hear from the longsword, Alex was 100% sure that Lord Gallius is vibrating his longsword at an extremely high frequency.


    With his knowledge of physics, Alex knew that a longsword vibrating at an extremely high frequency will definitely cut through Alex easily.


    Of course Alex would not allow himself to be skewered that easily.


    "~~~~"


    The first thing that Alex needed to do right now was to render himself undetectable, which he decisively did.


    By using all the training that he had with reflection and refraction of light, Alex was now able to emulate a perfect optical invisibility.


    Alex''s whole body seemed to have disappeared on the spot, as if he was not there at all.


    "Impressive, I know that your Esper Ability is manipulation of EM Waves." Lord Gallius said as his eyes narrowed. "But I did not expect that you can render yourself perfectly invisible right now. Well, that isyour best resort if you want to avoid my attacks¡­"


    Alex grinned, knowing that his trick has worked.


    Now that Lord Gallius could not see him, Alex decided to move away from his spot to find a perfect position for him to attack.


    "Well, I need to move carefully, or else I might make a sound that could alert him." Alex thought as he carefully walked towards his left side.


    But after moving ''carefully'' for about 10 seconds, Lord Gallius did something that rattled Alex.


    "Boom!" Lord Gallius tore through the air like a knife as he swung his longsword in a diagonal slash.


    The vibrating longsword cut through the air gracefully, and along its way was Alex!


    "How the hell could he have known that I am here?" Alex thought with panic as he jumped back to avoid the slash.


    "Whizz¡­" There was only a hairbreadth of distance between Alex''s torso and the vibrating longsword, which had basically saved his life.


    "Hah!" Alex started to act out of instinct as he sent a concentrated beam of UV Rays towards Lord Gallius'' eyes.


    Lord Gallius was definitely surprised by this attack, as he was not able to dodge in time.


    But before the UV Beam could sear LordGallius'' eyes, Alex saw his UV Beam visibly weakening as it approached Lord Gallius.


    By the time the UV Beam hit Lord Gallius'' eyes, its power was not at the fatal level anymore.


    "Argh!" But its current power was still enough to hurt Lord Gallius, as he visibly flinched, with his face contorting in agony.


    Alex knew that right now, Lord Gallius would feel as if his eyes were burning from inside out.


    "F**k you Alex! I will make sure to gouge out your eyes later!" Lord Gallius screamed in rage as he rubbed his eyes hard. "F**k, it hurts!!!"


    What happened to Lord Gallius gave Alex the time to jump back as he observed his current situation.


    Even though Alex managed to draw the first blood, he did not look happy as he saw Lord Gallius attacking him once again, even with Lord Gallius'' eyes closed.


    As he tried his best to dodge Lord Gallius'' seamless attacks, Alex tried to understand what the hell just happened.


    "First, even if I am invisible, this Lord Gallius was able to determine where I exactly am." Alex thought as he sent another UV Beam towards Lord Gallius, which was weakened again.


    "Not only that, but Lord Gallius can still attack me even when his eyes are damaged now." Alex thought as he looked at his opponent''s eyes, which were closed shut. "And his attacks were not the ones made out of desperation, but something that he made normally."


    If Lord Gallius cannot see Alex in any way now, then how was he able to see Alex?


    "Oh of course, its vibration." Alex spat as he jumped 5 meters away from Lord Gallius. "He is detecting me by sensing the vibrations inside my body."


    Much just like how Alex could sense all types of EM Waves 100 Meters around him right now, Lord Gallius most probably could sense all types of vibrations 100 Meters around him too.


    If that was really the case, then Lord Gallius will just have to sense things like Alex''s heartbeat or the rhythmical twitch of his muscles, and Alex''s invisibility will be useless.


    That can also explain why Lord Gallius can attack Alex right now even when his eyes are compromised.


    "Well that just means there is no way that I can hide from Lord Gallius right now." Alex muttered as he knows that he cannot use his EM Manipulation to hide his bodily vibrations.


    "But that is not the only problem here." Alex thought as he remembered his UV Beam attacks weakening before they can even hit Lord Gallius.


    "It was as if there was something around Lord Gallius that can weaken my attacks¡­" Alex''s mind went silent for a second before he got his answer.


    "He''s vibrating the air around him too¡­"


    Alex does not even need to use his EM Sensing.


    Even with his bare eyes, Alex could see that every time he attacked Lord Gallius with a UV Beam, the whole appearance of Lord Gallius seems to be blurred, as if there was something obstructing the light bouncing out of Lord Gallius'' body.


    Alex knew with his EM Sensing that the only things near Lord Gallius was his clothes, his longsword, and the air around him.


    Couple that with every ridiculous thing that Alex just saw right now, and the assumption of Lord Gallius vibrating the air around him was a valid assumption.


    "Really, you have the vibrating air for your defense and vibrating longsword for your offense? You really want to win here huh." Alex said as he blasted himself 10 meters away from Lord Gallius.


    "With my limited Mental Power, there are lots of things that I cannot do." Lord Gallius replied with his eyes still closed.


    Even though Lord Gallius still looks pissed, Alex swore that he could hear that Lord Gallius seemed to sound¡­ calm right now.


    Alex tensed, as he knew that something dangerous is bound to happen right now. Even his danger sense is warning him to make a move right now.


    "You know, you have an impressive set of martial movements." Lord Gallius commented as his longsword hung by his side idly. "Those sword slashes of mine came from a set of sword arts which allows me to cut down any of my opponent quickly. You are one of the few people that was able to dodge my attacks."


    "I just have a bit of training in the past." Alex replied as he watched intently for Lord Gallius'' next attack. "You know, you can attack me now instead of just blabbing out."


    "Oh, don''t tell me you still have a way to fight against me, even with my current defense?" Lord Gallius smirked as he raised his longsword. "With your Mental Power at Tier 100, I doubt you can whip out something that damage me."


    "Oh please, can''t you see that I am holding back?" Alex replied while rolling his eyes. "I am just testing you out earlier. And now that I determined your current stats, I guess its time for me to get serious."


    This time, Alex was not bluffing, as he really did hold back earlier. But now that he knew how Lord Gallius used his power at Tier 100, Alex decided to use all that he can to win.


    "Oh, so those scorching beams earlier are just your warm-up attacks huh." Lord Gallius seems to be not worried with what Alex said. "Well, it was a good thing that you said that, since you will not be able to move that much right now."


    "Huh? What do you mean by that?" Alex realized that his question was a stupid one, as he saw what was happening around him.


    Alex could see white mists forming around him, and he could also see ice creeping on the floor and walls nearby.


    Alex''s skin prickled as he felt the obvious drop in temperature.


    Alex winced, realizing that Lord Gallius just did.


    "So, you reduced the vibrations of everything nearby. By doing that, you reduced the temperature here quickly." Alex''s body tensed, knowing that next few minutes will be hella difficult.


    The only thing that Alex can do was to smile and hope for the best. "Hehehe, let''s see if your ''unvibration'' can vanquish me before I make my next move¡­."


    "Unvibration. What an original term." Asteria snorted, as she seemed to be not worried with Alex''s dilemma. "I take it back, you really are not good with creative terms."


    "...."

 Chapter 33 Slow, Ticking Time

    Alex knew that he cannot use any extremely powerful moves right now, as he had limited Mental Power.


    If he uses one powerful move and Lord Gallius manages to dodge it, then Alex will be a goner.


    As such, Alex''s only choice was to use less powerful but still lethal ways to win.


    Lord Gallius seems to be thinking the same thing too, as all the skills that he used to attack Alex earlier were all still at the normal level of abilities.


    "This means my fight with Lord Gallius right now all depends on perseverance, tenacity and creativity." Alex thought to himself as he looked at all the ice creeping towards him.


    "¡­.." Even if he will not use much of his analytic prowess, Alex knew the reason for why Lord Gallius decided to freeze his surroundings.


    "Since I can dodge his attacks, then the only thing that he needed to do is to slow me down." Alex muttered grimly to himself as he started to feel the effects of the cold settling down on him.


    Alex could feel his body''s reaction rate slowing down, as his muscles started to get hampered by the cold. His body also started to slightly tremble, as his internals started to recompensate for all the body heat thathe is losing right now.


    "Now, let''s see if you can still move like you used to before." Lord Gallius said as he jumped towards Alex''s direction.


    For some reason, it seems like Lord Gallius was not affected by the cold trick that he just did.


    Of course, Alex knew that Lord Gallius can make himself immune from the cold by increasing the vibration of the particles around him.


    By doing that, they will generate heat that will counteract the cold around Lord Gallius.


    "..."


    However, Alex knew that he should not dwell deep into thinking of these things as he had more important things to do.


    And that was to stay alive from his incoming opponent.


    "Swoosh~" Alex leaned back, letting the longsword pass just right above him.


    Lord Gallius seemed to be not perturbed by this dodge as his longsword changed directions, as it now snapped down towards Alex.


    But before Lord Gallius could see a bisected Alex in front of him, he suddenly felt pain inside his chest, which forced him to falter.


    "Gah!" Lord Gallius staggered a little as he clutched his chest as he wondered what happened to him.


    As for Alex, he was able to place himself at a farther distance than Lord Gallius'' longsword.


    "That took longer than I thought." Alex muttered to himself as he straightened his body. "Good thing it happened at this moment¡­"


    "What the hell did you do?" Although he was not sure if Alex will answer him, Lord Gallius still forced some air out of his lungs as he uttered his question.


    "Just like what I told you earlier, I used my special move." Alex said while shrugging his shoulders. "Now, the only thing that I need to do is to watch."


    "...."


    ******************


    When he started this virtual match, Lord Gallius was sure that it will be his victory.


    According to the info that he got from his ''special sources'', Alex only awakened his Esper Ability around 9 days ago.


    Even if Alex was a Battle Esper and that he presumably had training with both the Jackal and Alina, Lord Gallius was sure that Alex''s combat abilities will still be paltry.


    However, that thinking of his got wiped away when he talked to Alex.


    The start of their conversation was okay, but that all changed when Alex called him ''Vibrator''.


    That namesake was something that Lord Gallius could not accept in his life.


    Even though his Esper Ability was Vibration, Lord Gallius was extremely uncomfortable from being named similarly to a phallus-shaped object used for sexual satisfaction.


    Alex''s nonchalance as he said his accursed namesake just managed to piss Lord Gallius off. It was at that moment that Lord Gallius decided to make Alex suffer.


    With his limited Mental Power, Lord Gallius cannot use moves like vibrating the whole area, or vibrating Alex from a distance.


    These kinds of moves require high amounts of Mental Power, which Lord Gallius cannot afford now.


    Thus, he resorted to using his classic vibrationair armor and vibrating longsword.


    Both of these moves reach their peak lethality and effectivity when Lord Gallius was at the Star Esper level, but they are also as dangerous right now, even when they are only supported by Tier 100 Mental Power.


    The UV Beam that Alex shot to him was a little dangerous, but it was effectively neutralized by his vibrating air armor. Unfortunately for him, Lord Gallius was temporarily blinded by the weakened UV Beam.


    But Lord Gallius was not worried by that, as he relies more on sensing Alex''s bodily vibrations to attack him.


    His eyes being disabled will be not enough to stop him.


    But even with that, Lord Gallius found Alex to be an extremely difficult opponent.


    Alex''s movements as he dodged Lord Gallius'' longsword was efficient and calculated, as if what he was doing was just simple.


    "This f**ker¡­" Lord Gallius was mad as he saw what Alex was doing. "He must have an extreme and strenuous training on martial arts. That is the only way that he can move nimbly under my assault!"


    Since Alex can move this well, Lord Gallius decided to slow Alex down by lowering the temperature of their surroundings.


    Lord Gallius was able to easily do this, as he started to siphon off the vibration of the particles around him.


    The effect was immediate, as Lord Gallius saw ice and mist forming quickly.


    Alex was able to see through what was happening, but that was not enough for him to escape.


    Before Alex could know it, Lord Gallius started his one-two longsword attack.


    With Alex''s state at that time, even if he could dodge Lord Gallius'' horizontal sweep, there is no way Alex can dodge Lord Gallius'' second vertical slash.


    But before Lord Gallius could hear the satisfying slosh of Alex''s body, he suddenly felt an intense pain inside his chest.


    That pain was enough to halt his actions, allowing Alex to distance himself away from him.


    "Ugh¡­ I need to find the source of this pain!" Lord Gallius thought quickly as he knew if he will not do anything now, then it will be him who will most probably lose.


    With his Vibration Ability, Lord Gallius could also sense the vibration of his organs, allowing him to see if they were fine.


    If his organs were ''vibrating'' at the ''right way'', then he is fine.


    But right now, Lord Gallius could sense that the majority of his chest cavity were vibrating erratically, as if there was something harming them greatly.


    "What is it?" Lord Gallius thought urgently as he tried his best to understand his situation.


    "Alex''s Epser Ability is EM Wave Manipulation¡­ that just means whatever he is doing to me right now is related to the EM Spectrum. But what did he exactly do?"


    Instead of just blindly guessing, Lord Gallius tried to remember what Alex did earlier in their fight, hoping that will give him some clues.


    "That Alex¡­ the only thing that he did was to throw UV Rays at me¡­ And all of those EM Waves were weakened by my vibration air armor¡­."


    It was at that time that Lord Gallius got the answer.


    "So it was that huh¡­"


    Lord Gallius now realized why Alex still threw UV Rays at him even with his vibration air armor.


    Those last UV Rays were not an attempt to penetrate Lord Gallius'' defense.


    Those UV Rays were there to divert Lord Gallius'' attention.


    "And to think that he timed those diversions so well¡­ I really should not underestimate this guy." Lord Gallius thought to himself as he took some deep breaths to stabilize himself.


    After a few more seconds of observing his insides, Lord Gallius was able to determine what exactly damaged him.


    "Small doses of gamma rays huh." Lord Gallius muttered as he felt the burning sensation inside his chest cavity getting stronger. "You were lucky you were able to trigger it."


    Gamma rays are products of the disintegration of radioactive atomic nuclei and the decay of certain subatomic particles.


    Compared to alpha and beta particles, gamma rays have lasting and fatal effects to the human body.


    Radiation poisoning, DNA mutation, and cellular destruction are just few of these lethal effects.


    And right now, Lord Gallius is feeling these effects.


    "Well, I actually did not trigger it quickly." Alex replied as he watched Lord Gallius from a distance. "I had the change of frequencies to slowly happen¡­ around 1 minute, I guess?"


    Alex then let out a sigh of relief as he saw Lord Gallius starting to weaken. "Mind you, that slow change was really difficult¡­. I was lucky to pull it off right now. After all, there is a high chance that I could fail."


    "....."


    "....."


    "Did you trigger the change at the start of the fight?" Lord Gallius queried as he started to slump over.


    "Well yes, I discreetly shot some miniscule amounts of light inside your chest while you were busy summoning that longsword of yours." Alex replied nonchalantly.


    Alex then continued talking as Lord Gallius felt himself weakening faster.


    "I guessed that there is a way that you can somehow sense your internal body condition, so I decided to not attack your internals quickly. If I did that, I reckon that you will detect my attack coming, which will allow you to neutralize it."


    "Yes, I would have done that." Lord Gallius thought to himself as he willed himself to stand up.


    "I will just use my vibration to shake off the gamma rays that you put inside me¡­. But since you set them to change slowly, I was not able to notice their change."


    Lord Gallius'' effort to stand seemed futile as his legs started to give up on him. By that point, Lord Gallius saw the damage of the gamma rays spreading at the organs inside his abdomen.


    By this point, Lord Gallius already knew the results of the match.


    "Alex, let me tell you something first¡­" Lord Gallius breathed out as he felt his insides starting to melt.


    Blood was already dripping out of Lord Gallius'' mouth as he talked. "You cannot just rely on placing EM Waves inside a person''s body in order to win¡­ There will come a point that this move of yours will be obsolete¡­ especially if you fight against really strong Star Espers¡­"


    "I understand¡­" Alex was not bluffing this time, as he realized the sincerity of Lord Gallius. He understood that relying on Internal EM Wave attacks will not work on stronger opponents.


    Hell, Alex knew that he was just lucky it worked against Lord Gallius.


    But no matter how Alex appreciated what Lord Gallius said, Lord Gallius'' sincerity had Alex confused.


    "Why are you telling me this anyway?" Alex said as he tilted his head. "You hate me, right? Are you okay giving me info like this?"


    "Hmph, I just did it because I want to." Lord Gallius replied, as he obviously showed that he will not answer Alex''s question truthfully. "Just be grateful to me!"


    "Ok, thanks a lot." Alex said as his mocking smile returned. "In return for your good advice, I will stop from referring to you as Vibrator."


    "You bastar-" Lord Gallius'' attempt to curse back failed as his virtual body suffered multiple organ failure, effectively killing his virtual body.


    Alex laid down on the floor exhausted as he saw Lord Gallius'' ''corpse'' dissipating back into motes of light particles.


    "I won." Alex muttered to no one in particular. "I won."


    "You won indeed." Asteria replied as she let out a sigh. "Its too bad I did not see any severed limbs from you. That will make your win more epic and bloody."


    "....."

 Chapter 34 Bad Hoomans

    There was a flash of light, and Alex found himself back to the real world.


    "¡­." Alex could only hear stunned silence around him, as if everyone decided to not make a sound.


    "They must be in shock right now, since I defeated someone like Lord Gallius." Alex thought as he looked around him.


    Just like what he thought, everyone in the room who watched the virtual match were all wearing surprised expressions on their faces, as if they could not believe what was happening.


    The only exception was Lord Gallius, who looked unexpectedly calm, and Alina, who seemed to be pouting


    "Hmph, you''re lucky you won." Alina said as she tried to not look angry, although her slightly tensed body and clenched fists told Alex otherwise.


    "Oh¡­ it seems like you were really that worried for me¡­" Alex said as he adopted a ''touched'' tone.


    "Wha- what? I am not worried about you!" Alina said as her voice rose by some octaves. "I just don''t want to see the person I brought here to be beaten up. My reputation is at stake, you know!"


    "If you say so¡­" Alex said as he shook his head wryly.


    "Hmph!" Alina could only stomp her foot in annoyance as she let out a sigh.


    "Hehehe, this Alina is kinda cute¡­" Asteria muttered out of nowhere as she stared at Alina with an intense look.


    Alex, who saw what was happening, narrowed his eyes as he felt that something was amiss.


    "...¡­."


    Since he was still at the vicinity of many people, Alex decided to excuse himself to the comfort room first.


    From what Alex knew, the comfort room in this compound was safe from any kind of bugging, which should be done, since the comfort room was a place for private affairs.


    It was only when he reached that place that he started talking.


    "Hey Asteria¡­" Alex said as he glared at Asteria. "What is the matter between you and Alina?"


    "Huh? What do you mean by that?" Even though Asteria sounded innocent, Alex could still hear a slight tremble in Asteria''s voice.


    Couple that with the slight twitch in Asteria''s eyebrows, and Alex knew that Asteria was hiding something from him.


    "....." Asteria could only stare at Alex as she waited for what Alex was about to say next.


    "Do you like girls?" Alex muttered to himself as he gave Asteria a curious look.


    "Hey! Where did that come from?" Asteria replied with a fluster as she looked at Alex with panic. "How could you think of that?"


    "Well¡­" Alex tilted his head as he remembered Asteria''s gaze at Alina earlier. "I have noticed that you have been looking at Alina intently since the first time that we met her."


    "And you immediately assumed that I like girls just by that? I thought you are an intellectual person!" Asteria shouted as she bopped Alex''s chest with her tiny fists.


    Alex did not wince after what Asteria said, Instead, he raised his voice a little as he said,


    "I also noticed that when Alina goes to the bathroom to either take a bath or for some private affairs, you always follow her towards the bathroom!"


    "Wha-wha-wa¡­." What Alex said was the truth.


    Everytime Alina goes to the bathroom, Asteria usually follows her.


    But Asteria was doing that since the bathroom was the only place that she and Alina can talk without Alex overhearing them.


    It was there at the bathroom that Alina and Asteria talk about Alex and other ''girl'' stuff. It was also at the bathroom that Alina can pet the cute and beautiful Asteria.


    But no matter how conclusive the real reason was, it seems like Alex has misinterpreted the entire situation.


    "Since Alina could not see you, then you are free to ogle at her body everytime time she''s in the bathroom!" Alex said as his gaze at Asteria turned wary. "You must have been enjoying every moment there, right?"


    "Wuwuwu¡­ I hate you! You hooman bully!" Asteria started to cry as she flew away from the comfort room. It seems like Alex''s teasings have been too much for her.


    Alex could still hear Asteria''s bawls as she flew farther away from him.


    "Hehehe¡­." Even though Alex felt slightly bad after making Asteria cry, he could not help but feel a strange sense of satisfaction after seeing Asteria''s teary face.


    "Hey Alex, you are not a sadist." Alex chided himself as he shook his head. "You just managed to one-up that fairy¡­"


    Even though Alex sounded angry at Asteria earlier, the truth was that Alex was fine even if Asteria was interested in Alina.


    After all, Alex is a proponent of girl-to-girl love.


    Don''t ask Alex why he feels this way, he is just fine and supportive of girl-to-girl love.


    Even Alex''s friends before, when they inquired about Alex''s support of girl-to-girl love, Alex''s only reply to them was,


    [Well, seeing two beauties loving each other is a fine sight, right?]


    Nobody tried to question Alex''s beliefs after that time.


    ********************


    After 1 minute of stay in the comfort room.


    "It''s too bad that Alina could not see Asteria. If it were, then it will be really interesting." Alex muttered as he let out a sigh.


    Since he had already taken a long time inside the comfort room, Alex decided to leave. He still has to look for Asteria and apologize to her.


    But before Alex could leave, the door to the comfort room swung open, and in came a person that Alex did not expect to come in.


    The newcomer was Lord Gallius, and he was looking at Alex with a calm gaze.


    "....."


    "....."


    Alex noticed that right now, Lord Gallius was not looking at him with animosity or anger.


    In fact, Lord Gallius was looking at Alex as if he was a potential friend.


    This weirded Alex out, as he remembered Lord Gallius'' hostile attitude to him before.


    "Excuse me, but are you the twin brother of Lord Gallius?" Since he found it hard to believe that an attitude change can happen, Alex just decided to create a more believable conclusion. "I did not know that you existed¡­"


    "I am Lord Gallius, da**it!" Lord Gallius shouted as he glared at Alex. "What the hell is wrong with you?"


    "Oh okay¡­ Now I am really weirded out¡­" Alex muttered as he slowly backed away.


    "Why are you looking so scared? I just want to talk to you right now." Lord Gallius said as he closed the door.


    "Thud."


    Alex jumped a little from the sound, as he started to feel more and more suspicious of the situation.


    "What?" Lord Gallius seems to sound a little impatient as he saw Alex''s wound-up body. "I am really just here to talk to you!"


    "...¡­."


    After seeing a possible girl-to-girl love earlier, Alex''s creative mind cranked up as he tried to interpret Lord Gallius'' attempt to talk to him.


    "Are you interested in me as a potential partner?" Alex said as he shook his head quickly. "Sorry, but I am only into girls."


    "You bastard!"


    *************************


    "Wuwuwu¡­" While Alina was waiting for Alex to come back, she suddenly heard crying noises which were growing louder and louder.


    "Wuwuwu¡­" Before Alina could prepare herself, the source of these crying noises entered the room.


    At the corner of her eyes, Alina could see a teary-eyed Asteria flying towards her.


    With Asteria''s invisibility state, Alina could not act like she can see her right now.


    Because of that, Alina was unable to shoo Asteria, who decided to land on her right shoulder.


    "...."


    Alina has no choice but to stay quiet as she could only look on Asteria sitting on her right shoulder.


    The current appearance of Asteria was so adorable and pitiful that Alina could barely stop herself from petting and comforting her.


    "That Alex really is a big bully!" Asteria sniveled as she struggled to talk. "He had been always like this!"


    "¡­.." Everytime Alina and Asteria had the time to talk together, most of their conversation were usually Asteria complaining about Alex.


    Alina of course wanted to talk about better things, but she knew that Asteria had some steam to let out, so she just let the fairy do her rant.


    "And just earlier, that Alex asked me if I like you, in a romantic way!" Asteria bawled as she wiped her eyes angrily. "That dumb guy! He doesn''t even know the feelings of other people for him, and yet he proceeds to ship me with you!"


    "That''s a low blow indeed." Alina thought to herself as she gave Asteria a sympathetic look.


    "Hmph, even if that dumb guy apologizes to me right now, I will make it hard for him!" Just by looking at her face, Alina knew that Asteria was serious on what she was saying.


    "Well, that''s all up to you¡­" Alina thought to herself as she stayed quiet.


    The pair stayed quiet for a minute before Asteria broke the silence.


    "Hey hooman! Why are you not petting me!" Asteria said, with the tears on her face already gone. "I want you to comfort me!"


    "Sigh." Alina knew that if she will not follow Asteria''s demand, the small fairy will continue talking for hours until Alina was forced to do her bidding.


    It had already happened before to her, and Alina was not willing for it to happen again.


    At the corner of her eyes, Alina saw Lord Gallius leaving the room, with a sense of urgency that she had never seen before.


    "Whatever, I need to calm Asteria first." Alina said, as she decided to head to the female comfort room.


    But before she could leave, someone blocked her path.


    The person''s bushy afro blocked most of Alina''s vision, prompting Alina to take a pause.


    "Hey Miss Alina, I need to talk to you about something." The person blocking her path was the afro guy.


    He still looked just as crazy as he was before, but Alina knew that this afro guy is the President of the WEO.


    There is not much known about him, except for the fact that he rose to become the President of the WEO in just a single week.


    Such kind of ascension should have been rocky, yet even until now, the afro guy still retained his position.


    "Um, President, what is it that you want to talk about to me?" Alina said as she ignored Asteria''s exasperated sigh.


    "Oh, I am here to tell you about the secret of our world. The real reason for the appearance of Esper Abilities." The afro guy said as he deftly led Alina out of the room.


    "!!!" Both Alina and Asteria perked up, as they knew what the afro guy will say next will be juicy.


    "Wait, why are you telling it to me right now?" Alina forcefully stopped in her tracks as she glared at the afro guy.


    "Forgive me if I am rude, but from what I know, only Star Espers are authorized to know about the truth of the Esper Abilities." With Alina''s connection to her sister before, Alina knew that once an Esper became a Star Esper, they will be entitled to know the truth about the creation of Esper Abilities.


    Not only that, but those Star Espers will also know the real purpose of the World Diagram.


    With Alina still not reaching the Star Esper level, she was still not allowed to know anything.


    Yet right now, the afro guy is offering to tell her the truth!


    "Well, you are close to becoming a Star Esper already, so I figure that its fine if I tell you about the truth already." The afro guy said as he resumed on walking. Alina has no choice but to follow him.


    "That is not the only reason, right?" Alina said, not bothering to make her voice weak.


    "Well, you can say that I am still suspicious of you and Alex." The afro guy said as his voice suddenly turned deep. "If I tell you the truth, I am sure that your plan with Alex, whatever that plan is, will be scrapped by you."


    "Hmph, I do not have any ulterior motives right now, and so do is Alex." Asteria replied as she made her voice as stable as possible.


    But inwardly, Alina was feeling nervous, as she tried to imagine what kind of truth could stop her and Alex from what they were about to do.


    "Hehehe, we shall see..." The afro guy said as he tried to not laugh. He then took a deep, shuddering breath as he said,


    "Do you know what happened to your sister when I told her the truth? She became extremely despondent and depressed for a month, and it was only because of you that she was able to recover. If someone like her was affected that deeply, what do you think would happen to you?"


    "...¡­."

 Chapter 35 Beginning of the End

    30 minutes later.


    "No way¡­ you gotta be kidding me¡­" That was the only thing that Alex could say after hearing what Lord Gallius told him for 30 minutes. "There''s no way that can be true¡­"


    "It is the truth." Lord Gallius firmly said as he let out a sigh. "And now that you know it, it is now up to you on what you should do next."


    "Suck your truth!" Alex shouted as he resisted the urge to grab and strangle Lord Gallius. "If that was really the truth, then why are you telling that to me? Shouldn''t you, a Star Esper, be more responsible about keeping the truth as a secret? Why bother telling it to me? Besides, you hate me as a romantic rival, right? That just makes your current actions more incomprehensible!"


    "....."


    "...¡­"


    Alex and Lord Gallius stared at each other for 5 seconds, as Alex waited for Lord Gallius'' reply.


    Lord Gallius on the other hand, looked quite stoic as he gave his reply.


    "Its because I do not like the current state of this world." Lord Gallius replied, averting his gaze away from Alex.


    "You can say that I am one of the few Star Espers¡­ that also hates the truth. But unlike the majority of the Star Espers that were contented with their life as it is right now, what I want is to be free! I also want this whole world to be free from its shackles!"


    "Dude, your dream is almost impossible to accomplish." Alex drily commented as he remembered everything that Lord Gallius just told him. "There is no way that everyone can leave."


    "We have plans." Lord Gallius said as he levelled his gaze at Alex. "And now that I told you the truth, you are now part of our plans."


    "Oh great¡­" By this point, Alex was not sure if he should feel happy or sad from hearing the truth. After all, the truth that he just heard was a really bitter pill to swallow.


    "See you later then, I guess?"Alex stretched his body as he attempted to leave the comfort room, but before he could do so, he suddenly paused, as if he realized something profound now.


    "If what you told me really is the truth¡­" Alex started mumbling to himself, ignoring the despondent Lord Gallius beside him. "Then that just means¡­."


    "That just means that the afro guy and that Lord Ergo will not really grant Alina''s wish!" Alex''s face turned pale from panic as he realized his current situation.


    "That afro guy and Lord Ergo are not serious on combining the pieces of the World Diagram¡­ the reason Lord Ergo will be coming here is because he and that afro guy plans to kill me, and possibly even Alina!"


    Lord Gallius chose to interject at that point as he saw Alex''s face of realization.


    "Alex, in case that you forgot it, Lord Ergo and the WEO President are the people that is running everything in this world. They are the reason for this world''s current situation. "


    Lord Gallius then continued talking, with his following words much more venomous than the last.


    "Even if the World Diagram deemed you and Alina as non-threats, those two will still not take their chances¡­ Lord Ergo and the WEO President will still kill you later. As for Alina, she will surely experience the same fate as her sister¡­"


    "S**t!" By this point, Alex no longer bothered listening to Lord Gallius.


    He opened the door of the comfort room with a bang, and he rushed towards Alina''s location in order to warn her of the danger.


    "Hmph, knowing Asteria, she''s surely near Alina too." Alex thought as his footsteps echoed loudly in the hallway. "I just hope those two are not up to anything bad right now¡­"


    Even though he wished that the two were behaving, the shaky sound from his footsteps somehow showed that Alex was not that optimistic with his assumption.


    *******************


    "...¡­." Alina was quiet as she digested everything that the afro guy told him. As for Asteria, she was also quiet too, but it looks like this silence came from reasons different from Alina''s.


    "I know that the truth is hard to accept, but what I told you is the truth." The afro guy said as he tried to appease Alina. "That was also the truth that affected your sister."


    "I believe you." Alina said as she let out a sigh.


    With Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes, she can determine that what the afro guy said was the truth.


    However, that still was not enough to prepare Alina from being shocked.


    "Honestly, I do not know which one is more shocking¡­ the fact that other universes exists where Asteria and Alex came from, or the things that the WEO President just told me right now¡­" Alina thought to herself as she tried to calm herself down.


    "After hearing what you just said, I am now starting to feel unsure about everything¡­" Alina said to the afro guy as she sat on a nearby chair.


    "Well, at least you know about everything now." The afro guy said as she gave Alina a wide smile. "The gains are better compared to the losses, right?"


    But before Alina could give her reply, she heard the sounds of a person running towards their location.


    It only took Alina a few seconds to recognize who this person was.


    "Hey!" The door of Alina''s current room opened, and in came Alex, who stared at Alina with relief and worry.


    Alina''s chest tightened, as she felt uneasy after seeing Alex''s facial expression.


    "Hey Alina, we need to talk about something..." Alex said as he composed his expression. "It''s very important that we talk right now."


    "Hmm, is it really that important?" The afro guy asked, much to Alex''s annoyance. "Maybe you will just announce your hot, steamy feelings for Miss Alina?"


    "Um, It''s not close to that." Alex replied, as he felt himself liking the afro guy less.


    "Well in that case, I think your presence is not required here." The afro guy said dismissively. "I still have more important things to discuss with Miss Alina."


    "...Not good. This afro guy does not want me to talk to Alina!" Alex thought as he saw the afro guy''s slight smile.


    "But wait, why should I be worried? There''s still 5 hours left before Lord Ergo could arrive..." When Alex reached this conclusion, he instinctively relaxed.


    Since there is still a lot of time left, Alex knew that he still had more time to create countermeasures for later.


    Hastily pulling Alina out now might just make the afro guy suspicious.


    It''s better to just acquiesce to him rather than alert him.


    Alina however, seems to be thinking differently.


    "I think we are done talking now, Mr. President." Alina said with an edge in her tone. "You clearly told me a lot of ''educational things'' already, and I think I need some time to ruminate about them. So if you will excuse me..."


    With a jolt, Alex realized that what Lord Gallius told Alex earlier was the same thing that the afro guy said to Alina.


    "So that''s why Alina looks a little pale right now..." Alex thought as he looked at Asteria, who was perched at Alina''s shoulder.


    Asteria looked extremely calm, as if what the afro guy said earlier did not affect her.


    After seeing the calm look on Asteria''s face, Alex gritted his teeth as he thought,


    "This dumb fairy Asteria... she clearly knew about the truth all along! She just did not bother to tell it to me! What a s***y Guide!"


    At this point, Alex now knew that what he did against Asteria earlier was not enough. She needs more punishment later¡­


    "Well, have it your way then." The afro guy seems to be not offended by what Alina said. He even moved out of his way to let her pass by him.


    "???" Both Alex and Alina were mystified with what they saw. With the enormity of the current situation, both of them thought that the afro guy will give more effort to separate Alex and Alina.The afro guy''s current attitude however was contradicting this.


    "What''s the matter?" The afro guy saw the expressions on Alex and Alina''s face, which left him looking confused. "Is there anything wrong?"


    "Nothing at all." Alina hastily replied, as she dragged Alex away from the room.


    She continued dragging Alex away until they reached the comfort room where Alex came from earlier.


    Lord Gallius coincidentally came out of the comfort room at the same moment that Alex and Alina tried to open the door.


    "...."


    "...."


    The opposite parties stared at each other with awkwardness that was enough to even make someone as shameless as Asteria to cringe instantly.


    "Go on with what you two intend to do. I accept my full loss¡­" Lord Gallius barely hid the displeasure in his face as he walked away from the two.


    Well, ''walked away'' was not the right term, as it was quite obvious that Lord Gallius was about to run at any moment.


    "¡­Let him be." Alina muttered as she entered the comfort room with Alex.


    The door closed with a resounding bang, eliciting a slight flinch from Alex.


    "What? This is the best place where we can talk." Alina said as she crossed her arms. "Or are your perhaps embarrassed by the fact that I am sharing your place inside the men''s bathroom?"


    "That is indeed what I am feeling now." Alex replied honestly as he tried to remove the slight blush on his face. "Are you not embarrassed too?"


    "I am also embarrassed, but I know that discussing about our current situation is more important than our moral dilemmas." Alina said as her current body language and voice did not show any signs of embarrassment from her.


    "So you should clear up your mind Alex. We have a lot to talk about, starting from the truth about this world." Alina said as she removed her mask. Her beautiful face was revealed once more to Alex, and Alex tried to do his best to not gawk at her face. He barely succeeded on doing so.


    "Aww¡­ Too bad you two are so uptight." Asteria whimpered in the background, with her sounding extremely disappointed. "I thought I will see some steamy bathroom action here¡­ Turns out its another one of those boring exposition meetings again¡­"


    "....."

 Chapter 36 Is this the Real Life?

    Both Alina and Alex found it hard to look at each other, with everything that they had seen today.


    The encounter that they had with Lord Gallius earlier was something that made the two still awkward right now.


    Asteria''s infuriating comments did not help matters either.


    "Sigh."


    "...¡­"


    Even though both of them were being held back by their emotions, Alex knew that he had to ignore these minor inconveniences for the more important matters.


    "You seem to be taking it well." Alex commented drily as he tried not to stare too much at Alina''s face.


    "Well, what can I do? I know that the afro guy is 100% not lying to me, so I have no choice but to accept that as the truth..." Alina replied with a downcast expression on her face.


    Alex was about to nod when he suddenly paused, as he felt something wrong with what he heard.


    "Wait¡­" Alexfelt that something was weird when he heard Alina''s reply. "How are you sure that the afro guy is not lying to you? I heard that the afro guy is the WEO President. For him to reach that position, he has to be an extremely good liar. I doubt that even you can detect him lying to you. So how are you 100% sure that he was not lying?"


    "Eh?" This time, it was Alina''s turn to be flustered as her face showed some semblance of panic. "I just know that he is not lying, that is it."


    "Oh really." Although Alex was fairly young, he already had a good mentor that taught him about cold reading, which basically allows Alex to glean information about a person just by looking at that person''s facial expressions and their body language.


    Using this cold reading, Alex was sure that he can, 40% of the time, somehow determine that someone is lying.


    This kind of cold-reading was at the amateur level, so Alex was not relying on it all the time.


    Heck, Alex''s cold reading was not even working at all against Asteria!


    But all the telltale signs on Alina''s face made is obvious to Alex that Alina was hiding something from him right now.


    "You should have kept your face hidden." Alex said as she gave Alina a withering look. "Now that I saw your face, I am sure that you are lying right now."


    "...¡­"


    ************


    "¡­" Asteria sighed, knowing that she had placed herself in a corner right now.


    She did not expect that someone like Alex can actually force her to talk just because she slipped with some of her words.


    Alina also noticed that Alex has some knowledge in cold reading, which just made her situation worse.


    "I should have not removed the mask earlier¡­" Alina thought wryly as she gave Alex a weary smile.


    "Should I tell him that I can see Asteria? Won''t that just complicate the situation?" Alina tsked, realizing that she was in a dilemma right now.


    Alina cannot just not answer, as it will just make Alex more suspicious.


    As such, the only way Alina can get out of this was by handling the matter smoothly.


    Before Alex could obtain the answer that he wanted to get, Alina decided to sharpen her gaze as she put her mask back on her face.


    "Why are you even interested on asking about my lie-detection techniques?" Alina hissed back, as she was obviously steering the conversation away. "Shouldn''t we discuss about more important things?"


    "Hmmm¡­" Alex might be sometimes pushy, but he knew when he should retreat, and this time is one of those times.


    "Okay, okay, I will not inquire further about that." Alex replied, raising his arms in a surrender. "Let''s just talk about ''more important stuff''."


    Alina frowned, not liking that somewhat sarcastic tone that Alex had, but since he promised to not pester Alina anymore, she decided to not pester him too.


    **************


    "So what do you think should we do now?" Alex asked Alina, as both of them talked in subdued voices. Even if there are no bugs in their current place, they would not want their voice to be heard by anyone walking nearby.


    "In my opinion, I think we should leave, right now." Alina replied, with tension apparent on her body. "I do not like to say this, but now that I know the truth, I realized that the afro guy and Lord Ergo are just playing with me. They will not honor my request. They will come to kill you."


    "That''s the conclusion that I reached earlier too." Alex replied wistfully as he gave Alina an apologetic look. "But I think they are only after me. After all, I am the anomaly here."


    "You of course will be their priority." Alina replied as she stared at the window of the comfort room with a vacant look on her face.


    "After all, you have plans that will mess up the whole Simulated Esper World."


    "....."


    ***************


    30 minutes earlier.


    When Alex and Lord Gallius started to talk, Lord Gallius gave Alex the ''truth'' that he was talking about.


    According to the him, their world, the Esper World, is actually just a Simulation, a virtual world.


    Everything in this world, all the plants, the animals, the people, and the objects, they are all simulations, all created from virtual reality.


    The soil, the weather, the air, and the water, all of them were created from virtual reality.


    Even the laws and Esper Abilities in this world all came from the whims of the virtual reality.


    There is nothing that is not virtual in this world, as all of them were created by highly advanced technology.


    When Alex heard Lord Gallius saying these things, his first instinct it to not believe him.


    "Do you think just because you are kind to me right now that I will believe you?" Alex grumbled at that time as he gave Lord Gallius a wary look. "I may be slow sometimes, but that does not mean that you can fool me."


    "Well, how do you think you should believe me?" Lord Gallius replied as he raised his arms smugly.


    "Show me something right now that can prove what you just said." Alex replied as he tensed his body, ready for any signs of attacks.


    Alex was more inclined to believe that what Lord Gallius was doing right now was just a way to distract Alex, to make him more vulnerable to sneak attacks.


    Lord Gallius saw the vigilance in Alex''s face, and he realized what he was worried about.


    "Oh do not worry about me distracting you.I have not stooped to that level yet. " Lord Gallius said as he gave a smug smile to Alex.


    Alex''s eyes then widened as he saw something unbelievable.


    One second earlier, and Lord Gallius was looking all real.But the next moment, he started to change. Lord Gallius'' body started to break down, with him disintegrrating into strings of codes and letters.


    Alex was no computer programmer, but he knew computer codes when he can see one.


    Since Alex was sure that Lord Gallius cannot do what he did with just his Esper Ability, then for Lord Gallius to be someone created from data is highly plausible.


    At that point, Alex chose to partially believe Lord Gallius. Only partially believe, as Alex knew that he still has to talk with Lord Gallius more to believe him.


    Alex''s mind flashed, as he tried to think of the appropriate action right now.


    After a minute of intense silence, Alex let out a sigh as he relaxed his body.


    "Ok, I will partially believe you for now. Only partially." Alex mumbled as Lord Gallius reformed his body back. "I will only believe you more later. As for now, I have two questions for you."


    "Ask away." Lord Gallius replied with the confident look back on his face. From the way that Lord Gallius looked right now, he seems to be fairly confident that Alex will believe him later.


    Alex chose not the be irritated by that fact as he said,


    "If this world really is a virtual world, then why does this world also have another virtual world?" Alex asked this question, as he remembered having a virtual match with Lord Gallius earlier.


    If this world really is a virtual world, then how is it possible for Alex to have a virtual match with Lord Gallius earlier?


    Is the concept of a virtual reality inside a virtual reality even possible?


    When Alex raised this question, Lord Gallius only laughed, as he answered his question jubilantly.


    "Even if we are in a virtual world, our current technology is enough for us to create our own virtual reality too. But just like what you see, because we are in a virtual world, the virtual reality that we can create was also limited too."


    "¡­ That''s all that you will say right?" Alex replied as Lord Gallius did not follow up his answer.


    "Of course, that is the only answer that I can give you." Lord Gallius smugly replied as he crossed his arms. "Ask you second question then."


    "...."


    By this point, Alex knew that if he continued on delving more questions on the topic of virtual world within a virtual world, he and Lord Gallius will waste time.


    Its time for Alex to ask the more important question.


    That question was obviously about the people living in this world, of course.


    "Are you real? I mean, are all of you real?" Alex muttered, remembering the codes that made up Lord Gallius'' body earlier. "Or are you all just something that could be treated as objects?"


    Lord Gallius looked slightly uncomfortable as he heard Alex''s question, but he was able to answer it with clarity.


    "Initially all of us here in this world are just coded programs." Lord Gallius replied quickly.


    "Initially?" With Alex''s hearing, there is no way that he can miss the emphasis that Lord Gallius placed on the first word on his sentence.


    "As long as the people in this world train their power, there will come a point that we will become a comparable to a real person." Lord Gallius said as he pressed his fingers on his temple. "Of course, there are few people in this world that has reached that point though."


    "!!!"


    Alex''s eyes widened as he realized what Lord Gallius meant.


    "You are talking about being a Star Esper, right?" Alex mumbled ignoring Lord Gallius'' triumphant smile.


    "It all fits¡­" Alex cupped his chin as he paced around the room.


    "All the people in this world were all simulations too, but some of them has Esper Abilities. They can train these abilities, and those who reach the Star Esper Level will somehow transcend their status as just simulations."


    "Exactly." Lord Gallius replied clapping his hands while looking at Alex with satisfaction.


    "Once someone becomes a Star Esper, they will gain access of this world''s codes, and they will also gain control of their own body''s code, just like what I did earlier." Lord Gallius once more broke his body down at that time to prove his point. "That, from what I know, is the meaning of the transcendence that you are talking about earlier."


    By this point, Alex forgot the suspicions that he had against Lord Gallius.


    Alex''s mind whirled as he tried to understand the consequences of what Lord Gallius said.


    "If you and the other Star Espers can take control of your own codes, then shouldn''t it be possible for you to leave this virtual world?" Alex said as he looked above him. More specifically at the sky. "I think you and the other Star Espers can do that."


    "That is the purpose of this world." Lord Gallius said as he let out a sigh. "From what I know, this world''s goal is to produce numerous Star Espers, who will then leave this world towards the Real World. There at the Real World, these Star Espers will be used to advance the Real World''s technology and power."


    "Then why aren''t you leaving?" Alex asked as he tilted his head. Seconds later, and Alex gritted his teeth as he got the answer. "Don''t tell me¡­"


    "We cannot leave because of that bastard." Lord Gallius bellowed with anger apparent in his features. "That f**king World Diagram is preventing us from leaving! It even restricted our freedom in this world! This place should be the place where I shine! Instead it became my cage!"

 Chapter 37 An early bird always gets the thick, juicy worms

    At this point, Alex was able to faintly realize why his Main Mission was the destruction of the World Diagram.


    It seems like Alex was actually here in the Simulated Esper World to help the residents, and not to harm them.


    But Alex has to make sure that Lord Gallius was not lying to him at all.


    Hence his next question.


    "How?" Alex mouthed this word out of his mouth, and Lord Gallius perked up after hearing this. "How was the World Diagram able to restrict you guys from ''transcending''?


    "Sigh, for me to answer that, I have to give you the full explanation¡­" Lord Gallius run his fingers through his hair, visibly showing his frustration.


    "First, you need to understand that this world is considered to be a risk by the ones who created it¡­" Lord Gallius started to pace around the room too as he began to lay out his words.


    "However, within that risk also lies the payoff of gaining Star Espers like us¡­ So, they used a variety of factors to stimulate and regulate this world."


    "Do you still remember that lizard that you fought a week ago?" Lord Gallius mimed some slashing motions, probably to demonstrate the lizard''s grisly death. "That lizard is an Intruder, and Intruders are not exactly the same as the one portrayed by everyone."


    "Oh¡­" As usual, Alex managed to catch on what Lord Gallius was talking about. "So you are telling me that Intruders are sent into this Simulated Esper World in order to create conflict?"


    "Exactly." Lord Gallius replied, looking not surprised at Alex''s sharpness anymore. "Without conflict, the rate that the Espers got stronger was slow. Only when there is trouble and conflict that the Esper''s potential will be forced out."


    "¡­" These words made Alex remember about what happened during the World War 1.


    That war did not only have an impact in terms of military, but also in technology.


    There are lots of things discovered and created during this war, and some of it helped usher the improvement of the world.


    There is the Cold War too, which pushed the creation of new technology to the limits.


    "Conflict is always the best way to push everything to its limits." Alex said while nodding in agreement. "However, there cannot be too much conflict, or else everything will go apes**t."


    "I do not like your choice of words, but I understand your sentiment." Lord Gallius said as he closed his eyes on concentration.


    "So I get it that the Intruders are the ''stimulation''." Alex said as he adjusted his neck. "As for the World Diagram¡­ it is the ''regulator'' of this world, right?"


    "I already gave you clues for that earlier, so for you to realize it is not a surprise too." Lord Gallius mumbled to himself as he let out a sigh.


    Lord Gallius then looked at Alex''s eyes as he slowly said,


    "Contrary to the prevalent belief, the World Diagram was not something that was created recently. It was a powerful program that had been here since the start of the Simulated Esper World."


    "Its task must have been fairly simple then." Alex wistfully said as he looked above him.


    Lord Gallius nodded as he continued on talking.


    "The main task of the World Diagram is to monitor any abnormalities in the Simulated Esper World and fix it, except for the Intruders of course. It was also tasked with making sure that everything works perfectly fine in this world. The World Diagram also has the task to help any Star Espers that will appear, guiding them towards the Real World."


    "Now that is weird..." Alex replied as he cupped hischin. "If those things are the tasks of the World Diagram, and that it is supposed to be hidden, then what the hell is happening to it now?" Alex restricted the urge to raise his hands in exasperation. "The World Diagram that I see right now is way different from my expectations."


    "Well¡­ everything is fine with the World Diagram, until the first Star Esper appeared." Lord Gallius replied, with anger apparent on his features.


    "The first Star Esper? Can you care to elaborate?" Of course Alex knew that there is no need for him to say these words, as Lord Gallius started to continue talking.


    "From what I know, when the first Star Esper managed to access the real nature of this world, the first thing that this Esper did was to seize control of the World Diagram. I do not know how this Star Esper managed to do it, but the World Diagram easily fell under this Star Esper''s control."


    "And once that happened, everything proceeded as what everyone knew." Alex replied as a helpless smile formed on his face.


    "The appearance of the 1,024 Esper Cities, the ''quantum computer network'', all of these things were made to fabricate the lie that the World Diagram was a man-made thing, when it actually wasn''t." Lord Gallius was back to angry mode at this point, and Alex felt that he will just continue on getting angrier.


    "But do you know what was worse?"


    "Well, tell it to me then." Alex weakly replied, bracing his ears for the worst.


    Even though Alex had prepared for it, he was still rattled by Lord Gallius'' angry shouts.


    "That first Esper used the World Diagram to tie down everyone!" Lord Gallius shouted as he almost banged the walls behind him.


    Lord Gallius certainly did not look happy as he controlled his breathing. "After the first Star Esper took control of the World Diagram, he used its control over the whole world to prevent other Star Espers from leaving this world. Not only that, but the power of the World Diagram was also used to restrict any new Star Espers!"


    "That¡­ is really one selfish move." Alex replied as he realized why Clint was so helpless against the restrictions of the World Diagram.


    "Wait¡­ aren''t you a Star Esper too?" Alex noted as he pointed his finger at Lord Gallius. "Are you allowed to talk to me about the World Diagram even when you are restricted?"


    "The restriction of the World Diagram on us varies on different levels." Lord Gallius replied with a wince in his face. "For Star Espers like me, the restrictions only prevent me on participating on small-scale battles. As for Espers like your current teacher, their restrictions will be much harsher."


    "Well well well, so my appearance in this world is actually a way to help this world huh." Alex thought to himself as he began to feel relieved. "It was a good thing that there will be no negative repercussions if I destroy the World Diagram."


    "However¡­" Alex frowned as his thoughts began to detect a problem.


    "If the World Diagram is actually a program controlling the whole world, then how am I supposed to destroy it? And since the World Diagram is under the control of the first Star Esper, then there is no doubt that I have to face the first Star Esper before I can destroy the World Diagram¡­"


    Alex realized by this point that the truth about this world had made his plans go awry.


    "Well, I still have 8 days left before my lifespan runs out¡­ so I can still change my current plans¡­" Since he was at this point already, Alex decided to ask another question to Lord Gallius.


    The question was painfully obvious.


    "Lord Gallius, do you know who the first Star Esper was?"


    Since the first Star Esper is the one controlling the current World Diagram, then Alex should know who this person was if he wanted to complete his mission.


    But to Alex''s dismay, what he only got from Lord Gallius was a slow shake of his head.


    "I have no idea on who the first Star Esper was." Lord Gallius replied with lamentation in his features. "The first Star Esper used the World Diagram to hide his identity perfectly. Because of that, nobody in this world knows who the first Star Esper was, well maybe except for Lord Ergo and the WEO President."


    "Oh, so those two guys are the pawns of the first Star Esper then?" Alex replied as he tilted his head.


    "Obviously those two are pawns." Lord Gallius replied with a snort. "For Lord Ergo and the WEO President to acquire the parts of the World Diagram, they must have some sort of connections with the first Star Esper."


    "That is not a good sign for us right now." Alex hesitantly said as he looked around him warily .


    "It''s not a good sign indeed."


    With their moods heavy, Alex and Lord Gallius spent the remaining time talking about more miscellaneous effects of their current dilemma.


    ***************


    Back to the present time.


    "So, did that afro guy tell you about the first Star Esper hijacking the World Diagram?" Alex asked Alina as Alina stretched her lithe body.


    "He actually did." Alina replied honestly. "He even told me that it was the first Star Esper who gave the afro guy the access to a part of the World Diagram."


    "Huh, I did not expect him to be that honest." Alex replied as he looked confused. "I thought he would want to hide the fact that he is close to the first Star Esper¡­"


    "Well according to him, he was just forced to accept 50% the World Diagram." Alina replied humorlessly. "I am sure that he had some dark plans for many people, but I can say that he was telling the truth about him being forced to accept 50% of the World Diagram."


    "Again with that lie-detection technique of yours."


    "....."


    "Well in that case, we should only worry about Lord Ergo." Alex replied with a sigh as he sagged his head forward. "From what I heard from you and others, it seems like this Lord Ergo is an extremely unstable and toxic person."


    "You might be surprised to find out that the description you gave right now is just a tame one." Alina replied with a snort as her eyes seemed to have narrowed greatly. Well, her mask was back, so there is no way to know. "Lord Ergo¡­ is not a person that you should get close to, unless you absolutely need to. If it were not for my sister, then I will stay as for away as possible from him."


    "Now that is a great way to introduce a villain." Alex noted as Alina shook her head helplessly. "You just managed to make him as a compelling but also an entertaining villain. Just like that certain clown-faced villain."


    "I have no idea what you were talking about." Alina said as she crossed her arms. "What we should discuss now is whether we should leave or stay."


    "Of course we will leave." Alex replied quickly. "There is no way that I will want to stay here after everything that I heard."


    "I see." This time, Alina looked calm as she looked at Alex with a serene disposition. "Well in that case, I shall gladly help you to find a way for us to leave. There is no way that I can stay here too, as I know that they will not help m regarding my sister."


    "You will help me? Now that makes me happy." Even though Alex was not sure on why Alina was so intent on helping him out,Alex felt that Alina was being honest to him right now. "Well in that case, I will bring you out to another date once we get through all of this."


    "¡­ I hope you will fulfill that promise." Alina replied, with her voice much weaker compared to before.


    "Hehe." Alex grinned for a full 5 seconds before he started to let out a deep breath. "Now that we have decided on what to do, let us lay out our first ste-"


    But before Alex could elaborate on his plan, both him and Alina stiffened as they felt a powerful presence quickly approaching their location.


    No, not their location, but the whole compound that they are in.


    "How could this be happening!" Alina suddenly shrieked as she jumped up angrily. "There is no way this is happening!"


    This was the first time that Alex saw Alina being this angry, so he knew something bad was coming up. "Do you know who or what that incoming powerful presence was?"


    "Of course I know! After all, that powerful presence is the person that we are talking about earlier." Alex''s heart sank as he heard this sentence uttered by Alina.


    "Don''t tell me¡­"


    "Lord Ergo, my current master, is here already." Alina said as her hands started to tremble. "Th-th-this should not be happening, since the afro guy told us that Lord Ergo should arrive here in 6 hours, and I know for a fact that the afro guy was telling the truth!"


    Alex''s only reply to that was a light sigh, as he also found it hard to accept what happened.


    "We are so f**ked!" Asteria shouted out of nowhere, as she waved her hands in exaggeration. "No wonder that afro guy looked so smug earlier, he had had you two playing in his palms all this time!"


    "....."

 Chapter 38 Companion

    "This is not good. Not good at all." Alex muttered to himself as he and Alina felt the powerful presence getting nearer at their location.


    "What should we do?" This was the first time that Alex saw Alina being this unsure, and Alex could understand why.


    "I think we just have to wing it." Alex replied quickly as he glared at Asteria with the corner of his eyes.


    "Boo¡­" Asteria pouted as she knew what Alex''s look meant. "Ok, I will help you, since I will die if you die!" Asteria then flew from Alina''s shoulder towards Alex''s, somewhat reluctantly.


    "Its too late for us to leave now." Alina suddenly said with clenched fists. "Lord Ergo has arrived already."


    "I can see that perfectly well too." With his danger sense, Alex felt that the whole building was now extremely dangerous. This was not like this earlier, so Alex knew that this danger came from Lord Ergo himself.


    "¡­" As he realized that he was in dire straits right now, Alex knew that he must do desperate measures if he wanted to survive.


    And if Alex had to expose Asteria''s existence to Alina, then he will gladly do so.


    "Oi Asteria, Alex whispered as he stared at Asteria. "Is it possible for you to show yourself to Alina? I think we will have a better chance of succeeding if she sees you."


    "What?" Asteria looked surprised as she stared at Alex warily. "Why do you want to do that?"


    "Well¡­." Alex tried to lower his voicea little more as he replied,


    "Maybe Alina can be our ally you know¡­"


    "Oh, well you do not need to worry about that." Asteria then looked at Alina''s direction as she shouted,


    "Oi Alina, it seems like Alex wants to officially partner up with you. We can end this farce already."


    "Oh really?" To Alex''s surprise, Alina actually replied to Asteria! "Now I can talk to you freely without Alex suspecting a thing."


    "Wait, what?" Alex''s mind was drawing blanks as he saw the entire situation. "How, how could this be happening?"


    "Alina could see me since the first time that I appeared in front of her." Asteria said as she plopped on Alina''s lap. Alina then proceeded to pat Asteria''s head as Asteria continued on talking.


    "When I realized that Alina could see me, I realized that I can make her my secret ally or something like that. Remember when you accused me on peeping when Alina goes to the bathroom? I only go there because that''s the only place that we can really talk freely."


    "Are you sure about that? Because I can feel that you are sometimes checking me out in the bathroom, especially when I am taking a bath." Alina interjected out of nowhere. "Since I like you as my pet, I tried to not get bothered with it. But it seems like you are not happy getting called out on it."


    "Huh. I did not see that coming." That was the only thing that Alex could say before he saw Asteria trembling out of embarrassment and shame.


    Seeing the chemistry between the two women, Alex realized that they were telling the truth.


    With little time left for them, Alex just accepted what he heard as there is no choice for him right now but to just believe them.


    "Wait, why are we talking about this!" Asteria said as she shook her head angrily. "We are here to discuss about a way to save both of your asses! And mind you, Alina has one fine a-"


    "I''d rather not listen more to more of your perverted talks." Alex winced, realizing that Asteria actually had something like this on her personality. "So, you said there is a way for you to help us?"


    "Yesh, there ish." Asteria mumbled out in reply, as her cheeks were being pinched by Alina, who looked quite unhappy with the small blonde. "However, I am not shure if Alina will agree to thish."


    "Why not?" Alina said as she freed Asteria from her cheek pinch. "Is it something that will be dangerous for me?"


    "Hell yes, it will be dangerous for you." Asteria said as she rubbed her swollen cheeks. "But I am sure that if you agree, you will have your problems solved."


    "¡­." At this point, Alina suddenly turned solemn as she seemed to be thinking deeply.


    After 10 seconds of silence, Alina let out a sigh as she said,


    "If I agree to whatever you are planning, will I be able to save my sister?"


    "There is a 100% chance that you will save her if you will agree to my request." Asteria replied smugly as she puffed out her chest. "You can see that I am telling the truth, right?"


    "¡­ Yes, you are not lying at all." Alina replied, sounding somewhat displeased with Asteria''s attitude. "But there is a catch, right?"


    "Yes, there is a catch." Asteria replied as she tilted her head. It looked cute, but the words that she said in this pose certainly was not cute.


    "Once you agree to my request, you will have a high chance of saving your sister. But once your sister is saved, you will be forced to leave your sister for a very, very, long time.As for when you can return, it will be only up to luck and your skills."


    "Hold on¡­" From the words that Asteria said, Alex was able to faintly deduce what Asteria was leading on. "Are you telling me that we should turn Alina into a Traveler?"


    "Of course not! Do you think I am an idiot?" Asteria seems to be offended by what Alex said as she crossed her armsin front of her chest. "If we do that, Alina will be forced to leave this place right now, which just beats the purpose of our goal. Besides, you do not even have enough lifespan to do it, so even if you want to turn Alina into a Traveler, it will be pretty impossible for you."


    "Then what is your plan?" Alex replied as he crossed his arms too. "Be sure that it will be good!"


    "Of course it will be!" Asteria giggled as she sent Alex and Alina one dazzling smile.


    Asteria then floated in the air as she asked Alex a question.


    "Alex, let me ask you something. What do you call a person who accompanies another person?"


    Alex was not sure where Asteria was going on with this, but he decided to play along with her.


    "That person will be called a companion, right?"


    "Exactly." Asteria''s white teeh glinted as she looked at Alex smugly. "A C	ompanion."


    Alex did not miss Asteria''s word emphasis, which she made pretty obvious. So, that means¡­"


    "A Traveler cannot just always travel alone." Asteria said, interrupting the words that Alex was about to say. "Sure, a Traveler will have a Guide with him, but the role of the Guide is to guide the traveler. A Traveler will also need someone joining him on his journey. And this someone will be called¡­"


    "A Companion." Alex finished Asteria''s words for him, and he was surprised that the word felt somewhat pleasant to his tongue. "So, you are going to turn Alina as my Companion? Care to explain more about that?"


    "Gladly." Asteria replied with another smug grin.


    "....."


    ***************


    "Now, it might sound like the Companion is a fairy loose concept, but let me explain it to you quickly."


    Alex, Asteria, and Alina all knew that they are under limited time now so Asteria decided to use one of her unique Fairy Magic to impart information to Alex and Alina.


    Asteria''s magic skills might be lacking in the offensive and defensive aspects, but it is efficient on stealth and information gathering.


    "!!!" Both Alex and Alina felt slight throbbing on their heads as they felt information flowing inside their minds.


    With both of their brain capacities improved by becoming Espers, both Alina and Alex were able to withstand the flow of new information.


    "So that is how it is huh." Alex muttered as he mused on the information given to him. "It is actually really simple."


    According to Asteria, a real Traveler cannot just travel alone. A Traveler must have a group with him to travel, and this group will be real Travel Group.


    According to Asteria, a Travel Group will be composed on 3 types of people.


    The Traveler, who will serve as the one travelling between worlds and performing missions there.


    The Guide, whose goal is to guide the Traveler and purchase items and abilities from the Endless Monarch.


    And finally the Companion, whose goal was to join and assist the Traveler personally on the missions.


    In terms of the benefits received, the Traveler and the Companion were just the same.


    The Companion''s body will also be rebuilt to accommodate all types of techniques and abilities.The Companion can also buy items and abilities from the Endlesss Monarch too.


    But that is only here where the similarity lies.


    In terms of lifespan, the lifespan of a Companion is safe from the Endless Monarch, as it will not be manipulated or tampered by the Endless Monarch in any means.


    And unlike the Traveler, whose lifespan was used to purchase items and abilities, a Companion uses a different currency for purchase.


    This currency is referred to as the Contribution Points.


    Contribution Points will only be obtained by the Companion if he/she contributes or helps the Traveler in any way that will be beneficial for the Traveler.


    The more that the Companion assists the Traveler, the more Contribution Points the Companion will get.


    This Contributions Points can then be used by the Companion to purchase Items and Abilities, and if needed, extra lifespan too.


    When Alex reached this point, he felt somewhat jealous of the companions, as he thought that they had it easy.


    But when Alex continued on going through the information given to him, he realized that he was mistaken.


    Excluding natural and man-made reasons, there are 2 ways that a Companion can die.


    First is by not helping the Traveler at all.


    A Companion''s goal is to assist and help the Traveler. IF the Companion does not do any of this at the duration of the mission, then this Companion will be instantly killed.


    Second is when the Traveler dies.


    Once a Companion decides to accompany the Traveler, it will be a lifetime choice. If the Traveler dies, then the Companion will also accompany the Traveler until death.


    "Wait, now that I see it, it seems like this Traveler-Companion thingy is only meant for couples." Alex thought to himself as he realized that large amounts of trust must exist between the Traveler and his/her Companion if they want to co-exist harmoniously.


    Of course Alex did not say his thought out loud, as it will just make the whole situation more awkward.


    After scouring more information, Alex also saw the way to become a Companion.


    It was actually just simple.


    If a Traveler and a Guide sees someone with a good potential to be a Companion, then they will offer it a chance to become a Companion. If that person disagrees, then the deal will be off. Of course, this person''s memory will be wiped away by the Endless Monarch to prevent complications.


    "So, what do you two think? Being a Companion is the best choice for Alina now, right?" Asteria said as she looked at the two triumphantly.


    "Well¡­" Both Alina and Alex looked indecisive, as they struggled to say something.


    "Oh come on Alex¡­" Asteria pouted as she saw Alex''s hesitation. "If Alina becomes your Companion, you will receive some bonus gifts that you will surely like! The same thing goes to Alina too! If you become Alex''s Companion, you will also receive some bonus gifts that you will like!"


    ''Maybe its just me, but you sound like those people that sell stuff in midnight shows." Alex said as he winced from some of his memories. "You just sound the same as them. Cringy, pushy and relentless. No wonder you became my Guide."


    "...¡­."

 Chapter 39 The Wheel of Journey

    "You know, it seems like you have been planning to make me Alex''s Companion for a very long time." Alina commented as her face mask slightly trembled.


    "Out of all the times that you can offer me the chance to become Alex''s Companion, you actually used this time right now." Alina drily said as she seemed to be glaring at Asteria. "You know that with the stress of the current situation, I will be highly tempted to accept your offer."


    "Well, are you tempted?" Asteria said in a sweet tone that Alex found extremely unlikable. "My offer for you will not be waiting for forever, you know¡­"


    "¡­" Alex waited in tense silence, as he knew that the following seconds will be the most crucial part of his life.


    Alex knew that looking unsure and weak right now would not help him that much, so Alex tried to make himself look composed, but deep inside his heart, he could not help but curse Asteria.


    "If you want to recruit Alina that badly, you should have done it at a time where Alina has her free will to choose¡­ Forcing her to choose right now just makes us two look like bad guys!" Alex thought angrily himself as he specifically gave Asteria the best glare that he can give her.


    "I really do not like the position that I am in right now¡­" Alina suddenly said, which made Alex''s heart skip a beat. "However, I can detect that you are both telling the truth to me, so I guess it will be fine if I join you two."


    "Really?" Alex was not sure why, but he felt extremely happy after he heard what Alina said. "You will really join us?"


    "Hmph, do not be so happy." Alina replied testily, although Alex swore that he saw that Alina''s neck were shaded red. "It''s not like I did this for you."


    "Ok, ok." Both Asteria and Alex replied while looking like they were just playing along. "We get it."


    "You two!"


    Both Alex and Alina tried not to laugh as they saw Alina trying her best to not look embarrassed. It was a always great sight to see which Alex will not get tired of.


    "Well, putting all the pleasantries aside¡­" Alex''s tone suddenly changed from cheerful to grave as he slowly said,


    "Are you really sure that you will join me as my Companion? By this point, you should already know about the dangers that I face. Do you really want to face these dangers too? Then there is your sister too. Are you willing to leave her just to join me?"


    "Slap!" Even with Alex''s instincts, he was unable to dodge the slap that came from Alina.


    Alex felt hurt both physically and emotionally as he felt the sting on his cheek and his heart. "What?"


    "Alex, even if you are usually perceptive, you are also sometimes dense." Alina said as she rubbed her palm which she used to slap Alex.


    "Do you think that the reason that I wanted to be your Companion is only because of you? You are so na?ve and self-centered!" Alina started to give her angry rant, lacing it with words that effectively shut Alex up.


    "Yes, I like being with you. I do not know why, but I feel happy staying with you. But don''t think that I want to be your Companion just because of you. I am willing to be your Companion because this is all for my sister!"


    By this point, Alina was already taking some deep breaths to stabilize her trembling body.


    "I love my sister more than my life¡­So, if all that it takes to save her is by putting my life in risk, then I will gladly risk my life many times over until she is safe."


    "You¡­" Alex was at loss for words after hearing Alina''s passionate speech.


    On one hand he was giddy and pleased after hearing Alina saying that she liked being with him.


    On the other hand however, Alex was feeling worried as he heard Alina''s self-destructive ideals.


    These two warring feelings made Alex extremely hesitant on accepting Alina''s decision.


    Alex tried to muster a serious expression on his face, but he failed to do so as his sadness for Alina overwhelmed his other emotions.


    Since they had already progressed at this state, Alex decided to make his actions clearer to Alina.


    "!!!"


    Even though Alex knew that he and Alina are in danger right now, he knew that he should comfort Alina right now.


    So, Alex did not hesitate on hugging Alina once more, but this time, his hug was much tighter, and it was filled with more emotions from him.


    Just like before, Alina stiffened when she was hugged by Alex. A few seconds passed by however, and Alina started to reciprocate his hug.


    "...."


    "...."


    Both of them stayed in their positions for more than a minute before Asteria''s coughing sound could be heard by the both of them.


    "I know that mutual affection knows no bounds, but do you really have to flaunt your affection for each other here in this place and this time? Tsk, tsk, youngsters these days!" Asteria mumbled as she bopped her tiny fists on top of Alex''s head.


    "¡­." Both Alex and Alina chose to not comment as they knew that Asteria will just beat them in an oral argument if ever they try to retort back.


    "Ok!" Alex tried to break the awkward atmosphere between them as he said,


    "Since Alina already agreed to be my Companion, then shouldn''t we start turning her into my Companion rightnow? Lord Ergo will be looking for us any moment now. We cannot afford to waste time."


    "Sure, sure, here we go." Asteria mumbled as she looked at Alina seriously.


    Alex and Alina slightly gulped as they feltthat the Asteria in front of her seems to be more imposing somehow.


    [Do you pledge to accompany Traveler Alex wherever he goes? In sickness and in health? In comfort and in challenges? In the ups and lows? Do you pledge to always join him no matter what happens to him?]


    Unlike the words that Asteria said earlier, the sentences that she just uttered right now obviously has more power stuck inside them. Even Alex, who had a strong mental fortitude, was also slightly dazed after hearing what Asteria said.


    Half of the reason for his daze was the fact that it was the effect of Asteria''s voice.


    Second was the words that Asteria said.


    "No matter which way I listened¡­ what Asteria just said sounds similar to the ones given at a marriage¡­" Of course Alex did not call out on this fact to everyone.


    "I pledge that I will accompany Alex no matter what happens." Alina''s voice was crisp and serious as she gave her reply.


    [Since you have made your pledge to us, then you are now officially Alex''s Companion.Treasure everything that you will see from now on, ok?] Asteria said as she gave a wink at Alina''s direction.


    "What a free-spirited woman." Alex mumbled to himself as he felt a slight searing pain on his forehead.


    The same symbol appeared on his forehead again, and this time, it spat out a golden glow which covered Alina''s whole body.


    Right now, there are no body parts of Alina present as it was covered by the golden glow.


    Alex narrowed his eyes, as it was hardfor him to tell if she was still alive under all the golden glow.


    "!!!" Alex rushed forward as he looked worried, but he was stopped on is tracks by Asteria, motioning to Alex that everything is fine.


    Alex believed in what Asteria said, so he waited for another minute before he could relax.


    Once a minute has passed by, and the golden glow covering Alina''s entire body slowly weakened before it entirely disappeared.


    "Ok, all done." Asteria said as she looked Alina. "You got what you wanted¡­. you are now Alex''s Companion from now on. Be sure to keep him entertained if he needs to!


    Alex ignored Asteria''s salacious words as he stared at Alina''s forehead, which was still covered by her mask.


    There, Alex could see a golden symbol appearing on her forehead.


    The symbol was unlike the symbol on Alex''s forehead, as the symbol on Alina''s forehead looked more like a wheel with 12 spokes.


    This symbol was also rotating, creating a sight that was really unique, even for Alex.


    "So that''s it?" Alex retorted to Asteria as he saw everything that happened. "Alina was just covered by that golden glow for a minute, and now she''s already ready to be my Companion? Are you sure that you are not lying? I am not sure if her body really can be changed that quickly in just a minute."


    "Hey, that''s all the process that is needed to create a Companion." Asteria replied dismissively as she waved her hands in boredom. Asteria then looked at Alex with a smirk on her face as she said,


    "Instead of just looking at Alina worriedly, why don''t you try to feel your connection with her? You can feel something right?"


    "You are indeed right." Alex said as he felt that something was now connecting him and Alina together.


    With his experience, Alex was sure that this connection was no illusion. There was something connecting him and Alina right now, and they were both lucky to survive to experience this connection.


    Specifically speaking, the connection was coming between the symbols on Alina''s and Alex''s forehead.


    "Hmm¡­ this connection must be the connection between a Traveler and his/her Companion." Alex cupped his chin as he tried to helping Alina to stand up Alex "Since we both have this connection, then that just confirms that indeed, Alina is already my Companion."


    At the instant that Alex confirmed this, he started hopping around him excitedly.


    "Hahaha, Asteria said that there are bonus gifts for me and Alina after she became my Companion. Hahaha, I can''t wait to see it! Surely there is something there that can help me win, right Asteria?"


    "I have no comment for that." Asteria replied as she closed her eyes, ignoring everyone around her. "I am only here to distribute the good''s, not to test it."


    "....."

 Chapter 40 Dear Traveler,

    Warmth.


    This is what Alina felt as the golden glow covered her body.


    It reminded her of the warm hug of her mother and lukewarm tea that she and sister used to drink.


    These memories brought out some melancholy inside Alina, but she just shook this off as she focused on her body.


    With her Esper Ability, Alina could sense that something was being changed inside her body, although she could not pinpoint exactly what this change is.


    Thinking that what was happening to her right now was a delicate process, Alina decided to stay still in order to ensure that there will be no mishaps happening to her.


    After exactly a minute, Alina felt the golden glow leaving her body.


    Actually, the golden glow did not leave her body at all. The golden glow just converged towards her forehead, creating a golden symbol.


    Surprisingly, Alina could see in the mirror that the glow on her forehead can be seen even when she was wearing her mask.


    The symbol was a wheel with 12 spokes, which was continuously rotating on her forehead.


    As she tried to inspect her body, Alina heard Alex questioning Asteria on the authenticity of the process.


    Asteria, being the smug person that she is, shamelessly boasted that Alina is already Alex''s Companion.


    "¡­." Even though she felt grim at her current state, Alina could feel the blood rushing on her cheeks as she realized that she''s going to stay with Alex wherever he goes.


    "That might not be a bad way for me to live." Alina thought to herself as she stood up from the floor.


    "Are you ok, Alina?" Alina could not help but smile as she heard the concern in Alex''s voice. Of course because of her mask, Alex could not see her current expression.


    "I am fine." Alina replied quickly. She could not help but wince as she felt that she sounded a little cold with her reply. "I do not feel anything wrong with my body, nor that I feel that someone is attempting to manipulate me."


    "That''s good." That was what Alex said to Alina as Alina proceeded to grab Asteria from the air.


    The little fairy tried to go away, but Alina just used her silky smooth fingers to take down Asteria.


    "¡­." Asteria had no choice but to curl in Alina''s lap as she enjoyed the petting given to her.


    "Um, you know that we are in danger now, right?" Alina heard Alex saying hesitantly as he watched what he and Asteria was doing. "I think we need to take a look at that bonus gifts that Asteria was talking about."


    "Oh, right." Upon hearing what Alex said, Alina had no choice but to release the currently relaxed Asteria.


    "Hmph, always a spoilsport!" This is what Asteria said as she flew towards Alex with a pouting expression. "Maybe you are just jealous that your head is not being petted by Alina!"


    "What? Of course not!" Asteria tried to not laugh as she saw that what Alex said was a lie.


    "Tsk." Alex''s face looked a little pale as she saw that the two women were against him right now. "Let''s¡­ just get this over with, ok?"


    *******************


    Alex stabilized his breath as she saw Asteria approaching his forehead.


    Alex was extremely curious on what his bonus gifts were, and he wanted to see them already.


    Of course if Alex can choose his gifts, one of them will surely be additional lifespan.


    Of course Alex was not sure if lifespan can even be gifted to others. But sometimes, a guy can just wish for the best right?


    "Here we go!" Asteria, the irritating fairy declared as she started to withdraw something from the symbol on Alex''s forehead.


    Alex could not help but feel incredulous as he saw an envelope coming out of his forehead.


    As for Alina, she just sat in her place, watching what was happening with Alex intently.


    "Here, read the letter inside this." Asteria said as she passed the envelope to Alex. "You will understand the reason for the bonus gifts that you have right now."


    "To whom did this letter come from?" Alex inquired as he tore the envelope apart, revealing the letter inside. "Did it come from someone that I knew?"


    "Yes, you knew the writer of this letter." Asteria said as she assisted Alex on opening the letter.


    "After all, this letter was written by the old man who turned you to a Traveler."


    "!!!" Alex almost dropped the letter on the floor as he found himself surprised by what Asteria said.


    "This letter came from that old man? Seriously?"


    Everytime that old man was being mentioned in front of him,Alex could not help but feel awed and also apprehensive as he knew that this old man was the reason for his current state.


    Alex was not sure why that old man turned him to a Traveler, so Alex swore to himself to demand the answer to his question once he meets the old man again.


    Now that the old man actually left a letter for him, Alex knew that he must read the letter well.


    Alex then gingerly opened the paper containing the letter. After seeing the paper filled with words, Alex took a deep breath as he started reading it.


    [If you are reading this letter, then that means that you managed to get a Companion in your First World. If not, then you are already dead.]


    "What, this intro sounds a little dark." Alex muttered to himself. He then continued reading the letter.


    [Let me apologize to you already. Since I am a high-ranking Traveler, any Traveler that I create will be forced to have a very difficult first mission. You are the same too. Since I created your Traveler Status, your first mission will be extremely hard too. From what I know, it seems like you will be sent to that Simulation World, where you will destroy its rogue guardian program.]


    "This guy¡­" Alex was not sure if he should be angry or thankful to this old man.


    [But do not worry! Since you are in an unfair state, I decided that I should assist you a little in your first mission.]


    "Oh, this must be good." Alex thought to himself as he continued on reading. "Let''s see what he was talking about."


    [However, you must remember that this assist that I will give you will only be available in your first mission. You will be entirely on your own already at the following missions. So, try to maximize my bonus gifts to you ok?"


    "¡­."


    [By this point, you should already realize that my assist to you will be the Bonus Gifts. Of course since I still want you to be a holistic Traveler, you will only be able to get these Bonus Gifts if you managed to get a Companion. If not, then just like what I said at the intro, you are already dead. Ok, that is all that I can say to you right now! If you want to know why I made you a Traveler, then you should come and fine me first!]


    Alex was not sure if he should criticize the old man''s writing skills, as the letter felt extremely rushed for him. Well, different people has different writing styles, right?


    "¡­ So that is why Alina is so interested on me having a companion." Alex muttered to himself as he saw that there was only one last line left in the letter.


    [P.S. If your Companion is a hot chick, make sure that you treat her well! She will be your prime wife material! Oh, and from what I know, your Guide is pretty hot too. Hehehe, you can start your Harem with them!]


    "¡­." Because Alex read the letter out loud, both Asteria and Alina heard everything, especially the letter''s parting words.


    "Ummm¡­ it''s the old man who said that, not me." Alex replied as he endured the wilting stares that came from Alina and Asteria. "I swear, I am not ruminating his advice.


    "You better not." Alina replied monotonously as she watched what Asteria was doing.


    With Alex done reading the letter, Asteria continued on withdrawing objects from the symbol on Alex''s forehead.


    In the end, Asteria found 3 objects inside the symbol on Alex''s forehead.


    One was a sword, the second was a card and the last one is a marble-sized ball.


    "Don''t try to touch them. I can identify these things by myself." Asteria declared as she flitted towards the sword first.


    "This one right here is a Sword Type Growth Weapon." Asteria said as she lifted the sword with her small body.


    Asteria slightly wobbled in the air, as if she found it hard to stay afloat. "Just like what its name says, this sword can get stronger along with its owner. Not only that, but the sword will also adapt to the abilities that its owner has."


    "Oh, so if the owner has fire-related abilities, then this sword will have fire-related abilities too?" Alex inquired as he listened to what Asteria said. "That is the gist of it, right?"


    "Exactly." Asteria said as she tossed the sword to Alina. "That sword is for you, Alina."


    "Um, thanks¡­" Alina mumbled in reply as she stroked her new sword. "But I do not really need this¡­"


    Even though Alina sounded somewhat unsure of taking the weapon, her hands were visibly excited on holding the sword.


    From the way Alina looked right now, Alina looked like a young kid who received a new toy. In Alina''s case however, her new toy was a deadly sword.


    "Cute." Alex thought to himself as he looked at the next object, the card.


    "This card contains 1,000 Contribution Points inside it." Asteria said as she tossed the card to Alina. "Go, you should use that to buy some stuff."


    "Ok." After being held by Alina for one second, the card dissipated into small light particles which were absorbed by the symbol on Alina''s forehead.


    "Ok, seems like you got it already." Asteria declared as she approached the last object. "Now then-"


    "Wait, a second." Alex said as he looked at Asteria with narrowed eyes. "Will I still get a Bonus Gift? Because somehow, I can feel that I am not getting one."


    "Oh cheer up, big guy, this last object is for you." Asteria said as she tossed the small ball towards Alex. "Take care of that ball. That is much more valuable than your balls."


    "I will try to ignore that crude joke of yours." Alex mumbled as he looked at the ball that he held. "So, what does this ball do?"


    "Oh, the function of that ball is just simple." Asteria replied as she prodded the ball with her finger. "Inside that ball is a powerful computer virus, which can destroy any computer-related software. Simple, right?"


    "Oh, wow. This is¡­ great." Alex said as he began to held the ball more gingerly. "This ball is my chance to survive!"


    If this ball really had a powerful computer virus inside it, then Alex will most obviously use it on the World Diagram itself!


    "Before you could feel happy, you should remember that the computer virus inside this ball will only work if you place the ball in contact with the World Diagram." Asteria said, which rudely shattered Alex''s fantasy. "That just means that you still have to get past through that afro guy and Lord Ergo if you want to succeed."


    "...."

 Chapter 41 Hi, my name is Alex

    After Asteria gave out the Bonus Gifts, she immediately proceeded to buy the items requested by Alina.


    Alex watched with incredulity as he saw Alina purchasing a box. According to Asteria, everything that Alina bought was inside this box.


    "What." Alex could not help but feel jealous as he saw the difference between him and Alina. Obviously, Alex did not voice this out, as it will just make both Alina and Asteria angry at him.


    So instead of complaining, Alex decided to just continue their conversation earlier.


    "Oi Asteria." Alex slurred as he looked at the mischievous fairy. "Is it possible to use the symbols on our forehead as storage for out items? After all, it seems like these items can be used to store things¡­"


    "Oh, so you just noticed it now? Good grief." Asteria replied as she shook her head in disappointment. "I thought that I will still have to tell it to you later¡­ good thing you caught up with it now."


    "Well, thank you for telling it to us." Alex replied sarcastically as he pointed at his ball and at the box of objects that Alina bought. "So, we will just lift these things and placed it in contact with the symbols in our forehead?"


    "That''s the gist of it." Asteria replied as she saw the computer virus ball that Alex held slowly sinking on his forehead. "Okay, it seems like you already get it. Just continue with what you are doing."


    As for Alina, she had a little difficulty fitting the box and her sword on the symbol on her forehead, but in the end she succeeded with the guide of Asteria.


    "If you want to take the objects that you just stored, you can just will for it to come out." Asteria said as she laid her body down on Alex''s shoulder. "Its just like peeing, but in this case what you want to come out is the object that you want."


    "..."


    "I am very grateful for your impeccable analogy, Asteria." Alex replied with a sigh as he relaxed his body.


    His relaxed state however only lasted for a second as his whole demeanor turned serious.


    With just one look at his face, Alina already realized what Alex was planning to do.


    "Its time to say hello to them, I guess." Alex muttered with a malcontented expression on his face, as he clearly remembered the fact that he still had to pass through two powerful enemies if he wanted to use his ball filled with computer virus.


    He then stood up and was about to approach the door of the comfort room, when he felt a hand on his shoulder.


    Alex looked back and he saw a sulky Alina glowering at him.


    Well, that was what Alex imagined Alina was looking right now, as he could not see her face through the mask.


    "After all your complaints earlier, you still decided to stay here?" Alina sounded like she was not playing around anymore. Her voice had a certain steel in it that managed to shut Alex up.


    "Well, with this ball with me, I have the chance to finish the mission right now." Alex said as he sheepishly played with his ball. "If I leave right now, I will be letting go of a really good opportunity!"


    "Ugh, I do not know if I should be commending you or not for your behavior." Alina replied as she let out a sigh.


    Alex braced himself for more scolding, but instead what he got from Alina was,


    "Fine, since I am your Companion now, then I supposed I will just help you out now. After you are right in saying that this is our chance to succeed."


    "Hehehe, now we''re talking." Alex replied as he looked at Asteria. "See this little fairy? We can win!"


    "Yay¡­" Surprisingly, Asteria was looking extremely tired, as if she was forced to do something extraneous.


    Her wings were drooping down and her face was pale, while her blonde hair seems to have been bleached white.


    Asteria''s overall appearance seems to be indicating that something was wrong with her.


    Seeing Asteria''s current form, both Alex and Alina became worried for her.


    "Oi Asteria, what''s the matter with you?" Alex said as he saw Asteria''s condition. "Did you eat too much honey perhaps?"


    "No!" Asteiria angrily replied as she flopped above Alex''s palm. "I just got hit by the backlash of losing too much Fairy Dust right now."


    "Backlash? Wait, this is the first time that I heard about it." Alex exclaimed as he picked up the floppy Asteria. "You did not tell me anything about that!"


    "Well, you did not ask me¡­" Asteria replied as she let out a yawn. "Since I used too much Fairy Dust earlier, I experienced a gradual backlash, and it just reached its peak right now¡­ Ugh¡­ sorry guys, but I have to sleep now¡­ I will only wake up later¡­" Asteria''s next words were then replaced by her snores as Alina went to her dreamland.


    Alex tried poking Asteria to wake her up, but no matter what he did, Asteria won''t just wake up. He tried hanging her just above the sink, but not even that woke her up.


    "...."


    "...¡­"


    This just meant that Asteria will only wake up if she wants to. Other than that is no good.


    "¡­ We two are on our own now." Alex muttered as he gave a grave look at Alina. "Are you ready now?"


    "I am and I will always be." Alina said as she and Alex strode towards the door at the same time.


    Both of their hands gripped the handle tightly, making sure that it will open for them.


    Both of them tried to ignore the feeling of their hands with each other as they opened the door fully.


    The creaking sounds that came from the door somehow increased Alex and Alina''s tension, which made them slightly unhappy.


    *******************


    "Can you tell me what kind of person your master was?" Alex asked Alina before they left the comfort room. " You can just do it with one sentence only."


    "..."


    "..."


    "He is... a very possessive person." Alina replied after a momentary pause. "He loves taking care of his properties, and he makes sure that they are safe¡­"


    "I see¡­" Alex might have looked enlightened, but he suddenly casted a hesitant look at Alina as he said,


    "Aren''t you technically his/her property too?"


    "I prefer that you do not point out something like that." Alina replied while she gritted her teeth. "I just put up with him/her because of my sister¡­ I never enjoyed being with him/her at any single moment."


    "That¡­ was a rather harsh statement." Alex commented, as he tried to imagine what kind of person Lord Ergo could be that even Alina seriously hated him/her.


    "But how about your sister?" Alex inquired as he stood behind Alina. Alina''s fragrant perfume wafted towards Alex, filling him with a wonderful scent that he always liked. "No matter what we do, she will still be in danger."


    "Remember those things that I bought earlier? Those are for assisting you and for rescuing my sister." Asteria replied as she tapped her forehead. "I just need the right time and place to use them¡­"


    "So I take it that you have a plan right now?" Alex queried as he began to look at Alina with interest. "If you have one, please say it now, because I do not have anything in my mind right now."


    "¡­ So you really are aiming to just improvise." At this point, Alina was not shocked anymore with Alex''s attitude. She knew that this is the kind of person Alex was, and she had no choice but to accept it.


    "Fine, I have a plan. Here it is." Alina discreetly passed a piece of paper towards Alex, with Alex received stealthily in a way that nobody spying nearby will notice it.


    "¡­" Alex glanced at what was written at the paper with the corner of his eyes, and what he saw made him nod his head in appreciation.


    "A well thought-out plan." Alex commended as he used his Esper Ability to burn the paper into ashes."It seems like you used your previous proximity with Lord Ergo to make this plan."


    "I am your Companion right now, so I have no choice but to help you out. Planning to take down an enemy is included in this help." Alina replied as she left the comfort room.


    Alex followed just behind her, with their footsteps echoing all along the corridor.


    "Are you ready?" Alina asked Alex as she flexed her fingers. "Its now or never for us."


    "I am ready whenever I need to be ready." Alex replied confidently as he intertwined his right hands with Alina''s left hand. "With you beside me, I think I am confident on anything I do."


    "¡­ That is so cheesy and cringy." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "If Asteria heard that, she could be rolling on the floor laughing right now."


    Alina might sound disapproving as she said these words, but she tightened her hold on Alex''s hand as she continued on walking.


    "Well, at least I tried." Alex replied instantly, as if he had already prepared that answer. "After all, this might be my last day, so I want to spout out all the nonsense that I want before my end arrives."


    "...¡­"


    *******************


    Lord Gallius was not happy today.


    From the realization that Alina was already smitten with someone else, to the fact that this someone elsejust defeated him earlier, Lord Gallius knew that today was not just his day.


    What was worse was the fact that this someone who defeated him could be a possible ally.


    "If not for that effing program, then I should have been enjoying the Real World already¡­" Lord Gallius thought sourly as he stared at the two persons in front of him.


    The one on the left was the afro guy earlier, and he was talking to the person on the right.


    When Lord Gallius looked at the person on the right, his blood could he help but run cold as he saw who it was.


    Robes as white as the clouds, and a mask as confusing as a puzzle. These objects were worn by the person considered to be the strongest Esper in the world.


    With that kind of distinction, it was obvious that this person was no other thanLord Ergo.


    "¡­." Lord Gallius was not only nervous around Lord Ergo because of his creepy attitude. There was also the fact that Lord Ergo was subconsciously letting out the ripples of his power, and these ripples were enough to make Lord Gallius wary.


    "This guy¡­ if not for his strength, then he will not be given a half of the World Diagram." Lord Gallius thought angrily as he bit his tongue. "After all, if the choice was based on mental soundness, Lord Ergo will most likely take the bottom spot."


    Lord Ergo and the afro guy seemed to be merrily chatting with each other, ignoring Lord Gallius standing nearby them.


    Lord Gallius did not look offended by this, as he knew this is just typical attitude from the very rich and powerful.


    What got Lord Gallius'' attention however, was the woman beside Lord Ergo.


    "What a beauty¡­."


    Long, silky black hair that reached her hips, perfect hourglass body that any female will kill for, and a face that is so enchanting and beautiful, anyone nearby, whether males or female will immediately be affected by it.


    This woman had all these descriptions with her, creating a goddess-like person inside the room.


    But instead of acting awed or reverent, Lord Gallius could only look at this woman with pity as he knew that this woman was suffering under Lord Ergo''s cruel hands.


    "This is the first time that I saw Alina''s sister. She still looks fine, but that could be just pretending." Lord Gallius thought idly as he watched the woman just staying quiet.


    Including Lord Gallius, there are only fourpeople in the room, and from the looks of it, there were still waiting for two more people.


    "Please don''t come here¡­" Lord Gallius thought to himself as he wished that Alina and that Alex made the best decision to escape and run away from the place.


    As long as those two are safe, Lord Gallius knew that he and his allies will still have the chance to seize control of the World Diagram on another time.


    But just like the cruel hands of fate, Lord Gallius'' wish was ignored once more.


    The door to their current room opened, and in came Alex and Alina.


    Both of them were holding each other''s hand, making their closeness look quite mesmerizing. They were both wearing grins on their faces, as if they do not know that situation that they are in.


    "Oh, so this is your current master huh." Lord Gallius heard Alex saying these words as he and Alina approached Lord Ergo, with their hands still intertwined. "I''m Alex, nice to meet you!"


    Lord Gallius could not help but close his eyes as he did not want to see Alex''s death.


    "Alex, out of all the things that you could do, you chose to offend the most volatile person here? Are you really out of it already?"

 Chapter 42 Bold claims and plans

    The only thing that Lord Gallius could do was to stare at Alex with disbelief as Alex and Alina looked at Lord Ergo intently.


    Lord Ergo, who was under their stares, could only tilt his/her head as he/she said,


    "What the hell is going on here?"


    Lord Ergo''s voice sounded the same as usual, although someone like Lord Gallius could detect a hint of murderous intent lingering in his/her voice.


    "¡­."


    Alex, who was the focus of this simple question, only let out a smile as he said,


    "Oh, I am just here to say hello. Is there anything wrong with that?"


    "Nothing is wrong with that, young one." Lord Ergo replied, with him/her slowly approaching Alex.


    Alex tried not to walk backward, but it was quite obvious that he was a little peachy as Lord Ergo approached him.


    "However, I do not like your attitude." Lord Ergo breathed out as literal mist came out of his/her mask. "I think you should die already."


    Lord Gallius, the girl beside Lord Ergo, the afro guy, and Alina all jumped out of the way as they tried to avoid the mist.


    As for Alex, he was a step too late as the mist had a little contact with his skin.


    "Ugh!" Alex exclaimed as the part of his skin that was hit by the mist began to turn red and full of blisters.


    Lord Gallius winced when he saw what was happening. Lord Gallius had no idea on what Lord Ergo''s power was, but he knew that this mist was one of Lord Ergo''s method of executing anyone who annoys him.


    Seeing it used on Alex will not be a pretty sight for him.


    "Tsk, if you could have just closed your mouth, then we could have been friends." Lord Gallius thought to himself as he imagined Alex dying in front of him. "Well, at least with your death now, I will still have a chance to woo Alina."


    As Lord Gallius thought of this, he casted a discreet glance in Alina''s direction, as he tried to gauge how sad Alina was looking right now.


    But to Lord Gallius'' surprise, he saw that in terms of body language, Alina seemed to be unfazed with what was happening to Alex.


    "How could this be?" Lord Gallius thought to himself as he looked at Alina intently. "Even I could see that Alina and Alex has some feelings for each other¡­ But then why is Alina not worried for Alex at all? Does she actually have no feelings for him? Or maybe¡­"


    Lord Gallius perked up as an unbelievable notion crossed on his mind.


    "Maybe they are planning something right now!"


    The more that Lord Gallius thought about it, the more sure he became.


    However, instead of being happy and impressed, Lord Gallius became irritated and angry as he realized what they were doing.


    "Hmph, you two are risking everything right now!" Lord Gallius thought sourly as he decided to sink himself further into the background. "Well, if you two fail, I will make sure that I will not be implicated with it!"


    At that point, Lord Gallius decided to leave the room, as he knew that the next set of events would not be pretty.


    ****************


    "Tell me, why should I not be killing you right now?" Lord Ergo said as more mist came out of his mask. "I heard good things about you, so I do not want to just see you dead. Although technically speaking, you will still end up dead on my hands."


    "Hahaha¡­" Even though Alex look pained because of the mist, he still managed to wear a cocky smile on his face as he sent a grin towards Lord Ergo.


    "Even if you want to kill me, you actually dare not to, since you need my help." Alex replied as he shook off the mist clinging to him.


    "You have a big problem right now, and I think that your only hope is me, right?"


    "¡­.."


    "¡­.."


    "Don''t try to test my patience, young one." Lord Ergo replied as his/her cloak billowed around him. "You are rambling the words of an insane person. Perhaps I should end you now to relieve your mind from your agony."


    "Oh really?"Even at the face of a threat, Alex seemed to not be perturbed as he continued smiling at Lord Ergo.


    "If you really want me dead, then with your power, you should have done so by now." Alex replied as stood up more confidently than before.


    "When you arrived 15 minutes earlier, you have all the time available to kill me¡­ But instead of doing that, you did not use your ability to attack me¡­ Hell, you even allowed me to stay here!"


    "And in case you could not see it, I am particularly close with Alina, who is your so-called ''property''."Alex said with his voice sounding out like he is mocking Lord Ergo.


    "I heard that you do not like others playing with your properties¡­. If that was really the case, I really should have been dead by now. But just like what I said earlier, here I am still alive and kicking."


    "..."


    Everyone in the room went still as they heard what Alex said.


    Lord Gallius, who was about to leave the room at that time, froze on his position as he held the door handle.


    The silence in the room was painful and full, as if something was about to overflow from it.


    "You think that me, Lord Ergo, would want a help from someone like you?" The whole room, no, the whole building started to tremble greatly as Lord Ergo seemed to grow larger.


    "Well, there is a first in everything." Alex replied coolly as he let out a relaxed sigh. "Well, if you really do not need my help, then you are free to kill me now. If you want, I can even assist you!"


    "F**k!" This was the first time that they heard Lord Ergo cursing, and it certainly was fitting in their current situation.


    "Boom!" Before everyone could react, Lord Ergo made a move as he suddenlygrabbed both Alina and Alex.


    With a sound comparable to an explosion, Lord Ergo flew out of the room, bringing the hapless Alex and Alina with him. As for the fragment of the World Diagram and the girl beside him/her, Lord Ergo did not forget to bring them too.


    "¡­.."


    A car-sized hole was formed in the roof, whiched to generous amounts of earth and soil pouring down into the room.


    "Sigh, and there Lord Ergo goes again." The afro guy said as he waved his hand.


    The downpour of the soil stopped, as if there was something blocking the hole.


    "This place is situated underground, and the first thing that Lord Ergo did was to fly out?" The afro guy seemed to be more amused that angry as he shook his head wryly. "Really, this is the first time that I see someone leaving this place by flying through the soil¡­"


    The afro guy let out a sigh as he clicked his hands, and seconds later, his secretary entered the room.


    The secretary did not even blink when she saw the devastation that the room was in. She only looked at the afro guy''s direction as she waited for his command.


    "Bring me the fastest airship there is. I need to follow Lord Ergo." The afro guy sullenly said as he opened the door which Lord Gallius failed to do so.


    The afro guy''s secretary just followed him calmly as he left the room.


    As for Lord Gallius, who still looked stunned from what just happened, he decided to follow the afro guy too.


    "Mr. President¡­" Lord Gallius hesitantly said as he saw the afro guy''s confident demeanor. "Are you really following Lord Ergo? Wouldn''t it be better if we just..."


    "It seems like you do not understand the underlying danger right now, Lord Gallius." The afro guy snapped as he wheeled around to face Lord Gallius.


    "You just heard what that Alex said earlier. Lord Ergo is in dire need of help, and that he needs Alex''s help to do it." The afro guy said as his hair started to frizzle out.


    "If someone like Lord Ergo needs help, then I think his problem will certainly a big one." At this point, Lord Gallius could swear the he saw the light of ambition flashing on the afro guy''s eyes.


    "Surely Mr. President, you are not planning to¡­" Lord Gallius let his question trail as he hesitated on what he was about to say.


    "You can see the desperation in Lord Ergo''s actions earlier." The afro guy said as he tired to stifle his laugh.


    "Not only that, but you can see how Lord Ergo hastily brought Alex away from this place. That just means that Lord Ergo''s problem is much bigger than what we could imagine." The afro guy''s body trembled only for a second before he concluded his words.


    "That just means that if we can time it well, then we can use Lord Ergo''s problem to our advantage!"


    "But-" Lord Gallius reply was cut off as the afro guy glared at him.


    "You will not say anything that can deter me!" The afro guy said as he grabbed Lord Gallius'' arm tightly. Waaay too tightly.


    The afro guy then leaned his face towards the cowering Lord Gallius as he slowly said, "Lord Gallius, let me give you two choices right now. You will either join me, or you will die running away from me."


    "Gulp." Even with his power, Lord Gallius felt weak in front of the afro guy. It was as if the afro guy was a wall of indomitable power that nobody can topple.


    "So, will you join me or not?" The afro guy said as he gave Lord Gallius a smile that was also not a smile. "This could be our chance for a new world! A world free from control! Isn''t that what you and some of your allies wanted from the beginning?"


    After hearing what the afro guy said, Lord Gallius realized that he was once again, back in a losing situation.


    "I don''t have any choice, do I?" Lord Gallius said as he slouched his body forward.


    "From the very start, you don''t have any choice already." The afro guy''s face shone as the light of the arriving airship silhouetted his face.


    It looked both terrifying and enchanting,something that Lord Gallius would never want to see again.


    "All of us never had a choice to begin with."

 Chapter 43 Thank You

    Both Alex and Alina stayed still as they flew across the air.


    Of course it was not them doing the flying, but Lord Ergo who was bringing them with him/her.


    The winds that should have blown off Alex and Alina away were all blocked personally by Lord Ergo.


    As for Lord Ergo, he/she did not say anything as they flew across the sky.


    "¡­" Alex looked at his surroundings in vigilance, as if he was expecting something that will jump out at him.


    Seeing that they seem to be safe, Alex tried to see if he can speak.


    As it turns out, the area of 1 meter around Lord Ergo seems to be normal. It was unaffected even if Lord Ergo was currently flying at speeds faster than the speed of sound.


    This just means that Alex was free to speak, which Alex decided to do.


    "So, are you going to tell me your real problems already?" Alex inquired as he looked at Alina.


    "When you gave me the plan earlier, I could not believe that Lord Ergo will need my help. But from the looks of it, he really needed my help¡­."


    "Well, you really can help Lord Ergo..." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. She looked somewhat sullen, as if her confession made her remember some bad memories.


    "Well, first things first¡­" Alex replied as he looked at the woman beside Lord Ergo. "This woman beside Lord Ergo, she''s not really your sister, right?"


    "No, she is not." Alina replied quickly as she looked at the woman who looked like her sister. "Brother, you can undo your transformation now."


    "Ugh, at least I can undo this form now!" The woman exclaimed as her skin started to warp in front of Alex.


    After just 5 seconds of waiting, the woman changed appearance, as she became a man of hulking proportions.


    The sheer contrast between their imagery managed to throw Alex of the loop.


    "Thank you for always transforming in my sister''s image¡­" Alina said as she sent the hulking guy a grateful look. "I always appreciate what you did."


    "Well, I am your sister''s husband, so I guess I should do my job to protect her too." The hulking guy said as he rubbed the back of his head. "We all have it hard, right?"


    "Exactly¡­"


    Before Alina could say something more, the hulking guy that she was talking with suddenly looked at Alex''s direction.


    "Oh, so you are the guy that captured my sister-in-law''s heart huh." The hulking guy seemed to be not hostile as he shook Alex''s hand. "I''m Ricardo. It''s nice to meet you."


    "¡­ What did I just see?" Alex mumbled to himself as he gave Ricardo an unbelieving look.


    The woman, who looked like Alina''s sister, suddenly changed appearance to become this muscular guy named Ricardo.


    Even if Alex had suspected that the woman earlier was not the real version of Alina''s sister, Alex certainly did not expect that this woman was actually a man!


    "Let me introduce you to him." Alina said as she pointed her fingers at Ricardo''s direction.


    "This guy right here is Ricardo, who is my sister''s husband. He also has the Esper Ability to perfectly manipulate his whole body all the way to the quantum level. That was what allowed him to change his appearance, just like what you saw earlier."


    "Ok¡­" Alex''s words trailed as he tried to understand what was happening. "So this guy, who is your sister''s husband, has been using his ability to pretend that he was your sister. But¡­ why is he doing it?"


    After hearing Alex''s question, Alina let out a sigh as she slowly said,


    "It is because my sister is not really captured by Lord Ergo. Rather, the truth was that Lord Ergo was someone created by my sister''s actions, and now, both Lord Ergo and my sister occupy the same body."


    "¡­Wow, that is something that I find hard to fathom." Alex said after a few minutes of silence. He glanced at the direction of Lord Ergo, who was surprisingly still quiet.


    "Pardon me, but I need more explanation." Alex apologetically said as he tilted his head. "What you said earlier just lacks the right context."


    "Fine." Alina replied as she removed her mask.


    Her beautiful and enchanting face were once revealed to Alex, and Alex tried to not get dazed as he listened to what Alina was about to say.


    "My sister was once the Strongest Esper in the world." Alina said as she let out a sigh. "Her Strong Space Manipulation was already enough to defeat any of her opponent. One can even say that she is unstoppable in this world already."


    "Except for the fact that the World Diagram is restricting every Star Esper that there is." Alex interjected as he stared above him.


    "Yes, the World Diagram." Alina''s face started to seethe as she clenched her fists tightly. "Because of my feeble strength before, I had no idea about the truth of the World Diagram. But even if I am ignorant of the truth, there is something that my sister did that made me realize that the World Diagram is not the saint that it was purported to be."


    "This thing that your sister did with the World Diagram¡­ was it the reason that your sister accidentally created Lord Ergo?" Alex asked as he started to feel that Alina''s story was reaching its climax. "Did your sister try to destroy it?"


    "No." Alina''s voice was cold as she gave a grim reply. "What she did was worse than that."


    "...¡­"


    "Alex, do you know what happened to the first Star Esper after he took control of the World Diagram?" Alina said after a few seconds of silence.


    "I know, Lord Gallius told it to me." Alex replied quickly.


    "After taking control of the World Diagram, the first Star Esper transcended to the Real World, leaving the World Diagram here on auto-pilot mode." Alex said as he felt some bitter taste in his mouth.


    "The World Diagram was left here in order to prevent anyone else from transcending. Not only that, but the World Diagram was also split into two for some reason that is unknown. These two halves were then traditionally passed down to the current WEO President and the current strongest Esper."


    Alina nodded as she heard what Alex said. She then stayed silent, as if she was trying to gauge what to say next.


    "..."


    ********************


    Alex had to wait for a few more minutes before Alina started to talk again.


    However, when Alina started to talk, Alex realized that maybe Alina should have not spoken at all.


    "My sister¡­ she tried to fuse with half of the World Diagram¡­" Alina slowly said as she unclenched her fists.


    "!!!!" Alex was not sure was to say, as he found himself speechless from what he heard. Can a person even do something like that?


    "Since my sister was the strongest Esper at her time, she naturally had the right to hold half of the World Diagram." Alina monotonously said as she gripped her mask tightly. "Nobody at her time had the strength to stop her."


    "Ok, so your sister had half of the World Diagram with her before." Alex said as he rubbed his forehead. "Then she tried to fuse with it?"


    "Yeah, that is what she did." Alina replied as she took a deep breath. "If you remember what Lord Gallius told you earlier, the World Diagram is basically a program that manages the whole Esper World. Not only that, but it also had been maliciously manipulated to prevent anyone from transcending."


    "I remember that." Alex replied as his blood began to turn cold. "So, when your sister got her portion of the World Diagram, she must have been angered by its power?"


    "That is my theory, yes." Alina replied sullenly.


    "...¡­"


    "My sister¡­. she was someone who loves to get stronger¡­" Alina said as she let out a slight smile. That smile however disappeared when she continued talking. "She must have been devastated when she discovered that there is no way for her to transcend because of the World Diagram."


    "And when my sister saw the control that the World Diagram had over the whole world, she must have thought that she can get stronger if she fuses with the World Diagram¡­" Alina could only shake her head at that time as she bit her lips tightly.


    "So as an act of desperation, my sister used her Strong Space Manipulation to forcefully combine the space of her mind with the space where the codes of the World Diagram reside." Alina breathed out as her eyes narrowed in hurt, anger and resignation.


    "And just like what a normal person could expect, my sister''s attempt failed miserably." Alina said as Ricardo looked down sadly at his feet.


    "My sister was able to combine her mind with the codes of the half of the World Diagram¡­ but in doing so, her attempt did something to the portion of the World Diagram that she fused with."


    "Let me guess¡­ It gained sentience right?" Alex muttered as he stared at the quiet Lord Ergo. "And this sentience gave birth to Lord Ergo, right?"


    "¡­You are right. Impressive as always." Alina replied although she did not sound that interested.


    "I do not know how, but my sister''s power was able to give consciousness and personality to the portion of the World Diagram that she fused with. This new consciousness eventually grew to become Lord Ergo¡­"


    At this point, Alex already understood Alina''s situation.


    Since Alina''s sister fused her mind with the codes of the World Diagram, the World Diagram can have access and control of her mind, and essentially, her body.


    If the World Diagram has no sentience, and this should be the case, then there is no problem at all for Alina''s sister.


    However, the codes of the World Diagram did gain sentience, which spelled danger for Alina''s sister.


    The sentient program, who named itself Lord Ergo, must have occupied the mind of Alina''s sister in an attempt to take control of her body.


    Naturally, Alina''s sister will fight back, and this led to an excruciating situation where one body was occupied by two extremely conflicting minds.


    If Alex was right, Alina''s sister was a female, and Lord Ergo must be mentally a male.


    With them occupying one body, both of their genders will manifest in that one body too.


    This led to the other people getting confused regarding Lord Ergo''s gender.


    Not only that, but the back and forth battle between two sets of consciousness naturally resulted into Alina''s sister degrading into a cycle of insanity.


    There could have been moments that it was Alina''s sister with the control of her body, and there''s also moments where it was Lord Ergo with the control of her body.


    And from the looks of it, it was Lord Ergo that was taking control of the body most of the times.


    "So, because of your sister''s difficult situation, you have decided to just introduce Lord Ergo as an entirely new person?" Alex inquired as he shook his head.


    "I have to do it." Alina replied firmly. "I cannot allow anyone to know about what my sister did, especially the afro guy."


    "So, you spun a lie that your sister was defeated by Lord Ergo and that she was captured by him. You then made your brother-in-law to disguise as your sister in order to perfect the lie. As for you, you allowed yourself to be enslaved by Lord Ergo so that you can stay close to him to monitor your sister."Alex summarized his thoughts as he was able to unravel the scheme that Alina made.


    "That exactly is the con that I pulled off¡­" Alina said as she gave Alex a hard look.


    "Alina¡­"


    "I did all those things to buy my sister time¡­ I want to find a way to heal her. I want to remove her current affliction." Alina said with agony in her features. "At first, I thought that we had to keep on this con forever¡­ But your arrival here gave me the ray of hope that I have been waiting for."


    "I¡­" Alex paused as he saw the look of hope and desperation in Alina''s eyes. Alex knew that if he said the wrong words here, Alina will have her heart shattered into pieces.


    Even if Alex was the most heartless person in the world, there is no way that he can allow Alina to be hurt that badly.


    "Of course I can help your sister!" Alex boasted as he puffed out his chest. "As long as we arrive at our destination, then we can start the operation!"


    "...¡­."


    Alex could only clench his fists tightly as he hid the guilt on his features.This seemed to be a success, as Alina gave Alex a dazzling smile that lit up her face.


    "Thank you, Alex."

 Chapter 44 Its all Character Descriptions

    [Alex]


    ---Traveler---


    ---Tier 150 Esper---


    ---The one who dodged death---


    ---The guy that can decapitate you while your eyes are burning from heat---


    A young male that should have died of hypothermia. Was able to avert death by being converted into a Traveler.


    Much was not known about his past life, although it is easy to infer from his statements that he had a pretty colorful and rough childhood, which was exemplified by his somewhat abnormal set of skills that nobody with a normal life should have.


    His alignment appears to be on the neutral side, although it was shown that his alignment will change depending on the situation around him.


    He currently has a playful interaction with his Guide Asteria, and budding feelings for his newly instated Companion Alina.


    He currently has the ability to freely manipulate Electromagnetic Waves.


    Only has 7 days of lifespan left.


    [Asteria]


    ---Guide---


    ---Fairy Queen---


    ---Honey Addict---


    ---Useless Little Bugger---


    ---Alina''s Unofficial Pet---


    Her past life is unknown, though one of her statements stated that she was a descendant of a Traveler named Solomon.


    She was Alex''s Guide, and she was doing her job on guiding Alex rather well, although her interactions with him are of a different matter.


    Her rash and sometimes explosive behavior caused minor inconveniences to Alex, which she seems to be taking pleasure on doing so.


    High possibility of a hidden mental trauma which she projects through her loose attitude and uncouth language.


    Showed signs of attraction on both Alex and Alina, indicating the possibility of a bisexual orientation.


    She treats Alex as the Traveler, and she treats Alina as her ''hooman''.


    Full extent of power is unknown, but she was shown to have the skills on deceiving others with the use of her Fairy Dust.


    Her weaknesses are unknown and its hard to know if she can even be killed.


    [Alina]


    ---Companion---


    ----Tier 999+ Esper---


    ---Brooding Swordswoman---


    ---Nom nom nom---


    Initially appeared as a masked swordswoman with the intent to kill Alex.


    Later interactions showed that Alina was just a victim of large problems that she had not control on.


    Reasons for wearing for mask was unknown, although the possibility of using it to shield her emotions from showing is the most viable reason.


    Has some budding feelings for Alex which she tries to hide.


    Likes to pet Asteria, and she considers Asteria as her pet cat.


    Has the ability to weakly manipulate space, which allows her to create minor distortions in space which she uses as her weapons.


    [Elizabeth/Lord Ergo]


    ---Strongest Esper---


    ---The obligatory damsel in distress--- (Although it was her fault that she got in trouble¡­)


    Alina''s sister, and is the strongest Esper in her time.


    Her pursuit for power made her desperate to transcend, and the fact that the World Diagram is restricting them did not help matters.


    She forced herself to fuse with half of the World Diagram, which resulted to the birth of Lord Ergo.


    Currently experiencing extreme case of mental interferences from her own self.


    Has no possible way to recover, and Alina reckons only Alex can truly help Elizabeth out.


    Has the power to manipulate space on her whim, resulting in some powerful and interesting effects.


    [Lord Gallius]


    ---Star Esper---


    ---The obligatory rival guy--- (Although the rivalry was only short lived)


    A Star Esper with obvious affection towards Alina.


    This affection resulted in a feud between him and Alex, which led to his defeat.


    It was revealed that he was involved in resisting against a major conspiracy against the Star Espers.


    Has the ability to manipulate vibrations of anything in his Range.


    [Clint]


    ---Star Esper---


    ---Mad Jackal---


    ---He''s the kind uncle, that''s it---


    Alex''s mentor in the Esper World, and he was also Alina''s foster uncle.


    He has a lovely but sadistic wife, a lovely but possibly sadistic daughter, and a quiet and withdrawn son.


    Currently leader of a gang in the Dragon Esper City.


    Has the ability to manipulate all the Four Fundamental Forces of the Universe: Gravitational Force, Electromagnetic Force, Weak Nuclear Force, and Strong Nuclear Force.


    [WEO President]


    ---Unknown Esper Level---


    ---Extremely ambitious guy---


    ---He is the Afro Guy---


    Holder of the other half of the World Diagram.


    Current abilities were unknown, although some glimpses of it has been seen already.


    Cleary wary of Lord Ergo, and will do his very best to eliminate him if it is possible.


    [Ricardo]


    ---Tier Esper---


    ---The poor guy that was abandoned by his wife to fuse with a computer program--- (Man, that''s got to suck. It''s like a cyber cuckoldery.)


    He has the ability to manipulate his body down to the quantum level.


    Used this ability to pretend that he was his wife to prevent the truth from spilling out.


    [Old Man]


    ---Obligatory grandpa--- (But he only became a grandpa for like one chapter, so maybe he really is not a grandpa? Ugh whatever, this is confusing me)


    He is the one who turned Alex into a Traveler.


    Basing on the small snippets told by Asteria, the Old Man seems to be an extremely powerful Traveler.


    Current abilities were unknown, although he was able to stop things from moving at his first meeting with Alex.

 Chapter 45 A Reunion should always be this Fun

    "Umm¡­ so where are we going anyway?" Alex asked with a nervous tinge on his voice.


    His conversation with Alina had them feeling slightly embarrassed, and the fact that Ricardo heard all of it just made it worse.


    "I actually do not know¡­" Alina said as she glared at Ricardo. "After all, my plan depended on waking my sister up. What happens after that depends on her already."


    "I see. So does that mean that the one fetching us now is your sister Elizabeth and not Lord Ergo?" Alex asked as he gave a trepidated look at Lord Ergo. "Because I would not want to meet Lord Ergo this time around."


    "I am sure that right now, we are talking to my sister." Alina said as she gave a sad look at Lord Ergo. "After all, its only my sister who wants to get healed and not Lord Ergo. If the one in front of us is really Lord Ergo, then we should have been dead by now. But we are still alive, so I am sure that it is my sister in front of me."


    "¡­." Alex chose not to say anything as he saw Elizabeth''s condition. Even if what Alina said was the truth, Alex could still see that Alina''s sister was still suffering even if she currently has the control of Lord Ergo''s body.


    However, Alex knew that that should be the least of his worries.


    "How long can your sister take control of her body?" Alex asked, immediately disliking the way his question had sounded. "Will it be¡­. enough before the crazy Lord Ergo resurfaces?"


    "I¡­ actually do not know." Alina replied as her face looked slightly pale. "I can only hope that my sister will bring us to a safe place already, and it will be there that you can start helping her¡­"


    "Wait a minute..." Alex narrowed his eyes as he realized that there was something peculiar about their situation. "If your sister wants to get healed, then why would she spare the effort to bring us to a secluded place? Couldn''t she just, you know, bring us to a nearby house? At least that will save us time¡­"


    "Even if my sister wanted to get healed, there is no way that she will make it happen on an unsecured place." Alina snapped in reply. "After all, there is someone that will take surely attack us once my sister gets her treatment."


    "Someone will attack us?" Alex''s mouth set itself on a thin line as he realized that they are still in dangerous waters.


    "Is it Lord Gallius? I never really liked that guy. If he is aiming for you, then maybe he is aiming for you sister too-" Alex''s musings were cut off as Alina said,


    "No, the one who will surely attack us is the afro guy, more commonly known as the WEO President." Alina said as she clenched her fists tightly.


    "Are you sure about that?" Alex inquired as he remembered his interaction with the afro guy. "Sure, that guy looks like a creep, but I feel like he will not do something as brazen as this."


    "That is because you cannot detect his lies." Alina angrily replied as she crossed her arms in front of her chest. "Whenever I talk to him, I always ask him if he has some nefarious plans against Lord Ergo. His answer is always the same, that he is a friend and an ally of Lord Ergo. But I know for a fact that those are just pure lies! And from the looks of it, my sister and Lord Ergo are both aware of this animosity too. That most probably is the reason that she hastily brought us away from the afro guy."


    "That¡­ is greatly worrying indeed." Alex replied as rubbed the temples of his head. "So you think the afro guy is chasing us right now?"


    "That is most likely the case." Ricardo said as he touched Lord Ergo''s shoulder. "I saw the glint in the afro guy''s eyes when we were dragged away by Elizabeth. That glint only appears on someone concocting a plan."


    "In my opinion, the afro guy will most likely be riding in an extremely fast airship in order to tail us." Alina interjected as she looked behind them. "It may not be near us now, but I am sure that sooner it will be hot on our trails already."


    "So¡­ are we just going to do nothing but stay here?" Alex inquired as he saw the grim looks on Alina and Ricardo. "Are we just going to let ourselves get followed?"


    "Oh, do not worry about that Alex. I can stop that afro guy for you." Alex jumped up as he heard someone taking behind him.


    Alex looked back, and he saw a tattooed person giving him a large grin.


    "Master!" Alex exclaimed as he saw Clint in front of him. "How and why are you here?"


    "Well, Ricardo contacted me earlier, just after Elizabeth brought you away." Clint replied as he used a toothpick to pick of some scraps of food in his teeth. "He told me the possibility of the afro guy chasing you two, so I decided to help you out."


    "As for how I came here¡­" Clint let out another savage grin as he said,


    "You can say I catapulted my self by redistributing the gravity around me. It''s a pretty handy way to travel. Of course my wife is not happy about me doing it¡­"


    "Oh thank goodness." Alex thought to himself as he started to feel relieved. Alex knew how powerful his master was, and with Alina''s statement earlier, his master was most probably the second strongest Esper in the world!


    With that kind of power, Alex was confident that his master can stop that afro guy from following them.


    "Don''t feel that complacent Alex." Clint said as he saw the relieved look on Alex''s face. "Even though the afro guy is not in the top 10 ranks of strongest Espers, I am sure that he will be a difficult foe to face."


    "How can that be?" Alex asked as he tilted his head. "If the afro guy is not in the top 10 rankings, then how could he be dangerous to you?"


    "We suspect that just like my sister, the afro guy must have attempted to fuse himself with the other half of the World Diagram too." Alina said with a grimace on her face. "And it our suspicions were right, then that just means that the afro guy chasing us now has the power of half of the World Diagram."


    "But that''s¡­ impossible." Alex said as he gave a hasty glance at Lord Ergo. "If your sister, who is the strongest Esper, tried to fuse with the World Diagram and failed, how could someone like the afro guy even succeed?"


    "I don''t know too." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "But I have a feeling that the afro guy really succeeded on where my sister failed. And mind you, all my feelings are always spot on."


    "Just like your romantic feelings for Alex, hmm?" Of course this will be the time that Asteria will wake up, and the first sentence that she said were always typical of her. "It seems like your love for Alex trumps over your obligation as my hooman."


    Asteria then flew towards Alina''s lap, curling herself like a cat there as she said,


    "Come hooman, pet me now."


    "¡­" Of course Alina did not do anything, as Ricardo and Clint were nearby. They cannot just see Alina petting some invisible fairy.


    "Hmph!" Asteria sourly said as she saw Alina not budging at all. "Later then!"


    "....."


    *******************


    "You two just left hours earlier, and yet you already got yourself in this situation? You two really are meant for each other." Clint said as he looked at the blushing Alina and Alex. "Hehehe, when can I see your little kids?"


    "Uncle!"


    "Master!"


    "Ok, ok, I am just joking in here." Clint said as he raised his arms in surrender. His words might sound apologetic, but his expression certainly did not.


    "If you are done joking in here, then maybe we should start on preparing for the afro guy." Ricardo said as he looked behind them. "With my advanced hearing, I could hear a noisy vehicle approaching us. Judging from the frequency of the sound waves. I can say that a very fast airship is following us."


    "So he really did come huh." Clint said as he licked his lips. "Now its time for me to teach him a lesson."


    Out of all the people that he met, Clint greatly hated two people.


    One was Lord Ergo, since he was the one who tormented Elizabeth, who Clint considered as his best friend and a rival.


    The second one was the afro guy, since he was indirectly related towards the death of his first disciple.


    "Uncle¡­" Alina went pale as she saw the burning look in Clint''s eyes. "Don''t tell me that your real reason to be here is because of revenge?"


    "Revenge? Yes, that is one of my reasons." Clint said as their surroundings began to shift and seethe. "I did not seek to get that afro guy''s head before as he could possibly help your sister. But after the appearance of Alex, I realized that there is no way I can let him live."


    "But how about the restriction?" Alex interjected as Clint saw a worried look in his disciple''s eyes. "Won''t you violate it if you attacked the afro guy?"


    "My restriction only prevents me from transcending and from dealing with minor matters." Clint said as he glared at the approaching airship behind them. "As for our current situation right now, there is no way that this is just a minor matter. This a matter concerning the whole world, so I don''t think I will be restricted from joining in."


    "Well said, Clint" Ricardo said as he shifted his appearance back to his wife. "Be sure to kick his ass!"


    "That I will do." Clint declared as he accelerated towards the following airship. With his speed, it only took Clint some seconds to approach the airship.


    "Oi, you can come out and face me now." Clint taunted as he blocked the airship''s path. "It''s time for us to settle our scores!"


    "..."


    "..."


    It did not take that long before a voice could be heard coming from the airship.


    "So you really did come huh. You must have been itching for this moment for a very long time¡­"


    Clint bit his lips as he tried not to curse the afro guy inside the ship. He found this hard to do, as all he could do was to imagine the afro guy''s head blasted to pieces with his power.


    "You are the same as always, Aleksei." Clint said as he uttered the real name of the afro guy. "Always hiding in that ship of yours eh? No wonder your cousin left you to marry me. You are just that boring."


    "That was a low blow, but I can accept it." Aleksei replied as the door of the airship opened.


    Aleksei came out of it, with his afro hair swaying merrily across the air. His mouth was set into a thin line as he glared at Clint.


    "You want a fight? Then I shall give you a fight!" Aleksei declared as his arms dangled at his sides freely. "I could not wait to make you feel the pain that I felt when my only remaining family left me for your broke ass tattooed skin!"


    "Oh? It seems like you forgot what you did to my disciple." Clint said as his knuckles started to crack. "Maybe a few hits to your bludgeoned face later will make you remember."


    "Well, that depends if you can hit me." Aleksei then looked at the airship beside him as he said,


    "Lord Gallius, leave me here. There is no way that we can follow Lord Ergo, not with the Mad Jackal blocking us. So, you will be the one to follow them. As for me, I will follow you later. I still have some beef to deal with right now."


    "Yes, Mr. President!" Lord Gallius'' voice could be heard from inside the ship, which started to speed up.


    "Oh, no you don''t!" Clint shouted as he pointed his finger towards the leaving airship.


    "Boom!"


    Clint warped the gravitational well at the tip of his fingers, producing a horrifying suction force which proceeded to pull the airship towards Clint.


    "Oh, I cannot allow that to happen¡­" A flash of light swept by Clint, and before he could know it, his gravity well broke apart.


    The airship, that was supposed to be destroyed by Clint''s attack, found a moment of freedom which Lord Gallius did not waste.


    "Schum!"


    The airship burst into speed, hastily leaving Clint and a smirking Aleksei.


    Clint could only watch with narrowed eyes as the airship continued on following Lord Ergo''s entourage.


    "So, you were really hiding your abilities huh." Clint said as he cricked his neck. "This should be fun then."


    "Oh, you think if will be fun?" Aleksei smirked as he stretched his limbs. "Yes, it will be fun. Not for you, but certainly for me."


    "Bring it then." Clint said as an axe appeared in his hands. "I will have all the fun smashing your headless body later¡­"


    "We shall see about that." Aleksei shot back as a set of needles appeared in his hands. The needles were short, but Clint could see that they have unworldly levels of sharpness.


    "Have you experienced acupuncture before? If not, then prepare to experience one! Of course my acupuncture will not make you feel heaven, it will send you straight there!"

 Chapter 46 630 Trillion

    "You know that even if you try to stop me now, I will still have enough time to reach your friends¡­" Aleksei said as his afro hair started to sway freely in the air. "I can just defeat you right now, and then I will just proceed to follow them."


    "You could have the strength to defeat me¡­" Clint started to smile as he spread both of his arms to his side. "But do you have the TIME to catch up to them?"


    "Time? What do you mean by that?" Aleksei frowned as he suddenly felt that something was wrong around him.


    A few seconds passed by, and the frown on Aleksei''s face turned into a snarl as he realized what was happening.


    "You bastard! Are you dilating the time in our area right now?" Aleksei rarely looked angry, but this time, his rage was quite apparent. "Are you out of your mind? You really dared to dilate the time here just to let Lord Ergo get away?"


    "What if I did?" Clint looked a little pale, but he still stood upright as he gave Aleksei a sleazy grin. "I just did what I think is for the best!"


    "You bastard!"


    Aleksei had the every right to be angry as what Clint did was really irritating.


    Using his control over gravitational force, Clint increased the local gravity in the area around him and Aleksei.


    By doing this, the spacetime in their area became so bent that the time inside that area started to slow down compared to the time that Alex and Alina experiences.


    This phenomenon is called Gravitational Time Dilation, one of the consequences of the General Theory of Relativity.


    ****************


    In order to understand this phenomenon well, one must understand a consequence of the General Theory of Relativity.


    And that is that the speed of light is always be constant to any observers, no matter what happens to the environment around light.


    Let''s say there are two points in space, point A and point B.


    If light travels from point A to point B in normal conditions, the light will travel in a straight path, ensuring no problems with time.


    However, in an area with strong gravity, spacetime will be curved.


    Light passing through this curved spacetime will have to move a longer distance in order to travel from point A to point B.


    But since the speed of light is the same, the time traveled by the light must also be longer in order to match the longer distance traveled by the light.


    Thiscompensation naturally results in the slowing down of time in that area.


    **************


    "I thought that you are just a musclehead¡­ I never expected you to form an idea like this." Aleksei said as he rotated his limbs.


    "You are impressive too." Clint replied as he gazed at Aleksei intently.


    "This gravity field that I created, not only is this meant to slow down our time inside this field, this is also meant to crush you into a paste. However¡­" Clint narrowed his eyes as he glared at Aleksei. "It seems like you are unaffected even by the strong gravity in here."


    "Oh, so you noticed that huh." Aleksei seems to be unperturbed by Clint''s revelation as his eyes turned scarlet. "It seems like I cannot hide my real power from you anymore."


    "You¡­ you really did fuse with the World Diagram!" Clint declared as he observed Aleksei''s body. Aleksei''s body looked extremely fit, as if it had been imbued by the essence of the world.


    Aleksei also looked like he had a subtle control of things around him, something that had Clint feeling wary.


    Now, Clint could feel power welling out from Aleksei, which started to interfere with his own gravity field.


    From the looks of it, Aleksei''s body became so powerful that it was able to resist the strong gravity that should have been crushing him already.


    "How¡­ could you have survived fusing your mind with the World Diagram?" Clint asked as he saw Aleksei slowly approaching him. "That should have been extremely difficult to do!"


    "Fuse my mind with the World Diagram? Are you kidding? I am not that idiotic!!" Aleksei said as he clothes slowly disintegrated slowly, showing his perfectly lean muscular body.


    "Even a mind of a Star Esper would be not able to handle the strain of fusing the mind with the World Diagram. Even I would not attempt to do that."


    "But then how did you fuse with the World Diagram? Clint inquired as he saw Aleksei''s rippling body.


    It took Clint only a second to realize the answer.


    "You did not fuse the World Diagram with your mind¡­ you fused it with your body!"


    "You are right!" Aleksei declared as he showed off his powerful body "Since a mind fusion is dangerous for obvious reasons, I decided to just use my body as the fusion material with World Diagram."


    "¡­" Clint was silent and horrified as he tried to imagine how desperate Aleksei could be that he was forced to do something like this.


    "It was¡­ painful at first." Aleksei wistfully said as he seemed to remember some memories. "It took me some tries to fit it all inside me, but in the end, I managed to fit them all inside my body. Good times indeed."


    "Good times huh." Clint tried to ignore the way that Aleksei''s statement had sounded as he knew that his fight will be much harder than before.


    Clint was not sure on how Aleksei was able to fuse his body with the half of the World Diagram, but he can basically see that it was the truth.


    "This will be really bad¡­" Clint muttered to himself as he prepared himself for a large fight.


    Aside from locally strengthening the gravity around them, Clint also started to generate trillions of volts of electricity as he pocketed out some hollow metal spheres that he always carried with him.


    Clint weakly applied his ability on the hollow metal spheres, causing them to glow, indicating that they are seconds away from actually activating.


    Clint allowed Aleksei to see his set-up before freely taunting him.


    "If you really want to be free, then you need my permission to leave¡­ But since I would never allow that to happen, then you should do your best to defeat me!"


    "Defeat you? Heh, I will do more than that!" This is Aleksei''s reply to Clint as his body began to glow white.


    Clint started to tense as he knew that the fight starts now.


    "Boom!" Aleksei accelerated towards Clint as his body started to reach speeds that should not be reached by any kind of bodies before.


    Clint could barely believe it as he saw Aleksei''s glowing body almost in front of him already.


    Aleksei''s fist shot towards Clint, and the only thing that Clint could do was to use on of his metal sphers to block it.


    "Kaboom!"


    The hollow metal sphere that he used contained concentrated amounts of hydrogen inside it, and all that Clint did was to use weak and strong nuclear force to activate it.


    By using the Strong Nuclear Force, Clint was able to force the hydrogen atoms to smash together with each other, producing large amounts of unstable Helium atoms.


    As this process created an overabundance of protons, Clint then was able to use the Weak Nuclear Force to initiate beta decay on these unstable Helium atoms.


    With this beta decay, the unstable Helium atoms became stabilized.


    And in the process of doing this, massive amounts of energy and heat were produced, creating an explosion of energy that blasted in front of Aleksei.


    This process was basically a simplified version of the thermonuclear fusion, a process which powered the stars in space.


    Clint used its miniaturized version, as he knew that using the full version will be enough to destroy this world.


    There is a kilogram of hydrogen inside Clint''s metal sphere, which meant that the conversion from hydrogen to helium will produce around 630 trillion joules of energy, which Clint all purposely concentrated to explode on Aleksei.


    "Let''s see if you can survive that." Clint thought to himself as he saw Aleksei being covered with pure heat from the explosion.


    "Bzzt!" Clint then bombarded the area in front of him with countless lightning bolts just to make sure that Aleksei will be down.


    After seeing that he had bombarded the possibly dead Aleksei with enough lightning bolts to power the entire world for a month, Clint stopped as he waited to see Aleksei''s dead body.


    Clint''s attacks covered the whole area with smoke, something that Clint usually hated to see.


    With Clint''s scans covering the whole area, he could detect that there are no living beings near him, which could indicate that Alelksei was dead.


    But Clint knew how slimy Aleksei could be, so he thought that maybe Aleksei was just faking it.


    So, Clint had no choice but to use his vision in order to see where Aleksei was.


    However, the smoke that he created were interfering with his ability to look around him.


    "Damn smoke¡­" As such, Clint has no choice but to wait for the smoke to clear out before he can freely look around him.


    But Clint did not have to wait that long as a glowing hand suddenly reached out from the smoke, plunging itself on Clint''s left lung.


    "Pfft!" Clint let out a strangled cry as he felt his left lung deflating as a large hole appeared on it.


    Clint jumped backwards, allowing the glowing hand to slide off his chest.


    "Hah, hah, hah." Clint let out a wheeze as his left lung fully collapsed, only leaving his right lung functional.


    "Tsk, I tried to aim for the heart, but it seems like your damage to my body jarred my aim off." Clint heard these words as the owner of the glowing hand walked out of the smoke.


    The speaker was no other than Aleksei, and he looked very much alive.


    There are countless injuries on Aleksei''s body, with numerous gouges and deep wounds on his body, courtesy of the attacks that Clint placed on him.


    But even with these injuries, Aleksei seemed to be fine, evidenced by the way his body moved.


    This realization justserved to make Clint more dismayed as he realized that he must use greater firepower in order to win against Aleksei.


    "You must be wondering on how I survived that attack, right?" Aleksei mused as he let out a deep breath. "I''m sorry, but I won''t tell it to you. However, if you managed to damage me more later, then you will probably find it out for yourself."


    "In that case, I will just damage you more!"


    Clint then let out a shout as he used his power to gather all the hydrogen in that the could muster inside his Range.


    Clint was a 25 Star Esper, meaning that his Range covers the area 25 kilometers around him. That area was already enough for Alex to gather enough hydrogen to initiate a much powerful thermonuclear fusion.


    Aleksei seems to have sensed what Clint was doing, as all that he did was to spread his arms while saying,


    "Hahahaha! Come hit me more with your blasts! Let us see which one is stronger! My body or your attacks! Hahahaha! This really is fun!"


    "If you can learn to shut your mouth for a minute, then maybe you will have some friends." Clint then reached deep into his power, and after confirming that he had everything under control, he activated the fusion.


    "Booom!" The resulting explosion covered the sky with a glow so bright, anyone who saw it from below were temporarily blinded.


    Clint felt the superheated winds buffeting all around him as he watched for any signs of a sneak attack approaching him.


    "If you are still alive, then I dare you to come and approach me."


    ************************


    While Clint was having his fated match with Aleksei, Alex and Alina were having their own dilemma.


    Lord Ergo already arrived on his/her destination, with him/her setting down Alina and Alex on top of a small island located at the middle of the ocean.


    Lord Ergo then laid down on the ground as he/she looked at Alex quietly, as if he/she was saying,


    "Here, come heal me now before the crazy Lord Ergo comes out. If you don''t he will surely kill you."


    Of course Alex would gladly attempt to use the computer virus ball on Lord Ergo right now, but there was one thing that was bothering him.


    And that was the airship that was still following them earlier.


    With his scans, Alex knew that there is only one person inside the ship, and that person was Lord Gallius.


    "Tsk, and I thought this guy is on our side."


    Even though Alex was not sure what prompted Lord Gallius to ally with the afro guy, he knew that Lord Gallius must not be allowed to get near them as the process starts.


    Nothing must go wrong in the process, and someone following them with ill intentions was obviously one of the objects that must stay far away.


    "..."


    It did not take Alex that long to come to a decision, and frankly speaking, this decision is something that Alex was perfectly fine on doing.


    "Sorry Lord Gallius, but it seems like we have to chase a nuisance away." Alex said as he and Alina stood up, with their sights concentrated on the incoming airship. "Of course if the nuisance tries to fight back, then we will have no choice but to erase it."


    "After all, the usual solution to a problem is to make the problem disappear."

 Chapter 47 How painful can a bite be?

    Looking at the current situation, it might look like Alina and Alex have the advantage, since they have Lord Ergo with them.


    But that is not the case, since Lord Ergo would not be able to fight for them.


    Because of what Alina did earlier, Lord Ergo has no way to fight right now.


    According to Alina, because of the awakening of her sister, Lord Ergo was currently in stalemate situation.


    Both the minds of Lord Ergo and Elizabeth were struggling to take control of her body, which led to Lord Ergo currently unable to fight properly.


    Lord Ergo was only able to fly earlier because at that time, Elizabeth was still the dominant personality.


    But right now, both Elizabeth and Lord Ergo has equal control of her body, which led to the struggle that made her currently powerless.


    And from what Alex could understand from Alina''s words, it will still take around an hour before Lord Ergo can fight properly.


    But at that point, it was highly likely that it will be Lord Ergo that will have the control of the body.


    And of course Alex knew that once that happens, the first thing that Lord Ergo will do was to murder them all.


    Since that was the case, Alex was left with no choice but to administer the computer virus ball towards Lord Ergo right now.


    "Alina¡­" Alex muttered as he showed the virus ball that he was holding on earlier. "I will use the virus inside this ball to erase Lord Ergo inside your sister¡­ However, I am not sure on what will happen to your sister. Since her mind has fused with Lord Ergo already¡­ There is a chance that she will die."


    Alex was supposed to say ''high chance'', but he found it hard to say these words, so he tried to make his words as gentle as possible. "Even if your sister can possibly die here, do you still want to go on with this?"


    To the surprise of Alex, what Alina first did was to cup Alex''s face with her soft hands.


    Alina then brought her face closer to Alex, with her fragrant breath dancing all over his face.


    Alex could only stare at Alina''s mesmerizing eyes as his whole body froze on the spot.


    "I detected a little lie in your words, Alex." Alina said as Alex could see her luscious lips moving on their own. "But I understand that you were lying to make me feel better¡­"


    "Um.. um.." Alex stuttered as he found it extremely hard to focus right now. "So should I continue on treating your sister or not?"


    "Do it." Alina replied with her gaze were concentrated on Alex. "My sister¡­ she had already gone through far too much. Besides, I was able to converse with my sister earlier¡­ And she gave me the permission to allow you to treat her. So, you should have no qualms on what you were about to do."


    "Wait, you were able to talk to your sister?" Alex mused as he momentarily ignored the proximity between him and Alina. "How were you able to do that earlier?"


    To Alex''s surprise, Alina actually giggled a little. "That''s a little secret that you are not allowed to know¡­" Alina replied as her gaze at Alex softened.


    "Okay, I''ll do it then¡­" Alex took a deep breath as a determined expression appeared in his face.


    Since Alina and Elizabeth allowed him to do the treatment, Alex will still try his best to make sure that the treatment will be a success.


    Even if that meant facing Lord Gallius without any aid from Lord Ergo himself.


    "Thank you." Tears started to flow from Alina''s eyes, dripping down to her chin in generous quantities.


    Alex was again dazed as he found it hard to believe that something this beautiful could exist in front of him.


    Alina then brought her face closer to Alex, and before Alex could know it, he was already closing his eyes as he somewhat knew what will happen next.


    But before Alex could feel what he was expecting to feel, he suddenly felt pain in his nose which violently jolted him from his daze.


    "Ow!" Alex shouted in pain as he opened his eyes.


    With his eyes open, he saw Alina biting his nose with her perfect teeth.


    Even though Alex appreciated the view that he can see, he was obviously confused with what he saw.


    "...."


    "...."


    After 5 seconds of her biting Alex''s nose, Alina withdrew her head back, leaving Alex with a painfully throbbing nose.


    "What is that?" Alex inquired as he cupped his pained nose. "Why¡­ did you do that?"


    "Because I want to." Alina replied as she wiped the tears on her face.


    Alina also looked like she was slightly blushing, but she deftly covered it up by averting her gaze away from Alex.


    "Ok¡­ People have fetishes, so maybe nose biting is your fetish. Nom nom nom." Alex muttered as he massaged his nose with a smile in his face. "But frankly speaking, I actually liked what you did. Just don''t¡­ overdo it next time."


    "Ugh, did you two forget that I am here?" Ricardo, currently disguised as Elizabeth, mumbled in complaint as he leaned back against a tree nearby. "Tsk, youngsters these days¡­"


    "Alex, I thought my hooman will give you a kiss¡­ But it seems like your nose is more desirable than your lips." Asteria declared as she looked at Alex''s nose with curiosity. "Maybe she did not kiss you since your breath smells bad."


    "¡­."


    With the presence of Ricardo and Lord Ergo nearby, all that Alex and Alina could do was both blush red as they both swore to themselves to punish Asteria''s loud mouth later.


    "So, um¡­ can you administer it now?" Alina replied as she put her mask back on. "Time is running out, and the earlier we finish this the better it will be for all of us."


    "Oh right, here we go then." Alex hastily replied as he held the computer virus ball tightly.


    After a few seconds of waiting, a small hole suddenly appeared on top of the ball, which prompted Alex to make his action.


    He plunged the holed part of the ball on Lord Ergo''s forehead, making sure that no part of the hole was exposed to the outside air.


    "Grya!!!"


    An inhuman growl came out of Lord Ergo''s throat, promptly terrifying every living thing that lived 50 kilometers around them.


    Even Alex and Alina felt the same fear, and all that they could do was to gather strength in their legs as they tried to resist the fear.


    "Quick! Place the restraints!" Alex shouted towards Ricardo as Lord Ergo started to thrash all around the ground.


    "On it." Both Alina and Ricardo moved deftly as they produced thick steels of reinforced ropes which Alina brought earlier before they met up with Lord Ergo.


    Right now, Lord Ergo is unable to use any abilities, so Alex was perfectly fine on using ropes on Lord Ergo.


    Once the restraints were placed on the right spots, Alex, Alina and Ricardo all scooted backwards in order to see how Lord Ergo fared.


    "!!!" Aside from the still thrashing body, Lord Ergo''s eyes were also wide open, as if Lord Ergo was currently experiencing great pain.


    Alina, who saw what was happening, could only tremble in nervousness as she obviously wished for her sister to prevail.


    "It will be only up to your sister to survive this¡­" Alex mumbled as he tried patting Alina''s head to comfort her.


    This seems to be effective, as the tremblings on Alina''s body had reduced greatly.


    Alex was not sure how long the virus attack will last, but he knew for a fact that it will be at most 30 minutes.


    That means that Alex and Alina should protect Lord Ergo for a maximum of 30 minutes if they want Elizabeth to be treated properly.


    "But can we last 30 minutes against Lord Gallius?" Alex thought as he saw the airship that was not moving in its place anymore.


    Alex found out that even when he was administering the virus ball at Lord Ergo earlier, Lord Gallius did not make any move to stop them.


    Lord Gallius only stayed in the airship to watch the whole process from happening.


    This made Alex somewhat suspicious, as naturally Lord Gallius should have been attacking them already.


    Lord Gallius'' current actions makes it look like he was waiting for something to happen.


    "So the afro guy is actually right¡­" Alex''s body jolted as he heard Lord Gallius'' voice coming out of the airship. "Lord Ergo really did have a major problem¡­ and from the looks of it, he is being treated at this very moment¡­"


    "¡­ So that is why Lord Gallius did not attack immediately." Alex said as he let out a small laugh. "He wanted to see and confirm what the fuss was all about. And now that he saw it, there is nothing that can stop him now from attacking."


    Both Alex and Alina let out simultaneous sighs as they flew up towards the airship. Just one look at their faces makes it extremely clear that they are ready to fight.


    "So, you two dare to fight me huh." Lord Gallius'' said as he stepped out of the airship. "It''s about time I face the mettle of you two!"


    Lord Gallius''s body was strapped with armor and weapons that even Alex had no idea on what they were.


    His current demeanor was calm and composed, as if he already had a grasp of the situation.


    "Alex, you should know that this time, it is not a virtual match anymore." Lord Gallius said as he brought out a longsword, which looked way more dangerous than the longsword that Alex saw before. "If I cut you to pieces right now, you will stay that way forever."


    "Of course I know that." Alex replied as he cracked his knuckles. "But did you forget the fact that Alina is with me? There is no way that you can easily defeat us! So you just better leave right now!"


    "It a barely passable threat, something that I can just ignore." Lord Gallius nonchalantly said as he pointed his longsword towards Alex.


    "I do not know what Lord Ergo''s problem was, but I came here with the intent of cutting him down. Form what I can see, Lord Ergo has no way to fight back right now. That just means that I can kill him easily. And even if your reasons for helping Lord Ergo are compelling, I still cannot allow someone as crazy as him to live, especially when I have the chance to kill him right now."


    "I figured that you will say that." Alex replied as he and Alina held hands together. "If you are that serious, then I and Alina will be also serious on stopping you."


    "Heh, bring it on then." Lord Gallius replied as he purposefully ignored the PDA being displayed in front of him.


    "Don''t worry, we will give our best here." Alex said as he and Alina prepared their battle stances.


    Lord Gallius did the same too, with all three of them staring at each other, waiting for the first one to make a move.


    Their silent confrontation was mixed by Lord Ergo''s screams in the background, resulting in a somewhat tense and awkward face-off.


    "Boom!" It was Alina who made the first move, as she unleashed 25 Space Slashes towards Lord Gallius, who watched with wide eyes as the numerous Space Slashes arrived in front of him way too quickly.


    "I told you¡­." Alex muttered as the Space Slashes collided with Lord Ergo. "We will give our best here."

 Chapter 48 The Synthesizer

    Even though Lord Gallius was surprised by the speed of Alina''s attack, it seemed like he was not worried at all for himself.


    The air, no, the space all around Lord Gallius started to tremble, as if Lord Gallius was forcing the very fabric of space itself to vibrate.


    "As expected, he really can vibrate space itself." Alex thought to himself as he saw what Lord Gallius did. "Now that is just freaky."


    "This guy is not vibrating the space around him." Asteria suddenly interjected as she watched Lord Gallius casually brushing off the attacks on him.


    "This guy is vibrating the strings of the Universe itself." Asteria said with solemnity. "Heh, he must have some knowledge of string theory then."


    "!!!"


    **********


    In Alex''s world, there is a prevalent theory about the whole universe itself which is quite confusing, even for the modern scholars in Alex''s time.


    This theory is the String Theory.


    According to this theory, the whole universe is not made up of fundamental particles, but rather excitations of one-dimensional strings.


    The vibrations within these strings will determine what kind of particles will be present, which will also set the properties of a certain part of the universe.


    If Asteria said was right, then it seems like Lord Gallius has the ability to detect these dimensional strings and forcefully vibrate them on his whim!


    Of course Alex found it to be unbelievable, since String Theory is a controversial theory in his world and that much debate had already been done for it.


    There was also the fact that the string theory, quantum theory and the Theory of Relativity are not yet fully integrated with each other.


    For some abilities related to quantum theory and Theory of Relativity to exist is acceptable for Alex since some aspects for these two theories have already been proven.


    As for String Theory, most of its important aspects were still unproven up to this day. In fact, there are still no practical evidence that can prove its existence, although scientists were sure that the current experimental methods were only lacking the right materials to find the right evidences.


    Alex thought that since this theory is not yet proven, then there might be no Esper Ability in this world that can manipulate it.


    But from the looks of it, Lord Gallius actually had a way to access it for himself.


    "Oh this really is not good¡­" Alex thought to himself as he watched Lord Gallius giving them a wide smirk. "He can do a lot of bad stuff with that strings¡­"


    By following Einstein''s famous equation E = mc2, it is easy to assume that there will be a relationship between the frequency of the string''s vibration and the mass of the particle produced by the vibration.


    Lord Gallius must have been using these relationships for to his advantage, as he can just easily create countless fundamental particles with vibration alone, and he uses these particles as a way to defend himself and attack his enemies.


    **********************


    "What Lord Gallius did earlier was to produce gravitons from the string vibrations." Asteria said as she watched Lord Gallius'' movements with great interest.


    "These particles are said to carry gravitational force, and once they accumulate in massive numbers, they will be enough to create a gravitational force that can force any space-related attacks to get deflected." Asteria commented as she pointed above Lord Gallius'' head. "Honestly, this guy''s ingenuity is up to the peak of creativity."


    "I see." Alex thought to himself as he remembered that instead of hitting Lord Gallius, all the space slashes that Alina made all got deflected upwards, as if they were attracted to something in that location.


    From the looks of it, Lord Gallius had conjured gravitons above him to forcefully deflect Alina''s space slashes.


    Alex knew the difficulty of producing gravitons, as from what he knew, the very existence of gravitons themselves contradicts with the Theory of General Relativity, which states that gravity is a consequence of curved spacetime, and not by some kind of particle.


    For Lord Gallius to create something that contradicts a familiar conception of spacetime just proves on the power of his Esper Ability.


    "From the looks of it, it seems like you have already realized what I just did." Lord Gallius said as he looked at Alex and Alina with a calm look.


    "With my control of the string''s vibrations all around me, there is no way that your attacks can reach me. And as for my offense, I can just vibrate both your bodies right in front of me! Hehehehe, this is already my win!"


    "So instead of wasting your lives fighting me right now, you can just surrender so that you two can survive." Lord Gallius concluded as he seemed to be not in a rush. "Just take your time¡­"


    "¡­" Alex slowly narrowed his eyes, as he suddenly realized that something was weird with Lord Gallius right now.


    Even though Lord Gallius can just attack Alex and Alina already, he did not do it.


    Instead, he started to talk and taunt them like the usual villain on television shows.


    This is a very inefficient way to fight, as this will just allow Alex and Alina to find a way to win.


    "Tsk, so what if it is weird?" Alex thought to himself as he ignored the weirdness of the situation at the back of his mind. "What we should do now is to defeat Lord Gallius, and since Lord Gallius is giving us the chance to talk, then we shall gladly power ourselves up!"


    "Alina, let''s do it." Alex suddenly said as he tightened his hold on Alina''s hand. "This may be the first time that we do it, but I promise that I will be gentle."


    "But if we get too rough, our bodies might get broken!" Alina replied hastily as she shook her head quickly. "We still have not practiced doing this stuff, so I think we should take it slow."


    "Don''t worry, I trust you, and I know that you trust me." Alex said as he gazed at Alina with a soft look. "We¡­ can reach the peak together!"


    "Ok¡­" Alina replied as she took a deep breath. "Let''s do it here then!"


    "Hey, you two, what are you planning to do!" Lord Gallius shouted out after he heard what Alex and Alina just said. "I already gave you two the chance to surrender, and yet you still have the gall to copulate in this place? Tsk, how barbaric and shameless of you two!"


    "I did not say anything about copulation." Alex replied as his body began to glow red. "You are just misinterpreting our words."


    "Alex is right." Alina said as she began to glow blue. "It''s just your dirty mind that is a work here."


    "You two!" Aside from anger and exasperation, Lord Gallius also felt trepidation on what Alex and Alina was about to do.


    Right now, his danger sense was telling him that what Alex and Alina will do next must be stopped at all costs.


    But Lord Gallius was already too late, as Alex and Alina both shouted,


    "Power Synthesis, start!"


    "Boom!" Lord Gallius had to close his eyes as the glow covering Alex and Alina''s body intensified to extremely strong levels.


    Lord Gallius tried to attack them, but to his horror, he found out that even his vibration cannot penetrate through the glow.


    Because of that, Lord Gallius was left with no choice but to just wait until what Alex and Alina were doing was done.


    Aside from the bright glare, Lord Gallius could also hear shouts of pain coming from both Alina and Alex, as if they were experiencing an extremely gruesome thing right now.


    "..."


    It was at that moment that Lord Gallius saw Lord Ergo''s very vulnerable state.


    Seeing that Lord Ergo was currently defenseless right now, Lord Gallius started to have the thought of attacking him already.


    But before he could do so, the glow covering Alex and Alina shattered, showing Lord Gallius something that he had never seen before.


    Lord Gallius could see that both Alex and Alina looked just like before, with nothing changed in their external appearances.


    In terms of mental power and Esper Ability however, Lord Gallius felt that both Alex and Alina experience massive changes in these categories.


    With him being a Star Esper, Lord Gallius was able to see the flow of Mental Power in every Esper that he sees.


    He can still see both of Alex''s and Alina''s Mental Power right now, but what Lord Gallius saw made him greatly shocked.


    Instead of just existing strictly on their bodies, the Mental Power of Alex and Alina were currently fused together as one.


    Lord Gallius saw the combined Mental Power hovering on both Alina and Alex, as if this mental power came from just one individual.


    Not only that, but Lord Gallius also have the feeling that Alex and Alina''s Esper Abilities has changedafter what they did.


    "What the hell¡­ did you two just do?" Lord Gallius mumbled out as he stared at Alex and Alina with wariness. "You two seem so different now."


    "You want an answer, then I shall give you one right now!" Alex let out a laugh as he threw a light beam towards Lord Gallius.


    "Hmph, petty tricks again. I won''t fall for that anymore!" Lord Gallius once more created countless gravitons instantly in order to deflect the light beam.


    But the light beam ignored the pulling force from the gravitons as it struck Lord Gallius'' shoulder.


    "Ack!" Lord Gallius let out a shout of pain as he saw a massive wound forming in his shoulder.


    Lord Gallius looked at the blood leaking out of his wound as he muttered to himself,


    "This is extremely weird!"


    Lord Gallius knew that there is no way a light beam can just ignore the gravitational force placed on it.


    Not only that, but it was also pretty impossible for that light beam to create such a massive wound on his shoulder.


    Lord Gallius knew that using conventional explanation to explain what just happened will be hard.


    Because of that, Lord Gallius knew that there is only one reason that can explain what happened.


    And that is that Alex''s Esper Ability has somewhat changed.


    Not only that, but it seems like even Alina''s Esper Ability had changed too.


    "S**t, just what kind of change could have happened that allowed Alex''s paltry light beam to penetrate my defense?" Lord Gallius complained as he glared at Alex, who was giving him a smug smile right now.


    Blood was continuing to drip from Lord Gallius'' wounded shoulder as he looked at both Alex and Alina intently.


    "Ah, I get it now." Lord Gallius said after a minute of intense staredown.


    "This should be impossible, but it seems like you two have done it! Hahahaha!" Lord Gallius said as he started to laugh hard.


    Lord Gallius seemed to be full of mirth as he looked like he was going crazy from laughter.


    Alex and Alina only watched in silence as they waited for Lord Gallius to calm down.


    After a minute of nonstop laughing, Lord Gallius then started to wipe some tears away from his eyes as he said,


    "You two managed to fuse your Mental Power and your Esper Abilities, right?"

 Chapter 49 More Scientific Mumbo-Jumbo

    "Hmph!" Lord Gallius retreated backwards as he began to treat Alex and Alina with more caution. "If you aimed for my head earlier, I should have been dead already. Tell me, are you two holding back because you think that you two combined are already more powerful than me?"


    "That''s up for you to imagine." Alex replied as he tightened his hold on Alina''s hand. Alina responded in kind, as her fingers caressed the back of Alex''s hand.


    Alex suppressed a shiver as he tried to not show a delighted expression on his face.


    This seems to have succeeded, as Alina and Asteria did not see any hints of Alex being physically delighted right now.


    But aside from being delighted with Alina being touchy with him, Alex was also delightedfrom the fact that his first Power Synthesis with Alina succeeded.


    Attempting a Power Synthesis was an extremely rare and hard thing to do, since only a Traveler and his Companion can perform it.


    During a Power Synthesis, the Traveler and his Companion can, in a sense, ''fuse their power''.


    Of course it will not be just as simple as that.


    First of all, only one power from the Traveler and one power from the Companion can be fused at a time.


    This means that it is impossible to fuse two abilities from the Traveler with two abilities from its Companion.


    Second, the powers that will be fused must have at least the same origin.


    In Alex and Alina''s case, both of their powers were Esper Abilities, so there are no problems in fusing them.


    And this is what Alex and Alina did.


    They fused Alex''s EM Wave Manipulation and Alina''s Weak Space Manipulation in order to manifest a mutation in their Esper Abilities.


    But even if it looks like the Power Synthesis is a very powerful technique, there are some limiters that made Alex hesitant on using it today.


    One of this was its usage limit and the other one was the time limit.


    According to Asteria, Alex and Alina can only use the Power Synthesis once per mission.


    This means that if Alex uses the Power Synthesis today, he will be unable to use it in the Esper World anymore.


    Alex will have to wait until he is on a new world in order to use Power Synthesis again.


    As for the time limit, a Power Synthesis will only last for 10 minutes, which is considerably short.


    Another thing that must be noted was that any new ability gained during Power Synthesis will be temporary and will disappear once the Power Synthesis has finished.


    All of these conditions above shows that using a Power Synthesis is a big risk, since there''s no way to know what the combination of two different abilities will be.


    But Alex and Alina ignored these risks as they knew that with their current strength, their only way to win is to use Power Synthesis.


    ***************


    What Alex and Alina got after usingPower Synthesis was an entirely new ability which stemmed from the combination of the wave-particle duality of EM Waves and the alteration ability of Weak Space Manipulation.


    This new ability is called Quantum Property Manipulation, and just like what its name says, this ability grants its user the power of manipulate the quantum properties of certain objects.


    Alex''s attack which wounded Lord Gallius'' shoulder earlier was the result of this ability.


    Alex was able to have an attack this effective as he manipulated his attack to exhibit a phenomenon called Quantum Tunneling.


    **************


    In Quantum Tunneling, electrons will have the ability to pass through obstacles blocking its path, as if the electron was ''tunneling'' through the obstacles.


    This happens due to the dual nature of an electron as a particle and a wave.


    In Alex''s world, some experiments have already concluded that this phenomenon indeed exists, which led to some applications of this phenomenon in the scientific community.


    With Alex knowing the math and principles behind Quantum Tunneling, he vicariously applied this phenomenon on his light attack earlier.


    He adjusted the ''tunneling ability'' of his light attack in such a way that his light attack was able to pass through Lord Gallius'' defense.


    And once his light attack was inside Lord Gallius'' shoulder, Alex undid the quantum tunneling, which essentially materialized the light attack inside Lord Gallius'' shoulder.


    Naturally, this kind of move was able to greatly damage Lord Gallius'' shoulder.


    "Hehehe, seems like I really should just aim for the head." Alex muttered as he wiped the sweat away on his face.


    Forcing an electron to undergo quantum tunneling was easy,but forcing the same thing on a light beam was extremely taxing, which was made evident by the fact that Alex was feeling a little tired after doing what he did earlier.


    With a jolt, Alex realized that just like any other powerful techniques, he cannot just spam his Quantum Tunneling for a long time.


    But even with that limitation, Alex was sure that he had enough Mental Power left to make more attacks.


    After all, his Mental Power has changed too.


    ***********


    "Hmph, I do not know what you did to your attack earlier, but I am sure that you cannot just do that many times." Lord Gallius said as he was able to slow the blood flow from his injured shoulder. "You only have a Mental Power of 150, so sooner or later, your attacks will also stop. When that time comes, I will only have to watch for Miss Alina to protect myself."


    "That is a good analysis¡­" Alex muttered as Alina looked at the two of them with mirth. But, that will only apply if my Mental Power really is just 150 right now. However, that is where you are wrong!"


    Alex then unleashed 10 more light attacks from his palms, which managed to elicit strangled shouts from Lord Gallius himself.


    "Right now, my Mental Power is just the same as Alina''s." Alex muttered as he monitored Lord Gallius'' situation with an intense gaze. "Because of that, there is no way that I will just run out of Mental Power that quickly."


    "You bastard!"


    ***********************


    The reason for why Alex had the same Mental Power as Alina was because of the phenomenon called Quantum Entanglement.


    In this phenomenon, two separate particles will have the same exact properties, so much so that they are extremely identical with each other.


    Even when the two particles were far away from each other, both of them will still have the same properties.


    Not only that, but whatever the first particle experiences will also be experienced by the other particle at the same time.


    In short, particles under quantum entanglement will practically have a doppleganger.


    Alex and Alina applied this phenomenon on themselves, as Alex began to have some of the properties that Alina had, most notably her Mental Power.


    This allowed Alex to have a Mental Power of Tier 999+, which made it easier for him to spam attacks.


    Alex tried to not laugh as he realized that for the next 10 minutes, Lord Gallius will face 2 Tier 999+ Espers at the same time, who both have an ability that will let their attacks penetrate Lord Gallius'' defense.


    "I have heard stories about some Tier Espers defeating Star Espers." Alex muttered as he and Alina slowly approached Lord Gallius.


    "From what I can see, today will be the day that these stories will have a new addition. So, if you don''t want to get humiliated this badly, do your best to survive, ok?"


    "...¡­."


    **************


    "Ha!" Of course Lord Gallius will be unhappy after hearing everything that Alex just said.


    "Just die already!" Lord Gallius said as he closed his right fist tightly.


    At the instant that Lord Gallius did this, massive waves rippled away from him, scattering around all directions.


    Every object that these waves collided with all disintegrated, as if there was something in these waves that can easily destroy objects.


    Right now, both Alex and Alina were in the path of these waves'' trajectory, which meant they will get hit by the waves too!


    "So this time, what you are vibrating is the space itself, which produces these waves in space." Alex mumbled as he saw the waves approaching him.


    "However, these waves that you produced are different from the gravity waves, since gravity waves only have enough energy in them to nodge particles by few nanometers. These waves that you just produced contains large amounts of energy, courtesy of your vibrations. These energies allowed your waves to be extremely lethal, as they will easily destroy anything that these waves get contact with. And right now, you plan to do the same thing to us, right?"


    To Lord Gallius'' surprise and dismay, Alex and Alina did not look that worried from the waves, which were obviously one of Lord Gallius'' trump cards.


    "Woosh¡­"


    The waves passed through both Alex and Alina''s body, as if they did not exist there at all.


    Lord Gallius had to rub his eyes as he saw that both Alex and Alina''s body were flickering in and out of existence.


    They seem to disappear everytime a wave hits them, and they only reappear when there are no waves in their position.


    "No way¡­" Lord Gallius muttered as he saw what happened. "This can''t be¡­"


    "Have you heard about the Schrodinger''s Cat?" Alex said as the last of the waves had vanished. "Ah of course, you do not know about that. Nobody like him existed in this place after all."


    "...¡­"


    This time, what Alex used to survive was one of the most famous concept of quantum physics that was practically a paradox in real life.


    This concept is Superposition, which deals with the fact that an object can be both something at the same time.


    This means that at the right conditions, a living object can be both dead and alive at the same time.


    However, Superposition has only been observed in atomic particles, as it was basically impossible for Superposition to happen on large objects.


    But with Alex and Alina''s new ability, they were able to apply Superposition on themselves!


    Before the waves could hit them earlier, Alex and Alina used Superposition so that they can both be ''present'' and ''not present'' at their current position.


    This allowed them to dodge the destructive waves that Lord Gallius just unleashed.


    "This is bulls**t!" Lord Gallius attempted to make an attack again, but before he could do so, countless slashes perforated his body, rendering him heavily injured.


    Alina lowered her sword at that moment, appreciating her Space Slashes, which all underwent Quantum Tunneling too.


    "Argh!"


    Upon seeing what happened to him, Lord Gallius found himself unable to say anything.


    The pain that he was feeling right now made it hard to speak, and the shock of seeing his own body like this was enough to make him silent too.


    But Lord Gallius still managed to say some words before his body gave up.


    "Ugh¡­ it seems like I failed¡­"Lord Gallius'' body then fell towards the ground as he lost his consciousness.


    Alex deftly caught Lord Gallius, and he deposited him back to his own airship.


    "Should we have just killed him?" Alina muttered as she saw what Alex was doing. "Won''t it be better that way?"


    "Of course not." Alex replied as he closed the door of the airship. "From what I can see, Lord Gallius did not come here out of his own volition. From the looks of it, he has been brainwashed to attack us."


    "Brainwashed?" Alina''s sharp intake of breath was enough to show that she was surprised. "Was he¡­"


    "I have a suspicion that it was the afro guy who did it." Alex said as he kicked the airship away from him.


    "There is no way that Lord Gallius will just follow us like this. From my conversations with him, Lord Gallius is a man of honor. There is no way that he can just do something as shameless as this!"


    "So you suspect that the afro guy did something to Lord Gallius, which in turn made him like this." Alina concluded as she looked at the airship with narrowed eyes. "I may not like what you are saying, but your theory¡­ is highly possible."


    "That is why I did not kill Lord Gallius." Alex said as he let out a sigh. "He was also just a victim here."


    "You are right." Alina said as she vigorously nodded. "Lord Gallius is not the real enemy here, the real enemy is¡­"


    "The afro guy." Alex replied as he clenched his fists tightly. "There is no doubt about that!"


    Alex then looked around him vigilantly, as if he was expecting something jumping out to scare him. "I am sure that he will not let go of a chance like this. He will arrive, even with master blocking him earlier."


    "Are you saying that Uncle will lose to him?" Alina inquired with incredulity as she gave Alex a withering look. "Do you even trust your master?"


    "I know that my master is strong, but I feel that the afro guy is an extremely durable person." Alex replied as he showed an object that he was holding in his left hand.


    Alina looked at it and she saw that Alex was holding the Star-Crusted Dagger, glinting in its full glory.


    "But do not worry, I think that even if my master loses, he will not be killed by the afro guy." Alex said as he placed the dagger near his arm. "The afro guy surely still have some use for Espers like my master, so he will not kill him."


    Alina was about to say something to Alex when someone interrupted their conversation.


    "Mr. Alex, I am really impressed with your intellect. Would you mind being my secretary after I sort all of this mess?"


    Both Alex and Alina jumped in surprise as they heard this nonchalant voice behind them.


    They looked back, and they saw a man clad covered in white glow, carrying an unconscious man on his shoulders.


    Upon closer look, Alex realized that the unconscious man was his master, while the glowing man was the afro guy that they were worried about earlier!


    "What do you think about my offer, Mr. Alex?" The afro guy said as his hair looked curlier than before. "You will love working under me¡­"


    "Thanks, but no thanks!" Alex fearlessly replied as he slit his skin with the Star-Crusted Dagger. Blood spilled out of the wound as Alex felt the effects of the dagger taking in place.


    Alex felt the familiar rush inside his body as his Mental Power increased drastically. He felt more powerful right now, and he had the notion that he could take on anything already.


    This made Alex more confident, even if he could feel extreme danger coming from the afro guy.


    "You see Mr. President, we are extremely busy right now, so we cannot accept any visitors¡­ So I will have to ask you to leave our location quietly and peacefully. But if you intend to stay in our premises for a longer time, then I will treat it as trespassing, and I will be left with no choice but to eject you by force!"

 Chapter 50 mOtIvaTIonaL sPEakeR

    Aleksei had a hard time fighting Clint, given the fact that Clint was able to manipulate numerous amount of attacks which he just threw all towards Aleksei.


    But in the end, the partial invincibility provided by the fusion of his body and the World Diagram allowed Aleksei to tank his attacks and win.


    After he knocked out Clint with a well-placed punch, Aleksei immediately rushed towards the location of Lord Ergo, hoping that he was not still too late.


    Along the way, he felt thevital signs of Lord Gallius dropping to extreme lows, indicating that he suffered heavy injuries.


    "Tsk, what a useless guy. But at least he bought me some time¡­" Aleksei muttered to himself as he saw himself nearing the location of Lord Ergo.


    "Hmm¡­ Now this is interesting." Aleksei muttered to himself as he saw what was happening to Lord Ergo.


    He saw that Lord Ergo was bound by countless ropes, and that he seemed to be in extreme pain.


    Aleksei also did not forget to take note of the ball attached on Lord Ergo''s forehead.


    Whatever was happening Lord Ergo, Aleksei was sure that the ball was highly related to that.


    And if Aleksei was not wrong, this ball most likely came from Alex.


    Speaking of Alex, he and Alina were floating together in the air, staring at Aleksei in such away that they seemed to want to chase him away.


    "Oh, now I get it." Aleksei thought to himself as he somehow pieced what was happening.


    "That ball was doing something beneficial to Lord Ergo, and it seems like nobody must interrupt the process. Alex and Alina must have been the ones to stop anyone from approaching¡­ But too bad for these two, there is no way that they can stop me!"


    *********************


    The codes of the World Diagram have two Properties interwoven on itself.


    One was control and the other one was durability.


    Control Property allows the World Diagram to manipulate the properties of the Esper World.


    Durability Property on the other hand allows the World Diagram to withstand the numerous types of Esper Abilities, especially those designed to break things.


    When the World Diagram was divided into two, each respective half got their own respective property.


    The portion that Lord Ergo had contained most of the Control Property, and a little of the Durability Property.


    As for Aleksei, the portion that he got contained most of the Durability Property and a little of the Control Property.


    Aleksei''s extremely tough body was obtained when he fused himself with the Durability Property of the World Diagram. This is what allowed him to tank most of the attacks that Clint poured on him earlier.


    Of course Aleksei was still human, so the durability that he had was not perfect.


    Some of his organs were still bleeding from the attacks that came from Clint,and even now Aleksei felt extreme pain everytime he moves.


    Aleksei ignored this pain as he knew that defeating Alex and Alina will be his number 1 priority right now.


    No matter how much these two struggled, Aleksei knew that it will be easy for Aleksei to defeat them.


    After all, abilities that can kill him right now are extremely rare.


    Even if Alex and Alina can trap him, Aleksei was fine with that.


    It was quite obvious to Aleksei that the power-up that Alex and Alina used had a time limit, maybe around 5-10 minutes.


    Aleksei can just let Alex and Alina do their stuff on him within that time, and once the time limit was up, Aleksei will take his sweet time on killing them.


    Aleksei then began to pant as he imagined his supreme victory later.


    Aleksei''s goal this time was to obtain the World Diagram fragment from Lord Ergo, and the only thing blocking him from his goal was Alex and Alina.


    "Once you two are gone from my sight, I will be assured of my win." Aleksei thought to himself as he looked at the human-shaped capsule inside his airship.


    His sharp look turned soft as he gazed at the capsule with longing.


    Aleksei did not care if Alex and Alina saw what he was doing.


    In Aleksei''s eyes, this capsule is much more important than his own life.


    "Just wait for me Victoria, once I get it from Lord Ergo, we can be together again!" Aleksei thought to himself as he felt himself growing nervous.


    Aleksei swore to himself that he should not fail this time. All of his dreams relied on him winning right now.


    Failure is not an option.


    ******************


    "Are you sure about using the dagger right now?" Alina inquired as she saw what Alex did. "You know that its effect will only last for 5 minutes, and once the time limit is up, we will be practically toast."


    "Well, this is our best bet right now. Ugh!" Alex grunted as he felt his Mental Power overflowing inside his body. "Sigh, taking a lot of Mental Power like this seems to be a little difficult for me now¡­"


    "That''s because you should not be having this much Mental Power inside you!" Alina snapped as she watched the afro guy''s every action vigilantly. "You are not supposed to be at the Star Esper level yet!"


    "Well, two temporary Star Espers are better than just one, right?" Alex said as he tried to stabilize his trembling body. "As long as we used our strongest moves, victory will be within our grasp!"


    "...."


    ***************


    When Alex used the Star-Crusted Dagger on himself, he was able to reach the temporary Star Esper level, as he had the Mental Power of Tier 999+ due to the effects of Quantum Entanglement with Alina.


    Not only that., but because of this Quantum Entanglement, Alina was also affected by the Star-Crusted Dagger, which allowed her to step on the temporary Star Esper for the second time.


    Unlike Alex who had to stabilize himself, Alina smoothly entered the temporary Star Esper state, probably due to her experience in entering this state before already.


    "With the two of us working together, there is a chance that we can win!" Alex said as he saw Alina''s current state.


    "Win? You two must be delusional." The afro guy seemed to be not surprised with what Alex and Alina did. He however had an interested gaze on the Star-Crusted Dagger.


    "It took me only a few seconds to defeat Clint, but due to the time dilation that he did, it took me some minutes to come here." The afro guy said as he slowly approached Alex and Alina.


    The afro guy''s confident demeanor showed that he was feeling that he was just here to take something that he wanted, and not to fight for his life. This of course pissed Alex off, as he felt that this gesture was extremely insulting.


    "I presume that you are done with your power-ups then." The afro guy said as he tore his gaze away from the dagger.


    The afro guy started to stretch his body as he looked at Alex and Alina intently. "Now that you are done strengthening yourselves, it will be the perfect time for me to demolish you two down. After all, seeing someone fall from their peak is a very satisfying sight to see. And you two shall be included in my this list¡­"


    "Hmph, let us see if you can do that." With Alex stepping on the temporary Star Esper Stage, he realized all the things that he can do with his EM Wave Manipulation Ability.


    Not only that but combining his ability with Quantum Property Manipulation, and Alex felt that he and Alina might have the chance to win!


    "First strike goes to me!" Alex declared as he pointed his fingers as the afro guy.


    By taking advantage of his Quantum Property Manipulation and EM Wave Manipulation, Alex was able to force the creation of positrons.


    Positrons, from what Alex knew, are basically the antimatter version of electrons.


    Both positron and the electron has the same mass and spin, but they have opposite charges.


    With Alex''s abundant knowledge in physics, he knew for a fact that antimatter annihilates matter when they were in contact with each other, producing large amounts of energy in the process.


    With this knowledge in mind, Alex gleefully created a kilogram of positrons within his range. Of course he made sure that these positrons will not collide against any nearby electrons at all.


    Once he was sure that he had the right amount, Alex used his power to converge all these positrons towards the afro guy.


    This time, Alex did not care even if the afro guy was covered with numerous amounts of electrons, and Alex made sure that the afro guy was surrounded with around a kilogram of electrons.


    "Schoom!"


    Alex''s ears almost popped as a flash of light covered him and Alina. Alex was sure that this light waspart of the explosion, produced when 1 kilogram of positrons collided with 1 kilogram of electrons.


    Alex and Alina were able to survive the blast as they used Superposition to dodge the blast.


    Also, Alex made sure that the explosion will be mostlydirected above, away from the direction of Lord Ergo and Ricardo.


    "D**n, this is one strong explosion." Alex muttered to himself as he remembered the equations of showing the strength of this blast.


    By following the equation E = mc2, the energy released by Alex''s antimatter bomb was approximatelyaround 1.8 x 10^18 Joules or 4.3 x 10^5 Kilotons.


    That was approximately around 17,200 regular nuclear bombs.


    "Even if that guy was tough as hell, there is no way that he can survive that." Alex muttered to himselfas Alina started to make her move too.


    Alex was not sure what Alina did, but he was pretty sure that Alina manipulated space in terms of quantum mechanics.


    Alex could see the space around the explosion folding on itself, as if it was being slowly turned inside out, then forced to be compressed.


    Alex could only look with wide eyes as he saw the space collapsing inwards, bringing the explosion and everything inside it towards the center.


    It took Alina a few seconds to do it, but in the end, she managed to compress the portion of space in front of her to the size of a large ball


    "F**k! The afro guy is still alive after all that we did to him?" Alex exclaimed in surprise as he saw that the afro guy was inside the space ball in front of him.


    The afro guy was littered with numerous injuries, but Alex could feel that the afro guy was still alive and kicking.


    Alex shook his head in mild disbelief as he gave a pleading look at Alina. "Alina, if you want to kill him, then maybe you should just make that space smaller and smaller until he gets crushed¡­"


    "I can''t compress it anymore." Alina replied as she shook her head. Sweat beaded her face, showing how strenuous the task that she did. "I can feel the afro guy resisting the space compression, and no matter what I do right now, I cannot force the space to compress anymore."


    "Tsk, this guy is one tough cookie." Alex muttered as he looked at the compressed space with trepidation. "So, we are just going to trap the afro guy here?"


    "We can do that, but with our current state, we can only trap him at most 3 minutes." Alina replied with a grimace. "We have a time limit, right?"


    "Oh f**kity, f**kity, f**k, f**k!" Alex''s eyes widened with panic as he realized that they are still doomed.


    With them using the Star-Crusted Dagger, Alex and Alina will be paralyzed once the 5-minute time limit is up.


    Right now, there are only 3 minutes left before the time limit runs up.


    Sure, both Alex and Alina were able to trap the afro guy with their current powerup.


    However, once the 3-minute time limit was up, they will be unable to trap the afro guy anymore. What''s worse was that they will also be unable to defend themselves at that time.


    The afro guy will surely rip Alex and Alina apart 3 minutes from now.


    "What do we do?" Alina asked with panic as she did her best to contain the afro guy. "We should kill the afro guy before our last 3 minutes gets used up!"


    "¡­Don''t worry, I have a plan." Alex serenely replied as he ignored the words coming out of Asteria''s filthy mouth, which sounded like she was blaming Alex and Alina for being too ''eager to win''.


    Asteria''s current demeanor reminded Alex of some sports fans who will curse their favorite team just because they were about to lose.


    People like those were extremely hypocritical, and Alex had no time to deal with one right now.


    "Woosh~" Alex did not say anything as he suddenly flew towards Lord Ergo, who was still writhing on the ground in pain.


    The disguised Ricardo was beside him, saying words of comfort, probably to ease some pain.


    Ricardo sensed Alex''s arrival, but before he can say anything, Ricardo''s face changed as he saw Alex doing something that enraged him.


    "Pyak!" Alex did not act with any respect as he started to kick Lord Ergo''s body. He continued kicking him for a few more times, eliciting shocked reactions from both Alina and Ricardo,


    Asteria of course enjoyed what she saw, and she even cheered as each of Alex''s kick landed.


    Alex ignored all of these reactions as he gave the writhing Lord Ergo a level glare while saying,


    "If you don''t wake up now, you will lose the chance to make up with your family.Do you want to see all your loved ones gone? If you don''t¡­ then stop being an effing coward and fight it out! Don''t use your current condition to stay there! Fight for your freedom! Our lives depend on it, you dumbass!"

 Chapter 51 The Trolley Problem

    "What are you doing?" Alina mouthed as she watched what Alex did with disbelief.


    Ricardo seems to be thinking of the same thing too, as his glare seemed to bore holes upon Alex''s body.


    "I am waking your sister up." Alex replied as he stopped kicking Lord Ergo. "Frankly speaking, there is no way that we can kill the afro guy with our current power. Only your sister can do it."


    "What do you mean by tha- oh." Alina''s eyes narrowed as she realized what Alex was hinting about. "You mean the virus, right?"


    "Yes, the virus." Alex replied confidently as he resumed on kicking Lord Ergo. "As long as your sister wakes up within 3 minutes, it might be possible for her to throw the remaining of the virus towards the afro guy. Once that happens, the afro guy will be sure as dead."


    "Are you sure that''s your only plan?" Alina asked as she stabilized her hold of the space ball. "I could not help but feel like there is something missing here¡­"


    "I have thought of that too." Ricardo said as he did not stop his glare at Alex. "Are you sure that what you said earlier was your only plan?"


    "I am sure." Alex replied to the both of them, who were still looking at him suspiciously.


    "Eh, whatever, wait for me until 3 minutes. Elizabeth is our only hope to survive, so you all should wish that she will wake up."


    To Alina and Ricardo''s irritation, they saw Alex setting a field around him which prevented noise from coming out.


    Because of that, they were unable to hear the words that Alex said to Lord Ergo inside the silence field.


    *****************


    "Yo, I know that you are awake already." Alex said as he apathetically watched the writhing Lord Ergo. "Don''t worry, I have already prevented the noise from coming out, so you can speak freely to me already."


    At first, Alex heard nothing from Lord Ergo but the same strangled gasps and grunts.


    This somewhat made Alex disappointed, as he started to suspect whether his analyses earlier were all right.


    That thinking of his changed however when he heard something new.


    "Ok, I am speaking to you now." Alex jolted as he heard a voice inside ringing inside his head. The voice inside his head sounded feminine and somewhat sultry.


    As Alex tried to analyze this voice, he realized that this voice sounded similar to Alina''s voice, albeit a little mature.


    Alex''s imagination wandered at this point, as he imagined a mature version of Alina talking to him with that sexy, sultry voice¡­


    "Ow." A pinch from an infuriated Asteria was enough to snap Alex out of his daydream.


    He once more looked back at Lord Ergo, who was still rolling on the floor in pain.


    Alex smiled as little as he knew that the person speaking through Alex''s mind was Alina''s sister, Elizabeth.


    "Are you talking through telepathy?" Alex muttered as he touched his forehead. "Miss Elizabeth, I thought your power is a powerful type of space manipulation. How come telepathy is included? Oh, nice acting by the way."


    "I can talk to you this way as I allowed my brainwaves to propagate through space easily." Alex ''heard'' Elizabeth''s reply as Lord Ergo still looked like in great pain. "What you hear right now are my thoughts reaching your mind."


    "As for why I am still rolling on the floor in pain, I have to act that way so that I can fool that Aleksei." Elizabeth suddenly said as her gaze towards the afro guy showed that this Aleksei and the afro guy were the same person.


    But Alex did not care about this tidbit of information for now, as he had somethingmore important to deal with.


    "You mean your brainwaves are entering my feeble brain, right?" Alex said with a deadpan expression on his face. "That''s¡­ reassuring, I guess?"


    Of course there is no way that Alex is feeling reassured by that.


    Alex did not like the idea of someone''s brainwaves just casually entering his brain. It just felt¡­ wrong and unnatural for him.


    Alex felt exposed and vulnerable as he imagined these brainwaves looking and probing for the thoughts that he stored in his mind.


    Of course this is just an irrational fear, but Alex has no way to stop himself from feeling creeped out.


    Given the nature of their situation, Alex decided to hide his complaints and discomforts as he sought to obtain what he wanted.


    Right now, Alex only had two minutes left to convince Elizabeth on his plan.


    With the contents of his plan being extremely sensitive, Alex realized that no one nearby must hear his words to Elizabeth.


    "Can you just let me get straight to the point here?" Alex said with a trace of irritation in his voice, as he was vaguely aware of the ticking time. "We only have two minutes left to live, and we need your help to survive."


    "Oh, so you think that I can do something to help within that two minutes?" Elizabeth''s voice sounded somewhat amused and also carefree, as if she was not worried about their situation. "So what is your plan then?"


    "I want you to die along with the afro guy." Alex said, thanking himself that Alina was unable to hear what he was saying. "That''s what I want you to do."


    Even Elizabeth was placed into stunned silence as she heard what Alex said. It took her 5 seconds to recover, and her voice naturally turned hostile.


    "Are you listening to yourself?" Elizabeth replied angrily as Lord Ergo started to convulse faster. "Are you in your right mind? Did you just tell me to commit suicide so that you and my sister can save themselves? You are just delusional!"


    "I am of sane mind." Alex said as he gripped his fists tightly. "But you know that you will also die later because of the virus, so there is no difference if you take the afro guy along with you¡­"


    "¡­."


    This is the information that Alex withheld from Alina.


    Alex knew that even if the fused part of Elizabeth gets destroyed, Elizabeth will still die as she was already a part of the World Diagram.


    If the World Diagram gets destroyed, then Elizabeth will get destroyed too.


    Because of this outcome, Alex decided that maybe Elizabeth will be amicable to help him and Alina out.


    Alex knew that what he was saying to Elizabeth was wrong, but with their current situation, this is the best thing that he can do to let him and Alina survive.


    It hurt him greatly that he has to use Alina''s sister so that Alina can survive, but what can Alex do about it?


    Given the choice between the woman that he has feelings for, and the woman who will also die anyway, and Alex will lean more towards Alina.


    "Cut your c**p!" Elizabeth cursed as she continued to throw more bad words at Alex. "Even if I will also die later, why should I hasten the process then? I can still do more things later, and I definitely would not want to include ''dying with my enemy'' as part of these activities."


    Alex, who was still feeling guilty of what he was doing, let out a sigh as realized that what he was saying was not enough.


    If he wanted to convince Elizabeth more, then he has to say more words to her.


    But Alex knew that his next words must be sharp and convincing enough to make her follow his bidding.


    "Sorry Alina¡­" Alex thought to himself with sorrow as he tried not to look at Alina''s direction. "This is the only way that we can survive, so I have no choice but to do this¡­"


    *****************


    "So you will not help your sister then?" Alex replied to Elizabeth as the look in his eyes changed. "That is what you are saying, right?"


    "Oh, and now you are telling me that I will become a useless prick if I do not sacrifice myself?" Elizabeth sounded extremely offended, and she somehow had a point. "I am not a selfless person who can just sacrifice herself whenever she wanted to."


    [90 seconds left]


    "Yes, you are not a selfless person." Alex said as he realized that even with his guilt, he was starting to get angry and irritated with Elizabeth. "You are just a very selfish person!"


    "!!!" Alex ignored Elizabeth''s stunned silence as he started to pour out his rant towards her actions.


    "You decisively abandoned your sister and your devoted husband, just to fuse with the World Diagram! Do you even know that what you just did is sheer abandonment? "


    Alex did not like what he was saying, since these words were just too personal, but if he need to convince Elizabeth, he had to hit her where it hurts.


    "And when you failed the fusion, Alina and Ricardo has to take care of you, even though their life was placed in grave danger after that. You made them suffer, you made them miserable, you¡­ effectively destroyed their futures!"


    Alex tried to make himself look as smug as possible, but deep inside, he was so angry with himself as he just wanted to knock himself unconscious.


    He knew that even if his words were right, the way he used it against Elizabeth was wrong and unjust.


    But what can Alex do? It''s either this, or all of them dies together.


    If Alex has to bear the sin of letting Elizabeth die, then he will solemnly bear it on his shoulders, if it meant that Alina will survive.


    "If you really want to do what is right, then you should know what to do next." Alex said as blood dripped from his lips as he bit it too tightly.


    [1 minute left]


    "Elizabeth, you are about to die anyway, so can you just at least try to make your last moments useful?" Alex spat these lines calmly as he tried to not show the distress in his features.


    "...¡­"


    "Ugh, I really hate doing this!" Alex thought to himself as he knew that this moment will haunt him for the rest of his life.


    But if that will be the consequence of his sin, then Alex will gladly accept it.


    Elizabeth went silent for another 20 seconds, which just increased Alex''s tension and panic. But he kept up his confident fa?ade as he waited for her answer.


    "You might be good at pretending to be a villain, but deep down, you do not want to this, right?" Elizabeth replied, but this time her voice sounded exhausted¡­ and resigned.


    Alex averted his gaze away as he tried not to show the tears starting to pour from his face. "Why are we talking about me? It''s all about you!"


    "Yes, it''s all about me¡­" Elizabeth said as she seemed to be amused by what Alex said. "The person who abandoned her family, all for the pursuit of her strength. I am really a bad person, right?"


    "No, I am the bad person here!" Alex said as he could not stop himself from saying these words. "I forced you to be guilty so that you will have the motivation to sacrifice yourself¡­ What I just did was plain wrong¡­"


    "Yes, you are a bad person, just like me." Elizabeth replied, with a tone that Alex could not really identify. "However, you are a bad person that can stay alive and take care of my sister. As for me, I am a bad person that is about to die."


    [30 seconds left]


    After hearing these words, Alex let out a sigh of relief as he knew what Elizabeth''s decision was.


    "It was nice¡­ meeting you. I hope that you can forgive me from the words that I just said."


    "Sorry, but I will not forgive you." Elizabeth quickly replied with an angry snort "After all, you just forced me to die along with your enemy. No amount of your goodwill can change that."


    "....."


    "But I know that you are sincere about my sister, so I guess maybe my impression of you is a little good." Elizabeth suddenly said as Lord Ergo stopped convulsing. "Take care of my sister, ok? And as for Ricardo, tell him that I am sorry for all that I did to him."


    Alex only nodded his head numbly as he tried not to look at Lord Ergo, who was slowly standing up right now.


    "Oh, and you can also tell Ricardo that I know that he is gay, and that he is already free to find a boyfriend after this." Elizabeth slyly said as her voice started to fade away. "Just tell him to keep it down a notch, ok?"


    "Ok." Alex said, not bothering to be shocked by what Alina just said. He was more focused on stabilizing his emotions, as he tried to not show the distress on his face.


    "Wow, I thought that you are a goody two-shoes." Asteria as she managed to overhear the mental conversation between Alex and Elizabeth. "I never realized that you can actually do something like this¡­"


    Alex had no reply to that, as he knew that Asteria was right.

 Chapter 52 The First Supper

    "I had this coming for years¡­" Elizabeth thought to herself as she approached Alina, who was still doing her best to contain Aleksei.


    Elizabeth could not help but feel proud as she saw what her sister had accomplished.


    But she also felt shame as she remembered that is was her own fault that Alina became like this.


    "I took a risk, and I failed big time. I really am an idiot." Elizabeth thought to herself as she looked back at Alex, who still looked uncomfortable. Elizabeth tried to not frown as she did her best to not glare at Alex.


    Even though Elizabeth had already come to terms with her death, she still could not help but feel angry towards Alex.


    After all, this guy is the one who bluntly told her to kill herself along with Aleksei.


    "Sis!"


    "Wifey!"


    Elizabeth''s reverie was broken when she heard Alina and Ricardo calling out to her, with both of their faces looking extremely happy.


    "Ugh¡­" Elizabeth felt more pain and guilt as she saw their expressions. It was hard for her to face them right now, after all the pain that she had caused them.


    Even just the mere act of looking at Alina was already enough to make Elizabeth choke in grief. As for Ricardo, Elizabeth still had some mixed feelings for him, but she still felt guilty for making him miserable for a long time.


    "...¡­"


    With her death approaching her quickly, Elizabeth knew that she had no way to ask for Alina and Ricardo''s forgiveness right now.


    Talking to them for a longer time will just make things worse, especially with a time limit ticking down on them.


    The best that Elizabeth can do is to say her goodbyes to them.


    "I''m back, Alina." Elizabeth said as she felt more of her mind being slowly corroded by the virus. "Have you been well all this time?"


    "Muuu¡­ Sis¡­ Waahh!!!" Alina''s face started to turn red as tears started to fall down to her chin.


    "My, my. You are still as adorable as always." Elizabeth said, not looking surprised to see Alina crying in front of her.


    To Elizabeth, Alina was always her adorable little sister who will come crying to her when she needs her help.


    "Hush, hush. Don''t cry now. Big sister is already healed, ok?" Elizabeth said as she slowly hugged Alina. "Everything will be fine now."


    "Weally?" Alina replied blearily as she wiped away the tears on her face. "You have a way to defeat the afwo guy?"


    "I have a way to defeat him." Elizabeth replied firmly as she tried to hide the sadness on her face. "Leave everything to big sister, ok?''


    "Ok, sis." That was the last thing that Alina could say as the paralysis took over her body, rendering her unable to move at all.


    Alina already reached the time limit for her power-up, thus her paralysis.


    But eventhough Alina was paralyzed, her mind can still work, which allowed her to talk to Elizabeth through their brainwaves.


    This led to a private, telepathic conversation between the two sisters.


    "Sis, can you tell me what you are about to do?" Alina mentally inquired as she and Elizabeth saw the space ball slowly decompressing in front of them.


    Even with Alina''s powerup gone, some traces of her power were still placed one the space ball, meaning that there are still some seconds left before Aleksei can get out.


    From the looks of it, there are still 30 seconds before the whole ball disappears, which meant that there are still 30 seconds before Aleksei could come out.


    Elizabeth ignored the thumping sounds coming out from the space ball as she replied to her mental conversation with Alina.


    "I cannot tell you the answer to that. Just trust me, ok?" Elizabeth said as she brushed off some of Alina''s stray hair. "Hmmm¡­ you really have grown to be quite a beauty. I am sure Alex enjoys your ''company'' way too much."


    Even when she was paralyzed, Alina''s blush was still enough to make Elizabeth delighted.


    However, that blush disappeared, as Alina''s face suddenly turned pale, as if she suddenly realized something horrendous.


    Elizabeth felt her blood running cold as she saw the pale look on Alina''s face. Alina will only look like this if she discovered something horrifying to her.


    In their current situation, the only horrifying thing that Alina could discover is¡­"


    "Sis, ar-ar-are you sacrificing yourself?" Alina stutteringly asked in their mental conversation, with Elizabeth feeling the fear and disbelief in Alina''s words."Sis, tell me that you are not doing that!"


    "¡­.."


    "Sis!" This time, Alina''s words were laced with panic, as she seemed to have realized that her guess was right. "Sis, no!"


    "I''m sorry Alina, but this is the best that I can do¡­" Elizabeth said as tears poured out of her eyes.


    It obstructed her vision, but Elizabeth did not care.


    She''s here to say her farewell to Alina, and she will not botch it up.


    "I am doomed to die already." Elizabeth hurriedly said as she saw Alina''s face turning more and more pale. "There is no way for me to live through this."


    "My mind¡­ it has fused so tightly with the World Diagram, so tight that any damage done to the World Diagram will also damage me too." Elizabeth said as she wiped her own tears away. "Once the virus eats up all parts of the World Diagram that was fused with me, I will immediately die."


    "No¡­" Alina sounded so lost and so grief-stricken right now. Elizabeth tried her best to be not rattled by her emotions as she continued talking.


    "Alina, there is nothing that you can do right now to let me survive¡­ I only have 5 minutes left to live¡­ If I do nothing, I will die and you will die too. But if I make a move right now, I will be the only one dead. You and your boyfie will survive. That¡­ is the most logical way to win."


    "F**k logic! I want you to stay, Sis!" Alina replied with fear and anger present in her words. "We can still do something to help you! We can-"


    "Shush¡­" Elizabeth said as she shook her head while wearing a serene expression on her face. "I have made up my mind already. There is no way for you to stop me now. Just lay down on your bed, and let me do my job, ok?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "I hate you Sis!" Alina finally said as her body trembled involuntarily. Alina did not waste her time as she decisively cut off her mental connection with Elizabeth. "I hate you Sis!"


    Even though Alina explicitly said showed her ''anger'' to her sister, Elizabeth could see that Alina was still lying to herself.


    Alina will still love Elizabeth, no matter what happens. That fact is just an undisputable as the Physics Laws.


    But Elizabeth chose to not point that out, as she realized that this is better than Alina pleading her to not leave.


    "Yes, you should hate me. After all, I have been a bad sister to you." Elizabeth muttered to herself as she endured the extreme sadness and grief that is tearing her apart right now.


    "Ricardo, I am sorry, but this is the last time that we will see each other." Elizabeth said as she gave an apologetic smile to her husband. "Find a good boyfriend, ok?"


    Elizabeth did not wait for Ricardo''s reply as she snapped her fingers, triggering her Strong Space Manipulation.


    Using her space manipulation, she teleported Alex, Alina, Ricardo, Lord Gallius, and Clint away from her location.


    All of these people were teleported right inside Clint''s house, where his wife and children were all waiting.


    Elizabeth did not pry on what happened to them next as she focused her gaze on the space ball.


    Elizabeth could sense Aleksei slowly coming out of the space ball, with his glowing body shining everywhere.


    "Here we go, viva amiga." Elizabeth muttered to herself as she flew towards the shocked Aleksei, whose half of his body was still trapped in the space ball.


    "Boop."


    Their collision, which signified the future of the Esper World,did not produce anything significant at all, not even a tiny explosion.


    ********************


    "Release me, you b**ch!" This is the third time that Elizabeth heard Aleksei cursing out to her in a span of just a second. "You don''t know what you are doing!"


    "You think I do not know what I am doing?" Eliabeth scoffed as she stared at livid Aleksei. "I am saving the world!"


    "Saving the world my ass!" Alesksei replied angrily as he glared at Elizabeth murderously. "Get out of my mind!"


    "Sorry, but I cannot do that." Elizabeth replied as she shook her head. "We are now both infected by the virus, so even if I left, you will still die."


    "!!!"


    Because both Elizabeth and Aleksei were able to fuse with the World Diagram, Elizabeth was able to use this connection to infiltrate Aleksei''s mind.


    With her fearless attitude, Elizabeth decided to spend the last moments of her life here, inside the mind of her fated enemy.


    Once inside his mind, Elizabeth immediately deployed some of the virus eating her body towards Aleksei.


    Even if Aleksei fused with the Durability Property of the World Diagram, in the end, it is still a program, something that Alex''s computer virus can destroy.


    "Nooo!!!" Aleksei seemed to have realized what happened to him, as he started to clutch his head in agony. His eyes went wide with anger and defeat as he knew that it was also the end for him too.


    "I can''t die here!" Aleksei roared as he glared at Elizabeth. "I still have to revive Victoria!"


    "Hmm?" After hearing this, Elizabeth tilted her head as she scoured Aleksei''s mind for anything related about Victoria.


    With Elizabeth inside Aleksei''s mind, Elizabeth was able to literally see all of Aleksei''s memories about Victoria.


    After seeing these memories, Elizabeth naturally did what a rule-breaker like her will do.


    She did some unconsented memory viewing.


    ****************


    Elizabeth watched with fascination as she saw a thin, wiry man walking across a park with a beautiful woman.


    Both of them looked happy, with the wiry man''s afro hair swaying happily in the air. The woman wore a dazzling smile on her face as she playfully tugged the wiry man''s sleeves.


    "This guy is Aleksei from the past¡­" Elizabeth muttered to herself as she continued on watching the memories.


    Aleksei saw what Elizabeth was doing, but he made no effort to stop her.


    "....."


    Elizabeth saw Aleksei and the woman falling in love with each other, every time they were together.


    "....."


    Elizabeth could see every hug, touch, kiss and smile that decorated the face of the two lovers.


    "..."


    Elizabeth''s face soured as she saw that these romantic memories seemed to be nonstop.


    "When will all these fluffy stuff stop?" Elizabeth thought as she felt her head starting to ache. "Don''t tell me that all the memories will be like this?"


    Fortunately for her she was wrong, as the tone of what shewas watching drastically changed.


    The scene where Aleksei and his lover were sharing a picnic suddenly shifted, as it now showed the bloodstained body of Aleksei''s lover.


    The woman''s body looked extremely mutilated, and it looked like she had no hope of surviving.


    "My love Victoria¡­ She tried to experiment on making a portal that will allow Star Espers like us to transcend¡­ but it backfired horribly, bringing Victoria to that state." Aleksei muttered as he watched alongside Elizabeth. His voice was hollow, showing how fragile he is right now.


    Elizabeth then watched as the past Aleksei placed the dying Victoria inside a human-shaped capsule that kept her condition stable. But even with these actions, Victoria seemed to be inching closer and closer to death.


    "Even with the advanced technology that we have, my love is still dying." Aleksei said as he let out a deprecating smile. "So, left without any options, I decided to fuse my wife with a little portion of the World Diagram Fragment that is with me, just the part that is enough to keep her alive. As for me, I fused with the remaining portion of the World Diagram Fragment."


    At that point, Elizabeth decided to stop watching the memories anymore as she knew what exactly happened next.


    Elizabeth did not hold back the venom in her words as she said, "After you did those things, you must have thought that gaining the World Diagram Fragment from me will be enough to heal your wife. But because of my power, you have no way to snatch the fragment from me. It was only earlier that you had the first real chance to take it. But unfortunately for you, you still failed."


    "Yes, I failed¡­" Aleksie replied as he let out a shuddering cough.


    By this point, Elizabeth realized that most of her and Aleksei''s body were already infected by the virus. Just a little more wait and they will be gone.


    Elizabeth can just stand there and wait for her demise, but after seeing the extremely forlorn look on Aleksei''s face, Elizabeth decided to give this man a little leeway.


    "You fused with the World Diagram to save your love, while I abandoned my love to fuse with the World Diagram. Clearly, it shows that you are a better person than me." Elizabeth said as she tried to salvage the remains of the World Diagram fused with her. "Even if you committed countless sins, I think that you still deserve to see your love one more time."


    "What are you-" Aleksei''s words were cut off as Elizabeth let out a yell, collecting most of the remains of the World Diagram inside her. She then threw these fragments towards the human capsule containing the body of Veronica.


    "~~~"


    Elizabeth crossed her fingers, as she wished that her gamble succeeded. If not, then she had to endure leaving this world with a mopey guy.


    Fortunately,Elizabeth and Aleksei did no have to wait that long as another figure appeared inside Aleksei''s mind.


    This time, the figure who arrived did not look as fierce as Elizabeth or as forlorn as Aleksei. The new arrival looked calm and serene, as if nothing can faze it.


    "My love!" Aleksei looked stunned as he saw that the new arrival was Victoria, the same woman that he has pledged to save. "How-"


    "I collected some of the remaining parts of the World Diagram inside me, and then I fused it with Victoria." Elizabeth said as she guessed Aleksei''s question. "This allowed your love to regain her consciousness, and it also allowed her to access your mind.However, her time is limited too, just like us. So right now, you two can- oh come on, we don''t have much time left!"


    Elizabeth''s complaints went unheard as Aleksei and Victoria hugged each other tightly, with Aleksei crying in relief and happiness. Good thing this happened inside his mind, or things would have been messy.


    "Even here you are still a crybaby? Really Lexy, when will you man up?" Victoria teasingly said as she stroked Aleksei''s back.


    "For you my love, I will always be the same." Aleksei replied as he sniffed Victoria''s hair. "Hm, you are still as fragrant as before, my love."


    "Oh just keep on sniffing, or I will give you a good beating later." Victoria said as she bopped Aleksei''s head. It was then that she saw Elizabeth staring awkwardly at them.


    "You are the one who woke me up, right? I thank you for what you did." Victoria said as she gave a slight bow towards Elizabeth. "You should know that this means a lot to my husband."


    "Yeah, yeah, you''re welcome." Elizabeth nonchalantly said as she looked all around her.


    Because of the extensive damage of the virus, everything inside Aleksei''s mind was starting to break down.


    All the panels and structures around Elizabeth started to crumble, representing the destruction of Aleksei''s mind.


    Not only that, but Elizabeth can also see her projection starting to disintegrate, just like Aleksei''s and Victoria''s.


    Aleksei seems to have not noticed what was happening to him as his gaze was only centered on his lover.


    "My love, I am sure that you are hungry already." Aleksei said as his legs started to disappear. "I have been saving up this recipe that you will surely like. Hell, I can cook it for you now!"


    "Oh, now that makes me hungry." Victoria replied as her legs disappeared too. "Maybe we can let Elizabeth join us?"


    "Oh, are you inviting me for dinner? I would love that?" By this point, half of Elizabeth''s body was already gone, with them consumed by the virus already.


    "Hmph, I don''t really like you at all, but since Victoria invited you, then I will allow you to eat with us." Aleksei said with most of his body gone. At this point it was only his head that remained. "You better behave!"


    "Don''t worry Aleksei, Elizabeth is a civilized person, so I think that she will do fine." Victoria replied as she placed her forehead near Aleksei''s. This is the only thing that she could do, as it was only her head that was also left.


    "It''s all settled then!" Elizabeth declared as she let out a sad smile. "Let''s attend our first supper together!"


    "Hear hear!"


    "Aleksei, stop saying things like that! It''s embarassi-"


    Their conversation stopped at that point as all three of them disappeared into nothingness. With all their traces gone, what was only left was a sad sigh which echoed upon the empty landscape.


    [Main Mission Accomplished]


    [Bonus Mission Accomplished]


    [Grade: S]


    -----------------------END OF VOLUME 1 ------------------------

 Chapter 53 Volume 1 Epilogue

    "Sigh." This is not the first time that Clint sighed today, and it definitely will not be the last one either.


    "These past days have been hectic¡­" Clint muttered to himself as he wiped off some sweat off his forehead.


    His clothes were unkempt, his hair disheveled, and his eyes were drooping, showing the exhaustion that he is feeling right now.


    "Sigh, I want to rest now¡­"


    Five days have already passed by since the confrontation between Alex and Aleksei.


    Nobody in the Esper World knew that a fight between the two had happened, but everyone felt its repercussions.


    The literal sky above the Esper World shattered, as it was replaced by a mesh of nets covering the whole world.


    This is the real sky of the Esper World, finally revealed after being concealed by the World Diagram for a long time.


    Everyone who saw the new sky panicked, as they realized that something massive happened in the Esper World.


    To make matters worse, everything managed by the World Diagram here in the Esper World all collapsed, as if their strings were all cut.


    It took Clint and his colleagues several days to fix all of the troubles caused by this collapse.


    "That damn brat!" That is what all Clint could think of as he toiled away on fixing all the troubles around him. "I know that Alex wanted to help us, but does he really need to make it this hard?"


    Being the former second strongest Esper, Clint naturally knew about the truth of the World Diagram, but he did not dare to make a move against it because of his personal life and the fact that a part of the World Diagram was held by his friend and rival Elizabeth.


    He only had the courage to rebel5 days ago as he had been spurned by Alex to make an action.


    Clint did not regret his actions one bit, but he still felt angry from the fact that he did not manage to beat up Aleksei, and that hehas to fix all the fall-out caused by the disappearance of the World Diagram.


    But what''s done is done, and all that Clint can do right now is to go with the flow.


    "Rest in Peace, Elizabeth." Clint muttered to himself as he finished his work for today.


    Even if Clint did not see what happened 5 days ago, he was sure that both Elizabeth and Aleksei died at the same time, as that was the only explanation of the sudden disappearance of the World Diagram.


    Of course Clint could have just asked Alex, but he and Alina were already gone before he could ask them.


    "Where could those two have gone to?" Clint thought with irritation as he massaged his knuckles. "Alex, make sure that I won''t catch you in the future! If I see you even just one time, expect me to beat you up!"


    According to his wife Natalia, 2 minutes just after Alex and the others were teleported right to their house, Alex and Alina were suddenly covered by a golden glow and before his wife could do anything, both Alex and Alina disappeared entirely.


    Even when Clint used his senses to look for them, he did not find those two.


    "Could they have transcended already?"


    This theory could be viable, as with the disappearance of the World Diagram, every Star Esper here in the Esper World felt their restrictions disappearing, which meant that they can all now transcend to the Real World.


    Of course Clint could have transcended too, but he had too much to do here in the Esper World, as he had to still deal with numerous problems caused by the disappearance of the World Diagram.


    "Tsk, but those two are not Star Espers yet, so it is pretty impossible for them to transcend." Clint muttered to himself as he fixed his things. "But knowing Alex, I am sure that he has some bulls**t stuff that can allow him and Alina to transcend¡­"


    Clint then went silent for a few seconds, as if he was trying to comprehend a universal truth.


    His eye then flashed as an excited smile appeared on his face.


    "Then I guess it''s decided then!" Clint eyes narrowed with determination as he decided his next course of actions.


    "Once I dealt with all of the problems here in the Esper World, I will use my power to transcend to the Real World along with my family. Once I reach that place, I will use my power to establish a new gang! And once I become a powerhouse in the Real World, I will look for you, Alex! Hehehe, prepare yourself Alex, we will have a lot to talk about once we see each other¡­"


    Clint then proceeded to laugh like a creep as he left his workroom. He fixed his attire as he walked towards his house with a skip in his step.


    He could not wait to taste the dinner that his wife cooked for him, although Clint was sure that electric eel will still be a part of their meal.


    "Sigh, when can my wife learn to cook a normal meal?" Even though Clint sounded he was complaining, the smile on his face showed his contentment.


    "Eh whatever, I''ll just tell Natalia that her dish tastes good."

 Chapter 54 Volume 2 Prologue

    "She is our Beginning, and She is our End. Our life came from Her, and we shall claim life for Her. She is the sole heir to this world, and we shall give it to Her. Everything is for the Queen Mother¡­ All hail Queen Mother!"


    The shadowy figure, partially hidden amongst the trees, muttered these words like a prayer as its eyes scanned a clearing in front of it.


    Although the shadowy figure was tired of saying these words already, it knew that these words were something essential that it must say.


    After all, what it was about to do right now was an important mission that every children of the Queen Mother must do.


    In front of the shadowy figure was an assortment of tents, all set and constructed inside the clearing.


    The shadowy figure has to rely on its senses to see, as it was currently nighttime. This condition did not disadvantage the shadowy figure at all, as it was during nighttime that it becomes the most dangerous.


    With its enhanced senses, the shadowy figure was able to identify presence of humans inside the tents.


    30 Adult Males, 15 Adult Females, 10 Elderly and 40 Children.


    The shadowy figure resisted the urge to just rush in and kill all of these people in an instant, as it was not allowed to do so for now. It was very tempting though, as the shadowy figure found it hard to forget the feeling of a person being dissected by its sharp shadow blades.


    Right now, the shadowy figure will not kill. Killing is only reserved for the blasphemers who dare to fight back against the Queen Mother.


    Tonight, the shadowy figure will welcome its new siblings.


    "Slosh." The shadowy figure gingerly held a glass vial in its distorted hands, as it took care to not let it fall to the ground.


    This vial was incredibly precious, so precious that the shadowy figure heard some rumors from its siblings that it cost the life of a Great Elderitch to create the contents of the vial.


    That was enough to make the shadowy figure vigilant, as anything that requires the life of a Great Elderitch were surely valuable.


    With its talent for stealth, the shadowy figure was able to slowly approach the clearing without alerting any of the guards, who looked extremely sleepy to even guard at all.


    The shadowy figure then paused in its tracks as it psyched itself up for its next actions


    .


    The shadowy figure knew that once it makes its actions, all hell will break loose. Many unexpected things might happen, and the shadowy figure knew that it must be prepared to take these things on.


    The shadowy figure swore to itself that it will do its best to stop any human that will interfere with the birth of its new siblings.


    And even if the shadowy figure has to sacrifice its own life to stop these pesky humans, then it will gladly do so.


    After all, the life of the shadowy figure is insignificant compared to its possible new siblings, who might be of better use for the Queen Mother.


    "Mama, I want some cookies!" Even if it was already night, the shadowy figure could still hear a rowdy child raising her voice towards her mother.


    The shadowy figure scoffed after hearing this as its view of the humans just went lower.


    Unlike the pesky, irritating human children who do not respect their parents, all the children of the Queen Mother adore her. There are no way that they will rebel towards Queen Mother as She is their reason to live.


    Even the shadow figure, already in its adult stage, was still loyal to the Queen Mother.


    "Woosh~" The shadowy figure, after a second of waiting, decided to not prolong its wait any longer.


    Its body transformed into shadows, which trailed across the ground.


    This form gave the shadowy figure its maximum speed, as it allowed the shadowy figure to reach the middle of the clearing in an instant.


    Before any of the sleep-deprived guards could react, the shadowy figure had already shattered the vial that it held in its hands.


    "Crash!"


    A noxious-looking gas came out of the shattered vial, which started to spread throughout the whole clearing. Every human in the clearing were all covered by this gas.


    By the time that the whole clearing was full of the gas, the shadowy figure was already outside the clearing, waiting for any possible intruders.


    To the shadowy figure''s relief, nobody approached the clearing even after it waited for 10 minutes.


    It seems like the shadowy figure''s decision to choose a secluded nomadic village in the mountains as the breeding ground was right.


    Now that 10 minutes have already passed by, the shadowy figure reckoned that its already time for the birth of its new siblings.


    "....¡­."


    "Argh!!!!"


    The screams of pain that the shadowy figure heard from the village heralded the start of the birthing process.


    It was a well-known fact among its siblings that the Queen Mother has no way to naturally produce Her own children.


    All of Queen Mother''s current children were all born artificially.


    "....."


    The shadowy figure resisted the urge to enter the clearing as it knew that the effects of the vial were not yet done.


    From what the shadowy figure knew, the gas inside the vial has a low chance to turn any human into Queen Mother''s new children.


    In human terms, the gas in the vial has a low chance to turn humans into ''MONSTERS''.


    The shadowy figure hated this term, as in its opinion, humans were worse monsters than itself and its siblings.


    Humans were all greedy and selfish, while all the children of the Queen Mother were all cooperative and sharing.


    Just one look at that was enough to show the superior group.


    The screams of pain continued to last for another half an hour before it died out.


    Once the shadowy figure confirmed that there are no more traces of gas left, it entered the clearing to look for its new siblings.


    To the irritation of the shadowy figure, only five humans survived the transformation.


    Because of the potency of the gas, most humans die before they could even transform. Only a select few gets to survive to witness their new form.


    The shadowy figure finds this to be quite a pity, as it knew that it will be better if all the humans will be the children of Queen Mother.


    "Waaa!!!!"


    The shadowy figure''s reverie was broken as it heard a cry echoing throughout the whole clearing.


    The shadowy figure vaguely recognized that the one crying was one of its newest siblings, who turns out to be the irritating human child that asked for some cookies earlier.


    As for the remaining 4 humans, the shadowy figure realized that they were all human kids too.


    "Useless." The shadowy figure muttered to itself as it decided to just leave the transformed human kids in the clearing.


    In the shadowy figure''s opinion, transformed human kids were all weak and useless, and they do not deserve to get treated as children of the Queen Mother.


    If it was adults or even elderly that transformed, then it will be fine.


    But children? There is no way the shadowy figure will bring their kind with it.


    Not bringing the transformed human kids might be a waste considering the value of the gas vial, but the shadowy figure knew that this is better compared to actually allowing some weaklings to be Queen Mother''s newest children.


    "Waaa!!!"


    The shadowy figure ignored the cries of its newest siblings as it left the clearing, melding back into the darkness of the night.


    The shadowy figure never once looked back.

 Chapter 55 Thats a lot of Fores

    "I''m still alive but barely moving." Alex thought idly to himself as his mouth refused to open for him. "Scratch that, I can''t move at all."


    Right now, Alex found himself back at the post-paralysis state which followed the aftermath of his use of the Star-Crusted Dagger.


    Just like what happened before, Alex''s body was once again paralyzed, and he was sure that even Alina was also paralyzed too.


    Not only that, but he could also barely use his Esper Power too, which should be the same case for Alina.


    Maybe this was the effect of using the Star-Crusted Dagger while having a Power Synthesis with Alina.


    Speaking of Alina¡­


    "Oh s**t, Alina just witnessed her sister sacrificing herself earlier! Instead of lying down here like a lazy kid watching YourTube, I should be comforting her now!"


    But to Alex''s chagrin, he had no way to comfort Alina, as he was unable to move at all.


    And this state of his will stay this way for 12 more hours.


    "...¡­.."


    Since he knew that moving won''t do any good, Alex decided to scout his surroundings with his limited vision.


    Alex used his eyeballs to look around him, and he realized that he and Alina were inside a forest.


    Alex could somewhat see numerous amount of trees around him and Alina, with the trees towering so high that sunlight could barely trickle in.


    Alex could also smell the decayed leaves, musky trunks, and moldy air, indicating that he and Alina were really inside a forest.


    Seeing himself in a place like this should make Alex happy right now, but he was not, since his current state was not that good.


    "¡­ I really hate the Endless Monarch." Alex thought to himself as he remembered what happened earlier.


    ***************


    3 minutes earlier.


    After Elizabeth has explained to Alina her plan to die, she teleported Alina, Alex, Ricardo, Lord Gallius, and his master Clint away from their location.


    The next thing that Alex knew was that he''s back at Clint''s house with the others.


    At this point, Alex was already paralyzed along with Alina, so they were unable to voice out any words that they wanted to say.


    "Oh no! What the hell happened here! Clive, get the medicine kit! Your father and this smug-looking guy needs some first aid!"


    "Roger mom!"


    Alex could clearly hear countless worried voices, which obviously came from Clint''s family. They sounded a little shaken with what they saw, but Alex could feel that they were strong enough to


    stomach the current scenario.


    At the corner of his eyes, Alex could see Natasha, Natalia, and Clive doing their best to attend to Clint and Lord Gallius. Ricardo, who still looked slightly dazed from what happened, stood beside Natalia as he helped them.


    As for Alex and Alina, they seemed to have been ignored first as they looked fine.


    "...."


    At that time, Alex thought that he and Alina will have to spend 12 hours inside Clint''s house before he and Alina sets out to the new world.


    But after just 3 minutes of waiting, Alex suddenly saw that his own body was covered by a glow which looked suspicious to him.


    "Don''t tell me¡­"


    Alex strained the rotation of his eyeballsin order to look at Alina beside him.


    "No f**king way." To his utter surprise, Alex saw that Alina was also covered by the same glow as him.


    Aside from Alex, every other conscious occupant in the room saw what was happening, and their shouts of panic confirmed that they were also worried about the glow covering Alex and Alina.


    "....."


    It did not take Alex that long to realize what was about to happen next.


    "What the hell? Why are both of us leaving now?" Alex thought to himself furiously as he managed to glare at Asteria, who was floating just right above him. "Isn''t this too fast?"


    Because Alex was paralyzed, he was not able to voice out any of his resentments to Asteria.


    However, Asteria seems to have realized what Alex was thinking of, as she looked at Alex and Alina while saying,


    "Main Mission Completed. Bonus Mission Completed. Mission Grade: S." Asteria''s cheeky grin did not leave her face as she continued on talking.


    "With the Traveler Alex and his Companion Alina completing the mission in this world, the Endless Monarch had deemed that Traveler Alex and his Companion Alina will now be heading to their next world." The glow intensified after the small fairy said these words.


    "Hehehe, isn''t this fun?" Asteria said as she saw the hidden distress on Alex''s and Alina''s faces. "We will be on our trip now to the next world! It''s time to see new sights and find new babes! Oops, forget the last line, making a harem will only depend on the Traveler''s desires¡­"


    Alex tried to ignore Asteria''s raucous laughter as he felt his body being brought away by the same power that brought him into this world.


    At the corner of his eyes, Alex could see Alina being brought away too.


    As for Asteria, she still looked the same, although Alex could feel that Asteria will just ride along with them.


    "Let''s go now!" Asteria shamelessly said as she rode Alex like a broom.


    "To eternity and beyond!"


    Alex tried not to cringe after hearing this.


    Fortunately for him, his paralyzed body was able to hide his cringe.


    ****************


    Back to the present time.


    While Alex was busy on cursing the Endless Monarch, he could see Asteria playing with Alina''s body.


    Of course, not that kind of ''play''.


    What Alex could see was Asteria using Alina''s body as a sort of mini-playground.


    There''s nothing dirty with this, as Asteria mainly focused on Alina''s arms and legs.


    Alex could see Asteria jumping up and down on Alina''s arms and legs like a silky and fragrant trampoline. Aside from this, Asteria also occasionally tickled the paralyzed Alina.


    Well, Alex was slightly incensed that Asteria was out there touching Alina''s leg, but Alex could take it, as he saw that what Asteria was doing seems to be helping Alina out.


    In Alex''s opinion, Asteria was doing her best to act like a cute pet comforting her owner Alina.


    It seems to be working as the sad pallor on Alina''s face was slowly disappearing, with it being replaced by a healthy glow.


    Hell, if Alina could move right now, she will be surely smiling.


    "But even if Asteria managed to cheer Alina up a little, it will still be inevitable for Alina to be extremely lonely." Alex thought to himself as guilt stabbed his heart once more.


    "F**k, I cannot just let Alina stay this sad!" Alex angrily thought to himself as he tried to think of ways to cheer Alina up.


    "Well, I can cook her some good food later once we are able to move¡­" Alex inwardly nodded in this idea, as he knew that Alina loves eating delicious foods. This could be enough to cheer her up more.


    "But since I am paralyzed, I still have to wait for half a day before I can cook something." Alex thought to himself as he imagined the dishes that he can cook later.


    "Awoo!!!"


    Alex''s musings however were broken as he heard this ghastly howl echoing around him.


    "Oh no, how could I have forgotten about this?" Alex''s pupils narrowed in fear as he just remembered something important.


    Because of his paralysis, Alex will be unable to defend himself from anything that will attack him within 12 hours! Alina will be also defenseless because of her paralysis.


    This means that Alex and Alina will be easily killed right now by anything that will try to kill them!


    As for Asteria, Alex already knew that this fairy won''t be able to do s**t in close combat.She''s better for infiltration and information gathering.


    "Oh no, will we be just another food chow here in this new world?" Alex thought with a sinking feeling in his stomach. "Come on, we just arrived here in the new world, and we are already in danger?"


    Alex tried his best to move, but the best that he can do was nothing. Only slight groans came out of his mouth, signifying his futile effort to move.


    "F**k!!!" Alex was about to hyperventilate in fear when suddenly, Asteria''s soothing voice washed over him.


    "Don''t worry Alex, this place where all three of us landed in is entirely safe. "Asteria said as Alex and even Alina felt their eyelids starting to close.


    "Nobody will be able to attack you two in this place, so you two should not be worried. So, instead of being like this, I guess you two should take a sleep first. After all, you two need some rest too, with all the crazy stuff that you did."


    "Ngrh¡­" Alex tried his best to say something, which also failed miserably.


    "Tsk, I don''t understand what you are saying, but I can see what you want to do." Asteria muttered as she flitted towards Alex''s left hand.


    Asteria placed her hands under Alex''s left hand as if she was holding a weight, and after a few seconds of waiting, Asteria flew up, lifting Alex''s hand high up in the air.


    "Ugh, why is your hand so heavy!" Asteria complained as she started to pant. "F**k Alex, you owe me 10 jars of honey after this!"


    Alex was not sure what Asteria did to his left hand, but 10 seconds later, he felt his left hand slowly descending until it touched something warm.


    Alex started to feel an electric tingle crossing his body, as if what he just touched greatly stimulated him.


    "Yosh, ''Operation Holding Hands'' is a success!" Asteria said as she flew back above Alex''s face. "Hehehe Alex, how do you like that? You and Alina are holding hands now! Aren''t I a good wingman?"


    "Wingman your ass!" Alex thought to himself as he failed to hide his blush.


    He could feel Alina''s silky fingers intertwined with his, and Alex could not help but feel excited with this minimum skin contact.


    "Aww¡­" Asteria let out a satisfied mewl as if she saw something that satisfied her. "Both of you are blushing like tomatoes right now! Are you two this innocent? Tsk, and I thought Alex will be a lady-killer¡­"


    "Shut your mouth, old hag." Alex thought sourly to himself as he felt his drowsiness overcoming him.


    "Asteria, I swear that I will make you pay for all of this later¡­" Alex swore to himself as his vision was covered by darkness.


    "So sleepy¡­"


    But before Alex could sink to his sleepyland, he tried to reaffirm the sensation of his hands touching with Alina''s.


    It felt warm and good, something that Alex looked forward to feel later once he wakes up.

 Chapter 56 Law-Ability Interaction

    "You told my sister to sacrifice herself, right?" This is the first sentence that Alina said as she and Alex woke up free from their paralysis. "Don''t try lying to me¡­ I can detect if you falsify your answer."


    "¡­." Alex, who was about to open his mouth to answer back, closed it as he realized excuses won''t work against Alina anymore.


    Seeing the cold look on Alina''s face, Alex realized that he had no way out now.


    "I do not know if you can forgive me, but I have no choice at that time." Alex said as he kowtowed in front of Alina. "I know that what I did at that time will hurt you, but that is the best choice that I can make at that time¡­."


    Alex kept his head bowed, as he did not dare to say anything after that.


    What Alina will do to Alex now will all depend on her.


    "I can forgive you, because I know that what you did is the best thing to do at that time." Alina said after a minute of silence. "However, I am still angry at you, and you kowtowing in front of me will not remove my anger."


    "I understand if you are still angry at me." Alex replied as he kowtowed his head lower. "After all, what I did is something that is morally gray and ambiguous."


    "Hmph, don''t think that you are lucky right now." Alina said as she removed the mask from her face. "You still have to pay for making me cry earlier."


    "Of course, of course." Alex hastily replied as he kept his head down. "I''ll do anything to satisfy you, Alina."


    "...¡­.."


    "I am lucky that she is with me..." Alex thought to himself with bliss as he thanked his lucky stars that Alina was a kind and gentle person.


    However, that thinking of his was gone at the next moment as Alina said,


    "Since I am angry at you, then you should be punished, a lot."


    "Punished?" Alex started to unknowingly tremble as he looked at Alina with panic.


    "What?" Alina''s face was replaced with a cold look, as if she was looking at dirt.


    "Hehehehe, Alex will be punished by his hooman girl!"


    Perched at Alina''s shoulders was Asteria, who was laughing at Alex with glee.


    It did not take Alex that long to realize what happened.


    "You set me up!" Alex shouted as he pointed his fingers at Asteria. "You dumb fairy, what corrupting words did you say to Alina huh?"


    "Corrupting words? I think enlightening words is the better term." Alina interjected as she petted Asteria''s head. "Asteria just told me that sometimes, naughty boys must be punished to make them behave. You, you are one of them now."


    Alex shuddered as he envisioned Alina and Asteria wearing skimpy clothes while holding a whip in their hands.


    That vision was both terrifying and enchanting, that Alex was not sure if being punished was really that bad.


    "Hey, it''s not that kind of punishment!" Asteria''s face suddenly turned red, as if she was able to read what Alex had imagined. "You¡­ you actually are a pervert!"


    "He''s always a pervert." Asterias said as she flopped down on Asteria''s shoulder. "You just managed to notice it now."


    "Oh great¡­.."


    ****************************


    Alex''s first punishment was just simple.


    He has to gather food for Alina and honey for Asteria inside the forest around them.


    When Alex heard that this was his punishment, he scoffed a little as he realized that it will be just easy for him to find food.


    After all, he was not paralyzed anymore, and he can use his Esper Ability to hunt food.


    But when Alex tried testing out his Esper Ability, he found out something that made him go livid.


    "What the hell?" Alex tried manipulating the light waves around him, but to his chagrin, he found out that his pull against them was weak!


    Before, Alex can gather 1,000 streams of light waves around him in just a second.


    But right now, Alex can only gather 1 stream of light wave in the same amount of time!


    Alex tried to do the same manipulation with other EM Waves, and he found out that they were all weakened too!


    At that point Alex started to panic, so he tried to see if his Mental Power was damaged too.


    To Alex''s relief and confusion, he saw that his Range was still 150 meters.


    "What is happening here?" Alex muttered to himself as he realized something is wrong with his Esper Ability.


    He looked at Alina as he told her what happened to him.


    "Interesting." Alina said as she flicked her swords around. "I still have Mental Power of Tier 999+, but the effects of my Esper Ability have been reduced by 1,000 times, just like what happened to you¡­"


    "¡­." Alex''s eyes narrowed as he realized that both him and Alina were affected by something that weakened their Esper Abilities.


    By their own, Alex and Alina would not easily find out the reason on that mystery, but there is someone nearby who can help them out.


    "Oi dumb fairy." Alex said as he glared at Asteria, who was laying down on Alina''s lap. "Care to explain to us what happened with our Esper Abilities?"


    "Oh, that?" Asteria let out a yawn, as if she was saying that Alina''s lap was a comfortable place to sleep in. "Your Esper Abilities are weakened here because the Laws in this World somewhat weakens your abilities."


    "Weaken?" Alex did not like this word one bit. "Elaborate, and I will add 2 more jars of honey for you later."


    Now this made the sleepy Asteria excited. Her small body perked as she floated in the air, with the usual cheeky grin on her face.


    "Listen here, you two hoomans." Asteria said as she started to sound like a teacher. "Different Worlds have different Laws that dictate how these Worlds will operate. These Laws also regulate the Abilities that can be used in these Worlds."


    Alex nodded his head, as he understood what Asteria was pertaining to. Each World must have something that will let them operate, and these Laws seems to be the one doing these operations. For these Laws to govern even the power used in different Worlds seems to be a good explanation too.


    Alina had her eyes narrowed in concentration, as she was obviously contemplating what Asteria was talking about.


    "Now, what do you think will happen if someone from a different World comes to a new World?" Asteria said as she tilted her head. "Well obviously, that person will be affected by the Laws of the new world, and that person''s abilities will be affected too."


    Alex''s eyes flashed as he got what Asteria was pertaining to.


    "Perhaps, you are saying that there are some Worlds that reject or weaken Abilities that do not conform with their Laws."Alex slowly said as he stared at the paltry amount of light waves that he gathered. "That¡­ is actually logical."


    "You are right!" Asteria replied as she nodded her head in acknowledgement. "There is a chance that an Ability will either get stronger, get weaker, stay as it is, or just entirely disappear depending on the Laws that it will interact with."


    "I think you should explain that too." Alex said as his confusion was back again. "You are making it sound complicated now."


    "Geez, ok, I get it." Asteria mumbled as she rubbed her tiny forehead.


    "Let me give you an example." Asteria said as she did not care on what Alex and Alina were thinking right now. "Let''s say that there are 4 Worlds that exist all beside each other. These worlds are the Fire World, Wind World, Earth World, and Water World."


    "Fire World has Laws that dictate that only Fire Abilities can be used in that world. Wind World on the other hand, has Laws saying that only Wind Abilities can be used there. As for Earth World, its laws only allow Earth Abilities in there. And then there is Water World, with its Laws only allowing Water Abilities to exist." Asteria numerated these worlds quickly, making sure that Alex and Alina got what she was talking about.


    "Let''s say that a person from Fire World was called Fire Person, while the one from Wind World was Wind Person, then Earth Person is for the Earth World, and Water Personfor the Water World." Asteria raised her fingers slowly as she recited these names. "Now, we will make them Travel!"


    "...¡­.."


    "If the Fire Person goes to the Earth World, the Fire Abilities of the Fire Person will get weaker, as the Laws of the Earth World are not that accommodating to Fire Abilities." Asteria said as she let out some pew pew pew sounds.


    Alex felt that this makes sense, as fire can be weakened as long as some soil were poured on it.


    "But if the Fire Persongoes to the Wind World, the Fire Person''s Fire Abilities will get stronger, as the Laws of the Wind World can support and strengthen Fire Abilities." Asteria said as she let out some blowing sounds. "Woooooooosh."


    Again, this makes sense, as Alex knew that the right amount of wind can make a flame grow stronger.


    "But if this Fire Person goes to the Water World, it''s obvious what will happen next." Asteria said as she raised her hands. "The Fire Person''s Fire Abilities will not work in the Water World, since the Laws of the Water World will firmly reject Fire Abilities."


    This point is already obvious, as anyone can see that water extinguishes fire.


    "Well, that is the simple view point of the interaction between the Abilities and Laws of different Worlds." Asteria said as she let out a smirk. "However, this interaction in reality is much more complicated than that. There are other factors that must be considered when pairing Abilities and Laws, so you cannot just expect formulaic results."


    "Ok¡­" Alex slowly nodded his head as he somewhat got Asteria''s point. "So, the effects of our Esper Abilities are weak right now since the Laws of this World are not that accommodating for Esper Abilities?"


    "Exactly." Asteria replied as she plopped back on Alina''s shoulder. "In this World, your Esper Abilities are weakened by 1,000 times, which you could have observed already."


    "¡­"


    This admission by Asteria doused a cold water on Alex''s ambitions.


    At first, Alex thought that with his and Alina''s Esper Abilities, they can easily succeed on completing the Missions in this World.


    But from the looks of it, they were once again back to square one.


    "Is there a chance that we can use our Esper Abilities in full power in this World?" Alina asked before Alex could give this question. "I am not really comfortable¡­ in being like this."


    "Oh, don''t worry about that. As long as you spend enough time in this World, your Esper Abilities will slowly adapt to the Laws of this World." Asteria replied nonchalantly. "So just spend some time in this World, and you Esper Abilities will be back in full power."


    "Ok, that makes me relieved." Alex said as he let out a relieved sigh. "But, how long should we stay here to regain the full power of our Esper Abilities?"


    "Well, I am not sure myself." Asteria replied as she averted her gaze away from Alex. "It all depends on the individual itself."


    "Then how are we going to survive in this world?" Alex complained as he glared at Asteria. "Don''t tell me that we have to buy another ''Cultivation Body'' that will work well in this World?"


    "That is exactly what you should do." Asteria replied quickly, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. "If you don''t do that, then you will just fail this World''s Main Mission."


    "...¡­."

 Chapter 57 The Queen and the Weird Censorhip

    "Ok, so should I go looking for food first, or should we buy our new cultivation bodies first?" Alex inquired as he avoided Asteria''s crafty gaze.


    "Huh?" Asteria gave Alex a wilting gaze as she said,


    "Of course you have to buy from the Endless Monarch first! If you don''t, then you will just die if you go out hunting!"


    "You make it sound like there are monsters living in this forest." Alex said, clearly remembering the ghastly howl that he heard yesterday. "That will be something that I would not like to see."


    "Well, you are right." Asteria replied as she nodded her head sagely. "There are literally monsters in this forest, as we are right now in the territory of Monsters. Capital M for Monsters."


    "Oh. Oh. Oh." Alex went silent for a few seconds as she processed what Asteria said. "So I presume that this World is full of monsters then?"


    "Well not really." Asteria replied as she swung her legs in the air cheerfully. "In this World, there are two factions that hold power. The Human Faction, and the Monster Faction. The place that we are in right now is the Raju Forest, one of the areas were the Monsters reside."


    Asteria made it sound like what she said made sense, although there is one thing that is confusing the hell out of Alex right now.


    "Hold on for a minute." Alex raised his hand as he processed what Asteria said. "Why did you drop us here in the Monster Territory? Couldn''t you just like drop us near the Humans? I think that it will be a better place than this."


    "Why are you worried about that Alex?" Asteria replied as she pointed her fingers around her.


    Alex''s eyes follower Asteria''s fingers, and he saw countless statues gathered in a circle around him and Alina.


    Each of the statues depicted shapes of unrecognizable beings that even Alex with his knowledge of fictional beings could not identify them that easily.


    "These statues prevent Monsters from getting near us." Asteria said as she pointed at the statues proudly. "So, you two should not fear any assault for now."


    "You are still not answering my question." Alex said as he continued glaring at Asteria. "Why drop us here instead of dropping us in a Human Territory? Answer that please."


    "Well¡­" Asteria continued averting her gaze away from Alex, as she started to twiddle her fingers. "You see¡­"


    "No, don''t tell me that it will be like that!" Alex sputtered out as he seemed to have reached to the answer already.


    With his vibrant imaginatio, and the countless fantasy books that he read, Alex somewhat had a guess on the real reason that he and Alina appeared in this place.


    "ASTERIA." Alex tried to keep his voice calm as he gave Asteria a steady gaze.


    "Hehehe¡­" Asteria kept her mouth shut as she gave Alex a shaky grin.


    "???" Alina could only tilt her head as she tried to understand what was going on.


    "...."


    "...."


    "...."


    "Alina and I will be turned to Monsters, am I right?" Alex slowly said as he felt his heart turning heavy. "That is the most likely reason for us to appear in this place. After all, the best creature that can mingle with a Monster is another Monster, right?"


    "Tsk, you got me again." Asteria replied grumpily as she glared at Alex sulkily. "You really a smarta**¡­"


    "..."


    All of them stayed quite for a few seconds, as Alex and Alina tried to accept what Asteria just said.


    Asteria then continued talking, and what she said next just made Alex''s heart feel heavier.


    "If you are wondering on how you two will become Monsters, the answer to that is just simple. The cultivation body that you two will buy will turn you and Alina into Monsters that will blend well in this World."


    To say that what Asteria said was a bombshell will be an understatement.


    "No." Alina muttered in the background, as she felt that she did not like what she was hearing. "Now I do not want to buy that cultivation body¡­"


    "Hehehe¡­"


    Alex let out a sigh as he resisted the urge to just smack Asteria to wipe away that s**tty grin on her face.


    Asteria''s admission did not sound that good to Alex at all.


    After all, it seemed like he and Alina will have to look inhumane in this World in order to succeed on their Mission.


    Even if Alex was thrilled to have a new power, he was still unhappy to become something different.


    "If we do not buy these new cultivation bodies, what is our chance on succeeding on our Main Mission?" Alex inquired as he and Alina gave hopeful looks at Asteria.


    If there is at least 30-40% chance of them succeeding without turning into Monsters, then Alex will not buy the additional cultivation body.


    Asteria''s answer however once again derailed his plans.


    "Zero. Percent." Asteria said as she relished on the disappointed looks on Alex and Alina''s faces. "After all, you need to be Monsters first to do the Main Mission. If you don''t, then you two will die from the Penalty."


    "...."


    It took Alex some seconds to compose himself from the hopeless revelation. As for Alina, Alex was not sure if Alina was fine with what was about to happen to them. But even if Alina looks pale and scared, she seems to be not backing out of buying the cultivation body.


    "Fine. We shall buy the additional cultivation bodies first." Alex said as he grabbed Alina''s hands to comfort her. Alina reciprocated in kind as she tightened her hold on Alex''s hands too.


    Asteria seems to be somewhat pissed by the sweet scene that she saw as she literally growled at Alex.


    "Traveler Alex, why don''t you and Alina start purchasing it now?"


    "Oh right¡­" Alex replied as he slowly removed his hands away from Alina, which just served to piss Asteria more. "But before I buy, can you tell me about my remaining lifespan first?"


    Aside from his impending cultivation body, Alex was also curious about his new lifespan.


    After all, he and Alina just completed a mission that seems to be set at a difficult level. For him to gain some amount of lifespan is already a given.


    Now, Alex just needed to know how much he got.


    "You only have 20 Years and 21 Days of Lifespan left." Asteria said nonchalantly. "Originally, your lifespan should be 100 Years and 21 Days, but 80 Years of your Lifespan had been used to transport you here in this World."


    "I am not sure if that sounds good or bad¡­" Alex said as he ruminated on what Asteria just said.


    Originally, Alex only had 7 days of Lifespan left.


    Alex''s Bonus Mission will reward him with 15 days of lifespan, and technically speaking, Alex saved Elizabeth, so Alex was able to get these 15 days.1 Day was subtracted after Alex and Alina slept for almost a day to remove their injuries.


    As for the Main Mission, Alex was sure that it granted him 100 Years of Lifespan, which seems to be acceptable, given the difficulty of the mission.


    The deduction of 80 Years just to transport Alex to a new World seems to be excessive, but what can Alex do about it? It already happened.


    Alexjust shook his head as he accepted the fact that he had now 20 Years and 21 Days left to live.


    "Well, that is not actually bad." Alex thought to himself, as he knew that 20 Years is much better than just 30 days.


    But Alex''s relieved feeling disappeared as he remembered that he did not buy the new Cultivation Body yet.


    "Asteria¡­" Alex felt his lips turning dry as he asked the fairy queen,


    "How much will the new cultivation body cost anyway?"


    Asteria''s quick and concise reply reached Alex''s ears faster than he could give his disappointed sigh.


    "Buying the Monster Cultivation Body will cost you 18 Years of Lifespan. So if you buy it now, you will only have 2 Years and 21 Days of Lifespan left."


    "As expected, the Endless Monarch really is a stingy guy." Alex muttered darkly to himself as he decided that 2 Years of Lifespan is better than nothing. "So, Alina will also have to buy the same thing too, only with her Contribution Points?"


    "Yes, and do not worry, Alina has enough points to scrape by." Asteria replied as she patted Alina''s shoulders in consolation.


    This seemed to not do anything good, as Alina still looks scared on what was about to happen next.


    Asteria noticed the scared look on Alina''s face which prompted her to let out a sigh.


    "Listen here hooman." Asteria said as she approached Alina''s ear. "I am going to say something to you, and I am sure you will not be scared anymore after this."


    Asteria then said some words beside Alina''s ear, with Asteria making sure that what she said will not be heard by Alex.


    Basically, Asteria was whispering something to Alina.


    Asteria''s whispers only lasted for 10 seconds, but Alex could see that Alina lost the scared look on her face, and it was now replaced with calmness, and even excitement?


    "Oi Asteria, what did you say to Alina?" Alex inquired as he saw Alina and Asteria giggling at the same time. "Is that a secret cheer-up charm?"


    "Well¡­" Asteria cupped her chin as he gave Alex a vague smile. "I just told Alina the appearances that you two will have once you two became Monsters. And as you can see, Alina definitely liked what she heard."


    "Oh, then I guess I won''t have to be worried about anything then." Alex replied as he began to feel hopeful.


    If what Asteria told to Alina was enough to cheer Alina up, then maybe Alex''s Monster form will be a good one.


    "Ok, just buy the goods already Asteria." Alex said as he could not wait anymore to buy the Monster Cultivation Body. "I want to see my cool form now!"


    Asteria seems to look like she was trying not to laugh as she gave a shaky nod to Alex. "I am buying both of yours and Alina''s Monster Cultivation Body at the same time so that there will be no hassle... Are you two ready? Here we go. 1, 2, 3!!!"


    "Urgh!" Alex felt the same pain assaulting his body, but this time he found it to be bearable.


    Some slight feminine grunts beside him tells Alex that Alina was also experiencing the same pain too.


    Alex tried to not make his imagination wander from these grunts as he focused on enduring the pain.


    It was exactly after 30 minutes have passed by that the pain disappeared, and that Alex could feel his body able to move again.


    After regaining his mobility, the first thing that Alex did was to look at Alina. After all, she was the one that was more scared for their transformation.


    "Alina are you oka-" Alex''s query was cut off as what he saw took his breath away.


    In front of Alex was a tall, statuesque woman standing around 6 feet tall.


    She looked to be around 28 years old, and her appearance had reached the peak of feminine beauty.


    Her body was extremely shapely, with it adapting a perfect hourglass curve.


    The woman''s chest and butt were extremely perky, and her willowy waist just exemplifies her appeal.


    The woman''s pale white skin and ebony black hair perfectly frames her luscious lips andher extremely beautiful face.


    Everyone, even Alex, were sure that many countries will wage war just because of this woman''s beauty.


    "Alina?" Even though the woman looked somewhat foreign to Alex, he can still identify that this mature and smoking hot woman in front of him was his Companion Alina.


    "Good thing you still recognized me, Alex." Alina replied with a sultry voice. "I thought that with me becoming a Vampire Queen, you will fail to recognize me."


    "You are Alina, so I will not fail to recognize you." Alex retorted as he ruminated on what Alina said.


    "So you are a Vampire Queen now huh. Well, that pale skin of yours shows that you are a vampire." Alex commented as he tried to touch Alina''s skin with his tentacles. "Up close, your skin really looks nice¡­"


    Wait, tentacles?


    Alex froze in his spot as he realized that there was something wrong with him right now.


    "Slither¡­"


    Alex tried to not shout as he realized that the slithering tentacle in front of him was under his control.


    Before Alex could try to rationalize the presence of that tentacle, he saw more and more tentacles waving all around him.


    "Slither¡­"


    "Slither¡­"


    "Slither¡­"


    All these tentacles were waving in a jerky fashion, clearly representing Alex''s chaotic feelings right now.


    "Wh-what the hell is happening here!" Alex shouted out as he tried to understand the presence of the tentacles around him. "Di- di- did I turn into a tentacle monster?"


    "Oh, it seems like you got the correct answer, Captain Obvious." Asteria replied,as she played with one of the tentacles.


    Asteria seems to be not scared of the tentacles as she continued on talking.


    "But actually, Tentacle Monster is not the right term. Technically speaking, your Monster Form is of a Great Elderitch Monster with Tentacle Mutation."


    Suffice to say, Alex did not sound any happier with that answer.

 Chapter 58 5 Little Monsters

    To Alex''s indignation, he found out that his new body looked different from what he could have wanted.


    He still had a humanoid body, but Alex found out that every part of him was covered with green, slimy tentacles that were all serrated with sharp teeth.


    Needless to say, Alex knew that he just reached the scale of ''creepy and scary monsters that will eat you while you sleep'' level.


    This fact alone made Alex extremely angry, especially to the dumb fairy.


    "Oi Asteria, why do I get to be a tentacle monster and Alina gets to be a hot Vampire Queen?" This the first question that Alex said as he finished acclimating to his new body. "This is just unfair!"


    "Well, you need to have that body if you want to succeed on the Main Mission." Asteria replied as she idly played with Alina''s new hair. "Being human won''t cut it out here."


    "No!!!" Alex tried to facepalm, but the best that he could do was to ''facetentacle'' himself(Is that even a word?) as he realized that he really got the short end of the stick here.


    "Does that mean that I will stay in this appearance for the rest of the mission?" Alex muttered to himself as he found himself disappointed with his luck. "This is just unfair!"


    To Alex''s surprise, Asteria had a reply to his latest question.


    "Huh? Of course it will not be like that." Asteria said, as she gave an incredulous gaze at Alex. "You can still transform back to your Human Forms, as long as you willed it. However, I recommend you to stay in your Monter Form when you are under the presence of other Monsters, or else you two will be attacked."


    "Wait, we can do that?" Alex suddenly found hope as he heard what Asteria said. "Is that true? We really can shift forms form Monster to Human?"


    "Hey hooman, show Alex what I mean." Asteria said to Alina, who just gave a nod in reply.


    "...."


    Alex watched with fascination as he saw the Vampire Queen Alina turning back into the Human Alina.


    The change was seamless, it was as if it was just natural.


    The Human Alina then shifted her appearance back to Vampire Queen Alina, as Asteria chided her to turn back to that appearance.


    "Do you believe me now?" Asteria said as she gave a smug grin at Alex. "Well, you can try it by yourself too."


    "In that case, here I go." Alex declared as he willed himself to transform back to his Human Form.


    At the first second, he was not sure on what to do, which made him slightly panicked.


    But after focusing his desire to be Human again, Alex felt a warm sensation that covered his whole body.


    The warm sensation only lasted for a second, and when Alex opened his eyes, he found himself staring down at his two hands.


    "Hahaha! I am back!" Even if Alex will be crying right now, he would not be ashamed of it, as he was really terrified of his appearance earlier.


    Alina did not seem to mind Alex''s outburst, although Asteria wrinkled her nose in disgust as she muttered some rather crass words to herself.


    "Are you done celebrating?" Asteria said after waiting for Alex to calm down. "If you are done, shift back to your Monster Form already."


    "Hai, hai." This time around, Alex did not feel any hard feelings as he shifted back to his Monster Form. After all, he already had the assurance that he can still get back to his normal form, so there is no problem for him now to look like a tentacle man.


    "Hey Alex¡­" Alina, who was in her Vampire Queen Form, averted her gaze from Alex as she asked him in a low voice,


    "Which appearance do you prefer? My Human appearance or my Vampire Queen appearance?"


    "..."


    Alex did not reply quickly, as he knew that this was a test. If he gives the wrong answer, then he will surely be punished greatly.


    Even though Alex was not an expert on what women think, Alex knows one thing that any woman loves.


    Women loves to be praised.


    Ifa girl asks you on which of her two dresses fits her better, do not just choose one dress. Tell that girl that she is beautiful no matter what dress she wears. That will be the best answer for that.


    Alex nodded his head as he decided to apply this principle in his answer to Alina.


    "It doesn''t matter which appearance you wear Alina." Alex said, trying to make himself sound as nonchalant as possible. "As long as it is you, I will not get tired of looking at you."


    Suffice to say, it sounded very cheesy and cringy.


    Just as expected of Alex.


    "Ew, that is so cheesy!" Asteria actually recoiled as if she could not contain what she was feeling right now. "And what made it worse is that you said it while you are in your tentacle form! It''s just¡­ ew¡­"


    "Ew indeed." Alina nodded in agreement as she gave Alex a sly smile. "However I will give you points for being honest. But¡­ can you please choose the right words to say next time? Your choice of words really makes me unsure whether you are serious or just joking."


    "..." Alex was not sure whether to feel happy or sad by that.


    "Anyway." Asteria managed to compose herself as she shook her head, presumably to remove everything that Alex just said earlier. "Now that you got your new body, it is time that I tell your Main Mission in this World."


    "We''re listening." Alex and Alina leaned forward as they focused on what Asteria was about to say next.


    Asteria smiled, seemingly loving the attention given to her. She tossed her hair to the side as she said,


    [SAVE THE CHILDREN]


    "...." Both Alex and Alina waited for Asteria to say something more, but to their dismay, Asteria did not say anything after that.


    "Wait, that''s it?" Alex commented as Asteria went back to Alina''s shoulders. "Save The Children? That is our Main Mission?"


    "Yes, that is your mission." Asteria replied sagely, as if what she said was the universal truth. "So just do what the Main Mission told you to do."


    "But how the hell will I do that?" Alex replied with exasperation as he wrapped Asteria with one of his tentacles. "Save the children? What children will I save? How many of them should I save? Why should I even save them? I should know about these specific things!"


    "Hey!" Asteria let out some shouts of complaint as the tentacle wrapped all over her, with her failing to dodge the oozing slime that came from the tentacle. "Get this thing off me!"


    "Not until you explain on how we should finish our Main Mission." Alex said as he willed more and more tentacles to cover Asteria. "So, please do your best to answer, ok?"


    "Help me, hooman!" Asteria pleaded for help to Alina, but to Asteria''s disappointment, Alina did not do anything. She just watched as Asteira was covered with more and more tentacles¡­


    "Fine! I will try to help you out!" Asteria said before the last tentacle could cover her. "I have a tip for you for the Main Mission!"


    "Now we''re talking." Alex said as he freed Asteria from his tentacle assault. "Now talk."


    "Hmph!" Asteria certainly did not look good right now, with all the slime covering her body, making her look like a kitten that was drenched in rain.


    "Just go hunting in the forest, okay?" Asteria said as Alina did her best to comfort the shaken fairy. "Do it, and you will see the meaning of your Main Mission."


    "Hmm¡­ Ok, I think that explanation is already suffice." Alex muttered as he decided on what to do next. "In that case, I guess I should get going now." Alex started to amble out of the clearing as he decided to start his hunt.


    But before he could go, he paused as he looked back at Asteria.


    "Hey." Alex said as he played with his tentacles. "What are my new abilities in this body anyway? I think I should know about them so that I can use them later."


    "And you are just asking it now? Really, when will you learn to be alert?" Asteria cheekily replied, as she was seemingly back to her arrogant and vibrant persona.


    "Do you want another tentacle treatment again?" Alex said as he waved some of his tentacles in Asteria''s direction. "Because if you want to, then I will give it to you for free."


    "Ah Alex I am just joking you know, hehehe¡­"


    "...¡­"


    *******************


    1 hour later.


    Alex walked freely through the woods, looking like he does not give a care about anything in the world.


    His steps look confident, as if he was not afraid of any danger around him.


    The truth however, was that Alex was deep on contemplating on what Alina told him earlier.


    According to Asteria, Alex''s Great Elderitch Form granted him with two abilities.


    The first ability was Abyss Magic, and from the sound of it, it does not sound like your good old-fashioned magic.


    According to Asteria, Abyss Magic was a magic that was concerned with channeling a kind of Energy from the Abyss Dimension, the dimension where Elderitch monsters came from.


    This Energy, which Asteria termed as the ''Abyss Energy'', will allow Alex to do incredible and scary things, as long as the grade of his Abyss Magic allows it.


    Asteria said that there are 12 Grades of Abyss Magic, with the First Tier as the ''petting some kittens'' type, and the Twelfth Tier as the ''everyone in the whole wide world gets f**ked-up'' type.


    Right now, Alex was said to be at the First Grade of Abyss Magic, although he still had not experimented enough to know what he can do at this level.


    Asteria did not elaborate on how Alex will be able to raise his Grade, but Alex did not care for that now, as he was more focused on finding the crux of his Main Mission.


    The second ability that Alex got was in loose terms, can be called ''Feeling, Emotions, and Desire Manipulation''.


    For convenience sake, Alex decided to just call it FED Manipulation.


    This ability allows Alex to control the feelings, emotions, and desires of anything nearby him.


    He can make a person be extremely frightened of him, extremely loyal to him or even extremely disgused to him.


    He can also make the same person feel hunger or lust, depending on what Alex wanted.


    At first, FED might sound extremely BS and OP, but according to Asteria, this ability will only be highly effective on beings that are much weaker than Alex.


    This means that Alex can fully use this power on normal animals and children.


    But against powerful Monsters and Humans, Alex''s FED Manipulation will be only enough to faze them for a second.


    "Well, I can just make myself grow stronger to make both of my abilities stronger." Alex muttered to himself as he walked confidently across the forest. "Once I become so strong, I will have an easy time defeating anyone that I need to defeat."


    Alex''s trail was filled with small animals and Monsters, who were all frothing in their mouths, with some of them shivering and trembling in fear.


    In order to not meet any nuisances, Alex decided to blast his FED Manipulation at its peak level, making anyone near Alex to feel great fear.


    This tactic worked, as every weak Monster that approached Alex all collapsed on the forest floor, shivering in fear.


    "Sigh, where are the powerful monsters here?" Alex muttered to himself as he started to get bored with just walking around the forest. "There is some Monster that should be powerful around here, right?"


    "Squee!"


    Right on cue, Alex heard a powuerful roar, coming from his left side.


    "There it is!" Alex thought excitedly as he rushed toward the source of the sound with excitement.


    What he saw however, made him stop on his tracks.


    He could see a massive boar-like monster, standing around three storeys tall, with its 5-meter long tusk gleaming menacingly.


    "Squee!"


    This boar seemed to be screaming at something that was obviously not Alex.


    Alex tried to see on what had pissed this boar a lot, and that''s when he saw them.


    He saw five little monsters all cowering under the murderous gaze of the boar.


    Alex idly numbered them from 1 to 5, taking note of their appearances.


    Little Monster No.1 looks like a literal dog, who was standing up even though its legs were trembling.


    Little Monster No. 2 looks like a collection of numerous pebbles, while Little Monster No. 3 suspiciously looks like a shadow creature or something.


    Little Monster No.4 looks like a collection of millions of insects, and finally, Little Monster No. 5 looks like a literal skeleton.


    Alex was not sure why, but he could somehow feel that these 5 Little Monsters were important to him.


    Not only that, but the fact that these 5 Little Monsters were all wearing Human Clothes made Alex think that they could be his clue for his Main Mission.


    With these thoughts in his mind, Alex decided to save them.


    "Hehehe, this is exicting." Alex thought to himself as he realized that he was about to fight his first battle here in the Monster World.


    "I hope you won''t disappoint me, little boar."

 Chapter 59 The Real and the Fake

    Even though Asteria repeatedly told him earlier that he was a powerful Monster right now, Alex still had to make sure that he will be safe in this fight.


    He looked at the giant boar, who looked like it was about to squash the little monsters in front of it.


    This irritated Alex, which prompted him to taunt the giant boar.


    "Oi, you fat stinkin'' pig." Alex said as he waved his tentacles around him in a provocative way. "Do you really have no hobbies right now except ganging up on little monsters? Come on man!"


    Alex''s words seem to have taken some effect, as the giant boar''s sight was now focused entirely on Alex.


    "Squee!!" The giant boar started to charge towards Alex, as if it intended to skewer him alive, but it stopped after just a second, with it suddenly dropping down, and then with it kneeling in front of Alex.


    Alex did not try to find out how was the boar able to kneel. Rather, he was curious on why the giant boar was kneeling in front of him.


    Was it the effect of his FED Manipulation? After thinking of that, Alex started to feel disappointment at the giant boar, as he could not believe that his bear was actually just a weakling.


    But to Alex''s surprise, the giant boar did something that he did not expect.


    "Forgive me for not seeing your majestic arrival, oh Great One!" The giant boar started to speak, with its whole body cowering in fear.


    "¡­" Alex was sure that this fear did not come from his power, but rather from the authority that he supposedly possesses.


    "Ok, this complicates things." Alex muttered to himself as he realized that his Monster Form was more special than what he could have intended.


    It seems like not only his Monster Form has some special abilities to boot. It seems like it also holds an influence over the Monsters!


    "Ugh, what should I do?" Alex thought to himself as he realized that he is an awkward situation right now.


    He came in wanting a fight, but what he got instead were a bunch of crying monster kids and one oversized boot-licking boar.


    "¡­" This dilemma rendered Alex silent for a few seconds.


    The giant boar, who still stayed kneeling in front of him, seems to have noticed Alex''s silence.


    The giant boar slowly raised its head as it hesitantly said,


    "Great One, are you a new arrival in our world?"


    "And what if I am then?" Alex replied as he adapted a tough persona in front of the boar. "You got any problems with that?"


    "Of course none, Great One!" The giant boar hastily said as it kept its head down. "It''s just thatpowerful Monsters like you who came from other Monster Worlds are extremely rare¡­"


    "Oh, is that a bad thing then?" Alex did not deny or confirm what the giant boar said. Right now, Alex wanted to fish for more information before he can make his next move.


    "There is nothing bad about that, Great One!" The boar shook its head quickly, as if it was afraid of Alex''s wrath. "In fact, I am overjoyed by your sheer presence, oh Great One!"


    Alex could have believed the last sentence that the boar uttered, if not for the fact that the boar was starting to piss itself already.


    "Tsk." This time, Alex did not act as he actually felt irritated by the boar''s attitude.


    "If you are really happy to see me, then why are you acting that scared?"


    "It''s because your sheer power is enough to make me feel like this, oh Great One!" The boar shouted as its tremblings started to increase.


    "Oh really?" Alex inquired as his tentacles stared to slither all around the boar. "Does that mean that my power level is something that you are unable to fight back, hm?"


    The giant boar seemed to not care if Alex was ignorant of the power system in the Monster World as it quickly replied,


    "Great One, just by looking at you, I can feel that you are as strong as the Generals of Queen Mother!" The boar seems to have a worshipping look in its face as it said this name. "It was only them that were able to make me feel this helpless and weak!"


    "F**k Asteria, you expected that something like this will happen, right?" Alex muttered to himself as he resisted the urge to facetentacle.


    From the looks of it, Alex did not just acquire some kind of weak-ass Monster Form.


    It seems like what Alex got was a really powerful one.


    But instead of being happy, the fact that what he got was a powerful monster body rang some warning bells on Alex.


    After all, having a strong cultivation body means that the Main Mission will be something of high difficulty.


    Naturally, Alex did not want to do a difficult mission, as his goal was to just breeze through everything.


    The giant boar, taking Alex''s silence as the permission to speak more, decided to continue talking.


    "The Generals of Queen Mother are all extremely strong! They can shatter mountains with their fists, and they can kill a lot of Generals from the Human Faction!"


    "I see."Alex nodded, as he noted that he must make more research about this Queen Mother later, especially about these Generals.


    After saying these words, the giant boar stayed silent, as it seemed to be waiting patiently for Alex to say something.


    Alex resisted the urge to sigh as he realized that question time will be temporarily over for now.


    "So then, what should I do with you now?" Alex said as he looked at the boar with his slimy eyes.


    Since this boar treats Alex like a bigshot, then Alex will act like one.


    "I can forgive you for not noticing my presence earlier. However, I will still have to punish you for that."


    "I shall accept any of your punishments, Great One." Instead of sounding angry, the giant boar seems to be actually more relieved that it was being punished by Alex.


    "Ok¡­" Alex closed his eyes as he tried to remember everything that Alina and Asteria told him to hunt.


    "Basically speaking, you need to get all of these¡­"


    ****************


    Minutes later, and the giant boar scampered away from Alex, probably starting its one-hour search for all the food and honey that Alina and Asteria asked Alex to get.


    "Hehehe, having a minion sure feels nice." Alex muttered to himself as he watched the running giant boar. "Wait, maybe I can make all the monsters here in the forest as my minions¡­"


    "Do-do-don''t kill us please!" Alex''s trains of thought were broken as he heard a scared and determined voice talking to him.


    Alex looked at where the voice came from, and he realized that it came from Little Monster No. 1, the dog-looking monster.


    "Oh right, I forgot that you five were there." Alex replied honestly, as he really forgot about these five little monsters nearby.


    Alex was so engrossed with talking with the giant boar, so much so that he forgot the presence of these little monsters. It was only when Little Monster No. 1 talked to him that he remembered that they existed.


    Alex then tilted his head as he realized that calling the dog-like monster as Little Monster No. 1 will be a hassle for him.


    Because of that, Alex decided to just refer to it as No. 1. The same thing will also go for the other monsters.


    "Hmm, it seems like you were not that scared of me, compared to that boar earlier." Alex commented as he saw the little monsters looking at him with a less hostile look compared to the boar before. "Aren''t you scared of me too?"


    "Of course we are!" No. 1 said as it covered the other four monsters protectively. "You look¡­ scarier than that ugly boar, but you seem kinder than it."


    "Hohoho, are you really sure about that?" Alex grinned as he used his FED Manipulation, slightly increasing the fear felt by the little monsters in front of him. "Are you still not scared?"


    "Muu..." All the little monsters started to tremble, as they could feel the effects of what Alex just did.


    But to Alex''s surprise, all of them seemed to endure their increased fears, although they all looked like they could be crying.


    At this point, Alex started to feel guilty, as he realized that he seems to have been a little excessive at the little monsters.


    "Fine, fine, I am the good guy already." Alex said as he withdrew his FED Manipulation. "See, I am not scary anymore, right?"


    "Alex, what the hell are you doing!" Alex felt a hand smacking his head, forcing his head to plant to the ground.


    "What the hell?" Needless to say, Alex was pissed to whomever did this to him. He looked at the perpetrator as he wore the most murderous expression on his face that he can wear. "Do you want to get beate-"


    "....."


    Alex''s words got stuck in his throat as he realized that he was in checkmate right now.


    "What, beaten up?" Alina, who was in her Vampire Queen Form, gave Alex a cold look as she crossed her arms in front of her. "Or maybe it should be you that must be beaten up."


    "Well¡­"


    "Don''t use that word in front of me." Alina huffed as she glared at Alex angrily. "Do you realize that you were scaring a bunch of children earlier? Look at them! They were about to piss themselves!"


    "Wait, why are you here anyway?" Alex asked as he endured Alina''s angry stare. "Shouldn''t you be waiting for me at the clearing?"


    "That is what I am supposed to do, but Asteria told me that I should follow you, since she said that I will see something interesting." Alina snorted as she took a deep breath. "And it seems like she was right."


    What happened after that were just a little surreal.


    Alex saw Alina approaching the little monsters, with her face wearing a very kind expression. "Are you all scared? Don''t worry, Big Sister is here to help you!"


    Alina''s current angelic appearance, combined with Alex''s horrifying features, were already enough to show to the little monsters that Alina was a figure that they can trust.


    "Waaa!!!" No. 4, the little monster that was made up of insects, was the first one to jump and hug Alina. "Big Sis, I am so scared!"


    "There, there, there." Alina soothingly said as she patted No. 4''s back. "You are safe with Big Sis here."


    The other four little monsters did not hug Alina, but they all scurried behind her, using her as a shield against Alex.


    "See? You scared them a lot." Alina snorted as she shook her head in dismay. "It''s a good thing that you did not extend your fear manipulation for a longer time, or else these kids would have been traumatized."


    "You call them kids? I think you should call them little monsters, since they are literally little monsters." Alex said as he gave an apologetic grin at Alina. "But I think I really went too far on scaring them earlier."


    "!!!" To Alex''s surprise, he saw all five of the little monsters flinching when he said that they were not kids.


    Alina also flinched too, but this time, her angry look changed into a pitying one.


    "Umm, can you tell me what is wrong?" Alex said as he felt the sudden shift in the atmosphere. "Did I do something wrong again?"


    "Well, you actually did not do something wrong, as it will be really hard for you to see it." Alina muttered as she hugged No. 4 more tightly.


    "See what?" Alex asked as he saw the little monsters looking more¡­ despondent?


    "You know about my eyes, right?" Alina said as she let out a deep breath.


    Alex nodded in reply, remembering everything that Alina said about her All-Seeing Eyes.


    "Well¡­" Alinagritted her teeth for a second before she continued talking.


    "I can see their real appearances, but I can assure you that their real appearances are not the monstrous forms that you see right now."


    "Don''t tell me..." Alex''s breath hitched as he looked at the human clothes that the little monsters wore. "That they are¡­"


    "Their real appearances are those of human children!" Alina said as her eyes started to burn with anger. "I do not know what happened to them, but somewhere along the way, they were forced to becomemonsters!"


    "!!!"

 Chapter 60 Monster Birth Program

    "That is¡­" Alex could not find the right words to say as he felt horrified from what Alina said. "So messed up."


    These little monsters in front of him were humans before? If Alina did not say that, Alex probably would not have believed it.


    Upon hearing what Alex just said, some of the little monsters near her started to cry, as if what Alex said directly affected them.


    "Don''t cry, don''t cry, ok?" Alina had to use both of her hands to calm the little monsters down as she gave another glare at Alex.


    "When can you watch your words?"


    "Ah sorry!" Alex said as he profusely apologized at Alina and the little monsters.


    It took a minute to calm the little monsters down, and even then they still looked pretty shaken.


    Alina did not stop glaring Alex during this time, just to make sure that he felt guilty on what he did.


    "I don''t think we should ask these kids on what had happened to them." Alex commented as he watched the wary and scared expression of the little monsters. "I think it would not be good to personally ask them that."


    "That is my opinion too." Alina said as she continued hugging No. 4.


    "Um Big Sis¡­ are you here to help us?" Even though No. 4 was made up of insects, she was still able to speak by layering countless humming sounds from her insects. "We are so hungry and scared¡­"


    The way No. 4 spoke was creepy to Alex, but he did not point that out, as he had the feeling that No. 4 was a little human girl before. And with Alina leveling him with her constant glare, Alex naturally had no courage to say anything.


    "Of course Big Sis will help you." Alina soothingly said as he patted the heads of the little monsters. "So, just trust in me, okay?"


    "Ok!!" All of the little monsters looked happy with what Alina said, except for No. 1. He still looked somewhat wary and suspicious of Ailna, although he still treated her with less hostility compared to Alex.


    "Ugh¡­ why do I get to wear this scary-ass tentacle face?" Alex lamented as he saw the difference of the treatment between him and Alina. "Now I can''t get to know these kids better¡­."


    ***********************


    Alina and Alex stayed in their place for another 30 minutes withAlex explaining to Alina his encounter with the giant boar and the information that it gave to him.


    Alina also used this time to talkmore and more to the little monsters, with the poor Alex was ignored in the sidelines.


    During this time, Alina and the little monsters were able to grow closer, as the little monsters began to treat Alina like a family.


    Naturally, this had Alex jealous.


    Fortunately for Alex, he already had someone that he can channel his anger to.


    "Great One, I am back!" The giant boar enthusiastically greeted Alex, with its back full of the food and honey that Alex asked it to get.


    The face of the boar looked extremely submissive as it gave Alex a worshipping look that Alex did not like at all.


    "About d**n time that you came back." Alex snapped, as he decided to pour his frustrations on the boar. "Were you always this slow? F**k, even my grandma can outrun you!"


    "Apologies!" The boar supplicated, as it bowed down in front of Alex. "If I displeased you Great One, then you are free to punish me!"


    Alex, who found this as a chance to let off some steam, had to pause as he saw Alina giving the boar a curious look.


    "Alex, is this the giant boar that you are talking about?"


    "Oh." Before Alex could say anything, the boar heard what Alina said.


    "Eeeek¡­" The giant boar let out a squeal of fear as it saw Alina looking at it.


    From the looks of it, the giant boar must have already realized what Alina was.


    "Oh, Fair One, forgive me for not noticing you!" The giant boar said as it began to bow in front of Alina.


    "I forgive your transgressions, puny one." Shockingly, Alina seemed to have changed her character as she talked to the giant boar. "My concubine must have greatly tired you out."


    "Concubine?" The boar tilted its head as it tried to analyze what Alina said. After a second, the boar''s eyes widened as it realized what Alina meant. "Fine One, do you mean that you and the Great One are¡­"


    "Yes, this tentacled monstrosity is my lovely concubine." Alina said as she licked her red lips.


    "D**n, that''s sexy." Alex thought to himself as he and the other little monsters did not try to point out Alina''s current behavior.


    "Uh, congratulations?" The giant boar was also confused on what Alina was doing, as it found hard to imagine how could someone like Alina could pair with a hideous creature like Alex.


    "You seem to be doubting my words, puny one." Alina commented drily as she saw the doubt on the boar''s face. "Do you know that anyone who doubts the words of this Queen all gets skewered in the grill?"


    "Eek!!!" Needless to say, the boar was scared silly of what Alina said, as it saw Alina''s slightly hungry gaze towards it.


    "What do you think puny one?"


    "Oh, she is so hungry..." Alex thought to himself as he saw Alina drooling like crazy.


    Even if she had been transformed into a Vampire Queen, Alina did not get the innate need to drink blood, as from what Asteria said, a Vampire Queen was a high-ranked vampire that does not need to drink blood.


    Because of that, Alina retained or even increased her already gluttonous appetite.


    At that point, Alex decided to step in as he realized that the boar must not be killed, for now.


    Alex let out a cough, which sounded slimy because of his current body.


    "My Queen, I think you should not kill this cute little boar first." Alex said as he decided to roleplay with Alina. "I still have some questions for this boar, and I wanted it answered right now."


    "Ara ara, I know that look on your face, my lowly concubine." Alina said as she immediately realized what Alex was planning to do. "You really look out for me!"


    "Of course, everything is for you, My Queen." At this point, Alex and Alina were already able to establish their alibi for what Alex was about to ask next.


    Now, Alex only needed to execute it well in order to not arouse any suspicion.


    Alex looked at the boar intently, with his tentacles swaying slowly.


    "My Queen and I¡­ wanted to have some kids already." Alex said as he made his FED Manipulation radiate sadness.


    It hit the giant boar at full force, which made it started to feel sad and sympathetic for Alex.


    "But as you can see, the laws of our very nature are not allowing us to procreate!" Alex exclaimed as he shook his tentacles to show his anger.


    Alex''s acting was so convincing that it managed to move the giant boar''s feelings.


    "I can understand your pain, Great One." The boar commented as he watched Alex''s anger. "I had a human woman with me before, but no matter what I do with her, she just won''t give me a child. Its such a waste that I have to kill her after she tried to escape from me."


    "!!!" Alex had to gulp as he looked at Alina, who began to look at the boar with the most intense killing intent that he had seen in his life.


    There is no way that Alina will not be angry.


    After all, this boar just casually talked about it kidnapping a woman and forcing it to procreate with it!


    And the way that the boar said this made it sound like it was just out looking for food or something!


    "You are so dead right now¡­" Alex thought to himself as he looked at the boar with derision.


    At first, Alex thought that he could keep the boar as his pet or mount. After all, he found that the boar was a little pleasing to look at.


    But after hearing what the boar said about its past exploits with women, Alex knew that there is no way that he and Alina will let the boar survive.


    Because they were currently interrogating the boar, Alex knew that Alina will not attack the boar immediately.


    But Alex was sure that once the boar had given him what they wanted, Alina will surely swoop in to kill the boar.


    "I do not care what you do in your past. What I want to know is your opinion on something that we want." Alex said as he and Alina tried to not show their desire to just kill the boar in front of them.


    The poor oblivious boar did not see its doomed fate as it enthusiastically said,


    "I will do my best to answer your query, Great One."


    "Where can I get little monsters like them?" Alex said as he pointed his fingers at the little monsters gathered around Alina. "My Queen liked them, so she will adopt them as her children. However, my Queen wanted to get more little monsters like them, so I want to know where we can get more of them."


    "This¡­" The boar hesitated as it looked at the little monsters with trepidation and jealousy. "Are you sure that you want to get these weaklings, Great One? You can just adopt stronger monsters compared to them!"


    "What we get is obviously not of your opinion." Alex said as he gave the boar a dark look. "If you do not want to anger me, then you should know how to answer my question correctly."


    "Eeek!!!" At this point, Alina and Alex showed a little of their killing intent, just to make the boar behave.


    "It''s the Monster Birth Program!" The boar said as it started to spill out its beans.


    Both Alex and Alina listened carefully as they knew that they already got what they wanted.


    "The Queen Mother wanted to get more monsters to strengthen her forces." The boar said as it made itself look as submissive as possible. "But because the reproductive rate of us monsters are much lower compared to humans, our Queen Mother decided to just create monsters out of the existing humans."


    "!!!" Alex and Alina tried to not show the horror in their faces as they continued on listening.


    "One of Queen Mother''s Generals was able to create a rare and expensive formula that facilitates this transformation from human to monster. This formula was regularly used to force some humans to turn into monsters. Of course the targeted humans are those at the edge of human territory, as they are the least guarded ones."


    "What happens next after these humans became monsters?" Alex asked as Alina tried to calm down the scared little monsters.


    "If they are strong, they will be taken by the Generals to bolster our forces." The boar replied quickly. "If they are weak, then they will be left behind."


    The boar then looked at the little monsters huddled around Alina with a sneer on its face. "That five little monsters with us? They were the latest humans that were turned into monsters, just 5 days ago. They were left behind because they were deemed weak by the Shadow General!"


    "¡­"


    Alex took a deep breath to calm himself down as he gave the little monsters a pitying look.


    Even if Alex was a neutral person, he can understand the suffering that these little monsters have gone through.What happened to them was just unfair and unjust.


    While thinking of that, Alex suddenly paused as he remembered what his Main Mission was.


    [SAVE THE CHILDREN]


    "Does that mean that I have to save these kids? But how?" Alex thought to himself as he looked at the little monsters with trepidation.


    "Is there a way to reverse what happened to these little monsters? It was Alina who asked this question, but she made it sound more like a death sentence rather than a question.


    The boar seemed to have not noticed this as it cheerfully replied,


    "I do not know, Fair One. Information like that are extremely classified!"


    "Is that so¡­ Then that means we have no use for you anymore." This time, Alina did not hold her killing intent back as she and Alex and ambled towards the boar. "It''s time for you to die!"


    "Squee!!!" The giant boar was unable to say anything more as a tentacle and a sword entered its eyes, effectively destroying its brain.


    "Tsk, f**king scum." Alina rarely cursed, but when she did, she made sure that it was worth it.

 Chapter 61 Golden Knigh

    "So this boar is still no much for us¡­" Alex commented as he saw the boar''s corpse sliding down in front of him. "Well, that just means that we won''t have to worry about any opponent''s in this forest anymore, as this boar was clearly the strongest of in this forest."


    By relying on what the giant boar said earlier, it seems like the only ones that can defeat Alex and Alina were the high-ranked monsters that the boar was talking about earlier.


    "The Generals and their Queen Mother¡­" Alex tried to wipe his bloodstained tentacle clean as he picked up the foodstuff at the back of the boar with his tentacles. "It seems like they are the real powerhouses of the Monster Faction. I need to do more research about them¡­"


    While thinking of these things, Alex glanced at the little monsters, as he wanted to see their reaction to the boar''s death.


    Alex expected them to look shocked and scared, but that was not what he saw.


    Instead, what he saw were the little monsters flocking around Alina with them exclaiming how cool she was.


    "Big Sis, you all went ''kupwa'' then the big baddie became ''kebab''!" No. 4 exclaimed as she glanced at Alina''s sword with worship. "Big Sis, you are very cool!"


    "Very cool!" The other little monsters echoed out, with their eyes twinkling with a scary glint. "Very cool!"


    "Wait, are you not scared of what I did?" Alina commented as she looked bewildered by the idolizing expressions of the little monsters. "I just killed the giant boar!"


    "That big boar was about to kill and eat us earlier." No. 1 replied with a hardened expression on his face. "There is no way that we will be sad with what happened to him now."


    "Ho-how could you think of that!" Alina exclaimed as she and Alex felt more horrified with what they suddenly discovered.


    From the looks of it, not only were the bodies of the children were changed, it seems like even their behavior were changed too!


    If these little monsters had the behavior of a normal human child, then it was sure that they could have cried upon seeing the murder of the boar.


    But instead, these little monsters did not look scared at all. They even looked happy, as if what happened to the boar was a way of convenience for them.


    Alex was no expert in psychology, but he was pretty sure that the current behaviors of the little monsters were already deviating from how a normal human kid should behave.


    "Do you think that our Main Mission is to save these kids?" Alex whispered to Alina as he approached her, with Alex making sure that the little monsters will not hear what he was saying. "I could not help but feel like us meeting them is the start of the path to our goal."


    "I am not sure Alex, but whether they are our Main Mission or not, I will not abandon these kids." Alina replied back as she gave the kids a gentle look. "It''s just not in me to abandon them."


    "So you really want to turn them back to their human form?" Alex said as he saw the eager look in Alina''s eyes. "Well, maybe we can try it out¡­ After all, if they were changed by a chemical formula, then we will just have to get this formula, and then reverse-engineer it to get the antidote. Of course to do that, we fist have to-"


    "Thank you." Alina cut off Alex''s words, as she awkwardly hugged Alex''s tentacled body.


    Alex froze, as he made sure that none of his tentacles will be naughty enough to prod Alina in her danger zones.


    Alex''s self-control seems to have worked, as he did not receive any elbow jabs from Alina.


    "Well, now that we have finished everything that we should do here, I guess we should get back to the clearing already." Alina loudly announced as she gave the little monsters her dazzling smile.


    "Little kids, do you want to join your Big Sis and her concubine to their house? We will cook some good food there, and you can also play happily there!"


    "We will go Big Sis!" Alex was not sure whether he should be happy that the kids were already this close to Alina, or if he should be sad with the little monsters still acting wary against him.


    "Meh whatever, with my charisma, they will eventually warm up in no time." Alex thought to himself as he and Alina headed back towards their starting point. "Just all of you wait¡­"


    *******************


    Golden Knights Training Hall, Golden Knight Academy, Pelham Kingdom.


    "Ha!"A bunch of people were gathered inside the training hall, with their necks strained and their bodies stretched, as they were all busy watching something.


    All of them wore golden armor over their bodies, which filled the hall with a golden glow.


    Their bodies were all lean and muscular, showing the years of training that was put on them.


    The combination of the armor and the body should have made them look intimidating, but their handsome and beautiful faces managed to just make them approachable and likable.


    Some of these golden armored people were murmuring with each other, as they seemed to be discussing something.


    The focus of their discussion was one person, which they are all watching right now.


    This person was an extremely beautiful woman, with a long, blonde hair tied up in a bun.


    She''s currently wearing an armor, but even this armor failed to hide her shapely and enticing curves.


    Needless to say, watching this woman''s perfect body was just as fun as watching her fight.


    "Ha!" This woman was currently displaying her spear skills to everyone inside the training hall, with her aura making everyone feel her seriousness.


    The woman''s bright blue eyes were focused as she brandished her spear around, releasing golden slashes of light that pierced the dummy targets in front of her.


    "Skrit!" All the dummy targets were sliced in half, as they could not contain the might of the woman''s attacks.


    The woman continued doing this routine for a few more minutes until all 144 dummy targets were destroyed.


    "Clap clap clap¡­" A smothering round of applause was given by the crowd as the woman left the training hall, presumably to clean herself up.


    Multitude of stares followed the woman as she left the hall, with some looking at her with amazement, and with some busy looking at her assets.


    Among the onlookers, there were two prominent guys who watched the leaving woman with guarded and awed expression on their faces.


    Both of these guys wore golden armors too, and they seemed to be close friends with each other.


    "I heard from the rumors that Teresa was good, but I could not believe that she was this good!" Golden Guy 1 said as his face wore an amazed expression on it. "I mean, she''s only 19, and yet she''s already a Grade 3 Knight!"


    "That''s because of her talent." Golden Guy 2 snorted, as he looked more pissed than amazed. "What do you expect? She was born with that talent, so it is inevitable for her to rise through the ranks easily."


    "Why are you making it sound like she had been taking it easy?" Golden Guy 1 retorted as he slapped the back of the Golden Guy 2. "Did you forget all the training that she did?"


    "Yeah, but that is all training only!" Golden Guy 2 smugly replied back as he shook his head, seemingly in disappointment. "I mean, when have you ever seen Teresa fight a real Captain-Class Monster? All that she ever fought with as a Lieutenant-Class Monster, and even that Monster was weakened already!"


    "Quit yapping your mouth!" Golden Guy 1 hotly replied as he shoved Golden Guy 2. "How could you even complain when you are always defeated by Teresa? You can''t complain on what she fights with when you can''t even defeat her!"


    "Hmph, you will see that she will fail!" Golden Guy 2 replied as he started to sneer. "Didn''t you hear? Because Teresa was now a Grade 3 Knight, she has to do a Kill Mission on one of the Monster Territories near the edge of our Kingdom. And from what I heard, she has to kill one Captain-Class Monster to pass the Kill Mission!"


    "Well, I think with her talent and abilities, Teresa will easily breeze through the Kill Mission." Golden Guy 1 replied, although some uncertainties could he heard from his voice.


    "See? Even you are doubting her now." Golden Guy 2 smugly said, evidently liking what he was seeing.


    "Oh just shut up. Instead of just speculating here, why don''t we just train too?" Golden Guy 2 said, obviously trying to deflect the topic. "It will be better for us to train our power rather than gossip about her.


    "True that." Golden Guy 2 said as he and Golden Guy 1 headed towards the sparring corner. "Oh this time, the one who loses in our match will have to pay for the winner''s lunch."


    "Hoho, it''s time for me to get free food again."


    "Heh, we shall see about that."


    ***************


    Teresa let out a moan of delight as she felt the hot water flowing all over her body.


    The hot water managed to relax her muscles, giving Teresa a delightful feeling that she could not explain.


    "A hot shower after a good training really is the best." Teresa muttered to herself as she lathered her body with a fragrant soap.


    Teresa made sure that every nook and crook of her perfect body was covered in soap, as she wanted to get rid of the sweat covering her body.


    "Hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm, hmm¡­." Teresa hummed lightly as she continued her warm bath.


    It was quite obvious to anyone that can hear Teresa that her mood was extremely good today.


    "I am already a Grade 3 Knight! I am sure Father will be proud of me!" Teresa mumbled to herself as excitement appeared in her eyes. "I have long waited for this day!"


    Even with her talent, Teresa always knew that her demanding Father always wanted to see Teresa to be the best out of the rest.


    And that is what exactly Teresa did.


    She aced the academics even here in the Golden Knight Academy, and she made sure to stay as the strongest in her batch.


    All her efforts seemed to have paid off, as Teresa recently just became a Grade 3 Knight at 19 Years old, which is the fastest in the history of the Human Faction!


    She even has beaten her Father''s record by a year!


    "Hmph, I am sure my Father is very excited to see me now!" Teresa said as she started to wash off the soap from her body. "But our meeting will not happen for now, as I still have to accomplish my Kill Mission!"


    It had been a tradition already for all Knights to have their first Kill Mission once they become a Grade 3 Knight.


    No Knight will be exempt from this.


    This is an initiation, a way to determine if a Knight was really suitable to take the mantle as humanity''s protection against the Monsters.


    If a Knight dies in the Kill Mission, then that just means that he/she is not fit to be a Knight.


    But if the Knight survives, then he/she will be accepted formally as a real Knight by the Human Faction.


    "Hmph, with my talent, there is no way that I will fail my Kill Mission!" Teresa declared as she started to dry her body with her towel.


    As she wiped off the water that clung to her skin, Teresa recalled the details of her Kill Mission that was just given to her earlier this morning.


    Her Kill Mission was just simple.


    Teresa just had to go to the Monster Territory at the outskirts of the Pelham Kingdom, and look for the Monster that was lording over this territory.


    According to the intel, this monster was a Giant Boar, with the power comparable to a Captain-Class Monster.


    Teresa''s task was to kill this Giant Boar and take back its head as proof of her kill.


    The time limit of her Kill Mission was 1 day.


    If Teresa fails to kill the Giant Boar within that time limit, then it will be marked as a fail. Teresa will have to take another Kill Mission again if she wanted to pass.


    "Hmph, I just have to kill a Giant Boar. There is nothing hard with that!" Teresa boasted as she donned on her travelling clothes.


    She then left the shower room, heading towards the gates of the Golden Knight Academy.


    "There it is!"


    Teresa beamed as she saw her trusty horse, along with the items that Teresa will bring to her Kill Mission.


    The Kill Mission will only last for a day, so Teresa only brought few things with her:


    Food enough to last for a week should an accident should happen, some medicine, some books, and some important hygienic products.


    "Yosh!" With everything packed up nice and well, Teresa smiled as she rode her horse.


    She spurned it to move as she tried to not show the excitement on her face.


    "You will see Father, I shall bring the honor of our family back!"


    Teresa''s horse then let out a neigh as it started to bring Teresa to her destination.

 Chapter 62 Something Warm

    While riding her horse, Teresa took a deep breath as she conditioned her mind and body.


    Being a Golden Knight does not only require a powerful body, but also a flexible mind capable of making sound decisions, especially during battles.


    Not only a Golden Knight''s life was at risk when he/she fights a Monster. Civilian lives are also accounted for, and a Golden Knight must do his/her best to protect them from harm.


    Luckily for Teresa, there are no human settlements inside the Monster Territory that she was about to go to. That means that she can focus more on eliminating her target.


    "~~~" Teresa''s body then started to glow as golden particles started to converge upon her body.


    Teresa felt euphoria as she felt her power rising as the golden particles entered her body. She continued of absorbing these golden particles until she felt full.


    "It''s really refreshing as always." Teresa commented as she flexed her lithe body. "If I can do this every time, then I could beat up my teacher¡­"


    In the Human Faction, there are two ways that a human can gain power and fight against the members of the Monster Faction.


    First is the Mage Path and second is the Knight Path.


    Both Paths allow humans to manipulate the Essences around them to give them powerful combat abilities.


    These Essences are quite numerous, giving the Mages and the Knights different Essences that they can access.


    They can use Fire Essence, Earth Essence, Void Essence and others more, depending on their affinity.


    However, the way the Mages and Knights use these Essences are vastly different from each other.


    For the Mages, they rely more on controlling and guiding the Essences around them to create powerful spells.


    As for the Knights, they absorb and integrate the Essences inside their bodies, making their bodies stronger, and also allowing them to perform feats that are impossible with just a normal body.


    Teresa is a Knight, which meant that she had to absorb the Essence inside her body to make herself stronger.


    But unlike the normal kind of Essence, the Essence that Teresa has was a fairly special one.


    Her Essence, the Golden Essence, is not just one type of Essence. It was a combination of several Essences, which were mixed together to produce the Golden Essence.


    The Essences that were combined were the Light Essence, Life Essence, and Divine Essence.


    Each of these Essences were already damaging against Monsters, as their properties were already against the Monsters.


    Combine these three Essences together, and their product that is the Golden Essence can be considered to the most powerful Essence that can be used against opposing Monsters.


    "Hmph, with my Golden Essence, I can easily finish this mission!" Teresa muttered to herself confidently, as if it was already a forgone conclusion.


    Teresa''s thinkings can be said to be right, as Golden Knights like her can easily fight Monsters that are of higher rank than her, due to the powerful properties of her Golden Essence.


    With these confident thoughts inside her head, Teresa let out a cheerful hum as her horse continued on carrying her.


    *****************


    After 4 hours of travelling, Teresa was able to reach her destination.


    "...." Even though she had been trained by her father to fight, Teresa still could not help but feel nervous, as this is her first time to actually hunt a Monster inside a hostile territory.


    "Don''t be nervous! You already have your Golden Core, so you do not have to worry about losing energy when you fight!" Teresa whispered to herself as she surveyed something inside her body. "Just follow the battle plan, and you will win!"


    The Knight Path and the Mage Path has 10 Grades of power, witch each Grade stronger than the former one.


    Naturally, Grade 1 Knight/Mage is the weakest, while the Grade 10 Knight/Mage is the strongest.


    These Grades allow the distinction of strength within the Human Faction, and it also shows the people that should be given more attention.


    Each Grade has distinct classifications on them, allowing easier segregation of possible tasks.


    Grade 1 Knights are the Knights that have started to slowly integrate their chosen Essence with every part of their body.


    It was only when the Grade 1 Knights have fully integrated the essence with their body that they can try to reach Grade 2.


    A Knight is considered to be a Grade 2 Knight when they can manifest their Essence on their weapons and attacks, allowing more flexibility on their power.


    As for being a Grade 3 Knight, which was Teresa''s current state, it can only be reached when a Knight successfully creates a dense ball of their Essence inside their body, which is called the Essence Core.


    This Essence Core will provide a Grade 3 Knight with an explosive power and powerful abilities, which are very useful against battle with Monsters.


    Only those who become a Grade 3 Knight are allowed to exterminate Monsters for the better of the Human Faction.


    "Take calm breaths Teresa, you can do this. You will not fail¡­" Teresa took a deep breath as she tried to calm herself down.


    It seems to have worked, as she always did this whenever she was scared.


    Teresa approached a nearby tree as she tied her horse near it.


    The grasses around the tree will be enough to keep the horse well-fed until Teresa arrives the next day.


    Well that is, if Teresa can still come back.


    Teresa shook these negative thoughts out of her head as she said,


    "Of course I will come back! I am just going to fight a big boar! Heck, I am going to cook that one too!"


    With these powerful acknowledgements, Teresa started to enter the Monster Territory, which turns out to be a large forest.


    *************


    Teresa held her spear in a tense manner, making sure that the spear was in the right position so that she can easily use it if a monster was out there to ambush her.


    "Huh?"


    At this part of the forest, Teresa was sure that some Monster should have already tried attacking her.


    Naturally, since she was still at the edge of the forest, the monster that will attack her are the weak ones. This is already a fact that was preached on their monster combat classes.


    But right now, Teresa was not seeing anything that resembled an attack to her.


    "Puch."


    Teresa suddenly felt that she stepped on something soft, prompting her to look down.


    "!!!" Teresa brandished her spear, as she saw that what she stepped on was a Rabid Rabbit, a Peon-Class Monster that were only good for being a pest.


    But Teresa knew that their sharp teeth were already enough to tear a normal person in half.


    There is no way that Teresa will allow this Rabid Rabbit to make its first move.


    "Wuwuwu¡­" But to Teresa''s incredulity, the Rabid Rabbit that she stepped on did not attack her at all. Heck, the Rabid Rabbit was not interested in attacking her at all!


    The Rabid Rabbit just lay on the floor, sniveling and crying, as if it saw something that had spooked it greatly.


    "What the hell¡­" Teresa muttered as she saw the state of the Rabid Rabbit. "Did I do something to spook it?"


    "..."


    "This really is weird¡­" Teresa muttered to herself as she decided to look more at the ground around her.


    "¡­."


    And that was when she saw a very weird and disconcerting sight.


    Countless Monsters of all shapes and sizes were hiding inside bushes and behind trees, with their bodies expressing fear and terror.


    Some were even scratching their faces and bodies, as if they want to just rip themselves to pieces.


    "What?" Teresa was extremely confused with what she saw right now.


    At first, she thought that maybe it was her fault that these weak monsters were this scared.


    But then she realized that it should not be the case, as her observation suggested that these monsters were already like this even before she arrived.


    "Does that mean that it was something else that scared them?" At that point, Teresa started to smile, as she started to form a hypothesis.


    "Aha! It must be the Giant Boar that caused these weak monsters to be this fearful!" Teresa thought with excitement as her fear and trepidation began to disappear.


    It was then that Teresa saw a trail of flattened grass that went past by all the terrified monsters.


    Teresa followed this trail of flattened grass with her eyes, and she saw that this trail extended all the way towards the center of the forest.


    Using her impressive deductive skills, Teresa was able to reach one simple conclusion.


    "This trail of flattened grass must have been caused by the Giant Boar''s body passing through here." Teresa muttered to herself as she slowly followed the trail of flattened grass. "That just means that as long as I follow this trail, I can easily reach where my target is!"


    Teresa resisted the urge to cheer as she realized that she can finish her mission much earlier than she could have anticipated.


    Now, Teresa only has to follow the trail, and she will have the chance to kill her target efficiently.


    With her current state, Teresa can choose to just assassinate the Giant Boar, as she had the advantage on positioning.


    Of course, Teresa can just fight the boar head-on, but why would Teresa do that?


    Teresa was here for the results, and if that meant that she would have to be sneaky, then she will gladly do it.


    "Calm and quiet. That is how a hunter should act." Teresa muttered to herself as she started to walk on the trail. She wore an excited smile on her face as she started to caress her spear fondly.


    ***************


    Teresa was surprised to see that it only took her 30 minutes to see where the trail had ended. At that point, Tereasa realized that she had already reached the place where her target was currently in.


    Now, it is Teresa''s time to fight.


    {Is there a way to reverse what happened to these children ¡­}


    But before Teresa could make her move, her eyes suddenly widened as she heard some voices talking near her target location.


    She craned her neck and there Teresa saw that there are 7 more monsters talking with her target!


    Luckily for Teresa, she was 20 meters away from the end of the trail, which allowed her to hide amongst the nearby trees.


    Once the saw sure that she was hidden well, Teresa squinted as she used her advanced eyesight and hearing to observe her target''s actions with the 7 other monsters.


    "!!!" Teresa could hardly believe it, but from what she can see, her target seems to be acting subservient to the other monsters.


    No, more specifically, her target was acting respectful towards the Tentacled Monster and the extremely beautiful black-haired woman, who obviously looked like a vampire.


    The other 5 monsters were all weak monsters that were huddled behind the vampire.


    Teresa tried to suppress her envy of the vampire''s beauty as she tried to listen in to their conversation.


    {It''s time for you to die!}


    Teresa watched in horror as her target was skewered by a tentacle and a sword with through its eyes.


    Teresa had to stop herself from vomiting as she saw blood and some kind of organic matter gushing out of her target''s eyes.


    {F**king scum.}


    Teresa heard the vampire woman muttering these words, showing that the vampire woman was pissed at her target.


    "I must run away!" At that moment, Teresa realizedthat she must run away immediately. There is no way that she can fight against those two Monsters who just easily killed her target!


    Teresa heard some more murmurs coming from the Tentacled Monster, but she did not care to hear it as she started to slowly back away.


    Teresa tried her best to make her escape as soundless as possible as she knew that one wrong sound will spell her doom.


    But before she could distance herself away, Teresa''s eyes widened as she saw the Tentacled Monster walking on the trail of the flattened grass!


    That was when Teresa realized that the Monster who elicited fear from the weak monsters earlier was this Tentacled Monster.


    "Why am I this unlucky!" Teresa complained inwardly as she tried to make herself as soundless as possible.


    "¡­." Teresa kept her mouth shut and her breathing steady as she watched the Tentacled Monster and the other 6 monsters going past by her.


    Only when these monsters were gone from her line of vision that she was able to sigh in relief.


    But before she could compose herself, she suddenly felt something slimy wrapping around her legs.


    "Kyaa!" Teresa let out a scream as she felt herself hoisted in the air.


    Teresa felt a few seconds of disorientation before she found her vision back to normal.


    But this did not make Teresa feel better as she realized that she was staring face to face with the Tentacled Monster!


    Teresa''s left ankle was currently tied up with one of the tentacles from the Tentacled Monster, effectively hanging her upside down.


    "You think you can hide from me?" The Tentacled Monster''s voice sounded wet and slimy, something that evoked sense of disgust from Teresa. "You are practically oozing with fear¡­ there is no way that I cannot sense that."


    "!!!" It was at that moment that Teresa suddenly felt intense fear, as if the monster in front her was the most fearsome thing in her life.


    Teresa found herself paralyzed and speechless from fear. Her heart started to brat erratically as her mind frantically told her to escape from the monstrosity in front of her.


    "Noo!!!" Teresa trembled for a second, before she felt something warm flowing down from between her legs.


    "Alina, I think I made this girl piss herself." These were the last words that Teresa heard from the Tentacled Monster before her world faded to black.

 Chapter 63 An exposed wound will always hurt, no matter wha

    Alex had already detected Teresa''s presenceearlier as he talked with the giant boar.


    He was able to do it as his FED Manipulation allows him to detect emotions of sentient beings nearby.


    But he did not call her out at that time, as he was busy talking with the giant boar.


    It was only after he killed the giant boar that he decided to confront Teresa.


    He caught Teresa''s left ankle deftly with one of his tentacles, hoisting her upside-down in the air so that he can see her face.


    "...¡­"


    Irritation. That was the first thing that Alex felt when he saw Teresa''s actual appearance.


    "The heck, she''s also blonde like that dumb fairy¡­"


    Teresa''s beautiful face, perfect body, and her golden blonde hair managed to remind Alex about that irritating Guide of his.


    "Tsk, I just feel pissed when I looked at this woman. She just reminds me of a large version of Asteria¡­" Alex thought to himself as he tried to erase Asteria''s smug laughter out of his mind.


    "Tsk." With this newfound irritation forming inside him, Alex decided to scare Teresa a little, just to reduce some of his frustrations.


    "You think you can hide from me?" Alex tried to make his voice as creepy as possible, making sure that he sounded very scary. "You are practically oozing with fear¡­ there is no way that I cannot sense that."


    Alex then used his FED Manipulation toblast the poor woman with a large dose of fear.


    "No!!!" Alex however, did not expect that the woman would actually piss herself as she dangled upside-down.


    "Alina, I think I made this girl piss herself." Alex said to Alina as he watched Teresa lose her consciousness.


    "Why did you even have to scare her that much?" Alina sighed as she gave Teresa a wary look.


    "Well, seeing her face reminds me of Asteria''s irritating laughter." Alex replied as he continued on dangling the unconscious Teresa with his tentacles.


    "You and your antics¡­" Alina only shook her head in exasperation as she glanced once more at Teresa. "Well, since she was here already, then we better bring her along with us."


    "That''s what I am thinking too." Alex replied as he continued on walking. "Maybe we can ask this woman about some important information about the Human Faction¡­"


    "Just make sure that she won''t faint later." Alina teasingly said as she kept up with Alex.


    "¡­"


    "Big Sis, who is Asteria?" No. 4, who was still hugging Alina, tilted her head as she heard what Alex and Alina were talking about. "Is also a pretty Big Sis like you?"


    "Well, she is pretty, but she is usually unreliable and always likes to benefit out of the miseries of other people." It was Alex who replied back, much to Alina''s amusement and irritation. "So, don''t make that Asteria your Big Sis."


    "Ok¡­" No. 4 lost the cheerfulness in her voice as she averted her gaze away from Alex. Clearly, she was still scared of him.


    "Well, you just made a woman piss herself. The kids will naturally get scared of you more." Alina said as she saw the forlorn look on Alex''s face. "That''s what you get for being naughty!"


    *************


    "Hurry, where is my honey!" Of course, the first thing that Asteria will ask for is the jars of honey that she is craving to eat already.


    She did not ask for Alex''s and Alina''s safety first.


    She did not even comment on the appearance of the little monsters, or Teresa who was still dangling upside down.


    No, Asteria just went straight to ask for her food.


    "You did not even say a thank you." Alex snarled as she deposited 20+ jars of honey in front of Asteria. "There, have your fill, freeloader."


    "Yum yum!" Asteria seems to be unperturbed with what Alex said she went straight on gorging on her honey.


    Alina, who saw what Asteria was doing, could not help but smile as she imagined how Alex was pissed off right now.


    But if Alina was happy and Alex was pissed, the little monsters with them were slightly panicking.


    "Sis, why can''t we enter the clearing?" No. 1 asked as he and the other little monsters found themselves unable to enter the clearing with Alex and Alina.


    More specifically, they could not get past the statues surrounding the clearing.


    Upon seeing what was happening, Alina gave the little monsters an apologetic smile as she said,


    "Well you see, these statues around us prevents weak monsters from entering. Only strong monsters like us or humans can enter."


    "Is that so¡­" The little monsters all looked down, as they all looked like they have been kicked away.


    Alina started to panic as she realized what the little monsters were thinking about.


    "Hey, don''t cry everyone, ok?" Alina said as she started to soothe the teary-eyed little monsters. "We just want to test that power of the statues. Now that we have tested it, it will be our time to leave this place and find a new dwelling."


    "Really Sis? You will not leave us?" Even if some of the little monsters had no eyes at all, it was quite obvious that they were giving pleading looks at Alina.


    "I promise. I will always bring you all along with me." Alina declared as she glanced at Alex, who was still busy glaring at the feasting Asteria. "You promise that too, right Alex?"


    "Yes, I promise too." Alex replied truthfully, as he really had the plans to already leave their starting point.


    "Well, before we leave, I think we should cook some good dishes first." Alex declared as he lowered the food luggage that he was carrying earlier.


    "With all this food with us, we can have a feast before we leave!" Alex said with a glint in his eyes as he unceremoniously dumped Teresa on a nearby tree. "Now everyone, watch my cooking prowess!"


    *********************


    "Nom nom nom." The most prominent sound was the sound of Alina chomping on her food at blazing speeds.


    It was hard to believe that someone as slim as her was able to eat this much food in just a short amount of time. Truly a miracle.


    "Yummy!" The little monsters shouted in glee as they also ravenously consumed the banquet in front of them.


    It''s quite obvious on their body language that they enjoyed Alex''s cooking.


    "I could not believe that my cooking skills actually improved after I gained tentacles¡­" This is the thought that was inside Alex''s head as he watched his companions enjoy his creations. "Whata way to start this mission¡­"


    Even Asteria, who usually enjoyed honey, could not help but drool as she inhaled the enticing scent of Alex'' s dishes.


    "Wuwuwu, if I am not only on an all-honey die right now, then I would have already eaten them all!" Asteria complained as she gave Alex a blaming look. "It''s all your fault!"


    "Sigh¡­" At this point, Alex just ignored Asteria again.


    His focus was more concentrated on Teresa, who was still out cold, even after Alex''s cooking period.


    Alex continued staring at Teresa for a second before his gaze went towards No. 1, who was busy separating the naughty No.3 and No. 5


    Alex knew that No. 1 was the defacto leader of the little monsters before their meeting.


    As such, Alex knew that No. 1 already had advanced knowledge about the important things.


    After all, it was usually knowledge that grants a person the confidence to lead.


    Alex took advantage of this knowledge as he started to ask No. 1,


    "Yo, No. 1, do you know what kind of person this woman was?" Alex said as he prodded Teresa''s limp body. "I can feel a certain type of power welling inside her, although I still could not understand it that well."


    "Oh." Even if No.1 was also scared of Alex, he was somewhat brave enough to reply to him.


    "If you observe the woman''s dress¡­" No. 1 slowly said, as if he was trying to emphasize these words. "You can see that there is a symbol on her dress that looks like an Emblem of the Golden Knight Academy, which means that she is a student there."


    "Golden Knight Academy huh." Alex muttered as these words rolled off his mouth quite well. "Care to explain what is that place?"


    "Alex, why don''t you just KINDLY ask that question to your captive later when she wakes up?" Alina forcefully said before No. 1 could give his answer. "Can''t you see that these kids are so tired and hungry? Look! They all look like they need rest! So, please do not bother these kids for now¡­"


    "Yeah, don''t bother me too, since I am also tired!" Asteria cheekily said as she plopped on top of Alina''s head. "Really Alex, when can you learn to be sensitive?"


    "This little¡­" Alex suppressed the urge to smack Asteria''s smug face away as he and his tentacles slowly relaxed themselves.


    "This is going to be a long day¡­" Alex thought to himself as he started to cook the other dishes.


    "Wait, why am I the one who volunteered to cook all these dishes?"


    The only reply that Alex got were the satisfied sighs of his companions.


    ***************


    "Ungh..." Teresa let out a light groan as she opened her eyes slowly.


    Her memory was slightly foggy, which is normal to anyone who just woke up.


    She blinked her bleary eyes as her mind began to work properly again.


    It took Teresa 5 seconds to recall everything that happened to her before she lost her consciousness.


    "!!!!" Teresa tried to jump up, as she began to remember the crippling fear that she felt earlier.


    But she was unable to jump, as she found herself bound tightly to a tree.


    More specifically, Teresa found herself tied to a tree with a bunch of ropes.


    "!!!" Teresa, who started to panic as she saw her current state, decided to cut the ropes to free herself.


    But to her chagrin, any attacks used with her Golden Essence were unable to affect the ropes.


    "Noo¡­." Before Teresa could panic more, she suddenly heard a set of footsteps slowly approaching her.


    Teresa looked at the source of the sound, and there she saw the Vampire Woman from earlier.


    Even if Teresa was a woman, she found herself slightly dazed from the appearance of the Vampire Woman.


    The Vampire Woman just smiled as she noticed Teresa''s look, as if she was already used to this kind of reaction.


    "So, how do you feel?" The Vampire Woman sweetly said, making Teresa feel extremely comfortable.


    "Um, I feel scared." Teresa was not sure why, but she found the presence of the Vampire Woman soothing, even though it was quite obvious that this woman was allies with the Tentacled Monster. "Your companion really scared me a lot earlier."


    "Well, do forgive Alex for what he did." The Vampire Woman replied as she gave Teresa another dazzling smile. "He just thought that you were a hostile one."


    "Well I-" Before Teresa could give her answer, her eyes suddenly widened as she felt that something was wrong.


    There is no way that Teresa will just talk casually with a Monster, since they were all enemies.


    For Teresa to talk to one right now just meant that something is wrong.


    "Kghk!" Teresa decisively bit her lips, until blood started to flow from it.


    The pain of this bite managed to remove Teresa out of whatever state she was in earlier.


    "You, what did you do to me?" Teresa snarled angrily at the Vampire Woman, as she realized that the Vampire Woman did something to her.


    "Ara ara, you snapped out of it rather quickly." The Vampire Woman said, although she did not look disappointed at all. "I just used a little bit of Dark Magic on you. You know, a little sprinkle of Dark Energy."


    "¡­.." Teresa tried to not panic as she started to circulate her Golden Essence around her body.


    According to what Teresa knew, if the Human Faction relies on Essence to bolster their power, the Monster Faction relies on Energy that comes from other Dimensions.


    In the Vampire Woman''s case, she channels the Dark Energy which comes from the Dark Dimension.


    This Dark Energy in turn allows the Vampire Woman to use Dark Magic, which she just used on Teresa earlier.


    "I will never befriend monsters like you!" Teresa spat out as she glared at the Vampire Woman with hate. "Monsters like you should not be allowed to live!"


    "Can you say the same thing to the Humans that are forced to turn into Monsters?" The Vampire Woman said, before Teresa could say more. "Will you also kill them, even if they were former Humans?"


    "Huh? What do you mean by that?" Teresa was extremely confused after hearing what the Vampire Woman just said.


    "Humans turning into Monsters? That is the most ridiculous thing that I have ever heard!" Teresa snarled as she tried to kick the Vampire Woman. Of course this attempted failed too.


    "Don''t tell me¡­ that you do not know?" The Vampire Woman gave Teresa one incredulous look, before she began to giggle. "Hehehe, so this horrific thing is actually a secret even amongst the Humans huh."


    "What the hell are you talking about?" At this point, Teresa started to feel that something was wrong again.


    But this time, this feeling was not related to any kind of magic used on her.


    It was more related to the foreboding feeling inside her, as if it was warning her that she was about to see something that will change her view of life.


    "I think it is better for you to see it by yourself." The Vampire Woman said as she clicked her fingers. "Kids, come on in."


    "¡­." Teresa heard more footsteps, but this time, there were more than a pair of them.


    Teresa tried to not look at the source of the sound, but then she found the Vampire Woman looking at her intently as she said,


    "Why are you so scared to look at them? Are perhaps feeling that you must not look?"


    "I will not fall for your Illusions again, woman!" Teresa shouted as she desperately hid the panicked feeling inside her. "There is no way that what you said was the truth! It is impossible for a Human to become a Monster!"


    "Oh, if that was the case, then its fine if you looked at the kids that I called, right?" The Vampire Woman said as she used her steel-like grip to forcefully turn Teresa''s head. "Come on, just a little look¡­"


    "Ugh¡­" Teresa was unable to fight back as she was forced to look at the newcomers.


    "See, isn''t that just easy?" The Vampire Woman said as she watched Teresa''s varying reactions upon seeing the little monsters. "Now, why don''t we start talking to them? I am sure that you will understand their situation more once they open up to you."


    "!!!"

 Chapter 64 The Knight is Coming

    Divine Knight Sylvester Glaivewood had been through some bad days already, but he was sure that today was one of his worst ones yet.


    "Can you say it again? But this time a little more slowly?" The Divine Knight said as he tried to massage his temples. "I want to make sure that what you said was just like what I heard."


    "Ok, Sir Glaivewood." The one who was talking to Sylvester was a black-haired woman, who was wearing thin-rimmed eyeglasses that made her look like an extremely efficient person.


    And this woman really is efficient, as she is Sylvester''s official partner on information gathering and dissemination.


    The bespectacled woman let out a light sigh as she slowly said,


    "6 Hours ago, some of our mages have detected the sudden appearance of monstrous amounts of concentrated energies in the Ursa Sector. After spending some time to measure the amount of the energies that appeared, our mages have concluded that these energies signify the appearance of 2 new Monsters that has potential to reach General Class."


    "Oh f**k me sideways¡­" Being a Knight, and the Divine Knight to boot, Sylvester knew that it should not be right for him to curse.


    But what he just heard warrants him the right to speak foul.


    "Are you really sure about this, Mia?" Sylvester asked as he let out a deep breath. "And how come there were 2?"


    "We are highly sure about this, Sir Glaivewood." Mia replied stiffly. "According to our Mages, the two types of energies that appeared in the Ursa Sector were Abyss Energy and Dark Energy. And by measuring the amounts of these energies that appeared, they were able to conclude the appearance of these new monsters."


    "Not only that, but from the way they appeared, they were not Monsters that came from the Monster Birth Program." Mia said as she closely watched her boss'' facial reactions. "These new monsters most likely came from different Planes of Existence. As for why they came here, we do not have any inkling why."


    "..."The only thing that Sylvester could do was to close his eyes as he regulated his breath. "The presence of Abyss Energy means that one of them was a Great Elderitch, while the Dark Energy could mean any Monsters with alignment to Dark Magic¡­ Tsk, just when I thought that things can''t get worse anymore, something like this suddenly happens!"


    "Well, if you want to be relieved, I have something that can reduce your stress." Mia said as she saw her boss starting to get stressed up.


    "Fire away, I want to hear something good too."


    "Well¡­" Mia trailed as she started to read the file paper that she held. "Our mages said that the 2 new Monsters that have appeared does not have the strength comparable to General-Class yet. But if they were given time, they will most likely reach General Class."


    "That''s good news indeed." Sylvester said as his body visibly sagged in relief. "That just means that we can send someone to kill these 2, and our problems will be solved. To make sure that they will be really dead, we should send out a Divine Knight. But who should we send?"


    "Um right now, we can only send Divine Knight Barrios." Mia said, with traces of embarrassment present in her voice. "The other Divine Knights are current busy with their own matters, and only Divine Knight Barrios is currently free."


    "Really, him only?" Sylvester let out a frustrated sigh as if he shared the same sentiments with Mia. "Sure, Barrios is a powerful Knight, but his sense of responsibilities is a little skewed¡­"


    "Please Sir Glaivewood, I perfectly know how ''carefree'' my younger brother is." Mia grimaced as she shook her head in annoyance. "Really, when will he learn to grow up?"


    "Well, we just have to trust that your brother will be in his right head for now." Sylvester ruefully said as he and Mia both let out a sigh.


    "...¡­.."


    "Ok, I will go now to inform my brother about this." Mia said as she started to leave the room.


    But before she could do so, she suddenly felt a pair of arms hugging her from behind.


    Mia tried to not let out a moan as she felt an extremely masculine body in close contact with her back. The masculine body''s musky scent which tickled her nose was enough to make her feel hot and excited.


    Mia tried to hide her excitement as she said,


    "Sir Glaivewood, I think this is not the right time to¡­"


    "There is no right or wrong time for us, Mia." Sylvester hurriedly said as his face started to turn red. "We have been in this relationship for 3 years already, and both of us have already made love on many special places. Doing it here in my office is no big deal."


    "But-" Mia''s words were cut off as Sylvester kissed her deeply, with this tongue intertwining with hers.


    "Mmnnn¡­" At that point, Mia''s mind went blank as she decided to reciprocate the kiss.


    Both of their hands then freely roamed with each other bodies, with Mia squeezing Sylvester''s tightly packed muscles and Sylvester copping a feel on Mia''s extremely round rear.


    They continued kissing for 5 more minutes, and by this point, both of them were already panting.


    "Let''s do this." Sylvester said as he and Mia started to remove their clothes.


    But before they could even start removing their clothes, they suddenly heard a knock on the door, which interrupted them from their hot and steamy exchange.


    "What the hell?" Mia felt irritation as she heard the knock, having the same feeling as Sylvester himself. "Who would dare knock at this time?"


    "Tsk, I don''t know, but if this person interrupted us for just a small reason, then I am not sure on what to feel." Sylvester said as he and Mia fixed their appearances, just to make sure that they did not look like they were exchanging their body heat earlier.


    "Come in." Sylvester gruffly said as he removed the lock on his door.


    ******************


    What Sylvester saw when the door opened was a thin, scrawny man.


    Judging from the clothes that he wore, the thin man looked like a new addition to the Knight Division.


    "So you are a new Knight huh. Must be hard for you." Sylvester said as he did not show disdain on his expression.


    He knew that new additions like this thin man were the ones that are usually being pushed around by the older Knights in the Knight Division. This is inevitable as the whole Knight Division is just another place to show off power.


    Frankly speaking, Sylvester does not like this kind of attitude, but this kind of behavior in the Knight Division had been somewhat helpful to produce Knights that can fight off against powerful Monsters.


    Sylvester can attest to this fact.


    "It''s hard, but I think I can manage." The thin man said as he gave a confident smile to Sylvester.


    "Your attitude is impressive. I like that." Sylvester commented as he saw that the thin man was seemingly unfazed even if he was talking with a Divine Knight.


    "I appreciate your praise, Sir Glaivewood." The thin man quickly replied as a pleased expression appeared in his face. Clearly, this man is a fan.


    "Well, I think the time for the idle talk must end for now." Sylvester said as his displeasure from being blue-balled started to dissipate.


    "Initiate Knight¡­ Lecter." Sylvester said as he looked at the nameplate on the thin man''s uniform. "State your intentions."


    "Salutations, Divine Knight Glaivewood." The Initiate Knight said as he gave Sylvester a piece of envelope. "The Golden Knight Academy instructed me to pass you this letter."


    "¡­" Sylvester did not say anything as he accepted the envelope, which was covered by a golden glow. He stayed silent for ten seconds before he gave a curt look at the thin man.


    "You may leave now, Initiate Knight." Sylvester said as he sat back on his chair.


    "Affirmative, Sir Glaivewood." If the Initiate Knight was confused, he did not show it as he hurriedly left the room.


    "So, you received another letter from her." Mia commented as she saw Sylvester''s nervous look. "Really, even now you are still this nervous?"


    "How could I not be? This letter is personally made by my daughter!" Sylvester said as he held the envelope gingerly. "There is no way that I could not be nervous!"


    "Sigh, you really are cute when you act like that." Mia said with amusement as she started to heat up a tea kettle nearby. "Hurry up and read it. I also want to hear what Teresa has to say."


    "Hmph, I am sure that Teressa will be writing again on about how she wants to be like me." Sylvester snorted as he started to open the envelope.


    What came out of the envelope was a piece of paper, with some sentences written in it.


    Sylvester frowned when he saw the paper, as if there was something wrong with it.


    "Hmm, it seems like my daughter just wrote a very short letter this time." Sylvester noted as he started to read the letter.


    His deep voice reverberated across the room as he read the letter with enthusiasm.


    [Father, I am too busy on training right now so I cannot write a long letter. What I can only say is that my Kill Mission will start on the day that you receive this letter.]


    [Do not worry Father, I will succeed on my Kill Mission here in the Ursa Sector, and I will come back with the head of my Target.]


    [That''s all that I can say for now, so wish me luck!]


    [P.S. Tell Mia that I said hi. Tell her that I also want to get a little brother too.]


    "Pfft¡­" Mia snorted a little as she tried to not laugh. It was quite obvious that the last line in Teresa''s letter sounded amusing to her.


    "Well, your daughter really has a good sense of humor like you, Sir Glaivewood." Mia said as she wiped the tears that formed in her eyes. "I really want to see her-"


    Mia was unable continue talking as she saw the expression on Sylvester''s face.


    Instead of looking amused, Sylvester looked extremely horrified and angry.


    "What''s the matter, Sir Glaivewood?" Mia hesitantly asked as she saw the unnatural look on Sylvester''s face. Is there something wrong with the letter?"


    "Teresa said in this letter that her Kill Mission will be inside the Ursa Sector today." Sylvester slowly said as his face turned more and more pale. "You realize what that means, right?"


    "!!!" At that point, Mia realized why Sylvester looked so worried. "In that case¡­"


    "You told me that 2 new powerful Monsters appeared in the Ursa Sector earlier." Sylvester said as he stood up from his chair. "That happened just 6 hours earlier¡­."


    A murderous aura then began to leak out of Sylvester, and even Mia could not help but step back in fear.


    "If what my daughter said in this letter was true, then it means that right now, Teresa is inside the Ursa Sector." Sylvester snarled as he took deep breaths to compose himself. "This is not good."


    Mia''s pale face could only nod numbly as she said,


    "Currently, the Ursa Sector houses 2 new Monsters that can possibly kill any Knights that are around 3rd to 5th Class. Teresa only became a 3rd Class Knight recently. That just means that she¡­ will be easily killed in the Ursa Sector by these 2 monsters¡­"


    "F**k!" Sylvester''s face showed his anger and even Mia has no trouble understanding his feelings right now.


    Mia touched Slyvester''s arms in an attempt to placate him as she said, "Sir Glaivewood, I think I need to go to my brother righ-"


    "There is no need for you to call your brother anymore." Sylvester interrupted Mia as he headed towards the door.


    As he walked, Sylvester''s body glowed so bright that Mia was forced to avert her eyes.


    A second passed by, and Sylvester''s appearance changed.


    He was now wearing a golden armor which covered his whole body perfectly.


    There was also an extremely large halberd that was sheathed in his back. The size and impressive bulk of the halberd was enough to intimidate Mia, who had already seen this halberd for many times.


    "I do not want to leave my daughter''s life in the hands of your brother." Sylvester said as he opened the door. "I shall be the one to rescue her, and nobody, not even the King can stop me from doing so."


    "¡­ In that case, I wish you luck, Sylvester." Mia whispered as she gave him an encouraging smile. "You might need it."


    "You know that I am a Divine Knight." Sylvester said as he closed the door behind him. "People like us are hard to kill."


    "¡­ Just come back with Teresa, ok?"


    "That is what I plan to do."

 Chapter 65 Abyss Tomes

    "Ssss¡­"


    "When can you learn to keep quiet?" Alex muttered as he tried to swat away Asteria who was floating behind him. "Can''t you see that I am eating?"


    Asteria, who was busy making the hissing sounds, gave Alex a sneer as she said,


    "Hmph, are you thinking that I did not notice it?"


    "Notice what?" Alex muttered as he continued on eating.


    "That you do not like that golden woman that you brought in earlier, and that you associate her with me." Asteria said as she frowned at Alex. "From what I can see, you are pouring your frustrations on me towards her."


    "Um¡­ yeah, I think you are a little right, but that is only one time." Alex replied as he gave Asteria a not-so-guilty look. "I admit that what I did to that golden girl earlier was a little¡­ excessive."


    Alex then slurped his remaining dish with relish as he said,


    "I feel bad with what I did to her, so I will apologize to the golden girl later, after Alina talks with her. I am sure that she can understand me pretty well as long as I explain myself."


    But it seems like Asteria is still not buying it.


    "Hmph, so making a girl piss in fear is just a little excessive?" Asteria scoffed, as if she could not believe what Alex was saying. "And here I thought you were a decent guy."


    "Huh?" This time, it was Alex who was confused. " Why are you so worked up with what I did anyway? Do you have any special connection with that golden girl?"


    "Of course none!" Asteria shot back as she kicked Alex''s head. Alex of course did not feel any pain from that. "I just ¡­ do not like what you did. That is all."


    "Oh really?" Alex muttered as he looked at Asteria intently, who just stared back too.


    "..."


    "..."


    "Tsk, knowing you, I am sure that you will not tell me anything unless I need it." Alex declared with reluctance as he stood up, with his tentacles moving freely. "I will just have to wait until you want to speak up."


    Asteria''s only reply to that was a wet raspberry.


    "..."


    ***************


    "So, is there any way for me to learn Abyss Magic at a faster rate?" Alex asked as he watched Alina and the golden girls'' discussion from the distance. "I could not help but have the feeling that many strong people will come to this place sooner or later¡­"


    "Well, you need to read a Magic Tome if you want to learn a type of Magic faster." Asteria replied as she slurped some honey through her straw. "In your case, you need to have a Magic Tome related to Abyss Magic if you want to learn it faster."


    "¡­" Alex''s eyes twitched as he recognized the business-like tone in Asteria''s voice.


    From the way that Asteria talked right now, what she wanted was quite obvious.


    "You want to sell me some Magic Tomes, right?" Alex said as he slightly massaged the symbol on his forehead. "Tsk, I could not help but feel like this whole Traveler thing is just sophisticated capitalism."


    "Well, who cares about that when you can get special powers!" Asteria blatantly ignored what Alex said as she touched the symbol on his forehead.


    The symbol glowed, and Alex once more felt Asteria''s connection with him.


    "Sigh." Alex sighed asshe knew that she was back at it again. "Show me the goods."


    "Affirmative." Asteria replied swiftly as she enumerated everything in the list.


    Alex listened quietly, but it was quite obvious from his tentacles that what he heard were all making him quite happy.


    --------------------------------------------------------------


    [ABYSS TOME ¨C PRIDE] --- [1 Year and 6 Months of Lifespan]


    By accessing this Tome, Abyss Magic user can use the Abyss Pride Series of Spells.Has 12 levels, and the user has to increase their Abyss Energy if he/she wants to use the spell inside.


    [ABYSS TOME ¨C SLOTH] --- [1 Year and 6 Months of Lifespan]


    By accessing this Tome, Abyss Magic user can use the Abyss Sloth Series of Spells.Has 12 levels, and the user has to increase their Abyss Energy if he/she wants to use the spell inside.


    [ABYSS TOME - GLUTTONY] --- [1 Year and 6 Months of Lifespan]


    By accessing this Tome, Abyss Magic user can use the Abyss Gluttony Series of Spells.Has 12 levels, and the user has to increase their Abyss Energy if he/she wants to use the spell inside.


    [ABYSS TOME ¨C WRATH] --- [1 Year and 6 Months of Lifespan]


    By accessing this Tome, Abyss Magic user can use the Abyss Wrath Series of Spells.Has 12 levels, and the user has to increase their Abyss Energy if he/she wants to use the spell inside.


    [ABYSS TOME ¨C LUST] --- [1 Year and 6 Months of Lifespan]


    By accessing this Tome, Abyss Magic user can use the Abyss Lust Series of Spells.Has 12 levels, and the user has to increase their Abyss Energy if he/she wants to use the spell inside.


    [ABYSS TOME ¨C ENVY] --- [1 Year and 6 Months of Lifespan]


    By accessing this Tome, Abyss Magic user can use the Abyss Envy Series of Spells.Has 12 levels, and the user has to increase their Abyss Energy if he/she wants to use the spell inside.


    [ABYSS TOME ¨C GREED] --- [1 Year and 6 Months of Lifespan]


    By accessing this Tome, Abyss Magic user can use the Abyss Greed Series of Spells.Has 12 levels, and the user has to increase their Abyss Energy if he/she wants to use the spell inside.


    --------------------------------------------------------------


    "...." Alex carefully assessed everything that Asteria said, as he felt shocked at the amount of Tomes that he can buy.


    "I can buy¡­ all of these Tomes, right?" Alex asked Asteria as he shook his head a little. "I really can buy them all?"


    "You can, if you have the needed amount of lifespan." Asteria said as she gave Alex a pityng and condescending look. "However, from what I can see, you can only afford 1 Tome as of now."


    "Stingy fairy." Alex muttered to himself as he remembered the amount of lifespan that he had left.


    He exactly had 2 Years and 21 Days of Lifespan left.


    If he buys one of the Tomes shown to him, he will be left with 6 months and 21 days of Lifespan.


    That could be enough to let Alex finish the mission, but it will also mean that Alex will not be able to buy all the Tomes.


    "Tsk, I want to buy them all! They all look so cool!" Alex exclaimed as he gave a pleading look at Asteria. "Can''t you give me a discount?"


    "No!" Asteria coldly replied as she gave Alex a triumphant smile. "Didn''t I tell you that starting from your Second World, all of the things that you have to purchase will have no discount at all? If you want to buy all the Tomes, then you must have the needed Lifespan for that!"


    "Tsk." Alex gritted hit teeth, as he knew that there is no way for him to persuade Asteria about this issue.


    "Can I¡­ still buy these Tomes even when I am in other Worlds?" Alex asked Asteria as he started to think of what Tome he should buy first.


    "Yes, all of the Items that you did not buy will still be available to you no matter where you go, so you can buy the other Tomes even when you are in other Worlds." Asteria replied as she emptied her last jar of honey. "Yum, that was good!"


    "In that case, I have a question for you." Alex declared as his mind began to spin furiously.


    "Ask away." The current Asteria was in her post-digestive state, as she was busy on relishing the delicious feeling that she got from her honey. "I am in a good mood now, so I can give you better answers than before."


    Alex did not hesitate as he said,


    "Can you tell me the kinds of abilities that will be gained from each type of Abyss Tome?" Alex knew that since he can only buy one Tome for now, he should at best choose the one that will allow him to succeed on his mission.


    He cannot just buy a Tome because it sounds badass. He will buy a tome that will save his ass.


    "Well, I can summarize it to you easily." Asteria said after she cupped her chin for a minute.


    "Abyss Tome - Pride will give you spells that are focused on enhancements. Abyss Tome ¨C Sloth will give you spells focused on crowd control and support. Abyss Tome ¨C Gluttony has spells that will allow you to devour objects or sentient beings which will enhance your body. Abyss Tome ¨C Lust will give you spells that are more focused on illusions and manipulation of sentient beings."


    Alex nodded his head as Asteria continued talking.


    "Abyss Tome ¨C Greed will give you spells that will allow you to steal objects or sometimes even abilities. Abyss Tome Envy will give you spells focused on shapeshifting and matter manipulation. And finally, Abyss Tome ¨C Wrath will give you spells that are focused on destruction and annihilation."


    "Wow¡­ from the sounds of it, Abyss Tome -Wrath sounds really cool." Alex muttered after Asteria finished talking. "Destruction spells? Damn, am I in S**rim now?"


    "Nope, you are not!" Asteria replied angrily, as if what Alex said had struck a cord in her.


    "¡­.." Alex was not sure why Asteria seems to be angry with what he said, so he asked her,


    "What''s wrong with what I said?"


    "What''s wrong with what you said is the fact that you are thinking that we can go to S**rim!" Asteria said as she shook her head angrily.


    "Alex, let me remind you about one thing. You should never ever think that we will go in a World that is based on a Fictional Story!"


    "Huh?" Alex was more confused now, as he could not fathom how a simple statement of his managed to trigger Asteria this much.


    "Don''t expect that we will go to the D***onball world or O** P**ce World!" Asteria said as she huffed in anger. "Those Worlds are just fictional, they are not real, ok?"


    Asteria then started a rant which made Alex shrink a little in his seat.


    "F**king Travelers, the first thing that they ask me is that if they can go to an Anime World. What the f**k? Those s**ty things are just fictional! What nerve do they have to think that they can go there? F**king weebs! The Endless Monarch only brings us to Real Worlds, not Worlds that are just made up from paper and ink!"


    "...."


    [[[Author''s Note: I love reading fanfictions, and Asteria''s view on them is not related to mine.]]]


    Before he and Alina arrived at the clearing earlier, Alex was actually planning to ask Asteria if they can pass by an Anime or Video Game World.


    But with the way that Asteria felt about these Worlds, it seems like Alex will have to stop thinking about them.


    "Ok¡­" Alex shut his mouth, as he tried not to point out that the world that he is in right now just looks as fictional as some of the manga and books that he read. "No fanfiction world then."


    "None of them. None at all." Asteria said as she crossed her arms in satisfaction.


    "So, should I buy the Abyss Tome - Wrath then?"Alex inquired as he decided to avert the topic for now.


    "Well, its offensive power is really high, but its Abyss Energy requirements are high too." Asteria commented as she inspected Alex''s body.


    "Yeah, of course it will have a limitation like that." Alex replied while rolling his eyes.


    According to what Alex knew, his power on Abyss Magic will depend on the amount of Abyss Energy that he had in his body.


    Right now, the Abyss Energy inside him is about to reach Grade 2, which will allow him to cast until Level 2 Abyss Magic.


    That amount was somewhat limited for Alex to use powerful spells, and he was not sure if he will really need to use powerful spells.


    The other Abyss ¨C Tomes might have weaker offensive potential than Abyss Tome -Wrath, but they look easier to use and handle.


    "Should I go for firepower or for a more stable powerset?" Alex cupped his chin as he began to think.


    After 10 minutes of intense brainstorming, Alex let out a sigh as he decided on what to buy.


    "Ehem." Alex cleared his throat, presumably to get Asteria''s attention, who was busy threading some flower petals into a crown.


    "Oh" Asteria only jolted lightly as she saw Alex looming over her. "So, what will you buy?''


    "Well¡­" Alex scratched the back of his as he seemed to be struggling to get his words out. "What I plan to buy is the Abyss Tome¡­"

 Chapter 66 Envy

    "- Abyss Taboo - Envy." Alex declared as he finished his sentence. "Oh, and can you also sell me the Electromagnetic Saber too? I want to try something with that."


    "Ok?" Asteria seemed to not care at what Alex said as she proceeded on buying what he mentioned. "Here you go. Enjoy."


    Alex squinted as the symbol on his forehead let out a glow, before two objects came out of it.


    One was an old-looking book, while the other one was a tube that was 6 feet long.


    Alex knew that the tube was most likely the Electromagnetic Saber, as the tube suspiciously looks like a L***tsaber.


    Alex did not point that fact out as he was focused more on the second object.


    The old-looking book was most likely the Abyss Tome ¨C Envy, as it gave out that specific creepy and pissed-off vibe.


    The book seemed to be alive, as it could be seen to be wriggling within Alex''s hold, as if it just wanted to slither away.


    Some of its pages were even slightly drooling, making the whole Tome like a sentient monster book.


    Alex resisted the urge to throw the Tome away as he knew that he had to keep on holding it.


    "Why did you choose Envy anyway?" Asteria asked as she finished the transaction. "I thought you would want something cool like Pride or Wrath."


    "It''s because I am also interested on the prospects of using the Abyss Tome ¨C Wrath." Alex said as he stared at the Tome that he held with interest. "The shapeshifting and the matter manipulation parts are actually worth it in my opinion."


    "¡­If you say so."


    Alex could have chosen other Tomes earlier, but he felt that they could be better used in the endgame, or other special situations.


    Choosing Pride is not a good choice for now, since Alex only had few abilities that can be enhanced.


    As for Sloth, it is better used in large group situations, and right now, Alex''s group does not fit the ''large'' definition.


    As for Gluttony, Alex felt that this Tome can be dangerous for his sanity. Alex was not sure why he thought of that, but he decided to avoid this Tome first.


    As for Greed, Alex decided that getting more abilities using this Tome will just inconvenience Alex, as he was more comfortable on being versed in few abilities rather than getting many abilities at once that are all low-level.


    And finally for Wrath, Alex decided to just get it as his second Tome.


    "Hey Asteria¡­" Alex muttered as she slowly opened his Tome. "There are also Bonus Missions here too, right?"


    "Yes, and there are more than one of them." Asteria cheerfully replied, as if she was enjoying what she said. "So, you better take them all!"


    "I sure will." Hearing Asteria''s confirmation managed to uplift Alex''s feelings up.


    If Alex can finish all of these Bonus Missions, then it is possible for him gain enough lifespan to buy the other Tomes!


    Alex then shook his head as he remembered the things that he should be focused on for now.


    "Ok, so how do I use you?" Alex said as he read the first page of the Tome.


    Alex thought at first that he will see some special writing in the first page, but what he saw was all blanks.


    Before Alex could complain about it, the Tome suddenly turned into an immaterial dark object which fused with Alex''s body.


    "Guh!" Alex felt slight pain passing through him, but it also disappeared as he felt something sticky and cold circulating all over his body.


    Alex waited for a few more seconds, and all the uncomfortable feeling inside him all disappeared.


    "I feel¡­ nothing different." Alex commented as he inspected his tentacles and his body.


    No matter which way Alex looked at it, it seems like the Tome did not do anything on him.


    But before Alex could complain more, he suddenly felt a surge of information inside his head, which forced him to kneel for a full minute.


    The pain accompanying this information surge was enough to make Alex slightly tear up.


    "¡­" While all of this was happening, Asteria was just watching him impassively, as if she had no qualms about Alex.


    "Hah!" Alex let out a shout as he felt the overload of information in his mind slowly dissipating.


    He took some deep breaths accompanied by the desire to dry heave.


    It took him another minute to full stabilize his own body.


    Once he was stable, the first thing that Alex did was to say,


    "What the hell was that, Asteria?"


    ***************


    "Umm¡­ that is you, getting all the possible spells that you can get with Abyss Tome - Envy." Asteria replied in a matter of fact tone as she gazed at Alex with an impatient look. "So, what do you ''see''?"


    "Well¡­ I feel like I can see a list inside my mind¡­" Alex said as he looked at what his mind was producing. "Yep, definitely like that."


    Saying that he can see a list was right, as what Alex could see was¡­


    [Level 1] -------- Minor Telekinesis, Voice Warp


    [Level 2] -------- Major Telekinesis, Skin Warp


    [Level 3] -------- Needs Grade 3 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 4] -------- Needs Grade 4 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 5] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 6] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 7] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 8] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 9] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 10] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 11] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 12] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    Aside from the pain, Alex also realized that integrating with that Tome managed to increase the amount of his Abyss Energy up to Grade 2.


    This just means that right now, Alex can use Level 1 and Level 2 Spells from his Tome.


    Of course Alex will also do his best to increase the Grade of his Abyss Energy on the incoming days, as he was sure that it is better for him to get stronger.


    Alex re-read what he saw in the list as he assessed what he saw.


    Just like what he had expected, he can already access Levels 1 and 2 Envy Spells.


    As for the other Spells, the list had specifically mentioned that Alex will need higher Grades of Abyss Energy to use them.


    "Hmm¡­ since Alina still have some time to talk to that golden girl, it might not hurt to try out my new spells." Alex muttered to himself as he activated the Abyss Tome ¨C Envy.


    Since the Tome was fused with him, it took Alex only a moment before he could activate his first spell.,


    <{| Voice Warp |}>These words chimed inside Alex''s mind as he used started the spell.


    Alex felt a power clustering within his throat, with this power forcing itself to stay there.


    It felt uncomfortable, but Alex did not cancel the spell, as the Tome supplied him with the info on how to use this spell.


    ~~Hello, I am Asteria, and I am a dumb fairy. I maybe dumb, but I am also cute~~


    Anyone who knows Asteria will think that it was Asteria who talked.


    But the truth was that this sentence came out of Alex''s mouth!


    "What the hell are you saying Alex!" Asteria complained as he heard her own voice coming out of Alex''s mouth. "Cut it out! It''s really creepy!"


    "Well, I want it to be that way." Alex replied seeming unfazed with what he did. "Besides, it is rare to hear you actually insulting yourself¡­"


    "That voice was not mine!"


    ~~Honey, honey, honey, I''ll slurp you all like p-~~


    "Oh shut it, Alex!" Asteria shouted as she dropkicked Alex on his squishy nose. Of course this did not faze Alex at all.


    Instead, Alex continued on what he was singing, which successfully reduced Asteria to a blushing mess at the end of his ''special song''.


    "Hearing those words out in my voice is by far, the worst experience that I have with you for now." Asteria whispered as she gave killer glares at Alex. "Huhuhu hooman, remember that I will enact my revenge to you!"


    "Yeah yeah.." Alex replied nonchalantly, looking like he was not worried at all.


    Asteria''s reply to that was her finger.


    "Ok, this spell is neat." Alex thought to himself as he cancelled the spell. "It somehow fits the shapeshifting part."


    With what he did earlier, Alex was able to ascertain that Voice Warp will allow Alex to mimic the voice of anything. That was the reason why Alex can speak in Asteria''s voice earlier.


    Not only that, but Alex also discovered that this spell of his will last as long as Abyss Energy was supplied on it.


    Remove the Abyss Energy, and the spell will be done to.


    Once he was done with that spell, Alex focused on the 3 others.


    "Skin Warp? Hmm... I do not know if I should try it here..." Alex thought to himself as he felt slight apprehension on seeing this spell. "I better check out first the Minor and Major Telekinesis."


    If Alex was right, Minor and Major Telekinesis falls into the category of Matter Manipulation.


    "Well, from the looks of it, both of these Telekninesis are focused on macro-scale objects." Alex thought as he felt slightly disappointed. "Maybe I can only try manipulating atoms and quarks themselves at the higher levels¡­"


    The main reason that Alex was interested in getting the Envy Tome was because of its matter manipulation aspect.


    Alex was interested in this aspect, as he had many ideas that will be made possible with matter manipulation.


    But from the looks of it, Alex will still not be able to tackle manipulation of atoms until his Abyss Energy has reached the right Grade.


    Well, this is not bad for Alex yet, as Minor and Major Telekinesis can be used well in combat, especially with Alex'' current build.


    "Time to test them now."


    <{| Minor Telekinesis|}> These words rang inside Alex''s mind as he activated it.


    At the instant that he initiated the spell, Alex was able to feel the presence of everything around him.


    More specificaly, everything around 5 meters of Alex.


    Alex was able to identify every object within 5 meters of him, no matter what their size were. It seems like he can also apply some kind of invisible hand that can force these objects to move.


    Alexused this invisible hand to move a pebble, and Alec found it easy to move.


    Alex and Asteria watched with excitement as they saw the pebble floating in front of the, freely moving because of Alex''s intervention.


    After seeing this, Alex decided to increase the weight of the objects that he will move, as he tried to find the limit of Minor Telekinesis.


    As it turns out, 50 kilograms is the maximum wait that he can carry with Minor Telekinesis.


    Not only that, but Alex also found out that more of his Abyss Energy will be depleted as long as he carries heavier objects.


    And just like Voice Warp, Minor Telekinesis will stop working once the Abyss Energy was gone.


    After testing Minor Telekinesis, Alex decided to test Major Telekinesis next.


    The results that Alex got was pretty much the same, except for the fact that the weight limit of Major Telekinesis was much higher than the limit of Minor Telekinesis.


    500 kilograms or half a ton. This is the weight limit of Major Telekinesis, which Alex found out in a little hard way.


    Once he got the grasp on these abilities, Alex let out a whistle, as he remembered that he was just at the Level 2 of his Tome.


    What special and bad-ass spells could Alex get once he reaches higher Grades? Probably the really powerful ones.


    "Hmm hmm hmm, hmm hmm hmm¡­"


    Seeing the promising spells in front of him, Alex could say that he was excited for his future with Abyss Tome -Envy.


    Of course, that future will be better once Alex buys all the Abyss Tomes.


    That is if Alex can get them all.

 Chapter 67 Empath

    "I should not be thinking about other Tomes for now. I should focus more on increasing my Abyss Energy." Alex frowned as he knew that increasing the plethora of his spells is the best thing that he can do now.


    Alex knew that because of his superior Monster Body, his absorption of the Abyss Energy has also reached a high level.


    In fact, Alex had the inkling that he can reach Grade 3 Abyss Energy 2 days from now.


    "Hmph, I know that look in your face." Asteria grumbled as she looked at Alex. "You want to train right?"


    "Of course I will." Alex replied confidently as he started to seat cross-legged. "I have to get stronger to make this mission easier."


    At the instant that Alex sat down, threads of dark-colored energy started to gather towards him, which entered his body


    This energy made Asteria feel a little queasy, as if she was not comfortable looking at it.


    "Yes, that''s the stuff." Alex exclaimed as he felt himself being reinvigorated by the energy that he was absorbing.


    "Hmph, so boring!" Asteria grumbled as she saw Alex not focused on her anymore.


    Asteria hated being bored, and seeing her Traveler in training just makes it worse.


    "I have no choice then but to play with my hooman." Asteria mumbled as she floated towards Alina,who was fully engrossed in talking to the golden girl.


    Asteria frowned upon seeing this, as she felt that this blonde woman was stealing something from her.


    "Wait, why am I worried anyway? I am the cutest blonde out there!" Asteria said hastily. "That golden girl ain''t like me!"


    If Alex could hear Asteria talking right now, he will surely notice that Asteria sounded like she was reassuring herself.


    This would not be a bad teasing material.


    ****************


    20 minutes earlier.


    "I won''t listen to them." Teresa declared as she gritted her teeth. "This is just a ploy, and I would not believe it!"


    "Oh really?" This time, Alina gave Teresa another smile, but this smile was more¡­ predatory. "Then what can you say about their clothes?"


    "Hmph, they obviously wore it from other human children." Teresa said, sounding confident and smug this time. "That is a simple trick that anyone can use."


    "No! These clothes are mine!" No. 4 shouted as she practically ran towards Teresa.


    "!!!" Teresa tried to back away from No. 4, but her bindings were so well-placed that she was unable to move.


    Teresa could only silently freak out as she looked at No. 4''s insect body staring at her angrily.


    "Get out of here, Monster!" Teresa said as she realized that No.4 would not move away from her. "Get away from me!"


    "..."


    "..."


    "¡­ Hik, do I really look that bad?" No. 4 trembled for a second, before she started to bawl in front of Teresa.


    "Wait, what are you-"


    "Waa!!! I do not want to be like this! I just want to eat some cookies from Mommy! Waa!!!" Black tears poured out from the face of No. 4, which flowed profusely towards the ground.


    "...¡­."


    ''"Hik, I am so scared¡­ I only have dew friends left, and all the humans hate me now¡­" No. 4 continued on crying, and Teresa could only watch with a dumbfounded expression as the little insect girl cried in front of her.


    "No, this is just trickery¡­" Teresa mumbled, but this time, even she sounded unsure of what she was saying.


    Alina seems to have noticed Teresa''s hesitation, as shepounced over her like a predator.


    "You seem to feel how distressed No. 4 is right now." Alina said as she looked at Teresa''s conflicted expression. "Surely at this point, you realize that No. 4 is not faking it."


    "No, she is just lying¡­"


    "You know that she is not lying." Alina said these words with an edge in her tone. "No, more specifically, you can feel her sincerity, right?"


    "!!!" Teresa''s body suddenly tightened as if she was prodded with an electric rod. Her eyes widened as she looked at Alina with fear and suspicion.


    "I do not know what you are talking about." Teresa said as she closed her eyes. "I can''t hear you, I can''t hear you, I can''t hear you¡­"


    Alina ignored Teresa''s mumblings as she slowly said,


    "According to my concubine, you seem to be a little sensitive to the spectrum of emotions around you. Of course, I am not sure how my concubine thought of that, but I know that I should always believe him."


    Teresa started to shake her head at this point, as she tried to not listen to what Alina was saying.


    "And then I remembered your reaction when my concubine blasted you with a fear. You directly pissed yourself and you even fainted on the spot. Tell me, is that normal?"


    "Of course it is!" Teresa shot back, this time sounding more and more desperate. "He just blasted me with fear! There is no way that I cannot faint from that!"


    "Except for the fact that the fear blasted to you was of miniscule amounts." Alina interjected as her sharp eyes pierced Teresa. "According to my concubine, that blast of fear was only geared to stun you. But instead of just stunning you, that blast of fear made you a little¡­ incontinent."


    "¡­"


    "How could a Knight like you react that badly against that small dose of fear?" Alina said as she leaned her head above Teresa. "It could be that you are a coward, but you are not, since you are confident on traversing this forest."


    "That only leaves one answer, and I think this is the right answer." Alina breathed out as she whispered something in Teresa''s ear.


    "You can sense emotions, right?"


    "No! I cannot do that!" Teresa shouted out as she tried to bite Alina.


    Teresa''s face was contorted with disgust and anger, and she was doing her best to channel them.


    "Sensing emotions and manipulating them are something that only Elderitch Monsters can do!" Teresa shrilly shouted as she tried to break her bonds again. "I am nothing like them!"


    "Oh really?" Alina seemed to be not shocked at Teresa''s denial, as if she had already expected it. "Then can you say to me right now that the little insect girl in front of you is just acting?"


    "Wa!!!" Even at this point, No. 4 was still crying, and it was only Alina that was behind her, patting her head to calm her down.


    "This..." Teresa tried to say something, but in the end she was unable to refute No. 4.


    "S**t!" Teresa dipped her head down, as she realized that Alina was able to expose her easily.


    "I hate this¡­" Teresa muttered as she tried to not look at Alina.


    Alina nodded her head upon seeing Teresa''s reaction, as if she was approving of what she was seeing.


    "See, so you really can sense emotions." Alina said with a triumphant smile on her face. "I thought you were just really sensitive. Turns out Alex''s guess was right."


    "...."


    "So, do you believe that this girl is a human before?" Alina decided to strike while the iron is still hot. "You could feel that her sadness and longing for her parents were all legitimate. Surely, that is enough for you to believe her."


    "¡­" Alina watched as Teresa''s head swiveled towards the other little monsters, as if she was also scanning their feelings.


    This scanning lasted for a full minute before Teresa let out a frustrated sigh.


    "I hate to say this, but I can feel that these little monsters¡­ seem to be genuinely sad for their fate." Teresa said as she glared at Alina.


    "However that does not mean that I will still believe you. Who knows, you could be the one who made them like that." Teresa added as she gave Alina a suspicious look. "You know, that is actually highly likely too."


    "Hey, how could you say that to Big Sis!" No. 4 suddenly shouted as she glared at Teresa. Her face was still filled with tears, but it was quite obvious from the buzzing insects on her body that she was quite mad.


    "Big Sis is the one who saved us from being eaten earlier, and she had always been so kind to us!" No. 4 shouted as she brandished her tiny fists towards Teresa. "Don''t you think of slandering Big Sis!"


    "Ah erm, um¡­" Teresa was rendered speechless this time, as she was overwhelmed by the indignation and anger pouring out of No. 4.


    However, it was not only No. 4 that was angry. The other little monsters were extremely angry too, and from the looks of it, all of them were all eager to pounce at Teresa.


    "!!!!!!!!!!!" Teresa started to tremble as she felt that all these little monsters were all fiercely loyal towards Alina, and that they seem to be unhesitant on hurting Teresa.


    That is not certainly not a good emotion to feel.


    ********************


    "Ok¡­ I believe you..." Teresa mumbled as she knew that she should make a compromise for now.


    Deep inside her heart, Teresa did not fully believe anything that Alina said, even though Teresa can really feel the emotions of the little monsters.


    In her mind, Teresa was sure that everything was just a trick, something that was made in order to turn her against the Human Faction.


    But no matter how much Teresa distrusted Alina,Teresa knew that she cannotjust say that she does not believe Alina, as it seemed like Alina will not take Teresa''s disbelief that well.


    In that case, Teresa will just have to pretend that she believed Alina in order to live longer


    Teresa will just have to find a way to escape later.


    "Oh really¡­" This was Alina''s reply as she seemed to be trying to hide a sly smile as she stood up with No. 4.


    From the way that Alina reacted right now, it was as if Teresa''s words sounded amusing to her.


    "You are not lying to me, right?" Alina slowly said, which made Teresa''s hair stand up. "You are telling the truth, right?"


    "I am telling the truth." Teresa replied as she did her best to wear a poker face. "I am a Knight, and it is not in my virtue to lie.""


    "Well, I will believe that, for now." Alina replied, this time with a genuine smile on her face.


    "Gulp." Teresa was not sure why, but she felt some twinges of fear as she saw Alina''s current look.


    "Ok, since you said that you are telling the truth, then I think that it is time to me to show you the truth too." Alina suddenly said as she set No. 4 on the ground.


    "What are you trying to do?" Teresa said with a hint of vigilance in her voice.


    Even though Alina looked like she will not mean Teresa any harm, Teresa still could not help but feel wary of her.


    "Oh, I will just show you something special." Alina grinned as her body began to change.


    And when Teresa said change, she meant it quite literally.


    Teresa had to squint her eyes as she saw the tall elegant beauty transforming into something else.


    A few seconds passed by, and Teresa saw what Alina meant by special.


    "No! This can''t be true!" Teresa shouted as she shook her head. "This is just an illusion, right?


    "Hehehe, that is up for you to see. You can sense my emotions, right?" Alina said as she tilted her head. "My human form should be quite obvious to you now."


    "!!!!!!"


    Right now, what Teresa could see was a real Human in front of her.


    With her advanced senses, Teresa could feel and ascertain that the woman in front of her was a real Human.


    But that should be impossible, since this woman in front of Teresa was a Vampire a few seconds ago!


    "There are no Monsters that can turn into Humans! That is just impossible!" Teresa shouted as she felt her head getting light. "There is no way that this is true! This is just a¡­"


    Whatever Teresa wanted to say after that was unknown, as her mind once again succumbed to the sweet hug on unconsciousness.


    "You broke her again, hooman." Asteria commented as she watched Teresa fainting in front of her. "She really is unlucky¡­"


    "Well, we still have more time to talk to her later, so let''s just let her rest." Alina replied with a playful tone in her voice."After all, she''s staying with us for a little longer. It can''t hurt to make her feel comfortable."


    "If this is your definition of comfortable, then I fear what will happen to this golden girl once you want her out."


    "You just have to watch to see that."


    "¡­Noted."

 Chapter 68 Fusion Impossible: Mysterious Intruder

    Actually speaking, Alex originally had no idea on how to do congeal an Abyss Core, but it seems like his Elderitch body already had an idea on what to do.


    As such, Alex decided to just get it on with absorption.


    Alex kept his eyes closed as he stayed focused on absorbing Abyss Energy.


    Alex knew that for him to reach the Grade 3, he must be able to congeal a Core made up of Abyss Energy inside his body.


    Once he successfully congeals his Abyss Core, not only will Alex gain access to more spells, his overall bodily strength and power will also be improved.


    But just one hour after Alex started the absorption, he suddenly felt a powerful presence rushing towards their location.


    "Who is it?" Alex bristled as his eyes shot wide open.


    Alex''s body was tense, as he could feel that the presence approaching their location was an extremely powerful being.


    Alex was saying ''being'' since he was not sure whether this new presence was a Human or a Monster.


    If it was a Monster, Alex already have some ideas to talk peacefully to it.


    But if it was a Human, well¡­ Alex can just say that it will not be good for either of them.


    "Someone''s coming." To Alex''s no surprise, Alina also felt this intruder. "This intruder¡­ seems strong."


    "Yes, it''s strong indeed." Alex muttered as he patted Alina''s right shoulder.


    "!"


    Alina jumped a little from the skin contact, but she did not do anything to shove his hand off. Alex smiled after seeing this, blatantly ignoring the snickering Asteria in the background.


    "So, what happened with the golden girl?" Alex inquired, as he did not notice what happened earlier. ''Is she sti- oh, she passed out again. What did you do to her?"


    "It''s a long story that I will tell you later." Alina replied with a slight twitch in her eyes. "For now, we should worry about intruder."


    "Well, the first thing that we should do is to hide that woman first." Alex said while pointing his index finger at the golden woman. "No matter what kind of creature the intruder is, it will not be better for it to see a woman like this."


    "Got it." Alina said as she waved her hands, making the golden woman disappear.


    Alex could some trails of dark smoke after the golden woman disappeared, indicating that what Alina did was something new.


    "Oh, that''s a neat trick of yours. How did you manage to do that?" Alex neutrally said as he tried to not show emotions in his voice.


    "Ah, I just combined my Dark Magic and my Esper Ability!" Alina enthusiastically replied as she gave Alex a smile.


    "Ok¡­" Alex found himself somewhat speechless from what he heard.


    "Is something like that even possible?" Alex thought to himself as he waited for Alina to talk more. "I certainly¡­ did not expect that."


    "Actually," Alina droned on as she seemed to not notice what Alex was thinking about. "I never thought that my Dark Magic was actually compatible with my Weak Space Manipulation. I only found it out when I got the Dark Magic Tome earlier!"


    "After I fused with the Dark Magic Tome, it immediately reacted with my Esper Ability, which resulted in me gaining some new abilities!" From the way that Alina looked right now, it was quite obvious that she was happy with her situation.


    "¡­." Alex tried his best to not show it, but he was feeling slightly jealous with what happened to Alina.


    Earlier, Alex actually tried to combine or fuse his Abyss Magic with his EM Wave Manipulation.


    But no matter what he did, they could not even be coaxed to be in contact with each other.


    They were like two similar poles of magnets that are being forced together, even though their polarity forces them to repel each other. There is just no way that Alex could force them to be together.


    Because of that failed experiment, Alex thought that maybe abilities from different power systems were just incompatible with each other.


    But seeing what happened with Alina invalidated that theory of his.


    "So, how were you able to combine them anyway?" Alex inquired as he watched Alina''s beautiful face glowing with excitement. "Maybe I can try them out later."


    "Sorry, but I have no idea on how to explain it to you." Alina replied as she ducked her head down."But do not be sad, as Asteria told me that you still have the chance to fuse abilities as long as you have the right tools and skillset to do it."


    "Oh great, another delayed power-up." Alex bemoaned sarcastically as he decided to drop the power fusion issue for now. "Well, let''s forget about that fusion now and let''s focus on our contingencies."


    "Contingency 1: If it is a Human, then we will do our best to run away if the opponent is strong." Alina replied quickly as she placed her hands on her hips. "Contingency 2: But if the Human was just weak, then we can beat this Human down and invite that Human in our group."


    "¡­" Alex tried to not point out that the second part of Alina''s answer sounded a little wrong.


    "Contingency 3: if the intruder was a Monster, then we will be more polite on it and try to talk to it more." Alina continued, with her not noticing Alex''s thoughts earlier. "But if that Monster stays hostile to us, thena fight will be inevitable."


    "That''s exactly the gist of what we were about to do." Alex murmured to himself as he and Alina squared their bodies up.


    By this time it was only Alex and Alina that was present in the clearing, as the little monsters were all busy hidingnearby.


    Alina had instructed them to run once the first sign of trouble appears, with them unauthorized to look back as they ran.


    "I hope those little runts will actually run when I tell them to." Alina muttered as she gave them a worried look. "Really, those 5 are a naughty lot!"


    "Hehehe, you seem to have fun taking care of them!" Alex said in a slightly teasing tone. "Hey, can I call you Big Sister too? You seem to like being called that way!"


    "Ugh, it will just sound creepy if you say it." Both Alina and Asteria said at the same time, which just showed Alex that they could be right.


    "Sigh, why am I not even talented in comedy?" Alex lamented to himself as he and Alina saw the intruder descending in front of them.


    :....:


    One of the reasons that Alex and Alina did not run away for now was because their visitor seems to not hold any hostile intentions against them.


    This intruder could be here specifically for some business matters with Alex and Alina.


    But no matter what the reason was, both Alex and Alina were confident to talk it out.


    Both Alex and Alina tilted their heads as they greeted their visitor.


    "Erm.. hello?" Alex tentatively said as his tentacles waved around agitatedly. "Are you here to talk to us?"


    "Well yes, it''s you two that I am looking for." The intruder replied as the loose coat and hood that the intruder was wearing began to disappear.


    "!!!!!!"


    The intruder ignored Alex and Alina''s reaction to its real appearance as it slowly said,


    "You two and I have some talking about to do."

 Chapter 69 Pew pew pew!

    "Greetings." Alex said with a grin on his face as he talked to the intruder.


    Alex lost his feelings of trepidation as he realized that the intruder that was in front of him was no Human.


    Long, spindly limbs comparable to that of a spider.


    Large, bulbous body that looked like the torso of a hippopotamus.


    And a head that suspiciously looked like a goat''s head.


    These are the body parts of the intruder that Alex just greeted.


    Even an idiot will realize that the intruder was a full-fledged Monster.


    "At least you have the politeness to greet me." The goat-headed monstrosity replied as he tilted his head forward. "I am Phom, one of General Chimera''s trusted servants. I am here to bring you a message that General Chimera personally made."


    "Woah, hold up first." Alex said as he raised both of his hands. "Are you going straight to giving me a message? I thought you are here to scare me or something."


    "Why would I do that?" Phom inquired as he sounded more and more confused. "General Chimera said that you and your partner beside you have the potential to reach General Level¡­ There is no way a lowly one like me can ever think of opposing you."


    "¡­" Alex used his FED to see if Phom has any hidden killing intent, but Alex found none of it.


    Alex then looked at Alina, as if he wanted her to confirm something.


    "He is not lying." Alina said as she glanced at Phom with a sideways look. "Everything that he said is true, so I think we should not be worried about this Phom guy."


    "I see." Alex mumbled as he realized that his Main Mission is much more convoluted than what he thought.


    If he and Alina already grabbed the attention of really powerful Monsters just in his first day in this world, then this just means thatthe way for him to complete his Main Mission is also set at a high pedestal.


    "Really, this just makes me more perturbed." Alex thought to himself as he tried to not show his distress.


    Alex sighed before looking at Phom, who just gave Alex a casual nod.


    Alex slowly approached Phom with his wavy tentacles as he said, "Ok, I shall listen to the message. But before you give me that message, tell me how you and your General detected my arrival in this world first."


    From the way Phom talked to him, Alex was sure that this General Chimera was aware that Alex and Alina were ''Monsters who came from a different plane of existence''.


    From the snippets of conversation that Alex had with some of the Monsters that he scared into submission earlier, Alex knew that the Monsters who came from different planes of existence usually only stays in this World for a short period of time before leaving.


    Since Alex and Alina had the disguise of being ''Monsters from different planes of existence'', then this General Chimera should have an idea that he and Alina will only temporarily stay in this World.


    But even with that, this General Chimera seems to be still interested on having a conversation with Alex and Alina.


    This certainly intrigued Alex.


    "Umm..." Alex''s question seems to have stumped Phom for a second, as the goat-headed monstrosity fumbled for a second before giving his reply.


    "You can say that my General¡­ has some ways to see powerful Monsters that visits this World¡­ That is all that I can say."


    ".... Okay, it seems like you will not elaborate your answer more." Alex replied as all the tentacles around him relaxed.


    "So can I give the message now?" Phom eagerly asked, like he was a dog waiting for a fetch.


    "Ok, carry on." Alex said as he waved one of his tentacles dismissively. "It won''t hurt me to listen."


    "What General Chimera wanted me to give to you was actually an invitation." Phom said as his thin limbs scuttled around him. "He wanted you and your partner to come visit him to talk about some important things."


    "And what could be this ''important things'' be?" Alex inquired as he gave Phom an interested look. "Perhaps you can enlighten me about that?"


    "I am sorry, but you have to find it out from the General later." Phom replied quickly as if he had already expected Alex to ask that question.


    "Oh in that case, I have to decline." Alex said while shrugging his shoulders.


    "Decline?" Phom''s body stilled atfer he heard what Alex said. His ears, which were slightly twitching earlier, both froze as Phom stared at Alex directly.


    "Are you sure that you want to decline the invitation given by my General?" Phom inquired as he focused his gaze at Alex. "This is a once in a lifetime chance, you know."


    "Sorry, but I am actually not interested" Alex said as he and Alina shook their heads at the same time.


    "Both of us will only stay in this plane of existence for a few weeks, and then we will leave after that." Alex added, maybe in an attempt to explain himself. "Because of that, meeting up with your superior is not in my agenda."


    "..."


    Of course what Alex said was just bulls**t.


    The main reason that Alex declined the invitation was the fact that accepting the invitation will mean that Alex will have to visit an unfamiliar territory, just few hours after he arrived at this world!


    Even if Alex was sometimes impulsive, he was not that impulsive to just go to a foreign place without enough time to prepare!


    "That... is too bad." Phom replied after he stayed silent for around a minute. "Well then¡­ I shall tell my General about your reply."


    "Take care and goodbye then." Alex said as he formed a waving motions with his arms.


    It was quite obvious that Alex was telling Phom to scram away right at this very moment.


    "..." Whether Phom was angered or not by Alex''s attitude was unknown as he kept an extremely perfect poker face.


    "Fwah~" Phom started to float upwards as he gave Alex and Alina one last look.


    But before Phom could actually fly away, Alex felt another powerful presence arriving towards their location.


    "F**k!" To Alex''s surprise, the normally calm Phom started to curse out, with his emotionless face suddenly showing some traces of fear.


    "Why is he here!" Before Alex and Alina could react, they saw Phom suddenly accelerating away from them.


    Phom''s change in speed was so great that his departure was able to create a powerful sonic boom.


    "Boom!" The resulting sonic boom created a blast that hit Alex and Alina directly in their faces.


    Luckily for the two, their sturdy bodies withstood the sonic boom.


    "What the hell?" Alex complained as he watched Phom flying away from a distance.


    Alex was not sure why, but Phom seems to have been scared by something to make him this panicky.


    "Woosh~" At first, Alex thought that Phom could easily leave this place quickly with the speed that he was flying right now.


    But Before Phom could fully distance himself from Alex, something went crashing towards Phom.


    "Gah!" A golden beam of light struck Phom''s back, tearing a hole through his left lung.


    This hole then expanded quickly, as Phom''s flight started to slow down.


    Phom could only writhe in agony as the golden beam directly destroyed the left part of his body.


    Alex and Alina could only watch with wide eyes as they saw Phom''s remaining half crashing back to the forest.


    As for the golden beam, it had already faded away, and only small motes of golden light in the air were the evidence that it existed.


    "Oh great¡­" Upon seeing that golden beam attack, Alex grimaced as he realized the nature of their new guest.


    He did not need to look at all, but Alex still looked at the new guest.


    Golden armor shining like the sun.


    A massive halberd the size of a dragon''s tooth.


    These are the two things that Alex could see as he looked at his new guest.


    With his advanced scent and senses, Alex can determine that his new guest certainly was unlike all the Monsters that he met before.


    "..."


    The appearance of this new guest and its weird smell only tells Alex one thing.


    And that this armor-wearing, halberd wielding person just above him and Alina was a real Human!


    And from the looks of it, this Human was not too happy to be here.


    **************


    Both Alex and the Human spent the next seconds staring at each other warily, as if they were both checking out each other.


    "F**k that, this armored guy is scary." Alex muttered to himself, as he remembered the golden beam that this armored guy unleashed.


    Even Phom, who looked like he had a tough body, was unable to do anything against that attack.


    That just shows how dangerous the armored guy is.


    "..."


    If Alex was here in this World for around a month, then he was sure that he can give this armored guy a run for his money.


    But Alex was just here for a day, so he was sure that this armored guy could wipe the floor with Alex and Alina.


    There is a very low chance that he and Alina can win in their current state.


    Alex contemplated running, but he stopped as he realized that if he and Alina tried to escape right now, this armored guy will just easily attack them with his golden beams earlier.


    Alex of course does not want something like that penetrating him and Alina.


    With that info in his mind, Alex tried to do the next possible thing that he can do right now.


    "Why hello there." Alex said as he greeted the armored guy like he was an old friend. "Fancy seeing you around here."


    To Alex''s relief, the armored guy replied, showing that he is willing to talk to them. The contents of what he said however, were of a different matter.


    "I did not come here to talk to you amicably, Elderitch and Vampire." The armored guy snarled as he raised his halberd.


    Both his halberd and armor glowed golden once more as if they were about to charge up for another attack.


    "Hey, wait!" Alex shouted as he raised his tentacles in surprise. "Why are you about to fight us two? Did we do anything against you?"


    "Piss off!" The armored guy said as he pointed his halberd at Alex. "I am tired listening to tentacle monsters like you!"


    "...."


    At this point, Alex realized that this armored guy seems to be testing them, as he could have just attacked them earlier.


    With that thought in mind, Alex''s body relaxed as he gave the armored guy his reply.


    "I can see that you are a powerful person." Alex said as he gave the armored guy a knowing look. "But if you were this powerful, then you should know that both of us were just Wandering Monsters here. You know that monsters like us will also leave after a few weeks."


    Luckily for Alex, the armored guy seems to have gotten his message.


    "Hmph, at least you two are not barbaric creatures." The armored guy said as the glow in his body weakened a little. The glow was still there, but it was already not at the point where the armored guy can use it as a weapon.


    "I only have one demand." The armored guy said as he gripped his halberd tightly. "Give me back my daughter safe and sound, and I will let you two off."


    The armored guy lowered his halberd as he seemed to glare at Alex and Alina. "Remember, I should be killing you two right now. But just like what you said earlier, you two are just visiting monsters. Most of you just play around here for some time before leaving. Maybe you two are just like them. Because of that, I am willing to spare you two, as long as my daughter is fine."


    But before Alex and Alina could relax, the armored guy added something else to say.


    "But if I see that my daughter was hurt or killed, then you two should expect my halberd having its fill on you two!"


    "Oh, and don''t try to say that you did not see my daughter." The armored guy said as he waved his halberd around him. "I can sense her presence near the two of you!"


    "F****k!!!!" At this point, Alex was 100% sure that the daughter this armored guy was talking about was the golden woman that he captured earlier. After all, Alex could feel that both of them have the similar smell and emotional framework.


    Heck, both the golden woman and the golden human in front of him wore the same style of golden armor!


    If it was the normal situation, then Alex will be slightly happy that they can offer the golden woman to placate the golden human. But with what Alex did to the golden woman earlier, he doubted that this exchange will end well.


    "Why did I make that golden woman piss herself earlier?" Alex chided as he gave a worried look at Alina. "Now I have to explain to her father why she smelled bad!"

 Chapter 70 Deal or No Deal?

    Alex knew that if he showed the captive golden woman with the way that she is right now, her father will surely burst in a fit of anger.


    Alex of course would not want that to happen.


    "Think Alex, think!" Alex thought to himself as he tried to find a solution for his current dilemma.


    Alex was confident that he and Alina can escape from the golden guy in the expense of extremely heavy injuries.


    However, Alex knew that the little monsters that are with them will not be spared by the golden guy.


    "If I do nothing to de-escalate the situation, then these little monsters will be in danger!" Alex thought as he gritted his teeth.


    "Wait a second¡­" Alex''s mind halted a little, as if he suddenly remembered something important.


    "The little monsters... the golden woman¡­ the Monster Birth Program¡­ Hehehe, now this is a plan!" Alex resisted the urge to laugh as he was able to find the solution to his current dilemma.


    Before the golden guy could notice Alex''s awkward pause, Alex started to flail his arms around, managing to surprise even Alina.


    "You think I will just accept such paltry offer of yours?" An arrogant voice came out of Alex''s mouth, which managed to show a cocky behavior from him. "I am here to obtain something, something that I know you have!"


    "Speak, Eldritch." Luckily for Alex, the golden guy seems to be willing to listen to him.


    Alex took this as his chance to reverse the situation.


    "¡­"


    The first thing that Alex did was to look at the direction where the little monsters were hidden.


    The way that Alex looked at them was so obvious that the golden guy saw what he was doing.


    The golden guy naturally followed Alex''s gaze, and what he saw made his body twitch imperceptibly.


    "Oh?" Alex let out a light scoff as he saw the golden guy''s reaction. "You seem to know what these little monsters really are, right?"


    "I do not know what you are talking about." The golden guy replied, with his voice still stable. "I was just surprised that there are weak monsters like them here."


    "Don''t lie to me, Human." Alex snarled as he assumed an imposing stance. "You know that these kids are victims of a nefarious breeding program! Just seeing your reaction earlier confirms that!"


    "...."


    This is the first part of Alex''s plan to calm the situation down.


    Alex wanted to find out first if the golden guy has knowledge of the Monster Birth Program by using the little monsters as a way to elicit reaction from him.


    If the golden guy reacted while looking at them, then he knows about the program. If not, then its running time for Alex.


    Luckily for Alex, the golden guy seems to know a lot about the program.


    With the first step already fixed, Alex decided to start on the second step.


    "When my partner and I came to this World, our only intention is to do some sight-seeing." Alex said as he and Alina went near each other. "Today is our first day, and we plan to tour this forest."


    "However, before I could even enjoy my time here, I saw these little monsters in a life-death situation. After saving and conversing with them, I realized about their difficulties. What I heard from them made me... extremely angry." Even a psychopath can see that Alex is extremely angry right now.


    "I may be not Human, but even I can understand that kids forced to turn into Monsters are a very unfortunate lot. My partner also thinks the same way too." Alex muttered as he played with some of his tentacles. "Both of us were not Local Monsters in this World, so we could not fathom and understand why these Human Kids were forced to turn into Monsters. For us two, it''s just ¡­ wrong."


    "Because of that, I and my partner decided to do our best to help these little monsters out." Alex said as he pointed his tentacles at the golden guy. "And not even you or your fancy equipment can stop us from doing so!"


    "I do not care for the reason why you and the others are not interested on helping out these little monsters." Alex said as he slowly slithered backwards. "The only thing that I can tell you is that my partner and I both care for these kids!"


    "¡­"


    "All that I want is to cure these little monsters and turn them back to normal." Alex declared as he stopped on moving. "And you and your daughter will be helping me with that."


    "What¡­ do you mean by that?" The golden guy did not deny or confirm about his knowledge of the Monster Birth Program, but his reply right now is just the right reply for Alex.


    "If you know something related to this blasted program, then you must also know something that can cure the monster transformation." Alex slowly said as Alina went behind him. "Of course I may be just wrong here and there really is no cure at all. But if that really is the case, then you will never be able to get your daughter back."


    "!!!!!!!!"


    Alex took advantage of the shock of the golden guy as he slowly said,


    "In exchange for your daughter''s life, you should give me the cure that can reverse the monster transformation that happened on the 5 little monsters. If you don''t do it, then ugly things might happen."


    "What!"


    This is the solution that Alex found out to solve his current dilemmas.


    By forcing the golden guy to hand something related to the cure for the transformed monsters in exchange for his daughter''s life, Alex will be able to find a way to complete his Main Mission while also getting off his current crisis.


    "Oh, and don''t try to lie to me, since my partner here can see if you are lying." Alex said as Alina gave the golden guy a glare. "If you lie, your daughter¡­ will have some marks of your falsehood. So, be careful with what you say, okay?"


    "¡­"


    If the golden guy really knew nothing about the cure, then Alex will just give back his daughter hastily.


    But if the golden guy indeed knew something about the cure, then Alex will have his way to his victory much closer than he projected.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    Alex and the golden guy continued staring for each other for a minute, with both of their gazes unyielding.


    In the end, the golden guy was the one who first broke off the gaze.


    He let out a sigh as he said,


    "If that is what you want, then you are free to keep my daughter."


    "Huh?" Alex''s confusion level went to the roof as he heard what the golden guy said. "Can you repeat what you said?"


    "I said, you can keep my daughter with you if you demand the cure for the monster transformation." The golden guy said as he placed the halberd on his back.


    "Wait, are you right in your head?" This time, Alex dropped his pretentious act as he tried to understand what the golden guy was doing.


    "Hey, this is your daughter that is in danger! I already gave you a way to save her, yet you are refusing it just because you don''t want to give the cure to me? Where is the common sense in there?"


    "That is something that I cannot explain to you." The golden guy said as he shook his head. "That cure is related to the welfare of all Humans, andI cannot just let any Monster get near it. And if that requires me to leave my daughter with you, then I can endure that pain."


    "What the hell¡­" It was at this point that Alex realized that this World is much more broken than what he thought.


    Not only were some humans were forced to become monsters, it seems like some humans are not doing anything to stop it too!


    And seeing this golden guy resolutely abandon his daughter for his so-called ''noble goals'' just made Alex more disheartened.


    Alex could not just believe that this golden guy will really just leave his daughter in their hands, in exchange for keeping the cure safe.


    It is just wrong and immoral.


    "So, if I continue asking for the cure in exchange for you daughter, you will not comply?" Alex asked once more just for confirmation. "You really would rather leave her with us than give the cure?"


    "That is exactly what I said." The golden guy replied resolutely.


    "What an ass." Alina muttered as she glared at the golden guy. "I have seen better monsters than you!"


    "Oh, you think just because I ignored your deal that I am just ready to abandon my daughter? Quit thinking of delusions like that!" The golden guy said as his body began to glow brightly again.


    "Since I cannot have a deal with you, then I will just take my daughter back by force!"


    "Are you sure you want to do that?" Alex smirked as he went behind Alina. "Since you do not want to make a deal with us, then I will just be happy to kill your daughter right now."


    "You!!!"


    "Right now, your daughter is inside a space created by my partner." Alex said as he peered from behind Alina''s shoulder. "If you make a move, Alina will kill her.Kill us, and your daughter will also die."


    "¡­" These words by Alex immediately froze the golden guy in his tracks.


    From the looks of it, even if the golden guy was fine leaving his daughter to them, he was still not happy to be directly related to her death.


    If the golden left his daughter to them, then there is a high chance that she will stay alive.


    But if the golden guy attacks them now, then his daughter will immediately die.


    "...¡­"


    This effectively stuck the golden guy in his place.


    In one hand, he cannot get his daughter back as he refused to give the cure what Alex wanted.


    On the other hand, the golden guy cannot also just use brute force to get his daughter back, as Alex said that doing so will just lead to his daughter''s death.


    These two parallel-occurring scenarios had the golden guy placed in a dilemma, where he will be unable to do anything.


    And this is what Alex had exactly wanted.


    "So you still want to save your daughter huh, that is a good indication that you are still fine." Alex said as he and Alina started to leave the place. They did not forget to bring the little monsters with them.


    "Since you do not want to have a deal with me, then I and my partner will leave for now¡­ Don''t follow us, or your daughter will die." Alex said as he mimed a slashing motion with his throat.


    "If¡­ you still want to get her back alive, then let us meet at this place 1 month from now. You can give me the cure that I want at that time." Alex declared as he and Alina continued walking away from the golden guy. "If you do not give the cure at that time, then you can just leave your daughter''s fate to us."


    "¡­" The golden guy just floated in the air as Alex and Alina hastily left the place.


    The golden guy continued to stay silent for another half hour as the golden glow in his body seethed and roiled.


    In the end, the golden guy could not contain his anger as he let out a shout that rippled through the forest.


    "Argghhhh!!!"

 Chapter 71 Abyss Runes

    After Alex and Alina were able to run away from the scary Divine Knight that they met, Alex decided that they should venture out to the nearest Monster Sector.


    Going to a Human Kingdom is not a choice, as they will just most likely be attacked.


    After a week of nonstop walking, Alex and his companions reached the next Monster Sector, which was ruled by a giant Treant.


    Alina easily tore this Treant into pieces, turning him and Alina as the leaders of this Sector.


    Both of them and the little kids then took residence at the middle of the Sector, with Alex using this free time to train.


    As for Alina, she spent some time training too, but she spent the remains of her time playing with the little monsters.


    *********************


    3 weeks later.


    "Well at least some of my hard work had paid off." Alex muttered to himself as he observed his body. "Spending most of my time training isn''t a waste."


    Contrary to what Alex had believed, his training speed actually got slower once he created his Abyss Core.


    Instead of gaining an accelerated growth period after he reached Grade 3, what Alex got was a slight decrease in training speed.


    Because of that, even after 3 weeks, Alex was still unable to step into Grade 4.


    "Sigh¡­"


    If Grade 3 was all about creating an Abyss Core, Grade 4 was all about engraving Abyss Runes on the body.


    The Abyss Core was there to serve as an engine to promote power circulation throughout the whole body.


    As for the Abyss Runes, they were there to improve the casting and firing rate of Abyss spells.


    These runes will automatically streamline and conserve the use and consumption of Abyss Energy


    But unlike the creation of the Abyss Core which requires brute force to create the core, the engraving of the Abyss Runes require skill and precision which Alex unfortunately lacked.


    Since the engraving of the Abyss Runes require Alex to do it on himself, Alex had no choice but to be precise as he will be the one to engrave the Runes on his body.


    Because of this deficiency, Alex has no choice but to learn the way of precision from the eager Alina.


    His training seems to have borne fruit, as Alina just declared earlier that Alex is already free to engrave Abyss Runes on his body.


    And to make it better, Alex also found out earlier that the amount of Abyss Energy in his body was also enough to warrant an attempt for him to reach Grade 4.


    This means that Alex is free to try reaching Grade 4 right now.


    But Alex did not rush to do this right now, as he knew that there is only one attempt for each person to reach Grade 4.


    Through some inquiries with his Abyss Tome, Alex discovered that if he messes up a little in the engravement of the Abyss Runes, they can easily cause an explosion that could kill Alex.


    "Slow and steady¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he tried to calm himself down.


    A serene and peaceful mind free of distractions is needed to engrave Abyss Runes, and Alex is trying his best to achieve it.


    But right now, that endeavor seems to be impossible.


    "Receive that!" A jovial voice sounded out, breaking through Alex''s ''serene'' mindscape.


    "Muu... That is too high for me!" A second voice replied, sounding a little affronted and angry.


    "Well, you can just use your insects to catch them, right?"


    "No! You are still cheating!"


    "What the hell." Alex opened his eyes as he realized that there is no way for him to be calm now. Distractions are just around him, and he is powerless to stop them.


    He looked at the voices that he heard earlier, suppressing his urge to sigh.


    "Really, what a drag."


    The voices that interrupted Alexcame from No. 4 and No. 5.


    Both of them were playing volleyball, although the game was somewhat ill-fitted for their physiques.


    No. 4 has a body made up of insects, making it hard for her to even move the ball.


    As for No. 5, he was a literal skeleton, which meant that he can strike the ball, but his current body made it hard for him to pitch the ball well.


    Watching the two intently was Alina, who for some reason, was officiating the game. She was even wearing referee clothes which she could have just pulled out with her powers.


    These trio all made their noises in the game, with No. 4 incessant complaints, No. 5 snarky replies, and Alina''s exhausted but also happy retorts.


    "Alina, can you tone down whatever that is that you three are doing?" Alex said to Alina as he saw her excited look. "I am doing something important here, you know."


    "Well, if we are noisy to you, then you can just go somewhere far, right?" Alina replied as she tilted her head. "These kids are having fun here, and you disrupting them is not good."


    "¡­"


    "What?" Alina muttered as she saw Alex''s incomprehensible look. "If you want to get some quiet, go do your stuff somewhere else that is far from us."


    "Fine¡­" Alex mumbled as he shook his head. "You really love those kids now, right?"


    "Well, they deserved to be loved."


    "..."


    Because of Alina''s bonding with the little monsters, they became more and more closer together, managing to make even someone like Alex jealous.


    Of course Alex did not show this jealousy, but it was becoming increasingly hard to hide this, with him seeing Alina blatantly siding with the little monsters, just like what happened now.


    "I get it that Alina misses her sister, but isn''t her way of making the little monsters her new family seems to be too much?" Alex mumbled as he slithered away from Alina, No. 4, and No. 5.


    "You are just jealous that she is not getting lovey-dovey with you¡­ "Someone replied to what Alex said, although the voice that Alex heard from the reply made him frown in annoyance.


    "Go away Asteria, I do not need your help in this." Alex said as he tried to swat away Asteria, who was seating on the top of his head.


    Just like usual, Asteria was still the insufferable tattlemouth of the group.


    "Oooh¡­ it seems like what I said has struck home." Asteria said as she basically gave Alex a sad look. "Are you scared that Alina gets stolen by the kids?"


    "Hey! Are you even in your right mind?" Alex almost bellowed as he felt scandalized by what Alina said. "Me, getting scared by those kids? Those honey that you ate must be some kind of drugs that makes you always high!"


    "Well, I can tolerate the highs that I get from my honey." Asteria replied off-handedly, as if she already treated Alex'' s dilemma earlier as solved. "As long as I eat the right amount, the hallucinations that I get are tolerable."


    "What?" At this point, Alex forgot his breakthrough dilemma, or even his slight jealousy of the little monsters. Right now, there is something more important that Alex must tackle.


    "Are you telling me that honey is like a drug to you?" Alex said, feeling somewhat disconnected from what he heard. "You are joking, right?''


    "Hehehe, got you there." Asteria replied as she stuck out her tongue to the somewhat petrified Alex. "You really think that I, an Honorable Fairy Queen, will get high from something like honey? Of course not!"


    "F**k, good thing you are just pranking me!" Alex muttered as he rubbed his chest. "I almost had a heart attack from what you said."


    "Eh, really?"


    "It''s just a figure of speech, okay? Tsk you should learn some common sense sometimes dumb fairy."


    "Bleeh!!!"


    "...."


    Aside from Alina and the little monsters, Alex''s another dilemma in his training was Asteria herself.


    After all, having someone as lackadaisical and obscene as Asteria whispering in your ear was something that was enough to piss of anyone, much less someone like Alex.


    If not for the fact that Asteria hides behind Alina whenever Alex wanted to catch Asteria, then all of Alex''s sufferings from Asteria could have ended already.


    "You will see, I will really punish you someday." Alex swore to himself as he reached his destination.


    In front of Alex was a 50-meter tall tree, with its base hollowed out.


    One look at the hollowed part and it was enough to see that this place is a good resting spot.


    Multitude of tiny chairs and tables littered around the area, somewhat giving Alex a sense of peace.


    Alex entered the hollowed area, with him showing no trepidations at all.


    This place was something that Alex made a week ago, in order to find himself a way unwind, away from the chattering little monsters and irritating fairies.


    Asteria could have entered along with Alex, but she did not do so as there was something in the tree that was always bothering her.


    "Hmph, I really hate this tree!" This is the first thing that Asteria said as Alex entered the tree. "For some reason, I do not want to enter this tree! Urgh! I hate it when this happens! Alex, you are just exploiting my weakness right now!"


    "Well, its too bad for you." Alex said as he gave Asteria a smirk. "I do not know why this tree makes you feel bad, but I am using it on full advantage on you."


    "Hmph, I really hate you!" This is the parting words that Asteria said as she flew back to where Alina was.


    Alex shook his head upon seeing this, knowing that Asteria will be pranking some of the little monsters again.


    "Well, with Alina there, I am sure that she can tone Alina down." Alex muttered as he began sitting on one of the chairs. "Oh, and there is that Teresa too. Too bad she still refuses to talk to us."


    During their 3-week break, Alex and Alina tried to talk to Teresa, but the only thing that they got from her were her basic info like names and family.


    Any more question after that was just met with a glare or with a nonstop shout.


    One look at her face, and it was quite obvious that Teresa was unhappy with the both of them.


    Alex was highly sure that Teresa heard on what happened with his deal with the golden guy, especially the part where the golden guy had no choice but to leave Teresa behind.


    But instead of making Teresa compliant right now, this info just served to make Teresa''s mood worse up to the point that only Alina can talk to her.


    "Well, we still have time to talk to her later." Alex muttered to himself as he looked down on his body. "For now, it''s time for me to engrave some runes!"


    Just one look at Alex''s face and it is not hard to see that he is ready to go all-out already.

 Chapter 72 Yeoowww!!!

    Alex readied the tip of his tentacle, which he filled with large amounts of Abyss Energy.


    Alex made sure that all this energy was concentrated in just one tiny spot, which will form the sharp point that will engrave the rune.


    "Technically speaking, I should only engrave one Abyss Rune, but according to Asteria, I will be able to engrave a total of 7." Alex muttered to himself as he remembered what he should do in his engravement.


    According to his research along with his Abyss Tome, a Human or a Monster that steps on Grade 4 will have to engrave 1 Rune in their body.


    For the Monsters it''s called Energy Rune while for the Humans it''s called Essence Rune.


    This is the norm of all those who steps to Grade 4.


    Only 1 Rune can be engaved.


    But Alex found out that there are some exceptions to this case, and this exception includes him.


    All in all, Alex should be able to engrave 7 Abyss Runes in his body, with each Rune representing one Abyss Tome.


    But because Alex only have the Abyss Tome ¨C Envy with him right now, the only Abyss Rune that he can engrave was the Abyss Rune for Envy.


    If Alex wanted to engrave the other 6 Abyss Runes, then he must buy the other Abyss Tomes too.


    Naturally, this made Alex feel bad, as he felt that his strength was being limited by this.


    He complained about this case to Asteria when he found out this info, but what Asteria replied to Alex at that time managed to shut him up.


    "You think you are weak just because you use one Abyss Tome? Ha, get a grip!" Asteria angrily replied as she shook her head in disappointment. "Do you know how powerful one Abyss Tome is?"


    "Well nope, since I have no viable reference." Alex cheekily replied while giving Asteria a wry smile. "What is it? Like one-half of a legitimate cultivation method?"


    "No, idiot." Asteria snapped as she tried to bop Alex''s head. "That Abyss Tome you bought earlier? That is already comparable to the cultivation method that the people in this World use."


    Alex felt his mouth go dry as he realized the implications of what Asteria just said.


    Alex gulped his slightly parched throat as he slowly said,


    "Does that when I buy all 7 Abyss Tomes, I will gain a cultivation method 7 times more powerful compared to the people living here?"


    "You can say that it is like that." Asteria said nonchalantly as she trimmed her nails. "So do not get jealous if you only have one Tome for now. Focus on surviving and being able to buy more Tomes in the future."


    "Roger¡­"


    ***************


    Alex took a deep breath as he allowed the tip of his tentacle to get nearer his right shoulder.


    After some deliberations, Alex decided to engrave the Abyss Envy Rune on his right shoulder.


    Why did he put it there? Alex just wanted to.


    As the tip of his tentacle slightly touched his skin, Alex''s mind spun as he tried to remember the appearance of the Abyss Envy Rune that he will engrave.


    The Abyss Envy Rune was basically one small circle that was inside a larger circle. The smaller circle had an arrowhead placed on its top, with the arrowhead pointing to the left.


    This is the symbol that Alex will engrave as his Rune.


    [[[Author''s Note: These are the symbols of all the Seven Abyss Runes that Alex will have to engrave. https://i.pinimg.com/originals/b7/80/0e/b7800e8d96277328ee12e19d9e240d44.jpg ]]]


    While Alex was busy on calming himself down, Asteria was just idly watching him from the background.


    Although Asteria looked as if she was not worried at all, she was somewhat nervous as she watched what Alex was doing.


    Asteria remembered some stories of Travelers exploding into pieces just because they messed up with the Engraving Part. Even those who are extremely talented sometimes fail too.


    "Hmph, Alex surely will not fail like them, right?" Asteria thought worriedly to herself as she silently wished that Alex will succeed.


    If Alex failed, then both of them might die, and Asteria''s hooman will surely be implicated too.


    "Don''t be a prick now, Alex." Asteria muttered as she let out a hmph. "I still want to taste a Royal-Grade Honeycomb!"


    While Asteria was silently waiting for the moment to arrive, she suddenly heard a blood-curdling scream of pain, which came from Alex himself.


    "Yeoowww¡­" Alex sounded like a wounded mule, as he brayed loudly against the sky.


    Steam was coming out of his right shoulder, as the tip of his tentacle started to do its magic there.


    "¡­" Asteria winced upon seeing this, as she knew that the engravement process is starting already.


    "By wounding his body and injecting Abyss Energy in the wound, Alex will be able to leave a permanent mark on his body." Asteria muttered to herself as he recalled the basic process of engraving. "Actually, that process sounds simple, but it is incredibly painful."


    Asteria knew that the process of Rune Engravement sounds similar to making a Tattoo.


    The only difference was that making a Tattoo creates a superficial pain on the skin, while Rune Engravement leaves pain that will leave the practitioner in tears.


    Not only does the Rune Engravement leave marks on the skin, it also forcefully fuses itself with the soul and mind of the practitioner as the rune was being slowly made on the skin.


    Nobody, not even a hardened criminal can resist that kind of pain.


    "I wish you luck Alex¡­" Asteria muttered as she flew away. The engravement process will last for at least an hour, so Asteria knew that she should not waste her time waiting that long.


    "Time to find some honey then. My hooman forgot to provide me one¡­" Asteria muttered as she whistled cheerfully, duly ignoring the screams of pain near her.


    "Yeoowww!!!"


    *************


    "S**t, its so hard to focus!" Alex shouted inwardly as he realized that he got more than he bargained from engraving runes.


    Alex knew that his soul and mind will also be in pain, but he did not expect it to be this painful.


    Alex felt like there are countless needles pricking his mind, with each needle filled to the brim with barbs and wires.


    "Arggg!!!"


    The pain that Alex is feeling right now could only be described as ''eye-popping, a**-wrenching, mouth-bleaching, nut-kicking, and bowel-stirring'' kind of pain.


    It really is one of a kind.


    "Guh¡­" Tears started to flow from Alex''s eyes as he slowly drew the Rune on his right shoulder. He had to stop drawing at every second, as each stroke just gave Alex more and more pain.


    "Huhuhu, good thing that my first Abyss Rune is Envy. If what I got was Anger¡­." Alex shivered inwardly as he remembered how complicated the Anger Rune was. "Hmph, I do not know now if I will choose that Tome as my second one¡­"


    The hissing and sobbing sounds continued as Alex painstakingly drew the large circle.


    Once he was done with that, he took only 5 seconds of rest before proceeding to make the small circle.


    The time that he took to make the small circle was shorter, due to his experience with the large circle and the fact that the small circle was smaller.


    Alex then hastily made the arrowhead, making sure that the lines comprising it were straight and narrow.


    "Yesh! Motherfather! I did it!" Alex shouted as the completed Rune started to glow. "I f**king did it!"


    Alex started to shout in happiness as he felt power flowing into his body once more. He also heard a click in his mind as he gained access to the Level 4 Spells of his Abyss Tome.


    "Oh, it seems like the crybaby is fine already." Asteria said as she saw Alex jumping around like a maniac. "Gugu gaga?"


    "Tsk, quit making those baby sounds in front of me." Alex muttered as he glared at Asteria. "Picking on people like that is not righ- yeow!"


    Alex doubled over in pain as Asteria poked the Rune on his shoulder ."Why the f**k did you poke that!" Alex shouted as he gritted his teeth in pain. "Don''t you know that it hurts like hell?"


    "I know. That is why I poked it." Asteria said as she looked at the Rune on Alex''s shoulder with intensity. "If you did not feel any pain when I poked it, then it will mean that your Rune is weak. But if it has pain, then it means that you were able to engrave a powerful rune."


    "Umm... yay, I guess?" Alex mumbled as he slowly backed away from Asteria. "So¡­ how long should I wait before I can touch this Rune again?


    "It depends on the quality of your Rune." Asteria replied with a shrug. "If I were you, I will wait for like an hour or two. Maybe you can touch it at that time."


    "Noted." Alex nodded as he looked at Alina, who was busy playing with the little monsters.


    "..." Even though Alina looked calm, it was quite obvious from her slightly pale face and red fists that she was also worried for Alex earlier.


    "Don''t point it out, Alex." Asteria hastily said as she realized that Alex was about to tease Alina. "Nothing good will come out with what you will do."


    "Ok¡­" Alex knew closed his mouth, realizing that he indeed should not provoke Alina now.


    "So, what will you do once you recover later?" Asteria mused as she and Alex fixed the chairs that Alex wrecked during the engraving process. "Are you going to get food?"


    "Nope, I will clean out that pest." Alex said, giving Asteria a level look. "You know what I am talking about, right?"


    "Yeah, I am sure you are referring to That." Asteria said as she gazed at her left side.


    Nothing special could be seen in that direction, although it looked like Asteria had seen something in there."Are you about to confront it?"


    "Well of course I will." Alex replied with confidence. "I was not sure about fighting it two weeks ago, but now that I reached Grade 4, I am sure that I can beat that pest up."


    "..."


    Around two weeks ago, while Alex and Alina were busy on doing their stuff, both of them suddenly felt a presence spying on them nearby.


    Both of them of course were alerted by this presence, although they decided to not attack it.


    Maybe it was just passing by and was curious on them.


    But to their dismay, this hidden presence continued to spy on them until this very day.


    This of course made Alex and Alina worried, as they were not sure on what this hidden presence''s motives were.


    The only thing that they knew was that this hidden presence was a Shadow-Type Monster.


    Because of the presence''s blatant attempt to spy on them, Alina wanted to attack this monster already, but Alex stopped her, telling her that they should just deal with it when Alex steps to Grade 4.


    And now that Alex is in Grade 4, it is time for them to flush the spying presence out.


    "Well, good luck to you I guess." Asteria muttered as she sat on Alex''s left shoulder. "You may need a lot of it."


    "Hmph, I don''t need luck to win." Alex replied confidently as he closed his eyes. "My slimy prehensiles here are enough squish my opponents to putrid oblivion!"


    "What you said was really gross, you know that?"


    "....."

 Chapter 73 Deconstruction and Combination

    Alex stayed on his place for 2 hours, as he waited for the pain of his engraving to disappear.


    To Alex''s relief, the monster spying on them did not make a single move on him.


    "Good thing nothing happened."


    Alex had the fleeting thought that the monster might attack him while he was recovering, since he just finished breaking through.


    Alex thought that maybe the spying monster could be worried about his new power level and that it will attempt to destroy him while he was vulnerable.


    But luckily for Alex, the monster did not do anything against him.


    This however gave Alex another worry.


    And that was the possibility that the monster did not attack Alex because it was confident of its strength, even after Alex had broken through.


    If this monster has this kind of mindset, then there is a chance that this monster might be a powerful one.


    "Don''t tell me the one spying us right now is as powerful as that Divine Knight?" Alex vehemently shook his head as he thought of this.


    There is no way for Alex to know that, unless he confronts the spying monster right now.


    "Well, with the amount of crazy strong Monsters in the World, I am sure that the chance for me to meet one of them is fairly low." Alex muttered to himself, thinking that the spying monster was not at the General Class.


    "Time to see all my spells now..." Alex muttered to himself as he checked his Abyss Tome.


    [Level 1] -------- Minor Telekinesis, Voice Warp


    [Level 2] -------- Major Telekinesis, Skin Warp


    [Level 3] -------- Deconstruction, Muscle Warp


    [Level 4] -------- Combination, Bone Warp


    [Level 5] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 6] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 7] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 8] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 9] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 10] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 11] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 12] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    "Okay, they all look impressive to me¡­" Alex muttered as he looked at the spells in Levels 3 and 4.


    "Time to test my new spells¡­"


    *******************


    2 weeks and 5 days ago.


    It was during this time that Alex reached Grade 3 and allowed him access to Level 3 Spells.


    Since this happened before the presence spied on them,Alex was able to test the Level 3 Spells Deconstruction and Muscle Warp with ease.


    Alex proceeded to try out Muscle Warp first, and the results that he got were what he had expected.


    Muscle Warp basically allows Alex to mimic a muscular structure of any being possible.


    Aside from that, it also allows Alex to perfectly manipulate the muscles in his body.


    This spell gave Alex tougher muscles that covered and protected his organs, and it also gave Alex muscles that made his movements more flexible and more powerful.


    Of course muscle mimicry is the main power of this spell, although Alex did not try this feature out yet, since he was waiting for another spell before doing muscle mimicry.


    As for Deconstruction, Alex can say that this power is somewhat unique.


    Just like what the name says, Deconstruction will allow Alex to force a material that he touches to deconstruct into its building components.


    The object that Alex tested this power on was an abandoned cart, and Alex watched with wonder as the cart separated into piles of wood and nails.


    Upon seeing what happened, Alex got the gist of Deconstruction.


    Alex was now sure that if he used Deconstruction a car, the car will separate into separate pieces, with the wires, wheels, metals, and leather seat all sorted away from each other.


    Similarly speaking, if Alex touches a gun, that gun will break into its constituent pieces, as if it had been forced to be deconstructed.


    This power also works on living beings, although Alex can only use Deconstruction on small mammals like rats.


    However, using it on living beings is quite¡­ unpalatable.


    Believe that statement, as the sight of a rat being deconstructed is something that was not great to see.


    Alex could only sigh in relief at that time as he realized that he was not yet powerful enough to Deconstruct humans.


    Using Deconstruction on humans is something that Alex will not do¡­ for now.


    Imagine seeing a person suddenly breaking down into their constituent organs, bones, and muscle because of Deconstruction.


    Something like that will be a traumatic sight, even for Alex.


    "With the way that I train now, it will take me some more time before I can even use Deconstruction on animals like pigs.." Alex thought to himself as he gripped his fists.


    "As for humans¡­ even I am not sure when I can do that."


    After Alex made more experiments with Deconstruction, he realized that there is still more to it.


    If Alex can use Deconstruction to force an object to dismantle, then maybe Alex can use it to dismantle objects at a finer level.


    What Alex meant by this was Elemental Deconstruction.


    This could be possible, as elements were also stuff that basically built an object. Water is made up of hydrogen and oxygen, while wood was a combination of several elements.


    Alex knew that if he can do Elemental Deconstruction, then it will be easier for him to create some unconventional things that require some elements.


    But that will all depend if Elemental Deconstruction is indeed possible.


    So in order to test if Elemental Deconstruction is possible, Alex decided to attempt it on a nail that he found lying on an abandoned village.


    <{| Deconstruction |}>


    At first, nothing happened to the nail, since it has no mechanical components that can be dismantled.


    Upon reaching that point, Alex decided to add more power to the spell, widen its scope, and make its application more precise.


    Alex also applied his knowledge in chemistry in the process, just to make sure that he was right in what he was doing.


    This seemed to have done the trick, as moments later, Alex saw a pile of Iron and small pile of carbon, both separated from each other.


    "Now we''re talking."


    Alex smiled as he knew that the nail that he got was a soft-carbon type of steel nail, which contained 0.1% carbon and the remaining portion as iron.


    From what Alex can see in front of him, the pile of carbon and iron that he made seems to match his percentages.


    This confirms that he indeed can do Elemental Deconstruction and that it is also accurate.


    "Ok, so I can do elemental separation..." Alex muttered as hesuddenly felt a little light-headed.


    "What the hell?"


    It was then that Alex realized that what he did with the nail managed to shave off 50% of his entire storage of Abyss Energy.


    "So separating a nail into two elements consumes almost half of my reserves." Alex shook his head at this realization, as he realized that right now, his Elemental Deconstruction is VERY inefficient.


    Emphasis on VERY.


    Alex realized that if he wanted to use Deconstruction and Elemental Deconstruction in an efficient way, then he must increase his Abyss Energy reserves.


    *******************


    Back to the present time.


    With Alex reaching Grade 4, his Abyss Energy reserves were much higher, and his Abyss Rune also reduced the energy consumption.


    Naturally, this could have tempted Alex to try out Deconstruction again.


    But Alex''s focus this time was on the Level 4 Spells Combination an Bone Warp.


    If Alex is not wrong, Bone Warp allows Alex to mimic skeletal structure on any beings.


    Not only that, but it could also allow Alex to manipulate his bones freely.


    This of course made Alex somewhat excited, as he already imagined the applications that he can do with Bone Warp.


    "I can make bone shield, bone armor, bone swords, bone spears, bone katana, bone axe, bone morningstar, bone flail, bone chain, bone nunchakus, bone club, bone bat, bone saw¡­" Alex shook his head as he tried to stop himself from drooling.


    "Well, I better try it out a little first¡­"


    Alex''s Great Elderitch Body also had its own skeleton, and Alex basically used his Bone Warp to manipulate it a little.


    "Schiik¡­"


    Alex grinned as he saw blade-shaped bones protruding from his forehead. They all sprung out of his forehead menacingly, like they were weapons made to slash a throat.


    Alex nodded after seeing the protrusions, making them disappear after 10 seconds. "So I can really control my bones now¡­"


    As for the Skeletal Mimicry Part, Alex decided to test it out later, as Alex was sure that it could be a little¡­ rowdy once he uses both Skeletal and Muscular Mimicry later.


    This brings Alex''s attention on the other Level 4 Spell, Combination.


    "What does this spell do?" Alex mused to himself as he tilted his head. "Does it combine two things to create a single thing, with the properties of both? Or does it just create an abomination?"


    "Tsk, my only choice is to experiment a little."


    With his previous experience with Deconstruction, Alex had the feeling that Combination might also require lots of Abyss Energy.


    Because of that, Alex decided to just start small.


    He picked up two stones of similar sizes but of different colors.


    One was brown, while the other one had bright shades of red.


    They clearly look distinct compared to each other.


    Alex was not sure why, but he felt that using Combination on two different-sized objects will not be as efficient compared to using Combination on two same-sized objects with different colors.


    "Well, maybe it''s because size is an important aspect of Combination¡­" Alex thought to himself as he placed the two stones beside each other. "Not that I complain¡­"


    Alex then closed his eyes as he activated the spell.


    <{| Combination |}>


    Threads of power flowed out of Alex''s tentacles, covering both the stones.


    The outflow of power continued for 10 more seconds before it slowed down to a trickle.


    "¡­" Alex then stared at the object in front of him after the flow of the Abyss Energy has stopped.


    What Alex was staring at right now was a single stone, with its size and mass equal to the addition of the two earlier stones.


    "So this means that the extensive properties like mass and volume are added when objects undergo Combination¡­" Alex cupped his chin as he stared at the Combined Stone with wonder.


    "But how about the intensive properties like color, refractive index, density and more? How will they turn out?"


    With Alex''s vision he could see that the stone had both the red and brown colors of the earlier stones, although Alex could not see any pattern that was similar to the earlier stones.


    "Tsk." The result of his little experiment had frustrated Alex a little, as he realized that he must do more experiments if he wanted to discover the extents and limits of his Combination Spell.


    "But before I do that, I must deal with that guy first..." Alex muttered to himself as he gave a passing glance at the direction of the spying monster. "I can''t really experiment in peace with a monster staring at me like that."


    "Rustle¡­" After making this decision, Alex stood up as he walked towards Alina and Asteria.


    If he wanted to finish that Monster off, both he and Alina will have to work together.


    As for Asteria? Well, she can be their cheerleader, as long as he will not include obscene words in her chant.

 Chapter 74 Fire and Shadow

    The shadowy figure knew that it had a name, but it was never interested on using it on itself.


    "After my rebirth, my name doesn''t matter anymore." The shadowy figure muttered to itself as it walked carefully on the forest floor.


    "Really, you do not want to use your name anymore?" The musings of the shadowy figure were broken as it heard a raucous voice beside it.


    "Ted, I don''t like using my name." The shadowy figure said as it gave the monster beside it a withering look. "I don''t want to use anymore, and I will not change that."


    Ted only gave the shadowy figure a naughty smile, as if what it said to him was interesting.


    "Really? But I think Carlie is a great name! Isn''t that your name before?" Ted replied as he tilted his massive head. "It''s a waste to not use it!"


    "...."


    If it were a normal situation, the shadowy figure could have already resorted to attacking Ted. But it could not, as Ted is someone that the shadowy figure could not fight off.


    An ethereal body made up of flames and fumes.


    This is the body that Ted had.


    For someone like the shadowy figure, whose power was affiliated with the darkness, Ted''s pure flame body was its bane.


    Because of this, the shadowy figure knew that it will be hard for it to offend Ted.


    So in order to prevent some complications, the shadowy figure has no choice but to acquiesce to what Ted wanted.


    "Ok, I shall call myself as Carlie temporarily." Carlie said as her shadowy body twitched slightly. "I do not like using it, but I think I can manage on using it for now."


    "Good." Ted nodded, seemingly satisfied with Carlie''s reply. "A fair maiden like you should have a beautiful name.."


    "I don''t like using this name. It reminds me of my past life." Carlie said, with her body showing some of her discomfort.


    "Well, consider what you do right now as your training to resist your bad memories." Ted said he blew some sparks of fire towards Carlie''s direction. "Facing your past life with a steely heart is something that you must do."


    "Your fire sparks are a little irritating. Please stop blowing them on me." Carlie''s voice this time, sounded a little mad, as if what Ted said to her struck a chord with her.


    Ted noticed this, as he immediately backtracked his prank.


    "Ok¡­"


    "¡­.." Carlie only had a few recollections of her life before she was taken in the Queen Mother, but she can remember that it was an extremely bad one.


    Carlie went silent as she remembered the sounds of whip and chains that haunted her even now.


    She shook her head, knowing that she should not be distracted by her erroneous memories for now.


    She and Ted had a mission to do, and they must achieve it with ease.


    "So what is our mission this time?" Carlie asked Ted as both of them left the Monster Hall. "Its something related to Phom, right?"


    "Yes." Ted nodded as he gave Carlie a grave look. "You can say that Phom¡­ needs some post-mortem treatment."


    Upon seeing Ted''s look, Carlie let out a light sigh, as she realized what happened to him.


    "Phom died."


    "Yeah, he died just a day ago." Ted said as read off something in a paper that he held.


    Carlie suppressed her curiosity as she saw that the paper was not burning even with its proximity with Ted. Asking would not give her answers, as Ted will surely not answer it.


    Ted took Carlie''s silence as the cue for him to talk.


    "So basically speaking, our mission will be retrieval and monitoring." Ted said after he finished reading the paper.


    The paper then let out a crackle as it was consumed by flames.


    "Ted, from what I can understand, the object that we will retrieve is Phom''s body." Carlie said as she watched the ashes of the paper being eaten by Ted. "But what do you mean by monitoring? Are we monitoring the one that killed Phom?"


    "Monitor Phom''s killer? Hahaha! Do that if you want to die!" Ted said as he started to wheeze in laughter. "Hahaha, you, monitor Phom''s killer? Hahaha!"


    "¡­." Carlie felt offended as she saw Ted''s extreme amusement.


    "I may be a Shadow Fiend, but I can fight against strong enemies." Carlie said as shadows around her began to dance. "You know that I can beat up Phom pretty easily. That means that I can survive against the one how killed him."


    "Even if it''s Divine Knight Glaivewood?" Ted snickered as he bowled over, still laughing loudly. "Hahaha, try spying him, let''s see if you can live!"


    "Wait... Phom is killed by a Divine Knight?" Even if Carlie was usually stoic, even she could not help but get surprised with what she heard. "How could this happen?"


    "Well, according to General Chimera, he sent Phom to meet up with two Visiting Monsters, with the intent to invite them to talk to the General himself." Ted said as he calmed down from too much laughing. "But it seems like the situation did not end that well."


    "Of course it will not end well." Carlie retorted as she let out a snort. "Queen Mother told us that as much as possible, we should not meddle with the affairs of the Visiting Monsters. Letting them do what they want is better rather than us making them angry."


    "Yeah I get that ok?" Ted snorted as he started to walk. Carlie trailed behind him, continuing to listen to what he said.


    "General Chimera did not tell me more details but from what he did say, it seems like Divine Knight Glaivewood rushed to the Visiting Monsters with the intent of killing them. Phom¡­ is just an unlucky bystander."


    "In the name of Mother!" Carlie swore as she felt sympathy for Phom. "Phom really is unlucky this time."


    "Unlucky indeed." Ted said as he gave Alina a look of sympathy. "And to make it worse, General Chimera told me that the two Visiting Monsters were able to leave the confrontation alive."


    "They were still alive?" this time, Carlie was really surprised. "But how?"


    "General Chimera just told me that the Visiting Monsters held something that they used against the Divine Knight." Ted said as his face held a wry smile. "As for what is that, he did not say it."


    "¡­ Maybe its wrong for me to say it, but how did General Chimera get this information?" Carlie mused as she and Ted chanteg their tracks. "He does not have a spy monster like me, so how could be this good at espionage?"


    "Why do you want to know that?" Ted said, sounding a little defensive. "What the Generals do is none of our business. What we should to is to follow them, or else Queen Mother will get angry."


    "¡­You''re right. Forgive me for being impulsive." Carlie said as she bowed in front of Ted.


    "Geez, can you learn to loosen up, even just by a little?" Ted muttered as he shook his head. "Ok, I forgive you for now, but do not repeat what you just said."


    "Ok." Carlie nodded.


    Both of them then went silent, with Carlie waiting for Ted to say something, and with Ted waiting for Carlie to talk too.


    "¡­.."


    "¡­.."


    "..."


    "Tsk, seems like you are quite eager to take the mission now." Ted mumbled as his body changed color from red to green.


    "Doing a mission for the Queen Mother is the best thing that I can hope to do." Carlie said with conviction clear on her face. "Nothing can make me quite as eager as that."


    "Ok, ok. I get it." Ted saved as he waved his hands, indicating that Carlie should stop talking.


    "So, by this point you already know the target that we should Monitor, right?" Ted said as he and Alina stopped in front of a massive gate.


    "If my guess is right, the ones that we will monitor are the Visiting Monsters." Carlie said with a slight dip of her head.


    "That''s right." Ted said as he gave Carlie a nod. "General Chimera told me that those two Monsters must be monitored from a distance. We should record everything that we can observe from their actions, everything, even down to their eating habits."


    "That''s¡­ very specific." Carlie frowned as she narrowed her eyes. "Why would the General want that?"


    "I don''t know." Ted shrugged as he gave Carlie a helpless smile. "He just told us to do it."


    "Do we even have any choice now?" Claire mumbled as she sighed. "From what I can see, we have none."


    "Well, General Chimera told me that if we pull this off, we can get a promotion program." Ted said while giving Claire a pleading look. "So please, make sure that we do not f**k this up, ok? We can get promoted if we do this mission right!"


    "Ok." This was Carlie''s only reply as she stopped walking. "So, how should we delegate our tasks?"


    "Easy." Ted replied as he used a fire tendril to carve on the ground. The ground let out a his as the fire tendril gouged out some marks in it.


    "Once we see Phom''s body, I will go back here with his body, while you will start monitoring the Visiting Monsters." Ted said after drawing a circle with a line drawn inside it. "You will only end monitoring them until they leave this world. As for me, I will come and meet you every month to get your written report on them."


    "Wait, so that is the gist of what we will do?" Carlie asked as she stared at the poorly-drawn circle. "Somehow, I could not help but feel that I am the one that is in most danger here."


    "Well, as long as you do not do anything that can offend the visiting Monsters, then you will be safe." Ted replied as if it was already an accepted fact. "So¡­ just be careful when watching them, ok?"


    "¡­" Carlie wanted to just refuse Ted''s arrangement of the mission, but she found it hard to do so, as she did not want to be in the range of his flaming temper again.


    Carlie then shivered, as she remembered the last time that Ted''s flames had seared her body.


    Even until now, she can still feel some phantom pains from that.


    "Fine, let''s do that." Claire said as she tried to not show her tense body. "Just¡­ be sure to come on time every month, ok?"


    "Will do." Ted said as he gave Carlie his signature cocky smile. "Now that we have set the terms of our mission, let''s set off already. After all, our targets have distanced themselves already. We have to catch up to them now."


    "Ok." Carlie let out a small sigh of relief as she saw Ted staying calm.


    Having him angry is something that Carlie dreaded and feared.

 Chapter 75 Another Shee

    [[[Tentacle Monster Alex]]]


    -Abyss Magic User-


    -Grade 4 Abyss Energy-


    -Current Abyss Tomes obtained: Envy-


    -------The Censored Guy-------


    This is the form that Alex got from the Monster Cultivation Body. It is a humanoid form with countless tentacles covering its entirety.


    Has the ability to manipulate emotions and Abyss Energy.


    Extremely ugly and repulsive that it was able to make Alex devastated.


    If Alex was given a choice, this Monster form will surely be at the end of his power list.


    [[[Vampire Queen Alina]]]


    -Dark Magic User-


    -------She''s always the beautiful one-------


    This is the form that Alina got from the Monster Cultivation Body.


    Has the ability to freely manipulate blood and Dark Energy.


    Extremely beautiful to the point that the beauty is almost unbelievable.


    Close friend with the little monsters, showing her fondness for kids.


    [[[[Asteria]]]


    The fairy queen.


    Nothing more can be said here, as the fairy did not change at all. She is just¡­ there.


    [[[Sylvester Glaivewood]]]


    -Golden Essence User-


    ------He''s surely a DILF, no doubt about it.------


    One of the strongest Humans in the Human Faction. He is one of the Humans that bear the title of ''Divine Knight''. His real power is unknown, although it has been shown that he had the power to easily kill a Monster which Alex and Alina deemed worthy to fight.


    Has one daughter, and it is shown that he is somewhat doting on her. However, suspicious ties to a certain program by the Monster Faction seems to be conflicting against his relations with his daughter.


    [[[Teresa Glaivewood]]]


    -Golden Essence User-


    -Grade 3 Knight-


    -------The one who let forth a shower from her loins------


    Daughter of the esteemed Divine Knight Sylvester Glaivewood, Teresa had talent and pressure urging her to be at her best at anything.


    Rumored to have talent that could beat her father''s, as shown by her shattering a cultivation record that her father personally held before.


    Even with her talents and abilities, her slightly cultured life led to some naivety and carelessness in her actions.


    Possesess the traits of an empath, which allows Teresa to sense and determine emotions of sentient beings.


    Currently confused as she was bombarded her kidnap situation and the revelations that she heard.


    [[[Clarie]]]


    ------The shadowy figure x100------


    A powerful Monster, whose position seems to be one or two degrees lower than the General Class Monsters.


    Has shown the ability to transform into a shadow body.


    Can perform quick movements and stealthy actions while in the shadow body form.


    Gender was presumed to be female, although Claire personally tries to avoid talking about it.


    Has some possible ill-feelings to her current companion, due to some unpleasant encounters in past.


    Clearly worships the Queen Mother, and will do everything to assist Her.


    [[[Little Monster No. 1]]]


    An unfortunate kid that was transformed by a formula. Was turned into a dog-like Monster.


    [[[Little Monster No. 2]]]


    An unfortunate kid that was transformed by a formula. Was turned into a pebble Monster.


    [[[Little Monster No. 3]]]


    An unfortunate kid that was transformed by a formula. Was turned into a shadow-like Monster.


    [[[Little Monster No. 4]]]


    An unfortunate kid that was transformed by a formula. Was turned into a hive of countless insects.


    [[[Little Monster No. 5]]]


    An unfortunate kid that was transformed by a formula. Was turned into skeletal Monster.


    [[[Mia Barrios]]]


    ------This one is the MILF------


    An erudite and intelligent woman.


    Divine Knight Sylvester Glaivewood''s assistant and lover.


    Has shown skills on information gathering and planning.


    Ties to the Mage Faction could be possible.


    [[[Divine Knight Barrios]]]


    ------What should I call this guy?------


    Brother of Mia Barrios.


    Was shown to be one of the Divine Knights, although Mia and Sylvester questions his mental capabilities every time they can talk about it.


    [[[Phom]]]


    ------Press F for this guy------


    One of the close assistants of General Chimera.


    Was unfairly killed from Divine Knight Glaivewood''s rampage.


    [[[Ted]]]


    ------This guy reminds me of people that just have very punchable face------


    Current capabilities are unknown, although his flame body might indicate powerful pyrokinesis.


    [[[[Giant Baor]]]


    ------This poor guy too------


    Tried to kill the little mosnters, but was killed in the end by Alex due to some misunderstandings.

 Chapter 76 Danger is in the Eye of the Beholder

    Carlie did not like what she saw.


    What was left of Phom''s body was a mangled pile of flesh, completely festering for the two to see.


    "This¡­" Even Ted was at loss for words as he saw Phom''s corpse. "How could it be like this?"


    "..." Carlie had the same doubts as Ted, as she knew that a dead Monster like Phom should not look this damaged after just a day of dying.


    "Ugh¡­ the higher-ups won''t be happy upon seeing this body¡­" Ted muttered to himself as she levitated Phom''s corpse.


    "Piyak."


    Carlie looked away as some parts of Phom''s skin fell to the forest floor. It created a squelching sound, which sounded like a shout in the quiet forest.


    "That Divine Knight surely packs a punch..." Ted mused as he looked at the pile of flesh in front of him. "Good thing I am not the one sent to go here yesterday¡­"


    Both Carlie and Ted sighed, knowing that the Divine Knight who killed Phom really is scary.


    After all, its quite obvious that what happened to Phom''s corpse was related to the Divine Knight.


    Well, it''s not like they can do anything about it¡­


    "Well, this is where we shall separate." Ted declared as he started to run away, bringing Phom''s body with him. "Be sure to record everything that your Targets do!"


    Dried grasses and leaves were blazing at the path that Ted crossed, creating a haze and smoke that covered some parts of the forest.


    This sight made Carlie feel irritated, as she remembered how much of a prick Ted was.


    "Jerk." Carlie muttered at the moment that Ted was out of her earshot. "The day will also come that I can butcher you with the Queen Mother watching in contentment."


    Of course Carlie knew that this day will only come once she had the enough power to prove her worth.


    "Being a shadow courier is not the only thing that I can do." Carlie declared to herself, remembering her usual job of delivering vials or letters to dangerous areas. I can show them that I can be a good fighter too, just like General Nyx."


    With this thought in her mind, Carlie''s shadow body slithered as she followed the old tracks that were left by her targets.


    This mission will be one of Carlie''s longest ones, and Carlie swore to herself that she will get out of it successfully.


    ****************************


    To Carlie''s surprise, she actually needed some days to completely reach the end her Target''s tracks.


    "There they are¡­"Carlie muttered as she saw the appearances of her two targets.


    One was a Great Elderitch, while the other one was unmistakably a Vampire Queen.


    Carlie suppressed the pangs of desire that appeared inside her body as she saw the beautiful appearance of the Vampire Queen.


    Beautiful Vampires are dangerous, as they use their beauty as weapons against their opponents, and many Monsters have indeed been waylaid by this.


    As for the Great Elderitch, Carlie knew that they only mostly deal with concepts related to evil, which can vary greatly depending on the Great Eldritch.


    If Carlie wants to know the specialty of the Great Elderitch in front of her, then she must observe it well.


    After thinking of these things, Carlie started to settle down, as she thought that she can now start spying on them.


    But before she could do so, Carlie almost sputtered in shock as 5 more figures suddenly appeared beside her Targets.


    "How could this be?" Usually, Carlie was always calm and collected, no matter what she saw. But right now, what she was seeing was enough to rattle her. "How could they be here?"


    Carlie narrowed her eyes at the sight of 5 little monsters flocking around the Vampire Queen.


    One quick scan made Carlie sure of their appearances.


    One of the little monsters looked like a dog, while the other one were a collection of pebbles. The third one was made od shadows like her, while the fourth one was made up of insects. The fifthand the final one was only made up of bones.


    "Tsk."


    The reason why Carlie was shocked upon seeing them was the fact that she knew them during their Monster Transformation!


    Carlie could still remember it.


    She could still vividly remember the forced Monster transformation that she initiated on a nomadic settlement 1 week ago.


    Out of this Nomadic Village, the only ones that got turned into Monsters were 5 little children.


    Carlie originally left these transformed children on their own, as she thought that they are too weak to be of use to the Queen Mother.


    Carlie even expected them to die around 3-5 days after their transformation.


    But these kids had exceeded her expectations.


    They actually survived for a week, and now, all the 5 little monsters looked like they are under the protection of her targets!


    "Fate is quite a trickster indeed." Carlie muttered to herself as she realized that their situation just got worse.


    Because of the presence of the little monsters, Carlie realized that the Monster Faction is once again about to head to another bloody conflict.


    "If I just killed the little monsters when I saw them¡­" For now, Carlie could not dwell on blaming herself.


    Now, she had an additional damage control to do, and it will only depend on her observations whether or not she will request a Kill Order for her targets.


    "I wish that you two are just docile Monsters¡­" Carlie muttered to herself as she observed her Targets. "After all, I do not want you two to be waging a war against us."


    Just the mere thought of this is enough to make Carlie tired and apprehensive.


    "¡­.."


    ****************


    One major difference from of the Monsters in this World and the Monsters that came from other planes were the difference of their moral values.


    This difference is prominent in the Monster Birth Program.


    For the Monsters in this World, including Carlie, the Monster Birth Program is their way to increase their power and to show to Humans that even people like them can also join their cause.


    The program also helps in revitalizing the population of the Monster Faction.


    But for the Monsters from the other planes, once they discovered about the Monster Birth Program, most of them go extremely angry, as if the mere existence of the program was so repulsive to them.


    So much was their hate that most of the Visiting Monsters who discovered the Monster Birth Program will go out of their way to stop the program.


    This led to many pointless battles between the local and visiting Monsters, which usually ends with the visiting Monsters dead or running away, and many local Monsters either dead or crippled.


    Because of this scary casualty count, all the Monsters in this World decided to do everything they can so that future Visiting Monsters will not learn or even hear about the Monster Birth Program.


    As long as the Visiting Monster will not discover anything about the Monster Birth Program until the day that they leave, then there will be no hassle and problems.


    This had proven to be an easy job, as the only thing that they needed to do was limit the contact between the Visiting Monsters and the newborn Monsters, and to always keep their mouths shut,


    With these precautions in hand, it will be almost impossible for the Visiting Monsters to discover anything about the program.


    But this time, it seems like these precautions are unable to do anything.


    Right now, it is highly likely that the 5 little monsters have already told to her Targets about what had happened to them.


    This, for Carlie, is the most direct way to tell these new Visiting Monsters about the existence of the Monster Birth Program.


    "This is really bad¡­" Carlie muttered to herself as she imagined the consequences of the current situation. "I can try attacking them right now, but I am not really sure if they are interested on making a move against the Monster Faction. After all, the last visit of Monsters from another dimension happened thousands of years ago. Who knows, maybe my Targets are open-minded already."


    With that thought in her mind, Carlie started to observe.


    *******************


    With the body that Carlie have she had no need for water or food to survive. She only had to consume some of the shadows nearby to replenish herself.


    With this near-limitless survival tactic, Carlie was able to persevere to quietly watch and observe the activities of her Targets


    From what she can see, Carlie realized that her Targets were not just randomly moving everywhere. They seem to move with purpose, as if they already had a target to accomplish.


    But aside from this, the other things that Carlie was pretty jarring too.


    She could see the Vampire Queen having fun playing with the little monsters, while the Great Eldeitch seems to be busy on it experiments that involve the use of weird spells and its creepy tentacles.


    "¡­" Even though she felt slightly bored, Carlie still stayed serious on what she was doing.


    So Carlie continued her routine watch on her Targets for 2 more weeks, and that was when she saw something interesting.


    "Yeoowww!!!"


    She saw the Great Elderitch engraving a Rune on its right shoulder, and Carlie could see the expression of pain just from the way its tentacles moved.


    Carlie did not do anything to the Great Elderitch at this time, as she knew that it is a taboo to disturb someone who is deep through a breakthrough.


    It is an unwritten rule in this World that no one should disturb a Human or a Monster that is deep on his/her breakthrough.


    If they want to do something, then wait until the breakthrough is over.


    In the end, Carlie had to wait for around two hours before the breakthrough and recovery period had finished.


    By this point, Carlie watched with interest as the Great Elderitch seems to be intent on trying something new.


    But before it reached that point, Carlie started to stiffen as she felt something emanating from the Great Elderitch.


    What Carlie felt was a faint killing intent, and if Carlie was not wrong, this killing intent was focused entirely on her!


    "Oh, so my Targets knew that I was spying them all along." Carlie thought with resignation as she saw the Vampire Queen and the Great Elderitch walking beside each other.


    Both of them now looked alert and battle-ready.


    And judging from the direction of their gazes, they seem to be looking exactly at where Carlie was currently hiding.


    "So much for my stealth." Carlie thought to herself as she revealed herself from her hiding spot.


    Since her Targets have discovered her and seem to want to approach her with evil intentions, then Carlie will gladly reciprocate in kind.


    Negotiations are off the table now, as the aggressive attitude by her Targets is telling Carlie that what will happen next will be a fight.


    "If you want a fight, then I, shall gladly represent Queen Mother to smite you both!"


    Carlie''s body started to seethe as she prepared herself for a difficult match.


    "Come, let''s have some fun!" Carlie thought to herself as she pounced towards her Targets.

 Chapter 77 Saber!

    Alex only needed to glance at Alina to show her what he planned to do.


    "Mn." Alina nodded quickly, immediately putting herself in action.


    She waved her hands, and the little monsters were sucked towards her storage


    Teresa was also inside that storage, but there is no problem with her being with the little monsters, as Alex repeatedly told Teresa about the innocence of the little monsters.


    Hell, the little monsters actually liked Teresa too, as they say that she looked better than Alex.


    "..." Alex tried to not imagine the pestering that the little monsters will do to Teresa as he and Asteria started to approach the spy.


    But before they could even move farther, Alex suddenly felt danger coming towards him.


    <{[ Muscle Warp ]}>


    <{[ Bone Warp ]}>


    Alex immediately activated these two spells, with the Muscle Warp creating 21 layers of muscles, with each layer made up of criss-crossed muscle fibers. Alex also made sure that each fiber are 5 times as thick as normal.


    As for the Bone Warp, Alex expanded the bones in his ribcage, making sure that all of its gaps were covered.


    He then greatly increased the mass and density of his bones in his chest, making sure that it can withstand the impact from an explosion.


    Alex did all of this in an instant, and this could be the only thing that saved his life.


    "Kasb!" Alex saw a sudden blur, which was followed by Alex feeling that he was knocked backward.


    "Guh!" Alex let out groan as he felt a powerful force smashing against his chest.


    His body trembled as he felt the force travelling through his 21-layered muscle wall and his bone barricade.


    Luckily for Alex, his makeshift defense was enough to dissipate the attack.


    "..."


    He looked down at his torso, and he realized that aside from the impact, there are also some slash marks on his torso, which showed that something sharp hit him.


    "Ok, so our opponent can hit hard and have some sharp claw-like weapon. Great." Alex thought as he realized that his body can still tank the physical attacks of their opponent. "But from the way our opponent attacked me, its seems like he/she was skilled in fighting too."


    Even though their opponent was quick, Alex was able to see its appearance.


    An ebony-colored body, which seemed to be ethereal and untouchable.


    This is the body of the one who just attacked Alex.


    Alex had already used Asteria to spy on their opponent''s appearance weeks ago, so he was highly sure that their opponent is a shadow-type monster, just like No. 3.


    "With that kind of body, our opponent surely is good in close combat¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he retreated slightly


    "Ding ding ding!" This hypothesis of Alex was proven as he saw Alina and their opponent squaring off against each other in front of him.


    Alina held her two swords, slashing them quickly in front of her.


    As for their opponent, its body roiled and seethed like the waves of the sea, with its arms lashing out to Alina''s attacks.


    To Alex''s fascination, he saw that the two combatants were just equally skilled in close combat.


    "Impressive¡­" This is the first time that Alex saw Alina being serious in sword arts, as most of the time, she only used her Esper Abilities to fight.


    "D*mn, she really can hold a sword!" Asteria exclaimed behind Alex, as she seemed to be also entranced by what she saw. "Good thing she did not do that to you when you first saw her."


    "¡­ Instead of just blabbing there like a background character, why don''t you give me some advice to defeat her?" Alex muttered to Alina as he watched their every move with caution. "Even if Alina can hold our opponent off, it will not last that way¡­"


    "Really, you are still asking me for an advice?" Instead of looking ashamed, Asteria still had the gall to glare at Alex, as if what he said had just offended her. "You told me days ago that you already have a way to defeat your opponent! Don''t tell me you forgot about that already?"


    "No, I did not forget about my plan to defeat our opponent." Alex muttered as he shook his head. "Its just that¡­ my plan is a little¡­"


    "Little what?" Asteira asked as Alina and their opponent continued their clash.


    "Ugh fine, just let me do it!" Alex shouted as he withdrew something from the symbol on his forehead.


    What Alex withdrew from his symbol was the handle of the Electromagnetic Saber.


    One look at the saber, and Asteria immediately realized what Alex was talking about. "Well Alex, there is no problem with your plan. Just¡­ do it."


    "Fine, here I go then." Alex declared as he activated the Electromagnetic Saber.


    "Hong.." The handle trembled a little, before a glowing rod around a meter long appeared, seemingly attached to the handle.


    This is the primary power of the Electromagnetic Saber.


    The Electromagnetic Saber can gather Electromagnetic Waves on its own, turning these waves into a sword like construct, with the handle serving as the hilt and the EM Waves serving as the blade.


    That just means that Alex has a portable bladed weapon with him.


    But just like his Esper Power, it seems like his Electromagnetic Saber was also being rejected by the Laws in this World.


    What this means was that just like Alex''s EM Wave Manipulation, the power of his Electromagnetic Saber was also weakened in this World.


    Because of this suppression, right now, the only thing that the Electromagnetic Saber could gather were light waves, radio waves and microwaves.


    As for the stronger and deadlier waves, Alex realized that it will take him some more time here in this World before his Electromagnetic Saber can access them.


    Naturally this limitation made Alex disappointed with the Electromagnetic Saber, as he thought that there are very few monsters that he could use the Electromagnetic Saber on.


    But that thinking of his changed after he got the results of Asteria spying on their spying monster.


    According to Asteria, it seemed like their spy is not that comfortable with sunlight, with it opting to stay in the shade, suspiciously avoiding any rays of sunlight nearby.


    Adding to this observation was the fact that No. 3, who seemed to be a similar type of Monster as their spy, was also instinctively scared at sunlight itself.


    These observations led Alex to believe that their opponent was in fact, weak against light.


    And that is where the Electromagnetic Saber comes in.


    Since his Electromagnetic Saber can gather light waves to form a light blade, Alex was sure that he can use this aspect to hurt their opponent!


    Alex stared at the glowing blade of his Electromagnetic Saber, making sure that there is nothing wrong with it.


    Upon seeing that it is working fine, Alex took a deep breath as he uttered,


    <{[ Major Telekinesis ]}>


    At the instant Alex felt his Abyss Energy being used, he started to wield his Electromagnetic Saber with his Major Telekinesis.


    The saber seemed to fly into the air as Alex guided it telekinetically.


    It flew straight towards the shadow monster, who was still locked in combat against Alina.


    "Skriit¡­" A large part of their opponent''s body was carved out, as the Electromagnetic Saber cut through their opponent''s body like butter.


    "Yes!" Alex cheered inwardly as he saw the shadow monster being hurt by his saber.


    "You know, you could have just held the saber in your tentacles and slashed your opponent with it." Asteria commented as she saw what Alex did. "There is no need for you to use telekinesis to move the saber."


    "Well, I have to surprise our opponent." Alex said, as he telekinetically slashed the saber back, this time, targeting the shadow monster''s neck. "Besides, doing so makes it looks cool, right?"


    "Right, you make it look like you are using the F***e to wield a l***saber." Asteria said while shaking her head. "That must be the reason why you are reluctant to use this technique earlier, right?"


    "Shut it." Alex replied with slight embarrassment. "Don''t use that reference in front of me."


    "Ok¡­"


    At a glance, it seems like the shadow monster was already done for.


    But even if the shadow monster was injured, it seems like it was still to move fluidly.


    The first strike of the Electromagnetic Saber can count as a surprise attack, but its follow-through can be seen by their opponent already.


    The shadow monster''s body started to warp in an attempt to dodge the second strike of the saber.


    With the way the monster was able to move, it seemed like it can dodge the strike.


    But this thinking was actually na?ve, as the saber twitched a little, before it changed directions again.


    "Ack!" The shadow monster actually screamed in pain as the Electromagnetic Saber dug itself in the Monster''s flank.


    "Don''t think you can dodge that easily." Alex muttered as his saber continued on slashing by itself in the air. "My Major Telekinesis gives me not only stronger telekinetic power, it also gives me finer control, which allows me to quickly redirect any of my telekinetic attacks."


    "Now that is something else." Asteria commented as she saw the shadow monster doing its best to dodge more and more of Alex''s attacks.


    But because of its injuries, and the superiority of Alex''s telekinesis, the shadow monster got more and more wounds from Alex''s saber.


    By the time that it got its 15th wound, the shadow monster seemed to have realized that it was no match for Alex''s saber.


    Its body flickered away from Alina, making it obvious that the shadow monster was trying to escape.


    "Puchi!" The shadow monster ignored the 16th strike of the saber on its back as it seemed to be only focused on running away.


    "Nope, I can''t let that happen."But before the shadow monster could fully distance itself away, Alina made her move to stop it.


    <{[ Blood Warp ]}>.


    The shadow monster suddenly stopped in its tracks, as if it could not move anymore.


    The shadow monster tried to force itself to move, but no matter what it did, its body stayed stuck in its place.


    "Now that is a nice spell." Alex muttered as he saw what Alina did. "Very impressive."


    "...."


    The spell that Alina used, Blood Warp, was a fairly simple spell.


    The spell itself only had one requirement.


    And this is that blood must be flowing out of Alina''s target.


    Once the blood was flowing out of the target''s body, Alina can use her spell to access the blood inside her target''s body, effectively rendering all this blood under her control.


    Once this happens, Alina can use her target''s blood to do anything that she wanted with it.


    Alex was slightly worried about this spell, as he thought that maybe Alina can only use this spell on Humans, since Vampires are more inclined on Human Blood compared to Monster Blood.


    But no matter what kind of blood it is, as long as it is considered as blood, Alina can pretty much control it.


    And this is what Alina did, with her directly taking control of the blood of the shadow monster.


    Because of Alex''s attacks, the shadow monster was pretty much bleeding in many places, allowing Alina to use her spell on it.


    With this access on her hand, Alina immediately used the shadow monster''s blood to hold the shadow monster in place.


    Now, no matter what the shadow monster did, it won''t be able to do anything as Alina can use her control on its blood to do her bidding.


    "Don''t worry¡­ we will not kill you." Alex said confidently as he held his saber with one of his tentacles. He approached the shadow monster nonchalantly, as if he was just there to do some window shopping. "We just want to ask you some questions, and if you answer it well, you could probably get out of this alive. So, please cooperate, ok?"


    "..."

 Chapter 78 Cold Reading

    "Keep our opponent in place." Alex said as he slowly approached the shadow monster. "I am interested on asking it some questions."


    "Fire away." Alina commented as she sat down on the floor, giving Alex and the shadow monster a bored look. "With me here, you should not worry about the monster moving or even bleeding out to death."


    "Nice." Alex replied as he stopped right in front of the shadow monster.


    But before he cold give his questions, Alex started to frown, as if he remembered something important.


    "Hey Alina, what if this monster has a trump card that it is still waiting to use?" Alex suddenly said as he tilted his head. "Perhaps it will be better if you lock our opponent''s power too."


    "You should have said that earlier." Alina drily said as she waved her hands at the direction of the shadow monster.


    <{[ Blood Lock ]}>


    At the instant that Alina said these words, something shone inside the shadow monster''s body.


    This shining thingy then started to flow inside the shadow monster''s body, and in no time at all, a network of branching lines could be seen shining inside the monster''s body.


    Alex nodded upon seeing this, with him looking impressed with what he saw. "You really are a godsend to me Alina. No wonder I am always happy being with you."


    "Oh shut up¡­" Alina said with a slight blush on her face. "I will not be swayed with your sweet words anymore! You are still under my punishment!"


    "Ok, ok, I get it." Alex shamelessly replied as he shook his head. "I still need to please you more."


    "Mind your choice of words Alex." Alina frostily replied, with the warm blush of her face suddenly gone. "I am really not interested with your slightly perverted comments."


    "¡­ Sorry." Alex replied sullenly, realizing that he slipped up again. "That won''t happen next time again."


    "Hehehe, this adds more to your punishment! then" Alina suddenly giggled, as if her frosty expression earlier was just an act. "You should always be careful!"


    "Sigh..." Alex''s only reply to that was a sigh and a weary smile.


    "Alina changed a lot already¡­" Alex thought to himself as he saw the vibrant expression on Alina''s face.


    When he first met Alina more than a month ago, what Alex could only feel from her was grit and coldness.


    Even after he ''dated'' her in the city, Alina was still holding some dark emotions inside her.


    For Alina to be like that is acceptable, since she held the burden to keep her sister alive from anyone that meant her harm.


    This could have been bad already, but then Alina''s sister died, making Alex worry about Alina''s mindset more.


    Nobody can really stay cheerful in that kind of situation.


    But luckily for him, Alina had somewhat taken her sister''s death quite well.


    Well, the only reason that Alina was able to weather the grief was the possibility of her sister being revived in the future.


    That was the sole crutch that kept Alina away from despair.


    Well, Alex had not complaints about it, as long as it will not destroy Alina.


    But even with this, Alex thought that Alina will still stay sad and grumpy.


    However, it seems like the appearance of the 5 little monsters were able to help Alina


    With the nonstop pestering and childishness of the little monsters,Alina''s overall personality had somewhat mellowed out, with her laughing and smiling more often at their presence


    She also rarely wore her mask now, as she seemed to feel more free and confident to show her face.


    "I have to find a way to thank these little monsters later..." Alex thought to himself as he gave Alina a silly smile.


    "What? Is there something on my face?" Alina said as she tilted her head.


    "Oh, there''s nothing." Alex replied as he realized that Alina looked really cute right now. "You just look really cute¡­"


    "Hmph, there you go again!" Alina said as she blushed crimson. "When will you learn to keep your flowery talks in place?"


    "Well, as long as you deserve to be praised, then I will not stop complimenting you." Alex replied with a shrug of his shoulders. "There''s nothing wrong with that, right?"


    Alina''s only reply to that was a shy glare.


    "Hey, praise me too Alex!" Of course Asteria just had to talk right now. "I am just as beautiful as my hooman, you know. So come and praise me now!"


    "Nope." Both Alex and Alina replied as Alex went back on focusing on the shadow monster.


    "Hmph, you two really are jerks!" Alex ignored what Asteria said as he looked at the newest spell used by Alina.


    "With the Blood Lock set in place, you cannot use any of your trump cards against me." Alex said to the frozen shadow monster, who looked like it was able to glare at Alex with its eyes."You can''t use your powers anymore, right?"


    "...."


    ****************


    Currently, Blood Lock is Alina''s strongest spell.


    Just like Alex, Alina was also training herself to raise her Dark Energy Grade.


    However, unlike Alex who had just stepped into Grade 4, Alina had already stepped into Grade 5.


    Of course Alex felt slightly jealous about it, but Alina was able to use the fusion of her Esper Ability and her Dark Energy to accelerate her training. Alex had no such luxury.


    The Blood Lock Spell is the spell that Alina obtained as she stepped into Grade 5.


    For the Blood Lock spell to work, Alina must first take control of the blood of her Target''s body using Blood Warp.


    Once Alina uses Blood Warp on her target, she can then activate Blood Lock.


    What the Blood Lock Spell does is just simple.


    This spell uses the blood of the Target to ''lock'' the source of power inside the Target''s body.


    Once this source of power was ''locked'', the Target cannot use its power anymore, unless the spell was broken or Alina allows it.


    When Alex heard about the power of this spell 3 days ago, he felt somewhat cheated, as this is seriously a scary spell.


    But according to Alina, there is one limitation to the Blood Lock spell.


    And that is the fact that Alina''s power will also be ''locked'' too while using this spell.


    *************


    Because of that limitation, both Alina and the shadow monster were unable to use their abilities right now.


    If Alina wanted to use her power, then she had to ''unlock'' the shadow monster first.


    Of course this action could pose some problems if Alina was a lone monster¡­


    But with Alex beside her, Alina had no qualms on using the Blood Lock spell.


    This willingness of Alina to use a limiting spell just shows how much she trusted Alex.


    Alex of course was touched by it, but he did not point it out anymore, as he was afraid of embarrassing himself again.


    "Now that we have no worries, I can start talking to our guest now." Alex stared at the shadow monster once more, before saying,


    "Come on, open your mouth already. Alina specifically did not lock your moth earlier so that you can speak with me now. Come on, don''t waste my wifey''s goodwill."


    "I''m not your wifey!" Alex ignored the flustered reply behind him as his gaze was solely concentrated on the shadow monster itself. "Come on, maybe we can start this by you telling me about your name."


    "My name is Carlie." The shadow monster spat out after staying silent for 5 more seconds. "Ask me anything that you want¡­ you won''t even know if what I will tell you is the truth."


    "Well, that might be really bad for me if it was just me asking you..." Alex drawled as he glanced back at Alina. "Hey Alina, can you still detect lies?"


    "Yes, I can still do that." Alina replied quickly. "It seems like my Blood Lock Spell was unable to lock my lie detection power¡­ Hold on, that is actually confusing me now."


    "Of course it can''t lock your All-Seeing Eyes." Asterai muttered at the background. "Your All-Seeing Eyes are extremely powerful, and a paltry spell like that is not enough to suppress it!"


    "Thanks for the commentary Asteria." Alex thought idly to himself as he saw the contorted expression on Carlie''s face. It seems like she had already gotten the gist of what Alex and Alina was talking about.


    "I will appreciate it if you will not lie to me." Alex said in a low voice as he reactivated his Electromagnetic Saber.


    "Hong~"


    "You never know¡­ maybe my Saber will brush by your skin every time you lie. "Alex said as he dangled the saber right in front of Carlie. "But it could go deeper too, you know¡­"


    Carlie''s body started to tremble, as if they showed her adverse fear to the saber.


    "I can just choose to not answer your questions¡­" Carlie said as she tried tearing her gaze away from the saber. "If I do not say anything, then you cannot hear me lie."


    "Alex, you actually do not need Carlie to answer your questions." Alina interjected as she saw the grim resolution on Carlie''s face. "Just phrase your questions in a way that we can elicit answers from her even without her actually answering."


    "Oh¡­ I get it." It took only Alex 10 seconds to get where Alina was getting at.


    Alex realized that Alina can just combine the truth power of her All-Seeing Eyes with her cold reading skills.


    Even though Carlie was frozen in place due to Blood Warp, her body can still react slightly to external stimuli, including things like intrusive questions.


    With this principle in mind,Alina will just have to use cold reading and her All-Seeing eyes to observe Carlie''s bodily reactions to Alex''s questions, and that will be enough for her to see the truth.


    After realizing these things, Alex took a minute to change the format of his questions.


    Once he was sure that he is ready, Alex leaned down as he slowly said,


    "Carlie, are you a loyal servant of the Queen Mother?"


    Alex saw a slight twitch on the left eye of Carlie, and surely, Alina noticed it too.


    Alex continued talking as he asked Carlie,


    "Carlie, are you harboring malicious intentions against the Queen Mother?"


    This time, both Carlie''s eyes twitched.


    "From what I can observe from her reaction to your questions, it looks like Carlie is devoted to the Queen Mother." Alina commented as she blinked deliberately.


    "Hehehe, now that is interesting¡­" Alex felt great upon knowing that Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes can work this way.


    With Alex now confirming that Alina''s eyes can still work by just looking at Carlie''s body language, Alex started to ask more questions.


    "Why did you attack me earlier?" Alex asked Carlie as he started to walk around her.


    "Did you attack me because you were tasked to kill me?"


    Carlie''s nose twitched slightly at that.


    "Or you attacked me because you thought I was about to attack you?"


    Carlie did not twitch at that.


    "Carlie attacked you because she thought that we are about to attack her." Alina said as she shook her head.


    "Wait, how can that be the truth? She did not even twitch at that question!" Alex said as he gave Alina a confused look. "Shouldn''t her twitch be the telling sign?"


    "I follow what my power sees as the truth." Alina drily commented as she gave a withering look to Alex. "So, don''t doubt what I say, ok?"


    "Ok.." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "I won''t complain now."


    "Good." Alina replied as she fixed her hair. "That means that instead of playing detective with me, you should just ask the questions and let me do the lie-detecting. It works better in that way, right?"


    "¡­Right."

 Chapter 79 Shake Shake Shake!

    "Ehem." Alex let out a cough as the tried to compose himself. "So, let''s continue what we are doing."


    "¡­." Carlie did not say anything, as she just continued on glaring at Alex.


    "Wait, before you continue talking to her, let me say something first." Alina suddenly said to Alex. "From the first time that I saw Carlie¡­ I realized that I saw something from her that you could not see clearly..."


    "Oh?" Alex looked at Alina with interest, as he realized Alina''s emphasis on the word ''see''.


    With Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes, anything that she can ''see'' will always be interesting.


    Alina paused for a second, before slowly saying,


    "From what I can see, Carlie¡­ just like the 5 little monsters¡­ was also a human before."


    "That''s quite a surprise." Alex replied in a monotonous tone. "I did not expect that our resident guest was also a victim of the Monsters."


    "I am not victim!" Carlie suddenly shouted as she glared at Alex with malevolence. "I was saved by Queen Mother when I became a Monster! She¡­ liberated me from the sufferings of this World! You say that I am a victim? Yes, that was the case when I was stuck on being a Human! But now? I am living the best of my life!"


    "She thinks that it is the truth." Alina commented as she shook her head. "She fully believes that her life was better now that she is a Monster."


    "....."


    Alex did not like how emotional Carlie looked right now. Her face was baring her remaining teeth at Alex, as if she could not wait to sink it on him.


    From this sight, it was quite obvious that she was extremely triggered by her past and her transformation.


    But even if he was uncomfortable with that, Alex realized that this is his chance now to swoop in over Carlie.


    Alex knew that in order for him to get information much easier from Carlie, he must first break her down first, both physically and mentally.


    The physical part was already accounted for, with all the injuries that he gave her.


    As for the mental part, Alex is about to start it.


    "You¡­ had a bad life as a Human before, right?" Alex said as he smiled at Carlie.


    Carlie''s ears twitched at that.


    "Truth." Alina quickly commented.


    "Okay, so I do not know how bad your life was before, but that must have filled you with suicidal thoughts¡­" Alex drawled as he sat cross-legged in front of Carlie. "Surely, you tried killing yourself when you were a Human before, right?"


    Of course Alex was buls**tting at this point.


    He just gave out the ''suicide'' card as this is the most extreme thing that he can think up right now.


    Surely, this Carlie did not try to kill herself before, right?


    There are no visible twitches that came from Carlie after hearing what Alex just said.


    "She¡­ really tried to kill herself before." Alina slowly said as she gave Alex a frown.


    "Umm..." Alex floundered after hearing what Alina said, as he felt that there are no words that would come out of his mouth right now.


    "..."


    Alina''s face looked to be full of displeasure as she glared at Alex. "Alex, should you really continue on going on that line? This is getting quite sensitive already, and I am not liking where this is going."


    "Umm¡­."


    It was quite obvious to Alex that what he just said made Alina remember her sister whose actions were practically suicide in itself already.


    That is not a good thing to think right now, and Alex realized that he was treading on some dangerous waters by reminding Alina about these things.


    An explanation is necessary, for now.


    "What the hell? I did not expect that this Carlie really tried doing that before!" Alex replied back as he wilted under Alina''s glare. "Look¡­ I know that suicide is a sensitive issue, but I thought that maybe I should ask that part first so that I can eliminate it quickly from my questions."


    "Hmph, and it seems like your attempt to eliminate it has failed." Alina gruffly replied as she continued glaring at Alex. "So, what will you do now, huh?"


    "Well¡­" Alex scratched his head as she looked back at Carlie, who just glared at him back.


    Since they were at this point already, then Alex just had to go on.


    "Okay, so no more talks about suicide." Alex raised his hands as he took a deep breath. "Instead, let us talk about your monster transformation."


    "¡­" Carlie once more did not say anything, but with his emotion sensor, Alex could feel that Carlie was tense right now.


    Alex liked this feeling, as he realized that he was getting on the right track.


    "Was a concoction thrown at your village to turn you all to monsters?" Alex said as he tilted his head.


    One twitch from the left eye.


    "Or was it given orally?"


    Slight trembling from the upper lip.


    "It''s a concoction." Alina said from behind Alex.


    "Good." Alex nodded as he absorbed that information quickly.


    So from the looks of it, it seems like the monster transformation process was done in terms of many people.


    This piece of info made Alex think of something crucial.


    "Your concoction¡­it has a low success rate, right?" Alex said as he rubbed his hands together. "That could be the only reason that the concoction was used on many people at once. After all, the larger the sample size, the larger will be the minor results are."


    A slight fidget on her left shoulder.


    "That''s the truth." Alina said with satisfaction. "We are having a roll right here¡­"


    "Great¡­" Now that he had asked the basic questions, it is time for Alex to jump to the Big One.


    "Since you are Transformed Monster, and it looks like you are an official, you must know some things like the antidote that reverts monster transformation, right?" Alex said as he tried to not show his nervousness. "You know that there is a cure, right?"


    No visible twitches were seen this time.


    Before Alina could say her verdict, Carlie started to laugh, as if she found Alex''s question to be extremely funny.


    "Hahaha! So the reason that you let me live right now is just because of that question?" If Carlie could move, then she could have been rolling on the floor already. "You two must have been desperate to ''cure'' those 5 little monsters, that you allowed me to live! You want to ask me for the antidote to reverse the monster transformation! Hahaha, good luck on getting that!"


    "You¡­" Alex frowned, clearly not liking the tone in Carlie''s voice. "I think that you sho-"


    "You Visitor Monsters really like to help out Transformed Monsters¡­ Ugh, I really hate that aspect of yours!" Carlie said, cutting off Alex rudely. "Why can''t you just mind you own business and let us be? You just disrupt the order in this World with your meddling!"


    "Oh, ok, it seems like you have some problems with us." Alex mumbled as he saw how livid Carlie became. "Did the last-"


    "Everytime some Visitor Monsters come in our World and hear about the Monster Birth Program, all of them always do their best to take it down!" Carlie spat out as she glared at Alex with hate. "You two, you are just planning to do that, right?"


    "Well, we don''t care about the program itself. What we want is the cure to help the 5 little monsters with us." Alex slowly said as he shook his head. "We don''t plan to stop that program, since I think that I have to fight many strong Monsters if I want that to happen. We just want the cure itself."


    "Heh, and you think I will believe you?" Carlie said as she closed her eyes. "Come on, keep on asking me. Whatever you ask me now, it won''t help you both. The cure that you are looking for cannot be found if you ask me this way."


    The confident demeanor that Carlie is wearing right now made Alex frown. But even with what she said, Alex was not deterred as he continued asking her more questions.


    "...."


    "...."


    "...."


    *****************


    1 Hour later.


    "No way¡­" This was the only thing that Alex could say as he ran out of questions that he can ask Carlie. "Even with all that questions, we can''t still find the cure? D**n it!"


    Alex and Alina spent the last hour asking Carlie with a variety of questions, all with the intent to know deduct the cure for the monster transformation.


    But no matter what question they asked, they were still stuck!


    "Isn''t the cure created by one of your Generals?" Alex asked as his tentacles frazzled in frustration. "In that case, you should know about it."


    Carlie''s reply to that was only a cheeky smile.


    "It is not the truth." Alina sighed as she gave her verdict. "From the looks of it, she knows that the cure is not created by any of their Generals... Yes, the cure exists, but from what I have seen right now, it seems to exist in a way that we do not know¡­"


    "Hmph, there is a better explanation for what we are seeing right now!" Alex harrumphed angrily.


    "..."


    "..."


    After a minute of painful silence, Alex suddenly placed a tentacle in his forehead, as if he remembered something right now. "Oh jeez, how could I be so f**king stupid!"


    "???" Alina tilted her head as she saw Alex''s reaction. "What are you thinking about Alex?"


    Instead of replying to Alina''s question, what Alex did was to look at Carlie in her eyes, as he slowly asked her,


    "Oi you Shadow Monster, you don''t know what the cure really is, right?"


    Carlie''s face went blank after hearing that.


    "That is the truth¡­" Alina put a palm on her forehead, as she looked like she wanted to smack her head on the floor. "We should have asked her that question earlier! If we did, then we should have not wasted an hour asking her pointless things!"


    "You f**ker!" Alex snarled as he realized that he and Alina had been played by Carlie.


    From the looks of it, Carlie knows that there is a cure and that it exists.


    However, it seems like she does not know what the cure really is, and where it can be located.


    "Tsk, so much for the trouble." Alex mumbled angrily to himself as he let out a sigh. "So Alina, what should we do with this monster?"


    "Well, we can-" But before Alina could say something, Asteria let out a shout, interrupting the both of them.


    "Excuse me everyone!" Asteria shouted as she flew between Alex and Alina. The same cocky grin was back in her face, as if there was something that had greatly interested her.


    "...."


    "...."


    It did not take Alex and Alina that long to discover the thing that made Asteria this lively.


    "I just received the notification for your first Bonus Mission here in this World!" Asteria declared with the pompousness comparable to that of a royal messenger.


    "Ugh, here we go¡­" Alex was not sure how to feel about the Bonus Mission appearing right now, but seeing that Carlie was with them when the Bonus Mission appeared, it looks like the Bonus Mission is somewhat related to her.


    "Tonk."


    Since Alex had no more questions for Carlie right now, he resorted to knocking her out first.


    With her unable to fight back, Carlie immediately keeled with Alex''s blow, bringing her to unconsciousness.


    "Hup!" With Carlie currently out cold, Alina was able to safely deactivate her Blood Lock.


    "Ok, start talking now." Alex said as he nudged Carlie, maybe in an attempt to see if she was still conscious or not. "We need to save time, as every second counts."


    "Hmph, you are always a spoilsport!" Asteria pouted as she shook her head in disbelief. Nonetheless, she still followed Alex''s command as she said,


    [Infiltrate the Human Faction and Infiltrate the Monster Faction. Success will give 2 Years of Lifespan to the Traveler, and at least 10,000 Contribution Points to the Companion. Bonus Mission is optional, although succeeding on it will greatly help on finishing the Main Mission.]


    Asteria said these words monotonously, although her face still held a mischievous edge in it.


    "That sounds so dangerous and specific." Alex thought to himself as he shook his head. "What do you mean by infiltrate both the Human and Monster Faction? How do we even do that? And should we even do that?"


    "Well, if you do it, you can get rewards¡­" Asteria drawled as she tilted her head. "Wait, why do you even question it? If you do it, you can get something good!"


    "Hmm¡­" Even if Alex was wary of the contents of the Bonus Mission, he''s somewhat interested on the rewards.


    After all, if he can pull the Bonus Mission off, then he can have enough Lifespan to buy another Abyss Tome.


    Something like that will be worth the risk!


    "Let me clarify something first." Alex said as he raised his hands. "Do we get the rewards once we successfully infiltrate the Human and Monster Factions? Or do we wait for some time yet before the rewards come in?"


    "As long as you do what the Bonus Mission stated you to do, then you two will get the rewards." Asteria replied warily as she saw the crafty expression on Alex''s face.


    "Oh really¡­"


    "Oi Alex¡­" Asteria trailed as she seemed uncomfortable with Alex''s current expression. "Are you¡­ planning on gaming the system?"


    "Well of course I am." Alex cheekily replied, with his face showing his intense confidence. "Right now, I have a plan that will allow me to pull of the Bonus Mission with the least amount of risk! Of course, I would need your help to do that, Asteria."


    "And you think I will just help you out?" Asteria scoffed as she placed both her hands on her hips. "Even I have to refuse you too! A fairy queen like me cannot be just ordered arou- Hey what are you doing!"


    Alex did not wait for Asteria to say anything else as he grabbed her by her body, dangling her upside down.


    Asteria, who was about to berate Alex, suddenly shivered as she realized that she''s already familiar with her current scenario.


    "No, not again¡­" Asteria mewled as Alina watched what was happening with curiosity. "Hooman, please help me!"


    "I''m sorry, but I won''t allow Alina to help you out." Alex said as he slightly raised his hand that was holding Asteria. "After all, Alina is also curious on how your Fairy Dust feels like."


    "No!!!" Asteria''s words were drowned out as Alex shook her like a salt shaker.


    "Chi chi chi¡­"


    Fairy Dust poured all over Alex''s body, making him feel the same sensation that he felt before.


    "Asteria, make sure that I will have the appearance of Teresa¡­" Alex said as he ignored the curse words that Asteria shouted out to him.


    "As for Alina, use your Fairy Dust to make her look like Carlie¡­." Alex said as he gave a nod to Alina. "Don''t f**k it up, ok?"


    "Huhuhu, hooman, why hast tho forsaken me?" Asteria cried out, as if she was facing the worst time in her life. "Help me out here!"


    "...¡­." Alina ignored these words by Asteria, as she watched the shaking action with fascination. "Alex, I want to shake Asteria too¡­"


    "Here you go then."


    "No!!!"

 Chapter 80 Well, at least he tried...

    "Huhuhu, you are all baddies!" Asteria could only sob in in the background as she glared at both Alex and Alina angrily. "Do you really have to shake me that hard?"


    "Well, we had to use every bit of Fairy Dust that we can use so that our disguise will be impeccable." Alex said as he inspected his hair, which looked blond and long now. "D**n, this Teresa really has a rocking body."


    Alex then placed his hands on his hips, as if he was about to make them travel all over his body.


    "Don''t try to even think about that." Alina growled behind Alex, looking displeased after hearing what Alex just said. "I will be watching¡­"


    "Ok¡­" That effectively shut Alex up, with him hastily raising his hands in defeat.


    "Good." Alina nodded, with her body currently looking like it was made up of shadows.


    Alex looked at Alina''s overall appearance and then back to himself, and he saw that their disguise was perfect.


    Right now, Alex looked every bit like Teresa, while Alina looked every bit like Carlie.


    All the tentacles around Alex seemed to have disappeared, as only Teresa''s appearance and aura could be seen.


    The same could also be said for Alina, as it was only Carlie''s appearance and her aura that is visible.


    "Ok, now that we have this disguise, we can start the infiltration operation already." Alex muttered to himself, as he realized that what they are doing right now was actually the best thing that they can do.


    From the looks of it, if Alex and Alina just stayed here in the forest interrogating random people,they would not be able to get information about the cure.


    The only way that they can get the cure is by looking for it in the camp of the Monster Faction.


    Human Faction should be infiltrated too, as they seem to know something too about the cure.


    With Alex''s quick thinking, he was able to cook up a fairly simple way to infiltrate both the Factions in one fell swoop.


    "So, how should we do this operation?" Alina asked as she gave Alex a curious look. "This disguise can help us out a lot, but we need something more vital than that."


    "Well, its just simple." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "We wait in this place for a week, then I will let myself be taken away by the Divine Knight that is supposed to meet us at that time. Once that happens, I will be able to infiltrate the Human Faction smoothly. Not only that, but I will also get closer to the person that can give me the info about the cure."


    Alex then pointed at Alina as he said, "As for you Alina, you will be going to the Monster Faction, with you wearing the disguise of Carlie. With how good the Fairy Dust is, nobody can easily see through our disguises¡­"


    "That plan of yours might sound good, but you should know that there are a lot of things that can go wrong with this." Alina replied grimly as she shook her head.


    She pointed at her body and at Alex''s body as she said,


    "First of all, even if we have the appearances of Teresa and Carlie, we do not have any knowledge about their life and how they move. One wrong move from us, and we will easily get unmasked!"


    "Oh, don''t worry about that, I already have a plan for that." Alex quickly replied as he gave an appraising look at Alina.


    "First of all, you can use your Dark Magic to read Carlie''s thoughts, right?" Alex said as he glanced at the still unconscious Carlie. "Once you read her mind, you can easily act like her¡­"


    "...."


    From what Alex knew, one of Alina''s Dark Magic was called Mind Scour, which allows Alina to read everything that was inside a person''s mind.


    Of course there is one prerequisite for this to work.


    The target of the spell must be mentally strained, so that he/she could not resist getting mindscoured.


    This could be somewhat difficult, but right now, Carlie had been beaten up badly that her mind surely is susceptible to Mind Scour.


    "Wait, how about you, Alex?" Alina inquired as she observed Alex''s feminine body. "How will you act out as Teresa?"


    "Easy. Just use your Mind Scour on Teresa too, then transfer those memories to me using another one of your Dark Magic." Alex replied confidently. "Your spells can do that, right?"


    "Yes, I can do them all, but still¡­" Alina seemed to be hesitant on saying something as she glanced at Alex.


    "But?"


    "Even if we can act like Carlie and Teresa, how will we be able to copy their abilities?" Alina asked as she looked at Carlie. "There is no way right now that I can use Carlie''s abilities, and there is no way for you to use Teresa''s abilities. How can you solve that problem?"


    Alex smiled upon hearing this question, as he felt more and more impressed with Alina''s pursuit of perfection.


    Alex liked the fact that Alina was worried enough for their operation that she was willing to look and scrutinize every part of their plan.


    Not only did this made Alex feel better, it also made him feel relieved, as he knew that what Alina was doing was how a Companion should act.


    "Don''t worry, I already have a way to fix that problem too." Alex replied serenely, as if he already got that part solved. "Just¡­ leave it to me, ok?"


    "Ok then¡­"


    **************************


    Same time, at the Human Faction.


    "Sigh..." Divine Knight Sylvester Glaivewood could only sigh in exasperation and exhaustion as he looked down at his hands.


    Both of hands were slightly clenched perfectly showing the conflicting emotions that he is feeling right now.


    "Sigh.." Sylvester could have gone on sighing more, but his sad thoughts were interrupted by a loud sound.


    "Thud!" The sound was deep and full, as if there was something hard that struck another hard object.


    "..." Sylvester took this as a cue to look up, forcing him to look at 5 other armored Knights staring at him warily.


    "Are you feeling okay, bro?" One of the 5 Knights hesitantly asked Sylvester.


    This Knight was wearing a simple chainmail armor, with a lance strapped on his back.


    This mentioned Knight had a simple face, something that can be seen on the common masses. But hidden behind that face was a fearsome power that Sylvester had already experienced before.


    "I¡­ am just worried about my daughter." Sylvester replied to the simple-faced Knight. "You know that I do not like leaving Teresa in their hands, or tentacles."


    "Well, we cannot just acquiesce to the demands of that tentacle monster." The simple-faced Knight replied nonchalantly as he tapped the lance on his back. "We cannot let him know about the cure."


    "Yes, I know that, but still.." Sylvester gritted his teeth, as he forced himself to not shout. "I do not want my daughter to stay with them for any longer!"


    "Well, at least you can still save your daughter a week from now." This time, the one who spoke was a red-haired woman.


    Just like her hair, her armor was also red in color, with the symbol of the moon engraved on it.


    Combined with her beautiful armor, the red-haired woman''s elegant face only served to make her look both ephemeral and graceful.


    "....."


    But no matter how optimistic the sentence uttered by the woman was, it seems like Sylvester did not kindly take what the red-haired woman said.


    "F**k those monsters. They really threatened to kill my daughter if I don''t'' give them the cure!" Sylvester roared out in anger. "What gall they both have! Tsk, how devious of those bastards!"


    "You know that you cannot tell those two monsters anything about the cure." The red-haired woman said as she gave Sylvester a soft and pleading look. "There is no way that we can let those two know¡­"


    "I know." Sylvester replied heavily, as he moved his hand to avoid the red-haired woman''s attempt to touch his hands. "But¡­ this really just makes me so frustrated!"


    The other Knights nearby went silent as they listened to Sylvester''s rants.


    "I already lost Teresa''s mother before... I do not want to lose Teresa too¡­" Sylvester croaked out as he hung his head in sadness.


    "Don''t worry bro, we are all here to help you." The simple-faced Knight said as he pointed his fingers to the other Knights. "That is why we have this meeting now, right? We have this meeting so that we can create a strategy to take those two monsters down while saving your daughter!"


    "And for that, I thank you all." Sylvester replied with a grateful expression on his face as he looked at the Knights present in the meeting. "You have my greatest thanks for this."


    "Well, you can go out with me for a date if you really feel that grateful." The red-haired woman said as she gave Sylvester a burning look. "Just one date is fine already."


    "Hey, hands off my bro!" The simple-faced Knight said as he glared at the red-haired woman. "You know that my sister is currently very close to my bro¡­ Don''t try on meddling upon them!"


    "Tsk, you just want to ask me out again, right?" The red-haired woman hotly replied as she gave the simple-faced Knight a cold look. "Let me say this to you now, but I will not go out with you!"


    "Ugh!" The simple-faced Knight clutched his heart, as if he was in great pain. He gave Sylvester a pleading look, as if he was saying, ''Bro, help me out here!''.


    Sylvester''s only reply to that was a light shrug as he rapped his knuckles on the table.


    "We can talk about your complicated relationships later¡­ But for now, we should talk about our plans to save my daughter."


    "Right¡­"


    Both the squabbling Knights went quiet as they and the other Knights started to talk.


    *****************


    Same time at the Monster Faction.


    Inside a wide room, a certain frightening being could be seen lounging on the floor.


    There are no apt descriptions for the being, as its whole body was seemingly created from the combination of other creatures.


    Limbs of dragon, goblins, wyrms and many other Monsters could be seen dangling from the being''s body.


    Its head too was seemingly created from many heads that are forced to stitch together, creating a bizarre sight.


    Even the eyes alone were already creepy enough.


    "Rustle¡­"


    Right now, this frightening being was busy on reading a book, with its massive torso in contact with the floor.


    The reading session did not last long however, as another monster entered the room.


    "General Chimera, the Queen Mother sent me to say something to you." General Chimera looked up from the book that he was reading, only to see an eye gazing at him.


    "Oh, its you again." General Chimera replied as he flapped his wings behind him. "Is Queen Mother bored again? Does she want me to go at her place?"


    "Nope. Nothing like that." The eye replied as it spun on its place. "Queen Mother said that she has a special mission that she wants you to do, and you are the only one that she trusts that can do it."


    "I''m all ears." General Chimera said as all of the ears hanging at his body started to flap. "Get it? ALL ears."


    "Ugh¡­" The eyes could barely suppress its groan as it heard the horrible pun.


    Nonetheless, the eye was able to recover as it said,


    "Basically, you are tasked to bring Teresa, the Shadow Monster, towards Queen Mother''s dwelling." The eye said as it stopped spinning. "Do it properly, and Queen Mother will give you more bodies to fuse with."


    "Got it." General Chimera said as he tried to recall who Teresa was. His multiple brains started to work as they processed the name Teresa.


    "...¡­"


    The information about Teresa that appeared inside General Chimera''s mind made him frown a little.


    "Wait... from what I know, this Teresa will be away from the Monster Faction for some time because of a mission that she is doing right now." General Chimera muttered to himself with a frown. "In that case, then I should just order her retreat."


    "Oh, you don''t need to do that.'' The eye said as it turned its back on the general. "According to Queen Mother, Teresa will come back. So, just wait for her to arrive."


    "Ok, ok." General Chimera said as he nodded. "I can wait, since my patience is as manyas my legs."


    "You know, that is the worst pun that you ever gave me, and even I am pretty sure that what you said was not a pun." The eye drily replied as it left the room.


    "Oh come on, I saved the best for the last!" General Chimera complained as the door closed.


    The eye was already long gone at this time, so General Chimera did not receive any reply.

 Chapter 81 The Unwanted Meeting

    1 week later.


    "How the hell did that b**ch manage to get General Chimera''s attention?" Ted muttered to himself as he trudged across the forest. "Seriously, did that b**ch use a potion or something?"


    Today was the day that Ted was supposed to meet up with Carlie and get her first monthly report about the Visitor Monsters.


    But before Ted could set out, General Chimera met up with him first, giving Ted an instruction that made him confused.


    The instruction was just fairly simple.


    [Bring back Carlie from the mission, and let her meet me.]


    These are the exact words that General Chimera said, and from the way that he said it, he will not accept any failures from Ted.


    Just the way that General Chimera''s hulking and horribly mutated looked like earlier made Ted serious on his instruction.


    "General Chimera really is one scary SOB." Ted muttered to himself, as he shivered on his recollection of the General''s appearance.


    This recollection also made him feel slightly pissed off.


    "Seriously, why does many female Monsters think that General Chimera is cute?" Ted mused to himself as he shook his flaming head wryly. "He looks unaesthetic AF!"


    Ted obviously would not say these words out loud, but with him currently far away from General Chimera, he knew that he can think all the bad things that he wanted about him here.


    "Wait, why am I even criticizing about Genera Chimera? I have something more important to do!" Ted chided himself as he sped up. "I still have to meet up with that b**ch..."


    This thought alone made Ted scrunch up his face more, as if he did not like what he was doing a single bit.


    "Seriously, why don''t she just die¡­"


    Ted was not sure why, but from the first time that he saw Carlie, he immediately disliked her.


    Maybe its because she was a Shadow Monster, or it could be the fact that her personality did not really mesh that well with his.


    But no matter what the reason was, Ted still was sure that he did not like Carlie at all.


    This dislike was so great that Ted sometimes beats Carlie up just to vent his rage.


    Because of the superiority of his power over hers, Carlie usually was unable to fight back, something which just excites Ted more.


    It made him feel good, seeing someone that he hated not fighting back against him.


    Of course the number of times that he beat Carlie up is rare, since she was under the protection of another General.


    Ted was under General Chimera, while Carlie was under General Nyx.


    If Ted beats up Carlie too much, her General might take action on this. So Ted usually beats Carlie up only when the time is right.


    "Hmm¡­ speaking of beating her up, should I beat her up later?" Ted muttered to himself as he looked at the flames on his hands. "It''s been 2 years already since I last beat her up¡­"


    Ted visibly shivered in pleasure as he panted, slowly imagining the pained expression on Carlie''s face as he slowly coats her with his flames.


    "Ah~ Now I want to meet her already!" Ted shouted at as he felt himself nearing Carlie''s location.


    But when he was around 5 kilometers away from Carlie, he stopped as he suddenly sensed multiple presences arriving approximately around his location.


    "What the hell?" Ted closed his mouth as he tried to sense who these newcomers are.


    His jaw dropped however when he felt their power levels.


    "Ho-ho-how could they be here!" Ted thought with panic as he took a step back. "This¡­ this should not be happening!"


    What Ted felt were 5 presences rushing approximately towards Carlie''s location, and from the power levels that he can sense, all of them were bad news.


    "How could 5 Divine Knights just appear in this place!" Ted thought to himself, paling considerably at what he found out. "This¡­ this is really bad!"


    Because of the speed of the new arrivals, Ted was able to see their appearances after just a second.


    Out of the 5 Divine Knights, only three had their appearances shown. The other two wore cloaks that hid their face and their bodies.


    But even with that disguise, Ted was sure that the other two robed people were Divine Knights too.


    "¡­" Ted looked at the other 3 Divine Knights, whose appearance he can see.


    Ted looked at the Divine Knight wearing a golden armor, who was also wielding a gigantic hammer.


    Ted does not need to refresh his memories to know who this guy was.


    "The number one Monster Exterminator of the Human Faction. The Golden Devil. Divine Knight Sylvester Glaivewood." If Ted could pee himself now, then he could have done so already.


    Standing at the left of this Divine Knight was a plain-looking man. The only prominent thing in this man was the lance that dangled freely from his left hand.


    But even though the man looked like this, Ted still knew that he should avoid this man too at all costs.


    This Knight is Divine Knight Barrios, who was labelled by his kin as the ''Idiot Knight''.


    "According from what I heard, Divine Knight Barrios was strong enough to escape from all the Generals chasing him¡­" Ted thought to himself as he saw the Divine Knight waving his lance lazily. "As for why he was called an Idiot Knight¡­ it was because he left his subordinates when he escaped..."


    Ted knew that if he were in the shoes of Divine Knight Barrios, he would also have done the same thing. too


    However, Divine Knight Barrio is a Divine Knight, and one of his responsibilities was to keep many Knights alive.


    His abandonment of his subordinates is the very epitome of not following obligations.


    But since he was still a Divine Knight, Divine Knight Barrios was able to escape punishment. His reputation however took a massive hit.


    "¡­.." After thinking of these, Ted''s eyes focused on the last uncloaked Divine Knight, and his eyes could not help but pop out in pleasure, even though he was currently in danger.


    "Dang¡­" Ted muttered as his eyes roved all over the Red-Haired Knight''s body. "I may be a Monster, but even I want to get a taste of that b**ty!"


    The red-haired knight, also known as the Divine Knight BloodMoon, was considered to be one of the Top 3 Beauties in this World.


    Her beauty alone was enough to incite chaos wherever she goes.


    Not that Ted cared about it. He can stare at her face and rocking body all day, and he will not get tired of it.


    "Wait¡­ why am I thinking of this? I should be trying to escape now!" As if a spell was broken on him, Ted shook his head quickly as he turned around, ready to start his hasty retreat.


    "I will just tell General Chimera that the appearance of 5 Divine Knights here impeded me from fetching Carlie¡­" Ted muttered to himself as he started to treat Carlie as a dead Monster already.


    "Surely, General Chimera will understand me, since there is no way that I can just get near 5 Divine Knights to get Carlie out." Ted thought to himself, as if he was convincing himself that this is what should happen.


    "Ok, time for me to go no-" But before Ted could even blast away, he suddenly felt a powerful suction force latching on him from behind.


    "No!!!" Even without looking back, Ted perfectly knew where this suction force came from.


    But just to make sure, Ted looked back, and what he saw just confirmed his worst fears.


    He saw Divine Knight BloodMoon holding a red gourd, with its open end facing at Ted''s direction.


    Wooshing sounds could be heard as Ted saw dust, winds, twigs and small monsters being sucked towards the open hole in the red gourd.


    Ted tried to flail his body around as he realized that he was about to get sucked in too.


    "Ahh!!" But no matter what Ted did, he was unable to resist the suction force, as he was catapulted high into the air, right into the gaping hole of the red gourd.


    "Ahh!!!" But before he was fully sucked in the red gourd, Ted felt a hand clamping on his neck, effectively halting his movement.


    "!!!" Ted does not like anyone touching him without his permission, so he immediately attempted to burn the hand grasping him.


    However, Ted did not smell any burnt flesh from what he did. Instead the feedback that Ted got was pain as the hand started to squeeze his neck tightly.


    "Hra!!!" Ted croaked out as he tried his best to not get crushed to death.


    He casted a pleading look to the hand''s owner, and his eyes landed upon the smiling visage of Divine Knight Barrios.


    "Yo, do you even have manners or what?" The simple-looking Knight said as he gave Ted a friendly smile. He also added another extra squeeze, making Ted grunt in pain.


    "Hra¡­."


    The smile on the Divine Knight''s face suddenly vanished, as he loomed all over Ted with a nasty grin. "Try burning me again, and you will see that your whole body will be extinguished here."


    "Nod nod." Ted nodded his head frantically, feeling slight relief as he realized that he was still alive.


    This made Ted feel hope as he realized that maybe, these Divine Knights wanted something from him.


    This theory of his was confirmed when the scary Divine Knight Glaivewood suddenly opened his mouth, saying,


    "Depending on how you answer my question, you could leave alive. So, listen carefully."


    "Nod nod." Ted nodded once more, this time with a hint of desperation and alertness.


    "So¡­" Divine Knight Glaivewood''s mouth set itself in a thin line as he slowly said,


    "Tell me what is your purpose on coming near this location. Don''t try to deny that you are not going to go in this place. I knew just from the way that you moved earlier that you are also going at the same place as ousr. So, if you want to stay alive, tell me exactly your purpose on coming here."


    "...." Ted stayed silent as he realized that he must craft his answer well.


    From the looks of it, whatever the Divine Knights wanted to do with Ted will only happen if Ted will give the right answer.


    "But what is the right answer?" Ted thought grimly to himself as he looked at the scary Divine Knights that are all staring down on him.


    Ted knew that he cannot just say that he was here to fetch Carlie. He was sure that this is the wrong answer.


    As for what the correct answer was, it all depended on the goal of the Divine Knights here.


    With this thought in his mind, Ted started to observe the Divine Knights in front of him.


    They were all armored, and all of them seemed to have brought their weapons with them.


    It was as if they were ready to fight¡­


    "I see..." If Ted could grin then he could do it right now. The answer was so simple and so elegant.


    "I am here¡­ to fight against the Visitor Monsters." Ted replied, carefully saying his words in a way that it will sound real. "General Chimera¡­ was not happy with those two Visitor Monsters nearby. As for why he was not happy, he did not say it. He just said that he wanted them dead. So, here I am, ready to fight against them two.But from the looks of it, all of you 5 are all ready to fight them¡­"


    "Hmph, you are lucky that you gave the right answer!" Divine Knight Barrios replied unhappily as he released his hold on Ted.


    Ted took this as his chance to stabilize his already shaken body.


    "Since you are here to fight them, then you should accept the temporary truce that I will offer you." Divine Knight Glaivewood said as he gave Ted a dismissive look. "If you choose to not accept it, then prepare to be terminated in ten seconds."


    "¡­"


    "Ten."


    "I accept the truce!" Ted hastily said as he raised his hands in supplication. "I will happily cooperate with you all!"


    "Good. Now let''s get moving." Before Ted could let out a yelp, he was once more yanked away from his comfort zone by the scary Knights.


    "F**k, what did I do to deserve such a bad luck like this?" Ted wailed to himself as he looked down in despair. "Can someone tell me?"


    If Carlie was here, she surely had a lot of answers for that.

 Chapter 82 Use your request righ

    Ted stayed quiet as the Divine Knights brought him closer and closer to their destination.


    At the instant that they arrived, what they saw were only two figures.


    One was that of a blonde lady, and the other one was that of a shadow monster.


    "There you are¡­" Ted thought idly to himself as he saw Carlie lying down beside the blond woman.


    She did not look injured at all, although Ted felt that something was off with the current Carlie¡­


    Ted tried to see what was wrong with her, but with him currently in danger from the Divine Knights, there is no way that he can pinpoint the weird sensation that he was feeling from Carlie.


    "Teresa!" Ted looked behind him, and he saw Divine Knight Glaivewood wearing an expression of surprise and relief on his face.


    Ted then looked back at the blond woman, and there he realized that the Divine Knight and the blond woman looked quite similar to each other.


    "Father¡­" Teresa replied faintly, as if it took everything that she had to just speak. "You came¡­"


    "Of course my daughter, I will always come for you!" the Divine Knight shouted as he suddenly disappeared.


    Before Ted could realize what had happened, the Divine Knight appeared beside Teresa, pulling her into a big hug.


    "It''s a good thing that you are okay¡­" Ted was sure that Divine Knight Glaivewood was about to cry right now, and it was only his dignity as a Divine Knight that was holding them back.


    "Father I¡­" But before Teresa could answer, Divine Knight Glaivewood froze, as his eyes were suddenly focused on Carlie herself.


    "Yes, do it!" Ted thought with excitement as he saw what was happening.


    Given the notoriety of Divine Knight Glaivewood, there is a chance that he will kill Carlie right now.


    "It will be better if that b**ch is dead¡­" Ted thought with relish as he waited for the attack with a bated breath. "Come on, do it now!"


    Of course Ted knew that if Carlie dies, then his mission will be a failure. But well, what can Ted do against a Divine Knight? Absolutely nothing.


    "Father! Don''t do anything against her!" But to Ted''s disappointment, Teresa stepped in to spoil the fun. "I owe her my freedom!"


    "What?" The words of his daughter seemed to have roused him up, as the Divine Knight looked at Teresa with confusion. "What do you mean by that?"


    "Father¡­" Ted saw Teresa taking a deep breath, as if she was preparing herself to give a speech.


    "I was not the only one captured by those Monsters. This Shadow Monster was captured by the Tentacle Monster 3 weeks ago." Teresa said these words slowly, as if she wanted to make her father understand what she was saying. "Both of us were then placed on the same location, and there we were forced to wait until this day."


    "But how does that relate to your claim that this monster saving you?" Ted saw the Divine Knight''s halberd glowing faintly, as if he was storing power inside it. "Explain that to me right now."


    "Yes father." Teresa replied as he nodded her head. "You can say that Carlie¡­"


    "You knew her name?"


    "Yes, father, I know her name! Can you let me speak first?"Ted was impressed with the spunk that this Teresa had. She seems to have inherited her father''s ferociousness. "You told me that interrupting is bad, right?"


    "Ok, ok¡­" The scary Divine Knight cowered under his daughter''s glare, making it hard for Ted to believe that he was scared of this Knight.


    "So basically, Carlie right here managed to convince the Tentacle Monster and the Vampire Queen Monster to leave this World and free us both. That is the reason why you can only see us here, and not the other two Monsters."


    Teresa said these words carefully as she gave a nod to Carlie. Carlie responded in kind, giving back a nod of hers too.


    The stunned silence that followed was something that even Ted had no courage to break.


    "What¡­" When Divine Knight Glaivewood managed to find his voice back, it was quite obvious that he was still shocked with what he heard. "Are you sure that they left already?"


    "Yes Father, I said it already earlier." Teresa replied as she bit her lips. "If it were not of Carlie, I will still be in a hostage situation. So please, do not try to kill her."


    "....."


    "....."


    Ted waited with a bated breath, as he wished that Divine Knight Glaivewood is a stubborn man who will not listen to his daughter.


    "You¡­ are quite lucky that I am in a good mood today." Divine Knight Glaivewood said after staying silent for a minute. "Since you saved my daughter''s life, I will allow you to scram right now. You can consider that as my repayment to you."


    "S**t, now she gets off alive." Ted thought sourly to himself as he saw what was happening. "Tsk, you really are lucky¡­"


    The other Divine Knights nodded after hearing what Divine Knight Glaivewood said, as if they thought that what he said was enough. Even Ted begrudgingly thought so too.


    But it seems like someone was not satisfied with what the Divine Knight said.


    "Wait Father, that''s it?" Teresa seemed to be mildly affronted with what her father said, as she glared at him with her eyes. "Letting her leave is the favor that you will give to her? It seems like you are being unfair here."


    "Unfair? She is still a Monster!" The Divine Knight argued back as he looked back at his daughter with narrowed eyes. "Don''t tell me¡­ that you are sympathizing with them now?"


    "Of course not, Father!" Teresa hotly replied as she crossed her arms. "I know that my duty is to kill off Monsters, but I also have another principle, which you taught to me when I was young. You remember it, right?"


    "A Knight must always repay the favors given to him¡­" DIvine Knight Glaivewood replied wearily, as if saying these words had taken out a lot from him.


    "See? Even if Carlie is a Monster, she still saved my life right now. So, excluding the part where you let her leave this place alive, you must also repay the favor that she gave to me!" Teresa declared as she glared at her father. "Surely, you, a Divine Knight, is prepared to repay a favor, right?"


    "Hahaha, your daughter has grown up now!" Divine Knight Barrios said while giggling. "She can even hold her own against her father in an argument, hahaha! What a sight to see!"


    "Shut up!"


    "Ok¡­"


    "..."


    "..."


    Divine Knight Glaivewood spent anotherminute staring only at Carlie intently, with Ted wishing that he will not listen to what his daughter said.


    "Ok." The Divine Knight let out a sigh as he slowly said,


    "Since my daughter had a point, I will do one thing for you. However," The Divine Knight hastily added, as he saw his daughter loosening up. "You must tell me what I should do right now. You cannot save this for tomorrow or other days.I will only repay the favor right now. If you can''t think of anything that you want me to do, then you get nothing from me. Oh, and I will not entertain commandments that is immoral and against me, my daughter, and my allies nearby."


    "¡­.."


    "Well, I think that is reasonable enough." Ted thought to himself as he realized that the Divine Knight was also a schemer. "By placing a time limit, the Divine Knight can force Carlie to make a hasty, half-baked decision. Well done indeed."


    Even if Ted was scared of the Divine Knights, he was sure that gaining a favor from one of them was a very favorable ace.


    Fortunately, Carlie can only use this favor right at this moment, so Ted''s jealousy went down by half.


    "So, I actually still have some luck sticking on me..." Ted thought to himself as he shook his head in mirth.


    However, Ted realized that he was actually wrong.


    Bad luck is still plaguing him.


    "I want him dead." This is the answer that Carlie gave to the Divine Knight, with her finger pointing at Ted himself. "Kill him, and that will suffice the repay the favor."


    "!!!!!" If Ted could escape right now, then he could have done so already, as he realized that Carlie had f**ked him over.


    "Oh, that guy?" Divine Knight Glaivewood looked at the panicked expression on Ted''s face, and then to Carlie''s face that was warped in anger. "It seems like you two have a bad history then."


    "Just kill him now, please." Carlie replied monotonously as she let out a sigh. "We all want to go back to our homes already, right?"


    "¡­Well said. I shall accept that as your request." The Divine Knight''s haldberd started to glow brightly, filling the whole forest with a golden glow that seemed to have purified everything.


    "No!!! Please let me live!" Ted shouted as he began to struggle in his place. "I-I can tell you everything about General Chimera! I can tell you about his weakness and his strengths! I can tell you everything about the Monsters and the Queen Mother! Just let me survive!"


    "¡­Now I understand why this Shadow Monster wanted you dead." Divine Knight Glaivewood said with a disgusted expression in his face. "You are just one, filthy bastard."


    "Schwung!"


    Divine Knight Glaivewood swung his halberd, and a golden arc of light erupted from it, covering Ted from his head to toe.


    "Ahhh!!!" Ted shouted in agony as his whole body was being ripped apart by the light. He tried everything that he can to withstand the attack, but it was all futile.


    "B**ch! I curse you! I curse you!" This is the last words that Ted said as his body disappeared, unable to withstand the power of the golden light.

 Chapter 83 Yum yum yum!

    6 hours later, at the Glaivewood Mansion.


    Teresa and her father had no time to admire the 3-storey ancestral mansion that is currently owned by Sylvester.


    Both of them were emotionally spent, and the first thing that Teresa did was to go to her room.


    "..."


    Her room was quire reminiscent of her taste.


    Minimalistic with a touch of gold.


    Teresa duly ignored the maids and their butler as she went straight to her bed.


    A tired-looking Sylvester came in to her room a minute later, with his face looking quite unsure.


    "Are you sure that you do not want to talk to me first?" Sylvester muttered as he looked at his daughter, who was sitting on her bed.


    "Father, I¡­" Teresa looked hesitantly at her father, as if she wanted to say something badly to him. "Sorry, but I need some time alone first."


    Teresa then proceeded to hug her knees as she laid down on the bed, with her back facing Sylvester.


    It was quite obvious that Teresa is not reciprocative for any kind of talking right now.


    "I see¡­" Sylvester seemed to have understood what Teresa wanted him to do, as he started to slowly leave the room. "You can take all the time that you want to rest. And you can rest assured you are safe here. None of those Monsters can take you away from me now."


    "¡­I love you Father." Teresa faintly said as the door closed. "See you tomorrow¡­"


    The door then closed with a slight thud, hiding the expression on Sylvester''s face.


    But just a second after the door closed, the door opened once more, with Sylvester''s face looking at Teresa intently.


    "Teresa¡­" Sylvester''s voice sounded grave, as if he just remembered something important. "You¡­ have a special ability that only the two of us knew¡­ Care to tell me what it is, and can you demonstrate it to me?''


    "I''m an empath, Father." Teresa replied with a slightly fed-up expression on her face. "As for demonstration¡­ I can sense two cats nearby, both with angry and territorial emotions. I think they are fighting over something, maybe for a mate."


    "¡­ That was precise." Sylvester said as he regarded Teresa with a more serious look. "You were never able to be this precise before."


    That statement was not a question.


    "Father, my experience with those Monsters made me realize many things, and it also made me¡­ more mature." Teresa replied as she gave her father a deprecating smile. "My empath abilities¡­ they were affected by this perspective change¡­"


    "I see¡­" Sylvester looked down again, as both the and Teresa went silent again.


    "How about your cultivation? Why could I not sense anything about it?" Sylvester worriedly asked, as he gave Teresa another worried look. "I could not help but notice that you are not letting out any hint of Golden Energy even until now."


    "Ah about that¡­" Teresa looked around her, as if she was struggling to say something. In the end, she let out a sigh as she said,


    "My cultivation¡­ is currently sealed."


    "Sealed?" Sylvester naturally raised his eyebrows at this, as he looked extremely angry. In fact, his anger was so great that the whole mansion started to shake. "Which bastard did that?"


    "The Tentacle Monster." Teresa replied quickly as she let out a snarl.


    "Since when?" Sylvester''s question sounded just as angry as he looked. "when did he put that seal on you?"


    "On the day that they captured me." Teresa said as she let out a mocking smile, which was probably for herself. "They told me that that seal will lock my cultivation and until now, it is still sealing me."


    "..."


    "..."


    "F**k that, let me remove that seal now!" Sylvester abruptly said as he stretched his hand towards Teresa, with his hands rippling with a golden glow.


    But before he could touch Teresa''s forehead, Teresa stopped him, as she gave him a pleading look.


    "Father, I think you should not do that." Teresa replied as she slowly backed away from Sylvester''s hand. "The Tentacle Monster told me that if anyone tries to tamper with the seal, it will erupt, which will heavily injure me."


    "Are you sure that he is saying the truth?" Sylvester grumbled, as the floor beneath him began to crack. "Maybe he is just bluffing you."


    "I do not know, Father, I do not know!" At that point, Teresa started to cry, with tears spilling down on her gorgeous face. "Father, I do not know if he is lying or not! But just to be sure, please don''t do anything that can trigger the seal, ok?"


    "Ok darling, I promise." Sylvester said as he gritted his teeth. "I can do something like that, of course."


    Because of the words that his daughter said, Sylvester could be seen carefully treading around Teresa, as he feared that he could do something detrimental if he went aboveboard.


    "....."


    "....."


    Poor Sylvester could only stare at his distressed daughter, as he looked somewhat powerless to do anything.


    In the end, Sylvester still could not hold it in as he said, "But Teresa, you should know that we cannot just let you stay that way forever! It will just ruin you if we do not do anything about it!"


    "I know Father, I know." Teresa replied wearily as she let out a sad smile. "But according to the Tentacle Monster, the seal will disappear tomorrow, and once that happens, I will be able to regain my cultivation too."


    "And do you believe that?" Sylvester slowly replied as he saw his daughter calming down. "Do you think that you will actually regain your cultivation tomorrow?"


    "I do not know, Father." Teresa replied sadly. "I guess we just have to see it tomorrow¡­"


    "Hmph, I do not want to take chances like that!" Sylvester replied as he stood up straight.


    "No matter what happens to the seal tomorrow, whether it disappears or stay as it is, both of us will go to the Mage Division Headquarters. I am sure that they have something that can help you out. So, sleep tight so that we can leave tomorrow in good spirits, ok?"


    "Ok, father." Teresa replied obediently, with most of her tears already gone. "Good night...."


    "Good night to you too." Sylvester replied, as he closed the door to Teresa''s room.


    "¡­.."


    At the instant that he left, Teresa suddenly leapt up, approaching the door and then locking it swiftly, all within a span of just a second.


    She then went back to her bed, staying silent for another 30 minutes.


    Once the 30-minute mark had passed by, Teresa let out a sigh as she slowly said,


    "Holy f**k, that Divine Knight is so scary¡­ Good thing my disguise held up. That fairy dust really is hax¡­"


    *****************


    The ''Teresa'' that Sylvester had rescued from the forest earlier was naturally Alex, currently disguised with the Fairy Dust.


    As for the ''Carlie'' that they saw earlier, that was disguised Alina.


    They already started their infiltration plan earlier, and now they were on their way to its completion.


    With the one-week period buffer time that they had, Alex and Alina were able to mindscour both the real Teresa and Carlie about the vital information that will keep their disguise safe.


    With their upgraded minds, both of them were able to easily memorize the important info, with the minor ones skimmed over lightly.


    But Alex was sure that even with his body having a great disguise and his mind filled with the right info, there is still a chance that his disguise is blown.


    So in order to prevent that, Alex had acted like a sad and mopey kid earlier. This naturally forced Sylvester to limit his interactions with his disguised persona.


    "Hehehe, good thing Teresa''s father did not grill me that much earlier." Alex thought to himself, remembering how quiet Sylvester had been earlier. "He must have been worried about his daughter''s mental state¡­"


    Out of his interaction with Sylvester earlier, there are only two close calls.


    The first one was with regards to Teresa''s empath abilities.


    Alex was quite lucky that his FED Manipulation was extremely similar to Teresa''s empath abilities. This allowed Alex to pretend that he really was Teresa, as he showcased emotion reading skills that only ''someone like Teresa'' could do.


    The second close call came from the fact that Alex had none of the Golden Energy that Teresa had.


    Were it not for Alex''s bluff that ''Teresa'' currently had her cultivation sealed, then he could have been outed already.


    The bit where ''the seal will injure me when it was probed'' was just another ploy placed by Alex in order to prevent Sylvester from inspecting him directly.


    "Hehehehe¡­"


    Even if he was in a tense situation right now, Alex still smiled, as he knew that his bluff had worked quite pretty well against Sylvester.


    But Alex knew that this explanation will not hold merit for long.


    The longer he pretends that ''Teresa'' was sealed, the more suspicious Sylvester will be.


    So, Alex decided to say that the seal will ''disappear'' tomorrow, in order to appease Sylvester.


    However, that statement gives Alex another problem.


    Since he said that the seal will ''disappear'' tomorrow, then that means that he must have Teresa''s full abilities by tomorrow too.


    If not, then he will really be in some hot water¡­


    Fortunately for Alex, he already had a way to solve that.


    "Asteria, regarding the Bonus Mission, am I considered to have infiltrated the Human Faction already?" Alex inquired at the sulky Asteria, who seemed to still be angry at him.


    "Yes, the Endless Monarch determined that you have successfully infiltrated the Human Faction already." Teresa replied with a fed-up expression on her face. "But if you want to get the reward, then Alina must infiltrate the Monster Faction successfully too."


    "Well, in that case, I will wait then." Alex replied as he laid back on Teresa''s bed.


    His body, which currently looked feminine, looked extremely sultry as Alex stared up at the ceiling.


    "Once Alina helps me complete the Bonus Mission, I will be able to gain 2 Years of Lifespan. Once that happens¡­" Alex grinned a little, as if he could see something interesting. "I will be free to roam the Human Faction already."


    "¡­.."


    Alex waited for two more hours before he receiving a notification from Asteria.


    "Hmph, Alina had successfully infiltrated the Monster Faction too." Asteria said as she gave Alex a dirty look. "With that happening, I declare you two completing this Bonus Mission. You, Alex, will get the 2 Years of Lifespan reward."


    "¡­.."


    Alex suddenly felt a warm feeling inside him, as if there was something that rejuvenated him.


    Alex tried to enjoy this feeling, as he knew that this feeling would not last for long.


    "...¡­"


    3 minutes later


    "Asteria." Alex cheerfully said as he let out an excited look on his face. He looked quite refreshed, as if he was suddenly filled with life. "With the current Lifespan that I have, I want to buy another Abyss Tome."


    "¡­And what Abyss Tome will buy, Traveler?" Asteria replied formally, with her face still wearing the slightest hints of smile in it. "But before you buy, let me remind you Traveler that you must be careful with what you buy. You might get the wrong one if you get careless..."


    "I know." Alex replied as confidently, as he already had an idea on which Abyss Tome he should buy.


    "Give me¡­" Alex''s words trailed, as he tired to make his answer sound suspenseful. "Abyss Tome: Greed."

 Chapter 84 Pillage

    Asteria tilted her head as she gave Alex a sly smile. "So, you are going that route huh."


    "Well, this is the best thing that I can do for now." Alex shrugged as he continued on flopping down on the bed. "Oh now that I noticed it, this bed smells real good..."


    "Ew, what a creep." Asteria muttered to herself as she touched the symbol on Alex''s forehead.


    "Um Asteria¡­" Alex slowly said as he saw Asteria about to do her job. "Can you make the appearance of the Tome less flashy? I don''t want the Divine Knight to sense anything weird¡­"


    "Ok ok¡­" Asteria replied quickly as she gave Alex an irritated look. "I am about to do that, and you just ruined it by telling me that I should do it¡­"


    "Oh." Alex said, not understanding why Asteria was angry again. "Go on then."


    "¡­.." This time there was only a slight glow, as another old book appeared in front of Alex.


    This time the book had a huge, gaping mouth in its cover, complete with serrated teeth and dripping drool.


    Alex slightly recoiled upon seeing this, immediately not liking what he was seeing.


    What made his distaste worse was the fact that there was a 12-inch long tongue lolling out from the mouth, and it was doing its very best to lick Alex.


    "Ugh, this is the Abyss Tome: Greed? I thought it will look like something cool..." Alex muttered to himself as he gingerly touched the book.


    At the instant that he touched it, the book turned into particulates which entered Alex''s body.


    Alex closed his eyes as he slowly assimilated the contents of the Tome with his mind.


    He opened his eyes a minute later, feeling more rejuvenated than before.


    "Ok, 2 down, 5 more to go in the future¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he checked out his body.


    "So, how do you feel now, Alex?" Asteria inquired as she flopped on top of his head. "Do you feel the urge to steal something or just wreck lives?"


    "Huh? No!" Alex hotly replied as she gave Asteria a glare. "I am not feeling anything like that! Wait, are you expecting that to happen to me?"


    "Of course not!" This time it was Asteria who looked offended. "I was just joking, ok? Tsk, can''t you even take a joke?"


    "I am always wary as long as you do something to me." Alex replied as he shook his head wryly. "After all, you seem serious on making me miserable¡­"


    "That is just what you think, you paranoid hooman." Asteria angrily replied as she placed her hands on her hips. "Hey, instead of bickering with me, why don''t you go and check out what you got?"


    "Right, right¡­" Alex said as he began to inspect his new Tome.


    "...Ok, that is weird." The longer that Alex inspected his Tome, the more that he realized that Abyss Tome: Greed was actually unique.


    Unlike Abyss Tome: Envy, Abyss Tome: Greed does not have many spells in it. It only had one spell, which can be considered to be just an auxiliary spell in a sense.


    This spell is called Pillage, and it comprises all the abilities that Alex gets from the Abyss Tome: Greed.


    What the Pillage Spell does is just simple. It allows the user to steal all the power of his/her target.


    Once stolen, the user can keep the stolen power, or they can give back the stolen power to its original owner.


    Now, this may sound unfair, but there are two limitations on it.


    >>>First Limitation<<<


    [[[The spell Pillage can only be used on targets with lower power level than the user.]]]


    This just means that Alex cannot use Pillage on targets that are much more powerful than him.


    Alex cannot use Pillage on any Divine Knight, as they are much more powerful than Alex.


    But if Alex''s target was something like a Grade 1 Monster Rabbit, then he can easily pillage its power.


    >>>Second Limitation<<<


    [[[There is a limit on the amount of Powers that can be Pillaged. It is not unlimited.]]]


    This means that Alex cannot just Pillage numerous amounts of power to himself. There is still a limit to the amount of powers that he can steal.


    The total amount of powers that Alex can pillage is determined by the Grade of Abyss Tome: Greed that Alex is in right now.


    The number of Grades will equate to the number of Slots that can hold in pillaged powers.


    One Grade means one Slot for powers.


    Reaching Grade 1 will unlock 1 Slot, Grade 2 will unlock 2 Slots, and so on and so forth.


    Right now, Alex is:


    {{{Grade 1 in Abyss Tome: Greed}}}


    {{{Grade 4 in Abyss Tome: Envy.}}}


    Since the slots will only depend on the Grade of Abyss Tome: Greed, Alex currently had only 1 Slot for Pillage.


    This means that the number of powers that he can pillage amounts to a maximum of only 1 power.


    Thisstill looks limited, but Alex was fairly confident with what he can get.


    Right now, Alex''s list of stolen powers looks like this:


    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Empty Slot, needs to Pillage power.


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 2 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 3 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 4 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    By looking at this list, Alex realized that once he reaches Grade 12, the maximum amount of Slots that he can get is 12 Slots.


    This is somewhat an enticing number, but Alex knew that it will still take him a long time to reach Grade 12, so he had to make do with 1 slot for now.


    But even with the restrictions on the Pillage Spell, Alex knew that he can have a great time using Pillage, as he only needed to find the right people to Pillage from.


    And right now, there is someone that Alex was willing to try it on.


    "Teresa had always been weaker than my power, even in our first meeting.Since her total power level is lower than mine, then it just means that I can Pillage her abilities for myself!"


    This is the master plan of Alex that will allow him to pretend as Teresa perfectly.


    By using Pillage on the much weaker Teresa, Alex can temporarily take all of her Golden Knight Abilities for himself.


    Once he did that, Alex will just have to use these abilities tomorrow, and that will surely fool the Divine Knight perfectly.


    Of course Alex will not take Teresa''s Golden Knight Power for long.


    He will return Teresa''s powers once he and Alina leaves this world.


    He will return all of it, without a single drop withheld.


    After all, Alex knew that Teresa was a decent person, so leaving her powerless forever is not just right for him.


    So technically speaking, what Alex will do is to just ''borrow'' Teresa''s power. He will also return it once he was done using it.


    "Time to look at her then." Alex muttered to himself as he closed his eyes in concentration.


    With the way that Alex appeared right now, it seemed like he was busy looking for something, and indeed, he was looking for something.


    "Found it."


    One second later, and he found out what he was looking for.


    He felt the connection that he was looking for, and he used it to access what he wanted.


    "Woosh~" Alex found himself looking at a large space, with objects and people inside it.


    This large space was Alina''s Space Storage, which was created when she combined her Esper and Monster Abilities together.


    This is where Alina usually stores everything that she owns, including some living objects.


    Since this was Alina''s ability, it should have been only her who can access it.


    But Alex was able to plead Alina to allow him access to her Storage too, and here he is, looking at the contents of Alina''s Space Storage.


    "This is impressive." Alex muttered to himself, as he realized that he was able to access Alina''s Storage Space even when he and Alina were hundreds of kilometers away from each other.


    "With this storage accessible for both of us, we can easily use this storage to send messages to each other." Alex thought to himself as he began to write a letter addressed to Alina.


    He then left this letter inside the Space Storage, knowing that Alina will find and read it later.


    "Ok, now that I am done with the letter, its time for me to see the real attraction in this place." Alex muttered as he looked at the only living beings inside the Space Storage, who were all staring at him.


    "Yo, wassup." Alex said as he looked at Teresa, Carlie, and the 5 little monsters, all looking at Alex with surprise.


    "Hello!" The 5 little monsters have been all traine- taught by Alina to treat Alex well. Because of that, they greeted him politely as they saw him. They were even unfazed with his current disguise.


    As for Carlie, she was only silent, with her body still recuperating from her injuries.


    Alex actually found it hard to believe that someone like Carlie could just stay calm in her situation. With the way that she attacked them before, Alex thought that she was someone who will trash out just to escape.


    But that was not had happened. Carlie just stayed quiet, and she did not do anything threatening or worrying.


    Alex had a suspicion that Carlie was all like this because of Alina whispering something on Carlie''s ear a week ago.


    "..." Alex was not sure what Alina said to Carlie a week ago, but it was somewhat enough to make Carlie stay like this in the Storage.


    If Carlie and the 5 little monsters were subdued and calm, the remaining person surely not is.


    "F**k you!" This is Teresa''s only reply as she glared at Alex. "Once I get out here, I will make sure that I will-"


    "Oh, just zip your mouth, ok?" Alex said as he gestured Teresa to shut up. "You had been cursing me already since you saw my disguise. Am I really that bad to you?"


    "Creep! Pervert! Pedo!" Teresa said venomously as spit flew out of her mouth. "I won''t forgive you for taking my face and preventing to be Father''s daughter!"


    "Well, I had to do some things, and this is the best disguise that I can use." Alex said as he shrugged his shoulders.


    "You motherfu-"


    "We had an agreement 3 days ago, right?" Alex suddenly said as he looked down at the livid Teresa. "In that agreement, you allowed me to use this disguise of yours, and to take your powers temporarily too. Surely, you are not reneging on that agreement?"


    "Tsk!" Teresa gritted her teeth, as she looked like she had been cornered. "F**king agreement, if I only did not need both of your help, then I would not have joined in that agreement!"


    "Hehehe too bad for you, you already did." Alex said as he placed the matter of their agreement with Teresa at the back of his mind.


    The agreement that he and Alina made with Teresa was a tightly-guarded secret, so much so that Alex forced himself to not think about it just to maintain its secrecy.


    "¡­Fine." Teresa sullenly replied, as her temper seemed to have cooled off as she deflated a little. "Stupid agreement!"


    "¡­.."


    "¡­.."


    Both of them then stayed silent, with both of them waiting for the other to talk.


    It was Teresa who broke off the silence, looking at Alex with narrowed eyes.


    "Tentacle guy¡­" Teresa mumbled as she let out a soft sigh. Her voice was currently soft, as her anger seemed to have entirely disappeared. "I do not need to guess it anymore, you are here to ''borrow'' my powers already, right?"


    "Touche." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "Are you ready now?"


    "I am not, so please just get done with it." Teresa replied curtly as he closed her eyes in exasperation."I still have to sleep, so just do it now."


    "..."

 Chapter 85 Mouth

    "This girl¡­" Alex''s irritation at Teresa just reached its peak, as he realized that Teresa is becoming just as annoying as Asteria already.


    "Let''s see if you can keep your mouthy attitude after this." Alex muttered to himself as he slowly said,


    <{[ Pillage ]}>


    A ghostly shape then suddenly appeared behind Alex, bearing an appearance that elicited some terrified squeaks from the little monsters, especially from No. 4, who started to whimper a little.


    From the looks of it, they were all scared by the projection behind Alex.


    Even Carlie was affected too, as she moved back by several paces, looking at the ghostly shape behind Alex with wariness.


    Alex tilted his head, feeling unsure on why they were this apprehensive.


    "Why are you that scared, did I summon something bad?" Alex muttered as they saw their eyes focused not on him, but right above his head.


    "Oh, so there is something behind me then¡­"


    Upon seeing their reactions, Alex decided to look behind him, and at the instant that he did it, he saw tte very same projection that had scared the others.


    "Holy motherfather!" Alex cursed out as he almost leapt up from the bed. "You surprised the f**k out of me!"


    What Alex saw was just sheer horror material.


    Floating in front of Alex was a desiccated mouth, completed with its own set of lips, teeth, tongue and jaw.


    The jaw was peppered full of holes, which were pulsating in a sickening beat. Some of the holes were even popping, with each pop producing more and more holes, which just made the sight nastier.


    [Author''s Note: F**king Tryptophobia, now my skin hair is rising while writing this.]


    As for the lips, there were full of pustules, which all looked like they were about to pop out with just a single touch. And unfortunately for Alex, one of the pustules actually pop, which led to a yellowy-white sticky liquid flowing from that popped part.


    As for the teeth, they all looked weathered and battered down, as if there was something that bashed them into submission.


    The teeth were also filled with cracks, with Alex reckoning that one tap can instantly destroy most of the teeth.


    And finally, there was the tongue.


    The tongue however was not just a tongue. It was made up of countless fleshy tendrils, with each tendril pulsating and writhing on its own.


    It was the braid of all these fleshy tendrils that formed the tongue.


    "¡­Calling this a monstrosity will be just an understatement." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at his projection with twitching eyes. "Should you really look like that?"


    After seeing the horrifying appearance of his projection, Alex was able to understand why his companions had such an extreme reaction.


    "Skreee..." To Alex''s surprise, Mouth(this is what Alex decided to call this projection for now) actually let out a high-pitched sound, as if it was replying to Alex''s question.


    "Oh great, and it seems to be sentient too." Alex muttered as he dropped his arms in exasperation. "What a great nightmare fuel."


    "Skree skree skree?" Mouth tilted its head, as if it was waiting for Alex to give it a command.


    "Ok, it seems like it will follow my commands properly." Alex thought to himself as he looked at Teresa. "Time to test its capabilities then."


    "Go and Pillage the power of this girl." Alex said to Mouth as he pointed his fingers towards Teresa, who was looking at Mouth with an expression of shock and fear.


    "Skreee!!!" Mouth let out another wail, which sounded like an expression of happiness.


    "¡­." Upon seeing the gestures and actions of Mouth, Alex realized that Mouth actually was like a pet.


    Welp, there goes Alex''s dreams of owning a cute pet. Mouth pretty much ruined it all already.


    "Hey, don''t let that thing approach me!" Teresa wailed as she scooted backwards, with her butt scraping the floor.


    She was so gripped with fear that she forgot to stand up and fight.


    "Hey Tentacle Monster, is there no other way for you to get my power temporarily?" Teresa pleadingly asked to Alex as Mouth approached her, with drool flowing out of its mouth. "Can''t you just touch me and suck it all up?"


    "Sorry, but that is not how Pillage works." Alex replied as he gave Teresa a salute. "Don''t worry, Mouth won''t hurt you at all, just let it all happen, and everything will be fine."


    "Of course you gave it a name." Asteria muttered behind Alex, as she gazed at Mouth in disgust. "After all, creepy people attract creepy objects."


    "You know, one of the names I wanted to give Mouth was actually Asteria." Alex replied as Mouth floated right above Teresa''s head. "Maybe I should just give him that name¡­"


    "No you don''t!"


    "Well, we shall talk about that later." Alex grinned to Asteria as Mouth pounced at Teresa. "All, right, it seems like its starting now."


    "....."


    *****************


    Alex watched with interest as he saw Mouth doing its job.


    The first thing that Alex saw was Mouth opening itself wide, with the distance between the upper and the lower halves reaching the maximum value.


    "It''s just like a snake dislocating its jaw to open its mouth to the fullest." Alex thought to himself as he watched what happened next.


    "Glop." Mouth''s creepy tongue then proceeded to cover Teresa, with each fleshy tendril attaching themselves on her skin. A second passed by, and all the fleshy tendrils started to let out a pale green glow.


    Then to Alex amusement, he heard a sucking sound from each tendril, as if they were sucking something from Teresa.


    "¡­.." Alex''s eyes trailed all over the tendrils, as he saw something flowing along the tendrils, with the flow starting at the part of the tendrils attached to Teresa''s skin, and ending inside Mouth''s body.


    "So, the tendrils are the one Pillaging the powers¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he and the others continued to observe the process.


    It was only after a minute passed by that the tendrils retreated from Teresa.


    "Skreee!!!" Mouth immediately bounded towards Alex happily, as if it was proud of its job.


    It approached Alex cheerfully, with the upper part of its body leaning towards Alex.


    "¡­.You want me to pet you?" Alex incredulously asked Mouth as he saw its docile actions.


    "Skree!" Mouth replied quickly, with its body bobbing up and down.


    "Sigh, yeah, I''ll pet you. After all you have done a good job." Alex tried to not show any revulsion on his face as he patted the upper lip of Mouth.


    Alex slightly winced as he heard a squelching sound, as one of his fingers popped open a pustule.


    "Ugh¡­" It was Asteria who did the job of expressing their collective disgust.


    "Um, now that you have Pillaged Teresa''s power, can you give it to me now?" Alex asked slowly as he finished petting Mouth. He tried not to think about the sticky pus on his fingers as he waited for Mouth to move.


    "Skreee!" Mouth said as it spat out something from itself.


    Alex deftly caught it, with him feeling more revulsion.


    He looked carefully at his catch, and what he saw was a pulsating flesh ball.


    The ball seemed to be made up of gold-colored flesh, with veins and arteries visible in its surface. The ball was also letting out a stinky odor, which made Alex think about dead insects.


    The worst thing of all was the ball seemed to be alive too, with it also pulsating, like it was a heart.


    Alex''s eyes twitched as he held the beating ball, as his mouth opened and closed in shock.


    "Should I¡­ eat this ball?" Alex asked with trepidation as he looked at Mouth with a pleading expression. "Please tell me that I should not eat this ball."


    "Skreee!!!" Mouth shouted, as its lips flapped open and close, showing Alex what it wanted to say.


    "F**k this sideways." Alex tried not to cry as he saw that Mouth actually wanted him to eat the flesh ball!


    "Ok, I am so out of here!" Asteria declared as she closed her eyes and left Alex alone. "I am not watching anything that creepy!"


    "¡­" Alex did not say anything for the following seconds, as he stared at the pulsating flesh ball with revulsion and disgust.


    "S**t, s**t, s**t!" Even if Alex usually liked challenges, there are still some things that if possible, he will not do.


    And eating the flesh balls was one of these things.


    "Skree?" Mouth seemed to have noticed Alex''s hesitation, as it let out a sad sound. "Skree?"


    "Ah f**k this!" Alex let out a despairing shout as he realized that there is no way out for him now.


    He opened his mouth wide, dropping the flesh ball inside his mouth.


    "...."


    Alex knew that if someone was about to eat something disgusting, they should not try to taste or bite it, as it will just make the process worse. Swallow the disgusting food as a whole will minimize its negative effects.


    And that is what Alex exactly did, as he decisively swallowed the flesh ball, with him not chewing or even trying to taste the flesh ball.


    Once Alex felt that the ball was already gliding down in his esophagus, he grabbed a can of water in the storage, and he then drank half of it in order to push the ball down.


    "Glug, glug, glug."


    The ball instantly appeared at his stomach, and there it started to do its magic.


    Even without Alex monitoring his internals, he could feel that the flesh ball broke into tiny pieces inside his stomach, with each piece spreading out in his body.


    The spreading out was accompanied by a warm and fuzzy feeling which covered Alex''s whole body too.


    "Ahh~" Alex could not help but let out a moan as he found the sensation to be too comfortable.


    It even made him temporarily forget the nauseating experience that he had earlier.


    The whole process lasted for around 5 minutes, and it was only at the end of this time that Alex felt normal again.


    Alex then heard a slight ping inside his mind, prompting him to look at the interface of his stolen powers.


    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Grade 3 Golden Knight Power


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 2 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 3 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 4 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    "Hahaha, there it is!" Alex whooped happily as he saw the Grade 1 Slot being filled with the Grade 3 Golden Knight Power.


    "Now, I can use all the abilities that Teresa had as a Grade 3 Golden Knight¡­" Alex thought to himself as he started to hug Mouth. "Now, my disguise is perfect!"


    "You, you are the MVP here!" Alex said as he ignored the pus that covered his clothes. "Ok, from now on, you shall be my primary pet!"


    "Skree!!!" Mouth let out its loudest reply ever, obviously showing its happiness.


    The pair continued giggling and laughing to each other, prompting a still disgusted and shocked Asteria to just shake her head in dismay.


    "Just like what I said earlier, creepy people attract creepy objects¡­"

 Chapter 86 Five Minds are Better Worse than One

    "Are you enjoying your meal?" General Chimera said as he looked at the monster busy gorging food in front of him. "That food was always enjoyed by your General."


    "Nom nom nom." The monster that General Chimera was talking to did not reply, as she just continued on eating.


    "¡­" General Chimera tried to not show his irritation as he gave the monster a smile. "Carlie, you need to say some words too. You are talking to a General after all."


    "It was delicious." Carlie replied after clearing the plate in front of her. Her hands never stopped moving, as she immediately feasted on the next plate.


    "Nom nom nom."


    "¡­" General Chimera tried to not sigh as he watched what Carlie was doing.


    "She just came back from earlier, and she demanded food like this? This is really weird¡­" General Chimera thought to himself as he blocked out Carlie''s chewing sounds.


    **********************


    [[[1 hour earlier.]]]


    After he sent out Ted earlier, General Chimera used the next hours to wait for Ted''s return, along with Carlie.


    But to General Chimera''s surprise, it was only Carlie who came back. Ted was nowhere to be found, and Carlie looked to be filled with injuries.


    General Chimera naturally was enraged, up to the point that he was about to attack Carlie.


    But upon remembering that Carlie was about to visit Queen Mother later, General Chimera realized that he should not hurt Carlie at all.


    Queen Mother''s desire to meet Carlie meant that there is something that she wanted from Carlie. In that case, General Chimera must not offend Carlie at all.


    So instead of lashing out to her, General Chimera calmed himself down, and then he proceeded to ask Carlie about what had happened.


    After asking his question, General Chimera duly listened Carlie''s reply, and he could not help but feel tense at what he heard.


    5 Divine Knights were actually dispatched to meet up with the Visitor Monsters, and from the looks of it, the meeting was not for diplomatic reasons.


    Carlie then said that Ted was just an unlucky monster who met the Divine Knights along the way. Because of their sudden meeting, poor Ted quickly killed by Divine Knight Glaivewood, which explained the lack of the corpse.


    Before General Chimera could poke holes in her story, Carlie continued talking, as she explained how she survived.


    According to Carlie, she was somehow able to convince the Visitor Monsters to leave this World.


    By doing that, the Visitor Monsters left Carlie and a Human girl in the forest.


    And as it turns out, the Human girl was actually the daughter of Divine Knight Glaivewood.


    It was this accidental rescue that allowed Carlie to live and come back to the Monster Faction safely.


    Naturally, General Chimera found what Carlie said to be hard to believe.


    But upon remembering her current status now, General Chimera realized that he should not antagonize her at this moment.


    Why should he grill her, when all that she did was to return alive?


    If Ted is dead, then he is dead already.


    He is just an example of a known fact by the Monster Faction.


    And that is that Monsters die when they are killed.


    Besides, having Ted dead is great, since he''s a selfish a**hole.


    F**k Ted.


    After reaching this point, General Chimera decided to offer her some food. After all, Carlie looked like she can make do with some normal food.


    Carlie quickly agreed, so quick that General Chimera thought that she seemed to be too much excited to eat.


    Of course General Chimera dismissed this notion, as he thought to himself,


    Even if Carlie was hungry, she will not be able to eat that many, right?


    **********************


    [[[Back to the present time.]]]


    TO General Chimera''s surprise and shock, Carlie actually managed to eat a buffet-sized meal, and from the looks of it, she was not stopping to even take a breather.


    "What the hell, did this shadow monster mutate or something?"


    General Chimera knew that a shadow monster like Carlie does not actually need normal food to eat.


    For monsters like her, normal food are just there for slight sustenance or pleasure supplement.


    With that thinking, General Chimera thought that Carlie will just settle for plate and then stop there.


    But what he saw made him think differently.


    <<<Why not just kill her and be done with it?>>> A voice sounded out inside General Chimera''s head, goading him to do the unthinkable.


    <<<Seriously, you can snap her easily with your multiple wrists!>>>


    {{{Kill her? Hell no! Just take a look at her body! Carlie is rocking those slim and tight legs!}}} This time a different voice sounded out inside General Chimera''s head.


    This second voice continued talking, with it sounding lewd and creepy.


    {{{Just push her down on the floor and spread her tight legs! I think she can take your 50-inch d-}}}


    |||Why assault her when you can just torture her?||| This time, another voice interrupted the second voice.


    This third voice sounded calm and methodical, although a hint of insanity could be seen leaking out from it.


    |||Look at her body. She clearly suffered some injuries, and she had already healed from it. That just means that she can take some of the torture implements that I have...|||


    ~~~Oh come on, guys, Sis Carlie is a nice monster! We should not hurt her!~~~ Another voice said.


    This voice was the fourth voice, and unlike the others, it sounded like it belonged to a na?ve, innocent kid.


    ~~~Didn''t Queen Mother say that she wanted to see Sis Carlie? If we do something bad to her, then Queen Mother will get angry! Do you want to make her angry?~~~


    <<<F**k off, pipsqueak! All you do is just play those sissy board games! Why don''t you go back and cry to your momma?>>>


    ~~~Hey, you are bullying me again!~~~


    <<<So what if I am? You suck and we all know it! Just go home and play your games!>>>


    ~~~Waaah!!!!~~~


    {{{F**k it, now you made him cry. How am I supposed to enjoy Carlie''s body later?}}}


    |||You are still thinking of pouring your sexual frustrations on her? You really are a disappointment. I thought you share the same sadistic streak as me, yet you are just another degenerate lusting for carnal pleasures.|||


    {{{Oh shut your mouth, psycho guy. Nobody wants your opinion here.}}}


    |||Oh, are you saying that my intellect is not needed here? Who was that guy again who suggested that we enter Queen Mother''s lair and pump her with our reproductive juices? Who was the idiot who suggested that?|||


    {{{Hey, I was a little excited at that time! I did not mean to say that!}}}


    <<<Hehe, just admit that you are a horny idiot.>


    |||Indeed.|||


    {{{F**k you guys.}}}


    ~~~Waaaah!~~~


    "¡­.." General Chimera closed his eyes as he tried to ignore the 4 voices talking inside his head.


    "Sigh, just hearing them bicker is already wearing me down. F**k this life." General Chimera thought to himself as he let out a despondent sigh.


    Because of the nature of his body, it was inevitable that multiple consciousness will appear inside General Chimera''s mind.


    Of course when they all appeared, General Chimera tried to eliminate them all.


    But out of the mental purging that he did, 4 separate consciousnesses survived, and they now all resided in his mind.


    General Chimera of course tried more ways to remove them, but no matter what General Chimera did, none of them disappeared or even faded away.


    They all just spent their time annoying the c**p out of him, giving him suggestions that were enough to make him shout in anger.


    With his mental prowess, General Chimera can still withstand all 4 of them residing in his head.


    But that mental prowess was not enough to make General Chimera feel happy with them existing.


    |||So, shall we torture her then?|||


    "Of course not." General Chimera mentally replied to Torture Chimera with exasperation. "She did not even do anything that will warrant that."


    <<<So, we kill her then?>>>


    "That''s a big no too." General Chimera said to Murder Chimera quickly. "She is protected right now, got it?"


    {{{Let''s impregnate her then}}}


    "Hell no!" General Chimera shouted to Horny Chimera as he almost cut his tongue in anger. "We will not touch her in any way that might offend her. If we damage her now, Queen Mother will surely bring her wrath on us."


    ~~~Yes, we should avoid making Sis Carlie mad!~~~


    "That''s right kid. That''s what we will do." General Chimera said to Kid Chimera in a soft voice, as he resisted the urge to pet him. After all, petting Kid Chimera will just mean petting himself.


    <<<Kid Chimera really is a f**king liar. You must be planning on something that will f**k us all up, right?>>>


    {{{You think your ''innocent kid act'' will stay hidden for long? Hmph, just you wait! Your f**king schemes will also be revealed on one of these days!!}}}


    |||I refuse to believe someone as pure as you exists. I am sure that you have a penchant of violence hidden inside of you.|||


    ~~~You are all bullying me again! Waaah!!!~~~


    "¡­" At this point, General Chimera decisively ignored these voices. Nothing will come out good once he interrupted them now.


    "Just like what I told you earlier, Queen Mother expressed her desire to see you." General Chimera said as he saw that Carlie seemed to be done eating. "Are you prepared to see her now?"


    "I am prepared already." Carlie tried to not show it, but General Chimera could see that she was both nervous and tense.


    "Don''t be like that, Carlie." General Chimera as he raised one of his massive hands and placing it on top of Carlie''s head. "Queen Mother loves all of us monsters, so you should not be scared on meeting her."


    "But why does the Queen Mother want to see me?" Carlie shot back as she accepted the petting. "I did not do anything that could warrant her attention."


    "I fear that it will be only the Queen Mother that can answer that question." General Chimera replied as he stood up.


    The whole floor creaked, as it seemed to struggle on carrying his weight.


    Carlie stood up too, as she looked at the floor with trepidation.


    "Ignore that, the floor can hold me perfectly." General Chimera chuckled as he started to move his countless legs. "Follow me now. I shall bring you to the Queen Mother''s lair."


    "Ok." Carlie replied as she quietly followed General Chimera.


    {{{Tsk, and there goes all of our fun. Maybe we can invite her to a drink after her meeting with the Queen Mother? Surely she will not decline an invitation from someone as handsome as me.}}}


    <<<Let''s just choke her to death later. I want to see her life flashing from her eyes as I grip her neck tightly.>>>


    {{{Hey, maybe we can make her say ''Choke me Daddy'' while we choke her? That would be fun!}


    |||As much as I loathed the inefficiency of you two, making her say such humiliating things while being choked is a perfect torture. I approve of that method.|||


    ~~~Hey, guys, don''t do that! You will just make her sad¡­~~~


    {{{Shut up kid.}}}


    <<<Shut up kid.>>>


    |||Shut up kid.|||


    ~~~Waaahhh!!!~~~


    "...."

 Chapter 87 Different Degrees of Conflic

    Alina could not help but feel pity for General Chimera as she saw through his struggles.


    Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes were powerful enough to let Alina see that there are other consciousnesses residing inside General Chimera''s mind.


    "Having an extra mind pestering you all day is already bad enough¡­ Having four of them just makes it worse" Alina thought to herself as she followed the gigantic general.


    "Well, that''s what he gets for fusing with many living beings¡­" Alina thought idly to herself, comparing her current disguise with General Chimera''s body.


    When she first met him earlier, Alina had the urge to shout out as she was taken aback by General Chimera''s appearance.


    Even right now, she still held the same wary feelings for him.


    After all, a Monster that was made up of fusion of different Monsters looks just plain terrifying up close.


    After having this thought in her mind, Alina shook her head, as she realized that the must not be concerned about General Chimera first.


    There is still the matter of the Queen Mother herself wanting to meet her.


    "Did She see through my disguise already?" Alina thought to herself as she started to get nervous. "It will not be good if that was the case¡­"


    With all the Mindscour sessions that Alina did with the real Carlie, Alina was able to get all the information that Carlie had about the Queen Mother.


    And after reading all this info about Queen Mother, Alina''s only thought was:


    "I must never offend Her."


    And that thought is still residing inside Alina''s mind right now, which just made her more nervous and tense.


    "Calm down Alina, as long as you do not do anything wrong, you will not be punished at all¡­." Alina thought to herself idly as she continued on following General Chimera. "Just keep it down¡­"


    "We have arrived already." Alina heard General Chimera''s rumbling voice in front of her, prompting her to stop in her tracks.


    She looked up, and she saw General Chimera''s extremely misshapen heads looking down at her.


    Maybe it is just Alina, but she could see a silhouette of a smile hanging in General Chimera''s faces.


    "Just go through this door, and you will see her." General Chimera said as he pointed at the tiny door in front of him. "Don''t worry, the door won''t bite."


    "...."


    Alina was not sure on what to say about that, as she felt that the door looks just as dangerous as the other Monsters nearby.


    The door was made up of different kinds of metal, all carved to show different grotesque and disconcerting shapes. There are also some tentacles carved in the door, which just accentuates its grim appearance.


    Even Alina, who was used to Alex''s tentacle appearance, felt slightly sick as she looked at the shapes decorating the door.


    Alina looked up at General Chimera, giving him a look as if she was saying ''Bruh, are you trippin?''.


    "Just enter the door right now, ok?" General Chimera said with a smile that was also not a smile. "Queen Mother hates to see Monsters loitering in front of her door, so you better go in right now¡­"


    Even Alina does not need to use her All-Seeing Eyes to see that General Chimera was threatening her right now.


    "¡­Here I go then." Alina replied, adopting Carlie''s monotonous voice as she approached the door.


    At first she was not sure on what to do. Should she push or pull the door? Where is the handle anyway? Does she even need to use a handle?


    This state of confusion had Alina stuck in place, as she tried to figure on what to do.


    "Hong~"


    Alina''s confusion was solved when the door in front of her suddenly split in the middle, creating a small opening that was large enough for one person.


    Alina took this as the cue to enter, placing her left foot inside the opening.


    Upon realizing that there are no traps that sprung up yet, Alina took a deep breath as she entered the opening with her whole body.


    "....."


    The first thing that Alina noticed when she entered was the darkness.


    There was no light inside the place that she entered, making the whole place impossible to visually observe.


    The only source of light was through the hole that Alina went in earlier, and even that was not enough to show Alina something.


    "¡­.."


    Seconds passed by as Alina waited for something special to happen.


    Unfortunately for Alina, she did not have to wait for that long as she heard a sound behind her.


    "Zip¡­"


    Alina looked back, and she saw that the opening that she went in from earlier had been closed entirely.


    "What''s next, a jumpscare?" Alina thought scornfully as she looked around her. "I really hate gimmicks like that¡­"


    While Alina was having these idle thoughts, she had thoroughly prepared her powers, with her body ready to let out her Dark Magic and her weakened Esper Ability.


    "..."


    5 minutes later.


    "Woosh~"


    Her preparations seemed to have borne fruit as she suddenly detected a presence approaching her from above.


    "Who goes there?" Alina asked as she looked up, trying to see the intruder.


    Her body began to pulse with power, as she readied herself.


    But before she could even position herself well, she suddenly felt a cold feeling assaulting her body, making her feel extremely tired and drowsy.


    "Sleep now, little one. You will need it for later." A soothing, melodic voice said to Alina as she felt herself succumbing to the darkness. "Sleep now¡­"


    "Ugh!" There was a slight squelching sound, followed by some dripping sounds.


    "Oh my, you really bit your tongue to keep yourself awake. Impressive¡­" The melodic voice said, as if it can see what Alina was doing. "Too bad it will not help you out at all¡­"


    "¡­." Alina tried to make a move, but her legs failed her, forcing her to kneel down on the floor.


    "¡­" Alina tried crawling away from her current spot, but that did not work either as she felt her whole body not responding to her.


    Alina cursed out, as she realized that she was extremely sleepy right now.


    "Sleep, little one." The melodic voice said once more, ignoring Alina''s current appearance. "You will need it for later¡­"


    "...¡­"


    That was the last thing that Alina heard as her consciousness went dark.


    **************************


    [[[6 Hours later.]]]


    [[[Divine Knight Glaivewood''s Mansion]]]


    "Hm, that Teresa actually have some good clothes¡­" Alex thought to himself as he stood in front of the mirror, currently checking out his clothes.


    Because Alex was disguising as Teresa, he had no choice but to wear something that is feminine at best.


    So with the choices that he had in Teresa''s closet, Alex chose the ones that will fit Teresa''s figure.


    Alex chose a thin yellow blouse that emphasized Teresa''s already bountiful bust, and tight, white jeans that wrapped around her legs perfectly.


    One last look at the mirror, and Alex could see that his disguise is rocking the ''perfect girl'' image.


    "Ugh, I will tell Alina all about this." Asteria commented as she gave Alex a wilting look. "Let''s see how she reacts when she finds out that you spent some time doing sexy dress-up with your disguised body. She will surely see you as a creep that you are."


    "Shut it, dumb fairy." Alex snarled as he opened the door of Teresa''s room. "You know that I must not wear boyish clothes, since that could alarm her father."


    "Hmph, give me another honey later!"


    "¡­Fine." Alex replied sullenly as he slowly walked down the stairs.


    "There you are, Teresa!" Alex heard a joyous sound calling out for him from below the stairs, prompting him to look down.


    There he saw the Sylvester Glaivewood, giving Alex a beaming smile.


    The Divine Knight was not wearing his armor, as what replaced it were some normal clothes.


    Alex had to blink his eyes, as he felt a little confused from the Divine Knight''s lack of armor.


    "Is there something wrong, Teresa?" Sylvester Glaivewood seemed to have noticed Alex''s confused look, prompting him to feel concerned. "Does something hurt in you right now?"


    "Oh, its nothing, father." Alex replied, using Teresa''s melodious voice normally. "I just... feel happy that I am home now."


    "¡­I feel the same thing too." Sylvester Glaivewood said as he walked towards the dining room. "Come now Teresa, let''s eat breakfast for now."


    "Yes Father." Alex replied obediently as he reached the bottom of the stairs quickly.


    Because of Alina''s influence, Alex had learned to love the art of food and eating already.


    As such, having the opportunity to eat in this mansion was something that Alex will not pass on.


    "Damn¡­" That was what Alex thought as he saw the food prepared in the dining room. "We are really going to eat this?"


    Even if Alex was not that rich in his original life, he was still sure that he can identify when the dishes prepared are for the rich or not.


    And right now, Alex was sure that the food laden in front of him were all extravagant and delicious!


    He could see an assortment of seafood decorating the table, as well some meat and beef dishes. The salad and vegetable mixes were also abundant.


    They all looked like they were cooked perfectly, and the smell that they emanate just proves that point.


    Alex tried to not show that he was salivating, as he felt the desire to eat already.


    "There¡­ is a lot of food here." Alex said as he sat down on the nearest seat. "What are these for?"


    "It''s the food to celebrate your safe return in the Glaivewood House." The Divine Knight said as he sat the end of the table, signifying his status as the Head of the House.


    "But¡­ there''s a lot of food here." Alex commented as he tried to not show his excitement. "I doubt that we can finish this all up¡­"


    "Of course I thought of that." The Divine Knight said as she let out a smug smile. "You and I are not the only ones that will eat here. There are others that I invited, and they are about to come here right now."


    "And who might they be?" Alex asked with slight trepidation in his voice.


    "Oh, its your female cousin and your fianc¨¦e, along with his entourage." The Divine Knight replied cheerfully. "Both of them were worried about you, so they wanted to immediately see you once they heard the news that you were safe. So, I invited them to our breakfast right now."


    "¡­I see." Alex tried not to grimace, as he realized that he was actually blasted to the awkward territory.


    With Alina''s Mindscour, Alex was able to know all the people that Teresa had connection with, which includes Teresa''s female cousin and Teresa''s fianc¨¦e.


    From what Alex saw in the Mindscour, the original Teresa''s relationship with these two people were somewhat¡­ unique.


    "Ugh, I had plans to avoid the two of them, and yet they are coming here already? Ugh, I must not be seen by them!" Alex tried to stand up, as he decided to make an excuse to leave. "Father, I-"


    "Hallo!" Alex slumped his shoulders, as he realized that escape is futile for him now.


    They have already arrived, and there is nothing that Alex can do to avoid them.


    "Ugh, what a drag¡­"

 Chapter 88 More and More Meetings

    {{{How long do you think before that Carlie will go back? I am so excited to see her already!}}}


    |||And just as expected, you are still unable to stave off your carnal desires. At least learn to have some self-restraint already.|||


    <<<Hahaha, you just got roasted!>>>


    ~~~Yes, you are roasted!~~~


    "Will all of you please shut up?" General Chimera muttered as he left the door where Alina had entered in. "I am about to attend a very important meeting, and all of you must stay quiet so that I can focus."


    |||Will it be a meeting with the other Generals? If that really is the case, then I can force myself to keep quiet. However, I am not sure if the others can do that.|||


    {{{Hey, of course I can! Just you wait and see!}}}


    <<<Don''t think that lowly of me too. Even I know when to keep quiet, unlike a certain kid there.>>>


    ~~~Hey! I can keep quiet too!~~~


    "..."


    Luckily for General Chimera, the voices inside his head stopped bickering after that.


    "Time to face the music then." General Chimera muttered to himself as he approached the most imposing structure in the Monster Faction.


    It was a metallic building, complete with the symbols that are even more frightening than the symbols on the door earlier.


    In fact, even General Chimera was somewhat affected by the symbols on the building, with him casually averting his eyes to not see them.


    General Chimera knew that doing this could be a sign of weakness for him, but his eyes really could not tolerate those terrifying symbols.


    "Breathe in, breathe out." General Chimera muttered to himself as he stopped in front of the door of the building. "Let''s get this over already."


    General Chimera raised one of his plump arms and used it to push the door open.


    At the instant that he did this, General Chimera felt a suction force coming from the door that he opened.


    He did not fight back against the force, as he let it carry his gigantic body.


    "Slurp."


    The gap on the door, which was only large enough to accommodate a normal-sized person, was actually able to allow General Chimera''s large body in.


    The whole suction process only lasted for 5 seconds, and by the time that this time limit was up, General Chimera''s whole body was already gone.


    ***********


    "And here comes our big boy." A mocking voice said as General Chimera found himself sitting on an ornate chair.


    The chair itself was large enough to accommodate General Chimera''s size, and General Chimera was also sure that the chair was sturdy enough to carry his weight.


    "Creak¡­" General Chimera tested the chair that he was sitting in, while he completely ignored the mocking voice from earlier.


    "What happened to you, Chimy? Did the cat get your tongues?"


    "Can''t you just shut up for now, General Draria?" General Chimera replied with irritation in his faces. "We are about to start a meeting now, so I prefer it if you can stay civil. You can at leastdo something as easy as that, right?''


    "You!" General Draria''s scaly body bristled, while the wings on her back started to flap quickly, as if it was representing her anger. "Do not try to pull the ''civil'' card on me! I am an honorable dragon! I am of a noble blood, and nobility is in my blood and body!"


    "If you really can act with elegance, then explain to me your crass words earlier." General Chimera replied as he gave her a smirk. "If that was elegance, then I fear that the standards of this world had been abysmal already."


    "Shut the f**k up!"


    "There, another crass word. When will you ever learn?"


    "Can you two please stop quarreling for now?" Someone went between General Chimera and General Draria, who were both about to pounce on each other already.


    The interloper looked to be extremely human, except for two tiny horns sprouting in his forehead.


    His body was extremely muscular too, and General Chimera knew for a fact that these muscles pack some power that even he was wary off.


    "We are starting a meeting about something important here, so I will appreciate it if you two can keep your tempers for now." The muscular monster said as he gave both General Chimera and General Draria a small grin. "You know what will happen if you do not heed my request, right?"


    "Hmph, consider this as your lucky day!" General Draria said as she plopped back on her seat with her wings tucked neatly. "If General Oni did not save you, then you would have been roasted alive by me already."


    "Hmph, you are the lucky one." General Chimera said as ah plopped back on his seat. "Always remember that."


    The muscular guy, who was aptly named General Oni, clapped his hands as he seemed to be pleased with what he was seeing.


    "Now that you two are calm, let us start this meeting already!"


    "Wait, there are just 5 of us here..." General Chimera interjected as she looked all around him. "Should we really start a meeting under these conditions?"


    With General Chimera''s multiple eyes, he could sense only 5 presences inside the room.


    The first one was obvious his, while the other two was for General Draria and General Oni.


    As for the fourth and fifth presences, they belonged respectively to a small green slime and a floating elephant seal.


    "5 of us are already enough." The small slime said, interrupting General Chimera''s queries quickly. "Or perhaps, do you think that I, General Intra, will be of not enough help here?"


    "That is not what he was thinking, bro." The floating elephant seal said as it slowly ascended to the roof of the room. "General Chimera just wanted to have more of us here¡­"


    "I see, that is a valid point, General Tusk." General Intra said as he shifted his slimy body. "General Chimera, forgive me for my impertinence earlier."


    "Yes, forgive my bro." General Tusk added as it quickly bobbed its head. "He was just excited to talk to you."


    "I am not thinking of such things, Tusk." General Intra replied coolly, with his color changing from green to blue.


    "Oh, right, I am wrong about that, hahaha¡­" General Tusk replied shakily as he averted his eyes away from General Intra, who seems to be glaring at him.


    "Ehem." General Chimera cleared his throat, as he tried to defuse the situation. "From the looks of it, only five of us will be available for the next 6 months. Since that seems to be the case, I propose that we start our meeting now."


    "Agreed." The other Generals replied as they fixed their stature.


    The whole atmosphere of the room then shifted, as all the Generals were now in their serious mode.


    General Chimera smiled widely upon seeing this. He always liked hardworking Generals, as their action will usually benefit the other monsters too.


    "The topic of this meeting is just simple." General Chimera stated, as he made his voice sound low and serious. "We are here to decide if the time is ripe for the 5 of us to attack and kill a certain Human. If all of us decides to kill him at the end of this meeting, then we will set out immediately to kill him. But if it was the other way around, then we will not make any move."


    "The way that you sounded your sentences made it sound like the Human that we are planning to kill is a dangerous one." General Oni commented as he gave General Chimera a suspicious look. "Are you sure that a meeting is needed to talk about killing him?"


    "I am sure." General Chimera replied grimly, setting his eyes on everyone in the room.


    "¡­."


    "If nobody from you has any complaints, then I shall start already." General Chimera said as he gathered all the info in his mind.


    He then tweaked the biological processes inside his body, as he knew that this meeting will be a long one.


    {{{Want me to tell a Monster P**n story? That way, you won''t be bored!}}}


    General Chimera chose to not reply to Horny Chimera as he started his presentation.


    ********************


    Alex''s breakfast with Teresa''s cousin and fianc¨¦e could be said to be somewhat rowdy and awkward.


    The rowdiness came from the female cousin, who smothered Alex with question about his ''captivity''.


    "Teresa, were the tentacles scary? My friend told me before that tentacles can be sometimes sexy too!"


    "¡­.."


    From what Alex can remember, the name of Teresa''s cousin was Alice, which can be said to be fitting for her.


    Just like Teresa, Alice also had long blonde hair trailing on her back, and blue eyes that seemed to radiate with intensity.


    Alice however looked to be extremely mischievous, as evidenced by the impish smile that she wore.


    "¡­.."


    Just sitting beside Alice was Teresa''s fianc¨¦e, and he was the one exuding out the awkward feeling.


    If Alex''s memories were right, the name of Teresa''s fianc¨¦e was Simon, and unlike all the people in the room, his appearance was almost their opposite.


    Short black hair, and slight tanned skin.


    These are the superficial traits that Simon have, which managed to accentuate his muscles and face.


    Alex was sure that Simon was the awkward one, as throughout the whole breakfast, all the Simon did was to ask Alex some light questions.


    "Were you bit?"


    "No."


    "Were you hurt?"


    "No."


    "Were you thrown away?"


    "No."


    "..."


    "..."


    This kind of talk continued until everyone finished the food on the table.


    "...."


    At the end of their breakfast, Alex could see the dissatisfaction on Sylvester Glaivewood''s face, as if the whole breakfast had been a massive failure.


    Upon seeing this look, Alex realized that something was about to happen, and that he will be powerless to stop it.


    "Teresa¡­" The Divine Knight said as he looked at Alex. "Even if you were able to demonstrate to me earlier that you have regained your power, it is still not good to think that you are safe. You will still have go to the Mage Division to have your body checked."


    The Divine Knight then looked at Alice and Simon, before Alex could say anything. "Simon and Alice, you will join Teresa to the Mage Division. Don''t worry about the permit to enter. I will make sure that they will allow you to enter."


    "Yes! I will get to see some cool Mages!" Alice said as she almost jumped from her seat.


    Simon did not say anything in reply, as he only gave a slight nod to the Divine Knight.


    "Sigh." Alex knew that if he still complained about going to the Mage Division, Sylvester Glaivewood will surely feel suspicious again.


    "Hmph, with my Fairy Dust, I am sure that I will not be discovered!" Alex thought smugly to himself as he gave the Divine Knight a nod.


    "Since that is what you want Father, then I shall oblige with it."


    "Good." The Divine Knight replied as a wide smile covered his face. "Set out as early as possible so that you can finish early too."


    "I will take note of that, Father."


    *****************


    "Teresa, don''t walk that slowly! We are going to be late!" Alice said, forcing Alex to let out another sigh. "Come on Teresa, I want to see the cool Mages already!"


    "Alice, you know that we are visiting the Mage Division for my condition, right?" Alex replied helplessly as he looked at Teresa''s female cousin. "If you want to sightsee, we will do that later."


    "But-"


    "No buts, Alice." Simon said, interrupting Alice from whatever she was about to say. "Let''s get on with this already."


    "Aw¡­"


    "Simon, it must be tiring for you to deal with my cousin when I was gone." Alex said to Simon, who looked back at Alex with his dark eyes. "I apologize for the hardships that she made you experience."


    "Oh its fine." Simon said as he waved his hands dismissively. "I am your fianc¨¦e, so its part of my responsibility is to entertain your relatives."


    "You know that hearing the word fianc¨¦e just makes me want to strangle you." Alex said to Simon as he gave him a baleful look. "There is no way that I will agree to such convoluted agreement."


    "Yeah, I know." Simon replied helplessly as his arms dangled from his side. "You know that even I do not like this engagement too."


    "Of course you won''t." Alex said as he shook his head wryly. "You like guys, after all."


    "Ugh, please do not say that out loud here." Simon said, as he looked around him with panic. "My father will murder me if he hears you saying that!"


    "You know, the longer that you keep this a secret, the more hurt you and I will be." Alex commented drily as he looked at the jolly Alice and the downcast Simon. "The earlier that you say it, the better it will be."


    "Teresa, I know that I should do that. But I cannot just approach my father and say, ''Hey Father, do you know that your extremely handsome and muscular son likes other guys?'' He will surely leave me in a vegetative state if I say that!" Simon hissed back as he glowered at Alex.


    "Fine, fine." Alex replied without enthusiasm as he and Simon caught up with Alice. "Let''s finish our errand here in the Mage Division, and then we will talk about our problems later."


    "Ok¡­" Simon replied quietly, as he and Alex struggled to catch up with Alice.


    "Hah! You two are slowpokes!"


    "....."

 Chapter 89 Imago

    [[[3 hours later.]]]


    "Stop salivating already." Alex said as he let out a sigh. "We are in a place of knowledge here, so you should keep it in your pants!"


    "But look them! They all look like total beefcakes!" Simon replied as he furtively looked around, with a hint of drool rolling down of his chin. "I mean look at that guy! Daaaaamn!"


    "Hey, look at that apparatus! Will it explode if I touch it?" Alice seemed to have ignored what Simon was doing as she seemed to be immersed in her own world. "Will it go kaboom?"


    "Hey, no touching too!" Right now, Alex felt like he was an older sister, busy on disciplining two rowdy kids.


    "Hehehe, that''s what you get for impersonating someone else¡­" Asteria said as she giggled at Alex. "Now, suffer the hardships of babysitting!"


    "..." Alex looked once more at Simon, who was now looking at the behinds of every male Mage that passes by, and to Alice that was now ogling at a tank of corrosive elixir.


    "F**k, it seems like I got the worse of it¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he slumped his shoulders in despair.


    ****************


    "Umm¡­ are you Teresa Glaivewood?" After 3 hours of excruciating wait, Alex finally heard someone calling out Teresa''s name.


    "Yes, Teresa Glaivewood right here." Alex raised his arms slightly in order to get the attention of the one that called out to him.


    "Oh, there you are¡­" Alex heard some slight swishing of robes, and before he knew it, he was now face to face with one of the thinnest persons that she saw.


    "Hello there, Mage Apprentice Fred." Alex said as he looked at the mage that appeared in front of him.


    "And hello to you too, Golden Knight Teresa Glaivewood." Fred said as he swept his eyes at Alex and his companions. "You seem to have brought some companions here."


    "Oh, my father allowed them to join me." Alex said as he heard the suspicious tone in Fred''s voice. "Just treat them as friendlies."


    "Friendlies. Got it." Fred tucked his long, wiry arms at his back as he turned around, and using his legs to walk away. "I have set up your meeting with my master, so we should not waste time here. Please follow me."


    "Ok, ok." Alex muttered to himself as he pulled both Alice and Simon with him.


    "You two should behave later..." Alex hissed to the two as he casted a sideways glance towards Fred. "If my guess is right, the Mage that we will meet later is a bigshot."


    "What kind of bigshot are you talking about?" Alice interjected as she looked at Alex with a mischievous glint in her eyes.


    "I am talking about Divine Mage kind of bigshot." Alex replied with a deadpan expression on his face.


    "Coool!!!" Simon immediately used his hand to cover Alice''s mouth,effectively muffling her shout. "Fred''s master is a Divine Mage?"


    "Yes, and from what I know, this Divine Mage is the Divine Mage Imago." Alex said as he observed the walking silhouette of Fred.


    "Divine Mage Imago? The creepy one?" This time, it was Simon who talked, and from the timbre of his tone, it sounded like he was somewhat scared. "We are about to meet with that guy?"


    "Hey, don''t say it out loud!" Alex gave Simon a glare as he pointed his chin towards Fred. "He might hear us!"


    "Um, I can perfectly hear what you guys were talking about." Fred said as he continued on walking. "But don''t worry, I know how creepy my master is, and I can say that your fears are all justified."


    "Now ain''t that fun¡­" Alex thought to himself wryly, as he looked over Teresa''s memories about Divine Mage Imago.


    From what the original Teresa knew, Divine Mage Imago was the type of mage who likes to experiment on different kinds of Monsters.


    Breeding, cross-breeding, selective mutation and sometimes even cloning, Divine Mage Imago had done all these stuff already.


    The notoriety of all the stuff that Divine Mage Imago did was so great that some of the Divine Knights and Mages actually wanted him gone.


    Well, Teresa''s father was not one of them, but even he was also wary of the mentioned Divine Mage.


    "Stop right there." Fred''s voice jolted Alex from his musings, as he and the others found themselves standing in front of a magical circle etched on the ground.


    "That magical circle will teleport all three of you towards my master''s office." Fred said as he gave all three of them a narrowed look. "Just step on the circle, and then I will activate the formation with my blood to send you there."


    "Wait, your blood?" Alice interjected as she gave Fred a curious look. "Why your blood?"


    "Because my master told me that it will be better that way." Fred said as he gritted his teeth.


    "But-"


    "No more questions, okay?" Fred said, forcefully interrupting Alice. "Just step on the magic circle and get done with it!"


    Alice actually became slightly timid as she followed Alex and Simon on stepping on the magic circle.


    "Remember, don''t make my master angry, or he might do something bad to you three." Fred said, with most of his gave concentrated at Alice and Simon. "Don''t f**k anything up, ok?"


    Fred then slashed his palm with a knife, which brought out a steady flow of blood.


    The magic circle glowed at the instant that the blood dripped on it, signifying its activation.


    "Hong~"


    Before Alex could know it, his surroundings shifted, which was accompanied with a lurching sensation.


    "I need to puke¡­." Both Simon and Alice said as they clutched their stomachs, looking both pale and miserable.


    Luckily for them, there was a trio of emptybuckets nearby. The poor duo staggered towards the buckets before emptying their breakfast on them.


    "Guoh¡­"


    Alex just looked away from the sight, as he focused on observing his new place.


    "..." As Alex spent more time looking around, he realized something wrong.


    No matter where Alex placed his eyes, all that Alex could see were large glass containers, and each of these containers contained something.


    And Alex was serious when he said that the containers contained something, as even he was not sure on how to describe the contents of the container.


    "Are these organic creatures or something? Ugh, now I feel sick too." Alex thought to himself as he stepped out of the magic circle.


    "Clap, clap, clap."Alex suddenly heard some clapping sounds behind him, prompting him to look back.


    What Alex saw a well-built man, wearing glasses that perfectly fit his eyes.


    The man''s hands were covered with gloves, and unlike the other mages, the man in front of him only wore white lab gown.


    Add the creepy smile that the man was wearing, and Alex felt weirded out by this man.


    "You are one of the few who did not feel sick after getting teleported here. That, little girl, is actually impressive¡­" The weird man said as he extended his left hand towards Alex, as if he wanted to do a handshake.


    Alex looked at the hand warily, as he saw some slimy liquid dripping down from the extended hand.


    "Umm, are you Divine Mage Imago?" Alex asked as he did nothing to shake his hand. "My father told me to come here and get a check-up or something¡­"


    "Oh right, you are that Teresa girl, the one kidnapped by two Visitor Monsters." The weird man said as he retreated his hand. "Welcome to my office then, Teresa Glaivewood.I am Divine Mage Imago, and you will be in my care today."


    "...." Alex was not sure why, but he felt trepidation as he heard what the Divine Mage said. "Um, I will be in your care then¡­"


    "Good." The Divine Mage nodded, as if he was satisfied with that Alex said. He then looked at his side, noticing both Alice and Simon, who were still busy puking on the buckets. "And these two are?"


    "Um, they are my companions here." Alex said as he gave the Divine Mage an apologetic smile. "Surely, there is no problem if they stay here, right?"


    "Oh, there is no problem at all." The Divine Mage said as he looked back at Alex, decisively ignoring the other two. "As long as they do not interrupt us, then it will be fine."


    "Umm, then I guess we should get started now?" Alex inquired as he felt more and more creeped out with the Divine Mage. He realized that the earlier he gets out from here, the better it will be.


    "So you are the excited type huh. I like it." The Divine Mage smiled as he snapped his fingers.


    "¡­.." Alex waited for a few seconds to see what would happen next, and he was certainly disappointed with what he saw.


    Alex saw a large human-sized capsule appearing in front of him.


    Alex shivered as he saw countless tubes and pipes running around the capsule, with liquids of different colors flowing inside these tubes and pipes.


    What made it worse were the sounds that Alex could hear coming from inside the capsule.


    These sounds are not the sounds that should be heard by a normal person.


    "Um, what should that¡­ thing do?" Alex slowly asked the Divine Mage as he looked at the capsule with trepidation. "I will not go inside that, right?"


    "Oh, that is what you will exactly do." The Divine Mage replied cheerfully as he placed his slimy hand on Alex''s shoulder.


    "Once you are inside the capsule, it will monitor all your vital signs, including your power and abilities. If there is nothing wrong with you, then the capsule will let you out. But if you are hiding something¡­ then my capsule will temporarily restrain you¡­"


    The Divine Mage then loomed all over Alex, as he gave him another smile. "Teresa, surely you have no problems on entering the capsule, right?"


    "Umm¡­" Of course Alex has numerous problems with entering the capsule itself. But he cannot just say that, or else the Divine Mage will force him inside.


    "Even if I have no problems with the capsule, there is no way that I will enter that monstrosity!" Alex thought to himself as he started to think of the excuses that he can make to avoid the Human Capsule treatment.


    "¡­."


    "Since you have nothing to say, then I guess I should place you in there already." The Divine Mage said as he tightened his grip on Alex, showing his intention of not letting him go.


    But before the Divine Mage could raise Alex''s body, the magic circle suddenly glowed, which was accompanied by the appearance of a person inside the magic circle.


    "What are you doing here, Fred?" The Divine Mage said as he and Alex saw Fred appearing inside the magic circle. "Didn''t I give you an important task to do?"


    "Yes master, I know about that task, but there is something big happening right now!" Fred shouted as he approached his master instantly.


    "From the panicked look on your face, it seems like what you are about to tell me is extremely important. Out with it then." The Divine Mage said as he loosened his hold on Alex.


    Fred tried to maintain a calm visage as he slowly said,


    "Master, a huge army of Monsters suddenly decided to invade one of the Human Kingdom that was near at the outskirts."


    "Oh, its just an army then. What is the problem with that?" The Divine Mage said as he gave Fred a dismissive look. "There have been lots of Monster invasion before, and most of them usually fails."


    "But Master, this time, the army was being led by 5 General Class Monsters!" Fred shouted out as he gave his master a panicked look. "Master, that surely is a bad new, right?"

 Chapter 90 Rawr!

    "In that case, I have to go now." Divine Knight Imago said as his playful demeanor disappeared. "From what I can see, we need all the Divine Knights and Mages that we can muster in order to meet that Monster army."


    "That is what I thought so too, Master." Fred said as he bobbed his head up and down. "Because of the suddenness of their attack, most of the Monsters were able to wreak havoc already, and their Generals have not made their move yet¡­"


    "F**k those bastards, its clearly not the right season for them to attack, yet they do so now? There is something fishy going on here¡­" The Divine Knight said as he looked at Fred, then at Alex, who was looking back at him with a strained smile.


    "I will have to deal with your problem later, little girl." The Divine Knight said as his body began to glow purple. "For now, I have to go and help repel the invasion. F**king hell, 5 General Class Monsters really joined the attack? They must be nuts to do that!"


    After saying these words, the Divine Knight disappeared, only leaving some trails of purple ash from where he once stood.


    "I''m saved¡­" Alex thought to himself with relief as he gave a grateful look at Fred.


    "Hey, don''t thank me!" Fred replied as he realized what Alex''s look meant. "I just told my Master about an important emergency, and my Master has no choice but to go and deal with the emergency! I did not mean to stop him from whatever he was about to do to you."


    "Um, in that case, I will just thank my luck." Alex loudly mused, as he approached Simon and Alice, who just finished their session.


    "Ugh, that was the worst thing that I have experienced in my life, ever." Alice grumbled as she stood up with a shaken expression on her face. Simon seemed to be sharing the same sentiments, although he did not exactly voice it out.


    "So, have you heard what Fred told to Divine Mage Imago earlier?" Alex asked the two as he paced back and forth around the magic circle. "About the invasion?"


    "Yes, I heard about it, even when we were busy puking our guts out." Simon muttered as Alice nodded behind him. "Why are you asking about that anyway?''


    "Well-" Alex was about to give his answer when a powerful tremor suddenly shook the floor.


    "Boom!"


    "What the?" All four of them began to wobble, as they were rocked by the tremors. Alex was able to stand upright, as his honed body was able to keep his balance.


    The same could not be said for the other three companions, as they all directly sat on the floor.


    "Aw¡­" Alice cried out as she rubbed her sore bottom. "That hurts!"


    Simon and Fred did not necessarily cry out in pain, although it could be seen on their faces that they did not like what happened to them.


    "Boom!" Another tremor rocked the whole room, forcing the sitting trio to stay down on the floor.


    "Where are these tremors coming from?" Fred cried out as another tremor rocked the whole room. "This should not be happening at all!"


    "Something huge must be happening at the whole Mage Division Building itself." Alex said as another tremor threatened his whole body to fall down.


    "Ugh, if that was the case, then we should investigate about it." Simon said as he looked at the magic circle. "Come on, let''s go and teleport downstai-"


    "Hell no." Both Alex and Fred said as they glared at Simon.


    "Why not?" Simon asked as he wilted a little under the glare of the two. "We should know what is happening, right?"


    "Yes, that could be the case, except for the fact that something dangerous could be happening below." Alex said, stressing the word dangerous. "If we go down there, we could be besieged by that danger."


    "But how are we going to know about the danger?" Simon queried as he looked around him. "We cannot just stay here and wait for the answer to come out, right?"


    "Well, I have a solution for that." Fred hastily said as he saw Alex and Simon arguing in front of him. "There is a magical artifact here in my Master''s room that allows him to view everything that happens inside the whole Mage Division Building."


    "Oh, so will that artifact allow us to see the happenings below?" Alex queried as he helped up Alice and Simon.


    "Yes, it will." Fred replied quickly as he hobbled towards a small podium at the corner of the room."Just let me activate it, and we can start using it."


    Alex then saw Fred withdrawing the same knife that he used before and placing its edge on his palm.


    "You are going to use blood again to activate it?" Alex asked with a deadpan expression as he watched Fred''s actions. "Don''t you ever get tired of doing that?"


    "Well, its my Master who wanted it to be like this, so I do not really have any choice¡­" Fred replied as he slashed his palm again.


    "Poor guy." Alex thought to himself as he watched the blood drip down on the podium.


    At the instant that this happened, the top part of the podium glowed as moving images appeared on top of it.


    "Eh¡­ this is actually impressive..." Alex thought to himself as he realized that the podium was showing the events in video form. "Its just like a CCTV, but in this case, it has better resolution and quality."


    "Yosh, let''s take a look at what is happening below then." Fred said as he made some vague gestures with this hand.


    The scenes shown in the podium immediately changed, as if it was following the hand gestures that Fred made.


    The changes continued until the scenes looked like a blur. These blurs persisted for around a few seconds before it settled on Fred''s target.


    "What the f**k!" This was the first time that Alex heard Fred cursing, but Alex was sure that him cursing is allowable.


    After all t,he podium was showing a scene that was almost impossible to believe.


    "How could Monsters appear inside the Mage Division Building?" Fred exclaimed as he looked at the scenes shown by the podium. "This is not just possible!"


    "..." Alex kept quiet as he, Alice, and Simon watched the scenes in the podium.


    Through the podium, Alex could see swathes of Monsters wreaking havoc inside the Mage Division Building.


    The Monsters were of the assorted type, with some made up of insectoid limbs, using it to bisect anyone approaching them.


    Others bore exaggerated body features that they use as their weapons against the cornered Mages.


    The worst of the monsters were those that looked like abominations, with rotten flesh or corpses attached on their body. They did not even need to move that much, as the fumes that they let out were enough to kill anyone that gets near them.


    "...."


    By this point, the tremors were already gone, but that did not assure Alex any one bit.


    The explosions that rocked the whole building earlier was the result of the Monsters activating the defenses of the building.


    These defenses should have been enough to keep the Monsters out, but from the looks of it, the defenses were unable to do anything to stop the obviously large horde of Monsters from entering the building.


    "¡­." Alex gritted his teeth as he saw that the whole situation was not that good.


    Because of the suddenness of the attack and the strength of the Monsters, most of the Mages have been cut down by the Monsters.


    "Oh god, we are so screwed right now¡­" Fred muttered to himself as he watched the ensuing chaos.


    "With my Master busy dealing with the Generals and the other Divine Mages currently in seclusion, it will be hard for us to repel these Monsters!"


    Alex grimaced after hearing that, as he realized that his trip with his ''cousin'' and ''fiancee'' has now turned into a high-stakes life or death situation.


    "Why are these Monsters here anyway?" Alex mused as he tried to calm down the panicked Fred as they watched the carnage. "There is something fishy going on here."


    "That is right, there is something fishy going on here." Fred said as he observed the scenes below.


    "These Monsters that we see right now are all of powerful types¡­ they are around Grade 6-7 in power¡­ These Monsters are not that many, and they are usually used on important battles¡­ But now, we can see that they are all here, attacking this place!" Fred exclaimed as his face turned more and more pale.


    Alex perked up at what Fred said, as he realized the point that he was going on. "Are you telling me that the invasion of Monsters that your Master went to is just a diversion?"


    "Yes, I am sure of that." Fred replied grimly. "That invasion must have been done in order to lure Master away from this place. After all, the only one Divine Mage currently guarding this building is my Master, as the other Divine Mages are busy in seclusion¡­"


    "And now that your Master really went away, all these Monsters have no problem entering this building." Alex concluded angrily. "Your Master had been played."


    "...¡­"


    "...¡­''


    "They obviously want to get something in this building." Fred said as he and the others wore ugly expressions on their faces. "And they will do anything that they can in order to get it¡­"


    Alex sighed, as he did not expect himself to find himself in a situation like this. He gave a glare at Asteria, who was floating in front of him, as if he was blaming her for what had happened.


    "¡­"Asteria''s only reply to that was another glare.


    "We must prevent these Monsters for acquiring whatever they wanted from this place!" Fred exclaimed as his panicked expression changed to a serious one. "If these Monsters want to get something here, then we will prevent them from getting it!"


    "Um, shouldn''t we find a way to help those Mages below?" Alice muttered as she watched the scenes on the podium. "We cannot just leave them alone¡­"


    "Fight them? Are you kidding me?"Fred gave a hollow laugh at Alice, who shrank back as she saw his face. "Even if I and Teresa combine our strengths, it will be hard for us to win even against a single Monster down there! We will just die quickly!"


    "Well, if I do not hold back, I think I can easily kill them all." Alex thought to himself, as he knew that if he uses all the skills that he had now, he can kill all those Monsters invading below.


    But Alex knew that he cannot show off all his skills, so he was just stuck there, listening to the back and forth spats between Alice and Fred.


    "You really are-" Before Fred could give another argument towards Alice, he suddenly froze in place as he and Alex felt a powerful presence entering the building.


    "No f**king way¡­" Both Alex and Fred looked at the podium in order to confirm the worst thing that they suspected had just happened.


    "Eh? What is the problem?" Simon asked as he saw both Alex and Fred paling while they looked at the podium? Did something worse just happen?"


    "Not just worse. The worst just happened." Fred snarled as he slid down to the floor, with him sobbing slowly. "We are dead meat now¡­"


    "¡­" Alex felt that Fred''s words were just apt, as the scene shown to him by the podium made him curse out in anger.


    Long, serpentine tail that gouged the ground with its weight.


    Slender wings that slapped anyone nearby.


    And crimson-colored scales that looked like they were burning.


    All these features were worn by a tall, exotic looking woman who just entered the Mage Division Building in a domineering fashion.


    With his danger sense, and power sense, Alex was 100% sure on what kind of Monster this draconic woman was.


    "A General-Class Monster just entered the building. We are really screwed."

 Chapter 91 Freeze!

Sorry guys, but my laptop has ben freezing up, which made it dificult for me to write another chap.


    So only 1 chap again today...


    Will be back to normal tom.


    Question: What should I do to improve my laptop?

 Chapter 92 Wow, its so Big!

    "Ngrhhh¡­" Alina stirred, as she felt some semblances of her consciousness returning to her body.


    Light slowly trickled to her eyes as she slowly opened them, with Alina receiving the light with relish.


    "!!!!" Memories of what happened to her before she blacked out all surged inside Alina''s mind, rousing her sleepy mind awake.


    She quickly stood up, with her body extremely tense. She looked all around her, remembering that someone or something had knocked her out earlier.


    Upon looking around her, Alina realized that she was in a room filled with soil.The darkness around her was mostly gone, as there was a lighting above her that released the light.


    "Be at ease, dark one." Alina heard the same soothing voice that earlier, who seemed to be talking to her now. "I meant you no harm, I am just here to talk."


    Upon seeing that she was unhurt at all, and the fact that the soothing voice seemed to be willing to talk to her, Alina decided to listen to the soothing voice. "Are you sure that you only want to talk to me? What you did to me earlier does not really get my goodwill."


    "Well, I just want to make sure that I can talk to you when we are both actually alone." The voice replied as Alina heard some slight rustling sounds behind her.


    Alina looked back, and what she saw was a little confusing to her.


    Alina saw a tree that was as tall as her.


    The tree seemed to be lush and healthy, with its leaves green and its bark looking robust and full.


    The leaves of this tree were moving merrily, which was the source of the rustling sounds that Alina heard.


    "Are you¡­" Alina slightly faltered, as she remembered the talk that General Chimera gave her. "The Queen Mother?"


    "Your conjecture is right, dark one." The soothing voice came out of the tree, confirming Alina''s suspicion. "I am indeed the Queen Mother, talking with you right now."


    "But¡­" Alina felt extremely confused, as she observed Queen Mother''s appearance. "You look like a tree¡­"


    "You seem to be under the assumption that I, Queen Mother, should wear the appearance of a hideous being?" The Queen Mother replied, with her leaves shaking, as if she was laughing. "That''s what most of the Monsters here think until they see me¡­"


    "So, you are a Monster too?" Alina asked, as she felt more and more at ease with Queen Mother. She was not sure why, but she was not feeling any danger coming from her.


    "I think I do not need to give an answer to your query." The Queen Mother replied as its trunk started to sway.


    "With your All-Seeing Eyes, I am sure you can see who I really am."


    "You know about my secret!" This time, Alina scooted back by several paces as she gave Queen Mother a wary look. "I did not tell anyone that I do not trust about this!"


    After hearing what the Queen Mother said, Alina realized more things.


    And that is the fact that the Queen Mother knew that the one in front of her was Alina and not Carlie.


    With this realization in her mind, Alina can extrapolate the fact that Queen Mother actually knew about her and Alex''s disguises!


    "That is right, I know that you are not the shadow monster Carlie." Queen Mother replied as her leaves shook in a placating manner. "The same thing also applies to what your mate did with the Divine Knight."


    "That¡­ is not an assuring thing to hear." Alina replied as she continued moving back from Queen Mother. "You have been playing with us this whole time."


    "Be at ease, dark one. I just have some set of abilities that allowed me to notice your machinations." Queen Mother said as she started to placate Alina. "And please believe me when I said that I meant you no harm. I had known about you and your mate''s presence when you both arrived at this world months ago. I did not actually send anyone to harm you, which means that I am not hostile to the both of you."


    "You¡­ are not lying." Alina muttered as she ''saw'' the sincerity of Queen Mother. "You really are not hostile against us."


    "I am a kind, gentle tree. I don''t like hurting others, you know."


    "...¡­.."


    Since Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes were telling her that Queen Mother was not lying at all, this means that she was actually not hostile to Alina and Alex.


    With this realization in mind, Alina relaxed, fully knowing that she is not in danger right now.


    "So, why do you want to talk with me?" Alina inquired in a relaxed manner as she sat down on the floor.


    "Before we talk, I want to show you something first." The Queen Mother replied as her whole body went still.


    Alina then remembered the Queen Mother''s request earlier, realizing what she wanted to say. "So, you wanted me to use my All-Seeing Eyes to see your real form?"


    "Indeed, dark one."Queen Mother replied as her body continued on staying still. "Use your eyes to feast upon my real form, and only after that we can start to talk."


    "Will seeing your real form harm me at all?" Alina asked as she slowly stood up. "I know that you are not hostile to me, but you know, accidents can still happen."


    "From what I can see, you will not be in any danger at all." Queen Mother replied calmly.


    "You are saying the truth." Alina muttered to herself as she began to look at Queen Mother''s tree body intently. "In that case, I shall start looking now."


    "..."


    Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes allow Alina to see through all deception, including seeing through the real identity of anyone that her eyes lay on.


    This allowed Alina to realize that the little Monsters and Carlie were all Humans.


    And right now, Alina was about to use her eyes to see Queen Mother''s real body.


    Alina felt a trickle of power flowing into her eyes as she gazed beyond what was laid in front of her.


    "!*#(*&@)*!)" Alina staggered as she felt her surroundings blurring. She also felt a pounding headache forming inside her head, prompting her to squint.


    After a few seconds of staying in this condition, Alina felt the pain go away, showing her sight that she wanted to see.


    "What?" Alina went slack-jawed from what she saw, realizing the enormity of the situation.


    And when Alina meant enormity, she really meant it.


    *****************


    What Alina saw was only simple.


    She saw a tree, with its roots on the ground and its canopy in space.


    Yes, that is what Alina saw.


    A tree that was so big that its leaves were able to touch the vacuum of the space.


    "But this-" Alina stuttered as she tried to take in what she was seeing.


    The tree had a trunk as wide a country, and its roots were digging so deep into the ground that they were able to touch to molten rocks underground.


    The whole body of the tree were also covered with extremely thick vines, which seemed to be extremely tough to damage.


    As for the leaves of the tree, each of the leaves were as large as a building, which just made the whole tree more imposing.


    "Impressive, isn''t it?" Queen Mother said as she saw Alina''s stuttering form. "It is not hard to feel awed once you see my majestic form."


    "What the hell are you?" Alina asked as she felt extremely small in front of Queen Mother. "Are you even a monster?"


    "¡­" Queen Mother shook her body, as she seemed to be pleased on seeing Alina''s disconcerted appearance. "What do you think?"


    "¡­." Alina closed her eyes as she tried to remember the mythological stories that she had read before.


    Even though she was born in an Esper World, Alina was also interested on magical and mythological stories, which gave her knowledge on some things that people in her World consider as ''geeky''.


    But even her knowledge was not enough to give Alina what she was looking for.


    "Ok, it seems like you can''t get anything." Queen Mother said as she saw Alina glaring at her. "In that case, I will just tell it to you directly."


    After hearing this, Alina leaned forward as she began to listen intently.


    "I came from a lineage of an extremely rare kind." Queen Mother said softly, as her leaves began to straighten up. "Our kind relies on living on planets, and we will stay there until our death. Our lives are tied to the planet that we are in, and we do our best to keep it safe."


    Seeing that Alina was still interested, Queen Mother continued talking.


    "Our kind are revered by many, while some regard us as menace. But whatever happens, we stood the test of time, and we are a part of this universe already."


    "¡­."


    "My kind are referred to as World Trees, and I am one of them."


    ***************


    "So, you are a World Tree." Alina replied with a deadpan expression after hearing Queen Mother''s speech. "Well, seeing that huge body of yours makes you credit more believable¡­"


    "Do you even need to see that body? I am sure that your eyes are telling you that I am saying the truth, right?" The Queen Mother said as her leaves shook faintly.


    "Yes, I can see that." Alina replied as she let out a sigh.


    Alina looked like she was extremely shaken, and that was a normal response of someone who just saw a tree that can actually reach the freaking outer space!


    "So, what do you want to talk about?" Alina asked as she realized that if Queen Mother showed her something as shocking as being a World Tree, then the talk that they had will surely be related to her status as a World Tree.


    Alina heard a sigh coming out from Queen Mother, as if she was about to start a heavy talk.


    Alina stayed quiet after hearing this, knowing that she must fully listen for what was about she will hear next.


    "I will tell you all about the situation of the Humans and Monsters in this World¡­" Queen Mother said as she seemed to gaze at Alina intently. "So listen well, for what I am about to say next will be of great help to you and your Traveler mate."


    "!!!!"

 Chapter 93 Release that Seed

    "Talk now." Alina said as she crossed her arms. She was not surprised e that Queen Mother knew about her and Alex''s identity as Travelers. "Let''s see if what you will say really had some merit."


    "Oh, I am sure that you will accept it." Queen Mother replied as the tone of her voice changed.


    "...¡­.."


    "I am a World Tree, just like what I told you earlier, and this world is the place where I grew up." Queen Mother said as her body swayed. "This World is quite nice, I grew up quickly here."


    "I knew about that fact already." Alina said as she shook her head. "What I want to know is how were you able to get into this World. Did you just spontaneously appear, or were you intentionally planted here?''


    "Oh, the answer to that is just simple." Queen Mother replied. "You see, when a Mature World Tree reaches its peak size, it will create a single fruit. Inside this fruit is a seed, which will be the source of a new World Tree."


    "¡­" Alina kept quiet as she continued on listening.


    "Once the fruit is ripe enough, that Mature World Tree will let that fruit float to the Outer Space." Queen Mother said with a hint of amusement in her tone. "That fruit had specific designs that allows it to freely travel towards space."


    "What happens then after that?" Although Alina already had an inkling on what could happen next, she still asked Queen Mother with this question.


    "That fruit will continue on floating on space, until it lands on a planet with suitable resources." Queen Mother replied quickly. "As long as the planet that the fruit had landed on had water, firm soil, and good atmosphere, that fruit will be able to release its seed inside that planet."


    "¡­." Alina tried not wince as she felt somewhat weird after hearing the last sentence that Queen Mother had uttered.


    Queen Mother showed no indication of her snickering at her innuendo as she continued talking.


    "That was how I was born. A fruit from far away fell into this World, and after years of staying still in this world, I was able to take root."


    "Even without using my All-Seeing Eyes, I could not help but believe what you say." Alina replied wryly, as she realized that if Alex and Asteria were here, they would be both shouting ''That''s so cool!'' at the top of their lungs.


    "I''m glad you think of that." Queen Mother replied. "So, do you have any questions now?"


    "Yes, I have one." Alina said as she raised her hands. "Why are the Monsters worshipping you? You are a World Tree, and there is no way for you to create Monsters like them, right? In that case, why are they spouting nonsense like you are the one that created them?"


    "Well, I really created them all." Queen Mother replied as she tilted her canopy. "My followers don''t lie, you know."


    "But¡­" Alina stuttered again, as she realized that Queen Mother is once more telling the truth. "How could that happen?"


    "It''s because of an innate ability that all the World Tree have." Queen Mother replied serenely.


    "And what could that innate ability be?" Alina replied as she waited with bated breath for an answer.


    But instead of answering back, Queen Mother let out a slight giggle as she said,


    "Before I answer that question, let me ask you something. What do you think a normal plant will do once it was invaded by something like pests?"


    "Umm... create chemicals to combat the pests?"


    "That''s one of the steps, but there is something that other plants do." Queen Mother replied.


    "You are talking about plants taking protection by having a symbiosis with small animals." Alina replied as she let out a faint smile. "There are some plants that have ants crawling around them, and these ants will attack any pests that will harm the plants. In exchange, the plants will give these ants some sort of sustenance."


    "Right, that is basically the gist of it." Queen Mother replied as she seemed to be clapping with her non-existent hands.


    "And how is that related to you creating the Monsters?" Alina asked as she let out a sigh.


    "Well, just like the normal plants, even us World Trees have natural enemies too." Queen Mother replied.


    "Natural enemies? With you size, you can just squash anything in your path!" Alina replied as she remembered that massive size of Queen Mother''s real form. "Nobody will try to attack you with a body that big!"


    "Let me remind you something first. Even if I am a World Tree, I am still a Tree and I have very limited range of movements." Queen Mother said as she wriggled her body.


    "You see this body in front of you? This is just an offshoot of my root, something that I made to allow me to communicate with the Monsters."


    "Fine, fine. I get it." Alina replied as she waved her hands. "You are still immobile, so no powerful shenanigans right there.So, how are the Monsters tied to you?"


    "Well, since us World Trees needed our own line of protection against things that can harm us, we developed an ability to create sentient life." Queen Mother slowly said as she observed Alina''s expression. "And that Innate Ability allowed me to create the Monsters, which are protecting me quite fiercely."


    "That''s bull**it." Alina replied quickly.


    Even though her eyes had shown her that Queen Mother was telling her the truth, Alina still found it hard to believe what Queen Mother had said.


    "Us World Trees have catalogues of biological data compiled by our ancestors." Queen Mother said as she seemed to ignore the expression on Alina''s face. "Using these catalogues, I was able to create the optimum race that was in my opinion, will be able to protect me. And in my case, I created beings that of are monstrous origin, since their abilities to fight are quite great."


    "...¡­"


    "...¡­"


    "Let me summarize it first, ok?" Alina said as she wiped off the sweat that formed in her forehead.


    "You, Queen Mother, was a World Tree that was born in this World many years ago. In order to protect yourself from any kind of harm, you created a sentient race that will protect you from said dangers. And this sentient race are the Monsters¡­"


    "That sums it all right up." Queen Mother said as her bark seemed to glow. "You are becoming one of my favorite conversation partners."


    But even with this confirmation, there is still one thing that is confusing Alina right now.


    "But if that was the case, then what about the Humans in this World?" Alina suddenly said as she refused to be overwhelmed by Queen Mother. "Were they living in this World when you were born? Did you create the Monsters to protect yourselves from the Humans?"


    "Well, the answer to your questions are both NO." Queen Mother replied as she shook her canopy. "There are no sentient races living in this World when I first came in, and those Humans were not in this World when I created the Monsters."


    "But¡­ how could the Humans be here then?" Alina asked as she felt more and more confused. "Were they some sort of intergalactic travelers who only came at this World in an attempt to colonize it?"


    "As much as I think that premise is cool, it is unfortunately not the right answer." Queen Mother replied as she let out a sigh. "You can say that the creation of the Humans¡­ is partially an accident."


    "An accident?" Alina narrowed her eyes as she looked at Queen Mother. "Please explain."


    "You remember what I told you about the fruit of the World Trees, right?" Queen Mother said. "You remember how they are supposed to facilitate the birth of a new World Tree, right?"


    "Yes, I remember that." Alina replied, feeling somewhat annoyed with that question. "So how is that related to the accident?"


    "Well, when was able to fully mature my own fruit, you can say that I got¡­ unlucky when I released it to the Outer Space." Queen Mother replied as she let out another sigh.


    "And what exactly happened?" Alina ask as she felt that that big twist is about to come.


    "Well, after I released my fruit to the Outer Space, a celestial body suddenly passed by, colliding against my fruit. Of course my fruit had been designed so well that it was not destroyed by the impact. However, that impact pushed my fruit back to this World¡­" Queen Mother shook her body as she let out her third sigh.


    "Are you telling me that¡­" Alina''s trailed words were fortunately continued by Queen Mother.


    "Yes, once my fruit was pushed back to this World, it immediately burrowed itself to its core." Queen Mother said with a hint of annoyance in her voice. "Because of that, another World Tree had sprouted in this World."


    "¡­That''s got to suck really bad." That was Alina''s only reply as she let out a grimace. "So, that another World Tree created the Humans in this World?"


    "Exactly." Queen Mother replied with a hint of exasperation in her face. "Although the Humans in this World could not be actually considered as real Humans. They have certain characteristics that makes them different from real Humans."


    "How so?" Alina asked as she realized that she should suspend her disbelieffor now.


    Questions and answers first, and the disbelief will come later.


    "Well, the second World Tree made sure that the ''Humans'' that she created will have organs that will allow them to cultivate a special type of Essences. Real Humans can''t do stuff like that. Only the Essence Humans that the second World Tree created can do that."


    "Essence Humans huh." Alina mumbled as she slowly realized the whole plot in this World.


    Alina then leaned forward, making sure that her eyes were close to Queen Mother''s bark as she said,


    "Queen Mother, maybe it''s just me, but is the reason that the second World Tree created Essence Humans was because it wanted to defeat the Monsters and kill you?''


    "You really are sharp, dark one." Queen Mother said as she heard what Alina said. "You are right. After it became large enough to create sentient life, the second World Tree did not like my presence. Of course I did not like its presence too, but I can still tolerate her stay here. After all, she is technically, my daughter. But she seemed to be not thinking of me the same way."


    "She wanted me gone from this World." Queen Mother said as she let out her fourth sigh. "So, she did her best to create a sentient race that will combat my own race, and that was how the Essence Humans came into being. She also made sure that both sides will not like each other, which resulted to the current situation today."


    "...¡­."


    After hearing all of this, Alina went silent for a minute, as if she was digesting everything that she heard.


    Once a minute had gone by, Alina stared at Queen Mother deeply, before letting out a deep breath as she said,


    "So, why did you tell all of this to me? You did not just say that story to help us, right? You want to request something from us, especially to me."


    "That is right, dark one." Queen Mother replied quickly. "Don''t worry, even if you are unable to fulfill my request, I will still help you out with your Mission."


    "¡­Fine, speak up then." Alina replied as she waited. With her All-Seeing Eyes, Alina could see that Queen Mother was sincere.


    Queen Mother will still help out Alex and Alina even if they are unable to fulfill her request.


    Since that was the case, then it will not hurt if Alina will listen to Queen Mother''s request.


    "What I want is just simple." Queen Mother said as her voice turned low. "What I want is for you two to-"


    But before Queen Mother could give her request, she suddenly freezed up, as if she suddenly saw something that shocked her.


    "Those f**king idiots!" Queen Mother snarled as anger began to overflow from her body. "Are you trying to f**king ruin my plans? Blasted idiots!"


    "¡­" Alina found no words to say, as she could feel theanger coming out from a cosmic plant.


    "What the hell is happening now?" Alina thought to herself as she was somewhat paralyzed by the anger coming out of Queen Mother. "Did something apocalyptic just happen?"

 Chapter 94 Disruption!

    Around the same time at the Mage Division Building.


    Alex placed his hand on his forehead as he realized that he had gotten far more trouble than what he could want to.


    "Ugh, she is here... We are done¡­" Fred said as he continued on looking miserable. "How could we survive now?"


    "¡­." Alex had no reply to that, as the memories of Teresa told him about the power of the General Class Monster that visited them.


    Her name is General Draria, and according to rumors, she was the ''descendant'' of True Dragons.


    Of course nobody can prove her claim, but nobody can refute it either.


    But it doesn''t matter what her ancestry is, as her power can be considered to be the real deal.


    From what Alex knows, General Draria channels Disruption Energy.


    The role of Disruption Energy is just simple.


    It disrupts any kinds of abilities, magical or physical nearby.


    This means that Disruption Energy can easily weaken or destroy anything that was made up of Energy or Essence.


    The effects of Disruption Energy were negligible to the Knights, since their power is concentrated on their bodies.


    But for the Mages, Disruption Energy can be considered to be their nemesis.


    Because of that, General Draria, who was the strongest wielder of Disruption Energy, can be considered to be the No. 1 enemy of the Mages.


    .


    "So that is why the wards and spells in this building did not work that well.." Fred said as he shook his head wryly. "With General Draria nearby, she can easily weaken those wards¡­"


    "I think we should try to run away now." Alex said as he urged Fred to stand up. "If we stay here for any longer, she might detect us¡­"


    "I want to run away, but I can''t." Fred said as he shook his head. "I am still the apprentice of Master, so I cannot just abandon this place."


    "But¡­"


    "Don''t worry Teresa, even if I stay here, there is no way that I will allow you three to stay." Fred said as he looked at the trio with a serious look. "I know a way that will let you run away from this place quickly. Once you have escaped this place, do your best to find some help."


    "Fred¡­" Alex''s words trailed as he tried to dissuade Fred''s plan. But in the end, Alex did not say anything, as he saw the seriousness on Fred''s face.


    "Don''t worry, I have ways to ensure that I will survive." Fred said confidently. "Right now, I think I have around 70-80% chance of surviving. So, just trust me when I say that I can let you three run away."


    "Well, in that case, we shall go with your plan..." Alex finally relented, as he decided to trust Fred''s confidence.


    "Great!" Fred said as he took a deep breath. "You three will be out of this place in no time!"


    ******************


    After he was able to convince Alex and his companions to escape, Fredsuddenly looked at Simon, giving him a saucy wink as he said,


    "Hey Simon, if I manage to survive this predicament, how about we get a dinner at a good restaurant? It will be my treat of course."


    "Wha- ah, um yes?" Simon hesitantly replied as he saw the eager look on Fred''s face. "I would love to do that¡­"


    "Wohoo, Simon''s gonna take a bombhead from Fred!" Asteria tittered in the background as she watched the development that laid out in front of her.


    "Shush you." Alex muttered as she gave Asteriadirty look. "Don''t use your innuendo here, it makes me feel weird¡­"


    "Ok, let''s forget about that dinner date for now." Alice, who looked to be happy for Fred, placed her hands on her hips as she glared at the two. "We still have to make our escape!"


    "Right, right, here we go." Fred muttered as he pressed some books on the nearby bookshelf.


    Alex then heard some rumbling sounds as the book shelf opened up, showing another magical formation that was etched on the wall.


    "This is an emergency escape formation." Fred said as he placed both of his hands on the magical formation. "This allows a person to escape randomly teleport to a location 100 kilometers from the building.Because teleportation at that distance requires much energy, this emergency escape formation can only be used once a day, and its maximum capacity is around 3 people."


    "I see." Alex muttered as he understood why Fred was willing to stay here. "So, do you have to use blood again?"


    "Not really." Fred said as he shook his head. "This emergency escape formation had been here for ages, even before my Master owned his place. So, be rest assured that activating this will not require any kind of weird activation sequence."


    "In that case, I think we should get this started already." Alice said as she started to look urgent. "The earlier that we escape from this place, the earlier it is that we can get help¡­"


    "I''m activating it now." Fred replied as he gave an annoyed look at Alice. "Don''t worry, this won''t take long."


    "Oh, sorry¡­" Alice replied as she realized that she had been rude. "I just got a little excited¡­"


    "It''s fine." Fred said as he gave Alice a smile. "Just call for help as early as possible, ok?"


    "Un!" Alice replied as she nodded her head eagerly.


    At this point, the magical formation began to glow brightly, covering Alex, Simon, and Alice with its pale red glow.


    Alex started to feel a slight pull in front of him, as if it was about to hurl him at a new place.


    "So, its about to activate already¡­" Alex thought to himself as he looked back at Fred, who was focused on activating the formation.


    "Do your best to survive, Fred." Alex said as he gave Fred a hopeful look. "My fianc¨¦e expects a date from you after all. Don''t try to disappoint him."


    "Wha-?" Fred''s words were cut off as the emergency escape formation activated fully.


    Alex and his companions felt their surroundings blurring as the power of teleportation was about to blast them away.


    But before Alex and his companions could feel their freedom, something wrong happened.


    They heard some sizzling sounds, followed by the smell of ozone.


    Alex then heard some shattering sounds, and before he knew it, he found himself back at General Imago''s room.


    "What the hell?" Alex said as he looked around him, realizing that he was still inside the building! Form the looks of it, he and his companions were not able to teleport away!


    Alex looked beside him, and there he saw Fred, who was looking at them like he had seen a ghost.


    "No, this is wrong¡­" Fred muttered as he glanced at the emergency escape formation, that was now shattered. "The formation should have not malfunctioned like this¡­"


    "What do we do now?" Alice wailed sorrowfully.


    At this point, all of them realized that they cannot escape by using the emergency escape.


    "S**t, how did this happen!" Fred shouted as he approached the destroyed formation in an attempt to fix this. "Teresa, give me some time, and I could get this back to working condition."


    But before Fred could start with what he was about to do, a female voice suddenly interrupted them.


    "Working condition? Hmph, with me here, all your magical crap is nothing!"


    "Oh please don''t tell me that''s her." Alex thought to himself as he looked behind him, hoping that his guess was not right.


    But unfortunately for him, his guess was right.


    General Draria, who wore a smug look on her face, was currently standing in front of Alex and his companions.


    Her tail was swaying freely behind her, as if it was showing her excitement.


    "Mind you, finding this room was hard." General Draria said as she stretched her body. "That effing Imago placed warding, invisibility, and isolation spells in this room in order to hide it. Luckily for me, my Disruption Energy was enough to detect and weaken those spells."


    "Oh, and I also Disrupted that teleportation formation that you were trying to use earlier." General Draria said as she stared at the destroyed emergency escape formation. "After all, I cannot just let my target escape in front of me¡­"


    After General Draria said these words, Alex started to feel some panic as he had a faint inkling on who the target of General Draria was.


    "Hehehe¡­" General Draria giggled, as she gave Alex an excited look. "My target is you, Teresa Glaivewood. Now, if you don''t want to feel some pain, I suggest that you surrender peacefully to me already."


    "And if I don''t?" Alex asked calmly, as he stared back at General Draria''s imposing image. "What will you do then?"


    "Oh, I will kill your friends in the most painful way there is." General Draria said as she glanced at Simon, Alice, and Fred. "But even if you join me right now, I will still kill them, although I will make their deaths painless at that point."


    "So you will still kill them no matter what I do?" Alex muttered as he looked back at General Draria.


    "Yes, after all, they are not my targets." General Draria replied as she smirked at Alex. "Oh, and do not try to outsmart me.I will know if you try to fool me¡­"


    "Sigh¡­ I really do not want to do this, but it seems like you leave me without any choice here." Alex muttered as he loosened his tense body.


    "???" After Alex said these words, General Draria''s eyes narrowed, as she suddenly felt something foreboding was about to happen.


    "Woosh~"


    Alice, Simon, and Fred suddenly disappeared in front of General Draria. Even their presences were gone from the room, indicating that they seemed to have disappeared entirely.


    "What?" General Draria exclaimed as she saw what had happened. "How could this be? I already destroyed the magical formations around here!"


    "Well, what made them disappear is not magic." Alex said as he began to laugh. "So, do not try to look for them anymore¡­"


    "Hmph, I don''t care what you did to those three." General Draria said as she gave a witling look at Alex. "My only target this time is you, Teresa Glaivewood. So, even with them three gone, you will still stay in my clutches."


    "Is that so?" Alex muttered as he glanced at Asteria, who immediately understood what Alex wanted. "Well, I am sorry, but your target is not me."


    "Huh? What do you mean by that?" General Draria inquired as she saw the mocking look on Alex''s face. "Are you mocking me, Miss Glaivewood?"


    "Oh, not at all, General Draria." Alex replied as he shook his head. "It''s just that you had mistaken my identity."


    "Quit your bullshit now!" General Draria shouted as he seemed to be irritated with what Alex was talking about. "You are coming with me now, whether you like it or not!"


    "Sorry, but my answer is still no." Alex said before giving the signal to Asteria.


    "Now!"


    At the instant that Alex said these words, he felt the effects of the Fairy Dust temporarily deactivating.


    His appearance as Teresa disappeared as his Tentacle Monster appearance came back.


    "What the?" General Draria''s jaw almost fell as she saw Alex''s real form. "What the hell is this?"


    "This is my real form, and you are one of the few that are blessed enough to see it." Alex said as he stretched his tentacles. "Now, are you ready for a fight?"


    "A fight?" General Draria only paused for a second, before a challenging grin appeared in her features. "Well, I do not know how you managed to do what you did earlier, but I do not care about that. Since you want to fight, then I will give you a fight!"


    "Great!" Alex replied as he began to raise his tentacle body higher. "Let''s start this then!"


    After Alex said these words, he tried to suppress a sigh as he remembered something earlier.


    ***********************


    When General Draria threatened to kill Alice, Simon, and Fred earlier, the dumb fairy Asteria suddenly perked up as if she received a message.


    Asteria then looked at Alex as she said,


    [Bonus Mission No.2: Defeat General Draria. Reward, 2 Years of Lifespan.]


    When Alex heard this notification, he threw out all the caution in his mind as he decided to fight General Draria.


    Of course Alex knew winning will be difficult.


    But with some special tricks, Alex was sure that maybe he can win.


    If not, then he will be royally screwed.

 Chapter 95 Golden Apple

    Alex knew that trying to fight General Draria right now will be difficult to him, since his overall power has not reached the peak yet.


    Yes, Alex''s tentacle form was that of a General Class Monster, but he still had not reached the level of power that was enough to make him confident.


    But Alex knew that by using some tricks, victory will still be in his grasp.


    "..." Alex and General Draria circled around each other, with both of them looking for an opening to exploit.


    "From what I heard, you should have been gone from this World already." General Draria said as she watched Alex''s movements with her eyes. "It seems like you have lied to all of us."


    "So what if I am?" Alex replied cheekily, as his tentacles started to sway freely. "I technically fulfilled my mission here, so I had no qualms on showing my real identity."


    Of course even if Alex had successfully completed the Bonus Mission of infiltrating the Human Faction, he was interested on continuing the impersonation, as he wanted to get an idea of the cure from Teresa''s father.


    This is Alex''s strategy for the coming days, but after he saw the threat on the lives of Simon, Alice, and Fred, Alex decided to abandon his extra desires.


    "Even if I failed on getting any important information here, I am sure that Alina will be able to procure something." Alex thought to himself as he tried to console himself.


    "Although I am sure that Divine Knight Sylvester Glaivewood will be pissed off once word about my impersonation spreads out¡­" Alex knew that even if he had shown his real identity in an isolated place like this, anything that happened here will still be known by the Divine Knights and Mages.


    Once that happens, Alex was sure that they will come after his blood.


    "Ok, maybe I will release Teresa, Simon, Fred, and Alice once I finish with the matters here¡­" Alex thought to himself, remembering that he placed Simon , Alice, and Fred inside Alina''s storage, which put them beside the real Teresa. "Maybe the Divine Knights will not be that angry to me once I did that¡­"


    Of course Alex knew how angry people could become, so he decided to just assume for the worst.


    "What, are you waiting for me to make the move?" General Draria started to look irritated, as she began to glare at Alex angrily. "I don''t have the whole day to waste with your stupid tentacle body!"


    "...."


    Alex knew that since General Draria was a General Class Monster, the things that she could do with her Disruption Energy will be that of high intensity and class.


    But Alex also knew that even if Disruption Energy was a special kind of energy, there is still a possibility of it having a weakness.


    "Disruption Energy can disrupt any kind of attack that requires the power of Energy or Essence." Alex thought to himself as he began to slowly approach General Draria. "At first glance, that power seems to be overpowered. But, if it can only disrupt Energy and Essence, then its weakness is already quite obvious."


    Once he had reached this line of thought, Alex suddenly remembered what Asteria told to him about the Law Interaction in different Worlds.


    Alex grinned, as he realized that he can apply the concepts of Law Interaction here at his battle with General Draria!


    "Since Disruption Energy can only disrupt Energy or Essence, it means that it cannot disrupt anything that does not require Energy or Essence!"


    This is the realization that Alex had, which sounded quite plausible to him.


    "Since everything that General Draria fights with in this World require Energy or Essence to work, she had no problems shrugging of their attacks. That was the reason she seemed to be undefeatable here." Alex thought to himself as he began to sneer. "But all of that will change now!"


    At the instant that Alex determined the weakness of General Draria''s Disruption Energy, he began to devise a plan to defeat her.


    "Now that I know her weakness, winning against her will be much easier!" Alex thought to himself as he began to take some deep breaths.


    A few seconds passed by, and Alex was able to formulate his plan.


    "Ok, so this plan of mine is the best thing that I can do to defeat General Draria¡­" Alex thought to himself as he began to gather his power. "If I succeed then victory is mine."


    "But if this plan of mine fails, then I will have no choice but to abandon this Bonus Mission and run away."


    If Alex''s current plan fails to defeat General Draria, then just means that the current Alex will be unable to win.


    This in turn means that Alex will have no choice but to run away.


    "Come on, make your move now!" General Draria smugly said as she stood in place, calmly waiting for Alex''s attack to come.


    Alex snorted a little, as he realized what General Draria''s posture meant.


    "General Draria is not that worried about fighting me, since she''s thinking that her Disruption Energy is enough to stop me¡­" Alex thought to himself as he shook his head wryly. "That is why she was confident on me making the first move, since she''s thinking that she can easily disrupt any move that I make."


    After reaching this conclusion, Alex showed General Draria a feral smile as he said,


    "You want an attack! I''ll give you one!"


    Alex was suddenly covered by a golden glow, which all coalesced into a golden projectile which lobbed towards General Draria.


    This golden projectile was called the Golden Apple, and this is the strongest attack that the real Teresa can use.


    Oh, scratch that statement,as the Golden Apple was actually the strongest kind of attack that any Golden Knight can use.


    For the Golden Apple to be used, the Golden Knight must sacrifice 6 months of his/her ability to use Golden Essence.


    All this Golden Essence will be the one used to create the Golden Apple.


    This rule means that once the Golden Apple was used, the Golden Knight who used it will be powerless and unable to use any Golden Essence for 6 months.


    One Golden Apple = 6 months of inability to use Golden Energy.


    Because of this stringent requirement, the Golden Apple was only used in desperate situations.


    But using it is worth it, since the power contained within the Golden Apple is horrifyingly tremendous.


    Add the attribute of the Golden Essence which was highly lethal to monsters, and the resulting Golden Apple can damageany Monsters nearby, even General Class Monsters.


    Of course, since Alex''s Golden Knight Level was only at Grade 3, the Golden Apple that he created will not be able to kill General Draria.


    But it will injure her if the Golden Apple manages to hit her.


    "Idiot!" This is the word that General Draria shouted as the Golden Apple sailed towards her. "Idiot!"


    When Alex released his Golden Apple earlier, General Draria looked quite taken aback, and that was understandable, since she just saw a Monster using an ability that only Golden Knights can use.


    But that shocked look changed to a smug one, and Alex knew why General Draira suddenly looked so smug.


    It was because she must have known that the Golden Apple was made up of Golden Essence, which her Disruption Energy can disrupt!


    "Well, you must have been thinking of disrupting the Golden Apple now, right?" Alex thought to himself as he saw Genera Draria raising her hands, maybe in an attempt to disrupt the Golden Apple.


    "Well, unfortunately for you, that Golden Apple was my diversion!"


    Before General Draria could disrupt the Golden Apple, Alex activated his FED Manipulation as he blasted General Draria with emotions of anger and self-loathing.


    "Argh!" General Draria let out a shout, as she felt herself being affected by the attack.


    Since Alex''s FED Manipulation was Alex''s innate ability, and not something that needed Essence or Energy to activate, there is no way that General Draria can disrupt this.


    Because of that, the emotions that he blasted right towards General Draria had affected her well.


    "¡­" However, since General Draria was still fundamentally stronger than Alex, the time span that she will be affected by Alex''s FED Manipulation will be quite short.


    Around 2 second to be exact.


    These 2 seconds will be the only time that General Draria will be feeling anger and self-loathing to herself.


    But Alex knew that these 2 second will be enough to let him win.


    "Hehehe¡­"


    With General Draria unable to make any move due to the emotion blasted to her, the Golden Apple was able to hit her unimpeded, right on her torso.


    <{[ Major Telekinesis ]}>


    Alex did not wait for General Draria to feel any pain as he used his Major Telekinesis to destroy all the nearby tanks and chemical bottles nearby General Draria.


    Alex knew that these tanks and bottles contain dangerous and corrosive chemicals, something that could harm General Draria.


    And now that General Draria had a huge, gaping hole in her torso, these dangerous chemicals will surely do a number on her too.


    Before the 2-second time limit for the FED Manipulation was used up, all the chemicals that Alex released covered General Draria, burying her in hazardous stuff.


    "Ahhhh!!!" General Draria shouted out as she regained her wits.


    She started to writhe as she seemed to have realized what had happened to her.


    But before she could stand up, she started to cough some blood as some chemicals started to enter her body through the wound in her torso, rapidly ravaging her insides.


    Alex had a hand in his, as he used his Major Telekinesis to force the chemicals to enter General Draria''s body.


    "Grugh..." General Draria gurgled as she glared at Alex angrily. "Grugh¡­"


    Alex watched with amusement as the General Draria''s wound tried to heal,but found itself unable to do so.


    Even if General Draria had powerful regeneration capabilities, the presence of the Golden Essence in her wound, and the sheer amount of chemicals inside her body was just too much for her to handle.


    "Yuu... vashtard¡­" General Draria growled to Alex as she crawled towards him, maybe in an attempt to attack him physically.


    In response to this, Alex continued on breaking more tanks around her, submerging her in more and more chemicals.


    In the end, even General Draria''s robust body was unable to take it anymore.


    She took one last crawl forward, before her her face fell onto the floor, creating a wet splashing sound.


    Alex looked slightly surprised as he saw that even now, General Draria was still breathing.


    "So all those attacks that I did to her just made her unconscious?" Alex thought wryly to himself as he let out a sigh. "She really is a General Class Monster. Even someone with a soft body like her can still hold on this long¡­"


    After muttering these words, Alex looked around him, as he observed the mess and destruction that he created.


    "Someone will not be happy once they sees this¡­"

 Chapter 96 Wrath

    "Okay, you succeeded in your 2nd Bonus Mission, which means that you get additional 2 years in your lifespan." Asteria said as she looked at the destruction and mess that Alex made. "Damn Alex, you really got this General Draria so wet and bothered¡­"


    "Quit it with the jokes Asteria." Alex grumbled as he approached General Draria''s unconscious body.


    He looked at her prone form, as if he was trying to think of something deep.


    "Are you thinking if you should kill her or not?" Asteria asked as she saw the uneasy expression on Alex''s face. "You know, one stab is enough to kill this General right now¡­"


    "Well, killing her is a little tempting, but I do not know if I should do that¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he let out a sigh. "You know what, f**k it, I will let this woman live."


    "So, you will just leave her here then?" Asteria queried as she perched at Alex''s shoulder.


    "Of course not." Alex said as he shook his head. "I still have some uses for her right now, and I will make sure that she fulfills her purposes well."


    "Oh, you are talking about that." With her devious mind, Asteria realized what Alex was pertaining to. "You greedy guy, you already had 4 hostages with you, and now you will add this woman on that roster? What a way to get the ire of both sides¡­"


    "Well, you know that my main goal is to the the cure and save the children." Alex muttered as he approached General Draria''s body. "And I will do anything that I can in order to achieve it."


    Alex then waved his hands, as he stored General Draria''s body in Alina''s Storage.


    With the injuries that she had, General Draria will surely stay unconscious for several hours.


    That several hours was all that Alex needed in order for him to finish all his plans.


    "From the way that you talk right now, it seems like you intend to finish your Main Mission today." Asteria muttered as she looked at Alex''s serious expression. "Are you sure on doing that?"


    "I am sure." Alex said as he wiped some of the chemicals that landed on hit tentacles. "After all, my only mission was to save the children, nothing else. As for the other problems in this World, I have no way to solve them right now, since I have very limited power yet. So instead of wasting my time on things that I cannot do, I will just focus on the things that I can do. That will be beneficial to me and to the people in this World."


    "Well, that certainly is a little pragmatic." Asteria said as she shook her head wryly. "But its good that you think that way, since that principle is something that any Traveler will have to follow."


    "What do you mean by that?" Alex asked after he heard what Alina said.


    "Well, there will always come a time when a Traveler sees a World with a large problem. Of course they will try to help to that problem, but most of the times, their Main Mission in that World is unrelated to that problem." Asteria said as she began to play with Alex''s tentacles once more. "Most of the times, their attempts to solve both the problem and the Main Mission does not end good for them."


    "So, you are praising me for having the mindset on being focused on the mission huh." Alex shook his head wryly as he stretched his tentacle body. "You really are a Guide, although sometimes you are doing a s**tty job of being one."


    "Hmph!"


    As Alex stretched his tentacle body, he suddenly felt an itchy sensation in his mind, which made him smile widely.


    "Hehe, so Alina saw my letter already." Alex thought with a smile, as he knew that the itchy sensation that he felt was the result of Alina deposting something in her Storage.


    With Alex able to access the Storage too, he was able to feel that letter''s arrival.


    Alex did not waste any time as he snatched the letter from the storage, and ripping it open for him to read.


    [If you are reading this letter, then that means you are still safe.]


    "Ok, that is a little weird, but since it was Alina who wrote this, maybe this message is just normal for her." Alex thought to himself as he continued on reading the letter.


    [I have received your letter earlier, and it makes me happy and relieve to see that you were safe.]


    [Since you have told me about your status, I shall tell you my status then: I am safe, and I am in the right hands right now."


    "Right hands?" Alex felt a slight sense of foreboding as he reached this point. He squinted his eyes as he read the next sentence.


    [I am currently with Queen Mother.]


    "What the hell?" Even Asteria, who was reading beside Alex, was also surprised with what she and Alex read.


    "Is she trying to send me a distress signal now?" Alex thought to himself as he thought that maybe Alina was trying to ask for his help right now. "If that was really the case, then I will not waste my time here anymore!"


    Of course Alex continued reading the letter as there are still more of them.


    [I am sure that by this point, you are already worried. But do not worry, since Queen Mother approached me with good intentions. With my All-Seeing Eyes, I could see that she was sincere on cooperating with me.}


    "Ok, I did not expect this sudden shift in tone." Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head. "Really¡­"


    [Queen Mother told me a lot of things, and in my opinion, you should know about it too. So, here it is¡­]


    The rest of Alina''s letter then explained to Alex everything about the World Tree, birth of the second World Tree, the creation of Monsters and Essence Humans, and the ongoing battle between them.


    "¡­." Alex was somewhat speechless as he read the contents of the letter, as he thought that maybe Alina was just pranking him.


    "No, Alina will not prank you." Asteria said as she seemed to have realized what Alex was thinking of.


    "You know that she is an upright person, and that she will not do anything bad to you. Plus, there is the fact that she is also smitten with you, so she cannot really bear to fool you."


    "Just shut up, ok?" Alex muttered as he took a deep breath to calm himself down.


    Alex took one more minute to sort all the information that he just got, making sure that they mesh well with his ideas.


    "So, World Trees huh." Alex said as he shook his head wryly. "Well, with this information in my hand, it makes my plan to finish the Main Mission today much, much easier."


    Alex then looked back at the letter, which still had one more unread sentence.


    [If you are in a great condition now, please reply quickly. Queen Mother said that something big just happened there, and I am worried about your safety. Please reply quickly.]


    Alex''s insides started to feel warm as he felt happy upon seeing Alina''s worry for him.


    "Ugh, stop giving me that expression, it looks creepy af." Asteria said as she saw the happy expression on Alex''s face. "Just write back to her now!"


    "Hai, hai." Alex replied as he got more paper and ink in his storage, which he used to give his reply letter.


    With all the information that Alex gathered now, he was able to formulate a plan to complete his Main Mission.


    Naturally, his plan also involved some steps that required Alina''s help.


    As such, aside from the assurance of his safety, Alex''s reply letter also included his instructions for Alina, which Alina should follow if she wanted to finish the Main Mission.


    After 5 minutes of writing, Alex looked at the letter that he wrote with satisfaction.


    He folded it in half, and he then placed It inside the Storage.


    "Hehehe, now that I gave the instructions to Alina, it is time for me to set the stage!" Alex declared as he glanced at Asteria''s direction.


    "Asteria, with the additional lifespan that I obtained, it will be possible for me to get another Abyss Tome, right?"


    "Hmph, why do you need to ask something like that, Captain Obvious?" Asteria grumbled as she let out a harrumph. "If you want to buy, then buy!"


    "In that case, let me buy Abyss Tome: Wrath." Alex said as he ambled towards the dry corner of the room. "In won''t hurt me to gain some offensive arsenal, after all."


    "Hmph, at least you are now getting the coolest Tome." Asteria mumbled as he touched Alex''s forehead, prompting the symbol there to glow. "Get it while its hot¡­"


    A new book tumbled out of Alex''s forehead, and Alex had to use his numerous tentacles to catch it well.


    But even that was slightly difficult for Alex, as the book was covered in some kind of material that started to slowly destroy his tentacles.


    "Holy c**p, even the book itself is a badass already." Alex thought to himself as he observed the tome.


    The tome itself looked plain, as it only looked like a black book with normal pages. But Alex could feel some kind of power hidden inside the tome that made him slightly fearful of it.


    "Do not disappoint me, buddy." Alex muttered as he fused with the tome, slowly relishing the feeling that he had inside his body.


    "Yes¡­" Alex felt a fiery sensation in his body, which seemed to have awaken something primal and ferocious inside him.


    Alex closed his eyes for a few more seconds, enjoying this sensation inside him.


    "That was... certainly enlightening." Alex muttered to himself as he let out a deep breath.


    Alex then straightened his body as a challenging expression appeared in his face. "Now that I have acquired Abyss Tome: Wrath, it is time for me to start the end."


    While Alex said these words, he looked at the interface of the Abyss Tome: Wrath, noting the new skills that he gained right now.


    "Not bad, not bad."

 Chapter 97 Minor Destruction Aura

    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Minor Destruction Aura


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 2 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 3 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 4 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    Alex saw the spell that he got from the Grade 1 Slot, and the explanation that he got from it made him feel happy.


    [Minor Destruction Aura] --- By using this spell, its user can coat anything, including its attacks with Minor Destruction Aura. The duration and damage done will depend on the amount of aura coated.


    "Hehehe, this power is so versatile¡­" After looking at the description of Minor Destruction Aura, Alex realized many of its possible applications.


    For instance, he can coat his Electromagnetic Saber with Minor Destruction Aura, which will make its power even higher.


    Alex can also apply this aura on his other attacks, like his Electromagnetic Beams and his tentacles.


    "Wait¡­" After seeing the things that he could do with Minor Destruction Aura, Alex paused, as he suddenly thought of something important.


    "If I can use Minor Destruction Aura on other objects, maybe I can use it on those things too¡­"


    At the instant that he thought of this, Alex hastily summoned Mouth with his Pillage spell.


    "skreeea!!" Mouth shouted as it looked at Alex with happily. From the looks of it, it was extremely pleased that Alex summoned it.


    "I will pet you later. For now, its time to experiment." Alex muttered to the excited Mouth as he uttered,


    <{[ Minor Destruction Aura ]}>


    At the instant that Alex said these words, he felt the Abyss Energy inside his body being reduced quite substantially.


    Alex ignored this discovery as he saw Mouth suddenly being covered with a grey film-like coating.


    "skreee?" Mouth tilted itself as it saw its body covered by this grey film. "skreee skreee?"


    "Don''t worry about that Mouth." Alex said as he tried to reassure the surprised Mouth. "That is something that I used to make you stronger."


    "skreee?" This time, Mouth sounded somewhat hopeful. It was as if what Alex just said made Mouth more excited.


    "....¡­" Alex can understand why Mouth was feeling like this right now, as Mouth actually had no offensive capabilities at all.


    Its ability to Pillage powers can only be used on people weaker than Alex, and not on people stronger than it.


    Aside from this Pillage, Mouth had no other way to fight.


    So this technically means that Mouth cannot actually be used to fight against strong opponents, which of course made Mouth slightly sad.


    As such, the chance of it gaining the ability to fight made Mouth quite excited.


    "Come on, you should test it ou now." Alex said as he urged Mouth, who was now covered with Minor Destruction Aura, to make its move. "That aura will not last that long, you know."


    "skreeeaa!!!" Mouth immediately set itself into action after it heard what Alex said.


    Mouth catapulted itself to one of the nearby tables, maybe in hopes of breaking it.


    "Boink!"


    Mouth bounced up as it hit the table, as its rubbery body was not that efficient for blunt force attacks.


    "skreee¡­" But before Mouth get disappointed from what happened, it suddenly saw something happening on the table.


    "Fizz¡­"


    Sizzling sounds could be heard from the table as a small hole appeared on it.


    This hole, which was still growing larger and larger, appeared at the spot where Mouth had hit the table.


    "So that is how Minor Destruction Aura works huh." Alex muttered to himself as the hole stopped expanding when it reached the size of the coin. "I can do a lot of things with this¡­"


    "skreee! skreee!" Mouth started to shout triumphantly as it saw what had happened to the table. "skreee skreee!"


    It immediately flew towards Alex, with it starting to brag with what it did.


    "skreee, skreee, skreee!"


    "Yes, yes, you are the best of all." Alex said as he patted Mouth.


    To Alex''s relief, he saw that he was not affected at all by the destruction aura that was coating Mouth.


    "You have done a lot already, so you should go back to sleep for now." Alex said as he dismissed the Pillage Spell, bringing Mouth back to its resting place.


    ".¡­.." Once Alex dismissed Mouth, he suddenly went silent, as he seemed to be deep on contemplating something.


    "Hey Alex, why did you go silent just now?" Asteria inquired as she saw Alex suddenly turning silent after he finished playing with Mouth. "Did you notice something wrong?"


    "No, actually, its quite the opposite." Alex replied as his body slowly trembled.


    "Eh, you noticed something good? Well, humor me and tell me what you discovered then." Asteria said as she gave Alex a challenging smile. "Let me judge if what you discovered was really good."


    "Well, what I discovered was just simple and elegant." Alex said as an excited smile appeared in his face.


    "And that is the fact that I can combine the spells of different Abyss Tomes!"


    "Elaborate please¡­" Asteria replied in a dull tone, as if she does not care on what Alex was talking about.


    Alex tried to ignore these irritating reply by Alina as he said,


    "Once I saw that I can use Minor Destruction Aura on Mouth, it was there that I realized one simple fact. And that was the fact that I used a spell from Abyss Tome: Wrath on a spell from Abyss Tome: Greed! Do you know what this fact entails Asteria? It just shows that given the right combination, I can mix and combine spells from different Abyss Tomes!"


    "Ugh, stop repeating that boring explanation." Asteria mumbled as she gave Alex a withering look. "So, that''s what you discovered? Well, congrats to you, I guess."


    "Hey, why are yo not feeling happy for me?" Alex complained as he was now pissed at Asteria''s dismissive attitude. "Shouldn''t you be clapping or doing some weird dancing routine?"


    "Its because you should have already realized this fact yesterday after you obtained Abyss Tome: Greed." Asteria replied as she shook her head. "Frankly , I am a little disappointed that you needed 3 Abyss Tomes before you realized that you can mix the spells of different Abyss Tomes. Well, at least you realized it now, so I am still congratulating you."


    "I do not know whether I should feel happy by your words or not." Alex replied as he resorted to glaring at Asteria. "You are my Guide, Asteria, so maybe you should also give me some moral support, right?"


    "Why would you need moral support from me?" Asteria drawled as she rolled her eyes. "You are a big boy now, so I am sure you do not need encouragement from a tiny girl like me."


    "Well then, I think it is time for you to grow then." Alex jokingly replied as he observed Asteria''s tiny body. "Wait, you can enlarge yourself, right?"


    However, instead of replying at Alex, what Asteria did was to suddenly drop kick Alex on his head, prompting Alex to let out a surprised yelp.


    "Ouch! What was that for?"


    "It''s for the fact that you asked something related to my size!" Asteria said as she almost snarled at Alex. "Asking anything related to a woman''s size is a big taboo, especially if that woman is a noble person like me!"


    "I fail to see any kind of nobility on you." Alex muttered in a low voice as he just let Asteria vent her anger.


    "@@(*(*@&%(@)**!!"


    Alex was only forgiven by Asteria after she gave him a 5-minute long tirade.


    "So, what will you do now?" Asteria asked Alex in a normal voice, with the past argument already long forgotten by her. "Will you stay here or will you do something else?"


    "Well-" Alex was about to give his reply when he suddenly felt a series of powerful presences rushing towards his location.


    Alex smiled upon seeing this, as if he was not worried about these presences at all.


    "Well, it seems like you already got the answer, Asteria." Alex said as he stayed on where he is, with him having no intention to move at all. "I will stay here, as I need to discuss something with my visitors."


    "You really like to taunt death huh." Asteria muttered as she shook her head in exasperation. "Well, good luck to you Alex. I hope you don''t die, since I still have to finish my remaining stock of honey."


    "Tsk, even until now, you are still talking about honey? You really are a dumb fairy."


    "Hmph!"


    *******************


    "....."


    Alina resisted the urge to sigh as she read Alex''s reply letter to her.


    "Your mate¡­ seems to be a fairly unique person." That was all that Queen Mother could say as she also saw the contents of Alex''s reply letter.


    "Well, that is just how he likes to do things¡­" Alina replied as she slumped her body forward. "There''s nothing that I can do about it¡­"


    "So, will you follow what your mate instructed you to do?" Queen Mother queried as it watched the expressions on Alina''s face.


    "I trust Alex with my whole heart, so I will never doubt anything that he says." Alina said confidently as she wore a serene smile on her face. "I am sure that everything that he did was for our best, so I will not do anything to inconvenience him."


    "So this is the power of love huh¡­ Interesting¡­" Queen Mother said as she ignored the Alina''s sudden blush. "Maybe its time for me to find someone like your mate¡­ Hey, do you mind if you share your mate with me? I will make sure that I can please you both!"


    "Hell no!"

 Chapter 98 Volume 3 Ideas

    Sorry guys, but because I have to attend my granny''s birthday celebration today, I will be unable to release any chapters today.


    Release rate will resume tomorrow.


    Since this is not a chap, maybe I will just discuss about the ideas for volume 3.


    If some of you could not feel it, Volume 2 was nearing its end.


    This naturally means that Alex and co. will once again go to a new World.


    Well, I already have an idea and a faint plot on the World for Volume 3.


    Frankly, I am quite excited for this one, as this is somewhat inspired by one of my favorite literary works, which I will not be telling for now.


    So, how about it guys? Do you have any faint inkling on Volume 3''s World?

 Chapter 99 The Parallel View

    When Sylvester received the notification of Monster invasion, he almost tore the table that he was sitting on in half as anger started to fill his body.


    "Those bloody bastards!" Sylvester growled as he tried to calm himself down. "They really chose to make an invasion this time around? They really want to get a beating that much huh."


    Just by looking at Sylvester, it was quite easy to see that the news of the Monster invasion seemed to have awaken something fierce inside him.


    "Sylvester, you seem thrilled upon hearing about this invasion." Mia, who was sitting in front of Sylvester, said as she saw the eager expression Sylvester''s face. "What made you this excited?"


    "Hmph, you should remember all the stress that I had when Alina was kidnapped by that damn tentacle monster!" Sylvester shouted as he seemed to begin his rant.


    Just seeing the face that Sylvester was wearing as he talked about Alex was enough to show the rage and anger that he was feeling. "Argh! I am so angry, even now that my daughter is back! I¡­ I want to vent this rage on something! Argh!"


    "And this Monster invasion will be your designated punching bag? Sigh¡­" Mia shook her head again as she gave Sylvester a wry smile. "Well, I really can''t stop you from beating them up, as we really need you there."


    "???"


    Sylvester''s slightly eager expression stiffened as he heard the tone of Mia''s voice. It sounded as if Mia was somewhat worried for him.


    "Mia¡­" Sylvester gazed at Mia, who was wearing a worried look on her face.. "Are there any General-Class Monsters in that invasion?"


    Mia looked back at Sylvester, as if she was gauging him. A few seconds passed by before she gave her reply.


    "¡­There are General-Class Monsters in that invasion." Mia confirmed as she let out a sigh.


    "How many are there?" Sylvester asked as he observed Mia''s face. "Is that bloody General Chimera there?"


    "Well¡­" Mia''s words trailed for a second before she gave her reply. "There are¡­ 5 General-Class Monsters in that invasion, and yes, General Chimera is there too¡­"


    "Five? Is the Monster Faction mad?" Sylvester exclaimed as if he could not believe what he just heard. "That''s almost half of their full arsenal!"


    "Sylvester, I feel like this is a trap¡­" Mia said as she could fully recognize that Sylvester was still ready to face the invasion even with the fact that 5 General-Class Monsters will be there. "Do you really need to go?''


    "Hmph, and let some innocent people die? Hell no!" Sylvester stood up, and before Mia could fully react, he was already donning his golden armor and his halberd.


    "Sigh, since I can''t stop you now, you should promise to come back safe, Sylvester." Mia said as she knew that she cannot stop him now. "You still have a daughter and a new kid waiting for you to come back."


    Mia then proceeded to stroke her tummy while saying these words, as she showed a very fawning expression on her face.


    "Of course Mia, I will come back alive." Sylvester said as he gave a warm look at Mia''s stomach. "I still have to see my junior after all."


    "Junior? Hmph, why are you assuming our baby''s gender already!" Mia pouted as she glared at Sylvester. "Don''t you want it to be a girl?"


    "Uh well¡­" Sylvester stuttered, as he knew that any answer that he gives now will just set Mia off. "I''ll answer that later! I need to go now!"


    After saying these words, Sylvester flew out of the window, as he used his Golden Essence to propel him across the sky.


    "Sigh, what a fool hardy guy." Mia said as she shook her head. She then continued on stroking her tummy as a satisfied expression appeared on her face.


    "Let''s wait for your father to come back, okay?"


    ****************


    With the power that he had as a Divine Knight, Sylvester was able to reach the site of the Monster invasion.


    What he saw was the usual sight that he saw every time that he fought Them.


    He saw hordes of monsters cutting through countless structures, which led to countless horrific deaths.


    And during his arrival right now, Sylvester saw a running farmer being crushed by one of the elephant-like Monsters.


    Naturally, this sight and the other deaths that he saw made Sylvester livid.


    "Boom!"


    With his status as the Golden Divine Knight, Sylvester has a very high level of the control of Golden Essence.


    This meant that he can use enormous amounts of Golden Essence in order to create attacks with power magnitudes higher than before.


    This level of control also allowed Sylvester to fashion new spells that will be much more damaging against Monsters.


    "Die, all of you scum!" Sylvester shouted as a golden orb of light, around 5 storeys tall appeared above him.


    This golden orb shook for a second, before it broke down into thousands of sword-shaped golden projectiles.


    <{[ Golden Shower ]}>


    All of the golden swords rained upon the battlefield, skewering countless Monsters on the ground.


    None of the Monsters were able to resist the golden swords, as they all dissolved into ash.


    "Swish, swish, swish."


    Sylvester looked at the other sides of the battlefield, and there he could see the other Divine Knights killing more Monsters.


    To his surprise, he could also see Divine Mage Imago among the attackers.


    "Boom!" After seeing this Divine Mage, Sylvester wasted no time as he flew towards him, with the matter of his daughter resurfacing in his mind.


    "Hey Imago." Sylvester said as his Golden Shower continued on killing more and more Monsters. "What is your diagnosis of my daughter''s condition?''


    "Oh, about that little kid? Sorry, but before I could scan her whole body, I received the notification about the attack here." Divine Mage Imago apologetically said as he also continued on killing Monsters. "I have no choice but to postpone your daughter''s check-up for later. You''re just fine with that, right?"


    As Divine Mage Imago said these words, Sylvester could see countless chemicals spilling out of Divine Mage Imago''s body, effectively killing most of the Monsters below. As for the Monsters that survived, they all suffered misfortune as they experienced mutations that will make them wish they were dead.


    Sylvester naturally did not feel pity for them as he and Divine Mage Imago did not stop their attacks.


    "I can understand your decision." Sylvester said as he saw the field clearing a little. "My daughter can still deal with her problems, but the people here could not. The better choice is already obvious here."


    After saying these words, Sylvester paused for a second, as he felt as if there was something wrong with the current situation.


    At the distance, he could see the General-Class Monsters facing off against some Divine Knights.


    Sylvester was not sure why, but something seems off with the way the General-Class Monsters fought.


    It was as if they were stalling for time, instead of going in for a kill.


    This wrong feeling only lasted for a second, before Sylvester continued talking to Divine Mage Imago.


    "That''s my exact thought comrade." Divine Mage Imago said as he winked at Sylvester. "Hey, how about you go with me to visit some beautiful courtesans later? You will surely love it!"


    "You now that I am taken already." Sylvester replied wryly as he shook his head. "Also, I am about to be a father again, so I have to make Mia much happier than before."


    "Oh, congratulations!" Divine Mage Imago seemed to be not disappointed that he was turned down as he started clapping for Sylvester. "Is it a boy or a girl?"


    "I still do not know." Sylvester replied as he shook his head. "But I will know that later once I come back from here."


    "I am sure Teresa will be happy that she will have a new sibling at the end of the year." Divine Mage Imago said as he clasped Sylvester''s shoulders. "I think you shou-"


    Any words that Divine Mage Imago wanted to say next were all cut off as his face suddenly paled, as if he suddenly received an extremely bad news.


    Sylvester immediately noticed the ugly look on Divine Mage Imago''s face, prompting him to ask,


    "Hey, what''s the matter?"


    "That f**king b**ch!" Divine Mage Imago shouted as he gritted his teeth. "One of the Mages in the Mage Division Building told me that after I left the building, a large horde of Monsters stormed inside the building, killing countless of Mages!"


    "That is not good." Sylvester replied as he felt the same sinking sensation that Divine Mage Imago had. "That is not good at all."


    "And you know what was worse?" Divine Mage Imago said as his face started to turn red with fury. "That Monster Horde was led by General Draria! She''s currently inside the building according to the message!"


    "....."


    At this point, Sylvester immediately realized the wrong feeling that he noticed earlier.


    "This invasion here is just a diversion!" Sylvester declared as he looked at the ensuing battle around him. "We were all fooled!"


    How could he have not noticed it earlier?


    The General-Class Monster were fighting in a passive way because they were trying to prolong the battle here! They wanted to make the Divine Knights and Mages stay here as long as possible!


    Their real goal must have been something inside the Mage Division Building, which was proven by the fact that General Draria, who was highly effective against Mages, was currently leading an invasion there!


    "Took you long to notice, Sylvester." General Chimera, who was busy battling two Divine Knights in front of him, suddenly said as everyone on the field heard what Sylvester said.


    "You!!!" Sylvester''s body glowed as he tried attack General Chimera.


    But before he could do so, he saw General Chimera saying something that made him more panicked.


    "Retreat!" General Chimera shouted as he flew backwards.


    At the instant that General Chimera said these words, all the Monsters on the field, including the other General-Class Monsters, all followed him.


    Sylvester and the others watched in dismay as they saw the retreating army. Their dismay was only compounded as they saw the smug expression on General Chimera''s face, as if he was saying,


    ''I win.''


    "Don''t chase them! We need to rally at the Mage Division Building!" Divine Mage Imago shouted as some of the Divine Knights tried to chase the retreating army. "If we can go back now, we could still stop General Draria from getting what she wanted!"


    "Teleport us now then." Sylvester said as he glared at Divine Mage Imago. "I need to be there now!"


    Aside from the fact that there is something that General Draria wanted to get from the Mage Division Building, Sylvester was also worried about the fact that his daughter Teresa was there too!


    Even if Teresa was just as tough and unyielding as him, Sylvester was not sure if even she can survive against General Draria!


    "Sorry, but we cannot teleport anywhere near the building." Divine Mage Imago hesitantly said as he wilted under Sylvester''s cloudy expression. "General Draria used her power to destroy any possible teleportation points around the building, making it impossible to teleport there¡­"


    "Then teleport us to the teleport point that is nearest to the Mage Division Building!" Sylvester practically shouted as he glared at Divine Mage Imago.


    "!!!"


    None of the Divine Knights admonished him, as they all looked to be in rush too.


    "Ok ok, I am doing it now!" The Divine Mage said as Sylvester felt his surroundings blurring around him.


    "Swoosh¡­"


    One second later, and Sylvester found himself in a different place.


    "Here, this is the best that I can do!" Divine Mage Imago said as he glanced at Sylvester. "Is this ok for you?"


    "We shall see." Sylvester said as he immediately used his senses to know his distance from the Mage Division Building.


    "10 kilometers huh. This is just enough." Sylvester said as he wasted no time. He decisively used his top speed to fly towards the besieged building. His daughter''s life is at stake here, so he will not just dawdle here!


    "Teresa, wait for me! I will come and save you!"

 Chapter 100 Radical and Heavy

    What Sylvester saw when he reached the Mage Division Building was just like what he feared he would see.


    He saw countless dead Mages, all surrounded by rowdy Monsters.


    To make matters worse, Sylvester also saw that the whole Mage Division Building was at the brink of collapse, as countless parts of the building showed signs of intense damage.


    "Argh!!!" This shout of anger came from Divine Mage Imago, whose face was currently twisted in hatred. "That f**king b**ch! Once I catch her, I will personally rip off her f**king wings!"


    "Wait." Sylvester said as he placed his hand on the Divine Mage Imago''s shoulder. "Don''t just rush in."


    "What?" Divine Mage Imago replied as he saw what Sylvester was doing. "Why are you stopping me now? We need to go in and kill that b**ch!"


    "Before you say those words, try to observe the situation below you." Sylvester said as he just ignored the Divine Mage''s fury. "Don''t you see anything weird?"


    "Weird?" It seems like Divine Mage Imago was not yet that consumed with rage, as he followed Sylvester''s advice.


    "What the?" At the instant that he did so, the Divine Mage seemed to have noticed what Sylvester saw. "These Monsters¡­"


    "They are all acting weirdly." Sylvester supplemented as he looked at the Monsters below.


    Sylvester knew for a fact that Monsters led by a General-Class Monster always tend to be organized and focused.


    But the Monsters that Sylvester were seeing right now were the very opposite of that.


    The Monsters below them were all running in circles, with none of them even attacking the surviving Mages.


    It was as if they had forgotten their goal to kill Mages, as they only moped and roamed around aimlessly.


    "This¡­" Divine Mage Imago narrowed his eyes as he continued on observing the Monsters. "Something wrong is happening here."


    "You are right, and if my suspicions were correct, our situation could be either good or bad." Sylvester said as a neutral expression appeared in his face.


    "Huh?"


    Sylvester''s voice stayed neutral, as he was fairly confident of the hypothesis that he had.


    "These Monsters are in chaos right now because their General is not around to guide them." Sylvester said as a wary expression appeared in his face. "That just means that either General Draria had run away with what she wanted, or she was defeated by someone here."


    Of course, Sylvester was wishing that it was the latter that happened.


    But logic does not seem to agree with Sylvester''s wish.


    "It''s hard to find someone who can defeat General Draria in this place, so it seems more likely that General Draria left this place with her target¡­." Divine Mage Imago said as he looked around him angrily. "Argh! If we just moved a little faster, we could have caught her leaving!"


    "..." After hearing the Divine Mage''s reasoning, Sylvester realized that it is highly likely that General Draria was not at this place anymore!


    After reaching this thought, Sylvester hurriedly scanned the whole area, just to sense if General Draria was there.


    To his intense disappointment, his scans showed him that General Draria was nowhere to be found!


    And to make it worse,Sylvester also could also not sense Teresa, Simon, and Alice!


    It was as if they all disappeared along with General Draria!


    "No! Don''t tell me that their target is my daughter?" Sylvester muttered to himself as his whole body started to smolder with rage.


    Now that he thought more about it, Sylvester realized that his daughter really seemed to be their target.


    "How could I be this inattentive!" Sylvester chided himself as he almost fell down to the ground. "Because of my negligence, my only daughter was now kidnapped¡­."


    Right now, Sylvester was wallowing in extreme anger and despair, with the Golden Essence leaking out of him in numerous quantities.


    Even an idiot can see that Sylvester was fuming and pissed already.


    "Oi Golden Guy, maybe you should try to cool yourself down first.Your daughter hates seeing you angry after all." These scathing words did not come from any of Sylvester''s companions.


    Instead, it came out from below them.


    Sylvester looked down, and he saw that the speaker was a human-sized person covered in countless tentacles.


    The light of comprehension filled Sylvester''s eyes as he realized who this tentacle guy was.


    "Hey! Why are you here?" Sylvester exclaimed as he pointed his halberd at Alex the tentacle Monster. "My daughter told me that you and your vampire partner had already left this World!"


    "Oh, fooling your daughter is just easy." Alex replied as he seemed to be not scared of Sylvester''s halberd. "Besides, do you really think I will leave this place? I still have some things to do here!"


    "I don''t care what you plan to do here." Sylvester said as a golden sword appeared above him.


    This sword was vibrating quickly and was pointed at Alex''s direction, as if it was about to stab him in his head. "Leave this place now, as we are busy on looking for someone."


    "Oh, are you talking about her?" Alex replied as Sylvester saw the tentacle monster waving his hands.


    A second later, and an unconscious person appeared in front of Alex.


    "...."


    What Sylvester saw was a woman whose body was covered with scales. She also had a pair of wings, but that was not the most prominent feature that Sylvester could see in this woman.


    There was a large, gaping hole in the woman''s torso, which seemed to be under some kind of curse.


    The wound from the hole seemed to try to heal itself, but it looks like there was something trying to stop this regeneration.


    After seeing these features, Sylvester looked at the woman once more, as he and Divine Mage Imago glared at Alex.


    "How did you obtain the unconscious body of General Draria?" Sylvester asked Alex in a neutral voice, although it was obvious that he was stewing some heavy emotions inside him.


    "Oh, this girl? I defeated her earlier." Alex replied as his tentacles began to wrap General Draria''s prone body.


    General Draria then began to cough some blood as Alex tightened his wrap on her. "See? Even now she can still feel my attacks!"


    "....."


    No matter how much Sylvester tried to accept it, he still found it hard to accept that someone like Alex actually heavily injured a General Class Monster!


    After all, Sylvester''s first impression of Alex when they met over a month ago was the he was not that strong enough to fight against extremely powerful Monsters.


    And yet, here is Alex now, currently wrapping his slimy tentacles on a General!


    Everyone around Alex all went quiet as they saw the confusing scene.


    "Oh come on do, you think this is the only surprise that I have here? There is still more!" After Alex said these words, General Draria suddenly disappeared.


    The way that she disappeared was just the same way that he appeared before.


    But this time, her disappearance was accompanied by the sudden appearance of an object on Alex''s main tentacle.


    Alex seemed to have smiled after seeing this object, with him showing the object proudly towards Sylvester. "You know what this object is, right?"


    Sylvester blanched when he saw what the object was.


    It was a small pin, with the symbol of a tree engraved in it.


    Sylvester knew what this pin symbolizes, as this pin was something that he was familiar with already.


    Sylvester was familiar with this pin, as this was pin something that Simon always placed on his shirt!


    "You have Teresa, Simon, and Alice in your captivity." Sylvester said as he tried not to attack Alex at this moment. "That pin is something that Simon wears. He loves that pin so much that he always places it on his shirt."


    "Right-o!" Alex exclaimed as he slightly backed away from the glowering Sylvester. "Your daughter and her friends really are with me!"


    Alex then looked at Divine Mage Imago, who was watching the current situation with tension.


    "Oi Imago, your apprentice was also here with me, but you can be rest assured that he is safe." Alex said smugly. "Don''t worry, he is in some good hands¡­"


    "You f**ker!" Divine Mage Imago''s body glowed, as if he was about to attack Alex.


    But before he could do so, Alex''s smug voice said something that made him stop in his tracks.


    Hey! Don''t try to attack me now! If you attack me, my captives'' lives will be in peril, as their current hiding place was connected with my life!"


    "¡­."


    "If you kill me, then all my captives will die too!"


    "F**k!"


    Of course Sylvester was sure that Alex was bluffing about some things.


    However,Sylvester was not willing to risk his daughter and her friends just to attack Alex.


    Alex surely might have some ways to damage his captives, and Sylvester was not that of an idiot to set it off.


    Divine Mage Imago seemed to have the same thought too, as he did not try to attack Alex.


    As for the other Divine Knights, they were also forced to just watch, as Alex''s threat earlier forced them to not attack him.


    "Fine, what do you want?" Sylvester asked as he realized why Alex showed him General Draria and the fact that he had some captives with him.


    This bloody tentacle monster wanted to get the cure from Sylvester, and just like before, this monster was willing to use hostages just to get what he wanted!


    "I want the cure of course." Alex replied, confirming Sylvester''s fears. "Give it to me, and I will release my hostages. Oh, and I will also give General Draria to you! With that kind of offer, giving me the cure is kinda doable already, right?"


    "Sorry, but can you change your request?" Divine Mage Imago said as he glared at Alex. "It''s just that we cannot-"


    "Hmph, quit yapping around me!" Alex declared as the tentacles started to raise his body.


    Sylvester narrowed his eyes, as he started to feel an unseen pressure coming out of Alex.


    "I know about everything already, even the fact about your World Tree!" Alex said, with him adding inflection to the last three words of his earlier sentence. "I also know about the fact that this war between the Essence Humans and the Monsters were all propagated by your World Tree!


    Any argument that Divine Mage Imago was about to say was broken as Alex said these words.


    The other Divine Knights looked at Alex in shock, as what he said essentially broke the balance in this situation.


    "¡­.." Sylvester could only grit his teeth as he realized that Alex was able to discover the deepest secret of the Human Faction. "You, how were you able to know this?"


    "Oh, I have my sources." Alex said dismissively. "But my point is not yet done."


    Alex gave Sylvester another smug smile as he said,


    "If my suspicions were right, your World Tree did something so radical which resulted to the creation of the Monster Birth Program! That is the reason why you were all secretive about the cure! You were all trying to hide the fact that your World Tree was at fault for this!"


    "..." This time, Sylvester was unable to reply, as he was once again gob-smacked by Alex''s words.


    "Of course I do not know what your World Tree did, but from what I can see, it seems like it was kinda heavy." Alex said in a relaxed tone. "So, with everything that I said here, will you still give me the cure or not?"

 Chapter 101 The Worst Day of my Life

    <<<Why are we retreating now? There are still a lot of Humans that we can kill!>>>


    {{{He''s right you know. Huhuhu, there are still a lot of fair maidens there that I wanted to enjoy!}}}


    |||You even forgot to bring some prisoners with you¡­ How could you not allow me to torture some of those damned Humans?|||


    ~~~Hey! Big Bro Chimera is just following the plan! Don''t antagonize him that much!~~~


    <<<Look who''s talking. Weren''t you crying earlier because you saw a girl being bisected in half? You even asked General Chimera to heal her! What a disgrace!>>>


    {{{I thought you were made up of stuff stronger than us. It seems like you are just one useless softie.}}}


    |||If you only had a real body, I could have tortured you already. Its too bad we were only figments of mental constructs¡­|||


    ~~~You''re all bullying me again! Waaahhh!!!~~~


    "...."


    General Chimera massaged his massive forehead as he was forced to listen to the arguments made by his extra consciousnesses.


    Listening to the bickering was already hard for him, but for them to be this noisy during the battle? That is just enough to piss him off.


    But General Chimera held these pissed feelings inside him, as there was something right now that is making him feel extremely jubilated.


    "Hehehe, with this plan that I concocted, I am sure that I can bring that Sylvester down on his knees." General Chimera muttered darkly to himself. "Hmph, they will all see it¡­"


    *********************


    General Chimera''s plan with the other General-Class Monsters was just simple.


    They will try to find a way to abduct Teresa, who was Divine Knight Sylvester Glaivewood''s daughter.


    Of course this is somewhat hard, but General Chimera already had a way to do this.


    Once Teresa goes on a place where she can be abducted, General Chimera will create a distraction that will attract many Divine Knights. Once the Divine Knights and Mages were away, abducting Teresa will just be a piece of cake.


    Of course General Chimera knew that the type of distraction will only depend on the kind of place that Teresa goes¡­


    Fortunately for General Chimera, their spies inside the Human Faction will be telling them every movement of Teresa.


    And luckily for General Chimera, he received a report from one of his spies earlier that Teresa was going to the Mage Division Building for some kind of checkup.


    When General Chimera received this information, he knew that the time for them to execute the plan has come.


    General Chimera immediately commanded his fellow Generals to lead a massive army to invade the Human Faction.


    The larger the army is, the better it will be to distract them.


    After giving this command, General Chimera then instructed General Draria to attack the Mage Division Building when its Divine Mage was distracted by the invasion.


    All that General Draria had to do there was to get Teresa and then leave the place.


    "Hehehe, with all the distractions that we have done, I am sure that General Draria have already gotten Teresa." General Chimera thought to himself as he and his army sped up towards the land of the Monster Faction.


    He then started to whistle with his countless lips, creating eerie and hair-raising sounds that made some of his followers wince in pain.


    It was quite obvious that General Chimera was quite in a good mood.


    This good mood however was broken when one of their spies managed to send a message to him.


    [Esteemed Genera Chimera, General Draria has failed in her mission to obtain the target. She was taken out by a Great Elderitch Monster, who seemed to be the Visitor Monster that appeared in this World weeks ago. General Draria was currently unconscious, and it seemed like she was being used in a sort of bargain between the Great Elderitch MOnster and the Divine Knights.]


    "No!" General Chimera let out a furious shout, which echoed throughout the whole area. "Son of a b**ch!"


    General Chimera was quite furious when he realized that his plan to capture Teresa had backfired horribly on them.


    Not only did they fail to get Teresa, one of their Generals were even captured by a third party!


    Calling this a humiliating defeat is just a massive understatement.


    "What do we do now, General?" General Oni asked as he gave General Chimera an irritated look. "We just f**ked up big time here!"


    "¡­.."


    The other Generals started to glare at General Chimera too, as if they were blaming him for what had happened.


    "I¡­" General Chimera started to talk, as he thought of ways to salvage their current situation.


    But before he could say something, he and the other Generals received another message.


    This message however did not come from any of their spies.


    This message came from the Queen Mother herself.


    [My dear children, I have decided to do something regarding the matter of our battle with the Humans. Because of the sensitivity of my decision, I wanted you all to hear it right in front of me. So, I command you all, my Generals to go in my dwelling place. There, we will talk.]


    ".¡­." After General Chimera received this message, his heart started to beat fast, as if he felt that things were about to get exciting right now.


    "Wait, so does this mean that we should abandon General Draria first?" General Intra asked angrily, with his roiling slime body showing his anger. "It seems unfair!"


    "Well, we have no choice now but to follow Queen Mother." General Oni authoritatively said, interrupting General Chimera. "But I think you should not worry about Draria. She is a survivor, and I am sure that she will not be killed by the enemy. She''s far too valuable for that."


    "If you say so¡­" General Intra replied softly as he continued glaring at General Chimera.


    General Chimera could only look down after receiving the glare, as he knew that he really f**ked up now.


    <<<Well, you can just kill your way to save General Draria later¡­>>>


    {{{And while you are at it, try to get many beautiful female Mages! I am sure that we will have some good time with them!}}}


    |||Give me some tough Mages too. I want to test my whipping skills on them¡­|||


    ~~~Oh, get some toys for me too!~~~


    General Chimera let out another sigh, as he realized that his day is just about to get worse.


    *****************************


    With the speed that they were travelling, it took General Chimera and his companions an hour to reach their base.


    Once they arrived, General Chimera and the other Generals rushed towards Queen Mother''s dwelling, with them not wasting any time at all.


    "Thud."


    The doors opened audibly as the Generals rushed inside the room.


    "Greetings, Queen Mother¡­" All the Generals said as they knelt down in front of a tree. They then kissed the ground as they started prostrating in front of the tree.


    "Greetings to all of you too." The tree replied as its branches swayed lightly. "All of you can stand up now."


    "Thank you for your generosity, Queen Mother." The Generals said as they hastily stood up.


    "Ok, since you are all here now, except for Draria who was captured by the enemy, I supposed I can start telling about my decision." Queen Mother said as she ignored the tension between the Generals.


    "Simply speaking, I want you all to meet and talk with the Divine Knights on a neutral meeting place." Queen Mother said as some of her leaves fell off her body. "You will have to talk and make a deal with them about¡­ something important."


    The stunned silence that followed after that was only broken when General Chimera spoke up.


    "Talk with them? There is no way that we will do that!" General Chimera said as his massive body started to flare up in anger.


    "They killed a lot of our brethren, and we also killed a lot of their Humans too. Do you think we can just happily sit on the table and talk with each other? There is no way that can happen!"


    "I understand your pain, Chimera." Queen Mother said as her trunk slightly shook. "However, I had already made up my mind, and there is no way that I will let you violate my wants. Don''t worry, this decision of mine is for the benefit of the Monster Race¡­"


    "I¡­ understand. Forgive me for my impertinence." General Chimera said as he and the other Generals bowed their heads in guilt. "I let my anger get the better of me."


    "Don''t be sorry, Chimera, you are allowed to be angry." Queen Mother replied softly as her leaves slowly caressed the moping General. "But for this time, please hold in the anger, okay?"


    "Ok¡­"


    "Great! Now that you all have agreed to go to the meeting, let me introduce you the person that will represent the Monster Faction in that meeting." Queen Mother''s branches emulated the sound of a clap as a person walked from behind her.


    This person continued walking until she was facing the Generals.


    "Hello to all of you." The person said as she gave them a small smile. "I''m Alina, and I hope we can all cooperate with each other."


    General Chimera''s eyes slightly widened as he saw an extremely beautiful vampire in front of him.


    This vampire seemed to be wearing all the beautiful quantities that any beauty should have.


    In fact, the vampire''s beauty was so great that General Chimera was sure that General Draria''s beauty pales in response.


    "My Generals, she is Vampire Queen Alina, and she will be the one that will present my ideals at the meeting later." Queen Mother said as he observed the slightly astonished faces of her Generals. "She may be a Visitor Monster, but I trust her, and I wish you will all do the same thing too."


    {{{Damn¡­ General Chimera, there is no way that you can stop me from taking this vampire! If I jsut have a body now, I would have been salivating already! Damn, just damn!"


    |||What a magnificent body¡­ I wonder how she would hold up under intense stress?|||


    <<<It will be a shame if she get killed¡­>>>


    ~~~Hey, she can be my new Big Sis! I hope she is not a pedo like General Draria!"~~~


    {{{{Weewooweewooweewooo!}}}


    <<<Weewooweewooweewooo!>>>


    |||Weewooweewooweewooo!|||


    "...."


    General Chimera was now sure of it.


    This day really is the worst day of his life.

 Chapter 102 Footsteps on the Mountains

    5 hours later.


    "And now we''ve come to a full circle." Alex thought to himself as he peered at the assembly of people and monsters in front of him. "All my efforts for this day really had worked out well."


    "Hmph, if you did not have those children as hostage with you, then all of this will not work out the way that you wanted it." Asteria muttered behind Alex as she seemed to be irritated with Alex''s smug look.


    "Well too bad for you I got them as hostages already." Alex replied back cheekily, with him not bothering to look back at Asteria. "If everything goes well in this meeting, then we will be able to leave already."


    "Well, you better make it good, since I am already feeling bored in this World. "Asteria said as she let out an irritated sigh. "How about a bet? If you fail to complete the Mission after this meeting, then you will have to give me 10 more jars of honey, If you succeed though, I will teach you a secret Fairy Art once we arrive at the new World."


    "That seems like a good deal to me." Alex replied as he stood up. "Take note of what you said in the deal, okay? I want to make sure that you will uphold that once I win."


    "Hmph, you better win first." Asteria muttered as Alex approached the meeting table.


    "Hallo guys¡­" Alex said as he sat on the edge of the meeting table. "How are you all holding up?"


    "Hmph, it it weren''t for you taking my daughter with me, I will not be staying here." Divine Knight Sylvester said as his eyes drilled on Alex.


    "Oh, is that the only reason that you attended this meeting?" Alex said as he shook his head. "Didn''t your World Tree force you to attend this meeting?"


    "..."


    "So, my suspicions were right." Alex muttered to himself as he saw the reaction of the Divine Knight. "Your World Tree is also interested in this meeting. That is the only reason why all of you Divine Knights and Mages are not attacking me¡­"


    "Little bastard¡­" Divine Mage Imago muttered in the background, with his eyes also busy glaring at Alex.


    Now that Alex was sure that the World Tree of the Essence Humans seemed to be interested on having this meeting, Alex felt more confident with his plan.


    Alex gave a nod at Alina, who gave a nod back to Alex.


    "So, this meeting is just going to be short and precise." Alina said as she stood up.


    To Alex''s delight, he saw that the other General-Class Monsters seems to be not that interested on disrupting Alina''s talk.


    Well, they also had no way to disrupt the meeting, as Alex was holding General Draria as hostage, and there is also the fact that the Queen Mother had instructed the monsters to respect Alina.


    This thought made Alex smile wider, as he realized that Queen Mother was actually agreeing with his plan!


    Now, Alex and Alina will only have to play their cards right, and everyone can leave this place satisfied!


    "I only have few points to make, and I wish you all to be honest with this." Alina said as she started to talk in an authorative way.


    "First of all, I want to know the reason for the creation of the Monster Birth Program." Alina said as her gaze went through all the participants of the meeting. "I want to know everything¡­"


    ".¡­"Even if his face looked slightly green, Divine Mage Imago managed to give out a decent reply.


    "You can say that this whole situation was caused by something that our World Tree did." Alex nodded at this, knowing that his suspicions were actually right.


    "So, what did your World Tree do?" Alina asked as she and Alex felt the pressure in the meeting starting to get heavy. Most of this heavy pressure came from the Monsters, who all seemed to be pissed off with Divine Mage Imago''s confession.


    "Our World Tree¡­ created a biological agent that rendered the Monsters sterile." Divine Mage Imago said as he let out a sigh.


    "Oh wow, that is something else." Alex muttered to himself as he remembered a certain book that he read before.


    In that book the main villain wanted to save the whole world from overpopulation by making a large portion of the population sterile.


    Of course the science in that book was slightly questionable, but Alex could understand its philosophical implications.


    But right now, Alex was able to see an actual mass sterilization of a Race!


    Naturally, Alex was slightly shocked by this revelation.


    But he did not show this shock in his face as he asked the Divine Mage,


    "How did your World Tree managed to do that? From what I know, each World Tree can only create one sentient specie¡­ For your World Tree to create a biological agent that made the Monster sterile seems to be quite far-fetched¡­"


    "Living creatures evolve over time, and that includes World Trees too." This time, the one who talked was General Chimera, with most of his eyes focused Alex alone. "After battling with the Monster Race for a long time, the World Tree of the Humans managed create its ''antibody'' to kill us off. And in this case, that antibody was the sterilization agent."


    "Umm, couldn''t she have just created something that can poison you all to death?" Alex asked as he tilted his head. "Won''t that be more effective than just making you all infertile?"


    "It will take the World Tree of the Humans a very long time to produce such kind of biological agent." General Chimera replied as he let out some wry smiles. "By the point that it creates that agent, we Monsters could have won the war already¡­"


    "So their World Tree rushed itself, unleashing a sterilizing agent because creating a killing agent will take a very long time." Alex said these words with a wistful tone as he gazed at the Monsters and Human with confusion. "That''s the gist of it all?"


    "Yes." Both camps replied before they went quite again.


    "Ok then.." Alex rubbed the bridge of his nose as he tried to process the information that he just got.


    A few second passed by before Alex started talking again.


    "Hooohh¡­" Alexlet out a deep breath as his eyes let out a strange glint.


    "Let me guess. Since the Monsters were unable to increase their brethren anymore, The Queen Mother was forced to do something to prevent the Monster Race from going extinct. And the solution that she had was¡­"


    "A biological agent that forces Humans to turn into Monsters." It was Divine Knight Sylvester who said these words. "That agent is the one that caused the whole Monster Birth Program¡­"


    The Monsters in the meeting did not rebuke what the Divine Knight said, confirming what Alex just said.


    "Ok, let me cool down a little first¡­" Alex said as he rubbed his face with his tentacles.


    He continued doing this for a minute before he found the right mood to talk again.


    "So, because the Monsters were all sterile, they can only rely on the Queen Mother''s biological agent to increase their count." Alex said as he sat back on his seat. "The rumors about the Monster Birth Program created by a Monster was just false. As for the Humans, they have no way to counteract this biological agent, since it was something created by Queen Mother."


    Everyone in the meeting nodded, although the Humans looked quite angry.


    As for the Monsters, they all looked quite smug, although they looked quite pissed too.


    "Hmph, Queen Mother said that she will only stop using her biological agent once your World Tree destroys its sterilization agent." General Chimera said as he glared at the Humans in front of him.


    "I have tried telling that to our World Tree, but she is not interested on doing it." Divine Knight Sylvester said as he shook his head.


    The Divine Knight then looked at Alex, as if he was trying to tell Alex something important right now.


    Alex just sighed after seeing this look, as he quite understood what the Divine Knight was pertaining to.


    "And that is why I cannot get the cure¡­" Alex said as he slumped his shoulders. "The only way for me to cure the children that was victimized by the Monster Birth Program was by making Queen Mother remove her biological agents. But for her to do that, the Human World Tree must remove her sterilizing agent first. But the Human World Tree does not want to do that¡­"


    "Just like what I told you earlier, it is impossible for you to get the cure." Divine Knight Sylvester said he focused his gaze on Alex.


    The Divine Knight was currently gripping his chair so tightly that Alex feared that he might break it.


    Luckily for the chair, the Divine Knight was able to keep his calm as he let out a shuddering breath.


    "You are just wasting your time here, visitor." Divine Mage Imago said as he slowly stood up, with his eyes still focused on Alex. "You had no way to cure them, so I suggest that you should just give up right now!"


    "Give up? Those two words are not in my vocabulary!" Alex declared, as he seemed to be unfazed with the revelations that he received.


    Everyone in the meeting who saw Alex''s look started to feel confused, as they wondered how Alex was able to still feel positive even when the odds of their current situation was against him.


    "You know, after I received the info about the World Trees, I started to sense something fishy in that info." Alex said as he looked at Alina. "And that was the fact that there was still something about the World Trees that was not being told to me. Or maybe, its not being told to anyone."


    "Because of that, I instructed Alina here to grill the Queen Mother about that missing information." Alex said as he used one of this tentacles to point at Alina.


    Alex ignored the stunned and affronted looks on the faces of the Monsters as he continued talking.


    "According to Alina, the Queen Mother refused to tell her anything about this missing information. But after Alina reasoned out that this missing information could save her race, the Queen Mother caved in and told her everything."


    "Are you serious! You blasphemer!" General Chimera stood up angrily, as his massive body stared down at Alina, who just looked back at the furious General quite calmly. "You dare blackmail our Creator? You deserve to die for that!"


    General Chimera''s body started to shimmer, as if he was preparing to attack Alina.


    But before he could do so, the ground suddenly started to quake.


    "Voom¡­."


    This shaking of the ground, which was as strong as a magnitude 6 Earthquake, did not weaken or even disappear.


    Instead, the ground continued on rumbling intensely, much to the dismay of everyone.


    This elicited some panicked reactions among the meeting attenders, especially from General Chimera.


    "After Alina told me the missing information that the Queen Mother was holding, I could not help but laugh at that time." Alex said as he seemed to be enjoying the quaking ground. "As it turns out, the missing information that she had was the key for me to succeed!"


    Alex then started to laugh as a massive, green skinned figure suddenly appeared from the horizon.


    Just by looking at the figure, it was quite obvious that it was massive.


    Its upper body was nowhere to be seen, as this portion was way higher than the clouds.


    What everyone below could only see was the figure''s torso and legs.


    "Boom!" The rumblings in the ground was caused by the massive figure''s footsteps, as the figure was currently walking!


    Its feet, which were large enough to squash kingdoms, looked certainly imposing as the figure''s pace started to increase.


    "Oh s**t, let''s run!" One of the Divine Knights said as everyone in the meeting realized on thing.


    And that is that the massive figure was currently heading towards their direction!


    Nobody will stay that composed in front of this realization!


    After all, a gigantic being whose head was way higher than the clouds was in all ways downright terrifying!


    In fact, everyone in the meeting except Alex and Alina were all shaking in surprise and fear!


    Alina looked slightly uncomfortable as she looked at the gigantic being, although it looked like she did not fear it.


    As for Alex, he just continued laughing as the gigantic figure approached them.


    "Do you want to know what the missing information is?" Alex said as he wiped the tears from his laughter. "Well, since the clusterf**k is about to start, then maybe I can tell you all already."


    ".¡­." Even if all that they wanted to do right now was to run, everyone in the room stayed still as they tried to listen to what Alex will say next.


    Alex smiled upon seeing this kind of attention given to him, making Asteria snort behind him.


    Alex''s tentacles then swayed behind him in an erratic manner as he said,


    "As it turns out, a World Tree can sacrifice its extremely long lifespan in exchange for it gaining a body of a sentient being! Oh, and before you can ask it, I am telling you all now that this transformation is quite permanent. Once a World Tree has done this exchange, there is no going back from it!"


    "!!!!!"

 Chapter 103 Exodus Initiative

    "You¡­ what have you done?" General Chimera said as he stared at Alex with anger and fear.


    "I just told your Queen Mother the best way that she can save your race, and after hearing what I said¡­ she agreed." Alex replied smugly as he gave General Chimera a sleazy smile.


    While saying these words, the gigantic figure continued on following them, as if it was only interested on approaching them.


    "What are we even doing here? Let''s all run away!" One of the Divine Knights said as he stood up.


    But before he could do so, he stopped as he and the others saw something unexpected happening with the gigantic figure.


    ".¡­"


    Maybe it was just an illusion, but with every step that the gigantic figure too, it seemed to be shrinking in size.


    No, it is not an illusion. The giant green figure was actually shrinking!


    "Didn''t I just say earlier that a World Tree can transform itself into a sentient being by sacrificing its lifespan?" Alex said as he sat back on his chair with a relaxed expression. "Do you think Queen Mother will actually transform herself into a large, lumbering giant? There is no way that is happening!"


    ".¡­"


    By the time that the Queen Mother was about to reach their location, her height had already diminished to 10 meters.


    And by the point that the Queen Mother was in the meeting itself, she had already reached the normal height for humans.


    ".¡­" Alex let out a small smile on his face as he observed the new body of the Queen Mother.


    At around 5''5, Queen Mother was just as tall as Alina''s Human Version.


    Her body looked human, although her skin was green. She had no Human clothes, although there was some kind of bark-like material that was covering her body like a dress.


    Alexthen gulped as he saw Queen Mother''s perfect face.


    She was actually a beauty just like Alina, although Queen Mother''s beauty can be said to be gentle and motherly.


    Couple that with Queen Mother''s extremely curvy body, and Alex realized that he was staring at another bombshell!


    "Muu¡­" Alina glared at Alex, as if she could see where Alex''s eyes were focused.


    This glare of course had Alex retreating.


    "So you are a lecher too huh. Well it''s a good thing that Alina can restrain you¡­" Asteria snickered in the background as she saw Alex''s plight.


    As usual, Alex tried his best to ignore the fairy.


    "Well, what are you doing? Shouldn''t you welcome the Queen Mother?" Alex asked the stupefied Humans and Monsters as he gave a bow towards her.


    It took the crowd a few seconds before they could actually react.


    "Greetings, Queen Mother!" The Monsters shouted as they bowed in front of Queen Mother.


    As for the Humans, they only slightly tipped their heads as a greeting.


    Amusingly, all the Humans in the meeting were secretly circulating their power inside them, as if they were preparing to fight.


    But they were not jumping the gun, with the Queen Mother present in front of them.


    After all, who knows how powerful the Queen Mother could be?


    "Greetings to all of you too." Queen Mother replied, with her voice reaching everyone nearby.


    Surprisingly, her voice sounded calm and leveled, something that Alex did not expect.


    After Queen Mother greeted them all, someone from her followers spoke up.


    Unsurprisingly , it was General Chimera who spoke up.


    "Queen Mother, what is the meaning of this?" The General asked as an expression of fear and uncertainty appeared in his face. "Why are you doing this?"


    The other Monsters also gave the Queen Mother the same look, as if they were thinking the same thing too.


    "Sigh¡­" Queen Mother let out a sigh as she saw the scared expression of her followers. She looked back at Alex, who gave her an encouraging nod.


    After seeing this, Queen Mother closed her eyes and then opened them as she looked back at her followers.


    Queen Mother''s lips trembled a little before she opened her mouth as she said,


    "I decided to leave this World already."


    "What!!!" The Monsters let out shocked expressions on their faces, while the Humans had the expressions of both shock and jubilee.


    Before the Monsters could raise their complaints, Queen Mother raised her hand as she continued talking.


    "With the way that the Monster Race is going now, there is no doubt that you will dwindle in the future¡­ Even with the biological agent that I made, it is still not enough to save the Monster Race¡­"


    "..." The Monsters had no reply to that, as what the Queen Mother said was the plain truth.


    Even with the help Monster Birth Program, the population of the Monster Race were still declining rapidly year after year.


    Couple that with the wars between the Human and the Monsters, and the whole Monster Race was doomed already.


    "You know why all of this is happening." Queen Mother said as she glared at the Humans in front of her. "My daughter wanted me to be gone from this planet, and she will do anything to accomplish it¡­"


    "At first I was helpless, since I had no more ideas to help the Monster Race." Queen Mother said as she closed her eyes, with some tears starting to flow down her face. "But then I met Alex and Alina, and there I found the solution."


    "....."


    Before anyone could say anything else, Queen Mother let out a deep breath as she looked at the mountains on the eastern direction.


    No, Queen Mother was not looking at the mountains. She was looking at something much more massive than that.


    She was looking at her daughter.


    From the looks of it, the Queen Mother wanted to to talk to the second World Tree right now.


    Of course Alex was not sure if the second World Tree can hear Queen Mother, but they were both World Trees, so maybe they can hear each other.


    "If you will remove the sterilization agent on the Monster Race right now, I will also remove my biological agent, and I will allow those who were transformed into Monsters to be Human again.Not only that, but I promise to also leave this World." Queen Mother said all of these much to the horror of the Monsters and the amusement of the Humans.


    "No!!!" General Chimera looked so stricken after he heard what the Queen Mother said.


    He tried to approach her, but he stopped after he saw the look being given to him by the Queen Mother.


    "Stop feeling like this, Chimera." Queen Mother said as she shook her head calmly. "I only want the best for the Monster Race, and you know that what I plan to do is the best thing to do, right?"


    "Yes, Queen Mother¡­" General Chimera replied as he looked down.


    The General looked like he was still hurt, but it seems like he had no plans to stop the Queen Mother from what she was about to do.


    "Now then, what will be your answer?" Alex thought to himself as he looked at the direction of the second World Tree, as he and the others waited for her reply.


    [You will leave with the Travelers, right?] The second World Tree suddenly replied, much to Alex''s relief.


    To Alex, the second World Tree sounded a little amateurish, as if she was a little girl.


    Well, considering that she was the daughter of Queen Mother, then for her to be childish is somewhat acceptable.


    "That is right, my daughter." Queen Mother replied as she tilted her head. "So, do you believe me now?"


    [Hmph, your plan sounds good, but what about the Monster Race? Will you just leave them in this World too?] The second World Tree replied. [If you want me to agree with your plan, then the Monster Race should leave this World too!]


    "You!" General Chimera stood up as he snarled angrily, but he was once again stopped by the Queen Mother.


    "I understand your doubts, my daughter." Queen Mother said as she maintained a calm look on her face. "Do not worry, I have accounted for that too."


    "Queen Mother, you mean¡­" General Chimera looked at Queen Mother sharply, as he realized what she was talking about. "Are we going to implement that?"


    "Yes, the Monster Race will implement the Exodus Initiative." Queen Mother said as she leveled her eyes at General Chimera.


    [Exodus Initiative?]


    "It is one of the plans that I made for the Monster Race." Queen Mother replied to her daughter''s query. "The Exodus Initiative is basically an escape plan for my Monster Race. Once the Exodus Initiative was implemented, all the members of the Monster Race will go to a nearby planet that is suitable for life. They will go there through the use of our space shuttles which were designed for interplanetary travel."


    "What." This time, Alex was genuinely surprised with what he heard. "You had something like that planned?"


    "Yes, and quite frankly, it can be activated anytime now." Queen Mother said as she looked at General Chimera.


    "We already have made 10 space shuttles that can support all the Monsters that will join the Exodus Initiative." General Chimera replied as he looked back at Alex. "As long as Queen Mother wanted it to be activated, we are all ready to go."


    "Wait, so you had something like this planned before¡­ Then why haven''t you activated it before?" Divine Knight Sylvester said as he glared at the General.


    "Its because even if we run away, we are still affected by the sterilization agent." General Chimera replied as he looked at the sky. "If we leave for another planet now with our current state, the Monster Race will still die off."


    "But if my daughter agrees to my proposal, my Monster Race will be free to reproduce again. Once that happens, they will be fine on going on another planet¡­" Queen Mother said as she looked back at the direction of her daughter.


    "So, my daughter, with everything that I said now, will you agree to my proposal or not?"


    "...."


    A long silence followed Queen Mother''s question, as everyone in the table waited for the answer with bated breaths. Alex and Alina were quiet too, as they waited for the reply.


    If she says yes, then Alex and Alina will not only succeed on the Main Mission, they will also be able to gain a new ally in the form of Queen Mother.


    "Please say yes, please say yes¡­" Alex thought to himself as he looked down on the ground.


    [I will only say yes if your Monster Race can promise me one thing.] The second World Tree said after a minute of silence. [If they promise to not come back on this planet once they leave, then I will accept your proposal.]


    "There is no way that I will let them come back at this planet anymore." Queen Mother replied as she glared at the direction of her daughter. "Consider it done."


    [Ok, I will hold on to that promise.] The second World Tree said as she sounded quite relieved.


    At the moment that she said these words, Alex suddenly felt an unknown kind of power sweeping through the area.


    Alex felt nothing when this power swept through him, but he could see that this power did something to the Monsters nearby.


    "This¡­" General Chimera looked down at his body, as if he was feeling something new inside him. "It seems like I can really bear an offspring now! I¡­ can feel the vitality inside me bubbling like a hotspring!"


    "Ugh¡­" Alex tried to ignore that vivid metaphor as he looked at Queen Mother.


    Queen Mother was currently wearing a sad smile on her face as she looked at the Monsters that were celebrating in front of her.


    Alex knew that he was happy since her Monster Race are saved from extinction now, but she was also sad since it was her time to leave them.


    "Don''t be worried for them." Alex said as he approached Queen Mother." They are a strong Race, and they can live without you looking out for them. And quite frankly, I think they will be a stronger Race without you guiding them.."


    "Don''t try to make me feel better now, human." Queen Mother replied as she hurriedly wiped some tears away from her eyes.


    After seeing the way that Queen Mother looked right now, Alex decided to not waste his time as he immediately went straight for his goal.


    "So, before you remove your biological agent, I want to offer you first a place as my second Companion." Alex said as he looked at Queen Mother. "Do you accept my offer?"


    "I accept."


    At the instant that she said this, Alex felt the symbol on his forehead glowing, as Asteria touched it with both of her hands.


    "Since you managed to recruit an Ultra Rare Specie as your Companion, you will get a 90% discount to turn Queen Mother as your Companion!" Asteria said as she gave Queen Mother a fawning look. "Welcome to the group, tree girl!"


    "....."


    Before Alex offered Queen Mother the chance to be a Companion, he already asked Asteria about the cost of recruiting Queen Mother.


    According to Asteria, the real cost of recruiting Queen Mother was around 10 Years of Lifespan.


    But since Queen Mother was an Ultra Rare Specie, Alex was bound to get a 90% discount, turning the cost from 10 Years to just 1 Year.


    This was good for Alex, since his remaining Lifespan was barely more than a year.


    That was enough for him to recruit Queen Mother.


    "Hong~"


    Just like what happened to Alina, the symbol of the Endless Monarch also appeared on Queen Mother''s forehead. Alex then saw the Queen Mother being covered by the same glow which reconstructed Alina''s body.


    Right now, Alex knew that the Queen Mother''s body was being modified and adjusted in order to accommodate the changes that she will experience later.


    "..." Alex was quite excited at watching the whole process, as he imagined the stage of power that Queen Mother could reach in the future!


    After a few seconds of watching, Alex saw the glow fading, showing Queen Mother who looked quite amused with what had happened to her.


    "That¡­ was quite fast." Queen Mother said as she observed her body. "I thought it will be more... extravagant."


    "Ok, now that you have become my Companion, its time for you to do your part." Alex said as he interrupted Queen Mother''s reverie. "You can just inspect your body later."


    "¡­Fine." Queen Mother said as she waved her hands.


    At the instant that she did this, Alex heard some slushing sounds inside ALina''s storage.


    Alex looked inside it, and there he saw that the 5 little monsters were now back at their human forms.


    "Waah!!!" All of them were now crying, as it was quite obvious that they were happy right now.


    "Oh, now that I remember it, Carlie was a former Human too, right?" Alex thought to himself as he looked at Carlie.


    But to Alex''s surprise, Carlie was still stuck in her shadow form.


    "???"


    "After I removed my biological agent, any Human that was turned into a Monster will be back to their Human Form. But if that said Human wanted to stay as a Monster, then they will not be going back to their Human Form." Queen Mother said as she saw the confusion on Alex''s face. "You must have seen Carlie, right?"


    "Yes." Alex replied as he realized that Carlie must have loathed her past Human life that much that she wanted to stay as a Monster.


    "....."


    While the Monsters and the Humans were all celebrating right now, Alex saw Divine Knight Sylvester and Divine Mage Imago looking at him pointedly.


    "Oh right, the hostages." Alex muttered to himself as Alina waved her hands. "Here they are."


    A bunch of people then appeared in front of them, eliciting some expressions of shock from the crowd.


    "Teresa!" The Divine Knight shrieked as he ran towards Teresa, who just looked back at her father with a small smile on her face.


    Clinging to Teresa were the 5 little Humans, who all looked like they do not want to separate from her.


    Teresa, who saw Alex looking at her, gave Alex a glare and a nod as she her father suddenly hugged her tightly.


    Alex then looked at Simon and Fred, who seemed to be much closer than before.


    As for Alice, she was currently talking to Carlie, who looked quite exasperated right now.


    "....¡­."


    Alex then looked at the Monster side, as he wanted to see how they are holding up right now.


    To his delight, he saw that all of them seemed to have accepted the departure of Queen Mother.


    All the Generals were currently talking with Queen Mother, as Alex could hear them exchanging departure messages with each other.


    "...This is great."


    Seeing that everything seems to have worked out now, Alex took a deep breath as he realized that he must give a cool speech now.


    After all, a good ending must always be accompanied by a good speech, right?


    "Well, now that we have worked this out quite well, maybe we should have a party? I will pay for all the expense-"


    But before he could finish talking, Alex''s voice faded as his body disappeared.


    The same thing happened to Alina and Queen Mother, with their bodies suddenly disappearing too.


    Only an irritated sigh could be heard from the background as the trio disappeared entirely, leaving none of their tracks behind.


    [Main Mission Accomplished]


    [Bonus Mission 1 Accomplished]


    [Bonus Mission 2 Accomplished]


    [Acquired: Ultra Rare Specie]


    [Grade: A]


    -----------------------END OF VOLUME 2 ------------------------

 Chapter 104 Attention!

Due to some personal events, what I will post 2 hours from now will be the first chapter for Volume 3...


    The Epilogue for volume 2 will be posted tomorrow...

 Chapter 105 Volume 2 Epilogue

    1 month later.


    "Sigh¡­" This is not the first time that Sylvester sighed, but he''s sure that it will be not his last.


    He looked at the crowd of people gathering behind him, and he saw the expression of surprise and wariness on their faces.


    Sylvester can understand why they are reacting like this, as he looked at the spectacle that they were looking at.


    10 balloon-shaped vehicles are currently blotting the sky, with each of them as large as a city.


    Their sheer size alone were already enough to make them frightening.


    Fortunately, these flying vehicles were not there to attack the Human Faction.


    "...¡­"With his trained eyes, Sylvester could see these vehicles ascending upwards.


    Sylvester was sure that in no time at all, these vehicles will be leaving this World''s atmosphere.


    "Hmph, so they really created spaceships huh." Divine Mage Imago, who was standing behind Sylvester, said as he narrowed his eyes. "I am surprised that those Monster can actually create something like that.


    "Desperate times call for desperate measures." Sylvester said as he saw the spaceships passing through the clouds. "For them to think of going to other planets was already inevitable."


    "If you put it that way, it actually makes sense." The Divine Mage replied as he shook his head. "Well, at least now, we won''t have any problems with Monsters attacking us¡­"


    "I am hearing a but there." Sylvester said as he stared at the Divine Mage.


    "Well, what if they break their promise and come back here after some centuries?" Divine Mage Imago said as the spaceships were now covered entirely by the clouds. "That could possibly happen."


    "Hmph, if they try to do that, our World Tree will just infect them again with her sterilization agent." Sylvester replied haughtily. "Those Monsters surely know that this will happen to them if they try to go back, so I am sure that they will not come back."


    "Uncle! I want some cookies!" The conversation between Sylvester and Divine Mage Imago were broken, as a small girl approached Sylvester with a pouting expression on her face. "Uncle, cookies!"


    ".¡­" Sylvester sighed again as he looked at the girl, trying his best to not glare at Teresa. "Your Uncle has to do something first, ok? Don''t worry, I will give you the cookies later."


    "Yay!" Sylvester''s promise seems to have placated the girl as she bounded away from him. "Cookies, cookies, cookies!"


    "Those 5 little kids seems to have taken a toll out of you already." Divine Mage Imago snickered in the background as he saw Sylvester''s plight. "Can you still hold on?''


    "Of course I can. If I don''t Teresa will murder me." Sylvester replied as he looked at Teresa, who was now busy playing with 5 little kids.


    These 5 kids were part of the victims of the Monster Birth Program, who were able to regain their human form thanks to the intervention of the Visitor Monsters.


    When these kids regained their human form, Sylvester decided to put them up for adoption.


    But to his surprise, his daughter Teresa disagreed as she demanded Sylvester to take them as his kids.


    At first Sylvester disagreed, but he also caved in under the combined glare of Teresa and Mia.


    And this is where he is now, stuck on babysitting 5 rowdy children.


    "Speaking of Teresa, have she talked to you about what happened to her when she was captured by the Great Elderitch?" Divine Mage Imago asked Sylvester as they looked at the calm and happy visage of Teresa. "I am pretty sure you are curious about that."


    "Yes, she told me everything." Sylvester replied as he let out his third sigh. "But don''t try make me tell you, I won''t tell you anything."


    "Awww¡­"


    When Teresa was freed from her captivity, Sylvester did his best to help her out from her possible trauma.


    He talked to her, as he wanted to know what had happened to her.


    Fortunately for him, Teresa told him everything that had happened to her, from her peeing herself up to the point where she allowed the Elderitch to disguise as her and pillage her skills.


    Sylvester was obviously angered when he heard about the disguise and pillage part, but Teresa forced him to calm down, as she said that there was a reason that she allowed the Elderitch to disguise as her.


    And her pillaged ability was also returned by the Elderitch, so there is no real harm done.


    Naturally, Sylvester asked Teresa about the reason that compelled her to cooperate with the Visitor Monsters.


    Teresa''s only reply to that was a light smile.


    At that point, Sylvester knew that he should stop grilling answers from her.


    "With all these Monsters gone, this whole world will be for the Humans to take." Divine Mage Imago said as he peered at the horizon.


    The spaceships has all disappeared from their sights. Most likely they are cruising at the outer space right now.


    "This has been the dream of our ancestors, and now it is up for us to fulfill it." Sylvester said as he let out a deep breath.


    He looked at the people around him, at his delighted daughter and her new siblings, at his fiancee Mia, and at his comrades.


    Sylvester smiled as he saw hope on their faces.


    He looked up to to the sky, knowing that the Monsters were probably full of hope too.


    "We may be different races, but hope is a constant that makes everyone move forward." Sylvester muttered to himself as he approached his rowdy family.


    He still had a lot to do, and the disappearance of Monsters will not reduce his work.


    "Time to conquer some new lands then."

 Chapter 106 Superhumans Online Discussion Thread

    [[[Author''s Note: This chapter was written to mimic something like Reddit...]]]


    *******************************************************


    Welcome to the Superhumans Online Discussion Thread.


    You are currently logged in, MathLover


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ??? TOPIC: GLACIA TAKEN DOWN BY A NEW HERO TEAM?????


    ?Watcher (Original Poster) (SuperhumanObserver)


    So, the Ice Queen of the West has been defeated! And guess what? She''s not defeated by a Hero from the SHA!


    According to some witnesses, a newbie Hero suddenly appeared to fight her!(That''s actually surprising. Fighting Glacia takes some balls of steel, although the newbie Hero was a She... Ok, that''s a bad joke, forgive me for that.)


    They said that she was wearing a cheap mask that hid her identity.


    As for her abilities, the witnesses said that they saw her sticking some kind of mathematical symbols on Glacia.


    Of course the witnesses were not sure what the symbols did, but it seemed to have affected Glacia negatively.


    But the story does not end there. From what the witnesses said, the newbie Hero was not that powerful enough to defeat Glacia.


    Heck, they even said that Glacia managed to injure the newbie Hero heavily and was about to kill her.


    Well, we all know that if Glacia wanted to kill someone, that someone will be already dead.


    But this newbie hero actually survived!


    No, the newbie Hero did not get any power up.


    It appears that a trio appeared during the battle between the newbie Hero and Glacia, and this trio was the one that saved the newbie Hero.


    All of them were wearing masks of course.


    This trio was composed of a sword-wielding woman, a green-skinned lady and a young guy.


    Once this trio appeared, they wasted not time as they proceeded to beat the ever living crap out of Glacia.


    And oh boy, if you just saw what had happened, you will actually feel sorry for Glacia.(Well I am not sorry for her, that woman deserves to rot in prison)


    So that''s it guys, a newbie Hero and a new Hero Team(?) came in to beat up Glacia!


    What do you think should we call them?


    Oh, and this is the video of the whole fight. Someone living nearby managed to capture it. Quality is quite low though.


    __Video Link__


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö(Comments)¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ?yurilover (GL is life!)


    pics or it did not happen


    ?elmatador (Independent Hero)


    @yurilover. You again? Do you want to be beaten up huh?


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @yurilover. Be careful on the words that you will say next. I am tired of banning you already....


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    How about we call the newbie Hero as Arithmia? Since she uses math symbols to fight!


    ?John (The Generic name)


    @Mimi. Arithmia? Seriously? Do you know that Arithmia sounds like Arrhythmia? The heart disease? I am not sure if the newbie Hero would want to call herself with that name.


    @yurilover. Get out off here! We don''t need you here!


    ?Myth (SHA Hero)


    Instead of focusing on the newbie Hero, I think we should pour our attention on the trio that defeated Glacia.


    They were quite powerful!


    I mean, look at that! The black haired woman was casually swinging her sword, and Glacia''s Ice Armor was being hacked off by that!


    All of you know that Glacia''s Ice Armor was so powerful that it can stop almost any attacks.


    But that Ice Armor which withstood a smash from my Thor''s Hammer actually broke into pieces under that black-haired woman''s sword!


    Then there is that guy beside her, who just looks creepy af.


    I mean, what kind of person will suddenly transform from a thin guy to a tentacle monster?


    Well, besides that creepy factor, those tentacles look quite strong, You can see it firing some kind of destructive projectiles that just melted more of Glacia''s armor.


    Even I was also not sure on how my Mithril Armor can withstand those blasts.


    Then there is the third and last person in their group.


    I am not sure if she is actually human at this point, since she has green skin and bark-like flakes on her body?


    Well, from what I can see in the video, this green woman seems to be capable of manipulating plants...


    So, all three of them proceeded to attack Glacia, and that poor woman had no way to answer back...


    Oh, and if anyone wanted to know what will happen to Glacia now, be happy as she will be sent at the SH Core Prison!


    Hahahaha, good riddance to her!


    As for the trio that defeated her? I salute you three! I hope I can see you again!


    ?SoulRider (Children of Jotunn)


    [Content Redacted]


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @soulrider. You are now permanently banned from this site. Do not threaten the lives of the Heroes that defeated Glacia. Just because they defeated your boss, it does not mean that you can just threaten their lives. Scum like you are not allowed here.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Holy shit, Myth is in the site! Can I get your autograph?


    ?yurilover (GL is life!)


    Oh, so we have another fan of Myth here. Why don''t you go and lick her [Content Redacted]


    ?janders (Moderator)


    That''s it @yurilover. I am temp banning you now. Enjoy your 3-day ban.


    ?refucil (Veteran User)


    @janders. Why are you still letting @yurilover spout his useless words here? Just perma ban him already!


    ?John (The Generic name)


    Why don''t we call the newbie hero as Glyph? That sounds better than anything related to math.


    As for the black-haired woman, why not call her Slash, since she slashes with her sword...


    Then for the green woman, let''s call her Treant, as her power is related to plants!


    Then we call the guy who transformed to a tentacle monster as Kraken? Nope, someone had that name already. How about Squidhard?


    ?Mage (Independent Hero)


    @John. Squidhard? Really?


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    @Mage. Hey, those names sound nice, well except for the Squidhard one... Oh, and can I get your autograph too?


    ?Mage (Independent Hero)


    PM me later. Let''s work out the place where I can give you my autograph...


    ?Goblin (Villain)


    @Mage. Stop picking up girls here. This is a place for discussing about Superhumans, not for satisfying your lust.


    ?Mage (Independent Hero)


    @Goblin. Excuse me? Are you really talking about that here? It seems like you forgot that I placed you in prison last month... Well, I do not know how you escaped, but I will catch you sooner or later!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @Mage and @Goblin. Stop extending your rivalry here in the forums. You are now both temp banned for 3 days. Try to reflect on your behaviors, ok?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    It has been confirmed by the SHA that the supervillain Glacia had been defeated by four Superhumans at the eve of January 21, 2018.


    The SHA has decided to give the newbie Hero the name Signum, which is Latin for Symbol.


    As for the black-haired woman, she was given the name Katana, as she was using a katana during the battle.


    The green woman will be called Sprout, in relation to her ability to enhance plant growth.


    As for the male with the tentacles, he will be TEMPORARILY called Humboldt, which was derived from the local squid specie Humboldt Squid.


    If any of these mentioned Superhumans want to change their assiganted names, they are free to PM me later.


    Power ratings and classifications for these new Superhumans will be posted later.


    ?atlas (Book Guy)


    @Kingfisher. You misspelled assignated.


    ?Guru (India''s No, 1 Hero)


    @atlas. Please give @Kingfisher some slack. I think he was just too excited while typing here.


    As for the names... seriously? You gave the trio names like Katana, Sprout, and Humboldt? Those names really suck.


    Well, now that I think about it, maybe you gave them such bad names so that they will be forced to contact you, @Kingfisher.


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    @Guru. Hey, I am not the one who made the names. It''s the higher-ups who made that. My only job is to show these names here.


    ?John (The Generic name)


    @Kingfisher. I agree with @Guru here. Those names sucked ass.


    @Myth. Can I have your autograph too?


    ?TheHeroSeer (Just a normal guy)


    So, how would you all rate their power levels?


    ?John (The Generic name)


    For Signum, she will be most likely be some kind of high-end Reacher. Her attacks seems to need direct skin contact for them to work. That is definitely a Reacher Type.


    As for the mathematical symbols that she made, these symbols seemed to have some sort of effect on Glacia and the environment, so maybe a Domain Type could be used here, as the symbols seem to affect a large area.


    As for Katana(God, this name really sucks.), it seems like she has the ability to project her sword slashes into a distance.


    That long-ranged attack definitely makes her a Ranger Type, and a strong one at that.


    Sprout obviously is a Domain Type along with a Controller Type, since she can make those plants move at her whim.


    As for Humboldt(God, this name is just as worse than Papa Bear), he seems to be a high-end Ranger Type with that destructive beams that he shot out.


    He could also be a Strongman Type since he was able to receive an ice spike from Glacia without getting heavily injured.


    Maybe Humboldt is also a Shifter Type too, since he was able to transform to a tentacle monster...


    ?atlas (Book Guy)


    or maybe Humboldt is a Metahuman? Maybe he mutated to become a tentacle person with his powers? That definitely makes him a Metahuman.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @atlas. I am temp banning you for a day. You should not call someone a Metahuman just because you can. That''s extremely rude and tactless.


    ?konopowah! (mudamudamuda!)


    Wow, four temp bans and one perma ban just in this forum. That''s hot!


    Oh, and speaking of Signum and Katana, they both look cute together. Maybe they can [Content Redacted]


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @konopowah. If you think you can sneak in this forum by using a different account, then you are wrong. You are @yurilover, right? Don''t try to answer me now, as I will be also temp banning this account for three days.


    Enjoy your vacation!


    ?Levi (MageFan)


    @janders is on a roll right now, let''s applaud him for his great work!


    ?Strongwoman (I''m strong, that''s it.)


    Slow clap.


    ?Myth (SHA Hero)


    Slow clap.


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Slow clap.


    ?TheHeroSeer (Just a normal guy)


    Slow clap.


    ?Asteria (Fairy Queen)


    Come and bow down in front of my might! I am Asteria, and I am the manager of the Travelers!


    ?refucil (Veteran User)


    ...and we''re back at the weird territory again.


    ?refucil (Veteran User)


    @Asteria. Who are the Travelers exactly?


    ?Asteria (Fairy Queen)


    What? You do not know their names? I am ashamed for all of you! The Travelers are the mighty Heroes that defeated the overbearing Glacia! Hmph, I could not believe that you could not see it! All your mortal eyes are blinded by the filth of your vices!


    ?Levi (MageFan)


    And we have another loco here.


    @Asteria. Pics or it did not happen.


    ?Asteria (Fairy Queen)


    __Picture Link__


    ?atlas (Book Guy)


    Oh my god, that''s them in the video earlier!


    So, they call themselves the Travelers huh. What''s with that naming though?


    @Asteria. Where are you in this picture?


    ?Asteria (Fairy Queen)


    I took the picture, duh.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @Asteria. Do you want to get verified as a member of the Travelers? If so, what Tag do you want?


    ?Asteria (Fairy Queen)


    @janders. Verify me now! As for the Tag, give me the most extravagant one!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    All done.


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Hey, this is too literal!


    ?Guru (India''s No, 1 Hero)


    Well, that''s what you asked for, so just suck it up.


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Oh, so its just like when I suck some honey?


    ?John (The Generic name)


    huh?


    ?Guru (India''s No, 1 Hero)


    huh?


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    @Guru and @John. What do you mean huh? Honey is the best delicacy there is! Don''t you two dare to disrespect it! I swear when I see you two I will [Content Redacted]


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @Asteria. You are now temp banned for 3 days. Try not to threaten other people just because they do not understand your hobbies. Be considerate.


    ?Myth (SHA Hero)


    So their Hero Group name is Travelers? They''re lucky no group has gotten that name yet.


    @Asteria. Since you are their manager, why don''t we talk about you and the prospect of the Travelers? I can help them out!


    ?SilentStalker (Rogue)


    And the dog of the SHA is now sniffing again for another hapless group to absorb. When will the SHA stop from taking Heroes by force?


    ?Myth (SHA Hero)


    @SilentStalker. I never had the intention of doing that kind of thing on the Travelers. I just want to tell them the things that they can and can''t do now that they are a Hero Team.


    ?SilentStalker (Rogue)


    Hmph, you will all see it. Myth is just a puppet of the SHA. She is just a mindless drone following their orders!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Ok, that''s it, I am locking this thread now. We have derailed from our Topic, and leaving this thread open will just make things worse.


    [Thread Locked]


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ?????? TOPIC: IS THE TRIAD DONE FOR???????


    ?eyeofilluminati (Original Poster)(myeyesareeverywhere)


    So, with Glacia gone, the original three Supervillains(also known as Triad), who reside here in Grand Point are now down to two.


    Is this a good thing for the residents here in Grand Point, or will it just make things worse?


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö(Comments)¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ?calibur (Independent Hero)


    @eyeofilluminati, what do you mean by this post? Of course Grand Point will be a better city, since one of its supervillains are now gone!


    I could not imagine why you are that scared.


    ?John (The Generic name)


    @calibur. Really, you think it will be really good? With Glacia gone, her followers will surely wreak havoc. I am sure of that.


    Now, it will all depend on the SHA if they can contain the ensuing chaos.


    ?calibur (Independent Hero)


    @John. Pfft, do you think that the Children of Jotunn can do something drastic? As far as I can remember, the only Superhuman among the Children of Jotunn was Glacia herself. The other members of that group are all unpowered! There is no way they can resist the might of the Independent Heroes and the SHA!


    ?atlas (Book Guy)


    @calibur. But you should know that the other two Supervillains might make a move on the properties that the Children of Jotunn held, now that their leader is gone. If that really happens, many innocent lives will be in danger from all the fighting that will happen.


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    @everyone. Do not worry. The SHA has been monitoring the whole Grand Point City after Glacia''s arrest. All of you can be rest assured that the SHA will be responding to any kind of altercation that will happen.


    And if things gets worse, one of the members of the Pantheon will be sent to deal with the chaos.


    ?PillowQueen (I love sleeping!)


    Really? A member of the Pantheon might come? OMG, let the fighting begin!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @PillowQueen. I shall give you a warning for now. Do not try to incite fighting amongst Superhumans. That is just bad. If you get two more Warning strikes, I will temp ban you for a day.


    ?PillowQueen (I love sleeping!)


    Awww...


    ?Eagleguy (Veteran User)


    You won''t believe what I saw! I saw Humboldt right here in my convenience store! He bought some food stuff and some bandages!


    Humboldt seems to be a kind person though. He did not snap or even made me feel scared.


    ?yaoihater (BL sucks)


    pics or it did not happen.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    dammit @yaoihater. How many accounts do you have?


    Don''t deny it, I am sure you are @yurilover...


    ?yaoihater (BL sucks)


    Well, will you ban me already? I did not even do anything!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @yaoihater. I am watching your every move. Make a mistake and I will immediately ban you.


    ?TheHeroSeer (Just a normal guy)


    @everyone. Quick guys, let''s help @janders.


    Let''s find a way to make @yaoihater slip up!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Ok that''s it. I am locking this thread too. This thread is not for crucifying @yurilover.


    [Thread Locked]

 Chapter 107 Debu

    [Flasback]


    [[[8 Hours Ago]]]


    Lauren''s footsteps crunched along the gravelly road, as she did her best to make herself look unassuming.


    This attempt of her failed spectacularly, as her attire screams nothing about subtlety.


    Lauren was currently wearing a pair of ripped jeans along with a loose jacket swung carelessly on her torso.


    She was also wearing a pair of snickers which she considers as old, but were still functional for her.


    The bottom half of her face was covered by a face mask, while her eyes were covered with a pair of tinted glasses.


    Her long, black hair was strung into a ponytail behind her, as Lauren does not want her debut to fail just because of her hair.


    "If its my hair that will make me fail in my debut tonight, then that will just add to my tally of my misfortunes¡­" Lauren muttered to herself as she kicked a stray can nearby.


    "Clonk." The can let out an audible sound as it hit the nearby wall.


    Lauren ignored it as she continued on walking.


    Just like what she said to herself earlier, Lauren is going to have a debut now.


    But this debut will not be the 18th birthday kind of debut. Lauren had not yet reached the age for that, and with her current financial condition, having a birthday debut is almost impossible for her.


    The debut that she was talking about was the ''Debut''.


    A Hero Debut.


    Yes. Tonight, Lauren will be having her Hero Debut.


    Lauren looked at her palms which were starting to tremble already.


    She tried to contain them as she took some deep breaths to calm herself down.


    "Don''t be afraid now, Lauren." Lauren muttered as she chided herself. "Now is your chance to be a Hero and make a change!"


    After she said these words, Lauren could not help but smile as she remembered about all the Heroes that she adored since she was a child.


    There was Myth, Viber, Tetra, and many more that she were geeking about.


    All of them were great Heroes who made Lauren feel happy and hopeful.


    And now that she is going to become a Hero, Lauren knew that she must follow their footsteps!


    Lauren then looked back at her palms, which was at this point, seemed to be both slightly glowing.


    If someone will look closely at her palms right now, they could possibly see some kinds of symbols moving on her palms.


    "...."


    After looking at her palms, she let out a sigh as she thought to herself,


    "If I did not become a Superhuman, being a Hero is almost impossible for me¡­"


    Lauren then let out a sigh, as she recalled everything that she knew about Superhumans and their relation to the appearance of Heroes.


    **************************


    Up until the end of 20th Century, everyone living on Earth were all ''normal'' people.


    Nobody at that time had the ability to summon laser beams or explode objects from a distance.


    Everything was still ''normal'' back then.


    But that all changed at the day of January 1, 2000.


    At that day, multiple people around the world suddenly manifested the ability to wield powerful abilities that were beyond the norm of human science and technology.


    When the public caught the whiff of this, everyone panicked, as they thought that the end of the world was coming.


    Fortunately, their fears were unfounded as nothing apocalyptic happened.


    However, the manifestations of powerful abilities continued on happening even after that day.


    More and more people manifested these abilities as days passed on, resulting in chaos and destruction.


    This period of time can be considered to be one of the darkest period in human history.


    These people with special abilities, who were all called as ''Superhumans'', brought a massive and radical shift in the society.


    People began to fear them, as their unpredictability and lethality were something that made them an unknown factor.


    It was only when the SHA, or the Superhuman Association was established that the order was almost restored.


    In order to make the public trust the Superhumans, the members of the SHA established the Hero and Villain System.


    Any Superhuman who engages on illegal or inhumane activities will be considered as Villains, and they will be treated just like criminals. In some cases, harsher treatment might be given to them depending on what they did.


    As for the Superhumans who wanted to do good, they will be taken in by the SHA to become Heroes.


    These Superhumans who became Heroes has the responsibility to help people out when they needed help. And of course catching and imprisoning Villains are part of their jobs too.


    Fortunately for the SHA, this Hero and Villain was able to change the public''s view about the Superhumans.


    If before, all Superhumans were viewed as freaks of nature, now, Superhumans were just viewed as either the enforcers of good or the spawn of evil.


    That kind of view is not really that good, but that is much better than being treated as a freak¡­


    Aside from placating the public, another goal of the SHA was to determine how the Superhuman abilities manifest themselves in the first place.


    However, up until now, the SHA is not making any headway to reach this goal.


    The only thing that was known right now was that the manifestation of the Superhuman abilities were mostly random.


    If you are lucky to get it, then you will get it. If not, then you will not.


    "Well, I do not care on how these abilities manifest themselves." Lauren muttered to herself as he clenched her fists tightly. "What matters the most right now is that I have these Superhuman abilities, and that I will use them for the greater good!"


    **************************


    Lauren manifested her Superhuman ability three days ago when she was peeling an apple that her sympathetic neighbor gave her.


    At that time, her hands suddenly glowed as she felt some sudden urge to slap her palms on something.


    When Lauren felt this urge, information suddenly flowed into her brain, teaching her about new things.


    After receiving this information, Lauren almost cut herself as she realized that this information was teaching her on how to use her Superhuman abilities!


    It was at that point that Lauren realized that she was not a normal human anymore.


    She was already a Superhuman.


    **************************


    As she continued on walking along the road, Lauren kept her hands hidden on the pockets of her jacket as she reviewed about all the aspect of her abilities.


    She had already done some experiments about her abilities and the results that she got made her both nervous and excited.


    Her ability was to essentially produce stickers that looked like mathematical symbols from her palms.


    Each symbol has its own unique effect, and quite frankly, these effects were impressive.


    However, these symbols will only work once they were pasted on something.


    This limitation entails that Lauren must place her palms in contact with an object or person that she wanted to use the symbol on.


    She cannot just throw the symbol towards her target. She can only do it through palm contact.


    When Lauren saw this limitation, she was slightly disappointed, but she knew that she must accept it, since Superhuman abilities are just like this. They have weird rules and even weirder effects.


    Another thing that made Lauren disappointed was the fact that she can only produce 4 mathematical symbols now, which are the +, -, x, and .symbols.


    As for the other mathematical symbols, Lauren was not sure on when she can create them.


    So right now, she had to make do with the 4.


    But even with just these 4 symbols, Lauren was sure that she can use them to be a Hero. After all, their effects were quite impressive.


    The - symbol, which necessarily represents subtraction, was Lauren''s favorite symbol.


    Once this symbol was slapped on an object, Lauren can ''remove'' one kind of physical or chemical property of that object.


    For example, if the - symbol was placed on a syrupy material, Lauren can remove its viscosity, allowing the viscous material to flow much more easier.


    If the - symbol was placed on a metal wire, Lauren can remove its conductivity, which will make the wire pretty much an insulator.


    There are other more ways that Lauren can use this symbol, and she cannot wait for the opportunity to use them.


    As for the time limit, each - symbol placed will only last for 30 seconds before they disappear.


    That might seem short, but in a fight, 30 seconds could be just enough.


    The + symbol on the other hand, is the opposite of - symbol.


    Instead of removing a chemical or physical property, the + symbol will allow Lauren to ''add'' a physical or chemical property on an object.


    This chemical or physical property however must come from a material that was near Lauren, maybe around 10 meters around her.


    So if for example, Lauren wanted to give a block of wood some corrosive property, there must be a some kind of corrosive acid nearby.


    If no corrosive acid was nearby, then Lauren will not be able to add this property on a block of wood.


    Just like the - symbol, the time limit of the + symbol was also 30 seconds.


    If the - and + symbols were all about removing or giving properties, the x and ¡Â symbol were about improving or degrading these said properties.


    Once placed on an object, the x symbol will allow Lauren to enhancethe physical or chemical property of an object.


    The rate of enhancement will depend on the amount of x symbols placed.


    One x symbol will do nothing, but placing two x symbols on the same object will double the effect of the chosenphysical or chemical property. Three x symbols will triple this effect, four x symbols will quadruple this effect, and so on and so forth.


    With the use of this symbol, Lauren knew that she can use it to raise her fighting capabilities, as long as she uses it right.


    As for the¡Â symbol, its use is just the opposite of the x symbol.


    The¡Â symbol reduces the effect of any physical or chemical property.


    One¡Â symbol will do nothing, while¡Â two symbols will divide the effect by two. Three¡Â symbols will divide the effect by three, four¡Â symbols will divide the effect by four, and so on and so forth.


    Just like the x symbol, its applications, if used quite right, will be pretty useful too.


    **********************


    With these 4 symbols in her palms, Lauren decided to become a Hero today.


    And no, Lauren will not join the SHA as their Hero.


    Lauren wanted to debut as an Independent Hero.


    After all, Lauren was sure that her father''s¡­ dubious record will make her quite illegible to be an SHA Hero.


    This leaves her no choice but to become an Independent Hero.


    But at least with this status, she can still help out people.


    Since she was debuting tonight, Lauren knew that she must wear something protective inside her body, in case something serious happens.


    Fortunately for her, her deadbeat father had left his kevlar vest before he abandoned her and her younger sister.


    Lauren was currently wearing this vest under her jacket, making her feel more secure.


    But aside from the vest, Lauren had no more fancy equipment to help her.


    This of course had frustrated Lauren, but she had to just make do with what she had.


    Besides, this is her first night out. There will be no Supervillain who will just pop out from behind her, right?


    This expectation of hers were shattered as she hearda pair of voices coming at her left.


    Lauren looked at that direction, and what she saw made her go pale in fear.


    She saw two people facing each other, and they seemed to be having some sort of business deal.


    One of these people was a bespectacled man wearing an impeccable business suit.


    The suit was so straight and wrinkle-free that Lauren doubted that it was cheap.


    This man was holding a briefcase, which he was passing to the person in front of him.


    The person receiving the briefcase was a middle-aged woman, around 30-35 years old.


    She had a long silky black hair which flowed until her hips.


    Her face can be considered to belong to a beauty, although it was slightly warped by the sadistic smile on her face.


    She was wearing tank tops and shorts, which was a far contrast to the formal suit of the bespectacled guy.


    This woman gave the bespectacled guy her sadistic smile as she received the briefcase.


    But before the womancould grab the case, she suddenly paused, as if she had detected something.


    A few excruciating seconds later, and this woman suddenly looked at Lauren, who was looking at the woman with a twitching expression on her face.


    "Girl." The woman said as she slowly approached the busted Lauren. "What the hell are you doing in my territory? Are you blind or something?"


    "Territory?" At the instant that she said these words, Lauren immediately realized her blunder.


    She looked around her once more, and that was when she only realized that she was at the border of the territory held by the Children of Jotunn!


    Ok, it might only be the border, but criminal organizations treat territories way too seriously!


    "You do not know this place? Hmph, it seems like I have to teach you a lesson then." At the instant that the woman said these words, Lauren suddenly felt the temperature plummeting, as if someone had placed a massive ice cube nearby.


    "Uh oh." After feeling what was happening to her, Lauren looked back at the tank top woman, as she tried to identify who this woman was .


    After a second of scrutiny, Lauren let out a shaky laugh as she realized who the woman in front of her was.


    "Why, of all the bad guysthat I could meet, the one who I see first was the Supervillain Glacia?" Lauren thought to herself as she saw Glacia forming her signature Ice Armor, which she will undoubtedly use to clobber Lauren. "This is too much misfortune!"

 Chapter 108 A Pair of Lilies

    At the instant that she had this realization, Lauren''s eyes widened in panic as she knew how f**ked she is right now.


    Glacia, from what Lauren knew, was a Supervillain of the Grand Point City.


    She''s the leader of the group Children of the Jotunn, and they basically control a portion of the city.


    She holds legal and illegal businesses all over the city, with her using her power to maintain these establishments.


    She was a natural businessman and a villain, as she rules her whole organization with an iron hand.


    Anyone who betrays her will either be dead or missing, and those who dare to cross her path doesn''t meet any good end either.


    Because of these things, Glacia naturally was considered to be a Supervillain who needs to be arrested.


    Attempts to capture her however had failed, due to her power.


    Glacia had two aspects on her power.


    The first one was cryokinesis, which allows Glacia to manipulate ice in different ways and even force its creation.


    This aspect was the one that gave Glacia her moniker ''Ice Queen of the West''.


    Obviously, if cryokinesis was her only power, that will not be enough to let her elude arrest.


    What made Glacia dangerous was the second aspect to her power.


    And that is that the longer you fight Glacia, the weaker you become.


    When Glacia enters into hercombat state , she will constantly release a ''weakening aura'' that will affect anyone around her.


    This weakening aura had a gradual effect, making anyone exposed to it feel sluggish and slow.


    The longer one was exposed to this weakening aura, the weaker they will get.


    And once this weakening aura was combined with Glacia lowering the temperature to below freezing point, anyone fighting her will face a definite handicap.


    These two aspects of her power was what had allowed Glacia to remain free here in Grand Point City.


    Lauren naturally was unhappy with this, as it was people like Glacia who make life in Grand Point City difficult.


    But even if she was feeling unhappy, she perfectly knows how to pick a fight.


    "Sorry, I got lost! I will be going out of here already!" Lauren said as she slapped the road with her right palm.


    Even if Lauren wanted to have her debut right now, she still knew that it is plain suicide to just fight a Supervillain on her first night.


    Lauren was not sure if she can even survive fighting against Glacia if she fights her right now. Well, she is not planning to fight her anyway¡­


    After she slapped the road, Lauren jumped away, leaving the symbol + stuck on the road.


    The + symbol glowed for a second before Lauren activated it.


    "What is this trickery?" Glacia snarled from within her Ice Armor as she saw the + symbol on the road. "Are you using this to fight me?"


    By this point, Lauren noticed that the bespectacled man who was talking with Glacia earlier was already gone.


    Lauren was not sure how this bespectacled man was able to disappear quickly, but this is advantageous for her right now, as she will only have to escape from Glacia herself.


    "No, I am using it to run away." Lauren replied as she pulled out something from her jacket.


    It was a lighter, which Lauren immediately lit.


    She then threw the lit lighter on the road as she ran away.


    "Nobody can just run away from me, young lady." Glacia said as she raised her arms to attack Lauren.


    But before she could do so, the fire of the lighter hit the road, and a moment later, the whole road was aflame.


    "What!" Glacia looked at the flaming road with surprise as she saw its intense flames trying to eat her up. "Hmph, little tricks like this won''t hurt me!"


    Glacia tried to raise her foot, but she halted as she found her foot suddenly stuck on the road.Glacia looked at her foot as she managed to piece out what Lauren had done to her.


    "You little b**ch!"


    What Lauren did was just simple.


    Once she placed the + symbol on the road, she added the Flammability Property on the road, which came from nearby diesel tank.


    With the road now imbued with Flammability Property, Lauren had no problems lighting it up in flames.


    These flames however were unable to hurt Glacia.


    But Lauren was not aiming to use these flames to hurt Glacia.


    She was using it to trap her.


    Because it was currently burning, , the asphalt on the road had no choice but to melt, turning into a puddle of asphalt goo.


    Once this asphalt goo came into contact with the foot portion of Glacia''s Ice Armor, they solidified, trapping both of Glacia''s feet in place.


    Glacia might have cyrokinesis and weakening aura, but that does not give her superhuman strength to break the solidified asphalt trapping her feet.


    "Very impressive, you thought of slowing me down with this." Glacia muttered as she looked at her trapped foot.


    "However, this is not enough!"


    At the instant that she said these words, Glacia shot three ice spikes.


    Once was headed towards the escaping Glacia, while the other two crashed right into the solidified asphalt.


    The solidified asphalt crumbled when the ice spikes hit it, freeing Glacia''s feet.


    As for the last ice spike, it hit the fleeing Lauren on the back, sending her sprawling down the road.


    "Gah!" Lauren shouted as she only stopped rolling after 5 rolls.


    She let out a cough as she slowly stood up, monitoring the amused Glacia who was approaching her with an amused expression on her face.


    "You''re still alive from that? How impressive. Most Heroes that I face gets impaled by that." Glacia muttered as she saw two glowing x symbols underneath Lauren''s clothes. "Hmmm... it seems like your power allowed you to live¡­ but how long can that sustain you?"


    ".¡­" Lauren had no reply to that, as she was still busy acclimating through her pain.


    While Lauren was running away earlier, she did not waste time as she slapped both of her hands on her kevlar vest.


    This allowed her to place two x symbols on her kevlar vest.


    Once she had done this, Lauren chose to double the shock absorption property of her kevlar vest.


    This turned out to be a good decision as her enhanced kevlar vest was able to tank most of the force that the ice spike brought to her.


    The remaining force however that entered her body was enough to rattle her organs.


    "Blergh." Lauren''sbody trembled as she felt the urge to vomit, as her stomach was pretty scrambled by the attack.


    It was only her dignity and fear that was stopping her from puking out.


    "You did well for newbie." Glacia said as she looked down on the prone Lauren. She then looked at Laruen''s body, as if she was checking her out.


    After observing Lauren for a while, Glacia suddenly wore a smirk as she said,


    "Hmm.. you know what, I will let you survive if you pledge to serve me right now. After all, you look quite beautiful¡­ you might do good on accompanying me in bed¡­"


    Despite her current situation, Lauren could not help but blush as she heard what Glacia said.


    It was quite known in the Grand Point City that Glacia was into women.


    Nobody can deny that, as there were reports and stories of Glacia abducting women and making them her ''property''.


    Because of that, most of the beautiful women in the Grand Point City try to avoid Glacia if they can.


    Of course there are some women that do the opposite, with them approaching Glacia instead of avoiding her.


    After all, Glacia was a beautiful woman herself, with her pretty face, her long, slim legs, her round rear and her large bust that was emphasized by her current attire¡­


    "No, bad Lauren!" Lauren shook her head after thinking of these things, as she knew that it was not her time to ogle at a Supervillain''s assets.


    "Hohoho, you seem to share the same interest as me¡­" Glacia smirked as she saw Lauren''s reaction. "How about it? Will you join me? I can make you feel as if you were in heaven¡­"


    From the way that Glacia talked right now, it was as if she was not perturbed about what Lauren did to her.


    Well, Glacia can afford to do this, as she was powerful.


    ".¡­"


    Lauren took some deep breaths to calm herself as she propped her body up.


    She raised her head as she glared at the Supervillain, with her face wearing a grim frown as she said,


    "There is no way that I, a Hero, will follow a Supervillain!"


    Ok, Lauren was sure that Glacia was pretty hot and sensual, but that still does not change the fact that Glacia was a Supervillain.


    There is no way that Lauren, a Hero, will just follow Glacia.


    That is not how Lauren operates.


    "Oh, that''s too bad." Glacia said, even though she did not look that disappointed with what Lauren said. "Actually, I do not need you to agree, as I will take you here by force, whether you like it or not!"


    "Now!" At the instant that the supervillain said these words, Lauren knew that she must make her escape now.


    Her mind flashed as she tried to think of a way to distract Glacia.


    "There!" Lauren''s eyes widened as she began to see her path to victory.


    Both of her palms glowed as she readied herself to place the symbols on her target object.


    Glacia naturally saw what Lauren was about to do, so she immediately pounced toward Lauren, with her power manifesting a gigantic Ice Claw that will grab Lauren.


    "Gah!" Lauren should have been the one who activated her ability faster, but something had impeded her from doing so.


    Glacia''s weakening aura, which had been already working at full blast earlier, has started to affect Lauren.


    Combine that with her internal injuries, and Lauren''s reaction time was much slower than before.


    The gigantic ice claws grabbed Lauren before she can activate her ability, locking her in place as the cold invaded her body.


    "Good¡­" Glacia purred as Lauren did her best to pound the ice claw. "You won''t regret what will happen to you, that I assure of."


    Lauren''s only reply to that was a glare, but even her glare was slightly broken as her facial muscles were cramping up already.


    "Hohoho.." Glacia then started to laugh, as she tightened her grip on Lauren. "Both of us wi-"


    "Crash!"


    A sudden crash suddenly sounded out behind Glacia, interrupting her from talking.


    "Who?" Glacia spun around, as she tried to look at the disturbance.


    "Oh, did we intrude on something intimate?" A drawling voice said, as Glacia and Lauren observed the cause of the crashing sound. "Maybe we should leave you two alone?"


    The source of the crashing sound were three people who suddenly appeared in the area.


    The trio was composed of one male and two females, and the contrast in their appearances was quite stark.


    The male seemed to be a teenager, although the cloak and the opera mask that he was wearing makes it hard to confirm his age.


    The woman on his left seemed to be a beautiful woman, with long, black hair caressing her white, slender legs.


    Even if this woman was wearing a mask too, both Lauren and Glacia could not help but gulp as they felt desire upon seeing this woman.


    As for the other woman in the trio, she seemed to be a little different, but she can still be considered to be beautiful.


    Her green skin and her mask was unable to hide her voluptuous body that was even more curvaceous compared to Glacia''s!


    The trio were currently busy staring at Glacia and Lauren, who were both staring back at them too.


    This stare-off only lasted for a second before Glacia and Lauren gave their answers.


    "F**k off young man. Leave those two women beside you, and I will let you live."


    "Please help me!"


    The man from the trio seemingly smirked as he received two contrasting answers from Glacia and Lauren.


    This man tilted his head, staring at Glacia specifically as he said,


    "Well, well, well, it''s pretty obvious here that you are a villain, who was about to kill an honest Hero. Why should I, a virtuous lad, leave a Hero from your evil clutches? There is no way that I will allow that!"


    "Hmph. Foolish words. I guess it is time for me to-" Glacia''s words however were cut off again as the black haired woman from the trio suddenly slashed her sword towards Glacia!


    Lauren heard a slicing sound, and before she knew it, she was back to the ground again.


    Lauren looked back at Glacia, with her eyes widening as she realized that the ice claw that was gripping her earlier had been disconnected from Glacia!


    The cut that made that disconnection was clean, and from the way the cut was angled, there was no doubt that the cut came from the black haired woman''s attack!


    "What? That is so soft." The man from the trio commented as he seemingly stared at the cut that the woman made. "I thought you armor will be stronger than what I expected¡­ Hmm¡­ It seems like even I can make wrong predictions too."


    "I will kill you!" That was Glacia''s only reply as she jumped towards the trio, with countless ice spikes appearing around her, and with her weakening aura blasted at its full power."I will kill you!"


    "Do it if you can." The man replied as he and his companions made their move. "I want to see the caliber of Superhumans, and you will be the one that will show it to us."


    "F**k you!"

 Chapter 109 Slash, Boom, Crunch

    "Don''t!" When Lauren saw what was happening, she let out a cry as she wanted to trio to leave.


    Even if they have powerful offensive abilities, it will still be hard for them to win against Glacia.


    "Dammit, I only want to have a peaceful Hero Debut today.. why should things devolve to this?" Lauren muttered to herself as she tried to stand up.


    Since the trio went out of their way to help her, Lauren will naturally help them out.


    However, Lauren found herself slumping back on the road as her eyes saw something unbelievable.


    The Ice Queen of the West, a member of the Triad, and who was considered as a terrifying villain, was showing nothing preceding her reputation right now.


    Instead, what Lauren saw was a woman being beat down thoroughly.


    "...." Lauren watched with slacked jaw as the black haired woman continued slashing her katana towards Glacia.


    Glacai tried to move out of the way, but each slash was able to gouge out her Ice Armor, resulting pieces of it being scattered around.


    "Argh!" Glacia was obviously angered by this, as she sent multiples ice spikes towards the trio.


    But these spikes did not do anything at all too.


    The man from the trio faced the incoming spikes, and before they could pierce, him, the man suddenly transformed to be a tentacle monster.


    The ice spikes that hit his tentacles all shattered into pieces, as if they were just brittle glass.


    As for the other ice spikes that went over him, they also broke to pieces under the attacks of the black-haired woman.


    ".¡­.." If this was the only thing that happened in the fight, then Lauren would have been impressed already. To her surprise however, there are still some cards that the trio used!


    "Boom!"


    After using himself to shield the spikes, the tentacle monster pointed three of its tentacles towards Glacia, and right in front of Lauren''s wide eyes, grey-colored balls shot out at the end of these tentacles, hitting Glacia''s armor head on.


    "Bzzz."


    The effects of the ball were instantaneous, as holes and depressions began to appear within Glacia''s armor.


    ".¡­.." Lauren''s only reaction to what she was seeing was a loose jaw, as she found it hard to show her surprise.


    Glacia''s face seemed to be holding the same expression too, as her Ice Armor was starting to get shaved off more and more.


    Even if they could not believe it, both Lauren and Glacia realized that the black-haired woman and the tentacle guy actually had the capability to take Glacia down!


    "I will kill you all!" Naturally, this realization had turned Glacia ballistically mad. "You will all regret crossing with me!"


    The maddened villain let out a cackle of laughter as she stomped her foot on the road.


    At the instant that she did this, ice began to spread out on the road itself, as if Glacia was currently freezing the whole road!


    With a jolt, Lauren scrambled to stand up as she knew that they will be dead meat once the whole road was frozen!


    Once the whole road was frozen, Glacia can create more elaborate and deadly attacks that could be enough to kill them all!


    "Don''t let her freeze the whole road!" Lauren shouted to the trio, who were all looking at the spreading ice with curiosity! "We will be done for if it happens!"


    "Oh, is that so¡­" The tentacle monster had already shifted back to the male form, and he was tilting his head after hearing what Lauren said. "Since you are saying that its bad, then we have to prevent it from happening."


    "QM." The man said as he looked at the green-skinned woman. "You said that in your current form, you gained some sort of offensive abilities, right?"


    "Yes." The green-skinned woman replied as she stared at the spreading ice with interest. "However, in exchange for that, my lifespan had been greatly limited. For someone like me, having a limited lifespan is never good¡­"


    "We will have a fix for that, I promise." The man muttered to himself as he approached the green-skinned woman. "For now, I want to see if you can do something to stop this."


    "I have something in my mind, and I will try it now. "The green skinned woman said as she stretched her right hand forward.


    Lauren then felt her surroundings starting to rumble as the green woman started to talk in a chant-like way.


    [Come to me and heed my call. Your Queen summons your assistance!]


    At the instant that the green woman said these words, the whole road around was filled with cracks as countless thorny vines sprouted out from under the ground.


    Lauren watched with wide eyes as the frozen road was broken by the appearance of these vines.


    "From what I can remember, there are some kind of plants that can create cracks on ice by using their roots.." Lauren muttered to herself as she watched Glacia''s failed attempts to refreeze the ground. "The green woman was applying the same method here, although she was using lethal-looking vines instead of roots."


    "Damn, you summoned some thicc vines here." The man from the trio said, much to Lauren''s irritation. "Can you do something more with them?"


    "Of course I can." The green woman replied, as she seemingly sounded exasparated. "I can control these plants too. And don''t ask me to do it, as I will do it now."


    Once the green woman said these words, all the vines that she summoned lashed out towards Glacia.


    Glacia, who looked spooked upon the appearance of the vines, let out an unworldly shriek as the vines approached her.


    "Stupid plants!" The villain said as she used her power on the vines. "Get off me!''


    Her initial attempts were somewhat successful, as the vines that went near her all froze solid and crashed to the ground before they could reach her.


    But the amount of the vines of that approached her was almost endless, rendering the villain helpless against their numbers.


    "Ahh!!!" Glacia let out a shout as one of the vines managed to wrap around her torso. It then shook the villain around, rattling her whole body.


    This successful vine was the one that provided the opening for the ensuing beatdown.


    With Glacia thrown off-balance, more and more vines were able to sneak in, wrapping themselves around Glacia.


    "Crunch¡­"


    Numerous crunching sounds could be heard as these vines tightened their wrap around Glacia''s already weakened Ice Armor.


    And to make the matters of Glacia worse, the black-haired woman and the man resumed their attacks on Glacia, with them seemingly uncaring for the vines.


    "Slash!"


    "Boom!"


    "Crunch!"


    This nonstop onslaught went on for another ten seconds before the trio decided to stop.


    The black woman sheathed her katana while the guy stopped his shooting his blasts.


    As for the green woman, she muttered some gibberish words which seemed to have forced the vines to retreat.


    These vines let out a slithering sound as they went back under the ground.


    "Okay, this might be an overkill, but at least we caught someone tonight." The man said as Lauren started at the defeated form of Glacia.


    "..."


    Lauren was not sure if she should reply to what the man said as she also looked at Glacia.


    Glacia was fortunately(unfortunately?) alive and unconscious, although her current condition was nowhere good.


    Her whole body was full of scratch marks, which obviously came from the thorns of the vines that contacted her skin.


    These scratch marks were all glowing red too, as drops of blood were leaking out of them.


    Lauren winced upon seeing these scratches as she tried to understand how painful they could be.


    There were also some wounds of Glacia''s body that looked like the result of the black-haired woman''s sword slashes.


    Just like the skin scratches, these sword wounds has blood leaking out of them, although the way the slashes were made was able to minimize the blood coming out.


    Glacia also had some multiple bruises on her exposed torso, signifying some kind of blunt damage. Lauren does not need to guess that much to know that the man with the tentacle form was related to these bruises.


    "Wheeze¡­" The only thing that the unconscious Glacia could do right now was to let out some pained wheezes which sounded like the whistle of someone being pinched.


    ".¡­.."


    For Lauren, these pained sounds that Glacia were making was not enough to make her feel sorry for the villain.


    With all the crimes that Glacia did, the treatment that she got right now was still rather light.


    "So, what should we do with this woman now?" The black-haired woman asked as she and the green woman approached Glacia. "Should we hold her captive?"


    "Well, we can-"


    "We should call the SHA." Before she could stop herself, Lauren found herself suddenly answering the black-haired woman''s question.


    ".¡­" After hearing what Lauren said, the trio stared at her, with their intense gazes focused on her.


    Lauren wilted a little under their stares as she remembered the beatdown that they just did earlier, but the fact that they helped her out managed to alleviate some of her fears.


    "You mean we should call the Superhuman Association?" The man from the trio said as he prodded the pained Glacia. "Are they the ones suited for arresting people like her?"


    "Only the SHA has the real authority on placing Villains in jail." Lauren said, as she explained one of the most basic things about the SHA. "Um.. you guys should know about that already, right?"


    "Oh.. we came from a different country, so we are not familiar with the rules of the SHA¡­" The man said as he scratched the back of his head.


    Lauren could see that the man was not lying, because although he and his companions were wearing some Hero costumes, they still seem unfamiliar with the rules and regulations here.


    "So, are you three newbie Heroes like me too?" Lauren was not sure why, but she could not stop herself from asking this question.


    "Yeah, we are newbie Heroes too, just like you." The man replied, with Lauren feeling as if he was saying some sort of inside joke. "Why did you ask?"


    "Because¡­" Lauren hesitated for a second, before completing her sentence. "Even though your costumes made you three appear like newbie Heroes, the way you move earlier is nothing but newbie. Heck, you even caught a Supervillain tonight! Honestly, I find it hard to believe that you are newbies!''


    "Drip, drip."


    "Why are you this strong? I¡­ I almost got my ass handed!"


    "Drip, drip."


    "I did not even land a single powerful blow on her!"


    "Drip, drip."


    The trio only stared at Lauren as Lauren''s body started to shake.


    Lauren tried to continue talking, but she found herself unable to say anything as she began to uncontrollably cry.


    Her face became wet as tears dripped out of her eyes.


    Her body then started to tremble, as Lauren began to suddenly feel weak.


    "What¡­" Lauren tried to stop her tears from spilling out, but her body won''t follow her commands at all.


    "You just went through a very intense near-death experience. It''s quite normal for your body to react like this." The black-haired woman said as she slowly approached the still trembling Lauren.


    ".¡­" Lauren wanted to say that she was not scared at all, that she was just feeling fine.


    But once she saw the kind look in the eyes of the black-haired woman, Lauren was unable to keep her emotions as she began to cry loudly.


    "I-I-I thought I was about to die!" Lauren choked out as she hugged herself, ignoring the sounds of the incoming police sirens. "I-I¡­"


    "Everything''s fine now, ok?" Lauren suddenly felt warmth in her body as the black-haired woman hugged her tightly, with the woman''s hands stroking Lauren''s hair. "You are safe now¡­"


    "Waaah!!!" Lauren did not think of anything else as she hugged the black-haired woman tightly, turning her costume wet from her tears.


    The black-haired woman did not do anything to shake Lauren off, as she continued on stroking her hair.


    "There, there, its all ok now."

 Chapter 110 Identities

    "Well¡­" Alex scratched the back of his head as he stared at the sobbing woman that was being hugged tightly by Alina.


    The woman seems to be experiencing a nervous breakdown, which seems to be acceptable as she just went through a fight.


    ".¡­" Alex then stared at the villain that they beat up, who was still out of it until now.


    At the distance, Alex could hear the noise of the incoming police sirens. Alex knew that they were here because of the disturbance of the fight.


    "What should we do now?" It was Queen Mother who asked this question as she looked at Alex and Alina.


    "We should leave right now." Alex said as he poked the villain''s face. "When the police arrives, they will surely call the SHA to arrest this woman. Besides, those vines of yours had some kind of chemical that makes people sleep, so we can be assured that this villain will not be able to escape."


    "But how about her?" Even if Queen Mother was not using her fingers to point, Alex was sure that she was talking about the woman that they just saved.


    "¡­" Alex went silent for a few seconds as he observed the said woman.


    She had a slender body that was accentuated by her long black hair. Some calluses could be seen on her hands, which seemed to indicate that she was used to do some hard manual work.


    Even with her face mask and glasses on, Alex was sure that they woman that they saved was a beauty, although she might need some more cleaning up to make it more noticeable.


    "We take her with us too." Alex finally said after a few moments of deliberation. "We are looking for some allies here, right? This woman that we just saved can be a good ally, as she''s grateful to us now. Besides, she is a newbie Hero, so she will surely want to be allied with someone strong like us."


    "It''s your call that I will follow." Queen Mother said as she wore a smile on her face.


    Alex was not sure why, but somehow, he could see that Queen Mother was eyeing the woman that they saved with a glint in her eyes.


    ".¡­" Alex tried to not to think too deeply from what he saw as he gave a signal to Alina.


    Alina nodded upon seeing this as she slowly stood up, bringing the sobbing woman with her.


    By this point, the woman had already stopped crying, and her body had almost stabilized.


    Only her knees were shaking, making it hard for her to stand up. But the woman still held on, forcing herself to stand upright.


    Alex nodded upon seeing this, feeling impressed with the woman''s tenacity.


    "She got the makings of a potential fighter." Queen Mother said as she looked pleased too with what she saw. "She really can be a good ally for us."


    "...If you say so." Alex mumbled as he felt more and more weirded out with Queen Mother''s attitude.


    It was at that point that Alina decided to talk to the woman.


    "Hey, we are about to leave this place now." Alina said as she gave the woman a handkerchief. "Do¡­ you want to rest in our place? You seem to need some sleep after all."


    "You¡­ you are inviting me to your place?" The woman asked haltingly as she wiped her face with the handkerchief. "Are¡­ you really sure about that?"


    "We are sure." Alina said as she gave the woman a kind look. "My partner and I were both sure that you are a kind person, and that you will not do anything negative against us. Besides, with your current condition, I am not sure if you can go home by your own."


    It could have been the kind look on Alina''s face, or the logic in her voice, but nonetheless, the woman seemed to have been convinced by her as she gave her a nod. "Okay, I will join¡­"


    "Great!" Alex shouted, much to the surprise of the woman. "Let''s all go back to our technological secret base then!"


    "...We are just living in a small apartment, Alex." Alina replied as she showed an exasperated expression on her face. "We couldn''t even afford to buy those ''fancy gadgets and costumes'' that you want, so how could we find a base with laser beams and flying robot butlers?"


    ".¡­" Alex was rendered silent by that as he looked down on the ground.


    "Let''s just go." Alex said as he ran away as if he was fleeing from his embarrassment.


    He could only hear giggles behind him as his Companions followed him.


    "I know that you are happy that you are in World full of Heroes, but maybe you should tone it down with you geeking out in Hero stuff." Asteria said as she flitted behind Alex. "It''s slightly cringy, you know. Even I could not understand your enthusiasm dressing up as a Hero.."


    "Shut it, fairy. You are just jealous you can''t dress up as Hero like us."


    "You''re bullying me again!"


    "Har, har, har."


    "...."


    ******************


    Alex''s then went silent as they travelled, as he remembered their arrival in this World.


    Today was January 22, 2018, and today was the third day of Alex in this World.


    Unlike his entrance on the first two Worlds, Alex''s arrival in this World was somewhat subdued.


    When they arrived in this World 3 days ago, Alex and his Companions found themselves on a dusty alley.


    After their arrival, Alex and his Companions did their best to gather information without alerting anyone.


    Once they got all the information that they wanted however, Alex could not help but let out a shout of excitement.


    As it turns out, they were in a World full of Superhumans, with these said Superhumans becoming either Villain or Heroes.


    Alex, who was somewhat of a hero movie fanatic, was absolutely pumped up with the new World that he got in.


    Alex and his Companions then spent the rest of those 3 days on finding an apartment where they could stay in.


    Once they had all settled in, Alex, who looked to be really excited, immediately asked Asteria for their Main Mission.


    But to the surprise and confusion of Alex, Asteria said that they have to wait for 4 days before they can receive the Main Mission, as there was something special that was about to happen in this World.


    Before Alex could feel bored at that time, Asteria suddenly said that Alex and his Companions must at least find a way to make themselves prominent in this World before the Main Mission arrives. She said that it was important to do that, as it will be helpful that they are slightly famous once the Main Mission arrives.


    Once Alex heard this, he naturally did the natural thing that anyone like him will do in a World like this.


    He built a Hero Team.


    *************************


    Alex let out a slight smile on his face as he realized that the debut of their Hero Team, which he decided to call as ''Travelers'' was highly successful.


    Not only did they not capture a powerful villain, they even got a potential new ally!


    His happy thoughts however were interrupted when Queen Mother talked to him.


    "Alex, do I really have to use my real appearance as my Hero persona?" Queen Mother asked as she slightly glared at Alex. "I really do not get you and your talks about this identity thingy. Was it really that important?"


    "....."


    One of the main problems that Alex had when they arrived in this World was Queen Mother''s appearance.


    She might be beautiful, but her green skin was making it hard for her to stay conspicuous


    Luckily for them, Queen Mother can change the color of her skin.


    In order for her to not attract attention, Queen Mother decided to change her skin color from green to tanned.


    As for Alex and Alina, they decided to keep their Human Forms to blend in with the crowd


    At first, Alex and his Companions were content on staying at these forms while they were in this World.


    But once Alex proposed the idea of creating a Hero Team, they decided to play with their appearances too.


    For Queen Mother, they decided to use her tanned form as her ''civilian identity'', while her green form will be her ''Hero identity''.


    As for Alina, her Human Form is her ''civilian identity'' while her Vampire Queen Form will be her ''Hero identity''.


    As for Alex, he decided to mix it up, with his Human Form as his ''civilian identity'' while both his Monster and Human From were his ''Hero Identity''.


    Both of his companions and Asteria were confused with Alex''s decision regarding his civilian and Hero identities, but they decided to play along with him as he seemed to be the ''expert'' in things like these.


    "We have arrived already." Alex''s thoughts were cut off as Alina''s words rang in his ears.


    Alex stopped in his tracks, and he found themselves inside a dark alley.


    There are no people and cameras nearby, giving them some privacy.


    "Let''s change here." Alex said as he gave a nod to Alina and Queen Mother.


    "Alright." The two women replied as their appearance shifted.


    Queen Mother''s body turned slightly leaner as her skin changed from green to sun-kissed brown in color.


    As for Alina, her height was reduced while her skin lost its pale luster.


    Alex nodded upon seeing their transformation, as he saw that there were no hiccups at all.


    The woman that they saved could only look at what happened with surprise, with her mouth wide open.


    "This poor girl is in for some more surprise.." Asteria giggled as she landed on Alex''s head. "Will you show all of it to her?"


    "Well, it depends if she had the capabilities that I want." Alex murmured in reply. "But for now, she can be our ally, someone that we can use to navigate this new World better. If she can impress me more, she can be part of our Hero Team!"


    "Just be careful Alex, I can see that this woman that you saved was checking out both Alina and Queen Mother." Asteria said as she gave a salacious smile at Alex. "You never know, this woman might take both of them for herself!"


    ".¡­"

 Chapter 111 Private Message

    Once they were done on resuming their current forms, Alex and his Companions slowly walked out of the alley as they approached their apartment.


    "This¡­ doesn''t look like a place for the heroes¡­" The sobbing woman said as she looked at the place that they arrived at. "Is it really fine that your place is like this?"


    ".¡­" The sobbing woman''s words were somewhat right, as the apartment in front of them looked nothing like the ideal place for any Hero Team.


    "Of course it is fine." Alex replied with a straight face. "This place is perfect you know. This is far from the main portion of the Grand Portion City, and very few people pass by here. That just means that very few will disturb us here!


    ".¡­" Alina, Queen Mother, and the sobbing woman did not say anything as they stared at Alex.


    Only Asteria had the gall to talk, and what she said grated on Alex''s nerves.


    "You just bought this apartment because you could not afford anything else."


    "Shut up¡­" Alex muttered as he opened the door to their apartment.


    For the sake of his pride, Alex did not try to observe the state of his apartment, although there really are some questionable things in the apartment that he bought.


    "Don''t look around like you are in a haunted house." Alex said as he saw the sobbing woman looking around her warily. "This place is safe, so there is no need to worry. Oh, and there''s internet here too, so you can browse anything while you are here."


    "Is that so? Well thank you then¡­" The sobbing woman wanted to continue talking, but her speech stopped as she fell asleep on the spot.


    "What the hell?" Alex looked at Queen Mother, who looked back at Alex quizically. "Queen Mother, why did you force this woman to fall asleep? I need to talk with her yet Hell, we do not even know her name yet."


    Queen Mother, who was caught in act the act injecting the sobbing woman with the sleep-inducing chemical, only tilted her head as she and Alina gave Alex looks of scorn.


    "Didn''t you see her condition?" Queen Mother said as Alina led the woman toone of the beds. "She clearly was rattled by what had happened to her! Staying up for any longer will just be detrimental to her. Just.. let her sleep now, ok? If you want to talk to her, then just do it tomorrow."


    "...Fine." Alex replied as he let out a yawn. "Maybe it is time for me to sleep too." Alex stood up as he approached his room, only for him to perk up as he remembered something.


    "Oh right, I need to do some grocery first." Alex said as he placed a palm on his forehead. He then washed his face with some cold water as he approached the door. "Hey, I will go out for a bit first. Expect me to bring back some snacks later."


    Alex then proceeded to leave the apartment while WEARING HIS HERO COSTUME.


    "Alex, why are you going out in your costume?" Alina inquired as she saw what Alex was doing. "Do you want to patrol again?"


    "Hey, its nothing like that!" Alex replied as he wilted under Alina''s intense gaze. "I¡­ just want to go to the grocery while wearing my costume¡­ Doing that feels cool, you know."


    "Hmph, boys." Asteria and Alina muttered at the same time as they shook her head.


    "Just¡­ don''t do anything weird, ok?" Alina said as she went to the kitchen.


    Rumbling sounds could be heard there as the gluttonous swordswoman started to cook up something. "Come back fast, or I might finish up this dish that I will cook."


    "Well, you always eat up everything that you cook by yourself." Alex muttered before dodging the cooking spatula thrown by Alina. "Ok! I am sorry! Its not my fault that your ''Nom nom nom'' abilities are too god-like!"


    Alex then proceeded to run to the grocery as fast as he could.


    A few minutes later.


    ".¡­"


    The cashier who price scanned Alex''s goods stared at Alex intently as he handed the goods back to him.


    "You a new Hero?" The cashier asked as Alex was about to leave the door.


    "Uh, yes I am." Alex said as he closed the door. "Watch the news tomorrow morning. You will see me there."


    "...Ok."


    Alex then proceeded to leave the store with a smug expression on his face, as if he just succeeded on doing something important.


    *******************************************************


    When Alex went back to the apartment, he immediately went to sleep.


    He slept for approximately 5 hours before he was woken up by a primalshout of rage.


    "You dumbasses! Don''t you dare mock my love for Honey! I swear, I will beat you two up!"


    Even if he was feeling sleepy now, Alex was sure that the voice came from Asteria herself.


    Alex stood up as he rubbed his bleary eyes.


    He then gritted his teeth as he decided to give Asteria some good ol'' smacking once he catches her.


    "Asteria, what the hell are you doing?" Alex said as he approached Asteria''s location.


    "Why are you shouti-" Alex then froze on his tracks as he saw Asteria doing something unfathomable to him.


    The fairy queen, the very manifestation of nature itself, one of the main proponents of anything natural, was currently using a computer.


    To say that the sight of Asteria using a computer at the middle of the night with everyone asleep was an understatement by itself.


    ".¡­."


    ".¡­"


    ".¡­.."


    ".¡­."


    Both Alex and Asteria stared at each other, as they tried to ascertain the current situation.


    Asteria''s cornered expression somehow satisfied Alex, as he was sure that he just caught her her doing something mischievous.


    "Now, now, now." Alex said as he dashed towards the computer. "What could be someone like you browsing at this time of the night?"


    "Was Asteria looking a some kind of fairy p**n? Wait, does something like that even exist?" Alex thought to himself as he looked at Asteria.


    (Author''s note: Rule 34 my bois.)


    To Alex''s surprise, Asteria did nothing to prevent Alex from approaching the computer.


    Alex naturally took it as his chance to take a peek.


    "...Ok." This was Alex''s only word as he looked at the computer screen.


    He then deftly manipulated the computer mouse as he browsed through what Asteria reading.


    After 5 minutes of looking, Alex shouted out too, as his face wore an expression of pure rage.


    "They named me Squidhard and Humboldt? What the f**k are these guys from SHA are smoking? They all suck!"


    ********************


    It took Alex some minutes to calm down, with Asteria laughing behind him.


    "Hmph, don''t laugh. You just got temp banned, right?" Alex said as he read the remaining comments on the Superhumans Online Discussion Thread(SODT).


    "Well, that is just temporary." Asteria replied as she bobbed Alex on his head. "What you should worry now is the attention that you guys got."


    "... You''re right." Alex said as his eyes narrowed.


    If what the people said as the SOBD was right, then Alex''s actions were already known by many.


    For Alex and his Companions, this might be a good thing, but right now, Alex had the feeling that the arrest that they made will complicate matters in the Grand Point City.


    "But before you get worried about your newfound publicity, you should get worried about your Hero Names first!" Asteria said as she started to giggle again. "If you don''t fix it quickly, you will surely be remembered as Humboldt forever!"


    "Ugh." Alex shook his head as he realized that he must not waste any time now.


    "Go, and chat with this Kingfisher guy." Alex said as he glanced at Asteria. "Tell him that we want our names changed, and that we want it now."


    "...Ok." Asteria replied as she flew towards the keyboard.


    Alex then watched in fascination as Asteria skipped all over the keyboard, as it seemed like she was using her body to type.


    *********************


    Welcome to the Superhumans Online Discussion Thread.


    You are currently logged in, Asteria


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ??You are now starting a Private Message??


    [SENDER]: Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    [RECIPIENT]: Kingfisher(SHA Agent]


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Hey, the names that you gave my Heroes all suck! Give us better names!


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Oh, I apologize for the bad names¡­ People at the SHA are really not good on things like naming Heroes.. If you want the name of the members of the Travelers changed, do you already have the names that you want to use?"


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Yes! So, ummm¡­ Are the names Goddess, Sucker, and Spatial already taken?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Dryad is already taken by a Hero in Chicago, while Sucker was taken by a small-time villain that was brutally murdered. As for Spatial, it wastaken by a member of the SHA.


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    In that case, please change Katana to Nom-nom-nom, then change Sprout to Queen Milf. As for Humboldt, please make it stay as it is¡­239rufnncsljfwpiejfjdcdvewt4352452tewqjfoqw3u50329hfoiqll23985y22gbfiwqjkdbscksanjfsdvapoh038or


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Umm, are you ok?


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Yes, I am ok. Some pesky pest just interrupted my typing.


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    So I take it that the names that you said earlier will be their real names already?


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Nope¡­I am joking about those names.


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    ¡­So, what names do you want so that I can already blot out the ones that we have right now?


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Well, what names do you think would be cool?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    If you are not sure, just try using random name search on the net. Who knows, maybe you can find it there.


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Ok, I am doing it now!


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Tell me once you get it.


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Hello? Are you done now?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Hello?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    I swear its, already an hour since you started the random name search. Were you still unable to find anything?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Hello?


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Oh, sorry for the delay! Here is the final line up of the names!


    For our swordswoman: Since Spatial won''t work, just use Khora.


    For our green woman: Use the name Dryad


    And for our weird tentacle guy: The best that I can find was Eldritch.


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    I''ll update the SHA database then. Thank you for talking to me.


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    Hmph, just do your job better next time!


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    If you are talking about our jobs, would you like to pay a visit to the SHA Headquarters here in Grand Point City? Don''t worry, we will not invite you to join the SHA. We just want to talk with you all, and if you allow it, test your powers here.


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    We''ll think about it.


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    If you come, we will give you some Royal-Grade Honey that we collected from Siberia.


    ?Asteria (The most extravagant one!)


    You should have said that earlier! Okay, we will go now 203tu3209tu09 y50rvfioc409udke8udj09cweujr0dwe9us


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Are you ok?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Hello?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    You are not replying for an hour already. Are you sure that you are ok?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Hello?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Hello?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Its been 4 hours already¡­. Will you still reply?


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Ok, if you and your group want to go, just go to our Headquarters, we will wait for you there¡­


    ?Kingfisher (SHA Agent)


    Still no reply?


    [End of Private Message]

 Chapter 112 All the Ships have Sailed

    4 hours later.


    Alex and Asteria did not continue sleeping, as they decided to scan the SDOB for more info.


    It was only when Alina, Queen Mother and the sobbing woman woke up that they stopped browsing.


    Alex then has no choice but to cook their breakfast, as he saw the hungry glare that was being given to him by Alina.


    "Nom nom nom."


    Alina''s chewing noises were the prominent sound in the apartment as all of them began to eat.


    To Alex''s confusion, he saw the sobbing woman and Queen Mother seating a little too close to each other.


    Well, maybe Queen Mother was just feeling more sympathetic for the sobbing woman, and she was just sitting near her to comfort her¡­.


    But Alex does not care for that now as he decided to talk to the sobbing woman.


    Right now, the sobbing woman was not wearing her face mask and glass anymore, which basically showed her face.


    This had Alex somewhat touched, as he knew that secret identities were an important secret of any Hero.


    For this woman to show her face to them just means that she trusted them a lot.


    Naturally, Alex will not waste the trust given to them.


    "Since all of us have seen each others'' faces already, then I think it is fine for us to exchange our real names." Alex said as he watched the expression on the woman''s face. "Are you ok with that?"


    "Yes¡­" The woman replied as she looked straight at Alex. She then let out a cough as she said,


    "My name is Lauren. Ummm¡­ nice to meet you all."


    "Lauren is a nice name. Its fitting for someone as picturesque as you." Queen Mother said as she ruffled Lauren''s head.


    Lauren could only blush as Queen Mother rubbed her head, with her doing nothing to push the World Tree off.


    "I''m Alex, that glutton is Alina, and that woman patting your head is Queen Mother." Alex said as his fiinger panned all around the room. "Forgive Queen Mother if she is that clingy to you. She just wants to comfort you."


    ".¡­"


    Alex then blinked his eyes as he saw both Alina and Queen Mother looking at him with blank expression on their faces.


    It was as if they just heard Alex say something that they could not believe.


    Their surprise was so great that Alina was forced to stop eating, which is a first for her.


    "You¡­ think Queen Mother is just comforting Lauren?" Alina asked as she and Queen Mother looked at Alex. "You think that''s all?"


    "Of course she is comforting Lauren." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "What else could that closeness mean?"


    "...I thought you will be a sharp person in situations like these¡­" Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "It seems like there are still some things that I am wrong about you¡­"


    She then gave a sympathetic look at Alex, as if she was feeling sorry for him.


    Asteria''s racuous laughter in the background just made everything worse, forcing Alex to scratch the back of his head.


    A few second later, and his eyes widened.


    He looked back at Queen Mother, then back to Lauren who was looking at Alex with a slight blush on her face.


    "Oh. Oh. Oh." By this point, Alex realized what was happening.


    "Took you this long huh." Queen Mother muttered as she and Alina let out some sighs of relief.


    Now that Alex had been enlightened, there is no way for him to go back anymore. The only thing that he can do is to venture forward towards the truth.


    "You.. swing that way?" Alex asked Queen Mother, who was now sitting a little too close with Lauren. "I thought you will be asexual or something, since you are a little¡­ plant-like."


    "Why are you asking Queen Mother that question?" Alina suddenly said as she glared at Alex. "If Queen Mother likes women, then don''t be curious about it. Just accept it as it is and just move on."


    "Oh right, I can do that." Alex mumbled in reply as he looked back at Queen Mother and Lauren. "So, are you two a thing now?"


    "What? No, that''s way too fast." Queen Mother was the one who answered that question as Lauren was too flustered to speak. "Right now, I am¡­ doing what males of any animal species do to their female counterpart."


    "Oh, you mean courting." Alex said as he decided to finish his food.


    "Yes, that is the right term." Queen Mother replied as she looked at Lauren. "I decided to start courting Lauren earlier, and judging by her reception to my actions, I can say that there is a high chance of me having a relationship with her."


    By this point, Lauren was unable to eat anymore as she just hunched over the table.


    "If only someone in this table can do something similar to what Queen Mother did¡­" Alina mumbled to herself, perhaps a little too loud, making Asteria laugh harder again.


    "Um¡­ maybe I have to go now¡­ I still have to attend my part-time work¡­" Lauren said as she stood up from the table, with her face looking all around her. "Um-um, if you want to collaborate with me, let''s just do another patrol later night."


    "Ye-yeah, a patrol later night would be good." Alex replied as he tried to ignore the glare being given to him by Alina. "Well see you later then."


    "Ok¡­" Poor Lauren almost tripped on her way out, but she managed to stabilize herself. She then hastily opened the door as she left the apartment.


    "She''s really adorable. I just want to wrap her body inside my trunk. I am sure she will feel warm once she''s inside me." Queen Mother muttered to herself as she gazed blankly at the distance.


    Alex and Alina tried to not conjure a mental image from what Queen Mother said as they finished their food.


    ************************


    "So, how long should we wait before we can get the Main Mission?" Alex asked as he and his Companions had finished eating.


    Right now, all three of them were seated at the sala, with their eyes focused on Asteria.


    The said fairy was busy slurping on her jar of honey as she lay down on the table.


    "10 minutes yet."


    "At last, I can buy something now." Alex muttered to himself as he and his Companions waited for the countdown to finish. "Not being able to buy Abyss Tomes before I get the Main Mission really sucks, you know."


    "Don''t glare at me like that, Alex." Asteria said as she let out a burp. "I just have to follow regulations, you know."


    "....¡­."


    ******************


    When Alex arrived in this World three days ago , the first thing that he wanted to do was to buy more Abyss Tomes for himself so that he can power up already.


    But to his disappointment, Asteria told him that he can only buy the Items from the Endless Monarch once they receive the Main Mission, which is not yet shown to them until now.


    Asteria said that the Endless Monarch wanted to only sell these Items and Abilities once the Main Mission was given, so Alex had no choice now but to wait.


    Alex can understand that logic, but that does not reduce his irritation from that.


    "Hey Asteria." Alex said as their wait reached the 8-minute mark. "Since the Main Mission is about to be given already, maybe you can explain to us on the reason why the Main Mission was delayed until now."


    "Oh, don''t worry about that question." Asteria replied as she licked the straw that she was sucking through. "You will understand the delay once I give you your Main Mission. So, be a good boy there and just wait. And if you are feeling bored, then maybe you can do what Queen Mother was doing earlier. Someone''s waiting for you to take that initiative, you know¡­"


    After hearing these words, Alex looked at Alina hesitantly, who was looking back at him with an expectant and disgruntled look on her face.


    At this point, Alex knew that the only thing that he can do was to get on with it.


    Delaying his desires any longer will not do good for him anymore.


    "Well Alina¡­" Alex scratched the back of his head as he tried to let out the words that he wanted to say. "I found this excellent movie theater in the city¡­ They will be showing a good movie there. Maybe.. you can join me in watching that movie?"


    Alex did not have to wait for that long as Alina gave Alex a dazzling smile in reply. "I''ll be happy to join you."


    "Ah, finally!" Both Asteria and Queen Mother shouted as they looked at Alex and Alina. From the way that they looked at them, it was as if they just found the holy water that can grant anyone immortality.


    "Well¡­ with everything that happened in the Monster World, I was unable to find time to ask Alina out." Alex scratched the back of his head as he gave an apologetic gaze at Alina.


    "Well, if it were not for what Queen Mother did earlier, I think you will be too much of a coward to ask Alina out in this World too." Asteria snorted as she shook her head. "Really, I still have to use my love expertise to help you out.."


    "I don''t sense any kind of love expertise from you." Alex replied as he looked at Asteria''s diminutive form. "All that I can see was a dumb fairy with her face splattered with some kind of sticky liquid."


    "Hey, you are bullying me again!" Asteria shouted as she waved her honey straw at Alex''s direction. Alex then moved out of the way as he dodged the honey that splattered out of the straw. "This is what you repay to me after I helped you out? You really are a bully!"


    Alex and Asteria then used the rest of the time to play tag with each other, if you can consider honey splashing as tag.


    They only stopped when the symbols on Alex, Alina, and Queen Mother''s foreheads started to glow.


    "It''s starting now." All of them thought to themselves as they settled down on the couch.


    Asteria, who was still pouting and glaring at Alex, slowly approached him as she touched the symbol on his forehead.


    She then stayed still for 10 seconds before withdrawing.


    "So, what is our Main Mission then?" Alex asked as he saw the neutral expression on Alina''s face.


    Alex already had some suspicions on what their Main Mission will be, but he has to get his confirmation from Asteria''s words.


    After hearing Alex''s query, Asteria threw away her honey straw back to her honey jar as she sat down on the table.


    Asteria then looked at Alex with a slightly serious look on her face as she said,


    [[[Main Mission: Intercept the other Traveler and its Companions that are in this World, and get the legacy of Tartaros before they could do so. Time limit is 1 Month. The group that gets the legacy will win the Main Mission, while the one who fails on getting it will lose the Main Mission. Failure on the Main Mission will mean death.]]]


    Alex and his Companions froze after they heard what Asteria said.


    If Alex''s hearing was right, the words that Asteria said just meant that there was another Traveler in this World, and from the looks of it, Alex will have to compete against him or her!


    To say that Alex was surprised was a massive understatement right now.


    "What the hell¡­"

 Chapter 113 Stupid PC

I canot post chapters for today as my pc won''t start up.


    Stupid


    "Automatic Repair won''t start up PC" error!

 Chapter 114 Online Shopping

    Kay, my pc is fine now, although I am already tired from the field trip, so next real chapter will be released tomorrow. For now, let''s read transcripts about Asteria''s struggle with buying stuff from people online.


    ********************


    (That time that Alina wanted to extend her food supply)


    ?Asteria


    Hey! Why are you not answering my query?


    ?JoeDennison


    I am sorry mam, but there is no way that we can just se;l a whole beehive farm to you.


    ?Asteria


    You can''t? But isn''t this the place to talk to people to buy stuff? Why can''t buy a beehive farm then?


    ?JoeDennison


    Mam, I maybe a farmer, but don''t think that I am stupid. Land properties cannot be just sold at a whim, especially in situations like this.


    ?Asteria


    Hmph, you are just lying! I am sure of that!


    ?JoeDennison


    Mam, don''t go accusing me like that. You don''t know what you are doing.


    ?Asteria


    Hmph, what can you do then? Show me what you can do!


    ?JoeDennison


    Mam, this is what I can do.


    [[[Asteria has been blocked by JoeDennison.]]]


    ********************


    (The time that Asteria wanted to buy a blender)


    ?Asteria


    Are you really selling that blender of yours? Give it to me in person today!


    ?Danny


    Um, sorry but I cannot give the blender to personally to you exactly. I specifically said on my post that I will ship the blender to those who wanted to buy it.


    ?Asteria.


    Ship the blender? Hmph, you are scamming me! Give it to me in peron today!


    ?Danny


    Nope, I am not scamming you. You should know that most of the online shopping is done by shipping the purchased items. Don''t tell me you don''t know that?


    ?Asteria


    Hey, what''s with the tone in your voice?


    ?Danny


    I am sorry, but with the way that the city is in right now, I do not want to go outside. If you want to get the blender, wait for it to be shipped. If not, then you will get nothing.


    ?Asteria.


    Hmph, you are very rude! I am blocking you now!


    ?Danny


    That would make me happy.


    [[[Danny has been blocked by Asteria]]]


    ********************


    (The time that Asteria met a prince)


    ?ThePrince


    Please hear me out, kind citizen. I am in dire need of your help, and I know you can help me out.


    ?Asteria


    Who the hell are you?


    ?ThePrince


    I am nothing but the prince of a fallen nation... Everything that I have is taken from me, but I can take it all back! With your help, I am sure I and my comrades will regain what is ours!


    ?Asteria


    You are scamming me, right?


    Yes, you are that kind of scam where you ask for the account number, right?


    Hahaha, there is no way you can surpass me, Asteria, in terms of sheer intellect!


    I already noticed your attempt to scam me even before you talked to me!


    Come, bow down to my superiority!


    ?ThePrince


    I am blocking you now. You are very rude. I hope you rot in hell. You are very bad.


    [[[Asteria is has been blocked by ThePrince]]]


    ********************


    (Customer Service Call)


    ?Asteria


    Hey, why the hell did my purchase turn out like this? Explain yourselves!


    ?Customer Service


    Hello mam. Kindly tell the problem of your purchase and we will do our best to help you out.


    ?Asteria


    Well, I bought many castor beans... From what I know, they should produce a poison called ricin right? But why does my friend say that the ricin that came out of the castor beans were of low quality?


    Are the castor beans I bought substandard?


    ?Customer Service


    Mam, why would your friend eat castor beans?


    ?Asteria


    Oh, well this friend of mine is plant-like and she wants to taste some of the poisonous materials in this place, so I figured ricin can be a good way to start. Anyways, were you able to confirm if my purchases are substandard or not?


    ?Customer Service


    Sorry mam, but we have no choice but to arrest the one who sold the ricin to you. As for you, you will now be banned from our online shopping service. Even if your plant friend really exists, we cannot allow people like you to continue thriving here.


    We also have received several complaints already about your rude attitude to the other sellers in this platform.


    Allof these just eases our decision to ban you permanently here.


    [[[Asteria is now permanently banned]]]

 Chapter 115 Jack of All Trades, Master of None

    "You need to answer some of my questions for now." Alex muttered as he glared at Asteria. "You can say that the Main Mission this time¡­ isa little surprising for us."


    Both Alina and Queen Mother nodded beside Alex, as they share the same feeling as him.


    "Ask away then." Asteria replied as she let out a rueful smile. "Just make it quick, as you need to prepare to face off against the other team."


    "I can understand that." Alex replied as he took a deep breath. He then stared at Asteria''s eyes directly as he said,


    "So, first of all, are we Travelers supposed to fight each other in this way? I thought we will have to do the missions alone?"


    "Well, according to the Endless Monarch, that would be just boring if that was the case." Asteria replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "He said that a Traveler''s Journey will be much more interesting if he or she gets to meet other Travelers too. Conflict breeds more power, and that power is what makes every journey interesting."


    "¡­." That Monarch is really an irritating person." Alex muttered as he let out a sigh.


    Alex can somewhat understand the logic given by Asteria''s answer, but that does not mean that he was happy about it.


    "I have one more question." Alex said as he approached Asteria. "Why is the announcement the Main Mission delayed until just now? Couldn''t if have been just announced when we arrived? Is it because there are more than one Travelers here?"


    "Well¡­ The Endless Monarch determined that it will be better if the Main Mission announcement will be delayed a little, because if it was announced earlier, you and the other Traveler might mess up some things due to panic." Asteria replied nonchalantly. "If the announcement was delayed, then you and the other Traveler will have some time to get used to this place, allowing you to be more prepared once the Main Mission was announced."


    "¡­That reasoning is very vague in my opinion." Alex replied as he hung his head down. "But what can I do about that anyway? What''s done is done, and all I have to do is just prepare."


    These words of Alex brought forth a grin from Asteria''s face, making Alex feel a slight twinge of irritation. "So, you want to buy now?"


    "Tell me my net remaining Lifespan first." Alex said as he waved he looked at Asteria. "We shall see what happens after that."


    Asteria did not delay her time as she gave Alex the rundown of his Lifespan.


    "You stayed in the Monster World for a total of 3 weeks and 1 day. You also gained 4 Years of Lifespan from Bonus Missions, with you using 4 Years and 6 Months of Lifespan to buy three Abyss Tomes. After you finished the Main Mission with a grade of [A], you gained an extra lifespan of 85 Years. The cost of teleporting you here at this place costs around 80 years. You then spent 3 days in this World to scout out things. Combine all these numbers, and you are left with the total Lifespan of 6 Years, 5 Months and 26 Days."


    Asteria said these words in one breath, managing to confuse Alex a little.


    "6 Years, 5 Months, and 23 Days huh. Now I can get the good stuff." Alex muttered to himself as he let out a smile. "You already know what I want to buy, right? Come, give it all to me!"


    "Right, right." Asteria muttered as she reached in at Alex''s forehead. "Go, have fun on using them."


    *********************


    When Alex tried to use his Esper and Monster Abilities in this World, he found out to his surprise that both of these abilities were not rejected in this World at all!


    Alex can fully use his EM Wave Manipulation Abilities in this World, and even his Mental Power was growing quite nicely here!


    As for his Abyss Tome Abilities, they were all perfectly usable in this World, and his Abyss Energy was also increasing at quite a stable rate here!


    Of course Alex was slightly confused by this, as why would a World like these allow both his technological-related ability and his magic-related ability to be usable here?


    Was it because this World has powers in it? Or was the reason a little more sinister?


    Well no matter what the reason was for that, Alex knew that he has no way of discovering it for now¡­


    With these realizations that he found out, Alex decided to just buy the remaining Abyss Tomes in order to complete the Seven Sins Abyss Tomes Set.


    From what Alex knew, completing the set will allow Alex to use the Abyss Energy at its full potential.


    Not only that, but this completion rate might allow Alex to succeed on doing something that he wanted to do before!


    And that was to combine his Esper Abilities and his Abyss Abilities!


    Alex had the faint inkling that he might succeed on doing these once he gets the complete Abyss Tome Set.


    With that in mind, Alex had no qualms on buying them all!


    ***********************


    While Alex was watching Asteria, who was about to get the remaining Abyss Tomes, he saw her stop in his tracks as she looked at him.


    "Oi hooman..." Asteria muttered as she put her hands back. "By now, you should now that since we are in a new world, there will be another new cultivation body for you, right? Aren''t you interested on buying it? Its called a Superhero Cultivation Body, and you can buy it for the price of 5 Years of Lifespan. Its pretty cheap, right?"


    "Hell no, I won''t be buying that." Alex muttered as he shook his head.


    Why would Alex buy another cultivation body right now, when he already had two cultivation bodies with himself?


    Buying one more cultivation body will give Alex new abilities, but Alex had the feeling right now that buying one more will not be worth it.


    First of all, Alex still had not reached the full power of his Esper Power and his Abyss Abilities.


    With the current resources that he had right now, Alex was sure that he can strengthen both of his Esper Power and Abyss Abilities easily.


    Why would Alex buy a third cultivation body that will be currently weak when he can just power-up his Esper Power and his Abyss Abilities?


    Raising the power of this current abilities will be much easier than managing three cultivation bodies at once.


    "Hahaha! At least you can think!" Asteria exclaimed as she seemed to be impressed with what Alex said. "I thought you would want to buy another cultivation body. Good thing you did not!"


    "Wait¡­" From the way that Asteria reacted from Alex, it was as if the dilemma of having many cultivation bodies was a large problem.


    This realization prompted Alex to glare at Asteria as he asked her,


    "Don''t tell me that some of the Travelers have this problem? That they have too much cultivation bodies with them that they fail to become actually strong?"


    "That''s right~" Asteria replied as she let out a snort. "Some of the arrogant Travelers think that they must have all the abilities that they can see, because they think that they will be stronger the more abilities they gain. Idiots, all of them! That''s why at the end, these Travelers die quickly as they were unable to realize their errors."


    "Umm.. don''t they have their own Guides to prevent them from happening?" Alina asked as she glanced at Asteria.


    "Well, as I told you earlier, these Travelers are arrogant." Asteria replied with a huff. "Even when their own Guides told them to not increase their cultivation bodies, these Travelers did not listen at all¡­"


    "Hmph, at least those Travelers had their own Guides worried for them." Alex muttered as she glared at Asteria. "But how about you? You did not tell me anything about that danger earlier!"


    "Hmph, it''s because I want to personally see your plan on buying abilities." Asteria muttered as she crossed her arms. "If you somehow wanted to buy the Superhero Cultivation Body, then I will do my best to stop you from doing so, and I will also explain to you the dangers about having many cultivation bodies. Fortunately, you were open-minded about stuff like these."


    "It''s just common sense, okay?" Alex replied as he tried to not show that he was pleased with what Asteria said. "Well, now that you have confirmed that I will not be a ''Jack of All Trades, Master of None'', can we go on with the purchase section?"


    "Hmph, you did not even say a single thanks!" Asteria pouted as she flitted towards Alex''s head. "Stupid hooman, you did not even pat my head!"


    "There, there, let me do it for you." Alina muttered as she skillfully rubbed Asteria''s head.


    "Mn¡­" Asteria purred like a cat, looking extremely pleased with Alina''s headpats.


    "Just get on with it." Alex muttered exasperatedly, with him feeling no desire to headpat Asteria at all.


    "Ok, here it is!" Asteria grumbled as she pulled out the last four Abyss Tomes from Alex''s forehead. "Enjoy them all, hooman!"


    Alex was not able to hear Asteria''s words as he wasnow just focused at the pile of Abyss Tomes that appeared in front of him.


    He picked up the nearest of the four, observing its appearance.


    The Abyss Tome that he picked up has no constant appearance. It''s color, texture, tactile sensation, and even smell always changed for every second.


    At one time, it might look like a black book with a smooth texture, while for the next second it will look like a blazing red book with a hot cover.


    Alex observed this Tome for another minute, before recognizing it as the Abyss Tome: Lust.


    "Come to me now." Alex muttered as he absorbed the Tome.


    Once the Tome was fully inside him, Alex picked the next Tome, observing it too like before.


    The Tome that he picked up this time had a huge hole at its middle.


    Some faint sounds could be heard coming from the hole, as Alex found that the hole was sucking the air all around it.


    No, the hole was not sucking just the air. Even the nearby insects that approached the hole was also being sucked inside it, including the dust nearby.


    "Oho, so this is Abyss Tome: Gluttony then." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at the Tome apprehensively. "I wonder how Mouth will react to this Tome¡­"


    Alex then absorbed this Tome too as he picked up the second to the last Tome.


    "¡­."


    Alex had no words to say about this Tome, as he saw that it was just¡­ limp.


    Its pages were dropping downwards, its cover seemed to be just soft, while its spine was at the verge of falling of too.


    Overall, this Tome was giving off a lethargic feeling, as if it was not interested on existing anymore.


    "There is no doubt this is the Abyss Tome: Sloth." Alex wasted no time absorbing it, as he felt a little depressed seeing that book.


    "And if my deduction was right, you should be Abyss Tome: Pride." Alex muttered to himself as he picked up the last tome. "Hmm¡­ you certainly looked to be full of pride."


    "You don''t say." Someone muttered behind Alex. Alex did his best to ignore that.


    The Tome that Alex was currently looking was extremely polished, with its cover glossy, and its pages all straight and pristine.


    Just by looking at the Tome, Alex had the feeling that it was purely thinking of its own cleanliness and appearance.


    Alex absorbed the last Tome without a thought, feeling its remnants sinking inside his body.


    "So, what will happen now?" Alex asked Asteria as he gave her a questioning look. "You told me that once I collect all the Seven Abyss Tomes, something special will happen and that I will be able to use it at its full power. So, what should I see?"


    "Just wait for a few more seconds, and you will see it." Asteria replied cheekily as she let out a smirk. "Learn to have some patience sometimes, hooman."


    "What do yo-" Alex''s reply was cut off as he felt something happening inside his body.


    "Oi!" To Alex''s surprise, he saw all of his Abyss Tomes flying out of his body, lining themselves into a straight line.


    They all floated in front of Alex as they started to let out a dark, eerie glow.


    "¡­" Alex did not dare to say anything as he looked at the Abyss Tomes in front of him. Whatever what was happening now surely is the ''special part'' that Asteria was talking about.


    The Abyss Tomes continued glowing for a few more seconds before their glows intensified greatly.


    Alex had to avert his eyes from the sudden increase in brightness, with the other people in the room doing the same thing too.


    It was only when he felt that the glow was gone that Alex looked back.


    "What!!!"


    What Alex saw made him fall down on the floor hard.


    Instead of 7 ancient-looking books, what was floating in front of Alex right now were 7 Asteria-sized beings, with each of them having their own unique appearance.


    "E@(*HI&%&^%$cfv(*)(@n)!!" Alex''s mind was currently in jeopardy as he saw the 7 small beings looking at him with varying range of expressions.


    |||Hello Master! Feed me now! Greed is hungry!|||


    ***Master, I am hungry too! Give me food too!***


    {{{Master, where are your enemies? I, Wrath, shall shower them all with my fury!}}}


    ///I may be small Master, but I think we can have some fun together~\\\


    ---Master, can I sleep now? I don''t want to float anymore¡­---


    ^^^Sorry Master, but I am not sure if I can help you. All the other Tomes are much better than me¡­ I am just a big failure¡­^^^


    <<<Master, you dare look at me with that kind of look in your face? What a waste! Only those that I deem worthy can look at me like that!"


    Asteria''s choking laughter in the background was the only thing that prevented Alex from thinking that all that he was seeing now was just a dream.


    "What the hell?"

 Chapter 116 The Septissential Septuplets

    (((Author''s Note: I know that the word septissential does not exist, but it sounds just right here...)))


    "Didn''t I tell you before that only when you get all the Abyss Tomes that you can use the Abyss Abilities at full power?" Asteria muttered as she gestured towards her 7 small beings currently flitting all around Alex. "This, is that full power that I am talking about."


    "I¡­" Alex found himself a little lost for words as he looked at the source of his shock.


    All 7 of them looked to be human, although their sizes were exactly the same as Asteria.


    Alex was not sure if Asteria was related to them, but that query does not matter for now.


    Alex stared at each of the Seven, as he observed their full appearances.


    Each of them were wearing different kinds of clothes, and they all seem to radiate the different kind of mood.


    To Alex''s surprise, he found out that he was linked to all of them, with him exactly knowing who they are and what their characteristics would be.


    Right now, Alex will call them all as Sprites, as that is one of the things that can describe small beings like them.


    Starting from the left was a stout Sprite, whose stomach was bulging way beyond the normal limits. The mouth of this Sprite was also ridiculously wide, as if it was the Sprite''s main weapon.


    With his link with them, Alex can identify that this Sprite was Greed.


    Floating beside Greed as a fairly thin Sprite, although the teeth of this Sprite was extremely long, almost as long as the Sprite''s legs. The Sprite was also holding a large black ball, alerting Alex with the fact that this Sprite was Gluttony.


    Beside Gluttony was a fairly seductive looking Sprite. This Sprite was also androgynous, making it hard for Alex to see its gender. To his disappointment, Alex could see this Sprite giving him a saucy look. Even an idiot will know what that look would mean.


    "I am sure this one is Lust." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at the middlemost Sprite.


    Out of all the Sprites present this Sprite was by far the quietest one. However, with just one look, Alex had the feeling that this Sprite was also the most volatile one in the room.


    Alex''s gaze on this Sprite did not linger for that long, as he knew that making Wrath angry could not be that worth it.


    Around Wrath''s left side was a Sprite that was almost as quiet as Wrath, although the snores coming out of this Sprite was enough to offset its silence.


    "He''s definitely Sloth." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at the second to the last Sprite.


    Unlike the other Sprites, this Sprite creeped Alex a little out.


    After all, this Sprite was just bowing its headdown and was mumbling to itself. Alex could also see this Sprite gazing at the other Sprites with a somewhat envious look on its face.


    Without a doubt, this Sprite was Envy.


    As for the last Sprite, Alex resisted the urge to sigh as he had the urge to just punch this Sprite in the jaw.


    The last Sprite¡­ just looked so smug. The polished and orderly clothes that it was wearing and the cocky grin on its face just showed its extreme overconfidence.


    Heck, this Sprite has already beaten Asteria in terms of pissing Alex off!


    By that point,Alex made sure to be a little wary of Pride, as his experiences with Asteria already made him quite wary of beings like her.


    "They''re cute." Alina said as her eyes narrowed, like a predator seeing its prey.


    She then jumped towards the 7 Sprites, with her hands manipulating the space around her to not let them escape.


    Queen Mother joined in the fun too, as she curiously poked around.


    To Alex''s surprise and slight indignation, none of the Sprites did anything to free themselves. They just stayed in place, letting two beautiful woman poke and pet them.


    Well now, that Alex can see it, he''s now feeling a little jealous¡­


    "So, I can feel my link with them all." Alex said as he watched the smothering of the Sprites. "But what are they? Andhow does allof this relate to my power up?"


    "Sigh." Asteria let out a long sigh as she flopped on top of Alex''s head. She then gave it a small bop as she said,


    "Let me explain to you everything then. First, was that your tomes gained full sentience when you gathered the whole Abyss Tome Set. Once they gained sentience, they were able to gain the rights to evolve into magical beings, which in this case, are like what you see right now."


    "Magical beings huh. I can''t say that I am not surprised." Alex muttered sarcastically. "Then?"


    "Since they are now all magical beings, the way they get the power for you will be much better than before." Alina replied as she tilted her head. "If before, you are the one that has to absorb the Abyss Energy to raise you Abyss Grade, now, all those 7 Sprites can absorb the Abyss Energy for you, and each of that Sprite has Abyss Energy Absorption rate greater than yours!"


    "!!!"


    "Imagine that! " Asteria smugly said as she let out a grin. "Seven powerful Abyss Energy Absorbers giving you Abyss Energy. Your Abyss Energy Grade will surely skyrocket in no time at all! Oh, and if you are worrying about things like the requirements to break through the next grade, you do not have to worry about them, as your 7 Sprites will make those breakthroughs easier too!"


    By this point, Alex was already salivating with all the information that he just gained.


    Before, Alex was not sure yet on how he can reach the full peak of his Abyss Abilities in a short amount of time.


    But with the appearance of the Sprites that problem was now solved!


    "That''s not the only benefit that you get." Asteria said as she let Alex start silently whooping. "Those beings¡­ that you call Sprites also added more power and flexibility to your Abyss Magic."


    "Explain that a little more clearly."


    "Hmph! Since the Abyss Tomes have now evolved to Abyss Sprites, the potency of all your Abyss Magic has increased too. Not only that, but the Abyss Sprites can also perform their own respective Abyss Magic by themselves, even without you casting it personally. In a fight, that kind of flexibility was very helpful. Oh, and now that your Sprites are sentient, they can also synergize your different Abyss Magic in ways that you will find it hard to imagine."


    Alex was about to jump up and down in excitement at this point, although he was still now showing the excitement in his face.


    From the way that Asteria talked right now, there was still more to come, and Alex was just here waiting for her to say it.


    Asteria seemed to have noticed it too, as she gave Alex''s head another bop as she said,


    "The best part of this whole deal was that you can now collaborate with your Abyss Sprites to fuse your Esper Abilities with your Abyss Abilities!"


    "Hehe, that is all that I want to hear." Alex muttered as he took a deep breath. "So, how should I do that?"


    "It''s a little hard, but I think that you can manage it." Asteria said as she looked at her nails.


    Asteria then flicked her tiny fingers as she muttered,


    "¡­First of all, you will have to take control of your Mental Power while your Abyss Sprites will control your Abyss Energy. You and your Sprites will then fuse the Mental Power and Abyss Energy together. Only once you were able to do this combination that the whole fusion will succeed¡­ It''s just simple, right?"


    Even though the steps that Alex heard was somewhat easy, he also realized the implications of what Asteria just said.


    "¡­Now I understand why I need to have Abyss Sprites to just succeed on fusing my two different abilities." Alex muttered to himself as he slowly approached his Sprites.


    Even if Alex had no enough experience as a Traveler, he was fairly sure that combining Mental Power and Abyss Energy together will be quite a daunting task, especially if only one person was doing it.


    But now that Alex had the Abyss Sprites with him, he was quite sure that he will succeed on fusing the two!


    "Hehehe, what would happen to my Esper Abilities once I fuse it successfully with my Abyss Abilities?" Alex thought to himself as he called out to his Sprites. "Will it allow me more powerful abilities?"


    It was just a fleeting thought, but Alex wished that his EM Wave Manipulation will upgrade to a more powerful kind of manipulation.


    Alex was already salivating as he imagined the new form of his EM Wave Manipulation will be.


    Will it allow him to create stars, or maybe allow him to manipulate energy? Or maybe allow him access to the fundamental forces? He will only know that once he did the fusion.


    Of course Alex was not really sure yet on what will happen to his Esper Abilities, but it was fine for him to hope for the best, right?


    "Ok, my cute little Sprites, gather all around here, as I will need your help with something." Alex said as he waited for the Sprites to approach him.


    Alex fought back a smile as he found the attempts of the Sprites to approach him quite adorable.


    "I know that it might be rude for me to make you do something when you just evolved, but I really need your help now." Alex said, as he knew that even though he was the Master of these Sprites, he still had the responsibility to be polite to them. After all, bad things happen to those who abuse their subordinates.


    "As long as you will help me out here, I will make sure to treat you with what you want." Alex said as he enjoyed the excited smiles that appeared on the Sprites'' little faces. "So, don''t feel shy and tell me what you all want!"


    |||Master, can you let me eat some of Big Sis Alina''s powers? They look quite delicious to me!|||


    ***Master, let me eat the green lady! She looks damn fiiine!***


    {{{Let me attack you Master. You look quite durable enough to take my fury.}}}


    ///Oh Master, you already know what I want. Just say the word, and we can do it even here~\\\


    ---I want to sleep on the green lady''s breasts. It looks quite soft and plump¡­---


    ^^^I do not want anything Master¡­ Please just don''t kick me out!^^^


    <<<Master, I want you to ignore that bratty Asteria that is sitting on the top of your head. I am clearly the more superior one compared to her! Come Master, kick her out and make me your new favorite!>>>


    This time, the choking sound that came of Asteria was just extreme anger.


    "Sigh¡­" This time, it was Alex who let out a sigh, as he realized that having 8 midgets all having their own attitudes was the worst effect that he got from his upgrades.


    "To quote Lauren herself, this is so misfortunate!"


    *********************


    Speaking of Lauren, right now, she was busy heading back to her real house.


    She had already hidden her costume in her bag, which was slung on her right shoulder.


    As for her left shoulder, a grocery bag was slung on it, full of food stuff that Lauren just bought earlier.


    "Hmm, hm hm~" Lauren was currently humming cheerfully to herself, as she was undoubtedly happy with what happened to her.


    She was also slightly blushing, as if she can remember something that made her bashful.


    However, that cheerfulness disappeared as she heard a disturbing news coming from a nearby radio.


    [[[Good morning everyone. We have an emergency news to all of you. The Supervillain Glacia, who was arrested last night by a new Hero and a Hero Team has escaped her containment and is currently on the run. She was able to escape due to the appearance of a new Villain Team. Witnesses said that the prison defenses were unable to put up a fight as the Villain Team nonchalantly let Glacia out. The escaped Glacia and the new Villain Team are now labeled as high-class threats. Residents are advised to look out for their safety, as the city mayor advised them all to just stay in their houses. The police officials, SHA Agents, and SHA Heroes are all doing their best to contain the said situation. Thank for your understanding and keep safe.]]]


    "Oh no, we are all so screwed."

 Chapter 117 Foresigh

    "Ehem." Alex coughed out as he stared at his Abyss Sprites. "All of your wishes are a little¡­ misconstrued. Let me adjust them later, ok?"


    All of his Sprites moaned in disappointment, although Alex could feel that they were not that angry at all.


    Well, except for Wrath, who look quite pissed a little now.


    "Hey! Don''t you dare mouth me off!" Out of nowhere, the dumb fairy Asteria suddenly shouted. She was gazing at Pride entirely, with her whole body showing off some signs of anger.


    <<<Oh, and what can you do if I mouth you off, you little honey sucking bimbo?>>> Pride replied as he gave Asteria a disdainful look. <<<Oh, speaking of honey, do you want me to give you some? Well, as long as you lick my shoes, I will give you all the honey that you want!>>>


    "You a**hole!" Asteria let out a high shriek as she flew towards the smug Pride.


    {{{Hey, don''t you dare attack one of us!}}} Wrath exclaimed as his eyes started to blaze red. "You don''t get to impose your rules here!}}}


    To Alex''s surprise, he saw Wrath throwing what looked like destruction blasts towards Asteria.


    Asteria dodged it with ease, which just made Wrath more pissed.


    ---What a drag¡­--- Sloth muttered as he watched the ensuing fight with a disinterested look in his face. ---Why don''t you just let me sleep?---


    To Alex''s disappointment, all the other Sprites except for Sloth have joined in the fight too.


    Alex has to spend the following moments dodging all the attacks and magic thrown by his Sprites towards Asteria.


    "Oh please help me out¡­" Alexsaid as he gave a look of plea towards Alina and Queen Mother, as he wanted to ask them for their help.


    "Sigh..." Both women stood up with wry smiles on their faces as they plucked out the quarreling Sprites.


    **********************


    After a few minutes of scuffling, Alex and his Companions were able to pacify the situation.


    Right now, Asteria was tied around Alex''s shoulder while the Sprites were sitting on the sofa.


    All of them except Wrath, Sloth, and Pride gave him apologetic looks on their faces.


    Alex let out a sigh as he placed a palm on his forehead.


    "Look." Alex said as he swept his arms all around the room. "All of you did so much damage in this place, I do not even know if chickens can live here!"


    Even if Alex''s insults were quite corny, he was still able to drive his point home.


    "Frankly speaking, I am quite disappointed with you all." Alex said as he gave a sad look to his Sprites. "I thought you were all here to help me out. But as it turns out¡­ Sigh"


    Alex then used his acting skills to make himself look quite miserable.


    All the Sprites saw the ''miserable'' look on his face, prompting them to feel guilty.


    ^^^Sorry Master¡­^^^ Envy, who looked like the one with the lowest self-esteem among them all, was the first one to ask for an apology. ^^^I just want to impress you, Master. Huhuhuh, I''m sorry if I made you made! Please don''t kick me out!^^^


    After hearing this apology, the other Sprites started to give their own apology too.


    "And you three?" Alex muttered as he stared at Sloth, Wrath , Pride. "Where is the sorry that I want to hear?"


    ---Should I really apologize? I did not even do anything.---


    "Well, that is what you did wrong.."


    ---¡­I''m sorry then. Can I go to sleep now?---


    {{{Hmph, I am sorry I let my fury take over me. I should have been better than this.}}}


    "Well you are the incarnation of Wrath, so I understand if you are having difficulties with things like this."


    <<<Master, why should I apologize to the dumb fairy? I do not even know if she is intelligent enough to understand my precious apology!>>>


    "If you don''t apologize, you will be grounded."


    <<<I am sorry, dum-Asteria, if I was offended by your sheer stupidity. I promise that I will tolerate your dumbness from now on.>>>


    "¡­I think that is the best apology I can get from you." Alex concluded as he looked at Asteria, who was tied tightly on his shoulder. "As for you Asteria, I am sure I cannot make you say sorry. So, you will just stay tied up like that until you learn to not attack my Sprites."


    "Hmpfh!" Alex does not even need to read minds to know how angry Asteria is right now. "Hmpghsng!"


    "Ok!" Alex clapped his hands, as he and his Sprites ignored the struggling Asteria. "Now that we have fixed the delay, let''s proceed on the fusion!"


    All the Sprites straightened up after hearing this, with Sloth trying his best to look interested.


    "Because of what you did to this apartment, you will not get anything after helping me out with this fusion. Consider that as your punishment." Alex said as he gave a soft look towards the Sprites. "You understand why I do this, right?"


    The nods of assent that came from the Sprites showed their understanding.


    "Alex, can you let Asteria out for now?" Alina asked as she looked at Alex. "We still need to buy our items too, and only Asteria can buy that for us."


    "Oh right, I forgot about that." Alex commented as he glared at the tied-up Asteria. "Make sure that you will behave while I do the fusion, ok? If you don''t then I will personally stop your honey supply from coming to you."


    The scared expression that Asteria had right now was enough to make Alex feel pleased.


    Alex deftly untied the ropes as he flicked Asteria''s forehead. "Behave."


    "¡­." Asteria''s only reply to that was a glare before she plopped down on Alina''s lap.


    Both Alina and Queen Mother then proceeded to stroke the dumb fairy''s hair, as if they were comforting her.


    "..." Alex suppressed the jealousy that he felt from the sight as he sat down at the middle of the room. He then assumed a meditative stance as he evened out his breathing.


    "Let''s get over with this then." Alex muttered as he closed his eyes.


    All the Abyss Sprites closed their eyes too as they assumed meditative stances.


    They then formed a circle around Alex, with equidistant spaces between each Sprite.


    "Hong~" After a few seconds of lull silence, both Alex and the Sprites started to glow as their bodies started to tremble.


    A white pillar of light appeared around Alex, which fortunately only had the height of 6 feet. With Alex''s height, he was entirely covered the by white pillar.


    As for the Sprites, they were covered by seven small black pillars of light. They were also fully covered by these black pillars, resulting in a quite fascinating and eerie sight.


    Alina, who was observing the whole process, could perfectly see a while pillar surrounded by seven smaller black pillars.


    "That white pillar represents the Mental Power, while the black pillars represent the Abyss Energy." Asteria explained as Alina watched the sight with an entranced expression on her face.


    Alina then watched in interest as the seven black pillars slowly approached the while pillar. She out a gulp as she knew that the delicate fusion part is about to start.


    "Bzzt!" Crackling sounds could be heard as the white pillar made contact with the seven black pillars.


    The black pillars looked like they were about to be pushed off, as grunts of exertion could be heard from the Sprites inside the pillars.


    This same grunt could also be heard from Alex, as if he was also having the same difficulty as his Sprites.


    Naturally, this sight had Alina extremely worried, although she knew that she cannot do anything about it for now.


    "Only when that white pillar swallows all the seven black pillars that the fusion between Alex''s Esper Abilities and his Abyss Abilitiies will be complete." Asteria said as she flew up towards Alina''s forehead. "Don''t worry, Alex can withstand the pressure from this fusion, although it might take him around an hour to finish what he was doing. So for now, you should not worry about him. You should worry about your additional abilitiies first!"


    Both Alina and Queen Mother nodded upon hearing this, with Queen Mother looking a little more excited than usual.


    Asteria obviously noticed this, which prompted her to approach the World Tree first. "Ok, since you are the new Companion of Alex, you will be the one to buy first. Are you ready?"


    "I''m ready." The green lady commented as the symbol on her forehead glowed. "Now, tell me what I can buy."


    ***********************


    Around the same time, inside a luxurious room.


    A barely clothed man let out a moan as he sipped the velvety red wine from his glass.


    His eyes had a glazed look on them, as if he just received a mind-breaking kind of pleasure.


    "Ahhh¡­ the wine really feels good after receiving some good news." The man said as he caressed his long black hair. "Hehehe¡­ for me to drink this rare Cognac after Glacia''s imprisonment is great indeed! Hmm.. I wonder if that woman will have time to scratch her itch in prison¡­."


    The man then continued on enjoying his wine as he admired the view from his window.


    All that the man could see was a wide expanse of buildings and structures, which all looked quite small from where the man was looking.


    The man wore a salacious smile on his face as his eyes feasted on what he was seeing.


    "With Glacia gone, my only rival for the control of the city is that dumb Mafioso. Hmph, if he dared to try something stupid right now, I will make sure to make him know who the real ruler of this city is!"


    Before the man could start to complain more, he suddenly heard someone rushing in towards his room.


    Judging by the heartbeat of the approaching person, the man realized that the newcomer was quite panicking.


    This newcomer paused just right in front of the door, making the man nod his head in approval.


    "Speak, mongrel. You know I do not want to hear useless stuff." The man said as he tilted his head. A knife then appeared in his hands as he pointed it at the door. "Say the right words, and this will not be your last day."


    If what the newcomer says was uninteresting, then he will just get a knife on his throat.


    "Eek!" The newcomer let out a squeak, making the door tremble a little.


    The man narrowed his eyes upon seeing this, not liking what he sees. "Speak up now, I am getting quite bored already."


    "Umm.. we have received the news that a new Villain Team just broke out Glacia out of her prison!" The newcomer said as he tried to make himself sound composed. He failed terribly at that. "Umm.. right now we are doing our best to locate them!"


    "Good." The man said as the knife disappeared. "Find Glacia and the team that broke her out. Monitor them, and inform me when they do something important, especially if its related to us."


    "Yes Boss!"


    "You may go now." The man said as he lounged on his chair. "Do not disappoint me, ok?" You know what happens to those that do, right?"


    "Ye-ye-yes boss!" The man then heard some scampering sounds behind the door, indicating the that newcomer had already ran away.


    "Hmm¡­" Once he felt that there was nobody near his room anymore, the man shook his head as he started to don some clothes.


    "A new Hero Team appeared just last night, and now,a new Villain Team appeared. From the looks of it, the prediction made by Foresight seems to be starting now. Should I be happy about this? Well, there''s only one way to find out."


    Rustling sounds could be heard as the man started to wear a lavishly red robe, coupled with a long cape behind him.


    He then sashayed towards the door as a party mask covered his face.


    He opened the door with a bang as his imposing presence spilled out everywhere.


    The man then let out a high-pitched laugh as the people nearby started to cower in his presence.


    "If I want to confirm the authenticity of the prediction, then I have to just visit both of these new Teams! There is nothing wrong if I want to visit them, right?"

 Chapter 118 Evolution Path

    Alex was not sure on what happened to him after he attempted the fusion, as his mind almost went blank once the black pillars made contact with his own white pillar.


    The only thing that he could remember was him making some grunting noises as the seven smaller black pillars tried their best to fuse with his much larger white pillar.


    It was not necessarily a good feeling, although Alex knew that he must endure it if he wanted to get stronger.


    (Author''s Note: ...)


    [[[One hour later]]]


    "Ha!" Before he knew it, Alex was able to regain his clarity of mind, with him stumbling around as he tried to stabilize himself.


    "Holy s**t!" Alex exclaimed as he felt his body being filled with power. He looked down at his own arms, as he realized that something changed in his body.


    "I succeeded!" Even if nobody announced it to him, Alex was already sure that he had succeeded on combining his Mental Power and his Abyss Energy.


    Just the fact that he was alive right now and got stronger was a strong evidence for that!


    "Are you ok, Alex?" Alex heard someone asking this question behind him, prompting him to look at the source.


    There he saw Alina, who beside Queen Mother and Asteria, were looking at Alex with tense look at their faces.


    Alex also saw his Seven Abyss Sprites all sprawled down on the floor, with their eyes closed. Judging from the way that these Sprites breathed, they all seem like they have been through something exhausting.


    "I''m fine." Alex said as he observed the new changes in his body. In fact, he never felt this good before!


    What Alex said was the truth, as he found out to his delight that the fusion had brought benefits to both his Esper Power and Abyss Magic!


    Unlike what he expected before, Alex found out that even after the fusion, his Esper Power and Abyss Magic did not actually fuse together to form one new Power.


    What only happened was that they formed a powerful connection with each other, which strengthened the both of them.


    Well, even if they did not create one better Power, what Alex got right now wasway better than that.


    Alex first observed his Abyss Magic, with him looking at this body.


    "¡­Now this is great." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at the 7 tattoosinscribed on his body.


    Since Alex''s Abyss Magic already had evolved, there is no way for it to have another evolution even after its fusion.


    The benefit that Alex''s Abyss Magic got after the fusion was consecutive and massive breakthroughs on all of his Abyss Magic abilities.


    The 7 tattoos that Alex could see in his body right now were all Engraved Abyss Runes,which justshow that Alex has reached Grade 4 in all of his 7 Abyss Magic!


    In simpler terms, his Pride, Lust, Wrath, Greed, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth were all around Grade 4 now!


    That kind of massive increase was just plain ridiculous, even for someone like Alex!


    And yet, the fusion that he made allowed this to happen!


    "So, the benefits that my Abyss Magic got after the fusion was that it gained monstrous amounts of Abyss Energy that allowed all of my Sprites to reach Grade 4." Alex muttered to himself as he touched his tattoos.


    "Well, with this kind of power-up, breaking through will be much easier for me now."


    Once he was done inspecting his Abyss Magic, Alex then turned his attention on his Esper Power.


    "Godd**n!" That was all that Alex could say as he saw that his Esper Power gained much more compared to his Abyss Magic!


    The first thing that Alex saw was the radical increase in his Mental Power.


    Right now, his Mental Power was around 800 Stars, whichgives Alex a Range of around 800 meters!


    That was a ridiculous increase compared to before!


    If this was the only thing that Alex saw, then he would not be this ecstatic.


    It was the second improvement that made Alex extremely happy.


    And this improvement was regarding the upgrade on his Esper Ability.


    No, not actually an upgrade, but a choice to upgrade.


    Right now, Alex could feel his Esper Ability wanting to evolve.


    However, unlike the normal way of evolving, Alex found out that his Esper has two paths of evolution.


    Each of this path was tempting to Alex, but he can only choose one path where his Esper Ability can evolve on.


    The first evolution path was for Alex''s EM Wave Manipulation Ability to change into Subatomic Particle Manipulation.


    Basically speaking, Subatomic Particle Manipulation will allow Alex to manipulate particles smaller than the atoms themselves.


    This includes quarks, gluons, bosons, leptons, fermions , gravitons and many more.


    Alex knew with a look that this evolution path was created because photons, one of the Subatomic Particles, was closely related to light, which Alex''s current EM Wave Manipulation Ability has control on.


    The fusion earlier must have pushed Alex''s Esper Ability to connect more with the photons, giving Alex the evolution path towards Subatomic Particle Manipulation.


    If this is the only evolution path for Alex''s Esper Ability, then Alex will gladly take it now.


    However, there is still one evolution path, and Alex was also tempted to get this path too.


    The second evolution path will basically allow Alex''s EM Wave Manipulation Ability to evolve into Electromagnetic Manipulation.


    Anyone can clearly see why this evolution path was available, and anyone can also see how powerful this evolution path will be.


    "¡­" Alex felt conflicted upon seeing this evolutionary path, as he knew how powerful this path could be.


    With Electromagnetic Manipulation, Alex will easily gain the ability to control anything related to Electromagnetism, which includes electricity, magnetism, and metal manipulation.


    However, there was another benefit from Electromagnetic Manipulation that had Alex drooling right now.


    And that was the fact that Electromagnetic Manipulation has the chance to also evolve in the future!


    If Alex was right, there could be a chance to evolve his Electromagnetic Manipulation to Fundamental Force Manipulation, since Electromagnetic Manipulation is just an aspect of Fundamental Force Manipulation!


    Even right now, Alex was already excited as he thought of him gaining the same set of abilities as Alina''s uncle.


    "...."


    Alex was about to choose Electromagnetic Manipulation for the evolution path, but he stopped as he looked at the Subatomic Particle Manipulation.


    Now that Alex observed it, Subatomic Particle Manipulation also has many merits.


    For instance, Alex can easily create powerful explosions by just colliding subatomic particles with each other! Not only that, he can also create new stuff that can let him create more lethal weapons!


    "¡­.."


    With these thoughts appearing in his mind, Alex started to get distressed as he felt unsure on which evolution path he should choose.


    "¡­Alina I think I might need your help here." Alex said to Alina, who was looking at Alex with an apt expression on her face. "You are the expert one regarding the Espers her anyway."


    "Fire away then." Alina said as she approached Alex.


    At the instant that Alina was almost touching Alex, Alex suddenly felt some kind of pressure emanating out of Alina''s body, prompting him to look at her with shock.


    "What the hell was that?" Alex inquired, as he momentarily forgot about his evolution problem. "How were you able to let out this kind of pressure?"


    "Well, while you were busy fusing your pillars, I chose to buy some items that can improve my Mental Power and my Esper Ability." Alina said as she failed to hide a grin on her face. "Once I used these items, I got a power-up that will be beneficial for us."


    After hearing what Alina said, Alex''s eyes widened as he realized the implications of what Alina just said.


    From what Alex knew, Alina was already a Tier 999 Esper, with her breakthrough to 1 Star Esper still some distance away.


    If Alina''s really took some Items that improved her Mental Power, then that just means¡­


    "You¡­ are a 1 Star Esper now?" Alex inquired as he gave an excited look at Alina. "Is that what you are saying?"


    "Un." Alina replied as she nodded her head fervently. She wore a dazzling smile on her face as her lips slightly trembled. "I just broke through earlier, so I can still not control the pressure coming out of me."


    "Well, I am sure you can control that in no time." Alex said as he felt genuinely happy for Alina.


    Before becoming his Companion, Alex was sure that one of Alina''s wish was to become a Star Esper. Well, any Esper like Alina all have this goal as their wish.


    Alex knew that even with Alina visiting other Worlds, she was still striving to become a Star Esper, which was shown by her diligence to train everyday.


    "I am really happy for you Alina." Alex said as he patted Alina''s head.


    "¡­" Alina only closed her eyes in delight as Alex ignored the pouting Asteria and the curious Queen Mother.


    "Wait, how about your Esper Ability? Did it evolve too?" Alex inquired as he remembered Alina saying that she bought some items for her Esper Ability too.


    If Alex was right, Alina''s goal was surely to evolve her Weak Space Manipulation Ability to Strong Space Manipulation Ability, just like her sister''s.


    "Well, the items that I used was only able to allow my Esper Ability to be a half-evolved Esper Ability." Alina said as she let out sigh. "Right now, I can do more things with my half-evolved Esper Ability, although it''s still quite lacking compared to what my sister can do¡­"


    "Well, as long as we take more Missions, I am sure that you can fully evolve your Esper Ability too." Alex said as he continued patting Alina.


    "Ok." Alina replied as she tilted her head. "So, what is it that you want my expertise in?"


    "Well¡­" Alex suddenly felt awkward, as he realized that he was about to tell Alina that his own Esper Ability was about to evolve completely. Alex was not sure if Alina''s pride will be hurt by that question, since she only managed to half evolve her own Esper Ability.


    "F**k it, Alex. Just ask her and get done with it!" Alex thought to himself as he took a deep breath.


    He then opened his mouth as he proceeded to tell Alina about the evolutionary path of his Esper Ability.


    "¡­That is so cheating." That was what Alina said after she heard Alex''s dilemma. "Not only your Esper Ability can fully evolve right now, it also had its own choice! Hmph, and you are complaining that you can''t choose among the two of them?"


    "Well, yeah¡­" Alex said as he saw that indeed, Alina was quite irritated with what Alex got. "Are you¡­ angry?"


    "Well, just a little." Alina admitted as she let out a sigh. "However, don''t feel bad about it. Anyone of us can feel jealous too. So don''t take it to your heart."


    "¡­That''s great. I thought you will just sulk in the corner once I tell you about my evolution path." Alex said as he let out a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness that did not happen."


    "Huh? You expected me to sulk? Now I am mad!" Alina exclaimed as this time, she was looking really angry. "You thought I will sulk like a child ? That is just childish!"


    "Well you are sulking right now¡­"


    "Shut it." Alina said as she gave a frosty glare at Alex. "Say anything more, and I will cancel our date later."


    "Okay¡­"


    Once she had cowed Alex into submission Alina let out a huff as she looked at Alex. "Alex, if you want me to help out with making a choice, I have to apologize to you, since I will not do that."


    "Huh?"


    "You should follow what you truly desire instead of what I want you to get." Alina said as she lightly poked Alex''s chest. Outside influence on your decision will just make your choice worse. Follow your heart, as that is one of the things that cannot lie to you. Trust me on this one, as I am an expert regarding truths and lies."


    "¡­Got it." Alex solemnly replied as he understood Alina''s point. "I will start¡­ inquiring my heart then."


    Alex then did not waste any time as he started to inquire himself on what does he really want.


    Does he want to gain access to the subatomic world, or does he want the path to become a possible wielder of the forces that hold the universe together?


    After a few minutes of introspection, Alex opened his eyes. Alina and the others nodded upon seeing Alex''s eyes, seeing the resolve present in them.


    "I have made my choice already." Alex said as he stood up. He then proceeded to place a blanket on his Abyss Sprites as he said,


    "My evolution path shall be¡­"

 Chapter 119 Sudden Complications

    "My evolution path shall beElectromagnetic Manipulation." Alex said as he let out a sigh.


    Subatomic Particle Manipulation could be a good power for Alex, but deep in his heart, he was more interested on obtaining Electromagnetic Manipulation.


    "!!!" At the instant that Alex said these words, his whole body lurched as he heard a cracking sound inside his mind.


    He closed his eyes as he shouted in pain, as he felt like there were countless swords stabbing his brain.


    It did not feel good at all, and Alex was forced to kneel on the floor as the pain continued to intensify.


    He felt some hands on his shoulder, which gave Alex some reassuring squeeze.


    Through the haze of pain. Alex heard Alina''s voice, encouraging him to persevere through the pain.


    "Ngrh¡­" Alex gritted his teeth as sweat beaded his forehead.


    His vision began to swim as he felt his body starting to weaken.


    Out of his volition, countless tentacles appeared behind him, lashing around Alex, signifying the intense emotions that he has right now.


    "Gryah!" Alex shouted as the pain reached its peak.


    He then slumped down to the floor as the pain faded away. His vision then blurred as he felt his consciousness fading away too.


    The last thing that Alex heard after before his mind went blank was an irritating voice.


    "See! I told you that Alex will faint! Now, both of you should pay up!"


    "Motherf**ker¡­" Alex thought to himself as his vision went black.


    ********************


    A few minutes passed by before Alex regained his consciousness.


    "¡­.." Alex stayed silent as he inspected his body.


    Just standing nearby Alex were his Companions and Asteria, who were busy mingling with the Sprites.


    Well, Asteria was not actually mingling, as she was busy quarreling with Pride.


    "Hey, I am awake now. Why aren''t you greeting me?" Alex complained as he stood up.


    He found himself wobbling a little as if his balance was slightly skewed.


    It took him few seconds to stabilize himself, and even with that, Alex was still feeling slightly light-headed.


    "Well, you did not encounter any life-threatening danger, so we are not that worried for you." Alina replied as she continued on poking Sloth''s cheeks.


    Sloth, being the lazy Sprite that he is, did nothing to stop Alina. This indifference of course just spurned Alina on continuing what she was doing.


    "¡­. That kind of pain is not life-threatening? Wow, magic." That was all that Alex could say as he shook his head. "Way to show your concern to me, guys."


    "Hmph, just look at what happened to your Esper Ability." Asteria said as she started on exchanging kicks with Pride. "Just complain about the pain later."


    "¡­" Alex took Asteria''s advice with a sigh as he activated his Esper Ability.


    "Holy s**t!" Alex shouted out as he felt all the changes in his Esper Ability. He had to close his mouth shut as he felt massive improvements with his Esper Ability.


    One of these improvements was the change on Alex''s controlled targets.


    Before, everything that Alex could feel and manipulate inside his Range were only electromagnetic waves.


    But right now, what Alex could sense and control inside his Range were everything related to electromagnetism!


    Alex can now sense all the electrical currents flowing inside his range, as well as the technology that these currents were powering up. With just a thought from his mind, he can gain access to them all!


    Alex also knew that he can easily create powerful lightning bolts inside his range, with each bolt packing enough power to mow down anything!


    Of course there was also the classic metal manipulation ability.


    And if Alex was willing to do so, he can also use his evolved ability to hijack a person''s nervous system!


    "¡­."


    A dazed look could be seen on Alex''s face as he imagined all the possibilities that he could with his improved ability.


    His Companions and Sprites could only stare in confusion as Alex started to laugh quite maniacally.


    "He''s getting bonkers already." Asteria muttered to herself as she shook her head. "About time it should happen."


    "Shut it, dumb fairy." Alex shot back as he stopped his laugh. "I was just happy with my upgrades¡­ Am I not allowed to have some fun?"


    "Well, you can worry about having fun later." Alina suddenly said, with her voice suddenly turning sharp. "We have a problem right now."


    With Alex''s closeness to Alina, he was pretty sure that something big just happened for it to warrant Alina''s worry.


    "¡­Go on. I''m listening." Alex said as he willed his Sprites to come back to him. Most of the Sprites could only pout as they went back inside Alex''s body.


    "Well, while you were unconscious earlier, Asteria took her liberty to browse the net in order to ''look for potential enemies''." Alina said with the look in her face stating that she did not believe what Asteria said by one bit. "And when Asteria opened SODB, she saw a massive news there that could be a problem for us."


    "And that is¡­"


    "A new Villain Team broke out Glacia of her prison." Alina said as her eyes narrowed. "Right now, Glacia and that Villain Team were nowhere to be found, although evidences show that they could still be inside the Grand Point City."


    "¡­That is bad news indeed." Alex muttered as he realized the implications of what Alina said. "A new Villain Team popping out to break out a prisoner that was captured by us? That sounds suspicious already."


    "Indeed." Alina said as she and Queen Mother both nodded her heads. "There is a high possibility that the new Villain Team was the Enemy Traveler and his/her Companions¡­ They could have broken Glacia out in order to know about our capabilities. After all, we arethe one who fought Glacia last night."


    "F**k, we are at a disadvantage here then!" Alex shouted as he realized that they f**ked up by fighting Glacia yesterday.


    Not only did they show to Glacia some of their fighting capabilities, they also allowed the whole internet to see their capabilities too!


    However, this was not the greatest problem that Alex and his group had.


    The situation turned to worse when Asteria decided to name themselves as Travelers in the SODB!


    If the Enemy Traveler Team saw this post by Asteria earlier, even if they had no idea about the Main Mission, they could have started to feel suspicious that there could be another Traveler Team besides them.


    And this suspicion was most probably confirmed when the Main Mission once announced.


    It was highly likely that the Enemy Traveler Team decided to break Glacia out in order to confirm from her if Alex''s Team were actually a Traveler Team too.


    And with the time that elapsed since the breakout, it was highly likely that the Enemy Traveler Team had already gotten the info that they want.


    "Godd**nit." Alex spat out as he let out a deep breath. "Even if we only used some of our fighting abilities on Glacia last night, I am sure that the Enemy Traveler Team will start some countermeasures from what they got. That might be fatal to us¡­"


    All of them then went into somber silence, as they mulled on what they should do next!


    "Oh no!" Queen Motehr shouted out as she realized something. "If your hypothesis was right, then Lauren herself could be in danger too!"


    "¡­She wore a costume last night, right?" Alex replied as he saw the panicking expression on Queen Mother''s face. "There is no way that her real identity could be found out with that."


    "Hmph, you should remember that our enemy is another Traveler Team." Alina said as she glared at Alex. "There is a possibility that they have a member that can uncover Lauren''s identity! And if that was right, then Lauren will be their next target, as it was shown in the video that we brought her with us!"


    "!!!" Alex''s eyes widened as he realized that the situation had indeed turned to worse.


    With the life and death stakes of the Main Mission, Alex was sure that the Enemy Traveler Team would be willing to do anything that they can in order to win.


    And if that meant kidnapping an innocent newbie Hero in order to fetch information about Alex''s group, then the Enemy Traveler Team will most likely do it!


    "What are you staring around for? Wear your costumes!" Alex said as he pulled his costume from his cabinet. "We are now about to save a damsel in distress and fight off an evil group!"


    "¡­.."


    Alex''s Companions did not give Alex any reply, which just made Alex feel awkward. The only thing that they did was to go in their rooms to change, leaving Alex stewing in his own embarrassment.


    "Swish¡­."


    Alex heard some swishing sounds as Alina changed to her Vampire Queen Form, and Queen Mother reverting back to her World Tree Form.


    Once they were done suiting up, Alex and his Companions left their apartment, with them not caring about the door that they almost destroyed in the process.


    Alex''s body suddenly paused as he closed his eyes, as if he was concentrating on doing something.


    Both Alina and Queen Mother looked as Alex with confused expressions on their faces as if they could not understand what he was doing.


    Alex took their confusion in stride as he said,


    "Before we do some actual Hero Stuff, let me do some Hacking first."

 Chapter 120 Tailor~

    Of course the hacking that Alex will perform was not the typical hacking. That''s a little inefficient for the current situation.


    Instead, Alex will follow the steps of a certain Electromagnetic Manipulator from one of his favorite light novels.


    And the steps will just involve directly accessing the whole camera and computer system of Grand Point City by manipulating the electrical currents and electrons in his Range!


    Even if Alex''s Range was just around 800 meters, he only needed to access one device to allow him to hijack all the cameras in Grand Point City.


    Of course doing it this way will alert the IT Experts here in the Grand Point City, and if Alex was right, his ''hacking'' will only last for around 5 minutes before it gets blocked by the city''s cyber protectors.


    Well, that time was already enough for Alex to obtain his goals.


    He pulled up his phone, which he bought 2 days ago.


    He held it tightly with his left hand as he used his Esper Ability to connect with phone.


    "Bzzzt!" The phone let out a humming sound as Alex started to send out his power from within the phone, allowing him to connect with the surveillance of the city.


    The phone''s screen started to blink and blur as Alex accessed all the current and past feeds by the security cameras.


    The screen kept on flickering, as Alex tried to seek the camera feeds where Lauren could be found.


    "There!" Alex then saw a camera feed 1 hour ago showing Lauren leaving the convenience store nearby.


    Once Alex saw this feed, he decided to predict and follow Lauren''s path by using the nearby cameras.


    This resulted in more screen flickers, with each flicker displaying Lauren''s changing location.


    After 1,532 flickers, Alex stopped as he saw Lauren entering a house.


    The house looked somewhat in shambles, with its foundation looking quite brittle from the outside. It was as if this house went through a lot of things that made it this way.


    "..." Upon seeing this house, which Lauren entered at the next camera feed, Alex decided to dig more info.


    He immediately connected to the net as he tried to identify the location and the occupants of the said house.


    "House legally owned by someone named Andrew Collins." Alex muttered as he read the information that he obtained.


    Aside from these words, Alex also saw a picture depicting this Andrew Collins.


    What Alex could see was a thin, scrawny many wearing thick-rimmed glasses. The man''s face also looked slightly gaunt, as if his life was taken out of him.


    "Andrew Collins disappeared 5 years ago, leaving his two children in the custody of their aunt."


    After seeing this sentence, Alex decided to scour deeper, as he felt interested at the mention of the children.


    "There it is." Alex thought to himself as he saw the picture of two children, taken around 5 years ago.


    The older one of the two seemed to be a female around 12-13 years old, while the younger one looked extremely young, only around 1 years old.


    Just by looking at the picture, Alex was sure that the older child was Lauren 5 years ago. The appearance of the child in the picture was near to Lauren''s current appearance.


    With this picture shown to him, Alex was now sure that that house was Lauren''s place.


    Alex then memorized the place and the address of the house as he moved on towards the next part of his cyber investigation.


    "Now then, where could you guys have been?" Alex murmured as he decided to look for any traces of the New Villain Team and Glacia.


    "There is no way that the officials in Grand Point City were unable to locate you." Alex muttered to himself as his phone began to overheat. "You will inevitably be caught by a camera, I just need to find that feed."


    After a few more seconds of searching, Alex let out a sigh as he realized that this could be quite a task.


    "Oh, now that I remember it, maybe I should also access the weather satellites around Grand Point City." Alex murmured as his confident smile returned.


    From what Alex knew, the weather satellites in Grand Point City were so accurate that it can detect miniscule temperature changes in an area around the size of a car!


    "Hehehe, with those Villain Team bringing inGlacia who can manipulate ice, I am sure that their trail was filled with dips in temperature." Alex muttered as he decided to combine both the camera feeds and the temperature data from the satellite.


    Alex then started to triangulate these data together, giving him an overview of the path the that Villain team took.


    Alex followed this projected path, until he reached a camera feed that showed him what he wanted.


    "There you are."


    Alex''s phone was almost smoking at this point as Alex stared at the feed on the screen.


    He could see 5 people walking together, with all of them wearing a costume except for a woman, who seemed to be wearing prison clothes.


    Alex was sure that this woman was Glacia, which just meant that the other 4 people with her was the Villain Team that broke her out!


    Unfortunately for Alex, the camera feed was taken on a dark alley, which somehow prevented him from seeing the full appearance of the Villain Team.


    However, Alex could still somewhat make out some details.


    First of all, he could see that the Team was composed of one male and three females, judging by their body outline and their hair.


    They were all wearing costumes too, which just made it harder to identify them.


    Each person in this Villain Team were also wielding their own kind of weapon, with their outline somewhat recognizable to Alex.


    The sole male in the Team could be seen holding a circular ball, with some kind of objects attached to it.


    The nearest woman to that male was holding a sheathed sword, and if Alex''s guess was right, that woman was holding a katana, just like Alina.


    The second woman was holding a whip, which made Alex somewhat shiver inwardly.


    As for the last woman, she was holding some sort of¡­ chemical container? Alex could not really ascertain what he saw, as the view from the camera feed was not that cooperative to him.


    "Psrst!" Before Alex could observe more, his phone started to burn up, as heat and smoke came out of it.


    Alex''s phone was unable to take all the information processing that Alex did, which brought it on its current flaming state.


    "You did well, comrade." Alex said as he dropped the phone on the ground, then stomping it on his foot to destroy it completely. "Your sacrifice will not be forgotten by me."


    "¡­." Alina and Queen Mother could only stare at Alex in confusion as they saw what he did.


    "I already know where Lauren is." Alex said as he saw the worried expression on Lauren''s face. "So, be rest assured that we can help her out."


    "So, we will just go to Lauren''s house then?"


    "No." Alex said as he sternly replied to Alina''s query. "If we do that, we will be outing Lauren''s true identity to other people. Instead, what we will do is that I will first send her a message alerting her about the Villain Team, and then we will choose a nearby place to Lauren''s house. Once we did that, we will just wait for the Villain Team to approach Lauren''s place. Once we see the Villain Team, we will jump in to fight them."


    "¡­Fight them?" Are you sure about that, hooman?" Asteria said as she gave Alex an inquisitive look. "You are willing to fight them even though you have no idea on what their abilities are? And let me remind you that they have some ideas on your abilities already.Maybe itsjust me, but I think even if you ambush them, your chances of driving that villain team off could be quite low."


    "Heh. Do you think we are the only one who will face off against the Villain Team?" Alex said with an amused tone as he shook his head. "You should never underestimate my planning skills!


    "Ok."


    *********************


    "Sis! Do you have food for me?" An extremely adorable child shouted out as she pulled the hem of Lauren''s dress. "Aunt only cooked some noodles last night! I am not full from that!"


    "Don''t worry Lara. Big Sis got some food for you." Lauren said as she showed the stash of food that she bought with some of Alex''s money. "I just got some good money from my new part-time job!"


    "Yay!" Lara let out a dimpled smile as her eyes widened in delight.


    "Pit pat, pit pat." Lara''s short legs moved as she jumped towards Lauren, initiating a hug with her. "Hehehe, Big Sis really is the best! Can you cook now?"


    "Yes, yes. I will." Lauren muttered as she poked Lara''s cheeks. "But before I do that, let me ask you first. Did you behave while I am out last night? Were you a good girl!"


    "Yes Big Sis! Lara is a good girl last night!" The adorable munchkin said as she let out a pout. "I helped Auntie with weaving some clothes! I made 10 yesterday!"


    The little girl then excitedly pulled out some small clothes that barely fitted a child. Just one look at the clothes, and Lauren knew that they can only be good as rags.


    Of course Lauren did not dare criticize Lara''s work as she opted to praise her.


    "Hey, you made some good clothes!" Lauren said as she proceeded to pat Lara''s head. "Just practice a little more, and you can be a good tailor!"


    "Hehehe, like Mom?"


    "¡­Yes, like Mom." Lauren replied as her face slightly fell.


    Luckily for Lauren, Lara seemed to be absorbed in her Big Sis'' praise that she did not notice Lauren''s expression.


    "I will be a tailor, I will be a tailor~" Lara sang as she started to run around their house. "I will be a tailor~"


    "¡­." Lauren could only shake her head slightly as she started to sort out the food that she bought.


    "Hey Lara, aside from making these ra- clothes,make sure to study well in school too!" Lauren said as she saw the little girl stopping in her tracks. "The start of the new school year will start next week, right?"


    "¡­Yes sis¡­" Lara replied as the cheerful expression disappeared from her face. "But Sis, do I really need to go to school?"


    "What''s the problem?" Lauren asked with a sigh as she realized what the problem was.


    Lara''s eyes started to water as her lips trembled slightly. She looked down on the floor as she haltingly said,


    "Big Sis, my classmates will just bully me again because of my clothes and food¡­"


    "Lara¡­" Lauren''s throat started to become thick as she does not know how to console her younger sister. "I''m sorry if I cannot give you better items, but you must know that you must study so that you can get a good job in the future, ok? Don''t be like me, ok?"


    "Ok Sis¡­" Lara replied as she wiped her eyes. She then looked up at Lauren who seemed to be trying to not cry too. "Sis, why are you crying? Are you sad too?"


    "Ah, some dust just got into my eyes." Lauren replied as she hurriedly wiped her eyes too. "Geez, don''t be that perceptive around me."


    "Oh, so you came back. I thought you kicked the bucket already." A heavyset woman interrupted Lauren and Lara''s conversation, prompting Lauren to look at the woman.


    "Auntie, I just told you that I got another part-time job. I did not put my life in any risk at all!"


    "Hmph, you better not place yourself in risk, young woman." The Auntie said as she picked up the scraps of cloth scattered on the floor. "Your mother died that way. Please don''t be like her."


    "¡­." Lauren bit her lips, as she badly wanted to say that her Auntie was wrong. But in the end, she was unable to say anything in retort.


    "I will cook our lunch now.'' Lauren said briskly as she began preparing the dishes.


    "Hmm, hmm, hmm~" While Lauren was busy on cooking, the little munchkin Lara was humming merrily to herself, with her chubby little legs swaying on the table. She could also be seen holding two spoons on hands, signifying her readiness to eat.


    "Food, food, food!"


    "Patience, youngkin." The Auntie said as she gave Lara a look. "You should always be respectful towards food, especially during these days when it is hard to find one¡­"


    "Look who''s talking. It was as if you were the one providing food for us." Lauren thought angrily to herself as she did not look at her Auntie''s pious face. "Seriously, if it were not for the law, we would not be staying here with you anymore!"


    The trio then spent the next half hour in awkward silence as Lauren finished cooking.


    "Clink, clank."


    Lauren was about to serve the food when she suddenly received a notification from her old model phone.


    She gave her Auntie the ''I have a business'' look as she went out of the room.


    Once she was out of the room, Lauren looked at the text sent to her.


    "!!!"


    After reading the message that she received,Lauren''s face immediately paled, with her knees trembling greatly.


    "Why¡­."


    When Lauren received the news of Glacia''s breakout earlier, she only panicked for a second before calming down.


    Lauren knew that even with Glacia breaking out, it will be impossible for that villain to figure out Lauren''s real identity.


    This knowledge placed Lauren at an ease, which allowed her to act normally with her younger sister earlier.


    But the message that Lauren received right now threw all that ease out of the window!


    [Lauren, this is Alex speaking. We are sorry to tell you, but there is a high possibility that the villain team that broke out Glacia already knew your identity. And there is also a high chance that this team and Glacia will seek you out. So please, if you can escape, please do it right now. But if you can''t, do not be worried. I, Alina, and Queen Mother will be just nearby. We will fight them later, so you should not be worried that much. But I still recommend that you and your family escape.]


    "F**k." That was all that Lauren could say as she ignored the chewing sounds made by her younger sister.

 Chapter 121 Division Director

    "I definitely need some medicine later¡­" Division Director Alexander Green muttered to himself as he rubbed his temple. "Sigh, things just keep on piling up here¡­"


    Alexander stood up from his desk as he observed the view outside his window.


    All that he could see was the Grand Point City, with its tall buildings and countless structures. He then shook his head as signs of another headache started to sprout from it.


    "Are there any updates about the breakout situation?" Alexander asked the man standing behind him as he left the office. "Did they locate the new Villain Team already?"


    "Our agents determined that the team who broke Glacia out is currently staying at the residence of Mafioso." The man behind Alexander replied as he struggled to keep up with him. "From what we can see, it seems like the new Villain Team has allied with the Supervillain Mafioso."


    "That just makes the situation worse." Alexander said as he could not help but let out a grunt. "Not only did we embarrass themselves by letting Glacia escape, we even allowed Mafioso to ally with a powerful Villain Team? This is just blasphemy."


    "But Director¡­"


    "How about the new Hero Team? Have you contacted them already?" Alexander said as he glared at this secretary. He did not mean to snap at him, but his irritation got the better of him. "Please tell me that they are genuine good guys."


    "You should not worry about that, Director Green. They look as clean as we want them to be." The secretary replied as he fixed the folders that he was carrying. "Our SHA Agent on SODB also managed to secure a power testing with the Travelers later. However, with the current state of events, I do not know if that power testing will still happen¡­"


    "If they come here, make sure to receive them well." Alexander said as he stepped on the elevator. He then gave his secretary a stern glare as he said,


    "Don''t antagonize more Superhumans right now. We need all of their help."


    "Yes Director!"


    "¡­.." Alexander then kept his mouth shut as the elevator door closed, bringing him to his next destination.


    "Sigh, why did I agree to become the SHA Division Director here in Grand Point City? I just got a lot of stress from getting this job!" Alexander complained to himself inwardly as he straightened his suit.


    He then looked at the smooth metal in front of him, which was reflecting his image well.


    What Alexander saw in his reflection was a man of average build and piercing blue eyes. The man in the reflection looked to have lost some weight, resulting in a slightly sunken face.


    Alexander blinked a little as he basked in his appearance.


    "Ugh, I lost 10 kilos already¡­ My wife will surely kill me if she discovers that I did not eat her food that much." Alexander said as he fixed his suit. "Well, I just have to act tough in front of her¡­"


    After he thought of ways to escape the wrath of his wife,Alexander started to look at his palms as he thought to himself,


    "If I just had a Superpower, then maybe I am free already of this job. Sigh¡­"


    Because of the nature of the SHA, only Non-Superhumans were allowed to take official positions there. If someone was a Superhuman, they have to be a Hero under SHA or if their Superpower was weak, join its Special Services.


    Alexander was a Non-Superhuman, which allowed him to take the position as the SHA Division Director here in Grand Point City.


    Alexander obviously was slightly unhappy with his position, but with the current state of the Grand Point City, he knew that he was the only one who can run the Grand Point City Division of SHA.


    "Ding!" The elevator let out a pleasant sound as its door opened, bringing Alexander to a new room.


    "!!!" Once Alexander stepped out of the elevator, his demeanor changed.


    Gone was the slightly lethargic and disappointed man.


    The Alexander right now was a man with imposing presence and full stature.


    "Ehem." Alexander let out a cough, catching the attention of the 6 costumed people in the room.


    All these costumed people were busy on training, although each of their training routine were unique from each other. They stopped the training that they were doing as they stared at Alexander.


    "You all heard what happened to Glacia earlier." Alexander said as he stared back at the members of Grand Point City SHA Hero Team. "A new Villain Team broke her out, and they are currently taking residence under Mafioso''s Residence. After some deliberation with Main Director Segway, I was able to gain clearance to allow you to mount a full-on-assault towards the Villain Team, which we will call ''Alchemists'' for now."


    "Um Director Green..." One of the members of the SHA Hero Team, a short and petite woman wearing a magical girl costume, raised her hand as she asked Alexander, "Isn''t it a little too much for us to mount a full-on-assault?"


    Alexander looked at the woman, whose beautiful face and pink hair matched her magical girl costume.


    Alexander only knew this woman in her Hero name, which is Magic Girl, which fits her appearance and her power set.


    Yes, the name sounds bad, but the Hero herself loved it, so what can the SHA do about that?


    "That''s what I am thinking too." Alexander replieto Magic Girl with a sigh. "But one of Pantheon''s member, which you all know as Foresight, made a prediction that basically forced us to mount an assault today."


    "Foresight?" Magic Girl squeaked out as her eyes started to widen in ''fangirl mode''. "She did a prediction?"


    "Yes, she did." Alexander replied as she gave the hero a ''stop your worshipping'' look. "And from what I heard, Foresight also forced the Pantheon Hero Team to send out one of their members to assist us."


    "Really!!!" This time, everyone in the room let out a squeak as they all went excited. "Someone from them is joining us? OMG!"


    "¡­. I know that the Pantheon is the best Hero Team out there, but you should remember that you all represent the SHA." Alexander sternly said as she glared at them. "Do not attempt to do anything that will sully the honor of the SHA Grand Point City Division!"


    "Yes Director Green¡­" The heroes all wilted under Alexander''s piercing look. "But can we ask autographs from the incoming Hero?"


    "It depends if Tetra would want you to give his autograph." Alexander said as he looked at the door. "Even if he was the vice-leader of the Pantheon, he still had the attitude of a gangster. I do not know if he will be interested on giving you autographs."


    "Holy s**t, the Pantheon actually sent Tetra for us?" Alexander did not even try to identify the one who said this sentence, as he was busy fanboying inwardly too.


    If anyone living on Earth will be asked on which Hero Team is the strongest, they will always give the same answer!


    Pantheon!


    The Pantheon was considered to be the World''s Strongest Independent Hero Team. In fact, they were even stronger than the SHA''s strongest Hero Team!


    They were so strong that other countries regularly ask for Pantheon''s help. Natural calamities, hostage situations, and world ending crises, name any of them, and the Pantheon''s members could be seen dealing with these stuff!


    This strength naturally attracts powerful villains itching for a fight, which the Pantheon just defeats with ease.


    All of these events and other important things had basically turned the Pantheon into the only World-Level Hero Team.


    For the SHA Grand Point City''s Hero Team to fangirl and fanboy at the Pantheon was just normal.


    Heck, even Alexander still had a wallpaper of Myth on his phone.


    "Ok, all of you should fix up now." Alexander said as he allowed the excited Heroes to squeal in excitement for a few more minutes. "Tetra is bound to arrive, so you should greet him amicably."


    "Yes, Director!" The Heroes cheerfully replied.


    After waiting for a few more minutes, Alexander started to hear the signature rumbling sounds of thunderbolt and lightning, indicating the arrival of Tetra. Alexander adopted a fawning expression on his face as he saw the Pantheon Member descending towards the SHA Headquarters.


    Alexander left the Training Room as he rode the elevator towards the lowest floor of the SHA Headquarters.


    It was at this floor where everyone enters the Headquarters, and even someone like Tetra will have to pass through here.


    Alexander was able to reach the floor just in time before Tetra entered the building.


    "Welcome, Sir Tetra. I hope you will enjoy your stay here." Alexander said as he shook his hands with the vice-leader of the Pantheon. "It''s good to see you here."


    Tetra, who was only wearing black pants, black biker jacket and a half mask, gave Alexander a nod.


    Alexander gulped slightly, as Tetra''s imposing presence threatened to swallow him up.


    "Well, Foresight told me that I should come to this place to assist you all in this frontal assault. As usual, she did not tell me the reason on why I should go. She just told me that I should go. So Director Green, do not worry about what I feel in this stay. I just want to do my job, and I hope you and your team will do it properly."


    "Of course we will." Alexander replied as he tried to not get intimidated by the pressure being let out by Tetra. "Come in, Sir Tetra. We were about to discuss the assault plan. It would be great if you can give us your opinion."


    "Well, it won''t hurt if I will listen to the plan. We have some time anyway." Tetra replied as he entered to Headquarters, garnering some surprised shouts to the civilians who saw his arrival.


    Alexander and Tetra then walked towards the elevator, with Alexander starting some small talk with Tetra in order to not make their situation awkward.


    "Director Green! You have to see this!" Before the two could enter the elevator, Alexander''s secretary came rushing in towards him.


    The secretary was holding the standard SHA Phone, which he shoved towards Alexander. "Director Green, you have to see this message!"


    "Let me see that." Alexander replied as he grabbed the phone away from his secretary.


    His eyes then scanned the text message on the phone, with Tetra looking at the message too.


    Once he was finished reading the message, Alexander and Tetra looked at each other, with Alexander looking more stressed and Tetra looking more excited.


    "Well, this changes things." Tetra said as Alexander let out another sigh. "It seems like this will not be just another assault mission then."


    Alexander could only hunch his shoulders after he heard what Tetra said.


    "¡­I have to change the plans now, Sir Tetra." Alexander replied as he hung his head. "The implications mentioned in this message will not allow my current plan to work.Damn that Villain Team! I swear I will make them realize that they should not mess with anyone in Grand Point City!"


    "That''s the spirit, Director Green." Tetra cheerfully replied as they entered the elevator. "Now I understand why you were the Division Director here in the Grand Point City. Your attitude certainly helps you survive this job. Well, everything survived except for your hair."


    "...."


    The elevator then closed as the 30-year old Alexander rubbed his bald head.


    "Squeak, squeak."

 Chapter 122 Skill Lis

    Once Alex had sent all the needed messages that he needed to send, he and his Companions immediately set themselves up on a warehouse near Lauren''s house.


    Alex could only hope that by this time, Lauren had already asked her relatives to evacuate. As for Lauren herself, it will depend on her if she wanted to help him.


    "Try to be quiet, ok?" Alex mumbled as he started at his Sprites, who were all buys playing tag in the air. "We need to concentrate here."


    All the Sprites looked somewhat disappointed, although a glare from Alina was enough to cow them into submission.


    Once the Sprites have settled themselves in, Alex decided to check out all the new spells that he got from his Abyss Sprites.


    ******************


    For Envy:


    [Level 1] -------- Minor Telekinesis, Voice Warp


    [Level 2] -------- Major Telekinesis, Skin Warp


    [Level 3] -------- Deconstruction, Muscle Warp


    [Level 4] -------- Combination, Bone Warp


    [Level 5] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 6] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 7] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 8] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 9] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 10] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 11] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 12] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    No new spells were added here, as it was still around Grade 4.


    *******************


    For Greed:


    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Empty Slot, needs to Pillage power.


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Empty Slot, needs to Pillage power.


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Empty Slot, needs to Pillage power.


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- Empty Slot, needs to Pillage power.


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    With Greed reaching Grade 4 too, it gave Alex 4 slots to Pillage Power in. The first power, which Alex pillaged from Teresa, was already returned by him to her in the last World. That means that Alex right now has 4 abilities that he can pillage, although the same limitations still rule over him.


    ***************


    For Wrath:


    [Level 1] -------- Minor Destruction Aura


    [Level 2] -------- Decay


    [Level 3] -------- Major Destruction Aura


    [Level 4] -------- Power Sunder


    [Level 5] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 6] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 7] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 8] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 9] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 10] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 11] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Level 12] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    With Alex also reaching Grade 4 in Wrath, he was able to gain 3 new spells.


    Decay allows Alex to create a ''Decaying Field'' which will induce an accelerated state of decay on any living organisms. The longer they stay on the ''Decaying Field'', the more decay will happen to their body.


    The weakness of this spell lies on the fact that it can only affect living organisms. Non-living objects will be unaffected by this Spell, as they are not ''living'' per se.


    As for Major Destruction Aura, this is the upgraded version of Minor Destruction Aura. This spell is much stronger, although its Abyss Energy Consumption was also way off the charts.


    With just one look, Alex determined that even with his massive amounts of Abyss Energy right now, he can only use Major Destruction Aura for a limited amount of time.


    As for the final spell that was called Power Sunder, its function made Alex quite giddy.


    This Spell destroys the ''concept'' of any skill, which basically nullifies any skill.


    This means that if someone throws a fireball to Alex, Alex can use Power Sunder to ''destroy the concept of the fireball''.


    Once he did that, the fireball will disappear, since its concept was destroyed.


    This effect will also apply to any other skills


    So basically speaking, Power Sunder is a very useful Skill Canceller.


    Of course there are still some limitations in this Spell.


    The first one is that Alex can only use this Spell once a day, for whatever reason he does not know off.


    So Alex must use this Spell only when he really needed to use it. Otherwise, it will be just wasted.


    Another limitation is that Alex cannot use this Spell to make a person become powerless.


    Power Sunder can only be used to cancel skills, not cancel the person''s power entirely.


    These limitations might seem unfair, but even with these limitations, Alex knew that he can fully use this spell to take advantage on his fights!


    *************


    For Lust:


    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Misdirection


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Cloaking


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Sensory Illusion


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- Hypnosis


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    When Alex looked at the spells for Lust, he narrowed his eyes as he saw that the skills were not that offensive oriented.


    However, he realized that he can use Lust''s Spells perfectly for infiltration purposes!


    Misdirection will basically allow Alex to control a crowd''s focus of attention. This will allow him to make the crowd look where he wanted them to look, and make them not look on where he wanted them to not look.


    If the person Misdirection was used on has a strong will, Misdirection will not work on that person. That means Alex can only use this spell on normal people.


    Cloaking on the other hand, just makes Alex plain invisible. That''s it. No more explanations needed.


    The third Spell, Sensory Illusion, will allow Alex to fool a person''s senses. He can also use this spell on a larger crowd, although its effects will be quite thin.


    For example, he can make a person eat a leaf and fool that person''s tongue into thinking that the leaf tasted like chicken. Or he can make a smooth metal feel like sand to another person.


    Its usage is virtually limitless, and Alex knew that if he uses Sensory Illusion, Cloaking, and Misdirection all at the same time, he can easily avoid anyone looking to capture him!


    Well, that will depend if his Abyss Energy can last that long enough.


    The last spell, which was called Hypnosis, will give Alex the ability to place a target in a state where Alex can command that person certain tasks.


    The weaker the will of the target was, the easier it will be for Alex to hypnotize him/her.


    Conversely, if the target has a strong will, Alex''s hypnosis might also fail.


    *****************


    For Sloth:


    Note: All Sloth''s Abilities can only be used once a day.


    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Lullaby


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Massage


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Hot Bath


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- Power Nap


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    To Alex''s irritation, he saw that all of Sloth''s Spells can only be used once a day.


    "That lazy bastard." Alex thought to himself as he realized that even in spell usage, Sloth is still a sloth.


    The first spell, Lullaby, will place a target in a very sleepy state, which will last depending on how strong the target''s will was.


    The weaker the target''s will, the longer the sleepy state will last. If the target''s will was strong, then the spell will not be as that effective.


    Massage on the other hand, will summon a set of hands which will ''massage'' the target''s body.


    This massage will recover the target''s physical state. Muscle pains, burns and even injuries will recover under Massage.


    Hot Bath on the other hand will help on recovering the target''s mental state and the target''s power reserves.


    If Alex used this Spell on himself, his mental fatigue will disappear, and his Abyss Energy will recover slightly.


    The 4th and final spell which was called as Power Nap will place a WILLING TARGET into sleep that will last for 5 minutes.


    Once Power Nap is done, the target will wake up in with both its physical, mental, and power states recovered.


    The only problem with Power Nap is that the target will be unable to wake up during the sleep, which will make the target vulnerable to all attacks during the sleep time.


    That definitely is not a good way to die.


    *************


    For Pride


    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Mental Enhancement


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Defense Enhancement


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Attack Enhancement


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- The Weak serve the Strong


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 5 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 6 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    The first spell, Mental Enhancement, will elevate Alex''s mental processes to high levels. It will allow him to make snap decisions during battle, and give him ideas on how to fight enemies better.


    Defense Enhancement on the other hand will enhance any defense-oriented ability that Alex has. And just like what its name says, Attack Enhancement will allow Alex to strengthen his attack-oriented ability.


    The final spell, called The Weak serve the Strong, will give Alex a power boost which will depend on the amount of weaker people nearby him.


    The more weaker people there are, the better power boost Alex will receive.


    "¡­What an arrogant ability." Alex thought to himself as he shook his head. "No wonder Pride is just as irritating as Asteria."


    ***************


    For Gluttony:


    [Warning: Must devour a target first before its potential can be unlocked.]


    "¡­Ok." After seeing this written notice, Alex realized that it will be hard for him to use Gluttony for now. After all, there are hardly anyone that Alex can ''devour'' in this World, and he was not even sure if he can do that right now.


    "I will only use this one if I really need to do so." Alex muttered to himself as he let out a deep breath.


    *****************


    Now that Alex was done reviewing his abilities, it was now time for him to take action.


    He looked back at Alina''s phone, which he was using right now, since his phone was already destroyed earlier.


    Alex was currently waiting for two messages to come back, with each of the messages vital to his plan.


    "Come on¡­"


    "Ding dong¡­." Alex perked up as he saw the notification window showing that he received two messages already.


    He hurriedly opened them up, skimming on the content quickly.


    "Snap." Alex closed his phone with a snap, with the sound jolting both Alina and Queen Mother.


    "Change of plans everyone." Alex said as he stood up, walking towards the direction of Lauren''s house. "We do not need to wait for our enemy to come. We will be the one approaching them!"

 Chapter 123 Primary and Complementary?

    Alex and his companions did not have to wait for that long before they heard the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps.


    They looked at the source of the sound, and there they saw a costumed Lauren running hastily towards them.


    "Ha, I almost had a heart attack when you sent that text message to me earlier!" Lauren shouted out as she reached them.


    Lauren looked winded out, as if the running that she did had made her tired. It was only when Queen Mother patted Lauren''s back that she recovered.


    Alex could not help but comment after seeing Lauren''s physical state.


    "¡­You''re obviously out of shape." Alex commented as Queen Mother poked Lauren''s cheek, giving her an excited smile in the process.


    "I did not have time to exercise before I became a Hero, okay?" Lauren said as she wiped the sweat of her neck. "But I promise to work out after this!"


    "...."


    She was about to say something more when she suddenly looked at the portion between Alex and Alina.


    "Ohmygodtheyaresocute!" Lauren squealed with both her eyes shining with a predatory glint.


    Alex''s eyes followed Lauren''s line of sight, and there he saw that Lauren was looking at the general direction of the Abyss Sprites.


    "You¡­ can see them?" Alex asked as he saw Lauren looking like she wanted to pounce on the Abyss Sprites. "You really can see them?"


    "Of course duh. I can see them." Lauren said as she rolled her eyes. She then gave Alex a pleading look as she asked him,


    "Can I touch them? Please?"


    "¡­Yes you can." Alex replied with a deadpan expression on his face.


    "Thank you!" Lauren shouted as she joined Alina on playing with the Sprites.


    While she was busy playing, Alex took this as the chance to talk to her more.


    "So, after receiving my message¡­ did you hide your relatives or something?" Alex asked Lauren started pinching Sloth''s cheeks.


    To Alex''s surprise, he saw Lauren suddenly looking somewhat... guilty.


    "Well¡­ I cannot really tell them that a villain was coming¡­ so I did the next best thing that I could." Lauren said as her eyes twitched slightly."I kinda made them sleep by using the sleeping agent that Queen Mother used yesterday. She gave me some of it after all. Once they were asleep, I hid them on a nearby bunker, safe from any intruders. From my estimates, it will take them around 6 hours before they will wake up."


    To say that Alex was shocked after hearing what Lauren said was just an understatement.


    Making her relatives sleep, really? That''s just too much even for Alex.


    "¡­That''s creepy you know." Alex managed to say after a minute of an awkward silence. "Are you really sure that you should have done that?"


    "Well, it''s better than putting them in danger." Lauren said as she looked at Alex. "Look, you told me that my relatives can be in danger, whether I leave that place or not. Obviously, I will not let them be in crossfire. The only thing that we can do right now is beat that villain team. That is the only way that I can keep my family safe right now!"


    By this point, Alex noticed that Lauren was trembling.


    "I¡­" Alex found himself in an awkward position, as he realized that he was slightly at fault here, as he had implicated Lauren with his problems.


    "Don''t try to apologize to me now." Lauren said as she shook her head. "When I chose to be a Hero, I knew that I will face something like this. But on the other hand, I thought this will only happen to me once I am famous enough¡­ F**k, I am just a newbie Hero! F**k! I just debuted yesterday! How could I have known that something as massive as this will happen? F**k this all!"


    "..." Alex and his Companions did not say anything as they let Lauren continue her rant until her voice was hoarse.


    "Got it all out now?" Alex asked as Lauren straightened her body. "If your answer is yes, then I shall tell you about our plan to engage the villains."


    "¡­Ok." Lauren replied as she looked straight at Alex''s eyes.


    To Alex''s relief, there was not a single hint of blame on Lauren''s eyes. It was as if she was not blaming Alex for the danger that she and her family was in.


    This relief however also made Alex slightly guilty, as he was not sure if he should even be feeling any relief at all.


    "So, after I sent my message to you earlier, I also sent another message to the SHA here in Grand Point City." Alex said as he waved Alina''s phone. "I told them that there is a chance that the new Villain Team will attack a newbie Hero in her civilian identity along with the escaped Glacia. I then told them that our Team, including you, will ally with the SHA Heroes in order to re-capture Glacia and defeat the new Villain Team."


    "You did that?" Lauren exclaimed as expression of panic and excitement appeared in her eyes. "Did they agree to team up?"


    "Well, they told me in their reply that they will agree to teaming up with us, even though we are not yet verified as a Hero Team." Alex replied as he reread the message sent by the SHA. "And from what I can see too, they also sent a Pantheon member named Tetra to assist them."


    "WHAT???" This time around, Lauren''s shout was just pure excitement. "Tetra, the vice-leader of Pantheon, is meeting us later? Ohmygod! Do you have paper and pen with you? I need to get his autograph!"


    "¡­So this Tetra is that famous huh." Alex muttered to himself as he saw the fawning expression on Lauren''s face.


    When Alex first heard of the Pantheon and its members, Alex only thought that they were just a powerful strike force, used as a way to deter against the powerful evil forces.


    Alex certainly did not expect the Pantheon to be this famous, to the point that even a newbie Hero like Lauren wanted to get the autograph of this Tetra guy.


    "Do I smell stinky at all?" Laruen asked as he started sniffing her arms. "I don''t smell that bad, right?"


    "Don''t you worry Lauren. You smell just fine." Queen Mother said as she placed her chin on top of Lauren''s head. "In fact, I can say that you smell good. You sweat even made you smell better."


    "Tha-that doesn''t count!" Lauren said with a flush on her face, although she did nothing to throw the clingy Queen Mother off.


    "Hehehe." This was Queen Mother''s only reply as she gave Alex a condescending gaze.


    Alex ignored that gaze as she tapped his foot on the road, as if he was waiting for someone.


    "So, what are we doing here in this place?" Lauren asked as the others did nothing else. "Are we going to wait here?"


    "Yes." Alex replied as he played with Alina''s phone. "The SHA told me that their Hero Team and Tetra will meet us at this place, so we should just do our best to stay here and wait for them."


    This reply of Alex seemed to have made Lauren more nervous, as she continued peppering questions about her appearance, to which Queen Mother answered with praises to her, especially to her smell.


    "...."


    *******************


    "You seem to be troubled by something." While Alex and the others were waiting for the arrival of the SHA Heroes and Tetra, Asteria sneaked in behind Alex, saying the words that she was itching to say earlier. "Is there something in your mind?"


    "Well, it just a little detail that I noticed." Ale whispered back, as the conversation between Queen Mother and Lauren began to be filled with innuendos and slight blushes. Alex tried to ignore that as he looked back at Asteria.


    "And that little detail is?"


    "Well, after I looked at all the spells of my Abyss Sprites, I saw one thing that stood out to me." Alex said as he looked at his Abyss Sprites with confusion. "And that is the fact that only Envy has dual spells per grade, and the other Sprites only have singular spell in their arsenal."


    "¡­."


    "Well, I can understand the part with Greed." Alex said as he pointed to the stout Sprite. "He can plunder abilities, so empty slots are a fit to him. The other Sprites however, does not have any proper reason for their single spell per grade."


    "¡­If you want to know the answer to that, you should just ask your Sprites directly." Alina said as she tilted her head. "I am not experienced in that matter, so It''s better to ask them directly."


    "All right, I will do that then." Alex said as he looked at Envy.


    Excluding her low self-esteem, Envy was the Sprite that was the easiest Sprite to talk to. The others were either too immature or too occupied to talk properly.


    Besides, Envy was also the one with the dual spells, so she can certainly explain the unique phenomena.


    "Envy." Alex said as he used a soft voice in order to not rattle Envy. "Can you explain to me why you gave me dual spells while the others only have singular spells?"


    "¡­" Envy bowed her head lower, as if she was afraid to answer that question.


    "¡­" Alex only stared at Envy as he waited for her to reply to him.


    "¡­."


    "¡­.."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    Just when Alex was about to give an exasperated sigh, Envy slightly looked up as she said,


    "Master, it happened because you chose me as your first Abyss Tome. It made me your Primary¡­"


    "The Primary what now?" Alex asked as he felt confused with what Envy said. "Elaborate that bit to me."


    "Ok..." Envy then avoided looking at Alex as she started talking.


    "In order to prevent chaos in our ranks, all the Abyss Tomes must have an Abyss Tome guiding and monitoring them, which was called Primary. The other Abyss Tomes will have to follow the Primary''s order at all times, without any refusal¡­ As for how the Primary was chosen, it will depend on the first Abyss Tome chosen by the wielder. That Abyss Tome will be the Primary¡­"


    "....."


    "Master, since you chose me first, I became the Primary, while the other Abyss Tomes will be under my commands." Envy concluded as she began to tremble. "Are you angry now Master? Please don''t kick me out!"


    "¡­I will not kick you out ok?" Alex said as he stared at Envy''s cowering body.


    Now that Alex analyzed what Envy said, he found the concept of Primary quite efficient.


    After all, Alex knew that even with him watching over his Sprites, there will still be times that they will be too rowdy just for him to handle.


    That will not be good, especially on battles that are too chaotic. Someone might get hurt from it after all.


    For a Primary to help him out in this matter is just right and acceptable.


    But even if he was already believing what Envy said, Alex somehow could not believe that someone like Envy has the power to command the other Sprites.


    "So, right now, you are the Primary? How does that explain your dual spells?"


    "Well Master, a Primary is given special privileges and one of them are the extra spell slots. If I were not the Primary, then it will be the other Abyss Tome that will have an extra slot." Envy said as she closed her eyes. "If Greed is your Primary, then instead of just one empty slot per grade, you will get two slots per empty grade. If Wrath was your Primary then you will get two spells per grade from him, and so on and so forth."


    "¡­ I see." Alex commented as he cupped his chin. "Is it possible to pass this ''Primary Title'' to the other Sprites?"


    "No, Master." Envy said as he body flinched. "It is permanent already and is resistant to change. Master¡­ why are you asking that question anyway? Do you want to change the Primary? Am I really that useless to you?"


    "Hey, it is nothing like that!" Alex replied defensively as he raised his hands. "I just thought of a hypothetical situation, ok? No need to worry. You are cool, and you should not be sad like this, ok?"


    "Ok Master¡­"


    Of course, Alex was slightly disappointed about what he heard.


    So as it turns out, his Sprites actually still have some of their potential locked. Only special privileges like being a Primary can unlock this potential.


    "Hmm, maybe if I can make my Abyss Magic evolve once more, my other Sprites can get dual spells too?" Alex thought to himself as he paced around. "That is possible."


    With this thought in mind, Alex realized that his Abyss Magic was not yet at its peak.


    Just like his Electromagnetic Manipulation which can still become Fundamental Force Manipulation, Alex''s Abyss Magic can still reach a higher stage, with all of his Abyss Sprites having dual spells per Grade!


    This realization made Alex''s eyes sparkle, as he realized that he still had a long way to go before he can reach his goal to be an OverPowered person.


    "Hehehe, if I reach that stage, then I can-" Alex was about to start boasting inwardly, but he had to stop as he felt several presences quickly approaching him.


    He tensed for a second, before he calmed down as he realized that the incoming presences were not harboring any killing intent.


    Alex gave Envy a look which meant ''We''ll talk more about this later'' as he approached his Companions and Lauren.


    "Prepare yourselves now." Alex said as he stretched his body. "We have some visitors coming."

 Chapter 124 Presentation and Analysis

    Lauren looked like she would be squealing right now, but her mouth was covered by an amused Queen Mother.


    As for Alex and Alina, both of them stood together as they waited for the arrival of their allies.


    "Woosh~" Sounds of wooshing wind could be heard as 7 costumed people descended from the sky, landing in front of Alex.


    It was a good thing that their meeting spot was devoid of other people, as Alex felt that civilians will flock around the newly arrived Heroes.


    "So, you are the Travelers huh. Its nice to see you all." The one who said these words was a gangster-looking man in front of the Heroes.


    He was wearing the stereotypical biker gang jacket, which just made his overall appearance intimidating. This man was currently extending his gloved hand towards Alex, as if he wanted to shake hands with him.


    The fangirl squeal that Alex heard behind him basically confirms to Alex that this gangster man was the Pantheon Hero Tetra.


    "¡­It''s nice to see you too." Alex managed to say as he shook hands with Tetra. "I appreciate you and your allies accepting our offer."


    "Well, Heroes should always be helping one another." Tetra said as he gave Alex an impressed smile. "There is no sense for us to reject you, especially when the villains plan to target a newbie Hero''s civilian identity."


    By this point, Alex saw Tetra becoming somewhat angry after saying these words. Alex chose to not comment on that, as he realized that villains finding out secret identities seems to be a sore point to Tetra.


    "Well, with the numbers that we have here, I think defeating Glacia, Mafioso, and that new Villain Team is possible." Tetra said as he looked at Alina.


    "Hm?" Tetra suddenly tilted his head as he looked at Alina. "You are Khora, right? Have we fought each other before already?"


    "What do you mean by that?" Alina suddenly replied as her body suddenly tensed.


    To Alex''s panic, he saw that everyone around him were all tense, with the SHA Heroes staring at the conversation between Alina and Tetra with alert expressions on their faces.


    "Well, 30 years ago, I remember fighting someone." Tetra commented as he cupped his chin. "That opponent of mine uses a Katana too. Are you that person?"


    The Heroes behind Tetra could not help but drop their jaws when they heard his ridiculous comment.


    Even the fangirl Lauren could also not believe what she heard.


    As for Alex and Asteria, they were both covering their mouths as they tried to not laugh.


    "30 years ago? Really?" Alina could not help but snort as she looked at Tetra.


    "For your information, I am just 18 years old." Alina said as she ignored the giggling by her companions. "There is no way that I could be the person that you fought 30 years ago..."


    "Oh right, I forgot about that." Tetra said as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about that¡­"


    "Um, are you all right?" Alex said to Tetra as he calmed himself down. "Maybe you are already getting too stressed with the Hero work¡­"


    "Yeah that could be the case." Tetra replied as he grinned at Alex. "Maybe I am getting too old for this already."


    To Alex''s surprise, he found himself grinning back at Tetra, as if they were sharing an inside joke. "You, an old man? Wow, if that is true, then you are one ripped old man."


    "Want to see my workout routine then? You are free to see it."


    "Hehe, maybe later, after the operation."


    "Now we''re talking."


    "..."


    *********************


    "...¡­" Everyone who saw the conversation between Alex and Tetra were suddenly gobsmacked as they realized that the two were already on close terms already.


    "Should Alex be really that friendly with another Hero?" Alina muttered to Asteria as Alex and Tetra started to share more and more jokes with each other. "It feels somewhat weird."


    "Maybe you are just jealous that Alex has his own ''bro'' now." Asteria said as she giggled lightly.


    "Huh? What do you mean by that?" Alina said as she hissed at Asteria. "You think I feel jealous now?"


    "Bros before h*es, right?" Asteria said as she shrugged her shoulder. "Maybe Alex will be affected by that quote too."


    "Asteria.I am not a h*e, and that Tetra definitely will not be Alex''s bro." Alina said as she glared at Asteira. "That will not be happening."


    "Of course I am sure that you are not a h*e. However, I am pretty sure that by the end of this day, those two will be best buds." Asteria said as she pointed to Alex and Tetra.


    "I guess you are right¡­" Alina said as she let out a sigh. "But that is good for Alex, right? He also needs some male presence with him, since his Companions were all girls¡­"


    "Well, as long as Alex does not compromise our Main Mission, then he is free to do anything that he wants to do!" Asteria said as she plopped on Alina''s head.


    "Well-" Alina''s words were cut off as she saw Tetra and Alex high-fiving each other. "Sigh, I''ll break up their conversation now. We still have more important things to do."


    Alina then approached Alex as she noted him of their current state.


    Sufficed to say, Alex and Tetra looked somewhat embarrassed as they rubbed the back of their heads.


    "If you want to go buddy-buddy, just do it later." Alina said as she gripped Alex''s shoulder tightly. "You can both talk about cars, sports, and girls later. For now, let''s focus on the mission, okay?"


    "Okay¡­" Both men said as they cowed under Alina''s glare.


    "Wow, she''s so cool." One of the SHA Heroes murmured. "Maybe we can invite her to an all-girls hangout sometime too?"


    "¡­." Alina chose to ignore what she heard as Alex and Tetra started to official talks.


    *****************


    "So, you know me as Tetra already." Tetra said as he pointed towards himself. "Well, anyone will know who I am even if I do not introduce myself."


    "..."


    Tetra ignored the somewhat awkward stares given to him as he pointed his fingers at the SHA Heroes behind him as he introduced them with their names and abilities.


    "Her name is Magical Girl." Tetra said as he pointed to a beautiful woman wearing a magical girl costume. "She''s a Ranger Type that can shoot pink beams, and she is also a Domain Type with her Area healing ability."


    "Hello!" Magical Girl said as she gave Alex a knowing grin. "It''s nice to meet you all." She said these words with her eyes not leaving Alex at all.


    "¡­.." Alina crumpled the water bottle that she was holding as she realized that this Magical Girl is intruding on her territory.


    "Hey, calm down girl." Asteria said as she saw Alina''s reaction. "We don''t have time for that now. Main Mission first, right?"


    "....."


    "Then this guy right here is Steel Bloke." Tetra said as he patted a guy wearing a set of medieval armor. "He is basically a Summoner Type, as he can summon medieval weapons which he can equip and use. The one that you see right here is his normal weapons. The cooler weapons like a battering ram will be available later."


    "¡­" Steel Bloke did not say anything at all, as he only gave a small nod in greeting. The other Heroes took it in stride, as if they already knew that this is going to happen.


    "As for this guy, you can call him Rocket." Tetra said as he ruffled the hair of a young-looking guy, who was wearing welding goggles and construction vest as his costume. "He is a Builder Type with his ability to create Rockets with varying purposes. This also makes him a Ranger Type, as his Rockets are all hella powerful long-ranged weapons. And when I say powerful, its powerful. Just believe me."


    "¡­Hello." Rocket meekly said as he bowed his head down. He then did not say anything more as he fiddled with his rocket launcher.


    "¡­So next one is the Deporter." Tetra said as he pointed at a wiry woman with curly hair. Her costume consisted of a bright yellow suit filled with dizzying imagery. Alina could not help but get dizzy as she stared at Deporter''s costume."


    "Deporter is a Reacher, as her power needed close contact if she wanted to affect her enemy." Tetra said as he specifically did not try to touch Deporter. "Once Deporter touches an object or person, that object or person will be blasted away, with speeds that depend on Deporter''s whim. This makes her effectively dangerous in close combat. See this costume of hers? It is meant to distract an enemy so that she can get close and touch them."


    Alina definitely believed what Tetra said about the costume. Eve Asteria herself complained about Deporter''s dizzying costume.


    "And this guy right here is Minotaur." Tetra said as he clasped the shoulders of a muscle-bound dude whose costume was a tight-fitting latex suit and a cow-head.


    "He is a Shifter, with him able to turn into the Minotaur told in the myths." Tetra said as he gave Minotaur a clap on his shoulders. "You can say that he is a lite version of Myth, as he can only turn into one mythical monster. But still, turning into a Minotaur is pretty great too."


    Alina narrowed her eyes as she took note of Myth, who seemed to be a famous Hero too.


    "Being mentioned under Myth''s name is a great honor for me." Minotaur replied in a deep voice. "She''s my inspiration, you know."


    "Oh, so those steamy Myth fanfictions that you read are your inspirations too?" Magical Girl said as she giggled at Minotaur. "Those fanfictions are quite¡­ inspiring, in a sense."


    "You!" Minotaur flushed as if he was a deer caught in the headlights. "Don''t talk about that here!"


    "Hehehe¡­"


    "Shut it guys. We need to focus here. We are in a mission, and you need to be alert!" The one who said these words was the sixth and final SHA Hero in the room.


    Alina looked at the speaker, at the same time that Tetra pointed at him.


    "This guy right here is the leader of the SHA Hero Division here in Grand Point City." Tetra said as he swung his shoulders over a man wearing a red cape and a skintight costume. "You all know him as Might. His power is the standard super strength, flight, and powerful laser blasts. That makes him a Strongman Type, a Mover Type, and a Ranger Type."


    "It''s a pleasure to see you, Travelers." Might said as he gave a slight bow to Alina and the others. "You have my heartfelt appreciation for what you did against Glacia yesterday. And now that she has escaped, I wish that our cooperation will bring her back to her proper place."


    "Well, as long as we all work properly together, we can do this assault mission without any repercussions." Alina said as she pressed her body near to Alex. She did not stop there as she placed her chin on Alex''s shoulder, displaying a somewhat affectionate posture.


    "...." Sufficed to say, Alex was somewhat surprised by this, but he managed to stay composed.


    Alina did this PDA as she saw the glint on Might''s eyes as he was talking to her. Alina already knew what Might could be thinking this time, so she immediately showed him that she''s not interested in him.


    "Well, since you introduced yourselves, I guess it is time for us to introduce ourselves then." Alina said as she separated from Alex. She then gripped her sword tightly as she said,


    "My name is Khora, and my ability is small-scale Chorokinesis. In simple terms, small-scale Spatial Manipulation. My attacks that you saw on the video last night was me slashing through space itself. I have more tricks that I can do with space, and I can display some of it later, especially to those who dare offend me."


    Alina said the final sentence while looking at Magical Girl directly. Even now, this Magical Girl was still sending knowing looks to Alex, even after Alina showed her closeness to him.


    Maybe it is time for Alina to take some real action.


    "Oh, and I am Eldritch." Alex hastily said, as he saw Alina''s irritated face. "I can transform into a tentacle monster that can shoot destructive blasts. I can also summon 7 small creatures which I call Sprites, which I can use on battle."


    Right on cue, the 7 Sprites appeared behind Alex, with them landing on his head.


    "You can call me Dryad." Queen Mother saidbehind Alex. "My power is Phytokinesis, which allows me to summon, control and manipulate plant life around me. That is all."


    "...."


    Now that they were done talking, the only one left was Lauren, who looked like she was about to faint from nervousness as everyone stared at her.


    She had to take some deep breaths to herself before saying,


    "Um¡­ My name is Laur- Signum, and my ability is to summon Mathematical Symbols that I can stick on my opponents. These symbols can um¡­"


    Lauren then continued her nervous ramblings as she tried her best to explain her abilities.


    Alina could only silently cheer for Lauren as she waited for her to finish.


    "¡­And that is all." Lauren said after 5 minutes of her wandering speech.


    Alina could not help but silently applaud for Lauren, as she could see that Lauren was nervous talking to her idols.


    "Okay, now that we all know each other''s capabilities, it''s time for us to talk about our enemies and start our assault against them." Tetra said with a wicked glint in his eyes. "Hahaha, with all of us here, those guys will have to designate this day as the worst day of their lives!"


    Even if Tetra sounded extremely convincing, Alina was not sure if the ensuing fight will be that easy.


    Their opponents have Travelers too after all.

 Chapter 125 Flight Simulator 2018

    "The only villains that we have full knowledge on were both Glacia and Mafioso." This time, it was Might who assumed the talking position. "The two of them are part of the Triad, a league of Supervillains taking territory here in Grand Point City."


    Might pointed at the picture of Glacia, as he started talking about her.


    "Glacia has Cryokinesis, which allows her to manipulate ice and make complex shapes with it. She also has a ''Weakening Aura'' which weakens anyone fighting her over a period of time. These two abilities makes her a Range Type with her long range ice spikes and a Domain Type, as her Ice and ''Weakening Aura'' can affect a large areas around her. She was also a tentative Strongman Type, as her Ice Armor can give her high levels of durability."


    "Well, that Ice Armor did not hold up against us last night." Alex said as he tilted his head. "I think we can do the same thing to her later too."


    "Well, let me tell you that every time Glacia was defeated by someone, she just comes back stronger than before." Might said as he shook his head. "I can see that happening later, so we should still be careful."


    Might then pointed to a picture of a man wearing a crisp businessman suit coupled with a red tie.


    The man was also wearing dark glasses and a black hat, along with a cane on his right hand.


    Alex could not help but gape as he realized that this man was giving him some ''Godfather'' vibes.


    "This man is the Supervillain Mafioso." Might said as he tapped his picture way too hard than necessary. "Unlike Glacia who prefers to fight alone, Mafioso prefers to fight by the members of his Mafia Group, as his powers rely on them."


    "So, some sort of ''I go strong when I have more allies type'' then?" Alex mused as he looked at the ruined picture of Mafioso. "Is that what you are pertaining to?"


    "Well nope." Might said as he shook his head. "Mafioso''s power is more potent than that. Simply speaking, Mafioso can give the members of his Mafia group minor powers, which are weaker compared to normal superpowers. These minor powers will either give the Mafia members slightly higher strength or faster healing. Some members could even get weak Ranger or Domain Abilities."


    Might then frowned as he continued talking.


    "Of course these is a catch from receiving Mafioso''s powers. And the catch is that if you accepted Mafioso''s powers, you will be extremely loyal to him. You will be thinking of serving him forever in his Mafia group. Because of that catch, every member of Mafioso''s Mafia group were all extremely loyal to him, even in their death."


    "That¡­ is a dangerous power, especially when a Mafia group has it." Alex commented as he realized that Mafioso is indeed a Supervillain.


    Even if the powers given out by Mafioso were weak, this will not matter if there was a lot of people receiving this weak powers!


    Yes, a Hero might be able to take some of these powered Mafia Members, but once their numbers increase, it will be hard for a Hero to win!


    And add the fact that these powered Mafia members were extremely loyal to Mafioso, and that is the recipe for one powerful and intimidating group!


    "Because of the fierce loyalty of his mafia members, Mafioso were able to elude capture by making some of his Mafia members do unspeakable things just to keep him free." Might said as he gritted his teeth.


    "¡­" Alex was sure that when Might was saying ''unspeakable things'', he''s referring to things that no normal human being would do. Only those affected by Mafioso''s power can do these ''unspeakable things''.


    "¡­.."Alex stayed quiet as he stared at Might, as he saw Might turning purple from anger.


    "This bastard should be-"


    "Might, calm yourself down right now." Magical Girl said as she approached Might. "I know you are pissed at Mafioso and that you want him in jail. But you should remember that we are in an important mission right now!"


    "Yes, I know about that." Might said as he took a deep breath. "Do not worry about me. I will not let my emotion cloud my judgement. I''m¡­ better than that."


    "Good. Just keep it cook ok?" Magical Girl said as she shifted her gaze to Alex. She then approached Alex quickly, giving him no room to retreat.


    "¡­" Alex could see Alina tensing as Magical Girl approached him.


    "So¡­ do you have any questions about those two villains?" Magical Girl said as she placed her hand on Alex''s arm. "I will entertain those questions for you."


    "I do not have any questions for them right now." Alex said as he deftly moved his arm away from Magical Girl. He could feel Alina''s glare at him lessening as he did that move. "I think your information is sufficient about them."


    "Is that so..." Magical Girl did not show her disappointment with Alex''s ''rejection'' to her. She only flitted back to her position as Might started talking again.


    "That''s the information that we have on the two Supervillains. As for the group that broke Glacia out, we only have limited information on them, as their attack was swift. So far, what our agents could only deduce was that one of their members was definitely an expert in technology, as the camera feed disappeared during the break-out, and it only reappeared after the break out."


    Might proceeded to write the word ''possible Technokinetic'' on the whiteboard.


    "The second thing that our members deduced was that one of their members was some sort of Chemist, as signs of chemical use were detected on the whole prison. Sleeping gas, corrosive acids and even flesh-eating liquids were seen after the break-out."


    The words ''possible Chemical Builder'' were then written by Might on the board.


    "As for the remaining members of the Villain Group, they were suspected to have some kind of Reacher or Domain Abilities, but we are not sure yet on what kind as they deliberately held back from making a move."


    "Well, at least we have some info from them." Alex said as he mused about what he heard. "That''s better than lunging in blindly. So, how should we engage them?"


    "The engagement plan that we have is as follows:" This time, it was Tetra who talked, as if he decided to use his imposing presence to explain everything.


    "Because Mafioso''s compound was filled with sensors that can detect our arrival, sneaking in is useless. So, we will rush towards their area in full force. Once we arrive there, I and Rocket will use our powers to disable all the traps in his compound. Once they were disabled, I will then engage on Mafioso''s powered members. As for the SHA Hero Team and the Travelers, they will focus on fighting against Glacia and the new Villain Group. Signum will also be joining them on that end. We will continue that battle plan unless the situation changes. Do you all understand that?"


    "Yes!" Alex and the others replied as they felt the anticipation of the upcoming fight.


    "In that case, we shall set out¡­ in 5 minutes then!" Tetra declared as he adjusted his helmet. "Once I give the signal, all of us will start our rush towards his compound! If you can''t move fast, just stick with those that can move and carry you all! Do you all understand?"


    "Yes Sir!"


    **********************


    5 minutes later.


    Alex and his companions were all standing straight right now, as the SHA Hero team were assuming imposing stances.


    As for Tetra himself he was standing in front of them, with his right arm raised high in the air.


    "On the count of 3." Tetra said as he started his countdown.


    "1."


    Alex adjusted his breathing pattern as he focused on optimizing his battle state. Alina just gripped her sword as she grabbed Alex''s hand tightly.


    "2"


    Alex''s Abyss Sprites rode in his shoulders, with their faces full of excitement. The prospect of fighting seems to have lit a fire inside them. Queen Mother on the other hand looked extremely calm. As for Lauren, she was being piggy-backed by Queen Mother, showing the apparent fact that she will be carried by Queen Mother.Alex smiled a little as this sight, thinking that it was picture-worthy.


    "3!"


    "Boom!"


    After Tetra said this number, everyone blasted out of the ground as they rushed towards their location.


    Alex shifted in his tentacle form as he used his EM Manipulation to make himself fly.


    Alex manipulated the Magnetic Field of the planet, allowing him to ''fly'' along it. Sufficed to say, this kind of flight was enjoyable to Alex.


    As for Alina, Alex could see her stepping on the air, as if she was threading through some stairs.


    "Yes, I am making space stairs right now, Alex." Alina said as she saw Alex looking at her. "Please don''t make some puns about this, ok?"


    "I promise." Alex said as he gave Alina a sly smile. "Well, I won''t make any puns, as long as you don''t STAIR at me."


    "Argh!"


    After having his fun with Alina, Alex then looked at Queen Mother.


    Queen Mother certainly did not go for subtlety, as she created a flying seed prototype on her back. This prototype allowed Queen Mother and Lauren to float in the air.


    After looking at his companions, Alex then looked at how the SHA Heroes were doing.


    Might was already fine, as he can fly by himself. Magical Girl seems to be the same too, as her glowing clothes seemed to allow her to fly.


    It was the other SHA Heroes that have their unique way of flying.


    In Deporter''s case, she was using her blasting power on herself.


    Everytime Deporter''s body gets into contact with the ground, she was using her power to blast herself into the sky at an angle that will allow her to move forward.


    And when Deporter falls back to the ground, she will just blast herself to the air again, repeating the process.


    Minotaur on the other hand was not flying at all. He was running in his Minotaur Form, and from what Alex can see, his Minotaur Form is quite fast on the ground.


    As for Rocket, he was RIDING A MOTHERF***ING ROCKET.


    Even Alex could not believe what he saw. A big ass rocket just suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and above that rocket was Rocket himself.


    While Alex was shaking his head from that, he decided to look at Medieval, with him wondering on how will that guy be able to keep up with them.


    "¡­" It was lucky for Alex that he saw Rocket riding a rocket, as what he saw with Medieval was just as surprising as with Rocket.


    Medieval was riding an EFFING HOT AIR BALLOON.


    And not just a normal hot air balloon. For whatever reason there is, this Hot Air Balloon was moving at the speeds that no normal air balloon should have.


    "That is both cool and weird." Alex muttered to himself as he watched the balloon zip past by him.


    "That is what I feel when I look at them too." Alina commented beside Alex. "But at least they don''t make horrible puns like you."


    "...¡­."


    Once he was done looking at SHA Heroes, Alex decided to look at Tetra''s movement.


    To his relief, he saw that Tetra was flying quite normally by himself. There''s no weird shenanigans with the Hero, and for some reason, that makes Alex feel somewhat relieved."


    "That is Mafioso''s compound! Everyone, prepare to fight!" Tetra declared as a large ancestral mansion appeared in Alex''s eyes.


    The ancestral mansion seemed to be made up of antique and expensive wood, with its walls and windows showing a certain elegance. The roofs had some patches on them, although it only adds to the mansion''s overall charm.


    Now that Alex looked at the ancestral mansion, he realized that Mafioso had some good taste. Too bad this house will surely be wrecked this time.


    After they received Tetra''s announcement, Alex''s Team and the SHA Heroes prepared themseleves tor the landing.


    But before they could even approach the inside of the ancestral mansion, countless attacks suddenly blotted the sky!


    The Heroes looked at the attacks with dismay, while Alex developed a sinking feeling to himself.


    Even if their enemy detected their arrival while they were rushing to Mafioso''s compound, there is no way that they could amass this many attackers.


    Gathering this many attackers was just impossible given the limited window of time.


    "Don''t tell me.." Alex''s eyes narrowed as he realized the only reason for the situation that they are in right now.


    "It''s an ambush!" Alex shouted as he stopped in his flight. "These f**kers knew about what we plan to do, and they used it to ambush us!"

 Chapter 126 Meeting and Presen

    All of them did not waste their time as they used their abilities to dodge the incoming attacks.


    Alex changed his magnetic orientation as he sent himself hurtling down to the ground. "Boom!" Alex used his tentacles to redirect the pressure from the fall, allowing him to land without any injuries.


    Alex watched with his eyes as the other Heroes landed safely too.


    "Leave these Mafia guys to me!" Tetra shouted as he raised his fists. "You should all look for Glacia and the villain team. They are the higher priority!"


    "Boom!" Tetra then started his attacks, as he shot out some kind of powerful blaster attacks towards the Mafia members.


    The Mafia members hit by the blasts went down, although they were quickly replaced by new Mafia members.


    "F**k!" Alex could feel Tetra''s irritation even if he was at a distance from him.


    Alex knew that Tetra was a Hero, which meant that killing enemies was a big no for Tetra. Because of that, Tetra had no choice but to dial down his strength while dealing with the Mafia members. This dialing down has resulted in Tetra being stuck on fighting the Mafia members.


    "That Mafioso surely is a sleazy guy." Alex muttered to himself as he flicked a stray attack coming to him. "As long as he can do something to inconvenience his enemies, he will surely do it¡­"


    Alex then went quiet as he joined the other Heroes on looking for their targets.


    If Alex was right, there is no way that Glacia will be near at the Mafia members right now, since her weakening aura might affect them.


    That means that she could be at some distance away right now, maybe with the villain team, although Glacia could just be alone too.


    "Hong~" Alex let out a pulse of his Mental Power as he scanned the area inside his Range.


    With his EM Manipulation, Alex can identify any living being''s electrical presence. With this identification in mind, Alex scanned for any suspicious presences nearby.


    "There!" Alex eyes narrowed as he saw five electrical presences clustered together on a spot 500 meters away from the mansion.


    Even without visual aid, Alex was sure that these five electrical presences were the villain Team and Glacia!


    Alina seems to have detected them too, as she started to guide the other Heroes. "Follow me! I have detected their location already!"


    It could have been the charisma in Alina''s voice, as the SHA Heroes did not complain as they followed her. Of course Alex followed her too, since he just detected them.


    With their speed, it took them 30 seconds to reach their target spot.


    "..."


    Alex''s eyes settled on the figures waiting for them, and they all looked like they were ready to fight them already.


    Alex then smiled grimly as he saw each one of their enemies in full color.


    Glacia was still the same as usual, with her wearing her shorts and tank top dress. This time around however, she was also wearing a gas mask.


    Glacia''s whole body seemed to be screaming in anger as she let out an angry shout when Alex arrived.


    Alexignored her shouts as he looked at the villain team beside Glacia, with his eyes lapping in all the details that he could get.


    Just like the Heroes, the villain team was also wearingcostumes, and to Alex''s dismay, their costumes were way better than theirs.


    The sole male in the team was wearing a trickster costume, with the ball object still on his hands. This male tipped his hat towards the Heroes, as if he was greeting them amicably.


    The second member of the villain team was dressed in a traditional female samurai costume, with her long black hair tied in a bun. She had her katana out, and she was pointing it at Alina''s direction.


    The third member on the other hand, was a short, brown-haired female who was wearing a nun costume while holding a whip¡­


    Yeah, that costume looks contradicting AF, and Alex had no interest on knowing where it came from.


    As for the final member of the villain team, her costume was the one that got Alex worried.


    She was wearing a lab coat that was stained with different kinds of colors. She was wearing tinted lab goggles complete with a set of gloves on her hands.


    There was also a small metal container slung on the woman''s back, with a nozzle sprouting out of the container.


    The woman was holding this nozzle in her left hand, with her constantly swaying the nozzle in around her.


    Alex narrowed his eyes as he felt that this woman was releasing ''mad scientist vibes'' with the costume that she was wearing.


    "That woman must have been the Chemist that we are talking about." Might muttered to Alex as they approached their waiting enemies.


    "No doubt about that." Alex replied as he eyed the container on the woman''s back. "So, how should we fight them now?"


    "We will fight them all at once." Might said with his teammates nodding with him. "We will just think of other strategies once we get more knowledge about their abilities."


    "If that is your call, then let''s start this then!" Alex shouted as he and the Heroes rushed to their targets, giving them no time to give their monologue.


    ***************************


    Unsurprisingly, it was Glacia who made the first attack.


    "You bastards, I will make you pay for my humiliation!" The supervillain shouted as she blasted her Weakening Aura at full force, drawing a grunt from the Heroes.


    She then proceeded to freeze the whole place around her, turning it all to ice.


    "Rocket!" Might shouted as Glacia started lumbering towards them. "Bring them out!"


    "Roger!" Rocket shouted as he pointed his rocket launcher towards Glacia.


    "Wizzz¡­" A rocket the size of a dog shot out of the rocket launcher, whizzing towards the pissed Glacia.


    "Scram!" Glaica snarled as she swatted the rocket out of her face.


    But at the instant that her Ice Armor made contact with the rocket, the rocket suddenly exploded into tiny dust particles which started to eat into Glacia''s Ice Armor.


    "Hell yeah! How did you like my nanomachines huh?" Rocket shouted as his whole demeanor seems to have changed. "They will slowly eat through your armor until you have nothing left!


    "Bastard!" Glacia snarled as she threw ice spikes towards the gloating Rocket. Alex dodged these spikes barely by rocketing himself sideways. One of the spikes hit Rocket in his left foot however, sending him crashing to the ground in pain.


    "F***ing piece of shit. Let''s see if you can still boast like that to me!" Glacia said as she stomped her foot, suddenly creating a 12-foot tall Ice Behemoth in front of her.


    This Ice Behemoth lunged towards the downed Rocket, only for it to be blocked by a hulking, 10-foot tall muscular bull-man hybrid.


    Minotaur, who was now in his Minotaur Shifted Form, let out some guttural sounds as he sent a haymaker towards the Ice Behemoth.


    The Ice Behemoth was thrown by the punch some distance away, landing into the icy ground with a crunch.


    The Ice Behemoth stood up, only for Minotaur to gore it with his horn.


    The Ice Behemoth then let out a guttural groan as it started grappling with Minotaur!


    While these two gigantic figures were busy wrestling with each other, the remaining SHA Heroes focused their attention on Glacia.


    "Magical Blast!" Magical Girl shouted as she sent out multiple heart-shaped projectiles towards Glacia. Glacia returned in kind, intercepting these projectiles with her ice spikes.


    While she was doing this, Magical Girl also healed Rocket''s injury, allowing him to rejoin the battle with Glacia.


    As for Deporter, she was also dealing with the ice spikes, blasting them back to Glacia with her ability. Each Ice Spike that Deporter touched were sent hurtling back to Glacia, with enough power to pierce through metal.


    Glacia were able to block these redirected spikes by reverting them back to liquid form.


    Medievial on the other hand, has somewhat summoned a cannon, which he was pointing towards Glacia.


    "Boom, boom, boom!"He sent out consecutive blasts of cannon towards Glacia, which Glacia blocks with occasional ice walls coming from her icy field.


    The rocket attacks sent by Rocket were all blocked by Glacia too, as she started to create her own ice cannon, which shot down the rockets before they could even reach her.


    "¡­." Alex watched in awe as he realized that this is actually Glacia at her full power.


    Only when Glacia has her full icy field out that she can demonstrate her full prowess.


    Alex and his Companions were only able to defeat Glacia last night since they were able to prevent her from using her icy field.


    "It''s a good thing that Queen Mother broke her ice field last night." Alex thought to himself as he let out a sigh. "If she did not do that, the fight could have been longer¡­"


    ****************


    Booming sounds on the field continued as Glacia continued grappling with 5 SHA Heroes at the same time.


    "Don''t worry about my teammates. They can hold off Glacia for some time." Might said as he and Alex looked at the villain team on the side. "For now, we have to worry about them."


    "Right." Alex replied as he focused his attention on the villain team.


    Right now, Alex was highly sure that this Villain Team was the Traveler Team that he was supposed to fight against.


    He could see it in their demeanor. They were exuding a certain kind of feeling that Alex could not quite explain. Alex however was sure that this feeling was unique on this team.


    There was also the fact that they were giving Alex challenging grins, as if they were goading him to fight them already.


    Of course that was not the only evidence that Alex have.


    Now that Alex was nearer on the villain team, he realized that there was something else with that villain team.


    And that something was a small creature with the same size as Asteria.


    This said creature seemed to don a male humanoid appearance, with it also having some wings.


    This creature also had horns on its head, which coupled with its fiendishly red eyes, makes the creature look like a little devil.


    This little devil was sitting on top of the Chemist''s(mad scientist''s) head, sending Alex a knowing smile in his way.


    "¡­" Alex looked at Might, who seemed to be unable to see this little devil.


    Alex then looked at Asteria, who let out a sigh as she said,


    "Yes, that little devil is the Guide of the enemy Traveler Group. Don''t ask me to talk with it. It will just try to verbally attack me. It''s a devil after all."


    "I will take that in mind." Alex thought to himself as he decided to talk with the villain team first.


    "Hey, do you really want to fight it out with us? Why don''t you surrender now to make everything better?"


    "Hmph, don''t talk to us like that, you filthy Hero!" The Chemist(mad scientist), who was only cackling to herself earlier, suddenly shouted these words as a reply to Alex. "We are villains, and we do not surrender to the likes of you!"


    "¡­" Alex found himself slightly speechless at this time, as he realized that this woman who looked like a mad scientist seems to be too invested in acting like a villain!


    "You are just playing with fate here, woman." Might suddenly said, as he did not hide his distaste while looking at the chemist(mad scientist). "I will repeat what Eldritch said. Surrender now, and we could help you out in your crimes."


    "Shut up, you idealistic cretin!" The chemist(mad scientist)cackled as she raised her nozzle high in the air. "I''m a Mad Scientist, and I will not get down without a fight! Sunnovabich!"


    "You asked for it!" Alex said as he and his Companions rushed towards the villain team. "Just don''t go back to your home crying once we beat you up!"


    "We''ll see about that." The chemist(mad scientist)replied as she pressed a button in her nozzle. "We''ll see about that."


    A noxious-looking gas then erupted out from the nozzle, and before Alex could stop it, the whole area was covered by this gas!


    "Enjoy my present to you, TRAVELER." The chemist(mad scientist)said as the gas continued on spreading. "I hope that you can show me that you are worthy of your abilities."

 Chapter 127 SHA REPORTS

    SHA OVERALL SUPERHUMAN ANALYSIS BOARD


    As of January 22, 2018, the current power classifications of SHA still holds over all the Superhumans of Earth One.No proposed changes have been offered by the board, making the current classification applicable until the end of year 2018.


    The current power classification are as follows:


    1. STRONGMAN TYPE -Refers to Superhumans with advanced strength and durability.


    2. MOVER TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhumans with enhanced movement abilities. Includes flying, teleportation and super speed.


    3. RANGER TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhumans with abilities that can be used at a distance. Energy blasts and shooting weapons are under this type.


    4. DOMAIN TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhumans with abilities that can affect an area, whether the area is large or small. Also called AOE Type in casual talks. Abilities like sandstorm or earthquake manifestation are under this type.


    5. SUMMONER TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhuman with abilities that can summon living or non-living object from an unknown sources. The said summon can be under the control of the Summoner or had its own free will.


    6. REACHER TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhumans whose ability require close contact in order to work. All touch-based abilities are under this type.


    7. CONTROLLER TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhumans whose ability allows them to control living or non-living objects.


    8. SHIFTER TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhumans who can change their body''s appearance, composition, or content. Superhumans who can change their appearance and those that can assume elemental form are all under this type.


    9. BUILDER TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhumans that can build advanced technological constructs. Building robots, power suits, and weapons all follow the Builder Type.


    10. MIND TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhuman with mind-based abilities. Telepathy and future sight fall under this type.


    11. POWER TYPE -Refers to Superhumans that can manipulate Superhuman Powers in different ways. Nullifier, Enhancers, Power Copiers, and Power Givers all fall under this type.


    12. RECON TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhuman with abilities that allows them to spy or infiltrate places without catching attention. Invisibility and Attention Diversion fall under this type.


    13. UNKOWN TYPE ¨C Refers to Superhumans with abilities that are not under the first 12 classifications. Abilities like these are rare, although they must be treated with care.


    ****************


    Power Classes:


    All Superhuman Abilities are graded in different classes, with each class representing different levels of power.


    The classes are as follows: Class F, Class E, Class D, Class C, Class B, Class A, Class S, Class SS, Class SSS, and Class Z.


    Class F represent the weakest power while Class Z represent world-ending powers.


    Class F - Class D Powers represent the level of powers that SHA Agents can deal with.


    Heroes on the other hand will be needed starting from Class C-Class A Powers.


    As for Class S ¨C Class SSS Powers, only the powerful Heroes are allowed to tackle these classes.


    As for Class Z Powers, only another Hero with Class Z Power can deal with it.


    *****************


    Detailed Report about a new Hero Team.


    Approximately around 9 pm on January 22, 2018, a Hero Group known as Travelers appeared in a fight between the supervillain Glacia and new Hero called ''Signum''.


    The new Hero made quick work of the supervillain, with the said group leaving the area with Signum.


    All the Mind Type SHA Agents have made an approximate report about the Traveler''s and Signum''s Power Classifications and Classes.


    KHORA: Class S Ranger Type, and possible Class A Domain Type. Possesses the ability to project sword attacks at a distance, with these projected attacks seemingly stronger than the sword attack itself, hinting at a possible strength-enhancing ability. SHA Agents also determined that Khora has possible space manipulation abilities, hence the tentative Domain Type. If seen alone, do not engage unless necessary.


    DRYAD: Class S Domain Type and Class A Controller Type. Possess the ability to induce massive levels of plant growth in a large area. Also has the ability to manipulate the said plants. A possible Metahuman with her green-skinned appearance. If seen alone, do not engage unless necessary.


    SIGNUM: Class A Domain Type and Class A Reacher Type. Can create mathematical symbol stickers which she can sticks on an object in order for it to work. SHA Agents determined that the said sticker can somehow manipulate the chemical and physical properties of the object it was stuck to. More analysis is needed to identify the real power of the stickers. If seen alone, do not engage unless necessary.


    ELDRITCH: Class S Ranger Type, Class A Shifter Type, and Class A Strongman Type. Has the ability to shift into a tentacle monster form with advanced durability. Also has the ability to shoot destructive blasts that gouged Glacia''s armor. Not a Metahuman since the tentacle state is the result of shifting. If seen alone, do not engage unless necessary.


    Overall assessment:


    The Travelers are tentatively pegged as a City-Level Team although power testing can change this Level, along with the power classes and classifications.

 Chapter 128 Deal, or No Deal?

    "Don''t try to use your plants anymore, Dryad." The mad scientist said as she continued on spraying out the noxious gas out of her container. "This special gas that I made has special enzymes that will prevent plant growth! Not only that, but I also placed agents here that are effective against mollusk-like bodies! I Oh, and I also reduced the visibility in this area, so that Khora and Signum will not be able to see clearly!""


    "!!!" After hearing what the mad scientist said, Alex eyes widened as he looked at his tentacle form. To his surprise, he saw that his tentacles were starting to form holes, as if the gas was affecting them!


    Asfor Dryad, she was frowning slightly as she said,


    "It will be pretty hard for me to summon the plants that I summoned last night¡­ That woman really made sure to inhibit plant growth with that gas of hers. How ingenious¡­"


    "This woman deserves to be a Traveler¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he shifted back to his Human Form. "The announcement for the Main Mission was made just earlier, yet she was able to concoct a gas to neutralize the abilities that we showed on the video last night¡­"


    From the looks of it, this mad scientist had prepared herself to face Alex''s team. By using the gas to neutralize the abilities of Alex''s team, the mad scientist Companions will have easier time fighting them.


    "Go!" The mad scientist shouted to her Companions. "It''s our time to shine now!"


    The Companions of the mad scientist then dashed towards Alex''s team, as if they wanted to cut them down.


    Might''s body tensed up as he started to join the fight, but before he could do so, a shout of pain could be heard coming from Deporter.


    Because of the appearance of the noxious gas, the other Heroes were suddenly unable to see the attacks coming from Glacia.


    The supervillain naturally took advantage of this, as she sent her ice spikes on the Heroes. Most of them were able to dodge, except for Deporter, whose left foot was caught by the spike.


    "We can deal with them by ourselves!" Alex shouted to Might. "Help out Deporter, and we will deal with this villain team by ourselves!"


    Might looked like he wanted to say something else, but when he saw the lumbering figure of Glacia approaching Deporter, he was left with no choice but to help Deporter out.


    Once Might was gone, Alex looked back at the Companions rushing towards them with a smirk on his face.


    "Your chemicals are quite good¡­ although that is not enough to weaken us!" Alex said he dashed towards the mad scientist herself.


    The 7 AbyssSprites then appeared behind Alex as they started absorbing Abyss Energy for him.


    Even if Alex was not in his shifted form, he can still use Abyss Magic. And now that he had his Abyss Sprites with him, using Abyss Magic was faster and easier for him!


    For now, Alex decided to only use Abyss Magic while fighting the mad scientist.


    As for EM Manipulation, he will keep that secret for now. He will use it as his secret weapon.


    After all, his Main Mission was to obtain the Legacy of Tartaros.


    Alex would preferably only use his EM Manipulation when the time comes for him to obtain the Legacy of Tartaros. After all, that was the time where his life will be really at stake.


    Right now will be just a sort of probing battle.


    Alex smirked, as he knew that the mad scientist must be thinking the same way as him too.


    As long as the Legacy of Tartaros was not yet shown, the mad scientist will also not show her full capabilities.


    She will obviously settle on using her Chemist abilities for now. As for her other abilities, she might only use it once the chase for the Legacy of Tartaros starts.


    Alex smiled as he imagined that he and the mad scientist were playing an elaborate game of Go right now, and what they were doing were just setting the preliminary pieces.


    "If you want to play this game, then I will gladly play it with you." Alex thought to himself as he set his goal as: Defeat the enemy Travelers without showing much of his strength.


    "You are a Magic User? Tsk, so you hid your strength well. I thought you were just a monster shifter¡­ Hahaha, this should be fun!" The mad scientist cackled as a syringe appeared in her left hand.


    Red liquid sloshed inside the syringe as the mad scientist injected it to herself.


    The mad scientist''s skin immediately turned red as her face flushed. Steam came out of her body as her eyes went red.


    "!!!" Alex eyes narrowed as he saw the mad scientist sending out a punch in his direction.


    With his danger sense, Alex realized that this punch can somehow injure him!


    <<<Mental Enhancement>>>


    <<<Defense Enhancement>>>


    <<<Attack Enhancement>>>


    Before the punch could hit Alex, Pride shouted out his first three spells, covering Alex with a golden glow.


    "Boom!" After receiving the enhancements form Pride, Alex let loose a punch of his own too, meeting the mad scientist''s punch head on.


    Both of them then retreated by two steps, with them looking at their fists with wonder.


    "¡­" Alex stared at the mad scientist, as he confirmed that the red liquid that she injected to herself increased her bodily toughness and power.


    It was only when Alex used Defense and Attack Enhancement that he was able to fight back against that punch.


    "So your spells allowed you to withstand my body huh. Huhuhu, now you make me really interested!" The mad scientist cackled as she injected herself with another syringe.


    This time, what was inside the syringe was blue liquid.


    The veins on the mad scientist''s body started to glow blue, as she began to laugh maniacally.


    "Catch me if you can!" The mad scientist then disappeared on the spot, with her only leaving dust in her wake.


    "!!!" Alex felt danger coming to him from behind, prompting to defend himself from that spot.


    ^^^Major Telekinesis^^^


    {{{Major Destruction Aura}}}


    A piece of stone flew towards Alex, hitting the person that appeared behind him.


    "Crack!"


    A cracking sound could be heard as the mad scientist, who was about to plunge a venom-coated knife into Alex''s nape, blocked a piece of stone aimed to her head with her left arm.


    The bone in her left arm, which was enhanced by the mad scientist''s concoctions, was split in half by the piece of stone that was powered by Major Telekinesis and was covered with Major Destruction Aura.


    "Drats" The mad scientist cursed as she disappeared from the spot, reappearing once more in front of Alex.


    She was holding her left arm gingerly as she glared at him.


    "So, that red liquid increases your body toughness, while that blue liquid enhances your speed." Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head.


    Alex felt happy that his Mental Enhancement allowed him to attack the mad scientist even if she was in her super-speed state earlier. It was only that enhancement that allowed him to conjure Major Telekinesis and Major Destruction Aura on a piece of stone before the mad scientist could hit him.


    "For you to use your chemist abilities on yourself¡­ is quite daring and innovative. But I assume that you are still holding back, right?"


    "Hmph!" The mad scientist withdrew another syringe, this time containing green liquid inside it. She injected it to herself, and Alex saw the broken bone fixing itself once the syringe was empty.


    "I am not the only one holding back." The mad scientist said as she glared at Alex. "You are still holding back too, right?''


    "Well¡­" Alex''s voice trailed as he observed his Companions.


    He saw Alina fighting the katana-wielding Companion of the mad scientist.


    Alex watched in amusement as he saw that each one of Alina''s attacks were being dodged gracefully by the katana woman.


    It was as if the katana woman knew every move that Alina made, and she was doing steps to avoid them.


    Alex could also see the katana woman sending out some thread-like weapons to Alina, which Alina just deflects with her space shields.


    So far, none of the two swordswoman were able to get an edge on each other, as their defenses prevent the other one from landing a hit.


    Alex then looked at Queen Mother and Lauren, who were fighting together against the whip woman and the metal ball guy.


    Even with the noxious gas present, Queen Mother somehow was able to produce some kind of biological agent that purified the area 5 meters around her.


    Inside that area she was able to summon razor-toothed plants that chomped towards the whip woman and the ball guy.


    As for Lauren, she was continuously slapping her symbols on the plants, as she seemed to be adding some kind of lethal property on these plants.


    This seemed to have spurned the plants on, as they began spitting out some kind of corrosive chemicals towards their opponent.


    As for the ball guy, Alex could see countless drones coming out of the guys'' metal ball, with most of the drones intercepting the chemical spit and the remaining drones attacking Lauren.


    Queen Mother was just casually slapping these drones away with a whip-like extension that appeared in her right hand.


    As for Queen Mother''s left hand, it was shooting out balls made out of wood with speeds reaching that of a bullet.


    The wood balls were all targeting the whip woman and the metal ball guy.


    But none of the wood balls were reaching the targets, as the whip woman was blocking them all.


    The whip woman was currently in a transformed state, with her body adapting the appearance of a gigantic cobra, with size as large as that of an elephant.


    This cobra was flicking her tail at insane speeds, slapping the wooden balls out of the air, with some of the balls headed to Alina, who also blocks them with ease.


    Alex let out a sigh as he looked at the two deadlocks nearby him. He then looked back to the mad scientist, giving her a nod as he said,


    "Yes, we are holding back too. If we were not holding back, you guys will be defeated by us already."


    "Hmph, defeat us? In your dreams!" The mad scientist shouted as she gave Alex a condescending look. "But even if you want to use your full abilities, you don''t want to do that, right?" The mad scientist said as she gave her lunatic grin to Alex. "Not when we still do not know what the Legacy is..."


    The tone of the mad scientist''s voice made Alex narrow his eyes as he realized what she was pertaining to.


    Alex gave the mad scientist a suspicious glare as he said,


    "Are you¡­ talking about having an alliance to look for the Legacy of Tartaros?"


    "Exactly!" The mad scientist grinned amidst the sounds of battle. "You know that with us holding back here, no conclusive winner could be seen. So instead of us wasting time here, why don''t we just use our joint abilities to find the Legacy of Tartaros?Once we find the Legacy, we can go back to fighting against each other to determine the owner of the Legacy. But at that time, there will be no holding back anymore¡­"


    "¡­"


    "So, what do you think of that offer?" The mad scientist said as the red glow from her concoction started to fade."Will you accept it, or not?"


    "¡­.."

 Chapter 129 Unexpected Meeting

    Alex could only stare at the mad scientist, as she stared back at him with her lunatic smile.


    "You''re serious about this." Alex said with a deadpan expression on his face as he realized that this woman actually wanted to ally with him!


    "Why are you getting fussed with that huh?" The mad scientist replied as she seemed to be offended by Alex''s expression. "Are you thinking that I am messing with you? If you are thinking that way, then maybe we can make the Traveler Truce right now!"


    "The what?" Alex blurted as he found the words the woman said to be quite indecipherable." What is a Traveler Truce?"


    "¡­Don''t tell me you do not know that?" The mad scientist mouthed out as she looked at Asteria, who was sitting on Alex''s head. "Your Guide did not tell you anything about the Traveler Truce?"


    "¡­She did not." Alex replied as he managed to glare at the sheepish-looking Asteria. "Oi dumb fairy, what the hell is she talking about here?"


    "Well¡­" Asteria tilted her head as she slowly said,


    "There are times where 3 or more Traveler Groups will appear in a World. When that happens, usually 2 of these groups will ally together. In order to make that alliance better, the Endless Monarch decided to create a system called Traveler Truce. With that system in place, 2 Traveler Groups in alliance with each other will have to follow the terms of their Truce or they will die. Naturally, this Traveler Truce made alliance between 2 Traveler Groups much easier¡­"


    "Why the hell did you not tell that to me earlier?" Alex said as he pinched his nose, with most of his attention still trained on the mad scientist. "Maybe you could have just hinted that to me!"


    "Why should I tell you that? That system mostly works only when there are 3 or more Traveler Groups!" Asteria shouted in reply as she glared at Alex. "There are only 2 Traveler Groups in this World, meaning that allying with them is somewhat counterproductive! That is why I did not tell that to you! Even if I told you that earlier, will you use that Truce to ally with the enemy Traveler?"


    "Well, our Enemy Traveler is crazy enough to try to ally with us." Alex said as he let out a sigh.He then looked back at the mad scientist, who seemed to be still eager for Alex''s answer.


    "If I say no right now, what will you do?" Alex asked as his Abyss Sprites started to gather power within themselves. "Will you still continue fighting?"


    "Well¡­ I am sure that once you discover that truth, you would want to ally with my group." The mad scientist replied confidently. "And even if you say no here, me and my teammates will just wait for you to change your mind."


    "Heh, then I refuse your deal." Alex said as he let out a sneer. "Maybe I will think having an alliance with you once I placed you and your teammates in prison!"


    Even if Alex was tempted with a temporary alliance with the enemy Traveler, Alex knew that it was still risky getting close to them.


    Maybe the alliance was just the cover for the enemy to discover their real power. Or worse, the alliance could also be a part of the enemy''s plan to defeat them!


    Even if this mad scientist said that she was confident that Alex will ally with her in the end, Alex decided to not think about her offer anymore.


    "That''s too bad¡­ Well, I guess that wraps up our meeting here." The mad scientist said with a melancholic voice as she let out a sigh. "Let''s just meet again next week, ok?"


    "What do you mean meet again? I won''t let anyone of you leave this place!" Alex declared as he decided to go all-out with his Abyss Magic.


    But before he could do so, the mad scientist let out her insane laugh as she said,


    "Tom Foolery, activate the Chemical Explosives!"


    The metal ball guy let out an annoyed sigh as he talked back to the mad scientist. "Alchemist, they are not Chemical Explosives. They are specialized one-time use area of effect chemical dispersers. Oh, and I activated them right now."


    "Hmph, it doesn''t matter what they are! They are chemical explosives in my opinion!" Alchemist said as she waved her nozzle on Alex''s direction.


    "What the f**k? Chemical Explosives?" Even if Alex was not sure on what these chemical explosives really are, he was sure that they were not good at all. "You had Chemical Explosives placed here in the mansion?"


    "Oh no, not here." The mad scientist said as she gave Alex a grin. "The chemical explosives are placed in more special¡­places."


    "Don''t tell me¡­"


    "Oh, I am telling you." The mad scientist said as her tongue lolled out. "I had Tom Foolery place 3 chemical explosives around the Grand Point City! These chemical explosives only have 5 minutes left before they release toxins all around them!"


    "!!!"


    When Alchemist said these words, she made sure that her voice was heard all around the area.


    This effectively halted the fights around Alex.


    "What the f**k Alchemist?" This time around, the one who showed an adverse reaction was Glacia herself. "You are placing chemical weapons in the city itself? Are you a psycho?"


    "Na uh uh." Alchemist replied as she wagged her fingers. "I just placed them there as a way for us to make the Heroes leave."


    "¡­."


    "You only have 4 minutes and 30 seconds left before you can deactivate the Chemical Explosives." Alchemist said as she pointedly looked at the SHA Heroes and Alex''s team. "What the hell are you waiting for? You are all Heroes, right? You should leave right now and find those Chemical Explosives! Deactivate them before they release my chemicals! If you don''t, many will die in this city¡­"


    "You f**ker!" By this point, Alex realized that this devious woman had them cornered.


    If they continued fighting with them, the chances of the Chemical Explosives releasing the chemicals will increase, which can lead to devastating deaths.


    However, if Alex and the Heroes leave right now, they will be able to deactivate the Chemical Explosives, but Alchemist''s Team will be able to escape!


    "I thought you were all Heroes?" Alchemist said as she let out a disappointed sigh. "Don''t tell me you want to catch us in expense of innocent lives?"


    "¡­Let''s go now!" In the end, Alex and Might knew that they must not waste their time here any longer.


    They had to force their teammates to leave the place, with the jeering laughter of Alchemist trailing behind them.


    "Alex, you and your team should go first." Might said as he gave Alex a hard look. "My teammates and I will go to Tetra and explain to him the situation. Once we did that, we will start looking for the chemical explosives too."


    "Good luck to you." Alex said as he looked back at the Alchemist and her group.


    To his disappointment, they were all gone now, as if they all slunk away.


    "F**king bastards." Alex muttered to himself as he used his EM Sensing to sense where the chemical explosives are. "The next time I see that Alchemist woman, I will be bashing her head with my elbow!"


    With that consolation in his mind, Alex''s body blurred as he and his Companions blasted towards their new targets.


    ***********************


    6 hourslater.


    Luckily for Alex and his Companions, they were able to deactivate all 3 of the Chemical Explosives before they could do any damage.


    Alex''s Team deactivated one, the SHA Hero Team deactivated the second one, and Tetra deactivated the last one.


    All of these chemical explosives were now under the custody of SHA, on a place where they will not be able to do any damage.


    "Cheer up, Eldritch. Villains like them usually use these elaborate plans to keep us Heroes at bay." Might said as he seemingly tried to console a grumpy-looking Alex. "Don''t worry, even if they escaped now, we will be able to see them sooner than what you expected!"


    "That''s right, Eldritch." This time around, it was Tetra who swooped in to comfort Alex. "Even if they got the best of us right now, in the end, they will still fall under our efforts! All that we need is just some patience."


    "I guess you two are right." Alex said as he let out a sigh. He then continued munching on his tacos as he leaned against the wall. "Patience is a virtue after all."


    Right now, all of them were inside a private room in the SHA Headquarters, with all of them using this room to relax and have fun.


    Alexwas not sure about the fun part, but he was certainly relaxed, with him watching the other Heroes mingling with his Companions.


    "Well, with Tetra''s Fundamental Force Manipulation, I am sure that he can easily beat up those Villains the next time that we see them!" Might said as he gave Tetra an idolizing gaze. "There''s no way for them to survive a gravity beam if it was aimed at them!"


    "Hahaha! That joke never gets old!" Tetra said as he slapped Might''s shoulder with mirth on his face. "That joke should be a part of my autobiography. Just think of- Hey Eldritch, are you okay?"


    Alex found himself stunned as he heard the conversation between Tetra and Myth.


    "Your power¡­ is Fundamental Force Manipulation?" Alex slowly asked as his gaze became locked on Tetra. "You can control gravity, electromagnetism, strong nuclear force, and weak nuclear force?"


    "Of course I can. Everyone in the World knows about it!" Tetra said as he gave Alexa suspicious gaze. "Why are you asking that, anyway? That is a common information, you know."


    "I¡­" Alex''s mouth flapped open as he decided to observe Tetra''s body.


    Aside from the biker jacket, Alex realized that there were actually tattoos visible on Tetra''s neck and hands.


    Alex looked at these tattoos closely, and he realized that these tattoos looked eerily similar to the tattoos of one person that Alex had met before.


    This said person was also a Fundamental Force Manipulator. However, this person was from the Esper World, and not here in this World!


    "No way¡­"


    Alex''s eyes widened as he realized that there could only be one explanation as for why the Hero Tetra has the same abilities and tattoos as the person that Alex met in the Esper World.


    Alex looked back to Tetra, who was giving him a worried look.


    Alex took a huge gulp as he said,


    "Tetra, canI ask you something?"


    "Sure, but make sure that your question is a decent one." Tetra replied as he straightened his body.


    "¡­" After receiving this answer, Alex took a deep breath to compose himself. It was now or never for him.


    Alex used his power to cover the area around him and Tetra, which isolated the both of them.


    With this precaution in place, nobody aside from Alex and Tetra will hear their conversation.


    This is a necessary precaution, as the question that Alex will ask was of the utmost sensitivity.


    "Here we go then¡­" Alex stared at Tetra''s eyes directly as he asked him,


    "Tetra, are you one of the strongest Esper in the Esper World? Are you the one dubbed as the ''Mad Jackal''? Are you the one with a wife named Natasha and two children? Are you the one with a niece named Alina? Is Clint your actual name? Tell me Tetra, are you that person?"

 Chapter 130 The Obligatory Confrontation

    Alex had to wait for a few seconds before Tetra gave his reply.


    "Sorry, but I do not know what you are talking about." Tetra replied as he shook his head. "I have a different name, different life, and different family. They''re nothing like what you were saying. I am not like the person that you are talking about."


    Alex looked at Tetra''s eyes, as he saw that there were no signs of falsehood in his eyes and voice.


    "¡­" After receiving that reply, Alex closed his eyes as he decided to ask Tetra about something important.


    "If you are not lying to me, then can you please show me your face?" Alex said as he stared at Tetra with determination in his eyes. "If you think this request of mine is unfair, then I will show my face to you now."


    After saying these words, Alex decisively removed his mask, which fully revealed his face to Tetra. He gave the befuddled Hero a weary smile, as if he was saying that he had to do it.


    "You¡­." Tetra could only stare at Alex dumbfoundedly, as if he found his actions weird. "Are you really that interested in my identity?"


    "I''m really sorry about this, but I really need to see your face." Alex replied with conviction in his face. "If you really do not want to show it to me, then it is just fine."


    "¡­." Tetra said nothing for a full minute, with him only staring at Alex intently the whole time.


    Alex stared back at Tetra, with him not yielding against the sudden pressure coming out of Tetra.


    "Sigh¡­ since you and Might impressed me in the operation earlier, I was actually planning to show my face to you two." Tetra said as he let out a sigh. "But since you want to see it now, then I will show my face to you now!"


    Tetra then removed his mask, showing Alex a face that he was all too familiar with.


    Alex found himself at loss for words he was realized that he was staring at a face that was extremely similar to the face of Clint!


    "¡­." With Alex''s advanced senses, he could sense some minute differences between Tetra''s face and Clint''s face.


    But these differences were so minute that even Alex had the feeling that Tetra just looks extremely alike with Clint!


    "Holy hell¡­ This Tetra actually looks like Alina''s Uncle." Asteria muttered as she observed Tetra''s face. "Damn, if I do not know that this is Tetra, then I will also mistake him for Clint!"


    "But Tetra could actually be Clint himself!" Alex thought to himself, as he knew that if Tetra has the same Fundamental Force Manipulation and the same face as Clint, then there is a high chance that Clint is Tetra!


    Asteria seemed to have noticed what Alex was thinking, as she let out a snort while saying,


    "Alex, are you sure that he really is Clint? This could be just some bizarre coincidence. Come on, this man said that he knows nothing about being Clint, or about Natasha or even Alina! Heck, he even said that he was living in this World for more than 30 years already! There is no way that he can be Clint!"


    "¡­" Alex''s arguments were immediately shut down by what Asteria said to him.


    Alex had just left the Esper World months ago, which means that there is actuallyno way for Clint to just appear in this World and become a celebrated Hero within those months! That is just illogical and confusing!


    "¡­I''m sorry. It seems like I have mistaken you for another person." Alex said in the end as he gave Tetra an apologetic gaze.


    "Well, no problem there kiddo. Sometimes people just look familiar to you." Tetra said as he stared to put his mask on. "Don''t be too saddened by that."


    Alex was about to end his conversation with Tetra, when a sudden thought struck his mind.


    This thought made Alex stop in his tracks, as if he realized something extremely important.


    "¡­" Alex''s expression changed from apologetic to unsure as he deided to continue talking with Tetra.


    "Can I ask you one more question? Please, this is really the last one." Alex said as he gave Tetra a pleading gaze. "Once I ask you this question, I will stop bugging you already."


    "Dude, you are not bugging me at all." Tetra said as he gave Alex an indication for him to start speaking. "Feel free to ask me now, you won''t get a chance to do this everyday."


    "Ok." Alex replied as he took a deep breath. He levelled his gaze at Tetra, with him observing every minute tics and expressions on Tetra''s face.


    Alex made sure to keep his cold-reading at high alert as he slowly said,


    "Tetra, do you know anything about Tartaros?"


    "!!!" Even if it was faint, Alex could see Tetra''s pupils dilating minutely and his lips twitching imperceptibly. Alex also noticed Tetra''s shoulders tightening, along with his legs bending slightly.


    All of these reactions only lasted for a second before Tetra regained his composure.


    "I know nothing about that Tartaros that you are talking about, Eldritch." Tetra said, this time with his voice turning frigidly cold. "I do not know why are you speaking nonsense things like that, but I advise you to stop being like that. If you have nothing to ask, then I will take my leave now."


    Alex then watched with astonished expression as Tetra elbowed him out of the way, leaving him there alone.


    "That guy¡­ He surely knows something about Tartaros." Asteria muttered as she stared at Tetra''s departing silhouette."


    "Yes, he surely knows something about Tartaros." Alex muttered in reply. He then looked at Tetra''s back as he said,


    "And if my suspicions were right, Tetra''s extreme similarity to Clint is directly related to this Legacy of Tartaros that we are looking for." Alex''s eyes narrowed as he cupped his chin. "Now, we only need to find that Tartaros to explain all these mysteries laid down in front of us¡­"


    "Well, that could be a good explanation for Tetra''s similarity with Clint." Asteria said as she swayed her small body on top of Alex''s head. "But how are you going to approach this situation now? From the looks of it, Tetra is extremely secretive about this ''Tartaros'' thingy. I am not sure if you can investigate about Tartaros easily with Tetra around¡­"


    "Relax, I will just have to make some plans to deal with him." Alex said as he dispelled the sound isolation field.


    Once Alex dispelled the isolation field, the hero Might rushed towards Alex, with the said Hero giving Alex a wary and somewhat hostile look.


    "What the hell did you say to Tetra, huh?" Might said with his voice turning suddenly confrontational. "Even if you did not allow sound to come out with that ability of yours, I could still see that he became mad at the end of your conversation. Tell me Eldrtich, did you offend him in any way at all?"


    "I just asked him about something I am investigating. I did not know that he will be somewhat offended by that." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "It''s technically my fault, okay? My bad."


    "Will you please kindly tell me what you told Tetra then?" Might said as he placed his hand on Alex''s shoulder, with him gripping the shoulder with a little too much force. "I want to hear about it."


    "¡­" Alex looked at the hand gripping his shoulder tightly with a fed-up expression on his face as he said,


    "Sorry, but it''s a private matter. I don''t want anyone else to hear about it."


    Why would Alex tell Might about Tartaros? It will just make things messier, and by looking at Might''s obvious idolation to Tetra, telling him about Tartaros will just make things worse.


    "Oh, you don''t want to tell me?" Might actually snarled as he suddenly tightened his grip. Alex''s smile turned into a frown as he felt Might''s fingers digging on his shoulders. "I won''t let go of you until you speak up."


    "¡­." Alex''s only reply to that was a smirk and a challenging stare.


    "You pertinent-"


    "Release Eldritch now, or I will make you do it." A sword suddenly appeared out of nowhere, with its blade hovering on top of Might''s outstretched arm. Alina, who was the one holding the sword, gave Might a cold stare as her sword slowly descended on Might''s arm.


    "You want to cut my arm off? You must really be protective of your boyfriend then." Might said as he continued on gripping Alex''s shoulder.


    Might then gave Alina an intense glare as he said, " And no, I won''t let Eldritch go until he answers my question."


    "¡­." Everyone in the private room all went silent, as they saw the confrontation between Alex, Alina, and Might.


    All the other SHA Heroes were looking at the commotion while reaching for their weapons, while Lauren and Queen Mother only watched at the sidelines.


    As for Tetra, he was crossing his arms as he looked at Alex, with his face schooling an unreadable expression.


    "In that case, you shall have a taste of my sword." Alina replied with her steely voice.


    "Might! Stop whatever you are doing right now!" Magical Girl, who was already in her seventh plate, shouted to Might as she approached him with anger apparent in her face. "Are you really that eager to embarrass us? You are our leader! You should have been acting with more tact and prudence!"


    "But this guy-"


    "I don''t care what Eldritch did." Magical Girl said as she glared at Might. "From what I can see, you are the one doing something wrong here."


    "¡­"


    "Release Eldritch right now, or else there will be consequences." Magical Girl said as she let out a sigh. "Might, they are our allies. Please, don''t take out your anger issues on Eldritch."


    "Hmph, you are just defending Eldritch because you have the hots for him." Might said as he let out sneer. "Too bad for your he''s taken already¡­"


    "¡­." The silence that went after that was just deafening.


    Even Tetra, whose mood was soured by Alex, could not help but wince from the words the Might just uttered.


    "That''s a damn low blow." Asteria muttered as she avoided the glare given to her by Alina.


    "¡­You took it too far, Might!" Magical Girl shrieked as she jumped in to pounce towards Might.


    But before a scuffle could start, Tetra''s body blurred as he appeared behind Might. Tetra''s left hand swung down as he karate chopped Might''s neck.


    The said Hero then went unconscious, with his body being caught by Tetra.


    Both Alina and Magical Girlstopped their actions, with both of them glaring at the unconscious Might.


    As for Alex, he only rubbed his shoulders as he let out a shaky laugh.


    The party just became extremely awkward, and Alex was not sure if they can still stay here, after all that just happened.


    "Go, Travelers, and leave for now." Tetra said as he carried Might''s unconscious body away. "You can reschedule the power meeting on another day."


    "¡­"


    "I''m really sorry about Might." Magical Girl said to Alex, with her gave averted away from him. "He sometimes has anger issues, and he takes it out on people that he does not like¡­"


    "Well, at least I now know that I am not on his friend''s list." Alex said as he let out a sigh. He then looked at Alina, who was still holding her katana tightly, and at Queen Mother and Lauren who were both standing behind Alina.


    Alex then looked at the tense SHA Heroes around him, giving them another one of his apologetic face as he said,


    "I''m really sorry everyone if I ruined this party. I did not want any of this to happen. If¡­ anyone of you would want to talk with us, just contact us on SODB, ok?"


    Alex then left the room with his Companions, with the worried murmurs of the SHA Heroes trailing behind him.


    Asteria, who looked like she was enjoying the chaos that had happened, took one long look at Alex''s team before saying,


    "¡­A magical girl having a crush on a tentacle man. Hehehe, I''ve seen enough h****i to see where this is going."


    "Shut up."

 Chapter 131 Apartment Break

    3 hours later, inside Alex'' apartment.


    "What did you just say?" Alina''s voice, which was several octaves higher than usual, blasted right in front of Alex as Alina pounder her left hand on the table.


    Alex flinched upon seeing this, as it was rare for him to see Alina this angry.


    Heck, this was the first time that Alex saw Alina being this angry.


    "Well, I just told you about the alliance offer of the mad scientist, and the fact that Tetra could be possibly your Uncle Clint¡­" Alex then scooted backwards from his chair as Alina''s glared threatened to stab him.


    "I understand you action regarding the alliance offer¡­ What I could not understand was the fact that you did not tell me about Tetra earlier at the party!" Alina said as she gave Alex a tired look. "Do you not like me seeing my relatives, Alex?''


    Alex did not dare to say anything in reply, as his FED Manipulation felt Alina''s somewhat saddened feeling.


    At this point, Alex realized that Alina was actually getting homesick too.


    Even if Alina''s intent to join Alex was to revive her older sister, it was still inevitable for Alina to miss her relatives, especially Clint, who basically was Alina''s closest ally in her last days in the Esper World.


    "I¡­..m sorry. I thought that we can just talk about the issue about Tetra after the party¡­" Alex said as he felt guilty about what he did. "I thought that maybe you will not be angry with my decision¡­ It seems like I am mistaken."


    "Just don''t do it again next time." Alina replied as her irritation faded away. "Ok, since its already dark, then maybe we should end this meeting and just talk about our discoveries tomorrow."


    "Your wish is my command." Alex replied as he did his best to placate Alina.


    Alina did not show if she was impressed by it, as she continued talking to Alex. "For now, why don''t you buy some ingredients and raw food materials? We have a lot of people in the apartment anyway."


    "Oh right, there''s a lot of us here right now. How could I not notice that? "Alex sarcastically said as he realized that Alina was basically telling him to cook some food for her bottomless appetite.


    Well, Alina''s a glutton, so appeasing her with food was something that Alex was willing to do if that will make her anger fade away.


    "What are you waiting for? Go now!" Alina said as she failed to hide the rumbling sounds in her stomach. Alina blushed a little upon hearing this, but nonetheless, she continued on urging Alex to go out already.


    "Ok, ok, I''m going now." Alex replied as he bolted away from the apartment, making sure that he brought enough money with him.


    "Maybe I should try a seafood special. Yeah, that might work¡­"


    ***********************


    "¡­" Alina could only let out a sigh as she watched Alex''s departing body from the window of their apartment.


    The revelations that Alex told Alina about Tetra was something that rattled her even now.


    After all, who would not be shocked to know that their relative could possibly be here in this world?


    Alina definitely was shocked by this revelation.


    "Is he really Uncle Clint?" Alina muttered to herself as she had the urge to just look for Tetra right now and ask him personally.


    Of course Alina knew that this approach will not work, since Tetra seems to be wary of Alex now.


    "Well, I just have to ask him once we see each other again." Alina thought to herself as she wished that this would actually happen.


    "Sis Alina, are you really a hero like whatmy Big Sis says?" Alina''s musings were cut off as a tender little voice intruded her mind.


    She looked down at the source of the voice, finding herself face to face with Lara, who was Lauren''s younger sister.


    Alina failed to hide a smile on her face as she saw the adorable munchkin giving her an excited look.


    Even if Alina was not actually that good with children, she still could recognize that Lara is really one of a kind.


    "....."


    Behind Lara was her sister Lauren, who was giving Alina an apologetic look. It seems like she was trying to make Alina not feel that irritated with Lara bothering her.


    Alina gave Lauren a small shake of her head, as she meant to tell Lauren that she was not bothered by Lara at all.


    Lauren''s reply to that was another apologetic look as she watched them from the sidelines.


    "¡­.."


    After seeing Lara and Lauren talking to her, Alina''s mind wandered a little as she remembered the actions that Lauren did earlier.


    *************


    Once they left the party earlier, Lauren headed straight to her unconscious sister and aunt, with her waking them up with the help of Queen Mother.


    Lauren then told them about the truth of her being a Hero, with her specifically telling them about the danger that she could possibly be in right now.


    Lauren''s aunt did not take that well, as she started to scold Lauren for her so-called reckless actions.


    Lauren took these scoldings in stride as hugged her sister tightly.


    Once the talks were done, Lauren adopted a pleading expression on her face as she requested Alex to let them three stay on his apartment.


    With the advent of the enemy Travelers hanging on Lauren''s neck, her family will be in danger everyday.


    Lauren must have decided to bring her family to a safe place, and the place that she chose was Alex''s apartment.


    Of course Lauren said that they will not be freeloaders there.


    Lauren will continue working with Alex''s team, while her aunt could work as their housekeeper. As for her little sister, she can just help them out when they are needed.


    Fortunately, Alex agreed to Lauren''s request.


    Well, even if Alex disagreed, Alina will use her iron fist to ensure that Alex will let them in.


    Alex was fortunate that he agreed.


    *****************


    Alina shook her head a little as she refocused herself on the present time.


    She looked at Lara, who was still excitedly waiting for Alina''s answer.


    Alina gave the eager Lara a kind smile as she replied,


    "Of course I am a Hero. Do you want some demonstration?"


    "Yes, please!" Lara replied as her small head bobbed up and down excitedly. "I want to see some magic please!"


    "Good girl, you should always say please when you request something." Alina replied as she used her spatial manipulation on Lara.


    "Iya!" Lara squealed as she felt herself floating in the air, with nothing visible holding her.


    "There, I just used a magic on you." Alina kindly said as she watched Lara clearly enjoying her floating experience. "Is that enough evidence for you?"


    "Un!" Lara replied as she gave Alina a dimpled smile. "Sis Alina is so cool!"


    "Well, I-I-Iam really cool." Alina stutteringly replied, as she chastised herself for feeling happy from being praised by a child.


    "So cool~"


    Alina then continued talking with Lara, with most of the conversation about Alina answering most of Lara''s questions.


    Lara seemed to have enjoyed the conversation greatly, making Alina feeling pleased with herself.


    At the end of the conversation, Alina gave Lara an encouraging look as she said,


    "Well, do you know that my partner Alex can summon 7 cute Doll-like creatures? You will like them a lot!"


    "Really?" If a person''s eyes could sparkle, then Lara''s eyes could have been sparkling right now. "Are they really cute?"


    "Yes, they are extremely cute." Alina replied as she resisted the urge to pinch Lara''s cheeks. "Tell you what, I will convince Alex to show them to you later."


    "Thank you Sis Alina!" Lara said as she practically leapt up from her spot.Both Lara and Alina smiled fondly at what they were seeing, as if their eyes were being purified.


    "Sis Alina, can I make some clothes for them?" Lara suddenly said after she finished her mini-celebration. "I can make really good clothes! I am sure they will like it!"


    Before Alina could give her reply, she saw the panicked expression on Lauren''s face, as if she was telling Alina to just say no.


    Alina obviously ignored Lauren as she said,


    "Of course you can make some clothes. But if I were you, I will make it now¡­"


    "Roger!" Lara hastily replied as she rushed towards the nearby table, with her sewing tools strewn on top of it.


    "I''m a tailor, I''m a tailor, I''m a tailor~" Lara sang out as she wasted no time at all.


    "¡­Alina, please do not criticize my sister''s resulting work later." This was all that Lauren could say as she placed a palm on her forehead. "Just¡­ don''t say that it is ugly, ok?"


    "It''s that bad?" Alina muttered as she saw the serious expression on Lauren''s face. "¡­Ok, I will keep that in mind."


    "......."


    The two women then spent the remaining time in silence, as they waited for Alex the Goffer to come back.


    Naturally, the silence felt uncomfortable for the both of them.


    "..."


    "..."


    It was Alina who broke the silence as she asked Lauren,


    "So, what do you and Queen Mother plan to do right now?"


    "Erm, well, I plan to bring her out to some of the good places here in the Grand Point City." Lauren replied as she averted her gaze shyly. "She said she wanted to see the best places in the city with me, so that''s what I plan to do. Well, I hope that will be enough to make her happy¡­"


    "Don''t worry about what Queen Mother will think.At least you were quick on asking her out." Alina replied as she remembered the fact that Alex took months before he asked Alina out. "You were not like that guy who dilly-dallied on me."


    "Men." Lauren replied as she let out a snort. "If you don''t give them a hint, they won''t see the obvious thing."


    "Exactly." Alina said as both she and Lauren sighed, as if they were sharing the same woes.


    The two then continued talking with each other, exchanging information that are only reserved for girl to girl interaction


    Their conversation became so engrossing that they failed to notice the time ticking by them.


    Before they could notice it, an hour had already passed by.


    Both of them had to stop talking at this point, as they felt that Alex was about to come back.


    "¡­It was fun talking with you." Lauren said as she rose from her seat. "¡­If you want, you can hang out with me and Queen Mother too."


    "Well, as long as that''s not a date, then I will be fine on joining." Alina replied as her stomach rumbled once more.


    "..."


    "¡­..."


    To Alina''s utter embarrassment, Alex, who just entered through the front door carrying his groceries, let out one wide smirk after hearing her stomach.


    "Just cook dammit!" Both Alina and Lauren said as they threw their sofa pillows at Alex.


    The defenseless Alex took both the pillows in his face, which made the dumb fairy Asteriaguffaw at what happened.


    Alina did not like that laugh at all, prompting her to throw a pillow at Asteria''s direction too.

 Chapter 132 Pantheon

    The sound of rattling keyboards echoed inside Alex''s room as the said person seemed to be busy on researching something.


    Alina, who was already satisfied with the dinner that Alex made earlier, was sitting behind Alex as they both stared at the computer screen.


    "¡­" Both of them did not say a thing as they read the words shown by the search engine.


    It was only when they finished reading that Alina started to talk.


    "The Pantheon¡­ surely is powerful." Alina said as she leaned back on her chair.


    "You can say that one more time, and I will not dispute that." Alex replied as he shut the computer down. "When I saw the idolation by the SHA Heroes to Tetra and the Pantheon, I thought they were just overhyping the Pantheon. As it turns out, the Pantheon really deserves all these hype."


    "¡­Do we really need to communicate with them so that we can obtain the Legacy of Tartaros?" Alina asked as the rare worried expression appeared on her face. "I am confident about our power, but even I am not also sure if we can defeat he Pantheon members once a fight ensues."


    "You can say that one more time, and I will not dispute that." Alex replied as he recalled the names of the Pantheon members and all of their abilities.


    Each member of the Pantheon were extremely powerful and domineering, with their minimum power level enough to make any of their enemies fear for their lives!


    ********************


    The first one was Tetra, whose name means ''Four'' in Greek. He was the vice-leader of the Pantheon, and his power speaks true of his Hero Name. His power was to manipulate all Four Fundamental Forces of the Universe. Alex, with his experience with Clint, already knows how powerful Tetra could be against any opponent.


    The second one was Myth, was considered to be the most famous member of the Pantheon. She was also the leader of the Pantheon, with her leadership skills being praised all around the Hero Community.


    Myth was an extremely powerful Shifter Type of Hero, with her being able to take on the form of any fictional or mythological being!


    Whether it be dragons, demons, angels, lovecraftian monsters or even fictional aliens, Myth can take their forms as long as they were part of a story or myth!


    The third member was Foresight, and she was considered to be the most powerful clairvoyant in the world!


    It was said that she can perfectly view all the possible futures, and this is what allows her to give advice to her fellow teammates on what they should do.


    Of course his research told Alex that Foresight''s future sight was not that infallible.


    There were still times were Foresight''s predictions failed, as there were some other clairvoyants that interfere with Foresight''s actions.


    Most notable of these clairvoyants was Oracle, who constantly uses his own team to derail each one of Foresight''s plans.


    Oracle''s team were said to be one of the greatest headaches of the Pantheon, and it was only through the power of Foresight that Oracle''s team were unable to bring their plans to fruition.


    The fourth member of the Pantheon was called Machi, which means battle or combat in Greek.


    Machi was a Builder, and his main focus was battle-oriented technology.


    Power suits, high-powered weaponry, battle mechas, as long as these things can be used for combat, Machi will be able to create them!


    The Pantheon headquarters, which was flying in the outer space, was actually part of Machi''s creations.


    Of course Alex''s research did not show him the weapons attached on the Pantheon Headquarters, but knowing that it was Machi who created it, it was surely loaded with everything.


    The fifth member was called Nomad, and she can be considered to be the most slippery among the Pantheon.


    Nomad has one powerful ability, and it makes her extremely efficient, especially when she was already fighting.


    It was this ability that gave Nomad her Hero Name.


    Her ability was a very powerful type of teleportation, which allows her to basically teleport anywhere in the world.


    There were even some records of her visiting alternated worlds or even other planets!


    And to make this power more unfair, Nomad can also teleport people or objects, as long as they were near her.


    "¡­." When Alex read this portion, he realized that Nomad was really scary.


    Someone that can teleport you to deadly locations before you could know it was terrifying indeed.


    The sixth member was called Plague, and her power was indeed fitting for her name.


    Plague basically can create microbial creatures with their own unique set of skills.


    These microbial creatures could either heal a large amount of people, or they could bring ruin against any poor targets.


    These microbial creatures can also induce amnesia to their targets, or if Plague could want it, even mass hypnosis of the crowd.


    Only Plague''s imagination was the limit for her power, and this makes her extremely dangerous.


    Heck, from what Alex had researched, Plague was actually a Supervillain before. She was basically someone who controlled a large expanse of Africa.


    It was only after Myth fought Plague that Plague joined the Pantheon as its core member.


    The seventh and final member of the Pantheon was named Miden, which means zero in Greek.


    He was the most powerful power nullifier in the world, and as of date, there was nobody that resisted Miden''s power nullification.


    Even the other Pantheon members were not immune to Miden''s power.


    This basically placed Miden as one of the stabilizing factors if one member of the Pantheon goes berserk or rogue.


    The only problem with Miden was that he was baseline human, aside from his power nullification.


    He has no super strength, super speed, or super reflexes to boot off. He was human all along, and he can be killed easily compared to his other teammates.


    Of course, Miden tried mitigating this problem by wearing Machi''s power suits to give him more protection.


    However, this endeavor failed as Miden''s power interfered with Machi''s power suits, making it fail before it could even work.


    This left the Hero Miden with no choice but to wear protective gears that were untouched by any superhuman abilities.


    *********************


    "Do we really need to fight against the Pantheon anyway?" Alex asked as he stood up from his seat. "We just need to talk to them about the Legacy of Tartaros, so maybe they won''t necessarily be hostile."


    "You never know Alex." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "From what you described to me earlier, the Legacy of Tartaros was something that Tetra was very protective with. There is a chance that this Legacy was something that they were hiding for themselves¡­"


    "¡­." At this point, Alex had nothing to do but to feel extremely lethargic as he realized the obstacle that they were about to surmount on.


    "¡­Do you think that the enemy Traveler already knew that the Legacy of Tartaros was related to the Pantheon?" Alex suddenly mused as he remembered the conversation that he had with the mad scientist earlier. "Is that the reason why she wanted to ally with us? Because she also realized that it was pretty impossible for her to deal with the Pantheon by themselves?"


    "¡­I do not know Alex. But with our current situation, it seems like we have no choice left but to temporarily ally with them." Alina replied in the end before she stood up to leave the room.


    "¡­I won''t make the decision for that alliance now." Alex said as Alina''s hands touched the door handle. "I need the input of everyone regarding this situation, so maybe we should lay off that issue for now."


    "¡­If you say so." That was all that Alina said as she left the room.


    "...¡­.." Alex did not try to dissuade Alina from what she was thinking, as she was entitled on her own decisions.


    "Hey Alex." Before Alina could actually distance herself from Alex''s room, she said something more that made Alex''s mood improve a little. "You owed me a date for tomorrow, right? Don''t forget that, ok?"


    "Of course I won''t." Alex replied as helet out an excited smile. "Just be sure that your stomach won''t rumble tomorrow, ok?"


    "¡­Do you want to die?"


    "Ah, of course not! I was just joking! Your stomach is the best!" Alex hastily replied as he felt the murderous intent coming from Alina. "I will gladly listen to your stomach rumbling everyday! It is very melodious!"


    "¡­I do not know if I should be happy or creeped out by what you just said." Alina replied as her stomping footsteps could be heard distancing itself away from the room. "Hmph, just bring to some good places tomorrow!"


    "That I will do." Alex said as he opened his computer, this time for him to start browsing on SODT.


    Asteria, who was lying down on the nearby table, perked up as she saw what Alex was doing.


    "Oi Alex, are you using my account to browse SODT?" Asteria said as she saw what Alex was doing. "You know something about privacy, right?"


    "Privacy my ass." Alex replied with irritation as he looked at Asteria''s fed up face. "What, you want to use the computer now?"


    "Of course I want to." Asteria replied as she flitted towards the keyboard. "There are a lots of threads in the SODT right now, and I, the representative of the Travelers, is the most fit to answer them all! So you should relinquish your hold on the keyboard and allow me to do my stuff."


    "Fine, fine." Alex replied as he raised his arms in a mock surrender. "Wait¡­ didn''t you get yourself banned earlier? How can you reply to them?"


    "Easy peasy." Asteria replied as she cracked her knuckles. "I will just make a new account."


    "¡­Well, good luck getting flamed online."


    "Hmph!"

 Chapter 133 Superhumans Online Discussion Thread 2

    Welcome to the Superhumans Online Discussion Thread.


    You are currently logged in, FairyQueen


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ???TOPIC: SUPERHUMAN CONFLICT ON MAFIOSO''S COMPOUND???


    ?Watcher (Original Poster) (SuperhumanObserver)


    So¡­ Glacia broke out of the jail this morning, with the help of a new Villain Team called The Alchemists. The SHA did not say much about what happened after that, but I managed to snag a video of the SHA Hero Team, the Travelers, and TETRA himself fighting Glacia and the Alchemists around Mafioso''s Mansion.


    If you want to see the fight in full detail, just refer to this link.


    ___Video Link___


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö(Comments)¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Wow, just wow.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Well, well, well, would you look at all that action. *Eats pocpcorn while watching* I really wonder how @Watcher could get this video. Its all high quality!


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    @Watcher is a blessing to all of us. Make sure that we thank him well!


    ?keke171(kekekeke)


    Kekekeke. *Raises sword* This video is guuuud¡­.


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Yeah, this video is much better than the ones that I have seen before.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    OMG, a massive fight really happened there! I could not believe that!


    ?Vipers(I''m a rattlesnake bruh)


    @Mimi. Why couldn''t you believe that a fight happened? With the embarrassment that happened when Glacia broke out of the prison, there is no way that the SHA will let this matter be left hanging.


    But I am surprised that Tetra was present in this operation. Why is he needed there? And from what I have seen in the video, Tetra did not even use his whole power on Mafioso''s minions. So why would Tetra bother to be there?


    ?Watcher(SuperhumanObserver)


    @Vipers. According to my sources, it was Foresight who told Tetra to go assist in this operation. Probably one of her future sights again. As for why Tetra was holding back, youknow that Tetra at his full power was basically just lethal force.


    If he uses his full power on those minions, they will just die. And that will not be good for Tetra. A lot of lawsuits will be slapped on him, and his public image will suffer.


    ?RunLoliRun(Legal?)


    @Watcher. Fuck those publicity image. Those minions deserve to die. Hell, if you want I can-[Content Redacted]


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @RunLoliRun. I can understand your pain, but I cannot condone your verbal assaults here online. Enjoy your 3-day ban, and get back here once your head cools down.


    ?Obekiwi(Look at my eye!)


    Wow, this thread is really refreshing. I wonder why? Oh right, @yurilover is not here!


    ?Lover of Yuri(definitely not yurilover)


    Wow, @Obekiwi. Why do you hate @yurilover? He seems to be a decent person.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    .... @Lover of Yuri. Sigh, how were you able to create another account under my nose again? Will you continue doing this until your @yurilover account gets unbanned?"


    ?Lover of Yuri(definitely not yurilover)


    @janders. I do not know what you are talking about. I am not @yurilover, and I will not be like him.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Hehehe, I am sure @Lover of Yuri will slip up later too. Just you all wait.


    ?Lover of Yuri(definitely not yurilover)


    Oh, @Mimi. Have you seen Dryad and Signum holding hands in the video? They look cute together! Maybe they are in a relationship. You know with something like-[Content Redacted]


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @Lover of Yuri. I am speechless here. Signum is definitely a minor, so you cannot sexualize her. So, please suffer under my 3-day ban. And please, don''t use more accounts here. I am tired of banning you!


    ?refucil (Veteran User)


    @janders. *Pats back*


    ?Tetra(Hero)


    Well, well, well. The elusive @Watcher still managed to snag a video of our fight. Can''t say that I am insulted, when the video showed my best shots.


    But still, if you continue making illegal videos like this @Watcher, the authorities will have no choice but to arrest you!


    If you want better security and better life conditions, why don''t you go and join our group. You will not regret it.


    ?John (The Generic name)


    Holy shit, @Tetra was actually inviting someone to the Pantheon! And it''s the almighty @Watcher of all people! Everyone, lets bow down to our new overlord!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    *Bows down in supplication*


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    *Wants to ask for some freebies*


    ?Watcher(SuperhumanObserver)


    Sorry @Tetra. I have a stable footing now, so joining your group is not part of my goals right now.


    ?Tetra(Hero)


    Well that''s too bad. But if you changed your mind, then you can just PM me later.


    ?Watcher(SuperhumanObserver)


    Hmm¡­ maybe before you worry about me, maybe you should worry about that guy first.


    ?Tetra(Hero)


    @Watcher. What exactly do you mean by that?


    ?Watcher(SuperhumanObserver)


    @Tetra. Well, didn''t this guy say something to you that made you spooked? That''s the first time I saw you that panicked!


    TETRA(HERO) HAS LEFT THE THREAD.


    ?John(The Generic name)


    Oh my god @Watcher. What did you just say to @Tetra?


    ?Watcher(SuperhumanObserver)


    @John. Well, that''s a secret for now¡­.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Everyone, you know how @Watcher operates. You cannot make him talk. So, just let him be, ok?


    ?John (The Generic name)


    We can do that, but still, even I am getting scared that @Watcher was able to make @Tetra leave this thread.


    ?dudson(Dud is my father)


    Everyone, we can talk about @Tetra getting spooked later. For now, we must worry about the fact that even with the full power of the Heroes, Glacia and The Alchemists were able to escape. Heck, even Mafioso was not arrested too! Tsk, tsk, slimy villains!


    ?Watcher(SuperhumanObserver)


    According to my sources, one member of The Alchemists actually planted three live chemical weapons around Grand Point City. The threat of these chemical weapons exploding was what forced our Heroes to retreat, which allowed the villains to escape from arrest.


    Fortunately, the chemical weapons were disabled by our Heroes in no time. But, that came at the cost of the villains getting scot-free.


    ?Strongwoman (I''m strong, that''s it.)


    I guess staying alive is better than getting cooked by concoction of chemicals¡­


    ?TheHeroSeer (Just a normal guy)


    I actually saw Rocket and Medieval whizzing by our house earlier. They seem to be searching for the chemical weapon around our neighborhood. Luckily for us, they were able to deactivate the chemical weapon on time. If not¡­ I could be a chemical salsa right now.


    ?Levi (MageFan)


    @TheHeroSeeer. Ugh, I am eating salsa right now. Ugh, now you ruined my dinner.


    ?Strongwoman (I''m strong, that''s it.)


    @Levi. You are eating salsa for dinner? It might be just me, but that seems... inadequate.


    ?Levi (MageFan)


    I''m on a diet, so stop bugging me please.


    ?calibur (Independent Hero)


    Welp, I retract my statement earlier about the Grand Point City being better when Glacia was arrested. Turns out it just brought more chaos here.


    ?atlas (Book Guy)


    @calibur. I get your pain man. Nobody expected Glacia to break out of her prison that quickly. Everyone here is a victim. The best thing that we can do is accept that it all happened and just move on.


    ?PillowQueen (I love sleeping!)


    Move on my ass. My father was one of the guards in the prison earlier. Now, he is crippled for life, just because he did his job guarding the cells!


    Fucking villains! I hope that they all-[Content Redacted]


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @PillowQueen. Once again, I am sorry for your pain. However, you cannot use hate speech here. Villains are still people. Please accept your 3-day ban. Spend your time with our family right now. You will all need each other at times like these.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Awww¡­ Mama janders doing her job again! I want to give you a hug! *Gives a hug*


    ?janders (Moderator)


    *Hugs back* You are a good kid, @Mimi. Just make sure to not spend every day here on the net. You still need to study.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Yes, yes, yes!


    ?Myth (Hero)


    Everyone, I am sorry about @Tetra''s attitude. @Watcher just pushed some buttons, which made @Tetra angry. Don''t worry everyone, this is just a minor issue.


    As for you, @Watcher, I will be watching you now. Take note of that.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    That is basically the most badass threat that I have ever heard! Man, I wish @Myth can say those things to me personally!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    ¡­@Mimi. Just stay in school, please?


    ?Foresight(Hero)


    Greetings to you everyone. I have consulted my sight, and I came to the conclusion that I should waddle across the muddy waters of this thread. Don''t ask me why, as what I see was always clouded from your mortal eyes.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    ..........


    ?Foresight(Hero)


    Lol, just kidding. I wanted to act mysterious. It seems like many of you did not like it. Teehee!


    ?Foresight(Hero)


    Ok everyone, if you want to ask me questions now, I will gladly answer them all. But be warned, I will answer before you even ask your question.


    ?Foresight(Hero)


    @janders. Sorry, but I cannot tell you about the lottery tomorrow.


    @dudson. Sorry, but I cannot tell the contents of your test tomorrow.


    @Mimi. Sorry, I don''t give autographs.


    @GL King. I don''t like your tone, young man. Please shut your mouth or you will experience my wrath.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @Foresight. Please tell me the lottery numbers!


    ?dudson(Dud is my father)


    @Foresight. I have a test for tomorrow, and I need your help to know it! Can you PM it to me please?


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    @Foresight. Can I have your autograph?


    ?GL King(Yuri King!)


    @Foresight. Pics or I will not believe that you are foresight.


    ?Foresight(Hero)


    @nighmora. If you want to know the identity of your blind date tomorrow, just go to your blind date tomorrow.


    @Levi. No, I don''t do that kind of stuff.


    @Watcher. If you want to play that game, then I will happily do so.


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    @Foresight. Well, I will have a blind date tomorrow, and I am nervous about my date. Is it possible for me to know who my blind date will be? I will really appreciate it!


    ?Levi (MageFan)


    @Foresight. Do you use tarot cards or crystal ball to predict the future?


    ?Watcher(SuperhumanObserver)


    @Foresight. Do you want me to tell your dear friend about the truth?


    ?Foresight(Hero)


    @Obekiwi. I don''t date anyone now. With power like mine, its hard to find the perfect husband for me.


    @refucil. No, I don''t do things that way. Don''t ask it again, ok?


    @kedabe. I like popcorn, but I also like to eat boiled corn.


    ?Obekiwi(Look at my eye!)


    @Foresight. Are you dating anyone now?


    ?refucil (Veteran User)


    @Foresight. If you see a person who will go evil in the future, will you do steps to make that person die today?


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    @Foresight. Do you like popcorn? I like popcorns.


    ?John (The Generic name)


    Ok everyone, I am so freaking out right now.


    ?keke171(kekekeke)


    Are you freaking out from the fact that @Foresight was able to answer our questions before we even asked them? Because for me that is so cool!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Yeah, it''s cool!


    ?Foresight(Hero)


    @janders. Sorry if I forced you to close this thread. It''s not my intention to do so. Or maybe it is? Hehehe, you will never know¡­


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Ok everyone, I am locking this thread now. We are here to talk about what happened earlier. We are not here to conduct an interview with @Foresight, although I am pretty sure that she''s just playing with us.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @Foresight. ¡­.Sigh, I really hate pranks like this.


    [Thread Locked]

 Chapter 134 Yay, Interruptions!

    The following day.


    "This place is good." Alina said as she walked amongst the crowd, with Alex in tow behind her. "For us to see this many merchandises really says something about the Heroes in this World. What do you think about that, Alex?"


    "Well¡­" Alex does not know what to say, as he was busy ogling at Alina''s current attire.


    She was wearing an ebony form-fitting dress that hugged her body tightly. Her shapely legs and thin waist were perfectly emphasized by her dress. Every time she walks, her dress managed to make it look like she was sashaying gracefully.


    Alina''s hair was tied in a bun, and she finished off that look with a pair of glasses.


    She was also wearing high-heels, which resulted in Alina gaining a classy and elegant look.


    Heads were all turning to Alina''s direction as she walked, making Alex feel proud and happy .


    But even if he was in euphoria right now, Alex was not sure if he really deserved to have someone like Alina having a date with him.


    But nonetheless, they are having their date now, so Alex will make full use of it.


    Alex knew that his date with Alina will be great, as Asteria was nowhere near them.


    Before they went out earlier, Alina directly requested Asteria to stay at the apartment, so that she will not bother Alex and Alina on their date. Asteria complied, in exchange for some Royal-Grade Honey.


    This absence of Asteria already brought positive results on their date, and Alex will obviously not screw it all up.


    Both of them just finished having their dinner, and right now, they were touring the streets of the Grand Point City, specifically the portion where most of the merchandises related to Heroes were sold.


    Even if Alex was distracted by Alina''s appearance, Alex could still understand what Alina just said about the Hero Merchandises.


    Everywhere that Alex looked around him, all that he could see were stores filled to the brim with action figures and toys related to famous Heroes.


    Just by walking around, Alex already saw some figurines of Might and Magical Girl.


    Well, since these two Heroes were famous here in Grand Point City, for them to have their own action figures here were already plausible.


    There were also figurines of the Pantheon Heroes, and Alex could see that they were the best-selling merchandises here.


    "¡­You are just busy ogling at me huh." Alina commented as she saw Alex''s eyes darting on her body. "Were you really this pervy that you forgot to answer my question earlier?"


    "Um, I was just speechless by your appearance. You cannot blame me if you bedazzled me." Alex replied without a hint of shame in his face. "It''s your fault for being this beautiful."


    "¡­I won''t be swayed by any of your praises anymore." Alina said, although a hint of blush could still be seen in her cheeks.


    Alex pretended to not notice that as he said,


    "Well, regarding your question earlier, I feel that the Hero Culture had been so integrated in this World that products related to them are just the norm." Alex then pointed at the store at their left as he stared at the action figures stored there.


    "People in this World would want to have something that will make their Heroes more approachable. Having them represented as action figures and toys makes these Heroes feel ''home-friendly to them."


    "So in the end, all of this is just some big Public Relations stunt." Alina said as she tilted her head.


    She then gave Alex a somewhat fed-up smile as she said, "Hey Alex, do you want to buy some action figures? I can see that you want to buy some. Don''t try lying to me. I know if you will lie."


    "¡­Fine, let''s buy some actions figures." Alex said as he enthusiastically brought Alina inside the store.


    "Boys." That was all that Alina could say as she shook her head, feeling amused about Alex''s childish antics.


    *******************


    4 hours later.


    "That¡­ was fun." Alina said to Alex after they came out of the 4th restaurant in their date. "All the restaurants that you brought me in have nice food. Oh, and that store was nice too. I think Lara will love some of the toys I bought for her."


    "Yeah, I guess she will love it." Alex said as he rubbed his stomach.


    Even if Alex was a Traveler now, for him to eat at 4 different restaurants at a single night could be considered to be his limit.


    Alina of course has no problems with eating that many food. Heck, she even looked like she could eat more!


    "So¡­" Alex said as he tried to keep all the food that he ate inside his stomach. "Should I bring you back to the apartment now?"


    "Well, that is all up to you." Alina said as he suddenly looked down shyly. "But you know¡­." Alina then rubbed her hands together, as if she was trying to say something that she found hard to say. "Actually¡­"


    "Alina¡­." Alex could not help but smile as he saw Alina''s demure appearance. His head began to feel hot as he held her hands tightly.


    Thinking that the time is already ripe, Alex leaned in as he decided to kiss her.


    "¡­" Alina did not resist against Alex''s actions, as she received his kiss with enthusiasm.


    "¡­." Their lips remained locked with each other for a minute, with both of them left panting as they broke off the kiss.


    Alex looked at Alina''s glazed eyes, realizing that she was enjoying this way too much.


    Alex tried to go for a kiss again, and Alina once more accepted his lips without any hesitation.


    They repeatedly exchanged more affectionate pecks for the following minute, with both of them starting to feel exhilarated.


    "Hah!" Alex said as he managed to get his bearings back. He looked back at Alina, whose face was entirely red.


    Alex then looked at Alina''s dress, which looked rumpled right now, as Alex''s naughty hands were busy meandering on Alina''s body while they were kissing earlier.


    "Are you sure you want to bring me back to your apartment?" Alina said as a shy smile appeared on her face. "It''s already midnight. It''s not safe for us to walk at this time.Maybe we should go sleep on a nearby hotel, so that we can be safe¡­"


    "¡­" Alex''s heart thumped as he realized the look given to him by Alina.


    Even the words uttered by her were already a subtle invitation of what was about to come.


    "Ok¡­ le-le-let me look for a nearby hotel." Alex stuttered as he looked around in panic.


    Alina giggled at Alex''s panicky state, although some signs of nervousness could also be seen on her face. "Take it easy Alex, we have a lot of time here."


    "Yes I know¡­" Alex replied as he tried calming himself down. "It''s just that¡­ I have never done something like this before."


    "Neither do I." Alina replied with a soft voice.


    "Well, we just go to take this slow then." Alex said as Alina giggled once more.


    "Pita, pita" Their footsteps then echoed across the road, as they walked together to look for a ''safe place'' where they can sleep in.


    Alex was currently holding hands with Alina, with their bodies extremely close to each other. They were so close with each other that Alex could feel Alina''s heart beating nervously. Alex could feel Alina''s warm body pressing against him, making his slumbering desires rise up in full power.


    Alex also enjoyed the fragrance wafting from Alina, which just made him much more excited.


    Alina did not look that different either. Even if she was trying to show a stoic expression, her fast breathing and slightly dilated pupils showed her excitement right now.


    Alex was not sure if he should say something here, as he feared that doing so will break the atmosphere between then.


    So, that left both Alex and Alina keeping quiet as they slowly trudged to their target location.


    "¡­" Both of them were both feeling nervousness and anticipation of what was about to come, and only their contact with each other was what keeping them composed.


    But before they could reach their sanctuary, something interrupted their walk.


    "So, you two lovebirds are about to make your nest huh.Sorry if I intruded your mating ritual." A feminine voice said behind Alex and Alina. "I actually wanted to talk to you earlier, but you two were so busy kissing each other that I felt like watching! Oh, I''m sorry for that one too."


    "Who!" Both Alex and Alina spun around, looking at the person who just talked behind them.


    "Hey, I am not here to fight." The speaker said as Alex and Alina displayed their fighting poses. "Seriously, I come in peace."


    Alex narrowed his eyes as he observed the speaker who dared interrupt their cozy walk.


    The speaker looked to be a woman around 18 years old, with white skin and curly brown hair.


    Her body was gangly and thin, and it looked like it had no feminine features in it.


    As for the woman''s face, she was wearing tinted glasses, which hid her eyes, but it was quite apparent form her smile that her head had some few screws loose in it.


    "You¡­ you are that mad scientist." Alex said as his FED Manipulation confirmed that this woman''s emotional aura was similar to the emotional aura of the mad scientist that he fought against yesterday!


    "Exactly!" The mad scientist replied as her smile widened. "And you two are Khora and Eldritch, right?"


    "Why the hell are you here? And how did you know our identity?" Now that the cat is out of the bag, Alex knew that denying things will not work here. So, he had to just go straight to the point. "Are you here to take us out?"


    "Of course not! I am an honorable scientist, and I will never do despicable things like that!" The mad scientist said as she shook her head sadly in a theatrical way. "Oh my god, you dare doubt me? This hurts my feelings the most, although my feelings are just the products of my hormones! And for your information, I am here to talk with you two!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­She is not lying." Alina whispered to Alex as she conjured her sword on her waist. "She is not here to attack us. She really wants to have a talk."


    "Oh f**k this s**t!" Alex cursed angrily, partially because of the mad scientist appearing here, and mostly because of his opportunity going to dust because of this damned mad scientist!

 Chapter 135 Modern Problems Require Modern Solutions

    "Just start talking now. Don''t waste our time." Alex said as his body subconsciously tensed.


    Even if this mad scientist only wanted to talk with them, Alex will never let down his guard.


    After all, the emotions that he can sense from the mad scientists were quite disorienting.


    To his concern and distress, Alex could not sense any stable emotions coming out from the mad scientist.


    Instead, what Alex could feel were a mixture of different emotions, most of them on the negative side.


    Fear, anger, hate, envy, paranoia, distrust, and many more emotions were stewing inside the mad scientist.


    This emotion mixture was so intense thatAlex found it hard to believe that the mad scientist was still stable to this day.


    No, the mad scientist was not stable at all. Alex realized that she was barely hanging on to her sanity and lucidity, and it will only take a slight push to bring her to the brink.


    This made Alex somewhat pity her, as he could only imagine the pain that the mad scientist was feeling.


    "Oh, did you two bring protection anyway?" The mad scientist suddenly said as she cackled loudly. "If not, then you can thank me for interrupting your hanky-panky time!"


    Screw that. Whatever pity Alex had for the mad scientist were all gone now.


    "If you were just here to taunt us, then maybe you should just leave." Alex coldly said as he used his FED Manipulation to make the mad scientist feel harrowed.


    The mad scientist''s body buckled a little, but she was able to stabilize herself quickly.


    "¡­" Alex narrowed his eyes upon seeing this, realizing that this woman actually had some kind of stabilizing agent inside her.


    "So, you can do that kind of things too huh." The mad scientist muttered as she gave Alex a heated gaze. "F**k this, I hate people like you who can make me feel this miserable. You all deserve to rot!"


    "So what, you want to fight me now?" Alex said as he gave the mad scientist a mocking smile. "I thought you were just here to talk¡­"


    "Guys, stop quarreling like this." Alina exasperatedly said as she pinched Alex''s waist.


    "Ow!"


    "As for you, I recommend that you start talking now, or we will leave you hanging here." Alina said to the mad scientist. "And when I said ''hanging'', I meant that literally."


    "Oh, spooky." The mad scientist said although she seemed more amused by what she heard. "I will take note of that."


    "¡­." The mad scientist continued smirking by herself for another minute before she started talking ''sincerely''.


    "I am here because of my alliance offer to Eldritch."The mad scientist said in a matter-of-fact tone, as if it was already obvious enough. "I am sure that by this point, he was already tempted to ally with me."


    "Hoh, and what makes you think that I am tempted to ally with your right now, huh?" Alex said as he looked at the mad scientist''s confident features. "Did you find out something fishy?"


    "The Pantheon, obviously." The mad scientist said in a plain tone. "The research made by my assistants yesterday made me sure that the Legacy of Tartaros was related to them. That is why I wanted to ally with you. If we try to look for the Legacy by our own ways, we will surely be annihilated by them. But if we work together, we can obtain the Legacy easily."


    "And then you want us to fight each other in the end." Alex drily said as he completed the mad scientist''s pitch for him.


    "Modern problem requires modern solutions." The mad scientist said as she shrugged her shoulders. "If you want to survive, you either join us or we all die."


    "I still think that there is something suspicious with the way that you are acting." Alex said before Alina could say something. "The way you coordinated your actions yesterday were so orderly, as if you have been planning the operation yesterday for a long time. There is no way that you can just break out a Glacia, ally with Mafioso, pick a fight with many Heroes, and offer a recruitment pitch on us that quickly! Heck, the Main Mission was announced just hours before you did everything! It was as if what you all did were already predestined to happen!"


    "Well, it won''t hurt to have someone who can see future in my team." The mad scientist said as she shrugged her shoulders. "She made things easier for us."


    "¡­One of your Companions has future sight." Alex said as he began to look at the mad scientist with a warier look.


    "Well, compared to Foresight, the future sight of my Companion is quite limited." The mad scientist as she let out a shrug.


    The mad scientist then tilted her head as she said,


    "My Companion, when shown an object, can see future visions related to that object. However, the visions that she can see will be all the possible futures of that object. For example, if my Companion uses her ability on coin that will be used in a Coin Toss, what my Companion will see are all the instances of heads and tails coming out. If she uses her ability in a dice that will be used in a Dice Roll, what she will see are all the different results of a dice roll."


    "..."


    The mad scientist ignored the stunned expression on Alex''s face as she continued talking.


    "Oh, this power works with people too, so it makes the use of her power easier. So, all we had to do was to show her the right persons and objects to ensure our success. And that''s what we did yesterday, which allowed us to do all those stuff."


    "She is not lying!" Alina hissed at Alex, with panic evident in her voice. "They really have a member with that ability!"


    "Hey Khora, do you remember that swordswoman that you fought yesterday? She''s the one with that ability!" The mad scientist said as she gave Alina a cold smile. "My Companion''s ability might be difficult on normal circumstances, but it helps her out a lot during a fight! If she uses you as a target of her ability and if she just looks a few seconds into the future, she will only see one vision. That is why she was able to dodge your attacks easily yesterday!"


    "Once again, she''s not lying." Alina said as she tightened her hold on her sword.


    Once Alex heard all of this, he knew that enough is enough. Whatever the mad scientist was planning to do must be stopped now.


    "¡­Why are you telling all of these information to us?" Alex said to as he approached the mad scientist. With his height towering over the mad scientist, he tried to cut an imposing image above her. "Are you making fun of us?"


    The mad scientist seemed to be unfazed by Alex''s action. She even smiled provocatively as she started sniffing Alex''s scent.


    "What the?" Alex recoiled back as the mad scientist started talking again.


    "I just want to show you my goodwill." The mad scientist said as she continued sniffing. "I figured out that if I tell you this information, there is a high chance that you will ally with me. Oh, and you smell quite nice. No wonder Khora was so horny for you tonight."


    "Shut up. Was it really you who figured that out, or was it your clairvoyant Companion?" Alex snarled as he tried to stop Alina from pouncing on the mad scientist.


    "Who knows, I just did what I had to do, and I am just here to wait for the results."The mad scientist really had the audacity to look so smug while saying these words.


    "This little¡­" Alex snarled as he tried to calm himself down. He knew that losing his cool against this infuriating woman will be of no help to him now.


    By this point, Alex knew that taking care of that clairvoyant will be one of their main objectives here in this world. As for the mad scientist, her due time will come too.


    But before Alex can take actions against them, Alex knew that he had to follow logic first.


    "You want an alliance? Then let''s meet on a neutral place tomorrow. We shall have our Traveler Truce there." Alex said as he let out a sigh.


    "Nice¡­" Before the mad scientist could say something more, Alex continued his tirade.


    "But don''t think that I will let you off that easily now. Remember, we will only work together to locate the Legacy of Tartaros. Once we locate it, we will be back to fighting each other, pronto y pronto."


    "That''s all I want to hear." The mad scientist said as she turned around, with her ready to leave. "Oh, and my name is Ciara by the way. Remember to chant that name when you get nightmares later! But maybe you two won''t have nightmares later, as you two seems to be ready to ''hump and pump'' tonight!"


    The mad scientist then ran away quickly before Alina could slash her to pieces.


    "¡­Let''s just go back to the apartment for now." Alex said as he let out a sigh. "We need to let Queen Mother know about what had happened here."


    "¡­Yes, let''s go back." Alina said as she let out a disappointed sigh too.


    With the talk that they had with the mad scientist, the romantic mood that Alina and Alex had earlier were already gone.


    How could they have the mood to explore the forbidden garden when they have an enemy to interact with tomorrow?


    So much for their first date.


    "Well, even with that mad scientist appearing, I still can say that this date went well." Alina said as they trudged back to their apartment. "So don''t feel down. I am not feeling disappointed at all."


    "But-" Alex''s reply was cut off when Alina''s lips sealed his.


    "Don''t say anything else." Alina said as she pulled back, licking her lips in the process. "I don''t want your smart mouth ruining this all."


    "Ok." That was all that Alex could say as they continued their walk.

 Chapter 136 Escalation!

    The following day.


    "Sis, where are you going?" The little Lara asked as she saw her big sister Lauren wearing her Signum costume. "Are you going to be a Hero today?"


    "Yeah, it''s something like that¡­" Lauren replied with an evasive tone as she scratched her chin. "Your Big Sis and her teammates will be off to do hero stuff today! So, please just stay here and be a good girl ok?"


    "Un!" Lara replied as she raised the action figures of Myth and Plague in her hands. Both of these action figures were in high quality, and even Lauren can see how exquisitely they were made. "I will just play with my action figures today!"


    "Did you say thank you to Alina?" Lauren sternly said as she saw the action figures held by Lara. "She bought that for you after all."


    "I did!! Lara replied as she let out a pout. "Sis Alina even said that I should take care of them!"


    "Yes, you really should." Lauren said as she ruffled Lara''s hair. "Have some fun, ok?"


    "Teehee!" The little girl let out a giggle as she rushed to the living room, probably to start playing with her new toys.


    After letting out a satisfied smile on her face,Lauren looked at her aunt, who was busy cleaning the dishes. "Auntie, we''re going now."


    "Take care." Her auntie said withoutlooking at Lauren. "Make sure that you come back here alive. I can''t take care of that runt by myself."


    "¡­Ok." Lauren said as she opened the door, joining Alex''s team towards their target location.


    **********


    When Alina and Alex arrived last night, Lauren found out the news that the enemy Villain Team actually offered them an alliance offer!


    Of course Lauren raised an objection against this, but to her surprise, Alex actually was willing to ally with them!


    Alex did not explain the reason why, but he told Lauren that this is the best thing that they can do to keep everything stable.


    This left Lauren with no choice but to just go with the flow, since even Queen Mother was willing to ally with them.


    If Alex, Alina, and Queen Mother were all fine allying with them, then Lauren had no probable reason that she can use to just object to this.


    This decision was the one that brought Lauren to their present situation.


    Right now, Lauren and Alex''s team were about to go to The Hut, which was considered to be a neutral meeting location between Heroes and Villains.


    The Hut, which was a large straw hut located at the southern end of the Grand Point City, was where meetings between Heroes and Villains were allowed.


    No fighting is allowed inside The Hut, and anyone who violates this rule will be killed by the guardian of The Hut.


    This makes The Hut the best location for meeting between Heroes and Villains.


    After making the decision to ally with The Alchemists, Alex decided to meet up with them inside The Hut, which explains their journey towards it.


    "Are you sure that they will not attack us once we made this alliance? And what are you allying against, anyway?" Lauren asked Alex as she felt somewhat intrigued by Alex''s change of heart.


    "Don''t worry Lauren. We have our ways to prevent backstabbing from happening." Alex replied quickly. "As for what we are allying against, it''s better for that to stay secret for now. No offense, but the fewer the people that know about it, the better it will be for all of us."


    "¡­Ok." Even if Lauren somewhat felt hurt by Alex''s rejection to tell the truth, Lauren can understand why she was being excluded like this.


    After all, she was not truly a part of Alex''s team.


    She was just someone who joined along with them, and she will never be truly be ''with them''.


    But even if she understood it, she still could not help but feel sad by this.


    "¡­" While Lauren was wallowing quietly, she suddenly felt someone touching her shoulders.


    Lauren looked up, just in time to see Queen Mother touching her shoulders and giving her a soothing smile.


    "Don''t feel down, Lauren" Queen Mother said as her hands rubbed Lauren''s upper arm. Lauren felt some pleasant tingles in her body, as if Queen Mother''s touch triggered something pleasurable inside her. "Alex will also tell you the truth, but it cannot be right now."


    "Yeah, I um, understand." Lauren replied with a stutter as Queen Mother continued rubbing her arms.


    Lauren badly wanted to scold Queen Mother for what she was doing, but she was unable to say anything as she quite enjoyed what she was feeling right now.


    "Eep!"


    Lauren then let out a yelp as she felt Queen Mother''s hand on her waist.


    "What''s wrong Lauren? Didn''t you like me doing this yesterday?" Queen Mother said as she started squeezing with her hands, prompting Lauren to tremble in her place. "You even told me to not stop doing this¡­"


    "Yesterday is different." Lauren hissed as Queen Mother continued her squeeze fest. "We are in a private place yesterday. Right now, we are in public! We cannot just do anything indecent!"


    "What''s indecent with what I am doing?" Queen Mother innocently asked as she tilted her head.


    "Squeeze, squeeze."


    "If you don''t stop now, I will not talk to you for today." Lauren said as she gritted her teeth.


    "...Fine then." Queen Mother replied as she raised her arms in surrender. "I will behave¡­ for now."


    "Sigh." That promise of Queen Mother was already enough for Lauren.


    "Hey, is this the place that you were talking about?" Lauren heard Alex saying, as he pointed to a structure that appeared right in front of them.


    Lauren looked to where Alex was pointing, and what she saw was a straw hut, which just looked like a normal hut.


    What made this hut look different was the stone statue placed beside it. The stone statue was of a Knight, holding an extremely large broadsword.


    Lauren gulped, as she remembered all the villains and heroes killed by this stone statue.


    "Yes, this is The Hut." Lauren replied. She then pointed to the stone statue as she said,


    "That stone statue over there is the guardian of The Hut. If you violate its rules, the guardian will kill the violator. No loopholes can get over that."


    "Damn, this statue looks cool." Lauren could hear Alex saying as he observed the statue. "Whoever made his statue is a pro!"


    Lauren shared the same thoughts as Alex regarding the statue. Even if it was just an artwork, the statue looked extremely lifelike, indicating that the one who created it was a maestro.


    "It really is a masterpie-" But before Lauren could say something more about the stone statue, the sudden sound of approaching footsteps broke her talk.


    She looked at the source of the sound, and there she saw The Alchemists, wearing their respective costumes.


    "Heya, I see that you arrived here in full force." The mad scientist said in a voice which just sounded wrong to Lauren. "Let''s get this over with, so that we can get back to our ''mundane lives''!"


    "Sigh." Lauren heard Alex saying as he opened the door of The Hut. "Ladies first."


    The mad scientist only gave Alex a nod as she entered The Hut, with Alex following her.


    The door then closed, leaving Lauren, Alina, Queen Mother, and the rest of the Travelers outside The Hut.


    "We will wait here until they were done making the truce." Alina said she and Queen Mother just stood there, staring the rest of the Alchemists. "We will leave once they were done."


    "Ok." Lauren replied, with her left hand holding Queen Mother''s right hand. "Let''s just hope that nothing will go wrong today."


    "Murhpy''s Law. Anything that can go wrong will go wrong." Alina muttered as she shook her head. "Even if today seems to look good, you should always expect for the worst. You never know what might happen after all."


    "¡­'' Lauren was not sure on her reply to that, as she found that statement so out of the field.


    So instead of continuing to talk, Lauren spent the rest of the time staring at the rest of The Alchemists.


    She looked at the whip-holding woman, who was radiating boredom from her posture.


    Even if the whip woman was wearing a mask, Lauren could feel that she was extremely bored, as if she was not interested on this meeting at all.


    As for the guy with the metal ball, he seemed to be in his own world, as he was busy doing something inside his metal ball.


    Squeaks and creaks could be heard coming from the metal ball, and there seems to be nothing that can distract the guy from what he was doing.


    Lauren then looked at the last member of the Alchemists, but she was forced to avert her gaze because of the intensity that she saw.


    The last member of the Alchemists, the katana-wielding woman, seems to be glaring at Alina intently. She was even holding her katana with her left hand, as if she was challenging Alina to make her move.


    As for Alina herself, she was glaring back at the katana woman, with her arms crossed in front of her.


    Sparks could be seen in the air as Alina and the katana woman continued their glare fest.


    "¡­" Lauren felt like shrinking as she saw the face-off between Alina and the katana woman.


    "Should we break this up?" Lauren asked Queen Mother as the glaring contest continued. "A fight could break out here!"


    "Don''t worry. Alina is just in a bad mood because of what happened last night." Queen Mother replied as she ruffled Lara''s head. "Let Alina vent her irritations here. After all, it''s better for her rage to be used here rather thanon us, right?"


    "Yeah, you are right." Lauren replied as she decided to just stay quiet and hope that nothing will go wrong.


    But as it turns out, something wrong did actually happen.


    After 30 minutes of waiting outside The Hut, Lauren suddenly heard the unmistakable sound of warning sirens echoing all around her.


    "Woo, woo, woo!"


    "No!" Lauren shouted as she recognized what the warning sirens meant. "Why today and why here?"


    "Woo, woo, woo!"


    "Lauren, what the hell is that warning siren for?" Queen Mother asked Lauren as the warning sirens continued on wailing.


    "Woo, woo, woo!"


    "Wait, you don''t know?" Lauren asked Queen Mother as she saw the confusion on her face.


    "Woo, woo, woo!"


    Lauren then looked at Alina and the rest of The Achemists, and Lauren saw that they were just as confused as Queen Mother, as if they do not know what the warning sirens are for.


    "All of you¡­ do not know what the warning sirens are for." Lauren slowly said as she stared at the confused people in front of her. "How could you all not know?"


    "Woo, woo, woo!"


    "We will explain that to you later. But for now, please tell us what the warning sirens are for." Alina said as she finally broke off her glare contest. "Is something dangerous coming here?"


    "Woo, woo, woo!"


    "Yes, something dangerous is coming here." Lauren replied as she let out a sigh.


    "Woo, woo, woo!"


    As she ignored the sirens, which was starting to grate on her ears, Lauren let out a deep breath as she pointed her fingers at the sky.


    Her voice sounded broken and timid as she said,


    "When a Class S, Class SS, Class SSS, or Class Z threat suddenly appear, warning sirens will indicate their arrival. The level of threat will be indicated in the pattern of the warning sirens. 1 siren will mean a Class S Threat, 2 consecutive sirens will mean a Class SS Threat, 3 consecutive sirens are for aClass SSS Threat, and 4 consecutive sirens are for a Class Z Threat."


    "Woo, woo, woo!"


    "We are hearing 3 consecutive sirens here, which means that a Class SSS Threat is coming here at Grand Point City!" Lauren said as she began to tremble in fear. "We, we have no choice but to face that Class SSS Threat here! If not, many innocents will die!"

 Chapter 137 Field Trip!

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 Chapter 138 Free and Random are Better than Nothing

    While Lauren was panicking, Alex and the mad scientist were only bothered by the sirens a little. It was only when they left The Hut and heard what Lauren was saying about the sirens that they got worried.


    "That is quite¡­ disconcerting." Alex said as he and the mad scientist approached the shaken Lauren. "Are you really sure that a Class SSS Threat will be coming in here?"


    "I am 100 percent sure!" Lauren replied, with her face wearing extreme frustration in it. "Do you guys even know where these threats come from?"


    "Well, we only have limited knowledge of it." Alex shamelessly replied as he and the mad scientist just stared at Lauren expectantly.


    If Lauren could just show her helplessness right now, then she could have already done so. Unfortunately for her, she had no possible avenues to let it all out.


    "You all, ugh!" Alex could see Lauren attempting to pull her hair out, as if she was extremely irritated by what was happening. "Ok, just let me explain it quickly here!"


    "We''re all ears." Alex said as he and the others started to adopt listening poses.


    "¡­." Lauren adjusted her costume a little before she started talking.


    "Sometimes, a Superhuman''s ability just becomes too much of a threat to many innocent people. Regardless of the intention, there will be incidents that will result in tragedies. When¡­ these threats become too much powerful, they will have to be labeled in different levels, from Class F to Class Z. Each Class will mean different levels of danger, and in actuality, only Classes from Class S to Class Z are considered to be serious issues."


    "How ''dangerous'' are the ''serious'' Classes anyway?" Alex said as he heard what Lauren said. "Are there any thresholds for these ''serious'' Classes?"


    "A Class S Threat indicates a City Destroying Threat. A Class SS Threat will mean a State or Provincial Destroying Threat.A Class SSS Threat indicates a Country Destroying Threat, while a Class Z Threat will mean a World Destroying Threat." Lauren said in a span of one breath. "We are facing a Class SSS Threat, which if left unchecked, will have the power to destroy our country!"


    "¡­." Even if Alex was not yet seeing this Threat, he already knew that it was bad news for him.


    "That threat is bad news indeed." Alex muttered to himself as he started to walk backwards. Given a choice, Alex would not want to stay here and fight that threat. After all, what could he get from staying here and fight? Virtually nothing!


    Alex looked at the mad scientist, and he saw that the mad scientist seemed to be thinking of leaving too.


    There is no doubt that the mad scientist will leave now, with her body language indicating her eagerness to leave.


    However, before the mad scientist and Alex could make their moves to leave, both of their Guides suddenly perked up, as they seemed to have received an important information.


    "Alex, you will love what I just received!" Asteria said as she gave Alex a cocky smirk.


    Before Alex could realize what was going on, the dumbfairy let out a contented sigh as she said,


    [BONUS MISSION: Defeat the Class SSS Threat, and live to see the next day. Completing the Bonus Mission will reward the Traveler 10 Years of Lifespan, and a Free Randomized Superhuman Ability. Failure to finish the Bonus Mission will not mean anything negatively to the Traveler.]


    "Oh goddamit all!" Alex swore as he heard what Asteria just said.


    "Why is my Bonus Mission like this?" Alex wailed inwardly as he realized that there is no way that he will just let go of the opportunity to gain a Free Randomized Superhuman Ability.


    Afterall, the cost of the Real Superhuman Ability was around 50 Years, something which Alex cannot afford even if he finishes the Bonus Mission.


    Even if its Randomized, getting a Superhuman Ability here is way better than not getting one at all.


    If it was before, Alex was just fine not getting any Superhuman Abilities at all.


    But the information that Alex had about the Pantheon made him realize that he needed some Superhuman Ability too if he wanted to obtain that Legacy that he was looking for!


    For Alex, acquiring the Free Randomized Superhuman Ability will be his ticket towards his plans!


    "Because of that Free Randomized Superhuman Ability, I have no choice now but to help on finishing this Bonus Mission." Alex thought to himself sourly as he glared at Asteria.


    Alex then looked at the mad scientist, and he realized that she seemed to have received the same Bonus Mission as him too.


    With the rewards of the Bonus Mission, there is no doubt that the mad scientist will also stay here to fish some benefits.


    "Hehehe, now our Truce will be of much help here." The mad scientist said as she gave Alex an excited smile. "With both our teams working together, this could be a piece of cake!"


    "Piece of cake?" Lauren suddenly said as she glared at Alex and the mad scientist. "Do you even know what you will be dealing with? Do you know the kind of threat that will appear here later?"


    "....."


    Before Alex or the mad scientist could reply, Lauren continued talking, but this time in a faster pace.


    "Before, Class S - Class Z Threats were very , very rare. It was only when a certain supervillain appeared that everything changed."


    Alex then saw Lauren wearing a somber expression on her face as she continued talking.


    "This Supervillain was called the Monster Emperor, and his power was to create extremely powerful Monsters, with these Monsters varying in power, ranging from Class A to Class SSS! Overall, Monster Emperor has a Class Z Level of power! With him and his monster minions, Monster Emperor was able to bring the whole Pantheon to the brink of death. It was only through sheer perseverance of the Pantheon that they were able to kill Monster Emperor. Once he died, all his minions died too, leaving the world in peace."


    "But¡­ how does that relate here?" Alex asked in confusion as the sirens continued on wailing.


    "Well, when the Monster Emperor died, his body transformed into an indestructible orb which is now floating in the sky." Lauren said as she let out a sigh. "The Pantheon tried doing everything that they can to destroy this orb, but the orb stayed in the sky, always floating wherever it wanted to."


    "Now, the problem with that orb is the fact that it still spits out monsters. Fortunately, only 1 monster was released per time, and the release times were also random." Lauren said as she kneaded her forehead. "Since the appearance of that orb, it had already spitted out 43 powerful monsters all around the world. But with the help of all the available Heroes and some members of the Pantheon, these monsters were all killed."


    Lauren then stopped talking here, as if what she just said managed to explain everything weird happening now.


    "Wait, wait, wait." Alex said as he kneaded his forehead too. "If this orb is this dangerous, why can''t Foresight use her power to see when it spits out the Monsters?"


    "Due to some unknown circumstances, Foresight had some difficulty using her power on the orb." Lauren replied as she placed her hands on her hips. "Foresight will only know when the orb spits out a Monster 30 minutes before it happens. This warning that you are hearing right now, this was given out by Foresight, as she saw that a monster will be released in this place around 30 minutes from now."


    "Wow, I do not know if I should be impressed or disappointed with what I just heard." The mad scientist commented as she shook her head. "So, what should we villains do now? Just stay here or should we leave?"


    "Anyone with Superhuman Abilities, whether they are Hero or Villain, are highly requested to help out on repelling Threats like these." Lauren replied quickly. "Do not worry if you go there as a villain. When repelling Class S ¨C Class Z Threats, no fighting between the Heroes and Villains are allowed. Those who disobey these rule will be attacked indiscriminately by everyone else."


    "Well, that makes sense. This world needs all the powers that they can to repel threat, whether the power was carried by a hero or villain." The mad scientist said with a hint of amusement in her voice. "Hehehe, I love this world! They really had to compromise with villains just to save civilians! How intriguing!"


    "Ignore this woman, Lauren." Alex said as he and the mad scientist went back to their respective teams. "So, where should we meet up with the other Heroes and Villains?"


    "We have to go to the center of the Grand Point City." Lauren said as she pointed at its direction. "That is the directive for events like these."


    "In that''s case, let''s go now!" Alex said as he shifted to his tentacle form. He then blasted himself to the air as he rushed to the center of the city.


    There was only half an hour remaining before the arrival of the Class SSS Threat, so Alex had to meet everyone involved in the operation and help out with their plans!


    "So, will it only be the Superhumans here in Grand Point City that will repel the threat?" Alex asked Lauren as all of them rushed to their target location.


    "Not really. Heroes from other cities and countries will arrive here via the aid of teleporters." Lauren said as she adjusted her position inside Queen Mother''s grasp. "As for the Pantheon, they will also send some of their members here."


    "¡­That''s good I guess." Alex muttered, as he realized that he was also about to meet other members of the Pantheon in this operation. "We better be prepared asking them for some autographs then!"


    **********************


    After 5 minutes of nonstop movement, Alex and the others arrived at the center of the city.


    "Woah." That was all that Alex could say as he saw a large crowd of costumed people milling all around the area.


    Alex could also hear some swishing sounds as countless teleporters appear and disappeared, bringing more and more heroes in the area.


    "This is really large." Alex said as he landed on the ground. He looked around him, as he tried to drink in the sights that he was seeing now.


    After some looking around, Alex saw Glacia, who was glowering in a nearby corner. There was a wide berth of space around her, as if nobody was interested on getting near her.


    Alex also saw a pot-bellied man wearing a formal suit, who was surrounded by countless mafia goons around him. This pot-bellied man must have been Mafioso, and from the pissed look in his face, he seems unhappy to be here in this place.


    Alex tried to look at the other Superhumans around him, but before he could do so, he suddenly felt four powerful presences descending from above.


    Without even looking up, Alex already knew that these four were all members of the Pantheon.


    After all, it was only them that has the capability have thesepowerful presences.


    Alex did look up, and what he saw made him somewhat wary and excited.


    All four of the new arrivals were wearing unique costumes, although their costumes seems to be much more imposing compared to everyone below them.


    Alex recognized one of the four as Tetra, with him still wearing his signature biker gang costume.


    As he looked at Tetra, Alex realized that Tetra was merrily talking with one of the Pantheon members with him. The one that Tetra was talking to was a man whose whole body was covered with a sophisticated looking armor.


    With Alex''s eyesight, he could see that this man''s armor was filled to the brim with weaponry.


    There was no doubt that this armored man was Machi, the Combat Builder of the Pantheon.


    Alex then looked at the other two Pantheon members, who were hovering on Tetra''s left and right side.


    The one hovering on Tetra''s left side was a short, petite woman with black hair reaching her shoulders.


    She was wearing a female knight costume, which looked extremely original in Alex''s opinion. Her face was covered by a slim helmet, with just enough spaceon its mouth part to show the woman''s confident smile.


    With his research, Alex knew that this woman was Myth, the ''mythical'' shifter of the Pantheon.


    As for the woman hovering on Tetra''s right side, she seemed to be the opposite of Myth.


    This woman has a long, slender body and silvery blonde hair that reached her ankles.


    She was also wearing a toga, which covered her whole body perfectly.


    The woman''s mask was a simple one, only a masquerade mask which covered the upper half of her face.


    Her smile was ephemeral and elegant, something that was the contrast of Myth''s confident smile.


    "Gulp." Alex''s throat slightly moved, as he knew that he was now looking at the most mysterious member of the Pantheon.


    She was Foresight, the most powerful clairvoyant in the world!


    "Greetings to you all." Foresight''s voice, which sounded like the gentle tickling of golden bells, suffused the area around Alex as everyone heard her talking. "We only have a limited time left before the threat arrives, so let us not waste time anymore. We have some fighting to do, and we need a viable battle strategy to draw up!"

 Chapter 139 Duplicator!

    "¡­." Alex was slightly dazed for a few seconds as he stared at Foresight''s elegant appearance.


    He only broke out of the daze when he felt Alina''s elbow plowing on his right side, which was coupled with a pissed gaze from Alina.


    "Behave, hooman." Asteria said as she watched Alex''s discomfort with satisfaction. "Don''t tell me you are into MILFs these days? Because I am sure Foresight is one hot MILF."


    "Pfft¡­" The devilish-looking Guide of the mad scientist giggled a little from hearing Asteria''s joke. "That''s funny." The little devil said as he gave Alina a thumbs-up. "But it will be better if that MILF is THICC¡­."


    This reply prompted Asteria to give an amused smile to the little devil, which the little devil reciprocated with a smile of his own.


    "Oh great, now these two are about to be friends." Alex muttered to himself as he decided to keep these two Guides as far away as they can from each other.


    Alex then heard some swooshing sounds above him, as the 4 Pantheon Members descended towards the ground.


    Alex watched with curiosity as a Non-Superhuman approached the descending Myth.


    The two shook hands with each other, with the Non-Superhuman giving Myth a strained smile.


    With his research, Alex knew that this Non-Superhuman was the Head of the SHA Division here in Grand Point City, also called as Division Director Green.


    The balding man look certainly stressed as he talked to the Pantheon members, no doubt because of the incoming disaster.


    Alex strained his ears as he tried to eavesdrop on the conversation between Myth and Director Green.


    "-still a lot of time to prepare for the enemy." Alex heard Myth saying to Director Green as she patted his shoulder. "If we do this right, we can defeat the enemy quickly. But for that to work, everyone here must cooperate with each other, villains and heroes combined."


    "Well, the cooperation part will be a difficult one." Director Green replied as he let out an audible sigh. "A lot happened here in the recent days, and I think these happenings could be a detriment to a possible working relationship here."


    Alex then saw Director Green glaring at their direction, as if he was blaming him for what had happened.


    "Oh great¡­ so this man is now blaming us for our heroic actions? What an ass." Alex muttered to himself as he recognized that look given by Director Green as the blaming kind of look.


    To Alex''s amusement, Myth seems to have been offended by what the Director said. "I think you are thinking of our Heroes and Villains too lowly. I am sure that with the right words, they can be persuaded to help us out. "


    "If only that was the case¡­" Alex heard Director Green muttering as he put his head down. "There are still a lot of hidden factors here¡­"


    "Hohohoho, so the bald-headed leader of the SHA Division looks kind worried here. I wonder why~" Before Myth and Director Green could continue their conversation, a lively voice suddenly interrupted them. "My, my, why are you wearing a frown in your face, Director? You should always smile!"


    Alex looked at the source of the lively voice, and what he saw made him think of one word.


    FLAMBOYANT.


    The speaker was a man, who was wearing a very form-fitting latex suit. It was so fit that there were some parts of the man''s body that were being outlined prominently much to Alex''s disgust.


    He was also wearing a blood-red robe, coupled with a long cape trailing behind him.


    The man''s hair was an array of dizzyingly bright colors, which were fanning behind him.


    The man''s mask was a perfect fit for his face, only leaving holes for his mouth, eyes, and nose.


    Every now and often, this man will assume some kind of pose, which made his latex-covered body adopting weird and eye-averting positions.


    Alex was not sure on what to say about this man, as he could only think of him as extremely flamboyant and lively.


    "Oh it''s you, Engorgio." Director Green said as his lips trembled while saying the man''s name. "I never thought that someone like you will be participating here."


    "Well, that was I thought too." Engorgio replied as he made a leaning pose. "But then I saw Mafioso and Glacia coming, here, so I decided to come here, just to complete the Triad."


    "Your presence here makes me extremely uncomfortable, but with your help here, facing off against the threat will be a little easier." Director Green replied as he carefully distanced himself away from Engorgio. "Just remember to not show anything inappropriate later. Others might not¡­ like it."


    "Oh¡­ so you think that showing my perfectly chiseled body to others will bring adverse effects on them? I feel quite insulted by that." Engorgio replied as he tilted his head.


    "Just don''t enlarge what should not be enlarged!" Director Green yelled in anger. "I don''t want anyone seeing your antics here. Do you understand that?"


    "Yes¡­." Engorigio replied as he let out a pout. "I will try my best to not do that, but accidents might happen, you know."


    "¡­."


    Alex could not help but facepalm after hearing the conversation between the two. What he heard just cemented Engorgio''s status from the rumors that Alex heard.


    From his research, Alex knew that Engorgio was the third Supervillain here in Grand Point City, and was the third member of Triad, along with Glacia and Mafioso.


    Engorgio''s Superhuman ability was obviously related to his name.


    His name Engorgio, which comes from ''engorge'', which means to be ''to swell'', is quite fitting for his power.


    Engorgio can increase or decrease the size of his body at whim.


    He can reach gigantic sizes, and he can shrink himself up to extremely small sizes.


    He can also use this power on other objects. But that object must be a non-living object, which means that Engorgio can enlarge a pencil, but not a dog or another person.


    Fortunately, there are still some limitations with his power.


    First is that in order for him to shrink or enlarge anything other than himself, he has to touch that object before his power kicks in.


    The second limitation was that there is a time constraint with his power.


    Making an object double or halve of its size will take a minute, while making an object triple or become one- third of its size will take 2 minutes to work. Making an object quadruple or become one-fourth of its size will take 3 minutes to work.


    Quintuple or one-fifth of its size: 4 minutes.


    Sextuple or one-sixth of the size: 5 minutes.


    This pattern will apply on the other size changes too.


    This limitation will mean that the larger or smaller Engorgio wanted an object to be, it will take a longer time for that effect to work.


    Dispelling the effect will also take as long as the time needed for the effect to work in the first place.


    So, if Engorgio dispels his power on a pen that was doubled in size, will take a minute for that pen to get back on its normal size. 2 minutes if the pen was tripled in size.


    Even with these limitations in place, Engorgio was able to place himself as one of the major Supervillains here in Grand Point City with him creatively using his power.


    But aside from being a villain,Engorgio was also known from his weird and unique¡­ antics.


    Just by looking at Engorgio talking with Director Green was enough to show his weird side.


    "¡­" Alex idly looked at Mafioso and Glacia, who both looked uncomfortable and pissed as they looked at Engorgio.


    Well, even Alex will feel uncomfortable if he was facing a person whose name connotes something that is not really appropriate for children.


    "I think I should steer clear from Engorgio as long as possible." Alex thought to himself as he could only imagine what Asteria would do If she sees Engorgio''s weird activities.


    Foresight, who was staying quiet as she landed on the ground, started to speak with that soothing voice of hers.


    Her voice echoed all throughout the area, catching everyone''s attention to her.


    Alex''s thoughts were broken as he decided to listen to her. copy


    "Everyone, stop whatever you are doing now. I am about to tell you all about the abilities of the incoming threat, so all of you have to listen." Foresight said as he eyes narrowed in concentration.


    "¡­" Everyone went quiet after hearing wthat Foresight said, as they listened to what she was about to say.


    "For now, we will call the incoming Class SSS Threat as Duplicator. Duplicatorhas the ability to copy a single Superhuman Ability." Foresight said to the crowd. "Once copied, this ability will be used by Duplicator to its maximum level. Duplicator cannot copy more than one Superhuman Ability, hence its designation as a Class SSS Threat. "


    Foresight then tilted her head as she continued talking.


    So, if the Superhuman Ability that Duplicator copies was the ability to create small pebbles, in the hands of Duplicator, this ability will change into creation of gigantic asteroids. If the copied ability was the ability to create small explosions, in the hands of Duplicator, this ability will change into the creation ofexplosions at the level of nuclear bombs!"


    "!!!!" Alex could not help but curse out after hearing what Foresight said.


    An enemy that can copy your ability and use it on its maximum level? That is just unfair! Now, Alex can understand why Duplicator was considered a Class SSS Threat. If it copies one ability here, then many will surely die as a result!


    It was good that Duplicator can only copy one Superhuman Ability. Because of it can copy many, then everyone is doomed already.


    Once he reached this thought,Alex suddenly felt confusion as he realized something.


    If Duplicator can copy a one Superhuman Ability, then why did the Pantheon allow countless Superhumans to gather on the place where the threat will appear? Won''t that just give Duplicator the chance to get a power?


    Other Superhumans seems to have the same thoughts too, as they started giving confused glares to Foresight.


    "Hey, if that is Duplicator''s power, then why have you gathered us here?" Mafioso, who was quiet earlier, suddenly said as he tapped his cane on the floor. "And why are you Pantheon members also here? We are doomed if Duplicator copies one of your abilities! Do you really want us all to die?"


    "Of course not." Foresight replied as she shook her head lightly. "Actually, having all of us here is better."


    "Explain it to us." Mafioso gruffly said as he gnored the hostile gaze coming from Myth. "You have to ensure all of us that we are not heading to a slaughter here."


    Foresight did not show any indication that she was pissed by what Mafioso said as he began talking.


    "The superhuman ability that Duplicator can copy will depend on the nearest superhuman to Duplicator, regardless of the distance. That means that even if there are none of us here when Duplicator arrives later, it can still copy an ability depending on the nearest Superhuman to it, even if that Superhuman was 90 kilometers away from him. Do you understand what that means, right?"


    Alex nodded his head after hearing this, understanding what Foresight meant.


    Even if all the Superhumans evacuate themselves away from Grand Point City, Duplicator can still copy a superhuman ability on the Superhuman nearest to it.


    Even if that Superhuman was 50 or 100 kilometers away from Duplicator, as long as it was the nearest Superhuman to Duplicator, this Superhuman''s ability will still be copied!


    "Evacuating is useless, so staying here is better. "Foresight coolly said to Mafioso. "Oh, and once Duplicator arrives here, we will place a Superhuman with the weakest ability next to Duplicator. That way, Duplicator will get the weakest ability, and then all of us will have our fun attacking him."


    "That is a great plan." Alex muttered to himself, admiring the plan said by Foresight.


    This plan is just like hitting two birds with one stone: Making sure that Duplicator will be weak, and that there is a powerful force ready to repel it.


    By placing the Superhuman with the weakest ability next Duplicator later, the ability that Duplicator copies will surely be weak, even if with the amplification status.


    All of the Superhumans here can then have their fun attacking Duplicator who copied a weak Superhuman ability.


    "¡­Your logic is sound, and I have no choice but to accept it." Mafioso said as he tapped the ground with his cane.


    His displeasure was quite apparent in his face, although he did his best to now show it.


    "But¡­ which Superhuman should we place near Duplicator later?" Of course, this question is the elephant in the room.


    "Well, any volunteer?" Foresight said as she looked at the crowd. "We will gladly appreciate your help here!"


    Seconds later, and nobody from the crowd raised their hands.


    After all, who among them would want to admit that their ability is weak? Besides that, nobody would want to be placed near the Class SSS Threat! Even without the copied power, Duplicator''s body will surely be as tough like the other Class SSS threats before!


    "Nobody, really?" Although Foresight''s tone seemed to be disappointed, she seemed to be not disappointed at all, as if she had already seen this happening.


    Oh right, she surely did see this happening.


    "Well, it''s a good thing that I have already seen this happening, so I already had chosen someone who will be the beneficiary of Duplicator''s power!" Foresight cheerfully said as she began to look amongst the crowd.


    Everyone in the crowd stiffened, as they realized that Foresight had actually chosen a ''sacrifice'' amongst them!


    Many began to shiver nervously, as they wished that it would not be them.


    Being chosen by Foresight will not only damage their pride, but also bring their life in danger.


    "Please not me, please not me¡­" Alex heard these murmurs around him, prompting him to snort in amusement


    "Okay, who could be the unlucky guy?" Alex thought to himself as he began to feel sorry for the person chosen by Foresight. "I wish you luck, whoever you could be¡­"

 Chapter 140 Who Wants to Collect the Shells?

    Alex watched in slight trepidation as Foresight''s gaze paused slightly in his general direction, but that trepidation also disappeared as Foresight continued on looking further on.


    "You, come here." Foresight said as she pointed to a woman who was standing on a spot around 20 meters away from Alex.


    The woman was wearing a suit made up of wooden slabs woven together. Over all, the suit made the woman look like a wooden trunk, although her slim body indicates that the woman was nothing like a trunk.


    The woman gawked as Foresight''s and everyone''s gaze became focused on her.


    "What are you waiting for? Come here already!" Foresight said as she seemed to have ignored the woman''s panicked look entirely.


    "But¡­" The woman tried to say something more, but before she could do so, she stopped her mouth from opening as she shrank under the pressured gazes of everyone.


    "Don''t worry, Ambrosia. Your ability is not weak at all." Foresight said as she seemed to be consoling Ambrosia. "It''s just that your power will be the best one that can be copied by Duplicator here."


    Although Ambrosia looked extremely panicked, it seems like she understood what Foresight was talking about as the paleness on her face slowly disappeared.


    "I¡­ can understand what you say." Ambrosia said as she bent her head down. "If Duplicator copies and uses my ability, I am sure that it will end up helping us out¡­"


    This reply of Ambrosia made Foresight looked extremely pleased.


    As for Alex and the others, they looked at the conversation with confusion as they could not understand on what kind of power could help them out against Duplicator.


    "To those who do not know Ambrosia''s power, let me explain it all to you." Foresight said as she looked at everyone around her. "Once used, her ability will be able to cast positive buffs to anyone near Ambrosia. Hero or villain, anyonenear Ambrosia will have their abilities improved, their body strengthened, their stamina increased, and many more. The only limitation of this ability is that this ability cannot affect Ambrosia at all."


    Foresight then gave a challenging grin as she said,


    " Now, you can see why I chose Ambrosia, right?"


    "That ability¡­ is actually helpful here." Alex muttered to himself as he mulled on what Foresight just said.


    If Ambrosia''s buffing ability does not care for enemy or foe, thenta that just means that once Duplicator copies this ability, the ability that Duplicator will get will be the best version of Ambrosia''s ability.


    Once Duplicator uses this version of Ambrosia''s ability, everyone fighting Duplicator will have their powers surely enhanced.


    "OUTSTANDING MOVE." Alex thought to himself as he felt impressed with Foresight''s choice.


    "Hey Foresight, did you already see what will happen if we use Ambrosia as the copy target later?" One of the Heroes asked as Ambrosia still looked like she was considering on what to do. "Did you already see if we will succeed against Duplicator or not?"


    "Well, because of the nature of Duplicator, it is hard for me to map future scenarios against him." Foresight said as she tilted her head. "However, I pretty much know that using Ambrosia will bring the best results for us all!"


    "Is that result best for us, or best for you?" Mafioso asked as he coolly stared at Foresight. "I could not help but think that you have an agenda here¡­"


    "Watch your mouth, old man." Myth suddenly said before Foresight could say something. "If you want to be recognized, then stop moaning and complaining there and just start working!


    Myth''s appearance then changed, which gathered cheers and enthusiastic claps from the crowd.


    Alex watched in fascination as Myth grew in size, reaching an impressive height of around 50 feet, with her length reaching around 70 feet.


    Alex gulped as Myth''s suit and human appearance disappeared, as they were replaced by something different.


    Right now, Myth''s whole body was covered with scales, and her limbs were now replaced by four, thick legs with talons at their tips.


    A pair of wings appeared in her back, flapping merrily behind her.


    Myth''s head also changed, as it suddenly changed to become more bird-like, coupled with beaks and a long, scaly neck.


    "Holy crap¡­ did Myth just?" Alex''s eyes widened as he observed Myth''s gigantic form.


    Alex, with his experience on reading Mythology, immediately recognized the inspiration of Myth''s current form.


    "She is emulating Tiamat out of all the mythical goddess that she can shapeshift to." Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head.


    From what Alex knew, Tiamat was an ancient Babylonian Goddess. According to the ancient readings, Tiamat was supposed to be a goddess of seawater and chaos that was born from the primordial chaos itself. It was also said that Tiamat wasa Creation Goddess and that she was the mother of countless gods and goddesses.


    "Holy c**p, this is actually freaking me out right now." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at Myth''s towering form. "Does she really need to take this form?"


    "Now then Mafioso, do you think that we are here to gain an advantage with young Ambrosia here?" Myth''s voice, which rumbled deeply from her massive neck, showed her great distaste on the mafia villain.


    Mafioso, who saw the gigantic Myth looking down on him, had no choice left but lower his head in front of such an intimidating display. "I¡­ apologize, Myth. It seems like I have been a little carried away."


    While Mafioso was apologizing, the muffled laughter of Engorgio could be heard form the background, which drew snickers from the crowd.


    Mafioso''s face significantly paled under these jeerings, but he did nothing to dissuade them.


    "So, even in this world, power really is still a great factor for your status." Alex thought to himself as he looked Lauren.


    "So cool!" Instead of being terrified, Lauren''s eyes were actually sparkling as her eyes scanned Myth''s Tiamat Form.


    "Really, Signum?" Alex said to Lauren as he saw her idolizing look. "I know that what Myth did was cool, but I am not sure if you can fangirl about it right now."


    "Shut up, a girl has to reach her dreams." Lauren replied quickly as let out a contented sigh.


    "¡­." Alex decided to ignore Lauren as he observed what happens next.


    The crowd seems to have been pumped up by Tiamat''s transformation, as they started to talk about placements depending on their power classifications.


    [Strongmen, gather here! All of us will be the at the front. You will tank all of Duplicator''s physical and ability-based attacks later! Shifters, if your shifted form will allow you to tank attacks, go to the front too. If not, then go at the back!]


    [Reachers, only use your abilities if you think it will work on Duplicator. If not, then you should help on rescuing later!]


    [As for Rangers and Movers, please come with me! All Rangers will have to attack from the rear, while the Movers will be given the task to move important targets whenever they are needed!]


    [Power Types, do your best to assist other Superhumans!]


    [As for Summoners, Builders, and Unknowns, you may go where you think your abilities will be of help the most. If you are a Domain Type, make sure your ability will not interfere in the fight later!]


    [Recon, Mind, and Control Types, focus on rescuing injured Superhumans later!"


    Alex nodded in approval as he saw battle formations being constructed in place, with Tetra and Machi barking orders to create the battle formations.


    Alex then looked at Ambrosia, who could be said to be an important piece in today''s operation.


    Ambrosia, who still looked quite undecided about following Foresight, seemed to have decided on approaching Foresight now.


    Apparently, a 50-feet tall draconic being was already enough to make Ambrosia feel safer.


    "Will I¡­ really be safe once Duplicator copies my ability?" Ambrosia nervously asked Foresight as she looked at the Pantheon Hero with a shaky look. "What if I get killed immediately? I don''t want to die¡­."


    "Don''t worry, Ambrosia. I assure you that you will not die." Foresight replied as she hugged Ambrosia. "Tetra will bring you out of the way once the copying process was done. With his speed, I am sure nothing bad will happen to you."


    "I will really not get harmed? Even in your future visions?" Ambrosia asked Foresight as she looked at her intently.


    "You won''t die in my future vision." Foresight said as she patted Ambrosia''s head. "Even if my future sight is wonky around the incoming threat, I am sure that you will not die in my future sights. So, just don''t worry of what will happen later."


    Slowly but surely, the panicked and uneasy looked on Ambrosia''s face disappeared, as it got replaced with a look of determination.


    "There, that''s the kind of Hero that we need." Foresight said as she ruffled Ambrosia''s head. "Ok, just approach Tetra, and he will position you on your best spot. Remember, with all of us here, nothing bad will ever happen to you!"


    "Foresight is not lying about everything that she told Ambrosia." Alina said to Alex as the now inspired Ambrosia approached the busy Tetra. "She really means everything that she said."


    "Now ain''t that great." Alex muttered to himself as he, Alina, Queen Mother, and Lauren went at the rear.


    As for the mad scientist''s team, they were at the rear part too, which seems to be fitting with their already observed power sets.


    "Ok, so all I have to do is to shoot at Duplicator later, and then just land the killing attack on him to get my rewards." Alex thought as he began to envision their easy victory later. "Hehehe, timing is always the key¡­"


    **********************


    Some minutes later.


    With all the Superhumans placed on their respective places, everyone waited in tension as they wanted the fighting to start already.


    Everyone was tense and nervous, as if the incoming fight will decide the fate of everyone channel.


    "There!" Out of nowhere, someone suddenly shouted, pointing at the air above them.


    "What???"


    Alex had to rub his eyes for a few seconds as he looked at the fearsome Class SSS Threat.


    "Really, we have to fight that?" That was all that Alex could say as he saw the enemy.


    While looking up, Alex could see a gigantic egg around the size of a building, slowly descending on an empty portion of the ground


    The egg, which was around 20 feet tall, looked certainly imposing, but the with presence of Myth, the gigantic eggs looks just like Myth''s own egg.


    Ambrosia, who was now standing the nearest to the egg, was shaking in her boots as she waited for the inevitable to come.


    "¡­" Everyone went quiet as they waited for Duplicator to make an action.


    After a few seconds of waiting, their tension reached the highest level as the shell of the egg began to break.


    The cracks on the egg expanded as a large beak broke through the shell.


    "Chirp, chirp!" Alex''s eyes widened after hearing this sound, as he knew only one creature that can create this sound.


    "Chirp, chirp." Everyone watched in utter shock as the appearance of the creature inside the egg shell was shown.


    "Chirp, chirp." Instead of a 20-feet tall monstrosity, what Alex saw was a 20-feet tall bundle of cuteness.


    A bird chick, whose whole body looked fluffy and cuddly, tilted its massive head as its massive body leaned towards Ambrosia''s direction.


    "Chirp, chirp."


    Ambrosia let out a light squeak as the gigantic chick stared at her.


    "Chirp, chirp!" The giant chick flapped its wings happily, as if it found Ambrosia quite pleasing.


    "Chirp, chirp!" The giant chick then suddenly glowed, indicating that it was doing something power-related.


    "Everyone, attack!" Foresight shouted as Tetra swooped in, bringing Ambrosia away. "Duplicator just copied Ambrosia''s power! Now, let''s do our best to kill it!"


    "Chirp, chirp?" Duplicator, who was still glowing, tilted its head as it watched Ambrosia getting away.


    "Chirp, chirp!" Duplicator tried to waddle towards Ambrosia''s direction, but before it could even move, a swarm of attacks from countless Superhumans struck Duplicator head on.


    With the first attack made by the Superhumans, the battle has officially started, and it will only stop until one side is dead.

 Chapter 141 Waves and Waves

    "Chirp chirp!" Duplicator was unable to do anything as more and more attacks landed on its body.


    All the Ranger Types started to blast Duplicator with their attacks, while the other Types gave their own attacks too.


    In a distance, Alex could see Glacia shooting massive ice spikes, and Mafioso''s henchmen sending out energy based attacks.


    As for Alex, he was using his Major Destruction Aura and Major Telekinesis to crash massive stones into Duplicator''s body.


    To make his attacks more lethal, Alex also decided to use Attack Enchancement and [The Weak Serve the Strong] to make his Ranger attacks reach the highest level.


    Alex looked beside him, and he saw Alina slashing with her sword merrily, while Queen Mother casually summoned Plant Golems which proceeded to pummel the chick.


    "Hahaha! Burn and be my food!" The mad scientist cackled as she threw bottle and bottles of differently colored concoctions towards Duplicator. The bottles exploded on impact, covering the chick with the chemicals contained inside it.


    "Chirp, chirp!" But even with the attacks landing on its body, Duplicator ignored them all, as it still continued on following Ambrosia.


    "¡­." To Alex''s dismay, he saw that even if Ambrosia sustained some injuries from their attacks, it was still able to walk properly, as if the injuries were just nothing on it.


    "So this is how tough a Class SSS Threat huh." Alex muttered to himself as Duplicator did not do anything to dodge their attacks. "If we want to defeat it, then we must continue on attacking it!"


    "Chirp, chirp!" After a minute of barrage, Duplicator''s patience seems to have reached its limits.


    It started to squawk angrily at Ambrosia''s direction, as if it was telling Ambrosia to come back to it.


    Naturally, Tetra did not bring Ambrosia back.


    "Chirp, chirp!" This response seems to have angered Duplicator, as its fluffy feathers all stood up from its end, with its beak starting to glow.


    "Everyone, Duplicator is about to use its copied ability. This is our chance now!" Foresight shouted as a light beam shout out of Duplicator''s beak, shooting into the sky with great intensity.


    "Chirp, chirp!" Once the sky beam appeared, Alex saw a rainbow-colored light covering everyone''s body.


    "Woah!" Alex heard shouts of delight from the crowd, and with his emotion sense, Alex could see that everyone of them were all elated.


    "Our powers¡­ really became strong!" Some of the Superhumans said as they tested out their attacks, and this time, their attacks looked significantly stronger than before.


    "Everyone, enjoy the power-ups that you received now." Foresight said under the cheering of the crowd. "From what I can see, the buffs given out by Duplicator will be permanent, so you will get to keep your power-ups today!"


    "What?" After hearing what Foresight said, Alex''s eyes widened as he felt excited too.


    If the positive buff from Duplicator was permanent, then every benefit that Alex will receive right now will stay with him.


    That sounds like an extremely good deal, and Alex of course will not refuse something like that.


    "Wait, what boost did I get anyway?" Alex muttered to himself as he inspected his body.


    What Alex saw made him almost curse out in surprise.


    "What the f**king hell?"


    To Alex''s shock, he did not just receive minor buffs from Duplicator.


    What he got were actually extremely powerful buffs!


    The first thing that Alex saw was that he actually broke through Grade 5 and Grade 6 Abyss Energy consecutively!


    Alex''s Abyss Energy Grade, which was at Grade 4 before, has now reached Grade 6 under the buff from Duplicator! This meant that Alex got more Abyss Spells for himself, and he will surely not waste that.


    Alex also felt that his Human and Tentacle Form both got stronger too! Alex could feel that his tentacles were definitely tougher, so tough that Alex knew that he can easily crush diamond with his tentacles right now!


    But that was not the only boost that Alex got.


    Alex looked at his Esper Ability, and the boost that he got there was also good.


    "¡­." By looking at his Mental Power,Alex saw that his Mental Power is now at Tier 950, which meant that he has a Range of 950 Meters!


    Not only that, but his Esper Power Abiilty itself evolved slightly too!


    Aside from EM sparks, Alex could sense something else with his Esper Ability.


    Alex could sense some kind of waves all around him, with these waves looking entirely different from the normal waves that Alex had seen before.


    Alex could sense these countless waves as they bounced, sloshed, and rippled out of different objects.


    Alex squinted his eyes as he focused on these waves, realizing that they are not just normal waves.


    These waves are travelling through the space itself, and from the looks of it, Alex was the only one that can see these waves.


    After more observations, Alex realized that these waves were coming out of everyone around him, and it seems like the more massive an object was, the more of these waves come out of that object.


    To his surprise, Alex realized that he can actually manipulate these waves, as he felt his Esper Ability urging him to go and manipulate these waves.


    After he had this feeling, Alex decided to manifest thousands of these waves in front of him.


    He observed these waves rippling out of his body, with each wave jostling each object near him.


    "Could it be¡­" By this point, Alex already had a slight inkling on what these waves could be, but in order to make sure that his guess was right, he decided to test his newfound power.


    He gathered around 10,000 of these waves, and he then used it to push up a nearby building.


    Alex felt a slight pressure in his head as he saw that 10,000 waves were unable to raise the building.


    He bit his lips as he summoned 100,000 waves to push the building up.


    "Creak¡­" The building let out a creaking sound as Alex successfully raised it.


    "Hahaha!I actually got this power!" Alex started laughing boisterously as his action with the building made him realize what the waves actually represent.


    "Those waves¡­ they are Gravity Waves! And it seems like I can manipulate them now!" Alex thought to himself merrily as he dispelled the waves that he had gathered below the building.


    "Crash!" The building let out a heavy sound as it reached the ground, but Alex made sure that none of its debris will reach them.


    "¡­" After he let the building down, Alex stared at his hands once more, as he realized what had just happened.


    "I¡­can control Gravity now¡­." Alex muttered to himself as he observed all the Gravity Waves echoing around him. "My Esper Abilty¡­ it was actually improved by Duplicator too!"


    Alex could not believe it.


    His Abyss Grade just went from Grade 4 to Grade 6.


    His Mental Power reached 950 just now.


    And his Esper Ability now allowed Alex to control Gravitational Waves.


    And he got all of this from Duplicator''s copied ability!


    "This is not just a normal buff, this is a permanent power boost!" Alex shouted as he realized that Duplicator''s ability really was as dangerous as Foresight said.


    "Alex¡­ did you feel your power changing too?" Alina muttered to Alex as she approached him. "Did your¡­ Esper Ability improve too?"


    "Yes, now, I can manipulate gravity now." Alex replied as he suddenly felt excitement for Alina. "Wait, Alina, don''t tell me¡­"


    "It seems like the buff that came from Duplicator has pushed my Esper Ability to fully evolve." Alina replied as the space around her began to ripple erratically. "Right now, my Esper Ability has changed to Strong Space Manipulation!"


    "Hahaha! This is really great!" Alex shouted in glee as he saw Alina reaching her full potential as an Esper. He felt genuinely glad for her, seeing that she just achieved what he had strived to reach before. "So, are you as strong as your sister now?"


    "No, not yet." Alina replied as she shook her head. "Most of my sister''s powerful attacks needed massive amounts of Mental Power, which sadly I do not have now. But I already have some techniques that I can use that will make our fights easier."


    "Good, good." Alex muttered to himself as he resisted the urge to pat Alina''s head.


    Even if Alina was not yet as strong as her sister now, there is no doubt that Alina will reach the near omnipotent strength that her sister had in the future.


    All that they have to do is just wait, and waiting is something that they can do.


    Alex then looked at Queen Mother, who gave them a pleased smile. From the looks of it, Queen Mother has benefited greatly too.


    As for Lauren herself, she still seemed to be in a shocked state, as if what she was seeing was not real.


    "My power¡­ it actually improved!" Lauren shouted to Alex as she began to jump excitedly in her spot. "I¡­ I got stronger now!"


    "Yes, yes, we know that already." Alex replied as he ruffled Lauren''s hair. "But we should celebrate later. For now, we still have a target to beat."


    "Everyone, continue attacking!" Foresight shouted to all of them, prompting the pleased crowd to resume their assault.


    "Foresight¡­ she must have foreseen this power boost from happening¡­ But why did she allow this to happen? Is she planning to do something with the power boost?" Alex muttered to himself as he continued attacking Duplicator, who by this point, looked extremely confused by what happened.


    "I am sure that Foresight has an agenda by allowing Duplicator to permanently boost us. But what could it be?" Alex murmured as he felt more and more confused by Foresight''s goal. "Well, I will think of that once we defeat this chick."


    "Chirp, chirp!" The poor chick looked extremely shocked as it received far stronger attacks than before, with its body starting to sustain heavy injuries.


    "Chirp, chirp, chirp!" Blood began to spill out of the chick''s body, as it began to limp forward.


    This appearance of Duplicator seems to have egged the crowd on, as they began blasting her with more and more attacks.


    "Die, you little freak!"


    "Even if you made me more powerful, you are still a monster! You should die now!"


    "Die, die, die!"


    These were the words uttered by the Superhumans near Alex, and from the looks of it, they will not stop attacking until the chick is dead.


    "¡­."


    Alex started to feel pity for the chick, who looked extremely battered by now.


    Duplicator''s body was already slumping on the ground, with it barely moving at all.


    The chick was using its tiny wings to pull itself forward, towards the direction of the faraway Ambrosia.


    "Chirp chirp¡­" By this point, Duplicator''s chirps began sound more like a whine, as its desperate movements began to slow down.


    Alex, who by this point, had already stopped attacking, could not help but feel bothered by what he was seeing.


    "¡­Should we really kill this chick?" That was what Alex thought to himself as he saw Duplicator who was about to reach its last breath.


    Alex then looked around him once more, feeling somewhat bothered by what he saw.


    What he could only see where thousands of blood-thirsty Superhumans ganging down on one helpless giant chick.


    It was not a good sight to see, and even if the chick was a Class SSS Threat, Alex found it hard to see the giant chick reaching its last breath.


    "¡­.."


    Alex''s mind then began to whirr as he started to concoct a crazy plan.


    "Yes¡­ if I do it like that, I can do this and also finish the Main Mission." Alex muttered to himself, ignoring the sounds of battle. "Yes, yes, that could work."


    "Oi hooman, whatever you are thinking now, just snap out of it!" Asteria suddenly said to Alex as if she saw what Alex was thinking about. "That bird is a monster, and for it to die here is just right."


    "¡­But Alina and I were both monsters too, right?" Alex said as he shifted back to his whole tentacle form, startling everyone nearby him.


    "Alex, don''t you dare-" Asteria''s words were cut off as Alex stared at the mad scientist, who was looking back at Alex with a cheeky grin on her face.


    "Took you long enough to make an action." The mad scientist replied as she approached the tentacle form Alex. "So, will we really do this?"


    "Oh yes, we will." Alex replied as he and the mad scientist stared at the dying body of Duplicator.


    "No¡­" Both Asteria and the mad scientist''s Guide moaned in despair as Alex and the mad scientist shook hands with each other.


    "This could be the first time that I fully agree with you, and I am glad it will be in a situation like this." The mad scientist said as she tightened her grip on Alex''s hand. "Now I feel happy that I made a truce with you!"


    "Let''s not waste any more time here." Alex said as he looked at Alina and Queen Mother, who seemed to have guessed what Alex was about to do.


    Alex gave both of his Companions a smile as he said,


    "Let''s go, we are about to save someone here!"

 Chapter 142 F or F?

    "Don''t do what you are thinking right now!" Asteria hissed at Alex as she and the devil Guide tried pulling the hairs of Alex and the mad scientist respectively.


    Naturally, their attempts to do so has failed.


    "Professor Frances, please rethink this!" The devil guide said to the mad scientist, as if it was pleading for the mad scientist to not do anything rash. "Professor Frances, this is risky!"


    "Hmph, it is I who decides when something is risky for me." The mad scientist, whose name was revealed to be Professor Frances, only let out a hmph as she glared at her Guide. "And in my opinion, what we are about to do now is worth enough of the danger that we will face!"


    "But-"


    "Shut it, Mephisto." Professor Frances snarled as she flicked her Guide away. "I am doing all of this in order for us to find a way to face the Pantheon."


    Professor Frances then continued speaking over the large roar of non-stop attacks.


    "I am sure that Foresight is scheming something with that Duplicator. I have the gut feeling that if we allow this chick to die, Foresight''s plans will be in fruition. If that happens, I think that it will be bad news for us. So, in order for us to prevent Foresight''s plan from working, we should let that chick live!"


    Frances said these words in a matter-of-fact tone, as if they were just the plain truth.


    "But¡­ what if us saving Duplicator is actually Foresight''s plan?" Mephisto replied under Professor Frances'' glare. "What if her goal was to force us to save that giant chick?"


    "Hmph! You know that Foresights''s power does not work that well against Duplicator!" Professor Frances said as she pointed her thumb towards her katana-wielding companion. "Heck, you even know that even Trisha, our resident clairvoyant, is unable to see any future related to Duplicator! If Trisha is having a difficulty making a plan against Duplicator, then I am sure that Foresight has the same struggles too!"


    "But how about the Bonus Mission? Its rewards are good!"


    "Hmph, our main focus this time is to finish the Main Mission." Professor Frances said as she blew the hair out of her forehead."So what if the Bonus Mission can give me more power? If I will not succeed on finishing the Main Mission in the end, then all those Bonus Missions that I did will be all a waste! So, instead of killing a creature just for some measly rewards, keeping that creature alive for the Main Mission is a much better choice!"


    Before Mephisto could give another retort, Professor Frances'' chilly gaze landed on him, prompting Mephisto to shut his mouth.


    "If you say so¡­" By this point, the only thing that Mephisto could do was to agree with Professor Frances, as it seemed like nothing can stop the professor from her decision.


    "Well, that is one of the reasons why I and Professor Frances wanted to save Duplicator." Alex said as he also flicked away the pesky Asteria. "Another reason is that once we get Duplicator, we will be able to get the attention of the whole Pantheon itself. Once that happens, our main mission will be much easier to finish!"


    "Exactly!" Professor Frances said, with her signature smile back. "This is a rare chance for all of us, so we should not let it go away!"


    These words from Alex and Professor Frances seemed to have roused their Companions, but there was one person who would not accept what the two said easily.


    "What the hell? Are you talking about fighting the Pantheon?" Lauren, who looked like she had seen a ghost,blurted out as she glared at Alex with her eyes as wide as it possibly could get.


    She pointed her palms at Alex, with her palms being filled with a potent glow. "Are you all¡­ aiming to kill the Pantheon members?"


    "What are you talking abo- oh." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "It seems like you heard what we were talking about. Teehee!"


    "Just answer my question!" Lauren asked as the glow on her palms started to increase. "Are you all¡­ planning to kill the Pantheon? Was that the reason for your alliance earlier? So that you can easily kill them?"


    "....."


    With the body language that Lauren was displaying right now, Alex realized that the current Lauren was extremely wary of them. Well, for her to act like that is normal, since she just heard something extremely suspicious.


    "Hey calm down. It''s not like that." Alex said as he tried to placate Lauren. "We only want to obtain something, and from our investigation, it was the Pantheon that has the strongest connection to the object that we are seeking.Everything that we are about to do now? It''s all a bid for us to get their attention. We want to make them know that we want something from them, and that we will not stop until we get it for ourselves."


    "¡­." After hearing what Alex said, the glow on Lauren''s palms dimmed a little, but Lauren still had the defiant expression on her face. "Even if you are telling the truth, I can still not allow you to do this! If you do so, I will be implicated! Once that happens, my family could be in danger! I cannot allow that to happen!"


    Alex seemed to be unperturbed by what Lauren said, as if what she mentioned did not bother him.


    "Oh, do not worry about you being associated with us." Alex replied as he shook his head. "I have a way for you to be not implicated with what we are about to do.So, just sit back and relax while we do our stuff."


    "What the he-" Before Lauren could finish her sentence, Alex suddenly appeared behind Lauren, executing a karate chop on her exposed neck.


    Lauren dropped like a sack of potatoes, right into Alex''s waiting arms.


    Alex received Lauren''s unconscious body with grace, as he made sure that her head will not whiplash and hit the ground.


    "Uppity here, then." Alex muttered as he hefted the unconscious Lauren on his shoulders.


    He then patted Lauren''s lolling head as he said,


    "Lauren, if you were to become our hostage, then you will be exempted from being related with us! Once this day ends, you will be treated as our victim, not as a suspect." After saying these words, Alex turned around as he faced his Companions, who all looked at what Alex did with a slacked jaw.


    "You really are a great planner." Professor Frances said as she seemed to be excited at what Alex did. "I have a different plan to deal with Signum''s association with us, but your kidnapping move is the best one!"


    "I have to do what I have to do." Alex said as he placed a serious gaze on Alina.


    "So Alina, was Professor Frances lying when she said that her clairvoyant Companion could not see any future coming out of Duplicator?" Alex asked Alina as he looked warily at Trisha.


    "No, she is not lying about that." Alina replied as she let out a relieved sigh. "So don''t worry about us getting blindsided by Professor Frances. Her team is also going in blind here, so they do not have any unfair advantage."


    "Good, that is what I want to hear. "Alex replied as he looked at the battered Duplicator.


    By this point, Duplicator was barely able to move, with blood bubbling out of different parts of her body.


    From what Alex can see, Duplicator will not last that much long. Around a minute more is Alex''s best estimate for Duplicator''s remaining life.


    "Since you have no idea on how our rescue mission will work, please allow me to start the rescue mission." Alex said as he dug deep into his FED Manipulation.


    Because of the power boost that came out of Duplicator, even Alex''s FED Manipulation has improved drastically.


    Right now, its effects were much more powerful compared to before, and even its reach has increased too.


    With this kind of power-up, Alex was left with no choice but to try it out already.


    And the best thing to do with FED Manipulation was to make everyone feel something so intense that it will make them stop whatever they are doing now.


    Alex then mulled as he tried to think of the best Emotion or Feeling that he can use right now.


    "Anger will not work. It will just make the crowd berserk. Fear can be used, but people react differently to fear. Some might escape(flight), while some will just fight back(Fight)." Alex muttered as he cupped his chin.


    After a few seconds of thinking, Alex perked up as he realized what he should use in his current situation.


    "Slither, slither¡­" Alex''s tentacles began to tense around him as Alex activated his FED Manipulation.


    Alex let out a light sigh as his power affected every Superhuman in the area.


    The only exceptions were Alex''s and Professor Frances'' Companions, along with Duplicator.


    "¡­." Alex looked at all the Superhumans around him, feeling quite enjoyed with what he had seen.


    "So, making them feel Lethargic is the right choice huh."


    By making the Superhumans feel lethargy, Alex removed their desire to attack Duplicator and even their desire to move!


    This seems to have worked, as all of the Superhumans around were just laying down on the ground, with them feeling extremely lazy and lethargic.


    Alex then looked at the direction of the Pantheon members, and to his surprise, he saw that they were also affected by his FED Manipulation.


    However, it seems like the Pantheon members were able to resist Alex''s ''Forced Lethargy''.


    Myth, who was in her Tiamat Form, had her head drooping down and legs bent over.But even with that, Alex could see that Myth''s eyes were still alert.


    As for Tetra, his whole body was covered by electricity, as if he was using the electricity to forcefully resist his lethargic feelings.


    Machi on the other hand, had his whole body down on the ground, although he was struggling to stand up, and it seems like he could actually stand up later.


    As for Foresight, even if her body looked like it was about to lay down on the ground, she was somehow able to prevent lying down by pinching and slapping herself.


    "¡­"


    From what Alex can see, it will take the Pantheon members around a few seconds before they can be fully free from Alex''s ''Forced Lethargy''.


    A few seconds might seem extremely useless, but for a group like a Pantheon, for them to be affected by a skill for a few seconds was extremely impressive already.


    This observation made Alex realize that there''s only a few more seconds left before the Pantheon can start dealing with him.


    "Ok, I have partially neutralized everyone here." Alex said as he clapped his hands, facing the surprised Professor Frances with a smirk in his face. "We only have a few seconds left before the Pantheon members can freely move, so we should be gone by then!"


    "¡­What a potent emotional manipulation ability." Alex heard Professor Frances muttering as all of them rushed towards the heavily injured Duplicator.


    "Chirp¡­" The giant chick blearily gazed at them, with its head trembling as it moved. "Chirp.."


    "Go to sleep now. You will need it." Alex soothingly said to the giant chick as he pointed his finger to it.


    Sloth the Abyss Sprite appeared behind Alex, muttering the words that Alex wanted to say now.


    ---Power Nap---


    This spell, which was the fourth Sloth Abyss Spell, will bring Duplicator in a deep sleep for 5 minutes, and once that sleep was done, Duplicator will wake up with its injuries and fatigue gone!


    "Boom!" At the instant that Alex used his spell on Duplicator, he saw the Pantheon members regaining their mobility.


    All of them stared at Alex, with varying expressions on their faces.


    Tetra stared at Alex with confusion, while Foresight seems to be smiling as she looked at Alex. Machi on the other hand seems to be not feeling any anger at all as he began to don his power suit.


    As for Myth, oh boy, she looks extremely pissed. Her eyes were turning red from anger, while her wings were flapping behind her angrily.


    Myth''s gigantic beak was letting out large amounts of seawater, which started to destroy everything hit by it.


    "Well, this is awkward." Alex thought to himself as he grabbed Duplicator''s body with his left hand.


    After staring at the Pantheon members, Alex decided to look back at his allies as he asked them,


    "So, what now? Fight, or flight?"

 Chapter 143 What did just Happen?

    "Of course we will choose flight, dumbass." Professor Frances said as she and her Companions started to prepare themselves. "We do not need to fight them now! All we have to do is just escape!"


    "That is what I am thinking too. Good thing you''re not that pigheaded." Alex replied as he and his Companions stared at the Pantheon members warily.


    Machi, Tetra, and Myth looked like they were all raring to go, but before they could make a move, Foresight raised her left hand, as if she was motioning for them to stop.


    "What the hell, Foresight?" Myth grumbled as she stopped on her tracks. "These guys just attacked us without any context! Dammit, we should beat them up now!"


    "Foresight, I do not know what you are thinking, but I don''t think we should just talk to them." Tetra said as he seemed to glare at Foresight. "With that Class SSS Threat alive, you will have a limited future sight regarding the Travelers and the Alchemists! Why are you risking yourself for something like that?"


    "Hmm." Machi said, as if this ''hm'' was already enough to explain what he was thinking about.


    "Just let me talk with them first, ok?" Foresight said as she stared specifically at Alex with her mesmerizing eyes. "I swear that we will be safe."


    After saying these words, Foresight walked forward by two steps, before she started talking with Alex''s entourage.


    "If you will give back Duplicator to us, I promise that we will spare you from any kinds of bodily harm." Foresight said before her eyes landed on Lauren''s unconscious body and the still affected Superhumans. "Oh, and if you will also release Signum and everyone here, we will allow you to leave this place without any kind of repercussions."


    "Hmm¡­" After hearing what Foresight said, Alex suddenly cupped his chin, as if he was thinking of something interesting.


    His eyes which looked alert before, suddenly changed as it suddenly looked sleazy and treacherous.


    Professor Frances, who was standing behind Alex, let out a sleazy smile of her own when she realized what Alex was about to say.


    "Ok, I will give back Duplicator to you, along with all of these Superhumans and Signum, if and only if you will give the Legacy of Tartaros to us." Alex said as he and Professor Frances started cackling merrily. "If you give that Legacy to us, we will give them all back!"


    "No f**king way that we will do that!" Before Foresight could answer, Myth interjected her with her heated reply. "You want to get that? There is no way that we will allow that!"


    "Hahaha! So the Legacy is indeed with you guys!" Alex said as he looked like he could not stop laughing. "Oh my! I just said that in order to get a reaction from you four. How could I have expected that one of you will actually confirm that you have the Legacy of Tartaros? Tsk, tsk, tsk, what an amateur move..."


    "Eh?" It was only at this point that Myth realized her blunder. "Eh!!!"


    "This is why I wanted to be the only one talking to them." Foresight said as she shook her head. "Now look at what you have done."


    "But-"


    "Leader, please let me deal with this." Foresight replied, this time with a little steel in her voice. "Please, let me do this."


    "¡­." In response to what Foresight said, Myth only bowed her head down as she continued glaring at Alex.


    "So, you want the Legacy of Tartaros in exchange for Duplicator and all the Superhumans here?" Foresight asked Alex as she tilted her head. "That is what you want?"


    "Well, now that things have escalated to this, I suppose my answer to that is¡­Yes." Alex replied as he paced on his spot comfortably. "So what, will you bite or not?"


    "Sorry, but I cannot give this Legacy that you are looking for." Foresight said with a light smile on her face. The smile might look innocent, but Alex felt a slight dread after seeing this smile. "That Legacy is something that cannot be obtained by anyone else, especially by people like you. Please change your demands. Demand something more¡­ reasonable"


    "She''s serious about not giving the Legacy to us." Alina whispered to Alex. "Foresight will not use the Legacy to save everyone here. I think she would rather use a different way to save them."


    "Of course I already expected that to happen." Alex thought to himself as he looked back at Foresight''s smile.


    Alex knew that Foresight surely is planning something in order to disable Alex and his Companions.


    There is no way that Foresight will just talk to them here normally.


    She surely is still scheming now. That is just how clairvoyants fight.


    But, Alex is Alex. He already had a contingency for that.


    "Oh, is that so? That''s too bad¡­" Alex drawled as he snapped his fingers. "If you do not want to negotiate with me now, maybe you will change your mind after this."


    At the instant that Alex snapped his fingers, he activated his FED Manipulation once more, and this time, he used a different kind of attack.


    Instead of fear or lethargy, what Alex made every Superhuman feel was an ''Intense feeling of Loyalty towards Alex''.


    Every Superhuman around Alex, excluding the Pantheon members, all stood up as they formed a protective circle around Alex.


    They gave Alex fawning expressions on their faces, as if they will sacrifice their life for Alex''s sake.


    "¡­."


    Alex felt bile in his throat, as he knew that what he was doing was slightly unethical, but he knew that he must do this if he wanted to gain a leverage against the Pantheon.


    Besides, Alex will also put them back to normal once he was done with everything here.


    For now, it was time for Alex to use his acting skills.


    And his goal right now is to act as a fearsome Supervillain.


    "So what, will you still not negotiate with me?" Alex said as he started taunting Foresight. "If you don''t, then all of these Superhumans will stay under my control! Do you want them to stay like this? Don''t say no, since Pantheon is all about saving those who need help!"


    "Oh, and do not try attacking us right now." Alex said as he wagged his fingers. "All of these Superhumans around me are extremely loyal to me, and they will do everything that they can to protect me if you attack us. Please don''t do that. Some of them might die after all."


    "¡­.."


    Even if Alex still felt bad with what he was doing, he was also somewhat amused, as he realized that he actually sounded like a Supervillain now.


    Way to go, Alex!


    "¡­" Foresight''s only reply to that was a silent stare, while Myth and Tetra looked like they were about to boil in rage.


    "You¡­ I trusted you before." Tetra said as lightning crackled around him. "I thought you were a good person¡­ How could you do this?"


    "I have to do what I have to do." Alex replied as he tried to make himself look dismissive. "You all know that feeling right? When you want to get something, but there are some obstacles that you have to topple in order to obtain what you want. Right now, you four are my obstacles, and what I am doing now is just my way to topple you all!"


    That statement of Alex was the breaking point, as even Foresight''s calm exterior was replaced with an irritated expression on her face.


    If the Pantheon were already reacting like this, Alex''s allies also had their own reactions.


    "Hey, slow down, hooman." Asteria said as she pinched Alex''s cheek. "You are getting too immersed in your evil role now! I don''t want you turning real evil! That will hurt our Mission Grade!"


    "Hahaha, I don''t care if Eldritch is just acting now.I like your Supervillain role! Keep it up!" Mephisto the little devil said as he gave Alex a thumbs up.


    From the looks of it, Alex''s acting as a villain has impressed an actual devil.


    "Eldritch, you really are one terrifying guy." That was what Professor Frances said as she looked at the affected Superhumans by Alex. "With just your Emotion Manipulation alone, you were able to do this! You¡­ you have the real potential to be fearsome Supervillain! Oh right, you are technically one right now¡­"


    "¡­I do not like what you are doing now, but I can understand why you did this." Asteria said to Alex as she let out a sigh. "Just¡­ put them back to normal once we are done here."


    As for Queen Mother, she only shrugged her shoulders, as if she just accepted what Alex did.


    Well, Queen Mother has a whole race loyal to her before, so maybe the sight of countless creatures being loyal to a single creature was already normal for her.


    "What, are you guys still speechless? I need an answer here!" Alex said as his loyal Superhumans tightened their ring around Alex. "Will you all just stay quiet there? Hello?"


    "There is still no way that we can give you the Legacy even with what you are doing now." Foresight replied with the same damned smile back on her face. "Please, don''t escalate what you are doing now. It will just not end well for you."


    "This woman¡­" Alex thought angrily to himself as he realized that even with what he did, Foresight was still not budging even by an inch.]


    Foresight really have some nerves of steel, but even steel will degrade as long as it was introduced under pressure.


    So, Alex will just have to apply this pressure.


    "Ok, since you are CLEARLY not in the mood to negotiate now, we have to just take our leave." Alex said as he let out a disappointed sigh. "Let''s just talk about this on another day."


    Before Foresight could say something else, Alex''s loyal Superhumans flanked around him and his allies as they started to leave.


    "My associates and I¡­ will wait until you''re already ready to give what we want." Alex said as he waved his hands, farewell style. "If you are ready to part with the Legacy, just call us, and we will be there!"


    Alex''s entourage then all flew towards the horizon, leaving the Pantheon members all angry and confused.

 Chapter 144 Settling Down?

    [[[2 Hours later.]]]


    [[[Inside Mafioso''s Mansion.]]]


    "What the hell did you just do there, Alex?" Alina, who looked calm 2 hours earlier, was now looking extremely pissed at Alex.


    It seems like her calm reply to Alex earlier was just a facade to her true feelings.


    She was not calm at all.


    Instead, it seems like she was the angriest person at Alex now!


    She slammed her hand on the table as she faced Alex directly. "Do you really have to be¡­ like that?"


    Alex, who was cowering under Alina''s mighty glare, could only let out a slight whimper as he shrank under her gaze. "Well, that is what I thought at that time¡­ So I just decided to wing it."


    "Wing it? WOW." If Alina looked angry before, now she was definitely livid. "You call your action to become a supervillain ''winging it''? Hah¡­."


    "Well, at least we managed to obtain our objectives, right?" Alex slowly replied as he observed Alina''s face. "Right, right?"


    "Shut up Alex." Alina said with her eyes seemingly emitting a fiery glow. "Even if you succeeded, that still does not condone what you did earlier!"


    "I''m really sorry!" Alex said as he tried his best to placate the angry Alina. "I will cook you a feast later, so please cheer up now, ok?"


    "...¡­"


    "Hmph, what a wimp." The dumb fairy Asteria muttered in the background as she watched the interaction between the couple. "And here I thought you could be scary¡­."


    "You shut up too." Alina said as her gaze drilled on the fairy. "You may not know it, but I think you are also at fault with what Alex did earlier. And don''t you dare try denying it."


    Alina then approached Asteria as she snatched the fairy''s jar of honey.


    Asteria could only flounder in the air angrily as Alina hid her food. "Hey hooman! What the hell are you doing?"


    "I am punishing you." Alina replied as she flicked Asteria''s forehead. "You are Alex''s Guide, so it is your duty to make him follow the right path. However, it seems like you are not doing your job properly¡­"


    "Hey, I am giving him advice whenever he needs it!" The dumb fairy replied as she started swiping at Alina''s direction. "Alex just thinks too highly on himself, following his own tactics!"


    "Well, I follow my tactics because they always work." Alex replied in a proud tone. "So, there is no problem if I follow my plans."


    "But how long do you think will your ''plans'' help you?" Alina scornfully replied as she gripped Alex''s arm.


    "As long as I want them to." Alex confidently replied, but that confident expression in his face disappeared as he saw Alina''s look at him.


    Alina, whose face was entirely concentrated on Alex now,tightened her grip on Alex''s arm as she slowly said,


    "Alex, no matter how good your plans are, there will still come a time that your plans will fail. Once that happens, it will be you that will suffer the most¡­"


    "¡­"


    Alex tried to formulate another reply, but he stopped as he saw the expression on Alina''s eyes.


    "..."


    Alina''s eyes were full of worry and nervousness.


    Alex''s heart felt stabs of guilt after seeing Alina''s worry and fear, knowing that it was him who caused that.


    "Everytime you do something risky, I fear¡­ that you will screw up, Alex." Alina slowly said as her eyes began to tear up. "Alex, I''m afraid¡­ I''m afraid of what your plans can do to you if they fail!"


    "I¡­"


    "I respect your skills, so I will not object to any of your plans, Alex." Alina said as she tried wiping her eyes. "But please, please be careful with what you do! I don''t want you suffering the same fate that my sister did! You¡­ you are the only one that I have here!"


    After saying these words, the tears on Alina''s face started to flow freely, with Alex fumbling as he tried to wipe Alina''s tears.


    "..."


    Alex knew that explaining himself is pretty impossible now, so he did the next best thing that he can do.


    Alex swooped in as he hugged Alina tightly, with him ignoring the wetness of Alina''s clothes. He stroked Alina''s back in a soothing motion as he enjoyed Alina''s warmth and fragrance.


    "I''m still here Alina." Alex said in a cooing voice. "Just like what I promised before, I will never ever leave you alone. Even if death wants to separate us, I will do my damn best to prevent that! That is how important you are to me!"


    "Okay¡­" That was Alina''s only reply as she hugged Alex back.


    "What a cheesy line." Asteria muttered in the background. Alex and Alina of course ignored that.


    Both of them stayed in their positions for around a minute more before an awkward cough forced them to break up.


    Alex and Alina looked at the source of the sound, and they saw Queen Mother looking at them with her right eyebrow raised.


    "If you are done on your courting rituals, then you two should join me downstairs." Queen Mother said as she ignored the exasperated sigh coming from Alex. "The Alchemists¡­ and Lauren wants to have a talk with us."


    "If they want to talk, then we will give them a talk." Alex said as he and Alina started to fix their appearances. "But give us a minute first, Queen Mother."


    "I''ll wait for you two in the living room then." Queen Mother said as she left the room, closing the door with a light creak.


    Alex let out a sigh after Queen Mother left, prompting Asteria to talk again.


    "Stop sighing every damn time, Alex. Sighing gives you bad luck, you know."


    "Asteria, only those who believe in bad luck will get bad luck. I hope you are not one of those believers." Alex replied as he shifted to his tentacle form, wrapping Alina''s slender body with one of his tentacles.


    Alex then slithered across the room, bringing Alina with him.


    Helightly tapped the door with his tentacle, prompting it to give space for him to wiggle through.


    The door then closed with another light sound as Alex left the room with Asteria trailing behind him.


    ****************


    "About damn time that you came here already." Lauren said as she stomped her foot angrily on the floor. "You knocked me out, kidnapped me, brought me here, and the first thing that you made me do is wait? How could I have trusted you?"


    "Well, at least I brought your sister and aunt are here." Alex said as he scratched the back of his head. "That counts for something right?"


    "Hmph, you just collected them to complete your collection." Lauren replied as Queen Mother attempted to placate her. "I forgive Queen Mother and Alina, as they do not know what you did. But as for you? Hmph, let''s just say that I am still itching to plant my foot on your face!"


    And with that conversation, Alex knew that he''s still on Lauren''s hot list.


    "¡­" While wearing a strained smile on his face, Alex started looking around the place that they were in.


    They were currently inside Mafioso''s Mansion, which was Alex''s destination after he escaped from the Pantheon Members.


    This place was the best place for Alex to reside in, with all of the Superhumans that Alex manipulated earlier.


    But right now, all the Superhumans that went with Alex were partially free already.


    When he arrived at Mafioso''s Mansion earlier, he undid his emotional manipulation on the Superhumans, and he then used Queen Mother''s knockout agent to make all of these Superhumans sleep.


    Right now, all of these Superhmans were sleeping peacefully, with no possible dangers coming to them.


    As for Lauren''s sister and aunt, they were currently in one of the best rooms in the Mansion, being assisted there by some of Mafioso''s maids, who were too afraid to disobey Alex.


    As for the Alchemists, they were also in the mansion and they should have been talking to Alex now, but Queen Mother said that they became impatient waiting for Alex.


    They were currently outside the mansion, doing god knows what.


    It was at that point that Alex remembered that there was still someone that he still needed to check on.


    "Wait, where is that chick anyway?" Alex mumbled to himself as he scratched this chin. "Did it get stuck somewhere? Oh right, it actually got small¡­"


    Due to some unfathomable reasons, the chick that Alex saw earlier had shrunk down to the size of a human.


    Maybe it was the injuries that caused the chick to shrink.


    But when Alex healed the giant chick earlier, the chick still stayed at human size, which had Alex stumped.


    "Duplicator¡­ seems to be looking for someone." Queen Mother replied as patted Lauren'' head. "It was milling all around the mansion since earlier, chirping at the top of its lungs. It surely is looking for someone."


    "What could it b-" Before Alex could say something more, the chirping sound that he was already used to suddenly sounded out behind him.


    "Chirp, chirp!" The chick suddenly appeared above the stairs, with its beady eyes focused on Alex and Alina.


    "Chirp, chirp!" The chick then rushed towards the duo, as it flapped its tiny wings merrily. "Chirp chirp!"


    "Oh¡­" Alex heard Queen Mother exclaiming to herself as the chick paced itself around Alex and Alina. "Chirp, chirp!"


    "Queen Mother, what in the world is Duplicator doing now?" Alex whispered to Queen Mother as the chick started nuzzling itself on Alex and Alina. "Does it want to eat us?"


    "No." Queen Mother replied as she shook her head. "With my countless experiences on observing living creatures, I can somehow say that this chick is treating you and Alina as its parents."


    "Chirp chirp!" The chick chirped out, as if it was agreeing with what Queen Mother said.


    "Wait what?" That was Alex''s reply as he heard what Queen Mother said. "But what about Ambrosia? Isn''t Duplicator chasing her earlier? Shouldn''t she be the one that Duplicator treats as a parent?"


    "Ambrosia is a different case." Queen Mother replied as Alina started tickling Duplicator. "Duplicator was chasing Ambrosia earlier because it wants to eat Ambrosia. Don''t ask me why. That''s what Duplicator wants to do earlier."


    "¡­Now I feel like my actions earlier to save this chick is just impulsive." Alex said as he let out a sigh. "And now we have to treat this chick as our ''child''? Isn''t it way too fast?"


    "So, what do you propose to do, Alex?" Alina said as she started petting Duplicator. "Don''t you want to take care of this chick? Remember, you saved Duplicator, so technically, it is also your responsibility to take care of it. Don''t tell me that you want to throw it away?"


    "No, it''s not like that!" Alex replied as he saw the flame being back on Alina''s eyes. "It''s just that¡­ I want my first child to come from you, Alina¡­"


    "Ugh, that is so creepy Alex." Both Asteria and Alina said, with grimace present on their faces.


    Even Queen Mother was grimacing too, while Lauren was just plain disgusted.


    It was at that point that Alex cringed, realizing what he did wrong.


    "Seriously, I know you are trying to woo Alina, but the way you say it is just wrong." Asteria said as Alina shook her head in exasperation. "How did you even capture Alina''s heart with that kind of vocabulary?"


    "Mostly with my affection and lots of food." Alex replied honestly, knowing that Alina is watching him. "Nothing can beat that combination, not even corny lines."


    "Some of the things that you said before are creepy, Alex, not corny. Learn the difference between the two." Alina said as she let out a sigh. "Maybe I should not allow Duplicator to talk to you. I don''t want Duplicator inheriting your linguistic skills."


    "¡­."

 Chapter 145 Dead Ends Everywhere

    Minutes later.


    Once Alex and the others have settled down, Queen Mother went out to call the Alchemists.


    The Alchemists came back minutes later, with their leader, Professor Frances looking quite happy with Alex.


    "So, where should we go from here, Eldritch?" Professor Frances said as she sat down on the nearest sofa. Professor France''s Companions chose to seat behind her, as they stared at Alex and Duplicator warily.


    "Well how about you? What do you think?" Alex shot back in reply, as he seemed uninterested on answering Professor Frances'' questions. "I already used a lot of my ideas here, so maybe you should start contributing something now. We are in a truce after all."


    "¡­" Veins started to appeared on Professor Frances'' face, as if what Alex said to her has struck a nerve.


    "Oh, and now you want to boast that you did something important? Typical of you." Professor Frances replied as she brought out a glass of milk which she downed in one gulp.


    "Glug, glug, glug." Alex watched as the seemingly angry professor drank all of the milk.


    "What, do you want some liquid refreshments too?" Professor Frances said as she saw Alex''s gaze on her. "I can give you one if you want."


    "No! That is not what I want." Alex replied as he shook his head. "We are here to talk about what we will do next, not about that damned milk of yours! Hell, maybe that is not even milk. God knows what kind of chemicals could be there!"


    "This is the mixture of hundreds of different kinds of milk. Cow, goat, Space Whale, Void Dweller, and many more creatures were the source of this milk mixture." The professor replied as she placed the glass on the table.


    "Wow, that looks delicious¡­" Asteria muttered in the background as drool began to flow from her mouth. "I bet it will get more delicious if it has honey¡­"


    "Oh, I can do that too." The professor replied as she gave an excited smile to Asteria. "If you have some honey, I can try it out with my newest concoction later."


    "Hahaha! As long as I, Asteria, will it, I can give you all my hidden stock of honey!"


    "Wait, you have a hidden stock of honey? I thought the one I hid earlier was your last supply?"


    "Oh, that was a slip of tongue. Sorry about that, Alina."


    "Oh please, let''s get serious now!" Alex said, feeling extremely irritated with Professor Frances. "Are you really serious with our truce? I feel like you are just treating it like a joke."


    "Cheer up, Eldritch. Why are you so hung up anyway?" Professor Frances replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "We got the attention of the Pantheon member, and now we have the chance to obtain the Legacy easily. I think that merits some relaxation time for all of us."


    "If something can go wrong, it will go wrong." Alex said, quoting the words that Alina muttered to him earlier. "We cannot just assume that everything will go smoothly. We should still expect something wrong happening later! After all, we are dealing with an extremely powerful team of Superhumans! And besides, our teams were also destined to fight each other! There is no way that I will stay calm with your team this close to us!"


    "Destined to fight?" Alex heard Lauren muttering in the background, with confusion evident on her tone.


    Alex ignored these mutterings as he focused on staring at the professor.


    The professor''s only action was to stare back at Alex as she spun the milk glass on the table.


    It was only when that glass stopped spinning that she stared to talk.


    "Obviously, we should prepare ourselves before the Pantheon arrives." The professor said as she tilted her head. "I am sure that they will try talking with us, but underneath that promise to talk is a possible attack from them. We have to prepare for that kind of event."


    "Seeing that they treat the Legacy as a very important object, I think that they will really fight us off just to keep it safe." Alex said as he felt like agreeing with what the professor said. It


    "It''s all set then!" Professor Frances exclaimed as she stood up from her seat. "Some of us should start reconnaissance to watch out for the arrival of the Pantheon, while the others should start laying countless traps. With all of our skills here, our chance of success is within the acceptable limit."


    "¡­Well said, professor." Alex said as he realized that even if Professor Frances had some screw loose in her head, she can still think and relegate tasks properly.


    The professor tried to not show it, but she seemed happy after being praised. She sat back on her seat as she crossed her legs as she resumed talking.


    "Now that we have decided on what we should do for the following days, it is time for us to talk about the next important thing that we should be talking about right now." The professor then gave a slight glance at Lauren as she said,


    "We should discuss about the true nature of the Legacy of Tartaros."


    After hearing what the professor said, Alex could not help but give a nod, as he knew that talking about the Legacy right now is a viable task to do.


    "Since we are all here already, sharing information will never hurt any of us." Alex replied, as he consented to the professor''s request. "After all, we all want to get the same thing here."


    "Um¡­ is that something that I should not hear?" Lauren said as she saw the suddenly serious atmosphere between the Travelers and the Alchemists. "Even if I do not like to be left out here, maybe I can sit this one out..."


    "No, you will stay." Professor Frances replied before Lauren could leave. "Since you are already this deep with us, for you to listen more won''t make any more difference."


    "Is that so¡­" Alex was not sure if Lauren took that statement well, as she only sat back on her place, with her face looking extremely uncertain.


    Once everyone has settled down, Alex decided that it was now time for him to start it rolling.


    "Plap, plap." Alex clapped his hands in order to get everyone''s attention.


    "Even if we know that the Legacy of Tartaros does exist, we still do not know what it was." Alex said as he looked at Professor Frances'' team. "And if my guess was right, even you, Professor Frances, have no idea what the Legacy is, right?"


    "Hmph, I hate to admit it, but even my bright mind was unable to divine the mysteries behind the Legacy of Tartaros." The professor replied as her grin started to falter. "Even with the assistance of my trustworthy assistants, we were still unable to make any headway on our investigation."


    "Yeah, we also have that difficulty too." Alex replied, although he knew that he and his companions only did little to investigate about the Legacy, as they were busy dealing with other important stuff.


    Alex will obviously not mention that kind of negligence in front of the professor, lest that she uses it to mock them.


    "Isn''t Tartaros the Deity and a place in the ancient Greek Mythology?" Lauren blurted out as she fiddled with her hands.


    "Oh, we know something as simple as that, SIgnum." Alex replied before Lauren could start feeling pleased with herself. "An info like that is just easy to find."


    "Ok¡­"


    Even if he did a little research these days, Alex still have the knowledge about the meaning of Tartaros.


    This word was obviously derived from ''Tartarus'', which was both a deity and a place in ancient Greek Mythology.


    As a deity, Tartarus was the third primordial deity to be born, just after Chaos and Gaia, and just before Eros. Tartarus also fathered the monster Typhon from the wombs of Gaia.


    As a place, Tartarus was where most of the dangerous forces against the Greek Gods were imprisoned. Titan, Cyclopes, Hecatonchires, and countless monsters were thrown in this place.


    These are the meanings of Tartarus, which Alex found on some good story books.


    While remembering all this information, Alex started to grin as he knew that the meaning of Tartarus actually could be of help to them now.


    "But actually, the info mentioned by SIgnum about Tartarus could be of help here." Alex said tapped his chin. "If we follow the meaning of ''Legacy of Tartaros'' literally by using ''Tartarus'' as the guide, then we will reach two conclusions on what the Legacy of Tartaros could be."


    "First is that the Legacy could be an inheritance by a Superhuman who calls himself Tartaros." Alex muttered as he started to pace around the room. "Maybe this Tartaros left something so potent, so powerful, that the entire Pantheon decided to keep it secret. Hell, maybe even Tartaros was a former member of the Pantheon, and his teammates were just keeping the Legacy for themselves!"


    Alex then continued talking as he ignored the incredulous expression on everyone''s face.


    "The second conclusion that the Legacy of Tartaros was actually a place, where everything that could pose danger against the Pantheon and the world were gathered. Maybe the Legacy of Tartaros is the only thing keeping the world safe. If that was the case, then the attitudes of the Pantheon members earlier was quite acceptable."


    After saying these words, Alex looked back at Professor Frances, who for some reason, looked both impressed and disgruntled.


    "With that limited information, you managed to extrapolate two extremely plausible conclusions. Very impressive! As expected of my rival!" The professor said as she started laughing again. "I like the things that you just said! It''s too bad that they''re all speculations now. They are still unproven, and I doubt we can prove any of your conclusions until we see the Legacy for ourselves."


    "That is what I am thinking too." Alex replied as he let out a sigh.


    With the way that the Pantheon restricted any information about the Legacy of Tartaros, it will be really hard for Alex and co. to know more about the said legacy. The only thing that they could do now was to hope that their enemies will slip up more info that they can use.


    Once they reached that point, they decided to continue talking more, maybe in hopes that someone from them will have a Eureka moment.


    ****************


    Hours later.


    "...So we are back to a dead end then." That was what Alex said as he and the others slumped back on their seats, with their minds reeling in exhaustion. "All those talks, and we still get nothing."


    "The pursuit of knowledge was always filled with obstacles and disappointments, Eldritch." Professor Frances replied as she let out a harried sigh. "If you will be deterred by something like this, then you do not deserve to be in my stature."


    "Please shut up all of you, especially you two." Alex said as he glared at Asteria and Mephisto, who were playing some kind of game.


    These two Guides seemed to have hit it off, which made Alex feel intrigued and dismayed. "Stop whatever you two are doing now. Come here and assist us!"


    "Don''t tell us what we can do, hoomans." Both Mephistoand Asteria said as they zipped out of the mansion, leaving their mentally exhausted Travelers with more frustrations than before.


    "I really hate those two now."


    "I concur."

 Chapter 146 NIRVANA

    With the threat of the incoming Pantheon, Alex and his allies spent the following days preparing for their arrival.


    They hacked the internet and network in vain attempts to trace the action of the Pantheon members, while they also prepared objects that will prevent surprise attacks from happening.


    These forced Alex and the others to be busy, but it was something that they knew will be worth it.


    *********


    Once Alex and the others were done doing their preparations, they spent the rest of their time doing recreational activities.


    One such thing is happening now.


    "Even if the Pantheon has the advantage here, I doubt they will do anything drastic with the hostages that we have." Alex said while he stared at Alina, who was lying face-down on the bed.


    "Mpfh, mpfh."


    The current Alina was only able to give muffled replies, as she was busy on experiencing Alex''s expert massage skills.


    Alina was wearing tank top and shorts, which allowed Alex to massage Alina''s back well.


    Right now, Alex was using his hands to explore the entirety of Alina''s back, which made him both excited and nervous.


    "Mpfh, mpfh!"


    Alex continued kneading his hands on Alina''s pristine back, as he tried to ignore the mewling sounds that came out from Alina.


    It was a good thing that it was only Alex and Alina that was in the room, as even Alex noticed that Alina''s mewling sounds were starting to affect him.


    "¡­." Alex tried to calm his breathing down as he resumed his massage.


    "I am Calm, and the Calm is me." Alex muttered this mantra to himself as he ignored the soft sensation of Alina''s back being pressed down by his hands.


    But while he was busy chanting to himself, Alex could not help but look down, and what he saw there made his resolve almost futile.


    Alina''s shorts allowed Alex to have a view of her shapely thighs and pristine legs, and with Alex''s preferences, it felt like he was seeing heaven for the first time.


    "Hey Alina, can I start massaging your legs now?" Alex tried to say these words in a calm manner, although anyone looking at him can see his hands starting to tremble in excitement. "I promise you that this will be good."


    "¡­Just get done with it." That was Alina''s reply as she seemed to have realized Alex''s goal. "Just don''t¡­ get too engrossed with it."


    "I will try." Alex hurriedly replied as he placed his hands on Alina''s thighs.


    NIRVANA


    Alex''s mind went blank after feeling the soft and bouncy sensation of Alina''s thighs. He could not help but squeeze them, prompting some muffled moans from Alina.


    After that, Alex immediately went into auto-pilot mode, using all the massaging techniques that he can on Alina''s legs.


    Roll, knead, pinch, slap, squeeze, and many more hand and elbow movements were incorporated by Alex in his massage rush.


    By the end of the session, Alina was turned into a sweaty mess, with her face flushed red.


    Her breathing was short as she spent the rest of Alex''s massage muffling her moans.


    "Hah, hah, hah."


    Alina''s rough breathing reached Alex''s ears, and before he could know it, he started to breath roughly too.


    He looked down at Alina''s body, which seemed to look more seductive with her sweat and clothes.


    What made Alex more excited was the glazed look on Alina''s eyes, as if she was still unable to recover from what Alex did earlier.


    "¡­"


    Alex reached his hand out in order to touch Alina''s waist, but before he could do so, he suddenly felt the arrival of a presence in front of the mansion.


    "What the?" Alex and Alina immediately stood up after sensing the presence, with Alex shifting to his tentacle form and Alina shifting to the Vampire Queen Form and wearing her costume.


    Both of them rushed out of their room, with the worry inside them wiping away their engrossing experience earlier.


    "Is it an enemy attack?" That is the first thing that Alex thought as he regrouped with his Companions and the Alchemists, who also looked quite wary.


    Alex ignored the knowing smirk on Asteria''s face as he and the others slowly prepared themselves for what was coming.


    Alex sensed the gravity waves around him, preparing them in case that something massive approaches their location.


    He also summoned his Abyss Sprites, who looked just as worried as him.


    "¡­."


    Once they were done prepping themselves, Alex and co. tried to see what their guest will do, but to their surprise, their guest just stayed in its original position, with it not budging at all.


    "This is suspicious¡­" That was what Alex first thought to himself as he noticed what was happening. "This could be a trap by them too. I¡­ need to ascertain this."


    This time around, Alex used his EM Manipulation in order to see the appearance of their visitor.


    "???" To Alex''s surprise, what he saw was the one that he did not expect.


    The one in front of the mansionwas a man, who seemed to be consumed by too much stress.


    The man''s hair was thin, and his skin looked like they were not given that much care.


    The man was wearing thick-rimmed glasses, even though these glasses failed to hide his eyebags and his inflamed eyes.


    The man''s face was also beaded with sweat, as if he was not happy with what he was doing.


    "¡­." Alex knew just from one look that his man was not a Pantheon member.Hell, this man did not even look like a hero at all!


    Before Alex could feel confused about this man, his eyes suddenly widened as he remembered seeing a picture which looked quite similar to the man''s appearance right now.


    Now that Alex looked at it, the picture that he had seen before was almost uncanny with the man that he was seeing right now.


    "Lauren... I think you should see our guest." Alex said as he motioned for Lauren to move.


    "But why-" Lauren''s reply was cut-off by Alex as he glared at Lauren intensely.


    "I think you should really see him now." Alex said as he placed his hands on Lauren''s shoulders, steering her to walk forward. "If you do not trust me with what I say, then I will accompany you."


    Before the confused Lauren could start complaining, Alex started to bring Lauren towards the outside of the mansion.


    While he was bringing Lauren out, Alex instructed the others to be in standby.


    "Why the hell do you want me to see our ''guest'' personally? Is it important for me to do that?" Lauren muttered in complaint as they reached the main door of the mansion.


    "It is." Alex said as he touched the door. "But before you see this person, let me say sorry now."


    "What the hell are you talki-" Alex ignored what Lauren was about to say as he opened the door.


    At the instant that Alex opened the door, he saw Lauren freezing on her tracks, as if she saw something that petrified her.


    Alex looked at where Lauren was looking, and there he saw their guest.


    "¡­" Now that he was seeing him with his own eyes, Alex was now sure that the man in front of him was similar to the picture of the person that he hacked before!


    "What the hell are you doing here?" That was the first words that Lauren muttered as her body started to tremble greatly. "After all these years that you have left us, you decided to come back just now? What the f**k are you thinking, huh?"


    Lauren then raised both of her palms in front of her as she pointed it to their guest.


    "Even if you were my father, I will still not forget what you did to us!"


    "Parley, parley!" The guest shouted in panic as he raised his arms in surrender. "I am not here to make things worse! I promise that!"


    "Then what the hell are you doing here, Andrew Collins?" Alex said with venom dripping on his voice. "You were the father of Lauren and Lara Collins, who you left 5 years ago. You left them in poverty, and now you just waltz in here to talk to them? How gallant of you."


    "F**k off from this place!" Lauren shrieked as the glow in her palms started to increase. "You will not like what I will do you if you take one step further!"


    "Please, please, just hear me out first, ok?" The man, whose real name was Andrew Collins, said as he suddenly kneeled in front of Alex.


    "Then speak, mongrel." Alex replied, showing his distasted for deadbeat fathers like Andrew Collins. "Once you have said your piece, I will allow you to leave in one piece. So, just stop groveling there and start talking!"


    "Ok, ok!" Andrew replied as he looked at his daughter warily.


    He adjusted his glasses and wiped the sweat from his forehead as he slowly said,


    "I-I-I am not just here to talk with my daughters. I am also here to talk about something that you, Eldritch, will find interesting."


    "And what could that interesting thing be?" Alex said as he looked at the man suspiciously.


    "I-I-I know something about the Legacy that you were looking for!" Andrew shouted as desperation appeared on his face. "I-I-I can tell you everything that I know about it! So-so-so please let me in! I-I-I don''t want to die here! Please¡­ let me in!"


    "!!!!"

 Chapter 147 Thats all that you have?

    [[[10 minutes later.]]]


    Lauren could not believe it.


    Her father, who had left her and her sister 5 years ago, actually had the gall to come back here, right when they were having a major problem against the Pantheon!


    Lauren was not sure on how her father found out that Signum was Lauren, but she knew that her father did something to discover her.


    "¡­." When she reached this thought, Lauren could not help but clench her fists so hard that her fingernails started to wound her palms.


    Even right now, Lauren could still remember it.


    She could remember the sudden disappearance of her father, and the extremely difficult days that followed his disappearance.


    Lauren could still remember Lara''s cries for their missing father, along with days of them being unable to eat anything.


    Lauren remembered the crimes that she did just to provide for the two of them, along with her younger sister asking if their father left them because they were useless.


    That only served to make the despair between Lauren and Lara deeper at that time, and she almost thought that they would not make it out of the pit they were left in.


    Fortunately for them, her father''s sister reluctantly took care of them, which allowed the two of them to thrive to this day.


    "Should we really hear him out?" Lauren muttered as she glared at her father, who seemed unrepentant on what he did. "He could be just scamming us now!"


    "I''m really sorry Signum, but Alina told me that Andrew Collins is telling the truth about him knowing something about the Legacy." Lauren heard Alex replying apologetically. "I''m really sorry if it had to be like this.If you want, you can go join your sister while we talk to him."


    "No. I will stay here." Lauren replied, as she felt surprised with the intensity of her reply. "This is just my hunch, but maybe this Legacy was one of the reasons father left us. I¡­ I want to know why he abandoned us."


    "Lauren, I never abandoned you!" Her father suddenly said as he overheard what Lauren was talking about. "I¡­ I just have to hide to keep myself safe! That''s it!"


    "¡­" Even if he did not show it, Lauren was sure that Alex was looking at her father with a displeased expression.


    "Quit yapping there and just start talking." Alex said as he sat on a comfy chair, with Alina sitting beside him.


    The two of them looked like the perfect pair, as if they were meant for each other.


    "¡­" Lauren ignored the slight disgruntling sensation that she felt as she looked at the other people around her.


    She could feel Queen Mother''s presence behind her, as Queen Mother''s body was sitting very close to her. Lauren tried to ignored the warm, refreshing scent coming out of Queen Mother as she focused on the current situation.


    By swiveling her head a little, she could see Professor Frances and her allies just sitting behind Alex, and from the way they moved, it was as if they were here to watch a show.


    The professor was even holding a bag of popcorn in her hands, which she used to eat popcorn which produced an audible and irritating crunch in the whole room.


    "Crunch, crunch."


    Lauren was not sure on what to think of the Alchemists.


    Sure, they already knew her identity before and might have attempted to attack her, but they seemed to be honorable enough to honor a truce with Alex.


    But even if they were like that, Lauren was still wary of them, as villains will always be villains, no matter what they do.


    "Wait, but technically speaking, the Travelers are a villain group now too with the stunt that they did." Lauren thought to herself as she winced inwardly, as she remembered the piping hot mess that she was in now.


    "Grrr¡­"


    Before Lauren could start self-combusting with countless worrying thoughts, Alex started to talk, which prompted Lauren to listen.


    "First things first. How were you able to find us here, and how were you able to know that we are looking for the Legacy of Tartaros?" Alex said as she crossed his tentacles around him, creating an extremely menacing image which made her father looked quite scared.


    Lauren might not be a fan of those tentacles, but right now, seeing those tentacles unnerve her father made them look more acceptable now.


    "I.. I have to explain everything from the top." Her father said as he gave a hesitant gaze to Lauren.


    Lauren''s only reply to that gaze was a glare full of anger.


    "In that case, make sure that you will tell us the truth, and nothing but the truth." Alex drawled as one of this tentacles moved forward, wrapping her father''s torso with ease. "I have someone here who can detect lies, and I wish that you will not try lying to know that I am serious with my threat."


    Lauren then heard some popping sounds as Alex started tightening his wrap on her father''s torso, which elicited panic from her father.


    Ok, this time, Lauren was sure that she loves tentacles already.


    "Ok, ok! I will not lie!" Her father replied as he nodded profusely. "I will tell the truth, and nothing but the truth!"


    "Start talking then." Alex said with finality as he withdrew his tentacle, leaving her father gasping for breath.


    "¡­My life before was just like a normal person." Her father started saying as he wiped some sweat off his forehead. "I have a family that I take care of, and a business which I am thriving in. My life back then¡­was really great."


    When she heard what her father just said, Lauren started to see red as she became extremely enraged.


    Her father''s life back then was great? If that was really the case, then why did he abandon them? Was it because he was bored of them already? Or was it because he left them for another family?


    Whatever the reason was, Lauren was sure that she had to land in a hit towards her father.


    "Calm down Lauren. I can see your rage." Before Lauren could make her move, she saw Alex''s worried gaze landing on her. "If you feel hurt by your father talking here, you can still leave the room. Do not worry , we will tell about what your father said later."


    "Just go on." Lauren replied as she took some deep breaths to calm herself down. "I can do this."


    "Ok then." If there was one thing that Lauren liked from Alex, it was the fact that he trusts his friends. People rarelydo that, and even Lauren herself was sure she was not capable of such kind of thinking.


    "As I said earlier, I lived a normal and great life." Her father continued talking as he started looking down. "But all of that changed 5 years ago."


    "Here it is." Lauren thought to herself as she gazed at her father intently.


    "I can still remember it." Her father said as he seemed to wear a reminiscent expression on his face. "I was having a picnic with Lauren and Lara 5 years ago, and during that picnic, I slipped, and my head hit a nearby wall. That hit did not only bring me pain. It also brought me something different."


    Even if Lauren was trying to block the painful memories of her past, she knew what her father was talking about.


    That picnic that he just mentioned happened the day before her father disappeared. Even now, Lauren could remember her sister''s happy expression during that picnic.


    It hurt Lauren when she remembered that it took her sister a long time to regain that happiness.


    "So, what else did that hit on the wall give you?" Lauren heard Alex asking with a curious expression on his face.


    "I¡­ started having these flashes of memories." Her father replied as he let out a shuddering breath. "These flashes of memories were all limited, and I only gained a small amount of information from them."


    "And what is this limited information, if I may ask?" Even if he tried to hide it, Lauren was sure that Alex was extremely excited right now with what her father was saying.


    Lauren was not sure on what to feel by that, as she did not want Alex thinking of her father in a favorable light.


    "In those flashes of memories, I can remember myself tied to a chair." Her father replied as his face started to look pale. "While I was tied to that chair, there was a group of people talking in front of me. They all looked powerful, and they seemed to be extremely serious. But aside from that, I can remember them looking extremely alike the Pantheon members!"


    At this point, her father started hyperventilating, as if the mere act of remembering these memory flashes were too much for him.


    "While I was tied in that chair, they¡­. they were arguing if they should kill me!" Her father said as he began to tremble. "In their talks, I heard them saying that my connection to the Legacy of Tartaros was the reason they captured me! And at that time, they were thinking of killing me because of that connection!"


    Her father''s body seemed to look unstable at this point, with his face full of sweat.


    "I do not know any kind of connection that I could have with the Legacy." Her father replied as his breathing quickened. "The only thing that I know is that the Pantheon captured me for that connection, and they seemed to want to kill me. I¡­ I was lucky that I survived, but I do have no memories showing me on how I am still alive until now."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­So, that is all that you can remember?" Alex said as her father seemed to have lost his strength to talk.


    "Yes, that is all that I can see from those flashes of memories." Her father replied as he looked up to Alex timidly.


    "He''s telling the truth." Lauren heard Alina declaring, which elicited an irritated sigh from Alex.


    "So, let me get this straight." Alex said as he raised all of his tentacles off the floor. "You seemed to have an encounter with the Pantheon many years ago, maybe even before you got your family. You somehow survived the encounter with them, but you also forgot about it. It was only five years ago when you hit your head in the wall that you managed to remember some flashes of your encounter with the Pantheon. That is all that happened, right?"


    "Exactly, exactly!" Her father replied in a relieved tone, as if he just found his Messiah.


    "¡­"


    An awkward silence then followed that conversation, as if both sides were waiting for the other person to talk.


    When the waiting time became too unbearable already, it was Alex who talked, and there was a tinge of disbelief in his voice as he said,


    "Wait, so that is all the info that you have about the Legacy of Tartaros? Please tell me you have something hidden yet."


    "...That is all that I know." Her father replied as he seemed to be oblivious of the sudden change in the atmosphere.


    "He''s telling the truth." Even Alina was looking pissed now, and Lauren could not actually blame Alina for thinking like this now.


    "You little s**t!" That was what Alex said he seemed intent on crushing ] her father whole. "You came here pompously while making your abandoned daughter remember her trauma, and all the info that you gave me was just that? You did not even tell us why you abandoned your daughters! You just told us that shitty info, and you stopped talking there! Are you retarded? Or do you want to just die?"


    "Please hear me out more!" Her father cried out as he seemed to have realized what was happening now. "I-I-I can still help out with you looking for the Legacy! Just¡­ let me do it with you all!"


    "Hmph, continue your story first." That was Alex''s reply as he gave her father a sneer. "Tell us everything that you did after you saw those memory flashes. Tell everything that you did up until this day. Maybe we will hear you out after hearing you say those things."


    "Yes, talk about those things." Lauren said before her father could say something else. "If you don''t talk about it, I will make sure that you will not come back here anymore!"


    "Ok¡­"

 Chapter 148 To Forgive is To Forget?

    After hearing what Lauren and Alex said, her father started to look queasy as he seemed to force himself to talk.


    "The night after I had those flashes of memories, someone suddenly appeared inside my house." Her father said as he looked down, wringing his fingers in nervousness. "At first I was not sure who this person was, but when I looked closely I realized that my visitor was Plague!"


    "Plague of the Pantheon?"


    "Of course, who else could it be!" Her father replied angrily. "She-she-she was there inside my room, staring at me like I was a trash that she was supposed to throw away!"


    "So, what did Plague do to you?" Lauren heard Alex asking as she saw him leaning forward. "Did she try to kill you?"


    "No." Her father replied as he shook his head. "She said that she was there to wipe my memory for the second time."


    "Wipe your¡­ memory?" Even Lauren was intrigued by what her father was saying now. "Is that all that she wanted to do?"


    "No! That is not the only thing that Plague wanted to do!" Her father suddenly shouted as he looked at Lauren in trepidation.


    Fear and guilt were present in her father''s face as he continued talking.


    "Plague¡­ she also said that she will kill my daughters along with the wiping of my memory! I do not know why she wanted to do that, but she is serious at that time! She is serious about killing my children!"


    Her father then started trembling, as if what he said took a lot out of him.


    "What?" Lauren could not help but shout as he heard what her father said.


    Plague, one of the Pantheon members, actually wanted to kill her and her sister? How the hell does that make sense?


    Why would one of her favorite heroes want to kill her, and even her sister? And she wants to wipe her father''s memories? Why the hell would Plague do that?


    "Khora¡­ my father is lying, right?" Lauren asked Alina desperately, as she wanted Alina to say that her father was lying right now.


    "I''m sorry Signum, but your father is telling the truth." Alina replied softly as she gave Lauren an anxious look. "I''m sorry that you have to hear it that way."


    "¡­"


    Before Lauren could think about what had just happened, she heard her father and Alex resuming their conversation.


    "So, what happened after Plague told you that?" Lauren heard Alex asking to her father with a calm expression on his face. It was as if Alex was not that perturbed by what he just heard.


    "Well¡­ I do not know how I can fight off Plague, so I tried to plead to her." Her father said as he shook his head sadly. "I am not sure if it will work, so I just wished it will."


    "So, did it work?" Lauren heard Alex asking quickly. "Were you able to stop her from wiping away your memories? And killing your children?"


    "Well, Plague said no at first." Her father replied as he let out a deep breath. "But before she can actually do what she was supposed to do, someone suddenly called her on the phone. After receiving that phone call, Plague''s mind changed. She¡­ she did not attempt to wipe my memory and kill my children anymore!"


    "¡­"


    "However, Plague told me that she has one condition that I must follow if I want to keep my memories and keep my children alive. And that condition is that¡­ I should completely separate myself my family for 5 years. No connection, no assistance, no anything. I must go live in a faraway place for 5 years. Only when that 5 year time was used up that I can go back to my family. If I violate that condition, Plague will swoop in to kill my children and wipe my memories!"


    "¡­He''s telling the truth." Alina''s words were the only words that Lauren could hear as she found herself short of breath.


    She could not believe it.


    Everything that she and her sister went through were actually the result of someone meddling in their life! And that someone was actually a hero?That is the one thing that made it worse.


    "¡­Why?" Lauren managed to find her voice back as she croaked this question out of her throat. She looked at her father, who was avoiding her gaze for some reason "Why are they doing that to you?"


    "I¡­ also do not know." Her father replied softly as he looked down on the floor. "I have no idea why this was happening to me. I... I am just a victim here."


    "Victim? How about us, huh?" Lauren shouted as she felt tears trickling down her face. "Even if you were forced to leave us, you could have done a better way of leaving us! You could have left some money for us before you left! Hell, maybe you should have written a letter or something telling us that you will be gone for long! But you did not do that! You just straight up disappeared, without making us know why!


    Lauren knew that it was wrong for her to blame her father for something that he was forced to do. But how could she just say ''Father, I forgive you'' after everything that she and her sister went through?


    "I was panicking at that time¡­"


    "Panicking? Ok, I can understand that." Lauren replied as she clumsily wiped her tears away.


    "So¡­ you forgive me now?" Her father asked as he gave Lauren a pleading look. "You know that I am not at fault here. I am also a victim! That means that you should not be angry with me!"


    "Woah, hold up there, old man." Lauren heard Alex saying as he wrapped her father with one of his tentacles. "Even if you did what you had to do, asking blatantly for her forgiveness that way is not a cool move. Signum is also a victim here. Even if you were a victim, you could not just tell her that it was not your fault! You are just making everything that she went through trivial!"


    "But I saved her and Lara''s life!"


    "To that, I applaud you, old man." Alex replied as he gave Lauren a consoling look. "But even if you left her to save her life, there is still no way that Signum could just forgive you right now. Just¡­ give her some time to mull over everything that she heard. Don''t force anything from her now."


    "¡­"


    Ok, Lauren was now sure that she had reached her limit.


    "Excuse me, I have to go see my sister." This was it for Lauren. She had no more mood talking to her father.


    Not in a situation like this.


    "Take care Signum." Lauren heard Alex saying as she climbed the stairs. "We will tell you the rest of this conversation later. For now, you go have fun with your sister."


    Lauren did not say anything back to Alex, as she found herself emotionally drained to even talk.


    *************************


    Minutes later.


    Once Lauren had left due to personal issues, Alex and the others continued listening to Andrew Collins.


    According to Andrew, he was dumped on a city along the Notrhern part of their continent. There, he was forced to stay for 5 long years.


    That place was not that bad, as Andrew even have some access of the internet.


    According to Andrew, he had some high-class Computer Engineering skills which he used to monitor anything important related to the Pantheon.He continued doing this until the day that Alex turned supervillain.


    It was at that day that Andrew saw the confrontation between Alex and the Pantheon members. It was there that Andrew heard about Alex wanting to obtain the Legacy of Tartaros.


    Andrew then said that once he saw that confrontation, he made the decision to approach Alex to talk about the Legacy.


    It was quite fortunate for Andrew that his 5-year exile ended yesterday.


    Once he was free from his exile, Andrew used his skills to look for her daughters, and for the hideout of Alex.


    What happened after that was self-explanatory already.


    Andrew ended his talk after that point, as he started giving Alex a complacent expression on his face.


    "¡­He is not lying." Alex did not like what Alina just said, as it cemented Andrew''s status as an important person.


    "¡­That is a very interesting tale." Alex slowly said as his tentacles slithered around him. "So, you decided to approach us because you think that we can keep you safe, and because you also want to know what the Legacy really is?"


    "Yes, yes!" Andrew replied quickly as he nodded his head like a hamster. "I may only have some flashes of memories here, but maybe if we all work together, we can uncover the truth!"


    Alex may hate to admit it, but he knew that what Andrew said was right.


    If Andrew was really connected to the Legacy, there is a high chance that his memories will tell them what the Legacy really is!


    There is no way that he and Professor Frances will let a chance like thisgo away!


    "Okay, since you seem ready for this, then we can-" Before Alex was able to finish what he was about to say, he suddenly felt a powerful presence appearing in front of the mansion.


    "!!!"


    This time around, everyone in the room, except for Andrew, were all standing up, with their weapons ready.


    "¡­"


    Alex grimaced as he felt the power of their new guest, as he realized that his day will not actually go that smoothly.


    "And here I thought this could be a recreation day¡­"

 Chapter 149 Special Chapter: Council of the Mini Bois and Gals.

    I''m a little tired here, so please enjoy this chapter...


    Asteria: Let me ask you guys a question. Do you love your master?


    Envy: Yes! We love master!


    Wrath: He may be a wimp with his partner sometimes, but he seems fiery enough to be assuming command on us.


    Pride: Love him? Hmph, he still needed to do a lot of things to deserve my love!


    Gluttony: Love? Is that edible?


    Greed: Why do I need to love master, when I can just keep him for myself?


    Lust: Love? What a fickle thing. You know me, I always go for the ''good stuff''...


    Sloth: Do I really need to love master? That seems like a bother...


    [[[Asteria fidgets in the background, as she looked pleased with the answers that she heard.]]]


    Asteria: Among all the people that your master is related to, who''s the one that you hate most?


    Pride: The dumb fairy Asteria!


    Wrath: The useless Asteria!


    Envy: The sly Asteria!


    Gluttony: The totally inedible Asteria!


    Greed: The irritating Asteria!


    Lust: The small Asteria!


    Sloth: I don''t have the will to hate anyone, but I realized that I hate Asteria too.


    Asteria: Hey! Why do you all hate me? I am your big sister here! You should have been respecting me!


    Pride: Respect you? Hmph, from what I had seen from your actions, you don''t deserve any kind of respect!


    Wrath: If master was not actively stopping me, I could have started attacking you already.


    Asteria: But... I am fabulous! Isn''t that enough to like me?


    Lust: Fabulous my ass. I am clearly more fabulous than you!


    Envy: You-you-you are too much Asteria! Master clearly is the most fabulous of them all! Don''t you try place yourself on top of him!


    Sloth: Now I am sure that you are making me lose my laziness on being angry to you.


    Asteria: Sloth, what the hell did you just say? That was hella confusing!


    Sloth: Ugh, let me sleep for now. Don''t bother me.


    Asteria: .....


    Gluttony: Cheer up Asteria. Even if we do not like you, you will still stay with us! I guess that is enough to make you happy, right?


    Pride: You think this... b***h is happy being with us? I bet she''s jealous of us 7! She surely is fuming in envy now!


    Envy: It''s awkward hearing my name being mentioned here.


    Asteria: You s**t! I am not jealous of you all! All of you.... were my master''s servants! I am clearly in a better position here!


    Envy: Does master give you some cuddles? Master gives me cuddles everyday.


    Pride: Master let''s me sleep on his lap. Does he allow you to do that?


    Wrath: Master allows me to punch things that I hate. Asteria, can I punch you now?


    Sloth: Master lets me sleep on his hair...


    Gluttony and Greed: Master gives us delicious foods to eat everyday, and he does not complain about it!


    Asteria: You... you''re all bullying me again!


    Pride: It is not bullying if we are saying the truth. Why do you look that offended, Asteria? Surely you can handle little truths like these, right?


    Asteria: Hmph, you are just jealous that Alina likes to cuddle with me! Her warm, and fragrant body is clearly better than your master''s stinky body!


    Envy: Alina cuddles with us everyday too. She''s just doing it when you were not watching. According to her, she does not want you to see what she was doing, as you might have a ''massive tantrum''.


    Pride: Hahaha! What a great answer, Envy! You actually had it in you! Let''s see if that b***h can recover from that!


    Asteria: That is not true! Alina is a hooman who likes me! She even pets me everyday! You are just lying!


    Pride: I thought that Delusional Creatures were already extinct. As it turns out, one of them is actually here! I could not believe that!


    Wrath: Oooh, roasted!


    Sloth: Roasted....


    Gluttony and Greed: Did you just say roasted? Where is the roasted food?


    Asteria: A-all of you might have won today, but I will come back with vengeance! I... will tactically retreat for now!"


    Pride: Please do tell us when you come back so that I can buy some popcorn. After all, you will surely entertain us with your failed attempts to beat us!


    Wrath: Roasted again!


    Gluttony and Greed: Roasted(drools)...


    Envy: Goodbye, miss Fairy Queen. Be sure to not make our master more angry. I don''t like seeing him stressed...


    Asteria: Whatever I do with your master is none of your concern!


    Pride: If that''s the case, then we do not need to listen to more of your yapping here. After all, your existence is none of our concern too, right?


    Wrath: Triple Roast!


    Asteria: Arghhh!!!

 Chapter 150 Dimensions are Fun

    "Is it an enemy?" Alina asked Alex as they readied their bodies.


    "I am not sure yet. Let me take a look first." Alex replied as he readied his Electromagnetic Sensing.


    Lauren''s father, who looked confused with what Alex was doing now, suddenly paled as he heard the conversation between Alex and Alina.


    "Enemy?" Andrew looked like he came out of a torture chamber after hearing what Alina just said. "Are they now coming to kill me? Oh please, I could not be this unlucky!"


    Andrew then dived under the table, with his whole body shivering. Anyone looking at him will think that he seems scared out of his mind.


    "Calm down old man. We are still not sure about that." Alex replied as he used his power to peak outside the mansion. "Don''t be that wimpy. I thought you will have more spine than that!"


    "...."


    Once Alex looked outside and used his power to scan their new guest, what he saw made his eye twitch slightly.


    "Interesting¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he observed their guest. "Interesting¡­"


    After seeing their guest, Alex was unable to stop himself from looking back at Alina.


    "What, is there a problem?" Alina asked as she saw the look given to her by Alex.


    "Well, I think you will be interested with our ''guest''." Alex replied as he let out a sigh. "His power¡­ is something that you could be interested in."


    "Oh, so he is the one who arrived. Let me deal with him then." Alina replied with an excited expression on his face. "I still have to test out some of the things that I did before."


    "I''m sure you will have fun with that." Alex muttered with a hint of amusement. "Just¡­ don''t spook that guy a lot."


    "I am not sure about not spooking him, but I will try not to overdo it." Alina replied as she started rushing out of the room.


    ***************


    During the past few days, Alina''s mood was at its best.


    Excluding the things that Alex did, the other things that Alina experienced during the last few days were extremely uplifting to her.


    One of those things was related to her Esper Ability.


    She was happy with her Esper Ability, as she discovered something new about it.


    Before, Alina thought that the peak of her Esper Ability will only be full manipulation of the Space around her.


    As it turns out, she was actually mistaken.


    There was still something more about her Esper Ability!


    This discovery was made by Alina when she achieved Strong Space Manipulation.


    When Alina gained the ability to fully manipulate the Space around her, her mind gained a series of information which told her the truth about her Esper Ability.


    As it turns out, her Esper Ability was not just manipulation of Space.


    Her Esper Ability was actually manipulation of Dimensions themselves!


    There are a total of 11 Dimensions in the Universe, with each Dimension progressively more complex than the Dimension before them.


    The First Dimension was reserved for objects that only have length. Straight lines are those that reside in this dimension.


    The Second Dimension on the other hand was for objects with only width and length. Planar shapes like circles and squares are in this dimension.


    The Third Dimension, which beings like Alex and Alina reside in, was for objects with length, width, and height. 3-dimensional objects reside in this Dimension.


    The Fourth Dimension will have the same coordinates as the Third Dimension, but there will be an extra coordinate that will make the Fourth Dimension different from the Third Dimension.


    Just imagining the Fourth Dimension with the human brain will be impossible, as the human brain was only equipped for the First to Third Dimensions.


    This pattern of Dimensions will continue until the Eleventh Dimension.


    Now for Alina''s power, she discovered that right now, her power grants her the ability to manipulate the First, Second, and Third Dimensions.


    This means that Alina can manipulate anythingfrom the First to Third Dimension.


    As long as an object has the dimensions of width, length, or height, Alina can manipulate them all!


    Since the space around Alina was considered to be 3-Dimensional, it was fairly normal for Alina to manipulate this.


    This power of hers will obviously work on the First and Second Dimension too, although she was not yet sure on how she could go to these dimensions, as she was residing on the Third Dimension right now¡­


    After making this discovery, she immediately found an extremely important implication from this.


    This important implication was the fact that Alina''s Esper Ability can still improve!


    If right now, Alina can only manipulate up until the Third Dimension, there is a high chance in the future that Alina can manipulate the Fourth Dimension too!


    But for now, Alina has to make do with the Third Dimension.


    Right now, Alina can barely sense the Fourth Dimension, as well as the other higher dimensions. But she knew that as long as she stayed with Alex and Asteria, her chance of getting stronger in the future is just plausible.


    Once she discovered the true nature of ability, Alina also realized some new applications of her ability.


    One application is that Alina can now force a 3-Dimensional object to be 2-Dimensional or even 1-Dimensional!


    This means that if she sees an object like an apple, she can make its height disappear, turning it to an apple with only length and width! And if Alina tries it further, she can turn this planar apple into an apple that looks like a line!


    She tried using this application on a Refrigerator, and to her delight, she saw the Refrigerator turning as flat as a thin paper, as if it was now 2-Dimensional!


    Of course this move took a lot of Mental Power from Alina, and from the looks of it, she can only use this move a few times before her Mental Power gets depleted.


    When Alina showed this 2-Dimensional Refrigerator to Alex, she heard him swearing inwardly as if what Alina showed Alex had him extremely terrified.


    Alina ignored Alex''s reaction as she continued on experimenting with her Esper Ability.


    After some further testing, Alina discovered that with her ability, she can somehow interact with the higher dimensions right now.


    But since Alina can only barely sense the dimensions higher than the Third Dimension, it was much harder for her to interact with the higher dimensions.


    But with some aid of Higher Dimensional Mathematics, which Asteria, of all people, actually knew, Alina was able to brute force some interactions with the higher Dimensions.


    By placing the coordinates of a Three-Dimensional object to the Four Dimension Mathematical Equation, Alina was able to theoretically use her power to force the creation of a Four-Dimensional Object.


    One such example was the Tesseract or the Hypercube, which was a Four-Dimensional Cube which Alina forced to exist in the Third Dimension.


    Its appearance was entirely unique, and any untrained eyes who sees this cube will be bound to get confused.


    That was what exactly happened, as everyone who saw this Tesseract made by Alina were entranced by the cube.


    After creating this cube,Alina started treating it like her child, prohibiting others like Alex from touching it.


    She was even keeping this cube hidden in her storage right now.


    Speaking of her storage, Alina also realized that her storage was also an effect of dimensional manipulation.


    More specifically, an extremely large space was forced to fold by itself multiple times, creating the storage which Alina was using now.


    Nonetheless, Alina was thrilled by this discovery, and she used her power to increase the capacity of her storage.


    Alina then continued experimenting with her ability, and she only stopped doing these experiments earlier when Alex started massaging her.


    ****************


    After having these happy thoughts in her mind, Alina smiled lightly as she observed their dangerous guest.


    Alina knew that their guest was no other than Nomad, the strongest teleporter in the World.


    There was no doubt that he was Nomad, as only Nomad had the ability to suddenly intrude on the space around Alina that quickly.


    The distortions that Nomad created on the space around the mansion made Alina sure that he was one talented teleporter.


    "This guy treats the space around him as if he was a fish in the sea." Alina muttered to herself as the distortions that she felt allowed her to deduce Nomad''s teleportation method. "Nomad treats the space around him as only one entity, with all coordinates in that space equidistant from Nomad. This means that no matter how far a place was, for Nomad, that place will always be near to him. This treatment allows Nomad to go to a far away place instantly, which appears as teleportation to others. He is dangerous indeed¡­"


    This discovery made Alina realize that no matter where they go, Nomad will still be able to reach and attack them.


    He''s truly a Pantheon member indeed.


    But instead of getting worried with the appearance of Nomad, Alina was instead excited, as the appearance of this Hero made her Esper pride stoked.


    "Do you think you are the only one that can treat the space around you as yours? You underestimate me greatly!" Alina muttered to herself as she decided to give this Nomad a lesson.


    Alina was not sure why Nomad was not attacking them now, but she will surely not waste her time watching him. She will start the pre-emptive strike, and she will make sure that Nomad will be unable to escape from here.


    Since Nomad treats the space around him as one entity, the easy way to cripple his ability was by isolating him from the space around him!


    For Alina, this was just easy.


    "¡­" Alina closed her eyes in concentration as she sensed the space around Nomad.


    She envisioned a sphere of space, with Nomad inside this sphere.


    Alina made sure that the sphere of space that she sensed was enough to contain Nomad.


    Once she was sure that Nomad was covered by the sphere of space, Alina gritted her teeth as she started taking control of this space.


    "Hah!" Alina let out a shout as this sphere of space started rippling all around Nomad.


    Before Nomad could make a move, Alina gripped her fists as she folded this sphere of space.


    Instead of destroying the space around Nomad, what Alina did was to create an endless loop of space around Nomad.


    This loop cut off Nomad from the whole space, basically confining him to the small amount of space that Alina looped.


    Now, even if Nomad tried to teleport himself, he will always end up inside the looped space.


    "That''s it, I did it." Alina muttered to herself as she saw the desperate attempts by Nomad to escape, which all ended in failure. "I never know if you want to attack us here, but with me capturing you, your plan has already failed."


    Alina then slumped down to the floor, as she realized that the creation of the space loop made her extremely tired.


    After all, isolating a chunk of space from the whole space was one taxing job, even with Alina''s ability.


    "Alex, that guy is all yours now." Alina said as she took some deep breaths to stabilize herself.


    "Alina, you really are the best!" Alina heard Alex saying as he reached in to pat her head.


    Alina then felt Alex''s lips beside her ear, with his hot breath caressing her cheeks as he whispered,


    "Once we are done with this problem, I will give you¡­ a vigorous full-body massage. It will be vigorous, that I can assure you."


    Alina was barely able to stop herself from blushing as Alex picked her up. Alex then carried Alina as they approached the still trapped Nomad.


    "Who could have thought that we will capture you this easily?" Alina heard Alex saying as she saw the trademark smirk on his face."Well, now that we got you here, we will make the most out of it!"


    Knowing Alex, Alina was sure that her partner will get the job done here. All that she had to do was to watch and learn.

 Chapter 151 Apologies

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 Chapter 152 Press X to Spray

    Even if Alina had already captured Nomad flawlessly, Alex still approached the space where Nomad was trapped with caution, as Alex felt like their capture of Nomad was too easy.


    What if Nomad just let himself caught? What if this is a trap?


    Of course Alex was not doubting Alina''s skills, but still, it is better to be cautious when approaching dangerous foes like the one in front of them.


    "Well Alina, how should we converse with this guy?" Alex asked Alina as they stopped right in front of the looped space. "From what I know, the looped space that you created was isolated from everything else. Sound, light and anything won''t be able to enter this looped space from the outside. This kind of isolation¡­ will make it hard for us to communicate with Nomad in his current state."


    "¡­.."


    "Wait¡­" Alex suddenly paused as he remembered something important.


    If Alina''s looped space does not allow anything to come in, then even air could not enter the looped space too! Does that mean that Nomad will die later from lack of air?


    "Hey Alina, what if this guy dies from lack of air?" Alex had no choice but to inquire about this to Alina, as he knew that he still had to do his stuff on Nomad now. "That won''t be a pretty sight here."


    "I already accounted that scenario earlier." Alina replied coolly as she stared at her creation in wonder. "Do not worry, I made sure that the amount of air inside this looped space will be enough for Nomad to last until we are done doing everything that we can do on him."


    "You are as just as terrifying as I thought, and I like that." Alex replied teasingly as he ruffled Alina''s head.


    "¡­."


    Alina did not do anything to rebuke Alex, as she looked like she enjoyed what Alex did.


    "Well, well, well, what do we have here?" Alex muttered to himself as he observed the appearance of the captured Nomad.


    With the isolation made by Alina, Alex can see Nomad, but Nomad cannot see him.


    "¡­"


    Alex took his time to observe Nomad''s costume, which fit his power and name set.


    Aside from the ornate jade mask, Nomad''s full attire seemed mundane at best.


    Nomad only wore robes made from sheepskin, displaying the kind of appearance that ancient nomads will wear. It even has some creases and tears, making it look like it was really old.


    Nomad was even holding a staff, which gave him an overall sage-like image.


    "Maybe Nomad is a fan of Gandalf¡­" Alex thought to himself with amusement as he imagined Nomad raising his arms while saying ''You shall not pass!''.


    "Come on Alex, you can think about those jokes for another day." Alex muttered as he shook his head as he knew that right now was not the time for jokes.


    He has to be worried about something important here, and the appearance of Nomad was only one of his worries.


    "What is the Pantheon planning by sending Nomad alone here?" Alex thought to himself as he felt confused by what the Pantheon did.


    "Were they overconfident, thinking that Nomad is enough to deal with us? Or maybe, Nomad''s role is different, and us capturing him is a prerequisite for that role? Ugh, this is hella confusing to me¡­."


    Alex hated situations like these, where he was forced to out-think an opponent whose plans were mysterious and unfathomable, and who could have set up numerous back-up plans against him.


    Will something happen if Alex did something? Or what if something will happen if Alex did nothing?


    These lingering thoughts inside his head made it extremely hard for Alex to make a decision.


    This in turn led to Alex and Alina staring awkwardly at the still struggling Nomad.


    It was not a comfortable sight to see, and their audience looked like they had enough already.


    "What the hell, Eldritch? You are getting coward right now? Tsk, that''s why I never trust smart-asses on operations like these!" Professor Frances suddenly shouted behind Alex as she pushed Alex and Alinaout of her way.


    Before Alex or Alina could complain, Professor Frances hefted the nozzle of her chemical tank as she stared at Alina.


    "Give my chemicals the entrance to Nomad''s space. I''mma shower him with some of my best creations!" Professor Frances said these words with a straight face as she continued staring at Alina. "Come on, just do it!"


    "But-" Alina''s obviously negative reply was cut off as Alex raised his hand to get their attention.


    "¡­If you want us to agree, tell us the effects of the chemicals that you will use on Nomad first." Alex said as he kneaded his forehead.


    Professor Frances smirked and was about to answer but before she could, Alex said more things which made her smirk disappear.


    "But remember Professor, you cannot lie to us, not with Alina here. And also, you cannot omit anything, as our Truce requires both of us to tell everything, and not withhold any important information. So, I wish that you will tell us all the info that we want. If not, then I will yeet all those chemicals to the moon¡­"


    "Tsk, meddlesome children." Professor Frances grumbled inwardly before she pointed the nozzle at Alex''s face. "If you want me to talk, then talk to this nozzle!"


    Alex stared unflinchingly at the nozzle, although he was inwardly nervous seeing it.


    "You¡­ want to use the chemicals on me?" Alex slowly said as the nozzle started getting closer to him. "That certainly is one good way to explain the power of your chemicals, but of course I would not allow myself to be sprayed with your chemicals. That''s just absurd¡­"


    "Hmph, can''t you even take a joke?" The professor angrily replied as she saw that Alex looked extremely calm, as if he was not scared of what she did.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "F**k!" The professor cursed as she lowered the nozzle with an unwilling expression on her face.


    Behind the professor, her Companions were giggling, as if they found what was happening to the professor as extremely entertaining.


    Mephisto seems to be laughing too, which made the professor looked more displeased.


    Alex tried not to pry on the inside joke being shared by Professor Frances'' Companions, as he waited for Professor Frances to give him the info that he was still asking about earlier.


    "Hmph, this concoction that I have will suppress this man''s Superhuman abilities." The professor replied with an unwilling expression on her face. "Once I make him inhale this concoction, he won''t be able to use his teleportation ability for an hour."


    "Wut." Alex and Alina went silent as they heard what the professor just said.


    "But for this concoction to work, Nomad has to breathe in the gas for 30 seconds." The professor said as she ignored the surprised expression on Alex''s face. "If he does not inhale the concoction for 30 seconds, then it won''t work against him at all."


    The professor then gave a grateful look to Alina she continued talking.


    "It was a good thing that you have Nomad trapped here. With this space trapping him, I can make him inhale my concoction until his power gets suppressed! Hahaha!"


    "You¡­ you had something like that?" Alex said as he looked at the gas container on Professor Frances'' back with trepidation. "And you only told us about that concoction now?"


    "Hey, I did not have this concoction with me all this time!" Professor Frances replied angrily as she seemed to have foreseen what Alex was talking about. "It took me some days to create this concoction! I had to gather DNA swabs from all those Superhumans that you captured so that I can make this concoction. Even with the enhancement that I received from that giant chick, I only finished creating this concoction yesterday..."


    Obviously, Alex was not pleased by what he heard.


    "Wow, what a sneaky move¡­" Alex muttered angrily as he realized that this professor was still scheming against them.


    Yes, for the professor to create a concoction that will suppress Superhuman abilities for an hour was a great help for Alex right now. But the way that the professor created this concoction was so secretive that it seemed suspicious to Alex.


    "What? You think I am planning to something nefarious with this?" Professor Frances angrily muttered as she saw the dubious look on Alex''s eyes. "Hey, we are in a truce now! There is no way that I can harm you! So, move out of the way and let me do the job!"


    "She''s telling the truth." Alex heard Alina saying these words with an unwilling expression on her face.


    "Tsk." In the end Alex was left with no choice but to let the professor do her thing.


    "Let me place some calculations that will allow your concoction to enter my looped space." Alex heard Alina saying as she started waving hands in an rhythmic and organized motion.


    This movement of hers lasted for around 5 seconds before she put down her arms. "Ok, do what you are supposed to do now." Alina muttered as she stared intently at the professor.


    Alex did the same thing too, as he prepared his body for any possible accidents that might happen.


    "Hahaha! Now I will spray all this stuff on your body!" Professor Frances laughed maniacally as she pressed the toggle on her nozzle.


    "Fizzz¡­"Large amounts of ghastly white gas billowed out of the nozzle, heading straight towards the looped space.


    Alex watched in trepidation as the gas successfully entered the space, settling just in front of the teleporter.


    Alex narrowed his eyes as he saw the panicked expression on the teleporter''s face. He saw the teleporter trashing around, as he seemed to be experiencing some kind of reaction towards Professor Frances'' gas.


    Alex knew that if it were a normal situation, Professor Frances'' gas won''t do anything against the likes of Nomad or the Pantheon members.


    If Nomad was not trapped, Alex was sure that he can just teleport away, avoiding the effects of Professor Frances'' gas.


    Unfortunately for Nomad, he was trapped inside Alina''s looped space, which meant that Nomad will be under the full exposure of the gas!


    Nomad''s trashing lasted for around a minute before his body movements slowed down. After a few more seconds, Alex saw the teleporter''s head slumping forward.


    "Now, he''s out cold." The professor said in a triumphant tone as she placed the nozzle on her shoulder. "Once he wakes up, there will be no chance for him to teleport for around an hour. I say we use that time to get every info that we want."


    "I hate to say this, but good job." Alex said as he gave Alina his next command. "Ok Alina, once this Nomad wakes up, you should undo the space loop. We have some questions for him, and its due time that we use it on him now."


    Even with them successfully neutralizing Nomad, Alex could not help but feel wary of their situation.


    "Just what the hell is happening here? Why did Nomad just appear here by himself? Is this is really a trap, or maybe¡­"


    Alex then started grinning as another more plausible conclusion appeared in his mind.


    "Or maybe, Nomad just went here out of his own volition! If that was the case, then he is one unlucky guy!"

 Chapter 153 Womans Intuition

    "Argh! Where is that damned idiot! We need him here now!" Myth shouted angrily as she massaged her temples.


    Her mood today was not certainly great, and the disappearance of Nomad just made matters worse.


    "Of all the days that Nomad chooses to slack off, he decides it to be this day! I swear once I get my hands on him¡­" Myth mumbled to herself as her hands mimed some gripping motion. "Ah f**k!"


    Myth pounded the table in front of her angrily as she forced herself to calm down.


    Stress is not good for anyone, especially to a woman like Myth.


    After all, stress makes your skin look bad, and Mythdoes not want her skin to look like it was fried in a pan.


    Myth loves her skin, and she treats it like it was her baby.


    Not that she has a baby of course. Myth was still single, as she was fine with it.


    There was almost nobody that Myth deems worthy enough to capture her interest.


    Well, except for Tetra.


    That guy is hot and yummy! That abs of his were just, mmmm¡­.


    In her heart, Myth knew that only Tetra was the one worthy of placing his seed inside her.


    It''s too bad that Tetra was not interested in her¡­


    But still, that musky scent of his was just so damn good¡­


    "Hey, stop daydreaming about that hunk for now! Bad girl! I still have problems to deal with here!" Myth thought to herself as she shook her head.


    She let out a deep breath as she contemplated on changing her body now.


    With the stress that she has right now, maybe changing into a mythical creature might alleviate her stress a little.


    "¡­"


    Myth browsed through the possible transformations in her mind as she paced irritably her room.


    An imaginary book then appeared inside Myth''s mind, and inside this book was the record of all the mythical and fictional creatures that Myth can transform to.


    Myth started browsing this imaginary book, looking at the detailed info of some of the creatures that she saw.


    "BUDAI? He may be the ''Laughing Buddha'', but he is bald. Yep, not that one. Ok, what about CLAURICHAUN? Ok¡­ it is the cousin of Leprechaun, and it is always drunk. Well, being drunk can remove my stress, but still¡­ Ok, that one is out too. How about the BUNGISNGIS? It is a laughing one-eyed giant. Ugh, that is so creepy, this one is out too."


    Myth then continued browsing for more possible transformations, and in the end, she found the one that she was looking for.


    "Ok, I will just transform to a Robot. My stress will surely disappear with that."


    Myth was about to activate her power, but before she could do so, someone entered the room, effectively stopping her transformation.


    "Hey, there is an emergency that just happened. We need to gather at the meeting room." Foresight, the slender beauty, said these words melodically to the infuriated Myth.


    "This b**ch¡­" Myth tried not to show the displeasure on her face as she stared at Foresight.


    Out of all the members of the Pantheon, it was Foresight that Myth hated the most.


    Machi? He might be emotionally inept, but at least he knows how to respect Myth.


    Plague? Her powers might be creepy, but she is so sweet, that Myth treats her like a little sister.


    Nomad? He may be rebellious, but he is loyal to the Pantheon, and he has saved Myth''s life several times before.


    Tetra? That guy is just yummy, no explanations needed.


    Miden? That guy might be a nerd and a little perverted, but he always knew that Myth is someone that must not be trifled with.


    But as for Foresight? Everything about her seems off and wrong to Myth.


    Just her power to predict the future was already irritating enough to Myth.


    Every day, Myth has to suffer seeing the ''I-know-everything'' expression on Foresight''s face, as if she was the queen of the world already. She will even answer Myth''s question before she can ask it! That is so irritating!


    Ugh, and that smug smile on her face! It''s always pissing Myth of every single time!


    But that''s not all! Myth also noticed that Foresight seems to be pining for Tetra too!


    Myth can see that Foresight sometimes rubs her arms or legs to Tetra, especially when she sits near him!


    If that''s not an attempt to seduce Tetra, then Myth was not sure what that can be called.


    But even if Myth has some ill feelings against Foresight, she cannot voice it out, as everyone in the Pantheon except for her seems to treat Foresight as their friend.


    Or in Miden''s terms, Foresight is everyone''s ''Nakama''.


    "Hmph, Nakama my ass." Myth muttered angrily to herself as he knew that there should be something wrong with Foresight.


    Even if Foresight appeared kind and gentle, Myth knew with her intuition that Foresight is most likely a b***h who just hides her attitude well.


    Don''t ask Myth how she knew that.


    It''s a woman''s intuition after all.


    (Author''s Note: Oh really?)


    ****************


    "What is the meeting all about?" Myth replied as she wore a smile on her face. There is no use for her to display her hostilities to Foresight, as she knew Foresight already knew it. "Is it related to those guys again?"


    "Yes it is." Foresight replied with the irritating smug smile back on her face. "Oh, and Nomad is also related there too."


    "Nomad?" It took Myth some seconds before she realized that Foresight was talking about.


    "Oh, that little f**ker!" Myth was unable to contain her rage right now, as she punched her table.


    The table snapped in half as it gave way to Myth''s punch.


    "Nomad decided to approach Mafioso''s Mansion without our permission, and in the process it seems like he had been captured by them." Foresight said before Myth can ask her question.


    "¡­."


    "Oh, and Andrew Collins is now under the protection of Eldritch''s team." Foresight said with that smile on her face, which in turn, made Myth more enraged.


    "F**k!!!" The air around Myth warped slightly, and a second later, her body changed.


    "!(*@)!U(*@))(*#"!!" Rumbling sounds came out of Myth''s new body, displaying her anger which seems to have reached its peak.


    Right now, Myth has adopted the form of a western dragon, complete with its long hind legs, short front limbs and its majestic wings.


    Fire was coming out of Myth''s nostrils as her eyes stared at Foresight, who seemed nonplussed with Myth''s current form.


    "!%*@(*#)*(@. @)%_!)($@)&)%@"Myth said as she changed back to her normal form.


    She felt her rage subsiding as she went back to her Human form, but even that was still not enough to wipe away her irritation against Foresight.


    She gave Foresight a glare, as if she was blaming her for everything that happened.


    "If we just attacked Eldritch and his minions with our full force, then our problem should have been solved by now! But no, you told us to not attack them, since you said that something bad will happen if we did that! Your future sight, which was faulty against Duplicator, was telling you that we should not attack them immediately! Of course my teammates will listen to you. You can see the future after all."


    Myth then kicked the broken table beside her feet as she jabbed her finger on Foresight''s chest.


    "Now, look where it landed us! Nomad''s f**king captured now because of your ''future sight''! What a way to help us out!"


    Foresight only looked back at Myth calmly, as if she was not offended by what she said.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    Foresight only gave Myth a gentle smile as she left the room.


    "Let''s go to the meeting room already." Myth heard Foresight saying as she looked back at her. "Everyone''s there already, and you are the only one that we are waiting for."


    "Well, ain''t that great..." Myth mumbled to herself as she kicked the door open, following Foresight with an unwilling expression on her face.


    ***************


    "So, how should we deal with them?" This was the first word uttered in their meeting, and it was Tetra who said these words.


    Just like before, Tetra managed to say these words while looking yummy, and Myth could barely stop herself from drooling on the table.


    "¡­" While she was busy on cooling down her rage, Myth took her time to observe everyone inside their meeting room.


    They were sitting around a round table which was filled with countless futuristic-looking mechanisms. This part was definitely made by Machi.


    All of them were sitting on their own respective chairs, with Myth sitting at the portion nearest to the window.


    She looked at her right side as she gave a smile to Plague.


    Even if Plague was wearing a dark cloak coupled with a mask with a long, hooked nose(A Plague Doctor Mask), Myth was not creeped out by her appearance.


    Plague was a sweet girl, and Myth can''t get enough of hugging her.


    "Watcha lookin at huh, you old hag?" A raspy voice came out of Plague''s costume as she pointed her gloved hand to Myth. "Quit your staring at me, your creepy pervert!"


    Ok, Plague still has a lot to learn about being a sweet girl, but Myth knew that in time, Plague will also mellow out to her.


    Sitting at Plague''s right side was Machi, who was busy fiddling with some kind of mechanism again. He seemed oblivious about the meeting itself, punctuated by his cheerful hums.


    "Hey, stop quarreling here, you two!" This time around the one who spoke was Miden, who looked like he was stressed, even though his whole body was covered by a sleek-looking black battle armor suit. "Don''t you remember that Nomad had been captured by Eldritch? Besides, I am busy recreating a famous shounen manga battle scene in my head! You two quarreling has disturbed me!"


    "Ugh¡­" And Miden was back at his fanboying streak. Seriously, Miden was already middle-aged, and yet he still caters to a form of entertainment for the minors¡­ That speaks a lot about his maturity and seriousness.


    "You tin can!" Plague seems riled by what Miden just said, which was shown by her standing up quickly.


    "What is it, old woman?" Miden replied heatedly as his body tensed. "You need a cane or something?"


    "Hah?"


    "Hah?"


    It seems like the two were about to start a quarrel, but before they could do so, someone spoke up just right in front of them.


    "Everyone, please calm down." Foresight, the sneaky b**ch said as she gave everyone in the meeting a gentle smile. "If we waste our time here, our friend Nomad could be in danger."


    "Hmph, that''s what I am worried about here." Miden said as he relaxed his body. "He must be scared and is waiting for our rescue now."


    "¡­That I agree with." Plague replied in a docile tone as she sat back on her chair.


    "¡­." Myth, who saw what had just happened, could barely stop herself from glaring at Foresight.


    Really, there is something wrong with this woman.


    "¡­." But the only thing that Myth could do was to secretly clench her fists as she avoided looking at Foresight directly.


    A few seconds of silence passed by as everyone around the table started to look alert and prepared.


    After seeing this, Myth took it as the cue to start their official meeting.


    "Ok, now that we have all settled down here, let us get to the meat of the issue already." Since she was the de facto leader of the Pantheon, it was up to Myth to start the meeting. "We are here to discuss about Eldritch, the Legacy of Tartaros, Andrew Collins, and the capture of Nomad. Whether we like it or not, all of these four issues are linked together now. The only thing that we can talk about is how we should deal with them."


    Myth then gave Foresight a narrowed look as she continued talking.


    "Oh, and maybe we should take what Foresight will say with a grain of salt¡­ Who knows, her future sight could have been severely affected by Duplicator, and she just didn''t realize it¡­"


    "That''s nice warning, but I think I can still manage well." Foresight replied, with the same irritating smile on her face. "So you should not worry about my advices, as I am sure that they will still help us out here. Or do you prefer to face them head-on without my advice? You are free to do that, Leader."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 154 Q & A

    "So, should we just wait for this guy to wake up, or should we just wake him up by ourselves?" Alex muttered as he and his companions stared at the unconscious body of Nomad. "Because from what I see, it will take a little longer before we can talk to him directly."


    Professor Frances seems to share the same worry as Alex, as she started prodding the looped space with her nozzle.


    "I can wake him up now, and I think that is the best thing that we can do. We can''t afford the Pantheon coming here in full force before we can ask this guy what we want." The professor said as she pointed her nozzle at Nomad.


    "Well, with us taking Nomad hostage with us, I am sure that those guys will be a lot more careful dealing with us." Alex muttered cheerfully to himself as he thought that the appearance of Nomad here was a godsent blessing to him. "With Nomad practically coming here by himself, we have a hostage that we can use against the Pantheon!"


    "Wait, so you really think that his teleporter just went here on his own volition?" Alina mumbled with a disbelieving tone in her voice. "You think someone will be really that stupid?"


    "If you research the attitude of the Pantheon members online, you can map up their rudimentary attitudes." Alex replied as he began counting off with his fingers.


    "Myth may look amicable, but there had been some cases of her raging against some of her critics. Tetra''s cool, as his posts were all mature and level-headed in tone. Machi¡­ he seems like a recluse, which somehow complements his power. Foresight, she''s a good troll, no doubt supported by her powers. As for Plague¡­ well she was a former villain, so she surely has some negative behavior. Then there''sMiden who looks like the average otaku and comic guy. You can see that his posts were usually about his favorite characters. As for Nomad, well you can say that he''s had some rebellious streaks, and you can see it on his online posts."


    "¡­You know, the way that you profiled the Pantheon members online was just plain creepy." It was the professor who said these words as she looked at Alex uncertainly. "Are you sure that you did not have an online stalking job before?"


    "¡­" Alex did not give a reply to that as he averted his gave.


    "No way."


    Before the situation could turn awkward, Alina let out a cough as she glared at the professor.


    "Let''s stop talking now, and let''s start waking this guy up."


    "Oh right, there is that too." The professor replied as she waited for Alina to open up her space. Once she was done, the professor started spraying some kind of gas in front of Nomad, and this time, the color of the gas was sickly brown.


    "Kehokk, kehokk!" The effect was instantaneous.


    At the instant that the sleeping Nomad took a whiff of the brown gas, his eyes immediately shot open, with his body flailing around in panic.


    "Let him out now." Alex said to Alina, who in turn, snapped her fingers immediately.


    "Argh!" Once the looped space was gone, Alex saw and heard the panicking Nomad who seemed to be trying his best escape.


    To Alex''s delight, it seemed like Nomad''s power is not working anymore. Just the horrified expression on the teleporter''s face was enough to confirm that.


    "Hey, don''t try teleporting away now. We have suppressed your power, so you better stay still there." Alex smugly said as he tried to get the attention of Nomad.


    "You!" Nomad, whose voice sounded like a bratty kid, stood up as he tried to attack Alex.


    "Piak!" Alex slapped the teleporter with one of his tentacles, sending Nomad sprawling to the ground.


    "Hmph, without your teleportation power, you are nothing, young man." Alex said as he looked down at Nomad. "And here I thought that you Pantheon members are all high-class opponents. But as it turns out, once your power''s gone, you''re all nothing!"


    Really, Alex was somehow disappointed with what he saw.


    He thought that maybe Nomad has some crazy good fighting skills even without his power. As it turns out, this teleporter actually only relies on his teleportation abilities.


    "Hmph, when I first met Khora, I had no powerful abilities, yet I managed to survive three of her attacks." Alex said as he looked down at Nomad disdainfully. "If I can do that, then this guy should have done this too. Tsk tsk tsk, what a disappointment."


    "Alex, I think you are setting the bar up high here." Alina complained as heard what Alex said. "Nobody can just easily do what you did before¡­."


    "Hmph, stop talking in front of me like you were all better than me!" Even if he was already slapped away like a rag doll, the teleporter still had the audacity to act tough. "You think you already won? Hmph, just you all wait!"


    "What, wait for your allies to rescue you? Well, we are waiting for them too." Alex replied merrily as he started sensing the Gravity Waves around him.


    He gathered 5,000 of these gravity waves and used them all to press down on Nomad.


    "Argh!" The teleporter let out a shout as his body visibly sank, with some sounds of his bone starting to creak.


    "Nomad, without your power here, there is no way that you can just fight us off." Alex said as he started to slowly increase the gravity on Nomad. "Well, once those Pantheon guys come here to rescue you, you may have the chance to escape. But for now, you will be in our mercy!"


    "That''s right, little boy." Professor Frances said as she appeared to be holding a syringe in her right hand. She pressed the plunger of the syringe a little, and some metal-colored liquid dripped out of its needle. "We will have all the fun that we can have with you¡­"


    "¡­."


    Alex felt somewhat bad that he was acting like the bad guy now, but deep inside him, he also felt like he was cool. Don''t ask Alex why, he just feels it.


    "Hey, what the hell is in that syringe, Professor?" Alex asked warily as he stared at the professor approaching Nomad. "Is that something that we should be worried about?"


    "Oh, don''t get worried by this syringe." The professor replied cheerfully as she skirted nearer and nearer on the downed Pantheon member. "This liquid is something that will paralyze Nomad''s whole body, except for his mouth. That means that once I inject this liquid in him, the only thing that he can do was to move his irritating mouth. Pretty neat, right?"


    "Wat."


    Both Alex and Alina were shocked by what they heard, as they began staring at the syringe on the professor''s hand warily.


    "Do you¡­ really need to do that?" Alex said as he felt that paralyzing Nomad''s body was somewhat too much. "Isn''t that too much?"


    "Well, it''s better that we do this, instead of just allowing him to possibly do something that will jeopardize us." The professor replied as she waved the syringe around. "Don''t worry, once we ask him all the questions that we want, I can remove the paralysis. But if he does not answer, then he will stay paralyzed until I said so."


    A whimper came out of Nomad''s mouth, who looked horrified with what he just heard.


    Alex shares the same sentiment as Nomad, but he also realized that Professor Frances was right.


    "She''s telling the truth, Alex." Alina said behind Alex as she let out a sigh. "The professor will remove Nomad''s paralysis once he gives us all the info that we want, and she''s also willing to make Nomad stay paralyzed forever, if it needed to be so."


    "Huh. That''s convenient, I guess."


    Since he already had Alina''s confirmation that the professor will not be that horrifying, Alex decided to give the professor the go signal.


    "Okay, let me lighten up this gravity first, and then you can do your stuff." Alex replied as he reduced the gravity waves on Nomad, down to tolerable levels.


    "Hahaha! And the professor strikes again!" The professor cackled maniacally as she dipped the needle of the syringe on Nomad''s left bicep.


    The poor teleporter tried squirming out of the way, but Alex''s gravity waves made sure that he cannot do that.


    5 seconds passed by, and the professor let out a satisfied sigh as she emptied the whole syringe.


    Her whole face was flushed red, as if her emptying the syringe awoke some kind of feelings inside her.


    "¡­" Alex chose to not say anything, as his FED Manipulation detected some hints of arousal from Professor Frances.


    "This woman¡­ gets turned on by injecting people with chemicals? Huh, no wonder she''s carrying those many syringes around her." Alex thought wryly to himself as he shook his head. "Well, at least I''m not the one that gets injected with those chemicals¡­:


    Alex then looked down at Nomad, whose whole body was laid down on the floor like a dead fish.


    It was only Nomad''s mouth that was working, evidenced by the countless curse words coming out of his mouth.


    "You c**ks**kers! You are all m****rf****ers! Once I get out here, I swear I''mm f**k you all up! You hear that? I''mma f**k you all up!"


    Alex let out a tired sigh as he looked at the professor, who seemed to still be turned on even by now.


    "Don''t you have a truth serum that you can inject on this guy? Even with Alina''s lie detector ability, there could be some questions that will be hard for us to uncover. With a truth serum on the other hand, we can easily get what we want."


    After hearing what Alex said, the professor paused slightly for a second, before her face darkened.


    "¡­" Alex could not help but take a step back, as his FED Manipulation felt a deep, primal rage coming out of Professor Frances''s body.


    It was so potent that even Alex, who were used to sensing countless emotions everyday, was somewhat shaken by what he felt.


    "I DON''T DO TRUTH SERUMS. GOT IT?" The professor replied as she took some deep breaths, probably to calm herself down. "I can make anything that I want, but truth serums are out of the chart. Do you¡­ understand?"


    "Yes." Alex replied, realizing that he stepped on a land mine here. "Yes, I understand."


    He might look apologetic, but inside his mind, Alex decided to give importance to Professor Frances'' reaction to Truth Serums.


    With the reaction that the professor had regarding truth serums, there is a high chance that Alex can use it as a leverage against this woman later.


    With that info safely memorized, Alex decided to start what he was supposed to do.


    While keeping a straight face on, Alex slowly approached the still cursing Nomad. The professor, who still looked somewhat pissed, was walking alongside Alex, with her gripping her nozzle tightly.


    Behind the two were their Companions, who had their weapons prepared in case a surprise attack swoops in on them.


    "Crack, crack." Alex cracked his neck masterfully as he lifted up the paralyzed teleporter.


    "F*** you!"


    "¡­." Alex looked at Nomad with an inquisitive expression on his face, as he ignored the curses being thrown on him.


    Countless tentacles then started to cover Nomad''s body as Alex began to smile like the professor.


    "Why don''t we play a game Nomad? Alex said as his tentacles began squeezing Nomad''s body tightly. "The game is called ''I ask a question, and you answer it''. Its rules are just simple. I ask you a question, and you answer back honestly. I assume that you can do that, right?"


    "F**k you!"


    "Okay, it seems like you are ready to start the game now. Let us start then."


    "F**k!!!"

 Chapter 155 Triple the Trouble!

    @@


    Okay guys, I have three exams this week coz its midterms, so I can only post 1 chapter tomorrow and on Friday. I can''t afford to fail, coz they''re major exams, you know?


    Besides, I can''tmap the story well with all these exams looming on me, so I think its better to finish the exams first before I normalize my release rate.


    Wish me luck guys!@@

 Chapter 156 When you tried to Help, but you ended up Scaring them all

    "You won''t get anything from me." The teleporter rudely replied as he attempted to bite Alex, which obviously failed. "I''d rather stay like this than answering your questions! Hmph, even if you have a way to detect lies, I can just stay quiet here, and not answer you all! Besides, I am sure that the Pantheon will rescue me later. After all, they will have no choice but to save me¡­"


    "Oh, so that is what you are planning to do." At this point, Alex realized why everything seemed so fishy with Nomad''s appearance at this place. "You, you want the whole Pantheon to make an action to us right now."


    To Alex''s surprise and irritation, Nomad actually replied to what he just said.


    "Because Foresight told us to not make a move, every one of us did not attack you¡­ Of course I did not like that." Nomad said as he glared at Alex and Professor Frances angrily. "Why would we let you off when you have something with you that can somehow weaken Foresight''s future sight? That doesn''t make any sense! And you also have hostages with you! There is no way that I can just allow all of this to continue!"


    "¡­" Alex let out a sigh as he discovered what Nomad was thinking about.


    "So, because the Pantheon won''t make a move, you decided to make your own move." Alex said as he tightened his grip on Nomad. "If you succeed on defeating us, then all of your problems will be solved. But if you fail and you got captured, the Pantheon will have no choice but to fight us to free you¡­"


    "Eh¡­ you are that good at deduction? Now I understand why you are the de facto leader here." Nomad replied boastfully as he tilted his head. "All of what you said was spot on. Now, all that I have to do is to wait for my teammates to come, and you will all be roast meat!"


    "That leaves me no choice then." Alex, after a few seconds of silence, said as he observed Nomad''s suddenly smug features. "If you forced them to make a move, then we truly had some limited time left before they arrive. In that case, I have to speed up this process."


    Alex''s demeanor then changed as he and Alina started to give Nomad unsettling smiles.


    "Since you won''t talk, I will just have to take it all from you~" Alex said in a sing-song voice as a single Abyss Sprite appeared in front of him.


    "Greed, you know what to do now." Alex said as his Abyss Sprite approached the panicking Nomad. "Enjoy his power to your hearts content~"


    "Master, you really are the best!" The giddy Greed replied joyfully as he opened his mouth extremely wide.


    The space around Greed then started to tremble as his mouth covered Nomad''s whole body.


    |||Pillage!|||


    "What are you doing! No!" If Nomad look still somewhat smug before, right now, that demeanor of his was gone.


    Even if his face was unseen, Alex was sure that he was extremely panicking right now.


    A few seconds passed by before Greed let off Nomad, who was by this point was covered with Greed''s digestive juices.


    It was not a pretty sight, and the harrowed expression on Nomad''s face was a testament to that.


    "Master, here is his power!" Greed joyfully said as he spat out a ball out from his mouth and towards Alex''s outstretched tentacle.


    Alex caught the ball deftly as he started looking at it with interest.


    Unlike the ball that he obtained from Carlie the Sun Knight, the ball that Alex was holding right now was different.


    It was black in color, and its appearance looked like an extremely small black hole.


    It still had the fleshy feeling in it, but with Alex consuming a ball like this before, he was already used to its disgusting appearance.


    "Damn, so this is Nomad''s power huh. It looks somewhat cool. I just wish it will taste good¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he prepared to swallow the ball.


    But before he could do so, Greed said something that made him stop in his tracks.


    "Master, before you eat the ball, I have to say something about it¡­" Greed said as Alex saw the Sprite wearing an apologetic expression on his face.


    "And what could that be?" Alex said as he stared at the ball warily . "Could there be a poison here?"


    "Its not like that Master¡­" Greed said as he perched himself on Alex''s shoulder. "Its just that even if Nomad was mentally strained, the power that I Pillaged from him was not at its full power¡­"


    "Oh?" After hearing what Greed said, Alex started to feel interested, as he just heard something new. "You were not able to pillage Nomad''s full power?"


    Greed nodded his small head rapidly as he started poking the ball.


    "Master, even if Nomad was mentally strained, his power was still way too much for me to consume. Because of that, when I Pillaged his power, what I only got was its basic form¡­"


    Greed then looked down guiltily, as if he was blaming himself for what had happened. "I''m sorry about this, Master¡­"


    "It''s fine Greed. I don''t blame you. These guys are overpowered after all." Alex said as he ignored the curses that Nomad started to spew out again.


    "Master, you are really not disappointed?"


    "I am not." Alex replied quickly as he patted Greed''s head. "I will never be disappointed with you!"


    Alex was telling Greed the truth. Alex was not disappointed at all. He was actually super impressed with Greed!


    Before Alex commanded Greed to Pillage Nomad, Alex had some doubts if Pillage will even work with Nomad.


    Even if Nomad was mentally strained right now, his actual power was extremely powerful, so much so that Alex feared that maybe Greed won''t be able to Pillage any part of it.


    But as it turns out, Alex was partially mistaken.


    Greed was still able to Pillage something, but with the enormity of Nomad''s ability, Greed was only able to obtain a portion of it.


    Well, at least Greed still got him something, and that is what just matters.


    "Thank you Master!" Greed replied with an innocent smile as he tilted his head. He then gave Alex a solemn look as he slowly said,


    "Ok Master, I promise from now on that I will never fantasize eating Asteria''s wings! Well, they look delicious to me, but I promise to not want to eat them! I swear that deep in my heart!"


    "¡­."


    Alex let out a cough to recover from what he just heard before he started talking again.


    "¡­So, will this guy still be able to use his abilities later?" Alex asked as he looked at Nomad, who was now giving Alex a look of extreme loathing.


    "Master, because I Pillaged a portion of Nomad''s ability, even if Nomad wanted to use them, he won''t be able to do so." Greed replied as he started kicking the downed Nomad. "It''s only when you return the pillaged ability that he can use them again. That is, if you return it to Nomad, Master."


    "Of course I will not return this power to him anymore, I''m not that stupid." Alex said observed the ball gleefully. "So, what do I get once I swallow this ball?"


    "A teleportation ability with a distance range that will depend on the amount of Abyss Energy that you will use, Master." Greed replied as he tilted his head. "The more Abyss Energy that you use, the farther the distance that you can teleport to."


    Before Alex could say something, Greed beat him to the punch as he continued talking.


    "With the current amount of Abyss Energy that you have right now Master, you can only teleport at a Continental Level. For you to teleport all around the world, you might need around Grade 9 Abyss Energy. And if you want to teleport to parallel dimensions, you should reach around Grade 11-12 Abyss Energy¡­"


    "Well, that''s bummer, I guess." Alex muttered to himself as he let out a sigh. "Well, at least I can still teleport now."


    Alex then plunged the ball to his mouth as he decided to consume it now.


    Just like what happened with Carlie''s ball, the ball that Alex swallowed broke down inside his stomach, with its fragments spreading out to cover his whole body.


    "Mnn..." Alex suppressed a moan as he once more felt a euphoric sensation in his whole body.


    His whole body went relaxed as he decided to check his new stats.


    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Fixed-Coordinate Spatial Teleportation.


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    "Now, that is a cool name." Alex muttered to himself as he started acclimating himself to his new power.


    But before he could start experimenting, he looked around him, wanting to observe the reactions of everyone who saw what he just did.


    Alex could barely stop himself from smirking as he saw Professor Frances looking at Greed as if he was the thing of her nightmares.


    Her whole body seemed to want to retreat, and it seemed like it was only her pride that was stopping her from doing so.


    The professor''s Companion''s seemed to be thinking the same thing too, as they were now all staring at Greed warily.


    As for Lauren and Queen Mother, they were both silent, with Lauren looking as pale as a sheet of paper.


    As for Alina, she seemed to be only mildly curious with what just happened.


    Seeing Alina''s expression, Alex decided that it was now Alina''s time to ''impress'' everyone here.


    "Alina, it''s your turn now to shine." Alex said as he pointed to Nomad, who looked catatonic from his anger.


    "Even if Nomad''s unwilling to bare open his mind, his current mental state will still allow you to read some of his memories using your Mind Scour. Since we do not have the time to waste right now, let''s just forcefully read his memories¡­"


    This time around, Professor Frances actually took a step back, as she was now looking at Alina with trepidation.


    Alex could only smile wryly to himself, as he realized that his attempt to help out the professor only ended up terrifying her.

 Chapter 158 Whatever It Takes

    "Do you think that you can get off lightly from this?" Alex said as he stared at Professor Frances, who was now slightly backing away from Alex.


    "Hmph, try coming here then." Professor Frances taunted as she continued backing away from Alex. "Just approach me, and let''s see if you can handle the consequences of that."


    There is no doubt to Alex already. Professor Frances is trying to escape, along with Lauren and Andrew Collins


    Right now, Alex was sure that whatever Professor Frances discovered about the Legacy, both Lauren and Andrew Collins were definitely needed to access this Legacy!


    That could be the only reason that Professor Frances wanted to take away the two of them now!


    This is definitely not good for Alex.


    If he lets Professor Frances get away now, there is a high chance that she can get the Legacy before the can do so.


    Even if Alina finishes scouring Nomad''s mind, by the time the finishes, Professor Frances could have already be away.


    "What do we do?" Alex heard Queen Mother asking him with a panicked expression on her face.


    There''s no doubt that Queen Mother was extremely pissed right now, especially with Professor Frances taking Lauren hostage.


    If it were not for the chemical that Professor Frances injected inside Lauren, Queen Mother could have torn the Professor into many pieces already.


    "Let me think¡­" Alex replied as he tried to simulate every possible things that he can do.


    "¡­" But even with what he was doing, Alex found himself trapped against Professor Frances'' schemes.


    "Hey, when will our get-away vehicle arrive? I am tired of waiting here!" The Professor suddenly shouted out towards her Companions, as she looked impatient already. "Even if we have the advantage against the Travelers, we cannot just dilly-dally here! We should leave now!"


    "Professor, it will arrive any moment now." The whip-holding Companion said as she followed the Professor on backing out. "We just have to wait here a little, which won''t hurt in my opinion."


    The Professor seemed to want to say something else but before she could do so, he heard Alina''s shout of immense surprise.


    "What?" Alina''s eyes were extremely wide, with her mouth flapping like a fish as she let go of Nomad''s head. "This¡­ this is¡­"


    "You¡­ you already found what we were looking for?" Alex asked Alina hopefully as he saw her immensely surprised reaction. "I thought it will take you some minutes¡­"


    "That is what I thought so too, Eldritch." Alina replied as she started glaring at Professor Frances. "But luckily for me, I found the info that we are lookingfor just at the surface of his mind. It was quite easy for me to¡­ fish it."


    "¡­"


    Even though Alina tried to sound happy, Alex could notice that Alina seemed to be highly affected by what she discovered.


    From the looks of it, the Truth about the Legacy of Tartaros was something that not even Alina can handle well.


    "Hahaha! Isn''t it surprising? Even I was also surprised when I discovered it!" Professor Frances said as she gave a taunting smile to Alina. "Now, you understand everything, right?"


    "¡­" Alina did not give Professor Frances any reply, but the blazing look in her eyes was enough to tell Alex that the Professor''s words hit the right spot.


    "Khora, tell me the Truth about the Legacy, right now." Alex said with his eyes still focused on Professor Frances. "I could find a way to defeat the Professor now if you tell me the Truth!"


    "I¡­ am not sure if that will work Eldritch." Alina replied as she gave Alex a melancholic smile. "Even if I tell you the truth, I doubt you can use it to defeat this mad scientist."


    "Hahaha! That is right!" The Professor replied as the sounds of a jet approached their location. "You can know everything about the Legacy now, but that still won''t help you against me!"


    At the moment that Professor Frances finished talking, the approaching jet had already shown itself to Alex.


    The jet was small enough to land in front of Mafioso''s Mansion, and it seemed large enough to accommodate Professor Frances and her Companions.


    Alex and Alina could only stare at the gloating Professor as she slowly approached the jet.


    "I guess this is goodbye for now." The Professor said as the jet began to open its door. Now, the Professor only needed some few more steps before she can enter the jet. "It''s been fun staying with you all¡­"


    While he was watching what the Professor was about to do, Alex clenched his fists as he realized that he should make a move right at this moment.


    "Sigh, it seems like I have to use my hidden ace." Alex thought to himself as he realized that right now, he had to use that if he wanted to prevent Professor Frances from escaping. "But if I use my hidden ace, there could be some heavy consequences, and I am not sure if I can handle it¡­"


    "Ugh, why are you thinking like that? It''s our lives that are at stake here, so I have to do anything that I can to save our team, whatever it takes!" Alex slapped his cheeks as he decided to let loose.


    Even if he suffers from the consequences later, doing it will be better than just waiting for themselves to die.


    "¡­."


    Alex then closed his eyes as he attempted to start the activation of his hidden ace.


    But before even Alex could start on activating his hidden ace, a powerful voice suddenly boomed above them, and this voice carried a message that effectively stopped Alex and Professor Frances from their tracks.


    [Don''t you all try to make a move¡­ If you do so, your ends will not be pretty¡­]


    After he heard these words, Alex''s eyes widened as he saw something massive descending from the sky.


    "What the hell¡­" That was all that Alex could say as he saw the massive object just stopping right above Mafioso''s Mansion.


    The object was around a kilometer long, and 500 meters wide. Its body seemed to be made up of high-quality metal, and it was covered with all kinds of dangerous and lethal weaponry.


    It was, in all views, a floating fortress!


    No, not a fortress. It is, in Alex''s knowledge and opinion, a massive space station outfitted with high-caliber weapons!


    "It''s the ''Conqueror''! Oh f**k!" That was what Alex realized as he saw the space station only hovering above them. "Oh f**k, the base of the Pantheon is actually here. If this base is here, then that means¡­"


    Alex''s suspicions were confirmed as one of the doors of the Conqueror swung open.


    Out of that open door came out 6 figures, with each of them carrying a powerful presence rivalling that of Nomad before.


    "S**t, s**t, s**t!" Alex cursed inwardly as he looked at the new arrivals.


    Foresight. Tetra. Myth. Plague. Machi. Miden.


    All 6 of them, who looked like they were ready for battle, were looking at Alex and Professor Frances with burning looks in their eyes.


    It does not take an intelligent person to realize where their current scenario will go.


    "Oh god, is the boss battle about to start now? Why so fast?"

 Chapter 159 A Blast from the Pas

    "This is not good at all¡­" Alex thought to himself as he looked at the Pantheon, staring down at him and Professor Frances.


    All of them did not look happy, and it was quite obvious to them why.


    "¡­" Alex could only frown, as the appearance of the strongest superhumans was Alex''s great misfortune.


    The only thing that was lucky in this situation was the fact that Professor Eldritch and her Companions were unable to escape now.


    With the intimidation by the Pantheon,Professor Eldritch was forced to stay here. That makes the appearance of the Pantheon somewhat bearable.


    But even with that, Alex was still worried, as he knew that a three-way battle could start any moment now!


    "Why did you just come now? I have been waiting for you earlier!" The one who said these words was Nomad, who was still paralyzed on the ground. Spit flew out of his mouth as he started scolding his teammates.


    "Because of you delaying, my power was stolen by this Eldritch guy! F**k!" Nomad said, with anger quite evident in his tone. "F**k, f**k, f**k! Make sure that you kill his tentacle guy and that mad scientist into oblivion!"


    "Your power¡­ was stolen?" Instead of looking angry, the first response that Myth gave was a confused question. "Your power is gone now?"


    "Hell yes it is!" Nomad replied as he gritted his teeth. "Myth, why are you still asking me these questions? Just finish off all of them!"


    "B-" But before Myth could give her reply, Alina interrupted their conversation with a statement of her own.


    "It''s useless to fight us now. We already know the Truth about the Legacy of Tartaros." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "Your attempts to stop us from discovering the Truth has failed, and I think you deserve to fail this badly."


    "Don''t listen to Khora''s crap!" Nomad cut in as he attempted to bite Alina. "So what if they know? Just kill them all! That will ensure us that the secret will stay intact! Well, do not kill Andrew Collins. We still need him after all¡­"


    "If you want to fight, then we will fight." Alina replied much to the surprise of Alex. "But before we all fight, please enlighten us first regarding the Truth that I discovered. Even if I already knew it, I still need to know why¡­ your team did those things in the past,"


    "¡­."


    I know that its rude for me to ask you of this, but since we are about to fight, then isn''t it better for all of us to know about everything already?" Alina said as she tilted her head. "Maybe you will be so benevolent to allow this to happen¡­"


    "F**k! Don''t listen to this b**ch!" Nomad said as his lips began to draw blood. "Just strike them all now!"


    "¡­"


    Alex looked up after hearing what Nomad said, and to his dismay, he saw that all of the Pantheon members were gearing up to fight already.


    Electricity and millions of gravity waves were surrounding Tetra,Myth was starting to transform, Machi and Miden were now wearing combat suits, and Plague''s whole body was letting out an eerie green glow.


    But before these people could start their attacks, a melodious voice effectively stopped the escalation.


    "Let''s hear out Khora''s request. With my limited future sight, I can see that talking to Khora before we fight them will give us the best results." Foresight said as she gave her teammates an imploring look. "I know that you all badly wanted to fight them now, but please follow what I said. I assure you that it will be all worth it in the end, even for Nomad himself."


    The silence that followed after Foresight''s proclamation was painful even for Alex.


    "That''s it, I had enough!" Myth roared in anger as she continued on transforming. "You want to tell them the whole truth about the Legacy even after all that they had done? Wow, can you hear what you are saying right now? Foresight, even if I know that your future sight is strong, there is no way that I will not attack our enemies now! Well, if you don''t want to fight, then I will be the one to fight!"


    Myth was about to make her move, but she was stopped by the collective stares from her other teammates.


    "I know that this is hard for you, but let''s listen to Foresight now, ok?" Tetra said as he placed his hands on Myth''s shoulders. "You know how trustworthy Foresight is, and on how each of her moves were all for the betterment of us. So please, let''s do what Foresight says. Besides, even if we talk to the Travelers and Alchemists now, that will also be moot since we will all take them down later¡­"


    "¡­Fine! But I will be watching for any dirty tricks around!" Myth finally said as she let out a groan. Her eyes roved all over Alex and the others, as if she was giving them a warning.


    "There you have it. We will talk to you for a few minutes." Tetra said with his eyes focused on Alex. "Ask away everything that you want now. Once we were done talking, we will commence on fighting you all."


    "Thank you for your consideration." Alina fluently replied as she stood beside Alex. Alex looked at his front, and he saw the Professor looking like she wants to join in the talk too.


    "¡­"


    Alex felt slightly lost right now, as he was a little confused by the events that just transpired.


    The Pantheon arrived, but they delayed their fight for a few minutes because they wanted to talk to them first?


    That¡­ is quite perplexing, even for someone like Alex.


    Really, just because Foresight told her teammates to talk to Alex before fighting them, the Pantheon members will actually follow it? Now this is just blind faith at its peak level.


    "¡­"


    While Alex was looking confused, Alina had a serious look in her face, and now that Alex could see it, Alina seemed to be looking intently at Tetra.


    "Since we are about to talk about the Legacy of Tartaros, I think I should tell Alex and Queen Mother about the things that I know about the Legacy first." Alina said as her gaze went on Alex and Queen Mother.


    Alina did not wait for any reply from the Pantheon as she took a deep breath.


    Alex gulped his throat audibly as he waited for Alina to talk.


    Alina''s eyes narrowed in concentration as she started spilling out the info that Alex had been wanting to know.


    "Andrew Collins¡­ was a Superhuman before, and he was in all terms, a Builder." Alina muttered as she her body started to tremble. "His power was focused on anything related to Software.Anything under Software, like programming, coding, operating systems, and many more were the focus of his power."


    Alina then gave the still captured Andrew Collins a glance as she continued talking.


    "Andrew Collins gained his Builder Power 17 years ago, just a year after the Superpowers started sprouting. At that time, the Pantheon was just newly established.But even if they were new, the Pantheon at that time was already powerful.And one of their members at that time wasAndrew Collins himself."


    "!!!"


    Needless to say, Alex was surprised with what he heard.


    Andrew Collins was actually a Superhuman and a member of the Pantheon? But from the looks of it, it seems like Andrew Collins could not remember himself being a Superhuman at all.


    Oh right, Andrew Collins actually had his memories wiped away by the Pantheon already. Could those memories be related to Andrew Collins'' interactions with the Pantheon members?


    "At first, the Pantheon was quite happy with Andrew Collins, as his Software skills were ofgreat help in terms of information gathering and creation of computer programs tailored to help out the Pantheon." Alina said as she suddenly clenched her fists. "But all of that changed when Andrew Collins started a secret project."


    And there it is. This is the moment of truth, and Alex knew that he must listen well.


    "With his power, Andrew Collins started creating a new world¡­ made up entirely by data." Alina said as her body started to tremble more. "With his skills, the world that he created was basically a very powerful simulation of a new world¡­ That world of his was so realistic, that all of the humans that appeared inside that simulated world were comparable to any organic humans!"


    "!!!" By this point, Alex already realized what Alina was talking about, and it was enough to make him stunned.


    "And to make that simulated world more ridiculous, Andrew Collins decided to tweak it a little, giving its inhabitants a unique ability that they can use there¡­" Alina said as she tried to calm her tremblings down. "That unique ability allowed them to perform powerful feats that can be compared to the superpowers here in this world..."


    After he saw Alina''s attempts to calm herself down, Alex could only look down as he knew what Alina will say next.


    "That ability was called Esper Ability, and that simulated world was named by Andrew Collins as the Esper World!" Alina almost shouted out as she said this sentence, with her emotions almost spilling through her words. "The Esper World is the Legacy of Tartaros,and that is the secret being kept by the Pantheon this whole time!"

 Chapter 160 Ism the Victim here!

    And there it is. With Alina''s words coming out of her mouth, Alex''s suspicions were now confirmed.


    Alex''s first world, the Esper World, was actually the Legacy of Tartaros.


    But even after hearing that, there is still something Alex was confused about.


    How the hell did Tetra come out of the simulation and gain an organic human body in the process, while also losing his memories?


    Alina was a unique case, since she became a Companion, and her current body was made with the assistance of the Endless Monarch.


    Alex was about to raise this question to Alina, but before he could do so, Alina continued talking.


    "Andrew Collins'' goal by creating that simulated world was just simple. He wanted to create powerful Espers which he can recruit to the Pantheon." Alina said as she shook her head. "But in order for him to allow Espers to stay in this world, there must be some kind of vessel that will house them."


    "So with the collaboration with some top-secret scientists, Andrew Collins created multiple Empty Bodies which can house the consciousness of an Esper ascending from the simulated Esper World." Alina said, this time with her voice turning low. "Those bodies were createdto allow any Espers to live in this world¡­"


    "Now, all that Andrew Collins had to do was to accelerate the time inside the simulated world and wait for the first Esper to leave the world and enter the Empty Body." Alina then let out a sigh as she looked down. "He did not wait that long."


    Alina glanced once more at Andrew Collins, this time with a blaming look in her eyes. "An Esper successfully ascended from the simulated world, and this Esper successfully fused with the Empty Body that Andrew Collins prepared. Once that happened, Andrew Collins started interacting with his first ''harvest''."


    "As it turns out, that Esper can still use his Esper Power in this World, and naturally Andrew Collins was happy from that." Alina said as she kicked a pebble off the ground. "The only problem was that this Espers'' memory was affected, making him lose any memories that he had of his time in the Esper World. This is an unfortunate side effect, but Andrew Collins can take it."


    Alina''s expression then turned dim as she gritted her teeth "Looking at what that Esper can do, it seems like Andrew Collins'' experiment was a success. But as it turns out, Andrew Collins created one of the worst disasters ever known in this world."


    "This Esper, which Andrew Collins called the First Star Esper, was actually a villain deep inside." Alina said as she gripped her sword tightly. "The First Star Esper did unspeakable things which Andrew Collins did not notice due to his ecstacy."


    "¡­." By this point, Alex tried to focus on listening more.


    "Before the First Star Esper left the simulated Esper World, he actually used its inherent program to lock down the whole simulated world." Alina said as she gave a meaningful glance towards Alex."That lockdown prevented the Espers from the Esper World from ascending, and it also prevented any outside interferences. With that lockdown, even Andrew Coolins himself will be unable to monitor or even manipulate the parameters of that world. That world will be independent on its own¡­"


    "¡­.."


    When Alex head this words, he gulped slightly as he realized what Alina was talking about.


    "The World Diagram¡­" This is the realization that Alex had after hearing Alina''s words. That thing that he destroyed in their first mission was actually a scheme created by the First Star Esper to inconvenience the Esper World! How deplorable of him!


    "Because Andrew Collins was still rejoicing from the success of his experiment, he initially did not notice what The First Star Esper did. It was only a day later that Andrew Collins saw the lockdown that the First Star Esper did. By the time that Andrew Collins detected it, it was already too late for him. There is no way for him to remove that lockdown, and only the inhabitants of the simulated world can destroy it¡­"


    Alex nodded lightly after hearing this, remembering that it took him and Alina a lot of grit justto destroy the World Diagram. Even now, Alex can still feel shivers regarding what happened at that time.


    "But it is the next thing that the First Star Esper did that was worse." Alina said as her eyes started to blaze with anger.


    "Just 2 days after he ascended in this World, the First Star Esper became an extremely deplorable Supervillain. Even if he had lost his memories, it seems like his true evil attitude was still with him. Even if he does not know what he did in the Esper World, that was not enough to hinder him. The First Star Esper started killing a lot of people, and he used his Esper Power to torment many. As time passed by, his notoriety became so great that he was called by his more infamous Alias."


    "At that time, he was given the moniker Monster King." Alina said while Alex heard Lauren sucking in a deep breath.


    "In the end, the Pantheon had no choice but to deal with the Monster King personally, but at that time, Tetra was still not a member of the Pantheon, which made it hard for them to fight the Monster King."


    "The Monster King''s Esper Power was quite formidable." Alina said as she looked at the Pantheon members above her. "The Monster King can induce powerful mutations on any living beings nearby, even including himself. Not only that, but he can also manipulate these mutated beings to follow his commands or sometimes, even combine them with each other to create stronger mutated beings!"


    "With that Esper Power of his, Monster King was able to create the Monster Army that made him a world-ending threat. The Pantheon at that time was lucky to defeat him, although a lot of damage has been done by that point."


    "..."


    "It was only after the Monster King''s death that the Pantheon discovered Andrew Collins'' simulated world. Obviously, they are not happy from it." Alina said as she casted a disapproving gaze to Andrew Collins.


    "After they made the discovery, everyone from the Pantheon were scared of Andrew Collin''s simulated world. If just one Esper that came out of that world was that powerful, then what will happen once more comes out? Won''t that be the end of the world?"


    "So, the Pantheon decided to kill Andrew Collins and destroy the simulated world. But before they could do so, something happened with the simulated world that was still on lockdown." By this point, Alex could already understand what Alina will say next.


    "With the time acceleration inside the simulated world, 500 years has passed by inside it compared to the 2 days that passed by here in this world. The Pantheon and Andrew Collins was not sure what happened during this time, but it seems like these 500 years inside the Esper World has affected the lockdown itself."


    Alina''s face was slightly red as she continued talking.


    "After that 500 years in the Esper World, the lockdown placed on it by Monster King 2 days prior disappeared entirely, and with it, came out oneStar Esper who decided to ascend from that World."


    "The Pantheon was obviously caught surprised by it, as they could only watch as the Star Esper started inhabiting a nearby Empty Body. "Alina''s mouth looked like it was about to develop a smirk, but she tried to stop it from appearing.


    "At first, Pantheon was tempted to kill this person, but then they started to think that they could still give these Star Esper another chance. So, the Pantheon adopted a new plan regarding the Espers and the simulated world. "


    "The first thing that they did was to freeze the simulation itself, and not destroy it. That way, they can stop the simulated world from spitting out more Espers while still keeping it intact. As for the Star Esper that ascended that day, the Pantheon decided to talk to him properly."


    Allina then started pacing all around her as she said,


    "To make sure that they sound genuine, the Pantheon decided to tell this Star Esper everything that the Monster King did, and the current state of the simulated world."


    "From what I can remember from Nomad''s memories, it seems like the Pantheon offered this new Star Esper a position in the Pantheon, in exchange for them keeping the simulated world safe from any kind of harm. Even if this Star Esper lost his memory too, he still cared a lot about the simulated world, so he accepted the offer by the Pantheon."


    Alina then stopped pacing all around her as her gaze went towards the floating Tetra.


    "Nowadays, you know that Star Esper as Tetra¡­"


    Even if it was faint, Alex could see melancholy on Alina''s eyes.


    This is understandable, as Alina just discovered what actually happened to her home world. Not anybody can just easily recover from that.


    "Right now, the simulated world was still on its frozen state, as per Tetra''s request." Alina said she let out a sigh. "Even until now, Tetra did not explain the reason for him wanting to still freeze the simulated world¡­"


    "Maybe its because Tetra''s worried that he had some relatives living there inside the simulated world." Alex thought to himself as he shook his head inwardly. "Maybe he''s afraid of not seeing them alive with him losing his memories. If my guess is right, maybe Tetra will only unfreeze the simulated world if he manages to get his memories back¡­"


    Alex then started feeling broody as he remembered the warm treatment given to him by Tetra''s wife and two children.


    Maybe¡­ having them frozen inside the simulation was actually good. At least they are not yet dead, and they still have a chance to meet with Tetra in the future.


    Well, that depends if Tetra manages to regain his memories. But right now, it seems unlikely, as it looks like not even Plague can make Tetra recover his memories¡­


    ***************


    It took Alina a few seconds of silence before she decided to continue talking.


    "Once they had the deal with Tetra, they then decided to deal with Andrew Collins himself. Since he was their teammate, they decided to not kill him anymore. Instead, they used Plague''s power to wipe Andrew Collins'' memory of the Pantheon, and let him live his life away from them¡­."


    The person being talked about started writhing under Professor Frances'' grip, as if he was extremely affected by what Alina just said.


    "Down boy, you are just a listener here, so don''t fret like that." Alex heard Professor Frances saying as she waved her arm around, dragging Andrew Collins with it. "I know that your backstory is exciting, but please don''t be this enthusiastic¡­"


    "¡­"


    Even if it was not shown in his face, deep inside him, Alex had the inexplicable urge to punch Andrew Collins in the mouth.


    This m****rf*****r acted like he was a victim, when all this time around he was actually the cause of his own misery! He should have not sympathized with this guy!

 Chapter 161 Its Time!

    After Alina said these words, the whole area around Mafioso''s Mansion went quiet, as if everyone was waiting for something to happen.


    Alex was no exception here, as he stared warily at the Pantheon and the Alchemists, waiting for them to make a move.


    The one who bit the bullet was Foresight, whose gaze was concentrated on Alina as she started to talk.


    "So, what do you want to ask from us?" Foresight said with a twinkle in her eyes.


    Alex was sure that even with Duplicator somehow disrupting Foresight''s future sight, Foresight could still see an hour into the future, which meant that she still knew what will happen around this place.


    Because of that, the way that Foresight talked to them now was suspicious, making Alex think that Foresight is about to start her scheme here.


    What could the scheme be, and when will it drop?


    "Calm down there, hooman." Asteria, who was able to come back to Alex, muttered as she slapped the back of his neck. "Don''t overthink things now. Just focus on what will happen later. You are supposed to fight for your life here! Just end this conversation and start fighting to the death!"


    "Oh please don''t spout nonsense like that here." Alex replied in a whisper as he stopped the urge to pinch Asteria. "Just shut up there, and let me do what I can do, okay?"


    "Hmph!"


    ********************


    After ignoring Asteria''s continuous complaints, Alex turned his attention back to the conversation between Alina and Foresight.


    Alina went silent for a few seconds, as if she was thinking of the appropriate thing to say.


    Alina then opened her mouth as she slowly said,


    "What if¡­ my companions and I can find a way to solve your problem with the Legacy of Tartaros? Will you give it to us?"


    "Give it to you?" Hmph, you clearly are planning to do nefarious things to it!" Myth, who was still looking pissed, interjected before Foresight could give an answer. "You think that after all the things that you did here, we can just allow you to take the Legacy easily? In your dreams!"


    "Hey, I have the same offer as them too!" This time, the one who talked was Professor Frances, who was still holding Andrew Collins and Lauren captive. "If you give the Legacy to us, I will restore Tetra''s memories, and I can allow him to meet his relatives, if he actually had one inside the simulated world! Don''t worry all of you! I promise to fulfill all of that!"


    "Quit your lies too!" Myth replied to Professor Frances as she pointed her arm in her direction. "You are just as worse as the Travelers! I know all the villainy that you did, and that just tells me that you are not also worthy of holding the simulated world! Heck, nobody in this world, except for the Pantheon are worthy enough to keep that simulated world safe!"


    "Besides, do you think that I will allow people like you to just hold my home world?" This time around, it was Tetra who spoke up, and his eyes seemed like they were blazing hot as he stared at Alex and Professor Frances. "I am an idiot if I will just allow people like you to take hold of my homeworld! So, I suggest that you all forget about taking my home world for yourselves. If you really want to get it, then you have to get over my body first!"


    Alina slightly staggered after hearing Tetra''s words, as she wobbled on her spot.


    "¡­" Alina seemed to be affected by what Tetra said, and Alex could understand her pain.


    After all, that simulated world was Alina''s home world too, and she also wanted it to be safe from harm, thus her excitement to take care of the simulated world.


    But with Pantheon blocking the way, Alina''s goal to keep the simulated world for herself was almost impossible.


    Alina also cannot just say that she also came from the simulated world.


    It will be hard for her to explain on how she left the simulated world without her occupying an Empty Body, so saying that she came from the simulated world will just make the Pantheon distrust Alina more.


    Then there was the Alchemists, who looked like they had something planned on a situation like this.


    Alex might hate to admit it, but it seemed like there was no choice left now but to fight. It''s only through winning that Alex and his Companions can force their opponents to submit to their will¡­


    At the moment that Alex reached this line of thought, he heard Queen Mother''s voice saying something to him.


    "Eldritch, it took me some time to neutralize it, but I managed to succeed. It''s all gone now."


    "!!!" After hearing these words, Alex resisted the urge to smile as he realized what Queen Mother did.


    "Hehehe, I thought it will be impossible for you to do it, but it seems like I underestimated you." Alex replied happily as he started cracking his knuckles. "You did us a great service by doing this, Dryad!"


    ************


    Days ago, when Alex and the others were preparing countermeasures against the Pantheon, Alex assigned Queen Mother a secret mission which she can only do.


    And that mission was to monitor all of Professor Frances'' chemical activities, every time and everywhere.


    With Queen Mother''s ability to create biological agents, she''s the best one suited to deal with someone like Professor Frances'' chemical abilities.


    Of course with Professor Frances'' talent, it will be much harder for Queen Mother to deal with her chemicals.


    But Alex knew that given time, Queen Mother can do something if Professor Frances uses a concoction against them!


    And right now, it seems like Queen Mother had succeeded on doing so!


    ****************


    From the looks of it, after Professor Frances said that she injected Lauren and Andrew Collins with a special concoction, Queen Mother started to use her biological agents to discreetly analyze Professor Frances'' special concoction.


    And while Alina was telling everything about the Legacy of Tartaros, Queen Mother must have started catalyzing something to counteract the special concoction used by Professor Frances.


    Once she finished catalyzing it, she must have released it to the air, right towards the breathing noses of Andrew Collins and Lauren, which in turn neutralized the special concoction injected in their bodies.


    With the gleeful look on Queen Mother''s eyes, Alex knew that its safe for him to start fighting.


    Once he had reached that decision, Alex let out a mischievous smile as he picked up Nomad''s still paralyzed body.


    "It seems like every one of you are not in any kind of agreement now." Alex said as his tentacles wrapped themselves around Nomad. "In that case, let me break this awkward state!"


    Alex then threw Nomad''s body towards the Pantheon, with the said projectile letting out curdling shouts of fear.


    Everyone was caught surprise by what Alex did, and that surprise was something that he needed right now.


    "Blik." Alex immediately activated his teleportation, choosing to appear in front of Professor Frances.


    With her special concoction already neutralized by Queen Mother, Professor Frances'' leverage over Alex was already gone.


    As he stared at the surprised Professor Frances, Alex''s mouth thinned as he decided to go all-out now!


    The space around his left main tentacle began to tremble as he gathered millions of gravity waves around his left hand.


    Behind Alex, he could hear Tetra''s astonished shout, as he seemed to have seen what Alex did.


    Alex ignored that shout as he sent his left main tentacle hurtling towards Professor Frances''s head.


    But before Alex''s fist could land, a katana met his strike head on.


    "Boom!" To Alex surprise, he saw his gravity punch being parried by the katana, which led to his punch sailing just above Professor Frances'' head.


    Alex looked at the holder of the katana, and he saw that it was the future-seeing Companion of Professor Frances that parried his attack.


    "¡­" Just like what Alex expected, it seems like this future-seeing woman could still see a few seconds in combat, which allowed her to see what Alex will do.


    However, Alex did not expect this woman to parry his punch, which Alex knew should bring the force comparable to that of a falling meteorite!


    "So, you are all showing your full power now, huh. Now this is fun!" Alex let out a laugh, as he realized that the future-seeing woman was actually this skilled! No wonder she''s a Companion of Professor Frances!


    But even with that discovery, Alex was not fazed.


    After all, his punch towards Professor Frances was just a distraction!


    His true goal was something else!


    While his left main tentacle was for attacking Professor Frances, his right main tentacle was doing a different thing.


    While Professor Frances and her Companions were distracted by Alex''s gravity punch, his right main tentacle wrapped itself around Lauren and Andrew Collins'' body.


    At the moment that the future-seeing Companion parried Alex''s strike, Professor Frances'' grip on her hostages slackened slightly.


    Alex took this opening eagerly, withhis right main tentacle pulling back, dragging Lauren and Andrew Collins towards him.


    Before these two could let out their shouts. Alex threw them towards Alina, who in turn stored the two inside her Storage.


    "You!!!" Needless to say, Professor Frances was quite pissed by what had happened, as she saw her two valuable hostages being taken away by Alex.


    "Hehehe, if you want to get them, you have to get over my body first!" Alex replied mockingly, mimicking the voice that Tetra used earlier. "What''s the problem? Come get me now! I will not be holding back anymore!"


    "Argh!"


    But before Professor Frances could start her own attack, Alex and the others suddenly heard rumbling sounds all around them.


    Alex looked up instinctively, and there he saw the source of the sounds.


    He saw an old man wearing majestic robes floating just above him. His face was slightly gloomy, which was exemplified by his long, white beard.


    The man was holding a staff in his left hand, and a book in his right.


    Alex gulped slightly, as he had the feeling that this old man was extremely dangerous!


    "Where the hell did this old man come from?" Alex thought to himself as he looked at the old man with confusion and wariness. "Is he another powerful Hero?"


    Alex then looked at the people floating beside the old man, and that was there that he realized who this old man really is.


    "This old man¡­ is Myth!" Alex exclaimed inwardly as he saw energy gathering all around the old man''s staff.


    "Myth¡­ she transformed into a freaking Sorcerer!" Alex shouted inwardly as the old man raised the staff in the air. "I don''t know who this old man is, but I am sure that Myth''s choice for transformation are always the strong ones!"


    After Alex reached this line of thought, the old man sent his staff hurtling down, blasting the area below him with a powerful energy blast which hit everyone in the ground!


    "Skroom!"

 Chapter 162 Just go and explode!

    That was it for Myth.


    After all that taunting that Eldritch made and all the revelation that Alina said, Myth realized that it was already enough.


    It is time for the Pantheon to end the Travelers and the Alchemists for good, and nothing, not even the irritating Foresight can stop her!


    "Uwa!!!" Myth''s musings were cut off as she saw Nomad hurtling towards their direction.


    A vein popped on Myth''s forehead as she saw the blatant attempts of Eldritch to distract them.


    She watched with red in her eyes as Eldritch snatched Andrew Collins and his daughter away from Alchemist''s grip.


    Her eyes then widened slightly as she saw the two disappearing, as if they were suddenly stored somewhere else.


    "Hmph, preposterous bastards!" Myth thought angrily as she knew that what Eldritch did was a declaration of war already.


    Since it was like that, there is no reason for Myth to hold back anymore!


    Myth immediately accessed her available transformations, choosing one that she can use here.


    She let out a light smile as she found the one that she was looking for.


    "¡­" Myth''s body started to warp as she used her ability.


    "The Inquisitor, you shall be my form for now!" Myth thought to herself as her appearance changed into that of an old man looking like a sorcerer.


    The transformation that she chose was the form of The Inquisitor.


    Unlike the usual mythical creatures, The Inquisitor actually came from one of the most famous fantasy book series in the world.


    In that book series, The Inquisitor was the main villain, and his power to manipulate all kinds of energy, scientific and magical, which made him an extremely powerful opponent.


    In their current situation, Myth knew that using The Inquisitor is a good choice to make!


    With the current line-up of the Pantheon, they had already set-up what each one of them will do.


    Miden was there as a support, ready to neutralize the abilities of their opponents, while Foresight will be using her power as a support too.


    Plague and Tetra were there for crowd control, with their abilities usable in large ranges and able to attack many at once.


    As for Machi, his combat creations were all useful for combat, although it will take him a few seconds before he can deploy his combat creations.


    That is where Myth enters the fray.


    She will be the one that will dish out the damage first, with Miden neutralizing their opponents'' power.


    The combination of their attacks will surely defeat the Alchemists and the Travelers, but if they somehow survive, Tetra, Plague, and Machi will be the one to finish them up!


    "Hahaha! Let''s see how you will all run away while Miden neutralizes your power!" Myth thought with vindication as she raised her staff high in the air.


    All kinds of destructive energy began to gather at the head of the staff as Myth observed Nomad''s wretched condition.


    Just seeing the anger and the sheer despair on Nomad''s face was enough to bring Myth''s anger to the peak.


    "Begone, all of you!" Myth thought to herself vindictively as she slammed her staff down, making all of her gathered energy impact against the Travelers and the Alchemists.


    "Skroom!" Myth smiled maniacally as she saw the disturbance caused by her attacks.


    The ground below her quaked as rifts in space began to appear at the impact site.


    Myth let out a satisfied sigh as she looked at the destruction that she made, knowing that nobody will survive there, especially those who had their powers neutralized by Miden.


    But before Myth could start celebrating silently, she heard a strangled sound beside her.


    To her dismay, this sound came from Miden, who even with his mask, looked extremely distraught.


    "Myth, my power did not work on them!" Miden, the usually jovial guy, looked extremely shaken right now. "I¡­ I was not able to neutralize their powers!"


    "What?" This time around, Myth was surprised with what just Miden said. "Are you sure about that?"


    "I am sure!" Miden replied, this time with his body starting to shake. "I can''t force their powers to shut down! And the feeling that I get from their powers¡­ was just like the one that I get from Tetra''s!"


    "!!!"


    There was another secret being kept by the Pantheon, and that was the fact that Miden''s neutralizing abilities does not work on Tetra''s Esper Ability!


    To the public, the common knowledge was that Miden can neutralize Tetra''s power, but in truth, Miden can''t neutralize Tetra at all!


    "F**k, from what we have seen in our past experiences, Miden can only neutralize Superpowers. If an ability was not a Superpower, then Miden will not be able to neutralize it!" After remembering this important information, Myth paled as she realized that their plan to deal with the Travelers and the Alchemists had fallen apart now.


    "Guys! Execute Code Beta! Use lethal force to exterminate The Alchemists and The Travelers!" Myth shouted as she changed her body into the Adamantine Golem, which had the strongest defense out of all her mythical forms. "Don''t hold back anymore, or they could do something to us!"


    After hearing what Myth said, the Pantheon members started to make their own moves.


    But before the Pantheon could even move a step, Myth heard a hissing sound below her, prompting her to look down.


    "!!!"


    To Mtyth''s extreme surprise, she saw a 20-foot Hydra rearing its head on them! The Hydra, with its multiple heads, was letting out a hoarse roar which reverberated throughout the whole area.


    "Gruwa!!!"


    The Hydra had 5 heads, with each head colored in a different way.


    The eyes of each head had their own glints of intelligence, making Myth shiver inwardly as she looked at them.


    The heads then looked at Myth, with each head wearing a sadistic smile on their own.


    "Gruwa!" The Hydra let out another mighty shout as it shot towards Myth''s direction, making its intentions to attack Myth obvious.


    "Pesky insect!" Myth roared out with her golem form as she rushed towards the Hydra, planning to smash it to pieces with her fist.


    "Hmph, I am not sure if the other members of the Alchemists and the Travellers are still alive, but I am sure that this Hydra is one of them!" Myth thought to herself as she sprouted 20 more arms for her Golem form. "Well, no matter who you are, I will crush you here!"


    "Hong~" It was at that moment, before Myth could attack the Hydra, that a different wave of power went through the area.


    The source of this power wave was around 10 meters away from Myth and the Hydra.


    "It''s that emotion power again!" Myth thought to herself angrily as she used her current form to tank the emotion altering ability by Eldritch.


    When they experienced the power of Eldritch''s emotion manipulation before, the Pantheon members decided to create some countermeasures against Eldritch''s emotion manipulation.


    Myth''s current form was one of that countermeasures, and the other Pantheon members had their own ways to deal with it.


    "Huong~"


    Myth was able to shrug off the attack made by Eldritch, but to her disappointment, the Hydra shrugged it off too.


    Well, at least with what happened, Myth was able to know that the Hydra was not Eldritch, since Eldritch attacked them from 10 meters away.


    "Tsk."


    In the end, Myth could onlylet out a disappointed tsk as she proceeded on pummeling the Hydra, with the Hydra dishing out its own attack too.


    "Thoom, thoom, thoom." Different colored beams sprouted out of the Hydra''s mouth, striking Myth''s Adamantine Golem Body with the power of a nuclear bomb, and the precision of a sharpshooter.


    "Gurd." Even with her extremely tough body, Myth could not help but let out a grunt, as she felt that all the attacks given out by the Hydra was heavy.


    It took all of Myth''s concentration just to weather all of Hydra''s attacks.


    "Good thing I chose to transform in this form. If I chose a different form¡­" Myth could only keep the shivers inside herself as she focused on destroying the opponent in front of her.


    Even if the Hydra''s attacks were powerful, its body was weak, especially under the treatment of Myth''s 22-Adamatine-Arm combo.


    Even if the Hydra can regenerate, Myth knew that it will be only a matter of time before it falls down.


    With her still high defense, Myth knew that she can take down the Hydra first before its attacks could affect her!


    "Hydra, I might not know who you are among the Travelers and the Alchemists, but be rest assured that I will identify you from your mashed body later!" Myth shouted as she decided to sprout 10 more adamantine arms.


    "Boom, boom, boom!" It was then that Myth heard the sounds of battle behind her, making her realize that her teammates were fighting too.


    With the firepower that her teammates have, Myth was sure that they still have an edge here, well as long as they will not be caught by surprise.


    "Your guard is f**king down!" Myth shouted as she did an uppercut with 18 of her arms, which ripped off 4 of the Hydra''s heads, leaving only one head still attached to the Hydra''s body.


    "Hoho, what''s next? You will sprout two heads from each severed head? Don''t try doing that in front of me! I know mythology better than you!" Myth shouted as she transformed herself back to The Inquisitor.


    She then used The Inquisitor''s power to summon Hell Flame, which she used to cauterize the 4 stumps on the Hydra''s head.


    The smell of cooked meat filled the air as the Hydra let out its own distressed shout.


    "Gruam!" Needless to say, the Hydra looked like it was in pain, and to Myth''s slight satisfaction, she felt excited by this.


    She then shifted back to her Adamantine Golem Form as she decided to use her 32 Adamantine Fists to punch the Hydra''s remaining head out of existence.


    "Arggh!!"


    But before Myth could use her finishing move, she once again heard Miden shouting behind her, but this time around, his shout was not of surprise, but rather a shout of pain.


    Myth looked behind her, and there she saw numerous carnivorous-looking plants chomping down on Miden''s combat suit.


    Even with the all the technology that Machi placed on Miden''s combat suit, all of them seemed to be not enough to keep Miden safe.


    Myth could only watch in horror as Miden''s whole body was swallowed whole by what looked like a gigantic Venus Flytrap.


    "Hey, where the hell are you guys! Go and help him!" Myth shouted as she looked at the other Pantheon members, but to her dismay, she found out that all of them were all busy too.


    Machi wasbusy facing off against the drone-making guy of The Alchemists, along with the interferences of Duplicator.


    This chick, which surprisingly was human-sized now, was teaming up with the drone-making guy to combat Machi who was in his combat suit.


    Foresight on the other hand was stuck in a battle of her own, facing off against the sword-wielding woman of the Alchemists.


    The two combatants were moving erratically, as if they were playing some kind of laggy game.


    "¡­" Myth knew that these two combatants had their own versions of future sight, making their fight extremely unique.


    As for Plague, she seemed to be stuck with her opponent too.


    Her opponent was Alchemist, who was laughing at the top of her voice as she sprayed her nozzle towards Plague.


    No matter what kind of fatal bacteria or virus Plague used, all of them seemed to be ineffective under the assault of Alchemist''s nozzle.


    As for Alchemist, she used most of her time to defend herself, which made it hard for her to attack.


    These two fighters seemed to be fit and also unfit for each other, and Myth had the feeling that they will stay stuck on their combat for a little longer.


    Myth then focused her attention on Tetra, who still at this point, was making Myth''s heart beat a little fast.


    Tetra, just like the others, was also stuck in his own battle too, although the fight that he was in can be considered to be something else.


    Eldritch and Khora were both allying to fight Tetra, and the abilities that all of them used made even someone like Tetra shake inwardly.


    Tetra, to Myth''s surprise, was using Gravitational, Electromagnetic, Strong Nuclear, and Weak Nuclear Force to fight against his two opponents!


    That kind of power was only used by Tetra to the opponents that he deemed worthy of it!


    Eldritch and Khora seemed to be holding off their own ground, and the way that they did so made Myth inwardly nervous.


    Everytime that Tetra sends out either a Gravitational or an Electromagnetic Attack, Eldritch seems to be doing something to negate it, while Khora does something to the Space around them to negate Tetra''s Strong and Weak Nuclear attacks.


    And if there was an attack by Tetra that bypasses these defenses, the pair would teleport away, making those attacks miss completely.


    There were some times that it was Eldritch and Khora attacking, with Eldritch relying on those ''Sprites'' of his to unleash a dizzying array of attacks towards Tetra.


    Needless to say, the fight between them three was at a high level, and Myth was badly tempted to go and assist Tetra now.


    "Gruam!" Myth''s observation of the fights was cut off as the injured Hydra growled behind her, making Myth remember about her fight.


    Myth looked back to the Hydra, who was still glaring at her defiantly.


    "So you are a She. Well, that will not make me falter here." Myth said as she already knew the identity of this Hydra.


    By the process of elimination, Myth realized that this Hydra was most likely the whip-bearing woman of The Alchemists.


    That was a pleasant surprise for Myth, as she did not expect that lascivious looking woman to be this powerful.


    But that surprise was gone now, since the Hydra obviously looked like it was about to be finished off already.


    "You still had that spunk in you huh. Let''s see if you will still have that once I am done with you!" Myth shouted as she decided to end this fight already.


    Once she kills this Hydra, Myth will be free to assist her teammates, especially Miden who was now captured by Dryad.


    "Just go and die!" Myth shouted at the top of her voice as she let out a flurry of punches with her 32 Adamantine Fists.


    "Baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku baku!"


    Myth then kicked the Hydra''s body off the ground as she sent one more punch to destroy its head.


    "Bakuhatsu Suru!"(Explode!)


    The explosion of the Hydra''s final head was like fireworks, and Myth was unable to avoid chunks of it falling down on her face.


    Needless to say, Myth became pissed from this too.


    "¡­"

 Chapter 163 Rampage!!!

    Alex knew that the fight that he''s having right now were going in their favor, and he will obviously let it stay that way.


    He looked at the battles happening around him, and he could hardly suppress a smile as he realized that even with their Traveler Truce gone, Professor Frances and her Companions still chose to help Alex on fighting against Pantheon.


    Even if Professor Frances was a sleazebag, Alex could appreciate her helping him out here.


    Of course Alex knew that once they were done with the Pantheon, he and Professor Frances will end up fighting each other.


    Alex had no problem with that, as he felt that this is how his Main Mission would end.


    But before Alex could reach that point, he still had to defeat the Pantheon first.


    "Boom boom boom!" Alex squinted his eyes as he observed the opponent in front of him.


    Tetra, who was now using his whole power, was unleashing his own series of his powerful attacks.


    With all the time that Tetra has stayed in this world, it seemed like his Esper Power had even grown further.


    "Tsk, this is really hard¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he desperately dispelled a gravity well created by Tetra. "If this goes on, Tetra will just defeat us all!"


    Even with Alex and Alina working together, they could only barely defend themselves from Tetra''s attacks.


    "Ugh, how much Mental Energy does Tetra have now? It must have been a lot compared to the one that he had in the Esper World before!" Alex mumbled to himself angrily as Alina pulled him away just in time to avoid a concentrated blast of radiation from Tetra.


    "¡­"


    Alex contemplated on using Synthesis with Alina, but he immediately discarded that idea, as he''s planning on saving Synthesis for Professor Frances later.


    "Eldritch, I do not know what your goal with my home world is, but be assured that I will be here to prevent you from getting your hands on it." Tetra said with his booming voice as he continued on attacking Alex and Alina. "So my advice for you two is to just surrender, or else¡­"


    "Hmph, you think you are the only one that has an ace here? You seem to underestimate me, Uncle!" Alex replied with a snark as his eyes caught a glimpse of Miden being swallowed by Queen Mother''s carnivorous summons.


    "What did you just call me?" Tetra''s befuddled reply was ignored by Alex as Alex spun around facing Alina.


    "Alina, we need to hold Tetra down for a few seconds." Alex said as a crazy plan began to form in his head. "If we manage to hold him down for that amount of time, our victory is guaranteed!"


    "Ok... I trust you in this." Alina replied softly as her eyes began to narrow in determination. "As long as we pour all of our Mental Power on our Esper Abilities, I think we can hold Tetra down for around 20 seconds¡­"


    "That is good enough for me!!" Alex replied as he and Alina teleported again, this time only barely dodging Tetra''s latest attack.


    After that teleportation, Alex rounded up all 7 of his Abyss Sprites, filling them up with as much Abyss Energy that he can.


    "You 7, go and assist Greed on taking Miden''s power!" Alex shouted as he pointed towards Miden, who was still trapped inside Queen Mother''s plants. "If anyone tries to stop you 7, use your Abyss Magic to fight them off! Remember, your goal is to let Greed Pillage Miden''s power! Do whatever it takes to do it!"


    At the instant that Alex said these words, all 7 of his Abyss Sprites gave him a salute as they started flying towards Miden''s location.


    "No, I won''t let you do that!" Tetra, who was nearby, obviously heard what Alex said.


    He raised his hand in an attempt to summon an attack that will collide with the Sprites, but before he could do so, his whole body suddenly dropped down to the ground.


    "Arggh!!!" These agonized shouts came from both Alex and Alina, who were using their Esper Abilities to their extreme limits.


    For Alex, he gathered trillions of gravity waves, forcing them down on Tetra''s body.


    As for Alina, she used most of her Mental Energy to flatten the space around Tetra, which basically forced him down.


    Their goal was to force Tetra on the ground which will buy some time for Alex''s Sprites to Pillage Miden''s power.


    "Ugh¡­" But even with all these things that Alex and Alina did, Tetra was still able to tank all of these attacks.


    His whole body only had a few scratches on it, and the only visible effect of Alina and Alex''s attack on Tetra was him being unable to stand up.


    But even that effect was slowly dissipating too, as Alex saw Tetra starting to stand up slowly.


    "Hurry up, my little Sprites!" Alex shouted at the top of his voice as he saw Tetra halfway through his standing position. "If you don''t hurry up, we will be all done for here!"


    It seems like Alex''s hoarse shouts worked, as by the end of his sentence, Greed and the other Sprites have reached Miden''s constricted body.


    The other Abyss Sprites started guarding the area around Greed as Greed entered the carnivorous plant containing Miden.


    Greed then started doing his job, swallowing Miden whole which was accompanied by Miden''s horrified shouts.


    Greed spat Miden out by the time that Tetra was 3/4ths on his standing position, and during this time, Alex was already starting to panic inwardly.


    After all, Alex just saw Myth pummelinga Hydra to death with 32 of her golem fists¡­


    That is not a good sight to see,especially with what Alex was planning to do now.


    And with the way that Alex and Alina fought earlier, there was no doubt that Myth will go for him and Alina next.


    And that prediction of his came true as he saw Myth castinga baleful glare in his direction. Just seeing that hostile glare was enough to confirm that she''s indeed about to attack Alex next.


    Alex then looked back at Tetra, and to his dismay, he saw thatTetra was almost 90 percent into his standing position. It looks like it will only take Tetra a few more seconds before he can stand up fully, and once that happens, he will surely attack Alex and Alina too.


    Alex looked back at his Sprites, who just finished clambering out of Queen Mother''s carnivorous plants.


    With the distance between Alex and his Sprites, Alex knew that he cannot just wait for the Sprites to come to him, as waiting will just open up Alex to the attacks from Myth and Tetra!


    Waiting for them to come to him is not an option here anymore!


    After realizing the dilemma that he was in, Alex started to freeze up, but before he could fully stiffen up, he shook his head as he slapped his cheeks.


    "Pa!"


    "If when in doubt, just do the unconventional¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he forced himself to calm down.


    If the Sprites could not reach Alex on time, then it will be Alex who will approach them!


    "Alina, let go of your power now!" Alex shouted as he grabbed Alina''s left arm with his right hand. He then deactivated the gravity suppression that he placed on Tetra with Alina doing the same with her power too.


    "Hong~"


    Once he let go of his gravity suppression, Alex immediately activated his Fixed-Space Spatial Teleportation, choosing to make himself appear in front of his Sprites.


    At the instant that Alex appeared in front of his Sprites, he opened his mouth desperately, gesturing for Greed to spit out the ball now.


    Fortunately for Alex, his Sprites were just as devious as him, as they quickly realized what Alex was planning to do.


    "Fire in the hole!" His Sprites shouted as Greed catapulted out the flesh ball out from his body.


    "Thonk." The ball, which had the hint of a metallic feel, was immediately sucked in by Alex towards his stomach.


    "Hah!" As the warm feeling spread out of his stomach again, Alex waved his hands, unsummoning all of his Sprites.


    Alex and Alina then teleported once more as they narrowly dodged Tetra and Myth''s combined attacks.


    "Boom!" After he appeared at a location 10 meters away from their former spot, Alex slightly wobbled as he felt a slight pain in his back


    He observed that body part of his, and to his dismay, he saw the sign of a deep wound there.


    That wound of his had signs of burns and slight decay, making Alex wince as he imagined what could the effects of the full strike could be.


    If the glancing blow of the combined attack of Tetra and Myth could cause this damage, then what would happen if Alex got hit by one head on?


    "Ugh, so I was not able to fully dodge that latest attack huh. This sucks¡­" Alex could feel his body screaming in pain from this wound, but forced himself to stay rational.


    Even with that damage he received, Alex knew that it was not the time for him to just mope around.


    He bit his tongue deeply, relishing on the tang of blood on his lips as he observed the new power that he just Pillaged.


    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Fixed-Coordinate Spatial Teleportation.


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Superhuman Ability Regression and Suppression.


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    With just a glance, Alex already saw what he can do with this new ability.


    As long as he had enough Abyss Energy, Alex can suppress Superhuman abilities nearby him.


    Of course, just like Miden, this power had the limitation of only affecting Superhuman Abilities, but even with that limitation, Alex knew that this power is the perfect part of his new plan!


    All of this observation only took Alex a second, and once this one second has passed by, Alex immediately went into his new sets of actions.


    Without any delay, Alex immediately activated [Superhuman Ability Regression and Suppression], using it on everyone nearby him.


    The effects of what Alex just did was instantaneous.


    Myth who was in the old man form that she used earlier, let out a squeak as he body reverted back to normal. Her clearly normal human body only hovered at the air for around a second, before she suddenly plummeted towards the ground.


    The same thing happened to Plague too, with her created microbes suddenly disappearing like a puff of smoke. Her opponent, Professor Frances, took advantage of this as she overwhelmed Plague with her chemical nozzle.


    As for Machi, his combat suit deactivated, making him only comparable to a man covered in a useless hunk of metal.


    Duplicator rushed to Machi as this happened, with Duplicator''s talons tearing Machi''s suit apart like wet paper.


    The poor Machi could only let out a set of shouts before he was swarmed by the drones of Professor Frances'' Companion.


    Then there was Foresight, who immediately fainted as Alex used his newly pillaged ability.


    "You bastard!" Tetra, who was unaffected by what Alex did, could only shout in anger as he saw his teammates get taken down this easily. "Undo what you just did!"


    "Undo? Did you really just say that, Tetra?" Alex replied with a snicker as he teleported in and out, taking Myth with him. "I really can''t undo it now, as I still have some uses for your teammates, especially now with their powers suppressed."


    "¡­"


    Alex then wrapped his tentacles around the squirming Myth, while the other Pantheon members were tied up by Queen Mother''s vines.


    "So¡­ what should I do with your teammates, Vice-Leader Tetra?" Alex said in an obviously fake melancholic tone as he covered Myth''s mouth with one of his tentacles.


    "I can do a lot of things on them, and you won''t like most of it¡­" One of Alex''s tentacles wrapped itself around Myth''s neck, producing some suckling sounds that made Tetra wince."Of course you still have a chance to save them, but for you to do that, you have to give up something important first."


    Alex then started tightening his wrap around Myth as he slowly said,


    "Question is, can you give it up? Remember, the lives of your allies will depend on that answer¡­"

 Chapter 164 Nocturnal Bliss

    After Alex said these words, he looked at Professor Frances'' general direction, giving her with a threatening glare of his own.


    If she wants to fight Alex, then she better do it once they were done with Tetra. If not, then Alex will not hesitate to end this farce immediately.


    "Bleh." Professor Frances'' only reply to Alex''s glare was her tongue, which she stuck out for him to see.


    "¡­" The current Professor seemed to be cheerful, even with what happened in the fight earlier.


    From what Alex could see, it seemed like Professor Frances was not saddened at all with the death of the Hydra, which was obviously one of her Companions.


    Before Alex could feel more disdained with Professor Frances'' ''inconsideration'', he saw the corpse of the Hydra suddenly moving again.


    Its heads, which was destroyed by Myth before, started to grow again, as if the damage that happened to them earlier was just negligible.


    Alex watched with wide eyes as the Hydra stood up once more, with her body back to pristine condition.


    The Hydra then transformed, changing back to her human form.


    "Ugh¡­ I thought it will be easier for us to fight against the Alchemists now¡­ it seems like I was mistaken." Alex thought sourly to himself as he watched the whip woman trudge towards Professor Frances.


    "So, what is your answer now, Tetra?" Alex decided to momentarily ignore about the matter of Professor Frances first as he decided to pour his attention on Tetra first. "I am waiting for you to say something!"


    "And what do you actually want me to do exactly?" Tetra replied heatedly as Alex could see the hero clenching his fists tightly. "Do you want me to roll over like a dog, or lick your foot?"


    "Oh hell no!" Alex replied, this time with exasperation present in his voice. "I just want you to let yourself be captured by us. If you do that, I will release you and your teammates later."


    "¡­You really want to get the Legacy that much huh." Tetra mumbled to himself as a conflicted expression appeared on his face. His eyebrows crinkled with worry and anxiety, showing everyone the conflict that is happening inside Tetra''s mind now.


    "¡­" Even if Alex was not Tetra, Alex could somehow understand the dilemma that Tetra''s having now.


    The Pantheon, even though they only forcibly recruited Tetra, were still Tetra''s teammates. For them to be in danger was not something that Tetra could be happy about.


    On the other hand, the Legacy of Tartaros was Tetra''s homeworld, and even if Tetra only had some faint memories about it, he still cherishes it too.


    Forcing to choose between the Pantheon and the Legacy of Tartaros must have been extremely agonizing for Tetra, and Alex could not blame Tetra for being this indecisive.


    This could be bad for Alex, since he was still waiting for Tetra to make his choice.


    But actually, it was far better for Alex if Tetra was this indecisive.


    After all, Alex had a different goal with this hostage situation, and he just achieved what he wanted now.


    "Hah!"


    While Tetra was mentally distracted by the dilemma that he was in, Alex let out a shout as he activated a new Abyss Magic that he obtained from Sloth.


    With the help of Duplicator before, Alex reached Grade 6 in Abyss Magic, which meant that he gained an additional of 2 Abyss Spells for each Tome that he had.


    That naturally includes Sloth, and the spell that Alex just used now was the 6th Abyss Spell of Sloth.


    ---Nocturnal Bliss---


    This spell struck the distracted Tetra head on, and its effects were instantaneous.


    Tetra''s head lolled like a baby as his body plummeted towards the ground. Alex wasted no time at all as he extended one of this tentacles, catching the still falling Tetra.


    "Hehehe, it worked like a charm. Now this is getting real good¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he patted Sloth''s head dotingly.


    The said Abyss Sprite was fast asleep now, and it seemed like there was no sign that he would wake up for now.


    ***********


    The spell that Alex used, the Nocturnal Bliss, was an Abyss Spell which will place the caster and its target into sleep.


    While they were sleeping, both the caster and the target will be invulnerable to damage, and nothing can wound them. However, they can still be touched and moved, as long as these actions will not induce damage to the both of them.


    This sleeping state will last for 30 minutes, and once that time limit was up, both the caster and the target will wake up, signifying the end of spell.


    The limitations of this spells were quite limiting in Alex''s opinion.


    First is that once the caster uses this spell, the caster will have to be put to sleep to along with the target, and the only way that the caster will wake up from this spell was by waiting for the 30-minute mark to end.


    Well, with the invulnerability to damage, both the caster and the target will be safe, but it will not make the caster safe from someone just snatching its sleeping body.


    Fortunately for Alex, he already had a solution for this limitation.


    He can just make Sloth cast the Nocturnal Bliss, and it will be Sloth and Tetra that will fall asleep, not Alex and Tetra.


    The second limitation of the spell was that the target must not be mentally prepared for the spell. The target must be taken by surprise by the spell.


    Naturally, using this earlier was pretty impossible for Alex, as Tetra was extremely alert for any kind at attacks that could be fired on him. Using the Nocturnal Bliss on Tetra earlier will just result in failure.


    That was why Alex decided to hostage the Pantheon and force Tetra to choose between the Pantheon and the Legacy of Tartaros.


    By putting Tetra on a situation like this, Alex was sure that there will be a point in time that Tetra will be susceptible to a surprise attack.


    That time could only last for a second, but a second was all that Alex needed.


    Fortunately for Alex, his FED Manipulation caught the moment that he was waiting for, which led to the eventual capture of Tetra.


    *************


    Once he was sure that Tetra and Sloth were fast asleep, Alex hid Sloth inside his clothes while he threw Tetra''s body towards his teammates covered by Queen Mother''s vines.


    As for Myth, he choked her until she went unconscious. Once he was sure that Myth was out cold, he threw Myth''s unconscious body towards her bound teammates.


    "Thud."


    The final addition of Myth has now resulted in all of the Pantheon members being captured by Alex and Professor Frances.


    For now, the Pantheon will stay in a bounded state like this.


    As for what will happen to the Pantheon later, Alex will have to think of that later. For now, he has to enjoy his spoils of battle first.


    ***************


    And with that, the Pantheon, the strongest Hero Team in the world, was now officially defeated by the alliance between the Travelers and the Alchemists.


    "Hehehehe¡­"


    Alex watched with grim fascination as he observed the mighty Pantheon all bound up like this.


    It might be just his ego speaking, but Alex felt extremely satisfied with what he was seeing now.


    "You come in blustering stuff like beating us up, and yet you all end up like this? Tsk, tsk, shame, shame¡­" Alex muttered as he brought out his phone, snapping some pictures of the sight in front of him.


    The SHA will surely have some fun with these pictures later, and Alex will be surely there to enjoy it.


    But before he can browse that site later, Alex still had some important business to finish here.


    "That was impressive, Eldritch." The one who said these words was Professor Frances, and the way that she gazed at Alex made Alex''s body tense imperceptibly. "But from what I can see, it seems like you used up a lot of power just to win here¡­ Are you sure you still want to continue fighting?"


    As Professor Frances said these words, Alex could see her adjusting some knobs in her chemical tank, while her 3 Companions were assuming their own fighting stances.


    "Hmph, don''t show that fake sympathy to me." Alex said as he let out a sneer. "Our Main Mission is a matter of life and death, so I am sure that you will always pick the time that you will fight us! So, please stop displaying that pathetic hypocrisy of yours."


    With Alex''s current state and appearance, Professor Frances was surely tempted to take him out now.


    After all, will there still be another time that Alex could be in an injured state like this? Obviously none!


    "I won''t say anything now, Eldritch. Let''s just use our fists to do the talking!" Professor Frances said as she pointed her nozzle(not a fist) at Alex''s direction. "I hope you can last long against me, for I will not hold back now!"


    "Oh, and now you are using your full power? Color me surprised." Alex thought to himself wryly as the space around him started to tremble.


    The Abyss Energy and Mental Power swirled around Alex like a tornado, creating mighty gusts of wind which started to demolish the mansion below him.


    He licked his lips as he phased back on his human form, while keeping 8 tentacles attached on his back.


    The sight that Alex created with his current form was quite ephemeral, and Alex relished every moment of it.


    "Since you want a fight, then we shall have a fight now." Alex said as booming sounds started to appear all around him. Alex tried to hide his nervousness and exhilarationas he took a step towards his enemy''s direction.


    "Let''s see if that full power of yours can somehow stand up to mine¡­"

 Chapter 165 Colliseum

    Since this is the deciding fight of the Main Mission, Alex decided to not hold back anymore, deciding to unleash the first attack.


    And since this is a fight for his life, Alex decided to unleash the strongest attack that he can use right now.


    {{{Minor Destruction Aura}}}


    {{{Major Destruction Aura}}}


    {{{Decay}}}


    {{{Wrath Counter}}}


    Out of all the 6 possible Wrath Spells, Alex decided to use 4 of them, as the remaining 2 was not suited for now.


    The first two Wrath Spells granted Alex the power to imbue his attacks with destruction, while {{{Decay}}} started to affect Professor Frances'' team.


    As for the spell {{{Wrath Counter}}}, it enhanced Alex'' Wrath Spells by a factor of the Wrath Spells that he just used.


    Alex used 3 Wrath Spells before he used {{{Wrath Counter}}}, which produced a 3x enhancement on Alex''s Wrath Spells.


    After casting these Wrath Spells, Alex did not stop as he continued on casting more spells.


    <<<Mental Enhancement>>>


    <<<Defense Enhancement>>>


    <<<Attack Enhancement>>>


    <<<The Weak Serve the Strong>>>


    <<


    >>


    Out of the 6 usable Pride Spells, Alex used 5 of them right now.


    The first three Pride Spells enhanced Alex''s attack, defense, and Mental State.


    As for the spell <<<The Weak Serve the Strong>>>, it directly gave Alex a power boost from all the Superhumans that he had captured in the mansion.


    The amount of the Superhumans that he had captured reached around hundreds, giving Alex an insanely high power boost.


    As for the spell <<


    >>, it multiplied the power of Alex''s Pride Spells with the amount of Pride Spells that he just used.


    He used 4 Pride Spells before he casted <<


    >>, which produced a 4x enhancement on Alex''s Pride Spells.


    ^^^Minor Telekinesis^^^


    ^^^Major Telekinesis^^^


    ^^^Envy''s Solace^^^


    ^^^Envy Counter^^^


    The first two Envy Spells obviously gave Alex the power to manipulate the objects around him.


    As for the third spell, ^^^Envy''s Solace^^^,it allowed Alex to further increase his power,but this will only happen if there was someone much stronger than Alex lurking around him.


    Only when this person exists that Alex can use ^^^Envy''s Solace^^^.


    Naturally, Alex used Tetra as the reference of his ^^^Envy''s Solace^^^ which resulted in him having another power-up.


    As for ^^^Envy Counter^^^, it worked the same way just like {{{Wrath Counter}}} and <<


    >>. This time around, Alex used 3 Envy Spells before using ^^^Envy Counter^^^, which gave Alex a 3x enhancement on his Envy Spells.


    ///Misdirection\\\


    ///Sensory Illusion\\\


    ///Lust Counter\\\


    Out of the 6 usable Lust Spells, Alex only used 3 of them for now.


    ///Misdirection\\\ allowed Alex to shift the attention of Professor Frances'' group away from him, while ///Sensory Illusion\\\ allowed Alex to create a fake scenario in the minds of Professor Frances'' team.


    The use of ///Lust Counter\\\ doubled the potency of the Alex''s Envy Spells, which directly enhanced the illusions that Alex just made.


    Once he casted these spells, Alex decided to not use Greed, Gluttony, or Sloth here, as their spells were far more suited on other ways of fighting.


    "¡­"


    Once he reached this point, Alex paused slightly, as he felt like there was something wrong in the fight.


    Alex could not pinpoint what the problem was, but he knew that there''s something abnormal right now.


    "¡­"


    Since he could not afford to be distracted, Alex shook his head as he continued his attack preparations.


    Alex focused his attention on his Esper Power, as he knew that using them right now will be for the best.


    With all the enhancements and power-ups that Alex had from his Pride, Wrath, Envy, and Lust Spells, Alex was sure that the resulting attack from his Esper Power will be quite a blast!


    "Bzzt!!!"


    Thunder roiled around Alex as he conjured all the electricity that he can.


    He gathered all these electricity in one spot as he activated one more spell from Envy.


    ^^^Combination^^^


    This time around, what Alex combined were all the metals that he can sense around him.


    He forced them to combine with each other, as he also started fiddling with the molecules in these combined metals.


    The end product was a long-bodied cannon around 10 meters long and a meter in diameter.


    If one can look inside the cannon, they would see countless metallic coils lining inside its body.


    With Alex''s ^^^Combination^^^ Spell, he made sure that the metallic coils inside the cannon''s body will be highly magnetic.


    After creating this cannon, he used ^^^Combination^^^ to create a metallic projectile, with its size allowing it to fit inside the cannon.


    "Hehehe¡­" Alex laughed darkly to himself as he placed the metallic projectile inside the cannon. The ringing sound of the metallic projectile hitting the base of the cannon sounded like music to Alex''s ears.


    And with that, Alex just created his own personal railgun.


    By using the monstrous amounts of electricity that he gathered earlier, Alex can induce a powerful magnetic field inside the railgun''s body, which will accelerate the metal projectile to insane speeds.


    With the size of the railgun that he created, and the quality of the metals that he used, Alex was sure that his railgun attack could reach at least Mach 10, or around 3.43 kilometers per second.


    If Alex was at the Star Esper Level, he can surely dish out a Railgun with power enough to destroy the planet, but since he was not yet at the Star Esper Level, he had to make do with this railgun for now.


    Well, even with that speed, Alex''s railgun attack will still be hella powerful, with all the Abyss Spells that he just used earlier!


    But of course Alex will not stop just at this.


    At the instant that Alex pointed his railgun at the direction of Professor Frances'' team, who all seemed to still be affected by Alex''s Lust Spells, Alex used his Gravity Manipulation to finalize the whole set-up.


    He clapped his hands as he willed the gravity waves to compress Professor Frances and her Companions together.


    The waves followed Alex''s command obediently, forcing the Professor and her Companions into a small ball high up in the air.


    Alex actually wanted to use more gravity waves here, but since most of his Mental Power was focused on his EM Manipulation, Alex could only use the gravity waves to compress the Professor along with her Companions.


    Weill, that was fine for Alex, as he saw that everything in their battle stage was set-up already.


    With the compression that Alex did, Professor Frances and her Companions were all now within the target sight of Alex''s railgun.


    This, to Alex, was the perfect time for him to fire his weapon.


    "Karakatoom!"


    Alex wasted no time at all as he activated his railgun, creating a magnetic field so powerful that the railgun itself shook from the insane acceleration of the metal projectile inside it.


    The projectile slid out of the railgun smoothly, making Alex smile in satisfaction at the successful firing sequence.


    With his Mental Enhancement, Alex could see the Destruction Auras around the metalprojectile, as well as the enhancements given by his Pride and Envy Spells.


    "Boom!"


    The combination of all these abilities resulted in one flying projectile of destruction which landed squarely against Professor Frances and her Companions.


    Needless to say, the resulting blast that happened after that was quite momentous.


    "Boom!"


    Ripples of destructive energy blossomed out of the impact site, which easily leveled the area 5 kilometers around Alex.


    Everything inside this radius all turned to ash, as there was just no material able to withstand the effect of Alex''s super railgun attack.


    This blast even produced a magnitude 4 quake which was felt on the whole Grand Point City.


    "Rumble¡­"


    Fortunately, there were no civilians living inside the blast range.


    As for the Pantheon and all the Superhumans that Alex captured before, Alina were able to place them inside her Storage before the explosion occurred.


    As for Alex, Alina, Queen Mother, they were able to escape the blast through the use of Alex''s teleportation.


    "¡­.."


    All of these aftereffects lasted for around a minute before the surroundings began to calm down.


    "¡­"


    The sight that could be seen after the blast was the scorched ground, along with gray ash being scattered by the wind everywhere.


    Nothing resembling any signs of life could be seen on the ground, which just shows how deadly the blast was.


    "¡­"


    But up above the scorched grounds were 3 human figures who looked very much alive in contrast to the dead feeling that the blast area exudes out.


    These 3 figures all had their mouths wide open, as if what they just saw was something that they did not expect.


    "Wow, that was something else." Alex muttered to himself as even he was stunned with what just happened."Did I really do all of this?"


    In Alex''s opinion, with his Mental Energy still at the Tier Level, he thought that the strongest attack that he can dish out along with his Abyss Spells can only be enough to affect an area 200 meters around him.


    But as it turns out, his resulting attack was way more powerful than that!


    "¡­" But even with that powerful attack, Alex could not help but feel like there was something wrong in their current situation.


    The main source of that worry came from Professor Frances, who was the sole survivor of Alex''s attack.


    The other 3 Companions of Professor Frances were nowhere to be found, possiblyblasted to pieces already by the blast.


    As for Professor Frances herself, it was only her head that remained, with all the remaining parts of her body long gone.


    This aforementioned head was floating in the air, with its eyes staring back at Alex intently.


    Even with her body was gone, it seems like Professor Frances can still live on with just her head.


    "Why¡­" As he stared at her head, Alex could not help but get frustrated as he began to feel as if he was cheated with.


    "Why are you this weak?!" Alex shouted as he clenched his fists tightly. "I thought that with everything that you did before, your power will be something that will be enough to impede me! But what the hell is this? You were just defeated with my first attack? Are you just s**ting me?"


    Alex thought that since the Professor was a Traveler like him, there was a high chance that the Professor could be just as dangerous as him.


    After all, with Alex just visiting 2 worlds prior, he was able to amass a level of strength enough to threaten powerful opponents.


    Using himself as reference, Professor Frances could obviously be as strong as him!


    That was why even with that railgun attack, Alex expected Professor Frances and her Companions to suffer only some injuries.


    But what the hell is this?


    All of Professor Frances'' Companions were already dead, and the only thing remaining from the Professor was her head!


    There¡­ there''s something wrong with the situation here!


    "¡­You really thought that this will be a fair fight? You think too highly of the Endless Monarch!" Professor Frances, who can still talk even if she was a head, blurted out as her head floated in the air. "This whole Main Mission was not made to foster a fair fight¡­ It was made to execute me!"


    "No, you are just lyin-"


    "She''s telling the truth." Alina said these words quickly as she gave Alex a worried look. "She''s not lying about what she just said¡­"


    "!!!"


    The only thing that Alex could to was to stare back at Alina in surprise, as he did not expect that to be true.


    Before Alex could comment on what he just heard, the Professor continued talking to him.


    "Eldritch, how many worlds have you already visited?" Professor Frances said as she seemed to be suppressing the urge to laugh. "It''s more than one, right?"


    "I visited two..." Alex replied as he gave the head an uncertain glance. "Ho-how about you?"


    "Only one." The Professor snorted in reply as blood began to slowly drip from her neck. "And I did not even obtain a Companion in that world. It was just all me even here."


    "But those three people with you earlier¡­"Alex''s voice trailed behind him, remembering the whip woman, the katana woman and the drone guy that were just fighting with Professor earlier.


    "Them? They were just my creations, something that I created with my ability." The Professor replied as her head started to look pale. "With the way that I created them, they were treated as my weapons, which allowed me to bring them here. Pretty neat, right?"


    "She''s saying the truth." Alina said, which just made Alex''s feelings sink more.


    Professor Frances only went through one world? And she was forced to face Alex and his Companions after that? There really is something messed up with this system!


    After all, there''s almost no way that someone like Professor Frances, who only went through one world and had no Companions at all, can win against someone like Alex who visited two worlds and have 2 Companions with him!


    Not only that! While the Laws of this World allowed all the powers of Alex and his Companions to exist, these same laws could have weakened Professor Frances'' power, hence her abysmal performance against Alex now!


    These factors alone resulted in a sheer disparity in their strength that was just too great!


    Then there was also the fact that the Legacy of Tartaros was actually Alina''s homeworld, which on its own, was already an unfair advantage for Alex''s team!


    "¡­"


    Once he reached that line of thought, Alex could not help but feel pity for the Professor, as he realized that all this time around, the Professor was fighting against impossible odds!


    She continued fighting against Alex even if she knew that in the end, she was bound to lose!


    It was quite impressive that the Professor still did not break down mentally from all of these difficulties!


    "So¡­ all those posturing that you did to me earlier were all just fake?" Alex asked the Professor as he started to look at her in a different light. "You were just pretending?"


    "Well, what do you want me to do? Just lie down and cry? Hell no! If I will go out, I prefer to go out with a bang!" Professor Frances replied as the same maniacal smile appeared on her face. "Well, I meant that figuratively, but damn! That bang that you did earlier was too powerful!"


    "¡­"


    "Hahahahaha!" Professor Frances then started laughing, as if what she just said was the greatest joke in the world. "Bang! Do you get it? Bang! Hahahahaha!"


    "..."


    Even if the Professor sounded oddly cheerful, Alex could sense all the emotions roiling inside her right now.


    Anger, nervousness, panic, and crippling fear.


    These emotions were far from cheerful at all, and quite frankly, Alex was surprised that Professor Frances was not breaking down now.


    "¡­Why? Why is this happening to you?" Alex blurted out as he looked at the Professor with pity. "Why were you forced on a suicide mission here?"


    "You can blame the Endless Monarch for that." Professor Frances replied as her manic smile remained on her face. "That bastard is not someone that you should trust! We were just his glorified slaves, and as of now, you''re one of his favorites! As for me? I''m just someone that he wants to dispose!"

 Chapter 166 Countless Realizations

    "Slaves¡­"


    Even though Alex does not want to admit it, deep inside he knew that this whole Traveler scheme by the Endless Monarch was something that was not entirely beneficial for Alex.


    Being forced to travel to other worlds while doing missions on these worlds, and failure will lead to death?


    That kind of premise already raises a lot of red flags!


    Alex knew that if he was only lucid when he met that old man in his original world, Alex would surely not have accepted the offer to be a Traveler.


    But with his lucidity and wariness already fading at that time, Alex accepted the offer to be Traveler easily¡­.


    "This sucks big time." Alex muttered to himself as he placed his palm on his forehead.


    With Alex stuck as a Traveler, he knew all the bad things that can happen to him, especially if he fails his Main Mission.


    Death via the seal on his forehead is not a good way to die¡­


    Naturally, Alex does not want to die that way, so he realized that the only way to continue living was by breaking free of the Traveler System.


    Only when he was free of this system that Alex can be free from the constant threats of dying under failure.


    But how can Alex be free of the Traveler System, when he still has no knowledge of who the Endless Monarch was, or even his goals?


    And then there''s Professor Frances, who seemed to be saying that the Endless Monarch can and will personally do something to execute some of the Travelers!


    Professor Frances'' ''execution'' right now is a direct proof of that.


    That knowledge alone basically tells Alex that if push comes to shove, the Endless Monarch can also easily annihilate Alex easily, especially if Alex did something to anger the Monarch.


    That, is not a good thing at all.


    "You¡­ tell me the reason why the Endless Monarch wanted you dead." Alex said as he slowly approached Professor Frances. "Did you offend him or did you do something that he deemed improper for a Traveler?"


    Right now, Alex was morbidly curious on the reason for Professor Frances'' execution.


    Her answer will give Alex an insight on the mannerisms of Endless Monarch, and obtaining that kind of information will be helpful for Alex in the long run!


    Will the Endless Monarch get angry if Alex finds a loophole in the Traveler System, or will that Monarch be pissed if Alex starts massacring innocents?


    All of Alex''s future plans will hinge on Professor Frances'' answer right now.


    "Hmph, why should I answer your effing question, huh?" The Professor replied as he let out a hacking cough. "Hello! You were the ones that are supposed to kill me right now! Why would I say something that will help you out against the Endless Monarch? Do you think I will just help the ones that will kill me? I am not an idiot like that!"


    "¡­.."


    "¡­.."


    "You say those words quickly, yet you still told us that it was Endless Monarch who screwed you up." Alex replied calmly, as if he was unfazed by what Professor Frances just said. "If you really do not want to help us against the Endless Monarch, then you should not have babbled about that Monarch trying to have you killed here."


    "Ugh¡­" Professor Frances was definitely incensed by what Alex just said, yet she only closed her mouth as a resigned expression appeared on her face.


    "Just admit it, you want to obtain revenge against the Endless Monarch." Alex calmly said as he tilted his head. "You already know that you will die here, so why are you still talking to us now? You¡­. you clearly wanted to use us against the Endless Monarch! I don''t care why you are doing this, but I will be happy if you give me the info that I want."


    "...I really hate that scheming mind of yours." In the end, Professor Frances'' wariness disappeared as she let out a sigh.


    With his FED Manipulation, Alex could sense relief and conviction in Professor Frances'' emotions.


    From the looks of it, what Alex was doing right now was what Professor Frances had been wanting to happen.


    That realization made Alex relieved but also irritated, as he realized that he had just been played by the Professor.


    "You really want to know why I became like this?" The Professor mouthed out as her head seemed to look more and more pale. "Heh, if you want to really know, then you must do something for me first!"


    "¡­" Alex''s eyes immediately narrowed after this, as he knew that he must tread carefully on the incoming conversation.


    "I want you¡­. to bring me with you!!" Professor Frances said these words with bated breath, as if she was finding it much harder for her to talk. "Make me your Companion, and I will be telling you everything!"


    "What?" This was Alex''s abrupt reply as he physically reeled from what the Professor just said. "Do you know what you are saying?"


    "Of course I know!" The Professor replied as she gritted her teeth. "Just¡­ do it if you want me to talk! If you don''t, you will get nothing from me! Tetra''s about to wake up later, so you better decide now!"


    "!!!"


    Needless to say, Alex did not like himself being put on a spot like this.


    Now, Alex hated himself for gloating at Tetra''s situation earlier. After all, Alex was now at the same situation as Tetra, albeit this time his decision will result on Alex''s possible freedom.


    "Can I even make a Traveler my Companion?" Alex asked this question quickly to Asteria, who surprisingly was wearing a solemn expression on her face.


    "It is impossible." The fairy replied as her face started to darken. "There is no way for a Traveler to become a Companion to another Traveler. All Travelers were already engraved with the Traveler Seal of the Endless Monarch, which means that there is no way for them to be engraved with the Companion Seal."


    "You, did you hear what my Guide just said?" Alex shouted out to the Professor who looked like she was approaching her death now. "Now that you know that it''s impossible, just change your request!"


    The mere notion of a Traveler becoming a Companion was so absurd to Alex, that even just the mere mention of it was enough to make him shake his head in disbelief.


    All Travelers were there to do missions. If they were accompanying each other, there is no way for more missions to be done! That will just be counterproductive!


    And even if it was possible for Professor Frances to become Alex''s Companion, there is no way that Alex can do it right now, as Alex only had 5 months and 22 Days of Lifespan left!


    That amount of Lifespan won''t be enough to obtain a Companion!!


    "My answer to that will be a resounding NO!" Professor Frances replied as she struggled to make her mouth move. "Only when I become your Companion that I will tell you the truth!"


    "But how the f**k am I supposed to do that, huh?" Alex replied in exasperation as he contemplated on using magic to obtain what he wanted. "There is no way that I can do what you want, especially when you''re still an enemy Traveler!"


    "Oh my, I thought you are a smart one, Eldritch." The Professor said as she shook her head vainly. "I thought you could have seen that loophole by now, but it seems like I have to remind it to you."


    "What loophole?" Alex asked as he began to feel slightly intimidated by the Professor. "There is a loophole?"


    "Oh come on! Do you even remember what your Guide said earlier? If you are not a Traveler, then you can be a Companion! That just means that if I am not a Traveler, then it will be possible to me to become your Companion¡­" The Professor said as she shook her head in disappointment. "Shame, shame, I thought you will be better than this..."


    "So¡­ you want to stop being a Traveler?" Alex asked with trepidation as he looked at the Professor''s floating head. "Is that even possible?"


    "Hmph, everything is possible with our abilities." The Professor replied as she looked at Alex smugly. "Just follow my commands, and I assure you that you will gain a new Companion easily!"


    "Somehow, I do not feel comforted with what you are saying." Alex said as he stared at the Professor warily. "What if you are just lying here, huh?"


    "She''s telling the truth." Alina whispered behind Alex as she shook her head in exasperation. "She really has a way to make herself your Companion¡­ Even if I do not want to believe what she said, I can see that she''s telling the truth."


    "¡­F**k this s**t." Alex muttered to himself angrily as he looked at the Professor angrily. "Ok, tell me how you can become my Companion! Once you say that, I will see if we can pull it off."


    "Now we are talking." The Professor replied smugly as she floated towards Alex.


    At the instant that she was near Alex, the Professor started to tell Alex about her daring Companion plan.


    "¡­" As Alex listened to the Professor''s plan, his face could not help but turn pale as he began to look at Professor Frances with a horrified look on his face.


    A few seconds after the Professor finished talking, Alex let out a strangled sound as he blurted out,


    "You want me to kill you right now? Are you insane?"

 Chapter 167 Complain or Comply?

    "What, are you chickening out now?" The Professor, who looked extremely calm, sneeringly said to Alex as her head slowly floated towards him. "Don''t tell me you can''t even do something as simple as that?"


    "I do not have any problems with killing you. My problem however, lies in the fact that what you plan could fail." Alex said as he shook his head in exasperation. "Seriously? The first part of your plan is to have you killed by me? Are you really sure about doing this, or do you just want to die?"


    "I''m serious, tentacle boy." Professor Frances replied as she narrowed her eyes. "Now, if you don''t want to kill me with your hands, I will just have to do it by myself then."


    The Professor''s face then scrunched, as if she was about to do something by herself.


    "Ugh! Suit yourself then!" After seeing what the Professor was about to do, Alex was left with no choice but to attack.


    He pointed his index finger right at the Professor, activating his Electromagnetic Manipulation.


    Alex then probed all the electrical signals inside Professor Frances'' head, confirming that all of them were working normally inside the Professor''s brain.


    At the instant that he had this confirmation, Alex immediately used his Electromagnetic Manipulation to snuff out the electrical signals inside the Professor''s brain.


    "Bzzt!"


    The effect was instantaneous, with all the activities of Professor Frances'' brain blinking out into nothingness.


    "Scwhoo¡­"


    The lights on the Professor''s eyes went dim as her head started to fall down.


    Alex stretched out one of his hand, catching her head.


    "¡­" Just by looking at the head in his hands, Alex can confirm that the Professor was indeed, dead already.


    Her brain, which was the source of her life, has no electrical signals anymore, which just turned her brain into a lump of lifeless tissue.


    As for the Symbol on her forehead, it suddenly glowed at her death before it broke down into countless tiny golden particles.


    These golden particles flew into the air, spreading out until even Alex could not see them anymore.


    Once these particles were gone, Alex looked back at the Professor, seeing that the Symbol on her forehead was completely gone now.


    "So if a Traveler dies, the Symbol on their forehead will really disappear. Interesting." Alex muttered as he let out a sigh. "I thought that this could happen when a Traveler dies, but seeing it with my eyes is something else¡­"


    Alex already had the notion that something like this might happen, but seeing the sight with his own eyes was something that was unforgettable to him.


    "Tsk." As he clutched the head in his hands, Alex gritted his teeth as he approached Alina.


    Even though he was happy that he and his teammates were the ones who survived, everything that Alex heard earlier made his mood extremely down.


    And the plan that the Professor proposed just exacerbated that mood.


    For Alex to be angry right now was already acceptable, but the time for his negative emotions will be for later.


    For now, he still had to do what he was supposed to do.


    "Alina, you already know where you will place this head." Alex said as he passed Professor Frances'' head to Alina''s waiting hands. "Just¡­ make sure that you place it well. After all, we invested a lot on Professor Frances'' plan¡­"


    "Don''t worry Alex. I got this handled." Alina replied as the Professor''s head disappeared.


    Alex did not pryon where it was placed, as he trusted Alina with her actions.


    **************


    And with that, the First Phase of Professor Frances'' plan had just concluded.


    As for the Second Phase of her plan, Alex already knew when to perform it.


    But before the Second Phase could start, Alex will have to keep the Professor''s head safe first, which he just did with Alina earlier.


    "¡­"


    After Alex confirmed these points, he saw Alina giving him a strained smile, as if she wanted to say something more to him.


    "Are you¡­ feeling fine, Alex?"


    "¡­Don''t worry, I am fine." Alex said as his tense body started to relax."I¡­ just have to adjust my mind."


    "¡­"


    Alina did not say anything to Alex as she lunged in, holding Alex''s right hand with her left.


    She squeezed lightly with that hand, as if she was trying to comfort him.


    Alex did not reject her hand, with him squeezing her hand in return.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    They continued holding hands for a few more minutes, as they tried to enjoy the serenely quiet ambience of their surroundings.


    *************


    "So¡­ what should we do now?" Queen Mother asked the other two as she approached them. "Do we kill the Pantheon now?"


    "Not yet." Alex replied as he shook his head. "I still have to talk to two people first."


    After saying these words, Alex gave Alina a nod, which she immediately understood.


    Alina waved her hands rhythmically, causing another distortion in space.


    Two figures appeared in front of Alex, with both of them looking extremely stressed.


    "Hello there, Andrew Collins and Signum." Alex said as he stared at the father and daughter pair. "I take it that your stay inside my partner''s storage was a productive one?"


    Signum, who looked disgruntled, only crossed her arms as she let out a loud hmph. From the looks of it, she did not have a good time with her father inside Alina''s storage.


    As for Andrew Collins himself, he only let out a sigh, showing that he did not enjoy everything that happened to him now.


    The weary look on Andrew Collins face however disappeared when he looked around him.


    "¡­" Alex could see Andrew Collins'' eyes widening as the said person saw the effects of Alex''s railgun attack. His daughter had the same reaction too, and the only reason that she could still stand was Queen Mother supporting her from behind.


    "What the hell happened here!" The father asked as he looked like he was about to take off and escape. Just seeing the look on the man''s eyes made it quite apparent that he was spooked by the sight around him.


    "What happened here? It''s just simple. I fought with the Pantheon and the Alchemists, and I defeated both of them." Alex calmly replied as he relished the stunned faces of the father and daughter pair. "Now, all of the Pantheon are my captives, while all of the Alchemists are dead¡­"


    "No way¡­." Andrew Collins shook his head, as if he could not believe what he just heard. "They''re the Pantheon¡­ There is no way that you can just defeat them¡­"


    "¡­" From the looks of it, even if Andrew Collins was angry with the Pantheon, he still thought of them as an unstoppable juggernaut that nobody can topple.


    Maybe that''s the real reason that Andrew Collins was this cowardly¡­


    Well, if that was the case, then Alex will just have to show him how wrong his views were.


    "Alina, show them the goods." Alex said as he gave Alina a sly smile. "These two will surely like them¡­"


    "Got it." Alina replied as she waved her hands once more.


    Alex watched her pensively, knowing that Alina was accessing the multiple pockets of her improved Storage.


    With Alina gaining dimensional manipulation skills, she was able to create separate pockets in her storage, which she was using extensively already.


    Alina stored Lauren and Andrew Collins in one pocket, and she stored each Pantheon member separately on different pockets.


    Now, she''s pulling them out of these pockets to display them in front of the father-daughter pair.


    "Oh f**k them sideways!" Andrew Collins cursed out as the tied-up figures of Myth, Miden, Machi, Foresight, Nomad, Plague, and Tetra were displayed in front of him. "They''re really captured! Holy molly!"


    Andrew Collins then started to pace all around him as he looked at the Pantheon with curiosity and wariness.


    "¡­."


    Alex continued watching Andrew Collins as the said person looked at Alex and the Pantheon members with fear.


    His whole body started to tremble now, as if the man just realized the predicament that he was in.


    Just seeing the man''s chattering teeth was enough to make Alex smile in excitement.


    "Hehehe¡­" Alex knew that at this point, Andrew Collins will be fearing him more than the Pantheon.


    "If you''re already done seeing all the magnificent stuff that I did, then maybe it is time for me to negotiate with you¡­" Alex said in a low tone, emphasizing the word ''negotiate''.


    Andrew Collins let out a nervous gulp as he looked back at Alex, who was now staring at him with a predatory look in his eyes.


    "You¡­ do you want to use me to obtain the Legacy of Tartaros?" Andrew Collins asked as he took a step back away from Alex. That is the elephant of the room, and Alex was quite relieved that at least, Andrew Collins knew what Alex''s priority really is.


    "Well yes, that is the main reason that I did not do anything to you yet." Alex replied as he saw Queen Mother hugging Lauren from behind. "I still need you for the Legacy, and I think making you safe from harm will make our negotiations better."


    "Safe from harm? What a nice way to say it." Asteria muttered behind Alex as she shook her head. "Hooman, you really are growing more and more devious as days pass by¡­"


    "¡­" Naturally, Alex ignored what the dumb fairy was muttering behind him.


    "You said that you will negotiate with me¡­" Andrew Collins nervously replied as he gave Alex a shaky look. "If I really can help you on obtaining the Legacy, then what will I get in return?"


    "What will you get in return? Well, I will give you the right to deal with the Pantheon." Alex replied as he swept his hands towards the tied-up Pantheon members.


    "If you want the Pantheon dead, then I will kill them immediately. If you want them powerless, then I can make it happen. Or if you just want them to go on normally, then I can allow that too." Alex said, with his voice this time turning oily and suggestive. "As long as you give me the Legacy, you can do anything you want against the Pantheon¡­"


    "¡­" Even a stupid person could see that Andrew Collins was extremely tempted right now.


    "Now, that''s not a bad deal, right?" Alex said as he placed one of his hands on Andrew Collins'' shoulder. The man flinched, but he held his ground as he stared back at Alex.


    "I can¡­ really do anything to them?" Andrew Collins replied as his eyes swept towards the tied-up Pantheon. "Anything?"


    "!!!" Lauren, who was being snuggled by Queen Mother, had her eyes wide open as she heard what Alex and her father was talking about. Her mouth was also wide open, and it only closed when Queen Mother playfully closed it.


    For her to be shocked was not a surprise for Alex already. The only thing that Alex was worried about was the possibility of Lauren disrupting the negotiation.


    Fortunately for Alex, Lauren did not do anything to interrupt them.


    Lauren kept her current position, as she seemed to be content on just quietly observing Alex and her father.


    "¡­."


    *****************


    With his FED Manipulation, Alex could feel fear, trepidation, anger, and unrestrained happiness blossoming inside Andrew Collins. All these emotions were raging like fire inside Andrew Collins, and Alex knew that it will take a lot to extinguish them.


    These signs alone confirmed to Alex that this man had just taken his bait.


    "In that case, I want them all-" But before Andrew Collins could say his demand, Alex raised one of this tentacles, prompting the man to shut up.


    "Not so fast, old man." Alex said as he shook his tentacle side to side. "I must get the Legacy first before I allow you to deal with the Pantheon. If you want the goods, you have to pay me first."


    After saying these words, Alex gave Alina another one of his nods.


    After seeing this nod, Alina waved her hands once more as she placed the tied-up Pantheon members inside her Storage.


    "¡­" Alex smiled as he sensed the intense disappointment inside Andrew Collins. It must have hurt, denying him the way to vent his rage. Well, with Alex around, Andrew Collins cannot do anything about it.


    Now then, how will this man react? Will he complain, or will he comply?


    "But¡­ I do not know how I can help you out." Andrew Collins said as he started to shake his head. "Even now, I still do not have my memories, and I am not sure if I can still regain it¡­"


    "Don''t worry about that." Alex replied as he looked at Alina. "My partner here already obtained the info that she wanted from Nomad, so all that you have to do was to follow her instructions."


    Andrew Collins looked at Alina, who gave the man a nod as she held the hilt of her Katana.


    "Um, ok. I will just follow you all, haha." Andrew Collins replied as he let out a shaky laugh.


    "Good, that is what I like with obedient people." Alex replied in satisfaction. "If you were this rational before, then maybe all of this could not have happened."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 168 A Ball, a Helmet, and another Ball

    After confirming with Andrew Collins that he was now ready to help Alex out, Alex looked at Alina who seemed impatient already.


    Her face was scrunched while her foot was tapping the ground, clearly showing that she wanted to get this matter done already.


    But aside from impatience, Alex could also sense nervousness and restlessness from Alina, which was actually rare for someone like her.


    But even if it was rare, Alex can understand Alina''s jittery feelings. After all,she was about to obtain her home world! Even Alex will be just as nervous as Alina if he was given the chance to hold his home world.


    "Alina, don''t worry. We can handle this easily." Alex said as he tried to pat Alina''s shoulders. "Just trust in the process¡­"


    In response to what Alex said, Alina gave Alex an angry look, as if she was blaming him for something.


    "¡­I''m not nervous at all, okay?" Alina replied with a slight flush on her face, as she seemed to want to deny Alex''s observations. "I¡­ I am just excited that we are about to finish this Main Mission!"


    "Well, if that''s what you say, then that will be the truth~" Alex replied with a singsong voice as he avoided the angry glare from Alina.


    Behind Alex, Asteria could be heard snickering, as she obviously found what had just happened to be funny.


    "Wait a minute¡­" As Alex stared at Asteria, he suddenly remembered something important.


    "Where did that Mephisto go?"


    Mephisto, who was Professor Frances'' Guide, was nowhere to be found now.


    That Guide must have been dead already, since Asteria mentioned before that once a Traveler dies, his/her Guide will die too.


    However, there was something about what happened to Mephisto that does not make sense to Alex.


    If Mephisto will die once the Professor dies, then why did he not do anything to prevent Alex from killing Professor Frances earlier?


    Mephisto''s absence to prevent the Professor''s death was just so illogical, that Alex felt that there was something fishy going on here again.


    "Ugh¡­ Let me think about that matter later. For now, I have to get what we should have obtained already." Alex muttered to himself .


    He gave Alina a confirming nod as he said,


    "Alina, lead the way now."


    "Ok." With one of her hands holding her katana, Alina grabbed Andrew Collins with the other as she floated towards Alex.


    Queen Mother did the same, bringing Lauren with her towards Alex.


    "Alex, teleport us inside the base of the Pantheon." Alina said as she pointed at the massive ship above them, which somehow still survived the blast that Alex made. "The Legacy of Tartaros is inside there¡­"


    "Wait, wait, wait!" Before Alina could say more, Alex raised his hands as if he was pleading Alina to listen to him. "Do I really have to just teleport inside? What if there are traps inside the Pantheon base that are designed to attack intruders like us? Won''t that be bad for us?"


    "Don''t worry Alex, as long as you use Nomad''s teleportation to go inside the Pantheon base, most of the traps will not trigger." Alina said as she shook her head. "Most of the traps there in the Pantheon base are designed against Rogue Teleporters who might teleport inside the base. Nomad was the only Teleporter that will not be attacked by most of these traps. That just means that you will be fine as long as you use his power to bring us in."


    "But how about the rest of the traps?" Alex inquired, wanting to make sure that their operation will not be jeopardized. "How will we deal with that?"


    "With our power, we can just brute force our way with those traps." Alina replied as she gave Alex an amused smile. "However, there are some traps that will result in the destruction of the whole base itself. But don''t worry about these self-destruction traps¡­ With Nomad''s memories scoured by me, I was able to obtain the location of these traps¡­"


    "Now that''s what I love about you, Alina!" Alex said as he resisted the urge to hug and kiss Alina. In the end he only gave her a pat in the back, ignoring the knowing smile of Asteria above them.


    "¡­"


    Alina looked unaffected by what Alex said, but intensescrutiny can show a slight flush in her cheeks.


    "¡­."


    Alina shook her head swiftly as sheglared at Alex for a moment while saying,


    "Alex, stop saying those cringy things! Just¡­ bring us inside now!"


    "Oh yeah, right, I got it." Alex replied hastily as he cowered under Alina''s glare.


    He closed his eyes as he covered the entirety of the Pantheon''s base with Nomad''s power.


    "¡­"


    Alex was able to sense the space inside the Pantheon''s base, with Nomad''s power supplying him info about the safe spots where he could teleport in.


    Alex willed Nomad''s power to activate as hechose the spot nearest to the center of the base.


    "Blik." Only a slight cracking sound could be heard as Alex and the other 4 with him disappeared on the spot, leaving nothing but the floating dust around them.


    **************


    "Woah! That was something else!" Alex heard Lauren saying these words as they appeared inside a hallway covered with metallic sheets.


    Alex chose to not comment on that as he looked around him warily.


    So far, everything''s still good for Alex.


    There were no angry laser beams threatening to destroy them to pieces, nor any kind of explosive that were about to destroy the base.


    "Woosh~"


    As they started to acclimate to their new surroundings, Alina suddenly waved her hands, which was followed by the disappearance of Lauren and Andrew Collins.


    She then looked at Alex and Queen Mother, ignoring their slight complaints as she said,


    "Follow every movement that I will make here." Alina said as she released her hold of her katana. "If you get it wrong, this whole base could get destroyed, so please, be super coordinated right now."


    "¡­"


    ************


    10 minutes later.


    With the help of Alina''s clear instructions, and Alex''s and Queen Mother''s movement skills, they were all able to avoid any ''traps'' that Alina had seen in Nomad''s memories.


    Now, all three of them paused in their tracks, staring at a metallic door in front of them.


    There was the symbol of danger pasted in the door which obviously says that this door has something important inside it.


    "According to the memories of Nomad, the Legacy of Tartaros is just beyond this door." Alina said as Alex saw her hands starting to tremble. "Don''t try teleporting inside. Even Nomad will be affected by the traps placed inside the room. The only way to enter this room is only through this door¡­"


    That statement of Alina made Alex''s enthusiasm shoot down a little, but that disappointment was gone as Alina continued talking.


    "For this door to open, all the Pantheon members must place their palms on this door. If it was not done that way, this door will not open at all." Alina then tilted her head as placed her hands on her hips. "In the first place, that kind of measure is a good way to secure the door, but right now¡­"


    "We have all the Pantheon members with us, so opening this door is rather easy." Alex said as he felt relieved that the security on this door was something like this.


    With the power that the Pantheon had, having this security measure is quite effective. But against Alex and Alina, this security measure amounted to nothing!


    "Help me out on placing their hands on the door." Alina replied as she let out the Pantheon members once more.


    "¡­"


    Alex used his tentacles to grab 5 of them, while Alina grabbed Foresight and Queen Mother grabbed Nomad, who fortunately was unconscious right now.


    "Are you ready? Heave, ho!" Alex said as he and his Companions placed the palms of the Pantheon on the door.


    "¡­."


    To anyone seeing this sight from the outside, what Alex and his Companions were doing might look ridiculous, but for Alex, what he was feeling was tension, as anything wrong could happen now.


    "¡­"


    Alex was forced to wait for 10 more agonizing seconds before he heard a ''click'' accompanied by the door turning green in color.


    "Hiss¡­" The door let out a hissing sound as it slid open, showing Alex a room filled with futuristic looking objects.


    "This door will only stay open for 3 seconds! Let''s jump in now!" Alina shouted as she waved her hands, storing the Pantheon back to her Storage. She then hurriedly leapt forward, placing her foot on the room beyond them.


    Alex and Queen Mother followed suit, only barely able to enter the room before the door behind them closed back with a ''snap''.


    "F**k, that made me f**king anxious." Alex muttered as he let out a sigh.He then looked at Alina and Queen Mother as he tried to see if they were safe.


    To his relief, nothing unpleasant happened to them.


    "So¡­ this is the room." Alex said as he decided to observe the new place that he was in. "Hmm... this room actually looks like a villain''s lair. No wonder the secret conspiracy was hidden here¡­"


    With just a look, Alex could tell that the whole room was built up with the sole intention of it being highly conducive to computer-related activities.


    The walls of the whole room were lined up with some kind of precious metals, whose function could be to shield this room from any kind of harmful radiation.


    There were countless white pillars erected along the walls, and from what Alex could see, all these pillars were letting out cold air, signifying that these pillars were here to keep the room cool and refrigerated.


    At the center of the room, Alex could see a large, metal ball placed on top of a metal platform covered with countless wires and chips.


    The metal ball itself looked normal, but with his Electromagnetic power, Alex could feel countless volts of electricity cycling inside the ball and the platform below it.


    Aside from this, Alex could also feel zillions of chips and components inside the metal ball, all of them arranged in a very efficient manner.


    Just a look at the arrangement of these components was enough to make Alex silent.


    But these are not the only things at the center of the room.


    Found at the left and right of the metal ball were more objects that Alex could not just ignore.


    Placed at the left of the metal ball was a chair with a helmet placed on it.


    The helmet suspiciously looked like the helmet used for virtual reality games, making Alex look at it with trepidation.


    At the right of the metal ball was a table, and above that table was a smaller metal ball.


    The smaller metal ball also had components inside it, only much fewer compared to the original metal ball.


    Both the helmet and the smaller metal ball were connected to the original metal ball through wires, giving Alex an eerie sight which he can''t just avoid to look.


    "¡­"


    Right now, even a technological idiot can already tell what the set-up at the center of the room was.


    This set-up was the Legacy of Tartaros, waiting for its time to be used again!


    Alex slowly approached the metal ball as he felt a slight sense of connection with it.


    The more that the came near to the ball, the more that Alex felt connected with it.


    At the moment that Alex was just a meter away from the ball, he stopped as he felt Alina''s hand pressing down on his shoulder.


    "Alex, don''t go beyond this distance." Alina said as she shook her head. "It is best if it is Andrew Collins who approaches that ball."


    "Okay, I got that." Alex replied as he took a step back.


    "¡­" Alina waved her hands again, this time making both Lauren and Andrew Collins appear.


    Lauren landed right in front of Queen Mother, while Andrew Collins appeared just half a meter away from the metal ball.


    "This¡­" At the instant that he appeared, Andrew Collins'' attention seemed to be immediately captured by the metal ball in front of him. "I do not know what this thing is, but I can feel an intense sense of familiarity with it!"


    "That thing right in front of you is the one that we are looking for." Alina said behind Alex, with her voice betraying how anxious she is right now.


    "Ok¡­ so what should I do now?" It was obvious that Andrew Collins wanted to ask other questions and observe the metal ball more, but the intense aura being let out by Alina right now prompted Andrew Collins to be obedient. "Should I approach this ball more?"


    "Just listen to what I will say, and do your best to follow it." Alina snapped in reply, making both Alex and Andrew Collins flinch. "As long as you do this right, we can get back to our lives both satisfied. So, don''t mess this up, or you will be the one that will pay for it¡­"


    "Ok¡­ yes, I, um, understand." In the end, this was all that Andrew Collins could say under Alina''s intense glare, making Alex feel pity for him.

 Chapter 169 Low Grade?

    Andrew Collins looked visibly upset, especially with Alina glowering at him. But even if he had some complaints, he kept faithful to Alina''s whims, as his whole body stayed still, only waiting for Alina to give her command.


    "Place your hand above the original metal ball, then state your real name on it." Alina said as she motioned Andrew Collins to move forward. "Remember to state your name only when you placed your hand on the metal ball. If you don''t you will be zapped until you''re cooked."


    "Gulp." The man who received the command visibly gulped, obviously affected by what Alina just said.


    But under Alina''s and Alex''s stares, Andrew Collins was left with no choice but to move forward.


    It took him a few steps to reach the ball and once he did so, he ever so slowly and carefully placed his hands on top of the metal ball.


    "My name is¡­ Andrew Collins." The man said with a slight quaver in his voice. His whole body was tense right now, visibly waiting for something wrong to happen.


    Exactly 10 seconds passed by, and what happened then was nothing like Alina said.


    The metal ball, which was just like a lump of metal earlier, was now letting out some beeping sounds, as if it was doing something to start up itself.


    These beeping sounds lasted for 30 seconds before the surface of the metal ball started to glow.


    This glow can be compared to that of ametal glowing from heat. It was a mesmerizing glow, although Alex felt as if this glow could be dangerous.


    As for the smaller metal ball and the helmet, they also started glowing with the similar colored glow as the original metal ball.


    "Welcome, Sir Collins. A disembodied voice came out of the metal ball, startling the mentioned man into a retreat. "You have now logged in to your personal simulation. I hope you enjoy your visit here."


    "Oh well, hello to you too." Andrew Collins replied as he looked at Alina warily. "So¡­ are you really my creation?"


    "¡­." Alex might be irritated with Andrew Collins, but he could still understand the raging curiosity inside Andrew Collins right now.


    After all, what was in front of Andrew Collins was a secret conspiracy that he actually made.


    For this man to be this curious was already expected by Alex.


    "I am built with the sole intention of only following the voice commands of my creator." The metal ball replied as its glow started to alternate while it spoke. "Since I am following your voice commands now, it just means that you are my creator. It''s just as simple as that."


    For a talking creation that was made up of metals and chips, it was actually able to talk quite fast.


    "Is that so¡­." Andrew Collins muttered as he placed his hand on top of the metal ball once more. "So¡­ you''re really my creation then¡­"


    From the way that Andrew Collins looked right now, it seemed like he was still doubting what he saw seeing in front of him.


    With that kind of expression on the man''s face, Alex was not surprised at all that the metal ball hurriedly said some words to berate him.


    "Don''t doubt yourself Sir Collins. Your talent was something that created me, so you should be happy seeing me." The metal ball said, sounding somewhat peeved with the meek movements of Andrew Collins. "Denying your involvement with me is just a way of insulting me¡­"


    "¡­." Alex might not like to admit it, but from what he can see from the conversation between Andrew and the metal ball, it was as if the ball was treating Andrew as its parent.


    That by itself might sound a little endearing, but with the presence of Lauren nearby, the whole scene sounded somewhat awkward and tense.


    "Ah ok, I will believe you for now." Andrew Collins replied as he started to go silent.


    "¡­" The metal ball went silent too, as if it was unable to think up of things to say too.


    Once they reached this awkward state,Andrew Collins stared to look pensive, as he started to think of something deep.


    As for the metal ball, even if Alex could not actually see it, it seemed to be thinking of something too.


    "¡­.."


    "..."


    The silence between the two continued for more minutes


    In the end, the silence became so unbearable that Alina was forced to speak up.


    She let out an audible sigh as she gave a pointed glare to Andrew Collins.


    "Say the words ''Execute Safe Shutdown'' right now." Alina''s voice was taut and firm as she said these words."Once you say those words, that whole set-up will shut down by itself, but that shut down won''t compromise the simulation that''s inside it."


    "Wait, I just barely talked with my creation, and you want me to shut it down immediately?" Andrew Collins hastily asked Alina as he started to cover the metal ball with his hands. "Do I really need to do that?"


    "Remember that agreement that we had before." Alina replied as her glare to Andrew Collins turned frosty. "You will give us the Legacy of Tartaros, and you will be free to do anything that you want with the Pantheon. That is our deal, and there''s no way for you to back down now."


    "But-"


    "If you are worried about your creation, don''t be." Alina said as she let out a sigh. "Your creation''s extremely important to me, so be assured that I will keep it safe with me."


    Andrew Collins looked like he was about to say something in retort, but the resolute expression on Alina''s face rendered him unable to speak up.


    "¡­Ok, I''ll do what you just said." Andrew Collins finally replied as he let out his own sigh.


    He then looked at the metal ball once more, as he started to prepare himself to say the words that Alina commanded him to say.


    It was only after a few seconds passed by that the man managed to start talking.


    "Execute Safe Shutdown." At the instant that Andrew Collins said these words, the whole metal ball let out another batch of beeping sounds before its glow started to weaken.


    "It''s good seeing you, Sir Collins." The metal ball said as its glow continued to weaken. "I''ll see you once you activate me again. Have a good da-"


    "¡­"


    Any words that the metal ball wanted to say was cut-off, with its lights disappearing entirely. The helmet and the smaller metal ball lost their luster too, making the whole set-up look exactly like it was before.


    "¡­.."


    As the lights of the set-up disappeared, Alex used his power to sense the internals of the metal ball.


    To his surprise, he could sense no electricity coursing through the entirety of the metal ball or its other components.


    It was as if the whole set-up was rejecting any kind of electricity flowing inside it.


    Even when Alex tried manipulating electricity to enter the set-up, nothing happened, as these electric volts were still blocked from entering the whole set-up.


    Now, this was something that Alex did not expect to see, but maybe that was just how things work here with the Safe Shutdown.


    "¡­."


    Once the set-up was off, Alex had the uneasy feeling that the whole conversation between Andrew Collins and his creation seemed to be awfully short.


    Well, with the way things are happening now, maybe for Andrew Collins to have a limited connection with his creation was the better choice.


    After all, something bad could still happen to the Legacy that longer that it stays here, so getting it earlier will be better for everyone.


    *****************


    "Okay, so what should I do next?" Andrew Collins asked, as he and the others in room could see that the set-up was definitely turned off right now.


    Alex looked at Alina with interest, as he was now feeling curious on what Alina will say next.


    "You do not need to do anything now, Andrew Collins." Alina replied as she placed her hands on her hips. "Your job here is done already."


    Andrew Collins'' eyes immediately went wide after hearing what Alina just said. "So does it mean¡­"


    "Yes, you get to deal with them now." Alina said as she waved her hands in the already familiar motion.


    "Woosh~"


    Accompanied by the sound of displaced air was the reappearance of all the members of the Pantheon, with all of them still unconscious.


    All the Pantheon members were still bearing the injuries that they had in the battle earlier, with Tetra still asleep from the effects of Alex''s Sloth Spell earlier.


    Andrew Collins visibly gulped as he stared at the Pantheon members, with Alex noticing his hands starting to tremble greatly.


    "¡­."


    With their reappearance, Alex let out a sigh of relief, as he knew that their time in this world was about to be done.


    "Tik, tak." Alina''s shoes clacked across the floor noisily as she approached the metal ball. She touched the metal ball with a light caress as she gave a sideways look to Andrew Collins.


    "You''re free to do what you want to do with the Pantheon now, Andrew Collins." Alina said as he gaze landed on the Pantheon members. "But if you do not know what to do, you can consult my partner. He''s good at coming up with ridiculous things at times like this."


    "That''s right." Alex said as he nodded his head. "If you don''t have any ideas, I can give you some suggestions¡­"


    "¡­"


    Needless to say, Andrew Collins looked skeptical with what Alex said.


    *************


    If Alex could have his way, he could have just stolen all the abilities of the Pantheon members using Greed.


    However, Alex hesitated on doing this because of one thing.


    And that is the fact that technically speaking, the Pantheon was not really at fault at the situation here.


    After all, what they did against Andrew Collins was actually better compared to killing him. At least the Pantheon still allowed him to live with his family.


    The only excessive thing that they did was the portion related to his memories.


    But they only did the memory tampering as the Pantheon wanted to protect the world against the dangers that might come from the Legacy of Tartaros¡­


    With that kind of reasoning, will it still be fair for Alex if he just straight up stole the abilities of the Heroes who actually does their best to help people out?


    If Alex steals the ability of the Pantheon members, this Superhuman World could be plunged in chaos without the Pantheon existing as a deterrent against Villains¡­ Many innocents could be affected, and many nations might be damaged too.


    That by itself was not something that Alex was willing to actually see.


    ************


    But aside from moral reasons, Alex also fears that his Main Mission Grade could be affected by indiscriminate power theft.


    Alex had no real evidence on it, but he has the feeling that the Mission Grades of his Main Missions will depend on the level of positive impact that Alex left in the worlds that he visited.


    For example, the first world that Alex visited, the Esper World, granted Alex with a Mission Grade of S, since Alex''s actions there freed the whole Esper World from a cruel blockage.


    Then for Alex''s seconds world, the Monster World, Alex got a Mission Grade of A there, as he was able to avert the war between the Essence Humans and the Monsters, although he was not able to make them be at peace with each other.


    Following these patterns, Alex started to have the slight inkling that if he does something that will affect a World negatively, he could get a much lower Mission Grade!


    And the lower the Mission Grade, the lower his obtained lifespan would be!


    "Tsk¡­" That realization was the main reason that Alex hesitated now, as he was not that confident of playing with too much fire here.


    "That Endless Monarch guy really wants all of us to be good boys and girls here. Tsk, this is so damn irritating." Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head.


    Since he cannot just leave this world with all the skills of the Pantheon members, Alex decided to just let Andrew Collins himself decide on what to do with the Pantheon.


    At least that will allow the Pantheon to be dealt with by someone that can actually deal with them.


    And that will also not implicate Alex on whatever happens to the Pantheon now, since it was Andrew Collins who directly did something against the Pantheon, and not Alex.


    "Oh, please give us a good answer." Alex thought to himself as he waited for Andrew Collins to declare what he wanted.


    Fortunately for Alex, he only had to wait for a few seconds before Andrew Collins replied.


    But before Andrew Collins could say his words, all the Pantheon members started to stir, as if they were about to regain their consciousness.


    "Oh boy, this just gets better and better." Alex thought amusedly to himself as he decided to allow the Pantheon members to regain their consciousness. "Maybe this time, Andrew Collins'' answer will be a good one¡­"

 Chapter 170 Body Pain

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 Chapter 171 Acceptance?

    All of the Pantheon members were now awake, even including Tetra, as the time limit on the spell that Sloth used on him had just been used up.


    "You!" At the instant that she became awake, Myth immediately tried attacking Alex, but she was unable to do anything as Alex used his power nullification to nullify the abilities of the Pantheon members, excluding Tetra.


    Since Tetra''s ability cannot be suppressed by Miden''s power, Alex just decided to do something to prevent him from using his power.


    While Tetra was still sleeping earlier, Alex told Queen Mother to place some extremely lethal plants all around Tetra.


    Alex specifically requested for plants that can kill numerous people in close contact.


    It took Queen Mother several minutes to do it, and once it they were created, Alex immediately used them on Tetra''s sleeping body.


    Just to make sure that these plants will be really lethal, Alex added his Major Destruction Aura, Minor Destruction Aura, Wrath Counter, Power Enhancement, and The Weak Serve the Strong spells on these plants.


    The combination of all these Abyss Spells had turned the already lethal plants into much more lethal and deadly plants.


    At this point, this plants were so lethal that only powerful people can survive against them.


    However, because of the invincibility effect of Alex''s sleeping spell earlier, these plants were unable to damage Tetra while he was still asleep.


    But once Tetra had woken up, these plants started to attack him immediately.


    At that point Tetra was left with no choice butto withstand these extremely lethal plants by using his power constantly.


    Alex also covered the besieged Tetra with billions of Gravity Waves, which forced Tetra to use more power to defend himself.


    These offensive measures had basically Tetra trapped again.


    But to make sure that Tetra will be really unable to do anything now, Alex used one more technique to effectively stop him.


    Under the eyes of everyone in the room, Alex approached the Legacy of Tartaros, and once he was in front of it, he placed his hand on above it, effectively drawing a worried expression on Tetra''s face.


    Just the mere gesture of what Alex was doing was already enough to send a message to Tetra.


    If Tetra tries anything with his power now, that is if he can,Alex will do something to the Legacy that Tetra might regret.


    Of course Alex will not do anything to harm the Legacy, he''s just bluffing right now to force Tetra to stop in his tracks.


    All in all, the combination of physical and psychological measure has reduced Tetra into a glowering spectator.


    "¡­."


    Once Alex had finished doing these measures, he let out a smile as he gave a businessman-like look to the Pantheon.


    "Well, as you can see, I was just about to take the Legacy away¡­" Alex said, which elicited a twitch from Tetra. "And since Andrew Collins here helped me out, I told him that I will give him the freedom to do what he wants with you all¡­"


    Naturally, none of the Pantheon was happy with what he said.


    "Shut up! Who do you think are you to say those things, huh?" Myth hotly said as she struggled to move against her bonds. "We were just heroes doing our best for this world! Who are you do judge us, huh?"


    "That guy right there is the one who should be like this!" Myth shouted as she pointed her hand at Andrew Collins. "He was the one who brought the dangerous Monster King into this world! The things that he did for everyone is way less than us, and I don''t think they''re even enough to offset all the damages that Monster King did!"


    "¡­" Andrew Collins could only look down after hearing what Myth said.


    "See, even this guy thinks that I am right!" Myth shouted out to Alex as she looked at him with burning eyes. "Come one, Eldritch, you can still change your mind this time! Just raise your hand and just capture him! You can do the world a better service if you did that!"


    "Sorry, but I do not care about the problems between you all." Alex said as he let out a sigh. "I''m actually a little tired of dealing with world-level stuff already, so I just wanted to end the situation right now through the least taxing way as possible¡­ And in my opinion, letting this man decide on what to do with you is the best way here¡­"


    "Are you f**ki- Tetra! Can''t you do something here?" Myth asked her vice-leader, who was still perfectly trapped by Alex.


    "I''m trying my best here to stay alive¡­ So I can''t really do anything to attack now¡­" Tetra replied wearily, making his other teammates look pale.


    The only exception to that was Foresight, who was now sporting a blank expression on her face.


    "¡­" As Tetra continued struggling against his deadly constraints, Alex gave the struggling Pantheon a shake of his head.


    He looked back at Andrew Collins who was now sweating profusely.


    It seems liked the coldness of this room was not that effective enough to placate the clearly nervous Andrew Collins.


    "What are you still thinking? Say what you want now¡­" Alex said, hiding the exasperation in his voice.


    Alex knew that at the moment that Alina keeps the Legacy of Tartaros in her Storage, he, Alina, and Queen Mother will be brought away to their new world.


    Once that happens, it will be unknown when they can go back.


    So before Alex could let that happen, he has to sort out the mess that he made with the Pantheon.


    Maybe doing that will give Alex a good Grade for this mission.


    **********


    Alex observed Andrew Collins more as he saw that the man was about to make his move.


    At the moment that Andrew Collins was about to start to talk, someone behind him interrupted him.


    "Hey, my deadbeat father. Make sure that you make the right choice here. You already f**ked up a lot by this point¡­ so please don''t do anything stupid now!"


    The one who said these worlds was Lauren, who broke out of Queen Mother''s hug.


    Even if she still looked pissed at her father, there was also some edge in her eyes, as if she was expecting her father to do what she thinks was right here.


    "Deadbeat father, I know that you''re angry to them¡­ But please don''t let yourself get consumed by that anger. You''re much better than that!"


    To the surprise of everyone, they saw Lauren suddenly lunging towards her father, performing a perfect face slap with her right hand.


    "Piak!" Andrew Collins'' right cheek immediately went red as he staggered from the force of Lauren''s slap.


    "¡­" Everyone in the room went silent from what they saw, excluding Alex who gave Lauren an impressed nod.


    "Now that you''re back with us, please, remember who were your real priorities!" Lauren shouted out as she gritted her teeth. "You were my father, and I wish that the one that will come back to us was the same father that we used to have¡­"


    "¡­" Andrew Collins went silent after hearing what his daughter said, as he duly ignored his reddened right cheek, which looked hella painful already.


    "Finally, Lauren decided to express her true feelings now." Alex thought to himself as he shook his head. "Now, let''s see where Andrew Collins goes from here¡­"


    The mentioned guy was now busyclutching his head, as if there was a large mental turmoil inside him.


    Alex could somehow understand why Andrew Collins was like this now.


    Earlier, Andrew Collins seemed to have already made up his decision on what to do with the Pantheon.


    But the sudden interruption of Lauren had obviously shaken him up, and now Andrew Collins seems to be affected by that.


    Everyone went silent as they watched the silent conflict that the man was going through.


    "¡­"


    It was only after exactly 90 seconds that Andrew Collins'' body relaxed.


    He lowered his hands as he let out a sigh.


    With just one look to his face, Alex realized that this time, Andrew Collins had already reached his ''real decision''.


    Andrew Collins took one, long, serious look towards his defiant daughter before looking back to the Pantheon.


    Andrew Collins'' eyes were as calm as a placid lake as his eyes roved on all of them.


    Tensions in the room went high as Andrew Collins slowly opened his mouth.


    "Just¡­ let them all go." Andrew Collins said with a slight weariness, as if what he said took something out of him.


    But there was also some slight tinge of relief in his voice, as if he just removed a heavy burden on his back.


    "¡­Why do you always say the most clich¨¦ choice here?" Alex replied as he let out a sigh.


    Behind him, he could hear Lauren letting out a sigh of relief, as if she was happy with what her father did.


    "Are you really sure that you want to keep them alive?" Alex asked Andrew Collins directly as he stared at him. "They might get back at you after this¡­"


    "They won''t do it." Andrew Collins replied as he shook his head. "They only kept me captive because of the Legacy of Tartaros. If you take it away, there is no way for them to be wary of me."


    Andrew Collins then started walking all around his creation as he caressed it a little.


    "I¡­ may have been a great Builder before, but right now, I have a different thing that I must rebuild." Andrew Collins said as he glanced hesitantly as his daughter. "Compared to my family, all of this¡­ are just nothing but junk."


    "But it was the Pantheon who removed your memories¡­" Alex said, as he wanted to understand Andrew Collins'' thought processes more. "Are you just going to let them off like this?"


    "I sure am." Andrew Collins replied as he gave Alex a resolute look. "Yeah, they might have gone overboard with hiding my memories, but I now know that it is not their fault that they wiped my memories. It was mine, actually."


    "Huh? How could that be your fault?" Alex asked as he felt confused with what the man just said. "Did you¡­"


    "When I touched the Legacy of Tartaros earlier, a video message suddenly appeared inside my mind." Andrew Collins said as he took a deep breath. "That message was made by me years ago, just before my memory was wiped."


    "You had something like that placed there? Why the fuck did you not tell us!" Myth shouted out in exasperation as she glared daggers at Andrew Collins. "Don''t tell me that video message told you some things that you shouldn''t have known?"


    "¡­."


    Andrew Collins continued talking, as he seemed to ignored Myth yapping behind him.


    "In that video message, the Past Me told me that it was actually him who proposed to have my memories wiped. The Past Me¡­ was extremely guilty with everything that happened with the Legacy of Tartaros. He told me that he wanted his memories wiped so that he can live a new life away from¡­ all of this mess."


    "¡­"


    "At first, I do not want to acknowledge what the Past Me said. New life? Where the hell could I get that?" Andrew Collins said these words morosely as he shook his head. "So, even with that message form the Past Me, I actually still wanted to exact ''revenge'' against the Pantheon, even though it was actually the Past Me that did all of this to me."


    "¡­"


    "But my clouded mind was freed when Lauren showed me the truth." Andrew Collins said as he gave his daughter a grateful look. "When she slapped me, I¡­ I realized that I already have what the Past Me have wanted all along. And that thing waa family¡­They''re what I only have now, and I should''ve did my best to be with them."


    The man then hugged himself tightly as he seemed to be trying to console himself. "Once I reached that point, I knew what I have to do next."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "I do not know what should I feel about that message." Alex finally said as he absorbed Andrew Collins'' explanation. "So it''s the Past You that actually made you like this? Hmm, now I can''t fault you for being this soft against the Pantheon. It seems like they were only following the request of the Past You¡­"


    "Hmph, even without his request, I would still have his memory wiped!" Myth replied angrily, although her eyes were not looking at Andrew Collins at all. "Andrew was a big a**hole before, so he deserves all this s**t that he has gone through!"


    "On the second thought, can I have Myth beaten up?" Andrew Collins said as he let out a sigh. "I can''t have someone running of her mouth when I just saved her life."


    "Oh, do you want it to happen now? My tentacles are all ready to have their fun! Just say the word, and I will tentacle my way on Myth!" Right on cue, the tentacles on Alex''s back all rose to the air, creeping menacingly to the tied-up Myth.


    "No!!"


    "I''m just joking¡­ Just¡­ let them be." Andrew Collins hastily said as the first tentacle wrapped itself on Myth''s foot. "This had already gone too long already, so let''s just get this done with."


    "Aww, but I was just getting to the good part!"


    "¡­."


    ***************


    Even though Alex could somehow understand Andrew Collins'' reasoning, there were still some things that were confusing him.


    And that is the fact that even though what happened to Andrew Collins was planned by him, there were still some things that the Pantheon did that were too much to him.


    Like them forcing Andrew Collins to leave his family for 5 years. Was that really needed?


    "¡­" As he had these thoughts in his head, Alex could not help but look at Foresight, who was still looking on with a blank look on her face.


    But with Alex''s FED Manipulation, Alex could feel a certain kind of feeling inside Foresight right now.


    And that feeling was Immense Satisfaction.

 Chapter 172 Discoveries and Responsibilities

    "You." Before Alex could stop himself, he found himself facing staring at Foresight, asking her a question."Did you plan all of this?"


    "I do not know what you are talking about, Eldritch." Foresight replied quite innocently as she tilted her head. "Do you really think I could have seen all of this happening, even with Duplicator blocking my future sight? I am flattered that you think highly of me, but I am not related to what you are saying."


    Both Alex and Myth grimaced from what Foresight said, as if they both do not believe her.


    "Lies." Alina whispered behind Alex as she shook her head imperceptibly. "She''s lying here."


    Because Alina''s tone was low, nobody else heard what she said.


    "¡­"


    Alex does not even need to rely on Alina''s power to know that Foresight was lying. Just with the use of his own cold reading and emotion manipulation, he can see that she was really lying!


    "Oh great, now what do I do with her?" Alex thought to himself as he looked at Foresight, and at her Pantheon teammates, who seemed to not doubt her.


    Well, except for Myth, who seemed to be still fixated on staring at Foresight head-on.


    Right now, Alex was 100% sure that Foresight really have foreseen the future¡­but why was Foresight so satisfied right now?


    Does her satisfaction right now imply that the future that she wanted to see all along was about to come into fruition?


    "¡­" Even if Alex was satisfied with what was happening now, that satisfaction was partially dampened by what he discovered from Foresight.


    "Wait a minute¡­" But before Alex could feely actually disgruntled from it, he realized that he can actually still benefit from what Foresight was doing now.


    Alex was barely able to hide the grin from his face as he thought of the proper question that he should ask from Foresight.


    "¡­" After a few seconds of intense thinking, Alex found the question that he was looking for.


    "Hey." Alex said as he pointed his finger at Foresight. He concentrated his gaze solely at her face as he slowly asked her,


    "With everything that happened now, do you think that this world will go to a better place?"


    As Alex asked this question, he also discreetly deactivated Miden''s power on Foresight, which basically allowed her to regain her future sight.


    Foresight only twitched for a second after this, before her face started to light up.


    Alex then saw a huge smile appearing on Foresight''s face, as if she just received the best gift that she could have asked.


    She then started laughing, much to the bemusement of Alex and to the shock of the other Pantheon members.


    "Now, this is what I wanted to hear!" Foresight shouted loudly as she continued laughing. "Now, I can be assured that everything will be great!"


    "You¡­" This time around, the emotion that Alex could feel inside Foresight was extreme jubilation. There was actually even no need to have emotion sensing powers to sense that Foresight was happy right now.


    Just the sight of her laughing at the top of her lungs was enough to show how happy she was now.


    While the other Pantheon members were still speechless from what just happened, Foresight started to talk as her laughter died down.


    She looked as Alex as she wiped the tears that appeared around her eyes.


    "Eldritch, are you worried about what will happen to this world once you take the Legacy of Tartaros? Hahaha! Do not worry, this world will go into a better future with the Legacy staying with you!"


    Foresight said these words merrily as she ignored the scandalized reaction of Myth. "You can say that right now is actually the best day of my life!"


    "¡­" This time around, the Pantheon members all looked like they have already realized what Foresight was talking about.


    "Foresight, you knew that all of this would happen?" It was Tetra who asked this question. He stared at his female teammates with a questioning look on his eyes, as if he could not believe what she just said. "You knew that we would be in a disaster like this, and yet you still allowed it to happen?"


    "Tetra¡­. I just have to do what I have to do." Foresight replied as she shook her head. "If Eldritch would not have obtained the Legacy of Tartaros, this whole world will be destroyed."


    "Destroyed?" This time, it was Alex who was surprised with what Foresight said. "How the hell could this world be destroyed? Am I the one who did that?"


    "No, not you." Foresight replied as she shook her head once more.


    Her gaze then went blank, as if she was now viewing on something different.


    Foresight''s voice then became sonorous as she continued talking.


    [Even if my vision right now was still limited because of Duplicator, I can still see what happens if Eldritch will not obtain the Legacy today.]


    Foresight''s body then started to tremble as Alex saw the vestiges of fear blossoming inside Foresight.


    Her sonorous voice started to have semblance of cracks as she haltingly said,


    [If Eldritch does not get to obtain the Legacy¡­ A massive hand the size of Jupiter will descend from the sky and destroy this world. Nobody¡­ not even us can resist that hand. Once that hand appears, everyone in this world¡­ will be killed by that hand.]


    "Wah?" Alex found himself unable to speak as he heard what Foresight just said.


    A hand will destroy this world? What kind of f**kery is this? Was Foresight high right now? Or did she just have a mental breakdown?


    "Ugh¡­" With these thoughts inside his mind,Alex slowly approached the woman as he asked her,


    "So, you are telling me that this world will be destroyed if the Legacy of Tartaros stays in this world?"


    [Yes, that is the future that I could see.] Foresight said as her blank eyes focused on Alex. [I do not know where that hand came from, but I am sure that nobody among us can fight against it¡­ not even you.]


    "Truth." Alina muttered behind Alex as he saw her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Foresight is telling the truth here."


    After receiving that confirmation, Alex shook his head as he tried to absorb what Foresight just said.


    "If nobody finishes this Main Mission in this world, this world will be destroyed by a Jupiter-sized hand? What the f**k?"With his experiences as a Traveler, this was the first time that Alex heard something like this.


    Alex gritted his teeth as he realized that he just discovered something extremely worrying.


    "Why would someone do something like that to a freaking world? Is this the norm on every world where no Traveler finishes the Main Mission? Do these worlds just get destroyed?" Alex''s tentacles twitched behind him erratically as he continued gritting his teeth.


    "And who owns that Jupiter-sized hand? Is that from a Traveler, or is it¡­ from the Endless Monarch himself? F**k, this just got more convoluted!"


    Alex knew that what he heard from Foresight was something that he should have not have discovered at all.


    He looked at Asteria, who was currently avoiding Alex''s gaze, with the dumb fairy whistling an out-of-tune song.


    "Tsk. It seems like this is another mystery that I have to solve later." Alex thought to himself, remembering that now was not really the right time to worry about that hand.


    "Professor Frances¡­ she surely must have known something related to that Jupiter-sized hand¡­ Heck, maybe that was one of the reasons she was forced to die here¡­" Once Alex reached this line of thought, he knew that he must do everything that he can to complete Professor Frances'' plan.


    "¡­" While Alex was busy on thinking up of these things, he could hear the Pantheon members arguing at the background, with Foresight receiving the brunt of the questions.


    "You knew something like this, yet you did not tell us about it? Why?" The one who asked this question was Tetra, and it was quite obvious on his face that he was disappointed. "If you told us that something like this will happen, then maybe we could have¡­"


    "If I tell you about what I saw, someone will swoop in to kill me before I could tell it to you." Foresight replied as she shook her head. "I do not know who that person was, but at every future that I tried telling you what I saw, that person will always come in to kill me¡­"


    "She''s telling the truth." Alina said from the background, effectively interrupting the arguments of the Pantheon members.


    "¡­Is that so." This time around, it was Myth who spoke up. Her face still looked pissed, although it looked like she was not that angry at Foresight. "Good job letting us be beaten up here. Are you happy now?"


    "I''m really happy." Foresight replied as her body sagged in relief. "You do not know how stressed I am since the Travelers started to appear¡­ It was only now that I felt¡­ secure."


    "Hoho, I''m flattered that you think of us like that." Alex replied as he decided to take note of Foresight''s future killer too. "Are you secured because we are about to leave already?"


    "Exactly." Foresight replied as she leaned back on Myth''s body. Myth flinched at the contact, but she gritted her teeth as she let the taller woman lean on her body. "So, it will be better if you will all leave now¡­"


    "Wait!" Before Alex could give his reply, Tetra spoke up from within his constraints.


    He was still heavily struggling from his lethal binds as he asked Alex,


    "Do you really need to take my home world with you? Can''t you just... leave it alone? I¡­ I cannot trust you two with something like that!" Tetra said these words with steel in his eyes, as if he will still not let the two leave even if he was still heavily constrained like this. "Tell me why you need to take my home world! If I see that your reasons are not noble, I will sacrifice my own life to protect my home world if I have too!"


    "Tetra!" Myth''s shocked exclamation was ignored by Tetra as he continued on gazing at Alex intently. "Go on. Tell me the reason now."


    "¡­" After hearing Tetra''s declaration, Alex let out a sigh as he looked at Alina.


    Alina, whose stare was concentrated on Tetra, looked back at Alex as she gave him a resolute nod, as if she was saying that she was ready now.


    "Now we''re talking." Alex thought to himself as he looked back at Tetra.


    Alex then took a deep breath as he started to talk.


    "I understand why you are unwilling to let us take your home world¡­ but maybe if we do this, you will immediately agree."


    After saying these words, both Alex and Alina closed their eyes as they started to concentrate.


    Seconds later, and energy began to leak out of their bodies.


    All the objects around Alex and Alina started to tremble from this energy, with the floor creaking every second.


    "!!!" Tetra, who saw what Alex and Alina was doing, had his eyes wide open as the energy released by Alex and Alina started to increase.


    "That is¡­" Tetra''s words got stuck in his throat, as if he was struggling to understand what he was seeing in front of him. "There is no way¡­"


    "Sorry, but what you see right in front of you is the truth." Alex said as he and Alina continued pouring out the Mental Power out of their body.


    The combination of their Mental Power produced an eerie visual display which captivated everyone who saw the sight.


    "Your power? We have that too." Alex said as he and Alina started to approach the frozen Tetra.


    "Creak¡­"


    The floor creaked at every step that the pair took. Alex slowly relished this sound, as he felt satisfied hearing these creaking sounds.


    It took them a few seconds to reach Tetra himself, who did nothing to fight back at them.


    After observing Tetra''s visage for a second, Alex let out a smile, leaning in towards Tetra as he slowly said,


    "If you can see that we also have the same power as you, then you should already know what that means, right?" Alex said as his breath tickled Tetra''s right ear. "Not only are we qualified to take care of your home world¡­ It is also our responsibility too."


    "¡­."

 Chapter 173 Carving a New Chapter

    "You¡­" At the instant that Alex uttered these words, Tetra''s eyes went wide as he stared back at Alex.


    Alex stared back imperceptibly as he barely suppressed a grin from appearing on his face.


    "You¡­ you know who I really am." Tetra said, saying these words as a statement and not a question. "You came from my homeworld too!"


    "Well, with us showing Mental Power, its quite obvious what conclusion you will reach." Alex thought to himself as he did not show any signs of schadenfreude.


    "Yeah, you can say it like that." Alex replied as he looked at Alina. "We came from the Esper world, just like you. But as for how we exited it, I''m sorry to say, but we won''t be able to say anything to you."


    "¡­"


    Instead of looking more shocked, Tetra''s face actually turned solemn as his emotions visibly dimmed.


    "My name¡­ it was Clint, right?" Tetra said as his eyes scoured Alex''s face. There was no hint of suspicion in his eyes anymore. There was only resigned acceptance.


    "¡­You''re right." Alex replied while letting out a sigh. "That''s your real name¡­"


    "¡­"


    While Tetra was mulling at Alex''s answer, Alex looked at Tetra''s calm eyes as he asked him,


    "So, you still remembered the time at the Hero Party when I asked you when your name was Clint?"


    "Oh, I can still remember that everyday since you asked it." Tetra replied as he let out a sigh. "At first, I thought that what you asked me that day was just nonsense. But after seeing what you are really now, I realized that there is a high chance that I am the Clint that you are looking for."


    Clint then resumed on staring at Alex intently as he asked him once more,


    "So tell me, who am I as Clint?"


    "I''m sorry, but I cannot answer that question for now." Alex replied as he shook his head. "As long as we do not find a way to unfreeze the simulation, fix its time acceleration, and keep it perfectly safe, we won''t be telling you anything."


    "But-"


    "Trust me Tetra, it will be better this way." Alex replied grimly. "After all, even if I tell you the truth now, with your memories like that, there is no way that you will be really benefiting from what I will say. So, it is better to just tell you everything once I and my partner gets to save everyone that has to be saved in the Esper World¡­"


    "...."


    Alex knew that if he told Tetra the truth now, the truth won''t do anything that remarkable to him as Tetra''s memories were still gone


    The only way that they can make Tetra benefit from the truth was by finding a way to fix all the current faults of the simulation.


    But with its problems still not solved, Alex and Alina will have to keep the Esper World with them for now.


    "Don''t worry Tetra, once we are sure that your home world was perfectly secure, we will come back here and tell you everything." Alex said with finality as he saw Alina placing her hands on top of the metal ball.


    "Come back? Are you telling us that you two will leave?" Tetra asked out as he understood the implications of what Alex just said. "With your abilities like these, where will you even go?"


    "Oh, that''s a secret for now~" Alex replied playfully as Foresight giggled in front of him. "Let''s just say that I will be going to a very, very far away place later."


    "Hmph, suit yourself then." In the end, it looks like Tetra was left with no choice but to allow Alex to leave with the Legacy of Tartaros. "Even if you two were villains, I still could not help but feel as if you two were trustworthy¡­"


    "Well, we are trustworthy after all." Alex cheekily replied as he gave Tetra a smile. "I just happened to make you mad at that time¡­"


    "Just shut up and go!" Tetra shouted in irritation as he let out another sigh. "Since Foresight had seen the future, and I also have understood your reasoning, you are now free to take care of my home world. Just¡­ take care of it, ok?"


    "We will do that, I promise." This time around, the one who replied was Alina, whose gorgeous eyes looked like they were blazing greatly.


    Tetra looked like he was unable to resist Alina''s blazing eyes as he averted his gaze away from her.


    "Hmph, with my body being actually created, my life expectancy''s way higher than normal. So don''t worry if you take long on fixing my home world. Just come back to me quickly once you were done, ok?"


    "Yep, I''ll take note of that." Alex replied with finality.


    After saying these words, Alex looked at Queen Mother, who seemed to be busy talking to Lauren now.


    Both the voices of these two women were in whispers, signifying that what they were talking right no was important.


    Lauren looked visibly distressed in the conversation, and Alex could see the woman almost tearing up.


    "¡­." After a few more minutes of talking, Lauren hastily wiped the wet rims of her eyes as he gave Queen Mother a sad smile.


    Queen Mother saw the look that Alex gave him, which seemed to have prompted her to give him an explanation.


    "I just peacefully broke up with her." Queen Mother said to Alex as she patted her ex-lover''s shoulder. "With the nature of our abilities, for us to break up here will be better for everyone. For her to be with her peers is better than her spending the whole day thinking about where I could have been."


    "¡­."


    Needless to say, Queen Mother''s reasoning was actually quite right.


    Since Alex can''t just take Lauren with him as aCompanion(Not Enough Lifespan), there is no way the Queen Mother can continue staying with her.


    So, for them to actually separate now will be good for the both of them.


    "Are you really fine now?" Alex asked as he regretted asking a sensitive question like this. "Don''t you feel¡­ somewhat sad?"


    "Don''t sweat this out, Alex." Queen Mother replied as Lauren started to approach her father. "I and Lauren have handled this properly, and I am coping with it quite well."


    That somewhat ridiculous sentence of hers was quickly supported by a reply from her former lover.


    "Hmph, just talk to me once you 3 goes back!" Lauren replied with a shake of her head. "If you don''t do that, hmph, I will make sure you will all regret that!"


    "Hai, hai. I will do that." Queen Mother said as she put herself behind Alex and Alina. "But for now, you have to make do with my absences¡­"


    "Hmph, I am not some kind ofa clingy person. I can endure your disappearance" Lauren said as she let out a sigh. "Just make sure that you will still come back¡­"


    "Noted." Alex muttered as he gave a nod to Alina.


    "Wooosh~"


    After Alina got Alex''s confirmation, she started activating her power on the Legacy of Tartaros.


    A second passed by, and the massive set-up disappeared entirely, with Alina storing the set-up in one of her Storages.


    "OK, it''s time to say goodbye then." Alex said, knowing that with them getting the set-up, they will be bound to leave now.


    He looked back at The Pantheon Members, at Lauren, and at Andrew Collins.


    "¡­" Even if Alex tried to deny it, he was obviously having fun talking and mingling with the peoplehere in the Superhuman World.


    But all good things must come to an end, and that end has come now.


    "Hey! How about our powers! You still haven''t retur-" Midens'' maddened question was cut-off as two balls appeared right on Alex''s place.


    These two balls were made up of flesh, with each of one of them containing unknown power inside them.


    Just one look at it, and Miden''sand Nomad''s eyes glowed with hope, as they knew that these balls contained their stolen power!


    Both of these heroes looked up as they wanted to give a begrudging thanks to Alex, but they were unable to do that.


    After all, there was no Alex, Alina, and even Queen Mother in front of them.


    Any traces of them being in here was gone, and the only thing that was left in their disappearance were the two flesh balls which Alex obviously left.


    "Now, they''ve gone on to carve a new chapter in their lives¡­" Foresight muttered to herself in the background. "I hope the future that they will make will be a glorious one¡­"


    "¡­" Nobody had any kind of reply for what Foresight said, creating a solemn atmosphere in the room.


    That solemn atmosphere however was quickly broken by someone''s irate shout.


    "Glorious one my ass. If I see them one more time, I will make sure that I will beat them up quickly!"


    [Main Mission Accomplished]


    [Bonus Mission Not Accomplished]


    [Acquired: Quantum Level World Simulation]


    [Grade: A]


    -----------------------END OF VOLUME 3 ------------------------

 Chapter 174 Volume 3 Epilogue

    "Yay! More more more!" A young girl shouted out jubilantly, with her loud voice echoing across the room.


    "Yay, make this faster!" Her face was filled with joy as her body zipped inside the room, with her body looking like a blur as she speedily moved everywhere.


    To anyone hearing these sentences, they will likely think that the young girl has the ability to move quickly.


    But no, the girl herself was not moving that fast.


    "Chicky! Maximum speed!"


    Below the girl''s body was a giant chick, who was doingthe heavy burden on carrying the young girl.


    "Whee!!!" The young girl continued shouting out as the giant chick that she was riding did not stop on moving at all.


    "Sigh..." While this young girl was having the fun of her life, a much older woman was observing her and the giant chick that she was riding.


    "Laura, she really is a lively one." The older woman, who turned out to be Lauren, muttered to herself as she observed her sister Laura having her ''fun'' with the giant chick.


    "Tsk, if it were not for Queen Mother''s request, I will never take this giant chick with me¡­" Lauren thought to herself crossly as she shook her head. "F**king bird, always disrupting my every day life!"


    Actually, after the Travelers all disappeared, the giant chick should have been under the care of the Pantheon, since they were the only ones powerful enough to take control of it.


    But at that time, it was quite obvious to Lauren what the Pantheon will do to the giant chick.


    They were obviously itching to kill it.


    With everything that the Pantheon experienced against the Travelers, even though what happened were all needed to save the world,it was quite obvious that they were extremely unhappy with them.


    But with the Travelers gone, and with them promising to not touch Andrew Collins and his family, they had no way to vent their rage.


    Well, except for the giant chick.


    But to Lauren''s irritation,the giant chick seems to have detected the killing intent placed on it, so it did the one thing that Lauren was still angry up to this day.


    That f**king bird immediately hid behind Lauren''s back, as if it was saying that Lauren was now its backer.


    With the deterrence of Andrew Collins, the Pantheon were left with no choice but to let the giant chick live for now.


    And that resulted with Duplicator living here in Lauren''s home.


    "Tsk, those Travelers pulled a fast one on me! I''m sure they just left this bird to me! Ugh, those pricks!" For the nth time, Lauren cursed her former teammates. "Hmph, once I see them again¡­"


    As she said these words, Lauren''s aggressive expression disappeared as her face began to look melancholic.


    Her eyes started to tremble as she let out a sigh.


    "It''s been 30 days since they left¡­" Lauren thought to herself sadly as she once again reminisced about her time with the Travelers. "I only stayed with them for some days, yet I still feel this sad now that they are gone¡­"


    Sure, Lauren''s time with them might have been short, but Lauren had a lot of fun and experiences with them.


    Every fight and action that she experienced with the Pantheon were things that Lauren cherished, and she will never forget each one of them.


    And of course, most of that ''fun'' came from Queen Mother herself.


    "¡­" Even if Queen Mother was not here anymore, Lauren could not help but blush, remembering all the daring things that she did with Queen Mother.


    "Ugh, am I really that naughty?" Lauren muttered to herself shyly, as she remembered a particularly steamy night where she and Queen Mother ''experimented'' with a lot of things¡­


    "No, Bad Lauren, don''t think of that right now!" Lauren muttered as she shook her head, remembering that she was supposed to relax now.


    "Hmph, why should I get sentimental about Alex, Alina, and Queen Mother? They promised to come back, so I will just greet them once they go back!" Lauren muttered to herself as she left the room, leaving her sister and Duplicator playing together.


    Her footsteps creaked across the floor as she slowly approached a room.


    She stopped right in front of the door, raising her hand as she hesitantly looked at it.


    In the end, Lauren let out a deep breath as she knocked on the door 3 times.


    "Knock, knock, knock."


    The door went wide open, with the head of an adult male peeking out of the opened door.


    "Lauren! D0 you want to say something to me?" The owner of the head, who turned out to be Andrew Collins, hesitantly said as he stared at Lauren. "Or do you need my help with something?"


    "¡­" Lauren bit her teeth, as she tried to not lash out to her father now.


    Sure, she already knew why her father had to leave her and her sister, but that does not still wipe away the rage inside her.


    But she had already learned to understand her father''s plight, so she decided to stop herself from snapping or shouting to him every time.


    It was extremely hard to do this, but Lauren knew that she will learn to fully forgive her father.


    But for now, she still had to control herself.


    "I need some help with my computer homework. You know, since I decided to continue studying..." Lauren nonchalantly said as she entered her father''s room. "I''m not really good with computers, so I need your help with it."


    "Oh, is that all that you need? Lauren, don''t worry! I can fully help you out with that!" Her father proudly replied as he thumped his chest. "Just give me the computer problems, and I will all solve it!"


    "...Thanks, but that''s not the only reason that I am here." Lauren said as she sat down on the only chair in the room. The chair was slightly rickety, but it was able to support her weight.


    Lauren then crossed her legs as she looked at her father intently.


    She then tilted her head as she slowly said,


    "Father, with all that happened for the last month, I... actually got my costume broken. So, well, um¡­ I need your help to make a new one."


    Lauren expected her father to say no to this, since he was obviously still wary of heroes, especially the Pantheon.


    But to her surprise, she saw her father giving her a nod.


    It may be a nod, but that''s all that Lauren needed right now.


    "Great! Maybe we can start this now? I wanted to do some patrolling tomorrow¡­" Lauren said as she looked at her father expectantly.


    "Anytime, Lauren. Anytime." Her father replied as he left the room, with his eyes beckoning Lauren to follow him. "Come, let''s do this now!"


    "Ok!" Lauren excitedly replied as she left the room with her father.


    "Wheee!!"


    "Chirp! Chirp! Chirp!"


    At a distance, Lauren could hear her sister''s excited squeals combined with Duplicator''s irritating chirps.


    After hearing these sounds, Lauren could not help but smile genuinely this time, knowing that her incoming days will be full of adventures and happiness.


    If this was the future that was carved out for her, then she will accept it whole-heartedly.


    "This day is nice, isn''t it?" Lauren muttered to no one in particular.

 Chapter 175 Volume 4 Prologue Part 1: The Start of the Calamity

    The 3rd Calamity Era. Year 13907


    Inside a thatched hat located on top of a mountain, an old man and a 4-year old girl could be seen sitting around a table.


    The old man had a head full of white hair, along with a long, white beard that made him look extremely ancient. The only thing that ruined his appearance was his clothes, which were just made up or rags.


    Sitting in front of him was the 4-year old girl, and her appearance was the contrast of the old man.


    If the old man looked frail and decrepit, the young girl looked like she was full of life.


    She had long, silky, black hair, which coupled with her wide, inquisitive eyes, made her look extremely endearing.


    Her toothy smile along with her dimples just exemplified her cuteness.


    That could be the reason why even now, the old man was giving the young girl a doting expression from his face.


    "Grandpa! Tell me a story today!" The young girl shouted to the old man as she raised her short arms high in the air. "I want to hear a story!"


    "But all the stories that I know are too complicated for you." The old man replied as his white hair flailed around him. "I really don''t have anything to tell you now."


    "But Grandpa! I want a story!" The young girl seemed oblivious with the old man''s discomfort as she started to wail. "If you don''t give me a story, I will cry now!"


    "Okay, okay! I''ll start talking now!" The old man looked like he was left with no choice but to accede to the young girl.


    The old man cupped his chin, as he seemed to be debating on what to say.


    A few minutes later, and the old man, whose left arm was being pinched by the young girl, let out a sigh as he said,


    "Okay, I think there is a story that I can tell you now."


    "Yay! Grandpa is the best!"


    After hearing these words from his granddaughter, the old man looked up with a smile, with his gaze concentrated on the 3 Moons decorating the night sky.


    The old man''s happy smile still did not disappear from his face as he said,


    "My story will be about our 3 Moons."


    "A story about the Moons? That is so cool!" The young girl said as she joined the old man on looking at the moons. "Our moons are so pretty! Maybe your story will be pretty too, right?"


    "¡­Just like what I told you earlier, my stories will be complicated, and this story was one of them." The old man said as he picked up the pouting young girl, placing her on his lap.


    "Look at the moons." The old man said as he pointed at the moons. "What do you see?"


    "I see a blue moon, a yellow moon, and a green moon!" The young girl said as she started giggling. "They all look pretty!"


    "Do you even know where these moons came from?" The old man mumbled as he absent-mindedly patted the head of the young girl.


    "No! I don''t because you''re not telling it to me, Grandpa!" The young girl said as she let out a pout.


    "Erm¡­ don''t get angry, munchkin. I will be telling it to you now." The old man said as he let out an awkward cough.


    "¡­"


    The old man tried to ignore the young girl''s piercing stare as he asked her,


    "Do you know that tens of thousands of years ago, we had no moons at all?"


    "No moons? That''s bad! There''s nothing pretty to look at before!" The young girl said, as if she was not that worried with that just her grandpa said. "Grandpa, it''s a good thing that I was born here! I can look at the pretty moons every night!"


    "Kierra, you seem to not understand what I say." The old man said as he lightly flicked Kierra''s forehead. "If there''s no moons tens of thousands of years ago, then how come they''re all here now? Don''t you find that fishy?"


    "Grandpa, why are you asking me about these things? Shouldn''t you be the one telling me?" Kierra replied cheekily as she continued pouting. "Stupid grandpa, always asking me stupid questions¡­"


    "Uck." The old man looked like he was about to cough blood, but he managed to hold it all in as he tried to recover his dignity.


    He let out a cough as he tried to compose himself. It was only when he felt that he can talk that he started to tell his story.


    [Tens of thousands of years ago, the night sky of our world was barren. There were no moons at all, with only the stars in the sky decorating it. The people at that time were all fine with that, since they were already used living that way. But all of that changed when the Queen of the Empire at that time gave birth to four girls. These girls were all twins, making them quadruplets.]


    "Wow, you have princesses in your story!" Kierra shouted out as she clapped her hands. "Continue the story, grandpa!"


    [¡­The girls that the Queen gave birth all grew up to be beautiful ladies, and this turned them into something that the whole Empire held dear. Every male in the Empire started to desire these beautiful ladies. However, it was not only their appearances that made many yearning for them. Each one of them has their own unique traits that makes them appear¡­ more desirable.]


    [Safirra, the yellow-haired woman among the four princesses, was always obsessed with studying the night sky and the stars that dotted it. That obsession of hers made her extremely knowledgeable in the arts of numbers and calculations.]


    [Nessa, the blue-haired woman among the four princesses, was obsessed in writing and painting. Her written works and paintings were all of high quality, making her one of the finest artists in the Human Kingdom.]


    [Drea, the green-haired woman among the four princesses, was always interested on gourmet. She was the best cook in the entirety of the Human Kingdom, but her ability to eat massive meals was also a known thing to everyone. It was practically a miracle that she can still keep her figure even with all the food that she ate.]


    [Then finally there was Claret, the red-haired woman among the four princesses. Unlike the other 3 princesses, Claret was mostly quiet, and there were no documentations of her trying to communicate with people. She could still join with her sisters, but the way she did it was only through stares and nods.]


    [Safirra, Nessa, Drea, and Claret. These 4 were the princesses of the Empire, and they can be considered to be the Empire''s crown jewels.]


    [With their appearance and their talents, the 4 princesses were destined to live a happy life, wherever they go.]


    [However, before these 4 princess could even enjoy their life to the fullest, something bad happened to them.]


    [At the day of their 18th birthday, all 4 princesses suddenly vanished from their rooms, with no one knowing where they went to. Their parents naturally looked for where they could be, but even with all the intense searching that they did, they were unable to find out where the princesses could have been.]


    "Grandpa, were they kidnapped by a dragon? Will they be saved by a handsome knight? Continue the story!" Kierra demanded as she started pulling the beard of the old man. "Faster!"


    [¡­After a year of searching, there was nobody who found where the 4 princesses were. At that point, every person in the Empire started to feel miserable, as all of them loved the 4 princesses. They were miserable, as for they were extremely worried for their condition.]


    [It was at that moment that the first moon appeared in the sky.]


    "The first moon? Only one?"


    [Yes, only one moon. The moon that appeared that time was the moon whose color was blue. Even the light that''s coming out of it was blue, casting a bluish shadow on everything underneath it.]


    "The Blue Moon is cool! I want to take it home and play with it! It''s too bad I can''t reach it¡­" After seeing the sad expression the young girl''s face, the old man tried his best to console Kierra by patting her head.


    This trick seemed to have worked, as the young girl was back to smiling again in no time.


    [At first, when everyone saw the Blue Moon, they all panicked, as they thought that a Calamity was about to arrive. They¡­ were actually right. That Blue Moon was something that changed our world as a whole]


    "The Blue Moon changed the world?"


    [Yes. Once the Blue Moon appeared, it gave our ancestors a blessing and a disaster. The blessing¡­ was able to propel our ancestors to new heights, but the disaster went on to smack them down like a fly.]


    "Ew grandpa! Why are you talking about a fly here? That''s disgusting!"


    [¡­.]

 Chapter 176 Volume 4 Prologue Part 2: The Three Factions

    The old man did his best to ignore what his granddaughter just said as he continued his storytelling.


    [Once the Blue Moon appeared, everyone noticed something with its color. The blue color of the Blue Moon¡­ was exactly similar to the blue color of Princess Nessa''s hair!]


    "Did the princess become a moon? That''s cool!"


    [At that time, nobody was sure if the disappearance of the princesses were related to the appearance of that Blue Moon. Sure, the color was the same, but it could only be a coincidence. So everyone thought of the Blue Moon was something that was just there. But that idea of theirs changed a day after the Blue Moon appeared.]


    [All of a sudden, some people gained a power beyond anything normal. What was astonishing was the fact that the power that they gained were all similar to each other. They all gained the same power.]


    "¡­."


    [These people gained the power to use Symbols and Written Language to bend the rules of reality around them. Their mind and their Symbols were their weapons, making them a force to be reckoned with.]


    "Oh! They''re the Symbolists!"


    [Yes, once these people were able to sort out what their new power can do, they immediately banded together, calling themselves the Symbolists. With their power, they immediately took control of the whole world, bringing all of the non-powered mortals under their rule.]


    [Their reign brought prosperity, as their power gave rise to innovations ahead of their time.]


    [The emergence of the Symbolists was the blessing that the Blue Moon gave to our ancestors. But just like what I said before, the disaster came knocking for their door next.]


    [100 years after the emergence of the Symbolists, the Blue Moon, which was now being worshipped by most of the Symbolists, suddenly let out a bright blue beam of light.]


    [This blue beam of light hit the ground in this world, manifesting something that our ancestors surely will not forget.]


    "¡­."


    [A blue-tinted portal appeared at the place where the blue beam of light hit the ground. That blue-tinted portal was the source of the disaster of the Blue Moon.]


    "Grandpa, is that the First Calamity?"


    [Yes. From that portal came out horrifying beings who started to lay waste to our world. They were so powerful that many died under their hands. Only the Symbolists were able to fight back, but even their presence was not enough to quickly destroy these horrifying beings.]


    [The fight between the Symbolists and these horrifying beings continued for a year, and it was only at that time that the Symbolists were able to defeat their enemies.]


    [Our ancestors won, but they paid a terrible price.]


    [Half of their population was killed, and the Symbolists were barely able to keep a portion of them alive.]


    "Grandpa, why did you make the story dark? I thought this will be a good story¡­"


    [¡­... The damage caused by those horrifying beings were too much, but even with that damage, our ancestors were able to recover!]


    [10,000 years later, and our ancestors were able to fully revert all the damages made by the horrifying beings. Symbolists flourished again, reestablishing the powerful Empire that they had before!]


    "Yay!"


    [¡­They called the arrival of those horrifying beings as The Calamity, and all of our ancestors strived to prevent that from happening again.]


    [But that conviction of theirs disappeared when out of nowhere, a second moon appeared in the night sky.]


    "A second moon? Is it the Green Moon or the Yellow Moon?"


    [The next moon that appeared that time was the Yellow Moon. And to the massive surprise of the people at that time, some of them gained another kind of power.]


    [That time, some of them gained the ability to harness the energy from the Stars, taking them as their own. This power allowed them to create a new line of powerful beings that can stand up against the dominant Symbolists.]


    "Energy of the Stars? Grandpa, are you talking about the Celestials?"


    [Yes, the new group of powered people that appeared after the appearance of the Yellow Moon were the Celestials. With their ability to harness the energy of the stars, most of the Symbolists considered them as a threat and they wanted to cut them down. Of course the Celestials at that time resisted, with them banding together to face off against the Symbolists.]


    [But before they two factions could start a war, disaster arrived once more.]


    [10 years after the emergence of the Celestials, the Yellow Moon shot out a yellow beam of light. Just like what happened with the Blue Moon before, this yellow beam of light opened another portal on the ground. And from this portal, horrifying beings went out again.]


    [That, Kierra, is the Second Calamity. Unlike the First Calamity, the horrifying beings that came out of the Second Calamity were much more powerful compared to the monsters before. Even when the Symbolists and the Celestials were forced to cooperate, they were almost annihilated in the Second Calamity.]


    [It was only through a stroke of luck that they won, managing to kill of the beings that invaded at that time. That is how the Second Calamity has ended.]


    "¡­"


    [Peace came after the Second Calamity. The Symbolists and the Celestials, who were rivals before, made a truce with each other to create an alliance. In that alliance, the Symbolists decided to reside on the ground, while the Celestials decided to live amongst they sky, where they can harness the energy of the stars better.]


    [5,000 years passed by after the end of the Second Calamity, and people thought that there will be no more disasters that will arrive. But they were all wrong.]


    [The third moon suddenly, appeared, with its Green color pulsating slightly in the skies.]


    "¡­."


    [Just like what happened with the first two moons, another power appeared among the residents, which gave rise to the third Faction, the Devourers.]


    [This time around, both the Symbolists and the Celestials wanted to eradicate the Devourers, as their power was something that the first two factions loathed and feared. But the Devourers were able to fend off the threat to their lives by saying that their help will be needed for the Third Calamity, which with the appearance of the Green Moon, will obviously come.]


    [The Symbolists and the Celestials were left with no choice but to stop waging war with the Devourers, but only under the condition that the Devourers will live under the sea. The Devourers accepted this demand, creating their country under the sea.]


    [What happened after that was the whole world preparing for the Third Calamity to arrive. The three factions knew that the Third Calamity will arrive, but they do not know when.]


    [So they waited, and waited, and they waited¡­]


    "¡­"


    [After 1,000 years of waiting, the Symbolists, the Celestials, and the Devourers started to relax, as they thought that maybe there will be no Third Calamity this time.]


    [But once again, they were wrong.]


    [At the instant that the 1,000-year mark has appeared, the Green Moon opened a green portal here in this world. Just like the first two calamities, horrifying beings emerged once more from the portal, and they were monstrously strong compared to the first two Calamities.]


    [Their power was so great that even with the cooperation between the Symbolists, the Celestials, and the Devourers, 90% of the world''s population was killed at that time.]


    "90%! That''s too many grandpa!"


    [But just like the first two calamities, our ancestors were able to survive the Third Calamity. They were able to kill the rest of their enemies, and out of the ashes of their destroyed homes, our ancestors did their best to recover.]


    [And that brings us to the present. Today is the 13, 907th year since the appearance of the Green Moon, the 13,907th year of the Third Calamity Era.]


    [The End]


    "¡­.."


    ****************


    After saying these conclusive words, the old man let out sigh as his body relaxed a little bit.


    As for Kiera, even though she seemed to be overwhelmed by her grandpa''s story, she still tried to talk to him.


    "Grandpa, since you mentioned the Princesses earlier, are you telling me that their disappearance was related to the moons?"


    "There''s no conclusive evidence, but scholars think that the two cases were definitely related." The old man replied as he started to become animated.


    "Nessa, the blue-haired princess, loved writing and painting. Look at the Blue Moon. Its color was said to be similar to the color of Nessa''s hair! Not only that! Look at the Symbolists! They appeared when the Blue Moon appeared! Look at their abilities! Their power relies on symbols and writing, which was suspiciously similar to Nessa''s talents!"


    The old man then continued speaking, as he ignored Kiera looking at him with a blank stare.


    "The Yellow Moon''s color can be attribute to Safirra, the yellow-haired princess! And Safirra''s interest lies on observing the stars, which aligns with the power of the Celestials! The Green Moon? It''s similar to Drea''s hair color, and her love of eating obviously parallels with the abilities of the Devourers! Can''t you see it Kiera? The moon and the princesses are definitely related!"


    The old man then started to wheeze after saying these words, prompting a slightly put-off expression on Kiera''s face.


    "But Grandpa, if what you say is correct, then will a Red Moon appear too? There is still Claret, the red-haired princess, right?"


    "Nobody''s sure of it, but many believe that in the future, a Red Moon will appear too, completing the line-up of the four moons." The old man replied as he let out a sigh.


    The old man then looked at Kiera, ruffling her hair with affection as he said,


    "If you''re scared about the Red Moon appearing now, don''t be. It''s been 13,000 years since the Third Calamity, and even if the Red Moon does appear, I don''t think it will be in our time. So¡­ just enjoy looking at the pretty moons, ok?"


    "Un!" Kiera replied as her worried gaze disappeared under the old man''s advice.


    "Sigh¡­" Once he successfully calmed his granddaughter down, the old man looked up to the sky, wanting to see the majestic appearances of the three moons once more.


    But at the instant that the old man looked to the sky, his eyes went wide with fear as his breathing began to hasten.


    "No f**king way¡­" The old man started to tremble in fear, as his mind could not accept what he was seeing now. "This is not true!"


    "Grandpa, what''s the problem?" Kiera asked as she saw the old man''s horrified expression."Did a monster appear, or-"


    Just like her grandfather, Kiera also froze on her tracks as her gaze passed through the night sky.


    "Grandpa, why are you lying to me again?" This was all that Kiera could say as she could see that right now, there were four moons floating in the sky.


    Yes, four moons. Not three moons.


    "I''m sorry Kiera."


    "¡­."


    Both the old man and Kiera could only hug each other in an attempt to console themselves.


    Their eyes were tearing up, observing the color of the fourth moon in the sky.


    The moon was blood-red in color, staining the sky with the color of violence and death.


    As the fourth moon spread out its red light on their hut, the old man could only lean against the wall as he let out a despairing smile.


    "The Red Moon has appeared. The Red Moon has appeared. Oh gods, please spare us from the calamity¡­"

 Chapter 177 AFC

    At the instant that Alex completed the Main Mission on the Superhuman World, he and his Companions were immediately transported to their next world.


    Right now, Alex found himself situated near the top of a steep mountain, with countless barren rocks surrounding him.


    The mentioned mountain only had few trees on it, which allowed Alex to have a perfect view of the skyabove him.


    "Yup, this is a different world. Definitely." Alex muttered to himself as he looked up at the night sky.


    Alex had the right to say this sentence, as right now, Alex could see three different-colored moons shining brightly in the night sky with all their might.


    "Blue, Yellow, and Green Moons. Damn, this world is weird." That was all that Alex could say as he realized that this is actually the first time that he went to a place with more than one moon.


    "¡­"


    After looking at the moons for a few more seconds, Alex looked to his side, as he wanted to see the reactions of Alina and Queen Mother.


    Both of these females seemed to be unperturbed with what they were seeing, as they looked to be more focused on scouting their surroundings.


    As for the dumb fairy Asteria, she was currently flying all around Alina, as if she was begging Alina to play with her.


    "So, what should we do? Should we just stay here, or should we look for anyone living nearby?" As Alex developed this thought in his head, he could not help but use his FED Manipulation to sense any humans nearby.


    "Hong~"


    To Alex''s relief, he sensed 100+ people living on this mountain, with 98 of them living near the mountain''s base, and the last 2 living at the top of the mountain.


    "Alina, there''s two people living just at the top of the mountain. Since we are already near at the top, should we approach them or not?" Alex asked Alina as he saw her stopping on looking around.


    "Do you think we will be in danger?" That was Alina''s quick reply as Queen Mother looked at their conversation with interest.


    "I don''t think we will be in danger¡­." Alex replied as he shook his head. "You know that I can somehow sense danger when its near, making it easy for me to be a little prudent about my surroundings. Right now, there''s nothing dangerous in this mountain, so I guess it will be safe for us to approach them."


    "Ok" Both Alina and Queen Mother replied as Asteria let out a pout, with Alina still ignoring her.


    "Hmph!" In the end, the dumb fairy only let out a hmph as she flew back to Alex, landing on top of his head.


    "Yeah, let those two deal with this problem." Alex thought to himself as he decided not to meddle on whatever dispute Alina and Asteria had. "I already had my hand full on keeping us alive¡­ I don''t want to jeopardize that by offending two scary women¡­."


    Alex allowed Asteria to settle down on the top of his head for a few more seconds before he started to talk.


    "Since we have agreed to visit, then we should set out now." Alex said as he stood up, trudging through the rocky path towards the top of the mountain.


    Alina and Queen Mother followed behind him, with the both of them engaging with small talks with each other.


    "¡­Mountain climbing really is fun." Alex thought to himself fondly, as he felt soothed by the crisp and quiet atmosphere here on the mountainside.


    "Maybe I can ask for my own personal mountain? That will be reall-LOOK OUT!" Out of nowhere, Alex suddenly felt an intense sense of danger enveloping his whole body.


    He immediately crouched down, as he realized that the danger that he felt just now was the greatest out of all the dangers that he had sensed before!


    "Where is it coming from?" Alex snarled to himself, as he felt that the danger seems to be coming everywhere.


    No, that is not the right term.


    The danger IS PRESENT EVERYWHERE.


    Looking behind him, he could see Alina and Queen Mother both crouching down, with their bodies tense and rigid.


    Even if they do not have the same danger sense like Alex, it seemed like they were still able to sense something wrong. Couple that with Alex''s current state, and it was enough to make the two of them this wary.


    "S**t, s**t, s**t!" I just came into this world, and I''m already facing the final boss? What the flying hell?" Alex cursed to himself inwardly as he wondered if he should put himself into his full power mode right now.


    But before Alex could even decide, his Emotion Sense started to detect something too.


    "!!!!"


    Right now, Alex could sense that all the 100 people living on this mountain were having two kinds of emotions.


    FEAR AND DESPAIR.


    Alex felt this tongue go numb as he could literally sense the fear and despair of these people permeating the very air around him.


    Alex was surprised at the intensity of their fear and despair, as if they just saw something that was enough to make them this scared.


    It was at that moment that Alex noticed that his shadow started to have a red hue on it.


    "Red?" After seeing the sudden shift on his shadow''s appearance, Alex could not help but look up.


    "What the¡­" And there, Alex saw it.


    There was a fourth moon hovering in the sky right now, and its color was Blood-Red.


    Even with Alex''s advanced eyesight, he still could not observe the features of this moon perfectly.


    The only thing that he was sure of was that the moon''s blood-red color was of the same intensity with the first three moons.


    "¡­: As Alex stared at this moon, he became more and more sure of it.


    This Red Moon was the source of the intense danger that Alex was still sensing now!


    "That explains why the people in this mountain suddenly became fearful and despaired." Alex thought to himself as he decided to stay in his current place. "They must have known what the meaning of a Red Moons was. That could be the only reason why they became scared as the Red Moon appeared¡­"


    As Alex reached this conclusion, he realized what he must do right now.


    "I need to know everything about the Moons of his world! There''s no doubt my Main Mission is related to this!" Alex thought to himself as he started to climb up.


    With Asteria saying that she still does not have the data of their Main Mission in this world, Alex was left with no choice but to investigate everything that he can before the directive for their Main Mission arrives.


    Because of that, Alex decided to approach the 2 people living at the top of the mountain, knowing that they would be helpful for his information gathering.


    Alina and Queen Mother seems to have understood what Alex was thinking, as they started to follow him.


    This time around, Alex did not climb the mountain like a relaxed tourist.


    He hastened his pace, as he knew that the faster he can get the info, the higher the chances for him and his Companions to survive.


    After a minute of intense walking, Alex and his Companions arrived at their target location.


    Just 10 meters in front of Alex was an old bamboo hut, whose walls are frayed and peppered with holes.


    Its roof and body seemed to be barely holding themselves together, and the only thing stopping the whole hut from collapsing was a bunch of straws tied all around the hut.


    It''s quite obvious with just one look that whoever lives in this hut were extremely poor.


    This gave Alex some good options, as he knew that as long as he entices the residents of this hut with good things, they will give Alex all the info that he wanted.


    But before Alex could plan the things that he could use, the door of the hut suddenly opened.


    As the hut''s door opened, Alex saw a tall figure lumbering out.


    The tall figure was a long, lanky old man with white hair and beard that were way longer than what they should normally be.


    This old man was also wearing some rags, making his appearance look extremely disheveled.


    "You! What the hell are you doing here!" These were the first words that came out of the old man''s mouth as he stared at Alex and his Companions with hostility. "Were you sent here to bother us again?"


    As the old man said these words, Alex sensed that the old man''s fear and despair disappeared, only for it to be replaced by smoldering rage.


    "Hey! We''re not like that!" Alex hastily replied, as he started waving his hands atop his head. "We are travelers who just happened to get here! We don''t plan on bringing harm on you! I swear that with my life!"


    The old man suddenly paused after hearing what Alex said, as if he was busy on dissecting it.


    A few seconds passed by before the old man gave his reply.


    "Young lad¡­ it seems like you are not lying at all. Interesting." The old man suddenly said, much to Alex''s relief and surprise.


    "You know that I''m not lying?" Alex could not help but ask, as he gave a sideways glance at Alina. "Do you really trust that judgement of yours?"


    "¡­" After hearing what Alex said, the old man went silent for a few seconds, before he started to laugh loudly.


    "Hahaha! You''re worried that this old man will be wrong with his judgement? Na?ve youngsters!"


    The old man then continued laughing for more than a minute as Alex watched him with confusion.


    "I lived a long life already. Of course I will know when someone is lying!" The old man finally said as his laughing stopped. "When you''re as old and as experienced as me, you can use those experience to know who''s lying or not!"


    "He''s not lying Alex, he''s telling the truth." Alina muttered behind Alex as a sense of awe could be heard from her voice.


    "I do not know if I should be happy from hearing that or not." Alex thought to himself glumly as he looked back at the old man.


    The old man just looked at Alex back, prompting an awkward staring contest.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    When the staring contest between the two started to take long enough, the old man broke out as he let out a cough.


    "So, what do you travelers want to do in my house?" The old man asked Alex as he leaned against the hut.


    The hut slightly swayed from the old man''s weight, but it held firm.


    "Well¡­" Alex started to scratch his head as he tried to say something, but before he could talk, someone beat him to the punch.


    "We''re here to eat, and I will be happy if you will join us on our dinner." Alina said as she placed her hand on Alex''s shoulder. "We brought fried chicken with us, and I will appreciate it if you will join us for dinner."


    "Dinner? But-" The old man looked like he wanted to refuse Alina''s offer, but before he could finish the rejection, another person went out of the hut.


    "Did somebody just said fried chicken?" The one who uttered this question was a young girl, who appeared to be around 4-5 years old.


    Her long, silky black hair and her pretty face, coupled with her bright eyes gave her a very welcoming look.


    Her cuteness was so great that evenAlex found her to be admirable.


    However, that cuteness of hers was marred by the old clothes that she was wearing. They were still able to function as clothes pretty well, but they looked so old and worn up that they could be broken any second now.


    As Alex looked at the little girl, he felt some slight pity for her, as he realized that the little girl must have been living in poor conditions these days.


    "What a poor little girl." Alex thought to himself as he looked at the little girl, who seemed to be salivating right now.


    "¡­"


    After seeing this, Alex could not help but glare at the old man, as he felt somewhat angry that this old man was letting a little girl live in these kind of conditions.


    "¡­"


    Alina seemed to be thinking of the same thing too, although her gaze was solely concentrated on the little girl.


    "¡­"


    Alina started to give the little girl a kind gaze as she asked her,


    "Little girl, I have fried chicken with me. Do you want to eat with us? I invited your old man to eat, but it seems like he does not want to¡­"


    "Grandpa! Please don''t reject them! I want to eat fried chicken!" The little girl shouted out, as she gave the old man a pleading look. "Pleasepleaepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease!"


    "You heard what your granddaughter just said. She wants to eat, so you should let her eat." Alex said as saw the little girl pulling her grandpa''s left am. "You don''t want making your granddaughter cry, right?"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 178 Fragran

    Minutes later.


    Under the heavy pestering of the little girl, her grandfather was left with no choice but to let Alex and his Companions in.


    "Don''t think that just because I let you in that you will be entitled to make us do anything¡­" The old man said as he gave a glare to Alex and Alina. "We may be poor, but we won''t be some kind of people that will just roll over for you!"


    "Grandpa! Don''t be rude to them! They''re giving us free food!" The little girl said as she suddenly pinched the old man''s waist."What if they leave now?"


    "Pfft¡­" Alex could barely hold his laughter as he watched the old man getting manhandled by his own granddaughter.


    He only stopped giggling when Alina gave him a death glare.


    "¡­.."


    ***********


    As they entered the old man''shut, Alina started to access the fried chicken inside her Storage.


    While Alina was retrieving the fried chicken, Alex distracted the old man and the little girl, allowing Alina to place the fried chicken inside the pouch slung on her back.


    The trick seemed to have worked, as it seemed like the little girl and the old man did not notice anything weird from happening.


    "Forgive us if our house was just like this." The old man said as he and his granddaughter sat in front of a small table located at the center of the hut.


    The table itself wasworn out, although it seemed like it was large enough to accommodate 5 people.


    As Alex saw this table, he started to look around him, observing the objects inside the hut.


    "¡­" As far as what Alex can see, there were only minimal number of objects inside the hut, probably only the enough number to accommodate the needs of the old man and the little girl.


    "Don''t worry old man, I had actually seen worse." Alex replied as he deliberately sat beside the old man.


    As for Alina and Queen Mother, they sat on the left and right sides of the little girl, which seemed to have been too much for the little girl herself.


    "Big Sisters! You both smell good! Do you have fragrant sweat? The little girl suddenly asked as she tilted her head. "Grandpa tells me that the pretty women that he sometimes visit all smell good because they have fragrant sweat..."


    "What the?" Alex almost choked out as he heard what the little girl said. "Your grandpa said that he visits pretty women sometimes?"


    "Yes!" The little girl replied quickly as she nodded her head. "Grandpa says that sometimes, he had to relieve his stress, and it''s those pretty women that removes his stress... They''re pretty cool, right?"


    "Nope, nope, nope." Alex repeatedly said as he shook his head. "They''re not cool at all."


    "???" The little girl could only give Alex an inquisitive look, as she seemed to not understand what Alex was implying.


    "¡­"


    Needless to say, the sudden turn of the conversation made everyone in the hut feel extremely uncomfortable, especially Alex.


    "Ugh, this is so awkward¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he glared at the old man, who looked like he was butchered by the words the little girl just said.


    "¡­"


    The old man did not say anything to Alex, although the pleading look in his eyes was understood by Alex already.


    After glaring at the old man, Alex stared back at the little girl, with him realizing that the little girl was still waiting for Alex to give his answer.


    "¡­"


    "Well, how should I explain this¡­" Alex stuttered as he tried to think of a way to explain what he was thinking about.


    Obviously, he cannot just say to the little girl that her grandpa has been ''getting it on'' with those pretty women.


    She''s 4 years old, for god''s sake!


    Nobody ever tells a 4-year old girl about a brothel! That''s just extremely immoral!


    "So, how should I go with this?" Alex thought to himself sourly as he scratched his head.


    Its either tell the truth to the girl or not tell the truth to the girl.


    Telling the truth to the girl will be extremely wrong, obviously.


    But not telling the truth to thegirl will be just bad too, since it''s highly likely that the little girl will pester Alex for answers until he caves in.


    That in itself was also bad!


    As he was thinking of these conflicting things, Alex let out a tired sigh as he looked once more to the old man.


    "¡­" As a fellow man, Alex can somehow understand the old man''s dilemma. However, Alex had no freedom to console the old man now, as he could feel the cold stares of both Alina and Queen Mother drilling on his back.


    Just the cold stares from these two were enough to make Alex lose his sympathy to the old man.


    "Hmm, what to do¡­"


    After some few seconds of thinking, Alex let out a sigh, as he realized what he should do.


    He must find a balance between the two sides.


    He gave Alina a pleading look before he looked back at the little girl, who was still waiting for his answer.


    Alex smacked his lips a few times before he started to talk to the little girl.


    "Well, you see, every time your grandpa visits those women, he pays them some money." Alex said, as he decided to not tell anything inappropriate to the little girl. "He pays them with a lot of money! That''s bad right? He spends money for something that he can use to feed you both!"


    "¡­"


    By saying that her grandpa was wasting money, Alex can make the little girl get angry with her grandpa, without necessarily telling anything shameless to the little girl.


    This is the idea that Alex used, and he gave himself a satisfied smirk as he finished saying his words.


    "But my grandpa looks healthier after he visits those women!" The little girl protested as she stared at Alex. "If my grandpa needs to pay with money to make his body healthier, then I won''t be complaining! I love grandpa after all, and I want him to always stay healthy!"


    "Oh great, now that option has been shot down ¡­" Alex thought to himself wearily as he kneaded his forehead. "How could I expect that this little girl could this be pure and loyal?"


    Since that explanation was shot down, Alex decided to use his alternative explanation.


    "Every time your grandpa visits those women, he leaves you alone, right?" Alex said as he decided to use the sense of isolation to make the little girl angry. "Leaving you alonehere in the mountain is not good, right?"


    "I don''t have a problem with that, since this mountain is safe!" The little girl proudly said as she raised her fists. "No monsters can enter this mountain, and all the people below are scared of grandpa! So even if grandpa leaves me alone, I will still be safe! Oh, and if grandpa does not come back on time, I will be angry to him! Hmph, even grandpa has to beg if he wants my forgiveness!"


    "Oh god, this is just hopeless¡­" That was all that Alex could say as he resisted the urge to facepalm.


    In front of him, he could see Alina giving him a sympathetic look, while Queen Mother was giving him a faintly amused one.


    At his side, he could sense the old man letting out a sigh of relief, as if he just averted a disaster.


    "Well, how about we start eating now?" The old man said as he patted the little girl''s head fondly. "My little girl is hungry already. Or do you want her to stay like this?"


    Right on cue, the little girl gave Alina puppy eyes, making the swordswoman unable to refuse.


    "Clank, clank." Clanking sounds could be heard as Alina emptied out her pocket, filling the plate on the table with a pile of fried chickens.


    "Yay! It''s so many!" The little girl was unable to stop herself anymore as she immediately leapt forward, grabbing two fried chickens, with one on each of her hand.


    The little girl wasted no time as she started munching on the food with relish.


    "Chump, chump, chump."


    As the little girl started to eat with relish, Alex and the other started to eat too.


    The old man also started to eat, only with more manners compared to the little girl.


    *************


    "¡­"


    Alex was silent as he observed the current emotions of his two new acquaintances.


    Even with the satisfaction brought by them eating fried chicken, the little girl and the old man still had some traces of fear inside them.


    This fear, as far as Alex knew, was the one that surfaced when the Red Moon suddenly appeared earlier.


    And with his emotion sensing, Alex could still feel that the people living at the base of the mountain were still full of fear even until now.


    Analyze these facts together, and its result made something quite obvious to Alex.


    And that was the fact that the appearance of the Red Mooncould represent something so frightening and so hellish that it was enough to incite fear to anyone who resides in this world.


    "But what does the Red Moon represent?" Alex thought to himself as he gave a sideways glance to the old man. "Could there be a prophecy saying that the world will end once 4 moons appear? Or that the Red Moon will lead to the death of many?"


    With this raging curiosity inside him, Alex decided to do everything that he can to make the old man spill out information without Alex accidentally outing his lack of knowledge of this world.


    "I can ask the old man to tell me some stories of his life¡­ Those kind of stores can give me some insights on how this world works. Yeah, that will definitely work!"


    After reaching this conclusion, Alex already set out to make the old man start talking.


    But before Alex could open his mouth, something suddenly happened with the little girl.


    "Ah!" Out of nowhere, the little girl suddenly started to glow red, with her body fervently releasing bright rays of red light.


    After leaving the little girl''s body, these rays of red light started to bounce all around the hut, creating a scene that was too bright and painful to look at.


    All in all, what happened to the little girl was something that was hard to understand.


    To make the matters weirder, Alex also saw that the little girl''s body was being affected by the red glow around her.


    It was only minute, but Alex could see some slight shifting on the little girl''s posture, appearance, and even bearing,


    "Tsk, what is this?" Alex thought to himself as he watched what was happening to the little girl with wariness. "Is this the effect of the Red Moon already?"


    Knowing that just thinking won''t help him out here, Alex immediately swung his head towards the old man, who was watching what was happening to the little girl with a mixture of numerous emotions.


    "Old man, what the hell is happening with the little girl?" Alex asked the old man as he approached him. "Is she in danger?"


    "She''s not in danger, but after this night, Kiera will be in a lot of danger." This was the old man''s reply to Alex''s question.


    Needless to say, Alex was confused by that answer.


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 179 Blacksun

    "What do you mean huh? Can''t you see it?" The old man hissed as he whispered to Alex. "Kiera¡­ she''s going to be one of them now!"


    "¡­" Alex eyes narrowed as he stared at the sudden change of the old man''s attitude.


    Earlier, the old man was still able to keep his calm, but right now, he was just a panicking mess.


    The old man''s breathing was harried, and his emotions were starting to spin out of control.


    Whatever was happening to Kiera right now must have been so bad that it could elicit a reaction like this from the old man.


    "Because of the Red Moon, Kiera is about to gain a power!" The old man almost shouted as he grabbed Alex''s shoulder. "That is how things work when a new moon appears!"


    "Yeah¡­" Alex mumbled in reply as he took note of this info inside his mind.


    "So every time a new moon appears, a new kind of power appears too? If that''s true, then that means that the Blue, Yellow, and Green Moons represent a different power of their own." Alex thought to himself as he maintained a blank expression on his face. "So there''s at least 3 different kinds of power systems here¡­"


    That discovery did not make Alex feel better, as he realized that the world that he came in was much more mysterious and dangerous than what he could have expected.


    "This is really bad!" the old man continued to say as he grasped his white hair. "With the appearance of the Red Moon, I am sure many will be starting to panic! And those who gains new powers from the Red Moon could be targeted!"


    "What do you mean by targeted?" Alex asked as he saw Alina and Queen Mother doing their best to calm Kiera down. "Will someone deranged attack your granddaughter just because she gained a new power? That seems reckless."


    "Reckless? Yes it is, but I am sure that some of them will still do it!" The old man replied as he let out a sigh.He leaned back against the wall of the hut as a despairing expression appeared on his face.


    "Even if the Symbolists, Celestials, and the Devourers had publicly made a promise to not kill anyone who will gain a new power if the Red Moon appears, I am sure that they are planning to do something different to them!"


    "!!!" Alex''s ears perked up after hearing what the old man just said, taking note of the three cool-sounding names that he just heard.


    "Instead of killing them, I think that the Symbolists, Celestials, and the Devourers will try to enslave the people who gained power from the Red Moon! That way, the rise of the Fourth Faction will be prevented, and they will also be able to raise their own power too!"


    "That''s¡­ politics." Alex said as he could understand the old man''s point. "There''s nothing that we could do to deny that."


    As Alex said these words, his eyes narrowed as he tried to create as much info that he can from what he just heard.


    From the looks of it, it seems like the Symbolists, the Celestials, and the Devourers were the controlling powers in this world.


    Their powers could have been related to the first 3 moons, and the appearance of the 4th moon meant that another faction was about to rise.


    Obviously the first three factions won''t be happy with this. They were already in a position of power, so why would they let another faction rise up to contend to them?


    This new faction will obviously be prevented from gaining its full strength.


    But from what Alex could deduce from the old man''s sentences, the first three factions does not dare to kill the new faction.


    Alex was not sure on why the Three Factions hesitate on killing, when it was the best thing to do here, butmaybe there''s still something that Alex does not know yet.


    So if killing is out of question, then how will the first three factions stop the new faction from growing?


    Well, just like what the old man said, enslaving the new faction will be the best thing to do here.


    Not only will the new faction be prevented to grow, their power will also be a boost the forces of the Three Factions.


    That''s a win-win situation right there.


    "So, you are telling me that since Kiera was one of the people who gained a new power from the Red Moon, she will be most likely targeted by the Symbolists, Celestial, and the Devourers?" Alex asked the old man as he stared at the old man''s haggard face. "Surely they won''t target a child, right?"


    "You think too much of them, young lad." The old man snorted in reply as he started to look around him warily. "The Symbolists might be the most knowledgeable out of the Three Factions, but their thirst for knowledge will make them do unspeakable things! The Celestials on the other hand are just arrogant pricks. Taking slaves are their hobbies! As for the Devourers? They are just twisted beings! They surely won''t hesitate taking children as slaves! That''s just normal for them!"


    Alex was sure that the old man was exaggerating some of the words that he uttered, but he managed to get the message across.


    "So, what will you do about that?" Alex said as he stared at the old man. "If your little girl will be in danger, does that mean that you will just hide her here, where she will not be detected by any of those Three Factions?"


    "Hide her here? Hell no!" The old man replied angrily as he shook his head.


    The old man then pointed his finger to the sky as he said,


    "See the sky above this mountain? That is a spot where some airships of the Symbolists pass through! If one of those damned Symbolists passes above this place, that Symbolist will detect Kiera and her new power! Once that happens, it''s over for us!"


    "So you will leave." Alex said, which elicited a nod from the old man.


    "Yes, we will leave, and we will do it right now." The old man said as he started to gather everything that he can, placing them in a large sack. "Once Kiera finishes gaining her new power, we will leave this mountain, and we will look for a safe place where we can hide safely."


    As the old man increased the amount of the objects inside this sack, Alex opened his mouth, as if he was about to say something to the old man.


    "Don''t." The old man suddenly said, as if he could read what Alex was thinking right now. "Don''t think of that. We can protect ourselves pretty easily."


    "But-" Alex''s words were cut off as the old man interrupted him.


    "I can see that you three were all powerful people, but I can also see that you were about to do something that was very important." The old man said as he shook his head. "Why should we bother you, when you were obviously doing something important?"


    "¡­"


    Alex could get the old man''s point.


    Alex was here to do a mission, and taking care of an old man and his granddaughter is not one of those.


    But even if they were not his responsibility, Alex was not that cold enough to just let someone be this open to danger.


    Since the old man seems adamant on going alone, Alex will respect his request.


    But that does not mean that he will just let the old man go on like this.


    "Okay, I won''t say anything now, but before you go, please let me give something to you first." Alex said as he attempted to withdraw something from his Storage.


    But before he could even start the access, he suddenly heard rumbling sounds above him.


    "Rumble¡­"


    "No!!!" In front of Alex, he could see the old man''s face paling by several degrees, as if he just saw the end of the world. "Why are they appearing now?"


    "Rumble¡­" As the rumblings started to increase, Alex felt the body of Asteria shifing on top of his head.


    A few seconds later, and Asteria flew out, electing to float in front of Alex''s eyes.


    Before Alex could swat the fairy away, Asteria opened her mouth, and out came was her mission-giving voice.


    [BONUS MISSION: Defeat the Symbolists and save Kiera Blacksun. Mission Reward will be 50 years of lifespan and a Bonus Item. Failure to succeed the Mission will void all the possible Bonus Mission Rewards.]


    "Oh god, now we have to fight?"

 Chapter 180 The Inquiries

    @@


    This chapter willactually be me inquiring about something from the readers, since I am curious about something...


    Next real chapter will come later!


    1. Describe each Volume of this novel by using only 7 words for each volume.


    2. Think of a twist that could appear in Volume 4! I want you all to think about this!


    3. At this point, who''s your favorite character and your hated character?@@

 Chapter 181 Knowledge is Power!

    Tonight was not certainly a good night for Artos.


    Not only did his latest experiment fail, he was even punished from that failure by making him manage a shipment transport!


    For Artos, whose pride lies on the fact that he was an enlightened academic, being forced to manage an airship was something that stung him deeply!


    "Tsk, I just wanted to see if I can make a 100-layered Symbol Matrix on a piece of paper. Do they really need to punish me when the paper exploded at the 10th layer?" Artos angrily mumbled to himself as he leaned back on his chair.


    "They could have just asked me to pay for the damages! That is the rule in the lab! But no, my supervisors decided that it will be better if I just join the laborers here in this effing airship! Learn to be humble my ass! They just want me out of the labs so that they won''t be bothered by me anymore! F**king geezers¡­" Artos said these words angrily as he shook his head. "What a waste of my time!"


    If Artos could use his power to leave this airship, then he could have done so already.


    But he can''t, as he has to follow the directives given to him right now.


    Artos is a Symbolist, so he had no choice but to follow the instructions given to him.


    Being this obedient might sound absurd, but following protocols and directives was something that should be done so that each Symbolist can be considered mentally fit to use their abilities.


    If a Symbolist does not follow a directive, then that will constitute an instant punishment.


    "¡­" Artos personally knew what happens to those who don''t follow the directives, so had no choice left but to join the airship.


    "Hmph, I could have been using all this free time to read some good academic papers... Instead, I have to supervise this useless ship! Bah!" Artos could not contain his anger anymore, as he kicked one of the guards standing beside him.


    "Thud." To his disappointment, his kick did nothing to his guard, who only gave Artos a blank stare.


    "Effing Body Symbolists..." Artos muttered to himself as he let out a sigh. "Why do you always have to be this tough? You make this shipment so boring!"


    For Artos, the existence of Body Symbolists was something that he found to be extremely undesirable.


    After all Body Symbolists were just crazy people!


    Originally, Symbolists write their Symbols on the medium around them.


    Air, fluids, papers, wood, metal, as long as it was within the Symbolist''s presence, they can use their power there.


    However, there were some crazy Symbolists who place their Symbols on their bodies!


    That was extremely outrageous for Artos, as the human body was not just suited to be inscripted with Symbols!


    Symbols were the manifestation of a Symbolist''s knowledge and imagination.


    Something like the human body, which has a life on its own, will usually reject the presence of these Symbols.


    That observation could be said to be true from the results of Symbolists aspiring to be Body Symbolists.


    Out of the many Symbolists who put Symbols on their bodies, only few survives, and by that time, their minds and bodies were already warped beyond recognition.


    Even if their body somehow accepted the Symbols, their bodies has to change in order to accommodate these Symbols.


    One such example of that were Artos'' two bodyguards, who were both Body Symbolists.


    Their skins were cracked and hardened beyond recognition, their heads were misshapen and their limbs were long and spindly,giving them a hideous appearance that only the Devourers could beat.


    Even he was with these guards for a year already, Artos still felt some shivers as he looked at the appearance of his guards.


    But even if he disdains the existence of the Body Symbolists, Artos could still appreciate the power and efficiency of the Body Symbolists.


    A Symbolist''s focus was their mind and knowledge, as their power comes from there.


    With their focus only on their minds, the body of a normal Symbolist was just comparable to a normal human.


    The Body Symbolists on the other hand, had no such limitation.


    With their body marked with Symbols, a Body Symbolist''s body was considerably tougher compared to a normal Symbolist.


    With this kind of trait, most of the Body Symbolists were hired to protect Symbolists of high position.


    Of course some Symbolic Artifacts can help protect a normal Symbolist from harm, but the presence of a Body Symbolist can give better protection to a normal Symbolist.


    Oh, and their tough bodies also mean that they can take some beating without any harm, which Artos had been doing for the past 6 hours already.


    "Tsk¡­" As Artos continued kicking his two bodyguards, he let out another sigh as he remembered the second reason for his bad mood today.


    "F**king Red Moon¡­." Artos muttered to himself as he looked up, seeing the feared Moon releasing its red light onto the darkness. "If you did not appear, I could have been back to my lab already! But because of you, I have to take some detours! F**k!"


    ***********


    When the Red Moon appeared minutes earlier, Artos and everyone in the ship naturally panicked, and the first thing that Artos decided to do was to change the ship''s destination and head to the nearest Symbol Tower.


    But before Artos could give this command to the ship captain, he received a long-distance message, which came from the Grand Symbolist himself.


    Because it was the strongest Symbolist in the world who gave the message, Artos had no choice but to receive it.


    To deny it was to deny the Grand Symbolist, and Artos was not that crazy to do that.


    [[[To all the Symbolists out in the field tonight. The Red Moon, codenamed Claret has appeared. With the previous happenings from the first three moons, it is highly likely that a Fourth Faction is about to rise tonight. However, I, as the Grand Symbolist, had deemed it extremely dangerous to let another faction rise. The world already reached its balance with the Three Factions, and the appearance of a fourth faction will destroy this balance.]]]


    "¡­"


    [[[Hence I command you all! Look for the members of the fourth faction, capture them, and make them loyal servants of the Symbolists! Capture as many as you want! Your success will mean the success of the Symbolists! ]]]


    "What the f***¡­."


    [[[¦Ç ¦Ã¦Í?¦Ò¦Ç ¦Å?¦Í¦Á¦É ¦Ä?¦Í¦Á¦Ì¦Ç!(Knowledge is Power!)]]]


    "¦Ç ¦Ã¦Í?¦Ò¦Ç ¦Å?¦Í¦Á¦É ¦Ä?¦Í¦Á¦Ì¦Ç¡­" Artos muttered unenthusiastically as the message of the Grand Symbolist came to an end. "Do we really need to look for them now? I want to go home already!"


    "Sir Artos, you heard the commandment of the Grand Symbolist." Ted, one of the guards that Artos was kicking earlier, said as he stared at him. "As your guards, we won''t let you go back unless we catch members of the fourth faction."


    "¡­" Artos resisted the urge to shout at Ted, as he knew that doing so will be just a blatant act of disrespect against the Grand Symbolist''s commandment.


    "Hmph, of course I know about that." Artos replied angrily as he crossed his arms. He then looked at the captain of this ship, who was a Symbolist like him.


    Unlike Artos, who was one of the heads of a Polis(City State), the ship captain was just one of their normal residents.


    There''s no way for the captain to refuse Artos'' order, and he naturally took advantage of that.


    "Use your full speed on this ship! As for the other Symbolists, use your power to detect any abnormalities on the ground below!" Artos said as he began to bark commands on the ship crew. "Make sure that you do your job well, or else, you could be sent to the containment camps!"


    These words of Artos seemed to have done its magic, as all the crews of the ship started to move, with panic evident on their faces.


    ***************


    "In order for me to get a member of the fourth faction, I have to go to a populated area." Artos muttered to himself as he leaned back on his chair. "Going to a Polis won''t do right now. I''m sure other Symbolists have already secured themselves there¡­ So in that case, I just have to go to a city with non-powered people¡­ I''m sure only few Symbolists will place their attention there."


    "You! Where is the nearest non-powered city from here?" Artos barked at the ship captain, who seemed to be doing his best to keep the ship on its optimum state.


    "There is a merchant city, around 3 leagues from here, Sir Artos." The ship captain replied as he wiped the sweat from his forehead. "It will take us 3 minutes to arrive there at our current state."


    "Good. Now, plot your destination on that place. The faster that we get there, the better it will be for all of us." Artos dismissively said as he tilted his head.


    "Understood, Sir Artos." Artos did not show any indication that he heard this reply, as he started to let out a bored yawn.


    "This is so boring¡­"


    However, this sentiment of his changed when one of the ship''s crew members suddenly let out an excited shout.


    "Sir Artos, I detected an anomaly, around 100 paces on our left side! It came from the top of a barren mountain!"


    "Good! Let''s head there right now!" Artos shouted as he pointed his finger at the ship captain. "What are you doing? Go there!"


    "Yes Sir Artos!" The poor ship captain was unable to even let out a whimper as he forced the ship to decelerate and detour.


    As the ship let out some groaning sounds, Artos let out an excited smile as he prepared his stele. The stele glowed brightly inside the ship, displaying that enthusiasm that Artos was feeling right now.


    "¦Ö¦Ñ?¦Í¦Ï ¦Ã¦É¦Á ¦Í¦Á ¦Ð?¦Ñ¦Å¦Ó¦Å ¦Ê?¦Ð¦Ï¦É¦Ï ¦Ò¦Ê¦Ë?¦Â¦Ï?!(Time to get a slave!)"

 Chapter 182 Drills!!!

    After he heard Asteria''s announcement, the first thing that Alex did was to check all his available powers.


    "¡­" As he observed his Esper and Abyss Abilities, Alex let out both a frown and smile at the same time, as what he saw were both bad and good news.


    The bad news was that his Esper Ability was weakened by 10 times in this world.


    For Alex, whose favorite attacks rely on his Esper Ability, a ten-time reduction in power was somewhat bad for him!


    But on the other hand, the good news that Alex had was his discovery that his Abyss Abilities were actually enhanced by 5 times here in this world!


    That just means that any Abyss Abilities that Alex uses right now will be 5 times stronger than before!


    "So this world leans more to the mystical rather than the scientific side¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he straightened hisbody. "Well, at least this world still allows Esper Abilities to exist, even in a weakened form..."


    Alex''s musings were then cut off as he looked back at the old man, who was now sprawled on the floor on all fours.


    His face was starting to tear up, as if he just screwed up big time now.


    "I''m sorry Kiera¡­ your grandpa failed to protect you¡­" The old man mumbled to himself as he started to sniffle. Just in front of him, Kiera was still being affected by whatever what was happening to her. "I''m really useless, aren''t I?"


    "Shut it, old man. Your granddaughter won''t be captured here." Alex said as he pulled the old man up into a standing position.


    Ales stared at the old man''s red eyes, taking note of the old man''s labored breathing as he said,


    "You two have been hospitable to me and my partners¡­ If we leave you here, that will just be wrong! So don''t worry, I got this. I will save you and your granddaughter from these poachers."


    "Really?"


    "Really. I promise to save you two. So, just sit tight here while I finish the job." Alex said as he took a deep breath, slowly activating his Esper and Abyss Abilities.


    "¡­."


    Actually, even if Alex did not receive a Bonus Mission from Asteria, he will still try to save Kiera.


    After all, Kiera was someone connected to the Red Moon already. With Alex''s instincts, he knew that the Main Mission will be related to the Red Moon, so why should he let someone like Kiera be taken by someone else?


    Besides, Alex also wanted to see the power of their possible enemies, and the Symbolists arriving now will be Alex''s test subjects.


    All in all, Asteria''s announcement of the Bonus Mission was just a big bonus for Alex.


    "Alina, stay here and protect Kiera from anyone trying to harm her. Queen Mother, come here with me and initiate the first attack." Alex said as he felt the airship slowing down above them. "On my signal, summon the largest trees that you can, and use them to impale the airship above. Got it?"


    "Got it." Queen Mother replied as her hands touched the floor.


    "¡­" After this conversation, Alex closed his eyes as he used his FED Manipulation to sense the number of inhabitants inside the ship.


    He detected 30 people inside the ship, and from what he can also sense, all these people seemed to have some kind of power flowing inside their body.


    Alex was able to detect this power as he felt that there was something inside these 30 people that was resisting his FED Manipulation.


    Even when Alex''s Abyss powers were enhanced by 5 times in this world,these people were still able to somehow resist Alex''s emotional probings.


    "So these Symbolists has some kind of power that can strengthen their mental states huh. Seems like I have to focus on material attacks then." Alex muttered to himself as he started to square up his body.


    From the way that the Symbolists above had moved, it seems like they were not aware that people like Alex, Alina and Queen Mother were inside the hut.


    Their attention seemed to be only focused on capturing Kiera, which was proven by the way that the airship did not bother to hide its presence at all.


    "Hehehehe, it''s your loss then." Alex muttered devilishly to himself as he looked at Queen Mother.


    It was time for their attack to start, and Alex was perfectly fine of making Queen Mother start their offensive.


    *********


    Even if Alex did not ask Queen Mother about the status of her power here in this world, Alex was fairly confident that Queen Mother can perfectly help him out here.


    From what Alex can remember, the power-up that Queen Mother bought from the Superhuman World was an increase in her lifespan and vitality.


    Queen Mother did not bother to obtain a new ability at her stay on the Superhuman World.


    Instead, she opted to increase her lifespan and vitality, as these two traits were tied with her plant and pseudo-life creation abilities.


    The more lifespan and vitality that she has right now, the stronger her natural abilities will be.


    Alex was satisfied with this choice, since Queen Mother''s natural abilities was already more than enough to help Alex out.


    And right now, Alex was about to benefit from her once more.


    With his eyes still concentrated on Queen Mother, Alex slowly pointed his fingers to the ground as he said,


    "Now!"


    "Pliyak!" After he shouted this word, 36 thick trees sprouted out of the ground all around Queen Mother, with each tree shooting out towards the airship above them.


    "Boom!" With the roof of the hut shredded by the trees, Alex was able to see the moment that the trees were about to impact against the bottom part of the airship.


    "Hong~" Before the trees could pierce the ship, Alex activated his FED Manipulation towards the residents of the ship.


    With their mental resistance, Alex''s FED Manipulation was weakened, but that weakened version was enough to stun them for a few seconds.


    The timing of Alex''s attack was perfect, as it was at that moment that the 36 trees hit the bottom of the ship.


    "Buong!" But at the moment that the trees touched the ship, a golden glow suddenly covered the ship, with countless golden symbols appearing on the ship''s exterior.


    The trees, whose momentum was obviously high, were somehow stopped by the appearance of these symbols.


    "Hmm... so these could be the power of the Symbolists¡­ Now I get why they are called like that." Alex muttered to himself as he smiled wryly. "Well, they have some strong symbols there¡­ However, don''t think that that paltry symbols of yours are enough to stop Queen Mother''s assault!"


    As Alex said these words, he looked back at Queen Mother, who was just looking at what had happened calmly.


    Queen Mother seemed to be not bothered with the symbols stopping her trees. Instead of looking worried, she suddenly clenched her hand as the trees started to spin quickly.


    "Skree¡­" The trees, which were now turned by Queen Mother into drills, started to assault the protective shield of the ship.


    "SKree¡­" The glow of the golden symbols around the ship started to increase in response to Queen Mother''s new attack, but even that was insufficient.


    4 seconds later, and the ship''s protective shield was torn apart by the spinning trees.


    It was at this point that the effects of Alex''s FED Manipulation had ended, but at that time, it was already too late for the Symbolists.


    "Boom!" The whole ship exploded into pieces as Queen Mother''s Tree Drills pierced through the ship like it was just paper.


    The poor Symbolists inside the ship seemed to be taken by surprise by this, as most of them started to plummet towards the ground.


    As these Symbolists started falling towards the ground, Alex narrowed his eyes as he observed them.


    "¡­These Symbolists actually looked kinda ancient¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he observed the appearance of the Symbolists.


    With the exception of two monstrous-looking humanoids, the rest of the Symbolists were wearing something similar to the ancient toga of the Greeks and Romans.


    Their clothing, which looked extremely clean and pure, made Alex feel as if these Symbolists were obsessed with order and cleanliness.


    But aside from their dress, Alex also saw one more familiar thing that each Symbolist had.


    At their hands, they seemed to be holding some kind of writing tool, which even at this time of this night, were letting out some kind of glow.


    As Alex saw these writing implements, he already knew that this was most probably a weapon that Symbolists use.


    This suspicion of his went true as he saw some of the Symbolists starting to use the tool to write some kind of symbols in the air.


    That was all that Alex needed to see before he decided to make his move.


    Even if Alex was confident of his abilities, there is no way that he will just allow his opponents to use their power easily.


    Why would you fight your enemy at full power when you can just defeat them while they''re weak? It''s easier that way!


    "You think I will just let you fight me easily? Heh, you must be dreaming if you think of that." Alex muttered to himself as he summoned Wrath, one of his Abyss Sprites.


    Wrath, who already realized Alex''s intentions, narrowed his beady eyes as he shouted,


    <<<Major Destruction Aura>>>


    Wrath''s target with this spell was Queen Mother''s Tree Drills, which all started to let out an eerie dark glow as Wrath''s Major Destruction Aura started to cover them.


    Queen Mother, not wanting to waste an opportunity like this, immediately used her trees to attack the airborne Symbolists.


    With their bodies off-balanced and their attacks not yet starting, most of the Symbolists were unable to do anything as Queen Mother''s attack landed on them.


    With the combination of Queen Mother''s deadly tree drills and Alex''s Major Destruction Aura, most of the Symbolists were quickly knocked unconscious.


    Once they were out, some of Queen Mother''s tress wrapped around them like cocoon, keeping them imprisoned inside special sacs which Queen Mother personally made for anyone that they needed to capture.


    "¡­" While most of the Symbolists were defeated by that combo attack, Alex noticed that there were still 3 Symbolists that were uncaptured right now.


    That trio was composed of a lone Symbolist, and the two monstrous-looking humanoids that Alex saw earlier.


    The monstrous humanoids were using their bodies to tank Queen Mother''s attacks, and their bodies were actually able to somehow withstand the onslaught of the tree drills.


    As for the lone Symbolist, who was hiding in between the monstrous humanoids, Alex could see him throwing papers which were filled to the brim with golden inscriptions.


    These papers were special, as they always burst into flames at the instant that they hit Queen Mother''s tree drills.


    The fires started by these papers were no joke, as some of Queen Mother''s trees were being consumed by these flames.


    What he saw from these three survivors was a surprise to Alex, since he himself knew how tough Queen Mother''s trees were.


    For these trio to withstand and even damage Queen Mother''s trees was an indication that they were extremely strong.


    "Bringing these three down will be a little harder, but I think I can manage to do it, as long as I time this well." Alex muttered to himself as he summoned Sloth.


    From what Alex can see, the lone Symbolist had an extremely weak body and the ones protecting him for physical damage were the two monstrous humanoids with him.


    In that case, the first thing that Alex must do first was to take them all out in an instant.


    "Here I go then." Alex muttered to himself as Sloth activated his power.


    {{{Lullaby}}}


    The target of this spell was the lone Symbolist, who immediately started to sag as the spell hit him head-on.


    But with the target''s mental prowess, Alex estimated that the effect of his lullaby will only last for around a few seconds.


    But a few seconds was all that Alex needed.


    As the lone Symbolist wobbled in the sky, Alex pointed his finger to the lone Symbolist as he activated his Gravity Manipulation.


    Even if his Esper Ability was weakened in this World, it was still strong enough to cause injuries, especially if the target was someone unable to defend himself.


    Alex willed thousands of gravity waves to hit the lone Symbolist head-on, as he made sure that the waves will hit the target on the torso


    Since Alex''s gravity attack was basically invisible to the eye, the two monstrous humanoids that were occupied with Queen Mother''s trees were unable to see or even prevent Alex''s attack.


    "Crunch." Alex heard the satisfying sound of broken bones as the lone Symbolist was blasted backwards by his attack.


    "¡­"


    Just one look at the lone Symbolist''s eyes after that attack was enough to confirm that he was already unconscious.


    With him unconscious and away from his protectors, the lone Symbolist was unable to do anything as Queen Mother''s special sac captured him whole.


    "As for you two, it''s your time to go down now." Alex muttered as he manifested countless tentacles at his back.


    He then jumped towards the two humanoids, who looked at Alex with blank looks on their faces.


    "Hmph, so you two are Symbolists too¡­What could have you done to look like this?" Alex exclaimed as he felt that these two humanoids actually had the same feeling exuded by the other Symbolists. "Well whatever, you have to be captured by me for now.""


    Alex then unleashed his tentacles on the two targets in front of him.


    With Alex''s tentacles coming from a General Class Monster, it was already a given that they were extremely tough.


    Couple that toughness with the 5 times enhancement here in this world, and Alex''s tentacles had reached a higher power level!


    "Smack, smack, smack!" The monstrous humanoids were unable to do anything against Alex''s tentacles as they were just smacked around, with their skin breaking apart from Alex''s tentacle smacks.


    Alex continued smacking the two until they were barely moving.


    It was only when he was sure that the two were unconscious that Alex allowed Queen Mother to store the two on her special sacs.


    "Well, that was fast." That was all that Alex could say to himself as he landed back to the ground.


    He then looked at the old man, whose face looked like he swallowed something suffocating.


    "Old man, what''s the matter?" Alex asked with genuine worry. "Are you ok?"


    "Ok my ass!" The old man shouted as he pointed a trembling finger at Alex. "You decimated a squad of Symbolists, captured a pair of Body Symbolists, and you even took one of their political leaders as a hostage!And even when you did that, you are still asking me if I am ok? What the f**k?"


    "Ok¡­"

 Chapter 183 What an Original Plan!

    [Bonus Mission Achieved. 50 Years of Lifespan and 1 Bonus Reward is available now.] Asteria declared on top of Alex as she landed back on his head.


    "Now that''s a good thing to hear¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he looked at the devastation caused by their fight.


    The ground all around them was pulverized, as the appearance of the trees directly broke off the top of the mountain.


    Even right now, Alex could see large pieces of the mountain tumbling down to its base.


    Alex was not sure why, but the sight of these rock pieces falling to the ground was like music to his ears.


    "You¡­ what really are you?" The old man, who still seemed shaken by what Alex did, pointed another finger at Alex as he uttered these words. "Your power¡­ it''s not something that had been used by any of the Three Factions before!"


    "Well, aren''t you knowledgeable." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "Old man, if you really are just a poor man, then can you explain to me on how you seem to know a lot regarding the Three Factions themselves? You even recognized that one of the Symbolists that I captured was an important person! Hmm¡­ very suspicious¡­"


    The old man''s eyes immediately narrowed after hearing what Alex said, with suspicion evident on his face.


    "Are you threatening me?" The old man uttered with gritted teeth as he took a step back from Alex. "With that power that you have, you resort to actually threatening me?"


    "No, I am not threatening you." Alex replied as he shook his head. "I am just reminding you that everyone of us have a secret to keep, and none of us would be happy if our secrets were blurted out, right?"


    "¡­" The old man went silent and observed Alex for a few seconds before letting out a sigh.


    "Ok, I won''t tell anyone about what I saw." The old man said as he bowed in front of Alex. "As long as you don''t tell anyone about me, I won''t blab about you."


    "There, there, at least we reached an understanding now." Alex replied merrily as he let out a laugh.


    "¡­"


    After this awkward and tense conversation, Alex whistled a little as he approached the old man. He then patted the old man''s shoulder as he said,


    "Now that we have fixed that issue, let''s talk about where we will go next."


    "Where we will go next? Wait, WE? Are you saying that¡­" As the old man''s eyes widened in realization, Alex gripped the old man''s shoulders as he said,


    "Yes we will go with you two. I realized that with everything that happened here, you two joining us will be better. Oh, and don''t try to deny us. You already know that right now, it will be only us that can protect you and your granddaughter. You won''t be that idiotic to pass up a secure protection like this, right?"


    The old man visibly hesitated at Alex''s words, but that hesitation only lasted for a few seconds before his body started to sag in defeat.


    "Tsk, then do what you want to do. Just¡­ remember that if you have nefarious thoughts about Kiera, you will have to step over my body first!" In the end, this was the old man''s reply to Alex. "Remember, I will be watching¡­"


    "...Yeah, yeah, I will take note of that." Alex replied breezily as he waved his hands. "I will watch out for your beady eyes¡­"


    "You''re not taking this seriously, young lad."


    "I am, my face just doesn''t display it¡­"


    "Tsk, youngsters these days! They always think they got the spunk!"


    "If you''re talking about spunk, then you''re free to fight against Queen Mother''s trees. Surely, you have some spunk to take them on, right?"


    "¡­"


    *************


    The whole ''glowing red'' process that Kiera underwent lasted for 10 more minutes, and it was only when this time was reached that Kiera''s body lost its glow.


    "Ahh!" The little girl let out a shout as her body turned back to normal, with her stubby legs moving on the ground.


    She immediately ran to her grandfather, who hugged Kiera with a bone-crushing hug.


    "Waah!!!" Unsurprisingly, the little girl cried while hugging her grandfather, showing how scared she had been with her ordeal earlier.


    Both Alina and Queen Mother tried to console Kiera, but Alex stopped them, which allowed the old man and the little girl to have some time alone.


    "Waahh!!!"


    "Kiera, don''t be scared, grandpa''s here for you." The old man said as he let out some cooing sounds, with his hand patting the little girl''s back. "Don''t worry, I will protect you just like what I used to do before, ok?"


    "Ok¡­" Kiera replied as she hastily the tears on her face. "I¡­ I trust you grandpa!"


    "There, that''s what you should think, Kiera." The old man said as he patted Kiera''s head. "But this time, it''s not only me who will protect you. That tentacle guy and your two big sisters will protect you too. So, don''t cry now, and just continue smiling, ok?"


    "Ok!" This time, the smile that appeared on Kiera''s face was exuberant, even when her face was stained with her tears.


    "Ok, now that you have dealt with that, it''s time for us to talk about other stuff here." Alex said as he clapped his hands, which ended the conversation between the little girl and the old man.


    The old man glared at Alex a little, while Kiera looked at Alex with an awed look on her eyes.


    "Big bro, you have powers! You''re so cool!" Kiera said as her gaze landed on the tentacles decorating Alex''s back. "And your tentacles look tasty¡­"


    "¡­Yeah I''m cool, but my tentacles are not fit for consumption." Alex awkwardly replied as he gave Kiera a strained smile. "But talking about powers, shouldn''t you have a power too, since you suddenly glowed red earlier?"


    "¡­" After Alex asked this question, the little girl tilted her head, as she seemed to be trying to find the right way to answer Alex.


    In the end, Kiera let out a shrug as she said,


    "Big Bro, I can feel a large ball inside my body right now! The ball is so big, Big Bro!She was this large!" Kiera then waved her hands above her, as she tried to show how large the ball was. "But Big Bro, no matter what I do, she won''t budge¡­ I can''t even play with her¡­"


    Kiera then visibly deflated, looking extremely saddened about what she said. "I want to play with her, Big Bro. Does she hate me?"


    "Wait, you call that large ball a SHE? How do you even know that is has a gender?" Of course, instead of consoling the little girl, Alex went straight to asking more questions about her powers. "Is it a female?"


    "No! I just want to call her a girl!" Kiera replied as he pouted at Alex. "Big Bro, is it bad that I did that?"


    "Well, not really." Alex replied as he cupped his chin. "I just needed to know everything about that ball, since your power''s obviously related to that ball."


    "Umm¡­" The little girl then opened her mouth, as she seemed to be thinking of more things to say to Alex, but before she could start talking, her grandfather approached them.


    "Ok, since Kiera said that that''s all that she can do, then you don''t need to ask her more questions." The old man interjected before Alex could continue asking. "Kiera needs some rest right now, so if you want to ask her questions, just do it later."


    "Oh of course, she needs to rest too." Alex replied absent-mindedly as he nodded his head. "She went through a lot today, so she deserves some good sleep."


    "¡­"


    The old man did not comment on Alex''s listless reply as he lifted Kiera and rocked her left and right with his hands.


    In no time at all, the little girl was asleep, with her using the old man''s arms as a cradle.


    "¡­" Alex could not help but get touched with what he saw, realizing that the old man and the little girl definitely cared for each other.


    After looking at the duo for 10 more seconds, Alex let out a sigh, shaking his head as he headed towards the special sacs.


    Now that Alex was done making a deal with the old man and the little girl, it was time for him to deal with the next important thing.


    "Alex, this is not the time to get sentimental." Alex muttered to himself as he stopped in front of the special sacs. "There''s still these guys here! There''s no way that I can just ignore them, right?"


    *****************


    10 minutes later.


    "So, how is their resistance to your Mind Scour going?" Alex asked Alina as the latter could be seen using her Dark Magic on the captured Symbolists.


    Alina''s eyes were furrowed in intense concentration, as if she was straining to use all of her power.


    "Alex, their mental prowesses were really off the charts." Alina said as she let out a sigh. "Their bodies might be weak, but their minds were just at a different level."


    "So, even your Mind Scour can''t read their minds?" Alex warily asked as he looked at Alina.


    Just like Alex, Alina''s Dark Magic in this world has been enhanced by 5 times, so Alex thought that maybe Alina''s Mind Scour can bypass the mental defenses by the captured Symbolists.


    But as it turns out, it may not be just as simple as that.


    "It was difficult for me to read all of their thoughts, but I managed to get some superficial information." Alina replied as she massaged her forehead. "I think that the information that I got was enough to give us an explanation of this world."


    "Hit us with your explanations then." Alex said with Queen Mother hovering just behind Alex.


    "Ok¡­" Alina then let out a deep breath as she told Alex about the Legend of the Four Moons, the Calamities related to it, and the basic information about the Symbolists, Celestials, and the Devourers.


    "Now I see¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he cupped his chin. "Now I understand why the Three Factions does not dare to kill those who gets power from the Red Moon¡­Whether they like it or not, they will need all the power that they can to survive the Fourth Calamity. So, making the members of Fourth Faction as slaves really is the best choice for them here¡­"


    "Alina''s information also explains why mental-based attacks against the Symbolists does not work well against them." Queen Mother muttered behind Alex as she looked at the captured Symbolists. "Since their power comes from their mind, it was inevitable for their mental state to be extremely strong. If it were not for the 5 times enhancement on your Monster Abilities, I doubt that you two will be able to affect their minds earlier¡­"


    "¡­" Alex had no comment on that, as he found Queen Mother''s analysis to be true.


    Of course it was not only the Symbolists that Alex had info too.


    From the info that Alina had, Alex discovered that the Celestials, whose power relies on Stellar Essence(Essence of the Stars), hadattacks and defensive abilities that rely on this Essence. Their mental and physical states were balanced, and the one thing that they were better than the other two factions were their esoteric abilities derived from their Stellar Essence.


    As for the Devourers, they have extremely strong bodies but extremely weak minds, making them a polar opposite of the Symbolists.


    "So, what should we do with these guys?" Alina suddenly asked Alex, breaking off Alex''s line of thoughts. "Do we kill them or do we¡­"


    "Alina, you don''t need to ask anymore, for I already have an idea." Alex said as the all-too familiar glint appeared on his eyes. "Let me deal with this."


    "Oh great, now we''re about to see some of his crazy plans again." The dumb fairy Asteria muttered on top of Alex''s head. "What is it this time? Will you take one of their powers, then pretend to be one of them? If that is your plan, then I applaud you! That''s a very original plan!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 184 Under my Umbrella

    "..Before I talk about my plan, I think I should get what should have been given to me now." Alex muttered to audibly as he stared at Asteria''s direction. "You there, cough it up."


    "Cough up what?" The cheeky fairy actually had the gall to look confused as she stared at Alex.


    "The Bonus Mission Reward." Alex said as he gritted his teeth. "Aren''t we supposed to get one Bonus Item?"


    "Oh right, here it is." The dumb fairy mumbled as she touched Alex''s forehead. There was a slight glowing in the air before an umbrella appeared in front of Alex.


    Alex stretched out his hands as he caught the umbrella, which was around 3 meters long. Its body and the cloth of its crown was black in color, making the umbrella exude an atmosphere of class and elegance.


    "¡­" As Alex received the umbrella, he stared at it for a few seconds before his gaze flicked back to Asteria.


    "This is the bonus item?" Alex asked as he knocked against the body of the umbrella. "This is the only reward?"


    "Yes, that is the only reward." Asteria said as she nodded with her tiny head. "Why, don''t you like it?"


    Well, it''s not that Idon''t like it, but.." Alex floundered a little as he started to open the umbrella. "What should this even do?"


    "That item that is in your hand right now is called the Thieves'' Umbrella." Asteria said as she let out a hmph. "That umbrella was made up from the skin, bones, and ligaments of a Void Rat. With that kind of materials, this umbrella will hide you and your Companions from any probing abilities by other people. Pretty neat, right?"


    "Yeah, that ability is nice¡­ but do we really need to use this umbrella?" The one who asked this question was Queen Mother, who was looking at the umbrella held by Alex with curiosity. "Can''t we just hide on a safe place?"


    "I doubt it will work like that, Queen Mother." Alex replied as he shook his head. "You should remember that this world was ruled by Three Factions. With the appearance of the Red Moon, most of them will still continue looking for any possible member of the Fourth Faction. This umbrella will most likely be able to protect Kiera from that probing. Oh, and you must also remember that we just attacked an envoy of Symbolists earlier. I won''t be surprised if we will be wanted figures by the Symbolists¡­If that suspicion of mine is true, then this umbrella will make it easier for us to hide from them."


    "Exactly!" That''s the reason that you obtained that umbrella!" Asteria declared merrily as she let out a laugh. "Without that umbrella, you will be easily detected by angry Symbolists later! So, you should be happy you were given that Bonus Mission!"


    "¡­"


    Alex does not know what to say after hearing Asteria''s boasting, as he realized that the only reason that the Symbolists will look for him right now was because of him doing the Bonus Mission.


    Now that Alex looked at that perspective, he realized that the Thieves'' Umbrella was given to him just to compensate for the increase in the Mission difficulty.


    Now that just wiped away Alex''s satisfaction.


    "What is the Main Mission anyway?" Alex said as he hid the Umbrella inside Alina''s storage. "Do you even know about it?"


    "Hah? Of course I do not know anything about it yet." Asteria angrily replied as she placed her hands on her hips. "From the info that I have, I will receive the directive from the Main Mission after a month of our stay here."


    "A month?!" Alex almost shouted out loudly as he heard Asteria''s reply. "We still have to spend 30 days here before we can even start the Main Mission? Are you telling the truth?"


    "Hmph, of course I do, hooman!" Asteria replied angrily. "That''s the instruction that I received, so there is no way that I can just disobey it. Our Main Mission will start 30 days from now, so until then, we are free to do anything that we want here!"


    "¡­"


    Obviously, Alex''s mood darkened after he heard what Asteria just said.


    Actually, he was not surprised that the Main Mission will be delayed.


    What surprised him however was the length of the delay.


    "1 Month, really?" Alex let out a sigh as he realized the implications of a delay that long.


    "Only three days of delay were used when my group faced Professor Frances'' group¡­ This time, there is a 30-day delay. If the delay was that long, then does that mean¡­"


    Alex''s eyes visibly widened as he realized a possible scenario on their Main Mission later.


    If the length of delay was proportional to the amount of Traveler Teams that Alex will face, then a time of 30 days was obviously bad news!


    From what Alex can see, there is a high chance that he could be facing at least 3 Traveler Teams, or at most even 10!


    Now, that realization just dampened Alex''s hopes of steamrolling his way through this world.


    "Asteria, do you know how many Traveler Teams are here in this world except for us?" Alex asked Asteria as he stared at the fairy directly. ''Any input from you will be helpful¡­"


    "I''m exactly not sure, since that kind of info was also hidden from me." Asteria replied as Alex let out a disappointed sigh. "But speaking from my experience, you can expect around 3-5 Traveler Teams that will compete against our team in this world..."


    "Drats, that''s a lot of enemies." That was all that Alex could say as he placed a palm on his forehead. "How f**king great¡­"


    As Alex started to feel somewhat discouraged, he started to see both Asteria and Queen Mother giving Alex some worried looks, as even they understood how difficult their current situation will be.


    "Well, since we have a month left before the start of the Main Mission, then I guess that we should use all that time to prepare¡­" Alex said as he took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down right now.


    Now is not the time for Alex to panic. He still had a lot of things to do, and worrying about the future was not one of them.


    As Alex said these words, his gaze landed on the important-looking Symbolist, still captured inside Queen Mother''s special sacs.


    "Of course that preparation has to start with this guy first." Alex said as he placed his hand on the Symbolist''s special sac.


    "Sorry, but you have to be used by me." Alex said as Greed appeared behind him. "I know that this is a dick move, but you look like an a**hole, so maybe you deserve this? I don''t know¡­ Ah f**k it! Let''s just get this over with!"


    Greed the Abyss Sprite then opened his mouth wide as he approached the Symbolist.


    "Pillage him clean, Greed."


    "Ok, master!"

 Chapter 185 Synergy of Minds

    The usual thing that happened to all of Greed''s targets happened with the captured Symbolist.


    Greed opened his mouth wide, engulfing the captured Symbolist''s body with gusto.


    The Abyss Sprite only needed a few seconds to process whatever was inside that Symbolist before he spat him out, along with a blue-colored flesh ball.


    "Master!" As Greed spat out the flesh ball, he gave Alex an excited look, as if he just did something awesome. "Because of the enhancement in this world, the power of my Pillaging was also enhanced! The power that I Pillaged from this guy was at its full power!"


    "Now we''re talking." Alex replied happily as he patted Greed''s head. "Are you sure you got his full power?"


    "Yes, Master!" Greed replied with certainty. "Besides, I can also sense that this guy has not reached yet the peak of being a Symbolist. If I use my Pillage on really powerful Symbolists, I think I will only be able to get a portion of their power. But this guy is not a really powerful Symbolist, so I got all of his power!"


    "I do not know if I should be comforted by thought or not." Alex muttered to himself as he picked up the blue flesh ball.


    "¡­" As Alex took hold of the blue flesh ball, he could not help but notice that the blue flesh ball looked like a miniature version of the Blue Moon above him.


    "Uh¡­ should I really eat this?" Alex muttered to himself as he looked at the blue flesh ball with trepidation. "Wait, what am I worried about? If this turns out to be bad, I can just ask Greed to remove it from me!"


    With that consoling thought in his mind, Alex''s suppressed his worries as he swallowed the blue flesh ball whole.


    "¡­"


    At the instant that the flesh ball was processed by his body, Alex felt something momentous happening inside his body.


    "Kacha!"


    Alex felt some kind of shackles bursting inside his mind, as if his whole mind just reached a higher level.


    He started to wobble as he felt some kind of energy pervading his mind, strengthening and even fortifying it at every second.


    As Alex started to see that his mind was becoming more and more resilient, he smiled a little, knowing that his mind was undergoing a full metamorphosis now.


    "So the mind really is the source of power for the Symbolists¡­" Alex muttered to himself as his perception started to speed up. "No wonder they can resist my mental attacks¡­"


    At that time, Alex thought that this was the only benefit that he can get from Pillaging the Symbolist''s power.


    But he immediately realized that he was wrong, as something unexpected happened to him next.


    "What!" To Alex''s surprise, just a minute after he ate the flesh ball, he felt his Mental Power reacting to the Symbolist Power that he just ate!


    Alex observed with wide eyes as he saw his Mental Power, which was the reservoir for Esper Abilities, react visibly to his Symbolist Power!


    Alex''s whole body trembled as his Mental Power started to increase even without him meditating to increase them!


    960 meters, 970 meters, 980 meters, 990 meters¡­.


    As his Mental Power increased, Alex''s Esper Ranger also increased, with it slowly but surely reaching the 1 Kilometer mark!


    999 meters¡­.


    As Alex saw his Mental Power reaching the peak that a Tier Esper can reach, he thought that it will already stop there.


    But after another minute of waiting, Alex felt something shattering inside his mind.


    This time, the one that got shattered was the boundary between a Tier Esper and a Star Espser!


    "I¡­ I f**king did it!" Alex shouted out to himself as he felt his Range reaching the hallmark 1 Kilometer. "I''mma f**king Star Esper now!"


    "What the?" The one who uttered these words was Asteria, who looked extremely surprised with what just happened to Alex.


    The same surprise could be also seen on Alina and Queen Mother, as both of them felt the change in Alex''s Esper power.


    "Alex.. are you a Star Esper now?" Alina asked with a slight tremble in her voice. "You were able to reach that state?"


    "Yes, Alina. I''m a motherfugging Star Epser now!" Alex replied with a laugh as he placed his hands on his hips. "Hahaha! Aren''t I awesome?"


    "Yes, yes, you''re awesome." Alina replied as she gave Alex a genuine congratulatory smile.After seeing her smile, Alex could not help but smile back, as he felt satisfied seeing Alina''s happiness for him.


    "I thought you will still take a year before you can become a Star Esper. Who would have thought¡­"


    "Yeah, I''m definitely surprised with what happened here." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "I think the only thing that can explain what happened here was the power that I Pillaged right now."


    "So you''re saying that the power of the Symbolists has a good synergy with our Mental Power?" Alina directly said as she stared at the captured Symbolists. "That''s the conclusion that you reached?"


    "Well, that is the most likely reason here." Alex replied as he patted Greed''s head once more. "Maybe it''s because both the Symbolists and the Espers rely on their mind power to use their abilities. Well, the Espers use their mind power in a scientific way, while the Symbolists use their mind power in a mystical way¡­."


    "But since they share the same root, which is the mind, something will really happen if those two powers were to interact directly with each other." Alina was the one who concluded Alex''s sentences as she prodded one of the captured Symbolists with her foot.


    "That is what I am thinking too." Alex said as he let out a shrug. "But I thought that with the suppression of this world on Esper Abilities, my Mental Power won''t interact with something from this world. Fortunately, it seems like I am mistaken with that regard. However, that gives me another question."


    "If the Esper Abilities mesh well with the Symbolists, then why is it suppressed in this world?" Alina was the one who uttered this question as she tilted her head.


    "Exactly. Why would a suppression happen, when the said ability meshes well with a local ability here? That is just confusing¡­" Alex said with exasperation as he let out a sigh.


    Alina also let out her own sigh too, as she seemed to understand the confusion that Alex has right now.


    "For now, I don''t think we will know the answer for that." Alina replied as she started to polish her katana. "However, I''m sure that with a little experimentation, we can device a conclusion on everything that we have seen here."


    "Yay, experiments¡­" Alex muttered to himself glumly as he stared at the skill list of Greed. "How great¡­."


    [Grade 1 Slot] -------- Symbol-Based Reality Manipulation(Heaven Tier)


    [Grade 2 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 3 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 4 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 5 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 6 Slot] -------- Empty Slot. Needs to Pillage Power


    [Grade 7 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 7 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 8 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 8 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 9 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 9 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 10 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 10 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 11 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 11 Abyss Energy to access.


    [Grade 12 Slot] -------- Needs Grade 12 Abyss Energy to access.


    "¡­."


    Even if Alex was happy with what happened with his Esper Power, he still could not help but feel shivers as he looked at the power that he just got.


    "Symbol-Based Reality Manipulation. Now this is an ominous-sounding power¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he took a deep breath. "If a power is named like this¡­ then does that meant that the strongest of them can bend reality to their whim? Ugh¡­ I hope our Main Mission won''t force me to face monsters like them¡­"


    Well, even if Alex wished for that to happen, he knew how bad his luck could be.


    "Sigh¡­"


    *************


    5 minutes later.


    "What should we do with the others that we captured?" Alina asked Alex after Alex finished doing what he did on the captured Symbolist. "Should we dump them away now?"


    "No, not yet." Alex replied as he shook his head. His gaze then landed on the important-looking Symbolist as he said,


    "Let me talk to this guy first. I''m rather curious¡­ on what he thinks about us."


    "Alex, are you sure that you should do that?" Alina cautiously asked Alex as she edged nearer to him.


    "Don''t worry, Alina." Alex replied confidently as he raised his chin. "I just Pillaged this guy''s power, so even if he wanted to attack me, he won''t be able to do it, since his power''s mine now. And look at his body! Even a child can beat him up right now!"


    "¡­Just be careful. You never know if they have some tricks hidden on their sleeves." Alina said as she pointed her sword at the Pillaged Symbolist. "Talk to him, and if I see any possibility of him damaging you, I will immediately cut him down."


    "Hehe, watch him carefully then, Alina." Alex replied as he gave a nod to Queen Mother.


    After seeing this signal from Alex, Queen Mother immediately deactivated the sleeping agents that she placed on the Pillaged Symbolist earlier.


    The effect of what Queen Mother did was instantaneous.


    "Arghh!!" The Pillaged Symbolist woke up with a shout, as he started brandishing his arms all around him.


    He also kicked at the air, as if he was struggling to fight off an invisible enemy.


    "Yo, calm down, I said calm down!" Alex shouted to the Symbolist as he gripped the Symbolist''s neck tightly with his tentacle. The Symbolist immediately stopped shouting, as Alex''s grip on his neck almost suffocated him. "There, at least you can keep your mouth shut."


    "¡­" The Symbolist, whose neck was still held by Alex, glared at Alex intently.


    "You dare strike an official like me? You don''t know who you''re dealing with!" Even if he was captured, the Symbolist still had the gall to look confident. "You think just because you captured me that you can already order me around? Hah! You underestimate me! Take this!"


    The Symbolist then started to utter some ancient-sounding words which Alex obviously did not understand.


    After saying these words, the Symbolist let out a hysterical laugh, as if he could already see Alex''s demise.


    But minutes passed by, and nothing happened.


    "Huh? Are those magic words of yours supposed to do something?" Alex asked the Symbolist ''sincerely'' as he tilted his head. "Come on, I''m still waiting.!"


    "Wha- what the hell is happening here!" Needless to say, the Symbolist was extremely shocked with what just happened. "Why is my trump card not working?"


    "Well, before you ask why your trump card is not working, maybe you should inspect your power first." Alex said as he gave the Symbolist a sneer. "Maybe that will explain why your ''trump card'' did not work¡­"


    Sure enough, the Symbolist followed what Alex said, and what happened after that was just like what Alex expected.


    "Nooo!!!" The Symbolist let out a shout of despair that lasted for a whole minute, before his eyes rolled back on his head.


    The Symbolist then fell to the ground, fully unconscious with his breathing erratic.


    "Welp, you can''t just sleep like that." Alex said as he slapped the Symbolist awake with his tentacles. "I still have to talk to you. If you want to sleep, just do it after we talk."


    "Pa pa pa!"

 Chapter 186 Now, this is a Real Conversation

    "Alex, now that this Symbolist already lost his abilities, shouldn''t I be able to read all of his memories already?" Alina asked this question to Alex as she tilted her head. "Why does it seems like you don''t want me to do that yet¡­"


    "Oh come on, I want to talk to this guy first." Alex merrily replied as he continued on tapping the Symbolist''s cheek. "We will do a full scouring of his memories later. But for now, I really want to see what he thinks about us."


    "I still don''t get your point, but fine." Alina finally said as she let out a sigh. "Just¡­ don''t get to engrossed with tormenting him."


    "Hey! I''m not that bad of a person¡­" Alex replied as he tried glaring at Alina. "I just want to get¡­ important information through a heart-to-heart conversation."


    "Heart-to-heart my ass. You''re just pissed off by this Symbolist''s face." Asteria muttered above Alex as she ruffled Alex''s hair. "Don''t deny it. You had a look of distaste on your face when you first saw the Symbolist earlier¡­"


    "Yeah, yeah, think whatever you want. I will still talk to him first." Alex said with finality as he used one more tentacle slap on the Symbolist.


    "Pa!"


    This time around, the Symbolist was awakened by Alex''s slap, and it seemed like he was about to shout again.


    The only thing that stopped him from shouting was Alex''s body looming all over him.


    "Now that you have calmed down¡­ I suppose you''re free to entertain some of our questions then." Alex said as he gave the Symbolist a smile.


    But to Alex''s disappointment, instead of acting calmly, the Symbolist started to curse Alex out.


    "F**k you! Give my power back!" The Symbolist shouted angrily as he tried to bite Alex. "I don''t know how you did it, but you definitely stole my power!"


    The Symbolist then started to grin, as if he found salvation as at his current desperate situation.


    You... you must be a Devourer disguised as a human! That''s how you got my power! Hah! Despicable Devourers! Now that you have done this to me, I''m sure that many will try to kill you already! If you don''t want to be hunted, then give my power back!"


    "Sorry, but I''m not a Devourer¡­" Alex replied cheekily as he shook his head. "It seems like you are mistaken about my identity¡­"


    "Don''t lie to me, you filthy Devourer!" The Symbolist replied angrily as his body started to shake. "I have heard cases happening like this before! So don''t think your lies can fool me! Hurry up and give back my power! Or else you will regret it!"


    "This guy is hopeless. I guess talking to him will end here then." Alex said calmly as he knocked the Symbolist out with another slap.


    "Pa!"


    As the Symbolist''s unconscious body slumped on the ground, Alina approached the defenseless Symbolist as she activated her Mind Scour magic.


    "¡­"


    Alex watched what was happening with satisfaction, knowing that this time around, the information that they will get will be complete.


    ***********


    With the amount of the memories that she had to read, Alina took 30 minutes before she was able to look at all the memories inside the Symbolist''s head.


    During that time, Alex and Queen Mother were just idly watching the old man and his granddaughter, who were both asleep right now.


    The grandfather and granddaughter duo must have been extremely exhausted by their ordeal, which resulted to them sleeping like this.


    "Alex, I got it all now." Alina muttered behind Alex, as Alex could see Alina massaging her temple. "He had a lot of memories, but I was able to store them with my Dark Magic."


    "¡­Thank you as always, Alina."


    "I just did my job, that''s it."


    "¡­."


    As Alex look at Alina''s appearance, he started to get worried, as he realized that out of all of them, it was Alina''s mind that underwent a lot of stress already.


    She had to do multiple Mind Scours in under an hour, and she even had to store the lifetime memories of another person!


    Even with the 5 times enhancement in this world, there is no way that Alina can just shake off all the things that her mind did.


    The stress from what she did today was just too much, even for someone like Alina.


    "¡­Yosh. Let''s do this then." Alex thought to himself as he grabbed Alina''s hands.


    "?"


    Since Alina''s stressed right now, it was Alex''s responsibility to sooth her pain.


    "Take a rest for now, Alina. I know that your mind is definitely strained." Alex sweetly said to Alina as he pulled her to his lap. "You have to relax right now. If you don''t I will force you to relax!"


    "Ok¡­" Alina did not let out any complaints to Alex, as she sat down on Alex''s lap just like a docile cat.


    "Swish, swish, swish¡­"


    Alex then started stroking Alina''s head, as he did his best to comfort her.


    "Aw, how sweet¡­" Asteria''s sickly sweet voice could be heard by Alex just above him, making his elated mood a little sour. "Can you do that to me too, hooman?"


    "I can do that, if and only if you will behave and will sincerely help me out here." Alex replied to Asteria as he stared at her.


    "What do you mean sincerely help you? I''malways doing that, right?" Asteria replied to Alex as she tilted her head. "Or are you telling me that all the things that I did for you were not my help?"


    That''s it.


    Even if his mood was tranquil with him stroking Alina''s head, Alex could not help but boil with rage as he heard Asteria''s reply


    "You call those things help? Wow, you really have a thick face!" Alex almost shouted to Asteria as he resisted the urge to grab her.


    "Huh? Are you telling me that I slacked off on helping you?" Of course Asteria still had the gall to answer back to Alex. "It seems like you are forgetting already¡­"


    "Forgetting? F**k, I can remember all the things that you did while you stayed with us!" To Alex''s surprise, he found himself standing up as he glared at the floating Asteria, who had her arms crossed in front of him.


    "You only offer me hints when I ask for it, and sometimes you even forget to give me tips!" This time, Alex was already shouting as his spit started to fly everywhere. "Even if your life was tied to me, you act like you do not care even if I die! You are a very erratic Guide! Sometimes you give me help, sometimes you don''t! What the hell is wrong with you?"


    "And don''t get me started with your attitude!" Alex shouted before the dumb fairy could give her reply. "Every time, every damn time I do something, you always have an opinion on it! It doesn''t matter if what I do was great or bad. You... you always comment about it, as if it was your privilege to do so! "


    "¡­"


    "And your demand for honey? F**k! EO@)(*@)U)(@*)(@*_#(U@)(!!)(@)(!!! I hope you drown in a honey pool someday!"


    At this point, Alex already found himself out of breath, as if he just ran an extremely long marathon.


    He bent over and placed his hands on his knees as he stared at Asteria directly, as if he was challenging her to answer.


    But instead of seeing a guilty-looking fairy in front of him, what Alex saw was a carefully blank face.


    "Got it out of your system now, hooman?" This time around, Asteria''s voice lacked the immaturity or sarcasm that was always present with it.


    Asteria''s current voice was dangerously calm, and her emotions felt muted to Alex.


    "Hmph, if you really are curious on why I am treating you like this, then I suppose I can give you an answer right now." Asteria replied with that monotonous voice of hers. "Are you ready to hear it?"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 187 Turtel

    Everyone in the area, including Queen Mother and Alina went quiet as they waited for Asteria to speak up.


    From the looks of it, even they were also curious about Asteria''s attitude.


    After all, even they were also affected by what Asteria was doing, albeit at a lesser degree compared to Alex.


    "Hooman, first of all-" But before Asteria could start her seemingly ''serious talk'', their surroundings suddenly started to tremble.


    No, it was not just the area around them that was affected by the trembles.


    In fact, it was the whole mountain that was trembling.


    The old man and his granddaughter, who were both asleep earlier, were woken up by the sudden rumblings.


    "Wha-ha-huh?" the old man drowsily mumbled as the rumblings started to get stronger.


    He and his granddaughter rubbed their eyes sleepily as clarity began to slowly return to them.


    A few seconds later, and the old man started to shout in panic.


    "F**k! We should run away now! This mountain will disappear later!"


    "Disappear you say?" Alex, who was focused on Asteria earlier, could not help but look at the old man after he heard what he just said. "Is this place a volcano?"


    "This place is not a volcano. The old man said as he shook his head. "This place is much worse than that!"


    "¡­"


    "Don''t you get it? This mountain is part of a sleeping Titan!" The old man shouted as he saw the incomprehension on Alex''s face. "Now that it is awake, we''re all toast!"


    Alina, who was standing beside Alex, let out a light gasp, as if she already knew what the old man was talking about.


    "Alina, do you know what this old man is talking about?" Alex asked Alina hurriedly as he saw the light of comprehension on her face. "About this Titan thingy?"


    "Yes, I saw information about it on the memories of the Symbolist earlier." Alina replied as she massaged her temples again.


    "¡­" Naturally, Alex looked at Alina intently, as he waited for her to elaborate.


    As they ignored Asteria, who was pouting in the background, probably pissed that she was interrupted, Alina started to talk.


    "Titans¡­ they were sentient superweapons created with the cooperation of the Three Factions¡­ Their bodies, mechanisms, and abilities were all created by the Symbolists, Celestials, and Devourers working together."


    "¡­."


    "These Titans, they were created by the Three Factions to help them combat against the Third Calamity." Alina said as she narrowed her eyes. "Their high-level capabilities allowed the Titans to somehow withstand the gigantic monsters of the Third Calamity, but as time passed by, the cost of maintaining and repairing destroyed Titans became too much even for the Three Factions."


    "¡­"


    "They were left with no choice but to leave the remaining Titans out of commission after the Third Calamity. They were placed on random places on this world. Some on the land, some under the sea, and some amongst the skies."


    "¡­"


    "After doing that, the Three Factions made an agreement to not use any of these remaining Titans unless they are really needed. With that agreement, the remaining Titans started to degrade from the passing time, with more of them getting destroyed."


    "¡­"


    "In the end, only very few of these Titans remained at this world that were in working condition, and one of these Titans was this mountain."


    "¡­."


    After Alex heard what Alina just said, he could not help but frown, realizing that something new just happened.


    He even forgot about his issue about Asteria as he felt the rumblings underneath him starting to increase.


    "Titans? Interesting¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he used his Esper Ability to sense the ground underneath him.


    "!!!!"


    As Alex sensed the ground under him, he expected to see something massive residing underground.


    That expectation of his was not broken as he indeed sensed something massive moving just under the mountain!


    And just like what the old man said earliertt, the mountain was actually not the Titan!


    The mountain was just sitting above the actual Titan itself!


    With his Esper sense, Alex could faintly make up the shape of the gargantuan Titan that was slowly pushing itself out of the ground.


    The Titan, in Alex''s opinion, looked like a city-sizedturtle!


    Yes, that was exactly what Alex saw.


    Right now, a massive turtle was pushing itself out of the ground, with its body supporting the mountain that Alex and the others were currently standing on.


    Even for Alex, who had already seen many weird things, just the mere sight of a gigantic Turtle with a mountain on its back was enough to confound him.


    But aside from the sight of the Turtle itself, there was another thing that was bothering Alex right now.


    "Hold up, hold up!" Alex shouted out amidst the rumblings. "Old man, I won''t ask you on why you lived on a mountain that was actually a freaking superweapon! Heck, I won''t even ask you on how you were allowed to live here! The only thing that bothering me is the fact that this Titan is moving right now!''


    "Oh, you mean¡­"


    "All of these looks suspicious! It reeks of a conspiracy!" Alex declared as he narrowed his eyes." If the Three Factions made an agreement to not use these Titans unless they were needed, then why are these Titans moving now? The only thing that can force these Titans to be used was the arrival of the Fourth Calamity. But right now, the Fourth Calamity is not yet arriving! So, whyis this Turtle moving?


    "Did you just say turtle?"


    "Yeah, it''s a massive turtle." Alex replied in exasperation as he let out a sigh. "Wait, we''re not talking about the Titan''s appearance! We''re talking about why it is moving now!"


    "Young lad, I don''t think we can find the answer for that right now." It was the old man who said these words as he gave a solemn look to Alex. "Whatever is happening now, it is out of our power to even meddle with it."


    "¡­" Deep inside him, Alex knew what was happening right now was definitely related to the Main Mission.


    But after seeing the pleading look on the old man''s eyes, Alex immediately realized what the old man actually wanted to say.


    "Guys¡­ I think we should leave right now." Alex slowly said as he tapped his foot on the ground. "Even if we''re curious on where this Turtle would go, it will plain stupid if we stay here just above the turtle. If we stay here for longer, we might see something that will bring us trouble later."


    "¡­"


    Alex meant every word that he just said.


    Since their Main Mission will still start a month from now, Alex will not join in any fights or conflicts unless he and his Companions were forced to.


    Staying above a moving mountain turtle? Now that''s just asking for an impending trouble!


    There''s no way that Alex will just allow him and his Companions to be in another conflict, not when they have a whole month to prepare for their Main Mission!


    "That''s a good idea. I think we should leave as early as we can." Alina replied as she nodded her head.


    Queen Mother, who listened to their conversation with an eerie expression on her face, slowly nodded as she expressed her agreement.


    "Then we''re all set!" Alex said as he clapped his hands. He then looked at the old man, his granddaughter, and all the captured Symbolists around him.


    "Give me a few minutes first." Alex said as he started to crack his knuckles. "I need to fix up everything around here. Once I''m done, we will leave immediately."


    "Hey, how about my talk?" Asteria, who looked pissed with her being interrupted, hissed at Alex as she stood above his head. "When will you listen to it?"


    "We can just hear your talk later." Alex replied dismissively as he started removing the captured Symbolists from Queen Mother''s special sacs. "For now, we have to focus on leaving this place. You and whatever you will say will just have to wait."


    "¡­"


    Needless to say, that just served to rile Asteria up more.


    Obviously, Alex did not care about that, as he focused on the task right in front of him.


    **************


    3 weeks later.


    "Alex, are you serious on doing this?" Alex heard this question for the nth time of the day already.


    "I am serious about this." Alex replied calmly as he stared at the object in front of him. "Why, are you worried that this will fail?"


    "It''s not that I''m worried, but¡­" Alina, who was the one who asked the question to Alex, let out a sigh as she shook her head. "I thought you will just do some discrete preparations here. Why do this right now?"


    "Because this is a part of the preparation." Alex replied calmly as he shrugged his shoulders. "Do you think I should not do this?"


    "Well, when I remembered the way that you made us leave the giant turtle 3 weeks ago, I do not know if I should still listen to your crazy plans." Alina replied as she let out a sigh.


    "What? Skiing down the mountain is a great way to leave the giant turtle!" Alex replied hotly as he stared at Alina. "Didn''t you agree on doing that?"


    "I only agreed at that time because I was interested." Alina replied as she glared at Alex. "But then I remembered that we can just fly off the mountain, instead of skiing down from it. Why did I even agree on skiing down that mountain?"


    "Because just like what you said earlier, you were interested." Alex replied smugly as he gave Alina a smile. "Oh, forget about that skiing part. How''s the old man and Kiera doing right now?"


    "The old man''s been the same since we left the turtle." Alina replied as she gave Alex a shrug. "He still looked melancholic, and until now, he''s still spending most of his time staring at the horizon."


    "Don''t ask that old man why he''s doing that. I think its personal." Alex said to Alina as he adjusted the table in front of him. "And how about Kiera?"


    "She looked extremely happy right now, especially when she plays with us." Alina replied with a small smile on her face. "She might be a little mischievous, but she seems attached to us."


    "Hehe, with all the food that you gave to her, there''s no doubt that she grew to like you." Alex replied as he started to chuckle. "Maybe if you continue giving her food, she will become just a gluttonous as yo-Ow!"


    "Were you saying something?" Alina muttered to Alex as she gave him a leveled stare.


    "Oh, I''m just saying that Kiera will grow as pretty as you, Alina." Alex replied as he massaged his stomach, which was elbowed by Alina.


    "¡­Alex, that''s creepy."


    "What do you mean by tha-Sigh¡­" Alex could not help but bow down as he realized his mistake. "You know what? Let''s just talk about them later. For now, let''s just finish this."


    After Alex said these words, he looked at the object on the table once more, with Alina looking at it intently too.


    "This is Professor Frances'' head, right?" Alina muttered behind Alex as she prodded disembodied head.


    "Of course this is her head. Just look at the face." Alex replied as he adjusted the placement of Professor Frances'' head. "Look at that smug smile¡­ there''s no way that this is not her."


    "Alex, I know that it is her head. I''m just trying to set the mood here."


    "Oh."


    "So, what do you plan to do with her head?" Alina asked Alex as Alex finally finished setting the head on its proper position.


    "I will do what she told us to do before we offed her." Alex replied as he started rummaging on Alina''s Storage.


    "Alex, you want to do it now? Don''t you think it will be hard?"


    "It will be harder to do this once the Main Mission starts." Alex replied as he gave Alina a look. "If we want to do this, we should do this now so that we can all move on already."


    "¡­If you say so."

 Chapter 188 Soil, Liquid, and Corpse

    "From what I can remember, Professor Frances specifically told us to make her a new body." Alina muttered behind Alex as she stared at the professor''s head. "But from the way that she talked about her plan, it seemed like she needed to have a special body created from special materials¡­ If you were this confident right now, does that mean that you already have a plan to obtain the materials for her new bod?"


    "Yes. I was able to create my plan after you shared all of that Symbolist''s memory with me."Alex replied as he blinked his eyes. "Mind you, I learned a lot from the memories of that guy."


    Alex could hear some groans at the background, probably from his pun, but he ignored that as he continued to converse with Alina.


    "From the way you are smiling right now, you seem to have enjoyed peeking at that Symbolist''s memories." Alina murmured as she glared at Alex. "Are you sure that you''re only thinking about the plan to recreate Professor Frances'' body?"


    "Well, there''s a lot of interesting stuff from that Symbolist''s memories."


    "¡­"


    "I cannot just ignore them, you know."


    "¡­."


    Just like what Alex said, he obtained a lot of interesting information from the memories that Alina scoured from the Symbolist.


    If one can compare information to food, then the information that Alex obtained can be compared to a succulent, honey-glazed roast chicken!


    Not only did Alex get more info about the Symbolists, he also saw the way of life of each of the Three Factions!


    *************


    For the Symbolists, what matter the most was their knowledge and academic level.


    The higher the academic status of a Symbolist, the better status they will have relative to their peers.


    The positions of power in a Symbolist society will only be given to those with exemplary academic status.


    Those who lack knowledge are considered to be plebeians or barbarians by the Symbolists.


    At first, Alex found the Symbolist''s view on knowledge to be too extreme.


    But as he tried out his Pillaged Symbolist ability, he found out the reason why the Symbolists had this rigid kind of view.


    Their power, which relies on the creation of Symbols to manipulate laws of physical reality, was actually a science on its own.


    To discover new applications of their power, Symbolists must find a problem, formulate a hypothesis, and conduct experiments to confirm said hypothesis.


    It was through this kind of scientific process that the Symbolist could grow stronger, and they adhered on doing these for years.


    It was no wonder that they were obsessed with being knowledgeable and highly academic.


    After all, only Symbolists with this kind of mind can discover innovations with their power.


    Just like any power systems, there are also several levels of strength among the Symbolist, and the Symbolists were able to create distinctions with each power level.


    The first and weakest power level among the Symbolist was called the Mortal Type Symbolist. That will be followed by King Type Symbolist, and then Emperor Type Symbolist.


    An Emperor Type Symbolist will have to undergo some kind of tribulation before he/she can reach the higher level, which is the Sovereign Type Symbolist.


    What follows after the Sovereign Type Symbolist was the Earth Type Symbolist, which will be followed by Heaven Type Symbolist.


    After the Heaven Type Symbolist will be the Ancient Type Symbolist, and then Immortal Type Symbolist.


    After the Immortal Type Symbolist will be the Eternal Type Symbolist, and it will be followed by the final type, which was called the Paragon Type Symbolist.


    The Grand Symbolist, who was the strongest Symbolist in the whole world, was said to be a Paragon Type Symbolist.


    After Alex saw this level of intricacy amongst the Symbolists, he could not help out but sigh, as he felt pity for these guys who were most likely too engrossed on studying.


    Their love life could possibly be as dismal as it could get.


    **************


    If the Symbolists value knowledge, the Celestials on the other hand value their bloodlines.


    From what Alex found out, the potency of the power of the Celestials depend on their bloodlines.


    The Celestials'' ability to harness Stellar Essence actually depends on the amount of the Celestial Bloodline flowing through their veins.


    The ''better'' and ''purer'' their bloodlines are, the stronger their power will be.


    This natural limitation produced a Celestial Society divided into three strata.


    The First Stratum was composed of the Celestials with the thinnest amounts of Celestial Bloodline on their veins.


    They could only barely harness the Stellar Essence, but they were still accepted as Celestials as they can do the bare minimum.


    Those who reside in the First Stratum were usually called Mortal Celestials, as their weak power makes them comparable to a mortal.


    For the Second Stratum, its residents were the Celestials who had enough Celestial Bloodline to make them formidable fighters, but still not enough to make them extremely powerful.


    They could be said to be the average-powered Celestials.


    These Celestials who reside on the Second Stratum were called the Heavenly Celestials, pertaining to their power making them a little closer to the heavens.


    As for the Third and final Stratum, the Celestials who reside here were those with the thickest and purest amount of Celestial Bloodline in their bodies.


    Such amounts of bloodline allow these mentioned Celestials to perform feats that can be sung on legends.


    Such was their power that these Celestials were treated as the ruling class among all the Celestials.


    These ''pure-blooded'' Celestials were called the Stellar Celestials, as their sheer presence were being compared to the stars themselves.


    As for their levels of power, the Celestials surprisingly follow the same system as the Symbolists.


    There are Mortal Type, King Type, Emperor Type, Sovereign Type, Earth Type, Heaven Type, Ancient Type, Immortal Type, Eternal Type and Paragon Type Celestials.


    With the memories that they scoured coming from a Symbolist, Alex was not able to determine on how powerful the Celestials are as a whole.


    But seeing that the Celestials were able to stand toe-to-toe along with the Symbolists, Alex can safely say that the Celestial Faction could be just as strong as the Symbolist Faction.


    ***********


    Unlike the Symbolists and Celestials, who follow some kind of complicated system to measure the status of their members, the residents of the Devourer Faction follow a different and a much simpler way to sort themselves.


    For the Devourers, might makes right.


    If you''rea strong Devourer, then it will be your words that matter among the Devourers. But if you''re a weak Devourer, your life will be doomed already.


    The Devourers follow this kind of system as it was the best that they can do with the powers that they have.


    And just like the Celestials and the Symbolists, the Devourers also follow the same power levelling system.


    ************


    After he reminisced all this information inside his mind, Alex started to shake his head as he remembered what he was supposed to do right now.


    "So, like what I am saying earlier, I plan to reconstruct Professor Frances'' body." Alex said as he prodded the professor''s forehead. "The creation of the body itself is easy, but the hard part will be the gathering of the materials needed to create that body."


    Alex then let out a sigh as he started to list out his needed materials.


    "We need to get: A bucket of soil that contains a breath of life in it, a glass of liquid filled with power, and finally, the corpse of a living creature with great vitality."


    "Alex, that list is the reason why I am asking you if you''re ready to do this plan." Alina said to Alex as she placed her hand on his shoulders. "Getting them is already hard, and yet you want to do it this week, when we are not yet starting the Main Mission! We haven''t been able to purchase any power-ups, since they will only be available once we start the Main Mission. But even with that limitation, you still want to re-create the professor''s body immediately? Are you really sure about this, Alex?"


    "Just like what I said before, I am sure about this already." Alex replied calmly.


    "¡­"


    Alina, who looked unconvinced with Alex''s reply, continued her argument.


    "Alex didn''t you say that you do not want to do anything risky right before the Main Mission starts? From what I can see, what you are doing right now constitutes a lot of risks¡­"


    "That is what I thought so too before." Alex replied as he shook his head. "But yesterday, I realized that we cannot just keep hiding here until the Main Mission starts. We need to also survey our possible enemies¡­ "


    "¡­"


    Alex then started to smile as he crossed his arms in front of him. "And fortunately for us, we can actually survey our possible enemies while we gather the materials needed for the recreation of the professor''s body!"


    "Basically speaking, you are saying that you want to obtain the materials from the Celestials, Symbolists and Devourers." Alina drily said as she stared at Alex. "You want to do it stealthily, and while you get the materials, you will also use that time to spy on them to know their motives and their moves¡­"


    "Yes! That is what I plan to do!" Alex replied jovially as he started to laugh. "As long as I do this properly, none of us will be jeopardized before the Main Mission, and we will gain a new ally that will be of great help to us here!"


    "¡­You really are an unpredictable person, Alex."


    In the end, this is the only thing that Alina could say to Alex.


    "Hehe, if we want to win, then we need to be creative." Alex replied as he tried to make himself look imperious. "After all, creativity is the mother of all innovation!"


    "¡­Alex, that quotation sounds cool, but isn''t that a little unrelated with what we are talking about here?"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 189 The Gathering

    "If you say that you are serious in your plan, does that mean that you are prepared to do it now?" Alina asked Alex as he looked extremely determined to recreate Professor Frances'' body.


    "We already had 3 weeks of acclimation time here, so getting out won''t hurt that much." Alex replied as he pocketed the professor''s head back to Alina''s Storage.


    As Alex kept the professor''s head, he started to look around, as if he was looking for someone.


    "Hey, where''s Queen Mother anyway? I hadn''t seen her talking with me today." Alex asked Alina as he tilted his head. "Did shedo something else again?"


    "Don''t be that worried, Alex." Alina replied as she seemed to be chiding Alex. "Right now, Queen Mother is playing with Kiera. And she''s¡­ not staring at the skies like what she did yesterday or the days before that."


    "Oh. That''s reassuring to me." That was all that Alex could say as he received Alina''s answer.


    "Reassuring you? Are you really that worried for Queen Mother too?" At this point, Alina''s voice rose by a fraction, which was already impressive, as Alex could feel irritation rolling of Alina in waves.


    "You''ve seen what happened to her after we encountered Turtel." Alex replied, indicating the Titan that they met 3 weeks ago. "After we separated with Turtel, Queen Mother started to act a little¡­ weird. She even began staring blankly at the horizon¡­ Even if there''s nothing wrong with her body, I still could not help but get worried for her¡­"


    "There''s no need for you to get that worried, Alex." Alina suddenly replied as she shook her head. "I already talked with Queen Mother about what she was doing. She¡­ already explained to me why. And from what I can see, there''s actually no need for us to be that worried about her."


    "Oh, she told to you why she''s like this? Can you tell it to me too?" Alex pleased as he stared at Alina. "You know I can''t just let go of a good gossip¡­"


    "¡­If you want to know, just ask her later." Alina replied brusquely as she let out a light hmph. "I''m not in the mood right now to entertain your¡­. snoopy ears."


    "Oh."


    "Instead of talking with Queen Mother, why don''t you focus on talking with Asteria?" Alina said as she glared at Alex. "She''s planning to tell us about her past, right?"


    "You know that Asteria''s weird in her own way." Alex said as he let out a frustrated sigh.


    "So, she refused talking about her past again?"


    "Hmph, I don''t know what that dumb fairy is thinking right now. So god**** irritating." Alex said as he let out a low growl. "3 weeks ago, she seemed to be prepared to tell her story. But after we encountered Turtel, she won''t talk about her story anymore! What the hell is wrong with her?"


    "¡­"


    Just like what Alex said, Asteria, who seemed to be prepared to tell her story 3 weeks ago, suddenly changed her tune after they left the Titan.


    She went back to her normal routine, with the addition of her refusing to talk about her past anymore.


    It was as if she lost the courage and initiative to open up herself.


    "Asteria¡­ must have worked up a lot of courage to start talking about her past." Alina hesitantly replied, as if she was trying to paint Asteria in a good light. "But after the Titan interrupted her, she could have lost that courage to talk. Maybe that is why she''s acting like this again."


    "Alina, you give that dumb fairy too much credit." Alex replied as he let out another sigh. "Haven''t you read the books about creatures like Asteria, which include creatures like Faerires? They are agents of chaos, and they love pranking people. I won''t be surprised to see that what Asteria was doing now was just one of her pranks."


    "Alex, if I give Asteria too much credit, you on the other hand give her too little." Alina replied with an icy tone to her voice. "Are you really that angry with her?"


    "¡­Except for me, you''re the one that interacted with my Guide the most." Alex replied as he narrowed his eyes. "With that time that you had with Asteria, can you confidently say to me that Asteria was a good person? Say that to me with conviction."


    "Asteria¡­Well, she''s warm and fluffy." After struggling for 5 seconds, this is the best answer that Alina could give to Alex.


    "See? Even you could see that there''s something wrong with her, or whatever she is." Alex replied as he shook his head.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Alex then shook his head once more as he realized that they were back again on the awkward territory.


    "Speaking of that fairy, where is she anyway?"


    "She''s with Queen Mother." Alina replied as she fingered the handle of her sword. "She told me that she was interested to see on what Kiera could be doing right now."


    "I''m pretty sure that Kiera''s trying to activate her power again." Alex said as he started to walk towards a certain direction. Alina followed behind him, with her long legs allowing her to keep up with Alex''s pace.


    "Kiera''s trying to activate her power again? She seems to be serious about this..." Alina muttered behind Alex with a tone of wonder and incredulity.


    "Well, if you tell a kid that she had powers now, there is no way that she would not be interested." Alex replied as he let out a yawn. "With Kiera knowing that she has powers now, there''s no wonder that she''s trying her best to activate it."


    "But unfortunately, her power''s still not activating now." Alina murmured behind Alex, with curiosity and a little resignation on her tone.


    "Yeah, that''s really unfortunate." Alex replied back, as he adjusted the lining of his collar. "Alina, do you have any idea on why Kiera can''t activate her power yet?"


    "I have no idea too." Alina replied with slight irritation back on her voice. "But do you really need to be worried about that? We have a lot of time to use in this world. I''m sure that there will come a time that Kiera''s power will start to work. All that we have to do right now is to just wait."


    "Well, try telling that to the little girl." Alex replied as he let out a chuckle. "I bet she will start pouting to you."


    "¡­You really like teasing others this much huh." Alina muttered behind Alex as she let out a sigh. "It''s no wonder that Kiera''s a little afraid of you."


    "She''s afraid of me?"


    "Just a little."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The two then stopped talking at that point, as they both realized that they were out of topics to talk about.


    A few seconds after they stopped talking, Alex paused in his tracks as he spun around, facing Alina herself.


    "Ok, now that I have told you everything, it''s time for me to go." Alex said as he started to change paths. "I''ll see you once I''m done!"


    "Wait! What the hell are you doing now?" Alina asked Alex as she glared at him. "Why are you leaving by yourself?"


    "Well, it''s because what I will do is essentially a reconnaissance mission." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "If only one us goes, then there is a low chance of us being caught by the Three Factions."


    "But¡­"


    "No buts, Alina." Alex replied as he placed a finger of his on her lips. "If I do everything perfectly, I can come back later night or tomorrow morning."


    "But you are going to a conference that will be attended by some important members of the Three Factions." Alina replied in a stubborn tone. "Are you confident on going there by yourself to obtain the materials?"


    "¡­."


    **********


    Just like what Alina had just said, Alex was planning on infiltrating a gathering of some members of the Three Factions.


    Alex was able to find out about this gathering by using his powers to gather information from nearby cities and settlements.


    As it turns out, the Three Factions were extremely wary and worried by the appearance of the Red Moon.


    This worry had forced some of their members to organize a gathering that will include select members of the Three Factions.


    Alex was not sure on what will be talked about in this gathering, but he knew that going to this gathering will be his best bet to spy on them and obtain the materials that he wanted.


    He just have to employ all the best spying techniques that he had, and victory will be in his hands.


    "Well, me going there is much better compared to us three going there¡­." Alex said to Alina as he gave her another cheeky smile. "Well, are you going to refute that statement too?"


    "¡­" After Alex said these words, Alina only stared at him, as if she was trying to find the right words to say to him.


    But after a few seconds, her body started to slump, as she seemed to be admitting her defeat.


    "¡­Fine, you win." Alina replied as she let out an exasperated sigh. "However, you should remember this. If you will not come back within a week, I will personally look for you and drag you back here, no matter what your state will be at that time. Are we clear on that?"


    "¡­"


    "ARE WE CLEAR ON THAT?"


    "Yes, we''re¡­ clear on that." Alex said as he tried to not show any hints of nervousness from him. "I definitely promise to come back within a week! If you want I can even make a pinky promise with you!"


    "¡­There''s no need for you to do that Alex. Just¡­ don''t fool around there." Alina said these words coldly, which promptly shot down Alex''s attempts to make more jokes.


    "¡­.Ok."

 Chapter 190 Please donst say that!

    The skies were gloomy and everyone''s feelings were murky.


    That was the general atmoshpere that Anya saw as she stepped on the ground.


    "For these Symbolists to be this gloomy, they really are scared the new moon. Hmph, that''s to be expected from these filthy academics already. All read and no class at all!"


    As Anya said these words, she resisted to let out a sneer, as her golden robes fluttered across the wind.


    Behind her, her female butler gave Anya a worried look.


    "Miss Anya¡­ I don''t think you should try to criticize the Symbolists¡­ They can hear you here¡­"


    "And so what if they hear me? Everything that I say is true!" Anya said as she looked back at her butler. "Why Eris, do you think that I should have been just quiet now?"


    "¡­." As her butler Eris struggled to give a reply, Anya started to hmph as she glared at her butler.


    "I''m a Celestial, and nobody, not even those Symbolists can make me quiet! You should always remember that."


    "¡­If you say so, Miss Anya."


    "Hmph!" After making that her butler has already understood her point, Anya flipped her head around, which allowed her golden hair to glitter against the morning sun.


    "So, where are we now?" Anya asked her butler imperiously as she placed her hands on her hips.


    Anya had a beauty sleep earlier on her personal flying carriage, making her unsure on where she is right now.


    It was only her trustworthy butler that knew where they are.


    "Miss Anya, from the information that I have, we are currently on the 13th Polis of the Symbolists, which they also call the City of Marshes." Eris replied as she began carrying two sets of briefcase with her.


    "Marshes? So that is the reason for this filthy ground." Anya replied as she looked down at the ground with disgust. "Hmph, this city just shows how inefficient the Symbolists are. They all had that cheating powers, and yet they can''t do something to fix the ground? If they were at our Kingdom, I''m sure that all of them will be as obedient as my kittens!"


    "Miss Anya, please keep your voice down. Some of them are hearing you already!" Eris muttered behind Anya anxiously as Anya indeed saw some white-robed people whispering and looking at her direction.


    "What are you looking at huh? Is this the first time you''ve seen a noble person like me?" Anya uttered as she gave a condescending smile at the Symbolists looking at her. "If you really want to bask in my presence, then you''re free to come and serve me!"


    "Miss Anya, please don''t do that." Her butler Eris urgently hissed at Anya as she looked around warily. "This is not at our Kingdom, where everyone will be scrambling to serve you. Miss Anya, remember that we are at a conference, and not a casual meeting. If your father hears what you were doing here, I don''t think he will be happy by it."


    "Eris! Why are you using my father here?" Anya hissed back at her butler as the butler started to gently pull Anya away from the spectating crowd. "That''s a low blow!"


    "Miss Anya, it will be better for us to just attend this conference and then leave after it." Eris replied as they almost reached their flying carriage. "Your father warned me that there could be some people that might try to take your life here, so we should always be careful."


    "But why would they try to attack me? I''m a powerful Celestial, so there should be no one that stupid to just attack me!"


    "Miss Anya, you never know the limits of human stupidity." Eris said as she shook her head. "Even if you have already shown your grace and nobility before, there will still be some people that will think that they could get the better of you. The Grand Minister always preaches that to everyone. Don''t tell me that you have forgotten about it already?"


    "Eris, you know that I like to have my beauty sleep everyday. Why would listen to father''s boring lectures?" Anya replied as she tilted her head, as if what she said was the most obvious thing in the world. "Didn''t you also complain before that my father''s voice was like a glass being scratched on another glass?"


    "Miss Anya! Don''t say things like that here!" Eris said as her face started to look panicked. "Your father is an important figure, so he must be treated with respect! What do you think will happen if people here hears about what you just said? Do you think they will respect you father after that?"


    "But father''s voice is really bad!"


    "Miss Anya¡­"


    "¡­Ok, I will go quiet now." The blonde Celestial, who received the trademark glare from her butler, obediently closed her mouth.


    Eris, who looked extremely stressed with the conversation with Anya, let out a sigh of relief, maybe thinking that her ordeal is now finished.


    But unfortunately for her, her torment has just started.


    ***************


    10 minutes later, and Eris and Anya were now walking towards their assigned residence.


    It will be at that residence where they will stay for the duration of the conference.


    "¡­They better give you a good resting place, Miss Anya." Eris muttered behind Anya as the Celestial started to look around her with interest.


    "Of course they will give me a good residence. I''m a noble after all." Anya replied confidently. "If they don''t do it well, then they will just have to face father''s wrath!"


    "¡­"


    Eris could only shake her head in tiredness and amusement, as she looked at her master with a little irritated but also fond look.


    "Miss Anya, you really are enjoying this, aren''t you?" Eris thought to herself as she let out a sigh, feeling a little amused with her master''s personality.


    Anya might not look like it, but she was one of the most talented young Celestials living right now.


    Anya might be a little childish, but her ability in fighting and the purity of her bloodline makes her an almost perfect representation of what a Celestial should be.


    She could have been enjoying many suitors now, but her slightly na?ve and childish attitude has turned off many of the nobles that knew her.


    Because of this kind of attitude, Eris always looked out for Anya, making sure some of her offhand comments won''t offend anyone nearby.


    And right now, she had to use that skills of hers again.


    "Eris, look!" Anya shouted as she pointed her finger towards a certain direction. "He looks just like my pet lizard! Do you think we can ask him to be my pet too? Oh, maybe we can make him mate with my pet lizard! I bet they will have many cute kids!"


    "''Miss Anya! Please don''t do that!" The panicking Eris said as she hastily pulled Anya''s arms down. "That person that you just saw is a Devourer! That''s why he looked like a lizard!"


    "Eh¡­ a Devourer? I thought they will look scary¡­" Anya replied as she tilted her head, with her still looking at the Devourer. "Didn''t father say that Devourers sometimes eat children for breakfast? Why don''t I see that from that Devourer?"


    "¡­" After Anya said these words, Eris started to feel a little cold, as everyone nearby who heard what Anya just said started to look at her as if she saw a freak.


    As for the Devourer that Anya was talking about, he looked at Anya directly with its beady eyes.


    "Little girl¡­ you seem to forget where you are." The Devourer said, with its voice sounding like a cord being pulled across metal. "You''re not in your pretty little golden mansion in the skies anymore. You are here among us. So, if you want to live, then you should apologize to me now. If not, hehehe¡­"


    The Devourer, who was now looking at Anya with a lecherous look, continued chuckling as the crowd around them started to move away from them.


    Eris let out another sigh, as she realized that her master''s bigmouth had landed them into trouble again.


    "Why should I apologize to you when I am just telling the truth?" Anya asked the Devourer innocently. "Wait¡­ maybe you are insecure about your appearance! Hey, don''t worry! I, as a noble Celestial, assures you that you look an awesome lizard! So don''t be that insecure about yourself anymore! I''m sure my pet lizard will like you!"


    "Miss Anya, you just made the situation worse!" Eris whispered behind Anya as the Devourer, who looked a little irritated and lecherous earlier, was now looking at Anya with a murderous look.


    "You think just because you are a f***ng noble, you are free to talk to me like that? You really think your silly laws and customs will protect you here? F***ing Celestials! You always think you are the center of this world!" As the Devourer shouted these words, his body started to morph, as his killing intent started to increase.


    "Little girl, remember this day as your last!" The Devourer said as his height started to increase, with the lizard-like scales on his skin thickening and his muscles starting to bulge. "Oh¡­ and that butler of you smells good too¡­ I think I will have some fun devouring you both!"


    "¡­" As the Devourer started to transform, Eris looked around her, realizing that everyone nearby has already formed a ring around them and the Devourer, as if they were watching a show right now.


    "Tsk, so all of you don''t plan to intervene here? Heh, I will remember all your faces later. Once the Grand Minister hears all of this, you will all receive his wrath!" Eris though to herself as she stepped forward, right in front of Anya.


    "So the butler wants to fight me¡­. Interesting¡­ Let''s see if you can last against me!" The Devourer, whose mind seems to have been affected by his transformation, started to let out a crazed laugh as wings started to appear from his back. "With that scrawny body of yours, you won''t even last a second!"


    "If it is Miss Anya who fights you, you''re the one who won''t last a second." Eris thought to herself as she looked at the 10-foot dragon-like behemoth standing in front of her. "But since I am her butler, it is my duty to protect Miss Anya, even if the threat is weaker than her."


    "¡­."


    A few tense seconds then passed by, as both Eris and the lizard only stared at each other,


    When the silence started to become unbearable, and the two sides were about to make a move, someone''s voice suddenly interrupted their face-off.


    "Impetuous Devourer, do you really think that you can just harass some fair maidens in broad daylight?" The one who said these words was a young male who was now walking at Anya and Eris'' direction. "Shame, shame! I thought highly of beings like you!"


    This young male was devilishly handsome, with his chiseled face, perfect nose, glowing eyes, and golden hair making him look like a perfect prince.


    This man was also wearing white robes, which points out to him being a Symbolist.


    This handsome Symbolist was smiling as he approached Anya and Eris.


    By the time that he was just 5 steps away from them, the handsome Symbolist gave Eris and Anya an elegant bow as he said,


    "Greetings, my fair ladies. You seem to have some trouble with this little lizard here. Fear not, for I will be protecting you two. Well, that is if you want me to do so. Just say the words, and I will be happy to oblige."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 191 That name sounds familiar...

    With just one look at his eyes, Eris was already sure that this Symbolist bowing elegantly in front of them was up to no good.


    She can perfectly see that this Symbolist was a scheming one, which was the type of people that Eris loathed the most.


    "We don''t need your help here, filthy Symbolist!" Eris hissed as she glared at the blonde Symbolist. "My master and I can deal with this lizard easily. So if I were you, you should just scram out of here."


    "And let two beautiful ladies like you fight this ugly thing? There''s no way that I will do that." The blonde Symbolist said as he shook his head. "You two are too pretty to dirty your fair hands!"


    "Ugh, don''t think your flattery can move me or my master." Eris said as she ignored the Devourer in front of her, who looked visibly angered with what the blonde Symbolist said. "You are just one dirty pla-"


    But before Eris could finish her sentence, her master, Miss Anya, interrupted her


    "Aww, that''s so sweet. You really think that Eris and I are both beautiful?" Anya, who seemed oblivious of her butler''s scandalized reaction, gave the blonde Symbolist a brilliant smile, as if she was trying to entice him.


    "I don''t need to think at all. Just seeing your fair visage was already enough to show your beauty." The blonde Symbolist replied, which prompted more veins to appear on Eris'' forehead, and a wider smile on Anya''s face.


    "Hehehe¡­" To Eris'' disappointment, she saw Anya giggling as the said Celestial gave the blonde Symbolist a coy smile.


    "If you''re really serious about fighting for us, then I shall allow you to do so, Mister..?"


    "You can call me¡­ Sigmund." Sigmund said as he faced the pissed-off Devourer.


    "Well, Mister Sigmund. I shall give you a minute to fight that lizard." Anya said as she pointed her finger at the Devourer''s direction. "If you don''t kill him within a minute, I will be really disappointed~"


    Eris, who just heard what Anya said, could not help but gulp as she personally knew what happens when to those who makes Anya ''disappointed''.


    "Fear not, pretty miss. I shall deal with this matter shortly."


    "Hehehe, we shall see that, Mister Sigmund. Please, do not disappoint me."


    "I won''t dare to do that to someone like you! I swear that with my soul!"


    "Aww, I''m liking you more and more here!"


    "I can perfectly say the same thing to you."


    "Hehehe¡­"


    "Hehehe¡­"


    "¡­" As Anya and Sigmund seemed to start flirting with each other, the Devourer, who was pretty much ignored by the two, started to roar with rage.


    "You dare ignore me? The great Igneus? You f**king Celestials and Symbolists shall pay for that!" Igneus, who looked like a genuine dragon right now, let out streams of fire from his nose and mouth as his massive body lumbered towards the bemused Sigmund.


    "He''s all yours now¡­." Anya said as she lightly giggled. She then pulled back away from Sigmund, with Eris trailing just beside her.


    "I''m watching you, filthy Symbolist." Eris managed to say these words to Sigmund right before Igneus'' fire breath hit the Symbolist.


    "Woosh¡­"


    Igneus did not waste any time at all, covering Sigmund with his scorching fire breath.


    "Woosh¡­"


    This attack of his was so potent that Eris could see the ground under Sigmund''s feet literally melting from all the heat being let out by the fire breath.


    "So, what will you do now?" Eris muttered to herself as she looked at the location where Sigmund''s body was originally in. "Let''s see if your flowery words can help you out here!"


    "Hahaha! So where''s that punk of yours now?" Igneus looked extremely jubilant as he did not stop on pumping out his fire breath."Come on, you can shout in pain already! You should do that so that your death will be a little more comfortable for you!"


    "¡­" A few seconds passed by, and no reply came out of the spot where Sigmund was supposed to be.


    As Eris started to smile smugly, and Anya''s eyes began to droop in disappointment, something unexpected occurred.


    Igneus'' fire breath, which wasnow going on for a minute, suddenly disappeared, as if it was not there at all.


    "Mr. Lizard. Is that all that you can do?" Sigmund, who looked perfectly unharmed, gave Igneus a condescending smile as he tilted his head. "Come on, that is your strongest flame attack already? Even the flames from my kitchen are much hotter than yours!"


    "You¡­ how could you have survived that?" Needless to say, Igneus was extremely surprised with Sigmund''s current status. "Nobody can survive from that!"


    "Well, too bad for you, my symbols were able to trump you." Sigmund smugly replied as the telltale golden glow twinkled right in front of his chest.


    As Eris followed the source of the golden glow, her eyes widened as what she saw almost made her do a double take.


    Floating right in front of Sigmund were 10 golden symbols, with them arranged in a straight line.


    These 10 golden symbols were not attached to anything, as they were actually floating on the air itself!


    "He can write Symbols in the air that quickly?" Eris'' eyes narrowed in wariness as she began to treat Sigmund with more caution. "So, this guy really has some talent to back up his boasts huh."


    With her association with a noble family of Celestials, Eris naturally was drilled with important information pertaining some qualities and abilities of the Symbolists and Devourers.


    One such information wasthe difficulty of using the air as a Symbolist''s medium for their abilities.


    Air, which was one of the mediums where a Symbolist can write his/her symbols, was actually the most difficult mediums out there.


    With the near intangible property of air, any Symbolist will have a hard time writing their symbols on the air.


    And if they try to write symbols in the air, it will take them much longer to do so, compared to the other mediums such as liquids and solids.


    Because of that, most of the Symbolists opt to just write their Symbols on other mediums and store them in preparation for their upcoming battles.


    But just like any sample population, there''s a minority among the Symbolists that are not affected by this dilemma.


    From the information that Eris had, there existssome Symbolists that are actually skilled enough to dabble their abilities on the air itself!


    Of course these Symbolists are not common. Only the extremely talented Symbolists can reach this kind of level!


    And if these Symbolists were skilled enough, they can even write symbols in the air during combat!


    In Eris'' opinion, it was these kind of Symbolists that are extremely dangerous to fight against!


    After all, if a Symbolist can write their Symbols in the air, they can easily react to any situations by just writing their needed symbols in the air!


    These kinds of Symbolists were extremely versatile, and their battle prowess was much higher compared to the typical Symbolists, who usually use pre-written Symbols on combat.


    "Miss Anya, should we really continue to talk with this Symbolist?" Eris asked her master worriedly as she watched Sigmund walking nonchalantly towards Igneus. "He has reached the level where he can use air as a Symbol Medium! That just means that he''s an extremely dangerous person!"


    "Eris, why should we avoid him? If anything else, I''m more interested in him now¡­" Anya replied as Eris saw her master licking her lips excitedly. "Aren''t you interested too?"


    "¡­"


    Eris tried to suppress a sigh, knowing that now is not the right time to blow up at Anya.


    Eris knew that at this moment, only proper words of logic can stop her master from doing something extreme again.


    "Miss Anya, you should think about clearly. That guy is obviousl-" Whatever words Eris wanted to say wascut off as Sigmund''s words rang out at the whole area.


    "Since you made your move, it''s time for me to impose mine." The Symbolist fearlelssl said as the tip of his right index finger began to glow gold.


    "No, you don''t get to play those tricks in front of me!" Igneus seemed to have abandoned any of his restraints as he lunged towards Sigmund.


    From the looks of it, Sigmund was planning to tear Sigmund apart with his bare hands, just before Sigmund could start writing his Symbols in the air.


    "Lizard, its too late for you already." Sigmund said as he seemed to be nonplussed with Igneus'' action. "You''re no match for my speed."


    Then, in front of Eris'' unbelieving eyes, she saw Sigmund writing 12 golden symbols in the air, all in a span of one second!


    "Wha?" Igneus, who looked just as surprised as Eris, had tried to back up, clearly knowing that the symbols that Sigmund wrote was definitely dangerous.


    But that retreat of his was useless, as the effects of Sigmund''s written symbols started to appear.


    "Cool down your rage, lizard. You definitely needed to chill right now.'' Sigmund said as tons of ice suddenly poured down on Igneus'' body.


    "Argh!" The sheer amount of ice pouring down on Igneus was too much, that Eris could see the Devourer actually being affected by the falling ice.


    "¡­."


    Everyone who saw what was happening, including Eris and Anya, were all somewhat confused with what they saw.


    But even if Eris was slightly confused with what was happening now, there''s actually one thing that she was sure off.


    And that the tons of ice assaulting Igneus right now was the result of the symbols that Sigmund just wrote!


    "Now that you have cooled your rage already, it''s time for you to face my blade!" Sigmund shouted as he wrote symbols on the air once more, this time writing around 15 symbols in front of him.


    As Alex completed these Symbols, they started to glow golden before an object materialized in front of the Symbolist.


    The said object was a silver sword with a hilt covered with snakeskin, and its blade looking sharp enough to cut through anything.


    "Argh!" Igneus, who seemed to have realized what Sigmund was planning to do, tried to stand and move out of the way. But the effects of the ice on his body seemed to be too much, as Igneus could be seen reverting back to his normal form.


    "As the fighter chosen by two fair maidens, I, Sir Sigmund,hearby judge you, Igneus the Devourer, the punishment! Death by Decapitation!" Sigmund then wasted no time at all, swinging the silver sword with ease.


    Igneus'' head effortlessly separated itself from his body, which obviously rendered the unlucky Devourer dead.


    As the Devourer''s head tumbled on the ground like a used ball, Eris could not help but grit her teeth in worry and frustration, as she knew that this Sigmund guy is definitely a bad news for and her master.


    "I¡­ must do my best to keep Miss Anya away from Sigmund. If I fail on that... My master''s future will be derailed! That must not be allowed to happen!"

 Chapter 192 No Pain, No Gain!

    At the instant that Igneus was killed, the crowd that was watching the fight started to disperse, as if they already lost what made them watch in the first place.


    A few seconds later, and there was nobody else left on that street, with the exception of Eris, Anya, Sigmund, and Igneus'' corpse.


    "Hmph, those pathetic bastards. They actually did not do anything! They just watched the fight as if it was a show to them!" Even if Eris knew that killing Igneus will be easy, she still could not help but feel disgruntled at the attitude shown by the people around them earlier. "I swear, once I go back to our mansion, I will inform the Grand Minister about your transgressions!"


    After the crowd fully disappeared, Eris could not help but notice another thing.


    "Where are the city guards? A disturbance just happened here. Shouldn''t they be coming here to stop fights like this?" As Eris had these thoughts in her head, she could not help but look at Sigmund, who was busy adjusting his ruffled robes.


    "¡­" As she stared at this Symbolist, Eris could not help but be suspicious of him.


    "Is this Symbolist related to the guards'' lack of response here?" As she formed this conclusion inside her head, Eris'' eyes started to narrow as she began to feel pissed at Sigmund.


    "So, how about that, miss bodyguard?" The blonde Symbolist, who deftly picked up the Devourer''s head, looked at Eris'' direction as he gave her a sneering smile. "Do you still think that I''m an effervescent lad?"


    "You!" But before Eris could blow up to Sigmund, Anya stepped forward, giving Sigmund a dazzling smile of her own.


    "That''s impressive, Mister Sigmund." Anya said as she slightly twisted her torso, which was in Eris'' eyes, an attempt to show off her curves. "It''s rare for me to see outstanding young me like you. What you did¡­ was interesting."


    "Oh, spare the pleasantries, Miss¡­?"


    "Anya. You may call me Anya."


    "Spare the pleasantries, Miss Anya. I just had to do what I had to do." Sigmund said as he approached Igneus'' twitching headless body. "Your beauty is just too much for me to ignore! I feel like my heart will break if you get wounded by this filthy beast! That is how I feel right now!"


    After Sigmund said these words, Eris could see Anya blushing a little, as if what the Symbolist said had tugged her heartstrings.


    Obviously, Eris'' mood just worsened after seeing this.


    "So Mister Sigmund, did you just fight Igneus in order to protect us?" Anya asked Sigmund with a teasing tone in her voice, although some hints of flirtations could be discerned from her words. "Or do you desire something else?"


    "¡­" Eris, who was busy glaring at both her master and Sigmund, could barely stop herself from jumping and attacking the blond Symbolist.


    After all, it was quite obvious that her master was subtly inviting this Sigmund to go with her!


    Even an idiot could see that!


    As Anya''s butler, there is no way that Eris could be happy that a suspicious person like Sigmund would just easily get close to Anya!


    "Miss Anya, don''t bother him anymore. He just wants to practice his chivalry." Eris hastily said before Sigmund could reply. "Just give him some money, and then we should set off now."


    "I have to apologize miss butler, but I actually wanted to invite Miss Anya to a dinner with me later." Sigmund smoothly said as he gave both Eris and Anya a dazzling smile.


    "Oh my, you''re pretty straightforward here, Mister Sigmund." Anya said as the blush on her face increased. "Well, well, well, since you have worked out the courage to ask me out, then I shall reward you with my affirmation!"


    "Miss Anya!"


    "Fetch me from my apartment 6 hours from now, and then bring me to the best places here in this city." Anya said as she ignored Eris'' protests behind her. "I hope you can make me happy later, Mister Sigmund. I am quite expectant of you, so please don''t disappoint me."


    "Don''t worry, Miss Anya. I will give you what you always have yearned before." Sigmund then leaned forward, showing his perfect white teeth as he muttered,


    "Just make sure that you''re prepared for what''s about to come."


    "Oho, now I''m in." Anya said as she let out a giggle. "See you later then, mister Sigmund."


    "In that case, I shall say my goodbye here, ?¦Ì¦Ï¦Ñ¦Õ¦Ç ¦Ê¦Ô¦Ñ?¦Á " Sigmund said as he waved his finger around, creating 5 layers of symbols, with each layer containing 20 symbols.


    After writing these symbols, a hole in space appeared just beside Sigmund, and in this hole Sigmund dumped Igneus'' head and body.


    As Eris and Anya watched what happened with fascination, Sigmund gave him another bow before he turned around, leaving the duo on the abandoned street.


    "Isn''t he just great?" These were the words that Anya said as Sigmund''s body disappeared after he turned at a corner. "Just that husky voice of his was already hot enough! Eris, don''t you like him too?"


    "Hmph, I don''t like him at all." Eris replied as she let out a snort. "That guy''s appearance earlier was just too suspicious. I think he''s up to something¡­ So Miss Anya, I advise you to stay the hell away from him! Please, do that for your safety!"


    "Eris, don''t be like that. I know that Sigmund is a good guy." Anya replied, with her voice making it sound like she will not accept any arguments against Sigmund anymore.


    "But-"


    "You know what Eris? Let''s just go and enter my room. I have a date later, so I need to have a beauty sleep right now! After all, I can''t afford looking messy for my dinner with him!"


    "¡­Ok, Miss Anya. Follow me then." Eris, who realized that she was unable to change her master''s mind, could only let out a helpless sigh as she led her master to her room.


    Today, which was supposed to be a resting day for Eris, has turned out to be a hectic one.


    "Sigmund, whoever you are, and whatever you are planning to do with Miss Anya, I will be there to stop you!" Eris thought to herself as she carried Anya''s items.


    "So, just you wait!"


    ******************


    At an alley 10 blocks away from Anya''s room.


    "Blergh. Did I just say those cringy words? Ugh, I''m already regretting this now!" Sigmund, the Symbolist who just asked out a Stellar Celestial for a dinner later, was currently slumped against the wall, with his face looking extremely ashen.


    "Ugh, I''m here to obtain materials and spy on the conference! How did it end up like this? For god''s sake! I''m just a Traveler struggling to survive! I''m Alex, and I''m not like this cringy Sigmund guy!"


    Sigmund who turns out to be actually Alex, could only shake his head in disappointment as he remembered the set of events that led to this day.


    *************


    After Alex left Alina and the others, he immediately used Envy''s shapeshifting spells to change his appearance entirely.


    Of course Alex could have used Asteria''s fairy dust, but with the current awkwardness between them, Alex decided to use Envy''s abilities for disguise.


    "Voice Warp"


    "Skin Warp"


    "Muscle Warp"


    "Bone Warp"


    "Action Warp"


    "Envy Counter"


    Alex used all of these spells together in order to give him a good disguise.


    Voice Warp gave Alex the seductive voice of a mature man, Skin Warp gave Alex a pristine white skin that even Alina could not beat.


    Muscle Warp changed Alex''s facial and body features, making him look lean and gorgeous.


    Bone Warp also changed Alex''s skeletal structure, increasing his height to 6''7''.


    Action Warp allowed Alex to mimic the way that rich princes acted everyday, while Envy Counter enhanced all of the Envy Spells that Alex used by 5 times.


    All of these spells working together allowed Alex to create the identity of Sigmund, a rich and elegant Symbolist wandering the world for the sake of pleasure.


    With this appearance and the Symbolist skill that he had pillaged before, Alex was able to enter the City of Marshes, which was the venue for the Three Faction conference.


    When he entered the city earlier, Alex''s first plan was to find a place where he can stay and rest.


    But as he wandered the city itself, he suddenly saw the commotion between a Devourer and two ladies.


    As Alex looked at the two ladies, his eyes narrowed imperceptibly.


    Guided by the memories scoured by Alina, Alex was 100% sure that the smug-looking blonde lady talking to the Devourer was a Celestial!


    And from the way that this lady held herself, there is a high chance that she''s a Heaven or even a Stellar Celestial!


    At that point, Alex''s mind began to turn its gears as he formulated a plan at that moment.


    As he finished formulating his plan, Alex began to smile as an excited expression appeared on his face.


    If this plan succeeds, then he will be able to obtain 2 of the 3 materials needed to recreate Professor Frances'' body.


    Alex of course has to be careful, but when has Alex screwed up his plan?


    After fine-tuning the details of his newly created plan, Alex decided to swoop in to fight the Devourer.


    What happened after that was already history.


    Alex easily defeated Igneus by using the Pillaged Symbolist skill, and he was also able to ask out Anya for a dinner later that night.


    "Ok, now I already have one of the materials that I need for the body recreation." Alex muttered to himself as he remembered Igneus'' corpse, which was now stored in a safe place.


    "Corpse with great vitality: That will be the Devourer corpse that''s with me right now."


    "As for the glass of liquid filled with power, I could obtain it from Anya later¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he let out a sigh. "But do I really need to say those cringy words again?"


    Ok, Alex will not deny it.


    Sometimes, he says cringy statements or puns, which can make Alina or Asteria groan in exasperation.


    But what he was doing with Sigmund earlier was just too cringy even for Alex!


    "Ugh¡­ I just have to endure all of this for my team!" Alex muttered to himself, as a serious expression appeared on his face, as if he was about to make a great sacrifice here.


    "No pain, no gain!"


    After saying these words, Alex took a deep breath to compose himself, He then shook his head to clear his head of errant thoughts.


    "I still have 6 hours before the dinner date. That''s enough time for me to scout the city¡­."


    Alex then started to continue walking, this time with the intention of memorizing the city layout with his eyes.


    It was a good thing for Alex that Asteria was not here, as right now, Alex could walk in peace without any pesky fairy buzzing beside his ear.

 Chapter 193 Are you Hungry?

    6 hours later.


    "Hmmm¡­" Alex, who was still sticking on his current disguise, was currently tilting his head, as if he was busy on thinking of something.


    Held within his left hand was a metallic ball, which he was idly throwing up and down every often.


    Even with his hand unconsciously doing this motion, Alex''s attention was not focused on it.


    Instead, his eyes were currently narrowed in concentration, as he seemed to not take note of his surroundings.


    Seconds later, and the reason for Alex''s unnatural behavior was revealed.


    "Once I go back to Alina, I will have to tell her about what I did here in this city¡­ If I did that, then she will know about my ''date'' with that Anya! Of course I only asked Anya out so that I can obtain one of the materials from her¡­ But even with that reason, I''m sure that Alina will be pissed to me¡­ Well, I can understand why she would be angry¡­" Alex muttered these words to himself as he began to look panicked.


    "What should I do to make her less angry when I come back? Sigh, it seems like my incoming days will be difficult¡­"


    After saying these words to himself, Alex let out another sigh as he pocketed the metal ball on his pocket.


    "¡­I think I should worry about the homecoming matter tomorrow, for now, I have to get through another cringy romantic dinner!"


    As Alex said these words, his whole body could not help but tense up, as he started to dread the date that he will have with Anya later.


    "Come on Alex, you just have to spout those ''fair maiden'' nonsense to her. That''s not that difficult at all!"


    But even with these consolations to himself, Alex knew that he was just barely able to comfort his own self.


    "Ugh whatever, let''s just get this done with." Alex muttered to himself as he strode out of his apartment.


    "Now then, where should I bring her?"


    ***************


    "Are you still suspecting Sigmund?" Anya, who was currently dressing up, was talking to her butler Eris. "You know that even if he''s a powerful Symbolist, his power has no bearing against mine!"


    "Miss Anya, you can only say that from what you saw from his abilities earlier." Eris replied as she glared at Anya. "But are you sure that Sigmund''s power can only reach that level?"


    "Oh, you think Sigmund is hiding his power from us? Why would he do that?" Anya asked Eris as she tilted her head in confusion. "Don''t you think you''re just becoming too suspicious of him now?"


    "Suspicious my ass." Eris barked back as she glared at Anya once more. "Miss Anya, can you tell me again the power of the Symbolists?"


    "By using their mental strength, Symbolists can etch Symbols on different mediums, and these Symbols will bring out different effects on the physical reality itself. These effects will vary depending on the symbols used, and on the Symbolist itself." Anya said, as she recited the common information about Symbolists that have been spread throughout all educated Celestials.


    "And what else?" Eris muttered as she started to comb Anya''s hair.


    "The weaker the mental power of a Symbolist is, the more Symbols they need to etch in order to bring out a certain effect." Anya replied quickly. "For example, a Mortal Tier Symbolist would need to etch 100 Symbols in order to create a gravitational field, while a Heaven Tier Symbolist would need only around 50 Symbols to achieve the same effect. And for a Paragon Tier Symbolist, he/she might need only around 5 Symbols to create that gravitationalfield."


    "Go on." Eris said as she was now straightening the pleats on Anya''s skirt.


    "Because of that, a Symbolist''s focus relies on 3 major things." Anya said as she began to look a little irritated. "The first thing that they focus on was their speed on etching Symbols. The faster they are, the better it will be for their survival on their fights. Second is their mental strength. The higher their mental strength was, the higher their Symbolist Tier will be, which will reduce their needed symbols."


    "Their third and last focus was on researching new Symbols and better application of their current Symbols. It was only through this method that they can discover new paths on their quest for Symbols, and I hardly blame them for doing it, although some of their actions on research affects a lot of non-powered people." After saying these words, Anya could be seen glaring at Eris as she pursed her lips. "Okay Eris, I already recited the basic knowledge about the Symbolists¡­ Now, how could that be related to Sigmund?"


    "Miss Anya, couldn''t you see the discrepancy from the way that he fought earlier?" Eris replied as she began to look cautious. "He only needed around 15-20 Symbols to conjure the objects that he needed to defeat Igneus, and he did that in just around a second! Tell me, Miss Anya. Doesn''t that look suspicious to you? Someone with that kind of skill is most likely a professor or even a political official among the Symbolists! That just means that him approaching you is some kind of a political move for him!"


    "Eris¡­ are you doubting me now? Surely you''re just joking, right?" Instead of giving Eris a logical argument, Anya only gave Eris a light smile as she looked at her. "We have been through a lot already¡­ don''t tell me you still do not trust my decisions?"


    "!!!"


    No matter how fearless Eris was, she still could not help but feel cold as she looked at Anya''s eyes, which looked like they will burn a hole through her head.


    Eris found herself unable to move as she felt like she was being stared down by a monstrous creature right now!


    "No, Miss Anya, I was just¡­ concerned for you." Eris managed to rasp these words out as the pressure that she felt began to increase. "I would never¡­ doubt your majestic will!"


    "Good, then that means you have no qualms about my date later." Anya replied as she retracted her smile.


    The pressure on Eris disappeared at that point, allowing Eris to breathe normally again.


    "Ha, ha, ha¡­"


    As Eris slowly tried to get her bearings back, Anya stood up from her seat as she finished preparing her appearance.


    "Eris, let''s go out now. Its already 9 in the evening. Mister Sigmund will come any moment now." Anya cheerfully said as she pulled Eris with her, not noticing the slightly pale expression on Eris'' face.


    "Miss Anya¡­ I hope you will have a fun date later." That was all that Eris managed to say as she and Anya stood inside the lobby of their hotel. "But be rest assured, if that guy tries to do something on you, I will be the first one to stop him!"


    "Oh Eris, you don''t need to make an effort like that."Anya replied as she waved her hands nonchalantly. "Can''t you see that I am there? Even if Sigmund has ulterior motives against me, my power is enough to crush him! So, just sit back and relax!"


    "¡­If you say so, Miss Anya." Eris replied as she saw the silhouette of Sigmund appearing right outside of the hotel.


    "Oh, he arrived right on time. What a punctual man¡­ He really is interesting." Anya said as she and her butler walked out of the lobby, with their heels making clacking sounds on the floor.


    As the sounds of their heels echoed throughout the hotel, Eris could not help but shake her head, as she wished that what happens later night would not be that bad.


    "Even if Miss Anya sleeps with this guy, I can still accept it. But if he tries to kill her, I will be there to stop him, even at the cost of my life!"


    As she made this promise to herself, Eris'' posture started to straighten, as if she had already made up her conviction.


    "¡­" Anya, who saw the change that happened with her butler, could not help but giggle as she seemed to have realized what was going on through her mind.


    "Ara, ara, now Eris is also fired up. Today really is a great day!"


    **************


    Half an hour later.


    "So, how do you like these dishes?" Alex asked Anya and Eris as he stared at the two of them, who were both busy stuffing their mouths full. "Are you both satisfied?


    "Of course we are! These foods are much better than what I ate before!" Anya managed to say even if her mouth was already full. "You think the same thing too, right, Eris?"


    "¡­" Eris, who was also gobbling up the dishes at an insane rate, only frowned as she seemed to be struggling to praise Alex.


    Alex, who saw Eris'' reaction, only shrugged his shoulders, as if he already expected her to do something like this.


    "Well, what I''m feeding you right now were all foods that I cooked." Alex said as he placed more dishes on the table. "If Eris is not happy with my cooking, then I will just have to perfect any cooking skills that I am lacking right now."


    "You don''t need to change anything, Sigmund. Your cooking is perfect the way it is right now!"


    "¡­"


    For their dinner, Alex decided to just cook forAnya and Eris.


    Alex''s original plan was for him and Anya to eat at a good restaurant, but after testing out the foods from all the 5 Star Restaurants in this city, Alex found out that his cooking was actually better than theirs!


    If Alex''s foods were much better than these restaurants, then it''s just obvious that the foods that Alex should give Anya was the one that he made!


    Obviously, when Anya and Eris heard this proposal by Alex, Anya started to look disappointed, while Eris looked like she was about to lunge at Alex.


    But once he served them a plate of honey-glazed roast turkey, he was able to sway both of them to his side.


    "Muuu Sigmund, if you were not a Symbolist, I could have hired you as my personal chef¡­" Anya said in a daze as she started to eat a pair of dumplings. "Um! This is so good! It''s so juicy!"


    "Well, I''m happy that you enjoy it." Alex said as he personally felt satisfied with what he was seeing.


    Mission or not, seeing people getting happy with his cooking was a great feeling for Alex, almost euphoric even.


    And the fact that it was his target that was being pleased by his cooking was enough to make Alex laugh inwardly to himself.


    "Now that you have finished these plates, let me bring out the Main Course." Alex said as he stood up. "Give me a few minut- WATCH OUT!"


    Alex suddenly dived forward, pushing both Eris and Anya away from the dining table.


    At the instant that Alex did this, he saw a massive spear piercing the place where he, Anya, and Eris were sitting earlier.


    "What the hell, why did someone attack my place?" Alex thought to himself as he realized that tonight was going to a direction that he never expected.


    "Ugh, I really hate interruptions!" Alex muttered to himself as he glared at the spear with intense hate, as if he was wishing for it to get destroyed. "I haven''t eaten my Main Course yet!"

 Chapter 194 Its time to D-d-d-d-d-d-

    "That guy¡­ he''s here to bother us again!" While Alex was feeling pissed at the spear that interrupted his dinner, he suddenly heard Eris muttering these words beside him.


    "You know who made this attack?" Alex asked Eris as he placed his body in front of Anya.


    "Yes, and he''s someone that I hate more than you." Eris said, as if what she said was a complement to Alex. "Grrr¡­ you never know how much I wanted to just smash this guy''s head in!"


    "Um, ok. I would like to ask you more about the person who attacked us, but I think it''s not the right time for that." Alex replied as his danger sense informed him that more attacks were about to come at their place. "From what I can see, that guy is about to attack this place again."


    "Tsk, what a creep. He deserves to be beaten up by me!" Eris shouted out as she leapt forward, towards the hole made by the spear earlier.


    "Miss Anya, let me deal with this guy!" Eris said as her body began to glow white. "I need to teach this person a lesson again. It seems like he has forgotten what I did to him before!"


    "Have fun Eris." Anya said as she gave her butler a smile. "I know you''re enjoying this too."


    "It''s not like that Miss Anya!" Eris replied with a flustered expression on her face. "He just deserves to be beaten up!"


    "Well, if that''s what you say¡­"


    "Argh!!!"


    Even though Eris looked like she was about to get sick from what Anya said, the white glow covering her body did not falter at all.


    Instead, this glow became brighter until Alex saw something interesting happening above Eris'' head.


    Just above Eris'' head, Alex saw the sudden appearance of 40 glowing balls of light.


    These balls of light were all glowing brightly,reminding Alex of the stars that he usually see in the sky.


    As Alex observed these balls, his eyes suddenly narrowed as he saw these 40 glowing balls of light rearranging themselves to form a certain pattern.


    Alex, even with his slight knowledge on shapes, was not able to fully understand the pattern made by these glowing balls.


    However, the way that these light balls arranged themselves reminded Alex of one thing.


    "That pattern looks like a constellation!" Alex muttered to himself.


    "Those 40 glowing balls of light are the stars, while the pattern that they made was the constellation!"


    As Alex reached this conclusion in his mind, the butler Eris started to speak, with her domineering voice sounding much more deeper than before.


    "Celestial Constellation Art: Shield of Titan!"


    After saying these words, the constellation above Eris'' head changed, with it materializing into a shield which was large enough to cover Eris'' body.


    "Hah!" Once this shield has appeared, Eris grabbed it with her bare hands, swinging it in front of herself to block three more approaching spears.


    "Ding ding ding!"


    Even though the spears looked like they could pierce through anything, Eris'' shield deflected the spears easily, as if she was just swatting a fly.


    "¡­" Alex, who saw all that happened, had an excited smile on his face as he realized what had just happened.


    "So, that is a Celestial Constellation Art." Alex muttered to himself as he began to look at Eris with more interest. "Now I can see why Celestials are one of the Three Factions. Seeing that art in person is much better compared to just knowing it from some stolen memories¡­"


    From the memories that Alex got from his kidnapped Symbolist, Alex already had an idea on how the power of the Celestials work.


    From the information that he had, every Celestial will have to absorb Stellar Essence(Essence of the Stars) into their bodies in order to strengthen themselves.


    At the basic levels, Stellar Essence will provide a Celestial with a malleable type of energy that they can use to nourish their bodies and enhance their minds.


    However, that is the basic use of Stellar Essence.


    Stellar Essence are used by the Celestials for a more important matter.


    And that is for the creation of Star Points!


    These Star Points, which can be found inside the body of the Celestials,are what powers the powerful abilities of the Celestials!


    *********


    When a Celestial was born, his/her body will be devoid of any Star Point.


    In order to create Star Points, a Celestial must first absorb a set amount of Stellar Essence.


    Once the absorbed Stellar Essence has reached the desired level, that Celestial can then converge this absorbed Stellar Essence to create a Star Point.


    Basically speaking, this created Star Point can be considered as a ''star'' inside a Celestial''s body.


    Obviously, a Star Point cannot be compared to an actual star, but since a Star Point was made up from Stellar Essence, one can consider a Star Point to be a miniature version of a real star.


    The amount of Star Points will increase as the amount of the Stellar Essence absorbed by the Celestials increases too.


    This means that as time passes by, the amount of Star Points inside a Celestial''s body could reach tens or even hundreds in total!


    For the Celestials, the more Star Points there are inside their body, the better it is for them!


    Now, why would the amount of Star Points matter anyway?


    The amount of Star Points is a big deal for any Celestial, as Star Points are a vital component of the Celestial Constellation Arts.


    Celestial Constellation Arts are a unique ability that only Celestials can use.


    Just like what its name says, Celestial Constellation Arts require the power of constellations to manifest an object or an ability that a Celestial can use.


    Only through the existence of constellations that a Celestial Constellation Art can activate.


    But where will the constellations come from?


    This is where the Star Points will be important.


    Basically speaking, a Celestial can use his/her Star Points to create a constellation!


    A Celestial only has to bring out a certain amount of Star Points from his body, and use these Star Points to create a constellation!


    Since Star Points are just miniature stars, the constellations created from them can be considered to be a real constellation!


    Once the desired constellation has been made using the Star Points, its corresponding Celestial Constellation Art will activate!


    Countless Celestial Constellation Arts will require unique patterns and varying amounts of Star Points to work, which in turn creates diversity among the abilities that a Celestial can use!


    From seeing this requirement, is was already quite obvious to see the importance of the Star Points to the Celestials.


    The more Star Points a Celestial has, the more Celestial Constellation Arts he/she can activate, since more Star Points will mean more constellation patterns!


    All in all, this information confirmed a basic comparison between the Symbolists and the Celestials.


    If a Symbolist aims to create a systemic language to manifest their powers, a Celestial aims to obtain pieces of the stars to manifest their abilities!


    When Alex saw all of these info for the first time, he could not help but feel envious of the Celestials, as their powers seems to be just as cheating as the powers that the Symbolists has.


    That envy just increased when Alex saw Eris activating her Celestial Constellation Art.


    "So, that butler has to use 40 Star Points in order to activate Titan Shield¡­ In terms of durability, I can see that its toughness was high." Alex muttered to himself as he saw Eris activating another Celestial Constellation Art.


    This time, 50 Star Points appeared, creating another unfamiliar pattern.


    As the constellation was created, Eris once more uttered the name of the art that she was going to use.


    "Celestial Constellation Art: Descent of the Sky Dragon!


    "Skwa!!!" Alex felt his whole body being pushed back as a freaking white dragon suddenly materialized above Eris.


    There''s no doubt to Alex that this white dragon was the result of the Celestial Constellation Art that Eris just used.


    "Go. Capture all of them for me." Eris muttered to the white dragon as she pointed towards the outside of Alex''s place. "Make sure to break their bones too! Make them feel pain, but don''t kill them!"


    "Skwa!" The white dragon, who seemed to let out a sound of agreement, started to fly out of the hole in the wall, with its elongated body swaying gracefully in the air.


    Seconds later, and Alex heard the unmistakable shouts of surprise outside his house, which was accompanied by the roars of the white dragon.


    "Hmph, so Mister Sigmund, what do you think about that?" As her white dragon continued its rampage, Eris turned to Alex as she placed her hands on her hips. "Now, do you still think that Symbolists are better than Celestials?"


    "According to what I know, Symbolists are better than Celestials in terms of versatility and sheer power of their abilities. Celestials on the other hand are much faster in activating their abilities compared to the Symbolists, and some of the Celestial Constellation Arts are stronger than what the Symbolists have."Alex replied back confidently. "With this observation, I can safely assume that the Symbolists and the Celestials both have advantages and disadvantages with each other, which just means that finding the better Faction between the two is just plain impossible."


    "Ugh¡­ You really are a textbook Symbolist. You only rely on your research for your opinions. No wonder many of you became crazy at the end." Eris muttered as she shot a glare to Alex.


    "Well, at least we''re not like those old-fashioned people who still rely on an outdated system to segregate its residents." Alex shot back with a sneer on his face. "If that outdated system has been abolished already, then maybe the rebellions on their territories will not be as many as it is right now."


    "You!"


    "What? I''m not saying that it''s theCelestials!" Alex hurriedly said as he looked at Eris. "Why are you overreacting like that? Don''t tell me that what I said are all true? Oof, I''m sorry about that¡­"


    By this point, Alex realized that he seemed to have said too much, as he saw Eris'' face turning red from extreme anger.


    "If you are so deadset on insulting me like this, then I shall stop you right now!" Eris declared as she pointed her fingers to Alex. "You and I, let''s have a duel right now! If I win, you should kneel down and apologize to me, and you should never come back here again! But if you win, I shall accept your advances towards Miss Anya, and I will also apologize to you! Oh, and don''t try to back out from here, because if you did, that just means that you are a spineless coward hiding behind your sissy robes!"


    After seeing this outburst from Eris, all that Alex could say was just one word


    "Ok."

 Chapter 195 Conference

    After she heard Alex saying ok, Eris started to perk up as an excited expression appeared on her face.


    But before she could start to attack, Alex gave Eris a smile which forced her to stop on her tracks.


    "But even if I agree to fight you, would your master even allow you to fight?" Alex suddenly said as he looked at Anya.


    "¡­"


    Anya, who was watching the conversation between Alex and Eris, only had a light smile on her face, as if she was not angry at what her butler did.


    But for Alex, the smile that Anya had right now was comparable to those of the psychopaths that he met before.


    Alex could not help but feel some chills, as he realized that there''s something fundamentally wrong with Anya herself.


    That realization of his was further reinforced when Anya started to talk.


    "Eris, are you really intent on ruining my date?" Anya asked her butler as her smile remained on her face. "I thought we already talked about this earlier? Don''t tell me that you already forgot about it?"


    "Miss Anya¡­" Even though Eris tried to answer to her master, she was unable to complete her sentence as a cold aura sprung out of Anya.


    "Hong~" This cold aura, which turns out to be Anya''s Stellar Essence, was something so forceful and massive that even Alex felt somewhat wary of it.


    "Eris¡­ I am so angry right now, and you don''t know how much I want to just shout at you¡­" Anya said as she began to emanate a suffocating pressure around her body. "Are you really intent on ruining my fun?"


    Yeah, Anya''s definitely pissed right now. Even a blind person canfeel her anger perfectly.


    "Miss Anya¡­. Please forgive me!" In the end, it looked like Eris was unable to keep her cool anymore as she kneeled and bowed in front of Anya. "Your servant¡­ has indeed made a mistake right now! Allow me to cut of my left pinky to appease you!"


    "Say what?" As Alex heard what Eris said, he could not help but shout in surprise, as he could not believe what he just heard. "Did she just say that she will cut off her left pinky? Ugh, it seems like I chose the wrong girls to approach¡­"


    As Alex was starting to regret talking to these two clearly weird females, Anya spoke up while she shook her head.


    "Eris, you may have made a major mistake now, but I don''t need your left pinky as a punishment." Anya said as the dangerous expression on her face disappeared. "Since you capturedDuke GoldRiver''s men already, I can accept that as your token of forgiveness. So Eris, you can stand up now. I already forgive you."


    "Thank you, Miss Anya! I will always cherish your kindness!" Eris shouted out as she stood up, giving her master a fawning look that made Alex feel a little creeped out.


    Anya, who was the target of this fawning look, seemed to be unfazed by it as she started to talk to Alex.


    "Mister Sigmund, I apologize for the ruckus caused by one of my family''s enemies." Anya said as she gave Alex a regretful look. "I thought that with the solemnity of the topic of the conference tomorrow, my father''s rival will be decent enough to not make a move on me. It seems like I was mistaken¡­"


    Before Alex could give a reply, Anya interrupted him as she continued talking. "And I am sorry to say this, but I have to go back to my room now. It''s a rule by our family to go back to our dwellings when one of us experiences an assassination attempt. Whether that assassination attempt fails or succeeds, I will have tooccupy my dwellings until I''m sure that there will be no more assassins that will try to take my life¡­"


    "Oh. Oh. That''s too bad, but if it is for your safety, for you to stay on your dwellings is indeed the best thing to do here." Alex replied as genuine disappointment could be heard from his voice.


    How could Alex not be disappointed?


    Tonight was his chance to obtain come Celestial Blood, but because of the circumstances that happened earlier, it was now all ruined!


    The fight that Alex was supposed to have with Eris earlier?


    That was one of Alex''s ways to get Celestial blood!


    Alex purposefully enraged Eris earlier so that she could challenge him to a fight, and once that fight starts, Alex can easily use his abilities to wound her, and once she was wounded, Alex will just use his ''secret'' abilities to discreetly harvest blood from Eris!


    If everything just went smoothly then Alex could have obtained some Celestial blood already.


    But who would have thought that Anya will be actually so pissed that she used her authority on Eris to make her stop challenging Alex!


    Of course Alex still had some more plans to get Celestial blood from either Anya or Eris.


    But because of the stupid assassination attempt, his date with Anya is now officially cancelled, which means that all of his plans are now all useless!


    "Tsk¡­ Sometimes I get lucky, sometimes I don''t." Alex thought to himself as he let out a sigh. "Tonight really is just my unlucky day¡­"


    While Alex was trying to console himself, he saw Anya giving him a pondering look, as if she was trying to say something to him.


    As Alex started to think that Anya was about to do something weird again, Anya opened her mouth as she uttered some words that were obviously intended for Alex alone.


    "Mister Sigmund¡­ you know that the Three Faction Conference will start tomorrow. Since our date was interrupted this time, are you perhaps interested on joining me to the Conference tomorrow?" Anya said as she gave Alex a graceful smile. "I''m sure that tomorrow, there will be no assassination attempts against us anymore¡­"


    "¡­" Eris looked like she was about to object to what Anya just said, but in the end Eris did not speak up. It was quite obvious that she was still rattled by what Anya did earlier.


    "Of course, I shall accept your cordial invitation, Miss Anya." Alex replied gracefully as relief blossomed inside his heart. "It will always be my pleasure to accompany you."


    Even if he will only be able to accompany Eris and Anya on a place with many possible enemies, Alex was sure that with his disguise abilities and sleek skills, getting all his target materials and spying on his enemies will still be something that he can pull of tomorrow!


    "In that case, I shall take my leave now, Mister Sigmund." Anya said as she strode out of the room briskly, with Eris following her with a resigned expression on her face. "Have a good night Mister Sigmund, and I wish my face will appear in your dreams later¡­"


    "Good night to you too, Miss Anya." Alex replied as he waved his hands as a way of saying goodbye. "Oh, and I don''t need to wish for your face to appear on my dreams, for I will always be dreaming of you from now on."


    Alex does not even need to use his emotion sense anymore, as he can visibly see the pleasure on Anya''s face, and Eris'' revolted expression.


    "Thud."


    As the door of Alex''s place closed shut with a thud, and as the presences of Anya and Eris disappeared from one kilometer all around Alex, Alex sat down on his sofa with an exhausted expression on his face.


    "Tonight''s agenda has failed¡­ But I was lucky to keep my connection with Anya for tomorrow¡­ Since that was the case, then I must do my best to not screw-up at the conference tomorrow! My success will depend on all of this!" Alex declared to himself as he started to wash the dishes.


    "I just hope that nothing wrong will happen tomorrow¡­ But you know Murphy''s Law; Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."


    With this sobering thought in his mind, Alex could only let out a sigh as he started to soap the plates.


    "Clink, clink."


    *******************


    10 hours later.


    "So it starts today¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he left his dwelling, looking around his surroundings at high alert.


    With his advanced sensing, Alex could sense multiple powerful presences in the city, with all of them converging towards the same destination.


    "Okay, Alex, this is where you get to see all the powerful members of the Three Factions¡­ Don''t you screw up on this one!" Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head.


    "Tik tok tik tok."


    As Alex walked around the city, he purposefully showed off his powerful aura, which forced any non-powered human to prostrate when they saw him.


    Alex was actually not happy on making them do this, but he needed to establish an identity here, and the one that he decided to use was a domineering and powerful Symbolist.


    "Ugh, I hope this conference gets finished quickly. I don''t feel comfortable about this at all¡­" Alex thought to himself as he got nearer to the venue of the conference.


    As Alex continued to walk, he saw more and more Celestials, Symbolists, and Devourers going to the same place as him.


    "¡­." As Alex looked at them, he could not help but feel a surge of anger, as he saw that all of these members of the Three Factions were bringing what looked like to beenslaved people!


    Their limbs were bound with chains, and they have a hollow looks in their eyes as if they already gave up on living. Just looking at these facial expressions were enough to prove that they were indeed slaves.


    However, that was not the only thing that Alex discovered.


    With his senses, Alex could determine that all of these enslaved people were all letting out an aura comparable to that of Kiera.


    This just means that all of these people were those who obtained powers when the Red Moon appeared!


    "Tsk. So the Three Factions really are serious on enslaving the people who gained powers from the Red Moon. How deplorable." Alex thought grimly to himself as he saw the despairing looks on the faces of the enslaved people.


    He could also see some of them being publicly humiliated, by making them wear skimpy clothing or sometimes by making them do embarrassing tasks.


    "¡­" As Alex continued watching everything, he could not help but boil in anger, as he realized that even in this magically advanced world, there are still a lot of depraved people.


    "Tsk." But even if Alex was angered by what he saw, there was nothing that he could do to help them as of now.


    If he did something, his identity could have been compromised, and everything will be just worse.


    So, even if Alex wanted to help them out a little, he has no choice but to do it once his Main Mission starts.


    "Sorry guys, I have a mission to do right now. But if I have a chance to help you out in the future, I will certainly take it." Alex muttered to himself, as he took this promise seriously.


    "Mister Sigmund! We''re here!" After making this promise to himself, Alex suddenly heard the same melodious voice that he had been talking to last night.


    He looked at the source of the voice, and there he saw the elegant and beautiful Anya waving at him. Beside this woman was the butler Eris, who was busy glaring at Alex.


    From the looks of it, Eris still held ominous feelings to Alex even after all the words that Anya said yesterday.


    "Oh Miss Anya, it''s a great pleasure to accompany you for this day." Alex replied to the Celestial brightly as he was forced to ignore the slaves for now.


    "Today''s conference will surely be filled with power plays, Mister Sigmund. I hope you''re fully equipped for this." The one who said these words was Eris, who had to hide her glare as Alex approached them.


    "Oh, don''t worry, Miss Anya and Miss Eris. I''m always prepared for things like this." Alex replied cheerfully as he tried to hide the gloomy feeling in his heart. "Just watch me, and maybe you will even enjoy it later~"

 Chapter 196 The One Who Hoards and the One Who Learns

    After meeting up with the lady Celestial and her butler, Alex decided to enter the conference hall along with his two companions.


    "Thud." As Alex entered the conference venue, he could not help but look around him, as he felt that the place that he was in right now looked somewhat familiar to him.


    "¡­" After a few seconds of reminiscing, Alex managed to remember where the sense of familiarity comes from.


    The venue of the conference vaguely reminds Alex of the lecture halls that he sat in at his original life.


    Right now, Alex found himself inside a large room, with thousands of chair arranged in a crescent-shape, with the chairs in front nearer to the ground, and the chairs near the back of the room elevated a little higher.


    At the other end of the room, a large stage could be seen, which was fitted with a large glass screen and a lecturer''s podium.


    No matter how Alex tried to look at it, it felt like this whole conference was just an advanced version of public lecture.


    But this time around the lecture will be about the topics related to the Red Moon, and the audience were the power-wielding people of this world.


    "¡­" As Alex continued looking around, he saw more details with his eyes.


    One of these details was the deliberate arrangement of the chairs.


    The chairs were divided into three clusters, one in the right side, one in the middle, and one at the left side.


    There was no doubt to Alex that each cluster was meant to separate Faction members from the other Factions.


    That conclusion of his was reinforced as he saw most of the Devourers sitting at the right chair cluster.


    As for the Symbolists, most of them sat at the left chair cluster and the Celestials sat on the middle chair cluster.


    As Alex saw this sitting arrangement, he could not help but look at Anya and Eris, whose attentions were slightly focused on the Celestials.


    "Ara ara, it seems like even here, we still have to gather with our peers." Anya said as she tilted her head. "Hmm¡­ I don''t like this¡­"


    "¡­." Alex could understand Anya''s sentiment, as he saw that most of the Celestials inside the hall were now staring at Anya with hostile and wary looks on their eyes.


    It does not take a genius to realize that most of these Celestials were treating her as if she was an enemy.


    "Eris, go and talk to the organizer of this conference." Anya said as she snapped her finger. "Tell the organizer that I want to have a private room for this conference¡­ Oh, and that room must be good for 3 people."


    "I shall do it now, Miss Anya." Eris said as she hurriedly left, not before she glared at Alex once more.


    "You want a private room for three? You must really loath being with them." Alex said as Eris left, with the word ''them'' obviously pertaining to the Celestials in the conference.


    "Hmph, unlike you, Mister Sigmund, these little boys only are good on posturing! None of them are brave enough to impress me!" Anya replied as she let out an irritated sigh. "And besides, I only know most of them for political reasons¡­ There''s no way that I will befriend people like them!"


    "I get it, I get it." Alex replied nonchalantly as he observed Anya''s face.


    From the way that this woman talked, it was quite obvious that she''s not only a Stellar Celestial.She''s most likely one of the high-ranked Celestials out there!


    After all, it was only those kind of Celestials that can warrant this kind of attention from this many people.


    "Look! It''s The Queen Hoarder! She really attended this conference!" With his advanced hearing, Alex heard some of the Celestials muttering these words.


    As he looked at these Celestials, he realized that they were muttering these words while looking at Anya herself.


    "Queen Hoarder? Oh s**t!" It was at that point that Alex realized who Anya really was. "S**t, it seems like I have dipped myself on hot water this time!"


    From the memories that Alex obtained from the kidnapped Symbolist, he was able to take note of some of the fearsome figures from the Celestials and the Devourers.


    One of these figures was Queen Hoarder, who was deemed as the most talented amongst the current young generation of the Celestials.


    At only 19 years old, Queen Hoarder was able to dominate every Celestial that were similarly aged as her.


    That in itself already speaks greatly of her talents, but what made Queen Hoarder more famous was her somewhat fearsome behavior.


    From the rumors that Alex obtained from the Symbolist''s memories, Queen Hoarder was an inherently selfish person, and if she wanted to obtain something that she wanted, she will do everything that she can in order to get it.


    This selfishness of hers was so blatant that there had been some stories of Queen Hoarder personally assaulting and killing people just to obtain what she wanted!


    Of course many were enraged by this behavior, but with Anya''s great talent, and her status as the daughter the Grand Minister, they were unable to stop her wayward activities.


    But even with that kind of notoriety, there was actually no portraits of Queen Hoarder circulating around, and only the Celestials who had met Queen Hoarder knew what she looked like.


    Alex was not sure why there were no portraits of Queen Hoarder circulating around, but he was sure of one thing.


    And that this lack of Queen Hoarder portraits had definitely screwed Alex now!


    "So, you are the infamous Queen Hoarder¡­" Alex said to Anya as he tried to stop his eyebrows from twitching. "It''s an honor for me to know that the fair lady in front of me is actually a powerful fighter too¡­"


    "Oho, so you''re not disappointed from knowing who I really am?" Anya replied playfully as she stared at Alex.


    "Why would I be disappointed?" Alex replied, although inwardly, he was already regretting his plan to join Anya for this day. "For me to accompany a woman like you is like a dream come true to me!"


    "Hehehe, you always flatter me, Mister Sigmund." Anya replied as the sounds of Eris'' footsteps approached them.


    "Miss Anya, the organizers had already prepared a room for you." Eris said as she looked at her Master. "I also made sure that they gave you the best private room that there is on this place. And master, if you think the room is not good enough, the organizers will personally recompense you with money."


    "Good work, Eris" Anya replied as she patted Eris'' head.She then looked at Alex, who tried his best to appear nonchalant.


    "Mister Sigmund, I really appreciate you coming with us. I hope our time together today will be of great fun to you." Anya said as she followed her butler, who was now leading them to their private room.


    "I share the same sentiments too, Miss Anya." Alex replied, although what was in his mind was different.


    Right now, all that Alex could think of was the fact that his association with Anya has placed him in a dangerous situation!


    With the kind of behavior that Anya has as Queen Hoarder, it''s quite obvious that the object of her conquest right now was Alex!


    With her track record before, there''s a chance that Anya would not let Alex stray far away from her!


    "Tsk, I only wanted to get some blood from a Celestial¡­ How could it be like this?" Alex sighed as he followed Anya and Eris. "Sigh, since it had come to this, I have no choice but to go all-out here¡­ Desperate times call for desperate measures, so I must not hesitate!"


    As he made this conviction in his mind, Alex narrowed his eyes as he stabilized himself.


    The day is still early, and there''s still a lot of things that will happen.


    All that Alex can do now is to stay alert and watch out from anything that Anya might do to him!


    ***************


    1 hour later.


    Even after Alex, Anya and Eris made themselves comfortable in the very luxurious private room, they still had to wait for an hour before the whole conference could start.


    Looking through the one-way window placed in the viewing portion of their private room, Alex could see the slow trickle of the arriving people.


    With this slow arrival rate, it took around an hour before the whole conference hall was filled with attendees.


    "Oh at last, this is going to start already. Tsk, lazy old coogers, always taking things like this slowly. No wonder some of the Symbolist cities are already losing their power..." Eris muttered to herself loudly, as if she wanted Alex to hear this.


    Surprisingly to Alex, he saw that Anya did not rebuke Eris all. It was as if even Anya agrees with what Eris just said now.


    "Well, in my opin-" But before Alex could say something, he heard the unmistakable sound of ringing bells.


    "?" Alex looked for the source of the sound, and he found it right at the center of the lecture stage.


    There, Alex could see a tall, wizened man holding a golden bell on his left hand.


    The wizened man was swaying his left hand back and forth, prompting the bell to make a melodious sound which was the sound that Alex heard earlier.


    "!!!" As Alex observed the appearance of the wizened man, he could not help but tremble as he realized who this wizened man was.


    "So, the Apprentice of the Grand Symbolist takes the stage¡­ This will be interesting." Anya muttered behind Alex as she uttered the identity of the wizened man. "From what I know, he does not like to involve himself in worldly matters¡­ For him to be in this conference just means that the whole Symbolist community was really wary of the impending Calamity¡­"


    "¡­" Alex chose not to say anything right now, as he mulled over the new discovery that he had.


    With the memories from the kidnapped Symbolist, Alex was 100% sure that the man standing in the stage was indeed the Apprentice of the Grand Symbolist.


    As he saw the appearance of this man, Alex could not help but let out a sigh, as he realized that the trouble for him today has just doubled!


    If Anya was the most talented among the younger generation of the Celestials, then the Apprentice of the Grand Symbolist was the most talented among the younger generation of the Symbolists!


    Of course if that was the only thing about the Apprentice, Alex would actually not be worried about him.


    However, there was something unique about the Apprentice himself.


    And that was the fact that Artos, the Symbolist who Alina had stolen memories from, was actually a relative of the Apprentice!


    Just that fact alone was already enough to make Alex wary of the Apprentice.


    After all, even with the disguises that Alex did, there could be a small chance that Apprentice could identify Alex, especially if Alex uses Artos'' Symbolist skills in this place.


    Now, that won''t be a fun situation to Alex.


    "S**t! Why is this guy here?" Alex muttered to himself as he stared at the Apprentice still ringing the bell. "Shouldn''t he be busy with his experiments?"


    From the memories that Alex and Alina had stolen from Artos, Alex knew that the Apprentice was someone who was not interested on dealing with other people.


    After the moment that the Apprentice was taken in by the Grand Symbolist to be his pupil, the Apprentice had never once went out of his lab to meet other people.


    By following that fact, Alex already expected Apprentice to still stay on his lab.


    But it seems like Alex was greatly mistaken, as he can see the Apprentice standing on the stage right now!


    "S**t! Since it''s like this now, I have no choice but to keep a low profile¡­" Alex thought to himself sourly as he decided to not do anything stupid for now.


    As Alex made this decision, he heard the sound of the ringing bells stopping.


    As this prevalent sound disappeared, its holder, the Apprentice, hid the golden bell on his robes as his eyes scanned the people on the conference venue.


    "Everyone, we have gathered in this room to talk about the ramifications of the appearance of Red Moon, codenamed Claret." The Apprentice said as his deep voice reverberated all across the venue. "I hope that all of you have come here with the intent to learn and share important information with each other. If not, then you must leave now."


    "¡­"


    "Nobody''s leaving? Good. In that case, let us start the conference now!" The Apprentice then wrote 10 symbols in the air, which in turn summoned a large staff which the Apprentice caught with his right hand.


    As the crowd started to become excited and interested, the Apprentice walked towards the speaker''s podium as he held the staff tightly with his right hand.


    "For the first part of this conference, we will discuss about the things that happened after the Red Moon appeared." The Apprentice said as he twirled the staff. "I hope everyone will be honest with their information, as those who offer false data will be punished heavily here!"

 Chapter 197 Hear no Evil

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 Chapter 198 Light Beams are not cool!

    Even though the Apprentice sounded extremely calm and collected, Alex could feelsome kind of intimidating pressure billowing out of this man.


    Everyone in the lecture hall could feel this pressure too, as those who were busy chatting earlier were all silent now, with most of them concentrated on the Apprentice only.


    "540 hours ago, the Red Moon, codenamed Claret appeared on the night skies." The Apprentice said as a picture of the Red Moon appeared on the glass screen behind him. "At the instant that it appeared, there had been some slight shifting on the tides and the atmospheric pressure, but aside from that, nothing threatening had appeared yet."


    "However, what was surprising about this Red Moon was on how quickly it affected its ''chosen ones''." The Apprentice said as the image on the glass screen changed.


    This time around, what was shown in the glass screen was a line graph which was displaying 4 lines of data on its body.


    "This graph right here shows the length of time that it took for powers to appear once each moon appeared." The Apprentice then tapped the line graph as he continued talking. "From what you can see from this graph, the first three moons took around a day before the powers related to them appeared. But as for the Red Moon, it only took a few minutes for the powers related to it to appear. That in itself, was already bizarre."


    "But what was more bizarre was the nature of the ability that manifested from the appearance of the Red Moon." The Apprentice then snapped his fingers as if he was calling the attention of his attendants. "Despos, bring them here."


    "Understood Sir!" A male voice could be heard at the other end of the hall, presumably Despos. "Here''s Subjects 18 and 19!"


    Seconds later, and Alex heard the unmistakable sound of a wagon being carried across the lecture hall.


    Seconds more passed by and Alex saw the wagon being hauled and placed at the center of the stage.


    "¡­" As he looked at the wagon, Alex could not help but grimace as he saw what was in the wagon itself.


    Placed on the wagon was a metal cage which contained two shackled women.


    In terms of their body appearances, one of the women was around 30 years old, while the other one was around 14-15 years old.


    Both of them had jet-black hair and slender bodies, although their faces were covered by masks.


    Both of them were wearing brown, decrepit clothes, as if they were meant to make the two women look mundane.


    Black-colored numbers were also imprinted on their clothes, with the number 18 imprinted on the clothes of the 15-year old girl and the number 19 imprinted on the 30-year old woman.


    Both of them were currently hugging each other, with their body languages clearly displaying how scared they were.


    "¡­" With his emotion sense, Alex could perfectly sense how scared these two women right now, and he could not help but clench his fists upon seeing this.


    "As you can see here, these two lab subjects, Subject 18 and Subject 19, were some of the non-powered humans that were influenced by the Red Moon." The Apprentice coolly said, as if he was uninterested on pacifying the women inside the cage. "They already went through multitudes of test, and the results that I obtained, were in proper terms, rather mundane."


    "¡­" As the crowd, along with Alex went silent, probably waiting for the Apprentice to continue talking, the Apprentice suddenly kicked the side of the metal cage, prompting the two women inside to tense up and tremble in fear.


    "For the physical tests, I have found out that Subject 18 and Subject 19 did not experience any kind of physical enhancement at all. These two also had the same results in the mental tests, with both of them having no advancement on their mental states at all." As he said these words, the Apprentice continued kicking the metal cage with increasing frequency and intensity.


    "When we forced Subjects 18 and 19 to manifest their powers, none of them were able to do so." The Apprentice seemed like he sneered as he continued on kicking the metal cage. "According to Subjects 18 and 19, they felt like there was a massive red ball inside their bodies, but no matter what they did to it, they were unable to make it move or make it do something."


    When the Apprentice looked like he was about to continue talking, someone sitting from the Celestial cluster suddenly raised his hand.


    The Celestial who raised his hand was a young male with golden hair which fanned his head like a mane of a lion.


    There was a light sneer on his face as he suddenly asked the Apprentice a question.


    "Do you think we''re idiots? Even if we Celestials are not as obsessed with you Symbolists in experiments, we have the common sense to check for what you said earlier. Physical tests, mental tests, and power tests? We already have done that! And even if the Devourers were sometimes as dumb as rocks, I''m sure that they had already done something similar to that."


    Obviously, some of the Devourers were not happy with that they just heard.


    "Hey, what did you just say, you damned Celestial?"


    "Come here, you golden sissy, and we shall see who''s dumb!"


    "Hmph." The lion-like Celestial ignored the shouts of rage from the Devourers as he continued talking. "Since we already knew what you just said earlier, then everything that you just told us were basically useless¡­ In that case, why are you still there? Don''t tell me that you have something important that you can still show us? Something that only you discovered?"


    "That guy right there is Claudius, the son of Duke GoldRiver." Anya explained to Alex as she pointed to the lion-like Celestial. "Don''t go near him. He hates those who are related to me."


    "¡­" Alex only gave Anya a nod, as he was currently focused on observing the argument between Claudius and the Apprentice.


    "Clang, clang, clang."


    Even with all the arguments that were spouted by Claudius, the Apprentice still continued on kicking the metal cage.


    It was as if what Claudius said did not faze the Apprentice at all.


    "You want something interesting? Then feast your eyes upon the results of my tireless tests!" The Apprentice then gave the metal cage 10 more kicks, and once he did that, something unexpected happened to Subject 18 and Subject 19.


    "Ahh!!" Both women let out blood-curdling shouts as red beams of light shot out of their eyes.


    Their bodies began to tremble as the red light beams continued to intensify.


    This state of theirs lasted for 5 more seconds before the light beams died out.


    Subjects 18 and 19 immediately fainted after that.


    "What?"


    This was the general word that was uttered by the crowd as they saw what happened.


    Even Alex was stupefied too, as he could not fathom what had just happened.


    Even though there was no power that manifested at all, just the mere sight of those red light beams was enough to show that the Apprentice was able to do something to the ability of Subject 18 and 19!


    Well, even if the reaction was only those red light beams, that has to account for something, since Alex did not even succeed on making Kiera''s power react like that!


    "Kiera and I tried many ways to make her powers work for the last 3 weeks, but we found nothing that could trigger her ability¡­ But the Apprentice actually found a way to make this power react!" Alex thought to himself grimly as the crowd on the lecture hall began to shout and clamor for the Apprentice to explain what he did. "This is really unexpected¡­"


    "Hohoho, you want me to explain how I did that?" The Apprentice, who somewhat looked smug right now, only stared at the noisy crowd in front of him as he leaned against the metal cage.


    "Hey! What are you looking smug for?" Claudius, who looked somewhat pissed from what the Apprentice did, declared loudly as he glared at the Apprentice. "This is a conference, so you''re ought to share everything!"


    "Of course, I''m willing to share my discovery, but do I really need to do it today?" The Apprentice smugly replied as he tilted his head. "You know that this conference will last for three days¡­ Since that was the case, I can just tell you all about my discovery on the last day. Even if I did that, I won''t violate any of the rules in this conference!"


    "You!"


    "Of course there are some exceptions." The Apprentice said as he ignored Claudius'' complaints. "If any of you wants to obtain the truth from me today, you can just visit me at my dwelling place. There, I can tell you about my discovery, but of course I will not give that for free. There will be a price, but in my opinion, what you will pay to me will be worth your effort¡­"


    "Hey! You''re just scamming us!" Most of the attendees of the Conference shouted out as they heard what the Apprentice said.


    Apprentice actually wanted to sell the info about his discovery to those who wanted to know the truth early? That''s just blatant scam right there!


    "Why would it be a scam when I was just giving the information ahead of time?" The Apprentice asked innocently to the riled-up crowd. "If you want to know about it early, then just pay me something. If you don''t, then just wait until the end of the conference to know it. There, isn''t that just easy?"


    "¡­."


    Even though Alex was wary of the Apprentice, he could not help but praise what the Apprentice just did.


    "What a masterful way of reaping benefits from desperate people." Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head wryly. "Many will surely be biting his bait by the end of this day¡­"


    With the Apprentice withholding an important information which was related to the power from the Red Moon, there willobviously be some people in this conference that will be tempted to buy this information from the Apprentice!


    After all, the earlier that they knew it, the better it will be for them!


    "Now, who''s going first?" Alex muttered to himself as he looked around the lecture hall. "Hehehe, I think that Claudius guy will be the one that will buy the info first¡­."


    As Alex said these words, he suddenly heard the sound of an opening door.


    "Creak¡­"


    Alex looked at the source of the sound, and there he saw Anya leaving the door of her private room.


    "Oh hell no¡­" These were the words that appeared on Alex''s mind as he realized what Anya was about to do.


    He was only able to take 3 steps forward before he heard Anya''s voice echoing throughout the whole lecture hall.


    "I''m highly interested on buying the information from you. Perhaps you''re free to discuss the terms of the transaction here in my private room? I assure you that nothing ill will happen to you. I promise that in the name of my family."

 Chapter 199 Symbol Matrix

    "Oh right, I did not account Anya at all!" Alex muttered to himself as he saw the Queen Hoarder talking to the Apprentice excitedly. "Tsk, should I take off now?"


    As he had this thought in his mind, Alex decided to leave the conference hall quietly.


    But before Alex could even make a step, he heard the resounding reply of the Apprentice.


    "So, the Queen Hoarder wants to obtain the information first¡­ Very well, since I know that you keep your promises, I shall indulge you with what you want."


    "Woosh~" To Alex''s unbelieving eyes, he suddenly saw the Apprentice floating through the air, and from the way that he moved, he was obviously going towards Anya''s direction.


    The Apprentice seemed to have ignored the complaints and counter-offers from the other attendees as he approached Anya.


    In no time at all, the Apprentice had landed in front of Anya, with the Celestial giving the Symbolist a large, beaming smile of her own.


    "Tsk." As Alex tried to think of another way to discreetly avoid the Apprentice without using any of his ''extra abilities'', he heard Eris speaking to him.


    "Mister Sigmund, is there something wrong?" Eris seemed to have sense Alex''s slight panic, as she was currently standing in front of the door, which in turn blocked Alex''s only exit path. "You seem to be worried about something¡­"


    "This b***h!" Alex thought to himself angrily as he saw what the butler was doing.


    From the way that Eris has positioned herself, it was quite obvious that she was intent of preventing Alex from leaving.


    "¡­."


    This woman seems to be really intent on making Alex suffer here¡­ In that case, Alex is not going to play nice anymore.


    "Hmph, you really are suspicious of me huh. Well then, if you want to play with me, then I shall play with you happily! I hope you can keep up with me." Alex thought to himself as he looked at Eris'' wary eyes.


    "Oh, I''m actually not comfortable being near the Apprentice." Alex said to Eris as he adopted an uncomfortable expression on his face. "I''m a Hermit after all."


    "A Hermit?" From the way that Eris'' eyes dilated after hearing what Alex said, it seems like she had already realized what Alex was pertaining about. "A talented Symbolist like you is a Hermit? I find that hard to believe."


    "Believe what you want to believe. What I told you is the truth." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "I do not like the restrictive rules in the Symbolist Society, so I decided to leave from all of that, and just wander all over the world. Doing that kind of thing makes me a Hermit, right?"


    "Hmph, I only knew very few Symbolists who can stay as Hermits for long." Eris replied as she let out a scoff. "Seeing that you''re still young, I''m sure that you will also give up your wanderlust. After all, most of you Symbolists are just shut-in nerds."


    "¡­" Alex chose to not reply to that, as he only felt relief as he saw that Eris seemed to have believed his alibi.


    "So, you''re a Hermit? That tells a lot about your interesting behaviors." The one who said this sentence was Anya, who just went back to the room, with the Apprentice walking behind her. "No wonder I did not recognize you when I first saw you. It was because you were not tied to the Symbolist Society¡­"


    "Well, I felt choked by their rules, just like what I said before." Alex replied as he adopted his frivolous attitude even when he was being scrutinized by the Apprentice, who was now sitting at one of the chairs in the room. "No offense, Sir Nero, but I''m not comfortable with authority figures¡­"


    "¡­" The Apprentice, who was called by Alex as Sir Nero, did not say anything to Alex at all as he only stared at him intently.


    "¡­" Seconds passed by as the stare by Nero continued to intensify.


    "Show me one of your symbol abilities." Nero said before Alex could feel uncomfortable with his stare. "I''m¡­ slightly curious on how a Hermit Symbolist''s ability can compare to that of a normal Symbolist."


    "Sir Nero, I''m just a normal Symbolist like you too. I just had a different preference on my way of life." Alex replied as his index finger began to glow. "But since you requested me to show my ability, then I shall oblige to it."


    Alex then raised his index finger as he attempted to start writing, but he was stopped byNero''s sudden question.


    "You use your finger as a stele?" Nero blurted out before Alex could start writing. "Don''t you have any writing implements?"


    "Sir Nero, when you wander the world by yourself, you''re bound to face dangers that can attack you before you can even prepare your writing implements." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "In cases like that, using my finger as a stele is better,as I can respond to dangers more quickly than I can normally could."


    "Your answer makes sense, although executing a finger-style symbol inscription it still difficult."Nero replied as he looked at Alex''s finger more intently.


    "Everyone had their own talents, Sir Nero." Alex replied as he started to inscript Symbols on the door of their private room.


    "Hong~" Golden symbols started to cover the door as Alex''s fingers danced on the door''s surface.


    The whole room was silent, as its occupants were solely focused on watching what Alex was doing right now.


    As he continued on writing the Symbols, Alex could not help but grimace inwardly, as he looked at Sir Nero''s intense stare.


    Alex was 100% sure that right now, Sir Nero was definitely testing him.


    Of course, with Alex''s Symbolist ability only stolen from Artos, who was Sir Nero''s relative, Alex cannot justwrite Symbols that Artos usually used.


    If Alex did that, Sir Nero could get more suspicious of Alex, and once that happens, Alex will just be placed in more sticky situations!


    Luckily for Alex, he already had a remedy for this.


    "Since I should not use any of the Symbols that Artos usually use, then I will just show my own Symbols!" Alex thought to himself as he continued on inscripting symbols on the door.


    With the nature of Greed''s Pillage Skill, Alex would not be able to raise the power of the Symbolist power that he pillaged from Artos.


    This means that until the end of time, Alex''s Symbolist Power will only stay at the Heaven Rank, unable to advance any further.


    But even if its power level will be stagnated, there will be no problem for it to improve on aspects not related to power.


    One of these aspects was versatility.


    During the last 3 weeks, Alex has tried on researching if he can use Symbols that Artos did not use before.


    After all, this aspect only requires Alex to be knowledgeable about other Symbols, which does not require an increase on the Symbolist ability''s power.


    To Alex''s relief at that time, he found out that he can still use Symbols that Artos did not use, as long as its power requirement was around the Heaven Rank.


    After making this discovery at that time, Alex already set off to create his own unique Symbol Reservoir which will contain symbols that are Alex''s ''original property''.


    Some of the symbols in this Symbol Reservoir came from esoteric Symbols that Alex saw on the books that he collected from the other kidnapped Symbolists.


    This Symbol Reservoir also had Alex''s ''Original Symbols'', which was actually surprisingly easy to create for Alex.


    Alex only needed to understand the concept of the basic Symbols, and from there, he could hybridize or even merge some of the Symbols to create his Original Symbols with their own unique and special effects.


    This combination of esoteric and Original Symbols gave Alex a set of Symbols which nobody can associate with Artos or the other captured Symbolists!


    "Hong~" After a minute of concentrated writing, Alex finally stopped what he was doing.


    He stepped back by two paces as he and the others in the room observed his creation.


    What could be seen on the door right now was a Triple-Layered Symbol Matrix, which contained around 150 squiggly-looking Golden Symbols.


    They looked messy and dirty and Alex''s opinion, but he was not discouraged by that as he personally knew how useful they were.


    "This is a Fortification Symbol Matrix which can withstand around 10 tons of force." Alex said as he wiped the sweat of his forehead. "I used my knowledge of Inertia Cancellation and Momentum Arrest in order to create the symbols needed for this Symbol Matrix."


    "Interesting, interesting." The one who said these words was Nero, who peered at Alex''s creation with great interest. "Did you also place symbols that will allow this Symbol Matrix to identify forces from the x, y, and z directions?"


    "Oh, Sir Nero, I did not just place Axial Symbols here. I also made sure to account for the Cylindrical and Spherical coordinates." Alex replied as he pointed to the symbols near the corner of the door. "I also placed some Heat Flux Cancellers and Gravitational Dispersers so that this Symbols Matrix can also withstand attacks related to heat and gravity."


    "¡­" After Alex said these words, Sir Nero suddenly pulled back his right fist, before sending it hurtling towards the inscripted door.


    "Bloop!"


    The door did not even look shaken at all, as the symbols on it only glowed a little in response to Nero''s punch.


    "Now, this is interesting." Nero muttered as he pulled back his fist. "Your Symbol Matrix actually works¡­"


    "¡­" Alex could not help but grin as he saw what happened.


    After all, Alex knew that Nero''s punches were strong enough to split rocks on their own!


    For the door to withstand his punch just meant that his Symbol Matrix did work!


    Of course Alex knew that the punch that Nero sent out now was not really a serious punch, but for now, this should be already enough to convince Nero about Alex''s ''legitimate skills''.


    "You said that your name was Sigmund, right?" After seeing that his punch did not affect the door at all, Sir Nero stared at Alex intently as he gave him a hungry look. "I liked the way that you used this kind of coordinate symbol system to prevent sneak attacks from any direction. This is actually innovative!"


    "I had to do what I had to do, or else, my life could be in jeopardy." Alex replied as he shook his head. "Consider this Symbol Matrix as one of the products my solitary Symbolist Life."


    "I see, I see." Sir Nero, who still seemed to be only focused on Alex''s Symbol Matrix, continued on observing the matrix for another minute.


    Sir Nero was only forced to stop his observation when one of the residents in the room started to rebuke him.


    "Sir Nero, didn''t we have a transaction that we should do right now?" Anya, the Queen Hoarder said as she glared at Sir Nero. "If you want to geek out with Sir Sigmund, I suggest that you should do it after our transaction."


    "Oh right, let''s do that first." Sir Nero replied as he looked back at Anya.


    Alex could not help but smirk as he saw that Sir Nero looked slightly regretful from being forced to look away from his Symbol Matrix.


    Not only that, but Alex also felt relief as he saw that his stunt with the Symbol Matrix did not trigger anything negative from Sir Nero himself.


    "Yosh, now that the suspicions on me were cleared, it will be easier for me to stay here." Alex thought to himself as he sat on one of the nearby chairs, with his ears focused on listening on Anya and Sir Nero.


    With his ''closeness'' to Anya and him impressing Sir Nero with his Symbol Matrix, Alex was sure that they will allow him to listen in on their conversation.


    Now, all that Alex had to do was to behave and not screw everything up.

 Chapter 200 Interlude: Alina, the S-Tier Babysitter

    "Big Sis, when will Alex come back?" A little girl with bright black hair asked Alina as the two of them were eating lunch.


    "Nom nom nom." Alina, who was preoccupied with her food, had to stop stuffing her mouth as she stared at Kiera.


    "Kiera, you should not be worried for Alex. He''s a slippery as eel, and he''s as cunning as a villain." Alina said as she swallowed the food stuffed in her mouth. "You should be more worried to those that will meet him."


    "Is Alex really that scary?" Kiera, who had the curiosity of an actual kid, seemed to be not convinced of Alina''s words. "Was he scary to you when you first met him?"


    "Well... when we first met, it was actually me who scared Alex." Alina replied as a small smile appeared on her face.


    "???" Kiera tilted her head as she heard Alina''s reply. "Big Sis, you scared Alex? How did you do that? Did you try to beat him up? Or did you steal his nose?"


    Steal his nose? No, I did not do anything like that." Alina replied with a bemused expression on her face. "You can say¡­ that we had a little misunderstanding."


    "Misunderstanding?"


    "Kiera, you''re too young to talk about stuff like this." Before Kiera could bombard Alina with more questions, Alina swooped in to pat her head. "If you want to know the full story, then you should just ask him directly."


    "Okay..." Even if she looked a little peeved from Alina''s rejection, Kiera still looked slightly happy. Maybe Alina''s headpats do work on Kiera.


    "Nom nom nom." With the little girl''s curiosity appeased, Alina continued on satisfying her appetite.


    **********************


    Minutes later.


    "Alina, are you done eating now? I want to spar a little with you¡­" Once Alina had cleaned up the dishes on her table, she saw Queen Mother, with her green skin and voluptuous body, approaching Alina''s table.


    "You want to fight again? But your creations always lose to my Dark Magic." Alina replied as she tilted her head. "Isn''t that a little difficult for you to always replenish them?"


    "I know, but through our training together, I managed to create better adaptations for my creations, which will be hopefully useful in our upcoming fights." Queen Mother replied as she sat beside Alina. "If I continue sparring with you, I''m sure I can produce better creations that will be of great help to us. Besides, you also learn new things from our sparring, right?"


    "You have a point¡­" Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "Ok fine, I''ll spar with you right now. However, I just have one condition."


    "Condition?" Queen Mother''s eyes widened innocently as she said these words, while Alina started to glare at her. "And what condition is that?"


    "Please don''t ogle at my legs when we spar." Alina replied as she placed a palm on her forehead. "Everytime that we spar, I always see your eyes glancing at my legs¡­ At first I thought you were just trying to anticipate my movements, but the longer our spar goes, the more you stared at my legs¡­"


    "Oh, did I do that?"


    "You did!" Alina replied as she shook her head. "You''re even doing it now!"


    "Well... Alex is always staring at your legs, so maybe I can too?" Queen Mother haltingly said to Alina.


    "Alex is Alex, and I am perfectly fine with him." Alina replied as she stared at Queen Mother''s eyes. "You on the other hand, is my friend. Even if you were just admiring my legs, I''m not really that comfortable with it."


    "¡­"


    "What would you feel if I look at your legs?" Alina asked Queen Mother. "Wouldn''t you feel uncomfortable too?"


    "Well, if a beautiful woman stares at my legs, I will feel a little¡­ excited, hehehe." Queen Mother replied to Alina with an apologetic tone.


    "Queen Mother!"


    "Ok, ok! I promise to not look at your legs intently anymore." Queen Mother said as she wilted under Alina''s glare. "But can I have a little peek sometimes? Your legs just look perfect¡­ Alex even said that the thinness and thickness of your legsfollow the golden ratio¡­"


    Queen Mother then mimed some stroking motions, as she seemed to reminisce something good from her memories. "The only other person with great legs like you was Lauren¡­ and damn, her legs really are one of a kind!"


    "Do you want to be chopped down into firewood?" Alina said as she looked at Queen Mother with a smile that was also not a smile. "It''s been a long time since I chopped down a tree. Maybe today is the day that I becomeLumberjack Alina again¡­"


    "I''ll behave now, definitely."


    "Good."


    ***************


    "Hey, hooman, where''s my honey?" After Alina finished dealing with Queen Mother, it was time for the next mischievous person to come in. "I''m hungry now!"


    Obviously, the only one who can say demanding things like this was no other than the dumb fairy Asteria.


    "If you want to get honey, you can just get the one that Queen Mother produces." Alina said as she pointed to Queen Mother. "That''s what Alex told you to get, right?"


    "But¡­" Asteria''s boastful appearance deflated a little as she looked at Queen Mother, who looked like she was not trying to laugh.


    "But what?" Alina innocently asked Asteria as she tilted her head. "Is there a problem with Queen Mother''s honey?"


    "No! Her honey tastes good! Yum¡­" Asteria replied as drool began to flow from her chin. She then hurriedly wiped it as she glared at Alina. "My problem is the way that I can get her honey!"


    "What is your problem with that?" Alina replied as she gave Asteria another quizzed look. "Is there a problem with the way that Queen Mother produces her mil- honey?


    "Of course there is!" Asteria replied as she started to look enraged. "Queen Mother¡­ she, she, she produces honey from her breasts! And for me to get that honey, I have to be breast fed by Queen Mother! Isn''t that just plain wrong?"


    "What''s wrong with that?" Alina replied as she and Queen Mother smirked at Asteria. "You''re smaller than a baby, and you act like a baby, so there should be no problem, right?"


    "No problem my ass!" Asteria replied angrily as she brandished her tiny fists at Alina''s direction. "I''m a Fairy Queen, and doing lowly things like this is not suited fora noble one like me!"


    "Oh really?" Alina then started to giggle as she saw the indignant expression on Asteria''s face. "Didn''t you get breast fed with honey by Queen Mother last night? From what I can remember, when Queen Mother finished giving you honey, you grabbed her breasts and bit it as you demanded her to give you more. You even licked the leftovers that dripped on her arms! Now, is that something that a Fairy Queen should do?"


    "Bad hoomans! You''re bullying me again! Just you wait until Alex comes back here! He will punish you for me!"


    "Oh really?"


    "Argh!"

 Chapter 201 Trinity Theory

    But before Anya and Nero could start talking, Eris stood up as she gave Alex a wary look.


    "Miss Anya, should we really allow Sir Sigmund to hear what you two will be talking about?" Eris asked Anya as she clenched her fists. "Miss Anya, I know that you are highly interested in Sir Sigmund, but I think letting him in here on a very important conversation seems to be just too much."


    "Oh, so you''re worried about that? Eris, I applaud your cautiousness for me, but it is hardly necessary for now." Anya replied as she shook her head. "Even if Sir Sigmund hears about what we are about to do, there will be no problem about that, since the others will also hear about it on the incoming days."


    "She''s right there, miss butler. For Sir Sigmund to hear about what I am going to say is actually of no problem to me." This time around the one who talked was Nero, who gave Eris a cool stare. "And personally speaking, I like the skills that Sir Sigmund showed to me. It even gave me some insights on some of the experiments that I have been trying on right now. Since he had given me this kind of help, for him to be here is just right for me."


    "¡­Oh, ok. If that was the case, then I apologize for my rudeness." Eris said as she sat back at the corner of the room with an aggrieved expression on her face.


    "Hehehe¡­." Finally, this irritating butler was forced to retreat, which obviously made Alex inwardly happy.


    "Okay, now that we have cleared up any misgivings right here, I suppose we can start our transaction then." Nero said as he clapped his hands once.


    Nero then stared at Anya directly as he said,


    "What I want for this transaction is just simple. You must give me a treasure that can increase my Mind Power by 3 times. If you can''t give me anything like that, then this deal is off."


    "?" Alex, who heard what Nero said, could not help but tilt his head as he realized the implications of what Nero just said.


    If Alex was surprised, then of course Eris and Anya were both surprised too.


    "You want a treasure that can increase your Mind Power? You really are greedy, Sir Nero." Anya replied with her eyes visibly narrowed. "What would you need that treasure for? Well, I actually do not need to ask anymore. I can see where you want to use it for."


    "Miss Anya, I do not care about your guess on where I will use the treasure. What I only want is for you to give that treasure to me." Nero replied as he leaned back on his chair. "No treasure, no information from me."


    "¡­Fine. Eris, get that stone from my 17th storage." After a few seconds of silence, Anya shook her head in bemusement as she snapped her fingers in Eris'' direction. "Oh, and the color of that stone is the orange one, not the green one."


    "Miss Anya, you''re really giving that to him?" Eris asked her master as she gave her a slightly incredulous look. "Won''t you lose a treasure that you like?"


    "Eris, I may like hoarding, but sometimes, I have to use the treasures that are with me." Anya replied as she gave her butler a smile. "If I only leave my treasures on my storage, they will just be completely obsolete there. So, using them on trades like this will make them actually useful for once."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­Are you really a hoarder?" This was the question that echoed inside Alex''s mind as he heard what Anya just said. "Will a hoarder really just give out her hoarded stuff? This feels¡­ wrong. I am confusion."


    "¡­Okay Miss Anya, I shall get that stone for you." Eris replied as she let out a sigh.


    By looking at the expression on Eris'' face, it was easy to see that she was also confused with Anya''s behavior.


    But with her loyalty to Anya, Eris did not give out any questions as she pulled out a stone from one of Anya''s multiple storages.


    The stone that Eris pulled out was bright orange in color, and just by looking at it, this stone could be mistaken to an actual orange fruit.


    However, the power emanating from that stone was already an indication that it was not just a mere fruit at all.


    "...You really are the Queen Hoarder." Nero croaked out as his gaze landed on the orange stone on Eris'' hands. "Even if I am not holding the stone, I can feel my mind power reacting to it. Interesting, interesting¡­"


    Alex, who was watching the transaction happening at the sidelines, could not help but narrow his eyes as he stared at the stone.


    If one could look closer at Alex''s eyes, one can actually see a hint of greed there!


    "My Mind Power, which is derived from my Symbolist Ability, is not reacting to that stone. However, my Mental Power, which is tied to my Esper Ability,is actually reacting to that stone!" Alex thought to himself as he forced himself to make an inaudible gulp. "If I get this stone for myself, won''t that mean that my Mental Power could be enhanced too?"


    The more that Alex thought about it, the more plausible that it could be.


    With the nature of Alex''s Pillage Ability, his Mind Power, which is tied to his Symbolist Ability, has no way to improve.


    That is just how it is, as anything that Alex Pillaged won''t improve anymore.


    But that was not the case with his Mental Power, which is part of Alex''s actual ability.


    Since Alex''s Mental Power and Mind Power were similar to each other, then for his Mental Power to be affected by Anya''s orange stone is actually inevitable.


    With one look, Alex had the suspicion that if he uses that stone for himself, his Mental Power, which was already at the Star Level, will multiply by 2 or 3 times!


    With that kind of enhancement, Alex''s Esper Ability, which was currently being suppressed in this world, could actually be of help to him!


    "¡­Tsk, too bad I can''t get it for myself." Alex grumbled to himself grumpily as he gritted his teeth.


    With the orange stone being used in a transaction, there is no way that Alex can just take it with him right now! He will just be courting death by that!


    "Yeah, I did not come here to risk myself openly. So what if that stone can help me? I won''t blow my disguise just to get that!" Alex thought to himself as he calmed the excited feelings in his heart. "I am calmness, and calmness is me¡­"


    As Alex muttered this mantra to dispel his evil thoughts, the conversation between Anya and Nero continued.


    "I won''t tell you where I got this stone. The most important thing that you should know was the fact that this stone is the one that you are looking for." Anya smugly said as Eris placed the stone on top of Anya''s right palm. "Now that I showed you this stone, perhaps you''re ready to talk already?"


    "¡­Of course I will talk now, since I promised to do it." Nero replied as he stared at the stone on Anya''s palm greedily. "But before I talk, perhaps you can give me that stone first?"


    "Here you go." Anya seemed to not be that worried at all as she tossed the orange stone at Nero''s direction.


    Nero caught the stone with a befuddled look on his face, as if he did not expect Anya to just comply with what he said.


    "What''s the problem? You thought that I will haggle with you? Puh-lease, I don''t have time for that." Anya said as she giggled a little. "I want this transaction to be over already¡­ Don''t you want to get done with this too?"


    "¡­You''re an interesting person too, Miss Anya." In the end, this is all that Nero can say as he shook his head with an amused expression on his face."I hope we can have more transactions like this in the future¡­"


    "Oh, as long as you can give me something good, I will be willing to trade with you." Anya replied as she leaned back on her chair.


    Anya then let out a smirk as she blurted out two words.


    "NOW, TALK."


    With the authority present on Anya''s voice, Alex knew that she won''t be interested on any idle talks anymore.


    Nero seems to have realized it too, as his lackadaisical body language changed to that of a serious one.


    Nero could be seen pocketing the orange stone in his robes as he tapped the chair armrest with his left hand.


    "Tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap¡­."


    "Miss Anya, you know about the Trinity Theory, right?" Nero said after he tapped his armrest for 30 times.


    "Of course I do." Anya replied casually. "The Trinity Theory states that each power manifested by the moons were actually focused on improving one Aspect of an individual."


    "Mind, Essence, and Body." Nero blurted out as he placed his hands under his chin. "The Mind Aspect was said to be improved the most for the Symbolists, which could be proven by their resilient minds. The Essence Aspect was said to be the enhanced aspect for the Celestials, which can be explained by the existence of the Stellar Essence. And finally, the Body Aspect was the improved aspect on the Devourers, which can be seen on their extremely tough bodies¡­ Just by looking at them this way, the Trinity Theory actually holds some validity."


    "Hmph, but a theory is still a theory." Anya replied as she sneered at Nero.


    "Wait, so you don''t believe in that theory too?"


    "If that theory is right, then it should have been able to explain the type of power that could come out from the Red Moon, which it doesn''t" Anya said as she shook her head. "Aside from that, the Trinity Theory also fails to explain where these powers come from. If a Theory was this faulty, then why should I believe it at all?"


    "Well, most of what you said was true." Nero replied as he let out a sigh. "But there''s one thing that you got wrong."


    "And what could that be?" Anya said as she leaned forward, looking extremely curious. "Are you telling me that there is another aspect of the Trinity Theory that I still do not know about?"


    "Actually, the Trinity Theory had a hypothesis on what the power from the Red Moon could be." Nero replied as he started to grin."Aside from the Body, Essence, and Mind, there is still another Aspect of a person that is not yet tackled here. That Aspect is the-"


    "Boom!"


    Whatever words Nero was about to say was cut-off, as a sudden explosion covered their private room.


    Peals of flames blossomed like roses, covering the whole room with raging inferno that consumed everything inside it.


    The resulting blast was so great that everything exploded to pieces inside the room, leaving nothing but only dust and ashes floating around.

 Chapter 202 LA BOMBA!

    8 MINUTES EARLIER.


    Inside a house located 3 blocks away from the Lecture Hall, two figures could be seen sitting around a table.


    One was a male with green eyes and jet black hair that reached his shoulders, while the other one was a female with golden eyes and long blonde hair that reached her ankles.


    Both of them had their eyes narrowed in concentration, as if they were busy on something extremely important.


    "Vera, what is the status of Noelle?" The black-haired male said as he looked at the blonde girl. "Is she inside the Conference Lecture Hall?"


    "Ray, you know what Noelle can do. For her to be in that Conference Lecture Hall is just a piece of cake for her." Vera, the golden blonde girl replied as she looked at Ray, the black-haired guy. "This is already our 4th world, and yet you still doubt her skills?"


    Ray only smiled at the seemingly aggrieved look on Vera''s face as he shook his head. "You know that even with her skills, Noelle is still very childish. I mean, do you remember what happened in the third world?"


    "Yeah¡­." Vera grimaced, as she seemed to have remembered an extremely bad memory. "Didn''t Noelle dump water to the head of the Stone King? The Stone King was definitely pissed by that."


    "That is the exact reason why I am worried here." Ray replied as he let out a sigh. "At that time, I only wanted Noelle to weaken the Stone King. But why did she have to make him wet? That doesn''t even work at all!


    "Yeah, Noelle is definitely wrong there." Vera said in a relenting voice "But for today, she only has to do stay in the conference hall and monitor our targets, right? I think Noelle can manage that."


    "She better do." Ray said as he placed his hands under his chin. "If she doesn''t, sigh¡­. "


    "Well-" Before Vera could say more words to Ray, she suddenly stiffened, as if she received some kind of stimulus.


    "Ray, Noelle is telling me that one of our targets had shown themselves already." Vera said as her eyes narrowed in concentration.


    "Who was it? Was it the Queen Hoarder, or was it the Apprentice?" Ray asked, with anticipation and boredom present on his voice.


    "It''s the Queen Hoarder." Vera replied as she massaged her temples. "According to Noelle, there are two people accompanying Queen Hoarder right now. One was her butler Eris, while the other one was the Symbolist that dated Queen Hoarder yesterday."


    "Okay, okay." Ray replied as he rubbed his hands excitedly. "Now that Queen Hoarder is inside the Conference Hall, there is no more escape for her! No matter where she sits, she will always die!"


    "Ray, you don''t need to always say that line..." Vera said as she let out another sigh. "I already know that your bombs do their jobs properly¡­"


    "Don''t call them bombs! Call them Single Use, Area of Effect Implements!" Ray yelled at Vera, looking irritated as he did so. "Calling them bombs is just wrong! You know that my Single Use, Area of Effects Implements have a wide range of effects! Not any bombs can be like that!"


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know." Vera replied as she waved her hands dismissively. "But the name that you have is just too long. Calling them bombs is way easier."


    "¡­."


    "Ok, so what ''bomb'' will you use here?" Vera asked, ignoring the groan of irritation from Ray. "Will you use a Nano-Storm, a Dimension Shredder, a Quantum Tunneler, or a Time Warper?"


    "Vera, for me to prepare those, I have to use a lot of my power." Ray said as he shook his head. "And when I said a lot, I mean A LOT of it. Do you still remember when I used a Nano-Storm on that snake charmer guy? I almost died there! And now, you want me to risk my life to kill our two targets today? That''s not worth it!"


    "What will you use then?" Vera asked as a vein appeared on her forehead. "You know that Queen Hoarder and the Apprentice are both extremely talented. You can''t just any normal bombs on them!"


    "I know about that, so I used the best one that I can make right now." Ray said as he gave Vera a smirk. "What placed inside that lecture hall were multiple ''Sun-Birthers''!"


    "Multiple ''Sun-Birthers''? Are you serious?" Vera hissed as she started to glare at Ray. "Do you know what could happen if you mess this up?"


    "Of course I know." Ray replied confidently. "This whole city will be engulfed in flames, and many innocents might die here. If we did that, our Mission Grade will surely be reduced."


    "Exactly!" Vera said as she attempted to to pull Ray by his collar, but in the end, she pulled back while letting out another sigh. "¡­I know that I can''t stop you anymore, so just be careful!"


    "Yes, Ma''m." Ray replied lazily as he closed his eyes.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    After staying for a minute, Vera''s body tensed once more. There''s no doubt that she was communicating with Noelle again.


    "Ray, the Apprentice had arrived too." Vera said as Ray hastily opened his eyes. "And right now, the Apprentice is starting the conference already."


    "Good, good." Ray said as he cracked his knuckles. "So, where exactly are the Apprentice and Queen Hoarder now? I need to know their exact locations so that my Sun-Birthers can hit them on the spot."


    "Well, the Apprentice is at the stage, while Queen Hoarder was at a private room, located at the other end of the lecture hall." Vera replied.


    "Yosh, time for some explosions then~" But before Ray could start doing whatever he had planned to do, Vera suddenly raised her hands, as if she wanted to stop him.


    "Wait Ray, Noelle''s saying that there had been some developments¡­" Vera then continued raising her hands, as she looked busy on communicating with Noelle.


    1 minute later, and Vera lowered her hands as she said,


    "The Apprentice seems to have made a deal with Queen Hoarder, and right now, he''s inside Queen Hoarder''s private room."


    "Oh, now that is better¡­" Ray said as an excited smile appeared on her face. "Since they''re in the same place, I just have to use one Sun-Birther! Now, this is what I call a good catch!"


    "Wait. Noelle told me that we should wait for 3 minutes before you activate the bomb." Vera said as she gave Ray a warning look. "Noelle said that it was what her instincts were telling her to do¡­"


    "Tsk, 3 minutes then." Ray replied with an unwilling expression on his face. "Her instincts better be good. Even if it worked before, there''s still a chance that it might not work here¡­"


    "Geez Ray, have some faith in Noelle. She will end up crying again if she hears what you say."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Both of them then went awkwardly quiet, as they seemed to decide to stop talking at that time.


    The only thing that they did was to wait until they were allowed to make their move.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    Once the 3 minute-time was used up, Ray immediately looked at Vera as he asked her,


    "Can I use it now?"


    "Yes, Noelle says that it''s all clear now." Vera replied quickly.


    "Hahahaha! Here I go then!" As Ray said these words, his right hand started to glow red like magma, with his left hand adapting a snapping motion.


    "Snap!"


    A second after Ray snapped with his left hand, they heard the tumultuous sound of explosion coming from the direction of the Lecture Hall.


    "Hahaha! Take that, you little s**ts!" Ray cackled as he started pounding the table in excitement. "My Sun-Birther can reach the temperatures as hot as the sun''s surface! There''s nothing that your paltry defenses can do against that!


    "Ray, stop using that laugh. It is very embarrassing." Vera said as she glared at Ray angrily. "When will you stop being this childish?"


    "I''m not being childish." Ray shot back as he began to look embarrassed. "I was just ¡­ celebrating, you know."


    "Celebrate my ass." Vera muttered as she leaned back in her chair with much force that it almost broke. "For killing the Queen Hoarder and the Apprentice, our client will only pay us with a small sum. Do you really think that this is a cause for celebration?"


    "Vera, you know that we should not worry about the money at all." Ray said as he let out a satisfied sigh. "We only do this so that once our Main Mission starts, there will be lesser enemies that we have to face. Now that Queen Hoarder and the Apprentice are both killed by my Sun-Birther, we have lesser people to worry about later!"


    "You say that you want to reduce our enemies, yet we only managed to kill one Traveler Team, and that happened only yesterday." Vera said as she stared at Ray directly. "If we really want to reduce the difficulty of our Main Mission, shouldn''t we just kill as many enemy Travelers as possible? We still have some time to look for the other teams! We don''t need to do any of these assassination jobs at all!"


    "Vera, you know that we only managed to kill that Traveler Team yesterday by fluke." Ray replied as he shook his head. "They were the one hunting other Traveler Teams, and they were just unlucky to activate my traps yesterday¡­"


    "¡­"


    "You want us to look for other Traveler Teams, but even with Noelle''s skillset, it will still be extremely difficult for us to look for them!" Ray said as he shrugged his shoulders. "So, instead of looking for some enemy that we might not even find, it will be better for us to eliminate the enemies that we can already see."


    Ray then started to pat Vera''s shoulders as he continued talking. "Besides, if we continue doing this, we will be able to establish a good stronghold with our client. Isn''t that a good way to start our Main Mission?"


    "Well, I suppose you''re right, but¡­" Vera looked extremely frustrated as she floundered in her words, and Ray watched this in amusement as he started to rock his chair back and forth.


    "Vera, you don''t need to explain yourself anymore." Ray said as he placed his index finger on Vera''s lips. "What you just need to know is that we succeeded today, and we will continue on succeeding on the following days. So, all that you have to do is just relax."


    After hearing these words from Ray, Vera looked like she was about to relax, but before she could lower her tense shoulders, she suddenly stiffened, with her eyes widening from what looked like to be surprise and anger.


    "Ray!" Vera shouted as she looked at Ray. "Noelle just inspected the area affected by your explosion, and according to her, there is a high chance that our targets have escaped!"


    "What did you say?" Ray''s ecstatic facial expression fell as Vera''s words rang on his ears. "How could Noelle determine that?"


    "According to Noelle, she saw a deep hole in the center of the room, and from the size of that hole, it can fit around four people in it." Vera said as she gritted her teeth. "And Noelle also noticed wind flowing out of that hole, which meant that it was connected to the outside! If you put those two facts together, the possibility of our targets escaping is high!"


    "M**********ng coconuts!" Ray bellowed in rage, with his eyes looking like they were smoldering in fire. "Nobody just takes a blast from me and leave unscathed from it!"


    The enraged Ray then stood up as he kicked the door of their house open.


    "Vera, tell Noelle to meet up with us at the plaza" Ray said as he cricked his neck. "Since some rats had escaped me, what else should we do? Of course we will chase them down until they''re dead!"

 Chapter 203 Its Slomo Time!

    8 MINUTES BEFORE THE EXPLOSION.


    From the very moment that Alex entered the Conference Lecture Hall until now, he could already feel danger all around him.


    When he felt this danger earlier, Alex thought that maybe it came from all the Symbolists, Celestials, and Devourers surrounding him.


    But that thinking of his changed when he entered the Anya''s private room.


    At the instant that Alex entered Anya''s private room, he felt the danger around him spiking at intense levels.


    It was so intense that Alex realized that whatever this incoming danger is, it could actually harm a defenseless Alex.


    With him already used to this kinds of dangers before, Alex was able to keep his composure, but he also started to get wary of anything that might happen inside this room later.


    When the Apprentice and the Queen Hoarder started their transaction, the danger that Alex felt around him started to increase again.


    At that point, Alex realized that something dangerous and fatal will be happening in this room, any second from now.


    "¡­." As Alex waited with tense body, his eyes narrowed as he realized something simple.


    Since Alex could directly sense the danger right now, then it just means that the dangerous object was inside this room!


    That could be the only way that Alex felt it with his danger sense!


    At the moment that he thought of this, Alex discreetly used his Esper ability to sense everything inside the room.


    To his disappointment and befuddlement, he found nothing suspicious at all.


    "Since I cannot see it, then it just means that it is hidden by some kind of mechanism. Tsk." Alex thought to himself with irritation as he gritted his teeth. "If Alina was just here, then it is possible for her to see this hidden danger¡­"


    Now that he realized that his situation was actually worse, Alex decided to cheat a little.


    When Nero was starting to explain the Trinity Theory, Alex discreetly activated one of Pride''s Abyss Spells.


    "Mental Enhancement."


    As he activated his spell, Alex felt his perception of the world go much faster than normal, and his already impressive deductive skills was also improved by this spell.


    With Alex''s sped-up perception, anything that should happen instantaneously can be observed by Alex as if it was just a happening at normal speeds.


    An incoming bullet will look slower to Alex, while a punch would look hella like a turtle to him.


    Add his improved deductive skills, and Alex was sure that he can cook up something to protect himself once the hidden danger activates itself!


    Alex was extremely fortunate that he did this trick, as seconds after he used Mental Enhancement, he saw the floor of the private room crumbling into pieces as fearsome flames erupted from underneath it.


    "Boooooooommmmmm!!!!!!!!"


    With Alex''s perception sped up by ''Mental Enhancement'', Alex was able to observe these flames slowly reaching up to cover the entirety of the room.


    Alex could see that everything that gets in contact with these flames immediately disintegrate, as if they were unable to withstand the flames at all.


    When Alex saw this, he realized that in no time at all, this whole room will be quickly destroyed by these flames, which with just one look, looked extremely hot to him.


    Fortunately for Alex, he immediately jumped in the air when the flames appeared earlier, which somehow allowed his lower body to have some distance away from the flames.


    "Tsk." But even if his lower body was initially safe for now, Alex knew that he only had an extremely short amount of time left before the flames try to destroy his legs too.


    As this thought went through his mind, Alex suddenly remembered something very important as of now.


    And that was that he was not the only person inside the room.


    "¡­" As Alex had this realization, he used his perception and senses to observe the condition of the other three people with him.


    "¡­" To Alex''s dismay, he saw that all three of them seems to be already doomed from the incinerating flames.


    Eris, the butler that was antagonistic to Alex, had her feet gone now, as both of them were destroyed by the flames already.


    As for Anya and Nero, both of them had some kind of defensive shield that covered their bodies at the moment that the flames appeared.


    But Alex knew that with the temperature of these flames, Anya and Nero''s defensive shields won''t last that long.


    "Crack." That prediction of Alex went right, as 0.1 seconds later, he saw Anya''s shield getting destroyed by the flames.


    Anya''s left foot then disappeared, obviously consumed by the flames too.


    As for Nero, his shield still held up, but from what Alex can see, it will only take another 0.1 second before his shield disappears too.


    "Tsk. Should I save them or not?" Alex thought to himself glumly as another 0.1 second passed by. At this point, Eris already lost her feet up until the half of her shin, while Anya lost both of her feet already, and Nero''s shield started to collapse.


    "Ha! If I save them now, I''m sure I will get something good from them!" Alex thought to himself as he started to feel more determined. "But with this kind of explosion, I have no choice but to use my other abilities¡­ Well, as long as I make this quick, these three will not see what I did.


    Another 0.1 second passed by.


    Everything under Eris'' knees were already gone, while everything under Anya''s shins disappeared too. As for Nero, his feet were starting to disintegrate already.


    Alex also saw all three of them glowing brightly, as if they were about to activate their abilities.


    "¡­Operation Run Alex Run starts now!" Alex thought to himself as he summoned three tentacles from his back.


    He then sent one tentacle each to Anya, Eris, and Nero, with each tentacle slapping the back of their heads to render them unconscious.


    With their defensive shields destroyed by the flames, all three of them were knocked out cold by Alex'' tentacles.


    Another 0.1 second passed by.


    Everything under the half of Eris'' thighs were gone, while everything under Anya''s knees disappeared. As for Nero, everything under his knees were gone too.


    After rendering them unconscious, Alex activated his Gravitational Manipulation to his surroudings and on the ground below him.


    With the Gravitational Waves around him, Alex was able to prevent the flames and their heat from reaching him and the unconscious trio.


    He then pushed some of the gravity waves below him, creating a hole which was large enough to fit all 4 of them through it.


    Another 0.1 second passed by.


    This time, the flames had no effects on the trio, as they were now protected by Alex''s gravity waves.


    As the flames continued on raging around him, Alex quickly entered the hole, with Eris, Anya, and Nero dragged by his tentacles.


    Actually, Alex can just place the unconscious trio inside Alina''s Storage, but he cannot do that, as these three might do something inside there, or worse they will get more suspicious of Alex!


    So, Alex was left with no choice but to physically drag the trio away into safety.


    "Woosh~" With Alex''s speed, he was able to quickly create tunnels as he crossed them.


    This in turn allowed Alex and the unconscious trio to get farther and farther away from the lecture hall.


    ***********


    As Alex blitzed through the tunnels, his mind was currently busy on different things.


    "That attack that almost killed the trio earlier¡­ There''s no doubt about it. It came from a Traveler Team." Alex muttered to himself as he adjusted the position of the trio behind him. "Only a Traveler can have that kind of power. Is it flame control? Or was it an AOE-type attack? Tsk, whatever it was, I must do my best to get the hell away from here!"


    With that onset of that attack, Alex realized that it was not safe form him to stay in this city anymore.


    After all, he just had a run-in with a Traveler Team attempting to kill him!


    There is no way that Alex will just be happy with that!


    Why would he want to fight a Traveler Team when he''s just all alone in this city? If Alina and Queen Mother were here, then Alex could have possibly attempted to fight back, but right now, they were not with him, so he had no choice for now but to have a tactical retreat.


    "Woosh~" After 30 seconds of intense digging, Alex decided to end his tunnel digging.


    He dug upwards, allowing him and the unconscious trio with him to get back to the surface level.


    As Alex popped out of the ground, he looked around him warily as he tried to check for any possible incoming enemy.


    Alex''s tense shoulders relaxed as he saw that as of now, there was still nobody nearby him that seemed suspiciously powerful to him.


    Right now, his danger sense only gave him a dull sensation of danger, which in Alex''s opinion, was just the simple indication that something will still happen.


    "!!!" A few seconds after Alex popped out of the ground, he suddenly tensed as he felt two extremely powerful sources of danger.


    One came from inside the City of Marshes, while the second one came at the skies, around 1 kilometer above him.


    "Ah! Why am I still waiting here? I need to set off now!" Alex thought to himself as he decided at that point, that he will be officially ending his reconnaissance mission here in the City of Marshes.


    Staying will just put him at risk, so the only thing that Alex can do is to actually leave.


    As for Anya, Eris, and Nero, Alex will of course bring them with him.


    They obviously had more better things to offer Alex, and Ale will undoubtedly do his best to milk out these benefits from them.


    "Boom!" Alex then wasted no time at all as he flew away from the City of Marshes, with him using his gravitational manipulation to boost his flight.


    He also used Envy''s Misdirection Spell, which will prevent anyone from tracking him right now.


    In no time at all, Alex''s figure in the sky turned into a speck of dot, and after a few more seconds, he had already disappeared within the horizon.


    Once again, Alex was extremely fortunate, as seconds after he flew away, a group of three people appeared at the place where Alex''s tunnel ended.


    All three of them looked tense, as if they were about to start an extremely important fight.


    ************


    These three people were Ray, Vera, and Noelle.


    Noelle, who was a red-eyes, brown haired, 10-year old scrawny girl, started to shout in frustration as she stared at the end of Alex''s tunnel.


    "Ray, their presence disappeared at the end of this tunnel." Noelle said as she started to stomp her feet. "After this point, I could not sense their presence anymore! It was as if they were already gone!"


    "Tsk, this is obviously a work of a Traveler''s Team!" Ray declared as his eyes widened in realization. "Hmph, there''s no doubt about it! That guy accompanying Anya and her butler earlier? I''m 100% sure that he''s part of another Traveler Team! After all, he managed to survive my Sun-Birther, and he even managed to hide his presence from Noelle perfectly! If he''s not part of a Traveler Team, then I don''t already know what he is!"


    "So, should we still chase them now?" The one who asked this question was Vira, who was somewhat quiet earlier.


    "No, we won''t chase them anymore." Ray replied as he shook his head. "Now that they''ve hidden their presence away from Noelle, it will be pretty impossible for us to chase our targets."


    "Then what will we do?" Vera asked with irriation as she looked visibly frustrated. "We all did this work for nothing! Will we just go back to our residence and act like normal?"


    "Hey, I did not say that this day will just end normally." Ray said as he suddnely looked up to the sky. "Didn''t you feel it Vera? I can sense a set of powerful presences descending towards this location. If my suspicions were right, then these approaching presences could be another Traveler Team! Now that they''re delivering themselves into our doorsteps, of course we have to greet them cordially! As for Anya and Nero, just let them go for now. We can deal with them later."


    "¡­If you say so." That was all that Vera and Noelle could say as they simultaneously sighed at Ray.


    "What''t the problem?"


    "Nothing."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 204 Glyph

    6 HOURS LATER


    "So¡­ you are telling me that after you stayed in that city for almost 2 days, you were left with no choice but to go back here? I thought it will take you around a week to do this." The one who said these words was Alina, who was currently sitting in front of Alex.


    Allina seemed to not look that pleased as she talked with Alex, as if there was something that was pissing her off now.


    "Well, things happened, so¡­" Alex trailed as he tried to explain himself in front of Alina. "I just have to go back here¡­"


    "Oh, and does that include BRINGING ANOTHER GIRL OUT TO A DATE?" Alina said coldly as a murderous aura began to spread out from her.


    Alex began to tremble as he felt Alina''s killing intent, realizing that he was screwed right now.


    "Alina, I just did that to steal info from Anya." Alex said as he adapted a pleading expression on his face. "I have no other malicious intentions at all!"


    "Oh, and you call her by her name now? Anya, was it?"


    "¡­Well, I-" Alex tried to explain himself, but he was cut off as Alina raised her right hand dismissively.


    "¡­Sigh, forget it." Alina said as her frosty glared weakened. "My eyes are telling methat you are not lying."


    "Does that mean that you forgive me already?


    "Of course not." Alina said, much to Alex''s dismay. "Even if you did that to get info, I''m still not happy that you have to ask her out to do that. You understand where I''m coming from, right?"


    "Yes, I can understand that." Alex replied as he gave Alina an apologetic smile.


    "¡­Hmph. Tonight, you will be sleeping outside the house." Alina said as she resumed on polishing the blade of her katana. "Consider that as your punishment."


    As Alex heard what Alina said, he began to feel relief, as he realized that by tomorrow, Alina surely might have fully forgiven him.


    But before Alex could silently celebrate, Alina shot him another question while she was busy on her blade.


    "So, what will you do with those three that you brought back here? Surely you won''t just keep them asleep?"


    "Oh that." After hearing this question from Alina, Alex started to scratch his head as he felt a headache forming inside him.


    "Alina, you know that all I wanted to do earlier was to Pillage Nero and Anya''s powers." Alex honestly replied as he let out a sigh. "But you saw what happened earlier, right?"


    "You''re talking about those golden marks?"


    "Yes, those marks." Alex replied as he gritted his teeth in frustration. "If they were not there, then I should have been able to pillage their powers already!"


    "¡­."


    *****************


    2 HOURS EARLIER


    After Alex escaped from the assassins earlier, the first thing that he did was to hide his tracks, and then go back to where his teammates are.


    At the instant that Alex arrived at his teammates'' location, he immediately used Pillage on Anya.


    After all, her Celestial power was something that Alex had wanted to obtain since he first saw it.


    But at the moment that he used Pillage on Anya, something frustrating has happened.


    A golden mark, which looked like the symbol X, suddenly appeared on Anya''s forehead.


    As this mark appeared, Alex felt his Pillage Spell actually being prevented from working at all!


    It was as if that golden mark was preventing Anya''s powers from being stolen!


    At the moment that this happened, Alex''s started to review the memories that he stole from Artos, and there, he realized what that golden mark was.


    "It''s an Anti-Devourer Glyph!" Alex muttered to himself angrily as he could only glare at Anya in disappointment. "Of course she will have something like this! How f**king great!"


    When Alex realized what this golden mark was, he started to feel extremely disappointed.


    The Anti-Devourer Glyph, just like what its name says, was something used to prevent a Devourer''s power from working on a person.


    Technically speaking, it should only be able to fight back against a Devourer''s power.


    But as Alex saw it right now, it can even prevent Pillage from working!


    Now this just makes Alex''s mood worse.


    "Tsk, if the Devourersdid not exist, then this Glyph should not have existed at all. F**k!" Alex muttered to himself angrily as he let out a sigh.


    "Now I know why many hated Devourers, they really just mess everything up! F***ing Devourers!"


    As Alex said these words, he started to recall everything that he knew about the Devourers and their abilities.


    From what Alex knew from the stolen memories, a Devourer was someone who can use their so-called ''devouring power'' on an object and gain a portion of the attributes that object.


    If they used their devouring power on fire, they will gain a small portion of the attributes of fire. If they used their devouring power on metal, then they will gain a small portion of the attributes of metal.


    If they want to gain more power, then Devourers will have to use their power on more and more objects to increase its corresponding attributes.


    But a Devourer''s power does not only work on objects. They can use this power on people too.


    If a Devourer uses their devouring power on a person, they will gain a portion of the person''s abilities, like a portion of their strength, a portion of their agility, and a portion of their intelligence.


    The more people a Devourer uses their power on, the more that that Devourer will get stronger.


    If this already made Devourers somewhat frightening, then the effect of their power on the Celestials, Symbolists and even on the other Devourerswill make them more terrifying.


    See, if a Devourer devours a Symbolist, a Celestial, or another Devourer, they will also gain an extremely small portion of their power.


    So, if a Devourer devours a Celestial, that Devourer will gain a very little amount of Celestial power. The same thing goes if that Devourer devours a Symbolist or another Devourer.


    Of course since this was only small, the Devourer has to consume many Symbolists, Celestials, or Devourers if they want to fully use their abilities.


    With this kind of power, it was already a common occurrence to see Devourers using their power on other Devourers.


    But as for the Symbolists, and the Celestials, the very act of devouring their power was extremely illegal.


    Any Devourer who uses their devouring power on a Celestial or a Symbolist will be put to death by any of the Three Factions.


    With that kind of deterrent, the Devourers were able to interact with the Symbolists and Celestials with lesser tension.


    But from time to time, there will still be some rogue Devourers who try to devour the power of the Symbolists and Celestials, especially the extremely talented ones.


    Of course these Devourers all end up dead, but by that point, the damage has already been done.


    So, in order to prevent these ''accidents'' or ''isolated cases'' from happening, both the Symbolists and the Celesitals teamed up to create something that will prevent the Devourer''s powers from affecting them.


    After years of research, they were able to find a solution.


    And that solution was that the Anti-Devourer Glyph.


    This Glyph, which was the combination of both the Symbolist and Celestial knowledge, can protect a person from having his/her power from getting devoured by a Devourer.


    How the Anti-Devourer Glyph was created was basically a secret, but the only known information was on its use.


    Unlike Symbols, the Anti-Devourer Glyph can actually be inscripted safely on someone''s body, and once it was there, it can fuel itself by gathering energy from its surroundings.


    Once a Devourer tries to use their power on a person with an Anti-Devourer Glyph, the Glyph will create some kind of force field which will prevent the devouring form happening.


    From all the tests that were done, it was concluded that as long as the strength gap between a Devourer and its target was not high, then the Anti-Devourer Glyph will work perfectly.


    With this kind of power, the Anti-Devourer Glyphs seems to be an extremely important innovation in this world.


    However, there was one limitation with an Anti-Devourer Glyph.


    And that was the fact that only 1 Anti-Devourer Glyph can be created every 100 years.


    Both the Celestials and the Symbolists tried many different ways to combat this limitation, but they were unable to overcome this.


    As of now, there were only 10 Anti-Devourer Glyphs, as its discovery was made 1,000 years ago. It will still take another 57 years before another Anti-Devourer Glyph can be created again.


    With that kind of rarity and effect, it was quite obvious that the 10 Anti-Devourer Glyphs will be owned and used by extremely powerful Celestials or Symbolists.


    "But if it really is rare, then why the f**k does Anya own one Anti-Devourer Glyph!" Alex thought to himself angrily as he let out another sigh.


    After a few seconds of contemplation, Alex suddenly knocked the side of his head as he let out a laugh. "Right¡­ how could I have forgotten that?Anya is the Queen Hoarder, and she is also the daughter of the Grand Minister. For her to have this kind of protection is actually predictable¡­"


    After reaching this line of thought, Alex decided to abandon any of his plans on Anya for now.


    Alex then looked at Nero, who was still asleep now.


    "I don''t need to even use my Pillage on him. With Nero''s status, of course there''s a high chance that he also had the Anti-Devourer Glyph on him." Alex thought to himself as he observed Nero''s sleeping visage. "Well, I have to use Pillage on him just to confirm it¡­"


    Alex then used Pillage on Nero, and to his disappointment, an Anti-Devourer Glyph indeed appeared on Nero''s forehead.


    "¡­Okay. This is just pissing me off more." Alex said as he tore his gaze away from Nero. "Tsk, two down, one more to go."


    With Anya and Nero protected, Alex can only pin his hopes on Eris.


    "Hmm¡­ Eris does not have a high status like Anya or Nero, and she is a Celestial. Getting her power will be of great benefit to me." Alex muttered to himself as he started to nod. "And besides, this b***h had been busy on antagonizing me since yesterday. She can just consider what I will do to her now as my payback to her!"


    After saying these ''excuses'' inwardly, Alex summoned Greed for the 3rd time this day and used the spell Pillage on Eris.


    To Alex''s relief, the spell went smoothly, with no Anti-Devourer Glyph protecting Eris at all.


    "¡­."


    The ball that came out of Eris was milky-white, and it felt fluffy to Alex''s hand.


    Alex wasted no time as he ate the ball and refined the power inside it for himself.


    **************


    BACK TO THE PRESENT TIME


    "So, you only managed to Pillage the Celestial power of the butler." Alina muttered as she sheathed her katana. "As for Nero and Anya, you were unable to do anything to them."


    "That''s just what I told you earlier." Alex muttered to himself as he let out a sigh. "Well, at least I now have a Symbolist and a Celestial Ability, which surprisingly, had the same levels of power. Maybe this is actually not bad at all."


    "¡­Yes, but we still do not know what we will do with them." Alina replied as she pointed at the unconscious trio. "Not only that, but there''s still the other Symbolists that we have captured before. If we don''t do anything to them quickly, something might go wrong."


    "Don''t worry Alina. I already have a plan for that." Alex replied as he fixed his clothes. "Just give me a few hours, and I can sort all of this out."


    "¡­If you say so."

 Chapter 205 Lenten Break

    @@


    Guys, I will have a 1-week Lenten break starting today, so I have to travel to my province... Because of that, I can only post 1 chapter today.


    Chapter release will normalize tomorrow.


    However, since I am in the province, I''m not sure if I can post chaps in a normal schedule, since the internet sucks there...


    Well, its only for a week.


    But let''s hope that our internet works during the Lenten Break...@@

 Chapter 206 Breaking Mad

    "Queen Mother, sedate and store away these 3 for now." Alex said after he finished talking with Alina. "Keep them asleep until later. Oh, and make sure that you will not, in any circumstances, allow Nero or Anya to wake up, unless I told you so. We will be f**ked if that happens¡­"


    "I understand, Alex." Queen Mother replied quickly as 3 leaf bundles appeared, wrapping Nero, Anya, and Eris'' bodies until they all just looked like the Symbolists that Alex had captured before.


    Alex watched as their unconscious bodies were dragged away, presumably being stored to where all their captives were placed.


    Alina, who was watching what was happening with narrowed eyes, stared at Alex as she asked him,


    "Alex, are you sure that you don''t want to talk to Nero or Anya right now? We need to obtain some information from them¡­"


    "Oh, don''t worry about that Alina. We can deal with those two later." Alex replied as he waved his hand dismissively. "For now, I am planning to do something else, which in my opinion is also very important to us."


    "Alex, you¡­" Alina''s voice trailed as she looked at Alex with intrigue, as if she had already realized what Alex planned to do now.


    "To the lair we go!" Alex declared as he marched towards the wooden house located 20 meters away from them.


    The wooden house seemed to be just like normal house, with nothing weird being seen from it.


    "Creak¡­" Alex gently opened the door of the wooden house, and once they entered,he and Alina saw both Kiera and her grandfather in the living room,playing some kind of board game.


    The pair looked up from their board game as they stared at Alex directly.


    "Big bro, are you going to your lair again?" Kiera asked Alex as she gave Alex an excited look. "Can I join you too?"


    "No Kiera,I will not bring you inside my lair." Alex replied as he walked past Kierra and her grandfather. "I call that place my lair because it contains things that are not suited for children like you. So, just behave, and stay with your grandpa here."


    "Muu¡­" Alex ignored Kiera''s disappointed face as he and Alina continued wandering inside the wooden house.


    They took 10 more steps until they stopped in front of a bookshelf filled with books.


    "Rustle, rustle¡­"


    Alex pulled out some books in bookshelf, and then rearranged those books until he and Alina heard an unmistakable clicking sound from the bookshelf.


    "Rumble¡­"


    Once they heard this clicking sound, the bookshelf started to move, with it opening like a door.


    A few seconds later, and Alex found himself not staring at a bookshelf, but rather at a dark passageway.


    "Alex, do you really have to make the entrance to your lair to be like this?" Alina, who seemed to be not that enthused with Alex''s methods, narrowed her eyes as she stared at the dark passageway with a fed-up expression on her face. "You can just place a door here, and lock it with some enchantments¡­ Do you really need to use a bookshelf entrance?"


    "Alina, you don''t know the appeal of using a bookshelf as the entrance to a lair." Alex replied as he shook his head. "It just feels cooler to do it this way! Well, this is my lair, so maybe it is hard for you to understand what I feel¡­"


    "¡­" Judging from the expression on Alina''s face, it could be seen that she was not impressed about what Alex said at all.


    "Ehem." Alex had to let out a cough to dispel his awkwardness as he and Alina entered the dark passageway.


    "Thud."


    The bookshelf shut itself as they went in, bringing it back to the state that it was before.


    ***********


    During the 3-week waiting time that Alex did along with Kiera and her grandpa, he created a large cavern underneath the house, which he called his lair.


    It was here in this lair that Alex prepared the materials needed to recreate Professor Frances'' body.


    "Okay¡­ now that I have all the materials for the body recreation, there''s nothing else left to do but to recreate the body already." Alex declared as he and Alina reached the lair itself.


    As they reached the lair, Alex could not help but stare at the center of the lair, as he looked at some kind of apparatus there.


    At the center of the room, a large cauldron which was filled halfway with blue liquid could be seen.


    Underneath the cauldron was a custom-made stove, which was letting out flames which heated the cauldron above it, and consecutively, the blue liquid too.


    Alex watched as the bubbles from the blue liquid popped regularly, making him sigh a little in relief.


    That blue liquid was another one of the reminders that Professor Frances gave to Alex before he destroyed her body.


    She specifically gave Alex the recipe of that blue liquid, and she told him to create that blue liquid even before Alex could gather the materials needed to recreate the body.


    The process of making this liquid was hard, so Alex was extremely relieved that nothing undesirable had happened to the blue liquid until now.


    As he ascertained that the blue liquid was fine, Alex waved his hands as 4 objects appeared in front of him.


    The first one was Professor Frances'' head, which Alex placed in the table beside him.


    The second one was a drum of soil, which Alex placed on his right side.


    The third one was Igneus'' corpse, perfectly preserved. Alex placed this on his left side.


    The fourth and final object was a golden cup, and inside this cup, blood could be seen sloshing inside it.


    Alex naturally held this cup in his hands, enjoying the way that the blood behaved inside it.


    "¡­" Alina, who was watching Alex playing with the cup, could not help but grimace as she looked at it.


    "Alex, that blood came from Anya, right?" Alina said as she averted her gaze away from the cup.


    "Yeah, I obtained this from her earlier while she was fast asleep." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "You know, getting blood from a Celestial is much easier when they are unconscious¡­ It saves me time and effort that I can use for other things."


    "Yes, I can see that. But Alex, do you really have to make the cut on her thighs? Don''t tell me that you just want to ogle at her legs¡­"


    "Alina, its Queen Mother who gave that suggestion, I just followed it because it seems easier to do it that way¡­"


    "Stare¡­"


    "Ehem."


    Alex had to let out another cough as he hastily tried to change the conversation.


    "Well, now that I got this Celestial blood, all the ingredients that I need for the new body is already here." Alex said as he approached the cauldron.


    "Complete? But you still have not done anything to the soil." Alina said as she tilted her head in confusion. "From what Professor Frances said, she needed three objects for her new body. First was a corpse filled with great vitality. That Devourer corpse fits that criteria. The second was blood filled with power. The Celestial blood is perfect for that. And the third and final objects is a drum of soil that contains a breath of life in it. Alex, what I can only see here is a drum of normal soil. There''s no sense of any life here¡­"


    "Oh, don''t worry about this one." Alex replied as he looked at the passageway behind him. "Queen Mother already has a way to deal with this."


    At the instant that Alex said these words, he and Alina saw Queen Mother appearing from the passageway, with her steps making her closer and closer to the lair.


    "So, you will start the operation now. I still do not like doing this, but since you both trust that crazy woman, then I will just help you out." Queen Mother said as she peered at the drumful of soil. "So, this is the one?"


    "Yes. Just pour some portion of your life force into that soil." Alex said as he placed Queen Mother''s hand on top of the soil. "Of course, the more life force that you put into the soil, the better it will be. Just¡­ stop when you think it is too much."


    "Got it." As Queen Mother said these words, she suddenly started glowing green as some kind of green gas poured out of her hands.


    This green gas fused itself with the soil, providing it with the ''vitality'' that Alex was talking about.


    The whole process lasted for a minute, with Queen Mother looking extremely fine.


    "Yosh, now that we really have all the needed materials, it''s time to cook!" Alex said as he picked up Igneus'' corpse with his tentacles.


    At this point, Alex started to recall Professor Frances'' instructions, lest he suddenly messes it up here.


    "Step 1, dump the corpse into the blue liquid." Alex said as he dropped Igneus'' corpse into the blue liquid.


    "Plop!"


    With the size of the cauldron, it was able to accommodate Igneus'' body. The corpse sank until it touched the bottom of the cauldron.


    Seconds after the corpse was dipped in the blue liquid, harsh bubbling sounds could be heard as the corpse started to melt.


    "Ugh. Step 2 wait until the corpse was turned into slush by the blue liquid." Alex said as he watched the continuous breakdown of the corpse.


    He felt slightly squeamish, as what he was seeing right now reminded him of that infamous scene from the show Breaking Mad.


    "Ugh, wipe away those bad memories." Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head. "Breaking Mad is a good show, you know."


    Once there was only a thick, fleshy slush inside the cauldron, Alex let out a sigh as he approached it with the golden cup in this hand.


    "Step 3, pour the blood on the slush, and mix them until the blood was fully integrated with the slush."


    Alex then poured the blood on the slush, and then used a large spatula to forcefully mix the sticky and squelchy mixture.


    "¡­" By this point, Alex was already feeling a little sick, but he decided to go on as he remembered the Professor saying that stopping right now will make the whole process fail.


    When Alex thought that he had been mixing enough already, he stopped as one of this tentacles dragged the drum of soil nearer to him.


    "Step 4, pour the soil into the cauldron, and just like what happened in step 3, mix them together until even distribution is achieved."


    Alex faithfully followed these steps, and he only stopped when he thought that the mixture inside the cauldron was already homogenous.


    "Step 5, increase the heat under the cauldron, around 500 Degrees Celsius." Alex followed this step too, and once he did that, he saw the mixture inside the cauldron glowing brightly.


    "Holy s**t, so that mixture actually works?" Alex thought to himself as he looked at the glowing mixture with wonder. "Daaamnnn¡­"


    At first, Alex thought that the mixture of the blue liquid, the soil, the corpse, and the blood, combined with the heat of the flames will only result in a kind of messyset-up.


    But seeing the effects of what he did right now changed his somewhat pessimist outlook.


    "Step 6, bury Professor Frances'' head on the mixture. Once this was done, cover the cauldron and let it stay that way for 6 hours." Alex said as he picked up Professor Frances'' head.


    "¡­" As Alex held the head, he could not help but marvel at the head itself.


    Even if the head was already separated from its body for a long time, it still did not decay, and it did not even show any signs of getting destroyed.


    It was as if the head itself was extremely special, and that there could be more to it that what Alex can see.


    Heck, Alex actually had the suspicion that maybe he can revive Professor Frances even if she was just a head.


    Of course, Alex was not sure of that, so he just followed what Professor Frances told him to do.


    "Thud."


    With tentacles as swift as the wind itself, Alex rapidly dug a hole on the mixture, placed the head inside that hole, refilled that hole until the head was fully buried, and then closed the cauldron with its equally large cover.


    "Now, all that we have to do is wait." Alex said as he sat on his favorite chair, with his tentacles behind him, making him look like an evil overlord.


    Alex then threw his head backwards as he let out a laugh.


    "Muhahahaha!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    It was already obvious that this evil laugh was Alex''s attempt to look cool, but judging from the disappointed expressions on Alina and Queen Mother''s faces, Alex did not look cool at all.

 Chapter 207 Alchemists Tale Part 1

    6 HOURS LATER.


    Alex, who was currently having a chess match with Kiera''s grandfather, stopped in his movements as he felt a surge of power coming from under the house.


    "There it is!" Alex declared loudly as he, Alina, and Queen Mother all stood up with alert expressions on their faces.


    "Old man, let''s stop this match for now. I just have to greet an ''old friend''." Alex said as he tipped the chess board over, spilling its contents on the table.


    "Tsk, you just wanted this to end since you''re about to lose." The old man grumbled as Alex opened and entered the way to his lair.


    "Pit pat pit pat." The footsteps of Alex and his companions resounded throughout the dark passageway, and it continued on doing so until Alex and his Companions stopped walking.


    "¡­." As Alex reached the lair, his eyes immediately looked at the cauldron, which was at this point, was still covered and have flames roaring under it.


    As Alex continued on observing the cauldron, he suddenly saw its cover wobbling in place.


    After a few more seconds, the wobbling of the cover increased, as if there was something inside the cauldron that was struggling to escape.


    "Clang!" As Alex decided to get nearer to the cauldron, the cauldron''s cover suddenly shot up into the air, falling into the ground with a clanging sound.


    At the moment that this happened, Alex saw a hand coming out of the cauldron''s opening. The hand was pristine white, as if it was unblemished by time.


    This hand gripped the edge of the cauldron''s opening in a tight grip, as if it was intent on crushing the cauldron itself.


    Alex then watched as another hand appeared, which also gripped the edge of the cauldron''s opening.


    Both of these hands then started to heave, as if they were trying to pull something out of the cauldron.


    A few milliseconds later, and the effort of these hands weresuccessful, as Alex saw a feminine body coming out of the cauldron.


    This feminine body had no clothes on, which obviously showed itself on its naked glory.


    Even if the feminine body was somewhat curvaceous and stimulative, Alex felt no kind of attraction on it, as his eyes were only glued on the crazed smile that the owner of this body had.


    Alex shook his head in sheer amusement as he stared at Professor Frances'' head, which was now attached on her all-new body.


    "Welcome back, Prof." Alex said as he threw a towel towards the naked Professor Frances. "Your experiment is a great success, and I hope that I will get the benefits that you promised to me."


    "¡­"


    ****************


    Professor Frances, who seemed not that surprised that she had a new body now, only gave Alex a sneer as her body suddenly disappeared on the spot


    "Boom!" Professor Frances suddenly appeared in front of Alex, with her face only a few millimeters away from Alex''s face.


    She still had her crazed smile as she started to talk to Alex.


    "Alex, you seem to be not that worried about me." The professor said as her breath tickled Alex''s face. "Are you not worried that I will try to kill you right now? With the exceptional materials that you used to recreate my body, I can assure you that the Professor Frances that you are facing right now is much more formidable than the one that you faced before!"


    "Hmph, do you think I will be that dumb?" Alex replied as he did not wilt under Professor Frances'' close proximity. "At the moment that you gave me the recipe for your new body, I already knew that there is a chance that this might backfire on me. So obviously, I already had a safeguard placed in case you actually go rogue on me."


    "Oho, and what could that safeguard be then?" Professor Frances asked Alex as she gave him a curious look. "And are you sure that it will work?"


    "Of course it is." Alex said as he pointed his thumb towards Queen Mother. "Professor Frances go and look at Queen Mother. Tell me what you feel when you see her."


    "That tree woman? I only view her as an ingredient-" Whatever Professor Frances was trying to say was cut off as her stare landed on Queen Mother.


    "You¡­ what did you do to me?" The professor asked Alex as her gaze swiveled back to him. "Why do I feel loyalty and fierce devotion to that tree wo- Mother? Wait, why do I call her Mother? What the f**k is happening here?"


    "Hehehe." Alex laughed darkly as he watched Professor France''s discomfort.


    There was only one reason why Professor Frances was acting like this to Queen Mother.


    And that reason resides on the Life Force that Queen Mother placed on the soil earlier.


    To those who already forgot, one of Queen Mother''s ability when she was still in her World Tree Form was to create a whole race of Sentient Beings.


    These beings, which Queen Mother created from her Life Force, will all feel intense loyalty and devotion towards her. Alex of course saw this devotion at his visit on the Monster World.


    But with Queen Mother''s current state right now, it will be pretty impossible for her to create another race.


    However, she can still share her Life Force, and Alex used this to force Professor Frances to ally with them.


    Since Queen Mother''s Life Force was involved in the revival of Professor Frances, it is actually right to say that Queen Mother was the one who ''gave life'' to Professor Frances.


    Since it was like that, then Professor Frances can be considered to be one of Queen Mother''s creations!


    With that, it is already inevitable for Professor Frances to feel devotion and loyalty to Queen Mother, as she''s technically the same as the Monster Race that Queen Mother had created before.


    And since Queen Mother is Alex''s Companion, then it just means that right now, there is no way that Professor Frances can harm them!


    "¡­" Alex gave the professor a short explanation of what happened to her, and once he finished talking, Professor Frances gave Alex a glower as she let out a sigh.


    "Actually, I am planning to not harm you at all. But since you have something like this placed, then you really have nothing to worry about." As the professor said these words, she glanced at Alina''s direction as she asked her, "I''m not lying, right?"


    "Yes, you''re not lying." Alina replied as she sat on the chair behind Alex. "But even if you are telling the truth, I still agree on placing this precaution against you. You never know, something wrong might happen to you, especially now that we just revived you."


    "Fine, fine, I get it." The professor replied as she wrapped the towel around her body.


    She then sat on the nearby chair, giving Alex an imperious gaze on him as she said,


    "Now, that you have brought me back, tell me everything that had happened in this world. "


    "Maybe before we do that, you should tell us about yourself first." Alex hurriedly replied as he shook his head. "I''m already dying to know why someone like you had incurred the wrath of the Endless Monarch. Oh and aside from that, I also want to know on how you were able to cheat death itself with this stunt that you did here. This is not something that anybody can just do this easily."


    "¡­"


    What Alex last said was true.


    Even right now, he still could not help but feel disbelief as he watched Professor Frances breathing and talking in front of him, as if she just came here to visit them.


    This woman already freaking died, and the disappearance of the Traveler Mark on her forehead was a proof of that!


    After all, only the dead Travelers and those that failed their missions were the ones that will have their Traveler Marks confiscated.


    Since even the Endless Monarch himself had thought that Professor Frances was already dead, then how was she able to pull off this kind of stunt?


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­ Fine, I''ll talk." With Alex, Alina, and Queen Mother all staring at her intently, Professor Frances seems to be left with no choice but to acquiesce to their demands.


    She cleared her throat loudly as she started to talk.


    "First of all, you should know that just like you three, before I became a Traveler, I was also residing on a world too." Professor Frances said as she tilted her head. "The world I came from was a world that has high advancements in biology and alchemy, and it was these two lines of knowledge that shaped that world."


    "There are two kinds of powerful people thatrule in my world.They are the Bio-Sculptors and Alchemists." The professor said as her crazed smile started to get wider. "Bio-sculptors focus on Life itself, with them doing countless things to experiment with living creatures. They will hack, combine, mutate, and even create living beings just to increase their power or satisfy their curiosity."


    "As for the Alchemists, their main focus was on synthesis and creation of new compounds, new materials, and new elements. They will do experimentations and crimes just to achieve their goals, and if a situation calls for it, they are even willing to kill for it."


    After reaching this point, Professor Frances actually let out a sigh as she continued talking. "Normally, a person in my world does not become both a Bio-Sculptor and an Alchemist. Taking those two paths at the same time is extremely hard, as a Bio-Sculptor deals with living beings, while an Alchemist deals with non-living ones. Of course there are some who don''t follow that rule, and I am one of them."


    Professor Frances then stood up quickly as a mad expression appeared on her face.


    "Hahahaha! Many ridiculed my choice to become both a Bio-Sculptor and an Alchemist! ''You will just die there'', they say. "You will run out of resources'', they say. ''You will ultimately fail'', they say. Hahaha! Those stupid coogers!"


    "So I take it that you succeeded?" Alex asked the professor as the latter continued to cackled madly.


    "Well yes, of course I succeeded!" The professor replied as she sat back on her chair. "I reached the pinnacle of both paths, and that allowed me to create new things!"


    "I created tireless laborers which tilled my farms and built houses. I created monstrous beings which destroyed my enemies and defended my territory. I created new compounds which led to the improvement of our civilization! I created them all, and that allowed me to rule my whole world! Hahaha!"


    "Wait, so you are telling me that you used your knowledge to take over your world?" Alex asked the professor carefully as he stared at her warily. "You really did that?"


    "Of course yes. What am I supposed to do with my creations then?" Professor Frances replied as she gave Alex a confused look. "Of course I have to conquer my world! That is the only thing that I can do with my knowledge and my power!"


    "¡­Ok." That was all that Alex could say, as he realized that the woman in front of him was actually a fabled conqueror!


    "Hmph, with my knowledge and my talent, I ruled my world smoothly." Professor Frances replied lazily. "Of course there were some mishaps, but I dealt with them with my iron fist and my flexible benevolence!"


    "¡­"


    "But everything changed when they arrived." Suddenly, the professor''s face morphed into that of rage as a growl could be heard from her throat. "20 years after I conquered my world, 3 groups of people suddenly appeared on my world!"


    "All of them wielded powerful abilities not yet seen on my world, and they used those abilities to fight my rule!" At this point, the professor''s face was already red in anger, and Alex could see that she could still get angrier later.


    "Those three groups of people that appeared, they are Travelers and Companions, right?" Alex asked the professor once more, this time in a low voice, lest he makes her angrier.


    "Yes, they are Travelers and Companions." Professor Frances replied with gritted teeth. "But at that time, I only thought of them as some kind of mutated people created by my enemies¡­ Hmph, even thinking of them now just makes my blood boil!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 208 Alchemists Tale Part 2

    "Yeah right¡­" Alex mumbled to himself inwardly as he observed Professor Frances'' emotions.


    She''s currently doused in rage, with some side-heapings of condescension and tiredness.


    Whoever are the Travelers that appeared in Professor Frances'' world, they surely did a lot of things that made the Professor so pissed off.


    "Those three Traveler Teams¡­ they started to gather everyone under my rule, and then they all started to fight against me!" The professor said as she let out an irritated huff. "Those damnable bastards!"


    "So, I take it that you were defeated at that time?"


    "Defeated? Of course not." Professor Frances quickly replied as she shook her head. "It definitely cost me a lot, but in the end I was able to defeat all the rebels, including all those in the Traveler Teams!"


    "You''re kidding right?" That was all that Alex could say as he stared at the smug-looking professor. "You managed to defeat 3 Traveler Teams at once? That''s just ridiculous!"


    "Let me finish my story first." The professor snapped as she glared at Alex. "Once you let me finish, you will understand how I was able to win."


    "Ok¡­"


    "So, after I defeated all those Traveler Teams, I immediately used the little resources that I have left to inspect the insides of their brains. By using some kind of biokinetic electro reader, I was able to read the electrical signals inside their brains, and that allowed me to know things like Travelers and the Endless Monarch himself." The professor said, this time with a hint of smugness in her voice. "Hmph, those brats really enjoyed my electric treatment on them! Sigh¡­ I want to do that again someday¡­"


    "¡­You know, what you just said sounds flat obscene." Needless to say, Alex found it hard to believe that there was some kind of device out there that can see the contents of your mind just by looking at the electrical signals at your brain.


    But even if he found what he heard to be ridiculous, he did not interrupt the professor from talking.


    "Once I used that apparatus of mine to read their brains, it was there that I realized that their Main Mission was to free my world from my rule." Professor Frances said as her rage started to subside ."I also found out that my world was just their 2nd world to visit. Since my world was one of the early worlds that they visited, their power is not yet at that high level, so I was able to defeat them."


    "¡­"


    "Of course I had to pay a large price to defeat those Travelers." The professor said as her anger returned again. "All my millions of foot soldiers died, and out of my 100 Divine Generals, only 3 were left. Do you still remember the companions that I had in the Superhero World? Those 3 were the Divine Generals that I am talking about earlier."


    "¡­"


    "As for my body, it was destroyed 3 times during my fight with the 3 Traveler Teams, and I was left with no choice but to create weak but easy to produce bodies so that I can just continue on fighting." The professor said as she started pinching her elbows. "So in summary, once I defeated all the Travelers, what I was left with were 3 Divine Generals and an extremely weak body for me."


    "¡­"


    After saying these words, the professor took a deep breath as the look in her eyes changed.


    If before, she was just a nasty hothead, right now, the professor looked like a syndicate leader ready to commit a crime.


    "As it turns out, one of the Travelers that I killed was someone that the Endless Monarch himself personally appointed. For me to kill and violate the brain of that dead Traveler must have been extremely grating for the Endless Monarch." Professor Frances said as she let out an angered sigh. "So, just a day after I finished my killing spree, I was suddenly abducted by a person that was much powerful than me. Once I was in his clutches, that person told me that because of what I did with an important Traveler, the Endless Monarch was greatly enraged, so he sent someone to punish me."


    "¡­"


    "After saying those words, that person suddenly used some kind of ability on me, and the next thing that I knew, I became a Traveler too." The professor then stared ruefully at Alex and Alina as she shook her head."The rest that happened after that were the things that you already have seen¡­."


    "¡­"


    "So, that is the story of how I wound up here. With my weak body, I was not able to keep myself alive, so I have to resort to schemes just to bring myself up to this state¡­" Professor Frances calmly said as she leaned back on her chair. "Oh I like this chair, its structural integrity is off the charts¡­"


    "Yeah, that chair is good." Alex said, as he could only blink his eyes slowly as he digested what the professor just said to him.


    "Okay, I can somehow understand why you said that being a Traveler is a death sentence for you. "Alex muttered to Professor Frances in a low voice. "Yep, I can understand it now with no doubts."


    "Oh, and its only now that you really believe me? My, my, young man, you should always learn to trust your elders more¡­" Professor Frances said in an amused tone as she tilted her head. "Don''t tell me you treat everyone you meet like this, even when you have a lie detector with you?"


    "¡­" Alex did not reply to that as he thought about the experience that the professor had.


    Just by listening at what the professor said, it was quite obvious that she had somewhat offended the Endless Monarch when she killed and brain-mushed someone important among the Travelers.


    With Professor Frances having an extremely weakened body and 3 Divine Generals left after the fight, her chances of dying as a new Traveler will be quite high.


    And that is exactly what happened with the professor, with her weakened form being defeated by Alex.


    But with the help of her knowledge in Bio-Sculpting and Alchemy, the professor was able to hatch a plan to bring her back to life, which Alex had performed perfectly.


    "Hmph, now that that I have a stronger body, I can make better chemical weapons, and if I have better resources, I can even create battle homunculi for us!" Professor Frances said as she started to trail off, as if she was already losing interest in the important conversation that she was having earlier.


    "Tsk, we''re not done here yet, professor." Alex said as he stared defiantly at the professor''s eyes.


    Even with the explanation that the professor just gave, Alex still had a multitude of questions to ask on her.


    However, Alex knew that he can only ask these questions later, as he could see and feel that Professor Frances was not interested on talking more about her past at this point.


    Because of that, Alex can only settle on asking her later night.


    "I still had to brief you about this world." Alex said as he started tapping his chair impatiently. "Since you are technically one of my allies now, you must know everything that transpired in this world.


    Alex did not wait for Professor Frances to give her reply as he started talking.


    ***********


    30 minutes later.


    "I must say, your experience in this world is quite colorful already." Professor Frances commented as she cupped her chin. "Three different power systems, and a fourth one that has also appeared too? My, my, this world will be soon plunged in chaos¡­"


    "Heh, with my skills, Alina''s flexibility, and Queen Mother''s toughness, those things will not be of an issue to us." Alex replied as he rubbed the bottom of his chin. "Of course, with your help here, I''m sure our stay in this world will be a worthwhile one."


    "Praising me means that you want me to do something for you right now." The professor said as she accepted Alex''s praise with a straight face. "Hmph, since I''m a loyal follower of Queen Mother now, I have no choice but to help you out."


    "Good thing you realized what I am doing." Alex replied with a sarcastic expression on his face. "I thought you would not notice it¡­"


    "Tsk, stop dilly-dallying here, and just tell me what you want." The professor said as she tightened the towel wrap around her body. "Your flowers words is creeping me out now."


    After hearing these words from the professor, Alex let out a triumphant smile, as if he just got something that he had desperately wanted.


    "Well, as you can see, I do not know what I should do with all the Symbolists and Celestials that I captured." Alex said as he tilted his head. "Of course I can just kill them, but as of now, they could still be of some use to me. It will be just a waste if I kill them now!"


    Alex then gave the professor a lopsided smile as he continued talking.


    "Now, my dilemma is on how I can keep them alive while still keeping them useful to me. And that, professor, is where you come in. Professor Frances, what I want you to do was to help me in this matter."


    "¡­"


    This is one of the worries that Alex had in this world.


    He still had no concrete idea on what to do with every one that he captured, so he thought that maybe Professor Frances, who probably already had experiences on kidnapping people, could have an idea on how to deal with Alex''s captures.


    "¡­You''re lucky that you asked the right person." The professor replied as she suddenly looked at Queen Mother. "I already havea good solution for you problem, but you must give me and Queen Mother 2 hours of time before we can give you the solution that you are looking for."


    "Well, as long as you do your job well, then I won''t complain." Alex replied complacently let out a comfortable sigh. "You said that you need 2 hours? Well then, I guess all I can do is to just wait for you to get finished!"


    Alex then ignored the fed-up expressions on his Companions'' faces as he closed his eyes in comfort.


    2 hours is enough for a good nap, and Alex will obviously take advantage of that.

 Chapter 209 B.E.

    A couple of minutes later.


    While Queen Mother and Professor Frances were both busy on whatever the professor was planning to do, Alex and Alina were back at the wooden house.


    Alex, who was planning to sleep earlier, was forced by Alina to come with her and leave the professor and Queen Mother alone.


    "Alina, why do you want to make me do this?" Alex complained to Alina as he gave her a weary look. "Don''t you want to make me rest?"


    "Alex, you should know that with your current constitution, it will be quite difficult for you to get exhausted." Alina replied as she gave Alex cold look. "You want to take a nap? Hmph, more like you want to just laze around until Professor Frances finishes what she''s doing now."


    "Well¡­"


    "Don''t try to answer now, Alex. I will see if you lie."


    "¡­"


    With this powerful rebuke from Alina, Alex was left with no choice but to follow her whims.


    "So, what do you want to make me do now?" Alex asked Alina as the swordswoman sat on the living room.


    There was nobody along with them at that time, as both Kiera and her grandfather were asleep right now. As for Asteria, she was in the lair along with Queen Mother, probably interested on watching the professor''s actions.


    "I want to fight against you, Alex." Alina replied as she took a deep breath. Her eyes stared at Alex directly, but instead of the usual ''I''m hungry'' look, what Alex could see on Alina''s eyes right now was only sheer determination. "Surely you can fulfill a request like that."


    "Wait, you want us to fight now?" Even though he sounded dumb right now, Alex had no choice but to state what Alina just said.


    "Alex, that is just what I literally said." Alina replied with an exasperated expression on her face. "And to answer your question, yes I want to fight you, and I want to do it now."


    "¡­"


    "Alex, you know the benefits that we will get if we fight each other right now." Alina said as she saw Alex''s silent visage. "Alex, even if we are allies, we still need to test our levels of strength, and only through fighting each other that we can do that. Surely, you can understand what I am talking about, right?"


    Of course Alex can perfectly understand Alina.


    Just like what Alina had stated, Alex also thinks that sparring between themselves will be of great benefit to them, especially during the times like these, where they have to be sure about their limits.


    With Alex in agreement with Alina, there is no reason for Alex to reject Alina''s proposal to fight or spar with her right now.


    However, since their last fight, Alex was subtly avoiding any kind of fight with Alina, as he was not that confident of winning against her.


    Call it his pride, but Alex was a sore loser, and he was not that enthused on fighting against someone powerful.


    Alina, with her powerful dimension manipulation and her dark magic, was obviously one of these powerful people.


    Of course he will fight a powerful person if he has to, but if he had to fight only for a spar? Well, that''s a different kind of topic already.


    At one glance, Alex might seem petty and cowardly with this kind of attitude, but he was not ashamed with this, as this kind of attitude allowed him to survive his childhood days.


    Since this survival attitude worked for him before, then Alex will just obviously use it here too.


    "Alex, I know that you are a little wary of fighting against me, but you won''t really get stronger unless you get to surpass your¡­. biases." Alina said through gritted teeth as she seemed to lose her patience with Alex. "Why are you even wary of me?"


    "You can warp spaces right now, and you can also weakly manipulate the lower and the higher dimensions." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "Not only that, but your Dark Magic has also reached Grade 6, and your Esper Power was also way higher than mine right now¡­ Even if I have more skills than you at this point, I am not sure who among us two is stronger."


    "Alex, I can understand why you are this cautious¡­ But I am your ally, so you should not be worried about fighting against me." Alina said as she placed both of her hands on Alex''s cheeks. "If you are this cautious against an enemy, then I can accept your behavior right now. But Alex, I''m not your enemy at all!"


    "But-"


    "Alex, are you scared of me?" Allina asked as her hands began to squeeze Alex''s cheeks. "Even if you are applying your principles here, I still could not help but feel offended but what you are doing right now."


    "Of course I''m not scared of you, Alina. In fact I-ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow! Don''t squeeze my cheeks that hard!"


    Alina deliberately ignored Alex''s complaints as she intensified her squeezing.


    "Alex, will you spar with me, or not?" Alina asked but this time, she asked it in a way that she won''t accept a no as an answer.


    "Fine, I will spar with you." Alex replied as he let out a defeated sigh. "But I''m reminding you, I will not hold back against you! So if you get injured, don''t get that angry to me!"


    "Pfft!" Alina could not help but giggle after hearing this reply, as Alex''s words and attitude right now was a direct contrast of the way that he acted earlier.


    "What''s wrong Alina? Did I do something funny?" Alex asked Alina as he saw the amusement on her face. "Hey Alina, don''t look at me like that! I''m not a weird person!"


    "Oh Alex¡­ You really are an inconsistent person." Alina replied as she shook her head in amusement. "No wonder you managed to become a Traveler¡­ You are just as chaotic as a prankster."


    "Hey! What''s that supposed to mean!"


    *****************


    TWO HOURS LATER.


    Two sweat-covered bodies went inside the wooden house, and with one look, one can see that both of these bodies were extremely weary and tired.


    "Ugh¡­ So it was a tie? That ''s a definite improvement compared to our last fight." One of the bodies said as it almost stumbled against the wall.


    The second body then replied, as it also slightly staggered on its steps.


    "Alex, you''re lucky that we did not use all of our power. If that was the case, then our sparring would not have been a draw!"


    The first body, which turns out to be Alex, gave the second body, who was actually Alina, a cocky smile as he said,


    "Oh, so you are complaining right now? Do you want to go to a second round?"


    "Well, you still looked like you have the stamina for that. Are you game to do it?"


    "Well, why don''t we do it now? I''m sure that I will last longer this time!"


    You sure are cocky. If I can remember, you almost deflated against me-"


    Alina suddenly stopped talking, as her face went red from embarrassment.


    "¡­" Alex went red from embarrassment too, as he realized that the conversation that he just had with Alina sounded somewhat¡­ suggestive.


    "Ehem." Alex let outa cough in an attempt to clear the awkward situation. "Well,now that 2 hours have passed by, maybe Queen Mother and Professor Frances are already done with whatever they are planning to do. Why don''t we visit them now?"


    "I concur." Alina replied, with the blush on her face reduced to that a pink flush. "Weneed to see what they have already done."


    The flustered duo then hurriedly cleaned themselves up, and once they had done so, they immediately re-entered Alex''s lair.


    ************


    "What in the world are those things?" That was the first thing that Alex said as he entered the lair. "No matter which way I look at those things, I can only feel the need to kill them with fire! Are you sure that this is the one that we needed to use here?"


    "What the hell is your problem, Alex?" Professor Frances hotly replied as she and Queen Mother gave Alex cold looks. "We took time to create this, and yet you want to just destroy it?"


    "How could I not want to destroy it?" Alex replied as he gave the angry duo a pleading look. "I mean, just look at these f**kers!I Nobody sane will actually like these things!"


    "You!"


    "Well, tell me that I''m wrong right now." Alex smugly said as he crossed his arms. "Go on, tell me that they look cute and harmless."


    "¡­" Both the professor and the tree woman were unable to reply, making Alex feel satisfied, but also resigned.


    Alex already knew that both the professor and the tree woman won''t be able to refute him, as what he can see in front of him was already enough to show them the truth.


    Right in front of Alex was a petri dish, with its size only a percent larger than the original one.


    Nothing special could be seen from the petri dish, well except for what was inside it.


    Placed on the petri dish itself were thick, white, wriggling worms the size of a human finger.


    Each worm moved in an odd and erratic phase, which can induce extreme feelings of nausea, disgust, and dizziness.


    Most people would be incapacitated by this, although Alex was not affected by these worms greatly.


    Alex was able to contain these negative feelings with the help of his power, although he had to use most of his attention in order to achieve this.


    "¡­"


    As Alex stared at the worms warily, he looked at Professor Frances and Queen Mother, who were both protectively hovering over the petri dish.


    "¡­Okay, maybe I will keep them alive for now." Alex murmured to himself as he looked at the worms with disgust. "Since you made an effort to create these creepy things, I will allow them to exist within this plane of physical reality¡­"


    "Heh, at least you still have some conscience left in you." Professor Frances replied as she pulled back her tense body. "Good man, good man."


    "Hmph, I only kept them alive for now, as I want to see what they can do in the first place." Alex said as he crossed his arms once more. "Oh right, you still did not tell me the name of these wriggling things. What do you actually call these worms?"


    "¡­" The room then went silent for a few seconds, as Professor Frances mentally composed herself to give Alex an answer.


    "¡­We call these worms Brain Eaters." The professor replied as she let out a sigh. "They were the products that I made along with the help of Queen Mother earlier. With their small size and quick movements, they can easily enter through a person''s orifices and then go all the way up to that person''s brain, and once they were there, they can pretty much do what they were intended to do there.Pretty scary, right?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "That''s it, now I will really destroy them all until nothing is left!" Alex shouted as he gritted his teeth. "You want me to stay in a lair along with something that was called a Brain Eater? No f***king way that I will allow that!"

 Chapter 210 Squishy Little Worms

    "Calm yo tits, hooman. Do you want to make these two sad? They gave their best here!" Asteria, the ever-so-irritating fairy, surprisingly defended Queen Mother and Professor Frances as she started to rebuke Alex.


    Sufficed to say, Alex was surprised to see Asteria acting like this.


    "Really? You''re defending them?" Alex said as he stared at the diminutive fairy. "Did you get your head hit or something?"


    "Hah? Of course not. I''m not that stupid." Asteria replied as she crossed her arms. "I just happened to help out in the creation of these Brain Eaters, so naturally, I will defend them!"


    "Oh, so that is why I don''t like these things." Alex replied as he looked like he achieved enlightenment. "You actually helped on creating this. No wonder I want to kill them with fire¡­"


    "Hey hooman! What do you mean by that!"


    "Hah? Of course you can understand what I am saying. Don''t tell me you already forgot?"


    "You!"


    Before Alex and Asteria''s conversation could blow up into an all-out argument, Professor Frances let out a cough as she tried to obtain the attention of the two.


    "If you want to argue, just do it later. For now, I still have to demonstrate what these Brain Eaters can do." Professor Frances said in a patronizing voice as Alex and Asteria were forced to break up their argument. "Are you listening to me now? Good, now look at this petri dish."


    After hearing this prompt form Professor Frances,Alex naturally looked back at the petri dish, which made him look at the Brain Eaters again.


    Professor Frances then continued talking as she pointed at the Brain Eaters that are still wriggling on the petri dish.


    "These Brain Eaters, just like what its name says, has the capability to eat small portions of human brain." The professor said as she poked one of the Brain Eaters with her forceps. "Once a Brain Eater enters a human brain, it will fuse with that brain and it will then slowly eat portions of that brain. With the eating habits of a Brain Eater, their hosts can live for around 10-20 years before they drop dead from aneurysm(brain bleeding)."


    "¡­" As Alex and Alina both visibly winced at the professor''s explanation, Professor Frances continued to talk, as if what she just said did not bother her at all.


    "However, I did not create these Brain Eaters for the sake of eating other people''s brains. I created these them so that I can control other people."


    "Control other people?" Alex uttered as he looked at the Brain Eaters with a puzzled look on his face.


    "Oh, I forgot to tell it to you. These Brain Eaters are entirely under Queen Mother''s control." The professor said as shewaved her hands dismissively. "Everything that they will do will be dictated by the commands given to them by Queen Mother. That means that if she tells them to not kill, then they will not kill, unless she told them to do so."


    "So, how does that help us in controlling people?"


    "Tsk. If we place a Brain Eater inside a person''s brain, then that unlucky person will be our unwilling pawn." The professor said as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Once a Brain Eater was already in a brain, Queen Mother will give it the command to not eat, and she will just command it to stay fused with that person''s brain. Now if that person tries to rebel to us, then the Brain Eater will instantly kill that person byeating its brain in large portions."


    "¡­" After hearing these words from the Professor, Alex already started to have a premonition of what the professor actually wanted to do.


    "Hold on¡­ are you proposing on placing Brain Eaters on the brains of the Symbolists and Celestials that I captured?" Alex asked the professor as he gave the Brain Eaters another wary look. "Are you sure that it will really work?"


    "Hmph, of course it will." Professor Frances replied confidently as she crossed her arms. "Do you want to know why? I can give you a definite reason right now."


    "¡­Spill it then."


    "Hmph! If you will use magic to make your captives subservient to your control, they can use their mental resistance to resist it. Not only that, but stronger Symbolists and Celestial mightnotice your magic, and they could do something to negate that magic." The professor said calmly.


    She then looked at her Brain Eaters with a proud expression as she continued talking.


    "As for my Brain Eaters, they will physically fuse with a brain, making them impossible to remove. Your captives will have no choice but to follow your commands or else the Brain Eater will kill them. And even if a Symbolist or a Celestial wants to remove a Brain Eater from a brain, they will have to chop off parts of the brain in order to do that! But doing that will instantly kill the host!"


    "¡­" As Alex and Alina digested what they heard, the Professor looked at them smugly as she let out a laugh.


    "Now, looking at that reasoning, isn''t using a Brain Eater better than using magic?"


    "¡­Yeah, I think you''re right." Alex mumbled in reply as he rubbed his chin.The more that he thought about it, the more attractive the prospect of using a Brain Eater looked to him


    From what Alex knew, Alina has a Dark Magic that will allow her to make weaker-willed people become her servants.


    Using this spell on the people that Alex captured will not be feasible, as most of them had mental resistance to mental spells.


    And just like what the professor said earlier, someone powerful can negate this spell even if it works.


    Clearly , using magic to make all of Alex''s captured people obedient will be of no use here.


    But if a Brain Eater was the one used to make them subservient, then there will be no problems, as there''s no kind of mental resistance that can keep these Brain Eaters out of the brain!


    And if these Brain Eaters really does fuse with the brain itself, then it will be impossible to remove these Brain Eaters at all!


    That''s a win-win situation right there!


    "These Brain Eaters clearly are formidable." Alex murmured as he began to look at the wriggling worms with more interest. "So these are all under the control of Queen Mother? Hehehe, at least I won''t have to be worried about them getting berserk¡­"


    "Hmph, with Queen Mother''s sovereignty over life itself, these pesky little worms will have no choice but to follow her blindly." Professor Frances said as she did a high-five with Queen Mother.


    "¡­."


    After she did that high-five with Queen Mother, Professor Frances looked back at Alex with an expectant expression on her face as she asked him,


    "Now Alex, are these worms the ones that you are looking for?"


    "Well, I did not expect to get something like this, but I think this is already enough." Alex said as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, when can we deploy these little worms?"


    "From the rate of the reproduction of these worms, it will take me 4 more hours before I can use them." The professor replied quickly.


    "4 hours? Ok, ok. Once you get the right amount of Brain Eaters, you will place them inside the brains of all our Captives." Alex said as he began to formulate his next set of plans. "You will spare no one, which means that you will also place Brain Eaters on the brains of Nero and Anya. Oh, just place 3 Brain Eaters each on the brains of those two¡­ Since those two are so talented, we should always be wary of them."


    "Tsk, tsk, so you are fine with what I am doing here? Well, well, well, I can see that you have the potential to become like me." Professor Frances said as she let out a chuckle. "Okay, shoo, shoo, the two of you. Go out and do whatever you want to do. Just leave the matters of the Brain Eaters to us."


    "¡­If you say so." Alex replied as he and Alina hurriedly left the lair.


    With Alex still creeped out by the appearance of these Brain Eaters, he will obviously not step back to the lair, well unless he needed to do so.


    **************


    While Alex and Alina were busy on findinga way to enslave their captives,something different is happening somewhere.


    1,000 leagues away from Alex, a small tent could be seen, and inside that tent, Ray and his Companions could be seen busy bickering with each other.


    "Noelle, you f**ked us up again!" Ray said as he looked like he was about to pounce at the mousy-looking girl in front of him. "Why did it take you so long to confirm their deaths? If you just looked 5 seconds earlier, then maybe we could have caught up to them!"


    "I¡­" Noelle, whose small frame went smaller as she cowered under Ray''s ferocious glare, could only stutter as she said,


    "It''s an ac-accident¡­ And besides, how could I know that they can survive your b-bombs? You always said that your bombs always kill their t-targets¡­"


    "They are not bombs! They are Single Use, Area of Effect Implements! When will your tiny mind learn to remember that?" Ray bellowed as he glared at the smaller woman. "Are you really stupid or what?"


    "Ray, just cool it off." Vera, who was watching the argument between the two, suddenly said as she placed her hand on Ray''s shoulder. "And Noelle, I think you should go out first and scout the surroundings. You never know, someone might try to ambush us tonight."


    "O-o-okay, Sis Vera." Noelle hastily replied as she her body phased out of the tent. From the grateful tone in Noelle''s voice, it was quite apparent that she was happy to leave the tent.


    "Vera, why are you always sticking up for her? That little runt is the reason that we failed, and yet you are still coddling her?" Ray said to Vera as he sat down on his chair with a little force."Don''t you think you are spoiling her a little bit?"


    "I''m not spoiling her, Ray." Vera replied as she shook her head. "You know that she is not at fault with what happened earlier. We just happened to meet a Traveler, and that Traveler is the reason that our plans failed."


    "Tsk, that Traveler is lucky I did not catch him on time." Ray growled as his eyes began to turn red. "If I did¡­ not even his ashes can be scattered for his funeral!"


    "Those are some bold words from someone who got knocked out with one punch earlier." Vera said as she gave Ray an amused smile.


    "Hey! There''s no way that I can stay conscious from your Martial Techniques!" Ray hotly said as he glared at Vera. "You know that I am only good at long distance and ambush fighting¡­ How do you expect me to survive a fist-fight with you?"


    "Well, at least you still have some room for improvement. Bazooka Fist, was it? That''s a nice sounding attack, but I did not feel any bazooka from that punch earlier." Vera said as she started to shake her head in amusement. "Maybe next time, you should focus on giving your attacks better power rather than better names. Maybe if you did that, you can be a better fighter."


    "Hmph! Let me tell you tha-" Whatever words Ray was trying to say next was cut off, as a strangled shout were heard by him and Vera.


    "That shout! It came from Noelle!" Vera said as her eyes widened in panic. "If Noelle is like this, then that means that we''re being attacked right now!"


    At the moment that she said these words, Vera''s appearance suddenly changed as her nightwear disappeared, only to be replaced by a set of tight-fitting fighting robes.


    Swads of cloth covered her knuckles, as a set of metal rings adorned the shins of her legs.


    Her hair was now tied up in a ponytail, and a long wooden stick appeared on her back.


    Ray ignored Vera''s transformation as he stood up with a predatory look on his face.


    "Tsk, so someone really did try to attack us." Ray said as his hands began to glow. "Hmph, let''s see if these attackers are the ones that we want to see!"


    "Boom!"


    After Ray said these words, a massive gas explosion suddenly appeared in the area, shredding and tearing everything apart, including the tent that Ray was in.

 Chapter 211 Price of Freedom

    "Urgh¡­" Eris groaned as she suddenly felt her consciousness returning to her.


    "Where am I?" Eris muttered to herself as she rubbed her bleary eyes.


    As her eyes started to clear, Eris looked around her warily as she tried to ascertain her surroundings.


    From what Eris can see, she was currently in a plain filled with luscious-looking grass, perfect for feeding cows and goats.


    The sky above Eris was jet-black with reddish hues on it, indicating that daybreak is about to come a few minutes from now.


    Once Eris had already acclimated herself to her surroundings, she instinctively started to stimulate her muscles through stretching.


    "¡­"


    But before Eris could start extending her legs, her eyes suddenly widened as memories of the recent events came crashing back to her mind.


    Anya''s dinner date, the ambush byDuke Goldriver''s men, the start of the Conference, the arrival of The Apprentice, the deal between Anya and The Apprentice, and finally, there was that explosion.


    Eris visibly winced as she felt her mind spazzing at the memories of that explosion.


    It was at that moment that Eris realized the predicament that she was in.


    "Explosion? Oh no!" The formerly calm Eris started to panic, as she realized that the last memory that she can recall was that of an explosion covering the whole room.


    "Miss Anya! I need to look for her!" Eris shouted to herself as she struggled to stand up. "She needs my help!"


    With that kind of explosion, even Eris was not sure if her master can withstand that.


    "Miss Anya should have some kind of injuries now¡­ It won''t be good if I left her alone!" Eris declared as she decided to look for her master now.


    But before Eris could even take a step, she suddenly paused in her tracks as she realized that there was something wrong with her body right now.


    First of all, since she was at the site where the explosion happened earlier, Eris should have been injured heavily right now.


    But at the moment that she woke up, Eris felt that her body had no injuries at all.


    Not only that, but the scars of her previous fights were now all gone, leaving Eris with an unblemished skin.


    "¡­"


    As she inspected her body, Eris was not sure if she should feel happy or not with what happened to her.


    However, Eris''s feelings drastically changed after she attempted to use her powers.


    "What the hell? Why can''t I use my powers!" Eris shouted out in panic as she struggled to access her Stellar Essence and her Astral Points.


    Right now, Eris was unable to feel her Stellar Essence, and all of her Astral Points could not be found inside her body.


    "F**k! Where did you all go to?"


    Sufficed to say, Eris was not that enthused with what was happening to her right now.


    "¡­."


    After she attempted to calm herself down for a minute, Eris tried once more to make her power work, but this time she used the rest of her concentration to make it happen.


    But no matter what Eris tried to do, nothing special happened.


    Eris'' can''t feel her Astral Points anymore, and she also cannot sense even just a tiny drop of Stellar Essence inside her body.


    There was¡­ nothing inside Eris'' body right now that can be linked to the Celestials.


    No Stellar Essence, no Astral Points, and especially, no Celestial Constellation Arts for her.


    It was as if the current Eris was not a Celestial anymore, and that all the skills that she painstakingly created before were all gone to dust now.


    "Wh-what is happening right now?" Eris muttered to herself in despair as she did her best to suppress the terror that she is feeling. "Why is this happening to me?"


    How could not Eris be scared?


    Her power, which she had used to establish herself among the Celestials, was gone from her body now.


    The power that she was very proud of has vanished entirely, and she has no clue on how it disappeared and on where it went.


    Heck, Eris was not even sure if she can still get back her power!


    "Urk¡­"


    With this depressing realization in her mind, Eris started to wobble from where she stood, as she felt overwhelmed with the devastating discovery that she had right now.


    But before she was swallowed by her intense despair, Eris forcefully shook her head as a determined expression on her face.


    "Why should I worry about myself first? I need to look for Master Anya! She could be in danger right now!"


    As Eris thought of these, she started to take a step forward, but before she could even move forward by a pace, she heard the unmistakable sounds of footsteps approaching her.


    Eris turned around, and there she saw Anya and Sir Nero, approaching the butler with slow and weary steps.


    "Miss Anya!" Eris shouted joyfully as she trotted towards Anya. "Are you fine? Were you hurt anywhere?"


    Even if Eris was feeling distressed with what had happened to her, the joy of seeing her master had almost reduced the sadness inside Eris.


    Anya, who seemed to look wistful, gave Eris a sad smile as she said,


    "Eris, I''m fine¡­ for now. But I am not sure if we can stay fine for the following days."


    "Miss Anya¡­. Don''t tell me that you lost your power too?" Eris fearfully asked as she looked at Anya with fear. "Miss Anya, that won''t be good!"


    "Eris, as I told to you earlier, I''m fine. I still have my powers with me." Anya replied as she started to approach Eris. "Eris, out of all of us, only you and Artos has lost powers. Others still have their powers with them¡­"


    "Miss Anya¡­" Even though Eris was highly relieved that her master still had her abilities, the revelation that onlyshe and another person had lost powers was a blow that had her almost crumpling in despair.


    "¡­." As Eris started to tremble, Anya swooped in to hug her tightly.


    "Eris¡­ I''m sorry that this happened to you." Anya murmured to Eris as she placed her chin on Eris'' shoulder. "I¡­ I was unable to do anything to prevent this from happening¡­"


    "Miss Anya, I don''t blame you." Eris replied as she hurriedly shook her head. "Whoever was the one who stole my power was at fault!"


    "¡­"


    "Miss Anya, I may be powerless now, but with you here, I''m sure that whoever did this to me will meet their end in the future!" Eris said as she gave her master a sad smile. "Miss Anya, this may be my last day as your butler, but I will do my best to serve you today. In turn, please avenge me from the thief who stole my power!"


    "¡­"


    But instead of looking determined or even angry, Anya and Nero started to have awkward looks on their faces, as if there was something wrong with what Eris said.


    "Miss Anya¡­" As Eris started to feel confused with her master''s reaction, she saw Anya letting out a sigh.


    "Eris, while you were unconscious, we managed to converse with the one¡­ who orchestrated everything that happened with us." Anya said as she let out another sigh. "Eris, I have to say sorry again, because as of now, avenging you won''t be possible for us."


    "Miss Anya¡­ what do you mean by that¡­"


    "Eris, come and sit with me here." Anya said as she patted the grass beside her feet. "I''m going to tell you everything, but it will take some time."


    "¡­"


    Eris was left with no choice but to follow what her master said, this time with dread inside her heart.


    When Eris had fully sat on the ground,Anyalet out a cough to clear her throat.


    Anya then let out her third sigh in front of Eris before saying,


    "Do you remember Sir Sigmund? Well, as it turns out¡­"


    *************


    While Anya was busy on conversing with Eris, the main perpetrators of what happened to them were currently relaxing on their hideout.


    Alex was sitting on his reclining chair as he ate some grapes, while Alina was busy on munching some nuts.


    "Nom nom nom nom."


    Queen Mother, who watched what the two were doing with a blank expression on her face, could not helpbut facepalm as she asked them,


    "Hey Alex, is it really ok for you to let all your captives go free?"


    "Queen Mother, don''t worry about them." Alex replied as he plopped another grape on his mouth. "With your Brain Eaters inside them, I''m sure that they won''t be able to do anything detrimental against us."


    "But-"


    "Besides, I already had a plan that requires those people to be free." Alex said as he interrupted Queen Mother. "I already told those guys what they have to do if they want their Brain Eaters gone, so be assured that they will do their roles on the upcoming days."


    "Alex¡­you let them free because you wanted them to do something that will bring havoc on the Three Factions." Queen Mother said in a deadpan tone. "As usual, you strike for the initiative."


    "Well, what can I do? I don''t want to just kill them, so I decided to use them as pawns for our Main Mission." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "The only one that got hurt here were my former Captives, and they will be free from that hurt if they do their jobs well. All in all, I think I did the best thing here."


    "¡­So all that we have to do now is wait?"


    "Yes. We will wait until the announcement of the Main Mission." Alex replied as he let out a laid-back smile. "Once the Main Mission gets announced, we will start to make our serious move¡­ Hehehe¡­ I hope that this time around, it will be us that will make the first move! It will be embarrassing if we''re the ones that moved the last! Don''t you think the same thing too, Queen Mother?"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 212 This is just the Beginning!

    A FEW DAYS LATER.


    If anyone will see Alex''s hideout right now, they will surely falter, as an oppressive aura could be felt emanating from it.


    This is the first time that this oppressive aura appeared from the hideout, and it was enough to scare anyone from approaching the hideout rashly.


    As for why this oppressive aura suddenly appeared, the reason for this could be seen on its very inhabitants.


    "Today is the day that our Main Mission will start." Alex, who was currently sitting on his reclining chair with a serious expression on his face, said as he stared at his allies. "I hope that all of us are already mentally and physically prepared for this. Because from what I can see, this Main Mission will most likely be our most difficult mission yet!"


    Alina and Queen Mother, who were sitting beside each other, only gave Alex grave nods as they seemed to agree with him.


    As for Professor Frances, she was sitting at a corner with her arms crossed, as if she was not that worried about what will happen later.


    "Hmph, I hope you really are prepared." Asteria, the blonde fairy, said as she finished eating her honey sandwich."The difficulty curve on the Main Missions usually spikes up at the 4th world, so expect something ridiculous for today''s Main Mission! Hmph, now that I reminded you about this, you should all remember to not complain once I announce the Main Mission! I''m warning y''all already!"


    "¡­"


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, we understand what you wanted to say." Alex said as he waved his hands dismissively. "You have been saying that exact line since yesterday. Are you a broken disc or something? Please, just shut up and just talk once we really need you to talk."


    Needless to say, Asteria was incensed by Alex''s dismissal of her words.


    "Hooman! I noticed that since we arrived at this world, you have been treating me harsher compared to before!" Asteria shouted as she landed on top of Alina''s head. "Are you really that petty against someone noble like me?"


    "Noble my ass!" Alex grumbled as he shook his head. "If you want me to treat you better, then you should go and talk already!"


    "Hah?"


    "Dumb fairy, out of everyone here, you are the only one who refuses to open up, even by just a little." Alex said as he pressed on. "You want me to treat you better? Then you should do something to earn that!"


    "¡­"


    As Asteria visibly struggled on top of Alina''s head, Alex averted his gaze as he looked around him.


    Kiera and her grandpa were nowhere to be found on this living room, as they were currently at the yard outside the house, busy on fixing some wooden chairs that broke yesterday.


    With Alex''s countermeasures in place, Kiera and her grandpa won''t be able to hear whatever Alex and his Companions were talking about right now.


    "¡­" As Alex thought of these two, he started to frown, as he was a little unsure on what he should do to Kiera and her grandfather once the Main Mission starts.


    Should Alex bring them with him, or should he just hide them in a safe location?


    Both choices have merits and demerits for Alex, but if it was Alex who makes the choice, he will undoubtedly bring the two with him.


    After all, Kiera was a recipient of the Red Moon, and with Alex already obtaining the information about the Trinity Theory from Nero, having Kiera with him will help Alex on unravelling the true nature of her power.


    Besides, Alex can also see that Kiera''s grandfather has some kind of mysterious background, which the old man refuses to confirm.


    Alex knew that as long as he keeps the old man with him, he can take advantage of this old man''s background.


    However, this will only happen if the old man and Kiera would want to join Alex.


    What will happen to Kiera and her grandpa will be entirely up to their discretion.


    If Kiera and her grandpa wants to join them, then Alex will gladly bring them with him. If they don''t, then Alex will respect their wishes, and Alex will just have to look for another Red Moon Power Recipient.


    "But why should I be worried about this? With my cooking skills and all these beautiful women with me, I''m sure that Kiera would want to join us." Alex thought to himself as he suppressed his chuckle. "That little girl would not want to be separated from her Big Sisters after all¡­"


    After thinking about these two, Alex looked back at Asteria, who still had the struggling look on her face.


    "Oh come on, where did your willingness to speak up before has gone to?" Alex exasperatedly asked Asteria as he scratched the back of his head. "Didn''t you promise that you will talk?"


    "You-" Asteria raised her voice in an attempt to reply to Alex, but before she could say what she wanted to say, the sudden glow on the mark on Alex''s forehead effectively stopped them on their tracks.


    "Hong~"


    As the mark on his forehead intensified, Alex saw Asteria flying towards the mark with a dazed look on her eyes.


    The dumb fairy touched the mark for exactly 1 minute before she let go of it.


    The glow of the mark then died down as Asteria sat back on Alina''s head.


    "¡­"


    Before Alex or the others could demand her to speak up, Asteria beat them to it as she started to talk.


    [MAIN MISSION: SURVIVE THE FOURTH CALAMITY AND TERMINATE IT. TIME LIMIT: 1 YEAR.]


    Just like before, Asteria''s voice sounded extremely mysterious as she talked about the details of the Main Mission.


    "¡­" As Alex heard what Asteria said, he started to cup his chin as he analyzed what she said.


    From the looks of it, the winning condition of this Main Mission was the termination of the Fourth Calamity.


    Since this is the winning condition, then only the Traveler Team that terminates the Fourth Calamity will pass the Main Mission.


    If a Traveler Team only manages to survive the Fourth Calamity and not terminate it, then they will be deemed to have failed the mission.


    "Tsk, so what Asteria said earlier is true. The difficulty does spike up in the 4th World." Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head in resignation. "Well, since the time limit is 1 year, we still have a lot of time to sort this Main Mission out!"


    But before Alex could start formulating plans for the Main Mission, Asteria continued talking with that mysterious voice of hers.


    [BONUS MISSION 1: DESTROY THE MOONS! DESTRUCTION OF ONE MOON WILL EQUATE TO 125 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF TWO MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 250 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF THREE MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 500 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF FOUR MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 1000 YEARS OF LIFESPAN.]


    The silence that followed what Asteria just said was pronouncedly long.


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "There is a bonus mission that asks for the destruction of the moons?" Alex thought to himself as a surprised expression appeared on his face. "Isn''t this too much?"


    "¡­." But even though he was surprised with what he heard, Alex could not help but salivate from the rewards that he heard.


    Just destroying 1 moon was already enough to make up the lifespan that Alex had lost on his world transfer!


    And destroying all moons will actually give out 1,000 years of lifespan? Even if Alex was a miser, even he would not let go of this kind of reward!


    "¡­"


    But before Alex could start fantasizing about blowing up the moons, his thoughts were interrupted as Asteria did not stop her talking spree.


    [BONUS MISSION 2: KILL ALL RECIPIENTS OF THE MOON POWER. KILLING AMOON POWER RECIPIENT WILL EQUATE TO 1 MONTH OF LIFESPAN. KILLING TWO MOON POWER RECIPENTS WILL EQUATE TO TWO MONTHS OF LIFESPAN . KILLING THREE MOON POWER RECIPENTS WILL EQUATE TO THREE MONTHS OF LIFESPAN, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.]


    "Heavens, this is just crazy!" That was all that Alex could think as he heard the details of the Bonus Mission 2.


    But before Alex could think of the repercussions of this Bonus Mission, Asteria dropped another bomb as she continued talking.


    [BONUS MISSION 3: ACQUIRE THE LEGACY WEAPON OF THE INFERNAL MONARCH. REWARD FOR THIS CAN BE NEGOTIATED.]


    "..." After Asteria said these words, Alex and Alina stared back at Asteria warily, as if they were waiting for her to drop another bombshell.


    Fortunately for them, Asteria did not say anything more as she flew back on Alina''s head and started to sleep there.


    "¡­"


    With Asteria finished with the mission details, Alex, Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances were all reduced to silence as they tried to understand what they just heard.


    "¡­This world¡­ really is something else." Alex muttered to himself as he let out a shaky laugh.


    End the Fourth Calamity, destroy the moons, kill the moon power recipients, and acquire the legacy weapon of the Infernal Monarch.


    Each of these mission was already difficult on its own, but for all of them to be given here in this world is just madness!


    And who the heck is the Infernal Monarch? Why is his Legacy Weapon even mentioned here?


    "F**k, with all these missions, I''m sure that this world will be plunged into chaos even before the Fourth Calamity starts!" Alex muttered to himself as he let out a sigh. "Sigh, what a day to be alive¡­"


    "¡­"


    Once he managed to calm down the waves of astonishment in his heart, Alex looked at his allies in front of him as he asked them,


    "So, what should we do now?"


    "Well-" But before his companions could reply, Alex suddenly felt a sensation of danger.


    "!!!"


    No, this is not just a normal sensation of danger.


    For Alex, the danger that he sensed right now can be said to be the greatest that he had felt in his life!


    It was even stronger compared to the appearance of the Red Moon 1 month ago!


    And what made this worse was the fact that the danger that Alex was sensing was actually increasing!


    Alex''s uneasy feelings were amplified when the sky above them experienced a massive change.


    The time right now was morning, which meant that the sky should be blue and vibrant.


    But instead of seeing that and the sun, what Alex saw was a night sky dotted with stars and the 4 moons!


    "What the hell¡­" Before Alex could even fathom what he had just seen, he suddenly saw something that made him almost stumble on his place.


    With his very own eyes, Alex saw the Red Moon releasing a bright and massive beam of red light towards the ground!


    As Alex''s eyes followed this red beam of light, he could not help but grimace as he could already see what this red light beam would do.


    "When the Blue Moon started the First Calamity, it first released blue beam of light, which opened a portal here. When the Yellow Moon started the Second Calamity, it first released a yellow beam of light which opened a portal here. And when the Green Moon started the Third Calamity, it released a green beam of light, which also opened a portal here¡­"


    After Alina uttered these words, there was nothing that Alex could do except to sigh, as all of them already knew what the red beam of light would do.


    "God****! Does the Fourth Calamity have to start right now?" Alex muttered to himself angrily as he saw Kiera and her grandpa running back to their hideout. "They did not even allow us to purchase skills and items first! F***!"

 Chapter 213 Waves!

    "Young lad, what the hell is happening right now?" The old man asked Alex as he and his granddaughter Kiera came back inside the wooden house. "Why did it become night all of a sudden?"


    "Why are you asking me?" Alex replied with a little trace of irritation in his voice. Alex then pointed at the horizon as he let out a sigh. "Look at that, and you will understand what is happening right now."


    "What do you mean by- oh." The old man turned his heard around to look at where Alex was pointing, and there he saw the red light beam, still pouring itself on the ground.


    With the sudden dilation of the old man''s pupils, Alex was sure that the old man had already realized the situation that they were in right now.


    "The Fourth Calamity is already here? Bu-bu-but only a month has passed by since the Red Moon appeared! How could the Fourth Calamity happen right now!" The old man exclaimed while Kiera started to tremble behind him. "Isn''t this too early?"


    "Who cares if its early or not? Since the Fourth Calamity is already here, then we have no choice but to face it head on." Alex said as he rubbed the back of his neck wearily. "Tsk, it seems like I can only shop for items later¡­"


    With the start of the Fourth Calamity, Alex knew that now was not the time for him to look for items to buy, as he could feel multiple hostile presences approaching their location.


    With these presences arriving, Alex will have no to time to perform any transactions with Asteria.


    Basically, if Alex wanted to buy items now, he has to wipe out the incoming enemy first.


    "¡­" Asteria, who was silently floating behind Alex, seemed to have realized what Alex was thinking as she suddenly said,


    "Hooman, I can see that you are planning to kill some pesky pests that are part of the Fourth Calamity¡­You are free to do that, but make sure that once you kill them, you will collect their blood for yourself. You can destroy their bodies, but as much as possible, collect all of their blood."


    "Blood, you say?" Alex muttered back in annoyance as he patted Kiera''s small head. "Asteria, what is the blood for?"


    "Hmph, you will know at our free time later." Asteria replied haughtily as she crossed her arms. "For now, focus on fighting our invaders and collecting their blood!"


    "Hai, hai¡­" Alex replied listlessly as he observed the Red Moon again.


    "Huh?" To his surprise, Alex found out that right now, instead of just one red light beam, there were now 3 Red Light Beams coming out of the moon.


    The first light beam was the one that was hitting the ground right now.


    The second seemed to be too short, as it stopped once it collided with the clouds in the sky.


    As for the last one, Alex could see it from a far greater distance, and from what he could see, Alex had the feeling that this third red light beam was going through the sea itself.


    "¡­So that is how it is huh." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at these 3 Red Light Beams.


    "The Red Light Beam here on the ground probably is intended for the Symbolists. As for the Red Light Beam on the sky, it''s probably for the Celestials since Celestials live in the sky. As for the Red Light Beam on the sea, that''s obviously for the Devourers, since Devourer Cities are located under the sea¡­"


    As he had this realization, Alex could not help but frown, as from what he could remember from this world''s history, this is the first time that 3 light beams appeared for a Calamity.


    "Three light beams mean three portals on three different locations and factions¡­. This is bad news indeed for this world." Alex muttered to himself as he let out a sigh. "Hmm¡­ seems like I really should be more careful from now on¡­ Who knows what surprises this Mission could bring to me yet?"


    "Roar!"


    Alex''s musings were cut off as he heard this monstrous roar just 10 leagues away from his wooden house.


    With his common sense and his danger sense, Alex knew that the enemies that he was waiting for had already arrived.


    "They''ve already started attacking? This is not good!" The old man exclaimed as he hurriedly hugged Kiera tightly. "This is just the first wave, and they are already this fast?Don''t tell me that the second wave will already come half a day from now?"


    "The first wave huh¡­" Alex''s body started to tense up as he heard what the old man said. "Well, let''s see how strong this Calamity really is¡­"


    From all the books that he read and all the memories that he scanned, Alex already knew the basic structures of the First, Second and Third Calamities.


    Basically speaking, once the portal for a Calamity opens, a large horde of monstrous beings and powerful invaders will come out of the portal periodically.


    This large horde was called a wave, and the monsters inside these wave will be the ones that will start wreaking havoc in this world.


    Once a certain time has passed by, there will be another wave released by the portal, and this following wave will continue what the first wave had started to do.


    This pattern will continue, with the portal releasing more and more waves periodically, and it will only stop once a certain number of waves had been reached.


    What made these waves extremely bad was the fact that the succeeding waves will have stronger members compared to the waves before them.


    This means that the more waves come out, the more destructive these waves could be.


    The culmination of all these waves were what constitutes a Calamity, and it was the sheer amount of these waves that led to the destructive effects of the Calamities.


    From what he had also read, Alex knew that the First, Second, and Third Calamites each had 144 waves.


    These meant that for each of these Calamities, 144 large hordes of opponents had come out to face off against the residents of this world.


    And from the first three Calamities, it was always the 144th wave that dealt the worst effects.


    Now that the Fourth Calamity is already starting, Alex had no doubt that the 144th wave of the Fourth Calamity will be just as bad as what he had read before.


    "Just chill old man." Alex said as he gave the old man a pointed look. "This is just the first wave, so you should not be that worried. And who cares if the second wave comes quicker compared to before? With the foundation of this world, we will surely get through with it. If you want to be worried, just get worried if the final wave comes a month from now. Now, that will be really the worst."


    "¡­" With Alex''s superfluous words, the old man was forced to shut up, although slight fear and worry could still be seen on his eyes.


    "Clap, clap, clap." As he felt his new enemies approaching their wooden house, Alex started to clap as he looked at Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances.


    "Okay, since this is just the first wave, let''s just choose one of us to attack the approaching enemies." Alex said as he tilted his head. "We don''t need to use that much of our power¡­ After all, someone powerful among Symbolists could be watching every fights in this land including ours, and using too much ability will be detrimental to us."


    "¡­."


    What Alex just said to Alina and the others was genuine.


    He was worried that maybe someone could be busy watching every battles that will happen right now.


    If that is indeed true, and Alex had used too much abilities against the weakest first wave, then it will be really bad for Alex and his team, since it might invite unwanted attraction to them.


    "¡­"


    To Alex''s relief, it seems like Alina and the other were convinced, which was proved by the agreeing nods on their heads.


    "In that case, let me be the one to attack first." Alina said as she started to draw her katana out. "My sword had been itching already, and I want to satisfy it right now."


    "Have your go then." Alex said, not bothering to stop Alina as he saw the determined look on her face.


    "Just¡­ make sure that you don''t make your space attack look flashy¡­ The simpler that it looks, the better that it will be for us."


    "I understand." Alina replied as she kicked the door open, leaving the wooden house in the process as she stepped on the grassy yard outside.


    Alex and the others followed suit, with Alex hovering behind Alina, just in case something tried to sneak attack them.


    "¡­" As they all stood there waiting, Alex could not help but be a little awkward, as he felt like he and his Companions were treating this event as an educational trip, not a struggle for life.


    "Well, this is just the first wave, so for us to not feel that worried is already a given." Alex thought to himself as he stared at Alina''s nape and her flared skirt.


    "¡­" As he stared more and more at Alina''s back, Alex already started to forget the situation that he was in as his mind wandered to other places.


    "Hehehehe¡­ maybe I can already do some snu snu with Alina after all of this¡­" Alex thought to himself as he started to get engrossed with the white skin on Alina''s nape, or the way that her hips pushed out her skirt in a perfect curve. "Hehehehe¡­."


    "¡­" Alina, who was standing in front of Alex, started to shiver, as if she had felt what Alex was thinking about right now.


    "Alex, you¡­" Alina turned her head around, giving Alex an angry glare as she started to reprimand him. "If you want to think of perverted things, just do it later at the bathroom or when others are asleep. Don''t be distracted right now¡­ Even if the first wave could be weak, there is still a chance that something wrong could happen."


    "¡­."


    Obviously, Alex was mortified and embarrassed with what Alina had said, as if she had just spilled out some of the most kept secrets that he had.


    The loud guffaw from Asteria and demeaning giggle from Professor Frances did not help matters either.


    "¡­Ok¡­ I will keep that in mind." Alex managed to croak out as he resisted the urge to run away at that instant.


    "Good." Alina replied as her head swiveled back on its proper position.She did not say anything more, as her concentration was now focused on their incoming enemies.


    "¡­."

 Chapter 214 Interlude: Asteria and the Brain Eaters

    [Asteria]: Hooman! What are you doing there?


    [Professor Frances]: We are making some brain eaters. Wait¡­ why do you even care?


    [Asteria]: Huh, what''s with that tone? And how the hell can you even see me?


    [Professor Frances]: Everything is possible through alchemy and biotechnology. I don''t need to have special eyes like Alina to see a pesky being like you.


    [Asteria]: Oi oi oi, why do I hear an insult coming from you?


    [Professor Frances]: (Tilts head in confusion) Insult? I''m just stating the facts


    [Asteria]: Oi Queen Mother, this hooman is bullying me!


    [Queen Mother]: Are you going to help us here or are you just going to bother us?


    [Asteria]: Hey! What''s with that tone in your voice too? Are you suspicious of me?


    [Professor Frances]: 73 missing vials of rare lipids. 10 cases of flammable gases missing. 3 jars of insect specimens gone from the storage. With these kind of losses, there''s no way that I can just allow you to stay here!


    [Asteria]: Hey! That''s a heavy slander coming from you! Me, a noble fairy, steal some jars of insect specimens? Heh, it seems like you have been muddled by all the chemicals in this lab!


    [Queen Mother]: I swear I saw you munching on some bees at the roof last night¡­ You even had that weird munching noise as you ate them. ...Even now, I still can''t unhear that sound.


    [Asteria]: You! That is not-


    [Queen Mother]: *Munch munch munch*


    [Asteria]: ...¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Fine¡­ you can stay here and watch what we will do. Just... make sure that you don''t mess everything up.


    [Asteria]: Of course I won''t mess up! Who do you think I am?


    [Professor Frances]: Good. Now then, give me that jar of formaldehyde. Make sure you don''t drop it.


    [Asteria]: Forma what? Wait, why do I even have to get that?


    [Professor Frances]: It''s formaldehyde. And you are asking why do you have to get that? Of course it''s simple you little s**t. If you want to watch, then you have to participate. This ain''t a movie. This is a massive undertaking. If you can''t take that, then you should just scram already!


    [Asteria]: Hmph, you think I''m afraid of participating? Heh, just you two wait! I will prove you all wrong!(Flies away to get a jar)


    [Asteria]: (Flies back with a jar) Hah! Now, look at what I did! One jar brought by yours truly! Now, where are the praises for me?


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­


    Professsor Frances: ¡­


    [Asteria]: What?


    [Professor Frances]: I said formaldehyde, not formic acid. Are you stupid?


    [Asteria]: Hey!


    [Professor Frances]: Heh, well with that pea-sized brain of yours, being stupid could already be a given¡­ Sigh, why did I have to expect that much from you¡­


    [Asteria]: Shut the f**k up! I swear I''ll get the right jar next time! (Flies away and back again)


    [Asteria]: Here! One jar of formaldehyde! Are you happy now?


    [Professor Frances]: Now get me a stone of dragon''s saliva. Make sure that you don''t spill any of it on the table ok?


    [Asteria]: You have dragon''s saliva here? Where the hell did you get that?


    [Professor Frances]: Can you just zip your f***king mouth? I can''t focus here!


    [Queen Mother]: I concur with her. Asteria, please stay quiet. Someone like you can do something as easy as that right?


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Now, go and get what I told you to get!


    2 HOURS LATER.


    [Asteria]: (Stares at the wriggly worms) This is it? These are the fearsome Brain Eaters? They don''t look that scary to me¡­


    [[Queen Mother]]: Probably because you think of them as your snacks only.


    [Asteria]: (Drools) Yeah, they sure look delicious. Can I have one?


    [Professor Frances]/[[Queen Mother]]: Hell no!


    [Asteria]: Even just one bite?


    [Professor Frances]: F**k off, dumb fairy. It''s very hard to create these worms, and you want to gobble one of them like popcorn? There''s no way that I will allow that to happen!


    [Asteria]: But I helped in the creation of these Brain Eaters!


    [Professor Frances]: You helped us? Girl, what you did earlier just slowed us down! You''re lucky I did not kick you out when you spilled some toad pustules on my nitric acid!


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Well, since you still tried to help us out, I supposed you still deserved some kind of reward.


    [[Queen Mother]]: (Removes top and shows left breast) Come here dumb fairy. Have some taste of my tried and tested honey!


    [Asteria]: Drools.


    [Professor Frances]: Heh, once a glutton, always a glutton. Whata waste of resources. How did you even become a Guide? I could not believe that the Endless Monarch allowed you to be a Guide! Did you trick him or something? Come tell me how you did that! It could help us out in our quest to beat him!


    [Asteria]: ¡­

 Chapter 215 Divine Sensory Organs

    "You gotta be kidding me." Ray exclaimed to himself as he stared at the night sky above him.


    "The Main Mission just started right now, and the Calamity already has to start? This is something else¡­"


    "Hmph." Behind Ray, a small, hand-sized creature could be seen letting out an unsatisfied sigh, with this sigh seemingly intended for Ray alone.


    This creature, which looked like another fairy, had long silky black hair that reached her ankles. This fairy also wore black dress coupled with an ebony-colored pair of wings.


    Unlike Asteria, who looked blonde and mischievous, the black-haired fairy behind Ray looked somewhat refined and elegant.


    "Ray, instead of complaining, I think you should just focus on what you should do." The black fairy said to Alex as she landed on top of his head. "Our enemies this time are no joke¡­"


    "Nyx¡­ Of course I know about that." Ray replied as he tried to stare at Nyx, who started to burrow herself on top of Ray''s head. "Do you think I have not prepared myself for something like this?"


    "I''m just reminding you on what you should do." Nyx replied as she started pulling Ray''s hair.


    "Well, I appreciate the concern, but I already know what to do." Ray replied as he picked up the tiny Nyx off his head.


    "Instead of reprimanding me, why don''t we start the transaction now?" Ray said as he stared at the struggling Nyx who was between his fingers.


    "Heh. Before you transact with me, I think you should deal with the incoming enemies first." Nyx replied as she tried to bite Ray''s fingers.


    "Oh, you mean them?" Ray replied as he pointed behind him.


    At the direction where Ray pointed his fingers, a pile of 5 human bodies could be seen, with the bodies already burnt beyond recognition.


    Anyone inexperienced might feel sick upon seeing this, but naturally, Ray was not that squeamish, especially to his victims.


    "Them? Heh, they are only sent by the Celestials to scout you three." Nyx replied as she shook her head. "They are just small fries! What I am talking about are them."


    Nyx then proceeded to look at the direction of the Red Light Beams for a second, before she looked back at Ray.


    "Wait¡­ are you telling me that the first wave has just come out?" Ray replied in confusion as he tilted his head. "Isn''t that too fast?"


    "Tsk, don''t try complaining anymore. Just fend them off." Nyx replied as she attempted to cross her arms in front of her body. "Once you deal with the first wave, I will immediately start the transaction with you."


    "¡­Fine." Ray replied as he released the tiny Nyx from his grasp. "I shall do that."


    As Nyx started to fix her clothes, Ray looked at Vera, who was standing beside Ray.


    "So Vera, can you hear our enemies coming?"


    "I hear them, Ray." Vera replied, with her eyes closed in concentration. "There are¡­ 782 bodies approaching our location. Based from their heartbeats and muscle movement¡­ none of them were strong enough to threaten us. My casual attacks are already enough to kill them all."


    "In that case, I give you the permission to kill them now." Ray replied as stretched his body. "Oh, and make sure that they die quickly, okay?"


    "Got it." Vera said as she started to run towards the direction of the incoming enemies.


    But before Vera could move forward, Nyx opened her mouth as she suddenly said,


    "Oh, after you kill them, make sure that you collects all the blood that you can from them. You will need it for the transactions later¡­"


    "Blood? What will that blood be used for?" Ray asked Nyx as he stared at the tiny fairy with an inquisitive look in his eyes. "Would you care to tell it to us?"


    "Once we start the transaction later, you will also know about it." Nyx replied as she shook her head. "For now, focus on the enemies first."


    "¡­"


    "¡­You heard what Nyx said." Ray said in resignation as he gave Vera a fed-up look. "Go have some fun."


    "¡­I understand." Vera replied quickly before she looked around her in confusion. "Wait, how about Noelle? What should we make her do?"


    "I already gave her the task that she should do." Ray replied as he suddenly narrowed his eyes. "Don''t try bothering me about her already. Just do what I told you to do."


    "...If you say so." After giving this somewhat wary reply, Vera took a deep breath as she lowered her body, with her knees braced against her whole weight.


    "Boom!" A second later, and Vera''s body disappeared as she shot forward, blasting the trees and rocks around her in the process.


    In no time at all, Vera reached the first wave of the enemies, and there she started to wreak havoc upon them.


    "¡­"


    As Ray and Nyx watched what Vera was doing, Nyx could not help but nod in appreciation as she gave the distant Vera an impressed look.


    "Vera''s martial arts may be of another level, but its her Ears that really sets her apart." Nyx said as she sat on Ray''s shoulders. "Without her Ears, you might not have survived to reach this world."


    "Her Ears really are of a great help to me." Ray replied as he started to lean on a nearby tree. "It''s a good thing that you told me about her ears when we first met her."


    "Vera has the Ears of Divine Communication. You think I will miss that?" Nyx replied with a sarcastic smile on her face. "That Ears are on par with All-Seeing Eyes in terms of importance! There''s no way that I can miss that!"


    "¡­"


    If it was before, Ray could have tried to rebuke Nyx, but this time, he knew that what she said was right.


    Vera, just like what Nyx said, had the Ears of Divine Communication, which can be considered as a heavenly treasure, which is on par with other Divine Sensory Organs like the All-Seeing Eyes.


    If the fabled All-Seeing Eyes can see through anything, including illusions and falsehoods, then the Ears of Divine Communication on the other hand, can hear through anything, and derive information through this.


    Anyone with these Ears can hear anything from long distances, including the faintest of breaths or the smallest of sighs.


    And just through hearing alone, the wielder of the Divine Ears of Communication can already know everything about a person just by hearing that person''s movements and bodily functions.


    It had also been shown that a user of Ears of Divine Communication can even know all about the opponent''s abilities, as long as the user focuses on it!


    This makes a user of these Ears extremely helpful against unknown opponents!


    With this kind of ability, there''s no wonder any holder of these Ears are considered to be blessed individuals.


    And fortunately for Ray, Nyx managed to discover Vera, who had these Ears, which in turn led to him recruiting her to his team.


    "Well, I wish we can also meet someone with other Divine Sensory Organs¡­" Ray muttered as he saw that Vera was about to be finished with her session. "It will be great if we can collect all the senses, right?"


    "Dream on, Ray." Nyx replied as she shook her head. "Each of the Divine Sensory Organs are extremely rare! We''re lucky that we managed to meet Vera! As for meeting someone with for example, an All-Seeing Eyes? That will be almost impossible for us!"


    "Fine, fine. I get it." Ray grumbled as he shook his head. "Let''s just leave this to luck."


    "Luck? Don''t say that word to me." Nyx snorted as she let out a humph. "That reminds me of a fellow fairy queen of mine. Tsk, I hope that dumb fairy is already dead!"


    "¡­" This is the nth time that Ray heard Nyx complaining about this dumb fairy, so he was already used to it. Of course he was curious on why Nyx was angry to this dumb fairy, but everytime he asked her about it, the answer that he always gets was ''No Comment''.


    As Ray idly listened to Nyx''s incessant complains, he heard Vera''s approaching footsteps, prompting him to look at her.


    "The first wave was just composed of these weak-ass goblins. They''re even weaker than toddlers!" Vera complained as she dumped 782 goblin corpses right in front of Ray. "Are you sure this is really a Calamity?


    "¡­" Ray could also not help but frown as he stared at the goblin corpses front of him.


    They were all the size of children, and their green skin, skinny limbs, hooked nose and long ears certainly makes them look hostile. But one look at them, and Ray already knew that they are extremely weak.


    "You already know from our research that the First Wave is the weakest wave there is. For there to be these weak goblins in this wave is already acceptable." Ray said as he prodded the corpses with his foot. "Don'' be disappointed. There are still 143 waves left. You will have your fill later."


    "Hmph, we shall see about that." Vera replied as she let out a sneer. She then looked at Nyx, who stared back at Vera with amusement.


    "I''m going to start draining their blood." Vera said as she started to pull out needs, tubes, and drums out of a brown bag. "As for you Nyx, I think you should start the transaction already."


    "¡­Fine. I shall start it now." Nyx replied with a frowning expression on her face, as if she did not like her being ordered around.


    "Slik." As Vera stared to puncture the goblins'' skin with the needles, Nyx floated towards Ray until she touched the Traveler Symbol on his forehead.


    After the symbol glowed for a second, Nyx pulled back as she let out an excited look on her face.


    Nyx opened her mouth, and what came out of it were the awaited items that Ray was waiting for.


    [[Key of the Blue Moon]] --- 50 Years


    [[Key of the Yellow Moon]] --- 50 Years


    [[Key of the Green Moon]] --- 50 Years


    [[Key of the Red Moon]] --- 200 Years


    [[Essence of the Blue Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [[Essence of the Yellow Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [Essence of the Green Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [[Essence of the Red Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [[Tome of Divine Might]] --- 30 Years


    [[Pearl of Endless Void]] --- 30 Years


    [[Sword of Indomitable Will]] --- 30 Years


    [[Tower of Afterlife]] --- 30 Years


    [[Book of Akasha]] --- 80 Years


    [[Bracelet of Beauty]] --- 10 Years


    "What the hell?"

 Chapter 216 Keys and Essences

    Just like Ray, Alex was also surprised when he heard all the items that Asteria just said.


    Alex could not help but shake his head in wonder as he gave Asteria a confused look.


    "These are a lot of items¡­ are you sure that I need to buy them all?" Alex asked this question to Asteria calmly as he idly observed the goblin corpses being gathered by Queen Mother and Professor Frances.


    "Of course you will not buy them all!" Asteria declared as she placed her hands on her hips. "Are you an idiot or what?"


    Before Alex could reply heatedly, Asteria beat him to the punch as she said,


    "Why would you even waste money to buy them all? You will just waste your time and lifespan!"


    "Then what the hell should I buy then?" Alex asked hotly as he recalled the item list that Asteria just said earlier.


    [[Key of the Blue Moon]] --- 50 Years


    [[Key of the Yellow Moon]] --- 50 Years


    [[Key of the Green Moon]] --- 50 Years


    [[Key of the Red Moon]] --- 200 Years


    [[Essence of the Blue Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [[Essence of the Yellow Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [Essence of the Green Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [[Essence of the Red Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [[Tome of Divine Might]] --- 30 Years


    [[Pearl of Endless Void]] --- 30 Years


    [[Sword of Indomitable Will]] --- 30 Years


    [[Tower of Afterlife]] --- 30 Years


    [[Superhero Cultivation Body]] --- 5 Years


    "¡­"


    As Alex remembered the item list that Asteria uttered, he started to see a pattern amongst them.


    First, there were the [[Keys]], with each moon represented by a [[Key]].


    There are four moons, which meant that there are four [[Keys]] available for sale.


    What made Alex wary of these keys was the fact that they cost 50 Years each, meaning that they are highly valuable items, and from the way that they are positioned in the list, it seems like these [[Keys]] are needed to complete the Main Mission.


    The second group that Alex saw were the [[Essences]], which was just like the [[Keys]], were also assigned to the four moons.


    Unlike the [[Keys]], the [[Essences]] only require 30 Years of Lifespan each, but still, that was expensive compared to anything that Alex had bought before.


    Then there were the remaining items.


    [[Tome of Divine Might]]


    [[Pearl of Endless Void]]


    [[Sword of Indomitable Will]]


    [[Tower of Afterlife]]


    With just one look, these items were obviously meant to be used physically, and with their price also ranging at 30 Years, Alex was sure that they are highly important too.


    The last item that Alex heard in the list was the [[Superhero Cultivation Body]], which only costed 5 Years of Lifesspan.


    Now that Alex looked at it, it seemed like this time around, the [[Superhero Cultivation Body]] had actually little potential just by looking at its price alone.


    "Tsk, Asteria, can you explain to me what are the new items about?" Upon realizing that he won''t actually understand the new items just by looking at them, Alex had decided to ask Asteria for her advice as a Guide. "Since you are my Guide, you obviously know something about them, right?"


    "Of course I know about them! What do you think about me?" Asteria exclaimed as she seemed scandalized with what Alex just said.


    The dumb fairy then crossed her arms in front of her as she said,


    "See the [[Keys]] that cost 50 Years? You should buy one of them! You will need to complete the Main Mission!"


    "You are telling me to buy at least one [[Key]], but you are not even telling me what it can do." Alex replied with irritation as he saw Asteria''s salesman-like expression. "Just spit it out."


    Even though she looked affronted with Alex talking back at her, Asteria managed to retain her composure as she gave him a reply.


    "Those [[Keys]], once you fulfilled the right condition, will bring you on the surface of its corresponding moon!"


    "!!!"


    Asteria seemed to have ignored the surprised expression on Alex''s face as she continued talking.


    "The [[Key of Blue Moon]] will allow you to appear on the surface of the Blue Moon. The [[Key of the Yellow Moon]] will allow you to appear on the surface of the Yellow Moon, while the [[Key of the Green Moon]] and the [[Key of the Red Moon]] will allow you to appear on the surfaces of the Green Moon and Red Moon respectively¡­"


    "Wait a minute." Before Asteria could continue talking with that smug voice of hers, Alex raised his hands as he interrupted her. "You are telling me that for our Main Mission, we have to go at the surface of the moons, and we have to do that with the help of these [[Keys]]?"


    "Yeah, that''s right." Asteria replied as she nodded her head sagely. "Think about it. How can you know about the truth about the Calamities if you can''t even go the moons themselves? That''s just preposterous!"


    "¡­" Alex resisted the urge to blow up as he let out a sigh.


    Of course what Asteria said made sense, but still, that did not make Alex feel any better.


    With all the problems that Alex has to face now, he still had to go to the moon themselves for the Main Missoin?


    That''s just too much hassle!


    "So, what is the condition that I should fulfill to make the [[Keys]] activate?" Alex asked as he rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "Should I make a contract with a monster or something?"


    "¡­"


    Before Asteria could give a reply, Alex''s eyes landed on Alina, who was busy draining blood off the goblins that she killed.


    "¡­" As Alex stared at the gathered blood, his mind flashed as he suddenlygot the answer to his question earlier.


    "Oh, so it''s the blood." Alex murmured before Asteria could talk. "We need to gather blood from the monsters of the Fourth Calamity in order to activate the [[Keys]]¡­Am I right about that?"


    "Exactly." Asteria replied as she suddenly gave Alex a sly look, "However, don''t think that gathering blood will just be this easy! This ain''t preschool, hooman!"


    "Huh?" At the instant that Asteria said these words, Alex started to feel an intense sense of foreboding, as he realized what Asteria was talking about.


    "You need to gather a drumful of blood from each of the 144 Waves of the Fourth Calamity!" Asteria said as she ignored the groans of protest from Alex. "That means that if you want to activate a [[Key]] to go to the moon, you will have to go through all the 144 waves first¡­ If you don''t do that, you will just be left behind here!"


    "That''s¡­ just blatant bullying!" Alex blurted out before he could stop himself. "We have to gather blood from all the 144 waves? Isn''t that just wasting time? Do you want us all to die?"


    "Oh don''t worry about that." Asteria replied as she let out a snicker. "The whole 144 waves for the Fourth Calamity will finish coming out before the time limit of the Main Mission. So don''t be worried about the time limit! Just survive the 144 waves and get all the blood that you need there!"


    "Ugh¡­" At that point, all that Alex could do was only moan in defeat as he shook his head morosely.


    He already thought that his Main Mission won''t get any more difficult, but after hearing what Asteria said, Alex realized that he was just grasping at straws here.


    "¡­Fine, I already understood what to do with these [[Keys]]." Alex said as he rubbed his chin in contemplation. "Now, tell me all about these [[Essences]]."


    "Oh, these [[Essences]]] are just simple." Asteria replied as she tilted her head. "Each of these [[Essences]] correspond to the power of its respective moon, which meant that buying an [[Essence]] will give you the power related to that [[Essence]]!"


    "¡­"


    What Asteria just said was painfully simple.


    If Alex buys the [[Essence of the Blue Moon]], then Alex will get the power of the Symbolists. Likewise, if Alex buys the [[Essence of the Yellow Moon]], then he will get the power of the Celestials. The same case goes for the other two remaining [[Essences]] too.


    This might sound appealing, but its price tag of 30 Years was already enough to dampen Alex''s mood.


    "¡­ That''s just unfair." Alex croaked out as he looked at the price of these [[Essences]]. "Is it really worth it to buy them for 30 Years? This is just too much!"


    "You don''t understand the potential of these [[Essences]], Alex." Asteria replied as she shook her head quickly."But with your situation right now, you actually do not have to worry about these [[Essences]] anymore."


    "What do you mean by tha- oh." Alex stopped his question as he realized what Asteria was talking about.


    "¡­Since I can just Pillage the skills of the people in this world¡­ There is actually no need for me to buy these [[Essences]] anymore." Alex muttered wryly to himself as he let out a small smile. "Well, even if it is impossible for me to strengthen all the skills that I Pillaged, its fine. At least I don''t have to spend my lifespan to buy skillswhich I can just Pillage..."


    "Tsk. You got lucky that you have a Pillage skill with you." Asteria said as she let out an irritated huff." With that skill, you can just ignore buying the [[Essences]] from the Endless Monarch! Heck, you can just go and defeat the other Travelers and Pillage the [[Essences]] from them! Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a hack!"


    "Hehehe¡­ I just got lucky." Alex said as he let out a not-so-humble smile.


    "Lucky my ass!" Asteria grumbled as she shook her head profusely. "Let''s see if you can keep that up once the other waves come out!"


    "¡­I''ll keep that in mind." Alex replied as he saw Alina and the othersfinishing the blood draining of the goblins. "So, how about the remaining items? What can they be used for?"


    "For the remaining items, you can just say that those remaining items are supplementary weapons that can increase your power." Asteria replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "You can buy them, but you actually don''t need them to complete the Main Mission. Its up to you on what you want to do with them."


    "Hmph." That was all that Alex could say as he stared at the price tags of [[Tome of Divine Might]], [[Pearl of Endless Void]], [[Sword of Indomitable Will]], and [[Tower of Afterlife]].


    They also cost 30 Years, which was just enough to make his heart bleed.


    "Why are they all expensive? Sigh, I already miss the discounts that I had before¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he let out a sigh. "Those are the good old days¡­"


    As Alex started to reminisce his past missions like an old man remembering his childhood, Asteria decided to interrupt him with ''official business''.


    "Heh, so what do you want to buy now?" Asteria said as she gave Alex a toothy grin. "Remember, it will be better for you if you just buy one [[Key]], and if you can manage it, one of the supplementary items.If you don''t follow that advice, then don''t blame me if you suddenly die on battle later."


    "¡­"


    Deep in his heart, Alex distrusted Asteria because of her attitude, but Alex was sure that this time around, Asteria was sincere for her advices to Alex.


    Since it was like that, then Alex had no qualms on following Asteria''s advice to him.


    "¡­Fine, I will start buying now." Alex replied as he straightened his body. "But before I buy, let me clarify it to you first. My remaining lifespan is around 55 Years, 4 Months, and 13 days, right?"


    "That''s the exact count as of now, hooman." Asteria replied as she nodded her head. "You gained 85 Years as the reward for you finishing the Main Mission in the Superhero World, then you paid 30 Years to get transported to this world. You then spent 1 Month on this world, which leaves you with the lifespan that you just said earlier. "


    "That amount is something that just leaves too little possible maneuvers for me." Alex thought to himself as he compared his remaining lifespan with all the items that he can buy.


    "Well, screw this. I will just have to depend on the Bonus Missions to buy the other Items. For now, I have to make do with these¡­" As Alex thought of these, he started to open his mouth as he said,


    "Asteria, for now, you should buy¡­"

 Chapter 217 Wheres my Superpower?

    "¡­Only the Key of the Blue Moon." Alex concluded as he gritted his mouth in dissatisfaction. "As for the other Items, I will only buy them once I gather enough lifespan from Bonus Missions¡­"


    "Heh, good luck increasing your lifespan then." Asteria replied with relish as she started pulling out an object from Alex''s forehead.


    "Hong~"


    At the instant that this object appeared, Alex''s surroundings started to tremble, as if the object that came out was something that warranted this kind of entrance.


    As the ground continued on trembling under his feet, Alex did not waste time as he stared at the object that was now held by Asteria.


    It was a blue key which was the size of Alex''s index finger.


    This blue key was currently glowing with the same blue glow as the Blue Moon in the skies. Aside from this glow, Alex also noticed that Asteria seems to have some difficulty carrying the blue key.


    "Give that to me." Alex said as he snatched the key away from Asteria''s grasp.


    "Hey!"


    Alex ignored Asteria''s complaints as he weighed in the key on his palm.


    "Hoh, so it''s actually this dense." Alex muttered to himself as he started to play with the key. "No wonder Asteria almost fell down while carrying this¡­"


    "Okay hooman, with that purchase that you made, you only have 5 Years, 4 Months, and 13 Days of Lifespan left." Asteria muttered as she gave Alex a dry look. "Will you still buy another item? You should remember that the Superhuman Cultivation Body is just worth 5 Years of Lifespan. You can totally buy it now!"


    "Yeah¡­ with my lifespan, I can actually buy a Superhuman Cultivation Body right now¡­" Alex muttered to himself with interest as he cupped his chin. "But should I buy it now?"


    He then looked back at his remaining lifespan as he debated on whether he should buy it or not.


    "If I buy the Superhuman Cultivation Body now, I will only be left with 4 Months and 13 Days of Lifespan¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he narrowed his eyes in contemplation. "Is it worth it to leave myself with only that few months of lifespan? And is it worth it to give myself another powerset, when I already have 2?"


    With these two dilemmas on his mind, Alex was unable to make a decision as of now.


    On one hand, he was extremely tempted to buy the Superhero Cultivation Body, since he already had the enough lifespan for it. Besides, this will be an additional power for him!


    However, Alex was also worried that having too much power might weaken his fighting skills, and that it might also affect that overall improvement of his abilities.


    Besides, the remaining lifespan that Alex will get after buying the Superhero Cultivation Body won''t be enough to last Alex for a year!


    Of course the Bonus Missions that were given to Alex can help increase Alex''s lifespan, but is it really worth it to reduce his lifespan for another power that might not help him at this world at all?


    "¡­" Asteria seemed to have sensed Alex''s indecision, which prompted her to let out a sigh.


    "Hooman, if it were me, I''d advise you to buy the Superhuman Cultivation Body right now." Asteria said as she placed her hands on her hips. "Trust me, the risks will be worth it."


    "Are you really sure about that?" Alex asked Asteria as he peered at her with a suspicious look. "Didn''t you say before that having too much power will be of detriment to me? Why are you changing your tune right now?"


    "Well, I still stand by on that principle, but you actually do not need to face a problem like this when you buy the Superhuman Cultivation Body." Asteria replied as she let out a shrug.


    "Huh?"


    "You can just choose a Superhuman ability that is related to both of your Esper Power and your Abyss Ability." Asteria said as she gave Alex a shrug. "That way, even if you have 3 abilities right now, it won''t actually be that hard to improve them, since they will all be related to each other¡­"


    "¡­You really are making this sound good. So good that I find this more and more suspicious right now." Alex said to Asteria with suspicion on his face as he gave her a wary look. "Is it really just that simple?"


    "Yeah, it''s that simple!" Asteria replied as she gave Alex an affronted look. "Why would you even be suspicious of me?"


    "Alina?" Alex looked at Alina''s direction as he gave her an inquisitive look. "Is Asteria telling the truth? Will it be really okay for me to buy another ability right now?"


    "¡­She''s telling the truth." Alina replied as she glanced at Asteria for a second. "And in my opinion, I think we should all add up our arsenal too. With us having more than one opponent, I think having more abilities will be good for us."


    "You heard your girl." Asteria said as she gave Alex a smug look. "Now, will you buy it or not?"


    "I only need to get a Superpower related to both my Esper Ability and my Abyss Power, right?" Alex muttered to himself as he tilted his chin. "In that case, show me the Superpowers that I can buy."


    "Here you go then." Asteria started to open her mouth as she recited all the possible Superhuman Abilities that Alex can buy as of now.


    "¡­" As Asteria continued talking, Alex''s facial expression started to turn darker and darker as if he just heard something unpleasant right now.


    Once Asteria had finished talking, Alex could not help but let out a snort as he said,


    "Asteria, these are the possible Superhuman Abilities that I can buy?"


    "Yeah, that''s all, hooman." Asteria replied as she tilted her confusion. "Why, are there any problems with that?"


    "They all look ok, but it''s just that¡­ they seem to mundane to me." Alex replied as he recalled the Superhuman Abilities that Asteria declared as of now.


    [Temperature Control]


    [Friction Manipulation]


    [Momentum and Flux Dispersion]


    [Silica Control]


    [Sound Manipulation]


    [Turbulence Induction]


    [Cat Summons]


    [Lockpicking]


    With one look, Alex can see that these Superhuman Abilities have some kind of use, but in Alex''s opinion, none of them will be of that great help to him as of now.


    "Seriously, these are all the abilities that I can only buy?" Alex could not help but sneer as he gave Asteria an irritated look. "Are you sure that one of these can really be of great help to me here?"


    "Hey, I''m just showing you the list!"Asteria replied angrily as she crossed her arms. "If you want to buy, then just buy!"


    "¡­"


    "Oh, and these abilities might look weak now, but I assure you, they will also get stronger with time." Asteria replied as she gave Alex an appraising look.


    "So, you are telling me that in the future, these abilities, like for example, [Temperature Manipulation], will reach a much stronger state?" Alex asked Asteria as he gave her a blank look. "You''re making them sound like they''re Esper Abilities¡­"


    "Just believe me when I tell you that you can make a Superhuman Ability stronger."Asteria replied as she averted her gaze away from Alex. "So, will you buy now or not?"


    "Tsk." After receiving Asteria''s reply, Alex let out a sigh as he made his decision.


    "Okay, do you have any SUGGESTIONSon what I should buy then?" Alex asked Asteria directly. "Surely, someone as wise as you have some kind of suggestions for me."


    "Of course I have a suggestion!" Asteria replied as she let out a humph. "Do you think I am just making you buy these things for nothing? You are greatly mistaken by that!"


    "Just get to the point."


    "Hmph! In my opinion, you should buy [Temperature Control]." Asteria said as she started nodding her head. "Yup, that''s the one that you should buy right now."


    "You''re kidding." That was all that Alex could say as he stared at Asteria in confusion. "Why should I buy a weak-ass ability like that?"


    "Weak-ass my ass!" Asteria replied angrily as she glared at Alex. "I am telling you right now, that you should buy this ability! If not, then you will surely regret it!"


    "¡­" At that point, Alex found it hard to believe in Asteria, as she sounded like a desperate salesman intent of selling him a piece of crap.


    "How the hell could [Temperature Control] be used on both of my Esper Ability and my Abyss Power?" Alex asked the dumb fairy as he started to back away from her. "You¡­ you''re not trolling me, right?"


    "I''m not!"


    "Tsk, you better not, because if you are, then I will personal-"


    "Boom!"


    Whatever threat Alex wanted to give Asteria was cut-off as a powerful attack suddenly appeared front of Alex.


    The attack was in form of a laser beam, which razed and obliterated everything that it had contact with.


    Alex could have been affected by the laser too, which fortunately did not happen.


    "What the?" With his advanced danger sense, Alex was able to dodge the laser attack by a hairbreadth, allowing him to move back to safety.


    "Alina, someone''s attacking us!" Alex shouted out as he waved his hands, storing the blue key and the drum of blood inside their Storage. "Be at full alert! This could be difficult for us!"


    "Got it." Alina''s relaxed expression was replaced by a stern one as she jumped back on her place, activating her dimension manipulation to create a shield in front of her and Alex.


    As for Queen Mother and Professor Frances, both of them assumed battle poses, with Professor Frances hiding behind Queen Mother and holding a syringe in her left hand.


    As for Alex, he immediately summoned two tentacles from his back as he revved his senses to its maximum limits.


    He also started to scan his surroundings with his Emotion Sense and his Esper Power, but to his disappointment, he found nobodyinside his overall 2 kilometer-scanning range.


    This just meant that whoever attacked Alex was situated at a location much farther than Alex''s scanning range.


    "Tsk, this is bad¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he discreetly activated some Abyss Magic to bolster himself up. "That laser attack was the quickest attack that I have witnessed, and if it were not for my danger sense, I could have been skewered by that laser now."


    Alex was not joking when he said that that laser attack was the fastest that he faced.


    Normally speaking, Alex''s danger sense can detect danger when the intent to attack him starts.


    That was how Alex was able to detect attacks before they hit him.


    But in the case of this laser attack, he was only able to detect the danger right when the laser was about to hit him!


    This just means that this laser attack was extremely fast! So fast that Alex can only detect it when it was about to hit him!


    "Asteria, let''s talk about that [Temperature Control] later." Alex said as he started to narrow his eyes. "For now, let me deal with this pesky enemy first¡­"

 Chapter 218 Receive this ball of mine if you can!

    As Alex hid himself behind Alina''s dimensional shield, his mind began to flash as he thought about the possible identity of his attacker right now.


    "With the start of the Fourth Calamity, it will be pretty hard for someone from the Three Factions to attack us¡­ After all, their attention will surely be focused on the calamity itself." Alex thought to himself as he tensed his body. "In that case, the only possible attacker right now was most likely another Traveler Group¡­"


    As Alex reached this conclusion, he could not help but sigh,as he realized the fact that a Traveler managed to pinpoint their location without even alerting Alex of his/her presence!


    That does not bode well to Alex at all!


    "Alex, our attacker right now is a Traveler, right?" Alina seemed to have reached the same conclusion as Alex as she uttered these words. "Is this Traveler similar to the one that you met in the City of Marshes?"


    "No, from the way that this attack was made, this Traveler that we''re facing right now was a different one, which means it''s the 3rd Traveler here in this world." Alex replied hurriedly as he gritted his teeth. "I''m not sure if I should be happy about the fact that we met 2 enemies in a short amount of time¡­"


    "!!!"


    Before Alex could say something else to Alina,his body suddenly tensed as he felt the danger appearing right in front of him again.


    "That''s the laser attack again!" Alex thought to himself as he did his best to dodge.


    But after he moved his body away, Alex started to frown, as he did not see any laser attack hitting his former location.


    "?" Before Alex started to feel confused about this, he heard a grunt from Alina, prompting him to look at her.


    "Hrngh!" As Alex looked at Alina, he could see that her face was contorted in concentration, as if she was trying to do something that was extremely taxing to her right now.


    Alex tried to see what was causing Alina to be like this, and he found the reason once he looked at the area right in front of Alina.


    There, Alex saw something suspended inside Alina''s dimensional shield.


    What was suspended there was a bright beam of laser attack, which suspiciously looked similar to the laser attack that almost hit Alex earlier!


    "Nice!" That was all that Alex could say as he saw Alina''s success on stopping the laser attack from reaching them. "Even if that attack was extremely quick, it had no answer to your dimensional manipulation! Hehehe, now we don''t have to be worried about this attack!"


    Alex then started to laugh as he looked at the suspended laser beam with amusement.


    But before Alex could continue on getting pleased with what happened, he and Alina heard a slight cracking sound which came from the suspended laser beam itself.


    "Crack!"


    Just moments after this cracking sound appeared, the suspended laser beam started to move again, as if Alina''s shield suddenly had no effect on it anymore!


    "!!!" This time around, Alex was forced to dodge again, as the laser beam headed towards Alex''s body once more.


    Fortunately for Alex, he was once more able to dodge in time, with the laser beam justnarrowly missing his neck.


    "Slisk~"


    With its target gone, the laser beam shot off to the distance, vaporizing the unlucky tree that it collided with.


    "¡­ What the hell was that?" Alex exclaimed as he looked at Alina''s pale face. "How did that laser beam manage to move even inside your dimensional shield?"


    "I do not know, Alex." Alina replied with irritation clear on her face. "It¡­ just happened."


    "¡­"


    Before Alex could even start worrying about what he saw, he was forced to put himself on guard as 3 laser beam attacks suddenly appeared in front of him.


    Alina was able to stop these 3 laser beam attacks, leaving them suspended inside her dimensional shield again.


    "Crack, crack, crack!"


    However, just like the laser beam earlier, cracking sounds were once more heard, which was followed by the 3 laser beams moving normally again!


    This time around, Alex did not dodge as he used his tentacles to swat the laser beams away.


    Alex made sure to coat his tentacles with Destruction Auras and numerous reinforcements.


    "Ouch!"


    But at the instant that Alex''s tentacles touched the laser beams, their surface skin started to burn.


    Alex has to grit his teeth through the pain as he rotated his body, making his tentacles assume a sweeping motion, which in turn, swatted the 3 light beams away from him.


    "¡­" As Alex watched the 3 light beams sailing across the sky, he could not help but stare back on his tentacles as he observed their current state.


    Right now, the tentacles that slapped the light beams away looked like they were cooked, with their surface brown and full of burn wounds.


    Some parts of these tentacles were also letting out steam, as if they were still affected by the contact with the laser beams earlier.


    "S**t, this hurts like hell!" Alex exclaimed in anger as he tried his best to repair his damaged tentacles. "What the hell is up with these laser beam attacks? This reeks of fishiness!"


    Needless to say, Alex was pissed and unhappy with what just happened to him.


    But even though he was extremely pissed, Alex was also slightly happy, as he was able to point out some traits of the laser beam attacks.


    First is that these laser beam attacks were extremely fast, to the point that it can bypass any kind of warning systems, including Alex''s danger sense.


    Second is that these laser beam attacks can still be stopped physically just like with Alina''s dimensional shield.


    But for whatever reason there is, these laser beams seemed to have some kind of property that allows them to break through any physical obstacles placed on them.


    That could be directly observed from the way that the laser beams managed to move even when they got stopped by Alina''s shield.


    Third is that there seems to be some kind of reaction between Alex''s monster body and the laser beams.


    Through his own experiences, Alex could see that his tentacles did not react that well when it got into contact with the laser beams earlier.


    It was as if there was something inside the laser beams that has a negative reaction with Alex''s monster body.


    There was no reason to doubt this analysis, as the pain that Alex is experiencing right now is a proof of that.


    "With these three facts alone, I can somehow say that whoever is attacking me must have some kind of power with an attribute that is against my Abyss Power. And this person is using this power to attack with laser beams, which for some case, can somehow resist Alina''s defenses too¡­" This is the conclusion that Alex made as he put all the facts together. "¡­Tsk, talk about a great sniping ability."


    At that point, Alex realized that if he does not get serious, there could be a chance for their attacker to seriously injure them later.


    Alex of course does not want to expose all of his abilities this early, but with his enemy peppering them with powerful attack, Alex has no choice but to be more serious right now.


    "Here I go then¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he attempted to use his Gravity Manipulation to change the landscape around him.


    But before Alex could even interact with the gravity waves around him, he suddenly felt the arrival of a massive presence right behind him.


    "Huh?" Alex looked at the location of the massive presence, and there he saw a sight which had him somewhat stupefied.


    "¡­"


    Alex could see a gigantic lion running towards their location.


    This lion was truly massive, with its size comparable toa massive mountain!


    If Alex can compare this lion to something, then he can compare its size to Turtel, one of the superweapons that had been awakened before!


    As this massive lion got nearer to them, Alex could not help but grimace as he thought to himself,


    "From what I can see, this lion is just like Turtel. It is a Titan, a superweapon by the Three Factions¡­ But if it really is a Titan, then what the hell is it doing here? Isn''t it too early for it to be here? Its just the first wave! And why the hell is it running towards us?"


    At that point, Alex started to feel more irritation as he thought that this Lion could be another enemy for him to face.


    "Ugh, what a bother¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he let out a sigh. "Why do I have bad luck like this? This just sucks!"


    As he stared at the approaching lion, Alex started to entertain the thoughts of blasting it away with his gravity waves.


    But before Alex could start doing that, he saw something on top of the lion''s head which made him stop on his tracks.


    "What the?"


    With the lion extremely close to them now, Alex could see a person standing on top of the lion''s head.


    With Alex''s enhanced senses, Alex could clearly see the features and appearance of the person on top of the lion''s head.


    "Why the hell is he here?" Alex hissed as he could perfectly recognize who the new arrival was. "DIdn''t I tell him to be on standby among the Celestials?"


    The person on top of the lion''s head was someone that Alex had already met here in this world.


    No, more specifically, this person was someone that Alex had captured before!


    "Why is Nero here, and why is he bringing a freaking Titan with him?" Alex muttered as he saw the lion stopping on its tracks. "Is he planning to do something devious with this lion?"


    "¡­"


    Alex''s suspicions were confirmed as he saw the lion doing what Alex can only call as a very aggressive movement.


    The massive lion opened its mouth wide and inside that open mouth, a large ball of plasma suddenly appeared, with the plasma ball slowly growing for every second that passed by.


    "Oi oi oi¡­" As Alex stared at what the lion was doing, he could not help but complain as he saw the firepower contained inside that plasma ball. "What the hell do you plan to do with that Nero?"


    The answer to this question was given as the lion let out a roar, before sending the massive plasma ball towards a mountain 10 kilometers away from Alex.


    "Boom!"


    The explosion that happened after that was momentous, with the whole mountain disintegrating into nothingness, leaving nothing but a massive crater at that location.


    "...Damn, that''s something else." Alex muttered as he saw the shockwaves emanating out of that explosion. "Was that meant for the Travelers attacking me earlier? Well, well, well, I would be happy if they were killed by that blast¡­"

 Chapter 219 Take me to your leader!

    As the effects of the explosion settled, Alex used his eyes to look at the direction of the blast, just to see if he could see something right now that will indicate the death of his attackers.


    After a few seconds of staring, Alex frowned as he saw a spherical object flying away from the crater and up to the sky.


    Even if he was looking at it from a far away distance, Alexwas sure that the spherical object that he saw was some kind of flying vehicle.


    As he saw this flying vehicle disappear among the clouds, Alex could not help but grit his teeth, realizing that his attackers had just escaped.


    "Hm¡­. Since this Traveler group bolted to the skies when they were attacked, it''s highly likely that this group is allied with the Celestials¡­" Alex thought to himself as he cupped his chin. "Hmm... now this just gets more interesting..."


    As he reached this conclusion, Alex could only do nothing but scratch the back of his head, as he realized that he had to be careful of aerial attacks from now on.


    "Now that those guys have been dealt with¡­ it''s time to talk to our second guest." Alex muttered as he stared at the Lion, who was now standing still in place.


    Nero, who was standing calmly on top of the Lion, leapt down from this massive Titan towards the ground.


    A plethora of symbols then appeared, slowing down Nero''s fall.


    At the moment that Nero''s feet touched the ground, Queen Mother''s body blurred, and before anyone can realize it, she suddenly appeared right in front of Nero, with her fists curled in a threatening fashion.


    "Don''t take a step forward, or I will command the Brain Eater to consume you brain." Queen Mother said as she gave Nero and intimidating stare. "Just try it, and you won''t see yourself dying."


    "¡­" Nero obediently stopped in his tracks, with his arms hanging nonchalantly on his sides.


    After seeing that Nero followed her advice, Queen Mother looked back at Alex, as if the saw trying to get his consent to talk.


    Alex gave Queen Mother a nod back, which prompted Queen Mother to continue talking.


    "You¡­ why are you here?" Queen Mother asked Nero as her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And why did you bring this Titan with you? Are you trying to intimidate us?"


    "I have no such plans like that, Queen Mother." Nero replied eloquently, as if he was not afraid of Queen Mother''s ability to kill him quickly. "I have no choice but to do this."


    "You have no choice?" Queen Mother almost growled at Nero as she restrained herself from attacking him. "Didn''t you hear what my companion told to you last time? You''re supposed to stay with the Symbolists and wait for our orders!"


    "I have been following that, but right now, I-"


    "You say that you understand it, yet you actually show yourself here, which directlycontradicts what we wanted you to do!" Queen Mother hissed as she started to clench her fists.


    "Ah!" Nero then started to clutch his head and scream in pain.


    "It was a good thing you did not try to attack us earlier, because if you did, then the Brain Eater inside you will instantly kill you." Queen Mother said as she continued on clenching her fist. "Now, tell me why you are here. If you give us the wrong answer, then I won''t hesitate to kill you right here!"


    "I-I-I had to do it because we Symbolists needed to team up with you!" Nero managed to said through his gritted teeth. "We could not just be left behind by the Celestials and the Devourers!"


    "Elaborate." Queen Mother said as she slowly unclenched her fists. "What would the other two factions do that will force you to approach us?"


    As Queen Mother unclenched her fist, the agonized expression on Nero''s face disappeared, prompting him to sigh in relief.


    He took two more seconds to compose himself before the started talking.


    "3 days ago, some of our spies managed to discover that the Celestial Faction allied themselves with an extremely powerful group of people." Nero said as he started to stand up shakily. "This group of people had a diverse array of abilities, and they used it to gain the approval of most of the Celestials. Nobody knew where this group of people came from, or on how they were even able to ally themselves with the Celestials. The only thing that we are sure off is that the leader of the Celestials had some kind of agreement with them now. As for what the agreement was, even our spies are not sure of that."


    Seeing that Queen Mother did not interrupt him, Nero let out a breath as he continued talking.


    "As for the Devourers, we managed to discover that they actually hired a mercenary team weeks ago, which they used to assassinate various members of the Celestial and the Symbolist Faction. Just like the ones that allied with the Celestials, this mercenary team also had diverse abilities, most notably their ability to cause explosions. They were not that closely allied, but the lure of the money offered by the Devourers seemed to have kept this mercenary team with them."


    "¡­"


    Alex, who was listening intently to what Nero just said, could not help but nod his head as he realized what is happening right now.


    "So, the other Travelers decided to ally with the Factions in this world¡­" Alex thought to himself as he tilted his head. "From what I can deduce from Nero''s words, the Traveler Team that attacked me earlier was the one allied with the Celestials. As for the Traveler Team that tried to assassinate Nero at the City of Marshes, they are most likely the mercenary team that worked with the Devourers¡­"


    After reaching this conclusion, Alex looked at Nero''s serious face, as he decided to continue listening on him.


    "Why do you even care if those two factions allied themselves with those groups?" Queen Mother said as she continued giving Nero a wary stare. "Is there something special with those alliances?"


    "There is!" Nero almost shouted out as he tried to stop himself from jumping up. "According to our spies, both of these groups told the Celestials and the Devourers that they have a way to end the Calamities for good. And surprisingly, both of these Factions seems to have believed them!"


    "!!!"


    To say that Alex was surprised right now was an understatement.


    "Alina, is this guy telling the truth?" Alex asked Alina as he swiveled his head to look at her.


    "He''s telling the truth." Alina replied as she narrowed her eyes. "However, I can feel that he is still hiding something from us¡­"


    "You. Tell me how those groups managed to convince other factions to ally with them." Alex said to Nero as he gave him a blank stare. "Did your spies manage to know something about that?"


    "I apologize, but there is nothing that our spies have managed to see." Nero replied hurriedly as he shook his head. "They¡­ were strictly serious about that information¡­"


    "Truth."


    "Tsk. Okay I get it." This time around, Alex decided that he should be the one to take reigns in the conversation with Nero. "So, I take it that you went here to offer an alliance with us?"


    "Exactly!" Nero nodded his head quickly as if it was about to fall off. "I told some of the Symbolists that you were the ones who saved me from the assassination attempt, and I told them that you were similar to the teams that allied with the Celestials and the Devourers."


    "You did what?"


    "Once I told them that, I said that it will be better for us Symbolists to ally with you." Nero said as he ignored Alex''s slowly reddening face. "To my relief, they agreed, and they loaned me this Titan as my carriage. I then went to this place riding this Titan, and what happened after that were the ones that you saw earlier."


    "¡­." Alex went silent for a few seconds before he managed to open his mouth.


    "You''re not scheming something to free yourself from us, right?" Alex asked Nero as he stared at him balefully. "Answer that question with a yes or no!"


    "No!"


    "He''s telling the truth." Alina murmured helpfully in the background.


    "Were your Symbolist friends planning on doing something nefarious with us, or are they really sincere on allying with us?" Alex asked Nero as he snapped his fingers. "Answer that truthfully too!"


    "They really want to ally with you!" Nero said as he gritted his teeth. "They were afraid of what the other two factions will do, so they decided to believe in me and in your group!"


    "He''s¡­ telling the truth."


    "Ah fine then! We''ll join you towards your friends!" Alex blurted out as he let out a sigh. "Just make sure that your Symbolist friends are not lying to you. Because if they are¡­ There is a chance the Three Factions will become Two Factions by the end of this day! Do you understand that?"


    "I understand."


    "Good! Now take me to your leader!"

 Chapter 220 Ah s**t, here we go again

    Nero was not sure on what he should feel right now.


    The person that saved his life, who also kept him captive and placed a brain eating worm on his skull, was currently sitting beside him on top of a Titan''s head.


    There''s no way that Nero was happy, but for the sake of his life, he had no choice but to keep on smiling as he steered the Titan towards the main city of the Symbolists.


    While Nero was busy on driving the Titan, he suddenly heard a question coming from the person sitting beside him.


    "So, you''re bringing me to your superiors. How quaint." The person said as he looked at Nero with an amused look on his eyes. "They seem to be really desperate on taking me in¡­"


    "Actually, they only want to talk to you first." Nero replied as he shook his head. "If you fail to convince them that you are worth allying with, then they will cut off any communications with you. So, if you are not interested on working with them, I already gave you an idea on how to alienate them¡­"


    "Hoh, now that just makes me mad." The person replied as he started to give Nero a tight smile. "You think just because I am unhappy with your offer to us that I won''t accept it? Nero, you know that I am better than that!"


    "Calm thoughts, calm thoughts¡­" Nero thought desperately to himself as he resisted the urge to attack the smirking guy in front of him. "If you do anything to him, your head will be a vacuum¡­."


    Fortunately for Nero, it seemed like his tormentor stopped on teasing him as he leaned back nonchalantly.


    "So, with the speed of this lion, how long will it take before we arrive at the Senate?" Nero''s tormentor asked him as he started tapping the hard material underneath behind him. "I assume it won''t take a day, right?"


    "We only need an hour to reach our destination." Nero replied hurriedly as he silently increased the speed of the Titan. "If you are bored of waiting, you can use the remaining time to look around you. You might like the view¡­"


    "The view? Heh, we shall see about that." Nero''s tormentor replied as he stood up quickly.


    "In that case, have some fun." Nero said as he gave his tormentor a smile. "I''m sure you will enjoy your surroudings!"


    "¡­" After Nero said these words, his tormentor stopped in his tracks as he let out a sigh.


    "¡­" After a few seconds of awkward silence, his tormentor suddenly approached Nero, giving him a friendly pat on his shoulder as he said,


    "Nero, I know that you are extremely pissed at me. There''s no need to hide it."


    "!!!"


    "Nero,I''m advising you right now to never talk to me like this again." Nero''s tormentor said as he gave Nero a sneer. "If you feel angry to me, then just show it! I don''t like you giving that smile and that sweet tone while you exude the intent to tear me apart!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "F**k you then!" Nero shouted as all the rage that was stored inside him started pouring out. "I wish that you will get your throat jammed fullwith the spit of the Senators once you meet them! And if that really happens, I will personally join them too! You motherf***king b***h!"


    Nero then continued to spew more profanities, which only led to his tormentor laughing out loud.


    "Hohohoho, just like what I expected, you can speak some flowery words too!" Nero''s tormentor said as he shook his head in amusement. "Hehehe, I wonder what would Eris and her master would do once they see me.. Would they curse me out too? What do you think Nero?"


    "F**k off!"


    "And do you think I can really do that here? Sorry, but that''s impossible for now."


    "You!"


    ***************


    While Nero was having some difficulty with Alex and his companions, there was someone else that was having the same problem as him.


    "¡­" Anya, the fabled Queen Hoarder, was having a hard time keeping a smile on her face as she looked at the voluptuous black-haired female standing right in front of her.


    "Miss Compton, just like what I told you earlier, my father is not available, as he is busy on consolidating his Stellar Points." Anya said in the calmest voice that she could use as she gave the voluptuous woman a strained smile. "If you want to talk to him, then you just have to wait."


    "Eh~ But I have to tell something to him." Miss Compton said as she let out an alluring moan. "Do you even know what I did earlier?"


    "I have no idea, Miss Compton, but if you want you can enlighten me." Anya replied as she wished for this woman to just leave.


    Anya was not sure why, but she had the feeling that this Miss COmption is a large threat to Anya, especially to her hordes and hordes of treasures!


    Even her father was not worthy enough to touch her things, so why would Anya allow someone like Miss Compton to try that?


    "Well¡­ I tried to kill a pest." Miss Compton replied as she placed a finger on chin. "But that pest and his partners were just too tenacious¡­ They even withstood my attacks. How shameful of me¡­."


    "And how is that related to my father?" Anya asked the woman as she barely hid the twitch on her eyebrows.


    "Well¡­. From the trend that we have as of now, those pests that I tried to kill will be on an alliance with the Symbolists¡­" Miss Compton replied as she gave Anya an indiscernible smug smile. "Now, won''t your father be interested on something as important as this?"


    "Tsk. Just wait here. I shall call my father now." In the end, Anya had no choice but to yield to Miss Comptons'' request. "Don''t¡­ do anything disruptive here please."


    "Why would you even think that I will do something disruptive?" Miss Compton asked Anya as she adopted a hurt expression on her face. "I''m a thoughtful and mature woman!"


    "That''s exactly the reason why!" Before Anya could stop herself, she found herself saying the words that she had been keeping for the past week already. "You seduced some of the nobles here with that mature aura of yours! Don''t deny that! I have seen and heard your moans coming out from their rooms!"


    "Wait a minute, young one, are you saying that-"


    "You''re the one who should shut up!" Anya said as she started pointing her finger to Miss Compton. "I can tolerate you sleeping around with those nobles¡­ But if you try to seduce my father, I will be the first one to smash your ovaries to oblivion!"


    "¡­"


    "Hmph." Seeing that Miss Compton did not give any reply to her, Anya spun around as she walked towards the direction of her father''s room.


    "Father, I hope you will control yourself in front of Miss Compton later." Anya thought to herself as she started knocking on the door. "If you don''t, then you will regret it too!"


    ******************


    It was not only Nero of the Symbolists and Anya of the Celestials that are currently having headaches with their visitors.


    Even the most talented among the young Devourers suffer the same pain too.


    "Ah what a drag¡­" The one who uttered these words was a 7-foot man made covered with scales.


    Each part of his body was glistening with oil, and they all looked extremely efficient.


    His body looked extremely bulky, with all of his muscles bulging like they were fed with steroids.


    All in all, this man''s overall image was extremely terrifying and imposing.


    But right now, that intimidating aura of his was gone.


    As of this moment, this extremely muscular scaly man was currently holding a broom and a dustpan, which he was using to sweep the floor underneath his foot.


    "I am Razak the Great. I am supposed to be lording over my loyal subjects. If that was the case, then why am I sweeping the floor now?" Razak muttered to himself as he continued on moving the broom in a sideways motion.


    "Oh wait, why am I even asking about this? It''s all because of Ray and that b***h Vera!" Razak snarled as he almost snapped the broom in half. "If I did not lose my bet to them, then I would not be doing this! Ah! F**k those two little s**ts!"


    Razak had the every right to be pissed, as what he had to do after losing the best was somewhat too much even for him.


    What Razak had to do after losing the bet was just simple.


    Starting from now on, Razak had to clean up any mess that Ray and his teammates would create inside the Devourer territory.


    That includes all the trash that Ray and his companions threw, or the objects that they destroyed with their abilities.


    And to make it worse, even the mess caused by all of the explosions created by Ray must also be cleaned up by Razak!


    With all the explosions that Ray had conjured in the Devourer territory, Razak had to use all of his abilities just to clean these mess!


    "Tsk! I hope that f***king Ray dies from the mission that he is doing right now!" Razka muttered to himself as he finished on cleaning the room that he was in. "Hehehe, if that happens, I will be the first one to celebrate!"


    "Boom!"


    Razak''s enthusiasm immediately disappeared as he heard this sound, which could only come from the explosions that Ray made.


    With this sound appearing right now, it can only mean that Ray was back alive.


    Razak of course was extremely unhappy with this.


    But even if he was unhappy,Razak had no choice but to go at the explosion site to start cleaning that area up.


    "Sigh¡­"


    Razak placed the broom on his left shoulder and the dustpan on his right as he started to swagger towards his new destination.


    Exhaustion and tiredness could be seen from his face, and the body language that he had right now just exemplified this observation.


    "Boom!"


    Another explosion sounded out, prompting Razak to cuss out once more.


    "Ah s**t, here we go again."

 Chapter 221 Surveying

    @@


    Sorry guys, but I have 2 exams today, so I will be unable to post any chapter for today... Next chapter will come tomorrow...


    For now, I have to make another survey.


    1. What do you think will happen with Alex and the Symbolists?


    2. Why were they given the bonus mission to blow up the moons?


    3. Any kind of power-up that you want to see?@@

 Chapter 222 Welp, that escalated quickly

    As the lion was quickly approaching its destination, Alex, who was riding on top of it, was busy on contemplating something.


    "Right now, Nero already know that the Symbolist appearance that I had before was just a disguise. He already knows my real face¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he cupped his chin.


    "I have no problems showing my real face to Nero, since he''s already under my ''control''. There is no way that he will one-up me now. But even if I''m confident showing my real face to him, I cannot say the same thing to the other Symbolists¡­" Alex thought as he started to frown.


    "Should I wear my Symbolist Disguise when talking to the Symbolists later? Maybe they will trust me more if I interact with them on a form that they are familiar with¡­" At the instant that Alex reached this point, he started to nod as he felt that it was appropriate for him to do this.


    "Yosh, I shall do it this way then!" Alex''s body then started to morph as he employed Envy''s abilities, changing his appearance back to Sir Sigmund, the wandering Symbolist.


    Nero, who saw what Alex did, only raised his eyebrows as Alex''s appearance changed.


    "So you f**ker decided to use your disguise huh." Nero said as Alex started to fix his clothes. "You want to face them while you are in your Sir Sigmund form?"


    "What do you think? Didn''t you just saw me doing it right now?"


    "You!"


    "Hehehe¡­"


    Alex could barely stop himself from smirking as he heard the curses and profanities that Nero had been spouting since earlier.


    Earlier, after Alex told Nero to just let go with his anger, Nero started to curse Alex out, and he always tried to use profanities everytime he saw Alex.


    This kind of behavior does not offend Alex, as he could feel with this emotion sense the deep-seated rage inside Nero.


    Why would Alex accept Nero''s fake smiles earlier when he can sense the anger that he had on Alex?


    Seeing the current irritable Nero was already enough to sooth Alex''s mood.


    "Well, didn''t you tell those Symbolists that it was Sir Sigmund and his team that saved you?" Alex nonchalantly said as he waved his arms dismissively. "Since they will already expect Sir Sigmund to go there, then I will just use his appearance."


    "Tsk, just don''t f**k this up." Nero replied as he began to scratch the back of his head. "If you slip up a little, you will surely be attacked by them. Even I, who''s under your ''control'', won''t be much of help to you there."


    "¡­Maybe you are hoping for that to happen." Alex commented as he stood up. "Well sorry to burst your bubble, but I don''t think something like that will happen. After all I have special set of skills that will assist me here!"


    "Hmph, suit yourself then!" Nero replied as he turned around, seeminglyrefocusing his control on the titan below them. "Let''s see how you will fare there later!"


    "¡­"


    ****************


    A few more minutes later, and the lion managed to arrive at its destination.


    "¡­" Alex, who was still sitting on top of the lion''s head, only had a silent expression on his face as he stared at what was in front of him.


    "What do you think of this place? Does it fit to your liking?" Nero asked to Alex, although the tone in his voice shows that he was not that happy to bring Alex here.


    "Well, this will do for me." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "This place looks fine actually."


    "I don''t need your opinion for that. My birthplace of course is the best place there is in this world."


    "I''m just saying."


    "¡­"


    "What do you call this city anyway? The walled city? Coz it looks awfully like one."


    "¡­"


    Right in front of Alex was a walled city, with a wall reaching the height of a mountain covering the whole city''s boundaries.


    The wall seems to be made up of some kind of combination of metals and rocks, which provided a sturdy-looking structure.


    Aside from the materials, Alex also noticed something unique with the wall.


    The wall was covered in entirety with golden-tinged symbols, with almost every empty space on the wall scribbled with symbols.


    Every now and often these symbols would glow, creating a display that was both beautiful and intimidating to Alex.


    "What you see in front of you was the fabled Eternal Wall." Nero said as he instructed his lion to stop. "This Eternal Wall had been created by countless Symbolists before, with the intent to protect the main polis of us Symbolists. This wall was fortified with the best Symbols there is, making it extremely durable and tough." Nero then started to smile, which was a rarity in itself.


    "Up until now, we have continued on adding more Symbols on it in an attempt to make it stronger." Nero said as he started to tap the lion''s head. "And as of now, there''s nothing that had toppled the Eternal Wall yet, and we will make sure that it will stay that way."


    "Well, that''s a nice intro¡­" Alex said as he stared at the Eternal Wall with amusement. "But if this wall is meant to protect your polis, then shouldn''t it also have some kind of dome to protect the polis from aerial attacks coming from above? Because from what I can see here, there''s no dome at all¡­"


    "Of course we know that." Nero replied with his eyes starting to twitch in anger. "You may not see it, but we have also placed permanent symbols on the air above this polis, which created a Symbol Dome."


    "Oh right, now that I can see it, there really is indeed something there¡­" Alex muttered with his eyes squinted.


    Right above the polis, Alex could make out some kind of hazy outline which was shaped like a half-sphere placed directly on top of the polis.


    Alex was not sure if this ''dome'' really is as strong as what Nero said, but since he said it works like that, then Alex will just accept that as it is.


    "Hmph, now that I have shown you that this place is fortified, are you still wary of coming in?" Nero muttered as he glared at Alex "Or will you still stall for time before you come in?"


    "What are you talking about?" Alex mumbled as he staredNero. "You think I''m stalling right now?"


    "I''m not an idiot, Sir SIGMUND.'' Nero hissed as he stared at Alex venomously. "At the moment that we arrived, you suddenly twitched and your face slightly paled, as if you sensed something bad. You then looked at the direction of this place, and then I saw your eyes narrow in caution. A few seconds after you did that, you started to talk to me like this. You¡­ you sensed something inside my polis, and you don''t want to enter now, am I right?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Alex and Nero then spent the next 30 seconds staring at each other.


    Once that time had passed by, Alex looked away as he let out a sigh.


    He then pointed his finger in front of him as he said,


    "Well, you may not sense it, but I can sense an extreme source of danger just inside that polis." Alex said with his finger pointed towards the center of the city. "There, right at that spot."


    "That spot?" Nero exclaimed as he saw where Alex''s finger was pointing. "But that spot is!"


    "Yeah, I know who is inside that place." Alex said as he stared at the massive tower inside the polis, which was where his finger was pointing at.


    With the memories that Alex obtained from Artos, Alex knew that there was only one kind of person that was living in that tower.


    "Nero, can you tell me why your master, the Grand Symbolist, seems to be intent on attacking us?" Alex said as he gave Nero a smile that was also not a smile. "Even here, I can feel his killing intent aimed at us! How interesting ¡­"


    "My master? But he was deep in seclusion!" Nero exclaimed as he frantically looked at Alex. "He should have no idea about this happening! And besides, I did not tell my master anything about this!"


    "He''s telling the truth." Alina said in the background.


    "See! I''m telling the truth!"


    "If that is indeed the case, then why do I see a muscular old man coming out of that tower?" Alex said as he indeed saw a shirtless old man coming out of the tower, with his muscles in full display. "And why does he look at as murderously?"


    "!?OU@)(@(*U@!!!!"


    Once the muscular old man had fully come out of the tower, his gaze went towards Alex and Nero, and from the way that he looked at them, it was quite obvious that this old manwas not happy at all.


    "NERO!" Once the muscular old man saw Nero, he started to bellow, with his voice rumbling the entirety of the Eternal Wall. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING RIGHT NOW?"


    "I-I-I¡­" Nero seems to have short-circuited, as his gaze was only concentrated on that muscular oldman. "Master¡­ I''m bringing some allies here!"


    "Allies? Quit telling me those lies!" The old man, who turned out be the Grand Symbolist himself, started to fly as thousands of symbols engraved in his body started to glow.


    "Nero, the aura of those people with you are similar to the aura of the monsters from the Calamities! Actually, there is no difference between those Calamity Monsters and those people with you! Why the hell did you bring them with you here! You should have remembered what I told you before! If you see anything related to the Calamity Monsters, then you should destroy them!"


    "!!!"


    Before Nero or Alex could even react to what the Grand Symbolist said, the Grand Symbolist suddenly sent his palm slamming down to the ground.


    At the instant that he did this, a 1-kilometer long golden palm appeared in the sky.


    This golden palm then started descending at insane speeds, and from its trajectory, Alex realized that this palm was bound to hit them!


    "You three, I do not know why your aura are similar to the aura of those Calamity Monsters." The Grand Symbolist said as the golden palm began to accelerate. "But no matter what the reason is for that, I don''t care anymore! I just have to kill you all right now!"

 Chapter 223 See no Evil, Hear no Evil, Smell No Evil

    As the golden palm descended towards him, Alex could not help but think of what the Grand Symbolist just said earlier.


    "Me and my companions has the same aura as the monsters that came out from the Calamities? Is he sure about that?"


    Alex could not help but doubt this, as even Alex could not sense any kind of similarity with the goblins that Alina just killed earlier.


    All that Alex could feel from those goblins earlier were disgust and nothing else.


    Alex was similar to those monsters? There''s no way that Alex can believe that.


    "Tsk, why am I even thinking about this? I should be focusing on surviving now!" Alex thought to himself as he saw that the golden palm had no signs of slowing down.


    "This muscular old man¡­ he''s really serious on killing us¡­" Alex thought to himself grimly as he let out a sigh. "Since that was the case, then there''s no need for me to disguise anymore!"


    "Schwa¡­" At the instant that Alex made this decision, he dispelled his disguise, bringing his appearance back to his real one.


    "F**k off from here!" Alex shouted as he gathered around a billion of gravity waves above him, and then sending them all to intercept the golden palm.


    "Buong¡­." The golden palm visibly slowed under the onslaught of the gravity waves, but even that was not enough to stop if from moving.


    Hundreds of thousands of symbols started to appear all around the golden palm, with each of these symbols glowing brightly.


    Under the effect of these symbols, the golden palm continued on descending towards Alex and co.


    "Ha!" Alex, who looked visibly strained with the burden of manipulating billions of gravity waves, let out a loud shout as he sent countless lightning strikes towards the golden palm.


    "Boom boom boom!" Holes appeared at the area where the lightning hit the golden palm, however, the rate that these holes appeared weere too slow compared to the movement speed of the golden palm.


    "So this palm can be affected by electric attacks?" Alex thought as he started to lick his lips. "If that really is the case, then come and taste this!"


    Without any further delays, Alex summoned Envy and he immediately used her power for his next move.


    With Envy''s Combination spell and Alex''s EM Manipulation, he recreated the Railgun that he had used against Professor Frances at the Superhero World.


    It only took him a few seconds to recreate the Railgun, and once it had appeared, he immediately used it against the golden palm.


    "Boom!" This time around, Alex saw a large hole forming on the golden palm, which showed that Alex''s Railgun was effective against it.


    "Ha! Take more of this!" Alex then started a barrage of Railgun blasts that were all concentrated at the descending golden palm.


    "Ha!" Alex continued doing this for another ten seconds, and it was only when he felt no more resistance on his gravity waves that he stopped using the Railgun.


    "¡­" After waiting for a few seconds, Alex looked upabove,as he tried to see what had happened to the golden palm.


    "Shua~" To his relief, Alex saw that there was no golden palm above him, and all that was left were some floating miscellaneous symbols in the air.


    Looking at what had happened, Alex almost smiled as he realized that he managed to do something great.


    All in all, Alex had succeeded on obliterating an attack from the Grand Symbolist, although Alex had to spend some effort to do so.


    But before Alex could start gloating about this, the Grand Celestial let out a snort as he said,


    "You are happy with you dispelling a simple attack of mine? Let''s see if you can do the same thing once I give you a real serious attack!"


    "What?" Alex could not help but shout as he could hardly believe what he just heard from the Grand Symbolist.


    That golden palm was actually just a simple attack?


    Alex had to spend a large amount of his Mental Power just to block that!


    If a simple attack was this difficult to stop, then what would happen once the Grand Symbolist unleashes his serious attack?


    No matter what hisnext attack will be, it will surely not be good!


    "With that probing attack of mine, I already have seen your capability." The Grand Symbolist said as he cricked his neck. "From what I can see, at your best, you can reach the power level around Ancient Type or even Immortal Type¡­ For a person as young as you, that kind of power is already impressive¡­ However, that makes me more interested on killing you!"


    "Hong~" This time around, the Grand Symbolist clenched both of his fists, with his body covered with more and more symbols.


    From the way that these symbols appeared, it was as if the Grand Symbolist did not have to write them for them to appear.


    It was as if he personally willed these symbols to appear around him.


    "Alina, I think we should run away now." Alex muttered to Alina as he looked above him warily.


    This time around, the danger that Alex felt from the Grand Symbolist was too much that even he was too afraid to stay here!


    Alex had the feeling that if he lets himself get attacked by the Grand Symbolist now, he will be dead meat for sure!


    After hearing what Alex just said, Alina only gave him a nod back, as even she can also feel that the Grand Symbolist''s next attack will be extremely dangerous.


    But before anyone of them could make their moves, there was a sudden interruption that changed their next moves.


    "Dad, what are you doing here?"


    Out of nowhere, a melodious female voice pierced through tense air, effectively catching the attention of both Alex and the Grand Symbolist.


    With his advanced senses, Alex could perfectly see the appearance of the one who just spoke up.


    The owner of the melodious voice was a young female, around 15 years old.


    She had short blond hair that reached her shoulders, and she had a gentle face that screams of innocence and pureness.


    She''s wearing a long white toga that hid the curves of her body, which was paired with wooden slippers on her foot.


    This young woman was currently seating on what looked like a wheelchair, indicating that she had some kind of disability that prevents her from walking properly.


    "Astria, you should be back at your room." The Grand Symbolist said as he looked at the wheelchair-bound woman. "Daddy is busy with something here."


    "Dad, are you talking about those guys?" Astria replied as she looked at Alex''s direction. "Why do you want to kill them?"


    "It''s because they are the same as those monsters from the Calamities!" The Grand Symbolist patiently replied to Astria. "I need to kill them now, or else, they will just make many suffer more!"


    "Dad, if they really are bad as what you say, then why do I not smell their intent to kill us?" Astria replied as she tilted her head in confusion.


    "You¡­ don''t smell anything bad from them?"


    "No dad, I don''t." Astria replied as she nodded her head quickly. "They don''t smell like rotten eggs, so that means that they don''t plan to kill us. They also don''t smell like sweaty armpits, so that means that they do not plan to torment us!"


    "Astria, you should not be joking about things like that." The Grand Symbolist said as he looked visibly shaken with what Astria said. "Are you sure about that?"


    "Dad, I''m sure!" Astria said as she nodded her head once more. "When did I even lie to you?"


    "But¡­"


    "I can smell cinnamon from them." Astria said as she began to take control of the conversation. "That means that they are sincere on allying with us. I can also smell pancakes from them, which means that they are trustworthy allies¡­"


    "But¡­"


    "Dad! They are not bad people!" Astria shouted as she began to wobble on her wheelchair. "They are here to help us! Since that is the case, then we should welcome them!"


    "But¡­"


    "Dad, no buts." Astria said as she pouted. "You goofed up big time now, so please let them in."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    After a few seconds of Astria staring at her father with a determined expression on her face, the Grand Symbolist seemed to have been left with no choice but to relent.


    "Fine,I will let them live. For now." The Grand Symbolist replied as he unclenched his fists.


    "¡­" At the instant that he did this, the pressure that had been plaguing Alex earlier had disappeared, leaving him almost breathless and light-headed.


    "You heard what my daughter said.You are welcome to this place now." The Grand Symbolist said as he started strokingAstria''s hair. "Just behave yourselves, or I will continue what I started earlier!"


    "Ah.. um¡­ yeah¡­ right¡­ yeah¡­ we will take that in mind¡­" Alex mumbled in reply as he felt extremely confused with the way that the confrontation had went.


    Alex was already prepared to run away, but before they could escape, a girl comes in who basically stops the Grand Symbolist from attacking them.


    At one look, this girl may seem decrepit, but when she started conversing with her father, the Grand Symbolist, Alex realized that she was not just a simple girl!


    This Astria girl, who seemed to be suffering some kind of disability,can somehow use her nose to smell abstract concepts? Now that''s just as hax as Alina''s eyes!


    What made her more ludicrous was the way that she easily made her father follow her decisions! That in itself was already scary!


    "Hehehe¡­" Astria, who saw the confundment on Alex''s face, started to giggle as she seemed to find his reaction funny.


    "Since my father did his best to make you suffer, then the best that I can do is to make you feel welcome." Astria said as she gave Alex and Nero a gentle smile. "As a way of me apologizing to all of you, please come in and join me on my afternoon tea! I will be happy if you all go there!"


    "We will go! Definitely!" Nero enthusiastically replied before Alex could give his answer. "There''s nothing better than that!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "This guy''s hopeless¡­" Alex thought to himself as he saw the lovestruck expression on Nero''s face. "Just because his crush invited us for an afternoon tea, he basically agreed? Didn''t he forget that his own master tried to kill us earlier? Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a horny guy¡­"

 Chapter 224 I Give you power in the name of the Facemask!

    30 minutes later.


    With Astria''s incessant invitation, Alex, Alina, Queen Mother, Professor Frances, Nero, Kiera, and the old man were forced to drink tea with her.


    Right now, they were at their 7th cup, and from the way that Astria acted now, their tea party won''t end that quickly.


    "So, do you like my tea?" Astria said with a cheerful voice as she looked at Alex and Nero''s direction. "Were its taste to your liking?"


    "Yes! It tastes good!" Nero exclaimed before Alex could even give his answer. "Nothing tastes better than this!"


    "Yeah, it tastes good¡­" Alex replied as he tried to not glare at Nero. "Its definitely one of a kind."


    "Oh is that so? Hehehe, I''m glad youboth liked it." Astria said as she let out a contented sigh. She then looked at the other women in the table, as if she also wanted to ask them of their opinion.


    "I do not like consuming things related to plants, but even I can say that this tea right here is good." Queen Mother replied, with Professor Frances only giving a nod to express her agreement.


    "It''s delicious!" Kiera the little girl replied as she started bouncing up and down of her seat in excitement. "It even tastes better compared to grandpa''s Old Bull Tea!"


    "¡­" The mentioned grandpa never said a word, as he seemed to be concentrated on drinking the tea.


    "It''s good." Alina also replied, although from the way that she talked, some signs of tension and wariness could be seen.


    "Hm?" At the instant that Alina talked, Astria suddenly tilted her head, as if she discovered something interesting about Alina.


    "You have pretty eyes." Astria said as she stared at Alina'' eyes intently. "Were you born with those eyes?


    "!!!" Both Alex and Alina stiffened after hearing this, as they realized what Astria was talking about.


    "This girl¡­" Alex thought to himself as he looked at Astria with more caution now. "Is she talking about that?"


    But before Alex could speculate more, Alina started to talk to Astria


    "Well, you have a pretty nose too." Alina replied as she tried to compose her appearance. "Were you born with that nose too?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    After hearing what Alina said, Astria visibly look confused for a second, before her expression smoothed out.


    She then took some more seconds of silence before she gave her reply.


    "¡­I see." This was what Astria said in response to Alina''s question. "So that is how it is huh."


    "If you understand it, then you better not talk about it anymore." Alina said as she placed a finger on her lips, mimicking the gesture for ''silence''.


    "I''ll take that in mind, big sister." Astria replied as she gave Alina a demure smile.


    "Huh?" As he listened to the two women, Alex became confused from the way that the conversation between Alina and Astria had gone to.


    "Alina, what did just happen?"


    "Oh Alex, don''t worry about this, we just had an agreement." Alina said as she and Astria both gave Alex the same look. "So stop getting worried about it."


    "Ah um ok, if you say so." Alex replied haltingly and he and Nero could only scratch the back of their heads in confusion.


    "Clap clap!"


    Once they finished this short and confusing conversation, Astria suddenly clapped her hands, as she obviously was trying to obtain the attention of everyone in the room.


    "Okay, now that we have dealt with that, its time of us to talk about important matters." Astria said as she moved her wheelchair to the left.


    "Squeak, squeak." As the wheelchair veered itself to the left, Astria let out a visible sigh of exhaustion as she leaned back on her seat.


    "You want to have an alliance with the Symbolists, right?" Astria said as she looked at Alex''s entourage, this time with a different look in her eyes.


    If she looked gentle and pure before, right now, Astria''s eyes looked like they were steel tempered from flames.


    It was such a large contrast that even Alex was visibly taken aback by that.


    "Ah! This is Astria''s Super Serious Mode!" Nero exclaimed as he started to swoon on his seat. "Just seeing that serious eyes of hers is enough to send me to heaven! Oh what a blissful life it is¡­"


    "¡­"


    Everyone in the room ignored Nero''s antics, with Alex trying his best to not look at him right now.


    "Since I am here, then you can just tell me about what you plan to offer for our alliance." Astria said as she took a deep breath. "If I deem it enough, then I will convince my father to ally with you."


    "¡­That''s a very tall order for you." Alex said as he looked at Astria''s obviously frail body. "Are you sure that you are enough to judge if our offer is alright?"


    "Out of all the Symbolists here, I''m the one that was the most fitted to interview you." Astria replied as she sipped her tea.


    "Oh?"


    "With my sense of smell, I can detect abstract concepts, like ill intent, love, anger, and even jealousy." Astria said as she tilted her head to the left. "As such, I can use my sense of smell on important discussions like this."


    "That''s a very convenient power that you have." Alex replied as he sipped his own tea. "Did that power ever made you uncomfortable?"


    "Oh, everyday was always a drag for me." Astria replied as she let out a tired smile. "Everytime I''m around a lot of people, I can sense their feelings, emotions and intent. That¡­ was just too much for me, so I always isolate myself in my father''s house whenever its possible."


    "That''s really unfortunate." Alex said as Alina and the others felt confused on where Alex''s conversation was heading off right now. "You must have been suffering a lot¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "From what I can see, it seems like you want to offer me something." Astria said as she had caught up on what Alex was doing. "What is it?"


    "I''m talking about this." Alex replied as he activated his FED Manipulaton. "I want to see if you will be affected by this."


    "Hong~"


    At the instant that Alex activated his FED Manipulation, instead of manipulating the emotions around him, what Alex did was quite different.


    By using his FED Manipulation in conjunction with Envy''s [Combination] , Alex created a thin cloth which blocks any kind of emotion from going through it.


    This cloth, which Alex calls the emotion shield, can basically make it hard for other people, especially for empaths to sense the emotion of others.


    Alex had the idea to create this emotion shield when he met an empath at the Monster World, although he did not really take this idea seriously until now.


    "¡­"


    After a few more seconds of fiddling around, Alex finally arrived at the final form of his emotion shield.


    What appeared on Alex''s hand was a facemask, which he decided will be the shape of his emotion shield.


    He gave this facemask to Astria, who accepted the facemask readily.


    "Put that facemask on, and try to see if that works." Alex said as Astria fumbled with the facemask on her hand.


    "Hey! What did you just give her?" Nero complained as he saw what Alex did. "Don''t tell me¡­"


    "I just gave her a way to make her more comfortable." Alex replied quickly. "Wait¡­ do you think I plan to do something bad to her? Look at Astria, she''s putting it on now. That just means that her sense of smell trusts me."


    "¡­."


    Nero was left with no choice but to stay silent as he and the others watched Astria placing the facemask on her face.


    Once she had done so, Alex leaned in with interest as he waited to see what will happen


    "So, how does it feel?" Alex asked as he stared at Astria. "Did it do anything?"


    "I¡­" Astria''s voice came out muffled due to the face mask, but even with that, Alex could feel gratitude flowing in her voice. "I cannot smell any emotions now¡­"


    "Good, that''s good." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "So, does it feel comfortable to you?"


    "Yes¡­" Astria replied as she started to hug her body tightly . "My mental burden¡­ has lessened greatly now. Thank you."


    "Ok, at least my shield works."Alex said as he downed his latest cup of tea." So, do you want to keep it?"


    "Keep it? I can do that?" Astria''s eye widened as she looked at Alex. "Are you willing to give this away?"


    "Hehe, consider that as my gift to you." Alex replied as he did his best to ignore Alina''s slightly chilly gaze boring on him. "You have been a good host to us, so I suppose this is my way to show our gratitude to you."


    "You area good person, Mr. Outsider." Astria replied as she adjusted the positioning of her face mask. "It''s rare to find people like you these days."


    "I''ma good person? Well if that''s what you think of me, then its up to you to believe it." Alex said she shrugged his shoulders.


    "I believe my nose, Mr. Outsider." Astria replied as she shook her head. "Don''t tell me that you don''t think of that?"


    "Miss Astria, it seems like our conversation have been veering off course now." Alex said as he felt Alina''s glare turning colder and colder now. "Why don''t we go back to the important talk?"


    "Oh right, there is that one too." Astria said as she removed her facemask.


    "Ugh¡­." As she removed the facemask, Astria started to groan in complaint, as her face wrinkled in displeasure. "Smelling more emotions really is too much¡­"


    It took her some seconds to adjust before she continued talking.


    "Mr. Outsider, what do you really want from allying with us?" Astria asked Alex as her steely eyes came back. "Do you just desire to survive the calamity, or do you plan on doing something else?"


    "Miss Astria, first and foremost, I and my companions are serious about ending the calamities." Alex replied as he let out a deep breath. As for how we plan to do that, we have two steps, which will require your help to do so."


    "Oh? Please do tell us wat these steps are."


    "First step: Kill all the 144 Waves of Monsters." Alex said as he raised his index finger.


    "Second step: Gather a drumful of blood form each wave, and use them to open a portal to the Blue Moon." Alex said, this time raising his middle finger. "Pretty simple, right?"


    "Wait, open a portal to the Blue Moon?" Both Astria and Nero exclaimed as they stared at Alex incredulously. "Are you serious about that?"


    "Of course I''m serious about it." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "My team and all the Symbolists will just have to work together to kill all the 144 waves, then once that was done, we will use their blood to go to the Blue Moon!"


    "!!!"


    "That is why I want to ally with the Symbolists." Alex said as he gave the confounded Symbolists a smug smile. "With the help of the Symbolists, we can easily get through the 144 waves. And as a repayment for their help,I will bring any willing Symbolists to the Blue Moon! Now, that''s a good alliance offer, am I right?"


    "¡­.''

 Chapter 225 Long Live the Peace between Us!

    "Ehem. What you just said is quite big¡­." Astria said as she started to cough. "I think I also have to get my father''s opinion for this¡­"


    "Hey, I don''t think we need to-"


    "I''m calling him now." Astria said as she ignored Alex''s plea to keep the Grand Symbolist out. "Please keep quiet."


    "¡­"


    As the room went silent, Astria leaned in as she picked up a small bell placed beside her teacups. She shook the bell a little, producing a high-pitched, melodious sound.


    "Tring, tring, tring¡­."


    After Astria rang the bell, Alex and the others suddenly heard a set of footsteps rapidly approaching their location.


    "Astria! Is there a problem?" The door of Astria''s living room swung wide open, and in came the Grand Symbolist, who was now wearing a white toga which covered his whole body. "Did these guys try to hurt you?"


    "Dad, NO!" Astria replied as she put down the bell back on its original place. "I called you here because Mr. Outsider just said something very interesting now¡­"


    "That''s it?" For whatever reason there is, the Grand Symbolist seemed to be disappointed that he had no excuse to beat up Alex and his partners. "You''re not hurt at all?"


    "That''s just what I said dad." Astria replied with exasperation. "Didn''t I tell you that these guys are trustworthy?"


    "Okay¡­" The menacing Grand Symbolist seemed to have been reduced to a loyal puppy as he wilted visibly under his daughter''s threatening glare.


    "¡­" Alex, who saw what had happened, was trying his best to not giggle, as this might set off the Grand Symbolist again.


    "So, just like what I said earlier, Mr. Outsider told me their offer for the alliance, and it goes like this¡­.." After seeing that her father had already calmed down, Astria started to tell her father about everything that Alex just told her earlier.


    When Astria reached the point about the portal to the Blue Moon, her father visibly reacted, this time with a disbelieving expression on his face.


    "Lies!" The Grand Symbolsit said as he stood up so quickly that the floor under him started to ignite. "Pure and utter lies! I do not know how you managed to fool my daughter, but I am sure for a fact that you are lying about the portal!"


    "And what makes you think I''m lying?" Even though he was now submerged under the Grand Symbolist''s rich killing intent, Alex managed to hold his ground as he started talking to him."Do you have a proof for that?"


    "Proof? I don''t need proof to show that you are lying." The Grand Symbolist replied haughtily as he placed his hands on his hips. "It''s you who need to show proof about the portal to the Blue Moon. If you can''t show any proof right now, then that just means that you are lying!"


    "From the way that you talked now, it seems like you are confident that I have no proof." Alex replied as he cracked his knuckles. "What if I told you that I actually have a proof with me right now?"


    "Hmph, then you better show it now, or else you all will be expelled here!"


    "Fine, fine, here it is." Even with the Grand Symbolist increasing his killing intent, Alex managed to still act composed as he started to wave his hands around in a frenzied state.


    "??" Everyone looked at what Alex was doing with confusion, as the movements of Alex''s arms seemed to be just random.


    And that''s indeed the truth. What Alex was doing right now was actually random.


    These hand movements were just distractions that Alex used while he accessed Alina''s Storage.


    "Here it is!" After exactly 30 seconds of doing non-sensical hand waving, Alex let out a dignified shout as he pulled out the object that he had been observing inside Alina''s storage since earlier.


    "Thum¡­" A small object appeared in front of Alex''s head, which then dropped towards his outstretched palm.


    Alex caught this small object deftly before he started showing it off to everyone inside the room.


    "!!!"


    Alina and Alex''s allies started to look at Alex with wariness, while the Symbolists looked at Alex with surprise.


    The reason for these reactions was obviously because of the object that Alex showed to them.


    The object that Alex had been showing off right now was the [Key of the Blue Moon], and Alex was doing his best to make the Symbolists see it on its full glory.


    "!!!" At the instant that this key appeared, Nero, Astria, and the Grand Symbolist''s body started to tremble, as they felt some kind of connection with the key on Alex''s hand.


    This connection was something ancient, primal, and powerful,that not even the Grand Symbolist can resist it!


    "What the hell is that thing that you are holding?" The Grand Symbolist asked as he gazed at the key that Alex held with fervor. "Is that the portal that you are talking about?"


    Before Alex replied, he first placed the [Key of the Blue Moon] back to the storage. That way, it will be safe from someone suddenly snatching the key away from Alex''s hands.


    It was only when he was sure that the key was secure that he started to talk.


    "Yup, that is definitely the one." Alex said as he stood up. "That is the [Key of the Blue Moon], and that key is the one that creates the portal towards the Blue Moon!"


    "¡­"


    "You all can feel it, right? The deep connection with that key¡­ "


    "Yes, I can feel it, and this is the strongest connection feeling that I had for a very long time." The Grand Symbolist said, with Nero nodding his head in agreement.


    Alex started to smirk at this, as he thought that he now held the advantage here.


    "That kind of connection can only be formed with an object that was directly related to the Blue Moon itself. Since you felt how powerful that connection was, it''s safe to assume that what I just told you was the truth." Alex said as he started to wave his hands haphazardly.


    "Besides, didn''t Miss Astria already vouch for my honesty?" Alex added as he glanced at Astria''s direction. "That in itself was already enough to show that I am serious about the moon portal!"


    "¡­"


    "With Astria backing me up, and with me showing you the key, will you still not believe me at all?" Alex said in a slight accusatory tone as he glanced at the Grand Symbolist. "Now, what your verdict will be?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    There was no verdict that came out, as the Grand Symbolist went silent. Nero was the same too, as he also went quiet.


    "¡­"


    The Grand Symbolist had a contemplative expression on his face, as if he was busy on analyzing everything that Alex just said.


    "¡­"


    It took the Grand Symbolist a whole minute of silence before he started talking again.


    "Suppose that portal of yours is true¡­ Then are you sure that you should keep that with you?" The Grand Symbolist said as he stared at Alex greedily. "You know, I can just kill you right now and take that key with me¡­ It will be easier for me and everyone here!"


    "Well then, try attacking me now." Alex replied quickly as he gave the Grand Symbolist a cocky smile. "What''s the matter? I''m all open here!"


    "¡­"


    In spite of all the provocations that Alex dished out, the Grand Symbolist remained rooted on his spot, as if he was unable to make any kind of moves at all.


    "Hehe, you can''t attackus, am I right?" Alex said as he looked the Grand Symbolist with a smirk. "You must really love your daughter if you can do something like these¡­"


    "You!"


    "Well, your daughter considers us as her friends, so there''s no way that she will allow you to attack us right now." Alex replied as he gave Astria a discreet nod."No matter what you want to do to us won''t work, as Astria will be here to stop any of that!"


    "You¡­"


    "So I''m sorry, but it seems like you won''t be taking the blue key away from me¡­" Alex concluded as he gave the Grand Symbolist a peace symbol. "Long live the peace between us!"


    "You little brat!" The Grand Symbolist uttered as he did not move on his spot. "You took advantage of my daughter''s kindness!"


    "It''s your daughter who determined that we are good people." Alex innocently replied to the Grand Symbolist. "It is on her own volition that she decided to make us her friends. We did no kind of manipulation to trick her!"


    "¡­"


    "Well, if you still do not trust your daughter''s decision, then feel free to punch me." Alex said as he pointed his chin towards the Grand Symbolist. "Come on, I won''t be pushing out my chin like this for forever¡­"


    "Argh fine! You win!" The Grand Symbolist said as he let out a loud sigh. "You want an alliance? Ok, we shall do that! You want to fight the waves along with our Symbolists? Fine, we shall oblige! You want to gather their blood? Collect as many as you want!"


    "Great! I always know that you can be negotiable." Alex replied as he twirled his imaginary mustache. "It will be a great pleasure to work with you!"


    "Hmph, in return, you will accept any Symbolists who wants to go to the Blue Moon with you." The Grand Symbolist uttered as his eyes stared at Alex in concentration. "Follow these deal, and no harm will come to you. But if you violate it¡­ Not even my promise to my daughter will keep you alive!"


    "Yeah, yeah, I understand." Alex replied as he suppressed the sigh of relief inside his body. "So does this alliance starts at the second wave? Because I want to kick some monster ass already!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 226 Am I a joke to you?

    What happened after the agreement was made was a blur to Alex and his companions.


    The Grand Symbolist and his daughter Astria did not waste time as they introduced Alex and his companions to the other Symbolists.


    Needless to say, the reception that they gave Alex was lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. Alex had the same reaction as the Symbolists, as he treated them as mere acquaintances only.


    Once the introductions were made, the Grand Symbolist explained to everyone about the agreement that he just did with Alex, and the implications that it will have for everyone.


    This time, the reactions given by the Symbolists were of shock and indignance, but with the Grand Symbolist glaring at them with full force, they were forced to accept it.


    And with that, the alliance between Alex and the Symbolists had officially started.


    *************


    72 DAYS LATER.


    "So, today is the last wave huh. It''s been a long 2 Months and 12 days." Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head. "Sigh, how fast time could really fly¡­"


    As Alex said these words, he started to stand up from his seat as he looked at the war-torn landscape in front of him.


    His sentimental expression then changed to that of a pissed one as he gritted his teeth angrily.


    "I thought that those waves will only come out once per day. Why would they come out twice per day this time? Is this Calamity rushing us or something?" Alex complained to himself inwardly as he shook his head. "This is just really abnormal!"


    Alina, who was standing behind Alex, was only nodding her head in affirmation as she seemed to understand Alex''s grievances.


    ************


    When Alex started the alliance with the Symbolists, he thought that there is a chance that the waves of the Calamity will come out every single day.


    But to his and the Symbolists'' surprise, instead of one, what happened was that 2 Waves came out per day!


    To make it more specific, a wave has come out for every 12 hours that have passed by!


    This was the greatest frequency of waves that have come out since the start of the Calamities!


    Needless to say, everyone in this world was hit hard by what had happened.


    This sudden increase on the release frequency made it harder for the Symbolists and Alex''s team to exterminate each waves that have come out.


    The same thing could be said for the Devourers and the Celestials, as they also were surprised with what happened.


    Orcs, elves, demons, beastmen, wyrms, drakes, dragons, lizardmen, trolls, and many more.


    These monsters were the ones that came out of the 143 Waves, and each one of them posed their own difficulties to Alex and the Symbolists.


    Alex, who was good at surviving, actually met some close calls during these waves,and he had to rely on all of his tricks just to survive these near-death experiences.


    The same thing could be said to Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances, who had their own scary encounters too.


    However, even if these waves came out in a higher frequency, there''s something that the Symbolists noticed about these waves.


    And that was the fact that these waves were not as powerful compared to the waves that came from the First, Second, and Third Calamities.!


    The first 3 Calamities had almost brought the world into ruin, and there are still some signs of their effects in this present day.


    But the Fourth Calamity? Sure the waves that came out of it was powerful, but it was not powerful enough to induce a world-ending disaster!


    With this sheer difference in power, everyone thought that the Fourth Calamity was not meant to destroy the world!


    It was as if the Fourth Calamity happened for other purposes.


    When this hypothesis was made, attention was once again give to Alex''s portal to the blue moon.


    Since the Fourth Calamity was not meant to destroy the world, then maybe its purpose was related to the portals to the moons?


    This hypothesis was further cemented when the spies of the Symbolists discovered something interesting about the Celestials and the Devourers.


    As it turns out, the guests of the Celestials and the Devourers had shown the keys to the Yellow Moon and the Green Moon respectively, with them saying that they need the blood from all the 144 waves to open the portals to their respective moons.


    With this discovery and the apparent weakness of the Fourth Calamity, the Symbolists started to trust Alex''s claims more.


    And all of that brings Alex right at this day.


    ************


    Alex, who was currently wearing a leather jacket with cargo pants, looked at Alina as he asked her,


    "Alina, how many minutes is there until the 144th Wave arrives?"


    "There''s still 15 minutes before the final wave arrives." Alina replied."Do you want to join with the Symbolists now, or will you just join the battle later at its climax?"


    Alina was still wearing the same clothes, although her hair was shorter now, this time with her hair only reaching the back of her ribs.


    Alex marveled at Alina''s battle-hardened expression for a second before he gave her a reply.


    "I will go and join the fight right now." Alex replied as massaged his shoulder. "Since this is the final wave already, I plan to fight as much as I can. That''s the best thing that I can do now."


    "Alex, don''t tell me you''re planning to do that again¡­"


    "Well, since this is already the final wave, it won''t hurt if I will try it again." Alex said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe this time I will actually succeed!"


    "Sigh¡­"


    "Oh anyway, where''s Queen Mother and Professor Frances?" Alex asked as he adjusted his leather jacket. "Are they still engrossed on making some experiments with Astria?"


    "No. This time, all of them actually went out of the lab. They seem to be interested on joining in the fight too." Alina replied as she tilted her head. "Do you have a problem with that, Alex?"


    "Well, I have no problem. I just thought that those two were so engrossed with their experiments¡­" Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "Knowing that they came out makes me a little relieved."


    "You''re talking about being relieved, yet you''re the one who we should be worried about." Alina replied with a harsh tone of her voice. "Talk about hypocrisy."


    "Eh? What are you talking about?"


    "Stop beating around the bush Alex." Alina said before Alex could explain himself. "How many times have you forced yourself to reach Grade 7 in Abyss Energy? Asteria told me you are trying it everyday, even at the expense of your well-being!"


    "Well I-"


    "You''re the one who''s talking about moderation, yet you resort yourself to dangerous fights just to reach Grade 7.Is that what you call moderation?" Alina said as she almost shouted at Alex. "You have almost died for 15 times already, and it seems like you are still intent on putting yourself in danger just to reach your breakthrough!"


    "Alina-"


    "Am I a joke to you?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Alina, you know the condition that I have to fulfill in order to reach Grade 7." Alexfinally managed to say as he saw Alina staying quiet in front of him. "Come on, you can say it right now."


    "¡­You need to make your current Monster Body undergo evolution." Alina muttered as she averted her gaze away from Alex. "It''s only when you evolve that you can reach Grade 7."


    "And Alina, what do I need to do in order to evolve?"


    "You should place yourself in perilous situations and survive." Alina replied as she gritted her teeth. "As for how many perilous experiences you should face, it will depend on your Monster Type."


    "That''s it." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "I just have to fight a lot and live through these fights. Simple, right?"


    "Yes, it''s simple, but it''s still wrong." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "Why are you even so intent on reaching Grade 7 now? With your current power, I think it''s already enough for our current world. Do you still need to risk yourself right now?"


    "Alina, if we can get stronger, then our enemies can get stronger too." Alex replied as he shook his head. "Since there is an opportunity for me to break through to Grade 7 here, I will gladly do it, if it will give us a higher chance of winning!"


    "Alex-"


    "Alina, no matter what you say now, you won''t be able to change my mind." Alex said as he avoided Alina''s glare. "I will continue what I am doing, and I will not stop until I reached my goal.You know about my stubbornness. There''s no way that you can stop me now."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­Sigh." In the end, Alina was forced to relent as she could see Alex won''t be listening to her anymore.


    "Alex, this is the final wave already. Since I can''t change your mind anymore, I can just wish that you succeed this time around." Alina said as she walked towards the encampment of the Symbolists.


    "I swear to you that I will succeed Alina." Alex replied as he followed his lover. "When did one of my plans even fail?"


    "¡­.Even the best planners will also fail. Don''t be that overconfident. Just a random mistake can send you spiraling to oblivion." Alina replied as she continued on walking forward. "Just make sure that today is not the day that you will fail. Because if you do, then it''s game over for us!"


    "¡­I''ll take that in mind."''


    "You better do, or else I will personally punish you for it."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 227 Interlude: The calamitous tea party

    (Note: The following excerpt shows what happened on a tea party that occurred between the 50th and the 51st wave)


    Astria: Who do you like more? My father or me?


    Alex: Um, why are you asking that question? Obviously I like you more. Your father¡­ he''s not really a likeable person.


    Astria: So you do like me. Ufufufu¡­


    Alina: ¡­.


    Alex: Hey, you''ve been using wordplays on me again!


    Astria: Wordplay? Did I really do that?


    Alina: ¡­


    Alex: Yes, you just did!


    Astria: Oh my, I must have not noticed it.


    Alex: ¡­


    Alina: Quit sniffing on where you should not sniff. Only dogs do something like that.


    Alex: !!!


    [Asteria]: Oh! It''s a fight between two women! This is gonna be good!


    Astria: Ara ara, you seem to be angry at me. Do you have any problems with me?


    Alina: Oh, I have no problems with you. I just could not help but notice that you seem to covet what is mine.


    Astria: Oh, I have no intentions like that. I''m just friendly to everyone.


    Alina: Friendly? As far as I can remember, you invited Alex for some ''private teatime'' with you. Is that what you call ''being friendly''?


    Nero: Hey, you were invited by Miss Astria? Why did you not tell that to me?


    Alex: Shut up! Don''t interrupt them!


    Nero: ¡­


    Astria: I invited Alex for some private tea because I have to tell him some important things privately. Surely there''s nothing wrong about that, right?


    Alina: Are you really only planning on talking with him?


    Astria: Yes, that is what I only plan to do.


    Alina: (Activates All-Seeing Eyes) You''re lying! I can see it!


    Astria: Tsk.


    Alex: Did you just click your tongue?


    Astria: I can smell the odor of burnt fish coming out of your body. You must be really angry at me right now.


    Alina: Angry? Hmph, that word is not enough to show how irritated I am right now!


    [Asteria]: Fight fight fight!


    Alex: Hey hey everyone! Let''s all calm down now, shall we?


    Astria: You know, since the first time I saw you, I already saw that you are angry at me. Why are you acting like that?


    Alina: Hmph, if you could have just learned to keep your hands to yourself, thenwe will not proceed at this stage. You''re acting like you are in heat. Please stop doing that. You''re just embarrassing yourself more and more.


    [Asteria]: Ohh!! That''s a roast right there! 10/10!


    Astria: ¡­You went over the line here, older girl. That''s not good¡­


    Alina: O-older girl?


    Astria: Do you want to fight against me or what? Because if you are only good at using your tongue, then you''ve got a lot of bad stuff coming to you!


    [Asteria]: That''s a decent roast attempt for a roast, but that''s still not enough. 5/10.


    Alina: ¡­


    Astria: Hmph, maybe at this point, it''s only your tongue that had ''pleased'' Alex. No wonder he looks so sad these days.


    Alex: Uh oh.


    [Asteria]: Damn, that''s a nasty one!


    Alina: YOU WANT TO FIGHT? LET''S DO IT NOW!


    Astria: HEHEHE, COME AT ME THEN!


    Alex: Guys, please stop!


    Nero: They''re girls, not guys, they won''t listen to you.


    Everyone: Would you please just shut up?


    Nero: Ok¡­


    [Asteria]: Fight, fight, fight!


    Grand Symbolist: What the hell is happening here?


    Nero: Miss Alina and Miss Asteria are trying to fight again! Miss Alina called your daughter as a woman in heat, while your daughter said that Miss Alina was only good at giving blo-


    Grand Symbolist: OUT! EVERYONE OUT! GO BACK TO YOUR ROOMS! RIGHT NOW SHOULD BE YOUR REST TIME BEFORE THE NEXT WAVE ARRIVES! DON''T WASTE IN ON YOUR PETTY SQUABBLES! DO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THAT?


    Everyone: Yes we do¡­.


    Grand Symbolist: ASTRIA! ALINA! BOTH OF YOU SHOULD BE FRIENDS NOW! HOW HARD CAN THAT BE?


    Astria: As long as Miss Alina apologizes to me first, then I shall reluctantly accept her as my friend.


    Alina: As long as she begs for my forgiveness, then I shall give it to her.


    Grand Symbolist: ¡­.


    Alex: ¡­.


    Nero: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Fight fight fight!

 Chapter 228 Communication is the Key for Promotion

    No matter how many times Alina told Alex to stop, Alex would never back down right now.


    Now that Alex has the chance to reach Grade 7, he will never let go of this opportunity until he got it.


    "Today is the last day of the Calamity¡­ If I don''t reach Grade 7 here, then our chance of succeeding in the Main Mission will be lower." Alex thought to himself as he continued on following Alina, observing her slender legs from behind.


    With the apparent weakness of the Fourth Calamity, Alex had the hunch that the difficult part will happen once they go the Blue Moon.


    Call this his gut instinct, but Alex was almost 80% sure that it is at the Blue Moon where the interesting things will happen.


    Since that was most likely the case, then Alex has to gather as much strength that he can right now before he and the others go to the Blue Moon!


    With the suppression on this world on Esper Abilities, Alex found it hard to increase his Mental Power.


    As such, he can only rely on his Abyss Energy for nowto increase his power!


    "¡­."


    After a few more minutes of walking, Alex and Alina stopped as they reached their destination.


    "¡­Everyone looks so serious right now." Alina muttered as she stared at the hundreds of thousands of armored Symbolists that are now milling on the open area in front of her. "They must have been dreading and waiting for this day."


    "Of course they will feel like that. Even if this is a weak calamity, it is still a calamity." Alex replied as he started to stretch his body. "And since the incoming wave is the last wave, there''s a high chance that many of us will die here."


    "¡­Alex, don''t you dare join the dead later. If you do so, I will force Professor Frances to revive you, no matter what the cost is. You wouldn''t want that now, right?" Alina said to Alex as she gave him a cold look. "Remember, I''m watching you."


    "¡­.Yes, I understand." Alex managed to squeak out as he nodded his head rapidly. "I will not die no matter what."


    "¡­."


    After Alex said these words, he started to observe the Symbolists, as he tried to ascertain their emotions.


    With his emotion sense, Alex could sense that most of the Symbolists right now had emotions of fear, resignation and just pure nervousness.


    But even without his emotion sense, Alex could perfectly see their emotions just from the way that they held their weapons.


    Around these Symbolists, a multitude of Titans could be seen, with most of them sporting numerous damaged parts.


    During the course of the first 143 waves, most of these Titans were used to tank the damage brought by the waves, which lead to some of these Titans getting destroyed in the process.


    The lion Titan that brought Alex to the polis was one of these destroyed Titans, with amassive Hydra from the 120th wave as its destroyer.


    The remaining Titans that survived this onslaught were all full of damages, but they are still deployed here on the final wave, as a way to ensure the victory of the Symbolists.


    With this kind of line-up in front of him, Alex had the hunch that there''s around 70% chance that he and the Symbolists will survive the 144th wave.


    Of course that number will change depending on the type of monster that will come outfor the final wave.


    "From what the history books have said, the final wave only consists of a single monster coming out of the portal." Alex muttered to himself as he cupped his chin. "That single monster usually was extremely strong, and its abilities were always off the charts."


    "If the Fourth Calamity follows the same pattern, then a single monster will also come out of the portal." Alex muttered to himself as he nodded his head. "Now, what will happen today will depend on what kind of monster will come out for the final wave."


    As Alex muttered these words, his fighting intent began to boil up, as he felt excited and also scared of what will happen later.


    "If the monster that will come out for this wave is extremely strong, then there is a high chance that I can reach Grade 7!" Alex thought to himself as he gritted his teeth. "Right now, I only need a very little more push to connect with the Abyss Plane! Just a little more, and I will be at that state already!"


    When Alex said that he needed to face danger in order to evolve and reach Grade 7, he was actually just saying the partial truth there.


    The real requirement for Alex to evolve his current Monster body and reach Grade 7 was to gain the recognition of the Abyss Plane and receive its blessing!


    Only when he receives the Abyss Origin Baptism from the Abyss Plane that Alex can evolve his Abomination Monster Body and reach Grade 7 in the process!


    However, for Alex to gain the recognition of the Abyss Plane, he must find a way to connect with it first and present an offering to it.


    Only when the Abyss Plane approves of Alex''s offering that he can receive its baptism.


    This might all sound simple, but there is one big problem with this method.


    And that is that in order for Alex to communicate with the Abyss Plane, he must first place himself in numerous dangerous situations and survive!


    Only when he does this that Alex can start communicating with the Abyss Plane and try receiving its blessing.


    Alex, being the serious grinder that he is, immediately started to deliberately place himself on dangerous situations during the waves in order to communicate with the Abyss Plane.


    But just like what Alina said earlier, Alex had failed on communicating with the Abyss Plan even until now.


    "Tsk. Today is already the last day of the waves! If I don''t communicate with the Abyss Plane today, then I will still have to wait until we go the Blue Moon before I can try it again!" Alex muttered to himself with irritation as he shook his head. "I cannot allow that to happen! I¡­ must succeed today!"


    With this promise engraved in his mind right now, Alex gave a nod to Alina, who in turn walked towards the mass of the gathered Symbolists.


    There''s only one minute left until the start of the final wave, and Alex will not waste time dawdling around the area.


    "Let''s see how today''s monster killing event will fare." Alex muttered to himself as he ignored Alina''s sigh beside him. "I wish we can get loot out of it!"


    "Alex this is not a game."


    "I know that. I just want to make a witty comment."


    "What you said was not witty, its cringy. Please stop doing that."


    "¡­"


    ************


    When Alex and Alina had reached their preferred spot, they stopped there as they prepared their minds and bodies for what was about to happen later.


    But before they could even relax, a melodious voice suddenly floated towards them, making Alex look somewhat irritated and resigned, while making Alina looked extremely pissed.


    "Hey Alex¡­ so you are here. Why did you not tell us about that?" The sound of a wheelchair came squeaking in as the thin and frail body of Astria appeared in front of Alex and Alina.


    Behind Astria, the fed-up Queen Mother and the irritated Professor Frances appeared.


    From the looks on their faces, it seems like they were unhappy on being forced to follow the wheelchaired Astria.


    Alina, who seemed to have the greatest ill intent on Astria, opened her mouth as she started to shoo Astria away.


    "What are you doing here blondie? Do you really want a fight to happen?"


    "What are you talking about? I''m just here to cheer Alex on." Astria replied as she tilted her head innocently. "Since I am the one who initiated the alliance with him, its only proper for me to cheer him on!"


    "Tsk!"Veins started to appear on Alina''s forehead, as if her blood vessels could not contain the irritation that she had for Astria right now.


    "Little girl. You should have just stayed at your little lab and continue your tea party there with your imaginary friends." Alina replied scathingly as she sneered at Astria. "Maybe you will be more useful that way."


    "¡­."


    Even though there''s no throbbing veins on her forehead, the facemasked Astria seems to be extremely irritated too, which was proven by Alex''s emotion sense.


    "Hahaha, why don''t you two calm down right now." Alex said as he scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "There''s no need to fight now, since we are about to face the last wave! Let''s forget all the grudges for now¡­ I assume you can do that, right?"


    "Hmph, you''re lucky I''m ina good mood today." Alina said as she turned her head to the right. "You should thankAlex for my generosity."


    "Ufufu, you know, Alex can give me a lot more than just generosity." Astria replied as she started to giggle. "He will just have to show me his desires, and I will be happy to accept it!"


    "You little-!"


    Seeing that the two was about to start arguing again, Alex let out a sigh as he placed a palm on his forehead.


    Alex was not sure why, but after Alina and Astria met each other for the first time, their relationship devolved to that of extreme hate.


    Alex was not sure why these two hate each other like this, but he''s pretty certain that Astria''s moves towards Alex was one of the factors for Alina''s anger.


    "Sigh¡­" As Alex thought of this, he realized that he must step in now to break up their argument.


    "Hey you two, the final wave is about to star-" But before Alex could fully use his authority to stop the argument, a bloodcurdling sound suddenly rippled towards them.


    "Skree!!!""


    With his very own eyes, Alex saw a ripple of shockwaves coming out of the portal, with these shockwaves carrying the bloodcurdling sound that he just heard.


    Alex immediately felt shivers after hearing this sound, as he instinctively tried to run away.


    "Wait, why am I running away?" Alex thought to himself as he stopped himself from moving.


    He looked down at his body, and to his shock, he realized that his whole body was trembling in fear right now.


    "Why¡­ am I this scared? Is that roar enough to make my body react like this?" Alex thought to himself grimly as he bit lip hard.


    Alex then looked around him, and there he saw that most of the Symbolists were also trembling in fear, with some of them even pissing on their own garments.


    "Alex... the monster this time is no joke. It seems like we have to give our all right now." Alina muttered behind Alex as she and Alex looked at the portal around a kilometer away from them.


    There''s still no monster that had emerged from the portal, yet the shockwaves that came out of the portal were already enough to make some of them incapacitated to fight.


    If a monster can already do this when it was not yet out of the portal, then what would happen when its real body does come out?


    "Rumble¡­" A few seconds after the fear-inducing roar appeared, the whole surroundings began to tremble as the monster portal visibly shook.


    Moments later, and a massive body could be seen slithering out of the portal, with its body barely fitting through the portal''s overall surface area.


    As this massive monster came out, black gas rippled out of its body, which then started to spread towards the Symbolists.


    When Alex saw this black gas, his eyes widened to the point that they almost popped out.


    "Why, why is that here?" Alex exclaimed to himself as he looked at the black gas in shock."Is this even possible?"


    As the black gas continued on spreading, the Symbolists tried their best to get away from the black gas, as they deemed it too dangerous to get near it.


    Alex however, made no attempts to get away from the spreading black gas, as his mind was occupied by questions right now.


    "Why is the Abyss Energy here?" Alex thought to himself as he looked at the black gas with confusion on his face. "Don''t tell me¡­ that our final opponent is a monster from the Abyss Plane?"

 Chapter 229 787898

    The Abyss Plane.


    This is the place where Alex''s source of Abyss Energy comes from, and this is also the place where his current monster body had originated from.


    But even with that knowledge in his mind, Alex was not sure on what kind of place the Abyss Plane really was.


    Was it just another world, or was it located at a higher realm?


    Alex had no answer to that, as of right now, he had no way of going to the Abyss Plane yet.


    With this kind of situation, Alex thought that he will only encounter another Abyss Monster once he goes at the Abyss Plane.


    But how could have thought that he will meet an Abyss Monster right here in the 144th wave!


    "... Damn it." Alex muttered to himself as he stared at the appearance of the massive Abyss Monster that came out of the portal. "This one''s stronger than my monster body!"


    Even if hehad no exact way to measure someone''s power level, Alex was definitely sure that the Abyss Monster in front of him was of a higher level than he was.


    He was sure of it, as he can feel some kind of suppression from this Abyss Monster!


    With Alex''s current level of power, only an Abyss Monster around at least Grade 9 ¨C Grade 10 could suppress Alex like this!


    "Ugh, and to make matters worse, this monster is also gigantic. This is not going to end good¡­" Alex muttered to himself grimly as he gritted his teeth.


    As he said these words, Alex forced himself to look up as he observed the Abyss Monster''s full appearance.


    The Abyss Monster that Alex could see right now was the size of a mountain, with its whole body made up of black and rotting flesh.


    This Abyss Monster had no limbs, or even a head.


    It was only a large ball of rotting flesh, rolling its way towards Alex and the Symbolists.


    As this Abyss Monster started to ''roll'',Alex could not help but scrunch as his nose detected the scent of something horrible.


    Beside him, Astria''s face was contorted in pain and agony as she covered her nose. From the looks of it, she was highly affected of this terrible smell.


    This smell was coming out of the Abyss Monster, and just like the Abyss Energy earlier, it also started spreading out.


    "Ugh¡­" After a few more seconds, Astria''s eyes rolled back to her head as she lost consciousness.


    It seems like her special nose was unable to take the smell being emitted out by the monster for any longer.


    As her body was caught by Queen Mother, Alex frowned as he had to physically stop himself from breathing through his nose just to avoid the smell.


    Right now, the smell coming out of this flesh mountain was so putrid that the land around it started to visibly decay.


    In Alex''s opinion, only those dumpsites back in his home world can compete with the smell that he can breathe in right now!


    That''s just how nasty their current predicament is!


    **************


    "What the hell are you doing? Activate the trap!" Someone from the Symbolists shouted as the flesh mountain approached them. "We have to kill it before it gets near us!"


    With this reminder, the Symbolists who were still able to keep their wits stood up as they simultaneously activated the pre-written Symbols.


    These pre-written Symbols were activated right at the moment that the Abyss Monster were above these Symbols, which placed the Abyss Monster right under the effect of these Symbols.


    "Boom!"


    The massive Abyss Monster suddenly lurched as its whole body was pushed downward, as if there was something massive pressing on it right now.


    Whatever was pressing down on the monster was so great, as Alex could see the ground around the Abyss Monster being crushed into liquid state!


    This was the effect of the pre-written Symbols that were activated by the Symbolists earlier!


    From what Alex could remember, these pre-written Symbols were written in a way that once they were activated, they will create a region of extremely high pressure, which will crush anything that goes inside its range.


    With around 100,000 Symbols used to create this high-pressure Symbol Trap, Alex was sure that this trap was bound to do some damage to the Abyss Monster.


    But to everyone''s surprise, the Abyss Monster seems to be not that damaged by the high pressure at all!


    In fact, it started to wiggle on its place, as if it was attempting to move forward again!


    "(*U%@UO@U!!!!)" The Abyss Monster let out another roar of anger, which made more Symbolists turn unconscious from fear.


    With more Symbolists rendered invalid, the effect of the high-pressure region became weaker, which in turn allowed the Abyss Monster with some leeway to move!


    "What the f**k are you doing! You had it trapped now! Commence your attacks!" The Grand Symbolist, who was watching what was happening with impassive eyes, started to shout out as he glared at everyone on the battlefield. "Use any of the attacks that you want to use! Just make sure that it dies once we were done!"


    "Hah!" With this command from the Grand Symbolist himself, the remaining Symbolists activated their signature attacks, hoping to pepper their target with everything that they can throw to it.


    A couple of seconds later, and the skies were covered with attacks, which then rained down on the Abyss Monster''s body.


    As this was happening, the remaining Titans started to make their move too.


    All of them opened their mouths to unleash their energy attacks.


    These energy attacks, which were already shown to be able to decimate mountains, were now all blasted towards the ''defenseless'' Abyss Monster.


    "Boom boom boom!" As the surroundings were covered with extreme flashes of light, Alex''s Companions started to attack too.


    For Alina, she used the strongest dimension-tearing ability that she can use, and she used it right at the spot where the Abyss Monster currently is.


    As for Queen Mother, she summoned a massive mountain-sized tree. She uprooted this tree by its roots, and once the tree was off the ground, she swung the whole tree against the body of the monster!


    The ground visibly rumbled as Queen Mother continuously swung her ''tree bat'', with her treating the Abyss Monster as her practice baseball.


    Professor Frances on the other hand did not participate in the battle, as she could be seen flitting across the field, giving first aids and emergency resuscitations to the Symbolists that were affected by the Abyss Monster''s earlier attacks.


    "¡­"


    While everyone else were doing something, there were some who were not yet making a move on their own.


    Some of these were the higher officials of the Symbolists, who were watching the ensuing attacks with impassive expression on their faces.


    It was hard to see what were they thinking at that time, as they could only be seen staring at the whole battlefield with that blank facial expression on their faces.


    Another one who did not join the attack yet was the Grand Symbolist, who was currently crossing his arms.


    His attention seemed to be elsewhere, and he seems to be uninterested to attack the Abyss Monster for now.


    If one will look at the Grand Symbolist intently, his eyes could be seen to be only concentrated on one person.


    And this person was Alex, who coincidentally, was also not attacking the Abyss Monster.


    Just like the Grand Symbolist, Alex was also crossing his arms and he looked distracted, although nobody was sure on what he was thinking off.


    Nobody dared to call out Alex right now, as most of the Symbolists already knew that Alex and his companions were people that should not be trifled with.


    If he does not plan to attack now, then maybe Alex could be scheming on doing something.


    This has already happened in the 90th, 116th, and the 140th wave, so everyone just let Alex stay on his place.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    The bombardment carried out by the Symbolists and Alex''s companions went on for half an hour before everyone stopped from fatigue.


    Even though Alina and Queen Mother were not yet tired, they also stopped attacking, as they wanted to see the damage that everyone did on the Abyss Monster.


    As everyone simultaneously stopped with what they were doing, all of them started to look at the direction of the Abyss Monster, with all of them wanting to see how badly injured the monster could be.


    "That 30-minute bombardment was already the strongest offense that had been used here in the Fourth Calamity¡­" Someone among the Symbolists said as the smoke covering the area began to clear. "If we had used this attacks on the 143rd wave, they will already be wiped out in just 10 minutes! That''s how strong these attacks were!"


    "Yeah! These attacks are really strong!" Some of the Symbolists shouted as they raised their arms high in the air. "Even if that monster is really strong, there is no way that it can go uninjured from our attacks!"


    "Yeah, it should be at least half-dead now!"


    "Yeah that''s right!"


    As these cheers from the Symbolists started to increase, the smoke around them began to decrease, prompting them to cheer louder.


    A few seconds more passed by and the smoke completely cleared up, and everyone was now able to see what had happened with the Abyss Monster.


    "¡­.. No way. This is not possible." These were the words spoken by one of the Symbolists, and the disbelieving expression on his face was something that was plastered on the faces of the other Symbolists too.


    "!U%(@U!OI~!!{"


    The Abyss Monster, which everyone expected to be injured, looked like it did not suffer massive injury at all!


    Only large surface wounds and lateral burns could be seen on the Abyss Monster''s body, which shows that any kind of damage poured on this monster had only affected it at the surface level!


    "This is ridiculous." Alina could not help but say these words as she looked at the monster''s appearance. "That 30-minute attack only barely scratched it? This monster deserves to be the final monster!"


    "¡­."


    Even if everyone were already clamoring in surprise and fear with what they saw, Alex was still quiet as he stood still on his place.


    "Alex, what is the matter with you?" Alina asked Alex as she saw Alex''s strange behavior. "Did you discover something about that monster?"


    "Yes I did¡­ and it is not good." Alex replied as he put down his arm on his sides.


    "Not good?"


    "You will understand it any moment from now." Alex replied as he pointed at the body of the Abyss Monster. "Look at it, it''s starting to make its move already."


    "!OU%OI@U@"


    The Abyss Monster let out another shout, and before anyone could even react, its whole body suddenly shrunk down to the size of a large carriage.


    "Boom!" The ground underneath the carriage-sized monster formed a crater as the monster started bouncing up and down.


    Yes, the Abyss Monster acted like it was a ball, with its body bobbing up and down on the ground.


    "Alex, what is it doing?" Alina replied warily as she activated her dimension shield.


    Alina could not help but get a chilly feeling on her heart, as if something horrible was about to happen now.


    This notion of hers just got stronger as she saw the serious expression on Alex''s face.


    "It''s doing what it was supposed to do now." Alex replied as he shook his head.


    "Alex you are being cryptic here!" Alina hissed as she glared at Alex. "Tell me what will really happen!"


    "B-" Before Alex could give a reply, Alina suddenly felt the arrival of something massive towards their direction.


    Alina looked at the incoming object, and to her surprise, she saw that it was the Abyss Monster in front of her!


    This monster was zipping towards them with a speed so great that nobody among the Symbolists were able to stop it from moving.


    It was only Alina, with her special eyes, who was able to see where the monster was.


    "No good!" As Alina observed the monster''s movement path, she realized that it was heading towards Alex!


    "Crash!" As Alina reached this conclusion, she felt her dimension shield shattering as the Abyss Monster barreled across it easily.


    She could only watch as the Abyss Monster collided with Alex.


    "Alex!"

 Chapter 230 Swoogity swooty...

    @@


    Huhuhu guys I have a bad news for all of you: I have 5 very important exams that will happen tomorrow and on friday, so I have to take a 3-day break... So there will be no chapters for today, tomorrow and on friday.


    Chapter release will resume on saturday... I''m really sorry about these guys...


    Survey:


    1. What do you think will the Abyss Monster do to Alex?


    3. What is the link between the eyes of Alina, the nose of Astria, and the ears of Vera?@@

 Chapter 231 You know, Ism something of a code-breaker myself

    As Alina saw Alex being hit head-on by the Abyss Monster, she could only look helplessly as she knew that it was too late for her to stop the Abyss Monster from doing anything to Alex.


    A second passed by after this, and everyone in the battlefield had just realized what happened.


    "!!!" All of them looked at Alex''s direction with fear and pity on their eyes, as if they can already imagine Alex''s body being torn to pieces by the Abyss Monster.


    Even the Grand Symbolist, who did not make a move to stop the Abyss Monster earlier, had a frowning expression on his face, as if what the Abyss Monster did had caught him off guard.


    "May your mind be in peace now." Some of the Symbolists murmured as they envisioned Alex''s soul being accepted at the afterlife. "We hope that your life had been fulfillful¡­"


    But contrary to the expectations of these Symbolists, their wish for him did not come true.


    Nobody went to the afterlife, including Alex, as he could still be seen standing, perfectly alive and unscathed.


    The terrifying Abyss Monster, which had tanked numerous powerful attacks earlier, was currently curled into a much smaller ball, with Alex cradling it on his arms.


    Needless to say, everyone was unnerved and surprised with that they just saw.


    "!!!" As everyone tried to process what had just happened, Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances all approached Alex quickly while giving the Abyss Monster wary looks.


    "Alex¡­ you were not hurt at all, right?" Alina immediately asked Alex as she went near him without care for the Abyss Monster on his arms. "Did this... thing do something to you?"


    "¡­I''m perfectly fine, Alina." Alex replied in a calm tone. "In fact, you could say that right now is one of the better days that I have."


    "What¡­ do you mean by that?" Alina asked Alex as she felt confused by Alex''s answer. "Is that monster¡­ not hostile anymore?"


    "Yes, this monster is not hostile anymore." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "So, for everyone of you here, be rejoiced now. The 144th wave has ended, and that just means that the Fourth Calamity has finished!"


    "¡­"


    Instead of celebrating from Alex''s announcement, nobody from the Symbolists made a move, as they only stared at Alex directly.


    Alex did not look overwhelmed from the stares, as he spent his time looking at the Symbolist Army and at the Grand Symbolists along with the other Symbolist Officials.


    With the incredulous expression on the Symbolists'' faces, and the palpable suspicion around their bodies, it was quite obvious that they were also itching to hear Alex''s explanation about what had just happened.


    After all, the seemingly terrifying monster of the 144th wave had turned docile, and it actually happened at the presence of Alex!


    Even if Alex and the Symbolists were allies, there was no way that they Symbolists will jet let this current matter go unexplained!


    Right now, everyone on the battlefield was silent as they wanted to hear Alex''s story!


    "I know that you want an explanation from me, but for now, I cannot give you an answer yet." Alex replied to the Symbolists as his right hand wrapped itself reassuringly around Alina''s. "We all need to take a rest first¡­ so why don''t we freshen up, especially now that we all stink?"


    Before the Symbolists could give out their complaints, someone already beat them to it.


    "Outsider, you have been a good ally for us, actually I can say that you are an ideal ally." The Grand Symbolist uttered out as his booming voice echoed across the field. "However, even with that kind of traits, there are still times where we cannot just let you do things your own way."


    "Ho~ Are you telling me that one of those things is this one right now?" Alex replied with a neutral expression on his face as he raised the small Abyss Monster.


    Veins started to appear on the Grand Symbolist''s face, as if he was struggling to contain his irritation.


    "I''m specifically talking about that thing." The Grand Symbolist said as his gave landed on the Abyss Monster. "Do you think just because if went docile now that we can already be contented? No, only when it is dead that we can be rest assured that the calamity is done!"


    "Oh, so you plan on killing it then?"


    "Hmph, it''s better for that thing to be killed rather than for it to stay alive with you!" The Grand Symbolist angrily replied as his body started to swell. "Who knows, maybe you will use that monster for a nefarious scheme! By killing that monster now, there will be no problems that will rear upon our heads anymore!"


    "¡­."


    After the Grand Symbolist said these words, Alex immediately went quiet, as if he was unsure of what was to say.


    The Grand Symbolist, realizing that he had cornered Alex, started to circulate his Mind Power as he decided to fight the Abyss Monster now.


    A few more seconds passed by with Alex''s silence, and the Grand Symbolist was ready to make his move.


    Btu before the Grand Symbolist could start his attack, Alex suddenly started to talk, and the words that he said effectively stopped the Grand Symbolist on his tracks.


    "Give me few minutes to explain things to my teammates. After that, I will kill this monster." Alex said as his eyes gazed at the Grand Symbolist. "Surely you can wait for that long, right?"


    "¡­.Are you sure that you are just going to talk?" The Grand Symbolist queried as his eyes narrowed in suspicion." You''re not trying to delay time in order to escape?"


    "Well, I-" Alex''s reply was interrupted by another voice, which sounded somewhat dizzy.


    "Father¡­ I can vouch for his honesty." Astria, who still looked dizzy and sick from the smell, spoke up as she blearily looked at her father.


    Her facemask was slightly ajar, allowing her to smell emotions from nearby people.


    "I can smell that Alex is not buls****ing here." Astria said as she adjusted her seat on her wheelchair. "He had no plans on duping us, and he will never try that as long as we don''t give him a reason to."


    "Nice one, Astria."Alex muttered to Astria, which earned him a pinch from Alina. "Ow!"


    "¡­.Since you vouched for him, then I shall let this outsider do what he intends to do." The Grand Symbolist said as he relented under his daughter''s explanation. "However, if I see that guy doing something undesirable, then I, the Grand Symbolist, along with the Symbolist army will do our best to eradicate him!"


    "Boom!" As if to show agreement to the Grand Symbolist, the majority of the Symbolists flared up their Mind Power, covering the whole field with their intent to fight.


    "¡­"


    Alex, who saw the extremely wary reaction of the Symbolists, could only smile a little as he shrugged his shoulders.


    "Well, at least you allowed my request." Alex said as he snapped his fingers, covering him, Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances with a sound and light barrier, which came from his EM and Gravity Manipulation.


    Astria was left outside of the barrier, and this wheel-chaired Symbolist could only let out a huff as she seemed to be bummed from being excluded.


    As for [Asteria], she was nowhere to be found, and Alex seems to be not worried about that.


    "¡­"


    From a distance from Alex, the Grand Symbolist could be seen staring intently at Alex and his team, as he seemed to be trying to ascertain anything dangerous from their position right now.


    "I dare you to make a single bad move outsider. I dare you." The Grand Symbolist thought to himself as he gritted his teeth. "Just give me an excuse to attack, and I will make sure you won''t have a body left!"


    ****************


    INSIDE THE SOUND AND LIGHT BARRIER


    As they safely isolated themselves, Alex started to let out a sigh as he placed the Abyss Monster towards the ground.


    Alina, who was watching what Alex was doing, just stared at Alex as she waited for him to talk.


    Professor Frances and Queen Mother were staring at Alex too, as they too were waiting for him to open his mouth.


    "¡­" Alex, who could feel their stares, let out an amused sigh as he started to talk.


    "Contrary to what you all think, this monster right here is not a weapon to eradicate this world." Alex said calmly. "It is something else."


    "Then what is this monster for?" Alina replied as she glared at Alex. "Don''t tell me it is just a gift?"


    "That''s the right answer." Alex said as he gave Alina an approving smile. "This Abyss Monster is a gift of the Abyss Plane to me!"


    "!!!"


    As his teammates processed what he just said, Alex ignored their reactions as he continued on talking.


    "When this Abyss Monster went through the portal earlier, you saw the Abyss Energy flowing out from the portal, right?"


    "Yes, we can see that Alex." Queen Mother replied with a deadpan expression on her face. "Just get on with your story."


    "And you can see the way that it moved, right?" Alex once more asked as he looked at the three.


    "Yes, yes, yes, WE can see the way that it moved, but what does it got to do here?" Professor Frances said with irritation. "As far as I know, the way that energy moved was just random!"


    "It may seem random to you, but to me, who was attuned to Abyss Energy, the way that the Abyss Energy moved earlier was actually a coded message!" Alex almost shouted out as if he just solved a famous mystery.


    "A coded message?"


    "Yes, the Abyss Plane sent me a short message." Alex said as he rubbed his chin. "As for the message, it only goes as follows:"


    [[[Champion of the Abyss, take this monster as the Abyss Plane''s gift to you. Use it for your breakthrough. ]]]


    "¡­That'' the message given to you? That seems so short." Professor Frances said as she narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "And you are just going to believe that?"


    "Well, I think that this is the blessing that I have been asking for from the Abyss Plane." Alex replied as he gave Professor Frances an unfazed look. "They must have accepted my communication request, and in return, they decided to give this monster to me as their blessing. It''s pretty simple if you look at it that way."


    "But still, it reeks of suspicion." Alina said as she glared at the Abyss Monster. "If the Abyss Plane wanted to give you a blessing, then why give you a powerful Abyss Monster? Couldn''t they just give you enough Abyss Energy? Why send a member of the Abyss Plane as a material for your evolution? This Abyss Plane¡­ it wants something else from you!"


    "I can understand your suspicions Alina." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "And if my suspicions were right, I think I already know what the Abyss Plane wants from me."


    "And what could that be, Alex?"


    "Well¡­" Alex''s voice trailed a little before he continued talking. "I think the Abyss Plane wants to make me stronger because the Abyss Plane wants me to do something that will benefit it!"


    "???"


    "Didn''t you remember the start of the coded message?" Alex said as he tilted his head. "The message basically called me ''Champion of the Abyss''. If I were given that title, then it pretty much means that the Abyss Plane is intent on supporting me in exchange for its goal!"


    "¡­" Alina and the others became silent after hearing Alex''s statements, as they realized that he was actually making some sense here.


    "Of course I''m still wary if the Abyss Plane really is sincere on supporting me." Alex said as he let out a sigh. "But whatever the reason the Abyss Plane had, whether it reallywanted to support me or it just wanted to screw with me, there is still the fact that if gave me a gift, which coincidentally, will be of great help to me here¡­"


    "Since you have been saying those words, it seems like you already have decided on what you should do now." Alina said as she stared at Alex. "So tell us Alex, what will you do with this Abyss Monster? Will you kill it, will you leave it alive, or will you return it to the Abyss Plane?"

 Chapter 232 Yum yum yum!

    Under Alina''s incessant query, Alex''s only reply was,


    "Since it was already given to me, then I will of course use it to its fullest." Alex said as he cricked his neck.


    "Alex, are you sure that if you use this Abyss Monster to evolve, that you won''t suffer from any kind of trickery?" Alina worriedly asked Alex as she looked at the Abyss Monster. "Are you confident about that?"


    "Yes, I am." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders


    "Are you really sure?"


    "I am sure about that." Alex replied, this time with exasperation.


    Before Alina could say more to him, Alex looked at Alina directly as he told her,


    "If you still suspect this gift, use your eyes to detect anything malicious inside this monster. Try to see if there''s anything on this monster that was not supposed to be here."


    "Fine, I will do that."


    Alina followed what Alex told her to do, and to her surprise, she found nothing wrong with the Abyss Monster below her.


    With Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes, she was able to see anything hidden inside the Abyss Monster right now.


    If there''s really something hidden inside this Abyss Monster, then this whole ''gift'' will easily be deemed suspicious.


    But just like what Alina had found out, there''s nothing hidden inside the Abyss Monster right now!


    "Aside from the Abyss Energy and its abnormally large biomass, I can''t see anything else inside this monster." Alina replied as she shook her head. "From what I can see¡­ there''s really nothing malicious hidden inside this monster''s body¡­"


    "See? I told you the Abyss Plane is serious about this." Alex said as he let out a wry smile. "There''s no way they would want someone like me dead."


    "Well, I suppose we can accept this monster willingly now." Queen Mother chimed behind Alina as she gave Alex a nod. "So, will you kill it now?"


    "Heh, I have a better idea than that." Alex replied as he stared behind him. "There''s someone else fitted to do the deed."


    After Alex said these words, he suddenly snapped his fingers, which in turn deactivated the light and sound barrier, reconnecting Alex and the other with the Symbolists.


    "¡­" Once this had happened, Alina and the others quickly closed their mouths as they knew who will Alex talk to next.


    "Grand Symbolist, we have just finished talking." Alex said as he stared at the muscular old man looking at him defiantly. "And after our talks, my teammates have agreed with my proposal to them!"


    "And what would that proposal be then?"


    "Well that''s a secret~" Alex replied as he placed a finger on his lips. "Can''t afford telling you about it right now!"


    "You!"


    "Oh come on, don''t be that worked up." Alex said as he interrupted the Grand Symbolist. "We still need you to do the execution of this monster!"


    "Execution? Are you telling me that you want me to kill that monster?" The Grand Symbolist incredulously asked Alex as his eyes landed on the Abyss Monster.


    "Who else should kill it but you?" Alex replied as he tilted his head. "Well, if you can''t do it, then I will just do it myself¡­"


    "Hmph, who told you I can''t do it huh?" The Grand Symbolist almost shouted out as he rolled the sleeves of his pants. "Let me show you my might!"


    "Boom!" After the Grand Symbolist ascertained his convictions to Alex, his body glowed golden again.


    Countless symbols appeared all around the Grand Symbolist''s body, and these symbols rearranged themselves until they formed a 9-layer Symbol Array.


    As the Grand Symbolist started to fine-tune the Symbol Array, the Abyss Monster, who was in front of Alex earlier, was suddenly thrown by Alex towards the Grand Symbolist.


    "Hey you monster, don''t resist his attack." Alex telepathically said to the monster as it continued on sailing towards the Grand Symbolist''s Symbol Array. "You know what will happen if you don''t!"


    With Alex''s status as an Abyss Monster, he was able to communicate telepathically with other Abyss Monsters, just like what he just did now.


    In reply to Alex''s telepathic advice, the Abyss Monster let out a faint roar towards him.


    "@*)(&%@)...."


    The roar that came out of the Abyss Monster was faint and also sounded resigned, as if it was already accepting its fate.


    The Grand Symbolist did not dwell on the sight of the monster sailing towards him as he activated his Symbol Array.


    "Hong~"


    The whole Symbol Array started to change shape until it''s appearance emulated that of a pagoda.


    With the transparency of the Symbol Array, one can see that the ''pagoda'' had 9 floors on it, with each floor being represented by a Symbol Layer.


    "¡­" Alex could not help but feel chills as he stared at the pagoda, as if he just saw something that should have not existed.


    It was not a pleasant feeling, and Alex was not sure if he can withstand more of that feeling from now on.


    "I call this Symbol Array as ''9-Layered Pagoda of Destruction." The Grand Symbolist muttered as the Abyss Monster made contact with the Symbol Array. "I hope you will have some fun with it."


    "Boom!"


    At the instant that the two opposing bodies collided with each other, booming sounds appeared from the Symbol Array, as Alex felt massive amounts of Mind Power being consumed by the Symbol Array.


    Alex watched in fascination as he saw lightning, fire, ice,plasma, magma, gravity waves, poison, shockwaves, and swordscoming out of the Symbol Array, covering the Abyss Monster''s body entirely.


    "¡­"


    The Abyss Monster seemed to not care on what was happening to it, even when its body was starting to break down from effects of the Symbol Array.


    The Symbolists who saw what was happening started to cheer, as they saw the fearsome monster being slowly killed by the Grand Symbolist himself.


    They seemed to have ignored the words uttered by Alex earlier, as all of them were just focused on watching for the Abyss Monster''s demise.


    "¡­"


    After 5 minutes of non-stop blasting, the Abyss Monster was no more, with none of its body visible.


    It was obvious from this sight that the Grand Symbolist had succeeded on what the Symbolist Army failed to do earlier.


    He had killed the final monster.


    "¡­" A few second of silence occurred, before the whole field was filled with shouts of praise.


    "Long live the Grand Symbolist! Long live the Grand Symbolist! Long live the Grand Symbolist!" The Symbolists shouted as they raised their voices to their limits. "Long live the Grand Symbolist!"


    "¡­."


    While all of this was happening, something unexpected was occurring in front of the Grand Symbolist.


    A black pearl, around the size of a marble, suddenly materialized at the spot where the Abyss Monster had died.


    This black pearl looked extremely harmless, although its ebony sheen and its perfect roundness were things that triggered the alarms inside the Grand Symbolist''s head.


    With the festivities below, it was only the Grand Symbolist who noticed the conception of this black pearl.


    He tried to reach out to get the pearl, but before he could even approach it, the black pearl started to make its move.


    Like a meteor streaking through the night sky, the black pearl launched itself away from the Grand Symbolist.


    The take-off speed of the black pearl was so high that the Grand Symbolist was unable to stop it from moving at all.


    It sliced through the air seamlessly as it assumed a projectile path towards the ground.


    "¡­" The Grand Symbolist could only watch helplessly as the black pearl landed on Alex''s hands, who gave the Grand Symbolist a wide smirk.


    "You¡­" As the Grand Symbolist started to grumble, he saw Alex and his teammates sneaking out of the field towards the direction of their residence. It was quite obvious from the way that they moved that they were up to something right now.


    "¡­"


    With the current atmosphere on the field, it was only the Grand Symbolist who saw them sneaking out.


    The Grand Symbolist, who saw obviously unhappy with what he just saw, started to raise his hand in an attempt to stop them from moving.


    But a glare from his daughter Astria stopped the Grand Symbolist from making any move.


    "¡­"And with that, the Grand Symbolist could only hopelessly watch Alex and the others leave.


    **************


    5 MINUTES LATER


    "Now that the Abyss Monster is dead, it''s time for me to evolve." Alex said as he stretched his body.


    He and his companions were currently outside Alex''s room, with Alex''s body halfway through the door.


    "¡­"


    From the expression on Alex''s face, it was quite obvious that he''s itching to do what he had been aiming for since the start of the Calamity.


    Alina and the others could not help but sigh as they saw Alex''s urgency to be done with it.


    "¡­" Undeterred by their sighs, Alex started to slowly close the door as he stared at his Companions.


    "This attempt of mine to evolve is extremely important, so there should be nobody that will disturb me." Alex said as he gave a serious look to his companions. "As such, I can only shamelessly ask you all to guard this room from any possible intruders. I promise that I will treat you all to a good cooking place once we are done here."


    "I''ll be taking note of that promise." Alina replied as she leaned back on the wall beside the door. "If you forget to fulfill it, you know what will happen to you."


    "Hahaha, I know, I know¡­"


    If Alina had this grim reminder to Alex,Queen Mother and Professor Frances did not say anything as they stood still on their spots.


    "¡­"


    Anyone who will see Alex''s Companions right now might scratch their heads from the way that Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances had position themselves. It just looked¡­ wrong.


    "¡­"


    Alex chose to not comment on how awkward his ''guards'' looked as he fully closed the door of his room.


    "Click." He carefully activated the lock system on his door, just to make sure that he followed the etiquettes of a secluded cultivation properly.


    "Yosh, now that the calamity had been dealt with, it''s time for me to be reborn." Alex muttered to himself as he sat cross-legged on the floor.


    The black pearl, which had been sitting on his hands since earlier, now started to float in front of Alex.


    It was as if this pearl was waiting for Alex to make a move, and it will not leave until Alex wanted it to do so.


    "Hmm, this pearl is the accumulation of all the Essence and Powers inside that Abyss Monster''s body."Alex muttered to himself as he stared at the black pearl intently. "If I want to evolve, then I should integrate the contents of this pearl to myself."


    As Alex muttered these words, a small figure materialized behind him silently.


    "And in order for me to do that, I must use an ability that will let me eat the black pearl." Alex muttered as he cupped his chin.


    The small figure behind Alex slowly approached him as Alex continued talking.


    "I''m sure that Greed is not the one suited for this thing, since he is more attuned on stealing skills." Alex said as a small smile started to show on his face. "If I need someone for ''eating'', then there''s only one Abyss Sprite that comes to my mind¡­."


    Alex then looked behind him as his eyes landed on the small figure that was still approaching him.


    "Gluttony, you will be the one who will eat this pearl for me." Alex said as he stared at Gluttony''s small frame. "I hope you are fit enough to do that now."


    "Master! I can do that properly of course!" Gluttony replied excitedly, perhaps a little too excitedly, as Alex saw some drool dripping out of Gluttony''s mouth. "Don''t worry about me! Just watch me eat!"


    "¡­As long as you don''t make this an eating show, then I will observe you." Alex replied wryly as he gave Gluttony a narrow stare. "You don''t do that, right?"


    "Well Master, I do it sometimes with Greed¡­. "Gluttony hesitantly replied as he gave Alex an apologetic smile. "Eating is just too good you know, especially when others watch you eat. Making them feel hungry makes me feel good!"


    "¡­."

 Chapter 233 Lets get cooking!

    If a living creature wants to grow, then it must eat.


    Plants needed to consume water and air in conjunction with sunlight in order to provide them the nutrients to grow.


    Animals and humans on the other hand has to eat and drink if they want to live and reach the peak of their ages.


    Eating is a basic facet of life that had been obvious for all the time that living beings have appeared.


    Without eating, there will be no progress for any living beings.


    And the same thing holds true for the monsters too.


    "¡­For me to evolve, I must eat and absorb essences and energies of stronger monsters¡­" Alex thought to himself as he stared at the black pearl hovering in front of him. "Without the inherent energy inside these monsters, there will be nothing that will push my monster body to evolve¡­"


    As Alex thought of his, his gaze landed on Gluttony, who was still drooling as he looked at the black pearl.


    Alex could only shake his head wryly at his Abyss Sprite''s endearing behavior.


    "Okay Gluttony, do your thing." Alex said. "There''s no need to worry, I will not be mad even if you do something wrong."


    "Okay master!" Gluttony did not waste any more time as he grabbed the black pearl with his bare hands.


    Gluttony then opened his mouth as he swallowed the black pearl whole.


    "¡­" A few seconds passed by, and Alex felt nothing special happening to him.


    "Hey, Gluttony, what am I sup-" Alex tried to ask Gluttony on what to do next, but before he could complete his sentence, he suddenly felt pain blossoming inside his body.


    "Ah!" Alex could not help but let out a shout as his body curled on the floor, with his limbs trembling in agony.


    "What the hell is this?" Alex asked in pain as he stared at Gluttony, who was watching Alex with a worried expression on his face.


    Gluttony slightly flinched as he saw what was happening to his master, and it took him a few seconds before he gave his reply


    "Master¡­ when I ate the ball, I transferred the majority of its contents inside your body. The pain that you are having right now¡­ it was the cause of your body reacting to the contents of the pearl." Gluttony haltingly said as he bowed his head down. "Master! I''m sorry but I cannot stop you from feeling the pain!"


    "It''s fine! Just let me deal with this by myself." Alex grunted out as he started to roll over the floor in agony. "F**k! This hurts so much!"


    "Okay master¡­" The forlorn looking Gluttony then faded in sight as he rejoined the other Abyss Sprites.


    "Stupid mother****king, c*** s**king, c**p eating,son of an effing, flying b***h lasagna!" "F**k!" With Gluttony gone, Alex was able to let out more strings of curses, with some of it much more creative than the others.


    "Splat!" Out of nowhere, tentacles began to appear behind Alex''s back, with these tentacles trashing around everywhere.


    Slowly and gradually, Alex''s human appearance disappeared as he assumed his monster form.


    It was as if the pain had made Alex unable to control of his body, making him go back to his tentacle appearance.


    "Stupid little s***ting spree! When will this c**p f**king end?" Alex thought to himself angrily as observed his entire body with Mental Power.


    "¡­" With his power allowing him to view at the microscopic level, Alex saw tremendous changes happening inside his body.


    The contents of the black pearl, which looked like a black sludge, was now wreaking havoc inside his body, with Alex''s cells getting devoured and destroyed everytime they get into contact with the black sludge.


    Once the cells get destroyed, they immediately reform, as if there was a mysterious force that was forcing them to fix themselves even when they get destroyed.


    These reformed cells looked slightly different from their predecessors, with them looking slightly tougher than before


    But before these reformed cells could settle down, they were once again destroyed the black sludge, then reformed again, leading to another generation of reformed cells.


    These new cells enter another path of destruction and reformation, which goes on and on, creating a cycle of destruction and creation inside Alex''s body.


    Alex could only watch morosely as he watched what was happening on his cells, as he knew that it will take some time before the whole process gets finished!


    So before that time comes, Alex had no choice but to endure the excruciating pain that he is feeling right now.


    And if Alex''s suspicions were right, the pain is just going to get worse.


    "Ah! Sons of liberated b***hes! F*** this all!"


    **************


    5 HOURS LATER


    Alina''s eyes narrowed in worry as she heard every howl pain and every string of curses uttered by Alex from inside his room.


    This should not be happening, as from what Alina knew, Alex was the type of person that can handle pain, and as much as possible, he will not shout in agony if he can do that.


    The mere fact that Alina can hear Alex''s pain right now was already an indication on the pain that Alex was in.


    "Should we¡­ not do anything?" Alina asked her other two teammates as she looked at them with worry. "Maybe it''s just me.. but what if there was something wrong happening to Alex?"


    "Don''t worry about that guy. He won''t be just taken down this way." Professor Frances replied as he let out a sneer. "That guy is as tough as nails!"


    "I don''t know what he is going through, but in my opinion, I think that Alex can get through this." Queen Mother chimed in as sheleaned back on the wall. "So Alina, don''t get that worried for him."


    "¡­Yeah, I think you are right about that." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "It''s just that¡­ it''s hard to feel confident when you hear him in this kind of agony..."


    "Hmph, you''re just smitten with him, that''s why you are so worried for him." Professor Frances snorted as she crossed her arms. "You haven''t even mated with Alex, and you are this worried for him already! I wonder how you will turn out once you two have actually copulated together. Maybe you will-"


    "Oh god please stop saying those things." Alina replied as her cheeks went scarlet from embarrassment. "Don''t you get the atmosphere here?"


    "Atmosphere? Bah, the atmosphere that I can sense was you two being hungry for each other."Professor Frances said as she smirked at Alina. "I don''t know why you two haven''t done the deed yet, but I advise you to do it as early as possible. Who knows, that Astria might do something to your lovely Alex!"


    "Hmph, if she dares to do something, I will be there to hack her off!" Alina frostily replied as she gritted her teeth. "Hmph, let''s see if she has a deathwish like that!"


    "Deathwish? That depends if you can do something to me." Alina''s tirade was cut off as a melodious voice interrupted their conversation.


    "Squeak, squeak.'' The sound of rolling wheels made Alina turn her head to the source of sound, and there she saw Astria approaching them.


    Even without any visual cues, it was quite obvious that Alina''s already down mood just worsened with Astria''s arrival.


    "What are you doing here?" Even before Astria could continue talking, Alina beat her to the punch as she spoke first. "Do you know that Alex is currently busy?"


    "-b**ch!" Right on cue, Alex''s muffled curses rang out once more, making all the women outside his room stiffen considerably.


    "Is Alex¡­ having a swearfest inside his room?" Astria asked as she looked at the room with incredulity. "I never knew that swearing can be done this way¡­"


    "What the hell is your little brain thinking?" Alina snarled as she approached Astria. "Just tell us why you are here, and quit telling those little lies of yours! You''re just being ridiculous here!"


    "So I am the ridiculous one now? In my opinion, you are the ridiculous one." Astria shot out as she gave Alina a smile. "You''re always strutting around the kitchen, stuffing food inside that body of yours! It''s no wonder many chefs are scared of you! You just suck them dry!"


    "You!"


    "You know what, I think I should not call you Alina, maybe Nom nom is a better name for you."


    "Hey-"


    "Nom nom."


    "!!!"


    "Nom nom."


    "Okay little girl. You asked for it." Alina muttered as her face darkened considerably. "Why don''t you come here and be an ingredient for my dish! I think it won''t taste good, but at least you have the honor of being sliced into pieces by my knife!"


    "Me? An ingredient? As if a glutton like you can cook!"


    "Hah! You shall see it now!"


    "Bring it then!"


    "Hey! Cut it out you two!" Before Alina and Astria could make their moves, tree branches sprouted off the ground, wrapping themselves around Alina and Astria''s legs.


    Queen Mother, who obviously was the source of these tree branches, gave Alina and Astria a glower as she stared at them. "If you want to fight, just do it once all of our problems are done. Don''t add to the problems, you little kids!"


    "¡­" With that stern reminder from the tree woman, Alina and Astria gradually reduced their fighting intent as they lowered their weapons.


    "Good." As she saw that the two had listened to her, Queen Mother let out a sigh as the tree branches burrowed back into the ground. "If you try to fighteach other again, I promise you that I will stop you in a more forceful way!"


    Alina and Astria''s reply were just small nods as they slowly relaxed their tense bodies.


    With the tense atmosphere almost cleared up, someone else joined in the conversation.


    "What is wrong with you two? You always fight when you see each other!" Professor Frances chimed in from the background as she shook her head in disappointment. "Don''t say that it''s because of Alex! I can see that you two already hated each other even before Astria made a move on Alex. Heck, I am sure that the only reason that Astria made a move on Alex was because she already hated Astria!"


    "¡­."


    Under Professor Frances'' query, Alina and Astria''s reply were just simple.


    "I don''t know, I just don''t like her when I saw her." Alina said as she shrugged her shoulders. "There''s no other reason for that. I just hate her."


    "I feel the same thing too." Astria replied as she smirked at Alina. "I don''t know why I hate her. I just do."


    "Ugh, this is hopeless." Queen Mother muttered as she bowed her head in frustration. "I wish Alex is already done so that he can deal with these two already¡­"


    "Well, speaking of Alex, I think he is already done." Professor Frances said to Queen Mother as she pointed her finger to the door. "Since a minute earlier, there had been no shouts or curses coming out from his room. Maybe that means that he is already done."


    "Creak¡­"


    Right on cue with Professor Frances'' words, the door to Alex''s room suddenly opened, and as the crack of the door opened, a trembling figure came out of it.


    Alex, who looked extremely disheveled with his bloodshot eyes and thin body, slowly walked out of the room.


    His whole body which looked like an old man that was starved to death, was shivering as he took each step with difficulty.


    His eyes, which looked sunken, stared at Alina blearily.


    "¡­"


    Alex''s stare lasted for a second before he started to talk.


    His voice was raspy and thin, which sounded grating to Alina''s ears.


    "Everyone, you should prepare, for tonight, we will go to the Blue Moon." Alex slowly said as he took some slow, deliberate breaths. "Tonight is the only night that we can go to the Blue Moon, so we should not waste time anymore! Astria, gather all the Symbolists who wants to join! If they can''t go right now, then there will be no chance for them to go anymore!"


    Sufficed to say, the words that Alex just uttered out managed to beat the shock induced by his malnourished appearance.


    "What did you just say?"

 Chapter 234 Did I do something wrong?

    "I said that we will set off to the Blue Moon already." Alex replied as his frail-looking body leaned on the wall while his head was still focused on Astria''s direction. "I don''t care who wants to go or not. Just gather all of them at the open field 2 hours from now, and then we will activate the portal to the Blue Moon. I trust it that you Symbolists would be able to follow that instruction, right?"


    Even if Alex looked extremely weak right now, the authoritative presence in his voice made it impossible for Alina and Astria to speak up to him.


    The two women gave each other one last glare before they went on their separate ways.


    "Ye-yes, I can tell that to them now." Astria said as she nodded her head jerkily. She then spun on her spot, making her wheelchair face the opposite direction.


    "Squeak squeak." The classic wheelchair sounds were heard inside the hallway as Astria hastily left the place.


    There was no doubt that Astria will talk to her father about the gathering details, especially now that Alex mentioned a time limit.


    "¡­" As Alex''s hollow eyes stared at Astria''s departing silhouette, Alina and Queen Mother could be seen looking at Alex worriedly, which was no surprise considering Alex''s current appearance.


    As for Professor Frances, she looked like she was not worried for Alex at all, as she seemed to be more interested on how Alex became like this.


    "¡­Don''t worry about me. This is just the consequence of me overdrafting my biological essences." Alex wearily said as he saw Alina and Queen Mother''s worried gazes. "Just give me a few minutes to recover, and I will be back to normal."


    "¡­You''re telling the truth." Alina muttered as she let out a sigh. "I guess you really got this matter settled."


    "Yeah I really got this, so don''t be that worried for me." Alex said as he shrugged his bony shoulders.


    As Alex was saying these words, his body could be seen undergoing some changes already.


    His thin frame was slowly filling up, and his pale skin was starting to regain its luster, along with the bony ridges of his body starting to disappear.


    His hollow and sunken eyes also were regaining a bit of glow on them, and his laborious breaths were starting to sound less strained.


    Of course these changes were gradual, but Alina and Queen Mother could see that Alex can really indeed recover within a few minutes.


    So with that concern out of the way, Alina immediately tackled the next thing that she is curious about.


    "So Alex¡­ how did your evolution go? Was it a success?"


    "Well¡­" After hearing Alina''s query, Alex cupped his chin as he seemed to be contemplating on how he should answer her. Only after he saw Alina''s glare at him that he continued to talk.


    "My evolution process, although excruciatingly painful, had definitely succeeded." Alex said with a tone of finality on his voice. "Right now, I''m not just a creepy tentacle monster anymore. I''m something¡­ that is much more than that."


    "Well, that is a cheerful answer in all sense." Alina slowly replied as she looked relieved right now. Her tense shoulders had dropped down as she let out a deep breath, making her anxious look fade away to nothingness. "Since you are alright now, then I think we should talk about the-"


    But before Alina could say her next words, she was cut-off by an enthusiastic voice behind her.


    "Show it to us now! I want to see it!" Professor Frances interjected behind Queen Mother as her whole body leaned forward. "Show us your evolved form! I bet it is epic!"


    Professor Frances'' face was covered in excitement, with her eyes solely concentrated on Alex''s body.


    "¡­" Alex, who was the sole recipient of her gaze, could only shiver a little as he slightly backed away from her.


    "Well, sorry, but I cannot show you my new form right now." Alex replied as he shook his head. "It will not be worth it."


    "Why not?"


    "First, an enemy could be spying on us right now." Alex said as he raised his right index finger. "Even if the Grand Symbolist is near us, there is still a chance that someone skilled could be looking at our conversation right now. The risk of me showing my new form will not be that worth it."


    "¡­"


    "Second, I am still recovering right now, so transforming to my evolved form is a big no-no yet." Alex said as he raised his right middle finger. "Right now, my cells are still busy on recovering from the trauma that they experienced, so putting any more stress on them will not be good. "


    "¡­.That''s disappointing." Professor Frances said as she let out a disgruntled sigh. "If you can''t show us your evolved form now, then when can you show it?"


    "You will see it once we go to the Blue Moon." Alex said with an assured tone in his voice. "We will go there 2 hours from now, so my cells will surely be at their peak state at that point.Aside from that, I think that spying on us on the Blue Moon will be difficult too. Combine those two factors together, and I am certain that I will be free to assume my evolved form there at the Blue Moon."


    After hearing Alex''s reply, Professor Frances curled her lips, but she did not say anything after that.


    She only gave Alex a small nod as he moved back again to her previous spot.


    "¡­So what were you saying Alina?"


    "Well, I''m curious on why suddenly decided to go to the Blue Moon later." Alina replied as she looked at Alex warily. "I thought that we will only go there tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, since we still need to rest from all the stress that we have¡­."


    Alina did not continue her words, but Alex could understand what Alina was getting to.


    Why would Alex force everyone to go to the Blue Moon, when they can just rest first and just go there tomorrow? What Alex was doing right now regarding the portal travel was just irrational!


    "Alina¡­ if it was me, I would have definitely preferred to go to the Blue Moon tomorrow." Alex replied as his body, which was now 30 % recovered, started to stand up straight. "However, my mind has changed after what had happened earlier when I finished my evolution."


    "¡­"


    "At the moment that I finished my evolution, [Asteria] suddenly appeared in front of me. She then gave me a message which seems to have come from the Endless Monarch himself."


    "Wait, [Asteria] suddenly appeared in front of you? I thought she was supposed to be sleeping inside our storage right now?" Alina incredulously muttered as she tilted her head in confusion.


    "That''s what I thought so too, but I really saw [Asteria] suddenly appearing in front of me." Alex replied as he shook his head wearily.


    "So what is the message given to you?"


    "Its hard to say it exactly right now, so I will just tell you the gist. Basically speaking, [Asteria] told me that now that all of the Travelers have gained the qualifications to go to the Moons, the pathway to go to the Moons will open 2 hours from now, and the Keys that we have right now shall be our way to enter these pathways." Alex said as he rubbed the back of his head, which was now starting to grow back its hair. "[Asteria] also told me that the pathway will only remain open for a minute, so later is really our only chance to go. If you miss it, thenyou will be doomed to be left behind here."


    "¡­That is indeed a good reason for us to rush right now." Alina replied as she cupped her chin. "That just means that we have to prepare everything that we can for 2 hours, and make sure that we miss nothing useful, am I right?"


    "Exactly." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "We should bring everything that we could, as in my opinion, what will happen later at the moons will be the main event of our Main Mission. We can''t afford to be unprepared!"


    "We got it!"


    "Okay, so Professor Frances and Queen Mother. Gather all the alchemy and bio-sculpting components that you can use and place it inside Alina''s Storage." Alex said as he started to command his Companions. "As for you Alina, once you have pocketed those materials, you should go and talk to Kiera and her grandfather. Tell them that I will be bringing Kiera with me to the Blue Moon, and also tell them that nothing can stop me from doing that."


    "¡­Are you sure about brining Kiera along?" Alina worriedly asked Alex as she gave him a narrow stare. "Won''t she be in danger if we bring her with us?"


    "From what I can see right now, it will be beneficial for Kiera if she goes with us." Alex replied as he let out another sigh. "You have seen what her powers can do, right?"


    "¡­If you will look at it at that angle, then I suppose that you are right." Alina begrudgingly replied as she nodded her head.


    "We already did everything that we can to bring out Kiera''s power. We even sought the help of Nero and Astria about their knowledge regarding the Red Moon power recipients. But even with that, the results that we got are substantial." Alex said as he shook his head. "And if you will observe Kiera closely, you can see that her life was being affected by the power dwelling inside her! If we don''t do anything about it, her life will be in real jeopardy!"


    "And you think that bringing her to the Blue Moon will help her?"


    "Well, since we are going to a Moon, then there''s high chance that her power might react there." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "But if her power does not react there, then we will just go to the Red Moon and see how she will fare there."


    "Wait Alex, you are planning to go to the Red Moon after the Blue Moon?" Alina blurted out as he peered at Alex with incredulity. "Are you sure that it is possible? Didn''t you hear from [Asteria] earlier that the only way that we can go to the Moons was through the pathway 2 hours later? Once we go to the Blue Moon, won''t our path to the Red Moon be closed off already?


    "Alina, Alina, Alina, you seem to underestimate the prowess of our group." Alex replied as he shook his head. "With my plans and your capabilities, we can do anything!"


    "So¡­ you already have a plan regarding that?"


    "Of course I have!" Alex replied confidently as he puffed out his chest. "Would you like to know what it is?"


    "¡­"


    If anyone will look at Alex right now, they will only feel irritation, as the smug smile and the knowing look on his eyes was just too much to look at.


    It was as if Alex has just found a great toy and he was itching to boast about it on his friends.


    "What? I''m still waiting for your reply¡­" Alex said as he looked expectantly at his Companions. "Come on, don''t you want to hear about my new plan?"


    "¡­Yeah sure, that''s great." Professor Frances muttered sullenly behind Queen Mother as her light grumbles could be heard. "Since you already have one of your ''Master Plan'' again, then maybe we stupid people can do our menial tasks already. Surely our brains can handle the strain of foraging materials¡­ After all, we were born originally as foragers¡­"


    "Hey wait-"


    "See you later Alex." Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances all said as they walked away from Alex, with their footsteps resounding across the walls. "Just tell us about your special plan later!"


    Alex, who was left behind, could only tilt his head in confusion as he stared at the backs of his departing Companions.


    "Did I say something wrong?"

 Chapter 235 Lets go the the Promised Land!

    2 HOURS LATER.


    "Since everyone is here already, then we can commence the moving ceremony." Alex uttered as he stared at the crowd of people in front of him. "Hoo boy, withall of you coming with me, our trip to the Blue Moon will surely be fun!"


    "Outsider, do not treat this thing as a mere excursion!" The Grand Symbolist, who was wearing his imposing robes, sullenly said to Alex. "My trusted servants will surely face danger there, so you should not make light of this!"


    "I get it, I get it. It''s just a way to lighten up the atmosphere." Alex grumbled as he shook his head. "Can''t you even let me do that?"


    "You-"


    "If you really want to keep your Symbolists safe, then why don''t you join us too?" Alex said as he stared at the 1,000 Symbolists that were standing behind the Grand Symbolist.


    Each one of these Symbolist had robust auras, and the way that they carried themselves spoke of their conviction to fight.


    Alex knew that they were all formidable fighters, as he already saw the way that they fought during the waves.


    However, the Blue Moon will surely have some things that are different from waves. None of their experiences will be of help here.


    "You know that I cannot just leave our base unprotected." The Grand Symbolist said as his nose crinkled in distaste. "You may not know it, but our spies had told us earlier that the Celestials and the Devourers will only send 1,000 members each. As for the higher-ups among them, they will all stay behind, including the Grand Celestial and the Grand Devourer. Since those people will be left behind, do you just expect me to leave this place? If I leave, this place will surely be attacked!"


    "¡­Your spies sure are very efficient." Alex replied sullenly as he shook his head. "So that is the reason that you only sent 1,000 Symbolists too? Just because they only sent 1,000 of their own? That sounds awfully considerate of you."


    "Considerate? Hmph, I just want to make them feel defeat on their own terms!" The Grand Symbolist said as he gave Alex a mocking glare. "Since they arrived with 1,000 people, then we shall defeat them by 1,000 people too! That''s the proper way to make them admit defeat!"


    "You know this is not a competition, right?"


    "Hmph, as long as there was a matter that will involve the Three Factions, it will always be a matter of competition!" The Grand Symbolist replied as he let out a hmph. "Outsider, you clearly knew little of our history, so you do not know and feel the bad blood between the Three Factions¡­ As long as there was a chance for us to assert our dominance, then we will grab the opportunity to take it!"


    "¡­Fine, fine. Go and follow your old traditions." Alex replied as he shook his head ruefully."It''s not like I really care about it.."


    After Alex said these words, he stared once more at the gathered Symbolists, and to his non-surprise, he saw Nero among with these Symbolists.


    Even with the Brain Eater inside his head, Nero seems like he''s still excited on this expedition to the Blue Moon.


    Alex however, was surprised to see a familiar person in the crowd.


    It was Astria, who was still sitting on her wheelchair.


    She was just located beside Nero, and she was busy talking with some of the Symbolists who struck up with a conversation with her.


    Even with this distance, Alex could see Nero''s irritation with these people hounding Astria, and it seems like it will only be a few moments before Nero''s switch will blow up.


    "???"


    Astria''s appearance here in the gathering made Alex confused, so he had no choice but to confide his confusion to this woman''s father.


    "Hey, why is your daughter here?" Alex hissed to the Grand Symbolist as he watched Nero busily swatting away Astria''s admirers. "I thought you said earlier that she will not go?"


    For Alex, one of the things that he dreaded on this expedition was on what would happen if Alina and Astria would suddenly fight each other on the Blue Moon.


    Alex had no way to stop them from arguing, and he was not sure on what would happen if they start fighting.


    So as much as possible, Alex would want Astria away from Alina during the expedition, and leaving her behind seems to be the best thing to do here.


    "You know my daughter¡­ once she wanted one thing, she will not allow anyone to prevent her from obtaining that." The Grand Symbolist wearily said as he let out a sigh. "If my daughter wanted to go, then I shall let her go. Who knows, she might get some fortuitous opportunity there."


    "You know, for someone that leads a Faction, you are really a soft father." Alex mercilessly said, making the Grand Symbolist wince internally.


    "Hmph, you will never know the difficulties of parenting unless you had your own child!" The Grand Symbolist replied as he spun on his position. His robes then flapped around him as he activated some of the Symbols on his robes.


    His body then began to look blurry as Alex felt the Grand Symbolist''s presence disappearing in front of him.


    From the looks of it, the Grand Symbolist was trying to leave now, maybe in an attempt to avoid Alex''s criticism about his parenting.


    "Try to conceive your baby first before you get to criticize me!" The Grand Symbolist said as his body slowly faded away from Alex''s view. "Once you do that, let''s see who will have the last laugh!"


    "¡­"


    Alex chose to forget about his conversation with the Grand Symbolist just now as he looked at his own allies.


    Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances were all in their serious attire, with Alina wearing her usual clothes, Queen Mother in her green form, and Professor Frances carrying a massive tank on her back.


    This time around, there were 20 nozzles coming out from the tank, with 10 nozzles held by the professor on each of her hands.


    There was no doubt that this was the improved version of the professor''s offensive tactics, but Alex was not sure if using 20 nozzles was really that needed.


    It just looks like it was overkill.


    "¡­"


    Alex chose to not comment on the professor''s new tank as he looked at the two more people that were beside them.


    Kiera the little girl was busy staring at Alex, while her grandfather was busy on glaring at Alex.


    "¡­"


    From what Alex had said earlier, he only wanted to bring Kiera with him to the Blue Moon for a chance to awaken her abilities.


    But once her grandfather had heard what Alex wanted, the old man demanded to join too, as if he could not bear to part with his granddaughter.


    Alex, being the magnanimous guy that he is, chose to let the old man join, as refusing will just make things more complicated now.


    "Sigh, well at least everyone that I wanted to be with me is here." Alex thought to himself as he let out a sigh. "After all, enough is better than less!"


    "Hehehe¡­" After mulling to himself for a few seconds, Alex tilted his head as a wide smile appeared on his face. "Okay, now that everything is okay, it''s time for me to give my inspirational message!"


    After muttering these words to himself, Alex started a two-count clap in order to gain everyone''s attention.


    "Clap, clap."


    With his powers, he was able to magnify the sound of his claps, making everyone hear him.


    As the eyes of the 1000 Symbolists and his allies landed in him, Alex cleared out his throat as he said,


    "I won''t say anything superficial right now, as I know that you are all aware that there could be danger on the place the we will go. I don''t know why you wanted to join, but you should all remember that we are all here to work together."


    "¡­"


    "That means that betrayal is a big no-no, and those who will be traitors will be punished severely by the Grand Symbolist himself!" Alex shouted out as he stared at the Symbolists. "If you will remember and follow that warning well, then all of us will have a great time together. Do you all understand that?"


    "¡­"


    TheySymbolists did not give any replies, but the way that their bodies shifted and their emotions changed made it obvious to Alex that some of them were affected by what he said.


    "Okay, the pathway will appear on 5 seconds, so be prepared." Alex said as he pulled out the Blue Key from the Storage.


    "5"


    Right now, the Blue Key was glowing brighter than ever, with its blue rays illuminating everything around Alex.


    "4"


    With Gluttony keeping some of the blood that was contained in the black pearl, Alex was able to use that blood to place the 144th drum of blood inside the Blue Key, making it reach its needed amount of blood to work.


    "3"


    Now that its look had definitely changed, Alex was sure that he can use this key to reach his intended location.


    "2"


    If it will not work, then Alex can just curse his luck for being unlucky.


    "1"


    But of course Alex knew that it will work, since he had done everything to that was required for him to do.


    "0"


    Once the timer had reached zero, the Blue Key in Alex''s hand let out a bright blue beam, which traveled away from Alex.


    After this blue beam moved around 10 meters away from Alex, something eerie happened.


    Under Alex''s watchful eyes, he saw the blue beam punching a hole through space, creating a blue portal that was the same size of the calamity portal.


    As this portal was formed, the blue beam disappeared as the glow of the Blue Key died down.


    "¡­" Alex and the others stared at the blue portal for a few seconds before Alex hastily run towards it.


    "You should all hasten, since this portal will be only open for a minute." Alex said as he jumped through the portal with his companions. "If you don''t want to be left behind, then move your asses!"


    "!!!" With these motivational words by Alex, the Symbolists rushed through the portal, as they all obviously would not want to be left behind.


    "¡­"


    One minute later, and all that was left in the area were flattened grass and floating dust.


    The blue portal was nowhere to be found, as it winked out of existence already.


    As the dust started to settle down, a crazed laughter could be heard around the area, which was laced with madness and regret.


    "Kek kek kek kek kek!"


    Nobody heard this laughter, and maybe that was for the best, as anyone who hears it could be driven mad by this sound.


    -----------------------END OF VOLUME 4 ------------------------

 Chapter 236 Volume 4 Epilogue

    The Grand Symbolist was not sure why, but he had the nagging feeling that today will usher one of the greatest changes on their world yet.


    Of course he knew that the end of the Fourth Calamity was a good news for this world, but he had the suspicion that things will change more, possibly because of those outsiders.


    "Those brats¡­" The Grand Symbolist muttered to himself as he gritted his teeth. "I''m not sure on where these outsiders came from, but I am sure that they want something on this world! Even if they are serious on helping us out, I had the feeling that they are scheming something!"


    The Grand Symbolist was very sure of this conclusion, as he could definitely feel the ambition and confidence on the eyes of the outsiders, especially the one that ''Alex'' had.


    "Tsk." As he thought of Alex, the Grand Symbolist''s mood further worsened as he remembered his daughter''s incessant clinging to him.


    "What the hell is even good with that guy?" The old man muttered to himself angrily as he shook his head. "He is just an opportunist! If I am not confident with my daughter''s judgement, then I would never have allowed that Alex to stay here and ally with us!"


    If it were not for his daughter''s nose, then the Grand Symbolist could already have killed Alex.


    Alex was extremely lucky that his daughter was benevolent, but of course, the Grand Symbolist would not be this lenient.


    "If that guy tries to do something on my daughter there at the Blue Moon¡­ I will personally go there and kill him!" The Grand Symbolist declared as he gritted his teeth. "Hmph, with the symbols that I entrusted to my daughter, I''m sure that I can help her when she needed it! So be careful with what you do outsider¡­"


    The Grand Symbolist then started to laugh, as he seemed to have imagined the sight of Alex being erased by him into oblivion.


    "Hehehehehe not bad, not bad¡­"


    The Grand Symbolist could have continued laughing like this for another minute, but he did not do that as a sudden serious expression appeared on his face.


    He shifted his body as he gazed at his surroundings.


    "¡­"


    Right now, all the Grand Symbolist could see were lots of trees standing all around him.There were also some shrubs, and some occasional beast prowling nearby.


    "¡­"


    There were no buildings, massive walls, or even carriages around him. Heck, there were not even people nearby!


    If anyone will see where the Grand Symbolist is right now, they will realize one obvious thing.


    And that was that the Grand Symbolist did not go back to his city!


    The place that the Grand Symbolist was in right now was a forest, not the city that he was supposed to go back to!


    As for why the Grand Symbolist was inside a forest and not inside his city, only the Grand Symbolist knew.


    "¡­"


    The Grand Symbolist continued looking around him for a few more seconds before he started talking.


    "So you two are already here." The Grand Symbolist said out loud as he looked in front of him. "I thought that you two oldies will take longer to come here. "Hehehe, it seems like getting older had helped you two a lot."


    "Huh? Who are you calling an oldie? Do you want to die?" There were some sounds of rustling nearby as two people entered the Grand Symbolist''s sights


    "Well, you two are older than me, so calling you oldies are not wrong." The Grand Symbolist said as he shook his head ruefully. "Come one, you two are old enough to be my grandparents!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The two newcomers were a man and a woman, with both of them having contrasting auras with each other.


    The man was a middle-aged person with a dignified and handsome appearance. He was wearing a golden robe, which glittered like stars.


    This man had a refined disposition, which not even Astria could compare to.


    As for the woman, her demeanor was the opposite.


    She may be a red-haired beauty with curves that were comparable to that of a seductress, but the way that she carried herself was extremely lax.


    Her hair was disheveled like a bird''s nest, and she smelled like she had not taken a bath for a few days.


    There were some clumps of dirt on her legs and arms, which she did not even bother to remove.


    What made it worse was that her dress,a dirty cheongsam, was covered with wrinkles and stains.


    Her attractive body and face maybe heavenly, but her stink and her dirty appearance was a huge turn-off to anyone who saw her.


    As the Grand Symbolist tried to endure this smell, he gave the two newcomers a smile as he said,


    "Well, now that you two, the Grand Celestial and the Grand Devourer are here, I suppose we can already start our plan?"


    "Hmph, just remember that we are cooperating right now because it is for the sake of this world." The Grand Celestial, who was the refined middle-aged man, said as he glared at the Grand Symbolist. "If it were not for this, then I would have already fought you here!"


    "Meh¡­ can you two just fight later? I want to go home now." The Grand Devourer, who was the dirty red-haired woman, said as she let out a tired sigh. "Surely you two can show restraint, right?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Ehem. Since the youngsters have already left, then it''s time for us to do this!" The Grand Celestial said as he adjusted the sleeves of his robes. "Right now is the best time that we make our move!"


    "Well, I really don''t like to leave my room, but since you two will go, then I have no choice but to go¡­" The Grand Devourer said as she scratched her legs. "What we will do will not take that long, right?"


    "¡­" The Grand Symbolist and the Grand Celestial ignored the dirt that stuck on the Grand Devourer''s nails as they both nodded.


    "Then what are we waiting for? Let''s go now!" The Grand Devourer said as she let out a burp. "I am already hungry and I want to eat!"


    "Tsk, what a lazy bastard." The Grand Symbolist thought to himself as he started to pull out an object from his created space. "If it were not for my plan, I would have already left this dirty Devourer! Tsk, I just have to endure!"


    As the Grand Symbolist pulled out the object from his storage, smiles appeared on the faces of the other two people as they watched him with interest.


    "What are you two looking at?" The Grand Symbolist barked as he glared at them. "Don''t you two have your own too? Quit looking at mine!"


    "¡­Fine, fine. I just took a look. What''s the big deal?"


    "Sigh, I want to sleep now¡­"

 Chapter 237 Volume 5 Prologue

    Today was not a good day for Noelle again.


    Her ally, the Traveler Ray, mistreated her this day just like what he did on the days before.


    As for her co-Companion Vera, she did nothing to stop Ray at all, as she only watched as Noelle got cursed at by Ray.


    "Stupid little girl. When will you learn to not mess up?" Noelle heard Ray muttering these words to himself as he could be visibly seen shaking his head. "I told you to buy two jars of sugar! But what you brought back was two sacks of sugar! Is your hearing impaired?"


    "Ah um no¡­" Noelle stuttered as he looked down. "I¡­ just misheard it."


    "You misheard it? Ha! There goes your usual excuse again!" Ray shouted out as he glared at Noelle. "Will you really always mishear every thing that I tell you? You seem to be just screwing with me!"


    "I swear in the name of the Emperor that I am not lying!" Noelle declared as she tried staring at Ray directly. "If I am lying, then the Emperor is free to strike me down!"


    "Tsk, and there is my second problem with you. Emperor this, Emperor that, can you please stop spouting that word?" Ray angrily said as he gripped Noelle''s shoulders.


    "Ray, it hurts¡­"


    "Since you have joined us, you have been talking about that Emperor every time you can say it. You have been saying it so much that I have already grown sick of it!" Ray said as his temper started to explode. "I don''t give a f**k if that Emperor of yours is the progenitor of your race. In the end, he is just a mortal like us! So stop spouting that Emperor c**p of yours, since he''s of no help to you now!"


    "No! The Emperor is the best! He is the most regal ruler of our world!" Even if she was fear-stricken right now, Noelle still managed to shout out this reply as she stared at Ray directly.


    "Your Emperor is the best? If is he really the best, then where is he now?" Ray said as he gave Noelle a smirk. "Isn''t your Emperor already dead?"


    "!!!"


    "Oh, what was his name again? Ah, wasn''t it Emperor Litch? Ugh, how do you even pronounce that name?" Ray said as he started to chortle darkly. "Are you sure that your Emperor should have a name like that? He must be so embarrassed by that name that he had himself dead because of that!"


    "No¡­ that is the esteemed name of our Emperor¡­ you should not tarnish it¡­" Noelle said as her eyes started to water. "His name is the most glorious out of all! Nobody should make fun of it!"


    Ray''s eyes widened a little as he heard Noelle''s reaction, and he could not help but glower as he tightened his grip on her shoulder.


    "¡­" Noelle did not let out a grunt this time, as she knew that Ray must apologize to her now.


    Ever since she was a child, her mother had told Noelle stories about Emperor Litch, and on how he single-handedly established a world that was under his glorious rule.


    He created countless miracles, and he defended everyone against the invaders.


    With that kind of glory, his very name was sacred, and nobody was allowed to insult it.


    "Oh right, I remember that you are still gung-ho about that Emperor." Ray sullenly said as he saw that Noelle was about to cry. "Tsk, what a waste of brain power."


    Ray then released his grip from Noelle as he shook his head in dismay. "If it weren''t for you good skills, I would have already kicked you out of this groupbecause of your excessive Emperor worship! Do you have a way to turn your fanaticism down? Because if not, then we will just have the same talks about it!"


    "But-"


    "Hmph, remember, we will already go to the Green Moon a minute from now." Ray said as he glared at Noelle. "If you won''t fix your attitude, you will have a hard time in the Green Moon!"


    "¡­."


    "So your answer is silence? Che, I should have already expected this." Ray grumbled to himself as he shook his head. "Eh whatever, just do your job, and don''t let your Emperor fangirling be a bother later! Do you understand that?"


    "Um¡­ yes Ray. I understand that." Noelle replied, although the unwilling expression on her face says a different thing. "I will keep that in mind."


    "Okay, stop arguing now you two. The pathway is about to appear already, so please behave." Vera muttered behind them as she let out sigh. "Ray, please bring out the key now."


    "I''m on it already." Ray replied with irritation. "Please don''t be in a hurry okay?"


    "¡­"


    As Ray could be seen fumbling on getting the key out, the diminutive Noelle averted her gaze away from Ray and Vera as she stared at the skies.


    She had a melancholic expression on her face as she thought to herself,


    "Even if my allies all abuse me, I will endure it for the Emperor! After all, I will be the one to revive him! As long as I have enough contribution points, I can resurrect the Emperor!" As Noelle had these thoughts in her mind, her breathing began to quicken as she started to get excited. "My brethren, just wait for me! I will bring back the Emperor to our world!"

 Chapter 238 Yellow and Black

    "I think we have been duped." These were the words that Alex uttered as he looked around him. "We''re not supposed to be here¡­"


    "¡­I sometimes disagree with your opinion, but this time around I fully agree with you." Professor Frances replied as she looked around her. "This place looks fishy af."


    "You don''t need to elaborate that point anymore." Alex replied as he let out a sigh. "Ok f**k this, what the hell is happening here?"


    "¡­"


    Nobody had a reply, as they do not know the answer to that.


    ***********


    When Alex and the others entered the portal to the Blue Moon, they expected themselves to be at the surface of the Blue Moon itself.


    Alex even prepared some Symbols that will act like an astronaut suit for him just in case there''s no air on the Blue Moon. He also wrote these Symbols for his allies so that they can be safe too.


    However, all these preparations were useless as Alex found himself at a place that was definitely not the Blue Moon.


    Right now, Alex and his allies found themselves inside a massive arena that was covered with a domed roof.


    Everything inside this arena was white in color, with white tiles and white curved walls dominating Alex''s vision.


    There were four doors at attached to the walls of the arena, with each door found at the cardinal directions.


    These doors were assorted in color, and Alex had no trouble differentiating them from each other.


    Aside from these features, there was nothing else remarkable that can be found from the arena that they are in right now, and that realization has somewhat made Alex feel slightly suspicious.


    This suspicion of his can be also seen from other people, with the Symbolists, particularly Nero looking around them in confusion.


    As for Astria, she was sniffing the air with an intrigued expression on her face, as if she had discovered something unique about this place.


    Alina had this same intrigued expression too, although it was her eyes that looked to be extremely focused.


    "¡­" As he looked at his allies'' reaction to what was happening to them, Alex could not help but narrow his eyes as he realized that something was at play here.


    "This Key was supposed to bring us to the Blue Moon, yet when we used it, we ended up at this place." Alex muttered to himself as he stared at the Blue Key. "Does this mean that this place is the Blue Moon? No, it is unlikely that this is the Blue Moon. We''re surely in a different place, although I am not sure why we are here. Tsk, this is getting out of hand already¡­"


    As Alex muttered these complaints to himself, he could not help but look inside Alina''s Storage, more specifically, at the dumb fairy that was sleeping in the storage.


    "Hmm¡­ I''m sure that [Asteria] definitely knew about what is happening here right now." Alex thought to himself as he stared at [Asteria''s] sleeping form. "Well, I just have to ask her to know the answer!"


    As he reached this conclusion, Alex reached out his hand as he attempted to pull out [Asteria] out of the storage.


    But before Alex could even touch [Asteria''s] body, the said fairy suddenly jumped high in the air, deftly avoiding Alex''s grab.


    "Huh?" Alex''s eyes narrowed in confusion as he saw what [Asteria] did.


    "What the hell are you doing?" Alex hissed at[Asteria] as he saw her looking at him warily."Why are you avoiding my grab, and why the hell are you pretending to be asleep?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    As she went silent for a few seconds, Alex could not help but notice that there was something wrong with [Asteria] right now.


    Gone was the jolly and the haughty [Asteria], with her smug smile and irritating disposition.


    What Alex can see right now was a withdrawn [Asteria], with a listless face only visible from the said fairy. Her body was even slouched forward, as if she was currently carrying some kind of burden that Alex cannot see.


    This change in [Asteria] had Alex somewhat shocked, as just hours earlier, Alina was still on her smug personality.


    For [Asteria''s] demeanor to change this drastically, there must be something that had happened to her!


    "Ugh¡­ Hooman, please don''t bring me out." [Asteria] slowly said as she averted her gaze away from Alex. "It won''t do us good if I will be out right now, so please promise me that you will not drag me out for now."


    "¡­Is there any problem with this place?" Alex asked [Asteria] as he looked at her in a different light. "Is there something about this place that made you like this?"


    "Hooman, you do not need to ask me questions anymore. After all, you will find out the answers to that later." [Asteria] replied in a faint voice as she let out a sigh. "Okay, I''ll go back to sleep now."


    "Oi-"


    Before Alex could even give more complaints, the listless fairy ignored him entirely as she laid back on her tiny bed, which was followed by her snoring just a few seconds later.


    "Tsk, first the destination change, then [Asteria]. What the hell is really going on here?" Alex thought to himself grimly as he gritted his teeth. "Is there someone that is messing with us here?"


    As Alex reached this thought, he could not help but look at his allies, who still all looked confused with what was happening.


    As Alex saw their confusion, he let out a sigh as he decided to placate them all.


    But before Alex could start his speech, he was suddely interrupted by a high-pitched voice above him.n


    "Hahaha, so the hoomans have come here already. Welcome all of you big-footed apes!"


    "!!!" Everyone who heard this sound all looked at the speaker, who was just floating 10 meters above Alex.


    Alex and his companions looked up too, and when they saw who the speaker was, their eyes widened as if they could not believe what they just saw.


    "¡­.So this is the reason why [Asteria] would not come out at all." Alex thought wryly to himself as he shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, that fairy really keeps a lot of things from us!"


    The newcomer who had just greeted them was a fairy, who was also around the same size as [Asteria].


    This fairy, unlike [Asteria], was wearing a long black dress which fitted her small body.


    This fairy''s hair was black and silky, with its tips reaching the fairy''s ankle.


    There was a small book on this fairy''s left hand, whilea small axe could be seen on her right.


    All in all, the fairy that Alex could see above him was one that exudes the same atmosphere and attitude as [Asteria].


    However, that was not the only thing that this fairy was similar with [Asteria].


    This fairy, aside from the hair and the dress, looked exactly like [Asteria]!


    She had the same face, same body, and the same cocky expression as [Asteria]!


    The only real difference was that [Asteria] had blonde hair and dress, while this fairy had black hair and dress!


    If one will place [Asteria] and this fairy beside each other, any onlookers would think that the two were twins who just dyed their hair to look different.


    "¡­" Even Alex with his good eyes could not see any differences between this fairy''s appearance and Asteria''s which just made him more confused.


    "Alina, do you see any kind of difference appearance-wise between this fairy and Asteria?


    Alex whispered to Alina as he and the others continued staring at the black fairy. "You have the best eyes here, so maybe you can see it?"


    "Alex¡­ even I can see that these two are perfectly identical." Alina replied as she let out a frown. "No matter which way I looked at this fairy, I could not help but see that she was just a black-haired version of Asteria¡­"


    "...Since you can also see their similarities, then there is around 100% chance that this fairy is related to [Asteria]." Alex muttered to Alina as he let out a deep breath. "I am not sure what we should do here, but it seems like bringing [Asteria] out will not be good. [Asteria] even told me herself that she does not want to go out. I''m definitely sure this black fairy is the reason for that."


    "¡­Is that so? So that''s why [Asteria] does not want to talk. She must have foreseen something like this happening."


    "We-"


    Alex would have liked to continue this conversation with Alina, but he was forced to stop as the black fairy above him started to talk.


    "Pathetic hoomans, don''t dare to ask me about what is happening right now. If you want to know, then you should wait until the other hoomans arrive here. I will only bestow you all with my knowledge once all of you smellyhoomans are here!"


    "All of us? Don''t tell me¡­" Alex''s words trailed as he realized what the fairy was talking about.


    "Hmph, ''don''t tell me'' my ass!" The fairy suddenly shouted as she let out a growl. "Don''t tell me that you all just realized it now? Ugh¡­ you really are all dumb! No wonder you hoomans easily die! You don''t use your swollen brains!"


    "What the hell is that fairy talking about?" Professor Frances hissed at Alex as she looked to be already irritated with the new fairy.


    "If we, along with the Symbolists have arrived here, then there is a high chance that the Celestials and the Devourers along with their respective Travelers will also come here." Alex replied to the professor as he gritted his teeth. "That''s the most likely scenario that will happen here."


    "Even they will arrive? But if that was the case, then¡­"


    "Then it just means that whatever we were supposed to do here is related to all the Factions meeting together at this place." Alex said as he finished the professor''s statement. "As for what it will be, we can only find it out once everyone comes here."


    "That''s not a really good thing." Queen Mother worriedly said as she looked around her. "There''s a high chance that we will be forced to fight, no doubt about that. The question is, what will the fight be?"


    "We can only know once that damned fairy speaks." Alex replied sullenly as he looked at the fairy, who was now drinking something that suspiciously looked like cola.


    The fairy had a blissful expression on her face as she slurped the cola, and even with her miniature frame, she managed to finish the bottle of cola in just 5 seconds.


    "¡­"


    As he saw this comical scene, Alex tilted his head as he thought to himself,


    "Alina''s hair is golden blonde, and she likes to drink honey, which can have a similar color to her hair. As for this new fairy, her hair is black, and she likes to drink cola. Hmm¡­ since it was like that, then does the color of their hair indicate their favorites? Wait, why am I even thinking about this?"

 Chapter 239 More Inquiries

    @@


    Guys, in your opinion, what do you think will be the direction that this current volume will take? Will it be dark? Will it be fun? Come and state it on the comments section!


    Oh, and who do you think among the characters have experienced the largest ''character growth''? I want to see your opinion on that.@@

 Chapter 240 We are the Newcomers!

    Even though the black-haired fairy was extremely irritating, and Alex would really love to kill this fairy with fire, the Symbolists and Alex''s team did not do anything to her, as they listened to what she said.


    After all, they were in an unknown place, and trying to piss off someone who was in charge of the place is obviously a bad move.


    Since the Symbolists and Alex''s team does not dare to attack the black-haired fairy yet, they decided to wait for the other factions to arrive.


    While they were waiting, Alex decided to place a mask on his face.


    He was not sure why, but he had the gut feeling that hiding his face behind a mask right now seems to be a good thing to do.


    Once he had placed a mask on his face, Alex joined the others on their waiting game, with their bodies tense and prepared for any kinds of sneak attacks.


    "¡­"


    A few minutes of waiting later, and they heard the unmistakable sounds of a portal being opened.


    Everyone looked at the left portion of the room, and there they saw a yellow portal appearing out of nowhere.


    As this yellow portal expanded in size, swathes of robed people came in, all wearing robes that were lined with gold.


    These people all had arrogant expressions on their faces, and this arrogance seems to have increased when they saw the Symbolists.


    Some of the newcomers sneered at the Symbolists openly, as if they were looking at some kind of dirt.


    Obviously, the Symbolists responded in kind, as they glared back at the newcomers.


    "So I guess these additional people are from the Celestial Faction." Alex muttered to himself as he observed the newcomers.


    From what Alex can see, there were around 1,000 Celestials, and the aura that they were letting out was just as strong as the aura let out by the Symbolists.


    Included in these Celestials was the Queen Hoarder, who seemed to be intent on averting her gaze away from Alex.


    "¡­" Alex could not help but smirk at this, as he knew that he''s going to get some juicy scoop from this woman later.


    After looking at this woman, Alex let his eyes wander more, as he knew that there should be something more in this group.


    Alex saw what he was looking for when he had turned his neck 45 degrees to the left.


    "Haha, so there you are." Alex thought as he stared at a group of people that were wearing some kind of unique clothes. "You must be the Travelers who allied with the Celestials."


    Now that Alex can see it, this Traveler team, who was most obviously the one who tried to attack him months ago, definitely looked like they had some capabilities.


    There were 3 people in this Traveler Team, comprised of one boy, one teenaged girl, and one 25-28 year-old woman.


    The boy looked extremely innocent for his age, with his pure eyes and na?ve face enough to make anyone feel protective for him. He was also hugging a teddy bear, which was a little out of place in Alex''s opinion.


    As for the teenaged girl, she had a dirty blonde hair cut until her shoulder, along with a pretty face which had the ''pissed-off'' expression basically stuck on it.


    As Alex stared at this teen''s face, he could not help but grimace as he thought that this girl definitely is a brat.


    As for the oldest member, the 25-28 year-old woman, she had a mask hiding her face, and it seemed to have some kind of special capabilities, as even Alex using his powers did not manage to see what was behind the mask.


    It was only her face was hidden, as the kimono that this woman was wearing had perfectly displayed her mature and womanly curves, which was paired with her white hair that had reached her waist.


    "¡­" Even without seeing her face, Alex was already sure that this woman was definitely a beauty. He just does not dare to comment on it as he was afraid of pissing Alina off.


    With his face behind his own mask, Alex''s incredulous expression was hidden as he gave a calculating gaze at the enemy Traveler Team.


    "!!!"


    To Alex''s sudden surprise, he suddenly saw the masked kimono woman looking at their direction, more specifically, at Alex''s direction.


    "¡­" The masked woman seemed to have smiled as she stared at Alex, making Alex feel somewhat irritated and wary of this woman.


    As for the other two people, they seemed to have not noticed Alex, as they were busy on their own things.


    "¡­" With the woman''s gaze stuck on him, Alex felt some kind of weird feeling inside him, compelling him to look at her directly.


    This resulted in Alex and the masked woman staring at each other wordlessly.


    Their staredown could have gone on for much longer if it were not for the appearance of the green portal.


    With the appearance of this portal was the arrival of the Devourers, which gave Alex the opening that he needed to break his gaze away from the masked woman.


    "What the hell was that?" Alex thought to himself numbly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "Did that woman just do something to me?"


    Before Alex could dwell on this thoughts, he suddenly felt a sharp pain on his ankles, and when he looked where it came from, he saw that it came from a foot, which coincidentally, belongs to Alina.


    "Did you enjoy all that staring with that woman? Hmph, if you really are good at gazing, then use it to stare at our enemies'' weaknesses!" Alina hissed at Alex as she let out a huff."Hmph, maybe you will enjoy it more compared to what you just did now!"


    "¡­"Alex was not sure on how to reply on that, as even he has no idea on what had just happened.


    Alex would have loved to mull on this matter more, but his inner brain workings were forced to ignore this issue for a moment as he looked at the third newcomers.


    Unlike the Symbolists and the Celestials, the Devourers did not have their own signature dress.


    All of them had their own assorted set of clothes, and from the way that they wore it, it seemed like they had no idea about fashion.


    Well, even if they tried, fashion will not really work with them, as all of them had the appearance of intimidating beings.


    It was actually quite a miracle that they can look decent now, although Alex had the inkling that as the days pass by, their current decent look will also disappear.


    As Alex looked at these Devourers, he could not help but see that both the Symbolists and the Celestials were looking at the Devourers with derisive smiles on their faces, as if they were seeing some animals that they could not wait to crush.


    Alex could even hear some insults being whispered by the Symbolists and the Celestials alike, with all of their insults focused on the Devourers alone.


    "¡­"


    The Devourers who heard these whispers looked genuinely upset and enraged, with some of them even trying to attack other two factions.


    It was a good thing that nothing untowards happened, as the raging Devourers were stopped from makinga move by a single Devourer, whose presence was extremely imposing, even in a room filled with 3,000+ people.


    Even with just one look, Alex was already sure that this imposing Devourer was someone that was similar to Nero and Queen Hoarder.


    Just by looking at his aura, there''s no doubt this Devourer was the leader of the Devourer''s expedition team!


    Heck, just look at this Devourer''s body! Even Alex can be swallowed whole by it!


    Fortunately for everyone, this Devourer seems to be sincere on not attacking, as he could be seen not making a move after he stopped his allies.


    But even with the direction set by this Devourer, someone from the Devourer Faction still did something.


    "Okay, the Three Factions are here already. Can we all start now?" The one who uttered this sentence was someone who did not look like a Devourer at all. "I am tired of all these waiting games already!"


    After hearing this voice, Alex started to look at this speaker intently, and to none of his surprise, he saw that the one who spoke was no doubt a part of another Traveler Team.


    The speaker was a lanky guy who was wearing some kind of hazard suit.


    His eyes were protected by some kind of safety goggles, while his hand held switches with varying appearances.


    Beside this lanky guy was an extremely beautiful blond woman that was wearing amartial-arts suit that hugged her body perfectly.


    Right now, this woman''s eyes were closed as she leaned on the nearby wall, as she seemed to be focused on something.


    Her body was perfectly still, making her look extremely serene and pious.


    Behind this woman was a little girl, who was seemingly trying to hide on the woman''s back.


    With the way that the little girl had placed her body behind the martial arts woman, Alex was not able to see her appearance, although right now Alex had no interest to see her face.


    After all, Alex''s attention was more focused on the martial arts woman and the lanky guy.


    As he stared at the martial arts woman, who still had her eyes closed, Alex''s thoughts started to wander as he remembered that these two people were the ones that were related the bombing incident back at the City of Marshes.


    "Hmm¡­ These two definitely are dangerous." Alex thought to himself as he averted his gaze away from the two. "I should watch out for them later. As for that kimono woman, I''m sure that she is up to something too. I better be wary of her movements¡­"


    ********


    Nobody inside the arena replied to the question asked by the lanky guy, although his words had triggered something to the atmosphere inside the arena.


    With the Three Factions all inside one place, the tension in the air started to become palpable, as each member of the Faction stared at each other loftily, as if they were challenging themselves to make a move.


    This tension just continued to rise, but before it could reach its breaking point, the black-haired fairy hurriedly stepped in to defuse the situation.


    "Hmph, just like what I expected. When puny hoomans were all clumped together, they would all try fighting each other. How barbaric." The black-haired fairy said as she shook her head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, why did I even sign up for this?"


    "Instead of just complaining, why don''t you just start talking?" The lanky guy, who was still standing beside his companion, said as he glared at the black fairy. "From what I can see, you are the one that is related to what is happening here."


    "We have been transported into an arena, not towards a moon." The kimono woman interjected as she started to talk too. "This kind of event is extremely suspicious, and I know that you are the one that is related to this. After all, you are the only being here that is clearly not part of our groups."


    "Damn, these guys are sharp." Alex thought to himself as he looked at the two. "These guys¡­ must be the Travelers themselves! Just like what I expected, my opponents this time are all shrewd like me!"


    "¡­If you think I will be impressed with your boasting words, then you clearly have chosen the wrong person." The black fairy said as she shook her head. "Hmph, even if you try to placate me, none of you can hope to impress me. I, Kuro, will never be swayed by pathetic hoomans like you!"


    "¡­We never even thought of placating you, you little sh*t." Alex thought to himself sullenly as he glared at Kuro. "Instead of boasting, why don''t you just tell us what is happening here?"


    "¡­."


    Everyone else inside the room must have been thinking the same thing as Alex, as all of them are now staring at Kuro intently, waiting for her to start talking.


    Kuro, who was the recipient of these gazes, had her face twitching as she realized what these ''hoomans'' were thinking.


    Kuro looked visibly frustrated for a second, before her face smoothed out into a smug smile.


    Her wings flapped rapidly as she approached everyone, who were still all staring at her.


    As she slowlyapproached everyone, Kuro''s smug smile widened as she uttered,


    "Hoomans, you want to know why you are all here? Heh, it''s just simple. You are all here because you are required to conquer the moons! Now go out there and do that!"


    "Huh?"

 Chapter 241 First is Aladdins Genie, then followed by Sonic. What could be next?

    "Conquer the moons? Are you really serious about that?" Someone among the crowd muttered as everyone began to clamor from what they had just heard.


    Because of the noises made by everyone, it was hard to know where the complaint came from, although this complaint perfectly shows the general mood of the crowd.


    "You hoomans are asking me if I am serious? Of course I f**king am!" Kuro said as she started to cuss out. "Just because I look small to you, you think you can all just run me over?"


    "Well, we did not exactly say that¡­" The lanky guy said as the Devourers along him nodded their heads.


    "Hmph, who cares if you did not say it. I can see it in your eyes!" Kuro shouted as she glared at all of them at once. "Pathetic hoomans, all of you are needed to be punished!"


    After saying this declaration, Kuro suddenly waved her right hand upward.


    "Karakathoom!" Rumbling sounds of thunder were heard by Alex as bolts of lightning fell from the top of the arena, crashing amongst the surprised crowd.


    "Boom boom boom!" Those who were hit by these lightning bolts died instantly, and not even a hint of their corpse remained.


    If was if their bodies were vaporized at extreme levels, leaving nothing but atomic dust on their wake.


    "What the hell¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he replayed what had just happened in his head. "Those lightning bolts just killed 78 Celestials, 74 Devourers, and 76 Symbolists instantly. Not even their corpses remained! Those lightning bolts¡­ they''re definitely is not a normal one!"


    With his prowess in EM Manipulation, Alex was 100% sure that the lightning bolts that he just witnessed were no normal lightning bolts at all!


    There seems to have been some kind of magical touch on these lightning bolts, which was evidenced by the fact that these lightning bolts were black in color!


    Alex was definitely sure that black lightning cannot be produced normally from a scientific way!


    "Tsk, so this Kuro can cast black lightning through magic. How great¡­" Alex thought to himself as the others began to realize what had just happened. "If those lightning bolts hit me¡­ I think I will be injured. But of course I have my ways of dodging it¡­"


    While Alex and the other Travelers were quietly mulling about Kuro''s abilities, the members of the Three Factions in the arena were quiet too, although they were rendered silent by horror.


    After all, they just saw some of their comrades get easily killed by Kuro!


    Even if most of them had their defenses already prepared in place, some of them were unable to defend against those black lightning bolts!


    Seeing something like this happening obviously would be horrifying!


    "¡­"


    Right now, in the eyes of the Symbolists, Celestials, and the Devourers, Kuro was someone who was more terrifying than a calamity wave itself!


    Only the Travelers and their Companions were calm, although they were treating Kuro with more respect now.


    "Hmph, pesky hoomans, now that you have seen what I can do, will you shut up and listen to me?" Kuro said with irritation as she flicked her hands away with irritation. "I''m already tired of talking here, so just let me finish, okay?"


    "¡­"


    This time around, nobody tried to make a sound, prompting Kuro to look extremely smug.


    "There, there, now isn''t it just easy?" Kuro cooed as she shook her head in bemusement. "If you had just listened to me before, then your friends could have been still alive!"


    "¡­"


    "Ehem, ehem, so regarding what you should do, it''s just like what I said earlier. You should go and conquer all the moons." Kuro said as she tilted her head in a way that was reminiscent to [Asteria].


    "Of course the process will not be that straight forward. You have to do two distinct things first before you can conquer the moons."


    "¡­"


    "First, you must take over your own moon first." Kuro said as she started to fly all around the area. "5 minutes from now, I will teleport you all towards your respective moons. Once you arrive at your respective moons, you will have to face some trials there. Only when you succeed on those trials that you will be given the right to take control of everything inside that moon. Pretty cool, right?"


    "¡­"


    "Once you conquer your own moons, you will obtain treasures and weapons inside these moons'' treasuries! What does these weapons do? Well, they will allow you to invade the other moons!"


    "!!!"


    "Yes, you already know where those weapons and treasures will be used for." Kuro said as a haunting smile appeared on her face. "It''s for the second step, which is the stage where you will start invading the other moons!"


    As expected, everyone was surprised but also excited with what they just heard.


    They have to conquer their own moon, and then use the power of that moon to invade other moons? That just sounds extremely ludicrous and blood pumping!


    "¡­As expected, it will really go like this¡­" Alex thought to himself with a sigh as she shook his head. "Conquer your own moon, then use the power of that moon to invade other moons? Hmph, this is a classic battle simulation!"


    Now that he heard what they will really do, Alex realized that something more fishy was going on in the background, making him feel more and more wary against Kuro and whoever was behind this scheme.


    "Hahaha! All of you seem to be surprised with what I just said! Heh, you must be honored to hear the mission coming from me!" Kuro said as she started to cackle maniacally. "Now, are you all ready to play?"


    "¡­"


    "Oh, let me remind you of one thing first." Kuro said as her laugh started to subside. "You cannot invade other moons unless you conquer your own moon first. If you try to violate that rule, you will have to face some pretty bad punishments~"


    "¡­." With the deaths of their comrades fresh on their minds, everyone inside the arena had no choice but to believe in Kuro''s words.


    "¡­Only 1 minutes has passed since my speech? Ugh, there''s still 4 minutes before I send you off. So boring¡­" Kuro suddenly blurted out as she let out a sigh. "Well, since I already finished telling you about what you need to know, then maybe I can send you off now. Hmm¡­ yes, it might really work! Okay, I have decided already! I will send you off now!"


    "Hey wait a min-"


    Some people, including Alex, tried to raise their complaints, but their voices were cut off as Kuro snapped her fingers.


    "Snap!"


    Her snap somehow created a disturbance in the space-time continuum, swallowing everyone inside a pit of compressing space.


    The appearance of this pit was so fast that nobody, not even Alex and his companions were able to react at the sudden appearance of the pit.


    Everyone inside the arena were powerless on stopping the pit, with all of them being swallowed entirely by it.


    "¡­"


    A few seconds passed by and the pit faded away, leaving nothing but empty space inside the arena.


    "Hmph, they''re all gone now. Sigh¡­ at long last I can take a good sleep already!" Kuro muttered to herself as she looked at the empty arena. "F**king hoomans, I hope all of them dies out there!"


    As she uttered these words with a tone of finality, Kuro spun around on her place as her body faded away.


    It took her a second to disappear, and once she did so, the whole arena started to crumble, as if it was not meant to exist at all.


    ***************


    "Woosh!"


    Alex, his companions, and the Symbolists all felt their space warping around them for a few second as some kind of spatial turbulence could be seen happening around them.


    As this was happening, nobody amongst them tried to make a move, as they were not sure on what would happen if they try to struggle right now.


    Even Alina did not do anything on the space around her, as she was sure that something wrong will happen if she tries to meddle with the space around her.


    "Calm down everyone. Just stay still and we will get through this." Astria said as her voice could be heard inside the spatial turbulence, which was projected from a Symbol that she had prepared on her left sleeve. "In my opinion, it will only take a few more seconds until this turbulence disappears¡­"


    Right on cue, the spatial turbulence around them did disappear after Astria talked.


    The twisted appearance of their surroundings faded away as the spatial fluctuations started to calm down.


    "¡­See, I told you it will be fine." Astria uttered as she let out a relieved smile. "Now, let''s see where that turbulence have brought us to!"


    "¡­"


    With the space around them already calm, Alex knew that he can already look around him safely without fear of any harm.


    With this reminder in his mind, Alex''s eyes started to wander as he tried to see where he is right now.


    "¡­So we have already arrived." Alex muttered to himself as his eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "Well, that is the only conclusion that I have from the way that my surroundings look right now."


    Instead of the dome of the arena, what Alex could see right now were vast expanses of Blue Sand, extending endlessly into the distance.


    The amount of Blue Sand that Alex can see was so staggering that he could see gigantic mountains of Blue Sand on some directions, with some of these mountains reaching towering heights.


    "My god, is this a blue dessert?" Alex thought to himself as he squished the Blue Sand that was under his feet. "I never imagined that sand can be this blue¡­"


    The only other thing that was visible in this place was the night sky, which looked a lot more resplendent compared to before.


    The way that the stars looked right now was so beautiful that Alex could not help but stare at them.


    Aside from this Blue Sand and the night sky, there was nothing else that could be seen around them.


    There were no buildings, monuments, or even special structures in the area, making Alex feel like they were left in an extremely isolated place.


    "¡­"


    As Alex stared at the sky, he also looked at his companions and the Symbolists, who were looking all around them with wary expressions on their faces.


    "Alex, we are at the Blue Moon already, right?" The one who asked this question was Alina, who was carrying Keira on her left shoulder.


    "Yes, I think we are at the Blue Moon already." Alex replied as he tensed his body. "There''s no doubt about it."


    "Okay, since we are at the Blue Moon already, then what should we do right now?" Alina asked Alex once more as she approached Alex. "I can''t see anything notable here except for the Blue Sand, and I think that Blue Sand is not that thing that we are looking for here."


    "Alina, I do not know yet." Alex replied quickly as he shook his head. "If we want to know, then we must investigate this place first."


    "Indeed, and I think we must-"


    "Rumble¡­"


    Alina''s reply was cut short as the land below their feet started to rumble.


    "Sharpen your senses!" Alex shouted to everyone as he lowered his body down to the ground. "Since the ground is rumbling, then there must be something that will come out of the ground! Whatever that is, you should all be prepared for it! If not, then we could be in a bad situation!"

 Chapter 242 Cling Clang!

    As the rumblings in their surroundings started to increase, Alex activated his Esper Power to scan the ground below him.


    To his chagrin, he realized that there was something blocking his perception on the ground, making it impossible for him to scan it.


    "Alina, was your scanning blocked too?" Alex asked Alina as the shaking of the ground started to get uncomfortable. "I just tried scanning the ground now, but something had blocked me from looking further."


    "¡­I just tried sensing the space below the ground, and something indeed blocked me from looking on it." Alina replied as her eyebrows furrowed. "I don''t know what it is, but for it to block our abilities, it must have been something overbearing."


    "¡­" This answer of Alina had Alex worried, as he realized that the trials that they will supposedly face in this moon will not be that easy.


    "Look out!" As Alex and Alina mulled about what was happening, someone from the Symbolists let out a panicked shout as he pointed his trembling fingers at a spot that was behind Alex. "What the hell was that?"


    Alex looked at where the Symbolist was pointing, and there Alex saw one of the most bizarre things that he had seen in his life.


    "Boom!" A massive arm the size of a skyscraper slowly rose out of a sand mountain, with the blue sand around it blasted away by the size of the arm.


    "What the¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he saw how gigantic the hand was. "There''s something like this inside the Blue Moon?"


    As the massive hand continued to get higher and higher, Alex saw more and more details about this hand.


    First, Alex could see that this hand belonged to a humanoid being, although its color was entirely blue.


    Countless jewels were encrusted along the length of the arm, providing a dazzling view which paired well with the blue color of the arm.


    The most prominent thing that Alex saw however on this arm were the chains that were wrapped around it.


    The chains were as thick as a school bus, and they were wrapped tightly all around the blue arm''s entirety.


    These chains were also attached to a stake, which was embedded on the wrist portion of the arm. This stake was firmly stuck on the wrist, and it seems like there was no easy way to get that stake off.


    Right now, the chains were currently flailing around as the arm moved jerkily around, as if the owner of the arm wanted to get these chains off.


    But because of the stake embedded on the wrist, the chains held on.


    "Hmm?" As Alex looked at the chains, he realized that these chains were emitting some kind of dangerous feeling.


    With that realization, Alex used his Esper Power to scan the chain''s internal structure.


    But to Alex''s surprise, at the instant that his Esper Power has touched the chain, his Esper Power started to be slowly absorbed by the chain! That made it impossible for Alex to scan the chain!


    "!!!" As Alex felt what was happening, he hurriedly retreated his Esper Power back as he looked at the chains with more wariness now.


    "Alex that chains¡­" Alina muttered behind Alex as she seemed to have done the same thing as him too.


    "Yes Alina, I have felt it too." Alex replied as his eyes narrowed in concentration. "Those chains¡­ they can somehow absorb powers. As for what kind of power they can absorb, I''m not sure if they there''s something that they cannot absorb¡­"


    "Hmph, hooman, those chains that you see right there are special!" Someone had interrupted Alex and Alina''s conversation, and the one who did was [Asteria], who flew out of the storage just now. "You are all lucky to see these chains, for these chains are intended for special purposes only!"


    "Tsk, I will not ask on why you were cowering like a coward earlier." Alex said as the same feeling of exasperation returned to him. "Just tell us all about those damned chains now!"


    "Who are you calling a coward, huh?"


    "Well, didn''t youhide like a scared little s**t earlier? What was her name again? Ah right, it''s Kuro. Hmm¡­ you must have some kind of history with her¡­ I wonder what she would do if I tell her about you."


    "Oi oi hooman, you wouldn''t do that right?"


    "Well, it depends if you will be obedient¡­"


    "Argh! I will get you back for this!"


    "Just tell us everything about those chains already."


    "Fine!" With Alex''s successful conversation with [Asteria], the blond fairy was left with no choice but to look as meek as possible.


    "That chains are what you call the Origin Devouring Chains." [Asteria] said as she gave Alex an aggrieved look. "Those chains are special, as they will absorb any kind of supernatural powers, as long as they get into close contact with it!"


    "Any kind of supernatural powers?"


    "Yes, that''s what I just said." [Asteria] replied as she let out a sigh. "And with that kind of application, you already know where they will be used for."


    "Those chains... they will be most likely be used to imprison people with supernatural powers." Alex replied as he stared at the blue arm, which was now slowing down its ascent. "After all, with these chains'' ability to absorb supernatural powers, they will be extremely suited to weaken and imprison people with supernatural powers. Without their powers, they will have no way to escape¡­"


    "So you''re saying that the owner of the blue arm is a prisoner?" Alina blurted out as she looked at the massive arm with wide eyes.


    "Yes, that is the most likely scenario here." Alex replied as his eyes narrowed. "And if I am right, this whole Blue Moon must have been this blue arm owner''s prison cell!"


    "!!!"


    As Alex uttered these words, Alina, who clearly heard what Alex said, stared at [Asteria] as she asked her,


    "[Asteria], are these chains easy to create?"


    "Hell no! Origin Devouring Chains are top-class treasures! Of course they will be expensive and costly!" [Asteria] shouted out as she shook her head. "Creating just a meter of Origin Devouring Chain already requires a lot of resources that are enough to drain a planet! That''s right, a planet! That''s how ridiculous it is!"


    "If these chains are that hard to create, then the amount of resources used for the chains that we can see right now¡­" Alina''s voice trailed as she stared at the gigantic arm, which was starting to bend through its elbow.


    "Hooman, I am not good at estimation, but I can definitely say that countless planets were purged just to create the chains that we CAN SEE right now." [Asteria] replied as her eyes narrowed. "However, there is a high chance that the prisoner''s whole body was covered with Origin Devouring Chains too, which makes their cost exponentially higher!"


    "!!!" With that stark reminder from [Asteria], both Alina and Alex''s wariness against their current location had just increased.


    "¡­What kind of prisoner warrants this kind of treatment?" Alex asked with trepidation as he and the other Symbolists started to back away from the arm. "This seems to be overkill!"


    "Hmph, hooman, I do not know the answer to that, although I am sure that whoever is imprisoned here must be an extremely powerful being in the past." [Asteria] said as she flew alongside Alex. "And even if this prisoner is weakened by the Origin Devouring Chains, you will all be hard-pressed to survive if this prisoner tries to attack you!"


    "I''m definitely worried about that, but maybe there is a chance that this prisoner will not attack us." Alex hastily replied. "Who knows, maybe the prisoner was just bored, and he wanted to just chat with us¡­"


    "Alex, you may be really optimistic sometimes, but now is not the time to be that optimistic." Alina said slowly. "Can''t you feel the hidden power inside that arm? Evenif it was covered in chains, that arm still looks pretty dangerous to me!"


    "I know that, ok? That''s why we''re backing up now, right?" Alex replied as he gave Alina a bemused gaze.


    "¡­."


    When they had placed themselves around 5 kilometers away from the massive arm, Alex and his allies stopped as they huddled closer to each other.


    They then began setting up defensive Symbols all around them just in case the worst happens.


    They might have been far from the arm now, but there is no knowing what this arm could do, so it''s better to be safe rather than dead.


    "¡­."


    As they were about to finish up setting their defenses, Alex looked back at the arm, and to his curiosity, he saw that the arm was now positioned in a way that the elbow was at the highest point, while the palm and the shoulder were both buried on the sands, creating something that looked like ¦«.


    "!!!" As he saw the appearance of the arm, Alex realized that the way that the arm positioned itself looked somewhat familiar.


    "That arm¡­ it looks like it was being used as a brace to pull something up!" Alex blurted out as his danger sense began to activate. "The owner of that arm¡­ his using his arm to pull his whole body out of the sands!"


    At the instant that Alex said these words, the whole area around them started to rumble again, but this time around, the rumbling was much stronger compared to the one before.


    The sands that were around the arm began to sink and swirl as the shoulder portion of the arm began to rise.


    Alex and the others watched in trepidation as the neck and the head of the prisoner rose out of the sands, undoubtedly pulled out from the depths with the help of the braced arm.


    "¡­."


    Alex could only gulp to himself as he saw the face of the prisoner, who was staring directly at them.


    The prisoner looked like a normal bald human, although the massive size of his head and his blue skin color makes the prisoner looked like a giant, bald, blue human.


    There were some tattoos inscribed on the prisoner''s forehead and cheeks, and there were also jewels encrusted on his nose and ears.


    As for Origin Devouring Chains, a portion of them were also present, with most of this portion wrapped tightly around his neck.


    "ARGHHHHH!" As the prisoner''s head fully came out of the sands, he suddenly let out a bellow of rage, which thoroughly shook the air around Alex.


    The prisoner''s eyes then turned as he saw Alex and the Symbolists, which was a fair indication that the prisoner was now pissed.


    "YOU! YOU PARASITES! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" The prisoner said in an enraged tone as he glared murderously at Alex and the Symbolists. "ARE YOU HERE AGAIN TO LEECH MORE OF MY POWER? F**K YOU ALL! I WILL NEVER ALLOW YOU TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ME AGAIN! IF YOU WANT TO TAKE MY POWER, THEN MAKE ME GIVE IT TO YOU! IF YOU CAN''T DO THAT, THEN ALL OF YOU MUST DIE NOW!"


    At the instant that the prisoner said these words, Alex felt his body freezing in extreme terror, as he realized that a massive danger is about to approach them now, and its approaching them quickly!


    "Boom!" Before Alex could warn the other, he was suddenly blasted away from his position, propelling him away from Alina and the others.


    As he realized what was happening to him, Alex looked at the defenses that they set in place, but to his surprise, he saw that all of their defenses were shattered now, as if they received an extremely powerful attack!


    As he was blasted away, Alex also started to feel some pain, which made him realize that he was also hit by the attack too.


    "Argh!" Alex groaned to himself as his body hit the ground,which barely cushioned the impact of his fall.


    "What the hell was that?" Alex thought to himself as he pulled himself up. "That attack¡­ was so fast, and it was so powerful that it destroyed our defenses and it managed to injure me! If that attack hits us one more time, I''m not sure if many of us can survive it!"


    As he reached this conclusion, Alex evened his breathing as he realized that they are in a fight against the prisoner now, and if they do not do anything to protect themselves, most of them will die horrible deaths!

 Chapter 243 Sage

    "What the hell is that attack¡­" Alex thought to himself grimly as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. "Where did that attack even came from, and how was it able to reach us?"


    In Alex''s viewpoint, since there were already 5 kilometers away from the blue prisoner, there should have been no way for him to attack them, as his massive arm was only around 800 meters in length.


    That kind of length was never enough to reach Alex and his allies!


    And yet, something definitely hit them right now, and it even shattered their defenses!


    For Alex, who was someone who does not like uncertainty, what was happening to him right now was definitely a bad news for him!


    "Since those Origin Devouring Chains can absorb powers, that means that this blue prisoner did not use any kind of ability to attack us." Alex thought to himself as he narrowed his eyes. "Since he''s technically powerless and was at some distance away from us, there must have been some kind of special way that he attacked us!"


    As he reached this conclusion, Alex decided to look at their former position, in hopes of seeing some kind of clue there.


    "!!!" As he looked, Alex''s eyes widened as what he saw there definitely had him stumped.


    What he saw from their former position was a hole, and in that hole, Alex saw a portion of Origin Devouring Chains sticking outof the sands!


    "What? There''s a portion of those chains even at this point?" Alex thought to himself with panic as he


    looked at the chains grimly. "Tsk, tsk ,tsk, I must have underestimated the notoriety of this prisoner. There''s even an extra length of chains even at this distance!"


    With what he just saw right now, Alex was able to get a clearer picture of the overall situation.


    From the looks of it, the Origin Devouring Chains wrapped around the blue prisoner were extended all throughout the entirety of the Blue Moon, with most of them just under the ground.


    As for why the chains have to be this long, it must have been related to the original power that the blue prisoner had.


    This sheer amount of the chains must have been the reason why Alex and Alina''s attempt to scan the ground below them had failed. All the Origin Devouring Chains that were all around the Blue Moon had stopped Alex and Alina''s power from scanning the moon.


    And this extended length of the chains were also the ones related to the way that the blue prisoner attacked them now.


    "Since the blue prisoiner''s body was attached to all of the Origin Devouring Chains, as long as shakes his body the right way, all the chains attached to him will definitely move!" Alex muttered to himself as he helped up the other Symbolists that were injured.


    "That''s how he attacked us earlier. By shaking his body in a certain kind of way, he was able to move the portion of the chains that are located underneath our position earlier." Alex thought to himself as his eyes narrowed into slits. "Since those chains can absorb power, the defenses placed by the Symbolists did not work, as they were absorbed by the chains! What was left after that was the chains hitting us, and we have no choice but to tank the impact of those chains with our bodies!"


    As Alex was reached this conclusion, his confident demeanor started to get a little affected, as he knew the difficulties that they are facing now.


    "Since this blue prisoner was using power-negating chains to attack us, it will be very hard for us to win!" Alex muttered as he shook his head. "So if we let this prisoner continue attacking us now, there will be a high chance that more of us will be injured! That¡­ cannot happen!"


    "Everyone!" With that thought in his mind, Alex decided to inform others about his discovery. "I already know how that prisioner attacks us! Below our feet are more chains, and he was using these chains to attack us! These chains can also absorb powers, that was why it shattered our defenses!"


    "What the hell? Are you telling the truth?" Nero panickedly asked Alex as he could be seen wiping some blood off his nose. "Something like that exists?"


    "Nero, he is telling the truth. So everyone of you should believe in him." The one who said these words was Astria, who miraculously, was unscathed from the attack earlier. "Even my nose are being affected by those chains too as I cannot smell them. I think that additional evidence is enough to prove his claims."


    "But-"


    "ALL OF YOU! RETURN MY POWER TO ME!" The prisoner seemed to not care on what Alex and the others was talking about as he let out another enraged howl. "I HAVE BEEN BORN WITH THE POWER TO REWRITE REALITY, AND WHAT DID YOU DO WITH THAT? YOU TOOK IT ALL FOR YOURSELVES! YOU SHITTY HUMANS! I WILL KILL YOU ALL NOW TO GAIN SOME OF MY POWER BACK!"


    "S**t! He''s attacking again! Move away!" Alex shouted as he decided to ignore the meaning of the words that the blue prisoner just said.


    "Boom!" Even if they still doubted Alex, the Symbolists still jumped back from their spot, looking intently at the sands below their feet.


    "Boom!" Right on cue, a school bus-thick chains sprung out of the ground, grazing some of the Symbolists who were not able to jump back in time.


    "Argh!" This time around, the way that the chains came out were much faster than the one before, resulting in an impact that was much stronger compared to the first one.


    Every Symbolist that was hit by the chains this time exploded into pieces, as if their bodies could not contain the sheer force that collided agaisnt them.


    All in all, an additional of 87 Symbolists had died, with their corpses too mutilated to look at.


    "¡­"


    As Alex looked at the blood flowing out into the ground, he gritted his teeth as he realized that their situation is getting worse and worse.


    "That attack of his was way stronger than earlier. If this blue prisoner''s attack with the chains continues to get stronger and faster, that will be not good for us!"


    Right now was just the second time that the chains were used, yet 87 Symbolists have already died.


    If the blue prisoner makes his third attack with the same increase in power, there''s a high chance that more of them will die!


    And if the attacks go on for the 4th, 5th, 6th, and more times, there''s a possibility that Alex and his companions will be brought to the brink of death too!


    After all, they can only resist these chains with their bodies and not their powers!


    No matter how power Alex or Alina was, their bodies won''t be able to take massive amounts of beating!


    "Tsk! If I don''t make a move now, then we will be going through that bad route!" Alex thought to himself angrily as he gritted his teeth. "If I want to get through this, then I must use any possible thing available for me!"


    As Alex thought of this, he let out a sigh as his mind whirred about the possible things that he can do.


    A few seconds passed by, and Alex reached the thing that he was looking for.


    "F**k, it seems like its time for me to test out my new evolved form then." Alex thought to himself as the sclera of his eyes began to turn black.


    "Even if those chains can absorb power, I have no choice but to use my Evolved Abyss Power now!" Alex muttered to himself as he gritted his teeth. "After all, it is only my evolved power that can give us the chance to survive here!"


    "Boom!"


    The space all around Alex started to tremble as massive amounts of Abyss Energy flowed out of his body. This energy then spun around Alex as they assumed their intended form.


    "Wooosh~"


    This time around, there were no tentacles that sprouted out of Alex''s body, nor even his face.


    Alex''s face and body also did not undergo any hideous transformation, as his body, skin, and face all stayed the same.


    The only thing that changed was Alex''s wardrobe.


    Right now, Alex was wearing a black pointy hat while his body was covered by an ancient-looking black robe.


    A black shawl was draped around his shoulders while his hands and feet were covered by black gloves and boots respectively.


    There was also aring studded with black gem on his right index finger, along with black medallion that was hung on his neck.


    These 7 objects were the only different things on Alex, and their combination as Alex wore them made Alex look like a wise wizard.


    "Hong~"


    As Alex assumed his new appearance, everyone who saw him had the urge to back away, as they could feel the sheer power contained inside Alex''s body.


    Even though Alex does not look that much intimidating, there was just something from his current form that made others feel danger from him!


    "Evolved Monster Form: Abyss Sage has been unleashed to the world."Alex thought to himself with relish as he observed his new appearance and body. "Now, let''s see if I can salvage our current situation with this form!"

 Chapter 244 Hey! Lets create some stuff!

    Evolution.


    This is something that all Abyss Monsters must go through, and without it, they will be relegated to the bottom tier of the Abyss Plane.


    Alex, with his identity as an Abyss Monster, must also go through evolution, which he just did earlier.


    However, the evolution that Alex underwent was not a normal one.


    Every Abyss Monster has their own destined evolved form, which was kinda similar on how a P*chu becomes a P**kachu and then a R**chu.


    In Alex''s case, he was originally a Great Elderitch Monster with a Tentacle Mutation. For his evolution, Alex should have evolved into an Abyssal Abomination.


    However, that evolution did not happen, as Alex had changed into an Abyss Sage!


    Alex was not sure on what had triggered something this change to happen, but overall, Alex was pleased that he became an Abyss Sage instead of an Abyssal Abomination.


    All the skills that Alex had before when he was still Great Elderitch were all retained, which meant that his Grade 1 to Grade 6 Abyss Magic and his FED Manipulation were all still with him even when he''s an Abyss Sage now.


    But for the Grade 7 and higher Abyss Magic, Alex will not be able to just wait for them to pop up.


    The Abyss Sage, unlike the Abyss Abomination, relies more on an individual''s comprehension skills rather than their own inborn talent.


    This means that Alex has to create his own Abyss Magic if he wanted to use higher graded magic!


    Just by looking at this limitation might make an Abyss Sage look like a tedious job, but it''s not actually that bad!


    Since an Abyss Sage needs high comprehension to create magic, an Abyss Sage were gifted with two boons that will help an Abyss Sage on their craft.


    First boon was a massive increase of latent Abyss Energy, which is vital to increase Abyss Sage''s power reservoir, as well as to make their created magic stronger.


    The second boon was a more advanced communication with the Abyss Plane, which will allow the Abyss Sage to meditate and comprehend the mysteries of the Abyssfor his/her magic creation.


    With these two boons in hand, an Abyss Sage''s only real difficulty was the will and imagination to create the magic itself!


    Fortunately for Alex, he had these two qualities, which makes his current form a perfect fit for him!


    Since Alex was technically still at Grade 7, the only Abyss Magic that he can create was still at Grade 7, and he can only create Abyss Magic that are related to the Seven Sins.


    Of course that might sound limiting, but this time around, Alex has the freedom to create Abyss Magic that has the mixture of the qualities of the Seven Sins!


    This means that Alex can create a magic that had the qualities of Wrath, Pride, and Envy combined! Or if he could want it, has the qualities of all Seven Sins combined!


    The only limit here was Alex''s imagination!


    "Hmph, I already had an idea on an Abyss Magic that I could create, although I still haven''t actually created it yet." Alex thought to himself as he narrowed his eyes. "If I want to survive for today, then I must risk it all and create this magic!"


    At the instant that Alex made this conviction, he gritted his teeth as he decided to create a magic that will be of great help to them right now!


    "Alina, teleport us to the farthest location on this moon!" Alex shouted to Alina as he gave her a serious look. "The farther that it will be from that blue prisoner, the better it will be!"


    "Roger!" Alina hurriedly replied as she saw the blazing look on Alex''s eyes. "Everyone, gather all around me! I will teleport all of us to a farther distance! Don''t try to think that I am lying. Just follow my instructions right now!"


    "¡­"


    As the other Symbolists flocked towards Alina, Alex closed his eyes as he summoned the beings that will help him on his magic creation.


    "Hong~"


    |||Master, that food earlier was yummy! I want to eat more again!|||


    *** Huhuhu master, when can I eat more powers again? I''m hungry now!***


    {{{Master, I''m angry now! Can I hit you?!}}}


    ///Master, you haven''t even sleep with the pretty hooman yet? Do you want me to give you advice? If you want, all of us three can do it together~\\\


    ---Master, can I sleep now?---


    ^^^Master, I can sense jealousy from your pretty hooman. Is she jealous to us? Hii!!! Please don''t kick us out!^^^


    <<<Hmph master, it seems like you pride has been affected these days. Is that the reason why you could not dominate and make the pretty hooman your bed partner? Hmph, how disappointing master! I thought you are the one that likes forcing them down!>>>


    All seven of Alex''s Abyss Sprites appeared in front of Alex, and just like before, they were all still jubilant and mischievous.


    "Hey! This is not the time to play around!" Alex said to his Abyss Sprites as he stared at them. "I called you all here because I need your help to create a new magic! After all, you are the essences of the Abyss Tomes themselves! With your assistance, creating magic will be easy!"


    Alex was not lying when he said these words.


    The Abyss Sprites, who were the very essence of the Abyss Tomes themselves, has way higher comprehension of the Abyss Magic and the Seven Sins compared to Alex.


    With that kind of ability, the Abyss Sprites will be of great help to Alex on creating new magic!


    Not only that, but the Abyss Sprites has the chance to cast any of Alex''s new magic, as long as the magic''s affinity was related to them!


    "Okay, okay, please don''t talk for now.'' Alex hurriedly said as he shook his head. "We are in a middle of a fight, and we need to create a magic quickly right now! If you all want to talk, then do it later once we''re done with this all!"


    "Okay¡­(7x)"


    With that stern reminder from Alex, the Abyss Sprites went quiet as they flitted towards Alex, with their bodies assuming a meditative pose.


    As they got nearer to Alex, the blue prisoner''s enrage voice could be heard again.


    "YOU ARE ALL LUCKY I AM CHAINED HERE! IF NOT, I WOULD HAVE KILLED YOU ALL ALREADY! ARGH! THIS TIME, I''M SURE THAT I CAN KILL YOU ALL ALREADY!"


    "Alex, everyone''s prepared to go with me! Are we teleporting out now?" Alina asked Alex with worry, as it was quite obvious that the blue prisoner was about to attack again.


    "Yes, do it!" Alex shouted out as he and the Abyss Sprites closed their eyes. "We can''t let the blue prisoner get a good view on us!"


    "Okay!"


    Alinawas about to activate her space manipulation power to teleport themselves away, but she suddenly stopped as a confused look appeared on her face.


    "???"


    The reason for this confusion was the blue prisoner, who suddenly said some words that made Alina stop on her tracks.


    "SOMEONE FROMTHE ABYSS PLANE IS HERE! THIS SMELL¡­. IT''S AN ABYSS SAGE! OH NO! ABYSS SAGE, P-P-PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I DID NOT MEAN TO OFFEND YOU!"


    "Alina, we must leave now!" Professor Frances urged Alina to leave as she saw that Alina was not doing anything. "Do you want us to receive another attack?"


    "Didn''t you hear what that blue prisoner just said?" Alina hissed at the professor as she stared at her. "He''s apologizing to us now!"


    "OH GOD, WHY DID I TRY TO KILL A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ABYSS PLANE? ARGH, THIS IS THE WORST!" The blue prisoner, who was full of killing intent earlier, was now cradling his head in despair as he could be seen banging his head on the ground. "OH GREAT ABYSS SAGE! ALL OF THIS ARE JUST A MISUNDERSTANDING! PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I MAY BE A PRISONER NOW, BUT I DO NOT WANT TO DIE! HUHUHU, PLEASE FORGIVE ME! I WILL DO ANYTHING TO APPEASE YOU!


    "¡­"


    Everyone who saw the sudden change of the blue prisoner were all rendered silent, with their mouths wide open from shock.


    "What the hell?" Professor Frances could be heard muttering behind Alina as she started to cradle her head too. "What is happening here?"


    "I¡­ have no idea too." Alex replied hesitantly, with his face looking like a person who won a lottery that he did not join. "This is something that I did not expect."


    "¡­"


    The blue prisoner seemed to have forgotten about his anger to Alex and the others as he continued on banging his head on the ground.


    "GREAT ABYSS SAGE! WHY ARE YOU NOT SAYING ANYTHING! ARE YOU ANGRY ON ME ALREADY? OH PLEASE GIVE ME ANOTHER CHANCE! I WILL TREAT YOU BETTER THIS TIME I PROMISE!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 245 Interlude: Blood-Red Alex and the Seven Sprites

    (((Note: This is the excerpt on what happened to Alex during his evolution to be an Abyss Sage.)))


    Alex: (Squirming in pain) What the hell? Why are my tentacles disappearing? Did I do something wrong?


    Pride: (Gives Alex a disdainful look) Master¡­ you''re panicking that your tentacles are disappearing? Don''t tell me that you have grown to love them? Ugh, to think that I thought highly of you.


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) Hey, that''s not-


    Envy: (Starts to tear up) Master, do you love your tentacles more than us? Why are you worried about them?


    Greed: (Stares at Alex while drooling) Master¡­


    Sloth: (Currently sleeping) Snore¡­.


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) Hey! Even those tentacles are hideous, they are still a part of me! Of course I will be worried about them. F**k, it hurts so much right now!


    Sloth: (Woken up by Alex''s shout)Master, if you sleep right now, maybe the pain will go away. Do you want us to make you sleep?


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) Huh? Hell no!


    Wrath: (Glowers at Alex menacingly) Oh, so you want us to knock you out, master.


    Pride: (Lets out a smug smile) I can definitely assist with that. My power is enough to make Master out for the count!


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) Shut it you two! I don''t want to be knocked out too!


    Lust: (Lets out a lewd grin) Hmph, let me just handle your problems, Master. With my tantric skills, I''m sure I can put you inside a very pleasant and stimulating dream!


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain)Hey Lust, that definitely is not allowed!


    Lust: (Tilts her head) Even if that dream involves you and Alina having some good time?


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) ¡­


    Lust: (Starts to pant heavily) Master, if you enter this dream, you will be able to see Alina''s wild side! Heck, you can even enjoy her perfect legs in that dream!


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) Damn, that''s nice.


    Lust: (Smiles lewdly again) So what do you think master? Will you enter the dream now?


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) Answer this question of mine first. Who will be acting as Alina in that dream of mine? Will it be you?


    Lust: (Lewd face replaced with a serious one) Well of course Master, it will be me. What, do you think I will just allow some nobody to be inside your dreams?


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) Sigh¡­ now that I heard your answer, there''s no way that I can accept that dream. Just keep that dream to yourself.


    Lust: (Starts to cry) No!!!


    Pride: (Gives Lust a sneering expression) Ha! That''s what you get for trying to trick Master!


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) If you want to play, do it later. For now, you must help me out here.


    All Abyss Sprites: ???


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) Sigh¡­ didn''t you see what was happening to me earlier? My tentacles disappeared! Not only that, but the way that my cells should evolve has changed too! My cells are originally set to quadruple in size! But what was happening to them now is different! My cells now just turned more humanoid!This should have not happened at all! Argh! Mother**king s**t! My balls are burning right now!


    Pride: (Smug smile disappears) Ah about that Master¡­


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) What about it?


    Pride: (Stars to look uncertain) Well¡­


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain)Just get straight to the point.


    Pride: (Proceeds to explain everything about evolution and about the Abyss Sage)


    Alex: (Still squirming in pain) Wait, so you are telling me that my evolution path has changed? Instead of becoming an Abyss Abomination, I became an Abyss Sage instead?


    Pride: (Beams with pride) ExactlyMaster! And you should be proud of that! It is rare for an Abyss Monster to be an Abyss Sage, and you are one of the lucky ones!


    Alex: (Now thrashing on the floor in agony) Lucky my ass! I''m in so much pain right now! Do you think I''m happy about this! Argh! It hurts!


    Sloth: (Yawns lazily) Master, hang in there.


    Envy: (Nods head quickly) You can do it, Master!


    Wrath: (Cracks knuckles menacingly) Master, if you give up from something like this, I will personally beat you up!


    Greed & Gluttony: (Drools heavily) Master, we''re hungry!


    Lust: (Not crying anymore) Master, my offer is still available you know? Just call me, and I will give you my dream service!


    Alex: (Now twitching while bleeding) What did I do to deserve all of this?

 Chapter 246 I want a great storyteller!

    10 MINUTES LATER


    "This is not the thing thatI am expecting to happen, but this is actually better¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he and the others stared at the blue prisoner, who was still kowtowing in front of Alex, even when 10 minutes have already gone by.


    "PLEASE BE LENIENT TO ME!"


    "Okay, okay, I get it. You want my forgiveness, since you are scared of me." Alex replied as he sneered at the blue prisoner. "Well, I might forgive you right now, but do you think I will just let you get off easily? Nothing in this world is free, especially your lowly life!"


    "HII!!!"


    Alex could not help but laugh as he stared at the blue prisoner''s panicked face, which just served to make the blue prisoner more scared.


    "Since this blue prisoner is afraid of me being an Abyss Sage, then that means that we can win this confrontation by using this status of mine!" Alex thought to himself slyly as he licked his lips. "Hehehe, even if am not sure on why he is scared of an Abyss Sage, I have no qualms with it. I can just ask the reason for that later. For now, I must focus on making this blue guy fully submit to me!"


    Since Alex had now gained an advantage against this blue prisoner, he will of course use this advantage to his fullest!


    Alex also made sure that he sounded confident right now, as he had a hunch that their current situation requires him to act confidently!


    "Don''t worry, lowly prisoner. As long as you entertain me well, I will let you off." Alex said as he mimicked the way that [Asteria] had talked before. "Well, that is if you can really entertain me. Can you do it?"


    "OF COURSE MILORD! I CAN ENTERTAIN YOU!" The blue prisoner replied as he seemed to have ignored the chains shackling his body. "JUST TELL ME WHAT TO DO, AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO TELL IT TO YOU!"


    "Jackpot." Alex thought to himself triumphantly as the same sneering smile stayed on his face.


    Now that the blue prisoner had offered his initiative to please Alex, Alex of course decided to make the blue prisoner do the one thing that will help Alex the most now.


    "Hmph, lowly prisoner, are you good at telling stories?" Alex shouted to the blue prisoner as he gave him a disdaining look. "I have been bored with the things that I have seen here, so I wanted to hear something nice. You, you can manage something easy like that, right?"


    "OF COURSE, OF COURSE MILORD SAGE! I CAN TELL YOU A GOOD STORY!" The blue prisoner rapidly replied as his head bobbed up and down quickly. "WHAT STORY DO YOU WANT ME TO TELL? DO YOU WANT TO HEAR THE LEGEND OF THE FIVE SUCCUBI? OR THE TALES OF DURAT THE SNEK?"


    "Huh? Do you take me for an idiot? I already heard all about those stories!" Of course Alex actually had never heard about the stories mentioned by the blue prisoner, but he had to act like he knew them. "The story I want you to tell me is different!"


    "THEN¡­ WHAT STORY DO YOU WANT TO HEAR, MILORD?"


    "Heh, tell me the story about your life." Alex said as his gaze at the blue prisoner went cold.


    "THE STORY OF MY LIFE?"


    "What, don''t tell me you can''t do it?"


    "AH OF COURSE MILORD, I CAN DO IT! I WAS JUST SURPRISED THAT YOU WANTED TO HEAR THAT KIND OF STORY!"


    "Are you questioning my decisions now, lowly prisoner?"


    "ABSOLUTELY NOT MILORD! I WAS JUST SURPRISED!"


    "Hmph, you better keep your mouth shut if you are not sure on what so say. Just talk when I needed to you talk! Do you understand that?"


    "YES MILORD!


    "Ok, so just like what I said earlier, I want you tell me the story about your life. Of course I do not want a f**king full length story! Make is as short as possible! But don''t forget to make it entertaining too!"


    "SOMETHING SHORT AND ENTERTANING? I¡­ I CAN DO THAT MILORD!"


    "Hmph, you better make sure that you will not lie to me." Alex said as he jammed his thumbs towards Alina and Astria''s direction. "See these two women here? As long as you try to lie, they will see and smell your deceit! So you better be truthful to me, or else¡­"


    What Alex was saying right now was a good threat.


    As long as they avoid the chains, Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes and Astria''s nose can detect lies and deceit coming from the blue prisoner.


    With these two near him, Alex was confident that the blue prisoner will not be able to lie to him easily, especially now that Alex had told the blue prisoner about what Allina and Astria can do.


    "¡­" After he heard what Alex said, the blue prisoner''s eyes focused on Alina and Astria.


    "!!!"


    At the instant that he saw Alina and Astria, the blue prisoner let out a despairing wails as he prostrated on the ground again!


    This time, the blue prisoner seems to be apologizing on Alina and Astria alone!


    "OH GOD! TWO OF THE INHERITORS OF THE ENLIGHTENED EMPRESS ARE HERE TOO! WHY DID I NOT NOTICE IT EARLIER? ARGH PLEASE FORGIVE ME YOU TWO! I SWEAR, I WILL NOT REPEAT WHAT I DID EARLIER!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Um¡­ these inheritors that you are talking about, you are referring to these two women, right?" Alex asked with confusion on his face as he pointed his fingers at Alina and Astria.


    "MILORD SAGE! YOU DO NOT NEED TO TEST ME ANYMORE! WITH JUST ONE LOOK, I AM SURE THAT THESE TWO BEAUTIFUL WOMENARE INHERITORS OF THE ENLIGHTENED EMPRESS!" The blue prisoner shouted out as he stared meekly at Alina and Astria. "THEIR SPECIAL SENSORY ORGANS ARE PROOF OF THAT!"


    "Oh, so that is what it is huh¡­" Alex muttered to himself even though he was still confused with what he just heard.


    Alina and Astria are inheritors of the so-called ''Enlightened Empress'', and from the looks of it, Alina''s eyes and Astria''s nose seems to be the evidence for that?


    If it were not for the blue prisoner saying these things with a scared look on his eyes, then Alex would have never believed him!


    "Alina, is that blue guy saying the truth?" Alex whispered to Alina, who looked somewhat stunned with what she just heard.


    "Alex, he is telling the truth, although I am not sure on why he is acting that way to us." Alina replied to Alex warily as she and Astria gave Alex confused looks.


    "¡­" Astria did not say anything, although it was quite obvious on her face that she was affected by what she heard too.


    "Heh, I do not know what is happening here, but I am only sure of one thing." Alex replied quickly as they ignored the blue prisoner who was still continuing on spouting his apologies to them. "And that is that all three of us have high statuses now, and that the blue prisoner is respecting us because of it! So as long as we use our current status correctly, we can easily get information from this prisoner!"


    "Oh, so that is the reason why you want that prisoner to talk about his life." Alina replied in a whisper as she and Astria went closer to Alex. "You want to make him tell you everything that we don''t know yet about!"


    "Exactly." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "Okay, remember what I said earlier. Use our current status properly, and we will emerge victorious from this!"


    "Ok!(x2)"


    Oncethey finished that small talk between each other, Alex, Alina, and Astria broke out of their huddle as all of them stared at the blue prisoner.


    As he stared at the blue prisoner''s body, which was now shivering from intense fear, Alex could not help but feel some slight pity for him.


    "Lowly prisoner, after convening with my lover and her ''friend'', I managed to convince them to spare your life." Alex said in a magnanimous tone, as if he was expecting the blue prisoner to be happy with what he just did. "In return, you must make your life story better!"


    "THANK YOU FOR YOUR MERCY YOU THREE! I SWEAR I WILL GIVE YOU THE BEST STORY THAT YOU CAN EVER HEAR IN YOUR LIFE!" The blue prisoner shouted out as he seemed to be making a promise with his life! "YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED, I PROMISE THAT!"


    "Yeah, yeah, just start talking now." Alex said as he waved his hands nonchalantly. "Oh, and can you lower the volume of your voice? Hearing you talk like this irritates me so much!"


    {{Ok milord, is this enough now?}}


    "Good, good, that''s enough already." Alex replied.


    {{Ehem, then I shall start my life story now!}}


    But before the blue prisoner could start talking, Alex eyes suddenly widened as if he suddenly remembered something important.


    Alex thenraised his hands, effectively stopping the blue prisoner from talking.


    "¡­"


    As the blue prisoner''s attention went focused on him, Alex let out a small laugh as he pointed his fingers at Queen Mother''s direction.


    "Hey lowly prisoner, do you recognize who that person was?"Alex said these words nonchalantly while his fingers were still pointed at Queen Mother. "There''s a chance that you could have missed someone important again¡­"


    The blue prisoner, hearing Alex''s prompt, followed Alex''s fingers until his eyes stopped on Queen Mother''s body.


    Queen Mother, who seemed to have realized what Alex was thinking, let out a sigh as she unleashed a wave of life force out of her body.


    As this refreshing-looking life force revolved around her body, the blue prisoner''s teeth could be heard chattering which was followed by another outburst from him.


    "HO-HOW COULD THEDESCENDANT OF THE YGDRASSIL BE HERE TOO? NOO!!! AM I GOING TO BE KILLED RIGHT NOW? HUHUHU¡­. PLEASE FORGIVE ME TOO!"


    "Damn..." That was all that Alex could say as he and Alina stared at Queen Mother''s confused expression. "All three of us actually have some kind of impressive background? Now I understand why the Endless Monarch likes our team!"


    "Alex, you did not include Professor Frances on your list¡­"


    "Her? She''s not yet a full member of our team! Besides, she''s someone that the Endless Monarch was irritated to! There''s no way that she will have an impressive background!"


    "¡­."

 Chapter 247 Lingo

    "Oi Alex! I heard what you are talking about!" Obviously, Professor Frances would not take Alex''s ''light insult'' that easily. "Do you think you can just say something like that about me?"


    "Well, do you have any frightening background?" Alex replied sneakily as he stared at the professor. "If you have one, then we can ask the blue guy to look at you now!"


    "¡­Hmph, forget about it. Let''s just finish up here." The professor quickly replied as she gave Alex a glare.


    Alex of course ignored the professor''s glare as he brought back his attention to the blue prisoner, who seemed to be still affected by Queen Mother''s appearance.


    "Oi, don''t worry about Queen Mother anymore." Alex said to the prisoner in a fed-up tone. "She won''t do anything to you too, as long as you don''t make her do so."


    "IS THAT TRUE MILORD?"


    "Yes! Wait, why are we even talking about this? You''re supposed to tell a story now, right? Go tell that story now, you dumbass!"


    "HII!!! I WILL START IT NOW, MILORD!"


    "Sigh, and it seems like he won''t lower the volume of his voice anymore¡­" Alex thought to himself wearily as the blue prisoner started to talk about himself.


    "UM OK, SO WELL, I SUPPOSE I CAN START THIS STORY BY INTRODUCING MYSELF. MY NAME IS LINGO, AND I AM A DIVINE BEING. I WAS BORN IN THE ANCESTRAL OVERLORD PLANE, AND I SPENT MOST OF MY LIFE THERE."


    "¡­"


    "¡­ MILORD, YOU DON''T LOOK LIKE YOU ARE HAPPY. SHOULD I MAKE MY STORY BETTER?"


    "Why the f**k did you ask that question? Did I tell you to stop?"


    "NO, MILORD!"


    "Then don''t stop talking! Che, you''re wasting my time here! Just talk! I will stop you when I want to!"


    "UM OKAY, SO¡­. SINCE I AM A DIVINE BEING, I HAVE BEEN GIFTED WITH AN INNATE DIVINE ABILITY. THAT ABILITY OF MINE GREW STRONGER IN TIME, AND ONCE IT HAD REACHED ITS PEAK, IT ALLOWED ME TO FIGHT EVENLY AGAINST SEVENTH STAGE PRACTITIONERS! ISN''T THAT AWESOME MILORD?"


    "That really sounds awesome, but I don''t have any idea on what you are talking about!" Alex thought to himself angrily as he tried to make himself look extremely bored.


    Divine beings? Ancestral Overlord Plane? Divine Ability? Practitioners?


    Alex had no idea on what these words mean, and this blue prisoner is spouting them out like they were just normal terms!


    "This is bad¡­" Alex thought to himself grimly as he realized that Lingo was thinking that Alex was knowledgeable about these things. "How the f**k will I know anything about what he said? I''m just a normal guy!"


    At that point, Alex realized that if he shows to Lingo some kind of ignorance about what he was talking about, their current situation might devolve badly!


    Alex had to pretend, or else the blue prisoner might react badly to him!


    Aside from this, Alex has to restrain himself from asking questions about the Abyss Plane or about the Enlightened Empress or even the Yggdrassil.


    After all, if he tries to ask about them, it will be quite obvious to the blue prisoner that something was fishy with Alex and the others!


    "Hmph, that''s awesome?" Alex replied with a sneer on his face as he tried to make himself look as disappointed as possible. "If you want me to be awed by your story, why don''t you just continue on talking? Maybe then I will find pleasure from your words!"


    Instead of acting awed, Alex had to make himself look disappointed. That way, the blue prisoner would not feel anything suspicious from Alex, and he instead will be more scared of him.


    This tactic seems to have worked, as Lingo''s mouth continued to loosen up.


    "OK, OK, MILORD. SO UM ACTUALLY¡­ MY DIVINE ABILITY IS LOW-LEVEL REALITY MANIPULATION, WHICH I CAN DO THROUGH THE POWER OF MY WILL ALONE.AS LONG AS MY MIND POWER HAS ENOUGH ENERGY IN IT, I CAN PRETTY MUCH CHANGE ANY LOW-LEVELLED RULES OF REALITY AROUND ME! WITH THAT ABILITY, I WAS ABLE TO DEFEAT MANY WHO TRIED TO KILL ME! WITH MY POWER, ONLY EIGTH STAGE PRACTITIONERS AND ABOVE CAN KILL ME, BUT THEY ARE VERY RARE IN MY WORLD! BECAUSE OF THAT, I WAS ABLE TO GATHER MANY PEOPLE UNDER MY BANNER! AH MILORD! MY LIFE BACK THEN WAS SO BLISSFUL!


    "¡­"


    "BECAUSE I KEPT A LOW PROFILE, NOBODY POWERFUL HAD TRIED TO KILL ME. THOSE WHO TRIED ARE WEAKLINGS, AND THEY WERE JUST ALL ENSLAVED BY ME! MILORD¡­. THOSE TIMES IN MY LIFE REALLY ARE THE BEST¡­"


    "¡­"


    No matter what Alex tried to do, he still could not full understand what Lingo was talking about.


    However, he was fairly sure in one thing.


    And that is that Lingo had lived a very spoiled and comfortable life before!


    Just hearing all the nostalgic words coming out of the blue prisoner''s mouth was enough to show that he was fond of his past!


    "BUT ALL OF THAT CHANGED WHEN ONE DAY, SOMEONE EXTREMELY POWERFUL HAD INVADED THE ANCESTRAL OVERLORD PLANE!"


    "¡­"


    "THAT INVADER WAS SO POWERFUL, THAT NOT EVEN THE STRONGEST PERSON IN THE ANCESTRAL OVERLORD PLANE COULD MATHC UP TO HIM. THAT DAY¡­ THE INVADER SLAUGHTERED MANY POWEFUL PRACTITIONERS IN THE ANCESTRAL OVERLORD PLANE, AND VERY FEW MANAGED TO SURVIVE. ONLY THE MORTALS AND SOME LUCKY PRACTITIONERS WERE SPARED FROM THAT ONSLAUGHT."


    "¡­"


    "MILORD, I¡­ WAS ONE OF THOSE SURVIVORS."


    At this point in time, Alex and the others started to feel cold as an extremely powerful killing intent erupted out of the blue prisoner.


    Even if the blue prisoner was somewhat scared of Alex, Alina, and Queen Mother, he seemed to be full of rage, as if there was a switch that flipped inside him right now.


    "THAT DAMNED INVADER, AFTER SEEING THAT I SURVIVED, HAD DECIDED TO TORMENT ME! H-H-HE PLACED ME IN COUNTLESSS EXPERIMENTS JUST TO TEST OUT MY BODY AND MY POWER! I¡­ I TRIED TO RESIST HIM, BUT HE WAS TOO POWERFUL AGAISNT ME!"


    "Yep, this guy''s pissed now." Alex thought to himself as he looked at Lingo''s extremely enraged face.


    "I¡­ STAYED AS HIS EXPERIMENTS FOR ANOTHER 10 YEARS. ONCE THAT 10 YEAR TIME HAS FINISHED, I THOUGHT THAT I WILL BE FREE ALREADY. BUT THAT DID NOT F**KING HAPPEN!"


    "¡­"


    "AFTER ALL THOSE EXPERIMENTS, THAT SON OF A B***H SUDDENLY IMPRISONED ME HERE, AND HE EVEN USED THESE BLASTED ORIGIN DEVOURING CHAINS TO EXTRACT MY POWER! ARGH! AND TO MAKE IT WORSE, HE EVEN GAVE THIS POWER TO SOME LOWLY MORTALS! I¡­ I CAN STILL TOLERATE BEING IMPRISONED NEAR A LOW-STAGED PLANET¡­ BUT FOR MY POWER TO BE DISTRIBUTED TO SOME LOWLY MORTALS? ARGH! I CANNOT F**KING ACCEPT THAT!"


    "Oi oi oi, I told you to say a story, not start a curse fest. Is your brain malfunctioning now?"


    "AH! I''M SORRY MILORD! I WAS JUST OVERTAKEN WITH EMOTIONS¡­."


    "Hmph, well I can understand the pain that you are going through¡­ However, I do not have time to hear more about your sentiments! Tell me more about your life now!"


    "ERM ABOUT THAT MILORD¡­"


    "¡­What is it now?"


    "WELL, THAT IS MY LIFE STORY ALREADY. I¡­ JUST FINISHED TALKING ALL ABOUT IT."


    "Wait, that''s it? That''s your life story?"


    "YES MILORD! HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT IT?"


    "How do I feel about it? Areyou kidding me? You just uttered 300+ words in your story, and you expect me to get entertained about that?"


    "BUT MILORD¡­ YOU TOLD ME TO MAKE IT AS SHORT AS POSSIBLE¡­ THAT''S THE SHORTEST ONE THAT I CAN MAKE¡­"


    "You must be kidding."


    "I AM NOT KIDDING MILORD."


    "Alina, please tell me that he''s just kidding."


    "Alex, I''m sorry to say this, but he is not kidding¡­"


    "Sigh¡­" This was all that Alex could say to himself as he shook his head.


    "Why did I sign up for this job again?"


    ***********


    The story that the blue prisoner had uttered had given Alex some information, especially about the part where the blue prisoner was imprisoned here on this moon!


    But even with that, Alex still found himself asking more questions, which just made his mood more sour.


    Well, even if the blue prisoner was a bad storyteller, Alex still managed to deduce some things about their current situation.


    Now he had just to confirm some of these things with Lingo.


    "Oi Lingo, before you start talking again with more ''mandatory stories'', answer this question of mine first. Are these people behind me the one who received your powers?" Alex asked the blue prisoner as he pointed his fingers towards the Symbolists. "Their power looks awfully similar to yours¡­"


    "MILORD, IT IS INDEED LIKE WHAT YOU SAID. THOSE PEOPLE WITH YOU ARE THE RECIPIENTS OF MY POWERS¡­" The blue prisoner said this sentence with both rage and sadness, although the rage portion was restrained maybe due to his fear of Alex.


    "Is that so huh¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he ignored the shouts of surprises and disbelief coming from the Symbolists behind him. "So all this time, you have been staying as a prisoner in this place?"


    Alex changed his tone into a slightly sympathetic one, and the blue prisoner seemed to have detected it as he immediately started pleading to Alex.


    "YES MILORD! I HAVE BEEN STAYING ON THIS PLACE FOR SO LONG, THAT I DO NOT EVEN KNOW WHAT TIME IT IS! MILORD! I HAVE BEEN THROUGH SO MUCH PAIN ALREADY!" As the blue prisoner said these words, tears streamed down his face as he started pleading to Ales. "MILORD¡­ WITH YOUR POWER, I''M SURE THAT YOU CAN FREE ME! I¡­ I WILL DO ANYTHING THAT I CAN JUST TO REPAY YOUR FAVOR! MILORD! FREE ME, AND I WILL BE YOUR LOYAL SERVANT!"


    "What the hell? Why would I want to free you?" Alex thought to himself angrily as he stared at the expectant face of the blue prisoner. "If I free this guy here, I have no idea on what he might do! But if I don''t do anything now¡­ he might start doubting me! That is also not good!"


    And with that, Alex realized that he was now stuck in a dilemma, and if he doesn''t do anything quickly, their currently simple interview might escalate into something undesirable for Alex.

 Chapter 248 Ism Hungry...

    Alex certainly did not expect himself to be put on a spot like this, and his current frowning expression was a testament to that.


    "¡­" Alex only wanted to gather information from Lingo, but because of Lingo''s request right now, Alex has no choice but to reply to him already!


    "Tsk, now because of what this guy did, I have no more chance of getting more information!" Alex thought to himself angrily as he let out a sigh. "If I don''t give Lingo an answer now¡­ my whole plan for today might be ruined!"


    Alex then cupped his chin as he tried to think of the best way out in his current situation, but after a few seconds of thinking, Alex''s eyes suddenly widened as he seemed to have realized something.


    "Wait a second¡­ What if this blue prisoner is the one that I should obtain from the Blue Moon?" Alex thought to himself with interest as he started to bob his head subconsciously.


    "What if Lingo is the one that we actually need to use in order win? That¡­ that actually is a plausible scenario¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he stared at Alina, who seemed to have reached the same conclusion as Alex.


    "Alex¡­ you are our leader, so it''s up to you whether you should take that prisoner with us." Alina said these words with some sense of finality, which just made Alex feel more pressured.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    After a minute of intense silence, Alex finally let out an audible sigh as he looked back at Lingo, who was staring at Alex with ''puppy-like'' eyes.


    "¡­." Alex repressed the shivers that he is feeling right now as he opened his mouth to talk.


    "Oi what''s your name again?"


    "IT''S LINGO, MILORD."


    "Oh right, Lingo. Well then Lingo, why the hell would I want to free you? Do you think I can just do that easily for you? Do you think I will just pop your chains off and let you regain your freedom just like that?"


    Once Alex said these words, the hope in Lingo''s eyes somewhat dimmed, but he still looked resolute, although some hints of desperation could now be seen on his eyes.


    "MILORD DON''T TELL ME¡­. THAT YOU WANT TO MAKE AN UNBREAKABLE PACT WITH ME?"


    "Heh, so you are actually sharp Lingo. Yes, I want to do that pact with you." Alex replied quickly, even though he had no idea on what the Unbreakable Pact was, or on even how it should be done!


    "[Asteria]! Help me out here!" Alex whispered to the blonde fairy, who was sitting on top on Alex''s head. "[Asteria], what the hell is an Unbreakable Pact? Come on tell it to me now! Or else I might be screwed here!"


    "Hhmph hooman, this is what you get from acting too much!" [Asteria] replied with a patronizing tone in her voice, although she still gave Alex what he was looking for.


    "Hooman, an Unbreakable Pact is an extremely binding agreement that will be made between two parties. An agreement under an Unbreakable Pact can be anything, as long as the two parties are in agreement with it.Should one member of the party breaks the terms of the agreement, they will receive a punishment!"


    "[Asteria], give me an example."


    "Argh fine hooman! I''ll give you an example now! So¡­ if there are two countries that are warring with each other, they can make an Unbreakable Pact on where they will not attack each other for 5 years. As long as they do not attack in 5 years, they will be fine. But if someone from either country makes an attack when the Unbreakable Pact is in effect, then the country which broke the rule will face massive punishment! In this example, the punishment will be death for all the residents of that country!"


    "Oi oi oi [Asteria]! That just sounds too much!" Even when he was just whispering to her, Alex could not help but almost shout out in surprise as he heard her example. "I thought that will be good... I never thought it can be that dangerous!"


    When Alex first heard [Asteria''s] description about the Unbreakable Pact, Alex thought that he already got something that was desirable.


    But when Alex heard about the punishment, he could not help but shiver as he realized that the punishment was just too great!


    Not only that, but Alex also had some suspicions about the Unbreakable Pact that Lingo was offering.


    It might be just Alex''s hunch, but there is a high possibility that the Unbreakable Pact that Lingo was offering could be a hidden trap, although Alex was not sure on where the trap could come from. After all,it was Lingo who offered to make an Unbreakable Pact!


    Since Alex had always trusted his hunch, he had fully decided to reject the offer for the Unbreakable Pact.


    As he made this decision, Alex took a deep breath as he continued whispering to [Asteria].


    "Is there any alternatives that I can use on this guy?" Alex asked the blonde fairyas he stared at Lingo warily. "Making an Unbreakable Pact with him sounds really tempting, but I don''t like doing it right now! If I have some more time with me, I am sure that I can formulate a good agreement with him¡­ But with what was happening today, I doubt that I will have time to make a good agreement!"


    "Hmph hooman, if I can just make you pay lifespan for your questions, then I might have been rolling in riches now!" [Astera] grumbled to herself angrily as she glared at Alex"Tsk, you want to know an alternative way to make a deal with that blue prisoner?"


    "Exactly, [Asteria]. Do you have any on your mind right now?" Alex whispered smoothly as he decided to ignore the blue prisoner for now. "Oh and if you have one, and if that info would be really helpful, then some of the King-Grade Honey that is with me could find their way on your arms¡­"


    "Oi hooman! Listen well to what I will say! I will only tell this to you once, so you must use your ears properly!" As expected, [Asteria] became extremely motivated once honey was offered to her.


    The blonde fairy even placed her mouth close on Alex''s left ear enthusiastically as she started to talk.


    "So hooman, you should first¡­"


    ****************


    AT THE SURFACE OF THE GREEN MOON


    If the blue prisoner was currently pleading for his freedom in the Blue Moon, something shockingly similar was also happening at the Green Moon.


    A massive, green-skinned person that was covered in chains was currently kowtowing on the ground, with this person''s body also trembling in fear.


    "FORGIVE ME, OH INHERITOR OF THE ENLIGHTENED EMPRESS. I HAVE NEVER MEANT TO ATTACK YOU LIKE THAT EARLIER." The green person said these words with great regret as he gave Vera, the martial artist an extremely sorry look.


    "Hmph, at least you know your place." Vera said these words with great difficulty as she seemed to be covering her ears. From the looks of it, she seems to be hearing a lot of things that were making her ears feel extremely irritated.


    "I THANK YOU FOR YOUR MAGNANIMOUS THINKING¡­" The green person replied quickly as he gave Vera a grateful look.


    The green person then looked at Ray as if he was trying to also obtain forgiveness from him.


    "OH SUCESSOR OF THE MECH KING, I HOPE YOU HAVE THE HEART TO FORGIVE ME TOO."


    "Hmph, will you stop talking once I forgive you?"


    "I CAN DO MY BEST TO RESTRAIN MYSELF, MILORD, IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANTEED."


    "Well then, I forgive you already! Now, can you shut your mouth already?"


    After Ray said these words, the green prisoner went silent for a few seconds, but he then started to talk as he stared at Noelle.


    "AND AS FOR YOU, FOLLOWER OF THE DEAD EMPEROR, I ALSO ASK FOR YOUR FORGIVENESS. YOU MAY BE ONE OF HIS WEAK FOLLOWERS, BUT I CAN SEE THAT YOU ARE EXTREMELY CLOSE TO HIM. YOUR EMPEROR MAY BE ALREADY DEAD, BUT I WOULD NEVER WANT TO OFFEND ANYONE WHOSE CONNECTED TO HIM CLOSELY!"


    "Oi! Didn''t I just tell you to shut up?"


    "I''M SORRY MILORD. I JUSTCOULD NOT CONTAIN MYSELF ANYMORE. SEEING ALL THREE OF YOU HERE IN FRONT OF ME MAKES ME EXTREMELY HAPPY AND NERVOUS!"


    "What a f**king psycho." Ray could be heard muttering these words as Noelle hid behind Vera, who seemed to be scared of the green prisoner''s intent stare.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Noelle¡­ she said that she forgives you too." Vera said to the green prisoner with exasperation as she let out a sigh.


    Noelle nodded her head weakly behind Vera, expressing her agreement to what Vera just said.


    "THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR KINDNESS TO SOMEONE LOWLY LIKE ME! I WILL ASSUR-"


    "Hmph, now that we have already given you our forgiveness, perhaps we can go straight to the point already." Ray said as he interrupted the green prisoner''s words. "What the hell do you want from us? You already told us about your origins and on how you were placed here. Since told us your personal life story with no qualms, you must have wanted us to do something for you. Tell me f**king prisoner, what is it that you want! Don''t lie to us, my partner here can detect if you are trying to deceive us!"


    "WELL MILORD, YOU REALLY ARE A SHARP ONE! INDEED, I WANT TO REQUEST ONE THING FROM YOU, AND THAT IS MY FREEDOM!"


    "Your freedom?


    "YES MILORD! FREE ME FROM THESE CHAINS, AND I WILL FOLLOW YOU ALL WHOLEHEARTEDLY! I CAN EVEN SIGN AN UNBREAKABLE PACT WITH YOU IF YOU ARE SUSPICIOUS OF ME!"


    "Hoho, an Unbreakable Pact? That does sound appealing¡­"


    "SO WHAT IS IT MILORD? ARE YOU INTERESTED IN IT?"


    In response to what the green prisoner said, Ray just stared at the green prisoner straight in the eye as he said,


    "Heh, you want to be free? Well if you want to, you must first-"


    "Boom!"


    Whatever Ray was going to say was cut-off, as a sudden attack fell from the sky, which hit the green prisoner directly in the face, making him roar in great pain.


    The attack was a white spear of light, which disintegrated upon impact with the green prisoner.


    As Ray saw what happened, his eyes widened as he gave his companions and the Devourers a completely enraged look.


    His words were loaded with anger as he started to talk to everyone around him.


    "F**king heads up everyone! It seems like someone from a different moon is attacking us at this moment! Don''t f**king dilly dally right now! We have a fight to do!"


    "!!!" Unsurprisingly, everyone immediately perked up with the Ray said, with most of them placing themselves on their battle poses. There were even traces of excitement on the eyes of some of the Devourers, as if they were thirsting for some fight already.


    As for Vera and Noelle, they both looked ready too, although some sense of wariness could be seen on their eyes.


    As these people prepared themselves, the other side has started to make their move.


    Swishing sounds could be heard as hundreds of people descended from above, with all of them carrying weapons and abilities of mass destruction.


    They were also carrying an aura of excitement with them, as if these invaders were extremely excited of the battle that was about to start now.


    "MILORD! SOMEONE POWERFUL HAS ATTACKED ME!"


    "Yes, yes, I can see that, Pe¨ªna." Ray replied as he watched the invading army descend towards them. "Can you shut up for a second?"


    "OK MILORD¡­"


    **************


    With just one look at the invaders above him, Ray already realized what these newcomers were planning to do. And obviously, Ray was not happy with it.


    "So they are attacking us now to get the Green Moon? How bold of them to do so! Hmph, if they want to get this moon, they will have to get through all of us first!" Ray said these words in a high-pitched tone as he started to arm all the bombs that he placed all over the Green Moon.


    As these invisible bombs started arming themselves, Ray started to laugh maniacally as he flipped a finger to the invaders from the sky.


    "Come on you little s**ts! Come and attack us now! Don''t tell me you little f**kers afraid to move in now?"

 Chapter 249 Highly Specialized Girls Talk

    "Alina, I think there is something wrong with Alex." Professor Frances whispered to Alina as she and Queen Mother stared at Alex, who was deep in conversation with [Asteria].


    "Professor¡­ why would you even think of that?" Alina replied exasperatedly as she glared at Professor Frances. "Do you even know what you are saying?"


    "Don''t tell me that you haven''t noticed it?" The professor hissed at Alina as grabbed Alina''s left shoulder. "He''s acting weird now!"


    "¡­"


    Seeing that Alina did not give any reply, the professor pressed on as she continued talking.


    "Did you see the way that Alex is acting now? There''s really something wrong! Just look at him! If it were him before, he would have already accepted the offer to make an Unbreakable Pact. But right now, Alex is actually asking for a different way to deal with Lingo! That just does not fit on what he did in the past!"


    "¡­So just because Alex was not assertive today, you already think that there is something wrong with him?" Alina finally replied to the professor as she tilted her head.


    "Hah? Don''t tell me you really don''t think that there is nothing wrong?" The professor replied in confusion as she gave Alina a surprised look.


    "¡­"


    "Right at the moment that the Celestial and the Devourer Faction arrived at the arena earlier, something inside Alex has definitely changed." Professor Frances said amidst Alina''s silence. "I don''t know why you are trying to deny it, but even Queen Mother can see that Alex had been acting weird since that time!"


    "¡­What the professor saying is right." Queen Mother said as she butted in, interrupting whatever Alina was trying to say next. "It might be just slight, but something has definitely changed inside Alex earlier¡­"


    "¡­"


    Seeing that Alina did not give any replies again, both Professor Frances and Queen Mother barked at her, as if she had offended her.


    "What, don''t tell me that you are still going to deny it?"


    "¡­It''s not that I am denying it. I¡­ just have no idea on what to do regarding Alex right now." Alina said as she finally relented. Her shoulders drooped down, as sheseemed to have revealed that she was carrying a heavy burden.


    "Wait¡­ are you telling me that you have seen something wrong with Alex using your ''eyes''?" The professor, hearing the resignation in Alina''s voice, raised her eyebrows as she realized that there was something that Alina saw that she had been hiding from them.


    "Oi Alina, whatever it is that you have seen, you should share it with us too." Professor Frances said as she stared at Alina intently. "Or are you thinking of just hiding it? Hmph, I don''t know what you have seen, but I don''t want you hiding it!"


    "¡­"


    "I may not be your Companion yet, but I know that you should not be keeping secrets like this from us, especially to Queen Mother!" Professor Frances said as she jabbed her finger at Alina.


    "Hey!" The professor ignored Queen Mother''s shout of surprise behind her as she continued jabbing her finger at Alina.


    "Even if you are Alex''s ''lover'', you should not be hiding anything regarding him, especially if it will place us in danger!" Professor Frances said as she shook her head in disappointment.


    "¡­."


    "In the long time that I ruled my world before, I only follow one rule. And that is that there must be no secrets between comrades!" The professor said as she took a deep breath. "Only when people have high understanding of people''s past that they can mesh well together! I learned that lesson the hard way before¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Alina, out of everyone in this team, I already knew about your past and Queen Mother''s. But I know nothing about Alex''s past, not even a scrap of it!" At this point, Professor Frances was almost shouting, and she had to restrain herself from speaking louder to Alina. "Alina, do you even know anything about Alex''s past?"


    "¡­"


    "Hmph, from the looks of it, he also did not tell you about his past." The professor replied smugly as she let out a sigh.


    "Alex¡­ he could have a good reason for not telling us about his past¡­"


    "Of course I get that. But that still does not correlate to what you are doing here!" Professor Frances said as she shook her head once more.


    "You have seen something wrong with Alex right now, and there is a high chance that it is related to his past! Not only that, but we could be in danger because of what was happening to him now! Just look at him! It''s like his bravery had been reduced!"


    "Professor I get what you say, but-"


    "But what? Don''t tell me that you will still not tell us about what you saw with your ''All-Seeing Eyes''?" The professor shot back angrily as she gave Alina a disbelieving look. "Oh come on! Our lives are at stake here!"


    "I don''t like the way that professor is talking to you right now, but I guess that she is right" Queen Mother muttered as she appeared behind Alina.


    "But-"


    "No buts right now. Don''t tell me that you don''t trust us?" Professor Frances muttered as she glared at Alina again. "We are all tied together by a tight bond, and we are here to help each other out! That''s why we are a team! If there''s something wrong with one of our members, then the others should swoop in to help! That is how a team works! And right now, you should follow that responsibility too!"


    "¡­"


    Alina looked like she wanted to not speak, but under Professor Frances'' and Queen Mother''s continuous pestering for the following seconds, Alina had no choice in the end but to give up.


    "¡­You two really are persistent." Alina said with a sigh as an exhausted look appeared on her eyes. She looked at Professor Frances and Queen Mother directly, as if she wanted to impart them with an important message.


    "You two¡­what I am going to tell you now must not be known by others, especially by Alex!" Alina said as she huddled closer with Queen Mother and Professor Frances. "Can you promise me that you two can keep your mouth shut?"


    "I get the secrecy thing, but why should we not tell anything to Alex?" Queen Mother asked Alina as she gave her a confused look. "Shouldn''t Alex also know about it, since it''s related to him?"


    "There is no way that we can tell the truth to Mr. Alex right now." Out of nowhere, Astria, who was sitting on a wheelchair, suddenly butted in on their conversation, with her melodious voice interrupting them. "I rarely agree with the glutton swordswoman, but right now, I fully understand why Mr. Alex must be kept out of this."


    "Wait, should you even be here?" The professor asked Astria with incredulity as her eyes roved all over her wheel-chaired body. "This is a private talk between our team, so outsiders must not be here! Shoo! Shoo!"


    "Let this b**ch stay here, professor." Alina unexpectedly said as she let out an irritated sigh. "I''m sure that with her special nose, she had also detected what had happened with Alex earlier. Since she already knows about it, there''s no sense if we chase her out now. Besides, her insights could be of great help to us here!"


    "¡­Hmph, if you say so. But if this brat tries to make a sly move against us, I will be the first one to cut her down!" The professor unwillingly replied as she crossed her arms. "Remember brat, I''m watching you!"


    "¡­"


    Astria seemed to have ignored what the professor said as her attention was focused on Alex alone.


    "Hey, hey ,hey! From the looks of it, Alex is still busy on his internal monologue¡­" Astria playfully said as she looked at Alex, who was actually conversing with [Asteria]. "That means we still have enough time to talk about him before he notices that something is wrong!"


    It was quite obvious from what Astria was saying that she wanted to start the talk already, which was showcased by the impatience on her voice.


    "Hey, don''t just ignore me!" Professor Frances growled as she started to walk towards Astria menacingly. From the looks of it, Professor Frances was also pissed by Astria already, which was no surprise to anyoneat all.


    "Sigh¡­" Seeing that another fight was about to happen, Queen Mother was left with no choice but to intervene already.


    Queen Mother grabbed the professor with one of her green arms as she forced the professor to stay still.


    This was an effective move, as the professor''s rage had seemingly abated from what Queen Mother did.


    "Ok, ok, now that we are done setting the boundaries here, let''s go talk about the important thing already." Queen Mother hurriedly said as she tried to defuse the somewhat tense atmosphere.


    "¡­"


    "..."


    "In that case, let me start this meeting."Alina said as she let out a deep breath.


    Alina''s atmosphere then turned solemn as she opened her mouth.


    "Right before we entered the portal to the Blue Moon, my eyes saw something inside Alex''s body." Alina said as her eyes narrowed. "Along his chest area¡­ I saw a small blob of white light, residing right at the middle of his heart. At first I thought nothing of that white blob, as I thought that maybe that was just one of the effects that appeared when Alex¡­ made himself stronger earlier. So I just let that white blob stay there."


    "As for me, I did not see anything weird inside Mr. Alex." Astria said as she interrupted Alina. "However, I definitely smelled something delicious inside Alex''s heart. It smelled like chiffon cake, and it actually made me drool earlier¡­"


    Alina looked somewhat pissed that Astria interrupted her, but she managed to rein in her irritation as she continued talking.


    "That white blob stayed the same way that it is after we arrived at the arena. At that point, I started to think that this white blob could actually be safe after all. But all of that changed when the Celestials and the Devourers arrived."


    "Yes! At the moment that those two factions arrived, something had changed regarding that thing inside Mr. Alex''s heart!" Astria enthusiastically said as she interrupted Alina once more. "The smell coming from it became stronger, and its smell became more delectable!"


    "As for me, I noticed that the white blob of light tripled in size." Alina said as she gritted her teeth. "Of course I panicked once I saw that, and I hurriedly tried to tell Alex about it. But when I tried to tell Alex about that white blob of light, I saw that white blob doing something that made me stop."


    "¡­" Both Queen Mother and Professor Frances then leaned in as they tried to hear more about what Alina was talking about.


    "Before I could say to Alex that he has a white blob of light inside him, that white blob suddenly turned red!" Alina hissed as a pissed expression appeared on her face."At the moment that I saw that red color, I had to stop, as I knew that that color was a warning signal made by that while blob of light! And then, once I stopped trying to tell Alex about that blob, its color returned back to white¡­"


    Astria then chimed in, as she talked with a pale pallor on her face. "As for me, I also tried telling Alex about the white blob, but just like Alina, right before I could say anything, the smell coming from that white blob changed. From smelling delectable, its smell changed to that of rotting flesh! I have no choice at that time but to back away, as I realized that there is something wrong with that thing!"


    "Wait, so let me get this straight." Professor Frances said as she scratched the back of her had. "Both of you detected an object appearing inside Alex''s heart, and when you tried to tell Alex about this object, that object suddenly gave you two a warning, as if it does not want you two to tell about its existence to Alex. That''s the gist of it?"


    "Exactly." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "And at the moment that that object tripled in size, Alex''s behavior had started to change¡­"


    "¡­"


    "At the moment that I realized that his behavior changed, I already knew that the object in his heart was that culprit of it." Alina said with a sigh. "I did not feel happy at all once I had realized what was going on¡­"


    "So that white blob is the reason for Alex becoming like this? Huh, now that''s interesting." The professor muttered as she cupped her chin. "Very interesting¡­"


    After seeing that the professor was engrossed in the conversation, Alina''s tense expression loosened up as she continued talking.


    "It does not want me to tell Alex about its existence, and obviously, I will not just disregard its warnings. As for physically destroying that blob,Ido not know if I can even attack it right now, especially now that it was inside Alex''s body. As for telling the truth to you two¡­"


    "You are not sure if you are even allowed to talk about the object''s existence to us." Professor Frances said as she finished Alina''s statement. "Since you are not sure if you can even talk about what you discovered to others, you had no choice but to refrain telling about that object to us."


    "That''s right¡­" Alina replied as she bowed her head. "With that kind of limitation, I was planning on just keeping what I saw to myself. But after you pestered me for quite some time, I decided to take the risk and tell everything to you. And just like what you can see, I succeeded on that endeavor."


    "¡­And that brings us to this dilemma." Queen Mother said as she crossed her arms. "Now that we know that there is something that is affecting Alex right now, what should we do about it? Should we deal with this peacefully, or do we have to resort to violence?"


    "¡­"


    "Come on, we need to think quickly now! If we let this go on for longer, something worse could happen to Alex! We don''t want that happening to him, right?"

 Chapter 250 Shameless!

    @@


    Hahaha, this may be shameless guys, but if there are any of my readers here who wants to support my novel, can you please vote for me in the Originals Voting Awards? I know that I will not win, but I want to see how many readers will support me...


    How to vote? Hahaha, just get the Gifts rolling to me!


    Hahaha, depending my rank, I might show the next arc for this novel!@@

 Chapter 251 I will bless you with this Seed

    "¡­Do anyone of you have any idea on what we should do?" Alina said as she stared at the three women in front of her. Uncertainty was present in her eyes as she continued talking. "I¡­ I am not as intelligent as Alex, so I am not suited for things like this. That''s why¡­ I humbly ask you all for your help."


    "Hohoho, so even you can actually swallow your pride. Don''t tell me that you can even eat emotions?" Astria replied jokingly as she giggled at Alina.


    "B**ch, just shut up and cooperate here." Alina replied she let out a sigh.


    Today really is not a good day for Alina, and the appearance of Astria just made this day worse.


    "¡­Fine then, I shall listen to what you said." The wheel-chaired woman replied as she glared at Alina.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Ehem, ehem, so does anyone here have any ideas already?" Queen Mother hurriedly said as she tried to diffuse the tense atmosphere once more. "We can''t just stay talking idly like this¡­"


    "¡­"


    After hearing what Queen Mother said, the tension on Alina and Astria''s eyes disappeared, as they remembered the thing that they should be doing now.


    But before anyone amongst the four women could start giving their own ideas, someone''s voice butted in on their conversation.


    "Queen Mother, come here please. I managed to come up with a good way to initiate the agreement with Lingo, and I will need your help for this."


    The one who said these words was Alex, who seemed to be already done talking with [Asteria]. Right now, he was staring at the girls'' huddle with slight suspicion on his face, although he was trying his best to not show it.


    "Me? You need me?" Queen Mother replied with surprised as she pointed to herself. "Are you sure about that?"


    "Yes, yes, of course I am sure." Alex replied quickly as he tilted his head. "Why would you even doubt me now?"


    "¡­Okay then, here I come." This was the only answer that Queen Mother could give, as the enthusiastic expression on Alex''s face shows that he indeed is of need with Queen Mother''s assistance.


    Queen Mother has no choice but to follow Alex, as refusing him might lead to a bad situation.


    "¡­" As Queen Mother approached Alex, Alina''s eyes narrowed as she let out another sigh.


    "Tsk, now we lost the chance to formulate a plan. Not only that, but there''s a chance that this situation will get messier!" Alina thought to herself angrily as she gritted her teeth. "Knowing Alex, I know that he''s already suspicious of what we are doing earlier. I''m sure that he will try to pry about what we are doing later! I cannot allow that to happen!"


    As she continued gritting her teeth, Alina''s gaze landed on [Asteria] who seemed to be oddly cheerful as of now.


    Alina resisted her urge to pet the blonde fairy as she thought to herself,


    "As for that blob inside Alex, maybe I will consult [Astera] about that later. Surely, she has some ideas that can help us out here¡­"


    After having these thoughts inside her mind, Alina''s tense expression started to calm down, as she had now a plan on what to do.


    "So first things first. I must find a way to talk with [Asteria] personally¡­" Alina thought to herself as she stared at [Asteria] once more. "Well, well, well, how should I lure a dumb fairy to come with me?"


    *************


    AROUND THE TIME THAT THE DEVOURER FACTION WAS ATTACKED


    As he saw Queen Mother walking slowly towards him, Alex could not help but feel suspicious as he scanned the emotions emanated by Queen Mother right now.


    There''s uncertainty, fear, and panic inside Queen Mother, and to Alex''s surprise, he could feel these same emotions on Alina, Astria, and even Professor Frances!


    As he received this feedback with this emotion scan, Alex could not help but feel suspicious of the four, as he remembered seeing them having a private talk earlier.


    "Did they discover something that made them this worried?" Alex thought to himself as he metaphorically cupped his chin. "Hmm¡­ should I ask them about it?


    "¡­"


    After a few seconds of internal deliberation, Alexlet out a deep breath as he decided to put his suspicions to the sidelines first.


    "I can just investigate the matter about the women later. For now, I must deal with Lingo first!"


    As Alex made this decision, he looked at Lingo, who was looking back at Alex with the same pleading expression that he had since earlier.


    As he stared at the prisoner''s eyes, Alex could not help but smile as he thought to himself,


    "You''re lucky that [Asteria] has a good idea now¡­. If not for her, you could have been doomed to stay here!"


    It was at that point that Queen Mother arrived, with her deep, earthy smell rousing Alex from his thoughts.


    "Good, good." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at Queen Mother''s body that was exploding in vitality. "You are powerful enough to pull this off¡­"


    After saying these words, Alex gave Queen Mother a nod as he placed his hand on her right shoulder. "Queen Mother, are you ready now?"


    "You haven''t told me on what I should do, but fine, I think I can manage¡­."


    "Hehehe, now that''s what I''m talking about!"


    "¡­"


    After having this small talk with Queen Mother, Alex looked back at Lingo as he decided to start the negotiation with him now.


    "Oi Lingo, I have some good news for you. I already have a decision regarding your offer." Alex said these words with an arrogant tone in his voice, as if he was not happy on what he was doing now. "Listen to what I will say, and make your decision after that. Do you understand?"


    "I UNDERSTAND MILORD! JUST SAY WHATVER YOU WANTED TO SAY, AND I WILL DO MY BEST TO ANALYZE IT!"


    "Ok, ok. So first of all, I have decided to accept your offer to make an Unbrekable Pact. But-"


    "OH THANK YOU MILORD! I WILL NEVER FORGET ABOUT YOUR MERCIFULNESS NOW!"


    "But aside from that pact, I wanted to place one more safeguard regarding our alliance." Alex said as his voice turned cold. "Another safeguard in our alliance would be acceptable to you, right?"


    "MILORD IT DEPENDS ON WHAT THE SAFEGAURD IS¡­"


    "Of course I know about that." Alex replied as he waved his hands nonchalantly. "But you should not be worried about the safeguard. After all, the safeguard is just Queen Mother planting something inside your body."


    "PARDON MILORD?"


    "I said, the safeguard will be Queen Mother planting something inside your body." Alex said as his voice turned neutral. "Surely your feeble mind can understand what I am saying, right?"


    "YES MILORD I CAN UNDERSTAND IT¡­" Lingo replied with a deflated expression on his face. "YOU''RE BASICALLY SAYING THAT YOU WANTED TO USE A WORLD TREE''S CREATION TO RESTRICT MY ACTIONS¡­"


    "Exactly." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "I have no idea if the Unbreakable Pact can guarantee my safety, so I decided to use Queen Mother''s to restrict you more. With her plant inside you, I have no qualms about allying with you!"


    "¡­"


    What [Asteria] had suggested to Alex earlier was simple.


    By using her life creation powers and with the aid of Professor Frances, Queen Mother can create a parasitic plant which could take root inside Lingo''s body.


    Since the parasitic plant was already a living being on its own, it will not be affected by the Origin Devouring Chains,as those chains only affect literal powers themselves.


    Once inside Lingo''sbody, the parasitic plant will quickly grow inside his body, occupying any vital points!


    Once that happens, Queen Mother basically has the control all over Lingo''s life.


    Since the Unbreakable Pact was supposed to be Unbreakable, then there should have been no problemwith allying with Lingo.


    But if Lingo manages to exploit a loophole in the Unbreakable Pact, then Queen Mother will just use her pheromones to activate the parasitic plant inside Lingo''s body!


    So if the parasitic plant were to be planted inside Lingo, Lingo will have no choice but to be a good ally to Alex.


    However, there was just one problem regarding this parasitic plant.


    For this parasitic plant to be planted inside Lingo, Lingo must first allow it to be planted.


    If Lingo does not agree for this plant to be placed inside him, then it won''t grow inside him at all.


    Sure, this rule might sound foolish, but with the unfair advantage that this parasitic plant already has, a limitation like this was just a way to make things fair.


    "Tsk, fair my ass." Alex thought to himself as he waited for Lingo to give his reply. "If Lingo does not agree to my terms right now,then it will be impossible for Queen Mother to place the plant inside him. In that case, I can just wish that he will agree. Well¡­ with the situation that he is in right now, he must be desperate to escape. There could be around 60-70% chance that he will agree¡­ After all, I am his only hope right now to be free¡­"


    "¡­." Just as expected, Lingo was surprised and perturbed by Alex''s offer.


    Lingo even went quiet for a few minutes as he looked like he was deeply pondering Alex''s words.


    It was only when Alex was about to feel impatient that Lingo started to talk.


    "MILORD¡­ IF YOU PLANT THE PARASITIC PLANT INSIDE ME, WILL THAT STAY INSIDE ME FOREVER?"


    As Alex heard this question from Lingo, he could not help but smile as he knew that he had baited the fish already.


    "Of course not. As long as you serve me well, I will remove the parasitic plant inside you."


    "REALLY MILORD?"


    "Hmph, don'' tell me that you doubt me? What gall!"


    "AH MILORD! I DON''T MEAN IT THAT WAY!"


    ''Hmph, don''t worry about it. I will include that matter about the parasitic plant in the Unbreakable Pact later. So you should be assured that I will free you in the future!"


    "MILORD¡­. IN THAT CASE, I SHALL ACCEPT YOUR DEMANDS THEN."


    "Good¡­" This was all that Alex could say as he nodded his head. "Good, good, good!"


    Now that Alex had the agreement with Lingo, there will be no more delays with their alliance!


    Everything is now going according to his plans!


    But for all of these to happen, Queen Mother has to plant the parasite first.


    With this thought in his mind, Alex looked at Queen Mother as he told her,


    "Well then Queen Mother, it seems like you have some work to do now. If you want, we can also assist you. Just say the word, and we will-"


    Whatever words Alex was trying to say was cut-off, as he suddenly felt danger approaching him from above.


    "Hah!"


    Alex let out a shout as he leapt forward, dragging Queen Mother with him as he tried to get away from his current position.


    "Boom!" As Alex''s feet landed on the ground, he heard an explosive sound coming behind him.


    Alex looked back, and there he saw a white spear of light, which collided with Lingo''s forehead.


    The white spear disintegrated upon impact, and the resulting blast from it had rocked Lingo''s head backwards, and it managed to elicit a roar of pain from him.


    "MILORD! SOMEONE ATTACKED ME!"


    "Yeah, I know, I know." Alex muttered to himself as he adjusted his positioning. "I just saw it happening, okay?"


    "¡­"


    After saying these words, Alexlooked up at the sky, as he knew that the attacker came from above.


    "Motherf****rs¡­" As Alex''s eyes observed the night sky, he could not help but curse out with what he saw.


    Alex saw hundreds of people descending towards them in droves, with all of them riding some kind of space vehicles, and most of them equipped with weapons.


    Leading these people were the kimono woman that Alex saw at the arena earlier.


    The kimono woman''s kimono was gone, as she was now wearing a glowing white armor which covered her whole body.


    "¡­"


    As Alex''s eyes roved all over the white armor, his body could not help but tighten up as if he felt threatened by the armor.


    Behind the kimono woman were the little boy and the bratty teenager, who were her Companions.


    These two still looked like they were bored, although they were also equipped with lethal-looking weapons.


    "F**k, the Celestial Faction has decided to attack us now? Why didn''t they just attack the Devourer Faction? And where the hell did they get all those weapons and vehicles?" Alex thought to himself angrily as he regrouped with Alina and the Symbolists.


    "Boom!" Just a second after Alex''s regrouping, he felt danger descending towards them again.


    Alex looked up, and he saw the white spear of light descending once more, but this time around, it was headed towards him!


    "@*%)(*)@!" Alex thought angrily to himself as his Abyss Sage robes started to glow menacingly. "You want a fight you fricking Celestials? Hmph, then we shall give you a fight!"

 Chapter 252 Rero rero rero

    Before the white spear could hit him, it was suddenly blocked by a defensive field, which was created by the joint effort of the Symbolists.


    Alex nodded appreciatively upon seeing this, as he realized that the Symbolists with him are all serious right now.


    "Boom boom boom!" At the moment that the Symbolists had sprung up their defenses, the Celestials from above started to attack, using their Celestial Constellation Arts.


    The sky glowed white as numerous constellations covered the battlefield. Out of these constellations, powerful attacks came out, hitting the defensive shield with full force.


    Fortunately for everyone inside the shield, it managed to hold its ground, although no one was sure on how long it will last.


    After all, it was only the Celestials and their abilities that are hitting the shield right now.


    The lethal weapons that they have with them are still not being used, and the Traveler Team that is leading the Celestials wat not yet attacking too!


    Alina was not sure why their invaders are holding back now, but she was sure that they must be planning on doing something.


    As for what this plan was, Alina had no idea on what it could be.


    Well, whatever that plan might be, Alina was confident that they can all get through it!,


    ***********


    "Boom boom boom!"


    As the attacks continued on landing on their shield, Alex could be seen looking at the attackers above intently.


    "¡­" Even though Alex tried to look composed right now, there will still some traces of worry and panic that could be seen on his face.


    Alina and Queen Mother frowned as they saw Alex''s face, as they saw that there''s really something unnatural about Alex right now.


    But even if there was something wrong with him, Alex showed that he was still somewhat reliable as his following words had managed to rouse the crowd.


    "Everyone, keep your defenses tight!" Alex shouted to the Symbolists as his he also started on writing his own Symbols.His Symbols, which looked golden before, now had a tinge of black on her bodies.


    Alina, who saw this color change, started to have the suspicion that Alex was using doing something with the Symbols using his Abyss Energy.


    While he was writing the Symbols, Alex continued to talk loudly.


    "Our goal here is to weather their attacks while my companion frees Lingo. Once Lingo is free, we will use his power to push these people back! Do you all understand that?"


    "Yes!" All the Symbolists replied, although some of them seemed to be unhappy with what Alex just said.


    But even though they were unhappy, they had no choice but to accept what Alex just said.


    After all, they were caught in a surprise attack, and the best way that they can do to push the attack back was of course by using Lingo himself!


    Alina naturally knew this too as she naturally agreed to Alex.


    "Queen Mother and Professor! Go and plant that parasite inside Lingo!" Alex shouted to the two women as his writing frequency increased. "And please, do it as fast as possible! With the weapons that these invaders are carrying with them, I am not sure if our defensive wall would hold for that long! So please speed up the planting process! Our lives will depend on that!"


    "You could have worded it better, prick." Professor Frances muttered angrily as she and Queen Mother started to do their work on Lingo. "Wouldn''t it hurt to give us some nice and encouraging words?


    "¡­" Alex did not give any reply to that, which elicited an irritated huff from the professor.


    Alina only shook her head upon seeing this, as she knew how pressured Alex must feel right now.


    "From the looks of it, it seems like the Celestial Faction have already freed the prisonerin the Yellow Moon, just like what we are trying to do now." Alina thought to herself quickly as she unsheathed her katana. "That could be the only reason that they are attacking now. But if that was really the case, then where is that prisoner? Is that prisoner staying at the Yellow Moon? That''s probable, since they had to leave someone guarding the Yellow Moon¡­"


    At the instant that Alina thought of this, she felt somewhat confused.


    "Why are they attacking us anyway? Couldn''t they have just chosen to go to the Red Moon? After all, that place is empty, since its power recipients are unable to go there¡­"


    This is the thing that Alina was confused of right now.


    Why would the Celestial Faction choose to attack them, when they can just attack the Red Moon?


    Hell, they could even just choose to attack the Devourer Faction at the Green Moon!


    Yet, even with these choices, they still chose to attack the Blue Moon!


    "Tsk, I should think about this later." Alina thought to herself sourly as she pointed her sword at the opponents from above.


    For now, Alina had no choice but to use her Dimension Manipulation Esper power, even if it was weakened right now.


    Alina''s Dark Magic, which had also reached Grade 6 already, was more suited for covert and individual fights.


    That means that for the current situation, Dark Magic won''t be of that much help, unless Alina evolves too.


    But Alina still had no idea how to evolve herself, so she has no choice but to rely on her dimensional manipulation for now.


    "¡­.I still have some contribution points left. Should I use it to increase my Mental Power?" Alina thought to herself quickly as Alex continued to bark orders to the people around her."Why am I even thinking about it? Of course I should do it!"


    At the moment that Alina became Alex''s Companion, she already knew that she will be mostly relying on her Esper Power on the missions. As for her Dark Magic, Alina only uses if to cover up her weaknesses.


    Since her Esper Power was her ace, Alina must naturally invest heavily on strengthening it!


    "Thud, thud."


    As she made this decision to increase her power right now, Alina had no choice but to approach [Asteria], since this blonde fairy was the only one that can make the transaction for Alina.


    "!!!" But before Alina could approach [Asteria], Alina suddenly stopped on her tracks.


    Alina looked back at the invaders once more, and this time around, Alina''s eyes widened like saucers, as if she had just seen something unfathomable.


    "These people¡­ there''s something wrong with their bodies!" Alina exclaimed to herself inwardly as she gazed at the invaders above her.


    "My eyes¡­ they''re telling me that these people are real, but my eyes are also telling me that these people are fake!" Alina thought to herself in disbelief as she her eyes started to blink rapidly. "Ho-how could that be possible!"


    This is the first time that Alina had seen something like this, and it naturally forced her to stop on her tracks.


    She even momentarily forgot about her plan to increase her power, as her mind was bombarded with the questions that she have right now!


    "Alina, is there something wrong?" Alina''s daze was only snapped when a worried Alex had called out to her. "Did you see something from these invaders?"


    "Yes I did see something¡­ and I am not sure if what I saw is good or bad for us." Alina replied quickly as she gritted her teeth.


    "Well then, what is it that you saw?"


    "I saw-" But before Alina could give her reply, they suddenly heard a melodious laughter coming from above.


    "¡­" This pure and enticing laughter sounded somewhat inappropriate for the current situation,as it could be heard on a battlefield right now.


    "¡­" Alina looked to the source of the laughter, and just like what she suspected, it was the kimono woman who laughed.


    The kimono woman''s mask and armor was still on her body, making her look somewhat weird as she continued to laugh.


    "¡­"


    She could even be seen hugging her belly, as if she found something extremely hilarious right now.


    And while this woman was still laughing, all the Celestials behind her had continued attacking, as if they do not care on what the kimono woman was doing.


    "¡­"


    Alina could not help but frown as she heard the kimono woman''s laughter.


    Alina was no sure why, but she started to feel disgruntled about this woman, especially from the way that she laughed.


    In fact, her disgruntlement was so great that she harbored the notion of beating her up right now!


    If it weren''t for their current defensive situation, then Alina could have already flown towards this kimono woman and attacked her!


    As she thought of these things, Alina shook her head as she realized that there''s something wrong with herself too.


    "Strange¡­ why do I feel so much hate against her right now?" Alina thought to herself as she glanced at the laughing woman. "And this hate¡­ its similar to the hate that I have for Astria. Wait, I feel the same thing for the both of them? If that was the case, then that means that this kimono woman is¡­"


    Alina''s thoughts were interrupted as the kimono woman started to talk.


    "Haa¡­. I''m sorry everyone if I laughed. I just could not help but do it!" The kimono woman managed to say after wheezing out some more laughter out her body. "How could I not laugh when I had seen something special like this!"


    "¡­"


    The kimono woman then continued her monologue as she ignored the battle that was occurring around her.


    "You know¡­ I made a bet with my teammates on who will discover our secret first. Talia said that it will be the Explosions Guy, while Mac said that it will be you guys. it. As for me, I said that nobody will discover it!" The kimono woman then started panting for no reason at all as her skin started to turn red.


    "Ha¡­ I really thought that I was right, but as it turns out, it was you guys who really discovered it first! For that, I applaud you." The kimono woman then started clapping out of nowhere, with her two companions clapping alongside her.


    "Especially you, little one." The kimono woman said as her head turned at Alina''s direction. "You¡­ you''re the one who saw through our secret. It must have been because of your eyes, right?"


    "!!!"


    "Well, don''t be that shocked little one. After all, I am the same as you¡­"


    At the instant that the kimono woman said these words, she suddenly removed the bottom portion of her mask revealing her thin and delicate lips.


    A perfect-looking tongue then came out of her mouth, which started to waggle in the air excitedly.


    "Hahaha! I want to taste you all so bad right now!" The kimono woman shouted out as her tongue continued to waggle. "Ahh¡­ I wonder how your skins would feel once my tongue caresses it¡­ Ooooh.. just the thought of it is making me shiver right now!"


    "¡­"


    Needless to say, everyone was creeped out by what they heard, especiallyAlina.


    "Tsk, we use our tongues to enjoy food, and not to engage in evil things!" Alina thought to herself angrily as she was now personally offended by this kimono woman. "This woman¡­ she must be re-educated about this!"

 Chapter 253 Can you see it?

    "This girl clearly is a psycho, just like those that I have faced before¡­" That was the first thing that Alex thought as he started at the kimono woman''s wagging tongue. "Ugh, why does my opponents have to be people like them? Will I even get someone decent?"


    Of course Alex knew that he should not be getting worried about things like this right now, but still, he could not help but have mixed feelings as he looked at the clearly unhinged woman above him.


    "Queen Mother¡­ how long do we still need to wait?" Alex hurriedly asked the tree woman as the intensity of the attacks of the Celestials started to increase. "We don''t have much time to wait here¡­"


    "Give me a minute more!" Queen Mother replied as Professor Frances started spilling out chemicals out from her massive tank. "I just have to adjust the parasite''s temperature sensitivity!


    "A minute? Hmm¡­ I think we can manage to last that long." Alex muttered to himself as he observed the effect of the attacks of the Celestials. "With the way that they are attacking now, our defensive shield, which we continuously fed to get stronger, will surely block all these attacks until the time limit!"


    This assumption might sound good, but Alex had to throw it away of the window when the kimono woman suddenly gave a command out of her mouth.


    "My cute Celestials, go and use the toys that we procured from the Yellow Moon! Let''s test their might here!"


    "As you wish, Lady Gabriella!" All the Celestials shouted in excitement after hearing what the kimono woman said. They then hefted their weapons on their hands, as if they were about to start using it.


    "Uh oh, now this doesn''t sound good at all." Alex thought to himself as he narrowed his eyes. "This is making me somewhat worried¡­"


    Of course Alex was worried, but aside from being worried, Alex was also feeling curious right now, especially on what these weapons could do.


    With his danger sense, Alex could not feel any hint of danger coming from the weapons, not even a slightest whiff of it.


    Even though the weapons look extremely dangerous, in Alex''s danger sense, they only feel like useless lumps of metal.


    Naturally, Alex was intrigued by this feeling.


    "Are these weapons immune to my danger sense, or do they still have to do something before I can feel danger from them?" Alex thought to himself as he sped up the fortification of their defensive shield. "Tsk, now this is making me feel unsettled!"


    "Hahaha! Filthy Symbolists, let''s see how long you will last under these weapons!" One of the Celestials said in mirth as all of them pointed their weapons at the defensive shield.


    "Hong~" Out of nowhere, the weapons held by the Celestials started to glow white, as if something was triggered inside them.


    "Boom!"


    Just a second later, and all these weapons shot out yellow balls of light..


    "!!!" At that moment, Alex''s danger sense started to activate, making Alex feel wary about these yellow light balls.


    As these yellow light balls hurtled forward, Alex could see the space around the yellow balls being warped considerably.


    Beside him, Alina could be seen letting out a light gasp as she also saw the space warping phenomenon.


    "Ali-" Before Alex could ask Alina what she discovered, he had to stop talking as he felt the yellow light balls starting to collide with the defensive shield.


    "Crack¡­" Alex definitely heard this light sound, even amongst the chaos of the battle.


    "!!!" This sound might be just miniscule, but this sound made Alex sure of one thing.


    And that is that the shield is being affected by the blasts!


    At the moment that the yellow light balls hit the shield, Alex saw countless holes appearing at the collision site, with each hole causing slight damage on the shield.


    Right now, Alex saw that the combination of all the damages resulted on small cracks appearing on the shield!


    A millisecond later, and these cracks disappeared, as the defensive shield started to heal on its own.


    "¡­" This healing factor might have allowed their shield to stay stable, but Alex knew that the damage have been already done.


    With what had just happened now, their opponent''s special weapons were shown to be capable of emitting some heavy damage!


    For Alex, this was hard to believe, as the current power of their shield was enough to stop 30% of the Grand Symbolist''s full forced attack!


    "Since all of these weapons were able to make a dent, then does that mean, that we are facing a legion that are capable of dishing out a combined attack that was as powerful as 30% of the Grand Celestial''s power? Tsk, this is not good!" Alex thought to himself as their enemies continued on bombarding their shield, with this time using their special weapons.


    "Everyone, don''tfalter against their attacks! Just hold your lines!" Alex shouted to the Symbolists as he stood up, brushing off the dust on his clothes. "Their attacks might have gotten stronger, but don''t worry we also have a way to attack them! Just trust in me!"


    "¡­" The Symbolists, even with their long time with Alex during the Calamity, still did not fully trust him, but with their current situation, they have no choice but to follow what he said.


    Seeing that nobody among the Symbolists questioned him, Alex only gave them a grateful nod before he looked at Alina.


    "So Alina, did you recognize what those weapons are?" Alex immediately asked Alina, as he knew that her reaction earlier was because of those weapons.


    "Alex, I am not sure what those weapons are, but with my power, I can feel that their effects are related to spatial manipulation." Alina hurriedly replied as she gritted her teeth. "Those yellow balls of light that you saw earlier? They had been configured in some way so that when they hit another object, their collision will cause some kind of chain reaction to punch holes through space!"


    As Alina gave this answer, Alex could not help but widen his eyes as he started to look surprised.


    "Those things created holes through space? No wonder they were able to make that kind of damage." Alex thought to himself idly as he stared at the bombardment above him.


    Right now, the efforts of their enemies have doubled, with the frequency of their attacks increasing every second.


    This increase in effort naturally had caused the cracks on the shield to increase, eliciting panic on the Symbolists below.


    "..." Alex naturally saw this, but he seemed to be not on a rush right now.He did not even look like he was panicking, which was abnormal, since he was slightly flustered earlier.


    "¡­" Alina naturally saw this, which made her worried for Alex again.


    But this time around, Alex''s lack of panic was not because of his weird circumstances.


    Instead, Alex''s current calmness was caused by something else.


    Right now, Alex''s face held an enlightened expression, as he seemed to have realized something important.


    This enlightenment was further explained when Alex started to talk.


    "These guys¡­ they are just testing us." Alex suddenly said as he let out a shaky laugh. "Damn, why did I not recognize this quickly? These enemies that we have right now? They are just conning us big time!"


    "Alex¡­ what do you mean by that?" Alina replied as a confused expression appeared on her face. "You think all of this is just a con?"


    Because of the bombardment right now, Alina was prepared to attack their enemy already. But she was forced to stop as he heard what Alex just said.


    "Con? Yes, these people are just conning us.'' Alex replied quickly as he shook his head. "And do you know what made me realize this? It''s the words that you uttered earlier!"


    "You mean, the one where I said that the people above us were both real and fake?" Alina said as she gave Alex a blank stare.


    "Yes, that one." Alex said as he nodded his head. His face right now both looked relieved and angry, although the anger portion was more prominent.


    "Even if the Celestial Faction did their best to suppress information about the capabilities of the Traveler Team that was with them, our spies still managed to bring some small info back to us." Alex suddenly said as he stared at the kimono woman above them. "One of those info was about a special ability that one of them possesses. Alina, you remember what that was, right?"


    "Yes, I remember." Alina said as he nodded her head. "According to one of our spies, there was one occasion where that Traveler Team was invited by some Celestial officials to eat at a high-end restaurant. At that restaurant, one of the members of that Traveler Team let out a complaint, saying that one of the courses served to them was too little. The one who let out that complaint was the little boy. After giving that complain, that boy did the unthinkable. He touched the food that was in front of him, and a second later, the food that he touched became three! That boy then touched the glass in front of him, and at the instant that he touched the glass, it became three too! The boy proceeded to do the same thing on the other stuff inside the restaurant, making the Celestials who joined them extremely shocked."


    "That''s the exact story that our spies had told us." Alex said as he gave Alina a nod. "From this info that they got, we can basically say that the little boy has the ability to triplicate an object."


    "Duplicating an object will make that object double, while triplicating an object will make that object triple." Alina muttered behind Alex as she nodded her head. "Okay, we already knew that someone amongst that Traveler Team has the triplication ability. But how could that be related here?"


    "Well Alina, have you ever thought that maybe, this little boy''s triplication does not only affect non-living things? What if he can triplicate living objects too?"


    "Triplicate living objects? That''s possible¡­" Alina replied as she cupped her chin. "But in that case, the copies of those living objects will be real, but also not real, since they were just the copies of the original living object. That means- oh."


    "Exactly." Alex replied as he let out a grin. "What your eyes saw earlier had basically reinforced my theory right now."


    "This little boy¡­ he triplicated the Celestials that are with them, and maybe that triplication includes his Traveler Team too!" Alina almost shouted out as her eyes went wide. "That''s just¡­"


    "Preposterous." Alex helpfully said as he let out a rueful smile. "And if my suspicions were right, that triplication created three batches of similar people.The first batch must have been sent to the Green Moon, while the second batch were sent to deal with us. As for the third batch, they must have been staying at the Yellow Moon, just to defend that place. Tsk, tsk, tsk, these guys are actually this powerful¡­ No wonder they are so confident that they can deal with us."


    "But Alex¡­ if what you said is really right, then why are you relieved now?" Alina replied as she gazed at Alex. "Shouldn''t you be more worried already?"


    "Oh Alina, you seemed to have forgotten something important." Alex replied as he pointed his fingers at their enemies. "There¡­ can you see it?"


    "Alex, my eyes can see much better than you, but I still can''t get what you are pertaining to."


    "¡­There, do you see it now?"


    "Alex, I still can''t."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 254 Exams

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 Chapter 255 Another Day, Another Stop

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 Chapter 256 Holy Order

    "Ok, let me explain it to you a little bit more properly this time." Alex said as he pointed his finger, more specifically at the kimono woman, the little boy and the bratty teen. "You see the three of them? There''s something that they should have been doing now, yet they are still not doing it."


    "You mean¡­"


    "Yes, these three, even if they have the chance to attack right now, are not doing it." Alex said as he glanced at the Travelers. "That, in itself was already suspicious."


    Alex then continued talking before Alina could give a retort.


    "Sure, the kimono woman made an attack earlier, but she did not make another attack after that. Why would she stop attacking, especially when she has the chance to do so with all of these free time?"


    "Maybe she is just biding for time?"


    "No, she is not biding for time. That''s too wasteful." Alex replied as he shook his head. "Do you really want to know why those three are not attacking now? The answer to that is just simple. Those three right now, cannot really attack as freely as they could. That''s just as simple as that."


    "Alex, how did you arrive to that conclusion? Maybe you are just doing wild guesses here."


    "Nope, I''m fairly sure this time." Alex replied as he looked at the enemy Traveler Team. "In my opinion, these people that we see above are copies of the original, which I already explained earlier. Since they are copies, there are bound to be some weaknesses from these copies. And one of that weakness could be¡­"


    "The quality of the copies." Alina said before Alex could finish his sentence. "There is no way that the original object will have the same power as the copy, since the copy was just an imitation of the original. Sure, it can have the same abilities and actions, but its power and quality will never be the same as the original."


    "That''s right. Copies must have been fundamentally weaker than the original." Alex replied as he smiled wryly. "That is the reason why these Celestials could not even make a dent on our shield earlier. Their power was just weaker than the usual. We did not notice it since we are too preoccupied with defending ourselves."


    "As for the Traveler Team, they do not have that kind of safeguard." Alina nodded as she cupped her chin. "If they attack right now, we will surely feel that their attacks are weaker, and once we discover that, we could gain the courageto fight them."


    "Exactly. As for the attack by the kimono woman earlier, she only did that to throw us off-guard, to make us panic for some time." Alex said as he let out a deep breath. "That strategy of hers worked, and if it were not for your eyes, we might not have discovered about the truth."


    Now that Alex was sure that these people above them are just copies and are weakened version of the originals, he felt both worried and relieved.


    Alex was worried, because of the fact that these Celestials had decided to use some fakes to attack them. Why attack them that way? Are they planning on doing something different?


    Alex on the other hand was also relieved, since with the confirmation of the enemy''s weakness, Alex now had the confidence to attack and annihilate their invaders.


    "Since they are just copies, there should be no problem if we go all out and kill them all, right?" Alex thought to himself as let out an excited smile. "Hehehe, now I can-


    "Boom!" Alex''s thoughts were cut-off as he heard a booming sound behind him.


    "Alex! We have planted it already!" Queen Mother and Professor Frances, who both looked worn out right now, said as they gave Alex a thumbs-up, indicating that they were done with their task.


    "Good!" Alex replied as he nodded to the both of them. "Okay, now that you are done with that, let me deal with Lingo right now. He needs to be used already."


    "MILORD, I CAN HEAR WHAT YOU ARE SAYING¡­." Lingo, who looked slightly pale from what he had went through, looked at Alex intently as he seemed to let out a sigh. "MILORD YOU SEEM TO BE IN A PINCH. DO YOU NEED MY ASSISTANCE FOR THIS?"


    "Hell yes, of course I have to use you now." Alex replied as he glared at Lingo. "Otherwise, what use would you be for me?"


    "AS EXPECTED, MILORD REALLY IS SO STRAIGHTFORWARD. IT''S AN HONOR FOR ME TO SERVE YOU!" After Lingo said these words, Alex suddenly felt the appearance of chain, with its one end tied to Lingo, and other end tied around Alex.


    The chain seemed to be both material and ethereal, with Alex feeling unsure if he should touch it.


    Before Alex could make the decision regarding these chains, he heard Lingo''s voice above him.


    "MILORD, THIS CHAIN THAT YOU SEE HERE IS THE REPRESENTATION OF THE UNBREAKABLE PACT. SINCE THIS IS ONLY A REPRESENTAION, ONLY US TWO CAN SEE IT."


    "¡­"


    "ONCE WE MAKE THE PACT, WE WILL BE CONNECTED BY THIS CHAIN. IF SOMEONE OF US VIOLATES THE PACT, THISCHAIN WILL BRING US TO OUR DEATH."


    "Ok, ok, I already get it. Can we start now?" Alex said, as he saw their shield getting more and more cracks again, which was not a really good case right now.


    "EHEM IN THAT CASE, I, LINGO OF THE DIVINE RACE, HEREBY PLEDGES LOYALTY TO MILORD ALEX AND I EXTEND THIS LOYALTY TO HIS ALLIES. I WILL NEVER USE MY POWER AGASINT HIM OR HIS ALLIES, AND I WILL ALWAYS BE OF HELP TO HIM. SHOULD I BREAK THIS PLEDGE, MAY THE CHAINS OF OUR PACT BE MY UNDOING." Lingo said all of these words with unmistakable solemnity, which made Alex feel respect for this man.


    "Ok, ok, since you made that pledge, then I pledge to be a just and proper master to you. Should I break that pledge, May The Chains of Our Pact be my Undoing!"


    "Sklink!" After saying these words, Alex immediately felt the sensation of something warm entering his chest.


    He looked down, and he saw the end of the chain entering chest, seemingly finding itself inside there.


    As he watched what was happening, he saw the chain disappearing in his sight, although he could still feel it exisiting inside him.


    It was a weird feeling, as if your body was being penetrated by something that you cannot see, but you can still feel it.


    Alex did not dwell thinking about this as he looked at Lingo.


    "From what I can see, the pact is a success."


    "OF COURSE MILORD. WITH YOUR MIGHTY PRESENCE, THERE''S NO WAY THAT IT WILL FAIL!"


    "Enough with the pleasantries. So, how should I free you now? Do you want me to cut those chains?


    Of course Alex was not sure if he can really cut the chains, but still he had to ask Lingo.


    Lingo seemed to be just calm at Alex''s question as he slowly replied,


    "MILORD, THERE''S NO NEED FOR YOU TO MAKE THAT EFFORT. SINCE YOU MANAGED TO COME AT THIS PLACE, IT JUST MEANS THAT YOU HAVE THAT KEY THAT CAN FREE ME. USE THAT KEY, AND I WILL BE FREE ALREADY."


    "Wait, when you said key, are you talking about this one?" Alex hurriedly pulled out the Blue Key, which was laying dormant on the storage earlier.


    To Alex''s surprise, he saw that the Blue Key is glowing again, which made him look at it with incredulity.


    "THAT''S IT MILORD! THAT IS THE KEY! NOW QUICK, PLEASE USE IT ON ME!" Lingo shouted with urgency as he stared at the Blue Key hungrily.


    "Wait, where should I even place this? Do I have to go underground for this?"


    "YOU DON''T NEED TO DO THAT MILORD. JUST DESTROY THE KEY, AND THE CHAINS BINDING ME WILL DISAPPEAR."


    "Wait, I have to destroy this key? Are you sure that doing that won''t be detrimental to us?''


    "MILORD, I ASSURE YOU THAT EVERYTHIGN WILL BE FINE. I AM NOT PLANNING ON SCREWING YOU OVER HERE. WE ALREADY HAVE A PACT, RIGHT."


    "He''s not lying Alex." Alina muttered behind Alex as she kept a tight hold on her katana. "Just¡­ follow what he said."


    "Well then, here we go." Alex said as he covered his hand with Destruction Aura, then used his hand to crush the key inside his palm.


    "Crunch."


    Alex expected the key to last longer, but to his surprise, the key only lasted for around a second, before it crumbled into nothingness.


    "Wow, that is a weak-ass key. Good thing I did not try destroying it earlier." Alex muttered to himself as he unclenched his palm. "Now then, let''s see what happens to my new servant."


    After muttering these words to himself, Alex looked back at Lingo to see what was happening to him, and to his delight, he found a great sight in front of him.


    The Origin Devouring Chains, which had been tormenting Lingo for long, had fully dissipated away right now, as if the key''s destruction led to the destruction of the chains too.


    Lingo''s body, which was covered with these chains earlier, was now displayed in full glory.


    As for Lingo, he looked like he was about to laugh and cry, and he actually managed to do both.


    "HAHAHAHUHUHU! I''M FREE! I''M FREE!" Lingo shouted these words loudly into the air, with shockwaves being produced from his mouth.


    ''HAHAHA, AT LONG LAST, I CAN WANDER FREELY AGAIN!"


    "¡­."


    At the instant that Lingo was freed, the Celestials, who were busy attacking earlier, suddenly stopped attacking, with them deactivating all of their weapons.


    The Symbolists, who saw what had happened, started to cheer, as if they thought that Lingo''s freedom had scared the Celestials.


    Alex also thought of the same thing, at least until he felt something weird coming from the Celestials.


    These Celestials, instead of feeling fear, were instead filled to the brim with happiness right now.


    It was as if Lingo being free made the Celestials so elated.


    The kimono woman, who Alex was wary of, was also feeling extreme happiness too. And beside that happiness, there were also some smugness, as if she had already reached her goal.


    "Wait, why are they all happy that Lingo is freed? Don''t tell me... that their plan all this time was to let Lingo be free? Oh s**t!" As Alex made this realization, he looked back at Lingo with panic on his face. "Lingo, follow my command now! Go run away and hide yourself! Do it right now, because if you don''t, then-"


    <<<THEN YOU SHALL BE SLAIN BY YOURS TRULY.>>> Another booming voice, which did not come from Lingo, was heard by everyone in the moon.


    The source of this voice this time was another gigantic creature, who was slowly descending from above.


    This gigantic creature was a beautiful woman with long blonde hair and 7 pairs of white wings adorning her back.


    These wings were flapping slowly behind her,as if they were assisting her on her flight.


    On top of this woman''s head was a golden tiara, which exemplified thus winged woman''s beauty more.


    This woman also had a serene smile on her face, which was enough to make anyone feel calm upon seeing her.


    But for Alex, he could only feel extreme danger from this angel-like creature, whose blue eyes were staring intently at Lingo alone.


    <<<SO, A FOUL CREATURE LIKE YOU REALLY EXISTS HERE. HOW DEPLORABLE.>>> The angel-like woman said as her hair fluttered behind her. <<<YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN SLAIN BY MY COMRADES BEFORE ALREADY. BUT FROM THE LOOKS OF IT, THAT TASK HAS NOW FALLEN ON MY HANDS.>>>


    "¡­"


    Seeing that Lingo did not give any reply, the angel-like woman looked to be extremely infuriated


    <<<HMPH, YOU FIEND, SINCE YOU ARE SPEECHLESS WITH FEAR, THEN MAYBE ITS TIME FOR YOU TO SAY GOODBYE TO THIS WORLD!>>> After saying these words, the angel-like woman started to glow white as she pointed her fingers at Lingo.


    <<<WITH THE POWER BESTOWED BY THE HOLY ODER PLANE ITSELF, I, THE 14-WINGED ADJUDICATOR, SHALL EXACT A CLEANSING IN THS PLACE!>>>

 Chapter 257 Please stop talking now!

    With the addition of this angel-like woman, the already tense battlefield had reached levels of tension that was too much even for someone like Alex.


    "This newcomer¡­ she''s most likely the creature imprisoned in the Yellow Moon." Alex muttered to himself as he observed the 14-winged angel.


    "Tsk." As Alex saw the self-righteous expression on the angel woman''s face, he gritted his teeth as he realized what was the kimono woman''s plan all along.


    "From the looks of it, the kimono woman wants to kill Lingo by using that giant angel woman." Alex thought to himself as he narrowed his eyes. "Earlier, that will be hard to do, since Lingo was still covered with the Origin Devouring Chains. Since those chains absorb power, it will be really hard to attack him with abilities, as Lingo can just use the Origin Devouring Chains to dispel those attacks. That makes it hard for the angel woman to attack him."


    "However¡­. If the chains were removed, then the angel woman will have no more obstacles that will stop her from killing Lingo! That just means that they wanted me to free Lingo all this time around!" Alex exclaimed to himself inwardly as his eyes widened in anger. "All of the attacks that they are doing now are just used to pressure me on freeing Lingo. And I was pushed by that pressure, which led to Lingo being freed now! F**k! Now, there''s no way that he can avoid fighting the angel woman!"


    Before Alex could think up of more things, he suddenly heard the angel woman talking again.


    Right now, the angel woman has her head slightly lowered as she talked to the kimono woman, as if the kimono woman was someone of higher stature than her.


    "Envoy of the Holy Order Plane, I am very thankful for the opportunity that you gave me here." The angel woman said these words with fervor, with her eyes staring at the kimono woman with passion.


    From the looks of it, the way that Lingo had treated Alex was similar to the way that the angel woman is treating the kimono woman now.


    "That Traveler is an Envoy too?" Alex could not help but blink rapidly as he heard the conversation above him. "Huh, so that must be the reason why I feel threatened by this kimono woman. She''s just an envoy like me, and from what I can see, the Holy Order Plane that she represents could be a place that is loggerheads with the Abyss Plane."


    But that was not the only thing that Alex realized after hearing the angel woman''s words. Alex now also understood the things that could have happened at the Yellow Moon earlier.


    "When this kimono woman arrived at the Yellow Moon, the angel woman, who was a resident of the Holy Order Plane, must have immediately realized the kimono woman''s status as an envoy. With that kind of status, the kimono woman was able to easily recruit the angel woman under her ranks. Once that was done and the angel woman was freed, the kimono woman made the decision to use duplicates to assault us and the Devourers¡­"


    Alex''s mood of course just worsened after all these realizations.


    <<<HOLY ENVOY, YOU CAN LEAVE THE MATTERS HERE TO ME.>>> The angel woman said as she stared at the kimono woman. <<<EVEN IF MY POWER IS WEAKENED RIGHT NOW, I AM SURE THAT I CAN DEAL WITH ALL OF THESE PESTS AROUND ME. JUST¡­ TRUST THIS ONE IN ME HOLY ENVOY.>>>


    "Hmmm¡­ so your power is still weak right now. Is it really true that if you kill that blue prisoner and take his life essence, your power will be restored by a percentage?" Oblivious with the tense atmosphere around her, the kimono woman asked this question to the angel woman, who looked surprised with what she had just heard.


    <<<¡­IT IS AS YOU SAY HOLY ENVOY. AS LONG AS I KILL THAT BLUE FIEND AND TAKE IN HIS LIFE ESSENCE, MY POWER WILL BE RESTORED AT A LIMITED RANGE. BUT EVEN IF IT IS LITTLE, THAT IS BETTER THAN NOT IMPROVING AT ALL.>>>


    "!!!!" Alex, who perfectly heard their conversation, had his eyes perking up as he looked back at Lingo.


    "So that is why that kimono woman wants the angel woman to kill Lingo. It''s because doing so will restore a part of the angel woman''s power! These bastards are really sly!" Alex thought to himself quickly as he realized that the situation is devolving faster than what he could have expected. "Tsk, what should I do now?"


    While Alex was deeply worried with what he was hearing, the two women above him continued to talk, as if they were just having a casual chat.


    "Well said, Adjudicator. I shall accept your offer then. As for these copies,we will just use them on the more important stuff."The kimono woman replied curtly as she wagged out her tongue. "Sigh¡­. I really wanted to taste the despair that will ooze out of these people later¡­ But from the looks of it, I will have no ticket for that."


    After saying these words, the kimono''s woman started to disintegrate to ashes, with the ashes scattering all around. In no time at all, the kimono woman''s body was gone, with all of her ashes floating aimlessly on the air.


    But it was not only the kimono woman that became like this.


    All the Celestials disintegrated to dust too, along with the bratty teen and the young boy that was standing behind the kimono woman.


    "¡­"


    A few seconds later, and nobody among the invaders was left, except for the angel woman, who was now looking smugly at the people below her.


    <<<THAT TRIPLICATION ABILITY REALLY IS SOMETHING THAT SURPRISED EVEN ME.>>> The angel woman seemed to be in a mood to talk as she slowly played with the dust around her. <<<NOT ONLY CAN THE TRIPLICATOR CREATE COPIES, HE CAN ALSO DISPEL THESE COPIES WHENEVER HE WANTED IT. THE ONLY THING I HATE ABOUT THE DISPELLING PROCESS IS THE DUST¡­ DON''T THEY KNOW THAT DUST IS VERY UNHYGIENIC? IT SEEMS LIKE I HAVE TO TALK TO THE HOLY ENVOY ABOUT THIS LATER!>>>


    "¡­" Alex was not sure on what to say here, as he was now sure that the angel woman was just another weird person.


    "I thought you wanted to fight now? Why are you still chatting like this? Do you want to just make us filled with suspense?" Alex thought to himself angrily as he started to load up all the powerful abilities inside his body. "If you don''t want to fight, then let me start it!"


    Alex knew that there is no way for him and his allies to avoid fighting with the angel woman.


    She''s directly above them for god''s sake! And there is no way that the angel woman will just allow them to escape easily.


    Sure, Alex can use Alina''s teleportation abilities, but Alina''s teleportation range right now is not enough for them to completely escape from the angel woman. Their enemy will just catch up to them even before they could leave the moon.


    Besides, they have to protect the Blue Moon! After all, if they leave, this place could be conquered by the Celestials! That is a big no-no, since conquering moons is extremely vital here!


    Since there''s no way to run, Alex and his allies had no choice but to accept their fate and start fighting here.


    "¡­"


    Lingo, who still looked slightly pale, had a pissed expression on his face as he stared at the angel woman.


    "HMPH, INSTEAD OF JUST TALKING LIKE A MOUTHY FROG THERE, WHY DON''T YOU JUST COME DOWN HERE AND FIGHT ME?" Lingo shouted at the very nonchalant angel woman. "YOU WANT TO FIGHT, RIGHT? THEN COME DOWN HERE AND DO IT!"


    Even though Lingolooked like he had not recovered that well yet, his eyes were full of fighting intent, which was undeterred even under the angel woman''s domineering body.


    <<< BLUE FIEND, I WAS JUST CASUALLY TALKING TO MYSELF! YOU THINK I WILL GIVE MY OPPONENTS THE LUXURY TO TALK TO ME? YOU THINK I AM SOMEONE THAT LOWLY?>>>


    "WHITE B**CH, YOU CLEARLY ARE TALKING TO ME NOW¡­"


    <<<UGH! THIS IS WHY FIENDS LIKE YOU SHOULD REALLY DIE! YOU ARE ALL JUST INSUFERABLE IDIOTS!" After shouting these incensed words, the angel woman''s body started to glow white as a constellation made up of 100 stars appeared behind the her.


    This constellation behind her then transformed, as it materialized into a sword, shield, spear, and arrow.


    <<<BLUE PUNK,REMEMBER THIS DAY AS THE DAY THAT YOU HAVE MET YOUR END. BE SURE TO CHERISH EVERY SECONDS THAT YOU HAVE RIGHT NOW, SINCE THOSE SECONDS WILL BE YOUR LAST NOW!>>> Once the angel woman shouted these words,the four weapons glowed too as power started to emanate from them.


    "!!!" Alex''s danger sense soared through the roof as he stared at the four weapons, which all undoubtedly looked lethal to him.


    It does not take bright mind to know that their fight is about to start now, and from the looks of it, it''s the angel woman who will make the first move.


    <<<FIEND, YOU HAVE BEEN JUDGED AS IREDEEMABLE BY YOURS TRULY. AS SUCH, YOU MUST NOW FACE THE PUNISHMENT OF THE HIGHEST MAGNITUDE. FIEND¡­PREPARE TO BE JUDGED BY THE FOUR HOLY ARTIFACTS!>>>


    "Can you please stop talking now? Just start the fight already!"

 Chapter 258 Everyones Virtues

    With just one look, Alex was already sure that his angel woman''s power was also the manipulation of the Astral Essence, although the constellation that appeared behind her seemed to be much stronger compared to all the Celestials that he had already met.


    A Constellation with 100 Stellar Points, and each point has brightness that is much higher compared to other Celestials? That just shows how frightening this angel woman was!


    The sword, bow, shield, and spear that she summoned right now already triggered Alex''s danger sense, which was already testament on how powerful they are.


    And to make matters worse, Alex felt the danger being emitted by the weapons increase as time passes by, which just means that the angel woman is still getting stronger right now!


    <<<SWORD OF CHARITY!>>> The angel woman did not waste any more time as she held the sword on her right hand, waving its blade towards Alex''s direction.


    A gentle, soothing aura came out of the sword, making everyone on the Blue Moon feel sleepy and peaceful.


    Their defensive shield, which was already repaired, stated to form cracks out of its own volition, as if the sword was forcing it to destroy itself!


    A few seconds later, everyone on the Blue Moon started to lay down their weapons, including Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances.


    As for their defensive shield, it was also gone now, leaving everyone defenseless.


    "¡­."


    Out of all the people in the Blue Moon, there was only two people that were able to resist what had happened.


    One of them was Lingo, who was struggling to stand up, while the second one was Alex, who seemed to be not affected at all.


    "What the?" Alex could not help but shout as he saw what was happening. He saw his allies being ''incapacitated'' which made him tense greatly. "What the hell is happening here?"


    "Master, that woman is using the power of the Seven Virtues to fight us." Out of nowhere, Greed suddenly appeared behind Alex, with his gaze solely concentrated on the weapons that the angel woman has.He was also the one who spoke out, and he looked pissed as he stared at the sword.


    "Seven Virtues? Is that some kind of parallel with the Seven Sins?"


    "Exactly Master." Greed replied quickly as he seemed to grit his teeth. "If you heard what that woman said earlier, you will know that she came from the Holy Order Plane. That plane basically is a place for beings who follow the teachings of the Holy Order Church. That Sword of Charity that she just used now? That is one of the abilities that a follower of the Holy Order Church can use."


    "Greed, tell me the effects of the ''Sword of Charity''. Maybe I can do something about it."


    "Master¡­as the way that you are right now, you have no way to stop it." Greed replied as he shook his head sadly. "From the rumors that I have heard, the Sword of Charityuses the concept of the ''Charity''. Basically speaking, the Sword of Charity can force any opponents to lose their will to fight. If that opponent holds a weapon, the Sword of Charity will force that opponent to lay the weapon down. If that opponent is defending himself, the Sword of Charity will force that opponent to let go of that defense. And if that opponent tries to run away, the Sword of Charity will force that opponent to stay, since escaping is also part of a fight."


    "¡­.That''s really a cheat ability." Alex muttered to himself as he looked at his listless allies. "So, until the angel woman chooses to stop it, everyone affected by the Sword will lose their will to fight?"


    That''s right master.'' Greed replied as he/she let out a sigh. "Fortunaely for you master, you are not affected by those Seven Virtues! With you around, we can still do something here!"


    "¡­That info is something that cannot reassure me easily." Alex replied quickly as he narrowed his eyes. "I can see that the Sword of Charity is not working on me. But why is that the case? Was it because of my current form right now?"


    The one who answered this question was not Greed. Instead, it was the angel woman who spoke up, with her greedy gaze now concentrated on Alex and Greed alone.


    <<<I COULD NOT BELIEVE THIS. AN ENVOY OF THE ABYSS PLANE IS HERE?THE MORTAL ENEMY OF MY CHURCH HAS ACTUALLY ENROACHED THIS BARREN PLACE? FUFUFUFU¡­. TODAY REALLY IS MY LUCKY DAY!>>>


    If earlier, the angel woman was ecstatic when she saw Lingo, right now, her face was almost orgasmic, as if she had just received the greatest pleasure in her life.


    <<<FROM THE LOOKS OF IT, YOU SEEM TO BE A VERY NEW ENVOY OF THE ABYSS. HMPH, BUT I DON''T CARE ABOUT THAT. SINCE SOMEONE LIKE YOU HAD DELIVERED YOURSELF IN MY DOORSTEP, OF COURSE I WON''T HESITATE TO KILL YOU!"


    "Boom!"


    The angel woman used her sword again, although this time around she just sent its sharp blade hurtling at Alex''s direction.


    "What the hell?" That was all that Alex could say as he forced himself to zip away from the sword.


    "Major Telekinesis."


    Alex used this spell to yank himself out of the blade''s path, and he specifically sent his body hurtling towards Lingo''s direction.


    <<


    >> The angel woman screamed out as her wings started to shake erratically behind her. <<<THIS IS ILLOGICAL!>>>


    "Illogical? B**ch please, just take a look at me now." Alex replied cheekily as Pride appeared behind him.


    "You call that little stick the Spear of Humility? Oh god, I have seen better weapons than that!" Pride disdainfully said as he rubbed his nose. "Are you really a 14-winged adjudicator? Heh, you must have been lying!"


    <<<HOW COULD YOU PRACTICE TWO SINS AT ONCE! NOBODY FROM THIS BARREN PLACE COULD HAVE DONE THAT!>>> The angel woman seemed to have ignored Pride''s taunts to her as she was only focused on the current issue. <<<YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN DEAD ALREADY! THIS¡­ THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE!>>>


    "Well, you have already seen it. There''s no way that you can deny it." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "I really practice two sins¡­ It''s too bad for you that your powers are affected by my sins¡­"


    <<<YO-YO-YOU MIGHT HAVE PRACTICED IN TWO SINS, BUT THAT DOES NO MAKE YOU SAFE! I STILL HAVE TWO OTHER WEAPONS HERE!>>> The angel woman seemed to have regained her confidence as she now grabbed the arrow.


    She manifested a bow in front of her, and nocked the arrow inside it.


    As the arrow started to glow white, the angel woman hurriedly pointed it at Alex''s direction.


    <<<TAKE THIS! ARROW OF CHASTITY!>>>


    "Boom!" The arrow had struck Alex head on, but a few seconds later, and Alex walked slowly towards the angel woman again, as if the arrow were also unable to affect him.


    <<<THREE SINS? THIS IS MADNESS! THIS MUST BE YOUR LIMIT NOW! YES! THIS IS YOUR LIMIT! MY FINAL WEAPON SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO TAKE YOU DOWN!"


    The angel woman''s final weapon, the shield, started to glow white too as it released a large dome which was sent crashing towards Alex.


    <<<MY SHIELD OF DILIGENCE SHOULD BE ENOUGH TO FINISH YOU OFF NOW! YES, YOU MUST BE DEAD ALREADY!>>>


    "You know, you have been triggering a lot of flags already. Maybe if you just did not talk, your powers could have done some help to you."


    <<<FOUR SINS! HOW IS SOMETHING LIKE THIS POSSIBLE!"

 Chapter 259 Crowd Control Please!

    "Hey you angel woman, are you dumb or something?" Alex muttered with irritation as he saw the panicked and stupefied expression on the angel''s face. "Come on, I thought you are very scary opponent! Yet, you only amount to something like this? Where''s the pride that you are showing of earlier?"


    <<<HOW THE HELL CAN I ACT COMPOSED! YOU WIELD THE POWER OF THE FOUR SINS! THERE''S NO WAY THAT I CAN JUST BE CALM AFTER SEEING THAT!>>> The angel woman replied as her wings started to flap furiously again. <<<DO YOU THINK I CAN JUST ACT LIKE NOTHING IS WRONG HERE?>>>


    "I think that you really are just a dumb angel." Alex said as he shook his head wryly. "And here I thought you will be interesting¡­"


    After saying these words, the small figures behind Alex became 7, making the already surprised angel almost fall down from her current position.


    All of Alex''s Abyss Sprites now appeared in full view, and the angel woman can only stare at them in shock as she started to back away.


    <<<SE-SE-SEVEN SINS? NO GOOD! YOU ARE ONE OF THOSE FREAKS! THIS¡­. I MUST DO A TACTICAL RETREAT RIGHT NOW!>>>


    "Boom!" After the angel woman uttered these words, she suddenly flew up into the sky, leaving Alex and his Sprites looking at her departing silhouette with confusion.


    "Well, that happened."


    *******************


    5 MINUTES LATER


    With the departure of the angel woman, Alina and Alex''s other allies were now freed of the effects of the Sword of Charity.


    Right now, all of them were looking at Alex incredulously, which was understandable, since what happened between Alex and the angel woman was just astonishing.


    "Alex, what happened there was¡­."


    "It was an effect of my current form." Alex replied quickly, as he opted to not elaborate everything now. "Alina, we can continue talking about this later. But for now, we need to prepare to fight."


    "Ok¡­" Alina replied quietly as she seemed to have understood Alex''s point. She then went towards Queen Mother and Professor Frances, and started to have some kind of secret talk with them.


    "¡­" Alex ignored the talks between these two girls as he brought his attention back to Lingo, who was still bowing in front of Alex right now.


    "MILORD, WHAT YOU REALLY DID THEIR WAS SPLENDID. AS EXPECTED OF AN ABYSS SAGE! EVEN AN ADJUDICATOR IS NOTHING AGAINST YOU!"


    "Nothing my ass! I was lucky that I managed to scare that woman off!" Alex replied angrily as he gritted his teeth. "Even if I am somewhat immune to her abilities, she can just use her own physical power to kill me! I am lucky that she was too shocked to even think of that!"


    "WELL MILORD, I CAN JUST SHIELD YOU BY USING MY BODY¡­" Lingo replied quickly as he raised his head. "EVEN IF MY POWERS ARE STILL NOT RECOVERED NOW, I AM SURE THAT MY PHYSICAL BODY IS POWERFUL ENOUGH TO RESIST HER STRIKES!"


    "I can definitely see that." Alex muttered as he stared a Lingo''s massive body. Alex''s face then changed as he remembered something.


    "Hey¡­ how long will it take you to recover a portion of your power?"Alex asked Lingo as he remembered the angel woman''s Celestial Abilities and Virtues. "If she had been freed earlier, then she had just to wait for a few minutes before she recovered a little portion of her power. If that was the case, then shouldn''t a portion of your power recover any moment now?"


    "MASTER¡­ JUST LIKE WHAT I TOLD YOU EARLIER, MAJORITY OF MY POWER HAD BEEN TAKEN AWAY ALREADY." Lingo replied as an irritated expression appeared on his face. "THE POWER THAT WAS LEFT WITH ME WAS ONLY AROUND 1% OF MY REAL POWER¡­ AND FOR ME TO REACH 1%, I HAVE TO WAIT FOR 5 MORE MINUTES¡­ THAT SAME CASE APPLIES TO THAT HOLY ORDER B**CH TOO."


    "Wait, so the angel woman that we faced earlier only used 1% of her real power?"


    "EXACTLY, MILORD."


    "And if that angel woman manages to kill you, she will restore more portion of that power?"


    "EXACTLY MILORD."


    "Huh. So I really had a lucky break earlier."


    "MILORD, PLEASE DO NOT THINK OF IT THAT WAY." Lingo hurriedly said as he seemed to be attempting to placate Alex. "MILORD, JUST THINK OF IT LIKE¡­ "


    "Like what?"


    "IDO NOT ACTUALLY KNOW WHAT TO SAY MILORD."


    "Sigh, in that case, just zip your mouth, okay?"


    "AFFIRMATIVE MILORD."


    "¡­."


    After he had this ''enlightening'' talk with the blue prisoner, Alex slowly cupped his chin as he started to make a plan on what he should do today.


    "Everyone!" Alex shouted to all of the Symbolists and his allies as he raised his voice. "I know that you are still rattled with what just happened earlier, but will you just let yourselves be affected by that?"


    Alex immediately felt everyone''s eyes boring down on him, as if they were trying to bore holes through his body.


    "I know that what you want to do now is to just lay down here and rest¡­ But did you just forget the fact that those ***king Celestials just straight up rushed here? Don''t you find that insulting? DO you just want to let them off that easily?"


    After Alex said these words, the eyes of the Symbolists began to glow red in anger, as if they could feel his feelings.


    When Alex saw this, he suppressed a smile as he discreetly activated his Emotion Manipulation.


    He took hold of all the indignation and anger that the Symbolists are feeling right now, and he decided to increase these emotions greatly!


    Because of the fight that they just had, and the after-effects of Sword of Charity, the Symbolists were unable to resist Alex''s emotion manipulation.


    As a result of this, a crowd of extremely pissed Symbolists appeared in front of Alex, with all of them wearing murderous expressions on their faces.


    "Those bastards dare look down on us? Well, it is our time now for revenge! Join me everyone! We shall make them all pay!" Alex said as he raised his hands in the air. "Are you all willing to join me?"


    "Hell yes!" All the Symbolists shouted as their faces turned red.They then all raised their hands high in the air as they started marching towards Alex.


    "Good, good, good!" Alex shouted back happily as he began to feel happy with what he was seeing.He then started to run towards Lingo''s direction. "Yes, this is how it should be done! OK everyone! Follow me now! We shall go and empty the armory! Glory to the Blue Moon!"


    "Glory to the Blue Moon!" All of the Symbolists replied as they chased after Alex. The blue sand all around them started to scatter as a result of their movements, creating a miniature dust storm that everyone just ignored.


    "¡­" While Alex and the Symbolists were all busy on starting a ''war'', there were 4 women who were looking at what was happening with incredulous expressions on their faces.


    Alina, Queen Mother. Professor Frances, and Astria could only stare at the roused army as they watched their fervent movements.


    "...Heh, what a great way to rile up the crowd. So Alex actually has a talent for leading people? I never knew that he could do this¡­" Professor Frances muttered as she tilted her head. "Hmm¡­ what more secrets could Alex be hiding from us? I hope nothing of that will be of great danger to us¡­"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 260 Three Phase Technique

    MINUTES EARLIER, AT THE GREEN MOON.


    "Those little s**ts¡­" This was what Ray had muttered to himself as he watched the dust dissipating all around him. "F**king bastards!"


    How could not Ray be happy, when he had just realized that he had been fooled by his opponents?


    "Ray, just like what I told you earlier, the people that we just fought were just copies." Vera said behind Ray as she gave him a reproaching look. "They all sound funny, and I have seen people with duplication and triplication abilities back at my home planet."


    "Well thank you for your advice then. It''s my fault that I did not listen to you." Ray replied angrily as he silently chided himself. "So, why did those Celestials only fight us with their clones?"


    "I''m not sure either." Vera replied as she shook her head. "But from the way that they moved earlier, it seems like they were waiting for us to do something. As for what that something is, I have no idea on what could that be."


    "¡­.Well at least we were not forced to make contract with Pe¨ªna." Ray replied as he stared at their green prisoner. "I still have to plant explosives inside him after all."


    "¡­" Pe¨ªna, the green prisoner, started to shudder as he heard the words that Ray had just uttered.


    "So what should we do now? Should we attack those Celestials back at their home base?"Vera asked Ray as she seemingly ignored the scared appearance of Pe¨ªna. "I do not know why their copies here suddenly dissipated, but this could be our chance to win!"


    "Hold up for a minute first. This could be a trap." Ray hurriedly said as he raised his hands. "That dispelling of their clones? That could be their way to invite us in to their lair!"


    "But there''s a chance that something bad had happened with their original bodies, that was why their copies were dispelled." Vera shot back as she seemed to not want to back down. "Why are you this wary Ray? Are you scared of them?"


    "Don''t think that your insults will be enough to rile me, woman." Ray replied coldly as he glared at Vera. "Don''t think fora second that just because you are my Companion that I will be listening intently to you."


    "But-"


    "Are you forgetting the Soul Shredders that I placed inside you? Don''t get too ahead of yourself Vera, or your chance to be reborn will be blasted to ashes." Ray said in an uncompromising tone, prompting Vera to shut her mouth.


    "Heh,you two might bepowerful fighters, but under my explosives, you two are nothing!" Out of nowhere, Ray started to brag as he leered at Vera, who only glared back at him, and at Noelle, who was busy staring at the horizon right now.


    "If you want to complain, just do that inwardly. Remember, I am the one that is taking hold of your lives, so you two should always listen to me. If not¡­ then maybe Xi Men''s unfortunate end with me will be enough to remind you what happens to anyone who revolts against me."


    "¡­And here I thought that you are changing to become a better person." Vera spat as she glared murderously at Ray. "Your attitude these past few days were already great, so I decided to treat you better. Who would have thought that you would be back to this kind of attitude."


    "Do you want to be like Xi Men or what?"


    "Okay, okay, I''ll close my mouth already." Vera grumbled angrily as she let out a sigh.


    "¡­." As for Noelle, she did not say anything, as she continued on staring intently at the horizon.


    "You, all of you buffoons. Gather around and reorganize yourselves. I''ll tell you what to do later." Once he was done disciplining his Companions, Ray immediately placed his attention on the Devourers, who sported some kinds of injuries during their battle with the cloned Celestials earlier."Don''t you all dare disobey me now. You know what happens if you do."


    "¡­" The Devourers, who were all known to be hot-tempered, only acted docile in front of Ray.They obediently followed his command, as they congregated on a spot that was 100 meters away from Ray and his Companions.


    "Little dips**ts. I thought you were all strong, yet you already got this injured against those weak clones? Where are your tough bodies?" Ray thought to himself angrily as he observed the wounds of the Devourers. "Okay, I get it that those weapons were hella powerful. But y''all could have just dodged it! Why did you have to face those weapons head-on? Tsk, tsk, why did I even get stuck with them¡­"


    After spending some more seconds on inwardly cursing the Devourers, Ray started to shake his head as he walked towards Pe¨ªna.


    The said prisoner only looked at the approaching Ray meekly, as if he was waiting to be judged by him.


    "Pe¨ªna, as per agreement earlier, I shall enter an Unbreakable Pact with you if and only if you will allow me to place my Three-Phase Technique inside your body." Ray smugly said as he placed his hands on his hips. "If you don''t, then feel free to stay here."


    "¡­FINE MILORD, I SHALL ALLOW YOU TO PLAY WITH MY BODY¡­ JUST BE GENTLE OKAY? THIS IS MY FIRST TIME AFTER ALL."Pe¨ªna replied as he placed his head down. "MILORD, FEEL FREE TO RAVAGE ME NOW!"


    "Ugh, ugh, ugh, please stop saying those things. You are making me feel sick." Ray replied in disgust as he placed his left hand on top of Pe¨ªna''s head.


    Without waiting for Pe¨ªna''s reply, Ray immediately activated his powers up to their maximum limits.


    [Initiating Scanning Sequence.]


    Rows and rows of circles materialized above Ray''s palm, with each circle much smaller than the other.


    These circles then entered Pe¨ªna''s body, akin to the manner that a machine scans the interior of an object.


    Once all the circles went through his body, Ray let out a smirk as he clenched his fist.


    [Starting Planting Sequence.]


    Three spherical objects, all the size of a tennis ball, appeared in front of Ray. Each of these objects looked unassuming enough, but any experienced fighter can feel that these objects were no normal objects!


    [Planting Body Imploder.]


    The first spherical objects flew and entered Pe¨ªna''s chest, eliciting some groans of discomfort from the said prisoner.


    [Planting Sense Obstructor.]


    The second spherical object then forced itself through Pe¨ªna''s mouth, making the prisoner moan uncomfortably.


    [Planting Soul Shredder.]


    The third and final spherical object plopped itself through Pe¨ªna''s forehead, which was followed by the prisoner slumping on the ground unconscious.


    [Planting Sequence Complete.]


    "Heh, if you just agreed to doing this earlier, then we might have already advanced our talks here¡­" Ray muttered in disappointment as he stared at Pe¨ªna''s unconscious form.


    "Okay everyone, just continue what you are doing there." Ray dismissively said as he waved his hands nonchalantly. "As for me, I shall wait for Pe¨ªna to wake up first."


    "After all, I still have a lot of questions to ask him."

 Chapter 261 Do you want cola? Then get some by yourself!

    INSIDE THE ARENA.


    "Did those little Guides think that they could evade Kuro''s observations? How petty of them to think of it that way! Tsk, now Kuro wants to spank them all!"


    The one who uttered these words was Kuro the black fairy, whose wings were fluttering behind her quickly, as if her wings were busy showing the irritation that she is feeling right now.


    Her dignified first-person way of talking was gone, as what could be heard right now was Kuro speaking in terms of third person.


    It sounded somewhat bizarre, but also slightly endearing.


    This endearing sensation however disappeared with what happened with Kuro next.


    "Those three¡­ Kuro personally taught them on how to be good Guides, and yet this is how they repay Kuro? They just straight up hid and refused to see Kuro? Hah! What a bunch of ungrateful bastards!"


    If anyone can see Kuro right now, they will surely take a few steps back, as she was currently exuding a murderous aura.


    It did not even help matters that black slime started to ooze out of her body, creating an eerie sight that was enough to make anyone scared.


    "Rumble¡­"


    The whole arena then started to shudder, with its walls and windows starting to show some signs of damage.


    Even the sturdy looking doors at the arena showed some cracks too, which made the whole situation look worse.


    Kuro, who was the center of it all, suddenly snapped her head back, as if she had realized what was happening.


    "Kuro, calm down, just calm down¡­." Kuro muttered to herself as she willed her body to absorb back the slime that she just let out. "Those little Guides will have to face Kuro later, so Kuro can just punish them later!"


    Kuro then smiled widely and nodded to herself, looking somewhat impressed with her own personal pep talk.


    "Hmph, Asteria, Teofilo and Celeste. Once Kuro catches you later, Kuro will surely punish you a lot!"


    After saying these encouraging words to herself, Kuro continued nodding as she flew forward.


    She only stopped flying when she arrived in front of a wide rectangular glass screen.


    "¡­"


    This glass screen was no ordinary glass screen, as moving images can be seen on its surface, which can be compared to the televisions that Alex had in his world.


    Right now, this glass screen was divided in four quadrants, with each quadrant displaying a different scene.


    Kuro, whose eyes were now trained on these quadrants, only let out knowing nods as she watched the events relayed in the glass.


    "Oh, so Traveler Alex and his allies managed to scare that Adjudicator from the Holy Order Plane? Hmm,Kuro is impressed¡­" Kuro muttered as she stared at the first quadrant, which depicted the evens at the Blue Moon. "Oh, and he wants to fight already? Kuro disapproves of that move, but what can Kuro do? Of course nothing!"


    After saying these ominous words, Kuro''s eyes then flitted towards the second quadrant, which depicts the events at Red Moon.


    "Hoho, so Traveler Minerva is scolding the Adjudicator because she did not fight Alex? Hehehe, what a stupid woman. Traveler Minerva should have known about the special relationship between the Abyss and the Holy Order¡­ Sigh, Kuro is also disappointed with her¡­"


    Kuro then looked at the third quadrant, which depicts the events at the Red Moon.


    "As expected, it''s empty. Why did Kuro even expect to see something exciting here¡­"


    With the Red Moon offering her a disappointing view, Kuro then turned her attention on the fourth and final quadrant, which shows the events happening at the Green Moon.


    "Hoh~" This time, Kuro''s interests spiked up as what she saw seemed to have riled her interest.


    "So Traveler Ray is about to interview Pe¨ªna for information about this whole thing? Heh, let''s see on how we will react to Pe¨ªna''s answers¡­"


    After saying these words, Kuro waved her hands in the air as she summoned an ice-cold cola.


    She immediately started drinking it as she sat back on her chair, with her left hand cradling a popcorn box.


    Kuro knew that she was about to watch a good show now, and she would obviously do her best to watch it properly, just like a movie.


    "Kuro, activate Script Mode."


    "¡­"


    **************


    (THIS IS HOW THE FOLLOWING CONVERSATION WENT UNDER KURO''S POV)


    [Kuro]: Go, start talking now! Kuro wants to hear you talking!


    [Ray]: So Pe¨ªna, tell me, who are you really?


    [Pe¨ªna]: Milord, just like what I told you before, I am a Divine Being that was born at the Extreme Chaos Plane. Because my special abilities, I was able to survive the harsh conditions at that place, and I have a potential to be a powerhouse at that plane. But then-


    [Ray]: But then you were captured by this really strong guy and then you were imprisoned here, bla, bla, bla. Yeah, yeah, Ialready know about that part.


    [Pe¨ªna]: Then Milord, there should be no problem at all.


    [Ray]: That would be the case, except for one tiny thing.


    [Pe¨ªna]: And what is that, Milord?


    [Ray]: You seem to have no idea on what you should do here at this place. You just knew that you were imprisoned here, and that a part of your powers were taken away. But aside from that? You have no idea on what''s going on. If it were not for us appearing here, then maybe you will stay stuck here all alone!


    [Pe¨ªna]: Milord, I can understand the point that you are trying to make. But are you sure that you want to continue talking about this? From what I can see, we are going on a dead end here.


    [Ray]: Have you ever heard about the Endless Monarch?


    [Pe¨ªna]: ¡­.


    [Ray]: You did not say anything just now.


    [Pe¨ªna]: My tongue got stuck,Milord.


    [Vera]: I can hear the lies in your voice, prisoner!


    [Pe¨ªna]: ¡­


    [Ray]: So, you have an idea on who the Endless Monarch was. Care to tell me more about him?


    [Pe¨ªna]: ¡­.


    [Ray]: Why don''t you want to talk? Did the cat get your tongue?


    [Pe¨ªna]: ¡­


    [Ray]: Speak up, you dumbwit!


    [Kuro]: Idiot, that Pe¨ªna won''t tell you anything at all. His lips are sealed. Just like Kuro''s¡­


    [Vera]: Ray, I think there is something that is preventing Pe¨ªna from speaking about the Endless Monarch. I think he will be forced to stay silent if he tries to speak about the Endless Monarch directly.


    [Ray]: Well, well, well, now ain''t that just great?


    [Pe¨ªna]: I''m sorry Milord, but I cannot really speak anything all about h-


    [Ray]: Well in that case, let me try something that can bypass that thing that is silencing you.


    [Vera]: You can do that?


    [Kuro]: Traveler Ray can do that?


    [Ray]: Pe¨ªna, do you like pineapple on a pizza?


    [Pe¨ªna]: Milord, I don''t understand what you are talking about, but I felt some kind of anger when I heard your question. Milord, you must have been talking about a deplorable thing.


    [Ray]: Indeed, pineapple on a pizza is an abomination.


    [Pe¨ªna]: I shall take that in my mind, Milord!


    [Vera]: ¡­


    [Kuro]: But pineapple does go with the pizza¡­


    [Ray]: Okay then, Pe¨ªna, do you like the color Yellow?


    [Pe¨ªna]: Hell no! That color sucks!


    [Ray]: I see, I see¡­


    [Vera]: Ray, what is the sense of this? I can''t see any-


    [Ray]: Now then Pe¨ªna, who was the person brought you here?


    [Pe¨ªna]: ¡­


    [Vera]: Oh, now I see where you are going with this.


    [Kuro]: Tsk, that''s just simple deduction! This Vera seems like a thickheaded martial artist!


    [Ray]: Since you can''t answer that question, then it just means that the Endless Monarch, or someone related to him was the one who brought you here.Am I right about that?


    [Pe¨ªna]: ¡­.


    [Ray]: Black-blue or white-gold?


    [Pe¨ªna]: Black-blue?


    [Ray]: And there we have it. Pe¨ªna''s capture here is definitely related to the Endless Monarch. Now we just have to see how related they really are.


    [Kuro]: Idiot! Do you really think that Kuro''s boss, the Endless Monarch, will just personally attack that prisoner? Kuro''s boss does not have to do that! Of course it will be his stronger servants that does this ''pick-up'' stuff! Hmm¡­ who was the one who brought these 4 people here again? Ugh, Kuro can''t remember anything! Well, Kuro still applauds you for reaching this far!


    [Vera]: Ray, should we really do this? What if we somehow manage to piss the Endless Monarch off? Do you remember what happened in our last world? One of our opponent teams died because they had thoroughly offended him!


    [Ray]: Don''t worry, as long as we do this respectfully, we will have no problems at all.


    [Vera]: But-


    [Ray]: Okay Pe¨ªna, if I spanked you really hard right now, what would your reaction be?


    [Pe¨ªna]: I will cry out in pain Milord.


    [Kuro]: Oh for god''s sake, now this just turned to the worse¡­


    [Vera]: ¡­


    ***********


    With the success of Ray''s interrogation on Pe¨ªna, Kuro knew that it will be only a matter of time before Ray could make a general sense of the whole situation.


    Since it was like that, there was no need for Kuro to watch anymore Ray anymore as she already knew what would happen next.


    So she brought back her attention to the events on the Yellow Moon, with her eyes glued on Alex''s whole body.


    "If Traveler Alex were in his normal state, Kuro''s sure that he could have discovered about the Endless Monarch''s deeds earlier than Traveler Ray. It''s too bad that Traveler Alex is like this already¡­" Kuro muttered to herself as she shook her head in disappointment.


    "Sigh, Kuro has high hopes for Traveler Alex, but with the way that he is right now, he and his allies are all doomed. He wants to leave right now and attack? How could he even do that?"


    Kuro then shook her head again as she let out a sigh.


    "The healthy and normal Traveler Alex surely will not be this impulsive¡­ But with the appearance of that ''Thing'', Traveler Alex''s mind has been slowly eroding now. Sigh, what a disappointment¡­ Well, if this doesn''t get remedied early, Kuro fears that his team will be the first one to be annihilated here¡­"


    After saying these words, Kuro''s eyes flitted toward Alina, Queen Mother, Professor Frances, and Astria, who were all looking at Alex worriedly right now.


    "Female hoomans, if you don''t want to die later, make a move right now! Stop this before it''s too late! If not, you will be all- burp! Oh, my Kuro''s cola is already finished? Hmm¡­ maybe I can drink a little more¡­"


    With Kuro''s attention diverted to her cola, she immediately forgot what she was doing now, as she re-immersed herself on the blissful sensation of cola.


    "Hah! This really tastes good! Umm¡­ maybe Kuro can drink a little more. Wait, what is Kuro doing again? Ah nevermind, Kuro will just drink more cola!"

 Chapter 262 Red is the Color of Dread!

    AT THE CENTER OF THE DEVOURER TERRITORY, 20,000 METERS UNDER SEA LEVEL.


    While the Celestials, Symbolists, and the Devourers were all busy on their schemes, there was another group of people that were also engrossed on something interesting.


    Back at the watery depths of their home planet, the Grand Celestial, Grand Symbolist, and the Grand Devourer could be seen together.


    They did not go to any of the Moons at all.


    Instead, they stayed at their home planet, and they even entered the Devourer Territory!


    Right now, these three were at the center of the Devourer Territory, which was actually the bottom of a massive trench.


    This trench was around 20 kilometers deep, and the pressure at its bottom was so great that almost no living beings could be seen at this place.


    Only the Grand Celestial, Grand Symbolist, and the Grand Devourer were fine at this place, which can be attributed to their personal power.


    Each one of them were activating their own powers to resist the horrifying water pressure, and it did not even look like they were worried about the pressure at all.


    Instead, these three were worried about something else.


    "¡­"


    Right now, all three of them were having a disagreement each other, which was quite apparent from the denial that was present on their faces.


    "You go in!"


    "No, you do it!"


    "No, why don''t she do it?"


    If anyone else was here, they will surely shudder, as literal sparks were generated as these three powerful figures continued bickering with each other.


    If it were not for the fact that they were still at their own home planet, these three powerful figures could have been fighting right now!


    "¡­"


    While the mouths of these three people were busy on their argument, their eyes were focused on a different thing.


    Right now, their eyes were glued at a small structure that was located just 100 meters away from their location.


    This structure was a bamboo hut, which astonishingly, had kept its integrity and stability even at this kind of place.


    Every now and often, the hut could be seen swaying along with the currents that passed through it, but none of these currents were strong enough to topple the hut down!


    With just one look, it''s quite obvious that this hut was an unnatural object here at the bottom of the sea.


    And for this kind of hut to be at this place meant that this hut was special!


    Not only that, but the occasional glances given by the three powerful figures at the hut meant that this hut was the subject of their argument!


    "So, you two doesn''t want to enter the hut and greet Master?" The Grand Symbolist said angrily as he glared at the Grand Celestial and the Grand Devourer, who were both crossing their arms. "Are you really that scared of him?"


    "Grand Symbolist, you were always the one that had talked to Master, so you should just do the same now." The Grand Celestial replied as he shook his head. "We are not scared of master. It will be just better¡­ if you are the one that will talk to him."


    "This sissy here is right. Just do what you always do." The Grand Devourer replied quickly as she let out another burp." You don''t want us messing this thing up, right? If you don''t, then just do it like before!"


    "If I die here, you two will be the ones that will pay for it!" The Grand Symbolist said as he started to walk with trepidation towards the bamboo hut.


    "You can do it."


    "If you will die, then die peacefully."


    The Grand Symbolist did his best to ignore these taunts as he stopped in front of the bamboo hut''s door.


    He raised his right hand, hesitating for about 5 seconds before he let out a sigh.


    But before the Grand Symbolist could knock on the door, a voice came out of the hut, interrupting him.


    "What''s with all that fuss? I already knew that you three are here. Why are you still dilly dallying like that? F**king get in!"


    The door of the hut then opened, revealing its interior to the three visitors.


    All of them gulped nervously before entering the hut, as if they were about to face something terrifying inside it.


    "Thud."


    Once they had entered, the door of the hut closed shut again, bringing the bamboo hut back to its calm state before.


    *************


    At the moment that they entered the hut, the Grand Symbolist immediately assumed a kowtowing position, while his other two companions did the same thing behind him.


    All three of them kept their heads low as the Grand Symbolist started to talk.


    "Master, we are happy to see you alive and well." The Grand Symbolist said as he resisted the urge to look up. "We hope you have been in a better condition these days¡­"


    "Better condition? Heh, if you think 1% of improvement constitutes a better condition, then your statement is technically right." The one who spoke these words was this so-called Master, and the Grand Symbolist could not help but shiver as he heard it.


    His master''s voice sounded both charming and sly, making him feel both enchanted and wary.


    "This is the 10th time that I have met you three, and I can see that you all have improved in your abilities. That is good. "The ''Master'' continued talking as the other three kept their heads down. "Keep on doing your training, and maybe you will reach the state where you can break the restrictions on this place. Well, that will still depend on your talents¡­"


    Even when we he was praised by his master, the Grand Symbolist did not feel happy at all, Instead, hestarted to shiver, as he already knew about his Master''s quirks and whims.


    If he was happy with you, then he will usually insult you first. But if you displeased him, expect him to be courteous to you.


    That is exactly what is happening now, and the Grand Symbolist could only hope that his master''s wrath will be not that much today.


    Behind him, the Grand Celestial and the Grand Devourer were both trembling in fear too, as they could understand what the Grand Symbolist was feeling right now.


    "You three. Raise your heads and look at me." The master suddenly said, with the tone in his voice indicating that he won''t accept any compromise. "Look at me straight in the eye, and don''t try to look away."


    "¡­"


    All three of them managed to not whimper as they raised their heads, with their eyes busy on taking in the full appearance of their master.


    "¡­"


    A tall, 8-foot muscular body with red skin.


    Two-bat like wings extending from the back.


    A long, whip-like tail with a ball of spikes at the end.


    3 pairs of tattooed arms.


    A pair of curling horns extending from the top of the head.


    These are all the features of their ''Master'', and it was, in all sense, an extremely eerie and alien sight.


    If Alex was here, he will surely exclaim ''Demon!'', and he was right for saying that.


    "We-we, the followers of the Goetic Order, greets you, Oh Majestic One." The Grand Symbolist said as his eyes roved all over the demon-like being''s appearance."We are happy that you are here to entertain us again as your students."


    "Oh come on, call me by my real name!" The demon-like being said as he laughed uproariously. "Could it be that you forgot my name after all these years?"


    "Master, we are not worthy enough to speak of your name." The Great Symbolist replied as he shook his head."Only Demons that are your equal are qualified to do so."


    "Hahaha! Good good good!" This time, the laughter that came out of the Demon seemed to be sincere, which made the three prostrating people in front of him heave sighs of relief. "It''s good that you remember that! Nothing good ever happens to those that say my name carelessly!"


    "¡­"


    After laughing for some more moments, the Demon let out a relaxed sigh as he sat back on his chair.


    "Thud."


    He then crossed his legs before he looked back at his ''students''.


    His cheerful demeanor suddenly disappeared, as it became cold and merciless.


    The Grand Celestial, Symbolist, and Devourer tensed once more, but this time, their tension was more restrained compared to the one that they had before.


    "Those followers of yours¡­ they have already gone to the Moons." The Demon slowly said as he rubbed the stubble on his chin. "They must be having their fun there, with all the destruction that they were ordered to do¡­"


    "¡­."


    The Demon''s red skin glistened faintly inside the hut, forcing his three ''students'' to avert their eyes away from him.


    "Moon, moon, moon, moon¡­"


    The Demon''s gaze turned somewhat glassy, before it refocused back on his students.


    "You three, have you all made enough preparations to ensure that those people will not go to the Red Moon?" The Demon asked as he stared at the Grand Symbolist, as if he was waiting for this man to speak up. "I don''t want anyone of them trying to destroy that place right now."


    "We-we did our best, Great One!" The Grand Symbolist replied quickly as he licked his lips. "For one hour, nobody from the Three Factions will be able to approach the Red Moon, not even us!"


    The other two people behind the Grand Symbolist nodded their heads too, expressing their agreement with what the Grand Symbolist just said.


    Upon seeing this, the Demon looked relieved, which was evident from the deep breath that he just released.


    "That''s good. After all, my True Body is still slumbering in that place. I don'' want anyone playing with it while I am still here." The Demon muttered as he continued scratching his chin.


    "¡­" The three people in front of the Demon seemed to be used already to what he just said, but if anyone else had heard the Demon''s words, they will be surely shocked!


    After all, this Demon just mentioned something about his True Body being located at the Red Moon!


    No matter what these words meant, it surely is something that nobody else should know!


    "Hehehe!" The Demon suddenly stood up, making his chair tip over backwards. He then rubbed his hands excitedly as he slowly approached the Grand Symbolist.


    His cheerful attitude was back, and it made his students scared again.


    The Grand Symbolist looked like he wanted to scoot back, but he held his ground until the Demon was right in front of him.


    The Demon''s breath,which was both putrid and disgusting, covered the Grand Symbolist''s face, forcing the Grand Symbolist to choke.


    The Demon ignored these harried coughs as he asked the Grand Symbolist a question.


    "So, little Symbolist, did you bring the goods for me?"

 Chapter 263 Through the eyes of a Little Girl

    I am scared.


    Big Brother Alex said that we will visit a fun place, but I don''t feel like that.


    I don''t like it here.


    Grandpa looks like he was excited, but I just want to leave this place.


    I don''t feel safe here.


    Because bad guys tried to attack Big Brother, Big Brother hid us on his special storage.


    It''s dark and cold in here.


    Grandpa seems to be disappointed, but I like staying in Big Brother''s storage.


    I feel safe here.


    The bad guys left, and Big Brother started to talk weird again.


    Big Brother is cool when he is weird.


    Big Sis Alina looks worried, why is she worried?


    Is she having constipation?


    Big Brother pulled us out of his storage, and Grandpa started laughing with him. I don''t like this.


    ¡­I want to go back already.


    Big Brother started talking to the big blue guy, and everyone started shouting.


    Please stop shouting. It''s noisy.


    The big blue guy started crying, then he dipped his hand on the sands.


    Is the blue guy cooking?


    The blue guy pulled something out of the sands, and it looks large! It''s a big tower!


    Is the tower heavy?


    Big Brother laughed as he pointed at the tower, then he run towards it.


    I am tired now. I don''t want to run.


    "Weapons, weapons, weapons". Big Brother shouted as he opened the tower. "Get your weapons!"


    I like weapons.


    The weird robed guys joined Alex in entering the tower.


    They must like weapons too.


    Even Grandpa wants to get a weapon.


    I want to get one too.


    But Big Sis Alina stopped me. She looks angry.


    I am scared of angry Big Sis.


    "Don''t go there." Big Sis Alina said.


    I nodded. I don''t want to make Big Sis angry.


    Big Brother came out of the tower with many weapons.


    I want to get a weapon too.


    Big Brother saw me, then he smiled me.


    "Big Brother. I want a weapon". I said and I pointed to a big gun.


    I like big guns


    Big Brother laughed again, and then he gave me the big gun.


    Yay. I have a big gun now.


    "You want to fight?" Big Brother asked me as he patted my head.


    I don''t like to fight. I just want to hold the big gun.


    Big Brother looks sad that I disagreed.


    Big Sis seems relieved, but she became angrier.


    Why is Big Sis angrier now?


    Big Sis then glared at Big Brother.


    I don''t like this.


    Big Bro and Big Sis will fight. I am sure of it.


    I don''t like this.


    Grandpa said that quarreling couples are scary.


    I don''t want to see it.


    "Big Brother put me back in". I said to Big Brother.


    Big Brother said no.


    "You will fight". Big Brother said as he gripped my arms.


    I am scared.


    Big Brother looks scary.


    His eyes are turning red.


    Big Brother looks scary.


    Big Brother started mumbling.


    Big Brother looks scary.


    My arms hurt. I want to get out.


    Big Brother doesn''t let me go.


    Big Sis Alina shouts angrily.


    "Bang!" I heard this sound.


    I saw Big Brother flying away.


    Big Sis Alina attacked him. I am sure of that.


    It looks cool.


    My arms are free now. But they still hurt.


    Big Sis Alina asks me if I am okay.


    "I am okay". I said.


    "Can you put me back in?" I asked.


    Big Sis Alina nodded.


    She waved her hands, and I am back to the special storage.


    It''s dark and cold in here.


    I like it here.


    I want to sleep now.

 Chapter 264 My Will is Undying!

    3 seconds.


    In Alina''s eyes, this was how long it took for the white ball inside Alex''s heart to change.


    This white ball suddenly tripled in size, covering almost the entirety of Alex''s chest.


    At the instant that this happened, Alex''s personality just turned for the worst.


    Without any politeness in his voice, Alex demanded Lingo to give them the weapons, and he and the other Symbolists procured it without any qualms.


    As Alex did these things, an undesirable expression could be seen on his face, which in all cases, was extremely unsuited for him.


    What made things worse was the fact that Alex even forced Kiera to wield the weapons and fight for him!


    Even if Alina was usually lenient to Alex, what he was doing now was nothing but just deplorable.


    "Alex, what is happening to you? Why are you like this? Please show us some indications on what is wrong with you!" Allina thought to herself urgently as she started to rebuke Alex.


    Alex, who ignored Alina''s rebukes, only tightened his grip on Kiera, forcing the little girl to cry out in pain.


    "Bang!" Upon seeing this, Alina was left with no choice but to blast Alex away, which saved Kiera from his grip.


    "Alex, what the hell is wrong with you now?" Alina shouted at Alex as she hid Kiera back in her storage. "Are you still in your right mind? You are being irrational here!"


    While saying these words, Alina discreetly cut off Alex''s access to her Storage, making it harder for Alex to one-up Alina.


    There is a chance that she had to subdue Alex, and Alina obviously will do everything that she can in order to reduce Alex''s chance in winning.


    But even with this storage measure in place, Alina knew that it will be still difficult for her and her allies to subdue Alex.


    "Alex, please talk to me. You, you are scaring me right now." Alina could not help but tremble as she said these words to Alex. Her lips also began to quiver as she tried to hide the nervousness inside her. "Alex¡­ whatever is happening to you, please snap out of it!"


    "¡­"


    Alex, who safely landed himself a distance away from Alina, seemed to be deaf to what Alina just said. He could only be seen flexing his arms, as if he was more interested on his body rather than Alina.


    "Alex! Listen to me! Look at me! Just pay attention to me!" Alina shouted out angrily as she unsheathed her sword. "If you don''t talk now, I will attack you seriously!"


    These words of Alina seemed to have some effect, as Alex was forced to stop flexing his muscles.


    His eyes, which now looked empty and hollow, stared at Alina directly, making her feel somewhat vulnerable and prone.


    "I see¡­ So you are the one who can manipulate the dimensions. Vessel 969 seems to have found a good partner¡­ Hm, even if this vessel is a disappointment, it still managed to hook in some good allies." Alex said as his empty eyes just continued on staring at Alina. "You girl, if you begged for it, I shall allow you to be one of my concubines. What do you say of it?"


    "Wh-wha-what?" Alina could not help but shout as she heard everything that ''Alex'' just said to her now. "Who are you?"


    "Who am I?" ''Alex'' said as he tilted his head. "Well, I certainly am not Alex. That''s just a fake name created by this vessel. As for my real name¡­ you are bound to know it later."


    "Yo-you! Get out of his body!" Even when she''s still shocked, Alina managed to say these words as she pointed her sword at ''Alex''. "You are just someone that is trying to possess Alex! Get out of his body now, or else I shall make you suffer greatly!"


    Even if she was still shocked by the current situation, Alina already had a hypothesis on what is happening right now.


    Someone certainly is possessing Alex, and that white ball of light must have been related to his possession!


    Alina has no idea on how and why Alex was possessed, but Alina does not care about that right now.


    As of now, Alina was more worried about keeping Alex safe, and the only thing that she can do right now was to force the possession to end!


    "Me? Trying to possess this vessel? Fufufufu¡­ Hahahaha!" ''Alex'' has fully ignored Alina''s attacked as his whole body convulsed with laughter.


    Hisskin flushed red, and tears started flowing from his eyes as his laughter just continued to rise.


    "Hahaha! Little girl! I don''t need to ''possess'' this body! After all, this vessel is something that is mine, and I am just here to take back what is mine! Hahaha! What a bunch of idiots!" ''Alex''s said these words with much enthusiasm that everyone in the Blue Planet could not help but look at him.


    At this point, everyone already realized that something was wrong with Alex, including all the Symbolists that just followed Alex earlier.


    Everyone took some steps away from Alex, who has stopped laughing now.


    "¡­"


    At this point, the white ball inside Alex''s body has doubled in size, and it was not covering Alex''s whole torso!


    With this change, Alex''s personality continued to change, and even a normal person can feel that the Alex in front of Alina was not the same Alex anymore!


    "Alex... what do you mean by vessel?" Alina asked as her grip on her sword weakened. It could have fallen to the ground already, but Alina managed to keep a hold of it with her pinky. "You don''t mean that kind of vessel, right?"


    "Well little girl, let me expla-" ''Alex'' was about to give Alina a reply, but before he could do so, he suddenly stopped in place, as if he detected something that only he noticed.


    "Well little girl, I have to apologize, but I have to go now." ''Alex'' said as he waved his hands in a ''good-bye'' gesture. "I just detected one of my faithful servants, and I have decided to meet up with her now."


    "Wait-"


    "Boom!"


    Alina tried to say something to stop Alex, but before she could do so, a sudden eruption of power from ''Alex'' made her stop on her tracks.


    This power was composed of a golden shockwave which came out of ''Alex''s'' body in large quantities.


    Anyone seeing this golden shockwave will only feel one thing.


    Extreme Veneration.


    This power, which was obviously different from the Abyss Energy or Esper Power, hit everyone on the Blue Moon head-on.


    "Ugh¡­" Everyone could not help but kneel down, as if this golden power was forcing them to be submissive to ''Alex''.


    Even Alina was also forced to kneel, and no matter what she did to make herself stand up, nothing worked.


    ''Alex'' only nodded his head after seeing what had happened, as if this was just a daily occurrence to him.


    "So even in this kind of vessel, my Will is still working properly. That brings me relief." ''Alex'' said as an alien smile appeared on his face.


    After saying these words, ''Alex'' looked back at all the kneeling people, and as he did this, his face suddenly turned contemplative.


    ''Alex'' seemed to be struggling to make a decision as he cupped his chin, and it took him around a minute before his face smoothed out.


    "I want to bring you all with me, but from what I can see on your faces right now, I think going alone will be better." ''Alex''s said to the kneeling crowd as he jumped at Lingo''s direction.


    "Thud." ''Alex'' landed on top of Lingo''s head, making the prisoner wince in displeasure.


    ''Alex'' ignored this reaction from Lingo as he started to sit on top of his head. He then flared up that golden shockwave once more, forcing the people around him to continue kneeling.


    "You, Filthy Divine Beast, shall be my steed now. You should be honored by that." ''Alex'' said as he kicked Lingo''s head. He ignored Lingo''s wronged expression as he continued talking. "Now, for your first task as my steed, you shall bring me to my faithful servant! Don''t waste any more time here! Bring me to this Green Moon already!"


    "THE-THE-THE-" Lingo seemed to want to say something, but the power being emitted by ''Alex'' right now was forcing Lingo to keep quiet.


    "Don''t worry my stead. I am well versed in the art of steedsmanship. I can surely handle you." ''Alex'' calmly said as he caressed Lingo''s head. "So, just do what you are supposed to do. You don''t want me getting angry right?"


    "Rumble¡­"


    After ''Alex'' said these words, the whole Blue Moon starting trembling as Lingo''s whole body came out of the moon''s surface.


    Lingo''s massive body, which now blotted a shadow over everyone, looked extremely intimidating and domineering.


    "Hahaha! You really are a great steed! It''s good thing that I chose you! Now, let us depart!"


    With these compelling command from ''Alex'', Lingo could only nod his head remorsefully as he started to fly away from the Blue Moon.


    "No!" Alina thought desperately as she saw the departing Alex.She tried to move her body just to stop what she was seeing, but the golden shockwave held her still in place.


    Forced to stay on their current positions, Alina and the others were forced to watch with red eyes as Alex and Lingo''s body turned like dots on the night sky.


    *************


    3 HOURS LATER


    It was only after 3 Hours passed by that the force stopping Alina from moving had disappeared.


    "Thud."


    Alina''s body slumped down to the ground, as an exhausted expression appeared on her face.


    For the last 3 hours that she had been immobilized, Alina tried anything that she can to free herself, but none of it had worked.


    She even tried attacking herself, but even that kind of move did not work for her.


    Because of that, Alina''s mental reserves right now was at an all-time low, and it seems like she was in no condition to move properly.


    And yet, even with this kind of mental fatigue, Alina still pushed herself to stand up, using her sword to support her body.


    "Alex¡­ just wait for me. I am coming for you now!" Alina haltingly said as her body swayed in place. She was about to fall over, but she forced herself to hold on by biting her lips.


    "Alex, I¡­."


    "Hooman, if you want to help Alex, you cannot just rush in." The one who said these words was [Asteria], who was giving Alina a complicated look. Her overall color scheme still looked to be blonde, although some kind of exhaustion could be seen on her face.


    From the looks of it, even she was affected by whatever ''Alex'' did earlier, and she seems to be freed of it now.


    "Alex''s life and survival depends on careful approach, and we don''t need to f**k it up by being rash!" [Asteria] said as she patted Alina''s cheek. "Hooman¡­ I know that you want to go to him now, but things will not work that way."


    "You¡­ what do you even know about Alex''s condition right now? Do you even have the right to stop us?" Alina roared out as she pointed her finger at the fairy. Alina was usually fond of [Asteria], but right now, Alina was anything but fond. "All you f**king do is sleep, eat, and prank against Alex! What right do you have to stop us now? You are just a honey-hoarding freeloader! Do you even care for Alex? Maybe you are also related to what happened to him earlier!"


    "¡­"


    "What, you can''t say anything now?"


    "¡­"


    Surprisingly, the usually arrogant fairy did not look like she was insulted by Alina''s words.


    Instead, [Asteria] looked sad, as if she was mourning for something.


    "Hooman, what you saw earlier was Alex''s destined life and end." [Asteria] said as she let out a sigh. "That man that you saw earlier, that was Alex''s ''Destiny''."


    "His¡­ destiny?"


    "Yes, hooman. That was his destiny. And Alex had been running away from that destiny for the entirety of his life¡­" [Asteria] mumbled as she fixed her hair. "He had been doing his best to avoid his destiny, but that chase has come to an end today. His intended purpose has been fulfilled already, and nothing except for us can save Alex from a doomed fate."


    After hearing the words that [Asteria] just uttered, Alina could not take it anymore. She grabbed the fairy with her right hand as she started shaking her vigorously.


    "Fairy! Tell me! What the hell is Alex''s destiny! Tell me the truth! Right now!"


    Even though [Asteria] looked like she was affected by Alina''s shaking, she held her ground as she replied to Alina''s query.


    "You want to know Alex''s destiny? It''s painfully simple. Alex, he¡­ he was only born in this world for one sole thing. And that is to be a new vessel for the illustrious Emperor Litch!""

 Chapter 265 Tickle your minds

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 Chapter 266 Karma is your own Undoing

    "Huh?"


    Ray was not sure why, but out of nowhere, he suddenly felt uneasy.


    It was as if a pile of worms were not crawling under his skin, with their cold, sticky shells clinging on his dermis.


    Needless to say, Ray was not happy because of this.


    "What the hell?" Ray muttered to himself as he stood up quickly.


    He rotated his power inside his body as he began to look around him warily.


    "Why am I suddenly feeling like this? Is something about to happen?" Ray thought as he narrowed his eyes.


    "No, that can''t be. I have already set thousands of bombs around the Green Moon. Anyone who tries to attack me will be in danger from my bombs! That should just mean that I am safe here! But even with that¡­ why am I feeling this uneasy?"


    "¡­"


    No matter how much Ray tried to reassure himself, the uneasy feeling still remained inside him.


    It became so much to the point that he was left with no choice but to discuss about it on his Companions.


    "Oi Noelle and Vera, do you see anything wrong around this moon?" Ray asked the two as he tried to make himself look calm. "I just feel like¡­ there is something that might happen here."


    "Ray, you told us to just stay here on the Green Moon and not do anything, as you wanted the other two factions to fight each other first. You have been saying that, yet you think that we are in danger of getting attacked now?" Vera replied crossly as she crossed her arms. "Of course there is a chance that we will get attacked here!"


    "¡­" Noelle did not give any reply, as she continued on staring at the night sky.


    "I don''t want you to criticize my decision. Just f**king me if Just tell me if you can hear anything that is approaching this place! It''s just as simple as that!"Ray replied angrily as he glared at Vera. "Now, does your ears hear anything weird?"


    "No. I don''t hear anything approaching this place." Vera replied as she shook hear head.


    "I see." Ray replied pensively. "So does that mean that I am just being paranoid now?"


    "Won''t you just say even a thank you to me?"


    "I don''t have to. You are just doing your job for me." Ray calmly said, as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "Do you have to thank your servant for something that he/she must do? Of course not. That just lowers the value of their work."


    "Tsk, if it were not for your explosives, I could have beaten you black and blue already¡­" Vera muttered to herself.


    Ray, who heard this, let out a smirk as he curled his thumb.


    "Urgh!" Right after Ray did this, Vera suddenly doubled over as she clutched her head.


    She seemed to be in great pain, which was clearly visible on her shut eyes and flushed skin. Her breathing became rapid as her whole body began to tremble.


    Blood then came pouring out of her mouth in large quantities, so much that the sand underneath her began to turn red.


    "I just exploded a little portion of my explosives inside you. That ought to teach you a little lesson." Ray said to Vera as he gazed at her bloodied mouth. "Now I know that you can heal easily from what I did, but the pain must not have been good, right?"


    "Hah, hah, f**k you!"


    "Well, you can say whatever you want to me, but you won''t be able to defy me." Ray said as he ignored Vera, whose complexion was now improving.


    He glanced at Noelle again, who was still staring intently above her.


    "Oi! What the hell are you staring at?" Ray shouted to Noelle as he grabbed her left arm tightly."Come, f**king look at me!"


    Ray gripped her arm so hard that a pained expression appeared on Noelle''s face, but she still did not avert her gaze away at the sky.


    "Tsk, are you going bonkers again? What a f**king drag¡­" Ray murmured to himself angrily as he flung Noelle''s arm away from him. "You couldn''t even answer a question from me, and you dare to act like this? Do you want to be in great pain too?"


    Ray immediately curled his thumb, which was followed by another blood flow on Noelle''s mouth, but even with that, Noelle still did not move away nor move her eyes away.


    Upon seeing this, Ray could only throw his arms in the air in frustration.


    "Motherf**ker!"


    ***********


    When Ray met Noelle before, he first saw her as a crazy person.


    She had been always worshipping this ''Emperor'' of hers, and she does so with a fervent devotion that managed to creep Ray out.


    Bu even with this kind of fanaticism, Ray still wanted to make Noelle his Companion and Slave because of her ability.


    Noelle was a top tier assassin, and she was versed in all fields related to the art of assassination.


    Melding with the environment, usage of assorted weapons and mastery of countless martial arts.


    Name anything that an assassin should know, and Noelle most certainly will be an expert on it.


    If it were not for Vera''s help and his own tricks, Ray was not sure if he could have taken in Noelle with him. But fortunately for him, he managed to get her for himself.


    Since then, Ray had benefited from using Noelle to the fullest.


    But right now, Ray had been slightly regretting taking Noelle with him.


    "Tsk, there had been times that this woman had been acting like this, and now is the worst one. What a f**king waste of my time." Ray thought to himself as he glared at Noelle''s stationary body.


    "Wait, could be she thinking of rebelling against me? No that can''t be." Ray thought to himself as she shook his head.


    "WIth my status as a Traveler, there is no way that Noelle can just kill me, because if I die, Noelle dies too." Ray thought to himself as he felt more and more suspicious on what Noelle was doing. "There are also the explosives that I placed inside her body. If she makes me angry, I can just trigger those explosives, killing her easily. With those two factors in place, there is no way that Noelle can just attack me. Unless she is feeling suicidal, there is no way that Noelle will attack me! Heh, and with the way that she is right now, for her to attack me is just an impossibility!"


    After Ray thought of these, he decided to leave Noelle alone.


    He turned his back towards Noelle as he decided to approach Vera, but at the instant that he did this, he heard Vera''s shout reaching towards him.


    "Ray! I can hear something approaching us right now! And from what I can hear, our visitors are powerful!"


    At the moment that Vera said these words, the uneasy feeling inside Ray had increased once more, as if the visitors were related to it.


    "Who the hell are they?" Ray thought to himself fiercely as he stared at the direction where Vera was looking.


    Coincidentally, this was also the direction where Noelle was staring at since earlier.


    Ray did not think too much of it as he was more worried on the appearance of his visitors, as his unease just continued to increase.


    He pushed Noelle aside as he walked forward, with his eyes focused on observing the newcomers.


    Fortunately for Ray, he did not have to wait that long before he saw the newcomers.


    5 seconds after Vera made her announcement, Ray and the others saw a massive body approaching the Green Moon.


    This body was as large as Peina, and its appearance was also similar to Peina, except for the fact that Peina''s skin was green, while the newcomer''s skin was blue.


    This blue giant looked intimidating by itself already, but after some seconds of looking, Ray realized that it was not only the blue giant that had arrived.


    Sitting on top of the blue giant''s head was a man who was wearing something that looked like a wizard''s cloak.


    His clothes and hat swayed as the blue giant got nearer to the Green Moon, making the man look extremely mysterious.


    These two were the only ones that Ray saw, making it apparent that these two came here to the Green Moon by themselves.


    At first Ray was wary of these two, but after a few seconds of looking, Ray eyes widened as he realized that he was actually familiar with the wizard-like man.


    "Wait¡­ isn''t that guy the Traveler that has allied with the Symbolists?"Ray thought to himself as he stared at the two. "As for that blue giant¡­ that must be the prisoner at the Blue Moon. So he also managed to enslave it too¡­"


    "Wait! Why am I even thinking about this? I should be worried now!" Ray thought to himself as he shook his head. "First of all, why the f**k are these two here? Are they trying to attack this place by themselves only? Without any help from their allies? Are they nuts or what?"


    No matter which way Ray looked at the current situation, there is no way that the wizard man and the blue giant will win in a confrontation against them, especially with the way that Ray had prepared defenses around the Green Moon.


    "I have implanted thousands of explosives around the Green Moon, especially at the atmosphere." Ray muttered as he saw the blue giant still going towards them. "I only have to detonate it with my power, and those explosives will explode right at the atmosphere! With the amount that I placed there, it should be enough to kill you!"


    "Now, if you two want to die, then just go and enter the atmosphere!" Ray thought with finality as he saw that the blue giant was about to touch the atmosphere of the Green Moon.


    "Come on! Touch it already!" Ray thought to himself excitedly as he began to smile excitedly. "I don''t know why you are being this idiotic, but that''s fine with me. If you want to die, then go die with a bang!"


    As the distance between the giant and the atmosphere became less than a meter, Ray tensed his body to prepare himself to detonate the explosives.


    But before the giant''s body could reach the atmosphere, Ray suddenly heard the wizard man talking.


    The wizard man''s voice was strangely captivating, and Ray could not help but shiver as he heard it.


    "Okay, I see that a lot of hostile people are trying to welcome me here. Hmm¡­ even if you are all excited to see me, that does not mean that I can just go in there." The wizard man said as he tilted his head. "Well, since you are trying so hard to greet me, it''s just fair that I give out a greeting of my own too."


    "Clap Clap." The wizard man suddenly clapped his hands, which just increased the unease inside Ray.


    "My faithful shadow servant, it''s your turn now to impress me." The wizard man then glanced at Ray''s direction, which made Ray widen his eyes in panic.


    "You, what the f**k are you talki-"


    Ray''s rude reply was cut off as he suddenly felt something penetrating him from his back.


    "What the¡­" Ray looked down on his chest, and there he saw a massive blade poking out of his left chest area.


    "This¡­" As he saw this blade, Ray immediately realized who had attacked him.


    Amidst the pain that he is feeling right now, Ray did his best to turn his head around in order to look at the person who stabbed him.


    It took him a few seconds to do so, but Ray managed to look at the face of his attacker.


    "Noelle¡­. are you out of your mind right now?" Ray choked out these words as blood spilled out of his mouth.


    His eyes were solely concentrated on Noelle, who was holding a blade with a crazed look on her eyes.


    She seemed to have not heard what Ray had said as her eyes were gazing intently at the wizard man.


    "Emperor¡­ I have done what you wanted." Noelle said as she plunged the blade deeper on Ray."I-I am killing this possible usurper right now!"


    "What the hell is this!" Ray shouted at as he felt his life starting to slip away from him. "If you kill me, you will die too! Why are you doing this!"


    "If the Emperor wills me to sacrifice my life for him, then I shall be happy to do so." Noelle replied as she gave Ray and empty gaze. "Since the Emperor wanted to eliminate you, I of course will do everything that I can to do that!"


    "No!!!"


    "Just be honored that you were treated by my Emperor as a threat." Noelle said as she twisted the blade that she held. "It''s rare that he does something like this¡­."


    "Vera! What are you doing? Help me out here!" Realizing that he was about to die, Ray desperately looked at Vera as he asked her for her help. "If I die, you will die too!"


    "¡­"


    But instead of receiving a reassuring answer, what Ray got from Vera was a sneer and an angry stare.


    "Ray, I don''t care if you are dying right now. Actually, I am happy!" Vera said as she joined Noelle on plunging the blade deeper on Ray.


    "Ugh!"


    "Since you have taken us in as your Companions, my life hasbeen hell!" Vera shouted out as tears began to fall down from her face. "You made me do humiliating things, and you even forced yourself on me several times! You think I am happy with those things happening? Of course not!"


    "Glu glu glu¡­" Ray tried to explain himself, but the blood flowing out of his mouth was too much that it was impossible for him to speak now.


    "So what if you die now? I don''t care even that kills me!" Vera said as she stared to laugh. "If your death is the only way that I can be free, then I shall accept it! So, don''t try to plead on me, you rotten bastard!"


    "Grrr¡­" Ray tried to activate his explosives, but to his chagrin, he realized that he was too weak right now to even detonate his weakest explosive.


    As he realized this, Ray knew that there is no hope for him anymore.


    His Companions had turned on him, and he was not even able to activate his power.


    The only thing that he can do was to slump down on the ground as he bled out to death.


    "¡­"


    As Ray closed his eyes in his final moments, the last thing that he heard was the wizard man''s voice.


    "Noelle, good job! I shall remember your valiant sacrifice! Once I conquer this world, I shall erect a statue depicting you bravery!"


    Ray was unable to make any comments about this, as his mind was already covered by darkness.

 Chapter 267 Who would want a defective product anyway?

    "Emperor Litch?" As these words rolled of Alina''s tongue, she could not help but feel some kind of displeasure, as if saying this name alone was enough to make her somewhat apprehensive. "That is the one who is possessing Alex now?"


    "I just said his name. Of course he is the one." [Asteria] mumbled in reply as she flitted towards Alina."And this Emperor is directly tied to his past."


    "¡­"


    Once [Asteria] was only a feet away from Alina, [Asteria] crossed her arms as she straightened her body.


    "So, Alex had specifically told me to not share about his past to any of you." [Asteria] started her words with this reminder, which made Alina feel somewhat betrayed. "He told me that I will only tell you about his past once he becomes possessed by the Emperor. And now that he had been possessed, I am free to tell you about him and his life."


    From the way that the conversation was headed right now, it was quite apparent that [Asteria] was about to talk about this Emperor Litch guy.


    With Alex''s life in line here, Alina has no choice but to listen.


    Behind Alina, her other companions like Queen Mother and Professor Frances were listening intently on [Asteria] too.


    As for the Symbolists, they could only look at Alina in confusion, as they could not understand why she was talking to no one in particular.


    Astria on the other hand, seemed to have noticed something, as she began to sniff at Alina''s direction.


    "¡­" Alina ignored all of this as she only focused on what [Asteria] was about to say.


    "Hm, how can I say this¡­ Okay, for starters, I can say that Emperor Litch was an extremely impressive hooman. So much so that even I am impressed by him." [Asteria] muttered as she nodded her head. "Yep, Emperor Litch is definitely impressive."


    "¡­"


    [Asteria] must have seen the glower in Alina''s eyes right now, which forced her to get serious on talking.


    "EHem. So what made Emperor Litch so impressive was his ability to conquer. Nobody was really sure on what his true power was, but that power is the one that aided him to conquer anything that he wanted to conquer."


    "¡­"


    "Emperor Litch was born on a planet ruled by monarchy, with technology and magic as the main driving forces on that planet.At that time, Emperor Litchwas only born to a commoner family. That kind of familial status should have prevented the Emperor from ever rising up, yet that did not deter him from his destiny. His extreme talent and charisma had allowed the Emperor to be the best among the rest in that planet."


    "¡­"


    "According to ancient records, when Emperor Litch was just 15 years old, he had already conquered the Kingdom that he was born in. 2 years after that, he then conquered the continent that housed his kingdom. Once the 17-year old Emperor did that, he then continued on conquering the other continents on that planet."


    "¡­"


    "5 years later, and Emperor Litch succeeded. He had conquered his whole planet, and everyone there started to venerate him as a great ruler. His name was recorded into the annals of that planet, and he was hailed at the history''s number one conqueror. However, the Emperor was not satisfied by that."


    "¡­"


    "Emperor Litch was not just satisfied with conquering his home planet alone. His own ambitions was greater than that. As such, after spending 1 year to stabilize the economic and technological conditions on his home planet, the Emperor turned his attention to the cosmos itself."


    "¡­"


    "With the level that their civilization has reached, the Emperor and his subjects were able to discover countless other planets that have life within then. Naturally, with his ambition and obsession, Emperor Litch had decided to conquer other planets too! As long as they discover a planet teeming with life, Emperor Litch will conquer it, whether by force or with diplomacy!"


    "¡­"


    "The Emperor spent the next 5,000 years of his life on this multi-planetary conquering mission, and he was highly successful! Even when they met other planets that had powerful civilizations within them, the Emperor successfully brought them all under his reign!"


    "¡­"


    "So great was his success, that when the Emperor reached 5,050 years old, there had been 3,476 planets under his Empire, which he called the Undying Empire, with him taking on the title Emperor Litch. This galactic empire that he created under his name was so strong that nobody dared to even offend anyone under its rule. That age¡­ can certainly be called the golden age ofconquest, and Emperor Litch was considered to be the greatest of all the conqerors out there."


    ".."


    "But with that success came a bad news.At that point in time, the Emperor was extremely old already, and not even their extremely advanced magic and technology can extend the life of his body anymore. The Emperor only only had a few years left in his time already, and no kind of medicine or magic were able to alleviate his impending mortality."


    "¡­"


    "Naturally, Emperor Litch was not happy about this. Why should he die already, when he still had not succeeded on conquering all the planets present in the universe? 3,000+ planets was not just enough for him. He is the Emperor, and he wanted to conquer more!"


    "¡­"


    "As for the residents of the Undying Empire, they also were extremely unwilling to see their Emperor die. For them, Emperor Litch is the foundation of the whole Undying Empire, and without him, the whole Empire might succumb from the enemies."


    "¡­"


    "If they want the whole Undying Empire to survive, then Emperor Litch must survive too. That realization led to a massive movement among all the residents of the Undying Empire, which was focused on finding a way to ensure that Emperor Litch will stay as their Emperor for forever."


    "¡­"


    "With the combination of countless civilization, technology, and magic, the residents of the Undying Emprire managed to discover the perfect solution for Emperor Litch''s dilemma."


    "¡­"


    "And that solution was the Soul Transfer Method."


    "¡­"


    "The Soul Transfer Method was an extremely intricate method which involved transferring the soul of one individual to another person. It was facilitated with a mixture of magic and technology, which ensured a water-tight method."


    "¡­"


    " ]This whole process was extremely painful to the soul being transferred, but if the soul manages to persist through this pain, then that soul will be taking the control on the body that it was transferred to. Any ability that the transferred soul had will stay with him, and any ability that the new body had will be usable for the transferred soul too. Pretty impressive right?"


    "¡­"


    "So, once the people had discovered this method, they recommended it to the Emperor. Emperor Litch, who was already extremely desperate at that time, decided to agree with this method.The only problem now is the matter of the new body that will be used."


    "¡­"


    "According to research, a body that was used for the Soul Transfer Method will only last for 100 years, which meant that if Emperor Litch manages to transfer his soul to a new body, that body will only last for 100 years. After that 100 years, the Emperor has to transfer his soul to a new body again. Now, the problem with this limitation was quite apparent immediately."


    "¡­"


    "If a body can only last for 100 years, then Emperor Litch must acquire more bodies in order for him to continue living. But where will the Emperor get this many bodies? He cannot just use the soul transfer to a resident of his empire, as that will be a great dishonor for him. Nor that the Emperor can use his soul transfer on criminals, as that will be just humiliating."


    "¡­"


    "Fortunately for the Emperor, he managed to gain a good idea on what should be done."


    "¡­"


    "If the amount of bodies was the problem, then the best solution was to just create many bodies that can be used by the Emperor!"


    "!!!"


    "With the technological level of the current empire, creating bodies for the Emperor is quite possible. So with this in mind, the Emperor commandedthe whole scientific division of the Undying Empire to dabble in the art of body cloning! This method will allow the Emperor to gain the bodies that he wanted to use!"


    "¡­"


    "After just a year of research, he scientists on the Undying Empire succeeded on their research, and it is now possible for them to clone bodies! Once the Emperor heard of this, he immediately gave another command to the scientists."


    "¡­"


    "And that command was to create clones of Emperor Litch''s 15-year old body!"


    "!!!"


    " In no time at all, thousands of clones of a young Emperor Litch were created, with each bodyperfectly suited to be possessed by the Emperor. Each of these bodies were numbered based on the order that they were created, and they were all at peak condition. To simplify matters, these bodies were called Vessels, which was an apt description for their purpose."


    "¡­"


    "In order to make sure that nothing goes wrong, all of the cloned bodies were blasted with Soul Magic, which will erase any kind of consciousness inside the cloned bodies. This method ensures that there will be no problem during the Soul Transfer Method. However, just like what you can expect from any kind of production unit, there will be sometimes be a ''defective product'' that will appear."


    At this point of her story, [Asteria] started to let out a sigh as she patted Alina''s head.


    Alina on the other hand, had her head down, as she seemed to have realized what [Asteria] was going to say next.


    "Out of all those cloned bodies, there was one that resisted getting mindless. That clone was Vessel 969, and you probably you know this vessel by the name of Alex."

 Chapter 268 RYGB → RY B

    "¡­"


    Alina''s mood went heavy as she heard what [Asteria] just said, with her eyes suddenly becoming downcast.


    Queen Mother''s expression became heavy too, while Professor Frances looked to be extremely interested, probably due to the talks about body clones.


    It took Alina some seconds to compose herself before she could ask [Asteria] a question.


    "Asteria, even without the assistance of my eyes, I can feel that you are telling the truth. Since I feel that you are not lying to me, then I shall believe you for now. But even with that, there is still something that I could not understand about your story."


    "Oh? And what could that be?"


    "If Alex was a defective product, then why was Alex still possessed by Emperor Litch earlier?'' Alina said as she gave [Asteria] a suspecting glare. "Why waste time on Alex, if it will be hard to possess him? He''s the only clone with consciousness, right?"


    Professor Frances nodded behind Alina, as if she could perfectly understand what Alina was talking about.


    "I, with my background in bio-sculpting, can understand Alina''s point." The Professor said as she tapped her chin. "Since Alex, who was supposed to be a Vessel, suddenly gained consciousness, the difficulty of overriding his mind with the mind of Emperor Litch will be exponentially difficult. Choosing Alex as a target for possession is just inefficient, in terms of time and effort."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Uh well¡­ I actually have no idea about that." [Asteria] sheepishly replied as she rubbed the back of her head. "Everything that I know about Alex''s past only reached the point where he developed consciousness as a clone. As for what happened after that¡­ the Endless Monarch himself blocked that information."


    "Tsk, so even we already knew about his past, we still do not know why that Emperor possessed him now? I don''t know if this will be of great help to us¡­" Alina said as she rubbed her temples.


    "Well, at least you now know why Alex was like that earlier." [Asteria] said as she shrugged her shoulders. "Now, maybe we can think up of something that we can use to help Alex later."


    "But¡­" With her mind still affected by what happened to Alex, Alina could not help it but snarl at the blond fairy.


    "But what can we even do now? Do you have any idea on what we can d-"


    Alina''s rebuking words were cut short when a sudden announcement came out of [Asteria''s] mouth.


    [[[GREEN MOON SUCCESSFULLY DESTROYED BY TRAVELER ALEX. 150 YEARS OF LIFESPAN REWARDED FOR TRAVELER ALEX. NO COMPANION HELP WAS DETECTED. NO CONTRIBUTION POINTS WILL BE REWARDED.]]]


    [Asteria''s] voice was heard by Alina and her companions with clarity, with their minds finding it hard to comprehend what [Asteria] just said.


    "!!!" Alina''s face turned pale as she heard what [Asteria] just said, while Queen Mother and Professor Frances started to wear expressions of shock on their faces.


    "Oi, little fairy, what did you just say right now? Is it like what I just think it is?" Queen Mother haltingly asked [Asteria] as her eyes widened in confusion. "Did Alex really just¡­"


    "Well, technically speaking, it was not Alex who destroyed the Green Moon." [Asteria] said as she shook her head. "In my opinion, it was Emperor Litch who destroyed the Green Moon¡­It was only registered as Alex, since Alex and Emperor Litch had similar bodies before¡­"


    "I don''t care who did what. What I care more was the fact that Alex was being used by that Emperor in this way!" Alina shouted as she glared at [Asteria]. "Alex¡­ I am not sure what he is feeling right now, but he must be suffering!"


    "Well, Alex might not be suffering at all¡­"


    "Shut up! Even if Alex is feeling great right now, we cannot just let his whole body taken over by that Emperor! Because once that happens, even if we can stay alive, the Alex that we knew will be gone forever¡­"


    "¡­"


    "[Asteria], if we don''t'' do anything now, the whole situation might just get worse!" Alina said with finality as a steely expression appeared on her face. "Earlier, I was not able to help Alex because that Emperor used some kind of ability to stop me from moving. But now that I am free, there will be nobody that can stop me from going to Alex now! Not even you, [Asteria], will be able to stop me from leaving!"


    "¡­."


    "Queen Mother, Alex had helped you before with your problems regarding the race that you created. Now that he''s the one who needs your help, you should join me on saving him!" Alina said as she gave Queen Mother a pleading look.


    "As for you Professor Frances, I know that you don''t really think of Alex as an ally, but I am sure that you are interested on his situation as a body clone." Alina gave the Professor a withering look as she said these words. "I know¡­ that you want to save him just for scientific purposes."


    Before these two women could give their reply, Alina let out a deep breath as she looked at the crowd of Symbolists, who were looking at Alina and her companions with wariness and confusion.


    Alina knew that it was right for them to be this wary, as Alex just did something that was unfathomable to them.


    But even with that kind of wariness, Alina knew that she can convince these people to help her out.


    Alina was about to say some words to reassure the Symbolists, but before she could do so, someone beat her to the punch.


    "Everyone, I know that you are confused with what is happening right now. However, be assured that we are still safe and in the lead." The one who said these words was Astria, who gave Alina a wink. "You might have been scared on what had happened with Mr. Alex earlier, but don''t worry about that. That was just an act by Mr. Alex so that he can fool our enemies."


    "Mr. Alex did that thing?"


    "Yes, Mr. Alex did that."


    "But Miss Astria, are you really sure about tha-"


    "Do you think I can be easily fooled? If I say that Mr. Alex is still our ally, then he is still our ally.Do you understand that?"


    "Yes we understand, Miss Astria¡­"


    "Good, now all that we have to do is to make our move!" Astria said as she raised her right arm in the air. "Right now, Mr. Alex is most probably doing his secret task¡­ Since he''s risking his life, we should also be risky too!You don''t want to be overtaken by Mr. Alex in terms of contributions, right?"


    "No, we don''t, Miss Astria!"


    "In that case, follow the lead of Miss Alina!" Astria shouted with conviction as she pointed her finger at Alina, who could only gave Astria and the Symbolists a dumbfounded look. "She is Mr. Alex''s right hand, and she''s the one who has an idea on what we should do. Please listen to her well!"


    "Oh you sneaky little b***h¡­" This was all that Alina could think right now before all the Symbolists swarmed towards her. "Once I am done with all of this, I will really beat you until you''re black and blue¡­"

 Chapter 269 He donst Proteccc. He donst Attaccc. But at least he Succc

    BACK AT THE BAMBOO HUT.


    "Master, we have brought everyone that we can bring here." The Grand Symbolist said in reply to the Demon''s query. "I assure you that everyone of them are the real deal!"


    "So, you brought almost all of the receivers of the Red Moon Power here?" The Demon said as his beady eyes stared at the Grand Symbolist intently. "How many percent do you have with you right now?"


    "Master, we have around 99% of all the Red Moon Power receivers with us." THe Grand Symbolist said as he adjusted his clothes. "That amounts to around 10, 257 people, all inside our storages right now."


    "Good, good, good!" The Demon said as he let out a laugh. "But from what I can remember, there''s a person who you allied with that wanted these people to be free. Are you sure that you did not go into any kind of binding contract with him? I don''t want to mess this up right now."


    "Don''t worry master. The agreement that I made with my new ally was just simple." The Grand Symbolist said as he thumped his chest."I will have to just set free all the Red Moon people that are under me. That is the only thing that I have to do. Since our only agreement was me freeing those people, there will be no problem if I will recapture those people. And I recaptured these Red Moon People once my new ally went to the Blue Moon earlier! That did not break my agreement with my new ally, so be assured Master that there will be no trouble here."


    "Hehehehe¡­ You are becoming more and more devious as years pass by¡­ I like that." The Demon said as he gave the Grand Symbolist a rare appraising nod. "Okay, bring all those 10, 257 Red Moon people out right now."


    "But master, the space inside your hut is¡­"


    "You think I don''t know about that? F**king hell, take a look at this!" The somewhat pissed Demon started to clap his hands once, which was followed by a blast of light.


    The Grand Symbolist and his companions were forced to close their eyes, and they only opened if after 10 seconds.


    "!!!" What the Grand Symbolist saw after he opened his eyes was enough to stupefy him.


    The space inside the hut, which was only large enough to accommodate around 10 people, was now as large an extremely wide plain!


    It was way larger than what the Grand Symbolist had seen before, and this display of powerful spatial manipulation was enough to make him shocked.


    "Hahaha! Don''t just stare at this like you''re morons!" The Demon shouted as he rebuked the three. "I just used my power to change the space inside my dwelling place. That''s just simple. Don''t tell me you still haven''t done something like this?"


    "¡­" The three chose to not reply to the Demon as they robotically brought out the people that they have in their storage.


    "Woosh¡­"


    Throngs of people materialized around the Demon, with all of them currently unconscious.


    Their eyes were closed, and their breathings were even, as if they were peacefully sleeping now.


    The Demon, who saw these people appearing around him, of course looked extremely pleased.


    "Hahaha! Now this is what I''m talking about!"


    Their numbers just continued to increase until all 10, 257 of them were successfully brought out by the three.


    Once they were all out, the Grand Symbolist and his allies resumed their bows in front of the Demon, whose sole attention was focused on the Red Moon people right now.


    "When that asshole extracted a large portion of my power from my True Body, I knew that he will use that part of my power on something important." The Demon suddenly murmured as he cupped his chin. "Who could have thought that he will actually use it to power up these lowly people! Ha! This is certainly an unexpected move from him!"


    "¡­"


    "Well, even if that guy gave the power of my True Body to these people, these power receivers did not receive anything great. After all, only Demons can use my power!" The Demon said loudly as he shook his head in amusement. "All of these receivers of my power right now? All of them are humans. Even if they have a portion of my power inside their bodies, they won''t be able to use them! Che, it really is a waste!"


    "¡­"


    "Well, since these people are unable to use the power of my True Body, I just have to collect it¡­." The Demon muttered as his eyes began to glow red. "If those powers are useless to you, then I will just reclaim them back for myself!"


    After saying these words, the Demon suddenly opened his mouth wide, which was followed by an extremely powerful suction force.


    The whole hut shook while whistling sounds could be heard all around the place. Storm-level winds could be felt all around the area, with the Demon right at its center.


    "Hahahaha! Come out now! Get back to your origin already!"


    The destination of this suction force was the front of the Demon''s mouth, which was an enough indication of what he will actually do next.


    "Boom!" 10 seconds after the suction force appeared, every Red Moon power receiver suddenly let out groans of pain as they all clutched their heads.


    Even when they were still asleep, these people seemed to be in great agony right now, which was evidenced by the way that they trashed all around the floor.


    30 seconds after the suction force appeared, large quantities of red liquid could be suddenly seen flowing out from the mouths of the Red Moon power receivers.


    This red liquid seems to be the target of the suction force, as they were all swiftly brought towards the Demon''s open mouth.


    "Nom nom nom." The Demon gobbled up all this liquid in relish, while some part of his attention was focused on his three students.


    "Hahaha! Now this is what I am talking about!" The Demon shouted out in glee as he continued on swallowing more and more red liquid. "Now, my power is coming back to me! Yes! Come back to Papa!"


    "¡­" The Grand Symbolist could only watch quietly as all of these happened. He did not give any complaints even when some of the Red Moon people died. He and his companions only stayed in their place, waiting for the Demon to be finished on what he was doing.


    "¡­"


    It took the Demon 30 minutes to drain all of the red liquid that he can from the Red Moon power receivers, and the end result of all these sucking definitely had a good effect on the Demon.


    The Demon''s skin appeared lustrous right now, while his whole body was emitting a powerful vitality that was enough to make even the Grand Symbolist tremble in fear.


    "Hahahaha! So 99% of the power of my True Body is inside me right now! Yeah¡­ this is certainly impressive." The Demon muttered as he started to observe his improved body. "I feel like I can do anything right now! Nobody, not even those prisoners at the other moons can defeat me now!"


    The Demon certainly was very satisfied with his body, which was evident on the pleased expression on his face.


    "Hehehe, with this power, I cannow enact my plans!" The Demon said as he stared above him. "You three Divine Beings, watch out for me!"


    With his advanced abilities, the Demon was able to see all four moons in the night sky. The Demon could only smile excitedly as he stared at the moons, as if he was planning to do something interesting to these moons.


    "With my power right now, it will be easy for me to devour the other Divine Beings." The Demon excitedly said as a manic expression appeared on his face. "After devouring those Divine Beings, I will surely gain a power that was even greater than the power that my True Body had before. Once that happens, I will be able to-"


    Before the Demon could finish talking about his master plan, he saw something with his eyes that was enough to astonish him.


    "What the hell¡­" That was all that the Demon could say as he looked at the moons with his wide eyes. "Is this true? No way, this is just implausible!"


    The Green Moon, which was just floating nicely on the night sky, suddenly broke up into numerous pieces!


    The perfect sphere shape of the Green Moon disappeared, as its whole body became fragmented right now.


    For the Demon, who did not expect something like this to happen, the shock that he received was so great that he could only stare at the destroyed Green Moon blankly for a full minute.


    "Master, are you okay?"


    "F**k you three. Of course I am okay. It''s just that¡­ I saw an unexpected thing right now." The Demon replied as he tried to make himself look calm.


    "An unexpected thing, master?"


    "Don''t ask me what it is. You will see it later once you leave my place." "The Demon said as he gave his students a somewhat urgent look. "The only thing that you should know right now is that there will be change in our plans. Do you all understand that?"


    "We do, Master."


    "Then what are you waiting for? Clean up all this filth around me! Or do you want me to do the f**king cleaning, huh?"


    "Ah master, we shall clean now!"

 Chapter 270 That could be tasty! Let me lick it!

    While the Demon, The Symbolist Faction, and the Devourer Faction were busy dealing with their own conflicts, the remaining faction, the Celestial Faction, were busy dealing with their own situation too.


    All the Celestials, along with the kimono woman and her Companions were currently at the surface of the Red Moon, with their bodies tense for any kind of sneak attack.


    Their eyes were busy looking all around them, but the only thing that they could see were the almost endless amounts of Red Sand.


    There were no suspicious movements here in the Red Moon or whatsoever, not even an indication that something alive was here.


    "So, this is the Red Moon. I thought that I will see something hostile here. But from what I can see, this place is eerily quiet¡­" The one who muttered these words were the Kimono woman, who was currently adjusting her mask. "I thought there could be a trap or something in here. It seems like I am mistaken¡­"


    The Kimono woman continued on looking all around her, as she tried to look for signs of any possible hidden enemy.


    But she still did not find any, which prompted her to just give up.


    The Kimono woman then turned her head to the left, until she was face to face with the bratty-looking teenager from earlier.


    This teenager was busy chewing on her gum, giving the Kimono woman a disregarding look as she stared back at her.


    "What is it, Delia?"The teenager replied as she started to glare at the Kimono woman, whose name was revealed to be Delia. "What do you want from me now?"


    "Tong''er, do you feel anything weird on this place? Or do you detect any kinds of spiritual anomaly?" Delia replied, seemingly unfazed with the rude reply by Tong''er. "You know that you are the best regarding the metaphysical right here¡­"


    "Hmph, you don''t need to praise me like that. Of course I am the best!" Tong''er replied angrily, although some shades of red could be seen on her cheeks. "You want me to do a spiritual search? Heh, I can easily do that!"


    "That''s my girl!" Delia happily replied as she stuck her tongue out. "I knew at the moment that I tasted your skin that you will be a great ally for me! Hah, I''m so happy that you joined me¡­ It really makes my tongue tingle¡­"


    "Ugh, please stop talking, that''s just disgusting!" Tong''er replied in disgust as she let out a shiver. "And please, put back your tongue inside your mouth! It''s very creepy!"


    "Eh? But I can taste the air better when my tongue is out¡­"


    "Ugh ugh ugh. Just please stop."


    "Fine¡­" Delia could only reluctantly pull her tongue back in her mouth, looking quite bereaved as she did so.


    "Hmph." Tong''er took no notice of this as she started to rummage through her pockets.


    1 second later, and Tong''er drew out a piece of white rectangular paper, which suspiciously looked like a paper talisman.


    Tong''er held this paper between her index and middle finger while she started to mutter a chant.


    The chant used by Tong''er was quite indecipherable, as if there was some kind of power that was preventing anyone from fully understanding Tong''er''s chant.


    All that Delia could hear right now were gibberish, making her uninterested onlistening on Tong''er.


    10 seconds after Tong''er started her chant, an unseen force field propelled out of her body, spreading outwards until it fully went through the whole Red Moon.


    While this was happening, Tong''er''s eyes were closed in concentration as she kept a tight grip on her paper.


    The unseen forcefield did not return, as it faded away once the whole Red Moon was affected by it.


    The paper talisman then crumbled into dust, fading away into the air as Tong''er opened her eyes.


    "Delia, when I used my spiritual sense to scan this whole place, I noticed something particularly weird at that spot." Tong''er said as she pointed at a massive sand dune 5 kilometers away from them. "Inside that sand dune, I detected an object that was stuck in Limbo."


    "Limbo?"


    "Limbo, which I meant as the state between life and death." Tong''er replied quickly as she pulled out another paper from her pocket. "Any living beings inside Limbo can be considered to be both dead and alive at the same time, which can be a consequence of injury or some kind of cultivation requirement. Nonetheless, living beings that places themselves in a Limbo state were always rare¡­"


    "Hoho, so that''s why I thought this planet was empty. So there was something like that here¡­ Interesting! I wonder how that object would taste like¡­" Delia muttered deliriously as stars appeared on her eyes. "A living being that was both dead and alive? Hah, that might taste good!"


    "Ugh, please stop that." Tong''er muttered in exasperation as she shook her head. "If we look at the clues here, it''s quite obvious that this being that''s in Limbo is the Red Moon''s Prisoner! I don''t recommend that you lick this prisoner¡­ who knows, it might wake up¡­"


    "Heh, but you just said that this being is in Limbo. I doubt that it will just wake up suddenly." Delia replied quickly, as if she was in denial right now.


    "But even if that is true, you should still not lick him. It''s just so¡­"


    "Wrong? Heh, you know about the things that I have licked before!" Delia replied as she shook her head. "Something like this? It''s nothing for me!"


    Before Tong''er could let out another complaint,Delia snapped her fingers as she summoned someone to approach her.


    "Oi Adjudicator. Bring your useless ass here."


    <<<I''M COMING NOW, ENVOY¡­>>> Rustling sounds could be heard as the 14-winged angel landed behind Delia.


    Right now, the angel had a downcast expression on her face, which looked quite similar to the face of a child that had been punished.


    "I still could not forgive your failure to kill the Envoy of the Abyss Plane earlier." Delia said as she gave a cold look at the angel. "But I already punished you for that, so I will forget that matter for now."


    "<<<I AM REALLY SORRY ABOUT THAT ENVOY. HIS ATTRIBUTES¡­ WERE JUST THE SHEER COUNTER AGAISNT MY POWER. I HAVE NO WAY TO WI->>>


    "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Just drop it for now, ok?"


    "<<<AGREED, ENVOY.>>>


    "So, what I wanted for you to do was to take out whatever object was inside that sand dune." Delia said as she pointed at the sand dune that Tong''er had detected earlier. "There''s a high chance that the prisoner of the Red Moon was inside that dune. Tong''er said that whoever was in there was currently in Limbo, which technically makes it harmless. But I could not just get that object without any precaution. That''s why you, a powerful Divine Being, will be the one that makes sure that it will be safe."


    <<<ENVOY, YOU WANT ME TO PULL THAT THING OUT?>>>


    "What, do you have any problems with it?"


    <<<NOTHING AT ALL ENVOY. NOTHING AT ALL.>>>


    "Then don''t waste our time here. Do it now!"


    <<<AFFIRMATIVE ENVOY!>>>


    The angel, under the glare of Delia, was left with no choice but to approach the indicated sand dune.


    By using her massive wings, the angel blasted the sands on the sand dune, revealing something residing inside the dune.


    The angel, who hesitantly reached out her hands to obtain the object, suddenly stopped on her tracks as she stared in front of her.


    Her breathing then started to hasten as her face started to turn red.


    Her exaggerated reaction became more animated as she continued to stare at the object.


    <<<NO WAY¡­>>> The angel breathed out as her eyes widened imperceptibly. <<<HOW COULD THIS BE HERE?>>>


    What the angel saw inside the sand dune was a hand which was the size of a mountain.


    The hand itself was red in color, with its nails looking quite sharp and dangerous. There were some engraved symbols at the body of the hand, along with some metal beads pierced through the fingers.


    There were also Origin Devouring Chains that were wrapped all around the hand, making it quite obvious that this hand was indeed, a body part of the Red Moon''s prisoner.


    "¡­"


    The angel spent the next few seconds just staring at the hand wordlessly, as if she was struggling to articulate herself.


    The angel then looked back at Delia, who was looking at the angel with a frown on her face.


    The angel seemed to want to say something to Delia, and it took the angel some moments before she could talk.


    <<<ENVOY, THIS RED PRISONER¡­ IS SOMEONE THAT IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!>>> The angel said these words hastily, as if she was trying to say everything that she can in a short amount of time. <<<ENVOY, I KNOW THAT YOU HAD SEEN MANY KINDS OF DANGERS ALREADY, BUT THIS ONE RIGHT HERE IS A DIFFERENT CASE! WE SHOULD BE EXTREMLY CAREFUL OF HIM!>>>


    "You... for you to say something like this, does that mean that you recognize the kind of being this Red Prisoner was?" Delia replied as she began to look at the red hand with wariness. "Faster, tell me everything that you know right now!"


    <<<ENVOY, IF MY SUSPICIONS WERE RIGHT, THIS RED PRISONER THAT WE ARE SEEING RIGHT NOW¡­ IS MOST PROBABLY A DEMON FROM THE GOETIC ORDER!>>>


    "The Goetic Order? Wait, isn''t that-"


    <<<THE ONE THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, ENVOY.>>> The angel replied as she let out a sigh. <<<THE GOETIC ORDER WAS COMPOSED OF DEMONIC BEINGS THAT WERE ONCE THE ALLIES OF THE HOLY ORDER. SOME COMPLICATED THINGS HAPPENED IN THE PAST, WHICH LED TO THE MEMBERS OF THE GOETIC ORDER BREAKING THE ALLLIANCE WITH THE HOLY ORDER. ONCE THAT ALLIANCE WAS BROKEN OFF, THE GOETIC ORDER AND THE HOLY ORDER BECAME HOSTILE WITH EACH OTHER, WHICH LEAD TO COUNTLESS SKIRMISHES BETWEEN THE TWO ORDERS. UP TO THE DAY THAT I WAS CAPTURED, THE HATE BETWEEN THESE TWO ORDERS WERE STILL SKY HIGH, AND I WILL NOT BE SURPISED IF THAT HATE STILL EXISTS UNTIL NOW. THE DEMONS OF THE GOETIC ORDER HAD THEIR OWN KINDS OF ASSORTED ABILITIES, MAKING THEM QUITE FORMIDABLE FOES. THE HOLY ORDER INDEED GOT HEADACHES FACING THE MEMBERS OF THE GOETIC ORDER¡­>>>


    "Are you sure that the Red Prisoner was really a demon of the Goetic Order? I mean, what we only saw right now was just a red hand, right?" Tong''er muttered as she spat out her chewing gum. "Maybe you''re just being a paranoid sissy."


    <<<GREAT SPIRT MASTER, I AM SURE WITH WHAT I AM SAYING. AFTER ALL, I HAD ALREADY FOUGHT AGAISNT THE OWNER OF THIS RED HAND.>>> The angel replied as she gave the hand a pointed look. <<<THESE ENGRAVINGS THAT YOU SEE ON THIS HAND RIGHT NOW¡­ I HAD ALREADY SEEN THEM THOUSANDS OF YEARS AGO. EVEN IF THAT LONG TIME HAD ALREADY PASSED BY, I AM SURE THAT THE ENGRAVINGS THAT I CAN SEE RIGHT NOW ARE EXACTLY THE SAME TO THE DEMON THAT I HAD SEEN BEFORE! THERE IS NO DOUBT, THIS HAND RIGHT HERE IS OWNED BY A DEMON FROM THE GOETIC ORDER!>>>


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    After saying these words, the angel started to look agitated, as if she was itching to do something to the hand right now.


    Delia and Tong''er noticed this, making these two raise their eyebrows in curiosity.


    "Oi you angel. What do you want to say now?" Delia said as let out her tongue.


    Her tongue then started flickering in the air, quite akin to the way that a snake uses its long tongue to taste the air.


    "I can taste fear and excitement on the air around you. I can also taste irritation and vindication around you. You seem to have come up with a good idea. Please do tell it to us now."


    After Delia said these words, the angel gave Delia a relieved look before she started to talk.


    <<<ENVOY, I KNOW THAT IT MIGHT SOUND PRESUMPTOUS, BUT I WANT THIS DEMON TO BREAK OUT OF HIS LIMBO. I¡­ WANT TO BRING THIS DEMONBACK TO THE STATE OF LIVING! ENVOY! I KNOW THAT YOU DON''T LIKE THAT SOUND OF THAT, BUT PLEASE TRUST ME! IT WILL BE THE BEST FOR ALL OF US!"

 Chapter 271 Interlude Chapter: The Emperor and his Jesters

    Emperor Litch: So you seven¡­ are the familiars of Vessel 969? Hmm, you all look pretty impressive.


    Wrath: Shut up you imposter. Bring our master back to us!


    Pride: Yeah! Go back now! I don''t like you!


    Gluttony: You don''t look tasty at all.


    Greed: Do you have any valuables with you?


    Lust: Mmm¡­ You look like you have a lot of experience¡­ do you think you can entertain me with some of your ''knowledge''?


    Sloth: Please be quiet. I want to sleep.


    Envy: P-p-please leave! We only want our master!


    Emperor Litch: Hahaha! Such a lively bunch! Now I see why Vessel 969 keeps you all with him! You are his jesters!


    Envy: We are nothing like that! We are master''s most faithful servants! We channel his power, and he takes care of us!


    Wrath: Yes! Master always fights with me! He always makes me happy!


    Pride: Master allows me to showcase my glory. He really is the best!


    Greed: Master always gives me many power and items! He loves me!


    Gluttony: Master always makes me full!


    Lust: Well master¡­ at least he gives me some of his ''special books''¡­


    Sloth: Master doesn''t bother me¡­.


    Emperor Litch: Oh¡­ so in short, you seven were Vessel 969''s magical pets. Thank you for clearing up my misunderstanding.


    Wrath: Oi! We''re nothing like that! Do you really want a beating?


    Emperor Litch: Well, well, well, aren''t you a feisty one. If you want to fight, then attack me now! I, the glorious Emperor Litch, shall allow you to land a hit on me! Come on, take this opportunity in your hands!


    Wrath: Hmph, you shall regret this! [Proceeds to attack Emperor Litch]


    Emperor Litch: That''s it? I expected more.


    Wrath: What? Just you wait! Let me attack again!


    Emperor Litch: Feel free to do so.


    Wrath: Hah! [Attacks the Emperor once more]


    Emperor Litch: You six, you can attack too. It''s just unfair if only one of you attacks me, right?


    Pride: Heh, that pride of yours will be your downfall! [Proceeds to attack the Emperor too]


    Emperor Litch: [Yawns] I feel a little ticklish¡­


    Gluttony: [Bites the Emperor then vomits afterwards]. Ugh! You taste bad!


    Emperor Litch: ...


    Greed: Ugh, you don''t have any openings! I can''t steal money from you! Our master always has openings! Why don''t you have one?


    Emperor Litch: Maybe your master just lets you steal from him. You don''t look like the guy that can steal that well.


    Greed: Ta-ta-take that back!


    Sloth: [Starts to sleep] Zzzz¡­


    Envy: Ca-ca-can we talk about this in civil terms? Fighting against each other is not good!


    Emperor LItch: You call this ''fighting''? I thought you were giving me a free massage.


    Wrath: Shu-shut up! We''re not done yet!


    Pride: Yes! We are not done yet! We won''t lose to people like you!


    Emperor Litch: Oh really? [Yawns] Ok, just continue what you are doing. I shall sleep for now. [Lies down on the Lingo''s skin]


    Wrath: Hey! Don''t ignore us!


    Pride: F**king wake up!


    Lust: Hey! Give me some good time!


    Sloth: Zzz¡­.


    Gluttony: [Is still vomiting] Blergh!


    Greed: [Starts crying] Waaah!


    Wrath: [Starts crying too]Waaah!


    Pride: [Starts crying too] Waaah!


    Gluttony: [Cries while vomiting] Blergh! Waaaah!


    Sloth: [Wakes up] What the? [Gets elbowed by the crying Greed]


    Sloth: [Starts crying too] Waaah!


    Envy: [She cried too] Waaah!


    Emperor Litch: ¡­.

 Chapter 272 - All the Fighters are Here!

    "You say that we need to wake this Demon up, yet you also say that this Demon is dangerous." Delia said as she gave the angle a narrowed stare. "Do you really expect me to just wake this creature up? You know that I am the current Envoy of the Holy Order Plane. As such, I can feel the compulsion to end this Demon''s life right now. Why should we even give this Demon a chance to fight back when we can just kill him now?


    >> The angel replied as she shook her head.


    "What do you mean by that?"


    >> The angel said as she stared at the red hand intently. >>


    "And you think waking him out of the Limbo will allow him to get some of his powers back? That''s a far-shot conclusion that you have right there."


    Needless to say, Delia did not fully believe what the angel just said.


    If this Demon really had no powers right now, what guarantee does the angel have that this Demon will gain a little of his power when he wakes up?


    And there is also the fact that out of all the Prisoners in the Moons, it was only this Demon that was in Limbo. That in itself was suspicious already, and Delia could not help but feel wary of letting this Demon even regain the ability to move.


    >>


    "Hmph, and you think I am just going to allow you to do this immediately? You got some gall, saying things like this to me-"


    The argument between Delia and the angel was interrupted as a small creature suddenly flew between them.


    Both Delia and the angel stopped talking as they stared at the small creature with seriousness on their eyes.


    This small creature was the same size as Asteria, although the wings of this creature was transparent.


    This creature had rainbow-colored hair, coupled with a green dress which complemented the creature''s thin and graceful body.


    This creature had a mischievous look on her face, something which looked more cruel compared to Asteria''s playful mischievousness.


    The overall demeanor that the creature was letting out was comparable to that of an evil trickster, something which both Delia and the angel seemed to know and was wary of.


    "Celeste, is there anything that you want to say now?" Delia said as she talked towards the small creature. "From what I know, pixies like you only get out to share important info, right? Do you intend to say something like that now?"


    >>


    The voice that came out of the pixie as she replied was high-pitched and sharp, forcing Delia and Tong''er to wince slightly. The pixie seemed to have ignored this as she continued on talking.


    >>


    "Please stop making those snide comments. You know that I am trying my best to discover the truth behind the Calamity and all these power recipients." Delia replied wearily as she glared at the pixie. "But Celeste, you know that we just got more questions than answers when we came here. For us to get the truth quickly¡­ will be harder than what we expected."


    >> Celeste replied as she let out a short laugh. >>


    "That''s hard to do Celeste. You should have seen what happened when we sent out triplicates on the other moons. Those people¡­ we now saw that their strength really deserves some respect."


    >> Celeste suddenly said as she shook her head. >>


    "The Bonus Mission? There''s two of them, right? Which one are you talking about?"


    >> Celeste replied as a rare heavy expression appeared on her face. >>


    "Wait what? Are you sure about that?"


    >>


    "But-"


    >> Celeste said in a cold voice, effectively shutting down any argument that Delia have.


    "That guy destroyed the Green Moon? I admit that his abilities were a good counter against our angel, but that does not mean that he can just easily destroy a moon, especially the Green Moon! Those people in the Green Moon¡­ I am sure they are powerful enough to protect that moon! There''s no way they can just allow something like this to happen!"


    >> Celeste replied as she shrugged her shoulders. >>


    "Are you telling me that this Traveler Alex will attack theYellow Moon next?" Delia replied as her eyes suddenly widened in panic. "F**k! This is not good at all!"


    > Celeste said as she smirked at Delia. >>


    At first, Delia seemed to deflate as she heard Celeste''s stinging words. But that deflation only lasted for a second before a determined expression appeared on her face.


    "You may be right. I have left the Yellow Moon defenseless against Alex. But that does not mean that he will succeed on destroying it!" Delia suddenly said as her eyes began to blaze red.


    She then stared at the little boy, who seemed to be zoning out right now.


    Delia snapped her fingers in front of the boy''s face, making him focus his attention back to her.


    "Milo, command our triplicates to intercept Traveler Alex in space." Delia said in an authoritative tone as she stared at Milo. "Tell our triplicates to do their best to slow Traveler Alex down. The longer that Traveler Alex stays in space, the better it will be for us! Do you understand that, Milo?"


    "Yes, Big Sis, I understand it¡­" Milo replied in a meek voice as he gave Delia a small nod. "I shall command them now¡­"


    "That''s my boy!" Delia happily said as he brushed Milo''s head. "I knew I can count on you here!"


    Milo did not reject what Delia was doing, and he actually seemed to be happy getting his hair tousled.


    Milo only recoiled back when he saw Delia''s tongue reaching for his cheek.


    "Big Sis! Please don''t lick me!" Milo hastily said as he backed away from Delia. "I don''t¡­ like it."


    "¡­.Hmph, I just licked you once before, and after that you always hated it? Do you know how many people begged for me to lick them? A lot." Delia muttered to herself as a disappointed expression appeared on her face. "Milo, can''t you feel the euphoria of my tongue trailing all over your skin? You don''t feel any pleasure from that?"


    "Big Sis, please no more."


    "¡­.Okay."


    With this harsh rejection from Milo, Delia was forced to place her tongue back inside her mouth.


    Delia, still wearing a disappointed look on her face, then looked at Tong''er and at the angel.


    "While our triplicates are delaying Traveler Alex, we on the other hand will destroy the Red Moon right now." Delia said as she stomped her foot on the ground. "With the numbers that we have here, I am sure that we can destroy the Red Moon! And then, after we destroy this Red Moon, we will rush towards Traveler Alex and attack him!"


    "Oi Delia! Do you understand what you are saying?" Tong''er blurted out before Delia could continue talking. "You want us to destroy this Moon, and then you want us to protect the Yellow Moon and attack Traveler Alex? Do you think we have the enough power to do that?"


    "Hmph, I know that what I am doing right now is risky, but we have no choice but to do this!" Delia hissed as she glared at Tong''er. "I am not sure why, but something has definitely happened with Alex, which made him suddenly more powerful. Him destroying the Green Moon right now is the proof of that."


    "Delia, if you know that Traveler Alex is stronger now, then why do you insist on fighting him? We can just use guerilla tactics to whittle him down, right?"


    "Tong''er, if we do not attack Traveler Alex right now, he and his Symbolist Troops might just get stronger." Delia said as she shook her head. "I am sure that with the 150 years of lifespan that he just obtained, Alex will find ways to strengthen himself and his Symbolist Troops. If we let him destroy the Yellow Moon next, he will just get stronger! We¡­ we cannot allow that to happen!"


    "¡­"


    Tong''er looked like she wanted to say something more, but the logic in Delia''s words were enough to make her quiet.


    Upon seeing Tong''er''s silence, Delia knew that she got her agreeing with the plan.


    Now, all that was left for Delia to do was to convince angel to kill the Demon now.


    But before Delia could talk to the angel, a powerful fluctuation made her stop on her tracks.


    "What the?" Delia looked up to see the source of the fluctuation, and there she saw a sight that made her eyes go wide.


    The skies above the Red Moon started to twist and turn, as if there was something that forcefully mashed the space above them.


    Delia and the others were too familiar with what they are seeing right now, as this was similar to the spatial fluctuation that brought them from the Arena towards the Yellow Moon!


    The appearance of this spatial fluctuation in this place made Delia extremely nervous, as there could only be one reason for this fluctuation to be here.


    This phenomenon lasted for about a minute, and it only stopped when four figures shot out of the spatial fluctuation.


    Delia could hardly believe what she just saw, especially when she saw the faces of the new arrivals.


    The notorious Grand Symbolist, the noble Grand Celestial, and the terrifying Grand Devourer all came out of the spatial fluctuation, along with a red-skinned humanoid!


    All four of them landed on the ground gracefully, with no signs of the fall affecting them.


    As Delia and her allies reeled from the sudden appearance of new visitors, the red-skinned humanoid started to laugh, with his eyes looking right at the massive Red Hand.


    "Hahaha! So my True Body was revealed already. Good thing I came here just on time." The red-skinned humanoid said as he let out a laugh. "I was actually planning on digging it out by myself, but your efforts made it easier for me! Hahaha! For that, I thank you all."


    "¡­"


    "Well, why are you so serious? Is this the first time you have seen someone like me? That just makes me sad¡­" The red-skinned humanoid said as he let out a sigh. "Well, don''t worry you all. If you are disappointed in me, then I shall wear an appearance that is more appropriate for this occasion!"


    The red-skinned humanoid then waved his right hand, with his left hand pointing directly at the massive Red Hand.


    "Boom!" Once the red-skinned humanoid adopted this posture, the whole Red Moon rumbled, as the Red Hand, which was stationary earlier, suddenly started to move!


    The fingers started to curl on themselves while the symbols engraved on the hand let out a demonic shine!


    Everyone on the Red Moon stared at the Red Hand with surprise as they tried to fathom what was happening right now.


    "Come thee and awaken." The red-skinned humanoid chanted as he began to float in the air. "I implore you to open your doors for this Majesty''s divine mind!"

 Chapter 273 - Can you feel it? The might of my ride?

    "Hm?" As he prepared himself to set out amongst the stars once more, Emperor Litch suddenly stopped as he felt a foreboding sensation invading his body.


    "This is weird¡­ I am feeling threatened right now. No, it is not me that is being threatened. It was Vessel 969''s body that is having this reaction. Interesting¡­" Emperor Litch muttered to himself as he observed his new body once more.


    "¡­"


    As he observed his new body, the Emperor could not help but smile as he seemed to be genuinely happy with what he was seeing right now.


    "I thought at the start that I will lose by possessing you. But from what I see now, it seems like I gained a lot more than what I could want. Hahaha! This is just fitting for my comeback!"


    How could the Emperor not be happy right now?


    Not only did he get the chance to be back in the physical world again, he also discovered that the body that he got right now was actually this versatile and powerful!


    "The ability to manipulate the 4 fundamental forces of the universe, and this baffling power to use an unknown sorcery. Vessel 969¡­ he is worth my effort." The Emperor thought to himself happily, with him erasing the foreboding feeling that he felt earlier. "It''s a good thing that I possessed him this late¡­"


    The Emperor could have continued gloating all over his newfound fortune right now, but he was interrupted by one of his new followers.


    "Oh Great Emperor. It''s a pleasure to be of great help to you. I and my followers will make sure to follow your will!"


    If Alex will see the one who said these words, he will surely be shocked.


    After all, the one who just said these extremely loyal words was Ray, the bomb-wielding Traveler himself!


    This Traveler, who was supposedly killed by Noelle''s attack earlier, was back in his peak condition, as if nothing happened to him.


    The wound on his chest was already gone, as with the blood stains on his clothes. Even his thin and malnourished appearance was gone, as his body looked visibly fuller and his face noticeably brighter.


    To anyone who had seen Ray before, his change of appearance was indeed extremely strange.


    However, this was not the only strange thing with Ray right now.


    Ray, who was usually sullen and selfish, was currently kneeling in front of Emperor Litch, while wearing a fond and fanatic expression on his face.


    Every now and often, he will smile towards the Emperor while praising the Emperor at any opportunity that he was given.


    This kind of attitude and appearance was way different from what Ray should have been before!


    If anyone sees what''s happening right now from the outside, they will surely say one thing.


    And that is that Ray was just like an extremely loyal subject under Emperor Litch!


    "Ray, I know that you will be of great help to me. You have proven it to me already, right?" The Emperor replied as he gazed at the broken remains of the Green Moon.


    The whole Green Moon was gone already, as what was left in its place were only small fragments of its once massive body.


    The Emperor smiled wryly as he stared at these fragments before he looked back at Ray.


    "After all, your explosives were the ones who destroyed the Green Moon. That, in itself, was already enough to show your loyalty to me."


    "Great Emperor! I¡­ I¡­ I am truly happy with your praise!" Ray replied as he began to cry loudly. "Oh Great Emperor, as long as you will it, I shall do anything for you! All the Glory to the Emperor!"


    "All the Glory." The Emperor replied as he let out a satisfied smile towards Ray.


    He then looked behind Ray, with his eyes landing on Noelle, Vera, Peina, and the league of ''Devourers''.


    The Emperor gave these people a smile as he observed them.


    Just like Ray, Noelle also looked to be extremely loyal, with the expression on her face already an enough evidence of her fanaticism towards the Emperor.


    The weapon that Noelle used to attack Ray earlier was still in her hands, with the weapon''s body covered with Ray''s already blackened blood.


    Noelle seemed to not be focusing on her weapon as the entirety of her attention was only focused for the Emperor alone.


    Noelle had been also singing non-stop songs dedicated for the Emperor since earlier, making Emperor Litch himself feel both happy and sentimental.


    If everyone just treated the Emperor this way, Emperor Litch will be extremely happy indeed.


    However, it was only Ray and Noelle that were extremely loyal to the Emperor.


    The Devourers, Peina, and Vera did not give the Emperor any indication of loyalty to him.


    They were just staring at the Emperor warily, as if they were waiting for him to make a move.


    If it were not for Ray, Lingo, and Noelle''s proximity to Emperor Litch right now, the Emperor might have been attacked by these wary people.


    "What''s the matter, my friends? Do you have any problems with me?" Emperor Litch said as he decided to break the uncomfortable silence with his ''friends''.


    "Problems? Hah, just your presence here alone is already a problem in itself." Vera replied quickly as she let out a hollow laugh.


    She then looked at Ray with disgust and contentment, as if she was enjoying what was happening to him now.


    "You barge here in this place, and then you use Noelle to bring Ray to the brink of death. Then you suddenly used some kind of power to heal Ray, but in exchange for that, you were able to make Ray extremely subservient to you. And to demonstrate that subservience, you forced Ray to destroy the Green Moon with his explosion ability. You did all of those things in just a short amount of time, and you expect us to just treat you normally? Hah, what a joke!" Vera shouted as she glared at Emperor Litch.


    "There''s no way that we can be at ease with you, especially now that you¡­ did something against Ray! That''s just unforgivable!" Vera said as she started heaving. "You call yourself an Emperor yet you do things like this on him? Do you think that is right?"


    "Hohoho, and now you are getting sentimental? Get a grip." The Emperor quickly replied before Vera could continue talking. "I clearly saw your hate against Ray earlier. Didn''t you even help on worsening his wounds? Those kind of actions clearly show that you hate Ray. But even with kind of hate, you still have the gall to feel pity for him? I''m sorry to say this, but you seem like a hypocrite to me. My goodness, have the standards in this place had fallen this low? I just can''t believe it!"


    "You!"


    "Be quiet there miss. If you don''t shut your mouth, I might suddenly punch you." The Emperor replied as his voice turned cold. "I usually refrain from hitting women, but you, dear Vera, is already this close on pushing my limits. Be careful, young woman. You may not like to see what happens when I am angry¡­"


    "¡­" This reply from the Emperor managed to shut the woman up, although some unwillingness could still be seen on her face.


    Once he had said this piece, the Emperor looked at the Devourers and Peina, who all looked lost, as if they were not sure on what to do right now.


    The Emperor only let out a light ''tut'' as he removed his gaze away from them.


    The Emperor was highly sure that Peina and these Devourers will surely follow him.


    After all, their current leaders, Ray, Noelle, and Vera, were all under the Emperor''s rule now. With these people following Emperor Litch, the Devourers and Peina had no choice left but to follow him, even if some of them does not trust him.


    After all, if these Devourers does not join Emperor Litch, they will only be left behind a destroyed moon without any kind of help and sustenance.


    That kind of end was something that nobody wants.


    "¡­"


    And sure enough, just as the Emperor started walking towards Lingo, he heard the footsteps of the Devourers, Peina, Vera, Noelle, and Ray all following him.


    Emperor Litch does not even need to use his eyes to see that these people were following him. Just the sound of them moving behind him was already enough to show that everyone here in the Green Moon(already broken) will be following him.


    "Thud."


    When he was only 10 steps away from Lingo, the Emperor stopped on walking as he looked behind him. His mouth then opened as he started to talk once more.


    "Everyone, I know that we had a ''slight'' disagreement earlier, but we already have resolved it." Emperor Litch suddenly said as he gave Vera a pointed look. "I know that some of you might not be happy with me here, but you have no choice but to accept me. After all, I am your only hope right now to survive your current dilemma. Your de-facto leader and one of his allies? Both of them are currently my loyal subjects now. With those two serving me faithfully, there is no way that you will all survive and go back to your homes in once piece if you just venture this place by yourselves."


    "¡­" The uncomfortable silence coming from the Devourers was enough to show that they were affected by what the Emperor said.


    "If you think that I am just an evil virus, then feel free to leave our entourage right now. However, you must remember that when you leave, you will lose all the protections that I can offer you. You will have to survive here on your own if any of you decides to leave. Are we all clear about that?"


    "¡­" Even if the Emperor did not receive any verbal answers, he was sure that pretty much everyone right now will be joining him.


    "Ah, manipulating people really is fun¡­" Emperor Litch thought to himself as he let out a satisfied smile. "Hmm¡­ I wonder what will happen once I attack the Yellow Moon? Will I be able to make those Celestials my servants? From what I heard, that could be difficult, given the kind of society the Celestials have. Well whatever, if they do not want to follow me, then I will just clean them up!"


    After having these thoughts to himself, Emperor Litch jumped up in the air before landing on top of Lingo''s head again.


    The Emperor ignored Lingo''s another exasperated sigh as he commanded him,


    "Lingo my Mighty Steed! Showcase your brilliance today! Bring me to the Moon adorned with the yellow hue!" Emperor Litch said as he patted Lingo''s head fiercely. "And do not waste your time here! We must hasten!"


    "MASTER, I SHALL FOLLOW YOUR WILL NOW¡­" Lingo replied as he started to fly forward. "MASTER DO YOU WANT ME TO GO AT MY MAXIMUM SPEED? OR JUST THE AVERAGE?"


    "You still ask me that question? Of course use the maximum!" The Emperor replied quickly as he crossed his arms. "Do you think I can''t handle something like that? Heh, you seem to be underestimating me¡­"


    "IF THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT MASTER, THEN I SHALL SHOW YOU MY FULL SPEED."


    "Boom!" Before the Emperor could give a reply, Lingo''s whole body suddenly shot forward, as if he was fired from a gun.


    Lingo''s whole body transformed, turning into a blue comet which started to streak across the space on insane speeds.


    In no time at all, Lingo disappeared from the eyes of the spectators, as he already moved on to much farther distance.


    The only indication that Lingo and the Emperor were here was a shout which came from Lingo''s rider himself.


    "Wohoo! Now this really is a ride worthy of an Emperor!"

 Chapter 274 - The Rise of the Ooze

    BACK AT THE RED MOON.


    After the red skinned humanoid had said his words, the rumblings on the whole Red Moon continued as the Red Hand suddenly shot out of the ground.


    A shoulder and the torso appeared once the hand was high up in the air, which was followed by the head and the whole body itself.


    Delia, who could only watch warily on what was happening, had her eyes wide as she saw the appearance of the body that came out of the ground.


    There is no doubt that this body was the body of the Red Moon prisoner, and whatever the red skinned humanoid did, the body of the Red Moon prisoner was now visible for everyone.


    "Wait¡­"


    Delia''s eyes then narrowed as she looked at both the red-skinned humanoid and the Red Moon prisoner.


    As she looked at them for a longer amount of time, her body tensed as she saw something similar between the two.


    "They¡­ they look extremely alike!" This was what Delia blurted out, as she realized that the appearance of the red skinned humanoid was extremely similar to the appearance of the slumbering Red Moon prisoner!


    The wings, the skin, and the face that the red skinned humanoid had was identical to the ones that the Red Moon prisoner had!


    In fact, the only difference between the two were the Origin Devouring Chains covering the body of the Red Moon prisoner, and the difference between their sizes!


    If Delia had noticed this similarity, the others noticed it too, and some of them had a great reaction to this.


    One of these people was Tong''er who suddenly drew out 10 paper talismans from her pocket.


    She pointed all these talismans to the red skinned humanoid as she said,


    "Delia¡­. I see it now. The reason why the Red Moon prisoner is in a Limbo right now was because his soul has left his body! The body that we are seeing right now was one without a soul! As for the soul itself, it did not get destroyed, it was just in a different place. See the red skinned humanoid that arrived just now? He was the soul of the Red Moon Prisoner! " Tong''er shouted as she tightened her grip on her talismans. "That was the reason why those two looked extremely alike. It was because they were originally one and united!"


    "Wait, are you serious about that?"


    "I am serious. You know that I am a Spirit Master, and that souls and sprits are my expertise." Tong''er replied as she let out a sigh." I do not know how that soul managed to stay alive this long, but I only know one thing. And that is that the soul of the Red Moon prisoner is clearly attempting to return to his True Body right now!"


    "Seriously?"


    "I am serious Delia. That red-skinned humanoid has pulled out his True Body out of the ground right now. The only thing that was left for him to do was to put back his soul on his True Body." Tong''er replied as her eyes narrowed in worry. "I tell you now Delia, we cannot allow the soul of the Red Moon prisoner to fuse back with his body! Even when that red skinned humanoid was just in his soul state, his power was clearly off the charts! He''s clearly stronger than us! And if we allow him to fuse back on his True Body, the power that he has right now will just get stronger! We might even die if we let him succeed!"


    "!!!" Needless to say, Delia immediately realized that Tong''er''s words were right.


    The red-skinned humanoid was attempting to fuse back with his True Body right now, and if he was not stopped, something unfortunate will surely happen to Delia and her crew!


    For Delia, whose Main Mission depends on successfully deploying their operation, what was happening right now could lead to the worst case scenario for them!


    This conclusion of Delia was confirmed when she heard the red-skinned humanoid starting to talk.


    "My little students. Please stop these people from bothering me." The red-skinned humanoid said as he slowly floated towards the body of the Red Moon Prisoner. "It will take me some time to break the chains and fuse with my body back, so do your best to protect me. You know what will happen if you all fail, right?"


    "Everyone! Stop the red skinned humanoid from whatever he was doing!" Delia shouted at the top of her voice as she looked intently at the Celestials behind her. "Do whatever you can to delay that red-skinned humanoid. Attack him, shove him, pummel him! As long as you can delay him, you must do it! Our future¡­ and survival depends on us succeeding here!"


    "Hah!" The Celestials looked like they wanted to disagree with what Delia just said, but they were forced to follow her as Tong''er stared at them malevolently.


    They all held up their weapons with somewhat unwilling expressions on their faces as they flew towards the red skinned humanoid and his three companions.


    Delia, Tong''er, the little boy, and the angel led the charge, with their faces filled with extreme tension.


    How could they not be tense?


    The one who was protecting the red-skinned humanoid was the Grand Celestial, the Grand Symbolist, and the Grand Devourer.


    They were huddled around him in a protective circle, which clearly shows their intent to protect him.


    Clearly, these three powerful leaders of the Three Factions had an agenda that was tied with the red-skinned humanoid successfully fusing back on his body!


    There''s no doubt that these three will also attack Delia and co., even when most of Delia''s allies were related to the Grand Celestial!


    "Ugh¡­"


    Right now, 4 pairs of wings could be seen on Delia''s back, flapping furiously on the air as they pushed Delia forward.


    These wings looked less impressive compared to the ones that the angel had, although some semblance of power could still be seen from them.


    However, Delia was not concerned on how she looked right now, as she was more concerned with her enemies.


    "Tsk." As she saw the situation that she was in, the only thing that Delia could do was to grit her teeth. She stared at the red-skinned humanoid as she mused to herself,


    "With these 4 powerhouses in front of me, there is a high chance that we will be defeated quickly. If we want to win, then I have to use my trump card¡­ But should I use it now? I can only use it once a week, so if I used it now, I won''t be able to use it on my opponents later¡­ Tsk, I am saving it right now for that Alex guy. But if I don''t use it now, I don''t have any guarantees of surviving to face Traveler Alex. Argh! F**k this! I have no choice but to use my trump card now! I will just worry about Traveler Alex once we face him later!"


    After having these thoughts in her mind, a determined expression appeared on Delia''s face. A sigil, which appeared to be a black dot, suddenly appeared on her forehead.


    Tong''er, who saw what Delia was doing, almost shouted out in shock as she gripped Delia''s shoulder.


    "Oi Delia, don''t tell me you-"


    "Piss off Tong''er. I have no choice but to do this!" Delia replied quickly as the black dot on her face began to increase in size. "If we don''t use this now, we will be f**ked!"


    "But-"


    Delia did not wait anymore for what Tong''er will say next as the black dot on her head exploded.


    "Boom!"


    Black ooze came out of the explosion, covering the whole area that Delia, the Grand Celestial, the Grand Symbolist, the Grand Devourer and the red-skinned humanoid were in.


    Shouts of surprise could be heard from everyone inside the black ooze, prompting Delia to let out a ferocious smile.


    As Delia flew inside the black ooze, she readied her weapons as she swooped towards her still surprised enemies.


    "Hah, how do you like my trump card? Under its power, you will be defenseless against me!" Delia thought with relish as she decided to attack the Grand Symbolist first. "You should wish that you will survive for the next 5 minutes. Because if you don''t then it will be my victory!"

 Chapter 275 - Crashing Waves!

    "!!!" As the black ooze continued to expand outwards, everyone that was covered by the ooze started to notice something wrong.


    The faces of those that had contact with the black ooze all paled, as they realized that they were unable to use any of their abilities!


    No matter what way they tried to use their abilities, none of it worked! They were unable to do anything, not even just raising a simple defensive set-up!


    "What?" Sounds of surprise could be heard by Delia all around her, as the victims of her black ooze slowly realized what had happened to them.


    Naturally, most of them were horrified with what just happened to them.


    A black ooze that prevents you from using your abilities? That was just too much!


    Everyone affected by this black ooze started to look panicked, especially the Grand Symbolist, Grand Celestial, and the Grand Devourer.


    Even these three, with all the power that they had in this world, were also rendered powerless by the ooze!


    "Heh, you all look like sitting ducks to me now!" Delia thought to herself as she tightened her grip on the 8-foot long white spear that was being held by her right hand right now.


    She held the spear with a grace comparable to that of a dancer, with its sharp tip pointed extended away from her.


    "Anything that gets in contact with this black ooze will lose any of their supernatural abilities, and that also includes me. But in my case, it will take around 10 seconds for my abilities to disappear. After all, I am the owner of this black ooze." Delia thought to herself as the wings on her back began to slowly disappear, which undoubtedly was the cause of the black ooze.


    The only thing that did not disappear from Delia was her clothes and spear, which were both real and not created by an ability.


    With her losing her wings and her own powers, Delia started to shoot down towards the ground, which was due to the influence of gravity.


    But even this had happened, Delia was not worried at all.


    She had already positioned herself at the best place that she can be, and even falling down right now won''t affect her badly at all.


    After all, Delia already had some countermeasures for her current situation.


    The same thing however could not be said for the Grand Symbolist, Grand Celestial, and the Grand Devourer.


    Their faces looked to be extremely unfocused and lost, which was normal since they just experienced an unexpected power deprivation.


    To make the matters worse, all three of them started to fall down too, as all of their powers aiding their flight lost their effects.


    "!!!" They all let out muffled shouts as their bodies got nearer and nearer to the ground. With the original elevation that they were in earlier, these three will not actually die when they hit the ground.


    However, these three will surely suffer injuries, and that was already enough for Delia.


    "Thud, thud, thud." Their bodies let out low thudding sounds as the hit the sandy ground.


    Fortunately for these three, the sand had absorbed most of the impact, although pained expressions could still be seen on their faces.


    Delia smiled upon seeing this, as she knew that she definitely managed to injure them.


    Speaking about Delia, she was not falling down right now.


    Delia''s body, which was free-falling earlier, was now placed atop a flying vehicle that the Celestials were using earlier.


    With the aid of this vehicle, Delia was able to arrest her downwards momentum, allowing her to stay afloat.


    The driver of the vehicle, who turned out to be Tong''er, just gave Delia a nod as she stabilized the positioning of the vehicle. As for the little boy, he could be seen sitting on another vehicle, which was just behind Delia.


    After seeing that it was only their enemies that fell, Delia started to relax her tense body as she tightened her grip on her spear.


    "My black ooze might look to be extremely superior, but it has two weaknesses." Delia thought to herself as she ordered Tong''er to lower the vehicle.


    "Its first weakness is that it is unable to nullify anything that was produced by technology. This vehicle that I am using right now was a product of an advanced technology, which meant that it won''t be affected by my black ooze." Delia mused as she patted the vehicle with slight affection. "As for the spatial weapons that we used earlier, its too bad that they had a mix of esoteric magic inside them. That makes them useless right now. Well, I am not really worried about being unable to use those weapons now. Just my spear alone is enough to let me win here!"


    "The second weakness that this ooze had was its time limit." Delia thought more as her vehicle touched down on the ground.


    Her foot then started to trudge through the red sand as she slowly sauntered towards the downed Grand Symbolist. "The effects of the ooze will only last for 5 minutes, which meant that my enemies will only be powerless for around 5 minutes... Right now, 30 seconds have already passed since my ooze has affected these three. That just means that I have 4 minutes and 30 seconds left until I can finish them off!"


    "Schwing, schwing, schwing!" Delia waved her spear with an enthusiastic expression on her face.


    Even if she was currently powerless now, Delia seemed to not have lost any of her confidence as she seemed to be even more fearless now.


    "In my original world, I was touted to be the greatest spear user ever." Delia said as she got nearer and nearer to the Grand Symbolist, who was slowly standing up right now. One of his arm was twisted in the wrong direction, while some blood could be seen seeping through his clothes.


    The Grand Celestial seemed to have fared better, as in his case it was only his left foot that was twisted.


    The Grand Devourer on the other hand, did not even look like she was injured.


    Sure, the Grand Devourer looked like she was in pain, but she seemed to not have suffered any injury that might impede her from moving!


    Delia took note of these peculiarities as she continued talking.


    "In my reign as the number one spear user, nobody was able to survive against my spear. Not even my master managed to survive against me! The only one who managed to do so was an old woman, who was the one that forced me to start my journey. Since then I have been wanting to face people who might force me to use my skill to its limits. I wish¡­ that you three will be those people that I am looking for!"


    By this point, Delia could notice that even though the three people in front of her were hurt, they seemed to be still full of fighting spirit. Their eyes were still razor focused, and the way that they positioned their bodies made it apparent that they were still intent on fighting Delia!


    "Good, good, good!" Delia shouted as she saw this exciting sight in front of her. "This is just how I like it!"


    After saying these words, Delia looked at the red-skinned humanoid, who had also fallen towards the ground.


    He seemed to be uninjured too, and an irritated expression could be seen on his face.


    Some curse words could also be heard coming out from mouth, which even for Delia was just too much to hear.


    "¡­"It was quite obvious that his plans to fuse with his True Body had been impeded by Delia''s black ooze, which had made him this angry.


    As she stared at the red-skinned humanoid longer, Delia started to feel unsettled, as she felt something unsettling coming from the humanoid.


    This feeling was too much, that Delia realized that something must be up with the humanoid right now!


    Her tongue, which she had been using since earlier, suddenly noticed that the air around the humanoid was starting to taste bland!


    For Delia, who had always used her tongue everyday, this bland taste that she just detected was a major red flag for her!


    "Tsk! I am originally planning to fight these three first before killing the humanoid. After all, 5 minutes are enough to kill them all." Delia thought to herself as she narrowed her eye. "But from the looks of it, it seems like I have to change my target first!"


    Upon having this realization, Delia let out a deep breath as she made her decision.


    "Angel, my Companions and all of you Celestials! We have a change of plans!" Delia shouted as she raised her spear. "All of you, go and attack the Grand Celestial, the Grand Symbolist, and the Grand Devourer! Do what you want with them, as long as you manage to incapacitate them. Oh and I don''t care if the Grand Celestial was your leader. If I said that you will incapacitate him, you shall do so! You know what will happen if you disobey me!


    The Grand Celestial, who heard what Delia was saying, could only twitch as fury appeared on his face. It was quite obvious that what Delia just said managed to set off his ire.


    And to make matters worse, there were no complaints or resistance from the Celestials themselves even when Delia just told them to attack him!


    "You sc.u.m!" The Grand Celestial growled as he stared at Delia angrily. "Just you wait! Once this weird effect of your abilities disappears, I shall be the first one to make you suffer! So, you better be-"


    Delia promptly ignored the curses that the Grand Celestial said as she changed directions.


    "Boom!" By using her legs which had been strengthened through countless trainings, Delia blasted herself forwards towards the red-skinned humanoid.


    Even without her powers, Delia''s movement through her normal body was just outstanding!


    In no time at all, Delia found herself face to face with the red-skinned humanoid, who was just staring back at her with a smirk on his face.


    "What the hell are you smirking for? Don''t you know that I am about to bring you your doom?? Delia said as she brought her spear crashing down on the red humanoid. "If you can still smile like that in this situation, something must be wrong in your mind!"


    The whole space around Delia started to tremble, as the sheer power of her strike seemed to have bled out of the spearhead.


    Whistling sounds could be heard as her spear descended, as the very air around it was being split apart by her attack.


    As her spear approached the humanoid''s head, Delia''s focus sharpened, as she dedicated her concentration on her current attack.


    "Water Spear: Crashing Waves!"


    "Boom!"


    The sand all around Delia and the red humanoid were thrown into disarray, as the sheer force of Delia''s attack had forced the sand to be scattered everywhere.


    The bodies of Delia and the humanoid were covered by the red sand, making it hard for the others to see what had happened next.


    "¡­"


    All the spectators of the clash waited with bated breaths, as they all wanted to see the results of that exchange.


    Did Delia manage to kill the humanoid with her powerful spear attack? Or did the humanoid pull out something ridiculous to save himself?


    As it turns out, it was the latter that happened.


    "Impressive, young woman. I never expected you to have an ability that nullifies other powers. It defiantly caught me by surprise. However, you seem to be under the delusion that something like that will be enough to take me down. You are really mistaken this time¡­" "The one who said these words was the red skinned humanoid, who had caught Delia''s spearhead with his right hand. He gripped it tightly, never letting it go even when Delia did her best to pull it out.


    You never had fought a demon before, right?" The red humanoid said as he gave Delia a mocking smile. "Hehehe, don''t worry, this time, I shall personally give you a hands-on lesson regarding demon combat! You should be thankful about this!"

 Chapter 276 - The Big Red Pointy Thing

    "Let go of my spear right now, you DEMON." Delia uttered out through her gritted teeth as she glared at the humanoid angrily. "You would not want to see me making any more moves. You said that you will give me some lessons about Demon Combat? Hah, suck those lessons with that stupid mouth of yours!"


    Delia suddenly squatted on the ground, putting her whole weight on the spear''s whole body. The spear shaft then started to tremble as the opposing forces let out by Delia and the humanoid started to clash with each other.


    As Delia felt the resistance on her spear starting to increase, she let out a shout as she pulled her whole arms down!


    "Earth Spear: Crushing Landslide!"


    "Boom!" The humanoid, which was nonchalantly holding the spear earlier, suddenly widened his eyes as his whole body was sent crashing down to the ground.


    It was as if Delia''s latest attack was just too heavy for the red humanoid, and that he had no choice but to yield on its power.


    At the moment that the red humanoid was down on the ground, Delia raised her spear high in the air, which was now free from the humanoid''s grasp.


    She then pulled her whole spear back, with its spear head pointing directly at the back of the red humanoid''s head.


    Before the red humanoid could make any recovery, Delia did not waste her time as she sent her spear piercing towards her current target!


    "Fire Spear: Point Eruption!"


    The whole spear let out a single high-pitched sound as it headed towards the red humanoid, who was still frozen on the ground.


    To anyone looking, it seems like Delia was about to win already. But before Delia''s spear could hit her target, a sound of disappointment came out of the red humanoid.


    "Sigh¡­"


    "Splink!" The red humanoid casually swatted the spear with his left hand, making it veer off course.


    "Boom!" The spear was redirected to the sands, resulting in a momentous explosion that was strong enough to create a massive crater.


    "¡­" The red humanoid ignored this as he suddenly stood up, brushing the red sand along his clothes.


    His face looked extremely calm right now, although some hints of a derisive smile could be seen on his face.


    "Even without your supernatural powers, you were able to use some kind of martial arts that emulated the powerful forces in nature! You call them your spear arts, right? They really are impressive! Even though they were only spear attacks, your talent and dedication managed to make those spear arts of yours extremely unfathomable and dangerous. I bet that those spear arts of yours are stronger if your powers are not nullified." The red humanoid managed to say these words in a short amount of time, as if he was not that worried about the fight that he is having right now.


    "¡­" Delia did not wait for what the red humanoid will say next as she prepared herself to make her next attack.


    Time is not with Delia right now, so she must finish this fight as quickly as possible!


    "If it were the normal case, your spear arts should have been enough to kill me, someone whose powers were sealed by that ooze that you used earlier." The red humanoid said as he just stared nonchalantly at Delia''s spear. "But¡­ it''s too bad for you. Your ooze was only a minor inconvenience to me. If I wanted to, I can easily beat you right now."


    "Wind Spear: Rending Cyclone!" Delia sent her spear forward once more, this time with the spear''s whole body twisting from its central axis.


    There was no doubt that Delia''s current attack had a high penetration power, and with the way that her attack looked right now, Delia seemed to have placed all of her power on this strike.


    "¡­" The bored expression on the humanoid''s face did not disappear even in front of Delia''s newest attack.


    He did not even try to dodge, as he only opened his mouth filled with sharp teeth.


    "Awaken, my Demonic Tower!"


    At the instant that the red humanoid said these words, his whole body let out a burst of power, which transformed into a red tower that pierced through the sky.


    "PIyang!" The extremely domineering attack of Delia was dispersed by this red tower, as if nothing can penetrate through this tower.


    "Ah!" Delia on the other hand, was thrown back by the red tower, as the sheer pressure that came out of the red tower had managed to push Delia by some distance away.


    "That is¡­" As Delia held her thwarted spear, she could not help but stare at the red tower with horror as she realized what the red tower truly was. "Th-th-that is a Demonic Tower! Ho-how could you have one like that!"


    "Huh? Do you even bother to ask me that question now? Are you dumb or something?" The red humanoid replied from inside the tower. His whole face was twisted beyond recognition right now, making the humanoid look like a creature of nightmares. "You, you are the envoy of the Holy Order Plane. Since you are in cahoots with them, you should be already sure on what I really am. You still ask me those rhetorical questions? Little girl, get a grip now you little s**t!"


    "!(*^%(@(" Delia''s thoughts started to turn chaotic as she hurriedly retreated away from the red tower.


    "Everyone, retreat!" Delia shouted as she knew that her allies won''t be able to do anything now that this red tower was here. "We are so f**ked if we stay near that Demonic Tower!"


    "!!!" Aside from the angel, who looked at the tower with an enraged expression, everyone else who heard Delia''s command all followed what she said.


    "¡­" As she heard the footsteps of her allies being directed away from the tower, Delia let out a sigh as she stopped retreating.


    There was a resigned expression on her face as she realized that she and her allies were bound to suffer some heavy casualties today.


    "There''s no doubt about it. This humanoid that we are fighting right now was just no normal demon." Delia thought to herself as she bit her lips. "Since this demon can summon a Demonic Tower, that just means that we are fighting against one of the 72 Demonic Leaders of the Goetic Order! This... this is the worst case scenario for us!"


    With her affiliation with the Holy Order Plane, Delia pretty much had knowledge about the two main enemies of the Holy Order Plane.


    These two enemies were the Abyss Plane which was also called as the Devil Plane, and the Goetic Order Plane, which was also referred to as the Demon Plane.


    These two planes were the bitter enemies of the Holy Order Plane, and if it were not for the massive resources and foundation of the Holy Order Plane, it''s two opponent planes could have overrun it already by now.


    The residents of the Abyss Plane(Devil Plane) all practice the path of Sins, which was a direct contradiction to the power that the residents of the Holy Order Plane use.


    This contradiction led to a unique way of fighting between the two planes, which will depend on the amount of Sins or Virtues each side practices.


    As for the residents of the Goetic Order Plane(Demon Plane), their power system was some kind of cultivation system that relies on the manipulation of the so-called ''Demonic Energy''.


    It was the absorption and processing of this Demonic Energy that allows every Demon to get stronger and stronger every day.


    Demonic cultivation was arduous on its own, but there is a reward waiting for those who manages to reach the peak of Demonic Cultivation.


    Once a demon reaches the peak of his/her Demonic Cultivation, this demon will be granted the authority to control a Demonic Tower.


    Demonic Towers, in the simplest terms, can be considered to be the greatest superweapons of the Goetic Order Plane.


    Nobody exactly knew where these Towers came from. The only thing that was known was that these Demonic Towers appeared when the Demon Plane was established.


    Right now, there are 72 Demonic Towers in existence, with each tower possessing powerful abilities that makes them formidable against opponents.


    With only 72 Demonic Towers out there, only 72 Demons who had reached the peak of Demonic Cultivation can control these towers.


    These 72 Demons who controls the Demonic Towers are considered to be the strongest Demons in the Demon Plane.


    These 72 Demons, with the power that they have, were rightfully called the 72 Demonic Leaders of the Demon Plane.


    Each one of the Demonic Leaders were beings that no ordinary person should offend, and if it was possible, any fight against them must be avoided, unless a 16-winged Adjudicator was present.


    Delia was perfectly clear about this warning, but how in the hell could she have foreseen that the Demon that they are fighting right now was actually a Demonic Leader!


    Heck, he even showed his Demonic Tower, which just confirmed his status!


    "F**k! Even if this Demon''s power was nullified, he was still able to summon his Demonic Tower! And whether I like it or not, the presence of that tower was enough to turn this fight against us!" Delia thought to herself angrily as she gritted her teeth.


    "My black ooze, which should have been able to nullify anything supernatural, was unable to do anything against the Demonic Tower! That is already a bad news! And to make things worse, this Demon is not yet using the innate ability of his Demonic Tower! S**t! Will this be the end for all of us?"

 Chapter 277 - Now, Isnt that Just Easy?

    (((Author''s Note: Huhuhu sorry if this chapter is a little long. I just felt that all these ideas must be inside one chapter only...)))


    The Demonic Tower stood loftily in front of Delia, making her feel the pressure that is emanating out from it.


    The demon, who was now inside the Demonic Tower, could be heard snickering, as he seemed to be delighted with Delia''s reaction regarding his tower.


    As Delia stared at the tower warily, the demon inside suddenly waved his hand as he started to summon something.


    "Oi you three students of mine. I shall be saving your useless asses! So don''t resist me now!"


    At the instant that the Demon said these words, a frightening suction force appeared from the tower, which targeted the Grand Symbolist, the Grand Celestial, and the Grand Devourer, who were under the onslaught of Delia''s allies.


    Nobody was able to do anything against this suction force, which led to the three being sucked inside the Demonic Tower.


    "¡­"


    Once these three were rescued. The demon''s head stuck out of the tower as he started taunting Delia.


    "What''s the matter little girl? I thought you will make me suffer. Where is that bravado of yours now?" The Demon said as his eyes glowed red. "Come on, I am waiting for you to come here!"


    "Tsk!" Even with the protection of her black ooze, Delia realized that this ooze was of no help to her at all right now.


    For whatever reason there is, the Demonic Tower that the demon just summoned now seemed to be immune to the effects of her black ooze!


    "Hehehehe¡­ I am originally around the Seventh Stage of Power. But because of my long term imprisonment in this place, my strength has fallen down significantly." The demon said leisurely as the Demonic Tower started to float. "With my strength weakened, the power that my Demonic Tower has right now was weakened too. But even if my tower is like this, its current power is still enough to beat you!"


    "Hong~"


    The Demonic Tower suddenly disappeared from its current position, and before Delia could fully grasp what happened, the Demonic Tower suddenly appeared above her!


    The Demonic Tower''s massive body loomed above Delia, with the demon''s head excited laughter booming out of its window.


    "Let''s see if your spear can take this! SMASH!"


    "Boom!"


    The entirety of the Demonic Tower shot down towards Delia, who could only jump out of the way at the very last second.


    "Rumble¡­"


    The whole Red Moon then trembled as the Demonic Tower hit the ground, with massive cracks spreading from the impact site.


    A crater, which was around a kilometer in radius, appeared around the Demonic Tower''s impact site, which showcased its sheer power.


    Strong gusts of winds were buffeted from the tower, as if its movement alone was able to generate enough force to move even the air!


    Delia, who was able to avoid the attack of the Demonic Tower, was thrown away by these powerful winds.


    Her body was not just powerful enough right now even to resist these winds.


    >> The angel said anxiously as she caught Delia from the air. The angel''s raging expression earlier was now gone, as it was replaced with anxiousness and worry.


    The angel seemed to have also realized the horror of the Demonic Tower, and the subtle panic in her eyes was enough to show that.


    >> The angel as she flew farther and farther away from the Demonic Tower. >>


    "You are s**ting me right now." Delia croaked out as she heard what the angel just said. "Something that powerful exists here? Why did you not even detect it? And how the hell was it able to withstand the effects of my black ooze?"


    >> The angel replied sadly as she bowed down her head. >>


    "¡­" After hearing this answer, the l.u.s.ter on Delia''s eyes dimmed as she understood the graveness of their current situation.


    But even with that, the determined expression on Delia''s face did not disappear, as it only became more pronounced.


    "Tsk, don''t beat up yourself with this. What''s done is done already." Delia muttered as she saw the Demonic Tower rising to the air again, with the demon''s eyes focused intently on Delia.


    There was no doubt that the Demonic Tower was targeting Delia right now, which showed the demon''s intent to kill Delia right now.


    With her body still powerless because of the black ooze, Delia knew that if she gets hit by the Demonic Tower, she will have no way to defend herself.


    She will be turned into a pile of mush once the tower lands a clean hit on her!


    "Angle, turn right!" Delia shouted as the Demonic Tower came smashing down towards them for the second time.


    The angel deftly avoided the tower by dodging to the right just like what Delia said, but one of her wings got clipped by the tower''s edge.


    "Boom!"


    The angel could only let out a grunt of pain as she folded that injured wings of hers.


    While the Demonic Tower was still on the ground, the angel let out a shout as she flew up to the sky.


    She seemed to be attempting to leave the moon''s atmosphere, in sheer hopes that the Demonic Tower will stop pursing them there.


    But that hope was immediately extinguished as the Demonic Tower rocketed off to the sky, with its top portion heading murderously towards Delia and the angel!


    "!*&(*%@"


    This was all that Delia could think off as the tower approached them once more.


    Because of the effects of the black ooze, Delia and her angel were unable to use any of their powers for another 3 minutes.


    This means that inside that 3-minute mark, Delia and her angel could only use their physical and mental prowess to survive the onslaught of the Demonic Tower.


    If they slip up inside these 3 minutes, it will be sure death for the both of them!


    "Angel, dive down!"


    The angel made this desperate evasive maneuver in the air, which allowed her to narrowly evade the tower by a hairbreadth.


    Without wasting any second, the angel dived back to the moon, with Delia still on tight hold on her!


    The tower, which was always slow to move after each attack, took around 3 seconds before it followed the descending angel.


    But even if the tower was 3 seconds late, its sheer speed and momentum allowed it to catch up with the angel immediately!


    "Angel, turn left!" Delia shouted angrily, allowing the angel to evade the tower once more.


    "¡­" At the instant that they were left some breathing room by their latest dodge, Delia''s eyes narrowed as she started to analyze their current situation.


    "This tower¡­ every time it attacks us, it will take it around 3 seconds before it can attack again. That means¡­ that we only have 3 seconds of time to move away from the tower, and find a position where we can dodge the tower''s next attack! Each attack of the tower usually lasts for around 1 second. Combining these two means that there will be 4 seconds of time for each attacks to happen. Right now, there''s around 2 minutes and 52 seconds of time left before we can use our powers again. Divide that by 4 seconds, and we get around 43 attacks left! That means that we still have to dodge for 43 more times before we can use our powers again!"


    Delia''s face turned grimmer as she reached this conclusion.


    After all, each dodge that they made required every utmost bit of their concentration, and yet they still have to dodge for 43 more times before they can use their powers again!


    That''s just BS!


    "Ugh¡­ but even if it sucks, I have no choice but to do this!" Delia thought to herself as she gritted her teeth. "As long as we survived long enough to use our powers again, I am sure that we can make a counter-attack against this Demon!"


    With this conviction formed inside her heart, Delia forced herself to calm down as she and the angel did their best to sharpen their minds.


    They knew that the Demon will win if his tower manages to hit them.


    As for Delia and the angel, they will win if they survive the next 43 attacks!


    "With the speed of that tower, I can only make predictions on how it will smash us." Delia thought to herself as she bit her lip. "That means that our survival right now depends on how good my predictive abilities are!"


    With that kind of pressure on her shoulders, Delia obviously looked visibly strained, although the manic light inside her eyes showed her conviction to live!


    "Come on!" Delia shouted out as she flipped her finger at the Demon. "Let''s see who''s better in mind games here!"


    *************


    AT THE VAST EMPTINESS OF SPACE.


    While Delia was busy fighting for her life and Emperor Litch was off to conquer another moon, the remaining group was also on their way to join the skirmish.


    Alina, along with Queen Mother, Professor Frances, Astria, and the other Symbolists were currently streaking through the outer space using their space vehicles.


    These vehicles were obtained inside the weapon armory, along with the weapons that are now on the hands of the Symbolists.


    After having some discussions with [Asteria], Alina and the others had decided to leave the Blue Moon, as they made the search for Emperor Litch as their first priority.


    With the Green Moon already destroyed, the only place that Emperor Litch can go to were either the Red Moon or the Yellow Moon. As for the Blue Moon, it is highly likely that the Emperor will conquer it last, most probably due to his own personality.


    "¡­."


    Right now, their space entourage was assuming a V-shaped formation, with Alina and other strong people at the front, and the weaker Symbolists at the back.


    This formation ensures that the stronger people will be able to fend any attackers that might target them now, while ensuring the safety of the people at the back.


    It''s a pretty good formation, which they hastily decided to use after a few considerations.


    The way that all of them moved right now seemed to show that they were all united. However, that was not truly the case.


    "Oh come on! You will just have to touch hands! What the hell is wrong with that?" [Asteria], who looked to be extremely frustrated right now, shouted these words as she glared at Alina and Astria.


    These two women had their arms crossed in front of their chests as they gave [Asteria] uncompromising looks.


    "You want me to touch this woman? I will never do that!" Alina said as she sneered at Astria.


    "I feel the same too. I never, ever, wanted my skin to be in contact with this woman!" Astria replied as she flipped her finger on Alina''s face. "If you want to look for Alex, just use a different way!"


    "You stubborn hoomans!" [Asteria] looked like she was about to tear her hair off as she glared at the two women. "There are two moons that Alex can go to right now, and we are not sure on which one he is currently headed to! In order for us to know that, we need the power of your Divine Sensory Organs!"


    "¡­"


    "I know that Alina''s Eyes and Astria''s Nose are already powerful on their own. But those are not enough to see or hear where Alex could be going next!" [Asteria] said as she let out a sigh. "So if we want to find Alex, your Divine Sensory Organs must reach a higher level! And for your organs to reach that higher level, they must be connected with each other!"


    "That is why you want us to hold hands." Alina mumbled as she let out a deep breath. "If I and Astria hold our hands together, my eyes and her nose will be linked with each other. Once that happens, both of them will act as one organ, with higher capabilities compared to before. If we use that to look for Alex, I am sure that we will be able to easily find him."


    Astria nodded after Alina talked, showing that she understood what Alina just said.


    "Exactly! So you two understand it!" [Asteria] shouted as she spread her hands in front of her. "If you understand it, then why don''t you two hold your hands together now? What''s with all these hesitation moves?"


    "I just don''t want to hold her hand."


    "I just don''t want to hold her hand."


    "Argh!"


    "Fine, we shall do it." Upon seeing [Asteria''s] face, which looked to be in deep despair, both Alina and Astria were forced to relent. "But we will only do this for Alex."


    "Ugh, just stop talking now ok?" [Asteria] said as she massaged her forehead. "Do it quick, and end it quickly too. We don''t want to catch the Emperor''s attention after all."


    "This is just for Alex¡­" Both Alina and Astria said as they let out resigned sighs.


    They then looked at each other as distaste appeared on their faces.


    Both of them seemed to be cringing as they tentatively pushed their arms forward, with their upper bodies leaned back and their heads looking at the sides. Their legs looked to be as rigid as steel as it seemed like it took everything for these two women just to take a small step forward.


    Just looking at these two women''s awkward poses was enough to frustrate anyone, and [Asteria] obviously had enough already.


    "You whiny hoomans! If you don''t want to touch, then I shall force this!" [Asteria] roared out as she flew towards Alina and Astria''s hand.


    She held each one of their hands, and under some slight protests between the two, [Asteria] slowly pulled their hands until they touched each other.


    At the moment that the contact was made, a silvery blast of light covered the two women, which forced [Asteria] away from the two.


    Upon seeing this silver light, [Asteria] let out a deep breath as she wiped the sweat off her forehead.


    "Now, isn''t that just easy?"

 Chapter 278 - What a Monster!

    (((Author''s Note: Holy frick! With this chapter, I reached 500,000 words! Hahaha, congratulations to me!)))


    At the moment that Alina touched Astria''s hand, the first thing that she felt was¡­ clarity.


    Her eyes, which Alina thought was already powerful enough, underwent a change that she did not expect!


    "This..." Alina could only mumble these words to herself as her eyes widened in surprise. "I never thought I could see things this way¡­"


    Beside Alina, the similarly surprised Astria looked like she had experienced something surprising too.


    Her eyes were closed intently while her nose was repeatedly sniffing in the air. Whatever this woman was doing now, her nose seemed like it received some kind of overstimulation, which made her do something like this.


    "What is happening with my nose?" Astria said as she took a deep whiff through her nose. "Right now, my smelling range has increased, and I can smell anything in an extremely large area! Not only that, but I also could smell new things that I have never smelled before¡­"


    "Hmph, what you two are experiencing now was the effect that I am talking about earlier." [Asteria] said to the two as she gave them a derisive sneer. "Now that you have linked your sensory organs together, they began to work as one, which allowed you two to sense new things that your organs were not able to sense before! Not only that, but the range of your sensory organs are strengthened because of that very same link! Pretty cool, right?"


    "¡­." Alina and Astria could only nod back at [Asteria] dazedly, as their minds were still engrossed on the new sensations that they are feeling now.


    [Asteria], who saw what these two were doing, scratched the back of her head as she let out a sigh.


    "So linking two Divine Sensory Organs already results to something like this." [Asteria] thought to herself as she shook her head. "If two organs were like this already, then what would happen if three Divine Sensory Organs were linked? Or 4? Or even 5? By that point, would they be able to sense anything, including the future? Fufufufu, I am getting so excited about this¡­."


    [Asteria] visibly tried to calm herself down as she knew that she must not let Alina know about her secret plans.


    Once she was sure that her face was already smooth enough, [Asteria] let out a cough as she looked at the two women.


    "Oi you two, by this point, the power of your linked organs should be enough to track Alex down." [Asteria] said as she pointed her finger in front of her. "With the increased range of your linked sensory organs, you two should be able to see and smell where Alex is! Even if that hooman was in another moon, you can still sense him! I am sure of that!"


    This is the method that [Asteria] had thought of that will allow them to track Alex down.


    Even if Alex was somewhat possessed by Emperor Litch, his visual and olfactory signals were still the same, which meant that as long as he was inside Alina and Astria''s sensory range, they will be able to find him!


    If it was before the linking, Alina and Astria will find it impossible to detect him.


    But now, that was a different case already!


    "¡­You always sound like you are lying, but I can see that you are telling the truth right now." Alina said while Astria let out a sneeze. "In fact, you sound so sure of what you said. And that makes me suspicious. It seems like you know too much of our sensory organs. It was as if-"


    "It was as if you are planning to make us do this." Astria butted in as she pointed her nose at [Asteria''s] direction. "Even if your words were indeed true, I can smell something suspicious as you talked earlier. Why did I suddenly smell something like that from you? Are you trying to pull a fast one on us?"


    "¡­."


    "[Asteria], why are you not talking?" Alina said as she tilted her head. "Do you find it hard to talk now because you fear we might detect something that you do not want us to see?"


    "Yo-yo-you two hoomans, just look for Alex already!" [Asteria] shouted out as she glared at the two. "Don''t you two hate each other right now? Why are you then cooperating like this then? Do you really just hate me that much? Huhuhuhu, stupid hoomans, always bullying me!"


    "You think we are cooperating? Heh, I want to pull my hand away from this woman right now. The only thing that is making me hold her is my desire to find Alex!" Alina quickly replied as she shook her head.


    Astria did not say anything, but she seemed to have the same sentiment as Alina too.


    "Hmph, if you really want to find him, then just focus on looking for him! Why are you even questioning me now?" [Asteria] immediately said. "Come on, why are you staring at me like that? Start looking already!"


    "Your attempts to divert the topic away is so obvious I just do not know what to say." Alina said hesitantly as Astria let out an amused laughter. "Why so evasive, little fairy?"


    "Muuu¡­ just look for Alex already!"


    "Fine¡­ we shall look for him now. As for you, we will just question you later."


    "Hmph, if you want to question me, you two should better survive first! Your remaining enemies are powerful, and they might be able to do something horrible to all of us!"


    "Little fairy, why are you talking like that? Of course we will survive. Can''t you trust any of us?"


    "Trust means nothing if you don''t show me results!"


    "Wow, for a honey-addicted prankster fairy, you sure sound serious right now. Are you sure you did not eat hallucinatory honey today? I can still remember the time that you ate one like that. Man, you were so out of it¡­"


    "Hey!"


    *****************


    ALSO AT THE VAST REGIONS OF THE OUTER SPACE.


    Two streaks of light could be seen traversing the vacuum, with the blue streak of light in front, and the green streak of light just behind it.


    To anyone looking from afar, these two light streaks seem to look like comets that are on their way to crash into some kind of celestial body.


    However, if one was near enough, they will see that the light streaks were actually gigantic individuals travelling at insane speeds!


    One of these streaks was a blue giant, while the other was a green giant.


    Both of these giants were flying in a straight line, with their speed making them look like they were not that heavy at all.


    "Wooosh¡­"


    As these two giants continued their travel, interesting things could be seen happening on top of their bodies.


    Above the blue giant''s head, a single man could be seen.


    Wearing black clothes and apparel fitting that of a wizard, the man seemed to be busy on experimenting with his abilities, which was showcased by the pulse of power emanating out from him.


    Right now, lightning could be seen streaking on the man''s hand, with the man''s laser-like gaze concentrated on it alone.


    "Hmm¡­ this energy that is inside my body, it''s the combination of Mind Power and Abyss Energy. Hmm, Vessel 969 sure is interesting¡­" The man, who was no other than Emperor Litch himself, muttered as he observed the lightning that he conjured.


    "Techncially speaking, this vessel''s Mind Power and Abyss Energy should have never been mixed. But vessel 969 managed to do the impossible! Hmm, really interesting¡­"


    As Emperor Litch said these words, he snapped his fingers, forcing the lightning to undulate like a snake in front of him.


    If others can see the lightning in front of Emperor Litch, they will surely be shocked, as there was something different about this lightning!


    Plumes of black haze were coming out of the lightning, which should not be the case at all!


    When space rocks made contact with this black haze, they immediately disintegrated into nothingness. That was enough to show that there really is something weird with this black haze!


    But even when he saw what the black haze can do, Emperor Litch seems to be not worried about it. Heck, he even looked happy with what he was seeing!


    "From what I managed to glean from Vessel 969''s Abyss Sprites, it seems that Vessel 969''s whole body evolved to become an Abyss Sage." The Emperor muttered as he cupped his chin. "From what they said, an Abyss Sage can create his own original spells, as long as it was under the influence of the Seven Sins. Original spells huh. Interesting¡­."


    After muttering these words, Emperor Litch suddenly waved his hands as he gathered every gravitational waves that he can.


    As these waves converged on his palm, Emperor Litch closed his eyes in concentration as he whispered some words.


    "¡­.."


    After a few seconds of saying this incantation, Emperor Litch opened his eyes, and as he did so, the appearance of the gravity waves that he gathered began to change!


    At first, these gravity waves were invisible to the human eyes. But right now, every gravity wave that the Emperor held started to glow green!


    "Hahaha! Success!" Emperor Litch shouted in delight as he looked at the new version of the gravity waves that he held in his palm.


    His eyes were wide in mirth as he tentatively handled the green gravity waves.


    After a few more seconds of observing the waves intently, Emperor Litch decided to release these gravity waves on a nearby asteroid.


    "Boom!"


    The gravity waves hit the center of the asteroid head on, which resulted on the asteroid shattering into countless pieces.


    This shattering was undoubtedly caused by the gravity waves themselves.


    However, that was not the only thing that happened on the asteroid.


    At the moment that the asteroid shattered, a massive hole appeared at the midst of the fragments.


    "Whooosh¡­"


    A powerful suction force came out of the hole, which then proceeded to absorb all of the asteroid fragments around it.


    It was only when all the fragments were gone that the hole disappeared, leaving nothing on the place that had an asteroid earlier.


    "¡­." Emperor Litch, who saw all of this happening, could barely conceal the grin on his face as he rubbed his chin.


    "So I can create an original spell that is the combination of this body''s Esper Abilty and Abyss Magic... I thought that this is only possible in theory, but as it turns out, Vessel 969''s Abyss Sage Body allowed me to succeed!" Emperor Litch muttered as a fervent glow appeared on his eyes. There was no doubt that he was extremely pleased with his discovery, and he made no effort to hide it now. "Hmm, I wonder if I can also apply this on my very own abilities too¡­"


    "¡­"


    Lingo, who was intently observing every action of Emperor Litch, could only stare in front of him with shock as he saw what the Emperor was doing.


    "Did Emperor Litch just¡­ combine the spells of an Abyss Sage with the electricity and the gravity of an Esper? That kind of thing is not easy!" Lingo thought to himself as he bit his lip. "Even if Emperor Litch was able to establish a massive Empire with advanced magic and technology, he should not have been able to easily use Alex''s powers!"


    "Monster, he''s a monster!" That was all that Lingo could think of as he decided to be more obedient to Emperor Litch. "I''m sorry Milord Alex, but I will not dare to offend Emperor Litch. Who knows what he can do to me now¡­"

 Chapter 279 - New and Updated Character List(You can skip this if you want)

    -----BLUE MOON FACTION---


    [EMPEROR LITCH]


    --- Is considered to be the greatest conqueror of all time. Thousands of planets were assimilated under his Undying Empire, with each resident of his Empire extremely loyal to him.


    --- An arrogant and prideful person who would never let up a chance to conquer anything.


    --- Current powers are unknown, although he had shown the ability to make people submit to his commands.


    --- Some kind of healing ability was used by him too, although the effects of said ability seemed to have forced loyalty from the healed person.


    --- Has the ability to possess clones of his younger body, with each possession allowing the Emperor to live longer. Powers used by the clones can be used by the Emperor too.


    --- Has high talent in magic, which was shown by his magical experiments with Alex''s body.


    --- Status: Currently possessing Alex the Traveler.


    [LINGO]


    --- Prisoner of the Blue Moon


    --- A blue giant which was as large as a mountain, with an appearance that might appear intimidating to any one weak-willed.


    --- Has the power to manipulate reality through his words and symbols alone.


    --- Have some knowledge of the Abyss Plane, which made him submissive to Alex.


    --- Status: Tied to Alex through an Unbreakable Pact


    -----GREEEN MOON FACTION------


    [RAY]


    --- The Traveler that is allied with the Devourers


    --- A highly sadistic individual who will resort to everything that he can use so that he can enslave people under him.


    --- Is known to have the power of create bombs and explosives, with each explosives having their own unique effects. Some explosives are able to affect the soul, while some can twist the rules of physical reality beyond its limits.


    --- Other powers are still unknown, although it was indirectly implied that he had some kind of power that he was still not using.


    --- Almost killed by Noelle, one of his Companions.


    --- Status: Currently a loyal servant of Emperor Litch.


    [VERA]


    -- One of Ray''s Companions.


    -- Esteemed master of martial arts, with her body presumed to be extremely tough and powerful.


    -- Is enslaved by Ray''s Three Phase Technique.


    -- One of the Divine Maidens, with the Divine Ears of Communication in her possession.


    -- Status: Enslaved by Ray


    [NOELLE]


    --- One of Ray''s Companions


    --- An extremely skilled assassin with expertise on stealth, poisons, and weapons wielding.


    --- Is enslaved by Ray''s Three Phase Technique


    --- Is usually docile and submissive under Ray''s abuse and mistreatment.


    --- An extremely loyal follower of Emperor Litch.


    --- Status: Enslaved by Ray


    [PEINA]


    --- The prisoner of the Green Moon


    ---- A green giant as large as a volcano, whose appearance was enough to make young children cry.


    --- Current abilities are unknown, although it is theorized to be similar to the power of the Devourers.


    --- Status: Enslaved by Emperor Litch and Ray.


    -----YELLOW MOON FACTION----


    [DELIA]


    --- The Traveler that is allied with the Celestials


    --- An insightful woman with the determination of a mature fighter.


    --- An Envoy of the Holy Order Plane.


    --- One of her powers was the power of the Seven Virtues, showcased by her angelic wings.


    --- An extremely talented spear master, who managed to create countless techniques that are able to mimic nature itself.


    --- Is in possession of a black ooze that can nullify any kinds of abilities under 5 minutes.


    --- One of the Divine Maidens, with the Tongue of Extreme Palate in her possession.


    --- Has a tasting fetish, no doubt fueled by the special capabilities of her tongue.


    --- Status: Fighting for her dear life.


    [TONG''ER]


    --- One of Delia''s Companions


    --- A bratty-looking teenager who was no regard for seniority.


    --- A Spirit Master, that gives her an edge against soul and spiritual beings.


    --- Status: Allied with Delia.


    [MILO]


    --- One of Delia''s Companions


    --- Has the power of Triplication.


    --- A quiet kid who will only speak up when he was needed to talk.


    --- Status: Allied with Delia.


    [CELESTE]


    --- Delia''s Guide


    --- Member of the Pixie Race


    --- A slightly arrogant being, although her smugness was way less compared to Asteria


    --- Status: Alive


    [THE ANGEL(NAME UNKNOWN)]


    ---- The prisoner of the Yellow Moon.


    --- One of the adjudicator of the Holy Order Plane


    ---Wields the power of the Virtues.


    --- Has a zealous personality, especially on matters related to hunting down of the heretics.


    --- Status: Weakened, enslaved(?) by Delia


    ----- RED MOON FACTION-----


    [THE DEMON(NAME UNKNOWN)]


    ---- Prisoner of the Red Moon.


    --- A gigantic red creature with horns, wings, and skin befitting that of a Demon.


    --- The teacher of the Grand Symbolist, Grand Devourer and the Grand Celestial


    --- One of the 72 Demonic Leaders, with the IMMORTAL BLUDGEONING DEMONIC TOWER in his possession.


    --- Status: Is in a state of Limbo, with his soul separated from his True Body.


    -----OTHER FACTIONS----


    [KURO]


    --- Her species is unknown, although similarity of her appearance with Asteria must be noted.


    --- Said to be the teacher of the Guides of the three Travelers in this mission.


    --- Loves to consume cola, whenever and wherever she is.


    --- Status: Busy on monitoring all the Travelers.

 Chapter 280 - Is this my End? Well, kinda

    "Boom!"


    Another rumble shook the whole Red Moon, which was accompanied by the appearance of another impact crater.


    Out of this crater came out a gigantic angel carrying a woman in her arms.


    Both of these individuals had strained expressions on their faces, with their eyes bloodshot and their faces pale.


    Both of them seemed to be under some kind of stress that had been plaguing them until now.


    "Woosh~"


    3 seconds after these two women flew out of the crater, a massive red tower shot out of the crater, with its body heading directly towards the two.


    "Go up!" The smaller of the two women said as the tower barreled towards them.


    "Slish¡­"


    The angel did her best to fly straight up, but it was not enough to dodge the tower.


    Her left foot, which was a little extended, was clipped by the tower, turning it into a pile of flesh at the moment that the impact was made.


    "Argh!" The angel cried out in pain as golden blood began to flow out of her mangled foot. Her eyes were trembling in agony while her similarly injured wings started to move erratically.


    "F**k, we are so close already!" The smaller woman cursed out as the angel hobbled away from the tower.


    With the injuries that the angel have right now, there is no guarantee on how long she could still last.


    This was pretty apparent to everyone witnessing the ''fight'', especially to both the angel and the woman.


    The woman, who was no other than Delia herself, bit her lip tightly as her anxiousness began to increase.


    "Tsk, there is still a minute left, which means that we still have to dodge 15 more attacks¡­" Delia thought to herself as she glanced at the angel''s whole body. "If we were at our normal states, doing 15 more dodges will be possible. But right now¡­ we can only hope for a miracle to happen."


    As Delia looked more and more at the angel''s body, she could not help but cringe after she saw all of her injuries.


    The angel''s head and torso were relatively uninjured, but the same cannot be said for her wings and limbs.


    Out of all the angel''s 14 wings, 10 of them were already injured, with broken bones sticking out of them and golden blood flowing freely.


    The remaining 4 wings did not fare that well either, as signs of shallow wounds could also be seen all around them.


    As for the angel''s arms, they did not fare that well too. Her left arm was focused on cradling Delia, and fortunately, this arm was uninjured yet. But her right was not as lucky, as its shoulder and elbow portion were both dislocated out of their sockets.


    Both of the angel''s legs were injured greatly, with her right leg missing and her left leg mangled beyond recognition.


    Delia could only let out a sigh as she saw all of these, as she knew that these injuries were the results of all the hits that the Demonic Tower made when the angel was unable to dodge in time.


    Well, Delia and the angel were still lucky that their vitals were not yet hit by the Demonic Tower.


    But with the exhaustion brought on by the angel''s injuries and the mental pressure of predicting the next attack, the chances of the tower hitting them at the next attack is high!


    "S**t! With this angel''s injury, even if I can predict the perfect way to dodge, it will still be hard for us to dodge!" Delia thought to herself as her face turned red from panic.


    "What the f**k should I do?" There is still a minute left before we can regain our powers! Can we even last that long?" Delia''s thoughts started to turn pessimistic as she slowly realized the difficulty of her current situation.


    "F**k! Fly down!" In the end, Delia was unable to make any new decision as the Demonic Tower rushed to them once more.


    The angel, whose whole body was already near the brink of collapse, was unable to follow Delia''s command.


    As such, Delia and the angel could only watch as the massive tower hit them head on.


    "Oh s**t!"


    At the very last moment, before the tower could hit them, the angel suddenly hugged Delia tightly, as she used her own body to shield Delia from the Demonic Tower.


    Her wings wrapped all around them protectively, with the angel''s back turned towards the tower.


    "Crack!"


    Sounds of broken bones could be heard as Delia and the angel were both blasted away by the Demonic Tower up to the skies.


    Trails of golden blood and fragments of broken bones filled the air, which undoubtedly came from the angel''s body.


    "Hahahaha! Now that is what I call a Smash!" The Red Demon''s gloating voice came out of the tower as Delia and the angel started to fall towards the ground.


    "Boom!" The sands of the Red Moon managed to cushion their fall, but there is no doubt that their already heavy injuries just worsened after having that kind of fall.


    At first, everyone thought that Delia and the angel will both be dead already.


    After all, they were just hit by a Demonic Tower head-on! There is no way that one can survive that, especially without powers!


    But when the Red Demon observed the two, his eyes widened in amazement as he saw that both of them were still breathing.


    "Eh, you two are still alive? How tenacious!"


    Right now, broken bones could be seen sticking out of Delia''s body, with her whole skin covered with blood.


    Her blood vessels and her skeletal system were just unable to withstand the impact of the Demonic Tower, which led to them being like this.


    Delia was lucky that the angel took the brunt of the attack, because this is the reason that Delia only got these injuries.


    Had the angel been late on shielding Delia, there was no doubt that Delia could have been fine mist already!


    As for the angel herself, her already injured body was now mutilated beyond recognition.


    The angel''s wings, which were the first to receive the smash, all disappeared, as they were all smashed by the tower into tiny pieces.


    Her back, which was the second impact site of the tower, was basically turned into mush.


    Mixtures of organs, bones and blood decorated the angel''s back, and anyone squeamish might get sick if they saw it.


    A closer look can see that a massive depression had also formed on the angel''s back, with the depression making the most damage on the angel.


    Almost all of her limbs were gone, with basically only her left arm still attached to her body.


    To any observers that will see the angel''s state, it will be easy to assume that she was already dead.


    But just like what the Red Demon witnessed, some signs of life could still be seen on the angel!


    Even if the angel''s organs and body were almost destroyed, there was still some sliver of life and vitality left on her body.


    Even if the angel was unable to move or speak right now, that sliver of life shows that she is still alive right now, even just barely!


    Yes, she was close to dying right now, but she is not yet dead!


    "Hmph, I should have expected this much. After all, you are still an Adjudicator of the Holy Order Plane. Your survival capabilities should have been always high." The Demon said as his Demonic Tower began to descend. "Well I don''t care if you and that brat that you are holding are still alive. I just have to attack you one more time, and you two will be already dead."


    "!!!" Delia, who was struggling to keep her consciousness, perfectly heard every word that the demon has said.


    "Oh f**k! If I don''t move right now, I will really die¡­" Delia thought to herself as she attempted to move her body.


    There is no doubt that the Demon will attack once more, and this time around, Delia will be unable to dodge it!


    "Survive! I must survive!" Delia already forgot the matter about the number of dodges inside her mind. What she was only thinking right now was on how to move and get out of the way.


    But no matter what Delia did, she was unable to move. Her body was just so damaged that even the slightest twitch required almost all of her willpower.


    "No!" As Delia struggled to move herself, her barely functional ears heard the anxious shouts of Milo and Tong''er.


    There''s no doubt that these two were both worried for Delia, as Delia can also taste the despair and hopelessness that has filled the whole air.


    As she heard their shouts, Delia could not help but mentally sigh.


    Even if she was perverted and always loved to lick the skins of these two, Delia knew that Milo and Tong''er were both attached to her deeply.


    As such, it just hurt Delia more when she tasted their despair.


    "S**t, if I just did not use my Black Ooze to nullify all of our powers, things could have gone differently here¡­" Delia thought to herself idly as she opened her eyes. "I really f**ked myself up this time, aren''t I?"


    "¡­"


    At that point, Delia realized that she had thoroughly lost.


    She lost because of her overconfidence, and because of how ridiculous her opponent was.


    "Is this really the end for me?" Delia thought to herself as she looked up at the night sky.


    Personally, Delia was not that afraid for her life. If she dies then she dies. Its just as simple as that.


    However, Delia knew that such kinds of thought doesn''t apply to her right now.


    She had Milo and Tong''er as her Companions, which meant that if Delia dies, these two will die immediately.


    Even if Delia does not care that much about her life, she cannot say the same thing about her Companions.


    "Ah s**t, I failed my promise to keep them safe¡­" Delia thought as she let out a wheezing breath. "Father will surely be disappointed in me..."


    By this point, Delia had already given up moving.


    There is still 30 seconds left before her power comes back, which in this situation, was just an impossibly long time.


    Without her powers and her ability to move, Delia knew it was already game over for her.


    Thus, the only thing that she can do was to accept her death with dignity.


    As Delia thought of these, she suddenly saw both Milo and Tong''er running towards her.


    Their faces both looked scared, although Delia could see determination on their features.


    "Big Sis, even if you were a pervert who likes to lick us, you were still the best sister that I ever had!" Tong''er shouted as she got nearer and nearer to Delia. "You think we will just let you die? Hah! Not on our watch!"


    "Big Sis, even if you can''t move anymore, we will do our best to save you. So, please hang on!" Milo, who was usually quiet, shouted these words as he struggled to follow Tong''er.


    "These little brats¡­ Are they trying to save you? Hahahaha! How amusing!" The Demon said as he also saw what Delia''s Companions were doing. "Don''t they know that they are powerless right now? How stupid! Well, well, well, if they want to die with you, then I shall grant that foolish wish of theirs!"


    "You two¡­ please don''t come near me¡­" Delia thought as she shook her head. "You two don''t have a way to help me now¡­ If you come near me, you will just be squashed to death. At least if I am the only one who dies, you two will be able to die painlessly¡­"


    These thoughts of Delia went unheard by everyone, which just made her guilt worse.


    "Ah f**k, I just failed twice." Delia thought as she let out a wry smile. "These brats¡­ they even want to join me on my final destination. Tsk, I really should have licked them more before¡­"


    Still wearing that wry smile, Delia slowly looked up, which allowed her to see two comets streaking the night sky


    As she observed the two comets, one bright blue and the other bright green, Delia''s eyes twitched as she remembered a superstition from her homeland.


    "According to my grandfather, if one sees two comets in the sky, one can make a wish that will absolutely come true." Delia thought as she observed the two comets. "Of course that is just bulls**t. But would it hurt for me to make a wish now? I am about to die anyway, so I guess I just have to make a wish¡­"


    Delia then let out a sigh as she stared at the comets intently.


    Her heart fluttered as she made a wish inside her mind.


    "If there''s anyone who can save us now, I wish they will arrive already¡­."


    Delia could not help but smirk as she knew that her wish was just an impossibility.


    Will someone actually arrive right now and save her? Heh, of course that will not happen!


    Aside from her Companions and the cowardly Celestials, Delia has no ally left. For someone to magically appear and save her now is just a pipe dream.


    "Well, at least I made a wish. I think this is enough for me." Delia thought with finality as she decided to focus her last moments on looking the comets.


    After all, the green and blue comets just looked insanely beautiful.


    "Huh?" At this point, Delia suddenly frowned as she noticed something about the twin comets. "Is it just me, or are these comets getting nearer and nearer to the Red Moon? Wait¡­ the comets are really going here!"


    Before the Demon could use his Demonic Tower to inflict his last attack on Delia, the two beautiful comets suddenly swerved towards the Red Moon, making everyone look at them with surprise.


    A few seconds later, and the two comets just got larger and larger while approaching the Red Moon, which makes it obvious that they are about to hit the Red Moon!


    "Huh? What kind of sorcery is this?" The Demon said as his tower stopped moving. "Who are these intruders trying to stop my fun?"


    His eyes then strayed away from Delia as he began to vigilantly observe the two comets.


    "¡­"


    A few seconds later and his guarded expression disappeared as a delighted smile appeared on his face


    "Oh¡­ I see, I see, so he is here too." The Demon said aloud as he began to laugh. His eyes began to twinkle brightly as he let out an aura of amus.e.m.e.nt. "Hehehe, this just makes everything more interesting!"

 Chapter 281 - Meeting of the Two Juggernauts

    Emperor Litch has a great trust on the speed on his current ride, although he did not expect that Lingo would be this fast.


    Just a few minutes after they left the Green Moon, Emperor Litch already found himself staring at the entirety of the Red Moon.


    Just like the Green Moon, the Red Moon did not look like a normal moon at all.


    Its surface, which was as red as blood, was enough to make Emperor Litch pay attention to it. He even paused to admire the Red Moon, as he felt his blood pumping just by looking at it.


    "Hmm¡­ what a malevolent aura this moon has¡­" The Emperor muttered as he took a deep breath. His eyes then twinkled as a mischievous expression appeared on his face. "Hehehehe, just the thought of making this place mine is making me so excited already!"


    Upon seeing the Red Moon, the Emperor could only smile excitedly as he stared at it, as he felt enthusiastic from the prospect of conquering it.


    "Good job my ride. You brought me to my next target." Emperor Litch declared proudly as he stopped himself from admiring the Red Moon. "For this virtuous deed that you have done, I shall see to it that you will receive a reward from me later."


    "I AM HONRED BY THAT, MILORD"


    "Hmph, you really should be honored by it. A reward from the Emperor himself? Not anyone can just receive it!" Emperor Litch said as he crossed his arms. "Actually, you should be crying happily now!"


    "MILORD, I WILL BE REALLY MOVED TO TEARS WITH YOUR KINDNESS, BUT I CAN''T CRY NOW. MY EYES¡­ ARE NOT WET YET."


    "Let''s pretend that you did not say that."


    "UM YES, LET''S FORGET ABOUT THAT MILORD."


    "¡­" As he did his best to ignore Lingo''s flimsy excuse, Emperor Litch craned his neck until he was looking behind him.


    His face then wore an approving expression as his eyes saw something.


    "Impressive¡­"


    Just behind Lingo and Emperor Litch, the green giant Peina could be seen, with him following Lingo closely.


    On top of his body were Noelle, Ray, Vera, and all the Devourers who clung on Peina for dear life, as Peina was currently streaking through space too.


    "Lingo, as you can see, Peina and my new subordinates had caught up to us already." The Emperor said as he stared at the decelerating Green Comet. "Hmm, for them to catch up to us is definitely impressive¡­"


    "MILORD, IN TERMS OF SPEED, PEINA WAS DEFINTILELY BETTER THAN ME." Lingo replied as he looked back behind him. "EVEN IF I HAD THE LEAD, IT IS INEVITABLE FOR PEINA TO CATCH UP TO ME."


    "So that green guy is faster than you? Interesting¡­"


    "BUT MILORD, I AM STILL MORE POWERFUL THAN HIM. I CAN ASSURE YOU-"


    "Ssh, sh, sh¡­" Emperor Litch muttered as he raised his index finger. "We can talk about the comparisons between you and Peina on another time. But for now, we must deal with the important stuff first¡­."


    As he said these words, Emperor''s Litch''s eyes stared directly at a spot on the surface of the Red Moon.


    There, at that spot, was a massive structure that managed to catch Emperor Litch''s attention.


    The structure in question was a massive tower, whose whole body was covered with red.


    As he stared at this tower, Emperor Litch''s eyes started to twitch, as he felt threatened by the tower.


    "Wait, someone as glorious as me feels threatened by that tower? Hmm, that tower must be something special¡­" Emperor LIich thought to himself as he cupped his chin.


    "¡­" His eyes then narrowed as he realized that the Red Moon was not actually empty at all.


    Lingo, who was engrossed to prove himself earlier, let out a surprised shout as he saw the structure that caught the Emperor''s eyes.


    "MILORD! THIS IS BAD NEWS!" Lingo shouted out in fear as he stared at the tower with panic. "MILORD, IF MY GUESS WAS RIGHT, THAT TOWER RIGHT THERE¡­ IS SOMETHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY KILL US!"


    "Lingo, wha-" Before the Emperor could reassure Lingo, the blue giant continued talking, as if he was trying his best to convince the Emperor about something.


    "MILORD, ACCORDING TO WHAT I CAN REMEMBER, THAT RED TOWER COULD BE MOST LIKELY A DEMONIC TOWER!" Lingo said as he breathing started to hasten. "MILORD, I DO NOT KNOW WHY A WEAPON OF A DEMONIC LEADER IS HERE IN THIS PLACE, BUT ITS PRESENCE HERE MEANS THAT THE RED MOON COULD BE MOST LIKELY OWNED BY A DEMONIC LEADER! MILORD, IF WE DARE TO ATTACK THIS PLACE, THAT DEMONIC LEADER MIGHT ATTACK US!"


    "Ohohoho Lingo, don''t tell me that you are scared now?" Even with the apparent fear on Lingo''s eyes and his explanation, Emperor Litch seemed to be unfazed as he only let out a small smile. "You''ve seen the things that I have done already, and yet you still doubt me now? Where is your loyalty to me?"


    "MILORD, I AM NOT BEING UNLOYAL, I JUST WANT TO-"


    "Shut your mouth. You are just my ride, you blue freak." Emperor Litch''s eyes, which were filled with warmth before, drastically changed as they became frosty. His face turned harsh as his posture became aggressive, while his polite and jovial attitude disappeared too, as a tyrannical and domineering aura emanated out of his body.


    "!!!"


    Everyone who saw the change that just happened with the Emperor could only stare at him in shock, as they did not expect something like this to happen!


    "Don''t you dare overstep the limits of your status. You just exist to be my steed." Emperor Litch said as his frosty glare brought its full impact on the cowering Lingo. "Don''t you dare lecture me about fighting others! Do you understand that?"


    "YES, YES MILORD, I UNDERSTAND THAT." Under the frightening gaze by Emperor Litch, Lingo was left with no choice but to immediately submit to his words.


    As for Peina and his passengers, all of them started to tremble in fear as they felt terrified with the Emperor and his new mannerisms.


    "Well, as long as you understand my thoughts, you will all be accepted by me." Emperor Litch said as his warm personality suddenly returned, making his cold demeanor earlier look like an afterimage. "I assume that you all have the capabilities to do that, right?"


    "WE WILL DO OUR BEST TO UNDERSTAND YOU, MILORD."


    "¡­"


    Seemingly uninterested with what Lingo just said, the Emperor let out a yawn as he looked back at the Red Moon with interest in his eyes as he continued talking.


    "Interesting¡­ I can feel the presence of numerous people here at the Red Moon, yet I only feel threatened by the person inside that tower. This is intriguing¡­" Emperor Litch muttered as another smile appeared on his face.


    "Boom!"


    All of a sudden, a powerful aura came radiating out of Emperor Litch''s body.


    Lingo, Peina, and all of his passengers could only stare at this powerful aura in awe as they felt the sudden urge to kneel and prostrate in front of Emperor Litch.


    "¡­."


    This powerful aura however was not just focused on Emperor Litch''s subject alone.


    This powerful aura continued to spread outwards, with some parts of it barreling towards the Red Moon.


    A few seconds later, and the Demonic Tower was hit by this powerful aura too.


    At the instant that this happened, a malevolent aura burst out of the Demonic Tower.


    "Boom!"


    The whole Demonic Tower then started to shudder as its doors opened, revealing a red, demon-like being strolling out of the doors confidently.


    The malevolent aura then increased at the appearance of this demon, making Emperor Litch look at the demon with both respect and excitement.


    There was no doubt that the malevolent aura came out of the demon, making him appear as an extremely dangerous being.


    The demon, who sensed Emperor Litch''s gaze on him, gave the Emperor a smirk as he started to talk.


    "So, a Conqueror has come to see me." The demon said as he tilted his head at the Emperor''s direction. "It is rare to find someone like you these days, especially a Human Conqueror. It makes me feel happy witnessing history right here."


    The demon''s voice sounded seductive and sly, making those who hear it feel suspicious of the demon.


    Emperor Litch, who perfectly heard what he demon said, let out a hearty laughter as he looked at the demon with approval.


    "I do not know what you mean by that Conqueror, but I assume that being called a Conqueror in your homeland is a great honor, yes?"


    "In my homeland, there were a lot of titles being given around." The demon replied as he gave the Emperor a sly smile. "One of those titles was the Conqueror, and I assure you, the title of the Conqueror was as rare as qilin feathers. As for those who get that title, they ussualy don''t get to enjoy that title for long. You know, because they die quickly from too much conquering¡­"


    "¡­"


    From the way that the demon conversed with Emperor Litch, it sounded like he was trying to curry favor with him, although one can sense some kind of hidden ill intent in his words.


    It may be faint, but some malice was indeed present on the demon''s words.


    The Emperor, with all of his experiences, obviously has noticed this ill intent too.


    But instead of backing out from something like this, the Emperor only gave the demon a smile as he said,


    "Well, I want to talk more about this Conqueror Title. You wouldn''t mind conversing with me face-to-face, right?"


    After saying these words, Emperor Litch shocked everyone as he suddenly leapt off from Lingo''s head.


    His jump was graceful, making it look like he had spent years practicing his jumping skills.


    "Wooosh¡­" With the gravitational pull from the Red Moon, Emperor Litch started to accelerate like a normal object.


    He literally dropped like a rock as he entered the Red Moon''s atmosphere.


    "MILORD!"


    Emperor Litch ignored Lingo''s surprised shout as he used Vessel 969''s ability to safely enter the atmosphere of the Red Moon.


    As he descended towards the Red Moon, Emperor LItch''s eyes narrowed as he intently observed more and more details at the Red Moon''s surface.


    "¡­"


    The first thing that the Emperor saw were numerous impact craters, which created a tryptophobic image all around the Red Moon.


    His eyes then flitted at the base of the Demonic Tower, taking note of the similarity between the sizes of the impact craters and the base of the Demonic Tower.


    The Emperor then saw a cl.u.s.ter of people at the left corner of his eyes, which he identified as the Celestials.


    Further observations allowed the Emperor to see four more figures that are converged at another location.


    One of these figures was a large as Lingo, although this figure''s body was mutilated beyond recognition. The Emperor however could sense that this figure was still alive even with all the damage that it received.


    Nestled inside this figure''s embrace was a kimono-wearing woman, whose whole body was littered with injuries too.


    Right now, this woman was gazing at Emperor Litch intently, as if she was trying to imprint his appearance on her brain.


    The last two figures were a female teenager and a young boy, who were both uninjured. But their faces were filled with distress, which made it apparent that they just underwent something stressful.


    "¡­"


    After observing these two, Emperor Litch looked back at the mutilated giant as he noticed something interesting on it.


    There, at the back of the mutilated giant, Emperor Litch saw a massive depression, which looked eerily similar to the impact craters all around them.


    "Interesting¡­" The Emperor''s mind began to work furiously as he pieced together everything that he just saw.


    After a few seconds of staring blankly into the space, Emperor Litch shook his head as he turned his gaze towards the Demon.


    "I thought that I will be the only interesting person in this place. But as it turns out, you are interesting too." Emperor Litch said to the Demon as he slowly flew towards him. "All of these damages that I just saw, you were the one who did this, right?"


    "So what if I am? What are you going to do about it, EMPEROR?" The demon replied as quickly as ever, but this time around, the respect in his voice was gone.


    Right now, the demon sounded extremely c.o.c.ky as his latest words made it sound like he was mocking Emperor Litch.


    "Well, I wanted to continue my Conquest starting from this place. Consider it¡­ my fresh start." Emperor Litch replied as he tilted his head. "But for my Conquest to be successful, I need to obtain numerous capable commanders."


    "¡­"


    Seeing that you are extremely skilled, I am highly tempted to make you follow me. Are you interested on following me?" Emperor Litch said as he gave the Demon a light smile. "I assure you that it will be the greatest honor of your life if you decided to follow me!"


    "Hmph, as expected, a Conqueror like you not only wanted to conquer places. You also want to conquer people. How typical of you." The demon replied as he bared his sharp teeth.


    "Hmph, as if someone like you can understand the thoughts of someone like me." Emperor Litch replied as he suddenly pointed his finger at the demon. "At the first moment that I saw you, I already felt your killing intent towards me. It''s so potent, that I could only shake my head at your boldness!"


    "Well, who cares if you know that I want to kill you? Just seeing your face alone is enough to piss every one off!" The demon replied as his Demonic Tower began to tremble.


    "And there we have it. You just showed your true colors. A dirty swine who knows nothing about respect." Emperor Litch replied as the space around him began to tremble. "Do you know what I do with people like you? I discipline them properly!"


    "Discipline my ass. If you want to fight, then fight!" The demon replied as the malevolent aura around him began to increase. "Or are you telling me, that you, an Emperor, is afraid to fight me?"


    "Hmph, mark those heretic words of yours. I shall make you regret saying all of that!"


    "SHWOOSH!"


    Once they said these words, the demon and Emperor Litch let out their shouts as both of them suddenly disappeared!


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    Booming sounds then filled the air as two powerful auras collided with each other numerous times.


    Lingo and everyone else could only stare blankly as they were rendered confused with what had just happened.


    "Boom!"


    Moments later, and the confusion on everyone''s faces turned into shock, as they saw a massive crack spreading throughout the whole Red Moon!


    They tried to do something about this crack, but it was already too late for them.


    "Rumble¡­"


    The whole Red Moon started to tremble, and a few seconds later, a ripping sound filled everyone''s ears as the Red Moon''s body split into two!

 Chapter 282 - This is the start of the Convergence!

    "So you two are saying¡­ that Alex is at the Red Moon right now?" [Asteria] muttered as she stared at Alina and Astria, who were both standing away from each other.


    Alina and Astria has already ended their handshake, which effectively cut off their link. This in turn made their sensory organs go back to their normal states.


    Alina was busy cleaning her hand with alcohol as she replied to [Asteria''s] query.


    "Yes, when we used our improved sensory organs to look for Alex, we saw his traces just in front of the Red Moon. Why won''t you believe us quickly?"


    "Okay, I just want to make sure." [Asteria] said as she shrugged her shoulders. "But you two said that Alex was not the only one at the Red Moon, right? Who else did you see there?"


    "We saw the Devourers along with their allied Travelers, and they seem to be following Emperor Litch." Astria was the one who said these words. "And at the surface of the Red Moon, we saw the Celestials, along with their affiliated Traveler Team. The Traveler in that Traveler Team¡­ is not in a good condition right now. Then there is a massive Red Tower floating just above the Red Moon. When we saw that Tower, we felt a malevolent aura that forced us to stop spying on it. It was at that point that I and Alina broke off our link."


    "Tsk, so every major players are in the Red Moon already, and we are the only ones left behind? Hmph, I do not know what I should feel about this!" [Asteria] said as she let out a harrumph. "Hey Alina with the way that we are travelling right now, how long would it take for us to reach the Red Moon?"


    "Approximately an hour." Alina said as she tilted her head.


    "An hour? B**ch, by the time that we arrive at the Red Moon, there is nothing that we could do!" [Asteria] shouted in frustration as she pulled her hair. "What do you-"


    [Asteria] suddenly stopped talking, as her eyes became glazy and hollow.


    This state of her lasted for around a second before clarity returned to her features.


    Before Alina could ask [Asteria[ what happened to her, [Asteria] opened her mouth as she began to talk with her serious voice.


    [[[RED MOON DESTROYED BY TRAVELER ALEX AND TRAVELER MALTHUS. DUE TO A COOPERATION TO DESTROY THE RED MOON, BOTH TRAVELERS WILL ONLY BE REWARDED 125 YEARS OF LIFESPAN EACH. MOONS REMAINING: 2]]]


    "!!!" Alina, who heard what [Asteria] just said, could only stare at the fairy in surprise.


    "Asteria, the Red Moon was destroyed already?" Alina said as she let out a deep breath. Surprise was apparent on her eyes, which was a normal reaction to what she just heard.


    "I just said that it was already destroyed, right?" [Asteria] replied as her normal voice returned. "What do you expect me to do about it?"


    "Okay, I see¡­" Alina muttered as she let out a sigh. "That Emperor¡­ he really is someone that we could not underestimate."


    "Yep, that''s what I just told you earlier." [Asteria] replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "Emperor LItch is just that strong. That is why we also need to arrive at the Red Moon immediately! Who knows what might happen if we let him do more!"


    "Emperor Litch is one thing, but who the hell is Malthus?" Alina asked [Asteria] as she looked at the fairy with confusion. "I never heard of someone named Traveler Malthus before!"


    "Well, don''t ask me. I don''t know that guy either." [Asteria] replied as she shook her head. "Although, there is a high possibility that Malthus is related to the Red Moon Power recipients."


    "Like Kiera?" Alina replied, as she remembered the little girl, who was sleeping soundly inside Alina''s storage. The little girl had been shaken when Alex became Emperor Litch, but it seems like she had already recovered enough.


    "Yes, yes, eyes, just like her." The fairy replied as she sat down on top of Alina''s head.


    "Then-"


    "Hmph, if you want to get curious about this Malthus guy, just do it once we are the Red Moon!" [Asteria] suddenly said as she cut off Alina. "What you should be more worried now is on how we can arrive at the Red Moon quickly! We can''t just go there using these vehicles! These little s***s right here will take an hour to reach the Red Moon. That''s just unacceptable! We need to find a new way to arrive there quickly!"


    "¡­"


    "What? Hooman, think of a way right now!"


    "¡­"


    After facing the barrage of [Asteria''s] complaints, Alina only kept a calm face as she managed to give the fairy a reply.


    "I have a suggestion, although some of us might be unenthusiastic about this."


    "Hmph, as long as we can travel quickly , then everything will be fine!" [Asteria] replied as she sneered at Alina. "Or are you saying that you are not powerful enough to do it?"


    "Of course I am powerful enough. It''s just that¡­ maybe it will be too much for some of the Celestials here."


    "Forget about them. They are already grown-ups!"


    "Fine. If something happens here, then you will take responsibility!"


    "I will, I will." [Asteria] replied as she thumped her tiny chest. "Just do your stuff, and we will surely be fine!"


    "¡­"


    After receiving this confirmation from [Asteria], Alina took a deep breath as she looked at everyone in their entourage.


    She stared at them intently before saying,


    "Everyone, I have a way to make us reach our target destination in a much shorter span of time. But if I use this way, some of you might feel extremely sick. That''s why I apologize for anyone that might be inconvenienced here."


    "Wait-"


    Alina ignored Astria''s obligatory complaint as she immediately activated her Dimension Manipulation Power.


    Alina knew that Alex''s life was at stake here, so she will not waste any idle moment!


    The faster that they will arrive at the Red Moon, the better it will be for Alex!


    "Schwoon¡­"


    Alina''s mind started to work full time as she scanned all the dimensions inside her 40 Kilometer Range.


    Inside this Range, Alina could perfectly sense all the dimensions, specially her expertise, the 3-dimensional space.


    This time around, Alina only focused her attention on the 3-dimensional space, as she knew that this will be the one that will help her and her allies to hasten their travel speeds.


    "Hold on everyone, this ride''s gonna be a crazy one." Alina said in a monotonous voice, making everyone who heard her shiver in fear.


    "Boom!" Seconds after Alina said these words, everyone started to shout in fear as they felt their bodies being pulled forward by an extremely powerful force! They could only clutch at their vehicles desperately, as they felt like they might be thrown blasted away if they do not cling on something!


    Astria, who was usually composed, was also affected by what Alina did, as she started to dry heave while she clutched her wheelchair for dear life.


    As for [Asteria], she seemed to be oblivious on what was happening, as she started to clap and laugh.


    "Hahahaha hooman! This is fun! Why did you not say that you can do this before? This is so great!"


    "Shut up fairy. I am concentrating here." Alina replied angrily as she kept her eyes closed. "Do you know how hard it is for me to fold space forward and make our vehicles instantaneously appear on the location 40 kilometers in front of us? It''s too difficult! And I have to do this space-folding for 250 times before we can reach the Red Moon!"


    "Um-"


    "So if you don''t want any accidents from happening, you should just shut up and stay quiet. We still have around 4 minutes of time left before we can arrive at the Red Moon." Alina decisively said as she shook her head. "I suppose you can keep quiet for 4 minutes, right?"


    "¡­"


    "Good, so you can also be quiet. You should have done this before."


    "¡­"


    ***************


    SURFACE OF THE RED MOON


    At the Red Moon split itself in half, Delia heard Celeste talking beside her.


    [[[RED MOON DESTROYED BY TRAVELER ALEX AND TRAVELER MALTHUS. DUE TO A COOPERATION TO DESTROY THE RED MOON. BOTH TRAVELERS WILL ONLY BE REWARDED 125 YEARS OF LIFESPAN EACH. MOONS REMAINING: 2]]]


    "!!!" Delia, who heard the message and all the implications inside it, could only shake her head as she realized that things had just become interesting.


    But even though she was taken by surprise with what she heard, Delia was actually extremely happy right now, as the battle between Traveler Alex and the demon allowed her to regain the chance to survive and win.


    After all, at the very exact moment that Traveler Alex and the Demon fought, her black ooze had lost its effect, allowing Delia to use her powers once more.


    This in turn allowed Delia to execute her own plans.


    "Tong''er and Milo! Bring this angel away from here! She is in a critical condition! Do everything that you can to heal her quickly!" Delia immediately said as she stood up.


    Her heavy injuries started to heal themselves, which was caused by the return of her powers.


    As for the angel, Delia saw that she was also starting to heal, but the extent that the angel healed was so slow that Delia knew that she needs some outside help.


    "But Big Sis, your injuries-"


    "Don''t worry about me. I am almost healed right now." Delia replied as she picked up her spear. She started to caress it as she felt her fighting intent starting to increase. "Right now, give your priority to this angel. We need her help later, so the faster that she heals, the better that it will be for us!"


    "Okay Big Sis¡­" Both of her Companions could only follow Delia as they knew that there is no way for them to change her mind.


    "¡­"


    As her companions approached the injured angel, Delia''s gaze landed on the Celestials, who all flinched as they looked at her.


    Even though the Celestials did nothing to help her while she was being hounded by the Demon earlier, Delia did not feel angry at them. After all, Delia''s black ooze also made them powerless earlier.


    "All of you. Station yourselves around that red giant demon." Delia said as she pointed her finger towards the True Body which the demon had been coveting since earlier. "Use every power that you can to blockade the area around that giant demon. Do not let anyone unauthorized approach it, even at the expense of your lives. Do you all understand that?"


    "Yes we do!" The Celestials hurriedly replied as they nodded their heads.


    "¡­"


    Even if the Red Moon was already cut in half, the Celestials still managed to keep their cool. This was something that made Delia curious, as she expected them to be greatly panicking right now.


    "¡­" Delia did not inquire on how they were still able to stay calm like this as she focused her attention on the demon and Traveler Alex, who were both fighting each other.


    "That f**king Demon¡­ so he is also a Traveler huh. Hmm, this makes everything so confusing." Delia muttered to herself as she narrowed her eyes. "If Malthus was a Demonic Leader that was imprisoned here in the Red Moon, then how the hell did he become a Traveler? Ugh, and then there is that weird thing about Traveler Alex too. When he entered the atmosphere earlier, my tongue noticed something different about his taste. This Alex right here¡­ he is Alex, but he is also not Alex!"


    "¡­" The confusion on Delia''s face only increased as she thought of these things.


    After a few seconds of being stuck with these thoughts, Delia rapidly shook her head as she realized what she should be doing now.


    "Instead of asking questions, I should be fighting right now!" Delia thought to herself as she observed Traveler Alex and Traveler Malthus. "Why waste my time with uncertainties when I can just use it to impose my will?"


    Her whole body began to glow white as her wings unfurled around her elegantly.


    Her spear then let out a sonorous cry as she fed it with her own power.


    Delia then squatted on the ground as she stared above her intently.


    "Since you two Travelers are fighting against each other, let me join in too!"


    "Boom!"


    Delia then disappeared on her spot as she blasted herself high up in the air.


    Seconds later, and the booming sounds around the Red Moon increased, as a new challenger joined in the fight.

 Chapter 283 - Behold! The power of our fearsome beast!

    Weapons. Weapons everywhere.


    That was what Emperor Litch found himself surrounded with when he started attacking the demon.


    "Boom!"


    At the very moment that he sent out a testing punch at the demon''s direction, hundreds of varying weapons appeared all behind the demon.


    "That is a cannon that can rip holes through adamantium shields, while that one over there is a sword that can cut at the molecular level." Emperor Litch thought as he stared at some of the weapons behind the demon. "As for the other weapons, even I don''t have any idea about them¡­"


    Emperor Litch could not help but frown as he realized that only some of the weapons were recognizable to him.


    As for the others? They were just plain alien to him!


    "What the hell is that thing?" Emperor Litch thought as he looked at a weapon that was shaped like a glass. "What the hell is that supposed to do? And how about that one? That just looks like a balloon! How the hell could that be a weapon?"


    All of these thoughts flashed inside the Emperor''s head instantaneously, right before his punch landed on the demon''s body.


    "Boom!"


    But before the Emperor''s attack could land on the demon''s body the Emperor frowned as he sensed danger coming in front of him.


    He tilted his head up just on time to see the weapons behind the demon all activating at once!


    "!!!" Even if the Emperor was confident with the toughness of Vessel 969''s body, there is still no way that he will just allow his new body to get hit by this many weapons!


    "Scatter!"


    Emperor Litch then opened his hands as he let out his own power.


    "Hong!"


    A shapeless ripple erupted out of the Emperor''s hand, which proceeded to block all of the weapons head-on.


    Not only that, but a blue shockwave came out of the collision, which started to disintegrate the weapons.


    After doing this, the Emperor did not waste any time as he attacked the demon once more.


    This time around, he pointed his finger at the demon as he conjured a lightning strike straight towards the demon''s heart.


    Combined with this lightning was a yellow glow, which gave off an extremely dangerous vibe.


    "Woosh!"


    But before this yellow lightning could land on its target, the demon suddenly disappeared, as his body appeared at a spot 10 kilometers away from Emperor Litch.


    All the weapons behind the demon all disappeared too, making Emperor Litch look at the Emperor in surprise.


    "So you have fierce firepower and exceptional dodging skills. This is interesting." Emperor Litch thought to himself as he dispelled his yellow lightning. "I will have so much fun fighting with you¡­"


    The entirety of this clash happened in an instant, making its spectators see nothing but shockwaves.


    "Woosh."


    The Emperor then disappeared on the spot, reappearing in front of the demon.


    "Boom!"


    This time, weapons once again appeared behind the demon, but the weapons that appeared were now more numerous and more lethal-looking!


    Just by looking at these new weapons was enough to make the Emperor sweat.


    "So you have access to multitudes of weapons, which you can use on countless scenarios." Emperor Litch thought to himself as he used his gravity waves to deflect the weapon''s attacks. "With the way that you can instantly summon your weapons, there is a high chance that weapon summoning is your original ability¡­"


    Once he had successfully deflected the attack of the weapons, Emperor Litch ended his idle thoughts as he proceeded to counterattack the demon once more.


    "Skroom!"


    At the moment that Emperor Litch attacked, the demon suddenly manifested a shield on his hands, which he used to block the grey lightning that the Emperor just fired.


    The demon then threw a golden lance towards Emperor Litch, forcing the Emperor to dodge the lance immediately.


    "Swish¡­"


    The Emperor felt his skin getting cold as the lance passed by him. He suddenly had the feeling that if the lance hit his body, he could have suffered massive injuries!


    After dodging the golden lance, Emperor Litch suppressed the cold feeling inside him as he fired off another attack at the demon''s direction.


    But similar to what happened in their first clash, the demon disappeared once more, this time reappearing on a spot that was 7 kilometers away from the Emperor.


    "¡­"


    Just like the 1st clash, their 2nd clash only happened at an instant too.


    "Oh, so you want to do it this way huh. Hmph, if this is the case, then I shall entertain this way of combat!" Emperor Litch thought as his eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "You want to play this way? Heh, let''s see whose body will give up first!"


    Emperor Litch then used his power to catch up to the demon, which started their 3rd clash.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    What followed after that were more clashes between the demon and the Emperor, with each clash consisting of the demon and the Emperor attacking and defending, before the demon teleports away with the Emperor using his power to chase the demon.


    Each clash released more and more shockwaves into the air, which started to affect the Red Moon.


    By the time that Emperor Litch and the demon started their 53rd clash, the whole Red Moon trembled as it split itself into two!


    "¡­"


    Both the demon and the Emperor only looked at what happened in a second before they resumed fighting again.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    As their clashes went on, small injuries started to appear on both the demon and the Emperor''s bodies, although these injuries were so minor that they paid to attention to them.


    "Come on! When will you stop teleporting away!" Emperor Litch thought angrily as he saw the demon teleporting away again, which ended their 79th clash. "This is so irritating already!"


    The Emperor let out a small sigh as he reappeared in front of the demon for the 79th time.


    "Skree!"


    As he fired off his newest attack at the demon, Emperor Litch frowned as he thought,


    "You heathen heretic! You are only using your weapons summoning ability to fight me! I am sure that you still have more powers that you can use against me! Where the hell are those powers! Use them on me now, or our fight might start to get boring!"


    *************


    More clashes later, and Emperor Litch realized that the demon was seemingly waiting for something else to happen.


    That could be the only explanation on why he, a powerful demon was currently holding back right now.


    "You insufferarble heathen¡­." Emperor Litch''s vision began to turn red as he realized that this demon had been using him to just wait for something else. "You think that staying idle like this will help you out? Hmph, in front of me, the glorious Emperor, your waiting tactics are nothing!"


    "Fuu¡­"


    While still keeping a portion of his focus on the nearby Demonic Tower, Emperor Litch let out a deep breath as he activated an ability that was originally his.


    Because he had just recently woken up after the possession, Emperor Litch still found it hard to use most of his original abilities.


    The only ones that he can use now were limited, like his aura, which he used to subjugate Traveler Ray and his allies.


    Of course the Emperor knew that with the Demon''s willpower, his aura won''t be of any effect to him.


    Because of that, Emperor Litch decided to use another one of his original abilities.


    The Emperor acknowledges the strength of Vessel 969''s power, but right now, he needed to use an ability that is much more domineering!


    "Hong!"


    Golden light began to gather on the Emperor''s right hand, which then coalesced to form a golden sword.


    The sword then let out a resplendent glow as it grew in size.


    Countless precious gemstones then appeared at the hilt of the sword, while undecipherable words materialized at the sword''s blade.


    "Tak tak tak tak tak tak!"


    A cry of a bird suddenly manifested out of the sword, as a silhouette of a massive bird appeared behind the Emperor.


    The sudden appearance of this sword and the bird''s silhouette halted their clash for a moment, as the demon stared intently at the bird''s silhouette.


    Emperor Litch smiled as he saw the way that the demon stared at his bird, making him think that the demon must be terrified right now.


    "You heathen demon. Your plan of holding back against me has backfired. It''s too late for you already.! Emperor Litch said as he pointed his golden sword at the demon''s face. "I already channeled the power of the Undying Empire''s most fearsome beast! Behold! The power of our Emprie''s Symbol! Under the gaze of this bird, none shall survive! Its majestic body will be the last thing that you will see before you die. So say your prayers to your god, if you have any, because this will be your las-"


    "Is that a chicken?" Instead of sounding scared or terrified, the demon only sounded plainly curious as he observed the bird''s silhouette behind Emperor Litch. "Wait, I don''t need to ask that anymore. That is definitely a chicken."


    "Oi, why do you sound like that? This is the national symbol of our Undying Empire! You should be trembling in fear now!"


    Emperor Litch was confused as he saw the demon''s reaction.


    Didn''t this demon know that in his Undying Empire, chickens are one of the most dangerous beings that there is?


    It was because of these chickens that Emperor Litch succeeded on conquering many planets, and it was also because of these chickens that he managed to subjugate anyone under his favor.


    It was also through these chickens that Emperor Litch managed to channel one of his strongest sword arts, which made him unrivalled throughout countless generations!


    All of these amazing things were provided to him by the chickens, and yet, this guy dares to mock them?


    "Holy s**t! That''s really a chicken! Hahahaha! I can''t believe this!" To the Emperor''s consternation he saw the demon laughing as they resumed their clash. "Someone like you actually treats chicken this way? Are you f**king kidding me? Hahahaha! Is that sword of yours related to chickens? What do you call that sword? The Sword of Clucking Chickens?"


    "Shut your mouth you bastard!" Emperor Litch as his mind started to snap. "Disrespecting our national symbol warrants an instant death penalty!"


    Emperor Litch then swung his golden sword towards the demon, which was accompanied by more cries from the chicken behind him.


    "Tak tak tak tak tak tak!"


    The Emperor''s golden sword cleaved cleanly through all the weapons that the demon summoned, destroying them completely.


    The Emperor then managed to wound the demon as his golden sword managed to make a cut on the demon''s left arm.


    "I see. Your eyes have been clouded by the fogginess of your life. You truly are a pitiful person." Emperor Litch said as he suppressed the rage inside him. He then stared at the largest wound that he just made as his eyes narrowed. "But just like what I said earlier, you just committed a grave offense against our Empire, which warrants a death penalty!"


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    The demon and the Emperor then resumed their clashes, but this time around, it was the Emperor who held the upper hand.


    "Tak tak tak tak tak tak!"


    He destroyed all the weapons that the demon summoned with his golden sword, while also inflicting deeper and deeper injuries on the demon.


    As their fights went on, the Emperor began to laugh inwardly as he realized that he was about to win.


    And this elated feeling of him just increased as he and the demon felt the arrival of another presence.


    "Wind Spear: Torrential Tornado!"


    "Swoosh!"


    A massive tornado, which was large enough to swallow a country whole, suddenly appeared above the demon and the Emperor.


    This tornado then barreled towards the demon, who was too preoccupied with Emperor Litch.


    "Boom!" The demon was hit by the tornado head-on, which resulted in him being blasted back towards the ground.


    The tornado did not fade after that, as it pursued the crashed demon.


    As he saw this sudden change of events, the only thing that the Emperor did was look up to see the one who made this attack.


    There, just above Emperor Litch, was a spear-wielding kimono woman with angel wings. Her face was twisted with rage as she stared at the demon, while her spear was letting out some steam.


    The Emperor smiled, as he remembered that this was the injured woman that he saw earlier.


    With the observations that Emperor Litch made earlier, he was sure that this woman and the demon had a fight earlier, which resulted on the woman getting beaten up to the point of almost dying.


    There was no doubt about it. This woman must be itching to kill the demon right now!


    "You may seem like a solo type to me, but it you want, we can work together in order to kill that demon." Emperor Litch confidently said as he placed his hands on his h.i.p.s, with his golden sword glowing brilliantly beside him. "I am sure that with our powers, we can end that blasted demon''s lif-"


    "Holy molly. Is that a chicken behind you?"


    "!*(&(*$&*)!" And just like that, the Emperor found himself back to square one again.

 Chapter 284 - What about that? My bird is even better than yours!

    At the moment that her powers came back, Delia started to celebrate, as she was confident that she can win this fight.


    As she jumped towards her clashing opponents, Delia let out a bright smile as she circulated the power in her body.


    "Boom!"


    Delia''s two powers, which she had painstakingly cultivated during her journey on different worlds, started to erupt out of her body as she did not do anything to suppress it.


    Her Spear Qi, which already reached the Sage Level, and her Holy Energy, which was at Grade 6 already, both emanated out of Delia in powerful waves, making the people below look at her in awe.


    Delia ignored these looks as she focused on the fight in front of her.


    With one slap of her wings, Delia redirected herself at the exact moment that the demon and Traveler Alex exchanged their attacks.


    Once both of them were preoccupied with each other, Delia''s eyes let out a glint as she swung her spear down.


    "Wind Spear: Torrential Tornado!"


    Delia''s extremely rich Spear Qi rushed out of her arms, filling her spear with its power.


    A massive tornado then materialized at the end of the spear, which hit the unsuspecting demon head on.


    "Yes! That''s what you get for offending me!" Delia though to herself vindictively as she felt satisfied with what she did.


    Delia''s Spear Qi was the first power that she had as a Traveler, which made her extremely familiar with it. All of the techniques that she can use with her Spear Qi were all extremely powerful, as they were the product of her intense training and her imagination!


    The tornado that Delia manifested just now was a proof of that.


    As for her second power which was the Holy Energy, Delia was also extremely confident with it, although she had decided to use this as a trump card if the demon pulls out something ridiculous out of his ass.


    "Hmm, serves you right, you asshole." Delia thought to herself as she watched the demon slowly getting up from the rubble on the ground. "Come on, stand up! I am already waiting here for you!"


    After feeling satisfied with her successful attack for a few more seconds, Delia was forced to look at Traveler Alex, as the said Traveler offered an alliance to fight against the demon.


    Delia, whose tongue was giving her warning signals against Traveler Alex, was about to say no, but her attention was cut off when she saw a massive chicken silhouette behind Traveler Alex.


    Delia ignored the suspicions that she had against Alex as she asked him,


    "Holly molly. Is that a chicken behind you?"


    ****************


    "This accursed brat!" Emperor Litch thought to himself angrily as he could barely stop himself from pouncing at the kimono woman. "Even you also disrespect the symbol of our Empire? If it were not for my need to ally with you now, I could have attacked you already!"


    "Huff, huff, huff¡­"


    The Emperor then took some deep breaths to calm himself down, as he repeatedly reminded himself to not attack the kimono woman for what she just said.


    Once he was sure that his hands won''t slip, Emperor Litch opened his eyes as he said,


    "Yes, that is a silhouette of chicken behind me. Why, do you have any problems with that?"


    "Oh, I have no problem with chickens! In fact, I love chickens!" The kimono woman suddenly said as she stared at the chicken silhouette intently. "They are one of the best creatures in the entire universe!"


    "Oh, so you understand the importance of the chickens!" Emperor Litch delightedly said as his look at the kimono woman started to change. "I thought you will be another heathen, but as it turns out, you were also-"


    "All kinds of chicken-oriented dishes are always delicious!" The kimono woman shouted in glee as she interrupted Emperor Litch. "Fried eggs, chicken soup, roasted chicken, all of them taste good! Mmm¡­ just imagining that roasted chicken right now makes me hungry again. Oi you, did you bring any real chickens with you? I want to eat one later!"


    Delia then proceeded to pant in front of the Emperor with her tongue wagged out, as her face became red and her eyes turned misty with pleasure. "Mmm¡­ actually, eating fried chickens will be even better!"


    "You c**ks**king, son of a b**ch!" Emperor Litch thought as he almost lost his composure. "You think chickens are just lowly food! You, you do not understand their high status in my Empire! You¡­ you are one of these heretics who only treat chicken as food! The-the-there is no way that I can just let you leave this place alive!"


    At that moment, Emperor Litch''s rage shifted to Delia, whose blasphemous words cannot be tolerated by him anymore!


    "Hm?" Delia, who was busy on observing the demon below her, suddenly felt a chill as she felt someone attacking her from behind.


    She looked behind, her, and she saw the Emperor, who was approaching her with a murderous expression on his face.


    "You, what are you-"


    Delai was forced to stop talking as the Emperor suddenly slashed his golden sword towards her!


    "Boom!"


    Delia''s instincts screamed at her to stop the golden sword from hitting her, as if this golden sword was an extremely dangerous object!


    "Water Spear: Omni-Directional Blast!"


    Delia then hurriedly waved her spear all around her, producing massive jets of water which flew out in all directions.


    The Emperor''s Golden Sword, which was en route to plunge on Delia''s heart, shook a little as these water jets managed to redirect it!


    Delia took this as the chance to dodge, flapping her wings behind her as she stared at the sword and at the chicken silhouette with more respect now.


    "What the hell is the matter with this guy?" Delia thought to herself angrily as she saw the sudden change on her fellow Traveler. "Did I say anything to set him off? Hmph, that does not matter anymore! If this guy wants to kill me, then he must go through numerous obstacles first!"


    After she thought of these words, Delia''s eyes flitted to her left side, which allowed her to see the demon, who was now rushing towards them.


    This time around, it was not only the demon and his weapons that were rushing at Delia and the Emperor.


    The demon''s Demonic Tower, which he had left idle earlier, was now hurtling towards Delia and the Emperor too!


    Once she saw this, Delia''s smile only widened as she realized that an exciting three-way battle was about to start.


    "Hmph, if you think I will just cower from this, then I have to apologize to you two." Delia thought to herself as her wings glowed.


    She then grasped her spear tightly with both of her hands as she filled it with more of her Spear Qi. "If you want to kill me, then expect my powerful retaliation!"


    As the demon with his demonic tower and the Emperor with his golden sword approached Delia, she let out a deep breath as she pieced her spear above her.


    Her spear then started to glow red and white as she fed it with both Holy Energy and Spear Qi.


    Her eyes, which had been normal earlier, was now glowing like the stars on the night sky!


    "Combined Original Spell! Holy Fire Spear: Descent of the Chaste Phoenix!"


    A massive firestorm then erupted out of Delia''s spear, covering both the Demon and the Emperor with its blaze.


    "Skriya!"


    This firestorm then transformed to become a majestic bird, who then flapped its wings as it continued to expand.


    "Skriya"!


    This bird, which looked way more majestic compared to the chicken behind the Emperor, continued to expands its fiery body, which led to more and more areas getting covered by the firestorm!


    At the center of this majestic bird, Delia''s voice could be heard as she said,


    "Heh, how does my bird compare to your chicken now, Traveler Alex? It seems like your chicken is just so-so compared to my phoenix!"


    ***************


    3 MINUTES LATER.


    "Suit up everyone. We are about to arrive." Alina''s voice, which had been the only thing that her allies heard since earlier, pierced through everyone''s ears as the space around them continued to lurch. "I know that some of you are feeling sick now, but we just need 10 more jumps. Once we did that, we can start our mission!"


    "¡­" Nobody from Alina''s allies gave any reply to her, as all of them seemed to be only waiting desperately for their current transportation to end.


    "¡­" Alina looked visibly cringed by her allies'' lackl.u.s.ter comments, but she took no note of that as she could understand their pain.


    After all, Alina just used her power to forcibly fold space and push everyone forward at extremely dizzying speeds.


    For some of them to feel sick was already a given, so the only thing that Alina and her allies could do now was to accept their current conditions.


    "Schloop."


    Ten jumps later, and the lurching of space around Alina stopped, making everyone near her sigh in relief.


    "Oh my goodness. That was the worst day of my life!" Astria, whose green face was almost close to puking, muttered out as she relaxed her grip on her chair. She then pointed a trembling finger at Alina as she muttered, "You-you-you fiendish woman! You really enjoyed making me feel like this, right?"


    "I never thought about tormenting you like this, although I certainly enjoyed seeing your face right now." Alina replied smoothly as she sneered at Astria. "So how does it feel to ride Alina''s Express? Did you enjoy it?"


    "Enjoy my ass! I prefer to just be left inside a dark room than ride on that accursed express!" Astria shot back as she glared at Alina angrily. "Oi, you woman, why do you still smirk at me like that? Do you want to fight with me right no-"


    "Boom!"


    Whatever Astria wanted to say was cut-off, as this sound of explosion forced Alina and Astria to stop.


    Their heads swiveled as they looked at the source of the sound, and at the moment that they did, their eyes narrowed as their breathing started to hasten.


    Queen Mother, Professor Frances, and all the Symbolists were looking at the source of the explosion too, and they also looked extremely serious, with some of them managing to forget that they were about to puke earlier.


    "¡­."


    Right in front of their eyes, what they could only see was a scene of apocalypse.


    Numerous broken fragments of the Red Moon freely floated across the space, which was accompanied by bodies of people floating nearby.


    The whole Red Moon was gone already, as its remaining parts were only small pieces of land, which looked pitifully small and rough.


    Massive explosions filled the area, with the explosions looking not like the typical explosions.


    Explosions laced with lightning, explosions laced with blue fire, explosions covered with deadly poison, and etc. appeared almost instantaneously, making Alina and her allies feel extremely wary right now.


    "We¡­ we just arrived four minutes since the Red Moon was destroyed, yet things had already become like this? I¡­ I am not sure if this is a good or bad thing for us." Alina thought to herself as she gritted her teeth. "Our plan to save Alex depends on whether we can join in the fight¡­ If things had already reached this state, can we still use our plan?"


    "Boom!"


    More explosions then filled the area, which just intensified Alina''s already bleak feelings.

 Chapter 285 - Hey! Please be gentle to me! This body is holy!

    In Alina''a eyes, everything that she can see below her were just a one big cl.u.s.terf**k.


    With her powerful eyes, Alina could see every single person that are fighting each other right now, and the sight that she saw did not make her confident.


    After all, Alina could see 14 people fighting each other intensely right now!


    And yes, it was these 14 people that are causing all the damages all around the area.


    "¡­" Alina could only stay quiet as she started to identify each one of these 14 fighting people.


    There''s Emperor Litch, whose whole body was filled with cuts and gashes. He was bleeding profusely, although the delighted expression on his face tells that he was not that worried at all about himself.


    Around his body, the seven Abyss Sprites could be seen, firing off every possible spell that they can fire, while Emperor Litch fired off his own spells to. Alina also saw the Emperor wielding a golden sword, which he used to both defend and attack himself.


    There seem to be 3 people that are assisting Emperor Litch right now, which was evident from the way that they protectively hovered around the Emperor.


    With a jolt, Alina realized that she actually knew these 3 people allied with Emperor Litch!


    A nerdy guy who was throwing out explosives while cackling, a beautiful woman whose casually whipping out powerful martial arts, and a small girl whose body was constantly appearing and disappearing out of the battlefield.


    These 3 people, who were ssisting Emperor Litch right now, were undoubtedly the Traveler Team that was affiliated with the Devourers!


    As she saw these 4 people working together, Alina could only feel confusion as she thought to herself,


    "Why are they all working together? Didn''t Emperor Litch destroy the Green Moon? Why would they then help him?"


    Before Alina could continue musing about this anomaly, she shook her head as she continued on observing the other fighters.


    At the left side of Alina''s vision, Alina could see another Traveler Team, which was the one affiliated with the Celestials.


    Alina saw the kimono woman, who was wielding a spear, along the bratty teenager who was throwing what looked like talismans all around her. There was also a little boy who was riding on the bratty teenager''s shoulders, with his eyes closed, as if he was in deep concentration.


    Altogether, these three people were letting out their own powerful attacks, with the kimono woman pumping out dangerous-looking abilities from her spear, and the bratty teenager summoning what looked like to be malevolent spirits.


    As for the little boy, he has a join in the fight too, as he would casually tap the kimono woman and the bratty teenager, which produces triplicate out of these two!


    These triplicates would join in the fight, using abilities that are similar to the kimono woman''s and the bratty teenager''s.


    When these triplicates were destroyed by a sudden attack, the little boy will just make another set of triplicates, which in turn stabilizes the fighting force of their team.


    "Impressive." Alina thought as she stared at this Traveler Team. "By using the little boy''s ability to triplicate, this Team was able to resist their opponents, while also dealing their own damage too¡­."


    After observing this Team, Alina focused her attention on the last group that was embroiled in the combat.


    "Weird¡­ why do I smell dad here?" Astria suddenly muttered behind Alina as the former tilted her head.


    "It''s because your dad is here." Alina replied as she pointed at the last group that she was observing.


    "Mh dad is here? But-"


    "THe Grand Symbolist is definitely here." Alina firmly said as she stared at the ensuing fight below her.


    "But how could that be? Dad¡­ he should be at my home planet!"


    "That''s what I thought so too." Alina thought grimly as she took a deep breath. "But from the looks of it, it seems like there is a conspiracy that just happened under our noses."


    "¡­"


    When Alina observed this last group, to her surprise, she realized that one of their members was actually the Grand Symbolist!


    Not only that, but the other two members of these group were actually the Grand Devourer and the Grand Celestial, whose face Alina knew from their spies.


    Leading this group was a red-skinned demon-like person, whose whole body was letting out an extremely dangerous aura.


    Right now, all these 4 were working together, with the Grand Symbolist unleashing his powerful symbols, the Grand Celestial manifesting all of his powerful constellations, the Grand Devourer using her body to manifest supernatural abilities, and the demon summoning numerous weapons while wielding a massive red tower!


    The cooperation between these 4 were so intricate and orderly that Alina could only feel shivers as she watched them fight.


    "Why¡­ why are the leaders of the Three Factions are here? And why are they following that demon?" Alina thought to herself as she cupped her chin. "Hmm¡­ that demon¡­ he exudes a feeling that is similar to Alex and that kimono woman. Does that mean that this demon is the Traveler Malthus that we heard earlier?"


    As Alina reached this conclusion, she let out the breath that she was holding in as she forced her body to relax.


    She forced her mind to be serene as she thought of the current scenario.


    "Right now, fourteen people divided into 3 teams are fighting each other." Alina thought to herself as she bit her lip. ''"Because all of them were powerful and cunning, their fight is still in stalemate. All of them had suffered numerous injuries, but none of them were either killed or incapacitated yet!"


    For Alina, this is certainly impressive, as she knew that a fight with this many people should already have produced some kind of casualties. Yet with the way that these people fought, none of that has happened yet!


    "Impressive. These people are all skilled fighters¡­." Alina thought to herself as she grabbed the hilt of her katana.


    A few seconds later, and a grin appeared on her face, as she realized that the current state of the fight below is actually favorable for her!


    "Since all of them are in a balanced situation, our plan to save Alex could be applied here!" Alina muttered to herself as fighting intent appeared on her eyes. Inside her eyes were also hope, which blossomed more as she became more and more confident about their current situation.


    "Yes, as long as the status quo here stays the same, we can definitely pull this off!"


    Now that she was sure that they can proceed, Alina slapped her cheeks lightly as she talked to her allies.


    "Professor Frances, have you finished doing it?" Alina said as she spun her head at Professor Frances'' direction. "And did you do it properly?"


    Professor Frances, who was looking extremely pale and sick, only gave Alina an aggrieved look as she said,


    "I already finished it before we left. And don''t worry about its f***ing quality. I am Professor Frances, the greatest bio-shaper in history! Urgk!" The professor then started to dry heave as she covered her mouth. "F**k, out of all the enhancements that I did on this body, I forgot to add an anti-nausea enhancement. Dammit!"


    "Okay, okay. I get it, you are really great. So umm¡­ just do your best to recover quickly now." Alina muttered as she shook her head. She then looked at Queen Mother, who gave Alina a determined nod.


    Alina did not ask her question at Queen Mother anymore, as she saw that Queen Mother was prepared to fight right now.


    Alina then looked at Astria and the Symbolists, who were slowly recovering from their sickening journey.


    Upon seeing that everything is now prepared, Alina slowly unsheathed her katana as she pointed it in front of her.


    She shuddered as she adjusted her power to its peak.


    Black threads uncoiled out of her body as the space around her began to warp.


    Everyone who was behind Alina started to act up too, as they all activated their abilities.


    Alina ignored all these happenings behind her as she thought to herself,


    "Alex, just wait for a few more minutes¡­ Trust me, we will save you!"


    ******************


    Emperor Litch was delighted right now.


    After all, he''s having a blood pumping fight with his life on the line!


    "Hahahaha! It''s been hundreds of years since I have to fight for my life this way!" Emperor Litch thought to himself as he swung his left hand, blocking the incinerating punch released by the Grand Devourer.


    Emperor Litch was unable to fully block this punch, as a portion of it went through his defense.


    "Puchi!"


    5 large gashes appeared on the Emperor''s chest, which forced the Emperor to spit out some blood.


    "Hahaha! Now this is how a fight should have been done!" Emperor Litch thought as he shot out golden lightning from his eyes. "Everything must be placed at stake right now!"


    "Boom!"


    This golden lightning hit the Grand Devourer, the kimono woman, and the demon head-on, making all three of them grunt in pain.


    Their faces turned pale for a second before they gritted their teeth to recover.


    "Hmph, so you guys are really tough! I should have expected this!" Emperor Litch then swung his golden sword as he lopped of the Grand Devourer''s head.


    "Spurt!"


    The Grand Devourer''s head flew up high in the air as Emperor Litch managed to cut her head off. But just a second later, a new head popped out of Grand Devourer''s neck, making Emperor Litch click his mouth in disappointment.


    "Tsk, this is the 4th time I cut this woman''s head off. When will she f**king stop regenerating?" The Emperor thought to himself as he gritted his teeth.


    He then looked at Ray and Noelle, who were busy facing the Grand Celestial and the kimono woman.


    Explosions rang all around them as they exchanged attacks, making even Emperor Litch sweat a little.


    Emperor Litch''s eyes narrowed while watching all the other fights around him as he realized one thing.


    "We are in a stalemate right now!" Emperor Litch thought to himself as he sent his Blue Gravity Waves towards the demon and the Grand Symbolist.


    Both were unable to dodge this attack, with their faces grimacing as injuries multiplied inside their bodies.


    Emperor Litch then pressed on with his attacks while thinking to himself,


    "With the way that everyone here is fighting, it might take a long time to see the winner. Of course I am game for that, but fighting for that long could be dangerous for me. What if some other combatants suddenly sneak in here? Won''t that make things worse, especially if those combatants decide to target me?"


    Emperor Litch''s happiness fell by a bit, as he was legitimately worried about someone suddenly making a sneak attack right now.


    As he thought of this, he decided to activate Vessel 969''s Esper Power to scan the his surroundings.


    But before he could start doing this, his whole body tensed as he sensed danger coming to him from above!


    The Emperor tried to dodge, but before he could do so, he found his whole body suddenly wrapped by thorny red vines.


    As the pain of these thorns slowed him down, Emperor Litch could only watch as a massive dimensional distortion hit him square on his chest.


    "Gah!"


    This time around, Emperor Litch spat out more blood, as his injuries just worsened!


    Two more dimensional distortions hit the Emperor on his head and torso, making the Emperor spit out more blood.


    "Boom!" The Emperor then crashed on one of the nearby floating lands, as the impact of the attacks that he received had forced him to be flung this far.


    "What the¡­." Emperor Litch thought to himself as he ripped off the vines covering his body. "Who the hell is that?"


    His face was slightly pale as used his power to accelerate his body''s healing speed.


    He stood up shakily from his spot as he tried to look for the one who had sneaked attack him.


    It did not take the Emperor that long to look for the culprit, as he saw two people rushing towards him!


    As he saw who his new attackers were, Emperor Litch could only look at them in confusion as he said,


    "How, how could you be this brazen? Why are you attacking me? Don''t you know that this body is still Vessel 969''s body?"


    The ones who just attacked Emperor Litch were Alina and Queen Mother.


    Emperor Litch could hardly believe that these two actually attacked him, since from what he can remember, these two women were Vessel 969''s allies!


    Heck, Alina was even Vessel 969''s lover!


    "Th- th- there is something wrong right now! These women should not be acting this way!"


    Ever since he has possessed Vessel 969, Emperor Litch already knew that Vessel 969''s allies will surely do something to free Vessel 969.


    Emperor Litch had no qualms about that, as he was confident that he can thwart any of their attempts.


    But right now, that confidence was replaced by the confusion, as Emperor Litch witnessed both Alina and Queen Mother attacking him with an intent to destroy him and his current body!


    "Why are you like this now? Are you all out of your minds already?"

 Chapter 286 - When the big fish comes, all the small fishes will band together!

    "Hmph, you must have thought that killing me will save Vessel 969. Hahahaha, if you were this desperat, then I think you are really all out of your minds already!" Emperor Litch declared as his body began to glow again.


    "I personally do not want to use this power, since I just want to fight my enemies with my body. But since you two had spoiled my plans, I have no choice but to subjugate you all here!"


    At that moment, Emperor Litch was about to use his aura, which had forcefully suppressed Alina and her allies 3 hours ago.


    But before he could activate his suppressive power, his body trembled as his aura started to flicker.


    "What the-"


    A few seconds later, and Emperor Litch could only stare in shock as his aura disappeared altogether.


    He tried to activate it once more, but he was stopped as an attack landed on him, blasting him away.


    "Boom!"


    This time, the attack came from the demon, who stealthily shot Emperor Litch with a particle destroyer.


    The demon could be seen wearing the largest smile on his face as he gave his weapon a soft caress.


    "Hmph, so you are trying to use your Conqueror''s Aura now? Hahahaha, what an idiot!" The demon uttered as he gave a sneer at Emperor Litch. "You think I don''t know about your Conqueror''s Aura? Dips**t, I have fought other Conquerors before! I perfectly knew how dangerous and powerful a Conqueror Aura is! Do you think I will just fight you without preparing some countermeasures against your Aura? You must be really full of bollocks to think of it that way!"


    "You, what did you do!" Emperor Litch said as he tried to activate his Conqueror''s Aura. But no matter what he tried to do, his Conqueror''s Aura did not appear.


    It was as if he never had a Conqueror''s Aura right now.


    At that moment, all the fighting in the area suddenly stopped, as everyone only stared at Emperor Litch intently.


    Delia and her allies, Alina and her allies, Malthus and his students, and Ray''s company all stared at Emperor Litch with burning looks on their eyes.


    Upon seeing their looks, Emperor Litch started to back away as he brandished his golden sword in front of him.


    Behind him, the chicken silhouette started to cackle in panic, as it seemed to have sensed the trouble that Emperor Litch was in.


    "You! All of you! Back away from me!" Emperor Litch shouted as he felt that something wrong was happening here.


    His eyes then landed on Ray and his allies, who were not looking at Emperor Litch with loyalty. Instead, they were all looking at him with intense anger, as if they want to tear the Emperor alive!


    At that moment, Emperor Litch realized that he had f**ked up.


    His aura was not working anymore, and it the people that he had subjugated like Ray were suddenly free from his subjugation!


    Not only that, but from the looks of it, everyone around the Emperor had banded together in order to attack him!


    As Emperor Litch continued to panic from the loss of his aura, everyone around him began to approach him slowly and deliberately.


    "You want to know why your aura is not working anymore?" The demon said as he began to lick his lips. Behind him, Delia let out sneer as she glared at the Emperor. "But wait, why would I even tell you that? It''s a tightly-guarded secret!"


    "You!"


    "Hahahaha! You can just say that while we are fighting each other earlier, I managed to make a deal with Delia right here." The demon said as he shrugged his shoulders. "I offered her a way to suppress your Conqueror''s Aura, which needed the assistance of her Spiritualist. At first, she did not accept my request. But after I explained to her about some things, she agreed in the end."


    "Lies! I definitely saw Delia''s murderous intent towards you! Why would she even agree to cooperate with you!" Emperor Litch said as he sent out 35 lightning bolts from his golden sword.


    As everyone used their powers to block the attack, the demon continued talking.


    "Why would Delia, someone that I almost killed, would agree to ally with me? Well, it was because of your presence." The demon then started to laugh as Delia glared at the demon murderously. "Even if she was angry with me, she recognizes your threat, Emperor Litch. After all, you are technically the strongest person here! Not only that, but we knew that you are getting stronger and stronger as time passed by. Along with your Conqueror''s Aura, that makes you an extremely volatile enemy. Do you understand how dangerous you are right now? If we let the fighting earlier continue, you will surely be the winner! Delia understood that, so she had no choice but to ally with me."


    "!!!"


    "Oh, and now that your Conqueror''s Aura is being suppressed, your hold over Traveler Ray and his allies are now gone." The demon said as he gestured at the livid Ray.


    Ray''s eyes were blazing, as the anger in them could be seen. His breaths started to come out in pants as he could be heard muttering some words.


    "You little f**ker. You made me grovel at your feet like I am your personal slave? F**k you! I will f***ing kill you!"


    Behind Ray, the assassin Noelle seemed to be in a daze, as she only stared blankly at Emperor Litch.


    Any shred of loyalty in her face was already gone, as only hatred, confusion and sadness could be seen on her.


    "Hahahaha! How do you like this, Emperor?" The demon tauntingly said as he spread his arms. "I admit that you are extremely strong. I am sure that in my current state, you will beat me in a one-on-one fight. But do I need to fight you that way? Everyone here can just fight you, and I doubt someone like you can even survive an army like us!"


    Once the demon said these words, Delia let out a shout beside him as she said,


    "Everyone! Let us kill this Emperor altogether! We cannot allow him to live!"


    "Kill!" Everyone''s eyes turned extremely murderous as they rushed towards Emperor Litch.


    Every Traveler Team, and the surviving Devourers, Celestials, and Symbolists all released their own attacks towards Emperor Litch.


    "Boom!"


    The space all around them began to twist as the sheer power of their combined attacks seemed to be just too much.


    Emperor Litch could only let out a panicked shout as he used every spell that he can use to block the attacks.


    "Oi Alina and Queen Mother! Will you just attack me too?" Emperor Litch desperately shouted as his defenses quickly crumbled. "If I die here, your chance of saving your partner will disappear! If you don''t want that to happen, then stop attacking me and start defending me!"


    "¡­." Alina and Queen Mother did not give Emperor LItch any reply, as both of them continued attacking the Emperor.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    Emperor Litch could only let out a pitiful cry as Symbols, Constellations, numerous manifestations, weapons, dimensional distortions, deadly plants, Spear Abilities, Martial Arts, explosions, and spirits were all bombarded towards him.


    "Boom!"


    ****************


    THREE MINUTES LATER.


    "Hahahaha! So the Emperor is about to fall now! This is really a glorious way to end! you" The demon shouted in glee as he stared at Emperor Litch. "Ohoho, don''t glare at me like that! You want fights like this right?"


    "¡­." Even if the Emperor wanted to give a reply, it was impossible for him now to do so, not with the current state of his body.


    "¡­"


    Emperor Litch was critically injured, with his skin almost flayed into nothingness. His muscles, bones, and organs were all visible, with the entirely of them also broken.


    Blood was freely flowing from his body, creating s sticky red pool underneath his foot.


    The valiant expression on his face was already gone, as it was only replaced by an extremely agonized look.


    "You really are in impressive person. All of us attacked you with the intent to kill, yet you still managed to hold on for three minutes. You truly have the blood of a Conqueror." The demon said as he let out a small smile. "From what I can see now, you are already at the brink of death. You can''t defend yourself anymore, right? Well in that case, let us give you one last attack that will send you to your oblivion!"


    "¡­"


    Emperor Litch did not say anything else, as he only stared at the army that is facing him. His eyes narrowed as his pained expression turned into a dignified one.


    He then slowly straightened his body as he held his golden sword tightly. He slowly pointed sword above him, waving it above his head, as if he was taunting everyone to attack him.


    It was a fearless gesture, but right now, it was also a futile one.


    "Hmph, trying to act brave now? Well, that won''t help you at all!" The demon shouted as he raised his right hand. "Everyone! Let''s send this guy to his end!"


    Space trembled once more as everyone''s attacks began to blot the sky. They then fell down, as they headed towards the Emperor''s extremely frail body.


    As he saw this happening, the demon closed his eyes, as he already imagined the sight of the Emperor''s mutilated corpse in his mind.


    "Ah, I am so hungry right now." The demon thought to himself as he licked his lips. "I wonder how a Conqueror would taste like? I have never tasted one before! He must be delicious¡­"


    The demon then began to salivate as he thought of the different dishes that he can make with the Emperor''s corpse.


    ''"Ah, maybe making meatballs would be a viab-"


    The demon''s cooking fantasies were cut off as suddenly he felt uneasy.


    "What?" At the moment that he felt this unease, the demon stiffened up. He then sharpened his senses as he tried to detect where his uneasiness came from.


    After a moment of looking, the demon paused as he realized that his unease was being caused by Alina, the katana wielding woman!


    "!!!" At the moment that he made this realization, the demon let out a shout as he rushed towards Alina, who seemed to be pulling something out of her Storage.


    Right now, the demon was 100% sure that Alina was about to do something unexpected, and with his unease, the demon knew that whatever Alina does will be detrimental to him!


    "You woman! Stop whatever you are trying to do!" The demon shouted as he sent some of his weapons towards Alina. "We had a pact here to kill Emperor Litch! Don''t try to interfere with that!"


    "¡­"


    Upon hearing what the demon said, Alina only gave him a light smile, ignoring the approaching weapons her body as she said,


    "Don''t worry Traveler Malthus, I am still planning to kill Emperor Litch. However, I am also trying to save someone. So please get out of my way."


    "!!!"

 Chapter 287 - Calamity of the Seven Sins!

    "Bastards. All of you are bastards!" Emperor Litch thought angrily to himself as he watched the attacks that are about to rain down on him. "You dare make me fall to ruin? Hmph, once I get out of this dilemma, I will make sure that I will make you all suffer!"


    Right now, Emperor Litch''s whole body was riddled with fatal injuries, as he could only barely keep his bodily functions working.


    Most of his bones, muscles, and organs were broken, and it was only his sheer will that allowed him to stand up.


    He could only barely grimace as his lips were almost mutilated now.


    "F**k. I have overestimated myself." Emperor Litch thought as he gritted his teeth. "Right now, I only have around 40% of my real power restored. I thought that this would be enough for me to win here. But it seems like I am mistaken¡­"


    The Emperor then looked at the demon, as shades of rage appeared inside his heart.


    "You f**king demon! I do not know how you managed to suppress my Conqueror''s Aura, but I promise that if I leave this place alive, you will be the first one that I will kill!"


    After making this promise inside his mind, Emperor Litch smiled grimly as the attacks landed all over him.


    "Argh!"


    Pain.


    Emperor Litch only felt pain as his body started to break down under the attacks of his enemies. It was so painful that he was forced to kneel down, which just added another blow on his ego.


    At that point, any confidence that Emperor LIich had has now disappeared, as panic rose in his thoughts.


    "No! I am dying right now!" The Emperor thought to himself as he realized that once his current body gets destroyed, even his soul will be destroyed too! "S**t s**t s**t!"


    Earlier, Emperor Litch thought that there is a chance for his soul to survive, even if his current body gets destroyed from the battle.


    But as his current body was slowly getting dismantled, Emperor Litch felt that his soul was also starting to break down along with the body!


    This, in itself, was already enough to show to Emperor Litch that his life was about to end here.


    "No! I can''t die here! I am the glorious Emperor Litch! I am the founder of the great Undying Empire! I cannot just be slain at a place like this!" Desperation began to flood the Emperor''s mind as he realized that his long life was about to end now.


    "No!!!" At this point, Emperor LItch lost any semblance of calm, as he quickly turned into a crazed person.


    "I can''t die here! No! I can''t die here!"


    Out of his desperation, Emperor Litch tried to use any powers that his current body has to protect him, but it was already too late.


    The Emperor had already brought his body to its current limits, and there is no way for him to make it move anymore.


    "No!!!" What remained of Emperor Litch''s face began to turn feral as he abandoned all kinds of rational thoughts.


    At this moment, he forgot all of his ambitions and dreams as he only thought of one thing.


    "Survive! I must survive!"


    These 4 words rang inside the Emperor''s mind continuously, making him almost attached to these words.


    "Survive! I must survive!" Emperor Litch already ditched his schemes and suspicions, as he desperately used the last of his strength to look for a way to survive!


    With the state that he is in now, Emperor Litch was barely conscious.


    He only had a sliver of sanity left, and this was also rapidly fading as the Emperor felt his death approaching him.


    "No! No! No! Why must I die here? I cannot die!"


    As the remains of his rational thoughts began to fade away, Emperor Litch forced his eyes to open as he desperately observed the skies above him.


    Maybe, maybe there was just a chance for him to survive¡­


    It was a longshot, but with the Emperor almost losing all of his mental faculties, something like this is the best thing that he can do.


    "¡­"


    All hope seems to have been lost for Emperor Litch, but it was at times like these that his luck starts to favor him.


    "!!!"


    Emperor Litch, who was about to become mad from his desperation to live, suddenly found hope as he saw Alina''s actions!


    Alina, who was not attacking the Emperor anymore, pulled something out of her Storage.


    Once Alina had pulled out this object, she wasted no time as she threw it towards Emperor Litch!


    As the object approached him, the despair in Emperor Litch''s heart began to recede. His eyes lit up crazily as he stared at the object with intensity!


    His despondency disappeared, as a powerful will to survive erupted out of his body!


    "Hahaha! Heavesns have not abandoned me! I really am a chosen one!" Emperor Litch thought to himself as he started to cackle mentally like a mad person. He ignored all of the attacks landing on his body as he waited for the arrival of the object thrown by Alina.


    "Survive! I can survive now!" Emperor Litch thought happily as his whole body trembled in happiness.


    "Stop him!" The Emperor could faintly hear the demon shouting these words, but Emperor Litch knew that the demon was already too late.


    The object was already 5 meters away from him, making it possible for the Emperor to use his technique.


    "Houm¡­"


    Emperor Litch eyes then glowed black as a sinister aura erupted out of his body.


    He heard wailing sounds all around him, which all attempted to make him feel guilty.


    Emperor Litch ignored all of these awails as he focused on the present.


    He forced his mouth to go wide open as he chanted inside his mind,


    "Initiate Soul Transfer!"


    **************


    The object thrown by Alina towards Emperor Litch was, in all terms, the best thing that Emperor Litch could receive right now.


    That could already be seen from the way that Emperor Litch reacted as he saw the object.


    But why did the Emperor become this happy?


    Well, the answer to that was actually both simple and praisewrothy.


    As it turns out, the object thrown by Alina was actually a perfect clone of Alex''s body!


    A clone of Alex''s body, which was stored by Alina in her Storage, was now thrown away by Alina towards none other than Emperor Litch himself!


    For Emperor Litch, the appearance of this body clone was like a heaven-sent gift for him!


    After all, since this body was a clone of Vessel 969, then Emperor Litch can easily use his Soul Transfer on this clone!


    The similarities between Vessel 969 and this clone was surely high, that there will be no problem for the Emperor even if he possesses the clone!


    "Hahaha!" As he activated his Soul Transfer Technique, Emperor Litch began to laugh inwardly as his eyes started to close. "I''m really lucky! Now I can leave this highly injured body, and possess this clone! Hahahaha! By doing this, I will be able to escape death! Hahahaha! Heavens had indeed blessed me!"


    Because his mind was muddled by desperation and panic, Emperor Litch forgot to feel suspicious on the circ.u.mstances regarding the sudden appearance of this clone.


    Emperor Litch forgot the fact that it was Alina who brought out the clone, and that she was the one who threw it to him.


    The Emperor also forgot on how it seemed like Alina had meant to give the clone to him.


    The Emperor also forgot the fact that the clone appeared only when he was close to dying, as if Alina was only meant to give it to him at this point.


    Emperor Litch ignored all of these warning flags as his mind was only preoccupied on him surviving right now.


    "Survive! I will survive! Hahahahahaha!" Emperor Litch thought as his Soul Transfer Technique began to show its effect.


    "Hong~"


    The Emperor''s soul, which had been nestled inside Alex all this time, rushed out of Alex''s body as it headed towards the chest of the clone!


    "Bloop."


    This faint sound could be heard as the Emperor''s soul made contact with the clone''s skin.


    His soul, which now looked like a white ball, then started to seep through the clone''s chest.


    Everyone saw what had just happened, but it happened so quickly that none of them were able to stop it.


    "Hahaha! I survived!" Emperor Litch thought to himself as his soul was now halfway assimilating with the clone.


    With the speed that his soul was assimilating with the clone, it will only take another 0.1 seconds before his soul fully melds with the clone.


    "Hahaha! Suck this, you little f**kers!" Emperor Litch thought as his soul was now 80% assimilated to the clone''s body. "You never expected me to have this luck, right? Hahahaha! Too bad for you all, I am the lucky Emperor Litch!"


    Emperor Litch then continued giggling inside his mind as he ruminated on the power of his Soul Transfer Technique.


    The Soul Transfer Technique, in its entirety, was just simple.


    By using this technique, Emperor Litch can force his soul to leave his current body. Once he did this, his soul will then assimilate itself on another body, which will be Emperor Litch''s new body.


    This technique might sound simple, but for one to succeed in this technique, one must have an extremely powerful soul and have perfect vessels for his soul to be transferred to.


    Luckily for Emperor Litch, he has fulfilled both of these criteria with flying colors.


    And right now, this luck seems to be working for him again, as he just used his soul transfer on another perfect vessel!


    "Once I had assimilated with this body, I will make a temporary retreat first." Emperor Litch thought to himself as his soul became 90% assimilated with his new body. "After that, I will slowly recover my forces and once I have my full power back, I will come back here and exact my revenge on all of you!"


    Emperor Litch then continued cackling as his soul assimilation reached 99% percent.


    "Lucky, I am really lucky!"


    At this point, Emperor Litch''s mind was filled with relief and smugness, as he thought that this world was favoring for him to succeed.


    Everyone who saw what just happened thought the same thing too.


    Emperor Litch could have continued gloating, but he was forced to stop as he suddenly felt something wrong!


    He looked back at Vessel 969''s body, and at the moment that he did, his metaphorical eyes widened in surprise!


    Emperor Litch could only stare dumbfoundedly as he felt a spark of life from Vessel 969''s body, which he had already abandoned!


    Vessel 969, who should have been already dead, was seemingly still alive!


    Emperor Litch then started to feel alarmed as Vessel 969 suddenly opened his eyes!


    "!!!"


    Emperor Litch started to feel uneasy with what he was seeing, especially when Vessel 969 started to stare at him intently.


    Vessel 969 then gave Emperor Litch a sneer with his already destroyed lips.


    "You-"


    Emperor Litch started to hasten his assimilation with his new body, but at the moment that the assimilation reached 99.99%, an extremely powerful aura erupted out of Vessel 969''s drained body.


    Greed, Gluttony, Wrath, Pride, Envy, L.u.s.t, and Sloth all appeared behind Alex, with power emanating out of their bodies.


    Before Emperor Litch could react to their appearance, these 7 Abyss Sprites opened their mouths as they all said,


    "Original Spell: Calamity of the Seven Sins!"

 Chapter 288 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student

    (((Author''s Note: Just like what the title says, this chapter is about Asteria when she was still studying to become a Guide.)))


    Asteria: Hey Celeste, we need to steal more stuff from the Spire!


    Celeste: Asteria, are you serious? Do you know how dangerous your plan is? You know what happens to those that gets caught!


    Asteria: Hmph, as if I care about that. Only hoomans guard that place. As long as we time our entrance right, we can get the stuff that we want!


    Celeste: But¡­ stealing is bad, right?


    Asteria: Bad my ass! Celeste, do you remember what we are studying for?


    Celeste: Um¡­ we are studying to become Guides.


    Asteria: Exactly! We are studying to become Guides!


    Celeste: But how can that justify what you are trying to do now?


    Asteria: Celeste¡­ can you explain the Mission of a Guide to me?


    Celeste: A Guide''s Mission is to guide a Traveler on his/her journey in way that will allow that Traveler to succeed. Any method can be used to guide a Traveler, as long as it will not violate the 7 Rules laid down by the Endless Monarch.


    Asteria: You see that? We can use any method to guide a Traveler!


    Celeste: But how is that related here?


    Asteria: Celeste, once we become Guides, we will have to face a lot of things. There will come a point that we have to resort to crimes just for us to survive. Celeste, I know that you are a mild person, but you also need to have a sly heart! This offer of mine to steal from the Spire? It is your chance to develop your slyness! Come on, Celeste, this is your chance to be a better Guide!


    Celeste: Asteria¡­ will I really become a better Guide if I follow what you said?


    Asteria: Trust me! It will really help you out! Besides, when did I ever fool you?


    Celeste: Um, there was a time that you made me get eggs inside a cave and you said that it will be safe there. But when I went in, a large c.o.c.katrice suddenly chased me!


    Asteria: Ah well, my sources said that the c.o.c.katrice was dead¡­.


    Celeste: Then there was a time that you made me distribute flyers about the supposed ''corruption'' in our school. Do you know what happened after that? Teacher Kuro arrested me then threatened to expel me!


    Asteria: You know Teacher Kuro, she likes threatening us.


    Celeste: Asteria, even if you are currently the number 1 student here and is the highest prospect among newbie Guides, there are still some rules that you cannot just bend!


    Asteria: Bend the rules? Hahahaha, when did I ever do that?


    Celeste: Do you remember that incident with the Cloudfire Bees?


    Asteria: Oh that one¡­ it was fun, right?


    Celeste: Fun? 100 bees almost killed me! They all want to pierce my body with their stingers! You call that fun?


    Asteria: Didn''t you say before that you like getting roughed up? Those bees must have given you some good time.


    Celeste: Argh! I don''t swing that way! I am not a masochist, and I am not a deviant that likes insects! Those bees are just cruel bastards!


    Asteria: Oh, so you are not a masochist. Then what is that thing that I saw you doing with a junior yesterday? From what I can remember, you are tied up while saying ''Ah Timothy, please rumple my wings more!''.


    Celeste: Argh!!! How the hell did you see that! I made sure that that place is sealed!


    Asteria: Hoho, so you are not even denying what I said. Timothy huh. He is your assistant for this year, right? He must be really good at rumpling your wings¡­


    Celeste: ¡­.


    Asteria: My, my, Celeste. I thought you were just a meek girl. As it turns out you have a hidden side like this!


    Celeste: Hey! Forget about my own private life for now! Aren''t we talking about your attempt to steal something from the Spire?


    Asteria: What, are you interested now?


    Celeste: Of course not!


    Asteria: Oh, how''s Teofilo''s condition nowadays? Last time I heard he got a detention again from Teacher Kuro.


    Celeste: Asteria, don''t you dare.


    Asteria: Hmm, I wonder what would Teofilo do once he discovers that you were having some S&M fun with one of the students here...


    Celeste: Oi, oi, oi, don''t you dare tell him!


    Asteria: Well, I will not tell him, but my tongue could slip. If only someone will join me on stealing from the Spire¡­


    Celeste: You meanie! You are blackmailing me right now!


    Asteria: Blackmail? What is that? Can you eat that?


    Celeste: Hey! Don''t act dumb now! You are clearly blackmailing me!


    [Someone interrupts the conversation between the two.]


    Teofilo: Did I just hear someone say blackmail?


    Celeste: Ah Teofilo! You just misheard it! I actually said-


    Asteria: Oh Teofilo! How did your detention go?


    Teofilo: My detention? Hah, that b**ch Kuro made me write 1,000 iterations of ''I will be a good boy''. Imagine that? 1, 000 f**king times! That b**ch surely must have some grudge with me!


    Celeste: Hey Teofilo! Mind your language! Teacher Kuro might hear you!


    Teofilo: So what if she is? She only spends her free time drinking that disgusting cola of hers. There is no way that she will be able to hear us here!


    Celeste: But-


    Asteria: Hey Teofilo, I have something special to do later. Do you want to join us?


    Teofilo: Something special?


    Asteria: Hehehe, I am planning to steal some stuff from the Spire! Are you interested on joining?


    Teofilo: Motherf**ker. You want to steal something from the Spire? Are you out of your mind?


    Asteria: Hmph, if you don''t want to join, then don''t. And please stop cussing here.


    Teofilo: Who said that I will not join? Of course I will join! Stealing from the Spire! Damn girl, that''s the best thing that I can do today!


    Celeste: Hey Teofilo! You can''t just-


    Teofilo: Celeste, you will be joining us too, right?


    Celeste: Um sorry, but I-


    Asteria: Hey Teofilo, do you remember that guy named Timothy? That freshman who was assigned to be Celeste''s assistant for this year? As it turns out, he is actually-


    Celeste: Oh! I actually have some free time today! Yes, I am available today! I-I-I can join you two!


    Teofilo: Now that''s good!


    Asteria: Hahaha! The Big Three is off to another great adventure again!


    Celeste: Huhuhu, I just want a peaceful life. How did I even become friends with you two?


    [Someone enters the room again. Temperature dropped as Celeste, Asteria, and Teofilo started to feel cold.]


    Kuro: Hmph, what are you three doing here, huddling that way? Are you planning something suspicious again?


    Asteria: Ah Teacher Kuro! It''s nice to see you today! How did you like that cola that I sent you?


    Kuro: Oh it tasted good. Where did you even get that?


    Asteria: Hehehe, a maiden''s got to keep some of her secrets!


    Teofilo: A maiden? You are even more boyish than most of us here! You even-urgh!


    Asteria: Teofilo, please keep quiet. Teacher Kuro is talking.


    Kuro: Why are we even talking about cola here? I am here because I saw you three talking suspiciously again! Tell me, what is it that you three are planning to do now?


    Asteria: Nani? We''re not planning anything!


    Teofilo: We are just having some kind of pep talk.


    Celeste: Um, actually, these two are-


    Asteria: Timothy.


    Celeste: These two are planning to buy you some good cola later! They just want to surprise you!


    Kuro: Oh really? Hahaha! You three are really good students!


    Asteria: Aw teacher, you don''t need to praise us like that. We really are good students!


    Kuro: Sigh, nevermind. I see that your ego is still as whole as ever, Asteria.


    Asteria: Hehehe¡­


    Teofilo: So um teacher Kuro, can we go now? We need to go out now and buy your cola.


    Kuro: If it were the normal situation, I will allow you three to go out and buy me cola. But right now, I have to stop you three from leaving.


    Teofilo: What?


    Asteria: Hey teacher! We did not do anything wrong! Why are you-


    Kuro: I am not detaining you three. There''s just a special event today, so every student will be barred from leaving until the event is finished.


    Teofilo: A special event? What kind of event is it that it could even warrant such strict protocols? Will someone important visit our school?


    Kuro: You''re right on point, Teofilo. Someone is indeed visiting this place.


    Teofilo: But how could that visitor be this important?


    Asteria: Yes! How could that visitor be important! Our school is owned by one of the strongest bigshots in the Multiverse! There is no way that our school will just be so courteous to a visitor!


    Kuro: What if I tell you that our visitor is this school''s owner itself? Will you still think the same way?


    Celeste: Fue?


    TEofilo: Th-th-the owner himself is visiting our school? But isn''t the-


    Asteria: Isn''t the owner currently deep in meditation? Why would the owner suddenly be awake now?


    Kuro: Don''t ask me. I don''t know what the hell is happening here. The Dean just told the faculty earlier that the owner is about to visit this school. Naturally, he told us to do our best to please the owner once he arrives. And that responsibility lies on me too.


    Asteria: Uh oh, I think I get what teacher Kuro is planning here.


    Teofilo: Hehehe teacher, can I go to the bathroom? I want to pee a little¡­


    Kuro: You three are the best students among the current batch of student Guides. Your performances are exemplary in all levels, and all teachers are praising your talents. You three are gem of the current generation.


    Celeste: Fue?


    Asteria: Um teacher, can I go to the bathroom too? I am about to have a big one.


    Kuro: With your talents, I am sure that the owner will be highly pleased once he meets you three. Don''t you think so too?


    Asteria: Ah! It''s coming already! My big one is coming already!


    Teofilo: I''m about to pee¡­.


    Celeste: Fue?


    Kuro: Since I am sure that you three can adapt quickly to any situation, I have decided to bring you three to meet the owner himself! Isn''t that just great?


    Asteria: Oh it''s coming out! It''s so big!


    Teofilo: Psk psk psk! Ah my pee is about to come out!


    Celeste: W-w-we are about to meet the Endless Monarch himself? Argh!!!!


    Kuro: ¡­..

 Chapter 289 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student Part 2

    10 MINUTES LATER


    Celeste: Teacher Kuro, can I ask something?


    Kuro: Of course you can Celeste. I will answer any of your questions. After all, you are a kind kid. You are way more suited to this batch''s topnotcher rather than Asteria. Sigh, why did it have to be Asteria?


    Teofilo: Hahaha! Well said, well said!


    Asteria: Hey teacher! I just gave you cola earlier!


    Kuro: Zip it you two. Or do you want detention later?


    Teofilo: ¡­


    Asteria: ¡­


    Celeste: Well um, teacher Kuro, today will be the first time that we will see the Endless Monarch up close and personal. Before, we had only seen him on our books¡­


    Kuro: So? What is the problem with that?


    Celeste: Well um, I just wonder if we will be okay once we meet the Endless Monarch later¡­


    Kuro: Hah? What nonsense are you spouting Celeste? Of course you will be okay!


    Celeste: But¡­


    Kuro: But what?


    Celeste: Well, I have been hearing some rumors that the reason that the Endless Monarch had been meditating was because he''s starting to get insane¡­ Of course I know that these rumors could be fake, but some of the basis of these rumors are actually true. So I just thought that-


    Kuro: Whatever you are thinking right now, you should immediately forget it.


    Celeste: But-


    Kuro: The Endless Monarch is the one who took us in here. He took care of this palce, and provided us with the chance to save our friends and family! He did all that for us! And now you, a student Guide, is actually believing some rumors slandering the Endless Monarch himself? Do you even understand what you are saying now?


    Celeste: Ah-um-we-sigh¡­. T-t-teacher Kuro, I''m sorry for becoming this impertinent. I just like listening to conspiracy theories, and the rumors about the Endless Monarch is just so¡­ juicy.


    Asteria: Hahaha! Is it as juicy as a beehive filled with honey? If it is, then those rumors must be delicious!


    Celeste: ¡­


    Teofilo: ¡­.


    Kuro: ¡­ Well anyways, as long as you three do not do anything that will offend the Endless Monarch himself, you three will be fine. That means that you, Asteria, should not do any pranks later! As for you Teofilo, make yourself look dignified! That sleazy appearance of yours must not be seen by the Endless Monarch. As for you Celeste¡­


    Celeste: Yes teacher?


    Kuro: Just act like the way that you are acting now. But don''t you ever bring up or even mention any rumors about the Endless Monarch, especially when you are in front of him! DO you understand that?


    Celeste: Um yes, teacher!


    Kuro: Hmph, I know that you three are all exceptional and bright. Many others think so too. SO please don''t disappoint the Endless Monarch later with your performance.


    Asteria: Wiat a minute. A performance? We are supposed to do a performance for the Endless Monarch?


    Kuro: Why yes of course. What do you think you will do there? Talk to him like he was your friend? Of course not! You three were chosen by our faculty to entertain the Endless Monarch!


    Asteria: Hold on! Do you think that we can just pull out a performance out of our tight ass right here? Do you think that we are that talented?


    Teofilo: Teacher Kuro, you know that I am an entertainer by heart. But this? This is too much even for me! You want me, who''s a ''sleazy guy'', Celeste, who was always shy, and Asteria ,who¡­ clearly is not a good performer, to entertain the Endless Monarch himself! The one who''s considered to be among the strongest in the Multiverse! You want us, 3 hand-sized creatures, to do something that will entertain him? Teacher Kuro, I think the faculty just wants us dead¡­


    Kuro: Well, no matter what you think now, you have no choice but to perform. As for your performance, it will be up to you three to think.


    Celeste: But-


    Kuro: Right now, the Endless Monarch is alreadt at his office. Any moment now, he will call for you three to enter his office. Before that happens, think already of something that you can do to entertain him! If you don''t do that, even I am not sure on what will happen to you three.


    Asteria: Motherf***er! Why did you just tell it to us now! You should have said this later!


    Kuro: Well, the Endless Monarch said that I should only tell you about the performance minutes before you will be called at his office.


    Celeste: Fue?


    Kuro: He said that since you three are the best Guides in the current batch, you will surely have no problems thinking up of something to entertain him! Well, that''s what his expectations are. But from what I can see here, it seems like he''s bound to get disappointed.


    Asteria: Oh no, we are so dead. Ah!! My mind is getting blank! I am about to faint!


    Teofilo: Ahh!!! My head is so light! I am about to faint too!


    Celeste: Ah oh yes! I will also faint! Kyaa!!! I''m about to lose consciousness!


    Kuro: ¡­


    Kuro: You brats! Do you want to get some beating right no-


    [Boom! Boom! Boom!]


    [Boom! Boom! Boom!]


    [Boom! Boom! Boom!]


    [The area all around Kuro and her students started to shake]


    Asteria: Eh? Why is everything shaking now? Is there an earthquake?


    Teofilo: Idiot! Why would an earthquake happen here? We are inside a structure floating in space! We cannot just have an earthquake!


    Asteria: Oh right, I forgot about that.


    Celeste: Teacher Kuro, what is happening here? Isn''t our school filled with countless formations and defensive measures that will keep the school stable?


    Kuro: I don''t know! Let me contact my superiors first!


    Asteria: Oh teacher Kuro! Are you using your phone to contact them now?


    Kuro: Yes, yes I am! Can you please shut up while I talk to them?


    Asteria: Do you have games in your phone?


    Kuro: Shut up! I am talking to the dean right now!


    [Boom! Boom! Boom!]


    [Boom! Boom! Boom!]


    [Boom! Boom! Boom!]


    Kuro: Oh no¡­


    Celeste: Teacher Kuro, what did the dean say to you? Did something break inside the school?


    Asteria: Maybe two giants decided to you know, ''have some fun'' somewhere inside the school. Hehehe, with their sizes, I am sure that their ''funtime'' is strong enough to shake the school!


    Teofilo: For gods'' sake Asteria. Please keep quiet!


    Kuro: Everyone! We should evacuate the school right now!


    [[Kuro flies away quickly. Her three students follow her]]


    Asteria: Eh why teacher? Did two giants really do it?


    Kuro: No! It''s something much worse than that!


    [Angry voice]: You f**kers! You dare to attack this place even with me here? What guts you all have!


    Asteria: Um, who is the one who just shouted? He''s scary.


    Kuro: That''s the Endless Monarch. As for why he is like that right now, its because there are some people who are making a move against him now!


    Asteria: Making a move against the Endless Monarch? Don''t tell me¡­


    Kuro: A massive congregation of forces just appeared outside our school! Right now, this congregation is attacking our school with all of their might!


    Asteria: Oh? So that''s just the problem? Hmph, with the strength of the Endless Monarch that congregation is nothing to him!


    Kuro: Idiot! Do you even know the forces inside this congregation?


    Teofilo: Well, we do not know. Care free to tell it to us?


    Kuro: 100 Seventh Stage Beings, 57 Eight Stage Beings, and 11 Ninth Stage Beings. That''s the majority of the attacking force!


    Asteria: What the f**k! That''s just too much! Are they trying to incite a war here?


    Kuro: Oh, the dean also said that the ones leading this congregation were 3 Tenth Stage beings!


    Teofilo: Th-th-three Tenth Stage Beings! Heavens! That''s three Monarchs just outside our school! Why the hell are they here! Did they forget about the treaty between all the Tenth Stage Beings?


    Kuro: The hell if I know the answer to that. Right now, all that we can do is only escape! We have no way of fighting against the invaders! Leave the fighting to the officials of the school!


    Asteria: Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! Our school is being attacked by three Monarchs! What the hell is happening here? Why are they doing this? Are they not afraid of the Endless Monarch?


    Kuro: From the looks of it, it seems like they have a plan against the Endless Monarch. Maybe, they thought that they had a chance to win against him today¡­


    Teofilo: Bulls**t! With the power that the Endless Monarch have, there is no way that he can lose!


    Celeste: Yes! There is no way that the Endless Monarch will lose! After all, he''s really strong!


    Kuro: Settle down you three! I will call the dean again. I will ask him on where we shall go right now!


    [Boom! Boom! Boom!]


    30 SECONDS LATER


    Kuro: Oh no¡­


    Asteria: What''s the matter teacher? Did something bad happen again?s


    Kuro: The dean, he¡­ he just told me the identities of the invading Monarchs!


    Asteria: !!!


    Teofilo: !!!


    Celeste: !!!


    Kuro: The Infernal Monarch, the Immortal Monarch, and the Martial Monarch! They are the ones that are attacking this place!


    Asteria: Those three? Teacher, you are kidding right?


    Kuro: I am not kidding right now! Oh god¡­ this is just the worst!


    Teofilo: The Infernal Monarch¡­ it was said that with his power, he managed to conquer 7 Planes under his rule. His power is all-encompassing, and he crushed anyone that is at the same stage as him. As for the Immortal Monarch, his rise to power was so abrupt, that it only took him 1,000 years to reach his current level! He easily subjugated his homeland Plane, and he turned it into a powerhouse in just a short amount of time! As for the Martial Monarch, it was said that in terms of physical body and martial techniques, there is nobody in the Multiverse that can best him!


    Asteria: Those three freaks are the ones attacking this place right now? Oh no, this is not good!


    Kuro: All of you! Stop talking right now! The dean just told me that anyone that is below Seventh Stage should go to the Escape Formation Array at the lowest part of the school! They will have to use that formation to escape from this place!


    Asteria: Below Seventh Stage? Oh goodie! We can still stay alive!


    Teofilo: Huhuhuh¡­ I wish luck for everyone that will stay and defend our school¡­ I will never forget your contributions.


    Celeste: Teacher Kuro, the Endless Monarch will be okay, right?


    Kuro: Of course he will. He is the Endless Monarch. He is one of the oldest Monarchs in the Multiverse! There is no way that he will just lose!


    Asteria: Hehehehe, don''t you worry Celeste. Even if there are three powerful Monarchs outside, I am sure that the Endless Monarch will win against them! When did our owner even lose?


    Celeste: Yes! The Endless Monarch will not lose! He is the best after all!


    Teofilo: Yeah that''s right. Those that are attacking right now will regret doing this! Hahaha! I am sure that tomorrow, we will see the corpses of the invaders!


    Kuro: You three! Shut up and follow me! We cannot waste any more time here!


    Asteria: Okay, okay. We will keep quiet no- HOLY S**T! THE DEFENSIVE SHIELD JUST BROKE! TEACHER KURO! A MASSIVE FIREBALL IS ABOUT TO HIT US! WE SHOULD FIND A CO-


    [[[BOOOOOOOMMMM!!!!]]]

 Chapter 290 - Will a flashback happen next?

    "What?" Delia, whose body was already tight from excitement, could not help but be wary at the sudden turn of the events.


    Her body, which was prepared to kill Emperor Litch, suddenly stopped as she looked at her target.


    "What the hell is happening here?" This was all that Delia could think off as she stared down. "Why¡­ why is there a perfect copy of Traveler Alex''s body beside him? And why is it in perfect condition!"


    Right now, Delia saw the heavily injured body of Emperor Litch, and a perfectly healthy body, which also looked similar to him!


    Delia, with her freakish tongue, could definitely say that the taste around the air of Emperor Litch and the copy body was almost the same!


    It was as if these two were just similar, even at the most fundamental level!


    "Something fishy is obviously happening here!" Delia thought to herself as she remembered that it was Alina who threw the copy body towards Emperor Litch. "That Alina¡­ she surely had some hidden plans and she is just implementing it now!"


    At the moment that she thought of this, Delia had decided to end Emperor Litch''s life immediately, so that there will be no more problems that might crop up.


    But before she could even gather her Spear Qi and Holy Energy to make an attack, she saw another thing that made her surprised.


    A white blob of light suddenly shot out of Emperor Litch''s chest, which then headed straight towards the copy body.


    The whole thing happened instantaneously, and before Delia could know it, the white blob of light was inside the copy body already.


    "What the?" Delia was once more confused when she saw this, but her confusion was immediately wiped away when Tong''er started to talk to her.


    "Sis Delia! That white blob right there¡­ that is a soul!" Tong''er telepathically said to Delia as she also saw what had happened.


    "A soul?" Delia replied mentally as her eyes widened. "Are you sure about that?"


    "Yes Sis Delia, I am sure." Tong''er replied quickly. "I am a spiritualist, and I can perfectly understand and see the flow of souls and spirits. That white blob really is a soul, and from its size and brightness, I can say that it is an extremely powerful soul!"


    Delia was already surprised by this, but her surprise just increased after hearing Tong''er''s next words.


    "Sis Delia, this is only my conjecture, but there is a high possibility that the soul of our target left his body and proceeded to possess that copy body!" Tong''er said as she grabbed Delia''s shoulders. "Sis Delia, if we don''t do anything now, Traveler Alex will be able to occupy a healthy body! That will surely be bad for all of us!"


    "Oh s**t! So that is what this vixen is actually planning to do?" Delia snarled as she held her spear tightly. "So she wanted to save Traveler Alex''s life by making his soul possess another body? Hmph, something is really fishy here, but there is no way that I will just let Traveler Alex escape with a healthy body!"


    Delia then raised her spear as she decided to use one of her forbidden Spear Arts. It will surely require Delia to pay some price to use this art, but right now, Delia did not care about this.


    She knew that she had to kill Traveler Alex now, or something disastrous might happen to them later!


    But just like what happened to her earlier, Delia''s attempt to attack was once again interrupted.


    This time, the surprise came from the heavily injured body Emperor Litch.


    This body, who Tong''er said should have no soul at all, suddenly opened its eyes!


    "!!!" As Delia saw this, her Holy Energy started to roil and seethe, as if her Holy Energy was provoked greatly.


    Before Delia could make sense on what her Holy Energy was doing, she suddenly saw seven miniature figures materializing beside the heavily injured body of Emperor Litch.


    These seven figures, which Delia already had the luxury of fighting against earlier, all opened their eyes as they stared at the copy body with hostility.


    A powerful aura erupted out of these seven, which was followed by them chanting an Incantation that made Delia''s Holy Energy howl in anger.


    "Original Spell: Calamity of the Seven Sins!"


    "!!!"


    Delia''s whole body started to shiver as Delia felt fear towards her heavily injured opponent.


    This person, who should have been close to dying already, was now emanating a dangerous aura that forced Delia to rethink her actions!


    "An original Abyss Spell? This is not good!" Delia thought to herself as she immediately realized why her Holy Energy was acting like this. "So Traveler Alex had something like this¡­ But why did he just activate it at this moment? Does he want to use it on us right now? But that does not make sense!"


    Just a second after Delia had these thoughts, the space around Traveler Alex started to warp as the effects of his Original Abyss Spell started to take form.


    "Hong~"


    A massive, 7-branched tree appeared behind Traveler Alex, with the size of the tree even dwarfing the size of the demon''s Demonic Tower.


    The whole tree seemed to be pulsing with malice, with each of its 7 branches towering imperiously above everyone.


    Right now, 6 of the 7 branches were dim and lifeless, as if they were not alive at all.


    Only 1 branch looks to be alive, and it was glowing with a sickly green glow that made Delia and the others extremely nauseous.


    Delia''s Holy Energy just continued to get enraged at the appearance of this tree, making even Delia surprised at its reaction.


    Naturally, the appearance of this tree has made everyone wary.


    However, instead of attacking this 7-branched tree, everyone actually turned around as they distanced themselves away from the tree!


    All of them looked like they did not have any courage to attack the tree or the heavily injured Traveler Alex at all. They seem to have felt something from the tree that compelled them to distance themselves away like this!


    Even Delia, whose Holy Energy was almost at the brink of hysterics, wasted no time as she turned around and flew away.


    Her instincts were screaming to her to get as far away from the tree as possible.


    As for why, Delia was not sure. The only thing that she knew is that she must get away now!


    *******************


    Emperor Litch also felt the same fear just like everyone else, but unlike them, his fear was compounded, as he could feel that he is the target of the massive tree.


    His assimilation with the clone, which was already at 99.99%, suddenly could not proceed anymore, as if the tree did something to prevent Emperor Litch from completing his possession!


    As Emperor LItch started to tremble from both fear and panic, he suddenly heard a voice in his mind.


    "Hahaha! So how is it Emperor Litch? Do you like what you see now?"


    "Ve-vessel 969! So you really are still alive!" Emperor Litch replied mentally as he forced his soul to complete the assimilation. "How the hell are you still alive now! That body should be at the brink of death already!"


    "Hahaha! Are you sure that you should be worried for me?" Alex, who was now confirmed to be still alive, replied cheerfully. "I think you should be more worried about yourself¡­"


    "!!!" At that moment, Emperor Litch used every remaining bit of his willpower to force his soul to complete the assimilation.


    This technique of his worked, although the assimilation speed was greatly reduced to the point that it can be compared to a snail''s pace.


    Alex continued talking, as if he was not worried on Emperor Litch''s last ditch attempt to assimilate himself.


    "You know, at the very moment that I finished evolving into the Abyss Sage, I realized that your possession of my body is already nigh. Your soul had already encroached my whole body at that time, and it will take only some hours before you fully possess me. Of course I panicked a little, but then I realized that I have no choice at that time but to let you possess me."


    Emperor Litch ignored what Alex was saying as he pushed his soul to the limits.


    "And you know what? I definitely hated the feeling of my body being controlled by you. It''s¡­ really the worst. And the actions that you did while controlling my body? That just made me more pissed off!"


    "Shut up already!" Emperor Litch replied as the assimilation became 99.995%.


    Alex did not shut up as he continued talking.


    "But your possession of my body actually had some benefits for me too. Your methods of creating Original Abyss Spells were of great help to me! It was enlightening, especially when I saw your manipulation of both my Abyss Energy and my Mental Power!"


    "¡­."


    "Since I have a lot of free time when you possessed me, I decided to create my own Original Spell, using your techniques as the foundation." Alex said as the tree behind him shook gently. "So for that, I thank you for your help."


    "!!!"


    "See this tree right here? This is my first Original Abyss Spell which I call the Calamity of the Seven Sins." Alex said as the tree suddenly started moving towards their direction. "As you can see, this spell is extremely powerful, but right now, it is still incomplete."


    "See those 7 branches? Each branch represents a combination of different Sins, which means that each branch is a spell of their own. Since there are 7 branches, I should have a total of seven different spells combined in one tree!"


    At that point, Emperor LItch started to feel danger as he realized that Alex was about to attack him. He desperately forced his soul to move, even at the cost of some injuries.


    "As I said earlier, this original spell of mine is still incomplete." Alex said with slight disappointment in his tone. "Right now, I only made one combination of Sins, so I only have one branch available. It may sound disappointing, but trust me, this first branch will spell your doom!"


    "Boom!" After Alex said these words, the glowing branch on the massive tree started to shake for a few seconds, before it tore itself off the tree.


    This glowing branch then headed towards Emperor LItch''s direction, making Emperor Litch scream mentally.


    "Hahaha! How do you like this branch?" Alex said as he started to laugh. "I created this by combining the power of Greed, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth! Emperor Litch, I assure you that you will love this branch!"


    "No!!!" Emperor Litch shouted as he started to combust his soul just to hasten the assimilation.


    This combustion seemed to have helped, as the assimilation rate became 99.999995%


    Now, Emperor Litch only needed one more push to complete the assimilation, and he will be able to escape safely.


    But unfortunately for him, escape will never be an option.


    "First Branch Activate! Feast of the Voracious Dragon!"


    "Roar!" The branch transformed into a jet-black dragon, who then opened its mouth wide as it swallowed Emperor Litch whole.


    "!!!...." Emperor Litch let out a shout as he decided to detonate a part of his soul, just to get a burst of power.


    But then a sleepy feeling dominated his mind, making his actions slow and feeble.


    His soul, which was about to explode, started to calm down as it became serene.


    "No¡­." Emperor Litch tried to undo his assimilation, but it was also futile, as he felt a massive pressure that weakened all of his skills.


    Even his attempt to summon his golden sword was of no use too, as the massive pressure crushed his mental power.


    A gigantic whirlpool then appeared in front of Emperor Litch, accompanied by roaring winds and crashing lightning.


    To the horror of Emperor Litch, his soul, which was almost bound to the clone, was slowly being sucked by the whirlpool towards its center!


    "Riiip!"


    A loud ripping sound was created as his soul''s connection with the clone was slowly getting torn apart!


    "Damn you Vessel 969!" Emperor Litch roared angrily as his soul continued to approach the whirlpool. "You are destined to be my body! If you just allowed yourself to be under my control, we could have ruled countless words together!"


    "¡­"


    "Argh!" Emperor Litch roared out as his soul began to flicker. "Th-th-that damned maid, she is the one who corrupted you! She is the one who made you rebel against me! Damn that b**ch!"


    "¡­"


    After hearing these grievous words by Emperor Litch, Alex only gave the Emperor a mental shrug as he replied,


    "Well, she may be a little perverted, but-"


    Emperor Litch suddenly laughed maniacally, interrupting Alex''s answer, as he seemed to have forgotten his current situation. "Hahaha! That damned maid ruined everything for me! Good thing I caught her after you escaped my Empire. And you know what happened when I caught her? I gave her a special punishment! Hahaha! She deserved that special punishment, given to her by yours truly!"


    "¡­."


    "What? You think that maid will be awarded for what she did at my Empire? Hahaha of course she was punished!!" Emperor Litch said as his mind became overtaken by madness again. "You should have seen her face when we took her inside the dungeon! Hahaha! That look on her face as she got mauled by the monsters was the best! It''s too bad I was not able to join in the fun¡­"


    "So that was what happened with her." Alex replied coldly, with the cheerfulness in his voice gone. His eyes, which were glowing brightly earlier, started to look gloomy as he glared at Emperor Litch.


    "Emperor, you know, I actually thought of sparing you earlier, since you seem to be a cool guy. But now that you admitted on tormenting my dearest friend, my decision has changed."


    "What?"


    "Emperor Litch, please do enjoy the next minute of your life for it will be your last."


    "No!!!" The whirlpool suddenly strengthened, and before Emperor Litch could realize it, his whole soul was sucked by the whirlpool!


    Emperor Litch''s mind then went blank as his vision was overwhelmed by darkness.

 Chapter 291 - C.L.U.C.K!

    Delia could feel it.


    The tree, which had been towering over them since earlier, was most definitely composed of all the Seven Sins!


    Delia, who wields the power of all the Seven Virtues, could only stare in awe and revulsion at the tree.


    Awe, because even Delia herself has not yet created an Original Holy Spell that was composed of all the Seven Virtues.


    Disgust, because the appearance of such thing here is a direct provocation against the Holy Order!


    And these feelings of hers intensified when she saw one of the tree''s branches suddenly separate itself from the tree.


    As this glowing branch started to rush towards Traveler Alex, Delia suddenly heard a domineering voice, which came out of the mouths of 4 Abyss Sprites.


    "First Branch: Feast of the Voracious Dragon!"


    "Roar!"


    In front of Delia''s wide eyes, she saw the tree branch transform itself to form a jet-black dragon, which proceeded to swallow the whole body of the clone.


    At the moment that the swallowing happened, Delia''s eyes narrowed as she felt the power of Four Sins activating from the dragon.


    "Celeste, you can feel it, right?" Delia muttered to her Guide Celeste, who was hovering just behind Delia.


    Celeste, who was staring at the scene below her intently, only gave Delia a nod as she said,


    "Yes, I can definitely feel the presence of Four Sins from that dragon. And if I am right, those sins are the Sins of Greed, Gluttony, Envy, and Sloth... This Traveler Alex certainly is impressive, although I am rendered confused on what is happening to him right now."


    "It is indeed confusing." Delia replied as she looked down at the jet-black dragon. "Really confusing."


    Delia was not sure what was exactly happening inside the dragon, although she could see that Traveler Alex''s heavy injuries were recovering exponentially fast, to the point that his broken bones and organs mended themselves back to their pristine state!


    Not only that, but Delia could see that the vitality inside Traveler Alex''s body was increasing again. His breath, which was almost at its end earlier, was now returning back to normal!


    There was also a golden light which streamed out of the dragon''s body, which were all absorbed by Traveler Alex.


    At the moment that this golden light went inside Traveler Alex, he began to exude a new kind of power, which was different compared to the Abyss Energy and the Esper Abilities that he used earlier!


    "Celeste, I am not sure on why Traveler Alex was doing these things¡­" Delia muttered as she tightened her grip on her spear. "However, I am sure of one thing. And that is that if we let this continue, Traveler Alex will surely recover from his injuries!"


    "But didn''t Tong''er say that Traveler Alex''s soul went inside the clone?" Celeste replied as she tilted her head. "If that was really the case, then why should we be focusing on that body? Shouldn''t we just attack the clone?"


    "I don''t know what to do Celeste! I am so confused right now!" Delia replied with exasperation.


    She then looked around her, realizing that everyone was also confused with what was happening now.


    The only ones who did not look confused were the Companions of Traveler Alex. They even wore relieved expressions on their faces, as if they were pleased with what they were seeing.


    "That''s it. I am going to confront that woman." Delia said as she decided to talk to Alina.


    She ignored the complaints and warnings of her Companions as she approached Alina.


    As she got nearer and nearer to her, Delia could not help but wrinkle her eyes in disgust, as she suddenly felt angry towards Alina.


    She felt as if Alina was a disgusting person that she should be never close to.


    Before Delia could process these new feelings, she looked beside Alina, which made her see Astria, the daughter of the Grand Symbolist.


    Just like Alina, Delia also felt extreme disgust after seeing Astria, to the point that she started to feel sick.


    These two women were staring at Delia with disgust too, as if they also shared the same feelings as Delia.


    "Ugh. Why do these two make me feel like this?" Delia thought to herself as she forced her tongue to not go out of her mouth. "These two¡­ I do not like getting close to them. Ugh¡­. Should I go back now?"


    Delia then turned around, as she decided to abandon her plan to talk to them.


    But at the moment that she spun her body, she suddenly heard a monstrous bird cry, which made her almost lose consciousness.


    "Ah!" Delia cried out as she clutched her ears. She could not help but kneel down, as she felt a massive pressure assaulting her body.


    Delia looked around her, noticing that everyone were forced to kneel too, including Alina and Astria.


    The faces of these two women were both alert and wary, as they started to look all around them.


    The bird cry then became louder and louder as the pressure around Delia continued to increase.


    "¡­."


    When the pressure came to the point that it was about to crush Delia, Delia suddenly saw a massive shadow covering everyone''s bodies.


    Delia forced herself to look up, and there she saw the source of the bird cry and the massive shadow.


    It was a chicken.


    Yes, it was a chicken that has forced everyone to become like this.


    This chicken just looked like any other normal chicken, except for the fact that its whole body was 100 times the size of the Yellow Moon!


    Yes, this chicken was undoubtedly a gigantic chicken!


    Right now, this chicken had spread its wings so wide, that an extremely large amount of area below it was covered by its shadow, which also included Delia!


    In front of such a massive and clearly powerful creature, Delia could only stay kneeling, as she feared getting the chicken''s attention!


    Everyone seemed to have the same thoughts too, as they did nothing to attract the chicken''s attention.


    "¡­"


    The chicken''s eyes, which were around the size of the Yellow Moon, stared at Delia and the others imperiously, as if it was just looking at food.


    The chicken continued staring at everyone for a few seconds before its gaze shifted to a different spot.


    Now, the chicken''s eyes were focused on Traveler Alex himself, more specifically, on the jet-black dragon!


    The chicken''s eyes then narrowed to slits as it began to tuck in its wings.


    Its massive beak opened wide, displaying its tongue, which was filled to the brim with countless space debris.


    Before Delia or the others could make sense of this, they suddenly heard a deep rumbling voice which came from the chicken himself.


    "CLUCK! ACCORDING TO THE AGREEMENT THAT I HAD WITH THE ENDLESS MONARCH, I SHOULD NOT BE INTERFERING ON THE MISSIONS BETWEEN HIS TRAVELERS, CLUCK!" The chicken coolly said as its eyes stared coldly at the jet-black dragon. "CLUCK! HOWEVER, THAT AGREEMENT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANYONE THAT IS NOT A TRAVELER, CLUCK! EMPEROR LITCH IS NOT A TRAVELER, CLUCK! SO IT IS FINE FOR ME IF I SAVE HIM, CLUCK!"


    From the way that the chicken talked, it seems as if the chicken was trying to explain his actions to someone else, as if it wanted to gain that someone''s approval.


    "!!!"


    Delia, whose entire body was trembling from the shockwaves that came out of the chicken, narrowed her eyes as she heard what the chicken was saying.


    "An agreement with the Endless Monarch? And saving someone named Emperor Litch? What the hell is this creature talking about?" Delia thought to herself as she looked up to the chicken.


    To Delia''s surprise, when she looked up to the chicken, she saw the chicken raising its foot upwards, until the chicken''s spur(sharp spike at the back of the foot) was right above Traveler Alex and the dragon!


    Alina, who was just near Delia, let out a shout as she seemed to have envisioned the same thing that Delia thought now.


    "CLUCK! ENDLESS MONARCH! THIS WILL BE JUST QUICK, CLUCK!" The chicken uttered out as it started to send its spur downwards. "CLUCK! LET ME SAVE EMPEROR LITCH FIRST, THEN I WILL LET YOU GO ON WITH YOUR BUSINESS, CLUCK!


    "Woosh~"


    Delia was immediately blown away as the chicken''s foot descended right in front of her. Alina was not so lucky too, as she was also blasted away.


    Everyone else was thrown out of their positions too as the chicken foot went past by them.


    "No!!!"


    Alina''s shout was the only thing that could be heard just right before the chicken''s foot hit the jet-black dragon.


    "¡­"


    Miraculously, the chicken''s foot stopped descending just right above the dragon, as if the chicken forced itself to stop right now.


    The chicken, whose eyes were filled with arrogance earlier, now looked somewhat peeved as its eyes stared to flicker uncertainly.


    A few seconds later, and the chicken let out a rumbling sigh, showing its extreme irritation.


    "CLUCK! SO EVEN IF EMPEROR LITCH IS NOT A TRAVELER, MY ACT OF SAVING HIM WILL STILL INDIRECTLY INTERFERE THE TRAVELERS, CLUCK? IS THAT WHAT YOU ARE SAYING NOW, ENDLESS MONARCH, CLUCK?" The chicken said as it seemed to be in deep conversation with someone.


    "CLUCK? SO YOU WILL STILL ALLOW ME TO SAVE EMPEROR LITCH, BUT I AM ONLY ALLOWED TO DO IT ONCE, CLUCK? SO THAT MEANS THAT IF I SAVE HIM TODAY, I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO SAVE HIM NEXT TIME, CLUCK?"


    "¡­"


    "CLUCK! SO YOU REALLY MEANT THAT, CLUCK! WAIT, YOU STILL WANT TO SAY MORE, CLUCK?"


    "¡­"


    "CLUCK! SO YOU ALSO WANT ME TO DO NO HARM AGAINST YOUR TRAVELERS WHILE I SAVE EMPEROR LITCH, CLUCK?"


    "¡­"


    "CLUCK! YOU IRRITATING BASTARD, CLUCK! OKAY, OKAY, I SHALL HONOR YOUR WORDS, CLUCK! NOW, CAN YOU LET ME FINISH MY BUSINESS HERE, CLUCK?"


    "¡­"


    A few more seconds passed by with the chicken staying silent, with everyone else staring at it with bated breaths.


    Half a minute later, and the chicken let out another sigh as it looked down.


    Its eyes went back to looking at Traveler Alex and the dragon.


    The chicken let out three soft clucks before saying,


    "CLUCK! YOU LITTLE TRAVELER! YOU ARE LUCKY THAT YOUR HANDLER IS TREATING YOU WELL, CLUCK! YOU BETTER APPRECIATE HIS KINDNESS ON YOU, CLUCK! YOU WILL NEED IT FOR THE FUTURE, CLUCK!"


    "¡­" Traveler Alex did not give any reply, as he seemed to be paralyzed under the pressure that is being let out by the chicken.


    "CLUCK! WELL WHATEVER, CLUCK! JUST LIKE WHAT I SAID EARLIER, I WILL BE SAVING EMPEROR LITCH NOW, CLUCK! LET ME SEE¡­. EH? YOU MANAGED TO DEVOUR HALF OF EMPEROR LITCH''S SOUL, CLUCK! DAMN BOY, YOU ARE ONE IMPRESSIVE TRAVELER, CLUCK! IF I DID NOT COME HERE ON TIME, YOU COULD HAVE DEVOURED THE ENTIRETY OF EMPEROR LITCH''S SOUL, CLUCK!"


    "¡­"


    "CLUCK! WELL, TOO BAD FOR YOU, I CAME HERE, CLUCK!" The chicken said as it seemed to sneer at Traveler Alex. "CLUCK! SO YOU DON''T WANT TO REMOVE THAT DRAGON OF YOURS, CLUCK? HEHE, THEN LET ME TEAR IT FOR YOU, CLUCK!"


    "RIIIIP!!!"


    Under Delia''s disbelieving gaze, she saw the black dragon, which made her extremely wary earlier, get torn into tiny pieces by the chicken''s foot!


    Delia had a strange feeling as she watched the dismantling of the dragon, as if she was witnessing something that she should have not seen.


    It took the chicken only five seconds to full destroy the dragon, and the chicken did not look like he was taking this seriously!


    Once the dragon was destroyed, the chicken picked something up from its remains.


    What the chicken picked up was a white blob of light.


    This blob looked to be extremely damaged, as its size was diminished compared to before, and it was perforated with countless holes and gashes.


    To anyone that will see this blob, they can only say that it was in pitiful condition. But even with that, the chicken seemed to be satisfied at it tucked the white blob under its wings.


    "CLUCK! EMPEROR LITCH, EVEN IF YOUR SOUL RIGHT NOW IS JUST HALF OF WHAT YOU ORIGINALLY HAVE, THIS IS STILL ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU ALIVE, CLUCK!" The chicken said as it flapped its wings. "CLUCK! BE GRATEFUL THAT I WASTED MY TIME HERE JUST TO SAVE YOU, CLUCK!"


    After saying these words, the chicken flapped its wings once more as it flew away majestically, bringing along the damaged white blob.


    "¡­."


    Everyone was silent as they watched the chicken''s silhouette disappear within the vast emptiness in space.


    Seconds later, and the chicken was nowhere to be found, leaving behind a group of people who were confounded with what just happened.


    "Maybe it''s just me, but shouldn''t be chickens unable to fly?"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 292 - S & K, BBS Edition

    Kuro was definitely enjoying what she was seeing.


    All the fights that just happened earlier were of high entertainment value to Kuro, and she could not help but feel thrilled as she continued on gulping down her cola.


    "Hehehe, this clash between the Travelers is great! Especially when that chicken appeared!" Kuro muttered as she brought out another bottle of cola. "I don''t really like that chicken, but still, that foul bird managed to fool those Travelers. Hahaha! I wonder what those Travelers would do once they realized that they were just fooled by a chicken!"


    As she thought of the daring way that the chicken has tricked all of those Travelers, Kuro shook her head as she downed her cola.


    "Ah! Drinking cola while watching people fighting for their lives really is the best!"


    After saying these wise words, Kuro leaned down on her chair as she decided to continue watching the rest of the fight.


    Now that the chicken was gone, the Travelers and their allies were all back at square one, which meant that they will have to fight each other again.


    "Hehehe, I wonder who among these Travelers will survive?" Kuro thought to herself as she tilted her head. "Each one of these teams were extremely powerful, and all of them were resourceful and devious individuals! Seeing all 4 of them fighting each other right now will surely be entertaining!"


    With her mind enthralled by this prospect, Kuro let out a satisfied sigh as she stared at the screen. Her eyes widened a little as she waited for the fight to break out!


    But at the moment that Kuro relaxed herself, her whole body started to tremble, as she felt the arrival of a powerful presence just right behind her.


    Kuro looked behind her, just in time to see a 7-foot tall man covered with silver armor, staring at her directly!


    This man''s entire body was covered by this silver armor, making him look like an object rather than a living being.


    "!!!"


    Kuro froze up as she saw the silver man, as if seeing this visitor has triggered something inside Kuro.


    "Y-y-yo, long time no see." Kuro slowly said as she looked at the silver armor man with trepidation. "I-it''s nice seeing you here. W-when was the last time that we saw each other again?"


    "The last time that we met was when three Monarchs attacked the Endless Monarch head-on." The silver armor man replied quickly. "At that time, you perfectly demonstrated on how a superior should not act under tense situations."


    Compared to the rough appearance of his armor, the silver man''s voice sounded sleek and smooth, which was just a great contrast to his image.


    "¡­"


    After hearing this answer by the silver armor man, Kuro could only nod dazedly as she started muttering to herself. "Y-yeah, yeah, that''s the last time that we really met¡­ Hahaha, sorry for my bad performance¡­ That day is not really a great day¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Um, so¡­ why did you come here?" Kuro asked the silver armor man haltingly as she avoided looking at him directly. "Are you here to talk about some stuff to me? Well, as long it is not that personal, then maybe I can entertain you with some of my time. But please do not take that long, I still have to watch the-"


    "Kuro, if you think I am here to talk pleasantries with you, then you are sorely mistaken." The silver armor man suddenly said as he seemed to get fed up with Kuro''s awkward manner of speaking. "I was sent here specifically by the Endless Monarch, which means that my presence here is something that you cannot just ignore."


    "The Endless Monarch sent you here? Why?" Kuro asked, as the nervousness inside her disappeared. "Does he want you to do something special here? Or does he want you to¡­ eliminate me?"


    Kuro then started to shiver in fear as she gave the silver armor man a shaky smile.


    "Come on Sieg. I am a useful worker. I-I did nothing wrong. You cannot just eliminate me!" Kuro said passionately as she gave Sieg, the silver armor man, a pleading look. "Come on Sieg, you know me well! You know that as long as I get my cola, I will do my job properly!"


    "When did I even say that I am here to eliminate you?" Sieg replied with irritation clearly present on his voice. "I am here for an entirely different matter, so you can be rest assured that you can keep your cola-addicted life!"


    "Oh¡­ thank goodness I am safe." Kuro said as she started thumping her chest. Her tense wings started to relax as her worried look disappeared. "So Sieg, if you are not here to eliminate me, then what is your real mission?"


    "I am running out of time here, so let me give you the shortest explanation." Sieg said as he adjusted the gauntlet placement on his armor. He took around 10 seconds to fiddle with the gauntlet, and it was only when he was done with them that he continued talking.


    "The Endless Monarch sent me here, because he wanted to make sure that all of the Travelers in this world will survive for their next missions." Sieg said, with his voice coming out of his helmet smoothly. "The Endless Monarch told me that you and I can use any method that we want, as long as it is legal, to make sure that those Travelers that you are watching will not die and will be able to go on to their next missions!"


    "A-are you serious about that Sieg?" Kuro replied, with incredulity present on her tone. "You were sent here to make sure that all these Travelers will go on to their next missions?"


    "Kuro, do you doubt the Endless Monarch?" Sieg replied gruffly as the visor of his helmet glowed red. "Do you just take my words for granted? Because if you do, then maybe eliminating you will be for the best¡­"


    "Hey! I believe you! I believe you!" Kuro replied panickingly as she raised both of her arms in surrender. "I am just making sure¡­ that you are not joking!"


    Sieg, who was now holding a gigantic broadsword, paused in his tracks as stopped his sword from hitting Kuro. He let out an irritated sigh as he dispelled the broadsword.


    "Kuro, I do not make jokes." Sieg said as his visor glowed green. "You know I hate jokes."


    "Yeah, you really hate jokes¡­ I have already seen what you meant by that before¡­" Kuro muttered to herself while shaking her head.


    "Did you say something?"


    "Ah, oh, I did not!"


    "So just like what I am saying, the Endless Monarch wanted us two to keep those Travelers alive." Sieg said as his visor went back to normal. "Even if the Travelers were to be heavily injured here, it will be fine, as long as they will all stay alive¡­"


    Seeing that Sieg was serious with what he was saying, all that Kuro could do was nod as she accepted his words.


    "¡­Ok."


    "Now then, please give me all the information that you have about the Travelers in this mission." Sieg said as he saw Kuro''s acceptance. "I need to see it so that we can formulate a plan."


    "Um, okay. Here it is." Kuro replied as a sphere materialized in her hand.


    She pushed this sphere towards Sieg, who gobbled the sphere up without any hesitation.


    Kuro did not hear any chewing sounds as Sieg swallowed the sphere whole.


    "¡­"


    Sieg went quiet for a while, as he seemingly started to analyze whatever was inside the sphere.


    It was only when a minute has passed by that Sieg started communicating with Kuro again.


    This time, his voice was still as smooth as before, although some strain could be heard from it.


    "These 4 Travelers¡­ I think I see why the Endless Monarch want them alive." Sieg said as his visor glowed blue. "One has connection with the Abyss Plane, while the other one has connection with the Holy Order Plane, and there is one of them that has connection with the blasted Demon Plane. Then there is that guy who has connection with that madman¡­"


    "They clearly have impressive connections, but didn''t we see Travelers like this before?" Kuro replied before she could stop herself. "If the Endless Monarch wanted this four alive, there must be something that they have that the other Travelers did not. Maybe it was that something that is making them interesting to the Endless Monarch¡­"


    "Hmph, and what could that be?" Sieg replied as he started to get more friendly with Kuro. "What could these 4 have that other Travelers don''t?"


    "Well, what if it was the presence of the Divine Sensory Organs?" Kuro tentatively replied as she raised her fingers. "Traveler Alex has the girl with the All-Seeing Eyes. Traveler Delia possesses the Tongue of Extreme Palate. Traveler Ray has the girl with the Ears of Divine Communication. As for Traveler Malthus¡­ I think he has connections with the woman who possesses the Omnipresent Skin."


    "The presence of these Divine Women could be the reason." Sieg replied as he nodded his head slowly. "But as long as we do not have any exact evidence, we cannot just make any assumptions here."


    "That''s right."


    "And besides, what we should be more focused now was on how we can assure that these 4 Travelers will all survive." Sieg said as he stared at the monitor screens, which showed the situation of the Travelers. "From what I can see, a fight between all of them is about to break out any second from now¡­"


    "This will be hard." Kuro said as she stared at the monitor screens.


    Kuro already lost the mood to drink her cola, as her mind was now preoccupied with the Endless Monarch''s new commandment.


    "And we can only keep them alive through the legal way." Sieg replied as he shook his head. "That means that we cannot say things that they are not supposed to hear¡­"


    "How the hell can we do this if only the legal way is allowed?" Kuro said as she threw her hands high in the air. "If we can just make them win this mission, then everything will be fine! But no! We must do this the legal way! How great!"


    "Well, that is your job to do." Sieg said as he crossed his arms. "You think of the plan, and I will be the one enforcing it. That is the best job distribution here."


    "Excuse me?"


    "What Kuro? Do you have any complaints?"


    "Ah please don''t point your big, black sword at me! I yield! I don''t have any complaints!"


    "Good. Now, think."


    "¡­."

 Chapter 293 - Temporary Hiatus

    "Alex!" At the moment that the chicken disappeared, Alina immediately rushed towards Alex, who started to fall down from his position.


    Alina''s heart was filled with worry, as she saw that even if the chicken did not attack Alex, what the chicken did with Alex''s Original Spell has affected him too!


    Alina used her space folding technique to appear below Alex, catching his body just on time.


    As he caught Alex, Alina''s perception scanned his body, making Alina realize that Alex was only 50% healed from all of his injuries.


    50% might be not good enough, but considering that Alex''s body was at the brink of death earlier, 50% was actually good right now.


    "So Alina, it seems like you have put Professor Frances'' talents to good use..." A hoarse voice came out of Alex''s throat, making Alina sigh in relief. From the way that Alex talked right now, Alina was sure that she is talking to the real Alex, not the Emperor Litch one.


    "Hmph, you are extremely lucky that Asteria thought out of a plan to save your ass." Alina replied as she tightened her grip on Alex. "If it were not for her, you could be gone already!"


    "Ow ow Alina! It hurts!"


    "It hurts my ass! Do you know how worried we are about you!" Alina tried her best to stop her tears from coming out, but it was in vain, as drops of them began to appear on her eyes. "I thought you were already gone for good!"


    "Alina, you know that I won''t go down that easily¡­" Alex replied quickly, as the sight of crying Alina had made him feel somewhat guilty. "Come on Alina, I even managed to create a powerful spell that allowed me to almost kill that Emperor Litch! Argh! If it were not for that chicken, I could have devoured all of his soul already!"


    "Hmph, you''re just lucky Alex. That''s it." Alina furiously said as she wiped her tears. "What if we did not arrive here on time before your enemies killed you? Would you still be talking to me here like this?"


    "Well, I-"


    Alex smirked as he tried to explain himself, but before he could speak up, someone interrupted them.


    "Hey, hey, hey, don''t you see that everyone of us is still fighting right now? What rights does you two have to be that lovey-dovey?"


    The one who said these words was Ray, who was staring at Alex with unconcealed hostility and anger.


    Behind him, Vera casted Alex with both a resigned and complicated gaze, while Noelle gave Alex a murderous one.


    There was no doubt that Ray was extremely furious right now, which was reasonable, as he was just enslaved by Emperor Litch earlier.


    But right now, Ray''s anger was misplaced, as Emperor Litch was not inside Alex anymore.


    "Oi, you madman. Let me explain myself first. I am not-" As he saw the livid appearance of Ray, Alex let out a sigh as he tried to explain what he really is.


    But before he could finish his sentence. Ray''s whole body glowed as he and his Companions started to prepare their fighting stances.


    "What the hell? Could you please listen to me?" Alex shouted out to Ray, as he realized that this man was about to attack again!


    Alex looked at the other Travelers in the area, as he decided to talk to them.


    But to Alex''s disappointment, the other 2 Travelers seem to share the same intent as Ray.


    "Even if I do not understand what happened earlier, I am only sure of one thing. And that is that I have a mission here, and fighting all of you here will be helping me finish the mission!" Delia, the Envoy of the Holy Order Plane, said as she pointed her spear at Alex.


    Power began to flow into her spear as she and her Companions all looked like they were prepared to fight.


    "Traveler Alex, I congratulate you for expelling that Conqueror out of your body. You are really just as talented as your original." Malthus said as his wings flapped behind him. "Hehehehe, that chicken said that you managed to devour half of Emperor LItch''s soul? Damn, you must have a big harvest now! Hmm¡­ now I want that harvest of yours for myself¡­"


    Just like Ray and Delia, Malthus and his students let out their fighting intent, showing their willingness to fight here.


    "¡­."


    After seeing that these 3 Travelers were all ready to fight him, Alex and Alina could only sigh as they realized that there is no more way out here.


    Alex forced himself to stand up, making sure that his body still continued to heal itself now.


    Alina pointed her katana to the Travelers, as Queen Mother, Professor Frances, Astria and the Symbolists converged behind Alex.


    With the support of these people behind him, Alex straightened his body as he re-summoned the massive tree behind him.


    As this tree glowed maliciously once more, Alex cricked his neck, giving his enemies a challenging smile.


    "You all want to fight? Well if that is what you want, then I shall give you all a fight!"


    "Boom!"


    Alex let loose of his power, making sure that his enemies can feel his intent to fight.


    His allies and Companions showed their willingness to fight too, which filled the space all around Alex with intense power.


    "¡­."


    Right now, every single person in the area were prepared to fight, and they only need a single signal before everything breaks loose.


    As for what this signal could be, nobody among them was sure.


    But as long as a signal appears, they will fight, and they will do it with ferocity!


    "Ting!" Suddenly, a melodious sound was heard as one of the Celestials dropped her earrings on a nearby rock.


    The resulting sound was faint, but for everyone, this sound was as loud as thunder.


    "Attack!" Each one of them shouted as they knew that the battle has started now!


    They hefted their weapons and powers while rushing forwards, as they knew that the incoming fight will be the hardest one!


    Seconds later, and all of them were about to clash with each other at the middle of the area.


    But before they could let out their powerful abilities, two figures suddenly appeared in front of them.


    "Stop stop stop! Cease this fighting at once!" The one who said these words was one of the two newcomers, which turned out to be Kuro.


    Kuro flapped her wings rapidly as her black clothes clung to her body tightly.


    Her face was full of panic as she waved her hands randomly.


    She stared at everyone in the area pleadingly, as she seemed to be serious with what she was saying.


    "Please stop fighting everyone. You cannot fight right now." Kuro said once more, with her voice resounding all throughout the area. "Please listen to me¡­"


    The sudden appearance of Kuro and the person beside her had effectively stopped the fighting, although Kuro''s plea had made everyone intrigued enough to lose their intent to fight.


    "And why would we listen to someone like you, huh?" As expected, Ray was the one who gave a rebellious reply to Kuro. "We are about to finish our businesses here. Don''t you dare interrupt u-"


    As Ray was giving his speech, the person standing beside Kuro started to make its move.


    "Boom!" This person, who was wearing a silver armor, summoned a massive broadsword, which he swung towards the mouthy Ray.


    Before anyone could realize what happened, the broadsword was right beside Ray''s neck, with only a hairbreadth of distance between the two.


    Ray was forced to shut up as he saw the broadsword that was next to his neck.


    He gulped his throat, as he could only give the silver armor man some aggrieved growls.


    "Do. Not. Talk. Back. When. Kuro. Is. Talking." The silver armor man said in a smooth voice, although it sounded like he was giving a death sentence on Ray. "Open your mouth one more time, and your head will be rolling down on the floor. Do you understand?"


    Poor Ray was unable to say anything, as he could only rapidly nod his head.


    "¡­" Alex was also silent, as he felt fear while he looked at the broadsword and the silver armor man.


    Alex was not sure why, but he had the feeling that if the silver armor man had wanted it, he could have killed all of them easily!


    It was the same feeling that Alex had with the chicken earlier, which made him extremely wary against this man!


    The others seemed to have realized the same thing too, as nobody else gave any of their complaints.


    "So, just like what I am saying earlier, you have to stop fighting now." Kuro said as she gave the silver armor man a tentative look. "Nothing good will happen if you continue fighting¡­"


    "¡­"


    From the way that Kuro looked at the silver armor man, it was quite obvious that even Kuro was scared of the silver armor man too.


    "Why are you looking at me? Talk to them!" The silver armor man said as he glanced at Kuro, with his visor suddenly glowing yellow. "We should not waste our time here!"


    "Okay! Um, so all of you have stopped fighting already! That''s good! Ahahaha¡­." Kuro laughingly said as she stared at the crowd, which made the current atmosphere feel both awkward and forced.


    "¡­" Alex, who was busy observing each statement uttered by Kuro, could not help but feel suspicious of this whole affair.


    "As far as I know, there should be nothing that can force Travelers to stop fighting each other." Alex thought to himself as his eyes narrowed. "And yet this black fairy and whoever that silver person was comes striding in here and forced us to stop fighting. No matter which way you look at it, something''s definitely wrong here!"


    Alex looked around him, observing the reactions of the other Travelers as Kuro continued talking.


    Just like Alex, the eyes of the other Travelers showed that they were also highly suspicious of what was happening.


    Even the brash Ray looked wary right now, as it seemed like his head had cooled down enough for him to realize the current situation here.


    Fortunately for Alex and the other Travelers, they immediately found the reason for the fight stoppage on Kuro''s next words.


    However, the words that Kuro said next made the Travelers lose their cool!


    "As for why you have to stop fighting, it is because the whole mission on this place will be put on temporary hiatus." Kuro said as she gave the Travelers a sheepish smile. "Since the mission in this world will be on temporary hiatus, there is no need for you to fight each other anymore."


    "What the hell?"


    "What did you just say?"


    "Did you just say that the mission will be placed in temporary hiatus?"


    Shouts of complaints rose once more as the Travelers were rattled by what Kuro just said.


    Even Ray looked like he was about to talk, and it was only the threat of the broadsword that has kept him quiet.


    Kuro only nodded her head as she listened to the complaints of the Travelers.


    As for the silver armor man, he seemed be fed up as he glared at the bickering Travelers.


    "Keep. Quiet. All. Of. You." The silver armor man said as his visor glowed red. "Or else I have to end you too."


    Right at once, the complaints died down, allowing Kuro to talk again.


    "Administrator Rulebook. Rule No. 34." Kuro''s appearance seemed to appear dignified as she started talking again. "If something happens that will derail the whole scenario of a mission, the Administrator will be given permission to put the mission on temporary hiatus. The Travelers affected by this hiatus will be immediately sent to a new world. These Travelers will have to finish the mission in that new world, and once they finished it, they will be allowed to continue the mission that was placed in temporary hiatus."


    "What? There is a rule like that? And what the hell does an Administrator mean?" Alex thought to himself as he gave Kuro a quizzical look. The other Travelers looked at Kuro in this way too, showing their confusion with what they just heard.


    Kuro seemed to have felt these gazes landing on her as she continued talking.


    "So, according to the rules, I have to put the mission in this world on temporary hiatus, since something has derailed the mission scenario here." Kuro said as she crossed her arms. "I won''t have to explain what derailed the mission. You should only know that the mission here has indeed been derailed."


    "¡­."


    "Now that the mission here is on temporary hiatus, you 4 Travelers will be sent to your next worlds. And just like what has happened every time, you should do your missions on those new worlds." Kuro said as she gave the Travelers a light smile. "Once you finish those missions, you will be allowed to come back to this world to finish the mission here. Pretty simple, right?"


    "How the hell could that be simple?" Alex thought to himself as he did his best to hide the incredulity on his face. "We used a lot of effort just to finish the mission here, and now you are saying that we have to leave this world and do a mission on another world? And we can only finish the mission here once we do the mission on another world? That just¡­ reeks of something suspicious!"


    "Well, well, well, I do not care of what you think about what I just said. Rules are rules after all." Kuro said as she snapped her fingers. "I have to follow it just like the rest of you."


    "Snap!"


    At the moment that Kuro snapped her fingers, Alex felt some kind of power covering his body.


    As he felt this power on him, Alex''s eyes widened as he knew that this power was similar to the one that has sent him to other worlds!


    With that realization, Alex could only frown as he realized that he and his Companions were being sent away right now!


    "You! You could not send me away!" Alex could hear Malthus shouting angrily at Kuro, as his body was starting to slowly disappear. "I still have to combine with my True Body! Argh! Can''t you just allow me to combine with my True Body first?"


    "Nuh uh uh. Just like what I said, rules are rules, so I have to send you all away now." Kuro said as the playful tone on her voice returned. "If you have any complaints, just say it to me once you see me again!"


    "You bast-"


    "Good luck on your next world! Be sure to finish your missions there so that you can come back here! Kuro cheerfully said as she waved her hands. "Hahaha! I wish that you will all survive!"


    "Blasted b**ch! I swear if I come back here, I will make you cry like Asteria!" Alex thought to himself as he lost control of his body. "But now that I think about it, aren''t I lucky? I got a lot of Lifespan, and I even got half of Emperor Litch''s memories and power! And I did not even have to fight for my life! Hahahahaha! It seems like I have to thank Kuro for what she did!"


    "Oh, I forgot to say this, but in order to compensate for the bother here, 200 Years of Lifespan will be given to each Traveler and 1 Million Contribution Points will be given to each Companion!" Kuro suddenly said as she hovered behind the silver armor man. "Use those compensations well, ok?"


    "¡­"


    Alex''s has something to say about what he heard, but his vision was then overtaken by darkness, as he and his Companions were brought to their next adventure.


    [Main Mission: On Hiatus]


    [Bonus Missions: On Hiatus]


    [Grade: On Hiatus]


    -----------------------END OF VOLUME 5 ------------------------

 Chapter 294 - Volume 5 Epilogue

    Sieg: Kuro, your plan to save those Travelers succeeded. But are you sure that it is the right thing that you should do?


    Kuro: Um Sieg, why are you so worried about this? I just used the rules to send them away. There is nothing wrong with what I did¡­


    [Sieg summons his broadsword]


    Kuro: Ah Sieg! Why are you summoning your weapon again! Did I do something wrong?


    Sieg: Whether you did something wrong will only depend on how you answer me now.


    Kuro: Sieg¡­ are you going to question my decision? Even though I helped you on your mission?


    Sieg: You could have used a different way to stop them from fighting. Why did you choose to use an outdated rule? You could have just added a Bonus Mission or a restriction. But instead, you put the mission here on a temporary hiatus! Do you know how hard it is to put a mission in temporary hiatus?


    Kuro: Well, I-


    Sieg: First of all, we have to deal with all the people that were left behind here! Do you see all those Travelers, Symbolists, and Celestials outside? All of them now knew about the existence of the Travelers! If the mission was finished already, then everything will be fine! But no, it cannot be fine, since you put the mission on temporary hiatus!


    Kuro: I-


    Sieg: Now, you and I have to use different methods to ensure that none of these people will spread out the things that they have learned here. For fighters like us, doing that is difficult!


    Kuro: Well, we can just kill them, right?


    Sieg: Kill them? Kuro, these people right here are all related to the mission already! We cannot kill them all, as they are now part of the mission! Kill one of them, and it might make the Endless Monarch pissed!


    Kuro: Oh.


    Sieg: Do you know what happened the last time that someone placed a mission in temporary hiatus? Do you know?


    Kuro: Um, it went well?


    Sieg: No. It did not go well. Out of the three Travelers that were forced to leave because of the hiatus, only one came back, and that one who came back did not even manage to finish the mission, as the Administrator there did a poor job on preserving the mission scenario!


    Kuro: That is bad. That is bad.


    [Sieg now points his broadsword at Kuro]


    Sieg: Administrators should only put a mission on hiatus if the interference that happened there is so severe that letting the mission go on will just be too much. If a Monarch decides to maliciously mess up the mission scenario, then that will warrant a temporary hiatus. But the thing that happened earlier? That was just a chicken who fooled those Travelers! Nothing disastrous happened there! And even if it managed to affect someone, that is not enough to force a temporary hiatus!


    Kuro: Hey, I-


    Sieg: You only used the bare technicality of the rules to implement this temporary hiatus. You are lucky that the chicken did affect one of the Travelers, but in my opinion, you just had an overreaction.


    Kuro: Hmph, what''s the big deal if I did that? I succeeded on saving those Travelers! You should be at least happy to me!


    [Sieg suddenly pushed his broadsword closer to Kuro]


    Kuro: Hey! G-get that off me!


    Sieg: Of course I am happy that you helped me out. But my happiness and my duty to keep things orderly are two separate things.


    Kuro: You¡­ what did I even do wrong here? I followed all the rules!


    Sieg: Yes, you did follow the rules, but I could not help but feel as if you were scheming something.


    Kuro: Me? Scheme something? S-Sieg, you know who I am! I am just someone who likes drinking cola everyday! How could someone like me be able to-


    Sieg: And you are also the one who saved many Guides from the attack of the Three Monarchs. Nobody ordinary can do something like that.


    Kuro: That¡­ I am just lucky.


    Sieg: The Guide Training Camp was assaulted by three Monarchs, with you inside that place. All of those Monarchs attacked that place with the sole intent of kill you all. But even with that kind of ferocity, you and you alone managed to formulate a plan that saved a lot of Guides! Without your quick thinking, the Traveler Initiative could have been pushed back by at least a generation¡­


    Kuro: Sieg, just like what I told you before, it was just all luck!


    Sieg: Why are lying? Why the f**k are you lying, huh? Do you really want to piss me off that much?


    Kuro: Hiii!!! Sieg, you know that I do not mean it that way! I just wanted to tell you the truth!


    Sieg: I don''t care if you are lucky or not at that time. What I only want to know is whether you are scheming something right now.


    Kuro: ¡­


    Sieg: ¡­


    Kuro: If I tell you that I am indeed scheming, what would you do to me? Would you kill me, or would you torture me to make me reveal my scheme?


    Sieg: If you want to know what I will do, then just answer my question.


    Kuro: ¡­


    Sieg: Kuro, I ask you one more time. Do you have any schemes related to this temporary hiatus?


    Kuro: ¡­


    Sieg: Answer me you brat!


    Kuro: Fine, I am indeed scheming on something! Now Sieg, do what you want to do with me!


    Sieg: Thank you for your honesty. Now help me out on preserving the mission scenario.


    [Sieg dispels his broadsword as he walked away from Kuro]


    Kuro: Wait what? You will really not do anything to me? I thought you want to keep the order? Shouldn''t schemers be the ones that you hate most?


    Sieg: If it was before, yes, I would immediately kill you. But after that ''event'', I realized that I must not be enthusiastic on weeding out people like you. After all, your schemes are nothing against the power of the Endless Monarch himself. I have no qualms against your schemes anymore, as they will all be for naught at the end.


    Kuro: ¡­Sieg, for a scary guy like you, you actually sound cool right now.


    Sieg: I have always sounded cool. When did I even sound uncool?


    Kuro: [Whispers to herself] There''s too many instances to count¡­


    Sieg: What did you say?


    Kuro: Ah! I just said that you holding your broadsword is the coolest moment that you have! Yes! That broadsword always brings out the coolness in you!


    Sieg: Oh, thank you for your praise. I am sure Luvia would love your praise on her.


    Kuro: Um, yeah, I am sure Luvia will be happy.


    Sieg: I know that you want to praise Luvia more, but we have to focus on work first.


    Kuro: [Whispers to herself] Yeah¡­ I really love to praise a lifeless broadsword. That is my hobby right now¡­.


    Sieg: What did you just say?


    Kuro: Oh, I just said that Luvia is really pretty!

 Chapter 295 - Why did my brother do this?

    Green Lake District, Jade Sea Country, Ocean King Prefecture.


    "Stupid! How could my brother be this stupid?" Walking amongst the cobbled road of the Green Lake District was a young woman, who was angrily muttering to herself.


    This woman was wearing clothes that hid her body and face, although the way that she talked right now is enough to show how angry she is.


    Bystanders who saw her all moved out of her way, for fears of making her angry at them.


    The woman seemed to not notice any of this as she continued on muttering to herself.


    "Argh! I always told my brother that the Time of everyone in this world is limited! Even if my brother has already reached Nascent Soul Stage, his Time will still be commodified too!" The woman then spat at the side of the road as her breathing turned laboorous. "I already told my brother that his own Time is important, and yet he still used his Time to buy expensive flowers? What a f**king idiot!"


    The woman suddenly stopped walking, as she found herself right in front of her destination.


    "¡­"


    She found herself facing a tower which loomed above her.


    The tower seemed to be out of touch in this place, with all the metallic and ceramic parts that clung to it. On top of the tower, a massive plaque could be seen, sporting three words written in bold letters.


    She looked at this plaque directly, as she tried to confirm that she is indeed at the right place.


    Her eyes narrowed as she read the words engraved on the plaque. A second later, and she let out a scoff as she walked towards the tower.


    "United Bank of TimeMasters. What a deplorable name." The woman muttered to herself as she entered the tower.


    "Woosh~" At the moment that the woman entered, she found herself facing a masked woman wearing a smiley mask.


    THe masked woman was wearing formal clothes, which coupled with her mask, made her look both classic and creepy.


    The woman tried to ignore the chills that she felt from the masked woman as she attempted to go past her.


    "¡­" To the woman''s displeasure, she found herself unable to move on.


    "You¡­"


    Right now, the creepy masked woman was blocking her path, making it hard for the woman to go in.


    Seeing this blatant attempt to stop her from going in, the woman could only growl at the masked woman.


    "Move out of the way." The woman said as she glared at the masked woman "I need to talk about something!"


    "Good morning Miss Elise Thompson. What business are you here to talk about?" The masked woman said as she gave the woman, whose name was Elise, a light bow.


    "Why are you asking me that? I want to talk to the manager directly!" Elise said as she crossed her arms. "You are just a receptionist here. Why are you even stopping me from going in?"


    In response to Elise''s question, the masked woman only tilted her head as she said,


    "Well Miss Elise, we just received a notification earlier that your brother made a transaction with our bank yesterday. The transaction that he made¡­ can be said to be of high importance to the bank. We cannot allow anyone to derail it, even your brother''s relatives."


    "You don''t want anyone to derail it? Are you f**king kidding me?" Elise shouted in rage as she grabbed the masked woman''s shoulders. She tightened her grip as she shook the masked woman.


    "Your stupid bank forced my brother to pawn 1,200 Years of his Time! Do you think I will just allow that to continue?" Elise said as she continued shaking the masked woman. "My brother just broke through the Nascent Soul Stage, for god''s sake! He could have lived for much longer, yet he wasted all that by pawning 1,200 Years of his Time!"


    "I don''t see what could be your problem with that, Miss Elise." The masked woman replied calmly under Elise''s violent outburst. "It was your brother who chose to pawn his Time, not you. technically, you have no right to feel this way."


    "Technical my ass!" Elise shouted as she gritted her teeth. She badly wanted to attack the masked woman now, but she knew that it will just make everything worse for her. "Those 1,200 Years, they should be all his! Yet because of your stupid policies, he has no choice but to pawn them!"


    "Miss Elise, you know that ever since the Great TimeMaster has taken over this world, everyone''s Time has been turned into commodity and currency." The masked woman said as she tilted her head. "As such, things like what your brother just did is a common occurrence here at the United Bank of TimeMasters."


    "You bi-"


    "Miss Elise, don''t think for one second that you can do anything for your brother. That 1,200 Years of Time that he just pawned? Every single part of that is the property of the bank already. If you want to take it back, then you must give us suitable treasures that has enough value." The masked woman said, interrupting Elise''s cussing.


    "I just want to talk to your f**king manager! Can''t you even allow that?" Elise said with exasperation as she attempted to push the masked woman out of her way. "I just want to talk to him!"


    "Miss Elise, are you a registered customer of the UBT(United Bank of TimeMasters)?"


    "No, I am not, and quite frankly, after seeing your business tactics here, I think I will never be a customer of this bank." Elise replied angrily as she narrowed her eyes.


    "In that case, please get out of the premises already." The masked woman said as she snapped her fingers. "If you don''t, then I will call the police to arrest you. You don''t want to use your own Time to pay your bail, right?"


    "You¡­ I swear I will make you all pay for you did to my brother!" In the end, Elise realized that she had no way to talk to the bank directly. The security alone at the front was already this tight. Even if Elise managed to go in, there is no way that she can go to the management without triggering many of their alarms.


    She was left with no choice but to leave, with the masked woman waving her goodbye.


    "Stupid bastards. How the hell did my brother even know these guys?" Elise muttered to herself as she walked away from the tower.


    As she went farther and farther away from the bank, Elise''s expression turned worse as she knew the dilemma that her brother was in right now.


    "Ugh, ever since I heard what my brother did, he suddenly hid from me. That brat¡­ he''s surely afraid of me finding him right now. Hmph, serves him right! If it were not for the fact that he has little Time left, I could have beaten him up to pulp already!"


    After saying these words, Elise let out a sigh as she looked down at her right wrist.


    There, engraved on her right wrist, were a series of numbers that made Elise sigh more.


    [973] [11] [17] [14] [18] [15]


    "So, after I bought that flying sword, I was only left with 973 Years, 11 Months, 17 Days, 14 Hours, 18 Minutes, and 15 Seconds of Time? Tsk, I should have never bought that sword¡­" Elise said as she looked at the Time Counter on her wrist.


    "I am at the f**king Nascent Soul Stage too, yet my Time is below 1,000 Years? This is not good for my reputation and livelihood!"


    Elise''s eyes then narrowed as the number changed at the next second.


    [973] [11] [16] [14] [18] [14]


    "F**k¡­ I just lost 1 Month of Time right now? That f**king masked woman¡­ she must have deducted my Time!" Elise snarled as she turned around, facing the direction of the bank.


    She seemed to want to rush to the bank, although her body language made it apparent that she is dreading to go there.


    "Hmph, if I make another scene there, a Year of my Time could be possibly deducted from me! That is just not worth it!" Elise thought to herself glumly as she gave up on her plan to beat up the masked woman.


    She looked down at her Time Counter, making sure tat nothing is wrong there.


    [973] [11] [16] [14] [18] [09]


    "Okay, everything is still fine. I just have to lay low." Elise thought to herself as she shook her right wrist.


    After she shook her wrist, the Time Counter disappeared, leaving nothing but Elise''s pristine skin on her right wrist.


    She then hid her hands under her long sleeves as she walked away with her head stooped low.


    This time around, she did not make any noise as she walked along with the crowd.


    "Once I come back home, the first thing that I will do is look for my brother." Elise thought to herself as she clenched her fists. "After dealing with that brat, I will then have to talk to Eduardo. I still have to pay my debt to him. How much was it again? F**k, he''s the guy that I owe 30 Years of Time! S**t, maybe I should just avoid him?"


    Elise could have continued thinking about her tasks, but she was forced to stop as she felt someone''s hand on her shoulders.


    "Whoever you are, you should remove your hand on my shoulder." Elise said as she stopped on her tracks. "I am a Nascent Soul Practitioner, so you should know that fighting someone like me will just be your end. So if you want to live, you better remove your hand now!"


    "Come on Miss, what''s the big deal even if I do this?" The owner of the hand seems to be unperturbed with Elise''s threat. He seems to be even enjoying it. "So what if you''re a Nascent Soul Practitioner? Take a look at my wrist, and you will realize that your power is nothing to me."


    "¡­" Overcome by her curiosity, Elise swung her head as she looked behind her.


    There, she could see a young man showing his right wrist to Elise.


    The Time Counter on the man''s wrist could be clearly seen by Elise, and she could only gape in shock at the numbers engraved on it.


    As she saw the man''s Time Counter, Elise felt her vision fading as shock began to blossom in her mind.


    "How.. how could you have a Time like that?" Elise hoarsely asked as she stared at the young man. "And what the hell do you want with me?"


    "Sorry, but I cannot answer your first question." The young man replied as he gave Elise a bow. "As for your second question, you can say that I am in need of a capable helper for my plans. My friends have recommended you, so here I am, recruiting you."


    "You need my help for something?"


    "Yes, I do." The young man replied as he flashed Elise a smile. "And if you perform well, I can help you out with your debts and your brother''s problem."


    "How did you-"


    "It doesn''t matter on how I knew your problems. What matters is that I can help you out." The young man said as he shook his head. "Miss Elise, just accept my recruitment pitch, and I will help you out with your problems."


    "I¡­"


    "You wouldn''t want your brother''s Time to reach Zero, right?"


    "You!"

 Chapter 296 - They will be so broken, not even your mama can fix it!

    8 HOURS LATER


    "Alina, are you still angry at me? Please talk to me¡­." Alex whined through his teeth as he gave Alina a pleading gaze.


    The aforementioned woman only gave Alex a harrumph as she gobbled down on her food.


    "Nom nom nom."


    These sounds of Alina chewing grated on Alex''s ears, making him wish that he could not hear it anymore. But Alina seemed to relish on Alex''s irritation, as she continued on vocalizing her chewing.


    "Nom nom nom¡­"


    "Alina, it''s been 8 hours since we arrived here. Surely you want to talk to me already¡­" Alex attempted to plead to Alina once more, but just like before, he was only met with nothing but her chewing sounds.


    "Nom nom nom."


    "Alex, don''t try to talk to Alina right now. She is still pissed at you." Queen Mother, who was busy munching on some kind of plant, said as she gave Alex a warning look.


    Queen Mother seemed to be angry at Alex too, although she seemed to be not as angry as Alina.


    "Let Alina do her thing. I am sure that once she has sorted out her thoughts, she will talk to you."


    "Queen Mother, thank you for saying that. That is indeed what I am planning to do." Alina replied to Queen Mother, with her gaze averted away from Alex. "I will only talk to that guy once I want to do it."


    "Wait, now you are calling me ''that guy''?"


    "Hmph, you should be relieved that Alina is not beating you up right now." Professor Frances muttered behind Queen Mother as she gave Alex a disdaining look. "You kept some secrets on her, and you put your life at risk earlier! Do you really think that Alina can just say ''Oh goodie, I am not hurt that you kept secrets from me'' and forgive you? Hell no!"


    "¡­"


    Alex of course knew that what Professor Frances said was right, although the way that Professor Frances said it has grated on his nerves.


    "Why are you even here, Professor Frances?" Alex shot back as he glared at Professor Frances. "Shouldn''t you be stuck at that world? How could you be included here?"


    "Huh? What are you talking about? Right now, I am considered to be a property of Queen Mother, so it is inevitable for me to be brought here." Professor Frances replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "I am just like her clothes or special items, which will always be with her wherever she goes, unless she throws me away."


    "So that means that since you are now Queen Mother''s property, you will always be stuck with her?"


    "Yep, that''s the gist of it."


    "¡­I am not sure whether I should be happy about that or not¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he shook his head.


    He then looked behind him, seeing two more people in the room.


    "Oh Big Bro, where are we now? Is this a new place?" The one who asked this question was Kiera, the little girl bestowed with the power of the Red Moon. She was staring at Alex with an excited expression on her face, as if she had already forgotten Emperor Litch''s cruelty towards her.


    Behind Kiera was her grandfather, who was giving Alex an aggrieved look.


    No matter which way you looked at it, Kiera''s grandfather was pissed, although there is no way for him to just complain to Alex.


    "¡­"


    Upon looking at these two people, Alex could only shake his head as he let out a sigh.


    "So if I follow Professor Frances'' logic, then does that mean that these two are my property now? What the hell did I even do to make them mine?" Alex said aloud, ignoring the flaring anger of Kiera''s grandfather.


    "Maybe it''s the fact that they were inside Alina''s Storage when we were brought to this world." Queen Mother interjected as she patted Kiera''s head. "Maybe Kiera and her grandfather were treated as objects since they were stored in that Storage. And that allowed them to be brought here along with us¡­"


    After hearing this answer by Queen Mother, Professor Frances only nodded her head in agreement, while Alex''s eyebrows went up.


    "Do you know how ridiculous that sounds, Queen Mother?" Alex replied as he raised his arms. "If what you just said was right, then does that mean that we can put any people that we want inside Alina''s Storage, and once we go to another world, those people will be brought too? Queen Mother, that just sounds unfair! Do you know how broken any mission could get if what you said was true? They will be so broken, not even your mama can fix it!"


    "Say whatever that you want Alex, but you just saw that Kiera is with us right now." Queen Mother replied as Kiera giggled under her palm. "Of course, maybe their arrival here was related to the forced hiatus, but who cares about that? These two are with us right now because of us, so we have a responsibility to handle them."


    "With many companions comes great responsibility." Alex muttered as he shook his head. "Sigh, at least this world seems to be peaceful compared to the ones that we had before. Maybe we can-Kehoff!"


    Alex started coughing as his whole body convulsed in pain.


    Blood came out of his mouth as the bandages covering his skin started to redden too.


    Alex''s face also became contorted, as if he was experiencing pain that was too much for him.


    "Hey, I told you to just rest!" Asteria, who was drinking another jar of honey, said to Alex as she hovered towards him.


    The said fairy stared at Alex''s bandaged body while shaking her head.


    "Alex, due to you draining your reserves during the fight earlier, you were only able to forcefully heal yourself to around 50% of your peak condition." Asteria said as she poked Alex''s right shoulder.


    "Ouch! You dumb fairy! Where are you poking at!"


    "Ever since we arrived at this world 8 hours earlier, your healing rate has slowed down to just 3% per hour, which is already great, considering all the injuries that you just incurred." Asteria said as she stopped poking Alex. "Right now, you were only healed to around 74% of your peak condition. If you want to be fully healed, you must not do anything strenuous!"


    "You want me to just lie down here while I get ignored by Alina? Asteria, you must be kidd-"


    Alex looked like he was about to give a rant even with all his injuries, but that was stopped when behind him, Sloth suddenly materialized.


    Sloth lazily raised his arms as he hit Alex with the spell Lullaby.


    {[]}


    The effect was instantaneous, with Alex''s eyes rolling back to his head. His convulsions calmed down as the blood flowing out of his mouth disappeared.


    His bandages began to lighten too, as the blood seeping through them went back inside Alex''s body.


    The tense atmosphere around Alex calmed down as he fell asleep, making its occupants sigh in relief.


    "Hmph, thank you for that Sloth." Asteria said to Sloth as the latter let out a yawn. "But why did you not use that spell on this hooman earlier? He could have healed faster if you did that!"


    "We Abyss Sprites became tired after we activated Master''s Original Abyss Spell earlier¡­" Sloth replied unwillingly as his eyes began to droop. "We were so tired, that we could barely use our other spells¡­ We had to rest if we want to use our other spells, that''s why I did not use my Lullaby on master earlier¡­. I was just too tired to do i-Yawn¡­ Can I sleep now?"


    "Yes, you may sleep already, Sloth" Queen Mother spoke up as she gave Sloth a nod.


    THe Abyss Sprite looked relieved after hearing this, as he wore a satisfied expression on his face as he disappeared.


    Once the Abyss Sprite went back to wherever he came from, the whole room went silent again, as the people that were still awake struggled to find a conversation.


    "¡­."


    ***************


    "Ehem, so Alina, when will you stop eating?" Queen Mother asked hesitantly as she stared at Alina, who was still gorging on her food. "You have been eating non-stop since we arrived at this place. Don''t you think¡­ that this is a little too much?"


    "Don''t be worried about me. I am just stress eating." Alina replied hurriedly, with her mouth still filled with food. "There will be no problems even if I eat this many. I will just use my power to remove the excess fats out of my body."


    "But still-"


    "NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM NOM."


    "Fine¡­ you''re also not in the mood to talk too." Queen Mother said as she let out a sigh. "Go on and enjoy your eating then."


    "Nom nom nom."


    Seeing that Alina was uncooperative, Queen Mother swiveled her gaze at Kiera, who raised her hands as she said,


    "Big Sis, I want to play!"


    "Ah, maybe later¡­" Queen Mother replied as she shook her head. "We are still in an unknown place, so it is not safe for you if you just go out¡­"


    "Aww¡­"


    After talking to the kid, Queen Mother looked up as stared at the kid''s grandfather.


    "Okay, you don''t want to talk too." Queen Mother muttered as she saw he unbudging glare of the old man.


    Queen Mother then looked at Asteria, who stared at Queen Mother back.


    "What is it, tree hooman?"


    "¡­You told Alex earlier that in this world, we are the only Travelers. If that was the case, then that means that we can already know about the Main Mission, right?" Queen Mother said to the fairy as she tilted her head. "And we should be able to buy our upgrades already!"


    "Hmph, I can do that, but I still have to wait until Alex gets fully healed." Asteria replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "Only when he''s 100% healed that we will talk about the mission."


    "¡­" After hearing this answer, Queen Mother gave Asteria a blank gaze as the latter crossed her arms.


    A few seconds later, and Asteria let out a tired sigh as she looked away from the fairy.


    "¡­Fine. I''m sure you have a reason for that, which I won''t ask anymore." Queen Mother replied to the fairy. "Just¡­ continue slurping down that honey of yours."


    "Hmph, you sure you don''t want to ask?"


    "Nope, I''m good here."


    "Okay then."


    "¡­."


    After her attempts at talking with Asteria also went unsuccessful, Queen Mother placed her attention on the last person in the room.


    "Frances, did your spy drones get the information that we need?" Queen Mother said as she approached Professor Frances. "Actually, do you need my help for that? I can make your drones stronger if you want it."


    "Tree girl, there is no need for your help anymore." The professor said as she flipped her hair. "I already created those drones to be perfect in their jobs! Why would I, the greatest bio-sculptor ever, need improvements on my already perfect drones? That''s just ridiculous!"


    "Fine, fine, fine. I get it. All of you doesn''t want to talk to me!" Queen Mother''s temper got the better of her as she failed to suppress these words coming out of her mouth. "If you don''t want to talk with me, then I won''t try to bother you all!"


    "!!!" Everyone in the room perked up as they heard what Queen Mother said.


    Both Alina and Asteria gave Queen Mother worried looks, while Professor Frances looked at Queen Mother with incredulity.


    "You think we are ignoring you, Queen Mother? We ''re not doing that! We''re just you know, tired from the last fight¡­"


    "Don''t try to sugarcoat it, Alina. Ever since I joined this team, I am feeling¡­ somewhat alienated." Queen Mother said as she shook her head. "I get that I am¡­ not really human, but I feel like you were not giving your all in regards to talking with me."


    "¡­"


    "You know what? I can understand that alienation when it happened at the world of Superhumans, since we were just newly acquainted. But you still treated me the same way at the Four Moons World!"


    "Queen Mother, we-"


    "If you don''t want to talk to me now, then maybe it will be better for me to leave this room first." Queen Mother said as she stood up, opening the door of the room in the process.


    Queen Mother then stared back at her comrades as a tired expression appeared on her face.


    "Alina and Kiera, you can stay here and guard Alex. As for you Professor Frances¡­ just focus on manipulating your drones. As for me, I¡­ will just get a breather outside."


    Queen Mother did not linger around to hear what her companions would say as she immediately left, leaving the door ajar.


    She heard some footsteps following her, but Queen Mother did not take note of it as she only focused on leaving this place first.


    As for when she will come back? Queen Mother will have to think of that later.

 Chapter 297 - Don’t you say that I am high. I never get high.

    "Oi! Wait up! Don''t just leave me behind! Oi!" As Queen Mother quickly trudged away from her allies, someone''s voice started to disturb her. "Oi! Will you really just walk away without me?"


    Queen Mother, who was already some distance away from the shack that she and allies had stayed in, could only shake her head as continued walking.


    "Oi tree girl, please listen to me! If you don''t, I will continue shouting at you!"


    "Why are you following me?" In the end, Queen Mother was left with no choice but to look behind her, giving the person following her a stern gaze. "Frances, what do you want? Can''t you see that I want to be alone first?"


    Professor Frances, who was wearing her signature lab gown, coupled with a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, gave Queen Mother a rueful smile as she said,


    "Oh, since you said that you want to take a walk, I decided to join you. After all, it will be better if we walk together, since you know, we''re both experts at life creation."


    "Didn''t you get the hint that I want to be alone for a second?" Queen Mother shot back as she glared at Professor Frances. As she glared at the professor, Queen Mother''s eyes wandered as she checked out the professor''s body.


    Queen Mother was definitely sure that Professor Frances will be a beauty, only if she could maintain a proper hygiene, which the professor had been failing to do so.


    Queen Mother looked at the professor''s hair, taking note of the dirt and grime stuck in it.


    "If she could just clean her hair, it will surely look great on her¡­" Queen Mother thought to herself as her eyes landed on the professor''s modest bosom and long legs.


    "And if she just wore some good clothes, I am sure she could look just as good as Alina¡­"


    After this thought suddenly appeared in her mind, Queen Mother started to frown as she seemed to have remembered something unpleasant.


    "Nah uh uh. Don''t go thinking that way to this woman." Queen Mother immediately backtracked her improper thoughts towards Professor Frances as she remembered what kind of woman the professor was. "This woman was someone who was willing to kill herself just to have a shot of revenge against the Endless Monarch. Getting too close with her will surely backfire on me."


    "You want to be alone? Really? If you really want that, then you should have chased me away by now." Professor Frances said as she did not budge under Queen Mother''s glare. "But look, you are still talking to me¡­"


    "I could just be trying to be diplomatic here." Queen Mother replied in exasperation as she averted her gaze away from the professor''s body. "Besides, I don''t even need to fight you. Part of my aura was inside your body, so I basically have control over your life. I don''t need to raise my hand against you. You will always have to follow my will."


    "Hmph, since that was the case, then there should be no problem if I join you, right?" Professor Frances said as she seemed unfazed with Queen Mother''s words. "You said it yourself. My life is under your control. That means that you are perfectly safe with me. And what if you suddenly face danger later? You cannot just deal with that alone. With me here, your safety will be assured too."


    "¡­"


    Queen Mother realized that she was unable to say anything, as she knew that Professor Frances'' logic was impeccable here.


    But even with that, Queen Mother could not help but feel suspicious of the professor.


    "You don''t want to just join me. You want to talk about something that you don''t want Alina and Alex to hear." Queen Mother briskly said as she continued walking. "That is reason why you want to join me."


    "Oh, I always thought that sentient plant creatures are dumb. My experiments before had shown that. But here you are, managing to deduce my intentions. You really are a great specimen!" Professor Frances replied gleefully as her smile turned predatory.


    The professor then followed the walking Queen Mother, and this time around, Queen Mother did nothing to stop her.


    Both of them walked quietly on their path, which was a dirt trail meandering through a large forest.


    With the perceptions of the two, they knew that the forest they were in was extremely large, and walking at their current pace will not be enough to leave the forest.


    But these two were not planning to leave the forest at all.


    A few minutes later, and the silent walk between the two were broken as Professor Frances spoke up.


    "Tree girl, why are you holding back?"


    "What?" Queen Mother replied in confusion as she gave the professor a bewildered gaze. "Why would you say that?"


    "Oh please, it was so f**king obvious to me that you are holding back!" Professor Frances said as she started giggling like a maniac. "Just looking at you right now makes me both angry and happy!"


    Her unkempt hair shook behind her as the predatory smile on her face widened. Her breathing began to quicken too as her skin flushed in excitement.


    "¡­" Queen Mother could not help but tremble as she saw the professor''s current appearance, which made her inwardly regret bringing her here.


    "Tree girl, do you know what one of my goals as a bio-sculptor was?" Professor Frances said as she looked at Queen Mother''s body greedily. "Do you know what it was?"


    "¡­What is it?" Queen Mother replied, as she did her best to not get creeped out by the professor''s intense gaze.


    "It''s just simple¡­ One of my goals was the creation of a perfect living being!" Professor Frances replied as drool began to leak out of her mouth. "Ohh¡­ Just thinking about that is already making me hot!"


    The professor then began to pant as her hands slowly approached Queen Mother.


    "Oi, Frances! What the hell are you trying to do now!" Queen Mother panickedly said as the professor took some steps towards her. "Oi! Take a hold of yourself!"


    "Even with my talent, I was still unable to create a perfect living being." The professor said as her hands landed on top of Queen Mother''s shoulder.


    She then started massaging Queen Mother''s shoulder in a way that is similar to the way that she had treated her experimental subjects.


    Queen Mother started to shiver as this happened, and it made her suspicions towards the professor higher.


    But even with what, Queen Mother did not remove the professor''s hand off her shoulder, as she realized that she could fish more information from the professor this way.


    "Do you know how much I am frustrated by that? I am so angry at myself for failing to create a perfect living being!" Professor Frances started shouting out as she increased the intensity of her massage. "I thought I was just a s**tstain that doesn''t deserve to live because of my failures!"


    "¡­."


    "After countless failed experiments, I came to the conclusion that maybe a perfect living being is not possible. But then, you appeared." At this point, the professor''s hands stopped moving as her eyes stared at Queen Mother directly.


    The professor''s cold, calculating gaze pierced at Queen Mother''s eyes as she slowly said,


    "At the moment that I saw you, I realized that you are a perfect living being. The powerful life force that you are letting out, and the way that your body worked made me sure that you are a perfect living being!" The professor said these words with so much glee that she almost literally sparkled. "Do you know how excited I was when I first saw you? I was on cloud nine, and I could only force myself to not salivate on you at that time!"


    "What are you talking about? Are you high at that-"


    "Don''t you say that I am high. I never get high." Professor Frances said, interrupting Queen Mother''s hasty reply. "And don''t you dare lie to me. Even if I do not have Alina''s eyes, I already knew your body language enough. Lie, and I will see it.


    "¡­"


    After hearing the professor saying these words, Queen Mother did his best to stay quiet as she hid her panic.


    "Bad. This is bad." Queen Mother thought to herself as she tried to avoid the professor''s stare. "That is the secret that I haven''t told anyone yet, including Alex and Alina! Why, why of all the people who could know it, this woman was the first one?"


    "I already heard your story from Alina. A World Tree who spawned a powerful race, and someone who took a humanoid form? Hmph, that is already enough to confirm that you are a perfect living being!" Professor Frances continued talking as Queen Mother stayed silent.


    At this point, Professor'' Frances eyes suddenly narrowed as she gave the Professor an irritated glare.


    "With your status as a perfect living being, you should be powerful enough to beat up the enemies that we had at the Four Moons World!" Professor Frances said as she shook her head. "And yet, instead of showing off your full capabilities, you still went on with your normal form. Why the hell would you hold back that way?"


    "¡­"


    "What''s the matter tree girl? Did you lose the ability to speak? Come on! I want you to talk more about yourself!"


    "¡­I have my reasons for not talking about it." In the end, Queen Mother was forced to reply as Professor Frances did not stop on pestering her. "It''s just as simple as that."


    "Hmph, you dare keep secrets from Alina and Alex, and yet you say that you are being alienated by them?" Professor Frances mockingly said as she shook her head. "How ridiculous!"


    "You-"


    Queen Mother could have continued on arguing with Professor Frances, but she was forced to stop talking as she suddenly felt the arrival of multiple presences.


    "Frances, I feel some people approaching this place!" Queen Mother said as she placed the matter of her talk with the professor at the back of her mind. "With the speed that they are going, it will be impossible for us to hide. We have no choice¡­ but to interact with them!"


    "Hahaha! Such optimistic words! Interact? Are you thinking that this will not devolve into a fight?" Professor Frances said as she suppressed her chortles.


    "If they try to attack us, then I will make sure to pay them back." Queen Mother said as her eyes narrowed.


    "Oh! You will fight? Will you then show your power as a perfect living being?"


    "Shut your mouth Frances. I don''t need distractions like that now."


    "¡­.You are just like Alex. You both change the topics when you don''t want to talk about it. You two are no fun at all."


    "¡­" Queen Mother chose to not reply to that as she waited for the people that she detected to arrive.


    Queen Mother only had to wait for a few seconds before she had a visual cue on the newcomers.


    It was a group of 5 people, who were all wearing gray robes coupled with jewelries that were pulsing with power.


    These people were all flying in the sky, as if they had abilities that were allowing them to perform this feat.


    All around their bodies, numerous objects floated, with each object emitting auras that were enough to make Queen Mother and Professor Frances wary.


    "¡­"


    As they approached Queen Mother, Queen Mother started to feel tense as she felt that these 5 people were no mere pushovers.


    The 5 people started to look tense too, as they seemed to have sensed danger from both Queen Mother and Professor Frances.


    "¡­" The two sides started at each other intently, with no one from them making a single move.


    This state could have continued until the end of the day, until one of the newcomers started to talk.


    "You two¡­ what are you doing inside our territory? Do you know that this place is owned by the Covenant of Immortals? Are you here to join us? Or are you our enemies?"


    "!!!"


    Obviously, Queen Mother and Professor Frances had no idea on how to answer that question.

 Chapter 298 - Since you want to smack us, then let me smack you too

    If Alex was here, he could have easily pulled out an excuse in front of the newcomers.


    But Queen Mother and Professor Frances were not Alex, so buls***ing is out of their league.


    As such, the only thing that they could do now was to fight.


    "¡­" Both of them stayed silent, as they prepared themselves to attack.


    The newcomers, whose grey robes were swirling along with the wind, gave a startled gasp as they too assumed their fighting stances.


    "Leader, these two¡­" One of the grey-robed people said as he looked at the one leading their group.


    "I know, these two surely are up to no good." The ''leader'' replied. "Just look at how they reacted to our presence. They must be someone sent by the TimeMasters!"


    The leader''s voice sounded melodious, making Queen Mother realize that this one was a female.


    "This woman seems to be so sure of herself." Queen Mother thought to herself as she narrowed her eyes. "Is she confident about her power? But from what I can sense, this woman is-"


    "Boom!" Before Queen Mother could continue her thoughts, the five newcomers started to make their moves!


    Silhouettes of glowing orbs appeared behind each newcomer, with each newcomer having one glowing orb behind them.


    The only exception was the leader, who has 3 glowing orbs behind her.


    At the instant that these glowing orbs appeared, the power around the grey-robed people suddenly tripled, as if the orbs provided them with a boost of power.


    An unknown type of energy began to flow out of their bodies, which circulated all around them.


    Both Queen Mother and Professor Frances frowned as they saw all of these happenings. That energy that came out of the newcomers made them feel a little apprehensive, and also a little curious.


    The frown on the faces of the two seemed to have been obvious, as the leader of the newcomers started to laugh, with her voice sounding like the tinkling of the bells.


    "What''s the problem you two? Don''t tell me this is your first time facing a group of Dao Core Practitioners?" The leader said as the energy coming out of their bodies started to increase. "And here I thought that you two are just pretending to be weak. But from the looks of it, you two could have not even stepped into cultivation!"


    "¡­"


    "Hmph, since I am in a good mood today, I might decide to spare you two." The leader said ''magnanimously'' as she flipped her hair. "Just kowtow in front of me, and I will accept you as my servants."


    The leader then made some licking sounds as her eyes landed on Queen Mother''s voluptuous body. "Especially you, beautiful woman. If you accept my offer to be my servant, I will make you experience bliss under me!"


    "Well said leader! Well said!" The companions of the leader behind him shouted eagerly. The leader seemed to be pleased with this, as a smile appeared on her face.


    "But if you will not follow me, then we will have no choice but to eliminate you two. After all, we can''t have any outsiders on this place!"


    "¡­."


    **************


    Under this threat by the leader, both Queen Mother and Professor Frances seems to be not perturbed, as they started conversing to themselves calmly.


    The newcomers were forced to watch as Queen Mother and Professor Frances started talking to each other like there were no people around them.


    "Frances, how strong do you think these people are?"


    "Tree girl, I can see that these people are all around Third Stage of power."


    "All of them at the Third Stage? That makes me relieved. But Frances, how did you know their power level?"


    "Tree girl, during my stay at the last world, I created a biological sensor which can detect power levels of any individual. Right now, that sensor is inside my head, feeding me information directly."


    "Frances, can you also put those sensors on me too? That actually sounds cool."


    "Tree girl, as long as you let me take a sample of your blood, I will place a sensor inside you flawlessly. All I need is just a drop of your blood."


    "It''s all settled then, Frances. Let''s do it late-"


    "You two! Are you mocking me right now?" The leader seemed to be unable to contain her rage as she glared at Queen Mother and Professor Frances. "I offered you something out of my goodwill, and yet you dare to ignore me? Do you want to die or what?"


    "Hmph, if you want to attack us, then you better do it now." Professor Frances said as she sneered at the leader. "Didn''t you say that you will kill any outsiders? Come on, do it now!"


    "¡­You asked for it! Don''t you regret saying those words!" The leader shouted out as the professor''s taunt on her worked. "My comrades, let''s blast these bastards into pieces!"


    "Boom!"


    The glowing orbs behind the newcomers started to absorb the unknown energy, as the newcomers pointed their fingers at Queen Mother and Professor Frances.


    Once all the unknown energy was absorbed, all the glowing orbs combined with each other, forming one large orb.


    This large orb then changed its appearance, transforming itself into a massive boar.


    The boar, which was the size of a mountain, raised its hooves menacingly as it glared at Queen Mother and Professor Frances.


    The ground beneath the boar''s feet began to crumble, as if the boar''s weight was too much even for the ground.


    At the instant that this boar appeared, all the newcomers waved their fingers in a pattern as they shouted,


    "Combined Core Qi Spell: Descent of the Mountain-Bashing Boar!"


    "Roar!" After they said this incantation, the boar in front of them let out a bellow as it rushed towards Queen Mother and Professor Frances, with its tusk pointed directly at their bodies.


    The whole forest seemed to rumble as the boar approached the two.


    Even the air seemed to be affected too, as the nearby trees were toppled by the wind generated by the boar''s movement.


    "Roar!" The boar''s muscular body began to ripple as the unknown energy inside its body started to strengthen it. Its eyes began to turn red as its movements started to get powerful.


    In fact, with every step that the boar made, its momentum seems to increase too!


    "Hahaha! The Mountain-Bashing Boar is a divine beast that can topple mountains with its mighty rush! Nobody can survive against it!" The leader said out loud as the boar continued barreling towards Queen Mother and Professor Frances. "If I were you, I would do my best to dodge! But its too bad for you two. You won''t be able to dodge our boar anymore!"


    "¡­"


    Instead of appearing scared from the massive being that is approaching their way, Queen Mother and Professor Frances seemed to be only barely interested as they gave the boar a sparing glance.


    "Tree girl, just like what I told you earlier, we will have no problem here. These people are just at the Third Stage. You can easily beat them."


    "Frances, when I saw that boar, I thought I will have to fight with my life on the line. But as it turns out, it''s just an imitation of the real one."


    "Tree girl, are you interested on taking it down? I am exactly not good at this kind of stuff."


    "Fine, fine. I shall deal with his pig then."


    "You bastards! Are you mocking us again?" The leader cried out in anger as the boar roared angrily too.


    "So what if we do? Your boar deserves it." Queen Mother replied as she started to walk towards the raging boar.


    At every step that Queen Mother took, her body changed, as her height began to increase drastically.


    Her body began to thicken too, making her look extremely imposing.


    "Pit pat pit pat."


    Professor Frances and the newcomers could only watch with wide eyes as Queen Mother''s body grew at every step she took.


    One step earlier, and Queen Mother was just as large as a normal tree.


    Ten steps later, and Queen Mother was already as large as a building!


    "!!!"


    More steps later led to the point where Queen Mother was larger than the boar already, with the boar''s height only reaching Queen Mother''s waist!


    "Hiiii!" The boar seemed to have lost its bravado after seeing the giant version of Queen Mother. It began to slowly back away as it let out whining sounds.


    "No. You don''t get to back away from here. Since you want to smack us, then let me smack you too." Queen Mother muttered as she twisted her body, pulling her right arm back until it was c.o.c.ked like a gun.


    Queen Mother then clenched her right hand slowly as she stored her some of her vitality on her right fist.


    When her right fist began to glow brightly, Queen Mother let out a groan as she sent that fist hurtling towards the boar!


    "Kiee!!!!" The boar disintegrated as Queen Mother''s fist collided with it, with its body breaking down in just a moment.


    The trees all around the boar all disappeared too, as Queen Mother''s punch broke them into splinters.


    The newcomers, who were shell-shocked at the image of the gigantic Queen Mother, spat out large quantities of blood as the boar got destroyed.


    Their faces turned ashen, as the vitality inside their bodies began to weaken.


    All of them began to look panicked, especially when they saw that Queen Mother''s fist was now heading towards them!


    "!!!!"


    At the moment that Queen Mother''s fist hit their bodies, a golden glow appeared around the newcomers, which slowed down Queen Mother''s punch.


    But this golden glow did not last that long, as it was immediately shattered just a second later.


    Without any obstructions, Queen Mother''s was able to punch the newcomers directly!


    "Crack!"


    Multiple cracking sounds could be heard as the force of her punch broke almost all the bones in their bodies.


    Blood seeped out of their skin as their organs began to rupture from the inside!


    The treasures around these 5 started to fall on the ground, as their control on them seemingly disappeared. Some of the treasures were even destroyed, as they were caught in the range of Queen Mother''s attack.


    To anyone seeing what just happened, it was quite obvious that it was an overkill!


    "Slither¡­"


    After she punched her enemies into destruction, massive tendrils sprouted out of Queen Mother''s finger, wrapping themselves around the newcomers.


    The tendrils wrapped themselves in a net-like pattern, creating a cocoon-like structure around the newcomers.


    As her tendrils continued on wrapping their bodies, Queen Mother''s body began to decrease in size, only stopping when she went back to her human form.


    At the moment that she reached this size, Professor Frances, who was watching everything that happened with a twinkle in her eyes, gave Queen Mother a smirk as she said,


    "Tree girl, that was a nice punch. You sure killed that boar in one hit!"


    "Frances, that boar is just a spell. My body is powerful enough to kill it." Queen Mother replied with a sigh. "It''s just as simple as that."


    "Speaking of that boar, are you sure that these 5 who conjured that boar are still alive? We need to bring them back to Alex for questioning."


    "Don''t worry Frances. That golden glow which appeared earlier managed to weaken my punch to the point that these 5 were left hanging for their lives" Queen Mother replied as she looked at her tendrils. "Yes, these 5 were heavily injured, but they still have some life left in them. As long as I feed them with my vitality, we can interrogate them easily."


    "In that case, what are we waiting for? Tree girl, let''s bring these 5 back to our base! We have to talk to them now!" Professor Frances said as a manic glint appeared on her eyes. "You never know... someone form them might die before we can talk to them!"


    "Frances, I don''t like that look in your eyes." Queen Mother said as she peered at the professor suspiciously." Are you¡­ planning on using some of your experiments on them?"


    "Ha? Did I say that?"


    "You didn''t but it''s quite obvious that you plan to do it."


    "If I did not say it, then it will not happen."


    "Really?"


    "Really."


    "Then will you promise that you will not do it?"


    "Um well¡­"


    "So you are really planning on doing it. "


    "Hey!"

 Chapter 299 - Stop it, get some help

    "Oh, you two came back quickly." These were the words that Alina uttered as Queen Mother and Professor Frances went back. "I thought that you two will take a longer time to walk around."


    "¡­"


    Both Queen Mother and Professor Frances could only give Alina a nod in response to her curt comment.


    After they did this, their eyes started to roam around, as they observed the other people inside the shack.


    As of now, Alex could still be seen sleeping, with his face wearing a peaceful smile. Kiera and her grandfather on the other hand were both asleep too, with their snores too loud to be ignored. As for Asteria, she could be seen sitting at the corner of the room, busy on sucking her last bottle of honey.


    "¡­."


    With all these people busy, it was no wonder the only one who greeted Queen Mother and Professor Frances was Alina.


    "Sorry about the load behind us." Professor Frances apologetically said as she pointed at the five cocoons being dragged by Queen Mother. "We met some enthusiastic lads earlier, so we figured out that we could use their enthusiasm for good."


    Alina did not give any comment to that, as she seemed to be ignoring the five unconscious people being dragged by Queen Mother.


    Right now, Alina''s stare was only focused on Queen Mother herself.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Professor Frances, who was standing between the two women, suddenly perked up as she started to realize what was about to happen.


    "Oh right¡­." Professor Frances exclaimed as she gave Queen Mother and Alina encouraging smiles. "I just remembered something that I should do. Hehehe, let me get out of here fir-"


    "Queen Mother, did you have fun walking around?" Alina asked with a neutral tone in her voice.


    There were no emotions present on Alina''s voice, making it appear as if Alina was not interested on talking to Queen Mother.


    "¡­" Instead of feeling offended, Queen Mother''s face only showed relief as her tense expression lightened.


    "I thought my walk will be boring, but some people joined in to provide me fun." Queen Mother replied as she gave Alina a smile. "It was too bad that you did not join us. You could have enjoyed the way that I beat them up."


    "Oh really? I must have missed out on a lot then." Alina replied as she resumed on munching her food.


    "You really missed out on a lot. You should have seen my giant form clobbering the boar that they summoned."


    "A boar? Did you bring it back? It must taste delicious¡­"


    "Ah about that. The boar was just a manifestation, so there''s no meat involved."


    "Ah, now you just made me hungrier¡­"


    "Wait, what? Did you two just make up?" As the conversation between Alina and Queen Mother turned light-hearted, the confused Professor Frances started to question her sanity as she stared at the two. "Didn''t Queen Mother just turn drama queen earlier? What the f**k is with this reception? Why are you chummy-chummy again?"


    "Alina, Frances suggested to me that we should interrogate these 5 people." Queen Mother said as she and Alina ignored Professor Frances'' outburst. "Their bodies are at an extremely fragile state, so interrogating them will be easy."


    After saying these words, Queen Mother heaved a little as she placed the 5 cocoons in front of Alina. The cocoons split open, revealing the five newcomers, whose bodies were still bleeding. As she showed these 5, Queen Mother looked at Alina intently as she asked her,


    "So, do you agree with Frances'' suggestion?"


    "As long as it is information that will be of help to us, I will gladly accept it." Alina replied quickly as she set down her eating bowl.


    She then stood up as she approached the 5 newcomers. "So, how should we do this interrogation? I can use my Dark Magic, but I am not sure if I can use that on them all. Their powers¡­ seem to have improved their mental prowess. My Dark Magic might not work on them that well¡­"


    "In that case, maybe we can use one of Frances'' new inventions." Queen Mother calmly said as she tilted her head. "She told me that she managed to create an improved version of her brain worms, which will be useful in extracting information. Aside from that, Frances also told me she hasn''t used those worms on live human subjects. Since that was the case, maybe we can use these 5 people as the first subjects of the improved brain worms."


    "Hey you two! Don''t ignore me!"


    "Those brain worms again? Personally, I don''t like seeing those things." Alina said as her eyes furrowed. "But maybe we can use them here. After all, these 5 attacked you with the intent to kill. Punishing them with these worms could be a good lesson to them."


    "Frances, did you hear what AIina just said?" Queen Mother exclaimed as she gave Professor Frances a thumbs-up sign. "You can use your improved brain worms on live humans now! Shouldn''t you be happy?"


    "Happy my ass! I am not feeling happy! I am just feeling confused right now!" Professor Frances exclaimed angrily as she glared at the other two women. "You two¡­ how could you talk normally to each other again? Shouldn''t you two be snobbish at each other?"


    "Alina, I think Frances is under the influence of banned substances." Queen Mother said as she once more ignored Professor Frances'' complaint. "Ever since earlier, I have noticed that Frances seems to be ''high''¡­. Maybe we should make her sleep too?"


    "Ah, using banned substances to get high is a big no-no for me." Alina replied sadly as she shook her head. "They will mess you up in the future after all."


    "Hey!"


    "Professor Frances, no matter how good you feel from using whatever you use, please resist the temptation of it!" Alina said as she shook her head. "It will be better for you if you stop using it now!"


    "Hey!"


    "Stop it, get some help."


    "Argh you two! Stop doing this! You are just making me angrier!" Professor Frances roared out in anger as gritted her teeth. "Will you two even stop?"


    "Well, maybe we will stop talking once we finish the interrogation¡­"


    "Argh fine! I will start the interrogation already!" The professor said as she let out a sigh. "Just¡­ let me get my improved brain worms first¡­"


    "No hurries, Frances. We''re not racing against the clock, YET."


    "¡­."


    ****************


    3 HOURS LATER.


    "There! I have made these 5 talk already! Now, can you please lay off your jokes?" Professor Frances angrily said as she knocked out the last of their captives. "Maybe you can stop saying that I am high! I am tired of hearing that already!"


    As the captives fell down on the floor unconscious, Queen Mother''s cocoon caught them, wrapping around them tightly.


    "We get it Frances. You don''t like talking about it. Since you''re like that, we promise to not talk about it unless you wanted to say it." Queen Mother replied as she shrugged her shoulders.


    "¡­Why do I feel as if you are still mocking me here¡­"


    "Okay! Now that we have gathered all the info that we need, I think it is time for us to summarize it." Alina said as she clapped her hands. She placed her katana back on its sheath as she sat on a nearby chair.


    She leaned on the nearby wall as she gazed at Queen Mother''s direction. "Queen Mother, give us the summarized version of this world''s power system."


    "The power system? Okay, here I go then." Queen Mother replied as she nodded her head. "The power system in this world is called Immortal Cultivation, and it is comprised of several cultivation levels, with each cultivation level having their own unique characteristics. Just by looking at the way that their power system works, all I can say is that it is organized."


    "Yes, from what I heard from our captives, the Immortal Cultivation system seems to be orderly." Alina said as she cupped her chin. "For each Stage of Power, there is an equivalent cultivation level, and the cultivators only need to raise their cultivation level in order to raise their power. This on its own is already enough to make cultivation a formidable system."


    "Qi Condensation, Foundation Establishment, Core Formation, Dao Soul , Spirit Doman, and Immortal Stage. These are the first 6 levels of the Immortal Cultivation System." Queen Mother said as she narrowed her eyes. "And each of these levels correspond to a stage of power."


    "At Qi Condensation, which is the equivalent of First Stage, a cultivator must absorb the Immortal Qi from the surroundings towards their bodies." Alina said as her head started to move back and forth. "As for Foundation Establishment which is the Second Stage, a cultivator must form Dao Foundations to strengthen their power and to create the path for their dao. Core Formation on the other hand leads to the formation of a Dao Core and production of Core Qi, which will make the cultivator''s power skyrocket."


    "Then there is the Dao Soul Stage, which is the transformation of the Dao Core into the Dao Soul." Queen Mother said as she nodded her head. "At this stage, a cultivator will gain the ability to conjure soul abilities which makes them more dangerous. The stage after that, which is the Spirit Domain Stage, is all about the creation of Spirit Domain, which is the manifestation of all the insights of a cultivator."


    "Then finally there is the Immortal Stage, which is the transformation of both the Dao Soul and the Spirit Domain into the Immortal Soul." Alina concluded as she stood up from her seat. "As for the stages above that, we are still unsure about them. These people that we have interrogated seems to have no idea about it."


    "Well, even if the information that they gave us is not complete, that still gives us a larger picture about this world." Professor Frances interjected as she kicked one of the cocoons. "This world is dominated by powerful Immortals, and every step and event in this world has been dictated by them."


    "What you said was true, but that all changed 10,000 years ago." Queen Mother suddenly said as she interrupted Professor Frances.


    "Oh yes." Professor Frances said as she nodded her head. "From what I can recall, I heard our captives saying that someone who calls himself the Great Time Master suddenly appeared in this world 10,000 years ago. Once he appeared, he immediately defeated all the major powers in this world and he established himself as its sole ruler. He then ''stole'' the Time of this world, forcing all of its occupants to use their own Time as the currency in this world. Once he did all this, the age of the Immortals has ended, as the rise of the Time Masters became apparent."

 Chapter 300 - Is it A? Or will it B?

    At the moment that the topic of TimeMasters was brought up, the three women went silent as their moods plummeted at the same time.


    "According to our captives, the enroachment of the TimeMasters in this world has been so extensive that every facet of life here has been controlled by them." Queen Mother muttered as she crossed her arms. "Business, livelihood, education, governments, even the welfare of the mortals, all of them are all run by the TimeMasters themselves."


    "With the power that the people in this world had, they should have been able to resist the rule of the TimeMasters. Yet, none of them managed to even shake the TImeMasters¡­." Professor Frances said as she hovered behind Queen Mother. "Can you imagine that? A group of people under the powerful Immortal Cultivation System were actually unable to fend off the TImeMasters? Those TimeMasters must be hella powerful!"


    "Yeah, they really are powerful."


    "I wonder how strong they are compared to me..."


    "Try fighting one of them, and you will see."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The three then went silent again, as they started to digest all the info that they just talked about.


    At that point, none of them were able to think of a good topic to talk about, since the topic of the Immortal Cultivation System and of the TimeMasters were the most vital topics here.


    A few more seconds passed by before Alina spoke up.


    "All in all, those two were the most important topics that we obtained from these 5." Alina slowly said as she gazed at the cocoons. "The others were just miscellaneous information, although their info about a rebel Immortal Army living in this forest is also interesting to me¡­"


    "Oh, you mean the Covenant of Immortals? Pei!" After hearing what Alina just said, Professor Frances gave this reply as she spat on the floor. "If you hear the name of this group, you might think that they are strong. But look at these 5 people that we captured! Aren''t they members of Covenant of Immortals? If that group was strong, how was Queen Mother be able to capture them easily?"


    "Professor Frances, I think you are making a hasty generalization here." Alina replied as she shook her head. "You should remember that Queen Mother''s strength was way higher than Third Stage. Make her fight with these people, and you already know who is the winner."


    "¡­"


    "With just one look, you can say that these 5 people here were not the bigshots of the Covenant of Immortals." Alina continued saying as she shook her head. "Professor Frances, you cannot just estimate the strength of that group based on these people alone."


    "A rebel organization that is composed of numerous powerful cultivators, who all share the same goal of overthrowing the TimeMasters should be a powerful group." Queen Mother said as she gave the professor a reproaching look. "Frances, no matter which you look at it, it is highly likely that this Covenant of Immortals is a hidden power."


    "Fine! I get it already! I''m wrong, ok?" Professor Frances replied angrily as she let out a sigh. Shen then glared at Queen Mother and Alina as she said,


    "Since you two thinks that this Covenant is really strong, then shouldn''t we be worried? If what these 5 people said was right, then all of us are inside the territory of that Covenant. That means that no matter what we do, that Covenant will surely find us. And since we captured and interrogated some of their members, our meeting with those people might turn out bad!"


    "Well, I am worrying about that too." Alina replied, as she seemed to be unfazed by the professor''s words. "But there is nothing that we can do right now to avoid them. At the moment that we entered this forest, I am sure that the Covenant of the Immortals had already detected us. Even if we leave right now, the Covenant might pursue us. Since we have no choice but to stay here, then the best thing that we can do was to just wait for them to come here."


    "Are you crazy Alina? Do you know how dangerous this could be?" Professor Frances said as she stared intently at Alina. "If you let them catch us here, it might not end good for us! In my opinion, we should run awa-"


    "Professor Frances, has it never crossed your mind that the Main Mission could be related to the Covenant of Immortals?" Alina suddenly said, interrupting Professor Frances'' fiery words. "Did it ever cross your mind that meeting with these people could actually be of great help to us?"


    "Oh. You are talking about that."


    "With the worlds that we have already visited, I have already seen a pattern." Alina said as she crossed her arms. "I noticed that the Main Mission was always related to the powerful factions in the worlds that we visit. Our mission at the Superhuman World? It is related to the Pantheon, the strongest Hero Team there. As for the mission at the Four Moons world? Even if it is not yet finished, you can already say that the mission there is linked to the Three Factions¡­."


    "¡­"


    "Professor Frances, you could understand what I am saying, right?" Alina said as she tilted her head.


    The smugness in Alina''s voice was audible, and it served to irritate the professor a little.


    "Of course I can. I am not a dumb b***h." The professor replied as she let out a tsk. "Basically, you are saying that in each world that we visit, the Main Mission usually is related to the strongest forces in that world¡­"


    "So does that mean that you already understand why I wanted to meet the Covenant of Immortals?" Alina replied as she smiled at Professor Frances.


    "I can understand it now, but that does not mean that I am happy about it." Professor Frances said as she shook her head. "So what if we see them later? Are you sure that they won''t attack us? Alina, those people are also sly and shrewd! They could just attack us even before we see them! Do you see it Alina? The point that I am trying to make here?"


    "Well, we don''t have to worry about those kind of things happening here, since we have Alex with us." Alina replied confidently.


    "Alina, Alex is still asleep now! What if those people come in right now? Do you think Alex can do something about it?"


    "Ah don''t worry about that too. From what I can remember, Alex is bound to wake up any second now." Alina replied as she sat back on her chair. She then leaned back on the wall as she gave a sideways glance at Alex. "Any second now."


    "..."


    Queen Mother, who was quiet on the entirety of the argument between Alina and Professor Frances, opened her mouth as she thought that waiting for Alex to wake up is just a waste of time here.


    But at the moment that Queen Mother was about to talk, Alex''s eyelids, which were extremely still earlier, started to tremble.


    A moment later, and the trembling stopped as Alex''s eyes opened.


    His breathing, which was slow and steady earlier, was now picking up as the man himself greedily took in huge gulps of air for himself.


    Alex''s body, which was laid still earlier, was now moving fluidly as he suddenly stood up.


    At the moment that he stood up, a whooshing sound was heard inside the room as the energy from the surroundings started to gather towards Alex''s body.


    An aura of extreme vitality and life could be felt from Alex''s body right now, which was a direct contrast to the sickly feeling that he emanated earlier.


    Alex, who was wearing a gloomy expression earlier, was now wearing a full smile on his face as he beamed at the three women in front of him.


    "¡­"


    No matter which way you look at it, Alex can be said to be awake now and back in full health.


    "Yo. Good morning to all of you. Or should I say good afternoon?" Alex said as he tilted his head. He then stretched his arms behind him as he let out a yawn. "Man, that was such a good sleep! If possible, I want to sleep that way again next time!"


    ".."


    "What''s the matter you three? Why do you all look like you were all about to pounce at me?"


    "¡­Alex, it''s a good thing that you are awake already." Alina said as she did her best to hide the relief on her face. She somewhat failed, as her voice cracked as she talked to Alex. "We need your help right now."


    "Oh?"


    It was at that point that Alex saw the 5 cocoon stretched out imperceptibly on the floor. As Alex''s eyes landed on these cocoons, he started nodding while saying,


    "Of course something like this will happen while I am asleep¡­"


    Alex then spent the next minute muttering to himself as he paced around the cocoons.


    After making 69 rotations around the cocoons, Alex looked back at Alina and the two other women as he said,


    "Um, so can you then tell me everything that happened? I need to know everything already¡­"


    **************


    30 MINUTES LATER


    "Oh! Now I understand why I felt uneasy when we entered this forest!" Alex exclaimed as he cracked his knuckles. "So a powerful organization could have detected our arrival, and they could be going at this place any second now? Now that''s just something else!"


    "Alex, you-"


    "Man, and this place actually has Immortal Cultivation in it? Hahaha! I like this world already!" Alex continued talking, this time with sparkles in his eyes. "I wonder how much cultivation would cost? Surely it will be expensive."


    "Oh hooman, I assure you, Immortal Cultivation will be expensive." Asteria, who has now run out of her honey stock, said as she hovered behind Alex. "Why, do you want to buy it?"


    "Hell yes I am! I had always wanted to be an Immortal Cultivator!" Alex replied before Alina could complain. "But how much is it anyway?"


    "Oh, before you purchase the new Items, you must be informed about the Main Mission first." Asteria cheekily said as she laughed at Alex. "After all, we cannot allow you to buy stuff without knowing things!"


    "Eh?"


    "Finally! You are talking now!"


    "Ehem." Asteria let out a cough as she ignored Alex''s disappointed face and Alina''s relieved expression. She then crossed her arms as she slowly said,


    "So, the Main Mission for you guys in this world will be special. For the first time, you four will have to choose between two missions!"


    "Choose between two missions?" Before Alex and Alina could make sense of what Asteria just said, Asteria continued talking, this time with her serious Guide Voice.


    [[[MAIN MISSION A: ERADICATE THE REBELS AND HELP THE GREAT TIME MASTER TO BECOME THIS WORLD''S UNDISPUTED RULER.]]]


    [[[MAIN MISSION B: HELP THE REBELS TO OVERTHROW THE GREAT TIMEMASTER AND FREE THIS WORLD FROM HIS NEFARIOUS HOLD]]]


    [[[NOTE: THE TRAVELER CAN ONLY CHOOSE EITHER MISSION A OR MISSION B. THE TRAVELER CANNOT CHOOSE BOTH MISSIONS. TIME LIMIT WILL BE ONE YEAR.]]]


    "What?"


    "So what do you think hoomans? Your trip to this world is surely interesting, right?"

 Chapter 301 - Show me the money!

    "So the stakes in this place has been raised." Alex muttered to himself as he sat back on his bed. He looked back at Asteria, who seemed to be enjoying the reaction on Alex''s face.


    "You seem to be enjoying this." Alex commented as he glared at Asteria. "Why are you feeling this way? Perhaps, something interesting will happen in this mission?"


    "Oh, you will see what I mean once you choose the mission that you will do." Asteria replied as she shrugged her shoulders.


    "Do we even have to choose now?"


    "Well, you don''t actually need to vocalize your choice. Your actions will be the ones that will indicate the mission that you''ll do." Asteria said as she flew closer to Alex. "Just do what you want to do, as long as it''s related to the mission that you want to do."


    "I see. You''re still picky with what you want to say." Alex said as he shook his head. "It was as if you want us to do the choice in this mission out of our own volition¡­"


    "Of course I want you guys to make the decisions by yourselves." Asteria replied as she glared at Alex. "After all, the consequences of your actions here will affect this whole world. Since it was like that, the ones who should have the responsibility to make the decision was you guys."


    "The way you said that is so irritating, but I cannot argue with your logic." Alex replied ruefully as he let out a sigh. His face then turned hungry as he stared at Asteria intently. "Hey, now that we know about the Main Mission already, can you now show the new Items? I want to get cool powers already!"


    Behind Alex, Alina and the other women could be seen nodding their heads, as they seem to understand Alex''s enthusiasm.


    "¡­" Asteria, who was now the subject of these excited gazes, crossed her arms as she said,


    "Okay okay! I shall tell it you now guys! Hmph, why are you this excited now? You were not even this excited when I showed you my paintings!"


    "It''s because your paintings suck, Asteria."


    "Hah? What did you just say hooman?"


    "Nothing. I said nothing."


    "¡­"


    Asteria, who was now wearing a pout in her face, slowly hovered towards Alex as she gave the latter an angry look.


    Once she was near Alex, she touched the glowing symbol on his forehead. She stayed that way for a few seconds before she let go.


    She then went back to her previous position, with Alex and his allies waiting for her to speak already.


    Asteria seems to relish on the attention given to her, as she spent 1 more minute basking under the impatient gazes of her companions.


    It was only when Alex slowly became pissed that Asteria started to talk.


    "Okay hoomans. So from what I have seen in the Item List, all the Items that you can buy at the Four Moons World are still in the list. As for new Items, I can only see 4 new Items here."


    "Wait, just 4 new Items? Alex blurted out before Asteria could continue talking. Are you sure about that?"


    "What the hell? Are you doubting me now hooman?"


    "You know well out of everyone here that you can be¡­. unreliable sometimes."


    "Hey!"


    "But I know that you are also serious in your job, so I will have to believe you now."


    "Hooman, why does it sound like you are insulting me?"


    "Nah, I did not do that. You know what? Why don''t you just describe the new Items that we can buy?"


    "Hmph, fine hooman. But I won''t forget the words that you just told me here!"


    "Fine, fine. Just get talking already."


    "¡­"


    **************


    Even if Asteria was a little irritated with Alex, she still did her job, describing the 4 new Items that appeared in the Item List.


    As Alex and his Companions listened to what Asteria was saying, their eyes could not help but widen, especially when they heard the prices.


    "Damn!" That was all that Alex could say as Asteria finished talking. "That new Items¡­ surely are expensive!"


    It was a miracle that Alex did not curse out that badly after hearing what Asteria said. After all, the new items that she just endorsed were all hella expensive!


    [[IMMORTAL CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE- 150 YEARS OF LIFESPAN OR 750,000 CONTRIBUTION POINTS]]


    [[SUPREME ART OF CHRONOMANCY ¨C 120 YEARS OF LIFESPAN OR 600,000 CONTRIBUTION POINTS]]


    [[WISDOM TREE BLOODLINE - 140 YEARS OF LIFESPAN OR 700,000 CONTRIBUTION POINTS]]


    [[DIVINE LIFE MANUSCIPRT ¨C 75 YEARS OF LIFESPAN OR 500, 000 CONTRIBUTION POINS]]


    Any Traveler who will hear the prices of these 4 new items will surely be shocked!


    After all, the least expensive among these Items were still at a mind boggling 75 YEARS OF LIFESPAN! That was almost as expensive as the cost of travelling into another world!


    As Alex and his allies repeated the prices they heard inside their heads, they could not help but laugh, realizing that everything has stepped up in this world.


    "Wow! Even if there''s only 4 new Items, all of them looked to be extremely domineering!" Alex exclaimed as he let out a sigh. "And those prices! If it were not for Emperor Litch feeding me those moons, I might have been unable to afford these!"


    "Hmph, instead of just acting awed by those prices, why don''t you three make up your minds on what you will buy?" Asteria said as she placed her hands on her h.i.p.s. "Surely you must be salivating to buy those items¡­"


    "¡­"


    As he did his best to ignore Asteria'' s jeers and taunts, Alex slowly narrowed his eyes as he weighed down the options that he can use here.


    "Even if I am not sure on the exact amount of Lifespan that I have, I am sure that all the Bonus Missions that Emperor Litch did for me will help me buy the Item that I want." Alex thought to himself as he stared at Asteria. "Now, the only thing that I should worry about was on the item that I should buy¡­"


    After having these thoughts, Alex took a deep breath as he decided to make a choice now on the Items that he will buy.


    But before Alex could start calculating the expenses in his mind, a sudden influx of powerful presences approaching their location forced him to stop.


    "Hm?" Alex hurriedly stood up from the bed as Alina and Queen Mother jumped in front of him with wary expressions on their faces.


    They seemed to have sensed the arrival of the powerful presences too, evidenced by the build-up of their power inside their bodies.


    Professor Frances on the other hand hid behind the trio as she hurriedly manipulated the 5 cocoons beside her.


    "Hmph, so those people have already arrived. With Alex here, the worst case scenario can be avoided." Professor Frances could be heard muttering these words as she continued on fiddling with the cocoons. "But even with that assurance, I cannot just be confident! As long as we have a way to make those people hesitate, then I shall gladly do it!"


    Her hands, which had been moving quickly earlier, started to blur as she sped up her movements.


    Alex who was listening to what the Professor was talking about, could only shake his head.


    "So you want to use those 5 as hostages to slow these incoming people? It''s a classic move, but you won''t need it here." Alex muttered to himself as he watched the professor with a sideways glance. "But who knows, something bad might happen later¡­ Maybe these hostages can actually help us out¡­"


    Alina, who heard what Alex was saying, let out a sigh as she tried to say something to Alex.


    Alina however was unable to speak up as the incoming people has now landed in front of their shack.


    "Boom!" A powerful pressure came from the outside, which all hit Alex and his allies head-on.


    Alex let out a grunt as he faced this pressure, as he felt somewhat threatened by it. Alina and the others had the same reaction as Alex too, although they could be seen readying their attacks too.


    "What great pressure¡­ So this is how the people of the Covenant of Immortals greets us¡­" Alex thought to himself as he straightened his posture. "These guys must be wary of us since they did not attack us immediately. Hehehe, I am flattered of their wariness against me."


    "Boom!" A powerful pressure then erupted out of Alex''s body as he started to walk forwards.


    His companions all followed the same suit, releasing their own oppressive pressure as they walked behind him.


    "Since you greeted us this way, let me greet you this way too!" Alex exclaimed as he kicked the door open. "Hehehe, let''s see how you will react to this¡­"


    ***************


    Elise was extremely nervous right now.


    After all, she just found herself joining a rebel organization which she had only heard on the newspapers.


    Half a day earlier, Elise was busy at the UBT, bickering for her brother''s Time.


    But now? She was at a forest located thousands of miles away from her real house, doing a job which she should not have been doing!


    "S**t, why did I even agree to join the Covenant of Immortals?" Elise muttered to herself as she looked around her. "Was it because they promised to pay for my brother''s loan? F**k, that was the reason!"


    Right now, Elise found herself in a crowd, with 20 people standing alongside her.


    Of these 20, 15 were at the Dao Soul Stage like Elise, while the remaining 5 were at the Spirit Domain Stage.


    In one look, one can say that this is a formidable line-up, and Elise thinks the same way too.


    However, even with this line-up, Elise could not help but feel uneasy.


    "After I joined the Covenant of Immortals earlier, they immediately made me do a mission along with these people around me¡­" Elise could only shake her head silently, as he realized that she was an idiot for accepting a mission this early.


    "For my first mission, we were told to talk to the trespassers who entered the territory of the Covenant without permission." Elise thought to herself as she narrowed her eyes. "From what I know, these trespassers had abducted 3 of the members of the Covenant, with each member at Core Formation Stage. Our task is to save these 3 hostages, and if possible, recruit the trespassers to our cause. If they do not agree, then we will have to exterminate them."


    After thinking of these words, Elise''s eyes flitted around her as she looked at the structure in front of her.


    In front of Elise was a small shack, which looked a little worse for wear.


    To anyone looking at this shack, they may think that this is empty, but Elise knew otherwise.


    "According to the info that we have, the trespassers were said to stay in this shack." Elise thought to herself as she looked at the shack with trepidation. "They have been staying in this shack since earlier, and they only left it once."


    After looking at the shack for a little longer, Elise''s brows furrowed as she thought to herself,


    "Since all of the trespassers were here, the hostages were most likely here too."


    This realization did not sit well for Elise, as she realized that they will have a lot to do to save the hostages!


    One wrong move, and the hostages will most likely die! If this happens, Elise was not sure if she can go back to her brother alive!


    After all, one of the hostages was the son of an Elder in the Covenant!


    "Huhuhu, I never should have gone here¡­"

 Chapter 302 - 50 is still better than 0

    "You all remember what you should do next." As Elise started to bem.o.a.n her current faith, she suddenly heard a voice in her mind that made her stop thinking negatively.


    Elise''s body started up, as she knew that someone was talking mentally to her right now.


    She looked in front of her, focusing her attention on the bald-faced man in front of the group.


    With the way that this man dressed himself, and the ripples of his Spirit Domain emanating out of him, there is no doubt that this bald man is the leader.


    Elise knew that this bald man was the one who just sent the mental message to her, making her remember her task.


    "Right. At the meeting earlier, we decided to pressure the trespassers once we arrive in front of their house." Elise thought to herself as she took a deep breath. "We decided use our soul power and domains to create a horrifying pressure. That will make these trespassers feel suppressed by us. Once that happens, we will have the leverage on taking the hostages back!"


    As Elise thought of this, her worried expression started to disappear, as if she suddenly felt relieved right now.


    By herself, Elise knew that her soul power was not enough to scare a group. After all, she was just one Dao Soul Practitioner.


    But Elise was not alone.


    Her soul power, combined with the soul power of 15 Dao Soul Practitioners and 5 Spirit Domain Ascetics, is powerful enough to create a pressure from that can affect anyone that is weaker than an Immortal!


    These trespassers that they are about to face? They are surely not Immortals! After all, there is no Immortal that will choose to live in an ugly shack like this!


    Since that was the case, pressuring them would just be easy!


    "Boom!" Elise wasted no time, releasing her own soul power, combining it with the soul power of her companions.


    In front of her, the 5 Sprit Domain Ascetics released their own pressure too, although its quality was higher compared to the ones that the Dao Soul Practitioners had.


    All these pressures combined with each other, creating a massive hand which immediately descended on the shack!


    "Boom!" Upon seeing the effect of the pressure on the shack alone, Elise hopes rose up as she thought that the trespassers inside could be heavily affected now


    "Hehehe, if this goes smoothly, I won''t even have to fight this day!" Elise thought to herself as she started to sigh in relief.


    The worried expression on her face disappeared as it was replaced by contentment.


    "Ah, I should have joined the Covenant earlier. If I did that, I could have gotten many benefits now¡­"


    At this point, Elise and the others were already celebrating, as they thought that their job here is practically done.


    Unfortunately for them, their job was actually just starting.


    "Boom!" Out of nowhere, a powerful pressure suddenly erupted from inside the shack, which proceeded to scatter out.


    This pressure, which was accompanied by a golden glow, let out a flowing sound as it barreled towards Elise and her allies!


    All of them did their best to dodge, but I was too late for them to move now.


    They could only watch as their bodies were covered by the pressure and the golden glow.


    "Ugh!" As this pressure hit them, Elise could not help but grunt angrily.


    Her mind, which was focused on surviving earlier, was now filled with the sudden urge to kneel, as if there was something that was forcing her to kneel now.


    "Thud." No matter how much Elise tried to stop herself, she was unable to do anything as her knees suddenly touched the ground.


    Elise''s allies were experiencing the same thing, as all of them were kneeling down too.


    Even the 5 Spirit Domain Ascetics were not spared, as 4 of them were now kneeling with unwilling expressions on their faces.


    It was only their leader that was not kneeling, although he was still affected by the pressure too.


    His knees were bent halfway through, and it seemed like it was only the leader''s sheer willpower that was stopping him to kneel.


    As Elise and the others were struggling to understand what was happening to then, the door of the shack opened with a bang.


    The door, which seemed to have been forcefully kicked, flew forwards as 3 figures came out of the shack.


    "Oh my, oh my. I only got 50% of that Emperor''s power, and yet it was already enough to affect you like this I seem to have overestimated you all."


    The one who said these words was the young male who kicked the door open.


    This male had a sly and carefree disposition, which coupled with his good looks, made him look dangerous.


    Right now, this young male had a c.o.c.ky smile on his face, which just grated Elise''s temper.


    But no matter how much Elise wanted to get angry now, she realized that she could not direct her anger at this young male, as the golden pressure was now forcing her to feel reverence towards this young male!


    Naturally, this made Elise feel disgusted, although she realized that she had no way to stop herself from feeling reverent towards the young man.


    "What the f**k is this sorcery?" Elise thought to herself as she could only glare at the young man with her eyes. "What did this man do to us?"


    There was no doubt to Elise right now that this golden pressure came from this young man! Just the way that this young man acted right now was enough to prove that!


    "My soul and spirit were both nourished by my Dao Soul, so I should have been able to resist the effects of this golden pressure." Elise thought to herself as she gritted her teeth. "But that did not happen here! Instead, I am forced to kneel right now in front of a young man who just looks so smug! Argh! I take back my optimism earlier! I should have never gone here!"


    *****************


    Alex was definitely satisfied after he saw the effects of his aura.


    16 people at Fourth Stage and 5 people at Fifth Stage were all affected by his aura, which for Alex, is definitely a good news!


    "Even when I only managed to get 50% of Emperor LItch''s power, I was still able to do something like this. Impressive." Alex thought to himself as he let out an excited smile. "Hahaha, I really gained a lot from that old codger!"


    When Alex was resting earlier, he did not only spend his time on recovering his injuries. He was also busy on organizing the memories and powers that he devoured from the soul of Emperor Litch.


    With the wealth of experiences that Emperor Litch had, Alex found it hard to sort everything that he obtained from the Emperor.


    Even 50% of his memories and power was still difficult for Alex to deal with.


    It was only when Sloth placed Alex to sleep that Alex succeeded on organizing them all.


    "Hehehe¡­" Alex started to laugh as he stared at the 20 people in front of him. All of them were rendered frozen because of Alex''s aura, making them all sitting ducks in front of Alex.


    If Alex could have wanted it, he could have attacked these people already, but Alex was not here to do those things.


    "Listen. I know that all of you were sent here to save your comrades." Alex said as he looked at his new victims calmly. "I can praise your bravery for coming here, even if you do not know how powerful I was earlier."


    "¡­" This comment by Alex earned him more glares from the frozen people, making him laugh awkwardly.


    "You all made the right approach on this place, which shows your knowledge in tactics and subterfuge." Alex said as he gave his captives a thumbs up. "If I were a normal person, I could have been affected that by pressure. But I am no normal person, so all your efforts for today are sadly, for nothing."


    "!!!"


    "Oh don''t worry. I won''t kill you all. Can''t you see that I liked chatting with you already?" Alex said in a singsong tone as he tilted his head. "It would be not good if I kill you all now. Your boss might suddenly come and fight it out with me, which is something that I do not want to happen now."


    "¡­"


    "Since I can''t kill you, and since I cannot stomach keeping you here, I have decided to free you all." Alex said, much to the relief and anger of some of the captured people.


    "Now, now, now, you must wonder why I suddenly had the urge to free you all." Alex said, as he was starting to enjoy the monologue that he was saying. "Well, I actually have a reason for it."


    "¡­" The glare of his victims softened, as it was now replaced with curiosity. Their eyes now were staring at him with both wariness and query, as they waited for Alex to continue talking.


    "I¡­ just want you guys to do something for me." Alex confidently said as he crossed his arms. "If you agree to do it for me, I will free you all, including our hostages!"


    "!!!"


    "Don''t worry, what I want you all to do is easy." Alex said as he placed his hands on his h.i.p.s. "It''s just pretty simple. You just have to listen to my instructions¡­"

 Chapter 303 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student Part 3

    Asteria: Ugh, my head hurts¡­ Did I drink too much honey last night?


    [Asteria then looks around her as her memory returns. Her eye widened as she remembered what happened to her.]


    Asteria: We had a class, then we went towards the office of the Endless Monarch. Then there was an attack, and then a massive object hit us head-on! F**k! Is Celeste still alive?


    Asteria: Celeste! Where the f**k are you! If you can hear me, please answer back! And Teofilo, please indicate that you are still alive!


    Asteria: ¡­


    Asteria: ¡­


    Asteria: ¡­


    Asteria: F**k! They are not answering back! Are they already dead?


    [Rumbling sounds nearby]


    Asteria: F**k! Why am I even looking for them now? I should take care of myself first! Yes, I must keep myself alive first! Only when I am sure that I am safe that I will look for my minio- friends!


    Asteria: Besides, if our defensive wall has been breached, that just means that some of our enemies could have entered this place!


    Asteria: S**t, so not only I have to keep myself safe from all this falling debris, I also have to avoid any possible enemies! F**k! This is not how this day should have gone!


    [Asteria flies forward while dodging falling rocks from above.]


    Asteria: Oh right, there is still Teacher Kuro. Well knowing her, she surely is still alive.


    Asteria: ¡­


    Asteria: Okay, since I just got knocked out by that blast, there is still a high chance that I am at the higher floors. And from what I can remember, Teacher Kuro told us to go to the lowest floor to access the teleportation formation. In that case, I guess I just have to go down then!


    [Asteria flies down, forcing herself thought a tiny hole]


    Asteria: Ugh! What is that smell? It smells so bad? Is it-blergh!


    [Asteria starts vomiting honey]


    Asteria: What the f**k? There are corpses already? And why do they smell this bad! It was as if they died months ago? Ugh, I need to-blergh!


    Asteria: F**k, f**k, f**k! this is getting more and more dangerous! I need to really escape now!


    Rough Voice behind Asteria: Hey little fairy, where do you think you are going?


    Asteria: Ah!


    Rough Voice behind Asteria: I said, where the hell are you going?


    Asteria: Uhh¡­


    Rough Voice behind Asteria: What? Why can''t you answer that simple question? Are you dumb?


    Asteria: Hey I am not dumb! I am the best student here! In fact I-


    Rough Voice behind Asteria: Oh, so you are one of those Guides. How lucky of me to meet one here, hehehe¡­


    Asteria: F**k!


    Rough Voice behind Asteria: You said that you are not dumb? Well missy, you are actually dumb! Hey Chad, did you hear this little fairy boasting about her being a Guide? What a dumb move!


    Chad: You are right, Brad. This one is dumb indeed. So should we kill her?


    Asteria: Hey! You can''t kill me! I-I-I can give you honey!


    Brad: Honey my ass! I am a f**king carnivore! Your s**ty honey will just mess up my bowels!


    Chad: You are in this kind of situation, and you still think of honey? Your stupidity is making me dumbfounded.


    Asteria: You f**kers! Die!


    [Asteria turns around as she decided to attack Chad and Brad. She stops as she saw their appearance]


    Asteria: W-w-why are there two dragons in front of me? This is not possible!


    Brad: What, just because my name is Brad, I can''t be a dragon already? Are you insulting me?


    Chad: Well our names really suck¡­.


    Brad: Shut it! Don''t make it any more worse!


    Asteria: Hey, why are you two here? If you two are dragons, then shouldn''t you be under the rule of the Dragon Monarch?


    Chad: We are indeed under the rule of the Great Dragon Monarch.


    Brad: Do you have any problem with that?


    Asteria: Of course I have! From what I know, all the dragons are adopting an isolationist policy. They will usually not meddle with the matters of other planes, and they will only live most of their life inside the Dragon God Plane. Only when they were offended that some of their dragons will leave!


    Brad: Oh, so you are saying that since us dragons have an isolationist policy, we should not be here?


    Chad: Well, if it was the normal case, we will not be here. But too bad for you and your friends, we are here because of a special case!


    Asteria: A special case? Don''t tell me that the Dragon Monarch¡­ is one of the masterminds behind this attack?


    Brad: Oh my, so you are actually smart just like what say. It took some of the Guides we met a few minutes to know the truth.


    Chad: But you only took around 30 seconds to deduce everything. You must be an impressive Guide.


    Asteria: Hey, I am flattered by your praises, but I should be really going now¡­


    Chad: Oh? So you''re not going to inquire why the Dragon Monarch sent us here?


    Asteria: Hehehe, even if I ask, you might not even answer. So I will just not ask.


    Chad: ¡­.


    Asteria: Umm... can you let me leave?


    Brad: Let someone like you leave? Hah! And your dumbness just came back! Why will I let you leave, when we were instructed to collect everyone like you?


    Asteria: ¡­I''m so dead.


    CHad: Oh don''t worry. We only kill the Guides that are boring in our opinion. For Guides like you, who are brimming in talent, it will be just a waste to kill you!


    Brad: Hahaha little fairy! Even if you complain all the day here, you will not be able to escape from us! So just surrender yourself!


    Asteria: I-If you try to fight me, I-I will make sure you two will suffer!


    Brad: ¡­


    Chad: ¡­


    Asteria: H-hey! What is the matter? A-are you two scared now?


    Chad: Brad, did you hear what this fairy is talking about? She said she will make us sufferr!


    Brad: Hey Chad, I heard her saying that. Do you believe her?


    Chad: Believe her? As if! Hahahaha! Do you think that we, the Elite Dragon Knights, can be damaged by this weak fairy? Hahaha! Only madmen and madwomen will believe that!


    Brad: I think this fairy has already gone crazy. Should we just kill her now? Maybe that will free her from the pain.


    Chad: And there you go again Brad. So what if this fairy is crazy? She has talent! As long as we mold her well, we can sell her at a high price!


    Brad: Yeah, you''re definitely right. A fairy, and a Fairy Queen at that will surely be a hit amongst our patrons.


    Chad: That''s what I have been telling you all this time Brad. We must always look for the best product! And this fairy in front of us is definitely a good product!


    Asteria: Y-y-you overgrown lizards! I-I will never allow myself to be captured by you! J-just touch me, and I will make you feel pain!


    Brad: Aww, look at this little f**ker, making herself look dangerous. Isn''t she cute?


    Chad: Yeah, yeah, she''s already cute. But we should not waste time here anymore. We still have to collect more Guides.


    Brad: ¡­.Fine, I shall take this one now.


    Asteria: F**k you two! I will not get down without a fight!


    [Asteria throws a coin that hits Chad on his head. The coin did nothing as it disintegrated on Chad''s skin.]


    Chad: ¡­That was a valiant attack, but still it is too weak for me.


    Asteria: No!!!!


    [Chad then grabs Asteria with his claw in order to capture her. But when Chad touched Asteria, Asteria''s body disintegrated, leaving only sparkling dust in her wake.]


    Brad: Oi Chad! Did you kill that fairy? I told you to always be gentle on capturing them!


    Chad: Brad¡­ I did not kill that fairy.


    Brad: If you did not kill her, then why did she disinteg- oh. Oh. Oh. THAT LITTLE F**KER!


    Chad: What a sly fairy. All this time, we had been speaking to a clone that was created from Fairy Dust. As for where that fairy''s main body is, she was most likely far away from here already.


    Brad: THAT LITTLE F**KER! SHE FOOLED BOTH OF US! SHE MADE US LOOK STUPID! ARGH! I SWEAR ONCE I SEE HER AGAIN THAT I WILL SMASH HER FLAT WITH MY FOOT!


    Chad: Good luck with that Chad. I don''t even know if we can catch up to her now.


    Brad: We are Dragon Knights! As long as we want to catch anyone, we can do it! We just have to use our advanced senses!


    Chad: Then try doing it now. Try sensing where that fairy is.


    Brad: Hmph, just you wait, I will detect where that little f**ker is quickly!


    Chad: ¡­


    Brad: ¡­


    Chad: ¡­


    Brad: ¡­


    Chad: ¡­


    Brad: ARGHH! I CAN''T F**KING DETECT THAT LITTLE S**T!


    Chad: I told you so. In my opinion, I think that fairy must have covered her tracks with her fairy dust while we were distracted by her clone. Because of that, we have no way to follower her, unless we personally dismantle every piece of rubble around us.


    Brad: ARGH! SO WHAT DO YOU WANT US TO DO NOW THEN? SHOULD WE JUST LET THAT LITTLE S**T GET AWAY SCOT-FREE FROM THIS?


    Chad: Of course not.


    Brad: Then what will you do?


    Chad: Do you remember that time when we were chasing the criminal Black Mamba?


    Brad: Oh that sneaky snake? From what I can remember, that bastard hid himself inside a populated planet, and he then used his camouflage arts to hide himself away from us. Why did you ask me that?


    Chad: Do you remember what we did in order to catch him?


    Brad: Of course I do! We just- wait, are you telling me that we can capture that s**ty fairy using the method that we used to catch Black Mamba?


    Chad: Exactly. And not only we will catch that fairy. By using this method, we can catch all of the Guides that are still alive!


    Brad: You''re right! Why did not I even think of that?


    Chad: Brad, stop yammering already. We are almost out of time here. If we want to pull this off, we should be starting the preparations already.


    Brad: Yeah, yeah, partner. I get it.


    Chad: Do you really get it?


    Brad: Yes I do! Why are you even doubting me?


    Chad: Well, you are the reason that Black Mamba almost escaped last time¡­.


    Brad: ¡­.

 Chapter 304 - Its overflowing! Please scoop some out!

    1 HOUR LATER.


    "What a good riddance." Alex muttered to himself as he watched the departing silhouettes of the cultivators that he captured earlier.


    The backs of the departing cultivators were hunched, as if there was something massive pressing on their backs right now.


    Alex did not comment anything about this, as he knew that he was the reason these cultivators were feeling this kind of burden.


    "You should all remember what I told you to do." Alex thought to himself as his eyes focused on the backs of the cultivators. "You know what will happen if you don''t. Hehehe¡­"


    "Alex, you are looking villainous right now. Please stop smiling in that creepy way." Alina chided behind Alex as she shook her head.


    Alex, who heard Alina talking to him, beamed up as he realized that Alina is actually talking to him now!


    "Alina!"


    "Hmph, don''t think that just because I am talking to you now that I have forgiven you already." Alina said to Alex as she crossed her arms. "I am still angry at you, and it will not be easy for you to appease me!"


    "Hehehe, I know, I know." Alex said as he ignored Alina''s warning. "Oh, I am actually planning to cook steak later. What meat do you want me to use?"


    "¡­Boar meat."


    "Oh, seems like Queen Mother''s story earlier has triggered your taste buds."


    "S-shut up! Just cook it like you promised later!"


    "Hai, hai. I will cook it with pleasure¡­" Alex replied merrily as he watched Alina turn red from embarrassment.


    After having his fill on teasing Alina, Alex looked at both Queen Mother and Professor Frances, who were staring at Alex with seriousness in their eyes.


    Upon seeing their look, Alex knew that these two are already ready to proceed onwards.


    "Okay, okay. Now that we have sent out those cultivators, I think it is time for us to upgrade our strengths." Alex said as he poked Asteria, who was sitting beside him. "Oi fairy, show us the goods already."


    "Ha?"


    "I said, show us the Items that we can buy."


    "Oh that. Just¡­ wait a minute. Let me finish this smoothie first."


    "¡­"


    "Slurp slurp slurp."


    "¡­"


    "Slurp, lick, lick, slurp."


    "¡­"


    "Lick, lick, slurp, slurp."


    "¡­"


    "Slurp. Burp! Argh! That was great! I want to drink more of that! Hooman! Please give me one mor-"


    "Asteria, the goods."


    "Fine, fine. Why are you always this strict to me?" Asteria grumbled as she touched Alex''s forehead. Her body then glowed, which was followed by Asteria reciting all of the Items that Alex can buy.


    [[Essence of the Blue Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [[Essence of the Yellow Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [Essence of the Green Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [[Essence of the Red Moon]] --- 30 Years


    [[Tome of Divine Might]] --- 30 Years


    [[Pearl of Endless Void]] --- 30 Years


    [[Sword of Indomitable Will]] --- 30 Years


    [[Tower of Afterlife]] --- 30 Years


    [[Superhero Cultivation Body]] --- 5 Years


    These are the Items from the last world, which are fortunately still available here.


    As for the next 4 Items, these are the ones that became available here in this world.


    [[IMMORTAL CULTIVATION TECHNIQUE]] --- 150 YEARS OF LIFESPAN OR 750,000 CONTRIBUTION POINTS


    [[SUPREME ART OF CHRONOMANCY]] --- 120 YEARS OF LIFESPAN OR 600,000 CONTRIBUTION POINTS


    [[WISDOM TREE BLOODLINE]] --- 140 YEARS OF LIFESPAN OR 700,000 CONTRIBUTION POINTS


    [[DIVINE LIFE MANUSCIPRT]] --- 75 YEARS OF LIFESPAN OR 500, 000 CONTRIBUTION POINS


    "¡­." Once Alex had received the list of Items, his eyes narrowed as he analyzed all of them.


    "Right now, I am highly tempted to buy the Immortal Cultivation Method." Alex thought to himself as he cupped his chin. "Even if it will be my 3rd major power, I think it won''t detriment me. Actually, it could even be of great help to me! There is a chance that I can use Immortal Cultivation to create a stable link between my Esper Power and my Abyss Ability!"


    "As for Chronomancy, Wisdom Tree Bloodline, and the Divine Life Manuscript, I have the feeling that they won''t mesh that well with me." Alex thought as he shook his head. "Maybe it''s just my opinion, but I think these 3 Items will be more suited for my companions¡­"


    Alex then nodded to himself, as he convinced himself that he was making the right decision here. "Yes, I have a feeling that I should just get the Immortal Cultivation Method¡­"


    Of course this decision could be wrong, but Alex has the feeling that it will not go that way.


    After mulling about these new Items, Alex turned back his attention on the old Items.


    He first focused on the Four Essences of the Moons, which was at the top of the list.


    "The four essences of the moons¡­. If I buy them all now, I reckon that something special might happen too." Alex thought to himself as he remembered the overbearing effects of the moon powers. "Yeah, maybe I should buy them now¡­"


    "But should I really buy them all now?" Alex suddenly hesitated as he remembered something important. "Wait a second¡­ there is actually no need for me to buy them."


    Alex''s eyes then gleamed as a sly smile appeared on his face. "Why use my Lifespan when I can just use Greed to take the powers of a Devourer and a Red Moon practitioner at the Four Moons world? Yes, I can do that!" Alex shouted inwardly as he started to feel impressed with his deduction. "If I do it this way, I can save 60 Years of Lifespan! For someone like me who has to be careful with my Lifespan, saving 60 Years is a good thing!"


    After he made a decision on these Essences, Alex then ruminated on the next 4 items in the list.


    "As for the Items like the Tome of Divine Might, Sword of Indomitable Will, Pearl of the Endless Void, and Tower of Afterlife, these Items sounds like real objects to me." Alex muttered as he could see that these Items were not powers or techniques, but rather, material objects. "They could provide me a massive boost in an attribute, which will be helpful to me. Hmm¡­ which one should I buy from them?"


    "Then there is this Superhero Cultivation Body." Alex thought to himself as he looked at this Item. "I lost interest on buying it at the last world, since I was busy of reaching Grade 7. But now, maybe I should take interest in this already¡­. After all, Asteria said that buying one might be of great help to me."


    Alex''s eyes then narrowed once more as he remembered the kinds of superpowers that he can get from buying the Superhero Cultivation Body.


    [Temperature Control]


    [Friction Manipulation]


    [Momentum and Flux Dispersion]


    [Silica Control]


    [Sound Manipulation]


    [Turbulence Induction]


    [Cat Summons]


    [Lockpicking]


    As he recalled this list in his mind, Alex''s lips closed into a thin line as he let out a subconscious nod.


    "In this list, the only powers that I am interested in are either [Temperature Control] or [Momentum and Flux Dispersion]." Alex thought to himself as he scrunched his nose. "However, I am sure that I can only choose one from these two. Buying two, according to Asteria, will just result in my death."


    Once he had finished reviewing all of the available items, Alex let out a laugh as a greedy expression appeared on his face. "So¡­ these are all the items that I can buy. Hmm, which one should I buy that will give me the greatest boost in this world?"


    "¡­." Alex then went silent as he thought of every possible power combination that he can make with the current items.


    "¡­"


    With his strengthened mind, it only took Alex a few seconds to find the best power combination for him.


    "Oi Asteria." Alex suddenly shouted out as he picked up the blonde fairy. "How much lifespan do I still have left?"


    "You spent an extra 73 days at the Four Moons world, and then you spent 12 hours in this world." Asteria said as she pushed away Alex''s hand. "Then you earned 125 Years from ''destroying'' the Green Moon, and 125 Years from the Red Moon."


    "Asteria, why the hell are you sounding doubtful when saying that?"


    "Then you obtained 200 Years as compensation for the sudden hiatus. Then you spent 100 Years of Lifespan to arrive at this world." Asteria said as she ignored Alex''s retort. "Combine that with your remaining lifespan, and you were left with around 355 Years and 1 Month of Lifespan."


    "Holy f**k!" Alex exclaimed as he shook his head dazedly." I thought I got a lot of Lifespan, but as it turns out, I actually got a lot of it!"


    Behind Alex, his allies were looking at him with opened mouths, as if they were also shocked with what they just heard.


    "What the f**k Alex! How did you get that many Lifespan!" Professor Frances shouted out as she took a deep breath. "Do you know how many Items you can buy from that?"


    "Impressive, Alex. It seems like you have lucked out when Emperor Litch possessed you." Queen Mother commented quietly as she munched on some chili. "You must take care of your enormous Lifespan. Please do not use it to buy useless things."


    "¡­Hmph, at least you gained something great from that Emperor B*tch." Alina muttered as she let out a sigh. "If you did not get this many benefits from him, I will surely be rioting now!"


    "Hehehehe, you don''t need to flatter me already." Alex hastily said as he raised his arms. "Sure, I might have gotten this many Lifespan, but once I am done with my purchases, I will also lose a lot of them."


    "Ho? So have you made your decision then, hooman?"


    "Of course I did. Why do you think I went silent earlier? It''s for making my decision!" Alex replied as he shook his head.


    "¡­Just state what you want to buy hooman. I can sense your excitement right now."


    "Okay, here I go then." Alex replied as he took a deep breath.


    He then closed his eyes for a few seconds as he did a last-second review of the items that he will buy.


    Once he had made sure that he made the right choice, Alex let out the breath that he had been holding as he said,


    "Please buy the Immortal Cultivation Body, the Superhero Cultivation Body with [Temperature Control] as its power, the Sword of Indomitable Will, the Pearl of the Endless Void and the Tome of Divine Might." Alex rapidly said, which made Asteria blink twice. "Oh, and how much will it cost if I have to make Professor Frances to be my Companion?"


    "W-wait a second hooman. Okay let me see here¡­ Okay here it is. So, since Professor Frances is considered to be Queen Mother''s offspring, her original cost, which is 15 Years, had been reduced to only 3 Years of Lifespan¡­"


    "Only 3 Years? Hehehe¡­if that is the case, then add that to the list too."


    "Noted." Asteria replied as she gave Alex a greedy look. "So are you sure about all of this already, hooman? You can still change what you want to buy."


    "I won''t change my mind now. So please, just give them to me already."


    "Hehehe, you were the one who said that, okay?" Asteria replied happily as she started clapping. "So as for the price¡­ The total cost of the Items you will buy will be around 245 Years. Combining that with the 3 Years for making Professor Frances your Companion, will result in a grand total of 248 Years of Lifespan!"


    "Just shut up and buy them already." Alex said as he rubbed his forehead. "I don''t need to see your happy face right now. It just pisses me off for some reason¡­"


    "Hehehe, how could I not be happy? You are now starting to be a great customer!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 305 - 3 + 2 = 5!!!

    A few seconds passed by with Alex staying silent, as he seemed to ignore Asteria''s teasings.


    Asteria, who realized that Alex will not budge anymore, let out an irritated sigh as she crossed her arms.


    "Fine hooman. If you don''t want to answer, then I shall proceed with the deal already!"


    Asteria then quickly approached Alex, touching the symbol on his forehead as she started the contract.


    But before Asteria could fully initiate the deal, she suddenly tilted her head, as if she remembered something.


    She let go of her touch from the symbol, as she looked at Alex while saying,


    "Oi hooman. Let me remind you something first."


    "Is that reminder related to the Major Powers that I am about to buy?" Alex asked warily as he saw the gloomy look on ALIna''s face. "Is there something wrong about them?"


    "Well, kind of." Asteria replied as she crossed her arms once more.


    "Kind of?"


    "Hooman, do you realize the fact that you are about to add two Major Powers to your body?" Asteria said as she glared at Alex. "Do you realize that?"


    "Asteria, I perfectly knew about that fact." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "Since I already have a lot of lifespan left, I figured that maybe I can buy them already¡­"


    "Then hooman, you must also know that you could be in danger once you integrate that 2 Major Powers in your body." Asteria said as she gave Alex a shrewd look.


    "Wait¡­ what do you mean by that? I will be in danger?" Alex said as he gave Asteria an inquisitive gaze. "How could I be in danger?"


    "¡­."


    In response to Alex''s query, Asteria let out a sigh as she placed her hand on her forehead.


    After shaking her head for a few seconds, Asteria looked back at Alex as she said,


    "Hooman, even if you can buy numerous abilities, it doesn''t mean that you can just combine them." Asteria said as she raised her fingers. "There are some abilities that will work well together, while there are some abilities that will not work."


    Before Alex could retort, Asteria cut him off as she continued talking.


    "Take your Abyss Magic and Esper Ability as an example. Even if they were of different types, they actually worked well together. You were lucky that it happened. However, you cannot say the same thing once you add more abilities¡­."


    "Asteria, calm down. I know all about that already." Alex said as he shook his head.


    "Wait hooman.. .so you know about the danger of mixing new powers with your current powers, and yet you still plan to go on with it?"


    "Of course I know about that. Who do you think I am?" Alex retorted as he shook his head.


    "But-"


    "At the very moment that I combined obtained my Abyss Magic, I already realized the risk of making different Major Powers co-exist inside my body." Alex said as this time he was the one who interrupted Asteria. "I know that there is a chance that something bad might happen if I add more Major Powers... I know that I could even die! But do you think I will be scared by that?"


    "¡­"


    "If my powers will not mesh well together in the future, then I will just force them to work together!" Alex declared as his eyes began to smolder. "So what if there is a chance my powers will go berserk? I don''t care about that. If they go berserk, then I will just forcefully calm them down!"


    Alex then stopped talking after this, although he still continued on giving Asteria a challenging gaze. "How about that? Do you still doubt my conviction now?"


    "Hmph hooman, you really are impressive." Asteria said as she shook her head. "Well then, since you want to increase your Major Powers from 2 to 4, then I shall grant your wish! However, you should not be blaming me if you experience hellish pain later!"


    "Yeah, yeah, I know all about that already." Alex replied as he scratched the back of his head. "However, you got something wrong Asteria."


    "And where did I get wrong hooman?"


    "My Major Powers will not increase from 2 to 4." Alex said as his body began to glow. "The truth is, my Major Powers will increase from 3 to 5!"


    "What? 3 to 5? But isn''t your Major Powers only Abyss Magic and Esper Ability? How could that even be 3?" Asteria blurted out as she glared at Alex. "Where is your third power?"


    "Ha? Did you forget the fact that I consumed 50% of Emperor Litch''s soul?" Alex replied as he gave Asteria a withering look. "From that 50%, I got all of his available memories and a specific power of his."


    "Wait a second hooman. Even if you got a power from Emperor LItch, won''t it be just a Minor Power, since you got it through an Abyss Magic?" Asteria queried as she pointed out this discrepancy. "In that case, how can that power be your Major Power?"


    "Hmph, you underestimate the power of cloning." Alex replied as he crossed his arms.


    "The power¡­ of cloning?"


    "Since I am a perfect clone of Emperor Litch, my body can be said to be exactly like his. That means that any power that he had will just be a perfect match to my body. And that was what happened earlier. The power that I devoured from him perfectly melded with my body without the assistance of my Abyss Magic, which makes this power mine and mine alone! That, Asteria, is my third Major Power!"


    "¡­Well, I think this just makes your predicament today even worse." Asteria managed to say as she seemed to be hiding a scowl from her face. "Since you actually have 3 Major Powers, the chance of something wrong happening while you are integrating with the Immortal Cultivation Method and the Superhero Cultivation Method will be exponentially higher. Even with that kind of risk, are you still willing to do this, hooman?"


    "When I did I even say that I will stop? Just do it already!" Alex said as he crossed his arms. "I don''t like any delays already. We still have a lot to do for today!"


    "¡­Fine, fine fine. Here we go then." Asteria said wearily as she touched the symbol on Alex''s forehead.


    Asteria then closed her eyes as the symbol glowed.


    Silence followed as Alex and his allies waited for the transaction to be finished.


    "¡­."


    Minutes later, and Asteria was still closing her eyes while the symbol was still glowing.


    At this point, Alex started to get impatient.


    But before he could inwardly complain to himself, Asteria suddenly opened her eyes as the symbol''s glow disappeared.


    "Finally, now I can-"


    "I have bought all the Items that you want hooman." Asteria said, interrupting Alex again. "Now that I bought them all, it''s your time to endure it."


    "Endure what?"


    "The pain."


    "!!!"


    Pain then assaulted Alex''s body at that moment, making him stiffen from shock.


    "Argh! It hurts!"


    Before Alex could make sense of what was happening to him, his vision turned dark as his consciousness left him.

 Chapter 306 - Gold, Blue, White, Black, and Kid... What do these 5 have in common?

    Alex was not sure on how long he passed out, as the moment that his awareness returned, he found no way to see the time.


    [Alex]: "Where¡­ the hell am I now?"


    Right now, Alex realized that he is not anymore inside the shack.


    Around him, all that Alex could only see was darkness, which had expanded all around him.


    This darkness oddly felt comfortable to Alex, although he still could not help but feel wary of where he is right now.


    [Alex]: "Seriously, where am I now?"


    After muttering these words, Alex raised his right hand in order to scratch his head.


    But at the moment that he raised his hand, he stopped on his tracks as he realized that something was odd with his right hand!


    [Alex]: "What the hell¡­ Why is my hand see-through right now?"


    Alex''s right hand, which should be in all case, be composed of his skin, bones and muscles, now looked like it was made up of a transparent material!


    After seeing this bizarre sight in front of him, Alex waved his right hand in hopes of it becoming normal.


    But this method did not work, as his right hand still stayed the same.


    [Alex]: "F**k, so this is really see-through. Why the hell would this even happen to me? From what I can remember, I am supposed to be receiving two Major Powers right now. I should not even be in this place, and my hand should not be like this! Is this supposed to be happening to me?"


    At this point, with everything that he just witnessed, Alex could have continued making numerous assumptions to himself.


    Fortunately, that did not happen, as the sudden sound of footsteps behind Alex had forced him to stop.


    Alex, who was engrossed with his thoughts, could not help but curse out as he realized that some people actually managed to sneak behind him without him detecting them early!


    That in itself just increased Alex''s tension right now!


    [Alex]: "Who goes there?"


    Alex''s head spun as he faced the newcomers, with his body prepared to attack, although Alex was not sure if he can even fight right now.


    But at the moment that Alex saw who the newcomers were, any intent of him fighting disappeared as he could only feel surprise right now.


    [Alex]: "Wait¡­ am I seeing correctly right now?"


    Walking towards Alex calmly were 5 people.


    These 5 people all had different colors and demeanor, which already makes them interesting.


    But what was more intriguing about these 5 was the fact that all of them looked exactly like Alex!


    That''s right! Approaching Alex right now were 5 people who all looked like him!


    As these 5 got nearer and nearer to him, Alex could only sputter as he observed each one of them.


    ***************


    Leading these 5 was a gold-clad Alex.


    This Alex''s body was covered with a golden glow, making him look extremely dignified and noble.


    Every step that this golden Alex was taking was full of prestige, which combined with his elegant demeanor, made him more likable.


    The only thing that was marring his glorious appearance was the haughty expression on his face, making this golden Alex look like an unforgiving tyrant.


    Alex decided to call this person as [Golden Alex], in reference to his golden appearance.


    The second Alex in the group has a body made up of black mist, which roiled and uncoiled with every step he took.


    This black Alex was letting out a dangerous and primal feeling, as if he would swallow or kill anyone that will come near him.


    Aside from this, there is also a touch of evil and darkness that can be felt from this black Alex, making him look somewhat undesirable.


    Alex decided to call this person as [Black Alex], in reference to his black mist body.


    The third Alex on the other hand, looked somewhat futuristic, with metal parts and electricity adorning his body.


    Every now and often, blue sparks could be seen coming out of this Alex, which combined with his appearence, made him look more like a machine.


    This was further exemplified by his cold, unforgiving, expressionless face.


    For this one, Alex has decided to call him [Blue Alex], since he just¡­ looks so blue.


    Behind [Blue Alex] was the fourth Alex, which looked somewhat weak compared to the first three versions of Alex.


    This fourth Alex only had a height that was half of the others, making him look like a kid.


    He was wearing a set of clothes which belonged to a kid, coupled with a bright red hat on top of his head.


    Cradled in his left hand was a thermometer, which seemed to be fluctuating greatly with his emotions.


    Fourth Alex seemed to be a little scared, with him hiding behind [Blue Alex], as if he was treating [Blue Alex] as his protector.


    [Blue Alex] paid no heed to this, as he seemed content on protecting the fourth Alex.


    For fourth Alex, Alex has decided to name him [Kid Alex], since he just looks like a kid now.


    As for the fifth and final Alex in the group, his appearance can be said to be refreshing compared to [Black Alex].


    Pure white robes which looked like snow, coupled with a calm face was the stand-out characteristics that fifth Alex had.


    Every movement that this Alex had were all composed of purity and wisdom, making this Alex look otherworldly and somewhat ethereal.


    But to anyone that will observe him more closely, one can also see that that the eyes of this Alex was filled with ambition!


    This ambition was hidden deep beneath his eyes, but anyone can see it as long as they will observe him intently.


    For this one, Alex has decided to call him [White Alex]. The reason for that is of course already obvious.


    *************


    Alex only took around 3 seconds to make all of his observations, nd once he did that, he stayed still as he waited for the 5 newcomers to talk.


    Fortunately for Alex, his colored copies did start talking, with the golden on leading the conversation.


    [Golden Alex]: "You have been with us for some time already, and yet you still do not know who we were? Shame on you, Alex. And here I thought you were amazing when you obtained me from Emperor Litch! You are a shame for all the Emperors!"


    [Alex]: "What?"


    When Alex saw these 5 earlier, he felt a sense of familiarity with them, although he could not place where this familiarity came from.


    But as these 5 started talking, Alex''s eyes widened as he slowly realized what they really are.


    [Blue Alex]: "I am the first ability that you had, and yet you still did not recognize me. It seems like I have to recalculate your intelligence value¡­"


    [Alex]: "Hey wait a second, are you tell-"


    [Black Alex]: It is sometimes not a sin to be ignorant, but when you are ignorant because you did not care, that is a different matter already. Alex, I am your second power. Don''t tell me you can''t recognize me too? Tsk, the Abyss feels offended by this."


    [Alex]: "Okay, I get it already-"


    [Kid Alex]: "Um¡­ I''m sorry if I look weak. You just bought me earlier after all. But I swear to you! Even if I can only control temperature right now, I can evolve in the future! I promise you that!"


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    [White Alex]: "Since you obtained me earlier, that just means that you are highly interested in becoming an Immortal. Interesting¡­ I hope that with my help, you can reach the peak of cultivation in the future But with the way that you are acting right now, it seems like I have to lower my expectations on you¡­"


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    After hearing what these 5 had said, Alex already abandoned his attempt to explain himself as he processed all of what they said.


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    A few seconds later, ad Alex''s sharp mind has already given him the answer that he needed.


    Who are these 5 people you ask? Well as it turns out, the answer to that was just simple.


    [Alex]: "You 5¡­ you don''t need to pester me anymore. I already know your identities."


    Before the 5 could speak up, Alex raised his right hand as he pointed his finger at [Golden Alex]


    [Alex]: "Golden Alex¡­ you must be the power that I got from Emperor Litch. That demeanor that you are letting out, it''s just painfully similar to that Emperor."


    Before Golden Alex could reply, Alex then pointed his fingers at the others, enunciating their identities with each of his point.


    [Alex]: "As for you [Blue Alex], there is no doubt about it. You must be my Esper Power. That electricity around you is the indicator of that. As for [Black Alex], you are obviously my Abyss Magic. After all, your body looks like it was made up of Abyss Energy!"


    [Alex]: "And then for [Kid Alex], since you look weak and you are holding a thermometer, you must be my Temperature Control Superpowers. As for you, [White Alex], there is no doubt about it, you must be the Immortal Cultivation Power, which I also just gained earlier."


    Once Alex said these words, his five doppelgangers started clapping with impressed expressions on their faces.


    No matter which way you looked at it, these 5 seemed to be extremely delighted that Alex had managed to recognize them all.


    [White Alex]: "Impressive thinking right there, Alex. You deserve full points from that."


    [Golden Alex]: "Of course you will be able to discover our identities quickly. After all, we just said the clues to you!


    [Blue Alex]: "¡­It seems like I have to recalculate again."


    [Black Alex]: "The Abyss is now appeased by your words."


    [Kid Alex]: "Yay! You''re really good!"


    [Alex]: "¡­."


    Alex was somewhat relieved after knowing their identities, but he knew that right now, this was not enough for him!


    After all, Alex''s discovery of their identities did not help him out at all. Instead, it just gave Alex more questions to ponder!


    Why did Alex suddenly find himself inside a dark place, away from his original location?


    Where are his Companions that pesky fairy?


    Why is he see-through now?


    And why is it that Alex''s Major Powers had somehow found a way to form their bodies, which looked identical to Alex, and use these bodies to talk to him right now?


    All of these questions forced Alex to let out a sigh, as he realized that him buying those two new powers were basically the cause of all of this.


    [Alex]: "Sigh¡­. So why are you 5 here? If you are my powers, then what are you doing here? Are you here because of what I did with Asteria?"

 Chapter 307 - The Will, The Mind, the Heart, the Dao, and the Body.

    As Alex thought of these questions in his mind, he looked at his copies in front of him, knowing that these 5 might know something about what is happening now.


    [Alex]: "You 5¡­ I won''t be wasting my time here anymore. Tell me what is happening here, and tell me why I can see you all now."


    [Golden Alex]: "We all just met right now, and you already want to leave? Is that how you want to treat your peers?"


    [Alex]: "Peers my ass. I would love to talk with you five, but today is an important day! I have to keep all of you inside my body, which means I cannot waste my time here!"


    [White Alex]: "Your mind is in the right track, but in my opinion, you don''t need to leave us in order to do what you intend to do."


    [Alex]: "What do you mean by that?"


    [Blue Alex]: "What we mean is that our appearance here is related to your goal of taking 5 Major Powers inside your body. If you want to get them all safely, you have to talk with us first."


    [Alex]: "!!!"


    Needless to say, Alex was somewhat surprised with what he heard, but after analyzing it for a few seconds, he realized that these 5 were actually right.


    [Alex]: "So if I want to take all of you as my powers, I have to do something here in order to succeed? Is that what you are saying?"


    [Golden Alex]: "Exactly!"


    [Alex]: "And what is it that I should do?"


    [Golden Alex]: "Should you really ask about that first? Aren''t you curious on where you are right now?"


    [Alex]: "Tsk, then please tell me my current location, and also please enlighten me on why my body is like this¡­"


    [White Alex]: "Young man, this place right here is the dimension where your soul resides. As for the body that you are using right now, it is your very own soul."


    [Alex]: "This place is the dimenison where my soul resides? My body right now is my soul? Are you telling me that I am conversing with you 5 using my very own soul without the assistance of my body?"


    [Black Alex]: "The Abyss agrees with your inference. You are currently using only your soul to communicate with us."


    [Alex]: "But why did it go that way? From what I can remember, I was just using my normal body earlier¡­"


    [Golden Alex]: "That really should have been the case. But when you took in the Immortal Cultivation Power,and the Superhero Cultivation Power, your body was unable to take in the pain that came with it. Thus, you immediately lost consciousness."


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    Alex''s mouth immediately went dry after hearing that, as he realized that he actually experienced something this dangerous.


    And Alex''s mouth just went drier as Golden Alex continued talking.


    [Golden Alex]: "Because you became unconscious, all the energies inside your body went berserk, and right now, they are on their way to destroy your body and kill you. If you will not do anything to stop them, you will only have few minutes left to live."


    [Alex]: "!!!"


    At this point, Alex''s whole body shivered as the full meaning of [Golden Alex''s] statement sunk on him.


    Right now, all the mixtures of energies inside his body was about to destroy him, and he actually just had a few minutes left to live because of that!


    [Alex]: "...If what you are saying is true, then what are you doing here? Are you here to save me?"


    [White Alex]: "Of course we are here to save you. If you die, we will also cease to exist. Even if you are still a budding Immortal Cultivator, I would still not want to perish along with you."


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    [Kid Alex]: "I don''t want to die yet! I still haven''t reached my full potential!"


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    [Golden Alex]: "Alex, we are just a part of you. Since you took us in, we had already been integrated with you. As such, your well-being will always be a concern for us."


    [Black Alex]: "The Abyss would not want someone like you dead. The Abyss still have better plans for you."


    [Blue Alex]: "I still haven''t reached the full extent of my power, so you are not allowed to be terminated before that happens¡­"


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    [White Alex]: "Since we do not want you to die, we forced ourselves to talk with your soul right now. Fortunately for us, we succeeded on the first try. Now, all that we needed to do is to make you survive."


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    Alex of course believed these 5, as he realized that their logic was right.


    But that did not quell the panic that he is feeling right now.


    [Alex]: Ok, I get it. All of you wanted me to stay alive. But what help can you 5 give me? I cannot control my body right now since I am unconscious, so what can you make me do?"


    [Golden Alex]: "It is just simple. You should just guide us."


    [Alex]: "I should¡­ guide you 5? Shouldn''t you be able to do it by yourself?"


    [White Alex]: "If you were at a much higher level, then yes, we can exert control on our own selves. But right now, you are still at the level that is not enough. The only thing that we can do right now was to talk to you live this. As for our own actions, we still need your help to do so."


    [Alex]: "¡­So, if I want to survive, I should be the one guiding you 5?"


    [Blue Alex]: "Yes, that is right."


    [Alex]: "But how the hell can I do that while I am still unconscious? And where should I even guide you 5? For god''s sake, I have no idea on what to do here!"


    [White Alex]: "Well, that is the second reason that we are here. Our first goal was to make you realize that we exist and that you need to survive."


    [Alex]: "¡­And the second reason is?"


    [White Alex]: As for the second reason, we are here to give you a message that we hope will be helping you on your bid to survive."


    [Alex]: "!!!"


    This answer of White Alex gave Alex hope, although before Alex could cheer about it, he suddenly realized that something wrong was happening to him again!


    His awareness, which was crystal-clear earlier, was now slowly getting blurry, as if something was forcing him to be sleepy!


    And the dark place that he was in right now was suddenly seething in rage, as if it wanted to expel Alex at this very moment!


    These happenings forced Alex to calm down as he urged his copies to give him the help that he needed.


    [Alex]: "You want to give me a message that will help me survive? In that case, give me the message already! I feel like my consciousness is blurring right now!"


    [Golden Alex]: "Your consciousness is blurring? Good, that means that you are about to regain consciousness."


    [Alex]: "So that is what is about to happen to me? F**k, so does that mean that I am about to go back to controlling my body and feeling that intense pain?"


    [Black Alex]: "The Abyss confirms your statement."


    [Alex]: "In that case, you 5 should give me the message right now!"


    [Black Alex]: "Don''t be in a rush, Alex. The Abyss believes in your ability to live."


    [Alex]: "Believe my ass! Just give me the message already!"


    [Golden Alex]: "What a spoilsport. We only have a few chances to talk like this, and you want to end it this early?"


    [White Alex]: "Your dedication to live is second to none. I hope that will be of great help to you in your path."


    [Blue Alex]: "Your decision is right. You only have a few seconds left before your consciousness returns."


    [Black Alex]: "The Abyss hopes you luck in your pursuit."


    [Kid Alex]: "Ah, um, okay! We will give the message now!"


    "Boom!"


    Out of nowhere, the faces of the 5 Alex(s) became solemn, as their own respective powers began to emanate out of their bodies.


    Golden Alex began to release a golden aura, while Black Alex released his vile power. Blue Alex began to release electrical sparks around him, while White Alex let out a pure, untainted aura. As for Kid Alex, he started waving his thermometer, as if hoping that it can do something extravagant for him.


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    Alex chose to not say anything in front of this solemn atmosphere, as he knew that he must not disturb this five.


    After a few seconds of them releasing their powers, the 5 Alex(s) started talking, with Golden Alex taking the lead.


    [Golden Alex]: THE WILL OF AN EMPEROR


    [Blue Alex]: THE MIND OF AN ESPER


    [Black Alex]: THE HEART OF A MONSTER


    [White Alex]: THE DAO OF A CULTIVATOR


    [Kid Alex]: A-A-AND THE BODY OF A HERO!


    [Golden Alex]: FOLLOW THESE 5 LINES, AND YOUR PATH TO SALVATION SHALL OPEN.


    [Blue Alex]: IF YOU DON''T HEED THEM, IT''S FINE


    [Black Alex]; BUT IT WILL BE BETTER FOR YOU TO LISTEN


    [White Alex]: FOR THIS IS OUR ADVICE


    [Kid Alex]: AND I-I-IF YOU DON''T FOLLOW OUR ADVICE, YOU WILL DIE!


    [Alex]: "The Will of an Emperor, the Mind of an Esper, the Heart of a Monster, the Dao of the Cultivator, and the Body of a Hero? This is the message that you want to give me? But¡­ what does this mean?"


    [White Alex]: "It will be up to you to figure that, Alex. After all, you have to use your own skills to survive. If you fail to figure it out, then that just means that you are not fit to survive."


    [Golden Alex]: "Hehehe, so do your best to figure our message out! If you don''t, you will really die!"


    [Black Alex]: "The Abyss wishes you luck."


    [Blue Alex]: "Good luck, Alex."


    [Kid Alex]: "P-please don''t die!"


    [Alex]: "Wait, I stil-"


    Whatever Alex wanted to say went unheard, as his vision turned dark again.

 Chapter 308 - Is that part available? If it is, then let me use it!

    "¡­"


    For the 2nd time this day, Alex found himself opening his eyes again.


    His mind, which was overtaken by darkness earlier, has now cleared as he regained control of his faculties.


    As he slowly opened his eyes, Alex''s awareness flared up as he remembered the conversation that he just had with the 5 Alex(s).


    He remembered everything, even the important message that they just gave to him.


    But before Alex could focus on their message, he was interrupted by a sensation that he was not prepared to feel!


    "Argh! It hurts!" Alex cursed inwardly as he felt an excruciating pain across his whole body!


    This pain, which was flaring all over Alex''s body, was enough to make him cry and curl on the floor in agony.


    "F**k, why does this hurt so much?" Alex complained as he found himself unable to move because of the pain. "Argh! I can''t take this pain anymore! Why does it hurt like this!!!"


    For Alex to feel such pain like this was a great surprise for him.


    After all, Alex knew that he can tolerate extreme pains, which was shown when he passed through the barrier of evolving into a Grade 7 Abyss Monster!


    Alex managed to go through something like that, and yet he actually could not withstand something like this?


    There must be something wrong with his body right now!


    As Alex reached this conclusion, he immediately used what remained of his power to scan his whole body.


    At the moment that he did this, Alex''s pale face paled more, as he saw the reason for his pain.


    Inside Alex''s body, 5 different-colored energies could be seen swirling chaotically.


    These energies, according to Alex''s eyes, were almost the same at the powers that his soul met earlier.


    There was the gold-colored energy, which was releasing an aura of nobility and tyranny. Then there''s the blue energy, which was surrounded by electrics sparks and small gravity waves. The third one was the black-colored energy, which was thick to the brim with black mist.


    Of course there is the white energy, which was letting out an aura of pureness and confidence. As for the final energy, the pale red energy, it looked almost insignificant, as its small size and mediocre color made it look weak compared to the other four.


    All in all, these 5 energies were wreaking havoc, with each energy dealing immense damage inside Alex''s body.


    Even the pale red energy, which looked weak, was also dealing some damage to Alex!


    As Alex saw what was happening inside his body, he let out a mental sigh as he realized what this was.


    "So what those 5 said was true. All my Major Powers¡­ went berserk inside my body." Alex muttered to himself as he forced himself to not black out from pain. "And now that they are berserk, all the energies inside my body started to go out of whack, bringing me countless injuries and pain-Argh!"


    After saying these words, Alex''s face contorted again as another bout of pain made him tremble in agony.


    "F**k! This sucks! This pain I not worth it to be here! And to make this worse, there is a chance that I might also die here¡­"


    Alex knew that with his high regeneration prowess, he was able to heal from these damages.


    Unfortunately for Alex, the intensity of the damage dealt by the energies to him now was too much to bear, that even someone like Alex can only barely keep up on healing himself.


    And make it worse for Alex, this was not the only problem that he has to face.


    Alex realized that as time passed by, the energies inside his body were increasing in power, to the point that Alex''s healing was being overwhelmed.


    As these energies increased in power, the damages that they dealt inside Alex increased in quality and quantity too, which just made it harder for Alex''s body to heal.


    This, combined with the way that his energies continued to wreak havoc , made Alex realize that he will die if he doesn''t do anything about his body''s condition right now!


    If he lets his berserking energies get stronger, his body would gain numerous injuries that could be enough to kill him!


    This is already a bad news to Alex, and the fact that he has to stop it right now just makes it worse!


    But even if Alex knew that he must do something to save himself, he was actually not sure on what do.


    After all, Alex has no idea on what he must do to save his powers and also keep him alive.


    The only clue that he had was the message given by the 5 Alex(s) earlier.


    [The Will of an Emperor]


    [The Mind of an Esper]


    [The Heart of a Monster]


    [The Dao of a Cultvator]


    [The Body of a Hero]


    Alex did his best to remember this message through his pain, although his perfect recall of them did not help him out at all.


    "What the f**k does this message mean?" Alex thought to himself angrily as his muscles began to burn in agony and lactic acid. "The Will of an Emperor? The Mind of an Esper? The Heart of a Monster? Are my powers saying that I should live out my powers?"


    Alex let out a wry smile as he imagined himself doing like this.


    "For [The Heart of a Monster]¡­ Does it require me to live my life as a monster? Or just be a monster out of my own volition? For [The Mind of an Esper]¡­. Am I required to think like an Esper? As for the [Will of an Emperor], do I just have to obtain the will itself? Does this also apply to the other lines too? Well, now that I think about it, this could actually be it¡­''"


    At first, Alex thought that this could be the method that his powers were telling him.


    But a second later, Alex shook his head as he gritted his teeth.


    "No¡­ this cannot be that way. It is just too idealistic. The solution that I need must work in seconds! If I follow this iaealistc way, it will take me a longer time to deal with my condition! If it were before, I could still accept this. But right now, I am about to die, so I cannot do this method!"


    As Alex thought of this, he continued squirming around, as the pain on his body continued increasing, along with the damages on him.


    His body then began to leak blood, as some of his unhealed wounds bled out, making Alex feel weaker and weaker as time passed by.


    "Ugh¡­" As he felt this weakness assaulting his body, Alex''s panic increased as he knew that his end was about to arrive!


    Naturally, this forced Alex to think of the solution right now!


    "Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body¡­"


    Alex murmured these words to himself like a chant, as he was hoping that saying these words might give him the answer that he is looking for.


    "Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body!"


    As if possessed by a demon, Alex continued on chanting these words, even when his body was starting to collapse inwardly.


    "Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body.Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body. Will, Mind, Heart, Dao, Body!!!"


    "Hm?" After chanting these words a few more times, Alex tilted his head as he seemed to notice a similarity between these 5 words.


    "Is it just me¡­ or does these 5 words represent a literal body part of me?" Alex thought to himself as he took a deep breath.


    "[Heart]¡­ it obviously refers to the heart of course. As for [Mind], it could be representing the brain. As for [Will], it might as well be referring to the soul. As for the [Dao] and [Body]¡­"


    Alex''s words then trailed as a fantastic idea appeared on his mind.


    His heart, which had been taxed on keeping him alive, let out a thump as Alex seemed to receive a great burst of life right now!


    "Hahaha! So it was actually that simple? How did I not even think about that?" Alex roared out as he started to laugh. "I see, I see. So this is how I should deal with my powers then? Hahaha, so this is why many failed on getting a lot of powers... They did not have the luck like me to discover the right way to obtain them!"


    Even if Alex''s body was heavily injured right now, Alex seemed to not care about it as his focus was more engrossed on his discovery.


    "Hehehe, right now, this is only a theory, but I highly think that my idea right now is the only way for me to survive!" Alex thought to himself as he forced his mind to stay clear. "Body parts and powers? I never thought I could make you two be relevant to each other today!"


    After observing the condition on his body, Alex realized a simple solution to his problem.


    Since the powers inside his body was becoming berserk right now, maybe making them close together is a bad choice.


    Maybe placing them on different parts of Alex''s body might calm them down. This way, his powers will stay inside Alex and be used by him properly, while also being isolated safely away from each other.


    But here lies a dilemma.


    Even if these powers can be collected on body parts, where exactly would Alex place these powers?


    Well, if Alex did not talk to the 5 Alex(s) earlier, he will also be stumped right now.


    But fortunately for Alex, he did have a talk, with him receiving an important message from them.


    There is no doubt about it.


    The message that Alex received earlier from the 5 Alex(s) was the guide on where he should place his powers!


    "Each line that my powers said to me earlier refers to a certain part of my body and their respective power." Alex thought to himself as he narrowed his eyes. "One example is the [Heart of a Monster]. The body part referred to that is my Heart, while the energy referred to is my Abyss Energy. Now, if I follow my theory correctly, what I should be doing was to place all of my Abyss Energy inside my heart! Yes! This is the thing that I should do! And this applies to my other body parts too!"


    Alex then began to pant as he listed the other body parts that he must use.


    "[The Mind of an Esper]¡­ [Mind] could refer to my brain, and [Esper] refers to my Mental Power! That means that I could place all of my Mental Power inside my brain!"


    "[The Will of an Emperor]¡­ [Will] could refer to my soul, while [Emperor] obviously refers to my Conqueror''s Power! Following my idea, I can just shove my Conqueror''s Power towards my soul!"


    [The Dao of an Immortal]¡­ [Immortal] is surely about Immortal Cultivation. As for [Dao]¡­ I think this could be referring to the dantian, which is the part that is used for Immortal Cultivation! Hmph, I don''t even need to be smart to realize that I should place all my Immortal Cultivation inside my dantian! After all, Immortal Cultivation has always been done in the dantian!"


    "As for [The Body of a Hero], maybe [Body] refers to the entirety of my body as a whole, while [Hero] is about my Temperature Control¡­ Hmm, this is the hardest one actually. I think I should deal with this one the last¡­"

 Chapter 309 - Pain pain go away, come again another day!

    Everytime Alex got a new power, he knew that the energy related to that power will always be circulating all around his body.


    His Abyss Energy? It was present all throughout his body. As for his Mental Power, it was also passing through his body even though its properties were more related to the mind.


    Even the Conqueror''s Aura that he obtained from Emperor LItch had been residing entirely inside his body, as it seemed to be content there.


    When Alex saw these properties hours earlier, he thought nothing of it, as he thought that maybe this was just natural and harmless.


    But at the moment that Alex obtained the Immortal Cultivation Body and the Superhero Cultivation Body, his life was suddenly plunged in danger!


    From the looks of it, 5 different energies residing altogether in one body was not possible, which was shown by their berserk reaction inside Alex''s body.


    With this in mind, Alex knew that his survival will depend on whether he can calm down these energies inside him!


    And the method that Alex will use was the deposition of these energies on his different body parts.


    Of course Alex was not sure yet if this will work, but he still had to try.


    "Okay, first things first. I will deposit all my Abyss Energy towards my heart." Alex thought to himself. "After all, this part is the easiest one to experiment with. If I succeed on my heart, then I will proceed on my other body parts¡­."


    Out of all the body parts that Alex will have to use, he knew that his Heart will be the easiest one, since the other parts were a little more tricky.


    The brain? That is even more sensitive than his heart! As for the soul or the dantian, both of them are related to the metaphysical, which makes them also difficult to grasp. As for the whole body itself, there is no need to even think about its difficulty.


    "¡­."


    Aside from this, Alex also knew that if he succeeds on his heart, he can use the experience that he gained from it on his other body parts!


    Since this was the case, Alex knew that he must succeed on fusing his Abyss Energy with his heart! Failure will be disastrous for him!


    After thinking of this, Alex audibly shuddered as he briefly thought that he might fail here.


    "If I mess this up, I will be really dead meat! So I have to get this right at the first try!" Alex thought to himself as he stopped himself from shouting in pain.


    "Boom!" Alex''s appearance changed, as he donned the form of the Abyss Sage.


    At the moment that this happened, all the energies inside his body except for the Abyss Energy, went more berserk, as if Alex''s current form had provoked them to do more damage.


    "Ugh!" Alex spit out more blood as this happened, but he took no note of this as he focused his attention on his Abyss Energy.


    At the moment that Alex transformed into an Abyss Sage, the dark and black miasma which had been tumbling inside Alex''s body was became less aggressive, as if Alex''s current form had mellowed its temper.


    Alex also felt some semblance of control over his Abyss Energy, although this control was not enough for him to use Abyss Magic.


    At most, Alex can only move his Abyss Energy around his body right now.


    This might sound bad, but for the current Alex, this was already enough.


    "Now then, you little punk, come follow me!" Alex shouted inwardly as he dragged all the Abyss Energy in his body towards his heart.


    "Kathoom¡­"


    Deep, rumbling sounds came out of Alex''s body, as all the Abyss Energy that existed inside his body started converging towards his heart.


    "Drip, drip, drip."


    Alex started to perspire blood, as the effort that came from moving his Abyss Energy took almost all from him.


    And to make it worse, the four other energies were still attacking his body, giving Alex more injuries that made him weaker and weaker.


    "F**k¡­ This really hurts! F**k this all!" Alex shouted to himself angrily as he gritted his teeth. "Just a little more! Just a little more!"


    Finally, after a few more seconds of excruciating pain, some parts of his Abyss Energy made contact with his heart.


    At the moment that this happened, Alex''s eyes glowed black as he let out a guttural shout.


    "Fuse together, you little s***s!"


    "Boom!" Alex ''s heart, which had been strengthened through countless power-ups by Alex, let out a shudder as it started to greedily absorb all of Alex''s Abyss Energy.


    "Woosh¡­"


    Alex''s heart became a bottomless black hole, as it continued on absorbing every bit of Abyss Energy that Alex had.


    Even the Abyss Energy that was outside his body went back to Alex, as they were also absorbed by his heart!


    "What the?" Alex exclaimed to himself as he saw what happened. "How¡­ could this be easy?"


    At first, Alex thought that he will still face difficulties from making his heart and his Abyss Energy fuse together.


    After all, this is the first time that Alex will do something like this.


    But at the moment that Alex commanded his heart to absorb his Abyss Energy, not only did his heart absorb the Abyss Energy, it did it in an efficient way that left Alex dumbfounded!


    This is something that Alex did not expect to happen at all!


    "What the hell is happening here?" Alex thought to himself as he observed his heart, which was now turning blacker as it absorbed more Abyss Energy. "Is this something that I should have done before?"


    As the heart became blacker and blacker, Alex started to see some glowing symbols appear on the surface of his heart.


    These symbols, as Alex confirmed it, looked similar to the sigils of the Seven Sins.


    "¡­" After looking at these symbols for a second, Alex let out a mental sigh as he forced himself to calm down.


    He shook his head inwardly as he decided to hide his astonishment for now.


    "Since my heart willingly absorbed my Abyss Energy, it means that my idea is right." Alex thought as the he realized that he is feeling lesser pain now. "Not only that, but it also means that my other body parts might also follow my command easily!"


    With his Abyss Energy being dealt by his heart already, Alex turned his attention on his Mental Power, which was still acting unruly inside him.


    Alex then took gulp as he observed the condition of his brain.


    Upon seeing that nothing is wrong with his brain, Alex let out a sigh as he thought to himself,


    "Ok¡­ now, it is time for my Mental Power and Brain to fuse together! I hope that you two will be obedient to me too!"


    Alex then went back on his human form, as he decisively took reins over his Mental Power.


    "Here goes the second fusion!"


    ********************


    1 MINUTE EARLIER


    Alina was not sure on how to describe what she was feeling right now.


    Was it anger? Was it sadness? Was it panic? Or was it all of them?


    Alina was not sure, but she does not care about it.


    After all, she is more worried about someone else.


    "Alex!" This was all that Alina could say as she stared at Alex''s body, which suddenly convulsed at the moment that he received his new powers.


    Alex, who looked healthy earlier, was now back at the brink of death, with his whole body seemingly starting to break down on itself.


    Blood leaked out of his body again, as cracks appeared all over him. From these cracks, wisps of different energies also came out, which seemed to just make Alex''s condition worse.


    Even Alex''s healing factor did only a little help, as his whole condition seemed to just worsen over time.


    Alina, who was struck with panic with what she saw, could only grit her teeth as she realized that she cannot approach Alex right now.


    Whatever Alex was going through, Alina was not allowed to interfere with it. If she did, Alex''s body might just detoriate faster!


    As such, all that Alina can do now was wait for Alex to come back alive from his dilemma.


    With the option of helping Alex not a possibility, Alina could only turn her attention at Asteria.


    "You! What the hell is happening with him?" Asteria uttered angrily as she grabbed Asteria by her body. The little fairy did not struggle against Alina, although some signs of defensiveness could be seen on her face.


    "I did nothing to him!" Asteria replied as she shook her head. "What is happening to Alex right now was the effect of him combining 5 different powers inside his body!"


    "So your warning to Alex was really true¡­"


    "Yeah, it''s unfortunate that it did happen." Asteria replied wearily as she freed herself from Alina''s grasp. She then flew slowly towards Alex while putting a finger on her lips.


    "You hoomans, remember this. With the current state that Alex is in, he will only last for around 5 minutes." Asteria said as she looked at Alex''s injured and convulsing body. "That means that Alex must do everything that he can to survive in just 5 minutes. We cannot help him out. It is only him who can help himself¡­."


    "Just 5 minutes?" Alina blurted out as she glowered at Asteria. Her face started to turn red as she resisted the urge to grab Asteria again. "From the looks of it, it seems like you knew that Alex will be in a dire situation like this, where he only has a minute left to live. And even if you know that, you still did not say it to him earlier? What are you planning to do to him.?"


    "I don''t plan to do anything here. It was Alex who wanted it to be like this." Asteria replied gloomily as she distanced herself away from Alina. "Since Alex was confident with himself that he can survive this, I decided to give him a chance. Now, all that we have to do is to wait¡­"


    "So that''s it? We will just have to wait for him to save himself" Alina blurted out as she stared at Alex''s body. "And we can''t even do anything about it?"


    Right now, Alex''s healing factor was barely able to hold his body together, as more and more of his internals are being exposed to the surroundings.


    His organs are now visible to Alina and the others, making all of them squirm inwardly.


    And to make matters worse, his injuries looked like they were getting more and more prevalent for every second that passed by!


    This sight made Alina go pale, as she realized that if this goes on, some vital parts of Alex''s body will surely disappear too! At that point, maybe not even Alex could save himself!


    "Oh come on, Alina. You know that Alex is better than this." Asteria replied as she shook her head. "He managed to survive the possession of Emperor Litch, so that speaks a lot about his will to survive! This thing that he is experiencing right now? Heh, I am sure he can pass through this easily!"


    "I know that Alex is a tough person, but still¡­" Alina''s words trailed as she took deep breaths to calm herself down. "He just went through a life-death experience hours earlier. And now he is going through another one again? Isn''t this just too much for him?"


    "Well, what can we do about it? It is already happening? The only thing that we can do is wait." Asteria replied as she shrugged her shoulders.


    "You-"


    Alina was about to give another retort, but her words were cut-off as Queen Mother suddenly spoke up behind them.


    "I sense 10 People flying towards our location at this very moment." Queen Mother said with urgency in her voice.


    "10 people?" Alina muttered as she took deep breaths to calm herself down. She forced herself to ignore Alex first as she looked at Queen Mother directly.


    "Queen Mother, these people that you just detected, who do you think they could be?"


    "Just by looking at their appearance, I am not sure on who they could be." Queen Mother replied as her eyes furrowed. "But from the way that they moved and the power that was being emanated by them, there is a high chance that these people are powerful Immortal Cultivators! In fact, I can say that these 10 could possibly be higher-ups from the Covenant of Immortals!"


    "Higher-ups from the Covenant of Immortals? Hmm¡­ So that means that Alex''s plan was effective." Alina muttered to herself as she placed her hand on her forehead. "It was a good thing that we managed to lure those higher-ups to this place. But I think it will be hard for us to entertain them right now¡­"


    After Alina said these words, she looked back at Alex, who was still squirming on the floor.


    "¡­Let''s just hope that Alex will be up on his feet before our guests arrive." Alina said as she bit her lip. "Because if Alex is still down when they arrive, even I am not sure on what could happen¡­"

 Chapter 310 - Dont you worry, for I am here!

    Queen Mother was also worried for Alex, although she knew inside her that he will survive through this.


    "There is no way that he will die here." Queen Mother thought to herself as she stared at Alina, who looked stressed right now.


    Queen Mother could not help but feel some slight pity for Alina, for Alina just witnessed her partner go through the brink of death twice at the same day.


    Anyone who sees their partner go through something like this is entitled to be this worried.


    It''s not easy to just be in this kind of situation.


    "Hmph Alex, I hope you can appease Alina once you wake up from here." Queen Mother thought to herself as she let out a sigh. "I''m sure that Alina will have a lot of bone to pick up with you later¡­"


    After having this thought in her mind, Queen Mother shook her head as she decided to focus on the next issue.


    "So what should we do now? Should we wait for those people to arrive here?" Queen Mother said as she looked at the direction where their 10 guests were coming from. "It''s good that they are here, but with the way that Alex is in¡­"


    "Just meet those 10 halfway from here." Alina replied quickly, much to Queen Mother''s relief. "We cannot allow them to see Alex''s condition, so as much as possible, you should meet them far from here."


    "I see. In that case, I will meet them, along with Professor Frances." Queen Mother said as she nodded her head. "As for you Alina, just stay here and guard Alex. Who knows, someone might come in and attack this place while we are there."


    "Hmph, they better try doing it." Alina replied harshly as she unsheathed her katana. "I am so pissed right now, that I need an outlet for it. Maybe I can let it out on any idiots who will attack this place!"


    "Well, good luck with that." Queen Mother replied as she inwardly wished for Alex''s well-being once he woke up. She then grabbed Professor Frances with her arm as she jumped out of the house.


    "Boom!" With Queen Mother''s strength, jumping through the forest was easy. Add the fact that the trees around her were also assisting her movements, and she was able to travel much more quickly compared to before.


    "You seem to be interested on meeting these guests by yourself." Professor Frances, who was surprisingly quiet while watching Alex''s ordeal, suddenly spoke up as she stared at Queen Mother. "Do you have any reason for that?"


    "Oh nothing. I just want to do this by myself." Queen Mother replied as she jumped again. "Most of the time, it was Alex who was doing things like this. As for me, I was always relegated to either fighting or creating some kind of stuff¡­"


    "So this time around, you want to experience how to deal with people too." Professor Frances replied as she nodded her head. "Hmm, I see why you want to do this. You want to be more experienced in things like this¡­"


    "Exactly."


    "¡­."


    Both Queen Mother and Professor Frances then went quiet, as they seemed to have run out of things to talk about.


    Queen Mother felt slightly awkward from the silence, but she was not sure on how to continue the conversation.


    The only thing that she could do now was to look at Professor Frances, who was looking in front of her with an excited expression on her face.


    As she stared at her face, Queen Mother could not help but notice that the professor actually looked somewhat cute, although her usual smile has always ruined it.


    At that moment, Queen Mother started to feel conscious of the professor''s body in her arms, which felt snug and tight under her grasp.


    "Hey! Don''t make your mind wander again!" Queen Mother chided to herself as she shook her head inwardly. "I need to talk with those newcomers first. Get rid of any bad thoughts!"


    Fortunately for Queen Mother, she was able to get rid of her ''bad thoughts'', as she found herself arriving at the location where the guests were currently in.


    At the moment that she saw them, Queen Mother landed on the ground as she also let go of Professor Frances.


    As Professor Frances started rubbing her arms, Queen Mother stared at their guests, which she had intercepted.


    Just like the cultivators that they captured earlier, the 10 people in front of Queen Mother also wore the same kind of clothes as them, along with numerous treasures around their bodies.


    The only difference was that these 10 looked to be a little older, with most of them looking to be around 30 years old.


    Not only that, but the power being emanated out by these people were also stronger, making Queen Mother immediately wary of them.


    "8 Fifth Stage Cultivators, and 2 Sixth Stage Cultivators." Professor Frances whispered behind Queen Mother as the former stood closer to her. "That''s the power level that I can sense here."


    "Is that so?" Queen Mother replied, as she did her best to ignore the sweet aroma of the professor''s breath. "Do you think they are here to fight us?"


    "How the hell would I know that?" The professor replied, with her sweet breath covering Queen Mother''s nose again. "I am not like Alex, you know."


    "Well, it doesn''t matter even if they want to fight us or not." Queen Mother said as she took a deep breath. "If they went here like this, then they must have an agenda too¡­"


    Right after Queen Mother said these words, one of their guests suddenly spoke up.


    "Greetings to the two of you. Are you related to the man who calls himself the Emperor?" The guest, who was a cultivator who seemed to be leading the group, said as he stared at Queen Mother and professor loftily. "If you are, then bring us directly to him already!"


    Queen Mother could not help but frown as she observed this cultivator''s behavior.


    "So you come here to talk to the Emperor, and yet you dare act rude to us? You seem to be full of yourself." Queen Mother replied as she sent a challenging smile to the cultivator. "Are you sure that you should be acting this way?"


    "You-"


    "You must remember. Emperor is benevolent enough to offer his assistance on your small group." Queen Mother said as she applied the acting lessons that Alex had taught to her before. "Didn''t you receive the message that he sent to your group earlier? Don''t tell me that you have already forgotten it?"


    "Be careful when you argue with this guy." Professor Frances hastily whispered behind Queen Mother. "He is a Sixth Stage Cultivator, so goading him into a fight might not be a good idea¡­"


    "Don''t worry. I got this." Queen Mother replied. "Just watch."


    "We¡­ we haven''t forgotten that message" The cultivator replied, with his face looking like he had eaten something sour. "But do you think that we will just believe what this Emperor is saying?"


    "Why, do you not believe it?"


    "Your Emperor said that he is one of the few people who was not under the influence of the Great TimeMaster. And the reason for that was because that he has the power to defeat the Great TimeMaster." The cultivator said these words slowly, as if he was struggling to say them. "Do you think that we will just believe that kind of bulls***? Your Emperor was not under the influence of the Great TimeMaster? Hah! Every living thing in this world has their Time seized by the Great TimeMaster! Not even your Emperor can escape that!"


    "Oh really? Then if you think that we are lying, then why are you all here?" Queen Mother said as she tilted her head. "Don''t tell me that you are just here to spectate?"


    "Hmph, even if you are lying, we still heard about the strength of your group." The cultivator replied as he let out a sneer. "So what if you are lying? As long as you all have strength, you will be welcomed into our group!"


    "So you just came here to forcibly recruit us? How deplorable." Queen Mother said as she shook her head. "What our Emperor wants is an alliance. He doesn''t want to work under your group. Do you understand that?"


    "Hah! As if we will let that happen!" The cultivator shot back as he shook his head too. "Why would we let liars like you be our allies? That is just blasphem-"


    The cultivator suddenly stopped speaking, as his eyes suddenly bulged.


    His eyes, which was now wide in surprise, was staring directly Queen Mother.


    No, his eyes were actually staring at Queen Mother''s right wrist.


    "How¡­ how could this be¡­" The cultivator croaked out as his body trembled.


    He slowly raised his hand, and he then pointed his shivering finger at Queen Mother''s right arm.


    "How could you not have any Time Record on your right wrist? This is just impossible!" The cultivator shouted out as his peer behind him recoiled visibly. "This should not be possible!"


    As the cultivator said these words, he and his peers showed their right arms to Queen Mother.


    In their right arms, numerous numbers could be seen, which changed every second.


    Queen Mother only smile as she saw these numbers.


    She looked down at her right arm, which did not show any of those numbers.


    "Well, just like what I said to you earlier, our Emperor, including us, are not under the influence of the Great TimeMaster." Queen Mother said as she flashed her right arm again. "That is why you cannot see any Time Record on my arm¡­"


    "This¡­"


    "And om what I know, there is no kind of ability in this world that can hide these Time Records." Queen Mother said as she patted her arm. "Illusion Arts, secret magic, and even Daoist magic. None of these can hide these Time Records. Since you cannot see any Time Record in me, that just means that I do not have one¡­"


    "¡­." The cultivator started trembling again as he tried to speak up, but he was unable to say anything, as he was rendered silent in front of Queen Mother''s logic.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Queen Mother smile das she saw this, as she felt satisfied from making this cultivator shut up.


    "¡­So your Emperor could be saying the truth." The cultivator managed to say after a few more seconds of silence. "But it could be only you and that woman beside you that are like this. We cannot say for sure that your Emperor is also free from that influence."


    "So what do you want to say then?"


    "We need to meet the Emperor right now." The cultivator said as his body started to visibly calm down. "As long as we see that he also does not have a Time Record with him, we will accept his offer and ally with him."


    "!!!"


    "Crap, this is bad!" Queen Mother thought to herself as she sweated inwardly. "Alex is still fighting for his life out there, so I cannot bring these 10 to him! S**t, I must delay them!"


    "Ehem, so you want to meet our Emperor? I am sorry, but he is having his siesta right now." Queen Mother said as she pulled out this random lie. "If you want to talk to him, you can just wait for him to wake up later¡­"


    "Oh? But in your Emperor''s message, he explicitly said that he will be waiting for our arrival with open arms." The cultivator replied as a confused expression appeared on his face. "Since he said that in his message, he should have been awake right now¡­. Why is he asleep then? Is he really asleep?"


    "Well¡­" Queen Mother''s mind then started to scramble as she struggled to find a way to maintain her alibi.


    At that point, Queen Mother was not sure on what to say next, as the cultivators seemed to be suddenly suspicious of her words.


    "S**t, what should I say?" Queen Motehr thought to herself as she gritted her teeth. "Sigh, this is hopeless. I guess I just have to knock them out¡­"


    At that point, Queen Mother decided to just drop the act and pummel these 10 first.


    As for their meeting with Alex, she will just let them meet him later!


    But before Queen Mother could start attacking, a voice suddenly infiltrated though the area.


    "I appreciate your ardor to me me already. But you don''t need to go to my place anymore, as I, the Emperor, is already here."


    As she heard this voice, Queen Mother''s eyes widened as she recognized who the speaker was.


    "Alex, you''re already awake?"


    "Hmph, it just sounds too good to be true!" The cultivato

 Chapter 311 - Shes not checking you out...

    As she heard his voice, Queen Mother looked behind her in order to see the speaker.


    "So it really is Alex¡­"


    There, Queen Mother saw Alex, who approached them with a spring on his step.


    There was no trace of agony on his face, and his clothes were all back in their pristine condition.


    Behind Alex, Queen Mother saw Alina, who was following Alex.


    Unlike Alex who looked somewhat jolly, Alina seemed to be somewhat angry, which was punctuated by her occasional glares at Alex.


    Alex seemed to take no notice of this as he continued on walking towards Queen Mother.


    "¡­He recovered from that short amount of time?" Queen Mother thought to herself as she narrowed her eyes. "Is this really possible?"


    From what Queen Mother can remember, only a minute has passed by since she and Professor Frances had left Alex.


    A minute, which is just an equivalent of 60 seconds.


    That was the total time that they had left Alex alone with Alina.


    And yet, with that short amount of time, Alex actually managed to recover from his life-death experience?


    "Is this some kind of illusion?" Queen Mother thought to herself as she stared at Alex''s body. "He was just dying earlier, and now he looks¡­ so healthy."


    With her proficiency on the manipulation of life force and vitality, Queen Mother could confidently say that she is an expert on looking at other people''s life forces.


    Earlier, while Alex was going through his life-death experience, Queen Mother could see that his life force was dwindling, down to the point that he could die at any moment.


    It was so bad that Queen Mother could not bear to see it.


    But that was before.


    Because right now, Queen Mother could not see any kind of diminished life force from Alex.


    Instead, all that Queen Mother could see from Alex was an extremely potent life force, that was multiple times greater than the life force that Alex had before!


    It was as if Alex''s ordeal made him undergo through a rebirth which allowed him to increase his life force!


    "Yo Queen Mother, I am happy that you took the initiative to greet our visitors." Alex suddenly said as he stopped walking. "You actually did not need to do this, but I appreciate your enthusiasm."


    "But-"


    "No buts, Queen Mother." Alex said as he decisively cut off Queen Mother''s words. "I am really happy that you went out of your way to do this for me. Because of that, I have decided to reward you a little."


    "What are you-"


    Alex cut off Queen Mother''s words again as he raised his hand. "Be quiet, my comrade, I am about to give something good to you." Alex said as he mimed a sweeping motion with his hands.


    After he made one full sweep, the surroundings turned bright, as a green book suddenly appeared in front of Alex.


    This green book, which was adorned with pictures of geometric shapes, was floating in the air without any assistance.


    Even Alex, who was nearest to the book, did not have to hold the book, which seemed to be capable to floating by itself.


    At the instant that this book appeared, Queen Mother started to feel some pressure from it.


    "!!!"


    Just by looking at the book alone, Queen Mother had the feeling that she could be crushed by it!


    "Huh?" At the instant that she had this feeling, Queen Mother hurriedly shook her head as she forced herself to get rid of this feeling. "Why am I feeling pressured by that book? I am a gigantic World Tree! There should be nothing that heavy or powerful that can crush me!"


    If Queen Mother''s reaction to this book was like this, the reactions of the people around her were the same too, if not, more exaggerated.


    "Heavens! What is that thing!" The cultivator who had been arguing with Queen Mother earlier exclaimed as he looked at the book with a fearful gaze. "Why is that book oozing that kind of power?"


    "Oh this thing? You can say that this is a treasure¡­ which I am giving to Queen Mother as her reward." Alex replied breezily as he pointed his finger at Queen Mother. "Here, catch it."


    "Whizz!" The green book then flew towards Queen Mother, who looked at the book with a slight frown on her face.


    "Thud." Even if she had her suspicions, Queen Mother did not reject Alex''s kindness as she caught the book with both of her hands.


    "Ugh!" At the moment that she caught the book, Queen Mother suddenly lurched forward, as the weight of the book had set her off-balance.


    "What the? How could this book be so heavy?" Queen Mother thought to herself as she grunted inwardly. "It was as if¡­ I am carrying a massive island right now!"


    Queen Mother, who had prided herself on having an extremely powerful brute strength, found herself struggling to carry this little book.


    Just like what she just said, it felt like to her as if she was carrying a massive island in her hands right now!


    "Urgh!"


    As she struggled to lift the book, she suddenly heard a voice inside her mind.


    "Oh Queen Mother, that right there is the Tome of Divine Strength." Queen Mother heard these words inside her mind, making her realize that Alex was talking mentally to her right now. "Please take care of that book. It will be of great help to you."


    "This is the Tome of Divine Strength that you bought earlier? Why the hell are you giving this to me?" Queen Mother mentally replied as she assumed a squatting pose. "Shouldn''t you be using it for yourself?"


    "Oh don''t worry about me. I already bought the items that I will use." Alex replied quickly. "Do you really think that all the items that I bought will be for myself? Take a look at Alina right now."


    Queen Mother followed what Alex said, as she looked at Alina.


    After staring at her for a few seconds, Queen Mother realized that there was actually a small pearl that was floating just right above Alina''s head.


    Unlike the book, this pearl seemed to be normal, although Queen Mother could feel that the region around the pearl seemed to be lacking of something.


    Queen Mother could not really say what was missing, although she could feel that something was definitely missing.


    "See that pearl behind Alina? That is the Pearl of the Everlasting Void." Alex mentally said with excitement on his voice. "The power of this Item is suited with Alina, which is the reason I gave this pearl to her. As for you, I also did the same thing."


    "¡­"


    "With your abilities, I am sure that the Tome of Divine Strength will be a great fit to you!" Alex mentally said with a hint of mischievousness on his tone. "I mean, just look at you now! Isn''t your strength being tested by the tome already? This is your chance to improve your power!


    "You¡­ you really are the Alex that I knew." Queen Mother mentally said with exasperation in her tone. "Hmph, even if I am pissed at what you are doing to me now, I suppose I must congratulate you for your speedy recovery. Although I am not sure if a minute of recovery from your state earlier can be just called speedy¡­"


    "Hahaha! Thank you for your congratulations!" Alex mentally replied with laugh. "Okay, since you are occupied with your new item, let me deal with the guests. After all, they went here to meet me!"


    "¡­."


    Queen Mother did not say anything more after that, as she just focused on lifting the book that she is holding.


    "Urgh Alex, why do you have to give this book to me now? Don''t you see that I am squatting in front of 10 people that I do not know? This is embarrassing to me, even if I am just a big tree!"


    ****************


    "As expected, this crazy guy has overturned his misfortune. How intriguing." These were the thoughts inside Professor Frances'' mind right now as she stared at the confident Alex. "Hmph, and he even wears that damned smirk on his face. He really is back¡­"


    The professor only smirked as she knew that her prediction has been correct again. The one thing that she got wrong however was Alex''s recovery time.


    "Hmph, what did this guy do to become like this? I¡­ must investigate it later!"


    After these thoughts appeared in her mind, Queen Mother moved her eyes away from Alex as she focused her attention on a different person.


    This ''different person'' was Queen Mother, who was busy on maintaining her hold on her book.


    As she saw the tree woman, the professor''s eyes widened as she looked at Queen Mother, who was stuck on a squatting pose.


    Her eyes, which had seen a lot of carnage already, was now staring intently at Queen Mother''s squatting body, especially on her voluptuous lower body.


    But even though the professor''s eyes were focused on Queen Mother''s legs and butt, her look was not that of the s.e.x.u.a.l type.


    Instead, her gaze seemed to be similar to that of an excited butcher.


    "Damn, look at the way her muscles and skin stretches when she squats¡­ They were all stretching in the most efficient way possible¡­ Holy hell! Seeing something like this just added my appreciation on bio-mechanics and fluid dynamics¡­" Professor Frances thought to herself as she glanced at Queen Mother with a sideways look.


    "Damn! I can watch her body flex all day! Argh, If I can just open Queen Mother up¡­"


    Professor Frances could have continued having these kinds of thoughts, but she was forced to stop thinking of these as she heard Alex speaking to the cultivators.


    "You are looking for the Emperor, and here he comes." Alex said in a confident voice that made the professor feel somewhat pissed. "Since you have used your time to come here, I guess that you are here to send a message for me?"


    After Alex said these words, he quickly displayed his right wrist to the cultivators, which showed that he, just like Queen Mother, also had no numbers engraved on his right arm.


    "He, he really is telling the truth¡­" Murmurs like this appeared from the cultivators, as they all seemed rattled with what they saw.


    "Hmph, you all act superior since earlier, but now that you have seen that your thinking was wrong, you immediately act like you are surprised? Typical hypocrites." Professor Frances thought to herself as she shook her head. "If you 10 did this on my home world, you would all have been my puppets already¡­"


    The professor then laughed darkly in her mind, as she imagined the feeling of opening these cultivators up and making them her puppets. "Ah, what bliss it would be if I was just allowed to make puppets¡­ It''s too bad I am forbidden right now."


    The professor''s face then furrowed as she gritted her teeth. "Hmph, I must convince Alex to allow me to create meat puppets! Why is he even scared about it?"


    Professor Frances then started to think of the possible ways that she can convince Alex to give her some more leeway.


    But before she could get to the juicy part of her plans, she had to stop again as the conversation between Alex and the cultivators continued.


    "So, now that you have seen the proof that I am telling the truth, I assume that you are ready to give me what I want." Alex said as he seemed to enjoy the talk that he is having right now. "So, where is the message? I am waiting here¡­"


    "Ah well, okay. Um, here it is, Emperor." The leading cultivator took a few more seconds to calm himself down, and it was only when he was calm that he was able to talk. "Our leaders say that we, the Covenant of the Immortals, will be happy to have talks with you, as long as you prove your claims."


    "Well, I proved them already, so what will happen next?" Alex quickly said, making the cultivator slightly grimace.


    "...With your proof witnessed and authenticated by us, I declare that you, the one who calls himself Emperor, shall be granted an audience with some leaders of the Covenant." The cultivator said as he gave Alex a small bow. "The leaders will be happy to meet you at the annual Time Festival, which will happen at the Jade Sea Prefecture¡­"


    "Just an audience? How petty of them. And here I thought we would have an understanding." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "Are you sure that your leaders made the right decision here?" "Please understand Emperor. Even if you have this kind of power, we cannot just trust you easily." The cultivator replied as he shook his head. "As such, our leaders will still need to talk to you first. If you¡­ manages to prove that you are a possible ally, then we will accept your alliance offer¡­"


    "So even if I am your possible hope, you still treat me this warily? Well, this somewhat offends me, but I am also impressed with the wariness of your group." Alex said as he let out a chuckle. "It seems like I will have a lot of fun talking with your leaders¡­"


    "¡­So Emperor, you are interested on talking with our leaders?"


    "Didn''t I just say that? Of course I am interested." Alex replied as he straightened his body. "Do I look like I am lying to you?"


    "Well no¡­"


    "Good. Now that you are done talking with me, go back to where you came from. The next time that we will meet is when we have become partners already." Alex said, much to the amus.e.m.e.nt of Professor Frances.


    "Partners, really? Heh, as if I will believe that." Professor Frances thought to herself as she shook her head. "Knowing you Alex, I am sure that you will just pull a fast one on this Covenant¡­"

 Chapter 312 - Here comes a Twister!

    What happened after that meeting went by as if it is a blur.


    Smaller talks were made in order to polish some of the terms, and some posturing were also attempted.


    These went somewhat fruitful, as some kind of agreement had been reached at the end of the talks.


    After reaching this point, the cultivators had to leave Alex and his allies as they went back to their base, most probably to report everything that just transpired here.


    "¡­."


    As she watched the departing silhouette of the cultivators, Professor Frances narrowed her eyes as she shook her head.


    She then looked at Alex, who seemed to be slowly distancing himself away from Alina.


    "Oi Alex, now that you have dealt with those goons, can you already say to us on what the hell has happened to you?" Professor Frances eagerly asked Alex as she blocked his path. "Don''t tell me that you are going to keep this a secret too, just like what you did with Emperor Litch?"


    "H-hey! I am not trying to keep this a secret!" Alex hastily replied to the professor as the latter saw Alina''s glare at Alex turning suddenly chilly. "I wanted to deal with those cultivators first..."


    "Well, now that you have dealt with them, it''s time for you to talk about your experience earlier." Professor Frances said as she gave Alina a nod. "Because as you can see, your partner Alina is already dying to hear about your experience. Surely you won''t deprive her of the truth, right?"


    "¡­Okay, I will talk now." With two Alpha-like women ganging down on him, Alex was left with no choice but to comply to them.


    His overbearing aura was gone as he gave Alina a complacent smile. "Okay, so when I obtained my two new powers, this is what happened¡­"


    **************


    A FEW MINUTES LATER.


    "¡­and that is how I managed to survive that experience." Alex concluded his story with a proud expression on his face. "How is it? Isn''t it somewhat intriguing?"


    Alina, who had her arms crossed as she listened to Alex, let out a sigh as she said,


    "Hmph, you are lucky that you managed to talk to your powers. It was through their help that you managed to survive. But what do you think might happened if you did not meet them? Will you still be alive right now?"


    "Yes, what Alina is saying is right." Professor Frances thought to herself as she nodded her head. "If it were not for your ''talking powers'', there is a high chance that you are already dead!"


    "Ahaha Alina, do you even have to think about that? The most important thing that we should remember is the fact that I survived!" Alex replied as he let out an awkward laugh. "Come on Alina, there is no need for you to overthink! Here I am, fully alive in front of you! Do you even need to think about anything else?"


    "¡­You will be sleeping outside the house tonight. That is your punishment for now." Alina said as she gave Alex a steely glare. "I don''t care whether you survived or not. What I care the most is the fact that you placed yourself in danger again without even telling us that it could happen!"


    "But Alina, I told it to you earlier just before I bought the powers!"


    "But you did not tell us that it will be that bad!" Alina replied, as she shook her head angrily.


    Alina''s eyes, which had been furrowed earlier, started to tear up again, making Alex pause in his tracks awkwardly.


    Before Alex could say something, Alina suddenly disappeared, as she used her space manipulation ability to go back to their base.


    Alex, who saw the departing Alina, took a step forward in order to follow her.


    He was however interrupted from moving by a certain someone.


    "Don''t do it Alex." Professor Frances said as she chopped Alex''s shoulders. "Don''t talk to Alina for now. Let her have her alone time. Don''t you even have a concept of privacy?"


    "Of course I have! But still-"


    "Then. Don''t. Bother. Her." Professor Frances said as she enunciated each word with force. "Trust me, it''s better this way."


    "¡­Well, since you, who is a girl, says that I should be doing this, then I think I should follow your advice." Under the professor''s forceful gaze, the frantic Alex was left with no choice but to force himself to calm down.


    "Good. If you were just this obedient before, then we could have done a lot of things in an easier way." Professor Frances said as she nodded her head.


    "You talk as if everything is my fault already¡­"


    "Okay! Now that we are done with your explanation part, I guess it is time for you to give me my Items too." Professor Frances said while clapping her hands. She then gave Alex an excited expression on her face as she thought to herself,


    "Alex gave Queen Mother the Tome of Divine Strength, while he gave Alina the Pearl of Everlasting Void. Since I am now Alex''s Companion, surely he will also give me something useful right?"


    But contrary to her expectations, the next words that Alex said to her were somewhat off from what she had expected.


    "Give you Items? Girl, you are not my Companion yet. How am I supposed to just give you something?" Alex replied, which made the Professor freeze on her tracks.


    "Wait, I am not yet your Companion? How?" Professor Frances voiced out as she glared at Alex. "Didn''t you ''buy'' the rights to make me your Companion earlier? In that case, shouldn''t I have been your Companion already?"


    "Well, that should have been the case." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "The thing is, your transformation as my Companion was supposed to happen once I finish getting my powers and buying the other Items. But when it came to the point that you were about to be my Companion, I remembered something, which made me cancel the transaction¡­"


    "¡­Why did you do that?"


    "Huh? Of course the reason for that is obvious.'' Alex said as he narrowed his eyes. "At the moment that I woke up, Alina told me that you and Queen Mother were intercepting the cultivators. When she said that, I realized that there is a high chance that you might transform into a Companion while you are talking with the cultivators. That is something which I cannot allow to happen¡­. After all, those cultivators might do something unexpected when they see your transformation. I cannot just allow that."


    "¡­So you decided to cancel the Companion Transaction earlier in order to save me." Professor Frances drily said a she stared at Alex. "Okay, I understand your logic. What you did earlier was indeed right."


    But that was earlier." Professor Frances added, as she gave Alex a crafty smile. "Right now, there is no more danger like that, so maybe¡­"


    "Yeah, yeah, I get it. Now that we have chased away those people, it will be safe for you to become my Companion." Alex replied wearily as he raised his right hand. "Don''t be so worried about this. I did not forget about you, ok?"


    "¡­I am not excited. I was just clarifying things."


    "Well, if that is what you think it is, then I will just accept it." Alex commented as he seemed to ignore Professor Frances'' excuse. "Okay, let''s stop dilly-dallying already. I shall make you my Companion now. Don''t make any sudden moves, okay?"


    "I get it. You don''t need to remind me." Professor Frances said as she let out a sigh. "Just do what you are supposed to do already."


    "Got it." Alex replied as the symbol on his forehead glowed again. The professor averted her gaze away from the symbol as she remembered her irritation against bright objects.


    A few seconds later, and the professor found herself unable to open her eyes as she suddenly felt herself being surrounded by darkness.


    This darkness gave the professor a foreboding feeling, which changed to panic as this darkness started to swallow her whole!


    "!!!"


    She tried to struggle against it, but her effort was futile.


    She immediately lost consciousness as the darkness covered her, with her body turning slack as her mind shut down.


    ***********************


    AN UNKNOWN AMOUNT OF TIME LATER


    "Ngh¡­." A light groan came out of Professor Frances'' mouth as she regained her consciousness.


    As her mind started to pick up again, memories of what had happened to her earlier all came back rushing to her.


    "!!!"


    At the moment that her awareness has fully returned, Professor Frances'' eyes immediately opened as she stood up quickly.


    She looked around her warily as her body adapted a fighting stance.


    She let out an aggressive posture as she released pheromones from her body that will make her look more intimidating.


    "¡­."


    To anyone that sees the professor right now, they can say that she is being overly aggressive, although the professor has the right reason to be like this.


    After all, her internal clock just told her how long she was out.


    With her internal clock optimized to be as accurate as a quantum clock, Professor Frances knew how long she was already out.


    3 MONTHS, 1 WEEK, AND 5 DAYS


    This was the time that Professor Frances spent being unconscious.


    At the moment that she saw this, Professor Frances realized that something was already wrong.


    After all, transforming into a Companion should have been a quick process, which will last for just a few minutes or even seconds of time. Alina and Queen Mother''s experience had said this so.


    But in Professor Frances'' case, she did not just spend a few seconds or minutes in her transformation.


    She actually spent 3 Months, 1 Week, and 5 Days on her transformation!


    Even an idiot can see that something was wrong here!


    However, this was not the only problem that Professor Frances had.


    "Where the hell am I now¡­"


    At the moment that she looked at her surroundings, Professor Frances realized more things.


    One is that the place that she''s in was not a place that she''s familiar with.


    Right now, all that Professor Frances could see around her were mountains of trash, which towered loftily above her.


    The smell from all these trash made the professor gag, which was easy with her advanced senses.


    "F**king s**t, this is not near our base!" The professor thought to herself as she gritted her teeth. "Where the hell is this?"


    With just one look, Professor Frances knew that this place obviously was not their base, and also not the forest they were in.


    In fact, Professor Frances can say with high certainty that this place is most likely a massive trash dumpsite! Yes, right now, the professor is in the middle of a dumpsite!


    "F**king hell, why the hell am I here? Aren''t we supposed to be doing our mission?" Professor Frances thought to herself as she gritted her teeth. "And where the f**k are those three?"


    The realization of finding herself in a dumpsite did not make the professor that worried.


    However, it was the second thing that she found out that made her worried.


    After spending a few seconds of sensing her surroundings, Professor Frances found to her surprise that she could not sense any of her allies! She could not sense Alex, Alina, and Queen Mother nearby!


    Their presences, which had been recorded by her internal sensors, were nowhere to be found near her!


    It was as if they suddenly disappeared into some place that is far away!


    "F**k this s**t! So I lost my consciousness for around 3 months, and then I find myself waking up among trash. And then I also discovered that my allies are not here with me? Oh motherf***kers, I did not expect this to happen!" Professor Frances muttered to herself as she clenched her fists. "F**king hell, I don''t like this kind of joke!"

 Chapter 313 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student Part 4

    (((Author''s Notes: Hahaha, sorry if I was not able to post anything yesterday. We suddenly got so busy, so I was unable to update yesterday¡­ I''m really sorry about that¡­)))


    [Asteria]: Hahaha! Those dragons are stupid as f**k! They were actually fooled by my illusions? Pfft, and they call themselves dragons? Hahaha! Calling them overgrown lizards will be much better!


    [[[Asteria continues to laugh as she flew down amongst the rubble]]]


    [Asteria]: And here I thought dragons like them will be dangerous. Hmmm¡­ from what I can remember, one of them was a Void Dragon, while the other one was a Realm Dragon¡­ Both of them are powerful enough to annihilate numerous Seventh Stage Planets, yet they did manage to catch me! Hahaha! Those stupid f**ks!


    [Asteria]: What was their names again? Oh, Brad and Chad. Pfft, even their names are so stupid!


    [[[Asteria suddenly heard enraged dragon roars from above, making her stop her insults.]]]


    [Asteria]: Uh oh. It seems like those guys are pissed off now. I better get going already.


    [[[Asteria then speeds up her flight as she followed her original trajectory.]]]


    [Asteria]: Hmm¡­ so once I reach the bottom of this place, I will be able to use the teleportation array that will bring me out of this place. But where will that array bring me? Will it bring me to another base of the Endless Monarch?


    [Asteria]: No, that cannot be, since those places could be under attack to. So I will be brought to a secret place then? Hehehe, isn''t that just exciting?


    [[[Asteria went to move again, but she was interrupted by someone suddenly speaking behind her.]]]


    [Unknown Speaker]: Ki ki ki! Ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Wait, what the?


    [Unknown Speaker]: Ki! Ki! Ki!


    [Asteria]: Please tell me it''s not you.


    [Unknown Speaker]: Ki! Ki ki ki ki ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Oh hell no. It''s really you. So you''re still alive?


    [Unknown Speaker]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: Oh f**k this s**t. Why are you still here? We''re supposed to go down!


    [Unknown Speaker]: Ki?


    [Asteria]: Don''t answer my question with another question!


    [Unknonw Speaker]: Ki! Ki ki!


    [Asteria]: So you were left behind here because no one told you what to do, is that what you are saying?


    [Unknown Speaker]: Ki! Ki ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Kibou, are you really this pathetic? Really? Even your classmates did not help you out?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­..


    [Asteria]: Hey! You are just a tiny robot! Don''t look at me with those eyes!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: Hey!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: Argh fine! You can join me! But don''t you ever bother me, ok?


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: Sigh¡­ ok, follow me.


    [Kibou]: Ki ki!


    [[[The unlikely pair then flew together towards the bottom, with the fairy on the lead and the tiny robot behind her.]]]


    [Asteria]: Oi Kibou. Can I ask you a question?


    [Kibou]: Ki.


    [Asteria]: Ok, so why did you even want to be a Guide? In my opinion, you are not suited to be a Guide¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki¡­. Ki ki ki! Ki kii! Kiiii¡­ Ki ki ki! Kiii ki ki ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: So you want to do it to save your creator?


    [KIbou]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: But isn''t your creator already dead?


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Asteria]: Ah right, you machine lifeforms have a different concept of life and death.


    [Kibou]: Ki.


    [Asteria]: So in your view, your creator is still alive?


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: And you want to become a Guide so that you can find a way to save your creator?


    [Kibou] Ki!


    [Asteria]: Do you even know how to save him?


    [KIbou]: Ki¡­


    [Asteria]: What a hopeless guy. This is why you are being bullied here. You lack resolve and confidence!


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Asteria]: Oh right, you never know about those things, since originally you should have not needed it.


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Asteria]: ¡­From what I know, your model is that of a drone robot. Robots like you should exist in hives along with more drone robots. You were never meant to be alone like this. You were supposed to do things with your other drone friends!


    [KIbou]: Ki!!!!! Ki!!!! Ki!!!


    [Asteria]: Hey, hey, hey, even if you are pissed with the other drone robots, you are not allowed to curse here! If you want to get angry, just punch them in the face!


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki ki! Ki!


    [Asteria]: Sigh, if you want to curse, you can do it once we have gotten out of this hellhole. So please keep your mouth shut for now.


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Asteria]: Ah forget about that. You won''t even understand my instructions that well¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki? K-k-k-kiii!!!


    [Asteria]: Oho, so you are saying that you can follow instructions well? If that was the case, then why are you dead last on our whole batch?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: Kibou, just admit it, your abilities are not suited for being a guide. You, in my opinion, will be a great inventor or entrepreneur. But a Guide? Your grades show that you are not meant to be one.


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: ¡­So you''re saying that your passion will help you succeed? Who told you that s***ty advice?


    [Kibou]: Ki? KI! KI! KI! KI! KI! KI! KI! KI!


    [Asteria]: Ah, so it was your creator who gave you that advice? Your creator must be an optimistic person then.


    [Kibou]: Ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Why are you even acting this proud? No matter how good your creator is, his advice on you doesn''t mean jacks**t!


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Asteria]: I mean come on! There is a high chance of you getting kicked out of our batch next week! Do you think passion will still help you when that time comes?


    [Kibou]: Ki?!!!!


    [Asteria]: You don''t even know that you are in danger of getting kicked out? How did you even manage to reach this stage?


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Oh yeah of course, you bribed our classmates. Real classy of you.


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Hehehe, me cheating? As if! With my knowledge and good looks, there is no way that I will cheat!


    [Kibou]: Ki ki? Ki ki ki¡­


    [Asteria]: Hey! What are you talking about?


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki, ki! Ki ki ki¡­ Ki ki!


    [Asteria] H-h-hey! Derek is someone who does not look at a person''s beauty! He looks at who they really are!


    [Kibou]: Ki ki? Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: So what if Derek rejected my advances? That does not mean that he hates me! He''s just¡­ preoccupied with a lot of stuff!


    [Kibou] Ki ki? Ki ki ki, ki ki, ki ki ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: What? You saw Derek having a date with Celestia? Where did you see that?


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki ! Ki ki¡­ ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: T-t-they ate lunch inside Celestia''s room? Wait! How did you even see that?


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki¡­


    [Asteria] So you were placed inside Celestia''s trash can because the janitor thought you were a trash¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki ki!


    [Asteria] Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it. So what happened with Derek and Celestia next?


    [Kibou]: ...


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki, ki, ki. Ki ki ki. Kiki ki! Ki, ki ki kiiii¡­. Ki! Ki! K-


    [Asteria]: W-what? You saw Celestia licking tea from Dereks abs?


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki! Ki! Ki ki! Ki!


    [Asteria]: A-and you saw her licking tea from Derek''s biceps too?


    [Kibou]: Ki ki! Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: What else did you see?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Asteria]: Say it!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: I said say it!


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki ki ki! Ki¡­ Ka ka ka! Kakaka!


    [Asteria] W-w-w-what? Celestia poured tea on Derek''s shorts and then she licked it and then she started s-s-suck-


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: Argh! That damned woman! And here I thought she''s an exemplary student! So she''s actually a cougar who hunts down young men! T-t-this is unforgivable!


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Asteria]: You, come with me, we shall hunt down the cougar.


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Nah uh uh. Since you''re the one who told me about what Celestia was doing, you''re already implicated here. So whatever I do from now on will be also related to you! So you have no choice but to join me!


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: The teleportation array? That can wait later. For now, we should make that thirsty woman pay for her sins!


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki?


    [Asteria]: You''re asking me what Celestia did wrong? Hah, I also do not know. But she''s pissing me off right now, so I have decided to find her and make her suffer!


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki ki¡­


    [Asteria]: Oh, so you think that Celestia is stronger than me? Heh, if you doubt me that much, then I shall show you the difference in our power!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: Hmph, don''t dilly dally here. We still have a thot to chase!

 Chapter 314 - Have you ever swam in a sea of trash?

    At that point, Professor Frances could have continued cursing to herself inwardly. But before she could do that, she suddenly noticed that one of her sensors was actually picking up a signal from one of her allies!


    This signal was so extremely faint, that Professor Frances had missed it earlier.


    It was only now that she focused that she had detected this signal.


    "Hmph, so at least one of us was here too." Professor Frances'' extremely down feelings immediately perked as she realized that one of her allies was nearby! "So who could it be¡­"


    After closing her eyes for a few seconds, the professor was able to analyze the signal that she was receiving.


    "This signal, it belongs to Queen Mother!" Professor Frances thought to herself as she nodded her head. "There''s no doubt about it. It belongs to her. But the way that this signal arrived was weird¡­."


    After she said these words, the professor looked up as a weary expression appeared on her face.


    "From what my sensor says, Queen Mother''s signal was extremely faint, yet it seemed to be coming from a place near me¡­ More specifically, right in front of me."


    After saying this, a grimace appeared on the professor''s face as she glared at the trash mountain that is standing proudly in front of her.


    This trash mountain in front of the professor made her feel sick, but she found herself unable to look away from it.


    "I don''t want to believe this, but my sensor is saying that Queen Mother''s signal is coming from inside this trash mountain¡­ " The professor''s face then paled as she realized the implications of what she discovered.


    "Wait¡­ so does that mean that Queen Mother is buried underneath all these trash?"


    A contorted expression appeared on the professor''s face as she resisted the urge to gag. "So does this mean that I have to dig through all of these trash in order to see Queen Mother? Ugh, why do I have to do these things?"


    No matter how many times Professor had dealt with disgusting chemicals before, there is no way that she will just be happy on touching trash.


    Trash is trash, and she will only touch them when it''s necessary.


    But today, not only did she have to touch trash, she also had to dig through a large amount of them! Of course there''s no way that the professor will be enthusiastic about this!


    "Ugh¡­ But I have no choice but to do this." Even with her disgust already forming a bile inside her throat, Professor Frances was left with no choice but to go through the trash.


    After all, she needed an ally right now, and Queen Mother is the ally that she needs


    "F**king s**t. I hope I can have a good bath after all this s**t!" The professor thought to herself as she approached the trash mountain with halting steps. "Ugh Queen Mother, if it were not for you, I will not do this!"


    The professor immediately activated her body''s immunity protocols in order to protect herself from bacteria, viruses, and toxins that could affect her. Everything in her body went into full inflammatory alert so that any pathological intruder will be easily killed.


    With this step done, the professor''s body was now protected well. Now, all that the professor had to do was to dig through.


    "Ugh¡­. I hope I can milk a lot of benefits from Queen Mother by doing this¡­"


    Professor Frances was about to plunge her hands through the trash, but before her hands could dip itself through the mush, an enraged voice stopped her from doing any movements.


    "You! What the hell are you doing there? If you touch that trash mountain, it might collapse! Do you want us all to die?"


    "Hah? So what? I don''t care about that." Professor Frances shot back angrily. "I have a friend who''s stuck inside this trash mountain. Do you just expect me to leave my friend here just because of your warning? Hell no!"


    "You! If you don''t stop what you are doing, I will go there and beat you up!" The enraged speaker said as Professor Frances heard the sounds of rapidly approaching footsteps behind her. "If you know what''s good for you, you should stop now!"


    "Oh really, I''m so scared~" Professsor Frances replied sarcastically, showing that she was not scared at all.


    "You! Are you not scared of me?"


    "Why would I be scared of you?" Professor Frances replied as the footsteps behind her halted. "Even if I cannot see you face, I can sense your power. You¡­ you are weak!"


    "!!!"


    What Professor Frances just said was true.


    With her power sensors, Professor Frances was 100% sure that the person behind her only had a strength of around First Stage! For Professor Frances, whose whole body had been optimized and strengthened, a mere First Stage opponent is nothing for her.


    "From what I can sense, your strength was only around First Stage¡­ More specifically, at the Qi Condensation Stage." Professor Frances said, with her still not looking at the person behind her. "Do you think that with that kind of power, you can hope to beat me up?"


    "Boom!"


    After saying these words, Professor Frances released her pent-up killing intent, creating a horrifying atmosphere around her.


    "Hiii!!!"


    The person behind Professor Frances let out sounds of fear, as if the professor''s killing intent affected this person badly.


    "Hehe¡­" Upon hearing this sound, Professor Frances let out a sadistic smile as she felt enjoyment from what was happening.


    "So, what do you think? Do you still have the guts to fight me?" Professor Frances said as she decided to see the appearance of the person who threatened to attack her.


    "Woosh"


    After turning her body around, the professor''s eyes immediately focused on the appearance of her guest.


    Her guest was actually a female, and fierce one at that.


    Her face resembled that of a cornered warrior, who seemed to be at the verge of lashing out to anyone nearby.


    But even if this woman had this kind of look, her intent to fight was nothing in front of Professor Frances''s killing intent.


    Just like what the professor had expected, her violent guest was already restrained by her killing intent.


    The woman was still stuck in her place, as the professor''s killing intent had suppressed her movements. Frankly, there was no surprise to Professor Frances that this would happen.


    After all, her strength and this woman''s First Stage Strength were just a little far from each other¡­


    However, there was something about this person that actually had Professor Frances surprised.


    What surprised Professor Frances about this person was not her capability, but rather this person''s identity.


    "You¡­ I remember you." Professor Frances said as she pointed her finger at the restrained woman. "Didn''t we meet before already?"


    "You¡­" From the wide-eyed look given by the restrained woman, it seems like she had recognized Professor Frances too.


    The restrained woman then started to talk, even amidst the professor''s still emitted killing intent. "I know you too! You are that deranged woman that is accompanying that tree woman! Wait¡­ how the hell could you be here?"


    "Oh, so that is where I saw you. I remember it now." Professor Frances commented as the woman''s words made her remember. "You were one of the cultivators that met up with Emperor, right?"


    At this point, Professor Frances had weakened her killing intent, just enough so that the restrained woman can start talking.


    "Y-yes. I was one of them." The restrained woman replied as she narrowed her eyes. "My experience with your Emperor¡­ is not that great."


    "¡­" After receiving this answer, all that Professor Frances could do was to stare at the restrained woman with confusion.


    "From what I can remember, this woman has the strength around the Fourth Stage when I saw her." Professor Frances thought to herself as she stared at the restrained woman. "But right now, I can clearly sense that her power was just at the First Stage¡­."


    Professor Frances then frowned inwardly as she realized that something was wrong here.


    "How the hell did this woman lose most of her powers in just 3 months? Did something momentous happen while I was unconscious?"


    It was not only the loss of power however that had Professor Frances worried.


    There was also the fact that this restrained woman is here at this trashy place!


    "This woman is a member of the Covenant of Immortals. People like her should have been living in good places." The professor thought to herself as she narrowed her eyes again. "But instead of having that kind of treatment, this woman is actually here in a dumpsite with her powers weakened? And I just turn out to be here too? Hmm¡­ Something really suspicious is going on here¡­"


    Once she had reached this line of thinking, Professor Frances let out a sigh as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.


    "You, what is your name?" Professor Frances asked the woman as she stopped emitting her killing intent. "Surely someone like you have a name, right?"


    "¡­"


    "Answer me, or I will beat you up."


    With this threat from the scary Professor Frances, the restrained woman was left with no choice but to answer.


    "Elise Thompson¡­ That is my name." The restrained woman as she looked down on the ground. "There¡­ I said my name already."


    "Elise Thompson huh." The professor muttered to herself as she cupped her chin. She looked at Elise with appraising eyes as she thought of the right thing that she should ask her.


    "Should I ask Elise on why she was here? Or should I ask her about why her power regressed?" Professor Frances thought to herself as she went silent.


    But from the looks of it, it seems like it was Elise who will be asking the question first.


    "Y-you, what the hell are you doing here?" Elise said as she looked at the professor with trembling gaze. There was some fear and wariness in her stare, but she did not back down as she just stared at the professor with the remains of her courage. "Y-you should have been dead already!"


    "D-dead?" Even Professor Frances became fl.u.s.tered when she heard this answer. "How the hell could I be dead? I was asleep for 3+ months! There is no way that I will be dead now!"


    "So¡­. You do not know what had happened for the last 3 months?" The fearful expression on Elise''s face was replaced with terror as she looked at the professor as if she was an abomination of this world.


    "F**King hell. Of course I do not." The professor replied angrily as she let out a sigh. "I just said that I was asleep!"


    "O-o-o-oh. In that case, I think you just share the same fate as me." Elise''s face changed again, as it was now replaced by pity.


    She gave the professor a melancholic smile, as if she was trying to console the professor.


    "Y-you! Why are you acting like that!" Professor Frances exclaimed as she felt weirded out by Elise''s change in attitude. "Is there something that I should know?"


    After the professor gave this question, Elise only gave out a sigh as she tilted her head.


    The fear that she had for the professor seemed to have disappeared already, as Elise was now treating Professor Frances like an acquaintance.


    Needless to say, Professor Frances was rendered more confused by this.


    "Well, for starters, I guess I have to welcome you first." Elise said as she spread her hands towards the piles of trash around her.


    These piles did not make for any kind of great view, which made Elise''s next words sound bleaker.


    "Welcome to the Trash Prefecture, where the poorest of the poor were left to scavenge for scraps of Time."

 Chapter 315 - How deviated can you be? Please no more!

    "Trash Prefecture, you say?" Professor Frances replied after hearing what Elise just said. "That''s¡­ a trashy name."


    "Now that you are here, it will be difficult for you to leave." Elise said as her wariness against the professor disappeared entirely. "I¡­ just wish you luck."


    "Hey, from the way that you talked about this place, it was as if you are saying that this place is a hellhole." Professor Frances commented as she watched Elise''s every movements "Is this place really bad as what you are making it to be?"


    Of course Professor Frances knew that the place that she''s in now was bad. Just the presence of trash around her was enough to prove that!


    But Professor Frances needed to gather information immediately, and her best source right now will have to be Elise.


    As such, the professor has no choice but to ask Elise questions, no matter how much it will make her look stupid.


    "Are you serious?" As expected, Elise seemed to be bothered by Professor Frances'' question, as if she did not expect her to ask it. "You think this place is not bad? Oh my, don''t tell me that you don''t have any knowledge about the Trash Prehecture?"


    "Yeah, I don''t have any knowledge about this place." The professor replied honestly as she shrugged her shoulders. "Why? Got any problem with that?"


    "No, I don''t have any problem with that." Elise replied as she placed a palm on her forehead. "I knew that at this day and age, there will be a lot of people who does not have any knowledge about this place."


    "¡­"


    After all, those TimeMasters made it sure to fill this world with propaganda." Elise continued saying as she let out a sigh. "Only cultivators like me know the whole truth. As for mortals? They are in the dark about any of this¡­"


    "Well, hahaha, just treat me like one of those mortal women." Professor Frances said as she adapted a sheepish look.


    Elise gave the professor a momentary suspicious gaze, but that disappeared at the former started talking again.


    "This place that we are in right now is the Trash Prefecture." Elise said as she prodded the trash beneath her feet. "This is the place where the trash from all around the world were dumped. Biological waste, industrial waste, and even hazardous waste, Name any trash that you know, and you can find them in this in this Prefecture."


    "¡­What a fitting name then." The professor commented as she looked at the Trash around her. "But what do you mean about this place housing people that are all looking for scraps of Time?"


    To the professor''s worry, she saw Elise''s face contorting again, as if what she said triggered an emotion inside Elise.


    This reaction only lasted for a second before Elise gave her reply.


    "¡­.As you might know, everything in this world is dictated about the Time that an individual has." Elise said as she took a deep breath. "The properties, the power, and even the status of a person, all of that will depend our his/her Time."


    "¡­" Professor Frances did not interrupt Elise as she kept on listening.


    "If you have large amounts of Time, then you are bound to be happy in this world, especially if you are a powerful cultivator." Elise said as her face turned downcast. "But no matter how much time you have with you, one mistake can make you lose all of it."


    "¡­"


    "No matter how rich you are, if you violate a rule in this world and you were caught violating it, then you will be punished heavily." Elise said as she started clenching her fists. "And the punishment will be¡­"


    "Most of your Time will be stripped away from you and you will be dumped here?" Professor Frances said before Elise could continue talking. "That''s the punishment, right?"


    "E-exactly." Elise commented as she nodded her head. "And if it was a cultivator who was caught violating a rule, his/her cultivation will also be weakened."


    "Which was just like what had happened to you." Professor Frances said as she now understood the sudden regression of Elise''s power. "So you were caught and brought here?"


    "¡­Yes." Elise replied as she let out another sigh. "You know, I fought back against them at first. But it was all futile in the end. There was just¡­ a lot of them."


    "Hey, wait a second." At that moment, Professor Frances remembered the fact that Elise was part of the Covenant of Immortals. Since this group was a rebel group, then maybe the reason that Elise was placed here was¡­.


    "If you were brought here, then does that mean that the whole Covenant of Immortals were also arrested?" Professor Frances said as the gears in her mind began to turn. "Is that the violation that you got punished for?"


    "¡­Yes." Elise meekly replied as she looked down again. "After we met with your Emperor, a large army of TimeMasters attacked our base. We were caught off-guard by that, since our base was supposed to be hidden. A lot of my comrades died, and those who survived like me¡­ had their cultivation damaged and their Time stripped away. We were then dumped on this Trash Prefecture, all left to rot here!"


    At this time, any bravado in Elise was already gone, as only a shell of her former self could be seen by the professor. Elise''s fierce look was no more, as only a face filled with despondence and hopeless was displayed by her.


    "This is bad." Professor Frances thought to herself as she heard Elise''s answer. "If the whole Covenant of Immortals was already gone, then that means that Alex''s plans was already wrecked. Not only that, but there is also the fact that Queen Mother and I were at this place. Were we also attacked by the TimeMasters? But I do not remember anything from that."


    "And if that attack did indeed happen, then where the hell is Alex and Alina right now?" Professor Frances thought as she resisted the urge to snarl. "Why the hell did those two abandon me and Queen Mother in this place? Are those two planning something again?"


    Right now, Professor Frances had no way of knowing what to do in her current situation. After all, she just found herself stranded on a new place with almost nothing to help her out here.


    The only people that she knew were Queen Mother and Elise, who both seemed to be useless for now.


    "Argh¡­ What the hell should I do now?" Professor Frances thought to herself as she started pacing all around her.


    She already forgot Queen Mother''s existence, and she also forgot Elise''s nearby body.


    All that the professor could think of right now was a possible way to improve her current situation.


    "Hey! Why are you suddenly ignoring me!" Naturally, this action of the professor had rendered Elise unhappy, although she did not really make her unhappiness that apparent. "Did you lose interest in me already?"


    "Shut up please. I am thinking of a way to strengthen myself in this place." Professor Frances replied quickly to Elise. "You have no idea on what I am planning on, so you better keep your mouth shut. Or do you still want to get beaten up like what I promised earlier?"


    The professor then released some of her killing intent again, making Elise freeze.


    But this did not deter Elise at all, as she continued talking amidst the professor''s killing intent.


    "T-t-there is no way that you can get stronger in this place." Elise said through her chattering teeth. "The TimeMasters made sure that the Trash Prefecture will be devoid of any Qi. That means we cannot cultivate here!"


    "Oh well, thank you for that reminder, but I do not need that Qi to be stronger." Professor Frances replied absent-mindedly.


    "You don''t need Qi? Does that mean that you are a Deviant Cultivator?" Elise said as her teeth continued to chatter. "Is that the reason why you are this strong even if you don''t emit any Qi at all? Is it because you practice a Deviant Technique?"


    "Yeah, yeah, I''m a Deviant Cultivator." Professor Frances replied as she started to lose interest on Elise. "Now quit bothering me. I already got what I want from you. Go back to your house or hut, whatever that is."


    "¡­"


    But to the dismay of Professor Frances, Elise did not leave her at all. She just stayed in her spot as she stared at the professor.


    Elise stayed this way for a few more minutes, which made the professor almost lose her cool.


    "What the hell do you want now?" Professor Frances said with irritation as she glared at Elise. "You already told me about this place, so I have no more need for you. Just¡­ get away from here. You are just bothering me."


    Right now, the presence of Elise was just a nuisance to Professor Frances, so why does she even have to stay here?


    Professor Frances was thankful for what Elise gave her, but she does not need anything more from her.


    "If you don''t leave, I will really beat you up." Professor Frances said as she cracked her knuckles.


    But instead of backing down, Elise actually moved a little closer to the professor, as some kind of fire seems to have been ignited in her eyes.


    "¡­You need help getting your friend out, right?" Elise said as she seemed to have ignored the professor''s warning. "I can help you out. Just¡­ let me call some of my comrades and we can all cooperate digging your friend from this trash mountain¡­"


    "And why do you want to do that for me?" Professor Frances asked with suspicion on her voice. "Earlier you were warning me to not touch this mountain. But now you are volunteering to dig through it? What made you change your f**king mind?"


    "Thud!"


    Out of nowhere, Elise suddenly kowtowed in front of Professor Frances, with her head hitting the soft and squelchy trash with a thud.


    Chunks of dirty matter clung on Elise''s face, but she ignored it as she continued on putting her head down.


    "Please, make us your disciples!" Elise shouted out as she gave Professor Frances a pleading look. "Honorable Deviant Cultivator, your power is our only hope in this place! Please grant us that power too! I-If you give us your power, w-w-we will be your faithful servants! So please take us in!"


    "¡­.You''re saying that you want to be a deviant cultivator like me?" Professsor Frances asked as she gave a weird look at the kowtowing Elise. "Do you really mean that?"


    "Our cultivations are already useless in this place, so only by becoming a deviant cultivator that we can be strong again!" Elise said as she touched Professor Frances''s foot. She then hugged the professor''s leg as she continued pleading to her.


    "Hmm¡­."


    The professor was taken aback with what Elise said at first. But now that she thought of her proposal more, Professor Frances realized that Elise actually gave the professor the way to get stronger in this place.


    "So you and your friends want to be my disciples? Hehehehe, if you want that, then I shall happily accept you all¡­" Professor Frances thought to herself as her sadistic smile returned. "But my definition of a ''disciple'' is different from what you are thinking¡­ So don''t blame me once you became my ''disciples''! Hahahaha!"

 Chapter 316 - T-MANIFEST

    TWO HOURS LATER.


    "Oi¡­ I thought all of you wanted to be my disciples. Is this all that you can do?" Professor Frances said while picking her nose. "Maybe you can pick up your pace¡­"


    Her eyes were currently staring at a group of 50 people, who were all holding shovels.


    These 50 people are using these shovels to dig through trash right now, which created a somewhat weird sight.


    "Shovel, shovel, shovel¡­"


    Shoveling sounds could be heard everywhere as large amounts of trash were being displaced at each stroke of these people.


    "Shovel, shovel, shovel¡­"


    They were digging at a pace that can be considered to be impressive to onlookers, but Professor Frances herself was not impressed at all.


    "You told me that you can help me dig out my friend. But from what I can see here, it seems like you guys need help too." Professor Frances said as she gave a pointed look at Elise, who was leading the trash-diggers. "Sigh¡­ maybe you are not cut out for this¡­"


    "Honorable Deviant Cultivator! Give us a few more minutes! I am sure we can reach the middle of this mountain!" Elise said as she began to hasten her strokes. "Just give as a few more minutes!"


    After Elise said these words, her companions also quickened their shoveling as desperation appeared on their faces.


    From the looks on their faces, it was obvious that they were all desperate to obtain Professor Frances'' teachings. If all that they needed to do to become her disciples was to dig for her, then they will gladly do it even if their arms fall off!


    "Hmph, I will give you a few more minutes. But be sure that you can get my friend out already!" The professor snapped as she crossed her arms. "If you don''t get my friend out few minutes from now, I will have to remove some of you here."


    "!!!" This reminder by the professor brought for a new wave of energy from diggers, as they added more energy on their movements.


    Amidst all of these digging, Professor Frances only watched them with an irritated look on her eyes.


    "Hehehe¡­"


    But even though she looked pissed, Professor Frances was actually enjoying what she was seeing now.


    "All these people doing slave labor for me reminds me of my days as a great ruler!" The professor though to herself as she started to reminisce about her past. "Hahahaha, all of you should shovel more in front of me! You are making me feel better right now!"


    "Shovel shovel shovel¡­"


    So with these somewhat sadistic thought in her mind, Professor Frances continued watching the labor of the 50 people in front her, while she made sure to also criticize all of them along the way.


    As these went on, Professor Frances started to get happier, as all of her stress were now being poured on the unfortunate diggers.


    "Damn, I should have done this before." The professor thought to herself as she let out a sadistic smile. "Well, now that I am doing it, I should just continue on making these people dig! Hahaha, dig more for me! I want to see your desperate faces!"


    Things could have continued to be like this, but unfortunately for Professor Frances, her fun with the diggers had to end now.


    "Thud."


    Elise''s shovel, which was the most worn-out of the shovels, let out a low sound as it collided with something hard.


    At the instant that this happened, the other shovels let out low sounds too as they collided with this hard object too.


    "There it is! We found it!" Elise exclaimed before the professor could speak up. "We found the tree woman!"


    All the 50 people then rushed forwards as they grabbed the object that their shovels hit.


    They took no notice of the trash sticking on their skin as they started pulling the object out of its place.


    "Ha!"" Everyone''s faces went beet red as they exerted all of their effort on pulling out the object.


    "Swoosh¡­"


    Slowly but surely, the object that they grabbed started to move, with its entirety being brought out by the diggers.


    Loud sounds of panting could be heard as the diggers gave their all on pulling. Beads of sweat appeared on their faces as some of them let out guttural shouts.


    It was quite obvious that their bodies were at their limits already, just from getting the object out. But no matter how many of them looked like they were about to collapse, all of them still held on as they continued on pulling.


    "Haa!"


    In the end, all of their efforts bore fruit as they managed to bring out the object that they were grabbing.


    "Thud."


    Elise and her companions then placed this object gingerly on the ground, before they looked back at Professor Frances with expectant expressions on their faces.


    "¡­."


    Professor Frances could only stay silent as he looked at Queen Mother''s body, which was the object pulled out by the diggers.


    Professor Frances stared at her body, which seemed to be leaner and denser compared to before.


    Queen Mother seemed to have gotten stronger for the past three months, which was evident from the way that her body was structured right now.


    Of course this was not the only thing that the professor noticed about Queen Mother.


    "Snore¡­"


    As she observed Queen Mother for a few more seconds, Professor Frances noticed with a jolt that Queen Mother is seemingly just asleep right now!


    Yes, Queen Mother¡­ seemed to be just asleep. She was even snoring in front of the professor, which elicited a sigh from the latter.


    There was no sign of diseases on Queen Mother''s body, which meant that she is only asleep right now.


    Once she realized this, the professor let out a sigh as she placed a hand on her forehead.


    "And here I am getting worried for this woman." Professor Frances thought to herself as she shook her head. "So you were just sleeping near me? No wonder your signal is weak like this. But why the hell are you sleeping inside a mountain of trash? Did you not even notice it?"


    "Snore¡­"


    "¡­"


    Once she had ascertained Queen Mother''s actual condition, Professor Frances brought back her attention to the diggers, who were all standing impatiently in front of the professor.


    "¡­.This little s**ts¡­" Professor Frances thought to herself as she felt irritated by their expectant looks.


    There was no doubt that they were now waiting for their rewards, which technically should be given to them now.


    But Professor Frances is not yet in the mood to be generous, so she did the thing that she usually do.


    Professor Frances waved her hands in a shooing motion, as if she was telling the diggers to move away.


    "Yeah, yeah, I get it. You managed to dig Queen Mother out now, which is a great help for me. Because of that, I will fulfill my promise to make you my ''disciples''. But I¡­ shall fulfill that promise later. For now, you should get far from me. I¡­. have to do a personal business here. So don''t bother me, or you will all regret it. Don''t worry, I will call you back once I am done."


    "I-if you say so, Honorable Deviant." Even if they were elated that they succeeded now, Elise and the other diggers did not dare to disrespect Professor Frances as they started moving away from the professor and Queen Mother.


    "Shuffle¡­"


    Once these 50 people were around a kilometer away from her, Professor Frances crossed her arms as she approached the sleeping Queen Mother.


    She then started prodding Queen Mother''s head as she said,


    "Wakey wakey, miss tree. I need to ask you extremely important questions. If you don''t wake up, I will throw you back to the trash. So just wake up already."


    "¡­"


    ****************


    INSIDE A WHITE ROOM, IN A PLACE FAR AWAY FROM PROFESSOR FRANCES


    While Professor Frances was busy on adjusting on her new place, one of her allies was going through a different situation.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    "Yo! You are not holding back right now!"


    Alex, who Professor Frances had not seen yet, shouted these words as his body suddenly materialized inside the white room.


    His robes, which was the same as before, now looked to be extremely damaged, with signs of burns and singes all around its body.


    Some wounds could be seen on his skin too, which all looked to be just fresh


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Invisible attacks suddenly landed on Alex''s body after he talked, which blasted him towards one of the walls in the room.


    "Boom!" The whole white room rocked as Alex''s body took the whole brunt of that attack.


    "Damn¡­ That one actually stings." Alex, who shook his head after that attack, said as his hand started to glow. "Since you gave me that, then I shall give you something good too!"


    Alex then straightened his right index finger, and without wasting any time, pointed it to a person that was floating 10 meters away from him.


    This person, who was wearing green robes, was the one who attacked Alex earlier, and he/she seemed to be nonchalant as Alex started his attack.


    "Hong~"


    Qi then began to acc.u.mulate on Alex''s finger as he pointed it at this green-robed person.


    His right index finger shook as more and more Qi build up inside it, which seemed to be dangerous for the finger.


    Fortunately for Alex, he seems to be prepared for this, as his finger started to stabilize just a few seconds later.


    Once stabilized, the finger continued on absorbing more Qi, which elicited a large smile from Alex.


    When the amount of his Qi on his finger reached the desired amount, Alex let out a shout as he pushed this finger forward.


    "Boom!"


    Alex''s voice right now was filled with righteousness as he said,


    [Heaven Piercing Finger!"


    "Skroooom!!!"


    A massive silhouette of a finger then shot out of Alex''s hands, which barreled straight to his targeted person.


    This finger silhouette let out the aura of absolute piercing, which made it look extremely dangerous.


    To any onlookers watching, it might appear as if Alex''s finger was unstoppable.


    Alex seemed to have thought so too, as a smug smile appeared on his face as his [Heaven Piercing Finger] approached his opponent.


    But that smile of his only lasted for a second when his opponent made his/her move.


    [T-MANIFEST: DECRESCENDO]


    "Ong¡­"


    Once his opponent said these words, Alex''s [Heaven Piercing Finger], which was filled with momentum before, suddenly slowed down as if it lost its energy!


    This allowed Alex''s opponent to dodge the [HEAVEN PIERCING FINGER], which only hit the wall of the room.


    Once he/she dodged this attack, Alex''s opponent made another move before Alex could start a new attack.


    [T-MANIFEST: CRESCENDO]


    "Swish!"


    Alex''s opponent suddenly disappeared, and before Alex could react abruptly, his opponent appeared behind him, with his/her hand sent chopping towards Alex''s neck.


    "This is checkmate now." Alex''s opponent said as his/her hand landed on Alex''s neck. "You should better surrender now, or you might experience more pain from me!"


    "

 Chapter 317 - Treat me like the way you treat your friends, please

    (((Author''s Note: lol, sorry for having no chapters yesterday. I just had an emergency. Oh, and to those who still read this novel, can I know in the comments if you are still reading this? Seeing an empty comment section makes me a little sad...)))


    You should better surrender now, or you might experience more pain from me!"


    After Alex''s opponent said these words, he/she pushed his/her hand further, making it dig a little on Alex''s skin.


    "¡­."


    As he felt his opponent''s hand on his neck, the only thing that Alex could do was sigh as he descended on the ground.


    "Woosh."


    As his feet landed on the ground, Alex scratched the back of his head as he let out a complaint.


    "Okay, you won already. But don''t think that this fight represents our actual fighting prowess."


    "Of course I know that, Alex." His opponent replied as he/she approached Alex. "Did you even see me complain?"


    "Hmph, I only used my Immortal Cultivation Abilities, while you only used your Chronomancy Powers. Of course that is not the full scope of our abilities." Alex said as he glared at his opponent, who turned out to be Alina.


    Yes, the one who had been fighting Alex earlier was actually Alina, whose appearance and demeanor were still the same as before.


    Her face still held the same beauty, although the current Alex was seemingly occupied to even take notice of this.


    "And as you can see Alina, the record of our battles since we came here was 112-112." Alex added, which elicited a scoff from Alina. "Which means that technically, we are tied now."


    "Alex, why are you so defensive? Did I do something to annoy you?" Alina replied as she poked Alex''s shoulder.


    Her pissed expression from three months ago was already gone, as only a playful expression can be seen on her face.


    Alina seemed to be in a good mood right now, which was a contrast to Alex''s downcast face.


    "¡­Alina, for the past 48 days, we only have been fighting each other using my Immortal Cultivation and your Chronomancy." Alex said as his shoulders drooped. "Everyday, we just use Daoist Spells and T-Manifests on our fights! We don''t even use my Abyss Magic or your Esper Ability!"


    "So¡­ what is the problem with that?"


    "Alina, fighting this way is so tiring already!" Alex whined as he shook his head. "If it were 30 days earlier, I will still be fine fighting this way. But today, I just want to fight you in a different way!"


    "But if we do that, your Immortal Cultivation won''t make a progress." Alina said as she shook her head. "Didn''t you say it to me before? Immortal Cultivation relies on the mindset and the attitude of the cultivator. If you want to make large progress, you should be willing to fight, as only through fighting that your cultivation will be sharpened."


    In response to these words by Alina, Alex shook his head again as he scratched the side of his jaw.


    "Alina, there will always be a time that doing too much will be bad, and in my opinion, we are already fighting too much right now that it might affect us badly." Alex replied as he crossed his arms. "Besides, I think both of us had already achieved what we wanted to reach from this fighting, so there is no need for us to fight this way anymore."


    "Oh really?" Alina quickly replied with a deadpan expression on her face. "You think we already achieved what we wanted from these fighting sessions?"


    "Alina, I already reached the peak of Qi Condensation from all this fighting." Alex said as he spread his arms. "In my opinion, that is enough for me. As for you Alina, you are already at the peak of¡­ what stage is it again?"


    "I am a Peak Novice Chronomancer already, Alex." Alina replied with a sigh as she stared at Alex. "How could you even forget about that term?"


    "So do you see what I am talking about now?" Alex said as he ignored Alina''s complaint. "Our only goal for fighting with Immortal Cultivation and Chronomancy was to reach the stage that we are in right now. And since we have already reached that goal, maybe we can already change our training from now on¡­"


    "¡­" Alina immediately placed a palm on her forehead as she let out as sigh, as if she had seen through Alex already.


    "You are just bored, aren''t you?" Alina said as she shook her head. "There''s no need to deny it. It''s already obvious."


    "Well, you can say that as well." Alex replied unabashedly. "I mean come on, aren''t you also bored on using only Chronomancy? Surely you are already itching to try out your other powers¡­"


    "Chronomancy has piqued my interest, so I don''t have any problems with it yet." Alina replied as she gave Alex a contented look. "I never thought that this kind of power exists¡­ and it actually meshes well with my Esper Powers¡­"


    "Well, at least you are happy." Alex said as he let out another sigh.


    "Why are you this gloomy Alex? Aren''t you excited about your powers too? I mean, you seem to be thrilled on being an Immortal Cultivator, especially when you started gathering Qi for your Qi Condensation¡­"


    "Of course I still have that interest." Alex replied as he placed his hands on his h.i.p.s. "However, my mind is preoccupied with other things right now."


    "Oh you mean those people." Alina said as she wrinkled her nose in disgust. "I totally understand your dilemma. Those people¡­. Surely acted the way we did not expect them to."


    "Yes, those people are my largest problem right now." Alex replied as he and Alina left the white room through its metallic door.


    "Hong~" The metallic door went wide open, allowing Alina and Alex to go through it.


    As they went through the door''s opening, Alex continued talking as he looked around him warily.


    "Did you even see the way those people treated us? If it were not for our mission, I could have rejected them already!"


    "But at least we are not forced to fight them." Alina said as she looked around her warily too. "Yet."


    "Hmph, with the way that they treat us, I even doubt that they will fight us in the future." Alex said as he shook his head. "And that is the thing that I am really worried about."


    "¡­."


    Before Alex and Alina could continue their conversation, they were interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps.


    Alex and Alina''s head swiveled to the source of the sound, and there they saw its source.


    It was a woman, who was now walking towards them with an urgent pace.


    "Oh s**t, here we go again." Alex swore under his breath as he and Alina observed the woman''s appearance.


    Her appearance was polished, with her hair tied in a bun, and her blouse and skirt modelled to look like that of an office woman.


    Her demeanor seemed to be somewhat strict, which was showed by the scowl on her eyes and the tight line on her lips.


    But in Alex''s eyes, this strict woman seemed to be happy as she approached the two.


    "¡­." Beside Alex, Alina could only let out a grimace as the strict woman finally had caught up to them.


    "So did you enjoy your training for this day, Emperor?" The strict woman said in a fawning voice as she leaned her upper body forward.


    Her cleavage, which was already full to bursting in her tight blouse, bulged even further with as the strict woman pushed her chest outwards.


    Alex could only avert his eyes away from this sight as he could feel Alina''s silent wrath beside him.


    "I certainly enjoyed my training today, Miss Rebecca." Alex said as he stared at the name badge on the strict woman''s chest. "You can say that I and my partner gained a lot for today''s training."


    "Oh, I am happy to hear that, Emperor." Rebecca replied with an upbeat tone. "Now that you are done with your training, what else do you have planned for today? Just tell it to me, and I will assure you to provide you with everything that you need."


    "There is no need for you to do that." Alina forcefully said as she stood between Alex and Rebecca. "Whatever Alex wanted to do today is up to him. You and your TimeMaster friends does not need to force yourselves in."


    "Is there any problem, Miss Alina?" Rebecca coolly said to Alina, as the former''s expression changed to that of indifference. This change was something that Alex had expected to see, although he still could not help but frown from seeing this.


    "I have a problem indeed." Alina replied as her face morphed into that of displeasure.


    "Biri biri biri!"


    Imaginary sparks seemed to have lit up in the air as the two women stared at each other, with none of them backing down even by an inch.


    Alex, who was watching this happen behind Alina, did not say anything as he let these two women talk it out in a ''civil way''.


    "After you and your TimeMaster friends have arrested the members of the Covenant of Immortals, you started treating Alex as if he was a royalty." Alina frostily said as she crossed her arms. "That it in itself was already suspicious. But what made me more worried was the fact that even now, you still treat him as if he is a god here! What''s the deal with you guys?"


    "Miss Alina, from the way that you talked to us right now, it seems like you have been harboring suspicions on us from the very start." Rebecca replied confidently, as if she was not rattled with what Alina just said. "If you are this suspicious of us, why are you just questioning us now?"


    "Because Alex told me to let things happen as it is." Alina replied as she gritted her teeth. "Well, since you seem to be not thinking of harming us before, I accepted Alex''s request. But it''s been 3 months already since we were here, and your treatment on Alex just got better and better. Do you think I can just stay silent with all of this happening? Of course not!"


    Behind Alina, Alex nodded his head as he found himself agreeing with everything that Alina just said.


    *************


    Ever since the arrest of the Covenant of Immortals and Professor Frances'' sudden life-death situation three months ago, Alex and Alina were forced to deal with extremely favorable treatments from the TimeMasters themselves.


    Food, cultivation items, clothing, services, and even training techniques, all of them were provided enthusiastically to Alex and Alina by the TimeMasters.


    Of course at first, Alex was happy from receiving this kind of treatment.


    But as time passed by, their treatment on Alex just got better and better, to the point that some of the female TimeMasters were even offering their bodies to Alex.


    At this point, Alex knew that something suspicious was definitely going on with the TImeMasters.


    It was a good thing that Queen Mother and Professor Frances were separated from them to do their own tasks, or else all 4 of them might have to deal with these overly enthusiastic TimeMasters.


    "Hey, why did you stop talking now?" Alina said as she continued talking. "Don''t tell me that you''re not allowed to state the reason for you VIP treatment on Alex? If that is the case, then maybe we should leave this place."


    "Um, you can''t leave right now!" Rebecca shouted with panic as both Alex and Alina started flying away. It was quite obvious that she did not expect Alex and Alina to leave this quickly. "O-Our esteemed leader still has to meet you, so you can''t leave yet!"


    "Gotcha." Alex whispered under his breath as he stopped flying.


    He looked back at Rebecca, who was giving Alex puppy eyes now.


    "¡­" As Alex did his best to ignore this, Alina cleared her throat beside him as she said,


    "Your esteemed leader wants to meet us? Is this esteemed leader of yours the¡­"


    "Yes, we are talking about The Great TimeMaster." Rebecca replied as he put both of her hands together in a pleading gesture. "Please, if you want to leave, you can do it later. But please, allow the Great TimeMaster to talk with you two first!"


    "¡­."

 Chapter 318 - LIST OF NOTABLE POWERS, ABILITIES, AND CULTIVATION SYSTEMS.

    [[[ESPER ABILITIES]]] ¨C Refers to abilities that are used to manipulate the laws of physics. Any kind of physical and chemical phenomena are included in the scope of Esper Abilities, although some physical laws are harder to influence compared to others.


    Esper Abilites are mainly fueled by Mental Power, with the amount of Mental Power vital on the strength of Esper Abilities.


    he users of Esper abilities are called Espers, and their strengths are graded according to their respective mental power and range.


    For an Esper to get stronger, his/her Mental Power must be improved. Strengthening the Mental Power will also strengthen an Esper''s Range, which was the territory where an Esper''s power can be used.


    Espers with Range that has a radius from 0-999 meters are called Tier Espers. As for Espers with Range that has a radius of 1 kilometer or more, they are referred to as Star Espers.


    Only Star Espers are considered to be the cream of the crop, and they are the ones that have the chance to reach the peak being an Esper.


    However, the real limit for Esper Abilities are still unknown, which makes its possibilities seem limitless to its users.


    [[[ABYSS MAGIC]]] ¨C This is the magic system that is used in the Abyss Plane, and this is the Abyss Plane''s primary power system.


    Abyss Magic channels its power through the Seven Deadly Sins(Pride, Wrath, Envy, L.u.s.t, Glutttony, Greed, and Sloth.) All the spells and abilities used in Abyss Magic are based on the Seven Deadly Sins and its numerous possible combinations.


    Users of Abyss Magic are called Abyss Magicians, and their power will depend on the Sins that they can use and their proficiency in it.


    Abyss Magicians are ranked by strength through different grades, with Grade 1 as the weakest and Grade 12 as the strongest. The path to increase the Grade for the Abyss Magicians follows the method of evolution of the body and the improvement of Abyss Energy.


    The end goal of all Abyss Magicians is to comprehend the Essences behind the Seven Deadly Sins and use it to reach Grade 12, the highest Grade in the Abyss Magic System.


    [[[HOLY ORDER MAGIC]]] ¨C This is the primary magic system in the Holy Order Plane.


    In terms of abilities, Holy Order Magic can be said to be analogous to the Abyss Magic.


    If Abyss Magic channels the power of the Seven Deadly Sins, the Holy Order Magic channels the power of the Seven Virtues(Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, and Humility). THe power rankings among the Holy Order Magicians are also divided from Grade 1 to Grade 12.


    And just like Abyss Magic, the end goal of Holy Order Magic is to comprehend the essences of the Seven Heavenly Virtures, and use it to reach Grade 12.


    Note: It was noticed that Abyss Magic can counteract some of the abilities of the Holy Order Magic. Thus, Holy Order Magicians are advised to take caution, especially when they are facing Abyss Magicians.


    [[[Dark Magic]]] ¨C The Magic System used in the mysterious Dark Plane.


    Due to the secrecy of the Dark Plane, not much is known about Dark Magic, except the fact that its spells are sometimes more sinister than Abyss Magic itself.


    [[[SuperHuman Abilities]]] ¨C This is the power that manifests among people for no reason at all. No mystical, metaphysical, scientific, or magical explanations yet for the appearance of SuperHuman Abilities.


    The only known thing is that SuperHuman Abilities exists, and that they vary greatly depending on the individual.


    The ability to teleport, create life, nullify powers, or even create powers are some of the example of SuperHuman Abilities.


    With this kind of randomness, it will be hard for one to obtain a SuperHuman Ability of their choosing, although there are some rare instances that SuperHuman Abilities can be obtained easily¡­


    [[[Symbolist Power]]] ¨C The power used by the group of people called the Symbolists. This power was obtained from the Divine Being Lingo, who was imprisoned in the Blue Moon.


    The Symbolist Power allows a Symbolist to manipulate the laws of realities itself through written scripts.


    The effectivity of these scripts will depend on the writing skills of the Symbolists and the amount of power that they have.


    [[[Celestial Power]]] ¨C The power used by the group of people called the Celestials. This power was obtained from the Adjudicator of the Holy Order Plane, who was imprisoned in the Yellow Moon.


    The Celestial Power allows a Celestial to absorb the powers of the stars and use them to create ''stars'' inside the Celestial''s body.


    These ''stars'' can then be used by the Celestial to create ''constellations''. These constellations on the other hand will be used to activate spells that are unique to the Celestials alone.


    [[[Devourer Power]]] ¨C The power used by the group of people called the Devourers. This power was obtained from the Divine Being Peina, who was imprisoned in the Green Moon.


    The Devourer Power allows a Devourer living and non-living objects. Not only that, but the Devourer will also gain some of the properties of the objects that he/she devoured.


    This makes the Devourer Power extremely flexible and formidable, although it will still depend on the Devourer itself on how this power can be used.


    There are still some limits on this power, specifically on the things that a Devourer can devour. A Devourer cannot devour something stronger than him/her. Only objects of equal or lesser strength can be victims of the Devourer Power.


    [[[CONQUEROR''S AURA( CAN BE ALSO CALLED THE WILL OF THE EMPEROR]]] ¨C This is the power owned by Emperor Litch, which he had used to strengthen his reign.


    Unlike the other abilities, Conqueror''s Aura only depends on the willpower of its user.


    The stronger the willpower of a user, the stronger the effects of Conqueror''s Aura will be.


    As for its effects, the Conqueror''s Aura will make anyone affected by it become loyal subjects of the user. Only people with powerful willpower can resist the effects of Conqueror''s Aura, although people like them are rare to find these days.


    Only mighty conquerors like Emperor Litch can obtain the Conqueror''s Aura, although the exact process of how this power can be gained is not clear.


    re


    The possibility of the Conqueror''s Aura being divided among different people has not been thought of yet, although the fact that Traveler Alex managed to obtain half of Emperor Litch''s Conqueror''s Aura shows that the Conqueror''s Aura could indeed be shared.


    [[[DIVINE SENSORY ORGANS]]] ¨C According to the legends, an extremely powerful female Monarch had reached the peak of her power through the cultivation of her own sensory organs.


    Her five sensory organs(Eyes, Ears, Nose, Tongue, and Skin) are then called the Divine Sensory Organs, in honor of the power that she wielded through these 5.


    Not much was known about this female Monarch, although some rumors suggest that some of her descendants had gained some of the power of her Divine Sensory Organs.


    Of course the fact women from different planets gained the power of her Divine Sensory Organs makes the ''descendant rumor'' look shaky, although it''s this rumor that is the most plausible one yet.


    [[[Immortal Cultivation]]] ¨C This is the major power system among numeorous Planes.


    Immortal Cultivation lets a Cultivator reach the peak through the comprehension of their own Dao.


    This Dao, which will vary on each cultivator, can cover any thing that exists in the universe. With this kind of scope, there is no wonder that Immortal Cultivation is accepted as one of the strongest power systems in the multiverse.


    This simple, yet powerful cultivation method has also produced the most amount of higher-staged beings, which is just a testament on how domineering Immortal Cultivation is.


    [[[CHRONOMANCY]]] ¨C A new and rising power system which came out of nowhere.


    Because of its relatively new state, not much was known about Chronomancy, except for two facts:


    First,is that Chronomancy is a Magic System, something similar to the Abyss or Holy Order Magic.


    Second is that Chronomancy deals with Time Manipulation, something that even the strongest beings are wary of doing so.


    These two facts combined together makes Chronomancy look like a special power system, although some more observations has to be made before a full verdict can be given on it.

 Chapter 319 - Lets have steak first before we solve whats at stake.

    "Now this is really getting suspicious¡­" This was the immediate thought inside Alex''s mind after he heard what Rebecca just said.


    The Great TImeMaster, who has been elusive to anyone''s sight, actually wanted to meet Alex and Alina right now? Even a simple-minded person can see that something is going on right here.


    "When does the Great TimeMaster want to meet us?" Alex asked Rebecca as he gave the livid Alina a warning glance.


    "Um¡­ the Great TimeMaster has a busy schedule today, so you can set up a meeting later afternoon." Rebecca replied after her eyes scanned a piece of paper.


    "Afternoon? Good, then that means that I can still roam around the city while we wait for the meeting to start." Alex hurriedly replied as he grabbed Alina''s hand.


    He then started walking away from Rebecca, dragging the still angry Alina with him.


    "You''re roaming around, Emperor? You cannot do that alone! Let me accompany you!" Rebecca said as she caught up to Alex. "You never know, some malicious people might attack you¡­"


    "I do not need your help, Miss Rebecca." Alex coldly replied, as he increased his walking speed. "I can take care of myself, so you and your TimeMaster friends does not need to go with me."


    "But-"


    "If you don''t leave me alone for this day, I will make sure that your Great TimeMaster will know my unhappiness with you." Alex said as he interrupted Rebecca''s reply. "Now, if you don''t want your leader to know your irritating enthusiasm, then you should better get off my back."


    "Bu-"


    "Shut up already. My patience is running thin."


    "¡­I-if that is what you want, Emperor, then we shall oblige to it." Rebecca listlessly replied as she bowed to Alex. "I apologize if we have inconvenienced you a lot¡­"


    "Just get going already." Alex said as he shook his head.


    "Mn, we shall leave now, Emperor." Rebecca said as she gave Alex a nod. She then raised her right hand, as if she was giving a signal.


    As she did this, 10 people jumped out of certain hiding places. They all wore the same attires as Rebecca, and they all had the same fawning smiles on their faces.


    "Let''s go girls. Emperor does not want to be followed today." Rebecca said as she clapped her hands. "Let''s get going now, chop, chop!"


    "Woosh!"


    Rebecca and the 10 other people suddenly disappeared, as their bodies went to God knows where.


    "Sigh¡­" At the instant that they disappeared, Alex let out a sigh of relief as his power could confirm that the TimeMasters following him has left him alone already.


    "Hmph, now we can have some genuine time for ourselves." Alina grumbled beside Alex as the TImeMasters left them. "Those pesky people always follow us where we go! Hmph, if it weren''t for you, I could have attacked them all already!"


    "Calm down Alina, I think they are just doing their job." Alex replied. "Although the way that they do their job seems to be too much in my opinion¡­"


    "Just admit it Alex. There''s something wrong with the heads of these TimeMasters." Alina said as she gritted her teeth.


    "Alina, can you really say that when you are a Chronomancer like them?"


    "I- I-I- you know what, let''s just stop talking about these people. We won''t get anything from thinking of them." Alina replied as she shook her head. "Let''s just deal with the important stuff today."


    "You''re right Alina. How about eating at that good steak restaurant nearby? I heard their steaks are the juiciest in this Prefecture." Alex said as he gave Alina a teasing smile. "You haven''t tasted it yet, right?"


    "¡­" Alina did not give Alex any reply, although the drool coming out of her mouth made Alex know that her answer is yes.


    "So be it. Let''s visit that restaurant now!" Alex said as he confidently walked to his left. "Oh and don''t worry, this will be my treat."


    "It''s always you who had been treating me on our meals." Alina muttered behind Alex. "So there''s no need for you to say it, since you had been always doing it."


    "¡­"


    *************


    Even though Alex and Alina are on their way to a steak restaurant, Alex''s mind was preoccupied with something different from eating a steak


    Right now, Alex was looking around him discreetly, taking note of the people and the structures around him.


    All around Alex, all that he could see were tall buildings made up of steel and concrete. In terms of appearance, they look similar to the buildings that Alex saw in Earth.


    Aside from this, Alex also saw that the vehicles in this world was already at the point where they are powered by fossil fuels.


    This, and the other small things that Alex could see made it apparent that this world has a fairly advanced technology.


    "I''m sure that if this world was only dominated by Immortals, a technology of this level is not possible." Alex thought to himself as he cupped his chin. "After all, Immortals are more preoccupied on self and power improvement rather than the improvement of technology itself¡­"


    "So it is safe for me to assume that it was the TimeMasters who made this world like this." Alex thought to himself as he turned right.


    These things however were not the ones that Alex noticed.


    There were also the people around him, who Alex identified in 3 separate groups.


    There were the mortals, who were just the baseline people.


    They did not practice Immortal Cultivation, nor did they attempt dabbling in Chronomancy.


    They are only regular humans living peacefully in this world.


    As Alex observed them, he could not help but see that these mortals were living in this world like a way that a normal people should live.


    They roam around, buy stuff, and enjoy the facilities in this world.


    The only thing marring these mortals were the numbers on their wrists, which shows that they also had to use their own Time to access amenities in this world.


    The second group that Alex identified were the Immortal Cultivators.


    Unlike the mortals, who seemed to have accepted the way that this world works, most of the Immortal Cultivators that Alex saw all had disgruntled expression on their faces, especially when they spend their Time on buying items.


    "For Immortal Cultivators, their lifespan of great importance, since Immortal Cultivation takes time." Alex thought to himself as he watched a cultivator stare longingly at a flying sword. "Yet in this world, their very own lifespan had to be used in order for them to acquire the things that they need to use. It''s no wonder most of them get angry for being forced to live like this¡­"


    The third and final group that Alex identified were the TimeMasters.


    Unlike the mortals and the cultivators, there was no single TimeMaster who was acting like a civilian.


    All the TimeMasters that Alex could see were running the business stalls.


    Groceries, public transportation, items shops, banks, and many more stores were all run by TImeMasters only.


    In fact, in Alex''s 3-month stay in this place, he has not yet seen a business that is run by a mortal or a cultivator. All of them were only run by TimeMasters!


    "This world¡­ it''s not only its territory that has been occupied by the TimeMasters. Even the economy and industry of this world are also under the control of the TimeMasters." Alex thought to himself as he shook his head. "For a world like this to be in this kind of control just shows how powerful the presence of the TImeMasters are."


    At the moment that he thought of this, Alex let out a sigh as he inspected his dantian.


    Right inside his dantian, 12 stones the size of fists could be seen.


    They were all floating in his dantian, with each stone harboring large amounts of hidden power.


    "¡­"


    These stones are the products of Alex''s cultivation for the past three months, with each stone representing Alex''s effort to get stronger as a cultivator.


    Alex had mixed feeling as he observed his dantian, as if he was not sure if he should be happy or not right now.


    "These stones are proof of my power as an Immortal Cultivator." Alex thought to himself as he narrowed his eyes. "One stone is the acc.u.mulation of massive amounts of Immortal Qi, all compressed in one single point. The more stones there are inside my dantian, the higher my cultivation will be. Right now, I have 12 of these stones, which means that I am already at the peak of Qi Condensation. The next thing that I need to do is to think of my own Dao Path and use it to step on the Foundation Establishment Stage."


    As he thought of the Foundation Establishment Stage, Alex narrowed his eyes as his lips narrowed into a thin line.


    "It will be great if I can break through the Foundation Establishment Stage¡­ But is it worth it, especially with the state that this world is in?"


    When Alex started cultivating with his Immortal Cultivation Body 3 months ago, he noticed something that made him irritated.


    His Immortal Cultivation Power, which should have been powerful in this world, was actually weakened!


    It was weakened by 50%, which means that any ability that Alex uses with Immortal Qi will be only half of its real strength!


    When Alex discovered it at that time, he could hardly believe that this is real.


    After all, this world is a world that primarily supports Immortal Cultivation.


    How the hell could the power of Immortal Cultivation in this world be weakened, when the main power in this world is Immortal Cultivation?


    There is just something wrong with that!


    And to make this more suspicious, when Alina obtained her Chronomancy Power, she told Alex that the power of Chronomancy in this world was actually stronger.


    In exact terms, Chronomancy in this world was strengthened by 50%


    This just made Alex more confused.


    After all, Chronomancy is not the main power system in this world. How the hell could Chronomancy be this strong then?


    "Tsk, I suspect that this weakening and strengthening phenomenon of powers is related to the invasion of the TimeMasters in this world." Alex thought to himself as he put the matter of Foundation Establishment at the back of his mind. "That means that if I want to make the right decision for my Main Mission, I must first discover the truth about this phenomenon! Only by knowing this that I can be sure on which side I should fight!"


    After he had this thought, Alex suddenly clapped his hands once as a determined expression appeared on his face.


    "It''s settled then. At the meeting that I will have with the Grand TimeMaster later, I will do my best to gather all the clues that I need to make my decision!" Alex thought to himself as he continued nodding to himself. "After all, the best source of the truth will always come from the perpetrator itself¡­."


    Alex could have continued on refining his plan, but he had to stop at this point, as he and Alina reached the steak restaurant already.


    As he looked at the restaurant, Alex''s stomach rumbled a little, which showed how hungry he is right now.


    As for Alina, her mouth was already panting, which is enough to show that her ravenous side is ready to show up.


    "Okay¡­ I will just think of my plan later. For now, I have to fill up my stomach first." Alex said as he opened the door with his foot. "Mn¡­ I hope their steak will be as delicious as what those people said¡­"

 Chapter 320 - Kill it with Fire!

    "So even your house in this place is trash. I thought it would look better. Sigh, what a disappointment."


    The one who said these words was Professor Frances, who was currently inside a flimsy house.


    The house was made up of hastily glued plywood, which made the whole house look extremely fragile.


    And this house was indeed fragile, as a light gale that just passed through almost brought the whole house crashing down.


    "This is your house, really?" Professor Frances said as she decisively ignored the swaying walls around her. "You plan to make your teacher stay in this place? How deplorable."


    "I-I''m really sorry about this, Teacher." Elise, the one who met the professor earlier, said as she kneeled hastily on the floor.


    She knocked her head on the ground repeatedly until her forehead turned red. "If this house displeases you that much, then I and my companions will band together to take another residence! Just say the word, and we will fight for you!"


    "Tsk, stop yammering your mouth." Professor Frances replied as she shooed Elise away. "You want to fight? Then do it once I made you stronger. But for now, you should learn your place. You got it?"


    Elise bit her lips as she looked visibly uncomfortable from the professor''s reply. Nonetheless she gave the professor a nod, showing her agreement.


    "Good. Good. Now go and leave me alone here." Professor Frances said as she opened the door open. "Go on, just come back later."


    "¡­." Elise did not waste any time as she left immediately, leaving Professor Frances alone in the flimsy house.


    But it was not only the professor left in the house.


    Sitting beside the professor was a green-skinned woman, whose voluptuous body was displayed perfectly by her tight clothes.


    This green-skinned woman''s face held both confusion and wariness, as if she could not understand the current situation.


    The professor, upon seeing this face, let out a sigh as she said,


    "Queen Mother, don''t worry. I will explain to you my experience here. After all, these guys are the reason I was able to dig you out of the trash mountain.


    "¡­"


    The green-skinned woman, who turned out to be Queen Mother, gave the professor a blank stare as she said,


    "Then explain it to me already. After all, I want to know everything about this place."


    "This will be just quick." The professor replied as she started to tell Queen Mother about her experiences since she woke up.


    Queen Mother only listened obediently, not making any noise as the professor continued talking.


    *****************


    MINUTES EARLIER


    When Professor Frances and her new students found Queen Mother earlier, the professor was momentarily stumped on finding a way to wake the tree woman up.


    Fortunately for Professor Frances, Queen Mother woke up of her own volition just a minute after she was dug out of the trash mountain.


    At the moment that she woke up, the first thing that Queen Mother did was stare at Professor Frances as she said,


    "Frances, is there a nearby house here? I don''t like staying here already."


    "¡­"


    Even though Professor Frances was not sure on why Queen Mother needs to be in a house right now, she still followed her request, which brings the two of them here inside Elise''s flimsy wooden house.


    ******************


    "So that''s what happened. Poor Immortals¡­" Queen Mother said as the professor finished telling her story. "So this was what happened to them after the attack three months ago."


    "Yeah, so regarding about that attack, what the hell happened at that time?" Professor Frances said as she glared at Queen Mother. "Now that I have told you my story, it''s your time to tell yours. Tell me why I lost consciousness for 3 months, and tell me why both of us are here. And please tell me where the hell is Alex, so that I can smack him in the head for leaving me here!"


    "Please wait a second. I have to fix this place first." Queen Mother replied as she seemed unfazed by the professor''s glare.


    "¡­"


    Right in front of the professor''s eyes, Queen Mother extended her right hand until it was touching one of the shaking plywood walls.


    At the moment that her hand made contact with the wall, a burst of life force erupted out of Queen Mother''s right hand, which melded with the entirety of the wooden house.


    A few seconds after this happened, the whole house changed.


    Its walls thickened considerably, with their appearance changing too.


    Their previous plywood body was gone, as they were replaced by a type of wood that is much more durable than plywood.


    With this change, the whole house stopped shaking, as Queen Mother''s fix improved the overall condition of the house.


    "Why the hell did you even go here? You can just make your own house." The professor grumbled under her breath as she kicked one of the walls.


    "Thud." The wall was unnaturally hard, making the professor sigh as she felt her toe bend in the wrong direction.


    "Start talking now, Queen Mother. We don''t have time to waste here." The professor said as she bent back her toe in its place.


    "Ehem, okay okay." Queen Mother quickly replied as she straightened her posture.


    Queen Mother''s current posture seemed to emphasize her already impressive curves, which just made the professor feel more confused.


    "What the hell is this woman thinking right now?" The professor thought to herself as she felt weirded out by Queen Mother''s actions. "Oh, maybe it''s because she just woke up. Yeah, that''s right. After all, Queen Mother is a tree. Maybe she''s still not used at the prospect of sleeping¡­"


    "So¡­ to make my explanation short, this is what I will tell to you." Queen Mother said as she started to answer the professor. "First is that your transformation into Alex''s Companion did not go well. We are not sure on what happened, as you just lost consciousness after you started the transformation. Even when we waited for you to wake up minutes later, you still did not wake up, which made us realize that something wrong has happened with you."


    "¡­"


    "At that time, Alex told us to bring you back on our base and wait for you to recover." Queen Mother said as she tilted her head. "But it was at that moment that the TImeMasters attacked the forest."


    "!!!"


    "They necessarily did not attack us, as their target seemed to be only the Covenant of Immortals and its members." Queen Mother said as she cupped her chin. "But the moment that they attacked, Alex froze up as his face suddenly turned pale. I do not remember what he said next, but I can remember him shielding the two of us with his body. I lost consciousness after that, and the next thing that I knew, I woke up here in this trash place."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­That''s it? That''s your story for me?" Professor Frances croaked out as she stared at the tree woman. "Do you have nothing else to add?"


    "None."


    "Argh, and here I thought your story will be able to help me." Professor Frances complained as she let out a disgruntled sigh.


    "I''m sorry if I disappointed you Frances. That''s all that I can recall for now." Queen Mother replied with genuine apologetic tone on her voice. "Are you not happy with it?"


    "Of course I''m not happy." The professor replied as she shook her head. "I just woke up in this trashy place, and I still do not have any idea why I am here, even with your story. Do you really think I will be happy with that?"


    "Yeah¡­ I guess you are right to be mad."


    "Well, since we don''t have any way to know anything more, we just have to focus on what we should do next." Professor Frances said as she crossed her arms.


    Since there''s no use for Queen Mother and Professor Frances to recall the past, the only thing that they can do is to prepare on what they can do next.


    Maybe they will discover the reason that they are here once they make more moves in this place.


    "Does that include checking our Items?" Queen Mother muttered audibly as she crossed her arms too.


    "Hey, now that you say it, what Items do we have with us?" At the mention of their Items, Professor Frances started to get agitated as she remembered about her own items.


    All of Professor Frances'' research materials, equipments, and chemicals are all stored inside Alina''s storage, which was a perfect place to store her items.


    Now that Professor Frances is Alex''s Companion, she surely has free access on Alina''s Storage already.


    "Oh, I hope my Items are still safe¡­" Professor Frances thought to herself as she attempted to access Alina''s storage.


    "What the f**k?" But to the professor''s dismay, she could not access the Storage, nor even feel its existence.


    "Calm down, Professor. Maybe you can''t access it yet because Alex did not have time to give the access rights to you." Queen Mother hurriedly said to the professor as the former did her best to console the latter. "You know, since an attack happened while you were unconscious, maybe Alex did not have time to give you the access rights." "You''re right." Professor Frances replied as she calmed herself down. "Since I can''t get it, then you should get my Items for me."


    "Okay, okay." Queen Mother replied as she nodded her head. "I will get it all for you."


    "Good!"


    Unlike Professor Frances, Queen Mother already has a sure access on Alina''s Storage.


    She had been given access to Alina''s Storage many months ago, which means that she, like Alex, can get anything inside Alina''s Storage anytime, anywhere.


    "Weird¡­" But contrary to Professor Frances'' expectations, her plan to have fun with her equipments will not find any headway here.


    "Frances, even I cannot access Alina''s Storage too." Queen Mother said, making the professor''s heart sink. "No matter what I do, I cannot sense even the faintest essence of her Storage¡­"


    "What the f**k? Does that mean that we are locked out from our Items too?"


    "I guess you can say that." Queen Mother replied as she looked down. "I certainly did not expect something like his to happen¡­"


    "F**k!" Professor Frances shouted out as her eyes blazed with anger. "I can still accept if we were left in this place without any instructions. After all, it could be part of Alex''s plan. But for us to lose access to our Items? That''s just plain stupid! Really, what the f**k is going on here?"


    "I-I- do not know too, Frances." Queen Mother replied as she started to look panicked too. "Do you think something wrong happened with Alex and Alina?"


    "Hmph, with the way that we are in, maybe they are indeed in danger." Professor Frances said as she let out a tired sigh. "F****k¡­. this is my first real mission with you guys, and we are in this kind of trouble already? Are we just out of luck?"


    The professor and Queen Mother surely will continue panicking like this, but fortunately, a loud voice interrupted their conversation.


    "You hooman and tree woman. You''re already panicking like this? Hmph, it seems like staying with you two is a waste of time for this Fairy Queen!"


    "Asteria? You''re here?" Professor Frances said as she heard the voice behind her.


    Before the voice could answer, the professor spun her head as she looked behind her.


    "¡­"


    There, the professor indeed saw Asteria, who was showing herself in her full glory.


    Asteria still looked the same from 3 months ago, with her glittering blonde hair and beautiful dress showcasing her beauty.


    There was no hint of honey on the fairy''s body, although the slight flush on her face indicates that she had just ingested some honey earlier.


    "¡­"


    Right now, this dumb fairy was staring at the two with a contemptuous smile on her face, with her wings flapping lazily and her arms crossed in a smug manner.


    "¡­"


    From the way that Asteria looked right now, it was quite apparent that she was mocking both Queen Mother and Professor Frances. Naturally, this made the two of them feel irritated at the fairy.


    "Are you here just to mock us?" Professor Frances said as she snapped at the fairy. "Hmph, maybe you were dumped by Alex here. Well, it''s no surprise that he did this to you . After all, you''re fairly usele-"


    "Hey! I am not dumped here!" Asteria replied as her face reddened in embarrassment. "Alex left me with you two in order to help you! S-s-so you must not mock me, for I will give you the help that you need, including the Items that you are looking for!" "Really?" "Yes, I am saying the truth." The dumb fairy replied as her smug smile returned. "But if you want to get my help, you must give me honey first! I already finished my stock, so I want more!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 321 - Hah, Hah, Hah... Oh yeah...

    "¡­Suit yourself, dumb fairy." Professor Frances replied as she sneered at Asteria. "Are you sure you sure that you can just command us like this? It seems like you are forgetting your role already¡­"


    "H-hey! I know that I am a Guide!" Asteria replied angrily as she glared at the professor. "Of course I know that I must help you two out, especially when Alex told me to do so."


    "Then why are you acting like this?" The professor shot back. "Why are you still acting like a brat?"


    "I-I just want more honey!"


    "If you want honey, then you can get it by yourself." Professor Frances said as she sneered at the fairy again. "Don''t tell me someone like you can''t do it by yourself?"


    "Y-you''re just bullying me like Alex!"


    "¡­Now I understand why Alex left you here with us. You''re just too irritating." Professor Frances slowly said as she let out a sigh.


    "What did you say?"


    "Queen Mother, can you provide this little s**t with some honey?" The professor said with exasperation as she stared at Queen Mother. "We need to make this midget shut up."


    "Hey!"


    ***********************


    MINUTES LATER.


    "Now that''s some good stuff." Asteria, whose face was wearing an expression of contentment, said as she let out a burp. Some stains of golden honey could be seen on her lips, showing that she had a honey feast earlier.


    "Hey, now that you are filled up, maybe you can already give the ''help'' that you promised us." Professor Frances muttered as she picked up the fairy.


    "Hey! I am about to give it to you two, so don''t pick me up like this!" The fairy complained as she squirmed out of the professor''s grasp.


    "¡­Just give it to us."


    "Hmph, fine." Asteria muttered as she crossed her arms.


    "¡­"


    After making the two women wait for her to talk for a few more seconds, Asteria scratched her legs as she said,


    "Alex gave me 2 Items, which I should give to you two." As Asteria said these words, her hands could be seen fiddling on a small satchel hanging on her waist.


    Once the satchel was opened, the fairy placed her hand inside the satchel.


    After a few seconds of moving, Asteria let out a shout as she pulled out two objects from the satchel.


    These two objects floated slowly towards Queen Mother and Professor Frances, who both stared at the objects with fascination.


    "Alina gave me a special pouch that has enough space to keep those two items." Asteria said as she touched the two items. "Now that you two are awake, these two items will be yours to keep and use."


    "¡­Are there any more items?" The professor commented as she saw Asteria not pulling out more items from her satchel.


    "Hah? This is the only Items that are left to you two." Asteria replied as she gave the professor a narrow look. "What? Did you expect more?"


    "¡­So it''s just these two items? Where are my equipment and chemicals?" Professor Frances complained as she crossed her arms. "This is all that he left to us? Really?"


    "This is it, hooman." Asteria replied as she brushed off the professor''s complaints. "If you want to get more, then you should go and say it to Alex, although that will be hard for you to do now¡­"


    "¡­Argh fine, maybe this is just one of his plans¡­" Professor Frances said as she shook her head wearily.


    "Yeah! I think this is part of Alex''s plans, so you don''t need to complain at all!" Asteria said as she smiled widely. "Just accept these Items, and you can have your fun!"


    "¡­" Professor Frances did not give any reply to that, as she only stared at the two floating items.


    The professor can recognize one of the floating items, as she had already seen it earlier.


    This item was the Tome of Divine Might, which is an Item that was meant to be used by Queen Mother.


    As for the second item, Professor Frances was not sure on what to make of it, as this is the first time that she saw it.


    This second item has the appearance of a book, although its thickness was too much, even in the standards of thick books.


    Its cover page was lined with gold, with its pages looking extremely old.


    The words written in the cover was blurry, which made it impossible for the professor to discern it.


    "Since the first item was the Tome of Divine Might, it is obviously intended for Queen Mother. In that case, this second item must have been intended for me!" Professor Frances thought to herself as she stared at the second item.


    "Oi dumb fairy, what is this item?" Professor Frances said as she pointed towards the second item. "This is for me, right?"


    "Hmph hooman, that Item right there is indeed for you." Asteria replied as she kicked the second item towards Professor Frances.


    As Professor Frances caught the book, Asteria continued talking.


    "That book that you are holding right now is the Divine Life Manuscript. When you lost consciousness three months ago, Alex bought this item with his Lifespan and he made me hide it. He told me to give it to you once you wake up." Asteria said as the professor started to observe her new Item.


    "This is the Divine Life Manuscript?" Professor Frances muttered as she observed the book. "Huh, with this kind of title, this book must be related to life creation."


    "Hah! Alex thought so too!" Asteria shouted out as she sat on Professor Frances'' head. "Alex thought that maybe with your skills and the contents of this manuscript, your power as a Bio-Shaper will experience a massive upgrade!"


    "¡­That will depend on what this book contains." Professor Frances replied as she felt a sudden urge to open the book.


    The professor was unable to resist this urge, which led to her opening the book completely.


    "Creak¡­"


    The manuscript let out some creaking sounds as it was being opened, as if it has not been opened for a very long time.


    "Hong~"


    Melodious hymns rang out as the first page of the book got revealed. These hymns were the kind that sounded soothing, making even the professor feel contented after hearing them.


    "This book makes me feel secure." Queen Mother commented as she swayed along with the hymn. "It was as if I am safe with that book around¡­"


    Aside from Queen Mother, Asteria was also swaying with the hymn, with her face closed shut. The fairy was also humming to herself, showing that her mood was affected by the book too.


    Out of the three of them, it was only Professor Frances who was least affected by the book.


    With her thirst for knowledge, the professor was more interested on the contents of this book rather than on its special effects.


    After she opened the book, the professor did not waste any time as she stared reading the manuscript.


    "¡­." Surprisingly, even with the enhancements that the professor had on increasing her reading speed, it took her 30 minutes just to finish the first page!


    "Wonderful. Just wonderful." These were the words that the professor said as she flipped the page. "The things that were mentioned in that page¡­ it was so profound that even now I still could not understand some of them! This¡­ this book is the real deal!"


    With Professor Frances'' long life and advanced knowledge, she found it hard to believe that she will meet something in the universe that will make her question her ability as a Bio-Shaper.


    After all, she already knew everything about creating life. Is there something more that she should learn?


    Even when Professor Frances had joined with Alex, that belief still remained, as she continued believing on her own skills.


    But that belief of hers got shattered after she read the first page of the Divine Life Manuscript! What was written in just the first page was so profound, so thought-provoking, that Professor Frances'' confidence in her abilities started to shatter!


    "If the first page was already like this, then what about the other pages? Do they also contain knowledge about life that will astound me?" Professor Frances thought to herself as her fingers started to tremble.


    Her eyes, which held a sense of despondency earlier, was now glowing in excitement.


    After all, she just discovered that her pursuit of knowledge has not yet ended!


    This manuscript that she is holding right now is the key for her to improve!


    "Asteria, why did Alex give me this manuscript?" Professor Frances asked Asteria as the former resisted the urge to continue reading. "Is there something that he needed me to do which requires the help of the Divine Life Manuscript?"


    "Oh right. Alex also has some instructions for you two..." This was Asteria''s reply to Professor Frances'' question. "The answer to your question lies in the instructions¡­"


    "Then what are you waiting for? Give the instructions to us already!" Professor Frances shouted out as she hugged the manuscript closer to her body. "I don''t want to waste any more time! I want to continue reading this manuscript!"


    Professor Frances badly wanted to read the manuscript now, as all the knowledge inside it were something that the professor wanted to know already!


    As such, the professor hated to delay her time any more.


    "Faster, give us the instructions already!"


    "¡­Fine hooman. You seem to be in a rush after all." Asteria commented after seeing the professor''s wide-eyed look.


    "Ehem. So Alex told me that the intrusion of the TimeMasters 3 Months ago allowed him to create a new plan that will help us succeed on our Main Mission." Asteria then let out a cough as she continued talking. "Ehem. So for the new plan to succeed, you two are required to stay with the exiled members of the Covenant of Immortals, which is in this place. Now, once Professor Frances regains her consciousness, I am supposed to give you and Queen Mother the Tome of Divine Might and the Divine Life Manuscript."


    "Asteria, all of that happened already. Just tell us what we are supposed to do next!"


    "Ehem. So once you get those two Items, you and Queen Mother will have to gather all the members of the Covenant of Immortals in this place." Asteria said as she raised her arms. "Once you gather them all, you two must use your abilities to make these people much stronger than before! Make them strong, to the point where they can threaten even the TimeMasters!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­So Alex wants us to create a powerful army." Professor Frances commented as her crazed smile returned. "An army¡­ an army¡­ hehehe¡­"


    As she muttered these words, Professor Frances started to recall the memories of her biological army back on her home planet.


    Her eyes widened as she remembered the power of her own creations, and the terror and destruction that they made under her rule.


    "Oh¡­ those were the good times¡­" Professor Frances muttered as her face started to get red from excitement.


    Queen Mother and Asteria, who saw the sudden change in Professor Frances, could only look at the latter with the confusion as the professor started to look more and more crazy.


    "Hah¡­ That army of mine was the greatest creation that I ever had¡­." Professor Frances said as her eyes started to glaze.


    The professor then started to pant as her body trembled in ecstasy. "Ooh¡­ they really made my life delightful on my home planet..."


    "Frances are you okay?"


    "Oi hooman, snap out of it!"


    "Hah¡­.'''' Professor Frances ignored Queen Mother and Asteria''s worried looks as she continued fantasizing to herself.


    "Alex wants me to create a powerful army with my biological knowledge and Queen Mother''s power? Hehehe¡­ this is gonna be great! Hah¡­. A powerful army under my command¡­ Ah! This is the best thing ever!"

 Chapter 322 - You have a date? Let me join in too!

    "They''re already awake."


    "Huh?"


    "Alina, I just said that Queen Mother and Professor Frances already woke up." Alex said as he finished up the steak on his plate. "I am not sure when they really woke up, but I just received the news of their awakening right now."


    "Professor Frances and Queen Mother are both awake already? That''s good news." Alina replied as she finished gobbling her 15th plate of steak. Alina then waved her hand to the waiter as she asked for more steak. "Wait, how did you know that they are already awake?"


    "Asteria left me a strand of her hair which she can control to glow." Alex replied as he pulled out a strand of golden hair form his pocket.


    Right now, this strand was glowing faintly, making it look l.u.s.trous within Alex''s hand.


    "I told Asteria to make this strand glow when Queen Mother and Professor Frances wakes up." Alex continued saying as he hid the hair in his pocket again. "Since we are seeing this strand glow now, then that just means that those two are really awake."


    "Nom nom nom." Alina did not say anything after hearing Alex''s words, as she assaulted her 16th plate of steak.


    "¡­"


    It was a good thing that Alex used his power to isolate the sound from him and Alina, which saved them from the embarrassment of other people hearing AIina''s loud chewing sounds.


    Of course this sound isolation also ensured that nobody can her the conversation between Alex and Alina right now.


    "¡­So now that those two are awake, then our plans on the Trash Prefecture and the exiled members of the Covenant will start already." Alex said as he pushed his plate away.


    "Oh that''s good. So what are we supposed to do next?" Alina said as she pushed the now empty plate away from her. "Do we proceed with our own plan too?"


    "Hmm¡­ that will depend on how fast Professor Frances can raise her army." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "If Professor Frances can raise her army in say¡­ 6 hours, then we can proceed on starting our attack later."


    "But Alex, raising an army in 6 hours is impossible." Alina replied as she shook her head. "There''s no way that she can do that."


    "I know that too." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "That is why we cannot implement our plan yet."


    This reply of Alex garnered a frown from Alina, who fortunately, did not ask for more food.


    "So what should we do now, Alex?"


    "First, we have to make sure that our meeting with the Great TimeMaster 6 hours from now will go well." Alex replied as he cupped his chin. "As long as we get to gather the information that we need while making sure that the Great TimeMaster will still treat us properly, then I can consider that meeting to be successful."


    "And then what should we do next?"


    "After the meeting, all that we have to do is wait." Alex said as his eyes let out a glint. "We will wait until the time that the army made by Professor Frances will make their move. Once they start, we will start our move too."


    "And after that?"


    "Nothing will happen after that, Alina." Alex said as he leaned back on his chair. "Once we make our move, its either we succeed or we fail. That''s just it."


    "¡­"


    Alina''s mood, which was a little down earlier, turned more unsettled after she heard Alex''s answer.


    Her appetite seemed to have disappeared as she stopped ordering more steak.


    "¡­Alex, even when you told me about this plan of yours before, I still could not help but feel uneasy." Alina replied as she bit her lip. "Are you sure that we will not be screwed up while we wait for our allies? And even if Professor Frances succeeds on raising her army, there is no certainty that our own attack plan will succeed¡­"


    "Hehehe, I know the risks, but it''s all worth it in the end." Alex replied confidently as he brushed off Alina''s worries. "All that we have to do right now is act properly and not stir any trouble. As long as we do those things right, our chance to complete our Main Mission will be in our perfect grasp!"


    "¡­"


    "Don''t you worry Alina. With me here, there is nothing that we should worry about!" Alex said as he raised his fists. "After all, I never screwed up before!"


    "Oh really? So you''re telling me that your near-death experience with Emperor Litch was not you screwing up?" Alina said with a cold tone as she glared at Alex. "If that was not you screwing up, then what was it? An accident?"


    "Ah yeah, hahaha¡­ there''s that one too." Alex awkwardly said as he scratched the back of his head. "Yeah¡­ I really screwed up on that one¡­"


    "¡­"


    "However, that won''t happen again!" Alex said as the conviction in his voice seemed to have doubled. "I already learned my lesson at that time, so you should not be worried for me!"


    "Really?"


    "Believe in me, Alina." Alex said as he placated his date. "I always learn from my mistakes¡­ So expect nothing but perfection from now on!"


    "You don''t need to be perfect Alex. Just¡­ make sure that you will always stay alive." Alina muttered in a low tone as she looked down. Her hands, which was placed on the table, started to clench themselves as Alina gritted her teeth. "You get that Alex? Just be alive! If you can''t even do that, then you are not suited to be our leader!"


    "¡­Alina¡­"


    Alex, who was feeling somewhat contented earlier, now felt awkward as he realized that he had triggered Alina for the nth time already.


    "Alina, I promise that this time I will not really mess up¡­"


    As he was the one who was at fault here, Alex was left with no choice but to start consoling Alina.


    But before Alex could start patting her back, he suddenly felt a surge of power approaching their location.


    "!!!" Alex and Alina both stiffened as they felt petrified by this surge of power.


    "This¡­" As Alex and Alina both stayed on their places, they realized that what they felt was not just a surge of power.


    Instead, what they felt was actually an aura being emitted by an extremely powerful person!


    As they realized this, Alex''s face paled as he realized what their current situation meant.


    "Someone that is extremely powerful is approaching us right now." Alex thought to himself as he felt the powerful presence get nearer to his location. "This kind of power¡­. Even I am not sure if I can defeat it in my current state¡­ F**k, why does it have to happen now, when we are still unprepared! This person¡­ he must have planned to do this since earlier!"


    Alina, who seemed to be sharing the same thoughts as Alex, gave Alex a wide-eyed look as she said,


    "Alex, this powerful presence that is approaching us right now, does it belong to¡­"


    "Yeah, there''s no doubt about it. This powerful presence must be the Great TimeMaster." Alex replied as he started to sweat. "This kind of power can only belong to the Great TimeMaster. Of course, it could be one of the Great TimeMaster''s subordinates, but that still does not make our situation easier!"


    Both Alex and Alina winced after this realization, as they knew that there is no way out for them now.


    "Alex, we have been played¡­" Alina said as she sagged on her chair. "Like a fiddle."


    "¡­"


    With their current capabilities, both Alex and Alina knew that they can still stand up and leave this restaurant quickly. However, none of them made any move to leave their current spot.


    She and Alex had no more plans to run away, as the proximity of their visitor was just too great, that escaping would not be of any help at all.


    "And here I thought that those TimeMasters will always listen to our request." Alex said as he shook his head. "Sigh¡­ with the way that we are in right now, we have no choice but to go with the flow."


    "F**k those TimeMasters. I swear I will beat them up when I have a chance!" Alina grumbled as Alex dispelled the sound isolation.


    "Alina, you can think more about beating them up later. For now, we have a visitor to entertain." Alex said as he watched the restaurant door open gently. "I just hope our guest will be someone fun to talk to¡­"

 Chapter 323 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student Part 5

    [Asteria]: Kibou, why the hell are you quiet now?


    [Kibou]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: You¡­ are you planning on doing something again?


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki! Ki! Ki!


    [Asteria]: Hah? Are you sure about that? Even if you are just a drone, you look like you are plotting something right now¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki! KI! Ki!


    [Asteria]: Hmph, you better stay that way then. I won''t tolerate you interrupting my plans!


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Asteria]: What are my plans? Didn''t I just say it earlier? First, I will beat up Celeste, and then I will leave this place through the teleportation formation! And you, Kibou, will be helping me out on both.


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: Heh, you better prepare your body now, as I can feel that we will meet Celeste already!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­ ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Kibou, don''t try to convince me anymore. Celeste lied to me, so she has to face my punishment!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: Sigh, if you don''t want to beat her up, I can just leave you here. Tsk, one usele-


    [[[Asteria''s words were cut off as she and Kibou felt the arrival of three presences towards their location.]


    [Asteria]: Huh? These three presences¡­ Ugh, it''s those three.


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [[[Asteria''s face warped into disgust while Kibou''s metallic face showed happiness.]]]


    [Asteria]: Oi Kibou! Stop showing me that creepy smile! Are you really happy that these three are here?


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [[[Before Asteria could berate Kibou more, the three presences arrived in front of the two, which forced the two to stop talking.


    [Asteria]: Ex, Cali, and Bur. What the hell are you three doing here?


    [Ex]: Mistress Asteria, we''ve been looking for you ever since the attack on his place happened. Mistress¡­ you do not know how worried we were for you!


    [Cali]: My Queen, you don''t need to be worried now, for we are here!


    [Bur]: Empress, we will protect you from all harm, so you do not need to be scared anymore!


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Kibou]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: Protect me, you say? You three can''t even defeat me, and now you still have the guts to say that you will all protect me? Did all you get concussion when I punched y''all yesterday?


    [Ex]: Mistress¡­. Please don''t be this stubborn anymore. We are your protectors, so we are obliged to stay with you!


    [Cali]: My Queen, why are you this angry to us? We are always doing our best for you!


    [Bur]: Empress¡­ forgive us if we are useless in your eyes.


    [Asteria]: Ugh stop talking you three! Just¡­ just leave me and go to the teleportation formation! This place is about to collapse so you should run for your lives!


    [Ex]: Mistress! We cannot do that! If we leave you alone here, your father will surely be angry!


    [Cali]: My Queen, even your mother and sister will not be happy with you too. Do you want them to know about your actions?


    [Bur]: Empress, please rethink your actions, or your family might get a wind of this!


    [Asteria]: You three¡­ Are you blackmailing me right now?


    [Ex]: Mistress, if that is all that it takes for us to be by your side, then we are willing to do anything.


    [Cali]: My Queen, your safety is our priority, so there is no way that you can chase us away!


    [Bur]: Please Empress, we do not want to make this worse for you.


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki ki¡­


    [Asteria]: Oi Kibou! Don''t laugh at me! This is not funny!


    [Kibou]: Ki..


    [Asteria]: F**k¡­ I don''t have any choice in this matter, do I?


    [Cali]: My Queen, just let us join you until your safety is assured. Once you are already safe, we will give you the space that you want.


    [Ex]: Please Mistress, just let us accompany you today.


    [Bur] Empress, we had sworn to protect your life. Please¡­ grant us the chance to protect you, even if you don''t need it!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [[[In front of the sickeningly earnest faces of Ex, Cali, and Bur, Asteria was left with no choice but to give in to their request.]]]


    [Asteria]: ¡­Fine, you can accompany me right now, but you must not interact with me. You will only interact with me when I want it to happen! Do you understand that?


    [Ex]: Yes Mistress!


    [Cali]: Affirmative, My Queen.


    [Bur]: Your words are as clear as spring water, Empress.


    [Asteria]: ¡­..


    [[[With three new additions in her group, Asteria, Kibou, Ex, Cali, and Bur all flew together towards their destination.]]]


    **************


    [Asteria]: Why can''t I see Celeste? She should be near this area already! Don''t tell me she''s already dead?


    [Ex]: Mistress, maybe Celeste has already used the teleportation formation to leave¡­.


    [Asteria]: Shut up Ex! Did I ask you to talk?


    [Ex]: N-n-no Mistress!


    [Cali]: Tsk, Ex! Did you just disobey My Queen? You deserve a punishment for this!


    [Bur]: Ingrate! Ex, you should be happy that Empress did not ask for your life right now!


    [Ex]: Hiii!!! I''m sorry Mistress!


    [Cali] and [Bur]: You must be punished!


    Pa pa pa!


    [[[Slapping sounds echoed out as Cali and Bur started spanking Ex''s butt. Kibou and Asteria, who were flying just right behind the trio, both had twitching expression on their faces as they were not sure on where to look.]]]


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Asteria]: Argh! These three are really a bunch of idiots!


    [Cali]: My Queen! We have punished Ex already!


    [Bur]: Empress, is your anger appeased already?


    [Asteria]: Cali and Bur¡­ you talked to me without my permission! Did you just forget my command earlier?


    [Cali] and [Bur]: Hiii!!! We have sinned! We must punish ourselves too!


    Pa pa pa!


    [[[Cali and Bur then proceeded to spank themselves, which made Asteria extremely pissed.]]]


    [Cali]: Bur, we have punished ourselves already, do you think My Queen will forgive us now?


    [Bur]: Don''t worry Bur. Empress is our most noble master! She will be magnanimous enough to forgive us!


    [Ex]: Maybe Mistress has already forgiven us. Look, she''s not shouting at us anymore.


    [Cali]: It''s just like what you said Ex! My Queen seems to be not angry anymore! Bur! Why don''t we continue punishing ourselves? Maybe My Queen will feel better from that!


    [Bur]: Count me in Cali!


    [Ex]: My butt hurts right now¡­ but if it is for the happiness of Mistress, I will gladly spank myself even if my butt cheeks get sore!


    Pa pa pa pa pa pa pa!


    [[[Louder spanking sounds echoed as Ex, Cali, and Bur proceeded to slap their butts in an aggressive manner. By this point, Asteria''s fierce demeanor was gone, as only a desolate expression can be seen on her face.]]]


    [Asteria]: ¡­Why am I stuck with these three idiots? If I only have Derek as my guard, I will gladly spank that thicc booty of his everyday! Argh! This just makes me feel angrier!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­ ki ki.


    [Asteria]: ¡­Sigh, so you''re consoling me now? These three guards of mine must really look pathetic to you.


    Pa pa pa pa pa!


    [Ex]: Argh! My butt hurts so much right now! Cali, can we stop already?


    [Cali]: No! We will only stop until we can''t spank our butts anymore! So what if our butts hurt? It''s all worth it in the end! After all, eveything that we do is for My Queen!


    [Bur]: Ah! My butt stings like is been bitten by a bee! But I will not yield! I will continue spanking my butt for Empress'' happiness!


    [Ex]: For her happiness!


    [Cali]: For her happiness!


    [Bur]: For her happiness!


    [Asteria]: I¡­ I want this nightmare to already end.


    [Kibou]: Ki.. ki. ki. ki. ki¡­.

 Chapter 324 - A mothers interview

    Alex and Alina''s body both tensed as they waited for their guest to arrive.


    At the moment that the restaurant door swung open, Alex clutched his hand as he prepared himself for a surprise attack.


    "Mommy, are we going to eat here?"


    To the surprise of Alex, what he saw was not a fearsome enemy.


    Instead, what he saw was a mother-daughter pair entreing the restaurant.


    Alex thought that they were a mother-daughter pair, as their faces were too similar, that the similarity can only be explained through a family tie.


    The mother seemed to be around 30 years old, with her appearance approaching that of a normal housewife.


    She was wearing modest clothes, with her face lacking any make up.


    She was not wearing any jewelry, and there seemed to be no hint of perfume emanating from her body.


    No matter which was Alex observed the mother, it seemed like she was only a simple person.


    The daughter however was a different case.


    Unlike her mother who only dressed simply, the daughter was wearing what looked like to be a set of designer clothes.


    A black silky blouse, coupled with a fashionable skirt and a fluffy scarf, made the daughter to appear like a rich girl. Her black glasses and shining jewelry made this more apparent.


    This daughter however looked to be around 10 years old, which makes her clothes and appearance look a little ridiculous.


    This mother and daughter pair ignored the looks given to them as they walked straight to the counter.


    "Annie, we are going to eat here." The mother said as she pinched the girl''s cheeks. "Didn''t I tell you that we should also eat meat some time? That will make you grow big!"


    "But the steak that you order are always rare!" Annie, the little girl wailed as she let out a pout. "I don''t like the taste of that¡­"


    "Oh, then I''ll just order fried chicken for you. How about that?"


    "Fried chicken? Yes please mommy! I want fried chicken!" Annie said as she clapped her hands in excitement.


    "¡­"


    She looked adorable while doing this, although her lavish appearance has somewhat ruined it.


    "But you will only eat one portion of chicken, ok? We don''t want you getting too much cholesterol¡­"


    "Yes, yes, mommy. I get it¡­"


    As the mother and daughter gave their orders to the counter, Alex narrowed his eyes as he observed the two.


    "There is no doubt, the powerful presence that we just felt earlier was coming from these two." Alex thought to himself as he cupped his chin. "No, that pressure is not actually coming from both of these two. That power earlier¡­ its mostly coming out of the mother!"


    If it were not for Alex''s highly sensitive soul and senses, he could have dismissed the simple-looking mother as just a normal housewife.


    But his power had told him that this mother was indeed extremely dangerous! Even just her simple act of standing in the counter was already enough to make Alex sweat nervously!


    "Alex, that woman¡­"


    "Yes, she is the one that we should be wary of." Alex replied as he grasped Alina''s hand. "I can feel her power emanating out even form here. She¡­ I think this woman is dangerous¡­"


    "But how about the daughter?"


    "Nothing. I sense nothing from the daughter.'' Alex replied as he shook his head. "Even though she appears to be living a lavish life, that little girl seems to be just a normal person. Of course she could be hiding her power, but compared to her mother, that little girl is the lesser threat."


    "I see¡­" Alina muttered as she tightened her grasp on Alex''s hand. Suddenly, the worry on her eyes vanished as if she discovered something good.


    "Hey Alex, what if those two were just here to eat and not meet with us?" Alina said as she tilted her head. "Maybe those two are not interested on meeting with us yet. Maybe we are just getting worried for nothing¡­"


    "Alina, I hope that what you are saying would happen." Alex replied as he watched the mother and daughter receive their orders. "Of course it could be the other case¡­"


    "I hope we are not out of luck yet, Alex."


    "¡­"


    Unfortunately for Alex and Alina, they seemed to have run out of luck when they saw the mother looking at their direction.


    "Annie, there''s an empty space right there, enough for the two of us." The mother said as she started walking towards Alex and Alina''s table. "And look, there''s also people in there. We can chat with them while eating! Won''t that be fun?"


    "But mommy¡­ there are other empty tables around¡­" Annie replied as she gave her mother a confused look. "And those tables have no people in them. Why would we have to sit with those two? Mommy, look at them, they are obviously dating! Why would we bother them?"


    "Annie, just listen to your mother, ok?" The mother replied with a light smile on her face.


    Annie, who looked like she was about to complain more, could only nod after hearing her mother''s reply.


    "Ok mommy¡­ But you should buy me that doll in the museum! It looks cool!"


    "Yes, yes, baby, we will buy that later." The mother replied as she stroked Annie''s head. "But for now, let''s eat, ok?"


    "Ok mommy!"


    Maybe it was only a coincidence or not, but the mother and the daughter reached Alex''s table at the exact moment that they finished talking.


    At the moment that they reached their destination, both the mother and daughter sat on the remaining empty spaces on the table.


    "Hello there, my friends. I hope we not disturbing you?" The mother said with a smile as she sent a dazzling smile towards Alex and Alina. "We just want to eat, and this spot just appears to be good¡­"


    "Mommy, this chicken is good!" Annie proclaimed as she started eating at the moment that she sat down. "Can you order another portion please?"


    "Yes Annie, I will order for you later." The mother replied as she patted her daughter''s head.


    She then looked back at Alex as the latter stared at the mother warily.


    "Um¡­ is there a problem?" The mother asked as she stared at Alex with an innocent look. "Oh, are you not happy with us sitting here? Do you want us to leave?"


    "Cut the c**p already." Alex muttered, not even caring that a little girl was sitting beside him. "You know fully well why you are here. So don''t use any more excuses and just start talking!"


    "Mommy, this guy just swore!" Annie said as she pointed her gravy-filled finger at Alex. "He should pay money at the Swear Jar!"


    "Did you bring the Swear Jar, Annie?"


    "Oh no mommy! I did not bring it!"


    "In that case, just forgive your big brother Alex, ok?" The mother said as she smiled at her daughter.


    At the mention of his name, Alex tensed up again, as he started to feel a little creeped out, especially from the way that the mother and the daughter conversed in front of him.


    Alex was not sure why, but something was just off with these two¡­


    "Oh, so you are that Alex guy!" But before Alex could make sense of their conversation, Annie interrupted Alex''s thoughts she started talking to him "Mommy always talks a lot about you! She said that you are a useful person, and that you will be a great asset to our business! Are you really that good?"


    "What?" Alex''s confusion went up again as he heard what Annie said. "What are you talking about?"


    "Yes Annie, your big brother Alex is that good." The mother said as she asked for another order of fried chicken. "He is so good, that I am actually about to interview him here."


    "Hah?"


    "Oh! So that is why you went out today, even when you are supposed to rest!" Annia exclaimed as she gave Alex an idolizing look. "You lucky dog. Mommy is not always this interested in people. If you were able to make her leave our house today, then that means that you are a special guy!"


    "Ok Annie. Stop harassing your big brother Alex. I have to talk to him now." The mother said as she gave the second fried chicken to Annie. "Just eat chicken while I am talking with big brother Alex, ok? And if you want more chicken, just ask from the waiter. Do you understand?"


    "Yes mommy." Annie replied as she resumed on eating her chicken. "Umm¡­ this chicken is so good!"


    "¡­"


    Alex was not sure on what he should feel right now.


    Should he feel cozy from seeing the close relationship between the mother and her daughter, or should he feel wary, especially with the way that these two women had closed in on him?


    "F**k, how should I address this situation?" Alex thought to himself as he clenched his fists. Should I talk in civilized way, or should I just¡­"


    Under the sudden pressure of their current situation, Alex forced his mind to work at its limits as he tried to find the best way to start the conversation.


    "What should I do¡­"


    But before Alex could think of the right thing to do, the mother beat him to the punch as she was the one who started talking.


    "Well then Alex. Since you seem to be prepared already, then I think your interview can start now." The mother said as she put her utensils down.


    "Clank." When the mother set down her knife and fork, Alex slightly relaxed his body as he thought that a long conversation will start right now.


    But Alex was mistaken about this, as instead of opening her mouth, the mother smirked at Alex as her emitted power suddenly tripled in magnitude!


    "Boom!"


    At the moment that the mother did this, Alex''s body trembled as he felt suffocated by the woman''s power.


    "What the-"


    Before Alex could make sense of what was happening, the mother suddenly raised a finger, pointing it above her head.


    "Hong~"


    After the woman raised that finger of hers, Alex''s body stiffened up as a powerful force appeared around Alex, which grabbed his body whole.


    A moment later, and this powerful force did its work, as Alex felt himself being blasted away from the restaurant!


    "F**k!" Alex''s face became warped by shock as he felt his body soar up to the sky. "Why did I not see this coming?"


    Alex was completely surprised right now, as his danger sense did not tell him about this sudden move!


    His danger sense, which has saved his life numerous times before, did not even manage to detect the mother''s attack on him!


    "Well, well, well, it seems like you have been taken by surprise by that." The mother, who suddenly appeared in front of Alex, said as she followed him. "You must be not happy with this."


    "Happy my ass! You clearly are planning something with me!" Alex thought in his mind as he only felt anger and irritation at the woman in front of him. "Hmph, since it has come to this, then I guess I just have to use my power!"


    Since he was completely taken by surprise earlier, Alex was unable to activate his powers.


    But now that this woman has given him enough time to prepare, Alex would of course not waste it!


    "Since this woman looks strong, I will just have to activate all of my available powers!" Alex thought to himself as he unleased them all.


    "Will of an Emperor!"


    "Brain of an Esper!"


    "Heart of a Monster!"


    "Dao of a Cultivator!"


    "Body of a Superhero!"


    As Alex chanted these 5 lines, he felt his confidence increase as his body started to release an aura that was no less than the one that his opponent is releasing!


    At the moment that Alex did this, his opponent, who was watching him calmly, gave Alex a nod as she said,


    "Good, you have answered my first interview question well. Now, let''s head to my second interview question."


    "Boom!"


    After the woman said these words, she pointed her fingers at Alex, but this time around, she was using two of her fingers.


    "GLUOP¡­."


    Out of nowhere, Alex felt his senses getting warped.


    His eyes could only see blurry and warped shapes, while his hearing, smell, taste, and touch all registered the same confusing and disorientating signals.


    Even his scanning abilities went wonky too, as they failed to even make sense of his surroundings!


    "Well then Alex, how will you deal with these?" The mother''s voice, which seemed to be unaffected by what was happening, reached Alex as he struggled to keep composed. "I will be waiting for your answer¡­"

 Chapter 325 - Im tired of thinking already, so this will just be the title.

    "Everyone perceives the world in their own way." While Alex continued to struggle with his sudden situation, the mother continued her ''monologue''.


    "It doesn''t matter if you are a demon, a monster or a human. You will always view the world in your own perspective "


    "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Alex complained to himself inwardly.


    "Alex, are you someone who, when forced to be on a new situation, will change his perspective? Or are you someone who will not accept any change and just break through what you see?" The mother said as her voice started to turn mysterious. "Are you willing to just let yourself be carried with what was happening to you, or are you willing to change the landscape by yourself?"


    "F**k, what is this woman talking about?" Alex thought to himself as he gritted his teeth.


    Frankly speaking, Alex was close to fainting right now, as all the distorted sensations that he was feeling brought him to the brink of extreme sensory overload.


    "I thought this woman has the power to manipulate Time¡­ How the hell can Time Powers do something like this!" Alex thought to himself as he did his best to not barf out his newly eaten steak. "Something''s wrong here¡­ But before I mull about that, I must first get out of here!"


    "Boom!" Knowing that time was not in his hands, Alex did not waste any second as he used his power to save himself.


    [[[I am the Emperor of my Fate, and I control my Destiny.]]]


    A golden glow surrounded Alex as he chanted these words.


    "Humm¡­" After Alex finished his chant, the golden glow around him spread out quickly, until it covered an area that was a kilometer around Alex.


    [[[Everything around me is my subject, and none shall disobey me!]]]


    "Boom!" After he said this line, everything that was covered by the golden glow started to tremble, as if some kind of unseen force has taken control over them.


    The tremblings continued to increase as Alex''s body started to glow like a sun.


    [[[As such, with my endless power as the Emperor, I command thee.]]]


    "Boom!"


    The voices of millions of people howled out as Alex said this line.


    All of them shouted words of praises towards Alex, which continued to echo out all around him.


    His golden glow, which was now as bright as a star, started to contract, until it was forced to a size that was as large as Alex.


    Seconds later and this golden glow changed its shape, until it assumed a form similar to a human body!


    A human body, which is golden in appearance, has appeared behind Alex!


    This golden body, which had no actual distinguishing features except for its long silky hair, exuded a sense of nobility and fierceness that was enough to make anyone feel suppressed.


    The shouts of praises turned into a fevered pitch at the appearance of this golden body.


    "Hoh¡­ interesting¡­" The mother murmured as she saw the appearance of this golden body. She however did not make any move, as if she was waiting for it to attack.


    [[[Abdicate your power, ignore your destiny, and serve under me!]]]


    This time, it was the golden body that shouted this line as it pointed its hand towards the mother.


    A sense of mighty power came out of the golden body''s hand, which started to cover the area all around Alex.


    Everything that this power collided with, both living and non-living all became docile in front of it. All living beings started to prostate, while all non-living objects stayed still in their positions.


    "Kacha!"


    As for the distortion affecting Alex, it trembled for a second before it was shattered by the mighty power.


    This mighty power also landed on the mother''s body, although it seemed to have done nothing on the woman herself.


    "Impressive¡­" Alex could hear the mother saying these words, as the golden body''s move had freed Alex from the distortion that he was just in.


    His senses, which were all at the brink of shutting down earlier, had a breath of fresh air as Alex managed to sense his normal surroundings again!


    "F**k yes! I can see normal stuff again!" Alex as he wiped his drooling mouth.


    His face, although full of relief, also had tinges of anger and tiredness on it.


    "Damn you woman! I was about to vomit in there!" Alex cursed out as the golden body behind him started to fade.


    The voices of praises around him faded too, as if their existence was tied to the golden body.


    "So you are the type of person who likes to go against fate. Interesting." The mother replied as she seemed to have ignored Alex''s curse. "As for that power you used, hmm¡­ that''s a Conqueror''s Aura, right?"


    "You!" Alex''s wariness and anger against the mother weakened as shock began to rise on his heart. "How could you know that?"


    "Oh come on Alex, I am a Chronomancer who invaded this world. Of course I know things like this." The mother calmly said as she and Alex stopped moving in the air.


    "¡­"


    "That move that you just used earlier, that was one of the Three Great Conqueror Arts." The mother continued saying in front of Alex. "It was a great move, which you can use to take control of your opponent''s spells. But it''s too bad for you that your power is not yet enough to control my not-so-serious attack. The best thing that you could do now was to stop it, which still merits some good points in my opinion."


    "¡­"


    "You must have thought of using my move against me¡­ It''s a good strategy, but as you see, it didn''t work out for you." The mother said as she shook her head. "Well, even with that blunder, I can consider you to have answered my second interview question."


    "¡­"


    "Since that was the case, we can now proceed to the third interview question!" The mother said in delight as she now pointed three of her fingers towards Alex.


    "!!!" At the moment that he saw her move, Alex immediately changed his body to his Monster Form.


    Once he had transformed into his Abyss Sage Body, Alex did not waste time as he activated his strongest move.


    From the way that his opponent was talking, she was obviously about to use another move against Alex again!


    Why would Alex allow that to happen, when he can force her to not attack?


    Since this woman was about to make a move, then Alex will just have to attack this woman in such a way that she will be forced to defend herself!


    [Calamity of the Seven Sins!]


    The effects of this chant became apparent as a massive tree appeared behind Alex''s body. This tree was the manifestation of Alex''s [Calamity of the Seven Sins], which he obviously will use against his opponent today!


    This tree looked to be the same as before, although there was one significant difference that could be seen.


    From the tree''s branches, instead of having only one glowing branch, there was now two glowing branches on the tree!


    The second glowing branch exuded the aura of extreme destruction, as if anything that made contact with it will face immediate annihilation!


    "Come and release your anger at the world! [Will of Extreme Annihilation]!"


    The second branch detached itself from the tree as it transformed to become a massive disfigured face.


    "Hahahaha¡­" This disfigured face let out a forlorn laugh, as if it was cursing everything including itself.


    "Existing and being alive is a disgrace¡­ Everything¡­ everything must not be allowed to exist! You! You exist, therefore you must be gone!" The disfigured face said these words with so much malevolence that even Alex felt somewhat horrified by it.


    As for the mother, her brows only quirked as she regarded the disfigured face with curiosity.


    "Interesting¡­ you managed to create a spell that actually has some semblance of sentience. And you even made it yearn only for destruction. This is a high-quality Abyss Magic. I never expected you to be this talented..."


    "What?" Alex''s surprise showed out again after his opponent managed to identify the power that he just used. "You even know Abyss Magic?"


    "Why should I not know about that?" The mother replied playfully as she gave the disfigured face a wink. "Come on now, ugly boy. Show me what you''ve got."


    "You¡­. you made this world orderly! You¡­ you must be destroyed!" The disfigured face shouted out as it flew straight towards the mother.


    "Crack crack crack¡­"


    Everything that this disfigured face went through all disappeared, as its destruction power was so great that nothing can last even for a split-second in front of it!


    Even the air around it was also gone, creating a vacuum all around it.


    "Die die die die!" The disfigured face chanted these words murderously as it opened its mouth wide.


    It then sent is mouth chomping down towards the mother, who still has not moved in her place.


    "You want to destroy everything? That''s twisted thinking that you have right there." The mother commented as the mouth closed in on her.


    "However, even if I abhor destruction, it is still a vital part of everything." The mother said inside the disfigured face''s mouth. She seemed to also be unaffected by it as she continued talking.


    "Even if we do nothing, our whole universe will head towards its destruction. Entropy... will bring our universe to its end. Nothing, not even the greatest of the abilities can escape such faith."


    "Die die die!" The disfigured face took no heed of his ''victim''s words as it started to chew.


    "Die die die!"


    "You seem to not believe me ugly boy. Well, I shall show you the what I mean by the universe''s destruction." After saying these words, the mother let out a sigh she closed her eyes.


    "Shua¡­"


    Out of nowhere, the disfigured face, which was still busy on attacking the mother, suddenly trembled as its whole body began to crack!


    "Kacha kacha¡­" Out of its cracks, multiple fragments of the disfigured face came out, turning into dust which mixed with the wind around it.


    "Kacha kacha¡­"


    All the cracks just continued to increase as more and more dust were spread out to the surroundings.


    "This!" With Alex''s connection with his spell, he knew for a fact that his spell, which was supposed to be extremely durable, was now disintegrating at a visible pace!


    "Kacha kacha!"


    Alex could have done something about this already, but the speed of the disintegration was so fast that the whole disfigured face disappeared before Alex could supplement it!


    "¡­"


    Alex could feel his heart palpitating as he just witnessed what happened.


    This spell, the [Will of Extreme Annihilation], was his second spell on his [Calamity of the Seven Sins].


    It was made up of the combination of Wrath, Pride, Envy, and L.u.s.t.


    With this kind of combination, this spell of Alex should have easily shredded any obstacles with ease.


    But not only did it fail to affect the mother, it was even destroyed by the mother casually!


    Such kind of thing was a definite surprise for Alex.


    "Okay¡­. That is my third interview question." The mother said as she rubbed her hands delicately. "You may be a sly person, but you have the initiative to end things quickly if you deem it so. I like that quality too."


    Before Alex could understand these words of hers, the mother did not give him any more time as she pointed her fingers at Alex again!


    This time, she was using four of her fingers!


    "Alex, this one shall be the last interview question. I hope you can answer it well." The mother said as Alex felt his body suddenly being restricted by an unseen power. "Because if you can''t answer this, you may not be able to leave this planet forever¡­"


    "!!!"


    [T-MANIFEST: TACET]

 Chapter 326 - Congrats! You can BS starting today!

    [T- MANIFEST: TECET]


    "!!!" After the mother said this chant, Alex, who was about to unleash a new attack, froze as he felt his body not responding to his commands.


    "What?"


    Alex tried in vain to move his body, but it did not work. His body stayed still in place, as if they were suddenly frozen!


    "I¡­ I can''t move my body at all!" Alex thought to himself urgently as he inspected his body.


    To his shock and worry, he found out that it was not only his body that stopped moving.


    Even all the inorganic objects inside Alex''s body, like air, water, and dirt all stopped moving too. They were not moving at all, as if there was some kind of force restricting them to move!


    In face of this scene, all that Alex could do was to grit his teeth, as he frantically thought o a way to free himself.


    "This woman¡­ she just said the spell words that a Chronomancer uses. What did she say again? Right, its [T-MANIFEST: TECET]." Alex thought to himself as he felt that even his thoughts were staring to slow down now.


    "TECET is a musical term which means silence in Latin. If I apply that meaning here, [T-MANIFEST: TECET] is most likely a spell that silences time!" Alex exclaimed as his forced himself to stay conscious.


    "A spell that silences time¡­ Isn''t that just similar to stopping time?" As he reached this line of thought, Alex eyes glinted as he realized what was happening


    "So my opponent just froze my time. That''s was why I can''t move my body anymore. Its time was just frozen." Alex thought with an imaginary sigh. "As for my consciousness, it is still working now, as my consciousness was strengthened numerous times already. However, I can feel that my consciousness is starting to slow down too¡­"


    After he reached this conclusion, Alex''s mind sparked as he realized what was going on.


    "This woman¡­ her goal on using this spell is to stop the entirety of me." Alex thought as he resisted the continuous deceleration of this consciousness. "She almost succeeded, as my body was already frozen. But my consciousness is still working, so I still have a chance to free myself!"


    "Boom!" With this reassuring discovery that he had, Alex did not waste any more time as he activated an ability which he can still use right now.


    "Skriong!"


    The entirety of Alex''s Mental Power inside his brain got drained to its lowest levels, as Alex used his Esper Ability at its strongest form.


    "Hong hong hong!"


    Countless amounts of gravity waves appeared all around Alex, which then proceeded to smother the area around him with powerful gravity.


    "Dong dong dong!"


    With Alex using almost all of his Mental Power, the gravity created by his latest attack was of improbably levels.


    "Hong hong hong!"


    While this was happening, Alex made sure that all the gravity waves pressing down on his body disappeared, leaving him almost weightless.


    He also only strengthened the gravity around him, and not on his body itself.


    This created a massive gravitational difference between Alex''s body and his surroundings.


    Right now, Alex''s body was not experiencing any kind of gravity. But as for his surroundings, they are now assaulted by a gravitational force that even Alex does not dare to approach!


    And Alex''s opponent was inside this gravity area too!


    "Hohoho¡­ you are using gravity against time. That means that you have knowledge about the relationship between time and gravity..." The mother, who was unaffected by the gravity, said as she gave Alex an interested look.


    "Hmph, for my current situation, I can only rely on using gravitational time dilation effect to escape." Alex thought to himself as he waited for his gamble to work. "It''s not like I can do anything here¡­"


    With Alex''s interest in science, there is no way that he can just ignore one of Albert Einstein''s greatest works, which was the Theory of General Relativity.


    It was this theory that gave Alex many ideas for his Gravitational Manipulation Power, and he used one of these ideas to break himself out today!


    This idea was the concept of Gravitational Time Dilation.


    According to the calculations in the theory, a person who was inside a weak gravitational area will experience a faster time compared to a person who was inside a strong gravitational area!


    The reverse applies too, with the person inside a strong gravitational area having a slower time compared to a person inside a weak gravitational area.


    This concept deftly explains why atomic clocks was slightly slower on the ground compared to the sky. After all, the gravity on the ground was stronger compared to the sky itself.


    Not only that, but this also explains why time near a black hole was slower compared to a normal place. The gravity all around the black hole warps space-time so much that time is almost infinitesimally slow there.


    Now, Alex used this very concept to free himself from this time stop.


    By using his gravitational power, Alex removed all kinds of gravity on his body, while strengthening the gravity on his surroundings.


    This created two gravitational areas.


    First was the weak gravitational area, where Alex''s body was currently in.


    Second was the strong gravitational area, where the mother''s body was currently in.


    With the principle of gravitational time dilation, Alex''s current move has created a situation where his time was supposed to get faster, while the time on the mother was supposed to get slower!


    Alex hopes that this kind of scenario will free him from his current dilemma!


    After all, by making his time faster and the mother''s time slower, there is a chance that he can allow this time-stopped body to regain some of its time!


    "Hah! Please work already!" Alex thought to himself as he waited for his gamble to work.


    "¡­"


    A few more seconds passed by, which burned more and more of Alex''s remaining Mental Power.


    "Hey! Work already!"


    Fortunately for Alex, his all-or-nothing approach actually worked.


    "Dum dum! Dum dum!"


    Alex''s heart, which was frozen stiff earlier, started to beat again, although it was at an extremely slow rate.


    Not only that, but every part of Alex''s body twitched as they slowly regained their ability to move!


    From the looks of it, his approach to escape actually worked!


    "Hahaha! How about that woman? Didn''t you see it? I broke your spell!" Alex thought to himself smugly as the restrictive power on his body started to disappear.


    "Impressive. I thought that your mind will succ.u.mb under my time-stop spell. But you managed to make a comeback by creating a time dilation scenario. I applaud your effort for that." The mother said as she did nothing as Alex continued to recover. "You just showed me your decisiveness to use all of your power should the situation demand so. That kind of decisiveness is hard to find, and yet here I look at a person with that kind of mindset... Ha, I must be really lucky today!"


    The mother seemed to be extremely delighted with what had happened, which was evident from an approving smile on her face.


    "¡­."


    As for Alex himself, he seemed to be not that worried for himself anymore as he only stared at the mother with a curious look.


    There was no more fear or anger on Alex''s eyes, as he seemed to be genuinely curious right now.


    At this point in time, although Alex was still wary of the mother, he was not as tense compared to before.


    After all, the four moves that the woman just used on him made Alex realize one thing.


    And that is that the mother was not intent of killing Alex!


    She was just testing him with those four moves of hers!


    Yes, it might sound ridiculous, but Alex''s emotion sense, which he was now using on the mother, told him that this was the case.


    Of course Alex could have used his emotion sense to see that the woman was not intent on killing him earlier, but Alex neglected on using it earlier, as he was more focused on defending against a possible attack.


    "So that was why my danger sense did not sense the first attack of this woman." Alex thought to himself as he remembered the first attack of the mother. "That first move of hers¡­ it was not intended to damage me. She just used it¡­ to observe my reaction."


    Of course it was not only the first move that was like this.


    The second move, although it looked like it was about to make Alex faint, was actually used in its weakened version, which allowed Alex to break free from it.


    As for the third move, it only affected the [Will of Extreme Annihilation]. It did not even affect any part of Alex''s body.


    As for the fourth and final move, it was the most dangerous move used on Alex.


    But even with that, Alex realized that the mother still went easy on him.


    "This woman could have done different things to prevent me from breaking free from the time-stop." Alex thought to himself as he clenched his fists. "But even with those chances, she did nothing to interrupt me. She¡­ she just let me break free by myself."


    Once he had reached this line of thought, Alex''s eyes narrowed as suspicion returned in his mind.


    "If this woman was not intent on killing me, and she was only interested on testing me, then what was she testing me for?" Alex thought to himself as he watched the mother with narrowed eyes. "She said that those four moves of hers were her interview questions¡­ These interview questions¡­ what are they for? Are they questions for a kind of job that I can be hired for?"


    Alex''s confusion must have been visible on his face, as the mother started to answer his unspoken questions.


    "Alex, you must have been curious on why I did those things. Surely you are itching to know why I made you go through those moves." The mother said as she and Alex started to descend back to the ground.


    "Of course I am curious. After all, I just found out that the Great TimeMaster was just testing me." Alex replied as he crossed his arms. "For someone as powerful as you, doing something like this is¡­ intriguing."


    "The Great TimeMaster? Please don''t call me like that. I am just a simple mother for today." The mother replied as she let out a light giggle. "I just brought my daughter to the restaurant to eat. There''s nothing great about that."


    "¡­" Alex chose to not comment on this ridiculous deflection, as he waited for the mother to tell the truth.


    "Oh right, you''re still waiting for my answer." The mother, who saw Alex''s burning curious gaze, shook her head wryly as she straightened her hair. "So, my interview questions were something that I do before I hire a person for an important job."


    "An important job?"


    "Yes, and you Alex, has the qualifications for this job." The mother said as she started to smile.


    Alex was not sure why, but he started to feel unsettled, as if he was about to immerse himself on a sticky situation.


    "And I passed your interview questions?"


    "Yes, and you did with flying colors." The mother replied as she just continued to smile.


    "¡­So what''s that important job that you are talking about?"


    Since he has no way to fight it out right now, Alex has no choice but to hear out the mother.


    If he can''t beat the mother in a fight, then he will just use this ''important job'' to find a way to win!


    If you can''t beat your enemy head-on, then just beat them with tricks!


    "What you will have to do is just simple." The mother slowly said, as if she was relishing each second that she talked. "You just have to babysit my daughter while I was gone."


    "B-b-babysit?"


    "Yes, you will babysit my cute Annie. Is there any problem with that?"

 Chapter 327 - You must be dumb if you got tricked 3 times in one succession

    "You-"


    Obviously, Alex had something to say about what he just heard.


    But before he could fully articulate his sentence, he felt a jerk all around him, which was followed by a sudden change in the scenery.


    "!!!"


    To Alex''s surprise, he found himself back at the steak restaurant, seating at the exact chair that he was sitting in before.


    As for the mother, she was also sitting back on her place, giving Alex a small smile.


    The whole restaurant seemed to be in order, as if Alex and the mother''s exploits in the sky were unnoticed anyone in the restaurant.


    "What the hell¡­" As Alex found himself back in this restaurant, he immediately looked at Alina, intending to see how she reacted to what just happened to him.


    "Alex, what''s the problem?" Alina asked as Alex looked at her. "Did something happen?"


    Alina''s face did not hold any hint of worry or panic as she asked her question, which just made Alex more confused.


    "¡­"


    From the looks of it, even Alina seemed to also not notice Alex''s confrontation with the mother.


    "Alina¡­ how many minutes has passed by when Annie''s mother pointed her finger upward?" Alex asked boldly, not even caring that the mother and her daughter could hear him. "Was it two minutes? Or was it 5 minutes?"


    "What are you talking about? She did not point her finger up!" Alina hissed as she leaned forward. "Why are you saying that?"


    "!!!"


    After Alex heard this answer, he was barely able to keep calm as he realized what happened.


    From the looks of it, what happened between Alex and the mother were not seen by anyone in the restaurant! Even Alina, who was always focused on Alex, had also failed to noticed this!


    "F**k this, this woman really is hax!" Alex complained to himself inwardly as he gritted his teeth. "How the hell was she able to pull this off?"


    Once he discovered this abnormality, Alex slightly shivered as he felt more and more mystified by the woman''s intentions.


    "She did all of these things¡­ just to hire me as a babysitter? That does not make any sense." Alex thought to himself as he noticed Alina starting to get suspicious. "But what if the crux of the matter lies on the girl that I am supposed to babysit? Does that mean that there is something special about Annie?"


    As Alex thought of this, he gave the little girl a glance.


    "Hm?" Annie, who was happily gorging on her second chicken, felt Alex''s gaze on her, prompting her to look at him. "Big brother, is there a problem?"


    "Oh, there''s no problem at all." Alex replied smoothly. "It''s just that your mother has offered me a job to be your babysitter. Of course I am not that enthused on babysitting people. But still, I am curious on why she wanted me to babysit you. That was why I am looking at you now."


    "What!"


    The person who shouted this word was Alina, who suddenly stood up.


    She then stared at Alex with a burning look as she asked him,


    "Alex, this woman offered you a babysitting job? When did you get that offer?"


    It was obvious from the way that Alina looked right now that she was starting to suspect some kind of foul play.


    Alex of course was not a dumb person who will let his partner be tormented by suspicion anymore.


    Thus the answer that he gave her was,


    "Alina, after Annie started eating her chicken, her mother, who was sitting beside me, suddenly gave me the offer to be Annie''s babysitter." Alex replied as he crossed his arms.


    "She gave you the offer now? But I did not see anythi-"


    "Alina, something like that did happen." Alex replied urgently as he narrowed his eyes. "You can see that I am telling the truth, right?"


    "Yes, I can see that you are telling the truth¡­" Alina''s words trailed as he gave Alex a bewildered look. "But still-"


    "Alina, we can talk about what happened here for another time." Alex said as he raised his hand. "For now, we must talk about the mother''s offer to babysit Annie."


    Since Alina was unable to see the interview between Alex and the mother, Alex has just decided to talk about it later at their room.


    For now, Alex and Alina must focus on the more important topic, which in this situation, was the job offer to babysit Annie.


    "Talk about babysitting? Alex, you should reject it." Alina quickly said before Alex could state his point. "You can clearly see that something is going on here. Do you really want to get yourself entwined closely with these two?"


    "¡­" Alex found no reply to that, as he found himself struggling to answer.


    Even if Alex was interested on getting closer to Annie and her mother, he also realized how dangerous this could be.


    "Should I really¡­ make myself close with these two?" Alex thought to himself as he chewed his lip. "No matter which way I look at this, there is something that the mother wanted from me, and it involves me getting acquainted with her daughter. Should I allow her plan to gain fruition?"


    But on the other hand, getting close to Annie might provide Alex some advantages too.


    "If I become Annie''s babysitter, I can use that status to gain benefits for myself!" Alex thought as he gave Annie a shrewd look. "I can use my words to manipulate her, or I can even use my power to take her hostage¡­ Any of that is possible, as long as I become Annie''s babysitter! But is doing that worth the risk?"


    These two opposing views continued to resonate inside Alex''s mind, forcing him to be stumped for an answer.


    "Alina, let me ask some more questions from Annie''s mother. First." Alex replied as his eyes narrowed. "I want to clarify some things from her."


    "Fine, do it already."


    "Here I go." After he made this decision, Alex tugged his clothes slightly as he turned to look at the mother.


    "Hey, why are you so interested on hiring me as a babysitt-"


    Whatever question Alex wanted to ask got cut-off as words failed to get out of his throat.


    "What the hell?" Alex then started to let out a complaint as he glared at the empty seat beside him. "Did she just ditch us?"


    To Alex''s surprise and fury, the mother, who was just sitting beside them earlier, was now gone!


    Not even her presence could be detected inside the restaurant, which meant that the mother had left Alex and Alina!


    And what''s worse was that she left these two with Annie, who was still busy eating her chicken!


    "Oh? So mommy already left? You must be a good babysitter then." Annie said as she looked up from her meal. She seemed to be not surprised with what happened.


    Instead, she seemed to be even used to it, given by the lack of panic in her face.


    "You¡­" Alex could barely suppress his irritation as he realized that the mother had tricked him again.


    The mother must have realized that Alex was still conflicted on accepting the job offer as a babysitter.


    Since that was the case, the mother must have thought that leaving Annie alone with Alex will force Alex to be her babysitter.


    Well, that would be the case if Alex has no choice left.


    But right now, Ale still had some way to resolve the situation.


    "Hey Annie, you might not know it, but I am actually a busy person." Alex said as he stared at the fashionably dressed girl. "So I do not have that much time to babysit you today... Maybe I can just bring you home after you eat? Won''t that be the best thing to do here?"


    "Home?" Annie, whose lips were stained with grease and gravy, tilted her head as if she had heard a foreign word. "You will take me home?"


    "Yes, I will do that." Alex replied as he started to feel more confident talking with the little girl. "Just tell me the address, and we will bring you there!"


    "But my home is with mommy." Annie replied, which doused cold water on Alex''s confidence. "Now that mommy left, I have no home to go back to."


    "W-what?"


    "Mommy always brings our home with her." Annie continued talking as she finished up her chicken. "She said that she was doing that to keep me safe¡­"


    "So you have no home to go back now?" Alex replied as he felt a headache forming inside him.


    "Yes!" Annie replied calmly, as if she was not worried about her situation. "That was why mother hired you as my babysitter. Your job is not to only to take care of me. You also have to give me a shelter to live while my mother is away."


    "¡­"


    At this point, Alex knew that his hands were already tied.


    No matter how callous he is, he cannot just abandon this little kid, while her mother was off on her ''private trip''


    "Alina, I''m sorry, but I cannot leave this kid alone¡­" Alex said to Alina with a pained expression on his face. "I just¡­"


    "I get it Alex. That woman has played with us, and we have no choice but to accept the consequences right now." Alina replied with a sigh.


    "So do we bring her back with us right now?"


    "Alex, that''s the only thing that we can do."


    "¡­Right."


    And with that, Alex is now the official babysitter of Annie.


    Alex was not sure on what to feel about this, although he was greatly incensed by the shamelessness of Annie''s mother.


    "I hate to admit this, but I think we just found someone more shameless than Asteria!"


    These words perfectly sums up Alex''s evaluation of Annie''s mother.


    "Hmph, that damned woman. Once I see you again, power or no powers, I will make you feel the anger of a forced laborer!"


    *****************


    What happened after this forced hiring was quite calm.


    Annie, who was still unperturbed with what just happened, fixed her mess on the table before proceeding to wash her hands and face.


    She even stacked Alina''s messy plates, creating an orderly pile on the table.


    "Big Sis, why are you this messy?" Annie, the lavishly-dressed girl said as she placed her hand on her h.i.p.s.


    There was no ''rich girl aura'' coming out of Annie right now, as only a ''homely'' presence can be felt from her.


    "Big Sis, you should know that we should always keep our things clean!" Annie said as her small body bristled. "If we always leave our things messy and dirty, it will be rude to others who don'' have what we have! Think about all the homeless people who can''t eat the foods that you eat. What would they think when they see you this messy? They will be not happy about this!"


    "¡­"


    Sufficed to say, both Alex and Alina found themselves speechless, as they struggled to even make sense of what they just saw.


    "Big Sis, is your home like this too?" Annie said as her body started to tremble. "Please Big Sis, please tell me that your home is clean! If I see it dirty, I will have no choice but to clean it!"


    "Oi oi oi! How did you even end up thinking that way!" Alex exclaimed as he gave Annie a confused look. "Aren''t you a rich kid? Why are you even worried about stuff like this?"


    "Rich kid? Mommy did not raise me that way!" Annie as she glared at Alex.


    "But how about that dress that you are wearing now? Isn''t that for rich kids?" Alex argued back, even though he knew that he was not supposed to argue with a kid.


    After hearing this, Annie''s face contorted in displeasure as she started rubbing her arms.


    "Big brother, I don''t even like wearing these clothes. I only like wearing t-shrit and pajamas." Annie said as she lightly tugged her skirt. "Mommy just told me to wear this today because she said that she wanted to ''fool'' someone with this get-up¡­."


    "That woman tricked me again!" Alex shouted out as he face-palmed. "Why is she even doing this?"


    "Hey Big Brother, stop talking about mommy, that''s not even our topic here!" Annie said as she let out a pout. "Big Brother, I''m asking on whether your house is clean. Big brother, is your house clean?"


    "Well¡­ you can say that it''s okay." Alex replied as he averted his gaze.


    "Just okay? Ugh¡­ That means that you have some mess there¡­" Annie replied as he sat back with a disappointed expression on her face. "Sigh, why do you have to be my babysitter? Now I even have to clean your house!"


    "Hey!"


    "Oh big brother, do you have pajamas at your house?" Annie said to the now red-faced Alex. "Mommy also did not leave clothes for me¡­ so I have to borrow some from you."


    "@*OU%)(@*)(@!!"

 Chapter 328 - Hey! Shes dangerous! Why cant yall see it?

    What happened after this unfortunate meeting went by as a blur.


    Alex and Alina, who were forced to take care of Annie, has no choice but to bring her back to their current house.


    There, both of them had to endure embarrassment as Annie immediately flared up at the sight of their messy house.


    The little girl went ballistic upon seeing this, that she even started cleaning the house up by herself.


    According to her, the sight of their place was so bad that she will not be able to sleep properly if it was not cleaned.


    Armed with a mop and a broom, the little girl started scouring the whole house, throwing away anything that she deemed dirty.


    At this point, Alex and Alina cannot just let this girl clean the house by herself. So, the two of them donned their cleaning suits as they joined Annie on her cleaning quest.


    And thus, a night only dedicated for cleaning has occurred.


    **************


    THE NEXT DAY


    "So Alex, this little girl will stay with us?"


    The one who asked this question was Kiera''s grandfather, who was smoking a cigar while sitting beside Alex.


    Wafts of smoke covered the old man''s face, making him look like a solemn figure.


    "Yes, this little girl will stay with us." Alex replied as he fanned away some of the smoke. "Oh, and why are you smoking that way? Are you trying to look cool?"


    "Come on Alex, I barely had chance to smoke a good cigar like this¡­ Can''t you just let me have my moment?"


    "Moment my ass" Alex snorted as he glared at the old man. "Where were you and Kiera when we were cleaning yesterday?"


    "Umm¡­ I brought Kiera to a nearby theme park." The old man replied as he stared back at Alex innocently. "Is there something wrong with that?"


    "Sigh, why did I even bring the two of you here?" Alex muttered as he shook his head. "Maybe I could have just left you with Queen Mother and Professor Frances."


    "But you could not stomach leaving Kiera on the Trash Prefecture." The old man commented as he gave Alex a wry smile. "Wait, now that I see it, it seems like you have a soft spot for kids, Alex. Why don''t you just make one with Alina? Surely she will love to have your children too."


    "Hak!" If Alex was drinking something right now, he surely would have spat it out already. "The f**k are you talking about? We''re talking about little girl who made me suffer yesterday!"


    "¡­Did you really suffer, Alex?"


    "Tsk, you two are lucky you came home late." Alex muttered as he cupped his head.


    "¡­Was it that bad?"


    "Bad? It''s more than bad! It''s hellish!" Alex almost shouted out as he gritted his teeth. "That little girl¡­ I thought she was just a bratty girl. But she was worse than that! She¡­ she is just like a grumpy old woman!"


    "Oi oi Alex, that''s just too much¡­"


    "Too much? You should have seen how dedicated she was on cleaning last night." Alex muttered as he slumped on his seat. "She did not even care if what she saw was our property. As long as it was dirty, she will immediately throw it away! Hmph, if it were not for my efforts, even your things could have been thrown away too!"


    "Oh¡­ that is bad indeed." The old man replied as he let out another huff. "And to make it worse, you cannot disobey her last night, since she was just doing your best to clean your mess."


    "You don''t need to remind that to me, old man." Alex said as he sighed. "I know, I know, I am a messy person. But still¡­"


    "Alex, just let it go." The old man said as he tipped the cigar''s ashes on the ashtray. "Even if she was like that, you can see that Annie is a good, disciplined girl."


    "¡­You think that girl is a good girl?"


    "Of course she is!" The old man said with full confidence on his voice. "You should have seen how obedient she is to me this morning! She even called me grandpa! Hahaha! I tell you Alex, even if she is a cleaning freak, she is still a sweet little girl! I mean, she''s even playing with Kiera right now! Do you think someone bad will play with my granddaughter?"


    "Hmph, she could just be pretending." Alex grumbled as he stood up. "You know that her mother tricked me 3 times already. Do you think her daughter will not be the same? Hmph, just you watch! She will also show her true colors."


    Right after Alex said these words, the door in front of them opened, as two small figures came bounding in.


    These two figures were Kiera and Annie respectively, who were both looking at Kiera''s grandpa with excitement.


    "Grandpa! Annie told me that there''s a good chess place nearby!" Kiera said as she and Annie started to pull the old man by his hands. "Grandpa, you like playing chess right? Let us bring you there!"


    "A chess place? Hahaha, you two really are adorable!" The old man said as he let out hearty laugh "Okay, let''s go there!"


    He then proceeded to stroke the heads of the two little girls, eliciting giggles from the both of them.


    "Sigh, you two girls just makes me so happy¡­"


    "As long as you are happy grandpa, we will be happy too!" Kiera said as Annie continued giggling.


    "Hahaha, you two girls are really a blessing to me!"


    If a person can die from happiness, then Kiera''s grandpa right now could be a victim of that. The sheer amount of happiness that he is letting out right now was too much, even for Alex''s emotion sense.


    "Grandpa! Does your shoulder hurt? Let me massage it later." Annie said when they were close to the door. "Mother always made me massage her stiff shoulders, so I am already an expert!"


    "Hahaha, Annie, you can do anything that you want!" The old man said as he emanated the aura of supreme bliss. "You are a good kid, so I have no problems with whatever you do!"


    "Really? Okay grandpa!"


    "Hahaha!"


    "¡­" In front of this blissful scene, the only thing that Alex could do was to solemnly pray for the old man''s well-being.


    "...He''s been hooked. There''s no more escape for him." Alex muttered to himself as he gave the old man a pitying look. "This girl Annie is actually this devious¡­ I must find a way to expose her!"


    "Alex, you still suspect Annie?" Alina, who suddenly appeared behind Alex, muttered in annoyance as she stared at him. "Can''t you just accept that she''s just a normal girl who was raised by an abnormal woman?"


    "¡­So you''re even charmed by her too." Alex said solemnly. "This cannot go on anymore."


    "¡­.Suit yourself Alex. Just don''t do anything rash." Alina muttered as she shook her head.


    "¡­"


    "Alex, remember that our goal this time is to gather important info from Annie." Alina continued talking as she saw Alex going silent. "Can we get info from her if you act this way? Please treat her like a normal person!"


    "As long as that Annie does not make any devious moves against us, I will treat her properly." Alex replied as he stared forward. "But besides that, I will treat her just like a stranger. As for our goal to get info from her? I can easily do that by myself."


    "¡­You should just ease up Alex. Annie''s not a superweapon that can annihilate all of us." Alina replied as she placed her hand on Alex''s shoulder. "She was just a girl that''s usually neglected by her mother. Please give her some slack."


    "¡­."


    *******************


    6 HOURS LATER


    "I thought those three will just go to a chess place and then drink tea later? Why are they still not coming back?" Alex grumbled as he impatiently waited inside the living room. "That Annie, is she doing something tricky right now?"


    "Calm down Alex. Those three could just be having too much fun." Alina said while washing the dishes. "You know that those three sometimes crave to do something fun¡­"


    "Hmph, they could be having fun, but for 6 hours? There is something wrong here." Alex said as he stood up from his seat.


    "Alex, you can just use your power to sense where they are, right?"


    "Alina, I am using it already." Alex replied hurriedly as he narrowed his eyes. "And guess what I sensed? Nothing. Those three? I can''t sense any of them inside my sensing range."


    "¡­"


    "If I can''t sense them, then it just means that they went some place farther than my range." Alex said with suspicion in his eyes. "Alina, don''t you think that something fishy is going on here?"


    "¡­"


    "Okay Alina, I will be going out." Alex said as he strode towards the door. "I may not like Annie, but she is still my responsibility. I have to make sure that she is safe, along with Kiera and her old man."


    "Alex, even if you look for those three, I am sure that you will see them safe and sound." Alina replied as she stared at Alex. "You know that the TimeMasters also treat Kiera and her grandpa lavishly. As for Annie, it''s obvious that she also receives special treatment from them."


    "¡­"


    "Alex, there''s no way that they will be in danger in this place." Alina concluded as she started piling up the plates. "If you look for them, I''m sure that you will see them playing on an arcade shop or an-"


    "Boom!"


    Right after Alina said this confident claim, booming sounds filled the air as the whole area shook.


    Even the ground trembled, as Alex saw cracks appearing on the yard outside their house.


    "Woosh!" The skies then howled as powerful winds unleashed their fury on the tall buildings. Some of these buildings did not stand a chance, as they immediately broke down, falling to the ground with a crash.


    As for the nearby people, they all started running on the streets with panic evident on their eyes.


    Pandemonium started to crop out everywhere, with the panicking people making it worse.


    "!!!"


    Alex immediately stood up from his seat as his eyes flashed dangerously.


    "Alex, what is happening right now?" Alina asked as she summoned her katana back on her waist. "Is this another rebel attack?"


    "I don''t know, although I can sense multiple powerful presences attacking the nearby places." Alex replied as a murderous aura erupted out of his body.


    "You''re right!" Alina exclaimed as she also sensed what Alex just detected. "And from what I can sense, these attacking people are all Immortal Cultivators! Are they the escaped members of the Covenant?"


    "I''m not sure Alina. The only thing that I am sure of is that right now, this whole area is plunged in chaos!" Alex said as he gritted his teeth. "Of course with the power of the TimeMasters, this attack will surely be quelled quickly. But before that can happen, I''m sure that a lot of innocent people will be hurt."


    "People will be hurt¡­ Alex, Kiera and Annie might get hurt too!" Alina blurted out as Alex''s face became grim.


    "Yes, that''s our main problem right now." Alex said as he kicked the door open. "Since things have escalated to this, you already know what we should do next, right?"


    "Of course. We are going to save them!" Alina replied, with her katana glinting dangerously. "If those attackers dare to lay a hand on Kiera or Annie, I will make them experience the pain of losing their lives!"


    "¡­Alina, you really love kids¡­ Do you really want to have one that badly?"


    "Hie? W-w-what are you talking about Alex?"


    "Oh nothing. Why don''t we just get going?"

 Chapter 330 - Want to hear a Dad Joke?

    (((Author''s Note: Yo, I''m back)))


    MINUTES EARLIER


    "Annie, this is delicious! How could something like these exist?"


    "Hah, what did I tell you, Kiera? This restaurant has the best food in this place! It''s just normal for the food here to be good!"


    "But Annie, are we really allowed to eat this many? Isn''t it a crime to eat this many delicious food?"


    "What are you talking about, Kiera? You should not be worried about that! With me here, you can eat anything you want!"


    "So I can really eat all of these?"


    "Of course Kiera, you can! You can even add more if you want!"


    "Oh! This is the best! You really are amazing Annie!"


    "Ahahaha¡­ this is just nothing much¡­"


    This delighted, and somewhat cozy conversation was held between Kiera and Annie, who were both siting around a table inside a restaurant.


    Their table was filled to the brim with numerous amount of delicious food, which both Annie and Kiera had been gorging on since earlier.


    Judging from the blissful looks on their faces, it was quite obvious that these two girls were extremely satisfied with the food.


    "Hahaha, you two girls should eat more! You will need that if you want to grow as beautiful as Alina!" Kiera''s grandfather, who was sitting beside them, said as he drank a cup of tea. "I mean, just look at her! She''s the epitomy of beauty, elegance and gracefulness. If you eat and sleep well while you''re young, you can be as beautiful as her in the future!"


    As the old man mentioned Alina''s name, both Kiera and Annie beamed as idolizing looks appeared in their eyes.


    "Big Sis Alina¡­ she''s not only beautiful. She''s also cool!" Kiera said as a silly smile appeared on her face. "Just the sight of her holding her sword makes her look a lot cooler than Big Brother Alex!"


    "Ah, if Big Sis Alina was only a male, she will surely be a lot cooler¡­" Annie chimed in as a dreamy look appeared in her face. "But still, Big Sis Alina is cool enough right now!"


    "It''s too bad that Big Sis Alina''s coolness is being wasted on Big Brother Alex." Kiera said as he let out a sigh.


    "You''re right." Annie said as she also sighed.


    "H-h-hey you two, why are you suddenly like that?" Kiera''s grandfather said as he almost spat out his tea. "You think Alex is not cool enough for Alina?"


    "Grandpa, don''t ask us anymore. We are girls, and you are an old man". Kiera answered as she and Annie both let out a hmph. "You won''t understand what we are talking about."


    "Ah okay¡­"


    As the old man started to visibly deflate, both Annie and Kiera smiled again as they resumed eating.


    "Hey Annie, can I ask you a question?" When a few minutes has gone by after they resumed eating, Kiera looked at Annie as she asked the latter with a question.


    "Yes, you can go ask now Kiera."


    "Well... my question is about our stay in this place." Kiera said as she rubbed her legs nervously. "Um Annie, are you sure that we should be really here?"


    "Hm? What do you mean by that, Kiera? Didn''t you enjoy our food here? Even grandpa said that this is great!"


    "Yeah¡­ the food here is good, but I am just worried about our distance with Big Brother Alex." Kiera replied as she started to look nervous.


    "The distance¡­ with Big Brother Alex?"


    "Well¡­ Big Brother told me before that he has a power that can allow him to monitor people, as long as they were close to him." Kiera replied as she timidly speared a meat with her fork. "That power allows him to keep track of his allies, especially, when a battle happens."


    "Okay¡­ so what is the problem?"


    "Well, the chess place and the tea house that we visited earlier are just near Big Brother, so that means that he can easily monitor us." Kiera said as she started to look a little nervous. "But this restaurant that we are in right now is located far away from Big Brother, which means that he cannot monitor us now¡­"


    After Kiera said these words, Annie, who looked confused earlier, started to nod as she understood what Kiera was saying.


    "Oh Kiera¡­ are you worried about us getting in danger while Big Brother is unable to monitor us?" Annie said as she crossed her arms.


    "Y-yes. I am worried about that." Kiera replied as she looked around her warily. "I¡­ just don''t feel that safe without Big Brother Alex monitoring us¡­"


    "¡­"


    Kiera''s grandpa was unable to think of any reply to that, as he understood what Kiera was talking about.


    But Annie on the other hand was unfazed by Kiera''s statement.


    "Hmph! Kiera, with me here, you don''t need to be this worried!" Annie declared as she crossed her arms. "You will always be safe by my side!"


    "I-is that true, Annie?"


    "Of course it''s true!" Annie replied as she raised her chin.


    Annie then pointed her finger to the nearby TimeMasters with a reassuring expression on her face.


    "Kiera, my mother is the big boss of all the TimeMasters." Annie said these words with confidence, as if nothing can ever dispute this statement. "That means that whenever I ever get in danger, the nearby TimeMasters will come rushing in to save me and my friends! See all those nearby TimeMasters? They will save us if someone attacks us right now!"


    "Ohhh!!! That''s so cool Annie!" Kiera exclaimed as her eyes glowed with excitement.


    "Hehehe, it really is cool."


    "So your mom is like a mafia boss then?" When Kiera asked this question, her grandpa, who was drinking tea calmly beside her, started choking as he inhaled his tea.


    "A what?"


    "A mafia boss! I mean, they are so cool!" Kiera said as she grasped Annie''s hand.


    "Mafia bosses are cool?"


    "Yes they are!" Kiera said as she nodded her head quickly. "There''s this movie that Big Brother Alex showed me before¡­ it was titled ''The Godmother.'' Annie... that movie is a masterpiece! And it''s about a very cool female mafia boss! If you will watch that movie, you will also realize that mafia bosses are extremely cool!"


    "But that is just a movie¡­"


    "So Annie, is your mother a mafia boss?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Under Kiera''s innocent and excited gaze, Annie was unable to muster the courage to correct her misconception.


    "Y-y-yeah, my mommy is a mafia boss¡­"


    "Hah! I knew it!" Kiera shouted out as she raised her arms. "Only someone cool like her can fool Big Brother Alex!"


    "Ahaha, my mommy is really cool¡­" Annie replied in a much more subdued manner.


    Then to the surprise of Kiera and her grandpa, Annie''s face suddenly went downcast as she seemed to have remembered something bad. "But even if mommy is cool, she is not really good at staying close to me¡­"


    "Umm¡­"


    "Oh, I''m sorry if we made you feel sad." Kiera''s grandpa hurriedly said as Annie started to look down.


    "It''s okay grandpa. I''m already used to mommy leaving on her trips¡­" Annie slowly said as Kiera gave her a worried look. "Really Kiera, you don''t need to look at me like that."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    With the mention of Annie''s mother''s frequent departures, the cheerful atmosphere between the three of them suddenly turned awkward.


    Kiera, who was beaming at the mention of mafia bosses, visibly looked down as she gave Annie an awkward smile.


    As for her grandpa, he seemed to be slightly saddened too, although hints of curiosity could be seen on his face.


    "Umm¡­ maybe it is too much for me to ask, but can I ask why your mother sometimes leave on her trips?" Kiera''s grandpa said before he could stop himself. "Oh! Of course you don''t need to answer that if you don''t feel comfortable¡­."


    "It''s fine grandpa. I can talk about it." Annie replied as she gave the old man a reassuring smile.


    "Oh is that so ?In that case, maybe we should start talking about it already¡­"


    "Grandpa, you act like a gossip woman right now. Please restrain yourself." Kiera coolly said as she glared at the old man. "It''s a little embarrassing¡­"


    "B-but Kiera, stories are always a vital part of our lives! Hearing more stories is good for everyone!"


    "Grandpa, just admit that you like gossiping."


    "¡­"


    Annie only smiled at the banter between the two, as if she was enjoying what she was seeing.


    When the grandpa-granddaughter duo looked like they were to continue arguing, Annie let out a cough to gain their attention.


    "Ehem, ehem. We''re talking about mommy, right?"


    "Oh yes, yes, Annie, we are talking about your mommy. So what''s the story?"


    Under the old man''s interested gaze, Annie only let out a sad smile as she said,


    "Mommy¡­ she''s always leaving¡­ because she''s looking for daddy."


    "Your daddy?"


    "Um." Annie nodded as her face turned more melancholic. "Daddy¡­ he has been gone ever since I was born. He did not tell mommy where he went, or why he left. He just¡­ disappeared."


    "Annie, that''s¡­"


    "I know that it''s daddy''s fault, but my mommy does not care about that." Annie said as she looked down on the floor. "Ever since daddy disappeared, mommy always go on trips to look for him, but she always comes back without daddy¡­"


    "Okay, timeout, timeout. This is too much sad vibes here. Let''s just stop talking and enjoy the food, ok?" Kiera''s grandpa seemed to be unable to endure the sudden change in the atmosphere, prompting him to change to topic. "You still haven''t finished your orders, right?"


    "Oh right! There''s still this orange chicken that I will still eat!" Kiera added, sounding too enthusiastic even by her standards. "Annie, let''s eat this together!"


    "Ah, um, orange chicken? Well that tastes good I guess¡­" Annie replied hesitantly as she was forced by Kiera to start eating again.


    "Hehehehe, Annie, the chicken tastes good, right?"


    "Oh Kiera, this is gud!"


    "Hey, can you let this old man join in too? Even I get hungry seeing that chicken."


    "Okay grandpa, open your mouth!"


    "Haha, let me join in too. Grandpa, here comes my share!"


    "Hohoho, please slow down you two. I am only one person here¡­"


    And with that, the trio went back to their cheerful atmosphere. They focused back on their food as they lost interest on their surroundings.


    "Leader, I found the target." Three tables behind the Annie and Kiera, a lone man, who was wearing a hooded robe, muttered these 5 words as he clutched a stone near his mouth.


    This stone was glowing faintly, which indicates that it must be some kind of magical object.


    "Our target is there? Good." A faint voice came out of the stone, which the hooded man heard perfectly. "Since you have seen them, you already know what to do."


    "Aye, aye leader. Should I make it discrete, or should I make it explosive?" The hooded man replied as he brought the stone closer to his lips, as if he was about to kiss it.


    "We need to give these bastards a message, so make it explosive" The voice from the stone replied. "Make sure everyone in this area will be affected, or they won''t feel our stance. Do you understand that?"


    "Yes leader!" The hooded man replied as he nodded his head.


    "Then start the operation right now." After the so-called ''leader'' said these words, the glow from the stone faded as it seemed to have turned off.


    The hooded man then hid the stone in his pocket as he continued eating his order.


    "Okay¡­ since our target is still eating, we will give the target 1 more minute before we start the operation." The hooded man muttered to himself as he gulped his food. "After all, the impact of our operation will be better on a person with full stomach¡­"

 Chapter 331 - Immortal Sacrificial Spell

    After Alex and Alina stepped out of their house, both of them immediately flew forward as they scanned their surroundings.


    After a few minutes of scanning, both of them suddenly stopped. Both of them then frowned, as if they just saw something that made them unsettled.


    They flew down to the ground, with their eyes concentrated in front of them.


    "This is worse than I thought." Alex murmured as he realized that the whole explosions that they felt were not only just explosions. They were actually a prelude to something worse.


    "Alex¡­ what the hell is that?" Alina managed to say as she and Alex stared at a massive creature, which was now looming all over the area.


    This creature was as large as a mountain, which made it look extremely imposing. Its skin looked to be impervious, which coupled with the armor that it wore, just added to its domineering image.


    To the worry of Alex, this massive creature appeared to be a human, although it was lacking a head.


    Only its torso and limbs were visible, but that did not diminish this giant''s dangerous appearance.


    It wore no clothes, as it was only its full-body armor that was covering its body.


    On its right hand, the giant held a cudgel the size of a boulder, while on its left, the giant held a sword that was as large as a building.


    Both of these weapons were letting out killing intent, making the people nearby scream in terror.


    "¡­."


    Right now, this giant was silent, as if it was waiting for something to happen. For Alex, this is a good sight, as she was not sure if he wanted to see this giant have a rampage in this place.


    But unfortunately for Alex, this giant made a move a second later.


    "Roar!" Even without a head, this giant still managed to let out a roar, which made even the very earth tremble.


    This roar of the giant produced massive gusts of wind, which immediately spread outwards.


    "Whooosh!" Countless more structures fell down from these winds, which added more chaos to the already chaotic situation.


    "Roar!"


    The giant continued to roar more and more, which resulted in more damages all around him.


    The TimeMasters, who were all congregated around the giant, started attacking it, with all of them doing their best to kill it quickly.


    But from the way that the situation looked, it was apparent that this giant won''t be going down that easily.


    As he watched what the giant was doing, Alex narrowed his eyes as he observed it warily.


    "Alina¡­ that thing right there is bad news." Alex said as he pointed to the giant, who was now using its cudgel to defend itself from the TImeMaster''s attacks.


    "Whizz whizz whizz!"


    No matter what kind of attacks the TimeMasters dished out on the giant, they were all weakened by the cudgel. Even if these attacks were something like time stop or time acceleration, their effects were all weakened under the cudgel''s presence.


    By the time these weakened attacks landed on the giant, the best thing that they can do was only scratch the giant''s full-body armor.


    "Roar!" While its cudgel was preoccupied with defense, the giant''s sword was focused on attacking the TImeMasters.


    The giant zealously swung its sword towards the TimeMasters, who in turn did their best to dodge it.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Their initiative to dodge was certainly acceptable, as the giant''s sword attacks were extremely devastating.


    "Splat!"


    "Swish!"


    "Puchi!"


    "Boom!"


    Everything that was in the sword''s line of path were either crushed, sliced, pierced, or smashed into oblivion. Even the very space around the sword was not spared too.


    This kind of description might sound impossible, but Alex was sure that everything that he was seeing from these sword attacks were all true.


    These sword attacks, in Alex''s eyes, showed the very essence of swordsmanship. Every swing and hack of this sword erupted with the power of the sword, making even Alex feel entranced by it.


    "¡­" As he looked at the sword, Alex could only look at it with discomfort as he knew that even he will not be able to receive these sword attacks with ease.


    As for the TImeMasters who were hit by the sword, of course they did not go unscathed. obtained injuries, with only a few getting scr.a.p.es, and with the majority obtaining serious ones.


    "Alex! Why are we still observing this fight? Shouldn''t we look for Kiera and Annie right now?" Alina abruptly said to Alex as the battle between the giant and the TimeMasters raged on. "If we only watch these fight, our chance to retrieve Kiera and Annie might be lower!"


    "You don''t need to worry about them Alina." Alex replied calmly as he forced himself to look away from the battle. "I already saw where they are."


    "You saw them already? Where?"


    "Right there, Alina." Alex replied calmly as he pointed his finger at the giant. "My power¡­ sensed Kiera, Annie, and the old man inside that giant''s body. "


    "You''re kidding." Alina blurted out as she glared at Alex. A second later, and that glare turned into disbelief as she looked back at the giant again.


    "So you saw that I am telling the truth, right?" Alex replied levelly as he put down his arm. "Those three are really inside the giant right now."


    "Yes, I can see that you are telling the truth..." Alina replied as her eyes started to glow. "However that is not just the truth, right?"


    "Well, what do you see on that giant, Alina?" Alex replied as he crossed her arms. "Surely your eyes can show you the ''truth'' better than me."


    "¡­" In response to Alex''s challenge, Alina only remained silent as she concentrated her gaze on the fighting giant. Alex did nothing to stop her, as he only observed calmly beside her.


    "Alex, it''s not only those three that are inside the giant right now." Alina said as her eyes started to glaze. "A lot of people¡­ are inside that giant''s body. 10, 304 to be exact."


    "Damn, that''s a lot of people." Alex exclaimed as he shook his head. "And here I thought this spell can only hold at most 5,000 people. It seems like I have underestimated it."


    "A spell?" Alina, who seemed to be shaken with what she just saw, whipped her head at Alex as she stared at him intently. "What do you mean by that?"


    "¡­Alina, I thought you made your own research about this world''s history?" Alex asked as he stared back at Alina. "If you did that, you will understand what I am talking about."


    "Alex, this is not the time to be joking around." Alina said through gritted teeth. "Just say what you wanted to say so that we can get over with it! We''re already wasting time by talking idly here. If we continued dilly-dallying for longer, those three will surely be in danger!"


    "¡­"


    "I mean, look at them! They are inside a murderous giant! Do you think this will go well for everyone involved?"


    "Of course not."


    "Then get talking! Why are you even stalling like this, Alex?"


    "Alina, I am stalling because now is not yet the time to make a move." Alex said as he looked back at the giant. "As long as that spell is still at that kind of state, even I will be unable to swoop in to save our allies. We still have to wait for the opportunity later."


    "¡­So that is the reason why you are this calm? Because you knew that we cannot do anything as of now?"


    "Exactly, Alina. That is why you should calm yourself too."


    "¡­Fine. Since you said it, then I will listen to you." Alina said as she took some deep breaths to calm herself down.


    The fighting between the giant and the TImeMasters still continued, although the sheer toughness of the giant and the amount of TimeMasters present made it impossible to ascertain the one in the lead.


    Only time can tell who will be the victor of this fight.


    ******************


    Once Alina looked calm enough, she went back to staring at Alex as she said,


    "So you have been saying that that giant is a spell. How is that possible? Even my eyes cannot discern it. All i can only see was a living, breathing creature."


    "That''s because this spell was all about the creation of a living, breathing, creature." Alex replied quickly as he dodged a stray rubble. "More specifically, it is an Immortal Ability that was focused on materializing a powerful being."


    "An Immortal Ability like that¡­ actually exists?"


    "It does, but its records have been kept secret after the TImeMasters colonized this place¡­"


    "¡­"


    When Alex started to stay with the TimeMasters, he started to do his own research this world''s history, specifically on the battle between the TImeMasters and the Immortal Cultivators.


    To Alex''s surprise, he discovered countless hidden records about the battle which the TimeMasters had kept hidden from the public eye. Alex was only able to access these records by abusing the special treatment given to him.


    In these records, Alex saw countless powerful abilities that the Immortal Cultivators deployed in battle. Most of these were definitely domineering, and the ones that caught Alex''s attention were the Immortal Sacrificial Spells.


    An Immortal Sacrificial Spell, from what Alex knew, were spells that require a certain amount of Immortal Cultivators to sacrifice their lives in order for it to activate.


    This ''sacrifice'' obviously meant killing one''s self to contribute to the spell. There was no other meaning for that in this context.


    Different Immortal Sacrificial Spells require different amounts of sacrificed cultivators to activate. Sometimes, even the cultivation levels of the cultivators were also taken into consideration.


    The effects of these spells also vary, although the effects were usually extremely powerful.


    Some sacrificial spells can summon a deadly strike, or conjure a mighty defense. Some allow the reversal of injuries while others can result on weakening the opponents. Some sacrificial spells also allow the creation of a fleshly being, which can be used to attack enemies.


    That last example was exactly what Alex was witnessing in front of him right now.


    "Alina, that giant that you see was a fleshly being that was summoned by an Immortal Sacrificial Spell." Alex said as he scratched the side of his arm.


    "As for what kind of giant that is, I also know about it, since the TImeMasters had already encountered it before."


    "¡­Since I can see you telling the truth, I won''t interrupt you anymore." Alina slowly said as she let out sigh. "Just keep talking."


    Alex was not sure why Alina was acting like this now, but he took her words to heart as he continued talking.


    "That giant right there is a Savage Sword Giant." Alex said quickly. "It''s body was extremely tough, and it can survive on extreme conditions. Its fighting disposition lied on its savagery and its miraculous sword abilities. See that cudgel? That''s the savage power of the giant, which allows it to weaken any attacks on it. As for that sword, that''s obviously the weapon that it uses for its sword abilities."


    "..."


    "¡­The Savage Sword Giant also was known to have a sup-space inside its body, which it can use to store living things inside it." Alex continued as he pointed at the giant''s navel. "Any living being inside that sub-space can survive, as long as they have food or water. As for why it has something like that, it must have been so that an army can fit in there to help out in fights."


    "¡­Is that all?"


    "Yeah, that is all."


    "So that thing right there is a powerful being that was created from an Immortal i Spell." Alina said as she slowly unsheathed her katana. "And it has a sub-space inside its body that can store people. I''m going in the right track, right?"


    "Yes, you are going there."


    "And right now, this giant is fighting an increasing amount of TimeMasters, while keeping Annie, Kiera and the old man inside its sub-space." Alina said as her eyes narrowed in concentration.


    "Yep, that''s the scenario right now."


    "And you want us to wait until the right time to save them." Alina said, this time with her voice sounding dangerously low. "Are you sure that what you are doing now is the right thing to do, Alex?"


    "I am sure about it." Alex replied confidently. "As long as that giant receives massive amounts of damage, we can sneak in on its subspace and bring Kiera, Annie, and the old man out."


    "Massive amounts of damage you say?" Alina muttered as she suddenly pointed her katana at the giant. "Since that''s the needed condition, then I will just have to help accelerating it!"


    "Hey! Don''t-"


    Before Alex could fully shout out his warning, Alina swung her katana towards the giant, creating a massive spatial distortion which hit the giant head-on(not the head of course).


    "Skroom!" The giant''s body immediately lurched from the impact, although it did not fully fell down.


    A gash however could be seen on its right shoulder, which was the part where Alina''s attack has landed.


    "¡­"


    Silence reigned in the area, as the TimeMasters, Alex, and Alina waited with bated breath on what was to happen next.


    A few seconds later, and the giant turned its body to Alina.


    Even without a face, it was quite easy to see that the giant was extremely pissed right now.


    "Alex, what''s the problem?" Alina asked as she saw Alex letting out an exhausted sigh.


    Alina actually did not need to ask this question, as a second later, the giant started to make its move.


    "Roar!" To the surprise of Alina, the giant, who was engrossed with fighting with the TimeMasters earlier, was now rushing towards Alina with its sword already swinging down on her body!


    The giant did not hold back with his attack at all, as anyone could feel the intention to kill with this attack!


    "Move!" Alex shouted as he pulled Alina with him. "Now that you attacked the giant, that giant will start attacking us too!"


    "What? Why did you just say that now?"


    "B-because you did not ask!"


    "Argh!"

 Chapter 332 - Lets strive for number six!

    "Damn."


    With the giant''s attention now placed on them, Alex has no choice but to move Alina and himself out of its way.


    He pulled Alina''s arm as he backed away, making sure that the sword descending on them will not hit them.


    "Boom!" Alex and Alina smoothly dodged the first sword strike, which destroyed the ground they were standing on earlier.


    The ground broke into extremely tiny pieces which even Alex had a hard time discerning.


    "Ugh!"


    But even when they managed to dodge the initial attack, Alex and Alina were unable to prevent themselves from getting harmed by the sword qi emanating from the sword.


    "Puchi puchi puchi!"


    Lacerations and gashes appeared on Alex''s and Alina''s skin, which was the effect of the sword qi striking their bodies. These wounds were deep, even for Alex''s standards.


    After he saw these wounds, Alex''s eyes narrowed into thin slits as he realized that even when he and Alina already had tough bodies and strong defenses, they were still unable to get unscathed from this sword qi.


    "Tsk." As he felt the pain from the wounds that he just received, Alex''s lip thinned as he realized that he and Alina were facing an uphill battle here.


    "Sigh¡­. After seeing that giant, I already knew that it is extremely strong." Alex muttered to himself as Alina teleported the both of them 5 kilometers away from the giant.


    "After all, I can feel that 35 Dao Domain Practitioners and 5 Immortal Stage Practitioners sacrificed themselves to summon this giant." Alex muttered ruefully as he shook his head. "With that kind of sacrificed roster, the giant summoned would of course be extremely powerful!"


    Even with the 50% power reduction on Immortal Cultivation in this word, Alex knew that it will be extremely hard for him to win against this Savage Sword Giant.


    After all, the amount of sacrifices used to summon this giant gave it the strength equivalent to that of a Sixth Stage Being!


    "F**k this. I do not like fighting a Sixth Stage being head-on like this." Alex muttered to himself as he saw that the wound Alina inflicted on the giant earlier has now healed. "We could be easily trashed¡­."


    Right now, even with all the power that he gained, Alex knew that his power has not yet reached the Sixth Stage.


    His Abyss Magic, which was currently his strongest, was already around the Fifth Stage. His Esper Ability has the power of the Fifth Stage too, as its firepower was just as powerful as his Abyss Magic. As for his Conqueror''s Aura, Alex also knew that its power was also around Fifth Stage, although its specialty lay on mental and soul manipulation.


    As for his Immortal Cultivation and Temperature Control Power, they were still stuck at First Stage of Power.


    Combining all of this together makes Alex approximately a Peak Fifth Stage Being.


    For him to reach this kind of stage in s short amount of time was already impressive. It just shows how much talent he had and the luck that accompanies him.


    But still, his Peak Fifth Stage Power is not enough to let him win against the Savage Sword Giant.


    "Sigh.... If I can just reach the Sixth Stage today, then everything will already be fine." Alex thought to himself as he saw the giant rushing towards them again. "But I cannot just do that easily¡­"


    From what Alex knew, the gulf that exists between a Fifth Stage Being and a Sixth Stage Being was so massive that lots of luck, talent, dedication, comprehension, and time were needed in order to bridge this gulf.


    One can understand this statement clearly between a Dao Domain Practitioner(Fifth Stage) and an Immortal Stage Practitioner(Sixth Stage).


    For a Dao Domain Practitioner to become an Immortal Stage Practitioner, he/she must have the right amount of talent to break through the shackles. Not only that, but the practitioner must also consolidate his/her Dao Domains to create his/her Immortal Soul, which requires both comprehension and luck.


    Time was also needed for this breakthrough, as it will take a long time to build the foundation for the breakthrough. Then there''s the Immortal Tribulations too, which every newly ascended Immortal must resist too.


    All of these factors combined together makes it extremely hard for a Dao Domain Practitioner(Fifth Stage) to become an Immortal Stage Practitioner(Sixth Stage).


    These same difficulties apply on other power systems too, which made the Sixth Stage a benchmark stage in all of the power systems in the Multiverse.


    Of course this means that Alex''s Abyss Magic, Esper Magic, Conqueror''s Aura, and Superhuman Power also have their own bottlenecks from reaching Sixth Stage.


    "Sigh¡­ If I want to fight against this giant evenly, I have to reach Sixth Stage from at least one of my five powers¡­" Alex thought to himself grimly as Alina teleported both of them away again. "But I cannot do that right now since I still don''t have the right foundation, time, resources and comprehension needed for the breakthrough¡­"


    With this worrying realization that he had, Alex could only sigh, as he realized that right now, he can only rely on the help of the TimeMasters.


    "Tsk, I thought I will have a smooth sailing in this world. But as it turns out¡­ My power is still not enough right now!" Alex shouted to himself as his face turned grim.


    "When I faced Annie''s mother¡­ I was powerless to affect her, even when I already used my strongest attacks." Alex thought to himself with irritation as he gritted his teeth. "Of course I can accept my weakness at that time, since that woman was most probably the Great TimeMaster. But for me to run away right now from a giant that has been defeated by TimeMasters before? That''s just not right!"


    As Alex reached this line of thought, the only thing that he could do was clench his fists as his easy-going attitude earlier has now disappeared.


    "Hmph! Once I get through this situation, I will start paving my path to reach the Sixth Stage!" Alex declared to himself as determination appeared on his eyes. "Only when I reach that point that I can assure our victory in this world!"

 Chapter 333 - Inside and Outside

    INSIDE THE GIANT


    "Annie, I''m scared¡­" Kiera mewled out as she pushed her small body closer to Annie.


    Annie, who was wearing an undiscernable expression on her face, only patted her friend''s arm as she replied,


    "Kiera¡­ don''t worry. I think someone will rescue us by this point."


    "B-but how can they rescue us when we are stuck here?" Kiera shot back with panic creeping on her voice. "C-c-can those TimeMasters manage to find us here? How about Big Brother Alex? Will he be able to discover this place? Annie¡­ can we really get out from this dark cave?"


    "Kiera¡­. We can get out of here, definitely." Annie replied as she looked all around her.


    What Annie could see all around her was only inky darkness. There was no light streaming on this place, which made it totally impossible to see anything.


    Annie''s skin however can feel hard ground which seemed to be made up of minerals. There was also some sense of wetness from the ground, making it appear as if it was also constantly wet.


    Sounds of other worried people can be heard nearby, and just like Kiera, all of them sounded scared and panicked at the same time.


    It was only Annie who managed to maintain her cool, although her face was also slightly pale.


    "Kiera, there is a high possibility that we were brought towards a massive place that can hold a lot of people." Annie continued saying as she started to comfort Kiera. "And they did it in a way that made it impossible for the nearby TimeMasters to intervene. "But since this place is large, I am sure Big Brother Alex and Big Sis Alina can find it soon. We¡­ just have to wait"


    Even if Annie cannot see Kiera, the subsequent sigh of relief from Kiera was all too audible for Annie''s ears.


    "Annie, you really are so cool. You can still stay calm even when we''re like this¡­"


    "Don''t talk anymore Kiera. Just focus on calming yourself down." Annie replied quickly as she patted Kiera''s back reassuringly. "Just breathe and focus, ok?"


    "Ok¡­"


    To anyone seeing the interaction between this two, it was hard to believe that both of them were at the same age.


    After all, Annie seemed to be a little too mature especially right now, when she and her friend were suddenly brought at this dark place.


    Kiera on the other hand was the normal kid, who just reacted with the right amount of fear.


    If Alex would see this, he will surely blame this difference on Annie''s lax mother¡­


    "Okay Annie, I think I am fine now¡­" Kiera, who looked like she was about to cry earlier, forcefully wiped her wet eyes as she gripped Annie''s hand tightly.


    "I want to cry right now, but Big Sister Alina told me to not cry in situations like this, so I will not cry!" Kiera declared as she scooted closer to Annie. "I-I will stay here obediently until Big Sis and Big Brother rescues us! Okay! That''s what I will do!"


    "Are you really sure that we should just stay here?" Annie slowly said as she tightened her hold on Kiera''s hand. "How about grandpa? Shouldn''t we look for him?"


    "What do you mean by that Annie?"


    "Kiera, when those crazy people in the restaurant brought us here, we were forcefully separated from grandpa. Since we were at this place, grandpa could most likely be here too."


    "Oh no! Grandpa could be shivering in fear right now!" Kiera exclaimed as suddenly stood up. "W-w-we have to look for him!"


    "Yes, yes. We will look for grandpa. But let''s do it gradually, ok?" Annie replied reassuringly as she stood up too. "Since we are in darkness right now, we just have to take one step at a time, ok?"


    "Ok."


    "And while we are at it, let''s also call grandpa occasionally. Maybe once every 30 seconds. How does that sound?"


    "It''s a good plan Annie! Sigh¡­ You''re really cool! You''re just like Big Brother Alex! You are also smart!


    "Hehehe, mommy just played a lot of pranks on me when I was young, so I had to learn how to be smart¡­"


    "Ah um, sorry about making you recall that Annie."


    "It''s fine. Let''s just start looking for grandpa, ok?"


    "Ok! Hey grandpa! Where are you? We want to see you again!"


    "Kiera, please lower your voice¡­ others might get scared from it."


    "Oops."


    "¡­"


    *********************


    OUTSIDE THE GIANT


    "Alex, the reinforcements are here already." Alina, who was mostly quiet when after she started teleporting herself and Alex, suddenly said these words to her partner.


    "That fast?" Alex''s earlier thoughts on his plan to get stronger were jostled as he heard what Alina just said. "How many TimeMasters did arrive?"


    "More than a thousand." Alina replied as her mouth set itself on a thin line. "They just arrived right now, and they all looked ready to fight the Savage Sword Giant."


    "Good. Now we can just wait for things to escalate in our favor." Alex replied as he sensed that the giant was still rushing towards them relentlessly. "With that many TimeMasters added, they can surely damage the Savage Sword Giant, especially now that it''s attention is focused on us."


    "That giant may look scary, but I totally agree with your prediction Alex." Alina replied as she sheathed her sword back on her katana. "That many TimeMasters surely will be carrying a lot of transacted Time with them. That kind of power¡­ not even that giant can resist that."


    "I agree."


    "Boom!"


    Right after saying these words, Alex suddenly heard booming sounds, as he saw the additional TImeMasters start their own attacks on the giant.


    This time around, larger wounds appeared on the giant''s body and they also healed slower. Even its domineering presence earlier had started to become reduced as its opponents continued their fierce counter-attack.


    "Good luck surviving from an army powered by the very life of this world." Alex muttered to himself as he watched the sudden dominance of the TImeMasters. "If you fought these people before they occupied this world, then you are certainly a danger. But right now, your risks are not that high."


    *******************


    At Alex''s 3-month stay with the TImeMasters, he already learned a thing or two about the TimeMasters themselves.


    One of that included the knowledge about the TimeMasters'' source of power.


    From what Alex had heard and learned from Alina, a TImeMaster basically had two sources of power that fuels all of their abilities.


    The first one is an internal source, which exists inside a TimeMaster''s body.


    This internal source is inherently present inside a TimeMaster, and it contains the essence of Time itself.


    This internal source can be channeled by a TImeMaster to fuel his/her abilities, and it will only stop once its contents are used up. It can recharge itself, although its speed will depend on the level and talent of the TimeMasters.


    Alina, who was just a newbie Chronomancer, relies solely on her internal source to fuel her abilities.


    Luckily for Alina, her internal source seemed to hold large amounts of Time Essence, which makes her more powerful compared to the TimeMasters at the same level as her.


    At one look, the internal source might look normal, which is right. However, just like the other power systems, using the internal source for a TimeMaster''s abilities both have its advantage and disadvantages.


    The advantage of internal sources lies on the fact that they are something that a TimeMaster can use at all times, anytime and anywhere.


    As for the disadvantage, these internal sources can only provide a TimeMaster with enough energy to fuel minimum amount of abilities. That is not a good thing, especially in a world where fighting is an absolute must.


    Fortunately for the TimeMasters, they have a second source of power, which inherently is much more superior compared to their internal source.


    This source was called the external source, which strictly means ''power source outside a TimeMaster''s body''.


    External sources, in the simplest terms, are the Time Essence from other objects or sometimes, even living beings. The amount of Time Essences that can be found on these things will depend on their age. The older an object or a living being is, the higher the Time Essence inside their bodies. Conversely, the younger an object is, the lesser their Time Essence will be.


    With the sheer amount of objects and living beings out there, the amount of Time Essence that can be gathered from them is enormous. That''s what makes external sources look extremely appealing to the TimeMasters.


    As long as the TImeMasters can gather these massive amounts of Time Essences for themselves, they will be able to cast miraculous abilities that require insane amounts of fuel.


    But of course, the TImeMasters cannot just easily use all these free Time Essences as their external source.


    If they want to get it, they must use special methods first.


    These special methods were varied, although there''s one that was popularly used right now.


    This popular method was the practice of forcing living beings to give their own Time Essence to the TimeMasters.


    Granted, this method seems to be difficult to pull off, but there was some that managed to do just that.


    In fact, all the TimeMasters who colonized this world managed to successfully use this method.


    As anyone can recall, after the TimeMasters occupied this world, new sets of rules were established, which forced everyone''s Time to be used as currency in this world.


    This right here, is the way that the TimeMasters in this world has forced living beings to give up their own Time Essences easily.


    The ''Time'' that everyone has to pay for services was actually their very own Time Essences, which the TImeMasters just gobble up and store on their banks as their external sources of power.


    All the business that the TImeMasters had in this world were built with the sole intention of gathering Time Essences from as much people as possible. The more people pays with their Time, the more Time Essences can be obtained from them.


    With the amount of people living in this world, and the amount that were born each day, the Time Essences that they produced gave the TimeMasters so much external power source that even Alex was not sure on how much they already had.


    And right now, Alex could see that the TimeMasters in front of him were about to use some of these ''earned'' Time Essences for their good use.


    "Hmph, so the reason why all the TImeMasters choose to pursue bank or business-related jobs in this world was because they wanted to get as much external power source as possible." Alex thought as he watched the Savage Sword Giant get beat up more and more by the TimeMasters. "Sigh¡­ and this just makes me pity the Immoral Cultivators more¡­ "


    Alex knew that with the way that this world is in right now, the Immortal Cultivators will find it highly impossible to win, especially with the increasing amount of Time Essence gathered by TimeMasters.


    How long has it been since the TImeMasters colonized this world? More than 10, 000 years already! Just seeing that number was enough to show that the TimeMasters were the dominant side in this world.


    But even with that, these Immortal Cultivators still did not stop on making their own moves, as if they do not care about their enemies'' power.


    "Do these Immortals have their own trump cards too?" Alex thought to himself as he saw the giant''s armor get shredded into pieces. "If they do have one, when will they use it? Will they use one right here?"


    Alex seems to have been really jinxed today, as right after he thought of these, the giant, who seemed to be cornered right now, suddenly let out another roar.


    But this time around, this roar was not meant for attack. This roar was actually laughter, which roiled out of the giant''s body.


    "Hahahaha! Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"


    As the giant continued laughing, all the TimeMasters hastily stopped their attacks, in fears that the giant was about to do something radical.


    Fortunately for everyone, the giant did nothing of that. Instead, the giant actually started to talk.


    "Hahaha puny b**ches! So you really ganged up on us, even though we have hostages inside us!" A mocking voice came out of the giant, which made the TimeMasters freeze on their tracks. "Hahaha, I know, I know. One of our hostages is a VIP, which you have to save at all costs. That was why you are attacking us this ferociously!"


    As this giant started to talk, Alex narrowed his eyes as he felt that something bad was about to happen. He was not sure what bad thing will exactly happen, only that he knew that it was about to happen any moment now.


    "Hmph, so the brute actually can speak." One of the TimeMasters said as he sneered at the giant. "Since you can talk, then we can-"


    "Shut your f**king mouth, you sissy." The giant cussed out as he interrupted the talking TimeMaster. "You think we want a negotiation here? Hell no! We are just talking here to let you know that we have won!"


    "You, what do you-"


    "Sayonara, little b**ches!" The giant shouted out as its body suddenly glowed extremely bright.


    Everyone in the area were forces to closed their eyes, including Alex, whose abilities did not manage to help him out.


    "Hahaha! It''s been a fun night!" The giant said as its voice echoed out again. "I hope we can do something like this again next time!"


    "Boom!"


    A massive explosion then covered the whole area, engulfing everyone, including Alex in its vicinity.

 Chapter 334 - Red is for Dread

    As the explosion covered his body, Alex braced himself for the incoming impact.


    But to his surprise and relief, he received no signs of impact at all. Even heat did not touch his body.


    Only a bright glare of light filled the whole area, which persisted to exist for 10 more seconds.


    "Wait¡­" At the moment that Alex realized that the explosion from the giant only released light, his eyes widened as a frightening notion appeared on his mind.


    "Don''t tell me..." Alex''s face contorted to that of a frown as he decided to scan his surroundings with his power.


    At the moment that he did this, a snarl appeared on Alex''s face as his scans showed no signs of the giant at all!


    No matter how far Alex scanned his surroundings, he was still unable to find any signs of the giant''s presence!


    "Motherf***ker!" It was only now that Alex realized that the giant, who had been attacking them with fervor earlier, has now disappeared entirely!


    Needless to say, Alex was definitely pissed with that just happened.


    "So that''s why that giant made itself ''explode'' earlier. That was just a ruse so that it can escape." Alex thought to himself angrily as he slowly opened his eyes.


    Right now, the light from the giant''s explosion was already gone, leaving only Alex, Alina, and the TimeMasters standing around an empty area.


    It was at that area where the giant should have been right now.


    Alina, who was still squinting from the effects of the light explosion, let out an angry growl as she also noticed what happened.


    "Alex¡­ the giant¡­ it''s gone already!" Alina said as she gave Alex a worried look. "Was the explosion only a distraction so that it can escape?"


    "Yes, that is what I am thinking." Alex replied as he tried to keep his voice even. "Ugh, those f**kers! They even managed to trick me!"


    "Yes, they tricked us¡­."Alina replied listlessly as she let out a sigh.


    "¡­"


    Earlier, Alex thought that these rebels just summoned that giant to create chaos and fight against the TimeMasters.


    But now, Alex realized that there is a high chance that the goal of the rebels was not to fight the TimeMasters!. After all, if fighting was their goal, then this giant should have continued fighting to the death with these TImeMasters.


    But instead, this giant actually used some kind of power to leave the area.


    And when the giant escaped, all the people that it kept inside its body were also brought away by it!


    "F**k, looking at it on this angle, it makes it obvious that those rebels summoned that giant in order to kidnap someone." Alex muttered as the TimeMasters nearby began to look visibly panicked. "And if my suspicions were right, that person that they wanted to kidnap was¡­"


    "Annie." Alina supplemented Alex''s words as her face turned grim. "It all fits here. The time when this giant appeared was after Annie''s mother left. Not only that, but it also took Annie inside its body. Combine those two facts with Annie''s status, and it makes it obvious that she was the target here."


    "F**k! And here I thought these TImeMasters are useful!" Alex growled in anger as he clenched his fists. "The only reason that I allowed Annie, Kiera and that old man to roam around was because I felt these TImeMasters can keep them safe. But as it turns out, they were outplayed too!"


    "¡­" Alina have no reply to that, as she seemed to be agreeing with Alex.


    "F**k¡­"


    When Annie, Kiera and her grandpa decided to leave earlier, Alex decided to let them be, since he knew that Annie''s status will protect them three.


    After all, Annie was the daughter of the Great TimeMaster. It''s already a given that all TimeMasters will strike to keep her safe.


    That''s why Alex thought that even if some kind of rebel group attacked Annie, the TimeMasters nearby will be able to keep them safe.


    But that''s not what happened right now!


    "Alex, you cannot blame yourself. After all, the rebels seemed to have planned all of this already." Alina hesitantly said as she tried to calm Alex down. "If you observed the giant earlier, you will see that all of its movements are actually planned. Even its taunts to the TimeMasters, and the timing of its escape are all perfectly maneuvered¡­ "


    "¡­" Alex did not say anything in reply, as he only let Alina continue talking.


    "Alex, Annie''s kidnapping was obviously planned." Alina muttered as she observed Alex''s face.


    "Of course it''s planned. That''s the only way they can pull this stunt off." Alex said with displeasure on his voice.


    "With the way that they executed their plan earlier, there is a high chance that they had been waiting for an opportunity to kidnap Annie for a very long time." Alina said as she sheathed her katana. "I do not know what is the opportunity that they are looking for, but it seems like they have found it this time."


    "Tsk, so I was just unlucky that their chance to commence their plan coincided with my presence? This sucks¡­" Alex said as he placed a palm on his forehead.


    By this point, all the TimeMasters seemed to have realized the reality that Annie was already taken away by the giant.


    Shouts of anger and blame echoed all around the area, covering Alex and Annie within it.


    "Sigh, this mission not going the way I want it to go." Alex muttered as he ignored the shouts by the TimMasters around him.


    Alina only nodded grimly as she agreed with him.


    "So¡­ what should we do now?" Alina hesitantly asked Alex as she observed his mood. "Should we give chase¡­ or should we accelerate our plan?"


    "With the situation that we are in, the only thing that we can do is to accelerate our plan." Alex replied as he pulled out a strand of hair in his pocket.


    Alex''s mood seems to be back to normal, although he still failed to hide his smoldering eyes.


    "Alex, that strand¡­"


    "Hmph, I should only use this message in an emergency, and unfortunately for us, we are in an emergency right now." Alex muttered as he poured some of his power to the hair strand on his hand.


    "Hong~"


    The hair strand suddenly glowed, bathing Alex and Alina with the light emanating out from it.


    But instead of a golden light like earlier, the hair strand on Alex''s hand was now letting out a blood-red glow.


    Alina gulped as she saw this glow, as if she could feel the anger and bloodshed emanating from it.


    "Hmph, I just hope that dumb fairy did not lose her own strand." Alex said as he stared at the blood-red strand impassively. "If she lost it¡­ I don''t know what I can do to her.


    "¡­Yeah, let''s hope that will not happen." Alina muttered as Asteria''s face flashed inside her mind. "Although knowing that fairy, she could really have lost it."


    "¡­"


    ****************


    TRASH PREFECTURE


    "Huff, huff, huff."


    Inside a wooden room, repetitive sounds of groaning can be heard, which sounded like a person who was grunting in agony.


    "Huff huff huff."


    As time went on, these sounds of groaning continued to echo out, along with a damp, musky smell.


    By this point, it was already hard to imagine what can induce this kind of sounds and smell.


    Fortunately, the door''s room was open, allowing any outsider to see what was inside it.


    At the middle of the room, a green-skinned woman can be seen laying on her back.


    Her whole body was glistening with sweat and her face seemed to be contorted in discomfort.


    Her whole chest was heaving up and down, as if she was having difficulty breathing.


    Groans and grunts were coming out of her mouth, which paired with her sweaty body, presents a somewhat enticing sight.


    "Huff huff huff."


    Why was this woman sweaty and grunting repetitively? Well it was because of what she was doing there.


    "Huff huff huff."


    The green woman''s arms were raised above her body, moving in an up-down motion.


    To anyone seeing this, they will realize that this green woman was actually doing bench presses right now.


    But instead of holding a barbell with her hands, this green woman was using a different weighted object.


    Placed above her hands was a book, which seemed to look like a normal book.


    But from the way that the woman moved this book, it seemed to be exerting a great pressure on her.


    "Huff huff huff."


    Yes, this woman was doing bench presses using a book, and she seemed to be having difficutly on moving it.


    The woman could only barely raise the book away from her chest, and her face seemed to shout in agony as she lowered the book.


    This cycle of agonizing bench press just repeated itself, as the woman did not give up at all.


    "Huff huff huff."


    Aside from this green woman, there was another woman inside the room.


    Just like the green woman, the second woman was also holding a book, although she was using it in the right way.


    The second woman was reading her book, although the way that she read it was enough to creep anyone out.


    Instead of using only her eyes, there was 10 more pairs of eyes floating around the second woman''s head, which were all staring intently at the book that she held.


    The empty, soulless gazes from these floating eyes, coupled with the second woman''s eerily still pose, can be considered to be a stuff of nightmares.


    "Oi Queen Mother, why are you bench pressing with that Tome?" Out of nowhere, the second woman started to talk as her ''eyes'' swiveled on the bench pressing woman. "You look like you are wasting yout time there."


    The bench pressing woman, who turned out to be Queen Mother, let out another grunt as she gave a reply. "I-huff am-huff building-huff my-huff strength-huff with-huff this-huff- tome-huff."


    "Yeah, yeah, don''t speak anymore. You look like you were about to die." The second woman said as she placed back her attention on her book. "So that Tome was really that heavy? No wonder that Tome has Strength named in it."


    "Don''t-huff bother-huff me-huff now-huff Frances-huff." Queen Mother said as her sweat increased. "I-huff need-huff to-huff finish-huff 1000-huff sets-huff today-huff!"


    "Well good luck with that." The second woman, who turns out to be Professor Frances, replied as she stopped watching Queen Mother. "I wish you can still move later. After all, we still have to observe those rebels."


    "Argh¡­. Those-huff people-huff again-huff? Argh¡­" Queen Mother groaned out as despair appeared on her face. "Can-huff you-huff be-huff the-huff one-huu to-huff talk-huff to-huff them-huff? I''m-huff tired-huff¡­"


    "Poor you, maybe I can let you wiggle out of thi-"


    "Hey! Did you see my hair strand!" The Professor''s reply was cut off when suddenly, Asteria came bounding in with her irritating voice. "I can''t see my hair strand since earlier! Did you see it?"


    "Your hair strand? The one that you used to talk to Alex?" Professor Frances asked the fairy as exasperation appeared on the former''s face. "You lost that one?"


    "H-hey! Don''t blame me! I just forgot where I placed it!" Asteria replied defensively as she crossed her arms.


    "Don''t blame you? B**ch, that''s our only line of communication with Alex!" The professor snarled as all of her ''eyes'' glared at the dumb fairy with malevolence. "So what if you forgot where you placed it? You still lost it!"


    "Okay! It''s my fault now! Can we start looking for it then?" Asteria replied as she pulled her blond hair angrily. "If we don''t look for it, it might get swept away!"


    "Sigh¡­. You''re really a dumb fairy." The professor said as she stood up from her seat.


    "S-stop mocking me okay? Let''s just look for it!"


    "Fine fine." The professor said as she let out a sigh. She then looked at Queen Mother, who was still doing her bench presses. "I''ll be the one who will help you out. As for Queen Mother¡­ let her do her thing."


    "Great! Now then, let''s go wandering!" Asteria cheerfully said as she sat down on the professor''s head. "Onwards my steed!"


    "Dumb b**ch" The professor muttered to herself as she shook her head.


    She resisted the urge to slap Asteria away as she decided to focus on looking for the missing hair strand.


    "Skroom!"


    The professor''s body trembled for a second as she cranked up all of her senses to the max.


    Now, the professor''s super enhances senses will allow her to sense even the most minute of the biological particles nearby.


    With this, the professor was confident that she can easily find the missing strand.


    But before the professor can even use her max sense, she was forced to stop moving as her vision was overwhelmed by a blood red glow.


    "What the hell?"


    This glow came out of Asteria''s body, who froze for a second.


    "Oh¡­"


    After she stared at her glowing body for a second, Asteria suddenly let out a whoop of laughter as she jumped off the professor''s head.


    "Oh! So the strand was inside my pocket along. Hehehe¡­ I forgot to look there earlier¡­" Asteria sheepishly said as she pulled out a hair strand from her pocket, which was now letting out a blood-red glow.


    "¡­"


    The professor resisted the urge to admonish Asteria''s airheadedness as her attention was more focused on the glowing strand.


    "Oi you fairy.. since that strand was glowing right now, does it mean that Alex has a message for us?" The professor asked as she felt entranced by the red glow. "If he really has a message, then what does he want us to do?"


    "Oh? The message? Well, it''s just a simple one." Asteria replied as she played with the hair strand. "This strand can glow in different colors, with each color having their own meaning. Blue is for ''stop the plan''. Green is for ''Pick up the pace''. As for red¡­"


    "Go on."


    "As for red, it means: ''Everything is f**ked up already, so finish creating the army in the shortest amount of time''¡­" Asteria said as Professor Frances let out a weary sigh. "So if I were you, you should get going to the rebels already! You never know, Alex and Alina might be needing our help right now!"


    "Wow. Just wow." That was all the professor could say as she started running towards the houses of the rebels. "I should have expected something like this to happen¡­"

 Chapter 335 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student Part 6

    [[[30 MINUTES LATER]]]


    [Asteria]: Thank goodness you three shut your mouths already. Now, please don''t talk until I told you so, okay?


    [Ex]: Mhm mmm.


    [Cali]: Nhn nnn


    [Bur]: Fhf fff


    [Kibou]: Ki Ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Don''t complain if I wanted you to stay quiet Kibou. You''re not even tellingl me important stuff right now.


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki ki! Ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Yeah, yeah, your story about Derek and that sneaky Celeste is an important stuff. But after that? You just gave me undecipherable words. I mean¡­ what the hell is a transceiver? Do you expect me to understand it? And you actually want me to make it! How did you even get to think of that?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: Hmph, if you want to talk to me properly, please speak in an understandable way.


    [Kibou]: Ki..


    [Ex]¡­


    [Cali]: ¡­


    [Bur]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Okay, let''s go and continue our journey!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [[[Asteria and her ''lackeys'' then continued their downward journey. A few minutes later, they suddenly stopped as they saw a massive stone gate blocking their way.]]]


    [Asteria]: Huh? Why is this gate here? Shouldn''t it be near the top floor?


    [[[The stone gate is closed shut right now, making it impossible for Asteria to sneak in. Aside from this, there was also a face engraved at the left side of the stone gate. The eyes of this face was closed, as if it was currently slumbering. However, at the moment that Asteria and her lackeys came closer to the stone gate, the face''s eyes suddenly went wide open.]]]


    [Stone Face]: Who dares intrude my domain?


    [Asteria]: Hey¡­ Stone Face. We are not actually here to intrude your domain. We just want to go down to the teleportation formation¡­ You can let us pass, right?


    [Stone Face]: None of you shall pass! No matter what are your intentions right now, passing through me means that you intruding in my domain!


    [Astera]: Hey! I just said we are only focused on going down! We are not interested in your stupid domain!


    [Stone Face]: If it were before, I would have killed you all already for your insolence. But since I am a righteous guardian, I shall allow you to pass through my gate. However, you need to pass a trial of mine first!


    [Asteria]: Motherf**ker! The whole place is in ruins already! There''s no need for you to do this! Please¡­ just let us pass through!


    [Stone Face]: Hmm¡­ so there''s 5 of you right now. Good good. Let''s just wait for 1 more person, and I can give you the trial already. So sit back there and wait for your 6th teammate.


    [Asteria]: 6th teammate my ass! You should not even be here! You are supposed to be guarding the maze that is on the top floor! You are supposed to be giving your trials there and not here!


    [Stone Face]: I don''t need to know where I am. As long as I see anyone attempting to pass through my gate, they have to accept my trial first. Such is my duty in this institution.


    [Asteria]: Argh! You are one retarded stone head! Why did I even give you some candies before if you will just do this to me? Ungrateful bastard!


    [Stone Face]: Vent all you want, Miss Asteria. If you don''t pass my trial, you won''t be able to go to the teleportation formation.


    [Asteria]: Do you want us to die?


    [Stone Face]: Dying is a phenomenon that none of us can fight against. If you will die today, you will die today. That''s all that there is to it. So what I want from you doesn''t matter anymore. If you are all fated to die, then even with my help, you will still die.


    [Asteria]: Hmph, you''re trying to sound mysterious again. Kibou, let''s try to find an alternate route. We can''t stay close with this stone geezer. He''s just wasting our time.


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: Ex, Cali, and Bur. Don''t try talking to stone face. He will just try to eat you like before.


    [Ex]: !!!


    [Cali]: !!!


    [Bur]: !!!


    [Stone Face]: You''re all leaving already? Well, good luck finding an alternate route. From what I know, this is the only place that you can pass through.


    [Asteria]: Huh?


    [Stone Face]: Every other possible path in this room has been destroyed by the fighting above. It was only this path that was still intact.


    [Asteria]: Wait¡­ that can''t be true. K-Kibou! Scan our surronudings quick! Try to look for a possible route!


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki¡­.. Ki¡­ Ki¡­ Ki? Ki ki! Ki ki ki ki! Ki!


    [Asteria]: What? Kibou, are you saying that there are really no possible routes aside from Stone Face?


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: F**k¡­.


    [Stone Face]: Language, Miss Asteria. I don''t like foul words like that tainting my ears.


    [Asteria]: Urgh¡­ If I can only kill you, I would have already done so! Argh, why do you have to block the only passable path here? Are you really tormenting all of us guides?


    [Stone Face]: I have no such intention, Miss Asteria. Someone placed me in here, for reasons that I do not know.


    [Asteria]: ¡­You know what? I will just ask about hat person later. For now, I will focus on your trial first! We need to pass that trial if we want to get through right? Now give us the trial already!


    [Stone Face]: I cannot, since your group is only composed of 5 beings. If you want the trial to commence, you have to wait for another being to join you.


    [Asteria]: Argh! Why are all of you so stupid? I can''t take this anymore!


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Asteria]: Yes, you are stupid too! Just in emotional terms, okay?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Asteria]: F**k¡­ since you are the only way that we can proceed, we have no choice now but to wait. F**k... whoever is there yet, please hurry the f**k up and go here!


    [Stone Face]: Language, Miss Asteria.


    [Asteria]: Shut up! Just focus on preparing your trial! Dumb stone¡­.


    [Stone Face]: ¡­.


    [[[With the conditions given by Stone Face, Asteria and her lackeys were left with no choice but to wait for the 6th being to appear here. Fortunately for them, after a few minutes of waiting, someone did arrive near them. However, this person was someone that Kibou, Ex, Cali, and Bur were dreading to meet right now.


    [Celeste]: Hey Asteria! So you were here too! Yay! We can work together now! Can I join your group?


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Celeste]: Ummm¡­ Asteria, why are you staring at me like that?


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Celeste]: H-hey Asteria, you are scaring me right now¡­ Please stop staring at me! [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Celeste]: H-h-hey! Why are you like that! Please stop?


    [Asteria]: Celeste, how did Derek''s abs taste like? Was it good?


    [Celeste]: D-derek''s abs? What are you talking about Asteria?


    [Asteria]: Hoho, so you''re denying it? So you did not spill tea on his abs and slurp it with your tongue? You did not do that?


    [Celeste]: Ah um¡­


    [Asteria]: What? You can''t explain yourself right? Hmph, don''t try denying it anymore. Kibou saw everything that you two did!


    [Celeste]: Kibou did?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Asteria]: Yes he did! So you don''t have to explain anything!


    [Celeste]: ¡­Oh.


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Celeste]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: B**ch, I told you that Derek is my type. And yet you did that with him? And it''s at your room no less! How shameless can you be?


    [Celeste]: H-hey! So what if I did that? Derek is not in a relationship with you! He can do what he wants with his yummy abs! So what if he wanted me to lick it huh? What can you do about it?


    [Asteria]: ¡­Y-you dare say that words to me? You really want a beating!


    [[[Before anyone could stop her, Asteria suddenly rushed towards Celeste, with her arms waving around frantically. With one look, it was obvious that a fight was about to happen. But before this fight could start, a fearsome sealing power appeared out of nowhere, which stopped Asteria and Celeste from moving.]]]


    [Asteria]: Huh? Did you just seal me Stone Face? Let me move! I want to fight it out with that woman!


    [Stone Face]: Once a 6-man team has been formed for my trial, its members are not allowed to hurt or attack each other. Anyone who attempts to do so will be stopped by yours truly.


    [Asteria]: Not allowed to attack? 6-man team? But we only have 5 members¡­ Wait, don''t tell me that Celeste is my teammate now?


    [Stone Face]: That''s exactly right, Miss Asteria. Since Miss Celeste is the 6th person to arrive here, she''s automatically the 6th member of your team. Congratulations Miss Asteria. You can now accept my trial!


    [Asteria]: Argh! I don''t f**king care about your trial! Let me move! I have to assert my dominance over Celeste!


    [Stone Face]: Miss Asteria, please stop struggling now. You will just make it worse for you.


    [Asteria]: Shut up stone face! Let me do what I want to do!


    [Stone Face]: No can do, Miss Asteria.


    [Asteria]: I. SAID. LET. ME. MOVE!!!


    [[[All of a sudden, Asteria''s body let out a resplendent golden glow, which covered the whole area. This glow seemed to be full of majestic might, which forced everyone who saw it to prostrate. Only Stone Face seemed to be unaffected by this, as his face was showing only curiosity.]]]


    [Stone Face]: Miss Asteria, this is your third warning. Please stop using your heirloom power here. If you don''t, I will be forced to take drastic actions.


    [Asteria]: Then do it you little f**ker! Let''s see if you can do something against something that father left for me! Hahaha! Come and approach me th-"


    [[[Asteria''s words were cut off as her golden glow disappeared, with her body suddenly crashing to the ground. ]]]


    [Kibou]: Ki!!!


    [Ex]: Oh no!


    [Cali]: Ah!


    [Bur]: Oh god!


    [[Luckily for Asteria, her body was caught by Kibou, who held on her limp body tightly. Stone Face, who watched what happened with an impassive face, let out an angry growl]]]


    [Stone Face]: For failing to listen to my commands, Miss Asteria has been punished to sleep for 1 hour. She will only wake after that time limit is up. Nothing can wake her up, unless I willed it so


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki!


    [Stone Face]: Stop complaining, Mr Kibou, and those three guards. This is her punishment for being hard-headed. I hope she will get to learn something from it. As for you, Miss Celeste, I hope you are okay now.


    [Celeste]: Umm.. I''m definitely okay now, Stone Face. Umm.. thank you for your help.


    [Stone Face]: I just did my job that is all.


    [Celeste]: Um¡­ so now that Asteria is unconscious, do we still have to accept your trial, or do we have to wait for a new 6th member?


    [Stone Face]: Miss Celeste, even though Miss Asteria is unconscious right now, she''s still alive, which means that she''s still a part of your team. Since your team is still complete, the trial will commence as planned.


    [Celeste]: What? But Asteria is asleep now! Can we still do the trial with Asteria like this?


    [Stone Face]: Miss Celeste, I don''t know the answer to that. It will all depend on your luck and talent.


    [Celeste]: Hey!


    [Stone Face]: I wish you 6 luck for the trial. Don''t worry, this won''t be difficult.

 Chapter 336 - Hook

    "Now, all that we need to do is wait." Alex muttered as he hid the hair strand back on his pocket.


    "Wait for what?"


    "We wait for the message from the rebels" Alex replied after hearing Alina''s question.


    "Alex, you think those rebels will actually give a message at this point?"


    "Alina, if their only goal was to take Annie away, that means that they were aiming to use her for something." Alex replied as he cracked his knuckles. "Since she was kidnapped, of course those rebels will ask for a ransom."


    "Oh. So you think those rebels will demand a ransom right now."


    "Yes. The earlier they demand the ransom, the better it will be for the rebels, since it shows that they have a grasp in the situation." Alex said as he observed the still panicking TimeMasters. "Any second now¡­"


    "¡­"


    Alina stood quietly behind Alex, as she waited for this ''message'' that Alex was talking about.


    Sure enough, just a few minutes after the giant disappeared, a small metallic box suddenly manifested around the area where the giant should have been.


    This metallic box was emanating a malicious aura, which made the TImeMasters raise their guard.


    Even Alex, who was the farthest away from the box, could not help but frown as he felt threatened by the box.


    [HELLO THERE, PARASITES]


    Out of nowhere, a deep, rumbling voice came out of the box, which made everyone nearby wince as they clutched their ears.


    This voice seemed to be laced with some kind of power, as Alex felt a grating sensation in his ears right now.


    He immediately used his power to dispel this sensation, helping him recover his clarity.


    The TimeMasters however shook their heads repeatedly, as they seemed to be unable to remove this painful sensation.


    [HAHAHA, YOUR EARS HURT, DOESN''T IT? CONSIDER THAT AS OUR GIFT FOR YOU ALL.] The voice from the box said leisurely, as if it was enjoying what was happening to the TimeMasters right now.


    "You! Stop these blasphemous actions!" One of the TImeMasters bellowed as he pointed his finger at the metal box. "First, you kidnap our Young Mistress, and now you dare do this to us? It seems like you don''t know your position in this world!"


    [POSTION? PFFT, YOU DARE SAY THOSE THINGS TO US?] The voice from the box suddenly let out an enraged tone, as if what the TimeMaster said had triggered something in hit. [YOU PARASITES INVADED THIS WORLD AND USED ITS RESOURCES FOR YOURSELVES! YOU ARE THE LEECHES WHO ARE SLOWLY BRINGING THIS WORLD INTO OBIVION! YOU ARE THE ONES THAT TAINT THIS WORLD! YOU DO ALL THAT, YOU STILL LOOK DOWN ON US? WOW, THIS HYPOCRISY JUST MAKES US SO SPEECHLESS¡­]


    "S-shut your mouth!" The TimeMaster hurriedly replied as his face flushed. "We are not here to talk about your group''s philosophy!"


    [OH YES, WE ARE NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT THAT. WE ARE HERE TO GIVE OUR DEMANDS.]


    "D-demands?"


    [HAH? WHY DO YOU SOUND LIKE THAT? DID YOU FORGET THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOW HOLDING YOUR YOUNG MISTRESS CAPTIVE?] The voice in the box cheerfully said as the box shook a little. [WAIT¡­ DID YOU ACTUALLY THINK THAT WE WILL JUST RETURN YOUR YOUNG MISTRESS AFTER ALL THE EFFORTS THAT WE USED JUST TO OBTAIN HER? HAH, YOU TIMEMASTERS REALLY ARE JUST STUCK-UP PRIVILEGED PEOPLE!]


    "You!"


    [WE ARE HERE TO DISCUSS THE TERMS FOR THE FREEDOM OF YOUR YOUNG MISTRESS¡­] The voice in the box said as its tone suddenly shifted to a formal one. [FRANKLY SPEAKING, WE ARE TEMPTED TO JUSST KILL THIS EVIL SPAWN RIGHT NOW. BUT WE HAVE BETTER USES FOR HER. OF COURSE ONE OF THOSE WILL BE TO HUMILIATE YOU TIMEMASTERS!]


    "¡­You may be a filthy Immortal, but you seem to be an honorable negotiator. Speak your terms then." The TimeMaster said as his face contorted in humiliation in anger.


    It was quite obvious that this TimeMaster was extremely pissed right now, but he seemed to be holding his anger in for the sake of Annie.


    [HMMMM¡­ WHAT WILL BE OUR TERMS AGAIN? WAIT A SECOND¡­.]


    "¡­"


    [OH RIGHT, HERE ARE OUR TERMS!]


    "Tremble¡­" After saying these words, the box''s shakings started to increase as its body started to disintegrate. Some parts of its body started to disappear, with the box''s body slowly shrinking in front of everyone''s eyes.


    From the looks of it, this box can only for a few more seconds before it disappears entirely.


    [7 DAYS FROM NOW, WE WILL BE HOLDING A RITUAL WITH YOUR YOUNG MISTRESS AS ITS MAIN COMPONENT.] The voice in the box said, making the TimeMasters who heard it let out gasps of surprise. [WE WILL NOT TELL YOU THE RITUAL OF COURSE, BUT WE CAN ASSURE YOU THAT YOUR MISTRESS WILL BE IN AN ''EXTREMELY BAD SHAPE'' AFTER THIS RITUAL]


    "H-hey! Where are the terms that you promised to say!"


    [IF YOU DON''T DO ANYTHING, OUR RITUAL WILL SUCCEED, AND YOUR YOUNG MISTRESS WILL BE USED AS A FODDER.] the voice in the box said, as it seemed to ignore the TImeMaster''s complaint. [SO IF YOU WANT TO SAVE YOUR YOUNG MISTRESS, THEN DO YOU BEST TO FIND HER! HAHAHAHA! GOOD LUCK FIDING US!]


    "Hey!"


    [HAHAHAHA! GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS! DOWN TO THE PARASITES!]


    "Boom"


    The box then exploded in a tiny puff of flames, with the crazed laughter from the box continuing to echo out to everyone.


    [HAHAHAHA! HAHAHA! HAHAHAHA!]


    "¡­" As the smoke from the tiny explosion faded away, the TimeMaster''s pale faces all turned paler as they realized what was actually happening.


    "Those rebels sure are vicious." Alina muttered behind Alex as she observed the TimeMasters around her. "They did not ask for any kind of ransom. Instead, they taunted the TimeMasters by saying that they will use Annie for some kind of ritual. Alex¡­ these guys must have hated the TimeMasters a lot."


    "That could be the case. But there is a chance that this message is also a trap by these rebels." Alex replied as his eyes only narrowed further. "Why would these rebels even flaunt about their planned ritual? Even if it''s for their ego, it doesn''t make sense! By doing this, they are putting their ritual in the danger of being aborted!"


    "Alex, are you saying that these rebels wanted the TImeMasters to look for the location of the ritual?"


    "I am not sure Alina. But I am sure that these rebels has something else planned beside this ritual." Alex replied as he closed his eyes. "And the only way that we can uncover this plan is when those rebels decide to use it."


    "¡­"


    After Alex said these words, Alina turned silent, as she looked down while nibbling her teeth. She seemed to be mulling on something, which made her like this.


    "¡­Alex, the situation in this world is getting more and more complicated." Alina said to Alex as she gave him a worried look. "Are you sure that we will not get swept away by all of this? Are you sure that we can still be the dominant side here?"


    "We will never know the answer to that Alina, unless we make our moves." Alex replied confidently as he clasped Alina''s shoulders. "If we will just stay indecisive and doubt ourselves, we will never have the chance to succeed. As such, all that we can do now is to move forward, regardless of what is happening."


    "So you want us to sail through the storm, instead of just letting it settle?"


    "Exactly."


    "¡­We must better prepare our sails then."


    "Indeed."


    "We must also chart our courses properly from now on."


    "¡­You''re getting to caught up with your metaphor, Alina."


    "Sorry about that, captain."


    "Sigh¡­ I can see that you get my point already." Alex said as he shook his head. "Now, we just have to strengthen ourselves while we wait for the right moment to make our move."


    "Right." Alina said as she nodded her head. "Since Annie will be used for a ritual, there is no doubt that she is still alive now. As for Kiera and her grandpa¡­"


    "Those two will also be safe. I gave them numerous Inscripted Symbols to defend themselves.'' Alex said as the silhouette of a stylus appeared on his hand. "As long as there is no extremely powerful cultivator who makes a move on Kiera, I am sure that she will be safe."


    "Right. And besides, Annie will also use her status to protect Kiera and the old man." Alina added as she gripped her katana handle tightly.


    "Well, as long as those rebels are not crazy, nothing bad will really happen to them¡­" Alex muttered as he noticed some of the TimeMasters slowly flying towards him. "Well, Alina, I guess it''s time for us to face the wrath of our friends."


    "¡­Alex, are you saying that these TimeMasters will blame us for what happened here?" Alina asked as she also saw the approaching TimeMasters. "Surely they will not be that irrational, right?"


    "Well, I think that the reason that these TimeMasters were kind to us before was because they knew that the Great TimeMaster wanted to hire me as a babysitter." Alex said hollowly as he shook his head. "They seem to value Annie a lot, just like what you can see here."


    "Oh." Alina''s face then turned strained as she realized what Alex was talking about. "They were treating you nicely before because of Annie. But now that Annie has been kidnapped, and it even happened right under your nose, there is no way that the TImeMasters will just let you be off."


    "Exactly." Alex said as he let out a sigh. He then looked up at the TImeMasters, as he sensed their emotions.


    "Hmm.. They seem to be holding their anger in, although I can sense that all of them are pissed at me." Alex said to Alina as he scooted closer to her.


    "¡­That''s not a good sign, Alex." Alina replied as she assumed a defensive pose.


    "Don''t worry, these people will not attack us, I think." Alex said as he tried to calm Alina down. "After all, we are still their guests¡­"


    "Ehem." The TimeMaster who was the one speaking to the box earlier, suddenly opened his mouth as he started speaking to Alex.


    "Mr. Alex, we are disappointed with your actions." The TimeMasterr said with an aggrieved expression on his face. "You were tasked to keep our Young Mistress safe, yet you failed to keep her from danger today! How disappointing of you!"


    "Hmph, don''t try to shift the blame on me." Alex said as he seemed unfazed with the TimeMaster''s admonishment. "Do you actually expect me to win against that thing earlier? Wow, for your information, I am a babysitter, not a powerful fighter!"


    "But I am actually a powerful fighter." Alex thought as he saw the TimeMaster''s pale face turn red.


    "I-insolence! You really dare question us?"


    "Why wouldn''t I? Did I actually do something wrong here?"


    "You¡­"


    "Hmph, it seems like you know it too. It''s not only my fault. It''s also the fault of all of you." Alex mercilessly said as his eyes scanned the crowd around him. "


    "Hey! Shut your mouth right no-"


    "Do you think that we can really save your Young Mistress by pointing fingers around here?" Alex said as he forcefully interrupted the TimeMaster. "Instead of just standing here pinning blame everywhere, why don''t we just move our asses to save the Young Mistress? How about that?"


    "¡­"


    "Bullseye, Alex." Alina muttered as she seemed delighted by the uneasy reaction of the crowd. "You got them your hook¡­"

 Chapter 337 - Rejected!!!

    "¡­I thought you had them convinced earlier." Alina, whose face seemed to be full of weariness, said as she stared at Alex, who was sitting beside her.


    "Hey, I just tried to alleviate the stiuaiton." Alex replied defensively. "And for a second, I thought it worked."


    "Yes, we thought it worked." Alina replied as she shook her head. "But¡­"


    "But instead of letting us roam around freely, those guys put us in house arrest." Alex said as he looked around him.


    "At least it was just a house arrest." Alina muttered as she let out a sigh. "If they decided to kill us earlier, bloodshed will surely occur."


    "¡­"


    Right now, Alex and Alina were back at their house, as they were ''judged'' by the TimeMasters to be unfit to help them out.


    Instead of letting Alex and Alina join them, the TImeMasters had elected to just keep Alex and Alina trapped inside their house.


    Of course, Alex can try to resist against this decision, but he did not do it, as he just allowed it to happen.


    "Alex¡­ are you really fine with these people pushing us around?" Alina asked Alex as she glared at him.


    Alina seemed to be a little unsatisfied with Alex''s attitude, and her face made it quite obvious that she was having seconds thoughts about their current status as ''house prisoners''.


    "¡­" Although Alex felt wronged as he saw Alina''s glare, he kept his mouth closed as he did not reply to her question.


    "Even if we know that Kiera, Annie, and the old man are most likely unharmed, we still should do something to look for them." Alina continued saying as Alex did not say anything to her. "Do you think we can look for them while we are in house arrest? Do you think we can save them if you just let those TImeMasters roll over you easily?"


    "Alina, even if we can find Kiera and Annie, do you think we have a chance to save them now?" Alex replied as he suddenly let out a sigh. "You should have seen that giant earlier. Just that giant alone made it hard for us to rescue Annie and Kiera."


    "¡­"


    "And do you really think that a rebel group who obviously planned this operation for a very long time will only have that giant as their weapon?" Alex continued talking as he pressed on with his words. "Hmph, of course they will have other weapons and items prepared for their plan on Annie!"


    "¡­"


    "If we attempt to look for Annie and Kiera right now, we won''t be able to do anything useful." Alex said as he shook his head. "With our current power level, it will be hard for us to make an impact. Even the TImeMasters will have a hard time saving them. But that will all depend if we can even find Kiera and Annie. From the way those rebels talked earlier, they made it quite clear that they were confident on hiding Annie until the day of the ritual¡­"


    "¡­So Alex, you just accepted the fact that we can''t do anything right now."


    "Exactly." Alex replied as he nodded his head.


    "¡­''


    Although Alex''s words were certainly heavy, his words seemed to be laced with cheerfulness, which was a stark contrast on their current situation.


    He was even smiling, which made Alina furrow her eyes in confusion.


    "Alex¡­ why do you still sound cheerful with all of these happening?" Alina could not help but ask this question as she saw Alex''s somewhat odd smile. "Don''t tell me you have planned something else right now?"


    "Heh, of course I have a plan right now." Alex replied confidently as he took a deep breath.


    Alina just blinked her eyes as she waited for Alex to continue his answer.


    "Whooo¡­"


    After staying still for a few seconds, Alex forcefully exhaled all of this inhaled air as he said,


    "Since our power is not yet enough, we should find a way to strengthen ourselves during this house arrest." Alex said as he straightened his body.


    "Strengthen ourselves?"


    "While the TImeMasters will do their best to look for Annie, Kiera, and the old man, we will use our time here to increase our power." Alex slowly said as his eyes let out a sly glint. "We can use any method that we can use for this one-week period, as long as it will increase our power. And while we do all that, Queen Mother and Professor Frances will be rapidly building our army, which will also be a great asset for our mission¡­"


    This is the best thing that Alex can hope to do right now.


    Since the TImeMasters are keeping them here, then Alex and Alina will just have to use these free time to strengthen themselves, while the TImeMasters will do the job of looking for Annie and the others.


    And just like what Alex mentioned, Queen Mother and Asteria will have their needed time to raise their army, which will just make their team''s power standing in this world higher.


    No matter which way one looked at this, it''s a definitely win-win situation for Alex and his Companions!


    "Alex! As expected, you really thought this through..." Alina replied as she let out wry smile. "But are you confident that we can reach a level of power that we need in just 7 days?"


    "Well, it depends on what we plan to do." Alex replied as he took a deep breath again. "Should we strengthen our weak powers, or should we strive to make a breakthrough with our stronger powers?"


    "If we focus on strengthening our weak powers, we can certainly make some progress with them, although its benefits could not be enough for us." Alina said as she cupped her chin. "For example¡­. Even if you manage to strengthen your Temperature Control during these 7 days, we are not sure if that can really help you out..."


    "On the other hand, making a breakthrough with our stronger powers will surely be a great boost to us¡­" Alex muttered as he weary smile appeared on his face. "But can we really make a breakthrough with our stronger powers in just 7 days? Can I make my Abyss Magic, Mental Energy, or my Conqueror''s Aura reach Stage 6? Or how about your Mental Energy and your Dark Magic too? Can they also make a breakthrough in just 7 days?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Both Alex and Alina then went silent as they were stumped by this dilemma.


    Should they focus on their weaker powers, or should they just risk it all with their stronger powers?


    Choosing the former might be not enough, while choosing the latter will just be too dangerous.


    "Sigh¡­ if there''s just a sure fire method that can raise our power directly in just one night¡­" Alina exclaimed aloud as she let out a loud sigh. "If there''s something like that, our mission will surely be easier."


    "Well, I have a good suggestion¡­" Alex slowly said as an excited smile appeared on his face. "We can-"


    "Alex, are you talking about dual cultivation again?" Alina coldly said as she cut-off Alex''s words.


    "Well yeah¡­"


    "Alex, you¡­" Alina slowly kneaded her forehead as she let out an exasperated sigh. "You do know what you are talking about, right?"


    "Of course I know¡­" Alex slowly replied as he gave Alina fawning smile. "You know the stories about the people who dual cultivate. With just one night of passion, both the participants of dual cultivation will have their power skyrocket! So if we dual cultivate now, we will surely reach a higher level!"


    Instead of agreeing or disagreeing with Alex, Alina only stared at Alex intently for a few seconds.


    When Alex was about to feel uncomfortable, Alina let out another sigh as she said,


    "Alex, let me get this straight. Are you only interested on dual cultivating with me because of the power gains involved?"


    "Well duh. That''s the purpose of dual cultivation." Alex said as he shrugged his shoulders. "It''s for strengthening our power¡­"


    "If that is your answer to me, then my answer to your request is No." Alina replied as the space around her started to tremble.


    "W-what? But-"


    "If you only want to dual cultivate with me for power, then you should leave my room right now." Alina said as her angry gaze at Alex increased in intensity.


    "What do you mea-oh. Oh." At that point, Alex, who was about to explain himself, realized his mistake. "Wait Alina, I-"


    "Alex, I know that you are in love with me, and I also feel the same way with you." Alina said as she averted her gaze away form Alex. "Frankly speaking, we are already in a relationship, so doing things like dual cultivation can be considered a norm¡­"


    "But if you only want to dual cultivate with me for power, then just forget about it." Alina continued speaking as her whole body started to tremble.


    "I¡­"


    "Alex, I know that right now, you are obsessed with getting stronger." Alina said as she interrupted Alex again. "I know that your obsession to get stronger is acceptable, since we are all in danger right now. But really? You are letting that obsession even affect your mindset! You actually wanted to dual cultivate with me just for power reasons? How about your feelings? How about mine? Did you just conveniently forget about them?"


    "¡­" Alex was unable to find any proper reply to that, as he knew that he just f**ked up with his answer.


    "This is the problem with you Alex. You usually treat everything as a way to increase your power." Alinassaid with melancholy as she shook her head. "Everything that you do, even the way that you eat food or interact with us are always oriented for your ''training''! Do you know how that kind of behavior can easily ruin you?"


    "¡­"


    "I originally planned to let you keep your ''strengthening'' attitude for longer, as it was not damaging you yet. But you just exceeded my patience right now! You actually dared to ''make love'' with me just for increasing your power? Is your mind still in the right place?"


    "¡­"


    "Alex, even if we are in a relationship right now, as long as you will not fix your attitude, you will never be able to become a genuinely strong person¡­" Alina said with finality as she crossed her arms. "You want to get strong, right? Then do everything with the right mindset! Don''t just treat them as training!"


    "¡­" Even if Alina''s words were quite frankly, sharp and ruthless, Alex was unable to refute any of them, as he realized that she was right.


    "Well Alina¡­ Your words had enlightened me on my mistakes, so I promise to be more sincere now." Alex hesitantly said as he glanced at Alina warily. "Umm¡­ I know that I am really in the wrong here. So can you forgive me now?"


    "Hmph, do you think you can just change your mindset after that? I don''t think so." Alina harshy replied as she shot Alex down. "If you really want to forgive me, then go meditate on your mistakes on the couch!"


    "The couch? But-"


    "And while you are there, you can attempt to fuse your 5 powers together." Alina said as she gave Alex no chance to explain himself. "Didn''t you say that you can combine your 5 Major Powers, since they are inside your body? So instead of dual cultivating with me, maybe you can just focus on your 5-power fusion¡­"


    "!!!" After hearing what Alina just said, Alex''s eyes widened as he mulled about Alina''s words.


    Alex had indeed mentioned the possibility of fusing his 5 powers to Alina before.


    But the difficulty of doing this was extremely high, that Alex did not consider this in his plans for now.


    Even Alina knew the dangers and difficulty of achieving the 5-power fusion state.


    So for Alina to recommend the 5-power fusion over dual cultivation just shows how pissed she is right now.


    "Yeah, a 5-power fusion is nice, but-"


    "I said that you are sleeping in the couch tonight. Got any complaints?"


    "Nothing, mam."


    "Good. Now scram!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 338 - Please dont push me off the cliff

    That night, Alex was left with no choice but to settle on the couch. After all, he just managed to trigger Alina again.


    [Alex]: "Sigh¡­I really messed up this time."


    Alex was not sure on what to feel right now, as he knew that Alina has managed to see through his one main problem.


    [Alex]: "Have I been really obsessed with getting more powerful? It could be false¡­ but since Alina was the one saying it, there''s a high possibility that she is right."


    After reaching this line of thought, Alex sighed again as he laid his body down on the couch.


    [Alex]: "Since I just managed to piss off Alina, then that means that the option for dual cultivation is already cut off from me¡­. In that case, what should I do to get stronger? Should I really opt for the 5-power fusion?"


    Even right now, Alex was still hesitating on the option for the power fusion, as he was not entirely sure if he can even pull this off.


    [Alex]: "Sigh¡­ it''s really hard to get stronger when you have different powers to manage. If I can only talk to my powers again¡­."


    Suddenly, Alex stood up from the couch as a bright idea struck his mind.


    [Alex]: "Wait a second, didn''t I just talk to my powers before? Since I managed to talk to them, then there is a chance that I can talk to them again! Yes, yes, yes, I can do that¡­"


    Alex then started pacing around his couch as he cupped his chin.


    [Alex]: "If I can talk to my powers right now, I am sure that they can give me a good advice on how to get stronger¡­ The only problem is on how I should talk to them¡­."


    Alex then narrowed his eyes as he remembered the scenario that happened before his powers talked to him.


    [Alex]: "At that time¡­ I was in deep slumber while my consciousness was focused on moving my powers. It was there that I managed to talk to my powers. Hmm¡­ Should I recreate that scenario first before I can talk to my powers again? Or should I just sleep it out?"


    Alex could have continued agonizing about it, but before he can think up of more possible ways to talk to his powers again, he suddenly felt a weird sensation inside his body.


    More specifically, he was feeling this sensation on his soul.


    As he felt this sensation, Alex''s eyes widened as he realized that he was actually familiar with it.


    [Alex]: "This sensation¡­ I''m sure that I have felt it before. But where? Where did I-urgh."


    To the surprise of Alex, after this weird sensation appeared on his soul, he started to feel sleepy, as if he was being urged to sleep right now.


    [Alex]: "Urgh¡­ why am I feeling sleepy right now? I am thinking about how to contact my powers¡­ I should still stay awake¡­ Urgh¡­"


    Alex tried his best, but he was unable to resist his drowsiness.


    "Thud."


    Alex''s body crashed to the couch as his vision was covered by darkness. He let out a peaceful smile as his mind drifted to the sweet embrace of slumber.


    *****************


    A few seconds after he fell asleep, Alex''s awareness came back rushing to him, which urged him to open his eyes.


    [Alex]: "Urgh¡­"


    As he opened his eyes, Alex immediately scanned his surroundings.


    [Alex]: "Huh? Where am I now?"


    To Alex''s surprise, he realized that he was not inside his house anymore.


    Instead, from what he can see, Alex can only say that he''s inside a dark cave.


    This dark cave seemed to be limitless in size, as Alex was unable to see its boundaries or even its walls.


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    Alex immediately felt a sense of oppression as he looked around him, although this feeling faded away as it was replaced by familiarity.


    [Alex]: "I¡­ I know this place¡­ But where could I have seen this before? Wait¡­ I went to this dark place after I suddenly fell asleep. Dark cave¡­ fall asleep¡­ Wait! Could this palce be¡­"


    [Dignified Voice behind Alex]: "Welcome back Alex. To say that we have been waiting for you here is an understatement."


    [Alex]: "!!!"


    After he heard this voice behind, him, Alex started to relax his tense body as he already knew where he is.


    [Alex]: "Well, well, well, I did not expect to be quickly brought here again. I thought I needed luck to come here."


    [Dignified Voice behind Alex]: "Alex, as long as you are in a dire situation, you have a chance to talk to us."


    [Alex]: "A dire situation you say? So does that mean that I am in a dire situation right now?"


    [Dignified Voice behind Alex]: "You can say that."


    [Alex]: "Hmph, White Alex. I am not sure if I should feel happy about that news, but I am relieved that I am back here talking with you."


    The speaker with the dignified voice, who Alex perfectly identified as White Alex, let out a light laughter as he revealed himself to Alex.


    [White Alex]: "It''s good to see you here, Alex. I hope you will find the answer that you have been looking for here."


    White Alex seemed to still look the same as before, with his white-clad appearance perfectly able to display his graceful and mysterious aura.


    Although his appearance was still the same, here was something different about the power emanating out of White Alex.


    It seemed to be more potent right now, as if he had gotten stronger.


    As this man showed himself to Alex, Alex could only tilt his head as he observed White Alex more closely.


    Alex''s eyes seemed to be filled with slight doubt as he stared at White Alex warily.


    [Alex]: "White Alex¡­ I am back here in my Soul thingy, right?""


    [White Alex]: "Yes, you are back here in your Soul thingy. My existence right in front of you is a proof of it."


    [Alex]: "¡­If I am really back at the place where I talked to my powers before, then why am I just seeing you here? Where are the others Alex(s)?"


    [Kid Alex]: "H-hey! We are here too! Look behind you!"


    [Blue Alex]: "You followed the technicalities of our admittance process, yet you''re still confused at your arrival¡­ Is your processor working properly?"


    [Black Alex]: "The Abyss is not happy with your inability to detect all of us at once."


    [Golden Alex]: "Hahaha, why are we even entertaining this guy? Didn''t he just manage to c**kblock himself? Hahaha, what a shame! If it were me, I will not allow you to be here!"


    As he heard this multitude of voices behind him, Alex sighed as he placed a palm on his forehead.


    "¡­So I am really back here."


    ******************


    AUTHOR''S REMINDERS


    WHITE ALEX --- IMMORTAL CULTIVATION POWER


    GOLDEN ALEX ---- CONQUEROR''S AURA


    BLACK ALEX --- ABYSS MAGIC


    BLUE ALEX --- ESPER POWER


    KID ALEX --- TEMPERATURE CONTROL SUPERPOWER


    ***************


    Alex was not sure how he did it, but right now, he had successfully managed to communicate with his powers again!


    Of course from what White Alex has said earlier, these powers has decided to talk to Alex due to him being embroiled in a ''dire situation''.


    One can say that they were giving Alex an opportunity right now, which he will obviously accept.


    With this opportunity already given to him, Alex of course will not waste his time on idle talk.


    [Alex]: "Hey, we can do the small talk later. For now, I wanted your help!"


    [Golden Alex]: "Our help? Hehehe, what do you mean by that?"


    Golden Alex''s voice sounded a little mocking, which grated on Alex''s ears. The other Alex(s) nearby started to snicker too, which increased Alex''s irritation.s


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    But even if these people were already getting on his nerves this early, Alex resisted to urge to glare at them as he told them of his need.


    [Alex]: "You guys¡­ I wanted to talk to you today because I need your help to get stronger!"


    [White Alex]: "You are awfully pushy today. Do you really need to get that stronger right now?"


    [Alex]: "Didn''t you just say it earlier? I am in a dire situation right now. The only way that I can get out of it is by getting stronger! That was why I need your help! With your advices, I am sure I can get through this trial alive!"


    [Golden Alex]: "Hehehe, are you sure that our advice can be of help to you? Can you even use them inside 7 days?"


    [Kid Alex]: "I-I can''t give any advice¡­."


    [Black Alex]: "You want an advice? Let me ask the Abyss for the permission to talk first.


    [Blue Alex]: "¡­"


    [White Alex]: "I have a lot of good advices for you, but with your current level in Qi Condensation, I''m not sure if you can use them for yourself..."


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    After he heard these somewhat unenthusiastic replies from his powers, Alex shook his head as he tried to calm himself down.


    Getting angry at them won''t be of any help here. Staying calm and talking to them properly is the right thing to do here.


    [Alex]: "...Guys, surely you have something to help me out¡­"


    [White Alex]: "Well, I can say one thing for you. Don''t even think about the 5-power fusion. You will die if you will attempt it in your current state."


    [Alex]: "Urgh."


    [White Alex]: "Oh, and here is my real advice for you: If you want to get stronger using my power, you must first reach the Dao Domain Stage¡­ But seeing that you are still in Qi Condensation, this advice of mine is of no use to you."


    [Alex]: "¡­."


    [Kid Alex]: "I-I''m sorry if I am still weak! I can only help you out in the future¡­ but for now¡­ I am just a burden for you!


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    [Golden Alex]: "You want to get stronger from me? Hahahaha, you must first consume the remaining Conqueror''s Aura that is with Emperor Litch! Once you did that, you can start aspiring for my evolved version!"


    [Alex]: "But Emperor Litch is not here.."


    [Golden Alex]: "Exactly! Which means that I am out too!"


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    [Black Alex]: "The Abyss has already given their reply. As long as you manage to complete your [Calamity of the Seven Sins], you can use it to reach Grade 7 in Abyss Magic. Once you did that, you will acquire a greater power that will make you closer to your goals."


    [Alex]: "You want me to complete that spell? F**k! I only have two spells attached there! And you want me to add more spells for my breakthrough? I can''t complete that in this world!"


    [Black Alex]: "In that case, the Abyss wishes you luck in this world."


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    At this point, Alex could only slump his shoulders as he realized that his goal of getting stronger in 7 days seem to be much more distant.


    [Alex]: "Is dual cultivation the only thing that I can attempt now? But I can''t do that too¡­"


    [White Alex]: "Alex, don''t lose hope yet. In my opinion, Blue Alex''s advice is your only option here."


    [Alex]: "Blue Alex''s advice? Hmph, even if he''s not yet saying it, I''m sure that it''s related to strengthening my Esper Power, right?"


    [White Alex]: "Exactly."


    [Alex]: "Sigh, do you really think that Blue Alex''s advice will allow me reach Stage 6 of power in just 7 days? I mean, Black Alex''s and Golden Alex''s requirements to reach Stage 6 of power is just impossible for me to do now! Since those two are already impossible for me, do you think that I can actually succeed on getting stronger with Blue Alex?"


    [White Alex]: "Actually, out of all of us here, your only chance of getting stronger in 7 days lies on Blue Alex''s advice."


    Alex immediately froze upon hearing this. His eyes, which were already dim earlier, started to show signs of hope as he looked at Blue Alex and White Alex with incredulity.


    [Alex]: "Wait... are you sure about that?"


    [White Alex]: "I am sure. Why don''t you let Blue Alex speak up first?"


    [Alex]: "Oh right right! Blue Alex! Speak up right now! I want to hear what you want to say!


    In front of Alex''s suddenly enthusiastic attitude, Blue Alex managed to contain his stoic face as he started talking.

 Chapter 339 - Being a hoarder can help you out sometimes!

    [Blue Alex]: "Once an Esper reaches the Star Esper level, they can attempt to fuse their consciousness with the consciousness of a World. If it succeeds, that Star Esper''s mental power and Esper Ability will experience an evolution, which will improve the overall power of that Esper."


    [Alex]: "Ha?"


    [Blue Alex]: "In your case, if you successfully fuse your consciousness with the consciousness of a world, your Esper Power will most likely gain a power that is equivalent to Sixth Stage."


    [White Alex]: "Congratulations to you Alex. Blue Alex just gave you the best option for you¡­"


    These two Alex(s) started to give Alex congratulatory claps, as if they were already assured of Alex''s victory.


    But instead of acting happy, Alex''s face slowly turned red as he seemed to be suddenly enraged.


    [Alex]: "Hey wait! Just hold up you two! I ain''t agreeing with this s**t that you are suggesting to me!"


    Alex could hardly believe his ears after he heard what Blue Alex just said.


    After all, this guy just mentioned words related to consciousness and fusion.


    No matter which way Alex looked at it, these two words appearing together is not a good sign!


    [Blue Alex]: "You seem to be in discomfort. Are you experiencing any psychological problems?


    [White Alex]: "You seem troubled Alex. Do you have any problems with Blue Alex''s suggestion?"


    [Alex]: "You''re asking me if I have any problems? Of course I have problems with his suggestion!"


    Before Blue Alex could explain himself, Alex pointed his finger at Blue Alex as he said,


    [Alex]: "You just said that I must fuse my consciousness with world! You just said that! Do you even know how ridiculous is that?"


    [Blue Alex]: "Alex, I assure you-"


    [Alex]: "You know that the consciousness of a World is something that is beyond my power, and yet you want me to actually fuse with one? Are you high right now?"


    [White Alex]: "Alex-"


    Before White Alex could explain himself, Alex turned to face him, as he started to go on a full-blown rage mode.


    [Alex]: "Oh I am so pissed right now! I thought Blue Alex will give me a good advice¡­ but you actually gave me the c**ppiest one here! Argh! Why did I even allow you to talk! It''s just a f**king waste of time!"


    [Blue Alex]: "¡­"


    [White Alex]: "¡­"


    ************


    Alex''s anger right now can be said to be justified, as Alex knows everything about Worlds and their consciousness.


    With all the experiences that Emperor Litch had with conquering with numerous Worlds, knowledge about the consciousness of Worlds were already widespread.


    Even someone like Alex, who were kept in a lab before as a clone, also have some knowledge about this.


    Contrary to the popular belief, Worlds are not just chunks of inorganic, non-living objects.


    They actually have their own consciousness too, which can allow a World to think and act like a living being.


    This fact is somewhat hard to believe, but Alex had already seen evidence of this back when he was still at the Undying Empire.


    Surprisingly, as more and more of these ''conscious'' worlds were discovered, some unique rules about the existence of these consciousness were also discovered.


    As a rule of thumb, it was accepted that only Worlds that support living beings develop their consciousness.


    From all the worlds that Emperor Litch conquered, it was observed that only the Worlds with living beings in them exhibit signs of awareness.


    As for the Worlds that have no signs of living beings residing on them, their consciousness are always non-existent.


    There are no special exceptions, as all the worlds encountered by the Undying Empire all follow this rule.


    This phenomenon of a World''s consciousness being correlated with the existence of living beings is still an unfathomable issue until today, which had been the cause of numerous debates.


    But aside from this rule, there was another thing that had been observed regarding a World''s consciousness.


    And it was that the strength of a World''s consciousness can also vary.


    The more living beings are there in a World, the stronger the consciousness of that World will be.


    Not only that, but the ''stronger'' these living beings are, the stronger the consciousness of that World will be too.


    This means that a World with a massive amount of living beings will have a stronger consciousness compared to a World with lesser amount of living beings.


    And if a World was inhabited by Magicians, that World''s consciousness will be visibly mightier compared to a World only inhabited normal humans.


    To anyone who hears about these facts for the first time, they will naturally get scared at first since living in a World that can think is somewhat scary.


    And they should be scared, as a World with consciousness can exert control over its whole body.


    Any physical or chemical phenomena that is happening on the body of a conscious World can be controlled by it.


    Not only that, but the Laws related to power suppression can also be manipulated by a conscious world easily. This means that if a World had wanted it, it can choose to suppress all kinds of supernatural powers inside its range.


    Of course a World has to have an extremely strong consciousness in order to do this kind of suppression.


    With these kind of scenarios available for a conscious World, the prospect of living in another World, much less invading it, seems to be less feasible now.


    Fortunately, there are times when conscious Worlds go to ''sleep''.


    This ''sleep'', in simpler terms, equates to a World shutting down any of its thoughts.


    It was also not known why Worlds have to even ''sleep'', although some say that it could be because conscious Worlds are trying to conserve their strength.


    What makes a sleeping World unique was the fact that once a World is asleep, it will be almost impossible to wake them up by force.


    A sleeping world will only wake up when it wanted to, and it will also sleep when it preferred to do so.


    This kind of sleeping behavior was what had allowed Emperor Litch to easily conquer numerous Worlds. He mostly chose to only invade sleeping Worlds, which allowed him to easily assimilate them with his Empire.


    Of course there could be a chance that some of these conquered World''s will wake up in the future, however Alex does not care about that anymore.


    After all, Alex was more worried about Blue Alex''s suggestion to him.


    *********************


    [Alex]: "Blue Alex¡­ let me ask you a question. Where are we right now?


    [Blue Alex]: "We are in a World that is inhabited by Immortals and TimeMasters."


    [Alex]: "Exactly. Now, what did you just suggest to me earlier?"


    [Blue Alex]: "I suggested to you to fuse your consciousness with the consciousness of a world."


    [Alex]: "Okay, now analyze those words that you just said. Now, do you know what I am worried about here?


    [Blue Alex]: "¡­"


    After seeing that Blue Alex was keeping silent now, Alex let out a shout as he glared at him angrily.


    [Alex]: "Blue Alex! This f**king world is inhabited by Immortals and TImeMasters! If you look at it that way, you should easily realize that the consciousness of this world is extremely powerful! Do you understand the difficulty of what you want me to do? You want me to fuse with the consciousness of this world! Do you want me to die, huh? You¡­ you actually had the gall to offer that s**ty advice to me!"


    [Blue Alex]: "¡­"


    [White Alex]: "¡­"


    [Alex]: "Blue Alex¡­ if I were in Earth right now, then maybe I can attempt to fuse my consciousness there. After all, Earth can only support normal, unpowered beings. But here in this world? No! I can''t do it! It''s just as simple as that!"


    [Blue Alex]: "¡­"


    [White Alex]: ".."


    [Alex]: "Ha¡­ ha¡­ ha¡­ Okay, now do you have any better suggestions compared to consciousness fusion? I need to find the best way to get stronger right now!


    But instead of following his demand, Blue Alex and White Alex did something that had managed to flabbergast Alex.


    [White Alex]: "Hahahaha! Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"


    [Blue Alex]: "You are becoming good at humor already, Alex. I applaud you for that."


    To Alex''s surprise, instead of doing productive work, Blue Alex and White Alex actually started laughing at him!


    [Alex]:"Oi! Why are you laughing at me? Is there anything funny from what I said?"


    [White Alex]: "Alex¡­ I thought highly of you before. But right now¡­ I can only laugh at your sheer stupidity."


    [Blue Alex]: "Your memory circuits seemed to be fried, Alex. That could be the reason for your behavior today."


    Needless to say, the enraged Alex was rendered confused by the sudden change in attitude of Blue Alex and White Alex.


    [Alex]: "Hah? What the hell are you two talking about?"


    [White Alex]: "Alex, after Blue Alex gave his suggestion to you, you immediately shut it down, because you knew that you can''t fuse your consciousness with the world that we are in now, right?"


    [Alex]: "Y-yeah."


    [White Alex]: "You are right for thinking that way. However, that is where you are wrong too."


    [Alex]: "What?"


    [White Alex]: "Alex, do you really think that this World is the only World where you can fuse your consciousness with?"


    [Alex]: "Hah? Of course this is the only World that I can choose! After all, this is the only conscious world near me!"


    [White Alex]: "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Alex, right there is your mistake."


    [Alex]: "Wait¡­ are you telling me that there is another World out there that I can fuse my consciousness with?"


    [White Alex]: "Yes, there is indeed another World out there that can be the perfect recipient of your consciousness fusion¡­"


    [Alex]: "Where? Where is it? I need to see it right now?"


    [White Alex]: "Sigh¡­ Alex, that World is already accessible to you. You don''t even need to leave your house to see it."


    [Alex]: "???"


    White Alex seemed to look more and more disappointed as he saw Alex''s increasing confusion. Even Blue Alex, who was quiet all this time, let out a snort as he shook his head.


    In the end, White Alex could only let out a sigh as he decided to end this conversation already.


    [White Alex]: "Alex, isn''t there a World that is already in your possession? More specifically, inside Alina''s Storage¡­"


    After White Alex said these words, Alex, whose eyes were narrowed in confusion, suddenly widened as he understood what White Alex was referring to.


    [Alex]: "No way! Is that even allowed?"


    [White Alex]: "Why is it not allowed? Even if the Esper World is just a powerful computer simulation, it is still a world that supports living beings inside it¡­"


    [Alex]: "!!!"


    This is the point that Blue Alex had been trying to drive to Alex since earlier.


    The Esper World, which was the first world that Alex had visited, can also be the target of Alex''s consciousness fusion!

 Chapter 340 - This conversation could have been finished in just 12 words

    (Author''s Notes: Huhuhu... my laptop is lagging like hell yesterday, so I was unable to type even a decent chapter. So I had it cleaned today, and voila! It''s working normal again! Well, my laptop has not been cleaned for 1.5 years, so for it to be so dirty is just normal...)


    After White Alex stated his words, he crossed his arms as he flashed Alex with a victorious smile. Blue Alex on the other hand did not have any change in his facial expression, although some sense of smugness could be felt coming out from him.


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    After he saw the attitude of these two, Alex only shook his head as he let out a deep breath.


    Deep inside him, Alex knew that these two were right.


    Even if the Esper World was only a simulation, it still supported ''living beings'' in it.


    Just look at Alina and her Uncle Clint. Even if both of them were simulations living in the Esper World before, they still had her own ideals, thoughts and awareness. That in itself already qualifies them as living beings!


    And the Esper World right now has more people like them!


    So in a sense, there should be at least some kind of consciousness that exisst inside the Esper World!


    But even if Alex felt that these two were right, there was still something about their suggestion that was just bugging him.


    [Alex]: "So instead of making me fuse my consciousness with this World, you want me to fuse my consciousness with the Esper World¡­ That is what you want me to do, right?"


    [Blue Alex]: "Affirmative."


    [White Alex]: "That''s what Blue Alex have been telling you earlier. And quite frankly, this is your only way to get stronger."


    After receiving this answer, Alex''s frown deepened as his face showed additional doubt.


    [Alex]: "But even if the Esper World is available, do you really think that I can just easily fuse my consciousness with it? Remember, even if the Esper World is just a simulation, it is still a World that supports millions, if not, billions of living beings!


    [Blue Alex]: "¡­"


    [Alex]: "At that kind of state, it is pretty obvious that its consciousness will still be too much for me¡­ So please, just give me another good advice¡­"


    As Alex said these words, he stared at the other Alex(s) intently, as he knew that his logical argument will force these two to change their tune.


    But to Alex''s surprise, Blue Alex and White Alex did not look like they were affected by what he just said.


    Instead, they seemed to have gained even more confidence!


    [White Alex]: "Is that what you think? Sigh, why don''t you let Blue Alex talk first? I''m sure once he finishes his proposal, you will immediately be kneeling in front of him."


    [Alex]: "I-Is that so?"


    [White Alex]: "There you have it, Blue Alex. Let this man receive the enlightenment that he should have received before.


    [Blue Alex]: "I will not give him enlightenment. I will just impart the perfected theory upon his limited mind."


    [White Alex]: "¡­"


    [Alex]: "¡­White Alex, why don''t you just be the one to say it? Maybe I will understand it better from you."


    [White Alex]: "Oh so you do think highly for me. I''ll be lying If I said that I am not flattered¡­


    [Alex]: "Whatever. Just get talking already!"


    [White Alex]: "Fine, fine. You really are an impatient one. Tut tut, that is not a good attitude for a cultivator."


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    As Alex started to get more and more riled up, White Alex only stayed calm as he regarded Alex with a interested stare.


    His body remained steady and graceful for a few more seconds before he started talking.


    [White Alex]: "Alex, there are certain conditions that will allow an Esper to easily fuse their consciousness with that of an another World. Without these conditions, it will be harder for an Esper to do a consciousness fusion. So, if you, an Esper, wanted to succeed on a consciousness fusion, you must at least fulfill one of these conditions!"


    After Alex heard this, he raised his eyebrows as his doubt was slowly replaced by interest.


    [Alex]: "I must fulfill at least one condition if I want to fuse my consciousness with that of another World? Is that just easy? Wait¡­ how many conditions are there in total, and what are these conditions?"


    [White Alex]: "Good question! You are now slowly showing the inquisitive side of a cultivator!"


    [Alex]: "I don''t have time for you silly preaching. Please just give me what I want!"


    After Alex''s irritation came back again, White Alex only smiled as he hid his face behind a white fan.


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    [White Alex]: "All in all, there are 2 conditions for an easy consciousness fusion. Fulfill at least one of them, and you will have an easier time on the fusion itself."


    [Alex]: "Please get to the point already."


    [White Alex]: "Ehem, so just like what I was saying, there are 2 conditions. As for the first condition, you just need to acquire the approval or consent of a World."


    [Alex]: "Consent? Why does this sound a little weird¡­"


    [White Alex]: "As long as you manage to gain an approval of a World, you can coax it to allow its consciousness to be fused with yours. Pretty easy right?"


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    But instead of looking happy from this info, Alex''s frown continued to deepen as he gave White Alex a more doubting look.


    [Alex]: "Sure it sounds easy, but how do I even get to gain the approval of the World in the first place?"


    [White Alex]: "The answer to that is easy too. Just perform great merits that will benefit a World. As long as what you did was so beneficial, even a sleeping World will wake up just to give you its approval!"


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    [White Alex]: "As long as you did that, you can easily sweet-talk a World to do anything for you!"


    [Alex]: "Sweet talk my ass! You want me to perform a great merit for a World? How the hell am I even going do that? I have no idea what a World might consider as a great merit, so just the very idea of me making one is already near impossible!"


    Sure, the first condition might sound easy and doable, but Alex knew that the definition of ''great merit'' is surely loose here, especially considering that this ''great merit'' is meant for a sentient planet! There''s no way that Alex can just easily make a plan for that!


    As Alex expressed his point, he stared at White Alex intently as he waited for his counter reply. But to his surprise, what White Alex did was quite the opposite.


    [White Alex]: "Exactly. That was why I am advising you to not fulfill this condition. After all, even I have no idea on what constitutes a great merit¡­"


    Alex tilted his head as he heard this reply. He did not expect that White Alex, who always like to push Alex on doing his whims, would just easily concede to him here.


    [Alex]: "I never thought you will say that."


    White Alex''s response to this was only a light smile, which made him look like he was trying to console a grieving person.


    [White Alex]: "Alex, even if I am someone who seems all-knowledgeable, there''s still some things that I am not sure of. So please don''t think that highly of me¡­"


    [Alex]: "How could I not think highly of you? You''re acting all high and mighty since earlier¡­"


    White Alex seemed to have not heard these mutterings by Alex as he continued talking.


    [White Alex]: "Anyways, since the first condition is not viable, you can only choose to fulfill the second condition."


    [Alex]: "And that condition is?"


    [White Alex]: "Just wait for the moment that a World''s consciousness is extremely weak. Once you reach that moment, you can go on and fuse your consciousness with it!"


    [Alex]: "!!!"


    Alex''s incredulity and slight surprise could be seen on his face, which seemed to have amused White Alex.


    [White Alex]: "Once the consciousness of a World was at its weak point, it won''t be able to easily fight back against someone who''s trying to attack it, which includes people who will try the consciousness fusion. So, if you want to succeed on your consciousness fusion, just wait until your target World''s consciousness is extremely weak!"


    [Alex]: "¡­"


    With Alex''s sharp mind, he knew that what White Alex said were making sense. Heck, even Alex was starting to feel optimistic from it!


    However, Alex cannot just easily make himself believe White Alex''s words.


    [Alex]: "Sure, that second condition does make sense. But how can I wait for a World to weaken its consciousness? I just don''t have the time for it!"


    In response to this question, White Alex only shrugged his shoulders as he confidently said,


    [White Alex]: "Well, if you don''t want to wait, you can just do things that will weaken a World''s consciousness. That might sound shameless, but you have to do what you got to do."


    [Alex]: "¡­Do you have any examples for that suggestion?"


    [White Alex]: "Well for starters, you can start killing 99% of all the living creatures in a World. Once you do that, a World''s consciousness will surely weaken."


    [Alex]: "Hey hold up! I am not doing that kind of thing, especially on the Esper World! I am not f**king murdering these innocent people!"


    [White Alex]: "Hey! I just gave you an example! I did not tell you to do it!"


    [Alex]: "Hmph, in that case, what should I do then? From the way that you are talking right now, you obviously wanted me to weaken the Esper World''s consciousness before I initiate the consciousness fusion. Sure, that is the best idea I have ever heard so far, but how am I going to pull that off? I cannot just kill any residents of the Esper World! Don''t tell me that you just want me to wait? Because if you do, even I have no idea on how long I should wait¡­"


    [White Alex]: "Alex, you don''t need to worry about all of that. After all, the consciousness of the Esper World is already weak."


    [Alex]: "Hah?"


    In response to the confused look on Alex''s face, White Alex let out a gentle laugh as he continued talking.


    [White Alex]: "Right now, the whole simulation of the Esper World is paused. That means that everything inside the Esper World is also paused. And that includes its consciousness. And since its consciousness was paused, then¡­"


    [Alex]: "Then it will be impossible for the Esper World to fight back even if I try to fuse my consciousness with it!"


    [White Alex]: "Hahaha! There it is! That is the reason why we want you to go through this method! You should see how easy it is! Hahaha, so when will you start doing it? In my opinion, you should do it right now, since you still have to-"


    [Alex]: "You little s**t!"


    [White Alex]: "Wait, why are you angry again? Didn''t I just give you the answer that you need?"


    [Alex]: "Yes, you gave me the answer that I need, but do you have to explain it for this long?"


    [White Alex]: "???"


    [Alex]: "Argh! You could have just said, ''Fuse your consciousness with the Esper World. You will get stronger there.''! Why do you have to talk about things that I already knew about! You know that I am in a time limit right now¡­ Every second counts!"


    [White Alex]: "¡­Oh right. I could have just said it in that way. Teehee, it seems like I flubbed!"


    [Alex]: "Damn powers¡­."

 Chapter 341 - Is Blood really thicker than water?

    While Alex and the TimeMasters were preparing themselves to face the rebel Immortals, these aforementioned Immortals were also having a preparation of their own.


    "Do you really have to treat me this lavishly?" Annie, who was the kidnap target of the Immortals, said as she let out a tired sigh. "Didn''t you say to Mommy''s subordinates that you''re kidnapping me? Why are you treating me this way then?"


    "My, my, little Annie. I thought you were just a little girl. Why are you speaking this way then?" The one who said these words was a white-haired man who was wearing a demon mask.


    His hair flowed freely behind him as his stature radiated out his confidence.


    This man seemed to be at ease with Annie, which of course made Annie feel ill.


    "In my opinion, you should be talking like a kid. "The demon mask man said as he tilted his head. "You look like a kid after all."


    "I am not a kid." Annie replied frostily as she glared at the demon mask man. "Since you targeted me, then you should know what I really am."


    "Of course I know who you are." The demon mask man said as he nodded his head. "You are-"


    "Hmph, since you know who I really am, then you should know that I am not a kid anymore." Annie said as she coldly interrupted the demon mask man. "So don''t try to insult me with that kid jokes of yours."


    Right now, there was no hint of childishness emanating from Annie.


    To anyone who will look at her now, they will only feel as if they were actually talking to a mature, a.d.u.l.t person!


    "¡­You may be an a.d.u.l.t, yet you still act like a kid in front of those TimeMasters and those foreigners. It was as if you enjoy doing it¡­" The demon mask man''s voice trailed as he slowly shook his head. "Well, I don''t care about your play acting. What I care about is your stay here."


    "Stay? Hmph, more like imprisonment!" Annie snarled as she stood up from her seat, which suspiciously looked like a golden throne.


    "Imprisonment? But we gave you a lot of comfortable items here." The demon mask man replied as he pointed his fingers at the objects scattered around Annie.


    There were delicious foods and drinks placed on table behind Annie, while beautiful dresses can be seen in full display on a rack beside Annie. There were also some books and toys nearby, which all looked too fancy for a normal person.


    All of these items seemed to be here for Annie''s sake, although the person herself seemed to want nothing with these things.


    "I don''t need you to comfort me. After all, I know what you want from me." Annie deliberately said as she pinched her nose bridge. "Do you really think trying to cozy up with me here can change my mind? Heh, you can try better than that!"


    "¡­So you''re still stubborn, just like before." The demon mask man managed to say after he went silent for a few seconds. "No wonder many of my comrades have failed in convincing you before. Your mind have already been corrupted by those filthy parasites!"


    "Parasites you say?" Annie started to sneer as if she heard a ridiculous claim. "You call them parasites, yet you Immortals still lost to them. How shameful of you."


    "You!" This reply of Annie seemed to have triggered the masked man, as he visibly began to look enraged. "If it were not for that dirty trick by that woman, we Immortals could have defeated them! It''s all because of that b***h that everyone in this planet is suffering!"


    "Did you just call my mother a b***h?" Annie said without any emotion in her tone. Her eyes seemed to become empty as her entire body became as still as a rock. "Did you just call her that?"


    "Hah, so what if I am?" The demon mask man seemed to be unafraid of Annie''s current state as he just let out a laugh. "Do you think your mother is a pure person? That damned woman seduced my brother! Of course that makes her a b**ch! "


    "Shut up!" Annie seemed to be unable to take it anymore as her rage started to boil over too. "If you dare badmouth by mother again, I will kill you right here!"


    "Kill me? Hoh, I am your uncle. Can you really kill me now?" The demon mask man scoffed as he crossed his arms. "Go on, kill me then!"


    "¡­" Annie''s face contorted as she heard this, although she made no more moves after that.


    "Hehe, even if you want to kill me, you can''t kill me, since you just don''t have the power to do so!" The demon mask man said as he started to cackle in front of Annie. "Hahaha! It''s really fun angering you like this, especially when I know that you can''t do anything about it! Hahaha!"


    "Uncle Amon. If you continue doing this, your plans will be in jeopardy." Annie spat out as she glared at the demon mask man with anger. "You wouldn''t want that, right?"


    "¡­Tsk. Consider yourself lucky," The demon mask man, whose name turns out to be Amon, said as he grabbed Annie''s chin. "You were only able to threaten us like this because of your special status. If it weren''t for your special status, I could have killed you already."


    "Hmph, you''re just a coward who''s afraid of risking his life." Annie snarled as she gritted her teeth. She seemed to take no note of Amon''s hand on her chin as she continued glaring at him defiantly. "Your brother was much better than you in that department. He''s not a chicken like you!"


    "¡­So you still think highly of my brother? Hah, you should be ashamed of him, since he''s a disgrace for us Immortals!" Amon shouted out as he pulled Annie''s chin upward. "That bastard does not deserve to be even alive after his tryst with your mother! Do you really think someone like him can be honored?"


    "¡­Hmph, you are much more disappointing than Daddy." Annie replied frostily as she sneered at Amon. "Except for that time that you stole from Mommy, when did you actually make a full contribution to the Immortals?"


    "You!" Amon visibly recoiled after hearing this, as if he was affected by what Annie just said. "You don''t know what you are talking about!"


    "I don''t know? Then why are you relegated to this position then?" Annie said as let out a laugh. "With your power, you should have been an Elder in this rebel group. Yet here you are, assigned to babysit me for 7 days, right until the start of the ritual! Isn''t that a little embarrassing, even for someone as shameless as you?"


    "I-I-I was the one assigned here because I am your closest relative!" Amon replied as he started to flounder. "There''s no way that they will put just any Immortal here. That was why they chose me here, because I am the best fit for this position!"


    "Babysitter Amon. Wow, you''re actually right. You actually are a good fit for this occupation¡­''


    "Shut up! If you don''t stop mocking me, I will personally hurt those other mortals that we kidnapped!" Amon exclaimed angrily as he strengthened his hold on Annie''s chin.


    "¡­"


    "What was the name of that girl again? Right, its Kiera! I will personally pummel her down if you continue to defy me like this!" By this point, Amon''s face started to look a sadistic, as he seemed to be pleased with what he was saying.


    "Then hurt them now. You can do that, right?" Annie replied, as she seemed to be unfl.u.s.tered by Amon''s threat. "What''s the problem? Can''t you just beat them up right now?"


    "¡­"


    Just like Annie before, who seemed to be unable to take an action, Amon also did not make any move against Kiera or the other kidnapped mortals.


    "You¡­ if I weren''t for you, those mortals should have been dead meat already!" Amon snarled as he finally let go fo Annie''s chin. "They were lucky they were associated with you! Those damn mortals!"


    "Careful with what you say, Uncle. You never know, your ritual might fail because of your anger¡­" Annie''s voice trailed as she sat back on her chair.


    "!!!"


    "Speaking of the ritual, what ritual will you attempt to use now? Will it be the Apocalyptic Heaven Ritual, or will it be the 5 Element Annihilation Ritual?" Annie asked out as she gave Amon a piercing look. "That''s the only rituals that you haven''t used on me yet¡­"


    "Hmph, don''t be c.o.c.ky." Amon said as he gritted his teeth. "The only reason that we keep you alive is because of your special condition and because of your importance in this war. Make one wrong move, and it will be you who will be punished."


    "You give me those threats, yet you can''t still punish me." Annie shot back as she shook her head. "How embarrassing could that be for you?"


    "Hmph, but even if we can''t punish you, we are still able to keep you captive here." Amon said as he looked at the massive chains that are wrapped all around Annie''s body.


    This chains seemed to have done something on Annie, who looked a little pale right now. "Annie, as long as you are here with us, our plans for the ritual are already assured to be successful!"


    "Hmph, you''re lucky that my special status also allows you to be safe from me." Annie said with resignation, as a fed-up expression appeared on her face. "If it weren''t for that, you are the ones that could have been dead already."


    "That''s just how it is for you, little Annie." Amon said as he spread out his arms. "You can''t attack or hurt us, while we also cannot hurt or attack you. Technically speaking we should be in a tie right now."


    "And yet you exploited a loophole in that rule." Annie said as distaste appeared on her face. "You cannot hurt me, but you can still capture me! "


    "Exactly!" Amon replied as his anger earlier seemed to have evaporated already. "And that brings us right back to the topic that we should be talking about already."


    "¡­"


    "Annie, as long as you will allow yourself to be affected by the Ritual, I can assure you that your dreams and your mother''s dreams will all come true." Amon said as he gave Annie a comforting smile.


    Annie only made a revolted face as she saw this smile, as it did not fit with Amon''s rotten personality.


    "And we also have told the TImeMasters about this Ritual." Amon continued talking as he ignored Annie''s revolted face. "Do you really want them to go to their certain deaths during the ritual day? If you don''t, then please don''t resist the ritual! Just let it happen, and everything will be alright."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 342 - Is that a Glitch that I see right there?

    MINUTES LATER.


    "Are you serious, Alex?" The one who said these words was Alina, who was staring at Alex with incredulity.


    Her face was also scrunched, as if she was deep on pondering some kind of difficult concept.


    "Please tell me you''re just joking¡­" While Alina was saying these words, some hints of uncertainty appeared in her features, which shows how affected she was by whatever Alex just did.


    "Alina, I am serious with everything that I just told you." Alex replied confidently as he stared at Alina unflinchingly. "And I promise you that my proposal to you will work."


    After Alex said these words, Alina started to sigh before she gave her reply.


    "Alex, you told me a plan that involves fusing your consciousness with the consciousness of the Esper World." Alina slowly said as she pinched her nose bridge. She seemed to be bothered by something as her body appeared to be tense. "Do you expect me to just easily accept this plan?"


    "Before I explain myself first, let me remind you about something first." Alex said as he crossed his arms. "It will not only be me who will do this consciousness fusion. This time, even you Alina will also fuse your consciousness with the Esper World..."


    "Alex, I am happy that you included me in this consciousness fusion, but that is not my problem here." Alina slowly said as she shook her head. "My problem is the fact that your target is the Esper World!"


    Before Alex could reply to this, Alina cut him off as she continued talking.


    "Alex, the Esper World is my hometown. As much as possible, I would not want anything to tamper it." Alina said as her lips thinned. "Even if you are offering me a plan that will allow me to get stronger, I am not sure I can accept it, since it involves us tampering with the Esper World."


    "¡­Yeah, I think I get your problem¡­"


    "Alex, right now, the Esper World is in a precarious condition. It is paused for the safety of its residents, and we are still scrambling to find a way to make it stable." Alina muttered as she let out another sigh. "Do you think that our plan to fuse our consciousness with the Esper World would benefit it? What if it harms it instead?"


    "¡­"


    "Alex, as long as you are unable to reassure me about the safety of the Esper World, I will not be accepting your plan." Alina said with finality as she stared at Alex intently, "Now, if you have nothing more to say, please go back to your couch."


    "Just like what I expected. You did reject my plan." Instead of looking discouraged, Alex seemed to be unaffected by Alina''s words, as there were no signs of defeat on his features.


    A confident smile could even be seen on his face as he stared back at Alina serenely.


    "Alina, what if I told you that the consciousness fusion will be helpful to the Esper World too?" Alex said with relish as he observed Alina''s face. "If I told you that, will you accept the consciousness fusion?"


    "¡­That depends on how helpful your plan will be." Alina replied as her frosty expression started to thaw. "Will the current problem of the Esper World be solved if we go through your plan? Or will it just provide my hometown with a temporary fix?"


    "Alina, you don''t need to ask that question anymore. Of course my plan will solve the current problem of the Esper World!" Alex replied quickly as he thumped his chest once. "That is why I am confident on convincing you¡­"


    "You are confident in convincing me to agree with your plan? In that case, convince me then." Alina replied as she leaned back on her seat. "Let''s see how convincing you can get¡­"


    "Ehem, so just like what I told you earlier, both of us can strengthen our Esper Ability and Mental Power once we fuse our consciousness with the Epser World." Alex stated as Alina nodded slowly in front of him. "However, that is not the only benefit that can be derived from the consciousness fusion."


    "¡­"


    "Even the World that is the recipient of the consciousness fusion will get benefits too!" Alex said as he resisted the urge to jump up right now.


    "Benefits? Don''t tell me¡­"


    "A consciousness of a World will get stronger if it fuses its consciousness with other people." Alex triumphantly said as he gave Alina a smug smile. "As for the level of the strengthening that can happen, it will all depend on many factors, which includes the talent of the people in the fusion, or the quality of the World itself. Pretty amazing, right?"


    "!!!"


    "At first, this sounds kind of unfair." Alex muttered to himself as Alina seemed to start becoming speechless again. "After all, a World that can get stronger by fusing its consciousness with more and more people¡­ is bound to be terrifying in the future. Fortunately for everyone, the success rate of a consciousness fusion is extremely low, around 3% to be exact. With that kind of abysmal success rate, it will be extremely unreliable for a World to use this method to get stronger. As such-"


    "So basically speaking, you are telling me that we can strengthen the consciousness of the Esper World if we implement your plan." Alina finally spoke up as she interrupted Alex.


    "Exactly." Alex replied as he nodded at Alina. "That''s good news, right?"


    "But even if we can strengthen the consciousness of the Esper World with your plan, what help would that be here?" Alina seemed to still be unconvinced by Alex as she continued barraging him with questions. "Can that help with the Esper World''s current dilemma?"


    "Yes it can." Alex replied unperturbedly. "But AliIna, before I continue my answer, can you please tell me the dilemma of the Esper World first?"


    "¡­The problem of the Esper World lies on the fact that it is still a simulation right now." Alina replied as she looked to be irritated from Alex''s antics. "In this kind of simulation state, no matter how strong the Esper World is, it will be easy for someone to accidently or even maliciously destroy it."


    "Well said Alina. Well said. Now, if it were you, what would you do to protect the Esper World?"


    "¡­If we want the Esper World to be truly safe and prosperous, we must find a way to materialize the Esper World and its residents here in the ''real world''." Alina replied as a serious glint appeared on her eyes. "Only when the Esper World exists as a fully material object here in the ''real world'' that I can be assured of its safety!"


    This is the goal that both Alex and Alina had been aspiring to do in regards to the Esper World.


    Both of them wanted to stop the Esper World from just being a simuation. They wanted to see the Esper World as a real and stable world here in the actual ''real world'', where it is safe from virus, bugs, and malicious programmers.


    This, this is the paradise that Alex had wanted the Esper World and its residents to experience!


    With one look, this goal seemed to be both easy and praiseworthy. However, both Alex and Alina realized it was actually difficult!


    After all, the very notion of materializing a simulated world is a new topic that even Alex had been struggling on.


    Couple that with the fact that there are no guides that they can use, Alex and Alina immediately realized that it will take them a long time to find a solution for the Esper World.


    Needless to say, both of them were disappointed by this.


    "Another good explanation, Alina. Keep up the good work!"


    "Alex, just cut to the point already. I am so tired now that I just want to sleep." Alina replied angrily as she shuddered from a yawn. "So please just tell me what I need to know!"


    "Ehem, so just like what you said earlier, both of us are trying to find a lead on how to materialize the Esper World." Alex said as he stood up from his seat confidently. "We have tried many methods, but none of those worked. At this point, we are only grasping in straws in regards to our plan."


    "¡­ "


    "But that all changed when I started talking with my powers!" Alex said as he suddenly shouted out. He tried not to show the tiredness in his features as he continued talking "As I talked with my powers earlier, they were able to give me good advices. And one of those advices was related to the status of the Esper World! Hehehe, guess what I discovered!"


    "¡­."


    "My powers told me that the possibility of the Esper World materializing will depend on the strength of its consciousness!" Alex uttered out as a chuckle escaped from his mouth. He then looked back at Alina''s eyes as he seemed to start taunting her. "This means that the stronger the consciousness of the Esper World is, the higher will be its chance to materialize and leave the simulation!"


    "!!!" Even if Alina did not manage to articulate any reply to Alex, her wide eyes and slightly parted mouth was enough to show her surprise.


    "Woosh!" And to reaffirm this point, Alina suddenly swooped above their table as she pulled Alex''s head closer to her, which makes it apparent that her interest is piqued right now.


    "¡­" Alex did his best to look as innocent as possible as he waited for Alina to talk.


    "Have you confirmed that this fact is true?" Alina said as her breath started to tickle Alex''s face. "Are you sure that the consciousness of the Esper World is correlated on its chance to materialize itself?"


    "I have not confirmed it yet, but I feel that our conjecture was right." Alex replied without a pause. "After all, we are talking about the miraculous presence of consciousness. Surely there is a possibility that it could be the key for us to save the Esper World!"


    "Alex, what you just said was indeed exciting. However, since it is not yet confirmed, I am not sure if it really is true¡­" Alina muttered in disappointment as she let go of Alex. "I really like this idea that your powers just told you, but I am not sure if it will actually work¡­"


    "Heh, if you want to find if it works or not, then you should find it by yourself!" This was Alex''s reply for Alina''s hesitant attitude. "How about it? As long as we fuse our consciousness with the Esper World, we will discover if all of our conjectures are right!"


    "¡­" Alina tried to reject Alex again, but this time, she was unable to say the words, as she was starting to get convinced by him.


    "Alina, I promise you that we will be careful here¡­ So please¡­ just allow my plan to be implemented¡­" Alex said as he continued his ''assault'' on Alina. "Please, let''s do this together. You might regret passing this up¡­"

 Chapter 343 - No, you did not mishear it.

    TRASH PREFECTURE


    "Today is the day that I will get stronger." Elise muttered these words to herself as she did her best to remain perfectly still.


    This proved to be almost impossible for her, as she was highly strung up with tension and expectation.


    Elise could hardly contain her excitement as she knew that hours from now, she will gain a new power that will allow her to regain all the she had lost!


    As such, Elise Thompson could only stand anxiously with her comrades, as they all waited for their new leader to approach them.


    If Elise was excited, her comrades were excited too, with their faces showing the same hunger as hers.


    But even with this kind of reception, there were still some people who seemed to be not sold on their new leader.


    "Elise, are you sure that our new leader will allow us to get stronger?" Beside Elise, a thin, reedy woman spoke up as she gave Elise a timid look. "What if she is just fooling us?"


    "Lisa, I assure you that the Esteemed Professor Frances is not like that." Elise hurriedly replied as she did her best to assure Lisa. "She may look a little crazy¡­ but her abilities are surely top-notch."


    "But have you seen her fight?" Lisa replied as she avoided Elise''s gaze. "What if she was just a weak deviant cultivator¡­"


    At this point, Elise could not help but frown as she realized that Lisa was still unconvinced right now.


    "Listen here Lisa." Elise slowly said as she placed her left arm above Lisa''s skinny shoulder. "Esteemed Professor Frances is a powerful deviant cultivator. Even if I did not see her fight, her movements, her behavior and the way that she carried herself made me sure that she is highly capable of combat!"


    "¡­" Lisa did not say anything at this point, as she started to cow under Elise''s sudden fierce gaze.


    "Lisa, this is our only chance to regain what we have lost." Elise said as she tightened her grip on Lisa''s shoulder. "If we let go of this chance, we might be regretting this forever!"


    "Ah!" At this point, Elise was gripping Lisa''s shoulder so tightly that the latter has started to feel pain from it.


    "B-b-but what if she only agreed to teach us because she had some ulterior motives?" Lisa rasped out as she gritted her teeth. "What if she just wanted to use us for her own goals?"


    After Lisa said these words, Elise only let out a sigh as she released her hold on Lisa''s shoulder.


    "Lisa, which fate do you think is better for us? For us to rot in this place, or for us to be pawns of the Esteemed Professor Frances?" Elise said as she crossed her arms. "Go on, state your choice."


    "I¡­" Lisa looked like she tried her best to answer, although it was obvious on her face that she was having a hard time to articulate her words.


    Upon seeing this, Elise immediately grabbed Lisa by the scruff of her clothes as she pulled the later closer to her.


    "If you really are suspicious of the Esteemed Professor Frances, then you should have chosen the fate of us rotting in this place." Elise breathed out as her mouth hovered right above Lisa''s wide forehead. "Yet you did not do that."


    "I¡­"


    "Even if you''re clearly not fond of the Esteemed Professor, you also hate your stay here." Elise said as she gave Lisa a mocking grin. "Since you''re like this, please stop being a hypocrite and just accept our new leader''s teachings!"


    "¡­Okay." This was all that Lisa could say as her thin body collapsed under Elise''s murderous stare.


    "Hmph, at this time, we can only rely on the Esteemed Professor. As such, we should always be respectful to her." Elise snarled as she gave Lisa a warning look. "Sure, you can still be suspicious of her. But. Do. Not. Do. Anything. Against. Her. You. Got. It?"


    "I-I-I got it."


    "Good. Now, go back at being quiet! You are better that way!" Elise said as she patted Lisa''s shoulder. "As long as you keep your mouth shut, you will be safe here."


    "¡­"


    Seeing that Lisa would not continue talking, Elise decided to ignore her as she decided to continue waiting for Professor Frances.


    "I wonder what the Esteemed Professor will teach us?" Elise wondered to herself as her excitement continued to increase. "Will she teach us a new cultivation system, or will she impart a miraculous item on us? Sigh¡­ the excitement is really killing me now!"


    Fortunately for Elise, she did not have to wait that long, as just seconds after her argument with Lisa, she and her comrades heard the sound of a door opening.


    "!!!"


    All of their eyes were immediately glued on the house in front of them, which stood out like a sore thumb among the crowd.


    Its front door slowly opened, as a woman wearing a white lab coat came out.


    There was a twisted smile on her face as she stared at Elise and her comrades who all went silent.


    "Hahaha! So all of you have gathered here! Good, good. Good! Now that you are all here, we can proceed on the next phase!" The woman said as she pointed her finger at Elise. "You there! You''re the leader of this group, right? How would you like to be the first one to receive my teachings? Are you willing to accept that?"


    "Of course Esteemed Professor! I am willing!" Elise could barely stop herself from jumping as she realized that Professor Frances wanted her to be the first person to receive her teachings!


    "I am so lucky! Not only did I manage to be a follower of the Esteemed Professor, she also chose me to be her first student! This... this must be my best day ever!" Elise thought to herself as started to feel smug about this fact.


    "You are okay with it? In that case, come accompany me in my room. I shall start dissecting- no, teaching you there." The professor replied as she beckoned Elise to move forward. "You need to move faster, as I have to dissect- no, teach a lot of you."


    "Did she just say dissect? No, I must have misheard it." Elise thought to herself as she followed Professor Frances. "Yes, I must have misheard it¡­"

 Chapter 344 - Is this an enemy attack?

    With Alex''s ''persuasive'' words, he was able to stump Alina into silence.


    A few seconds later, and Alina''s body shuddered as she glared at Alex.


    "¡­Fine, I agree with your plan. Let''s proceed with the consciousness fusion with the Esper World."


    Alina said these words with great difficulty, as if it took everything from her just to say it. Her fists were even clenched, which shows how tense she is right now.


    "I promise you that you will not regret this Alina." Alex replied as he tried to not look that proud. "I am really happy that you agreed with me."


    "Hmph. Just make sure that your plan will work. Because if it doesn''t¡­"


    "Yes, it will really work." Alex hastily said as he inwardly wished that his plan will really work. Because if it did not, who knows what Alina might do to him!


    "So, do we do it now or later?" Alina abruptly said as she her tense body started to relax.


    "Do what?"


    "The consciousness fusion!" Alina shouted as she glared at Alex. "What? Do you still want to delay this?"


    "But with the way that you are hesitating about this, I thought¡­"


    "You thought that I would like to take some time first before attempting the consciousness fusion?" At this point, Alina started to sneer as she shook her head. "Alex, once I make my decision, I will get on with it, no matter how much I struggled to make that decision."


    "Wait, so that means¡­"


    "That means that I am already ready for this consciousness plan, right now." Alina said as she crossed her arms. "So what are you waiting for? Hurry up and do it with me already!"


    "¡­Okay. You''re the one who said it." Alex replied as he let out a wry smile.


    He did not dwell on the fact that some of Alina''s words sounded a little daring, as he decided to focus on their serious plan.


    "Okay, now sit cross-legged on the bed and close your eyes." Alex did not waste any more of his time, as he immediately went on giving instructions to Alina. "Once you assume that position, do your best to calm your mind down. As much as possible, your thoughts must be empty, and your mind must be serene. Do you understand that?"


    "I do."


    "Then start doing it now. Don''t worry about anything else. Just focus on emptying your mind. As for what happens when you succeed on this, just leave that to me."


    "Ok."


    What happened after that went as expected.


    Alina sat on the bed in a cross-legged position as she closed her eyes. She then followed Alex''s instruction to empty her mind, which proved to be a little difficult at first.


    Fortunately for Alina, she had a lot of experience with meditation, which allowed her to achieve the ''empty mind'' state that Alex had wanted her to reach.


    Once Alina reached this point, she patiently waited for what will happen next.


    She did not think about anything else right now, as she serenely waited for Alex''s next move.


    *******************


    "Okay¡­. Now that you are in this state, I can easily bring you with me." Alex muttered to himself as he placed his right hand on Alina''s forehead. "The truth is, I should have been the only one that can fuse with the Esper World¡­ But White Alex made me realize that I can bring you with me, as long as your mind is in a ''zen'' state, which is essentially your state right now."


    After Alex said these words, he waved his left hand as he summoned an object out of Alina''s Storage.


    "Thum."


    The object that came out let out an audible sound as it hit the floor, making Alex smile as he saw it.


    "Esper World¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he stared at the disco-ball like apparatus in front of him. Its wires and other parts were still in perfect condition, making Alex feel still awed just by looking at it. "It''s been long since I have been inside you. Hehehehe, those were really the fun days. Its too bad that you have to be in this kind of state¡­ "


    After saying these words, Alex glanced at Alina furtively as he continued talking. "Well, don''t worry about that anymore, for I will be coming to rescue you!"


    Of course Alex''s goal in ''helping'' the Esper World was mainly for his own power, but still, he had to say nice things to the Esper World, right?


    "Ehem, I forgot that you are paused right now. My bad." Alex said as his right hand started to glow. "Well, let''s just see each other later!"


    Alex then placed his left hand over the machine, with his left hand starting to glow too.


    With these actions, Alex found himself in between Alina and the Esper World, with his right hand on Alina''s forehead, and his left hand on the Esper World itself.


    "Good, now all the conditions have been met. All that I need to do now is to initiate the process." Alex said as his forehead glowed too.


    "Hong!"


    Alex''s whole body started to tremble as fat beads of sweat appeared on his face.


    His eyes went red as blood came out of his ears, nose, and mouth.


    "Kehoff!"


    Alex then started coughing and spasming at this point, with each of his cough expelling bloody bits of flesh out of his body.


    No matter which way one looked at it, Alex seemed to be undergoing a great torture right now, which obviously was taking a lot out of him.


    If Alina could see what was happening to Alex now, she will surely panic and will obviously stop the plan.


    However, Alina is currently stuck in her ''zen'' state, which made it impossible for her to see Alex''s condition.


    "With my body as the furnace, I implore my mind to reach the unreachable dimension!" Amidst through the pain that he is feeling, Alex squeezed out these words as blood continued to leak out of his mouth. "Flow, flow like a river. My mind will be the boat that will bring me to the promised land!"


    "Boom!"


    Alex''s body then slumped down on the bed, as darkness covered his vision.


    Alina''s body collapsed too, as she was also affected by the darkness.


    Both of their bodies started to emanate the aura of death, with their vitality suddenly plummeting down like a rock.


    This aura of death just continued to get stronger and stronger as time passed by, making it look as if these two could lose their life any moment now!


    "Beep beep beep."


    The only thing that seemed to be alive inside the room was the machine simulating the Esper World, with its mechanical body suddenly letting out beeping sounds.


    "Beep beep beep."


    This sound could have sounded amusing if it were heard on any other day, but right now, it only sounded like an ominous beat.


    "Beep beep beep"


    ******************


    [Alina]: "Where am I? Where is this place?"


    Alina was not sure on what happened to her earlier, as out of nowhere, she suddenly felt herself blacking out.


    When her awareness returned, she found herself right inside a place that was vastly different from her room earlier.


    [Alina]: "Is this an enemy attack?"


    Right now, Alina found herself inside what looked like to be a dark cave, which seemed to be infinitely large in her opinion. Alina could not fathom how large this cave could be, as her Esper power fell short of scanning its whole size!


    The size of this cave was not the only weird thing about. Even the darkness inside this cave was too much, even for someone like Alina. Her powerful sight could not pick anything up inside this cave, which had Alina shook.


    After all, her eyes were her strongest sensory power, comparable to her space scanning skill!


    Her eyes, which can see through illusions, lies and even darkness, were actually ''blind'' right here in this cave!


    This is something that Alina did not expect at all!


    [Alina]: "This must be an enemy attack! I don''t know how this happened, but I must prepare myself now!"


    Without waiting for anything, Alina quickly assumed a fighting stance, with her whole mind prepared to make an attack at any given moment.


    She also started to gather her Dark Energy inside her body, as she discreetly prepared some of her most insidious Dark Magic.


    [Alina]: "Whoever you are, just reveal yourself. I don''t care how many you are there. Since you have conspired against me, you should be prepared to fight against me!"


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Excuse me, Miss Alina. I apologize for disturbing you. I am not here to fight you. I am just here to talk to you."


    [Alina]: "Alex, is that you?"


    Even if Alina''s hearing was not comparable to her sight, she knew Alex''s voice when she hears it.


    The voice that she heard right now was exactly like Alex''s, which was hard to replicate in her opinion.


    However, Alina felt that there was also something different about the voice that she just heard now, which made her somewhat doubt it.


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Well, I am not Alex, but you can say that I am a part of him."


    [Alina]: "¡­You''re telling the truth. So you''re not an enemy?"


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "I am not. I am just really here to talk to you."


    [Alina]: "Since you are telling the truth, then I shall hear you out then. Now, come out and face me."


    Alina then relaxed her body as she waited for the speaker to walk towards her.


    But to Alina''s irritation, the person that just conversed with her did not show up.


    [Alina]: "What is your problem? Didn''t you want to talk to me? Why are you not showing yourself then?"


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Miss Alina, I only said that I want to talk to you. I don''t need to show myself in order to do that, right?"


    [Alina]; "You little¡­"


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Ehem, why don''t we just start talking already? From what I can see, you still have some appointment with Alex, right?''


    After hearing these words form this speaker, Alina''s eyes went wide as she remembered what she was supposed to do today.


    [Alina]: "The consciousness fusion! I should be doing that with Alex right now!"


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Good, so you remember it. That makes it easier for me to give my message to you."


    [Alina]: "I don''t want your damn message. Let me out of here! I need to meet Alex right now!"


    At this point, Alina was not interested with talking at the mysterious speaker anymore. Even if he sounded like Alex, Alina was still more worried for the original Alex, who was supposed to be executing the consciousness fusion right now.


    Why would Alina waste her time with a mysterious speaker when she can just use it in order to help Alex out?


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Alex truly is lucky to have a partner like you."


    [Alina]: "Stop flattering me and just tell me the exit!"


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Don''t worry, Miss Alina. As long as you will receive my message, you will be able to meet up with him again. So please, just sit still and let me give my message to you."


    [Alina]: "So you''re still telling the truth¡­ In that case, just start talking."


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Hahahaha! I''m happy for your consideration Miss Alina!"


    [Alina]: "Wait. Before you tell me the message, can you first tell me who you really are?"


    Even if this speaker was telling the truth, Alina could still not help but feel as if there was something wrong about this speaker. She was not sure why, as this speaker truthfully said that he was only interested on giving Alina a message.


    [Alina]: "Tell me your real identity. Only when I know who you really are that I can feel safe talking with you."


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Hoh¡­ so you have been learning lessons from Alex then. Good for you."


    [Alina]: "So, who are you?"


    [[Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Hehehe, you can just say that I am one of Alex''s ''powers''. You know about his story of talking with us, right?"


    [Alina]: "You are still telling the truth, so I can only accept what you said. So, which one of his powers is you?


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Oh, I just have to tell you that later. For now, let me give the message okay? After all, this one is very important, especially for Alex. You wouldn''t want an important message to be delayed, right?"


    At the mention of ''very important'', Alina immediately abandoned her intention for more interrogation as she waited for the speaker to continue talking.


    [Voice which sounded like Alex]: "Hmm, since you are not questioning me anymore, then I guess I can start giving the message to you¡­."

 Chapter 345 - Is it now my time to be Relieved?

    The mysterious speaker then launched itself into a tirade, as it uttered words and sentences for Alina''s ears.


    Alina went silent as she let the speaker talk, creating a tense atmosphere between the two.


    [Alina]: "¡­"


    As she listened more to what the speaker was talking about, her eyes inadvertently narrowed as she glared at the mysterious speaker.


    Anger was present in her features, which was a rare sight to be seen on her usually calm face.


    And her mood seemed to get worse and worse as the speaker continued talking, which resulted in her face looking more and more angry.


    Even when the speaker was done talking, the scowl on Alina''s face did not even weaken by a bit.


    [Alina]: "With my eyes, I can see that you are not lying. But why¡­ why are you saying this to me? Can''t you just tell this to Alex himself?"


    After Alina asked this question, the mysterious speaker only let out a chuckle, as if it found Alina''s suggestion to be quite funny.


    [The voice which sounded like Alex]: "Actually, even if I wanted to tell the message to him, I cannot, since we just talked with Alex earlier. The energy that we used up just to talk to him earlier, which came from Alex himself, made it impossible for us to have another meeting with him today. That is why we decided to talk to you, as your current state allowed us to talk to you, even for just a short amount of time."


    [Alina]: "Oh really?"


    [The voice which sounded like Alex]: "That is the truth, you know it."


    [Alina]: "Hmph, even if what you told me was the truth, is it really fine for me to say this to Alex today?"


    [The voice which sounded like Alex]: "Well, that depends on what you want. If you want to tell it to him now, then do it. If not, then just tell it to him on another day¡­"


    [Alina]; "But if I delay talking to him, you can just be the one who will end up telling everything to Alex.


    [The voice which sounded like Alex]: "Oh don''t worry about that. Now that I have given you the message, it will only be up to you whether Alex should know it or not. I and my other friends have no more obligation to tell it to Alex, since the responsibility is now in your shoulders."


    [Alina]: "What? But that''s-"


    [The voice which sounded like Alex]: "Well, well, well. It''s been fun talking with you, Miss ALina. Hehehe, I hope you and Alex will have fun later!"


    [Alina]: "Hey!"


    [The voice which sounded like Alex]: "Farewell, our Mistress."


    [ALIna]: "Hey!"


    Alina''s complaints were rendered useless, as after the mysterious speaker gave his farewell, Alina''s vision went dark again as she lost her consciousness.


    **************


    "Ugh¡­" Alina found herself opening her eyes again for the second time today, which can be considered to be an achievement in her opinion.


    "!!!"


    At that moment, Alina''s sharp mind managed to recall the conversation that happened in the dark cave, which prompted her to jump up in surprise.


    "¡­" As seconds passed by, Alina''s thoughts started to calm down, as she realized that she was at a new place again.


    This time around, she was also in a dark place, although it was different from earlier.


    The place that she is in right now can be compared to a night sky, as Alina could see numerous dots of stars adorning the landscape around her.


    These dots of stars, combined with the balanced darkness all around Alina, created a sight which was enough to even put Alina in a slight daze.


    "This¡­ this definitely is a new place." Alina thought to herself as she let out a sigh. "Hmm¡­ is this the place where Alex should have been to?"


    As she thought of this to herself, Alina could not help but look down on her body.


    To her surprise, she found that her whole body seemed to be both transparent and immaterial, which made her feel a little shocked for a few moments.


    "My body is transparent and immaterial right now. Does this mean that this body of mine is my soul?" Alina thought in wonder as she remembered Alex''s story about his soul meeting up with his powers inside his soulscape.


    No matter which way Alina looked at it, her body right now was similar to Alex''s description of a soul before, which made her feel more assured.


    This feeling however was replaced with wariness as she suddenly felt the approach of a presence behind her.


    "Who!" Alina immediately crouched down as she touched the hilt of her katana, making her ready for any kind of sudden attacks.


    Her body tensed up once more, as she started to gather power once again.


    If this new presence behind her attacks her, Alina will not hesitate to cut it down!


    "Woah, woah, woah. Easy there Alina." Alina''s tight hold on her katana slackened after she heard a male voice behind her.


    This voice sounded similar to Alex too, although this time around, Alina did not feel any suspicion after hearing this voice.


    "Alex, is that you?" Alina asked warily as she did not dare to imagine talking again to that mysterious speaker. She slightly loosened her hold on her katana, as she regarded the newcomer with both curiosity and wariness.


    "Hah? What is that question? Of course I am Alex." The man behind Alina replied, which made Alina sigh in relief.


    "¡­You''re telling the truth." These were the only words that ALIna said as she relaxed her body. She then turned around as she looked at her witty partner. "That''s good."


    And with that, most of Alina''s negative emotions for the day disappeared, as she looked at Alex''s excited face.


    Nothing seemed to be different on Alex right now, although his body was also at the same state as Alina''s, although his was 3 times larger than hers.


    This could be the result of some kind of [special condition in the soulscape, but right now, Alina was not interested in it.


    She was only focused on Alex, who was now giving Alina an inquisitive look.


    "Alina, did something happen while you were meditating?" Alex, whose appearance was displayed in front of Alina, slowly said as uncertainty appeared on his eyes. "After all, its weird for you to act like this, especially when you just woke up¡­ Did you encounter something? Or was it someone?"


    "¡­" After Alex said these words, Alina repressed a shiver as she remembered the ''talk'' that she had with the mysterious speaker earlier.


    "Ah don''t worry about that Alex. I was just shaken up earlier." Alina replied as she let out an inward sigh. "Really, there''s no problem with me. I was just a little muddle-headed earlier."


    "Are you sure about that?"


    "Yes, I am sure about it." Alina replied as she crossed her arms. "So there''s no need for you to be like this. I can already take care of myself!"


    "¡­"


    ************


    When Alina saw Alex''s appearance as a soul body, she immediately had the impulse to tell Alex the message that was given to her earlier.


    After all, this message can be said to be vital for Alex.


    But after she saw the undisguised enthusiasm on Alex''s face right now, Alina lost the drive to give the message to him.


    "Forgive me Alex, but the message will have to wait, at least after we finish this consciousness fusion." Alina thought to herself as she saw Alex''s beaming face. "You¡­ you will understand my reason for this delay once I tell you everything later¡­"


    While Alina was thinking of these things, Alex suddenly gave her a reply, which forced an awkward grimace from Alina.


    "Alright then, keep your secrets." This was Alex''s reply as he shook his head wryly.


    "¡­"


    There was no doubt that Alex knew that Alina''s hiding something, although Alex seemed to be not that interested on it now.


    "I don''t know what happened to you, but I am not focused on that right now." Alex continued talking as he ignored Alina''s discomfort. "We are here to achieve our original goal, which is the consciousness fusion. We¡­ just have to deal with the minor matters after we succeed here. For now, let''s pour our attention on our original plan!"


    "¡­" Alina did not give any reply to that, as she just gave Alex a slight nod.


    "¡­.If that nod means that you agree, then I think we should proceed immediately." Alex said as he held Alina''s right hand. "Come with me, let''s go meet our target today."


    "Our target? Do you mean the-"


    "Yes, I mean the consciousness of the Esper World itself." Alex said as he gave Alina a grin. "After all, we are about to fuse with it today. Of course we have to meet it first."


    "¡­So let me get this straight. Right now, you were able to do something that will allow us to see the consciousness of the Esper World easily." Alina slowly said, as the matter of the ''important message'' started to get buried at the back of her mind. "Is that what you did?"


    "That''s what I exactly did." Alex replied smugly as he started pulling Alina along with him.


    "Truth." This was what Alina could only say as she reluctantly followed Alex.


    "¡­"


    As Alina started to follow Alex, her eyes never stopped moving as she continued looking all around her.


    All around Alina, all that she could only see were the ''night sky'' and the ''stars'', which made her feel as if she was walking through space right now.


    Each step that she took with Alex gave her a new view of the ''stars'' around her, which filled her up with some kind of mystical feeling.


    "Alex, is this place the soulscape of the Esper World?" Alina asked as she felt more and more comfortable with her surroundings. "Maybe its just me, but I can feel some kind of familiarity with this place."


    "Well, you''re actually right, Alina." Alex replied as he continued brining Alina with him. "This place is the soulscape of the Esper World, where the soul and the consciousness of the Esper World resides."


    ".."


    "As for us two, both of us right now are soul bodies." Alex said as he shrugged his shoulders. "Oh, don''t ask me how I was able to bring your soul here. I just barely did it earlier¡­''


    "¡­" At this point, Alina was already numb from all the surprises that she had received. It was just too much, that Alina had already developed a small immunity against it.


    Right now, Alina was not worried on how her soul got here. She was more worried on how her soul could be safe on this place, especially when they are here in order to enact the consciousness fusion!


    "Alex, maybe its just me, but isn''t this dangerous?" Alina muttered as she observed her transparent skin. "After all, even our souls are actually on the line here. Even if I have now great knowledge about things like this, I know that one small mistake can lead to our souls getting damaged forever."


    "Alina, I know that this is dangerous, but this is the only way that our consciousness can interact with the consciousness of the Esper World." Alex said as he let out a sigh. "Our souls¡­ must be in close proximity the with ''soul'' of the Esper World before we can attempt the consciousness fusion. If our souls are not in close contact with each other, then our fusion plan won''t have any effect at all¡­."


    "...Wow, so our souls must approach each other?" Alina muttered as she let out a wry smile. "I''m not sure if I should be relieved or worried by that¡­"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 346 - Fly like a Bird, Sting like a Mosquito

    "Ehem. Why don''t we just proceed with the fusion now?" Alex said as he avoided Alina''s stare. "After all, we have arrived at our location already."


    "We have arrived already? What do you mean by tha-oh." Alina''s reply was cut off, as she and Alex found themselves facing what looked like to be a stone altar front of them.


    This stone altar seemed to be made up of precious materials, as each one of its parts were letting out bright, colorful glow that only rare materials can do.


    Not only that, but this altar was also abnormally massive, as its size was comparable to that of a large building.


    As its bright and huge body loomed over the two, both Alex and Alina took deep breaths as they appraised the altar silently.


    "Woooh, this altar really is something else." This was all that Alex could say as he stared at the glowing shrine in front of him. "With this size and materials, this altar looks as if it was intended for something important. But what is it for?"


    This question of Alex was immediately answered as he and Alina noticed an object floating just above the altar.


    "This¡­"


    Alex found himself trailing for words, as he felt captivated by what he saw.


    A blue orb, which was the size of a watermelon, was floating right above the altar, with is body barely moving from its position.


    This orb seemed to be transparent just like Alex''s and Alina''s body, although this orb seemed to be much more solid compared to Alex and Alina.


    Every now and often, this orb will bob up and down slightly, creating a surreal but also entrancing sight.


    If these were the only characteristics of this orb, then Alex might be not fully interested on it. However, there is still something else about this orb that had Alex and Alina wary of it.


    Right now, this blue orb was emanating an unseen pressure, which was forcing both Alex and Alina to move away from the orb itself.


    Alex''s soul, which had been tempered many times before, and had been strengthened by a portion of Emperor Litch''s soul, was actually being forced by the orb to move away from it!


    This is something that certainly had Alex worried.


    Alina, whose soul was slightly weaker than Alex, looked to be more affected by the orb''s pressure.


    Her face was ragged with discomfort as her foot was slowly sliding backwards.


    "¡­."


    After he saw what was happening to his partner, Alex did not waste any time as he grabbed Alina''s hand.


    At the moment that he did this, the unseen pressure that was boring on them started to weaken, as if their act of holding hands has weakened the pressure.


    However, this weakened pressured was still strong enough to prevent Alex and Alina from moving easily.


    Upon seeing this, Alex tightened his hold on Alina''s hand as he inwardly decided to not let go of her hand, no matter what happenss.


    "Alina, there is no doubt about it. That blue orb right there is the soul of the Esper World." Alex said as he watched Alina''s complexion.


    Alina''s face was slightly pale due to the pressure of the orb, although it was starting to recover its color now.


    As her face started to regain a rosy color, Alina looked back at Alex with schadenfreude as she replied,


    "Alex, that orb right there is releasing a pressure that was powerful enough to make us like this. Of course that is the soul of the Esper World! After all, only something like the soul of the Esper World can release that kind of pressure!"


    "Yeah, I''m already Captain Obvious. There''s no need to rub it in." Alex replied sullenly as he shook his head. "Hey, instead of teasing me, why don''t you just thank me? If it were not for me, you could have been overwhelmed by the pressure already."


    "Well, thank you then. Thank you for your help."


    "¡­Okay, I accept your thanks." Seeing that Alina seemed to lose interest on talking to him, Alex let out a sigh as he refocused his attention on the blue orb.


    His eyes then narrowed as he observed the ''soul'' of the Esper World warily.


    "From what Blue Alex has said, the consciousness of the Esper World will be at its weakest at this moment. It will also be the only moment that I can succeed on the consciousness fusion." Alex thought to himself wryly as he let out another sigh. "If the pressure being let out by the soul of the Esper World was already like this, then how strong will it be once it actually wakes up?"


    As he reached this line of thought, Alex inwardly shuddered, as he realized that no matter what happens, the Esper World must not wake up at all.


    After all, just the ''sleeping'' Esper World was already giving out this kind of pressure to Alex and Alina. If the Esper World awakens any moment from now, then Alex will be definitely screwed!


    "Alina, now that we are here, we can already proceed to the next step." Alex said as he stared at the blue orb intently. "Since that blue orb is the soul of the Esper World, the next thing that we need to do is to approach it."


    "You mean walk towards the blue orb until we can touch it."


    "Yes. We will have to walk against this pressure until we reach the blue orb." Alex replied as he nodded his head. "It will be only that that point that we can start the consciousness fusion. That is why, you should never let go of my hand."


    "I understand Alex" Alina replied quietly as Alex felt her hand squeezing his. "After all, us holding hands allows us to mutually strengthen our souls against this pressure. If we approach the blue orb separately, I do not know if we can even move forward by a meter."


    "¡­Well then, let us do this!" After he saw Alina''s readiness for their next move, Alex decided to let it loose right now


    He and Alina moved forwards, as they planted their right feet in front of them firmly.


    "Ugh¡­" Both of them let out a groan, as they felt the pressure continuing on pushing them backwards.


    "Heh, this is nothing!" Alex shouted out as he and Alina then moved their left feet forward. "We have faced worse things than this!"


    Alex immediately regretted saying these words, as after he put his left food down, the pressure boring down on them suddenly increased in power!


    "What?" Alex could barely keep his body still as his left foot started to tremble under the strengthened pressure.


    As for Alina, her body was trembling too, with her left foot shaking almost to the point of instability.


    "Argh, I see, I see. SOothis little f**ker right here is not an easy picking." Alex said as he let out an angry snarl. "Classy, real classy.."


    "Alex, why did the pressure suddenly get stronger?" Alina, who was looking extremely uncomfortable with her situation, mewled out as she tightened her hold on Alex''s hand. "Is the ''soul'' of the Esper World awake already?"


    "No, its still asleep."


    "Then why did the pressure suddenly increase?"


    "Alina, its simple. Everytime we take a step forward, we are bound to experience a greater pressure." Alex replied as he gritted his teeth. "Or in simpler terms, the nearer that we get to the soul of the Esper World, the stronger pressure we will surely receive."


    "!!!"


    "See that blue orb? There is a high chance that that blue orb is the source of the pressure pressing down on us right now." Alex said as he tried his best to stabilize his body. "Since that orb is the source, then it is highly likely that the pressure at that point is also the strongest. Meanwhile, the place that we are in right now has weaker pressure, since we are far from the blue orb. Put those two facts together, and you already see the situation that we are right in."


    "So this is just like a black hole, but instead of pulling us in, it is pushing us out." Alina said as she perfectly summarized Alex''s words. ""Everytime we have to move forward, we will be forced to exert more effort, as the pressure gets stronger and stronger as we get nearer to the blue orb."


    "Yes, that''s our problem." Alex replied as he let out his third sigh. "And right now, we are doing our best to approach our target, although this pressure is making its extremely difficult for us to do so."


    Both Alex and Alina slumped their shoulders together, as they realized the predicament that they are in.


    If they want to succeed with the consciousness fusion, then they must first approach and touch the soul of the Esper World.


    But in order for them to do that, they must get through the powerful pressure repelling them! If they will not succeed on this step, then none of their subsequent plans can even be realized!


    "Sigh, I have been tricked again, and its Blue Alex who did it. Sigh, that little f**ker!" Alex muttered angrily as he managed to keep his body still right now. "At first I thought that this consciousness fusion will be easy, since the Esper World is still asleep. But as it turns out, we are greatly mistaken¡­. F**k this!"


    "So what should we do now Alex? Should we push against this pressure, or should we just give up?" Alina asked Alex as she looked at him seriously. "Alex, what do you think will be the best for us?"


    "Are you still asking that? Of course we will push against this pressure!" Alex shouted out as he straightened his body.


    He ignored the sounds of creaking bones on his joints as he adopted a chivalrous appearance.


    "Alina, since this pressure was already this bad, then it just means that our reward for getting through it will be much, much sweeter than what we could have imagined!" Alex said as he took a deep breath. "Alina, a wise man once said: No Pain, No Gain! This situation that we are in right now is just like that!"


    "So you want us to go through the Pain, until we get the Gain. That''s a nice concept, but can we do all this in just 7 days?" Alina replied as she gave Alex a cold look.


    "???"


    "Alex, I know that with our abilities, we can surely get through this powerful pressure and reach the blue orb." Alina said as she bit her lips. "But it will take us some time to do this!"


    "¡­Oh." At this point, Alex realized what Alina was talking about.


    She was talking about the time limit.


    Sure, given enough time, Alex and Alina can eventually reach the blue orb and succeed in the consciousness fusion.


    The problem for these two however is that they only have 7 days left until the fight between the rebels and the TimeMasters will commence.


    This means that they have to reach the orb and succeed in consciousness fusion in just 7 days!


    Can they even do this?


    "What Alex? Are you sure that we can finish this before the fight happens?" Alina pressed on as she glared at Alex. "If not, then we are just wasting our time here."


    "Alina, do not worry. Our current situation might look difficult, but I assure you. We can do this under 7 days." Alex replied confidently as he stared back at Alina.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, just follow me, and everything will fall into place."


    "¡­"


    After Alex said these words, he then looked back at the direction of the blue orb as his lips curled up into a smile.


    "Alina, what we will do next will hurt a lot, but I promise you that this will be all worth it in the end." Alex muttered as he bent his knees down.


    He then gathered his power on his legs as his whole body started to tremble again.


    Alina, who saw what Alex was doing, blanched as she realized what he was about do next.


    "Alex, what the-"


    "Hahaha! Fly like a bird, sting like a mosquito!" Alex roared out as he jumped forwards, using all of his gathered strength to push him forward.


    "Alex!!!!" Alina could only shout these words miserably as she was dragged along by Alex.

 Chapter 347 - If you cant find us, then let us guide you!

    7 DAYS LATER


    After the infamous accident where the Great TimeMaster''s daughter was kidnapped, the whole world was stirred into action, as the repercussions of what had happened 7 days ago has started to affect every facet of the world.


    The whole world was plunged into tension too, as uncertainty and doubts began to spread out to the mortals, cultivators, and TimeMasters alike.


    Many began to fear for the chaos that might happen, leading to several unforeseen events around the world.


    "So, does any of you have news about Young Mistress'' location?" Inside a small, office-like room, a man wearing a crisp suit and tie asked this question for the nth time this day.


    His face, although has a handsome visage, was also showing visible signs of fatigue and lack of sleep. "Did our agents find any important clue?"


    "I''m sorry CEO Smith, but our agents still found nothing." The one who answered this question was a woman that was around 30 years of age. Her hair was tied in a bun, with her floral skirt and white blouse complementing her body''s curves.


    Her face was also tinged with fatigue, with her eyes covered with a large patch of eyebags.


    "¡­Is that so Andrea. This is really bad." The man, who was called CEO Smith, groaned out as he leaned back on his seat.


    He then placed both of this feet on top of his table, as if he was using it to rest his legs.


    "CEO Smith, even if we are in a crisis right now, I think that you should not place your foot on top of your table." The woman, whose name was indicated to be Andrea, said as she stared pointedly at CEO Smith''s foot. "We still have to show manners you know."


    "Andrea, please let me do this. I have not gotten that much rest these past 7 days." CEO Smith replied as he let out a sigh. "You do not know how exhausted I am right now."


    "CEO Smith, even if you are exhausted, you should remember that I am exhausted too." Andrea shot back as her eyelids started to droop. "I am your secretary, so I am also swamped with a lot of duties... But even if I am this exhausted, I still do not forget my basic manners!"


    "Andrea, can we just talk about ''mannners'' on another day?" CEO Smith said, with his voice sounding particularly evasive. "For now, let''s continue your report."


    "¡­I will remember that you said this, CEO Smith." Andrea muttered as she straightened her posture. "Maybe we can fix your manners after all this fiasco¡­"


    "Ahaha, yeah, let''s do that then¡­"


    After CEO Smith gave this awkward laugh, Andrea only shook her head as she fixed the papers that she held.


    She held it against her face as she looked back at her boss.


    "So CEO Smith, which one do you want to know first?" Andrea uttered as she started leafing through her papers. "All of this data had been updated just 10 minutes ago, so you can be assured that these are all reliable info¡­"


    "Hmm¡­" After he received this prompt from his secretary, CEO Smith placed a finger on his stubbled chin as he started to think


    "So first of all, can you tell me about the condition of Miss Alina and Mr. Alex? Are they still not coming out of their room?"


    "It''s just like what you said CEO Smith. Mr. Alex and Miss Alina are still not coming out of their room." Andrea replied as she let out an exhausted sigh. "And to make it worse, there are still no signs of life emanating from that room, which makes it look like they were dead. But of course we are not sure if they are really dead since-"


    "Since the Big Boss gave us the order to not interrupt those two, whatever they do." CEO Smith said as he cut-off Andrea''s words. "Sigh, it''s been 7 days already since those two holed themselves inside their room. What are they doing there right now? Did they forget that the ritual concerning Young Mistress is about to start today? Why are they not doing anything to help?"


    "CEO Smith, what if they are really dea-"


    "No Andrea, those two are not dead." CEO Smith said as he interrupted Andrea once more. " You personally have seen them during the attack of the Savage Sword Giant. Those two¡­ they have abilities that are unknown even to us. For those kind of people, dying is something that is hard to happen! So, whatever they are doing inside that room, it must have been something that has incapacitated them, although not at the point of near death. You got it?"


    "Um, I got it CEO Smith."


    "Hmph, if those two are still busy there, then just let them stay there for now!" CEO Smith grumbled as he crossed his arms. "If those two will not help us out on rescuing Young Mistress, then fine! They should suit themselves! But if they will abandon the Young Mistress, then I will make sure to make the Big Boss know about their traitorous actions..."


    "The Big Boss¡­ she will surely be pissed at these two." Andrea muttered to herself as she shuffled her papers.


    "Hey, speaking of the Big Boss, have you or anyone from our company managed to make contact with her today?" CEO Smith asked, as he forcefully changed their topic.


    "CEO Smith, ever since Big Boss have left the Young Mistress under the care of Mr. Alex, none of our associates were able to contact her, even until today." Andrea said as she averted her gaze away from the CEO. "Even when I used some of my advanced skills, I was still unable to even sense the Big Boss'' location¡­"


    "Sigh¡­ that''s Big Boss for you." CEO Smith could only say these words with despondency as his exhausted eyes started to dim. "If she does not want to be seen, then she will not be seen¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Both of them then let out simultaneous sighs as CEO Smith banged his head on the table.


    Now, pure frustration can be felt coming out from him, which made Andrea feel frustrated too.


    "Andrea, from the looks of it, even Big Boss will be unable to help us now." CEO Smith said with his forehead still in contact with his table. "It will only be us TImeMasters who can do something about all of this."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Both of their moods, which was already down earlier, plummeted again, as they imagined all the things that they have to face today.


    "¡­Okay, let''s put Big Boss'' condition at the back of our minds first." CEO Smith said as he massaged his forehead. "For now, tell me about the current state of affairs in this world."


    Andrea was unable to hide a grimace on her face after she heard what her boss just said.


    "CEO Smith¡­ it''s bad." Andrea slowly said as she gave CEO Smith numerous sheets of paper. "Take a look at that, and you will see what I mean."


    CEO Smith hurriedly look at the contents of the paper, which only took him a few seconds.


    "It''s bad indeed.'' This was all that CEO Smith could say as he banged his head again on the table.


    "CEO Smith, our Time Stocks are at their all-time low, as many mortals and cultivators started to pull out their investments today." Andrea said as she gathered the scattered papers. "The papers that I showed you displays all the Time that we have lost just due to this sudden pull-out..."


    "Not only that, but many of our business has also closed down today, as the unease and tension everywhere made it hard for business to continue..." Andrea added as her grimace worsened. "CEO Smith, if this goes on, our saved Time Essence will start dwindling¡­"


    "Sigh¡­ this was not this bad yesterday." CEO Smith said in a muffled tone. "Why would all of this happen today?"


    "CEO Smith, maybe it was because of the fact that the start of this so-called ritual will happen today." Andrea replied as she finished gathering all the scattered papers. "Since a big event was supposed to happen today, many mortals and cultivators must have thought that some change will happen, which lead to them withdrawing their investments¡­"


    "Hmph, those spineless cowards must have thought that our whole system will crash today! Hah, how presumptuous of them!" CEO Smith said these words angrily, although he still did not raise his head. "Hmph, they must have been wishing for those damned rebels to win against us TimeMasters! Those bastards¡­ once we clean up the mess made by these rebels, we will put our attention to them next!"


    "CEO Smith, it''s good for you to already have something planned to do in the future, but that plan will not work if you can''t do anything about the present." Andrea chidingly said as she shook her head. "Especially for today¡­"


    "Andrea, you don''t need to remind me about that already. Everyone had been saying that same thing to me for the past 7 days, and quite frankly, it''s been taking the life out of me¡­" CEO Smith said as he slowly pushed his head up.


    "¡­"


    His eyes now looked hollow and empty, as if life was sucked out of them.


    Andrea could only flinch as she saw these eyes, as if she felt pained upon seeing them.


    "CEO Smith, its not your fault if those rebels hid themselves well." Andrea hurriedly said as she tried to console her boss. "These rebels are not like the Covenant of Immortals. They are much more secretive, and they are hiding more potent powers compared to the Covenant of Immortals! Clearly, this new rebel group that we are facing is a formidable one! So for us to be unable to find them is quite normal¡­"


    "Normal? Heh, we are the TimeMasters, and we should have been controlling this world. And yet, we are unable to find a rebel group hidden here? Do you understand yourself, Andrea?" CEO Smith said these words in a hollow tone as he placed both of his hands on his face.


    He then leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. This created the classic image of a despairing person, which was too much for Andrea already.


    "Andrea, if we won''t be able to get any info about this rebel group, I am not sure if I can still face the Big Boss¡­" CEO Smith said as tears started to pour from his eyes. His whole body then started to shake as buckets of tears continued flowing out of his eyes.


    "Why! Why did they have to do their move during my time! This is just unfair!" CEO Smith bawled out while Andrea awkwardly patted him on his back. "Why¡­ why now¡­"


    As her boss started to spiral into a nervous wreck, the bothered Andrea could only grit her teeth as she took a deep breath.


    "Um¡­ CEO Smith, you may think that this is unfair, but as long as we managed to save the Young Mistress, you will be able to save this whole situation." Andrea said as she decided to make her boss go all-out today. "CEO Smith, we just have to save the Young Mistress. That is all that we have to do¡­"


    "B-but how are we going to save her, when we still do not know where she is?" CEO Smith shot back as his tear-stained face stared at Andrea. "How can we even save her when our own elite agents are unable to find even a single trace of those rebels?"


    "Um¡­" Andrea found herself stumped by this question, as she simply knew no answer for this.


    "Argh¡­ it''s all hopeless now. I am done for¡­" CEO Smith then continued wailing to himself as his tears continued to flow.


    "¡­"


    At this point, what Andrea could only do was to console her boss, as she does not know what to do next.


    "Sigh, today is my unlucky day." Andrea though to herself as she let out a deprecating smile. "If only if I-"


    "CEO Smith! CEO Smith! We have an urgent news!" Andrea''s inner monologue was suddenly cut off, as a person suddenly entered CEO Smith''s room, shouting out words in an excited manner. "CEO Smith, those rebels have- are you okay sir?"


    "CEO Smith is stressed already. Let him cry, okay?" Andrea snapped as she glared at the newcomer. "If you want to say something, just say it to me."


    "Um okay Miss Andrea. I shall tell the urgent news to you then." The newcomer, who looked like to be a newly-inducted worker, started to look around him nervously as if he was finding his courage to talk.


    "Come on! Just speak up! Don''t waste my time!" Andrea snarled as she glared murderously at the young man. "Why are you this wimpy, huh?"


    "Okay Miss Andrea! I will really talk now!" The young man was left trembling under Andrea''s murderous gaze, although he seemed to be able to gather enough courage to continue talking.


    "W-w-we just received a message 2 minutes earlier, which was placed inside a golden envelope." The young man said as his breathing started to quicken. "At first we took no note of it, since it could be just a prank message. But when we looked at the back of the envelope, we saw something unexpected!"


    Before Andrea could ask what they saw, the young man fiddled with his pocket as he pulled out an object out from it.


    What he pulled out was a golden envelope, which seemed to be the one that he was talking about.


    He then flipped the golden envelope around as he showed its back to Andrea.


    "This¡­"


    What Andrea found on the back of the golden envelope was a message, which was written in black ink.


    The way it was written was elegant, although its message has chilled Andrea to her core.


    [[[HEY, 7 DAYS HAVE ALREADY PASSED BY, WHICH MEANS THAT THE RITUAL IS ABOUT TO START! HEHEHE, SINCE YOU FAILED TO FIND US IN THESE 7 DAYS, THEN WE ARE LEFT WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO TELL YOU THE LOCATION OF OUR BASE. OPEN THIS ENVELOPE, AND YOU WILL KNOW EVERYTHING! HAHAHA! MAKE SURE YOU BRING EVERYONE WITH YOU! AFTER ALL, TODAY WILL BE THE DAY THAT YOU TIMEMASTERS WILL DISAPPEAR FROM THIS WORLD! HAHAHA!]]]


    There was no doubt about it.


    This golden envelope was something that the rebels had made specifically for them! Just this message alone was enough to prove that!


    "These bastards!" This was all that Andrea could think of as anger threatened to explode out from her. "They really had the gall to do this to us! T-t-they will pay for all of this!"

 Chapter 348 - Temptation and Desperation

    (((Author''s Note: Huhu sorry for the short chap. Don''t worry though. The next chapter will be a little longer. I just don''t know how longer, since I am not writing it yet...)))


    "CEO Smith, what should we do about this?" Even though Andrea could see that her boss was suffering right now, she had no choice but to consult the matter about the envelope to him.


    "Hah?" CEO Smith, whose face was still covered with tears, blearily asked this question as he stared at Andrea.


    "CEO Smith! Did you even hear what we are talking about?" Andrea could not help but snap as she saw her boss'' delayed reaction. "Come on! Our enemies just gave us a message! Are you even listening to us?"


    "Well um yes, I am listening to you two¡­" CEO Smith slowly replied as he wiped his tears. "So you are asking if we should open the envelope?"


    "Yes, so what should we do about this?" Andrea replied as she looked at the golden envelope with a wary look. "Do you want to open the envelope or not?"


    Andrea knew that right now, it was her boss, CEO Smith, that has the say on whether they can open the golden envelope or not, since he currently has the highest position here in their company.


    If their boss wants to destroy the envelope, Andrea will easily destroy it. But if he wants it opened, Andrea will have no choice but to open it.


    Of course, if it was Andrea who will be asked, she will definitely not open the envelope.


    After all, these rebels''''tip'' could be most likely a trap, which will just endanger many of her comrades.


    "Boss, you should know that these rebels are opportunistic sons of b***es." Andrea thought to herself as she waited for CEO Smith to give his answer. "Don''t give them the opportunity to deal more damage on us!"


    Andrea knew that even if her boss was a sobbing mess right now, his mind should still be in a sound state. There should be no way that he will open the envelope, with all the risks associated with it.


    But unfortunately for Andrea, her boss'' reply was the one that she was fearing to her.


    "Umm¡­ I think we should open it." CEO Smith said as he looked at the golden envelope with a hungry look. "Since our agents can''t find anything, then we just have to rely on this envelope¡­''


    "Yes! I think we should open it!" The young man who gave the envelope shouted out as he stared at the golden envelope with a fervent gaze. "If¡­ if these rebels are these conceited to tell us their location, then of course we should know about it! Hahaha! This will surley lead to their downfall!"


    "I agree with this young man." CEO Smith said as he shakily stood up from his seat. He continued drying his face with tissues as he took a deep breath. "Since we do not have any leads right now, we have no choice but to just look at this message¡­"


    "Yes CEO! That''s how we should do this!"


    "Idiots!" After she heard what these two men were talking, Andrea almost blew up as she gave a death glare to the two. "What if this message was just a trap against us? What if the location that they will give us is not the real place, and it was just a deadly trap? Are you really desperate to believe something like this? CEO Smith, please use your mind properly!"


    "¡­"


    Andrea then continued her tirade as she saw her boss'' face go pale.


    "CEO Smith, its not only the Young Mistress'' life that are in danger here. Even our TimeMaster comrades will have to risk their life later! If you carelessly walk into a trap made by these rebels, you will put many of our comrades in mortal danger!"


    "¡­"


    "Please CEO Smith, reconsider this!" Andrea clenched her fists at this point, as she resisted the urge to punch her boss in his face. "I know that you want to make a contribution for the Big Boss, but believing in a ploy like this by our enemies is not the right way to do things! Please, please resist the temptation¡­"


    "Andrea, you do not know how much pressure lies on my shoulders right now." CEO Smith said as he snatched the envelope away from Andrea''s grasp. "All the other CEO''s are waiting for the results of my investigation. Not only that, but even the Elders and many stockholders are pushing me to find any leads for our Young Mistress! Andrea, can you imagine the stress that I am having right now? Can you imagine all the threats that were given to me these past 7 days? Can you imagine all of that?''


    "CEO Smith¡­"


    "Andrea, please, please just let me open this." CEO Smith said as he tightened his hold on the envelope with this trembling hands. "This¡­ this is my only hope to survive. If I don''t do this, everything that I worked for will all disappear!"


    "¡­"


    Andrea tried to think of a good argument to persuade her boss, but she was unable to think of any, after she saw the desperate look on her boss'' face.


    "Ah." At this point, Andrea realized that no matter what she did, she will be unable to change her boss'' mind.


    At the moment that the golden envelope has arrived, her boss'' mind has already decided to give in to the temptation.


    He had already decided to embark on this perilous path, with no regards for the consequences that it might bring.


    This, this is how desperate CEO Smith is right now.


    "CEO¡­" A sad smile appeared on Andrea''s face, as she could only watch helplessly as her boss started to peel the seal on the golden envelope.


    "Rip¡­"


    A ripping sound echoed inside the room, as the golden envelope was fully shredded by CEO Smith into pieces.


    A blood-red paper then fell out from the remains of the envelope, falling straight towards CEO Smith''s outstretched hand.


    "CEO Smith, I wish you luck later." This was all that Andrea could only say as her boss started reading the words written on the red paper. "I hope that the risk that you just took¡­ will be all worth it."


    ****************

 Chapter 350 - Divination and Enlightenment

    3 HOURS LATER


    MOUNTAIN OF ENLIGHTENMENT, JADE SEA PREFECTURE


    "Bro, are you sure that your sister will be here?" A scrawny, black-haired boy asked as he placed his hands on his knees.


    This boy''s face was covered with sweat, with his chest heaving up and down as he continuously breathed in and out deeply.


    His limbs were slightly trembling too, as if they were having a hard time supporting themselves right now.


    To anyone looking at this boy, they will think that he just did a strenuous activity with his exhausted appearance.


    In front of this scrawny boy, a blond stocky teen, who was also out of this breath, let out a sigh as he crossed his arms.


    This blond teen then gave the scrawny boy a withering look, as if he was questioning the scrawny boy''s sanity.


    "Don''t doubt me like that. I am sure that my sister will be here." The blond teen said, as his face that was full of blisters started to jiggle. "You know that I am an expert in Divination. For me to know where my sister is just easy for me!"


    "Hmph, you say that you are an expert in Divination, yet it still took you several months to ''predict'' that your sister will be here. To me that doesn''t look like it''s at the expert level." The scrawny boy replied as he let out a snort.


    "You-" Before the blond teen could answer, the scrawny boy glared at him as he continued talking.


    "And from what I can remember, didn''t you also have some other leads on where your sister could be? But what happened to all those leads? All of them turned out to be duds right?" As the scrawny boy said these words, he just continued on shaking his head. "Hmph, since you have already failed on those places, what makes you think that this place won''t be just another dead-end?"


    "I-I am sure that my Divination this time is right!" The blond teen replied with desperation in his tone. "I know deep inside my heart that this place is the one where I will see my sister!"


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, let''s see if your ''heart'' is indeed right¡­" The scrawny boy replied as he shook his head.


    "Ian, why are you always this doubtful of my skill?" The blond teen, who now noticed the scrawny boy''s lack of interest, growled out as he faced him. "I helped you out before with my divination, didn''t I? I even saved your life at that time!"


    "My problem in the past and your sister''s disappearance are two different things, Marcus." The scrawny boy, whose name has turned out to be Ian, muttered as he averted his eyes away from the blond teen. "When you helped me out before, your cultivation, skills, and Time are all at their best. That is the reason why you were able to easily help me before. But now? Your Time has almost dwindled to nothing, while your cultivation and skills had started to regress too¡­ In this kind of situation, do you still think that you have the chance to save your sister?"


    "You!" At this point, the blond teen, who was called by Ian as Marcus, grabbed Ian''s shoulders as he pressed his face near to his.


    Marcus'' breath, which smelled like cigarettes and alcohol, wafted all over Ian''s face, which made Ian wince.


    "Ian, if you only joined me here to make me feel like a failure, then I think you should already go back." Marcus said as he tightened his grip on Ian''s shoulder. "Go on, leave me alone here. I don''t need loudmouths like you squawking on my ears the whole day!"


    "¡­"


    Instead of looking hurt from Marcus'' words, Ian, who was still under Marcus'' grip, only let out a wry smile as he glared at him.


    "Hmph, the only reason that I joined you here was because I was worried for your safety." Ian replied testily as his gaze at Marcus started to intensify. "But from the looks of it, it seems like you are not even interested in my aid anymore."


    "Hmph, your aid? Please, my divination does not even require any of your assistance!" At this point, Marcus looked like he was about to explode, but he had managed to hold it in as he spat out this reply to Ian. "I just allowed you to join me since I don''t like travelling alone!"


    "Is that so? Well in that case, I shall agree to your request!" Ian said as he forcefully tore off Marcus'' grip on his shoulders.


    "Hiss¡­"


    If it was before, Marcus, who had a higher cultivation that Ian, should have been unaffected by Ian''s attempt to move his hands.


    But months of neglect and vices had rendered Marcus'' body weak, which allowed the usually docile Ian to successfully pry his hands off him.


    "Heh, you are lucky that I put up with you for the last 3 months, Marcus." Ian slowly said as he pushed Marcus off him. "If it were not for your help to me before, I would have never joined you here! Hell, I was already tempted to leave you 30 days after I joined you! It was only my debt to you that forced me to stay until today!"


    "Stop saying those useless words. I just told you to leave, so leave now!" Even if Ian had overwhelmed Marcus in terms of power, Marcus seemed to not mind it as his glare at Ian did not even waver at all. "I don''t need hearing your complaints and boasts here anymore!"


    "Hmph, I wish you luck finding your sister then." Ian said with finality as he started walking down the mountain, leaving Marcus who was now wheezing in anger. "But I doubt that you will find your sister here! After all, luck has abandoned you ever since your sister left you!"


    "You! How dare you badmouth Elise that way!" If Marcus was able to contain his rage before, now he was unable to take it after Ian has started to badmouth his sister. "Elise would have never abandoned me that easily!"


    "Are you sure about that?" Ian, who was already several steps away from Marcus, said as he stopped in his tracks. He stopped walking as he turned his head back at Marcus. "If Elise did not abandon you, then why is she still not here? Why are you still not seeing her?"


    "Like what I told you before, I have always seen a monster in my divination for Elise! That just means that she is currently in danger because of that monster!" Marcus roared out as his eyes began to turn red. "The reason that she cannot go back to me is because of that damned monster! That thing was the reason that Elise is still missing right now!"


    "Well, I hope you can see that monster and your sister in this place." After saying these words, Ian continued his descent down the mountain, this time with quicker steps.


    It took Ian no time at all to further distance himself away from Marcus, who seemed to be uninterested on calling Ian back.


    "Hmph, once I find my sister, I will tell her about your conduct here!" Once he had seen that Ian was already halfway down the mountain, Marcus only let out a sneer as he crossed his arms. "Elise will surely be pissed with the way that you treated me here. Hehehe¡­ Ian, you should be prepared to be beaten up by her later!"


    After thinking of these words, Marcus began to tremble as his mood plummeted again.


    "Elise, where the hell are you right now?" Marcus thought to himself as he hugged his body. His body continued trembling as the image of his divination continued to flash in his mind.


    "Why am I always seeing a monster when I Divine your location? Is that monster¡­ the one who will eventually kill you?"


    As he thought of the ''monster'' that he had been seeing in his divination, Marcus shivers increased as he started to feel disgusted.


    "That monster¡­ that is the worst creature that I have seen ever in my life¡­ Even worse than the mutated cultivators who failed on their quest to change their bodies¡­ How could something like that exist in this world?"


    As he recalled the ''monster''s'' grotesque appearance, the fear on Marcus'' eyes increased, although he immediately clamped it down as he gritted his teeth.


    "So what if that monster is the worst? As long as it has designs on Elise, I will do my best to defeat it, even at the expense of my life!"


    Marcus then steeled his body as he clenched his fist.


    He looked all around him as he prepared his body for the incoming fight with this ''monster''.


    "My other divinations might have failed, but I am sure that this divination here is the right one!" Marcus muttered as he pulled out a series of paper talismans from his pocket. "After all, this divination has turned out to be the same for the last 7 days! If that''s not accurate, then I don''t know which divination will be!"


    And with that, the confidence in Marcus'' heart started to increase until it became a warm feeling that managed to repress the fear and uncertainty in his heart.


    "Monster! Show yourself to me right now! I am waiting for you!" Marcus shouted as he brandished his paper talismans around him. "If you want to make it difficult for me to get Elise, then I shall entertain your twisted desires! But you should remember that it will be me who will be victorious in the end!"


    Only silence answered Marcus, who gritted his teeth as he continued shouting.


    "What''s the matter? Are you scared? Come out and face me, monster!"


    No matter which way one looked at it, it was obvious that Marcus was taunting the monster right now.


    As for why, it was obvious that he was doing this to see the monster.


    After all, his divination has tied the monster and Elise together. This means that once he sees the monster, Marcus could also possibly see his sister.


    Now, all that he has to do was wait and wait until the monster brings itself in front of him. Once the monster arrives, Marcus was sure that he can start his moves to save his sister!


    So even if there was nobody around him, Marcus continued to shout his taunts, in hopes of luring the monster as early as possible.


    Marcus also started to get creative, as he made sure that each new taunts that he said will get more and more dirtier. After all, a dirty taunt surely is the best way to lure in a monstrous being.


    But before Marcus'' taunts could reach the level of ''unsuitable for kids'', a sudden change forced him to stop.


    "Rumble¡­"


    Marcus, whose body has already stabilized, started to sway again as the ground under him started to shake.


    No, it was not only the ground under him that was shaking.


    It was the whole mountain that was actually shaking!


    Yes, the Mountain of Enlightenment, which was considered to be the former Holy Land of all the Cultivators, was now shaking intensely, as if something was about to come out of it!


    "What the hell is this? Why is the whole mountain shaking?" Marcus thought to himself as he did his best to keep his body stable. "Is this a natural event? No, something like this should not happen here in the Mountain of Enlightenment!"


    Marcus could have continued thinking of possible theories on the reason for the mountain''s movements, but that thinking was immediately cut-off as his vision was covered by an intense bright light.


    "!!!" Marcus tried to struggle against this light, but it was in vain as his mind collapsed under its exposure.


    The white that he saw was replaced by darkness, as his consciousness was also taken down along with his mind.


    "Elise¡­"


    This was the last thought that Marcus had as his body slumped down like a rag on the ground.

 Chapter 351 - Glory to the Immortals!

    When Marcus opened his eyes, what he found was not the mountainous scenery that he was in earlier.


    Instead, what he saw was a completely different place.


    "...Am I still on the Mountain of Enlightenment?" Marcus muttered dazedly as he looked around him in confusion.


    "¡­"


    Only silence answered Marcus'' query, as if there was no one interested on answering him.


    As all of this happened, Marcus felt that the ground under him was still rumbling at the same intensity as the rumbling earlier.


    This rumbling has started to move Marcus, who was still lying down on the ground.


    "¡­"


    If it was him before, he will surely be acting all tense and alert right now, as what just happened to him is something that should warrant worry.


    But instead of feeling tension and fear, what Marcus felt was actually the opposite.


    He felt happiness and comfort from everything that he saw around him.


    His heart, which was heavy from all the worries for his sister earlier, now felt light and jolly.


    His mood, which had plummeted to the lowest earlier, has significantly risen up, to the point that he seemed to forgot all the sources of his sadness.


    "Ah... this is so comfortable¡­. I do not want this feeling to fade away¡­" Marcus mumbled as a spaced-out smile appeared on his face. He seemed to be significantly affected by whatever was making him happy, as he seemed to have even lost the motivation to stand up from his current position.


    In fact, if what was happening to Marcus goes on, there''s no doubt that he will eventually forget about his goal to save his sister!


    "Kahk!"


    Fortunately for Marcus, his subconscious seemed to have realized this problem, as out of nowhere, he suddenly bit his lower lip.


    Blood flowed out his lower lip as a strangled shout came out of his mouth.


    "Ouch!"


    This lip-bite move brought a lot of pain on Marcus, which seemed to have affected his current state.


    As his body felt the sharp sting of pain in his lips, the dazed look in his eyes began to disappear, with clarity returning on them.


    "What the!" After his eyes regained their usual look, Marcus said these words as his eyes widened in panic.


    He immediately stood up from his place, with him brandishing his hands all around him.


    His tension and fear are now back, with him not radiating any happiness or comfort like earlier.


    His breathing started to hasten as his body tensed like a cornered prey.


    "What the hell was that? Why did I just feel suddenly happy, when I was feeling extremely miserable earlier?" Marcus thought to himself as he wiped off the blood from his lips. "Is this an enemy attack? Or is this the power of the monster who will endanger my sister? Argh! Which one is it!"


    After having these thoughts inside his mind, Marcus looked around him, as this time, he has decided to observe his surroundings better.


    "¡­."


    Right now, Marcus could not see any of the soil, trees, or pebbles that should have been placed around him.


    Heck, Marcus could not even see anything around him that says that he was on the Mountain of Enlightenment!


    Instead, what Marcus'' eyes could only see was metal.


    Pure, white, shiny, metal.


    The slanted ground beneath him was gone, as there was only slanted metal below him.


    Everywhere that he looked, he could only see metal. There was nothing else other than that.


    "What the¡­ Have I been teleported away?" This was the sudden conclusion that Marcus thought as he tapped the metal under his feet.


    "Dong."


    The metal gave out this deep sound, making Marcus realize that this metal must be an extremely tough kind of metal.


    This discovery only made Marcus worry more, as he realized that he was now involved in a weird situation, which he should not have been dealing with right now.


    "Tsk, I am just here to save Elise. I did not sign up to do this s**t!" Marcus thought angrily as he gritted his teeth. "Why did I even have to be included in a situation like this?"


    After thinking of this, Marcus let out a sigh as he looked above him.


    What greeted his eyes was the sun crossing across the sky, with its white glow covering the whole land.


    "¡­."


    Marcus'' eyes did not stray away from the white sun, as he only focused his vision on it.


    "¡­"


    Marcus then started to quietly mumble to himself, with his eyes still staring intently on the sun.


    **************


    To improve his ability in divination, Marcus studied with high zealousness everything about the stars, the sun, and the moon.


    This intense studying has allowed Marcus to gain the skill to use these celestial bodies to know his current location.


    No matter where Marcus goes, as long as he looks at the celestial bodies above him, he will be able to ascertain about his real location.


    Right now, Marcus was using this skill to determine if his current location was still on the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    "¡­"


    A few more seconds passed by before Marcus was able to pinpoint where he exactly is right now.


    "¡­I am still here on the Mountain of Enlightenment." This was the conclusion that came out of Marcus'' mouth as he removed his gaze away from the white sun. "There was nothing that teleported me away. I am still where I should have been¡­"


    If the situation was normal, Marcus could have probably been feeling relieved with this revelation.


    But right now, this discovery just made him more worried.


    "If I am still here on the Mountain of Enlightenment, then does that mean that all this metal around me is the Mountain of Enlightenment itself?" Marcus muttered as visible confusion appeared on his face. He shook his head, as if he could not believe what he was seeing.


    "If that was true, then does that mean that the whole Mountain of Enlightenment suddenly turned metal? Is that even possible? How could-"


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!]


    Marcus'' silent contemplations was suddenly cut-off as a powerful voice boomed around him, chanting these words with fervor.


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!]


    "Argh!" Marcus body could not help but crouch down as he covered his ears in pain.


    The voice which spoke these words was so powerful, that Marcus could feel its vibration affecting his body.


    This made Marcus feel visibly ill, as his currently weakened body was unable to resist this sudden change inside him.


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!]


    As Marcus started to tremble in great pain, the voice continued on chanting these words repetitively, with each repetition sounding stronger than the other.


    With his body unable to do anything against what was happening right now, the only thing that Marcus could do was endure and wait.


    But even if he was forced to endure now, Marcus of course was not happy with what was happening to him at all.


    "What is this? First, the whole Mountain of Enlightenment turned to metal. Now, chants of [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!] have been echoing all around me. What is happening here?" Marcus thought as another chant of the same line brought a punishing blow on his body. "Who the hell is making this happen?"


    Marcus'' mind then began to whirl as he thought of the possible causes for his situation.


    He reviewed everything that he experienced this day, including all the news and rumors he heard from people earlier.


    "!!!"


    After a few seconds of doing this, Marcus'' mouth slightly widened as his hands fell down to his sides.


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!]


    Marcus ignored the pain brought out by this chant as an exhausted smile appeared on his face.


    "Because of my sister, I did not put that much attention on it, but from what I can remember, it seems like there was a rebel Immortal group that has managed to irk off the TimeMasters." Marcus thought inwardly as his ears began to bleed. "From what I can remember, this rebel group has managed to kidnap someone important to the TimeMasters, which then brought chaos everywhere."


    Marcus absent-mindedly wiped the blood off him as he continued thinking.


    "This rebel group then announced that they will be doing a ritual against this ''important member'' today. They did not say where it will happen, they just said it will happen."


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!]


    "Hahahaha! Hahahaha!" Marcus then started laughing after this, with the chants still booming around him.


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!]


    His laugh sounded raw and frustrated, showing that Marcus was anything but happy right now.


    "Hahaha, what rotten luck I have right now! It seems like the site where that ritual will happen will be actually here!" Marcus thought as he smiled wryly. "Hahaha, out of all the places that they can do their thing, they actually did their thing here!"


    Marcus continued laughing like this, not caring even when his nose has started to bleed too.


    "Why¡­ why do this here?" Marcus'' laughter turned into sobs as indignation appeared on his features. He gritted his teeth as he let out a frustrated growl.


    "I went here to save my sister. I did not go here to join in this petty rebellion! Argh! Why did this have to happen?"

 Chapter 352 - Interluse: Asterias typical day as a studen Part 7

    [[[With Stone Face''s remorseless and expressionless face staring down on her, Celeste could only whimper quietly as she and her companions crowded together.]]]


    [Stone Face]: So are you prepared now, Miss Celeste?


    [Celeste]: What can we even do now? You already blocked our only way in, so we have no choice but to accept your trial!


    [Stone Face]: Good! I wish you four luck on your adventures!


    [[[Creak¡­]]]


    [[[Creaking sounds suddenly appeared as the gate where Stone Face was in started to open, creating an opening that was just small enough for Celeste and the others to pass through.]]]


    [Stone Face]: Miss Celeste, once you pass through this door, you will immediately face my trial. Succeed on this trial, and you and your friends will be able to reach the next floor. Fail, and you will be thrown back here. So if you want to reach to your destination, do your best to succeed this trial on the first try!


    [Celeste]: ...It''s not like we have any other choice, do we?


    [Kibou]: Ki!!!


    [Ex]: Hmph, if you weren''t only an Omega-Class Artifact, we would not have listened to you!


    [Cali]: Hmph, you are just bullying us right now! Be happy that you are not facing Excalibur right now!


    [Bur]: Yes! If Excalibur was here, he will surely beat you up!


    [[[When Ex, Cali, and Bur said these words, they made sure to release their auras, which stirred the scattered stones around them. Stone Face, who gave a dismissive look to these three, suddenly let out a harrumph as he started to leer at them.]]]


    [Stone Face]: You three are threatening me with your real form? If you really can beat me up, then I implore you to attack me.


    [Ex]: ¡­


    [Cali]: ¡­


    [Bur]: ¡­.


    [Stone Face]: Hmm¡­ Why are you not attacking me? Can''t you three do it?


    [Ex]: You!


    [Cali]: Blasphemous!


    [Bur]: Just you wait!


    [Stone Face]: So this is how low the Excalibur had fallen. Fortunately for him, he did not die. But unfortunately for him, he was splintered into three fragments, which are all disappointments. Sigh¡­ if your creator was here, he will surely be saddened by your current states.


    [[[After the Stone Face said these words, the faces of Ex, Cali, and Bur turned scarlet as rage appeared on their eyes.]]]


    [Ex]: How dare you talk like that? Are you even an acquaintance of our creator?


    [Cali]: You are speaking nonsense here! Who gave you the right to talk like this, huh?


    [Bur]: I respected you before. But now, I am not sure if I should even be talking to you!


    [Stone Face]: Sigh¡­ so you three are now stubborn too? No wonder you were abandoned in that world.


    [Ex, Cali, and Bur]: !!!


    [[[These words of Stone Face seemed to be the last straw, as Ex, Cali, and Bur lost any semblance of reason as they rushed towards Stone Face murderously. They emitted their killing intent as their bodies glowed, showing that they are not interested on Stone Face''s trials anymore.]]]


    [Ex]: Die, you stone bastard!


    [Cali]: I hope your remains will get sculpted as a nude sculpture later!


    [Bur]: Get calcified!


    [Stone Face]: ¡­Like mistress, like servants. Sigh, I think you three should sleep too.


    [[[Hong~]]]


    [[[The same glow which knocked out Asteria earlier started to cover Ex, Cali, and Bur, who all tried to resist against it. But all of this was in vain as moments later, all three of them fell down to the ground, with their consciousness fading into the darkness.]]]


    [Stone Face]: Because of their clear intent to harm me, Ex, Cali, and Bur are all punished to sleep for one hour. They will only wake up when the time limit is up, or when I will it so.


    [[[Thud!]]]


    [[[Their unconscious bodies were caught by Kibou, who let out a shrill shout after witnessing what had happened.]]]


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki ki¡­ ki ki ki !


    [Stone Face]: I am sorry Mr. Kibou. These three idiots were just too unstable right now, See? They even attempted to attack me. There''s no way I will just let them roam around in this kind of state.


    [Celeste]: But you are the one who provoked them! Do you think they will just let you continue talking like that to them?


    [[[From the way that Celeste talked now, it was quite obvious that she''s pissed. Why would she not be? Stone Face, who was only supposed to give them a trial, actually started taunting them, which led to Asteria and her three followers to be punished! No matter which way one looked at this, Stone Face clearly is doing something malicious here!]]]


    [Stone Face]: Ms. Celeste, all of you were taught the importance of temperance. If you feel aggrieved about something, you could not just use violence to solve it. What if the one who made you aggrieved was much stronger than you? If you used violence on that person, it will be you who will lose out in the end. Just look at what happened here. Ms. Asteria and her three servants did not remember their lessons about temperance. As such, they were placed in this state now¡­


    [Celeste]: ¡­.


    [Kibou]: ¡­


    [[With Stone Face spitting out these ''wise words'' of his, both Celeste and Kibou realized that they have no way to make him change his mind now. All that they can do now is to quietly accept their current situation.]]]


    [Celeste]: Huhuhu¡­. Out of the six people in our group, only Kibou and I are awake¡­ Does that mean that it will be only us two that will have to go through the trial? This¡­ this is just unfair!


    [Kibou]: Ki! KI! KI! KI! KI! KI!


    [Stone Face]: Children, life is not always fair. That is why you can only grit your teeth as you go on, no matter what happens to you.


    [Celeste]: Kibou, why don''t we just go in right now? I''m afraid that listening to Stone Face more will just make me angrier.


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Stone Face]: Why are you making it sound like I am a bad person here?


    [Celeste]: ¡­


    [Kibou]: ¡­


    [[[Celeste and Kibou said nothing in reply as they shot through the opening in the gate, dragging Asteria, Ex, Cali, and Bur along with them.]]]


    [[[Plop!]]]


    [Stone Face]: Hey!


    [[[Stone Face''s complaints went unheard as the six went in through the opening without any delay. Stone Face could only stare awkwardly at the ripples caused by their entrance as a wry smile appeared on his face.]]]


    [Stone Face]: Those little brats¡­ They really never learn.


    ***************


    [[[After Celeste and her companions entered the opening, they were immediately assaulted with a dizzying sensation that rendered her and Kibou almost incapacitated. This sensation lasted for five minutes, which brought both of them at the brink of collapse. It was only when these five minutes has passed by that this dizzying sensation disappeared, allowing the two to feel normal again.]]]


    [Celeste]: Ha, ha, ha¡­


    [Kibou]: Kek, kek, kek¡­


    [[[As the two of them slowly regained their bearings, they also observed their surroundings discreetly. Celeste, whose face was starting to regain its usual color, let out a frown as she saw the environment around her.]]]


    [Celeste]: Ah! Where the hell are we?


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Celeste]: I am not asking you Kibou. I''m sure that you have no idea about this place. I was just stating a rhetorical question.


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Celeste]: You don''t know what a rhetorical question is? Sigh¡­ now I understand why Asteria was always irritated about you.


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Celeste]: Kibou. Please stay quiet for a minute first, ok? I need to concentrate.


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Celeste]: Thank you.


    [[[After saying these words, Celeste let out another sigh before looking around her again.]]]


    [Celeste]: ¡­


    [[[When Stone Face told them earlier that they will be entering an area for a Trial, Celeste expected to see something like a battlefield or a dojo. But instead of those, what she witnessed was actually piles and piles of books scattered around her.]]]


    [Celeste]: Books¡­ All that I see around us are books¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki? Ki ki¡­


    [[[Some piles of books around them were as large as a mountain, making both Celeste and Kibou gulp upon seeing them. Even if Celeste was someone who loved reading books, just seeing the sheer amount of books in this place was enough to make her dizzy. Even Kibou, whose mind was built to process information efficiently, was also dazed with the sight around him.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou¡­ I don''t think this trial will be an easy one.


    [Kibou]:. Ki¡­


    [[[With the clear abnormality in her surroundings, Celeste knew that the trial will surely be something that will test the very limits of Celeste and Kibou''s abilities. She just hopes that whatever the trial will be, her ability combined with Kibou will be enough to get through it.]]]


    [[[As Celeste thought of this, her expression soured as she remembered that Asteria and her three servants could be helping them out right now, which unfortunately for them, is not possible.]]]


    [Celeste]: Stone Face¡­ Why did you have to make things these difficult for us? Did we offend you in your past life before?

 Chapter 353 - Order! Order! Order!

    While Marcus was starting to wallow in his own misery, a group of people, who were situated a few miles away from him, were experiencing a different kind of emotions.


    "CEO Smith¡­ something just happened on the Mountain of Enlightenment. It¡­ it suddenly became metallic!" The one who said these words was Andrea, who was the loyal secretary of CEO Smith. Her eyes were wide in disbelief, as if she did not believe what she just saw. "CEO Smith, this¡­"


    "Since there was a change in the Mountain of Enlightenment, then that means that the message given to us by the Immortals earlier was indeed right." CEO Smith replied as he let out a relieved sigh.


    He then looked down on his hand, which was clutching a piece of paper.


    This paper was the paper inside the golden envelope that was sent to him earlier, which contained the ''message'' sent by the Immortals to him.


    [MOUNTAIN OF ENLIGHTENMENT. 12 NOON]


    These were the words written on the paper, which talks about a place and a time.


    To anyone with common sense, this message in the paper was most likely talking about the time and location of the Immortals'' ritual on their Young Mistress. That''s the only meaning that this message could have.


    When CEO Smith saw these words earlier, he shook his head as he realized that the Immortals really gave him what he was looking for.


    Of course, CEO Smith did not really believe this message immediately.


    He may be desperate, but he was not yet at that level of desperation that he will just ignore the possible traps against him.


    So instead of rushing towards the Mountain of Enlightenment immediately, CEO Smith and Andrea has decided to camp out on a spot located miles away from the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    By doing this method, CEO Smith can assure that he and Andrea will be safe from traps, while also making sure that he can observe any weird movements around the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    And indeed, something really happened in the Mountain of Enlightenment, which brought CEO Smith and Andrea on their current situation.


    *****************


    "Those damned Immortals! Are they really just giving us their location this easily?" CEO Smith thought to himself as he observed the now metallic mountain. He ignored the chants that came out of the mountain as his eyes narrowed imperceptibly. "Are they really this confident of pulling their ritual off?"


    Right after CEO Smith thought of these, another change in the Mountain of Enlightenment has happened again, which rendered him and Andrea both tense and surprised.


    "Boom!"


    The Mountain of Enlightenment, which was made up of metal right now, stopped shuddering as it became entirely motionless.


    The chants of [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS] also disappeared, which made the whole area sound silent.


    Once everything became silent, long, slithery lines began to appear on the surface of the mountain, which started to cover its entirety. These lines continued to slither all around the mountain until the whole mountain was covered by them.


    "¡­"


    CEO Smith and Andrea were both mesmerized by the design created by these lines, as they looked too beautiful and artistic to be just random scribbles.


    After these lines has appeared, the mountain''s whole body started to shudder again.


    But this time around, the whole mountain did not change its composition.


    Instead, it let out a loud screeching sound before its whole body started to float high up in the air.


    Yes, the Mountain of Enlightenment, which was as massive as a normal mountain, was now floating upwards to the air!


    The ground below the mountain''s feet was unable to do anything to stop the mountain, creating a dizzying sight that made CEO Smith pale.


    "F**k! Those Immortals have tricked us! Damn them!" As she witnessed the changes in the mountain, Andrea started to curse out as she realized everything.


    "So this is why those rebels are so confident. They actually have refined a Peak Order 6 Treasure right under our eyes¡­" Andrea muttered as she observed the appearance of the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    Andrea''s eyes observed the metallic sheen of the mountain, along with its beautiful lines which was now glowing in assorted colors.


    CEO Smith, whose face got paler as the mountain continued its flight, only let out a shaky laugh as he observed the Mountain.


    "So the Mountain of Enlightenment was not just a normal mountain. It was actually¡­ a Peak Sixth Stage Treasure, just like what you said!" CEO Smith uttered out as he saw the Mountain''s majestic appearance. "Those Immortals really hid their trump cards right!"


    *************


    In terms of power and heritages, the Immortals should have been stronger and better than the TImeMasters.


    If it were not for a fluke that the Great TImeMaster has encountered, it was highly likely that it was the Immortals who could have won the war before.


    One of the heritages that the Immortals could have used to win was their powerful Immortal Treasures.


    Aside from the rituals, which can provide the Immortals with additional power, the Immortal Treasures that existed within the Immortal World were also powerful weapons that the Immortals cherish the most.


    Each of the Immortal Treasures that existed in the Immortal World were all powerful in their own right, and their power was divided into different Orders.


    The weakest Immortal Treasures are considered as Order 1 Treasures, and they can only provide decent help on their users.


    To increase the power of Order 1 Treasures, the must undergo unique refinement methods that will help increase their stages.


    Order 2, Order 3, Order 4, Order 5, and Order 6, all of these Orders can be reached by any Immortal Treasures, as long as proper care will be given on them.


    Higher Orders could possibly be reached by the Immortal Treasures, but because of the limitations in this world, the highest Order that can be reached in this world was Order 6.


    This might sound disappointing, but the might of Order 6 Treasures cannot be underestimated, especially Peak Order 6 Treasures.


    At the previous war between the TimeMasters and the Immortals, three Peak Order 6 Treasures has been unleashed in the battlefield, which brought countless casualties among the TimeMasters.


    The Heaven Devouring Mirror, the Eternal Fire Cauldron, and the Dao Sundering Sword were these Peak Order 6 Treasures, and each one of them had their own fearsome abilities that were enough to make even the most experienced TimeMaster feel fear just by remembering them.


    But after the TImeMasters has managed to win the war, these three peak Order 6 Treasures were all destroyed to the point of beyond repair. Once they reached this point, the TimeMasters collected and hid these destroyed treasures, just to make sure that they won''t be used against them in the future.


    All the lower Order Treasures were also confiscated by the TimeMasters, in order to prevent another peak Order 6 Treasure from rising again.


    Every generation of the TimeMasters that are in this world followed this strict regulatory rules on every Immortals Treasures, as the existence of a Peak Order 6 Treasure will surely bring a heavy blow against the TimeMasters.


    But even with all these precautions, it seems like the TImeMasters still has failed to regulate all Immortal Treasures!


    The existence of the Mountain of Enlightenment was enough proof of that!


    "A holy halo behind its true body is an indication that an Immortal Treasure is a Peak Order 6 Treasure." CEO Smith muttered to himself as he observed the resplendent halo behind the transformed Mountain of Enlightenment. "This mountain right here has a halo behind it, which makes me sure that I am facing a Peak Order 6 Treasure. This¡­ this is bad news!"


    Now that he saw the existence of this thing, CEO Smith realized that the rebel Immortals must have planned meticulously just for this day to happen.


    These rebel Immortals did their best to hide the true nature of the Mountain of Enlightenment, and they did not reveal it even when the TImeMasters did a lot of questionable things on the people on this world.


    They endured everything of that, even when some of their allies have been arrested by the TimeMasters.


    It was only today, when they were about to do their ''ritual'' with the Young Mistress, that the rebels have decided to reveal the existence of their Peak Order 6 Treasure.


    This speaks volumes about the importance of their planned ritual!


    "CEO Smith, what should we do now?" Andrea, who was still looking at the transformed mountain with an anxious look, asked as she gave CEO Smith a panicked look.


    "You''re asking me what should we do? Of course we will stop the ritual!" CEO Smith replied fearlessly as he observed the imposing body of the Mountain of Enlightenment. "Since those rebels has whipped out a Peak Order 6 Treasure during their ritual, it just means that their ritual with the Young Mistress must be something that will be extremely beneficial to the Immortals and extremely harmful to us TimeMasters! Since it was like that, we must prevent the ritual from happening at all cost!"


    "But-"


    "Andrea, send out a message to all the TimeMasters that live in this world." CEO Smith said as he interrupted Andrea''s retort. "Tell them that rule of the TimeMasters in this world is at stake right now. Tell them that my decision to go here was right, and that their decision to not go here is wrong!"


    A desperate and hungry expression then appeared on CEO Smith''s face as he continued talking, this time with a hoarse voice. "Tell those cowards that if they will not go here, the reign of us TImeMasters could be placed in great jeopardy! Tell them to make a move, or else today might be the day of our downfall!"


    After saying these words, CEO Smith''s eyes flashed dangerously as killing intent poured out of them. He bared his teeth as he glared at the floating Mountain of Enlightenment. "Andrea, tell that message to them quickly. If you don''t, our chance of stopping the ritual could be nil¡­"


    "CEO Smith, that¡­" Andrea could only let out a nervous gulp as she saw her boss'' fierce expression. She felt her boss'' anxiety right now, which made her quiver in her boots.


    "What?"


    "Nothing boss. I¡­I shall send them the message now!" Andrea managed to squeak out as she clenched her hands tightly.


    Andrea then closed her eyes shut as she activated her power.


    Due to her years of work as a secretary, there was one spell which Andrea was adept on using. This spell is the one that she will use right now, which will allow her to reach every single TimeMaster in this world.


    "Hong~"


    Andrea''s surroundings started to look like slithering worms as she absorbed large amounts of Time Essence into her body.


    Her body glowed green as she performed various hand signals.


    After performing 20 different hand signals in a row, Andrea lowered her arms as the green glow on her body converged towards her forehead.


    This convergence created a green gem, which embedded itself on her forehead.


    "Hiss¡­"


    Andrea ignored the pain coming from this process as she stabilized her body. She gritted her teeth as she took a deep, shuddering breath through her mouth.


    "Fuh¡­"


    Once the gem has fully merged itself with her head, Andrea let out a light breath as her body relaxed.


    "You rebels want a war? Then we will give you a war!" After looking at the floating metallic mountain for one more time, Andrea let out a confident sneer as she touched the green gem with her right index finger.


    "Schwing!"


    A pillar of green light erupted out of the green gem, covering the entirety of Andrea''s body.


    Once all of her body was submerged inside the green pillar, Andrea opened her mouth, chanting her spell with a solemn voice.


    [T-MANIFEST: TUTTI]

 Chapter 354 - We are happy that you accepted our invitation

    Thin tendrils then erupted out of the green pillar, which proceeded to spread everywhere.


    Every existing TimeMaster on the whole planet were latched on by these tendrils, with each tendril hanging on the head of one TimeMaster.


    This spreading out phenomenon continued on happening until every single TImeMaster in the world were all affected by Andrea''s spell.


    "Good." CEO Smith muttered as he saw the effect of Andrea''s spell. "Now all that Andrea have to do is talk."


    The spell that Andrea just used, which was called [T-MANIFEST: TUTTI], was a spell that uses the concept of ''PRESENT TIME''.


    With a few minor alterations on the time stream, [T-MANIFEST: TUTTI] allows someone like Andrea to give a message to everyone at the same moment in time.


    It doesn''t matter where everyone is, or how far they are from Andrea herself.


    They only have to be connected to her through the tendrils in order to receive the message at the same time.


    This allows an easier way to disseminate an organized message, which Andrea badly needed to do now.


    Of course because the target of this spell was everyone in the world, the Time Essence needed to perform this was astronomical, although Andrea had enough Time saved for times like these.


    "Now that Andrea is about to give out my message, all that we have to do now is wait." CEO Smith muttered to himself as he hovered protectively in front of Andrea.


    His wary gaze was still concentrated on the Mountain of Enlightenment, which was still floating on its original position.


    Its metallic body continued to let out a bright sheen against the sun, making it look more and more enticing to CEO Smith.


    "Since this mountain is a Peak Order 6 Treasure, then why is it not doing anything to attack us right now?" Upon seeing that the Mountain of Enlightenment was still not moving at all, CEO Smith''s eyes creased as he thought of this weird action by the mountain. "I''m sure that the ones who control this mountain right now can see us two. Since that was the case, then they should be using this mountain in order to attack us. But instead of doing that, they were only making the Mountain of Enlightenment hover on the same spot since earlier! This¡­ this is a confusing move!"


    With the power that the Mountain of Enlightenment had, surely it is powerful enough to create an attack that will pose a challenge on CEO Smith. Just one zap from the mountain might be enough to cause problems for CEO Smith and Andrea.


    But no attacks came out of the mountain just like what CEO Smith said. The mountain just floated listlessly in its location, making CEO Smith''s anxiety increase.


    "If the Mountain of Enlightenment is not attacking us, then what will it do?" CEO Smith thought urgently to himself as he realized that he had stumbled on a possible loophole.


    He then cupped his chin as he forced himself to think.


    "Maybe¡­ the Mountain of Enlightenment was not made for attacking purposes. Maybe¡­ it was made for purely defensive reasons! Yes, this must be it!" CEO Smith exclaimed as he straightened his body.


    He gave his secretary an urgent look, as he realized that they must gather more TImeMasters as early as possible!


    "Since they said that they will do an important ritual, they must have taken into consideration the fact that there will be people that will try to obstruct this ritual, just like us." CEO Smith said as he let out a deep breath. "So in order for them to prevent any obstructions from happening, they must have decided to use the power of the Mountain of Enlightenment to defend the ritual! Yes¡­ that should have been their plan!"


    In all fairness, this conclusion that CEO Smith had reached sounded both accurate and fair. However, even with the certainty of this conclusion, CEO Smith could still not help but feel as if there was something missing with his conclusion.


    "Even if the Mountain of Enlightenment is possibly a good defensive treasure, it still does not clear up the reason for the rebels telling the location of their ritual to us¡­" CEO Smith muttered as his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Calling all of us TImeMasters here is tantamount to near suicide! Even with the presence of the Mountain of Enlightenment, there is a high chance that the ritual will still fail! Wait¡­ ritual? Don''t tell me?"


    CEO Smith''s body then paused as a new, horrifying thought began to take seed in his mind.


    He tried to ignore this thought, but the more that he thought about this, the more that this horrifying thought seemed to be acceptable.


    "Ritual¡­ Mountain of Enlightenment¡­ Order 6 Treasure¡­ Sacrifice¡­" As CEO Smith muttered these words continuously, his face turned more and more pale, as if each utterance was slowly taking his life away from him.


    "No! This is not good at all!" CEO Smith shouted as he turned to face his secretary, who was still engrossed on her spell. "I must stop the TimeMasters from coming here!"


    CEO Smith then rushed towards Andrea, as he attempted to stop her from sending his message.


    But before he could approach her, the green pillar covering Andrea has disappeared, leaving the secretary exposed in the air. The green gem on her forehead disappeared too, indicating that her spell was already finished.


    "Boss, I have already given the message to every TImeMaster! They will be coming in here any second now!" Andrea said cheerfully as she looked at her boss. "See that boss? They were all scared by your message! I think you should run for-"


    "Andrea! Send them another message! Tell those TImeMasters to not come here!" CEO Smith shouted desperately as he clutched Andrea''s shoulders. "Faster! Make those TimeMasters go back now!"


    "CEO Smith¡­ you''re hurting my shoulders¡­"


    "What the hell are you dilly-dallying for? Make those arriving TimeMasters go back right now!" CEO Smith shouted again, this time with his spit raining all over Andrea''s face.


    "Um, okay boss¡­"


    Seeing her boss'' sudden change in attitude, Andrea did not waste any time as she attempted to channel the same spell.


    She did not inquire on why CEO Smith suddenly changed his command. If he wanted to make those TImeMasters go back, then she will make them go back.


    But before Andrea could recreate the gem on her forehead, numerous whooshing sounds filled the air.


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh!!!"


    All around Andrea and her boss, countless TimeMasters appeared out of thin air, with them using their abilities to arrive at this location swiftly.


    Their faces were both solemn and excited, as if the prospect of fighting against the rebels had incurred conflicting emotions inside them.


    Judging by the numbers of the TImeMasters that has arrived, it was highly likely that more TimeMasters will still arrive later, as the TimeMasters that arrived now were only a minor part of the whole TImeMaster roster.


    "Ah! We''re screwed now!" Andrea''s body jerked as she heard CEO Smith say these words. His voice seemed to be filled with dismay and despair, as if he had suddenly received the worst news in his life.


    "Boss, why are you this worried? We have a lot of firepower now! Shouldn''t you¡­ be happy?" Andrea muttered as she stared at CEO Smith nervously. "IS there a problem with their arrival?"


    "Andrea, you sh-"


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!]


    CEO Smith''s seemingly urgent answer was cut-off as a manic voice echoed out of the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    This voice seemed to carry all the sentiments of all the rebels, as every TImeMaster who heard this started to look at the mountain with fear.


    "Everyone! Fall back!" CEO Smith shouted in panic as he grabbed Andrea by her arms. He then started flying away from the mountain, dragging the surprised Andrea with him.


    While these two has started to fly away, the manic voice from the mountain continued to talk.


    [DOWN TO THE PARASITES!]


    After these words were uttered out, the whole Mountain of Enlightenment shuddered again, with its body shaking intensely with each shudder.


    "Dong dong dong."


    After mountain resumed its shuddering, its body started to show cracks, which then spread on the mountain''s surface.


    Out of these cracks, a Blood-Red miasma, which was as red as human blood, started to spread out.


    Screams of despair and pain accompanied the appearance of this miasma, making CEO Smith''s already pale face turn paler.


    "Hey! Why are you staring like idiots there! Its already obvious that this whole gig was a trap! So make your escape right now!" CEO Smith said as he saw the blood-red miasma scattering out from the mountain. "Hurry your asses right now, or you might all die!"


    "!!!"


    These words by CEO Smith must have taken its effect, as the TimeMasters began to use their abilities to move away.


    Unfortunately, CEO Smith''s warning was a little too late, as the blood-red miasma caught up with the escaping TimeMasters.


    They were all swallowed by the blood-red miasma, with their bodies disappearing inside it. There was no indication of what could have happened to them, and there were no signs showing if they were still alive or not.


    They all just¡­ disappeared.


    The speed of the spread of the blood-red miasma was too much, that there was no TimeMaster near the mountain that has managed to elude it.


    Only CEO Smith and Andrea were lucky enough to escape the onslaught of the blood-red glow, and they did not spare a second glance on their comrades, as these two only did their best to escape.

 Chapter 355 - Its over 1 Million!

    Once the mist has swallowed the hapless TImeMasters, the Mountain of Enlightenment stopped moving as its body went into a still state.


    All the blood-red mist then receded back towards the mountain, entering through almost all of its cracks.


    A few seconds passed by, and the fearsome blood-red miasma was now gone, with its entirety right inside the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    All the TImeMasters that were swallowed by the miasma were still nowhere to be found, making the whole situation look more terrifying.


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!]


    "So it really is a trap¡­" CEO Smith muttered to himself as he watched the recession of the miasma. He and Andrea were currently situated at a safe location, hundreds of miles away from the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    Both of them used a series of spells that allowed them to rapidly escape the mountain earlier, which cost them some amounts of their Time.


    This spent Time were all worth it though, as out of all the TimeMasters who confronted the Mountain of Enlightenment, it was only CEO Smith and Andrea that has managed to escape the sudden rush of the miasma.


    Right now, both of them are inside CEO Smith''s office, with their bodies pressed together in anxiety.


    Their faces were still pale from what happened earlier, with Andrea looking much more affected compared to her boss.


    "CEO Smith, what should we do now?" Now that the rebels had shown their true aim, Andrea realized that the TimeMasters must now change their approach. "Will we just let those rebels take our comrades?"


    "Fret not Andrea. Every TImeMaster who did not approach the Mountain of Enlightenment earlier saw what happened." CEO Smith replied as he wiped the sweat on his forehead. He then drank the glass of red wine on his table, emptying it until its last drop. He then continued talking as he placed the glass back on the table.


    "Now, every TImeMaster that is still here have realized the ploy of our enemy." CEO Smith slowly said as he wiped some drops of wine off from his chin. "I am sure that right now, they are devising a way that will allow us to beat the rebels! So there is no need for you to worry, Andrea. Our remaining comrades surely will be able to think of a good way to destroy that mountain, even without the help of Big Boss!"


    "So we just have to wait until our comrades make their move?" Andrea hollowly said as she leaned back on her chair. "Is that even appropriate? Did they forget that some of our comrades have been captured by the rebels already? Will they not even spare an effort to save them?"


    "Andrea, you know that they will not just rush in to save our captured comrades." Upon hearing this question from Andrea, CEO Smith only shook his head as he let out a sigh. "We are not yet sure on the full capabilities of the Mountain of Enlightenment. Does it have a defensive power? Is its miasma powerful enough to capture large amounts of TImeMasters? Can it even attack? We don''t have yet the answer to any of these questions! Andrea, if we just blindly rushed in¡­ it might cost us more then what we can spend!"


    "But that''s-"


    "Do not be so agitated Andrea. Even if our remaining comrades were taking their time, it does not mean that they are wasting it." CEO Smith placatingly said as he placed his left hand on Andrea''s shoulders.


    "So they are doing something useful?"


    After hearing this doubt-filled question from Andrea, CEO Smith only let out a laugh as he said in a low voice,


    "Actually, one of the CEO''s has proposed the use of the Future Gazing Formation" At this point, CEO Smith''s voice sounded like a whisper as he brought his mouth closer to Andrea''s ear. "More specifically, he proposed that we use it right now, before the rebels could make any more surprising moves."


    After CEO Smith said these words, Andrea, whose mood was down after hearing the inaction of her comrades, looked up in surprise.


    "The Future Gazing Formation? Isn''t that one of the forbidden weapons of our group?"


    "Yes, it is one of the forbidden weapons of our group. But you, of all people, must know its power!" CEO Smith replied as he moved his head back. "If we use it right now, I am sure that we can devise the proper strategy against the rebels!"


    CEO Smith sounded oddly cheerful as he gave this reply, as if he was fully confident on everything that he just said.


    Andrea on the other hand however, still looked doubtful.


    "But one usage of the Future Gazing Formation will drain around 1 illion Years of Time!" Andrea retorted as she placed her hands on her h.i.p.s. "CEO Smith, spending that large amount of Time is not a good way to deal with this situation!"


    "Andrea, y-"


    "CEO Smith, even if we have gathered a lot of Time Essence in this world, 1 Million Years of Time is still a lot!" Andrea almost shouted these words as she glared at her boss. "Is it really worth it to spend that much against these rebels?"


    "It is worth it." In face of Andrea''s seemingly passionate rebuke, CEO Smith stayed calm as he gave this answer. "So what if they were rebels? Even if they are rebels, they are rebels who are holding a Peak Order 6 Treasure in their hands! And now, they are using this Peak Order 6 Treasure for their ritual! Even if we are a powerhouse in this world, we might suffer casualties if we just rush in blindly!"


    Before Andrea could speak up, CEO Smith pointed his finger at her as he continued explaining himself.


    "And do not forget about Young Mistress! Right now, she is the target of the rebels'' ritual! We still need to save her, along with us taking care of that mountain." At this point, CEO Smith''s face showed some semblance of pain, as if their Young Mistress'' current situation was making him feel this way. "Andrea, if those rebels did not have that Peak Order 6 Treasure, we will never have resorted on using the Future Gazing Formation. But our enemies actually had it, so we can only do what must be done, and in this case, that meant spending 1 Million Years of Time.."


    After receiving CEO Smith''s somewhat passionate words, Andrea''s eyes slightly widened as she observed her boss'' face.


    A frightening idea then began to sprout inside her mind, which prompted her to look at her boss in an intense manner.


    "CEO Smith, tell me the truth, were you the one who proposed to use the Future Gazing Formation?" Andrea asked, as she kept her nervousness hidden from her boss.


    "As expected of my secretary. Yes, I am the one who proposed it." CEO Smith sullenly said as his shoulders slumped. He sank back on his chair as he let out a tired sigh.


    His confident fa?ade from earlier has disappeared entirely, as only exhaustion could be seen on his face.


    Upon seeing this face, Andrea''s heart started to feel heavy, as her worst fears had been confirmed.


    "CEO Smith, you¡­"


    "Andrea, it was my fault that our comrades were captured by the rebels. As such, it must be my responsibility to take them back." CEO Smith said as he shook his head. "Even if it means that my life will be at stake, I will still do everything to save them!"


    "CEO Smith, did you-"


    "Andrea, when I gave the proposal to use the Future Gazing Formation, I told them that I will shoulder the whole 1 Million Year expenditure. After all, its my fault that we have to use this formation in the first place." CEO Smith sadly said as he let out another sigh. "And of course, they agreed with my offer. After all, they will get to keep their savings, while I lose all of mine¡­"


    "Boss! Why did you say that! You can just share the expenditure with them!" Andrea''s eyes began to water at this point, as she knew the repercussions of what her boss did. "1 Million Years of Time is a lot of Time! If you will use them all right now, then that will just leave you with-"


    "Andrea, my total savings right now amount to a total of 1 Million Years, 0 Months, 1 Day, and 3 Hours of Time. CEO Smith smoothly said as he crossed his fingers. "Subtract that by 1 Million Years, and I will be only left with 1 Day and 3 Hours of Time. Now, that''s a really small amount of Time¡­"


    "Small amount? You call that small amount? Boss, if you go on with this deal, you could possibly face death!" Andrea said through gritted teeth as she tried to restrain her emotions.


    She tried to hide the pain and sadness that she is feeling right now, as she knew that her boss was serious on what he was about to do.


    "Andrea, if I really die from doing this, then it is a well-deserved death." CEO Smith said as he let out a sad smile. "After all, it is due to my incompetence that all of this happened! Heck, I should have been already dead at the moment that the Young Mistress was captured! I was only lucky that I was still alive at this day¡­"


    "CEO Smith¡­" Even if she knew that persuading her boss was useless, Andrea tried to muster her voice to persuade her boss one more time.


    "Andrea, all the other CEO''s have agreed to activate the Future Gazing Formation right now. So I need to you leave this room to let me communicate with them." CEO Smith said as he held Andrea''s outstretched hand. "Go, I can deal with them by myself."


    "Boss¡­"


    "If you really want to help me out, then I suggest that you go and wake up Mr. Alex and Miss Alina." CEO Smith said in a light tone as he ignored Andrea''s teary-eyed expression. "I don''t know what those two are doing, but they could also be helpful in our current situation. Go on, do your best to wake them up."


    "CEO! Please rethink of your decision!"


    "I''m sorry Andrea, but you cannot change my mind anymore." After saying these words, CEO Smith waved his hands as he pushed Andrea out of the room.


    As Andrea''s feet landed on the cold, tiled surface of the hallway, the door to her boss'' room closed shut with a thud.


    Andrea was left standing at the hallway, staring at the now closed door with agony present on her face.


    "CEO Smith¡­ do you really have to do this?"


    Knowing that her boss is now unable to answer this question, Andrea could only slump her shoulders as she attempted to remove the excess moisture from her eyes.


    She then turned her back to the office''s door as she started walking away from it, with her heart full of desolation and sadness.

 Chapter 356 - Please, please, stop it!

    When the true form of the Mountain of Enlightenment was revealed, all the TimeMasters were rendered surprised and wary by it, which led to CEO Smith''s hasty decision.


    As for the mortals, they only could only watch the floating mountain in wonder, as they have no idea on what could happened next.


    As for the Immortals, they all started to look at the Mountain of Enlightenment with looks of hopes in their eyes, as they all felt a sense of worship on it.


    The reactions of these groups of people showed the whole impact of the appearance of the Mountain of Enlightenment, which in a sense, was just acceptable, as this was the first time since thousands of years that a Peak Order 6 Treasure has shown itself to the world.


    While everyone was forming their own actions and plans with the appearance of this mountain, the rebels, who were the ringleader of the surprising event today, were also starting to implement all of their plans.


    "Fuh¡­. so the ritual is about to start already. Annie, you should prepare yourself now. You have no choice but to accept it." The one who said these words was Amon, who was Annie''s biological uncle.


    He was wearing his trademark demon mask, which was paired by a blood-red robe that was covering his whole body.


    Amon''s whole demeanor was that of a calm person, with none of his anger and smugness present. He was currently tranquil, which made him look somewhat unfathomable to Annie.


    Annie, who was still confined in her own room, only scrunched her eyes as she glared at her uncle.


    "Just like what I told you before, I will never allow myself to be placed in your ritual, whatever that ritual could be." Annie hotly said as she crossed her arms. "Whatever offers you gave me, I will never, ever allow you to have your way!"


    After saying these words, Annie continued glaring at Amon intently, as if she was trying to make sure that her point was accepted by him.


    "Sigh¡­ Annie, you are really stubborn, just like your father." Amon seemed to smile upon hearing Annie''s reply, as if he already had expected her to say this. "I like that trait of yours, but right now, that won''t be of any use to you."


    "Hmph, you''re trying to make it sound like you can do something against me." Annie replied condescendingly as she crossed her arms. "If I did not give you my consent, do you think that you can really use your ritual to harm me? Do you really think that I will allow that to happen?"


    "Hah? And who told you that we intend to harm you?" Amon said as he started leering at Annie(Under his mask of course). A mocking smile appeared on his face, which seemed to be directed at Annie. "Did I ever say that I will harm you in our ritual?"


    "What? But you-"


    "I just said that we want to place you in a ritual, nothing more nothing less." Amon leisurely said as he shook his head. "I did not say that we will torture you with our ritual, or that we will kill you using it. I just said that we will put you in a ritual¡­"


    After saying these words, Amon''s leery smile at Annie widened as he started to approach her.


    His calm demeanor from earlier has now disappeared, as it was now replaced by an intensely greedy one. And unfortunately for Annie, all of these greed were all concentrated on her alone.


    "Hey! Don''t come near me!" As she realized that something has changed with her uncle, Annie started to back away from Amon, with her vigilant eyes concentrated on his masked face. "You can''t hurt me!"


    "Yes, I can''t hurt you. But I never wanted to hurt you at all." Amon slowly said as he grabbed Annie''s hand. "Come Annie. You have a ritual to attend."


    "J-just like what I said earlier, I will not accept your ritual!" Annie shouted as she used all of her remaining power to shake off her uncle''s grip. "So stop forcing me to accept it!"


    "Annie, I''m sorry to say this, but your refusal of our ritual won''t make you exempted from it." Amon said these words with intense passion in his voice, which managed to increase Annie''s panic. "The truth is, we don''t need your consent to use the ritual on you. If we could have wanted it, we could have done the ritual on your already¡­"


    "Lies! You are lying!" Annie immediately replied as she tried to suppress her panic. "If you want to harm me using a ritual, you must obtain my consent first! If you don''t get my consent, you can never use your rituals to harm me! That is the law in this world!"


    "¡­"


    Annie''s words, in the context of this world, were both logical and sane. There''s nothing that can refute these words, as this has been the truth since the beginning of time.


    But even with this, Amon seemed to take no note of its logic as he just shook his head.


    "Annie, didn''t I just tell you earlier that our ritual won''t harm you?" Amon said as he continued shaking his head. "We don''t have any intention on dong that, as it will just be futile¡­"


    "Then what-"


    "Annie, our ritual is meant to help you, not harm you." Amon said in a cheerful tone. "Trust me, what we will do to you will be of great benefit to you!"


    "!!!" Annie''s breath started to hitch up, as she began to realize that her uncle and his allies were planning to do to her.


    "Annie, that is the reason why you cannot resist our ritual. It''s because it was not meant to harm you. Our ritual for you is intended to help you¡­" Amon muttered as he started patting Annie''s small head. "You can only resist against our harmful actions. But as for actions that will benefit you? You can''t guard against it!"


    "¡­"


    Seeing that Annie was still rendered silent by his words, Amon snickered a little as he continued talking.


    "Annie, do you know where we are right now? We are inside the Mountain of Enlightenment, which is our group''s only Peak Order 6 Treasure!" Even with his face covered by a mask, there was no doubt that Amon was wearing an extremely smug look right now. "Annie, this treasure will be the one that will be used to fix you!"


    After saying these words, Amon started to drag Annie with him as he slowly walked towards the room''s only exit door.


    He took no note of Annie''s suddenly petrified state as he thought that Annie was just too happy to speak right now.


    "Annie, now that our Elders have activated the power of the Mountain of Enlightenment, there is no escape for you anymore." Amon said to Annie as he stopped walking. "For the next hour, the Mountain of Enlightenment will gather all of the soul and mental power of every Immortal Cultivators living in this world. All of this gathered soul and mental power will then be used to fuel the World Awakening Ritual!"


    It was only at this point that Annie started to show a reaction on her uncle''s words. Her reaction however, can be said to be that of a crazed person.


    "No!!!" Annie let out this blood-curdling shout as she started bucking against her uncle''s tight grip.


    She did not care on how tight she was held by her uncle as she just continued on yanking her arm desperately.


    Her eyes turned bloodshot, with all of her hair suddenly frazzling out of her body.


    Sharp, ear-splitting shrieks continued to come out of her throat as she glared at Amon with a murderous intent.


    "Don''t you dare fix me! I don''t need any of your help!" Annie, whose wrists are now bloodied due to her jerky movements from earlier, shouted this reply angrily towards her uncle. "If you dare do this, I will never ever forgive your group!"


    "Annie, why don''t you want to be healed? Aren''t you damaged right now?" Although Amon was rattled by the manic change by Annie, he held his ground as he did his best to keep her restrained. "Our group just wants to do our best to heal you!"


    "Argh! Don''t do it!"


    "Sorry Annie, but the Mountain of Enlightenment has started gathering the needed soul and mental power. No matter what you do right now, there''s no way that you can avoid getting healed by us." Amon said, which led to increase Annie''s hysterics.


    "No! Please stop your ritual! I don''t want to get healed!" This time, tears started to pour from Annie''s red eyes. These tears dripped along with her blood on the floor, making her appear more miserable than ever. "Please, stop it. I don''t want to get healed¡­"


    "Hmph, you just don''t want to forget your mother." Amon said with disgust as he wiped some of the tears that fell on his arms. "Annie, that b**ch was the reason that we had to heal you! Instead of loving her, you should be hating her right now! So, just accept our help! That will be much better for you!"


    "No! I love Mommy! I will never hate her!" Annie shouted back as she attempted to bite Amon. "She always did the best for me!"


    "Oh really?" Amon said aloud as he dodged Annie''s attack. "Then what about your current state? Is that also the ''best'' that your Mommy did for you?"


    "Ugh¡­ W-w-what happened to me before was just an accident! She never meant to do that to me!" Annie said as she continued her futile attacks on Amon. "Please! I don''t want to be separated from Mommy again! Please stop the ritual¡­"


    Annie''s current state looked to be extremely pitiful, and anyone with a soft heart will surely be moved by her tear-stricken face and bloodied body.


    Amon however, was not a soft-hearted person.


    "Stop the ritual? And let that b**ch maintain her control on us? Hell no!" Amon shouted as he grabbed Annie by her neck. He then removed his demon mask, revealing his face, which was full of pulsing wounds.


    He pulled Annie''s face closer to his, with his crooked teeth only inches away from her eyes.


    "Little girl, you are the most important piece in our campaign against the TImeMasters." Amon said, as his foul breath washed over the restrained Annie. "Now that we have you with us, we will never let you off. So, don''t expect us to be sentimental with your mother!"


    "No!!!"

 Chapter 357 - Lets start loosening those cheeks!

    For the last 7 days, Kiera''s experience here in the world of Immortals and TimeMasters was nothing but nice.


    From being captured by a group of rebellious Immortals, up to her being kept captive here in a small room, everything that happened on Kiera for the last week were nothing like the vacation that was promised to her.


    And to make matters worse, Annie, who was her bona fide new best friend, was forcefully separated from her by the rebel Immortals! For Kiera, who was lacking in similarly aged female friends, this separation from Annie was a huge blow on her!


    "Annie, are you safe right now? Please be safe¡­" For the young and inexperienced Kiera, the only thing that she could do was to wish that her friend is safe. After all, she''s finding it hard to imagine a horrible fate for Annie.


    "Kiera, I know that it''s hard for you to feel happy, but I assure you that Annie will not be hurt. Didn''t you see it before? None of those rebels were able to hurt her!" Sitting beside Kiera was her grandpa, who was patting the little girl''s head as he said these comforting words. His face was filled with wrinkles, which seemed to be the result of all the stress that came from their captivity.


    "But grandpa, even if those guys cannot hurt Annie, they still seem to be planning on doing something bad to her!" Kiera shot back as the frown on her face widened. "Just look at them! They all look like meanies! If Big Brother Alex was here, he will say that they are bad!"


    "¡­Yes, Alex will surely say that if he was here. But is he here?" After Kiera mentioned Alex, her grandpa started to frown too as a disapproving expression appeared in his face. "Hmph, forget even his presence. He did not even send us any messages here! Is this how he''s supposed to treat us?"


    "Grandpa! Are you doubting Big Brother Alex?" Kiera started to look scandalized as she heard all of her grandpa''s whinings. "T-that''s not good at all!"


    "I know, I know Kiera. Doubting Alex is wrong." Her grandpa replied as he shook his head. "But look at our situation. 7 days had already passed by, and we are still here in a tiny room, isolated from other people. Even if we received proper food and other basic necessities here, we are still treated as captives! Annie, do you know how bad our situation is right now? If we don''t make the right move, our lives could be in the line!"


    "Grandpa¡­"


    "And yet even with that kind of danger on us, Alex never gave us even just a tiny signal to say that he will try to save us two!" Kiera''s grandpa uttered as his eyes narrowed. "Is this really how he''s supposed to treat us? Did he just abandon us here?"


    "Slap!"


    Right after the old man said these words, his granddaughter immediately unleashed a slap, which landed squarely on her grandpa''s cheek.


    The slap was quite weak, but the emotional shock that it gave her grandpa was too much that he was just rendered stunned by it.


    "Grandpa! I hate you!" Kiera said angrily as she crossed her arms. Her eyes started to tear up as she used them to glare at the old man. "Big Brother Alex always did his best to help us! So it is impossible for him to just leave us here!"


    "Kiera¡­"


    "Big Brother¡­ he, he is just stuck on making his plan! Yes, that''s it!" Kiera shouted out as her glare on her grandpa intensified. "He did not abandon us at all! He is just delayed!"


    "Kiera, ple-"


    "Grandpa, don''t talk to me right now. This is your punishment for doubting Big Brother Alex." Kiera did not give her grandpa a chance to explain himself as she quickly rebuked him. "I will only allow you to talk to me once I forgive you!"


    "¡­.."


    After the clearly pissed Kiera said these words, she turned her back on the old man as she pouted, showing that he was serious on her punishment on him.


    She then did not talk after this, which led to an awkward silence with her grandpa, who has now lost his courage to speak up.


    "¡­"


    The old man could only stare at his incensed granddaughter with regret, as he realized that he just successfully f**ked himself up.


    "Huhuhu¡­ why did I even have to speak up my doubts against Alex? It just backfired against me!" The old man thought with sorrow as he gazed sadly on his granddaughter''s back. "Huhuhu Alex¡­ please come here and save us already! I don''t know if I can last for long without my dear Kiera talking to me!"


    **************


    With Kiera''s steadfast attitude, it was obvious that she can keep up her silent treatment of her grandpa for a long time.


    But before Kiera could even make her grandpa feel more pain from the punishment, a sudden intrusion changed everything.


    "Thud."


    The door on Kiera''s room, which can only be opened from the outside, suddenly went open, revealing two people standing at the entrance.


    "Who?" Kiera blurted out as she looked at the door with vigilance.


    Days of captivity here had taught Kiera to be wary for anyone who enters the room.


    Even when Kiera''s clothes has some kind of power that protected her from some of the rebels that tried to beat her up, there is no guarantee for Kiera that she and her grandpa will be fully safe here.


    Thus, she always forced herself to be vigilant against any new visitors that will approach them.


    But when she saw who her new visitors were, Kiera''s vigilance was replaced by both surprise and panic.


    Standing on the entrance was a man who had an extremely wounded face. He looked somewhat scary, which was exemplified with his greedy look.


    Standing beside him was a young girl, who looked all too familiar to Kiera.


    This young girl''s face, which was filled with blood and tears, slowly gave Kiera a haggard smile.


    "Kiera, so you are still safe. I''m glad you are unharmed." The young girl, who was no other than Annie, uttered these words slowly, as if she was experiencing pain while saying them. "Oh, and grandpa is also fine too, even though he looks sad¡­"


    "Annie, what happened to you!" Kiera forgot everything about her current situation as her attention was only focused on Annie''s miserable appearance. "Did those meanies beat you up?"


    "No¡­ I did all of this to myself." Annie replied as the man beside her gave Kiera a mocking smile. "I tried to run away from Uncle Amon, but it was futile¡­"


    "Annie¡­" Kiera could barely hold back her tears as she saw Annie''s hopeless appearance.


    7 days ago, when Annie was taken away by the rebels, she still had a burning and passionate look on her eyes, which made her look extremely cool and reliable.


    But right now, all of that passion was gone, as there was only emptiness and desolation filling her hollowed eyes.


    Kiera was not sure on what Annie went through to undergo this kind of change, but it must have been something so drastic that it has forced someone like her to be this miserable.


    "Hey meanie! What did you do to Annie?" Even though the ugly man looked extremely scary, Kiera mustered up her courage as she talked to him. "Why is she like this?"


    "!!!" Kiera''s grandpa gave Kiera a panicked look, as he seemed to be trying to stop Kiera from what she was doing.


    The old man was right to be panicked, as Kiera just sounded disrespectful. There''s no way that this will just be overlooked by the ugly man.


    "Hahaha! I like your nature!"


    But to the surprise of the old man, the ugly man beside Annie seemed to be not offended by Kiera''s question at all. Instead, he was delighted by what Kiera just asked.


    It was as if this ugly man was in an extremely good mood right now, and Kiera''s question had fueled the ugly man''s ego.


    "Hoho¡­ You want to know why Annie is like this?" The scary man said as he leered at Kiera. "Well, I cannot tell you anything, but I can say with 100% certainty that it is related to her true nature."


    "¡­." After the ugly man gave this complacent reply, Kiera''s grandpa took a deep breath as he realized something about this man.


    Yes, there was no doubt about it.


    This ugly man was really happy right now, and this happiness seems to be related to Annie''s current condition.


    In fact, his happiness was so great that he seemed to be okay on telling everything to Kiera right now.


    Kiera''s grandpa of course will not let something like this go past.


    If this ugly man is willing to tell everything, the Kiera''s grandpa will make him speak!


    "Maybe once I make this ugly man spill his beans, Kiera will start forgiving me!" The old man thought to himself tersely as he observed the ugly man''s relaxed features. "After all, I am fishing the truth that may save Annie! If I do this right, I might be really able to make Kiera forget about my sins!"


    The old man then began to rub his hands inwardly as he spoke up, interrupting the still vigilant Kiera.


    "Annie''s true nature? What do you mean by that?" Kiera''s grandpa slowly asked as he tried to make himself look confused. "Isn''t Annie just a TimeMaster? How is that supposed to be her true nature?"


    "Ho¡­. Now that is a question that I like!" Just like what the old man has expected, the ugly man became more pleased with the given question. He seemed to be really enjoying this ''interview'', which is a huge relief for the old man.


    "Amon! What the hell are you doing!" Annie, who was looking slightly lethargic earlier, started to perk up as if the conversation between the old man and the ugly man had managed to trigger her. "Why are you telling them about me? This is not what you should be doing now!"


    "Hoh? And who told you that I can''t do that, huh?" The ugly man said with a sneer as he shook his head. "So what if I want to tell the truth to these two? Will it hurt them?"


    "You¡­"


    "Annie, didn''t you just say before that these two are extremely close to you? Since that was the case, then they deserve to know the truth!" The ugly man ignored the sudden surge of hatred coming from Annie as he looked at Kiera and her grandpa with excitement. "Or would you rather let them know the truth once everything has been fixed?"


    "You are just doing this to enjoy yourself, aren''t you?" Annie roared out angrily as she tried to attack the ugly man again. "Why are you like this? Can''t you just be a decent person for once?"


    "A decent person? Hmph, ever since you and your mother has brought ruin to us Immortals, the thought of treating you properly has never crossed my mind!" The ugly man said with laughter as he dodged Annie''s attacks with ease.


    The ugly man then gave Kiera and her grandpa a sideways glance as he grabbed Annie''s neck.


    "Since these two are your friends, then I will tell them the truth! Once they hear the truth, they surely won''t be your friends anymore! Hahahahaha! Seeing their angry faces later will surely be enjoyable!"

 Chapter 358 - I am my own World, literally...

    As Annie continued to look distressed with the way that the ugly man was talking, Kiera''s grandpa stifled his breath as he became more and more interested with what he was about to hear.


    "Hmm¡­ before I start talking, let me clarify something first." The ugly man slowly said as he kept Annie still. "Did you two already know¡­ about the matters of planets having consciousness?"


    "Yes, we have heard about it during our stay here." Kiera''s grandpa replied quickly. "One of your allies was the one who told this information on us, although we are not sure why he did that¡­"


    During the course of Kiera and her grandpa''s ''stay'', some of the rebels struck up conversation with the two, telling them random sorts of information. Kiera and her grandpa of course has no choice but to listen to these rebels, as they have no way to just stop listening to them.


    Besides, some of the information that was told to them were interesting, that Kiera''s grandpa actually looked forward to more of these ''talks''.


    One of the extremely interesting topics was the topic of planets or worlds having their own consciousness.


    This was something that Kiera''s grandpa found to be interesting, as this changes everything.


    Of course with the current state that they were in, this information was of no use to Kiera and her grandpa at all. Although someone like Alex might be interested on knowing it¡­


    "So what does that have to do with Annie?" Kiera''s grandpa shook his head out of his reverie as he gave the ugly man a pointed look. "Is Annie related to this matter of a world''s consciousness?"


    "Bingo! You got it!" To the surprise of Kiera''s grandfather, the ugly man started laughing again as if what the old man said was too amusing. "So you are not just a senile old man. You actually have some brain with you!"


    Kiera''s grandpa ignored the slight sting of the ugly man''s ''compliments'' as the continued fishing for more answers.


    "So are you saying that Annie can communicate with the consciousness of this world?" Kiera''s grandpa said as he decided to mention this ''impossible scenario''. "If that is the case, then Annie must be a really impressive girl¡­"


    "Hah? What are you talking about?" Instead of getting pleased, the ugly man only gave a disappointed frown at Kiera''s grandpa. "This little girl right here has no capabilities to do that."


    "So what''s the truth then?" After saying these words, Kiera''s grandpa immediately heightened his hearing to its peak, as he knew that the ugly man will surely start spilling the beans with his next sentence.


    With the way that the old man has structured their conversation, the only way that the ugly man can continue talking was to immediately talk about the ''truth''.


    "No! Please don''t say it!" Annie wailed loudly, as she seemed to sense that the conversation between the ugly man and Kiera''s grandpa was about to reach it peak. "Please! Please just shut up!"


    The two men took no note of Annie''s complaints as they continued what they were doing.


    "Hmm, before I reveal Annie''s real identity to you, let me ask you something first." The ugly man said as he cupped his chin. "Do you perhaps, by any chance, know that a World with consciousness has to ''train'' in order to strengthen themselves?"


    "Hah?" The confusion in Kiera''s grandpa''s voice was genuine, as this was the first time that he heard about this.


    "But¡­ from what I heard, a World''s consciousness will automatically get stronger as more living things appear on it, or if its residents start to get stronger." Kiera''s grandpa said as he gave the ugly man a confused look. "Since a World''s consciousness can just get stronger in a natural way, there is no need for it to train itself, right?"


    "Hah, you are only partially right." The ugly man replied as he shook his head. He then tightened his grip on the squirming Annie as he continued talking.


    "You see, there are still some unknown rules about Worlds and their consciousness that you still do not know." The ugly man muttered as he snapped his fingers. "Like on how the strength of a World''s consciousness was divided, on how this strength determines the beings that can live on it."


    "I''m listening." Kiera''s grandpa replied as he ignored his granddaughter''s worried look.


    "Hmph, it''s good that you are listening to me."


    "¡­"


    "This may be not the case in some minor worlds, but there is a measuring system for the strength of Worlds that have consciousness." The ugly man muttered as he slowly raised his fingers.


    "The worlds with the weakest consciousness are called Stage 0 Worlds. These worlds only have living beings that have no special abilities on them. Because a Stage 0 World has a weak consciousness, it is impossible for anything that has special abilities to live in it. And if a being that is too powerful decides to go into a Stage 0 World, that world will immediately implode by itself. "


    "¡­"


    "Now, if the residents of a Stage 0 World suddenly develops their own special abilities, that Stage 0 World can naturally ''evolve'' to a higher Stage." The ugly man continued saying as he closed his fingers.


    "If a resident of a Stage 0 World suddenly becomes a First Stage Being, that world will become a Stage 1 World." The ugly man said these words with relish, as if he was expecting the old man to be surprised by it. "Then, if a resident of a Stage 1 World becomes a Second Stage Being, that world will naturally become a Stage 2 World, and so on and so forth¡­ Does that make sense to you?"


    "Well, it does make sense." Kiera''s grandpa honestly replied as he tilted his head. "If the strength of a world depends on its inhabitants, then the stronger its inhabitants are, the stronger its consciousness will be. That''s the gist of what you are talking about, right?"


    "Yes, that''s the gist of it." The ugly man said with an agreeing tone. "But there is something that I must add first."


    "¡­"


    "While a Stage 0 World can only accommodate powerless beings in it, a Stage 1 World can only accommodate at most First Stage Beings on it." The ugly man said as he put down his arms. "This means that an outsider who was at Second Stage cannot just enter a Stage 1 Planet. That outsider must wait first until a resident of this Stage 1 Planet becomes a Second Stage Being, which will force that planet to become a Stage 2 Planet¡­ Only then that the outsider can enter."


    "¡­"


    "This case applies to higher Staged Planets too." The ugly man said as he looked down at his nails. "A Stage 3 Planets can only accommodate at most Third Stage Beings, while a Stage 4 Planet can only accommodate at most Fourth Stage Being, and so on and so forth¡­"


    "I see. I understand what you are saying." Kiera''s grandpa said as he interrupted the old man. "But how are all of those info related to Annie?"


    "Calm down, old man. Let me finish talking first, okay?" The ugly man snapped with irritation as he glared at Kiera''s grandpa. "I''m getting closer to the truth. So just wait!"


    "¡­"


    "So just like what I am saying, a World''s consciousness can get stronger when its residents get stronger." The ugly man said as his cheerful voice came back, which made Kiera''s grandpa wince slightly. "However, this kind of dependent strengthening is limited."


    "Limited?"


    "I don''t know the reason why, but when a World becomes a Stage 6 World, its way of getting stronger becomes drastically different. At this point, it can no longer rely on its inhabitants to reach Stage 7. It must ''train'' itself in order to reach that point." The ugly man said as his gaze landed on the still squirming Annie. "As for what its ''training'' will be, I think little Annie can answer that for you."


    "No! I won''t talk!" Annie blurted out as she gave the ugly man a hate-filled glare. "And I won''t allow you to continue talking about me! So please just shut up!"


    "Nah, nah, nah. I will not listen to you¡­"


    "¡­"


    Annie tried to attack the ugly man for the 3rd time again, but just like what happened earlier, the ugly man dodged these attacks with ease as he continued talking with Kiera''s grandpa.


    "Oh, just a little reminder for you¡­" The ugly man suddenly muttered as he dodged a flying kick from Annie. "Since a Stage 6 World cannot become a Stage 7 World through its residents, any of its inhabitants that becomes a Seventh Stage Being has to leave that world immediately. They can only return once that Stage 6 World completes its ''training'' and becomes a Stage 7 World."


    "I get your point already. Just tell us what the ''training'' of a Stage 6 World should be." At this point, even the patient Kiera''s grandpa has started to feel irritated at the ugly man too. "If you don''t hurry up, Annie might be able to do something to you¡­"


    "As if this girl can do anything right now to save herself!"


    "Shut up! Please Uncle, stop talking about this!"


    The ugly man naturally ignored Annie as he gave Kiera''s grandpa an excited smile.


    Out of nowhere, a piece of paper suddenly appeared in front of the ugly man, which he grabbed with ease.


    "Actually, the ''training'' that a Stage 6 World must undergo is just easy. First, it must take its soul out of its body." The ugly man then crumpled the paper into a small ball, showing a paper that was now like a sphere. "Once its whole soul was out of its body, the Stage 6 World will use its power to let its soul be reborn as a living being in that world!"


    "!!!"


    "Now, this reborn Stage 6 World can live a life like a normal living being, since it is technically, in all terms, a living being already. But of course, living like a normal living being was not the real goal of a Stage 6 World with its rebirth." The ugly man said as his smile slowly turned into that of a mocking one.


    "The real goal of a Stage 6 World with its rebirth was to use its new, living body to break the shackles on its real, planetary body!"


    "!!!"


    "Since the reborn Stage 6 World is now a living being, it can now strengthen itself based on the power system that living beings use." The ugly man continued to say as Annie slumped down on the ground with a defeated expression on her face. "Now, all that the reborn Stage 6 World has to do was to train its living body to become a Seventh Stage Being. Once the living body of a Stage 6 World becomes a Seventh Stage Being, it can then fuse back with its real, planetary body! This in turn will allow the Stage 6 World to evolve into a Stage 7 World!"


    "¡­" At this point, Annie''s whole body was motionless, as if she had already given up on moving.


    Kiera''s grandpa, who saw this happening, could not help but widen his eyes as he correlated what he just saw with what he just heard.


    "Oi, why is Annie acting like this? Are you telling me that she-"


    "Yes, this little girl right here was the reborn soul of this world." The ugly man said as he looked down at the slumped Annie. "So how was it old man? What do you think of Annie now?"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 359 - If you are going in a battle, what would you use as a battle song?

    Kiera''s grandpa was totally surprised with the revelation that the ugly man just gave him, although this old man''s proximity with Alex before has allowed him to hide his emotions well.


    Kiera''s grandpa only took a slight, one second pause before he recovered himself.


    "From the way that you have talked about Annie, you are making it look like she has committed a sin." Kiera''s grandpa commented as he remembered the strange relationship between these two. "How does her identity as the soul of this planet correlates to that?"


    "A sin? Hehehehe, you just gave out a proper term¡­" After Kiera''s grandpa asked this question, a fire seemed to have blazed on the ugly man''s eyes, making him look angry rather than happy. "You want to know what her sin was? Well, well, well, let me tell you everything!"


    [Amon, you might be happy with the way things are going, but you must remember that we still have to wait for some time before we can start the ritual.] Out of nowhere, a voice suddenly interrupted the conversation between Kiera''s grandpa and the ugly man.


    This voice seemed to come out of a speaker, which was affixed on the upper right corner portion of the room.


    Upon hearing this ''reminder'' to him, the ugly man, who was duly named as Amon, only let out a grimace as he glared at the speaker.


    "Come on man, give me a break." Amon said as he waved his hands at Kiera and her grandpa. "It will only take me a few minutes to finish my talk with these two. Once I finish here, I will go there at the control center! So just wait for me, ok?"


    [A few minutes? Amon, don''t you dare say those things to us.] Instead of agreeing with what Amon said, the voice from the speaker seemed to become more enraged. [If you want to waste time with them, just do it after we succeed with our plans!]


    "But-"


    [No buts, Mr. Amon.] The voice from the speaker suddenly turned dangerous, making everyone inside the room feel chills from hearing it. [We want you to go here at the command center right now. Fail to follow this directive, and you will be demoted to that of a lower assistant. Now, if you don''t want that happening to you, you should get moving already!]


    "Hmph, what a spoilsport. Fine, I''ll go there already" Amon looked like he was about to continue arguing, but he seemed to change his mind as he obeyed the order.


    After saying these, Amon then placed the still depressed Annie on his shoulders, treating her like a sack of potato.


    He then turned his back on Kiera and her grandpa, as he started walking away.


    "Hey! How about your story?" Seeing that his source of important information was starting to go away, Kiera''s grandpa was unable to stop himself from calling out to Amon. "You still did not tell us the full truth!"


    "Just wait for me old man. Once the ritual was done, I will go back here and tell everything to you." Amon nonchalantly replied, not even looking back at the old man as he talked. "If you have any problems with it, then just suck it up and wait for me."


    "But-"


    Kiera''s grandpa''s words were then cut-off as the door of their room closed again, leaving Kiera and her grandpa sealed back in their room once more.


    "¡­" The old man had to closed his mouth, as the awkwardness that just happened right now was too much even for him to bear.


    He could only sit back on his bed with an irritated expression on his face, quietly cursing Amon and his hasty exit.


    "You started talking about all of these fancy stuff about the truth, but in the end, you did not even tell the main story to us! What a f**king cheap guy!" Kiera''s grandpa thought to himself sullenly as he observed Kiera, who seemed to be in a state of surprise after hearing about Annie''s true form. "Hmph, if Alex was here, he will surely do something about this bastard Amon! Ah! Why did I even think of Alex again? He''s also pissing me off right now!"


    ****************


    A few minutes has passed by since Marcus witnessed all the changes in the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    During these few minutes, he had already witnessed some things that were enough to rattle his body.


    He saw a large gathering of TImeMasters, who all decided to appear near the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    For Marcus, who knew the power of the TImeMasters, especially those in groups, the sight of many TimeMasters was enough to make him panicked.


    But before Marcus could fully adjust himself to the sudden appearance of these TimeMasters, another even suddenly happened around him.


    Blood-red miasma started to flow out of the cracks on the mountain''s surface, which then proceeded to SWALLOW ALMOST ALL OF THE TIMEMASTERS AND BRING THEM TO GOD KNOWS WHERE.


    When he saw th miasma around him, Marcus naturally was rendered scared by this, but to his relief, there was nothing bad that the miasma did to him.


    This miasma seemed to be even friendly to him, which served to confirm Marcus that the whole Mountain of Enlightenment was truly a property by the rebel Immortals.


    "Damn it. I''m happy that you rebels have managed to take out these many TImeMasters¡­ But why did you do it here? Can''t you just do this somewhere else?" Marcus muttered himself sullenly as he gritted his teeth. "I am just a bystander looking for my sister here. I don''t want to be involved in any of this!"


    "You''re looking for your sister? Boy, do you think I will just believe that excuse of yours?" Marcus'' self contemplation was cut off as out of nowhere, a condescending voice started to intrude his mind.


    "What? Where the hell are you?" After hearing this new voice in his mind, Marcus started to look around him. To his surprise and slight fear, he found no person or even a creature near him. It was as if the one talking to him was not even here at this place.


    "Don''t bother looking for me boy. I am here inside a safe place, talking to you through my divine sense." The condescending voice replied, which ticked off Marcus.


    "Fine, so you are hiding inside the mountain. Good for you then." Marcus replied sarcastically as he narrowed his mouth. "So why are you talking to me again?"


    "Boy, just like what I told you earlier, we do not believe that you went here to just look for your ''missing'' sister." The condescending voice snapped back angrily, as its speaker seemed to be irritated with Marcus'' words. "You must have been here for a different agenda?"


    "Hah? You think I''m lying? F**k you and your stupid superiors!" The stress of everything that happened today has brought Marcus to his limit, and this accusation from the condescending voice has pushed him beyond that limit. "I. AM. JUST. LOOKING. FOR. MY. SISTER. THAT''S. IT. IF. YOU DON''T. BELIEVE. IT. THEN. DO. NOT. BELIEVE IT!"


    "Hah? Boy, your actions today look plain suspicious? Looking for you sister? That''s more like an excuse for you¡­"


    "You!"


    "Out of all days that you can choose, you chose to go the Mountain of Enlightenment on this day, which is the day that will mark the downfall of the Immortals." The condescending voice quickly said, which made Marcus gnash his teeth. "Tell me boy, doesn''t that sound suspicious even to you?"


    "I am a cultivator who''s an expert in divination." Marcus said in a plain voice as he did his best to stay calm. He knew that he was talking to a big shot cultivator right now, which meant that he must do his best to convince this big shot that he was just genuinely looking for his sister right now.


    If he doesn''t do this right, there''s a possibly that Marcus will be kicked off the mountain, which is something that he cannot allow to happen!


    "Divination? Are you serious?"


    "I''m not joking." Marcus replied, ignoring the sudden sly tone of condescending speaker. "I have been using divination to look for my sister, and the latest divination that I did showed me that I will find my sister here at the Mountain of Enlightenment, right at this day!"


    "¡­"


    Marcus could barely suppress his smile from the silence of the condescending speaker, as he knew that he just got all of his attention.


    "Aside from my sister, my divination also showed me that a monster will also appear in this place. I don''t know why that monster will appear here. I just knew that it will be here later." Marcus muttered as he placed his hands on his back. "That divination was the reason that I am here. I don''t know why, but my sister will appear here later! Because she will be here, the only thing that I can do is to stay here and find her!"


    "¡­"


    "Hmph, even if you rebels control this mountain, I will never yield to your demands!" Marcus shouted out as he looked at the mountain peak defiantly. "You can hurt me, attack me, or even shame me. I will accept all of that. However, you cannot make me leave this place! As long as my sister does not appear here, I will never leave!"


    "¡­"


    "What? Why are you not talking anymore?"


    "¡­"


    "S**t, did I just break this guy with my passionate speech?" Marcus knew that he was not a good talker, but maybe his emotions and quick thinking today allowed him to transcend the limits of a great orator.


    "¡­"


    "Hey!"


    "¡­"


    "Hey!"


    At this point, Marcus started to worry about the mental condition of this conversation partner.


    Luckily for him, the condescending voice only went silent for 10 more seconds before it started talking again.


    "You said that you are an expert in divination. So does that mean that your ''divined events'' are all accurate?" Instead of criticizing Marcus, the condescending voice asked this question in a calm tone, which made Marcus feel slightly strange.


    "Well, you can say that my accuracy is around 50%" Marcus replied carefully as he realized that the was in no more danger in getting kicked off. "Why are you asking that?"


    "Well, there was one thing that you said about your divination that has caught our attention." The condescending voice said quickly. "More specifically, that bit about the monster."


    "what about

 Chapter 360 - Baby, baby, baby, ohhh...

    MINUTES EARLIER


    After CEO Smith gave his decision to use all of his riches to activate the Future Gazing Formation, Andrea was left with no choice but to follow his latest order.


    And this order was to wake up Alex and Alina, no matter what method will be used by her.


    "Tik tok tik tok."


    The sounds of Andrea''s heels hitting the floor echoed all around her, as the said woman was now walking briskly towards Alex and Alina''s dwelling place.


    Her face was currently unreadable, as if she was masking all of her emotions.


    But her eyes still had some hints of red on its edges, which coupled by the wetness of her cheeks, shows that she somewhat cried earlier.


    "CEO Smith, you really are one big idiot!" These words could be heard coming out of Andrea, as she was slowly getting close and closer to Alex''s place. Her words were laced with both anger and sadness, making her sound like a nagging friend.


    "You said that you want to redeem yourself? Cool, you can just do that by doing some good things in the future. But no, you decided to spend almost all of your remaining Time on that stupid formation!" If CEO Smith was here, he will surely start panicking at the sight of his pissed secretary. "Why¡­ why are you willing to risk yourself like this? Can''t you just take it easy?"


    After muttering these words, tears threatened to spill out of Andrea''s eyes again, but she was able to barely hold them back.


    "Idiot... You still haven''t paid that dinner that you owed me." Andrea muttered to herself sullenly as she wiped her eyes with the sleeves of her suit. "Hmph, if you will survive today''s events, I will really demand you to bring me out for a meal¡­"


    Alina then stopped thinking about her boss at this point, as she now found herself face to face with the door on Alex''s dwelling place.


    She forced herself to forget about the matters of CEO Smith as she decided to focus her attention at the matter on hand.


    "¡­."


    Andrea stared at the door in front of her warily as a tired expression appeared on her face.


    "According to all of our agents who came here, Alex and Alina never once came out of this house, even when our agents called those two nonstop." Andrea said to herself as she touched the door. The door felt soft to the touch, although Andrea realized that there was some kind of power that was reinforcing the door.


    As she felt this power coursing through the door, Andrea narrowed her eyes as she cupped her chin.


    "Hm¡­ so Mr. Alex used some kind of power to prevent anyone from just coming in¡­. It seems like whatever he was doing inside with Ms. Alina was of great importance that he does not want anyone disturbing it." Andrea said as she realized that even the walls of the house were also reinforced by the same kind of power.


    "Since Mr. Alex was this serious, then that means that it might be also difficult for me to wake him and Ms. Alina up." Andrea said as she let out a sigh. "Well, that''s what I will say if I went here yesterday. But now, with the fate of my boss on the line, there is no way that I will just back off here!"


    Andrea then took a deep breath, as she began to gather her remaining Time Essence towards her.


    This time around, she decided to converge this Time Essence on her right palm.


    "Hong hong hong~"


    As a green, resplendent gem started to show up on her right palm, Andrea looked back at the door with seriousness as she took three steps away from it.


    "Mr. Alex, the only reason our agents did not attack your house was because we are trying to maintain our decorum with you." Andrea said as the green gem on her right palm got larger and larger. "But with the sudden grave situation today, I think that this decorum will have to be ignored first."


    After she gave this declaration, Andrea then raised her right hand, with her right palm facing the direction of Alex''s house.


    The green gem embedded on this palm was now as large as an oyster, with its body pulsating in a weird, sickening way.


    Andrea then lowered her waist until she looked like she was sitting in a chair. She then straightened her back, with her right palm still facing Alex''s house.


    Her face started to show a concentrated expression, as the pulsating lights on her green gem started to brighten.


    With one look at Andrea''s current stance, it was easy to know what she was about to do.


    She''s about to unleash a new spell, and its target was no other than Alex''s dwelling place.


    "Mr. Alex, whatever you are doing in there, I hope that its not something that is too dangerous to you." Andrea muttered to herself as the green light on her gem continued to intensify. "Because if it is dangerous to you, then my actions right now could put you in a fatal situation. If that was really the case, then let me apologize already in advance¡­"


    Saying this apology must have taken off a load from her chest, as the slightly unfocused look on Andrea''s eyes disappeared.


    It was now replaced by an unyielding look, as if she was already prepared to do anything.


    As this look appeared on her eyes, the glow from her green gem has reached the point where it cannot get any brighter.


    "Ah, here it is then. I have fully charged up my spell for one full-powered strike." Andrea said as he looked at her green gem with excitement. This excitement then turned into solemnity as she forcefully straightened her right arm. "I can only use this spell once a day, so I must use it properly. If I mess up here, then all of my boss'' efforts will be wasted¡­"


    After she mentioned the boss inside her head, Andrea gritted her teeth as she prepared to activate her bombastic attack.


    "Mr. Alex, maybe you can''t hear me, but I am still going to say it. WAKE THE F**K UP!" Andrea then clenched her teeth as she prepared to say the words that will trigger her spell.


    [T-MANIFEST: A-]


    But before Andrea could complete her chant, the door in front of her suddenly swung open, making her stop talking, as surprise began to overtake her body.


    "What the?" As the door in front of her continued to open, Andrea could only gape her mouth as she stared at the door with a dumbfounded expression.


    The glow of her green gem has now disappeared, as Andrea already lost the will to activate the spell.


    After all, she does not need to activate her new spell anymore.


    There was just no sense to use it when her targets are already awake.


    "...Hello. Hahaha, good morning to you two, I guess?" Andrea awkwardly said as she stared at the two people who are now staring at her with incredulity.


    Andrea was still stuck on her ''attacking stance'', which was starting to embarrass her.


    "¡­." The two people in front of Andrea did not say anything to her, as they just stared at her weird pose with questions in their eyes.


    Seconds passed by with these three people only staring at each other, which has started to take a toll on Andrea.


    "F**k me, this is so awkward¡­" Andrea thought to herself as she looked at the people that just opened the door. "What will happen to me now?"


    The ones who just opened the door right now was no other than Alex and Alina.


    Both of them seemed to be perfectly fine, although some signs of exhaustion could be seen on their red eyes and their rapid breathing.


    Their minds seemed to be at the perfect condition too, although they seem to be worried about something.


    Andrea could of course continue analyzing the current state of Alex and Alina, but right now, she had a different matter to worry about.


    "Hahaha Mr. Alex and Miss Alina. Don''t mind my current pose." Andrea said as she tried to hide the blush that was creeping up on her face. She knew that these two must be pretty suspicious of her now, as her clearly ''hostile'' pose was just too blatant to be just ignored. "I¡­ I was just stretching here! Yes, I was just doing that! You know that I am a busy office woman, so I must spend some time stretching my body too, hahaha¡­"


    "Cut the crap already. You were about to attack our house, right?" The one who said these words was Alex, who was now looking at Andrea with amus.e.m.e.nt on his face. "Don''t lie to me. Even if I am not a good lie detector, I can still feel that you are lying."


    "Hahaha Mr. Alex, you really are a talented man¡­" Andrea said as she tried to make herself stand up. It was a pretty difficult thing to do, as her muscles protested at her doing this. "Hahaha, you got me... I am really planning on attacking your house."


    Since Alex had already seen through Andrea, Andrea of course knew that lying will not be of help anymore. As such, she has decided to just tell the truth to Alex.


    "Mr. Alex, forgive me for my impudence. I was just¡­ trying to wake you up right now." Andrea said as she tried to make herself look as pitiful as possible. "The whole world is currently in chaos right now, as the rebel Immortals are about to use their wicked treasure against our Young Mistress. With the way that these rebels are doing things, we TimeMasters have realized that we need every help that we can get if we want to save Young Mistress. As such, I have decided to wake you up right now, as I know that you two will be of great help to us¡­"


    Andrea made sure to complement Alex and Alina while explaining herself, which could make these two warm up to her slightly.


    She also made sure to tell no lies in front of them, as she knew that Alina has some kind of ability to detect lies.


    "So how is it, Mr. Alex and Miss Alina. Are you willing to forgive this lowly one?" Andrea said as she made herself the lower ranked person. Maybe by doing this, she can fully get Alex and Alina''s willingness to help them out. "If you are still not happy with me, then feel free to dish out a punishment for me!"


    "The hell, are you a masochist? There''s no need for you to act like that." Alex replied, making Andrea both feel indignation and relief. "I am not angry with what you are doing. After all, if I am in your situation, I might have done the same thing."


    "Wait, so does that mean-"


    "Yes, I have forgiven you already." Alex said quickly, cutting off Andrea''s query. "Just don''t do it again. Especially right now, when we still have a baby to take care of."


    "A baby?" Andrea relief was immediately replaced by confusion, as a foreign term was suddenly heard by her ears."Mr. Alex, what was this about a baby?"


    "Didn''t I just say it to you? We are taking care of a baby right now, so I implore you to not make another loud attack. Who knows, the baby might suddenly wake up. I really wouldn''t want that happening¡­" Alex replied as his body visibly shuddered. "I know that a baby will start crying once it was forcefully woken up. So please, just keep quiet, okay?"


    "You are taking care of a baby right now? Um¡­ where is it right now?" Andrea slowly asked as she felt more and more confusion with the sudden change on their topic.


    "You''re asking where is it? It''s right here with us." Alex said as he pointed his finger at Alina. More specifically, at the bundle of cloth that was inside Alina''s arms. "See that bundle there? Inside that is the baby that we are taking care off. Do you want to see it?"


    "Um, well-"


    "Okay Alina, it seems like Andrea wants to see it. Why don''t you show it to her?" Alex deviously said as the confused Andrea tried to make sense of what was happening.


    "Show it to me? But-"


    "Okay." Alina replied curtly as she then slowly unraveled the cloth bundle.


    "Rustle rustle¡­"


    As the cloth bundle continued to unravel in front of her, the still confused Andrea could only gulp her throat as her mind began to spin.


    She was terribly disoriented right now, as what Alex and Alina just said was too much for her to process.


    "They are taking care of a baby right now? Where the hell did this baby even come from?" Andrea thought to herself as he began to feel light-headed. "Was this the reason that Mr. Alex and Miss Alina went into seclusion for the last 7 days? Don''t tell me¡­ that they were just copulating this whole time?"


    As she reached this conclusion, Andrea''s face turned dark from anger, as something inside her seemed to have snapped.


    "These horny dogs! Young Mistress has been kidnapped for the last 7 days, and all that these two did was to f**k like rabbits? How shameless of them!" Andrea thought as a livid expression appeared on her face. "Shame on you two! And here I thought I can be friends with you!"

 Chapter 361 - Attosecond

    As she remembered everything that she and her boss had to go through as they waited for Alex and Alina to come out, Andrea could barely hold her anger in as she glared at the two.


    If she could just speak and vent her rage right now, then Andrea will already do it.


    But she can''t, so she can only hold her anger in.


    It was only when Alina has full unraveled the bundle of cloth, that Andrea obtained the distraction that she was waiting for.


    Andrea immediately looked at what was inside the bundle, preparing herself for the possibility of it being just a joke.


    It was not a joke.


    After she stared at the unraveled bundle, Andrea found herself looking at a creature on Alina''s arms.


    This creature was, in all sense, a bonafide human baby. And a cute, female one at that.


    Right now, this baby was currently sleeping peacefully, with her light snores sounding like a melody on Andrea''s ears.


    The baby''s long hair and silky skin complimented her cute face, creating an appearance that was just too much even for Andrea''s opinion.


    "So cute!" This was all that Andrea could say as she was immediately captivated by the baby''s charm.


    Andrea, who was feeling all sorts of negative emotions right now, could not help but brighten up after she saw the baby''s cute and refreshing appearance.


    This was how cute this baby was. Her appearance alone was enough to make someone like Andrea feel reinvigorated.


    But even though she was ''mentally healed'' by this baby, Andrea still treated her with suspicion.


    "So Mr. Alex, I did not expect that you were able to copulate and have a child with Alina in just 7 days." Andrea said as she tried her best to hide the irritation in her voice. "Your vitality must have been... at the higher end of the scales."


    After saying these words, Andrea looked back at Alex, as she wanted to see what his reaction will be.


    Will he be angry for being called out? Or will he be embarrassed, which was in Andrea''s opinion, the feeling that Alex should definitely have.


    But to the surprise of Andrea, Alex looked to be confused. He was not angry or even embarrassed. He was just taken aback by Andrea''s comment.


    "Wait, are you thinking that this baby right here is the biological child of me and Alina?" Alex asked with hesitation as Andrea saw Alina turning scarlet red. "Is that the first thing that came to your mind when you saw this baby?"


    "Y-yes, that''s the first thing that I thought of." Andrea honestly replied as she now also felt confused. "After all, you''re in a relationship with Miss Alina, so having a physical, intimate moment with her was already inevitable. The only surprise that I got here was that you two has managed to conceive a baby in just a short amount of time!"


    "Hey! You got this all wrong!" Alex immediately said as panic began to appear on his face. He waved his hands around him, as his whole body seemed to become fl.u.s.tered. "This baby was not created through an intercourse, and it definitely did not come out of Alina''s baby hole!"


    "Alex! Can you please speak properly? You''re embarrassing me here!" Alina muttered beside Alex as her face turned redder and redder, until it reached the point where none of her face seemed to have its natural white pallor. "Why did you have to add that second sentence? You are just making this more awkward for us!"


    "Oh, sorry about that. I just wanted to explain everything to Andrea clearly." Alex replied sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. "She seemed to have fully misunderstood everything¡­"


    "Hmph, since you are the one doing the explaining, then I will leave her to you then." Alina replied as she went back inside the house, bringing the baby along with her.


    "¡­"


    With the way that Alina was embarrassed right now, she will surely not come out of the house unless Alex asks her to do so.


    Speaking of Alex, he was now left alone on the doorway, along with Andrea, who just stared with Alex with more doubt.


    Both of them stared at each other in silence for a few seconds, before Andrea cleared her throat, indicating her intention to speak.


    "So you''re saying that that baby right there is not your biological baby. Then how did it just suddenly appear here?" Andrea slowly asked as she pinched her nose. "What is it? Did she just come out of the sink?"


    "Sink? Hell no. That''s just gross." Alex quickly replied as he shook his head.


    "Then where did that baby come from?"


    "Andrea, do you remember my statement that Alina and I will be having a training inside this room?" Alex said as his embarrassment started to fade. "We followed that training schedule relentlessly, and we just barely succeeded on finishing it earlier. And it was when we finished that training that the baby appeared."


    "You got a baby after you completed your training? That''s what you are saying here?"


    "Yes, that''s the origin story of the baby." Alex replied nonchalantly as he ignored the incredulity in Andrea''s voice. "Alina was actually pretty spooked when the baby appeared earlier. We were still tired after our training, and we did not expect to suddenly see a baby out of all things. But just like what you see now, Alina and I were able to adjust along with the baby. Pretty impressive, right?"


    "Yes. Its pretty impressive. Although, I am not sure if you are really telling the truth." Andrea replied as she let out a sigh. "Do you really expect me to believe that you and Miss Alina only trained inside that room? Hah, that baby is the thing that disproves your excuses! You said that you got that baby from a training? Heh, that ''training'' must have been an intense love-making session!"


    "Andrea¡­. What do you want me to do to prove to you that this baby is not our real child?" Alex said as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. He seemed to be really bothered with Andrea''s accusation, as if he was affected by it. "I swear, we just did training inside the room."


    "If you really did some training, then show me how much you''ve gotten stronger now." Andrea replied with a sneer. "If you really trained, then you should have gotten some significant increase in power¡­."


    "¡­"


    With the way that Alex and Alina looked after their ''training'', and with the appearance of the baby, Andrea was 100% sure that Alex and Alina did not gain any kind of power-up at all.


    This was just the truth, and Andrea believes firmly in it.


    "What, don''t tell me that you can''t even muster any power right now?" Andrea taunted as she started to feel more and more confident right now.


    Andrea was feeling this confident as she has a clear understanding of her power compared with Alex and Alina''s power.


    Andrea''s power level can be compared to that of an Intermediate Fifth Stage Being.


    As for Alex and Alina''s power, Andrea knew that 7 days ago, their powers were comparable to that of a Peak Fifth Stage Being.


    In that kind of situation, Andrea knew that Alex can suppress her, although not at the point that she will be really beaten up.


    With this kind of power gap in mind, Andrea can surely know if the current Alex has really improved once he attacks her.


    If the current Alex attacks her right now, and he was only able to suppress her, then Andrea can confirm that Alex did not do any training at all.


    And if Alex was actually able to beat her up into submission, then Andrea can accept that he has indeed did some training.


    But deep inside Andrea''s heart, she was highly sure that Alex has just fooled around with Alina.


    "Come on, Mr. Alex. I want to know how much you improved." Andrea said once more, as she let out an impatient huff. "If you don''t attack me right now, then that might mean that you are not-"


    "I just have to attack you once, right?" Alex suddenly said, interrupting Andrea''s clear provocation. His face was filled with concern as he looked at Andrea with pity. "Are you sure that you want to do this?"


    "I am sure, Mr. Alex." Andrea replied as she puffed out her chest confidently. She just dismissed Alex''s concerned look as a bluff, as she met people who have done this before. "Just do your thing, and I will see for myself if you have indeed improved."


    "You said that, ok?" With Andrea saying this confidence-filled words, Alex''s concerned face disappeared as it was replaced by a serious one. "Okay, I will be making my move right now."


    "You don''t need to say that you are attacking. Just attack m-"


    Andrea tried to finish her provocation, but before she could even say her next word, her whole world spun erratically, which immediately shut her mind down.


    Her body then fell down on the floor, twitching ever so slightly as her head hit the concrete.


    Her consciousness, which was barely able to realize what had happened, only lasted for a fraction of an attosecond before it also collapsed.


    To anyone who witnessed what had just happened, they can all agree with one thing.


    And that is that Andrea did not know what just hit her, and she might only know once she wakes up.


    That is, if she ever wakes up.


    ***********


    A FEW MINUTES LATER


    "Ughh¡­" A light groan came out of Andrea''s mouth as her body began to stir. Her skin also regained its normal color as her organs started working normally again.


    Her mind began to recover too, as her awareness and consciousness caught up with her already awake body.


    "Ugh..."


    It took Andrea 3 more seconds of groaning before she opened her eyes.


    As the light began to return on her eyes, the sleepy and relaxed expression on Andrea''s face disappeared as she let out a panicked shout.


    "Argh!!!!" Andrea let out this shout as the memories of what happened earlier returned to her.


    Andrea continued shouting for a few more seconds, as if she was doing it to calm herself down.


    Once her voice has turned hoarse from shouting, Andrea closed her mouth as she looked around her in panic.


    "Where the hell am I? And what the hell just happened to me?" Andrea thought to herself as she gritted her teeth.


    Right now, Andrea found herself surrounded by trees. And to make matters worse, there was no sign of Alex''s house nearby. Actually, all the landmarks around Alex''s house were also not around, which made Andrea feel nervous.


    This nervousness was then compounded after Andrea recalled her challenge to Alex.


    "From what I can remember, I just challenged Mr. Alex to attack me earlier. Yes, I did that because I wanted to confirm if he has indeed trained¡­" Andrea mumbled as she sat on a nearby stone. "And from what I can see, it seems like Mr. Alex attacked me, although he did it in an overwhelming fashion¡­ And it seems like he brought me to a different place after he defeated me. He must have been irritated with my attitude¡­"


    As she remembered the way that she immediately lost consciousness after Alex declared his intention to attack, Andrea could only feel shame and fear.


    She felt shame, for she realized that she actually misunderstood Alex and Alina. He and Alina seemed to have really trained, which was showcased by Alex''s power.


    She also felt fear, as she realized that it took Alex no effort to put her down. For Alex to be able to do something like this, he must have reached a level of power that was already beyond what Andrea could deal with.


    As she reached this line of thought, Andrea started to shiver, as she realized that she was actually lucky to be even alive right now.


    "Goodness gracious, Mr. Alex must have been a kind person to allow someone like me to live.,." Andrea muttered to herself as she let out a sigh. She then looked down at her hands, which were both trembling greatly right now.


    "I''m sorry boss, it seems like I have messed up a little¡­"

 Chapter 362 - Munch munch munch

    (((TRIGGER WARNING: Yeah, there''s a trigger warning here, just saying.)))


    THE BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE JADE PREFECTURE AND THE TRASH PREFECTURE


    To anyone who approaches this zone, they will see that the boundary between the Jade Prefecture and the Trash Prefecture was always lined with a thick defensive wall.


    This wall was erected here to prevent anyone from the Trash Prefecture on escaping towards the Jade Prefecture.


    So far, this wall had done its jobs properly, as none of the powerless residents from the Trash Prefecture can even do a dent against this wall.


    It was so successful that some TImeMasters had been thinking of using copies of this wall to close off more of the restricted zones.


    But today, any plans on using this wall for other purposes will be surely cancelled, as a certain group of people has decided to mess the credibility of this wall.


    "Bang!" Out of nowhere, a large, gaping hole suddenly appeared on the body of the boundary wall.


    This hole was as large as a 5 story-building, which was a frightening size for a hole, especially for a hole that has appeared on this boundary wall.


    After all, the wall separating the Jade Prefecture and the Trash Prefecture was made up of materials that a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator(Fourth Stage Being) will find hard to break. Heck, the best that a Nascent Soul Cultivator can do on this wall was to just make a small dent on them!


    But even with that kind of sturdiness, there was actually something that has managed to punch a massive hole on the wall!


    If the TimeMasters were to see this, they will be undoubtedly surprised and shocked!


    "March, march, march¡­"


    As the dust from the appearance of the hole started to settle down, a large number of beings stepped out of the hole, with the marching sounds accompanying their arrival.


    As these beings continued to pour out of the hole, their marching sounds got louder and louder.


    "March, march, march¡­"


    Due to the amount of dust that were still present, the marching beings that came out of the hole only appeared as silhouettes, which made them look both mysterious and elusive.


    It was only after a few more seconds of waiting that the dust has cleared up, which then showed the appearances of these marching beings.


    100 Monsters, with varying shapes, colors, sizes, and appearances appeared from the settled dust.


    Each one of these monsters looked nothing like each other, with each one monster a unique kind of its own.


    There was a monster which looked like lobster dragon, while there was another one which looked like the combination of a dog''s head and an octopus'' tentacles. There was also a cat-like monster, which had hundreds of wide, gaping eyes attached on its body.


    The other monsters just looked as horrifying as the mentioned ones, and there are even some that looked worse than the cat monster.


    All these horrifying monsters are marching together in a synchronized manner, which was an unnerving contrast with their frightening appearances.


    The dull, monotonous sounds of their marches filled the air as they continued going forward, leaving the hole on the wall in a nonchalant manner.


    **********


    "Ah!! There''s monsters that came out of the wall!"


    The nearby bystanders, who were only chilling near the wall, started to shriek in fear after seeing these monsters, with some even fainting from their sheer terror.


    This fear was compounded when the bystanders realized that all of these monsters were actually inside the territory of the Jade Prefecture.


    With the way that these monsters looked like, there was a possibility that this monster army could be attempting to mount an attack on the Jade Prefecture!


    As the bystanders realized these, some of them who were TimeMasters immediately started to contact their superiors to inform of them of these anomalous phenomenon.


    But something has stopped them before they could even activate their powers.


    A praying mantis, who had katana blades as its arms, rushed towards the bystanders in a swift manner.


    "Slick slick slick!"


    The Katana Mantis waved its katana arms ferociously, which resulted on 15 bloodied heads dropping to the ground.


    These heads obviously belonged to the bystanders, who were all decapitated cleanly by the Katana Mantis.


    The headless bodies of these bystanders all crashed to the ground, with blood spurting out like fountain from their necks.


    The ground around the Katana Mantis began to turn red, as the said Mantis began to munch on the scattered heads.


    "Munch munch munch¡­"


    The Katana Mantis had an expression of ecstasy as it directly crushed one of the heads with its jaws. It slurped the blood happily, while it swallowed the crushed bone, muscles, and brain matter whole.


    The monster army only watched the Katana Mantis''''lunch'' in a quiet manner, with some of them looking at the mantis with envy.


    It took the ravenous mantis only 1 minute to finish of all the heads. As for the headless bodies of the bystanders, the Katana Mantis kicked them away with its slender legs.


    This kick has sent the bodies sailing towards the monster army, which then began to feast on them.


    "Nom nom yam rom kom sclurp nom!"


    With the amount of the monsters present, the headless bodies were all consumed in just 10 seconds, leaving nothing, not even bones behind.


    "Okay, okay. We just had our first meal. It tastes good, right?" After every bit of the bystanders had been eaten up, the Katana Mantis suddenly spoke up.


    The mantis'' voice sounded feminine, although a shrill sound of inhumanity can be heard on its tone. There were also some buzzing sounds accompanying the mantis as it talked, making it sound like it had bees on its throat.


    "If you want to get more of this delicious food, then you must follow the commands of your squad leaders! Do you get that?" The mantis said as its eyes landed on the monsters.


    "YES!"


    A cacophony of horrible sounds filled the air after the monster army gave their answer.


    The Katana Mantis seemed to be satisfied by this, as it nodded its head while it wiped its mouth.


    "My underlings. You should remember this. You are all the members of the 3rd Monsters Squad. If you want to experience more benefits, then we must do our best to follow our Creator''s orders!" The Katana Mantis said these words in a calm manner, although the monsters who heard it seemed to be affected by its words. "Do you all understand that?"


    "YES!" The monsters roared out again, this time sounding more pumped up than ever.


    "Good! Now that you have some small replenishments, it''s time for us to continue marching!" The Katana Mantis said as it jumped back to the monster army.


    "OOH!!!" The monster army let out an enthusiastic shout as the mantis rejoined them. Their eyes glinted with desire as their bodies began to emit a horrifying killing intent.


    The Katana Mantis frowned as it saw the killing intent, but it did not comment on it as it just shook is head.


    "Remember, the other 9 squads had already been deployed in a much earlier time at us. If we want to have more contributions, then we must double our efforts!" The Katana Mantis exclaimed as its katana arms began to glow dangerously. "Everything that we do is for the glory of our creators! Viva Queen Mother!"


    "VIVA QUEEN MOTHER!"


    "All Hail Professor Frances!"


    "ALL HAIL PROFESSOR FRANCES!"


    "Let''s go!!!"


    "OOOOH!!!!"


    The 3rd Monster Squad then resumed its marching pace, with a faint smell of blood accompanying them.


    The murderous air all around the 3rd Monster Squad had just turned more and more suffocating, that even the nearby plants seemed to be affected by it too.


    Only the monsters themselves were unaffected by this murderous air, as they bore no signs of stress at all.


    But the Katana Mantis seemed to be a different case, as a tense and worried expression could be seen on its face.


    At one glance, this appearance could mean that the mantis was actually affected by the murderous presence around it. If this was true, then the mental fortitude of the Katana Mantis will surely be placed in question.


    But if someone were to get closer to the Katana Mantis and listen to it, the doubts on this mantis will all quickly disappear.


    "Hmmm¡­ I wonder many enemies were avoided by the 9 other squads. Surely I''m not the one who killed the most, right?" The Katana Mantis muttered to itself as it continued marching. A worried voice could be heard on its tone, as if the matter of killing enemies was a sour topic for him.


    "Our creators told us to not kill anyone brazenly. As much as possible, we should only knock them out and capture them. As for killing them¡­ we can only kill if there was no other choice left¡­"


    The Katana Mantis winced at this point, as it remembered its act of killing the bystanders.


    "Umm.. those bystanders were trying to call their superiors, so I cannot just allow them to do that. By killing them, I prevented them from leaking about our presence! Yes! I had to kill them to preserve our mission! I did nothing wrong earlier!" The Katana Mantis muttered to itself as it seemed to be desperate on convincing itself. "Surely even our creators will understand that I just had to do what I have to do, right?"


    The Katana Mantis then put its head down as it licked a blood splatter on its lips.


    "Ahh¡­ those heads surely tasted good, especially the heads of the males. Hmmm¡­ I wonder what would a male''s head taste like after I had s.e.x with him? After all, I am technically a female praying mantis, so eating heads of males after they had s.e.x with me should be good for me¡­"


    After saying these words, the Katana Mantis began to chuckle as it imagined itself gobbling a head of a young man who was in the middle of pleasure.


    "Ahh~ Just thinking about that is making me hungry! Should I try doing that later?"


    "Doing what exactly, Katana Mantis?"


    "Eh?"


    Katana Mantis'' immersion in its fantasy was quickly cut-off as it heard an authoritative voice behind it.


    Katana Mantis looked back, and once it saw who was behind it, Katana Mantis immediately dropped down as it held its head close to the ground.


    "Ah! Greetings to you, oh Venerable Professor Frances!" Katana Mantis shouted as it did not dare to raise its head. Katana Mantis kept looking only at the ground, as its kept its body still. "We are happy that your great presence is here right now!"


    "GREEETINGS, OH VENERABLE ONE!" IT was only when Katana Mantis had dropped down that the other monsters had noticed the presence of Professor Frances. All of them kowtowed on the spot, with their bodies trembling from both happiness and fear.


    "Forgive us if we did not notice your almighty presence earlier. If you''re displeased by our inattentiveness, then you are free to punish us!" Katana Mantis said as it took a deep breath. "If you would want it, I will personally give you my head right now if that will please you the most!"


    "Nah, I don''t want your head. It will just stink." Professor Frances replied, which made Katana Mantis sigh in relief.


    "Forgive me if my head smells bad. I will make sure to make its smell good next time!"


    "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You can do that later." The professor replied, with irritation present on your tone. "Tsk, why am I even entertaining you like this? I did not come here to hear your worsh.i.p.s!"


    "...."


    Katana Mantis did not say anything at this point, as it knew that keeping quiet while the professor was irritated was the best thing to do.


    "Tsk, I did not come here to talk nonsense with you. I appeared here because I wanted to see if you are doing your job of leading the 3rd Monster Squad properly." The professor said, which made Katana Mantis stiffen. "After all, every one of you are still young! I have to know if you and your other comrades are all reliable enough¡­"


    "Oh¡­ so the Venerable One wants to observe us¡­ It''s an honor to be treated like this¡­" Katana Mantis asked as it kept its head down. "So umm¡­ what do you think of our job, Venerable One?"


    "Hmm¡­. What indeed?"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 363 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a studen part 8

    [[[At the sight of the frightening amount of books around them, Celeste could only continue gulping as she looked at Kibou pleadingly.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou, do you know how to read books in a normal way?


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Celeste]: What I meant is that if you can read books just by using your eyes, or whatever you are using to see things¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki ki!


    [Celeste]: So you can read that way? Good, at least I won''t do this alone.


    [[[After Celeste said these words, she put the sleeping bodies of Asteria, Ex, Cali, and Bur on the ground beside her. Celeste did not bother to fix their postures as she dumped the 4 down unceremoniously.]]]


    [Kibou]: ¡­


    [[[Kibou''s robotic face immediately frowned as it saw what Celeste did, as if he was disapproving of her actions.]]


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki ki!


    [Celeste]: Don''t worry Kibou. I think we can leave Asteria and her lackeys here. At least here they won''t really do the trial by themselves¡­ We can just fetch them back once we finish the trial!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Celeste]: Kibou, if we still have to bring these 4 along with us during the trial, it will be much harder for us to even finish it. Kibou, do you want us to fail because we are bringing burden on ourselves?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­ Ki ki ki ki!


    [Celeste]: Hey! I did not do this because of Asteria''s feud with me! That''s a separate case!


    [Kibou]: Ki. Ki¡­..


    [Celeste]: Ugh¡­ Kibou, why are you even making assumptions like that? I really didn''t do this out of spite! Believe me!


    [Kibou]: Ki.


    [Celeste]: Oh thank goodness you listened to me now Kibou.


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki. Ki ki¡­


    [Celeste]: Yes Kibou, I will not abandon them, I swear.


    [Kibou]: ¡­


    [Celeste]: Kibou, I promise that once we finish the trial, we will get Asteria and her lackeys before we descend on the next floor. If I don''t fulfill this promise, then the universe is free to strike me down!


    [Kibou]:. Ki¡­.


    [Celeste]: Okay, now that we have agreed on these terms, why don''t we start our exploration already? We still have a trial to finish, right?


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Celeste]: Go on, follow me then.


    [Kibou]:. Ki ki!


    [[[Celeste and Kibou then walked onwards, with their faces filled with dedication. Behind them, the slumped bodies of Asteria and her lackeys laid still, with snoring sounds emanating from them. The contrast between these two sighs was so great that Stone Face, who was watching everything that happened, could only shake his head in faint amus.e.m.e.nt.]]]


    [[[Stone Face]]]: These students¡­ they really are a mischievous lot.


    *****************


    A FEW MINUTES LATER.


    [[[As Celeste and Kibou continued walking among the scattered books, their faces would occasionally frown, as if there was something bothering them. This frown was more prominent on Celeste, whose forehead looked like a crumpled paper.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou¡­ Since we are in a trial, then shouldn''t we know what our Trial is? After all, we can''t do anything if we do not know our damn trial! And to make matters worse, Stone Face also did not inform us about the Rules and Objectives of this trial! Ugh!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­ ki!


    [Celeste]: Yes, I agree with you. This is really unfair. Sigh¡­ did Stone Face screw up with his job? Maybe he''s getting too old to remember everything that he should do¡­


    [Stone Face]: Young woman, I am still of sound mind, so your accusations are all baseless. Oh, and if you continue insulting me like this, I will be forced to punish you too.


    [Celeste]: Ah Stone Face! It''s a good thing that you are here! Please tell us what our trial is!


    [Stone Face]: Tell you? No, I won''t be telling you anything, Miss Celeste. Even if you bribe me with anything more, I will still not be telling you anything.


    [Celeste]: What? But if you don''t tell us the trial, then how will we be able to finish it?


    [Stone Face]: Miss Celeste, if you don''t know the trial, then you just have to discover it by yourself.


    [Celeste]: What? But that''s-


    [Stone Face]: Miss Celeste, at the moment that you entered the trial ground, your trial has already started. Everything that you do from now on is crucial, and I have not capability to interfere. So even if you''re in danger, I have no way to save you¡­


    [Celeste]: ¡­


    [Stone Face]: If you really want to know what your trial is, then I recommend that you keep quiet and just start looking for clues! Stop wasting time there moping with your robot friend! You have better things to do than that!


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Stone Face]: And the same thing goes for you too, Mr. Kibou. Even if your processing capabilities had been crippled with your separation from your ''relatives'', you should still have enough power to use your head! Don''t just waste it talking like that! Use that to discover your goals!


    [[[Stone Face seemed to be worked up as he berated the two students. Even if his face was unseen, the tone of his voice made it apparent that he was disappointed, which made Celeste feel both saddened and irritated.]]]


    [Celeste]: So if we want to proceed with the trial, we must first investigate what the trial is while I am doing the trial? Huhuhu¡­ Stone Face, what did we do to offend you like this?


    [Stone Face]: You did nothing to offend me, Miss Celeste. In fact, you actually had impressed me. I find it rare to find someone as dazzling as you. Sigh¡­ if it weren''t for the presence of Asteria, you surely would have been the brightest pupil here in the school.


    [Celeste]: ¡­.


    [Stone Face]: Hahaha, why am I getting sentimental like this? Okay Miss Celeste, you should go on right now! I already reached my allowed talking time with you, so don'' expect to talk to me again during the trial. If you want to talk to me again, finish the trial first! Oh, but you two should make sure that you can come back in one piece later!


    [Celeste]: Stone Face¡­. Now I understand why Asteria and her lackeys were really pissed at you¡­


    [Stone Face]: ¡­


    [Celeste]: ???


    [Stone Face]: ¡­


    [[[Even when the latest words by Celeste were clearly mocking Stone Face, Celeste did not hear any replies from him, as if the connection between them was cut off. Facing this silence, Celeste only sighed as she confirmed that Stone Face was indeed unable to talk to them now. After she reached this realization, Celeste was not sure if she should feel happy or worried by it.]]]


    [Celeste]: Um, at least Stone Face has managed to make me realize what I should do for this trial. I think that''s enough from him already¡­ As for his voice, I think I can just wait until the end of the trial to hear it again¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki? Ki?


    [Celeste]: Yes Kibou, Stone Face is unable to communicate to us now. So if you want to vent your anger him, just do it later once we exit this place.


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Celeste]: Okay then¡­ So just like what Stone Face said, we must first investigate and discover what our trial is. The earlier that we do this, the better it will be for us. If we do this late, we will be just exposing ourselves in more danger¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki ki ki?


    [Celeste]: You''re asking me how will we investigate? Well, seeing that we are surrounded by books, maybe we can glean a clue if we open one of the books? What do you think about that?


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki ki!


    [Celeste]: So you''re okay with it? Okay then, let''s oo and find a good book to open!


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [[[These two miniature beings then started observing the books around them, looking for the book which will be a good ''material''. After a few minutes of looking, Celeste''s eyes stopped moving as it landed on a purple book. Her eyes immediately narrowed in interest as she stared at the purple book shrewdly]]]


    [Celeste]: From the observations that I had earlier, I theorized that the color of all the books here should have been either black or white only. After all, the colors of the books that I have seen around me are either black or white. There''s no other color for books that are present, which makes my theory quite plausible. But who could have expected that a purple book like this will actually appear now! This is really interesting! Hmm¡­ this purple book is the first book that I have seen with this vibrant color. Since its color was unique, then maybe this book has a unique property too? Hmm¡­ guessing like this won''t help us reach the real answer! Since this book is already here, then I will just open it right now!


    [[[After she made this declaration, Celeste did not waste any more time as she stretched her hand out, grasping the purple book with her tiny hands. She then started heaving, as her whole body strained on opening the cover of the purple book.]]


    [Celeste]: Hng¡­


    [[[Since the purple book was meant to be read by a human, its size was obviously larger compared to Celeste. This size disparity made it naturally harder for Celeste to open the book, as its weight was something that even Celeste cannot just shrug off.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou¡­ are you willing to help me out here? I¡­. I cannot open this book by my own¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki!


    [[[After hearing Celeste''s pleas, Kibou, who seemed to be slightly down from everything that happened, let out a cheerful ''ki'' as it approached the purple book.]]


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki!


    [[[The excited Kibou grasped the front cover of the purple book with both of his metallic hands, with his elbow tucked neatly on his sides. Kibou stayed stuck on this pose for a few more seconds, before he started to make his move.]]]


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [[[Loud, creaking sounds rumbled out of Kibou''s body, as the said robot seemed to have used every part of his machine body to open the book. This move seemed to have an effect, as the unmoving cover has started to slowly rise under the influence of Kibou''s arms.]]]


    [Celeste]: Yes Kibou! You''re really amazing!


    [Kibou]: Ki ki!


    [[[The two continued conversing to each other like this, and they only stopped when Kibou has fully opened the book.]]]

 Chapter 364 - A slightly complete reunion

    "Um, so what do you think of my job, Venerable One?"


    Professor Frances immediately frowned as she heard this question from Katana Mantis. She barely hid the irritation in her eyes as she kept herself from sighing.


    "Hm¡­ what indeed?" Professor Frances forced herself to say these words as she inwardly mused about Katana Mantis'' actions earlier.


    "Sigh¡­ Katana Mantis was one of my favorite Squad Leader. With her incredible agility and power, capturing those bystanders earlier should have been a piece of cake for her." Professor Frances thought to herself as she her eyes narrowed. "But instead of capturing them, Katana Mantis immediately went for the kill. Sigh¡­ it seems like this kid right here has to discipline herself more¡­"


    After reaching this line of thought, Professor Frances looked at Katana Mantis'' compounded eyes, which all stared back at the professor with clear devotion.


    "Sigh¡­ if you were only a little bit older, you and your allies could have been more perfect¡­" Professor Frances thought to herself as she slowly approached the mantis. "But what''s done is done, so I just have to put up with you right now. Your improvements and upgrades¡­ shall come later."


    "Um, Venerable One? Your silence is scaring me¡­" Katana Mantis nervously mumbled as the professor got nearer to her. "Have I angered you?"


    "No, you did not anger me. I was just¡­ slightly disappointed with you." Professor Frances immediately replied as she stopped walking. The professor''s eyes then focused on the blood on Katana Mantis'' jaw, which still showed signs of being fresh.


    "You could have gotten a perfect score from me, but your actions with those bystanders earlier were so unnecessary. Seriously, you have no reason to kill them. They are powerless against you, so you don''t need to kill them!" Professor Frances did not let the mantis explain herself as she started to lecture her on the spot. "Capturing them will be far useful for us!"


    The professor then pointed her fingers at the Mountain of Enlightenment, which was currently floating at the center of the Jade Sea Prefecture. She made sure that the Katana Mantis looked at this mountain first before she continued talking.


    "Katana Mantis, the instruction that I gave to you and your allies was just simple. Leave the Trash Prefecture and reach that floating mountain. That''s just it! If there are any people that will obstruct you, you are only allowed to capture them! You will only kill them if needed! How hard was that to understand, huh?"


    "Venerable One, I-"


    "Don''t try explaining yourself anymore, Katana Mantis." Professor Frances quickly said as she made her voice turn cold. "I have seen your lack of discipline, which makes me sad. As such, I will subject you to a punishment later. Do you have any complaints about that?"


    "Nothing, Venerable One!" The mantis hurriedly replied as she cowered under the professor''s glare. "I know that I am really in the wrong this time¡­. So I will gladly accept your punishment!"


    "Tsk, just make sure that you have learned your lesson from this." The professor said as she rubbed the back of her head. "Okay, now that I have finished talking with you, you should continue approaching that mountain. This time, do not screw up, okay?"


    "I promise, Venerable One! I will not kill unless I need to!" Katana Mantis enthusiastically said as she looked at the professor with tears on her eyes. "I promise that with my life!"


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I heard your promises already. Now shoo shoo. Go and leave already." Professor Frances muttered as she waved her hands dismissively. "I will meet with you and the others once you reached the mountain."


    "Noted, Venerable One!" Katana Mantis immediately stood up after giving this reply. Her insectoid face seemed to be full of relief as she stared at the professor with intense fanaticism.


    Katana Mantis then looked at the other monsters, who were still kowtowing at the professor.


    "My subordinates! The Venerable One has allowed us to continue our passage! So stand the f**k up and follow me!" The mantis shouted, which roused all the nearby monsters into action. "This time, we must do our best and not screw up! Do you understand that?"


    "YES WE DO!"


    "Okay! Now let''s continue our journey!"


    "OHHH!!!!"


    Katana Mantis and her monster squad then all resumed their journey, but this time around, the murderous air around them has disappeared. Even their marching sounds has sounded fainter, as if they were trying to make an effort to be less noticeable.


    "Good, so they can learn as fast as a normal person. It''s a good thing that the monsterification process did not mess up their logical thinking¡­" Professor Frances, who was left behind by the departing monster squad, told to herself as a relieved expression appeared on her face. "Sigh¡­ I was worried that my creations this time will have some defects. But luckily for me, none of those appeared! Hehehe¡­. I really am the best bio-sculptor ever!"


    "Hehehe¡­" The relieved expression from the professor''s face quickly disappeared as a strangled laughter came out of her lips. Her laughter, which sounded both shrill and chaotic, made her look like she was in a verge of madness. "Hehehe¡­ If I had these monsters with me before, even those blasted Travelers who invaded my world will be killed like ants! Hehehe, these monsters really are the best!"


    The professor then continued laughing to herself as she clutched her stomach. She seemed to be really amused right now, that she took no note of the two people who suddenly appeared behind her back.


    It was only when one of these two new arrivals has spoken up that the professor was forced to stop her laugh fest.


    "Oi Frances. Can you please stop laughing like that? The baby might wake up and cry from your creepy laughter!"


    "Huh?" The killing intent inside Professor Frances immediately exploded as she was caught-off guard by what she heard.


    "Boom!"


    She jumped away from her position, as she realized that someone has managed to sneak up to her.


    This naturally had her worried, as all of her body''s senses had been honed up to their maximum limits.


    "Who?" The professor exclaimed as she assumed an immediate fighting pose. She looked at the person who spoke up to her, taking note of this person''s weak points.


    But before she could start scanning her ''opponent'', Professor Frances''s eyes widened as she saw who the intruder was.


    "F**king hell Alex, so it was you who just spoke up. Why did you have to surprise me like that?" The professor grumbled angrily as she glared at Alex, who was looking at her with an amused smile on his face. "I almost had a heart attack from that, you know!"


    "So what if you almost had a heart attack? You''re still alive now, right?" Alex replied smugly as Professor Frances dispelled her fighting stance. "Wait a second, what would happen to you if you indeed suffer a heart attack? Will you die?"


    "Hmph, of course not. I have countermeasures prepared for that." Professor Frances said with irritation as she looked at Alex and Alina, who was just standing behind him. "Okay, enough about me. Can I now ask my own questions?"


    "We just had our reunion, and the first thing that you will do is ask me questions? How cruel of you!" Alex replied with a fake ''hurt'' expression on his face. "Is that how you treat your comrades? Shouldn''t you welcome us first?"


    "Welcome my ass! You left me and Queen Mother with that dumb fairy in a dump site! How the hell can I just let that be?" Professor Frances shouted out as she pointed her finger at Alex. She did her best to not blow up at him, although she was still itching to beat him up right now.


    "Oi Frances, I know that you are still pissed with what has happened to you. But I assure you that I will explain all of it to you later. For now, why don''t we just talk like normal allies?"


    "Hah? You want me to do that? Hell no!" Professor Frances immediately said as she gritted her teeth. "Explain everything to me first! Explain why I lost consciousness when I became your Companion! Explain why you ditched us on that trashy place! Explain why you did not leave a better communication method for us! Explain why you wanted to build a monster army! If you will not explain any of these to me, then I will not move away from this spot!"


    Professor Frances was extremely pissed right now, and nothing, not even a shot of her favorite vodka, will be enough to fix her mood.


    Alex seemed to have realized this, as he did not push himself on her.


    "Hahahaha, I see that you are really angry. Fine, I shall explain myself right now. However, I will only use a shortened version." Alex said as he gave the professor a sheepish smile. "After all, we still have a mission to succeed, so we cannot waste any more time!"


    "Hah? From the way that you are talking, you are making it sound like you want to finish this mission already." The professor commented, with her tone still laced with her anger. "There''s still some more months until we can end the mission right? Why the rush?"


    "Oh right, because we have only met right now, I still haven''t told you about it." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "My bad, my bad."


    "Told me about what?" The professor queried as she looked at Alex with confusion. "Is that important?"


    "Yes it is."


    "If it is important, then you should tell it to me right now!"


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, I am sure."


    "Will you not get angry?"


    "Try me then."


    "Okay. You promised to not get angry, so I will tell it now"


    "Go on Alex."


    "Okay¡­ so after my seclusion training earlier, I made new discoveries, which gave me all the things that I needed in this world. These things that I obtained were so helpful, that realized that I can use them to finish the Main Mission. So, I have decided to end the Main Mission today." Alex said as he rubbed his hands together. "Trust me, as long as we do our roles right, we can finish everything today!"


    "What the f**-"

 Chapter 365 - Another cliff coming your way!

    "So let me get this straight. You are planning to end the Main Mission today, because you are confident on doing it?" After Alex dropped his special announcement, Professor Frances did not act shocked or even surprised. Instead, she started kneading the bridge of her nose with her eyes closed. "That seems like a tall order in my opinion¡­"


    "¡­You seem to be not shocked with what I just said." Alex said as he noticed the lack of surprise from the Professor''s part. "Are you alright?"


    "I''m feeling alright. Thanks for your f**king concern." The professor replied as she continued kneading her forehead. "Okay, I am surprised with what you announced, but knowing that its you were talking about here, I guess that this announcement was something that you might really say¡­"


    "¡­Familiarity huh. I am not sure if I should be happy that you are already feeling this close to me, Frances." Alex mumbled as he gave the professor a pleased smile. "I thought you were just a frosty b**ch before. But as it turns out, you''re actually warm and mellow too¡­"


    "Hmph, my mind just had to take note of your every behavior in order for me to survive longer with your team!" The professor hissed as she glared at Alex. "Don''t mistake that for familiarity!"


    "Okay, okay. Frances, I accept your tsundere response. There''s no need for you to be shy..."


    "Tsun- what?"


    "Okay, why don''t I start answering your questions earlier? Didn''t you want to know the reasons for my actions for the past 3 months?" Alex evasively said as he avoided Professor Frances'' stare. "We can''t waste any more time here after all¡­"


    "Tsk, you know what? We can just cancel my questions for now. Just answer them later." Professor Frances surprisingly said as she put down her hand. "Since you said that we have to finish the main mission today, I think that my questions can be just dealt with later. For now, we can just focus on finishing the mission¡­ But don''t forget to answer my questions later!"


    "Yes, yes, I will answer them later." Alex replied as he gave the professor an approving smile. "Don''t worry about that."


    "¡­Ok. Now, what should we do next?" Since Alex had already declared his intent to finish the main mission today, Professor Frances naturally has decided to go straight on the mission itself. "Will I divert the movements of my monster army, or will they still have to go on their original course?"


    "Of course the monster army will have to go their original course! Wasn''t that the instruction that I sent through the hair strand earlier?" Alex replied as he tilted his head. "Frances, don''t worry about your monster army, their movements are a part of my plan for the main mission. As long as they don''t screw up, there will be no problems for all of us."


    "Alex, you should know that the monster army you just told me to send out was painstakingly created by me and Queen Mother. They are precious resources that I will naturally not waste. So don''t expect them to screw up, for I did not create them to be that useless!" Professor Frances'' pride seemed to be riled up by Alex''s comments, which led to her almost blowing up on him again. "Hmph, just you wait. After this main mission, my monster army will come back not only complete, but much stronger than ever!"


    "Oh really?"


    "Yes, they will come back stronger. Actually, they might even get stronger than you, Alex." Professor Frances said as she started taunting Alex. "Hehehe, let''s see if you can still stand up to me later, when I have an army that is much stronger than you!"


    "You think you can use that army to bully me? Lol, can you state the power levels of the members of your monster army?" Instead of becoming worried from the professor''s declaration, Alex seemed to be only amused as a sneer appeared on his face. "I want to know if they really have the power to topple me¡­"


    "Heh, out of the 1,000 Monsters that I created, 10 of them were already Half-Step Sixth Stage Beings. That means that they''re already beyond the power of Fifth Stage Beings, and that they only need some push to reach the Sixth Stage!" Professor Frances proudly said, as she waited for the surprise and panic to appear on Alex''s face. "I assigned these 10 monsters to become the Squad Leaders of the 10 Monsters Squads, as they are the strongest monsters in my army. Hmph, with their abilities, it will be difficult to find someone that can easily beat them down. Of course Immortals and the strongest TImeMasters will be a different case¡­"


    "¡­"


    "As for the remaining 990 Monsters, all of them are either Intermediate or Peak Fifth Stage Beings. Hehehe¡­ Now, are you still confident on facing them all?" The professor said with schadenfreude as she observed Alex''s face. "Hehehe, you know, you can still ask me to be gentle later¡­''


    "Well¡­. If it were before, I might be slightly worried with what you just said. But now, that army is nothing in front of me." Alex nonchalantly said, which sent the professor frozen. "Even those 10 Half-Step Sixth Stage Beings can''t do s**t against me¡­"


    "W-w-what are you talking about? Aren''t you just at the peak of Fifth Stage before?" Professor Frances stuttered as she pointed her finger at Alex. "Why are you suddenly this confident, huh?"


    "Oi Frances, let me clarify one thing to you first." Alex seemed to have lost his good mood as he sent a frown at the professor''s direction. "When I was a Peak Fifth Stage Being before, my power was already enough for me to fight against an Early Sixth Stage Being. I am not your regular fighter, so don''t just compare my fighting strength with your creations!"


    "Hmph, I know that you have abilities that are way beyond your level, but that does not mean that you are already more powerful than my army!" Professor Frances said as she shook her head. "So what if you were a powerful Peak Fifth Stage Being? I''m sure that once you tried to fight my whole monster army, not even you can win against them easily!"


    "Hmm¡­ that will be the case if I am just a Peak Fifth Stage Being. But too bad for you, I had already ascended beyond that Stage." Alex casually said. He sneered once more at the professor, as if he was mocking her brash behavior right now. "You can say that my training before¡­ has reaped me some good fruits¡­"


    "What did you just say?" Professor Frances almost lost her voice, as she was surprised with Alex''s reply. "Can you repeat what you just said?"


    "I said, I had already ascended beyond the Fifth Stage." Alex replied as he started fixing his rumpled shirt. "Or in simpler terms: I already reached the Sixth Stage."


    "¡­"


    "Don''t stare at me like I am a monster, Frances. You''re the one creating monsters here, right?"


    "You¡­"


    "Yes, Frances?"


    "You must be kidding me!" Professor Frances shouted out as steam literally came out of her ears. Her eyes began to turn red as blue veins began to bulge on her skin. "You must be playing pranks on me now, right? There''s just no way that you can reach the Sixth Stage this quickly!"


    "Frances¡­"


    "Even my most powerful monsters will take at least a year before they will even have a chance to reach the Sixth Stage!" Professor Frances continued saying as she ignored Alex''s interruptions. "As for you, who had a messy Power System in your body, you should have a higher difficulty on reaching the Sixth Stage! So no, I do not believe what you just said! You''re just playing with me now!"


    "Sigh, Alina told me that you will act like this, but I did not believe her. I must be getting rusty with my observation skills¡­" Alex muttered to himself, as he seemed to be not affected by the professor'' outburst. "Should I train myself social skills when I get the chance? Yes, I must do it next time¡­"


    "Oi Alex! Don''t you ignore me again!" The professor shouted as she pointed her fingers at Alex. "If you really are a Sixth Stage Being, then prove it to me now! If you don''t, then you just showed that you are lying!"


    "¡­First is Andrea, and now it''s you. Why do the people that I met after my training all doubted my power? Is there something similar with you guys?" Alex muttered in a complaining tone as he shook his head. "You said that you want proof right? Okay then, this is my proof."


    "Boom!"


    A formless, yet heavy aura was suddenly emitted by Alex''s body, which proceed to cover Professor Frances as a whole.


    As this heavy aura landed on her body, the professor''s body turned rigid, as every part of her began reacting badly at this aura.


    Her organs started to malfunction, while her senses became disoriented.


    Her whole skin began to sweat as her body refused to move itself.


    Right now, the professor did not even think of escaping, as her mind was only occupied with one thing.


    "I''M GOING TO DIE!!!" The professor thought to herself as she began to hyperventilate. Fear began to pool in her heart as some of her cells began to breakdown on their own volition.


    This was the second time that she felt fear, which was something that she will surely dislike.


    But right now, she did not think of becoming ashamed of herself as she only thought of her assured demise.


    "I''M GOING TO DIE!!!" I''M GOING TO DIE!!! I''M GOING TO DIE!!! I''M GOING TO DIE!!! I''M GOING TO DIE!!! I''M GOING TO-"


    "Okay, I think this is already enough." Alex said, as he cut off the aura that he just emitted. "So what do you think of my power, Frances?"


    "Hak, hak, hak, ugh¡­" At the moment that Alex removed his aura, Professor Frances'' body slumped down to the ground as the said woman began to cough with all of her might.


    The ground under her began to turn wet, as all of her sweat fell on the soil like raindrops from the sky.


    Her whole body was trembling as she continued coughing, as if Alex''s actions had really affected her much.


    It was only after a few more minutes of coughing that the professor was able to regain her wits. Once she was calm enough, she slowly stood up with shaky legs as she gave Alex a pointed glare.


    "You¡­ you really reached that stage." Professor Frances slowly said as she wiped away from saliva that drooled on her chin. "Which power of yours allowed you to reach the Sixth Stage? Was it the Abyss Power? Yes, that must be it¡­."


    "No, it''s my Esper Power, you dummy." Alex replied as he shook his head again.


    "Your Esper Power? But your Esper Power cannot do something like that!" Professor Frances said, clearly referring to the aura that Alex just released earlier. "Your Esper Power is all about the manipulation of the Four Fundamental Forces of the Universe! What you did earlier¡­ was focused more on making me feel the sensation of death!"


    "Well, I don''t care if you believe me or not. I really reached the Sixth Stage with my Esper Power, so just accept that as the truth, ok?" Alex replied as he seemed to be not interested on clarifying himself anymore. "Ok, now that I have explained my power, why don''t we proceed on the next part of our plan for the Main Mission?"


    "We will do the next part of the Main Mission plan already? What the hell will that be?" Seeing that Alex had already changed topics, Professor Frances has no choice but to follow his new ''topic''. "Are we going to fight some people now? Well, with your new power, that will be a good thing to do¡­"


    "No, the fighting will still have to wait. For now, we have to talk with someone special first." Alex replied as he pointed his finger at the space in front of him.


    "??? Who are we going to talk to?" Professor Frances asked as she looked at the direction that Alex''s finger was pointing. "And why are you pointing your finger there? Are you performing a spell or something?"


    "No, I am pointing at this place, because someone will appear here in 10 seconds." Alex said as he started counting down.


    "10"


    "9"


    "So you just knew that someone will come out here? That''s really gutsy of you."


    "4"


    "So who''s this mystery visitor? Is this visitor dangerous?"


    "0"


    After Alex reached the zero mark, the space in front of him started to distort as a figure slowly appeared in front of him.


    "¡­" Professor Frances watched the slow reveal of the newcomer, taking note of the newcomer''s formal attire.


    "The visitor is a woman?" Professor Frances thought to herself as she realized that the newcomer was wearing a blouse, a tight skirt, and high heels. "Yes, this is definitely a woman...''


    10 more seconds passed by before the spatial distortion in front of them stopped.


    As the space began to calm down, the new arrival, who donned the appearance of a woman, turned her face to Alex, who seemed to be wary of her.


    "Mr. Alex, I''m pleased to see you here." The woman said, with her attention only focused on Alex. " But I hoped that we could have met¡­ in far better circ.u.mstances."


    "Hmph, is that what should you really say now?" Alex said as he sneered at the woman. "Did you forget that your daughter was kidnapped, and that she was about to be used in a ritual any moment now?"


    "Of course I know about that." The woman replied, although not a hint of worry could be seen on her face. "But right now, I have to talk to you first."


    "Hmph, Great TimeMaster, why do you want to talk to me?" Alex said, as Professor Frances visibly stiffened from the name that Alex just uttered. "Is there something that you wanted to request from me?"


    "¡­."


    "F**k, so Alex has already met the Great TimeMaster? And from the looks of it, they have some kind of close relationship! Damn, this is surprising!" The professor thought to herself, as she waited for the Great TimeMaster to give her reply to Alex. "S**t, and it seems like he had piqued her interest again! Damn¡­ you''re really one of a kind, Alex¡­. I guess I am lucky that I got allied with you¡­"

 Chapter 366 - Youre Guilty!

    "You know why I came here, Mr. Alex." After staying silent for a few seconds, the Great TimeMaster talked again, this time with a hint of playfulness in her voice. "You don''t need to act so mysterious right now¡­"


    "Hmph, so you are indeed aiming for her." Alex replied, as he sneered at the Great TimeMaster. "I wonder what would Annie think once she discovers that you went here first¡­"


    "I''m sure that my cute daughter will understand everything¡­ After all, I am her beloved mother."


    "Beloved mother my ass." Alex''s face showed irritation as he clicked his tongue. "If this is your way of showing Annie your love, then she''s better off on having other mothers."


    "Hohoho Mr. Alex. Why don''t you stop criticizing me first? We can bicker all we want later. But for now, let me see the baby." After saying these words, the Great TimeMaster slowly stretched her hands towards Alina, as if she was trying to obtain something from her.


    "Huh?" It was at this moment that Professor Frances remembered the statement that Alex told her earlier.


    "Earlier, Alex said something about a baby. Wait, a baby?" It was then that the professor had noticed the baby that was being cradled by Alina.


    Due to the tension that Professor Farnces had when she met Alex, she has entirely forgotten to observe Alina closely.


    It was only now when the Great TimeMaster made a move that the professor noticed the baby on Alina''s arms.


    "Where the f**k did that baby come from?" The professor immediately exclaimed, as she tried to ignore the cute appearance of the said baby. "Is this baby Alex''s and Alina''s child? No¡­ it cannot be just as simple as that!"


    Looking at the appearance of the baby, Professor Frances was sure that the baby doesn''t bear any resemblance from either Alina or Alex. So from appearance alone, the professor was sure that this baby is not a biological child of Alex and Alina.


    Aside from that, the baby was also emanating out a weird aura, which seemed to be different from any other beings that Professor Frances had faced before.


    "That baby¡­ it seems to be entirely human. Although there was something that was also¡­.iInhuman from it." Professor Frances muttered to herself as she now stared at the baby with precaution. "This¡­ this is the first time that I had felt something like this. This baby, this is not something that should easily exist!"


    As she thought of this, the professor took a deep breath as she slowly backed away from Alex and Alina. She was not sure why, but she felt the need to back away, as the mere existence of the baby was driving her into full-blown anxiety mode.


    "You two¡­ where did you get that baby?" The professor mused as she stopped backing away after she took 5 steps. "Is this the object that you are saying that will help finish the Main Mission?"


    The professor had to stop thinking after this point, as Alex started to make his move.


    He slightly moved his body sideways, blocking the Great TimeMaster, who seemed to be engrossed on getting closer to the baby.


    "Great TimeMaster. Even if you want to get close to the baby, there is no way that I will allow you to touch her." Alex said as he crossed his arms. "Who knows, maybe you will try to do something horrible against it¡­"


    "Mr. Alex. You know that I am not that kind of person." The Great TimeMaster replied, as her voice slowly turned into a pleading one. "Please, Mr. Alex. I just want to see your baby closely¡­"


    "And what? Allow you to manipulate her? Just like what you did to your daughter?" Alex snarled as he barked out a laugh. "Hell no!"


    "Mr. Alex-"


    "Great TimeMaster, the reason that you were interested in this baby was because this baby was just like your daughter." Alex suddenly said as he interrupted the Great TImeMaster''s explanation. "Your daughter was the reborn soul of this world, right? Hehehe, just like her, this baby in Alina''s arms was also a reborn soul, but of a different world¡­ No wonder you wanted to touch this baby now. You must be planning on doing something on her."


    "What?" Professor Frances, who had already turned into a bystander, had to stop herself from making a sound as she heard what Alex said. "What the hell is he saying?"


    Alex seemed to take no note of Professor Frances'' surprise and the Great TimeMaster''s awkward expression as he continued talking.


    "Actually, I did not know that your daughter was the reborn soul of this world before." Alex said as he patted the head of the baby on Alina''s arms. "It was only after this baby was born after my training that I realized everything."


    "¡­"


    "My training earlier involved fusing my consciousness with a world itself." Alex said as he tilted his head. "If I succeed on that training, I will be able to reach the Sixth Stage on one of my Power Systems. Of course it was difficult, but with the help of Alina, we were able to succeed on the consciousness fusion earlier."


    "¡­"


    "Unsurprisingly, my power and Alina''s power has improved after the consciousness fusion." Alex said as the bystander professor got more and more confused from what she was hearing. "But it was not only our consciousness that was strengthened. Even the consciousness of our target world got stronger too. In fact, it got strong to the point that it can be considered to be a Stage 6 Planet."


    "¡­"


    "Great TImeMaster, you already know what happens when a planet reaches the Sixth Stage, right?" Alex said as he removed his arms from the baby''s head. "It will force it soul to be reborn as a living being, and use that new form to ascend to the next Stage! And that was what had happened here. Our target world has forced itself to be reborn as a human being, and that reborn form is the baby here."


    "¡­."


    After giving this ''light'' revelation, Alex let out a laugh as he resumed crossing his arms.


    "When I saw this baby for the first time, I realized that she exuded an aura that was similar to Annie''s aura." Alex said as his voice turned into a whisper. "After I saw this similarity, I realized that Annie was most likely the reborn soul of this world too."


    "¡­"


    "It was after this realization that I pieced together every weird thing in this world."


    "¡­"


    "Don''t you find it weird? The TImeMasters, who were the foreign forces in this world, actually managed to defeat the Immortals, even if the Immortals were supposed to be undefeated this world. Not only that, but they also managed to change the laws of this world, making it so that the TimeMasters were stronger in this world, while rendering the Immortals weaker here! No matter which way you looked at this, something wrong has happened there!"


    "¡­"


    "But after I realized Annie''s status as the reborn soul of this world, everything has made sense to me now." Alex said as a relieved smile appeared on his face.


    "Woosh!"


    Out of nowhere, a monocle suddenly appeared on Alex''s face, which he quickly wore on his left eye.


    His body then assumed a weird pose, with his feet spread apart, and his left arm pointed at the Great TimeMaster.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Before anyone could make sense of what Alex was doing, Alex broke the awkward silence as he started to talk in a loud voice.


    "FROM ALL THE EVIDENCES THAT I HAVE GATHERED, I HEREBY PRONOUNCE THAT YOU, THE GREAT TIMEMASTER, ARE GUILTY ON USING ANNIE TO SUPPRESS EVERY IMMORTALS IN THIS WORLD! NOT ONLY THAT, BUT YOU ARE ALSO GUILTY ON USING ANNIE TO CHANGE THE FUNDAMENTAL LAWS IN THIS WORLD! DO YOU PLEA NOT GUILTY ON THESE CHARGES?"


    "What the hell?" This was all that Professor Frances could say, as she was definitely unable to keep up with what had just transpired. "What the hell is happening here?"


    Nobody answered the professor''s query, as the other three people seemed to be only engrossed on conversing with each other.


    "Ufufufufu¡­ Mr. Alex, you really are an intelligent guy. It was no wonder you have survived everything up to this day." The Great TimeMaster said, as she neither denied or confirmed Alex''s hypothesis. "That must be also the reason why Annie liked you as her babysitter¡­"


    "Cut the c**p, woman." Alex replied as he continued pointing his finger at the Great TimeMaster. "You are a shameless person who had willingly used a reborn soul just to win against the Immortals. Not only that, but you also did this while acting as Annie''s mother! With these actions of yours, there''s no way that I can just easily trust you!"


    "You say that Mr. Alex, and yet you still stand here in front of me, not moving away." The Great TimeMaster said as she lightly giggled. "If you really do not trust me, then why are you still here?"


    "Hmph, I may not trust you, but that does not mean that I am sure about everything." Alex said as he continued to stare vigilantly at the Great TimeMaster. "After all, there''s a chance that there''s something wrong with my hypothesis. Who knows, maybe it was someone else who has manipulated Annie, and I was just falsely accusing you¡­"


    "I see, I see. You want to interrogate me about the truth of our past." The Great TimeMaster said as she continued giggling. "That''s a good move, as I am the most reliable person that can give you the information related to the past. But¡­ are you sure that you should ask me? I can just lie to you¡­"


    "You can''t lie to us. We can know if you are lying, so you should just stick to telling the truth."


    "Hoho, so someone from your allies can detect lies? That''s convenient ability. But even if you have someone like that, how can you be sure that I will tell you the truth?" After saying these words, the air around the Great TImeMaster began to darken, as a malicious aura exploded out of her body.


    "Boom!"


    "Ah!" As this malicious aura touched her body, Professor Frances was left with no choice but to shout, as she felt the sensation of death pouncing on her again. Fortunately for her, this malicious aura was not focused on her entirely, which allowed her to stabilize herself.


    The actual targets of this aura, who were no other than Alex and Alina, seemed to be unaffected by this aura, although the professor noticed that beads of sweat has appeared on Alex''s face, signifying that he was actually having some hard time against the Great TimeMaster now.


    "Why would I talk to you amicably here when I can just kill you and your partner?" The Great TimeMaster said as her laugh slowly turned malicious. "If I kill you two now, I can easily obtain the baby without bothering with your farce!"


    "Hmph, I know that you are wanting to do that since earlier, but you can''t do it, right?" Alex said in a strained voice as he kept his posture straight. "There''s no way that you can damage or kill us, because if you did, your chance on obtaining the baby in a healthy condition will be nil!"


    "You-"


    "After I met this baby, I already realized that you would want to obtain it, although I am not yet sure of the reason." Alex said as he continued his unyielding pose. "Since it was you that we are talking about, I realized that you might use your power to forcefully obtain this baby."


    "¡­"


    "When I realized this, of course I started to panic a little, since even with my current state, it will be extremely difficult for me to win against you. But then, I realized one thing." Alex then let out the smuggest smile that he could muster, sending it purely on the Great TimeMaster. "Due to my unique training method earlier, my soul right now has made a connection with the soul of the baby. This means that if my soul was damaged, the baby herself will also be damaged too. If that happens, whatever plans you have with the baby will be ruined, right, Great TimeMaster?"


    "Grrr¡­"


    The Great TimeMaster was now at loss for words, as Alex''s sharp and mocking statements seemed to have an effect on her. In fact, Alex''s words seemed to be so effective, that the Great TImeMaster had dispelled the malicious aura out of her own volition.


    "Tsk, I now regret praising your intelligence, Mr. Alex." The Great TimeMaster snarled as she visibly gritted her teeth. "As it turns out, that intelligence of yours is a thorn that can bug me. Sigh¡­ I shouldn''t have hired you before¡­"


    "Hahaha, what''s done is done now, Great TimeMaster." Alex replied, looking visibly pleased. "Ok, now that I have told you everything, it''s time for you to tell your story¡­"


    "¡­"


    After kneading her forehead for a few seconds from frustration, the Great TImeMaster let out as sigh as she gave Alex a disgruntled look. Her lips then thinned as she started to talk.


    "Sigh¡­ fine, I will talk, but I will only tell this story one time. I will not repeat talking about this, so you should listen properly."


    "I''m listening."


    "So, once upon a time¡­"


    "Really, what the hell is happening here?" The professor thought to herself as she got more and more isolated from the conversation. "Alex, can you at least just give me small context here? I f**king hate being left out!"

 Chapter 367 - A Glimpse at the Past(1)

    This time around, Professor Frances made sure that the three people in front of her could hear what she was thinking.


    But even when she did this, Alex and the Great TImeMaster still did not pay any attention to her. As for Alina, she was too engrossed on cradling the baby that she seemed deaf on everything that the professor just muttered.


    "Once upon a time? Hey, are you telling me that you will narrate your past in this way? Through your words?" Alex suddenly said as he interrupted the Great TimeMaster''s opening line. "Doing it this way is just a waste of time, so please, just tell us your story in a different way."


    "You just want to get this over with quickly huh. It seems like you are in a rush, Mr. Alex." The Great TimeMaster replied, as a knowing glint appeared on her eyes. "What could be the reason for your rush now? You''re making me more and more curious¡­"


    "Cut the c**p woman. If you want a chance to hold this baby, you must first show your past to us." Alex barked as he glared at the Great TimeMaster. "And do it in a way that won''t waste our Time. You''re the Great TimeMaster, so surely, you have some kind of ability that can show the past easily¡­"


    "¡­You''re right, Mr. Alex, I indeed had an ability that I can use now." The Great TimeMaster said as a wry smile appeared on her face. She seemed to be disappointed about something right now, although she did not show what exactly it is. "Sigh¡­ and here I thought you would be satisfied with my words. So you want to see the past with your own eyes? Well, then, allow me to show it to you now!"


    "Hey, listen to-"


    [T-MANIFEST: DA CAPO]


    Professor Frances''s attempt to understand the situation was once more interrupted as the Great TimeMaster suddenly activated a spell.


    "Schwong!"


    Kaleidoscopic colors began to appear around Alex, Alina, and Professor Frances, with their bodies stiffening as they all felt the gathering of intense power in their location.


    These colors then began to shift around, creating a distorted scenery that made the professor feel a little sick and disoriented.


    "!!!"


    As she felt the disorientation starting to affect her mind, the professor wasted no time as she immediately tensed herself, instinctively thinking that an attack was about to approach her.


    However, this approach of hers seemed to be laughable when she saw the reactions of Alex and Alina.


    Both of them seemed to be nonchalant with what was happening, which made the professor feel a little bit ashamed of herself.


    "Hey, how dare you two embarrass me like this?" The professor thought to herself angrily as she resisted the urge to just rush at Alex and Alina. "First, you exclude me in your important talk, and now you are making yourselves look cool in front of me? Hmph, you two really are ganging up on me now!"


    Whether Alex or Alina noticed the professor''s ire was currently unconfirmed, as it was a different person who responded to the professor''s presence.


    "Miss Frances, don''t be so tense right now." The Great TimeMaster, who now noticed the presence of Professor Frances, gave the professor a reassuring smile as she manipulated her fingers.


    As the Great TimeMaster did this, the shifting colors all around them started to slow down a little, which allowed the professor to recover from her disoriented feeling.


    "Right now, I was just using a spell that will allow you three to view the past." The Great TimeMaster said as she stopped manipulating her fingers. "All of these shifting colors were just the consequence of us breaking through the photonic barrier. Don''t worry, this won''t last that long."


    "View the past? How could you- Ah right, you are an effing Chronomancer. Of course you can view the past." Professor Frances mumbled to herself as she tried looking straight at the Great TimeMaster.


    Now that the Great TImeMaster has taken the initiative to talk to her, the professor would naturally take this opportunity to obtain info from her!


    "So what''s the deal with you and Alex?" Professor Frances asked as she gave a sideways glance at the mentioned guy. "I was confused with everything that you talked about, so I need you to clarify it to me¡­"


    "Shush, Miss Frances. I cannot answer your question now, as I am concentrating on what I am doing." The Great TimeMaster replied in a soft tone, although the professor could hear some irritation laced on it. "If you want some clarification, then just watch the past along with your allies. I assure you that any of your confusion will be all solved later."


    "Why you-"


    "Okay, we have arrived at the 1st scene. Prepare your eyes, for I can only show this scene once." The Great TimeMaster said as she clapped her hands.


    "Boom!"


    Out of nowhere, the shifting colors around them exploded altogether, creating a rainbow shower that was blasted everywhere.


    Their surroundings began to drastically change its appearance, as a scene began to slowly appear around them.


    The green grass that should be around them has disappeared, as it was replaced with brown, barren soil.


    The cool and refreshing air around them began to turn stale as the sunlight licking their skin earlier has turned uncomfortably hot.


    The feeling of moisture in the air has also disappeared, as it was replaced by sore, unbearable dryness.


    "What the!"


    This was the professor''s initial reaction as she saw and felt the changes around her. She frowned as she realized that whatever the Great TimeMaster was doing was so potent, that it was able to change their surroundings like this!


    Even Alex and Alina looked to be worried with what had happened too, with Alex immediately sending a suspicious glare at the Great TimeMaster.


    "Hohoho, don''t be so worried. Everything that you see around you is just an illusion that was fueled by my power." The Great TimeMaster said as she placed a finger on her chin. "Just like what I said earlier, this spell of mine will show you the past. In this case, the past that I will be showing you will be in a-"


    "Virtual space. Yes, I get it." Alex mumbled as he interrupted the Great TimeMaster. "This is actually a good spell. Even I was almost fooled by it. Are you sure that you can keep this spell working for long?"


    "Of course I can. After all, everything that has happened in the past has been recorded in the River of Time." The Great TimeMaster replied smugly as she crossed her arms. "I just have to communicate with the River of Time to view the past, and everything after that will be a piece of cake."


    "The River of Time?" Alina, who did not speak a single word since earlier, suddenly spoke up, as her eyes glinted with interest. "What is this River of Time that you are talking about?"


    "Hohoho Miss Alina, if you want to know more about the River of Time, I advice that you should become a high-ranked Chronomancer first." The Great TimeMaster said as she quickly shook her head. "For now, why don''t we focus on the past? The first scene is about to start already, so I advice you three to stay quiet¡­"


    Even when she was already full of anger with everything that has happened, Professor Frances forced her temper to cool down first, as she focused her attention on ''viewing'' the first scene.


    Due to the effects of the Great TimeMaster''s [T-MANIFEST: DA CAPO], the professor and her allies found themselves situated in a barren wasteland, which was a contrast to the place that they were in earlier.


    There were no signs of life in this barren wasteland, and there was even a faint sense of death that was coming out of the empty holes on the ground.


    The current scenery around her was so bleak and realistic that the professor had to continuously convince herself that her current surroundings was just an illusion performed by an overpowered woman.


    "This is fake, nothing here is real¡­."


    While she convinced herself on what was real and what was fake, the professor started looking around her furtively, as she tried to see where the ''first scene'' will actually start.


    But after a few seconds of looking, the professor saw that nothing has changed in the barren wasteland around her, making her feel a little bit frustrated.


    Even Alex and Alina seemed to be frustrated too, as they began to look at the Great TimeMaster with impatience on their face.


    "Hahaha sorry about that. It seems like my calculation was off by a few seconds¡­" The Great TimeMaster unapologetically said as she scratched the back of her head. "Just wait for a few more seconds, and it will all sta-Oh there it is."


    The Great TimeMaster suddenly pointed her finger upward, with its aim directed at the sky above them.


    Professor Frances, Alex, and Alina all unhesitatingly followed the Great TimeMaster''s finger, as they realized that the real deal was about to start now.


    "Hm?"


    As she looked at the blue sky above her, Professor Frances frowned a little, as she realized that there was nothing remarkable there.


    But after a few seconds of staring, this frown changed to slight surprise as out of nowhere, a massive, flaming rock suddenly appeared at the sky!


    This rock was falling down from the sky with great velocity and momentum, that the winds around it has began to form a massive turbulence that has affected even the ground below it.


    "Woosh!"


    This flaming rock seemed to be indomitable, as everything that collided with it were all disintegrated by the heat emanating out from its body.


    Even some unlucky creatures who were unable to move out of the rock''s way all died, as their bodies were unable to resist the sheer momentum and power coming from the descending rock.


    "That''s a f**king meteor!" Professor Frances exclaimed as she shielded her eyes from the bright glare coming from the meteor. "What the hell? Out of everything that you can show us, you actually showed us a falling meteor first? Are you a movie director who wants to start a movie with a bang?"


    "Hehehehe, this is where the interesting part starts. There''s just no way that I can''t show this to you." The Great TimeMaster said as she began to look at the at the meteor with a nostalgic look on her face. "Hmm¡­ now that I can see this meteor again, I realize that it actually looks a little scary¡­"


    With the speed of this rock''s descent, it only took it a few more seconds before it completely collided with the barren wasteland.


    "Boom!"


    A mighty sound, akin to an explosion, blasted around the area, as the whole ground began to shake from the impact of the collision.


    A massive crater then appeared at the site of collision, which was large enough to be mistaken as a dried-up seabed


    Large plumes of soil and molten rocks began to fly out everywhere, as the meteor began to transfer its momentum on its surroundings.


    Some chunks of these soil and rocks flew at the professor''s direction, who braced herself for the impact.


    "Woosh woosh woosh."


    Fortunately for her, these rocks were just illusions, which meant that she received no damage from them at all.


    "Rumble¡­"


    The ground around them continued to shake for a few more minutes before it slowly subsided into that of a slow, gentle tremble.


    The dust and smoke haze created by the meteor strike did not dissipate at all, making everything look blurry and indistinct.


    Even Professor Frances, who prided her eyes for being sharper than any birds of prey, found it hard to see through all the scattered dust around her.


    As the professor and her allies looked around the with scrutiny, the Great TimeMaster suddenly let out a small laugh, along with a derisive smirk that seemed to be directed at herself.


    "At the year 6783 of the Desolate Era, a massive meteorite suddenly crashed at the Barren Expanses, which was located at the southern portion of the Immortal World." The Great TimeMaster said in a low tone. "The whole Immortal World trembled at the impact made by this meteorite, with each powerhouse taking note of it. Everyone''s interests were piqued by this meteorite, with some even looking at it with greed. After all, this is the first time that a meteorite this large has appeared. Not only that, but it also managed to shake the Immortal World, which was a no small feat for anyone."


    "¡­."


    "These Immortals immediately thought that this meteorite was a heavenly treasure that was sent by the heavens to them." The Great TimeMaster said, as her voice began to slowly turn mocking and derisive. Her atmosphere has also started to change, as it became more and more oppressive. "But little did they know that this meteorite will be prelude to their disaster."

 Chapter 368 - A Glimpse at the Past(2)

    After the Great TImeMaster announced these ominous words, the scenery around them changed once more as it displayed a new scene.


    The apocalyptic atmosphere from the meteor impact was gone, as it was now replaced by a new view of the Barren Expanses.


    This time, there were no more dust floating in the air, and the trembles in the ground has already disappeared.


    Even the buffeting winds from the impact was gone, making everything look still and calm.


    Looking at these alone, Professor Frances could infer that the scene that they were looking at was at least a few hours away from the first scene.


    This inference of her was further proved as the professor began to clearly see the focus of the new scene.


    Right now, the professor found herself staring at the crater of the meteor impact, which was a depression 213 kilometers wide and 24 kilometers deep.


    There were no signs of the whole meteor that could be seen on this crater, as only bits and fragments of it could be seen scattered around.


    "Interesting¡­" Professor Frances muttered to herself as she ignored the massive size of the crater displayed in front of her.


    Her eyes were focused more on the center of the crater itself, which had something intriguing placed on it.


    Instead of flaming rocks or some pile of space stones, what the professor saw at the center of the crater was a woman.


    "Hmm¡­ this woman looks familiar¡­" Professor Frances mused to herself as she began to observe the woman more intently. "It was as if I had seen her before¡­"


    This woman wore a green, tight skinsuit which covered her whole body, except for her face. This accentuated her perfect curves that even Professor Frances can appreciate.


    As for her appearance, Professor Frances could see that she was a beauty, although this woman seemed to be around 18-20 years old, judging by the youthful look on her face.


    Her hair was tied in a bun, although it seemed to be in a disarray, which could have been caused by the meteor impact herself.


    Right now, this woman was in a state of unconsciousness, as her body was not moving at all. Only light, rapid breathings could be heard coming out of her body, which was enough to state that she was alive, but only barely so.


    "!!!"


    It was only after a few more seconds of looking that Professor Frances had realized who this woman actually was.


    "This woman from the meteor impact was you, right?" The one who said these words was Alex, who beat the professor on saying it. His eyes were not looking at the Great TimeMaster, although the professor could feel that he was staring at her intently now. "From what I can see in this scene, you are just around 18-20 years old. Great TimeMaster, that''s a really young age to be riding a meteor¡­"


    "Hmph, I don''t think you should waste your time saying those reprimands to me." The Great TimeMaster replied as she shook her head. "I was young and adventurous at that time¡­ So the actions that I did there before was pretty reckless¡­"


    "So why the hell did you suddenly came in this planet through a meteor?" Alex said as he looked at eh crater around him with interest. "Did you just arrive here by accident?"


    "Yes, that''s what happened to me." The Great TImeMaster muttered as she looked at her younger self with slight pity.


    She then shook her head as she looked at the sky with a restrained look.


    "As you might have known, I came from a race of beings which practice Chronomancy." The Great TiemMaster said, looking quite nostalgic with her explanation. "Originally, us Chronomancers lived in our own original planet, which was light years away from this planet. In that planet, we Chronomancers were the supreme beings. We are the dominant beings there, and there was none that has managed to usurp us."


    "¡­"


    Maybe it was just Professor Frances, but she noticed that the Great TimeMaster was now referring to herself as a Chronomancer, not a TimeMaster. Of course this difference might be nothing important, but still, Professor Frances took note of it inside her mind.


    Alex did not make it apparent if he was interested in what the Great TimeMaster just said, as he kept a straight face throughout the conversation.


    "Oh, that explains your origins then." Alex mumbled, as Professor Frances internally agreed with him. "So you originally came from a Planet which housed the Chronomancers or in better terms, TimeMasters in it. But there lies my question from earlier. If you came from that far away planet, then what the hell happened that made you accidentally come here in the Immortal World?"


    This time around, the Great TimeMaster did not mince her words or waste everyone''s time as she went straight on giving her answer.


    "A massive plague suddenly broke out in my original world, which led to a lot of the living beings there dying." The Great TimeMaster replied as her look hardened. "Not even us Chronomancers, with our massive power over Time has resisted the plague."


    "¡­"


    "In just one generation, almost 1/20th of all the Chronomancers have died because of the plague. Of course that might be just a small number, considering that the deaths all happened inside one generation. But the experts in our world concluded that if nothing was done against that plague, there will come a time that all the Chronomancers will be extinct."


    "Well gee, that''s a tragic thing to hear." Alex said in an insincere tone. "So what happened after that discovery?"


    "Everyone panicked of course." The Great TimeMaster said as she shrugged her shoulders. "Since the fate of the whole Chronomancers was in question now, even the old fogies in our planet were forced to take an action against this issue."


    "Okay.."


    "After a few days of intense deliberations and debates, two camps were formed in my original planet." The Great TimeMaster said as a tired sigh came out of her lips. "The first camp advocated on finding a cure against the plague, which essentially meant that the members of this camp thinks that the Chronomancers will have a chance to end the plague before the plague ends us all. As for the second camp, they were focused on planetary relocation. As the name suggests, this camp wanted to relocate everyone into a new planet, which could possibly bring a fresh start on the Chronomancers. Just looking at these two camps, I think it was easy to see which camp had more support."


    "It was the first camp, obviously." Alex said proudly as he crossed his arms. He seemed to be enthusiastic about this topic, as he did not let the Great TimeMaster talk about it by herself. "After all, curing a plague was a much more realistic approach compared to colonizing another planet. Curing a plague will only require some years of intense research, while planetary evacuation will require a lot of things. 3 things actually, if you will group them all."


    Alex then raised three of his fingers and continued talking before the Great TimeMaster could.


    "The first requirement is transportation. After all, if you want to relocate people, you must be able to bring people with you. And this transportation must be sturdy enough to resist dangerous objects in space, and it must also have powerful weapons to fight off space creatures and space pirates."


    "The second requirement are supplies, money, and equipment. How can you last throughout the whole journey if you can''t feed, arm, and entertain your people? Without this second requirement, everyone will easily die out of starvation, boredom, or attacks by foreign factors."


    "The third and last requirement was just simple. The journeying crew must have an ability to conquer a planet that they will colonize. After all, the only planets that can be colonized were the ones that already had living beings in it. In the case of the Chronomancers, they must at least find a Stage 6 Planet, since only this kind of planet can accommodate them. This, in my opinion is the hardest thing to do. Without an exceptional leader that is expert on conquering planets, it will be almost impossible for a race to easily conquer a planet. Especially if that race was a race that was already suffering from the effects of a deadly plague¡­"


    Everyone in the area went into stunned silence, as they were all rendered surprised with what Alex just said.


    Professor Frances pondered his words with interest while Alina seemed to look aggrieved by Alex''s statements.


    As for the Great TimeMaster, she went silent for a while before she gave Alex an appraising look.


    "So my suspicions were right. You''re indeed related to Emperor Litch, and from the looks of it, your relationship with him was quite close." The Great TimeMaster said as her gaze at Alex began to change to that of clear obsession. "Tell me, are you his close relative? Because only people like those can emit the same aura as Emperor Litch and know a lot about planet conquering¡­"


    "Hohoho¡­ so that''s the reason you were interested in me before? Because you thought I had a relationship with Emperor Litch?" Alex said as he barked out a laugh. "That''s funny!"


    From the way that he reacted right now, it appeared as if he was not distressed with what the Great TimeMaster said. He seemed to be even enjoying it. "Great TimeMaster, you are one of the most cunning people that I have ever met. I wonder¡­ if you have more things prepared against me¡­"


    "Hehehe, you will know that later, Mr. Alex." The Great TimeMaster said as she let out a chuckle. "For now, why don''t I continue with my story first?"


    "Alright, go on then."


    "This is f**king weird." Professor Frances thought to herself after witnessing the way that the conversation between Alex and the Great TimeMaster had gone. "Why are they talking to each other as if they were just playing a game? Is there something that I missed here?"


    The Great TimeMaster then resumed her story-telling as she picked up from where Alex had stopped.


    "So just like what you said Mr. Alex, planetary colonization was a difficult thing for us Chronomancers to do. Because we''re not versed in space travel and planet conquering, the majority of the still alive Chronromancers sided with the first camp. As for the people who were either crazy, brave, or just both, they all sided with the second camp. The rest that remained has decided to be neutral. As you can infer, I am naturally at the side of the second camp. In fact, I was one of the founding creators of the second camp."


    "Oh, that''s great, I guess."


    "It''s great at the start, but after I saw the weak support of the Chronomancers at the second camp, the past me was naturally enraged. "The Great TimeMaster murmured as she let out a wry smile. "At that time, I did everything to make everyone join on my goal. But due to the sheer difficulty of planetary colonization, and the fact that most of the Chronomancers were at the first camp, there was no support that came at the second camp."


    "¡­."


    "Due to that lack of support, the past me was driven beyond the point of madness." The Great TimeMaster said as she sent her past self an embarrassed look. "Due to that madness, I decided to do one thing which I was not sure if I should be happy or angry with. As for what I did, it was-"


    "You left your home planet, as you decided to conquer a planet by your own, right?" Alex said as he interrupted the Great TimeMaster. "Seeing that your condition in this scene was not good, you must have messed up in your journey."


    "Yes, I messed up a lot indeed." The Great TimeMaster said as her shoulders slumped. "I only rode a small spaceship that prioritizes speed over durability. Because of that, my spaceship broke down after a pirate attack, which forced me to cling to a meteoroid floating on space. What happened after that was as what you just witnessed. The meteoroid that I clung on entered the atmosphere of the Immortal''s World, and it crashed here on the Barren Expanses, plunging me into a near-death state."


    "And right now, this scene right here will show what allowed you to survive." Alex murmured as his attention came back on the scenery around him. "Hm¡­ I wonder what kind of event saved your life? Did an elixir appear here to save you? Or did an Immortal Beast fell down from the sky and decided to heal you?"


    "Nope, both of that guesses were wrong." The Great TimeMaster said as she crossed her arms. "Why don''t you just wait and watch? You will see what happens next on my already dying body."


    "Hm, this better be good." Alex slowly said as he sat down on the ground. "I want to see if your past in this world was worthy enough to be watched like this. Hey Professor Frances, do you have popcorn with you? I want to eat some while watching. After all, this feels like a movie¡­"


    "Huh?" Naturally, this is the best reply that the professor can give towards Alex''s bizarre request. "You want a popcorn? How did you even think that I could have one?"


    "Do you have one?"


    "Well¡­ yes."


    "Good, now give it to me."


    "¡­."

 Chapter 369 - A Glimpse at the Past(3)

    "Munch munch munch"


    "Nom nom nom."


    Alex and Alina seemed to have lost respect of Professsor Frances and the Great TImeMaster, as these two started munching on the popcorn that the professor has brought out.


    The chewing sounds that came out of their mouth were so loud, that even the professor could not help but be bothered by them.


    "Hey, you two, can you please tone down your eating sounds?" The professor angrily said to Alex and Alina, who were now halfway through the pile of their popcorn. "It''s distracting me!"


    "Yeah, yeah, we''ll try to be quiet." Ale said in a dismissive tone, which started to irk the professor.


    "You-"


    "Hey look that that! There''s someone approaching the crater!" Alex suddenly shouted out as he pointed his finger in front of him.


    "Hm?" Professor Frances looked at where Alex was pointing, and indeed, she saw a rapidly approaching person.


    Judging by the way and the direction that this person arrived, there was no doubt that this person was headed towards the crater itself.


    "Zung!"


    A loud, keening sound began to echo in the air as the newcomer began to get closer and closer to the crater.


    The originally calm winds in the Barren Expanses started to seethe again, as if the presence of the newcomer was enough to make them agitated.


    When the newcomer was around a kilometer away from the center of the crater, the professor''s eyes intensified their focus as she tried to identify the appearance of the newcomer.


    A slightly tanned skin covered with numerous runic tattoos. A perfectly slender and muscular body which the clothes has failed to hide. A handsome face, which was showing a determined expression right now.


    These are the visual characteristics that the newcomer had, and all of these characteristics combined made him look like a dashing and heroic person.


    "¡­This newcomer is a classic hero character." These were the words that the professor has uttered as she saw the appearance of the newcomer. "Tsk, these are the kind of people that I hate most! Grr¡­ Should I continue watching this?"


    Beside the professor, Alex let out a grunt of displeasure, as if he was not pleased with the appearance of the approaching person.


    As for Alina, she had no reaction to the newcomer, as her attention was focused only on the popcorn.


    "Damn¡­ even when this person was still far, I can feel that his power level is similar to Alex¡­" Professor Frances muttered to herself as she narrowed her eyes. "So does that mean that this arriving person is an Immortal(Sixth Stage Being)?"


    Professor Frances did not dare to ask this question out loud, as she just continued on watching the scene quietly.


    They watched as the newcomer stopped his flight right above the center of the crater. He then descended slowly, as if he was trying to approach the center of the crater carefully.


    This slow descent however was sped up a few seconds later, as if the newcomer has decided to hasten himself.


    But just as fast the newcomer sped up, he also quickly stopped his tracks after he saw what was truly at the center of the crater.


    Professor Frances watched as the newcomer began to show surprise as he saw the body of the past Great TimeMaster on the ground.


    His face, which was filled with determination before, slowly changed into that of wariness as he looked at the past Great TimeMaster.


    "This is weird¡­" The newcomer muttered as he started to hold the hilt of his sword. There was no doubt that he was prepared against any sneak attacks now, and that he was only restraining himself from attacking. "My master said that a heavenly treasure has fallen here. But I don''t see any treasure here. I can only see a woma- no, a beautiful woman on the ground, and she seems to be in a critical condition. Sigh¡­ did someone already get the treasure before me? But I''m sure that I went here at my fastest speed¡­"


    After saying these words, the newcomer began to become silent for a few seconds, as he seemed to be stuck in a dilemma now.


    "Sigh¡­ what should I do now?" The newcomer muttered as he slowly approached the past Great TimeMaster. There were traces of gentleness in his gaze now, which shows that he''s not meaning to do any harm against the past Great TimeMaster..


    "Since the treasure was already obtained, I guess there''s no more sense for me to stay here." The newcomer said as he stopped his movements when he was only a step away from the past Great TimeMaster. "As for this woman¡­ I think I shall help her recover first. After all, she''s hurt. Yes, I will do that!"


    The newcomer''s face then showed a determined expression in it as he waved his hands.


    After he waved his hands, the past Great TimeMaster disappeared on the spot, as if she was taken somewhere else.


    The newcomer sighed in relief after seeing this, as if he was waiting for this to happen.


    "So the storage bracelet that my master gave me works properly. It can even store injured people inside it! Master is really cool!" The newcomer enthusiastically said to himself as he pumped his arms. His face seemed to be filled with happiness, as if he was pleased with what he just did.


    "Master always told me to help out people that are in need, whether they are male or female. That is the principle of our sect, and I must uphold it everyday!" The newcomer then patted the bracelet on his left arm, as if he was trying to comfort it. "Beautiful woman, I do not know who you might be, but seeing your condition here, I know that I must help you out! You¡­ you can get angry at me later, but I don''t care about that! You are someone who needs help, and I will be happy to help you!"


    "Holy f**k, this guy''s a na?ve person! How the hell did he manage to survive this long!" Professor Frances exclaimed as she threw her arms up in the air. "He just saw an unconscious woman right at the middle of the crater, and the first thing that he did was to rescue her? Unf**kingbelievable! If it were me, I would have first called my allies and imprison the unconscious woman! Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a bad move!"


    "Miss Frances, I think it would be best for you if you will shut up." The Great TimeMaster suddenly said as she gave a small smile at the professor''s direction. "If you continue talking right now, I might be unable to stop myself from killing you¡­"


    Professor Frances'' body froze again, as she once more felt the Great TimeMaster''s malicious aura pressing down on her.


    But this time around, this malicious aura seemed to be more intense, as if it was focused on the professor alone.


    "Kehook¡­" Professor Frances started to find it difficult to breathe, as her organs has once again started to shut themselves down.


    Her skin began to sweat buckets as her mind slowly turned hazy.


    "Kieek¡­" A wheezing sound came out of the professor''s mouth as she literally felt her life coming out of her body.


    There was no doubt that if what was happening to her goes on, Professor Frances will really find herself at the deathbed.


    Fortunately, the malicious aura pressing on her body disappeared, just as fast as it appeared.


    "Ha, ha, ha!"


    Professor Frances began to heave and breath deeply to herself as she regained the control of her body.


    Her pale face slowly regained their color as her trembling hands and clammy legs began to calm themselves down.


    "Miss Frances, badmouthing this man is a big no-no for me. So please, don''t do it again next time, ok?" The Great TimeMaster said with the same smile on her face.


    The professor only nodded numbly as she heard warning, as she inwardly shivered from the Great TimeMaster''s smile.


    That smile was nowhere amicable at all. That must be the smile of the devil¡­


    After seeing the professor''s slow nod, the Great TimeMaster clapped her hands as the smile on her face widened.


    "Okay, that''s the end of the second scene. Now, I''m going to show you the third scene." The Great TimeMaster said as the scenery around them changed for the third time.


    "Schwing schwing schwing!"


    As the colors around them began to whizz around in a distorted manner, the Graeat TimeMaster let out a cough as she gave an appraising look at Alex.


    "After my ''crash'' here at the Immortal''s World, my body was severely injured." The Great TimeMaster murmured as a gentle light appeared on her eyes. "I could have used my power to heal myself, but at that time, the laws of the Immortal World were solely focused on supporting Immortal Cultivation. Any power systems other than Immortal Cultivation were severely weakened in this world, which led to my power being almost useless here."


    "¡­"


    "There''s a high chance that I could have died at my arrival, with all the unlucky things that had just happened to me. If I did not die, there''s also a high possibility that I will be enslaved by the Immortals. They were just that greedy." The Great TimeMaster said as she let out a sigh. "But fortunately for me, the first Immortal who found me was not a greedy person. In fact, he was the kindest person that I ever met, even kinder than one of my Chronomancer friends¡­"


    "¡­"


    "So this person rescued me and nursed me back to full heath." The Great TimeMaster as a fond smile appeared on her face. "During that time, he also made sure to hide me, as he knew that my existence was not a normal one."


    "¡­"


    "Of course when the past me was rescued by him, I was naturally suspicious of him. After all, he was a foreign person who might have nefarious intentions against me, someone who was weak and powerless at that time." The Great TimeMaster said as she gave Alex and Alina an infatuated look. "But after staying with him for a long time, I¡­ slowly lost all my suspicions against him. I became closer and closer to him, and before I realized it, I have already fallen in love with him."


    "¡­"


    "As I am a forward and a courageous person, I immediately confessed my feelings for him when I had the chance." The Great TimeMaster said, which made Alex somewhat choke on his popcorn. "I was prepared to accept his rejection, but to my surprise, he also confessed his love to me. One thing then led to another, and before we knew it, we were already secretly married."


    "That''s fast¡­" Professor Frances thought to herself, although she did not voice out her opinion, in fears of making the Great TimeMaster angry again.


    As for Alex, he just looked at the Great TimeMaster with a weird look, as if he has realized something from what she was saying.


    As for Alina, she was now looking at Alex with a slightly passionate look, which made the professor wince, as she could feel what Alina was thinking about.


    The Great TimeMaster seemed to have not noticed the weird atmosphere around her, as she continued talking about her story.


    "Even if my power was weakened, and that I was separated from my brethren, I was extremely happy at that time." The Great TimeMaster said as she let out another sigh. "My days with my husband were like a sunshine in my gloomy life. There''s just nothing that can be better than that. Or so I thought."


    The scenery around them suddenly stopped its distorted color change, as it displayed the new scene to Alex and his allies.


    This time, Professor Frances found herself inside a simple house, which only held simple objects in it.


    There was nothing extravagant inside the house, and the only thing that caught the professor''s attention was the person sitting inside this house.


    This person was no other than the past Great TimeMaster, and she seemed to have recovered from her crash before.


    Right now, the past Great TimeMaster was stroking her stomach, which has bulged to the size of a watermelon. Pure happiness can be seen in her eyes, as she continued stroking stomach with care.


    "Annie¡­ your father is busy in the sect today, so he might arrive home late¡­" The past Great TimeMaster said as she patted her bulging stomach. "So please behave and don''t kick my stomach, ok? Mommy''s not sure if she can take your kicks anymore¡­"


    "Thump, thump, thump."


    Low thumping sounds echoed out from the Great TimeMaster''s stomach, which made her giggle a little.


    "Annie¡­ you really are a naughty girl. I wonder how hard it will be to take care of you once you were born. You will be a good girl, right?"


    "Thump thump."


    Thumping sounds echoed out of her stomach again, which made the Great TimeMaster shake her head in amus.e.m.e.nt.


    "Sigh¡­ you really are silly child. I just wish that you will be cute once you were born. That will make all your naughtiness all worth it!"

 Chapter 370 - A Glimpse at the Past(4)

    "But really¡­ your father should not have come home late today¡­" The scenery that Professor Frances was watching has continued to play out, as the past Great TimeMaster did not end her talk with her unborn child. "Sigh¡­ I am getting worried by your father''s actions these past days. He''s not telling it to me, but I can see that there''s something that was troubling him greatly. Sigh¡­ I just hope that whatever his problem was, it will not be extremely bad."


    "Shwee shwee shwee¡­"


    The past Great TimeMaster then stroked her bulging stomach again as she tried to soften the worried expression on her face.


    As time went on in the scene, the past Great TimeMaster did nothing but talk with the baby on her stomach. She seemed to be contented on doing this, that she did not notice the sudden appearance of three people behind her.


    "So this is the b***h that the brat spends his time on. How lowly of him." One of the intruders said as he stared at the back of the past Great TimeMaster. "If that brat''s mother was here, she will surely be livid¡­"


    The way that this intruder spoke was not subtle at all, which led to the past Great TimeMaster hearing everything that he said.


    "!!!"


    The past Great TimeMaster leapt up from her seat as she jumped away from the intruders.


    She looked at the three ''uninvited guests'', who were now standing perfectly still inside her house.


    "Who the hell are you people?" The past Great TimeMaster asked as she stared at the three warily.


    From the worried expression that can be seen on her face, it was easy to assume that the past Great TimeMaster was rattled by the sudden appearance of these three people.


    After all, they managed to come in her house without getting detected, and it was only when one of the intruders talked that she managed to detect them.


    "You''re asking us about our identity? You have no right to ask that, foreigner!" The intruder who talked earlier said as he gave the past Great TimeMaster a murderous look. His face which was as elegant as a beauty was warped by this murderous look, and his white robes were stained with blood, making him look like a berserk killer.


    "Foreigner?" With her advanced sensors, Professor Frances could see that the past Great TimeMaster''s heartbeat was beyond its maximum capacity. Not only that, but her blood pressure was high, and her skin was suddenly filled with cold sweat. Piece all these vitals together, and it is quite obvious to see that the past Great TimeMaster is panicking greatly right now.


    "Huh. Don''t you dare use that tone on us. We already know about your secret, so don''t even try denying it." Said the second person among the intruders, who was a burly man with a large stick on his hand. "If you continue denying, you will be in a world of pain."


    "Woman, don''t even think of running away. From what I can sense, your powers must be extremely weak now, right.?" The last and third person among the intruders said as he adjusted the white mask on his face. Due to the mask, his facial expressions could not be see, but it was obvious that he gloating right now.


    "You three¡­" The past Great TimeMaster grimaced as she seemed to have realized the situation that she was in. "Are you here to kill me? Hmph, just you try. My husband will not let you off!"


    "You b***h!" Out of nowhere, the murderous looking intruder swooped in towards the past Great TimeMaster, clutching her throat in a vise-like grip. "You have no right to call that brat your husband."


    "Kaaak kaak kaaak¡­" The past Great TimeMaster started to let out choking sounds as her face turned blue. She flailed her helpless body around as she tried to break herself free from the murderous intruder.


    This was of course futile, as the murderous intruder only tightened his grip on the past Great TimeMaster.


    "We had our suspicions before, but I did not believe that Jian Chen will be harboring a foreigner, much less marry her!" The murderous intruder said as he kept his tight grip on the past Great TimeMaster. "But after a lengthy investigation¡­ the sect has confirmed that Jian Chen has indeed sinned against the sect. And to make it worse, he actually had a child with that foreigner!"


    "Crack crack!"


    Cracking sounds could be heard as the murderous intruder slowly tightened his grip on the past Great TimeMaster. If nothing was done here, the murderous intruder crushing her neck will be a foregone conclusion.


    "Old Man Yuan, you know that we can''t kill this foreigner right now!" The bulky intruder said as he tapped the murderous intruder''s shoulder. "We still have to use her for our experiments! We cannot kill her now¡­"


    "Tsk, you''re a lucky one, b***h!" Old Man Yuan said as he let go of the past Great TimeMaster. He then spat at her as he kicked her legs.


    "Ah!"


    "If it were before, the Celestial Sect would have already killed you. But because of Jian Chen''s sacrifice for the sect, the Celestial Sect has decided to spare you. So be happy that you will still get to live out your days!"


    "S-s-sacrifice? W-what are you talking about?" Instead of complaining about the harsh treatment that was just given to her, the past Great TimeMaster was instead rendered worried by the latest words that Old Man Yuan just said. "What do you mean about Jian Chen sacrificing himself?"


    "I am sorry to say it, but your ''husband'' has died fighting an escaped criminal." Old Man Yuan said, although there was no hint of apology in his eyes. Instead, there was only a wide sneer on his face, which he was showing proudly to the past Great TimeMaster. "It was really a disappointment¡­ Your husband was supposed to be next Sect Leader of the Celestial Sect, but he was killed in his latest mission. Tsk, tsk, tsk, all the resources that the sect has poured on him is now wasted. Sigh¡­ it''s really a waste¡­"


    "No!!! You''re lying!" The past Great TimeMaster shrilly shouted as she pointed her finger at Old Man Yuan. She seemed to ignore the pain in her throat and legs as she only focused her glare at him. "My husband is a powerful Immortal! There''s no way that he can just die! You''re all lying to me!"


    "Shut up b**ch." Old Man Yuan muttered as he kicked the past Great TimeMaster on her other leg. "You don''t get to interrupt me when I am having my good speech."


    "Agh!"


    "If I said that your ''husband'' was dead, then he is dead." Old Man Yuan said with a sadistic gleam on his eyes. "Why don''t you just accept that as the truth and move on? Oh right, you cannot move on anyway, as you will be staying with us from now on. As our lab rat of course."


    "No!!!"


    "F**king b***h. This is why I hate marriage. You only get to quarrel with chatterboxes like this." Old Man Yuan grumbled as he picked his nose.


    "Oi Old Man Yuan, I am a happily married person. Don''t you try to make it look bad.'' The burly intruder said as he shook his head. "If you have problem with marriage, then go sulk about it by yourself only!"


    "Tsk, why do I have to live this s***y life! F**k!" Old Man Yuan then kicked the past Great TimeMaster once more, this time connecting with her right arm. "First, my only disciple f***ked a foreigner, and now my friends mock me for my celibacy? F**k you all!"


    "Old Man Yuan, why don''t you stop kicking the foreigner now. What if she dies?" The bury intruder said as he hastily pulled Old Man Yuan away from the past Great TimeMaster. "We need her alive and well!"


    "F**k this! I still haven''t vented all my rage on this b**ch!" Old Man Yuan shouted as he glared at the past Great TimeMaster. "If it were not for her existence, Jian Chen should have been the strongest cultivator in this world already! It''s all her fault that his talent has regressed! Do you really think I will be happy with all things that this b**ch did? Hell no! So Amon, let go of me now¡­ Don''t you want to beat up this woman too? After all, she seduced your brother!"


    "I am angry at her of course, but right now, we need to follow the orders of the Sect Leader!" The burly intruder, whose name was Amon, replied as he clasped both of his hands in a pleading motion. "You wouldn''t want to offend him, right?"


    "Oh f**king hell." Old Man Yuan looked to be extremely unwilling as he grabbed the past Great TimeMaster, who seemed to be in a state of shock right now. "You have no choice but to come with us, foreigner. After all, you need to repay a lot of debt to the Celestial Sect."


    "No. I won''t go with you."


    "What did say b**ch?"


    "I said I won''t go with you!" The past Great TimeMaster said as she snarled at Old Man Yuan. "You three must be Jian Chen''s enemies, and you''re only disguising as his elders! Everything that you said just now were all lies! My husband did not die, and you are only lying to me to make me come with you!"


    "...Getting desperate now, aren''t we?" Surprisingly, Old Man Yuan seemed to have lost his rage as he stared coolly at the past Great TimeMaster . "So even now, you still do not believe that your husband is dead. I wonder what would happen¡­ if I show you a proof of his death?"


    "No. No. No. You''re still lying¡­"


    "You''re still at denial? Sigh¡­ this is the second reason why I hate marriage. You just get to be stuck with unbelieving b**hes!" Old Man Yuan then turned his head as he faced the masked intruder. "Pretty Boy Floy, show her the head."


    "Why are you calling me Pretty Boy Floy? That''s not my name¡­" Pretty Boy Floy grumbled as he waved his hands, in a motion that showed that he was extracting an object from his Storage Treasure.


    "Squelch."


    A wet, squishy sound echoed inside the house, as a rounded object landed on Pretty Boy Floy''s hands.


    He then rapidly showed this object to the past Great TimeMaster, who looked at it with trepidation.


    "¡­"


    All the color seemed to have been drained from the past Great TimeMaster''s face as she saw the appearance of the rounded object. Her body started to collapse as tears began to pool in her eyes. There was no sound that came out of her mouth, as she seemed to be in no state to even speak properly.


    "Ugh, can we make this fast? I don''t want holding this thing for long. The blood is getting sticky already¡­" Pretty Boy Floy complained as his body shuddered in disgust. "Why are you even making me hold a severed head? Seriously, you two are just demented!"


    "Don''t say that to me. I am just following orders." Amon replied as he looked away from Jian Chen''s severed head. "If you want to blame someone, blame Old Man Yuan."


    "The f**k? Why are you acting like p****es there? The foreigner wanted proof that Jian Chen was dead, so we just showed her his severed head! There''s nothing wrong with that!" Old Man Yuan exclaimed as he crossed his arms. "Oi Amon, do something about the foreigner, she seems to be in a frozen in shock now."


    The Old Man Yuan was indeed right.


    The past Great TimeMaster was frozen like an unmoving robot, as her glazed eyes were only focused on the severed head of Jian Chen. There were no emotions on her face, as only a blank expression could be seen on it.


    Her breathing seemed to stand still, and the only sign that showed that she was alive was her slow, agonized heartbeat.


    "Poor woman. She''s just waiting for her husband to come home, and what came back to her was his severed head. If this was a play, it will surely be a great hit." Old Man Yuan said in a mocking tone. "Speaking of plays, I still haven''t watched the newest play. What do you think Amon? Can you take this old man to watch tha-"


    "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"


    "And now she shouts. That means that she''s still alive. That''s f**king good!" Old Man Yuan muttered as he approached the past Great TimeMaster, who was now screaming with blood coming out of her mouth. "Okay, time for you to sleep now. We still have a lot to talk about with you later, b***h~"

 Chapter 371 - A Glimpse at the Past(5)

    "Bzzt!"


    Out of nowhere, the Great TimeMaster suddenly clicked her fingers, which led to the scene ending in darkness.


    "This scene is already done. Now go and see the next one." The Great TimeMaster said with her face as smooth as paper. Her voice was frigidly cold, that even Professor Frances could not help but shiver from hearing it.


    Before the viewers could make sense of what they watched, the Great TImeMaster waved her fingers as the colors around them began to be distorted again.


    "¡­" This time, the Great TimeMaster did not enthusiastically speak up at all, as she only stared silently at the space in front of her.


    "¡­" Professor Frances and her other two allies did not dare to make a sound during this time period, as they knew that doing so might just incur the wrath of the Great TimeMaster.


    The color distortion lasted for 10 more seconds before it revealed the fourth scene about the past.


    "Hm?"


    Professor Frances raised her eyebrows as she saw the scene, realizing that things have gone downhill for the Past TimeMaster.


    Numerous torture techniques displayed themselves on the new scene, with each one only targeting the Past Great TimeMaster alone.


    Whipping, beating, starvation, air deprivation, skinning, nail pulling, forced feeding, name any kind of torture that was known, and it was most likely been used on the Past Great TimeMaster.


    Even when the Past Great TimeMaster was pregnant, her torturers, who were the members of the Celestial Sect, did not act lightly at all.


    In fact, some of the horrific things that they did to her appeared to be done with an intent to make her suffer a miscarriage.


    Fortunately for the Past Great TimeMaster, none of these has managed to make her lose her unborn child.


    One can say that the one who really suffered was the Past Great TimeMaster, whose face and body was almost reduced to an unrecognizable form.


    Her body was barely alive by this point, and the only thing that was keeping her up was her determination to let her unborn child live.


    All of these torture on the Past Great TimeMaster flashed by like a video compilation, which forced Professor Frances to keep up as new torture styles keep on showing up quickly.


    By looking at all the torture that had been done on the Past Great TimeMaster, it is easy to assume that even a strong-willed person will be unable to stomach on seeing it all.


    Alex and Alina were the prime examples of this, as both of them looked pale and sick from the torture scenes, with Alina almost close to the point of throwing up.


    Professor Frances was the sole exception, she appeared to be not perturbed by what she had just seen.


    After all, the professor had done torture on people before, which made her used on the existence of torture itself. In fact, Professor Frances can say with confidence that she had done worse things to people before, that could be too much even for the tenacious Past Great TimeMaster.


    "Tsk, this foreigner can sure take a beating. Too bad she will also have to die once we get what we want from her¡­" One of the Past Great TimeMaster''s torturers muttered as his eyes raked all over the Past Great TimeMaster''s almost broken body. "Oh, she''s still carrying her child? Damn, this child must be a talented child."


    "Of course the child will be a talented one. After all, it is the spawn of Senior Brother Jian Chen." Another torturer said as he wiped the blood splatter on his arm. "Senior brother might have been a law-breaker, but you should still praise him for his talent. It''s just too bad that he was killed in his mission."


    "Hah? Do you realy believe that c**p?" The first torturer exclaimed as he gave the second intruder a bewildered look. "Do you really think that Senior Brother Jian Chen died fighting a criminal?"


    "Of course I do. It''s what the sect told us." The second torturer said as he slowly poured a healing potion on the Past Great TimeMaster''s body. He watched with satisfaction as the broken parts of the Past Great TimeMaster started to heal themselves slowly. "Why are you even doubting that?"


    "I heard some rumors that Senior Brother Jian Chen was killed by his master because of his sins against the sect." The first torturer replied as he joined in on pouring the healing potion. "Of course that sin was him marrying this foreigner."


    "Hey, that''s-


    "I know that it sounds blasphemous, but if you think about it, there''s just no way that the sect will let off Senior Brother Jian Chen that easily." The first torturer said as he shook his head. "Listen to my theory: When the sect discovered Senior Brother Jian Chen''s relationship with the foreigner, his master immediately killed him as punishment. The sect then lied about his death, in order to make his death honorable. After all, Senior Brother Jian Chen was one of the best disciples of our sect. If news of him leaked out that he died because of his wife, the honor of the whole sect will surely be sullied."


    "Hush it. The foreigner can hear you." The second torturer hissed as the barely healed Past Great TimeMaster suddenly trembled on the floor. "Look at her reaction. She must have heard you talking about the matter about Senior Jian Chen''s death."


    "So what if this woman hears it? I think it is even better if she hears it!" The first torturer said as he gave the Past Great TimeMaster a sadistic look. "Aren''t we torturing her to obtain information about her origins? Since physical torture is not doing its work, then maybe making her anguished is the right way!"


    "¡­Yeah, good luck with that." The second torturer said as he watched the face of the Past Great TimeMaster , which was now contorted in rage.


    The blood covering her face made her look more terrifying, although her torturers seemed to be unfazed by it.


    "Hey, why are we even torturing her for information? Couldn''t we just, you know, use our soul power to scour her soul?" The second torturer asked as he scratched the back of his head. "Wont'' that make everything easier?''


    "That would be the case if this foreigner is an Immortal Cultivator. But she''s not, and that makes it almost impossible for us to perform a soul scour." The first torturer said as he shrugged his shoulders. "So we have no choice but to do it the old fashioned way¡­"


    "Sigh, I really don''t like torturing people, but we have no choice now but to do this to this woman." The second torturer slowly said as he threw away the now empty bottle of healing potion.


    "Thunk."


    The second intruder then tilted his head as he looked at the Past Great TimeMaster with curiosity. "Hey, what do you think gives this woman the will to live? If it were me, I would have already given in after just 2 days of torture. But this woman lasted for 2 months already, and from the looks of it, she can still last longer than that!"


    "Hmph, I don''t really know, and I don''t care." The first intruder replied as he spat on the floor.


    "So we''re back to square one again..."


    "Not exactly." The first torturer said as he suddenly let out an excited smile. "There''s a new torture technique that we can use on this foreigner, and I think that there is a high possibility of making her talk with this new technique!"


    "Oh please tell me what this new torture technique is. I can''t wait to see it¡­" The second torturer replied in a bored tone. From the way that he talked, it was easy to see that he had already said this same line before.


    "Oi, have some confidence in me, will ya?" The first torturer replied as he clicked his tongue. He then gave a kick on the Past Great TimeMaster''s shoulder, which elicited a hiss of pain from her.


    "If hurting this woman will not work, then maybe threatening her baby''s life will." The first torturer said as his eyes landed on the Past Great TimeMaster''s stomach. "Hehehe, I''m sure that it will work well¡­"


    "Huh? Are you sure that will work?" The second torturer asked as he tilted his head. "Didn''t we try everything that we can to kill the baby in its unborn state? All those attempts failed, so what makes you think that we can threaten this baby once it was born? I think this will just be a bust."


    "Hmph, I think that the reason that we cannot kill this baby while it''s still unborn was because it is under some kind of protection." The first torturer said as he cleaned his hands. "I think that this protection was the one that has been keeping this baby alive in this condition."


    "Yes, that could be right. But how does that make your plan possible?"


    After hearing this question from the second torturer, the first torturer suddenly appeared to be terrifying, as a malicious leer appeared on his face.


    "Hehehe¡­ do you think that this protection will stay once this baby was born? I think not!" The first torturer exclaimed as his leer widened. "I think that this protection only works while the baby was still on this woman''s w.o.m.b! Once this baby comes out of this woman, it will be surely as vulnerable as a young chick! That will be the best moment for us to swoop in and take that baby! Hehehe¡­ once we take that baby with us, making this foreigner talk will just be a piece of cake!"


    "I''LL KILL YOU!" The Past Great TimeMaster, who was laying on the ground in a catatonic manner, suddenly leapt high into the air as she stretched her hands towards the first intruder.


    "I''LL KILL YOU!!!"


    Her face was warped with more fury now, and the killing intent emanating out of her body was enough to freeze her two torturers.


    Professor Frances narrowed her eyes as she all of these happening, as she inwardly thought that maybe this is the new turning point of the Past Great TimeMaster.


    Unfortunately, the killing intent has only managed to freeze the two torturers in a short amount of time.


    "Hmph, f**king b**ch!" The first torturer shouted as he sent a backhanded blow at the Past Great TimeMaster. The Past Great TimeMaster crashed back to the ground, with her livid gaze still concentrated on the two of them. "If we were only allowed, I would have killed you now!"


    "As long as we don''t get what we want from her, we won''t give her the sweet release of death¡­" The second torturer muttered as he poured another healing portion on the shoulder of the Past Great TimeMaster. The cracked bones on her shoulder healed themselves quite nicely, before they were broken again by another kick from the first torturer. "Oi, torture time is over already! You should wait until the next shift first!"


    "Yeah, yeah, I know that..." The first torturer grumbled as he gritted his teeth. "I just can''t resist kicking this woman¡­


    "You know what, why don''t we leave now? I''m also getting hungry already¡­" The second torturer muttered as he re-chained the limbs of the Past Great TimeMaster. "It''s almost past noon already."


    "Now that you said it, I''m also getting hungry too." The first torturer replied as he stopped his assault on the Past Great TimeMaster. "Come on, let''s get eating already."


    "Yes, yes, I''m coming now." The second torturer said as he turned his back towards the Past Great TimeMaster. He then began to drool as he seemed to imagine himself eating a great meal.


    "Eating is life¡­" The second torturer muttered merrily as he started walking towards the exit. "Sigh¡­ living in this age is really a great fortune for me!"


    Unfortunately for this man, he was unable to reach the exit of the torture room, as a sudden fluctuation of power burst out of the Past Great TimeMaster''s body, which forced him to stop on his tracks.


    "!!!"


    Both the torturers looked back at the Past Great TimeMaster with vigilance, as they thought that this woman was cooking up an attack on them.


    But to the surprise of the two, they did not see any indication of the Past Great TimeMaster making a move.


    Instead, what they saw was the Past Great TimeMaster clutching her stomach in pain, with beads of sweat rolling down from her face.


    As for the power fluctuation, the watching Professor Frances noticed that it actually came from inside the stomach of the Past Great TimeMaster.


    The two torturers seemed to also have noticed the same fact as second later, as both of them suddenly trembled as they looked at the stomach of the Past Great TimeMaster.


    Their faces were showing enhanced emotions right now, with the first torturer bordering that of excitement and the second torturer bordering that of exasperation.


    "Hey, are you thinking what I am thinking?" The first torturer said as he glanced at his partner with excitement. "Tell me that you thinking of that too!


    "Yes, I think that I think that same thing as you." The second torturer replied as he let out a sigh. "You should be excited now, right?"


    "Of course I am." The first torturer replied as his eyes narrowed in pleasure. "After all, this foreigner is about to give birth right now!! Hahaha! Now I can implement my ''baby plan'' already!"


    "Well good luck with that." The second intruder murmured as he continued leaving the room. "Just watch the foreigner here. As for me, I will call for a good midwife that will deliver the child safely. We wouldn''t want a prized good to be damaged after all."


    "I get it. Just go now."


    "Okay, make sure that she won''t make any unnecessary moves, ok?"


    "Do you think that this woman can still attempt to escape with the way that she is in right now? Hmph, even a puppy can easily stop her from moving!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 372 - A Glimpse at the Past(6)

    What happened after this conversation went by as a blur.


    After the second torturer spread out the news that the Past Great TimeMaster was about to give birth, the higher-ups of the whole Celestial Sect immediately gave the commandment to make the Past Great TimeMaster''s birth as easy as possible.


    From the looks of it, these people were highly interested on taking a glimpse on the baby of the Past Great TimeMaster, as its special case was something that the higher-ups have never seen before.


    An unborn baby has actually managed to survive even when her mother was being tortured? With this kind of tenacity, it is highly likely that this baby is special!


    With this command from the higher-ups, the Past Great TimeMaster was immediately brought to a luxurious room, which looked to be only reserved for high-ranking people.


    This room was filled with high-quality spiritual artifacts, and there was also multitude of items here that were meant to be used for medical purposes.


    Upon arrival, the Past Great TimeMaster was gently laid down on a comfortable-looking bed, as 5 midwives looked after her with seriousness in their eyes.


    Behind these midwives, all the Elders of the Celestial Sect, including the current Sect Leader were present as they waited for the birth of the child.


    "Agh!" In face of this suddenly royal treatment, the Past Great TimeMaster was unable to say anything about it, as she was more focused on letting out screams of pain.


    Her body would also occasionally jerk all around her, as she seemed to be unable to take the pain that she is feeling right now.


    "Good¡­ This is good! The more painful the birth is, the better the child will be!" Old Man Yuan, who was one of the Elders inside the room, slowly said as he gave the Past Great TimeMaster a greedy look. "Hehehe¡­ Sect Leader, what should we do with her baby once it was born? Should we kill it, or should we¡­"


    "Of course we will raise it with care." The Sect Leader replied as his golden robes swished around him in a regal manner. He ignored the splatter of blood seeping on the bed as he only gave the writhing Past Great TimeMaster a warm look. "Jian Chen left his child here in our care, so of course we have to take care of it. We wouldn''t want to disappoint him, right?"


    "Wow. What a hypocrite." Professor Frances thought to herself as she watched the conversation. "At first, you tried to kill both the Past Great TimeMaster and her baby since they were the products of Jian Chen''s sin. But now that you have seen that the baby could possibly be a prodigy, you actually said that you will take care of it? Hah, so Immortals were actually this shameless! I could not fathom why Alex likes them¡­"


    "Hehehe, it''s really bad that Jian Chen died. If he didn''t, he could have been the one who will take care of the baby. Sigh, poor baby." Old Man Yuan said without looking even remotely sad. "Jian Chen, your sacrifices will never be forgotten by us. Be rest assured. We will raise your baby as a fine person and a pillar of the Celestial Sect! That is the best thing that we can do for you!"


    "Utterly shameless. I think even Alex will also be amazed by the thick skins of these people¡­" Professor Frances muttered as she shook her head. "Are all Immortals really like this? Geez, now I don''t know if I should still feel sorry for the current Immortals¡­"


    "Argh!!!"


    The scream coming out of the mouth of the Past Great TimeMaster reached its fever pitch as her body arched up in the air in a contorted manner. Her whole body jerked out of control as the midwives let out panicked shouts.


    "Agh!!!"


    All the veins and arteries on her face bulged as she let out another shout, which seemed to have taken the life out of her body.


    "Thud." Her whole body then fell back on the bed in a limp manner, with only slight twitches from her fingers indicating that she was still alive.


    Everyone went silent after the Past Great TimeMaster''s collapse, as if they were waiting for what they wanted to see.


    "Uwaa! Uwaa! Uwaa!!!"


    The cries of a baby suddenly filled up the room, which led to a flurry of movements form the Elders.


    "Give the baby to me." Old Man Yuan exclaimed as he grabbed the newborn baby out of the midwife''s hold. He held the baby in a gentle manner, which was a great contrast to his rough personality.


    He looked at the newborn baby with a greedy smile, as if he was trying to gauge its worth right now. "Hehehe, now let''s see if this baby is special¡­"


    "Oi Yuan, why did you grab it first? I am the Sect Leader, so I should have been the first!" The Sect Leader complained as he peered at the newborn baby. "Now piss off. I want to inspect the baby too."


    "¡­"


    "Yuan, why are you suddenly silent? Did you discover anything special?"


    "¡­"


    "Oi!"


    "Come and see it for yourself." Old Man Yuan quietly replied as he passed the newborn baby to the Sect Leader.


    The Sect Leader held the baby in a similarly gentle manner before he started inspecting it too. "Okay, so what do we see here? This baby is- hm?"


    Just like Old Man Yuan, the Sect Leader was rendered silent by the baby too.


    "Sect Leader, is everything okay?" One of the Elders asked as he looked at the baby with wariness. "Is the baby dangerous? If it is, we can personally kill it now."


    "Kill this baby? Hell no!" The Sect Leader suddenly barked out as he gave a livid glare at the Elder. "There is no way that we will allow this baby to be hurt now! Heck, I will personally kill anyone who will hurt this baby from now on! I swear to do that with my life in line!"


    The Sect Leader said these words with an extremely intense expression on his face, that aside from Old Man Yuan, everyone else inside the room felt overwhelmed by what they just saw.


    This overwhelmed feeling continued to bloom when Old Man Yuan started laughing maniacally.


    "Hahahaha! Hahahaah! Hahahaha!"


    Soon, the Sect Leader joined in the laughter too, creating a two-piece orchestra of pure, ambitious laughter.


    "Ahahahaha! AHahahaha!"


    "Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"


    At this point, one of the remaining Elders stepped forward, as he attempted to ask the two why they were acting like this.


    But this Elder''s attempt to speak up was cut-off, as Old Man Yuan started to speak in a pleased manner.


    "I thought that this baby would only be a divine child, or an immensely talented practitioner. But as it turns out, this baby was even better! Hahahaha!" Old Man Yuan said as he started wiping tears of joy from his eyes.


    "This baby is not just a normal practitioner. This baby will be the one that will make the Celestial Sect the greatest sect in the world!" The Sect Leader shouted out as he raised the baby in an exultant fashion.


    "See this baby? This baby right here is the Reborn Soul of this World! With this baby in our hands, we are assured to be the overlords of this world!" Old Man Yuan said as he jumped in the floor in excitement. "Hahaha! Now, the time for the Celestial Sect to shine has come!"


    "OOHHH!!!"


    Everyone inside the room began to celebrate after this, as if what Old Man Yuan just said was the greatest thing that they could ever hear.


    Even the midwives has started to celebrate too, with some even clapping their hands in exultation.


    "Long Live the Celestial Sect!"


    "Long Live the Celestial Sect!"


    "Long Live the Celestial Sect!"


    Amidst the sudden celebration inside the room, there was one person that was being duly ignored.


    The Past Great TimeMaster lay unmoving at her bed, with her glassy eyes staring without focus at the ceiling.


    Her whole body was covered in blood again, and this time, there was nobody that bothered to heal her.


    "Long Live the Celestial Sect!"


    "Long Live the Celestial Sect!"


    "Long Live the Celestial Sect!"


    The mouth of the Past Great TimeMaster started to slightly open, as if she was struggling to make herself speak.


    It took her a few more seconds before she could fully move her mouth, and she used this opportunity that croak out a request.


    "Can I¡­. hold my daughter? Please?"


    The celebration inside the room went back to dead silence after everyone heard the request of the Past Great TimeMaster.


    All of them stared uncomfortably at the Past Great TimeMaster, who they seemed to have only remembered now.


    "Hey, since this woman is not talking about her origin, let''s kill her already." Old Man Yuan said as he moved his body to hide the baby away from the view of the Past Great TimeMaster. "She had already given us this baby, so she had no more uses for us. Wouldn''t keeping her alive become counter-productive for us?"


    "I get your point Yuan." The Sect Leader replied as he lowered his hold on the still crying baby. "Since this woman is useless now, we shall kill her already. But before we do that, why don''t we let her hold her baby for one last time? Consider this¡­ as her reward for providing us with a baby like this!"


    "Hehehe¡­ I see that you are still as compassionate as ever, Sect Leader." Old Man Yuan said as he shook his head. "You know what? Fine, let''s allow this b**ch to hold her baby now. After all, this will be the only time that she can hold her baby¡­"


    The Sect Leader did not waste any time as he immediately placed the baby right on the waiting arms of the Past Great TimeMaster.


    Even though her limbs appeared to be thin and weak, the Past Great TimeMaster has managed to keep her hold on the baby, who has now stopped crying.


    "Annie¡­ Your mommy is here with you, so don''t be sad now, ok?" The past Past Great TimeMaster cooed as she started rocking the baby in her arms. "Your mommy is here, so don''t be scared anymore¡­"


    "Hmph, what a touching scene¡­" Old Man Yuan said, with his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I could not help but cry here."


    "Hush it." Sect Leader said as he gave Old Man Yuan an admonishing look. "Let''s allow this woman to have her moment. Maybe this will make the baby calmer once she dies later."


    "Oh you''re right. Why did I not think of that?"


    The Past Great TimeMaster continued talking to her baby as time went on, which made the baby giggle and sometimes laugh.


    Everyone who saw this had their heartstrings tugged, as this heartwarming scene was just too much to bear.


    "Sect Leader, let''s kill this woman now. I don''t think I can endure this kind of scene anymore." Old Man Yuan complained in disgust. "Ugh¡­ you don''t know how much I want to vomit now!"


    "Fine, let me have the honor of killing her. After all, I am the Sect Leader." Sect Leader replied as he started walking towards the mother and daughter pair.


    The Past Great TimeMaster stopped what she was doing to her child as she saw the Sect Leader approaching her direction.


    She only let out a sigh, which sounded both heavy and gloomy.


    "So you''re going to kill me now? How efficient of you bastards." The Past Great TimeMaster said as she clutched her baby close to her bosom. "I can''t do anything against it now, aren''t I?"


    "Ever since you have arrived in this world, your death was all but guaranteed." The Sect Leader said in an imperious tone as he raised his hands. "Just be happy that you were able to live a good life with a loving husband. That''s the best that you can get here in this world."


    "¡­"


    "So, do you have any last words for your baby?" The Sect Leader asked as he kept his arms raised. "I applaud your tenacity, so I will allow you to say a few more words to your child. Whatever you want to say suffices, and I will not care if you will just curse us."


    "¡­How considerate of your bastards." The Past Great TimeMaster mumbled as she looked down at her baby. "You want me to give my final words to Annie? Fine. Listen closely to what I will say, as this will be the last time that you will hear this."


    The Past Great TimeMaster then brought her baby close to her mouth as she started saying her ''final words''.


    "Annie, mommy might not see you again, but you should know that even if I will be gone, I will always stay forever in your heart. So even if I die, please know that I will be there for you. So please don''t cry¡­"


    "¡­."


    "Annie, I¡­ I am not scared of dying, as I will join your daddy in the afterlife. We will wait for you there, but don''t die that quickly, ok?''


    "¡­"


    "Annie, I love you, and I will continue to do so everyday."


    "¡­"


    "ACTUALLY ANNIE, YOU SHOULD FORGET ABOUT MY FAREWELL. THESE BASTARDS DOESN''T GET TO ORDER ME AROUND LIKE THIS! THEY ALL DESERVE TO ROT IN AGONY FOREVER!"


    "!!!"


    "ANNIE! GIVE THESE BASTARDS THE HELL THAT THEY DESERVE!!!"


    [[[OKAY MOMMY]]]

 Chapter 373 - A Glimpse at the Past(7)

    "Shut the f**k up woman!" Old Man Yuan shouted out in anger as he and the others inside the room realized what the Past Great TimeMaster just did. "You b**ch, you just tricked us! F**k!"


    Everyone of them then rushed towards the past Great TimeMaster with murderous intentions, which made it apparent that they are all planning to kill her off right now.


    But before they could get close to the Past Great TimeMaster, a sudden fluctuation of power which came from the baby forced them back on their tracks.


    This repulsive force that came from the baby only lasted for a second, but this seemed to be enough to allow the baby to make her next move.


    "Hong~"


    A low, humming sound suddenly permeated the whole area as bright light began to emanate out from the baby''s body.


    Under the presence of this light, the baby''s cute appearance began to change as it became more regal and noble.


    Even the innocent atmosphere that the baby was exuding has disappeared, as only intelligence and rationality could be felt from the baby.


    Countless hymns and praises could be heard as these changes took place, which makes it appear as if the changes in the baby was a joyous event.


    The baby appeared to be both holy and divine at this point, which made the Past Great TimeMaster smile.


    "There it is Annie. Use your power to make these bastards suffer¡­" The Past Great TImeMaster said as she wiped the blood coming out of her mouth. "They were the ones who made me go through this, so make them feel the pain of their sins!"


    [[[OKAY MOMMY]]]


    Annie the baby then raised one of her chubby fingers as she pointed it above her.


    She did this gesture slowly, although for Old Man Yuan and the other Elders, Annie''s current action was something that they were unable to stop.


    [[[CHANGE]]]


    Annie said this six-lettered word in a calm tone, which was quickly followed by silence.


    To anyone else who heard this word, they might feel safe, as it seemed as if Annie was unable to do anything significant with what she just said.


    However, at the moment that Old Man Yuan heard these words, his eyes widened in panic as genuine fear began to appear in his eyes.


    "You woman! Don''t tell me that you-"


    "Boom!"


    A momentous explosion filled whole area, as a massive ship suddenly appeared at the sky above the Celestial Sect.


    This ship was as large as a country, although its shape can be compared to that of a warped donut.


    This ship was situated exactly above the room that the Past Great TimeMaster was in, and everyone in the Celestial Sect noticed the sudden appearance of this ship.


    "This ship¡­" Professor Frances muttered as she looked at this ship with interest. "Where had I seen this ship before?"


    If Professor Frances had enough time for herself, she could have easily accessed her brain archives to clearly recall the memory about this ship.


    But she does not have that time right now.


    Before Professor Frances could even start accessing her brain, a sudden change in the ship forced her to stop.


    All the doors of the ship went open as countless green-robed figures came rushing out of it.


    All of these green-robed figures were emitting murderous intent, along with a power that has started to warp everything around them.


    The residents of the Celestial Sect quickly reacted to the appearance of these green-robed figures, but their reaction was unfortunately a step too late.


    "Kill!!!" Every single one of these green robed figures shouted out as they began attacking everyone in the Celestial Sect


    Male, female, old, young, or crippled, none of these people were spared by the green-robed figures, as they continued attacking them in a reckless manner.


    The members of the Celestial Sect naturally fought back too, but the weird nature of the spells that the attackers had used, coupled with their advantage in numbers, allowed the attackers to gain the upper hand.


    The only place that were not attacked by these green-robed figures was the room that the Past Great TimeMaster was in.


    Well, there seemed to be no need for them to attack there already, as a battle was clearly about to erupt inside this room right now.


    "You had fun torturing me before. Now, let me have my payback for all of that!" The Past Great TImeMaster shrilly said as she stood up imposingly from her bed.


    Shockingly, her appearance and demeanor right now was drastically different compared to before.


    Her body was no longer thin and weak. Instead, she appeared to be in full health, with her skin glowing brightly.


    All of her wounds from her tortured body had disappeared, as if someone had just wiped them out of their existence.


    The harrowed look on the Past Great TimeMaster was also gone, as only pride and indignation can be seen on her face.


    Aside from her body, the clothes that the Past Great TImeMaster were wearing before has also changed, as it was replaced by a green robe which was similar to the ones worn by the attackers outside.


    All these sudden changes were already enough to make someone like Old Man Yuan surprised.


    However, these were not only the changes that has happened on the Past Great TimeMaster.


    Earlier, the power of the Past Great TimeMaster was as feeble as it can be. She was unable to use it to even defend herself, which just made her situation worse before.


    But right now, this power of hers was not feeble at all.


    "Boom!"


    A frightening amount of power could be felt bursting out from the Past Great TimeMaster right now, which made everyone near her subconsciously take back a step.


    Even the proud and powerful Sect Elder has no choice but to step back, as if his body had to do this.


    "F**k!!!" Old Man Yuan, who was the nearest Elder to the Past Great TimeMaster, gritted his teeth in pure rage as he focused his smoldering eyes on the Past Great TImeMaster.


    It was quite obvious that he was delirious in rage right now, and that the reason for this rage was the Past Great TimeMaster herself. " You b**ch, how dare you do that! You actually-"


    "Used the power of my baby to change the laws of this world? What''s wrong with that?" The Past Great TImeMaster replied as she crossed her arms. "I just told Annie to remove the suppression of this world on my power. Surely there is no problem with that. For me, obviously."


    "You!!!"


    "Oh, before I start my punishment on you, I have to remind you that those attackers outside were my allies from my hometown." The Past Great TimeMaster said as she started petting Annie''s head. "While you were having fun torturing me, I used what remained of my power to tell my allies everything that has happened to me in this world, and I also told them to come here quickly. Luckily for me, most of them heeded my call, and just two weeks before Annie''s birth, all of my allies were already gathered near this world."


    "¡­"


    "I told them to refrain from attacking until Annie was born. After all, before Annie could be born, our powers will be always suppressed in this world. It was only after Annie removed the suppression on my power that I gave the signal for my allies to come in." The Past Great TImeMaster smirked at this point, as the power from her body continued to roll out in massive waves.


    "Grrh..." Old Man Yuan desperately tried to stand tall against the released power of the Past Great TimeMaster, but it was futile as his knees started to buckle.


    The other Elders in the room began to kneel too, and the Sect Leader was no exception.


    "How does it feel when your prisoner is much more powerful than all of you now? Does it feel good?" The Past Great TimeMaster sneered as she slowly approached the kneeling people. "Well, I don''t care if you answer my question. I only want to hear one thing, and that is you all screaming for your filthy lives!"


    The sounds of battle outside complemented the murderous words uttered by the Past Great TimeMaster, which created a hopeless atmosphere that managed to make even someone like Professor Frances feel heavy.


    "This woman¡­ she is just as devious as Alex!" Professor Frances thought to herself as she tried not to look at the Great TimeMaster, who was now wearing a sadistic and satisfied smile on her face. "Tsk, as much as possible, I must distance myself away from her! Getting involved with the Great TimeMaster will only lead to bad things happening to me!"

 Chapter 374 - A Glimpse at the Past(Final)

    Although she was a little wary of the Great TimeMaster, Professor Frances seemed to be not that anxious now, as she had started to treat what she was seeing as a great movie. She could not wait to see what will happen next.


    How will the Past Great TimeMaster torment her enemies? Will she torture them? Or will she kill them slowly, savoring their pain?


    The sadistic side of Professor Frances craved to see all of this, and she could only do her best to stop her saliva from leaking.


    But before she could obtain this ''high-class'' treatment, the Great TimeMaster clicked her fingers, which led to the scene ending again.


    "¡­."


    Unlike the other previous scenes, there were no color distortions that appeared right now.


    Instead, Professor Frances felt that the power permeating the whole area has started to dissipate, making the ''movie screen'' around her slowly disappear.


    A few seconds passed by, and Professor Frances found herself staring at a field of grass.


    Upon seeing this field, Professor Frances frowned as she realized what the Great TimeMaster just did.


    "Huh? Is your spell done already?" Professor Frances complained inwardly as she observed the grass on her feet.


    There was no doubt about it.


    The Great TimeMaster seemed to have ended her spell already, allowing Professor Frances to be back seeing the present time.


    Alex and Alina both seemed to be relieved with this development, although Professor Frances was feeling cheated on by what happened.


    "What the hell? That war scene was just about to get good. Why did you not show the events after that? Are you planning on putting a sequel?" Professor Frances mumbled under her breath as she gritted her teeth. "You''re just teasing us now!"


    The Great TimeMaster seemed to have heard what the professor has mumbled, as the former specifically looked at the professor as she suddenly said,


    "I could have shown you more, but just like what Mr. Alex said, we are working at a limited time here. That scene¡­ was the last scene that I can show you"


    "¡­"


    "But fret not, I will give you three a summary of what happened after that." The Great TimeMaster said, with her face already without her gloomy countenance. Her mood seemed to be back at normal, although Professor Frances will not take any chances on checking this out.


    "That scene heralded the start of the war between the TimeMasters and the Immortals." The Great TimeMaster said as she slowly hovered towards Alina. "Due to my plans, I was able to introduce an army of TImeMasters in this world. Because I told Annie to allow Chronomancy to thrive in this world, the TImeMasters that I brought in were in no disadvantage against the Immortals."


    "¡­"


    "However, the Immortals were still powerful, and even if the TimeMasters were no longer suppressed in this world, the Immortals were still able to fight back easily. The war continued for a few more months, with more TImeMasters rushing in as reinforcement, and with the Immortals recruiting more and more members to their cause."


    "¡­"


    "At first, the battle was pretty even. But as time passed by, the Immortals slowly gained an advantage as they started to use Immortal Treasures against us." The Great TimeMaster then sneered, showing her bright, white teeth. "Trust me, those Immortals Treasure were extremely powerful, that it will always be the TimeMasters who suffered more. Of course we did everything that we could to win against this new tactic, but it was exceedingly difficult to do so."


    "After all, this world is the Immortal''s world, and those Immortal Treasures are like a fish in the sea here." Alex interrupted as he tilted his head. "That''s the problem that you were facing, right?"


    "Exactly." The Great TimeMaster replied as she let out a sigh. "Once my comrades realized this, some of them declared that they wanted to retreat from the war. After all, with the way that the Immortals were winning, it is highly likely that they will be able to defend their whole planet. If that happens¡­ then all our effort will all be treated as waste."


    "So did you allow them to retreat?"


    "Of course I did not yield with that. My anger against the Immortals were so great, that I am willing to do anything to beat them." The Great TimeMaster replied as a pained expression appeared on her face. "Even if it means putting my loved ones in near danger."


    "¡­."


    "I asked Annie, who has already grown into a ten-year old kid, to tweak the laws of this world once more." The Great TimeMaster murmured as her hands started to tremble. There was guilt present on her face, and this guilt appeared to be something that had been brewing inside her for a long time.


    "My lovely daughter agreed, as she wanted to always please me. However, that action of hers did not turn out the way that I wanted it to."


    "¡­"


    "I told Annie to tweak the laws so that the power of the Immortals will be suppressed. I also told her to make the laws more amicable to us TImeMasters."


    "¡­."


    "My daughter succeeded in tweaking the laws of this world once more, as she was the soul of this world itself. All the Immortals in this world experienced a drop in their strength, as their world started suppressing them. As for us TimeMasters, we experienced a boost in our power as this world started to support us."


    The Great TimeMaster''s face then contorted at this point, with her voice sounding like she was choking on something.


    "This action of Annie gave the reversal in the war. The TimeMasters has started to routinely beat down the Immortals, who were all rattled by the sudden drop in their power. Before any of these Immortal Cultivators could make a comeback, the TimeMasters utterly and severely crushed them. There was no more hope for them to win, as even their Immortal Treasures were affected by the suppression."


    "¡­"


    "A few more months passed by before the war ended, and this time, the side who emerged as the winner were the TimeMasters." The Great TimeMaster concluded as her face continued to be full of guilt. "We won, but at the expense of my daughter''s well-being."


    "Her well-being?" Alex asked before Professor Frances could. "Are you saying that your daughter was harmed by her attempts at tweaking the laws of this world?"


    "My daughter is the soul of the Immortal World. This means that she must first look out for the welfare of all the Immortals that resided in this world." The Great TimeMaster replied as she gritted her teeth. "This means that she must maintain the laws of this world in a way that will benefit the Immortals the most. If she tries to make these laws directly disadvantageous to the Immortals, then she will experience a backlash."


    "¡­"


    "Annie''s first tweaking of the laws was still fine, as she did not directly affect the Immortals." The Great TimeMaster said as she bit her lip. "At that time, she only removed the suppression of this world on the TimeMasters. That is not a direct action against the Immortals, per se."


    "But Annie''s second tweaking of the laws was." Alex chimed in as he interrupted the Great TimeMaster. "Her second tweaking of the laws weakened the Immortals. That¡­ that was obviously a direct action against the Immortals."


    "You''re correct." The Great TimeMaster replied as a loathing smile appeared on her face. This smile seemed to be directed at herself, which made Professor Frances more curious about the story.


    "My daughter suffered a backlash immediately after she re-tweaked the laws." The Great TimeMaster muttered in a low voice. "Her soul suffered a massive damage, and she was immediately plunged in a life-death situation. She went into a coma, and there was nothing that I can do to wake her up."


    "¡­"


    "She became unconscious for a very long time, that she did not witness every new changes in this world. She did not even see the rise of the all the time-related businesses here." The eyes of the Great TimeMaster started to appear teary as her whole body started to tremble. "I could only watch her sleep in pain on her bed, not knowing whether she will survive her ordeal. I was helpless at that point, as everything that I did to help Annie all failed. I¡­ I lived in utter despair at that time, as I do not want to lose my daughter when I already lost my husband."


    "But fortunately for me, my daughter suddenly woke up just a year ago." The Great TimeMaster said as her teary eyes started to dry up. "At the time that she woke up, her soul has healed to the point that she can live normally as a person. However, there were still some damages that remained on her soul."


    "¡­."


    "This remaining damage on her soul affected her memories, to the point that Annie forgot everything that happened before she became unconscious. She could only remember bits and pieces about it."


    "¡­"


    "Honestly, I was relieved that she had this amnesia. My past with the Immortals¡­was a memory that I loathe remembering." The Great TimeMaster said in a low tone. "When she woke up, I was ecstatic, as I thought that maybe this time, my daughter and I will be able to live a blissful life. But I was wrong. I was horribly wrong."


    "¡­"


    "As it turns out, my daughter suffered one more consequence from her actions. I only noticed it when she woke up, and as of now, I am powerless to change it." The Great TimeMaster then looked at Alina once more, with her greedy gaze concentered on the baby on the latter''s arms. "But now, I have the power to completely redeem myself!"


    The Great TimeMaster then started walking towards Alina again, with her face showing an intense wanting for the baby that Alina held.


    "Miss ALina, please let me hold the baby first. This baby¡­ is my hope of saving Annie! Please¡­ please let me hold her! If you don''t make me do this, Annie will never be the same!"


    "Hmph, so you just showed your past to appeal to our emotions? How sly of you." Alex blurted out as he blocked the Great TimeMaster''s path. "Why are you not accepting my words earlier? I don''t want you touching the baby! You might only endanger it!"


    "Why the f**k are you this stubborn?" The Great TimeMaster howled out as she murderously glared at Alex and Alina. "I already told you everything, and all of them were the truth! What more could you want?"


    "Yes, what do you still want, Alex?" Professor Frances thought to herself as she observed the conversation. "This woman seems to be desperate to hold the baby, so why don''t you let her hold it? She seems to be sincere and truthful. Wait, don''t tell me¡­ that you''re planning something devious again?"


    As if to confirm the professor''s intentions, Alex suddenly raised his fingers, wiggling them in the air as he sent a smug smile at the Great TimeMaster.


    "Well, your story has moved my heart. However, that is not enough to make me help you." Alex said as he shook his head. "Well, I could help you out, but¡­"


    "But what?"


    Alex then went silent at this point, as he seemed to be thinking intently.


    Upon seeing this, Professor Frances did her best to not sigh as she realized what Alex was doing.


    "Alex, you sly boy. Now that you have seen that the Great TimeMaster genuinely needs your help, you must have thought that you can milk every benefit that you can from her." Professor Frances thought to herself as she facepalmed. "I must really be careful whenever I am around you¡­"

 Chapter 375 - World Tree? ?World Soul

    AT THE VICINNITY OF THE MOUNTAIN OF ENLIGHTENMENT.


    While Alex, Alina, and Professor Frances were about to have a serious conversation with the Great TimeMaster, their remaining ally was busy on her own thing too.


    Queen Mother, who had separated paths with Professor Frances earlier, was now standing squarely on a plot of land that was just a few hundred meters away from the floating Mountain of Enlightenment.


    There was no emotion that could be seen on her face, as her somewhat cold stare was only concentrated on the mountain itself.


    Behind Queen Mother were around 1,000 monstrous looking beings, who were standing in 10 groups.


    Each one of these monsters were trying their best to look meek behind Queen Mother, although their ferocious appearances were not helping them out.


    Aside from these beings, there was also Asteria, who was floating lazily beside Queen Mother. The dumb fairy''s stomach was full to the brim, as if she had pumped it full of honey.


    There was only a satisfied expression on Asteria''s face as she continued floating around, with her not even taking a glance at the imposing Mountain of Enlightenment.


    If there was any indication that Queen Mother was irritated by this behavior, she did not show it as she seemed to be only focused on the mountain alone.


    No, her focus was not the mountain itself. Her focus was actually on one of the beings inside the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    "A World Soul is inside that mountain¡­" Queen Mother muttered to herself as a rarely seen anger flickered in her eyes. Her whole body was trembling as she said these words, as if what she just said has triggered something inside her.


    "These Immortal bastards¡­ I do not know what they are planning, but if it was related to harming a World Soul, then I will not hesitate to kill all of these bastards!" Queen Mother suddenly snarled as some of her power leaked out of her body.


    "Boom!" A silhouette of a massive tree appeared behind Queen Mother, which only lasted for a few seconds before she dispelled it.


    "These bastards dare to disrespect a World Soul¡­ they must be taught a lesson!"


    During the moments that this silhouette was present, every monster behind Queen Mother were forced to kneel from the pressure of the tree. It was only when this silhouette was dispelled that the monsters were able to regain their mobility.


    Each one of these monsters gave Queen Mother a terrified and awed look after regaining their movements, which were all ignored by Queen Mother herself.


    Queen Mother took no notice of what she just did as she continued talking to herself.


    "Did Alex command us to be here because of the World Soul of this world? Is this World Soul the one that will allow us to finish our Main Mission? That is possible." Queen Mother continued saying as she did her best to calm her rage down. "But right now, I do not care whether saving the World Soul will help our mission. I will save this World Soul at all costs! After all, I am a World Tree, and a World Soul is someone that I will never abandon!"


    .......


    Out of all the beings that lived in the universe, there is one type of creature that can be considered to be the closest ''friend'' of the World Souls.


    This creature is not a human, and this creature is also not a cultivator or even a demonic being.


    Heck, this creature cannot even be considered either humanoid or an animal-type being.


    A World Tree. This is the creature that has the closest possible relationship with a World Soul. Aside from the beings who had managed to fuse their consciousness with a World Soul, it will be a World Tree that will have the closest bond with a World Soul.


    At first, this fact might seem unbelievable, but to anyone who looks closely, there is indeed an undeniable bond between a World Tree and a World Soul.


    Countless of years of evolution of the World Trees and World Souls allowed this bond to exist, and every World Tree and World Soul has taken advantage of this bond.


    This bond could be seen in full force at the moment that a World Tree Seedling(an offspring of a Mature World Tree) appears and takes root in a world.


    Most of the times, a World Soul will do its best to suppress or even expel any foreign beings that will try to reside in its body. But at the case of the World Tree Seedling, the World Soul will not do anything to eject this seedling.


    Instead of rejecting the World Tree Seedling, the World Soul will allow the World Tree Seedling to live on its body. It will also allow the seedling to take all the nutrients that it needs for it to grow. No matter how much nutrient the World Tree Seedling takes, the World Soul would not interfere, unless the nutrient taken becomes too much to bear.


    Once World Tree Seedling takes enough nutrition, it will become a full-fledged World Tree.


    To anyone who will see this process, they might think that the World Soul has been cheated by the World Tree, as it was only the World Tree who has gained benefits. But this is where they were wrong.


    At the moment that a World Tree reaches its optimum age, it will start to use its life creation ability to create a race of living beings.


    Primarily, the role of these created living beings was to protect and guard the World Tree from any possible danger.


    But these living beings have another role too, and that was to assist the growth of a World Soul.


    ******************


    The power of a World Soul relies on the amount of the living beings residing on its body.


    The more living beings there are in a world, the stronger the consciousness of a World Soul will be.


    In most cases, this criteria is extremely hard to fulfill.


    There are many factors that might affect the existence of living beings, which makes it hard for them to thrive on a world.


    Most of the time, the amount of living beings that can reside in a world will be limited, which will also limit the growth of the World Soul.


    This is a problem for any World Souls, as their primary goal was to have a massive amount of living beings reside on their body.


    The World Tree easily solves this problem with its life creation ability.


    By creating a race of living beings with its ability, the World Tree will be able to provide a useful source of power for the World Soul, who on its own, cannot do this thing alone.


    This symbiotic relationship is the ''bond'' between the two.


    The World Soul provides shelter and nutrients that will help the World Tree grow, while the World Tree creates living beings that will strengthen the consciousness of the World Soul.


    This symbiotic relationship will allow both the World Tree and World Soul to become stronger together, and it will only end once one of them perishes.


    One scholar who has studied this symbiotic relationship called it the ''most optimal and useful symbiotic relationship'' on the whole multiverse, and that no kind of symbiotic relationship that can beat this one, except for the ones that involve soul fusion.


    This is how close a World Tree and a World Soul can be.


    ***************


    After countless eras of cooperation with each other, evolution has forced each World Tree and World Soul to feel a certain kind of closeness and fondness with each other.


    Any World Tree will treat a World Soul with care and deference, even if that World Soul was not linked to that World Tree.


    The World Soul also follows this behavior, as it will always assist a World Tree, especially when the life of that World Tree is in danger.


    Queen Mother, who was a World Tree that was at the prime of her life, naturally was adherent of this behavior.


    "If it were not for the presence of my daughter and Alex, I would have never left the World Soul in the Monster World." Queen Mother thought to herself as she clenched her fists. "But what''s done is done, so I only have to focus on my situation right now. And this situation is the one that dictates me to rescue a distressed World Soul!"


    ****************


    After countless Eras of evolution, every World Tree has developed the ability to detect the presence of a Reborn World Soul.


    After all, it was when a World Soul was reborn that it will be at the highest risk of dying. World Trees naturally cannot allow a reborn World Soul to die that easily, hence the development of this ability.


    Everytime a World Soul was reborn, its corresponding World Tree will immediately detect and take care of this Reborn World Soul, until the time comes that this Reborn World Soul will evolve to become a Stage 7 World.


    Once a World Soul becomes a Stage 7 World, a World Tree will have more room to grow, allowing it to create more living beings that will make a World Soul stronger again.


    This cycle continues to go on and go on until both sides reaches their maximum potential.


    Once again, this cycles shows a symbiotic relationship that is working its wonders.


    ******************


    With the use of this ''detection'' ability, Queen Mother was able to detect the presence of a Reborn World Soul inside the Mountain of Enlightenment. And by fine-tuning this detection sense of hers, Queen Mother can certainly say that this Reborn World Soul was the one managing this Immortal World.


    This discovery only made Queen Mother angrier, as she realized that it was the Immortals that reside in this world that were trying to harm the Reborn World Soul right now.


    If it were not for the sake of their mission, Queen Mother might have already rushed in to save the captured Reborn World Soul!


    "Patience Queen Mother. Patience¡­." Queen Mother muttered to herself as she took a deep, shuddering breath to herself.


    She actually did not need to breathe, but she needed to do this now in order to cool down her unusually hot temper.


    "Since Alex was related to a man who conquers worlds, he should have some knowledge about World Souls." Queen Mother said as the trembling of her body started to slow down. "If he has this knowledge, then that means that whatever his plan is right now, it must be related to saving the captured World Soul. Yes, he should have a plan¡­"


    Queen Mother then continued muttering words to herself in order to calm herself down.


    She could have continued doing this for longer, but before her temper could reach its normal levels, her whole body suddenly stiffened as she detected something unbelievable.


    Her previously narrow eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the direction opposite of the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    "What?"


    Queen Mother ignored the surprised reactions of the monsters around her as she continued staring at this direction with her face showing confusion and bafflement.


    "How is this possible? Why am I detecting another Reborn World Soul here? Are my senses working properly?" Queen Mother muttered to herself as she quickly shook her head. "If that really is another Reborn World Soul, then does that mean that this world has produced two Reborn World Souls? No! There is no way that a world can produce two World Souls. That will just lead to its death!"


    Queen Mother then bit her lips, as she realized that after a few more seconds of using her detection sense to it limits, the presence of the second Reborn World Soul did not disappear.


    Instead, it actually got stronger as time passed by, making even Queen Mother feel apprehensive of it.


    "Alex, what the hell is going on here? Is this one of your schemes again?" Queen Mother muttered to herself as a dull pain of a phantom headache began to thrum inside her head. "Please Alex, send me a message or a signal right now. Anything will do, as long as it will clarify all this mess!"

 Chapter 376 - I am having a severe cough today, so next will be 17 hours from now.

    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.

 Chapter 377 - Your End shall be our Beginning!

    "Rumble¡­" At the moment that Queen Mother was plagued by her thoughts, the Mountain of Enlightenment, which was relatively low-key since earlier, suddenly shuddered as the cracks on its metallic surface began to widen.


    The cracks quickly spread outwards on the mountain''s surface, making it appear as if numerous mouths suddenly opened up on it.


    In no time at all, 6 massive holes opened up on the mountain, with each hole emitting a malicious aura that made everyone nearby shiver from it.


    Even the monsters visibly trembled at the presence of these holes, which was something that perked Queen Mother''s attention.


    "Hmm?" This was Queen Mother''s first reaction upon witnessing what happened, and it forced her to abandon her thoughts about Alex and his plans.


    "Everyone, stay vigilant. The enemy is about to make their move." Queen Mother said to the monsters behind her in an authoritative tone. "Remember everything that I and Professor Frances told you to do. Those teachings will determine your life and death here!"


    "WE OBEY YOUR COMMANDS, QUEEN MOTHER!!!"


    "Tsk, I told you to not talk that way. Its just making me more pissed off now." Queen Mother muttered as she glared at her ''minions''. "Just close your mouths, and let your bodies do the work, ok?"


    With Queen Mother looking royally pissed off right now, the monsters facing her could only nod their heads in silence.


    "Yo, QM. What''s got you this angry? Are you having a period?" Asteria suddenly said as she flitted on top of Queen Mother''s head. "You look like you were about to murder these youngsters..."


    "Asteria, stop calling me by that name. I am not QM. I am Queen Mother." Queen Mother replied as she observed the gaping holes on the mountain. "How many times should I tell you that?"


    "Hmph, your real name is a mouthful, so I will still call you QM. It''s better that way."


    "Ugh whatever. Can you¡­ go and hide somewhere else? You will just be a bother here." Queen Mother replied as she chased away Asteria with a shooing gesture.


    "Excuse me?"


    "You''re just all eat and no work." Queen Mother mumbled as she flicked the dumb fairy, who was attempting to pull Queen Mother''s hair. "How would I want someone like you to be here if you won''t even help out at all?"


    "Hey! Don''t call me useless! I¡­ I can do useful stuff too, you know!"


    "Then why are you not doing any of that ''useful stuff'' now? Come on, show me one."


    "You¡­"


    "If you can''t help us here, then heed my advice and go hide somewhere else" Queen Mother said with finality as she picked up the now struggling Asteria. "Seriously, why did we obtain a Guide like you? You''re just a glorified merchant¡­"


    "¡­"


    Asteria''s face, which was sticky with honey earlier, slowly turned red from rage as Queen Mother''s words seemed to have affected her.


    The dumb fairy then glared at Queen Mother angrily as she let out a disgruntled pout.


    Her wings started to move erratically as her whole body trembled in agitation.


    "...You''re calling me useless? Hmph, in that case, I shall show you who''s really useless here!" Asteria shouted out in her irritating tone as she squirmed out of Queen Mother''s grip. She let out a satisfied shout as she got free, before flapping her wings quickly as she shot straight to the sky.


    "Here I go!!!" Asteria then flew straight towards the Mountain of Enlightenment, ignoring the choking sounds that came out of Queen Mother''s throat.


    There was a c.o.c.ky smile on Asteria''s face as she got nearer and nearer to the Mountain of Enlightenment, as if she was about to obtain a treasure chest that was not found for years.


    "Watch closely QM, and you will see why I am still your Guide!" Asteria said as she entered one of the gaping holes on the mountain. "Just you wait! I will show you that I am a useful member of this team!"


    After entering the hole, Asteria''s body disappeared, as she seemed to be inside the mountain now. There was no indication of what happened to her inside, as the malicious aura from the mountain made it hard to observe it.


    "What a dunce." Queen Mother told to herself as she shook her head. She kneaded her forehead as a small laugh came out of her mouth. "Alex told me before that provoking Asteria to make her work will be easy. But I did not expect it to be this easy! Sigh¡­ so Asteria really is a dumb fairy."


    After muttering these words to herself, Asteria looked behind her, observing a massive army of TimeMasters that just happened to appear now. This army, which was composed of extremely powerful TimeMasters, is now rushing towards the Mountain of Enlightenment in an urgent manner.


    Each one of these TimeMasters were letting out murderous glare at the Mountain of Enlightenment, as if they wanted to tear this mountain to pieces right now and then.


    The killing intent around them further solidified this assumption, making Queen Mother click her teeth in anticipation.


    "From what I can remember, Alex was supposedly staying with the higher ups among the TimeMasters right now." Queen Mother thought to herself as the army of TimeMasters flew above her. "Does that mean that they are part of Alex''s plan too?"


    These TimeMasters paused as they saw Queen Mother and her monster army, although they only paused for a second before continuing their rush towards the mountain.


    Even if these TimeMasters seemed to be rattled by the appearance of the monsters, it appears as if their mission on the Mountain of Enlightenment was more important compared to the presence of Queen Mother and her army.


    Queen Mother naturally took this fact inside her head, as she thought that she could use it to her advantage later.


    "Now then¡­ what would the Immortals do now?" Queen Mother thought to herself as she saw that the TimeMasters were almost near the surface of the Mountain of Enlightenment. "Would they allow these TimeMasters to come in, or will they fight back?"


    The timing of Queen Mother''s questions could not have been any more right, as just a second after she asked these questions, another change happened on the Mountain Enlightenment.


    "Hong¡­"


    A translucent, dome like barrier appeared around the whole Mountain of Enlightenment, which blocked the further progress of the TimeMasters.


    The barrier covered every single space around the Mountain of Enlightenment, which made it impossible for anyone to enter.


    Even when the TimeMasters started to use their spells on this barrier, it still held firm, which completely stopped their previously unstoppable rush.


    Upon seeing this barrier, Queen Mother narrowed her eyes as she felt inwardly relieved.


    "It''s a good thing that I managed to goad Asteria to enter the mountain before this barrier appeared. Now, she''s inside the mountain by herself, without any possible interruptions from the TimeMasters. Hmm¡­ With Asteria inside the Mountain, I am sure that she can do something helpful inside there. Wait¡­ what can she even do to help us out?"


    Queen Mother''s frown deepened at this point as she realized that she had no idea on what Asteria can even contribute in this situation.


    "Sigh¡­ From the looks of it, the only thing that I can do is to trust Asteria''s drive to prove herself." Queen Mother muttered to herself as a wry smile appeared on her face. "But does she have the drive to prove herself right now? Sigh, I hope that she will be so much angry, to the point that she will forget being lazy.. Only if she becomes like this that she can do something useful here."


    She then let out another sigh, as she just left Asteria''s destiny to fate itself.


    "¡­"


    Queen Mother stayed silent for a few seconds before she looked back at her monster army.


    "¡­"


    She then licked her lips as she tried to think of a possible action that they can do now.


    But before she can even think of a good thing to do, a haughty voice came out of the Mountain of Enlightenment, which forced Queen Mother to stop her mental plans.


    [YOU PARASITES, DON''T YOU EVERY THINK THAT YOU CAN EASILY DESTROY THIS BARRIER. THIS HAS BEEN FUELED BY MILLIONS OF YEARS OF GATHERED POWER! EVEN IF WE IMMORTALS ARE WEAKENED IN THIS WORLD, THIS BARRIER IS STILL POWERFUL ENOUGH TO LAST FOR A LONG TIME!]


    "!!!"


    [HEHEHEHE, EVEN IF ALL OF YOU PARASITES DECIDE TO ATTACK THIS BARRIER CONTINUOUSLY, YOU WON''T BE ABLE TO EASILY DESTROY THIS BARRIER! HEHEHE, IT WILL TAKE YOU ALL HOURS TO BREAK THIS BARRIER, WHICH IS ENOUGH FOR US TO FINISH OUR RITUAL!"


    "So the barrier was only meant to stall for time." Queen Mother though to herself as she did her best to analyze the words spoken by the haughty speaker. "And this speaker made sure to inform the properties of the barrier to the TimeMasters. Maybe the speaker did this in order to demoralize them, which can make the TimeMasters hesitate¡­"


    The last sentence uttered by Queen Mother turned out to be wrong, as instead of stopping their movements, the TimeMastesr continued their attacks on the barrier, with some of them actually intensifying their attacks.


    The aftershocks of these attacks resulted in a cacophony of sounds and visuals which flooded the whole area.


    But even with all of these attacks, the barrier still held firm, and the only change in it was an ''extremely'' slight dimming of the barrier''s golden tinge.


    [HAHAHAHA! WHY ARE YOU NOT LISTENING TO ME? I JUST TOLD YOU THAT IT IS USELESS, SO IT WILL BE USELESS! HEHEHE¡­ YOU PARASITES MUST BE DESPERATE TO SAVE YOUR YOUNG MISTRESS NOW! WELL, WE IMMORTALS WILL NOT HAND HER OVER, BUT WE WILL SHOW YOU HER FACE FOR ONE LAST TIME!]


    Two figures then appeared at the peak of the mountain, which drew everyone''s attention.


    One of the figures was a masked male who was wearing a golden robe. On his right hand was a silver scepter that he was pointing above him. As for his left hand, it held a tattered book which only had the symbol ¦¸ on its cover. Not much could be observed more from this man, as he only stood still on his place.


    With the way that he was clothed, it was hard to know what this man was thinking, although Queen Mother felt as if this man was gloating right now.


    The second figure was a young girl whose face can be said to be extremely pleasant to look at. There was nothing comparable to the face of this girl, as if she was a uniquely beautiful existence that was meant to be only revered.


    This young girl was also standing still right now, although the slight fidgeting of her limbs and the tight smile on her face showed that she was extremely nervous.


    After she saw this girl, Queen Mother''s eyes continued to narrow as her body''s tension increased.


    Her previously relaxed fist started to clench again as the smoldering fire on her eyes returned.


    "There''s no doubt about it. That girl is the World Soul of this world." Queen Mother said to herself as she did her best to suppress her temper. "Now that I have seen her, I think it is ok for me to make a move¡­ right?"


    Without Alex giving her instructions, Queen Mother founder herself stuck in a situation that she does not like to be in.


    "The TimeMasters are already here, while the Immortals had already shown the World Soul. Now that things had progressed at this point, a climactic scene will inevitably happen any second now." Queen Mother thought to herself as she gritted her teeth. "I could make any actions right now, but because Alex''s only instruction for us was to come here, I have no clue on what to do next¡­"


    If Queen Mother could get any more angrier now, she would be, as she had no clear idea on what to do next.


    What would she do right now, when Alex had not given her any instructions?


    Of course Queen Mother knew that she can fully well attack with her Monster Army now, but is that the right thing to do?


    Will Queen Mother''s hasty attempt to make an attack the best thing to do in this situation?


    But if Queen Mother does not do anything, there is a high chance that the ritual of the Immortals will succeed. If that happens, then Queen Mother''s Main Mission will be in a whole lot of chaos.


    "Should I move, or just wait?" Queen Mother thought to herself as she gritted her teeth. "What is the best thing to do here?"


    With the way things are going, Queen Mother will surely be stuck in indecision for longer.


    However, a new statement uttered by the haughty Immortal speaker broke Queen Mother''s current state.


    [YOU PARASITES, WE HAVE ENTERTAINED YOU ENOUGH ALREADY¡­. NOW THAT EVERY SINGLE PIECES ARE HERE, ITS TIME FOR US IMMORTALS TO REVIVE OUR PREVIOUS GLORY! MY COMRADES, START THE RITUAL!]


    "Ah s**t."

 Chapter 378 - If we want to be close with you, we must penetrate you first

    "Rumble¡­"


    After the haughty speaker gave this announcement, another burst of power came out of the Mountain of Enlightenment, which led to a sudden shaking of the ground.


    The whole plot of land 10 kilometers around the Mountain of Enlightenment started to shake, as if there was a presence that was forcing itself out of the land right now.


    "¡­."


    Queen Mother slightly swayed from her position as the quaking of the ground under her feet continued to intensify, while her monster minions did their best to act nonplussed from the earthquake.


    As time passed by, this shaking persisted until it reached to the point that the very ground itself started to split and crack.


    "Crackle¡­"


    These cracks widened until literal underground valleys appeared, which drastically changed the landscape all around Queen Mother.


    "Hong~"


    Queen Mother''s eyes constricted as these valleys appeared, as she felt something powerful existing within these newly created regions.


    "No, it was not just something. There are THINGS that are inside those valleys." Queen Mother thought to herself as she commanded her minions to jump back alongside with her. "I am not sure what''s inside those valleys, but judging by the multiple powerful presences that suddenly appeared here, I can safely say that these Immortals had cooked up additional pieces for their ritual!"


    "Boom!"


    Right after Queen Mother and her minions leapt away, the numerous valleys on the ground shook for a second before they imploded in a spectacular fashion.


    Tond of rocks and soil flew up into the air as 10 distinct-looking objects rose up from the valleys.


    A frown appeard on Queen Mother''s face as she saw these objects, as she can clearly recognize what these objects are.


    "Coffins¡­ These objects that just shot out of the ground were all coffins. Crystal coffins to be exact." Queen Mother thought to herself as she observed the 10 crystal coffins that are now floating slightly above the ground.


    These coffins were placed in a standing positon, which allowed everyone nearby to see the bodies inside these coffins.


    Because these coffins were made up of a transparent crystal, even the distant Queen Mother was able to clearly see the bodies inside the coffins.


    To Queen Mother''s relief, she can confirm that the bodies inside the coffins were thoroughly and undoubtedly dead. Howeve,r these corpses were still emitting a dangerous pressure that was enough to make Queen Mother feel vigilant.


    "It''s a good thing these bodies were just corpses. If they were alive¡­ Then there will be a bloody battle here." Queen Mother thought to herself as she stopped moving back. She then observed the corpses more as she signaled her minions to freeze.


    "Since these coffins appeared right after the Mountain of Enlightenment released a power fluctuation, that might just mean that the Immortals have planned for the sudden appearance of these coffins." Queen Mother murmured as she cracked her knuckles. She took a deep breath as she observed the coffins with more suspicion. "If the Immortals have planned these coffins in their equation, then what do they want from these coffins? These coffins only contain corpses, which in my opinion, are utterly useless, unless someone like Frances was here¡­"


    The TimeMasters interrupted Queen Mother''s thought processes as they started to clamor at the appearance of the coffins.


    Some of them had surprise and shock on their faces, as if these coffins were something that were too shocking to them.


    "Th- that guy right there was the Sect Leader of the Heavenly Sword Sect!" One of the TImeMasters shouted out as he pointed at a crystal coffin that held the corpse of a one-handed bald man.


    This corpse was also holding a sword in this left hand, which made the words of the TImeMaster sound more believable.


    "From what the records have said, this man was a Peak Stage Immortal, and he only needed a single step in order to reach the Seventh Stage!" The TImeMaster said as his hands stated to tremble. "He was a peak power in this world before, and there was almost nobody that can defeat him!"


    "He died after the invasion of our ancestors, although his corpse was never found. Some said that his corpse was destroyed or that the Great TimeMaster kept it to herself. But none of those facts were the truth! His corpse¡­ his corpse was actually right here!"


    This declaration by this TimeMaster led to a cacophony of surprised shouts among the TImeMasters, as some of them has begun to identify the other corpses.


    "That''s Empress Jade Sea! Rumors said that her corpse was used to build the foundation of the Jade Sea Prefecture!"


    "Th-the f**k! The Devil Immortal was also here? How is he here? Didn''t he sacrifice his body in order to kill one of our strongest ancestors?"


    "That''s Old Man Yuan! The strongest Saber Immortal in the world! Why is he here though? I thought the Great TimeMaster has already killed him?"


    "Isn''t that the unstoppable Mad Lord Li Qiye? Rumors said that he was the one who killed the most TimeMasters at the war before! He¡­ he actually has his corpse hidden here!"


    "¡­"


    Queen Mother stayed silent as she listened to the clamors of the TimeMasters above her. Her face slowly turned impassive as her mind began to churn out everything that she just heard.


    "The comments of the TimeMasters around me might sound chaotic, but all of them leads to one undeniable fact: And this fact is that the bodies inside the coffins are all corpses of Peak Immortals who had died before!" Queen Mother thought as she rubbed her hands. "I don''t know how they had managed to hide these corpses here, but their sudden appearance in this place must mean something important!"


    A sly glint appeared on her eyes as she ruminated on the consequences of this discovery.


    "Since these corpses are all of Peak Immortals, the power inside their bodies must be massive. Wait¡­ Is this related to the plan of these Immortals?"


    Queen Mother did not have to wait for long to have this question answered, as the haughty speaker from before started to chant with his irritating voice again.


    [HONORED PEAK IMMORTALS, EVEN IF YOU HAVE ALREADY PERISHED AT THE HAND OF THE PARASITES, YOU STILL GAVE YOUR BODIES FOR THE WELFARE OF THIS WORLD¡­ WE IMMORTALS WILL NEVER FORGET THIS FAVOR! THAT IS WHY WE PROMISE YOU THAT AFTER THIS DAY, THE IMMORTALS WILL REGAIN CONTROL OF THIS WORLD!]


    "!!!"


    [MY COMRADES, PLEASE EXTRACT THE POWER FROM THESE HONORED PEAK IMMORTALS! LET US¡­ START THE FEAST WITH EVERYONE IN THIS WORLD!]


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS]!


    "Boom!"


    All 10 crystal coffins exploded at the same time, releasing a massive blast of energy which gathered rapidly at the peak of the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    These energies were represented by silvery light, which ignored the TimeMasters as it continued to aggregate on the mountain peak.


    A few seconds passed by, and the mountain peak which only housed two people now had its third resident.


    A silver ball the size of a tree appeared at the peak of the mountain, with its body rippling like that of liquid mercury.


    This silver ball appeared to be in an unstable state, and it looks like it was only the power inside the Mountain of Enlightenment that was forcing this ball to stay stable.


    At the moment that this silver ball appeared, the Mountain of Enlightenment trembled again as 10 figures flew out of its cracks.


    These figures all wore the same masks on their faces, with their cultivation bases hidden even from Queen Mother''s perception.


    All of these figures flew towards the silver ball without any hesitation, and they did not stop moving until they were a few meters away from the ball.


    These 10 figures then held hands with each other, creating a human ring which covered the silver ball''s entire circ.u.mference.


    The silver ball''s unstable state began to intensify at this point, although the figures in the human ring seemed to take no problem with this.


    [MY IMMORTAL COMRADES, OUR OWN WORLD HAS ABANDONED US FOR THE SAKE OF THE FOREIGNERS. BECAUSE OF THIS ABANDONMENT, WE LOST OUR HOMES AND OUR RIGHTS TO THE FOREIGNERS! THIS¡­THIS DOWNRIGHT HUMILIATION ON OUR LIFE IS SOMETHING UNACCEPTABLE! WE IMMORTALS ARE NEVER MEANT TO BE LIKE THIS! WE ARE NOT SLAVES! WE ARE THE MASTERS OF OUR OWN FATE!"


    "¡­"


    [MY COMRADES, WITH THE WAY THAT THIS WORLD IS IN RIGHT NOW, WE SHOULD DO EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN TO CORRECT EVERYTHING! HOWEVER, WE CANNOT DO THESE ALONE BY OURSELVES! THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN CHANGE THIS WORLD IS BY WORKING ALTOGETHER!"


    "¡­"


    "IN ORDER TO DO THIS, WE MUST OBTAIN THE HELP OF ALL THE CULTIVATORS IN THIS WORLD! ONLY WHEN ALL OF US ARE UNITED THAT WE CAN CHANGE THE SUPPRESSION AND INJUSTICE IN THIS ERA! THAT IS WHY¡­ I IMPLORE YOU 10 TO GIVE UP YOUR FUTURE FOR THE SAKE OF ALL THE CULTIVATORS! BURN YOUR SOULS! BURN YOUR BODIES! GUIDE THIS ORB TO THE CONSCIOSNESS OF ALL THE CULTIVATORS! EVERYONE OF US¡­ MUST BE CONNECTED THROUGH HEART AND SOUL RIGHT NOW!]


    [GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!}


    "Bang bang bang!"


    The bodies of the 10 figures exploded into a fine display of blood mist, with each part of their body disintegrating in this state.


    This blood mist was rapidly absorbed by the silver ball, which further increased its instability.


    Queen Mother only bit her lips as she witnessed this, as she truly had no idea on what is happening.


    However, the words uttered by the haughty speaker had caught her attention, especially that part about connecting with the cultivators.


    "The Immortals want to connect with all the cultivators in this world? How will they do that? And what is that connection for?" Queen Mother thought with intrigue as she clenched her teeth. A greatly anxious expression appeared on her face as she continued to be conflicted right now.


    "It''s clear that things are going out of hand right now. Since things are already like this¡­ should I make a move now, or should I just wait?"


    Time did not allow Queen Mother to solve this dilemma as another change occurred on the silver ball.


    "Stwi stwi stwi!"


    Faint, whistling sounds echoed in the air as countless threads shot out of the silver ball''s body.


    Each one of these threads were as thick as human hair, with quality of their body still unknown.


    The numbers of the threads that came out were so numerous, that the literal sky above the Mountain of Enlightenment was almost blotted by them.


    Even the TimeMasters nearby appeared to be surprised by these threads, as if they did not expect to see this many.


    "1 thousand? No, its also not 100 thousand either. These threads¡­. They are around a million in number!" Queen Mother thought to herself as she looked at the threads with hostility. "From what my minions had told me earlier, there are nearly a million cultivators present in this planet, including all the ones that are still rebelling against the TimeMasters before. A million threads and a million cultivators¡­ Hmm¡­ if the numbers are like this, then does that mean that these threads are meant for all the cultivators of this world?"


    After reaching this line of thought, Queen Mother immediately looked at her left side, as she observed a group of cultivators that were hiding at a spot 100 meters away from her.


    This group of cultivators were all at this spot since earlier, observing the mountain of Enlightenment with both curiosity and fanaticism. They seemed to be only spectators here, as they did nothing against Queen Mother even when she was this close to them.


    Queen Mother has decided to observe this group of cultivators as she noticed that some of the threads had also headed to them.


    Queen Mother''s decision to watch this group was right, as she witnessed with her own eyes the actions of the threads.


    "Pu pu pu!"


    Queen Mother was able to see one of the threads swiftly penetrating the forehead of a cultivator. There was no resistance on this penetration, as it went through the cultivator''s forehead easily. In fact, the way that this thread did the penetration was so efficient that Queen Mother thought that the penetrated cultivator was killed.


    But there were no signs of death from the penetrated cultivator. In fact, the penetrated cultivator seemed to be more invigorated by the appearance of the thread, as the vitality of his body has suddenly increased in a drastic rate.


    "¡­"


    With the amount of the threads that rushed at the group, every cultivator in that group had their foreheads penetrated by the thread. None of them were unable to do anything against these threads, as the speed of these threads were too great for them to notice.


    After she witnessed this scene, Queen Mother stood still as she waited for what will happen next, as she knew that she was about to witness an important piece of the Immortals'' plan to ''regain their glory''.


    Fortunately for Queen Mother, she did not have to wait that long as after their foreheads were penetrated, the ''Threaded Immortals'' started to do a specific set of actions.


    This set of actions was something that Queen Mother was highly familiar with, and this familiarity was enough to make Queen Mother feel some nostalgia.


    This nostalgia quickly disappeared however, as Queen Mother suddenly felt a chill on her body.


    These actions actually triggered something in her mind, which led to a chain reaction on her thoughts.


    Queen Mother took some time to sort out this chain reaction, and it was only when she was able to understand her new thoughts that she stopped her analysis.


    "¡­"


    ****************


    Queen Mother seemed to be extremely calm right now, although someone like Alex could sense that her mind was anything but.


    After all, the clues that Queen Mother obtained has allowed her to discover the ''True Plan'' of the Immortals.


    Needless to say, this discovery had Queen Mother feeling intense emotions inside her.


    If words can represent these feelings right now, then the sentence that Queen Mother said as she walked will be the best one


    "Ah s**t."

 Chapter 379 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student part 9

    [Kabon!]


    [[As the first page of the purple book revealed itself, both Kibou and Celeste gulped, as they expected to see something interesting on it. However, what they saw inside was something that they did not expect to see]]]


    [[[Celeste started to tremble at her spot, while Kibou slowly pushed the book away from him. Both of them seemed to be spooked by what they saw, and this was confirmed by the words that they said.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou? I think we have made a mistake here. We should not have opened this book.


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki!


    [Celeste]: So what should we do now?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Celeste]: Stay here? No! We should run as fast as we can, or our lives will be in danger!


    [Kibou]: Ki?


    [Celeste]: Don''t look at me like that! Let''s run away right now! Do you want to die?


    [Kibou]: Ki ki!


    [Celeste]: Then let''s go!


    [[[These insistent words by Celeste had forced Kibou to run away with her, with him also throwing the Purple Book behind them. They did not look back at the Purple Book as they did their best to get as far as they could away from it.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou, is there anything that is chasing us now?


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki¡­. Ki ki ki ki!


    [Celeste]: What? There''s someone behind us now?


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Celeste]: What is it?


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki¡­


    [Celeste]: A-a Soul Reaper is chasing us now? Oh no¡­.


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki ki!


    [Celeste]: Huhuhu¡­ Kibou, we are so dead right now¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [[[Behind Celeste and Kibou was a 7 foot tall, black robed, humanoid creature. Its whole body could not be discerned as it was hidden under his robes, although a set of red, glowing eyes could be seen peeking out from his hood. One of its thin, skeletal hands held a wicked-looking scythe, which was letting out wailing sounds. Every now and often, this creature would wave the scythe around, with some of the waves almost hitting Celeste and Kibou]]]


    [Celeste]: Ah!! We''re going to die here!


    [Kibou]: Ki!!!


    [[[The air around this creature was slowly becoming stale and dry, as if the creature was sucking the very life out of the air. Even Celeste and Kibou were affected by it too, as their robust movements earlier were now turning sluggish. Their breathing also started to become labored as their flight became slower than ever.]]]


    [[[With the way that these two are moving now, it is inevitable for them to be caught by the robed creature, which Kibou called earlier as a Soul Reaper. Only a few minutes remain before the scythe of the Soul Reaper catches up to them, and once that happens, both of them will definitely die.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou, we need to think of a solution right now! We must¡­ find a way to beat the Soul Reaper! If we don''t, we die!


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki? Ki¡­


    [Celeste]: You think it is undefeatable? Yes, if this were a normal situation, we cannot beat it. But you should know where we are! We are inside the trial, which means that the rules here are different! If we are able to summon this Soul Reaper, then we can also find a way to beat it! We just have to look for it!


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­ Ki ki!


    [Celeste]: That''s the spirit! Now, what do you think should we do to beat the Soul Reaper?


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki¡­ Ki?


    [Celeste]: Yes, we must find another creature that can fight it. But how are we going to do that?


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Celeste]: Yes, we must open another special book. That is the only thing that we can do here.


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki? Ki¡­


    [[[Kibou seemed to be excited by Celeste''s suggestion to open another special book, although some trepidation can be seen on his face, as if he was also afraid of opening another book. Celeste could not really blame Kibou for this, as their first attempt to open a special book has lead them to this dangerous situation.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou, the Soul Reaper that is chasing us right now was sealed inside the Purple Book. It was trapped there, and it only got free when we opened the Purple Book. Since a book like that has a creature inside it, there is no doubt that other books will have creatures sealed inside them too! Do you know what that means? Kibou, as long as we get to find another special book, we can open it and use the creature inside it to defeat the Soul Reaper! So you don''t have to be scared of opening another special book, as this is the only way that we can survive!


    [Swoosh]


    [[[The Soul Reaper waved his scythe again, creating a shockwave that almost grazed Kibou and Celeste. This another close shave made Kibou tremble in fear, as this was the closest time that he ever got close to dying. His body almost collapsed to the ground, and it was only when Celeste caught him that he was able to regain his senses.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou, are you okay?


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki ki¡­


    [Celeste]: Kibou, I know that this might be too much for you, but we cannot afford to rest right now. If we do, the Soul Reaper will be able to take our souls and use them as its food. If we die that way, even reincarnation will be impossible for us! We will just be another sustenance for the Soul Reaper, who might attack Asteria next. Do you want all those things to happen? Do you want all of us to die? Do you want Asteria to die?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­ Ki! Ki! Ki!


    [Celeste]: So you''re okay with dying, but you don''t want Asteria to die? That''s a weird outlook, but I accept it.


    [Kibou]: Ki ki!


    [Celeste]: So for Asteria''s well-being, are you ready to help me win against the Soul Reaper?


    [Kibou]: Ki Ki!


    [Celeste]: Good. In that case, use your psychic sensors right now!


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [[[Kibou then let out an excited shout as a powerful psychic field erupted out of his body, which spread out to his surroundings. Everything that were hit by this field became signals that were recorded and observed by Kibou. Nothing inside the psychic filed were able to elude this observation, not even the tiniest particles that floated in the air.]]]


    [Kibou]: ¡­


    [Celeste]: ¡­


    [Kibou]: ¡­


    [[[This psychic field continued to increase in size until it covered a circular area the size of lake. Once this size was reached, Kibou''s eyes flashed as he continued to analyze everything inside his field.]]]


    [Celeste]: So how did it go Kibou? Did you sense any more of the special book?


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki! Ki¡­ Ki ki! Ki ki!


    [Celeste]: So you found 32 more special books? That''s great! Where''s the nearest one?


    [Kibou]:Ki ki ki!


    [Celeste]: We just need to fly for 10 more seconds before we can reach the nearest special book? Good. Let''s get that book and use it against the Soul Reaper!


    [Kibou]:Ki! Ki ki ki!


    [Celeste]: What do you mean we can''t? Is there any problem with that book?


    [Kibou]:Ki¡­


    [Celeste]: Go on, just explain everything. I am not getting angry at you now.


    [Kibou]:Ki? Ki ki! Ki¡­


    [[Kibou then proceeded to give a more concise analysis on the characteristics of the books that he had seen. According to Kibou, out of the 32 special books that he had seen, 15 of them were all Purple Colored Books. As for the other 16 books, the color that they had was Yellow.]]]


    [[[If the book of the Soul Reaper was included, that makes a total of 32 Special Books, with 16 Purple Books and 16 Yellow Books included in it.]]]


    [[[After saying this, Kibou continued talking as he said that the nearest Special Book to them was a Purple Book. With the experience that they had with the Soul Reaper, Kibou was not enthused on opening another Purple Book again.]]]


    [Celeste]: So the Purple Books might possibly contain creatures that will hurt us, while the Yellow Books might contain creatures that will help us? Is that what you are thinking? Is that why you don''t want us to open the nearest book, since it was a Purple one?


    [Kibou]:Ki!


    [Celeste]: I think¡­ I will follow your opinion. After all, we already had a bad experience with one Purple Book. I don''t want to open another Purple Book if something like a Soul Reaper exists inside it¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Celeste]: So we have to just open a Yellow Book. Kibou, where is the nearest Yellow Book?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­. Ki ki!


    [Celeste]: We have to fly for 40 more seconds to find that Yellow Book? Umm¡­. I think we can reach that book, as long as we do our best to survive here. But can we survive that long, Kibou?


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki!


    [Celeste]: So we just have to leave it on our luck? Sigh¡­. I hope this won''t backfire on us¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki ki¡­

 Chapter 380 - Just like what the old sages said before: Lets kill it with fire!

    The actions that the threaded cultivators were doing were neither aggressive nor defensive. What they were doing right now was an extremely submissive action that anyone can easily identify.


    The threaded cultivators were currently bowing in supplication, with the focus of their bows concentrated on the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    Instead of being controlled to wreak havoc, the threaded cultivators were commanded to bow for the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    Their faces were not filled with anger or disgust as they did these actions. Instead, their faces were extremely reverent, as if the bows that they were doing now were the most sacred thing that they can ever do.


    Nothing, not even the presence of the nearby Queen Mother was enough to stop these threaded Immortals from what they were doing.


    "¡­"


    Upon seeing these bows that were full of reverence, Queen Mother took a deep breath as she remembered herself receiving the same bows from her monster children.


    Her eyes flashed with nostalgia once more before she forcefully suppressed it.


    "It is similar, but also not similar¡­" Queen Mother muttered to herself as she focused her attention on the heads of the threaded cultivators. "The bows that these threaded cultivators were doing were not just meant to honor the mountain¡­ They were also meant to supply a unique kind of power!"


    Right at the foreheads of the threaded cultivators, Queen Mother witnessed varying amounts of Soul Power pouring straight on the connected threads.


    Each time that the cultivators made a bow, more and more Soul Power goes out of their foreheads, which the threads continue to take.


    All of these Soul Power were brought by the threads towards the Silver Orb, which receives them with frightening efficiency.


    The Silver Orb seemed to be a Soul-Type Black Hole right now, as it continued to devour all the Soul Power fed to it without any hints of slowing down.


    Its size, color, shape, and appearance did not change at all, as if the effects of the Soul Power that it just devoured now had no effect on it.


    Fortunately for these threaded cultivators, the amount of Soul Power obtained from them seemed to be at a minimum level, which keeps them all on a stable state (one can say that they are still alive, although further extraction of Soul Power might lead to a worse situation).


    To anyone who can see this process now, they might think that this Soul Power Extraction Process was inefficient, as the amount of Soul Power gathered from the threaded cultivators in front of Queen Mother was just too paltry to even make a difference.


    However, Queen Mother can immediately dispute this point just by showing the scenery at the sky right now.


    "¡­"


    Queen Mother slowly looked up at the sky as she remembered the words spoken by the haughty speaker earlier.


    "That person said that in order to commence their ritual properly, they must be able to communicate with all the cultivators. That task in itself was hard, but the presence of this Silver Orb mitigates all of that difficulty." Queen Mother thought to herself as she observed the million threads in the sky that are still spreading everywhere.


    "There''s no doubt about it. These threads are meant to pierce the foreheads of every cultivator in this world." Queen Mother muttered to herself as she decided to ignore the threaded cultivators in front of her. "As for why all of them were needed to be threaded, the reason for that was already obvious: The Immortals need a lot of Soul Power to do their ritual, and the best source of Soul Power in this world will be naturally from the cultivators themselves!"


    After she made this declaration, Queen Mother enhanced her senses as she looked at the threads in the sky with more scrutiny.


    There, Queen Mother observed the crazy amounts of Soul Power that are now pouring through the almost 1 million threads.


    Unlike the Soul Power gathered from earlier, the Soul Power coursing through these million threads were scarily gigantic, that no sane person will try to make contact with it.


    The Silver Orb quickly devoured this massive amount of Soul Power like a cup of soup, not leaving even a drop of it on the floor.


    The Silver Orb then started to wiggle on the spot, as if the sudden influx of power that it received has now affected it.


    It was then that the second wave of the Soul Power arrived from the million threads, which the Silver Orb naturally devoured once more.


    This new batch made the Silver Orb wiggle in a more frantic pace, making it look like a liquid mercury ball that was being shaken at a high frequency.


    Waves and waves of more Soul Power were continued to be supplied by the threads without any stop, which made the Silver Orb close to the point of bursting.


    It was an eerie sight to see for anyone, especially for the TimeMasters who seemed to have no idea on what was happening.


    "¡­"


    Instead of looking curious at the current state of the Silver Orb, Queen Mother only frowned heavily, as the sight of this wiggling ball has confirmed the worst of her suspicions.


    And to make matters even bleaker, the haughty speaker from earlier started talking again, saying the words that Queen Mother were dreading to hear now.


    [[[[THE SOUL OF THIS WORLD WERE BIRTHED BECAUSE OF THE EXISTENCE OF US CULTIVATORS. IF IT WERE NOT FOR US, THE SOUL OF THIS WORLD WOULD NEVER GROW, LEST EVEN EXIST! MY FELLOW CULTIVATORS, OUR SOULS WERE THE REASON FOR THE GROWTH OF THE SOUL OF THIS WORLD! IT WAS OUR SOULS THAT SUPPORTED THE SOUL OF THIS WORLD ALL THE TIME! BUT EVEN WITH ALL OF THESE BENEFITS THAT OUR SOULS GAVE TO IT, THE SOUL OF THIS WORLD STILL BETRAYED US! THAT¡­ THAT IS A GREAT SIN THAT WE MUST NEVER FORGIVE!]]]


    "¡­"


    [[[IT IS THE FAULT OF THOSE TIMEMASTERS THAT THE SOUL OF THIS WORLD HAS BETRAYED US. BECAUSE OF THEM, THE SOUL OF THIS WORLD LEFT US, BOTH BROKEN AND ABANDONED. WE WERE LEFT TO FEND ON OUR OWN, AND WE WERE THE ONES BLAMED FOR OUR WEAKNESS. DO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THE IRONY HERE? WE WERE TREATED LIKE WE WERE JUST TRASH IN OUR HOMELAND! THERE''S NOTHING WORSE THAN THAT!]]]


    "¡­"


    [[[BUT MY FELLOW CULTIVATORS, THERE IS NO MORE NEED TO DESPAIR NOW! FOR TODAY, WE SHALL FIX ALL THE WRONG THINGS THAT THE SOUL OF THIS WORLD HAS DONE! WE, BY THE USE OF THE POWER OF OUR SOULS, SHALL HEAL THE WORLD SOUL! WE SHALL MAKE IT REALIZE ITS REAL PURPOSE IN LIFE! WE¡­. WILL PURIFY IT!]]]


    [[[GLORY TO THE IMMORTALS!]]]


    "So the reason that the TimeMasters had won in the war before was because someone from them has managed to convince the World Soul to change the Laws in this world." Queen Mother murmured as she did nothing to stop the continuous arrival of the Soul Power. "Because of the stringent nature of a World Soul, this changing of the Laws had surely injured the World Soul, which explains its weakened state right now. This scenario is a bad news for the Immortals, as not only the World Soul was injured, its allegiance was also tied to the TImeMasters, who should be the World Soul''s actual enemies¡­"


    Queen Mother then looked at the World Soul at the peak of the mountain, who was looking at the wiggling Silver Ball with fear and hunger in her eyes. Queen Mother bit her lips as she saw this, as she was now more unsure on what to do.


    "The existence of a World Soul is closely tied to the souls of every living thing that resides on it." Queen Mother slowly said as she started walking back to her monster army. Her footsteps were heavy, as if the thoughts inside her mind were slowing her down right now. "The existence of the souls of the living things dictate the existence of the World Soul, and any changes on them can have an effect on the World Soul itself."


    "What the Immortals are doing right now is an application of that principle." Queen Mother said as she shook her head. "By gathering the pure Soul Power of every cultivator in this world, the Immortals can use this power to change the World Soul. As long as they have the right amount of Soul Power with them, not only can they heal the injured World Soul, they can also make it undergo a ''purification'' process, which will surely make it go back to its ''Cultivator-supportive'' personality!"


    "This is the ''Ritual'' that were planned by the Immortals. They knew after their loss from the TimeMasters that they won''t win through a straight battle. The only way that they can win is by seizing back the World Soul and make it their ally again! Only if they do this that they will have a chance of beating the TimeMasters for good!"


    Queen Mother stopped walking at this point as she looked back at the World Soul.


    The World Soul now looked to be in an extremely pitiful state, as she was doing her best to run away from the Silver Orb.


    These attempts of hers to run however was futile, as her body was not listening to her.


    Her body was slowly drifting towards the Silver Orn, and there was nothing that the World Soul can do to stop it.


    "This World Soul might not want to be healed and purified, but her body was saying a different thing." Queen Mother muttered to herself with solace as she watched the World Soul''s futile attempts to leave.


    "If the Immortals were doing a ritual to harm her, this World Soul can easily leave the ritual. But what the Immortals were doing right now is an attempt to help her. Even if she does not want it, her body will have no choice but to accept it, as a massive heaping of pure Soul Power was something that an injured World Soul badly needs¡­"


    The conflict inside Queen Mother''s mind became more and more chaotic as she suddenly found herself facing another dilemma right now.


    "If Alex told me to disrupt this ritual, should I really disrupt this ritual? If I disrupt this ritual, the World Soul will be able to retain her personality, but that will rob her of her chance to be healed. I am not sure¡­ if that is something that I can do. But if I do not disrupt the ritual, the World Soul will surely be a different person. That¡­ is essentially a murder, and I am not sure if I can also allow that to happen."


    If Queen Mother can spit out blood right now, she could have done it already, as her current situation was not something that she can just easily handle.


    "Alex¡­ you better come up with a good plan for this situation! And you better make it fast!" Queen Mother snarled as she cracked her knuckles menacingly. She only had respect and deference to Alex before, although these emotions were now replaced by both impatience and irritation.


    "And as for you Asteria, you better do something good right now! The ritual has started already, and yet you still had not done anything useful! What the hell are you doing inside there actually?"


    *****************


    INSIDE THE MOUNTAIN OF ENLIGHTENMENT


    While Queen Mother was literally about to have a meltdown in anxiety, someone inside the Mountain of Enlightenment was also experiencing torrential emotions, although these emotions were nothing related to anxiety.


    "Hoomans sure know how to cook. This honey-glazed peanut butter sandwich that the cook made is definitely a treasure!" Asteria shouted out in bliss as she slowly devoured a sandwich which she was holding in her hands.


    Her face was filled with pleasure as she appeared to be only focused on eating her sandwich.


    She seemed to not care on what was happening around her, and she seemed to not even notice the start of the ritual itself.


    Even the loud words spoken by the haughty speaker were all ignored by Asteria.


    Right now, there was only one thing that existed for Asteria, and that was the honey-glazed peanut butter sandwich on her hands.


    There was nothing else that was more important than this sandwich, and she must do everything that she can do in order to properly savor it!


    "Nom nom nom¡­"


    It was only when she finished her sandwich that the dumb fairy remembered what she was supposed to do.


    "Ah¡­ QM told me to do something useful here. Why did I even forget that? Oh right, it was because of the sandwich!" Asteria muttered to herself innocently as she knocked her forehead. "Ehem, it seems like I missed out on a lot of things. It''s¡­ not yet too late, right? Well maybe it''s not yet too late since the whole mountain is not yet exploding. Should I make the mountain explode? Hehehe, QM will surely be amazed by that!"

 Chapter 381 - Fly like a Butterfly, Hide like a Fly!

    If Queen Mother could see Asteria right now, she will surely smack the hell out of this dumb fairy.


    After all, instead of doing her job, Asteria actually wasted her time on eating some food when she was supposed to be helping out Queen Mother. With the way that things are going right now, what Asteria just did was fully unacceptable!


    But since there was a barrier around the Mountain of Enlightenment, Asteria''s deeds were unfortunately unnoticed by Queen Mother.


    "But I do not have the power to explode a mountain¡­ only Alex or Alina can do that. Oh, QM can do it too! Hm, speaking of QM, why the hell is she not doing anything now? Is she just wasting her time?" Queen Mother said as she started to grumble to herself. "I''m risking my life infiltrating this place, and she just stays outside leisurely? Unacceptable!"


    [[Author''s Note: What did she just say?]]


    Asteria then flew towards the nearby window as she wanted to see what Queen Mother is doing right now.


    With the way that this window was placed, Asteria knew that she will be able to perfectly see everything around the mountain, including Queen Mother herself.


    "If I see QM slacking outside right now, I will make sure to tell it to Alex later!" Asteria thought to herself as she expected to see an extremely laid-back situation. After all, she did not hear any sounds of battle. "Since there are no sounds of battle, that must mean that there''s no battle, right? Hehehe, come on QM, show me your lazy side!"


    But instead of seeing this ''peaceful scenario'', what the dumb fairy saw was the direct opposite of that.


    She saw a massive army of TimeMasters hacking down a translucent barrier that was covering the whole Mountain of Enlightenment. The sounds of their attacks were blocked the barrier, which made their attacks appear silent and soundless.


    "¡­"


    Above these attacking TImeMasters, Asteria saw a tumultuous amount of threads, all floating merrily in the sky.


    All of them were connected to this weird-looking silver ball, that seemed to be interested on covering a nearby girl.


    This girl in question appeared to be afraid of the silver ball as she tried to run away from it, although her body was being pulled slowly towards the ball itself.


    Some of tendrils from the silver ball started to reach out to the girl, with the girl doing her best to swat them away.


    The girl''s attempt to do this was of course futile, as the tendrils were able to wrap themselves around her limbs.


    More and more tendrils then continued to wrap the girl as time passed by, making her look like a victim of a tentacle attack.


    This sight was both absurd and funny to Asteria, who seemed be surprised with what she had just witnessed.


    "¡­This all happened while I was eating?" Asteria exclaimed as she looked down on her honey-stained hands. They were glistening brightly right now, and Asteira could not help but lick them as she started to back away from the window.


    "Emm¡­. I think QM is pissed at me right now¡­" Asteria muttered to herself as she continued backing away from the window. "Since this big event is happening already, QM must have been waiting for me to do my job. Ehehe, will she kill me if she knew that I just ate sandwich right now? No no no, she can''t do that, right?"


    At this point, Asteria became low-key panicked as she realized that she had just messed up.


    She had promised Queen Mother that she will do something awesome, but what she just achieved right now was the opposite of that.


    There''s no way that knocking out a mortal cook and eating his honey-glazed peanut butter sandwich was an awesome act. Even if that was cool in Asteria''s opinion, she''s sure that Queen Mother will just be scoffing at it.


    "Ugh I hate my stupid mouth. Why did I have to boast like that earlier? Now QM expects me to do something awesome¡­ F**k this!" Asteria cursed inwardly to herself as she regretted listening to Queen Mother''s taunts earlier. "What can I even do against an army of TImeMasters and a ritual that seemed to be focused on World Souls? F**k¡­ can I just leave this place?"


    After she said these words, Asteria took a deep breath as she decided to just fly away from this mountain right now.


    Asteria knows her limits, and the current situation in this mountain was one of those ''I have to get the hell out of here'' situations. For a Guide like Alina, these situations were something that only the Travelers themselves can solve.


    "Fly like a butterfly, hide like a fly!" Asteria mumbled to herself as she accelerated her flight speed. "I might have faced a blockade right now, but I will surely be able to overcome this in the future! For now¡­ I just have to do a tactical retreat. Yes, I am not running away! I am just doing a tactical retreat!"


    At this point, Asteria was already close to the Main Hall, which was the place that she first appeared in earlier. Asteria knew that her chance of leaving will be high once she reaches the Main Hall, so she did her best to arrive at this place without any hiccups.


    "Just a little more¡­ and I will succeed on my retreat!"


    But just like what Murphy''s Law says, what can go wrong will go wrong, and in Asteria''s case, something went wrong with her escape attempt.


    "Grandpa look! It''s the dumb fairy that Alex is always teasing! She''s actually here! Let''s go and meet her!" An excited voice said, with the speaker pointing her finger at Asteria''s direction. "Come on grandpa, Asty is here! Maybe she is here to help us out!"


    "F**k! Why is she here?" Asteria froze in the air after she heard this joyous voice. "Wasn''t she supposed to be with Alex and Alina? F**k¡­ this messes everything up¡­"


    The person who saw the escaping Asteria was Kiera, who was looking at Asteria with both joy and relief on her face.


    This little girl seemed to be overjoyed by the sight of Asteria, that she had ignored the awkward grimace that appeared on the fairy''s face as Kiera started pinching her cheeks.


    "Asty, are you here to help us out?" Kiera asked as she continued talking with excitement. "Did Big Brother Alex tell you about Annie''s situation? Please say yes!"


    "¡­"


    Instead of answering the little girl''s query, Asteria only stayed silent as she tried to make her face stay composed.


    She did her best to not look angry, although her mind was certainly irritated right now.


    "F**k! My decision to allow Kiera to see me has backfired on me today! F**k this! F**k!!" Asteria continuously cursed in her mind as her wings flapped in agitation. "In normal cases, only Travelers, Companions, and those with Divine Sensory Organs can detect me. For people other than that, they must obtain my consent to be detected first."


    Asteria then winced at this point as she avoided Kiera''s innocent stared at her. "In Kiera''s case, I allowed her to detect me, since Alex has forced me to do so. At first I thought this would be ok, since Kiera was just a normal girl¡­ But f**k! I have never been more wrong in that assumption!"


    "Um Asty, are you ok?" Seeing that Asteria''s grimace made her look like she had eaten a sour lemon, the previously excited Kiera slowly became timid as she asked Asteria this question. "Are you feeling sick right now? Wait¡­ did Big Brother Alex feed you something bad again? Hmph, Big Brother Alex is always mean to you! Why don''t we scold him later?''


    "¡­"


    As the barrage of Kiera''s words started to pour out of her mouth, Asteria was left with no choice but to speak up right now.


    "Shut it, little girl. I don''t want to hear anymore of your yammering, ok?" Asteria said as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Do you know all the stress that I just got from today? You can never imagine it! So please don''t make it worse for me ok?"


    "Um ok¡­"


    "Oh, and who the hell is this Annie that you are talking about? Is she someone important? Or is she an enemy? Quick, tell it to me now!"


    "Asty, you don''t know Annie?"


    "Hell no! Should I know her?"


    "Y-you should¡­" The excitement on Kiera had fully disappeared, as the irritation and ignorance that Asteria showed has directly wiped it away from her.


    Her previously hopeful look was also gone, as only uncertainty and sadness could be seen on her face. She also started to look a little lost, as Asteria''s behavior seemed to have been unexpected to her.


    "Oi-" At this point, Asteria started to notice that something weird was going on with Kiera, but before she could take note of it, the little girl let out a light sniffle that made the fairy freeze on her spot once more.


    "Sniffle sniffle¡­''


    After she made this sound, the little girl then hunched down on her place as tears began to pool on her eyes. Her whole body started to shiver as she began to let out small, sad sobs.


    Kiera began to leak out a sad and desolate feeling, which left Asteria both fl.u.s.tered and panicked.


    "Oi little girl, why the hell are you crying now? Was it because of what I said? I-I take it back! I am not angry at you anymore!"


    After Asteria said these panicked words, the almost crying Kiera looked at the fairy for a second before she let out another sniffle.


    "A-Asty, when Annie was taken by the bad guys earlier for the ritual, I felt hopeless and scared for Annie. I don''t have any way to help her right now, and all that I can do is wish for help. A-at first I thought my wish was just useless as I am just a normal girl¡­ But then, you came here."


    "¡­"


    "Asty, when I saw you here, I felt so happy as I thought that you were here to save Annie¡­ There''s no way that you are here to waste time, as you are Big Brother Alex''s sidekick! You did not just appear here to have a trip, right?"


    "¡­"


    "But I was wrong. You are still as useless as before Asty. You¡­ you just made me feel false hope!" Kiera said as she did her best to dry her eyes. "Why did you even come here Asty? Are you here just to waste your time? If that''s your intention, then please leave now! I don''t want to see you loitering like this here!"


    "¡­" Asteria tried to say something for her defense, but she was unable to, as she realized that she had no way to explain herself.


    After all, Kiera had quickly seen through Asteria''s intentions already. Even if Asteria tries to make an excuse on why she had no knowledge about ''Annie'', there is no way that Kiera will just forgive her.


    "F**k, think! If I let things go on like this, it will be really bad for me!" Asteria thought to herself as she ignored the continuous sniffling of Kiera. "What can I do to redeem myself right now? What should I say to make Kiera feel better again?"


    Asteria''s brain, which she had rarely used on its full capacity, has now revved up beyond is maximum limits as Asteria desperately thought of a way to make her current situation salvageable.


    She ignored everything around her as she only thought of one thing in her mind.


    "I must find the best thing to say to Kiera!"


    ******************


    Time passed by at this state, with Kiera crying silently in her place and Asteria still desperately ''thinking''.


    These two seemed to be able to stay in their current state forever, and it appears as if only an external stimulus can stop them right now.


    Kiera''s grandpa, who witnessed these things happening from the sidelines, started to let out a sigh as he realized that this must not go on anymore.


    He then took a step forward as he decided to take Kiera away from this place already.


    But before the old man could get near Kiera, Asteria''s head suddenly perked up as she flew towards the little girl.


    There was a manic expression on Asteria''s face as she approached Kiera, which made the little girl slightly flinch.


    Asteria seemed to take no note of this as she started speaking in a solemn tone.


    "Kiera, what if I told you that you can save Annie with your power? Are you willing to abandon everything that you have right now in order to save Annie? If you are, then take my hand, and I will show you the truth!"

 Chapter 382 - Mind, Body, Essence, and Soul.

    "You can make me use my powers? Is that true Asty?"


    Asteria''s bid to redeem herself seemed to have worked, as the disgust and weariness on Kiera''s eyes disappeared. Hope lit up her face once more as she looked back at Asteria.


    "Yes, I can make you awaken your powers!" Asteria hurriedly said as she waved her hands around her. "Just trust me and let the process happen!"


    "The process? What are you talking about?" Suspicion returned on Kiera''s eyes as she began to regard Asteria with wariness. "Asty, are you sure that you are not fooling me?"


    "Oi Kiera, why are you saying that? Do you still doubt me?"


    "Asty, Big Brother Alex told me to always be wary of you."


    "He said what?"


    "Big Brother Alex said that every good action that you did always had a hidden agenda. He said that you are not the type of person to help others easily. If you said that you want to help someone, that was because you can get something beneficial from them¡­"


    "What the hell?"


    "Big brother Alex said that you''re like that witch who fed Snow White the poisoned apple. At first, it looked like she was helping Snow White, but the truth was that the witch only wanted Snow White to fall asleep for her own agendas¡­"


    "That ingrown hooman! He actually compared me to an old hag? Argh!!! Just you wait hooman. Once I see you, I will show you what''s worse than a witch!"


    "Asty, does that mean that you are worse than a witch?"


    "Hah? No Kiera, that was just a figure of speech! Don''t take that to heart!"


    "Ok?"


    "Hey, why are we even talking about Alex? We are talking here about my offer to you! Do you want to accept it or not?"


    "Asty¡­. I am not sure if I can trust you with your offer. What if you are just scamming me here?"


    "Scam? No, I am not scamming you! I swear!" Asteria thumped her chest at this point, as if she was trying to show her sincerity. "I really have a way to awaken your powers, and you can use this power to help Annie! Why can''t you just believe me for now?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­If you really have a way to awaken my power, then can you tell me what my power really is?" The na?ve Kiera from earlier seemed to have disappeared as her face only displayed seriousness. "Ever since Big Brother Alex took me in, he never explained to me what my power really is. If you can explain my power to me, then I might believe your claims¡­"


    "That hooman never told you about your power? Not even a single bit?" Asteria asked with surprise apparent on her face. "He did not tell you anything at all?"


    "Um¡­ Big Brother Alex only told me that he knew what my power is, but for my safety, he said that he will not tell more about it." Kiera replied as she looked down on the floor. "He told me that its dangerous for me to know, since I still have no way to control it. He said that¡­ I can only know my real power once I have a way to control or awaken it."


    "Oh¡­ I see I see." Asteria only nodded her head after hearing Kiera''s reply, as if she was in agreement on what she just heard. "I think Alex is right there. If you have no way to control your power, it is better for you to now know it. Yes, Alex did the right thing with his silence."


    This reply by Asteria made Kiera frown, as she seemed to have noticed something wrong with what Asteria just said.


    "Asty, if you are saying that Alex was right, then doesn''t that mean that you are also not allowed to tell me anything about my power too?"


    "Hah? That will be the case if you still have no way to control your power. But I have a way to make you awaken and control your power, so it will be fine for me to tell everything about your real power!" Asteria smugly replied, as she appeared to be happy on saying these. "So how about it Annie, are you in or out?"


    "Asty, are you sure that you can really awaken my power?"


    "Yes, I am sure!"


    "Asty, if something bad happens to me, Big Brother Alex will punish you heavily. Are you still sure on doing this to me?"


    "He will punish me? Heh, let him try that later! I have nothing to be scared of! I am sincere on awakening your power, so you should not worry about anything!"


    "Asty¡­ you''re actually serious about this. Okay, I am in."


    "Hehehe, that''s good answer Annie. Good answer!"


    "¡­"


    "Hey Kiera, don''t look at me like I am a trash! Hey! You little- Okay, okay. I will stop laughing like a creep already, are you happy now?"


    "¡­"


    Asteria had no choice but to look serious at this point, as Kiera appeared to be focused right now.


    "So Kiera¡­ just like we had agreed earlier, I will first tell you about your power, and then I will awaken it. Are you ready to hear the truth?"


    "Yes Asty, I am ready. Whatever you will say to me, I will accept it, as everything that I do now is for Annie!"


    "Oh¡­ what a pure love between friends. Will it evolve to something romantic in the future?"


    "H-hey Asty! What are you talking about! Shouldn''t we discuss about my power?"


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, my bad. "


    "¡­."


    ******************


    "So in your world, there are people like the Symbolists, the Celestials, and the Devourers. Everyone of them had their own special ability, and they came from some kind of source." Asteria said as she started her lecture. "The power of the Symbolists came from a Blue-Skinned Divine Being, while the powers of the Celestials came from an angel itself."


    "An angel? That''s cute!"


    "Shut up. Let me talk."


    "¡­"


    "As for the Devourers, their powers came from a Green-Skinned Divine Being. You can see a pattern here, right? Every power that appeared in your world came from powerful beings, and without them, the powers would not appear." Asteria then cleared her throat as she gave Kiera a pointed look. "And that''s where your power arrives in the story. If the other powers have their own source, yours have its own source too. Do you get that, Kiera?"


    "Yes, I get it Asty. So where did my power came from?"


    "It came from a Demon." Asteria replied in a normal tone as she ignored Kiera''s choking sounds. "A powerful Demon had its power stripped, and then portions of it were given to people like you. Pretty bizarre in my opinion, if you asked me."


    "A Demon? But-"


    "Don''t complain anymore, Kiera. That is the truth." Asteria replied as she waved her hand. "A demon was the real source of your power. Just accept it."


    "Ah ok¡­"


    "Now that I have told you that, its time for me to go to the exciting part¡­" Asteria said as she rubbed her hands in an energetic manner. "It''s time for me to tell you about the characteristics of your power."


    "I''m listening, Asty."


    "Ehem, so the power that you got from this Demon was a simple, yet effective one." Asteria started to say as she tried to avoid Kiera''s burning gaze. "Simply speaking, your power should have been Soul Manifestation."


    "Soul¡­ Manifestation?"


    "Out of all the beings that lived in the Multiverse, it was the Demons that can be considered to be the most selfish." Asteria suddenly said as her voice sounded solemn. "They were originally a part of the Holy Order, but due to their selfishness, they were kicked out."


    "¡­"


    "After they were kicked out, the Demons had their entire bodies and souls warped by their desires in an extreme manner. This made them lose their original ability, which led to them gaining a new ability. And this new ability was the one that we were just talking about: Soul Manifestation."


    "¡­"


    "In simple terms, Soul Manifestation allows a demon to manifest their desires as a usable power." Asteria said as she started clapping her hands. "Each demon that has this ability needs to have a powerful soul, as the soul will be the medium for the manifestation of their desire. Without a powerful soul, the manifestation of the desire will fail."


    "¡­"


    "Now, a demon with Soul Manifestation can only manifest one usable power. This means that even if a demon has many desires in its life, it can only manifest one power to represent these desires. It cannot just manifest 7 powers at a time. It can only manifest one, and only one alone."


    "¡­"


    "As for what this power could be, that will depend on the individual itself." Asteria then let out a cough as she appeared to be sorting out her memories. "Okay... so the example that I can use here was the Demon that Alex fought before. That Demon appeared to be a war-aligned being, so his desires were aligned with weapons. This desire, combined with Soul Manifestation, made him manifest a power that allows him to create or summon powerful and exotic weapons."


    "¡­"


    "That''s the gist of Soul Manifestation. Each one demon had their own unique desires, which means that the power that they will get from Soul Manifestation will be different too." After saying these words, Asteria looked deeply at Kiera, as if she was trying to tell the little girl something.


    "So Kiera, once you have the ability to use Soul Manifestation, you will have your own power too, which will reflect your desires. Just make sure¡­ that your desires are the right desires. Because if you have wicked desires inside you, the power that you will manifest will be wicked too. "


    "Asty¡­ that was deep." This was all that Kiera could say as she appeared to be overwhelmed by Asteria''s explanation. "So is this why you are saying that I can save Annie? Are you saying that as long as I can use Soul Manifestation, I can manifest an ability that can help Annie?"


    "Exactly." Asteria replied as she nodded at Kiera. "If I can awaken your Soul Manifestation ability right now, saving Kiera will be a piece of cake."


    "In that case, awaken my power now, Asty!"


    "Hold up. Before I do that, let me say something important to you first." Asteria said as raised her hands, which stopped the little girl from talking. "Do you know why you and the others in your world were unable to awaken your powers even now? Aren''t you curious by that?''


    "Well Asty, I am curious before, but now I don''t care anymore. Just awaken my power already!"


    "Kiera, I don''t care if you don''t care. I will still tell you the reason why."


    "¡­"


    Kiera appeared to be put-off by Asteria''s comment, which led to her sending an impatient glare at Asteria''s direction. Asteria naturally ignored it as she continued talking.


    "The reason for your inability to use Soul Manifesatoin was because of your soul." Asteria said as she crossed her arms. "It was mainly your soul that was preventing you from accessing the power of the Demon."


    "My soul?"


    "Soul Manifestation is an ability that was only meant to be used by Demons." Asteria said as she tapped the side of her head. "After all, Soul Manifestation was a created ability by the Demons. This means that Soul Manifestation was only tailored for the soul of the Demons. If you don''t have the soul of the Demon, then you are not worthy to use Soul Manifestation. It''s just as simple as that."


    "Hey Asty, if that was true, then why did I gain Soul Manifestation ability?" Kiera asked, as she seemed to not believe Asteria. "Why would I have this power if I am not meant to use it?"


    "Kiera, just like what I said to you earlier, your power was taken away from a Demon. Who knows, maybe you were just used as a vessel to hide a portion that Demon''s power." Asteria replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "Of course there might be a different reason, but the case still stands. Someone placed the Soul Manifestation ability inside you, and that someone does not care if you can activate this power or not."


    "That-"


    "Yes, that sounds unfair, but we''re not talking about fairness here!" Asteria blurted out as she interrupted Kiera. "We are talking about awakening your supposedly ''unusable'' ability, so you should stop sulking right now!"


    "But Asty, if my soul is the problem, then isn''t it impossible for me to use Soul Manifestation?" Kiera replied as she appeared to be desolate again. "After all, my soul is not of a demon¡­"


    "Then we will just change your soul make-up." Asteria said as she let out a huff. "So what if the problem is your soul? If your ability requires you to have a demon soul, then we shall turn your soul into a demon soul! That''s just as simple as that!"


    "!!!"

 Chapter 383 - If you read the latest Interlude, then you will understand this chapter

    "Asty¡­ what you are saying does not sound good at all¡­" Even though Kiera had no knowledge on the world that her Big Brother Alex was involved in, she knows that the matter of turning her soul into a demon soul is not a pleasant thing. "Asty, you''re just teasing me now, right?"


    "Hah? I am not teasing you. I really have a way to turn your soul into a demon soul!" Asteria replied unabashedly as she kept up a straight face. "Why are you not believing me again?"


    "It''s not that I don''t believe you Asty. It''s just that¡­ all this talk about turning my soul into a demon soul is making me feel squeamish."


    "Oh, so you''re scared of having your soul changed? Is that it?"


    "Yes, yes. That''s what I am scared of Asty. What if something bad happens to me once I changed my soul? What if I became a demon? Asty¡­ I don''t want that happening to me!"


    "Hmph, that''s your only problem? And here I thought you have a real issue¡­" Asteria seemingly muttered to herself as she appeared to be disappointed with Kiera''s behavior.


    "You don''t need to worry about that, Kiera. Everything that will happen to you will be temporary, so there''s no need for you to fear for any side-effects!"


    "Temporary? Asty, when you say temporary, do you mean¡­"


    "Yes. Your soul will only temporarily change into a demon soul." Asteria enthusiastically said as she started to rummage on her clothes. "You can say that once I change your soul into a demon soul, you will only stay on that state for around 30 minutes. Once that 30-minute time was up, your soul will be back to being your normal soul again!"


    "¡­"


    "So don''t think about those side-effects anymore. Even if there are side-effects, they will also be temporary, like your soul change."


    "So my soul will only change for 30 minutes? Is that enough to help Annie out?" Upon hearing Asteria''s ''assurance'', Kiera seemed to have lost her aversion on Asteria''s proposal as she began to approach the fairy.


    "Well, it will depend on what power you can manifest." Asteria replied as her left hand stopped its movement. "If you can manifest a power that will be the perfect fit for this situation, then you will be able to help her out. Oh, and speaking of your power, I already got the object that will activate your power¡­"


    Asteria then slowly moved her left hand away from her clothes, with her gestures making it apparent that whatever this ''object'' was, it should be the one being held by her left hand right now.


    A few more seconds passed by before Asteria was able to fully reveal her hand. Once this happened, Kiera was able to see an object that was nestled right at the center of Asteria''s left hand.


    "¡­"


    Kiera''s face immediately warped in disgust as she saw the object on Asteria''s hand, as if the very existence of this object was enough to revolt her.


    Even Asteria had disgust on her face too, as she appeared to be not happy with what she was holding.


    "Asty, what is that round, slimy thing that you are holding?" Kiera asked with trepidation as she stopped approaching Asteria. "Is that the thing that will help me out?"


    "Kiera, there''s no need for you to be disgusted of this. This is indeed the thing that will activate your power." Asteria replied with her gaze averted away from the slimy thing. "As for what this thing is, you can just say that this is an¡­eye. Yes, an eye of a demon. In fact, I can remember that this eye is called the Eye of Baal. Pretty cool name, right?"


    Asteria then slightly squeezed the eye, making its pupil dilate and some of its fluids drip down the floor.


    "Asty, I don''t care if that name is cool! I don''t want to get near that slimy thing at all!" Kiera exclaimed as she started to not look at the eye. "And Asty, can you please not squeeze it? It''s making me sick!"


    "Asty, cease that behavior at once!" Asteria barked out, as she appeared to be fed up with Kiera''s timidness. She then began to let out ''tsk tsk'' sounds which grated on Kiera''s ears.


    "Kiera, this Eye of Baal is the only thing that can help you right now. So what if it is disgusting? Without this, you can''t do anything to save your friend!"


    "But Asty-"


    "Kiera, if you don''t have the courage to even face this thing, then how can you save Annie?"


    "¡­"


    "What Kiera? Will you still not do it?''


    "I-I''ll do it?"


    "Repeat those words."


    "I-I''ll do it."


    "Say it again."


    "I''ll do it already, ok? I''ll do it! I''ll do it! I''ll do it! I''ll do it!!!!!!"


    "Now that''s what I want to here. Hehehe..." Asteria said with relish as she flew towards Kiera. Kiera only flinched a little as Asteria approached, with her not backing away at all. Her eyes, which were wandering earlier, were now looking at the Eye of Baal seriously, as if she was trying to engrave its image on her very own eyes.


    "So Asty, for me to activate my power, I just have to touch this eye, right?" Kiera asked as the Eye of Baal went nearer and nearer to her. "I¡­ don''t need to do anything other than touching it, right?"


    "Well, touching this eye won''t give you any benefits. You have to be integrated with it for it to affect you." Asteria replied in a tone that made her sound a little sadistic. "So if you really want this to work, you have to eat this eye. If you don''t, then there''s chance that your power will not activate at all. You wouldn''t want that now, not with your friend in danger, right?"


    "Ugh¡­ I have to eat the eye? Asty please, is there any other way that I can use this eye to activate my po-"


    "If you don''t want to eat it, then I will make you eat it."


    Before Kiera could full voice out her complaint, Asteria suddenly increased her flying speed as she flew straight towards Kiera''s open mouth.


    Asteria faced no obstacles entering Kiera''s mouth, as the little girl was just unable to cope up with Asteria''s speed.


    "Thump."


    Once inside Kiera''s mouth, the dumb fairy quickly lobbed the Eye of Baal straight down on Kiera''s throat, leaving Kiera literally speechless as a rounded object just slid in on her esophagus.


    "Kehok!"


    Poor Kiera had no choice left but to swallow the eye right now, as it was just too deep in to be pulled out.


    "Asty¡­"


    As the Eye of Baal began to roll down to her stomach, the clearly angry Kiera could only give a baleful stare at Asteria, who had successfully flown out of her mouth.


    The dumb fairy seemed to look not guilty at all, as she only gave Kiera a victory sign with her fingers.


    "..."


    A few more minutes passed by like this, with Kiera only standing on her spot and her eyes glaring at Asteria.


    At this point in time, Asteria started to feel uncomfortable, as she realized that there was something different on Kiera right now.


    The current Kiera began to emit a mature aura, which was something that Kiera should not be able to do. After all, she is just a young girl who had not yet experienced anything. Heck, not even Asteria can emit this mature aura even with all of her efforts!


    "¡­"


    This mature aura had amplified the animosity in Kiera''s glare, which made Asteria feel more and more uncomfortable.


    "Kiera, now that you have successfully eaten the Eye of Baal, your soul will quickly change into that of a demon soul." Asteria said as she did her best to ignore the anger in Kiera''s gaze. "But since this change was only catalyzed by a small part of a demon, the change will only last for 30 minutes. Once that 30 minutes have passed by, your soul will be back to normal, and there will be no lasting side-effects. The Eye of Baal that you have eaten however will disappear, as its components were used as the fuel for your change¡­"


    "¡­"


    "So rejoice Kiera! You now have the power to save Annie, although it will only last for 30 minutes! It is only during these 30 minutes that you can use Soul Manifestation! Once your soul turns back to normal, you will be barred from using Soul Manifestatoin again! So don''t waste your time glaring at me anymore! Just focus on what you should really do! Yes, just do what you need to do!"


    "Oi Asty, I am happy that you went out of your way to activate my power. However, I am extremely unhappy on how you did it." Kiera coldly said as Asteria shrank back on her place. "I really want to chase you right now, but just like what you said, I need to save Annie first. So Asty, be happy that I am occupied now. ¡­"


    Kiera''s personality seemed to have drastically changed after she ate the Eye of Baal, which appeared to be a sign that the Eye of Baal is now doing its work. Of course Asteria was happy by this discovery, although there was some part of her that was also feeling scared right now¡­


    "Ok I get what you are saying Kiera. So um, can you focus now on your power? Can you activate it already?" Asteria asked hurriedly in an attempt to change the topic. "Do you feel as if you can manifest your desires right now? Do you think that you can do the things that a demon can do by itself?"


    "Asty, I am not sure on how to describe it, but I feel as if there was a flame burning inside me now." Kiera said as she started to caress her tummy. Her face held curiosity on it as she continued on stroking her tummy. "I feel as if I can manipulate these flames to do my bidding, and that it can do anything, as long as I will it do so."


    "Yes, that''s it Kiera. That''s the power that you should use!" Asteria exclaimed as she clapped her hands.


    Her wings then began to wave in a frenzied manner as she started to mime a pulling motion with her fingers.


    "Now, if you want to manifest your power with those flames, you should think of your desires while pulling those flames out of your body." Asteria said as she pointed to Kiera''s throat. "As long as you are thinking of what you desire while those flames are coming out of your mouth, those flames will take the form that will grant these desires of yours!"


    "It is just that easy? Well then, I shall start the process now." Kiera then closed her eyes as she sat cross-legged on the floor. Her whole body then started to emit heat as she opened her mouth.


    "Hum!"


    Steam literally appeared on her skin as the heat on her body just continued to increase. Even her clothes were affected by the heat too, as some of them started burning on the spot.


    Her hair was fortunately unaffected by the heat, as it just continued to sway behind her in a graceful manner.


    Kiera appeared to have not noticed any of these things, as she was only focused on what she was doing right now.


    "I want a power to save Annie. I want a power to save Annie. I want a power to save Annie¡­" Kiera continuously chanted these words as flames began to crawl out of her mouth.


    The flames appeared to be sentient, as instead of bursting out into the air like normal flames, these flames started to cover Kiera''s body.


    Every inch of her skin was covered, until Kiera looked like a human barbecue grill.


    The flames then expanded and contracted as they danced all over Kiera''s skin, creating a magnificent sight that was able to leave even someone like Asteria at awe.


    This process continued for 5 more seconds before the flames disappeared.


    "¡­"


    Once the flames were gone, Kiera''s whole body was displayed once more, and this time around, she actually looked like a different person.


    No, not a different person. A different creature.


    "Kiera, that form¡­" Asteria stuttered out as she observed Kiera''s new appearance. "Do you know what your new form signifies?"


    "You''re asking me about the significance of this form of mine? Frankly speaking, I am not sure. But I can feel that this form is the power given to me by my Soul Manifestation ability." Kiera replied as she started to move her new body. "Why Asty? Is there a problem with it?''


    "You''re asking me if there is a problem?" Asteria replied as her eyes took note of Kiera''s new body. "I think there is a problem with your transformation!"


    "What''s wrong with this form?" Kiera replied as she twirled the black robes that was covering her body. She then waved the long scythe that she was holding in her left hand, which was accompanied by the wails of dead people. "I think this new form of mine is pretty cool¡­"


    "Cool? Kiera, you just transformed into a Soul Reaper! Do you know how uncool is that?" Asteria shouted out as she put herself away from the scythe''s range. "Kiera, you are now literally one of the most dangerous creatures that can exist in the Multiverse¡­. Having a form like that is just a way to invite trouble here!"


    "Oh really? If that''s true, then my current form must be powerful then." Kiera replied as she only smiled after hearing Asteria''s bleak words. "I''m glad to know that."


    "¡­."

 Chapter 384 - Harvest Overlord

    "No no no no! I don''t think you should be any happy at all!" Asteria said as she started to shake her head. "There are many that fear Soul Reapers, and some of them had created specific ways to kill them. If your presence here were to be detected by the people from other Worlds, your life will be in grave danger!"


    With the knowledge that she had before, Asteria already had an idea on how Soul Reapers were reviled and feared by many.


    Soul Reapers were beings that can manipulate and consume souls of sentient beings. They have multitudes of abilities that were meant for souls alone, and there were no other types of creatures in the Multiverse that can best them in this aspect!


    With this kind of power, nobody in the whole Multiverse can ignore the Soul Reapers. After all, having your soul sucked away by a Soul Reaper''s Scythe is an experience that nobody would want for themselves.


    But even when Asteria already voiced out her worries, Kiera only shook her head at her, as if she never took this problem into consideration.


    "So what if I am in danger? I don''t care about that danger." Kiera replied stubbornly "If this power will allow me to save Annie, then I will accept it, no matter how bad it will be for me."


    "¡­"


    With the way that Kiera talked now, it seemed that even her timidity was also wiped away by her soul change. Asteria was not sure if this change was a good change for Kiera, as she was now more reckless compared to before.


    "¡­So you''re really serious about saving this Annie then. It seems like I can no longer change your mind¡­" Asteria said as she shook her head. "Okay then, just do your thing and save her. Remember, you only have 25 minutes left before your power disappears. You must save her within that time limit."


    "I get it. I have heard you saying that since earlier. There''s no need for you to say it again, Asty."


    "¡­I see. So do you need any info from me?"


    "No, I don''t need your info anymore, Asty. I already know what to do." Kiera replied confidently as she raised her scythe high in the air. The scythe then gleamed malevolently under the light of the room, creating a chilling felling that made Asteria cold inside.


    The wails of the dead coming from the scythe gradually got stronger as a thin, keening sound came from the scythe''s blade.


    Kiera''s whole body then began to seethe and roil as flesh-like shadows crawled all over her black robes.


    These shadows touched everything on her body, including the scythe that was now glowing with a green, cold, light.


    Black, corrosive gas slowly came out of Kiera''s mouth as she uttered a chant with her now blackened lips.


    "AS THE RULER OF THE SOULS, I COMMAND YOU, MY SCYTHE. FOLLOW MY LEAD AND STRENGTHEN ME!"


    After she said this chant, Kiera''s scythe, which was held comfortably by her hand, started to shake as its whole body became ghost-like. It then started to float in the air, as if Kiera has no need to hold it anymore.


    The scythe appeared to have become an immaterial object, as the dust and dirt just went past through its body. Nothing seemed to be able to touch it now, and even Asteria was sure that her hands will just go pass through the scythe like it was just nothing.


    "Sling!"


    Out of nowhere, this intangible scythe suddenly exploded in size, with its now massive blade shooting out of the room that they were in.


    There were no obstacles that were able to stop the scythe from extending, as it immaterial form was something that nothing in this world can block.


    The scythe continued to extend higher and higher until it reached the sky, which where it began to slow down.


    A few more seconds passed by before the scythe stopped expanding, but by this point, the scythe was already large enough to tower over the whole Mountain of Enlightenment!


    Asteria and Kiera''s grandpa could only look at the massive scythe with open mouths, as they did not expect to see something like this.


    The malicious intent released by both Kiera and her scythe was so intense, that the two of them could not move away from their position at all. Kiera''s grandpa seemed to be more affected by this, as he started groveling on the floor while letting out tearful cries that he did not bother to hide.


    As for Asteria, she appeared to be more surprised rather than fearful of the scythe, as if she was more worried about sudden power burst by Kiera.


    "Oi Kiera¡­ how could you be this powerful?" Asteria asked with trepidation as Kiera slowly touched the handle of her scythe. "You just had a temporary power-up, so your Soul Manifestation should have been weak too¡­ There''s just no way¡­ that you can be this cheatingly powerful!"


    "Asty, why are you still asking me that question? I just asked for a power to save Annie, and I got one." Kiera replied as more black gas came out of her mouth. "If my power right now is too much just like what you said, then maybe I am just special. Maybe I just experienced some fortuitous encounter before that allowed me to be this stronger. But no matter the reason for my power is, I will not think about any of that for now. After all, I still have a friend to save."


    "¡­"


    Kiera then lifted the massive scythe with her left hand, not caring about the sudden disturbance brought by her action. She then pulled back her left arm as she assumed the pose of a woodcutter.


    She pulled back her left arm so hard that veins started to bulge in her hand. Her fingernails also popped out from her fingers as her left hand slowly began to mummify. Kiera did not bat her eyes from these changes, as she kept her tight hold on the scythe.


    Her dull eyes only focused on a certain direction, with her entire being focused on it alone.


    When Asteria tried to look at this direction, she let out a wry smile as she realized that Kiera was looking directly at the place where the World Soul and the silver ball where located.


    Kiera''s eyes flashed with a dark glow as she continued staring at this direction, ignoring her crying grandpa and the nervous Asteria.


    "WITH THE POWER GRANTED TO ME BY THE SOUL MONARCH, I CAST MY JUDGEMENT ON YOU, OH WANDERING NOURISHMENT FOR THE SOULS. BE GONE FROM THIS WORLD, AND GO WHERE YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN!"


    "Boom!"


    Kiera then sent her left arm slashing down, which sent the scythe hurtling straight at the World Soul and the silver ball.


    Nothing slowed down the scythe as it approached the two, making everyone who witnessed this shout in fear.


    Kiera smiled coldly as she continued swinging down, with the glint of her eyes showing that she will not stop, not even when somebody tries to stop her.


    This conviction of hers made the nearby Asteria shiver in fear, as she realized that there was no way to salvage their situation at all.


    "Triiing!!!"


    A shrill explosion then filled the area as Kiera ''s scythe reached her target. The whole Mountain of Enlightenment shook from the impact, making even the strongest Immortals rattle from the power emitted by the impact.


    The shockwaves of her attack was so great, that Asteria was sure that everyone in this world could have possibly felt it.


    Asteria naturally felt the shockwaves of course, although her tiny frame and almost invulnerable body allowed her to withstand it.


    "What the hell¡­" This was all that Asteria could say as she watched what happened with wide eyes. "So this is one of a full-powered attack by a Soul Reaper... How terrifying indeed."


    "No Asty. This is not the full attack of a Soul Reaper." Kiera suddenly said as she stared directly at Asteria. Kiera''s eyes showed that she was tired now, although she appeared to be hiding it under her malevolent gaze.


    She tried to keep her trembling hand still as she inhaled the black gas around her. Her whole body appeared to be affected by her very own attack, although she tried her best to just pass it off.


    "That impact was the first part of my attack. What happens from now on shall be the real one!"


    Kiera then pointed her right pointer finger at the scythe, as a green flame began to flicker on that finger. This flame appeared to be weak, although it emitted a terrifying aura that was enough to scare even the worst of the criminals.


    She blew this green flame with the air from her body, which made the flame fly straight towards the scythe itself.


    The green flame landed on the base of the scythe softly, making no sound as it began to assimilate with it. The assimilation happened quickly, and before Asteria could know it, the green flames were now inside the scythe, where it continued to burn in a slow pace.


    Once the green flames were inside the scythe, Kiera took one long look at the flames, as if she was trying to engrave its image on her mind.


    This look only lasted for around 5 seconds before Kiera let out one hungry smile.


    Kiera''s eyes glowed with the same color as her flames as she touched the scythe with both of her hands.


    She braced her body close to the ground as her hungry smile continued to widen.


    Asteria averted her eyes away from this point, as she appeared to not want to see what will happen next.


    Kiera naturally did not take no note of this, as she was now about to chant the words that will be remembered in the history of this world.


    "SIXTH SCYTHE: HARVEST OVERLORD!"

 Chapter 385 - I have exams tomorrow, so next will be on Saturday.

    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.


    No need to open this. This is not a chapter. I can only post 400 words here, so all the words will only be repeated.

 Chapter 386 - The Matters of the Soul and the Issues of Money

    OUTSIDE THE MOUNTIAN OF ENLIGHTENMENT


    "That scythe! Why is it here?" Queen Mother exclaimed as she saw a massive, ghastly-looking scythe shooting from one of the cracks on the Mountain of Enlightenment. "Something like that¡­ should not even be anywhere near this planet!"


    The appearance of this scythe brought chills to everyone that saw it, and Queen Mother was able to feel that even her monster followers were also affected by this scythe.


    This made her mood worse, as Queen Mother knew that this scythe is a bad news for everyone.


    "Tsk, that scythe is undoubtedly a scythe of a Soul Reaper. Why did it have to appear now?" Queen Mother complained to herself inwardly as she gritted her teeth. She continued looking at the scythe more, this time with both anger and wariness appearing on her face.


    "I have to deal with some blasted Soul Reapers before¡­ Those bastards are hard to kill, especially when they are extremely hungry! And now I have to see one again here? Is fate really playing against me? Why did-"


    SIXTH SCYTHE: HARVEST OVERLORD!


    These words, which sounded as cold as the feeling of death, echoed from inside the whole mountain, effectively freezing Queen Mother on her tracks.


    The familiar feeling of dread appeared inside Queen Mother''s body, as memories of her encounters with Soul Reapers before began to bloom inside her mind.


    "Boom!"


    When these memories started to come back to her, Queen Mother''s face started to darken, and it continued on getting darker, especially when the scythe went crashing down towards the World Soul and the Silver Orb.


    Her eyes flashed dangerously as she saw the blade of the scythe cutting effortlessly through the body of the Silver Orb, with the scythe having no difficulty passing through the orb itself.


    The Silver Orb jiggled mightily against the attack of the scythe, but it was only able to put up a feeble resistance against the scythe for a second, before it was cut in half.


    All the Soul Power gathered by the Silver Orb, which amounted to millions of souls, started to pour out from the Silver Orb in a crazed, flood-like manner.


    Nothing seemed to be able to stop this silver flood from bursting out, not even all the Immortals on the Mountain of Enlightenment, who all let out shouts of rage at the sudden change in the Silver Orb.


    Actually, there was one thing that was able to prevent the silver energy flood from leaking out, but it did not come from the Immortals or the TimeMastesr.


    It came from the Soul Reaper''s Scythe, which was not moving from its current position.


    "Heng~"


    Without any warnings at all, green flames that are the size of human beings erupted from the blade of the scythe, which quickly headed towards the eviscerated Silver Orb.


    The speed of these green flames caught everyone unaware, that not even the Immortals were able to stop the flames from moving.


    At the moment that these green flames went into contact with the silver flood, a reaction akin to that of a mixture between oil and fire happened right in front of Queen Mother''s eyes.


    "Crackle¡­"


    All the Soul Power from the Silver Orb erupted into bright, green pillars of flames, as the green flames from the scythe seemed to have induced a combustion reaction.


    Every single portion of the Soul Power gathered by the Silver Orb burned in this state, as if they were highly affected by the green flames.


    In no time at all, all the Soul Power at the peak of the mountain disappeared, as they were only replaced by large fields of green flame pillars.


    It was both a harrowing and an entrancing sight, and Queen Mother was one of those who could fully understand the scenery right now.


    "Those flames¡­ that''s the Soul Flame of the Soul Reapers, which is the catalyst of their secret spells¡­" Queen Mother muttered to herself as the green light of the flames began to be reflected from her eyes. "From what I can remember, when a Soul Reaper uses their Soul Flame, it means that the Soul Reaper is serious¡­


    Queen Mother''s face then changed as a disturbing thought appeared in her mind.


    "Wait, serious? If this Soul Reaper is serious, then it just means that it is willing to go all-out to achieve its goal. But what is this Soul Reaper''s goal? Wait¡­ don''t tell me that its goal was to consume the World Soul? Oh, s**t! If that is true, then this situation is just more f**ked!"


    As Queen Mother said these words, her body swayed on the spot, with her eyes only focused on the scythe. She was now looking at it with outrage and fear, with her not giving attention to anything that was happening around her.


    There was only her and the scythe right now, and she appeared to be not interested in anything else, except for what the scythe will do next.


    "¡­"


    With the way that Queen Mother acted now, it appeared as if the appearance of the Soul Reaper''s Scythe was a bad thing for her. And it is indeed a bad thing for her.


    After all, Queen Mother had a share  of experiences with Soul Reapers before, especially those who wanted to consume the World Soul of her original world.


    The appearance of these Soul Reapers in her past was too much for Queen Mother, that if she could have done so, she could have already done everything to stop more of them from coming.


    But even when she employed every defensive strategy that she could think of in the past, Queen Mother was still unable to stop the arrival of hungry Soul Reapers. Because of this, she had no choice but to do everything that she can, along with her Monster Race to eliminate and kill these Soul Reapers.


    Because of all these experience, Queen Mother developed a hatred for the existence of Soul Reapers, which is still not gone, not even after she had joined Alex in his Journey.


    "Ugh, I almost died many times defending the World Soul of my world against those pesky Soul Reapers. Those bastards are sure hard to kill!" Queen Mother grumbled as she tightened her fist. "And those Soul Reapers were only around Fifth or Sixth Stage of Power¡­As for this Soul Reaper right here, I can feel that it has a power around the Sixth Stage! With this kind of power¡­ I am not sure if even I have the capability to save the World Soul!"


    "Crackle crackle.."


    The green flames just continued on burning on the mountain as Queen Mother talked to herself, creating a picturesque sight that nobody will be able to forget, not even Queen Mother herself.


    "Tsk, since that Soul Reaper was here, does that mean that I have no chance to save that World Soul anymore? Ugh¡­. Why did it have to be like this?" Queen Mother muttered sadly to herself as her whole body tensed up with anger. "If¡­ If I am just in my True Form right now, I am sure that I can eliminate that Soul Reaper. But it will still take me some time to return to that state¡­"


    These thoughts started to make Queen Mother feel hopeless, as she realized that her existence here in this place, along with her new creations, were actually just negligible. Even if they were here, they actually have no way to influence the battle. They were just here¡­ as decorative pieces.


    "Alex! Why did you make me go here? Do I still have any use here?" Queen Mother shouted angrily inside her mind as she started to doubt Alex. "Are you really confident with your plans right now? What if¡­ you miscalculated something? Alex, are you perhaps grasping at straws here? Are you¡­ actually in desperation mode?"


    This doubt inside Queen Mother started to intensify as she saw continued watching the scene on the mountain.


    Due to the power emitted by the Soul Flames, there was nobody that was able to approach them, not even all the Immortals that appeared from inside the mountain.


    These Immortals appeared to be trying everything that they can to extinguish the green flames, but none of their attempts worked, as if their power was nothing in front of these flames.


    "You fools¡­ the power of a Soul Reaper relies on the amount of Souls and Soul Power that it has." Queen Mother murmured to herself as she shook her head. "Since you Immortals have given this Soul Reaper almost all the Soul Power of the cultivators in this world, you created an extremely powerful being that can easily burn your souls right now! Nothing that you can do will work here! You can only make a move¡­ once these flames use up the all the Soul Power and becomes extinguished later!"


    If this was the only problem in this situation, then Queen Mother could still accept it, as these Immortals were people that Queen Mother does not care about.


    However, there was a person in that mountain that Queen Mother cares about, and unfortunately for Queen Mother, this person was located at the source of the problem.


    The World Soul, which was the nearest person at the scythe earlier, was right at the midst of all the green flame pillars.


    The World Soul was currently standing on a spot that has no flames in it, with the green flames appearing to have made a safe space for her.


    Fortunately, this empty space have allowed the World Soul to be unaffected by the flames. She''s not yet burning from the flames, although Queen Mother thinks that this might not be the case later.


    "So this Soul Reaper is interested on making the World Soul feel fear huh? How despicable!" Queen Mother exclaimed as she gritted her teeth. "The Soul Reapers are only interested on finishing their food, but this Soul Reaper is actually playing with its food? How deplorable! How-"


    The sight of the World Soul being caged by the green flames, like a pig imprisoned on its pen, was enough to make Queen Mother extremely angry. This of course led to her cursing out the Soul reaper continuously, with her wishing for a chance to tear the Soul Reaper into tiny pieces with her own hands.


    But even with her temper right now, Queen Mother had no choice but to stop her cursing spree when someone suddenly appeared beside the World Soul.


    The way that that this new arrival appeared was so silent and fluid, that Queen Mother was almost taken aback by its sudden appearance. But this slight surprise only lasted for a moment before Queen Mother felt a different feeling about this new person.


    "What¡­"


    Queen Mother''s eyes narrowed as she observed the appearance of the new arrival. A few seconds of observation later, and Queen Mother let out a deep, heavy breath as she confirmed the identity of the visitor.


    "That black robe showing the bleak color of death, and that wicked aura coming out of its body¡­ There''s no doubt about it! That''s the Soul Reaper!" Queen Mother exclaimed as she felt her power starting to overflow from her chest. This power in her body slowly got stronger and stronger, and it reached the point where it began to go past her own limits!


    This made Queen Mother tremble in the spot, as she realized that the appearance of the Soul Reaper made her fighting intent reach its peak.


    "Ah¡­ So this is how angry I am at the Soul Reapers¡­. Even if I am indecisive to fight, my body would still want to fight it. How enlightening¡­" Queen Mother mumbled as she shook her head sadly. "But even if I want to fight this Soul Reaper right now, I don''t think I should fight it¡­"


    Queen Mother then laughed at this point, with her face showing that she was not laughing at all.


    This time, Queen Mother was looking directly at the face of the Soul Reaper, not taking note of the clothes or the aura that the Soul Reaper had.


    Even when she saw Asteria behind the Soul Reaper, Queen Mother ignored that fairy as she only concentrated on the Soul Reaper itself.


    "I do not know what Asteria did earlier¡­ but I can see that Kiera has somehow turned into a Soul Reaper. Ha, what a surprising turn of events¡­ I did not expect this at all..." Queen Mother said as she had to stop herself from laughing. She seemed to be faintly amused by what was happening now, although there were also signs of more uncertainty in her eyes.


    "What ridiculousness is this? Kiera, who was just a normal person earlier, suddenly transformed into a being that can overturn this battle? What the hell is happening here? Alex¡­ did you have a hand in this?"


    Queen Mother said these words with vindication in her voice, as if she was blaming Alex for all the twists that she had seen. If Alex was here, he will surely start laughing while explaining himself.


    But he was not here, so Queen Mother can only imagine it to herself.


    "Alex¡­ once I see you later, I will really demand an explanation from you!"


    *********************


    While Queen Mother was busy on her ''role'' in the Mountain of Enlightenment, the person that she was thinking of right now was playing his own role too.


    Alex, who had just finished watching the Great TImeMaster''s past, was currently wearing a sinister smile on his face as she stared at the Great TImeMaster.


    He seemed to be scheming heavily on something right now, and the way that he looked at the Great TimeMaster just proves it.


    "So you want me to do something? How amusing. Well then, state your desires. Let''s see if I have the capabilities to grant your ''wishes''.'' The Great TimeMaster said as she gave Alex an amused look. She hid the desperate look on her face earlier, as if she was trying to make her look more amicable.


    Alex seemed to find this move of hers amusing, as he started to smile while tilting his head forward.


    "Actually, I just have one question for you, Great TImeMaster. "Alex replied as he kept his tilted head still. "If you can answer this question right, then maybe I can let you hold the baby. But if you don''t, well¡­"


    "Just one question? Well then, spit it out now, Mr. Alex." The Great TimeMaster said as her face started to twitch. Her eyes had narrowed into slits, and her arms crossed right in front of her chest. "We don''t have much time here, after all."


    She appeared to be extremely concentrated right now, as if she was willing to do anything just to correctly answer Alex''s question.


    This made Alex look pleased, and he had to continue smiling for a few more seconds before he started to talk.


    "So¡­ how much did you pay to the Endless Monarch to make us appear here?" Alex said in a casual tone. "And did you pay him with money or other things? Oh wait, that''s two questions there¡­ my bad, my bad."

 Chapter 387 - Detective Alex, coming to your service!

    (((Author''s Note: This chapter is a doozy for me. That''s all I can say for now. 2999 words are a lot to type in one sitting, you know. And for this chapter to be filled with deductions just makes it harder. Sigh... and I still have to do many things after posting this chapter....)))


    "Say what?" Professor Frances, who was starting to chill right now, went back to her anxious mood again after she heard Alex''s question.


    She did not bother to hide what she was thinking as she directly said to Alex,


    "What did you just say?"


    "I just asked the Great TimeMaster on how much money she paid to the Endless Monarch to make us come here. It''s just as simple as that." Alex replied nonchalantly as he shrugged his shoulders. "Why? Is there something wrong with my question?"


    "You''re asking me if there''s something wrong with your question? Of course there''s a problem!" Professor Frances thought to herself as she glared at Alex. "You think that this woman ''hired'' the Endless Monarch to make us go here? Do you understand what you are saying?"


    Professor Frances did her best to not blow up Alex right now, as she knew that they were currently in an important junction with the Great TimeMaster.


    But even if Professor Frances was trying her best to keep herself calm, some flashes of anger still leaked out of her body.


    "¡­."


    How could not Professor Frances be angry?


    Alex was basically asking a question, which to Professor Frances, was something that greatly changes her perspective of all the things that had happened to her.


    For Professor Frances, this kind of change was greatly unnecessary, and for the current her, this change was enough to anger her greatly!


    "Alex, you knew that the world that I had ruled before was disturbed by the Travelers sent by the Endless Monarch. So if what you are asking on the Great TImeMaster right now is true, then does that mean that someone in my world paid the Endless Monarch for his services?" Professor Frances blurted out before Alex or the Great TImeMaster can override her.


    "Alex, do you even know how ridiculous that sounds? Do you think that someone from my world actually had the resources to summon help from the Endless Monarch? You know that that world was my property alone! There''s no way someone can just do that s**t on my turf!" Professor Frances continued saying as she started to breathe deeply.


    She ignored the fact that the Great TimeMaster was listening to her as she continued on talking to Alex.


    "Alex, just stop saying your crap ok? There is no way that the Great TimeMaster had paid the Endless Monarch to ''send'' us here, and nor does anyone from my world did that! Nobody, nobody did that, ok?"


    "Miss Frances¡­. Your angry voice sounds cute. I actually find it amusing." The one who spoke after Professor Frances was actually the Great TimeMaster, as Alex appeared to have kept silent for some reason. "If you just talked that way earlier, then maybe I could have liked you more."


    "Stop those foolish talks now, woman." The professor coldly said as she seemed to have forgotten the power that the Great TimeMaster had. "Just answer Alex''s question. Tell him that you did not pay the Endless Monarch anything. Tell him¡­ that his delusions right now are all just delusions!"


    "I''m sorry to say this Miss Frances, but Mr. Alex was right. I did indeed pay something to the Endless Monarch." The Great TImeMaster replied, which quickly brought Professor Frances into a frozen state. "And mind you, I had to pay a huge price just for him to send you guys here. Sigh, it still pains me to imagine all the good stuff that I had to give up¡­ But from what I can see now, the payment that I gave to the Endless Monarch was all worth it! You guys are worth the risk! Hahaha, I hope we can have some more good business next time!"


    "Hohoho, so my guess is indeed right!" Alex said as Professor Frances continued to stay in her frozen state.


    He now looked extremely smug, even smugger than the smuggest state that he was in before.


    "I just made this conclusion when I saw many weird discrepancies in this world¡­" Alex muttered as she shrugged his shoulders. "Well, I shrugged off these discrepancies as just coincidences earlier, but when all of them kept piling and piling up, I had no choice but to consider them as something else!"


    "So you just thought that I have links with the Endless Monarch just because of those discrepancies? I don''t think I follow you, Mr. Alex." The Great TiemMaster said with the sound of fake concern on her voice. "What discrepancies are these anyway, and why are they able to make you reach the truth?"


    "You''re asking me that? You, Great TimeMaster, was the reason I was able to doubt this world!" Alex replied as he shook his head. "All the major events that happened to me in this world were all related to you! The arrest of the rebels, my alliance with the TimeMasters, you hiring me to babysit Kiera, Kiera''s kidnapping, and many more events were all related to you!


    "¡­"


    "All the actions that I made in this world appeared to be orchestrated by you! Even if I think I had the full control in this situation, you were always one or two steps ahead of me. And I had the feeling that even if I did everything that I can to best you, you will have a countermeasure against that. Doesn''t that sound suspicious to you, Great TimeMaster?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "That does sound suspicious Mr. Alex, but you know, this ability of mine to ''control the events of this world'' could just be the effect of my real powers. I am a Chronomancer after all." The Great TimeMaster said as she appeared to be amused by Alex''s words. "I could have just been using my ability to see the future in order to manipulate your actions! Isn''t that a better explanation for the ''discrepancies'' that you felt compared to your ''hired Travelers'' theory''?"


    "Viewing the future? Well¡­ I thought of that first when I realized your effect on me." Alex slowly said as he put down his hands. "But after a few seconds of thinking, I realized something about your power."


    "Oh, and what is that realization, Mr. Alex?"


    "I realized that there is no way for you to view my future with your power!" Alex said triumphantly as he approached the still frozen Professor Frances. His foot made crunching sounds as he crushed the grass under him with each of his step.


    This crunching sound was naturally heard by Professor Frances, but she was too preoccupied with her thoughts to even care about it.


    "You may not believe it, but I actually had an ability i that makes me almost immune to future-gazing abilities..." Alex slowly said with relish as he got nearer and nearer to Professor Frances. "You know Emperor Litch, right? If you know him, then you must have known about his Conqueror''s Aura."


    "Yes, I know about that aura. That''s a pretty irritating ability." The Great TimeMaster replied as she nodded her head. "Not only does it allow Emperor Litch to control the people and matter all around him, it also allows him to take control of his own fate and destiny! This control of his on his fate was so great, that he was able to keep it hidden to those who wants to see it. And that includes those who wants to see his future!"


    "Yes, that''s one of the benefits that the Conqueror''s Aura gave to Emperor Litch." Alex replied as he let out another sigh. "The Conqueror''s Aura allowed Emperor Litch to conquer his own fate, that nothing, not even the power to control time can see it. Only Emperor Litch can see his own fate, and there''s nothing that can change that fact."


    "Mr. Alex, why are you talking about that power? Perhaps you''re saying that¡­"


    "Yes, I am saying it, Great TimeMaster. I actually have the Conqueror''s Aura too." Alex said as he continued the words that the Great TimeMaster was about to say. "Don''t ask me where I got it. I just have it, and I ever since I got it, I have been using it to shield myself against future-gazing abilities. Especially against yours."


    "¡­"


    "Oh, and the effects of the Conqueror''s Aura also affects the people closest to its user. So that just means that even Alina, Queen Mother, Professor Frances, Kiera, Kiera''s old man, and Asteria were all shielded from your future-seeing abilities." Alex continued to say before the Great TimeMaster opened her mouth. "So don''t say that you saw my future through my allies¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "So that''s the power that you had used on me before. I thought you were using a different type of ability to shield you and your friends from my future-seeing ability. Hehehe, you really are interesting, Mr. Alex." The Great TimeMaster replied as she shook her head in more amus.e.m.e.nt. "So because you knew that you''re immune from future-seeing ability, you already assumed that I had a connection with the Endless Monarch?"


    "Well, even if I am immune with your ability to see the future, you were still able to manipulate me to do actions that will benefit you. That only means that you still had a way to know what I am about to do, even if you''re ''blind'' about my future actions." Alex replied as he closed his mouth into a thin line. "That means that you either had an ability that allows you to spy on me, or that someone was feeding you information about me."


    "Mr. Alex, that first option sounds more feasible to me¡­"


    "No, you spying on me is not a feasible answer too¡­" Alex suddenly said as he shook his head. "It is impossible for you to spy on me without me knowing it, as my Conqueror''s Aura had something for that too."


    "¡­"


    "Great TimeMaster, the control that the Conqueror''s Aura had on my fate also allows me to feel if there are people that are observing my life and fate in an intrusive manner." Alex said as he slowly tapped his temples. "As long as someone makes an observation on me, I will quickly know that I am being observed. Not only that, but I will also be able to gauge how powerful my ''observer'' was, and the proximity of that ''observer'' against me. It''s a pretty neat ability, right?"


    "¡­"


    "Great TimeMaster, if you were indeed spying on me, I should have quickly known that someone powerful in this world was discreetly ''observing'' me. But no, all that I felt were only observations from numerous TimeMasters. Sure, there auras are powerful, but not as powerful as yours." Alex said as he clapped his hands. "Oh, and I can also use his ''observation detection'' on my allies too, so don''t bother talking about them here."


    "¡­"


    "So, since it is impossible for you to see my future or even spy on me without me detecting it, the only remaining way that you knew what I will do was by getting information from someone close to me." Alex slowly said as he patted Professor''s shoulder.


    He seemed to be slightly peeved by something, although it was not focused on anyone else near him. "Of course that is a hard thing to think, as none of my allies, my allies who went with me through thick and thin, could have just been talking with you privately, right? But my Conqueror''s Aura showed me otherwise."


    "¡­"


    "Just like what I told you earlier, I can also sense if my allies are being observed too. This is a pretty good way to keep my allies safe, as I can save them from possible harm if I knew that one of them was being observed by a powerful being¡­" Alex said as he started shaking his head with a tight smile on his face.


    "And I was able to put this into use when one day, I realized that someone powerful suddenly started observing Asteria. And from the calculations made by my power, I knew that this powerful observer was just residing here in this world." Alex said as the smile on his face continued to tighten. "Oh boy¡­ I was worried at that point, as I thought that maybe Asteria was now a target of someone powerful in this world. But then, I realized something weird with this ''observation'' on Asteria."


    "¡­"


    "By combining my FED Manipulation with Conqueror''s Aura, I was also able to feel the emotions directed by an observer to me or on my allies. I was able to put this on use on Asteria, as I felt the emotions of the observer on her. But to my surprise, I did not feel any ill-will or killing intent from Asteria''s observer. Instead, what I felt only were positive, satisfied feelings."


    "¡­"


    "Why would someone observe Asteria in such a manner, if he/she does not have any ill-will against her?" Alex blurted as he raised his hands up. "Even if a pervert was only interested on peeking at Asteria, I will still feel that pervert''s lecherous intentions on her. But no, I only felt positive emotions, bordering that of satisfaction."


    "¡­"


    "But then, I realized something. This satisfaction that I felt from the observer was something that I had felt before too." Alex then clicked his fingers as he pointed his fingers right at the Great TimeMaster. "Great TImeMaster, this satisfaction that I felt from Asteria''s observer¡­ was similar to the satisfied feeling that a person has when they receive information from an info broker!"


    "¡­"


    "When I made this realization, I thought to myself: "Why would Asteria''s observer feel this kind of satisfaction when he/she was just supposed to observe Asteria? Where is the ''info broker'' that gives the info to Asteria''s observer?"


    "And it was there that it hit me. The info broker was actually Asteria herself. She was the one giving information to her ''observer''¡­." Alex then pushed his finger forward, with these fingers still pointing at the Great TimeMaster.


    "Asteria was not being spied upon at all. She was actually communicating with someone powerful in this world." Alex said as he started to wiggle his fingers. "Since communicating with Asteria was also a way of ''observing'' her, I was able to detect this conversation while it was happening, although I just felt it through the ''observation'' made by Asteria''s chat mate."


    "¡­"


    "Now then, why would Asteria be giving information to someone that is not my ally? And who is this ''chat mate'' that receives all of Asteria''s info? I pieced these two questions with all the things that I told you earlier, and that brought me to an exciting discovery."


    "¡­"


    "You, the Great TimeMaster, was actually having a secret communication with Asteria. You talk to her regularly to obtain important info about me, and Asteria will just casually them give to you. You will receive this info with satisfaction, and you will use them in order to manipulate my actions in this world."


    "¡­"


    "When I reached this point, I thought to myself: "Why would Asteria give you info that will allow you to manipulate my moves? Why would she do that? That could place me in danger!"


    "¡­."


    "I tried thinking of any possible reasons for this ''secret'' by Asteria, but in the end, I only could think of one reason."


    "And the reason that you reached was the possibility of me having a link with the Endless Monarch." The Great TimeMaster said as she let out an impressed smile. "And you also thought that I am using this link in order to use Asteria as a spy for me."


    "¡­"


    The Great TimeMaster''s fingers then slowly caressed her chin as she continued talking. "And since it was fairly hard to have a connection with the Endless Monarch, the only ways that I could have any link with the Endless Monarch was few. I could be either a Traveler or his relative, or I could just be someone who had a close ''business partnership'' with him."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Great TimeMaster, being a Traveler for him is impossible. If you were, then you should be killing me now. Being his relative is also impossible too, so I naturally veered to believing that you had a business transaction with him." Alex said as he slowly retracted his pointing fingers.


    "¡­"


    "Great TimeMaster, the only business that I can imagine that the Endless Monarch could engage with you was related to Travelers. After all, Travelers were his main source of livelihood, right?"


    "¡­."


    "Now, after I combined your possible ''business transaction'' with the fact that you used me to reach your goals, I reached the conclusion that you paid the Endless Monarch to send us here in order to change something in this world. As for why you were allowed to just communicate with Asteria and have your way with us, I am not sure on that too. But perhaps, you''re willing to explain that part to me?"


    "Hehehe, your deductions are really god-like, Mr. Alex." This was the reply given by the Great TimemMaster as she let out a sigh. "You were able to deduce the truth just from a few set of data points? Truly amazing."


    "Cut the crap, woman. Just answer these questions: Why were you allowed to communicate with Asteria, and why were you allowed to have your way with us here?" Alex said in a tone similar to the one used by Professor Frances earlier. "Weren''t we supposed to change this world through our own effort alone? Why were you allowed to disturb us Travelers, when we were supposed to do this by ourselves? Is there a different reason for us to be in this world?"

 Chapter 388 - The Truth, and nothing but the Truth

    "My, my, Mr. Alex. Your questions are fully loaded." The Great TImeMaster said after hearing Alex''s questions. "You seem to be extremely curious about the truth~"


    "How could I not be curious? The revelations that I had all changed my views about the Endless Monarch himself." Alex replied as he smiled at the Great TImeMaster. "At first, I thought that the Endless Monarch was just someone who was using Travelers as a way to stave off his boredom. But now that I know that he was actually transacting with other people, my suspicions against him just went up again."


    "¡­"


    "Why would the Endless Monarch transact with people like you? Why would he allow you to manipulate us? Does he have a hidden agenda for these actions?" Alex continued saying as he let out a sigh. "And if he was able to transact with you, then does that mean that every world that we went through also had the same transaction that happened? Great TimeMaster¡­ you don''t know how much confused I am right now. You¡­ you''re the only one who can clear this all up! Just answer my questions earlier, and I might allow you to hold the baby!"


    "What the f**k am I hearing..." Professor Frances, who was still frozen on her place, thought to herself as she tried to understand everything that she heard. "Wait¡­ so the Great TimeMaster really ''hired'' the Endless Monarch to send us here? Since that was true, then does that mean that someone in my world also ''hired'' the Endless Monarch to send Travelers there?"


    The professor''s face then turned ugly as she did her best to not accept this conclusion. "No, no, no! I don''t accept that as the truth! There''s nobody that can ''hire'' the Endless Monarch in my world! Nobody! This business that the Great TImeMaster had with the Endless Monarch must have been a unique case! Yes, that must be it!"


    While Professor Frances continued her attempts on denial, Alex and the Great TimeMaster continued their conversation, with the Great TImeMaster starting the talk.


    "I am sorry to say this, Mr. Alex, but because of the contract that I had with the Endless Monarch, I cannot tell you anything about my transaction with him." The Great TimeMaster said in an apologetic tone, although her face was saying otherwise. "I cannot tell you about my transaction with him, so I cannot answer any of your questions earlier¡­"


    "¡­Sigh, I expected something like this to happen." Alex murmured in disappointment as he shook his head. He then started smothering the grass under his foot as he averted his gaze away from the Great TimeMaster. "The Endless Monarch is one tough person to crack. For him to have a contract like this is just normal for him¡­"


    "Mr. Alex, I am sure that you are deadly curious about the real intentions of the Endless Monarch. If I were in your shoes, I would be curious too." The Great TimeMasters said in a soft tone, as if she was trying to console Alex. "Your luck just didn''t work out well here, so I think you shou-"


    "Hey Great TimeMaster, you may be unable to talk about your transaction, but there are still some things that you can tell me, right?" Alex suddenly said as he interrupted the Great TimeMaster. "Come on, you can tell me anything that you can. If you do that¡­ maybe you will really be able to hold the baby."


    "You really are persistent. I see." The Great TimeMaster stood still on her place as she gave Alex a chilling look. "You won''t stop unless I tell you something beneficial, right?"


    "Yes, I won''t." Alex replied as he crossed his arms. "Come on, just say something. As long as I find that useful, you will be able to get what you want from me."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­Fine. I guess there are some blind spots in the contract that I can use¡­" The Great TImeMaster ruefully said as she cupped her chin. Her frosty look disappeared as she wore a pensive look on her face. "Hmm¡­ yes, I think I can say that. Yes, there''s no problem with that."


    "¡­"


    "Mr. Alex, the only thing that I can tell you is this: THIS WORLD WAS NOT MEANT TO BE A CHALLENGE FOR YOU ." The Great TimeMaster said as she tilted her head. "From what I know, every world that you travelers go to were meant to challenge you. You could be terribly injured in those worlds, or you could be also killed there. That''s the challenge that you should be facing on your journey. But in this world¡­"


    "In this world, we were not meant to face a life-death situation. We were just here to ''chill''¡­" Alex chimed in as he started laughing. His laugh sounded both amused and angry, which was a weird sound to hear. "Instead of making us undergo a dangerous mission, it appears as if we were just brought here to ''rest up and ''improve'' our abilities¡­"


    "Hahaha, ''resting up'' does sound right, Mr. Alex." The Great TimeMaster said as she shook her head in amus.e.m.e.nt. "Hmm.. from that way that you reacted to my words, you seem to have accepted this quickly. Did you also suspect about it before?"


    "Of course I suspected it. After all, everything in this world is weird, including its scenario." Alex replied quickly. "The Main Mission is pretty simple, and it only makes me choose a side to support during the battle. If you could observe the contents of the Main Mission, you can see that it''s much simpler and safer compared to the missions that I had before."


    "¡­"


    "In this kind of scenario, as long as we choose the winning side, we don''t have to worry about anything more." Alex exclaimed as he let out a titter. "We can just rest and power-up while we wait for the Main Mission to end. Now, isn''t that just too easy for us?"


    "¡­"


    "And you, Great TImeMaster, was the one who made it easier for us." Alex said as he shrugged his shoulders. "With your power and your preparations, you created a situation where the TimeMasters are assured to win. No matter what the Immortals do, they were meant to lose, even if they have your daughter kidnapped right now."


    "¡­"


    "I mean, just look at what''s happening on the Mountain of Enlightenment right now." Alex continued saying as he pointed his finger at the floating mountain. "Before the Immortals could even finish their Purification Ritual on your daughter, someone was able to derail the ritual. And that someone was Kiera, who for some reason, was able to use her Soul Manifestation Power to turn herself into a Soul Reaper. Now, you don''t get to see something like that happening everyday¡­"


    "Kiera turned into what?" Professor Frances blurted out as her head whipped towards the direction of the Mountain of Enlightenment. She squinted her eyes as she did her best to observe the mountain, although her limited power right now did not allow her to see what Alex was able to see. "Alex, can you really see Kiera right now?"


    "Professor, I am a much more powerful being already. Seeing the events on that mountain is just a piece of cake for me." Alex replied.


    "So you really saw Kiera transforming into a different creature?"


    "Yes, and while that happened, Kiera also managed to derail the master plan of the Immortals. Now, the defeat of the Immortals are as clear as spring water." Alex said with relish as he let out a sigh. "Sigh¡­ and here I thought I would be able to help out the Immortals against the TimeMasters. But as it turns out, any of my actions here are of no use. We were just meant to be bystanders here. "


    "¡­"


    "You seem to be saddened by that fact, Mr. Alex." The Great TimeMaster suddenly said as she started looking at the direction of the Mountain of Enlightenment. "You must have been wanting to save every world that you visited. For you to be in a situation like this must be frustrating for you."


    "No, I am not really frustrated, although I am still wary of the reason that I am here." Alex replied in a carefree tone. "That damn geezer really makes me overthink things!"


    His carefree attitude quickly disappeared as he suddenly frowned, with a clearly pissed off aura slowly emanating from his body.


    He seemed to not care that the Great TimeMaster was here as he continued to talk.


    "First, the Endless Monarch put my mission on the Four Moons World on hiatus. Now, he brought us to this world, which was only meant to be a resting place. Great TimeMaster, no matter which way you looked at it, this situation is really ludicrous and suspicious."


    "¡­"


    "Why would the Endless Monarch put my former mission in hiatus, and why would he just allow us to rest in this world? What is he aiming with these actions?" Alex said as he sent a suspicious glare at the Great TimeMaster. "Great TimeMaster, do you have any possible ideas about this?"


    "Even if I have an idea, I would not tell it to you." The Great TimeMaster replied as she shook her head. "I have a contract, right?"


    "Yeah right¡­" Alex grumbled as he looked down on the ground. "So that''s all that you can say?"


    "Yes, that''s all that I can say."


    "She''s not lying Alex." Alina helpfully chimed in as she continued on holding the baby.


    "¡­And here I thought I can still get all of the truth out from you. How disappointing...". Alex mumbled in a disappointed tone. "But at least I now know that the Endless Monarch is planning something special with me and those Travelers that I met in the Four Moons World."


    "¡­"


    "Hmm¡­ I wonder how those Travelers are faring now? Did they also coast through on their worlds?" Alex mumbled as a mischievous glint appeared on his eyes. "Hehehe, I will just know that once we meet back at the Four Moons World. Oh, I can''t wait to be back there¡­"


    "Thinking of leaving this world already? You seem to have forgotten your promise to me, Mr. Alex." The Great TimeMaster said as she let out a cough. "I still have to hold the baby, right?"


    "Oh yes, how could I forget about that? Silly me." Alex said in a fake sad tone. "You just want to hold the baby, right? How long will you hold it?"


    "I will hold it as long as I can" The Great TimeMaster replied as she started to approach the baby more.


    There was now urgency in her eyes, as if she could no longer accept more delays. "Mr. Alex, because of the events happening at the Mountain of Enlightenment right now, the remaining time that you can stay world is already few. If I have to hold the baby, I must do it now! If I don''t hold this baby at this moment, the Endless Monarch might start sending you to your new world, which will leave me empty-handed! So please, let me hold the baby now! I swear, nothing bad will happen to you guys!"


    "So that is why you showed your past to us, Great TimeMaster. Since we now held the power to help Annie, you decided to talk to us even if you should have been just watching from the shadows. You showing your past¡­was just your way of making us feel pity for you." Instead of quickly agreeing to the Great TimeMaster''s demands, Alex said these words as he also walked closer to the baby.


    "You must be really desperate to heal your daughter, that aside from showing your past, you also revealed some of the secrets that you have with the Endless Monarch." Alex said in a carefree tone as he reached Alina''s place. He then placed his arms under the baby as he lifted it towards him. "Tell me Great TimeMaster, did you expect us to be happy that you told some of your secrets to us?"


    "Yes, I expect you to be happy. No, I actually want you to be happy." The Great TimeMaster replied as she slowly extended her hands at Alex''s direction. "So what is it Alex? Are you happy or not?''


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Okay, you got me. I''m happy with what you told us, so you deserve to get a reward. Here, hold this baby." Alex finally said after a few seconds of tense silence. He then passed the sleeping baby to the Great TimeMaster, who looked like she was about to receive an extremely precious treasure. "Be careful on holding the baby, you might suddenly drop it¡­"

 Chapter 389 - Here comes the Expert Voyeurs!

    AT A SECLUDED CORNER OF THE UNIVERSE


    [[[Inside a dark room, which was only illuminated by a single lamp, two figures could be seen sitting on the same chair. These two figures were not moving from their current position, as if they were just statues. But these two figures were not statues at all, as vigorous life force could be felt from the both them.]]]


    [[[This vigorous life force was more prominent from the larger person among the two figures, whose bulky body appeared to be overwhelming even with the limited light. Right now, this larger person was the one sitting on the chair, with the smaller person forced to sit on the former''s lap.]]]


    [[[Even if there was just a dim light inside the room, it was easy to feel that the smaller person was miffed by what was happening, as the words that this small person suddenly said managed to show all of its feelings.]]]


    [Smaller person]: Sieg, do I really have to sit on your lap? Can''t I just fly behind you?


    [Larger Person]: Kuro, if I said that I want you to sit, then you should sit. How hard is it for you to understand that?"


    [Smaller person]: Hey! You know that I hate having close skin contact with other people! Since you know that, then you should respect my privacy too!''


    [Larger Person]: Kuro, my number one priority was to always follow the Endless Monarch and his will. That means that I will ignore everything, even your preferences, if that will help me follow the Endless Monarch. And unfortunately for you, your interests are clashing with the what I have to do.


    [Kuro]: ¡­


    [Sieg]: Now, if you understand what I just said, then you know that you have no choice but to sit still there and do your job.


    [Smaller person]: Argh! This is making me angry!


    [Larger Person]: ¡­.


    [[[ If Asteria were to be here in this place, she will surely shiver, as the voice of the larger person and the smaller person were voices that she was familiar with already.]]]


    [[[The smaller person awfully sounded similar to Kuro(the black fairy), while the larger person sounded similar to Sieg(the silver armor guy). Even the way that these two figures talked inside the room were also similar to Kuro and Sieg, which just makes their identity more obvious.]]


    [Sieg]: Kuro, you might not be happy with your current sitting position, but you know that this is the optimal position that you must have in order to perform an ''Observation''. By sitting on my lap, you will be able to get the maximum power from me that will fuel your ''Observation'' ability.


    [Kuro]: Yes, I can indeed get the most power from you by sitting on your lap. But even if you can give me the fuel for wielding my ''Observation'' ability, I still can''t accept the feeling of your flesh this close to mine!


    [Sieg]: Just bear with it, Kuro. As long as you finish ''Observing'' all our targets, you will be allowed to leave my lap. So you should start ''observing'' now, so that you can leave me in a much earlier time¡­


    [Kuro]: Hmph, I really hate this part of the job! Why do I even have to observe a bunch of young, reckless people? I don''t care what happens to them!


    [Sieg]: Kuro, these Travelers are still the precious subjects of the Endless Monarch. He''s interested in these Travelers, and they seem to be a perfect fit for his plan. And according to his words, this batch of Travelers were one of the best and rarest batch that had existed¡­.


    [Kuro]: ¡­


    [Sieg]: Since it was like that, we have the obligation to observe these Travelers, in order to see if they are worthy of receiving the Endless Monarch''s praise. We have to see if these Travelers are doing the right thing, and if some of them were at the brink of death right now¡­


    [Kuro]: Brink of death? Sieg, these 4 Travelers were all sent to ''safe worlds''! They were sent there not to risk their lives, but to let them rest! How in the world could they be in danger in these safe worlds? Do you think that those people in the safe worlds had a way to harm these Travelers without violating the contract? Did you even think about that, Sieg?


    [Sieg]: ¡­


    [Kuro]: Hmph, so you did not think about that.


    [Sieg]: Kuro, I don''t need you yapping words like these anymore. You need to start your ''observation'' already.


    [Kuro]: ¡­.


    [Sieg]: Kuro, you know that we are running on a tight schedule here. We still have a meeting set with someone important later, so we cannot afford to waste time here. Just do what you have to do here, and we can go back doing our personal stuff in peace¡­


    [Kuro]: ¡­Fine, I shall start my ''Observation'' then. So, who should I ''observe'' first? You know that we have 4 Travelers under our jurisdiction. We can choose to start with any one of them, but I prefer to have a good idea on where to start¡­


    [Sieg]: The Travelers that you can ''observe'' now are Alex, Delia, Ray, and the demon Malthus. You can start observing from any of them. I don''t care which one, as long as you finish this quickly.


    [Kuro]: Okay! If you are rushing, then I will ''observe'' Delia first!


    [[[After Kuro said these words, she suddenly waved her hands as a massive white screen materialized inside the room. This screen seemed to be similar to the screen of a television, as what appeared to be a video recording was shown on the screen. Sounds could also be heard coming out from the screen, which perfectly complements the video itself.]]]


    [[[The video shown in the screen was so vivid and life-like, that anyone who sees it will feel as if they were actually on the video itself. Even someone like Alex will be impressed too, not to mention someone dumb like Asteria.]]]


    [Kuro]: ¡­


    [Sieg]: ¡­


    [[[Both Kuro and Sieg did not make any comments about the effects the screen had, as they were only focused on watching the scene depicted by the screen right now.]]]


    [Kuro]: So Delia and her companions found themselves on a world of psychic nomads. That''s a pretty weird and nice world to be in.


    [Sieg]: And the people in this world are also good in mental and spiritual combat. For Delia and her companions, this world is a good fit for them.


    [Kuro]: Heh, it is indeed a good fit for them. After all, Delia is about the reach the Sixth Stage of Power in this world! As long as she manages to find out the purpose of her spear abilities, she will reach the Sixth Stage with ease!


    [Sieg]: Yes, I can see that that Delia is getting stronger already. So there''s no need for you to point your finger at the screen. You''re just wasting more of my time.


    [Kuro]: Hmph, you just don''t get how happy I am for Delia. She''s a good kid, you know. She''s just a little hard-headed¡­


    [Sieg]: Kuro, use your ''observation'' on the next guy already. I just told you that we can''t waste time.


    [Kuro]: Okay! I''ll change the view now, okay?


    [[[Kuro then waved her hands again, which changed the video shown on the screen.]]]


    [Kuro]: ¡­


    [Sieg]: ¡­


    [[[Just like what happened with Delia earlier, both Kuro and Sieg focused on the video in front of them, although hints of disgust and revulsion could be perfectly seen on their faces. This disgust seemed to be focused on the video they were watching, with the both of them not mincing their words as they started commenting about it.]]]


    [Kuro]: No matter where Ray goes, he will always be the typical a**hole.


    [Sieg]: What a disgusting person! So his depravity was actually this great! Hmph, if it were not for his status as a Traveler, I could have already killed him! What a shameless bastard!


    [Kuro]: A world occupied by peaceful Book Mages should be left untainted on its own. But ever since Ray came in this world, he quickly brought ruin it into ruin, with him using the misery of the people to increase his power. Tsk, he''s about to reach the Sixth Stage too, although he got it through the deaths of many. What a horrible person¡­


    [Sieg]: Kuro, change the scene now. I don''t want to watch this anymore.


    [Kuro]: You don''t need to say that, Sieg. I was just about to do that already.


    [[[Kuro waved her hands as she changed the video for the third time, replacing the sickening video with that of a new one. This time, the disgust on their bodies disappeared as the video that they saw was way calmer.]]]


    [Kuro]: Sieg, why is Malthus not doing anything in this world? Even if it is a safe world, shouldn''t his demonic nature be enough to make him do unspeakable things? I mean, look at him! He''s just hiding inside a cave along with his pupils! He does not even come out of that cave! Argh, he just wasted the opportunity given to him to be stronger!


    [Sieg]: Kuro, Malthus does not need to do anything at all at this point. And quite frankly, him not doing anything is better.


    [Kuro]: ???


    [Sieg]: Kuro, Malthus needs to heal himself in order to restore his power back to its peak. By not doing anything, he can hasten his healing rate, which will allow him to get stronger and stronger everyday. If I were in his shoes, I would have done the same thing too, so don''t just criticize him.


    [Kuro]: Hmph, you sound so kind talking about this demon. Are you friends or something?


    [Sieg]: Just finish your observation already. We still have to see what Alex is doing now.


    [Kuro]: ¡­Okay, I shall allow you to evade my questions. After all, you will also have no choice but to answer them in the future.


    [Sieg]: ¡­Just show us Alex''s condition already.


    [Kuro]: Fine, I''ll show it already. Oh, since Alex''s scene was the last one to be ''observed'', do you want me to increase the quality of the screen output? It will just require 10% increase on my fuel intake¡­


    [Sieg]: Cut the c**p and finish this. I don''t want more of my powers drained anymore.


    [Kuro]: ¡­.


    [[[Kuro then waved her hands for one last time, showing the events that happened on the Immortal''s World. It showed everything that Alex did, along with his breakthrough to the Sixth Stage and his discovery of ''business transactions and ''safe worlds''. Needless to say, both Kuro and Sieg were surprised with what they saw, as they seemed to have not expected something like this to happen.]]]


    [Kuro]: Oi Sieg! This is bad news! Alex has discovered about people making business transactions with the Endless Monarch! Ah f**k! What should we do now? Should we kill him? Or should we inform the others about this?


    [Sieg]: Kuro, listen to me. We will not do anything about this. Literally nothing. Just let Alex do what he wants to do.


    [Kuro]: But-


    [Sieg]: Kuro, Alex discovered the truth by his own, so we are not entitled to punish him for it. He was just too smart for our own good¡­ Do you understand that?


    [Kuro]: But-


    [Sieg]: Besides, Alex is already a Sixth Stage Being. He is now at the brink of joining the inner circle, so he''s also bound to know the truth in the nearby future. Since it will be like that soon, there''s no need to silence him anymore.


    [[[After Sieg said these words, Kiera, who was looking at Alex with killing intent, forcefully suppressed her malicious aura as she gave Sieg a complacent, but also aggrieved look.]]]


    [Kuro]: Hmph, since you say it that way, then I shall allow Alex to be let off! But if he dares to do something unexpected again, I will not hesitate to take actions against him!


    [Sieg]: Well good luck with that, Kuro. Let''s see if you can do that later.


    [Kuro]: Just watch me Sieg. Just watch me.


    [Sieg]: Yes, I will watch you later. But for now, we have to go to the meeting already. We''re almost a minute late, so we need to rush at the meeting place right now!


    [Kuro]: We''re already late? Why did you just say that now? You could have told that to me earlier!


    [Sieg]: Kuro, do you want me to pull out my sword? Becuase I have been itching to use it on you since earlier. Just say the word, and I will unleash its wrath on you...


    [Kuro]: ¡­

 Chapter 390 - Like father, like daughter?

    "Hm?" As Alex was about to pass the baby to Great TimeMaster, he suddenly shivered as he felt a cold, oppressive feeling on his skin. This feeling was akin to that of cold water dousing his body, which was obviously uncomfortable for him.


    "This cold feeling is a sign of my Conqueror''s aura detecting an ''observer''. Hmm¡­ so someone''s watching me right now." Alex thought to himself as his body visibly tensed. His eyes looked shiftily around him, as if he was trying to see something. "And from what I can feel, this observer of mine comes from an extremely far place. And this place was so far, that I can''t even pinpoint its exact location¡­"


    "Is there a problem, Mr. Alex?" The Great TImeMaster, who looked visibly pleased as the baby got closer to her, asked this question as she saw the sudden change on Alex''s behavior. "Are you¡­ planning to give another demand again?"


    "Oh, don''t worry about me, Great TImeMaster. I just felt that someone''s peeking on me now. It''s not a big deal at all." Alex replied casually as he ignored the cold feeling on his back. "It will also pass."


    "Someone powerful is spying on you? Well, you just have to deal with that. That''s not my problem anymore¡­" The Great TimeMaster said as she attempted to grab the baby that Alex was still holding. "Now, can you let me hold the baby already?"


    "Okay okay! I''m giving the baby already. Tsk, can''t you even be a little more patient?" Alex grumbled as he placed the baby right into the waiting arms of the Great TimeMaster. He felt the weight of the baby disappear on his arms as the Great TimeMaster started tickling the baby''s nose.


    "Who''s a good baby? Who''s that baby?" The Great TimeMaster said in a cooing tone as she continued on tickling the baby''s nose. "Is that you? Yes, that''s you! You''re a good baby!"


    "Oi Great TImeMaster, I don''t think you should be waking up the baby that way¡­" Alex said as he started to look uncomfortable. "Trust me, you should just let that baby sleep."


    "Why would I do that? When Annie was a baby before, she was an obedient baby that never cries even when she wakes up early. This baby will just be like Annie, so there''s no problem!" The Great TimeMaster replied confidently as she started to pinch the baby''s cheeks. "Oh¡­ this baby is really adorable. It makes me remember my days of taking care of baby Annie¡­"


    "¡­"


    The efforts of the Great TimeMaster to wake the baby up seemed to have worked, as the tightly closed eyes of the baby slowly showed signs of opening.


    A small crack appeared on the closed eyes of the baby, which signifies that it was having a progress on opening its eyes. The crack might be small, but it was visibly widening as time passed by , which was a good sign for the Great TimeMaster.


    This engrossed the Great TimeMaster to continue tickling the baby, which resulted on the baby opening its eyes further.


    A few more seconds of this bizarre scene continued before the Great TImeMaster stopped. There''s no need for her to tickle the baby anymore, as she had already reached her goal.


    "¡­"


    The baby''s eyes were now completely open, and they showed signs of awareness as the baby did not just stare blankly at the sky. Its bright, glistening eyes were focused on the Great TImeMaster alone, which made the latter shiver in delight.


    "Your eyes are pretty, little baby. They look like the stars in the night sky." The Great TimeMaster breathed out as she appeared to be enchanted by the baby''s beautiful eyes. "With your eyes like that, I am sure that your heart is just as pure as Annie. Ah, Annie is really a good baby who loves cuddles! Do you want me to cuddle you? Please let me cuddle yo-"


    "Can you shut your trap, you b**ch? I''m trying to get a sleep here!"  Out of nowhere, the baby, who was just as silent as rock, suddenly spewed out these abusive words towards the stunned Great TimeMaster. "Tch, this is why I don''t like a nanny! Those damned people will just waste my time!"


    "¡­"


    "What? Why are you staring at me like that? Is this your first time seeing a beautiful baby like me? Hmph, people these days¡­ They just don''t know what''s right or wrong!"


    "¡­"


    "Oi Papa! Why did you give me at this creepy woman? She looks like she wants to eat me! Oi Papa! Get me out of here!"


    "Mr. Alex¡­ what in the world is this baby talking about?" The Great TimeMaster, who looked extremely pleased while holding the baby earlier, now had a ghastly expression on her face after she heard the words that the baby just said. "Am I hearing things right?"


    "Hey! How dare you doubt my words!" The baby, who seemed to be still not done speaking, gave the Great TimeMaster a murderous glare as it started to pummel the latter with its small fists. "You think I am just a hallucination? Hmph, are you on drugs? Papa, why don''t you just kick this woman away? She''s creeping me out!"


    "¡­"


    Seeing that the baby has continued to speak in a coarse manner, the Great TimeMaster became more stunned, that she had ignored the baby''s continued attempts to punch her.


    She tried her best to smile at the baby, although the best that she could only do was to give it a twitching grimace.


    "Sierra, even if I want to kick this woman away, I cannot do that with my current power." Alex replied as he ignored the amusing state that the Great TimeMaster was in. "Besides, I have a deal with her right now, so I cannot just dishonor it."


    "Papa, is that deal related to me?" The baby, whose name was Sierra(If it''s Sierra, then the baby is a female, right?), said as she gave Alex a withering look. "Papa, is this about me helping out another soul like me? Ugh¡­ can you please cut it out already? I just want to drink milk and sleep right now! I don''t want to work!"


    "Sierra, you don''t really have to work. You just have to-"


    "No! I don''t wanna! I don'' t wanna! I don''t wanna!"


    "Sierra, please just-"


    "I don''t wanna!"


    "Sierra, I dare you continue whining like that. Let''s see if you can keep it up once I get angry with you." Alina, who only spoke litle since earlier, said these words in a cold tone as she glared frostily at Sierra. "Go on, keep that rebellious attitude of yours. Nobody here can stop you from whining, after all."


    "Mama¡­"


    "Don''t you Mama me right here, Sierra. Your body might be that of a baby, but your mind is already that of a grown-ass woman. You can already think independently by yourself!" Alina continued saying as she interrupted Sierra''s attempt to explain herself. "Didn''t your Papa tell you earlier that we will need your help here? From what I can remember, you quickly agreed at that time. But what are you doing now? You''re whining because you don''t want to do what you had agreed to do before? Sierra, are you really going to back out of your promise?"


    "But Mama, I am hungry already! I want to drink milk!"


    "If you want milk, then you could have just told it to me earlier." Alina said as the coldness in her tone lessened. "You did not have to whine like that. Look at your Papa. He''s now sad because of your actions! Do you want to make him sad?"


    "Mama, I am okay with making Papa sad. He''s a tough guy, so he can resist it."


    "Sierra¡­."


    "Mama, I want my milk already!"


    "Fine. I''ll give you your milk already. It''s almost dinnertime after all."


    "Yay Mama! You really are the best! I wish Papa can be like you!"


    "Sierra, it seems like I still have to teach you more things later¡­"


    The angry Alina from earlier has now disappeared as only a fond, motherly look remained on her face while she talked to Sierra. Her oppressive ''tiger mom'' attitude was now gone, as she could be seen approaching Sierra with a warm glint in her eyes.


    A bottle of milk appeared on her arms, which she quickly gave to the hungry-looking Sierra.


    "Glug glug glug¡­"


    Sierra did not waste any time as she started to gobble up the milk up, ignoring even the drops of milk that fell on her clothes and the ground.


    She consumed the milk in an impossibly fast pace that before everyone could know it, all the milk was already gone.


    All that remained was an empty bottle, and a clearly satisfied Sierra.


    "Burp! Now that''s a high quality milk! Mama, do you still have more?"


    "I have more, but you can only drink it later."


    "There''s more? Can I drink it now?"


    "If I said that you will drink it later, you will drink it later. Do you understand that, Sierra?"


    "Okay Mama¡­ I will drink it later."


    "Good. Now that you have drank your milk, can you start helping the Great TimeMaster out?" Asteria said as she cleaned up Sierra''s messy face.


    Even if Sierra was in the arms of the Great TImeMaster, Alina did not have any problems on cleaning Sierra up, as if this was just a normal thing for her to do.


    "Mama¡­ do I really need to do this? I don''t like this woman." Sierra replied, clearly pertaining to the Great TimeMaster. "What if she a bad uncle? I don''t want to stay with her!"


    "Sierra, first of all, your Papa and I have already determined that the Great TimeMaster has no bad intentions on you. So be rest assured that you will be safe with her." Alina said with finality as she poked Sierra''s cheeks. "Do you not believe on us, Sierra? Do you not believe that we already did everything that we can to keep you safe? Do you doubt us that badly?"


    "No Mama! I don''t doubt you like that! I just don''t like this woman because she woke me up rudely!"


    "Well, that''s partly my fault, so don''t be angry at her."


    "Okay Mama, I won''t blame her anymore."


    "Good, so you will help her out now?"


    "Yes Mama! I will do my best to help this trashy woman out!"


    "Sierra, language."


    "Did I say something wrong? Oh right, I should not have said that this woman is trashy in public. I should have kept it to myself!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Great TimeMaster, don''t look at me like that. Sierra just happened to be like this." Alina wryly said as she gave the Great TimeMaster an apologetic look. "Look, she already agreed to help you, so just bear with her okay? Just¡­ tolerate what she says, and everything will be alright."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 391 - Origin and Conditions

    "Its fine, Miss Alina. Sometimes children have their rebellious days too¡­" The Great TimeMaster replied awkwardly as she stared at Sierra. "As long as you shower her with love, she will no doubt grow up to be a fine woman."


    "Love? What''s that? Can I eat that c**p?"


    "Okay, Sierra, why don''t we just proceed to helping me out already? I can see that talking with you will just make things worse." The Great TimeMaster said with her eyes twitching. "You seem to not like me, so I won''t stay with you for any longer."


    "Hah, at least you are sensible about my precious time!" Sierra suddenly said, making Alina sigh loudly. "Come on woman, tell me what you exactly need from me!"


    In face of these insulting words from Sierra, the Great TimeMaster appeared to be keeping her temper in as she answered the baby''s question calmly.


    "I just need a little bit of your Origin Energy. You still have enough to give out, right?" The Great TImeMaster said as she stared at the baby''s eyes. "Please, I just need a little of it. It won''t hurt you to give some of that¡­"


    "Hah? You want some portion of my Origin Energy? Are you tripping balls?" Sierra cursed out as she squirmed on her place. She appeared to be attempting to jump out of the Great TimeMaster''s grasp, who was doing her best to keep he unruly baby in. "Since you are related to a World Soul, then you must know much important Origin Energy is. And yet, you want me to give out some of mine? Hah, no way in hell I am going to do that!"


    "Miss Sierra, I know a lot of things about Origin Energy just like what you said, so I know how important it is to you." The Great TimeMaster hurriedly said as she tried to keep Sierra in her arms. "However, I also know how much Origin Energy you have, and right now, I can sense that the Origin Energy inside your body is way higher than your normal capacity."


    "¡­"


    "Miss Sierra, you know that the Origin Energy is the energy birthed every time something extraordinary was birthed in the Multiverse." The Great TImeMaster said as she continued on talking. "Whether it was a Godly Divine Beast, an Innate High-Staged Being, or a World Soul, these kinds of extraordinary births will be accompanied by the appearance of Origin Energy. And you, Miss Sierra, has some of this Energy too."


    "¡­"


    "Origin Energy is the energy of creation and as such, it has a lot of applications. It can be used to create a new ability, or it can be used to create a new life. It can also be used to create a weapon of destruction or build a sanctuary safe from danger."


    "¡­"


    "The only limit of the Origin Energy was its amount. Most of those who receive the Origin Energy only receives a miniscule amount of it, that the things that they can do with it are almost at the low end of the scale. Only those who are birthed in unfathomable manner obtains massive amounts of Origin Energy, but they are extremely rare and it will be almost impossible to find one in your lifetime."


    "¡­"


    "When my daughter was born , she also gained some portion of the Origin Energy, although just like the others, the amount that she obtained was miniscule too." The Great TImeMaster shook her head ruefully at this point, as she seemed to remember the things that she had showed to Alex before.


    "Annie used all of that Origin Energy to heal herself, although it''s not enough to make her reach full recovery. Of course my daughter can just undergo rituals that can heal her, but I prefer to have her use Origin Energy on herself. As such, I have no choice but to look for a source of Origin Energy¡­''


    "And the source that you found was me? Hmph, you are one hell of a lucky woman!" Sierra finally said as she stopped squirming on the Great TimeMaster''s arms. "But even if I have this Origin Energy with me, I will still not give some of it to you! DIdn''t you just say that I have to save it up? Why would I give some of it to you then, huh?"


    "It''s because you have too much Origin Energy with you right now." The Great TimeMaster replied in an even tone as she did not back down from Sierra''s stingy words. "The way that you were birthed must have been extremely unusual, that the Multiverse has decided to gift you with 50 person''s worth of Origin Energy. Now that''s just too much."


    "¡­"


    "Miss Sierra, that amount of Origin Energy is extraordinarily many, so there must be no problem with you if you can give me a little portion of it." This time, the Great Time Master opted to say these words in a pleading tone as she gazed at Sierra with watery eyes. "Just a little will do, Miss Sierra. It won'' hurt you at all."


    "Yes, it won''t hurt me at all, but I will still be losing out on some of my precious Origin Energy!" Sierra complained as she avoided the Great TimeMaster''s stare. "I don''t want to give it out this way! It will just be waste! But if-if you can compensate me for the loss of my Origin Energy, then maybe I can give you some of it¡­''


    "So you want a trade then." The Great TimeMaster said in a deadpan tone as Alex and Alina both facepalmed. "You want me to give something to you in exchange for some portions of your Origin Energy? Is that what you are saying?"


    "Yes! That''s what I am saying, woman! I will only give you some Origin Energy if you give me something good!" Sierra replied shrewdly. Her tone sounded proud right now, although Alex and Alina only smiled wryly after hearing this. "So you better prepare yourself for my demands!"


    "¡­"


    At Sierra''s mention of the word ''demand'', the Great TimeMaster''s eyes started to twitch again, as she realized that this baby will most likely attempt to milk more benefits from her.


    The Great TimeMaster was someone who hates people taking advantage of her weakness, so for a split-second, she thought of rejecting Sierra''s demand.


    But due to the situation of Annie''s soul, the Great TimeMaster could only relent, as she knew that she has no choice but to play along with Sierra.


    "I have 4 conditions, and only after you fulfill them all that I will give some Origin Energy to you!" Sierra said as she crossed her tiny arms. "Do you have the guts to fulfill these conditions, woman?"


    "Just¡­ say the conditions." The Great TimeMaster said as she let out a sigh. "But you should make sure that these conditions of yours are things that I can fulfill. Because if I can''t, then I will be forced to change those conditions¡­"


    "Hmph, don''t you worry, woman. I am a genius baby, so I already know that to say!" Sierra replied in an affronted tone. "So just you listen, woman!"


    "¡­"


    "First condition: You must give Mama a lot of Time Essence!" Sierra said as she looked at Alina with a fawning smile. "Even if Mama is a Chronomancer, she''s still having difficulty on using higher level Chronomancy spells because she lacks Time Essence. You woman, should give Mama enough Time Essence so that she can pull off a lot of cool moves!"


    "You want Time Essence? Here it is then." Green lights began to gather in front of the Great TImeMaster as a small, black suitcase materialized right in front of her.


    All the green lights were sucked in by this suitcase, creating a light, shrill sound that can be heard from a far distance.


    It was only when the suitcase has started to bulge that it stopped absorbing the green light.


    "Thud." The Great TImeMaster grasped this suitcase by its handle before passing it to Alina, who was looking at the suitcase with a wary look in her yes.


    "There''s 10 Million Years worth of Time inside this suitcase. Use it well for your spells." The Great TimeMaster said as Alina held the suitcase gingerly. "With that amount of Time, you can dish out a spell that can kill a Sixth Stage Being, although I am warning you that doing that move will drain all of the Time inside the Suitcase. Oh, and you cannot replenish the Time inside this suitcase, so use your spells with care."


    "Thank you." Alina quietly said as she stored the suitcase in her storage. "This will be helpful to me."


    "Okay, now what''s your second condition, Miss Sierra?" After receiving Alina''s thanks, the Great TimeMaster looked back at Sierra, who was giving the Great TimeMaster a smug smile. "Let''s see your next way of leaching off benefits from me."


    "Woman, you have conquered this world for a very long time, so you must have a lot of pills, cultivation methods, and treasures owned by Immortals! So for my second condition, I want you to give these resources to Papa!" Sierra unabashedly said as she pointed her finger at Alex. "I don''t want Papa to be useless, so give him the items that can make him stronger!"


    "So you are now helping your father after your mother. I wonder what your third condition will be." The Great TimeMaster muttered in a wistful tone as she removed a small pouch on her waist.


    This pouch seemed to be an ordinary one, although some runes and strange words could be seen written on it.


    The Great TimeMaster casually tossed this pouch to Alex, who deftly caught it.


    "That pouch contains resources that if used enough, can allow you to reach Domain Stage, or if you''re lucky, even Immortal Soul Stage." The Great TImeMaster said as Alex began to observe the pouch. "That pouch is a spatial treasure created by a powerful Immortal artisan before, so you should be assured that everything inside it will be of high quality."


    "Oh¡­ you''re right. These things seem to be high quality treasures¡­" Alex seemed to have forgotten the existence of the Great TimeMaster as he was only intent on observing the contents of the pouch. "Hehehe¡­ now that I have this, I can now try out many cool things that a cultivator can do! Just you wait Asteria! I shall chase you later while riding a flying sword!"


    "¡­Miss Sierra, your father seems happy with what you got him already. Can we now proceed with your third condition?"


    "Okay! For my third condition, I want you to give Auntie Frances a lot of biological materials, which include potions and immortal herbs! And if you can, give Auntie Frances bodies of magical beings and corpses of cultivators. Oh, and if they are alive, you can also give it to her too! Just give Auntie Frances a lot, okay?"


    "Huh? You''re calling me Auntie?" Professor Frances, who was already sidelined by everything that had just happened, could not help but blurt these words out, as she was taken back by Sierra''s deeds. "We haven''t even met before, and you''re already helping me out right now?"


    "Piss off crazy woman. I am just helping you out because I hate seeing weak-ass people like you." Sierra quickly shattered Professor Frances'' good impression on her as she said these words.  "Seriously, you were about to piss yourself earlier when you met Papa. If that''s how weak you are, then you need a lot of help to catch up to him! So be thankful that I am helping you right now!"


    "You-"


    "Here''s everything that Miss Sierra demanded, Miss Frances. Take care of them." Before the professor could start blowing up on the rude baby, the Great TimeMaster threw a small burlap sack towards Professor Frances, who had no choice but to stop talking in order to catch it.


    "Thud."


    The professor caught this sack hastily, with her body almost crashing down to the ground because of its weight.


    "¡­"


    The professor had no choice but to start heaving and panting on the spot, as she used almost all of her physical strength just to lift the sack closer to her body.


    "Ugh¡­"


    "There, I gave Miss Frances the biological materials that she needed. That''s the third condition already fulfilled." The Great TimeMaster hastily said as she ignored the professor''s visible difficulties. "Now, tell me your fourth and final condition."


    "Hmph, getting hasty now, aren''t we?" Sierra said with a sneer as she crossed her arms. She seemed to be enjoying the urgency on the Great TimeMaster''s face, that she purposely slowed down her next words.


    "For¡­ the¡­ fourth¡­ condition... I¡­ want¡­ you¡­ to¡­ use¡­ your¡­ power¡­ to¡­ accelerate¡­ Auntie¡­ Queen¡­ Mother''s¡­ growth¡­ Make¡­ sure¡­ that¡­ she¡­ will¡­ be¡­ a¡­ big¡­ boisterous¡­thick¡­ tree... again!"

 Chapter 392 - Transcendence

    "You want me to restore a World Tree''s condition back to its peak by using my Time Manipulation ability? Young girl, you seem to be the one who''s tripping balls here." The Great TimeMaster said as she raised her eyebrows. "Sorry Miss Sierra, but that last request of yours is just plain impossible."


    "Hah? But you just have to accelerate Auntie Queen Mother''s time until she grows up to be a big tree! How hard is that for you?" Sierra exclaimed angrily as she glared at the Great TimeMaster. "Aren''t you like, the big bad boss here? That means that you should have op abilities!"


    "Miss Sierra, I indeed have abilities that are beyond the scope of Mr. Alex and Miss Alina. However, most of them were directed towards destruction of my enemies¡­" The Great TimeMaster hesitantly said as she shook her head. "Making me accelerate Queen Mother''s time¡­ might just lead to her own death, even with her massive amounts of vitality."


    "Hmph, you''re just spouting excuses, aren''t you?" Even if the Great TImeMaster tried to explain herself in a logical way, the boorish Sierra appeared to not accept any of it as she continued to press on. "You''re already powerful, so you should be able to do something for Auntie Queen Mother!"


    "¡­."


    After she said these words, Sierra''s eyes went wide open as she started to hiss at the Great TimeMaster.


    There was clear hostility in her words now, and she did not bother to hide the venom in her voice as she continued talking to the Great TimeMaster.


    "Woman, even if you try to hide it, I can still sense it. Your power¡­ I can feel that it is already at Half-Step Stage 7! " Sierra exclaimed in a loud tone as she began to scratch the Great TimeMaster''s clothes. "That makes you a being that is close to Transcendence! In that kind of level, you should have abilities that have transcended beyond the limits of a normal Chronomancer! "


    "Transcendence? Sierra, are you sure about that?" Professor Frances choked out as she looked at the Great TimeMaster with surprise . "That is not a joke that you can just casually say!"


    "Shut up Auntie. I am talking to someone more important here. "


    "You little-"


    "Woman, since you are already this powerful, then you should not deny already! I''m sure you have one hidden op ability somewhere! Just give up and use it on Auntie Queen Mother already!"


    Sierra seemed to have ignored the professor entirely, as when she continued to talk, her attention was still focused only on the Great TimeMaster.


    "Come on, woman, don''t you try excusing yourself out here! I know that you have a Transcendental Ability there that you can use on Auntie Queen Mother!" Sierra continued to say as the hostility on her voice became more pronounced. "Why are you hiding it from us? Didn''t you say that you want to save your daughter? Hmph, if you will just use this Transcendent Ability of yours, then you will be able to get what you want from me!"


    "¡­"


    "Come on woman, just use it now, and I will give some Origin Energy to you!" Sierra exasperatedly said as she literally growled at the Great TimeMaster. "Or are you chickening out right now? Right when you are about to finish my conditions?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­Miss Sierra, you''re lucky that I desperately need your help and that your parents are contracted by the Endless Monarch. Because if you were not, then I could have already displayed your heads on our museum." The Great TimeMaster said with a red face, as she appeared to be trying her best to not pounce on Sierra. "Be grateful that I am in a temperamental mood today. If I were angry¡­ then this day could have ended differently for you."


    "Boohoo. I don''t care if you''re temperamental or angry right now. Just activate your power, will you?" Sierra nonchalantly replied as she ignored the glower coming from the Great TimeMaster. "You''re in a time limit, right?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Mister Alex, you should teach Miss Sierra on how to keep her words clean. If you left her like this, you and your allies will be in much danger in the future¡­" The Great TImeMaster said as she shook her head in exasperation. "Remember this advice Mr. Alex. You really need to discipline her."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    After she gave this ''advice'' to Alex, the Great TimeMaster let out another sigh as she fished out an object from her pocket.


    What she drew out was a miniature model of boat, which fit quite nicely in her palm.


    The boat appeared to be a simple rowing boat, with only one pair of rows hooked on it.


    There were no sails attached on it, and its entire body was streamlined, as if it was meant to glide smoothly across the water surface. The paint on the boat was only a mud brown color, which made it look less imposing compared to the other boats.


    Right now, this boat looked like just an ordinary toy boat, although Alex was looking at it in a clearly wary manner.


    "That boat¡­ it reeks of danger.'' Alex muttered audibly, which made Professor Frances and Alina back a little away from it. They then slowly raised their weapons as they looked at the boat with more caution.


    Alex did the same thing too, although his gaze was more concentrated on the Great TImeMaster herself, rather than the boat on her hands.


    As for Sierra, she seemed to have no ill-feelings about the boat at all, as she only looked at it with mere interest.


    "That''s a nice toy, woman. Are you giving me that for free? Sorry, but I like tanks. I can''t accept this gift boat of yours."


    "Miss Sierra, this boat is the representation of the powerful ability that I will use. This is not a toy that I am just giving away." The Great TImeMaster mumbled as she shook her head wryly. "And don''t expect me to give you a toy after all the things that you just said to me."


    "¡­."


    "Good, so you can also stay quiet. That''s a good sign." The Great TimeMaster said with admiration as she patted Sierra''s head. "I hope you can also stay quiet while I activate my power. If you can do that, then there will be no more ''delays'' on your condition!"


    "Hmph! Just do what you have to do."


    "Don''t worry, Miss Sierra, I will try my best to help Miss Queen Mother out. But do not expect to get the best results¡­" The Great TimeMaster muttered as she continued petting Sierra''s head. "But you''re fine as long as she gets a massive boost in power, right?"


    "Hmph, whatever you will do is up to you already! I don''t care anymore!" Sierra briskly replied as she swatted the Great TimeMaster''s patting hand away. "And can you please stop patting me? Only Mama and Papa are allowed to do that."


    "¡­" The Great TimeMaster did not have any reply to these scathing words, as she focused her attention back on her boat, which was now experiencing some kind of change.


    The small boat was still nestled on the Great TimeMaster''s palm, although right now, some signs of instability could be seen on it.


    Cracks could be seen on its body, and its rows were starting to look like distorted spaghetti. The boat''s paint began to drip down like sticky blood, making the boat appear as if it was approaching its death.


    This sight made Alex back a little more as he felt more and more danger coming from the small boat itself.


    "Great TimeMaster, if you will do something, then do it quickly. All of this wait is making me nervous." Alex slowly said as he took a deep breath to calm himself down. "And please do something with your boat. That boat of yours is clearly an anomaly. Can you just use it already?"


    "Don''t worry, Mr. Alex. I''m about to use this boat already." After the Great TimeMaster said these encouraging(?) words, she slowly raised her hand that was holding the boat.


    She let her hand stay in this position for a few seconds, before she suddenly closed it into a fist, bringing the boat right inside it.


    "Crunch!"


    A sound comparable to that of a crushed aluminum can echoed in the area, as the Great TimeMaster continued to tighten her clenched fist. The small boat from earlier was nowhere to be seen, as it was now being crushed by the Great TimeMaster''s dainty fist.


    Whether the boat has survived or not is hard to say, as the Great TimeMaster did not show any indication of it.


    She did not say anything after clenching her fists, with only her eyes showing some hints of movement.


    Her whole body was as still as a statue right now, as if someone had just turned her into a living stone.


    "¡­"


    The whole place went silent as this went on, as no one present knows what to do next.


    "Ladies and gentleman. I am sorry for the slight delay. The setting-up process just took a longer time, hence the awkward scene here. But worry not, for the ride is already here! Just stay on your place and we will be ready to go!" The Great TImeMaster finally said after a few tense minutes of silence. "If I were you, I would buckle up already. This ride is going to be a rocky one, so expect some turbulence later!"

 Chapter 393 - Birds swim in the sky, and the Fishes fly in the sea

    OUTSIDE THE MOUNTAIN OF ENLIGHTENMENT


    Kiera''s sudden appearance beside Annie drew a mixed reaction from the crowd around the mountain.


    The TimeMasters appeared to be wary of Kiera, although some of them seemed to be happy, as if they were rejoicing at Kiera''s arrival.


    As for the Immortals, they were greatly pissed, especially when they saw that the Soul Power that they had painstakingly gathered were all burning right now.


    Saying that these Immortals were murderous will be an understatement, as the way that they looked at Kiera showed that they are willing to do worse things to her if they manage to capture her.


    It was only Kiera''s Soul Flames that was preventing the Immortals from making any actions, as the hostile power emanating from it was enough to weaken anyone who approaches these flames.


    But from the looks of it, the ''protection'' that Kiera had right now was bound to disappear quickly, as the flames looked like they were not going to last that much longer.


    The green flames have already dwindled to half of its original size, and if this goes on, it will take around 1 more minute before the flames disappear entirely.


    This means that there''s only a minute left before Kiera can make her next move, and her life and the World Soul''s life will both depend on this action.


    Naturally, the spectating Queen Mother had worries about this.


    "Kiera¡­ what are you planning to do now?" Queen Mother muttered to herself as she observed Kiera, who was still staying close to the World Soul. "Will you fight this out, or will you escape?"


    Because of everything that had happened in this place, Queen Mother knew that the best thing that she can do right now was to assist Kiera. Since Alex did not give her any commands, Queen Mother just assumed that maybe her role in this battle was to help out Kiera.


    "Hmm¡­ making these monsters took a lot of resources and time, so letting them die here will be a waste. However, if I can use their bodies to make an escape path for Kiera, then their deaths will be worth it." Queen Mother said in a low tone as she glanced at her monster army.


    She observed their eager expressions, which could have been the result of Kiera''s showy actions. Queen Mother sighed upon seeing the monster''s faces, as feelings of slight pity began to appear inside her heart.


    Queen Mother then shook her head at this point, as she realized that feeling pity for her own creations was something that she should only do later. For now, she must focus on the situation at hand, and she must make sure that all of them will survive!


    "Ah whatever. I will only make an action once Kiera makes her move. If it requires me to perform some sacrifices, then I will be willing to do it!" Queen Mother declared as she took a deep breath. "Now then Kiera, make your decision already!"


    If this were a normal situation, then Queen Mother should continue waiting for 50 more seconds before Kiera was forced to make an action. It will be at this kind of situation that Queen Mother will be able to showcase all of her power.


    But fortunately for Queen Mother, the situation just took a sudden unexpected turn.


    "Splash!"


    Out of nowhere, a loud splashing sound echoed across the area as a massive boat suddenly appeared in the sky.


    This boat, which could be seen 100 meters above the ground, was so massive that it casted a shadow on almost everyone on the area, not sparing even those that are located far from the mountain.


    Even the air around the area was affected too, as small-scale tornadoes began to crop up everywhere, with their existence caused by the boat''s displacement of the air.


    To say that a country suddenly appeared above everyone was the right thing to say, as only something like a country can explain the size of this boat.!


    Due to its size and sudden appearance, everyone''s attention was diverted away from the Mountain of Enlightenment, with their eyes now glued at the gargantuan boat.


    "!!!"


    A collective intake of breath could be heard from everyone as they saw the actual appearance of the boat. They felt all sorts of emotions as they looked at it, with surprise and wariness at the top of the list.


    Even Queen Mother, who had seen weird things before, could not help but tense her body as she observed the boat''s body.


    "That''s clearly a rowing boat¡­ and yet, it has that kind of appearance. How could something this large exist?" Queen Mother thought to herself as the boat began to glide towards their direction.


    No, gliding was not the right term.


    This boat was actually ''sailing'' through the sky, as if it was crossing through a watery surface, although there was no body of water that was even near at the boat!


    The sky appeared to be the ''river'' itself, and the boat was having a good time navigating across it.


    Right now, this boat was sailing in a great speed, that it only took it a few seconds to fly right above Queen Mother''s location.


    Once the boat reached this point, it did not stop moving, as it actually sped up its flight.


    It did not even slow down as it got nearer and nearer to the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    Naturally, this sight made everyone extremely panicked.


    With the way that this boat is moving now, it is inevitable for it to collide with the Mountain of Enlightenment. There''s just no way that the Mountain of Enlightenment can dodge the boat''s charge, not with the speed that the boat is moving in right now.


    This obviously is not a great scenario for the people around, especially to those that are located at the vicinity of the mountain.


    If anyone of them stays near the mountain once the boat collides with it, something disastrous might befall on them!


    "Move, everyone! Move away!" Countless TimeMasters shouted as they began to fly away from the Mountain of Enlightenment. There was now genuine fear apparent on their eyes as they seemed to do their best to distance themselves away from the incoming collision.


    Green lights whizzed everywhere the as most of these TimeMasters used powerful spells to cover more distance. Some even summoned unique treasures to protect their bodies, while others directly disappeared on the spot.


    These escaping TimeMasters did not care about the Immortals anymore as they were only focused on moving away.


    They seemed to have also forgotten about the matter of Annie, as none of them even batted an eye at her as they left.


    "These hypocrites!" As she saw what the TImeMasters did, Queen Mother gritted her teeth as she looked back at Annie. "So when danger comes bounding in, you will actually choose your lives over her. Hmph, and here I thought you were here to save her!"


    Even though she saw the apparent danger from the collision between the boat and the mountain, Queen Mother resolutely chose to stay in her place, unlike the TimeMasters who immediately bailed out from the first sign of danger.


    There''s just no way that she will leave now, not with both Kierra and the World Soul still stuck inside the Mountain of Enlightenment.


    So what if something catastrophic will happen after the collision? Queen Mother does not care about this, as she was only focused on Kierra and the World Soul!


    "¡­With the power contained inside that boat, it surely has the capability to shatter the defensive barrier covering the Mountain of Enlightenment. The question is, what will happen once the barrier breaks? Will an explosion happen? Or will it just shatter into millions of harmless pieces?" Queen Mother thought quickly to herself as the boat continued to lessen its distance with the mountain.


    "Hmph, it''s better to wait for the collision to happen before I make my move." Queen Mother thought as she gave her monster army the signal to prepare. After doing this, she suddenly froze, as she realized something weird about the boat. "Wait¡­ why did this boat suddenly appear here? And why is it heading straight towards the Mountain of Enlightenment? Is this boat¡­ a part of Alex''s plan?"


    After she said these words, Queen Mother suddenly grinned, as the panic in her eyes was replaced with schadenfreude.


    A small chuckle then escaped her mouth as she began to relax her tense body.


    "Hmph, so this is your message for me, Alex. You really chose a unique way to say it to me." Queen Mother thought to herself as she began to increase the toughness of her skin. "Instead of just telling me to barge into the mountain, you actually found a way to do it by yourself! And here I thought you ran out of ideas already¡­."


    As she made this realization, the heavy mood in Queen Mother''s heart began to lighten, as she felt that Alex''s brilliant move will be the turning point of the whole battle.


    With the boat taking the job of breaking the barrier, all that Queen Mother had to do was to fulfill her role, and that role was to get Kiera and the World Soul into a safe place at the very moment that the collision happens!


    "I''m sorry, my Monster Army, but I have to sacrifice some of you to succeed in this endeavor." Queen Mother thought with sorrow as she began to think up of a possible formation that will allow them to swiftly enter the mountain once the barrier breaks down. "Your sacrifices will be honored by me and Frances later, so do your best for me!"


    It was after she had these thoughts that the inevitable happened.


    The massive boat has now made contact with the barrier, which only trembled for a second before it popped up like a bubble.


    "Plop."


    "¡­"


    There were not explosions that happened and there were no scattering of the barrier''s fragments.


    Nothing flashy really occurred after the collision.


    The barrier only popped softy like a bubble, and it quickly vanished into nothingness, as if it did not even exist in the first place.


    "Huh? That''s it?" Queen Mother, who had already thought of the possible countermeasures against the bad effects of the collision, could only stare at the ''bubble-popping'' with incredulity. "Why is something weird happening again here?"


    For the barrier to pop like a bubble was something that Queen Mother did not expect, although she had managed to recover from her surprise rather quickly.


    She only shook her head quickly as she stared at the Mountain of Enlightenment, which was now ''unlocked'' and free to be entered.


    With the mountain now accessible, Queen Mother naturally did the thing that she knew she was supposed to do.


    "Everyone! Follow me!" Queen Mother shouted as she leapt towards the peak of the Mountain of Enlightenment. The ground beneath her feet formed a small crater as the tree-woman''s body sailed across the air. The other monsters followed suit, with them using their unique abilities to catch up to her.


    "We have two targets to save, and you must make sure that they will be taken safely!" Queen Mother exclaimed loudly through the wind buffeting on her body. "Remember, their deaths are not an option here! They must be taken alive and well! Do you understand tha-"


    "Splash!"


    Another splashing sound echoed in the whole area, which interrupted Queen Mother''s talk.


    This sound came from the boat once more, although this time around this sound represented something else.


    "!!!"


    The boat, which went still after colliding with the barrier, began to rattle as large amounts of water poured out of its body. This water did not crash on the ground, as like the boat, it began to float in the air, creating a massive sky ''sea''.


    The water was entirely green in color, much greener even than Queen Mother''s own skin. This in turn made the sky ''sea'' look green, which was enough to unsettle those who saw it.


    Naturally, Queen Mother was taken aback by this floating sea, as its presence was a surprise just like the boat earlier.


    "Alex, is this sea another part of your plan? If it is, then what are you planning to do with it?" Queen Mother thought to herself as she continued to rush towards the Mountain of Enlightenment. "If you will use it against the Immortals, then that''s good! Use it on them now so that my job will be easier!"


    "Rumble¡­"


    Right after Queen Mother thought of this, the sky ''sea'' started to make its move.


    Like a flashflood devouring anything in its way, the whole sky ''sea'' quickly lost its coherent structure as it began to flow rapidly towards the Mountain of Enlightenment itself.


    Billions, or even trillions of tons of water rushed in a harsh manner towards the Mountain of Enlightenment, with waves as high as buildings materializing in front of the flood.


    To anyone who will see this scenery from afar, they will surely feel awe. After all, a massive floating flood was about to bombard a mountain. A sight like this is extremely rare to witness, and it is almost impossible for someone to just pass up on it!


    But for Queen Moher, the appearance of this flood did not make her feel any awe at all. Instead, this flood made her lose her relief, as she realized that she was right along the flood''s pathway.


    "OI Alex! Why are you making this flood cross here! Can''t you see that it''s about to hit me?" Queen Mother exclaimed angrily she did her best to redirect herself. "You know, you could have given me a warning before you did something like this!"


    Unfortunately for Queen Mother, she was currently airborne, which meant that she had no foothold that she can use. When she realized this, Queen Mother immediately used her powers to activate the plants below her.


    She made them assume the shape of a whip, which theoretically speaking, should be able to slap her away before the flood hits her.


    The creation process went smoothly, and a whip was created in record time.


    But this move of hers was now invalid, as the flood caught Queen Mother before she could whip herself away.


    "Ugh!"


    A sensation similar to paralysis invaded Queen Mother''s body as the green flood dragged her right into its depths. The pain of the flood''s impact did not even register on her, as she was only preoccupied on fighting her paralysis.


    She tried doing everything to break out of the flood, but as time went on, even her mind was being affected by the flood too.


    Her thoughts became sluggish as her vision gradually darkened, and her awareness slowly faded away as her trashing body went limp.


    "¡­"


    Her eyes then began to droop as she lost the strength to resist against the flood.


    "¡­"


    The last thing that she saw as her eyes closed was an image of a tree''s roots reaching out to her. For some reason, this image made Queen Mother feel warm, although this warmth did nothing to help her right now.


    Only coldness existed inside her, and it continued to proliferate as she finally succ.u.mbed into slumber.

 Chapter 394 - Departure and Request(End of Volume 6)

    INSIDE THE BOAT


    "You certainly are not holding back at all." Alex commented as he watched the devastation brought by the green flood. He narrowed his eyes as the massive flood began to cover the Mountain of Enlightenment, bringing the whole mountain under its torrents.


    The whole mountain was like a small leaf in front of the flood, with its entirety unable to do anything against the flood''s momentum.


    Everything inside the Mountain of Enlightenment was submerged by the green water, with the Immortals helplessly swept by the flood.


    To say that the Immortals were helpless was just an understatement, as all of them went flat out unconscious, with their abilities proven futile in face of the flood.


    Even Queen Mother and her minions were affected by the flood too, as they all floated in the flood like bloated tires.


    It was only Kierra and Annie that were not affected by the flood at all, as the green water parted before it could touch the two.


    "I promised to your daughter that I will assist Miss Queen Mother. Because of that promise, I had no choice but to show some part of my strongest ability to you." The Great TimeMaster calmly replied as she started pacing all around Alex. "There''s no need for you to comment about my power. After all this is not yet at its full capacity."


    "¡­"


    "And besides, I also used this ability of mine to save my daughter. There''s no way that I can just hold back with my daughter in danger here." Great TimeMaster added as she gazed at the small Annie with a doting look. "As a parent, you understand this sentiment, right?"


    "I am not a real parent, ok? I just had no choice but to take Sierra as my daughter." Alex replied hastily as he shook his head. He ignored the sudden pinch by Sierra on his waist as he started looking around him.


    He then let out a small cough as he thumped his feet on the floor, creating a hollow, wooden sound that was fit on his current location.


    "So¡­ is this boat the ''Transcendent Ability'' that Sierra was talking about earlier?" Alex asked as his eyes bathed in the massive size of the boat that he was currently riding right now. He honestly has no proper description for the boat that he was riding, so he can only ask the questions that had been bugging him since earlier. "It certainly looks powerful, although something seems off with it¡­"


    "Mr. Alex, don''t ask me any more questions. Just accept the fact that you have witnessed a power that is still beyond you." The Great TimeMaster replied as she began wiggling her index finger. "You still have a long life to live, so you will discover everything in the near future. For now, just enjoy the moment, and stop asking me questions, okay?"


    "¡­.If that''s what you say, then I shall accept it." Alex answered as he decided to stop prying on the Great TImeMaster. He then kept quiet as he watched as the green flood below the boat began to systematically break down the whole Mountain of Enlightenment.


    He let out a deep breath as he saw the whole mountain slowly melt like an ice puddle, with its components greedily absorbed by the flood itself. As for the people submerged in the flood, a small whirlpool began to suck them into the middle of the flood, creating a large ball made up of combined human and non-human bodies.


    "I am a Chronomancer, and yet you see me using an ability that is almost not related to Time Manipulation at all. You must be extremely confused by this, Mr. Alex." The Great TimeMaster suddenly said as she noticed the incredulity on Alex''s eyes. "Trust me, Mr. Alex. Once you reach the level of power that I am in right now, you will discover more and more things similar to these. All that you have to do is to just wait¡­"


    "Hmph, so you''re basically saying that as long as I do not have the enough power, I am not allowed to be privy on things like these." Alex snorted in reply as he suppressed the glow of curiosity on his eyes. "That''s plenty generous of you."


    "Mr. Alex, you don''t need to be this grumpy. I assure you that you will understand everything in the future. For now, just focus on your quest for power." The Great TimeMaster unhelpfully replied as she retracted her index finger.


    The huge ''ball'' inside the flood then began to tremble as a chunk of it slowly separated itself away from the ball.


    This chunk then shot out of the flood, heading straight towards the boat that Alex was in right now.


    "Thud."


    With the sound similar to that of a fish hitting the floor of a fishing vessel, the chunk landed on the boat, showing its contents to Alex and his allies.


    The unconscious Queen Mother and her monster army were the ones contained in the chunk, with their bodies now laying spread-eagled on the floor.


    The ferocious aura that they had earlier was now gone, as only peaceful, sleeping expressions can be seen on their faces.


    The only exception to this was Queen Mother, as she was letting out agonized m.o.a.ns while her body began twisting around.


    A small stream of green water was currently threading through Queen Mother''s body right now, doing things that Alex had no idea of.


    "Miss Sierra, I have already done the part of my deal. I already gave Miss Queen Mother the way to strengthen herself beyond her current state. How she will get stronger from this point will only depend on her willpower and perseverance." The Great TimeMaster said in a low tone as her eyes followed Queen Mother''s twitching limbs. "Surely you have no complaints at this point already."


    "Hmph, I don''t like the way that you ''helped'' Auntie Queen Mother, but I can see that you are doing your best to help her. Tsk, it seems like I have no choice but to finish this deal already¡­" Sierra grumbled as she slowly crawled up on Alina''s back. She had this peeved look on her face, as if someone had just played a fast one on her. "Hmph, take good care of your daughter. Don''t you waste this Origin Power that I am giving to you!"


    "I never intended to waste your gift, Miss Sierra."


    "Hmph, we shall see. We shall see."


    After she said these somewhat ominous words, the little Sierra let out a shout as a small, glass-like orb began to appear on her left hand.


    This glass-like orb was only as small as a tennis ball, although everyone present could feel their blood boiling as the orb began to spin on its place.


    Everyone appeared to be in daze as the sight of this ball, with Alex, Alina, and Professor Frances looking at this orb with undisguised yearning.


    Alex could feel his powers roaring in delight at the appearance of this orb, with these powers sending out feelings of greed. It was as if his powers wanted nothing more than to take this orb for themselves. Alina and Professor Frances appeared to be at the same case too, although they did not make any move to approach the orb.


    As for the Great TimeMaster, she appeared to be highly delighted as she saw the orb. She appeared to have momentarily forgotten everything around her, as she seemed to be focused only on the orb itself.


    The only one who looked unaffected by the orb was Sierra herself, who was only looking at it with a completely bored look.


    "What''s the matter woman? Don''t you want this piece of Origin Energy with you? Take it already!" The little baby commented as she pushed the orb higher in the air. "If you don''t take this, then I will give it to Auntie Professor Frances!"


    This warning by Sierra shook the Great TimeMaster out of her stupor. She then shook her head as she took one eager step towards Sierra, with the yearning on her face completely showcased. Her hands then started to tremble as she slowly reached out to the floating orb.


    "Beautiful, just beautiful." The Great TImeMaster breathed out as her fingertips touched the surface of he orb. Her eyes then widened in wonder as her hand plucked the orb out of the air. "Only something as ancient like this can appear to be this magnificent. With this¡­ my daughter''s well-being is now assured. Miss Sierra¡­ thank you for your generosity."


    "You don''t need to thank me, woman! I just had to fulfill the deal! That''s it, ok? Don''t treat me like I''m your friend!"


    "I get it Miss Sierra. You don''t have to be shy anymore."


    "Hey!"


    After she received the glass orb from Sierra, the Great TimeMaster took a deep breath as she looked back at Alex with a grave look.


    "Mr. Alex, with everything that had happened here, I am sure that your Mission in this world has been completed already." The Great TimeMaster said as she pocketed the glass orb. "Even though you did not do that much, you still contributed to the win of the TimeMasters against the rebellious Immortals. That is enough to be accepted by the Endless Monarch."


    "¡­I don''t know if I should feel happy or dissatisfied by this." Alex replied ruefully as he let out a sigh. "So we basically finished the Mission here by just letting things happen? Hmph, this place is really just a resting place for me."


    "Mr. Alex, instead of being dissatisfied, I implore you to be happy with everything that happened here." The Great TimeMaster replied as she shook her head. "Even if I can''t see your future anymore, I can feel that you are bound to experience numerous disasters on your next world. Without the things that you received in this world, you''re bound to die in the future. So don''t feel as if your potential was wasted in this world. Instead, you should think that this world is the place where your path to the peak has started."


    "¡­"


    "Okay, Mr. Alex, since you''re about to leave already, you should already take everything that you need with you." The Great TimeMaster said as she snapped her fingers.


    "Snap!"


    Behind her, Annie, Kierra, and Kierra''s grandpa suddenly appeared, with the dumb fairy Asteria in tow.


    All 4 of them seemed to be surprised by the sudden change in their surroundings, with Asteria almost cursing out as she glared at the Great TimeMaster.


    "Slik!"


    A small stream of water then shot out of the flood, hitting the necks of both Annie and Kierra. They immediately crumpled on the floor as they lost consciousness. As for Kierra''s grandpa, he was hit by the water stream on his forehead, sending him to the dreamland too.


    "Mr. Alex, let me take everything from here. As for you, take everything that you can with you. Just make sure that you won''t violate the rules about bringing non-Traveler beings with you." The Great TimeMaster said as she lifted the unconscious Annie. "You know those rules, right?"


    "¡­Yes, someone told it to me before." Alex replied as Alina stored Queen Mother, the Monster Army, Kierra, and Kierra''s grandpa on her Storage. "So don''t be worried about my allies. I know that they are still within the rules."


    "Good. Good luck on your next world then." The Great TimeMaster replied as she let out a small smile.


    "¡­"


    Before Alex could make a comment about this, the Great TimeMaster suddenly raised her finger as she tapped it on her chin. She appeared to have remembered something important, which she voiced out in her next words.


    "Oh, there''s another request that I need to ask of you, Mr. Alex. Will you hear me out?"


    "Just say it now. You know that I have no way to unhear you." Alex grumbled as he crossed his arms. "Its just a request right? I can just reject if I don''t like it."


    "¡­My request is just simple, Mr. Alex. At the moment that you reach the level of power that is similar to mine, I want you to return to this world and assist me with something." The Great TimeMaster said in a solemn tone. "I know this might sound fishy with you, but I assure you that assisting me will be helpful to you."


    "She''s not lying, Alex." Allina muttered, which made the Great TimeMaster smile at her.


    "So what about it, Mr. Alex? Will you accept my plea for assistance?"


    "Assistance huh. Let''s see. Hm¡­ frankly speaking, I would-"


    Whatever Alex was going to say to the Great TimeMaster was cut-off, as his entire body disappeared, along with Alina and Professor Frances.


    No traces of his presence remained as an unseen power, much greater than the Great TimeMaster herself, pulled Alex and his allies out of this world.


    The only thing that remained were the faint echoes of his last words, which continued to ring inside the Great TimeMaster''s head.


    "Knowing Mr. Alex, I am sure that he will accept my request. That''s the kind of person that he is." The Great TImeMaster muttered as she shook her head wryly. "All that I have to do is wait for him to come back. Hmm¡­ how long would it take for him to return here? 100 Years? 50 Years? Or maybe 10 Years? Hehehe, the earlier he comes back, the better it will be for me¡­"


    [Main Mission Accomplished]


    [Acquired: Ultra Rare Specie]


    [Grade: B]


    -----------------------END OF VOLUME 6 ------------------------

 Chapter 395 - Volume 6 Epilogue

    {{Mr. Thompson, it will be better for you to admit guilt. Making this investigation drag on will just be a hassle for the both of us.}}


    ||Hassle? Didn''t you hear what I was saying before? I am not one of those rebels! I just happened to be at the Mountain of Enlightenment when the rebels made their move! I said it numerous times already under different inspectors, yet none of you still believed me! Why are you TimeMasters always like this?||


    {{Mr. Thompson, we have gathered multiple evidences that all pointed to you being a member of the rebel Immortals. Your statements and denials hold no power against these evidences, so you will surely be judged as guilty. The only way that you can get off lightly is to confess your sins. That way, your time in prison will be reduced¡­}}


    ||Shut your mouth, you filthy TimeMaster! I said it earlier, and I will say it again. I am not a rebel, and I never had any intentions of rebelling against the TimeMasters! I am only looking for my sister who has been missing for 4 months already!||


    {{Mr. Thompson, speaking of this sister of yours... is her name Elise Thompson?}}


    ||You¡­ why do you know that name? That is my sister''s name! Did you and your friend discover her location now? Quick, tell it to me!||


    {{Mr. Thompson. I regret to inform this to you, but your sister, Elise Thompson, was one of the rebels captured in a small-scale operation 4 months ago. Due to her crimes of being in a small rebel group, she was dumped in the Trash Prefecture, where she still spends her time. She was punished with a lifetime imprisonment, which means that she won''t be leaving the Trash Prefecture anytime soon¡­}}


    ||My sister was captured as a rebel? You must be lying!||


    {{I am not lying, Mr. Thompson. Surely you already heard rumors about your sister joining the rebellion. I can confirm the truthfulness of these rumors, and if you want, I can show you the doc.u.ments pertaining to her stint in this rebel group.}}


    ||There''s no need for you to do that. I think I believe you.||


    {{Thank you for that answer, Mr. Thompson. Now if you can just do that in your confession¡­}}


    ||Sigh, so Elise left me behind because she decided to become a rebel? Why did she do that?||


    {{Mr. Thompson, because of your sister''s allegiance with a rebel group, your claim to be uninvolved with the rebels are all in doubt now. So please just confess to your sins already. It will make it easier for the both of us¡­}}


    ||Hmph, if you want to know the truth, why don''t you use a spell to view the past? Won''t that verify any of my statements?||


    {{Mr. Thompson, only the high-tiered TImeMasters can view the past with great accuracy. Unfortunately for the law department, none of these high-tiered TimeMasters are present. Only if the case was controversial that a high-tiered TimeMaster will help us out. For your case Mr. Thompson, there will be none of this special treatment. You''re just one of the numerous people caught in the Mountain of Enlightenment, so the best treatment that you can get is your time with me right now.}}


    ||Tsk, you damned TImeMasters are really doing everything that you can to prosecute us cultivators. You can''t even provide me with a proper judicial treatment! If this is how I am treated, then how about the real rebels? Are they being tortured right now? Are your friends having fun with them? Tsk, all of you are just sick bastards!||


    {{Mr. Thompson, if you continue infuriating me, I might add some more years on your sentence. So please keep it proper.}}


    ||Tsk.||


    {{So Mr. Thompson. Just like what I said before, I think you should confess already. Even if, in the slightest chance, you are actually innocent, there is no going out for you now. You have been found among the other rebels, which makes you a rebel already. So please Mr. Thompson, confess already.}}


    ||You sure have the guts to speak to me that way when you are facing your own problems too.||


    {{Mr. Thompson, please stay quiet. If you talk more¡­}}


    ||Aren''t you the guy that lost all of his Time because of the Future-Gazing Ritual? What was your name again? Ah right, you''re called CEO Smith! Yes, that''s your title! Hahaha, so you''re actually working here now! How does it feel doing a menial job like this? Are you feeling happy with your life now?||


    {{Mr. Thompson, please close your mouth. Continuing to speak in a disrespectful way will just-}}


    ||From what I have heard in the news, it was said that you activated the Future-Gazing Ritual because you want to find a way to fight the rebel Immortals. For someone like you, that is certainly a noble move. But after you activated the ritual, instead of it showing the future, what you only got was a painful backlash. You did not see any future at all. What came out of that ritual was a golden claw, which proceeded to attack you and all the CEO''s that participated the ritual.||


    {{Mr. Thompson. Any more words will-}}


    ||This sudden attack rendered you and the other CEO''s at the brink of death. If it were not for the timely assistance of the Great TImeMaster, all of you could have been dead already.||


    {{Mr. Thompson¡­}}


    ||Because of that botched ritual, you lost all of your assets. What remained of your Time was used to pay your bills, while all of your properties and treasures were given to the other CEOs, as a form of ''compensation'' for the injuries that you have caused on them.||


    {{¡­}}


    ||All of your employees and servants left you, except for your secretary, who still stayed close with you. From what the news said, she did not demand anything from you. She only wanted to stay with you. Now that''s just romantic. What was her name again? Right, it''s Andrea! Hey CEO Smith, since this Andrea is living with you now, does that mean that you are having a s.e.xy time with-||


    "Thud!"


    {{Careful there, Mr. Thompson. I may be tolerant of your words, but I will never let you off anymore, now that you started insulting Andrea.}}


    ||Haaak¡­ Oi CEO Smith, you are choking me right now!||


    {{What did you say, Mr. Thompson? I can''t really hear you.}}


    ||I said, haak! You are choking me!|


    {{Again, I could not understand what you are saying. Can you please say it in a clearer tone?}}


    ||You¡­ you bastard! Haaak!||


    {{Hmm?}}


    ||Argh! Okay, I admit my sins already! Haak! I admit that I am a rebel! There, are you happy now? Haaak!||


    {{Good, Mr. Thompson. You clearly did the right thing by confessing already. You will save a lot of lives by doing this. Wait, are you okay, Mr. Thompson? You seem to have trouble breathing earlier. Are you feeling fine right now?}}


    ||Piss off, you f**ker! You were trying to choke me earlier!||


    {{Mr. Thompson. Now that you have confessed to your sins, you will be immediately incarcerated effective today. If you have any relatives that you want to say goodbye to, today is the only day that you can do it.}}


    ||¡­You are one sleazy, despicable bastard. Is this how desperate you are to keep your current job? Do you need Time so much that you are willing to assault me just to make me confess? Hmph, you must have needed a lot of Time to be this desperate. Are you in debt right now? Heh, someone as lavish as you might have a debt or two somewhere¡­||


    {{Since you are not mentioning any of your relatives, then I can assume that there will be none of them that will talk to you. In that case, you will be sent to your prison already.}}


    ||Wait! That fast? Can''t you even just-||


    {{The state hopes that you will take this as a lesson, Mr. Thompson. We hope that after you served your time, you will be a changed man, someone who will be focused for the betterment of the society.}}


    ||¡­CEO Smith, I hope someone will take your Andrea away. Someone as pretty as her must be a fresh meat for your CEO friends. Hehehe, you better watch out for her. You never know, someone might come snatching her away before you could even notice it¡­||


    {{Just go to your designated destination now, Mr. Thompson.}}


    ||Hmph! This will not be the last day that you will see me! Just you wait!||


    {{¡­}}

 Chapter 396 - The Recap that will end all Recaps

    [Asteria]: To all the hoomans that are still reading this book¡­ Congratulations to all of you! You have all been blessed by my presence! Hahaha, now come and prostate for me! Come here, and lick my-"


    [Alex]: Asteria, what the f**k are you talking about? Shouldn''t we be doing a Recap chapter now? Why are you suddenly insulting the readers?


    [Asteria]: You''re asking me on why am I insulting the readers? Heh, I am insulting them just because I can!


    [Alex]: It''s because of that attitude of yours that many drop this book. Can'' you improve your attitude, even by little?


    [Asteria]: Ha? You want me to follow the whims of the readers? Hell no! If they don''t like me, then they can drop this book! I don''t care if they read this or not!


    [Alex]: Are you sure? You know, the author will be just wasting his time writing if only few reads his work. You don''t want the author wasting his time, right?


    [Asteria]: Hmph, ite reason that some drop this book was because of the author himself! He has no consistency, and he just introduces new plot points whenever that he can! Does he not know that doing that will saturate this novel? No wonder some of the reviews on this book came from bots¡­


    [Alex]: Shh... Don'' tell that to the author. He will be saddened by that.


    [Asteria]: Heh, it''s too late now. He can see our conversation from his laptop!


    [Alex]: Why don''t we just do the Recap already? The author wanted to write a Recap chapter, so we must not waste time anymore!


    [Asteria]: Wasting time? Hmph, the author only wants to write a recap chapter because he was still too lazy to start Volume 7. Heh, I think he is not even sure on how to start this volume! Hey hooman, what will be the story of Volume 7 again?


    [Alex]: I think it''s about a man''s journey to reclaim what is rightfully his¡­ I guess that''s what the author is thinking right now¡­


    [Asteria]: Hooman, that is seriously cringy. I had heard a lot of stories like that before. Is this how low the author had fallen already? Has he fallen so low that he''s now copying ideas from stereotypes?


    [Alex]: ¡­Let''s stop talking about the author already. Even if he''s good at receiving complaints, I am not sure if he can withstand your barbed mouth¡­


    [Asteria]: Fine hooman! I will stop ''wasting time'' already!


    [Alex]: Good. So just like what we have agreed before, you will be the one to start this. After all, you can get the attention of the readers more.


    [Asteria]: Fine¡­ I will start the Recap. But hooman, remember to give me 3 jars of honey later! If you don''t, I will have a tantrum that will be worse than Sierra''s!


    [Alex]: ..


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Ehem, so for starters let''s tell the readers what this recap will cover. Alex, take it away!


    [Alex]: Wait, what? You want me to speak already after short intro? Asteria, you little bit-


    [Asteria]: Oi hooman, I started it already, so now you should continue it!


    [Alex]: Tsk, you really are a sc.u.mmy fairy. Do you think that just because you are my Guide that I will let you off from all that you did? Hmph, I will make sure to properly discipline you later!


    [Asteria]: Hehe, why don''t you just zip your mouth and start talking? The author is already getting hungry, you know? He needs to eat already!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Alex]: You damned fairy. Just you- hoooh¡­ Calm down Alex. You shouldn''t waste the word count with arguments. That will be just cheating. Calm down, just calm down. Okay¡­ I am calm already. Hoooh¡­ okay, let''s do this!


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Alex]: Good day to all the readers of this novel! If you are still here, then feel free to read this recap! This will help you remember the events in the previous volume! This will also help you save time!


    [Asteria]: Hooman, that cheerful voice sounds creepy. Can you tone it down a little?


    [Alex]: This recap will cover the events that happened in the Volume 4 and Volume 5 of this novel, with the focus mostly on the characters. Don''t expect this to be detailed, as the author is too tired to make it detailed. Just be satisfied with what is here, ok?


    [Author]: Please be satisfied¡­


    [Alex]: After the thrilling events in the Superhuman World, my team were brought by the Endless Monarch at the Four Moons World. There, we were given the Mission to discover the truth about the Calamities. There are some miscellaneous events that happened during these times, but they are too insignificant to be said here. Just remember that I kicked a lot of ass here!


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Alex]: With my power and my allies'' power, we were able to help the Symbolists get through the Calamities easily! Not only that, but I also gave them a chance to discover the truth about the Calamity! Hahaha! For me, that is a great definition of ass kicking!


    [Asteria]: You said that you kicked a lot of ass? Are you sure about that? What about the people that you fought on the Moons? Can you really say that you kicked their ass?


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Hmph, for all of you readers out there, please take note of this. In the Four Moons World, there are three other Traveler Teams that appeared, with each one of them having the same Mission as Alex. All of them had their unique powers, which makes them dangerous enemies for Alex.


    [Asteria]: There''s Traveler Ray, whose ability is making bombs. Accompanying him were Noelle and Vera. Vera is a powerful martial-based fighter, while Noelle is an assassin with an unhealthy obsession for her ruler. Altogether, this small but malicious team had wreaked havoc on a lot of lives in the Four Moons World.


    [Alex]: You forgot to mention that fact that Ray has a punchable face. You should have said that earlier.


    [Asteria]: The next one is Traveler Delia. She''s an extremely talented S.p.e.r.master-


    [Alex]: You mean Spearmaster.


    [Asteria]: ¡­She''s an extremely talented Spearmaster, and she''s also the Envoy of the Holy Order PLane. Accompanying her were two young but highly talented kids. The first one is Tong''er, a Spiritualist whose skills can be comparable to that of a Soul Reaper, although her focus was more on suppression and sealing. The second Companion is Milo, whose power is Triplication. Don''t ask me what that word means. Go**le that by yourself!


    [Alex]: You want the readers to go**le that? Asteria, you''re still as lazy as usual.


    [Asteria]: Hmph, don''t call me lazy when I already had spoken 173 words in the Recap¡­


    [Alex]: Oh, now you''re insulting my ability to speak? Hmph, fine then. I shall finish this recap for you!


    [Asteria]: Hey, don''t just-


    [Alex]: The last Traveler that I met was Malthus. According to Asteria, this person was a higher-up in the Goethic Order Plane. Well, with the powers that he had shown me before, I can say that he is really dangerous. And that danger will only increase once we meet him again¡­


    [Asteria]: Hooman, don''t try saying those things. That can trigger a flag, you know?


    [Alex]: A flag? Hmph, with the way that this author writes this novel, flags are just the things of the past! Just you wait, I am sure that the author will put a twist in this volume!


    [Asteria]: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I get it, the author is cool already. Now, can you continue the recap? You still have someone to talk about.


    [Alex]: Ha? But I already covered the important characters. Who do you want me talk about yet?


    [Asteria]: Hooman, there''s literally one person in that world that has been inside you for the majority of Volume 5. Why are you not talking about him?


    [Alex]: Ugh, I am already doing my best to not think about that guy, and here you are, doing your best to mess it up. Fine, you want me to talk about Emperor Litch, right? Okay then, I shall talk about that sleazy bastard!


    [Asteria]: Go on, tell us about your beef with that man! Tell us about your past with him in great detail!


    [Alex]: So this Emperor Litch used his Conqueror''s Aura to possess my body. After that he proceeded to wreak havoc using my powers. He even put some Travelers in danger because of his actions. Fortunately for me, I was able to expel Emperor Litch out of my body. Aside from that, I was able to steal 50% of his soul and power, which greatly weakened him. I could have killed him already at that time, but he managed to escape because of a chicken. Up until now, nobody knows where he went, and no one has caught him¡­


    [Asteria]: Okay, I know that already. Now, tell us about your past with him!


    [Alex]: Why should I? If I do it here, this chapter will be too long. If that happens, then the premium readers will be unable to unlock this! I can''t let that happen!


    [Asteria]: ¡­This author is so cheap. He is just delaying Alex''s backstory since he still had no idea on what to write about it. Tsk, tsk, tsk. What a lazy bum. If I were the writer of this book, many readers will already be crying from my words!


    [Alex]: Then do it. Go out and write. Let''s see if you can make a better work than the author.


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Alex]: What''s the matter? Why are you not writing anything? I thought it''s just easy for you?


    [Asteria]: H-hey hooman, let''s forget about my writing skills already. We still have a paragraph left for the Recap. Why don''t you let me say it now?


    [Alex]: ¡­Fine. But I will make sure to observe your writing prowess later.


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Umm¡­ s-so, back to the Recap! After Alex and his allies had a massive battle with the other Travelers and Emperor Litch, a sudden change in events forced the mission to be in hiatus. Some of the rewards were held back, and the Travelers were forcefully brought away to different worlds. None of them, including Alex can come back, unless they finish their mission in their new world. Fortunately for Alex, he finished the mission assigned to him!


    [Alex]: Because of that, I am now coming back to the Four Moons World with better arsenal and stronger abilities. Everyone, wish me luck on Volume 7. I had a feeling that I will need a lot of luck in this volume¡­


    [Asteria]: And that''s it! That''s the end of this Recap Chapter! Next chapter will be the prologue for Volume 7, I guess? Or will it be the first chapter of volume 7?


    [Alex]: Maybe it will be the prologue, but the author will not title it as a prologue.


    [Asteria]: Hah? Why would he do that?


    [Alex]: Asteria, most readers will skip the prologue since it looks unnecessary. The author did the same thing with manga and other novels, so he has the feeling that readers will do the same thing here.


    [Asteria]: Hooman, I think this author is just as sc.u.mmy as you. If he can do things like this, then maybe he is just as sly as you in real life! What do you think? Is the author really like that?


    [Alex]: Why don''t you ask the author? He''s right behind you already. Just ask the question, and he will answer it.


    [Asteria]: Erm¡­ maybe I will just ask him next time. I think now is not a good time¡­


    [Alex]: Why? Are you afraid that the author will kill you off in Volume 7? Tsk, tsk, tsk, so you are actually a scaredy cat.


    [Asteria]: What did you say?

 Chapter 397 - Another school year, another batch of brats to teach

    YEAR 241, PROSPERITY ERA.


    GENERAL ARTHUR INSTITUTE FOR THE GIFTED CHILDREN.


    "Another school year, another batch of brats to teach¡­ Sigh, when will I stop doing this job?" A bland-looking, bespectacled, black-haired woman muttered as she adjusted her dress.


    Her demeanor, which was similar to that of a disgruntled woman, slowly became coarser as she noticed that her blouse was too fit on her body. One of her buttons was almost close to the point of popping, and it was only through some kind of sheer luck that it was still holding on until now.


    This made her hiss a little, although the close proximity of her workplace made her quickly suppress it.


    "It''s always the same kind of kids each year. Slobbering, snotty kids who only knows chaos! Seriously, if it were not for my debt, I would never have gone to work here!" The woman said as she moved minimally, perhaps in hopes that it won''t disturb her blouse. "Tsk, once I get cleared of my debt, I would definitely be leaving this place!"


    "Good morning there, Teacher Wisteria. You seem to be in a bad mood today." As the woman continued to walk, a small, wizened balding man suddenly appeared in front of her, stopping her walk with his presence. His beady eyes stared at the woman intently, as if he was trying to burn her with his gaze. "Are you perhaps in a bad mood today? Wisteria, you know that going to this institute in that kind of attitude is no good at all¡­."


    "Ah, it''s nothing Professor Charlie. I just had a bad sleep earlier." The woman, who was aptly called as Teacher Wisteria, hastily replied as the expression on her face changed.


    Her previously pissed expression has disappeared, as it was now replaced by a gentle, loving one. Her aggressive posture became more docile too, making her over-all appearance appear more motherly compared to before.


    This change on her demeanor was something that can catch anyone off-guard, but Professor Charlie seemed to be unfazed by it.


    He only shook his head as he saw Wisteria''s change, not making any comments about it.


    "You had a bad sleep earlier? Teacher Wisteria, I think that''s a sign of bad health. If I were you, I will have it checked up already."


    "Yes, Professor Charles, I am thinking of that too. But-"


    "Teacher Wisteria, even if you have limited savings, you can still avail the health service in this institute. Remember, all the workers and faculty in this institute are entitled to free health service inside its premises." Professor Charlie said as he gave Wisteria a tight smile. "That means that you can avail great healthcare here for free. For someone like you, this place is the best way to be healthy!"


    "Professor, I-"


    ""Teacher Wisteria, promise me to have your health checked later. We don''t want a good teacher like you be hampered by sickness. Your health¡­ is an important investment that you should always take care off."


    "¡­Okay Professor. I promise to do it after my class." Teacher Wisteria replied in an even tone, although the dissatisfied expression on her face shows her true feelings. "Now that I have told you that, can you now allow me to go to my class? I still have some kids to teach."


    "Oh, I can do that, Teacher Wisteria. But before I will move out of this way, can you spare me some time to review your knowledge? You''re someone who teaches young kids after all. I want to know if you fully know the batch that you are about to handle later¡­" Instead of letting her pass through, Professor Charlie stayed still on his place as he said these words to Teacher Wisteria. "This will be quick, so it won''t take too much of your time¡­"


    "¡­Professor, you are technically my boss here. There''s no way that I can just reject your request¡­" Wisteria mumbled as she let out a sigh. This sigh induced a slight motion on her torso, which caused the button on her dress to tremble again. "Go with it professor, do your worst."


    "Hur hur hur. I actually just want to ask you about the roster of the kids that you are about to each. It''s just as simple as that." Professor Charlie replied as he seemed amused by the tension present on Wisteria''s face. "Teacher Wisteria, why are you so tense? Are you perhaps afraid of my questions?"


    "Professor Charlie, it was quite well-known in the institute that you''re a terror teacher who will ''tear apart'' anyone who dissatisfies you." Wisteria replied with a grimace. "Most of the times, the ones who dissatisfy you are those who answer your questions wrongly. Those poor guys, even I could not help but feel pity for them¡­"


    "Hur, hur, hur. Teacher Wisteria, that only happened during the prime of my youth. I was hot-headed back then, thus I had a lot of temper on people¡­" Professor Charlie said with a melancholic look. He then let out a sigh as he began to rub the bottom of his chin. "That was me before. Now, I am just an old man who''s doing his best to get tenure. For someone like me, getting bat-shit angry is the worst thing that I can do¡­"


    "¡­I see Professor. I wish you luck for your tenure then."


    "I appreciate your kindness, Teacher Wisteria. But we are not here to talk about my life. We are here to have my answer questioned." Professor Charlie abruptly said as he waved one of his wizened hands. "So what is it, Teacher Wisteria? What is the roster of the kids that you will be teaching this year? If you don''t answer this properly, I won''t be angry with you. After all, teaching kids is a hard task. But I will be slightly disappointed with you..."


    "Professor, I have 15 Symbolists, 12 Celestials, and 9 Devourers in my class." Wisteria replied as she did her best to not look at Professor Charlie''s creepy smile. "As for their ages, half of them were around 5 years old while the remaining ones were either 4 or 6 years old. Most of them came from mixed-blood families, while only 3 came from pure-blooded ones."


    "Good, Teacher Wisteria. You clearly made sure to know those kids quite well." Professor Charlie said as he nodded his head. A satisfied expression can be seen on his face, which made Wisteria feel relief. "What subject will you be teaching them again?"


    "I am assigned to be their History Teacher. Aside from that, I will also be their Power Instructor." Wisteria hurriedly said as she looked on her watch. Her eyes then widened imperceptibly as she saw that she was now a minute late for her class.


    "Sorry Professor, but I have to go now." Wisteria said in in a flurry as she gave Professor Charlie a pleading look. "I am almost late for my class now, so I have to rush there already!"


    "Oh, I''m sorry for the hold-up, Teacher Wisteria. Of course you can go now." After saying these words, Professor Charlie moved slightly to the side, giving Wisteria the space that she needed to move. He then gave her a slight wink, which was not a good match with his wrinkly face. "Good luck for your class, Teacher Wisteria. From what I heard, those 3 pure-blooded kids are all stuck-up brats. Please tolerate them as long as you can."


    "Oh gosh, I hope I can have that kind of tenacity." Wisteria replied as she resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "But at least there''s only 3 pure-blooded kids. It''s not like what happened to Augustus before¡­"


    "Sigh, Augustus'' class with 15 pure-blooded kids was a recipe for chaos." Professor Charlie replied with melancholy. "How was his condition again? Did he recover already?"


    "Professor, the damage that Augustus incurred from the joint attacks of 5 Devourers, 4 Celestials, and 6 Symbolists still had some effects on him even up to this day." Wisteria replied as a sad look appeared on her face. "I think it will take 3 more years for him to heal completely."


    "What a poor guy. I wish him luck after his recovery." Professor Charlie mumble as he shook his head. ''Okay, Teacher Wisteria. You can go now. You can''t afford to be more late anymore¡­"


    "You don''t need to say that Professor. I really can''t afford to be more late¡­"


    Clacking sounds then echoed on the ground as Wisteria began to run, with her ignoring the critical danger on her blouse''s button. She was only focused on getting to her class now, and not even the possibility of her popping a button will slow her down anymore.


    "Great Emperor Litch, the one who conquers worlds. I pray for your benevolent guidance today." Wisteria began to say as she increased her pace. She tried her best to look solemn, although the sweat on her face and the panting sounds from her mouth made her solemn look become virtually non-existent. "I wish for my life to better starting from this day, and I also hope to obtain a good-looking boyfriend already!"


    "Great Emperor Litch, I know that this is an unrealistic wish for me, but I hope that you can hear my prayer!" Wisteria said as she continued on running. "If you do so, I promise to stop gambling already! I also promise to be kinder to kids! So please, please hear my prayers out!"

 Chapter 398 - CALAMITY AND PROSPERITY: THE DIFFERENT ERAS OF THE FOUR MOONS WORLD

    "This world was nearing its ruin, especially during the Calamity Era. Factions of different powers waged silent battles with each other, while frightening monsters threatened the very fabric of life of our ancestors. The innovative abilities of our ancestors allowed them to survive, although these abilities were only enough to keep the dangers at bay. In the end, it took the help of a benevolent figure to save this world."


    The one who said these words were Wisteria, who did so while speaking in a solemn tone.


    Her posture as she talked right now was as straight as a board, which made her look respectable. This respectable image was further amplified by the book that she held on her left hand, and a marker that she held on her right. The combination of these objects made her appear serious, although the slight smile on her face made her look approachable too.


    "Snap."


    After Wisteria finished talking, she abruptly closed her book shut, while she started rapping her marker on the smooth board behind her. Slight impatience could be seen on her face, although she quickly smoothed it out as she narrowed her eyes.


    She then looked at her audience, which was comprised of 20 small kids that are all staring at her with rapt attention.


    She ignored the messy state of the room as she started pointedly at one of the kids, who was sporting a bright, green spiky hair.


    "Tony, since you seem to be interested on history, can you please tell me the person who quoted the words that I just spoke earlier?" Wisteria said with an enthusiastic expression on her face. A wide smile accompanied this enthusiasm, which made the kids feel more at ease with her. "If you can answer this well, I will give you a star. You want your parents to see a star, right?"


    "Ah Teacher! It''s the great historian Cyrus who said that line! And he said it on his famous book!" Tony, the green-haired kid said as he excitedly jumped up from his seat. The wings attached on his back flapped as he continued jumping, which made the kid behind him cry as the wings hit the poor kid in the face.


    Tony ignored these cries as he continued to talk in an excited tone.


    "Teacher! How about that? Can I get a star now?"


    "Very good Tony. You clearly are reading books. Your parents will be happy about that." Wisteria said as she patted Tony above his head.


    The marker on her right hand was now gone, as a small, star-shaped stamp appeared on its place. Wisteria quickly stamped this stamp on Tony''s right hand, making Tony squeal in delight.


    "There, Tony. That''s one star for you. If you want to get more stars, then just answer more of my questions." Wisteria said in a doting tone as she observed the star image that is now engraved on Tony''s hand. "Now sit down and apologize to Steve. He''s still crying because of what you did."


    "But teacher! It''s Steve''s fault that he got hit by my wings! He''s just too slow to evade it!" Tony said in an aggrieved tone as he glared at Steve. Steve was still crying at that point, and it only intensified after he received Tony''s glare.


    "Waah Teacher! Tony is so mean! He''s hurting me! Waaah!!!" Steve cried out as he wiped his tears with his uniform.


    This made him look messy, and Wisteria could not help but click her tongue upon seeing the snot stain his shirt.


    Of course Wisteria made sure that none of the kids can see her irritation, as she approached Steve only with an apologetic look on her face.


    She then proceeded to pat Steve in an effort to calm him down.


    "Steve, if it really hurts, then I can bring you to the clinic now. Do you want to go to the clinic?''


    "Hic, I don''t want to go Teacher! Hic, the clinic is boring! I cannot play there!"


    "So are you okay on staying here? Are you sure that you don''t want to leave?"


    "Hic, Teacher, I am a strong boy! I-I don''t feel painful anymore! I don''t need to go there!"


    "Are you sure?"


    "Y-yes, Teacher! You can spank me if I am lying!"


    "What a courageous boy. Your parents must be happy with your guts." Wisteria fondly said as she fixed up Steve''s still messy face.


    Wisteria did her best to not wince as she wiped Steve''s tears and snot, although she almost cussed out when she accidently touched the wet spot on Steve''s shirt. Luckily for her, she managed to clean Steve up before she reached her breaking point.


    "There, you''re all good now. Now, if you still feel bad, just tell it to me, and I will do my best to help you. Are you okay with that, Steve?''


    "Yes Teacher!"


    "Okay. As for you Tony, I will have to send a letter to your parents regarding your conduct here. They need to know about what you did to Steve, especially your refusal to apologize to him."


    "Hahaha! Tony, you are getting spanked by your mommy later! Serves your right!"


    "Hey Steve! I did not even hit you that hard! You are just weak! That''s why you cried!"


    "H-hey! I am not a crybaby! I am a strong boy too! You just hit me in my weak spot!"


    "Hmph, crybaby crybaby crybaby crybaby!"


    "Waaah! Teacher, Tony is bullying me again! Waaah!!!"


    "¡­"


    It was just the start of the day, and yet Wisteria was already close to blowing her top off.


    Two kids bickering in her class was enough to make her almost explode in rage. For one of them to cry while making a mess on the floor just made it worse.


    "Boys¡­. If you continued to argue like this, I will make sure to make your parents know about this too." A vein on Wisteria''s forehead almost popped as she said these words. "Now, why don''t you two sit down and listen to my lesson. That''s why you went to this institute, right?"


    "Yes Teacher¡­" Both kids looked like they wanted to argue more, but the eerie smile on Wisteria''s face made them lose any courage to disobey her.


    Both of them sat back on their seats as they kept their mouth shut. They then looked back at Wisteria as she went back to her original position.


    "Just like what I told Tony earlier, his answer to my question was right. It was the great historian Cyrus who quoted that line. And he did it on his first book, which was titled [CALAMITY AND PROSPERITY: THE DIFFERENT ERAS OF THE FOUR MOONS WORLD.] " Wisteria started to say as she felt her rage slowly fading into a slight simmer. An intellectual gleam slowly appeared on her eyes as she went back on her teaching mode.


    "This book talks about the entire history of the Four Moons World, staring from it beginning until the present times" Wisteria said as she rapped her fingers on the book that she was holding earlier. "Now, I know that everyone of you had read this book already. After all, this book was your topic book last year."


    "Yes, teacher. We have read it!"


    Wisteria did her best to not snap at the talkative kid as she continued her lecture. "Now, who among you can tell me an abridged version of the history of this world? You had read Cyrus'' book already, so someone from you should be able to answer it. Oh, the one who answers this will get 5 stars from me."


    "Teacher, I can answer that!"


    "Teacher, choose me! I memorized it!"


    "Teacher, me, me, me!"


    "Teacher, I want to pee pee!"


    Almost every kid raised their hands after hearing Wisteria''s question, except for that one kid who wanted to go to the comfort room.


    Wisteria''s face was filled with appreciation as she looked at the enthusiastic kids, which made her look like a dedicated teacher. However, she was actually only feeling boredom right now, and she was only using her willpower to stop herself from yawning.


    "Bruce, you don''t need to ask me if you want to pee. You can just do it by yourself. The bathroom is just there." Wisteria said as she gave a chiding smile at Bruce. "You can pee by yourself by now, right?"


    "Yes teacher¡­"


    "Then go. You can do it!"


    "Pit pat pit pat."


    As the little Bruce began to run towards his salvation, Wisteria looked back at the remaining kids, who were still raising their hands. They were still waiting to be chosen by Wisteria, and none of them appeared to be willing to put their hands down.


    "Okay¡­ all of you are willing to answer. This is good." Wisteria slowly said as she gave out a teasing smile to the kids. "Hmm¡­ who should I choose here? Aha! I choose you, Steve!"


    "Yay!"


    "Teacher! That is not fair! Why are you choosing Steve? I am better than him!"


    "Tony, you are just jealous that I got chosen! Teacher likes me more than you!"


    "Hey that''s not true! Teacher likes me more!"


    "No, she likes me more!"


    "No, I said it''s me!"


    "It''s me!"


    "It''s me!"


    "It''s me!"


    "It''s me!"


    "Boys, do this one more time, and I will call your parents right now." Wisteria said as her eyes began to twitch. "Tony, sit down. As for you Steve, go and answer my question already."


    "Okay¡­"


    As the dejected Tony sat back on his seat with a sulking expression on his face, the clearly smug Steve began to stand in front of the class, with his arms behind his back.


    He appeared to be extremely pleased that he was chosen by Wisteria, and he drove that point home when he made a face at Tony.


    "Steve, behave."


    "Okay Teacher¡­"


    After receiving another light ''warning'' from Wisteria, Steve had no more choice but to stop teasing his classmate. He went back to his serious mode as he began to answer the question that he was supposed to answer already.


    "Umm¡­ at the beginning, I think this world only had normal people in it. They are just like normal! They don''t have powers at all!" Steve started his answer with these words, with the tone in his voice similar to that of a person struggling to reminisce something. "And then um¡­ the moons appeared, and they gave people powers! Then the people who had powers formed their own teams!"


    "Good, go on Steve."


    "And then um¡­ the moons also sent their calamities, which the people with powers fought! The Celestials, the Devourers, and the Symbolist did their best to fight the calamities! But um¡­ it was not enough! The final calamity was too much for our ancestors, and they almost died!"


    "That''s it Steve. Just continue."


    "And then the Great Emperor Litch came in and saved this world! He um¡­ He brought his powerful subordinates and army to save the world! He¡­ he became the messiah and our savior!"


    "And what happened after that Steve?"


    "Um after the Great Emperor Litch saved us, he¡­ he included our world in his Undying Empire! He then improved every aspect of our life including our technology! He then um¡­ abolished the faction system in our world! And then um¡­"


    "You''re getting to the end already, Steve. Just say what you can still say."


    "Umm¡­ because of the abolishment of the faction system, everyone can now marry each other! Um... this allowed a Celestial to marry a Devourer, or even marry a Symbolist! Yes, that''s it Teacher! Everyone can be lovey-dovey already!"


    "That''s a nice detour Steve, but that''s not the end of the summary. You still have something to mention."


    "Oh! Because of the benevolence of the Great Emperor Litch, we can now also go to space! We became cool space travelers! That brings this world to the Space Age!"


    "Is there anything else that you want to say, Steve?"


    "Umm¡­ no Teacher. That''s all that I can remember."


    "Bravo, Steve. Just like Tony, you have been reading books too. Now come here and get your reward." Wisteria said with admiration as she pulled out her stamp again. Of course she was not impressed at all, but for the sake of her job, she had to make these kids feel good.


    "Yay! I have more stars than Tony! Teacher really likes me more!" Steve blurted out as he smugly displayed the five stars stamped on his arm. "How about that Tony? Can you get more stars than me?''


    "Teacher! I want more stars! Please give me more!"


    "Hahaha! Tony is jealous! Tony is jealous!"


    "Hey, I am not jealous!"


    "Then why are you angry! Haha, you are jealous!"


    "Waaah! Teacher, Steve is bullying me! Waah!"


    "...."

 Chapter 399 - Deal with a Devil?

    "Ah, what a drag."


    After spending the whole day pacifying rowdy kids, Wisteria found herself extremely tired and stressed out.


    Even though her work for the day was already done, Wisteria could not find the energy to be happy, as she was too tired to even be happy.


    She only wanted to take a deep sleep, which could hopefully help remove her weariness.


    "If this is the type of the kids that I will teach, then this year will be extremely hellish for me..." Wisteria muttered to herself as she continued walking. "Sigh, I wish I can stay alive by the end of this year¡­"


    She did not even look at the massive building behind her as she appeared to be in a rush to leave already.


    She just passed through the exit gates without greeting anyone, making those around her feel awkward.


    Of course Wisteria ignored all of these as she sped up her walking pace.


    "Tsk, because this the first day of school, I had to fix a lot of things on my faculty office. Those co-workers of mine are too eager to do a lot! Don''t they know that I also want to rest already?" Wisteria grumbled as she began to think ill of her co-workers. "I mean, I know that you are excited to have a colleague like me, but that does not mean that you can just delay me from leaving!"


    "Plonk." After she said these words, Wisteria suddenly stomped her foot on the ground. The asphalt under her feet cracked a little from the impact, although they quickly healed, as if there was something that allowed it to regenerate.


    "Plonk plonk plonk." Although the ground seemed to be unaffected by her actions, it did not deter Wisteria at all, as she continued to stomp the ground for a few more times, and she only stopped when her breathing turned back to normal.


    She appeared to be back on her calm state, with her face turning back on its normal shade.


    "¡­"


    Whether other people saw what she doing was not Wisteria''s worry anymore, as right now she was thinking of something more important.


    "Haah¡­ I still haven''t eaten lunch, so I am starving now. Should I cook for myself, or should I just buy food outside?" Wisteria thought to herself with worry as she scratched the back of her head. "Eating my own cooked food can let me save money, but my palate will suffer. If I buy food outside, then I will surely enjoy its taste, but it will be my savings that will be affected¡­"


    As she reached this conclusion, Wisteria could only slump her shoulders in defeat, as she realized that she was really not cut out for this kind of life.


    "I wonder how I would fare if I lived at the same time as our ancestors¡­"


    Due to the advanced technology and the sophisticated rules that were brought by Emperor Litch and his Undying Empire to the Four Moons World, a lot has changed for the past 200 years.


    One of these changes was related to the political structure of the Four Moons World. No matter how much people complained, all the outdated political structures in the Calamity Era were all abolished, which was then promptly replaced with a democratic government.


    Of course to say that this government is democratic is a bit of a stretch, as it was still under the rule of the Undying Empire as some kind of vassal state. But who cares about that? The Undying Empire was an Inter-Galactic Empire comprised of thousands and thousands of planets. For a planet like the Four Moons World to be part of the Undying Empire was already a great honor!


    This political change naturally had a large effect on everyone on the Four Moons World, and this change was more prominent on the financial lives of the people.


    During the Calamity Era, a Celestial or a Devourer can just use their abilities to obtain money from people. But here at the Prosperity Era, everyone must work in order to earn money. No one gives a s**t about your powers. In face of the Undying Empire and the great power of Emperor Litch, your power means nothing.


    If someone wants to be useful in this current age, they must show their worth in the work force! It is here where the true competition lies!


    And unfortunately for Wisteria, she was not cut out for this kind of environment at all.


    [[[Author''s Note: Ah, it''s the good old capitalism.]]]


    "Ah forget it. I will just cook food later. I can''t afford to waste money now¡­" Wisteria muttered to herself as he kept her lip shut. She then took a deep breath as she continued to walk.


    She does not have enough money to pay for her fares, so she had no choice but to reach her home by walking. Obviously, she was embarrassed by this, but with her situation, she can only suck it up and deal with it.


    "Ugh¡­. Once I receive my salary, I will really buy a nice car! Even an antique one will do!" Wisteria mumbled as a dreamy expression appeared on her face. "Sigh¡­ I hope that I won''t get any salary deductions¡­"


    Wisteria then continued to daydream as she continued walking, with her body miraculously evading the obstncles that appeared on her path. Her path to reaching her home appeared to be smooth now, and if nothing else disturbs her, she will be able to reach her home in less than 30 minutes.


    But it was right at that moment that someone had disturbed Wisteria.


    "Excuse me, but are you perhaps a Teacher from the General Arthur Institute?" A young male, probably around the age of 25 years old, suddenly appeared in front of Wisteria.


    His current positon blocked Wisteria''s from going forward, which forced the woman to stop.


    "What do you want from me?" Wisteria said in a low tone as she did not bother to hide her irritation at the newcomer. "Do you have a problem with me or what?"


    "Oh¡­ I was just actually inquiring if your Institute is accepting new teachers¡­" The man said as he gave Wisteria an apologetic smile. His black hair swayed behind him gracefully, making him look both gentle and kind.


    Wisteria did her best to not be dazzled by this man''s handsome face as she quickly answered his query.


    "The institute does indeed need one new teacher. Wait, why are you asking that to me?" Wisteria''s face suddenly narrowed in suspicion as her voice became slightly hostile. She then began to look at the man with more wariness, as she realized that tthere was something off about him. "Are you asking that because you want to apply for that position?"


    "Yeah¡­ I have always wanted to be a teacher, so I reckoned that I could apply here." The man replied as he seemed to have not noticed Wisteria''s hostility. "There''s no problem if I do that, right?"


    "Yes, there is indeed no problem. But you cannot just ask me. If you want to apply, then you should send a letter to the institute first." Wisteria said as she kept her body tense.


    "Wait, I still have to send a letter to the institute? But that''s too hassle!"


    "Yes it will be a hassle. Aside from you, there''s a lot who also applied for the position that you were seeking for." Wisteria replied as she gave the man a mocking smile. "There are a lot of great teachers out there, so I doubt that someone like you can be accepted."


    "¡­"


    "So if you don''t want to be embarrassed, I suggest that you should just go home and look for a different work." Wisteria said as her lips curved up in a sneer. "That will be a better fit for you, Mr¡­"


    "Alexander. Mr. Alexander." The man replied casually as he gave a little bow to Wisteria. "But I prefer if you will call me Alexander. I like it when pretty girls like you call me casually."


    "Well then, Mr. Alexander. You just heard my advice. I suggest that you should follow it." Wisteria said as she waved off Alex''s somewhat flirty words. "Excuse me, but I need to go home now. Just deal with your work stuff elsewhere."


    Wisteria then slightly pushed Alexander sideways as she attempted to get past him.


    She was successful on pushing him, but she was unable to take a step forward, as the previously outgoing Alexander suddenly said something that made her freeze on her tracks.


    "From the way that you talked, you are making it appear as if your work and life are both good. But they''re not, right?" Alexander said as his breath tickled Wisteria''s ears. Wisteria ignored this slightly tingling sensation on her ears as she was only taken aback by what she has heard.


    "You are now drowning in debt, and your current work is not enough to supplement your daily life." Alexander continued to say as he shook his head. "Tsk, tsk, tsk. 10 Million Galactic Credits is a large debt. Even I am not sure if I can pay that."


    "You¡­"


    "I really pity you, Miss Wisteria. You clearly have no relations with this debt, but your heritage leaves you with no choice but to stick with it." Alexander mumbled as he gave Wisteria a pitying look. "You can''t eene find a boyfriend because of your current state. Sigh¡­ I can''t even imagine a life that can be worse than yours¡­."


    "You! What do you want from me?" This time around, Wisteria did not hold anything back at all as she glared at Alexander with her full-powered killing intent. Her clothes began to rip slowly as her power seeped out of her body.


    She then pointed her left hand at Alexander, who only raised his hands in surrender. This did not make Wisteria relieved at all, as Alexander still had that c.o.c.ky smile even when she was already pointing her weapon at him.


    "You''re asking me what I want from you? I think it should be the other way around. I think I should be asking you on what you want from me." Alexander said in a confident tone as he kept his hands up. He seemed to be unfazed with Wisteria''s sudden change, and it just served to unsettle Wisteria more.


    "You are not making any sense here, Mr. Alexander!" Wisteria hissed as her killing intent on Alexander increased. "If you continue to speak like that, I will have no choice but to take you down!"


    "Easy there, Miss Wisteria. I just wanted to have a deal with you." Alexander replied as he shrugged his shoulders.


    "A deal?"


    "Yes, it''s just one small deal." Alexander said as he tilted his head. "It will be easy for you to accomplish, I promise."


    "Listen here Mr. Alexander. I don''t give a c**p about your deal." Wisteria hissed once more as she bared her teeth at Alex. "I don''t have any interest on what you will say. So just keep your mouth shut and just allow me to take you dow-"


    "You must help me get hired as a teacher at the General Arthur Institute. In exchange for that, I will help you with your debt." Alexander quickly said, interrupting Wisteria''s scripted rejection. "From the depths of my heart, I promise you that all your debts will be paid. Just¡­ help me get hired as a teacher."


    "What?"

 Chapter 400 - The Pressure is Real

    Needless to say, Wisteria was clearly taken aback by what Alexander had just said. He wanted to become a teacher in exchange for giving Wisteria some money? No matter which way one will look at it, there''s something definitely wrong with this guy!


    "You want me to help you become a teacher? Hmph, there is no way that I will do it for you!" Wisteria quickly replied as her left hand hovered towards the bracelet on her right wrist.


    Since this guy was already suspicious, Wisteria realized that she had no choice now but to use her wrist phone to have Alexander out of her sight. Even if her phone was one of the older and outdated versions, it still had the capability to connect to the Galactic Network and all of its affiliate members. With this phone, Wisteria was sure that she can contact the proper authorities that can arrest Alexander.


    All that she had to do now was to tap her wrist phone trice in order to send a distress call.


    But before her hand can even approach her wrist phone, a slight ''ding'' sound came out of the phone, which effectively froze her on her tracks.


    "???" This ding sound was the ''notification sound'' of her wrist phone, which just like the other phones, indicates a change in Wisteria''s personal account.


    "Hoho¡­ you seem to have received a notification now. Why don''t you look at it first?" Alexander said in a smug tone as he crossed his arms. He seemed to have not noticed Wisteria''s attempt to have him arrested as no traces of panic could be seen on his face. "That notification might mean something good for you¡­"


    "Gulp."


    Wisteria was not sure why, but she found herself extremely nervous as she looked at her wrist phone. She had the feeling that if she opens her phone, the way that her life is going now will drastically change. Add the fact that Alexander was present when this notification appeared, and Wisteria found herself more and more dreadful of her phone.


    "¡­"


    In the end, her temptation overrode her cautiousness as she placed her index finger on her phone.


    "Xing."


    The screen on her wrist phone opened up with a bright glow as it displayed its contents to Wisteria.


    If she had the newer versions of the wrist phone, she could enjoy the 3-d holographic features that they had. But her phone was not like that, so she could only use the 2-d version.


    "¡­"


    Instead of seeing the usual line of apps and games on her wrist phone, what Wisteria saw was a bold, uppercase message strewn all over the phone''s screen.


    "Thud."


    Wisteria''s body almost fell to the ground as for a second, as what she saw on her phone made her slightly lose control of her body.


    Her hands could not help but shake as she brought her eyes closer to the phone screen. She appeared to be trying to confirm if what she was seeing was real, although moving her eyes closer cannot do anything like that.


    A few more seconds passed by in this way before Wisteria pulled back. She then went back to her battle pose earlier as she looked back at Alexander, who was still standing on his original place.


    "¡­"


    This time, there was no more hostility on Wisteria''s face. She only had expressions of awe and fear, which were all directed at Alexander himself.


    Her lips also started to tremble at this point, as it appeared as if she was struggling to say something to Alexander right now.


    The man himself waited patiently for Wisteria to talk, and fortuatnely for everyone, Wisteria managed to talk after a few more seconds of indecisive silence.


    "You¡­ how did you manage to pay half of my debts? And why did you do that?" Wisteria asked out as she displayed the written words on her wrist phone towards Alex.


    [GALACTIC BANK: WE RECEIVED A DEPOSIT OF 5,000,000 GALACTIC CREDITS ON YOUR ACCOUNT LAST JANUARY 22, 241, 6:22 PM. THIS REDUCES YOUR DEBT TO 5,010, 361 GALACTIC CREDITS. WE HOPE TO RECEIVE MORE OF YOUR PAYMENTS NEXT TIME.]


    "Oh, I just deposited money in your account. It''s just as simple as that." Alexander replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "I just happened to have a lot of money, so I decided to pay some of it for your debts. That''s just so kind of me, right?"


    "I don''t care if you are kind or not! What you just did here¡­ is something that should not happen that easily!" Wisteria then jabbed her finger at her phone as she glared at Alexander. "Look at this! How could you have this much money! Only people in the higher-ups can dish out this kind of money from their pockets! Don''t tell me that you are a higher-up yourself? But if you were indeed a higher-up, then what the hell are you doing here, applying for a job that is not suited for a rich person like you! You... your actions here did not make me happier at all. Your actions just made me more suspicious of you!"


    "You say that, but I can feel that you are happy to have lost half of your debt. Don''t lie to me, Miss Wisteria. If you were alone here, you would be jumping in joy already." Alexander replied with a smile as he just waved off Wisteria''s questions and threats. "As for where my money came from, I will not tell that to you. Just accept that fact that I paid for half of your debts."


    "You¡­"


    "Now that you have seen my financial prowess, you must be tempted right now to accept my offer. After all, I have paid for half of your debts already." Alex said these words in a confident tone, which as usual, had irked Wisteria once more.


    "Hehehe, Miss Wisteria, as long as you help me get hired as a teacher, I will pay for the remaining half of your debts." Alexander continued to say as he puffed out his chest. "So what it will be, Miss Wisteria? Will you accept my deal or not? This will be your only chance to accept a deal like this from me, so you better think about your decision properly¡­"


    "¡­."


    *************


    3 HOURS LATER.


    Inside a luxurious looking apartment, two comfortably dressed figures could be seen seating on a cozy sofa. One of these figures was the guy talking to Wisteria earlier, while the other one was a cold-looking, black-haired female.


    Both of them were sitting closely with each other, with their bodies in close contact.


    Their arms could also be seen hanging on each other''s shoulder, with their heads only having a negligible distance with each other.


    These two appeared to be sharing an intimate moment right now, with a satisfied smile visible on the guy''s face.


    As for the other figure, she only stared at the guy with an impassive expression, as if she was waiting for him to say something.


    "So Alex, what did that teacher say?" The female asked as she tightened her hold on Alex. "Did she accept your offer?"


    "Hehe, of course she accepted my offer. Don''t underestimate the power of debt." Alex replied as he ignored the female''s tight hug. "People will just do everything to resolve those things."


    "So you are hired now as a teacher at the General Arthur Institute?" The female replied as she kept her tight hug on Alex. "Did you receive anything else from that woman?"


    "Well I am not yet exactly hired." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "Wisteria said that it was impossible to just get me hired on the spot. So she used some of her connections to set me up for an interview tomorrow. That went well, so all that I had to do now was to impress my interviewers in order to get the job. Oh, and she did not offer anything else to me."


    "Knowing you Alex, I am sure that will be just easy for you."


    "Hahaha, of course it will be easy Alina. I am a master of bulls***ting after all!"


    "¡­Yeah, I can testify to that." The black-haired woman, who turned out the be actually Alina, let out a sigh as she let go of Alex. She stood up from the sofa as she began to walk towards the kitchen.


    "Hey Alina... I want to cuddle with you more. Why are you leaving now?" Alex complained forlornly as he stared at Alina''s slender legs, which were accentuated by the black shorts that she was wearing. "I still need more of your thighs near me!"


    "¡­I''m hungry Alex. I want to eat already." Asteria quickly replied as she ignored Alex''s pleading stare. "And no, you cannot ogle at my legs while I eat. You know that I don''t want any disturbance while I am eating, so don''t push your luck here."


    "¡­Okay." This reply by Alina left Alex with no choice but to slump back on his sofa sadly. Alina naturally saw this happening, and she could not help but feel irritated as she saw the pitiful look on Alex''s face.


    "Alex, instead of sulking there, why don''t you prepare for your interview tomorrow?" Alina said as she ltt out a sigh. She was filling her mouth with scallops right now, which made her sigh sound muffled. "Didn''t you say that entering that Institute will be vital on our Mission against Emperor Litch? Since that place is important, then you must do your best to infiltrate it!"


    "Don''t worry about that, Alina. I will pass the interview tomorrow." Alex replied as he closed his eyes. "And besides, even if I fail, I still have set some countermeasures in place."


    "You have countermeasures for that? Really?"


    "In the event that I fail that interview, I will just get another job in that institute." Alex replied as he rolled over the sofa. He planted his cheeks right at the spot where Alina was sitting on earlier, which made Alina glower at him. "A janitor or a technician will also be good for me. But of course, being a teacher will be for the best."


    "¡­Good luck with that then." Alina replied as she shook her head. Her eyes then suddenly narrowed as he gave Alex a pointed stare. "So how about us Alex? What will you make me do? What will you make Queen Mother and Professor Frances do? "


    "Oh, of course you had things to do." Alex replied as he kept his head on the sofa. He appeared to be satisfied with his current positon, which served make Alina irritated. "You don''t need to worry about that. I have it all sorted already."


    "Alex, you should have seen the faces of Queen Mother and Professor Frances when they realized that they were basically useless in the Immortal World. They were beyond livid for becoming like that." Alina interjected as her tone slowly turned wistful. "Of course the fact that that world was just a vacation lessened their negative feelings, but they still were not happy with how things had went there. So Alex, make sure that everyone of us gets to do what we can actually do."


    "I see. So that''s how they''re feeling huh. I now understand why they looked at me like that earlier."


    "So what will you do now, Alex? Will you change your plans to accommodate us?"


    "Alina, I don''t need to change any of my plans. I actually had plans for you three regarding tomorrow" Alex replied as he removed his head from the sofa. "I was planning to tell these to you three later night, but because of what you said, I think I should tell it to you right now."


    Alex then stood up from the sofa as his head swiveled towards Alina. A serious expression could be seen on his face as he stared at Alina, who kept on eating under his gaze. "Alina, call Queen Mother and Professor Frances right now. I shall tell you three about your roles for tomorrow already. If they won''t go, then you can force them to come here."


    "Now that''sh what I want to hear from you." Alina replied enthusiastically as she stuffed the remaining dinner on her mouth. "Jusht wait for me. Thish will jusht take a shecond."


    Alina then disappeared as she activated her space power, leaving Alex alone in the apartment.


    "Sigh... out of all the scenarios that I could expect, the one that I am dreading the most was the one that happened. What a drag¡­" After Alina left, Alex started to talk to himself as he sat back on the sofa. He kneaded his temple in a gentle manner, as if he was trying to expel something out of his head.


    "That damned Emperor¡­ he actually conquered this world! And from the looks of it, he had recovered substantially from his injuries! Tsk, this will not be a great world for us¡­" Alex slowly said as he let out a sigh. He closed his eyes in exasperation as he did his best to calm his agitated nerves.


    "With this world under Emperor Litch''s rule, he can easily see me if I make a wrong move. So I can only do everything here carefully. If I fail, my life will surely be in jeopardy again!"

 Chapter 401 - A surprise visit? From who?

    3 WEEKS AGO


    "Fuah!"


    Alex let out this shout of his mouth as he felt himself falling down on a soft object. The momentum that has been pulling his body down earlier has now disappeared, as he only felt a springy sensation behind him.


    He slowly bounced up and down from his current place, with his befuddled mind slowly regaining some clarity. He did not move from where he was at all, as he slowly savored the comfortable feeling that he was in right now.


    He even appeared to be deep in thought, as the complaints and shouts of his Companions beside him did nothing to break Alex''s currently calm fa?ade.


    "So after being dragged away from the Immortal World, the first thing that I felt is a soft bed behind me? Hmm¡­ I have seen worse things before." Alex thought sourly to himself as he took a deep breath. He then let this breath out all at once as his body continued to relax.


    "Fuuu¡­"


    Even though Alex appeared to be satisfied right now, there were some tinges of unhappiness on his face, which made him look like a person who was frustrated with himself.


    This frustration became more apparent when Alex continued to ruminate on his inward thoughts.


    "Sigh¡­ I should be feeling happy right now, since I just finished a mission. But why am I feeling this sad? Was it because I went back here?" Alex thought to himself as he closed his lips. "Or was it because of the fact that I was easily suppressed by the unknown power that dragged me away earlier? Ah whatever. I will just deal with this weird feeling later. For now, I must deal with the more important issue!"


    After he had these thoughts appear in his mind, Alex began to move his head around as he decided to observe the place that he was currently in.


    With all of his experiences as a Traveler, Alex has a high certainty that he and his companions were back at the Four Moons World right now. After all, this world was the place where they were meant to appear in. For them to appear in a different world was highly improbable, as it was the Endless Monarch himself who decreed them to come here!


    But even if he was sure about the identity of the world that he was in, Alex has no certainty at all about the safety of their current location. After all, they had already left this world for several months, so some changes were bound to happen in this world.


    Whether these changes will be helpful to Alex or not will have to be discovered yet later, so Alex knew that he and his companions had to act carefully for now.


    And this careful act includes a serious observation of their surroundings.


    "I am inside a house. That I can surely say." Alex muttered to himself as he saw where he was in right now.


    An assortment of objects that was similar to furniture appeared in his line of vision, with sofas, tables, television screens and other household items showing themselves.


    He can also see a kitchen at the right corner of his eyes, with an array of cooking tools and ingredients already gathered there. As for the left corner of his eyes, he could vaguely see a door for what seemed to be the shower room.


    Add the bed that Alex was lying in right now, and he could definitely say that he was currently inside a place that was meant to be lived in.


    "So instead of dumping us back to the Red Moon, which was the last place that I have been in this world, we were brought inside a house, which appeared to be similar to the house of people from Earth¡­" Alex mused as he saw that the technological level of the objects that he saw was way more advanced than the ones that he expected to see in a world like the Four Moons World.


    As he saw these objects, Alex narrowed his eyes as he knew what these objects represented one obvious thing. And that is that the technological level of the Four Moons World had advanced by leaps and bounds.


    This realization made Alex feel suspicious, as he realized that something big must have happened on the Four Moons World for its technology to reach this level.


    "We have been only gone from this world a few months, and yet it already became like this? Something wrong¡­ is happening here!"


    As he reached this conclusion, Alex gritted his teeth as he decided to scan the area all around him with his Esper Sense. He knew that if he wanted to know more, he must also observe the condition of the places around him. Maybe this house was only an isolated case, and the whole Four Moons World were still at their original state¡­


    With him already reaching the Sixth Stage of Power with his Esper Ability, Alex knew that the range that he can observe was way larger compared to before.


    In fact, Alex was confident that he can now observe an area as large as a country, or if he really cranks it up, an area as large as a continent!


    "!!!"


    But before Alex could even release the power that he had built up inside him, his whole body froze in tension as he felt the sensation of death brushing behind him.


    "¡­."


    Cold sweat began to pour out of his skin as he felt a hollow pit inside his body. His stomach then began to turn as he felt something stirring his insides right now.


    "¡­"


    This cold and nauseous sensation made Alex feel extremely weak, and if it were not for the comfortable sensation of the bed, he could have fallen down on the floor.


    "¡­."


    To anyone that can see Alex''s state, they might think that he was experiencing an illness or even a malicious attack. However, that was not the case, as what Alex was experiencing right now was something that he was familiar with.


    This feeling was actually Alex''s Danger Sense at work, and it was now blaring loudly inside his head, reminding him that danger was imminent!


    If this was the only thing that Alex felt, then he could say that his luck was bad. But unfortunately for him, Alex realized that the danger that he was feeling right now was way more different than the ones that he had felt before!


    All the dangers that Alex felt before with his Danger Sense only made him feel slightly cold, which meant that those dangers were things that he can still avoid. But the danger that he picked up with his Danger Sense right now was almost enough to leave him petrified!


    For him to feel something this strongly only means that some kind of extreme danger was about to approach Alex right now! And this danger was so extreme that even Alex''s current strength has no way to fight against it!


    "F**k!"


    As he felt his body giving in to the sensation of death, Alex gritted his teeth as he immediately deactivated his Esper Sense. Since his Danger Sense was triggered after he tried to activate his Esper Sense, then maybe the trigger for the danger is his Espser Sense himself.


    He did not think of any more options as this was the only thing that he could think of right now.


    "Fuuuh¡­"


    Fortunately for Alex, the feeling of imminent danger faded away after he deactivated his Esper Sense. This made him feel relieved, as the cold and nauseous sensation on his body disappeared quickly, leaving him back to his normal condition.


    "You three! Don''t use any kind of power to scan our surroundings! I do not know why, but something dangerous will happen to us if you will scan our surroundings recklessly!" Alex did not linger on what happened to him as he immediately warned his allies about the danger that he just felt. "I almost felt the sensation of death when I tried to activate my Esper Sense. If that was like that for me, then it could also apply on you!"


    "Something that dangerous already exists even when we just came back in this world? Alex, what the hell is going on here?" Alina blurted out as she and Alex''s other companions saw Alex''s fl.u.s.tered appearance. She appeared to be irritated about something, although her attention right now was more focused on the words that Alex just said. "And why are we inside a house, instead of the Red Moon?"


    "Alina, I do not know. Yet." Alex replied as he made himself sit on the bed. He then cupped his chin as he looked around him, taking note of anything weird inside this house.


    "Something radical must have happened in the Four Moons World during the time that we were gone." Alex slowly said as his eyes landed on a nearby bookshelf. His eyes then focused on the books on that shelf, hoping to see something that will pique his interest there. "As for what that change is, we have to discover it immediately, or our lives will be put at extreme risk."


    "Alex, you are right about that." Alina quickly replied as her eyes furrowed. She then looked at the ceiling with an unfocused gaze, as if there was something bothering her right now.


    "Alex, I do not know why, but I could feel that there''s something different about the Time of this world." Alina slowly said as her eyes glowed green. "It is only subtle, but I can certainly feel a faint difference¡­"


    "A difference in Time? That''s not good¡­" After Alina voiced out her observation, Alex immediately tensed as a small idea began to form in his mind.


    He then continued to scour the bookshelf with his eyes, as he felt the urgency to discover the truth.


    He took a few more seconds of scouring before he stopped, with this eyes now focused on one book.


    "Thud."


    Alex quickly left his bed as he approached the bookshelf. He ignored the sweaty appearance that he had right now as he pulled out the book that he had zoned in.


    "Creak¡­"


    The bookshelf let out a loud creaking sound as Alex pulled the book, as if this was the first time that the book had been pulled out.


    Alex did not pay attention to this creaking sound as he looked at the title of the book.


    "CALAMITY AND PROSPERITY: THE DIFFERENT ERAS OF THE FOUR MOONS WORLD¡­." As Alex read the title of the book, his expression turned worse as the idea that he formed earlier has began to further grow. "F**k¡­ this book talks about different eras. If this book is true, then that means¡­"


    "Swish swish."


    Alex did not waste time as he began to read the book. He used his upgraded mental power to quickly read the pages, bringing him to a reading rate of 1 Page/Second.


    Rustling sounds filled the room as Alex powered through the book. Alina and the other women inside the house did nothing to disturb Alex, as they knew that Alex was nearing the precipice of his investigation


    "Slam!"


    After 10 minutes of non-stop reading, Alex closed the book with such a force that its spine almost came out unbound from its body.


    Sheer irritation could be seen on his face as he threw the book back on the bookshelf, making the nearby Asteria wince.


    There was no doubt that what Alex saw in the book made him extremely pissed. Just the fact that he could barely keep himself together was already a feat, as Alex looked like he was about to destroy anything that he could put his hands on right now!


    It was only when Alina took the initiative to approach Alex that he calmed down, and even at that moment, traces of rage could still be felt from him.


    "That s**ty Emperor¡­. If I see him again, I will make sure to kill him into oblivion" Alex slowly said as he clenched his fists. "That s***y old man¡­ Just you wait!"


    "Alex, I know that you are angry right now, but we need to know why you are like this. Did you discover the reason for all the weird things here?" Alina asked in a soft tone as she patted Alex''s back. "If you don''t want to answer, it''s fine. We will just read the book later."


    "Pardon me for my outburst. I was just so taken aback by what I had read, so I found it hard to keep myself calm." Alex replied as he took a deep breath. He then let out a sigh as he kneaded the bridge of his nose. "Oh, and don''t worry about me. I can still talk."


    Alex then stood taller as he began to explain what he had seen on the book.


    But before he could even start talking, a sudden knock on the door interrupted him.


    "Knock knock knock."


    Everyone immediately backed away from the door as the knocks continued, with each one of them arming themselves up.


    This sudden knock on the door brought their already tense nerves to the limits, and they could only look at the door with wariness as they waited for what will happen next.


    Will someone try to attack them? Or is this just a friendly neighbor trying to talk with them?


    If they can use their powers to scan outside the door, then they can quickly assess what the ''threat'' really is. But because of what Alex said, they could only wait for what this ''threat'' will do.


    They did not have to wait that long, as the sounds of the door knocks were quickly replaced by a spoken question. The voice that uttered this question was calm and serene, which in normal situations, could be something that can calm Alex down.


    However, this question made Alex and his allies tenser instead, as the question was something that they did not expect to hear right now!


    "Hello? Is Traveler Alex here? I want to talk with him."

 Chapter 402 - Your argument just sounds so stupid that even an idiot could not understand it!

    "So it''s you¡­"


    Even if Alex was gone for a few months away from the Four Moons World, he can still recognize the voice of the one who just spoke up.


    It sounded both haughty and righteous at the same time, which was just similar to how this speaker spoke to Alex before.


    But instead of making him more worried, Alex appeared to be somewhat interested by the speaker. He did not appear to be fearful at all as he began to approach the door leisurely.


    His body seemed to lack tension as he got closer to the door, which was a direct contrast to Alina and Professor Frances'' tight expression.


    "Yes, I am here, Delia. Now, what do you want to talk about with me?" Alex said in a lazy tone as he stopped right in front of the door. He then held the door knob with a light grip, creating small rattling sounds as he began to shake the door a little. "You have guts going here to talk with me. You must be up to something¡­"


    "Alex! Why did you answer her? You know that she''s a Traveler too!" Alina hissed at Alex as she realized what Alex was doing. "Didn''t you say that one of her powers was the mortal enemy of your Abyss Power? That means that she could be out for your throat at this moment!"


    "Oh, I don''t think that Delia''s aiming for my life right now. After all, I can''t sense any danger coming from her at all." Alex replied as he kept his hold on the doorknob. "Besides, I can also sense that she''s restraining her power just like us. That just means that she''s also careful about using too much power. In this kind of situation, for her to attack me is almost impossible¡­"


    "But-"


    "Alina, I know about your irrational hate with this woman, and on how much you want to smother her. But please, I need you to resist it for now." Alex said as he interrupted Alina''s complaints. "Even if Delia is our enemy, our current situation forces us to be flexible. So what if Delia''s powers were hostile to me? She cannot do anything against me, not with the current situation that we are in! So don''t worry about this woman, Alina. Even if she had ulterior motives against me, she will only use it once our crisis here is solved¡­"


    "Hoho, I never expected Alex to be this eloquent. Now I understand why you became a Traveler." Delia, who was still in front of the door, suddenly said as she let out a haughty laugh. "Just by hearing one sentence from me, you already recognized my intentions. Bravo, bravo."


    "So you actually want to cooperate with me? Now that''s something I don''t get to hear from someone like you." Alex replied as he tilted his head. "What would someone like you need with me? Even if you know that the current state of this world is unfavorable for us, you could have done something to thrive by yourself, right? Why approach me then?''


    "Tsk, instead of questioning me, why don''t you just let me in, devil?" Delia hissed angrily as she let out an aggressive knock. "Don''t tell me that you''re scared¡­"


    "Hmph, you''re the one who''s scared. You can''t even use your power to force your way in. How could you call yourself as a Traveler if you act like this?" Asteria said in a hostile tone as she glared at the door. "No wonder you only had two companions with you. You seem to lack the skills needed to become a great ally!"


    "Shut up there, b**ch. Do you think I am talking to you?" Delia shot back, in a tone that was just as hostile as Alina''s. "You''re just Alex''s trophy girlfriend, so don''t you interrupt with our business transaction! Just go and eat your veggies in a corner while we do the important stuff!"


    "Trophy girlfriend? You dare call me that?" Alina shrilly said as she marched towards the door with red eyes. She then held the hilt of her katana as she focused her red eyes on the doorknob itself. "Say that word one more time, and I will hack you down right here!"


    "Oh¡­ did that word trigger you? I''m sorry about that. I never thought you can be this sensitive." Delia said with a laugh as she seemed to have not noticed Alina''s aggressive pose right now. "Are you really sure that you are well-suited for this? Your boyfriend here seems to be burdened by you already."


    "Hmph, so what if I am not good at negotiations? At least I have a boyfriend." Alina replied as a sneer made its way on her face. "How about you, Delia? Where''s your boyfriend? Is he with you? Oh, I actually don''t need to ask that question. WIh your b**chy attitude, having a boyfriend is an impossibility for you!"


    "You s.l.u.t! You dare call me a b**chy woman! You really want to get beaten up!" Delia roared out. "Good thing I brought my spear here, for someone''s getting skewered on it tonight!"


    "Ha! Bring it then! I will slice you to pieces first before you can do it!"


    "Slice me? Hmph, every sword user that I have met before had all died on my spear. You¡­ you will just be included in that list!"


    "Oh really? Prove it to me then!"


    "HEY YOU TWO. SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!" Alex could not take the argument between these two women anymore, which prompted him to shout out angrily. Some traces of Wrath were mixed with his shouts, which made his following statements sound heavier. "IF YOU WANT TO QUARREL JUST DO IT LATER! FOR NOW, LET THINGS HAPPEN AS THEY SHOULD BE! I DON''T CARE IF YOUR DIVINE SENSORY ORGANS ARE FORCING YOU TO QUARREL! IF YOU WANT TO QUARREL, DO IT ONCE WE''RE DONE WITH EVERYTHING! HOW HARD IT WILL BE FOR YOU TWO TO RESTRAIN YOURSELVES? PLEASE BE MINDFUL OF YOUR ACTIONS! YOUR ARGUMENT JUST SOUNDS SO STUPID THAT EVEN AN IDIOT COULD NOT UNDERSTAND IT! ARGHH!! PLEASE JUST DON''T TALK WITH EACH OTHER FOR NOW, OK? SEEING YOU TALK WITH EACH OTHER WILL JUST DRIVE ME NUTS AGAIN!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Both women were immediately silenced by Alex''s words. Even when Alina looked like she wanted to take a piece out of Delia, she did her best to keep her cool.


    Delia was at the same case too, as none of her threatened spear attacks made its way across the door.


    "Good¡­. At least you two can still act like civilized people¡­" Alex said as he let out an exhausted sigh. "Seriously, just keep your cool if you''re near each other. We can''t afford any stupidity right now."


    "Just talk with me right now, Alex." Delia said in a low tone as the sounds of a shuffling spear could be heard from the door. "I need to talk to you about something important, so come out now and face me."


    "Oi, even if I think that you are interested in allying with me, the way that you said your request sounds fishy to me." Alex replied as he took note of the spear sounds. "Do you really want to talk to me, or do you just want to poke me with your spear? I can''t seem to make a difference with it."


    "I mean no ill-intent against you, Alex. I just want to talk with you right now." Delia replied as she resumed knocking on her door. "Come on, just go out and face me. If you don''t, I will continue knocking on your door. Trust me, the sounds of repeating knocks can make you feel crazy if you will hear it long enough. If you don''t go out here, I can assure you that your friends will be rendered crazy by my knocks¡­"


    "What the hell is wrong with you? That''s not how someone requests to have a talk." Alex sourly said as he shook his head. "If you want to make me talk with you, please do it in a proper way."


    "This is my ''proper way'', Alex." Delia said in an unyielding tone. "Now come out already. You don''t want me resorting on my ''improper ways'' to make you talk¡­"


    "Improper ways? Ah whatever, let''s just get this done over with." Seeing that Delia will not be perused from her goals, Alex only let out a sigh as he decided to open the door for her. "Even if you will try something funny here, none of it will work against the current me."


    "You think I can''t do anything against you? Really?" Delia casually said these words as the opening on Alex''s door began to widen. "What makes you sure about that?"


    "Hoho, you won''t know the answer to that question of yours. Just behave and talk politely with me." Alex replied calmly.


    At this point, he had already fully opened the door, which revealed Delia''s appearance to him.


    Unlike her previous clothes, the current Delia was wearing what appeared to be a combination of jeans and t-shirt, which surprisingly was a good fit for her.


    She was also wearing sneakers and glasses, which exemplified her already ''fashionable'' appearance.


    "Woosh woosh woosh."


    Delia was currently waving her spear right now, and she did not stop on doing so even when Alex was already seeing her.


    She even sped up her waving of the spear as her eyes swiveled at Alex.


    "Alex, don''t try to mask your actions here with ''sincerity.'' I can already taste what you are feeling right now¡­" Delia said in an irritated tone as she slowly unfurled her tongue. She then started licking the air in front of her, making ''slurp slurp'' sounds along the way.


    "Hmm¡­ the air around you was concentrated with the tastes of power and confidence. Aside from that, I can also feel some kind of condescension from you. Hmph, so you are looking down at me right now." Delia said after she retracted her tongue back. "Are you so confident about your power that you are not worried about me anymore?"


    "You can say that again, pal." Alex replied cheekily as he just smiled at Delia. "Why don''t you try it for yourself?"


    "Oh, I will try it for myself. You don''t need to ask me that." Delia replied quickly as the movements of her spear suddenly changed. "Don''t blame if you get hurt. After all, you''re the one who requested me to attack!"


    The spear, which was previously waving around Delia in random directions, let out a keening sound as she suddenly thrusted it towards Alex''s head!


    The air seemed to have split itself apart as the spear lunged across it, making its approach on Alex appear both forceful and elegant.


    The thrusting sound, which should have been created by the sudden attack was practically non-existent, as if the speed of Delia''s spear thrust was enough to overcome all sets of limitations placed on spears.


    The spear was only silent as it got nearer and nearer to Alex, making it look like a brooding stalker that was about to take him down!


    If one can see Delia''s attack in slow motion, that person will exclaim one thing.


    ''What a smooth attack!''


    However, this was not the only thing special about Delia''s spear attack


    When the spear reached the distance of a few inches away from Alex''s forehead, roaring winds suddenly manifested itself on the spear head, creating a raging tornado that quickly turned the air on the whole area into a vacuum.


    This tornado was then compressed into an extremely thin line, which merged itself with the sharp edge of the spear head.


    The formerly smooth spear attack now changed to become a turbulent one, with the power of the compressed tornado spurning the spear to tremble greatly.


    This made the spear extremely unstable, with its approach towards Alex drastically slowed down.


    In fact, it was so slow that even a normal person can actually see its movements now! That''s how slow it was already!


    But even if the spear was slower right now, Alex had no more chance of dodging it, as by this point, the tip of the spear was almost touching Alex''s skin!


    Even if Alex tried to do something, the power inherent in the spear will render any of his attempts useless!


    The only way that Alex can survive this attack was to face it head-on, which is a hard thing to do, especially now that the spear was about to pierce him!

 Chapter 403 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student part 10

    30 minutes later.


    [[[According the Celeste and Kibou''s analysis, by this time around, they should have been able to open the books that will allow them to thrive and survive in the trial. After all, the yellow books were meant to protect them. But instead of having the protection that they wanted to have, what these two got was something else instead.]]]


    [Celeste]: Ahh!!!


    [Kibou]: Ahhh!!!


    [[[Celeste and Kibou are both flying hastily right now, with a crowd of murderous-looking monsters rushing behind them. These monsters appeared to be filled with the desire to kill Celeste and Kibou, which made the two run away for their lives.]]]


    [[[Fear and confusion could be seen on Celeste''s face, as she was clearly surprised with what had just happened.]]]


    [Celeste]: Kibou! Why is this happening? I thought that if we opened the yellow books, we will be able to get a creature that will protect us? But instead of having a protector, what came out of those yellow books were creatures that wanted to eat us! Kibou, give me an explanation right now!


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki! Ki!


    [Celeste]: So you don''t know why too? Argh! What should we do now?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­ Ki?


    [Celeste]: We will just fly away until we can escape? Kibou, if we do that we will-


    [[[Whatever Celeste was going to say at this point was suddenly cut off, as one of the monsters managed to take a swipe at Celeste''s body. Its massive paw smacked Celeste like she was a fly, ignoring all the defensive shields that Celeste conjured.]]]


    [One of the monsters]: Roar!


    [Celeste]: Ahh!!!


    [[[Celeste only managed to let out a shout before the massive paw forced her body to explode. Bits of her flesh then scattered all around the place, with some parts of it sticking on Kibou''s face.]]]


    [[[It took Kibou a few seconds to process what had just happened, and when the realization of Celeste''s fate began to sink on him, the only thing that Kibou could do was shout shrilly.]]]


    [Kibou]: Ki!!!!!!


    [One of the monsters]: Roar!


    [[[The monster who just killed Celeste appeared to have obtained some kind of boost, as its lumbering body sped up as it began to head towards Kibou, who was still in shock with what happened. It took the monster only a few seconds to catch up to Kibou, and once Kibou was within its range, the monster opened its mouth as it released a terrifyingly cold beam of light.]]]


    [One of the monsters]: Roar!


    [Kibou]: Ki!!!


    [[[By the time that Kibou realized the nearby presence of the monster, the monster''s ice beam had already hit his body. There was nothing that Kibou could do but to receive the monster''s attack, which proceeded to destroy his body.]]]


    [[[Boom!]]]


    [[[The last thing that Kibou saw as his vision darkened was the sight of Asteria and her lackeys on the ground, with the other monsters rushing towards them with greed. As he saw this, Kibou struggled to move his body as he attempted to save them. But this attempt was futile in the end, as his metallic body shattered like a fragile ice cube. Everything about Kibou were now destroyed into millions of fragmented pieces, turning him into nothing but a pile of spare junk.]]]


    **************


    SIMULATION COMPLETE.


    SCORE: 27/100


    GRADE: F


    REMARKS: BETTER LUCK NEXT TIME


    [Asteria]: Ahhh! Why did I fail this test again! Ahhh! I hate this!


    [Celeste]: At least you''re the one who got the highest score among us. I only got 10/100¡­.


    [Asteria]: Hmph, you got 10/100 because you did something stupid there. I don''t know what you did, but I am sure it is something stupid!


    [Celeste]: Yeah¡­ I get it. It''s my bad.


    [Asteria]: Hmph, at least you learned your lesson now.


    [Celeste]: Huhu¡­ only 10/100? My mother will punish me because of this!


    [Asteria]: Hehehe, good luck with that. So what will your mother use this time? Will it be her belt or her slippers? Mind you, you will be lucky if she uses her slippers. That s**t is way softer than her belt!


    [Celeste]: Ah! Don''t say it that casually! I am about to get spanked, and you still have the mood to tease me? What kind of friend are you!


    [Asteria]: Hmph, if you don''t want to experience that, then make sure that you pass the test.


    [Celeste]: Huhuhu¡­ but how can I pass the test that is labeled A in difficulty? For me to get even 20 points is already a miracle!


    [Asteria]: Hehehe, so my 27 points is beyond miracle then? Hahaha, I am really a genius!


    [Celeste]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: Oi, why are you staring at me like that? Is there something wrong with my face?


    [Celeste]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: OI, stop staring at me like that. It''s getting creepy. Wait, are you having the hots for me? I''m sorry but I only like men. But I can still accept a kiss from you if you want one.


    [Celeste]: Hey! I don''t swing that way!


    [Asteria]: Hah? If you''re not looking at me because of attraction, then why the hell are you staring at me like that? Geez, your stare is getting on my nerves already¡­


    [Celeste]: Hmph, I am staring at you because of your abnormal score!


    [Asteria]: Hah? My abnormal score? What the hell is wrong with my score?


    [Celeste]: Asteria, I just told you earlier that getting a score of 20 in this simulation is almost a miracle. And yet you obtained 27 points! How were you able to get a score of 27? Argh, I want to know it! Please, if you know something, tell it to me now!


    [Asteria]: Celeste, our memories about the simulation were already wiped away from our minds. Whatever we did there, we will always forget it once we turn the simulation off! So if you want to know how I got a score of 27, then go and ask Teacher Kuro. She''s the one who holds the memories of our simulation, so you can just request her to show you that.


    [Celeste]: But you know that Teacher Kuro won''t do that. She won''t show those memories. That''s the property of the school already.


    [Asteria]: Yes, I know. That''s why you should just keep quiet and stop asking anything like that. If you continue to do this, some people will be pissed at you.


    [Celeste]: Huhuhu, why are you always this good, Asteria! Why are you always getting the high scores in the simulations? Ugh, this is so unfair!


    [Asteria]: Hehehe, I think I am just lucky.


    [Celeste]: Lucky? You think your luck allowed you to get high scores?


    [Asteria]: Yes, that''s what I think. So don''t pester me anymore! Without a lot of luck, you will only suck at the simulations! Wait a second, luck and suck actually makes a nice rhyme. Hmm¡­. No Luck, You Suck! Hey, maybe I can use this as my new catchphrase¡­


    [Celeste]: Ugh, I wish I can have your luck too.


    [Asteria]: You want my luck? Hehehe, if you want my luck, just give me lots of honey. Maybe I can bestow you with some of my luck if you give me¡­. Like 10 jars of honey!


    [Celeste]: Hey Asteria! You''re just ripping me of! There''s no way that you can just give away your luck. Only transcendent beings can try that kind of manipulation!


    [Asteria]: Hehe, are you sure about that? Have you seen all of my abilities already? Of course you didn''t. So how could you be sure that I can''t give some of my luck? Hmph, you''re just suspecting me again!


    [Celeste]: What? Hey, you-


    [Asteria]: Hmph, if you''re not sure, then that means that it could happen!


    [Celeste]: But-


    [Asteria]: Just give me honey, and I will give you some of my luck. Who knows, maybe you can really get some of my luck. But you will only know that if you give me honey¡­ If you will not give me any honey, then you will get no luck at all.


    [Celeste]: Argh! You''re so sly Asteria! Hmph, I will never give you honey! I know that you''re just pulling a fast one on me!


    [Asteria]: It''s your loss then. How about you Kibou? Do you want some of my luck? Just give me honey, and you will be blessed later!


    [Kibou]: Ki? Ki ki?


    [Asteria]: Yes, 10 jars of honey will do. Do you have it with you now?


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: Hahaha! Now that''s what I like from you Kibou! You are always prepared! Now give it to me!


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: What? You will only give me the honey if I give you some luck?


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: You-


    [Celeste]: Hahahaha! How about that, Asteria? Why don''t you give him some luck first? You said that you can do it, right? Come on, do it already!


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki!


    [Asteria]: ¡­Hey, why don''t we just go back to our seats and wait for Teacher Kuro to come in? She will do a deep analysis about our simulation, right? We can''t just stand here when she comes in. She might get angry at us, you know.


    [Celeste]: ¡­Wow, Asteria, you really are shameless. No wonder only few can stand your presence.


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki! Ki!


    [Asteria]: Hey! Are you saying that I am a loner? Hmph, with this magnificent appearance of mine, I am never a loner! A lot of hunks and beauties alike are always looking for me everyday!


    [Celeste]: Asteria, those people are looking for you because they wanted to beat you up. You can''t exactly call them friends that way¡­.


    [Asteria]: ¡­

 Chapter 404 - I want to...

    For someone who was about to receive a visibly heavy attack, Alex did not show any hints of fear on his face as the spear whistled its way towards him.


    He only stood still in his place, with him not giving any effort to dodge the spear. He did not use any of his abilities to stop the spear from hitting his head, which just made his situation look more precarious.


    "Hehe."


    At this point, Delia began to smile as she felt the spear tip touching Alex''s skin. She did not feel any resistance at all, as she only felt soft flesh hitting her spear. This feeling made Delia feel giddy, as she was extremely familiar with this feeling before!


    "Heh, this technique of mine might look basic, but I have killed a lot of men using this technique alone. That already speaks about its fatal capability against my opponents! And now that I have reached Stage 6 using my spear arts, all my spear abilities, including this attack of mine are way stronger than before!" Delia thought to herself as she sent more of her power cursing through the spear. She relished the feeling of power residing in her spear as she continued to thrust it towards Alex.


    "Oh Alex, I hope you can survive this attack. Because if you don''t, then our deal will be off!"


    After she made this declaration, Delia let out a shout as she released the tornado compressed inside the spear head.


    "Boom!"


    A tornado which was as large as an elephant materialized right in front of Alex, which then engulfed his body with winds reaching speeds that are even greater than the speed of sound. Fortunately for the bystanders, the power of the tornado''s winds was only focused on the tornado''s body alone, which spared everything that was not touched by the tornado.


    "Rippppp!"


    For the things that were touched by the tornado, all of them were shredded into extremely tiny pieces, with some of the sturdy structures showing signs of extreme wear-and-tear. Even the spear that Delia held appeared to have some scratch marks in it, which was the effect of the tornado''s decompression.


    "Hmph, this attack of mine is part of my offer to you, Alex." Delia said as the tornado continued to do its work on Alex. "Walk out of this attack alive, and I will consider talking about my offer more."


    "Hoh? So that''s the reason for your sudden attack to me, Delia? You''re just trying to sort my power out? Hmph, what a crude method. But I can applaud you for using this method here. After all, your method is a sure-fire way for you to confirm my power¡­" From inside the tornado, Alex''s confident voice rang out clearly even when the tornado continued to rage on him. "This attack of yours is a good attack, but this has no use against me anymore¡­"


    "Bzzt bzzy bzzt."


    After Alex said these words, numerous holes suddenly appeared on the tornado''s body, which all proceeded to suck the tornado itself.


    Each of these holes were as large as a human head, with their shapes comparable to that of roughly drawn circles, and with their bodies having the same appearance as that of the empty space.


    Each of these holes appeared to be both beautiful and abstract, although there were something inherently alien from them that was enough to make them look extremely unsettling.


    "Woooh¡­"


    A loud whistling sound could be heard inside the room as the holes continued to devour the tornado, which was now shrinking at an exponential rate. The tornado of course seemed to have tried something to destroy the holes too, but its efforts were useless as the holes continued to whittle the tornado down.


    "¡­"


    Everyone just stared at the tornado and the holes with a quiet and sudbued look, as if they were not interested on making any moves on these two objects. Even the haughty Delia was only looking at the holes with an interested look, with her not making any effort to destroy them.


    As for Alex, he was still standing at the same place that he was in earlier, with him not moving even by an inch in any directions. He only kept his body still as the holes continued to do their work.


    "¡­"


    A few more seconds passed by in this unsettling silence, and it was only when the tornado was fully absorbed by the holes that activity returned to the people in that place.


    "So just like me, you have also become a Sixth Stage Being. Congratulations Alex, you just took the first step to becoming a unique being." Delia said in an amused tone as she slung her spear on her back. The killing intent that she was pouring on Alex earlier was now gone, as only an expectant expression can be seen on her face. "Now that I''m done checking your power level, let''s proceed to my offer. I want to-"


    "Oi wait a minute! You''re just going to forget the fact that you attacked Alex? Hmph, how audacious of you!" Alina interrupted Delia''s speech as she pointed her katana towards her. "Do you think that I can just accept you strutting around here like you owned this place? Hell no! Even if you made a move against Alex for ''friendly'' reasons, there''s no way that you can go unpunished from that!"


    "So you want to beat me up then? Hehehe, why don''t you try it now? From what I can feel, you are a Sixth Stage Being too." Delia replied smugly as she stared at Alina. "Come on, make your move now. You have a prime reason to kill me already, so be free to attack!"


    "¡­"


    "Come on, what''s the hold up? You can attack me already!"


    "¡­"


    "Why are you not slashing your sword? Are you chickening out now? Hehe, if you are just like that, then you''re not worthy of looking at me!"


    "¡­"


    The livid look on Alina''s eyes at this moment makes it obvious that she was already itching to strike at Delia. Even a dolt like Asteria can feel that Alina was only a few moments away from unleashing her sword on Delia! She just needs a little more push to do the deed!


    But instead of making an attack right now, Alina only gritted her teeth as she began to pull her katana back. An extremely unwilling expression appeared on her face as she did this, making it obvious that she was not happy with what she was doing.


    But even if she was unhappy, she still kept on pulling her katana back, even when Delia continued taunting her.


    "¡­Tsk, you''re lucky that your real body is not here. If your real self was here in this place, I would have beaten your face up already!" The indignant Alina muttered angrily as she placed her katana back on its sheath. "I thought you were already the real deal, but my eyes showed me that you''re just a duplicate. Tsk, now I can''t just kill you, as that will be detrimental to Alex! Ugh, if I can just really strangle you right now I would have done it already¡­"


    "Hoho, so you can still see my real status as a duplicate even when I am already this strong? Good. This is good." Duplicate-Delia replied as she ignored the murderous threats uttered by Alina. "This just means that your eyes are still in their prime condition! Hehehe¡­ I wonder what would happen if I pair my tongue with your eyes? Will something spectacular happen?"


    "You-"


    "So that''s why I felt that you''re weird. You''re actually just a duplicate." Alex suddenly said as he jumped in between Alina and Delia. The timing of his speech was impeccable, as it managed to stop Delia and Alina from devolving into another argument. "Heh, now I can see why you''re confident on coming here. Since you''re just a duplicate, you can easily approach me without any fear of death¡­. Heh, what a sly way for you to talk to us while keeping yourself safe. No wonder you''re still alive up to this day¡­"


    "My ally''s power really is helpful to me. Without that boy, my life as a traveler would have been a lot harder." Duplicate-Delia replied calmly in face of Alex''s ''praise''. She then sent Alina another sneer before she went back to looking at Alex. "So now that you know that I am just a duplicate, what would you do to me now? Would you still hear me out, or will you just destroy me? Frankly, I would want it if you choose to hear me out. But if you don''t, then its fine. It''s not like I would die here¡­."


    "Interesting. Interesting. This just makes me more intrigued by what you want from me." Alex slowly replied as he approached Delia. He walked towards her in a slow calculative manner, as if he was measuring something with his movements. "What would you want from me that made you come here? Come on, I want to hear what you will say."


    "But Alex! This woman just attacked you earlier!" Alina blurted out as she kept her hostile gaze at Delia. "Will you still entertain her even when she just attacked you? Come on Alex, you know that this woman is a possible traitor! You can''t just listen to her!"


    "Don''t worry about that, Alina. Her attack earlier was not meant to kill me. She only did it to measure my strength." Alex replied as he placed his hands on Alina''s shoulders. "Believe me, if this woman is really trying to kill me, she will not do something as simple as that spear attack. Besides, the one that we are facing here is a duplicate, so there is no problem even if I will hear her out. This duplicate is not powerful enough to make any dent on me."


    "I know that, Alex. I am just reminding you that this woman could be planning something sinister against us."


    "I know that, Alina. It''s not like I will quickly accept her offer to us." Alex replied as he let out a snort. "Don''t worry Alina. As long as I notice wrong with her offer, I will quickly reject her and kill her on this spot."


    "Yes, that''s what I want to hear from you, Alex." Alina said as she appeared to have calmed down now. "Don''t get swayed by this woman''s wiles. Just keep your mind clear while listening to her!"


    "Hey! I am still here, you know! I can clearly hear your slanders about me!" Duplicate-Delia blurted out as her glare at Alina returned. "So you''re already discussing about the possibility of killing me even when I am not yet talking about my offer? That''s too much for me, even if I am just a duplicate! I still have feelings you know¡­"


    "Since you have decided to approach us at this manner, then you should have been prepared on the things that can happen to you." Alex said as he let go of his hold on Alina. He then went back on looking at Duplicate-Delia again, who appeared to be irritated right now. "Now that there''s nothing that can stop you from talking, you can already state your offer to me. Go on, the floor is yours."


    "Sigh, if it weren''t for that Alina, I could have already told you my offer 15 minutes earlier¡­" Duplicate-Delia grumbled as she shook her head. She then moved her head to the side as she narrowly dodged a stone that was thrown by Alina. "Hey, did you just-"


    "Just state your offer already." Alex said in an exhausted tone. "Just ignore Alina, ok?"


    "I will ignore her as long as you can stop her from throwing rocks at me. Can you do that?"


    "Just¡­ just continue talking. I don''t want to see you stay here with Alina any longer, so just do what you have to do!"


    "Fine! If you don''t want to discipline your rowdy partner, then I will just finish talking here quickly! Hmph, love really makes people blind¡­" Duplicate-Delia continued to grumble to herself for a few more seconds before she let out a sigh.


    This sigh was then followed by Duplicate-Delia uttering the words that Alex had been waiting to hear.


    "My offer to you is just simple. I want to¡­"

 Chapter 405 - So, will you talk or not?

    "I want to form a team that can resist the alliance formed by Traveler Ray and Traveller Malthus." Duplicate Delia said as she clenched her teeth. She then grandiosely pointed her index finger at Alex as she made a motion of slitting it across her throat. "Alex, if you don''t ally with me right now, you and your allies will be vulnerable against the alliance of Ray and Malthus. So if you don'' want that happen to you, just accept my offer already!"


    "Hm? Did you just say that Ray and Malthus have formed an alliance? How the hell did you know that?" Alex replied as he raised his eyebrows. He did not show any signs of being perturbed by what Duplicate Delia just said, although the slight tic on his eyes showed his interest about the topic.


    "Yesterday, I sent a copy of mine to visit the location of Ray. I thought of scouting him there, but at the moment that my copy was close to Ray, she was immediately captured by Malthus himself." Duplicate Delia snorted as she crossed her arms. "Once my copy was captured, Ray and Malthus quickly flaunted about their alliance to me. They then tried to invite me to their alliance, but of course I rejected, since those two people were some of the worst people that I have ever seen. That rejection did not make them happy, so they quickly killed my copy. There, are you happy with my explanation now?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "So you are saying that you, Ray, and Malthus arrived in this world earlier than us, and that you saw them forming an alliance together. Heh, doesn''t that just sound fishy?" Alex replied as he slightly shook his head. "How can I believe your claims of alliance, when you could be already an ally of those two? What if you were just here to trick me into joining you? What if you''re just a distraction that can make me vulnerable from sudden attacks? Hmph, did you think that I will be stupid to not think of these?"


    Alex''s voice was dripping with schadenfreude at this point, making him sound somewhat sadistic. He seemed to be enjoying the irritation that flashed on Duplicate Delia''s eyes, which just made Duplicate Delia more irritated at him.


    "Hmph, of course I know that you''re not that stupid. Did you think I willt ake the initiative to ally with you if you are useless?" Duplicate Delia replied as she started shaking her head too. "Alex, I know that you are someone who will do anything, as long as it will benefit you and your allies. This time, my offer to you is the best thing that you can get. So instead of just doubting me, why don''t you accept my alliance offer already? If you do this, you and I will be able to resist Ray and Malthus''s alliance!"


    "You know, your offer sounds somewhat tempting. After all, Ray and Malthus banding together is a disaster waiting to happen." Alex said as he let out an amused smile. "If I were the target of those two, I would naturally want to form an alliance with you. But are your claims really true? How can you prove to me that those two are allied, and that you are sincere on allying with me? If you can prove it, then I will accept your offer readily. But if not, then I will personally make you leave."


    "Hey! I already came here with sincerity, and you still don''t believe me? How dense could you get!" Duplicate Delia almost shouted out as she glared at both Alex and Alina. Her face appeared to be livid after hearing Alex''s binary statement, and it got more livid when Alina stared to smirk at her.


    "I''m sorry Duplicate Delia, but because you are also a holder of a Divine Sensory Organ, I cannot tell if you are lying or not." Alina said to Duplicate Delia as the latter began to look extremely affronted. "That means that whatever you want to say to us holds not merit at all, since I cannot prove its truthfulness."


    "There you have it Duplicate Delia. My answer to your offer is just simple. If you can prove that what you said are right, then I will ally with you. Otherwise, you can only go home alone." Alex said with finality as he started walking back to his apartment. He ignored the trembling Duplicate Delia as he brought Alina and the others back with him.


    "What a p***y! Do you think that you can just deal with Ray and Malthus working together? Hmph, you have some guts if you are thinking you can do that!" Seeing that her attempt to convince Alex had failed, Duplicate Delia began to resort on threatening him. "Heh, I bet that by tomorrow, you and your friends will already be at the brink of death because of those two. Hehehe, let''s see if you can still act smug when you reach that point!"


    "Duplicate Delia, I did not reject your offer. I just wanted to know if you are telling the truth. As long as you can do that, I will accept your offer." Alex said with his back turned towards Duplicate Delia. "Don''t act as if I abandoned you like a stray puppy. I still gave you a chance to prove yourself, so instead of sulking there, you should just do something more productive!"


    "You¡­. I thought you were a decent person earlier. But you''re just like those two." Duplicate Delia replied as he gave Alex a glower. "You''re just as slimy as them."


    "But at least I don''t like murdering and torturing people. That gives me plus points to you, right?" Alex replied as he pointed his finger guns at Duplicate Delia. "Come on, you can admit something like this to me¡­"


    Duplicate Delia only shook her head upon seeing this, with her face looking sick from all the c**p that Alex gave to her.


    There was no doubt that the talk between the two of them has already ended, and it will only resume when Duplicate Delia obtains what Alex had been wanting to get from her.


    This made Duplicate Delia''s mood worse, as she realized that she had to waste more of her time if she wants to successfully form an alliance with Alex


    "Tsk, just wait for me. I will show you the proof that Ray and Malthus are allied!" Duplicate Delia shouted angrily as her body began to disintegrate in front of Alex. "Hmph, once I show you the proof, I hope that you will still be clear-minded to receive my offer!"


    "Yeah, we shall see that once you show your proof." Alex muttered as the dust from Duplicate Delia''s disintegration settled on the floor. "That is, if you really have a proof."


    "Oi hooman! Why did you not accept her offer! You can clearly see that she''s telling the truth!" While Alina looked delighted with Alex''s ''rejection'' on Duplicate Delia, there was someone who was not happy with what Alex did. That someone was Asteria, and right now, she was staring at Alex in a clearly pissed-off manner. She seemed to have forgotten about her half-empty honey jar on the cabinet as she focused her ire on Alex alone.


    "Hooman, even if you can''t detect lies like Alina, I know that your intuition is powerful enough to see that Duplicate Delia is telling you the truth. Or perhaps some portions of it. Since you can do that, then why did you not accept her offer? Are you nuts?" Asteria continued to say as she began to erratically fly around Alex. "Hooman¡­ why are you being this stubborn? Is there something wrong with you?"


    "Oi Asteria, first of all, I have a reason on why I did not accept Duplicate Delia''s offer readily. So don''t complain that I did this. You will see the benefits of what I did later." Alex, who was smiling at Duplicate Delia earlier, was now wearing a frown on his face as he stared at Asteria. "And second, why the f**k are you acting like you''re concerned for my safet?. Don''t act like a saint! I know what you did in the Immortal''s World! So don''t be like a naggy nanny when you''re just a double-crosser!"


    "Hey hooman, what the hell are you talking about? Why are you calling me a double-crosser! I did nothing like that!"


    "Hoh? So your secret ''talks'' with The Great TimeMaster was just normal then?"


    "H-how did you know about that? That''s not something that she can tell you easily! Ah f**k! This is bad!"


    "Yes, this is bad. It''s bad for you." Alex then grabbed Asteria out of the air with his hand, with her wings clasped directly between his fingers. He held her with such a tight grip that Asteria was unable to fly away from Alex, leaving her still stuck on his hand.


    "Oi hooman! Unhand me right now!" Asteria shouted out as she continued to squirm under Alex''s tight hold. "If you don''t unhand me, then I will really make you regret this later!"


    "Asteria¡­ didn''t you promise to talk about your past to us? Since we still have some time before Duplicate Delia comes back, then why don''t you start telling about your past right now?" Alex slowly said as he ignored Asteria''s threats on him. "Come on, we are listening to you. Didn''t you like to talk? This is now your chance to entertain us! So go on, talk already."

 Chapter 406 - Do you wanna see a Postman?

    "You¡­. why are you bringing this up now?" Asteria mumbled as she glared at Alex.


    "Why am I bringing this up? Of course it''s because I want to know the truth already! Is there something wrong with that?" Alex replied as he began shaking the dumb fairy. "You promised to talk about your past, so you are obligated to talk about it. Consider this¡­ as one of your punishments for having ''secret talks'' with the Great TimeMaster."


    "Wait, one of the punishments? Hooman, are you planning on giving me multiple punishments for something that I had to do? That''s just unfair!" Asteria yelled as she tried to bite Alex''s hand. "I just followed the contract given to me, so I cannot do anything to resist it! Hmph, you should even be happy that the things that I did with the Great TimeMaster did not endanger you at all! I only followed my orders, and yet you want me to suffer from it? You are just straight-up bullying me!"


    "So what if I am? I don''t care on what you think of me. If I want you to talk, then you will talk." Alex said coolly as he stopped his hand from moving. "If you don''t agree to what I want, then the relationship between us will just get worse. Who knows, maybe by tomorrow, everyone of us will start ignoring you. Hehe, for someone like you, being ignored surely is a harsh thing to experience¡­"


    "You will ignore me? Hey! That''s too much! Are you really that sadistic to do that to me? Hooman, you''re just heartless!"


    "Hah? Alina, can you hear someone talking? I can hear some buzzing in my ears, but I can''t pinpoint the one that is making the sound. Could it be a fly?" Alex suddenly said as his eyes started to glaze over. Even though his eyes were looking at Asteria''s general direction, the way that he was staring made it appear as if he could not see Asteria at all.


    "Alex, are you sure that there is a fly here? I can''t see anyone else except for Queen Mother and Professor Frances." Alina ''helpfully'' replied as she gave Alex a confused look. "Are you having a hallucination? I think you should take a rest first¡­"


    "I don''t think I am hallucinating, Alina. I can feel that there is fly somewhere in this direction." Alex replied as he pointed his finger at Asteria. "Even if I can''t see the fly, I can sense its presence here. Maybe the erason that I can''t see it was because it was just too small."


    "Alex, if you can sense a being that small, then your senses must be top-notch already."


    "Really, you think my senses are top-notch already? Hehe, now that just makes me-"


    "Ahh okay already! I shall start talking now!" Even though Alex and Alina only ''ignored'' Asteria for a few seconds, the dumb fairy quickly surrendered to the two, as if she had already reached her breaking point. "You want me to talk about my backstory? Fine then, I shall talk about it!"


    As she said these words, the dumb fairy let out a deep sigh as her body flopped down in a limp fashion, showing Alex her ''surrendering'' attitude.


    "Hehe, now that''s'' what I want to hear from you, Asteria." Alex quickly replied as he let go of her. "Oh, and I remember you promising to teach me some kind of exotic Fairy Magic. You will teach that to me later too, right?"


    "You-"


    "You promised to do that too, you know."


    "¡­Fine hooman. I will teach that magic to you later." If Asteria could look angrier right now, then she could have done it already. " And if you want, I can also teach this magic to your companions."


    Before Alex could make a comment about this additional offer, a new person joined in the conversation between the two, with this person''s first words focused entirely on mocking Asteria.


    "Eh? You will teach us your stupid fairy magic? Why would I even want to learn that c**p?" Sierra the Baby blurted out as her body materialized behind Alex. This baby, who was supposed to be resting right now, appeared to be full of life as she stared at Asteria with clear provocation. "If you are this small, then your magic is just useless! Hmph, don''t you think that you can scam me like the way that you can scam Papa! I am way better than him!"


    "Hey Sierra, it''s not good if you insult me that way¡­"


    "Quiet Papa. Give me some time to demolish this s**ty fairy down. She clearly needs to be disciplined more!"


    "Hoho, so a foul-mouthed World Soul like you actually exists¡­ Now I pity Alex and Alina for having someone like you with them¡­" Asteria, who appeared to be close to her breaking point because of Sierra''s words, took some deep breaths as she gave this reply. "Should someone as unique and magnificent like you act this rowdily? Hmph, I think that between the two of us, you''re the one that needs more disciplining!"


    "What did you say, you dumb fairy?"


    "I said that you are a mistake among the World Souls!"


    "Did you just call me a mistake?"


    "So what if I am? You''re really just a mistake! If it weren''t for Alex and Alina risking their souls, you should not have been even born!"


    "Hmph, don''t think that just because you are a Guide that you are already safe from me. I have numerous ways of beating you up right now, and I can use one of it on you already!"


    "Come and approach me then, World Soul. Let''s see if you can back up that useless boast of yours!"


    "Heh, don''t go back crying to your daddy once I have your way with you, dumb fairy!"


    "Hah! What a pile of drivel! It will not be me that will be in tears! You''re the one that will cry!"


    "No, it will be you!"


    "No, it''s you!"


    "Not me, you!"


    "You!"


    "You!"


    "You!"


    "You!"


    "Ah s**t, here we go again¡­" Alex, who was reduced to a mere bystander as the quarrel between Sierra and Asteria went on, could only say these words as he shook his head. "Ugh, I should have never let these two foul mouths near each other. This is just their first meeting, and yet the quarrel between them was already worse than the one that Alina had earlier! Sigh¡­ why is this happening to me?"


    Regret could be clearly seen on his eyes as he listlessly watched Sierra''s ''duel'' with Asteria. Even if he wanted to stop this two from quarreling, he had the feeling that these two will just willfully ignore him.


    "Ah f**k this. I need to stop this quarrel already! After all, I still have to hear Asteria''s story." When the argument between Sierra and Asteria had already reached the point of creative cussing, Alex realized that he had no choice now but to stop these two already. He does not even care on what will Sierra think of him from now on, as he knew that making Asteria talk to him as early as possible is more important!


    Alex did not idle around anymore as he began to speak in the enraged tone that he had used on Alina and Delia earlier. This enraged tone was the very same tone that had successfully stopped the quarrel between Alina and Delia, so there is a chance that it will also stop the argument between Sierra and Asteria too.


    Even if Sierra and Asteria were always leery of Alex, surely they will still be forced to stop once they hear Alex''s genuine anger¡­


    "YOU TWO, STOP YOUR USELE-"


    But before Alex could even articulate his so-called ''rage'', a sudden phenomena on his forehead brought another change to his plans.


    "Hong~"


    The symbol on his forehead, which had been almost unresponsive in the last mission, was now glowing brightly again!


    It filled the room with so much light that it appeared as if the sun had materialized here. Everything in the room began to cast shadows, even the lightbulbs affixed on the walls.


    This bright exhibition was able to stop the quarrel between Sierra and Asteria, as both of their attentions were now attracted by the glowing symbol.


    "Oh¡­ what a pretty light! It feels like as if I am seeing the sun right in front of me!" Sierra dreamily said as she stared at the glowing symbol with infatuation. She appeared to be extremely pleased at the sight of this glowing symbol, that she had ignored the argument that she had before. "Hey Papa, I want to glow like that too! Please give me the same tattoo in your forehead! You can do something like that, right?"


    "¡­"


    While Sierra was rendered happy by the sight of the glowing symbol, Asteria appeared to be also happy from seeing this symbol. But unlike Sierra who was happy because of the symbol''s beauty, Asteria''s reason for her happiness different.


    She was happy, because she knew that this glowing symbols entails for everyone present!


    "That light! Hahaha, that light signifies that the Main Mission has been given already! Hooman, I apologzie to you, but our talk about my past can only be done later! For now, I should inform you about the Main Mission first!" Asteria declared in a proud tone as she flew towards Alex''s forehead.


    She then stretched her hands in full extension towards the glowing symbol, as she hoped to touch it before Alex or Sierra can stop her from moving.


    "Hehehe, once I inform Alex about the Main Mission, he will surely be too busy on finding ways for him to win! Once that happens, he will forget about my promise to talk about my past! Hehehe, that''s the best thing that can happen to me here!" Asteria thought urgently to herself as the distance between her hands and the symbol continued to drastically decrease. "That means that I must touch the symbol, no matter what obstacles I face here!"


    Fortunately for Asteria, her fingertips were able to touch the symbol before anyone else could react.


    "Heng~" The sensation of omnipotence filled Asteria''s body as she felt her mind ascending into a higher level.


    Visions of stars filled her mind as she found herself staring at a massive black hole. She did not waste her time admiring this black hole as she looked at the creature behind it.


    Behind this black hole was an old man holding a large box filled with parchments. This man was only wearing a dirty set of robes, with his long, scraggly beard and unkempt black hair scattered all around him like trash. Combine this appearance with the numerous festering wounds on his skin, and this old man appeared to be a star-sized homeless man that was living in space.


    Every now and often some of the parchments inside the old man''s box suddenly disappear, as if they were being brought way from him. The old man seemed to have not noticed the disappearance of these parchments, as his milky eyes were only staring at the black hole in front of him.


    He did not even notice Asteria, who was now right beside the old man.


    "Postman, the Endless Monarch had already issued the Main Mission for my Traveler. Please give it to me." Asteria said in a low tone as she gave the old man an extremely rare respectful look. This look, combined with her gentle movements right now, made her look like a pious person.


    If Alex could see what was happening here, he will surely spit out some blood, as the mere sight of a polite Asteria was something that will be unexpected for him!


    The old man however only gave a small nod after looking at Asteria, as if he was not interested on the change in her.


    The old man then calmly placed his left hand inside the parchment box as he began to search for something in there. His movements as he did this search looked painfully slow, although Asteria did not show any hints of irritation upon seeing this. She only stood still with a respectful look on her face, with her not making any sounds that could disturb the old man.


    "Rustle¡­"


    It was only after a few more minutes has passed by that the old man stopped what he was doing.


    By this point, anyone nearby can see that the old man was now holding a golden parchment in his hands. This golden parchment, which had a superior appearance compared to other parchments, was quickly given by the old man towards Asteria, who received it in an orderly fashion.


    "This is it¡­. Please take good care of it¡­" The old man said as the golden parchment left his hands. His voice sounded both soft and raspy, which made him sound like an eternally tired person. "The Endless Monarch also told me to warn you about your dealings with your Traveler¡­ He said that you should not try getting closer to him¡­ Doing that will only¡­ bring you closer to ruin¡­"


    "I understand Postman. I shall take note of that warning." Asteria replied in a neutral tone as she began flying away from the old man. Her wings flapped behind her urgently as she sped up her departure.


    After a few seconds of flying away, Asteria looked back at the old man again, as she attempted to give him a farewell message.


    "Bye bye Postman. I hope to see you again next time."


    "¡­" The old man''s only reply to that was silence, as he went back on staring at the black hole.


    "¡­"

 Chapter 407 - Main Mission 4, Season 2

    "Tsk, what a stingy old man. No wonder you''re still single up until today." Once she was sure that she was already away from the old man''s observation range, Asteria let out a grumble as tightened her grip in the golden parchment.


    She appeared to be have some kind of beef with the old man, although she did not display it fully when she was talking with him earlier. It was only when she was away from him that she displayed this animosity, and it came out in full force.


    "Hmph, once the next Guide Convention starts, I will suggest to have this old man fired already. He doesn''t even have any respect to a Guide like me, and yet he dares to be here? Hmph, let''s see if you can still act tough once you get fired!" Asteria mumbled to herself happily as she began leafing through the contents of the golden parchment.


    Her previously mischievous face disappeared as she began reading the parchment, with her eyes narrowing into extremely thin slits. She was reading the parchment with extreme scrutiny, that she did not yawn or show signs of boredom, which she usually shows when she reads other books.


    "Okay¡­ I shall think about that old man later. For now, let''s see the mission that will be given to Alex¡­" Asteria then sped up her reading speed, knowing that she only had a few more minutes left before her soul goes back to her body.


    "Ugh, why do I only get to stay in this place for 10 minutes? I am a Guide, so I must be able to stay on this place for longer!" Asteria continued mumbling to herself as she shook her disappointed face. "I mean, this is the only place that I can play without irritating my hooman. I can use all my special abilities here without any restraints, since only souls are allowed here¡­"


    Suddenly, Asteria''s calm face contorted into that of anger as her words appeared to have made her remember something unpleasant. And it was indeed unpleasant, judging from the next words that she had uttered.


    "But even when I should be allowed to stay here longer, that old tramp actually reduced my allowed time here because she said that I was a nuisance! Argh! I swear that tramp really has a vendetta against me!" Asteria''s clenched her hands at this point, as her anger made her attempt to destroy the golden parchment. Luckily for the parchement, it was almost indestructible in this place, allowing it to survive Asteria''s ire. "Hmph, just you wait, granny! Once my hooman reaches Transcendence, you will be the first one that I will look for!"


    After this slight interruption, Asteria let out a long groan as she went back to reading again.


    She seemed to be back at her calm state, and it stayed that way for the following moments.


    But this calm was quickly wiped away when Asteria finished reading the parchment.


    "What the hell? What the f**k is this! Are you s**ting me?" These were the words that Asteria uttered as she threw the golden parchment to the ground. Her eyes were bloodshot as she began stomping on the parchment, with each of her words punctuated by each of her stomp.''


    "You. Had. The. Guts. To. Put. This. Mission. In. Hiatus. And. Now. You. Actually. Updated. It. What. The. F**k. Are. You. Thinking!" Asteria growled as the parchment slowly sank on the floor. "You. Want. My. Hooman. To. Obtain. That. Thing? You. Are. Smoking. If. You. Think. That. He. Can. Do. That!"


    [[Times up missy. Now go and come back to your hooman. Tell him about the mission details already.]]]. A sonorous voice suddenly said to the raging Asteria. [[[I don''t care if you are angry with the new changes in the mission, but you know that rules are rules. You can''t stay here for any longer, so you should stop your tantrum already.]]]


    "F**k you Melissa. Who approved this s**t to happen!" Asteria shouted as she stopped stomping on the parchment. She then began panting on her place, as if the ''tantrum'' that she had took a lot out of her. "Did those people want my hooman to die?"


    [[[Umm I don''t know who approved this. I just know that it''s already approved.]]] Melissa replied. [[[Asteria, just give up your tantrum already. Those people won''t listen to you anyway, so you can only suck it up and accept this mission. Trust me, it will be better for you to do this. You can still remember what happened to you when you did that stunt at your school, right? If you don''t want that to happen again, then please restrain yourself.]]]


    "Fine, I shall stop my ''tantrum'' already. But remember, I shall return to punish those geezers for their blatant attempts at bullying me!" Asteria declared with finality as she gave Mellissa her middle finger. "Just tell those geezers to wait for me!"


    [[[Right, right, right. I shall tell them about your threat. Not that it matters anyway.]]]


    "What did you say?"


    [[[10 minutes are already up. Bye bye Asteria.]]


    "Hey!"


    Before Asteria could something to her selected ''threat'' list, the scenery around her shattered like a glass, pushing Asteria to the brink of sleep.


    Asteria tried to resist it, but all her efforts went futile as her mind succ.u.mbed to the darkness.


    "Sigh¡­. If that girl can only restrain her temper more, then her exile could have ended already. It''s really too bad that she''s still stuck with that man." The Postman, who was silent during Asteria''s tantrums, suddenly said these words as he shook his head. He appeared to be disappointed with what he had just seen, and the disgust in his eyes made that disappointment more genuine.


    "Ahh¡­. I wish Asteria does not come back here anymore. I can do well without someone like her bothering me¡­"


    ****************


    "So what happened to the Main Mission, Asteria?" Alex, who saw the signs of awakening from Asteria, quickly opened his mouth as he began bombarding her with questions. "Is it still in hiatus, or can we start on it already?"


    "Tsk, can you lower your voice, hooman? I just saw something stressful, so weaken your loud-ass voice." Asteria grumbled as she scratched the back of her head. "Can you see this look in my eyes? I am irritated, so you better not make me angrier!"


    "Yes, I can feel that you are angry." Alex replied, as his FED Manipulation can detect that Asteria was really feeling a genuine rage right now. This was different from the anger that Asteria had shown before, as the rage that she is exuding now seemed to be more¡­ raw and primal.


    "¡­"


    This made Alex raise his eyes in interest, as he realized that whatever Asteria did while touching his symbol must have affected her in some way to make her this mad.


    "So is the reason why you''re angry related to the Main Mission?" Alex did not mince anything. as he continued to bombard Asteria with his words. He does not care even if Asteria was angry, as he was now in a rush to know everything.


    "Yes, it''s because of that f**king Main Mission! There, are you happy now?" Asteria grunted as she sat on the top of Alina''s head with a sulking expression.


    "Yes, I am happy already. Now, tell us about the Main Mission." Alex replied as Alina began petting the dumb fairy.


    "Hmph, what an insensitive man. You can see an angry lady here, and the first thing that you do is demand on her! Hmph, you will not last long once you reach the higher levels! You will surely be in danger because of that attitude of yours!" Asteria said as some of her rage were stifled by Alina''s skillful hand.


    "Yes, I get it. Now, the Main Mission please."


    "Okay, I''ll say it already. But before that, tell me about the intended Main Mission in this world first." Asteria said as she let out a satisfied purr. Alina''s hands were doing their work behind her ears, which brought the fairy to the brink of ecstacy. "You can still remember that, right?"


    "The Main Mission in this world was just simple. We should survive the Fourth Calamity and then use our skills to terminate it." Alex said as he stared at Asteria. "We had already survived the monster wave of the Fourth Calamity, but we did not receive any notification about the mission being cleared. That means that the Fourth Calamity has not ended yet at that time, and only by investigating the Moons themselves that the Fourth Calamity will be terminated."


    "Good answer. Now, how about the Bonus Missions, hooman?"


    "There are three Bonus Missions, with each mission unique and weird in their own." Alex replied as a small vein in his forehead began to throb. "The first Bonus Mission is about us destroying the Moons. The second Bonus Mission was about the murder of the Moon Power Holders. As for the third and final Bonus Mission, that was about us obtaining the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch."


    "Bravo hooman. You clearly reviewed your notes." Asteria said as she began clapping. Her weird humor has now returned to her, although some signs of irritation can still be seen lurking on her twitching eyes. "Just a little more and you can-"


    "Asteria, from the way that you are talking, you are making it appear as if something has changed with the Main Mission." Alex noted as he began to piece together the weirdness in Asteria''s actions. "Did something really change?"


    "Yes hooman. Something has changed." Asteria replied as she let out an irritated groan. "Took you long enough to notice it. I swear I thought I still have to tell it to you personally¡­"


    "Is that even allowed?" Alex blurted out as he knew the implications of Asteria''s confession. "Can someone just change the Main Mission at their whim? Isnt''t that just¡­"


    "Yes, it''s just cheating, but what can we do about that, hooman? That''s just how it is." Asteria replied as she let out an amused smile. "If they can put a Main Mission in hiatus, then they can also easily change it."


    "¡­I see. So if you are having that kind of reaction to the new Main Mission, then that must mean that the new Main Mission is drastically different compared to the Original Main Mission¡­"


    "Well yes, but also no."


    "Hah?"


    "What I mean is that the Main Mission will be different, although it is something that have been told to us before already." Asteria replied as her body began to succ.u.mb from Alina''s superior skills. "Ah yes Alina, that''s the spot! Poke that more¡­"


    "Stop this s**t already Asteria. Just tell me what it is alrea-"


    "Look at your Bonus Mission 3. What is it about again?"


    "That mission is about looking for the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch" Alex replied as the frown in his eyes slowly widened into that of a surprise. "Wait Asteria, if you are talking about Bonus Mission now, then does that mean¡­"


    "Yes, Bonus Mission 3 will be your new Main Mission." Asteria mumbled as her eyes became bloodshot again. Her rage suddenly returned at this point, as if the mere mention of the Main Mission was enough to undo all the comfort that Alina gave to her. "Your Main Mission is that you should f**king obtain the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch within 10 Years. If you fail, then all of us will die in a f**king messy fashion!"


    "What the hell?"

 Chapter 408 - Survey

    Huhuhu, I will be posting this chapter as a survey, as I am feeling really sick now. I really can''t muster any ideas to write, so I jsut can''t write. Please forgive me for that.


    So for the survey itself, its question are just all related to teh current volume.


    1. What do you think will be the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch, and how do you think will it be obtained?


    2. Do you want to know about Alex''s past in this volume?


    3. What do you think about the confrontation between Alex and Emperor Litch? Is reconciliaiton even possible?


    4. Who do you want to die in this volume?


    5. Is there anyone that you are interested to be Alex''s Companion?


    ************************


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words. I''m really sorry about that.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words. I''m really sorry about that.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words. I''m really sorry about that.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words. I''m really sorry about that.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words. I''m really sorry about that.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words. I''m really sorry about that.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words. I''m really sorry about that.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words. I''m really sorry about that.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words. I''m really sorry about that.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words.


    I need 400 words to post this chapter, so I will be posting these additonal words to make it 400 words.

 Chapter 409 - Why should he live when I am still alive?

    [[MAIN MISSION: ACQUIRE THE LEGACY WEAPON OF THE INFERNAL MONARCH. REWARD IS NEGOTIABLE. TIME LIMIT: 10 YEARS.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 1: FREE THE WORLD FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THE VILE EMPEROR LITCH. REWARD: SHARD OF TRANSCENDENCE. POSSIBE ADDITIONAL REWARD: OPTIONAL.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 2: REACH TRANSCENDENCE. REWARD: INFINITY AMULET.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 3: KILL ENEMY TRAVELERS! REWARD: 1 SHARD OF TRANSCENDENCE FOR EVERY CONFIRMED KILL.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 4: DESTROY ALL THE MOONS! DESTRUCTION OF ONE MOON WILL EQUATE TO 125 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF TWO MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 250 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF THREE MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 500 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF FOUR MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 1000 YEARS OF LIFESPAN.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 5: KILL ALL RECIPIENTS OF THE MOON POWER. KILLING A MOON POWER RECIPIENT WILL EQUATE TO 1 MONTH OF LIFESPAN. KILLING TWO MOON POWER RECIPENTS WILL EQUATE TO TWO MONTHS OF LIFESPAN . KILLING THREE MOON POWER RECIPENTS WILL EQUATE TO THREE MONTHS OF LIFESPAN, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.]]


    "¡­" Alex was mostly silent as Asteria read the actual details of the Main MIssion. He did not do anything to disturb Asteria, as he realized that she was too pissed to even crack jokes at Alex.


    He only had a reaction when he heard Asteria talking about the Bonus Missions, as some of its details were something new to him.


    "Oi Asteria¡­. can you explain to me some of the things that you just uttered there?" Alex asked as he Asteria ended her words. "Especially that part about the Bonus Missions¡­"


    "Oh, you''re talking about the Shard of Transcendence and the Infinity Amulet." Asteria replied as she gave Alex a sullen look. "I just told you about those things, and you already want to know about them? You''re not even sure that you can get them, so why are you even asking about them?"


    "I don''t care if I can'' get it. I still want to know about them." Alex said as he returned Asteria''s stare with his own glare. "Surely you can do something this easy, right?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­.The Shards of Transcendence are a much-needed assistance for someone who wants to reach Transcendence. The more Shards of Transcendence that someone have, the better it will be for that person." Asteria started to say after she lost her staring match with Alex. "I am not allowed to explain to you how the Shards of Transcendence works, but trust me, it works."


    "¡­Transcendence huh. Was it offered to me because I already reached the Sixth Stage?" Alex said as he did not stop from asking. "Your manager seems to be really enthusiastic about making me stronger¡­"


    "Yes, it was offered to you because you are already a stage below the Transcendent Stage(Seventh Stage). Asteria replied as she crossed her arms. She then let out a hmph as she gave Alex an imploring look. "Hmph, hooman, for you to be offered with something like this is a great fortune for you, so you better do your best to obtain at least one Shard of Transcendence! This is a once-in-a-lifetime offer, so you better not do anything to squander it!"


    "You don''t need to remind me about that. After all, I was planning to do Bonus Mission 1 by myself, no matter what the rewards are in for it." Alex said as his face slowly darkened.


    "You want to finish Bonus Mission 1 no matter what the reward is? What is that mission again? Hmm¡­. Wait, this mission is about freeing this world from the rule of Emperor LItch¡­ Oi, oi, oi hooman! Are you really planning on doing this?" Asteria began to jump up from her position as she realized what Alex was talking about. To say that she was angry was an understatement, as her face turned into an ugly shade of purple


    "Hooman, when I talked about you gaining a Shard of Transcendence, I was talking about you killing an Enemy Traveler! Killing them to gain a Transcendence Shard is much easier compared to what you want to do! Come on man! You want to gain one Transcendence Shard from fighting against Emperor Litch? That''s just too risky! Are you willing to put your life in that much risk, when you can just get the same reward for killing an Enemy Traveler? Come on Alex, you''re better than this!"


    "¡­"


    "Oi hooman, say something! I don''t want you doing risky s**t just because you had a personal feud with him! Remember, your companions will be in danger once you-"


    Asteria''s next words at this point were all cut-off, as the dumb fairy suddenly went silent. Her courage to continue speaking disappeared as she saw the look on Alex''s face.


    "¡­"


    Everyone inside the room felt chills at the sudden change in Alex''s face, with Professor Frances almost backtracking herself away from what she saw.


    It was only Alina who kept still on her place, although she also looked unsettled from what she had just witnessed.


    "Asteria, you know nothing about my personal history with Emperor Litch." Alex said as his unsettling appearance continued to freak Asteria out. "So you should not say any crap about me not doing against him. You don''t know what''s at risk here, so don''t interrupt me!"


    "But-"


    "Emperor Litch is someone that cannot live the same world as me. If he exists in this world, then I will do my best to kill him with my own hands." Alex muttered as he slowly clenched his fists.


    "Crack¡­" Sounds of cracking bones could be heard inside the room as Alex continued to clench his fists. He seemed to not care on what was happening on his hands as he only focused on stating his case on Asteria.


    "If the act of freeing this world will lure Emperor Litch to this place, then I will be exulted on doing it! Nobody, not even those enemy Travelers can stop me from succeeding! So Asteria, don''t expect someone like you to stop me!"


    "Hooman, you¡­"


    "Okay, now that we are done talking about the Shards of Transcendence, why don''t we talk about the Infinity Amulet already?" Alex suddenly said in a joyous tone, as his unsettling face from earlier disappeared.


    He was now back on his ''original template'', with no traces of what he just said left on his body. The fear-inducing aura that surrounded him earlier was entirely gone, with his freakish appearance disappearing like a puff of smoke.


    He now looked like how Alex should actually look like, and the brilliant smile on his face seems to drive this point further home.


    "¡­"


    This sudden change made it appear as if the Alex that talked about killing Emperor Litch did not even exist, and that what Asteria and the others saw was just a nightmare.


    Of course they knew that it was not a nightmare, but at this point, none of them had the courage to point out about this.


    They only kept silent as they politely listened to Alex''s rambling words.


    "Since that amulet is related to the Infinity Monarch, then that means that it must be hella powerful, right?" Alex said as he ignored Asteria''s pale face. "Can it summon the Infinity Monarch himself? If that''s its ability, then I must also obtain it!"


    "Hooman, you should reach Transcendence first before you can worry about the Infinity Amulet." Asteria replied as she did her best to keep her voice from trembling. It was an extremely hard task to do, as she was still reeling at the way that Nightmare-Alex glared at her earlier. "Besides, I am also not allowed to talk about it. So if you want to know its capabilities, then you should get it first."


    "Really? That''s too bad¡­" Alex said as he let out a disappointed sigh.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­So hooman, is there anything else that you want to talk about?"


    "There''s nothing left, Asteria. Your answers have satisfied me." Alex replied as he stood up from his seat. The bed creaked as his weight left it, with small undulations appearing at its edge.


    Alex looked at this undulation listlessly for a second, before he suddenly glanced towards one of the occupants of the house.


    "Queen Mother, how are you feeling right now? Does your body still hurt?" Alex asked worriedly as he stared at Queen Mother.


    The unconscious Queen Mother from earlier was already awake, and she appeared to be doing her best to persevere through whatever the Great TimeMaster did to her.


    She was clenching her teeth as the green water threads continued to frolic in her body, with her not shouting out in pain even though her face shows the torture that she is facing right now.


    Green sap continuously flowed out from the wounds that the water threads created, which all settled down on the floor, creating a viscous mixture that reeked of impureness.


    This sap also covered Queen Mother''s skin in a web-like structure, with some of the webs hitting her wounds. This appeared to be adding more pain to her, as her face would occasionally contort as the webs hit her wounds.


    Alex and the others winced as they saw this, with each one of them inwardly thankful that they are not going through the same thing as her.


    With the pain that Queen Mother was going through, Alex''s question went unanswered for a few seconds, as the tree woman herself appeared to be preoccupied to even talk.


    But she eventually talked in the end, and she did so with the same struggle as a legless man climbing up a ladder.


    "Alex¡­ I am fine. Don''t worry about me." Queen Mother replied slowly as began biting her lip. She showed signs of tearing up at this point, although it was quickly hidden by her body juices "Just focus on what you and the others should do. I can deal with this by myself."


    "Are you sure about that, Queen Mother?"


    "Yes¡­ I am sure. So just¡­ leave me alone first."


    "Okay then, you''re the one who said it, so I shall take your word for it." Alex said as he shrugged his shoulders.


    He then looked at Professor Frances and Alina, who were both looking at Alex with wariness.


    The effects of Alex''s outburst earlier were still fresh on the minds of these two, and no matter how they did their best to hide it, their apprehension towards Alex were still visible now.


    Naturally, Alex detected this.


    "Hmm? Is there a problem?" Alex asked as he saw the way that these two women looked at him. "Did I do something wrong-"


    "Knock knock knock."


    The knocking sound of the door echoed throghout the room once more, interrupting Alex''s statements.


    "Knock knock knock."


    Whatever Alex was going to ask from the two women went unheard, as he stopped himself from talking. Right now, he was looking at the door with obvious amus.e.m.e.nt, which was different from the reaction that he had on the door knocks earlier.


    "Knock knock knock."


    As he and the others went silent, the knocking sounds of the door continued, as if the door knocker did not care on what Alex and his compainions were doing.


    "Knock knock knock Knock knock knock Knock knock knock Knock knock knock Knock knock knock Knock knock knock."


    Eventually, the sounds of the door reached the point where Asteria began to get irritated by it. She was about to complain about this noise to her human, but fortunately for her, Alex began to respond to this clearly rude newcomer.


    "You seem to be in a rush to meet me. I wonder why you are here. Do you really have a deathwish?" Alex said as he pointed his right index finger at the middle of the door.


    "Bzzt!"


    A small sword, which was the size of a needle, slowly appeared at the end of Alex''s finger, with its body appearing to be made up of lightning.


    Bits of golden and bluish flecks rotated around the sword, making its already majestic look appear even more awe-inspiring.


    The ones inside the house could feel a powerful suppression from this sword, making them acknowledge this sword in a higher light.


    As time went to, this sword showed signs of instability, as the power supplied through it was causing the sword to flicker.


    "¡­"


    Instead of getting worried, Alex appeared to be smiling as the sword continued its flickering status.


    "Bzzt!"


    When the sword reached the point where its body was almost near to the point of breaking down, Alex took a deep breath as he drew back his right arm behind him.


    His shoulders cracked as he continued to pull his arm back, with his right arm trembling to the point that it looked like a seizure.


    Alex persevered through these changes as he kept his position intact.


    After a few seconds of staying at this state, Alex suddenly let out a shout as he threw the sword in his hand.


    "Bang!"


    Before anyone could notice it, the sword has already penetrated through the door, blasting the door into smithereens. The power contained in the sword was compressed in such a state that it was enough to pulverize anything, including a puny door.


    The sword appeared to be like a force of nature as it pushed through its path, making it appear like an unstoppable force.


    "Slick!"


    A low, squelching sound was heard at the departure of the sword, which was similar to the sound of a weapon hitting flesh.


    This sound made Asteria sneer, as she knew that the sword has hit whoever was behind the door. Alex seemed to be thinking of the same thing too, as he began to walk towards the destroyed doorway with a complacent expresion on his face.


    "I told you to leave, yet you still stayed here. Why are you this stubborn?" Alex said, as he did not mince his words at all. "Do you really want to die?"

 Chapter 410 - I Want to Explode

    "As long as you don''t agree to what I am offerRing, I will never stop bothering you." A voice replied amidst the wreckage created by the sword attack. This voice sounded somewhat weary, although it held the timbre of someone proud. "So can you please withdraw your sword now? If this stays right in front of me for any longer, I might accidentally break it, you know."


    "Break it? Hmph, what an obnoxious thing for you to say." Alex replied calmly as he stared at the person who just talked back to him. "Duplicate Delia, you do know that you''re alone right in front of me, right? For you to come here for the second time is already commendable, and you did it even if you know that there''s already a Bonus Mission set for killing Travelers. You must really want that alliance if you can do something like this¡­"


    "Just like what I told you earlier, I want the alliance, and I will never stop on asking for it." As the dust from the Alex''s attack settled down, everyone was able to see Delia''s appearance, and it was nothing but typical for someone like her.


    Delia had her body stuck on a spear thrusting pose, with her spear extended right in front of her.


    Her whole body was slightly trembling as she held her spear, although the way that she trembled was normal, given the situation that she is in right now.


    At the end of her spear, Alex''s sword could be seen, still trying to push its way towards Delia. It''s lightning-clad body was making its continuous effort to destroy all of its obstacles, but Delia''s spear was able to stop it head-on.


    This steady, and somewhat recurrent collision has resulted in a minor stand-off between Delia and Alex''s sword, with Delia stuck on blocking the sword, and the sword stuck from its intended purpose of skewering Delia.


    "Let me say this first. Your clone is impressively powerful. It can even stop my Sword of Indomitable Will from killing you. That''s not something that anyone can just do." Alex suddenly said as he waved his hands.


    "Hong~"


    The sword let out a humming sound as it flew back towards Alex, disappearing quickly inside the vicinity of his palm. The lightning and the powerful aura that it was exuding was also absorbed back by Alex''s palm, bringing the whole room back to its original state.


    The previous suppression that the sword had on its surroundings earlier has now disappeared, making it appear as if it never existed at all.


    This disappearance made Alina and the others slightly relax their tense bodies, with their breathing back at its normal state.


    However, that was not the only thing that disappeared along with the sword. Alex''s somewhat flamboyant attitude as he attacked Delia earlier seemed to have disappeared too, as if the existence of the sword had willed it to happen in the first place.


    Alex went back to his methodical, calm self at this moment, and he did not waste that change as he kept on observing Duplicate Delia.


    "Duplicate Delia, you know that forming allies is a big risk to do, especially with the Bonus Missions given to us." Alex slowly said as he kept his narrowed eyes on Delia. "If you ally with me, I can just kill you to gain that Shard of Transcendence. Likewise, you can also kill me to gain the same thing¡­. Now that things are already like this, trusting you to be my ally is almost impossible¡­"


    "Didn''t you ask for evidence earlier about the alliance between Ray and that Demon Malthus? Hmph, I brought it for you!" Duplicate Delia, who looked unfazed with Alex''s rejection on her, said as she drew out a golden card out of her sleeves.


    This golden card had 64 engraved symbols on it, making it look like a heavily-clad symbol card. These symbols were also constantly shifting and moving on the surface of the card, creating a somewhat unusual sight.


    "Alex, I know that you possess danger sense, so you will know if this card is dangerous to you. Not only that, but you also have someone with the All-Seeing Eyes with you, and she can observe anything fishy hidden inside the card." Delia said as she waved the golden card around her." Hmph with that two things assisting you, what do you think of this card? Do you see or feel any danger from this card of mine?"


    "None." Both Alex and Alina replied, saying the same answer at the same time.


    "Good, now receive it!" Duplicate Delia urgently said as the threw the golden card towards Alex. As this card sailed across the air, Duplicate Delia''s body started to disintegrate again, although its rate of disintegration was slower compared to the first clone earlier.


    "Once you finish using that card, I will wait for you at the Spartan Buffet, located inside the Celestial Super Mall. If you want to ally with me, then you better go there." Duplicate Delia said as her head began to disintegrate too. "If you are really like what you say, then you will accept this."


    "¡­."


    Duplicate Delia''s body then disappeared into the thin air, leaving this place at the same way that her original clone did. Alex and the others only stared at her departure with varying expressions on their faces, although suspicion and amus.e.m.e.nt was still prominent on them.


    "This card is nice hooman. Will you give that to me later?" Asteria the fairy said. She seemed to have ignored what just happened as she was only staring at the golden card with obvious greed on her face. "Hooman, what do you say of it?''


    "Piss off, dumb fairy. I have to use this thing first." Alex replied as he tried to swat Asteria away. "And besides, you are still not telling your story to us. If you want to buy something from me, then you better talk about yourself first! Hmph, since we are already busy, I guess I will only hear about your story later¡­"


    "¡­.Hooman, you really want to make my life difficult. Why did I even decide be your Guide?"


    "Hm? What did you just say?"


    "Nothing hooman."


    "¡­.Okay."


    "¡­."


    "Oi Fairy, tell us about all the items and power-ups that we can buy right now. Since the Main Mission has been updated, your selling list will be updated too, right?"


    "¡­Homan, you''re lucky that you remembered asking me that. I almost forgot about that matter too."


    "Okay, I forgive you for forgetting already. Now, just show us the goods."


    "¡­Fine."


    *********************


    3 HOURS LATER


    "Alex, are you sure that it is okay for us to be out here?" A slightly worried voice sounded behind Alex''s ears. "With the state of the technology this world is in, one wrong move from us could lead to premature dangers!"


    "Alina, with our appearance right now, I doubt that those cameras can recognize us." Alex replied from his ''Envy-Modified Body''. "I already used the power of Envy to change my appearance, and I also used her power on you and Professor Frances. Trust me, with the way that you look, nobody, not even that Delia can suspect your appearance."


    "And besides, we already bought some fake identities from Asteria earlier, which means that we have a greater range of freedom in this world." Professor Frances chimed in as she walked closer at Alex. "Alex, what was your new name in that fake identity of yours again?"


    "I am called Alexander, the sweet and seductive Casanova who graduated from the Miracle Academy." Alex replied as he let out a smile from his unusually handsome face. His silky white skin and long black hair accentuated this already absurd beauty, making any woman around him look at him twice.


    "Yes, I can see why you are called a Casanova. You can even make those women l.u.s.t for you." Alina snorted as she crossed her slender arms. "You must be liking this attention placed on you, right?"


    "You can say that again." Alex replied with amus.e.m.e.nt. "But worry not Natalia, you are still the one in my heart. So don''t look at those women with anger. You''re the only one in my eyes¡­"


    "Alex, stop calling me Natalia privately. Just call me that when people can hear us."


    "Hmm? Who are you calling Alex? I am Alexander, the great Casanova. And you are Natalia, the slender but ferocious butcher of the pigs. Hmm¡­ are you stressed from work last night? Natalia, I think you should eat more for later¡­"


    "¡­.."


    Because of the upgrades that Alex received for his Abyss Power, all of his Sprites gained better versions of their powers, and that includes Envy herself.


    Before, Envy can only use most of her abilities on Alex alone. But now, she can also use it on other people, as long as these people gives consent for it. Alex naturally took advantage of this upgrade, as he used Envy to change his appearance along with his Companions.


    Alex had his appearance changed to the ''Casanova'' template that he was talking about, while Alina is now donning the appearance of a ferocious-looking lady butcher. As for Professor Frances, she looked like a meek little girl, who had freckles on her face and golden hair locks trailing on her back.


    The change that Envy induced in these three was so great, that even their auras were that of different people too.  Combine this change with the fake identities that they bought from Asteria earlier, and they are now ''legitimate'' citizens of this world.


    Queen Mother was the only exception from this change, as she was still busy dealing with her ''process''. Right now, she is inside Alina''s Storage, still doing her best to persevere through the pain. No one was sure on when she can break free of her situation, so Alex opted to just hide her first.


    She can just deal with the identity problem later, as her power and well-being was more important for her.


    "You''re talking about eating already¡­ It was as if you want to really go to that restaurant." Alina replied in a low tone as she gave Alex a narrowed glare. "Spartan Buffet, was it? That''s the place where Delia and possibly her allies were waiting for you. Are you really planning on meeting them?"


    "Well, even if I liked what I saw in that golden card, that does not mean that I am eager to face those three already." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "Since Delia said that she will wait there, then we just have to make her wait there. For now, we shall do a different thing."


    "And what is that different thing?" Professor Frances said as she slowed down her walking pace. The skirt that she was wearing appeared to be hampering her movements, leaving the professor no choice but to lower her walking pace. "Is it something important, that you are fine with delaying a possible alliance with a Traveler?"


    "Of course it is important, little Dolly." Alex replied as he sent a placid smile at Professor Frances'' small body. "In fact, you can say that its importance was just at the same scale with the alliance. Because of that, I decided to deal with this thing first."


    "Don''t call me Dolly casually. Even if that name is synonymous to the success of genetic engineering on your favorite world, I don''t want hearing that already. Just give me a nickname already!"


    "But Dolly is a good nickname for you, little Dolly."


    "¡­"


    "So, where were we again? Right, we''re talking about what we should do now." Alex clapped his hands as he said these words, making him sound too enthusiastic. "What we will do right now is just simple. We just have to EXPLODE!"

 Chapter 411 - Hmm? You want to be a star? Then you better act like one!

    "Explode? Do you mean to say that in literal terms?"


    "Of course not." Alex replied as he quickly rebuked Professor Frances'' question. "When I said explode, I meant that I want you two to explode in popularity."


    "What?"


    "You two will be viral sensations. That''s what I want to say." Alex muttered as he avoided Alina''s pointed stare. "With the way that you two looked, I am sure that you can pull this off easily."


    "A viral sensation? Are you talking about making a disease? How can that equate to popularity?" Professor Frances asked back as she tilted her head in confusion. With the way that she appeared right now, this gesture served to only make her appear cute. "Won''t we just be blacklisted more if we did that?''


    "¡­Oh right, I was the only one who researched about this world for the last 3 hours. That means that you have no idea on what I am talking about." Alex said as he let out a sigh. "Dolly, when I said that I want you to be a viral sensation, what I really meant is that I want you and Natalia to do an entertaining act that will make you online celebrities."


    "Online celebrities? What are those?" The professor shot back as she appeared to be irritated by Alex''s tone. "Oh and let me tell this to you already. I don''t like the sound of that ''online celebrities'' at all¡­"


    "Listen here Dolly. This world that we are in right now is already under the Rule of Emperor Litch, which means that this world has benefitted a lot, especially in technological areas." Alex started to say as he hissed at the professor.


    "However, because of the sheer distance that this world had with Emperor Litch''s Undying Empire, the technology and the way of living in this world is still a few decades behind compared to the Undying Empire." Alex continued to say as he looked around him furtively. "But even with that, this world had already reached the state where a structure like the internet exists."


    "¡­"


    " With internet already prevalent in this world, the existence of online stars and celebrities are also on the rise here. In fact, after I used my Esper Power earlier to slightly hack this world''s internet, I saw that the most popular people here were actually the online stars." As he reached this point, Alex looked back at the professor again, this time with an excited smile on his face.


    "Dolly, the online celebrities in this world were so famous that they get a lot of privileges here. They can go to the places where no one can go, and they can access things that are usually not meant for others to see." Alex said as he pointed his finger to the numerous billboards, which all displayed what looked like to be some famous online celebrities.


    "¡­"


    "Now imagine what would happen if you two will becomes famous online stars." Alex slowly uttered as he stared at the billboard with excitement. "Not only will you get to be acquainted with numerous famous people, you will also be able to approach tightly-secured items and places without any problems at all! At that point, we don''t have to risk tripping up any possible security measures that Emperor Lich placed everywhere. You can just use your statuses as online celebrities to get what we need to obtain!"


    "So by becoming an attention whore, we will be able to access items meant for privileged people? Hmph, that just sounds like a typical mission for you." Professor Frances replied as she let out a snort.


    The professor then continued snorting as her glare at Alex deepened. "Alexander, are you sure that this plan will succeed? I mean, I am not saying that I agree to it yet, but you must know that even if we are powerful, that does not equate to us having the ability to become quickly famous. There''s just no guarantee that we will be famous enough for your plans to work."


    "Yes, I agree with what Professor Frances is saying. We cannot just do it easily." Alina added as she quickly nodded her head. She appeared to be appalled by what Alex suggested right now, and she was doing her best to make her point heard. "I mean, what should the three of us do in order to become famous online stars? Can we even do something notable?"


    "Of course we can do something notable." Alex replied as he stared at Alina and Professor Frances. "Just wait for it for a few more seconds, and your opportunity will arrive. Oh, and I have to clarify something first. Actually , it will be only you two that will be online stars¡­."


    "What?"


    "Even though I am also craving for attention, I do not want to be put in the spotlight that much. I can''t afford to be spoiled by it, you know." Alex replied with a smile, as he appeared to be enjoying the now clear distress on Alina and Professor Frances'' face. "After my research about the status of this world, I already have an idea on what I should do next. It will be related to covert operations, something that will not work well with being an online star. So as hard as this is for me to say, you two will have to be online stars by yourselves!"


    "Oi Alex! I am a f**king mad scientist! Being an attention whore is not my forte, so please don''t make me become an online star!" Professor Frances shouted out from her tiny body. "Do you think that I have talent to become one? Hell no! My expertise lies on butchering and mutating living beings! For me to please a lot of disgusting people is something that I cannot just f**king do!"


    "¡­"


    "Alex, you know that I am not a people person. Making me an online star¡­ will be difficult for me." Alina said in a tone that was much more subdued compared to Professor Frances''. "I am only good at fighting and eating, so I think your plan will be not good. So please, just think of a different plan!"


    "Oh, you two don''t have to worry about anything. In this world, nobody cares if you are socially inept or not. As long as what you do are entertaining, then you will be set for stardom already." Alex replied calmly as he brushed off the complaints of the two. "So even if you two sucked at interacting with people, that is fine since you have the talents that can make up for it!"


    "But Alex, your plan is still too-"


    "Oi Alex, don''t think that you can just make me-"


    "Okay time''s up. I have to go now." Alex suddenly said as he gave Alina and Professor Frances a mock salute. He then started walking away from them, with his walking pace happening at a much higher rate compared to the two. "Go and enjoy what will happen to you two next. This is your once-in-a lifetime opportunity to get famous, so don''t let go of it!"


    Alex then disappeared quickly amongst the crowd, leaving Alina and Professor Frances standing on their place with their mouths wide open.


    "Oi Alina¡­. Do you have any idea on what could happen to us now?" Professor Frances asked in a low tone as she glared at the place where Alex has disappeared. "That damned lover of yours did not even tell us more before he left! How reliable of him!"


    "Prof- Dolly, I am not sure, although from what Alex was hinting to us, something should be happening on us right now that will force us to become online celebrities." Alina replied as she ignored the professor''s complaints about Alex. "As for what is that event, I have no clue at all."


    "Ugh, that damned guy! Out of all the things that he wants us to do, he wants us to be online celebrities? Blergh, just the thought of that is enough to make me sick!"


    "I know, Dolly. I know that discomfort that you are in. But since we are here already, why don''t we just do the best that we can do? It''s not like you can do something better than this. You can still remember about your contributions at the Immortal''s World, right?"


    "Alina, don''t you dare to make me remember about that place. That s**ty world is even worse than my own world! Ugh¡­. I really hate all of this!"


    "¡­I wish I can also hate everything like you. That feeling must be nice¡­"


    "No, Alina. This feeling is not nice."


    "¡­Really?''


    "Yes. So don''t be like me."


    "¡­"


    ********************


    "Tsk, I already showed that devil my evidence, and he still does not dare to show himself here? What a sleazy bastard!" Delia venomously said as she used her fork to spear the tender piece of meat presented on her plate.


    The meat presented no resistance against Delia''s fork, allowing the spearwoman to fully enjoy the tender meat along with its luscious juices.


    "That guy must be laughing at me right now¡­ Hmph, if he does not come here for another hour, I will really start looking for him!" Delia continued to say as she ate her steak. "Just because he left his place does not mean that he can evade my observation! Hmph, just you wait, Alex. Once my patience have run out, I will be running after you next!"


    "Sis, I think you should calm down. That guy must be cautious of you, so for him to be late is acceptable." The one who said these words was the Spiritualist Tong''er. Her petite body was sitting on the chair beside Delia, and she was also enjoying her own plate of steak. "In my opinion, that guy will come here before your time limit arrives¡­."


    "Heh, I wish that prediction of yours will be correct. If not, then that Alex will just have to blame himself for not coming here." Delia mumbled as she gestured the waiter to bring her more steak. "Oi waiter! I want more of this steak! Bring me more of i-"


    "Boom!"


    Sounds of sudden explosion filled the whole area, sending everyone inside the restaurant into a panicked state. Everyone began rushing towards the exit doors in a frantic pace, creating a chaotic situation.


    The only ones who were calm from this explosion was Delia and her companions. All of them continued to eat their steak calmly, with them not showing any reactions even when a stampede was happening right in front of their eyes.


    "That explosion happened around a kilometer away from here, right?" Delia mumbled as she snatched the nearby plates of steak that were left uneaten. "Hmm¡­ basing from the sound and the shockwaves that went here, that explosion is around the medium scale. Tsk, the people who made those explosions are pretty bold to do something like that. They must be crazy."


    "Or maybe, the ones who did that explosion were Ray and his allies¡­" Tong''er said as she tried to add more steak on Milo''s plate. "You know that that man is an explosion fighter. For him to perform this crazy stunt is typical of him."


    "That can be true, but there''s also a chance that it was Alex who did that explosion." Delia replied as she shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe he wanted to make his meeting with us more special, thus the existence of that explosion."


    "..Sis, I think that not even that Alex will do something like this. What would he even gain from creating an explosion?"


    "I don''t know. That man is just as insane as Ray and Malthus, although he was doing a good job of hiding his insanity." Delia mumbled as he gobbled 3 full-sized steaks inside her mouth. "Maybe he just did an explosion because he liked it¡­."


    "Oh my, that''s pretty harsh thing for you to say." Out of nowhere, the man that Delia and Tong''er were talking about suddenly appeared behind them, uttering the previous words in a calm tone. "First, I am not an insane person, and second, I am not a sadist who likes to torture people with explosions. Sigh¡­ now you''re making me regret this meeting more."


    "So you have come, Alex." Delia said in an even tone, as she did her best to hide the fact that she was almost surprised by Alex''s sudden appearance. "Did you come here to just insult me, or are you here regarding my offer to you? Don''t waste my time spouting any more crap! Just tell me why you are here already!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 412 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student part 11

    10 MINUTES LATER


    [Kuro]: The three of you. Stop making noise and just listen to me. I know that like the others, you''re also agitated by your exam results. But don''t just be focused on that exam. You still have a lot of things to learn, so don''t measure your worth with this exam.


    [Asteria]: Wow, and you say that when all of us have failed¡­ I wonder what would you say if someone from us passed? Maybe you will be pissed.


    [Kuro]: Asteria, did I ask you to talk?


    [Asteria]: Um, no Teaceher¡­


    [Kuro]: Then do 10 flying squats right now.


    [Asteria]: What? But teacher¡­.


    [Kuro]: if you don''t do it, then I will tell your parents about the misbehavior that you had for the last week. I''m sure they will reduce your allowance once I tell them everything¡­


    [Asteria]: Okay! I''ll do it already! I-It''s just 10 flying squats, right?


    [[[Asteria then proceeded to perform the well-feared ''flying squats'' with an expression of dread on her face. Even though she sounded confident that she can do it, it was obvious from the strain and exhaustion on her face that doing even just one flying squat was already taking everything away from her.]]]


    [Asteria]: Ha, ha, ha, ha¡­


    [Kuro]: Good¡­ so you still have some stamina in you even when you waste your time gorging on honey. Tsk, your genes must be really good¡­


    [Asteria]: Ha, ha, ha, ha¡­


    [Kuro]: Okay, while we are having Asteria perform her punishment, I shall talk about our next activity already. So we will-


    [Celeste]: Teacher! We''re talking about a new activity already? But how about the analysis of our test results? shouldn''t you do that first?


    [Kuro]: that''s what I am supposed to do now. But I suddenly received a new memo from the Dean, which forced me to change our schedules.


    [Celeste]: Change schedules? Then that means¡­


    [Kuro]: The analysis of the test results will happen after our new activity. So if you want to know how you got your dismal results from the test earlier, you must wait until we finish our next activity.


    [Asteria]: Ha, ha, ha, ha¡­.


    [Celeste]: Ok teacher¡­ So what is our next activity then?


    [Kuro]: Hehe¡­.


    [The whole class]: !!!!


    [[[At this point, Kuro began to smile in excitement, as if Celeste''s words had spurned her to do so. Everyone inside the class began to shiver as they saw Kuro''s smile, as that smile made them feel fear. Of course this fear was only faint, but it was still enough to hold the whole class into a collective silcence.]]]


    [Kuro]: Hey kids, how would you like it if you and your friends were to be brought into a field trip? Would you be excited to join one?


    [[The whole class]]: ¡­.


    [[[Even though what Kuro said sounded like a question, the whole class knew that it doesn''t even matter if they answer it. If Kuro asked a question in this manner, then that question was already deemed to be answerable by ''yes''. Answering it at this point¡­ will just earn more ire from the teacher.]]]


    [Kuro]: Hoho¡­ I am not hearing any rejections here¡­ Then that means that you are all okay with having a field trip! Good! Now go back to your rooms and pack your things! We shall leave 4 hours from now!


    [Asteria]: Yes! I''m done! Hahaha! Now what do you think teacher? Aren''t I strong?


    [Kuro]: Yes, you are strong already. Now go back to your room and pack your things.


    [Asteria]: Hah? What do you mean by that?


    [Kuro]: Aren''t you listening while I am talking earlier? Don''t tell me you didn''t hear about the new activity?


    [Asteria]: A new activity? Um well uh¡­


    [Kuro] Go on, tell me what the new activity is.


    [Asteria]: Um¡­ well¡­..


    [Kuro]: ¡­.


    [The whole class]: ¡­.


    [Kuro]: ¡­Class, what is one of my rules in this classroom again?


    [The whole class]: Always listen to Teacher Kuro no matter what you do!


    [Kuro] So that means that even if Asteria was doing her flying squats, she must still listen to me. Now, did she do that? Did she listen to me?


    [The whole class]: No!


    [Kuro]: So that means that Asteria violated my class rules again! Now, what punishment does she get for violating this rule?


    [The whole class]: 30 flying squats!


    [Kuro]: Exactly! So Asteria, go and perform 30 flying squats. You can only start prepping your things once you finish that. I will be watching you, so don''t cheat, ok? If you cheat, I will double your punishment.


    [Asteria]: Argh!!!!


    [Kuro]: Great! That''s a powerful warcry that you have right there! Hehehe, you seem to be really pumped up with the squats! Do you want to do more?


    [Asteria]: No teacher! Please no more!"


    [Kuro]: Oh¡­ I guess you have to make do with 30 then. Good luck, little fairy.


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [The whole class]: ¡­


    ********************


    5 HOURS LATER


    [[[The whole class, including Asteria, Celeste, and Kibou were now all riding a massive spaceship. This spaceship was hurtling through the space with such an insane speed that almost nothing was able to catch up to it. Only light itself was the one barely keeping up with the spaceship, and even that small lead was already slowly disappearing]]]


    [[[This spaceship was built for both speed and comfort, as its streamlined body was complemented by a cozy and comfortable interior. Anyone riding this ship will only feel comfort and relaxation, although someone from the current riders was feeling anything but comfort.]]]


    [Asteria]: Ow! My whole body f**ing hurts! Ow! I can''t even move my wings properly! Huhuhu¡­ Why is this happening to me¡­


    [Celeste]: That''s because you are always pompous and rebellious. That makes a lot of your classmates dislike you, which leads to you getting the brunt of the punishments¡­


    [Asteria]: Pompous and rebellious? Hmph, I am just showing those people how a Fairy Queen should act- Ow ow ow ow! Hey Celeste! Don''t press my wing joints! Its''s f**king sore!


    [Celeste]: Just do me a favor and keep quiet, ok? I''m massaging your wing joints to alleviate your pain. Now, I can''t afford to be distracted here, so keep your noise at the minimum, ok?


    [Asteria]: Ok¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki ki!


    [Celeste]: Kibou, you should be quiet too.


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­


    [Asteria]: Hey Celeste, where are we having the field trip anyway? I forgot what teacher said about the location¡­


    [Celeste]: Why don''t you ask teacher by yourself? She''s at the navigation room, steering this spaceship towards our destination.


    [Asteria]: And what? Make her angry again? You know that teacher is also a manic space pilot. Once she drives her own spaceship, nobody can bother her unless it''s any emergency. If you call her for just useless things, she will be throwing a fit of rage!


    [Celeste]: Oh really?


    [Asteria]: Yes! I even heard that teacher had once threw out a passenger of her spaceship just because that passenger bothered her!


    [Celeste]: Teacher actually did that? Why haven''t I heard of that?


    [Asteria]; Because it''s just a rumor.


    [Celeste]: A rumor. So it could be not true then.


    [Asteria]: Then why don''t you try proving it now? Surely you''re courageous enough to do something like this, right?


    {Celeste]: Tsk, why don''t you just keep quiet? Didn''t I tell you to not be noisy?


    [Asteria]: Ok, I will close my mouth already¡­


    [Celeste]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Oh yeah! That''s the spot! Celeste! Press that more! Oh yeah!


    [Celeste]: Hey! Why are you shouting out in a lewd tone! What if the others can hear us?


    [Asteria]: Oh yeah! Celeste! You really are the best! Yes! Move your hands faster! Aang~


    [Celeste]: You jerk! Go and deal with your wing pain alone then!


    [Thud!]


    [[[Celeste then flew out of the room with her face blushing crazily. She flew so fast that she almost collided with an overhanging sign, but she managed to dodge it by a hairbreadth. At her departure, the one thing that can be heard was Asteria''s loud giggle, which sounded like her typical prankster giggle.]]]


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki! KI! Ki¡­


    [Asteria]: Hm? You said that I should apologize to her? Yes, I shall do that later. But for now, why don''t you continue massaging my wings? It still hurts a little¡­


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­.


    [Asteria]: Don''t worry Kibou. I won''t m.o.a.n like earlier. Nobody would even believe me if I m.o.a.n from your massages. You''re just a robot, so your kind usually are not even fit for lewd matters.


    [Kibou] Ki! KI ki Ki! KI!


    [Asteria]: W-what? S*x dolls? Um¡­.


    [Kibou]: Ki! Ki! Ki! KI! Ki!!!! Ki ki, ki kiki kik ki kkki kiiik, kiek, kek, kik, kikikiiiki, kiik, kik, kk! Kik, kik, kkikikiki!~


    [Asteria]: Okay okay¡­ I get it already. You robots can also have a s.e.xy time¡­.


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Asteria]: Okay¡­ can you ¡­ give me some space first? I need to recover myself from what I just heard from you.


    [KIbou]: Ki¡­


    [[[Kibou then left the room too, with a somewhat triumphant expression on his face. The shaken Asteria did not notice this expression, as she was still preoccupied with what Kibou just told her.]]]


    [Asteria]: So by connecting a bunch of sensors together, a robot can create its own rudimentary s*x organ? And the more sensors are connected together, the better it will feel for them? Ugh, I think I should stop imagining about these things already¡­


    [[[Asteria then slapped herself in order to rouse herself, as she realized that she must not be worried about how robots can have a ''good time''. Instead, she must worry about the site of their field trip.]]]


    [Asteria]: Tsk, why did I not try to remember teacher''s reminders to us earlier? Oh right, I was too tired to even care. Sigh, so what I should do now? Just wait for this ship to reach its destination? Ugh, I don''t want to wait any longer! I must know our destination already!


    [[[Asteria then stood up as she decided to ask her classmates about their destination. But before she could leave the room, a sheet of paper fell out from her bag. This sheet of paper caught Asteria''s attention, making her stretch her hand to grab the paper from mid-air. She then observed the paper for a second, which led to her realizing what this paper actually was.]]]


    [Asteria]: Hey! I remember it now! Teacher told us that there''s a map about our destination inside our bags! So that''s why I grabbed this paper earlier. This is actually a map!


    [[[Asteria then wasted no time as she started reading the map. With her expertise in pranks, Asteria naturally had a high talent in reading maps, as she knew that doing a great prank requires expertise in map-reading. After all, properly reading a map will allow Asteria to place her pranks in their proper positions. Aside from that, her map-reading also allows her to plan her escape routes if her pranks go south.]]]


    [[[But instead of becoming more excited after reading the map, Asteria actually turned angry and fearful after she scanned the map''s contents.]]]


    [Asteria]: What the f**k!


    [[[The map fell out of her hands as Asteria backed away from it, with her face already as pale as Kibou''s skin.]]]


    [[[This expression just turned worse as time passed by, as Asteria began to realize more and more implications of what she had just discovered.]]]


    [Asteria]: F**k! Out of all the places that we can go, teacher is actually bringing us to the Abyss Realm! F**k! I am fine with going to any other place, but not on the Abyss Realm! Teacher! Are you trying to have me killed! You know that if I go to the Abyss Realm, a lot of the devils there will try to kill me! Huhuhu, teacher, are you really that angry to me¡­"

 Chapter 413 - ViewCube

    Even though she was not touching any weapons, Delia kept her body in a tense state. She then took a deep breath as she slowly fed power to the spear floating inside her soul.


    This spear was different from the normal spear that Delia uses, as this spear inside her soul was both material and immaterial, giving it miraculous properties that are just unfathomable even for a spear artist like her.


    "Hong~"


    This spear, which was magnitudes stronger compared to Delia''s original spear, let out a low hum in accordance to Delia''s battle state.


    It only needed a command from Delia to shoot out of her body, and it will strike down anything that Delia wanted to be dead, even those that are deemed as holy by Delia!


    Right now, Delia was keeping this spear of hers in high alert, lest Alex tries to do something to her.


    "Alex, ff you won''t anawer me within 5 seconds, then I will be forced to attack you." Delia replied as her Ethereal Spear trembled more inside her. "So if you want to be still alive, just state your purpose already!"


    "You''re still as pushy as ever. Now I understand why the Holy Order Plane chose you as its Envoy. You''re just as hard-headed as its residents." Alex muttered behind Delia, which made her clench her teeth in anger. "But I like that pushiness. So I say this to you now. I agree with your alliance offer, only under the pretense that we will form it under a Traveler''s Oath. You can deal with something like that, right?"


    "Yes¡­ I can deal with it. Just don''t try to act smart while we make the terms of our alliance." Delia replied, with her not letting her guard down. "Surely you won''t be that kind of a d.i.c.k."


    "Of course not. The golden card that you showed me earlier was a great object and treasure, so much so that it made me view you in a better light." Alex replied in a praising tone, although his praise did nothing to lift up Delia''s spirits. "So don''t worry about me tricking you. After everything that you showed me, all I want now was to have a genuine friendship with you."


    "Friendship my ass. Let''s just get this over with!" Delia replied angrily as a pen materialized in her hands. The same pen also appeared on Alex''s hands, creating a tense atmosphere that was enough to make Delia''s Companions go stiff. "The longer that we wait here, the more dangerous that it will be for us."


    "Yes¡­ danger. That''s the word that we Travelers have to face everyday." Alex replied as he pushed his pen towards Delia. "We have no choice but to face it, but sometimes, reducing it is a good thing to do."


    "¡­."


    Delia had no reply to that, as she found Alex''s words extremely right.


    *****************


    1 HOUR LATER


    "Sis, now that you have formed an alliance with Alex, will we work closely together with him?" Tong''er asked as she gave Delia a quizzical look. Right now, this girl was licking a cone of vanilla ice cream, with some parts of the ice cream dripping on her clothes. The girl took no notice of these stains as she only focused her stare at Delia.


    "Of course we will not work closely with Alex. Our alliance only is about protecting each other against the alliance formed by Ray and Malthus." Delia replied with a snort. "That means that a long as one of us gets attacked by Ray or Malthus, the other one shall send some aid to us. That is the only way that we can help each other."


    "¡­"


    "As for finishing the Main Mission, or doing the Bonus Mission, that will still be up to your own effort." Delia said as she gave her ice cream to the hungry-looking Milo. Milo then triplicated this ice cream, sharing the two other copies to the ladies. "So don''t be worried about being forced to work with that guy. Without a legitimate excuse for him, it will be impossible for him to even approach us¡­"


    "But Alex was able to approach us earlier without us noticing him. Maybe he can do that again¡­"


    "...Ehem, even if he has a powerful stealth ability, as long as he''s within my attack range, any dirty attacks that he''ll try will just be intercepted by me! So don''t sweat about that problem already!" Delia exclaimed as she shook her head.


    "Ok¡­"


    "Hmph, now that we have hammered a deal with that man, it''s time for us to worry about the other things. So Tong''er, what did your Ghost Familiars discover about this world that is not shown on the internet? Are there any dark secrets that we can use to our advantage?"


    After hearing this question from Delia, Tong''er''s initial reaction was to frown, which made her almost miss her next lick of the ice cream. Luckily for her, she was able to adjust her hold of the ice cream on time, allowing her to enjoy another taste of it.


    "Sis¡­ there''s a lot of dark secrets in this world. My Ghost Familiars only roamed the area 100 Kilometers all around us, and they already faced a lot of Tainted Souls." Tong''er said as a sad expression appeared on her face. "All those Tainted Souls were saying the same thing. They''re saying that Emperor LItch killed them for a heinous experiment, and that he did a lot of bad things to them for the sake of that experiment¡­"


    "A heinous experiment? Hm, so that guy really is a madman. And you''re saying that all the Tainted Souls that you met were caused by that experiment? Hmph, that man must be up to something fishy and important."


    "That''s what I think so too, Sis." Tong''er replied as she nodded her head. "And apparently, this experiment is still running up until today, and nobody from the Tainted Souls know when the experiment will end¡­"


    "F**k, he''s still doing that even today? Argh! Those poor souls! Because of that f**king Emperor, those Tainted Souls have no more future! Grr¡­ I must find a way to make Emperor Litch suffer for his sins here!" Delia''s face contorted in anger as Tong''er''s latest words have seemingly drove her mad. "The Holy Order does not accept heretic people like Emperor Litch, so he must be judged!"


    "But Sis, how can you judge that Emperor if he has this kind of power? What can we even do to fight him?"


    "Tong''er, sometimes a battle must not be fought head on. Sometimes it is better to fight it in the darkness." Delia softly replied as she patted Tong''er''s head.


    "In the darkness?''


    "Yes, in the darkness, where it will be difficult for that Emperor to find us."


    "Sis, when you said darkness, do you mean it by¡­"


    "Yes Tong''er, if we want to bring down this Emperor Litch, we must first destroy this experiment that he had been running for 200+ years already!" Delia almost shouted out these words as a manic glint appeared on her eyes. "If this man put a lot of effort in that experiment, then destroying that experiment will surely be a crippling blow on him! Hahaha! And once we did that, we can strike towards the Emperor himself!"


    "¡­.Sis, are you sure that this will work?"


    "Tong''er, who do you think I am? I am Delia, the great Envoy of the Holy Order Plane! As long as I have this status, I can do all things possible in this world!" Delia said in a louder tone.


    "Sis, are you talking about receiving blessings from the Holy Order Plane again? From what I can remember, you can only ask for their blessings for a limited amount of tries! Are you sure that you want to use this here?" Tong''er suddenly asked as she gave Delia a wide-eyed look. "And the Holy Order Plane will only give you their blessing if they felt like it! What if they don''t give it to you?"


    "Don''t worry Tong''er. As long as I explain to them the heinous deeds that Emperor Litch did in this world, they will be too happy to give me their blessings." Delia replied in a confident tone. "So don''t give me that worried frown. Everything will be okay from now on¡­"


    "Sis, I hope that will be really the case."


    "Hm? From the way that you talked, you are making it appear as if something bad is going to happen."


    "It''s not like that Sis. I just feel like¡­ something disastrous will happen to us in the future."


    "¡­Forget that feeling Tong''er. As long as you two are with me, no danger can approach you! Danger has to come through my dead body first before they can even touch you!"


    "Sis, please don''t say things like that. You sound like you are saying a death flag."


    "A death flag? What''s that? Is that another weapon of yours?"


    "¡­"


    *********************


    RANDOM PEOPLE''S POV


    "Look! There''s a new trending action video on ViewCube!"


    "A new trending action video! Really? It''s been ages since we last saw one¡­"


    "Ages? Didn''t we watch an action video last week? How can that be ages?"


    "Oi, I work in a place that regularly have its internet connection cut off, so my internet always gets interrupted there! Do you even know the pain that I feel because of that?"


    "Har, har, har."


    "Oi don''t laugh at me. Let''s just watch the video together."


    "¡­Fine. Let''s watch it in my phone. After all, mine has better quality than yours."


    "I am going to ignore that insult because you are my friend."


    "Well thank you for the compliment."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Damn, the video starts with an explosion? Oh my god! Did people die here?"


    "Idiot! Look at where the explosion happened! It happened above the people! The explosion did not hit any people at all! It just exploded at an empty space!"


    "Don''t call me an idiot! Besides, even if that explosion did not hit people, look at the shockwave that it produced! That''s powerful enough hurt people! Look! People are already getting flattened by it!"


    "Hahaha, you really are an idiot! Look at the people below! Even if they were hit by the explosion, none of them were affected at all!"


    "Wait, none? Oh right¡­ none of them were hurt all! Wait, how could that happen! That''s f**king bomb right there!"


    "Hehe, look at the crowd below, what do you see?"


    "I see scared people¡­"


    "No! Aside from that!"


    "Aside from that? Well¡­ I can also see some standing people. Wait, why are they standing? Are they not scared of the blast?"


    "Idiot! They''re not standing because they are using their powers to protect the people below! How dumb could you be to not even think of that!"


    "You''re right! No, you''re not right about me being an idiot. But you''re right about these standing people. They look like they''re using their powers to reduce the power of the explosion¡­"


    "Haha, these standing people surely are either high-class Symbolists or Celestials. Only people like them can resist that explosion!"


    "Hmm¡­ there''s 5 people that are using their powers to protect the civilians¡­ That''s actually few for an explosion this big."


    "That''s why I am telling you that they are strong!"


    "Hmph, instead of looking at their power, why don''t you look at their faces! I mean come on! All these 5 look like celebrities!"


    "Really? Oh s**t! All of them look famous as f**k!"


    "Hehehe, there''s a cute Lolita with a pouting face, and then there''s that ferocious-looking woman who looks like she will chomp you alive! Then there''s a macho guy that looked like he was lifting trucks for gym! F**k, the remaining two are wearing masks! But with the clothes that they are wearing, they look fabulous!"


    "You know, I am fine if I get chomped by that ferocious woman. I mean damn, look at her body! If I get squeezed by something like that to death, I am going to die happily!"


    "You sure you''re not talking about the macho man? He can squeeze your body real good too. And he can do it in many ways¡­"


    "Hey! I am not a muscle fetishist like you! I have my own standards!"


    "You¡­ did you just slander the holy domain of muscles! Argh! You shall be punished for that!"


    "Punish me then! I will be happy to receive your wrath!"


    "Dude, you''re sick as f**k. Why don''t you go and visit a shrink. Maybe he can help you out."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 414 - Praise me now, if you will

    BACK TO THE PRESENT DAY, APPROXIMATELY 14 HOURS AFTER ALEX''S MEETING WITH WISTERIA


    "Alina, today''s my first day of school! Aren''t you excited for me?"


    "Alex, you will be a teacher there, not a student. How can I be excited for you?"


    "Bohoo, now that you have online endors.e.m.e.nts, you''re already calling me like that? Fame really does change a person¡­"


    "Hey! I don''t even want to be an online celebrity! It''s just because of that bomb of yours that Professor Frances and I were forced to become one!"


    "Hehe, and look where you two are right now. You''re already approaching the higher-ups¡­ Alina, just a little more, and you, along with Professor Frances will be able to claim what we want!"


    "Yes, you''ve said that before already Alex. There''s no need for you to repeat it. We just have to grind and get more famous¡­ Grind and get more famous¡­"


    "Yeah Alina, it''s something like that, although you should not put stress on yourself."


    "Don''t worry about me Alex. I''m a fighter, so I can get through all this."


    "¡­I wish Professor Frances can say the same thing as you."


    "¡­Don''t worry about her Alex. She might not like her current fame, but she can get used to it in the end too."


    "Oh I really hope so."


    The ones that were having this conversation were naturally Alina and Alex, who were standing near the door of their apartment.


    Alex was wearing a set of clothes that looked like the uniform meant for teachers, while Alina was wearing a nightgown that she had used as a sleepwear for the last night.


    They were talking in a relaxed manner, although the slight tension on their bodies showed that the things that they will do for the day are anything but relaxed.


    Just by looking at Alina''s tense body, it was quite obvious that she was worried about Alex''s plan to infiltrate the school, although she hid her worry under her steely gaze.


    Alex seemed to be worried for Alina too, although he hid it under his confident smile.


    "Hmm¡­ it''s already 7. I have to go now, Alina. Just follow your routine, ok?" Alex said as he touched the knob of the door.


    "Yes Alex. I will make sure to tell that to Professor Frances too." Alina replied as she waved her hands in a shooing motion. "Now shoo shoo. You can go already."


    "¡­Alina, I''m not a chicken you know."


    "Yes, but I have seen a lot of chicken here that I have grown tired it."


    "Oh."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Ehem, so Alina, how about Queen Mother? What was her progress already?"


    "She''s 90% healed already, and according to her, by the time that she gets fully healed she will implement what she called Project: Origin in this world" Alina replied as she looked around her furtively. "What she only need is your approval to perform that project."


    "Project: Origin? Is that the thing that she told to us last night?"


    "Yes, that one."


    "Whew, Queen Mother is getting quite bold too. I can''t say that I don''t like it though." Alex suddenly said as he let out a low whistle. He seems pleased by what Alina just told to him, although some signs of suspicion could be seen on his eyes. "But is she sure that she can pull this off? If her attempt to start the Project: Origin fails, it will be her life that will be placed on the line."


    "I asked Queen Mother that question, and her only reply was: [Don''t fret about me. I am an almost Immortal-like being, so I have a lot of experience already. Don''t worry, I won''t fail.]" Alina said as she slowly walked back to her room.


    "If she''s this sure, then fine, I give her the approval to do that plan of hers." Alex said as he opened the door. The door opened wit out any sound, as its hinges had been polished by Alex to its very best state. The only indication that this door opened was the light that streamed across its opening, showering Alex''s apartment with its full blast.


    "Oh, and make sure to watch Kiera and her grandfather. We don''t want them doing the same stunt that they did yesterday."


    "Roger that Alex."


    "Thud." That was Alex''s cue to leave, which he accepted as he quickly left the place. He closed the door with a thud, leaving Alina standing on her place.


    "Tsk, even after three weeks of staying here, Alex is still not that good on saying goodbyes. I think he must be taught a lesson about that later." Alina said to herself as she shook her head.


    She then let out a yawn as she walked towards the kitchen with a spring on her step. She ignored the objects scattered around her as quickly approached the stove. A massive pot the size of a cow was boiling over a stove, releasing an aromatic steam that quickly covered Alina''s body.


    Alina only let out a satisfied sigh at the sight of this pot. She then approached it with benevolence and hunger, two things that are usually not fit together.


    She licked her lips as she touched the pot, lifting it up to the air as she said,


    "Okay¡­ first agenda for today: Eat a lot!"


    Of course, its Alina''s time to eat already. What else could she be doing with a big-ass pot?


    ******************


    "Alina and Professor Frances will have some photoshoots later. As for me, I shall be watching attending my interview." Alex thought to himself as he slowly approached the gates of the Institute. "Now that I am a about to become a teacher here, I can fulfill two plans in one swoop! All that I just have to do¡­ is to not get caught!"


    After he had these additional thoughts, Alex took a deep breath as he forced his ''Alexander'' persona to look more capable. "Now then, it''s time to charm the whole school under my palms!"


    After Alex had his alliance formed with Delia, he went back to making his own research about everything in this new world.


    Luckily for Alex, this world was still highly reliant on electronic technology, which means that his Esper Power is like a fish in the sea here.


    He was able to hack almost every database in this world with ease, allowing him to learn more and more secrets of this world.


    It was these discoveries that Alex used to refine his plans further, and that refining led to him coming to this Institute today.


    Alex had two main goals for becoming a teacher here in the General Arthur Institute for the Gifted Children.


    His first goal was related to the news of ''visitors'' coming to this Institute.


    From what Alex had gleaned from his hacking, there will be a large entourage of people from other planets that will visit this Institute, something that only happens once in 100 Years.


    This is the third time that this visit will happen, and everyone from the Institute appeared to be doing their best to entertain these ''other planet'' visitors.


    These ''other planet'' people were also under the rule of the Undying Empire, which makes the pretense of their visit also a chance for the Institute to know more about their ''planetary neighbors''.


    All in all, one can consider this visit as both a diplomatic and educational mission, which was meant to make different planets get closer with each other.


    Well, that would be the case if this visit happened normally. But with Alex here in the Institute, this visit by the ''other planet'' people will happen in a drastically different fashion!


    If Alex''s first goal was related to the external matter in this Institute, his second goal on the other hand was related to the Institute''s Internal Matters, or more specifically, on its storage vault.


    Inside the Institute''s only storage vault, lies something that Alex greatly covets.


    This object was something that had been kept by the Institute since its first founding, and it stayed hidden there up until this day.


    It was extremely well hidden, that not even the hidden archives on the internet held records about this object''s existence.


    Ale was only able to discover this object after countless hours of deduction and code-breaking, which was quite a strain even for someone like him.


    But all this effort was all worth it in the end, as this object was something that can rock the whole foundation of the Four Moon''s World!


    "So what should I do first? Should I have some fun with those visitors, or should I try obtaining that object? Hmm.. why am I even choosing? Of course I have to do both!" Alex thought with excitement to himself as he went past through the gates. "Since I am already here, then I will just have to do them all!"


    Alex knew that as long as he manages to fulfill his first and second goal in this Institute, his plans to reclaim this world from Emperor Litch will certainly come to fruition!


    Aside from that, Alex also had a suspicion that fulfilling these goals will also help him on his Main Mission. Of course Alex was not sure yet on why he had this feeling, but since he had felt it, the only thing that he can do is to just follow it.


    "But of course I cannot do anything suspicious for today. From what I know, the visit from the ''other planet'' people will happen next month. This means that I only have a month to establish a presence in this school¡­"


    "Hey Alexander, are you ready for your interview?" Alex had to force his musings to stop as Wisteria suddenly appeared in front of him.


    Wisteria stood still on her place, gazing at Alex with a sullen look as she placed her hands on her h.i.p.s. She seemed to be angry on him about something, and she made it apparent with her stare. "Alexander, you might have been able to bribe your way to have an interview, but that does not mean that you have the talent to become a teacher!"


    "Oi, I just gave you money yesterday, and you''re talking to me like this? Do you want me to withhold the other half of your much-needed money?" Alex replied as he ignored Wisteria''s sullen look.


    "Hmph, I am fine with you not giving me more money. After all, we are not sure if you can even pass the interview¡­"


    "Pass this, pass that. You are always talking about passing, Miss Wisteria. You know what? I''ll show you that you''re wrong about your assumptions to me." Alex suddenly said as he gave Wisteria a charming smile. "I''ll show you how an interview should be passed."


    This ''charming'' smile of his that was enough to stun females seemed to have no reaction on Wisteria at all, who continued to stare at Alex with suspicion.


    "If you can really pass the interview in flying colors, then I will praise you as my god." Wisteria mumbled in a low tone as she pointed her finger at a nearby room. "See that room? That''s where you interview will happen. Now go there and do whatever you want to do."


    "As you wish Miss Wisteria." Alex replied as he slightly gave the woman a bow. "Will you wish me luck?''


    "¡­."


    "Fine, no comment then."


    ***************


    30 minutes later.


    "How could this be? You passed the interview? And with flying colors?"


    "Hehe, what did I tell you, Miss Wisteria? I told you I will pass in the best fashion!"


    "No, even I only managed to get a score of 90¡­. How can someone like you pass with full marks?"


    "Who cares? I passed, and that is what''s important. Now, go on and praise me like a god. You told me that you''d do that earlier, right?"


    "You!"

 Chapter 415 - Why are you lying? Why are you lying?

    "Hey, you don''t need to glare at me like that. I won''t bite you." Alex said as he stared at the disbelieving eyes of Wisteria. "And don''t take my joke too seriously. I''m not an egomaniac who likes seeing people worshipping me¡­"


    "With that kind of face that you have, I doubt your reassurances." Wisteria snorted as she crossed her arms. She then stared at Alex intently, with also a little trace of awkwardness on her eyes. "Ehem, so now that you are teacher, does that mean that you will already¡­"


    "I just sent the money to you. Go and enjoy your new life." Alex said nonchalantly as Wisteria''s wrist phone beeped.


    "What the hell. You really gave me the other half¡­" Wisteria said with a wide-eyed expression. She was looking intently as the holographic image on her wrist phone, which gives a statement about her debt.


    The numbers displayed on the hologram was 0, which was obviously a good number for someone debt-ridden like Wisteria.


    "I am someone who keeps promises, unlike that partner of yours who made you this poor." Alex said as he gave Wisteria a small bow. "Now that I have paid off all your debts, you can consider us to be tied together as friends already¡­"


    "You creep! How did you know about that person!" Wisteria did not take any notice about Alex''s hints for their friendship, as her attention was taken by the word ''partner'' that Alex just uttered. "I made sure that no one will know about it, and yet you¡­"


    "I won''t explain to you on how I knew everything. Just accept that fact that I know everything about you." Alex calmly said as he ignored Wisteria''s outburst. "Oh, and instead of just raging on me on this place, why don''t you start bringing me to your class already? I have to start working after all."


    "Wait, why should I bring you to my class? Aren''t you a teacher? What can you even do in my class?"


    "Hm? Oh right, I forgot to tell you about my job now. I am Alexander, your new assistant teacher." Alex said with a smile as he tipped his hat. "I will be an assistant to yours truly, so I hope that you will be gentle on me."


    "You? My assistant teacher? But I didn''t ask for one!"


    "Well my interviewers clearly wanted me to be your assistant, so here I am, ready to assist you on your teaching escapades." Alex said in an unfazed tone. "So why don''t you lead me to your room, teacher? I want to learn a lot from you¡­"


    "¡­.You know, you are really getting suspicious already. First, you paid off all of my debts, and now you want to become my assistant teacher? Is there something that you want from me?" Wisteria hissed in a low tone as she looked around her with a panic. "Do you have a crush on me or not? Just say it already, so that I can reject you!"


    "Sorry, but someone already had my heart." Alex replied as he shook his head. "And don''t think that I came here because of you. All of these are just bizarre coincidences that just happened. Don''t take it to your heart."


    "¡­Are you sure about that?"


    "Well if you don''t believe me, I will just take back all the money that I gave you." Alex smugly said as he started wiggling his fingers. "Trust me, I have a way to take all of that money back¡­"


    "Hmph, its getting late already, so I have to go to my class! Just follow me if you want to go to my room!" In the end, Wisteria''s act of ''standing up'' against Alex has failed as she allowed him to follow her. "You''re now my assistant, so make sure that you can do everything properly!"


    "Roger that, Miss Wisteria."


    "Hmph, let''s see if you have the capability of suppressing those rowdy children."


    "What did you say?"


    "Hmph, just follow me!"


    "Roger that, Miss Wisteria."


    "¡­"


    ******************


    20 MINUTES LATER.


    "How is this happening?" Wisteria, who had a confident look when she led her new assistant teacher to her room, now only had her mouth wide open from surprise.


    She was looking at the scene in front of her with intense scrutiny and disbelief, as what she was witnessing right now was something that she did not expect to see for the entirety of her life.


    Wisteria, who had experienced a lot of difficult things from her students, expected to see these things happen to Alex too.


    After all, these students were the type of people who liked to play rough with their teachers. And the fact that they had powers too just further amplified matters.


    So for these students to ''play'' with Alex is just normal.


    But instead of seeing Alex suffering from her students, what she saw was instead a drastically different scenario.


    The kids, who were usually rude and playful, were now acting docile in front of Alex. It was as if his presence alone was enough to dampen their energy.


    None of the kids who were jumping and making noise in the class were doing their ''active jobs'', as the whole room was just as silent as a meditation temple.


    Even kids like Tony, Steve, and Bruce were all quiet too, and they were not even quarreling with each other at this time.


    Only the sounds of pencils scribbling over paper can be heard inside the room, which was a foreign sound for Wisteria herself.


    "You¡­. What did you do here?" Wisteria hissed at Alex, who was just standing calmly beside her. "What f**kery did you use on these kids?"


    "Hah? Why would you ask me that? Of course I did not use any power on these kids. Isn''t that banned?" Alex replied as he looked back at Wisteria with a confused look "If I tried to use my power to make these kids compliant, then I will be quickly expelled from this school! Miss Wisteria, I''m not an idiot who will just get myself fired because of that mistake¡­"


    "Yes, I get what you say. But still¡­ that does not explain on how these kids are this calm around you." Wisteria softly said as she did her best to not make any noise. "This¡­. This is just abnormal."


    "Miss Wisteria, just like what I told you before. I am an extremely good teacher." Alex replied as she shrugged his shoulders. "I am so good that even rowdy students get calm around me! That''s just how talented I am!"


    "Bulls**t! You clearly are doing something here¡­" Wisteria muttered to herself. "You are just good at hiding it!"


    "Oh really? Then why don''t you look for what I did then? Maybe you can really find something¡­"


    "Ugh, no thanks." Wisteria replied as she quickly grimaced. How can Wisteria even try to discredit Alex, when her livelihood is now hanging precariously on this man''s hands? If she does something that angers him, then the safeguard that she had right now will all disappear like a popped bubble!


    This realization made Wisteria instantly depressed, as she now realized that Alex had successfully bound her under his own will! Now, if Alex wants Wisteria to do something, Wisteria had no choice but to do this! After all, it was her debt that was on the line here!


    Such a grim situation made Wisteria cold inside, as she knew that she is now helpless to refuse Alex''s commands!


    Thus, she can only wish that Alex will stay the way that he is in right now, and that his commands on her will just be on the relatively ''safe'' scale. This is the best situation that she can be in.


    But once his commands crosses either the ''dangerous'' or the ''immoral'' scale, then Wisteria knows that it will be game over for her already.


    "Ugh, what the f**k is this¡­ First I had to suffer because of that debt, and now I had to endure this guy?" Wisteria thought to herself as she gave Alex a wary glance. "He might seem a nice guy, but with the way that is acting now, I am sure that he is planning something fishy¡­"


    Right now, Wisteria can only wish that whatever Alex is planning to do, he will quickly finish it.


    That is the only way that Wisteria might get free from his already tight grasp, and at this point, there''s nothing that she wanted but that freedom!


    "Hm? I can feel that you''re thinking a lot about me. Why are you doing that? Am I becoming special to you?" Alex''s suddenly said as if he had noticed Wisteria''s paranoid thoughts. "Hur, hur, I just told you that I am taken already. I don''t like harems, so don''t expect me to take you as my mistress!"


    "You!"


    "Please be quiet, Miss Wisteria. The kids are doing their seatwork. They need to concentrate¡­"


    "¡­."


    ************


    6 HOURS LATER


    After a few more sessions with different classes, Wisteria was able to confirm it.


    This Alex really is a freakish teacher.


    Every student that this man faced had all turned docile on him. There''s no exception, even those kids that accidentally peed on their chairs.


    All the classes that this man had went in all became silent, which made the other teachers and classes look at him with both awe and fascination.


    Everyone appeared to have been conquered by this man, and from the looks of it, it was only Wisteria who''s free from this ''conquering''. But in a sense, Wisteria can be also considered to be ''conquered'' because of her financial status¡­


    This realization made Wisteria annoyed, and this annoyance just increased when Alex suddenly asked her a question.


    "So Miss Wisteria, I heard a lot about the fabled storage vault hidden in this Institute. Do you know anything about it?" Alex asked in a tone that sounds as innocent that it can be. "You''re already a long-time teacher here, so you must know something about that¡­"


    "You''re asking about the vault? Hmph, so that''s what you''re after!"


    "Hm? What are you talking about? I am just curious about the vault. There''s nothing wrong with me getting interested over stories like this, right?" Alex replied as he tilted his head.


    "¡­"


    His current appearance made him look extremely innocent, but instead of reassuring Wisteria, this innocent look only made her feel more apprehensive of him.


    "This guy¡­ he is getting more and more fishy now. Could it be that the vault is his target?" Wisteria thought to herself quickly as she tried to look as nonchalant as possible. "But he just said that he wanted to hear stories about the vault¡­ It that was true, then maybe I can tell him a little about it¡­. Hmm, that can work! I will just give Alexander limited information the vault, and not everything about it! That way, I can satisfy this man while also keeping the vault safe!"


    "Ehem, so the vault that you are talking about indeed exists." Once she had sorted out her thoughts, Wisteria let out a cough as she started giving the ''limited information'' to Alex. "The vault is hidden right inside the Institute, guarded by extremely powerful beings that protects it from getting stolen."


    "Oh, that''s cool! So what''s inside that vault? Is it treasures? Or is it deadly secrets?"


    "The contents of the vault are nothing like that." Wisteria replied quickly as she shook her head. "From what I know, what''s inside the vault were precious relics owned by our ancestors during the Calamity Era. These relics differ in sizes, appearances, and uses, and they were all kept in perfect condition inside the vault."


    At this point, Wisteria stopped herself from talking already.


    This is the limit of information that she can give to Alex. Any more than that, and the vault''s safety could be put in compromise.


    "Hm, that''s cool. So, are there any other cool stories that you have?" Alex asked, catching Wistier off-guard.


    "Huh? Aren''t you going to ask more about the vault?"


    "Why should I? Didn''t you just tell me everything about it? Is there anything else that I should know?''


    "Well, there''s nothing else¡­"


    "In that case, tell me other stories then."


    "¡­Roger that."

 Chapter 416 - Im going to say the A-word!

    1 MONTH LATER


    Even when Alex had already stayed and did his work in the Institute for over a month, Wisteria still failed the find the reason on why he was here.


    Everytime she tried to ask him about his motives, Alex would usually casually deflect the topic, or in some instances, he will just straight up not answer it.


    Even when Wisteria tried to deduct his plans through his daily actions, she still did not discover anything about him.


    This was of course enough to bring Wisteria to the brink of collapse, as she was just full of anxiety regarding this man.


    What does he really plan to do in this place, and why does he make it appear as if he is enjoying doing it?


    "Miss Wisteria, you''re frowning again. Do you have another problem that you want to talk about?" Alex casually asked as he ate his bread. He just dipped this bread into a cup of hot chocolate, creating an imagery that was bizarre for Wisteria''s standards.


    "Tsk, just ignore me, Alexander. This is my personal dilemma, so don''t get bothered with it." Wisteria replied as she tried to not look on what Alex was doing. "Why are you even interested on what I am doing, when you have a lot to do? Shouldn''t you be doing them now?"


    "Doing what? I finished them all already."


    "¡­Alexander, you really are a cheat." This was the only thing that Wisteria can say as she felt crushed by Alex''s radiant talent. "With that kind of talent, why are you even here? You should be teaching at a higher level!"


    "Hoho, it sounds like you are suspecting me again, Miss Wisteria. How many times did I have to tell it to you? I am only here to enjoy things." Alex replied as he gave Wisteria a piece of bread. "Want one? Just dip this bread on this chocolate, and I swear it will taste real good."


    "No thanks. I am already full." Wisteria said in a cold tone as she quickly stood up. Upon standing up, she quickly glared at Alex, as if she was prompting him to do something.


    "Alexander, you should hurry up and finish eating already." Wisteria said as she did her best to resist the wondrous aroma of Alex''s hot chocolate. "We still have to assemble at the entrance hall for the arrival of our visitors! If we don''t come there in time, our pays will surely be docked!"


    "Visitors? Oh, so those people from the other planets are coming today?" Alex, who was into his third cup of chocolate already, paused his movements as he looked back as Wisteria. "I thought they will come to this planet today, and that they will approach this school tomorrow¡­"


    "Hah? Why would they do that?" Wisteria snorted as she crossed her arms. "In case that you did not know it, our Institute has a built-in landing pad that was meant for arriving spacesh.i.p.s. That pad was created in order to accommodate interplanetary visitors who might want to visit this Institute. And that includes the visitors that will come today. So they do not need to land on another place, as they can just land here on the institute itself!"


    "Oh, that''s nice, I guess." Alex muttered as he downed the chocolate in one go. He then put down the cup in a gentle manner, which made Wisteria snort in exasperation. "So do we really have to go now?"


    "Yes, we have to go." Wisteria replied as she started walking away from Alex. Fortunately for Wisteria, Alex immediately followed her, although the way that he mimicked her pace as she walked brought back her irritation on him.


    "Hoohoo, I am about to see some aliens today! Isn''t that great?" Alex suddenly said out of the blue, making Wisteria look all around her in panic.


    "Hey! Don''t you f**king say the word ''alien'' in front of the ''other planet'' visitors later!" Wisteria hissed as she gave Alex a glare that could potentially burn his body. "If you ever say that word in front of them, I cannot assure your safety! So if you don''t want to die and bring this institute down with you, stop saying that word!"


    "Why am I not allowed to say the A word? Is it something that offends them?''


    "I don''t know! They just don''t like it!" Wisteria continued to say as she gave Alex a warning glare. "Now, if you are curious on why they don''t like it, just ask it to the dean after the visit! Do you understand that?"


    "Okay, okay, I understand."


    "Good. You know what? I think the best thing that you can do while the ''other planet'' visitors come in is just simple. Stay quiet. That''s it. Stay¡­ quiet." Wisteria said as she pointed her finger at Alex. "If you do that, then your life and our life will surely be safe¡­"


    "Miss Wisteria, why are you not allowing me to talk? Are you someone who can command me that?"


    "I can''t command you, but I can surely warn you!" And now I am warning you about offending them!" Wisteria said, almost shouting out these words. "I am just giving you an advice about not offending those people. If you value your life, then I wish that you will follow my advice to stop speaking. If you don''t, then my colleagues will probably try to stop you from speaking forcefully¡­"


    "Huh. So this ali-''other planet'' people must be scary then." Out of all the things that Alex can comment, this was actually the one that he just said. "If they were scary, does that mean that they look scary too?''


    "You! That''s the second thing that you''re not allowed to say! Don''t comment about their appearance! Never. Do. That! Do you understand?''


    "Geez, of course I will not be that insensitive to point out their appearance. Who do you think I am? I am Alexander, whose primary skills are charming people and creatures alike" Alex replied unfazedly even when Wisteria looked like she was about to devour him. "Even aliens and monstrous beings will also fall for my charm, so you should not worry for me at all!"


    "Hey! What did I just say about the A-word?"


    "Shh, keep quiet Miss Wisteria. I think the spaceship is coming."


    "Ah f**k! Why are we still here? Let''s hurry the f**k up! We''re screwed if we''re late!"


    "I''m on it, Miss Wisteria."


    "Oi! Why are you carrying me?"


    "If we run this way, it will be faster, right?"


    "You!"


    *******************


    10 MINUTES LATER


    A pale-looking Wisteria and a beaming Alex managed to join the line of the teachers on time, making Wisteria heave a sigh of relief on herself.


    She tried to not look at Alex as she tried to calm her body down, as she knew that looking at him right now will just trigger more of her negative emotions.


    "This man¡­ even though he did not yet show any of his ability, I can certainly say that he is more powerful than me!" Wisteria thought to herself as she clenched her fists. "With the power that I had, Alexander should not be able to carry me easily. But that is what had happened here, and he just carried me like I am just a sack of flour! F**k, if he can do that easily to me, then does that mean that he can also easily kill me too?"


    It was logical for Wisteria to feel fear, as what Alex did to her earlier was something that went against the norms of what she knew.


    Wisteria knew that her strength was something that cannot be just scoffed at, as the power that she had was something that is both rare and anomalous!


    Wisteria, who was the product of a Symbolist and a Celestial couple, has the abilities of both a Symbolist and a Celestial! This allows her to use the powers of the Symbolist and a Celestial at the same time without any repercussions. She can also fuse the abilities of these two powers together, creating powerful techniques that are enough to overwhelm stronger people.


    People like Wisteria, who had two powers inside their bodies, were called Dual Masters in this world. This is an apt term, as anyone who becomes like Wisteria can be considered to be masters in their own right.


    But even with this kind of power, Dual Masters like her were extremely rare in this world, as the conditions in order to become a Dual Master was just extremely stringent.


    These conditions were so stringent that Wisteria only had met with one Dual Master before, and that Dual Master had already died due to an accident.


    Through arduous training and ingenious thinking, Wisteria was able to use her power as a Dual Master in its highest capabilities, allowing her to become one of the strongest people here in her country.


    With that kind of strength, Wisteria was sure that it will be hard to find someone who can hold a candle against her.


    But Alex quickly shattered that belief, as he was able to easily pick her up, even when Wisteria had tried to resist against it!


    "This man, since he can easily do that to me, then does that mean that he''s also a Dual Master? But if that was true, then he must be at a higher level than me¡­" Wisteria thought to herself urgently as she gave Alex a wary glance.


    Alex appeared to be somewhat excited by the arrival of the visitors, which can be seen on the wide smile on his face. He could also be seen tapping his armrest in a constant rhythm, creating a series of thumping sounds that seemed to be following a certain beat.


    Wisteria ignored this incessant beat sounding out beside her as she decided to put back the matter about Alex''s power on her mind.


    "His powers surely are a problem, but for now, I must focus on the visitors first!" Wisteria thought to herself as she adjusted her posture. "If we screw up just by a little here, then it will be over for us. So I must do my best to not f**k up!"


    She then tried to make herself look dignified, which was the thing that the other teachers did too.


    Even the students joined in on the act, with even the rowdy students stopping their noise.


    "¡­"


    All of these people straightened their bodies as a solemn look appeared on their faces. They slowed down their breathing until it came to the point that everyone was breathing at the same time. They then placed their hands on their back as they stared at the sky above them.


    And then they waited.


    And waited.


    And waited.


    And waited.


    And waited¡­


    "Come on, you visitors. You''re already floating above there since earlier. Why don''t you just come down now?" Wisteria complained to herself inwardly as she stared at the massive spaceship that was hovering just right above the institute.


    Even though this spaceship was almost near at them, it did not show any signs of going down. It just stayed still in the air, as if it had so plans to even move at all.


    This made everyone on the ground stifle in irritation, as they became anxious about what they were seeing.


    "Visitors, are there still something that you want to do? Come on, just come down already! I am tired making myself look like this!"

 Chapter 417 - Virtual Body

    90 SECONDS EARLIER


    Right now, Alex was feeling alert as he waited for the spaceship that housed the aliens to descend.


    He knew that the moment before this spaceship lands will be his only chance to make a move, so he must use it to his fullest!


    "With the precautionary measure that Emperor Litch could have placed in this world, the power that I can use without outing myself will be limited. But even if I still can''t use my full power for now, I can still do something against this spaceship." Alex thought to himself as he ignored the scrutinizing look given to him by Wisteria. "Now, all that I wish to see is the model of this spaceship¡­"


    As he thought of these, Alex felt more inwardly worried, although he still kept up on smiling.


    "As long as I am familiar with the model of the arriving spaceship, I am sure that I can do something against it." Alex thought as he waited for the arrival of the spaceship.


    As long as the spaceship gets within 100 meters above Alex, Alex can surely observe the vessel, up until its very minute details.


    This was of course a far cry from the supposedly massive scanning range that Alex should have, but with the situation that he was in, being able to scan for 100 meters was already good for him.


    Before, Alex was almost unwilling to scan his surroundings in this world because of the inherent danger that he can feel from doing it. But a few weeks of stay in this world has allowed him to fine-tune all the aspects of his power, specially the scanning portion.


    Alex had realized that the way he scanned his surroundings was slightly inefficient, as some of his power leaks out while doing this process. This could be the reason why he was in danger when he tried sensing his surroundings before. Once he had this realization, Alex immediately exercised his power until it reached the point where he can safely scan a range of 100 meters without triggering his danger sense.


    Whether this range in this world will still improve will depend on Alex, although the man himself is confident on improving it.


    *****************


    "Yes, there it is!" Alex thought with tension as he saw the body of the spaceship breaking through the clouds above the Institute. "Now then, let me see what you really are!"


    "Boom!"


    Alex then silently released his Esper Power towards the spaceship, which continued its descent towards the ground.


    With Alex''s efficiency, his scanning only happened instantaneously.


    "Bzzt!" Every piece of machinery inside the ship was scanned, including all the creatures that lived inside it. Their interactions were also recorded at that instant, along with the data stored on the ship itself.


    Alex''s power converted all this info into electrical impulses which his brain quickly digested, giving him all this gathered info in one fell swoop.


    He then quickly pulled his power back, making him return to his normal state.


    Even though this process only took less than a second to happen, Alex was pretty satisfied with the results that he had obtained.


    "Hehehe¡­. So this spaceship is one of those vintage Arcus Models¡­ No wonder they only visit rarely here. They''re actually cheap as f**k!" Alex thought to himself as he stopped his sudden urge to laugh. "And here I thought that these guys could be using the advanced Destroyer Models. But they are only riding this old type? Hahaha, this just makes my job easier!"


    With his background as a former experimental subject of the Undying Empire, Alex naturally had great knowledge about everything on the Empire, especially on the Empire''s space-related technology.


    Alex had been living in the Undying Empire before the events that turned him into a Traveler had occurred. So for him to know a lot about the Empire and its spacesh.i.p.s is just normal.


    "The Vintage Arcus Models were originally Transporters that were only meant to transport goods. They''re not really fit for commercial transportation. The bodies of these ship models are round in shape, which makes it easier to stack things inside it. But for people to ride it? Hell no, that''s just too uncomfortable." Alex thought as he observed the pudgy body of the descending ship. "So since this ship was like this, then why the hell are people riding it?"


    Alex then looked around him, observing the reactions of the teachers and students alike.


    To Alex''s disappointment, he saw that the teachers and the students were all looking at this ship with a serious look, as if they were treating the spaceship with respect. Upon seeing this, Alex resisted the urge to sigh as he realized that this people were just being led along here.


    "These people¡­ even if they were now a part of the Undying Empire, it''s obvious that there are a lot of knowledge that the Empire itself has not been sharing to them." Alex thought to himself as he felt some kind of pity for the people of the Four Moon''s World.


    "Not only does this world have a level of technology that is still behind the Undying Empire, even the knowledge of its citizens about the normal things in the Empire is also limited! Hmph, from what way that the things look here, it appears as if the Undying Empire is still not treating this world as its real member. I am not sure whether I should be happy from that or not¡­" Alex inwardly thought as he suppressed his grimace.


    "Hmm¡­ the only thing that I can do right now is to accept that it is happening. After all, I''m already here." Alex muttered as he shook his head. "So what if this thing right in front of me is obsolete? That''s better than nothing!"


    Even though he was slightly saddened that the ship that he saw was not part of the advanced models, Alex was still greatly happy as he knew that he will now have an easier time hacking this ship, especially with its old status making its more impervious to his power.


    "If the advanced model ship was the one that arrived here, then I will have a harder time hacking into their main framework from this place. It might take me around¡­. 10-20 seconds just to hijack that kind of ship." Alex suddenly thought as his eyes twitched. "But for this ship? Hehe, I can certainly say that I can hack it within a second! This n***a doesn''t even have a virus protection, so how can it defend itself against me? Hahaha, you aliens, just blame yourselves for meeting a powerful Esper like me!"


    After Alex''s Esper Ability had stepped in to reach the Sixth Stage of Power, everything related to Alex''s Esper Ability had undergone an evolution.


    Right now, Alex can use his Esper Ability to manipulate all the Four Fundamental Forces of the Universe, with his EM and Gravity Manipulation reaching a much higher state. As for his newly acquired Weak and Strong Force Manipulation, they were still at their budding stage, although Alex was able to use them for some special applications.


    If these were the only changes in his power, then it will already be great for him. However, these were not the only changes that his power has gone through.


    Alex''s Mind Power, which was the fuel source of this Esper Ability, astonishingly had its changes too after his evolution!


    Before, his Mind Power only resided inside his Brain, as this was the only place that can house this power. But that has changed after Alex and Alina formed a connection with Sierra(a World Soul).


    Due to the power obtained by Alex from Sierra''s massive consciousness, his Mind Power was bolstered up to its peak, with his Mind Power supplied with an almost endless amount of sustenance from Sierra''s massive soul.


    This supply of sustenance induced a change on Alex''s Mind Power, making his Mind Power suddenly gain a material form.


    This sustenance allowed his Mind Power to copy both the structure of his soul and body, which then led to his Mind Power emulating i its own form.


    This resulted on the creation of a new body, which existed alongside Alex himself.


    This new creation was called a Virtual Body, which is the benchmark needed by any Espers who wanted to reach the Sixth Stage.


    Without a Virtual Body, it will be impossible for Espers to reach the Sixth Stage. After all, the benefits that the Virtual Body gives to an Esper is enough to give that Esper abilities to fight against other Sixth Stage Being.


    In Alex''s case, his Virtual Body acted like both a soul and material body at the same time, giving Alex new capabilities as an Esper which he is unable to do before.


    One of these new capabilities was of course enhanced fighting abilities, as Alex has now more options on how to use his power. Aside from that, the amount of Mind Power existing inside his Virtual Body was ginormous, allowing his powers to strike at a much more ferocious rate.


    Aside from that, the connection that his Virtual Body had on his soul has also allowed Alex to create more esoteric applications for his ability.


    Whether Alex uses these applications will depend on his situation, although right now, he certainly was itching to put his Virtual Body into use.


    But ''itching'' was not the right word, as Alex was fully serious on using his Virtual Body right now. After all, he had been brewing over his plans over the last month already¡­


    "Hmm¡­ now that the spaceship is within my currently acceptable range, I can already start my plan!" Alex thought to himself as his Virtual Body appeared behind him. "Now let''s see if this plan of mine will really work¡­"


    His Virtual Body''s radiant blue skin and smooth appearance seemed to be invisible to others, which made Alex nod his head in relief. Nobody seemed to be able to notice his virtual body right now, even though his Virtual Body was already making noises unbefitting of its appearance.


    "Good. So it''s just like what I expected. As long as I willed my Virtual Body to be invisible, nobody can just casually notice it." Alex thought as he narrowed his eyes. "Now that I have established that fact, it is now time for me to make an action!"


    Alex''s Virtual Body then looked up to the spaceship as it pointed its index finger at the ship''s main body.


    The Virtual Body stayed still like this for a second, before it suddenly let out a low groan.


    "PIsk!"


    The nail on the Virtual Body''s pointed finger suddenly shot up straight into the sky, entering the spaceship''s main body directly.


    This happened in an instant, and before Alex could even take a breath, the nail that his Virtual Body had shot out had already entered the computer system of the spaceship.


    "Hong~" Nobody from the passengers of the ship noticed what happened, and right under their unsuspecting eyes, numerous blue tendrils materialized from the nail, which then proceeded to occupy every wire and machinery that existed inside the ship.


    This made Alex smile wider in delight, especially when the ship''s tendrils had reached the engine room.


    "Good! Good! Now that''s my nail!"


    One second later, and the nail had already taken over the whole ship itself, with its crew still not knowing everything. Once this point has been reached, Alex stifled his laughter as he activated his nail.


    "Now then, let''s stop the ship from moving, shall we? After all, leaving it on the air will be better than letting it land¡­"

 Chapter 418 - PRIMORDIAL SERPENT REALM’S TOP 5 MOST DANGEROUS FIGURES

    [[[PRIMORDIAL SERPENT REALM''S TOP 5 MOST DANGEROUS FIGURES]]]


    [WARNING]: THE FOLLOWING LIST HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL. ANY ATTEMPTS TO PREVENT ITS SPREAD SHALL BE MET WITH PUNISHMENT, RANGING FROM MUTILATION UNTIL SOUL DESTRUCTION.


    [WRITER''S NOTE]: THIS LIST HAS BEEN MADE WITH SUPPORT OF NUMEROUS EVIDENCES, SO EVERYONE WHO SEES THIS LIST SHOULD TAKE IT AND BELIEVE IT. DON''T SAY THAT WE DIDN''T WARN YOU ABOUT THESE FIGURES ALREADY¡­.


    [[5]]: Emperor Litch.


    Info: The Man. The Myth. The Legend. The Great Conqueror who had taken a whole Sector for himself, Emperor Litch is a charismatic and influential leader with control over thousands of planets.


    His exploits since his childhood until his maturity had been a well-doc.u.mented story in the Primordial Serpent Realm, with many aspiring leaders using him as an inspiration on their lives.


    With a military force that is enough to occupy a Sector, Emprier Litch is someone that is bound to bring awe from many. Not everyone can replicate all of his deeds, and it is hard to believe that someone can surpass what the Emperor did on his already long life.


    His charisma makes him extremely dangerous, and his extremely loyal subjects makes interactions with his Undying Empire difficult and strained.


    It is recommended to avoid interaction with him and his Empire at all costs. Only when it is needed that contact with him will be feasible.


    Special Abilities: The Power of the Conqueror.


    Current Location: Axiom Point, Undying Empire, Sector 93.


    Current Status: Unknown, although numerous spies suggested that the Emperor has suffered a soul-related injury from his vacation. Even though this rumor is yet to be verified, the council had already taken note of this.


    [[4]]: The Great Thief Jellarmo


    Info: Jellarmo is a resident of the planet Kayak, which had been destroyed in one of the skirmishes by the Cult of the Monarch. Every native species in the Planet Kayak had died from the skirmish, excluding Jellarmo who had managed to survive from this apocalyptic event.


    Jellarmo used his new life to enter and enjoy the life of space piracy and crime. With his fearsome hacking abilities and the power to shape-shift, Jellarmo was able to perform nearly impossible feats, which had turned him into a legend among the crime circle.


    There was no one who did not know of Jellarmo''s name, and many treat him with warm respect. His life of crime led to numerous beings becoming criminals too, ushering a new faction within the Primordial Serpent Realm.


    This man must be avoided at all costs, and you can only try and capture him if you are confident on yourself.


    Special Abilities: High-level Shapeshifting and Class Z Hacking Specialty.


    Current location: Unknown


    Current Status: Presumably injured


    [3] Space Beast Mandragora


    Info: The Space Beast Mandragora is plant-type space beast. Its origins are still unknown, although many suspect that it could be an outsider.


    This plant is around a few astronomical units tall, with its roots firmly inside a rotating black hole. All the nutrients that the Mandragora needed were provided by the rotating black hole itself.


    The Mandragora had been observed to stay stationary at all times, and it will only attack once its body or its home was provoked.


    Its methods of attacking creatures are still unknown, as almost all of its victims have never lived to tell the tale.


    Only the Giant King himself had survived an attack from this Space Beast, although the Giant King had to take a full year to recuperate from his injuries.


    This and other more horrifying events had forced the Executive Council to quarantine Mandragora for good.


    No one is now allowed to be within 5 Astronomical Units around the space beast. Permission is needed to approach Mandragora, and it will only be given on special situations.


    Should a mystical or a technological object that can kill the Mandragora suddenly appears, it is recommended to use this object to quickly kill the beast.


    Current Ability: Unknown


    Current Location: Sector 49


    Current Status: Healthy without any signs of injuries.


    [[2]] The Giant King


    Info: A being of immense proportions, the Giant King can be said to be the largest creature alive in the Primordial Serpent Realm.


    Nobody can dwarf him in size except for the Realm itself, which the Giant King treats as his own home.


    Due to his massive size, the Giant King treats any creature that was smaller than him with disdain. He always opted to destroy planets that he did not like, especially those with creatures that made him pissed off.


    There is no known way to kill the Giant King, although numerous Transcendent Beings have tried their best to kill this being, which of course led to unsatisifying results.


    To anyone who sees this beast, just pray for your safety and luck, as this is needed by any unlucky creature who faces the Giant King himself.


    Special Abilities: Unknown. Insufficient Data.


    Current Location: World of Trees, Sector 9.


    Current Status: Bleeding heavily. Presumably injured from a recent battle.


    [Honorable Mentions]:


    The Eternal Chicken: A chicken that has come from the Godly Divine Beast Realm. Has a close relationship with Emperor Litch.


    The Cult of the Monarch: A cult that had been worshipping evil beings.


    The Blood Soul River. Although it is considered to be a location, the amount of deaths that had happened here gave the Blood Soul River enough awareness to be treated as alive.


    The Planet-Eater Kalan: A World Soul who suffered intense soul damage. Has to consume planets in order to survive.


    The 999 Group: A mysterious group that are said to be wielding the power of ''999''. All their acts are still unknown, although the threat that they present is treated seriously by the council.


    [1]: The Primordial Serpent


    Said to be the origin of the Primordial Serpent Realm, the Primordial Serpent is a creature eons of years old.


    Its body was large enough to support several massive chunks of the multiverse itself, with one portion of its tail solely occupied on supporting the Primordial Serpent Realm.


    Not much was known about the Primordial Serpent, although everyone can agree that they all depend on the serpent itself for survival.


    The Primordial Serpent is currently asleep, with is body driting across the vast expanse of space. Nobody knows when this creature would wake up, but nobody can deny that the day that the Primordial Serpent wakes up shall mark a new age for the realm.


    [[[END OF LIST]]]

 Chapter 419 - Cosmic Guard

    "Shunnng¡­"


    With just a flicker of thought from Alex, the whole spaceship, which was already set to reach the ground, suddenly stopped in the air.


    The nail that Alex shot out to the ship had effectively taken over the spaceship itself, allowing him to do everything that he wanted to do with it.


    And right now, Alex just used this power to stop the ship from moving.


    "Hur hur hur. Now that you are stuck there, let''s see what you guys will do¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he observed the residents of the spaceship. "Will you fold, or will you allow my plan to work?"


    With his Esper Sense, Alex can perfectly see that there was only one type of race that was inside the spaceship itself.


    This race was the Purple Skinned Humans,,a subset of the Human Race that had evolved purple skin. Every part of their body except for their hair was purple, with their limbs slightly longer compared to the normal humans.


    Most of their noses were at a high arch too, which coupled with their frazzled hair and angular face, makes them look somewhat imposing and sinister.


    To say that these Purple Skin Humans looked suspicious is not a far-fetched thing to say, as their appearance just makes someone want to treat them with wariness.


    Alex appeared to be the same case too, as he was now observing these people with slight confusion on his face.


    Alex then let out a frown after observing these people for a few more seconds, as he suddenly realized something wrong about them.


    "From what I know, these people should be living near a black hole. That''s where they get their sustenance and everything that they use to survive. One can even say that Purple Skin Humans are always closely tied to black holes, and that every black hole in this Realm has a colony of Purple Skin Humans living near it. Since that was the case, then why the hell are these people here then?" Alex thought to himself as he kept his control on the ship.


    No matter which way one looked at it, for these Purple Skin Humans to be here just seems to be improbable. What could they even be doing here, when this place is nothing like their natural habitat?


    "Ah, no matter what thinking I will do now, it will still not give me the answer that I want." Alex mused as he resisted the urge to shake his head. "Hmph, instead of focusing on why they are here, I think I just have to focus on what I will do with these people next. Hehehe¡­ now that I have stopped this ship, it''s time for me to do the next step of my plan!"


    After Alex made this declaration, he slightly squinted his eyes as he accessed the weaponry inside the spaceship.


    He only felt a slight resistance from the spaceship''s network, which he quickly brushed off as he mentally grabbed the weapons.


    "Schwing!"


    With an effort comparable to that of a man picking up a paper, Alex easily manipulated all the weapons inside the ship, pointing it all on the Purple Skins inside it.


    His eyes twitched as he saw the Purple Skins turn pale from the weapons, with some of them actually fainting at what just had happened. All of them appeared to be distressed with the weapons around them, rendering them helpless.


    Even the crew of the ship, which had been doing their best to take back the control of the ship since earlier, had been subdued by the weapons too.


    This led to a period of unrest inside the spaceship, and if it were not for the weapons pointed at them, these Purple Skins could have been having a riot right now.


    At the sight of these people staying obedient, Alex only let out a nod as he kept on pointing his weapon at them.


    Now that he had made this move, all that he had to do is wait.


    "Have mercy on us, we plead of you! Please¡­ please spare us! We will do anything that you want!" After a few more tension-filled seconds, one of the Purple Skins started to make noise as he broke the silence.


    "Please¡­ we are just here to do a job. We are not here to do anything bad¡­" As the Purple Skin said these worrds, his body began to tremble as sobs began to leak out of his throat. Yellow liquid poured out of his eyes as he began crying, something that Alex did not expect to see here.


    This Purple Skin appeared to be close to his breaking point right now, which was showcased by his tear-stricken face and his already frail-looking body.


    A twig could have been enough to blow this person away already, and it was a miracle that he was standing right now.


    "Sigh¡­ so this is how it feels to hold a whole ship hostage¡­ No wonder many people turn to piracy. Just the feeling of taking control of a spaceship and the lives inside it is enough to make some people addicted to it¡­" Alex thought to himself listlessly as he kept his composure. "Hmm, I wonder what would Alina do if she became pirate? Will she wear an eyepatch too, even if she''s not blind? Yar, I think I should ask her to cosplay that later¡­"


    "Please don''t kill us!" Alex''s wandering imagination was brought back to reality once he heard the pleas of his ''hostages'' again. They only continued to plead in front of the weapons, with some of them even kowtowing on the floor.


    Sounds of crying and sobs filled the inside of the ship, which made Alex feel distressed.


    Even though Alex was someone who rigorously follows his own plans, he''s not the type of person that is happy on seeing others get hurt.


    As long as the situation does not call for it, Alex would not voluntarily hurt or distress an innocent group of people. That''s just not how he operates.


    But right now, his plans leave him no choice but to scare the Purple Skins, and it made him feel slightly infuriated at himself.


    "Fine, I won''t make this last any longer for you." Alex thought to himself as he let out a sigh. "Now that I have made you this scared, I''ts time for me to proceed to the next step of my plan."


    After he had this thought, Alex slowed his breathing down as he began to access the Speaker System of the spaceship.


    He then activated the voice-components of these speakers, which allowed him to ''talk'' through the speakers itself.


    Of course the voice that came out of the speakers was not Alex''s voice, as Alex made the speakers talk with the power of his Virtual Body.


    The voice that came out of the speakers was a deep tone that was rich in timbre. It sounded both reassuring and provoking at the same time, which drew mixed reactions form the Purple Skins who heard it.


    [[[HOHO, YOU SEEM TO BE THINKING WRONGLY. DO YOU THINK THAT I, THE GREAT THIEF JELLARMO, IS SOMEONE THAT WILL WILLINGLY KILL PEOPLE FOR FUN? YOU JUST HURT MY PRIDE, YOU KNOW!]]]


    At the moment that Alex ''said'' these words, everyone inside the ship stiffened as looks of greater fear appeared on their faces.


    But aside from fear, some of the Purple Skins began to have looks of awe on their faces, as if what they just heard made them lose their fear for some reason.


    "You¡­ are you Jellarmo? The greatest criminal who had ever lived?" The Purple Skin who spoke earlier began speaking again, although this time around, the fear that he exuded had reduced. He already stopped crying at this point, as his eyes, which appeared to be shining, began to look at the weapons around him with awe.


    [[[YES, I AM JELLARMO, THE ONE AND ONLY.]]] The speakers blared as Alex kept a straight face. [[NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHO I AM, YOU KNOW THE ROUTINE ALREADY, RIGHT?]]]


    "Yes Jellarmo. We should¡­ give up all our stuff to you. That way, no one will get hurt¡­"


    [[[GOOD! NOW THAT''S WHAT I LIKE TO HEAR! SO WHAT ARE YOU STILL WAITING FOR? GO AND GIVE UP YOUR ITEMS ALREADY!]]


    "A-at once Jellarmo!" A flurry of sounds was then heard as everyone inside the ship began to scour all their items.


    They appeared to be quite willing to follow ''Jellarmo''s'' command, with none of them doing anything to reject him.


    Even those who still looked full with fear were also complying at this point.


    In no time at all, a large pile of items had been created at the middle of the spaceship. Every valuable object that the Purple Skins had with them were now inside this pile, creating a sight that might make a kleptomaniac drool in happiness.


    [[[HOHOHO, NOW THIS IS WHAT I CALL A GOOD PILE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR GENEROSITY. I AM SURE THESE OBJECTS WILL HELP SOME POOR PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE.]]] Alex said through the speakers as he felt inwardly pleased with what he just saw.


    "Hehehe, so this people did not suspect anything at all. They really believed that Jellarmo himself is here." Alex thought to himself as he slightly shook his head. "Well, Jellarmo is a powerful hacker, so the Purple Skins must have thought that it was him who hacked the ship. But too bad for them, it was me, a nobody, who hacked the ship¡­"


    Alex then did his best to keep his body composed as he forced himself to concentrate again.


    "Now that I made these Purple Skins think that Jellarmo is in this planet, the next thing that I can only do is wait." Alex thought as he looked at the sky itself. "I can only wait for those Officers to come here. Hmm¡­ I wonder how long will it take for those guys arrive in their shiny Destroyers¡­ One day maybe? Nah, I think 12 hours is a more accurate time¡­"


    ******************


    AT A SECLUDED PART OF THE UNIVERSE


    "Sir! We have received an urgent news I need you to hear it!" A mousy woman, who was wearing a tight, form-fitting black armor, shouted these words with urgency as she began knocking on a metal door.


    This woman appeared to have no manners as she continued on knocking the door, ignoring the exasperated groans that he could hear on the other side of the door.


    "Sir! We have received an urgent news! I need to you to hear it!"


    "Whish!" The metallic door suddenly opened, allowing the armored woman to rush in.


    She then quickly headed to the table situated at the middle of the office, without her slowing down at all.


    "Sir! We have received an urgent news! I need you to hear it!"


    > The one who gave this reply was a rock-like being, whose whole appearance was comparable to that of a rock. There was nothing that remotely looked ''life-like'' out of this rock at all, although the armored woman seemed to be treating it like its alive.


    This creature was placed right above the table, with its flared base supporting its 2-feet tall body.


    "Sir, you may not believe it, but¡­"


    > The rock replied, which sounded irritated with the woman''s long-winded manner. >


    "Um sir! We¡­ we have received a tip about Jellarmo himself!" The armored woman replied with agitation present on her face. "One of our spies, who had infiltrated the Undying Empire, said that he saw Jellarmo himself performing a robbery right now!"


    > The rock replied with uncertainty present on its voice. But although it appeared to be skeptical, the whole body of the rock seemed to be shivering right now, which is a clear sign of its excitement.


    "Yes sir, we are 100% sure!" The armored woman said as she started to tremble with excitment too. "The spy that sent us the info is a Titan, so he cannot just lie! He even sent us some transcripts of what had transpired in the robbery, which we had already confirmed as evidences of Jellarmo''s actions!"


    > The rock said as it began to laugh. Fine pieces of dust began to fall out of its body, showing the great changes that is happening on it right now.


    > The rock continued to say as the layer of dust below its body has began to pile up. >


    "This is nothing sir. But this can only be a good job if we successfully capture Jellarmo!" The armored woman replied in a subdued tone. "That is why I ask you, Director Obsidian, to give me permission to control the Alpah Squadron!"


    >


    "Yes Sir! I know that this might be impossible, but I think-"


    >


    "Oh Sir! Thank you very much!"


    >


    "Roger sir!"


    >


    "Noted Sir."


    >


    "I¡­ will try to minimize the damage sir. But it is Jellarmo that we are talking about, so¡­"


    >


    "¡­Noted, sir."

 Chapter 420 - I hope that will really happen

    "I am sure that Jellarmo will not be angry with what I did here. After all, I just used his name to spread more chaos. I think he will be happier once he knows that." Alex thought to himself as he kept pointing the weapons on the Purple Skins. "Besides, that old geezer owes me a favor. This can be part of that favor already¡­"


    As this thought crossed his mind, Alex resisted the urge to giggle as he imagined Jellarmo''s reaction once he hears everything that had happened here.


    "Oh, I think I should scrap this positive thinking¡­ That man will surely be pissed at me. It''s a good thing that he''s still hiding now. If he can see what I am doing here, he might do something to derail my plans." Alex mused as he observed the reactions of the people on the ground.


    Because of what Alex did to the spaceship itself, the whole vehicle was still suspended in the air, without it showing any indication to move at all.


    With this sudden stop of the spaceship, the teachers and the students of the Institue were left at a state of confusion, as they could not understand why the ship had suddenly stopped.


    The only thing that they could do was to stare at the spaceship itself, waiting for it to do something already.


    "No matter how much staring you do, you will get nothing from it." Alex thought to himself as he looked at the irritated and impatient expression on Wisteria''s face. "The ship is already under my control¡­ and everything it does now will be under my will, so you should ju- Hm?"


    Alex suddenly raised his eyebrows as he realized that someone inside the spaceship was doing something extremely interesting right now.


    His attention, which was split on observing everything around him, went back to the ship itself as Alex decided to give more focus on what he had just detected.


    "¡­"


    With his scanning power, Alex ''saw'' that one of the Purple Skins had discreetly activated a device on his back.


    This device was something that Alex had seen before, and it made him smile inwardly, especially when the device began to work.


    "That''s the Discreet Communication Device that I had detected earlier. So it''s user has now grown impatient and has decided to use it to send a discreet message. Hmm¡­ interesting." Alex thought to himself as he saw the deft skill of the one holding the device. "Damn, from the way this person used the device, you can see that he is an expert on using it. Since that''s the case, then this person must be a spy for a certain group¡­"


    "Hm, to which group will this user send his message? Will it to be to that council? Or will it be to that group?" Alex then licked his lips as he read the message being written quickly inside the device.


    JELLARMO FOUND. CURRENTLY PERFORMING A ROBBERY. S-9, FOUR M00NS WORLD. ATTACHED HERE ARE THE AUDIO AND VIDEO DOC.U.MENTATION OF HIS ACTIONS.


    "Hoho¡­ this message is constructed in an efficient way. Less words but more facts. Hmm, this message structure reduces the possible message receivers into just two groups." As Alex thought of these, he slowly narrowed his eyes as he saw the Purple Skin sending the message.


    "Ping!"


    This extremely faint sound echoed out of the device as it sent the message, which went unheard against the whirr of the spaceship''s machinery. Alex was only able to hear this sound because of his scanning power, although he reckoned that he can also hear it with his ears.


    "The message has been already sent. With that, some powerful group is now bound to know that ''Jellarmo'' is here. Once they knew that, the next thing that they will do is to try and arrest him here. Hehehe¡­ now that''s what I want to happen." Alex thought with relish as he let the message leave the ship.


    Seeing this communication device was a small detour on Alex''s plan, but he had let it do its work as he now realized that this will just make the effect of his disguise as Jellarmo to be more effective.


    "This spy either came from the Cosmic Guard or from the Hermits. These two groups hate Jellarmo to their core, so I am sure that they will do everything to capture him." At this point, Alex had to stop himself from appearing happy, as this will just make him look like an outlier within the current nervous atmosphere in the Institute.


    "Yes, there will be chaos later. I am sure of it." Alex thought as he imagined the fights that will happen because of the arrival of either the Cosmic Guard or the Hermits. "Even if these two groups try to be secretive on coming here, I am sure that Emperor Litch or his Generals will detect them coming here. Once that happens, a big cl.u.s.terf**k will surely ensue¡­"


    Alex then forcefully suppressed the excitement inside him as he imagined the chaotic scene that will happen later.


    "Once that cl.u.s.terf**k occurs, it will be my time to make a move! Hehehe, let''s see how these people will react to me at that time!" Alex thought as he went back on manipulating the spaceship.


    "Skree¡­."


    Alex forced his control on the outside weapons of the ship, making them shudder as he pointed them towards the ground.


    More specifically, Alex pointed these outside weapons to the teachers and students of the Institute, which made these people shout in surprise and fear.


    [[[HELLO THERE, MY FRIENDS. YOU MAY NOT KNOW ME, SO I THINK I SHOULD INTRODUCE MYSELF TO YOU FIRST. MY NAME IS JELLARMO, AND I AM HERE TO ROB YOU ALL.]]] Alex said through the speakers of the ship. Now that he had used the ''Jellarmo'' persona to rob the people inside the ship, he realized that maybe he can also use it to rob the people here in the Institute.


    After all, doing this will surely bring more attention from Jellarmo''s enemies, which will just make it better for Alex later.


    [[[NOW, NOW, NOW. I KNOW THAT YOU MIGHT BE LAUGHING AT ME. AFTER ALL, WHY THE HELL WOULD I ROB A HEAVILY FORTIFIED PLACE? BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT I AM JELLARMO. AND I ALWAYS DO THE IMPOSSIBLE]]]


    At this point Alex lit the switch of the two antimatter cannons above the ship''s helm.


    "Hong!"


    The elongated bodies of these antimatter cannons glowed blue as power began to gather inside their body. This power remained concentrated inside the cannons, seemingly suppressed by something.


    This made the two cannons look like they were about to burst, although their sturdy bodies seemed to have kept them intact until now.


    Alex then pointed these cannons at the Institute Building itself, which made everyone below tense.


    [[[I KNOW THAT THE POWERS PREVALENT IN THIS WORLD ARE BOTH ESOTERIC AND MYSTICAL. BUT I WONDER IF THESE POWERS ARE ENOUGH TO RESIST AN ANTIMATTER CANNON FROM THIS SHIP. WHAT DO YOU THINK? WILL THIS BUILDING HOLD OR NOT?]]] ''Jellarmo'' playfully said as he kept on building up more power to the cannons.


    This statement of his made the teachers look at the cannons with uncertainty, as they seemed to have no idea on what to think.


    "F**k, I know that the annihilation power within the antimatter cannons vary depending on the amount of the antimatter used as ammunition. That means that the more antimatter there is inside the cannons, the more powerful it would be." The one who muttered these words were Wisteria, who was now looking at the ship with both anger and helplessness on her face.


    "F**k! The Institute might be protected with extremely powerful Symbols, Constellations, and Bodies, but it will still be destroyed as long as the right amount of power was used on it. This antimatter cannon might have the enough firepower to do it, and if that was true, then it will be bad news for us." Wisteria continued to say as her face clouded.


    Alex did not dare to say anything as he watched this woman talk, as he was interested on what he will still hear from her.


    "Since the situation is now like this, the only thing that we can do is to prevent that cannon from being fired. That means¡­ that we should attack the ship right now!" Wisteria hissed as she gave Alex a hopeful look. "Oi Alexander, you have powerful abilities too, right? Why don''t you help me out here? Surely you can do something against that shi-"


    [[[OH, AND BEFORE I FORGOT, I SHOULD REMIND YOU ALL THAT I AM HOLDING HOSTAGE ALL THE RESIDENTS OF THIS SPACESHIP. SO DON''T TRY TO ATTACK THIS SHIP, BECAUSE IF YOU DO, THEN INNOCENT PEOPLE MIGHT DIE HERE....]]]


    "!!!" This statement by ''Jellarmo'', which Alex made as a response to the plan that Wisteria just made, forced the woman to stop thinking about attacking the ship.


    The only thing that she can do now was to glower at the ship and its glowing weapons, clenching her fists as she did so.


    This sight made Alex sigh inwardly, as he was perfectly aware about the capabilities of the ship that he was controlling now.


    "This ship might have antimatter cannons, but these cannons are the weakest and oldest version that there is. Its power is only enough to make a dent on a planet''s surface. If I use these cannons here, it might not even make a scratch in this place." Alex thought to himself as he continued to make the ship appear more intimidating. "Sigh¡­ if you just knew that these cannons are this weak, then I am sure that all of you won''t be as tense as this."


    After thinking of these words, Alex suddenly perked up as he felt someone ''observing'' him.


    He looked to his right side, and there he saw Wisteria, who was now looking at Alex with scrutiny on her face.


    "You, are you perhaps related to this?" Wisteria said in a low tone as she gave Alex a chilling glare. "Tell me Alexander, are you the one controlling the ship?"


    "Hah? Do you even understand what you are saying?" Alex hissed as he tried to make himself look aggrieved. "How the hell can I even hack a ship while I am here? Shouldn''t I be using some kind of device in order for me to hack the ship? And look! The ship''s hacker is actively moving the weapons right now! Do you think I can do that while I am here?"


    "But¡­." Wisteria appeared like she wanted to defend her point, but her words immediately trailed into nothingness as she was forced to accept Alex''s logic.


    "Miss Wisteria, I know that it hurts, but I think we should just give up our things." Alex said in a reassuring tone as he tried to pat Wisteria''s shoulders. "Our lives are more important than our properties, right?"


    "But-"


    "Don''t worry about us, Wisteria. Even if we give up our items here, I think we can still take it back later."


    "Really?"


    "Yes. Do you think that someone like Jellarmo can just go here and steal with ease? Hehehe, if my thinking is right, then someone might come here later to arrest Jellarmo!" Alex said as he gave Wisteria a firm gaze. "Once that happens, we will be back to our normal routine."


    "¡­I hope that that will really happen."

 Chapter 421 - The Tree and the Baby

    BACK AT ALEX''S APARTMENT.


    As of this moment, there were 2 figures that could be seen lounging inside Alex''s apartment. These two figures were the only ones inside the apartment, and there was no one else that can be seen besides them.


    These 2 appeared to be at ease inside this extremely cozy place, and the way that they moved made it seem like they were residents of this apartment.


    They were even doing some kind of activity right now, which fortunately for the Alex, was something that did not damage any of his items.


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    The entirety of Alex''s apartment was filled with noise due to this activity that these two figures were doing.


    The first figure, which was a human-sized voluptuous female, was currently sitting cross-legged on the floor with an expression of intense concentration. She was continuously mumbling gibberish words to herself as she maintained her position, as if these words were something important that she must say.


    The second figure, which appeared to be a toddler, was expertly hovering around the first figure which seemed to have annoyed the latter.


    And this annoyance continued to increase when the second figure began talking.


    "Tree Aunty, Tree aunty, what are you doing? Why are you not telling anything to me?" The second figure asked as it continued on hovering around the first figure. "Tree Aunty, Tree Aunty. Don''t just stay silent like that. Please answer my f**king question."


    "¡­."


    "Oi Tree Aunty. If you don''t answer my question, I will complain about you to Papa."


    "¡­"


    "Tree Aunty, Tree Aunty. If you don''t talk to me now, I will continue to make noise."


    "¡­"


    "Tree Aunty, Tree Aunty-"


    "Fine, I got it. I shall answer your question already." In the end, the first figure was forced to break out of its concentration state as it looked at the second figure.


    A helpless expression could be seen on the face of the first figure, which had been magnified this figure''s bright green skin color.


    "Hey Tree Aunty, don''t look at me like that anymore. Just tell the answer to me already!" The second figure demanded as it began to wave its tiny arms around. "I am dying of impatience here, so just hurry up and talk god**mit. It''s time for me to hear some entertaining things from you already."


    "Oi Sierra, is that how you should speak to me, really?" The first figure said in an aggrieved tone as she continued to look at the second figure with a helpless face. "Didn''t Alex teach you about manners? How come you have forgotten about it already?''


    "Tree Aunty, I never forgot everything Papa taught to me! It''s just that¡­. I f**king like cursing more!" The second figure, who was revealed to be Sierra, admitted in an innocent tone as she tilted her head. "Teehee, I''m sorry if I like speaking like this. That''s just how I f**king live¡­"


    "Sierra, you-"


    "Tree Aunty, you call yourself Queen Mother, and you had a lot of monster subordinates. Isn''t that just the way that you lived your life? If you can do that, then why can''t I?" Sierra continued to say as she cut-off the first figure''s attempt to explain. "I can still think like an a.d.u.l.t, so you should never think of me like I am just a f**king baby! I can already make decisions of my own!"


    "Sigh¡­and this happens again. You curse, complain, and always ask me questions, and then you just force me to answer your queries. Ugh¡­ do you know how tiring is that?"


    "Oi Tree Aunty, you are a tree, so-"


    "Tsk, even if I am a tree, I can still feel irritation, and a lot of those irritation is meant for you! Hmph, do you want to know how much irritated I am at you right now? Don''t try to know about it. Just know that I am regretting letting you stay here! Sigh, why did I even allow you to be near me?" The first figure, who turned out to be Queen Mother herself, could only shake her head as she said these words.


    Her green skin slightly moved around her as she talked, making her appear somewhat more wrinkly compared to before. This look only lasted for a second however, as she forced her skin to smoothen back.


    "¡­."


    "Now, where were we again? Oh right, we''re talking about what I am doing here." Upon seeing that the rowdy Sierra had been silenced by her words, Queen Mother gave the little girl a smug smile as she continued on talking.


    "Actually, I was just trying to sense the location of the World Soul of this world." Queen Mother muttered as she gave Sierra a meaningful look. "I thought that by finding the World Soul of this world, we will be able to find a way to make the Main Mission easier¡­ After all, once we make contact with the World Soul of this world, we can do things that will be of great help on our cause¡­"


    "Oh, so that''s the reason why you are mumbling like crazy earlier. I though you''re just going bats**t earlier." Sierra commented as she let out a fake sigh of relief. "So, that''s the only thing that you did?''


    "Yes, Sierra, that''s the only thing that I did." Queen Mother replied as began clenching her teeth. "Why, do you have any problem with that, Sierra?"


    "Well, you have been ''looking'' for this World Soul since this morning." Sierra shot back as she gave Queen Mother a confused look. "From morning until afternoon is around 8 hours of time, which means that you have used 8 hours to look for this World Soul. But even with that time, you did not show any indication that you have seen it. Isn''t that just f**king fishy, Tree Aunty?"


    "¡­"


    "I mean, with your powers right now, you can f**king find the World Soul with ease. And yet, you came up with nothing at all. It was as if¡­ you did not even see the World Soul." At this point, it was Sierra who was now giving out a smug smile. "Tree Aunty, did you even manage to see this World Soul? Because it looks like you hadn''t seen it at all."


    "¡­"


    "What Tree Aunty? Is there something wrong with what I said?"


    "Ugh, Sierra''s way of talking is really irritating. I feel like I am talking to both Alex and Asteira right now." Queen Mother thought to herself as she rubbed her temples. "F**k, do I really have to stay here and talk with this devilish baby? Oh Alex, why did you do this to me? I don''t want to be bothered by this baby anymore!"


    After thinking of these words, Queen Mother let out a another sigh as she continued on rubbing her temples. "Ugh, if this goes on, I will really suffer through some mental-related diseases¡­"


    Even if she looked glamourous and perfect right now, Queen Mother was anything but glamorous, as she was exhausted both physically and mentally.


    Her body, which was still recovering from what the Great TimeMaster did to her, occasionally brought back spasms of pain to her, which she was only able to resist with her sheer will.


    As for her mind, Queen Mother''s repeated attempts to look for the World Soul had left it close to the point of crashing. It was only her resolve to find the World Soul that made her stay awake until now, although even that resolve was already waning after she heard the words that Sierra just said.


    "¡­You are right, Sierra. That is indeed my problem. No matter what I did, I cannot sense the presence of the World Soul in this world." Queen Mother replied as a frown appeared on her face. The smug aura that she was exuding earlier was now replaced by uncertainty, as she appeared confused with what she had just witnessed earlier.


    "That''s just something wrong, as a World like this must have its own World Soul." Queen Mother continued saying as she gave Sierra a sideways glance. "This world has a lot of lives inside it, which means that this World should have its World Soul¡­."


    "¡­"


    "But I have seen no evidence of a World Soul existing in this place at all. It was as if¡­ the World Soul has never been here at all." Queen Mother muttered as she looked at the floor with a complicated look. "That fact is¡­ something that I find hard to believe, although the evidences here are telling the truth already.


    "But Tree Aunty, maybe the World Soul is just like me! Maybe it has been reborn as a s**ty living being too!" Sierra said as she gave a half-hearted attempt to pat Queen Mother''s back. "If that''s what had happened, then you will really be unable to sense the World Soul, as it has been f**king transferred into a living body!"


    "Sierra, if that''s indeed the case, then you should have been able to sense the Reincarnated World Soul. But were you able to sense it?" Queen Mother shot back as she tapped Sierra''s head. "Since you are a Reincarnated World Soul, then you should have been able to feel the presence of another Reincarnated World Soul here. But you did not sense anything, right?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Yah, I did not sense any other Reincarnated World Soul here. There, are you f**king happy now, Tree Aunty?" Sierra started to say as she gave Queen Mother an aggrieved look. "Ugh, I liked it better when you just stood up like a tree earlier. Its much more peaceful around you when you''re like that¡­"


    Queen Mother ignored this low-quality insult from Sierra as she went back on stating her point.


    "Insults aside, I think that you, Sierra, should be worried about the matter of this World Soul." Queen Mother said as she pointed to the ground with a stern gaze. "Even when we used our senses to look for the World Soul of this World, we did not find any trace of it, as if it did not exist at all. It was just¡­ not in this world. Doesn''t that sound extremely worrying and suspicious for you?"


    "Huh. A missing World Soul. That''s f**king worrying, but I will not piss myself just because of that." Sierra replied as she appeared to be nonchalant right now. "So what if the World Soul here is missing? What can we do about it? Are we obliged to even look for it? Since its not here, then you should just ignore that thing, Tree Aunty. Let''s just focus more on beating up the bad guys!"


    "You don''t understand it, Sierra. This missing World Soul is not just a minor problem." Queen Mother hurriedly said as she shook her head. She then gave Sierra a sharp glare, which had managed to make the flying baby stop on her tracks. "You are a World Soul, so you should know how t a World Soul is in relation to the condition of a World. Do something to the World Soul, and the whole world will be affected by it. You understand what I am saying, right?"


    "Of course I do. You''re just saying that the well-being of a World will depend on the well-being of its World Soul." Sierra said in a low tone as she crossed her arms. "That means that if someone wants to maintain good care of a planet, then that planet''s World Soul must be taken care properly¡­"


    "Exactly, and that''s the problem that I am pertaining here." Queen Mother said hurriedly as she clenched her fists. "From what Alex had told me, Emperor Litch usually does nothing against the World Souls of his conquered planets. That Emperor knows that letting those World Souls go on with their life will be better for the planets themselves."


    Before Sierra could start giving another one of her sassy quips at this point, Queen Mother shot her a warning look as she continued talking.


    "Sierra, since the Emperor is doing things this way, then the World Soul of the Four Moons World, which is now under his Empire, should have been safe too." Queen Mother mumbled as she narrowed her eyes. "But instead of seeing a safe World Soul, what we had only seen was a missing World Soul. Now, doesn''t that just look extremely fishy to you?"


    "Oh s**t. Now that you said it that way, it is indeed fishy." This was all that Sierra could say as the baby had now realized the implications of what they had just discovered. "Oh great, now Papa''s going to be worried about something again¡­"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 422 - How the mighty have fallen

    "Hmmm, should I keep up on doing this until later?" Alex thought to himself as he watched the struggle made by the people around him. He could barely suppress the glint on his eyes as he saw what his ''acquaintances'' are doing right now. "I know that I only have to do this for distraction, but it actually feels great making people give their stuff to me¡­."


    All of the people around Alex were now coughing up all of their valuables, with none of them showing any resistance against doing this.


    Some even removed their own shoes or accessories, maybe in an effort to make them appear more sincere.


    "¡­"


    Alex honestly had no words to say about what he was seeing, as he can only feel a strange sensation at the sight of numerous people voluntarily giving up their items.


    This strange sensation was something that felt somewhat good to Alex, although it also made him guilty and bemused.


    "Jellarmo¡­ you must have been always feeling like this whenever you stole from people. Heh, no wonder you always want to steal. It just makes you feel good¡­" Alex thought to himself as a wry smile appeared on his face.


    "Thud." At this point, Alex was placing his wallet on the top of the pile, which drew a confused stare from Wisteria.


    "What''s the problem, Miss Wisteria? Did I do something wrong?" Alex asked as he pulled out his coin purse, which he also placed on top of the loot pile. "Hurry up and tell me what''s wrong already. I cannot stay all day here, you know."


    "¡­It''s nothing." Wisteria replied as she shook her head. "I just found it weird that you are giving up your own items too. I mean, I know that you are powerful enough to leave this place. Since you are that powerful, then why did you still stay here? Leaving us here would be a better choice for you¡­"


    "I don''t know what made you think of that Wisteria, but I am disappointed that you thought of me in that way." Alex suddenly said as he gave Wisteria an aggrieved look. He appeared to be hurt by Wisteria''s question, and the words that he said next made it more apparent.


    "Miss Wisteria, I am a teacher in this Institute, which means that if something happens here, I must do my best to help the Institute out. It is just that simple." Alex said as he appeared to be desolate. "Huhuhu¡­. Why are you thinking this lowly of me? Are you still terribly suspicious of me?"


    "¡­I swear that I will find out your motives. You may have kept your secret safe for now, but that won''t be like that in the future." Wisteria mumbled angrily as she backed away from Alex. From the looks of it, Alex''s passionate words had forced this woman to stop interrogating him, although the promise that she said shows that she will still try investigating him in the future.


    "Do what you want to do, Miss Wisteria. You have the freedom to do that, after all." Alex replied as he gave Wisteria a smirk.


    "Hmph, if my freedom means to be held down by debts, that I am not sure if that really is freedom." Wisteria muttered to herself as she let out a sigh.


    By this point, Wisteria had already given all of the valuables that she had with her, which were unsurprisingly only her cheap accessories and wristphone.


    Compared to the things that other people had given up, what Wisteria gave up can be said to have no value at all.


    But even when these items were only cheap, tinges of pain could be seen on Wisteria''s eyes after giving them away.


    Alex tried to pretend that he did not see this as he discreetly activated his ''Jellarmo mode'' again.


    [[[NOW THIS IS WHAT I LIKE WITH MY CUSTOMERS. THEY ALWAYS COMPY WITH THE RULES, AND THEY FOLLOW WHAT I SAID WITH EFFICIENCY. YOU DID ALL OF THAT, SO I THINK I CAN SPARE THE LIFE OF YOUR BUILDING.]]]


    After ''Jellarmo'' said these words, the antimatter cannons began to let out whirring sounds as they deactivated themselves.


    They then swiveled back inside the ship, which made the people below sigh in relief.


    [[[EHEM. THIS PILE LOOKS A LITTLE BIG, SO I WANT SOMEONE TO BRING THIS PILE UP MY SHIP . IS THERE ANYONE SKILLED ENOUGH TO DO IT?]]] ''Jellarmo'' said, which made the people below tense again. [[[OH COME ON, I JUST WANT SOMEONE FROM YOU TO BRING THE ITEMS HERE. IS THAT EVEN HARD?"


    "¡­"


    [[[FINE, YOU WON''T ANSWER ME? WELL THEN, I SHALL JUST CHOOSE SOMEONE FROM YOU BY MYSELF! HMMM, I CHOOSE YOU, BEAUTI-]]]


    "You sc.u.m, you are under the presence of a General, and yet you dare do something blasphemous like this? How deplorable!"


    A booming voice, which appeared to be filled with both magnanimity and pride, echoed out the whole area, which interrupted the speech that ''Jellarmo'' was giving out.


    Even when Alex was already using industrial grade speakers to let out Jellarmo''s voice, the booming voice still had managed to overwhelm it.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    This booming voice seemed to have wiped away the tension brought by ''Jellarmo'', as everyone who heard it had their eyes suddenly light up with hope


    Literally everyone in this place, excluding Alex, felt a warm, fuzzy sensation inside their bodies as the owner of the booming voice continued to state this words.


    "I was only having my pious time, and the next thing I know, a filthy thief like you had appeared here! Hmph, you really are getting more audacious now, Jellarmo!" The owner of the booming voice said as the whole surroundings began to shudder. "Do you think I will just allow you to do more injustice here? No! With my authority as the Emperor''s General, I hereby judge you in this place!"


    "Boom!" The speaker then let out a shout as his muscular body was suddenly covered in golden armor. His face, which can be described as ruggishly handsome, was now covered by a golden helmet that had the symbol of the Undying Empire etched on its side.


    A silver cape then appeared on his back, which was complemented by a pitch-black spear that he held on his right hand.


    "Tring¡­"


    The combination of these objects had successfully made the speaker appear gallant, which was an understatement to his already dashing appearance.


    When this speaker had revealed his Golden Armored form, someone from the crowd pointed her fingers at him as a look of comprehension dawned on that person''s face.


    "Ah, its General Glaivewood! He¡­ he''s actually here! Hahah! Eveyrone, we are saved now!"  The person from the crowd shouted out, which made the other people look at the armored man with fervor in their eyes.


    The words uttered by this person seemed to have lit up more hope on the people''s hearts, which led to more and more people suddenly celebrating on the spot.


    This celebration was accompanied by more exclamations from the crowd, which seemed to be talking about the armored man alone.


    "It''s really General Glaivewood! Hahaha! He''s supposed to be one of Emperor LItch''s new Generals, right? He¡­ he''s actually staying in this place! Oh thank you Emperor! We are now saved!"


    "Hahaha! So what if Jellarmo is a scary thief? General Glaivewood is one of Emperor Litchs''s strongest Generals! There''s no way that Jellarmo can live with General Glaivewood here!"


    "Hmph, what will you do now, Jellarmo? Will you run away from General Glaivewood? Hahaha, you better not try doing that, as you are now dead in his eyes!"


    As time passed by, the clamor created the people''s celebration became louder and louder, until it reached the point that it became irritating.


    But even when the people were already this loud, the armored man did not do anything to silence them.


    Instead he seemed to be even approving of their celebrations as he just continued on talking.


    "Jellarmo¡­ I have only heard of your name when I was still a mere squire under the Undying Empire. At that time, everyone seems to be scared of you and your capabilities. Even I felt scared of you too. But now, I cannot help but feel disappointed upon seeing you." The armored man, who was called as General Glaivewood by everyone, said as he shook his armored head.


    "I thought I will feel fear upon seeing you here. But instead of feeling that, what I can only feel from you is nothing¡­." General Glaivewood muttered as he slowly raised his spear. "Honestly, are you really Jellarmo? How come you are just this weak?"


    "¡­"''Jellarmo'' did not give any reply to the words that the general just uttered, which seemed to have infuriated the general more.


    "Fine, if you don''t want to talk, then I shall eliminate you right now!" General Glaivewood said as he pointed his spear lazily at the floating spaceship.


    This action seemed to be lacking any kind of power, but everyone who saw it could not help but take a step back, as they felt a horrifying power contained in that simple gesture.


    It may just be a lazy poke, but to those who witnessed it, this poke seemed to be just enough to destroy anything on its path!


    "Skrrt!"


    Out of nowhere, a black beam of light suddenly shot out of the general''s spear.


    The whole area began to feel drastically cold, as if the appearance of the black light beam had sucked all the heat in the place. This was not the only anomalous thing that happened, as the colors themselves appeared to have dimmed down, with the areas nearest to the black light beam having the dimmest colors.


    This beam of light, which was only as thick as a human finger, quickly expanded in size until it became as large as the spaceship that ''Jellarmo'' was in.


    Before anyone could know it, the whole spaceship was abruptly engulfed by the black light beam, with no part of the ship unaffected by it.


    At the instant that this happened, hissing sounds began to come out of the ship, with steam and bluish vapor leaking out of the ship''s windows. The appearance of these objects was something that drew curiosity from the people below, although nobody from them dared to ask about it


    These steam and vapor disintegrated at the moment that they made contact with the air, leaving nothing but only small blue specks of dust falling on the ground.


    These specks were quickly destroyed General Glaivewood, who used golden needles to pierce these specks into oblivion.


    "I only suspected it earlier, but now that I attacked you, I can confirm it. You, Jellarmo, is nothing more but a weakling." General Glaivewood uttered out, with disappointment palpable on his voice.


    "I heard stories about you laying waste to some of my fellow Generals, with you even managing to land a hit on Emperor Litch himself. That ''you'' being told in the stories was someone that I had dreaded to face. Even when I heard that you were injured, I still did not think that I will have an easy time fighting you. But now that I am here, I realized that my worries were just unfounded. You have grown terribly weak, Jellarmo, that you can only steal from the weak themselves. Sigh¡­ how the mighty have fallen."


    After saying these words, General Glaivewood flicked his spear, which ended the assault of the black light beam.


    "I don''t know why you are this weak, but seeing you almost die from this simple attack of mine is already enough to satisfy me." General Glaivewood said as he caught one of the blue specks with his finger. He then crushed it until nothing was left of it. "It might be dishonorable for me to attack you in your weak state, but for the Emperor, I will do everything to appease him. Just blame your bad luck for meeting me today. Hehe, you can go and enjoy prison starting from this moment. Well, that is if you are still alive¡­"

 Chapter 423 - A Visitor from the Past?

    "¡­" A few seconds passed by quietly after General Glaivewood said these words, as if he was waiting for something to happen.


    The whole crowd held their breath as they waited in silence too, with their bodies showing the indication of making a move at the slightest sound.


    This weird atmosphere made Alex sigh inwardly, although he showed no signs of distress or unease on his face. Instead, he just played along with the crowd.


    "I see, I see. The one that I attacked now was not the entirety of Jellarmo." General Glaivewood suddenly said as he let out a disappointed expression. He made no move to attack the spaceship, as if he had lost any motivation to attack it.


    "So this is why I felt weird when I attacked Jellarmo. As it turns out, he''s not really in this ship¡­." General Glaivewood continued to say to himself, in a moderately loud tone that was heard by everyone below him.


    "¡­"


    From the way that this general talked, it was as if he did not care if they heard what he was saying. Even when he was talking about a potentially important information about Jellarmo, this general did not hold anything back as he just let everyone hear about it.


    Naturally, this drew a reaction from the crowd.


    "General Glaivewood, judging from the words that you just said, are you saying that you were not able to successfully defeat Jellarmo?" One of the teachers asked fearlessly as she looked at General Glaivewood.


    She seemed to be unperturbed by the power that General Gliavewood had, which can be seen from the ''reckless'' question that she had just asked.


    Fortunatley for this teacher, General Glaivewood accepter her question with magnanimity.


    "IT PAINS ME TO SAY IT, BUT YOU ARE RIGHT. I WAS UNABLE TO DEFEAT JELLARMO, AS WHAT I HAD JUST DEFEATED HERE WERE JUST A MERE PART OF HIM." General Glaivewood said as he let out another sigh.


    He then looked flicked his palm in front of him, which scattered the blue dust that he had just pinched earlier.


    "THE REASON THAT JELLARMO APPEARED TO BE WEAK NOW WAS BECAUSE HE HACKED THIS SHIP WITH ONLY HIS NAIL. THAT¡­ IS SOMETHING THAT I FIND HARD TO BELIVE EVEN NOW." General Glaivewood muttered as he let out a wry chuckle. This chuckle made the people below shiver lightly, as they can feel the killing intent that was hidden in his laugh.


    This killing intent was both potent and silent, which was enough to make everyone treat the general with more respect.


    "I DO NOT KNOW HOW JELLARMO MANAGED TO CONTROL THIS SHIP BY USING JUST A PART OF HIS BODY, BUT THERE IS ONE THING THAT I AM SURE OF. JELLARMO IS SURELY STILL ON THIS PLANET. AFTER ALL, I CAN SENSE THAT THE THING THAT I DESTROYED HERE IS CONNECTED TO SOMEONE LIVING IN THIS PLANET." General Glaivewood said as he slung his spear onto his back.


    He then gave the people below him a casual farewell wave which was followed by him suddenly flying away from the place.


    "I KNOW THAT YOU ALL WANT ME TO STAY HERE, BUT ALAS I CANNOT DO THAT, AS I HAVE TO LOOK FOR JELLARMO RIGHT NOW¡­" General Glaivewood said in a voice that sounded fainter because of his sudden departure. "SINCE HE''S HERE AT THIS PLANET, I HAVE TO FOLLOW MY DUTIES AS A GENERAL AND CAPTURE HIM¡­"


    And with that, the dashing and impressive General Glaivewood has fully left the place, leaving a massive crowd of people in stunned silence.


    "That''s it?" This was the only thing that were thought by everyone as the general''s silhouette disappeared on the horizon.


    Even though they were saved by the general in an impressive manner, they could still not help but feel slightly aggrieved, as the general seemed to by trying to avoid them.


    Of course none of them dared to vocalize this complaint. They were perfectly okay with what happened to them now, and they cannot just ask for more.


    "Um¡­ now that this place if safe, can we get back our items now? There''s no need to keep them here in a pile, right?"


    These words uttered by one of the people sent the whole crowd into a frenzy, as each one of them went straight back to the loot pile.


    "Thud thud thud thud."


    Sounds of collision could be heard as numerous people shoved and pushed their way back into the loot pile.


    They seemed to not care about the people behind them as they were only focused on taking their items back.


    This enthusiastic action by the crowd created another chaotic situation, which made Wisteria sigh in exasperation.


    "Ugh¡­. Now that the threat has disappeared here, everyone just went back to being their selves again. How irritating." Wisteria muttered as looked at the loot pile with a slightly apathetic look.


    With the cheap-ass items that she had ''donated'' in the pile, there''s no way that Wisteria is that urgent to get them back.


    After all, nobody else aside from her will surely take these old and used items. All that Wisteria had to do was to wait, and she can make her way to her own items.


    "Money and properties really brings out the true nature of a person. For it, they were willing to forgo order even when they just went through a life-death situation. Tsk, how materialistic of them."


    Wisteria then let out a snort at this point as she let out a scowl. "Hmm¡­ I wonder what is Mister Alexander''s reaction to this temptation? Will he also succ.u.mb?, or will he go right through it?" After Wisteria thought of this to herself, she quickly spun her head at Alex''s direction.


    "What''s your problem again? Why are you staring at me?" Alex said as he stared back at Wisteria. "Did I get more handsome now?"


    "¡­Okay, so this man is still the same. I don''t know if I should be relieved from that¡­" Wisteria thought wryly to herself as she shook her head at Alex.


    "I just glanced at you for a second. Mister Alexander. I did nothing else other than that." Wisteria muttered as she crossed her arms. "Don''t make anything out of it"


    "Oh really."


    "Yes, that''s the truth." Wisteria continued to say as she ignored Alex''s jibe. "Just accept It like that."


    "Fine then." Alex replied as he shrugged his shoulders. "So¡­ what do you think we should do now?''


    "What do you think we should do? I think we should first help the people in the spaceship." Wisteria replied as she pointed her chin at the floating ship.


    Even though the ship appeared to be still affected by the attack that the general used earlier, its whole body was still intact. There are no broken parts on the ship, with even its most fragile component appearing to still be functional. The only change that the ship had was its color which, is something that had been sucked by the black light beam.


    Aside from that, some signs of life could still be still felt inside the ship, which is a good news for everyone.


    "Mister Alexander, these people are still our guests, so it is our responsibility to assist them." Wisteria said as she gave Alex an imploring look. "Surely you can help them out. You''re a teacher like me, so you have to assist here¡­"


    "¡­"


    *****************


    While the people were happy with the General Glaivewood did, there was one person among them that was not happy at all.


    This person was naturally Alex, who hid the displeasure in his face.


    "What the f**k? Why is a General suddenly here? Shouldn''t he be near the capital of the Undying Empire? F**k, because of him, my plan had been almost ruined!" Alex thought balefully to himself as he did his best to not show his anger. "Ugh, since this General is here, then that means that Emperor Litch really treats this place with importance. Tsk, I think I have to be more careful now¡­"


    Alex was being unusually cautions right now, as the presence of this General was something that made him slightly tense. After all, Alex knew that only the best of the best can become a General in the Undying Empire.


    Only those who reached the Fifth and Sixth Stage are accepted as Generals, and it was only them who enjoys numerous privileges and duties.


    The privileges were hard to explain, although these privileges seemed to be enough to appease most of the Generals.


    As for the duties, they vary in difficulty, although all of them were meant to give some benefist for the Undying Empire.


    One of these duties was performing special missions for the empire, with each mission unique and usually dangerous.


    Aside from these things, Alex really had no other clear ides about the Generals. But even with this, Alex was sure of one thing: And that the presence of a General here will be a massive ditch on his plans!


    Fortunately for Alex, the Cosmic Guards had been informed already on the information about ''Jellarmo'' before General Glaivewood appeared.


    With this, the Cosmic Guards were now bound to arrive at this place, even when General Glaivewood killed a part of ''Jellarmo''.


    "As long as the Cosmic Guards arrive here before General Glaivewood notices something wrong, then it will be my win." Alex muttered to himself as he took a slow breath. "That means that I can only wish for those space fogeys to come here quickly. If not, then all my work this time will just be put to waste¡­"


    After thinking of these words, Alex relaxed his tense body as he continued to blend along with the celebrating people.


    He let out a deep breath as he tried approaching a small crowd, who had been letting out small giggles as they recovered their items.


    But before he could even approach them, Alex suddenly froze in this tracks as he realized something.


    This realization was something that he had just ''realized'' now, and it seemed to be enough to make him stop moving.


    His whole body stayed still as his eyes narrowed, with his limbs suddenly pausing on their motion mid-swing.


    Even his head has stopped entirely too, with only the slight puffs of air on his mouth the indication that he was still alive.


    Granted, Alex might look weird in this state of his, but anyone who knew him personally can definitely say that Alex is just being normal right now.


    If Alina was here, she will just say ''Don''t worry about Alex. He just froze because of a surprising or astonishing realization. Let him stay like that for a few seconds, and he will be fine. Just¡­ let him mull over his discovery.''


    Alina was indeed right with this, as Alex was now busy on making sense of something that he had just realized now.


    This realization of his was enough to make him stop moving, and he appeared to be doing his best to understand it.


    "Glaivewood¡­ That name, I can remember where it came from." Alex thought to himself as his eyes twitched. His realization appeared to have been related to General Glaivewood himsef, and from the looks of it, he was not happy about it at all.


    "Aside from his name, I can also feel some kind of familiarity with his power. His power¡­ it must be the power in that world." Alex continued to think to himself as he inwardly sighed. "F**k¡­ why did I have to see this power again here? Isn''t this just too much of a coincidence?''


    Once he reached this line of thought, Alex''s face turned slightly affronted, as these two pieces of clues made him reach a conclusion that made him feel extremely bleak.


    "Glaivewood and his power. These two things only come from that planet, which I had already visited before¡­." Alex then let out a sigh as this point, as he failed to find anything that can disprove his conclusion now.


    "The Monster World. The second world that I visited. That''s where I encountered Teresa Glaivewood and Sylvester Glaivewood. That is also the World where I encountered the power of Essence, which General Glaivewood was using earlier." Alex thought to himself as his shoulders slightly drooped. "Could this be just a coincidence? But the names and the powers all feel familiar to me¡­"


    In the end, he was left with no choice but to accept his conclusion, which left him with some complicated feelings

 Chapter 424 - Ignorance is Bliss, after all

    "Sigh¡­ If General Glaivewood had indeed come from the Monster World, then that means that Emperor Litch had managed to also get his claws on their planet. Tsk, this is just getting worse and worse¡­" Alex thought to himself as he snatched back his valuables from the loot pile. "If he had gotten his hands on the Essence Humans that thrived in that World, then it''s already given that he will gain more knowledge about magic itself! F**k!"


    If Alex could kick something right now, he could have done it already, as he knew that the more that Emperor Litch gets stronger, the harder it will be for Alex to win against him.


    Of course Alex knew that his main goal in this world was to obtain the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch, as this was his Main Mission. But deep inside him, he knew that a fight between him and Emperor Litch is inevitable.


    "With everything that I have done against that man, I am sure that he is itching to kill me already. Not only that, but I have the inkling that the Legacy Weapon is being coveted by that Emperor too." Alex thought to himself as he kept his face neutral. "Since these were the case, then fighting against him is already a given. The only thing that I should worry about is on how this fight will happen."


    As Alex formed this thought in his mind, he could not help but grit his teeth, as he realized that the presence of General Glaivewood is a sign of worse things that could come.


    "Since General Glaivewood is already in this world, then there is a chance that other Generals are here in this world too." Alex thought with anger as his eyes twitched. "Maybe their presence is the reason why it is dangerous for me to use the full extent of my power. If I used my Sixth Stage Power here, those hidden Generals will surely notice me. Once that happens, they will try to attack and even kill me."


    Alex let out a snort at this point as his eyes blazed, with him not trying to hide the anger that had against Emperor Litch. "That damned man¡­ These Generals must have been the security measure that he will use against me¡­ Tsk, so instead of using schemes, he had decided to extinguish me with brute force? How typical of him."


    "Tsk. So does this mean that I have to act more low-key now?" As he reached this conclusion, Alex could not help but feel aggrieved. All the efforts that he did for the past month seemed to be going the drain already, and it appeared like there was no way for him to save it now.


    "No, all hope is not yet lost! I still have a chance to continue my plans! All I need¡­ is the proper timing!" Alex roared inwardly as he made a mental slap to himself. "I just have to time my next step with the arrival of the Cosmic Guards. At the moment that those people arrive in this world, the attention of all the Generals will surely be focused on them. Once that happens, I can swoop in to obtain the contents of the Institute''s storage vault!"


    At the mention of this vault, Alex''s eyes flashed for a second before he let out a deep breath. He appeared to be weighing his options regarding this vault, although it was obvious that he still desires to obtain it.


    This vault, which was Alex''s second goal in the Institute, was the very thing that he had been craving to obtain already. Inside it were the things that in Alex''s opinion, will allow him to liberate this world from Emperor Litch.


    He only has to acquire the objects inside it, and his path to victory can be said to be assured already.


    Well, that victory will only be assured if he can get his hands on the vault.


    "The matter regarding Jellarmo is a big issue that the Cosmic Guards cannot just ignore. Even if Jellarmo was sighted here in the territory of the Undying Empire, the Cosmic Guards will ignore the sovereignty rules and they will still come here with overwhelming force." Alex mussed to himself as he started to follow the walking Wisteria.


    "So in my estimations, the Cosmic Guards will arrive in this place in at least 12 hours, give or take 2 hours. That time¡­ is the only time that I have left before everything turns chaotic."


    At this point, Alex tried his best to psyche himself up. Even though he knew that what will happen later will be extremely dangerous, as the presence of the powerful Generals is something that threatens his life, Alex will still go on with his plans.


    "This is the only way that I can assert my presence in this world, and in my opinion, this is the best thing that I can do to obtain the Legacy Weapon." Alex muttered inwardly as he and Wisteria started to fly towards the spaceship.


    The spaceship was still stuck in the air, as if it had lost any capabilities to fly down. Maybe something inside it had been broken, or the passengers inside the ship were incapacitated in some way, which leaves them unable to do anything.


    Alex can confirm that it was the latter, as his limited scan showed him that all the Purple Skins inside the ship were unconscious.


    He knew that it was the attack made by General Glaivewood that had knocked these people out, as this was the only attack that made its way across the ship.


    As his mind wandered at this attack, Alex narrowed his eyes as he remembered the sensation of the black light beam hitting his nail.


    "Tsk, that attack carries the power of a Sixth Stage Being. That''s the only reason that he was able to damage the nail that I used to hack the ship." Alex thought to himself as his virtual body began to idly scratch the tip of its index finger, which has now regained the nail that it threw out earlier.


    "Damn, that attack of his is really strong. If I did not disintegrate my nail on time, then he could have damaged it more." Alex continued to think to himself as he reeled his virtual body inside him. His soul started to hum as his virtual body mixed with it, giving Alex a feeling of clarity that he had been craving for since earlier.


    "With that kind of power, it will be a little hard for me to defeat or even kill him. But as long as I use my plans right, I can kill any of those Generals easily!" As he thought of these, Alex began to hold the doors of the ship, with him and Wisteria attempting to pull it out of its hinge.


    "Creak¡­"


    Under the combined power of Alex and Wisteria, the exit doors of the ship began to tremble for a second, before it was fully yanked out by the two.


    At the moment that this happened, the other teachers began to enter the ship, heading quickly towards the ship''s lobby area.


    Alex naturally followed this rush, with him only observing the others discretely.


    The unconscious bodies of the Purple Skins were discovered shortly after, which made the teachers look at the scene with slight panic.


    "Oh god! They''re still alive, but they''re barely breathing!" Alex promptly said as he tried to act like a panicking bystander. "What should we do to them now?''


    "Of course we have to help them, you dolt." Wisteria replied succinctly as she gave Alex a glare. From the way that she glared at Alex, it was obvious that Wisteria was somewhat irritated with what Alex just said.


    Maybe it was the fact that Alex was acting like an idiot which made Wisteria feel like this.


    "¡­Yeah, we have to help them." Alex replied as he looked at the other teachers. "So what do you think? Should we take these people out and bring them down to the ground? I think that is the only way that we can help them."


    "That''s a good call, Mister Alexander. We shall do that immediately." One of the teachers said as she began walking towards the Purple Skins. She then waved her hands in the air, creating a Symbols Matrix that began dragging some of the Purple Skins towards her. "Come on, we should not waste time here. Who knows what will happen if we stay here. Maybe Jellarmo is still here and he might try something to us¡­"


    These words had spurned the other teachers to make an action too.


    In no time at all, everyone inside the spaceship had been successfully rescued, with only the spaceship left floating in the air. Now, all of the Purple Skins were placed inside the infirmary, with doctors and the teachers themselves monitoring these aliens intently.


    Alex was one of these monitoring teachers, and he was currently eating an apple. He was also staring intently at one of the Purple Skins in the infirmary, and some tinges of desire could be seen on his eyes as he continued to stare.


    "This Purple Skinned Human¡­ he was the spy that sent the message to the Cosmic Guards earlier." Alex thought to himself as he continued on staring at this Purple Skinned Human. "Hur hur hur, since he was their spy, then he must have a lot of good stuff with him. Hmm... I wonder what these stuff could be."


    As he reached this line of thought, Alex began to feel more excited as he continued to eat his apple. By this point, there was only a bite left before he can finish the apple, and Alex did not hold back as he plunged it whole into his mouth.


    "This guy¡­ he won''t get angry if I stole his stuff, right?" Alex thought to himself mischievously as he began to slowly approach the spy. "Well, as long as he doesn''t know that I stole from him, then he will never get angry at me. Ignorance is bliss, after all."

 Chapter 425 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student part 12

    [[[Kuro''s spaceship, which was now sailing across space on autopilot mode, was quickly making its way towards the Abyss Plane. While of all this was happening, Kuro, who was now free from piloting the ship, was currently giving a talk to her students.]]]


    [Kuro]: Every living creature has emotions, no matter how advanced their state is. As long as a creature can feel something, it will have emotions. Anger, fear, hunger, envy, jealousy, you can call these emotions in the way that you want it. No matter what kind of emotions are there, I can assure you that it will exist on everyone.


    [Kuro]: Even silicon or germanium-based beings can have emotions too, although what they have were something that will be hard for us to comprehend.


    [Kuro]: As for the robots and mechanical beings, you can treat them as emotional creatures too, although their body structure makes it harder for them to feel emotions¡­.


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­.


    [[[Kuro was giving a talk about emotions, although the things that she said had rendered her class somewhat confused. Kuro quickly noticed this confusion, and she could only sigh as she gave her students a wilting glare.]]]


    [Kuro]: Hey, do you understand why am I giving this lecture to you?


    [Everyone in the class]: No mam! We don''t understand!


    [Kuro]: Tsk, did you even make a review about the Abyss Plane itself?


    [Everyone in the class]: No mam!


    [Kuro]: ¡­You should have studied about the Abyss Plane before you rode this ship. You had 4 hours to make a research, right? Why did you not make any effort to study during that time period? Tsk, people these days really suck! Hmph, since you are all this negligent, then I will give all of you punishments later. Huhuhu¡­ you should try your best to enjoy it¡­


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­.


    [Kuro]: Hmph, since I am your teacher, then I will be slightly negligent to all of you. I will now start talking about the Abyss Plane, so everyone of you should focus and listen to me!


    [[[After she said these words, Kuro pointed her hands at the window of the ship. Her students followed her finger, and through this window, they saw something that they will never forget]]]


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­


    [[[A massive eye, which was as large as a galaxy itself, was staring intently at Kuro''s ship. Numerous tentacles the size of stars surrounded the eye, with each one of them following a set fractal pattern. These tentacles of course made the eye looked extremely intimidating, which was just exemplified by the bloodl.u.s.t oozing out of the eye''s pupils.]]]


    [[[The size of this eye was so great, that its mere gaze alone was enough to give pressure on Kuro''s students. Even Kuro appeared to be shaken by the eye too, as her voice sounded pretty shaken when she continued talking.]]]


    [Kuro]: See that large, disgusting eyes in front of you? That''s the entrance to the Abyss Plane. If we want to reach the Abyss Plane, we have to pass through this eye first¡­


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­


    [Kuro]: ¡­Yeah, I know that this eye might look like it will eat us all, but do not worry about it. As long as we don''t do anything to offend this eye, then everything will be fine.


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­.


    [[[Everyone appeared to be rendered silent by this massive eye, as none of them even spoke up to ask Kuro questions. Even the usually daft Kibou did not say anything, as it was too busy cowering behind Celeste. Kuro appeared to be slightly disappointed about the attitude of her students, although she did not exactly point this out to them.]]]


    [Kuro]: Do you remember my talk about emotions earlier? I told you about it, because emotions are directly tied to the existence of the Abyss Plane itself.


    [Kuro]: Emotions are the driving force that makes a living creature do something. Whether that is for survival or for entertainment, emotions are pretty intense things that can influence a being. But usually, any emotions can only have a direct effect on an individual alone. After all, emotions are nothing but minuscule effects of a creature''s thoughts; it just had no way too affect reality itself.


    [Kurp]: But if these emotions come from zillions, quintillions, or googols of creatures, then these massive amount will have an effect on the Multiverse itself, whether we like it or not.


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­.


    [Kuro]: Because the amount of life existing in the Multiverse are almost limitless, the emotions tied with them are near limitless too. This in turn, allowed these emotions to have a direct effect on the Multiverse itself.


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­


    [Kuro]: I do now know why it became like this, but out of nowhere, a new plane, which was dedicated to emotions themselves, was suddenly established. This plane is the Abyss Plane, which just like what I told you earlier, will be the place that we are visiting today.


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­


    [Kuro]: Now in terms of size, the Abyss Plane is comparable to other planes like the Immortal Monarch Plane or the Holy Order Plane. The only difference that this plane had with the other planes were its living conditions and the creatures that live inside it. Now, do you want to know more about these things?


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­


    [Kuro] Silence means yes, so I''ll just tell it to you too. Ehem, so the creatures that live in the Abyss Plane are called Abyss Monsters, although some people just call them Devils. Now, these beings have abilities that are related to Sins and Emotions. The Seven Deadly Sins(Pride, L.u.s.t, Greed, Envy, Sloth, Gluttony, and Wrath) and the Limitless Emotions(Any emotions that you can think of) were the foundation of the Abyss Monsters, and they continued to wield this foundation for their power system, which is considered to be fearsome in the whole Multiverse.


    [Kuro] Don''t ask me more about their powers, as this will just take me a long time to explain. Now, these beings can also gain power from rituals and sacrificial rites, which none of you should accept from those monsters later. Even though they are offering you something tempting, do not attempt to perform rituals for them. Even though some of their rituals promise to give power on the ritual maker, there are still some hidden dangers in these rituals. So if you don''t want to end up as a crazed lunatic, don''t accept anything from them. Do you all understand that?


    [Everyone in the class]: Yes mam¡­


    [Kuro]: Good, now bring out your luggage. We are about to reach the Abyss Plane, so none of you should dilly-dally, ok? And please, don''t leave any of your valuables behind here. It''s just a pain in the ass to continue dealing with them.


    [Everyone in the class]: Ok mam¡­


    [Kuro]: Ok, now form a line by your height so that we can¡­. Wait a minute, where the hell is Asteria? Why can''t I see her here?


    [Celeste]: ¡­


    [Kibou]: ¡­


    [Kuro]: Everyone¡­ have you seen where Asteria is? We need to find her right now. We are about to reach our destination, so we should not have any delays!


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­


    [Kuro]: Everyone, if nobody from you will tell me where Asteria is, then I will double my punishment on all of you. You wouldn''t want that happeni-


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­ ki.


    [Kuro]: Are you trying to say something Kibou? Don''t worry, I won''t get angry with you.


    [Celeste]: Hey Kibou, what the hell are you doing?


    [Kibou]: Ki¡­ ki ki! Ki ki ki! K¡­. ki ki!


    [Kuro]: Oh¡­so you''re saying that Asteria is hiding right now, because she doesn''t want to go here at the Abyss Plane?


    [Celeste]: Kibou! Why did you tell her!


    [Kibou]: Ki ki ki ki ki ki ki kik ikikikkikikik ki!


    [Kuro]: So Asteria told you that because she doesn''t want to die in the Abyss Plane, she will do anything just to not come here. Those were the exact words that she told you earlier?


    [Kibou]: Ki!


    [Celeste]: Oh my god Kibou, Asteria will be pissed at you later¡­


    [Kuro]: Heh, it''s a good thing that you told me about Asteria''s plan, Kibou. After all, Asteria is just lying to you.


    [Celeste]: Huh? Are you telling us that¡­


    [KIbou]: Ki? Ki¡­


    [Kuro]: There is no danger for Asteria''s life here in the Abyss Plane, and there is no chance in the future that she will be in danger in this place. Hehe, that fairy is just straight up making excuses here, and you two actually fell for it? Tsk, tsk, tsk. It seems like I have to punish you too for being too gullible. As for Asteria, hehehe, she should be preparing her wings for more flying push-ups!

 Chapter 427 - I forgot to post this yesterday, Im really sorry about that. F, this is so stressful

    "Hmm?"


    Alex, who was about to make a move on the unconscious spy, suddenly let out a frown as he stopped his movements.


    His body appeared to be full of tension right now, which in normal situations, should have garnered suspicion from the teachers that were in the same room as Alex.


    But instead of getting suspicious from the sudden change in Alex, all the teachers near him became tense too.


    All of them, including Alex, seemed to have felt something that warranted them to be this tense.


    As for what this ''something'' is, one look at the nearby window can easily explain it.


    "What the hell¡­" This was all that Alex could say as he saw two massive objects suddenly appearing on the sky. These two objects just appeared on the sky out of nowhere, which caught Alex and the other teachers in a state of indecision.


    One of the objects was a massive golden spear, whose length made it look like it can skewer the sky. The other object on the other hand was a pitch-black lotus, whose body was wriggling in a sickening fashion. Both of these objects were exuding horrifying amounts of power, and monstrous killing intent can be also felt coming from these two.


    At the moment that these two objects appeared, they immediately clashed with each other, producing deadly shockwaves that threatened to flatten eveything on the ground.


    Luckily for the Institute, these two objects were located kilometers away, which weakened the effects of their clash against the Institute''s defenses.


    "Flicker!"


    All the defensive barriers around the Institute flickered and shuddered as repetitive shockwaves hit them. These barriers fortunately were able to hold on against the onslaught of these waves, which ensured the safety of everyone inside the Institute.


    While the teachers who saw the spear and the lotus were frightened, they also felt happy as they realized that they are safe from the effects of the clash between these two objects. They realized that as long as they stay inside the defensive barriers, nothing bad will happen to them¡­


    But to say that everyone was happy was wrong, as there was someone among them who was not happy at all with what was happening. Obviously, that person was Alex.


    "Tsk, the f**k is this? Why are they fighting right now! Damn it! So that man is also here!" Alex thought angrily to himself as he kept on staring at the black lotus and the golden spear.


    His eyes, which held a crafty light earlier, was now letting out a gloomy glint, as if the appearance of these two objects made his upbeat mood worse.


    "That golden spear¡­ if I am not wrong, that should be related to Delia. After all, she is the one who has immense talent for spear wielding. As for that black lotus, there''s no doubt about it. It belongs that that sick freak!" Alex thought to himself as he began backing away from the spy.


    With the sudden change of events here, Alex knew that he had to modify his plans, as he realized that the fight between Delia and that ''sick freak'' will just worsen the situation in this world.


    "F**k¡­. Delia, why the hell are you fighting this sick freak now? I thought you want to also stay low-key?" Alex thought angrily to himself as he resisted the urge to curse Delia. "F**k, now that you are fighting against that pervert, you have just limited your future options. Ugh¡­ and that will surely affect me too. F**k! Now that I did an alliance with you, I am obligated to help you out! F**k this, I never asked for this s**t!"


    If Alex could just loudly complain right now, then he would have done it already, as he was highly disappointed with the turn of the events, especially with the person who Delia was fighting right now.


    With his former life directly related to Emperor Litch and his Generals, Alex had a lot of knowledge about Delia''s opponent.


    "That man is a powerful General who was one of Emperor LItch''s right-hand man. Anyone who tries to cross him usually meets death, as his power was just too much to fight against." Alex thought with solemnity as he placed his focus on his Storage. "Even I am not sure if I can really kill him, as he was just a hard-to-kill pervert!"


    After he had these thoughts in his mind, Alex began shaking his head as he let out a sigh.


    "Delia¡­. Even if you manage to win against your opponent, you will still have more problems. Now that you have revealed your location there, other Generals will surely go there in order to subdue you. So even if you find a way to win, you will still be captured by the other Generals¡­" Alex muttered as he kept himself from frowning. "Delia¡­ you really have a bad luck right now."


    Of course Alex knew that it was not only Delia who has a bad luck. Even he was affected by this bad luck too. After all, he already agreed to an alliance with Delia. This means that he had to save Delia when she is in danger, and right now, Delia''s situation can be considered to be already dangerous!


    This leaves Alex with no choice but to assist Delia, which in Alex''s opinion, is the worst thing that had happened to him today.


    "F**k you Delia. I swear that once I saved you, I will make you compensate me for a lot more!" Alex thought as he clenched his fists.


    His cheerful attitude was now gone, as he began prepping himself for an inevitable battle.


    Even when he''s still inside the Institute, Alex did not stop his power from acc.u.mulating inside his body.


    The window of time that he can use to save Delia is just limited, so Alex must do everything that he can to ensure that his attempt on saving her will be successful!


    "Ugh¡­. I really hate this." Alex mumbled to himself as he shook his head. "I know that I still have a way to keep my current identity safe while saving Delia, but if I mess up anything from this point, all my hardwork will go down the drain! F**k, you better make this worth it, Delia!''


    *******************


    It was not only Alex who felt the clash between Delia and her opponent. Every powerhouse that lived in the Four Moons World felt this ongoing battle, which roused them from their tasks.


    Some of the powerhouses who were busy in fornification stopped what they were doing as they stared at the direction of the battle with interest. The same thing also happened on those who were just eating or busy on their cultivation. Even those who were sleeping or in meditation were forced to open their eyes, as the battle was just too eye-catching for them to ignore.


    "Hoook¡­. What is this? Two Sixth Stage Beings are duking it out this time? Interesting¡­" One of the powerhouses muttered as he stroked his bald head. His muscular body, which was lined with numerous tattoos and symbols, glowed faintly as the powerhouse began to drool. "Why would they fight now? Did Emperor Litch order this to happen? Well whatever. I will just watch this fight without interfering. Maybe this can entertain me for a little while¡­"


    The other powerhouses appeared to have the same mindset as this bald man, as they did not join or even interfere in the battle. They just observed the fight with slight interest and boredom, as if they were just treating it as a way to pass their time.


    ******************


    "Hmm?"


    If Alex can sense this battle, then of course Queen Mother can sense this too. She, who was still busy on trying to locate the missing World Soul in this world, was forced to stand up as she stared at the direction of the battle.


    "Hm¡­. so is today the day that everything will start to unravel?" Queen Mother thought to herself as her eyes narrowed. "It has just been almost two months since we came into this world, and a fight at this scale had already happened? Hm, something will surely happen later."


    After she said these words, Queen Mother took a deep breath as a steely expression appeared on her eyes. She then looked at Sierra, who was busy on drinking from her bottle of milk.


    This little baby appeared to be adorable as she drank her milk, although the mischievous glint on her eyes ruined this. Queen Mother only sighed as she saw what the baby was doing, although she did her best to keep her face straight.


    "Oi Sierra, get up there and enter the Storage. I''m going to leave this place." Queen Mother said as she poked Sierra''s chubby cheeks. "You can just continue drinking your milk inside the storage."


    "Hah? Why are you leaving now? Aren''t you looking for the World Soul? And why should I join you?" Sierra abruptly replied, with her mouth still sucking on her milk


    "Sierra¡­ there has been a massive change in the situation now. This leaves me no choice but to accelerate my job." Queen Mother replied as she continued poking Sierra''s cheeks. "As for why you should join me, you have no other choice but to do that. So get up there and go inside the Storage already. You''re already wasting our time by complaining here¡­''


    "Hmph fine, I will stand up now. Tsk, what a naggy woman!" Sierra muttered as she willed herself to stand up. She then gave Queen Mother a provoking stare as she disappeared.


    Sierra is now inside the Storage, and she quickly resumed her milk drinking task.


    "...I still can''t believe that Sierra is a World Soul. She''s just so¡­ unbecoming of one." Queen Mother thought to herself as she shook her head again. "Well, maybe some more interactions with her in the future can tame her¡­"


    After Sierra entered the Storage, Queen Mother did not waste her time anymore as she quickly left Alex''s apartment.


    Her skin, which was the color of a Caucasian woman right now, glinted faintly under the sun as she began walking across the sidewalk.


    Queen Mother appeared to be suppressing her powers as she continued walking, making her look like a perfectly normal person.


    "Since I can''t sense the World Soul, then there is a high possibility that something bad is happening to it." Queen Mother thought to herself as she skillfully weaved through the crowds of people. "And if my hunch was right, Emperor Litch might be the one behind all of this."


    As she thought of these words, Queen Mother gritted her teeth as she crossed the street.


    "Even if Alex had said that Emperor Litch is someone who would not hurt World Souls, there is still a chance that Emperor Litch will ignore that principle. After all, Emperor LItch had been mortally injured by Alex, so he might be extremely desperate right now. Maybe he was so desperate, that he might ignore the well-being of a World Soul¡­"


    By this point, Queen Mother found herself walking towards a massive building, which towered all the structures around it. Looking at this building reminded Queen Mother about her massive tree-body before, but this thought only lasted for a second as Queen Mother focused back on her plan.


    "Because of Alex''s warnings, I withheld my attempt on doing this. But now that things have gone on like this, I have no choice but to execute it." Queen Mother thought to herself as she straightened her body.


    Her eyes, which held an apathetic look earlier, now had a steely glint in it. Her composed and relaxed attitude also changed, as it slowly became repressed and tense.


    The only thing that did not change on Queen Mother was the tight posture on her body, which began to draw some attention from the nearby people.


    Queen Mother ignored all of it as she continued to stand still on her place.


    There was nothing in her mind right now but her desire to succeed. Even if there''s an enemy that will approach her right now, Queen Mother will still ignore that, as she was only focused on what she''s about to do next.


    After a few more seconds of staying in this positon, Queen Mother let out a sigh as she raised her arms. Both of these arms then began to tremble, which made Queen Mother''s face excruciate, as if she was experiencing great pain. But even under this sensation, Queen Mother still held on to her place.


    "If I succeed here, then everything will be fine. But if I fail, I only hope that Alex can forgive me¡­."

 Chapter 428 - Are you ready to repent?

    BACK TO THE HIDDEN ALLEY.


    When this humanoid creature told Delia earlier that it was here to kill her, Delia did not waste any more time on talking with it.


    She immediately used her power to kill this creature before it can make a move on her.


    Of course Delia knew that if she did this, she will be noticed by the hidden powerhouses in this world.


    But she had no choice but to attack right now, as staying passive might just lead to her death.


    Knowing that the humanoid creature was most likely a Sixth Stage Being, Delia did not use any of her miscellaneous abilities.


    She immediately used her strongest power, which makes her suited for dealing with opponents like the humanoid creature.


    The current Delia had already reached the state of a Spear God, which was the equivalent of a Sixth Stage Being.


    Being a Spear God is a great achievement for Delia, for in her homeworld, those who reached this state had become legends in their own rights.


    For these people to be legends are just apt, as a Spear God is someone who can do anything, as long as they had the techniques suited for it.


    This meant that a Spear God can manipulate even the laws of the World that they are in, as long as they have the proper technique for it.


    Whether be it the laws of fire, space, ice, void and other laws, as long as these laws exist, there will be a way for a Spear God to control them!


    Of course, just like what was mentioned earlier, a proper technique must be used in order to perform this feat.


    Delia, who has now reached the Spear God Level, obviously had her own techniques that she uses to fight. These techniques were the ones that she personally created, and she complied them into one series.


    She called this series as the [Spear Monarch Strikes], which currently contains the best techniques in her arsenal.


    This [Spear Monarch Strikes] is a compilation of attacks, with each attack having their own unique effect on a specific law. This allows Delia to deal with different situations by using a different attack from her arsenal. With this kind of versatility provided by the [Spear Monarch Strikes], Delia was able to turn herself into an extremely flexible fighter who can easily decimate her opponents.


    As of now, Delia''s [Spear God Strikes] had 9 unique attacks embedded in it. This meant that if she chooses to do so, Delia can manipulate 9 different kinds of laws with her own spear. This makes her an extremely lethal Sixth Stage Being, and she was sure that it will be hard to find someone who can beat her.


    But right now, this belief of hers is getting slowly eroded because of her opponent.


    *****************


    "Spear Monarch 5th Strike: Extremity!"


    "Boom!" The massive spear, which floated on the sky above Delia, let out a shrill sound as it pierced directly towards the humanoid creature in front of her.


    Miniature cracks on space appeared all around the massive spear, as the power contained at the tip of the spear was enough to affect the space itself.


    The area where all of this power were concentrated was just a small point, which made this spear''s thrust appear more intimidating.


    To call this attack as ''Extremity'' was just apt, as nothing else can be more extreme than this thrust.


    "Hohoho, so that''s your fifth attack on me¡­ How interesting. Let''s see if that can hurt me¡­" In face of this attack, which threatened to destroy anything that existed, the humanoid creature only let out a low chuckle as its body wriggled.


    The black lotus, which was the object floating above the humanoid creature, let out a low shriek as it released 100 mouth-filled tentacles towards Delia''s spear attack.


    All of these tentacles, which were filled to the brim with wagging tongues and jagged teeth, latched on to Delia''s spear with indescribable ferocity.


    "Skree!!!"


    At the moment that this collision happened, the power concentrated on the spear tip exploded, creating a gargantuan explosion that extended away from the spear.


    Multiple ripples, with each ripple capable of creating rifts on the space itself, exploded from the spear, which then proceeded to wreak havoc on everything that it touched.


    "Ugh!" Delia gritted her teeth as these ripples hit her, with her clothes slowly getting ripped apart from each impact. Blood also began to flow out of her ears as her legs started to shake. Even her arms, which was in a state of damage earlier, appeared to obtain more damage from the ripples themselves.


    Delia seemed to be affected by these ripples that she created, although her steadfast body and tight posture showed that she can still continue fighting.


    "¡­."


    It was not only Delia who had to resist the ripple. The humanoid creature, which was the nearest being to the source of the ripples, was affected by it too.


    Black, viscous blood flowed out from the humanoid creature and its black lotus, as the deadly ripples of Delia''s attack were able to reach their bodies, with each ripple dead-set on shredding their bodies into nothingness.


    If more of these ripples could appear, then the humanoid creature might truly be kiledl by it.


    But there were only 64 ripples that appeared, and most of them were ''absorbed'' by the mouth tentacles from the black lotus. As a result, only 20 ripples were able to hit the humanoid creature.


    These ripples were enough to injure the creature, although it was not enough to bring it to the brink of death.


    "Tsk, even that attack failed too? What kind of creature is this?" Delia, who had now stabilized herself from her own attack, gritted her teeth as she observed her opponent''s still alive body. "This is already the fifth time that I attacked him, and yet he''s still alive? F**k this, I think I just faced my nemesis!"


    Out of the 9 unique attacks from the [Spear Monarch Strikes], Delia had already used 5 of them.


    These 5 strikes affected the laws of fire, ice, life, corrosion, and space, which in normal cases, should have been enough to kill her opponents.


    But the humanoid creature was able to receive these attacks head-on, receiving nothing but only injuries at the process. He did not die from any of Delia''s 5 attacks, which had Delia back to her tense state.


    "Hohoho, your attacks are powerful! They made me feel pain, although they were not enough to kill me¡­" The humanoid creature said, with the tone of lamentation present on its voice. It appeared to be disappointed with what was happening now, with its eyes staring at Delia in a reproaching manner.


    "Miss Delia, you don''t need to hold back anymore. I know that you still have more attacks that you can use against me." The humanoid creature continued to say as its body wriggled. "Why don'' t you use it right now? Maybe that will allow you to kill me¡­"


    "You freak. What are you really? I have never met a creature as perverted and demented as you!" Delia demanded as she drew back her Ethereal Spear warily. Now that she knew that killing her opponent is hard, she realized that using more effort will be just a waste for her. If she wants to kill this creature, then she must kill it in one fell swoop!


    "I appreciate your delaying tactics Miss Delia, but that won''t work on me." The humanoid creature replied as it shook its head. It then pointed its slithery finger at Delia''s arms, which are now moving in an erratic manner.


    "Miss Delia, you don''t need to deny it anymore. I know that you are trying to build up power for your strongest attack¡­ As much as I want to receive it, I cannot allow you to use that attack. My master told me that if I were to kill you, I must make sure that this place will not get destroyed. If I allow you to use that attack, I am sure that the area around us will be obliterated. I¡­ cannot allow that."


    After saying these words, the humanoid creature let out a gurgling sound as it pounced directly towards Delia.


    A horrifying slurping sound can be heard from the creature as it brandished its plunger. The plunger''s head, which was now dripping with sticky mucus, let out a low wail as a hole appeared on it.


    This hole, which was packed to the brim with countless eyeballs, began to suck everything around the creature, which included Delia and her allies.


    This immense suction force effectively destroyed Delia''s concentrated state, as she was suddenly pulled by the plunger. A displeased growl came out of her mouth as she continued to be pulled by this ''weapon''. Fortunately for Delia, her tough body allowed her to slightly resist the suction force, which resulted on her to be only slowly pulled in the by the plunger.


    Tong''er and Milo on the other hand however, were not as lucky as Delia.


    Tong''er and Milo, who were still hiding behind the nearby wall, went soaring through the air straight towards the plunger''s hole. These two did not have the same resilient body as Delia, which made them susceptible to the humanoid creature''s sudden attack.


    "Hohoho, two new meals for my pet. This is nice¡­" Upon seeing that Tong''er and Milo were about to get sucked by the plunger, the humanoid creature let out a vicious smile as it wagged its tentacles at Delia. There was greed on its eyes as it stared on Delia''s body, as if it was already imagining the feeling of consuming her.


    "Miss Delia, my master told me to kill you, but he did not say on what way I should do it. That means that I can kill you by consuming you alive, right?" After the humanoid creature asked this question, he did not wait for Delia to give her reply. He sent more tentacles at her direction, with its black lotus also assisting on its attack.


    In face of all the tentacles and mouths that were heading straight towards her, Delia, who was still off-balanced from the plunger''s move, only stared at them malevolently. She only had a calm expression on her face as the tentacles descended on her like vultures feasting on the dead.


    She did nothing even when the tentacles began pulling her towards the creature''s gaping mouth, which was now as large as a person.


    A horrifying set of teeth can be seen protruding from the creature''s mouth, which was also drooling like a fountain at this point.


    This drool came out in more quantities as Delia got closer to the creature, as if her presence was enough to make the creature hungrier.


    Because of Delia''s sudden non-resistance, the power of the plunger weakened, which allowed Tong''er and Milo to resist its force. They wasted no time as they ran away from the humanoid creature, leaving Delia on its mercy.


    Upon seeing this happen, the creature started to laugh in a crazed manner as its ravenous desire became more and more apparent.


    "Good! Good! Good! So you want to sacrifice yourself to save your allies! Good! Women like you are the ones that I like to eat the most!" The creature roared out in delight as its body continued to warp beyond recognition. "Hungry¡­ you make me so hungry! Ahh¡­ I want to eat you!"


    The humanoid creature then continued to shout in a crazed manner, and from the looks of it, it will only stop once it manages to eat Delia whole.


    By this point, Delia was already a few inches away from the creature''s mouth. The creature only has to take one bite, and it will be able to savor its meal already.


    But before the creature can make its triumphant chomp, Delia, who had been silent since earlier, suddenly began talking.


    She seemed to have ignored all the prehensiles attached to her as she talked in a cold, frigid tone.


    "I don''t know what you are, but I know of your sin. You reek of Gluttony, a sin that I cannot allow to exist!" Delia said as her motionless body moved. Rays as bright as the sun escaped from her body, which then melted the tentacles wrapped around her. These rays continued to brighten, creating both a stunning and petrifying scenery.


    [TEMPERANCE!!!]


    At this point, Delia appeared to be a war god, who was willing to tear down anything on her path! This appearance of hers made the humanoid creature shrink back a little, as if it was being forced back by her appearance alone.


    This action by the creature made Delia grin in excitement, and the following words that she said just made this exctiment more apparent.


    "Out of all the beings that I have seen before, you are the most gluttonous one yet. Such kind of traits cannot be allowed to exist! That is why, I, the Adjudicator of the Holy Order Plane, shall commence judgement on you!"


    Delia roared these words out as 5 pairs of wings appeared behind her. Each pair glowed with such glory that anyone who saw it could not help but kneel. Even the creature, who was now shrieking as the rays hit its body, was being forced to supplicate on the ground.


    In face of the sudden change in her body, Delia only continued to maintain her lofty look as she glared at her opponent. Her spear, which was now glowing with a golden l.u.s.ter, hovered right above the creature as she said her ''final words''.


    "Gluttonous being, are you ready to repent now?"

 Chapter 429 - Two Sides of Justice

    The Holy Order Plane. The Goetic Order Plane. The Abyss Plane.


    These three planes, which can be considered to be powerful in their own, had a complicated relationship with each other.


    The Holy Order Plane, which was created by the Holy Monarch himself, was a Plane that held the powers of the Seven Virtues. On their own, this plane had conquered its neighboring planes, making its strength already apparent.


    But this strength was quickly regulated at the appearance of the Goetic Order Plane and the Abyss Plane.


    The Goetic Order Plane, which was created by the beings who were expelled from the Holy Order Plane, was able to quickly assimilate power until became powerful enough to resist the entirety of the Holy Order Plane by itself.


    At this point in time, even when the residents of the Goetic Order Plane does not use the power of the virtues anymore, their unique ''Soul Manifestation'' ability allows them to hold their own ground.


    The Abyss Plane on the other hand, was a plane that was created from the manifestation of all the emotions and desires in the whole Multiverse.(Read Interlude: Asteria''s typcical day as a student part 12 for more details.) This kind of appearance allowed the Abyss Monsters of the Abyss Plane to have their own unique power, which is based on the Seven Deadly Sins.


    At the moment that the Abyss Plane appeared, a delicate balance was immediately formed between the three Planes.


    The powers that existed between these three planes developed a relationship that was similar to ''rock-paper-scissors'', and these brought the planes into a stalemate.


    If the conditions were right, the Seven Heavenly Virtues can be suppressed by the Seven Deadly Sins. The same thing goes for the Seven Deadly Sins too, as it can be suppressed by Soul Manifestation. The Soul Manifestation on the other hand will sometimes be suppressed by the Seven Virtues, as Soul Manifestation was derived from the Seven Virtues themselves.


    In shorter terms:


    Seven Sins beats Seven Virtues.


    Seven Virtues beats Soul Manifestation.


    Soul Manifestation beats Seven Sins.


    This relationship allowed the three planes to co-exist with each other, although this co-existence was always filled with tension and wariness.


    This in turn forced the three planes to find ways to fight each other in creative ways.


    One of these ''creative ways'' was the establishment of the Envoy System, something which Alex and Delia were part of.


    Due to the secrecy that the three planes harbored about the Envoy System, not much was known about it. However, everyone who encounters an Envoy like Alex or Delia is sure of one thing.


    Envoys are hella powerful, and they are just broken as f**k.


    ****************


    As she saw that her opponent was slowly getting affected by the radiant light from her body, Delia did not waste any more time as she quickly activated her power as a Holy Order Envoy.


    A massive fist, which was the size of a building, quickly manifested right above Delia. This fist had a golden sheen on it, which made the fist look smooth and admirable.


    But the aura released by this fist made anyone who saw it whimper, as it made them feel suddenly timid and weak.


    At the appearance of this fist, the humanoid monster, which was cowered by Delia already, continued to let out a shriek as it burrowed itself deeper on the ground.


    The creature''s black lotus had already disappeared at this point, as the fist had dissipated it already. As for the creature''s body, multiple lesions and scars began to appear on its skin as time passed by, making it apparent that it was taking more and more damage from Delia.


    "If you are an Abyss Monster that has the power of Gluttony, then my will be ineffective. But you are not an Abyss Monster. You are just a monster who is gluttonous, which makes you the perfect target of this attack!" Delia declared in a lofty tone as the fist above her began to descend.


    "Rumble¡­"


    The whole earth shuddered as the fist got closer and closer to the humanoid creature, showcasing the power that was contained inside it. Nothing appeared to have the capability to stop this fist, which just made the humanoid creature cry out.


    "Ah Miss Delia, surely you won''t be cruel to kill me this way¡­" The creature, whose whole body had already been melted beyond recognition, croaked out as it tried to crawl its body away from Delia.


    Its sturdy arms and tentacles allowed the creature to drag its body across the ground, but it was not enough to move the creature away on time.


    "You should just stop what you are doing, monster. My had already locked on you, so there will be no more escape for you, no matter what you do." Delia said in an indifferent tone as she watched the creature''s attempt to move.


    Seeing that the creature did not give her an answer, Delia began to grit her teeth before giving the creature a mocking smile.


    "You''re still trying to escape? I said that it''s already useless. Monster, just allow my to pound you with the weight of everything that you consumed. Surely, for a gluttonous monster like you, getting squished by the weight of everything that you ate will be a delightful experience for you¡­."


    "No!!!! This time around, the creature was able to give a reply to Delia, although what is said is a clear showing of the monster''s insistence to live.


    This appeared to have made Delia delighted, as she began cackling as the fist continued its descent.


    "You sinful creature! Now that you are about to face your doom, you actually want to plead for your life? Hah, how hypocritical! Seeing you like this just makes me sick! Hmph, instead of acting like this, why don''t you just be happy? At least I am the one who gets to kill you. Who knows, maybe your sins will be forgotten in your next life. Well, that is if you still have a life to live next¡­"


    At this point, the fist was already a few inches away from the monster. Just a little more push by the fist will allow it to crush its target. Just a little more, and the gluttonous monster will be no more.


    But before Delia could see this glorious scene, a sudden change happened in the battle, which completely wiped out the expected outcome.


    "Halt, Miss Delia. What you are doing is not justice!" A black orb, which radiated the aura of death and coldness, suddenly manifested right in front of the golden fist.


    "Glubo!" At the moment that this orb appeared, the golden fist, which was already on its way to crush the humanoid creature, started to visibly slow down, until it reached a complete stop.


    At this point, the black orb showed cracks and holes in its body, as if the act of stopping the fist had damaged it. But the orb was able to hold on, and it was able to completely stop the fist from killing the humanoid creature.


    "¡­"


    This scene naturally infuriated Delia, who was not happy with what she had just seen.


    She quickly stared at the one who manifested this black orb, with her giving this person her death stare.


    The creator of the black orb, who appeared to be a handsome man in the peak of his age, only shrugged under Delia''s stare, as if he was not afraid of Delia at all.


    "Hm? Don''t give me that look, Miss Delia. You are clearly in the wrong here. I just told you that what you are doing here is not justice, so I have no choice but to stop you." The handsome man said as he began to descend to the ground.


    He landed right beside the humanoid creature, whose body was almost disintegrated at this point. Only the creature''s head has remained, and even this part was also close to being destroyed too.


    "Sir Xote, this had been hard for you. You can now leave the rest to me." The handsome man said as he picked up the humanoid creature with his bare hands. He then placed the creature inside his pocket, giving the creature no chance to speak to him.


    After doing this, the handsome man looked back at Delia, who was now giving him an extremely look of disgust.


    "You say that what I am doing is not justice? Then what about you? Do you call that justice?" Delia said in an even tone as she pointed her spear at the handsome man''s pocket. "That monster that you just saved is a sinful being who had consumed and tortured a lot of innocent woman. Do you think that allowing it to live is Justice? Hmph, your act of saving him is not justice! You just allowed it to kill more women in the future!"


    In face of this clearly ''correct'' argument from Delia, the handsome man only shook his head with a disappointed expression on his face. It was as if he was disappointed by Delia''s words, and he made this disappointment more apparent with the next words that he said.


    "Miss Delia, justice is not something that is black and white. If you want to understand what real justice is, you must look at it from both sides. What you are doing now is just looking at it from the ''white side''. This¡­ this makes you blinder compared to a blind person." The handsome man said in a sorrowful tone, as if he was lamenting about Delia alerady. "This¡­ this makes me sad for you. You are a promising woman with a bright future, and yet you allowed a heretic place like the Holy Order Plane to corrupt you. Disappointing, this is disappointing."


    "Says the person who had been brainwashed by Emperor Litch himself." Delia barked in reply as she gave the handsome man a mocking laughter. "Your one of his Generals, right? Hmph, people like you are the ones that I pity the most! You are under the control of a maniac, and you still follow him zealously? Heh, comparing you to a slave will just be wrong, as a slave clearly has a better life than you!"


    "I am not just a General, Miss Delia. I am General Glaivewood, one of Emperor Litch''s trusted aides. I am not just a small fry that you can ignore." The handsome man, who called himself as General Glaivewood, replied as he shook his head. "Sigh¡­. I only went here because I want to punish you for harming my comrade. But now that you insulted the Emperor, you left me with no choice but to kill you for justice."


    "Kill me for justice? Hohoho, go and try that to me then." Delia replied without any tension in her tone. She kept her Ethereal Spear above her as she gave the general a challenging stare. "Let''s see if you can do something to kill me."


    After she said these words, two figures appeared behind Delia, with each figure appearing exactly like her. These two figures also held the same weapons as Delia, and they were both exuding an aura and power similar to hers.


    "So, what are you waiting for? Come and attack me already!" The original Delia said as her triplicates brandished their powers. "I know that aside from you and that creature, there are still other Generals that are here in this world. Heh, you think I did not notice it? Hmph, there''s no need for you to act so high and mighty. If you are here to kill me, then just attack me! Since you have more allies with you, then what do you have to fear?"

 Chapter 430 - Are you my friend? If yes, then this is for you!

    The power emitted by these three Delias appeared to have some effect on the space around them, as each of their movements created ripples of power that threatened to destroy nearby buildings. Their existence seemed to have some kind of burden on the reality itself, creating odd disturbances that made them look more dangerous.


    In face of this ''overbearing'' line-up, General Glaivewood appeared to have kept his cool, and he even had a rare look of excitement on his face, as if he had seen a rare treasure being born in front of him.


    "Hmmm¡­. Your heart is overflowing with righteousness, that I can see." General Glaivewood slowly said as he gave the original Delia a fawning smile. "As long as you get to learn the truth, your righteousness will be able to help a lot of people¡­"


    "Truth my ass. I don''t care on what you view about your Emperor. I don''t even give a f**k on this ''righteousness'' of yours." Delia replied sharply as she flipped him off. "Hmph, why do I even need to listen to you, when I can just know everything using my tongue¡­"


    After saying these words, the original Delia relaxed her tensed body, withdrawing her spear right behind her. After doing this, she suddenly opened her mouth, exposing her tongue into the air. She then mimicked the action of a person eating ice cream, with her tongue hungrily licking the air all around her.


    "Slurp¡­"


    Her tongue, which had been already sensitive since earlier, enjoyed the sensation of countless tastes hitting its surface, which brought Delia to a state of near ecstasy.


    Her previously serious face was replaced by an ecstatic one, as all the tastes that came rushing to her tongue was just too stimulating even for her.


    "Haaah¡­ Now that''s how the air should taste!" Delia shouted in pure delight as her tongue continued to wag in the air. Some drops of her saliva began to drip down the ground as she did what she was doing, with the woman herself ignoring the befuddled General Glaivewood.


    Any kind of dignity that was present on Delia had already disappeared, as she only looked like a rabid person hungry for her next ''fix''.


    "Haaah¡­.. This is so good. I want to taste more of this¡­" Delia breathed out in a dazed tone as she twirled on her spot. Her eyes were already glassy at this point, showing that she''s already beyond the point of return. "All these anger, fear, hypocrisy, deceit, slyness, and determination are just too stimulating for my tongue! Haaah¡­. More! More! More! I want more of this!"


    To say that General Glaivewood was taken aback by what he just saw was an understatement, as it was clear that he was shell-shocked by the sudden change on Delia''s behavior.


    "You¡­ what are you?" The general asked in a wary tone as he pointed his weapon at Delia. There was no more amicable smile on his face, as he only treated Delia with a grim stare. "You don''t exhibit righteousness anymore! You¡­ you are a clearly different person now!"


    "¡­"


    "Don''t just stand there and ignore me, you deviant! Tell me what you really are!" The general shouted as he continued pointing his weapon at ''Delia''. "Are you a monster who possessed the poor Miss Delia? If that''s the case here, then maybe you''re the one who corrupted her!"


    "Shut up there, blondie. You don''t want to disturb my meal-time here."''Delia'' coldly said as she glared at the general. Her tongue was still out in the air doing its ''tasting'' job, and from the looks of it, it will still stay there for longer. "And what the f**k are you talking about? I am Delia, and I will always be Delia. How the f**k can I become a different person?"


    "You¡­.


    "Heh, instead of using that small brain of yours against me, why don''t you use it to observe your surroudings?"''Delia'' continued to say as she interrupted the General''s words. "Maybe it is just me, but I can taste a trap right now. And this trap is about to activate itself. So if you don''t want to die, then you should try and look for it."


    "A trap? Why would I believe someone like you?" General Glaivewood said as he gave the woman a wilting stare. "You''re not someone that I should trust, deviant!"


    "Really? You f**king think I am messing with you?"


    "I don''t care if you are lying to me or not. I have a job to do, and that is to bring you to the clasps of justice." General Glaivewood righteously said as he shook his head. "Sigh¡­ when I saw you earlier, I thought of sparing you since you are a righteous person like me. But now that I Have seen your true colors, you leave me with no choice but to eliminate you. I''m sorry about this Miss Delia. You are just¡­ too volatile to be left alive."


    "Stop saying your words and just attack me already."''Delia'' menacingly said as she and her triplicates wagged their fingers at the general. "If you don''t, then the trap set here will hit us both. That¡­ will be a f**king mess."


    "Like I told you earlier, I don''t care about that!" Seeing that ''Delia'' did not looked moved by his words, General Glaivewood was forced to make his move already. Since this woman had no more chances for redemption, then death will be her only destination.


    "Sling!" Without giving ''Delia'' any chance to prepare herself, General Glaivewood quickly activated his power.


    A jar, which was as large as a human head, suddenly materialized behind General Glaivewood. This jar, which was ebony in color and had silver linings on its edges, let out a bellowing sound as the general held it in his hands.


    At the moment that he touched the jar, General Glaivewood''s body began to shake as cover of the jar shuddered.


    A powerful roar, resembling that of a wild wolf, echoed out from the inside of the jar as its cover continued to shake. This roar continued to get louder and louder as the cover got more and more loose, which made the previously c.o.c.ky ''Delia'' suddenly tense.


    Even if she appeared to be unhinged right now, ''Delia'' can still sense the frightening power that was hidden inside that jar.


    The sensations of death, destruction, and desolation can be felt leaking out from the jar, which was enough to make ''Delia'' heft her weapon. She could feel that this jar can inflict massive injuries on her if she does not get careful, and death can also be a possible end for her.


    Combine these unsettling powers with the domineering roars coming out from the jar, and it was apparent that whatever was inside it was something that must not be allowed to come out!


    "You know¡­ being an Essence Human is a hard task, especially when your creator,demands a lot from you. Luckily for me, Emperor Litch was able to help me out, which brings me to today." General Glaivewood quickly said as he got nearer and nearer to Delia. "Because of my weak power before, I had no way of using it to help those who needed my help. But now? I have the capabilities to help them! And you, Miss Delia, will be a proud recipient of it!"


    "Schuaaa¡­."


    The cover of the jar then opened with a hiss, releasing plumes of purple gas all around the general. A massive claw then shot out from the jar, grabbing the nearby ground in a vice-like grip.


    "Kraa!!!"


    Two serrated mouths could be seen right on the sides of the claw, which made the claw appear just as unsettling as Delia''s opponent earlier. It appeared to be the embodiment of evil itself, something which was a great contrast to all the ''righteousness'' that the general was talking about.


    At the moment that this claw grabbed the ground, General Glaivewood''s eyes focused at Delia again. This time, he did not look at Delia with smugness or wariness. He only gave her a look of pity, as if he was lamenting for fate.


    "I am sorry Miss Delia, but this is the best way for you to die. I hope you can forgive me." The general said as more and more body parts connected to the claw come out of the jar. "I just want to help you, but your condition does not make it possible. So please¡­ just let all of this happen. Even with your power right now, there is no way for you to fight my power. You¡­ you will just die horribly if you fought back."


    "Hmph, did you f**king forget what I told you earlier? I tasted a trap in this place, and it is about to activate any moment now. I told you to hasten your attack so that the trap will not activate, but what did you do? You wasted time by summoning this¡­ mish-mash of body parts!" Instead of acting terrified from the creature in the jar, Delia appeared to become much angrier.


    She appeared to be incensed by the general''s attempt to attack her, as if she was expecting more from him.


    This naturally had the ''battle-ready'' general confused, as he was taken aback by her words.


    "You are talking a trap since earlier. What in the world is this trap, and why are you acting like this?" General Glaivewood asked as the creature from the jar began to make its move against Delia. "If there is a trap right here, then why are you still here? Shouldn''t you just try running away from this trap?"


    "Even if I run, there''s no escaping from the trap already. The only thing that I can do is to face it head on. Fortunately for me, you are here, which means that I can share the burden with you." Delia replied quickly. She then gave her opponent a challenging smile as she pointed her fingers at the sky. "As for the trap itself, I recommend that you look at where I am pointing¡­."


    The general, although wary of a possible distraction, still followed the direction that the woman was pointing her finger to.


    He raised his eyes as he took in the sight of the ''trap'' that she was talking about, and at the moment that he saw what she was pointing at, his body immediately seized in sheer tension.


    "Howdy boys. You seem to have a lot of fun there. How about you let me join in?"


    Traveler Ray, who still had the same sinister look in his eyes, said as he stared down at Delia and General Glaivewood.


    He is the person who General Glaivewood and Delia were looking at right now, and he appeared to be enjoying the attention that they were giving to him.


    He was floating right above these two people, with his body only exuding a relaxed feeling. He appeared to be in control of the situation, and nobody will doubt that, especially when they see what was behind him.


    Behind Ray''s body, 100 sinister-looking bombs could be seen. Each of these bombs had their own unique appearance and aura, with each one looking to be as just dangerous as the other.


    In fact, they appeared to be so dangerous that with just one look, both Delia and General Glaivewood realized that all these bombs had the possibility of heavily injuring them. And if they were careless, their lives can be ended by these bombs too.


    These bombs were the reason for General Glaivewood''s sudden tension, as the sight of 100 deadly weapons ready to hit his body was something that the general finds hard to accept.


    "Hmmm¡­. So you two are here. Good, good, good. This means that our preparations form before were not in vain¡­" Ray muttered to himself as he gave a comforting smile at General Glaivewood.


    "Come on, general. Why do you look so tight? Do you feel anything bad with your body? Don''t worry, everything will be fine from now on¡­"


    Ray appeared to be trying to comfort the general, although it was clear from his eyes that he was just plainly mocking him.


    This placed the general right into an indecisive state, as he realized that he was now stuck between two powerful opponents. This naturally forced him to stay silent, as he was just unsure on what to do next.


    "Really¡­. You will not say anything? That''s disappointing¡­." Ray muttered ''sadly'' as he shook his head. "Well then, if you won''t talk, then I will let my bombs be your friends here!"


    "!!!"

 Chapter 431 - Bring me... to them!

    3 MINUTES LATER


    BACK AT THE INSTITUTE


    "What?" Alex, who had been spending the last minute staring intently at the phenomena in the sky, could not help but whisper this word to himself as he witnessed what had just happened.


    "¡­.So Delia and Sir Xote fought each other, and from the looks of it, Delia was about to win. Maybe she tried using Temperance. After all, that is quite effective on someone like Sir Xote." Alex muttered to himself as he remembered the sudden disappearance of the black lotus. "Once that happened, Delia swooped in to kill Sir Xote. But it was at that point that General Glaivewood appeared."


    "A few seconds after he arrived at that place, I felt the fluctuations of a power similar to the one used by General Glaivewood before. The appearance of this power meant that Delia and General Glaivewood were about to fight each other too."


    "But that was when Ray appeared." Alex almost bit his lip as an expression of disgust appeared on his face. He seemed to be unhappy just by mentioning Ray''s name and he did not bother to hide it at all.


    "That man¡­I am sure that he activated 100 f**king explosives right above Delia and General Glaivewood!" Alex snarled to himself as he remembered the massive explosions that he witnessed just earlier.


    The horrifying power and effects of these explosions were seen clearly by Alex''s bare eyes, and the only thing that he could do was watch as the whole place where Delia was in got decimated into nothingness.


    Only a large void of space and hazardous chemicals remained on that area, leaving everyone who witnessed it on a shocked state.


    All the teachers and students who saw these explosions could only huddle with each other in fear, as they could feel that something wrong is happening here.


    Their desire to leave the Institute was almost non-existent at this point, as the impact of those explosions were just too much for them bear.


    "F**k¡­. I thought today will just be a normal infiltration day. I thought it will be my time to shine¡­ How could it have turned out like this?" Alex complained to himself inwardly as he listed all the wrong things that happened right now.


    [Delia could be possibly dead]: Check.


    [The two Generals who I can use as hostages are possibly dead too]: Check.


    [The whole world is now in heightened alert because of Delia and Ray''s actions]: Check.


    [Emperor Litch could possibly be alerted by all these events]: Check.


    [Whatever Ray and Malthus are planning could have succeeded already]: Check.


    [What Delia and I are planning is still not achieved]: Check


    "¡­"


    At the face of these many checks on his list, Alex could only scratch his head as he let out a frustrated sigh. With just one look, he knew that the whole world has now plunged in chaos.


    "With all the things that Delia and Ray had done already, there is no doubt that the security in this world would be heightened. Aside from that, there is a chance that Emperor Litch will also come here. After all, two of the Travelers that he had met before had suddenly appeared. There''s no way he will let this just pass¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he tried to keep himself calm.


    "F**k¡­"


    But no matter how much Alex tried to keep himself calm, he still could not stop the indignance that he is feeling right now.


    After all, everything that Alex had carefully planned had now gone into ruin, brought down by the recklessness of his allies and enemies. Can he still go on with what he is planning after the stunt that Delia and Ray pulled? It is almost highly unlikely.


    Not only that, but he is still obligated to save Delia, who he senses as still alive. With the agreement that he made with her before, Alex will have to save Delia, especially now that she had just been attacked by a powerful opponent. To not give her help will be bad for Alex, and it will just make everything worse for him.


    "F**k, I already did everything that I can. The Cosmic Guard will arrive here in at most 12 hours, which should be the time window for my plan. But because of Delia and Ray, that time window will be drastically reduced!" Alex thought to himself as he began pacing on his place.


    He ignored the strange looks given to him by the other people as he engrossed himself with his deductions.


    "Knowing the attitude of Emperor Litch, there is a chance that he will arrive here in just an hour. That is, if he came from the capital himself." Alex thought sourly as he cupped his chin. "If that Emperor is on a much nearer place, which is highly likely, then he will arrive here in a much earlier time¡­ F**k, if this is really the case, then I only have at least 30-60 minutes to execute my plans!"


    At this point, Alex resisted the urge to clutch his hair, as he knew that keeping his persona right now is still an important thing to do.


    So even if he was already stressed, the only thing that he can do was to give his companions a tight smile as he began walking out of the room.


    Instead of becoming worried, Alex knew that he should quickly think of something to remedy his problem. Even if it takes all of his mental power to think of a solution, Alex will still do it, as this is the only thing that he can do now.


    "Ugh¡­. If I only have 30 minutes left until that Emperor arrives, then that means that I should finish my plan within 30 minutes. That''s the only thing that I can do with my current state. There''s nothing else that can change this situation¡­" Alex thought to himself numbly as he ignored the people that he almost bumped along his way. "If I don''t do this, then I don''t know what else I can do to fulfill the Main Mission¡­"


    As he reached this conclusion in his mind, Alex''s face quickly crumpled, as he began to doubt if this is even feasible.


    "F**k! Can I do all the things that I had to do within this limited timespan? Can I actually accomplish my plan with just 30 minutes of leeway? F**k!" Alex shouted inwardly to himself as he kept his breathing even. "Ugh, why did you have to fight today Delia? Why didn''t you just do it on other days? You''re just making it hard for everyone here!"


    Alex could have continued thinking of his dilemma at this point, but before he could plunge his mind on the deeper consequences of today''s events, he was interrupted by someone who suddenly tapped his shoulder.


    "Mister Alexander. You seem to be acting weird. Is there any problem?" Wisteria, whose left hand was clasped tightly above Alex''s right shoulder, said as she talked to him with a neutral tone.


    There was pure curiosity on her face as she peered at Alex. She ignored the sudden glower that Alex gave her as she kept on staring at him, making it apparent that she was waiting for her answer.


    "You don''t need to know what I am thinking now, Miss Wisteria. I am busy, so you should just let me be." Alex replied tersely as he brushed of Wisteria''s arms. "Don''t you have to attend to your students? Instead of coming here, why don''t you just come back to them and help them out? You''re their teacher, so go and appease them!"


    "Mr. Alexander, in case that you have forgotten it, let me tell it to you once more. You are now an assistant teacher, and you are also assigned on my students." Wisteria replied evenly under the scorching stare that Alex just gave her. "That means that you must be with them right now, as it is also your responsibility to help them out. Surely you won''t be that heartless to leave them alone, right? After all, you told me that you are a good teacher¡­."


    "You-"


    Alex was about to use his mouth to reject Wisteria''s demand for him to work, but a sudden flash of idea inside his head made him stop his words.


    "Hm? Are you about to say something to me, Mister Alexander?"


    "Yes, I will say something to you. Just give me some moments." Alex replied quickly as he waved his hand nonchalantly. "I¡­ I just thought of something good."


    "Good? Hmph, now you are sounding suspicious again." Wisteria snorted as she crossed her arms. "I can see it. You are planning something again¡­"


    "¡­."


    "See? You''re even staying quiet now¡­ That''s clearly suspicious!" Wisteria whispered in an urgent manner as she stared at Alex. "You, you are making a plan right now. Don''t you deny that."


    "A plan? You really are suspicious of me, Wisteria. I would never¡­ think of something like that right now." Alex replied calmly as he smiled. "See? I am smiling innocently right now. Isn''t this the smile of a sincere person? How can you even doubt me like this?"


    "Doubt you? Mr. Alexander, just a few seconds earlier, you looked like a person who had his parents die in an accident! But after you had this ''I had an idea'' expression on your face, you appeared happy again!" Wisteria blurted as she pointed her finger at Alex''s chin. "It''s already obvious, ok? You have a large problem which made you so helpless and angry. But after you talked to me, you appeared to have found a solution to your problem. And now, you are about to use this solution to solve your problem¡­."


    "¡­"


    "As for what the solution is, I do not know. But I think that- wait. There''s something wrong with the timing of you getting your solution¡­" At this point, the confident-looking Wisteria began to look at Alex warily as she remembered their conversation earlier.


    "You¡­. You had this ''eureka'' expression on your face when I told you about the students. I can remember it. You¡­ you had a reaction after I told you to go and help them."


    "¡­"


    "Mr. Alexander, you''re not planning to use the kids on whatever you are planning right?" Wisteria hesitantly said as she gave Alex a timid stare. The previous curiosity that she had earlier was now gone, as she could only give Alex a pleading look.


    "Mr. Alexander, even if these kids are just brats who served to irritate me every day, they are still people that we should help. Right now, they are anxious and waiting for someone to calm them down. Mr. Alexander, what they need now are our comfort and assistanc-"


    "Miss Wisteria. Since you want me to go to your students, then bring me there already." Alex said brightly as he widened his smile. "Those kids need comfort, so I will provide them with all the comfort that they need! That''s the least that they deserve here!"


    "Mr. Alexander, please-"


    "Why are you still delaying us? Let'' go to your students already." Alex cut-off Wisteria''s words as he continued smiling at her. "Just like what you said, I am also their teacher, so I must appease them¡­"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 432 - The Abyss is looking at you

    "Mr. Alexander, if you ever try to-"


    "Yes, you don''t need to threaten me, Miss Wisteria. I know the things that I should do." Alex replied lazily as he let out a yawn. He then placed his hands on his h.i.p.s as a small smile appeared on his face.


    "Hmm¡­ now that I can see it, my bladder is actually full. Excuse me for a second Wisteria. I just have to use the comfort room. Just¡­ bring me to the students after that."


    "Comfort room? Do you even need to use that?"


    "My bladder needs to be refreshed, so you cannot stop me.'' Alex replied as he started walking away from Wisteria. The direction where he''s heading shows that he''s directly headed to the comfort room.


    "¡­What a sleazy person. If it weren''t for my paid debts, I would not have stayed with you here." Wisteria muttered to herself as she saw Alex entering the comfort room. Her eyes were narrowed as she watched the closing of the door, taking note of every single thing that happened around that room.


    She appeared to be suppressing her feelings of discomfort and suspicion against Alex, although it can be seen that she still regarded Alex as an untrustworthy person. The next words that that she muttered to herself just proved this point.


    "But remember this, Mr. Alexander. If you ever do something that is too much in my opinion, I will forget about all those debts that you paid for me. I will stop you, even if it''s my life that will be on the line!"


    *************


    "Hoooh¡­. Okay. Time for plan B-1." After Alex entered the comfort room, he immediately used his power to lock the access to it. He made sure that nothing can enter this room right now, and that it will be only Alex that can stay here.


    He also used his Virtual Esper Body to monitor any surveillances inside the room. Upon seeing that there was only an old camera, which was only focused on the handwash section, Alex cracked his knuckles as he waved his hands.


    "Okay¡­ so there''s no surveillance that can catch what I will do next. I must do this quick, so that everything will work out."


    Alex''s hand wave allowed him to access his Storage, which had been waiting to be used by him since earlier.


    At the moment that he established the connection, Alex did not waste his time as he pulled out three objects out from his Storage.


    He then quickly closed his connection to his Storage, leaving nothing but only small ripples on the space around him.


    "Good. These three objects are still in working condition. This means that I can make things work as long as I time it right¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he stared at the three object on his hands.


    Each one of these objects were small in size, although there was something about their appearances that can make anyone who sees them regard them with importance.


    A pincushion filled with needles, a small circular mirror, and a blank sheet of paper were the three objects that Alex is holding right now, and he was holding them with such care that it appeared as if he was treating them as precious treasures.


    After observing the three objects for a few seconds, Alex took a small breath as he hid the pincushion right inside his b.r.e.a.s.t pocket, while the sheet of paper was folded and tucked in the right pocket of his pants.


    As for the mirror, Alex continued his gentle hold on it.


    "¡­Out of all the lifespan that I gained from the last mission, these three things were the ones that I quickly bought." Alex thought to himself as he began to tighten his grip on the mirror. "I could have bought more stuff, but when I looked at these three, I know that they are the ones that I should buy. It''s a good thing that I followed my instincts, as this mirror is the one that will salvage my situation¡­"


    "Crack!"


    Alex''s grip on the mirror became so tight that the mirror itself started to show cracks on its smooth surface.


    Alex''s face, which was displayed flawlessly on the mirror''s surface, began to appear segmented as the cracks on the mirror''s surface widened.


    "¡­" In face of this, Alex did not falter as he continued to strengthen his grip on the mirror.


    Eventually, the mirror was unable to resist Alex''s grip anymore.


    "Shatter!"


    The mirror, which was in a perfect circular shape earlier, has now shattered into five separate pieces. Each of these pieces had different shapes and sizes compared to each other, something that is typical from any shattered mirror.


    The only thing that was different here was the fact that the mirror pieces began to glow after the mirror shattered.


    "Hong~"


    Red, blue, black, gold, and white were the colors of the glow that came from the mirror pieces, with each color prevalent on each piece. The glow that came from these pieces were so bright that it appeared as if a miniature sun has materialized inside the room.


    If it weren''t for the preventive measures that Alex did earlier, the glow from these mirror pieces could have left out of the room, which might make the people outside suspicious.


    As he stared at this kaleidoscopic display of colors, Alex took a deep breath as he pulled the mirror pieces closer to him. There was only pure resolve in his eyes as he began to open his mouth.


    He continued to pull the mirror pieces closer at this point, with his hands now headed towards his mouth.


    Anyone who sees what Alex was doing will clearly realize what he was planning to do, as his mouth just continued to open as the mirror pieces approached his lips.


    "Hoooh¡­ here we go then¡­. Thanks for the food!"


    Alex then jammed the mirror pieces right inside his mouth, packing every single piece of them without leaving anything outside.


    "Crunch¡­"


    Crunching sounds filled the room as Alex began to chew, with his face exuding a nonchalant aura.. His eyes however were moving erratically with his every chew, making anyone who sees it wince.


    Alex clearly was in pain as he chewed the mirror fragments, and from the looks of it, there''s nothing that he can do to avoid it.


    "Hmm¡­mgngh¡­ hmm¡­mghr." These were the only sounds that Alex made with his preoccupied mouth. Each of these sounds appeared to have a message of their own, as a slight pattern can be observed on these sounds. But as for what these sounds could mean, there is just nobody that can understand it.


    ******************


    5 MINUTES LATER


    "5 minutes have already passed by, and yet Alexander is still not out of the room? Is he¡­ doing something suspicious again?" Wisteria, who had spent the last 300 seconds pacing nervously around her spot, thought to herself as she glanced warily as the door of the comfort room.


    The wariness that she was feeling against Alex earlier has now intensified, especially now that Alex secluded himself inside the comfort room.


    There''s just no way that Alex is just urinating inside the room. 5 minutes is just too long for that.


    And besides, someone as powerful as Alex can just use his power to stop his metabolism from working. Why would he still need to pee, when he can just use his power to regulate his water cleansing?


    "Okay, that''s it. I''m opening the door to the comfort room already." Seeing that there''s still no signs of movement from inside the comfort room, Wisteria let out a disgruntled sigh as she quickly walked towards the door of the comfort room.


    She then stretched her hand towards the handle of the door knob, as she decided to just open the door.


    But before her hands can even touch the door knob''s metal surface, the door suddenly opened, leaving Wisteria hanging in her outstretched pose.


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "Is there a problem, Miss Wisteria?" In front of the surprised Wisteria, she saw Alex who had just opened the door.


    This sudden appearance by Alex left Wisteria at loss for words, as she realized that she had been caught by him doing something ''suspicious''.


    "Oh¡­ I was just worried for you. After all, you took a long time in there¡­" Wisteria hastily replied as she scratched the back of her head. She tried to put up the most sheepish smile on her face as she talked to Alex, hoping that it might throw him off the loop. "Well, I can see now that you are fine. I am relieved by that."


    "Okay. Now get out of the way. I want to leave already." Alex curtly said as he pushed Wisteria out of the way. He then stared back at Wisteria as he gave her a cold look. "Now, bring me to your students. I don''t like to wait anymore."


    "Oh right¡­ just follow me." Wisteria, who was preparing herself to talk against a sly and cheerful Alex, was floored once more as she realized that Alex was treating her in a colder manner right now.


    This is something that made Wisteria feel out of place, as the felt that something was wrong with the ''Alex'' that she is talking with right now.


    "Hm?"


    This suspicion of hers just grew as she observed Alex''s current appearance.


    Alex still had the same handsome look on his face, although his attire and facial expressions had changed drastically.


    His previously light and casual uniform was now replaced by an all-black wardrobe.


    Alex was now wearing a black, leather jacket paired with a dark undershirt and an ebony scarf. His caramel-colored pants were replaced by a tight, black slacks with his black shoes appearing much darker compared to before.


    Alex was also wearing a pair of black bangles on his arms, which was complemented by the black earrings that hung on his ears.


    This set-up was topped off by Alex''s black hat, which fit snugly on top of his head.


    Alex''s sly and sleazy face from earlier was non-existent at this point, as Wisteria could only see a cold demeanor on his face.


    There was no more warmth that is emanating out of the current Alex, which made Wisteria almost back away from him.


    "What the hell? Alexander just stayed inside the comfort room for a few minutes, and now he became like this? It''s like¡­ he became a changed person!" Wisteria exclaimed to herself as she did her best to stay calm.


    Her previous assumptions about Alex were all shattered again, as the current Alex was someone who just threw Wisteria''s thoughts back to the gutter.


    "What the hell¡­. The Alexander that I am looking at right now looks like he can kill me without any remorse. That''s something¡­ that only a monster can do! How¡­ how can Alexander suddenly be like this?"


    While Wisteria was having these thoughts in her mind, she was also gathering her power inside her body, just in case that something wrong happens here.


    She just cannot feel safe with the way that Alex is looking right now, and the longer that she stays with him, the more that she feels more unsettled by him.


    "Wisteria. Stop moving like this. The Abyss is getting irritated by your slow movements." Out of nowhere, Alex suddenly said these words to Wisteria. "If you continue wasting my time like this, the Abyss will be your enemy."


    "What in the world¡­ are you saying, Mr. Alexander?" Wisteria replied with a hitch on her tone as she gave Alex a blank look. "What is this Abyss, and why are you talking like you know it?"


    "¡­You are not fit to know that. Just understand that if you don''t follow my demands, the Abyss will seek you out and punish you." Alex replied, keeping the same cold tone that he had since earlier. "If you don''t want to face the Abyss'' divine punishment, then you better listen to me."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 433 - The Dao and the Abyss

    In the end, the confused and befuddled Wisteria was left with no choice but to lead Alex along, as she realized that she can''t do anything against him right now.


    Even if the current Alex was way different on how he used to be, there''s just nothing that Wisteria can do about it¡­


    "You have been talking about this Abyss since earlier. What is this Abyss that you are saying?" As they approached their destination, Wisteria found herself unable to hide her curiosity at Alex. "And why are you treating this ''Abyss'' like it''s your god?"


    "Be careful with your words, Miss Wisteria. You never know, the Abyss might get offended with what you said¡­" Alex replied abruptly as he gave the woman a sullen glare.


    "Oh ok. So you still don''t want to talk about it? Fine¡­" Realizing that Alex is now too cold to entertain her words, Wisteria can only shake her head as she made a hasty retreat. "I''ll respect your silence, just like um, what you want¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    A period of brief and awkward silence then plunged itself amongst the duo, as the both of them had nothing to say at each other right now. Only the sounds of their footsteps and faint cries could be heard as they walked, creating an atmosphere that was just uncomfortable to her.


    This state persisted right until they reached the classroom.


    "Alexander, our students are holing in inside this room. Whatever happened outside were all witnessed by them, so don''t be irritated if they start crying here." Wisteria said in a low tone as she grabbed the handle of the door knob. She then began turning it, as she attempted to open the door.


    But before she could do this, the formerly quiet and sullen Alex suddenly spoke up, with this lethargic eyes now focused directly on Wisteria herself.


    "Before we enter the room, I have to introduce 2 people to you first." Alex slowly said as he adjusted his hat. His black attire appeared to wiggle as he moved his body, something that Wisteria took note of.


    "We''re already here, and you suddenly want to introduce some people to me? That''s¡­"


    "Suspicious, yes I know it!" Alex snarled angrily as he glared at Wisteria. There was more anger in his eyes as he continued talking, which made it appear as if Wisteria did something to piss him off more.


    "Wisteria, say ''suspicious'' one more time, and the Abyss will surely strike you down. If you don''t want that to happen, then don''t act like you are scared right now. You will just meet some of my friends. There''s no need to be this wary. If you continue acting like this, the Abyss will treat you like trash¡­"


    "¡­It''s just meet and greet, right? Fine. Show me these people." Wisteria grumbled as she let go of the door. She then crossed her arms as she started the waiting process. "So how long should we wait here? We can''t just delay ourselves for too long¡­"


    "Stop acting like that. The ones that I will introduce to you are here already." Alex snapped as he crossed his arms too. He then swiveled his head as he looked to his left, as if he was trying to stare at something at this direction. "Look at where I am looking right now. See them? They''re the ones that I want you to meet. Now, look at them and memorize their faces. If you don''t follow this instruction, I will personally command the Abyss to end your life!"


    "¡­" Even though Alex''s threat sounded both empty and somewhat narcissistic, Wisteria still chose to listen to him.


    She moved her head as she stared at where Alex was looking at, and after she did this, Wisteria immediately froze from what she saw.


    "What?" This was the only thing that Wisteria can say as she processed the sight in front of her. There was only disbelief in her face as she took in the appearances of the two people that Alex was about to introduce to her.


    How could Wisteria not be surprised?


    She just saw two people who looked exactly the same as Alex, and these two were actually staring back at her right now!


    The first of these 2 people was just like what Wisteria had observed. He looked exactly like Alex too, and there''s no difference between his face and Black Alex''s face.


    The only difference was that instead of wearing black, this Alex look-alike was wearing a pure white robe set.


    This Alex''s hair was white too, and the white fur sash wrapped around his shoulder made his appearance purer.(He is now called White Alex)


    White Alex also had a calm and gentle expression on his face, which makes him appear as if he was the opposite of Black Alex.


    The second person on the other hand was a different case.


    Sure, this person looked like Alex, but that is if Alex was in his younger years.


    This second person, who was hiding behind White Alex''s back, was actually a young kid who was around 8-10 years old.


    There''s nothing remarkable that can be seen from this kid, although Wisteria can see that this kid looks like a young version of Alex.


    Compared to the cold Black Alex and the refreshing White Alex, the kid appeared to be the most withdrawn and conservative of them all.


    Even when Wisteria tried her best to make herself appear harmless, the kid just continued to hide on White Alex''s back.


    "That guy who wears all-white is my twin brother. As for the kid, that''s his son." Black Alex curtly said as he gave the two new arrivals a nod. "Don''t be rattled if I look like these two. The white one is just my twin brother, so I can only look like him. The kid on the other hand is a rare case, so just ignore what he looks like. If you don''t ignore him, then the Abyss will strike you down."


    "¡­."


    "Oh hello there, Alexander. So this is the woman that you want me to meet? How nice for you to call me here." White Alex said in an amicable tone as he gilded towards Wisteria. Yes, this man glided towards her. Not walk. Not fly. Glide.


    "Make this quick Xander. We still have schedule to fulfill." Black Alex rudely said as he pinched his nose bridge. "Even if you are my twin brother, the Abyss will still not forgive you if you go tardy. The same thing goes for your kid too."


    "Alexander, your heart has been clouded by that evil place. Instead of colluding with that filthy place, why don''t you spend some of your time meditating and trying to discover who you really should be?" White Alex replied in a low tone. "As long as you are not yet a Trascendent, then you can still look for your Dao¡­. So don''t waste your time anymore. Use your heart and accept the Dao!"


    "Dao this, dao that. In face of the Abyss, your Dao is nothing!" Black Alex snapped back as he gave White Alex a sneer. "Come on, your Dao Heart has no way of surviving against the bombardment of the Abyss Will. So instead of lecturing me here, just keep your mouth shut about the Dao and do your job here!"


    "Alexander, we have to talk about this more later." White Alex, who still stayed amicable even under the abrasive words that Black Alex said, muttered as he shook his head. He then looked back at Wisteria, who was staring at the conversation between the two with an open mouth.


    "Hello again, Miss Wisteria. Just like what I said earlier, it''s nice to meet you." White Alex said as he attempted to shake Wisteria''s hand. "Hmm¡­ from what I can see, you have the talent to sense the Dao. Are you perhaps interested on searching the Dao with me? I assure you, your life will change as long as you find your Dao¡­"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 434 - Queen Hydra

    While Wisteria was busy dealing with three Alex look-alikes, a slight disturbance along the defensive shield of the institute suddenly appeared.


    This disturbance only happened in a short amount of time, that nobody in the Institute noticed this.


    The only evidence of this event was the two people who suddenly rushed away from the Institute, flying in such speeds that nobody present was able to detect their departure.


    These two people were flying in opposite directions away from each other, with their movements greatly dedicated to improving their speed.


    "¡­"


    If anyone can closely see the appearances of these two, they will surely be surprised, as these two also had the same face and appearance as Alex.


    They shared the similar facial features with Black Alex and White Alex, although their color schemes were vastly different.


    One of them was wearing a metallic vest lidden with glowing blue threads sewn into his body. He was also wearing a blue helmet which hid his hair perfectly. This Alex, whose overall appearance appeared to be blue, was currently flying directly towards the site where Delia had her battle.


    As for the remaining Alex, this one also has a different color theme. He was wearing a silky golden robe, which was paired with a small crown affixed on the top of his head. Combine these clothes with a golden scepter in his hands, and it was clear that this man was living for gold.


    There was a confident and arrogant expression on this Alex''s face as he flied straight towards the nearest building. As for why he was going to this place, it is not yet clear, although the way that he moved made it obvious that he was going to do something important there.


    "Hmm¡­ I think I should make use of my time in this world already. If I don''t do it, then it might be in vain once Emperor LItch devours me¡­" Golden Alex could be heard muttering these words to himself as he got closer and closer to his target building.


    The confidence on his face did not disappear after he said these ominous words, although it was quite obvious that he was slightly unhappy now.


    This unhappiness was easily buried under this Alex''s fa?ade, and it appeared as if he was doing this best to not show it.


    This became more apparent from the next words that he had uttered.


    "Hmph, why am I even worrying now? As long as my other counterparts manages to do their jobs right, then we will prevail in the end! Just you wait, Emperor! It will not be you who devours me! It will be I who will obtain everything from you!" Golden Alex declared boisterously as he raised his fist. There was a tinge of greed on his eyes as he said these words, making him appear more hostile than before.


    "Wait, so what I should do again? Oh right, I think I must display my skills to the audience first. Oh, there''s a kid right there. Maybe she would like a stuffed toy from me¡­"


    "¡­." While Golden Alex was saying these words, Blue Alex on the other hand was just silent.


    Streaks of electricity raced across his body as he flew towards the site of the battle, which was now replaced a numerous craters.


    Blue Alex did not give any visible reaction at the damage made by the battle, as he only continued heading towards the epicenter of the largest crater.


    There appears to be a sense of purpose in the eyes of Blue Alex, making anyone who saw him back away. After all, even if Blue Alex did not display his intentions with his words, his actions alone were enough to stop people from apprehending him.


    And besides, the power emanating out of Blue Alex''s body was also enough to intimidate even the police surrounding the area. Blue Alex just appeared to be too powerful that no one had the courage to delay him.


    Whether Blue Alex was pleased by this arrangement or not is unknown, as he still kept his poker face along the way.


    **********************


    INSIDE ALEX''S SOULSCAPE


    "Hooh¡­ so the mirror worked. I was able to¡­ divide myself into 5 people¡­." Alex, who was currently in his soul form, muttered to himself as he sat cross-legged on the floor. "That''s a good sign."


    There was only an expression of relief and determination on his face as he kept his soul from roaming inside his soulscape.


    "Well, Asteria told me before that the mirror will work, although I can only use it on limited amount of time. But hearing her say the effects compared to experiencing the effects really are two different things¡­" Alex continued to say as he shrugged his shoulders.


    "This¡­ this just feels weird. I feel like I am living in 5 bodies at once, although I can also feel that these bodies are controlled by my powers too. This is just¡­ something that is hard to fathom."


    Just like what Alex had said earlier in the comfort room, his transaction with Asteria allowed him to gain three items that he bought with his lifespan.


    One of these items was the mirror that he shattered and ate earlier.


    This mirror, which was called as the Queen Hydra''s Mirror, was a unique treasure that is meant to be used by people practicing in multiple Power Systems.


    The more Power Systems that a person has, the more effective the effects of the Queen Hydra''s Mirror will be on that person.


    The effect of this mirror is just simple.


    Those who shatters and eats this mirror will for a limited amount of time, have his/her body split into a set number of new bodies.


    The amount of these bodies will depend on the amount of Major Powers that this person had, with more powers meaning more bodies.


    This means that for a person that had 3 Major Powers in his body, his body will be split into three, with each body sharing similarities with the person''s original body.


    Each one of these body will be controlled by the person''s Major Power, with one body controlled by one Major Power.


    As for the original person, his soul will be kept inside his soulscape, and in that place, he can act as a general, giving commandments on his split bodies.


    If he wants one of his bodies to do a task, he can say it directly to this body, and that body will follow him. The execution of this task however will depend on the Major Power controlling this body, so proper wording must be used to relay the task.


    After Alex bought the Queen Hydra''s Mirror from Asteria, he naturally had heard her talking about all of its effects. At that time, he only felt curious and interested from what he heard.


    But now that he actually used it on himself, Alex can definitely say that using this mirror is one of the weirdest things that he had ever felt in his life¡­


    "Damn, this is just really weird. Because of that mirror, my body was split into 5, with each portion controlled by one of my Major Powers. As for me, I am currently stuck here in my soulscape, and the only thing that I can do now is to give commands to my bodies¡­" Alex muttered to himself as his soul flickered, showing the incredulity that he is feeling right now.


    Even though he had already prepared himself before he used the Queen Hydra''s Mirror, Alex was still taken aback by its effect, and the only thing that he can do now is to shake his head as he tried to use the mirror to its fullest potential.


    "So my Esper Ability, Abyss Magic, Conqueror''s Aura, Immortal Cultivation, and Superhero Power were the ones controlling my bodies right now. Good thing these 5 are not stupid." Alex thought to himself as he felt his connection with his 5 bodies.


    Due to his connection with the bodies, he can see what his bodies saw, and he can also feel what these bodies felt. This allowed him to observe everything from the perspective of his 5 bodies, making it easier for him to refine his makeshift plan.


    "So Black Alex(Abyss Magic), White Alex(Immortal Cultivation), and Kid Alex(Superhero Power) are all meeting up with Wisteria and her students. That''s good. Now all that they have to do is to follow my instructions, and it will be easy for them to obtain the storage vault inside the Institute." Alex thought to himself as he observed the interactions made by Black Alex and White Alex.


    "¡­" Alex had high expectations for these three when they began talking with Wisteria, as he thought that they might have the right mindset for a proper conversation.


    But this ''high expectation'' of Alex eventually disappeared as the conversation between Wisteria and his three bodies went on.


    "Ugh!"


    Alex winced as he heard the words that Black Alex and White Alex uttered, making him wish that these two were mute. Kid Alex did not help the situation by acting shy and withdrawn. All in all, these three appeared to be a lost cause in terms of public relations, something with had greatly infuriated Alex.


    "What the hell? Black Alex, why are you talking about the Abyss while you are there? If you continue spouting that crap, someone might think that you are crazy! And you, White Alex. Who the f**k do you think cares about the Dao in this world? This world has a different power system, you dolt! So don''t push your beliefs on them!" Alex roared out from inside his soulscape.


    He made sure that these words of his were heard by Black Alex and White Alex, as this was his only hope of making them shut up.


    This rant of his appeared to have worked, as both Black Alex and White Alex closed their mouths with unwilling expressions on their faces.


    Alex naturally ignored the sullen expression of these two as he continued to give out ''advices'' from his location.


    "As for you, Kid Alex. Why are you acting shy? Even if you are still the weakest among my powers, you cannot act like you are weak! You have the highest potential out of my powers, so you should act like you are the best! Don''t just hide behind White Alex. Show yourself and make the others know what a bigshot you really are!" Alex said, with these words focused to Kid Alex alone. Whether Kid Alex heard this advice of his was unknown, as Kid Alex continued to hide behind White Alex.


    "¡­Fine. You three are doing good. Just don''t do something extravagant right now." Alex said in a low tone as he kneaded his temple(Can you even do that in your soul form?) "And remember what I told you earlier. If you follow that, the contents of the Storage will be ours for the taking¡­"


    After he gave these words to these three, Alex let out a sigh as he now placed his attention on Golden Alex.


    Goldein Alex, which was controlled by Alex''s Conqueror''s Aura, was still flying through the air right now. It was unknown when he would stop from flying like ths, and Alex seemed to show no indication on when he will stop this one.


    There was only a sliver of irritation on Alex''s face as he observed Golden Alex, with his eyes twitching ever so slightly whenever Golden Alex decides to suddenly show-off to the people around him.


    "Golden Alex, I told you to go and fetch Queen Mother and Sierra. I did not tell you to show-off to those people." Alex said in an exasperated tone after he saw Golden Alex giving a rose to a beautiful lady. "I know that you like showing off to people, but you should remember that we are in a tight schedule right now. And besides, having you out here is dangerous, especially if Emperor Litch arrives here. So instead of acting like that, you should just act like a king and do what is necessary for us!"


    "¡­You are a good man, Alex. But sometimes, you are even more overbearing than Emperor Litch himself." Golden Alex replied mentally. "But I like your toughness. You will surely need it once you overthrow Emperor Litch and become a Conqueror yourself."


    "Golden Alex, I will never become like Emperor Litch, so don''t expect me to take his mantle. I have better things to do, and becoming an Emperor is not one of them."


    "Oh really? That''s too bad then. And here I thought you will uphold the wishes of Marie¡­"


    "Whatever I do with Marie''s wish is up to me and not you. So you better shut up and do what I told you to do. If not, then I will make sure to paralyze your body. You wouldn''t want that now right? Golden Alex?"


    "Aww¡­ you really are a spoilsport. But I like that too. I-"


    Alex decisively cut-off his connection with Golden Alex as he realized that he was just going around circles with that person.


    After taking a few deep breaths to calm himself down, Alex let out a sigh as he focused his attention on Blue Alex.


    Blue Alex, which was controlled by Alex''s Esper Ability, was doing its intended job. It was currently scouring the site of Delia''s battle, looking for signs of life and other special objects.


    Alex could not help but feel pleased as he saw Blue Alex''s efficiency in his task.


    "Blue Alex, you are currently my strongest power, so for you to be this good on following my tasks is just commendable." Alex slowly said as he observed everything that Blue Alex sensed. "Sigh, if the other powers were just following your lead, then maybe I won''t have to commandeer all of you. But my luck is not like that, so I guess I should just suck it up and endure¡­"

 Chapter 435 - Lightning, Spear, Bomb, and Tower

    "Blue Alex, continue scouring the area. If you find any abnormalities, head to that place immediately." Alex said after he kept silent for a few seconds. He then focused his attention back on Blue Alex''s senses, as he knew that meeting Delia is an important thing to do right now.


    "Roger." Blue Alex replied mentally as he continued what he was doing.


    Rich pulses of electromagnetic and gravitational power came out of Blue Alex''s head, covering the whole cratered area in just a span of a second. Everything that are within this area has been easily scanned by Blue Alex, which allowed him to detect anything unusual.


    Because Alex was also connected to Blue Alex, he was able to observe what Blue Alex scanned toos.


    "Hm?" After Blue Alex did two more scans with his power, Alex stood up from his place as he narrowed his eyes.


    "Blue Alex. There''s a high concentration of unstable molecules at the left side of this area." Alex slowly said in a meaningful tone. "This instability might be the result of the explosions, but it could also mean something else¡­"


    "Query: Are you asking me to go that zone?" Blue Alex asked as his head swiveled to the place that Alex was talking about. There was only a blank expression on his eyes as he stared at the left side of the area, which was still teeming with smoke and flames at this point.


    The incoming police and military appeared to be unable to approach that area, which just makes it look more unusual.


    "Yes. Just go."


    "Roger that." Blue Alex then literally disappeared from the spot as his body transformed into lightning. This lightning bolt streaked across the area like an uncatchable snake, leaving the people around him in a state of surprise.


    Blue Alex ignored these people around him as he kept his lightning form. He only went back to his original form when he arrived at his destination.


    "Destination reached. What''s your next command, master?" Blue Alex queried as he stopped moving. Now that he already did what Alex asked him to do, Blue Alex went back to his waiting mode.


    "¡­Let''s watch the situation here first. Do not do anything unless I ask you to." Alex replied as he did not comment about Blue Alex''s mannerisms. If it were before, he would surely comment about Blue Alex''s lack of initiative to make a move.


    But right now, Alex had no time to do this as his attention was now focused on a different thing.


    "So they are here¡­" Alex muttered to himself as he observed the place where Blue Alex was looking at right now. "Good thing they are still alive¡­"


    Right in front of Blue Alex, 8 figures could be seen standing on the cratered ground.


    Each one of these figures were emanating powerful auras from their bodies, showcasing that they were not just nobodies that appeared in this place.


    Alex could only nod his head as he saw the appearances of these figures, as he realized that these were the ones that he was looking for all this time.


    Standing at the far left end of the cratered field were General Glaivewood and Sir Xote. Both of them were heavily injured at this point, with General Glaivewood''s body riddled with holes and gashes. Most of these holes were in a rough circular shape, which meant that a lot of force was use to fill him with these holes.


    As for Sir Xote, he appeared to be closer to the brink of death, as most of his shadowy had already disappeared. Smoke and filth could be seen leaking out of Sir Xote''s wounds, making it apparent that he must have gone through a lot just to become like this.


    These two generals were currently huddling close to each other at this point, as their injuries appeared to have forced them to band tightly together.


    Some people can also be seen at the far right side of the area, which was the opposite of the generals'' position.


    Delia, the spearwoman who Alex had been looking for, was occupying this portion with her allies.


    Just like General Glaivewood, Delia also sported the same circular holes and gashes, although the ones that she had was way worse compared to him.


    Most of the holes in her body were concentrated on her torso and neck, making her look like a human swiss cheese. Blood and flesh were constantly falling out of these holes, which made Delia appear like an eternally tortured being.


    It was fortunate that none of these holes were in her head, as the damage that can be seen from these holes was just too much.


    Tong''er and Milo on the other hand were not injured at all, as their bodies were hidden right behind Delia. They only looked shaken from what happened earlier, although their eyes showed that they are still calm.


    From the looks of it, Delia must have used her body to shield Tong''er and Milo from the damage that should have been experienced by them. This resulted on Delia acc.u.mulating more injuries, which led to her current unnerving appearance.


    "¡­"


    Even though Delia had an expression of pain from all of her wounds, there was still a c.o.c.ky smile on her face as if she was not unhappy at all.


    Blood gurgled from her mouth as her smile widened, which made her skin go paler. At this point, Delia appeared like she was extremely close to death. But even with this, Delia still stood straight at her place, with her eyes only looking straight ahead.


    "???" Alex was naturally rendered curious by this reaction from Delia, so he quickly commanded Blue Alex to observe the area where Delia was looking at.


    Fortunately for Alex, this area was actually the center of the cratered field, which was the place that Alex had not yet observed.


    At the moment that he and Blue Alex placed their attention on this area, Alex quickly let out a deep breath as a sinister light flashed across his eyes.


    "So that''s where you are, you lttle f**ker." Alex muttered to himself inwardly as he tried to stop himself from smiling. This endeavor of his failed, as it was too hard to not smile from what he had just seen.


    How could not Alex feel happy?


    He just saw Ray, one of the vilest person that Alex had ever met, nailed on the ground with a spear sticking out of his stomach!


    This spear, which was held by Delia earlier, had punctured its way cleanly through Ray''s stomach. There appeared to be no resistance from Ray when this spear hit him earlier, as he was easily pinned by the spear right into the ground.


    Ray seemed to have no way to move from his current position, as the way that the spear nailed him on the ground made it obvious that he will have to go through great pains just to remove it.


    Copious amounts of blood were seeping out from the wound created by Delia''s spear, which dyed the ground under Ray red. Low, grunting noises can be heard from Ray as his blood continued to spread, with his hatred-filled eyes staring directly at Delia.


    Ray''s companions, who Alex had already been acquainted before, where nowhere to be found in this area. It was as if Ray was the only one who came into this place, and this just made Alex shake his head.


    "You¡­ you b***h! This s**t hurts!" Even when his body had been run through by a spear, Ray still had the power and the audacity to curse his opponent. It was as if he did not care of the situation that he was in, with his attention only focused on Delia alone. "I swear¡­ once I get out of this place, you will be the one that I will kill first! F**k!"


    "Hehehe¡­ You did not expect my attack to land before you activated your explosions, right?" Delia haltingly said as more blood came out of her mouth. Her body started wobbling at this point, and if it were not for the sudden support from her allies, Delia could have fallen to the ground already. "That''s¡­ what you get from being c.o.c.ky!"


    "F**k you! So what if you got me? You''re close to dying already! I just have to wait until you die, and this s**ty wound that I got will be worth it!" Ray replied smugly as his body wiggled. He then let out a roar of pain as the spear began to twist itself.


    There was nobody that was holding the spear, but the spear continued on twisting, which elicited more and more pained roars from Ray.


    "You think I am dying? You must be kidding. You just sneaked attack us, you little s**t!" Delia growled as her eyes began to glow blue. "Sure, the firepower of your explosion are enough to kill Sixth Stage Beings. But your body is not that impressive. As long as I land a well-timed attack on you, you will also be at the brink of death. Just look at yourself right now. Even if my power was already weakened by your explosions, it is still enough to end you¡­. Now just stay still there and let me kill you already."


    "Ahhh! F**k f**k f**k f**k! I will really kill you! Just you wait!" Ray ignored everything that Delia had said to him as he continued to roar and curse with his loudmouth. He then started trashing on his spot, which created more and more wound on his body.


    This just served to make Ray''s situation worse, as his organs are now caught by the twisting spear.


    "Ahhh!!!!"


    "Damn¡­. Delia sure is cruel." This was all that Alex could say as he observed the ''torture'' that Ray was going through. Even when Alex was partially okay with what he was seeing, he still could not help but feel a chill from this.


    "Ahhh!! F**k you Delia!!! I swear, I swear, you will be inside my bombs once I get out of here! I swear I will make you feel pain that will make you wish that you were dead!"


    "¡­."


    After a few more seconds of observing the situation, Alex began to frown as he noticed something from Delia''s actions.


    "Oi, when will you stop doing that? Just end him already!" Alex muttered as he began shaking his head. "Do you really want to make Ray suffer more? F**k that. Just kill him already!"


    From the looks of it, Delia was refraining herself from killing Ray. This of course made Alex feel irritated, as Delia was now wasting a chance to end an enemy.


    "Ugh, Blue Alex, I think you should swoop in now. Kill Ray already." Alex immediately said after he realized Delia''s intentions. "Don''t let that woman waste more of our time here."


    "Roger that." Blue Alex said as he raised his hand.


    His stance made it obvious that he was about to attack, but before he can even start this process, a massive object interrupted him.


    A massive red tower suddenly came swooping in out of nowhere, with its base rushing straight towards Delia.


    The size and the power emanating from this tower made it apparent that it was not a normal tower.


    "Blue Alex! Change of plans! Go and save Delia from that tower! She must not die!" At the moment that he saw this tower, Alex immediately forgot his plans on killing Ray. This red tower was something that he was familiar with, so he knew just how dangerous it is.


    "Roger!"


    "Bzzt!" In order to maximize his movement speed, Blue Alex quickly transformed himself into a lightning bolt once more. He then moved away from his spot, moving towards his new target.


    His target at this point was Delia, who was standing stock-still in face of the coming tower. She seemed to have noticed the arrival of the red tower, although her severe injuries have stopped her from even trying to dodge.


    She can only wait for the tower to hit her body, with Blue Alex still rushing in to save her.


    "Malthus¡­ so you have revealed yourself. That makes all of us Travelers present here." Alex thought to himself as he urged Blue Alex to move faster. "Now that we are all here, let''s continue the fight that we had before. I can''t just be satisfied dodging your tower¡­"

 Chapter 436 - I had an exam and a tournament today, so I was unable to post chapters.

    Next chapter will come back tomorrow.


    For now, just ignore this chapter and go on with your life.


    I can only post this with 400 words, so the next words will just be repitition.


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    I can only post this with 400 words, so the next words will jsut be repitition.


    Next chapter will come back tomorrow.


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    I can only post this with 400 words, so the next words will jsut be repitition.


    Next chapter will come back tomorrow.


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    I can only post this with 400 words, so the next words will jsut be repitition.


    Next chapter will come back tomorrow.


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    I can only post this with 400 words, so the next words will jsut be repitition.


    Next chapter will come back tomorrow.


    For now, just ignore this chapter and go on with your life.


    I can only post this with 400 words, so the next words will jsut be repitition.


    Next chapter will come back tomorrow.


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    I can only post this with 400 words, so the next words will jsut be repitition.


    Next chapter will come back tomorrow.


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 Chapter 437 - Star Fi- Armor!

    "Is there another problem again, Alexander?"


    "No. there''s  no problem. Just shut up and let me stay quiet." Black Alex replied to Wisteria. His whole demeanor, which appeared be nearing the foul side since earlier, just continued to worsen he longer that Wisteria was with him. "Continue talking, and I will call the Abyss to end you here."


    "¡­Something is wrong with you. Definitely." This was all that Wisteria could say as she once more retreated from Black Alex. "I mean, just look at the kids. Even they were scared of approaching you. "


    "¡­"


    "What? Are you going to tell me that you will also call the Abyss to end these kids?" Wisteria retorted as she noticed the wide berth made by her students around Black Alex. "Go on, try doing that."


    If it were before, her students will usually flock around Alex like bees around honey. But right now, none of these students had the courage to approach ''Alex'', as if the current him was  too terrifying even for the usually oblivious kids.


    "Tsk." Black Alex said nothing to this comment, as he went back on his surly mode.


    "I really have to put up with this guy? This freaking s**ks... Why can''t he be like the white one and the kid? They''re much-more behaved¡­"  Wisteria could be heard mumbling to herself as he shook her head. Right now, her gaze was focused on White Alex and Kid Alex, who unlike Black Alex, were actually close to her students.


    White Alex could be seen giving the students some kind of candy, while Kid Alex was shyly interacting with the other kids.


    "¡­"


    The way that these two were able to bond with the students were leagues better compared to Black Alex, and this just made Wisteria treat the two with warmness. Of course, she was still suspicious of these two.


    "I don''t know what is going on here, but these three must be trying to do something with these kids¡­" Wisteria muttered to herself as she let out a sigh. She then began walking towards White Alex while he clutched her hand.


    "Hm? You''re approaching me? Is there anything that you need, Miss Wisteria?" White Alex, who still looked immaculate in his white attire, slowly said as he gave Wisteria a brilliant smile.


    Some of the kids smiled brightly after seeing this, as if the smile of this man was something that was enough to satisfy them.


    Wisteria ignored the effects of his smile as she continued to approach White Alex.


    "So, why are you and that kid here?" Wisteria asked after she stopped a few feet away from White Alex. Her foot was squarely planted on the ground at thiss point, with her body busy on acc.u.mulating her Symbolist and Celestial Powers. "Are you perhaps here¡­ for something that your brother wanted?"


    "Oh, we were just here becaues of an accident, Miss Wisteria." White Alex replied as he raised one of his fingers.


    "An accident? Really?"


    "We might look suspicious to you, but you should remember that the Dao is something that you cannot understand." In face of Wisteria''s suspicion, White Alex kept his normal face as he talked to her. "If the Dao wanted us to meet here, then that is something that you cannot fathom or even stop. So instead of fighting against this moment, you should just accept it, as this is what the Dao wants."


    "Hmph, Dao my ass. Just spit it all up already!" In face of White Alex''s winding and confusing words, along with Black Alex''s taciturn and rude behavior, Wisteria was unable to keep her calm at all.


    "I''m really sorry that we are making you act like this. But just like what I said before, everything that happens here is because of the Dao. So if something happens here, there''s no way that you can stop it, even with your suspicion. Your preventive measures¡­ will just be useless." White Alex replied ''apologetically''.


    "You!"


    "That is why, I have to apologize to you in advance already." White Alex continued to say. "What will happen from here will hurt, but it will be for the best for everyone here¡­"


    "Hurt? Wait, are you-"


    "Go to sleep already, Miss Wisteria. We still need you for the ritual later." White Alex nonchalantly muttered as he pulled out a sword out of thin air.


    "Sching!"


    The sword, which was as thin as paper and as wide as a bamboo stick, let out a gentle and soothing presence after it was revealed.


    This sword, which appeared to be a meek object to anyone that sees it, began to shake as it let out a sonorous hum in the air.


    "Hum¡­"


    This sound, which has the quality of a lullaby, quickly spread itself inside the room.  Nothing was able to stop this sound from spreading out, not even Wisteria, who at this point waa using numerous Symbols to stop the sound from moving.


    "F**k! What the hell is this?"


    Under Wisteria''s panicking and angered eyes,  each one of her students immediately crumpled to the ground once they heard the sound. Even those who tried to use their powers to make fight against the sound all failed, as they eventually faded out.


    In the end, all of Wisteria''s students had fallen asleep, with their snores showing how comfortable they are right now.


    Wisteria, who was unable to stop this from happening, could only stare at White Alex malevolently.


    "Oh¡­ now that''s a look that a cultivator should not have." White Alex said as he waved the sword casually. "You heart¡­ must not be tainted in order for you to become a cultivator. If you let that heart demons consume you, then you will be nothing but dust in front of the Dao."


    "¡­."


    Once these kids were incapacitated, the sword stopped humming as its peaceful demeanor disappeared.


    The sword then let out a lofty and domineering aura at this point, with its blade turning blood-red. A hint of bloodl.u.s.t could be felt coming out of the sword as these changes happened, something with made Wisteria tense her body.


    After the sword revealed its new form, White Alex pointed it at Wisteria, who was already fuming from everything that White Alex did.


    Judging by the fluctuations surrounding her body, Wisteria appeared to be ready to fight. And she did not hide this fact, especially now that White Alex was pointing this sword at her.


    "So you knocked the kids out. What''s next? Will you try to knock me out too?" Wisteria slowly said as  she assumed a fighting stance. She lowered her h.i.p.s until it was perpendicular to the ground. She then lowered her elbows, with hands pointing squarely at White Alex. She kept her head and legs straight in this stance, making her look like someone who was ready to fight with a horse stance. "Go on, try that to me. Let''s see if you have the power to subdue me¡­"


    She then let out a roar, which manifested a silvery, metallic armor that quickly shot itself towards her.


    This armor, which had 70 glowing points embedded on it, has covered Wisteria''s body in an efficient fashion.


    None of Wisteria''s weak points were exposed under this armor, with even her eyes covered by it.


    At the instant that her body and the armor fused together,  Wisteria let out another roar.


    This time around, this roar was accompanied by the appearance of a halberd, which Wisteria grabbed with her armor clad hands.


    This halberd had 10 glowing points embedded on its body, which began to blink in conjunction to the glowing points on Wisteria''s armor.


    A illusory  dragon suddenly manifested itself at this point, appearing right behind the armored Wisteria.


    This dragon, although it appeared to be just an illusion, still had a life-like feeling to it that anyone who sees this dragon might think for a split-second that it was real!


    This dragon began to bare its fangs as it melded itself with Wisteria''s armor and halberd. This process happened in just an instant, and before anyone else could notice it, the dragon has already disappeared, with its body now residing inside the armor and the halberd.


    It was only at this point that the changes on Wisteria stopped. Her final form, which took her approximately 1 second to complete, was that of a woman wearing a draconic armor and a reptilian sword.


    Wisteria, in all ways, appeared to be both terrifying and valiant in her new form, which seemed to have spurned her confidence.


    "I know that I will be ending up crossing swords with Alexander. But to think that I will actually fight against his relatives is something that I did not think of." Wisteria said in a muffled tone as she shifted her body. "I hope that you are just as strong as what I expected. Becase if not, then all my suspicions will just be wasted¡­"


    Her armor moved silently and fluidly with each of her movements, showing how perfectly made this armor was. Combine this efficiency with the raw power contained in the armor, and one can definitely say that Wisteria was ready to decimate any of her opponents right now.


    "That armor sure looks nice. Is that the result of the mixture of Symbolist Power and Celestial Power?" White Alex commented nonchalantly as he stared at Wisteria''s new appearance. Even if his overall power appeared to be lower compared to the current Wisteria, there was no fear in his eyes as he just regarded her with curiosity.


    "Hmph, this is a Star Armor. Only a person that can use both Celestial and Symbolist power can manifest and use this weapon." Wisteria replied with a sneer as she hefted her halberd. "You should know that using this armor is something that I don''t like to do. Especially against Alexander, since he is the one that helped me out with my debt. But since you had decided to attack me, you left me with no choice  but to defend myself. Surely Alexander can understand this once I explain it to him later."


    "From the way that you talked you are making it appear as if Alexander is not here." White Alex commented as his sword dipped lightly. "If you think that Alexander is not here, then congratulations, you are right. But don''t think that just because Alex is not here, that you can win against me. Especially when there are three of us inside this room¡­"


    "Hmph, you think that you, that kid and that broody Alexander look-alike can beat me? If Alexander was here, then maybe he can give me a good fight. But for you three? Hmph, one swing of my halberd is enough!" Wisteria blurted out as she lowered her halberd. Even if her face was hidden by her armor, it was obvious from her voice that she is highly confident.


    "If it were me and Kid Alexander who will fight you, then it is highly possible for you to win. After all, the both of us were only strong enough to fight Third Stage Beings¡­" White Alex replied as he observed the lowered halberd. "But you cannot say the same thing about Black Alex. He is someone¡­ who you cannot hope to beat with your current state!"


    "Him? That black one? Heh, even if he is stronger than you, I can definitely feel that he is not a threat." Wisteria lazily said as her head swiveled towards Black Alex. "Just look at him! He-"


    Whatever boast Wisteria was going to say was stuck in her throat when she saw Black Alex''s appearance.


    His surly face and dark clothes were completely unseen at this point.


    Instead of seeing these usual things, what Wisteria saw was a fully-armored Black Alex, who was just standing on his spot with a nonchalant attitude.


    His whole body was covered with an obsidian armor, which had 100 glowing points embedded on its surface.  These points, which appeared to be larger and brighter compared to the ones on Wisteria''s armor, were letting out a shrieking sound that sounded like it came from a nightmare.


    An illusory, tentacled abomination then materialized behind Black Alex as the shrieking sounds continued to intensify.  This abomination only lasted for around a second, as it was immediately absorbed by the obsidian armor.


    Once this absorption was done, the shrieking sounds disappeared, as if they never existed at all. The armor then began to roil as multiple tentacles sprouted of its joints, something which made Wisteria take back a step.


    As more and more tentacles sprouted out of the obsidian armor, the clearly surprised Wisteria can only jump away from Black Alex as she began questioning what she was seeing.


    "What the hell? How can you have a Star Armor too?" Wisteria hissed as she placed herself at the farthest corner of the room.  There was a hint of desperation in her tone as shrunk herself nearer to the wall, making her look somewhat pathetic compared to Black Alex. "And why is that armor much stronger compared to mine! This¡­ this must be a trick!"


    "A Star Armor is an armor forged by using the powre of  both the Symbolist and a Celestial. Once the armor was formed, its creator will use the Stellar Essence inside the armor to form a connection with a Divine Being." Black Alex, who had been silent since earlier, began to talk as his armor continued to change shape.


    "By using the power of a Symbolist, a contract can be forged between that Divine being and the user of the Star Armor. If the contract was successfully made, then the user of the Star Armor can borrow a portion of that Divine Being''s power. In your case, you forged a contract a dragon. That dragon might be from the Dragon God Plane or some other place. I don''t care where that dragon really is. The only thing that I know is that you are confident because of that dragon''s power."


    "But you''re unlucky that you met me. My Star Armor¡­ was forged and had a contract with the Abyss Plane itself. This kind of armor¡­ is not something that your paltry suit can fight against." Black Alex continued to say, with each of his words seemingly able to knock the breath out of Wisteria. "If you still want to fight me with everything that I said, then come here and fight me. But you must know that you are facing against the Abyss this time. If you try to fight the Abyss, the Abyss will not be merciful to you¡­"

 Chapter 438 - Subtle threats are still threats, no matter what you think about it

    5 MINUTES LATER.


    The sudden appearance of Blue Alex and Malthus on the cratered area brought forth another world-shaking battle. This time around, more powerful ripples came out as these two fought it out with the other powerhouses, making everyone in the whole Four Moons World shake from both fear and anticipation.


    The people currently inside the Institute were no different form these people, as almost all of them were captivated by the new battle. Even if they were scared with what they were seeing, the students and the teachers were all intently observing the fight.


    Their interest in this new battle was so great that they did not notice four figures stealthily entering the the Institute Building.


    These four figures, which appeared to have no interest at the battle at all, were now currently inside the Institute Building. And from the looks of it, they seemed to be trying to enter the deeper parts of the building itself.


    If it were the normal situation, then someone from the teacher or the guards could have stopped them already. But due to the fact that almost everyone was captivated by the battle, these four were able to swiftly reach their destination.


    "Thud."


    The four only stopped moving once they reached the lowest part of the Institute Building, which was located 500 meters below the ground.


    Here, only metallic walls and numerous machines could be seen scuttling around. There were no signs of life at all in this place, making it appear both alien and hostile.


    One of the four figures visibly shuddered once they reached this place, while the remaining three appeared to be excited at this point.


    "Here. This is the place where the Storage Vault of the Institute is located. Are you happy now?" The figure who shuddered said as it gave the other three a baleful look. There were both resignation and fear in the figure''s face as it glared at its companions, as if it was not happy with its situation at all.


    These unstable emptions were further exemplified when this figure began to reveal its body, which was hidden by a piece of cloth since earlier.


    "Now that I have brought you here, can you let me off already?" The figure, who was actually Wisteria in disguise, said as she stuffed the piece of cloth inside her pocket. This woman who was wearing a domineering armor earlier appeared to be acting meekly right now, something that will surely make other people feel shock.


    But with the things that happened just earlier, it was inevitable for Wisteria to be acting like this.


    After all, her prided Star Armor was shown to be weaker than Black Alex''s Star Armor. With just that display alone, it was already shown to Wisteria that she had no hope on winning against her opponents.


    This left her with no choice but to listen to her opponent''s demands, which brings her at this place along with them.


    "Well¡­. There''s still one thing that you should do." Replied one of Wisteria''s companions. Of course at this point, it was easy to point out that the other three who was accompanying Wisteria right now were Black Alex, White Alex, and Kid Alex.


    The one who just replied to Wisteria was White Alex, who was still holding his blood-red sword.


    The killing intent that he had in his eyes earlier has not yet disappeared, and it seemed to have increased now that Wisteria was in this place.


    This man, who had previously spoken about the Dao in a calm manner was almost non-existent at this point, as only the presence of a sly butcher can be felt from his body.


    "What? You still want me to do one more thing? But I already brought you to the Storage! What more would you want!" Wisteria shouted out as she gave the three a confused look. "Didn''t you make an Oath that as long as I bring you here, you will set me free? If you will uphold the Oath, then let me go already! If you don''t, then you will regret breaking the Oath!"


    "Miss Wisteria. We have indeed promise to set you free once you brought us here. However, our definition of freedom is not the same as yours¡­" White Alex replied calmly as he twirled his sword. "Be rest assured. We will really set you free starting from now on. But just like what I said earlier, the freedom that you will get is not like the one that you are thinking of¡­"


    "A different freedom? You¡­ you are just clearly playing games with me!"


    "I am not playing games with you. You are not worthy enough for that." White Alex said in an almost snarling tone. He appeared to be offended by Wisteria''s latest retorts, and he clearly showed this offense on his face.


    "I am not playing games with you. After all, you are just a part of my game. You are one of the pieces that I am using to fight against my real opponent¡­" White Alex continued to say as he and the other two Alex''s approached Wisteria. "So don''t be scared. I will not kill you, as you are still important to me. But don''t think that your life will be like what you foresee it¡­"


    "You-" Before Wisteria can say something else, Black Alex chopped her neck with the back of his hand, which quickly brought her to the dreamland.


    Her unconscious body was caught deftly by Black Alex''s extended hand. He then passed her body towards White Alex, who held the sleeping Wisteria in a gentle manner.


    "Wisteria had been acquired already. Now, all that we need to obtain are the materials inside the storage vault¡­" White Alex murmured enthusiastically to himself as he adjusted his hold on Wisteria.


    He appeared to be happy with his capture on Wisteria, although some signs of worry could be seen on his eyes.


    "Hmm¡­ because the Original Alex is busy on fighting with Blue Alex, he had no way to give us instructions right now. This means that we just have to wing this operation by ourselves, and hope that nothing wrong will happen from this point¡­" White Alex said as he gazed at the direction where Blue Alex was having his fight.


    "Sigh¡­ if I were just at the Core Formation or the Nascent Soul Stage, then maybe I would have a better role in this operation. But since I am still at Foundation Establishment, this is the best that I can do¡­" White Alex sulkingly said as he made a small pout. "But whatever. At least I have the Black Alex and Kid Alex with me. With these two here, I am sure that we can perform our task perfectly!"


    It was at this point that the silent Black Alex began talking.


    "White Alex, I already sent my Abyss Sprites towards the end of this hallway. They saw a massive steel door there. That door must be the entrance to the Storage Vault." Black Alex said in a hoarse tone as he crossed his arms.


    "Your Sprites detected that? How impressive¡­" White Alex said in a fake jealous tone as he looked at the direction of the hallway nervously. "So, were they able to see the inside of the storage too?"


    "No. Maybe its because there''s some kind of anti-spying spells placed on that door. That made it impossible for my Sprites to observe the storage from the outside¡­" Black Alex replied with a grimace. "That means that if we want to be sure on the contents of the storage, then we must open it manually already."


    "Sike, why did I not think of that? How silly of me!"


    "¡­."


    "Don''t look at me like that too, Black Alex. We''re cooperation here, so let''s just keep it cool and focus on our task, ok?"


    "¡­Fine. Just let my Abyss Sprites do their job on opening this door. As for you and the kid, stay back here in case something wrong happens."


    "Oh, that''s what I am thinking that you should do since earlier. Since you said it by yourself, then go there and open the storage already! Hehe, I wish you luck! May the will of the Dao be with you today!"


    "I don''t care about your Dao. My fate is already tied to the Abyss, so whatever happens to me will be the will of the Abyss¡­"


    "Okay, Black Alex. I get it. You and I are different. Now that we have established that, it is now time for you to show your worth! Open that metal door already!"


    "White Alex, there''s no need for you to say that command again. My sprites had just opened the door."


    "That fast?"


    "Yes, my sprites are just that good. Hmm.. from what my Abyss Sprites can see, I can tell you that the storage is the real deal. Oh Abyss, thank you for the blessings that I had in this mission¡­" Black Alex then began to perform a bizarre prayer ritual at this point, something that White Alex obviously did not know.


    "¡­Hoooh. My sprites can see a lot of treasures inside the storage. Not only that, but from what my Sprites can sense, the things that the Original Alex was looking for was also inside this storage too." Black Alex mumbled after he stopped his prayer. "Good, this is good. I thank the Abyss for these blessings once more."


    "¡­Good job Black Alex. Now, the next thing that we should do is the collection itself." White Alex said in a normal tone, as if what he was just saying was something that he can just casually say anywhere.


    "If there are any traps that will activate when we enter the storage, you and I will deal with these traps." White Alex continued to say as he pulled Kid Alex lightly with him "As for Kid Alex, he will be the one that will obtain our target items. Once we did that, we will leave this place quickly, and then we wait for Original Alex''s signal on starting the ritual¡­."


    "That''s a pretty simple plan, but it will only succeed if we survive the ''traps'' part." Black Alex replied as he let out a snort. "Hmph, knowing Emperor Litch, there''s no doubt that he left some traps in this place. After all, this man whose slyness and maliciousness was enough to make the Abyss hungry, surely knows that this storage is something that can tempt the Original Alex. For this storage to have deadly traps meant for us is not impossible¡­"


    "Now that you say it that way Black Alex, it is indeed bad¡­"


    "Tsk, it will only be through you and the Abyss'' support on me that we can succeed here, White Alex. So stop spouting about your Dao nonsense and just let the Abyss do its glorious job here!"


    "Well, well, well, I wish us luck here. You''re the strongest one here Black Alex, so I hope you can help me out later." White Alex said with a laugh as he began striding towards the storage vault. "Even if you are clearly tied to an evil existence, you are still a part of the original Alex, so I know that you will not betray us later. You¡­ you will not betray us, right?"


    "No. I will not do that. To do that means that I violate the rights that the Abyss had given to the original Alex. To do something like that¡­ is not in my nature." Black Alex quickly replied as he and Kid Alex followed White Alex.


    "Is that so? I''m relieved. Since your Dao is also related to evil, I thought you will be harboring evil thoughts against us. It''s good to know that you are still loyal to us¡­"


    Black Alex said nothing regarding this last comment, as he just continued on approaching the storage vault. White Alex and Kid Alex took notice of this silence, although none of these two made any issue out of it.


    "¡­" All three of them were only silent as they reached the door of the storage vault, which was now ripped apart by some kind of corrosive ability.


    "Good job, Wrath. I will make sure to feed you with more of my anger later." Black Alex mumbled as he nonchalantly stepped through the opening on the door of the storage vault. He seemed to be not worried on what will happen to himself by doing this, as he just went through the door like he was entering his room.


    "¡­" Both White Alex and Kid Alex shook her head upon seeing this, although just like earlier, they still did not make any issue of it.


    They just kept their mouths shut as they entered through the door too, leaving nothing behind them but the air displaced by their movements.

 Chapter 439 - The End of Time!

    To the surprise of Black Alex and White Alex, nothing dangerous had happened to them once they entered the storage.


    Nothing stopped them from walking and observing all the items in the vault, which made Kid Alex feel less tense.


    Black Alex and White Alex however did not lower their wariness, as they both knew that something is up with this scenario.


    "¡­Even when this place held important objects that can tempt the original Alex, there''s no traps that were prepared against him? How interesting¡­" White Alex said aloud as he looked around him.


    Even though he was currently tense from any unexpected attack, his eyes were glinting especially when he saw the treasures gathered around him. Greed, an emotion which was usually unseen from White Alex, was clearly visible in his eyes as his gaze roved on all the treasures.


    If it were not for the threat of possible traps, then White Alex could have already started gathering all of these treasures with him. Black Alex appeared to be on the same dilemma too, although he was not exactly showing his greed at all.


    "Oh well, if there''s no traps, then I guess we should start getting what we came here for." White Alex finally said after a few more minutes of staying inside the storage vault. "Maybe Emperor Litch forgot that this place is vital to him. Maybe he did not know that original Alex is interested on this place. Hehehe, if that''s the case, then it will be just easy pickings for us!"


    White Alex then started walking imperiously towards the treasures, with both of this arms raised above his head.


    "Black Alex and Kid Alex. Don''t just stand there. Come here and start gathering our needed items too!" White Alex bellowed as he began to access Alina''s Storage. "If we delay this, the Dao might give us some unfortunate delays!"


    [DELAYS, YOU SAY? YOUNG MAN, IF YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT DELAYS, THEN YOU ARE LOOKING AT ONE RIGHT NOW.]


    "Who?" White Alex blurted as he whipped his head around. The voice that just spoke up right now was something that caught him by surprise, so much so that he almost dropped his sword.


    [IS THAT HOW YOU ACT AFTER HEARING MY VOICE? HOW RUDE. IT APPEARS AS IF YOU ARE IN DIRE NEED OF SOME DISCIPLINING FROM ME. BUT I AM IN A MISSION HERE, SO YOUR DISCIPLINE LESSONS WILL COME LATER¡­] The voice complained as White Alex, Black Alex and Kid Alex began looking around them with suspicion.


    Even when these three was hearing this voice inside the storage, none of them can detect where this voice comes from.


    Even when Black Alex used his emotion sensor to observe his surroundings, he still could not detect the source of this voice.


    This seemed to have amused the owner of the voice, as a hearty laughter was suddenly heard from it.


    [HEHEHE¡­. YOU DON''T NEED TO LOOK FOR ME ANYMORE. I AM SHAPELESS, AND I AM NOTHINGNESS. THERE''S NOTHING THAT YOU CAN DO TO DETECT ME, SO JUST STOP YOUR FUTILE ACTIOSS ALREADY!]


    "Shapeless and nothingness? You¡­  you  are Assan, the Thousand-Bodied Assassin!" White Alex exclaimed as he huddled together with Black Alex and Kid Alex. At this point, all the three of them were in their battle stances, as if White Alex''s declaration had flipped a switch on them.


    [OH¡­. SO YOU THREE ARE NOT JUST MINDLESS DRONES CREATED BY ALEX. YOU HAVE INTELLIGENCE THAT IS COMPARABLE WITH MY EXTRA BODIES. INTERESTING¡­] Assan murmured in interest, with his reverberating voice still spreading inside the storage. [AND HERE I THOUGHT THAT ALEX WAS TIRED ON HAVING EXTRA BODIES¡­ SO HAS HE GOTTEN OVER HIS PAST ALREADY? THAT''S SURPRISING¡­]


    "Assan. Even if you are a heinous assassin that is feared by many,  you are still Alex''s friend.  You know about his situation. Since you can clearly sympathize with him, then just let us off here." White Alex hesitantly said as he raised his sword above him. "Even if you are one of Emperor Litch''s best assassins, I know that you are also someone who values friends. Alex is one of your closest friends, so please, just don''t bother him anymore."


    [BOTHER HIM? HEH, IF HE WANTS ME TO STOP LOOKING FOR HIM, THEN HE BETTER SAY THAT TO MY FACE!] Assan shot back with derision present on his tone. [HOW DARE HE COMMAND ME TO STOP BOTHERING ME, WHEN HE WAS JUST HIDING HIMSELF FROM ME?  HMPH, SINCE HE DOES NOT WANT TO SEE ME, THEN I WILL FORCE HIM TO SEE ME!]


    "Assan, you-"


    [I DON''T KNOW HOW ALEX WAS ABLE TO CREATE YOU THREE, BUT FORM WHAT I CAN SEE, YOU ARE IMPORTANT TO HIM. I WONDER WHAT WOULD HAPPEN¡­ IF I CAPTURE YOU HERE? WOULD HE COME AND SEE ME ALREADY? HMM¡­ WHY AM I EVEN ASKING ABOUT THAT? I SHOULD JUST DO IT ALREADY!]


    "You!"


    [I HAVE BEEN STAYIGN INSIDE THIS STORAGE FOR OVER 10 YEARS ALREADY. THE EMPEROR TOLD ME THAT AS LONG AS I STAY HERE, SOMETHING INTERESTING WILL HAPPEN. AT FIRST I DID NOT BELIEVE HIM. AFTER ALL, WHO WOULD WANT THIS STORAGE, WICH ONLY CONTAINS ANTIQUE S**T? BUT LO AND BEHOLD, YOU THREE ACTUALLY CAME HERE! HAHAHAHA, THIS JUST MAKES MY LIFE MORE INTERESTING!]


    "Gloom¡­"


    After Assan said these words, the walls of the storage vault began to shake as multiple bodies began sprouting out of the walls.


    These bodies all donned the same appearances, with their bodies covered with silky clothing. Nothing could be actually seen from their faces,  as even these were covered by their clothing.


    Tight metallic belts could be seen wrapped around their foreheads, necks, and waists, making them look like tightly-bound body bags. The only difference here was that these bodies were moving in a normal fashion, although their movements were veering towards the eerie side.


    To anyone who sees these bodies right now, they will surely be unsettled as all of these bodies looked exactly alike each other. These bodies have the same height, same width, and same mannerisms. To say that these bodies were exact copies of each other is not a wrong thing to say, as this was the only thing that can explain the behavior of these bodies.


    Once these bodies came out of the walls, they began to form a line which blocked the door that White Alex had entered in earlier.


    [ALEX IS A COMPETITIVE GUY. THAT MEANS THAT IF HE WANTS TO GET WHAT HE WANTS IN THIS STORAGE, THEN HE MUST FIGHT FOR IT.] Assan said as the bodies began to walk towards the Alex Trio. [I DON''T CARE ON HOW HE DOES IT, BUT AS LONG AS HE WINS AGAINST ME, THEN I WILL LET HIM OFF HERE¡­.]


    "Ugh, why is the Dao so bad today? Did I jinx myself earlier?" White Alex complained as he let out a sigh. He then placed Kid Alex behind him as he fed power to his blood-red sword.


    "Hum¡­."


    The sword let out a murderous hum as White Alex fed his intentions on it. The stench of blood filled the air as the sword continued to hum, making even the bodies pause for a second.


    [AN IMMORTAL CULTIVATION BODY? DAMN BOY, HOW THE HELL DID ALEX GET SOMETHING LIKE THIS?] Assan exclaimed in a light tone as the bodies resumed their movements. [AND WHAT IS THAT BLACK ONE BESIDE YOU? HMM¡­ THAT''S THE POWER OF THE ABYSS! HOO BOY¡­. I''M SO JEALOUS OF ALEX ALREADY! HE WAS JUST GONE FOR A FEW YEARS, AND HE ALREADY HAD THINGS LIKE THESE? HMPH, I MUST MAKE HIM CONFESS TO ME LATER!]


    "Boom!"


    Without any prior warnings, all the bodies ran towards the Alex trio, brandishing  weapons that suddenly appeared on their hands.


    The killing intent form the bodies as they approached the trio were not fake at all, which showed their seriousness on killing the trio.


    In face of this attack, both White Alex and Black Alex held their ground while Kid Alex continued to hide behind them.


    "Scwhaa¡­"


    Without any delays on his movements, Black Alex quickly recalled his Abyss Sprites towards him.  He then had them transform into his Abyss Sage attire, bringing him to his peak form.


    At the instant that he reached this point, Black Alex let out a low growl as he pointed his finger at the incoming bodies.


    There was only anger and rage in his voice as he glared at his attackers, making his subsequent attack appear both spiteful and venomous.


    {{{ORIGINAL ABYS SPELL: CALAMITY OF THE SEVEN SINS!}}}


    "Boom!"


    Alex''s signature Seven-Branched Tree appeared behind Black Alex, radiating a fearsome power that threatened to shake the whole place.


    Unlike before, the size of this tree had been reduced, making it fit inside the storage vault. But even with this size, nobody inside the vault paid it any less attention.


    From this tree''s seven branches, only three were dim and lifeless. The other four branches were glowing with such malice and evil that even White Alex could not help but back away from the tree.


    Assan appeared to be surprised by the sight of this tree, but instead of showing any signs of fear, he just laughed as he regarded the tree with enthusiasm.


    [HAHAHA! I LIKE THIS ONE! AN ORIGNAL ABYSS SPELL? HAHAHA! FIRE IT TO ME ALREADY! LET''S SEE IF YOU CAN BEST MY OWN POWER!]


    "You asked for it, Assan. Don''t regret it once you have been consumed by the Abyss." Black Alex mumbled as he grabbed the Tree with his hands. He then ripped off one of the glowing branches, which elicited a roar of pain from the tree.


    "Gryaa!" This pained roar sounded both graphic and vengeful, although Black Alex just duly ignored it.


    Instead of tending to the tree that he just hurt, Black Alex placed his attention to the branch that he just obtained.


    His eyes, which glowed red from the red light emitted by the branch, narrowed in anticipation as he crushed the branch into a tiny ball.


    "Crunch¡­"


    Once he had a piece of spherical wood on his hand, Black Alex let out a roar as he threw this ball towards his attackers, who appeared to be unable to stop him from his actions.


    The only thing that they could do was to receive this ball head-on, something that seemed to have not worried them.


    This lack of worry however, was quickly wiped away when Black Alex began to chant words of power right into the wooden ball.


    {{{THIRD BRANCH ACTIVATE: THE END OF TIME!}}}

 Chapter 440 - Alexs Weird Adventures: Golden Brat

    "So out of all the powers today, I''m the only one that is not yet fighting? Hmph, this is not right! I should be showing off my power too!" Golden Alex said in a pissed-off tone as he gritted his teeth.


    His dashing appearance from earlier was now marred by the ugly look on his face, making the people crowding around him back away from fear.


    Golden Alex ignored these adverse reactions from the crowd as he began to fly away.


    "Tsk, so this is what Original Alex wanted me to do? He just wanted to visit his friend, while his other powers are fighting by showing off their capabilities? Hmph, what a conniving person!" As his body continued to soar on the air unobstructed, Golden Alex let out an exasperated sigh as he wiped his wet forehead.


    His forehead was wet with his sweat, something that had been bothering him since earlier. It was only now that he was away from the crowd that he managed to give more attention to it.


    "Tsk, if I am feeling something like this, then it means that that f**ker Emperor is getting nearer already¡­" Golden Alex mumbled as he clenched his fist. An unfathomable look appeared on his eyes as he gritted his teeth, making him appear irritated from what he had just thought.


    "F**k, if White Alex and Black Alex f**ks up on their fights against Assan, our plan to take over this world will be delayed¡­ If that happens, then I will be the first one to be affected! S**t, I should have been the one fighting there! Why did I even agree to be the one to meet up with that tree woman?" Golden Alex complained inwardly as he observed the buildings erected around him.


    These buildings, which appeared like massive nails puncturing the ground, only served to increase Golden Alex''s irritation as he knew that it was that Emperor who made these possible.


    "Ugh¡­ let me see. Since the original Alex is busy with Blue Alex, then I just have to make my own independent action. Yes, he will not surely complain from this¡­" Golden Alex muttered as he shook his head. "After observing Queen Mother''s condition, I will immediately go back to the Institute to assist Black and White Alex. That way, our victory against Assan can be assured¡­"


    After he made this makeshift plan out of the fly, Golden Alex''s irritation disappeared as he felt pleased with himself. He felt that with his plan, he will be able to save the original Alex from messing things up. If that really happens, then the original Alex will be indebted to him¡­


    "Hehehe, I will just think about the good results later. For now, I should display my might towards Queen Mother!" Golden Alex then sped up his flight as he urged himself to reach Queen Mother''s current destination.


    With his connection to the original Alex, Golden Alex can feel where Queen Mother and Sierra are right now. This allowed him to track them easily, although their current location was a place that had Golden Alex feeling confused.


    "What the hell? Shouldn''t Queen Mother be inside the apartment, preparing herself for her own task? Why is she outside the apartment then? Hm¡­. This feels fishy."


    At this point, the curious Golden Alex stroked his chin as a knowing glint appeared on his eyes. He seemed to be intrigued by the sudden change on Queen Mother''s behavior, so much so that the irritation that he had earlier was now replaced by sheer curiosity.


    "Hmm¡­ from what I can see, Queen Mother is attempting to do something right now. Is this related to the plan that she was talking about before?" Golden Alex mumbled as he cupped his chin. "If it is, then wha-"


    "Boom!" Out of nowhere, a massive tree, which was the size of a colossal mountain, suddenly appeared within Golden Alex''s vision.


    Even when this massive tree was still some distance away from him, Golden Alex could not help but stop on his tracks, as he could feel a colossal suppressive power coming from the tree itself.


    "Skroom¡­" As he stared at this massive tree, Golden Alex could not help but gulp, as he felt an ancient aura emanating from the tree. This aura made him treat the tree with respect, which was something rare from a prideful person like him.


    Even with its size, this tree continued to grow as seconds passed by. The increase in size was miniscule compared to the tree''s overall size, but Golden Alex knew that as long as nothing interrupts the tree, this tree''s crown might as well reach the outer space itself!


    It was at this point that the stunned Golden Alex managed to recollect his wits. However, this calm was once again replaced by another intense emotion as Golden Alex felt familiarity with this tree.


    It was as if he had already met with this tree before, and that he had spent some time with it.


    This familiarity made Golden Alex laugh hysterically, as he already realized everything.


    "Hahahah! F**king hell! So you turned yourself back into a World Tree? Queen Mother, what the f**k are you doing!" Golden Alex sputtered out as he glared at the still growing tree.


    Even though he said these words in a laughing tone, it was obvious that Golden Alex was enraged. And he did not hide this rage as he continued to glared at the tree, which seemed to be unable to hear what he just said.


    "F**k! Now that you turned yourself back into a World Tree, you are putting yourself in extreme danger! That massive body of yours will surely catch the attention of the other generals! Ugh, why did you even do this¡­" Golden Alex hissed as his whole body shook.


    He appeared to be extremely indignant of what he had seen, and it made him almost lose his cool for a second.


    "F**k this! So is this the plan that you have? You want to turn yourself into a World Tree? After doing this, what do you plan to do next? Are you planning to let yourself be killed by the other generals? Stupid B***h! Why did the original Alex even allow you with him¡­ You are just a stupid plant that was lucky to acquaint with him!"


    At this point, Golden Alex had to stop himself from cursing, as he knew that it will not do anything to change the situation.


    Queen Moher had reverted back to her World Tree form, and it now leaves her defenseless against the enemies.


    It was in a sense, a fairly desperate move from Queen Mother, and Golden Alex was still baffled on why she was doing this.


    "Ugh¡­I don''t like what you are doing here, Queen Mother. But since you want things to go like this, then I will just go with the flow. Since you went all-out , then I shall go all-out!" Golden Alex declared as he removed the constraints that he placed on himself.


    His Conqueror''s Aura, which he had been holding back since earlier, has now come out in its full glory, bathing his surroundings with its majestic and glorious glow.


    Golden Alex did not smile as he saw the reappearance of his power. After all, he knew that by doing this, he had alerted all of the Generals in this world about his own presence. This essentially puts him in more danger, as the generals who are not yet fighting will now have their attention focused on him.


    If it was earlier, Golden Alex could not have done something like this, as he knew that revealing himself will just be detrimental to him.


    But now that everything had already progressed to break down in an accelerating rate, Golden Alex knew that hesitating will just not be enough.


    If he wants his plan to succeed, then he must go all-out, even at the expense of his life!


    "I am the power meant to conquer people and worlds! If I am scared of revealing myself right now, then how the hell can I succeed on conquering? I am meant to be used by an Emperor, so I should act like one now!" Golden Alex declared as his body turned more and more golden.


    "Boom!"


    Golden Alex then let out a roar, pushing his Conqueror''s Aura to its limits. He then began flying away from Queen Mother''s body, flaring his Conqueror''s aura crazily.


    If Queen Mother''s sudden change today was related to the success of the Main Mission, then Golden Alex must ensure that no harm will befall on Queen Mother today.


    If those Generals were to lay their hands on the current Queen Mother, it will be inevitable for her to die, as there''s no way that she can fight in her current form.


    Since this was the case, the only thing that Golden Alex can do was to lure these generals to him.


    Compared to a World Tree suddenly appearing out of nowhere, someone like Golden Alex who had the other half of Emperor Litch''s power will surely be the juicier target for the generals.


    Golden Alex perfectly knew that these generals has knowledge about the Empreor''s condition, so he was confident that they will come swarming to him now that he had revealed himself.


    "F**k! Queen Mother, you better obtain good results with your plan! If you are just doing this for nothing, then my noble actions here will be just wasted!" Golden Alex thought to himself as he continued to distance himself away from Queen Mother.


    His mood was back to the bottom at this moment, and it just worsened when Golden Alex felt 3 powerful presences quickly approaching him right now.


    These 3 were flying towards Queen Mother''s direction earlier, but after Golden Alex revealed himself, these 3 immediately swerved and began following him.


    Golden Alex of course was both happy and unhappy about this realization.


    He was happy, because now he had ensured Queen Mother''s safety.


    He was unhappy, as it was now his life that is in danger. Even if Golden Alex was technically not a living being, he was still someone who does not want to be captured by the generals of Emperor Litch.


    "Tsk , so the Dragon King, the Void Master, and the Plum Blossom Immortal are the ones chasing me now? F**k me dead! If I mess up here, they will surely not give mercy to me!" Golden Alex exclaimed as he urged himself to move faster.


    He knew that time is of essence here, and that the longer he can keep the generals distracted, the higher the chance of Queen Mother''s plan succeeding.


    All that Golden Alex had to do now is to do everything that he can to survive. If he fails, then will be game over for him and the tree woman.


    "F**k¡­ I swear that if I manage to survive this ordeal, I will start spanking that stupid fairy!" Golden Alex thought to himself urgently as he flew towards a nearby town.


    He did not bother to hide his presence as he approached this town, making everyone here take notice of him.


    "Hmph, this town might be small, but this will do." Golden Alex thought to himself as he began to cracked his knuckles. His eyes glowed faintly as he stared at the people looking up to him. He saw fear, excitement, and surprise in their eyes, something that made him feel nostalgic for some reason.


    "Hooo¡­. The amount of people here is just right for my next move. I just wish¡­ that my pursuers will be too dumb to realize what I will do." Golden Alex muttered as he began to extend his power. This move instantly covered the whole town with the Conqueror''s Aura, something that made him feel both giddy and full.


    Once he was sure that he had done his job right in this town, Golden Alex stayed in this town for a few seconds before he flew away once more.


    "Next stop is the nearest town from here. I hope they will have more people there¡­"

 Chapter 441 - Current Character State and List of Events

    [ORIGINAL ALEX] ¨C Currently under the effects of Queen Hydra''s Mirror. He gave his ''Powers'' a portion of control over his body, which allowed him to perform multiples tasks in different locations, all at the same time. His soul was the one commandeering all of this power clones, although his focused was placed more on Blue Alex.


    [BLUE ALEX(ESPER POWER)] ¨C Alex''s strongest power as of date. He is currently battling Malthus with his Sixth Stage Power, with the results of the said battle still unknown.


    [BLACK ALEX(ABYSS MAGIC)] ¨C Currently inside the Institute''s Storage Vault, battling against Assan, the thousand-bodied assassin. Has just activated [THIRD BRANCH: END OF TIME], a magical ability that was derived from the original Abyss Spell [CALAMITY OF THE SEVEN SINS].


    [WHITE ALEX(IMMORTAL CULTIVATION)] ¨C Second weakest among Alex''s powers, although he has a high potential for growth. Currently battling Assan, the thousand-bodied assassin.


    [KID ALEX(TEMPERATURE CONTROL)] ¨C Alex''s weakest power by far. Has no known practical use yet, although Alex places a lot of enthusiasm on him.  Currently inside the Institute''s storage vault along with Black Alex and White Alex, although he has not contributed anything against Assan.


    [GOLDEN ALEX(CONQUEROR''S AURA)] ¨C Is under the pursuit from the Dragon King, the Void Master, and the Plum Blossom Immortal. Current status is still unknown, as his and his pursuer''s movements are too hard to observe.


    [QUEEN MOTHER(WORLD TREE FORM)] ¨C Has abandoned her mortal form, with her reverting back to her World Tree incarnation. Her goals and aspirations are hard to fathom at this point, as her current form made it hard to hold a conversation with her.


    [SIERRA] ¨C Still staying loyally beside Queen Mother. But with the danger incoming towards them, this loyalty could be put into the test.


    [ALINA AND PROFESSOR FRANCES] ¨C Both are attending a party meant for famous celebrities. They have no time to deal with the situation outside, as they were giving more importance to their mission today.


    [ASTERIA] ¨C Current location unknown. Wherever she is, Alex had a hand on her sudden disappearance.


    [DELIA] ¨C This traveler is riddled with injuries, which came from Ray''s sneaky bomb attack. Current status is still unknown, as the battle between Blue Alex and Malthus made it hard to discern her condition. Is confirmed to be a Sixth Stage Being.


    [RAY] ¨C Heavily injured by one of Delia''s spear attack. Due to the sudden match between Blue Alex and Malthus, Ray''s fate is still unknown, but with Ray''s irritating tenacity, the chances of him being alive is fairly high.  Not yet confirmed as a Sixth Stage Being.


    [MALTHUS] ¨C Appears to be in a healthy condition, given his eagerness and capacity to fight against Blue Alex. Suspected to have reached the power level of a Sixth Stage Being, which makes him a highly dangerous opponent.


    [WISTERIA] ¨C Was knocked out cold by Black Alex. Future fate is still unknown, as it will all depend on Alex''s plans.


    [GENERAL GLAIVEWOOD AND SIR XETO] ¨C Both men were sporting injuries from multiple opponents. Current fate is still unknown, as they were swept away by the battle between Blue Alex and Malthus.


    *******************************


    CHRONOLOGY OF ALL THE EVENTS


    Alina and Professor Frances left for the party.


    Alex went to the Institute.


    Alex waited for the aliens'' arrival.


    Alex used his power to hijack the ship. He then used this to lure the Cosmic Guard to approach this planet.


    General Glaivewood arrives in the Institute, easily dispatching Alex''s fake robber.


    Delia and her allies meets Sir Xeto, who initiated a fight with them.


    Delia was able to gain the upper hand in the fight.


    General Glaivewood swoops in to assist Sir Xeto.


    Delia resigned herself to fight the general.


    Ray comes in to interrupt the fight, attacking Delia, General Glaivewood, and Sir Xeto with his powerful bombs.


    Queen Mother decides to leave the apartment with Sierra in order to perform her plan.


    Alex decides to stop hiding and began to activate Queen Hydra''s Mirror.


    Alex then sent Blue Alex on the location of Delia''s battle. Golden Alex on the other hand was sent to observe Queen Mother. Black Alex, White Alex, and Kid Alex were left in the Institute.


    Blue Alex arrived at the battle zone. He discovered the heavily injured Delia and Ray, along with General Glaivewood and Sir Xeto that are at the brink of death.


    Malthus arrives to confront Blue Alex. Blue Alex naturally fought back, resulting in a new battle.


    Black Alex and White Alex showed their power to Wisteria, making her surrender to them. They then forced her to bring them towards the Institute''s storage vault.


    Black Alex, White Alex, and Kid Alex successfully entered the storage vault.


    Once inside the vault, the trio discovered Assan''s presence.


    Assan then started attacking the trio, making them answer in kind.


    Golden Alex continued to approach Queen Mother.


    Queen Mother transformed herself back to her World Tree form.


    Golden Alex activated his power to lure the generals away from Queen Mother.


    Golden Alex began to lead the generals in a chase.

 Chapter 442 - Friends. What are they for?

    [THIRD BRANCH ACTIVATE: THE END OF TIME!]


    "Boom!"


    At the instant that Black Alex uttered this incantation, the wooden ball that he threw transformed.


    It began to change its body, mimicking the appearance and shape of a boat.


    To anyone who sees this boat right now, they will just see it as a normal sailing boat.


    But if it were Alina or Professor Frances who sees this boat, they will surely react, as this boat appeared to be similar to the boat that the Great TimeMaster had summoned before!


    This boat even exuded the same powerful Time aura that the Great Timemaster boat had, making it appear as extremely dangerous.


    The only difference between the two boats was that Alex''s boat was way smaller, as its body was only as large as a human being.


    Nonetheless, all the bodies Assan had sent towards Black Alex were affected by the sudden appearance of this boat.


    "Gluong¡­"


    A wave of green energy shot out of the boat, which proceeded to cover Assan''s sent bodies. Once this energy has made contact with them, Black Alex''s attackers immediately froze on their tracks, as if the green energy had stopped them from moving at all.


    All of their attempts to cut Black Alex down had failed, and even their attempts to send out energy-based attacks were futile too, as the green energy just smothered them back into nothingness.


    No matter what way these assassins tried to free themselves from the boat''s suppression, all of it failed as they were still stuck on their current position.


    They can only watch helplessly as Black Alex and White Alex approached them with murderous intentions present on their faces.


    "Assan, as you can see, this spell of mine is something that is unique, even to the standards of the Abyss." Black Alex muttered as he and White Alex continued to saunter towards their captured opponents. There was only a light strut on his movements, making it look like he was in control of the whole situation.


    This was further proved when he continued to talk in a confident, uncaring tone.


    "Using Abyss Magic to meddle with Time is something that many Abyss Magicians find hard to do. But because of my status as an Abyss Envoy, and my connections with all the Seven Sins, formulating a spell like this is easy for me."


    "¡­"


    "I had to use all of the Seven Sins just to make this spell. That''s something¡­ that made the Abyss curious." Black Alex continued to say as he stopped in front of his opponents. "The Abyss is happy with my actions and they told me that if I keep up with this, becoming a Sixth Stage Being will be a piece of cake for me."


    His eyes, which were closed as he activated his power, were now opened in their entirety, with their black-lidded pupils staring intently at Black Alex''s opponents.


    "But my power is still primarily on controlling the Seven Sins, so my power over Time is still weak compared to a Chronomancer. And it will stay that way until the end. But this power¡­ is enough to beat you, Assan."


    The boat then continued to pump out more green energy at this point, which resulted on the sudden increase of pressure on the captured bodies.


    Blood began to leak out of their orifices, making their sack-like cloth turn red. Their bodies, which should have been unable to move at all, could be seen to be shivering as they were racked by more and more unseen attacks from Alex''s boat.


    White Alex, who was standing right beside Alex while all of this was happening, only shook his head from what he had witnessed.


    "Black Alex, showing off your domineering power is something that you must do here, but sometimes, too much showing off is too bad." White Alex murmured as he swung his sword down.


    "Schwing!"


    White Alex''s sword cleaved through the heads of this captured opponents, quickly decapitating them in an efficient manner.


    His sword, which was buzzing with all the killing intent fed on it, did not face any resistance from any of its victims.


    "Thud thud thud."


    A series of dull thumping sounds echoed all around the place as numerous heads fell down on the floor. Blood could be seen spurting out of the headless bodies, creating a grisly scene that made Kid Alex tremble and almost cry.


    In face of this ''unclean'' scene, Black Alex and White Alex kept quiet.


    "Assan, I know that you are much powerful than this. Even if you''re still a Peak Fifth Stage Being, your skills and abilities are enough for you to fight against a Sixth Stage Being. Don''t even lie to me. The Abyss can feel your power. "Black Alex suddenly blurted out as he kicked away the bodies littered around him.


    He ignored the blood pooling on the floor as he looked at the upper right corner of the vault.


    There was no triumphant expression on his face as he just looked disappointed, as if what had happened earlier did not make him happy at all.


    The boat that he had summoned earlier had been recalled by him already, reverting back to its position on the Seven-Branched Tree.


    As this Seven ¨CBranched Tree began to fade away behind him, Black Alex continued to stare at then upper right corner of the room, as if he was waiting for something to come out there.


    "¡­."


    Seeing that nothing was happening at this point, Black Alex''s face began to turn red from rage.


    "Assan! I don''t give a f**k on why you are acting like this! But if you are just playing around here, then I will ignore you already! I cannot waste my time with you anymore, as I have an important mission for the Abyss!" Black Alex roared out as he pointed his finger at place that he had been staring at.


    "Now, if you still want to have your fight, then fight me in your best state. If not, then just stay there politely and let me do my job!"


    "¡­" Assan, who had been noisy ever since Black Alex entered the vault, was nowhere to be heard at this point. Even under Black Alex''s provocations, he did not give any reply at all.


    It was as if he had already left this place, leaving nothing, not even his tracks.


    This realization appeared to have made Black Alex irritated, and it was obvious from his livid face that he could be lashing angrily at anything right now. The only thing that was stopping Black Alex from lashing out was the mission itself, which is still ticking urgently on their heads.


    "That guy¡­ he''s still the same as before. He still likes to play pranks. That¡­ must have been his Dao. The Dao of Pranks." White Alex wryly said as he flicked the blood off his sword.


    His sword has reverted back into this pristine white state, making it look as pure as a maiden. White Alex then sheathed this sword back into its container, which elicited a soft hum from the sword.


    "If he tries to prank me one more time, I swear I will call down the Abyss to end him." Black Alex replied as he shook his head.


    He then summoned Gluttony and Greed out of their secluded state. He commanded these two to devour the bodies on the floor, including all the blood that spilled out of them.


    These two sprites happily complied with Black Alex''s request, with the both of them opening their mouths in monstrous proportions as they sucked the bodies around them.


    A sickening, gurgling sound filled the air as Gluttony and Greed did their work, which made Kid Alex look more frightened.


    "Assan¡­ he did not follow the command given to him by Emperor Litch. The Assan that we met here¡­ was just a piece of his consciousness. The real Assan... is not really in this place anymore. That''s the reason why we were able to defeat these bodies easily." White Alex said wistfully as he watched Gluttony siphoning the blood like it was just a smoothie.


    "Hmph, if the real Assan was here, then my [END OF TIME] spell can only slow his bodies down for just a moment. That is the fight that I am expecting earlier¡­ But what do I get? Just a chump sum of his leftover? Bah! He''s clearly offending the Abyss with these actions!" Black Alex snarled as he snapped his fingers impatiently.


    It was obvious that he was still unhappy with what had happened, and this unhappiness made both Greed and Gluttony hasten their actions.


    "Why are you unhappy? If Assan were doing things like this, then that means that he still treats the original Alex as his friend. That''s the only reason why he disobeyed orders." White Alex replied as he tilted his head. "If he really wants to hurt the original Alex, then his full-powered self should have been the one in this place¡­"


    "But he did not do that, as he just placed a weak part of him in here. It was as if¡­ he wanted the original Alex to succeed on his plans." Black Alex murmured as his face continued to appear gloomy.


    "Why are you still unhappy with that, Black Alex? Now that we can obtain the items here easily, shouldn''t you rejoice at all?"


    "Rejoice my ass! As long as I am unable to fully defeat Assan, I will not be able to achieve my full potential!" Black Alex shot back against White Alex''s logical question. "I don''t care if he is treating the original Alex as his friend. I only want to defeat him, fair and square! The Abyss agrees with me on that too!"


    "Well¡­ you can worry about that later. For now, why don''t we just proceed with our plan?" White Alex muttered as he adjusted his hold on the still unconscious Wisteria. "Let''s take the items away already!"


    "No. We don''t need to take the items away anymore." Black Alex suddenly said, which made White Alex look at him incredulously.


    "We don''t need to take the items anymore? But that-"


    "Instead of taking them away, let''s just use these items right here in the storage vault." Black Alex replied as he hastened his walking pace.


    White Alex and Kid Alex sped up as they followed him, with their faces looking slightly confused from the words that Black Alex just said.


    Black Alex only stopped walking once he reached the center of the storage vault, which had a coffin erected on it.


    There are no mirrors present on this coffin, which makes it a closed casket. Whatever was inside it was unknown, although from the way that the coffin was placed here in the vault, it must be something extremely important.


    Just the geometric design on the coffin''s red, glistening surface was enough to show that the coffin itself was a precious object. Since the coffin was already like this, then whatever was inside this coffin must be precious too.


    "The original Alex just told us that the items that we need for the ritual are inside this storage vault. That means that as long as we get these items, we can start the ritual already." Black Alex said as he began to caress the coffin. "Since the items that we need are already inside this vault, we can just start the ritual inside this vault too! Nothing wrong will happen even if we did that. The Abyss¡­. also assured me that nothing wrong will happen here!"


    "You want us to do the ritual here? Hmm¡­ that''s unconventional, but I think it might work." White Alex replied as he began stroking the coffin too.


    Kid Alex did not want to have himself left out, so he stretched his hands to touch the coffin''s cold, metallic surface.


    "That''s enough stroking for today. White Alex, go and get the rocks and the keys. As for you Kid Alex, start scribbling the symbols on the floor already." Black Alex barked out these orders as he removed his hands away from the coffin. His eyes glinted menacingly for a second as he stared at the coffin, although he quickly wiped this look away as he averted his gaze. "The Abyss is hungry already, so we must quickly satisfy it. If we don''t do this ritual  right now, the Abyss might take us as its food¡­"

 Chapter 443 - Being pent-up is not a good feeling....

    "Miss Natalia, a little walk with me won''t hurt you. On the contrary, you might even enjoy it¡­" In front of a luxuriously dressed Alina, a man with a handsome face began talking to her in a soothing tone.


    This man had the appearance that many females adores, and yet Alina only gave him a blank stare after hearing his offer.


    "Sorry, but I am busy eating. Maybe next time, if the food is bad." Alina replied as she stuffed her mouth with three spring rolls. "Nom nom nom. The food here is just so good, that I can''t stop eating."


    "But Miss Natalia-"


    "She said she doesn''t want to go with you. Can''t you understand that?" Professor Frances, who was donning her disguised appearance, said in a loud voice as she glared at the handsome man. "My friend here is not interested on sissies like you, so scram!"


    "You-"


    "What? Are you going to fight me? You know who I am, right?" Professor Frances abruptly said as she interrupted the handsome man. "Now, if you don''t want to be like those stupid people, you better back off!"


    "Tsk, you two are just newbies, and you already act like this? Hmph, let''s see how long you will last in the industry¡­" The handsome man could be heard mumbling these words as he walked away from Alina and the professor. Dejection and rage was present on his face, but due to the presence of the crowd around him, the handsome man seemed to be forcing himself to look calm.


    "What an ass. You clearly don''t want him, and now he''s saying that we are acting obnoxious? He''s delusional." Professor Frances snorted as she gobbled one of Alina''s spring rolls. "Hmm¡­ this is actually good. Did they use genetically modified meat to make this? Or is it just traditional livestock¡­"


    "Professor, I don''t think you should let your mind wander like this. You know that we have a mission here¡­" Alina muttered in a low tone as she gave the professor a small nudge. "This party will only last until 6 pm, so we should make the best of it! Otherwise, our chance will to obtain the items will be lost!"


    "Hmph, you say that, but you still enjoy gobbling up the food here. Isn''t that just your way of getting distracted?" Professor Frances shot back as she shook her head. "I mean, look at the crowd. Even if they are celebrities like us, almost none of them are approaching us. They look scared by your eating habits¡­"


    "I don''t care if these celebrities take notice of me. What I care more about is on how will we succeed on obtaining the items." Alina replied as she tore off a portion of her fried chicken with her teeth. This made her look slightly uncivilized, which led to some light titters from the nearby people.


    "¡­Fine. So you don''t care about your appearance at all. Sigh¡­ how did we even manage to become famous in just a month with this kind of attitude?" The professor said in lamenting tone as she stared discreetly as the people around her.


    "All these people around us are celebrities who had an impact in the entertainment industry for some amount of time already. Most of them had been working for at least a year before they were recognized as real celebrities. But for us two? We only needed at least three weeks to reach their level. No matter which way you look at this, its just weird¡­"


    "Don''t be confused. You know that in Alex''s favorite world, internet celebrities also exist. He just copied what they did and he made us do it. That''s the reason we became instantly famous." Alina quickly said as she swallowed her portion. "And we became so famous that we were actually invited in this place¡­"


    "I think I won''t listen to Alex next time anymore. His plans are just¡­. Too f**king weird, even for someone like me." Professor Frances muttered as she shook her head.


    "But it was Alex''s weird plan that brought us to this exclusive museum, so I guess his plan is worth it."


    "Hah, this will be only worth it once we actually get the items¡­" The professor replied scathingly as she looked around her once more.


    This time around, what she observed were not the celebrities around her.


    Instead, she looked at the security measures installed all around the area.


    "This museum, which was established by an extremely rich businessman, is a place where almost all the exotic and rare artifacts from the Calamity Era were gathered." Professor Frances said as she counted the cameras affixed on the walls. "Due to the rarity and value of the artifacts in this museum, a lot of importance and care were made in order to keep this museum safe from thieves or other criminals¡­"


    "Only the rich and extremely famous can be allowed to enter the museum, and even with that, those guests still have to follow rules once they''re inside." Alina muttered as she filled up her wine glass. "No touching of the items, no taking pictures of the items, and most importantly, no using of powers inside this museum¡­"


    "Those who disobeys that three rules, especially the third one, will get punished in a swift and quick manner."  The professor concluded as she stopped moving her eyes around. "Many have broken these rules already, and all of them, without any single exception, had been punished accordingly."


    "¡­This strictness is the reason why this mission will be hard for us." Alina mumbled as she did her best to maintain her disguise. "With the strength that I have right now, there will be nothing that can stop me from grabbing the items that we need. But at the moment that I start stealing them, our enemies will surely discover our presence. That¡­ will be bad news for us."


    "We can get the items, but we have to face numerous enemies that will try to kill us after. Now, isn''t that just a great f**king way to die?"  The professor snarled as she began to wiggling her fingers.


    "¡­"


    "There''s a lot of guards here, although none of them has the power to beat us. There are also machinery and traps installed all around the items, that are meant to deter powerful thieves. But with your Sixth Stage Power, you can easily destroy them." The professor said as she gobbled a piece of taco. "The only problem that we have are the sensors outside the museum¡­."


    "Even if I use my dimension manipulation to its limits, those sensors will still be able to inform our enemies about my presence." Alina replied as she lowered her head. "So just like what I said earlier, stealing will be easy, but escaping will be a different matter altogether."


    "F**k. With the way that the things are going here, there will be no way for us to steal the items. It will just be too risky for us!" Professor Frances snarled once more as she speared a nearby chicken with her fork. She gave no mercy to the chicken as she smothered it with her fork, which turned it into shredded pieces of flesh.


    "If we steal the items, we will reveal ourselves to the enemies. That¡­ is something that will surely derail Alex''s plans. So as much as possible, we should not let that happen." Alina said wistfully as she let out a sigh. Her current appearance did not exactly match her mannerisms, although Alina did not seem to care too much about it.


    "Hmph, if there''s something that will distract our enemies, then everything will be great." Professor Frances said in a disdainful tone, which made her sound like she was not optimistic with what she was saying. "But with the way that this f**king situation is going, I think that there''s nothing that can distract the-"


    "Boom!"


    It was at this moment that the battle between Delia and Sir Xote happened.


    Even though the museum that Alina and Professor Frances were in was situated below the ground and was protected with many shields, the shockwaves from the sudden clash were still able to affect the museum.


    "Rumble¡­" The whole museum shook as the battled between Delia and Sir Xote went on, which elicited a panicked reaction from the celebrities.


    All of them crouched on the floor as they clumped closer to the guards, who appeared to be only not surprised with what happened.


    It was these guards'' calm attitude tht  managed to soothe the crowd''s worries, although all of them still stayed low to the floor.


    "Alina! This is our f**king chance to steal the items! Should we do it already?"  Professor Frances, who had also crouched on the floor, hissed at Alina as the latter assumed the same pose as her. "You can feel it, right? Two Sixth Stage Beings are fighting right now! That is a great distraction for us! Maybe you can steal the item without catching too much attention¡­"


    "No. Not yet." Alina replied as she raised her hand. Her eyes were narrowed at this point, as if she was trying to deduct something. "The time is not yet ripe."


    "Huh? What are you-"


    "One battle is not enough. There must be more battles before I can consider it as a sufficient distraction." Alina muttered as she put her hands down. "So we won''t make a move yet. We have to wait until the situation outside spirals out of control. Only when that happens that we will make a move."


    "Hah? So you''re just going to wait? Are you even sure that the situation outside will be more chaotic? What if the battle right now is the only chaotic thing that will happen? If that''s the case, then waiting here will be a waste!" Professor Frances said urgently as she grabbed Alina''s sleeves. "Come on, you f**king know that things might return to normal already. Let''s just steal the items now and make a run for it!"


    "Professor¡­ I assure you. Things will get more chaotic here." Alia replied as she gave the professor a smile, which on her current face, appeared to be both ghastly and murderous. "Just wait."


    "¡­"


    These confident words by Alina had managed to calm the professor down, and she was left with no choice but to wait alongside her.


    "¡­"


    1 minute later¡­


    2 minutes later¡­


    3 minutes later¡­.


    4 minutes later¡­


    5 minutes later¡­


    6 minutes later¡­


    "What the hell?" This was all that Professor Frances could say after 6 minutes have passed by. Her previously calm face had beads of sweat on it, as she and Alina were able to observe the ridiculous things that happened outside.


    "Queen Mother turned herself back to her tree form, while Alex split himself into 5? And these 5 parts of him are now fighting numerous powerhouses?  F**king hell, this is really the definition of chaotic¡­" Professor Frances muttered to herself as the museum began to shake more from the additional things that had happened.


    Alina did not look as surprised as the professor, as instead of panic, only a delighted expression can be seen on her face.


    "Hmm¡­since Alex and Queen Mother had revealed themselves already, then I guess it is fine if I reveal myself too. After all, what Alex did is his declaration of war¡­ There''s no way that I will be left out here." Alina said in a triumphant tone as she quickly stood up from her place.


    This action of hers drew some attention among the crowd, including the guards who warned her to just stay down.


    Alina ignored all of them as she summoned her katana, which she deftly grabbed with her right hand.


    "Hoooh¡­ ever since I gained my Virtual Body, I was not able to use it on its full capacity. But now that things are like this, I think that I have the chance to go all-out already." Alina said as bits of her power began to leak out of her body.


    "Miss! I said stay down! If you don''t listen to me, we will arrest you!" The guards said threateningly as they pointed their weapons at her.


    Numerous symbols arrays and celestial constellations were flaring dangerously right in front of Alina, although the said woman were not fazed in front of these weapons.


    She only pointed her katana calmly at the guards surrounding her, with her face holding no signs of fear or panic.


    "I am sorry to say this, but this whole place is mine from now on." Alina suddenly said as a massive, human-like figure appeared behind her. "Whoever tries to stop me will be in a lot of pain, so please, just stay down on the floor. If you don''t listen to me, I will be forced to hurt all of you."

 Chapter 444 - Whats a good pair? A cup of noodles and pandesal!

    At the very moment that Bob opened his eyes, what he felt was neither fatigue nor anger. Instead, he only felt confusion, especially when he realized the place that he was in.


    "I''m¡­ in a hospital room? Did I get injured from earlier? If that''s the case, then why am I feeling comfortable right now¡­" Bob muttered to himself as he observed his body.


    His purple skin, which was covered with the  standard patient clothes, still retained its normal l.u.s.ter which indicated that Bob''s health is still at the acceptable level.


    "The last thing that I can remember¡­ was when General Glaivewood made his attack on us. Is he.. the one who made me like this?" Bob continued to ponder as he observed the room that he was in.


    There was nothing dangerous that can be seen inside this room, as only medical equipment were scattered here.


    With Bob''s fighting ability, he can surely survive any attack that will use the items around him. Of course, Bob does not believe that someone will attack him out of the blue right now, as he knew for a fact that he''s inside the Institute''s medical facility.


    His years of work as a spy for the Cosmic Guard already made him familiar with the structure of the whole Institute. This is the reason why Bob was able to regain his calm instantly, even when he found himself in a foreign environment.


    "Hmm¡­ since I am being taken care in this room, then that means that nobody was able to detect my status as a spy. That''s¡­ a good sign. Now, I just have to use this to my advantage." Bob thought to himself as he rubbed his itchy elbow. "Since I am already here, then I can just do more investigatio-"


    It was at this moment that Bob noticed the extremely weird atmosphere all around him.


    The shaking on the walls, which Bob had not noticed due to his sudden awakening, can now be felt by all parts of his body, with each shake perfectly reverberating with his body.


    The frightening fluctuations in the air can now be sensed by Bob too, who spent some seconds in a stunned state as he did his best to process everything that he just felt.


    Everything that occured right now felt extremely alien to Bob, as never did he expect to experience things like this to happen on him.


    "What¡­ What did just happen while I was out?" Bob thought to himself listlessly.


    He then began to tremble, as he started to feel fear from what was happening.


    "These fluctuations that I am feeling¡­ It''s just like the ones released by Officer Emerald and Officer Ruby when they fought each other! Ugh¡­ does this mean that numerous Sixth Stage Beings are fighting right now? But how could this happen? This place¡­. Is just a normal world! There''s no way that it can attract many powerhouses here!" Bob exclaimed to himself inwardly as he clenched his fists.


    By looking at Bob''s eyes, one can easily see that he was spooked by the things happening around him. His hunched gesture as the shakings continued just proved this point.


    But truthfully speaking, Bob has an intense desire to go outside and observe the battles happening right now. But due to his cautious nature as a spy, and the fact that he just woke up from a light sleep, Bob realized that he had no choice but to act more-lowkey.


    "I am a spy, so I cannot act in an attention-grabbing manner. So even if the fights outside are interesting, I must not make any move that will out me as a spy. Its better for me to just stay here and let things settle down on their own¡­" At this point, Bob the Purple Skin Spy began to relax her body as he decided to lay back on his bed.


    But before Bob could even enjoy the soft and luxurious feeling of his bed, the sudden sound of an opening door made him bolt up.


    "Who?" Bob uttered out as he stared intently at the opened door.  There was only uncertainty on his face as he stared at the door, with his whole body crouched in a tense state. "Are you my nurse? My god, please don''t surprise me like that!"


    "¡­"


    The way that this door opened was so silent, that Bob was taken by surprise when it opened. This naturally placed Bob on his edge, as he began to imagine what could have happened to him when the door opened.


    With his experiences as a spy, Bob was already used on sudden attacks from ''surprise visits, so its not surprising for him to act like this. He had already hardened his heart and mind from any possible things that can happen now.


    If his visitor attacks him, then fine! Bob will just fight back! Even if his life is at stake here, Bob will still do everything that he can do just to keep the secrets of the Cosmic Guard safe!


    This was his principle as a spy, and it was something that he can just ignore.


    But even when Bob already prepared himself  on what might happen to him, in the end he was still taken aback by his guest, as what his guest did was something that Bob did not even foresee


    "Um¡­ are you the spy that is connected with the Cosmic Guard? If you are the spy, th-then congratulations! Big Bro se-sent a message for you!" A child, who appeared to be around 8 years old, said these words in a stuttering tone as he held the door of Bob''s room wide open.


    There was no doubt that this child was the visitor that Bob was pertaining to, as he was the only one present in the room along with Bob.


    "What are you talking about? What spy? Are you perhaps mistaking me for someone else?" Bob quickly said as he adopted an ignorant attitude. "Kid, I think your eyes are just not that good. Why don''t you just leave me alone here and let me rest?  I just woke up so I have to sleep¡­"


    "But Big bro told me that the spy is a Purple Skin with the face that is similar to an iguana!" The kid shot back as he pointed his fingers at Bob. "You are a Purple Skin, and you look like iguana! So you could be really the spy!"


    "Kid, you have too much fantasies in your head. I think you should find a way to reduce them¡­" Bob said as he gave the kid a small glare. "Now beat it, or I will personally kick you out of the room¡­"


    Bob then stood up from his bed as he started to approach the kid. He made a shooing gesture in his hands as he got nearer to the kid, which made it look like he was serious on kicking the kid out.


    But of course, Alex was not planning to really kick out this kid. This kid.. was way more important to be just left alone.


    Ever since this kid  said that he knew Bob was a spy, Bob realized that someone already knew his identity here. This means that he is now in danger, as someone can use this knowledge to manipulate him.


    And this kid, who just barged into his room,  could  actually be related to the one pulling the strings behind them.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    ********************


    As long as Bob manages to capture this kid painlessly and effortlessly, then he can get facts from him without making things difficult for the both of them.


    Now, all that Bob needs was one well-placed attack, the kid will be his.


    "Sorry kid, I am not actually kicking you out. I am taking you with me as a hostage, so please forgive e for what I am about to do." Bob said to the kid in a light tone as he raised both of his hands. "Just blame your master for sending you alone here. If your master were here with you, then capturing you might be harder¡­"


    In face of this sudden change from Bob, the kid held his ground as he continued talking to Bob.


    "Don''t talk like that, Mr. Spy. B-big brother told me that I should not be scared of you.! He said that once I give you his message, you will stop attacking me already!"


    "Your big brother has a message for me? Hm, since your big brother knows my status, then his message might be helpful to me. Go on, say the message to me already." Bob said as he stopped moving.


    Granted, he was still raring to knock the kid out right now. But ever since the kid said that he has an important message for him, Bob suppressed any of his evil thoughts.


    All that he will do now is listen, and he will continue listening until  he gets everything that he wants to learn.


    "Big Brother told me¡­ that instead of loitering here, you should just use the remains of your energy to send an important message to the Cosmic Guard." The kid replied in an innocent tone as he tilted his head. "This message is extremely important, so please use your skills as a spy to send it to them!"


    "The Cosmic Guard? But that''s-"


    "Big Brother also told me that if you don''t send this message, this world, along with Jellarmo will be in danger of dying." The kid replied quickly , as if what he had said were the common sense of this world. "Even your job will be at risk if you ignore this message, so please hear me out!"


    "You little f**ker¡­. You want me to send another message to my boss? What do you think of me? A telephone?" Bob snarled in reply as he almost rushed in to attack the kid.


    He did not care if his actions had confirmed that he was indeed the spy, as he was more preoccupied on making sense of the kid''s request.


    "Maybe you don''t know it, but I am a spy. I am not a glorified messenger, so I can''t just accept what your boss wants me to do." Bob continued to say as he felt slight pity on the clearly frightened kid.


    "But if you don''t send this message, the Alpha Squadron that the Cosmic Guard sent will be in danger." The kid replied with teary eyes. "Big brother told me that they will die any moment now, and the only thing that can scan save them is your message!"


    "What?"

 Chapter 445 - The Daily Lives of Mythical Prisoners

    "We obtained freedom for a short amount of time, but what happened to us after that? We were captured once more, and we were imprisoned again. This time, on a different cage¡­ Sigh, what a joke our life has been." A massive, blue skinned humanoid hummed as he shook his body.


    Chains, which were the size of trains, kept this blue humanoid from moving too much. This being could only hiss in frustration as he struggled to move against the chains, which held steadfast no matter what he did to break them.


    "Hmph! The only life who had been a joke here is  you!" The one who said these words was a green skinned creature, whose body was just as large as the blue humanoid. He appeared to be extremely unhappy as he talked to the blue humanoid, which is made more obvious by his next words. "Tsk, if it weren''t for you, I, the great Peina, could have been totally free already! It''s your f**king fault that we are imprisoned here!"


    "You! How could you slander me like that? How could you do this when I was the one who tried to help you!" The blue humanoid snarled as he lunged at his green companion. "You little s**t. If you just did not surrender to the enemy quickly, then we should not be here!"


    "F**k you Lingo. You are just bitter because you failed." The green being, who called himself as Peina, mumbled in reply as he tried to bite the blue humanoid. Peina''s body however was also wrapped in chains, which made it impossible for him to attack.


    "Failed? At least I tried to do something. Unlike you, who just let things happen!" The blue humanoid, who had been called as Lingo, replied back angrily as the chains on him rattled. "You are lucky that you are talented. Because if you were not, then your lazy ass could have brought you your death already!"


    "My death? Haha! Many have tried to kill me, yet they have all failed! Do you think a paltry emperor like Emperor LItch can kill me? Hmph, there''s no way that he can kill the great Peina easily."


    "That''s because Emperor Litch is busy extracting power from us. Of course he cannot kill us. We are his livestock, and we are doomed to be his exploits forever.." Lingo mumbled as he averted his gaze away from Peina.


    Even if the lighting in this room was dim, one can still notice the exhaustion and hopelessness in Lingo''s eyes, which coupled with his chained body, made his situation appear more and more helpless.


    ".." Peina had no reply to this, as he too had the same hopelessness in his eyes.


    "After we were freed by the Travelers from those moons, I thought that we would be able to have our revenge against that man. But no, that''s not what had happened on us." Lingo muttered as he began rocking his body back and forth. "We were instead re-captured by Emperor LItch and his generals. And now we were brought in this place, where they squeezed out our power every single month This life.. this is not the one that I want to have. Why.. why did this happen to us?"


    "F**k that Emperor! Ugh, as long as I have the chance to kill him, I will crush him immediately into a pulp!" Peina shouted in indignation as he began pounding on the floor.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    The floor appeared to be made up of powerful materials, as none of Peina''s crushing blows were able to make a dent on the floor. The poor green humanoid can only grunt in frustration in face of the unbreakable floor, with each one of his blows eliciting more and more enraged reaction from him.


    "F**k!!! I cannot even vent my rage in this place! F**k this! I¡­ I will really kill our captors once I get free! Argh!!! I will make them pay for tormenting me like this!"


    "Peina! Shut the hell up. Can''t you see I am sleeping here!" Out of nowhere, a third voice interrupted the conversation between Peina and Lingo.


    This voice sounded feminine, although some hits of aggressiveness could be felt from it.


    Both Peina and Lingo shivered as they heard this voice, with their bodies seizing up in fear.


    "Hmph, you two are just so lively, that you''re fine with waking me up with your voices. Isn''t that just hilarious for you?" The feminine voice continued to ask as  Peina and Lingo did their best to not look at its speaker. "Heh, tell me if you find your actions funny. Because I don''t find it humorous at all.."


    "Um miss Adjudicator. We were just having a minor argument. It''s nothing serious. You can go back to sleeping already if you want¡­" Lingo began to say in a terrified tone as he addressed the owner of the feminine voice. "We did not mean to wake you up¡­"


    "Wake up my ass! I am busy trying to communicate with the Holy Order Plane, and you, you just interrupted it! Do you know how angry I am right now? Hah, you don''t know! So don''t you try to make yourself look innocent here!" The owner of the feminine voice said as she began to stand.


    "Rumble¡­"


    Even if the feminine speaker was also chained, she appeared to be much more domineering compared to Peina and Lingo.


    Her body, which was twice the size of Lingo, loomed all over the area as she fully reached her standing height.


    Multiple pairs of wings, which all glowed in a resplendent manner, spread out behind the feminine speaker, which made her appear both holy and beautiful.


    These wings tried their best to flap, but the chains wrapped on them prevented them from making any substantial moves.


    It was at this point that the feminine speaker stopped moving, as she swiveled her head towards Lingo and Peina.


    Her beautiful face only had pure rage as she stared at Lingo and Peina, as if their existence was something that was enough to anger her.


    Lingo and Peina did nothing to fight back against this angry gaze, as they  only continued to shrink away from her.


    "Miss Adjudicator. You are an angel, so maybe you can spare some mercy for us?" Peina hastily said as he saw the angel''s murderous gaze. "We are just the only divine beings here, so maybe you can allow us some reprieve?"


    "Reprieve? Hmph, in case you have forgotten it, you two are the reason that we are captured here! If  I did not join your little crusade before, then I should have returned to the Holy Order Plane already! Argh! It''s you two who ruined my plans! And now, you want me to stop from beating you up? Hah, as long as we are here, I will not stop beating you up!" The winged angel said these words with so much vindication that Lingo and Peina were unable to retort at her.


    They can only brace their bodies as the angel lunged at them.


    Due to the way that her chains were used on her, the angel appeared to have the highest mobility among the three of them.


    This allowed her to easily approach Peina and Lingo, who were both limited in their movements.


    This discrepancy also allowed the angel to easily beat the two up.


    "The last extraction of my power happened last week, so I am in a pretty bad mood today. So just stay still there and allow yourself to be my punching bags!" The angel declared as she began kicking Lingo''s torso.


    "Ah!" Lingo, who was unable to use any of his powers, could only cry in pain as the angel began attacking him. He tried pleading for her to stop, but the enraged angel did not heed any of his words.


    She continued to kick and punch Lingo, whose body was already limp from all the beatings that he got.


    "Oh¡­. Please have mercy on me." This was all that Peina could say as he watched Lingo''s plight. His green face now had a shade of white in it, making him look particularly sick.


    "Hmph, don''t worry about this guy. You should be worried about yourself." The angel said as she landed one more kick on Lingo''s head. "Peina, you pissed me off more today, so you will receive more beating from me!"


    "What? But I did not even do anything bad to you for the past week!"


    "My mood is bad. That''s just it."


    "¡­What have I even done to get a fate like this?"


    "Hmph, at the very moment that you surrendered to Emperor Litch, you were already doomed to have this fate." The angel retorted as she left the limp Lingo on the floor. She then casually sauntered towards Peina, who did nothing but stare blankly at her.


    He did not retreat or react badly like Lingo, which made it appear as if he was accepting his fate.


    "Good. That''s just how I want you to act. Now continue acting like that once I start kicking you." The angel said as she raised her foot, which was stained with blue blood. "If you make even just the smallest sound, I will double your punishment! Do you understand that?"


    "¡­" Peina nodded his head quickly and soundlessly, expressing his agreement with the angel''s words.


    "Good. At least you can follow my instructions." It was at this point that the angel began to swing her foot towards  Peina''s body.


    Her strike was both powerful and efficient, making her kick appear lethal.


    Due to the chains that she was wrapped in, this angel was also unable to use any of her powers. But with the stance that she used to attack, the kick that she just sent out can easily break a bone or two on Peina''s body.


    Peina of course knew this, but he did not dodge this kick.


    He only closed his eyes as he waited for the start of his punishment, which could last for 5-10 minutes, depending on the angel''s mood.


    "Woosh!"


    But before the angel''s full-powered kick could land on Peina''s chest, a surge of golden light filled the whole place, which effectively caught the attention of the two.


    "Hm?" The angel quickly retracted her foot as she looked around her warily. This golden light evoked both a sense of awe and anger from the angel, which had been felt by Peina too.


    These two were unable to continue what they were doing as they stared at the source of the golden light, which turned out to be a young man who was floating right on the entrance of the room.


    His appearance made the angel and Peina tense up, as they did not expect this person to appear here.


    "Long time no see, Miss Adjudicator and Peina. I see that your situation is not good right now." The young man said in a carefree tone. "And Lingo, what the hell happened to you? Why are you beaten up like that?"


    "Urgh.. s¡­ ks¡­"


    "Okay. Don''t try speaking now. It''s just making me feel sick." The young man hurriedly said as he made a cutting motion with his fingers. "Don''t even move from your spot, ok? Just let me¡­ do my deed, and you will be alri-"


    "Traveler Alex, is that you?" Peina said as he interrupted the young man''s monologue. His eyes were now filed with hope as he stared at the golden young man, as if he was the messiah that he was waiting for.


    "Well yes, you can say that I am Traveler Alex." The golden man hesitantly said as he tilted his head. "Or more specifically, I am a portion of Traveler Alex. But still, I am also Traveler Alex, so-"


    "Please save us! Oh great Traveler! I will do anything for you, as long as you free us out of this hell! Please, please have mercy on us!" Peina suddenly said as he began supplicating in front of Golden Alex. "If you want me to be your servant, I will be doing it! Just¡­ just free us right now, and we won''t betray you!"


    "Are you sure that you will do everything for me?" Golden Alex replied as a small smile appeared on his face. "You will really do anything for me, as long as I free you three?"


    "Yes, I swear that, Traveler Alex ! I swear it with my life!"


    "Good. Good. Good. I just have the right plan that you three can do. Hehehe, since you have promised to follow me, then this plan of mine will surely work. Hehehe¡­."


    Peina was not sure why, but he began to feel a slight fear after he made his promise with Golden Alex. But with the desperate situation that he is in right now, Peina ignored this sliver of fear.


    After all, there''s nothing worse that can happen to him, right?

 Chapter 446 - Artificial Worlds

    The Legend of the Four Moons.


    This story can be considered to be the most famous and the longest-lasting story in the history of the Four Moons World.


    After all, this story ''supposedly'' talks about the origin of the Four Moons, and their effects on the life of the people, especially during the Calamity Era.


    Up to this day, the influence of this story cannot be denied, with many film adaptations, books, and other stories created from this legend alone. To say that it is a vital part of the culture in the Four Moons World is not a wrong thing to say.


    But even with its fame, many does not have trust on the story''s credibility. Many do not believe that this story is true, as its details were just plains unbelievable.


    After all, in the age of space travel, the mere notion of a person being turned into a moon is just flat-out absurd.  There''s just no way that 4 princesses were suddenly hi-jacked and turned into moons.


    With this kind of mindset, everyone only treated the ''Legend of the Four Moons'' as a nostalgic folklore, that was meant to display the colorful past of the Four Moons World.


    It is nothing more but a cultural icon, something that  everyone in this world treats with respect.


    Alex however, does not think the same way as them.


    "If what the original Alex thinks was right, then it will be the moons that will save this world from Emperor Litch." Black Alex, who was busy on adjusting the symbols currently carved on the floor, suddenly said as he stopped moving.


    His pitch-black eyes glowed slightly as he clenched his fists, as if the words that he just said were enough to evoke some kind of emotion within him.


    "Well, that will only happen if the original Alex is indeed right." White Alex replied, who at this point, was still guarding Wisteria''s unconscious body. "Black Alex, what do you think about the conclusion that original Alex made? Do you believe that he''s right?"


    "The original Alex said that the ''Legend of the Four Moons'' had a semblance of truth in it. He said that the moons were indeed created by someone, although there''s no live people that were sacrificed to make these moons. There''s a lot of evidences that point out to these moons being artificially made." Black Alex replied in a bored tone. "He then further said that these moons were created for 2 different reasons"


    "The first reason is that these moons were used as a prison for the Divine Beings." White Alex chimed in as he patted Wisteria''s back. "Lingo, Peina, that angel, and Malthus were the Divine Beings captured and used to provide power to the people in this world. For them to be imprisoned inside the moons is something that their captor must have decided to do. As for why they have to be imprisoned in those moons, the reason is not yet clear."


    "With the way that the situation has unfolded before, it is safe to say that the first reason is valid." Black Alex said in a hoarse tone. "The original Alex had seen those Divine Beings being imprisoned on those moons, so there''s no denying that."


    "But as for the second reason, that is something that is hard to believe yet." White Alex said as he looked at the symbols that Black Alex wrote on the floor. White Alex only gave these symbols a cursory glance for a second before he went back to talking.


    "According to original Alex, aside from imprisonment of Divine Beings, the moons were also made to suppress the Four Moons World itself. Not only that, but he said that like the moons, the Four Moons World was also artificially made." White Alex murmured as an amused smile appeared on his face.


    Whether this smile was meant to mock the original Alex was still unknown, as White Alex did not make any scathing comments about him.


    "(If the moons were artificial, then there''s a chance that the world itself is artificial too. )That''s the exact words that original Alex said to his allies before." Black Alex mumbled as he began looking at the items gathered by White Alex.


    "If the Four Moons World is indeed artificial, then it makes sense to use the moons to suppress it." White Alex said quickly. "After all, the combined power of those moons, if used right, can stop an Artificial World from forming its own World Soul¡­"


    "So in short, original Alex was saying that the moons were made to stop the Four Moons World from forming its own World Soul. The Abyss¡­ is extremely amused with that theory." Black Alex mumbled as he scratched his chin.


    "Yes, that theory might be good, but the original Alex only made that through indirect deductions. There''s really nothing concrete that can prove that theory of his." White Alex said as he began shaking his head. "After all, it is hard to know if a World is artificially created. Most of them just appear like normal worlds, so it is almost impossible to identify one quickly as artificial. For the original Alex to even think that this world is artificial¡­ is kind of reckless in my opinion."


    "But you can''t deny that this theory is interesting. And if it was right, then we will have an easy way to win." Black Alex said as he gave White Alex a wilting gaze. "Even the Abyss agrees with my assessment."


    "Well, I hope that original Alex''s theory is right. Because if it is not, then we only wasted all our efforts for nothing." White Alex said with finality as he let out a sigh.


    *********************


    In reality, there are two kinds of Worlds.


    There''s the Natural World, and then there''s the Artificial World.


    Just like what its name says, Natural Worlds were Worlds that appeared naturally in the Multiverse. They were created from the steady acc.u.mulation of materials around them, with no intelligent beings aiding  in their creation.


    Natural Worlds just appeared by themselves, and nothing willed them to be created.


    Artificial Worlds on the other hand, were Worlds that were created by someone that has the power to do so.


    There''s a lot of reasons to create an Artificial World, with most of these reasons related to powers themselves. There''s numerous power systems that could lead to the creation of a world along the way, and sometimes, powerful beings just thought of making artificial world.


    In one look, Natural Worlds and Artificial Worlds can be said to be similar to each other. Each type can support life by themselves. This similarity alone makes it hard to treat an artificial world differently, as it was doing what a world should do. It still supports life.


    However, due to the way that they were created, there was one big difference that Artificial Worlds has compared to the Natural Worlds.


    Artificial World, in most cases, had no World Souls of their own.  This absence is attributed to the fact that the Multiverse, which was the source of the World Souls themselves, were only indirectly related to the creation of Artificial Worlds.


    This indirection relationship made it hard for the Multiverse to validate the existence of an Artificial World, hence the lack of their World Souls.


    Of course there have been some cases were Artificial Worlds were able to form their own World Souls, but such kind of cases were extremely rare, and numerous factors like luck, resources, and serendipity were needed to reach these cases.


    Sierra, the World Soul of the Esper World, was one of these lucky cases.


    No matter which way one looked at it, the  Esper World was in essence,  an artificially created world. But that kind of state did not stop this world from creating a World Soul, which eventually ended up as Sierra.


    Since an Artificial World still had a chance to form a World Soul, many creators of Artificial World hopes to see their Artificial Worlds form their own World Souls.


    After all, having a World Soul in your creation is something that is worth waiting for. This is the case for many creators.


    However, there are some creators who does not want to see a World Soul forming on their created worlds.


    Even when there''s only a low chance of a World Soul being born, these creators might do everything that they can to prevent these worlds from having their World Soul.


    There are many ways that this can be done. One of these ways was by using the pressure from celestial bodies to suppress the lingering consciousness of an Artificial World.


    As long as the pressure that comes from these celestial bodies were high enough, then there''s a 0 % chance that a World Soul will be formed from an Artificial World.


    Of course to be able to do something like this requires a lot of resources and power, something that no ordinary powerhouse can do.


    Only those who reached god-like levels can do this feat, a level which Alex had not reached yet.


    Even with Alex''s experience in the Undying Empire, he still was unable to witness someone using their power to suppress an artificial world. However, this inexperience might change now that Alex is here in the Four Moons World.


    With the way that the moons were created and the abnormality of their situation, Alex had a slight hunch that these moons and the Four Moons World exhibits a relationship similar to that of an Artificial World being suppressed by celestial bodies.


    Of course Alex was not entirely sure with this guess, as just like what White Alex said earlier, he only made this theory from several indirect deductions.


    But even with this level of uncertainty, Alex, who was already used on taking risks, has decided to bet his stakes on this theory of his!


    The plans that Alex made for the past days all hinged on the fact that the Four Moons World is an Artificial World. This meant success for him if he was right, but it also meant catastrophic failure if he was mistaken.


    Such kind of reckless behavior is something that Alex will not do before. But with the way that the situation has spiraled out of control, Alex was left with no choice but to pursue this path.


    After all, doing something like this is better than just waiting for your enemies to arrive.


    *****************


    After White Alex gave out his ''warning'' to Black Alex, he relaxed his body as he set down the unconscious Wisteria beside the coffin.


    He then ignored Wisteria after doing this, placing back his attention on the waiting Black Alex.


    "Now that all our preparations are set, it''s time that we do this." Black Alex began to say as he saw White Alex''s actions.


    "With the Abyss as a witness, I shall hereby start this ritual. I hope¡­ that the Abyss will honor my efforts here." With a tone similar to that a child praying to his god, Black Alex began to say these words as he fed his Abyss Energy on the symbols on the floor.


    "Hong~" These symbols began to light up in reaction to the power fed by Black Alex, with more and more symbols slighting up as time passed by. This created a fascinating sight which Kid Alex and Wisteria will surely appreciate.


    As the symbols reacted to Black Alex''s actions, White Alex, who appeared to be a bystander on this point, kept a safe distance. He stayed in this state for a few seconds, and it was only after all the symbols lit up that White Alex made his move.


    "Rustle¡­"


    Dragging his feet along the floor like a seal, White Alex began setting up different items on the different spots on the floor. There was no pattern on the way that he placed these items. He appeared to be just randomly placing these items on the floor, which made him look like a panicking person.


    But the look of pure focus on his face says otherwise.


    Both these two men kept their focus to their peaks as they continued with their actions. No mistake can be tolerated at this point, as one misstep will mean the death for the both of them.


    Even if they were just fragments of Alex himself, the notion of dying is something that these two does not want to face.


    "¡­." This focus led to a moment of silence inside the vault, something that the two did not notice.

 Chapter 447 - Ritual Summon Activate!

    "Black Alex, what are we going to exactly do with these symbols?" White Alex, who had been mostly silent during the setting up process, was unable to keep silent once they had finished setting up.


    His ethereally handsome face could only stare at the symbols on the floor with both confusion and interest, making it appear as if he had only few ideas about these symbols.


    "Even with my knowledge on formations, I can only decipher a small amount of what you did here." White Alex further commented as his eyes carefully raked the scene in front of him.


    "¡­"


    "From what I can see, you seem to be¡­ attempting to perform a summoning ritual." White Alex then blurted out after seeing that Black Alex did not make any comments at all. "Those symbols that you placed on the third and fifth circle looks similar the spatial stabilizers that Immortal Summoning Rituals use. That''s already a give-away that you are trying to summon something far away from here¡­ Now the question is, what are you summoning?"


    "¡­"


    "Come on, Black Alex. Ever since you and Alex made this plan, you two have been secretive about it. Can''t you just tell me the truth now? After all, you were about to start summoning already." White Alex whined as he crossed his arms. "You know that keeping secrets is not good for your Dao. If you continue hiding things from me, then you will be the one who might suffer in the end¡­"


    "Fine, you want to know? Okay, I shall tell it to you now. What I am trying to summon here is an Abyss Monster that has the power of at least a Peak Sixth Stage Being. Or if my luck is great, a Seventh Stage Being." Black Alex said in a slightly loud tone as he glared at White Alex.


    Black Alex, who was formerly calm when he finished creating the ritual symbols, appeared to be irked by White Alex''s questioning.


    "You¡­ you are summoning an Abyss Monster directly from the Abyss Plane? Isn''t that¡­ impossible?" White Alex had nothing to say but this question, as he was surprised with Black Alex''s confession. "From what I know, the Abyss Monsters from the Abyss Plane find it extremely difficult to live on material planes like ours, since they were based on emotions and sinful actions. Most of the times,  they can only exist on planes that mainly support mind and souls."


    "¡­"


    "If these Abyss Monsters want to have an effect on material planes, they can only choose some talented individuals to wield the power system of the Abyss. These individuals will be the ones that will influence the material world in behalf of the Abyss Plane." White Alex continued to say amidst Black Alex''s sudden uncomfortable silence. "These individuals are called the Abyss Envoys, and original Alex is one of them."


    "¡­"


    "Since the Abyss Envoys were the only legitimate way for the Abyss Monsters to affect the material planes, how could you even think of summoning an Abyss Monster here?" White Alex commented as he tilted his head. "Even if you can summon one, they will just be unable to do anything in this world, since their bodies were not meant to live here¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Quite frankly, I think what you are doing here is just a waste of time." White Alex said with finality, which seemed to catch the attention of the formerly disinterested Black Alex.


    "Failure? Hmph, puny Immortal Cultivator. Did you think that the Abyss did not think of other ways to resolve this problem? Do you think that after all this time, the Abyss Monsters are still stuck in their plane, unable to do anything? White Alex, you clearly underestimate the Abyss." Black Alex said as he crossed his arms too.


    "Hm? So the Abyss Monsters really found a way to counter-act the restrictions of material planes? How come I did not know of that before?"


    "That''s because this method is extremely dangerous, both for the summoner and the summoned Abyss Monster." This was Black Alex''s reply to White Alex''s query. "This special ritual that I am about to do is unpredictable and chaotic, that any preparations against it could be useless in the end."


    "¡­"


    "Even with all the preparations that I made, I only have 30% chance of succeeding here.  With just that fact, you already know that this ritual could be the end of me¡­"" Black Alex said as he gave the symbols an apprehensive look. "So don''t complain if you don''t know this method. Only the worthy Abyss Envoys get told about this method,  and only they will have to worry about this ritual¡­."


    "Okay, since you said that you are fine with doing this, then I will support you." White Alex mumbled as he shook his head in exasperation. Since Black Alex was already adamant with doing this, White Alex can only accept it."So, is there anything else that you need for this ritual?"


    "Bring out the  four Moon Stones that Alina had just robbed from the museum earlier. They should be inside her Storage already." Black Alex promptly said. "Place them on the top of the coffin, with each stone facing a cardinal direction. Don''t mess up their placement, or something murderous might come dragging us to our death¡­"


    "Okay. What''s next after that?"


    "Give me the second item that original Alex bought from Asteria." Black Alex mumbled as he rubbed his hands in an excited motion. "The more destroyed that item is, the better. So if you can see that the item is intact, do things that will break that item further¡­"


    "Noted. So, after that?"


    "After that, just stand on the side and watch me do my job." Black Alex said as he made a shooing gesture on White Alex. "I don''t need you here to distract me while I prepare myself to be possessed by an Abyss Monster."


    White Alex, who at this point, was about to step away from Black Alex, suddenly paused in his tracks as he heard Black Alex''s last sentence.


    "Wait, what now? Did you just say that you are preparing to be possessed by an Abyss Monster? What the hell, Black Alex? Are you sure about what you are saying?" White Alex almost shouted out as he mulled over Black Alex''s words.


    "I am sure about this, White Alex. You doubting it will just make the Abyss mad, so zip your mouth shut already."


    "How can I shut my mouth? You are willingly giving up your body to be controlled by an Abyss Monster! Do you think that I can just accept that? My Dao does not tolerate evil happenings like this!" White Alex shouted out as he grabbed Black Alex''s collar.


    Due to the difference on the strength between the two, White Alex was only able to ruffle Black Alex slightly. This difference made Black Alex look more confident with himself, something that White Alex disliked to see.


    "White Alex, if I will not allow the Abyss Monster to possess me, then how will I force the Abyss Monster to materialize in this world?" Black Alex retorted in reply as he shook his head. "It is only by letting an Ethereal Being live in a Material Body that it can exist in a material plane. In this case,  the Abyss Monster can only enter this world once I allow it to take control of my body¡­"


    "¡­"


    "White Alex, in case you did not now, it is only through the help of this Abyss Monster that we can fulfill original Alex''s plan." Black Alex wistfully said as he leaned his head back. "This means that from this point, we have no choice but to allow myself to be possessed. If I don''t do that, then all our plans will fall apart¡­."


    "¡­"


    With this argument presented by Black Alex, the originally livid White Alex had no choice but to suppress his anger, as he realized that the former was actually in the right here.


    "Tsk, you stupid Dao freak! I thought that you are a decent person, but just like the original Alex, you are also a madman! Che! Why did I even associate with you two?" White Alex muttered to himself as he gave Black Alex a baleful look.


    "So what will happen to you once you were possessed by the summoned Abyss Monster? Will you be able to regain control of your body once you need it again, or will you be doomed to lose it to the summoned Abyss Monster?" White Alex added this question before Black Alex could say anything else.


    "I''m not sure about that. The Abyss¡­ is quiet about that issue too." Black Alex hesitantly replied, making White Alex wince once more.


    "So Black Alex, you will be going into this ritual without any idea of what could happen?"


    "Yes, I will."


    "Oh, I wish you a lot of luck then. You are going to need it."


    "I don''t need luck, White Alex. With the support of the Abyss, I can endure anything that gets thrown at me¡­"


    "I hope you can say the same thing once a monster starts controlling your body. Hmph, let''s see if you can still act tough at that time!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 448 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student part 13

    [Kuro]: Move it, you little shi*t! Or do you want to be punished more later?


    [Asteria]: Huhuhu¡­ I swear I will get back to you later! Just you wait!


    [Kuro]: Oh, so now you''re talking back at me like that? Have you not learned discipline already? Tsk, tsk, tsk. It seems like I have to punish you more¡­.


    [Asteria]: Ah it''s just a slip of the tongue, teacher! I swear! I did not mean it!


    [Kuro]: Hoho, are you sure about that?


    [Asteria]: Yes teacher! Please, I mean it! Huhuhu¡­ please don''t add more push-ups on me! I can''t take it anymore!


    [Kuro]: Tsk, its brats like you that makes my job harder! Make 10 more flying push-ups, and we''re done here! Do you understand?


    [Asteria]: Yes teacher!


    [Kuro]: Good. Now just enter the ship once you''re done. We can only enter he Abyss Plane when you''re with us, so you better hurry up!


    [Asteria]: Teacher¡­ do I really need to enter the Abyss Plane with you? Why can''t you just leave me here¡­


    [Kuro]: Hmph, why the f**k are you acting like that? You fully know that you will have no problems here in the Abyss Plane.


    [Asteria]: But-


    [Kuro]: Your  uncle is a High Ranked Abyss Monster, for god''s sake! That makes you a royalty inside the Abyss Plane! With that kind of status, I''m sure that you will receive a VIP treatment there!


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Kuro]:  For someone like you who prefers to be fawned upon, the Abyss Plane surely is a perfect place for you! Your pride and narcissism will just be loved by those Abyss Monsters¡­.


    [[[[After Kuro said these words, Asteria''s face crumpled, as if what the former said had made the latter disgusted. Kuro naturally noticed this, but she just ignored it as she went back to the ship, leaving Asteria who was on her last 5 push-ups already.]]]


    10 MINUTES LATER.


    [Kuro]: Good! Everyone in the ship is ready for the trip! Now, remember what I told you earlier. Do not make any unnecessary noise, and don''t touch anything, unless I tell you to do so. Also, don''t try to communicate with the Abyss Monsters, no matter how tempting it could be. Those who violate these rules¡­ Will receive punishment later!


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­


    [Kuro]: I will be watching all of you, especially you, Asteria. I don''t care if those devils treat you like a queen. As long as you start making trouble, I will deport you out! Do you understand that?


    [Asteria]: ¡­yes teacher.


    [Kuro]: You better remember that promise, Asteria. You already have a lot of problems with the disciplinary council, so don''t make your situation worse. Just... behave here, ok?


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Kuro]: ¡­


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­


    [[[Now that Kuro had succeeded on giving her reminders on the class, she let out a sigh as she focused back on the more important task at hand.  She went towards the control section of her ship, which was locatedhe front end of the ship. Here, mirrors and numerous communication devices allowed Kuro to communicate with anyone that is outside the ship.]]]


    [Kuro]: ¡­.


    [[[Without wasting any second, Kuro used these devices to talk to the Eye right in front of her.]]]


    [Kuro]: We''re the people sent by the Endless Monarch. We''re here to help you out with your issue. So grant us entrance to the Abyss Plane already. We don''t like waiting any more longer here.


    [[[With the help of the amplification microphone attached on the ship, Kuro''s voice came out strong and decisive, which seemed to have stirred a reaction from the giant eye staring at her. But instead of getting angry or confused, the Eye began to laugh at  Kuro instead, as if what she had said was an extremely humorous joke.]]]


    [[[Eye]]]: Ski ski ski¡­ You want me to grant entrance to you that easily? Ski ski skiii¡­ You seem to forget where you are now. You, and those little s**ts with you are at the entrance of the Abyss Plane!


    Boom!


    At this point, a murderous aura came out of the laughing eye. This murderous aura was so thick and potent that the nearby planets were immediately crushed into microscopic pieces.


    Even the stars that were a considerable distance away from the eye were all destroyed too, with these stars having even no chance to go out as a supernova.


    Luckily for the people inside the ship, their vehicle was equipped with numerous rare materials and powerful spells, charms, and hexes that weakened the onslaught of this murderous aura.


    What  remained of the murderous aura was only enough to  paralyze everyone inside the ship.


    Only Kuro was the one unaffected by this aura in its entirety, with her body still standing straight and proud while she crossed her arms.


    The Eye seemed to not care on what it just did as it continued on talking to Kuro.


    [Eye]:  We don''t care who you are or why you are here. If you want to enter the Abyss Plane, then give us a fitting sacrifice! If you have no sacrifice to give us, then I won''t allow you to enter. You know that rule, so you better follow it!


    [Kuro]: Is that your final verdict? You really want us to sacrifice something to you?


    [Eye]: Yes, that''s what you should do if you want to enter this place. If you don''t have it, then you all better scram already. I am still in a good mood today, so you won''t be in my dinner list yet.


    [Kuro]: Hmph, what an irritating ass! I know that in order to enter the Abyss Plane, someone must sacrifice an entire planet to you! A planet! Not just a freaking item or a treasure! You want a f**kng planet as an entrance fee! Do you even know how ridiculous is that?


    [Eye]: Ridiculous? Young woman, with the Endless Monarch backing you and that little school of yours, there''s no way that you don''t have a planet that you can sacrifice to me. You''re a  useful pawn by the Endless Monarch, so he must have given you a lot of good things¡­


    [Kuro]: ¡­


    [Eye]: Come on little girl, just give me what I want, and we will be all good here. I get a planet, while you and your useless students gets to enter the Abyss Plane! That''s an equivalent exchange that will benefit both of us!


    [Kuro]: Benefits? Heh, its funny hearing you say benefits, especially now that you are saying it in front of Tenet''s niece. Are you sure you want to continue pushing us like this?


    [Eye]: Tenet? You punk, how dare you talk casually of Master Tenet! Do you have a deathwish? Because if you have, then I will be happy to send you off!


    Boom!


    [[[[The previously static eye suddenly began to move, with its massive body sailing towards Kuro''s ship]]]


    [[[Trillions of tentacles blossomed form the eye''s pupil, creating a disgusting sight that made Kuro and the students feel sick.]]]


    [[[As these tentacles continued to sicken the audience, the eye began to get closer and closer to Kuro''s ship.]]]


    [[[Just by looking at what the eye was doing, it was pretty obvious that it was trying to kill Kuro and her students.]]]


    [[[But before this eye could even finish its intended attack, it suddenly stopped on its tracks. A pure look of horror could be seen blossoming from this eye''s pupils, as if it had witnessed something terrible and fear inducing.]]]


    [[[This was proven when the eye resumed talking. This time, there was no arrogance in its voice as it began talking to Kuro in a fawning manner.]]]


    [Eye]: Oh¡­ Miss Kuro. I did not expect Master Tenet''s niece to be actually here. Forgive me¡­ for not seeing her earlier. It''s a mistake that I should have not done, and yet I still did it. Please¡­ forgive this lowly one for not seeing her!


    [Kuro]: Oh, don''t worry about that. Even if Asteria is  as mischievous as Tenet, she is still a magnanimous person. I assure you that she does not hold a grudge on you.


    [Eye]: I-is that so? Oh thank you Miss Kuro for raising Asteria as a good person. That is something¡­ that will make Master Tenet happy.


    [Kuro]: Hahaha, thank you for your praise, Eye. Oh, and don''t worry about me. I know that you are just doing your job, so there''s no hard feelings from me too.


    [Eye]: Really? I am so glad about that Miss Kuro. You really are like what the rumors are saying. You''re a person worthy of respect, and you are someone who is of high-class! There''s no one that can surpass your beauty, and your grace is one of  a kind!


    [Kuro]: Aww¡­ That''s so nice.


    [Eye]: Well, for someone as magnanimous as you Miss Wisteria, a thousand praises are not enough to fully show your worth!


    [Kuro}: Hahaha, I like that one.


    [Eye]: Hahahaha.


    [Kuro]: Hahahaha.


    [Eye]: Hahahaha.


    [Kuro]: Hahahaha.


    [Eye]: Hahahaha.


    [Kuro]: Cut the crap with that s**ty attitude! Now, will you still ask me to give you a sacrifice, or will you allow us to enter the Abyss Plane? You have 5 seconds to decide. If you don''t answer, then Asteria will personally tell her uncle about your misdeeds!


    [Eye]: You little shi-! Fine, you can now enter the Abyss Plane! You don''t need to give me a planet anymore!


    [Kuro]: See? In the end, you still allowed us to enter. Tsk, tsk, tsk. If you just did this earlier, then things could not have ended like this. You disappoint me, giant eyeball. You could have been better than this..


    [Eye]: Don''t call me an eyeball you little sh*t! I am-


    [Asteria]: Why are you so noisy? I am trying to sleep here!  Do you know how tired I am righ- Hey¡­ you''re that guy who my uncle treats as his underling, right?


    [Eye]: Um, well-


    [Asteria]: Hm, if you''re really that guy, then why the f**k are you disrespecting me like this? Do you know the mistake that you just made? Argh! You are making me more pissed now!


    [Eye]: Ah mercy, oh blessed one! Please give me your forgiveness! Please¡­ please don''t doom me!


    [Asteria]: Forgive you? Hmm¡­ well if you have a jar of good honey there, then maybe I can forgive you. Well, just maybe. But that''s better than me staying angry at you, right?''


    [Eye]: I''m on it, blessed one! I shall give you the best honey that you can ever taste!


    [Asteria]: There! That''s how you should have acted earlier! Good, good, good. Just give me a lot of honey, and maybe I can ask your uncle to promote you¡­


    [Eye]: Oh!!! You are the greatest of them all, oh blessed one! Be assured! I will put my life on stake just to give you the best honey there is!


    [Kuro]: ¡­


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­

 Chapter 449 - Cheva, the Abyss Monster of Wrath and Envy

    "There are several things needed in order for an Abyss Summoning Ritual to work." Black Alex, whose body was still emitting tremendous amounts of Abyss Energy out of his body, said as he closed his eyes.


    "The first thing is the Abyss Ritual Formation. This formation shall channel the Abyss Energy inside my body in order to establish a connection with the Abyss Plane. Without this formation, the ritual will not start at all."


    "The second thing is a spatial anchor. This will serve as a marker on the Abyss Ritual Formation. This anchor will then allow the Abyss Plane to pinpoint and locate the exact location of the formation. In our case, our spatial anchor shall be the four Moon Stones that Alina stole for us. These stones were the ones that has the highest chance of attracting the attention of the Abyss Plane."


    "The third and final thing needed for a ritual to succeed is the existence of a sacrifice. Abyss Monsters can grant  any of your requests, as long as it is within their scope of power. In exchange, you must sacrifice something for that request. The more difficult the request is, the higher will the demand for the sacrifice be. If you don''t have any sacrifice prepared for the ritual, then you will be immediately killed by an enraged Abyss Monster."


    After saying these words, Black Alex opened his eyes as he stared solemnly above him. White Alex swallowed his throat as he saw this, as he realized that the real show is about to start now.


    "Once these three things are established, the ritual summoner can start summoning an Abyss Monster already. As for what happens after that, just watch it from me." Black Alex said as he spread out his fingers


    "Pew pew pew pew!"


    4 black pellets shot out of his fingers, with each pellet striking the moon stones placed on the floor.


    These stones, which looked to be extremely unmovable, began to shake as the pellets hit them.


    The ritual formation on the floor appeared to have a reaction on the pellets, as they began absorbing the moon stones that had the pellets embedded on them.


    No matter how large or rough the moons stones appeared, they were easily gobbled up by the formation, as if they were just food presented to it.


    Once the stones were ''assimilated'' in the formation, Black Alex let out a low hum as he spread out his arms.


    There was a fanatic look on his face as he belched out more Abyss Energy out of his mouth, which proceeded to react with the ritual formation.


    "Hong~"


    A glowing stream of light erupted from the ritual formation, which then began absorbing the Abyss Energy belched by Alex. This absorption process lasted for around 3 seconds, and once it was finished, a small, crystalline sphere could be seen hovering right in front of Black Alex.


    Black Alex looked at this sphere with a fond look on his face, as if he had suddenly seen the love of his life. He slowly approached the sphere with reverent movements, as if he was afraid of spooking it.


    Once he was within the sphere''s touching distance, Black Alex let out a cackle as he slashed his wrist open.


    "Schla!"


    Black blood began to spurt out of Black Alex''s wounded wrist, which he sprayed directly on the crystalline sphere. For a few seconds, the sphere did not show any reaction to Black Alex''s blood.


    But when all of the sphere''s surface was covered by the blood, it began to release a wailing sound similar to that of the tortured dead.


    White Alex winced as he heard this wail, although Black Alex appeared to be rejoicing at this.


    "With my blood as the catalyst and the moon stones as the anchor, I, the Abyss Envoy, hereby uses my authority to summon you!"


    "Boom!"


    Black Alex then threw the sphere upwards, until it hit the ceiling above them.


    "Splat!"


    With a sound similar to a broken egg, the sphere broke when it smashed against the ceiling.  Black, viscous, fluid sprayed out of this impact, drenching everything around the sphere with its ebony ink.


    Before White Alex could make a comment about this mess, he saw that there was something else that shot out of the broken sphere.


    A pitch-black gate, which was the size of several humans stacked together, suddenly materialized from the broken sphere.


    White Alex, who was located below the Institute, shivered as he felt the existence of this black gate.


    Even when this gate appeared to have no signs of life, White Alex could not help but take a step back, as he realized that this gate has no signs of life because this gate was extinguishing life itself.


    "Skra¡­."


    The black gate stayed still for a few seconds after its appearance, which plunged the whole room into a tense state.


    "¡­"


    Even when Black Alex told him that this ritual is under his control, White Alex still could not be at ease with the black gate. There was just something innately wrong with it¡­ that White Alex could not accept.


    "O, Great Guardian Tenet. I implore you to open the gates of the Abyss for me. Allow me to access the secrets of the Abyss Plane, for it is my right to do so!" Black Alex roared as he flew towards the gate. "Resist, and you will face my wrath!"


    The ritual formation on the floor was both flickering and glowing even at this point, with the energy from them being constantly absorbed by the black gate.


    Upon seeing this, White Alex narrowed his head as he realized that although the black gate appeared to be independent, it was the ritual formation that was supplying the energy needed for the black gate to exist.


    "This means that once the ritual formation runs out of power, this whole summoning ritual will end." White Alex muttered as he kept a safe distance from the formation. "So as much as possible, nothing must disturb this formation¡­"


    [ACCESS GRANTED, ABYSS ENVOY. MAKE FULL USE OF THIS RITUAL. THE ABYSS¡­ DOES NOT WANT WASTING ITS RESOURCES ON USELESS THINGS.] To White Alex''s surprise, a deep, baritone voice suddenly came out of the gate, with its words focused on Black Alex''s declaration.


    Black Alex only smiled as he heard this voice, as if he had been not worried about this at all.


    "Great Guardian Tenet. Allow me to talk to a Half-Step Transcendent(Seventh Stage) Abyss Monster that can destroy a celestial body." Black Alex said as he crossed his arms. "The stronger this monster is, the better it will be for me. Do you have someone like that?"


    [WE DO, AND I SHALL BRING HIM NOW] The Great Guardian Tenet replied briskly, wits his voice fading into silence. The black gate then went still at this point, as if Tenet''s sudden silence was enough to make it docile.


    "¡­"


    After a few seconds of waiting, the black gate began to shake as power erupted out of its seams.


    The gate''s opening, which was closed shut like any other normal gate, began to slowly open as the gate''s shaking continued to increase.


    A decaying and desiccated arm then slowly crawled out of the now opened gate. This arm, which had two eyes on its palms and a mouth on its wrist, continued to wiggle out of the gate, releasing an aura of destruction and death that almost made White Alex vomit.


    White could not help but sit on his butt as he felt suppressed and terrified by this arm alone.


    This irrational fear of his was amplified when he saw the what came out arm the gate was the arm alone. There was no body attached to this monstrous looking arm, as if the arm was severed from its body in the first place.


    What should have been the elbow portion of the arm was replaced by a stump filled with numerous festering wounds. There was nothing that was attached to the arm because of the presence of this stump, creating an unnerving sight of a floating arm.


    Countless parasitic worms and plants could be seen thriving on the stump, with each of these parasites exuding an aura compared to that of a Third Stage Being.  These parasites appeared to be at peace right on their habitat, as they did not even react to the sudden change in their surroundings.


    "¡­." White Alex had no words to say about this arm, as even his pure, untouchable soul was almost tainted by this arm''s aura alone.


    "yOu CalLeD mE? wHo tHe F*cK arE yoU to JusT CaLL Me Out HerE?" An aged, distorted voice from the arm came out, with its words immediately showing the arm''s animosity towards Black Alex. Even when the arm''s words were almost indecipherable, White Alex could still feel the hostility that was now flowing out of the arm''s words.


    "EveN iF yOu ArE tHE aBysS EnVOy, YoU hAVe No F*cKinG RigHT tO CaLL Me oUT ! DamN yOu! I''m ABouT To eaT mY FavORitE DiSh! dO yoU KnOw hoW MUch I aM CraVInG for iT?"  The arm bellowed in extreme anger as reared back its fingers.


    "Boom!"


    An earthshaking power materialized as the fingers pulled back further, creating rifts of broken space around the arm.


    White Alex were left with no choice but to retreat further at this point, as he realized that staying here will place him in more danger. He dragged Wisteria''s unconscious body along with him, which surely had saved the woman''s fate.


    "YoU maY Be tHe aBysS EnvOY, bUt You aRE StIlL WeAk! yOu sHouLD hAVe nO RigHt tO bE CaSuaLLy COmMAndING US! You¡­ yoU aRE jUSt OuR PawN!"   The arm continued to shout as it began approaching Black Alex with a killing intent.


    There was no doubt that it was thinking of killing Black Alex now, and judging by the spatial rifts closing in on him, Black Alex''s death was about to come.


    "¡­"


    But instead of panicking in front of these rifts, Black Alex kept his calm as he shook his head.


    Ignoring the murderous arm that was approaching him, Black Alex let out a low whistle as he calmly pulled out an object form his pocket.


    This object, which he revealed to the arm with a smug smile, was a fragment of a sword. Rust and grime covered this sword fragment, which coupled with its brittle appearance, made the sword fragment look useless.


    To anyone who saw what Black Alex was doing, they might shake her head as they think that Black Alex was just desperately doing anything to survive.


    But they were all wrong, as at the moment that this sword fragment appeared, the murderous arm froze in its tracks.


    The power that the arm was wantonly releasing earlier has retreated back to its body, bringing the whole area back into its peaceful state.


    It was as if nothing earth-shaking had happened earlier, and that the arm was just here to casually visit Black Alex.


    "So, with this sword fragment as the sacrifice, how long can you possess my body?" Black Alex queried to the now frozen arm. "Will it be enough to destroy¡­ my target?"


    "WITH THAT FRAGMENT? HMPH, YOU CAN GET AT LEAST 15 SECONDS FROM ME." The arm replied, with its tone much calmer compared to before.


    "¡­"


    White Alex was slightly rattled by the sudden change on the arm''s mannerisms, as he did not expect a simple sword fragment to induce a 180 degree change on the arm''s attitude.


    "15 seconds? Hm¡­ I think that is enough." Black Alex replied as he nodded his head.


    Before White Alex or the arm could make any comment about the strange tone on his last words, Black Alex suddenly laughed as he sent a smirk on the arm''s direction.


    "So, do you accept this sacrifice of mine? Make your choice already, as my summoning ritual is about to end. If you don''t'' give me your answer quickly, you will be banished back to the Abyss Plane." Black Alex said as he gave a pitying look at the arm.


    "It was only this ritual that is allowing you to stay intact in this world, so please make a decision now. If you don''t then you just wasted your time here."


    "YOU''RE F*CKING ASKING ME? OF COURSE I WILL ACCEPT YOUR SACRFICE! THERE''S NO WAY I WILL PASS UP ON OBTAINING THIS SWORD FRAGMENT!" The arm replied, this time with a note of happiness in its words. "HAHAHA! THOSE OLD FOGEYS SHALL BE JEALOUS OF ME! HAHAHA!"


    White Alex was now creeped out by the arm at this point, as all of its behavioral changes had rendered him completely confused.


    "Since you accept it, then I shall declare what I want from you." At the sight of the jolly arm, Black Alex let out a sigh as he threw the sword fragment towards the arm.


    As the fragment sailed across the air in a graceful arc, Black Alex let out another sigh as he continued speaking. This time, his words were laced with his Abyss Energy, making him sound similar to the arm.


    "Cheva, the Abyss Monster of Wrath and Envy, with the sacrifice I gave you, I implore you to¡­"

 Chapter 450 - Im sick and tired of being sick and tired!

    "Rustle rustle¡­" The feeling of invigoration flooded Queen Mother''s body once more as she reverted back to her true form.


    A sigh, which her current body could not release, echoed inside Queen Mother''s mind as she felt her branches swaying along with the winds.


    Her massive body, which was towering on the structures all around her, began to grow larger and larger as Queen Mother used her power to absorb the vitality present on the world that she was in.


    "¡­" Due to the sudden change on Queen Mother, every people nearby noticed her ''unavoidable'' appearance. Each one of them could only look at Queen Mother''s towering frame with both awe and fear, as this is the only way someone can treat a giant massive tree.


    "¡­" Queen Mother took no notice of the attention given to her, as she was more focused on the mission at hand.


    She knew that the longer she stays on her tree form, the slower and more sluggish her mind could be. After all, plants, are not meant to think that deeply, even those plants that gained their own awareness.


    This means that she must perform her task as soon as possible, or else she might also revert back to her previous mentality.


    "Just transforming back to being a World Tree is already extremely difficult for me. In fact, if it weren''t for the baptism that the Great TimeMaster gave me, turning back into a World Tree will be impossible for me." Queen Mother thought to herself as she began spreading out her massive consciousness all around her.


    As her soul bolstered the spreading out of her consciousness, Queen Mother mentally frowned as she felt her mind slowing down more and more. This is not good for her, as she knew that the cannot stay in her current form for any longer.


    "The price that I have to pay for reverting back to my tree form is costly, so I must make use of every single second that I am in my tree form." Queen Mother thought grimly as she felt her consciousness covering halfway of this world''s volume. "If I can''t even find what I am looking for in this current form, then what did I even come here for?"


    Aside from having a powerful body, World Trees also have powerful souls and consciousness. Years and years of growing allows a World Tree to form a powerful soul, which makes it easier for them to communicate with other World Souls.


    Right now, Queen Mother was using her powerful soul to search for the World Soul of this world, in hopes of rescuing it from danger.


    But instead of finding what she was looking for, Queen Mother''s worst fears were instead confirmed after her soul swept all over the Four Moons World.


    "There''s really¡­ no World Soul in this world. If there''s no World Soul here, then does that mean that Alex was right?" Queen Mother thought to herself as she pulled back her consciousness. By this point, she could sense numerous powerhouses looking at her with interest, although she was not in the right state of mind to worry about them.


    Queen Mother was more preoccupied with what she had discovered, and it was enough to make her downcast mood even worse.


    "Blasphemy! This is blasphemy!" Queen Mother thought inwardly as her branches began to rattle, showing the anger that she was feeling right now. "Even if this place is an artificial world, I can feel with my power that a World Soul should have been born here. But even with that, I still can''t see any World Soul here! Tsk, this only means one thing. Something must have been used to prevent the World Soul from appearing! As for what that something is, it must have been¡­"


    At this point, Queen Mother stopped her mental inquiry as she focused her observation on the sky.


    Here, Queen Mother ''saw'' the celestial body that hovering above her.


    The Blue Moon, which was the only moon left from the Calamity Era, could be seen clearly on the pristine sky.


    Its blue color almost made it invisible against the blue sky around it, but those with sharp eyes can fully see it on its glory.


    As for the Yellow Moon, Red Moon, and Green Moon, only their fragments were visible at this point, with most of them floating around the Blue Moon.


    Compared to the Blue Moon, these fragments appeared insignificant, which made the Blue Moon appear like an imposing King.


    "¡­" In face of this Blue Moon, Queen Mother curled her metaphorical lips as she began to treat this moon with hate.


    This hate only intensified when she noticed something peculiar with the Blue Moon.


    Now that Queen Mother had reverted back to her tree form, her soul had returned to its peak state too. This allowed her to monitor everything that are thousands of kilometers away from her, including even the celestial bodies.


    The Blue Moon was naturally included in this category, which allowed Queen Mother to observe this moon in a higher detail.


    "¡­"


    Powerful force fields, the likes which can withstand  attacks of numerous Peak Sixth Stage Beings, were currently gathered all around the Blue Moon''s surface. Each one of these force fields were emitting pulses of power that Queen Mother did not dare to underestimate.


    After all, force fields that can tank attacks from Sixth Stage Being were things that Queen Mother cannot just ignore. In her current form, Queen Moher has no way to make a dent on these force fields. Even Alex or Alina won''t be able to do anything against these force fields too, as their current power is not enough to do anything against them yet.


    "¡­"


    With just one look at these force fields, Queen Mother can determine that whoever put it must be extremely protective of the Blue Moon. This in turn, solidified her conclusion that the Blue Moon was intended to suppress the Four Moons World.


    "Perhaps in the past, the one who created this world used the four moons to suppress the creation of a World Soul." Queen Mother thought to herself as she pulled back on observing the Blue Moon. "That must have been the real purpose of the four moons¡­."


    Even if her current form does not allow her to frown, Queen Mother''s agitation could still be felt from her leaves as they all drooped down in the same fashion.


    "When Alex and the other Travelers came, they were so close to destroying all the moons. At the end of those conflicts, only the Blue Moon and the Yellow Moon remained. After that, all of us were forced to depart for other missions." Queen Mother mused quietly. "But when we returned here, we noticed that the Yellow Moon was also gone. Only the Blue Moon remained, with its body bolstered with extreme defenses."


    "Something¡­ something must have happened while we were gone that led to the destruction of the Yellow Moon. After that event, the Blue Moon was bolstered the point that only Transcendent Beings can destroy it. No matter which way you look at this, something is wrong here¡­" Queen Mother continued to think as her leaves returned to their upright position.


    The fact that the Yellow Moon was gone, and that the Blue Moon was bolstered defensively brought more questions on Queen Mother''s already sluggish mind.  But even when she was swamped by these, there was still one thing that she was sure right now.


    "As of now, I do not know how the Yellow Moon was destroyed and on who was the one who placed those force fields on the Blue Moon. However, there is one thing that I am sure of. And that as long as the Blue Moon is not destroyed, the Four Moons World will never have a World Soul!" Queen Mother thought to herself as she suppressed the agitation on her body.


    "If it were me, I would have already done something to destroy that Blue Moon. I just cannot tolerate its presence, as it was indirectly killing a World Soul! But even if I want to destroy it, those force fields make my goal impossible¡­ Sigh. Why would someone be so cruel to prevent the growth of a World Soul? Does that person not know that in the end, he''s still preventing someone to live? How could someone be this heartless?"


    At this point, even if Queen Mother''s emotions were dulled in her current form, the rage that formed inside her was enough to heat her body up. Steam which was as large as clouds began to billow of her trunk as her enraged body boiled from the inside.  This elicited a panicked reaction from the crowd below her, and they did everything that they can to run away from her.


    Just like usual, Queen Mother ignored them as she focused her attention on calming herself down.


    But before she could even stabilize her emotions, a sudden fluctuation of power caught her attention.


    "Hm?" If it were before, Queen Moher will also ignore this fluctuation, as there was just numerous powerhouses in this world. For someone to release their power is normal, as a free-for-all is happening right now.


    However, the fluctuation that Queen Mother felt right now was both familiar and foreign to her.


    "This¡­ this is the power of the Abyss. But why¡­. why do I feel like its stronger than before? It was as if¡­ I am currently facing a monstrous being right now!" Queen Mother though to herself with worry as her body went still.


    Queen Mother rarely feels fear, as her lofty stature and massive vitality renders her almost unkillable, even by powerful Sixth Stage Beings.


    But right now, she could clearly feel fear from this power that just suddenly appeared.


    "Is this something that Alex did? If that''s the case, then why don''t I know anything about it?" Queen Mother thought as she felt the power increasing as time passed by. "Does he not trust us about his plan? Or is his plan so dangerous, that he does not want us to know about it?"


    "Boom!"


    Queen Mother''s query was immediately answered when a massive arm suddenly shot out from a building tens of kilometers away from her.


    This arm  looked unsuitable in this world, with its decaying body and unpleasant aura enough to provoke disgust and fear from Queen Mother. These feelings just increased when she saw numerous alien-looking appendages attached on the arm itself.


    "¡­" Queen Mother''s mind went blank as she saw this arm, as the power that emanated from it was enough to silence her in fear.


    Just the Abyss Energy emanating from this monster was exponentially higher compared to Alex, making this creature appear as a deadly Abyss Monster.


    With this Abyss Monster only kilometers away from her, Queen Mother can only do her best to hide her presence, as she had the feeling that this arm can easily kill her, even in her current form!


    "Alex, this Abyss Monster¡­ its clearly more powerful than a Peak Sixth Stage Being! Is this Abyss Monster a Half-Step Transcendent or a Transcendent Being? If that''s the case, then how were you able to summon something like this here!" Queen Mother thought hastily to herself. "There''s no way that you can just easily call for help from this kind of being, even if you are the Abyss Envoy¡­"


    "Boom!"


    At this point, Queen Mother had to stop more of her thoughts as she saw what the Abyss Monster did next.


    Without wasting any time on its sudden appearance, the floating arm shot straight into the sky, with its Abyss Power thrusting it up in an unbelievable speed.


    A roar, which was comparable to that of a laughing devil, echoed out of the arm as it continued on flying up.


    Nothing appeared to be able to stop this arm on leaving, which resulted on its smooth departure.


    Just 2 seconds later, and the arm already left the world''s atmosphere, leaving nothing but only trails of black smoke on its wake.


    It appeared to be uninterested on coming back, as there were no signs of its body falling back to the world.


    "¡­"


    Queen Mother was confused when she saw what the floating arm did, as she did not expect it to suddenly fly away from the world itself.


    Since this monster was so powerful, then why would it waste its time flying away from the place where their opponents are?


    This confusion however immediately disappeared when Queen Mother tracked the arm''s path.


    "!!!"


    To her chagrin and surprise, she realized that if the arm continues to follow its trajectory, it will eventually reach the Blue Moon! With the speed that this arm had on its departure, it will only take it a few more seconds to reach this moon!


    In fact, it could have already reached the Blue Moon  at this point!


    "Alex¡­. So all of your plans lead to the destruction of the Blue Moon? If that''s the truth, then what do you plan to do after that?"  Queen Mother though to herself with resignation as she stared at the still intact Blue Moon.


    Complicated emotions filled her mind as she realized that with the power that that Abyss Monster had, destroying the Blue Moon is entirely possible.


    But with the current situation, what use would destroying the Blue Moon be?


    The act of destroying the Blue Moon will only give Alex one plausible benefit, and that benefit was the creation of a World Soul.


    This is a great benefit, as the creation of a World Soul will allow the Four Moons World to have its own mind. Once this happens, the whole world could be free from the control of Emperor Litch. This is a Main-Mission completing scenario, so Queen Mother could not blame Alex for making this move.


    However, this benefit has one major problem.


    Even if the Blue  Moon gest destroyed, it will still take at least a thousand years before a World Soul can be formed here in the Four Moons World. That span of time¡­ is not something that Queen Mother and Alex had for the Main Mission.


    So in short terms, even if Alex successfully destroys the Blue Moon, they do not have enough time to allow the creation of a World Soul, which meant that they will still not finish the Main Mission.


    "Alex, so what the hell should I do now? Is there anything special that I should do?" Queen Mother thought to herself as she waited for the inevitable sound of destruction. "Or do I get to be a bystander again?"

 Chapter 451 - Through the eyes of Cheva

    The feeling of possessing a material body¡­ was one of the best things that an Abyss Monster can ever experience in their lives.


    These beings, who can only exist within the realms of the mind and soul, find joy on experiencing material things through the bodies that they possess.


    Because of this, any Abyss Monster will jump in the chance to possess a possible vessel. No matter what way these Abyss Monsters employ to possess a body, they will do it, as this is one of the joys in their lives.


    So when Black Alex offered to have his body possessed in order to complete the ritual, Cheva did not hold back  anymore.


    He immediately swooped in on the waiting Black Alex, who left his body wide open for a possession.


    "Swoosh¡­"


    Cheva''s body turned into a gas-like construct as he entered Black Alex''s mind. His massive arm-like body had been all converted into gas by this point, with all of them sending themselves towards Black Alex.


    "Hiss¡­"


    All of these gas permeated every portion of Alex''s body and cells, including both  his mind and soul.


    In no time at all, Cheva''s whole body had already disappeared. All of his gas-like body was now already inside Black Alex, with not even a single portion of him visible outside.


    All of this only took a microsecond to happen, which shows the expertise that Cheva had in relation to body possession. It was obvious that he had done these things before already, and today will surely not be the last one that he will perform something like this.


    "Hohoho¡­. For a mere mortal like you to allow my possession, you must have been desperate to destroy that moon. Hmph, as expected of mortals. You always rely on brute force. Pathetic." Cheva thought to himself as he applied his power on Black Alex.


    By this point, Black Alex''s whole body was already under Cheva''s control, which meant that Cheva can do whatever he wants with Black Alex, and there will be no consequence on him.


    "Crackle¡­" With the help of the Abyss Energy inside him,  Cheva quickly remodeled Black Alex''s body.


    Black Alex''s aloof and mysterious human appearance was quickly wiped away by Cheva, as he began fusing all of Black Alex''s body parts together.


    This move lasted for only a moment, although loud grunts of effort could be heard from Cheva, with each grunt accompanied by short bursts of Abyss Energy.


    At the end of this move, Black Alex''s body had visibly changed.


    Instead of appearing like a normal body, what was left of Black Alex was a human-sized right arm floating in the air.


    His other limbs, torso, head were undetectable at this point,  making it appear as if they did not exist at all.


    To anyone who sees the current Black Alex, they will really only see a floating right arm, something that will surely be enough to spook them.


    This fact seemed to have improved Cheva''s mood, as he began to roar in laughter as his new body began wiggling in the air.


    "Now that I have this body under my control, its time for me to go the next step! Now my new body,  go and expand! Expand until you can''t take it anymore!" Cheva roared out as he willed Black Alex''s right arm to expand beyond it normal size.


    "Huwong~"


    Like a balloon suddenly filed up with gas, Black Alex''s right arm swelled to monstrous proportions as Cheva fed it with more Abyss Energy.


    This continuous feeding induced some more changes on Black Alex''s right arm, such as the sprouting of two eyes and mouth on the palm and wrist, and the manifestation of tentacles all along the arm''s body.


    "Good good good!" These changes rendered Cheva greatly pleased, as he felt more and more familiarity the current form on his possessed body.


    "Hehehe, does that mortal think that I would want to control his whole body? Pah! I am not as wasteful as him! I am Cheva, the Divine Right Arm of the Abyssal Lord! I am meant to live as a right arm, so my possessed body must only be a right arm too!" Cheva declared to himself proudly. "Hmph, this mortal should even be happy that I turned him like this. He had a great honor of having my splendid form, so he must appreciate this!


    By this point, his possessed body appeared to be extremely similar to Cheva''s original body. In fact, if it weren''t for the weakness of the death aura on his possessed body, then nobody can ever distinguish his possessed body from his original one!


    "So¡­ this mortal wanted me to destroy the remaining moon in this world. How interesting¡­" Once he had fully adjusted on his possessed body, Cheva began to ignore the gaping White Alex nearby him as he placed his attention on the sky.


    His eyes, which was glowing earlier with the glint of pride, began to burn in greed as she stared at the Blue Moon hungrily.


    "Hehehe¡­ the contract only states that I can destroy that moon. That means that I can do anything that I want in order to destroy it. Any methods can do, as long as they work in the end. Hehe, this could provide me some entertainment¡­" Cheva mused to himself as he started to fly towards the Blue Moon.


    He did not hold back on his possessed body as he gave his all to fly to the moon.


    With the limited value of Black Alex''s sacrifice, Cheva can only stay in this world for 15 more seconds. This means that he must destroy the Blue Moon in 15 seconds, a feat which Cheva can easily do with his Half-Step Transcendent Power.


    But in order to make sure that the moon will be full destroyed and that the contract will be fulfilled, Cheva has decided to destroy the Blue Moon with his strongest attack, which is a close-ranged attack.


    This way, Cheva can be assured of the moon''s destruction.


    But since this attack is a ''close-ranged one'', Cheva has no choice but to approach the moon head-on in order to successfully perform it.


    Sure, it might bring Cheva dangerously close to the limit of 15 seconds, but as an Abyss Monster, this kind of risk just makes him more excited!


    "Hahaha! There''s only 13 seconds remaining until the time runs out. I hope¡­ that this extermination mission will not be boring!" Cheva''s wrist mouth roared as he felt his body threading through the vacuum of the space. "Mortals these days are so entertaining¡­ So please, make me feel happy inside these 12 seconds!"


    With Cheva''s current speed and increasing acceleration,  he only needed 6 more seconds before he can arrive at the Blue Moon.


    This is just the right amount of time for Cheva to make his move.


    However, instead of feeling complacent with his current state, Cheva had his body prepared as he got closer and closer to the Blue Moon.


    He was not sure why, but he had the feeling that once he reaches the Blue Moon, something interesting will happen here, which involves the survival of his possessed body!


    "Hehehe, if I am right, this moon is a Suppressor. Things like these are extremely important, especially for a Conqueror¡­" Cheva mused as he began to absorb all the Abyss Energy that he had stored on his Totem. "Since this place is the territory of that mortal Conqueror, then he must also know the value of this moon. Hehehe, if that emperor is not a fool, then he must have placed special defensive measures in this moon!"


    If it was Black Alex who had reached this conclusion, then he will surely be worried by all of these possible traps.


    But instead of acting like this, Cheva actually appeared pleased by this conclusion.


    It was as if the existence of powerful defenses and traps waiting for him at the Blue Moon was the best thing that Cheva could ever witness  in his life.


    "Hehehe, will the body of the Abyss Envoy be powerful enough to survive this trip? I hope so, because I still want to have more transactions with him in the future¡­" Cheva thought amusedly to himself as his fingers began to wiggle.


    Multitude of flames then spouted at his fingertips, which Cheva flicked towards the Blue Moon.


    "But if the body of the Abyss Envoy gets destroyed here, then that just means that he is an incompetent Abyss Envoy. So for him to be destroyed here will be acceptable too!" Cheva concluded merrily as the flames that he sent formed a resplendent blasting attack on the Blue Moon. "Abyss Envoys are pretty easy to find, so one dead Abyss Envoy won''t hurt the Abyss Plane¡­"

 Chapter 452 - The Moon-Destroying Serpent

    Reality did not disappoint Cheva, as what he had witnessed upon arriving at the Blue Moon was way better than what he had initially expected.


    "Halt! Outsider! Nobody is allowed on these premises except the generals!" Three heavily built people shouted out towards the incoming Cheva, with their words laced with detectable killing intent.


    All three of them were stationed right at the surface of the Blue Moon, with their bodies billowing with power.


    Multicolored Palaces, the sizes which are comparable to mountains, materialized at the back of these three men. Each of these palaces had their own unique aura, which are powerful enough to destroy weaker objects.


    Upon seeing these palaces, Cheva continued to laugh as he felt derision on his opponents.


    "Hohoho so you three are Gods. I can see that you have already established your Godly Palaces¡­" Cheva muttered to himself as he ignored the threats uttered by the three Gods below him. "Hmm¡­ judging by the completion rate of your palaces, you three are all Peak Gods. You only need to create your own Godly Throne to reach Transcendence¡­"


    "You fiendish monster! We don''t care what you are talking about! We told you to not come here, so you better not push your luck!" One of the Gods said as the silhouette of a yellow star appeared behind him.


    This star then emitted numerous scorching rays of heat that covered the area around him, which included Cheva.


    "Hiss¡­" Cheva''s skin, which was already falling apart on its current state, began to break down because of the extreme heat released by the star. Hissing sounds accompanied this breaking down, which made Cheva look like a re-heated rotten food.


    "Hahaha! A puny God who wields the Law of the Stars. Are you sure a mortal like you can just use this casually? Hmph, what a disappointment!" Cheva grunted as his eyes squinted. "You can just materialize a puny yellow  star behind you, and you already used that to construct  your Godly Palace? Hmph, I''ve met better Gods than you who constructed neutron stars for their palaces!"


    "Swoosh!" Before the Gods could realize the meaning of Cheva''s words, the latter suddenly disappeared on his current spot.


    One moment later, and Cheva materialized behind the three Gods, who were all taken aback by the sudden change.


    "What? How could he be here? Didn''t this moon have numerous formations that prevents intruders from forcing their way in? How could this monstrosity make his way here then?s" The second God shrilly shouted as a staff materialized on his hands. This staff emitted the same aura as his Godly Palace, which this God sent hurtling towards Cheva''s eyes.


    The space both trembled and quaked as this staff made its way, with the tip of the staff filled with numerous spatial rifts. An immense amount of physical energy can be felt leaking out of this staff, which shows  the danger hidden in this staff!


    In fact, this current staff attack had enough power to destroy a portion of a continent itself, a feat which only powerful martial artists can do.


    "Hoho¡­ you wield the Law of Staff Martial Arts? That''s unique. But still, that''s not enough for you to win." Cheva murmured as he looked at the staff with interest.


    "Swish!"


    Before this staff could land on Cheva''s body, the Abyss Monster let out a small groan as he opened his mouth wide.


    From this mouth, a massive snake the size of a bus came flying out.


    "Hiss!!!"


    The snake, which displayed the colors of the rainbow on its body, let out a hiss as it wrapped its whole body on the God who made the staff attack. Even this God''s staff was also included in the wrap-up too, with the power of the staff unable to stop the snake.


    "Crunch!" With a sound comparable to that of a crunched can, the rainbow snake quickly crushed the poor God into a deformed fleshbag. As for his staff, the snake had also destroyed it into numerous wooden pieces, leaving nothing but only the power inside it, which was quickly dissipated by the snake''s tough body.


    "You may be a mortal with a powerful physical body, but in face of my power, that is nothing at all. Do you think a mortal can fight against a snake that has almost transcended the laws? No, that''s not possible, so just mourn for your fates here." Cheva said in an even tone as the two remaining Gods began to react from what happened on their crushed comrade.


    "You! You should die for the name of the Emperor!" The star-wielding God shrilly shouted as he pointed his finger towards the snake.


    "You little s**t! I will burn you until you are roasted!" The star God exclaimed as the star behind him began moving straight towards the rainbow snake.


    This time around, the heat emitted by the star continued to increase to the point that the rocks around him had already turned into gas already.  Even the very air was affected by the heat, with the gases in them burning into nothingness.


    The star God laughed as the rainbow snake made no move to dodge to incoming star. For the star God,  the rainbow snake''s fate was already sealed at the moment that it stopped moving.


    The heat of this star alone was already enough to incapacitate weaker Sixth Stage Beings. As for being hit head-on by the star? Only powerful Sixth Stage Beings can receive this kind of attack and even them had to suffer some injuries!


    So who cares if this snake was able to kill the staff-wielding God? In face of the power of a star, not even this snake could do anything against it!


    "Really? You want to use that weak star to destroy my power? How disappointing¡­" Cheva muttered in clear disappointment as the rainbow snake opened its mouth wide.


    This snake then swallowed the incoming star in just one gulp, bringing its entirety inside the snake''s body.


    "Schii¡­" Faint bubbling sounds could be heard as the star did its best to burn the rainbow snake from the inside. The snake''s skin, throat, and chest began to turn red as the heat form the star began to affect it.


    Upon seeing this, the shocked sun God laughed again as he thought that the snake had overestimated itself.


    But just a second later,  the burning sound disappeared as the snake brought the star towards its stomach.


    "Fizz¡­"


    Here, the star''s existence quickly fizzed away into nothingness, with its heat and light disappearing like a lit firework.


    "¡­"


    The star was only able to glow brightly  for a few seconds, before it was consumed by the darkness inside the snake. Such fate of this star seems to have affected the star God hard, as he began to spurt blood with his body suddenly collapsing to the floor.


    He appeared to be extremely weakened by the destruction of the star, something that made Cheva look at the star God with more derision.


    "Now that I destroyed your star, you are already a cripple. Hehehe, I thought of killing you earlier, but now that I felt your despair, I realized that letting you live will be much better." Cheva said in delight as he inhaled all the despair that blossomed form the sun God. "Haaah¡­ This kind of despair is what I have wanted to feel! Haaah¡­. Mortal, you have made me so satisfied and happy!"


    "Ahh!!!" With the sun God and the staff God now defeated, only one more God remained. But unlike the first two Gods who fought directly against Cheva, the third God only gave Cheva one terrified look before he began to fly away.


    This God seemed to have no interest on fighting Cheva anymore, which in this case, is a proper thing to think. After all, Cheva just easily demolished 2 Gods in a  span of a few seconds; a feat which no ordinary Sixth Stage Beings can do.


    "Ahh!! Why is there a half-step Transcendent here? Only the Great General can fight off something like this!" The third God shouted in anger as his body continued to distance itself away from the Blue Moon. There were flashes of both fear and despair on his face as he made his escape, something that is natural for him. "Why¡­ why are we so unlucky to encounter someone like him here!"


    Right now, this God did not dare to look back at the Blue Moon, as he knew that slowing down will just lead him into a dark end.


    Why should he stay here anymore, when certain death awaited him?


    "I must inform Emperor Litch and the Great General about this. Only they¡­ can deal with this monster!" The god thought to himself as he decided to activate his messenger crystal.


    But it was at this moment that the god felt a shadow looming all over him.


    "Huh?" The god looked up, only to see a snake''s gaping mouth closing down on him.


    "No! This is not-" Before the god could even react to this, the mouth had clamped down on him, plunging the God into a world of darkness and pain.


    "Ahhh!!!" The god began to shout out in agony and desperation as he unleashed numerous attacks to free himself.


    Ice beams, flame spears, wind swords, and numerous earth golems were unleashed by this god in succession, creating a maelstrom of attacks which if used on the Four Moons World, will be enough to annihilate a whole continent.


    These attacks may seem strong in one look, but in face of the rainbow snake, these attacks were nothing at all.


    "Arghh!!!" The poor God was only able to hold onto his consciousness for one more second, before his mind collapsed from the pain and fear that enveloped him.


    His body flopped down as all his faculties collapsed, leaving nothing but a brain-dead God mumbling nonsense inside the snake''s mouth.


    Naturally, the snake did not let this God continue mumbling.


    "Gulp!"


    Like a small cobra swallowing a rat, the rainbow snake smoothly consumed the God straight into its stomach. Nothing was wasted from this god, with all of his power and his godspark also devoured by the snake.


    "Have you had your fill now?" Cheva mumble as he saw the carnage made by the rainbow snake. He only shook his hand for a  moment before he gave the snake a stern look. "You useless snake, you only eat all the time without even working for me! Now go and do some job for me! Go and destroy this  moon!"


    **********************


    4 SECONDS LATER.


    "Alex¡­ you actually did it." This was all that Queen Moher could say as she watched the Blue Moon imploding itself on the sky.


    Even when she was not actually at the scene of the fight, Queen Mother''s senses showed her the intensity of what had happened, especially when the Abyss Monster began to make its move.


    "The way that that Abyss Monster used that rainbow snake¡­ it''s similar to the way that the Great TimeMaster manipulated her boat." Queen Mother thought to herself as the fragments of the Blue Moon continued to scatter in the sky. "Since that was the case, then this Abyss Monster is really a Half-Step Transcendent Being¡­"


    As she reached this line of thought, Queen Mother frowned as she looked at Sierra, who was floating beside her.


    This baby had a look of awe in her eyes at the Blue Moon''s destruction, as if she had just seen an exciting toy.  She seemed to be not worried about the existence of the Abyss Monster, which made Queen Mother feel more despondent.


    "Now that the Blue Moon is destroyed, what should I do next?" Queen Mother thought as she did her best to ignore Sierra''s tinkling laughter. "Since the act of destroying that moon is related to the matters of the World Soul, then there''s a high chance that I have a role to perform here. But what is that role? Does that include fighting off the Abyss Monster?" Queen Mother  mused as she let out an inward sigh.


    "Sigh¡­ if I were only like Sierra." Queen Mother thought as she shook her leaves. "SIerra is just... a World Soul who only lives by her principles. A World Soul who¡­ wait, Sierra is a World Soul. A World Soul that is living beside me¡­"

 Chapter 453 - My work is done here. Its time for me to leave.

    "Damn this useless summoner. You only gave me 15 seconds of time here? You puny, useless mortal! My need for fun is not yet fulfilled dammit!" Even after his snake had successfully destroyed the entirety of the Blue Moon, Cheva did not appear to be happy at all.


    Instead, he seemed to be enraged as he observed the fragments of the Blue Moon, which were scattering around him like disturbed flies.


    "Damn it! I still want to do more chaos, but my time is never enough! F**k! The Abyss Envoy must have thought that I will act like his, so he purposely shortened my time. Tsk, this brat is trying to outsmart me here¡­" Cheva thought to himself as he continued observing the area located on his left side.


    Here, the fluctuations of  a portal could be felt and seen, indicating the presence of an outsider party trying to make their way in here.


    This portal, which Cheva knew to be the result of a technological ability, began to widen and stabilize, eventually reaching the size that of a young star.


    "Hong~"


    This portal, which buffeted powerful spatial winds and space dust, loomed all over Cheva like a massive monster.


    To anyone who sees this portal, the will surely feel awed by this, as the sheer majesty of its appearance alone was enough to astound many.


    But Cheva did not act like a fan upon witnessing this portal. Instead, his mood became worse at the presence of this portal, and it continued to worsen when he saw something coming out of it.


    "¡­."


    A spaceship that was the size of a planet shot out of the portal, bringing an arsenal of annihilation and destruction weapons on its body.


    Behind this massive ship, numerous smaller but still lethal-looking spacesh.i.p.s followed, forming a grand fleet that shook those who saw it.


    Altogether, all of  these sh.i.p.s formed an astounding formation, which coupled by their sleek looks and deadly weapons, made them look extremely dangerous.


    "¡­"


    There''s no doubt that these group of spacesh.i.p.s were meant to be used in space combat, something that Cheva was excited to partake in.


    If Cheva just had the time to fight, then he will use it to start trouble with these newly arrived space fleet.


    But because of the 15-second time limit, Cheva was about to be banished back to the Abyss Plane, which meant that he was robbed of the chance to stir trouble with the fleet.


    This was the exact reason that Cheva was unhappy right now.


    "Damn damn damn! If only these sh.i.p.s appeared when I arrived earlier! If that happened, then I could have destroyed them along with this blasted moon!" Cheva cursed inwardly as he raged against his summoner. "You sh**ty Abyss Envoy... You must have known that this space fleet will be arriving at this time. But even when you knew that, you still did not tell me about it! You¡­ you clearly are trying to ruin my fun!"


    "That''s your fault for not asking. Don''t blame me if you forgot to clarify everything." Black Alex feebly replied. His soul was currently squeezed tightly inside his body, which was the consequence of Cheva''s possession.


    "You!"


    "And besides, I did not exactly know that the Cosmic Guards will arrive right now." Black Alex weakly said as he ignored Cheva''s outburst. "I only did some things to force the Cosmic Guard to hasten their arrival. "


    "¡­"


    "The Cosmic Guards were supposed to arrive numerous hours from now, but after my orchestrations, I thought that they will come here in around 2 hours." Black Alex continued to say as his voice grew weaker and weaker. "But for them to arrive this quickly? That''s not something that I expected¡­ The new information that I sent to them must have been so important that they actually used negative energy just to speed up their travel time¡­"


    "¡­"


    This conversation between Black Alex and Cheva happened in just an instant, something that was possible for Cheva and Black Alex in their current states.


    "I will never forget this, Abyss Envoy! I will not forget about you tricking me!" Cheva roared out in indignation as his body began to disappear from Black Alex.


    The Abyss Plane, which had been tolerating the connection between Black Alex and Cheva, began to make its move at the moment that the 15-second time limit was up.


    There were no  Abyssal Gates or creepy tentacles that materialized at this point. Only a powerful suction force from the Abyss Plane appeared, which proceeded to siphon the entirety of Cheva''s body.


    Even with all the power that he had, Cheva had no way of resisting against this suction force. He was quickly swept away by the power of the Abyss Plane, leaving him with no choice but to let Black Alex off.


    This of course served to worsen Cheva''s mood, as he now had no possible way to vent his rage. He just cannot do anything while he was being brought away by the Abyss.


    "Grrh¡­. Abyss Envoy. You may have successfully performed and fulfilled a ritual with me. But that does not mean that I will treat you warmly! Right now¡­ you are one of the individuals that I will be observing maliciously! Hehehe¡­ let''s see if you can still look down on me once I discover all your secrets and weaknesses!" Cheva thought grandiosely as he stared at Black Alex''s body, which he had left floating on the space.


    "Hmph, let''s see if you can still act smug at this point." Cheva smirked inwardly as he saw Black Alex''s current plight. "Right now, your body is still paralyzed from the burden that you faced in order to use my power... With your Peak Fifth Stage Body bearing the power of a Half-Step Transcendent Being like me, the length of your paralysis will be in terms of minutes¡­ or maybe even hours! Hehehe, what rotten luck you have right now, Abyss Envoy. Do you think you can still do something about this, especially now that you are surrounded by hostile sh.i.p.s? Heh, think again!"


    "¡­"


    After Cheva thought of these, the nearby space fleet began to let out warning lights as they discovered Black Alex.


    "Unknown entity. Please stand down and move away from our path. If you fail to follow our protocol, then we will take appropriate actions on you. Unknown entity. Please stand down and move away from our path. If you fail to follow our protocol, then we will take appropriate actions on you. Unknown entity. Please stand down and move away from our path. If you fail to follow our protocol, then we will take appropriate actions on you. Unknown entity. Please stand down and move away from our path. If you fail to follow our protocol, then we will take appropriate actions on you. Unknown entity. Please stand down and move away from our path. If you fail to follow our protocol, then we will take appropriate actions on you. Unknown entity. Please stand down and move away from our path. If you fail to follow our protocol, then we will take appropriate actions on you."


    Countless more warnings were sent by these sh.i.p.s towards Black Alex, who because of his paralysis, was unable to send a reply.


    Upon seeing this, Cheva, whose body was about to be devoured back by the Abyss Plane, let out a cheerful sneer.


    "Hmph, consider your current situation¡­ as my little gift for you, Abyss Envoy." Cheva declared as the space fleet began flying straight towards Black Alex. "You want to meet many friends and allies, right? Then here they are! Hehehe, you can now ally with these puny mortals, that is if you can survive in the first place¡­"


    Whatever Cheva wanted so say next went unheard as his whole body disappeared, leaving nothing but the traces of attack in his wake. The suction force from earlier has also disappeared, which indicated that Cheva has been sent back to the Abyss Plane already.


    "¡­" At the moment that Cheva bailed out, the clearly agitated controllers of the spacesh.i.p.s began to call out to the paralyzed Black Alex once more.


    But just like earlier, Black Alex was still unable to give them a reply.


    "What in the Abyss is happening here? Did Cheva just left me alone here, paralyzed and helpless against this fleet? Argh! That damned monster! He''s clearly petty!" Black Alex thought to himself as he saw the spacesh.i.p.s suddenly treating him like  a hostile enemy.


    All of these sh.i.p.s'' blasters, disintegrators, effulgizers, and plama beams were pointed all over Black Alex''s body, leaving nothing, not even the patch of skin on his back  untargeted.


    Each one of these armed sh.i.p.s were clearly treating him without any respect, as Black Alex felt that one wrong move can make all of these weaponry pointed at him go off without any question.


    There''s no doubt that if all of these weapons were fired at once, there''s a chance that Black Alex will be injured. After all, he was just a portion of original Alex. His body was meant to be weaker than the original, so getting injured by deadly projectiles is a possible scenario for him.


    "The Abyss must be testing me right now. Yes, that should be the only reason that things are going like this..." Black Alex thought as the largest of the spacesh.i.p.s began barreling straight towards him. With the way that Black Alex is incapacitated right now, there was no way that he can avoid this ship''s approach.


    Naturally, this leaves him with no choice but to watch as his body was dragged inside this massive ship.


    "Yes, this must be a test of the Abyss¡­." Black Alex thought as he tried to not think on what could possibly happen to him now. "I just have to pass it, and I will surely receive great rewards¡­"


    ***************


    30 SECONDS LATER


    FOUR MOONS WORLD SURFACE


    "Sierra¡­ World Soul¡­ Esper World¡­. Soul Power¡­. Sierra¡­ World Soul¡­ Esper World¡­. Soul Power¡­. Sierra¡­ World Soul¡­ Esper World¡­. Soul Power¡­. Sierra¡­ World Soul¡­ Esper World¡­. Soul Power¡­."


    These words began to echo inside Queen Mother''s head in a repetitive fashion, with each word seemingly creating a flash of inspiration inside her mind. However, these flashes of inspiration were both fleeting and weak, which made it hard for her to make use of them.


    Add the fact that she was currently in her tree form, and Queen Mother''s thinking process appears to be stuck in an infinite loop!


    But with her tenacity and her willingness to succeed, Queen Mother was finally able to find the perfect link between these 4 words.


    This link in the end, has  allowed her to reach the conclusion that she had been looking for since earlier!


    "Sierra is the World Soul of the Esper World, which is an Artificial World created by one person. Since Sierra''s origin was from an Artificial World, then it means that she''s already familiar on how Artificial World works!  This trait¡­ is something that I can use, especially now that the Blue Moon is destroyed!"

 Chapter 454 - World in Danger : Boost in Power

    "Crackle¡­." While Queen Mother was entranced with the discovery that she had made, a small split on space suddenly materialized beside her.


    This spatial split, which appeared to be similar to the portal used by the Cosmic Guard earlier, was small in size and only leaked out weaker spatial winds. Nonetheless, even with the spatial split''s apparent weakness, it appeared to be extremely stable.


    This stability was proven when two figures came out of this spatial split, with the way these two moved making it  look like they just came out of a door.


    "¡­I definitely felt that you transformed yourself back into a World Tree. But for you to look like this is just¡­ weird." One of the two figures said as it leaned its body towards Queen Mother.  "I thought that a World Tree will look similar to a treant. But you actually looked better than one! Hehehe¡­. I wonder what kind of experiments I can do with your current body¡­"


    "Stop thinking about those things, Professor Frances. We''re still in a mission here." The second figure retorted as it glared at the first speaker, who turned out to the Professor Frances. "If you want to play with Queen Mother''s body, do it later once we are done. But for now, remember what you should do!"


    "Yes, Alina. I know that. Can''t you just allow me to marvel at this piece of f**king beauty? Tsk, when will you fix that strict attitude of yours?" Professor Frances replied as she gave Alina, the second speaker, a withering look.


    "I will worry about my attitude once we''re done here." Alina replied as she moved her gaze away from Professor Frances.


    Alina then landed her eyes on Sierra, who was looking at her and the professor with a mild gleam in her tiny eyes.


    "Mommy!!!" Of course, the overly-attached Sierra had this reaction once she saw Alina. "Are you here to play with me? I''m so f**king bored here! I am just guarding a big-ass tree that won''t even entertain me! Huhuhu¡­ can you just take me away from this s***y place?"


    "¡­I''m afraid I can''t do that right now, Sierra. There''s something important that you must do here, so I cannot let you leave yet¡­" Alina replied with a guilty expression on her face.


    "Hm? Why do you act like that mommy? Is there anything bad that will happen here? Oh please, tell it to me already. I don''t want to f**king die early¡­ It''s just c**ppy if I end pathetically like this!"  Sierra cussed out in her adorable voice, which made Professor Frances sigh out loud.


    "¡­" Although this is the nth time that she heard Sierra cussing out normally, Alina was still rendered silent by her antics.


    Even when this baby was already a month old, she still retained her crude language, which draws out exasperation from Alina all this time.


    And the fact that Queen Mother and Professor Frances continuously taught Sierra a lot of strange things did not help matters at all.


    "Oh, don''t worry Sierra. With me here, you will be safe no matter what you do." Alina replied in the calmest tone that she could ever muster. "You just have to do one simple thing, and once you''re done, I can play with you again. That''s just it, ok?"


    "¡­.Just one simple thing, mommy? Are you sure about that?"


    "Yes, Sierra. Just one."


    "¡­Okay mommy!  I shall do that simple thing that you want me to do! But what do you want me to f**king do exactly?" Sierra replied, with the end of her words turning into a sudden question. "Do I have to flex off my powers on the insignificant pieces of s**t here? Hehehe, if that''s what I will do, then I will be happy to do that mommy!"


    "Hey! I don''t plan on making you do that Sierra! Where did you even managed to think up of that?"


    "But mommy¡­ daddy told me that flexing off your power on weaker enemies is very cool! He said that everyone f**king loves it¡­." Sierra replied with a quizzical look present on her face. "Is daddy wrong?"


    "Yes, Alex is wrong. He is definitely wrong."


    "What? Aww¡­. That f**king sucks mommy¡­"


    "Sigh¡­. Just don''t listen to any of Alex''s ''advices anymore. Most of that are just nonsense anyway¡­" Alina quickly replied as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Just ignore him when he gives you any of his talks. That''s the best thing that you should do with him."


    "Okay mommy¡­ so back to what we were talking earlier! What do you want me to exactly do?" With the matter about Alex''s improper stories now handled, the impatient Sierra immediately went back to the original conversation. "If I will not torment weak opponents, then will I be scamming them? Hey, that does not sound bad¡­"


    "No! That''s not it too!" Alina almost shouted out as she massaged her temple. "Tsk, your task is nothing related to that¡­ What you were supposed to do was -"


    "Sierra, you were supposed to use your power as a World Soul to possess the Four Moons World." Queen Mother, who had been silent this entire time, suddenly said as she interrupted Alina.


    Queen Mother''s voice came directly from her own soul, telegraphing its sounds directly on the brains of Alina, Professor Frances, and Queen Mother.


    "Due to the evidences that I and Alex had gathered for these past days, I am sure that the World Soul in this world is non-existent. This means that given a chance, someone like you, who is a World Soul of an artificial world, can do the impossible and try to possess this world!" Queen Mother continued to say as her leaves began rustling with agitation.


    "W-what? You want me to possess this world? Can I even do something like this s**t?" Sierra, who was rendered silent by Queen Mother''s sudden words, was able to recover her speech quickly. This little baby did not easily accept what Queen Mother just said, with her quickly criticizing the plan.


    "¡­" Upon hearing this retort from Sierra, both Alina and Professor Frances smiled wryly, as Sierra now sounded similar to Alex. Of course with their current situation, these two did not point this similarity out.


    "Sierra,  you know that a World Soul possessing a soulless world is something that had not yet happened. Or maybe some World Souls tried that in the past, although they all failed¡­. Nonetheless, it is obvious that attempting to possess a world  will lead to unknown results, and you can be possibly harmed." Queen Mother replied in response to Sierra''s question.


    "¡­"


    "You were asking if you can possess this world? Yes, you can possess this world. The Blue Moon is already destroyed, which means that you can now access and invade the weak consciousness of the Four Moons World. What''s just left for you to do is to start the possession¡­"


    "¡­"


    "But you know about that already, right, Sierra?" Queen Mother said in a whisper as her leaves all went still. "At the moment that the Blue Moon was destroyed, you already had the urge to possess this world¡­. Don''t lie to me. I felt it earlier."


    "¡­"


    "You felt that, yet you still did not attempt to do it. Why did you hold yourself back?" Queen Mother suddenly inquired as her branches began to tilt on Sierra''s direction. "Is there something that is troubling you here?"


    "¡­"


    Alina, who had been listening intently to the conversation between Sierra and Queen Mother, only narrowed her eyes slightly as she heard what Queen Moher said. As for Professor Frances, she appeared to be trying to keep a poker face, although she was failing on it miserably.


    As for Sierra, she went silent for an unbearably long amount of time, as if what Queen Mother said was enough to strike her speechless.


    "¡­"


    The time that she went silent was so long that Queen Moher and Alina began to feel slightly worried about the delay that they were having.


    Fortunately for them, the little baby gave her reply before anything unfortunate happened to them.


    "Hmph, so what if I had the urge to possess this world? Do you even know what will f**king happen if I succeed on this possession?"  Sierra said as she let out a sneer. She crossed her chubby arms in front of her as she began clicking her tongue against her almost toothless mouth.


    "You know that the Esper World, the world that I was based in, was purely made up of digital codes and date. With these kind of attributes, we can say that the Esper World is just similar to a world created from dreams or mind-based abilities. The Esper World is not a material world, and it can only be accessed by soul-based beings¡­" Sierra continued to say as she tapped her temple.


    "Right now, with my current state, the Esper World is in safe hands. Even if it is still in paused mode, the health of its citizens are still enclosed with my f**king protection." Sierra muttered in a low tone. "If you just let things to go on normally, then once I become a Stage 7 World Soul, all the problems that the Esper World had will be solved in one fell swoop."


    "Yes, I know that Sierra, but-"


    "If I successfully possess this world, then the Esper World will be affected by it too." Sierra said out loud as she let out a hmph. "In essence, because of the material properties of the Four Moons World,  my possession of it will turn the Esper World into a material-based world. All the living things inside it will be material-based too, which means that we can now interact with them in a normal manner."


    "¡­"


    "I know. It f**king sounds weird. But that''s what will happen if I succeed on possessing this world." Sierra mumbled as she noticed the hesitant looks on Alina and Professor Frances'' face.


    She then began laughing as if she found a good joke on the things that she had uttered.


    "Hehehe,  isn''t this just f**king great? From being digital, the Esper World will now be material! Now, you don''t need to f**king open up a machine anymore! You can just walk in normally, and boom! The Esper World will be accessible! Hehehe, everyone will be happy from this, right?"


    "¡­"


    "Hmph, this transition might sound good in theory, but all of you f**king know that turning the Esper World into a material world will pose greater risks on it!" Sierra said as she gave Alina a complicated look.


    "These risks are the reason why I don''t want to possess the Four Moons World! This possession, if done successfully,  will place mommy''s homeworld at risk. I¡­ I cannot just f**king do something like this! I don''t want to put mommy''s beloved world in danger in exchange for just some boost in power!"


    "

 Chapter 455 - Look at me. Im the Captain now.

    "¡­"


    In face of this revelation by Sierra, Alina only let out a sigh as she flicked a stray hair out of her forehead.


    She appeared to be slightly desolate, as if what Sierra had said triggered some kind of melancholy inside her.


    "Sierra¡­ I know the risks that are associated with this. But even with that, I still want to ensure that you will possess this world." Alina gradually said, with her voice sounding fainter  than Queen Mother''s unmoving leaves. "Compared to waiting for you to reach Stage 7, letting the Esper World materialize is a far better choice."


    "But mommy-"


    "Sierra, in your opinion, how long would it take you to reach Stage 7? Tell me your estimates." Alina sharply said, retorting Sierra''s attempt to explain herself.


    "¡­.Um, I think at least 1,000 years, if nothing goes wrong." Sierra replied meekly as she tried to avod Alina''s sharp gaze. "And it could be faster if you or daddy reaches Transcendence¡­"


    "See? That''s a very long time for you to evolve. What do you think would have happened to the Esper World at that point? Do you think that with its current state, it can last for 1,000 years?" Alina uttered as she continued to glare at the baby.


    "¡­"


    "Sierra, with the way that the Esper World is in right now, it is bound to be destroyed in around a decade. You know that Alex and I tried to keep it safe, but with the way that it is constructed, fiddling with it right now will just makes things worse." Alina said as her voice continued to drop. "So if we just wait for you to reach Stage 7, the Esper World will already be destroyed at that point, and when that happens, you will die too."


    "¡­I know that mommy, but-"


    "But if you possess the Four Moons World, not only will you get to have a new body, you will also be able to materialize the Esper World in the material realm! That alone will be enough to save the Esper World from its impending calamity." Alina said as she interrupted Sierra once more.


    "Sierra, once that happens, you will be safe no matter what happens to the Esper World, since you will have the Four Moons World as your extra body." Alina continued to say as she tilted her head. "Since that''s the case, then you don''t have to fear anymore, since your life is already guaranteed¡­"


    "¡­."


    "Of course just like what you said earlier, materializing the Esper World will expose it to the dangers here in the material realm. But I think that this will be better rather than the first method. Why wait for the Esper World to be healed, when we can do the healing by ourselves right now?" Alina said as her stern gaze at Sierra changed into a gentle one.


    There was no shred of shrewdness in Alina''s eyes at this point, making her look at Sierra appear genuine and heartfelt.


    "Sierra, don''t worry about what happens to the Esper World after this. You know that your daddy and I will do everything to keep it safe. So please¡­ please do this for me." Alina said in almost a begging tone as she slowly approached Sierra. "Please Sierra, my home is important to me."


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­.If that''s what you f**king want mommy, then I shall do it. But don''t blame me when the Esper World gets attacked later!" With Alina''s emotional attack, the previously obstinate Sierra was left with no choice but to relent against her.


    This answer of hers drew a relieved smile from Alina, who proceeded to hug and squish the little baby inside her arms.


    Even without Alex''s emotion manipulation, everyone nearby could feel and see Alina''s happiness radiating out of her body.


    "Hey mommy! Please stop hugging me! I don''t want to be distracted once I start this! Do you want me to f**king fail?" Sierra complained as she continued to be smothered by Alina. "I get it mommy, you''re happy. But just let me f**king go! I need to focus, ok?"


    "Oh, right." Allina meekly replied as she released Sierra with a sheepish grimace on her face. She appeared to be embraced by what she just did, although fortunately for her, none of her companions pointed this out.


    "Okay¡­ so now that the little runt had agreed, we can  proceed with our plan." Seeing that Sierra was now in line with them, the previously quiet Professor Frances took strides to continue the conversation.


    Before the others could say anything, Professor Frances pointed her fingers at Queen Mother and Alina, with the latter two looking back at her solemnly.


    "So this is how this will go. Once Sierra starts to possess the Four Moons World, Queen Mother and Alina will serve as Sierra''s guards. They will protect Sierra from anyone who tries to disrupt the possession." Professor Frances said as he began tapping her chin. "Aside from that, I will also let you use my monster army. Hmph, with their powers combined with you two, I doubt that there will be anyone that can stop the possession from happening¡­"


    "That could be the case earlier. But now, I think things could get difficult." Queen Mother replied as she used her leaves to point above her, right towards the sky.


    "¡­"


    There, all these four women saw the silhouettes of spacesh.i.p.s blotting the sky, with one of them looking like a massive planet from their current place.


    Just looking at these silhouettes alone was enough to make Professor Frances sweat inwardly, as she knew how dangerous these things could be.


    "So¡­ that''s the Cosmic Guards that Alex had been telling us earlier." Professor Frances slowly said as she tried to hide the nervous smile on her face. "I thought they will just have weak-ass flying vehicles, since their names sound so soft¡­ But dayum! That ship right there is not a vehicle anymore! That''s a f**king planet! How the hell did they even manage to bring that here! F**k, and now we are going to deal with that?"


    With her perfect body control, Professor Frances could just easily hide her agitation. But she didn''t do this, as she knew that doing so will just be a waste of her time. So she just let it all flow out, knowing that Queen Mother and Alina were feeling the same things too.


    "These people were only here because they thought they were arresting a criminal. That means that as long as we don''t do anything to offend these Cosmic Guards, they will not attack us." Alina said confidently, although some traces of unsureness can be heard from her tone.


    "You don''t sound like you believe that, Alina."


    "Well, the notion of a World Soul possessing a planet is something that is unknown, so we don''t know how the Cosmic Guards will react to it." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "Even though they were restricted by protocols here, there might still be a chance that they will do something once the possession starts¡­"


    "And then there''s the generals of Emperor Litch, who might act in desparate ways in order to stop he possession. That will make all of these worse." Queen Mother added as her branches drooped down.


    "Yeah¡­. That''s the real problem here. But you don''t need to fight that long. As long as you manage to hold the fort until Sierra succeeds on the possession, then we win!" Professor Frances said optimistically, although her upbeat voice faded away when she saw Sierra''s awkward face.


    "Hey little baby, you said that you can succeed on your possession. But how long would it take for you to do the possession?" Professor Frances asked, which resulted on Sierra looking more and more awkward.


    This reaction by Sierra made Professor Frances feel both dread and exasperation, as the latter realized what her face meant.


    "If things go in a f**king good direction, then I think it will take me 10 minutes to complete the possession. But that''s the ideal state, so the real timespan could be longer¡­" Sierra replied as she scratched the back of her head. "That''s not too long, right?"


    "Too long? Well, that will depend on the enemies that will attack us later. Heh, 10 minutes? If things are good, then maybe 1 or 2 generals will come here to stop us. But I doubt that something as easy as that will happen¡­" This was Professor France''s reply to Sierra''s query, and surely enough this made the little baby look slightly paler compared to before.


    "Mommy¡­. Will I really be safe once I start the possession? Wil nothing bad happen to me?" Sierra asked as she gave Alina an awkward grimace. "You¡­ and the other aunties will protect me, right?"


    "Yes, we will protect you, so have faith in us." Queen Mother said as she did not let Alina give her answer. "Besides, Alex is also here. Once he knows what you are doing, he will also come here to protect you. So don''t be scared anymore, ok?"


    "¡­Ok. I trust you all. But how about Auntie Frances? Why will she not stay here? Is she scared of protecting me?" Sierra queried as she glanced back at Professor Frances.


    The professor jumped back a little as she received Sierra''s accusing stare, with the latter squinting her eyes more as the former tried to laugh it off.


    "H-hey, I will not be here since I have another important thing to do." Professor Frances replied quickly as she began backing away from Sierra and the others. "You know that my power is more on biology and life creation, so my expertise lies on organic bodies and living creatures¡­ So instead of defending you here, I will be doing a different, organic-related stuff."


    "Oh really? Then what is this organic stuff, auntie?" Sierra asked as she placed her hands on her h.i.p.s. There was plain confusion and disappointment on her face, as if Professor Frances'' actions were something that she did not like.


    Professor Frances of course noticed this reaction, although she did not do anything to make her stand clear.


    "It''s a secret for now, Sierra. Knowing it will just distract you, so don''t ask anymore."  Professor Frances replied as she sped up her retreating motion. "Why don''t you just focus on your possession instead of asking me? You''re just wasting time here acting like a detective!"


    "¡­"


    "

 Chapter 456 - If you ask me many questions, then you better answer all of it in the end

    Almost all the pawns are in place already! With just a little more time, the whole Four Moons World will be plunged in more chaos, and it will intensify when the Emperor himself arrives.


    With this, there''s a lot of questions floating around, with each one tightly interconnected with each other.


    1. What would happen to Black Alex, now that he is paralyzed and captured by the Cosmic Guards? Will they kill him? Or will they let him live for some kind of reason? (((Note: Being captured by unknown people is scary. Good thing its Black Alex that was caught. If it was Kid Alex, that poor lad could be frothing already in fear.)))


    2. How would the Cosmic Guards react on Sierra''s attempt to possess the Four Moons World? Will they just let it happen, or will they intervene? (((Note: The Cosmic Guards follows a strict guideline dictated by the Galactic Court itself, so for them to violate it will almost be impossible.))


    3. Why is Sierra''s possession of the Four Moons World important to the Main Mission? (((Note: In one glance, the answer to this might be obvious, but maybe Alex is thinking of this in some other special way...)))


    4. What exactly will Professor Frances do that is related to her power? Is it so important that she had to leave Sierra on the hands of Alina and Queen Mother? (((Note: We know that she can create monsters, so will she create another batch here? God I hope not.)))


    5. What happened on the fight between Blue Alex and Malthus? Is there any clear-cut winner between these two? (((Note: Um, with the way that the story was told, its hard to tell the winner. So maybe guessing is the best thing to do here...)))


    6. At this point, White Alex still had the unconscious Wisteria with him. Instead of helping out the other Alex''s, White Alex chose to stay close to this woman. Is there any reason why he''s still holding on to her? (((Note: Maybe he has the hots for her? Nah, I don''t think so.)))


    7. From the flourishing state of the current Undying Empire, it appears as if Emperor Litch had reached a considerable level of strength. Will this level of power be a great danger on Alex, or will it just serve as a fodder to him? (((Note: Does Alex even care about that?)))

 Chapter 457 - Tricking a Demon is not advisable for Halloween

    AT THE SAME TIME, AT THE BATTLEFIELD SITE.


    Two enormously powerful figures, who were both releasing ungodly amounts of power, continued to unleash their prowess as they repeatedly clashed with each other.


    Sounds of destruction and chaos filled the area of their battle, making any unassuming bystander shrink back in fear.


    Just the results of their clash alone was enough to intimidate any weaker beings, as there''s just nothing that can compare to the apocalyptic scene that these two had unleashed.


    "Why don''t you just die, huh?" One of the figures, who appeared to be a red-skinned demon-like humanoid,  shouted out as he waved his hands. Numerous weapons, the kind that can annihilate the existence of life itself, sprung out behind the demon, unleashing deadly blasts that destroyed matter around him.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    "S**t! Just collapse there and die already!"


    From the way that this demon talked and moved, it seems as if he was extremely frustrated at this point.


    As for why he was acting like this, the answer to that lies on the person that this demon was fighting against.


    "I won''t die because I am strong. Just accept that fact already, Traveler Malthus." The opponent replied, with his blue armor rippling in response to the demon''s attack.


    An ethereal shield, one that was seemingly made up of lightning and spatial distortions, materialized  and blocked the demon''s attack.


    "Pishh¡­" The frighteningly ferocious beams of death that the demon has sent dissipated like bubbles in face of this shield, as if it was nothing else but scrap paper against it.  Only the aftershocks of these attacks remained, which proceeded to unleash their wrath on the surroundings.


    This naturally drew more frustration from the demon himself, who looked like he was about to tear off his head in sheer irritation.


    "Hmph! I can accept the fact that you are strong. But for you to last this long against me? That is something that I cannot accept!" The demon, who was no other than Traveler Malthus, replied angrily as he brandished more weapons behind him.


    This time around, the weapons pulsed with more sinister and deadly aura, something which was able to elicit a slight frown on the blue-armored person.


    "Your power is Soul Manifestation, and it allows you to materialize your ability from the power that lies in your soul." The blue-armored person said as the weapons behind Malthus continued to increase. "That means that as long as you apply the proper variables and factors on your power, you can essentially be unbeatable."


    "¡­"


    "in your case, your Soul Manifestation allows you to summon and manifest all kinds of weapons. That kind of power¡­. is extremely flexible and reliable. " The blue-armored person continued to say as he began waving his hands around him. "Only your imagination is your limit with your power, although your soul power is also important."


    "Cut the crap already, you puny one! Why would I waste my time on you, when you are just a portion of the real Traveler Alex, huh? Instead of delaying me, just receive this attack of mine so that we can be done here!" Malthus bellowed angrily as ignored the blue-armored person''s words. "Tsk, I already attacked you many times, and yet you still did not dare to attack me back? What the hell is wrong with you? Do you think that you can just get off fighting me this way?"


    In face of this provocative words spoken by Malthus, the blue-armored person, who turns out to be Blue Alex, only shook his head as he said,


    "Original Alex''s protocol to me is simple: I must delay you as long as possible." Blue Alex said monotonely as more and more shields appeared around him.


    Just like earlier, Blue Alex only used his power for defensive purposes, with none of these shields leaking an intent to attack. They were only there to defend Blue Alex, and they seem to be doing their job pretty well.


    "You accursed rat! So you are indeed delaying me!" After receiving this sudden confession from Blue Alex, the already irritated Malthus looked like he was about to blow up already.


    If it weren''t for the fact that he was fighting now, then Malthus could have continued cursing. But instated of doing that, Malthus began takin deep breaths to himself to calm him down, a method which seemed to have some partial success.


    "Hmph, even though I don''t like what you are doing, I can certainly say that you are doing a fine job on delaying me.  Not many can do this." Malthus said in a more subdued tone. "However, you should know that the powers that I used on you earlier is not my real power. That''s just-"


    "Its just around half of your real power. I calculated it already." Blue Alex said, interrupting Malthus'' monologue. "I don''t know why you are just using half of your power earlier, but that played right into my plans. So I thank you  for being a great help in this battle¡­."


    "Hah? You think that I helped you out with this? Idiot! I just suppressed my power earlier so that I can measure your strength!" Malthus said as he let out a barking laughter. "You said that you were calculating my power? Hmph, then good for you! But you should know that I am also calculating your power, and the results of that calculation is up to my expectations¡­"


    Without waiting for Blue Alex to give his reply, Malthus continued to talk as he materialized more and more weapons behind him.


    "You may be a Sixth Stage Being, but compared to my real power, you are still weaker than me. Don''t try denying that. My calculations earlier had verified that." Malthus uttered as he stared down at Blue Alex. "Maybe if you were combined with the original Alex, you might still have a chance to win. But now? If it was only you that is fighting me, then you''re already doomed!"


    "¡­"


    "My playtime with you is over already. Now, receive my real power and die like a coward that you are. I hope that your original body will feel devastated by your death." Malthus declared in a lofty tone as he crossed his arms. "Nothing else can make me happy more than that¡­"


    "¡­"


    This time, around a million weapons of all sizes had materialized behind Malthus, with each one oozing murderous auras  that made the nearby people shrink in fear.


    Unlike the weapons that Malthus used earlier, these weapons were definitely of a higher-grade. Even the stoic Blue Alex acknowledges the fearsome prowess of these new weapons, so much so that he slightly backed away when they appeared.


    "I thought that your real power will be around Peak Sixth Stage, but now that I see it, your real power is about to reach Half-Step Transcendence. How interesting¡­." Blue Alex muttered as he stared at the aura released by Malthus. "Is this your real power all this time? It doesn''t seem like it¡­"


    "Heh, why do you waste your time asking those questions? Instead of asking like a demented duck, you should use your remaining time to save yourself!" Malthus shouted out as he  pointed his fingers at Blue Alex''s body. "I don''t know why you are trying to delay me, but whatever that reason was, I think it is of no use to you anymore. Just accept your death, and perish with the thoughts of your failure!"


    "Failure? I''m sorry to say this Traveler Malthus, but ever since you began fighting with me, my victory is already assured." Before Malthus could unleash the ''hell'' that he had been itching to release since earlier, Blue Alex suddenly said these words, with his cold, calculating eyes staring at Malthus like he was just a lab subject. "Even if you attack me now, my allies had already succeeded on their plans, and there''s nothing that you can do to stop it."


    "Huh? What are you-"


    "Look above you. What do you see, Traveler Malthus?" Blue Alex coldly said as he interrupted Malthus. "When we were fighting earlier, you were too busy on trying to kill me that you were unable to observe your surroundings. Now, I am giving you a chance to see the truth. Go on, Traveler Malthus. Go forth and observe what you had allowed to happen."


    "What nonsense are you speaking this time, puny one? That is just¡­.. You little s**t! Is that the-"


    "Yes, that''s the Blue Moon, now destroyed into thousands of pieces by one of my clones. If you were not busy with me earlier, then you could have prevented this from happening." Blue Alex replied faintly as he saw Malthus'' reaction on the destroyed Blue Moon.


    "You little¡­." Malthus'' face was twisted in extreme anger at this point, making him appear even more fearsome compared to before. He looked like he was about to eat a person alive, something that might make any child cry in fear.


    Only Blue Alex remained calm in face of this ferocious appearance, and he even appeared to be enjoying what he was seeing, although he did not express it on his cold face.


    "That''s it, you little s**t! I will end you right now to end this f**king farce! I don''t know what you are trying to pull here, but will make sure that it will fail! Now, go and die already!" Malthus bellowed as he commanded his weapons to unleash all of its fury towards Blue Alex.


    "Even if you kill me now, it is too late for you to stop us from winning." Blue Alex breathed out, with his body pressurized by the power released by Malthus'' weapons. "All your plans, whatever they are, will  be in shambles now that we made our move. So just watch and marvel at my original''s method to win!"


    "Boom!"


    It was at this point that another sudden change had occurred in the Four Moons World.


    Unlike the destruction of the Blue Moon, or the sudden appearance of the Cosmic Guard, the change this time around had a higher impact on the world itself.


    Even Malthus can verify this, as he inexplicably stopped himself from unleashing his attack.


    "¡­"


    He, along with Blue Alex, could only stare at the skies above them with open mouths, observing the new object that had just appeared above them.


    An illusory planet, one which was as large as the Four Moons World itself, loomed all over them in a domineering fashion.


    No signs of life could be felt from this planet, although one can see many weird and overarching structures strewn across its surface. There were also spurts of unknown energy leaking out of this illusory plane, which fortunately dissipated before they could reach the surface of the Four Moons World.


    With its massive body hovering near the Four Moons World, almost everyone in the world saw it, and all of them had the same reaction as Blue Alex and Malthus.


    "¡­"


    Even though this planet does not appear to be real, the pressure and its sheer size was enough to make Malthus sweat inwardly.


    Even if Malthus was already near to the point of perfect recovery, he realized that there''s something intimidating about this illusory planet, that not even him can take it lightly.


    Once he reached this line of thought, Malthus  let out a grimace before he looked back at Blue Alex.


    At this point, Blue Alex was also staring at the illusory planet with a surprised face. But within that surprise also lay a victorious expression, something that informed Malthus on what was actually happening.


    "So that illusory planet is part of your plan? Hmph, so this is where you laid all your hopes then. Tsk, I  hate to say this, but this looks like an actual winning plan for you." Malthus thought to himself as he observed the illusory planet''s gargantuan body. "But do you think that I will just allow your plan to work? Hmph, since you displayed such a large planet to me, then I will just have to attack it!"


    "Swing¡­."


    Malthus'' weapons, which had been pointed at Blue Alex earlier, now swiveled and changed their target.


    Obviously, their target right now was the illusory planet itself. There''s just no way that Malthus will not attack it, not with the way that Blue Alex had hyped this up.


    "I don''t know what you will be used for, but whatever that is, I will never be able to know that. After all, you will be destroyed by yours truly." Malthus said calmly as he added more weapons on his arsenal. "If you were just a lot smaller, then maybe you could have a chance on surviving against me. But since you chose such a large form, you can only blame your fate for meeting me¡­"

 Chapter 458 - What do you get when you cross an eye with a tongue?

    From within his position in his Soulscape, the original Alex watched the unfolding situation in the Four Moons World with both scrutiny and tension.


    "So Sierra had started it already¡­" Alex muttered as he observed the massive illusory planet hovering above the Four Moons World.  Even when he''s not occupying any physical body as of now, Alex still had a tight sensation in his chest at the illusory planet began to fuse its body with the Four Moons World.


    "That illusory planet is Sierra''s real form. That''s her true form as a World Soul, and now she is exposing it to start the possession." Alex thought as he kept his control on Blue Alex as stable as possible.


    "This possession will only be a success once that whole illusory planet had melded with the body of the Four Moons World. If there''s even a part of this illusory planet that is not melded with the Four Moons World, then the possession won''t work at all." Alex thought grimly as the real fusion process began.


    He then frowned as he noticed that the speed of the illusory planet was not up to his liking. It moved in a pace that is fast compared to its body, although with the way that things are going on right now, this speed it still too slow in Alex''s opinion.


    "Tsk, if the speed of the possession goes on like this, Sierra''s soul will be exposed to more and more dangers. I mean, just look at Malthus! He''s already trying to attack her already!" Alex exclaimed inwardly, with his focus now centered on the demon.


    Alex can perfectly see Malthus pointing his overbearing weapons at the illusory planet, with his body screaming his intention to attack it. There''s no doubt that Malthus is about to unleash an attack at this point, and there seems to be no one nearby that are here to stop him.


    "The other Generals must have seen this possession already, but they are not yet making a move¡­ Are they waiting to see on what will happen if Malthus tries to attack Sierra''s soul?" Alex mused as he saw that aside from Malthus, there was no one else in the Four Moons World that had expressed their interest to attack the illusory planet.


    "Hmph, these old fogeys are getting slyer and slyer this time around¡­. But do they think that they can just see Malthus succeeding in his attack? Hehehe, of course that will not happen in my watch!" Alex declared as the weapons behind Malthus began to glow with power once more.


    But even when Alex made this declaration, he seemed to be not interested on stopping Malthus from attacking. Instead, he just let Blue Alex watch from the sidelines.


    "¡­"


    With the amount of power present on Malthus'' weapons at this point, all of them only needed a signal from Malthus to show their power, and demon naturally did not delay it from happening.


    "Boom!"


    With a sound comparable to that of a destruction of a heavenly body, all of Malthus'' weapons roared out intensely as they released their destructive power. All of these destruction were sent towards the illusory planet''s massive body, which was unable to dodge any of these attacks.


    "Hahahaha! You stupid blue freak! Why are you not stopping me now? Are you perhaps afraid of this attack?" Malthus said in a laughing fit as he stared directly at Blue Alex. "Hahaha! So you are just good at saving yourself and not your allies! Hmph, its your fault for being so weak! Now watch as I destroy this planet of yours for good!"


    "¡­.This guy is really a demon. He even likes giving monologues during a fight. Sigh, how clich¨¦ of him¡­" Alex thought, with him not acting worried about what was happening at all.


    "If you want to blab about your win, then you should better do it later, once you are sure of it." Alex said, with his words being conveyed directly by Blue Alex. "You think you won because of your attacks? Look again. Look and see on what will happen from now on."


    "Hm? Are you-"


    Whatever retort Malthus was going to say was suddenly cut off, as out of nowhere, a scorching red beam descended from the skies, which hit Malthus'' body directly.


    Malthus was only able to let out a shout of surprise as the red beam blasted him away.


    "Agh! Where did that come from?" Malthus exclaimed angrily as he forcefully stopped his blasted body. He was able to stop himself from sailing away by planting his feet on the ground, with him using the power of friction to bring his body into a standstill.


    It took him a few seconds to succeed on this, and once he had stopped, he was already a hundred kilometers away from Alex.


    That''s a considerable distance, seeing that the red beam only inflicted small wounds on Malthus'' skin. There were no major or fatal injuries that could be seen on him, with these surface wounds the only evidence of the red beam''s power.


    Malthuss hair was also slightly ruffled by that red beam, something which had been unaffected even when he was battling against Blue Alex earlier.


    "Hoho, so this is the power of the latest technology of the Cosmic Guards. As long as their opponent is not a Half-Step Transcendent Being, the Cosmic Guards can give them a good fight." Alex thought merrily to himself, with him now looking at the massive spaceship that was just floating right beside the illusory planet.


    Just like the illusory planet this massive spaceship was also as large as a planet, with its body decorated to the brim with extremely powerful weapons. All of these weapons were just as assorted like Malthus'' weapons, with some of them too sophisticated that not even Alex can identify them.


    One of these weapons was currently smoking at its end, with its body glowing red from excessive heating. Just by looking at its tip, which is pointed at the spot where the attack happened earlier, Alex was sure that this was the weapon used to blast Malthus by some distance away.


    Alex shook his head as he saw these weapons, with his next words sounding less enthusiastic compared to before. "Sigh¡­ if only the technology level of this universe can reach Transcendence, then the Cosmic Guards can start killing Transcendent level criminals. But having the power to fight anyone under Transcendence is already good."


    "Of course their power right now is not yet enough to defeat Malthus, since this demon is near Half-Step Transcendence already. But with their weaponry, they will be enough to stall him." Alex thought enthusiastically, as the spaceship unleashed another attack on Malthus.


    This time, what the spaceship used was a lightning-shaped metal hook, which produced a sonorous sound when it impacted against Malthus.


    "Damn you!!!" Malthus cursed out as he was sent flying away once more. Just like the red beam earlier, the lightning-shaped hook did not heavily injure him, although it still sent him away.


    "I''m sorry to say this Malthus, but you won''t be able to make any attacks now that the Cosmic Guard is on to you." Alex thought as he and Blue Alex sniggered at the same time. "How could they just let you off, when their spy told them that an Outsider Demon has appeared here in the Four Moons World? Hehehe, that info alone was enough to make them rush here. So don''t expect to be seeing me any sooner. Enjoy your time with the Cosmic Guard, and let''s just meet later!"


    ***********************


    "So the demon Malthus is now being attacked by that planet-sized spaceship. Alex must be the one who orchestrated this." Alina, who was holding Sierra''s limp body in her hands, solemnly said as she watched Malthus get blasted away again by another attack.


    There was slight satisfaction in her eyes as she observed Malthus'' condition, something that Queen Mother shared.


    "Alina, I think that''s enough watching for now. Now that we are sure that Malthus will not be interrupting the possession, we should  focus on the others that will be attacking here."  Queen Mother said through the rustling of her leaves. "Right now, Sierra is unconscious due to her attempt on possession. This makes her body vulnerable to attack, so we should keep it safe at all costs¡­"


    "Not only that, but we also have to protect Sierra''s soul from being attacked by anyone." Alina added, with her eyes looking at the illusory planet with a protective glint.


    At this point, around 5% of the illusory planet had fused with the Four Moons World. This means that there''s still 95% of the illusory planet that had to be fused, a number which translates to basically a long amount of time.


    "The matters of anyone attacking Sierra''s physical body can be handled by me and Frances'' monster army." Queen Mother calmly said. "As for you, you should deal with the ones that will attack Sierra''s soul."


    "Got it." Alina replied deftly. Her eyes then narrowed as she felt three presences rushing to their location.


    She held her katana tightly for a second, although she also quickly let go of it when she recognized who the newcomers were.


    "So Traveler Delia, why the hell are you and your obnoxious face here? Are you here to make a fool out of yourself? Because if it is, then I recommend you going to the circus. You will have more success there." Alina said towards Delia, who  frowned from these rude words.


    "Hmph, if it weren''t for your partner, I would not even be trying to be close to a glutton like you." Delia replied, spitting words that were just as toxic as Alina''s. "How could your partner even tolerate you? All you do every day is just eat and eat! What a useless slob!"


    "You! You are just a snobby b***h that has the support of a hypocritical religion!  Without them, you will just look like the typical bully! All talk, and no power!"


    "Ha?! Say that to my face again, and I will show you who the better woman is!"


    "Hmph, of course  it''s me! My eyes can see through all your falsehood, b**ch!"


    "Ugh, what is my tongue tasting from you? Ugh¡­ you taste¡­ just like a rotten frog! My goodness, how can your allies stand your presence?"


    "You!"


    "¡­And there they go again. Why are these two always arguing when they see each other? They just act like they want to rip their throats!" Queen Mother thought glumly as she tried to not listen too much on the spat between the two women.


    All that she can do is wait until these two are finished, as not even Alex was brave enough to stop two women from having a catfight.


    "Sigh, Alina should know that Delia is our temporary ally now. Surely, Delia and her companions came here in order to assist us. But even with that, Alina still dares to insult Delia?" Queen Mother mused as her tree body trembled in clear dissatisfaction.


    "Something¡­ something is really wrong here¡­"

 Chapter 459 - Ambiguity of the Statement

    Fortunately for Queen Mother, the two bickering women calmed down moments later. Of course they were still glaring at each other at the end of their argument, but that was better than the noises that they had been screeching since earlier.


    "So... why are you three here?" Queen Mother asked, realizing that Alina was not in the mood to talk now.


    After asking this question, Queen Mother  used her current senses to observe Delia and her companions, who all looked-like they been roughed upon.


    The little boy and the little girl beside Delia all had ruffled clothes and small wounds on their skin, indicating that they suffered some kind of low-level damage on their bodies.


    As for Delia, she appeared to be in a recovery state, with the massive wounds on her body showing signs of extreme healing.


    "Whatever injuries Delia got earlier, those must have been so heavy." Queen Mother thought as she felt the weakness on Delia''s vitality.


    Maybe it was because of her argument with Alina earlier, but the injured Delia was able to reply to Queen Mother''s query quickly, with her tone still infused with the heated emotions that she released earlier.


    "Why are we here? Of course it''s because of that." Delia said, pointing her finger at the illusory planet. "Do you think that we can just ignore something like this? Hmph, we''re not idiots, you know!"


    "I''m not saying that you are an idiot. I just feel suspicious of the reason that you and your companions came here." Queen Mother said as she let out a sigh. "You were just injured from multiple battles earlier, so you should have been hiding in a secluded place to recover. But instead of doing that, you actually brought yourself here, as if you do not care about the consequences of it on you."


    "¡­"


    "That just means that you have an agenda on going here." Queen Mother added in a hurry. Of course Queen Mother was not sure about the agenda, but her days of staying with Alex made Queen Mother know when suspicious people are about to do something.


    "Hmph, try saying the answer here right now." Alina interjected, eliciting a wary glare from Delia. "If I think that you are just fooling us, then I will really banish you!"


    "Hmph! Just try that, glutton!" Delia replied heatedly as she crossed her arms. "So you don''t want us to help on defending the Great Spirit? Heh, good luck to you then!"


    "The Great Spirit? What are you talking about, Traveler Delia?" Before Alina and Delia could engage in another verbal fistfight, Queen Mother quickly stepped in, with her question directed at Delia alone. "Is this Great Spirt that you are talking about the¡­"


    "It''s the illusory planet above us." The one who gave this reply was the little girl beside Queen Mother. She was currently looking at the illusory planet with expression of respect and awe on her face, making her look like a man who had seen his idol.


    In fact, this little girl looked like she was about to kneel in prostration, and the only thing stopping her was Delia''s hand clamping down on her shoulder.


    "There''s no mistaking it. That''s a Great Spirit right above us, and it is now blessing us with its benevolent aura and its overwhelming soul power!" The little girl continued to say as her eyes began to glaze. "Oh goodness¡­. For a Great Spirit to manifest itself here is the sign of good times to come. Ah¡­. How lucky I am to see one here!"


    "¡­"


    "Tsk, ignore Tong''er. She''s a spiritualist, so she always gets gung-ho about anything releted to spirits and souls." Delia said as she shook her head wryly. "And don''t look at me like that. I know for a fact that a Great Spirit is a spirit of a World. It is something that is unique in each world, and they have their own unique way of growth."


    "¡­"


    "To a Spiritualist, a Great Spirit is a deity-like being that they must treat with respect, hence Tong''er''s reaction here.  As for me, I know that Great Spirits are just another term for World Souls"


    "¡­"


    "Hmph, since I already know about those,   you don''t need to explain stuff to me. Just let us stay here, and do what you have to do."


    "That''s it? You just went here to help us? There''s nothing else that you want to do?" Alina asked, with her voice still filled with suspicion.


    "Hah? Of course we want to help you. After all, if you succeed on your plan, I think that we will win too." Delia replied calmly as she smirked at Alina.


    "You-"


    "You''re trying to use that Great Spirit to possess this planet, right?" Delia abruptly said, interrupting Alina. "I don''t know what prompted you to do this, but since you were going on with it, then there''s a chance that you might succeed. Of course I cannot just let you reap all the benefits, so I decided to accompany you here!"


    "¡­.Your words sound convincing, but you are just making us more suspicious of you." Queen Mother, who had been intently listening since earlier, quietly said as her leaves rustled in agitation. "Do you think that we will just accept that explanation? Maybe you forgot it, but you and Alex are Travelers. That means that if Alex succeeds in this mission, you will inevitably lose. Why do you want to help us win then, if it will just lead to your loss? That''s just¡­ illogical."


    "World Tree, I suggest that you remember what the Main Mission was. Maybe once you read that, you will realize why I am here." Instead of becoming fl.u.s.tered with Queen Mother''s argument, Delia appeared to be invigorated by this question, as if she had been waiting to hear it. "Come on, World Tree, let''s see you using that old brain of yours into something useful."


    "¡­."


    "Oi! Don''t insult my comrade! Did you see me calling out your under-aged companions? Hmph, as expected, you are just sc.u.m!" Alina shrilly said as Queen Mother began to contemplate Delia''s words.


    "Blah blah blah. I won''t listen to you. I''m just talking to the World Tree." Delia replied with a sneer as she covered her ears. She then deliberately turned her back on Alina, making the later turn red from anger.


    "You skanky daughter of a bi-"


    The pair then descended into another argument while Queen Mother delved deeper inside her mind.


    "¡­"


    Fortunately  for Queen Mother, even when her mind continued to slow down because of her current form, she was still able to recall their Main Mission with perfect clarity.


    "¡­I see. I see. So that''s how it is." Upon seeing the details of their Main Mission, Queen Mother shook her body as she realized the point that Delia had been emphasizing earlier. "Now that I analyzed the Main Mission more, I can see why Delia is fine with coming here¡­"


    [[MAIN MISSION: ACQUIRE THE LEGACY WEAPON OF THE INFERNAL MONARCH. REWARD IS NEGOTIABLE. TIME LIMIT: 10 YEARS.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 1: FREE THE WORLD FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THE VILE EMPEROR LITCH. REWARD: SHARD OF TRANSCENDENCE. POSSIBE ADDITIONAL REWARD: OPTIONAL.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 2: REACH TRANSCENDENCE. REWARD: INFINITY AMULET.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 3: KILL ENEMY TRAVELERS! REWARD: 1 SHARD OF TRANSCENDENCE FOR EVERY CONFIRMED KILL.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 4: DESTROY ALL THE MOONS! DESTRUCTION OF ONE MOON WILL EQUATE TO 125 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF TWO MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 250 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF THREE MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 500 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF FOUR MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 1000 YEARS OF LIFESPAN.]]


    [[BONUS MISSION 5: KILL ALL RECIPIENTS OF THE MOON POWER. KILLING A MOON POWER RECIPIENT WILL EQUATE TO 1 MONTH OF LIFESPAN. KILLING TWO MOON POWER RECIPENTS WILL EQUATE TO TWO MONTHS OF LIFESPAN . KILLING THREE MOON POWER RECIPENTS WILL EQUATE TO THREE MONTHS OF LIFESPAN, AND SO ON AND SO FORTH.]]


    "¡­."


    The more that Queen Mother pored over the mission, the more that she felt awed  of Alex, as she realized that it was him who did things that led to their current state.


    "Did Alex¡­ foresee this kind of scenario happening because of the unique conditions of our Main Mission?" Queen Mother thought to herself as she glanced at the irate Delia. "If that''s the case, then Alex must have been serious on winning here¡­"


    With one look, the Main Mission looked like it was just a standard main mission. However, there was one thing missing here that makes it unique.


    And that was the fact that this Main Mission did not say that only one Traveler can obtain the Legacy Weapon!


    The Main Mission only stated a time limit and the goal, but aside from that, there''s nothing else that had been said.


    The Main Mission only stated that the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch must be obtained, with no mentions on how it could be acquired.


    This leaves many possible interpretations on these mission, with one of these interpretations swaying towards Delia''s current actions.


    "Judging by his name, the Infernal Monarch must have been a being that had the same level of power as the Endless Monarch. Both of them had the title ''Monarch'' in their names, which could have been a representation of their level of power." Queen Mother thought as she forced her mind to think through her current body.


    "With the Endless Monarch''s ability to send numerous people into different worlds, it is obvious that he is extremely powerful. And since the Infernal Monarch could be the same rank as the Endless Monarch, then he must be powerful too! And since the Infernal Monarch is like that, then his Legacy Weapon should at least be overbearing!" At this point, Queen Mother''s tree body began to shake in anticipation as she slowly felt excited from what she had been thinking.


    "If that guess of mine was right, then there''s a chance that the Legacy Weapon will be an extremely hard to wield weapon. Maybe¡­ one Traveler cannot acquire and control it alone. What if two Travelers are needed to acquire the Legacy Weapon? If that''s the case, then Alex''s move to ally with Delia is  a masterful move!"

 Chapter 460 - Race against Procastination

    TIME LEFT BEFORE THE POSSESSION FINISHES: 45 MINUTES


    TIME LEFT BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRVVIES: 37 MINUTES


    "Tsk."


    Upon reaching these calculations within his mind, Alex, who was observing the ''battle'' between Malthus and the Cosmic Guards, shook his head as he realized another problem.


    "With my connection with the Conqueror''s Aura, I can feel the proximity of Emperor Litch. Judging from the way that he is moving, it will take him 37 minutes to reach this plane. That''s 8 minutes earlier than Sierra''s possession." Alex thought to himself grimly as he let out a sigh.


    "Tsk, Emperor Litch should be arriving here in a few hours, but it seems like my actions had forced that man to speed up his travelling rate." Alex muttered, with his mind now preoccupied with the matters related to the Emperor himself. "So all in all, I only have 37 minutes left to prepare against Emperor Litch¡­. Will this time be enough to prepare against him? Hmm¡­ since he had sped himself up, then I must hasten my pace too."


    Upon making this decision, Alex  let out a hiss as he detached his control over Blue Alex. He then focused his attention on one of his other clones, which had been doing an exemplary task at this moment.


    "Golden Alex, you might hate getting commanded upon, but you have no choice but to follow me right now." Alex declared in a loud tone, establishing his connection with Golden Alex in just a split-second. "You could feel the  impending arrival of Emperor LItch, right? If you don''t want to end up inside him, then you better use the Divine Beings for the plan already!"


    "Original Alex, do you think doing what you want me to do is easy? And now you want me to rush it? Hah, what a bossy man!" Golden Alex replied mentally, with his tone showing his irritation towards Alex.


    "Gold boy, I know that your task is hard. After all, you''re tasked with using the Divine Beings to look for the Legacy Weapon." Alex said calmly. "But with the preparations that I made, you should have some semblance of success by now¡­."


    "Well, I''m sorry to break this to you, but the Divine Beings did not sense anything similar to the ones that you want to see." Golden Alex said without displaying his thoughts in these matter.


    "What? What the hell? Why can''t they even sense what I want them to sense? Gold boy, did you do something lecherous to them earlier?"


    "Hmph, don''t complain about that clich¨¦d stuff to me. Say those complaints on these three morons!" Golden Alex retorted angrily, with his mental arrow pointing towards  Peina, Lingo, and the angel, who were all flying  behind him.


    All three of them were following Golden Alex with serious expressions on their faces, something that made Alex feel serious too.


    "Seriously? Even with those three with you, you can''t even get a hint or feeling on a possible hiding spot of the Legacy Weapon?" Alex mused as he looked at the Divine Beings with incredulity. "With their level of power, shouldn''t they have been able to just  sense it?"


    "¡­"


    "Golden Alex, these three Divine Beings have been imprisoned in this world for thousands of years. With that kind of timespan, these three should be familiar with the auras and powers present in this world! And yet even with that, they were saying that they can''t sense a possible lead for the Legacy Weapon? Hah, that''s just pure c**p!"


    At this point, Alex looked like he was about to storm in the area and start berating the Divine Beings following Golden Alex. That''s how angry he is, and even the nonchalant Golden Alex pulled back a little as he felt Alex''s intention.


    Fortunately for everyone, Alex was able to keep himself calm. Now, his face only looked like an extremely pissed monkey, something that was way better compared to his appearance earlier.


    Golden Alex took this as his chance to talk, with his next words uttered in the fastest and clearest way that he could.


    "I asked Lingo why they can''t sense anything right now and he gave me a quick answer. According to him, they will only  be able to sense something if Malthus was with them. After all, that Traveler was also a Divine Being that was imprisoned here before." Golden Alex said quickly. "It only makes sense for him to be needed here, as he shared the same circ.u.mstance as these people beside me¡­"


    "¡­" Alex only kept quiet to that, as he appeared to be deeply contemplating everything that he had heard.


    "Hmph,  now that you heard their reasons, what would you do, original?" Golden Alex leered as he kept his focus on guiding the Divine Beings  "Will you find a way to bring Malthus here, or will you just let us wander like lost people here?


    "¡­There is no way that I will let Malthus join the other three Divine Beings. If we do that, we will just be handing him the mission itself." Alex replied forcefully. "In fact, I have the inkling that Malthus'' plan is related to the Divine Beings too¡­. "


    "If that'' the truth, then my action on ''kidnapping'' these Divine Beings had paid off then. Good!" Golden Alex replied smugly as he crossed his arms. He then continued to maintain his connection with the original Alex,  with him acting less hostile than before.


    "Good? You call this good? Hmph, if those Divine Beings can''t even sense what we have been looking for, then how are we supposed to find it?" Alex exclaimed  as he brushed his hands over his spiritual hair. "If those Divine Beings can only be used like this, then they will just be wasting my time!"

 Chapter 461 - I am tired of thinking already. Next will be for tomorrow.

    I am tired


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    I am tired of thinking already. Next chapter will be for tomorrow.


    Next chapter for tomorrow.

 Chapter 462 - Encounter from the Past

    While Golden Alex, White Alex, Kid Alex, and Blue Alex were busy on their own missions in the Four Moons World, their other remaining clone was stuck on doing a different thing.


    Black Alex, who was still paralyzed because of the ritual, was currently restrained on a metallic chair.


    Metallic chains with unknown names and properties wrapped and bound Black Alex like he was a criminal, making him stick to his current place without any chance of escaping.


    "¡­" Black Alex only kept silent in face of the treatment that he is having, with his black eyes staring dully in front of him.


    Right now, Black Alex was inside a dark room which had nothing inside it, not even decorations or basic necessities any normal people had to use. The only companion that Black Alex had in this room was the door in front of him, which stood like a lofty gate in face of his paralyzed body.


    This door was so near to Black Alex, that if he can take 5 steps forward, he can grab and just open it. But due to his current state, even moving his finger is just an impossibility.


    This of course had Black Alex feeling frustrated, although he was not keen to show this infuriation at all.


    Aside from the loss of his ability to move, Black Alex was also temporarily unable to use his powers. This meant that he had lost his disguise, something which he had been using since earlier.


    This mean that as of now, Black Alex''s appearance was not the ''Alexander'' appearance that Alex had been using.


    Instead, Black Alex was back to looking like the original Alex.


    "The Abyss told me that the price for channeling the power of that creature will be high. But I never expected it to be this high¡­ Its already been minutes since I summoned the Abyss Monster, but yet I am still like this? I actually lost both the ability to move and use my powers here? Hmph, it appears as if I need to get an explanation form the Abyss later¡­" Black Alex thought coldly to himself as he tried to move again.


    "¡­"


    Just like what he expected, his body still refused to listen to him.


    "Officer, we have fully secured the man. What do you want us to do to him now?"


    "Leave him be. I shall talk to him personally."


    "But Officer!! This man is-"


    "I know who he is. Just looking at his face is enough to evoke my memories before."


    "Officer, if you know that, then-"


    "Even if I know how dangerous this could be, I will still talk to him."


    As Black Alex lay bound and gagged on his chair, a pair of voices could be heard by him coming from beyond the door. This pair was accompanied by a pair of distinct footsteps, which shows that there are currently 2 people standing just outside Black Alex''s room.


    These two people appeared to be arguing about something, which Black Alex was able to hear in full glory with his advanced senses.


    "But-"


    "I am your superior, so you should follow my orders. Do you understand that?"


    "Y-yes. Officer Emerald!"


    "Good. Now get out of my sight and leave me alone. I need to talk to him by myself only."


    "Roger!"


    Sounds of heavy footsteps then echoed in the area as one of the speakers moved. Judging by the way that the sound of this speaker''s footsteps faded, it is safe to say that this speaker had just left the area.


    As for the second speaker, who Black Alex surmised to be Officer Emerald, she did not indicate any signs of leaving.


    Instead, she began to talk again, with her words seemingly directed to Black Alex this time.


    "I know that due to your paralysis, you can''t talk at all. That''s why I am telling you that I will enter your room. Pardon me if I am disturbing you."


    A grating sound then filled the room as the door swung open, revealing a mousy-looking woman standing at the entrance.


    She was wearing a tight-fitting black armor, which was paired by a large sword hanging strapped on her back.


    On the left side of her chest, a series of badges could be seen, with the most prominent one dispalaying the symbol of a glowing star.


    Under this badge, the name Emerald could be seen, which was carved in green hues.


    This name glinted faintly inside Black Alex''s dark room, turning it into a small beacon that took Black Alex''s attention.


    Officer Emerald then entered the room, closing the door behind her in a gentle manner.


    "Creak¡­"


    Upon entering the room, what Officer Emerald did was something that made Black Alex sigh internally.


    Instead of doing anything physical to Black Alex, what Officer Emerald did to him was just simple.


    She only stared at Black Alex intently, with her eyes boring into him like an adamantium drill.


    Her whole body, which was slightly wound-up when she entered the room, became extremely tense after she observed Black Alex''s whole face.


    This stare of hers lasted for a whole minute, and it was only after this time span that Officer Emerald broke her gaze.


    "Sigh¡­" She then let out a sigh, which was tinged with both exhaustion and exasperation.


    Black Alex did not do anything in face of Officer''s Emerald''s actions, as he was just unable to do anything right now.


    "So¡­. you''re still alive, Alex. I never thought I will see you here again." Officer Emerald said, giving Black Alex a wry smile. "And from what I can see, you seem to have encountered a lot of things for the past few months. Care to tell your Big Sister about your adventures?"


    "Hah? Sorry, but I don''t want to." Black Alex thought as he did his best to glare at Officer Emerald. "I''m not interested with talking to you at all. Just leave me alone here and allow me to recover."


    "Alex, I am a telepath, so I can read what you are thinking now." In face of Black Alex''s silent treatment, Officer Emerald only smiled, as if she was enjoying what she was doing. She began to sit on the armrest of Black Alex''s chair, swinging her legs like a kid.


    "This is why I am not happy being captured here." Black Alex thought angrily. "There is a chance that you will be in this place, since you were already an officer before¡­"


    "What? Why are you making it sound like you don''t want to see me? And why are you only allowing me to access your surface thoughts? Is there anything that you are hiding from me, Alex?" Officer Emerald retorted with a pout.


    "Who would want to say with you for long? You are a telepath, and given enough time, you can read everything inside my mind. Do you think I like someone just peeking at my mind this way?" Black Alex thought as he started to feel some semblance of warmth appearing on his body. "Besides, I have a lot of secrets for my past adventures and I don''t want you to see it."


    "Awww¡­. do you really hate me that much now, Alex?"


    "First of all, I am not even Alex. I am Black Alex, one of his current clones." Black Alex thought. "Since I am his clone, I don''t really feel anything against you. But I have access to his experiences with you, so I know that treating you with caution is better. If I don''t do that, then the Abyss will surely damn me."


    "You''re just a clone? Oh¡­ so that explains why you don''t feel like the genuine Alex¡­" Instead of acting surprised from his reveal, Officer Emerald only nodded her head, as if she was used to hearing something like this. "So some of original Alex''s clones from the Undying Empire has survived? Good for him. Maybe that will make him less lonely no-"


    "No, I am not that kind of clone. My existence was willed by the power of the Abyss, and not by the twisted technology of the Undying Empire." Black Alex thought grimly. "So don''t treat me with pity. I materialized in this world with some kind of magnificence that you cannot understand. Those clones that you were talking about? They''re just trash rotting on their graves!"


    "¡­Yeah, I can see it now. You''re really not like those clones¡­" Officer Emerald mumbled in reply as an affronted expression appeared on her face. "If you were like them, then you will be acting respectful to them. But instead of doing that, you just spited them, even when they did their best to keep Alex alive! Such disrespect is something that only evil people will have!"


    "Evil? Heh, my existence alone is geared to create evil, so hearing you say it makes me happy." Black Alex thought happily. "Did you hear that, Abyss? She''s calling me evil! Now, give me more of your power!"


    "Oh god. What the hell has Alex been doing these past days? Why did he even allow something like this to exist?" Officer Emerald said after hearing Black Alex''s latest thoughts. She quickly did a facepalm, which made Black Alex feel somewhat smugger.


    "Officer Emerald, I don''t care about your relationship with Black Alex in the past. Hell, I don''t even care that you were one of his closest friends before. I am just here to fulfill a mission for him, so don''t expect me to act cozy with you." Black Alex declared mentally as he narrowed his eyes.


    By this point, Black Alex had already regained slight control of his body, which was showcased by the movements of his eyes.


    Officer Emerald naturally noticed this, although she appeared to be nonplussed about this development


    "I don''t care if you don''t care about me. Even if Alex is already free, its still my responsibility to look out for him." Officer Emerald said as she leapt away from Black Alex. "So I shall help him out, and you cannot do anything to stop it."


    "Hong~" Her black armor changed shapes as she moved, and by the time that she landed on the ground, her armor had transformed into an entirely new form.


    Metallic plates and barbed edges now lined Officer Emerald''s body, making her armor look like an armor that only a wicked killer would use. Red liquid occasionally dripped from the armor''s sharp edges, making her appear more dangerous.


    "Even if you did your best to restrict your thinking, I was still able to get glimpses of your situation." Officer Emerald said as she began walking towards the door.


    She then let out a sigh as she run her hand through her armored head.


    "Alex is  doing an important task in this world, and from what I can see, he is related to the weird phenomenon that is happening right now, just like that World Soul. Really, what the hell is Alex planning to do with all these stuff? Has he gone crazy already? Sigh¡­. I think I just have to talk to him personally."


    Before Black Alex could mentally say anything else, Officer Emerald left the room, closing the door with an almighty bang.


    "Bang!"


    "That stupid Cosmic Guard. I told her that original Alex does not need her help. But instead of listening to me, she actually ignored me? Argh! I am telling you to not step in! So what if you were more powerful compared to before? If you just enter the fray, you will just make the situation more complicated! Tsk, original Alex should not have tried befriending her before. Now look where it had landed him¡­" Black Alex thought as he observed the door, which was still shaking form the force that Officer Emerald had applied on it.


    "Hmph, I hope you can hear this conversation original Alex. Because if you did not, then you will just experience more nuisance later." Black Alex thought as he attempted to wiggle his fingers. "Don''t blame me once that time comes¡­ I just had no way to stop her, ok?"

 Chapter 463 - Schools and Tempting Deals

    TIME LEFT BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 30 MINUTES


    Due to the disruptive effects of the new events on the Four Moons World, all the students and the teachers were back into their panic-stricken state, as they were rendered confused by what was happening.


    Why did a massive illusory planet appear out of nowhere, and why is there a massive spaceship attacking right now?


    These people unfortunately have no way to have these questions of theirs answered, so the best thing that they can only do was to hide and stay where they are.


    Even with the power that their current civilization had, the students and the teachers had no confidence on leaving the confines of the Institute.


    After all, what was happening right now can be said to be a battle between extremely powerful beings, something that weaklings like them cannot participate in.


    Because of this outlook, the whole Institute was plunged in a depressed atmosphere, making everyone appear gloomy and tired. This feeling pervaded everywhere, turning even the boisterous guards into listless creatures.


    As for the aliens that visited the Institute earlier, most of them were still unconscious, as if what was happening outside had forced them to stay asleep.


    "Hula hula hula¡­"


    However, not everyone in the Institute acted like this.


    Meters below the ground floor of the Institute, inside a now-opened vault, there was a group of people currently huddling, who all exuded a different atmosphere compared to depressed people of the Institute.


    One of these figures was a white-robed person, who was sitting in a cross-legged position as a bright, white gas seeped out of his body. This gas appeared to get thicker and thicker as time passed by, which this person inhaled  when it became as large as a basketball.


    Clutched within this person''s right hand were 12 l.u.s.trous green jades, with each one providing power to the white gas. Every now and often some of these jades disintegrate, leaving nothing but dust on their place.


    These jades were the ones that appeared to be strengthening that white gas coming out of this person, something that he did not bother to hide.


    "Kacha!" After the last portion of the jades got destroyed, the white-robed person waved his hands as a new batch of jades appeared. The cycle then started anew, with the man exhaling another batch of white gas which was then strengthened by the green jades.


    "Cultivating in peace is a luxury that I cannot afford." The white-robed person, who was no other than White Alex, murmured to himself as he continued to what he was doing.


    His face had a tranquil look on it as he absorbed his latest batch of white gas, which at this point, had already thickened to the extent that it was almost liquid-like.


    "But even without peace, cultivation is still possible. After all, the Dao exists in everything, even in the instances of battles." White Alex continued to say as he slurped the liquefied gas like a soup.


    "Sigh¡­ if the original Alex can only feel this calm, then he will be able to progress faster in Immortal Cultivation." White Alex continued to say as he slurped another batch of the liquefied gas.


    "But I''m already okay with this. I know that he will have difficulties cultivating due to his numerous heart demons. But as long as he manages to accept his past and defeat that Emperor, he will have the mindset needed to be a cultivator¡­"


    "Big Bro White, when will you stop cultivating? I don''t like staying in this place much longer¡­" Standing beside White Alex was Kid Alex, who said these words in a trembling fashion. There was unmistakable fear in his eyes as the vault that they were in continued to tremble, something that White Alex had already ignored.


    "Don''t worry Kid. We will also leave this place. But for now, we can''t do that yet." White Alex replied quickly. "I need time to fuse my foundation with my dao insights, and this place provides me with that."


    "But-"


    "Besides, we still have another job to do here, so leaving is not really an option for us yet." White Alex chimed in, with his eyes now staring intently at the third occupant of the vault. "Just ask her. She won''t let us leave as long as we don''t follow her instructions¡­"


    "That''s right. If you two s**tstains wants an out, then you better listen to me." The third occupant harshly said. "Do you understand that?"


    "Yes¡­. Big Sis Professor Frances!" Kid Alex replied hastily, looking at the third occupant with a terrified look. "I promise to help you¡­ So please don''t turn me into a monster!"


    "Hah? Why would I do that to you? I don''t target kids, so don''t worry. But if you infuriate me, I might change my mind¡­" The third occupant, who Kid Alex called as Professor Frances, said as she gave the kid a sneer. "And change the way that you call me. Big Sis Professor Frances is too long. Make that d**n thing shorter!"


    "Ok¡­ I-I get it. Big Sis Fran."


    "What the f*- Argh, you know what, you can just call me that. But don''t say it like you love me, ok? You make me feel sick with that look! Do you understand?"


    "Okay¡­"


    "Hmph, good. Now bring me that body. I need to use it already." Professor Frances said with a huff as she pointed her finger at Wisteria''s unconscious body, which was laid down on the floor.


    Her eyes were still closed and her body was still unmoving, which shows how unconcsoius she really was.


    She looked beautiful and serene with her current state, although Professor Frances appeard to not give any s**t about that.


    "¡­."


    "What are you waiting for? Bring her body to me. I need to use it for the next part of the plan." Professor Frances said in a complaining tone after seeing Kid Alex''s hesitation. "I am already tired because of all the sneaking that I had to do just to reach this place. Because of this exhaustion, I have to conserve my strength, and not use it on something stupid.


    "¡­"


    "Now, do you understand my dilemma already?"


    "Yes, I understand it, Big Sis Fran¡­"


    "Good. So now, could you get her body already?" Professor Frances said with finality, making Kid Alex lower his head a little. "White Alex can''t do s**t because of his cultivation, so you''re the only one who can work for me. Trust me, you can do this by your own¡­ You want to help original Alex, right? By doing this, you will be helping him out a lot¡­."


    ********************


    TIME LEFT BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 25 MINUTES


    "Look at the Generals that were chasing me earlier. They only bothered to show up now, when there''s only 25 minutes left before Emperor LItch arrives? Hmph, talk about being fishy." Golden Alex said, broadcasting these thoughts of his towards original Alex.


    "It will be only fishy if they showed themselves 5 minutes before the Emperor arrives. At least they still have the decency to show themselves at this point." Alex replied from his soulscape with a small chuckle coming out of his mouth.


    "Hmph, I know what these 4 are trying to do here. They must be thinking of making me surrender peacefully¡­." Golden Alex replied with a snort as he stared at the four beings that were blocking his path.


    These 4 did nothing to hide their power, forcing Golden Alex and the Divine Beings behind him to stop in their tracks.


    "So in your opinion, the Dragon King, the Void Master, the Plum Blossom Immortal, and the Wine Ruler all want to talk peacefully to you? Wow, that''s just confidence blooming out form you, Golden Alex." Alex wryly replied as he also observed the generals in front of Golden Alex. "With their combined power alone, they can rip you to pieces before you can even react. Do you think they will actually give you time to defend yourself?''


    "Of course they will. I have half of Emperor LItch''s Conqueror''s Aura. If they try to kill me, the Conqueror''s Aura in me might disappear. That''s something that these generals cannot allow to happen." Golden Alex replied smugly as he gave the 4 generals a provocative look.


    "I get what you are saying. Without the Conqueror''s Aura that is with you, Emperor Litch will never be back to his peak. In fact, you can say that his path to get stronger is crippled as long as his Conqueror''s Aura is incomplete." Alex replied. "So I understand why you are feeling complacent now. However, even if they will try to act slightly courteous to you, that will only last for a short time. Once you have worn their patience thin, these generals will try to subdue you violently¡­."


    "Don''t worry about that, original. I know about that too." Golden Alex thought as his eyes landed on Void Master''s etherial body. "In fact, I guess that it will be Void Master who will be the first one to lose patience and try attacking me. He''s just that immature."


    "Amen to that, Golden Alex." Alex replied, with him seemingly enjoying the stand-off between Golden Alex and the generals.


    Golden Alex could have continued to say something at this point, but he was interrupted by one of the Generals, who began talking to Golden Alex in a pleasant tone.


    "Alex¡­ you may have tried to change your face and appearance,  but you can never hide the Conqueror''s Aura from us." The General, who Alex pointed out to be the Plum Blossom Immortal, said as he closed his fan. There was an aura of purity and cleanliness from this man as he talked, something that made both Alex and Golden Alex feel uncomfortable.


    "So if you know what is good for you, then you better surrender the Conqueror''s aura to us already. If you give the Conqueror''s Aura to us, we will be paying you a lot of money and we might also forgive your past transgressions on us" Plum Blossom Immortal said, with his refreshing aura continuing to affect Golden Alex. "Now, that''s  a good deal that I hope you can accept."


    "But if you refuse to cooperate with us, then we will have no choice but to make you obey forcefully." Plum Blossom Immortal helpfully added, which was synchronized with the other Generals tensing their bodies.


    These generals then hefted their weapons as they stared at Golden Alex warily, as if they were treating him as a high level threat.


    "See them? They''re raring to beat you into submission already." Plum Blossom Immortal continued to say as he revealed his weapon too. "I''m sorry to say this Alex, but even with your current state, there''s no way that you can outfight 4 Generals."


    "¡­"


    "So if I were you, I will already accept  my offer. There''s just nothing else that is better than this." The general said as his aura continued to blast out its relaxing effect. "You either give up your power voluntarily, or you will be stripped of it forcefully. Both has the same end, although the latter will be far more damaging to you. So what do you think? Are you ready to give up now? Just say the word, and we can start the process already."

 Chapter 464 - Sneak attacks are a staple of battles already

    TIME LEFT UNTIL EMPEROR LITCH''S ARRIVAL: 27 MINUTES


    "Sorry, but I have to say no to your request." Golden Alex said as he crossed his arms. "Why do you think that I, a glorious ruler, shall submit under your whims? Do you think that I am stupid? Hmph, if you think of me that way, then you are also insulting your Emperor!"


    "You! Don''t you dare put the Emperor in this, you thief! You''re the one who stepped out of the line, you filthy spare!" Golden Alex''s reply must have been to insensitive to the Generals, so much so that the quiet Dragon King began snarling at him.


    This general, who had golden scales lining his skin and a silver pair of wings attached on his back, gave Golden Alex a hungry and murderous glare.  There was only viciousness in his face as he stared at Golden Alex, making it look like he wanted nothing more than to tear Golden Alex into tiny pieces right now.


    Just his words alone were enough to show how much he was raging against Golden Alex, and there''s no doubt that if he takes an action, a lot of catastropchi things will surely happen.


    "If you just followed your destiny and allowed yourself to be assimilated to the Emperor, then you could be living the best of your pathetic life." The Dragon King continued to say as his hands began to transform into draconic talons. "If you did not do that stunt of yours in the Empire, then we would have never reached this point¡­"


    "Point my ass. I am a living individual, someone who is not brainwashed by that Emperor. You call him Emperor Litch? I prefer the term Emperor B**ch. After all, that''s just what he is good at. B***ing at you about all of his problems." It was Alex who made this message, although Golden Alex had no qualms on saying it directly.


    "What did you just say?"


    "I said, Emperor B**ch is a b**ch." Golden Alex said, emphasizing the terminology for the female dog with a sneer. "Why, got a problem with that?"


    "!*(&[email protected](**)@(*%@*)(@*)(@*"


    Both Plum Blossom Immortal and Dragon King looked like they had a seizure after hearing Golden Alex''s curses, something that made both Golden Alex and Alex snigger.


    "Okay, that''s it. Let''s stop this bulls**t already. We thought we can persuade your heart, but it looks like you have no intention on listening to us anymore. You want a fight? Fine then, we shall give you a fight." The one who said these words was Void Master, with his purple skin and axe-shaped head glimmering in a haze of rage. "Alex, I know about your plight before, so I thought that giving you an offer to surrender will be fair to you. But you still had the gall to actually refuse our offer? Hmph, you can only blame yourself for what happens next!"


    "Boom!" The four Generals then released the power that they had been suppressing since earlier, creating a tidal wave of pressure which crashed down on Alex and the Divine beings.


    "Urk¡­" Golden Alex was like a tiny boat in front of a storm, with his body swaying and sinking against the released power by the Generals. He tried to resist against it with his power, but it was futile, as the qualitative and quantitative difference between him and the Generals were just too much.


    "Golden Alex is only at the peak of the Fifth Stage, which means that there is no way for him to win right now. Even with the Divine Beings accompanying him, this fight will still lead on Golden Alex''s loss." Alex, who was also experiencing the pressure felt by Golden Alex, said these words in a grim fashion. His eyes were twitching as he observed the murderous generals, who looked like they are about to pounce at Golden Alex any moment now.


    "I cannot let you be captured here, Golden Alex. If you were to be captured, Emperor Litch might regain his power." Alex hastily said to Golden Alex, who was still trying his best to resist against the pressure on him. "That''s why-"


    "What? Do you want me to run away?" Godlen Alex shouted back mentally,  with traces of indignation present on his mind. "F**k this, oringal Alex! Why should I dispel myself in front of these people? Do you really think I have no way to win? I am a great ruler, someone who will not back down against s**ts like them!"


    "You have no way to win. Trust me on that, Golden Alex." Alex replied as he felt a slight pain in his head.


    "No, I can still figh-"


    "You''re feeling it, right? You''re already feeling the pain from being exposed to the released power by 4 Sixth Stage Generals¡­ The longer that you feel this, the higher the chance that you will be captured." Alex muttered as he gave Golden Alex an unamused laugh. "Even with this kind of pain, are you still confident on winning?"


    "Hmph, you don''t get to tell me what to do. Trust me, we can still defeat these 4." Even when Alex tried to make his point clear, Golden Alex still held on to his ground, refusing Alex''s command to be dispelled at this moment. "Intsead of advising me to retreat, why don''t you make Blue Alex and Black Alex come here? If they were here, then this situation can be resolved with our fists easily!"


    "What the f- You know that there''s no way that I can make Blue Alex or Black Alex come here. Black Alex is still inside the Cosmic Guard Spaceship, while Blue Alex is now assisting Alina with protecting Sierra." Alex replied with a quick shake of his head. "As for White Alex and Kid Alex, they''re with Professor Frances, doing their own project. Do you know what that means? That means that you are alone in this ordeal, Golden Alex!  You have no one to help you now, so you should just run already!"


    "¡­You have no reinforcements for me? But then, why didn''t I feel panic from you  when the 4 Generals appeared earlier?" Golden Alex replied, with his tone betraying the sudden shift in his feelings. Now, he sounded both unsure and wary, as if what Alex said made him reconsider his choices. "I thought you were confident that you can do something against them¡­"


    "That''s what I thought too earlier. But there had been some developments, so none of the other Alex''s can assist us." Alex said, with his voice now sounding a little sorry for Golden Alex. "So just listen to me and start running, there''s nothing wrong with you doing tha-"


    "Boom!"


    Out of nowhere, a massive explosion ripped  the area that Golden Alex and the Generals were in,  covering these people with hostile energy and deadly matter.


    The sensation of death filled Golden Alex''s mind as the explosion made its way on his body, to the point that his whole body stared to break down.


    His body tried to heal itself, but batches of additional explosions field the area once more, reducing Alex to just a bag of organs and skeletons.


    It was only through his sheer will and the Conqueror''s Aura that Golden Alex managed to stay alive at this state, although his current injuries made it impossible for him to move.


    As for the Divine Beings, they appeared to have incurred some injuries too, but because of their tougher bodies, their injuries  were significantly smaller than his.


    The worst that they got was a large gash on Peina''s throat, which began to heal amidst the haze and heat of the explosiosn.


    The Generals on the other hand looked like they disappeared once the explosions started, making their current fate still unknown.


    "Ugh¡­." Pain rippled all over Golden Alex''s body as he and Alex tried to make sense of what happened.


    "The f**k? Who the hell just sneaked attacked me? Is it Ray? But from what I remember, he should have been heavily injured by Delia, and he should have been staying there at the battle area, near Blue Alex. It doesn''t make sense for him to just appear here!" Alex thought to himself as he focused his attention on Golden Alex.


    If Alex was only worried earlier, right now he was extremely anxious with what was happening on Golden Alex.


    "Ugh¡­. Even with Golden Alex''s [Observation Detection], he was still unable to detect the incoming attack? Ugh¡­ this is bad. If this goes on, then he could actually die!" Alex thought to himself as he observed Golden Alex''s plight. "Oi Golden Alex, you cannot die right now! If you do, we''re screwed!"


    Alex''s anxiousness continued to rise at this point, as he saw that the situation around Golden Alex just continued to get worse.


    "!(*&$(*@&)($**!)*!!!*


    For Alex to feel like this is just normal, as there is no way that he can let Golden Alex die. Letting him die will be the worst case scenario for Alex, as this will trigger the negative effect of Queen Hydra''s Mirror.


    [ Negative Effect of Queen Hydra''s Mirror: If one of the power clones die while the Queen Hydra''s Mirror in in effect, the power corresponding to that clone will disappear forever.]


    This negative effect just implies that if Golden Alex dies right now, the Conqueror''s Aura inside him will disappear into nothingness! Of course Alex will not just let this happen, hence his advice for Golden Alex to run earlier.


    "Hmph, don''t worry about me. I''m still alive but only barely breathing. I can cope with this. Just give me a few more seconds." Golden Alex mentally replied as he began flaring his Conqueror''s Aura.


    "Skriiit¡­.."


    This time around, he used his Conqueror''s Aura to force his cells to regenerate beyond their limits.  He supplied them with his own power, making them do things that his normal cells will not do before.


    "¡­"


    Even with all the chaos around him, Golden Alex did not give any attention on them as he focused entirely on healing and giving commands to his cells.


    "Come on.. you little ones. Just do your job and heal already!" Golden Alex snarled as he felt this muscles materializing. once more. "Come on, this is too slow! Hurry up or I will die!"


    "Yes, you should really hurry up, Golden Alex." Alex said, with his attention not that focused on Golden Alex alone. Instead, Alex was busy observing the area above Golden Alex, as if he had seen something that piqued his interest there. "The bomber is just right above you, fighting against the Dragon King and Plum Blossom Immortal alone. And the bomber is winning against them... Do you get that? The bomber is winning against them! If the bomber can do that on them, then the bomber can also do that to you! So don''t be kind to your cells and make them hurry!"


    "

 Chapter 465 - Whats better than a normal object? A Supreme Object!

    "Hm? There''s something weird with this person¡­" While Golden Alex was busy on recovering himself, Alex, who was engrossed on observing the one who sneak attacked everyone, frowned as he noticed something different about the attacker.


    "Judging by his aura and appearance, the attacker is no other than Ray. But there is something different with Ray now¡­" Alex thought to himself, watching the said Traveler wipe the floor with the 4 Generals.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Alex watched as Ray effortlessly summoned bombs out of nowhere, conjuring them in such a way that the generals were unable to dodge their explosions.  This led to the situation where the generals were unable to do anything against Ray, making the whole fight a one-sided battle.


    The Dragon King, who had transformed into a golden five-clawed dragon, had already lost all of his wings, with his body blasted full of festering holes. His golden scales were also unrecognizable during this time, as of most of them were already smashed beyond recognition.


    He could only barely hover in the air as he kept himself on defensive.


    The Plum Blossom Immortal is in a much worse condition, as he looked like just a lump of meat barely held together by numerous seals. He seemed to be both dead and alive at this point, and the only indication that he was alive was the faint hints of vitality emanating out of his breathing hole.


    The Void Master on the other hand was almost undiscernible at this point.  His body, which was said to be a perfect mix with the void, was flickering in and out of existence, with each flicker accompanied by a shout of fear from him.


    Whatever bombs Ray used on Void Master, these bombs must have been powerful enough to induce this kind of change in him.


    These three generals looked like they were struck by misfortune because of their current states, but that is wrong, as they were way luckier compared to Wine Ruler.


    What was left of the formerly alive Wine Ruler was only his corpse, floating silently on the site of the battle.


    The initial attack by Ray had killed Wine Ruler instantly, reducing him into nothing but a floating sack of meat.


    "¡­."


    This whole match looked like it had its conclusion already set, and Alex can only watch quietly as it unfolded in front of him.


    "He is clearly Ray, but why do I feel like he is also a different person?" Alex thought, noticing that the way that Ray looked was different from earlier.


    His injuries were mostly gone, and the twisted look on his face was replaced by a composed one. There was no hint of maliciousness in his actions, as he only looked like a majestic and imperious person.


    Even his attacks had a tinge of change in it, as Alex noticed that Ray''s current bombs were way stronger than the ones that he was using before.


    "Seeing that he was injured against Delia earlier, I can say that Ray should only be as strong as an Initial Sixth Stage Being. That''s how things should be going here. But what is happening here? Why do I see the 4 Generals getting destroyed by Ray alone? This is not logical¡­" Alex thought as he noticed that Golden Alex was almost done with his healing.


    "Whatever is happening with Ray now is something that I should worry later. For now, I must make Golden Alex escape here. There''s nothing that he can get by staying in this place anymore." Alex thought urgently as he decided to manually move Golden Alex''s body by himself.


    "Hey!"


    Alex ignored this complaint by Golden Alex as he forcefully moved his body, with him trying his best to not be affected by the pain that accompanied his forced take-over.


    "Shut it, Golden Alex. There''s something wrong with Traveler Ray, and that made him much stronger. I don''t know how strong he is right now, but I can say that he can flatten you in a second. So don''t complain and just allow me to make you leave." Alex hurriedly said to the pissed Golden Alex, who looked like he was about to make his body stay. "I can''t let you die, so just listen to me."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Argh, I really hate this, but what can I do? If I am just in my complete form, then Ray would be nothing but scraps in front of me..."


    This reply by Golden Alex might not sound like  a yes/no answer, but Alex already took this as his affirmation to leave.


    "It will take Ray a few more seconds before he can finish off those generals. We shall use that time to leave quietly." Alex muttered as he began planting his body''s left foot forward.


    "Hoho, why do I feel like you want to leave? Did I allow you to do so?" Before Alex and Golden Alex could enact their departure plan, someone materialized in front of them, blocking their escape path.


    This man was no other than Ray, who had his arms crossed as he gave them a smile full of hatred.


    Streaks of gold adorned his hair as he stared at Golden Alex, who did his best to not be shaken by him.


    "You cannot leave in my presence. I will not allow that as long as I live." Ray said in a low tone. "By the decree of the Emperor, I shall kill you first before he arrives."


    After saying these words, the golden streaks on Ray''s hair began to spread, and before Alex could know it, the entirety of Ray''s hair had turned entirely golden already.


    "Hong~"


    This sudden change in Ray''s appearance and the words that he just uttered elicited a tremble from Alex, as a certain memory of his appeared in his mind.


    This memory made Alex frown, as he was now able to make sense on what was happening to Ray.


    Golden Alex also reacted strongly to Ray''s change, as the Conqueror''s Aura inside him began to feel hunger upon seeing Ray. This feeling allowed Golden Alex to also realize what was happening, and it was confirmed when Alex began to talk.


    "That attitude and that golden hair¡­ I see, I see. Ray, you were always under Emperor Litch''s control all this time , right?" Alex said, giving Ray the saddest smile that he can give to him. "There''s no doubt about it. You had been turned by Emperor Litch into one of his Supreme Puppets¡­"


    "¡­" Ray did not give any reaction to this statement by Alex, although the way that he perked up after Alex mentioned supreme puppets was enough to show his knowledge about them.


    "Aside from being a powerful conqueror, Emperor Litch is also a talented puppeteer. He can control living beings with his own soul power, which is a perfect fit with his Conqueror''s Aura." Alex continued to say, with him sounding like he was enjoying what he was saying. "These talents allowed Emperor Litch to have his own unique power which is something that I did not even managed to usurp from him. And that power is the creation of Supreme Puppets."


    "¡­"


    "Hmph, by combining the majestic effects of the Conqueror''s aura and his own puppeteering skills, Emperor Litch can turn a living being into a highly enhanced Supreme Puppet. I am not exactly sure on how the process happens, although what I am sure is that once a creature becomes a Secret Puppet, they can reach higher levels of power beyond their original one. That had been showcased perfectly by you earlier."


    "¡­"


    "You should have only been as strong as Delia, yet now you were able to defeat those Generals easily. If you were not that Emperor''s Supreme Puppet, then I don''t know what you could be¡­"


    "¡­"


    ""Heh, do you know how rare you are? Out of all the servants that he had, Emperor Litch can only turn three people into his supreme puppets.  From what I can remember, he already had two supreme puppets with him, although he did not mention where they are. I thought that he will reserve the creation of the third Supreme Puppet for me, but who would have thought that he will actually use it on you!"


    "¡­"


    Alex then began laughing at this point, as if he found Ray''s situation to be quiet hilarious. Obviously, Ray himself was not amused by this.


    "Hahaha! This must really suck for you, Ray! You are a Traveler, yet you became under the control of someone? Hahahaha, if you were still alive, you could be cursing the Emperor right now! Haha-"


    "Are you done saying your last words? Because if you are, then I shall show you what happens to those who insult the Emperor!" Ray declared in a loud voice as his golden hair began to glow. "Those who insult the Emperor only deserve death, and nothing else but death! And that includes you, Alex. You stole the Emperor''s power, so I just give it back to him! Do you think I will negotiate with you? No, I will not do that! I shall get the Emperor''s power over your dead body!"


    "Ah, a Supreme Puppet is really a great puppet. You can still move by your own even when Emperor Litch is not controlling you by himself. That is impressive." Alex said, with his voice dripping with sarcasm.


    He appeared to be not worried about Ray''s threats to him, something that made the puppet Ray angrier.


    "Did Emperor Litch say that you can do anything by yourself as long as it will benefit him? If that''s true, then what you just did here is weird." Alex said, waving his hand towards the severely beaten up generals. "They are your Emperor''s followers, and yet you still dare beat them up? There must be someth-"


    "Instead of attacking you directly, those generals had the gall to actually negotiate with you! That is something that I do not like, so I personally punished them for it." Ray said, interrupting Golden Alex. "Hmph, since I already killed one of them, and I brought the others to the brink of their death, then maybe,  just maybe, they have learned their lesson already..."


    TIME LEFT BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 22 MINUTES


    "You seem awfully talkative this time. I thought you were here to kill me. Why are you not doing that then?" Alex said after Ray said his twisted logic. "You even allowed me to explain who you really are¡­."


    "Hmph, consider this as my courtesy for you. Even when you are a despicable person, I can still honor your achievements. Because of that, I allowed you to talk like this" Ray replied as his golden hair began swaying with the wind. "You can say that¡­ this is your last meal before your execution."


    "Execution? What an apt word." Alex replied as he let out a sigh. The panic that he had on his face earlier was now replaced by calm, as both he and Alex realized that there is no way out for them now.


    With the Supreme Puppet Ray blocking their way, the only thing that they can do to survive is to beat him!


    "If you want to execute me, then you better be prepared. Who knows, it might be your corpse that will be floating in the air later." Alex said with a smile. "Even when you are more powerful compared to me, you still should not underestimate me. You never know what tricks I have in my sleeve¡­"


    ".."

 Chapter 466 - The Emperor shall rule them All

    "You say that things Alex, but you know that we don''t have any hidden tricks at all." Golden Alex mentally hissed at Alex as the latter stayed in control of his body. "What are you going to do against this Supreme Puppet who can throw bombs like they were just candy? Fight him with Conqueror''s Aura?"


    "Of course I can do that, but just like what I said earlier, I will not be able to defeat or kill Ray with this power alone." Alex replied as he and Golden Alex waited for Ray''s reaction to his words earlier.


    "If you know that, they why did you say that have hidden tricks? Isn''t that just provoking him?"


    "Idiot! By saying that I have hidden tricks, I can make Ray doubt a little and be wary of my actions. That way, he will be unsure of landing the killing strike on me. After all, my ''hidden trick'' might trigger and affect him any second now¡­" Alex replied smugly as he took control of the Conqueror''s Aura.


    "I see what you are trying to do here. You want to prolong this fight. For what? For an assistance to come here?" Golden Alex thought with exasperation. "Didn''t you say that there''s nobody else that can rush to rescue us? Why wait for the rescue then?"


    "Hmph, you may not have noticed it, but earlier, Black Alex was captured by the Cosmic Guards. And in their ship, he met up with Officer Emerald." Alex replied as he began circulating the golden and refreshing Conqueror''s Aura all over his veins. "You should have seen Black Alex''s face when he saw her. He was totally surprised!"


    Alex then chuckled inwardly, showing his humor that Golden Alex did not share.


    "You said that he saw Officer Emerald? If that''s true, then how can you be happy about that? Isn''t she the one who-"


    "My connection with Officer Emerald is still complicated, but right now, her assistance to me will be helpful." Alex hurriedly said as he cut-off Golden Alex. "That woman... she directly said to Black Alex that she will help me out, and she actually did that! Do you know where she is right now? Heh, she''s currently flying towards this planet with her armor on! That''s already a sign that she will be trying to help us!"


    Alex said these words with the same amus.e.m.e.nt that he had earlier. Golden Alex on the other hand was not happy about this, and he seemed to be even more worried about this issue compared to the current threat on his life.


    "So¡­ you will be risking my fate on the hands of that woman? Don''t you have any better choice for me?" Golden Alex thought angrily as he saw that Ray was still motionless. "I mean, you can just use Blue Alex to pop here for a second and stall Ray. With Blue Alex''s power, I am sure that he can force him back better than me! Using him will be more efficient compared to waiting for that damned Officer Emerald!"


    "I said earlier that Blue Alex can''t come here, and that answer still remains the same right now." Alex replied as he kept his control over the Conqueror''s Aura.


    "Ugh. So we sh-"


    "Just keep quiet Golden Alex. I know that you are under pressure here, but you should remember that I also care about you. So just let me deal with this problem by myself. Don''t worry, I have a plan that might work." Alex said, which only elicited a light scoff from Golden Alex.


    "You sure about that Alex? Hmph, let''s see how long you can make my body last under you control. Will it be 5 se-"


    "Boom!"


    Before Golden Alex and Alex could continue their argument, the previously silent Ray began to make his move, as he quickly unleashed 50 bombs on Alex''s location.


    "Prika prika prika!"


    The laws of nature began to destabilize at the area of explosion, plunging everything inside it into destroyed pieces of matter. Even the extremely sturdy materials had no answer to this destabilization, leaving an area full of warping and destruction.


    "Tsk, I missed." Ray tersely said as he looked at the effects of his attack with disappointment. There were no traces of Alex in this area, making it apparent that he had dodged the attack before it landed on him.


    "I knew it! Alex, you must have been using the Conqueror''s Aura to manipulate the rules and laws of this place. That''s a high-grade method that only Emperor LItch could use. But you can also use it now? Heh, this makes this chase interesting¡­" Ray''s displeasure only lasted for a second before it was replaced with his typical sadistic mind.


    "Go, traitor. Run all you want using your stolen power. There''s still 19 minutes left before the Emperor arrives, so I can spend some time with you." Ray mumbled in undisguised frenzy, with his eyes now burning red with bloodl.u.s.t. "Hehehe, I have prepared a lot of bombs to use on you, traitor. Let''s see how you will react to all of them¡­"


    "Swoosh!"


    Ray''s body then blurred before disappearing on the spot, indicating the usage of a teleportation ability.


    "Hahaha! Let''s see if you can use your power to bend the rules in your favor this time, Alex!" Ray''s disappearing silhouette said, with his voice still full  of  malice and bloodl.u.s.t.


    "Let''s see if your Conqueror''s Aura can help you withstand my power!"


    ***********************


    TIME LEFT BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 19 MINUTES


    "Having a Conqueror''s Aura sure is nice. As long as you are proficient in it, you cannot only just control people and the matter around you. You can even influence the laws of the world and use them on your advantage!"  Alex, who had been feeling a liberating feeling since earlier, said these words to Golden Alex in a smug tone. "Must be nice if I can get its full version too¡­"


    "W-what the hell did you just do, Alex? How were you able to dodge that?" Instead of acting like a calm person, Golden Alex''s reaction made him look like he had been kicked by someone on his crotch. "I thought you said that you have no way to fight against Ray? If that''s true, then what the hell is that?"


    "¡­Golden Alex, don''t tell me that you don''t even know about the power assigned to you? Come on, you are the manifestation of Conqueror''s Aura itself! You should have known what I did!" Alex replied with a baffled tone. "Wait, don''t tell me you-"


    Alex had to stop speaking at this point, as Ray sent another batch of bombs towards his location.


    Just a few nanoseconds before Ray''s latest attack could  land on him, Alex let out a shout as he spat out a portion of his Conqueror''s Aura, which then proceeded to distort the scenery in front of him


    "Hong long long~"


    Before Golden Alex could notice it, he and Alex were already above a mountain range, which was hundreds of kilometers away from their former location.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    The effects of Ray''s latest attack were now hundreds of kilometers behind them, which left Golden Alex in a state of confusion once more.


    "Alex, I have no idea about what you did since I am not complete. You remember that the other half of me is with Emperor Litch, right? That means that my knowledge about Conqueror''s Aura is incomplete too! So whatever you are doing now, I have no clue about it!" Golden Alex replied as Alex did his distortion trick once more. "Just¡­ tell me the truth already, ok? Maybe I can help you out once I know it¡­"


    "Sigh¡­ so you don''t know the higher level of Conqueror''s Aura. Hmm¡­ maybe that knowledge is with your other half. I see, I see. So that''s why you feel weird to me." Alex replied contemplatively as he dealt with Ray''s attack once more.


    This time around, Alex did not use his trick to dodge the bombs. Instead, he used it to swap locations with Ray, allowing him to stand in Ray''s spot, and leaving Ray under the barrage of his own explosions.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Unsurprisingly, Ray was unscathed by this move, although it can be seen that he is utterly pissed now.  Upon seeing this, Alex let out a chuckle as he began moving away again.


    "For a person with Conqueror''s Aura to be considered powerful, he  should establish and control  an Empire, along with the people within it. By having these two things, the wielder of the Conqueror''s Aura will have their source of power, which will grow stronger depending on the state of the Empire and its residents¡­" Alex said in an unhurried manner, making his demeanor look like a professor who was in the mood to tell about his life story.


    "¡­"


    "Once a Conqueror reaches a certain threshold with his Empire, he will be able to access a higher level of power that only those with Conqueror''s Aura can do. And that power is the manipulation of the laws and rules inside his Empire." Alex said, with his voice suddenly sounding solemn.


    "As long as an area is inside the Conqueror''s Empire, every law and rule there will be under the Conqueror''s control! Nothing can object those rules, and only the Emperor can repeal it! That, Golden Alex, is the real power that the wielders of Conqueror''s aura have!


    "!!!"


    As Golden Alex went still from this revelation, Alex continued his talk while he used his power to deal with Ray''s attacks.


    "You may not remember it, but during the peak state of the Undying Empire, Emperor Litch was a Half-Step Transcendent Being. All the support given to him by the Undying Empire made him reach that level of power, and that also allowed him to control everything on his Empire like they were just his hands." Alex said as his face contorted into that of disgust. "Fortunately for those poor residents, my actions wrecked Emperor Litch''s plan to become a Transcendent Emperor, leaving me and him in this kind of state."


    "¡­"


    "Since I have control of the Conqueror''s Aura too, I can also manipulate the rules and laws inside the Undying Empire, which includes this world. However, due to the fact that I only have half of the Conqueror''s Aura and that it is only at the Fifth Stage of Power, the law manipulations that I can do is just minimal." Alex said as he spat out one more portion of the Conqueror''s Aura.


    "See this ''teleportation'' technique that I am using? This is not actually teleportation. I just used the Conqueror''s Aura to shrink the distance between me and my desired location. Once I step on my desired location, I will restore the distance, which makes it appear as if I teleported. Pretty neat, right?" Alex declared after doing the exact same things that he just said.


    "¡­"


    Even though Golden Alex wanted to say something about this reveal, he found himself unable to talk, as he was too engrossed on observing Alex''s actions.


    Alex naturally noticed this, although he did nothing to interrupt Golden Alex''s current state.


    "Golden Alex, this is the best control of the laws that I can perform right now. If I want to do more amazing things with it, I must first devour the other half of the Conqueror''s Aura and upgrade it into the Sixth Stage. Which  sadly, I still cannot do now." Alex said as he let out an amused smile. "Golden Alex, I know that you are very excited on the notion of gaining your  complete form, but we must survive our ordeal first. We can''t afford to die before even meeting Emperor Litch, right?"

 Chapter 467 - Besieged on all sides?

    TIME LEFT BEFORE THE EMPEROR ARRIVES: 11 MINUTES


    TIME LEFT BEFORE THE POSSESSION FINISHES: 19 MINUTES


    What followed that conversation was another series of Ray unleashing his attacks, and Alex doing this best to either avoid or redirect them.


    To anyone that has the capability to watch this battle, they might think that Alex has the upperh and, as he was able to avoid and redirect all of Ray''s attacks.


    However, Alex knew that what he was doing was nothing but easy, especially with the current condition of the body that he is controlling now.


    "I only have 1/5th  of the Conqueror''s Aura left¡­ Most of it has been used already for law manipulation¡­" Alex declared mentally. "With the way things are going now, it will only take 2 minutes before my Conqueror''s Aura runs out!"


    "What? 2 minutes? Bloody hell, why did you just say that now?"  Golden Alex complainingly said as another bomb whizzed by them. "You f**king know what that means, right?"


    "Yes, I know. We only have at most 2 minutes to continue dodging this Supreme Puppet. After that, we will be on our own." Alex said as he released another portion of his power on the ground.


    This changed the air resistance and drag around Alex, making the incoming bomb veer of its track.


    "Boom!"


    "That means that we must get help within two minutes. If that does not happen then we will be in a worse situation." Alex said as he watched the obliteration made by all of Ray''s attacks. "And that''s not the only thing that we have to worry about¡­."


    ***********************


    After saying these words, Alex placed a small portion of his attention on Blue Alex, who was currently standing beside Alina.


    "Swish swish swish!"


    Blue Alex and Alina,  along with Queen Mother, Delia and her two Companions, were unleashing all of their powerful attacks against their enemies.


    There was no hint of holding back from any of these people, making the whole battle on that area appear more ferocious compared to Alex''s situation.


    "Tram tram tram!"


    General Glaivewood and Sir Xote, who were both injured from the fight against Delia earlier, were back fighting again. They seemed to have undergone some kind of process that healed them greatly, allowing them to be back to their fighting form.


    "Boom boom boom!" These two generals certainly did not hold back as they released their own reckless attacks on Alina''s team too.  They seem to be even disregarding their lives at this point, as if victory  in this battle is more important than anything else.


    Present in this battle too were the martial artist Vera and the assassin Noelle, both who were considered to be Ray''s Companions.  Just like the generals, they were also focused on clashing against Alina''s team, with Sierra''s soul as their main target.


    Both of their advanced fighting prowess were enough to give pressure on Alina''s team, as Noelle''s peerless assassination skills, along with Vera''s godly martial arts, made it hard for Alina and the others to move effortlessly.  One wrong move might lead to a deadly attack from Vera and Noelle, something that they cannot afford to happen.


    "!(&$(*@&([email protected]*)"


    If it was only these four who were attacking, Alina and the others will only have a slightly hard time defending Sierra. But obviously that was not the case here, as there were more enemies swooping in to the battle.


    "Hong long long~"


    Right above Alina and her teammates were two more enemies that are also intent on disrupting the possession.


    Unlike the generals or Vera''s team which Alex was already familiar with, these two enemies were people who Alex did not recognize at first sight.


    However, a few seconds of intense scrutiny made him realize who these two people were.


    "F**k! The remaining two Supreme Puppets are already here? How the hell did they come here so fast? And why are they different from the ones that I know?" Alex complained to himself inwardly as he observed the golden robes worn by these two people.


    These golden robes were reminiscent of the clothes worn by Emperor Litch before, and it made these two appear more refined and cultured compared to others.


    Of course calling them refined is only a facet of what can be used to describe them, as their abilities speaks more of their identity and their prestige.


    "Shua¡­" One of the Supreme Puppets appeared to be a voluptuous woman in her mid-thirties. Her face was wrapped with a thick gauze of metal, making her face a mystery to the observers.


    Behind her, multiple portals engraved with esoteric spells could be seen,  with each portal teeming with the sensation of power and life. There were no difference between these portals at all, with each one of them having the exact same size and same energy signature.


    However, what sets them apart from each other were the things that happened after their appearance.


    "Hong hong hong~"


    Every now and often, countless unique creatures could be seen shooting out of the portal, with each one being  unsure on what was happening. Most of them quickly lashed out on the sudden changes around them, while the others just lay down on the ground waiting for their end.


    It was only when the Female Supreme Puppet approached them that these beings begin to calm down.


    "¡­"


    Once they have been calmed down, these ''summoned'' being will begin to fight for the female Supreme Puppet, with each one of them putting their lives on the line just for her. They seem to have no qualms with what they were doing, making them look like extremely loyal soldiers that are ready to die for their king.


    These beings did not back down in face of the Monster Army and Queen Mother herself,  which added more chaos on the already blistering battle.


    The second Supreme Puppet were not acting idle too, as he was continuously firing multiple deadly projectiles towards Alina and the others.


    Each one of these projectiles were extremely lethal on their own, which was made obvious by the aura of destruction accompanying each projectiles


    Even Blue Alex''s shield could barely hold up against these projectiles, and it was only when Alina assisted him that these attacks could be stopped.


    These projectiles were solely produced from the silver gun held by this Supreme Puppet, something that  Blue Alex had noticed since earlier.


    Numerous fine-looking parts were attached to this gun, with each part contributing something to the over-all performance of the gun. The way that these parts worked to make the gun release its power was so impressive, that even  Alex was awed by it.


    Of course, awe was only a small part of Alex''s feelings right now¡­


    "Tsk, that female Supreme Puppet is a Sixth Stage Chaos Summoner, while the other one is a fairly powerful Technomage. They are clearly different from the Supreme Puppets that Emperor Litch usually have, and yet they emanate the same aura as Ray. Does that mean that Emperor Litch has replaced his Supreme Puppets already? Or did his capacity to control Supreme Puppets increase? If it''s the latter that happened, then it will not be good for us¡­" Alex thought to himself as he observed the struggles that his allies had against the enemies.


    Neither sides could be seen as the winner, although little by little, Blue Alex and the others were being pushed by back the enemies.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Both the vital parts of my plan are being besieged by powerful enemies already, and Emperor Litch is not yet coming¡­ This, this is not a good sign for what will happen later¡­"Alex thought grimly as he realized the situation that he was in.


    Even when Sierra was already about to succeed on her possession, and even when the Cosmic Guards were helping him out now, the forces that Emperor Litch had pitted against Alex were still too much for him to face.


    In fact, the best that Alex and his allies can do now was to keep the whole situation on a standstill, something that is impossible to sustain for long.


    And to make matters worse, Emperor Litch himself has not yet arrived. This  makes the current  battle feel like just a prelude on the incoming main event, an event that was only a few minutes away from its start.


    There is no doubt that Emperor Litch''s arrival will tip the scales heavily on the enemies'' favor, so much so that it could spell an instant defeat for Alex.


    "Hooh¡­ that damned Emperor really prepared a lot of measures against me. He must be desperate to kill me and obtain his power back..." Alex thought as a wry smile appeared on his face. "Tsk, I wonder how long it took him to place all of his pawns here¡­"


    By this point, only 1/10th of his Conqueror''s Aura remained, which was only enough to last him for one more minute.


    This clearly spells nothing but danger for Alex, and Ray seemed to have noticed it.


    "This is already futile, Alex. Just surrender, and I will give you a painless death." Ray said in a soothing tone. "If you still continue your pointless struggle, you will only end up experiencing great torment from the Emperor himself. Oh, and it''s not only you who will suffer. Those women that are accompanying you? Heh, the Emperor will turn them into his s*x toys! Of course that''s under the premise that he will not torture them to death first¡­"


    Even if Ray said these words in a placating manner, the way that he said it was obviously intended to rile Alex up.


    "Hehe, if you surrender now, I can also kill your allies painlessly. That way, they will be saved from a life of being Emperor Litch''s glory hole." Ray continued to say on the suddenly silent Alex. "So what say you? Did I say enough to convince you to surrender?"


    "I get it, Ray. I know that Emperor B*tch will do a lot of horrible stuff to me. But do you think that is enough to make me surrender?" Even when he was slightly affected by what Ray said, Alex appeared to still be holding his ground, as his reply was still the same as before.


    "Ha? So you will still won''t surrender? You traitor, you should kno-"


    "I will still not surrender to you, you little t**d! If you want me to surrender, then you better do it with your bombs!" A mocking smile suddenly appeared on Alex''s face at this point, as if he suddenly found something hilarious.


    "You-"


    "Wait¡­ don''t tell me that the reason why you are asking me to surrender is because you can''t kill me with your bombs? Hahahahahaha! If that''s the case, then you really are just a weak-ass b**ch!" Alex howled in laughter as he continued to dodge more of Ray''s frenzied attacks. "Hahahahaha! You are so proud of your torture talk, and yet you still can''t kill me in a battle? Hah, what an embarrassing opponent! If you are only like this, then surrendering to you will be the last thing that I will do! Why would I surrender to you, when you can''t even catch me? Heh, only an idiot will do that!"


    "You!"


    TIME LEFT BEFORE THE EMPEROR ARRIVES: 10 MINUTES


    TIME LEFT BEFORE THE POSSESSION FINISHES: 18 MINUTES

 Chapter 468 - Time is Life, literally

    "Tell me Alex. What idea do you still have that can salvage our situation?" When the amount of the Conqueror''s Aura left was only enough to last them for 30 more seconds, Golden Alex, who was painfully quiet during Alex''s control of his body, could not help but give this outburst towards Alex.


    "Do you understand our situation here? There''s still 17 minutes 30 seconds left before Sierra''s possession succeeds, and there''s only 9 minutes 30 seconds left before Emperor Litch arrives! Not only that, but Blue Alex and our allies are about to be overwhelmed by the enemies too!" Golden Alex continued to shout inwardly as Alex let out his own sigh. "Don''t you sigh on me, original Alex. You said that you''re waiting for help, right? Then where is that help now? I thought you said that Officer Emerald will be going here to help you? Where is that woman then?"


    "Officer Emerald¡­ had already descended on this planet. But instead of going here, she went to the Institute. It seems like she decided to check on their spy first before coming here." Alex said wryly as he ignored Golden Alex''s piercing tone. "White Alex and Professor Frances was already alerted of her arrival, although Professor Frances has detected them too¡­"


    "So your ''helper'' is now busy talking with White Alex? Hmph, seems like we have a lot of rotten luck here." Golden Alex said, with his tone now sounding a little desperate.   "So what now? Still have anything special that you can use to save your asses here?


    "Of course I still have one. But this is something that I have decided to use only if things are already hopeless and if there''s nothing else that we can do." Alex replied as he shook his head in amus.e.m.e.nt. "Because if I use this thing in the wrong time and place, then all of us will be instantly f***ed. Like, literally f**ked by fate."


    Something about Alex''s tone and words must have triggered something in  Golden Alex''s memories, as only after a few seconds of silence, Golden Alex began to shake as if he had realized what Alex was actually trying to say.


    "You¡­ are you telling me that you  will attempt to perform a Power Synthesis with your Companions?" Golden Alex said as he did his best to stop himself from shaking. "Is that what you have been planning since earlier?"


    "Hehehe, so you already discovered my secret plan. That''s right. I have been planning to use Power Synthesis to deal with everything in one fell swoop." Alex replied merrily, even with his body still under Ray''s siege. "I will use Power Synthesis to defeat Ray, and I will also use it to deal with all the enemies that are trying to kill us now. I will also use it to destroy Emperor Litch once he arrives!"


    "Alex! Do you know what you are talking about? Power Synthesis is not something that you cannot lightly use! It has time limi-"


    "I know about the f**king time limit. I already experienced it before, ok?" Alex said, cutting off Golden Alex''s complaint. "What? Do you want me to explain it to you again?"


    "No, there is no need for-"


    "Good. Then that will save us a lot of time here." Alex replied numbly. "Since you already know what I plan to do, then you should just watch me and my Companions do our work¡­"


    [[[Author''s Note: Read Chapter 49 to refresh your mind about Power Synthesis. All the explanations are there, so just look at it!]]]


    "Work your ass! Power Synthesis can only last for 10 minutes, and the powers that you can only fuse with your companions are those with the same origin! How the hell are you going to make that work?"  Golden Alex shouted out as he cringed from Alex''s words.


    " Original Alex, if you perform a Power Synthesis right now, you can surely defeat Ray, the other Supreme Puppets, and our other enemies. But what  happens after that?  There''s only 9 minutes left before Emperor LItch arrives, which means that if you start the power Synthesis right now, you will only have 1 minute of time left to deal with the Emperor!" Golden Alex said, rushing his words to the point that they almost sounded like hisses to Alex.


    [[[Author''s note: 10 minutes-9 minutes = 1 remaining minute]]]


    "Do you think 1 minute is enough to beat him? Oh, and you should also remember that you will be paralyzed for a long time once your usage time for the Power Synthesis is up! Do you think you can finish the Main Mission with that kind of paralysis? No, just like what you said earlier, you will be f**ked by fate!"


    "¡­"


    Golden Alex looked like he wanted to say more about the Power Synthesis, but the severe deficiency of the Conqueror''s Aura made it harder for him to think already.


    "¡­"


    Alex took this chance to state his point, and he certainly did not hold back at all.


    "¡­.I know that using Power Synthesis should be something that I will use as a last resort. After all, the consequence of using it will be bad if we use it wrongly. However, do you really think that I will be scared of using this ability just because of its effects? So what if I can only use Power Synthesis for 10 minutes? So what if we will be paralyzed later? If this is the consequence that I have to get in order to win, then I will be happy to accept it!"


    "But-"


    "I don''t care if our current state is forcing me to make a bad decision. Do you really think I am an idiot to just use Power Synthesis wantonly? Hmph, since our situation is unfavorable for the usage of Power Synthesis, then I will just change it to become favorable for us!"  Alex declared these words with so much smugness, that he appeared to be unworried, even when he had just used up the second to the last portion of his Conqueror''s aura. "I am an Emperor too, so making things favorable is my f**king forte!"


    "!!!"


    "Lingo, Peina, and you angel woman.  I don''t care if you are weakened or scared of Ray. I want you to do everything that you can to distract him once my power runs out. Do what you want to do, as long as you can delay him for at least 1 minute." Alex mentally sent this message to the three Divine Beings, who were closely following the battle between Alex and Ray.


    These three did not participate or help Alex out since earlier, something that Alex had actually instructed to them.


    "I prevented you from helping me out, since I knew that you three will be useful here." Alex said as his body flew forward. "Now, go and show me your eagerness to be saved! You want to kill Emperor LItch, right? If you want that to happen, then make sure that I will be alive for as long as possible! Go and use those bodies of yours to extend my time! The longer that you can delay him, the better!"


    "!!!" Upon hearing these words, the three Divine Beings only hesitated for a second before they flew straight towards Ray.


    Their bodies, which had been atrophied from years of abuse and neglect on their imprisonment, let out multiple crunching sounds as they began to explode with power.


    Their fragile frame had returned to their peak states as l.u.s.ter returned on their faces and skin.


    Their previously hollowed faces became valiant once more, showcasing their expression of hatred and hope.


    "Hong long long long~"


    Waves of materialized power filled the whole area as the three Divine Beings did not hold back anything at all.


    "Shua!"


    Millions of Symbols glittered all around Lingo as his body bounded towards Ray, with each symbol pulsing with murderous intent.


    Each symbol appeared to have their own unique and powerful effects, which makes their combinations highly unstable and dangerous.


    But even with this possible dangers, Lingo have no qualms on using all of them together in one attack, which he sent sailing towards the Supreme Puppet Ray.


    "Skree!"


    Peina on the other hand did not summon anything otherworldy. Instead, his body morphed, creating a chimeraic creature that was even larger than Queen Mother''s Tree Form.


    This creature, which had  dragon for a head, limbs made up of countless demons, torso of a roc, and the tail of a serpent, released a blood-curdling cry that shook the whlel Four Moons World.


    "Skree!!!"


    The shakings of the Four Moons World only increased  when this creature let out a demon-filled, world-breaking punch towards Ray.


    "Boom!"


    The angel did not waste her time too as she summoned millions of constellations behind her. Each constellation could be heard singing hymns of praises towards the Holy Order, making the angel appear more venerate compared to before.


    These constellations then fused altogether to create a gigantic, golden flaming sword.


    "Houm¡­."


    The angel grabbed this golden sword with her left hand, holding it in a manner similar to that of mother holding her baby. This scene looked so peaceful and soothing to anyone who saw it, that even Alex was momentarily entranced by it.


    "Horaa!!!!"


    This peaceful feeling however quickly changed when the angel let out a blood-curdling war cry. She then flew towards Ray, swinging her sword in an obvious attempt to kill him.


    All the attacks by these three Divine Beings only happened within a second, which was just enough to prevent Alex from using his last portion of the Conqueror''s Aura.


    Obviously, Alex used this opportunity to fly away from Ray, who was now under the pressure from three attacks that appeared to be just as strong as his bombs earlier.


    "I don''t know how long these Divine Beings can keep up their current state. After all, I can feel that they are burning their own lifespan just to reach this level of power!" Alex thought to himself as he ignored the feeling of the air striking on his skin. He appeared to be both relieved and worried at the same time, a feeling that Golden Alex also shared with him.


    "Hehehe, now, this battle will only depend on how long the Divine Beings can last. If they last long enough, then victory will be in my hands. But if they fall short, then I guess it will be another improvisation time for me¡­"


    TIME LEFT BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 9 MINUTES


    TIME LEFT BEFORE THE POSSESSION FINISHES: 17 MINUTES

 Chapter 469 - Is this a preordained meeting?

    A FEW MINUTES EARLIER


    INSIDE THE INSTITUTE


    The resulting clash between Alex''s group and the enemies just worsened the situation inside the Institute, as the building itself began to have cracks from the aftershocks of the battle.


    This was already a given, as the fights that are happening right now were just too much, even with the defenses placed on the Institute.


    13 Sixth Stage Beings were the ones initiating the battle here in the Four Moons World, and that number was expected to increase once Emperor LItch arrives.


    With that number of people batting outside, it was already a miracle that the institute was still standing.


    "Crack¡­"


    The people inside the Institute had no idea on the danger that they were in, as they all placed their faith on their building. They even dismissed the visible cracks that appeared on the barrier, as some of them just took it as a minor inconvenience.


    This thinking however was quickly changed when out of nowhere, a woman covered in a black armor descended from the sky, hitting the barrier right on its topmost part.


    "Crash!"


    The woman hit the barrier with such force that before the teachers and students could take note of what happened, the barrier shattered into millions of fragmented pieces, like it was just a mirror that was hit by a rock.


    These pieces then scattered all over the place before they dissipated into nothingness, leaving the whole Institute into its most open status ever since it was established.


    "!!!" Everyone began to shout in fear upon witnessing this, and this fear became compounded when the black-armored woman landed right in front of the building.


    There was nothing hospitable about this woman''s appearance, as the weapon that she held and the menacing aura of her armor was enough to make everyone feel terrified.


    And the fact that this woman began to talk to herself like a madman just made her look worse.


    "So this is the place where the visiting Blue Skin Humans have landed. Hmm¡­ I can sense our spy''s location here..." The black-armored woman muttered in a slightly loud tone which almost everyone was able to hear. She seemed to have no worries about talking this way, as she continued to talk to herself more.


    "So my first agenda is to let the mothership continue attacking the demon. We will only stop once he has been fully eliminated. The second agenda on the other hand will be the extraction of the spy. It''s a good thing that he''s here, which makes the extraction easier. As for the third agenda, it will be related to Alex¡­" The woman continued to say with the crowd of teachers and students not daring to make a move right now. "Hmm, since the first agenda is still occurring, I guess I have to perform the second agenda already."


    "Woosh~"


    This woman then turned into a blur as she entered the building, ignoring the stupefied shouts let out by the audience. Her body seemed to have merged with the space around her as she rushed forward, making her movements appear slick and unstoppable.


    "Woosh woosh woosh~"


    She only stopped moving once she had reached the very last portion of the hospital rooms, which was the only room that had a resident in it.


    Inside this room was a blue-skinned human that was busy playing a game with himself.  He seemed to be quite enjoying it, although this enjoyment was quickly replaced by solemnity once he saw the arrival of the woman.


    This blue person was no other than the spy of the Cosmic Guards, whose blue skin and pale appearance just paled more once he saw the full form of the armored woman.


    "Y-you''re here,  Officer Emerald? Oh thank goodness!" The spy said as the woman crossed her arms in irritation. "Oh, I''m sorry for the panicked response, Officer Emerald! I am Agent A15, reporting for duty! Please forgive me for my insolence!"


    After saying these words, Agent A15 raised his index finger, with its tip pointing directly to his head. He then put it close to his forehead before dragging it down. This made it appear as if he was drawing an imaginary vertical line on his face, something that seemed to have softened the armored woman''s angry body.


    The armored woman, who was actually Officer Emerald, only gave Agent A15 a perfunctory nod as she began drawing the same imaginary vertical line on her face too.


    "Your job is already done here, Agent A15. Now, the headquarters want you to leave your post and return to main site." Officer Emerald said as she put her hand down. "But before you return there, I command you as your officer to enter my mothership and guard a class-A prisoner there. You can only return to the main site once the disturbance in this world has been dealt with. Do you understand that?"


    "Yes, Officer, I understand!" Agent A15 replied as he tried his best to not wilt under Officer Emerald''s imposing stance. "So um, s-shall I depart now?"


    "Yes, you can leave already, Agent A15. But be careful of the debris outside. There''s a lot of them, and you might die if you don''t get careful." Officer Emerald replied as she threw a sphere towards Agent A15. "Use that sphere if you want to return to the mothership safely.  But do not let anything destroy it, especially by accident! If you do, I will be demoting you! Do you understand that?"


    "Yes, I understand cousin! I mean, Officer Emerald!"  Agent A15 replied with a stutter.  In response to this weird answer,  Officer Emerald crossed her arms more, which was a good indicator of her mood. "Um, since there''s nothing else that I have to do here,  I shall leave right now!!''


    "Hmph!"


    "Hong~" Agent A15 did not waste any more time after that talk, as he began rushing like a man being chased by a tornado.


    Upon seeing this, Officer Emerald only shook her head as the sound of an exasperated sigh came out of her mouth.


    "If you want to call me cousin, then you better get promoted first." Officer Emerald muttered to herself as Agent A15 began flying through the building. "Tsk,  just because we''re cousins, you think that can already act familiar with me? Hmph, you can only do that once you have proven yourself useful!"


    "¡­."


    It was only when Agent A15''s silhouette had disappeared form the whole Institute that Officer Emerald relaxed her body. This change was accompanied by another sigh from the Officer, as if there was something else that is going on her mind right now.


    "Agenda 2 is already finished. This means that I can start doing the third Agenda¡­" Once she had said these words, Officer Emerald began looking down on the floor below her feet. Her armor then creaked and cackled as she continued staring at the floor with wonder, with her own weapon actually shaking when it made contact with the tiles.


    "Hmm¡­. There''s a program in my armor that is fine-tuned on detecting the presence of Alex or his clones. I know that this works, since I have used this to clean up most of  Alex''s clones that were killed before." Officer Emerald muttered as she twirled her weapon her hands. "Since my armor and weapon are both displaying intense emotions right now, then that means that I am near Alex. Or maybe I am near to one of his ''New Clones''.  Meh, whatever. Since I detected one here, then I better start talking to him already!"


    Officer Emerald then pointed her weapon to the floor once more, with her body assuming a tense and battle-ready pose.


    "Since my weapon had its greatest reaction when I pointed it below me, that means that Alex or his clones are right below me too."  Officer Emerald said as her armor began to glow. Her weapon then let out a loud cry in resonance to this glow, something which appeared to have agitated her surroundings.


    "Seeing that there''s no visible way to go down there, I think I just have to force my way down to you," Officer Emerald declared as her grip on her weapon became more lively. "There are laws preventing me on destroying public property, especially during missions like this. But with the special situation this world is having right now, I think that  destroying the floor to meet my target is not a wrong thing to do!"

 Chapter 470 - Start of the Ritual?

    While Officer Emerald was contemplating on how to break the floor below her, the people that she was targeting were still busy on their plan.


    "Such a fine coffin¡­ Too bad it was just used to contain one body. Why did they not just use these to contain more bodies? That will be more cost-efficient!" Professor Frances said as she stared at the coffin in front of her.


    She looked at the body inside the coffin with an aggrieved look, as if she was not happy with what she was seeing at all.


    "Professor, I think your complaint about this coffin is wrong. After all, this coffin is-"


    "I know, I know, White Alex. This coffin is a coffin meant to store souls, not bodies." The professor said as she interjected White Alex'' explanation. "My continued studies of the Life Manual had already taught me a f***king lot, so I already know about the matters of souls, ok?"


    "There''s no need for you to get angry, Professor. I''m just exemplifying your point..." White Alex replied in face of Professor Frances'' irritated expression. "I know about your enhanced talent to detect the presence of souls, so be assured that I am not doubting you. I am just trying my best to fix your attitude, so that you will become a proper person that many will adore."


    "Adore my ass. I don''t want anyone adoring me. Hmph, those people are just ruled by their hormones, which just makes them unreliable! The followers that I like the most are those that I created! At least they know how to treat me well!" This reply by the professor was enough to stump White Alex, and it took him a few seconds to have an answer to that.


    "Um, instead of just bickering here, why don''t we just start the transfer already? I can feel that the battle outside is already getting heated. If we take too long, the Dao of Misfortune might affect us badly¡­" White Alex said as he diverted the professor''s attention away from the matters of her minions. "We just need to bring the body out of the coffin, and we would be almost done here!"


    "Okay, okay.   I just finished placing the preparations here that''s why I got delayed! Tsk, what a worry wart." The professor grumbled as approached  the coffin.


    She then placed both of her hands under the edge of the coffin''s cover, signifying her intention to open it. She then grunted as she pushed her hand upwards, which began to rattle the coffin itself.


    "Once I open this coffin, I want you to bring Wisteria''s body closer here." Professor Frances said as she continued on straining against the coffin. "Make sure that you do it fast, or we will lose more time!"


    "Noted, professor."


    Professor Frances still had something to say to White Alex at this point, but a few moments later, she found no interest to speak to him when she realized something weird about her situation.


    And that was the fact that no matter how much she tried to open the coffin, it won''t budge, even by an inch.


    This left the professor in an awkward state, as she now looked like a woman doing squats in front of a coffin. Such kind of visual was something that will get a laugh out of Asteria, who luckily, was not in this place right now.


    "Tsk, this s**t is even locked? What the f**k?" Professor Frances cursed as she began adding more strength on her arms. "F**k this, just f**king open!"


    But no matter what the professor did, the coffin still did not open. Even when White Alex and Kid Alex joined in to assist her, the coffin still did not show any signs of opening up.


    "Now I understand why Emperor Litch did not kill the souls residing inside this coffin. It''s not because he did not want to kill them. He actually was unable to kill them." White Alex commented ten seconds after he stopped opening the coffin. "Whatever mechanism was used in this coffin must have  been so restrictive that not even the Emperor was able to open it. Impressive! Who ever made this coffin must have been a great follower of the Dao of Craftsmanship¡­"


    "Craftsmanship my ass! I don''t care about that history lesson! I just want to get this coffin open!"  The professor grunted angrily as she began shaking the coffin. She did not look concerned even when the body inside the coffin began shaking too, something that had White Alex and Kid Alex naturally worried.


    "Professor, calm down. Being angry here will just worsen matters." White Alex hurriedly said as Kid Alex did his best to placate the professor. "I already have an idea on how to open this coffin, so let me deal with this."


    "Hoh? You have an idea? Hmph, why don''t you explain it to me first?" Professor Frances suddenly said as she looked back at White Alex. "Are you sure this idea of yours will work?


    "I guess I just have to try." White Alex replied serenely as he approached the coffin. He then slightly pushed the professor out of the way as he placed his hands right above the coffin.


    A blue key suddenly materialized on White Alex''s hands, which he pushed towards the coffin''s surface.


    "Hong~"


    The descent of the blue key was not hindered by the coffin at all, even when its body made contact with the coffin.


    "Ripple ripple ripple¡­"


    Sounds of rippling waves could be heard inside the room  as the blue key actually melded with the coffin. Its body, which was as sturdy and brilliant as a gemstone, turned into a pool of viscous fluid that fused with the coffin.


    "Ripple ripple ripple¡­"


    White Alex continued to push down the Blue Key at this point, resulting in more of the Blue Key''s portions getting mixed with the coffin.


    This process only stopped once the Blue Key was gone from White Alex''s hand,  which at this point, had resulted on the coffin''s entire body obtaining a blue hue.


    "Click!"


    The door of the coffin then opened with a click, making Professor Frances and Kid Alex jump.


    "There  you go, Professor. This coffin is now opened by the Blue Moon Key, something that is related only to the Blue Moon itself¡­" White Alex muttered as he grabbed the body inside the coffin. "Hmm, so my guess about this coffin''s material was right. Interesting, interesting¡­"


    He then passed this body to Professor Frances, who was still looking at the now blue coffin with a confused look.


    "Is there a problem, professor?"


    "Problem? You''re asking me if there''s a problem? Hmph, there''s no problem at all. I just don''t f**king get how you were able to relate the existence of the Blue Moon Key with this coffin. I mean¡­ this coffin doesn''t even look like it came from the Blue Moon!" Professor Frances said as she kept a tight hold on the body that she was holding.


    "Since you said that you have no problems, then I will not explain how I was able to pull this off. I will just tell the truth to you once we finish our job here." White Alex replied, with his gaze concentrated on the body. "So if you want to get answers, then you should be finished with everything first''


    "¡­Even if you are more respectable compared to Alex, you are still as irritating as him. Hmph, when will I ever meet a decent version of you¡­" Seeing that White Alex chose to kept his mouth shut on what he just did, Professor Frances was left with no choice but to acquiesce to him.


    "Thud." Ignoring Kid Alex who looked like he was offended by her words, Professor Frances set the body down on the floor, right beside the still unconscious Wisteria.


    She then fixed the relative positions of these two, making sure that each position of their respective body parts were reciprocative with each other.


    Once she had done this, Professor Frances waved her hands as a book materialized above her.


    After grabbing this book with both of her hands, Professor Frances looked back at White Alex, who was just watching everything that she did with a thin smile.


    "Oi White Alex. Are you sure about this? What I am about to do is something that I do not recommend." The professor said as she stared at the two bodies sprawled in front of her. "Even with my current capabilities, there''s still a low chance of this succeeding. And even if I succeed, the possible side-effects of this method could be too much for us. With those factors at hand, do you still want me to go on wih this?"


    In face of this question from Professor Frances, White Alex''s only reply was a small grin


    "Those who seek the path of power always have to face risks. That is part of their destiny, so cowering against risky things is a trait that only a weakling should have." White Alex said as the grin on his face widened. "No matter what kind of power you seek, the Dao is still impartial to anyone. If you want to gain strength, then you should face risks! Only through the baptism of life that you can reach your full potential!!!"


    "So in basic terms, you want me to proceed with this."


    "Yes, that''s what I meant to say, Professor.  Do forgive me if I went off-topic with my answer."


    "Sigh, there''s no need for you to apologize. There''s just no way to change your mouth anymore¡­" Professor Frances replied wearily as she shook her head. She then looked back at the body that she got from the coffin, looking at it with a stare different from before.


    Now, Professor Frances was looking at this body like it was just a specimen that she was about to dissect, something that seemed to have instilled fear to Kid Alex.


    The professor ignored the whimpering sounds from the kid as she approached the body, with the book that she was holding releasing thumping sounds every time she took a step forward.


    Once  her foot was only a few inches away from the head of the corpse, Professor Frances stopped as an unsure look appeared on her face. She appeared to be troubled by something at this point, which had caught the attention of White Alex.


    "Is there a problem again, professor?"


    "White Alex, I think I will need Kierra''s assistance for this process. I just realized that even with my current level, the burden of transferring a soul is still too much for me." The professor replied as she crossed her arms.


    She appeared to be disappointed with herself as she gave this answer, which White Alex did not exactly point out.


    "You want Kierra to assist you? You know about her condition now, right?" White Alex replied quickly. "With the state that she''s in, the help that she can provide you is just limited¡­"


    "I know that, but with her ability as the Soul Reaper. I think that even a small help from her will do." Professor Frances replied as she crossed her arms. "Any help will be better, as that will increase my chanc-"


    "Boom!"


    The center of the vault''s ceiling, which was just located above Professor Frances suddenly collapsed, creating the sound of explosion that interrupted the professor.


    This collapse was accompanied by the descent of numerous rocks and soil, which forced Professor Frances and her allies to jump away from the center. They brought Wisteria and the corpse with them as they retreated, leaving their former spots empty.


    As they tried their best to protect Wisteria and the corpse from the falling rocks, they heard a voice coming from the punctured ceiling.


    This voice sounded both carefree and mature and the same time, something that did not sound right in context of the current situation.


    "So the original Alex is also not here? Hmm, that guy is getting sneakier than I imagined¡­."


    "!!!"

 Chapter 471 - Curse and Contract?

    "Oh, it''s her." At the sudden appearance of this armored woman, White Alex, who was initially tense and worried, began to sigh as he relaxed his body. This action of his naturally drew some suspicion from Professor Frances, who was still gripping the Wisteria tightly.


    "Do you know that intruder?" The professor asked, not letting her guard down at all. Even when the actions showed by White Alex and the armored woman showed that they had connection with each other, Professor Frances still cannot just accept this woman like she was her ally. "You seem to be cozy with her."


    "I am not being cozy with her. In fact, I do not like seeing her at all." White Alex replied as the said woman landed on the floor of the vault. "It''s only because Original Alex is in dire situation that I am allowing her to see me¡­"


    "What? What do you mean by that? Alex is in dire situation? What the hell is ha-"


    "Oh my, so you''re the kind of clone that cares for your original. Interesting¡­" The armored woman said, interrupting Professor Frances'' outburst. "I don''t know how Alex was able to create somehting like you, but I can see that he spared a lot of effort just to let you exist¡­"


    "If you want to just have an idle talk with me, then you should have just done it with Black Alex. He''s inside your mothership, right?" White Alex said, with his gentle aura now gone. "If you only want a talk with me, then you are wasting my time. Just go away and don''t come back here!"


    "Eh? But you-"


    "I am only willing to meet you because original Alex needs your help." White Alex continued as he shook his head. "If it were not for him, then I will be trying my best to kick you out already."


    He then pointed his finger on his left, as if he was seemingly pointing at a location


    "Follow the direction that I am pointing, and you will meet up with original Alex." White Alex said as he emphasized his pointing motion. "You want to see him, right? Then just go where I am pointing and meet up with him already! I have no time to waste with your nonsense, so please leave!"


    "Hmm¡­. You''re just as cold as the clone earlier. If you''re this cold to me, then how will the original treat me? That''s actually a scary thought¡­" The armored woman said, seemingly ignoring the pointed glares given to her. "Oh whatever, I will go meet up with him later. For now, let me just stay here!"


    "What? No! I want you to leave! Can''t you get what I just said?"


    "Yes, I get what you said. But I don''t need to leave early, right?  In that case, let me stay here and watch what you are doing." The armored woman replied, with her head looking at the direction of Wisteria and the corpse.


    She let out a bemused chuckled upon seeing these, and she continued to do so when she saw the opened coffin.


    "Oh my, oh my, you two are doing some kind of freaky ritual here. I wonder what will you use it for¡­" The armored woman muttered as she placed back her weapon on its sheath. "Hehehe, this makes me want to watch you more¡­"


    "You damned officer! Don''t tell me that you''re planning to watch us? Officer Emerald, can you stop making jokes now? The Dao will never be happy with that!"


    "Eh? But I want to watch¡­" The armored woman, who was no other than Officer Emerald herself, replied in a glum tone. She then crossed her arms as she gave White Alex an aggrieved look, although the armor on her face hid it well. "Do you have any problems with me watching?"


    "Yes! Just the fact that you are watching us is a problem already!" White Alex heatedly replied as Professor Frances began edging herself away from the quarreling duo.


    "But I won''t sabotage your ritual. I will just watch¡­" Officer Emerald replied as she tilted her head.


    "Hmph, who cares about your intentions. When I say no, then I mean it!"


    "Hmph, you want me to leave? Then make me do it!" Upon seeing that White Alex was resolute on his intention on making her leave, Officer Emerald seemed to have enough of it.


    Instead of listening to his ''advice'', Officer Emerald actually did the opposite, as she began sitting on the floor with an obstinate aura emanating from her body.


    White Alex naturally picked up on what Officer Emerald was trying to do, and it made his face turn red from anger.


    "You-"


    "If it were the original Alex, then he can do some ways to make me leave. But you? Heh, I can sense that your power, combined with that woman''s is not enough to make me leave." Officer Emerald smugly said as she straightened her back . "Besides, you will waste your precious time and power on dealing with me. You two seem to be in a hurry, so maybe you should start your ritual already. That''s a far better choice than forcing me to leave¡­"


    "¡­Tsk. I will get back at you for this, Officer Emerald. Just you wait." White Alex said in a defeated tone as his shoulders slumped. All the air inside of his body seemed to have been sucked away as he said these words, showing how deflated he is right now. "You want to stay? Fine. But don''t you ever dare disrupt what we are about to do!"


    "Hehehe, now that''s what I like about you, Alex clone. You still can''t say no to me¡­"


    "What the? Hey White Alex! You''re letting this f**king woman stay here! Are you insane?"


    "I''m sorry Professor Frances, but this is the best that I can do." White Alex hastily said as he tried to avoid Professor Frances'' murderous stare. "We can''t make her leave, and attempting to do that will just waste time and power¡­."


    "Dafak? So you''re okay with this woman watching us? Are you serious?"


    "Ehem, my name is not woman. You should call me Officer Emerald. That''s a high-ranking name, so feel free to say it¡­"


    "Shut it, Officer Mineral. I ain''t talking to you!"


    "Excuse me? Did you just say mineral?


    "No, Officer Rocks. I did not say mineral. There, are you happy now?"


    "Hey Alex clone! Can you discipline this unruly woman? She''s being too much!"


    "I''m too much? Hmph, you''re the one who''s been a bother here!"


    "Oh really?


    "Yes, you are."


    "Hehehe, then show me how I am a bother. Maybe making that explanation will make you look more pleasing to my eye!"


    "You!"


    "Why do I always witness quarreling women? Is this the fate that Original Alex is supposed to have?" White Alex muttered to himself as he backed away from the bickering women.


    There was only a wry smile on his face as the quarrel between the officer and the professor continued, making his calm temperament become more turbulent.


    "Sigh¡­ the Dao really is  unfathomable. You never know what problems you might face anytime¡­"   White Alex said as he shook his head. "Well, at least I still get to learn some lessons on it. Although I am  not sure on what lesson I can get from quarreling women¡­."


    *******************


    INSIDE THE COSMIC GUARD MOTHERSHIP.


    Black Alex, who was still spending the rest of his time wrapped in chains inside his prison room, let out a grunt as his connection with  Alex and the other clones made him witness their current situation.


    His face was obviously unhappy as he saw their struggles, especially when he saw Alex''s dire match against the Supreme Puppet Ray.


    "Tsk. My paralysis and power loss is already gone, so I can use my power again. But even if I already regained my power, this is still not enough to help original Alex." Black Alex thought to himself as his eyes turned black. "For me to be of assistance to him, I should be better than what I am already¡­"


    After saying these words, Black Alex let out a sigh as he visualized his original Abyss Spell inside his mind.


    "CALAMITY OF THE SEVEN SINS, show yourself inside my mind!"


    "Shu la la~"


    A 7-branched tree, with 5 glowing branches appeared inside Black Alex''s mind, showing all of its details and intricacies towards Black Alex.


    Black Alex only let out a small nod as he looked at the 5 lit branches, although some signs of discontentment can be seen on his face.


    This discontentment increased when he observed the 2 unlit branches, making him look like a parent disappointed with their child''s failed grade.


    "Out of all the 7 possible spell slots, my Original Abyss Spell already had 5 filled. It was originally 4, but after Cheva possessed me, I was able to comprehend the 5th branch. This just shows how powerful his presence was¡­"  Black Alex thought as he bit his lip. "But even if I have 5 branches lit already, it is still not enough to increase my power."


    "Of course with the way that I structured my Abyss Magic, my current power allows me to fight Sixth Stage Beings even if I am just at the Fifth Stage. After all, the branches of my Original Abyss Spell were made up of different Sins. Their quality makes my power comparable to Sixth Stage Beings. But just like what I said earlier, it is still not enough to make me useful against Supreme Puppet Ray." Black Alex said as he witnessed the three Divine Beings'' simultaneous attacks on Ray.


    "I still have that [Item] that can help me comprehend the 6th branch instantly¡­. If I really use that [Item], then it will only leave me with only 1 branch unlit."


    "Tsk, even with 6 branches, my power is still not enough. I can only make a difference once I make my Abyss Magic reach the Sixth Stage. But how am I going to do it when I still have 1 branch to comprehend, considering that I will use that [Item]¡­"


    Black Alex''s face visibly warped at this point, as if the thoughts that he was having were enough to make him extremely frustrated.


    "Ah! Why did I make it so that I can only reach Sixth Stage in Abyss Magic by comprehending all the 7 branches? Now this just puts me in a bad spot!" Black Alex growled as he clenched his fists. "Once I have 6 branches lit, I will have no more instant way to comprehend the 7th branch. That means that I will only have to rely on my comprehension to light up the 7th branch. But if I do that, it will take me a few months to do it. Tsk, that time might seem fast, but right now, that time frame is of no use to me!"


    The malevolent aura that he had been suppressing earlier began to leak out along with his anger, making Black Alex look fearsome and despicable. Even the guards who were watching him through the camera began to feel sick with his change, which elicited an alarm inside the ship.


    Upon noticing what he had done, Black Alex visibly shuddered as he tried to pull back his leaked aura.


    But before he could start doing this, he suddenly heard a voice in his mind that made him pause in his tracks.


    "You seem to be in a bad situation there, mortal. Do you need any assistance with your problem? I have a way to increase your power, and I am offering it to you now~"


    This voice was something that Black Alex did not expect to hear, and he was actually downright terrified upon hearing it.


    After all, the voice that Black Alex just heard was the voice of Cheva, the Half-Step Transcendent Being that possessed him earlier!


    He was supposed to be back on the Abyss Realm since the ritual was already done, and ye  here was, actually talking to Black Alex!


    "Hoho, don''t worry about this. I just left a portion of my spirituality inside your body. I made it small enough so that it will not be banished back to the Abyss Realm¡­" Cheva gleefully said inside Black Alex''s mind. "So don''t worry about your well-being. The spirituality I left in you was so small that it won''t be affecting your body. It only allows me to communicate with you from the Abyss Realm."


    Upon hearing this statement, Black Alex did not waste his time as he observed every inch of his body, looking for anything abnormal in it.


    Sure enough, after just one scan, Black Alex was able to detect an extremely small worm-like creature latched on his liver. This worm emitted the same aura as Cheva, although it was extremely weak that it had no effect on Black Alex at all. This same weakness was also the reason that Black Alex did not detect it earlier, as only a serious and dedicated search can reveal this worm.


    "¡­You, what do you want now Cheva? Our ritual is already done, so I am not happy seeing this worm here. In fact, I think I will be destroying this now." Black Alex said as he gathered his Abyss Energy inside his torso.


    "Hong~"


    He was planning to use this energy to destroy the worm inside him, as he knew that letting Cheva stay will be of no help to him. In fact, he had the hunch that Cheva is up to something no good right now, so destroying any link with him will be for the best!


    "Oi, oi, oi mortal! How dare you reject my kindness! I just said earlier that I can help you with your power dilemma!" Cheva hastily replied as he felt Black Alex''s intention to destroy the worm. "Didn''t you say that you need something that can help you comprehend the 7th branch? Hehehe, you are in luck today, as I just have the thing that you need!"


    "Oh really?" Black Alex replied in interest, although it was obvious that he does not believe every word that Cheva said. "Do you think that I will just trust your words? You are an Abyss Monster, a being that uses temptations and contracts to take advantage of people. Do you think that I will just be like your victims before? Heh, I am the Abyss Envoy, someone that you should follow and respect!"


    "Mortal, you may not believe me, but I am sincere with my offer to you. You are the Abyss Envoy after all." Cheva replied calmly, as if he was not fazed by Black Alex''s rejection. "With your status as the esteemed envoy, there''s no way that I can let you die here! So don''t be wary about my offer. I assure you that my offer will be of great help to you. Just accept it, and everything will be fine¡­"

 Chapter 472 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student part 14

    [[[With the apparent ''status'' that Asteria had, the previously sleazy Eye was left with no choice but to let them in without any sacrifice.]]]


    [Eye]: I hope that you will have an enjoyable tour inside the Abyss Realm, Miss Asteria. Oh, and I still have more of those honey jars. Just call my name, and I''ll be there!


    [Asteria]: Yeah, yeah, I get it. Now can you just let us in? This has been delayed too much already!


    [Eye]: By your will, Miss Asteria.


    [[[Rumble¡­]]]


    [[[The massive Eye suddenly began to move its body, with its round and fleshy eyeball vacating its current position. This movement was accompanied by countless wailing sounds, something that made the whole movement freaky.]]]


    [[[Thousands of tentacles attached on Eye seemed to stop it from moving away, but Eye ignored these as it continued on moving. In no time at all, these tentacles were all destroyed, creating a mess of floating tentacle parts all over the area.]]]


    [[[The space that Eye have been occupying earlier was now vacated, leaving an empty hole that was gradually sucking everything around it. This hole was just as black as the space itself, making it look like a black hole that was intent on devouring everything.]]]


    "¡­"


    [[[Upon seeing this hole, everyone in the ship excluding Asteria shivered, as its appearance was just too much even for them.]]]


    [[[Eye was nowhere to be seen at this point, as it had already entered through the hole that it just made. But even though its body was inside the hole, Asteria and the others can still hear it talk.]]]


    [Eye]: Miss Asteria! This is the real entrance to the Abyss Realm! Please feel free to enter it! I assure you that this is safe! I can bet my life on that!


    [Asteria]: Oh, so this is the hole that Uncle Tenet was talking about. I thought the was just making a lewd joke about pegging¡­.


    [Kuro]: Asteria! What kind of words are you spouting now? There are innocent people here! Don''t you-


    [Asteria]: Hm? What''s wrong with what I said? Is there any evil word there?


    [Kuro]: Evil word? No, not exactly. It''s just-


    [Asteria]: Aha, you''re referring to the word ''pegging'', right?


    [Kuro]: Pegging? No! It''s not that word! Asteria, what are you-


    [Asteria]: Tsk, tsk, tsk, and here I thought you''re an honorable teacher. So you also like that stuff too? Hehehe, do you try that on your lover sometimes?


    [Kuro]: Hey!


    [Asteria]: Hahaha! Now I can''t stop imagining it! Your lover sprawled on the floor like a dog, while you hug your lover from behind with a rod strapped on your waist! Hahaha! What a sight!


    [Kuro]: Hey!


    [Asteria]: Pa pa pa pa pa pa!


    [Kuro]: You¡­


    [Everyone in the class]: Pa pa pa pa pa pa!


    [Kuro]: ¡­.


    [Everyone in the class]: Pa pa pa pa pa pa!


    [Kuro]: That''s it! Asteria, do 100 flying push-ups right now. If you don''t, I will make it 1,000. As for the rest of the class, do 10! Don''t you dare skip out on even just one! If you do, I will double your punishment!


    [Asteria]: What? But I was just teasing you!


    [Kuro]: Do it now, or I will make it 2,000. As for the others, you should already start! If you don''t'' start in 5 seconds, I will triple your punishment!


    [Everyone in the class]: Okay teacher¡­


    [[[As the begrudged Asteria and the unamused students began to wallow in their punishment, the pissed Kuro crossed her arms as she entered the control room of her ship. Nobody was inside here, allowing Kuro to sit on the chair with a lazy demeanor.]]]


    [[[She then began manipulating the control switches of the ship, spurring it into action once more.]]]


    [Kuro]: Tsk, kids these days really need a lot of discipline. Asteria just said a little joke, and everyone acted like that? Ugh, now I fear for what will happen for the rest of the trip¡­


    [[[After saying these words, Kuro drove her ship forward, ramming it straight towards the hole that Eye made. There was no hesitation on her face as she entered the hole, making her look like a valiant pilot. Of course her inner emotions were nothing but valiant, as she still continued to worry about her future with her students.]]]


    [Kuro]: Argh, if I just became an official pilot, then I would never have suffered like this¡­


    [[[Plop!]]]


    [[[The surface of the hole rippled as Kuro''s ship passed through it, with the ship itself disappearing entirely. There was no hints or traces of the ship''s existence left, as if it was all devoured by the hole itself.]]]


    *****************


    3[Eye]: MINUTES LATER.


    [Asteria]: Nom nom nom!


    [Kuro]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Nom nom nom!


    [Kuro]: ...


    [Asteria]: Nom nom nom!


    [Kuro]: Oh for the Monarch''s sake Asteria, can you please stop eating honey? Your act of eating honey is just making me and your classmates feel worse! We''re already feeling sick, and you still want to make us feel worse? Come on Asteria, you''re way better than that!


    [Asteria]:   Sick? But you and my classmates are just suffering from the effects of the Abyss'' environment. This is just normal. Give it at least 30 more minutes, and you will feel fine.


    [Kuro]: 30 minutes? Are you kidding me? I can''t even drive the ship properly at this point, and you''re saying that I have to experience this for 30 more minutes?


    [Asteria]: Well, that''s the consequence that the first-timers in the Abyss Realm get. After all, the Abyss Realm is a location where emotions and desires materialize. A place like that will be an alien location for material beings like you, so you will still need some time to acclimate to it. Hell, 30 minutes is actually a good number!


    [Kuro]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: I have seen beings who had to stay sick for 10 days before they could acclimate to the Abyss Realm. Some even had to stay sick for months or years! Can you imagine the pain that they are going in? You and my classmates only have to suffer for 30 minuets, so in a sense, you''re still lucky!


    [Kuro]: Lucky? Hmph, just look at the f**king scenery outside! Doesn''t that make you sick? Ugh, I can''t even imagine how you can stand there nonchalantly!


    [[[After Kuro said these words, Asteria only shook her head as she continued slurping down her honey. She then looked through the window beside her, observing the ''scenery'' that Kuro was talking about.]]]


    [Asteria]: ¡­Well, the scenery is not bad. You just have to¡­ get used to it.


    [[[If fractal shapes, horror-themed art, and grotesque imagery were real and can be combined in real life, then their results will be the closest approximation to what Asteria could see outside the spaceship.]]]


    [[[Twisted shapes that can only exist in mathematical equations, nightmare-inducing objects, and disgusting creatures could be seen hovering all around the ship, creating an atmosphere that fits the notoriety of the Abyss Realm.]]]


    [[[Endless loops of nauseating images and gruesome events can also be seen approaching the ship, making the already sickening environment look like a place meant to torture minds.]]]


    [[[This horrifying scenery was the environment of the Abyss Realm itself,  something that the Abyss Monsters treat as their comfortable home. This scenery was also the one that had been seen by Asteria before, which allowed her to be slightly used to it.]]]


    [[[Of course to say that she was fully used to the environment of the Abys Realm was an overstatement, as some slight hints of revulsion could be seen on her face. And this revulsion became more noticeable when she saw a cl.u.s.ter of holes on top of a mountain-sized fleshball.]]]


    [Asteria]: Bleg-


    [[[The sight of these holes alone were enough to make Asteria gag a little, although the presence of her teacher left Asteria with no choice but to hide it. She had to force herself to swallow some honey to suppress her nausea, something that she hoped will be effective.]]]


    [[[She then continued talking to her teacher, with her voice sounding like she was just bored of her current situation.]]]


    [Asteria]: ¡­But even if I am already used to this, I can still see your point, teacher. This place is really ugly. In fact, I can say that this place is so ugly that this should not be visited by any material beings¡­ Nom nom nom.


    [Kuro]: Asteria! I just told you to stop eating honey! Your smacking sounds is making my head pound already! Do you even have any inklings to listen to me?


    [Asteria]: I have, teacher. It''s just that 10[Eye]: flying pushups made me so tired, that I have to replenish my energy using this honey. I just can''t let myself run on an empty tank, right?


    [Kuro]: What? Do you even  get what you are saying? If you want to refill your tank, just do it later! For now, just keep quiet and allows us to recover!


    [Asteria]:  I''m really sorry about this teacher, but I have to refill my energy right now. Who knows, someone might attack me later while I am weak. I cannot just let that happen!


    [Kuro]: Argh!!! You really are one irritating fairy! Why did I even agree to bring you?


    [Asteria]: Well, you did not agree to bring me. You just forced me to come here, right?


    [Kuro]: Ugh, you and your smart mouth. I swear I will discipline that in the future!


    [Asteria]: Hehehe, you can try, teacher. But my sass is something that you cannot defeat!


    [Kuro]: Sass? Who told you that you have sass? You don''t have any of that at all! You''re just a cringy teenager who knows nothing but do pranks! There''s nothing sassy with that!


    [Asteria]: ¡­Ok, I think it''s time for me to continue eating.


    [Kuro]: Hey, don''t-


    [Asteria]: Nom nom nom. Smack smack smack!


    [Kuro]: Argh!

 Chapter 473 - A Shard from the Abyss

    "¡­"


    Even if Black Alex was someone who was not that proficient with scheming, he can still sense the danger accompanying Cheva''s offer.


    After all, this is an Abyss Monster that was giving him an offer.


    Even if Cheva was really ''sincere'' on making a deal with him, Black Alex still had no assurance that Cheva was looking out for his well-being.


    At this point, Black Alex began to open his mouth as he decided to reject Cheva''s offer. But before he could even articulate his denial, another voice spoke out to him.


    "Black Alex, let''s try not to be hasty, ok? Why don''t you hear out what he will say first?" Alex, whose voice sounded both strained and exhausted, mentally said to Black Alex. "Even if he is a high-ranking Abyss Monster, there''s still a chance that his offer is legitimate¡­"


    "Hm? Original Alex, this is the Abyss that we are talking about here. Even if it is my origin, I still know a lot about its nefarious actions¡­." Black Alex mentally replied to Alex, as the former did his best to not show Cheva his communication with original Alex. "The Abyss is a place of trickery and manipulation. It targets anyone with desperate needs, and now it includes us. Even if I am the representation of the Abyss, the Abyss won''t hesitate to f**k me over if it wants to¡­."


    "Heh, I know about that, Black Alex.  But I didn''t say that you should accept Cheva''s offer first. I just told you that you should hear him out." Alex replied quickly. "There will be no problem if we just hear him out, since we still have not accepted his offer¡­"


    "¡­."


    With these words by Alex, Black Alex realized that the original was actually serious on hearing out Cheva.  Even when this said monster had left a suspicions remnant on Black Alex, Alex still had the audacity to give it a chance to talk!


    This made Black Alex feel some tinges of wrath inside him, as he could not fathom why Alex was acting like this.


    "Tsk, why don''t you possess my body now and start talking to Cheva? You seem to have a plan against its schemes already..." Black Alex said as he continued to watch Cheva''s worm warily. "My purpose in life is to fight with the power of the Abyss. Schemes like this¡­ are not in my expertise."


    "Well about that¡­. I actually have no way to control you right now." Alex replied sheepishly. "I''m still busy preserving Golden Alex''s life here, so my full attention is on controlling his body."


    "Disappointing. So the best that you can do right now is to just give me advice." Black Alex replied as he almost snorted. "Are you not even worried about me? I am your access to the Abyss, a power source that you cannot just let go. Do you really think that its ok to risk myself here?"


    "Well, the answer to your question will depend on you. I already gave you free reign on what you will do next, so don''t bother asking me if I worry for you. But don''t fret. You are still my power, so I will not be happy if I lose you."  Alex replied.


    "? So you expect me to deal with Cheva alone? Original Alex, you-"


    "After you hear Cheva''s offer, you can decide if you will accept its offer or not." Alex suddenly said, as his voice showed signs of fading. "If I am not busy with Golden Alex, I can be the one who will decide on his offer. But I am still occupied, so I''ll leave everything to you! Good luck deciding!"


    "Hey! If you do this, the Abyss will-"


    "Thud." Alex''s connection with Black Alex was cut-off at this point, leaving Black Alex isolated in his mental landscape. No attempts by Black Alex to talk to Alex worked after this time, leaving him alone once more.


    "¡­"


    ********************


    "Mortal, why are you taking so long to make your decision? Did you break your head from excitement?" Cheva  said as it noticed Black Alex''s sudden silence. "Mortal, hesitating like this won''t  do you any good. You are the Abyss Envoy, so you must act more prudent than this!"


    "You want me to act prudent? Fine! You can start talking now!" Black Alex replied. He appeared to be slightly incensed as he said these words, something that Cheva noticed.


    Of course, Cheva dismissed this emotion as just petty anger from Black Alex.


    After all, Black Alex is still young, so for him to feel angry from being coerced into a deal is just right.


    "Good, mortal, good!  Now just raise your palm and release some of your blood! That way, our contract will be made!" Cheva happily said, as it did its best to keep its emotions from spilling out. "I don''t care how much blood you want to give to me. The more, the bette-"


    "Huh? Who told you that I am accepting your offer? I just told you to state the offer to me first!"


    "What? But-"


    "With my status as the Abyss Envoy, I, Black Alex, orders you Cheva to state your offer to me!" Black Alex suddenly said as he gave Cheva''s worm a freezing glare. This glare was accompanied by murderous intent, which made Cheva feel a hint of danger. "Disobey this order, and I will be destroying your remnant spirituality!"


    "You mortal! You may be an Abyss Envoy, but you cannot order me like this! You-"


    "Hmph, if you don''t state everything about your offer, then I will be destroying this worm for good." Black Alex said as he gathered his Abyss Energy once more. "I don''t care if you don''t care about my status. You''re the one who needs to make an offer with me, so you should be sincere about it too!"


    "¡­."


    "Now talk, or I will end our communication for good."


    "Hehehehe mortal, you are making me both impressed and angry. Do you know how amazing you are for doing this? Hehehe, you don''t know how much I want to kill you right now!" After a few seconds of tense silence, the formerly smug Cheva managed to talk again, but this time in a more subdued tone. "But fret not. I cannot kill you since I have been banished back to the Abyss already¡­"


    "¡­"


    Even when Cheva''s words sounded calmer compared to before, Black Alex could still feel the simmering anger hidden within its words, something that made him raise his vigilance against this monster.


    "Just start talking already. I won''t be like the other desperate people who will accept your offer before hearing it out" Black Alex said as he made his Abyss Energy creep closer to the worm. "You clearly know who has the advantage in this conversation¡­."


    "Hmph, if it weren''t for that stupid change in the Abyss, I would have never tried this!" Cheva mumbled in annoyance as it realized that Black Alex was serious." Tsk, should I have just chosen another person? Argh fine, now that I am here, there''s nothing else that I can do¡­"


    Before Black Alex could comment on what he just heard, Cheva continued talking, this time with a sense of urgency on its words.


    "You may not know this Envoy, but the Abyss is currently experiencing its latest restructuring. Because of this, a lot of its rules will be changed, and its leaders will be changed too." Cheva said as it changed its designation of Black Alex from ''mortal'' to ''Envoy''. "With these changes comes the chance for us monsters to evolve and get stronger. Which me-"


    "So basically, you want to use my help to achieve a certain level of power in the Abyss Realm. I now understand why you act like this. You must be desperate to have a backer, and in this case, you''re only choice of backer is me."  Black Alex mercilessly said, applying all the techniques that he can use on taking control of the conversation. "And to think that I was intimidated by you earlier. You''re actually the desperate one here!"


    "You-"


    "If you want my help, then you better offer me something nice. After all, the word of an Abyss Envoy is enough to give you a good status." Black Alex coldly said, as he began releasing the aura of the Abyss Envoy. "You have been disrespecting me earlier, but since I can see that you''re just a desperate monster, I will let you off. Now, tell me what you can offer in exchange for my services."


    "Hong long long~"


    This aura forced the indignant Cheave to quiet down, as it felt a suppression coming from Black Alex. Its previous haughty attitude was now gone, as this monster realized that it cannot play tricks against Black Alex anymore.


    "Tsk, this mortal was acting like he does not know his status earlier. That''s why I thought I can strong-arm him into assisting me. But before I can start the contract, he actually began reinforcing his status over me? What the heck is this? Did he just trick me?" Cheva thought glumly to itself as its main body began to shake in indignation. "Ugh, this will make my plan worse¡­"


    Cheva was extremely unwilling to let things to go on like this, but upon realizing that it had no way to trick Black Alex now, Cheva just sighed as it decided to tell the truth to him.


    "E-Envoy,  earlier I thought that your power will not be enough, so I mused on just giving you a year''s worth of Abyss Energy. But now that I witnessed your astounding power, I realized that Abyss Energy will not be enough to satisfy you." Cheva said quickly. "You are meant for better things, so I have something better for you!"


    "Ho? You intend to give me something better? You should have said that to me earlier. Good! Now, show it to me."


    "Envoy, I cannot show it you right now, since showing it will bring massive upheavals in this place. I can only give it to you once you start using it, which will ensure your safety." Cheva said as it did its best to not show the reluctance on its voice. "Please understand me."


    "? Something like that exists? Hm, interesting¡­" Black Alex replied as he gave Cheva a look of interest. "But even if you can''t show it to me now, you can still tell me what it is, right?"


    "Yes, Envoy I can. But-"


    "Then tell it to me now, Cheva. My patience is running thin already, so don''t delay my f**king time."


    "¡­"


    After hearing this snappy reply from Black Alex, Cheva sighed as it felt more and more oppressed by Black Alex''s aura. Cheva then trembled as it realized that at this point,  it was not Cheva that was making the deal anymore.


    It was Black Alex that was now in control of the deal, and Cheva has no choice but to follow it.


    "I-I have an Abyss Transcendence Shard with me, Envoy. That''s the treasure that I can offer you in exchange for your assistance!" Cheva said as it tried to make its voice sound as sincere as possible. "As long as you agree to assist me with my conquest inside the Abyss Realm, I will be giving you the Abyss Transcendence Shard! I swear that with my life!"

 Chapter 474 - 1 minute has passed by

    *************************


    BACK TO THE PRESENT TIME.


    TIME BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 8 MINUTES 30 SECONDS


    Once Alex had properly dealt with Black Alex''s dilemma, he turned his attention back once more on Golden Alex, whose body now wore signs of injuries.


    "¡­"


    These injuries came from Ray''s attacks that were meant to kill Golden Alex. Fortunately for Golden Alex, these attacks   had been weakened or ablated by the Divine Beings that were currently fighting Ray.   If it weren''t for them, then Golden Alex could have been a mangled corpse already.


    But even with this kind of state, Golden Alex appeared to be still unhappy with his situation, which was shown further by his scathing words.


    "You done talking with Black Alex? Good. Now focus back on my body!" Golden Alex thought angrily as he felt Alex''s attention going back on him. "Those three divine beings did their best to slow down the Supreme Puppet for 30 seconds, and yet some of his attacks almost hit me! You¡­ you don''t know how many times I almost died! Tsk, I am an Emperor who should not be experiencing something like this!"


    "Stop acting like that and man up already. You''re the representation of the Conqueror''s Aura, so you should be more magnanimous than me!" Alex snorted in reply as he resumed his observation on Ray. "Sigh, it seems like your courage had been left on the other half of the Conqueror''s Aura¡­.  No wonder you''ve been acting like this¡­"


    "¡­I will tolerate your insults since you''ve been doing your best to keep me alive. But don''t think that I will forget about this." Golden Alex replied as he huffed in irritation. He then clicked his tongue as he also observed the battle above him.


    "Oi Alex¡­ how much longer can these Divine Beings fight against Ray? They don''t seem well-off already¡­" Golden Alex murmured as he and Alex saw the pale and ashen expressions of Lingo, Peina, and the angel. "And only 30 seconds have passed since they started battling! Doesn''t this look bad?"


    "Their current power is only at the bottom tier of Sixth Stage. The only reason that they can fight equally against Ray was because they boosted their power by burning their lifespan." Alex replied glumly as he saw the angel''s sword get repelled by Ray''s bombs. "This method might seem effective, but due to its cost, its time is extremely limited. In my estimates, these Divine Beings can only last for 1 more minute before they have to stop fighting Ray¡­"


    "1 minute? The f**k? That''s too short!" As usual, the preposterous Golden Alex let out another complaint to Alex. "Once they''re done, there will still be 7 minutes and 30 seconds of time left before Emperor Litch arrives! That''s still not a good time for you to use Power Synchronization!"


    "I know that, so don''t try telling that to me again." Alex said. "But don''t worry, I think that I already have another person ready to replace the Divine Beings once they''re done. We just have to wait and see if he succeeds on his ''situation''."


    "¡­Are you talking about Black Alex? Because that''s the clone that you just talked to earlier." Golden Alex noted as he noticed the strange tone on Alex''s answer. "Didn''t you tell me that he''s paralyzed? Someone like that can''t be useful to me! Besides, he''s just as strong as me! There''s no way that he can assist here!"


    "If you said that before, then I would have believed you." Alex said as he mentally shook his head. "But now? Heh, not only does Black Alex have the chance to reach Grade 6, he also the chance to reach Transcendence!"


    "What? How the hell did he-"


    "Don''t ask me anymore. Just focus on our situation right now." Alex abruptly said, interrupting Golden Alex''s attempt to question him. "You will know what I am talking about once Black Alex succeeds. For now, let''s just focus on keeping yourself alive, ok?"


    "¡­..Fine. That''s the only thing that I can do anyway, so why not focus on it? Hmph, I hate this mess¡­." After Golden Alex said this lamenting words, he let out a grunt as he forced his body to move sideways.


    "Scwhing!"


    A gigantic shockwave of laser beams went past through Golden Alex''s former location, shredding the air around it with its intense heat. Some of these heat had managed to singe Golden Alex''s skin, which elicited a grunt of pain from him.


    "Ugh! I really  hate this!" Golden Alex continued to say as he saw Lingo reeling from the laser bomb that Ray just used. There was no doubt that this bomb was the source of the laser shockwaves that almost killed Golden Alex,  as Lingo was unable to stop it fully from exploding. "Why do I always have to play tag with my life in line! This is just incorrect!"


    "¡­" Alex had no more words to say to Golden Alex at this point, as the former realized that the latter was already too invested on cursing against his current fate. There''s nothing else that Alex can do now but to assist Golden Alex, as doing anything else is just unnecessary.


    "Oi Alex, where the hell is Asteria anyway? I still haven''t seen her since earlier! Is she doing something traitorous again?" Even if Golden Alex was currently dabbling with death, he still had the urge to gossip about Asteria, something which Alex was not sure if he can admonish.


    "Don''t worry about that stupid fairy. I made sure that she won''t do anything to f**k us over." Alex replied as he shook his head. "Why are you worrying about her anyway? Do you think she can be of help here?"


    In face of this question by Alex, which had the sound of Alex''s extremely incredulity, Golden Alex found himself unable to answer it, as he also realized how ridiculous his question sounded.


    "Oi, don''t judge my question! I just thought that that fairy can be used here!" Golden Alex replied hotly as he got blasted by another shockwave. "She can''t be killed in conventional ways, so maybe we can use her to shield-"


    "Stop talking now, Golden Alex. Our chance to extend our lives had come already." Alex suddenly said, cutting off  Golden Alex''s hasty answer. "Hehehe, I did not expect him to catch on my advice already¡­ Maybe he''s actually much smarter than I thought he was? Hmm... I guess this needs more observation later¡­"


    Alex said these words while looking up at the sky, more specifically at the mothership that had been continuously shooting its weaponry at Malthus. This mothership was still relentless on its attacks on Malthus, creating a dizzying array of blasts that continued to rock the whole planet.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Alex''s focus on the ship however seemed to be not on the ship or its weapons. Instead, Alex appeared to be looking at what was behind the ship. As for why he was looking there, even Golden Alex could not understand anything from it.


    "¡­"


    A few tense seconds passed by with Alex only staring at the ship, with nothing noteworthy happening on it. This made Golden Alex think of questioning Alex once more, as he was just wasting precious seconds of their time.


    But before Golden Alex could remind Alex of what his ''priority'' should be, ''It'' suddenly happened.


    "Hong~"


    Out of nowhere, a massive, 7-branched tree suddenly materialized behind the mother ship, with 5 of its branches glowing brightly as a star.


    The tree''s body was almost as large as a planet,  with its branches looking like enormous continents attached to a humungous tree trunk. It was even larger that Queen Mother''s current form, something which drew some reaction to the crowds that saw it.


    This tree''s  size, along with its stealthy entrance, forced the mothership to have adverse reactions to it.


    "Tremble¡­"


    The mother ship began to shake as the tree loomed all over it, with some of its weapons almost losing their control. Some of these weapons had their strikes deviated by a degree, causing widespread destruction on the nearby forests.  Some even affected the sea itself, causing massive clouds of fog to cover the sky.


    Luckily for Alex, these deviations did not allow Malthus to have some breathing room, as the ship continued its assault on him even with the sudden appearance of the tree.


    It seems as if the controllers of the ship had decided to treat the tree like it was a neutral power, something that is not worth attacking  for now.


    But Alex knew that if this tree begins to do something weird, the ship and its fleet will start peppering it with everything that they can.


    Well, Alex was not really worried about this, as he knew that nothing wrong will happen with the tree.


    In fact, the appearance of this tree made Alex feel extremely pleased, as its existence made him realize that his plan earlier had succeeded!


    "Do you see that tree, Golden Alex? That tree right there is my Original Abyss Spell, the Calamity of Seven Sins!" Alex said, with the elation on his words easily recognizable. "It may look different compared to before, but that''s my own power. Hehe, Black Alex seems to be putting it into good use¡­"


    "¡­"


    To say that Alex was extremely pleased now is just an understatement, as even the pessimistic Golden Alex was slowly getting influenced by Alex''s joyous state.


    "Oi! Why the am I feeling happy now? We''re about to die goddamit! I should feel panicking-"


    "Hehehe, since Black Alex had decided to show that tree, then that means that he''s about to do something special! And if my hunch is right, he must be attempting to have his breakthrough!" Alex said as Golden Alex tried his best to not feel as happy as the former. "Damn, Black Alex! You actually used less than a minute of time to bully Cheva! You¡­ you surpassed my expectations of you!"


    TIME LEFT BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 8 MINUTES


    TIME LEFT BEFORE THE POSSESSION FINISHES: 16 MINUTES

 Chapter 475 - This is all about asking about your opinions on this novel.

    So readers, how do you think does the story of this novel goes so far?


    Any comments? Any input will do, as I am curious on hearing it...


    Don''t mind the sentences below. I need 400 words to post this chap, so ignore them...


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    Don''t mind the sentences below. I need 400 words to post this chap, so ignore them...


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 Chapter 476 - Law Manifestation!

    Queen Mother''s transformation into a World Tree.


    Sierra''s attempt to possess the Four Moons World.


    The Cosmic Guard''s sudden appearance.


    The high-grade battles happening all over the world.


    These world-shaking events happened almost all at once, which brought everyone who witnessed it to the brink of breakdown.


    To have this kind of reaction was to be expected, as the people of the Four Moons World had no way of imagining that things like these could ever happen.


    "¡­."


    The only thing that the residents of the Four Moons World can do right now is to just let things happen, and wait for everything to be resolved.


    But before these people could even acclimate to these things, there was another unexpected object that showed itself.


    This object was of course the 7-branched, planet-sized tree which was now looming  all over the world.


    "¡­."


    Even when it''s not making any hostile moves, those who saw this tree could not help but cry in fear, as there was something wrong and inhumane with this tree.


    It was as if this tree was not supposed to exist here, and its very existence alone was something that cannot be tolerated!


    "Humm¡­."


    5 seconds after the tree made its appearance, its whole body began to shake as the body of a vaguely human figure appeared behind the three.


    This figure, which emanated the aura of pure evil, let out a cackle as it raised its hands. Massive ulcers and tentacle-like constructs then erupted out this figure''s body, which all attached to the branches of the tree.


    "@()(*%)(*@)(#*!!!!" The figure roared out in a hoarse tone as the whole tree shook along with the tentacles.  As this figure continued to shake the tree, it slowly opened its mouth, revealing two objects nestled inside its tongue.


    This figure spat out these two objects out of its mouth like a catapult, allowing everyone to witness these objects as they descended on the top of the 7-branched tree.


    The first of these two objects was a white jade tablet that was the size of the country. Its body, which emanated a scholarly aura, made everyone who saw it feel both serene and calm. Those that were feeling extreme rage calmed down instantly after seeing this tablet, while those who were lethargic began to smile, as if the sight of this tablet alone was enough to reinvigorate their minds.


    The cursive words written on the surface of the tablet appeared to have some effect too, as sudden enlightenment appeared on the minds who have seen these words.


    The second object on the other hand was quite the opposite of the jade tablet. The second object was just a piece of dark, jagged stone, which seemed to be nothing but an inert rock.


    Even if it was just as large as the jade tablet, this dark stone did not look any special at all. This stone had no effect to those that saw it, and there''s no supernatural phenomenon that happened as it appeared.


    This dark stone was just like a normal stone at all. It did not look any special, and it seemed to be just a fluke.


    Once these two objects landed on the top of the tree, the figure continued to shake the tree, with its tentacles putting more and more force with each shake.


    "Shula shula shula~"


    This move released large swathes of black-clad waves that clashed with the objects near the figure. Most of these objects were directly destroyed by the waves, with only the sturdy ones managing to bear the brunt of these sudden attacks.


    Even the spacesh.i.p.s were not spared by this sudden change, as their hulls began to acc.u.mulate damage from the increasing number of waves.


    "(*(&%(*@&(*@#*(!!!!" The figure continued to shout as it did not pay attention to the damages that it just made. It just continued to shake itself along with the tree, with it ignoring the retaliatory attacks made by the spacesh.i.p.s.


    "Pew pew pew!"


    Even though there was  a large fleet of spacefaring sh.i.p.s that was attacking it, the figure did not seem to be even worried by their attacks at al. The figure only absorbed these attacks inside its own body, as if it was a gluttonous monster that treats these beams of light as its own food


    "!(*&%@(*&($!!"


    Two limbs that were the size of multiples moons then sprouted out of the figure''s limbs, which proceeded to mime a grabbing motion in front of it.


    As it did this, a large rift in space the size of a continent appeared in front of the figure. This rift appeared to be similar to the portals used by the Cosmic Guards earlier, although this rift was oozing with bloodl.u.s.t and murderous intentions.


    At the instant that this rift appeared, all the living creatures in the Four Moons World felt the sensation of death approaching their bodies. They all felt as if the end of their life was about to arrive, and that there was nothing that can stop it from coming. This feeling was intensified to those who looked at the rift directly, with some even slipping into a sudden coma.


    Even the powerhouses in the Four Moons World all had an adverse reaction to this rift, as if it was something that can threaten even their very lives!


    "What is that? How¡­ how could something as evil as that exist here!" General Glaivewood as he stared at the rift with twitching eyes. There was fear and anger in his face as he observed the rift, with his gestures making it apparent that he was greatly concerned about this rift.


    "¡­." Sir Xote on the other hand was only silent as he observed the rift. There was a glint of desire on his eyes as he bathed in the rift''s bloodthirsty aura, although he appeared to be trying this best to not show this desire to anyone, not even to General Glaivewood.


    "Is the Abyss¡­ finally making its move? How interesting. But why would it make its move in this place, where there''s no benefit that it can get?" Sir Xote mused in a low tone as he sent out his attacks on Alina. "Could it be that its related to the Change? If that''s the truth, then I should accelerate my plan with Master Arepo!"


    Alina and Queen Mother showed no signs of surprise upon seeing this rift, although a knowing smile could be seen on Alina''s face, as if the appearance of this rift was something that she had expected. This reaction of hers had rendered Delia confused, but with the battle still raging on around them, Delia had no way of clarifying what she just saw.


    [Sfx: Torrential Flood Flow]


    After what felt like an eternity, a vicious and malicious type of energy suddenly burst out of the rift like flood, with all of its torrentious contents barreling straight towards the monster.


    Screams and howls of pleasure and desire accompanied the arrival of this energy flood, making the already unsettling situation turn more and more terrifying.


    The powerhouses who witnessed the arrival of this energy flood all felt cold in their hearts, as they all detected the power of suppression emanating from this flood.


    This suppression forcefully slowed the circulation of power inside their bodies, resulting in most of them having their abilities weakened by a percentage. Some even had their power completely disappear, leaving them with nothing but only their bodies to defend themselves.


    Only those who were extremely strong were able to resist this suppression, although even they could not help but tremble as the sight of this flood.


    There was just something innately superior with this energy flood, that even the Sixth Stage Beings could only be suppressed by it!


    "This flood¡­ surely it''s not the Manifestation of a Law, right?" General Glaivewood uttered as he also felt the suppression affecting his ability. He then shook his head after saying these words, as he vehemently did his best to deny what he just realized.


    "No, this cannot happen! Only Transcendent Beings can manifest their own Laws! For something like a Law Manifestation to happen here is not possible!" General Glaivewood said urgently as he averted his gaze away from the flood. "What''s happening here in just a trick! Yes! Someone despicable is just making a trick here!"


    "This is the Law Manifestation of an Abyss! What the hell is happening here?"  While General Glaivewood appeared to be in denial with what was happening, Sir Xote sounded sure with his words, although he did not look happy with what he was saying at all. "How could the Abyss give out something like this here? Are those monsters getting crazy already at this point? F**k!  This¡­ this is madness!"

 Chapter 477 - Intermission 1: The Legend of the Almighty Peasant

    [[[This chapter is a canon part of this story, which happened during the time that Alex and Alina were living inside the apartment in the Four Moons World. This was the period were Alex was still in preparation mode, and not in combat mode.]]]


    Asteria: Hooman! I want to tell you a story. Do you want to hear it?


    Alex: Hah? Why would I want to hear another one of your crappy stories? What I want to hear about is your past! When will you even start talking about that?


    Asteria: Hey!


    Alex: You promised before that you will be open about your past already. But look at you. Up to this point, you''re still not saying anything about your past¡­


    Asteria: I-I just said that I will tell my past to you! I did not say when! S-s-so just wait for that time, ok?


    Alex: Tsk, what a sc.u.mmy fairy. Why did I not even smother you with fire before? Maybe that could have disciplined you more¡­


    Asteria: Hey!


    Alina: Alex¡­ just lay off Asteria for now. With this runt being obstinate like this, you won''t get anything from her. She''ll just continue to bulls**t her way, and we can''t do anything about that.


    Asteria: Heh, look at this hooman! At least she''s treating me bette- did you just call me a runt?


    Alina: Yes I did, because in my eyes you are one.


    Asteria: ¡­.


    Alex: ¡­


    Alina: Alex, if you want to ogle at my thighs, you can do it later bedtime. For now, let''s listen to Asteria''s story first, ok?


    Alex: ¡­.Seriously Alina. You seem to be always excited on hearing Asteria''s special stories. Why do you feel like that? You know that there''s a chance that Asteria''s just making up fake stories, so why bother believing her?  You being happy like this just encourages that fairy to tell more fake stories!


    Asteria: Hey hooman! I am not faking any of my stories! You''re just too narrow-minded to believe them!


    Alex: What did you just say?


    Professor Frances: Could you keep your f**king noise down? My head hurts, so tone down your b**chy arguments! Hell, if I can only sew your mouths now, I would have done it already!


    Alex: And here''s another diva queen. But at least you''re more useful compared to Asteria.


    Alina: That''s harsh, but I totally agree with that.


    Asteria: Hey! You two are bull-


    Alex: Hah? Didn''t you say that you are about to tell a story now? Go on and tell it already! Or are you perhaps interested on cursing us instead of fulfilling your promise? Hehehe, if that''s the truth, then you really are a dumb fairy¡­


    Asteria: Argh! I swear hooman! I swear that one day you will not succeed on bullying me! I swear that!


    Alex: Yeah, yeah, yeah, just get on with it already.


    Asteria: ¡­.Fine hooman. Here''s the story that you want.


    Alex: ...


    Asteria: So Ounce upon a time-


    Alina: That intro again? Asteria, do you have anything else that''s original? I''m so tired of hearing this same intro from your other stories!


    Asteria: Why are you complaining about the intro again hooman? This intro is a standard line for all the famous fantasy stories, so using them in my stories is not wrong!


    Alina: Yes, using them is not wrong, but still, hearing them in each of your stories is too much.


    Asteria: Hmph, if this intro works well, then why should I change it? It will be just a waste!


    Alina: ¡­. You lazy bum.  Can''t you even use your brain to think of a good intro?


    Asteria: Nah, I can''t.  I think I am good with what I have now.


    Alina: Asteria, you-


    Asteria: SO ONCE UPON A TIME , there lived a peasant, whose only dream in his life is to become a god. He was jealous of the gods on his world, as they were all praised and served by many people. Wars were also fought for the glory of these gods, which made their status in this world as the greatest.


    Asteria: If this peasant can just be a god, then he will be free from poverty and be loved by many.


    Asteria: But with the current state of his life, the peasant knew that he has no chance to become a god. So he abandoned his dream and went on with living his intended life.


    Alex: ¡­.Huh? Is that the end?


    Asteria: Did you hear me saying THE END ?


    Alex: Um, no.


    Asteria: Then my story has not yet ended! Tsk, why don''t you let me continue talking first?


    Alex: ¡­.


    Alina: ¡­.


    Asteria: The peasant continued with his normal life until he reached a ripe, old, age of 121. He was already an old and frail man at this age, and he was spending most of his life on his bed.


    Asteria: This peasant was close to dying and even he can sense it. He can even feel the presence of Death himself approaching him from behind


    Asteria: Skaboom! When the peasant thought of death, Death actually appeared in front of him. Death then  tortured and punished the peasant, leaving him a broken shell of his former self.


    Alex: Yo yo you! How the f**k did that just happen? Did Death actually torture a man that was about to die? Why the f**k would that happen?


    Asteria: Why are you asking me? I''m just telling you the story.


    Alex: ¡­.


    Asteria: After getting tortured by Death, the peasant died, but his soul was not taken in by any Gods. The peasant''s wish to become a God before had made him undesirable to any gods, leaving his soul to wander across the mortal world.


    Asteria: After wandering the mortal world for 1 million years, the peasant suddenly became a God.


    Alex: What?


    Asteria: The peasant then stormed the palace of the Gods, and he killed all the gods in there. As for Death, the peasant turned him into his belt buckle, which he was still wearing up to this day.


    Alex: ...


    Asteria: The peasant then took over the world with his godly power, becoming its mighty ruler. THE END.


    Alex: ¡­That''s it? That''s the story?


    Asteria: Yes, hooman. That''s the story. Why? Did you really like it? Hehehe, if you like that story, then I can tell you its prequel!


    Alex: Why the hell would I want a prequel when the main story is already this bad? I mean, how could yuou even call that a story? It''s like a kid suddenly had the idea to make a story one day, and that kid''s story was the one you are telling me now! Seriously, that''s the worst story that I have ever heard! It''s just as bad as ''Invisible Duragon''!


    Asteria: ¡­ I feel pity for you hooman. I just told you a heart-wrenching story, and yet you can''t appreciate it. Sigh¡­ you''re so helpless that  I can''t even get angry with you anymore¡­


    Alina: What heart wrenching? There''s nothing heart-wrenching about that story! How will I even feel sad for the peasant when you told the story in a boring way? And the story was even short!


    Asteria: ¡­.


    Alina: And who the hell turns a god into a belt-buckle? Why did that even make its way in the story?


    Asteria: ¡­


    Alina: Asteria, just admit it. Your story-making skills sucks. But don''t'' worry: We promise you that we won''t laugh once you admit it. In fact, we will help you out with your problem!

 Chapter 479 - Instant Enlightenment

    "Should we do something about this? I am having a bad feeling just by looking at that¡­" General Glaivewood said in a low tone as he and Sir Xote continued to observe the energy flood warily.."No matter which way you look at that, that flood is still something that came from the Abyss. With my knowledge about those bastard monsters, having that thing come here is not good!"


    "Shush! Do you think you can do something against that flood? That has the traces of the Abyss'' Law itself! Touch it, and you will immediately die!" Sir Xote hissed back as he flicked his appendages on Delia''s clones. "Only Emperor Litch can deal with that flood, and he is still not here! So there''s no way for us to deal with whatever that was!"


    "So we would just watch here and let that flood wreak havoc on us?"


    "No, we won''t be exactly doing that.  That flood¡­ did not appear here to wreak havoc on us. It was here... for a different kind of reason." Sir Xote replied, with its voice now full of envy. "Tsk, whoever that damned user of that tree is, he really is lucky to summon the Abyssal Flood here! Ugh¡­. If I was just in his place!"


    "A different kind of reason? Sir Xote, you better explain what you just said!"


    "¡­General Glaivewood, you see that black rock that was on top of the 7-branched tree? That is no ordinary rock. That rock  right there is an inert Transcendence Shard, which still had no aura of Law in it." Sir Xote said as its body visibly trembled. "Tsk, why did kind of thing appear here? Now I am so f**king jealous!"


    The tone that Sir Xote was speaking with right now showed the jealousy that it was experiencing, something which General Glaivewood did not understand.


    Sir Xote''s next words however cleared up all of General Glaivewood''s confusion, and it also decreased his worries.


    "The only thing that can activate that rock is the pure essence of Law materialized from the Abyss itself. Granted, doing that is hard, since contacting the Abyss is almost difficult, and those who do dies¡­ But this guy clearly is not affected by that! He actually found a way to materialize the law into  an effing flood and then use it on the Transcendence Shard! F****kkk! this method is just making me much angrier that I cannot help but laugh!" Sir Xote muttered as he let out a grumbling laugh.


    His appendages then shook in great distress, as if what he was saying was enough to bring him to the brink.


    "Hahaha! Whoever thought of summoning an Abyssal Flood to activate the Abyss Transcendence Shard is a genius and a madman! He is clearly desperate and is in need of a power-up!" Anger and envy continued to flow out of Sir Xote''s words as  it spoke, which showed it clear animosity on the dark figure that has summoned the rift and the energy flood.


    "Argh! F**k this man! Why should he get something like this and not me? What the f**k did this madman do to be treated this well by the Abyss, huh? Argh!"


    While Sir Xote continued to rage like a child at this moment, General Glaivewood on the other hand began to cool down as he analyzed Sir Xote''s answer.


    "So¡­ this whole flood is nothing more than just a way to create a Transcendence Shard? If that''s the truth then there''s nothing that we should fear about it ." General Glaivewood''s said  as relief flooded his body. "Once that dark rock absorbs all the energy from the energy flood, that energy flood will disappear. After that happens, the rift will surely close and then nothing special else will happen¡­."


    The General then began to smile at this point, as all of his worries from earlier went away like evaporated alcohol.


    " Hehehe, and here I thought a Transcendent Being will be summoned here to kill us! Thank the Emperor that did not happen!"


    "Hong~"


    Genreal Glaivewood appeared to be really blessed by luck today, as after he gave his declaration, the flood energy that he had been watching was suddenly absorbed by the dark rock.


    "Woosh~"


    All the suppressive power and domineering presence that the energy flood had were all absorbed by the dark rock too, which led to all the powerhouses regaining their powers.


    Even the scared sensation that had been plaguing General Glaivewood earlier had disappeared too, probably also absorbed by the dark rock.


    "Woosh woosh woosh!"


    Even though its size was comparable to that of several continents, the whole energy flood was still easily obtained by the dark rock. The rock only needed 10 seconds to fully subsume the whole energy flood to its body, something that not even General Glaivewood expect to see.


    "Shung~"


    Once all of the energy flood was gone, the dark rock began went back to its usual inert state, with its body not showing anything special once more. It just liad back on the top of the 7-branched tree like it was just a normal rock, something that made General Glaivewood sigh in more relief.


    "Now that I have seen what that rock can do, I can confirm that that rock is indeed a Transcendent Shard¡­." General Glaivewood uttered as he materialized 5 cat-like beings behind him. He then threw this cats towards Alina and Milo, who then began doing their best to hack these things down. "Since that is a Transcendent Shard, then I should not worry about another powerful player entering the fray¡­"


    With General Glaivewood''s exceptional senses, he could definitely feel that the 7-branched tree was just a representation of the Abyss Power, and the real controller of it was the dark figure hovering beyond it. As for the power of this figure, General Gliavewood was sure that this figure was only at the peak of the Fifth Stage. Granted, this figure looked like he could give a fight on some Sixth Stage Beings, but that kind of power was something that just made the General shake his head.


    "Since this figure is at the peak Fifth Stage, he must have been planning to use the Abyss Transcendence Shard to reach the Sixth Stage. After all, even if the Transcendence Shard is only of a great help to those who want to reach Transcendence, it''s residual aura is still enough to help a Fifth Stage Being to reach the Sixth Stage!" General Glaivewood then shook his head at this point, with the amused smile on his face showing how relaxed he is right now. "If that''s the truth, then I should be really less worried here!"


    "After all,  even if this dark figure reaches Sixth Stage, his power will won''t be enough to change the course of the battle. At most he can slow down one of us for a few seconds, but that''s just it! Nothing else beneficial will happen to them!" General Glaivewood continued to say with glee as he refocused 80% of his attention back on fighting. "And besides, a Transcendence Shard can only be used to assist breakthrough, and not for attacks¡­."


    "Tsk, lucky bastard. I hope he fails in his breakthrough." The one who said these words was Sir Xote, who appeared to have recovered from his outburst earlier. His body was littered with more injuries at this point, something which had been caused by this tantrum. "Out of all the reasons that he could have, this bastard actually only summoned the Abyss Transcendence Shard to reach Stage Sixth! That f***king son of a b***h Using an important Transcendence Shard just for you to reach the Sixth Stage is so irritating! Agh! I hope you really mess up and get eaten by the Abyss later!"


    "I don''t really sympathize with your words, but  I also hope that whoever that dark figure was, he will fail on his breakthrough." General Glaivewood muttered in a wince as he nodded his head. "Even if this dark figure just becomes a low-grade Sixth Stage Being, he might be able to provide some nuisance on us. So as much as possible, him failing will be good for us."


    "Tring!" Right after General Glaivewood said these words, the dark figure, which had been standing still since the appearance of the energy flood, began to make his move once more.


    He grabbed the white jade tablet with his right hand, and he then crushed it with his power, turning the whole jade tablet into a massive dust cloud that the dark figure began to inhale.


    "Swoosh¡­"


    With the dark figure''s massive body and sudden actions, all of the dust particles of the jade tablet was sucked right into its mouth, creating a massive twister of dust that was headed straight towards the dark figure''s head.


    " Swoosh¡­"


    These dust particles successively released their own resplendent glow in a possible attempt to stop the dark figure form what he was doing. This worked, as the dark figure let out a  hiss of pain from the brilliance that was hitting his body now.


    But this method became short-lived, as the dark figure only let out a grunt before it resumed on absorbing the jade dust.


    This time around, there was really nothing else that stopped the dark figure from inhaling all the jade dust particles.


    This of course led to the dark figure continuing its task leisurely, and before anyone could stop it, the jade dust was now all gone.


    ¡­.


    All are now inside the dark figure''s body, who seemed to be satisfied with what happened.


    "Hong~"


    Some changes quickly happened right after the dark figure absorbed the jade dust, with the most notable change being the one that happened on the 7-branhced tree itself.


    This tree''s 6th branch, which had not been showing signs of activity since before, suddenly let out a resplendent glow as its body began to enlarge.


    "Krusa¡­.''


    Hymns of patience, wisdom and forgiveness rang out in the air as the 6th branch continued to enlarge, and it only stopped once it became as large as the other glowing branches.


    "Rustle rustle¡­" The whole tree appeared to be in great spirits at the appearance of this 6th branch, with its first 5 glowing branches rustling in what looked like to be a welcome greeting.


    Only the 7th and the final branch did nothing at all, as its body was still unlit at this point.


    "THE FIRST TO SIXTH BRANCHES ARE NOW ESTABLISHED. ONLY ONE MORE REMAINS, AND MY GLORY FOR THE ABYSS SHALL BE UNLEASHED ON EVERYONE PRESENT!" The dark figure suddenly said, with its slight smooth voice making him sound a little immature. Nonetheless, the dark figure''s unsettling appearance and aura was enough to make him look just as dangerous as before.


    "Tsk, so that jade was meant to light up the branches?  I expected something else¡­" Sir Xote began to say as he did his best to not reel from the dark figure''s unsettling words. "Since this monster is counting the number of branches lit, does that mean that he can step into the Sixth Stage by lighting up all 7 branches?  If that''s the case, then he only needs one more branch to light up¡­ Oh. So that''s where''s the Transcendence Shard will be used for¡­"

 Chapter 480 - Abyssal Pillar

    The dark figure did not stop his actions at that time. Right after the appearance of the 6th branch, he quickly grabbed the Abyss Transcendence Shard with his left hand, and with a motion comparable to that of a hungry man, the dark figure bit on the shard.


    "Rawr!"


    A sonorous roar of pain came from the dark figure as blood spurted out of his mouth, with the Transcendence Shard not affected by what he did. From the looks of it, it was the dark figure that was actually harmed by the Shard, and not the other way around.


    As for why he was biting the shard, both General Glaivewood and Sir Xote raised their eyebrows as they knew the reason for that.


    The dark figure''s blood, which looked as black and viscous as oil, flowed freely towards the Transcendence Shard itself.


    "Hong~"


    The shard then glowed black after making contact with the blood, which was accompanied by the release of the same suppressive power that the energy flood had from earlier.


    Fortunately for General Glaivewood and Sir Xote, the quantity of this released power was in small quantity, which allowed these two to retain their strengths. However, seeing this released aura still made these two unhappy, as they realized what it was going to be used for.


    "Tsk, so this dark figure was serious on forcing out the remnant aura of the Transcendence Shard? F**king hell, you''re lucky that you can even pull out something like this!" Sir Xote said in a complaining tone after seeing what the dark figure was doing.


    "Well, you cannot be really angry with that dark figure. After all, he''s just making full use of his advantage here." General Glaivewood muttered as he gave the dark figure a narrowed look. "The only time that he can use this shard fully will be for Transcendence, so you can say that what he was doing here is just like looking for scrap¡­"


    "You can say that he''s just looking for scrap, but for me , that scrap is much better than anything else in the world! Hell, I can even sacrifice all my wives just to get something like that!" Sir Xote hotly replied as it appeared to be attempting to fly towards the dark figure.


    Of course because of the battle raging around him, Sir Xote was unbale to leave, hence the unhappy expression on its face right now.


    "If you just made an action earlier, then you might be able to get that shard. But now? It''s already too late¡­" General Glaivewood slowly said as he and Sir Xote saw the blood flow from the dark figure trickling to a stop. "He''s already done with his preparations, and there''s nothing that you can do to stop it."


    "Argh!"


    Once the supply of blood from the dark figure had stopped, the Transcendence Shard also stopped releasing its hidden power, leaving a small cloud of liquefied Abyss Energy floating right on top of the tree.


    This Abyss Energy, which was laced with the Law of the Abyss Realm itself, transformed and became rain droplets which poured like a torrent on the 7-branched tree''s body, with the majority of it falling on the dormant 7th branch.


    "Tililing!"


    Like a cat woken up from its sleep, the dormant 7th branch began to let out a shriek as it absorbed and devoured the rain pouring down on it. It began to grow large just like the 6th branch earlier, however the way that it grew and the way that its appearance changed was way different compared to the other branches.


    "Krisha!"


    The 7th branch grew like a tumor, making it look like a massive ball of wood that was attached on the tree''s body. It was not as elongated as the other branches anymore, and even the elegance that it should have was not even visible too.


    Instead, the 7th branch looked like a monstrosity of nature itself, something that will only exist on objects that had been turned sick by multiple curses.


    The rain that was still pouring down did not help matters either, as it seemed to be contributing to the continuous degradation of the 7th branch. Each drop forced a more horrible change on the 7th branch, making it look more and more repulsive with each second that passed by.


    It was only after 10 seconds that the rain had stopped, and it was only at this point that the 7th branch had stopped its monstrous change.


    "..Poor branch¡­ now it''s already contaminated with the malicious will of the Abyss itself. That''s the only thing that can induce a change like this." Sir Xote mumbled as it and its opponents noticed the change in the 7th branch. "That''s the consequence that you get for using the assistance of the Abyss Realm to comprehend a spell. It puts a part of itself on your spell, and there''s nothing that you can do to remove it. You either expel it right now, or you accept it as a part of your own¡­"


    "Now, what will you do with this, dark figure? You might only be an extension of that cursed Alex, but I am sure that you are also worried by this contamination¡­" Sir Xote continued to say as it noticed that the dark figure appeared to be upset by the change in the 7th branch. "Will you still accept this power even you knew that there''s a chance for contamination? Heh, it if were me, I will never accept that power now. I might like the Abyss, but I don''t want it being inside me-"


    "Rawr!"


    Suddenly, the quiet dark figure let out another roar, which was followed by it devouring the whole 7-branched tree in an instant.


    "Rawr!"


    All the 7 branches, including the monstrous-looking 7th branch, went inside the dark figure''s mouth and throat, leaving nothing but only its scrapings scattered everywhere.


    All the attacks that the Cosmic Guard fleet had been bombarding on the dark figure and the tree now went into a halt, as the sudden move of their enemy had rendered them confused and also uneasy.


    Even Sir Xote was also rendered uneasy by this change, however he still kept his calm as he realized what will happen next.


    "For a Fifth Stage Abyss Monster to reach the Sixth Stage, it must first create its own Original Abyss Spell. Once this Original Abyss Spell was complete, that Abyss Monster must use the power of Greed and Gluttony to swallow the spell whole. If that monster does not have the power of Greed and Gluttony, then must ask for assistance from an Abyss Monster that has one. " Sir Xote thought as it saw the gulping motions made the by the dark figure. Sir Xote appeared to be slightly unhappy from what it was seeing, but it continued to keep its body moving against his current opponents.


    "Once the Original Abyss Spell was inside its body, the Abyss Monster will then convert that Original Abyss Spell into a Pillar. That Pillar, which is called as an Abyssal Pillar, shall be the foundation of the Sixth Stage Power of any Abyss Monster¡­" Sir Xote thought as he dodged a massive spear thrusts by three Delia''s.


    "All that methods must be done under the presence of the Abyss itself, so that it can bestow the Abyss Energy that will reform the body of the Abyss Monster and strengthen the Abyss Pillar. From what I know, this reformation will happen in an instant, since it was the Abyss itself that will be initiating the change." Right after Sir Xote said these words, the previously dormant rift in space began to shake again.


    This shaking was accompanied by the release of more Abyss Energy, although the amount that came out was too minuscule compared to the flood before.


    A massive, scaly hand then shot out of this rift out of nowhere, which shot straight towards the motionless dark figure.


    This hand, which had the finesse comparable to that of a rough giant, grabbed the dark figure like it was just clay, and right in front of Sir Xote''s wide eyes, the hand began to crush and mold the dark figure''s body.


    In no time at all, the dark figure became reduced to what looked like a large sphere of malleable flesh, which the hand then began to work on.


    Massive amounts of Abyss Energy came out of the scaly hand, which it fed on the new body that it was making, with each pulse of the Abyss Energy having a higher quality compared to  before.


    "Rawr!"


    The dark figure could only shout in pain as the hand continued to mold his own body, with his struggles and undecipherable curses doing nothing to change his own situation.


    The dark figure can only do nothing but be under the mercy of the scaly hand, which at this point had quickened its pace.


    More and more Abyss Energy was fed on to the dark figure as his new body began to make its appearance, which was leagues incomparable to what it looked like before.


    "¡­."


    It was only after 5 seconds had passed by that the scaly hand stopped its actions.


    Once it was done, the scaly hand quickly threw the dark figure back to the Four Moons World, while the hand went back inside the rift.


    Just as fast as the hand appeared, it also quickly disappeared, leaving nothing on its previous postion but traces of its sudden actions.


    As for the dark figure himself, he continued to spiral back towards the Four Moons World, with his body looking like it lost its ability to move.


    As it fell down, an aura that was comparable to that of a Sixth Stage Being emanated from the dark figure, which confirms its breakthrough to the Sixth Stage.


    The release of this aura was accompanied by the manifestation of a smiley face behind the dark figure, something that made Sir Xote stiffen his body.


    "¡­ A scaly hand and a smiley face. So this man has allied himself with that faction, huh." Sir Xote said as its eyes narrowed in displeasure. "Hmph, good luck to you then."


    Sir Xote only shook its head as the dark figure hit the ground of the Four Moons World. Even when the place that the dark figure had landed in was not that far away from him, Sir Xote did nothing to attack him.


    Instead, it just let the dark figure lay on that area peacefully, as it knew that sooner or later, he will  also stand up and join the fray.


    "Hmph, now that he''s in the Sixth Stage, there''s no way that his dark figure can exclude himself from the matters of the Abyss anymore. In that case, maybe I can entice him to ally with me. Hehehe, since he''s getting nearer and nearer to the will of the Abyss, then maybe his mind will be too warped to even reject me¡­" Sir Xote thought to itself as it resisted the ruge to lick its lips. "Hehehe, why am I even thinking that he''s of the right mind? He''s already contaminated by the Abyss, so he''s guaranteed to be insane!"

 Chapter 481 - The Seven Deadly Colors?

    TIME BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 7 MINUTES 35 SECONDS


    TIME BEFORE SIERRA COMPLETES POSSESSION: 15 MINUTES 35 SECONDS


    "Oh thank goodness it''s done breaking through. Any longer, and we could be dead now." Original Alex said in relief as Black Alex made his landing back on the Four Moons World.


    "Oh, he''s already landed? Good, now make him help us already!" Golden Alex snarled as he pushed his body to make a move. As of now, he and Original Alex were still stuck on watching Ray fighting with the three Divine Beings, who at this point were already near at their limits.


    To say that the situation at this point was dire was an understatement, as there were only 5 more remaining seconds left before the divine beings lose their current fighting power!


    It was fortunate that Black Alex made his breakthrough at this time, as he now could be the one who will slow down Ray more! He just needs to be at this place before the divine beings lose their steam, and Golden Alex will be assured to survive for a longer amount of time!


    But before Golden Alex could let this even happen, Original Alex suddenly said something to him that changed the course of everything.


    "Oh about that¡­ I am actually planning to let Black Alex go and help Alina." Original Alex replied sheepishly within the soul scape. "Which means that  he will not be coming here at all¡­"


    "What the f**k? Didn''t you just said that you will try to find a way to make us last longer against Supreme Puppet Ray? If you''re serious about letting me live longer, then why are you making Black Alex help Alina? That woman can take care of herself!" Golden Alex shoutingly said he began to panic.


    The way that Original Alex gave his reply was so sure and confident, that there was no doubt that he was serious on making Black Alex assist Alina.


    Naturally, this did not make Golden Alex happy at all, as he thought that Black Alex will be coming to assist him!


    "Are you out of your mind, original? Do you really want me to die now?" Golden Alex continued to say as his voice became laced with more panic. "Come on man, change your mind already! Just make Black Alex go here!"


    "Well, I can''t agree with you. I already have a plan for our situation, and Black Alex helping Alina is a part of that." This was Original Alex''s only reply to Golden Alex, which made the latter freeze up in tension. "Don''t be that angry to me. I assure you, this way will be better for both of us¡­"


    "''Better for both of us'' my ass! There''s only one second left before the Divine Beings lose their power, and you think that there''s a chance for me to survive without Black Alex''s protection? Argh, you are making me lose trust of you!" Golden Alex bellowed as the divine beings were beginning to be pushed by Ray''s attacks. "Tell me, how the hell will Black Alex''s action to assist Alina will help us here? Is there anything special that his action will do, huh? If there is, tell it to me already so that I won''t die of anxiety here!"


    "Like I said earlier, don''t worry. Everything has its reasons, and even this has one. So just let my plan happen, and you will be safe."


    "Argh!!!!"


    TIME LEFT BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 7 MINUTES 30 SECONDS


    TIME BEFORE SIERRA COMPLETES POSSESSOIN: 15 MINUTES 30 SECONDS


    *******************


    After Black Alex made his landing on the Four Moons World, another manifestation appeared on the planet, although this time around, the manifestation materialized right above Black Alex''s body.


    A gigantic pillar, with its body composed of seven stripes, floated loftily above Black Alex, with each of the stripes having their own original color.


    Red, Orange, Yellow, Blue, Green, Indigo, and Violet colors covered this gigantic pillar, making it appear both intimidating and beautiful.


    Everyone that were kilometers near to Black Alex clearly saw this multi-colored pillar, which included Sir Xote and General Glaivewood.


    These two generals, along with Alina and her allies, had their attention captured by this gigantic pillar, effectively ceasing their whole battle.


    Sir Xote in particular had an adverse reaction upon seeing the pillar, with the ugly look on its face revealing how upset it was from seeing the pillar.


    "F**king hell, this man actually had a 7-Colored Abyss Pillar? Does that mean that he is the Abyss Envoy that the monsters had been talking about before? F**K this, why is he here!" Sir Xote exclaimed angrily as it continued to observe the body of the pillar. "F**k f**k f**k, this is not good for our plans¡­"


    "A 7-Colored Abyss Pillar, you say? When you said that Sir Xote, are you saying that¡­"


    "Yes, this dark figure who just reached the Sixth Stage is someone who can use all the Seven Sins of the Abyss Magic System." Sir Xote quickly replied to General Glaivewood''s query, with the former''s face turning uglier as time passed by. "F**k¡­. why did he have to be the Abyss Envoy? This just makes things worse for me¡­."


    "Oh, this is what you had been talking about yesterday. When an Abyss Monster reaches the Sixth Stage, the Abyss Pillar that it constructed will transform its Abyss Magic, turning it into a tangible form of magic that only that monster can use." General Glaivewood began to say as his eyes glinted.


    "This tangible form will be stored on the Abyss Pillar in forms of colors, with one color representing a Sin... Red will represent Wrath, while Orange will symbolize Gluttony. Yellow will be the indicator of Greed, while Green shall by showcasing Envy. Blue will be for L.u.s.t, Indigo will be for Sloth, and finally, Violet shall be representing Pride!"


    The more Sins that the Abyss Monster had mastered, the more colors that it can have on its Abyss Pillar." General Glaivewood continued to say as he ignored Sir Xote''s dark look at him. "In this dark figure''s case, he had all the seven colors on his Abyss Pillar, which meant that he is proficient on all sins!"


    "¡­."


    ********************


    [[[ Red: Wrath, Orange: Gluttony, Yellow: Greed, Green: Envy, Blue: L.u.s.t, Indigo: Sloth, Violet: Pride]]]

 Chapter 482 - I came, I saw, I obliterated

    "What are you gawking for? Let''s run away already!" Sir Xote said as he began flying away. He seemed to have ignored the fact that he was currently in a  battle, making him look like a cowardly person. "If we stay here for any longer, we will die!"


    "Die? Why will we die? Can that dark figure kill us?" General Glaivewood replied with a scoff, as if he found Sir Xote''s claim as ridiculous. "Just like what you said earlier, this man is only at the Sixth Stage. There''s nothing that he can do to even slow us down!"


    "Idiot! I only said that because I thought this dark figure is just a mortal who''s trying his best to become an Abyss Monster. But now that I discovered that he''s actually the Abyss Envoy, it changes everything!" Sir Xote replied hurriedly as he looked back at General Glaivewood. "Since this dark figure is the Abyss Envoy, he¡­ can do things that will f**k us up! So if you don''t want to be implicated, we better leave already!"


    "What? But what can he really d-"


    "When an Abyss Envoy reaches the Sixth Stage of Power, the Abyss Realm will reward that Envoy with 3 powered strikes! In this case, since we are in a mortal world, the Abyss Realm will reward the Abyss Envoy with 3 strikes that are at the power of a Half-Step Transcendent Being!" Sir Xote said as it let out a hiss. "Do you understand what that means now?"


    "!!!"


    "Yes, even if the Abyss Envoy is only at the Sixth Stage, since he has been rewarded by the Abyss with 3 attacks that are as strong as the attack of a Half-Step Transcendent Being, then he can use those 3 attacks to f**k us up! No, he actually needs only one attack to mess us up!"


    "S**t, if that''s true, then we should immediately retreat!" After saying these words, General Glaivewood immediately glanced at his allies, with his eyes full of conviction to help them.


    But before the general could give his warning to his allies, the rift that had been channeling Abyss Energy since earlier began to make another change, which effectively interrupted him.


    This time, there was no more Abyss Energy that came out of the rift.


    Instead, a mechanical voice akin to that of a robot came out of the rift, with its words clearly heard by everyone nearby.


    [[CONGRATULATOINS ENVOY FOR REACHING THE SIXTH STAGE. AS PER THE AGREEMENT CONTRACTED IN THE ABYSS PROCLAMATION, YOU SHALL BE REWARDED WITH THREE ABYSSAL CATALYSTS. EACH ONE CAN RELEASE AN ATTACK AT THE LEVEL OF A HALF-STEP TRANSCENDENT BEING. ENJOY THE REWARD AND WORK HARDER FOR THE ABYSS]]


    "Thank you Abyss for your generous help. I will be putting it into a good use." The Abyss Envoy replied, with his body still squirming form the changes done to it earlier. The 7-colored pillar above him began to glow merrily as he said these words, making it obvious that he was plased with what he just heard.


    [[AS PER THE AGREEEMNT CONTRACTED IN THE ABYSS PROCLAMATION, MORE REWARDS WILL BE GIVEN ONCE YOU REACH TRANSCENDENCE, ENVOY. DO YOUR BEST TO REACH THAT STAGE.]]


    "I will be taking that in mind, Abyss."


    [[GOOD. THE ABYSS IS PLEASED WITH YOU. KEEP UP YOUR EXEMPLARY PERFORMANCE.]]


    "Noted."


    "Tha-that''s the will of the Abyss itself! So it really is true! Only the Abyss Envoy can catch its attention!" Sir Xote exclaimed as it did not stay on its spot anymore. It was already flying away from the area of their battle, with one of its appendages dragging General Glaivewood with it. "F**k you Alex! So you actually had something like this hidden on your sleeves! Argh! Why does it have to be you who caught the attention of the Abyss? It should have been me!"


    "Sir Xote! I think you should not be making any complaints now. I think it will be better for us¡­ to find a way to defend ourselves." General Glaivewood lamely said as he began sprouting defensive shields all over his body. "Even if there''s still nothing happening, I can feel it coming right now. I can feel¡­ the certain doom reaching us!"


    [[GOODBYE, ENVOY. THE ABYSS HOPES TO SEE YOU IN THE NEAR FUTURE.]] The mechanical voice disappeared once it said these words, bringing the spatial rift back to its peaceful state.


    But just as the rift settled down, three crystalline objects suddenly shot out within it, with these objects flying straight towards the Abyss Envoy.


    These three objects looked exactly like each other, with their diamond-like body and ebony-colored surface appearing similar with one another. Their sizes were also of the same magnitude, with them having the size of an avocado.


    What''s more intriguing however with these crystals were the malicious aura that they emitted.


    The aura that was released by these crystals was so potent and hostile, that the the aura of the energy flood and the 7-branched tree from earlier appeared to be nothing more than just petty annoyance.


    In fact, everyone who witnessed the appearance of these crystals began to have the urge to end their own lives, as if the presence of these crystals were enough to make them lose their will to live!


    Even the powerhouses were affected too, with the likes of Malthus and Supreme Puppet Ray forced to stop by the presence of the crystals. These people appeared to be trying their best to resist the maliciousness of the crystals, which they were only barely able to do.


    Obviously, Sir Xote and General Glaivewood were in the same dilemma too.


    "Argh!!! Those crystals are the Abyssal Catalysts! If the Abyss Envoy gets a hold of them right now, he will use it to kill us all! F**k!" Sir Xote exclaimed as the crystals flew straight towards the Abyss Envoy''s waiting hands. "General Glaivewood, I''m sorry to say this, but I think we should burn some of our lifespan to get through this ordeal. If we don''t, then we will be dead meat!"


    Sir Xote''s timing of his demand could be said to be extremely precise, as right after he said his words, the accelerating crystals reached their destination.


    "Plop." The Abyss Envoy caught the three crystals deftly with his two hands, making everyone stop with bated breath as they waited for what will happen next.


    These crystals, which had been acting like unruly thugs earlier, were now acting like docile kids, with their malicious aura restrained inside their bodies. They seemed to be even fawning towards the Abyss Envoy, something that the Envoy seemed to have been ignoring.


    "I came, I witnessed, I obliterated."  The Abyss Envoy, whose voice now sounded like rough sandpaper, said slowly as he grabbed one of the crystals with his left hand. This crystal released its malicious aura once more at this point, with its focus directed on the area that Sir Xote and General Glaivewood were flying in.


    ''!!!"


    Naturally, both Sir Xote and General Glaivewood panicked upon seeing what was happening, with their hearts having the same sinking feeling right now.


    With the aura of the crystal focusing on them, both the generals realized that out of all the people that he can target, the Abyss Envoy was actually targeting them first.


    "F**k! So he''s actually serious on using the first strike on us? F**k this s**t!" Sir Xote thought angrily as the crystal on the Abyss Envoy''s left hand began to explode into millions of fragments. The release of these fragments were accompanied by the release of a menacing laughter, something which made Sir Xote''s mind turn blank. "Why, why are you targeting us? You should target the Supreme Puppets that are attacking your allies! They are much stronge-"


    Nothing else could be heard from Sir Xote at this point, as a massive blade strike had  materialized and razed the area that they were in. The shields that General Glaivewood had prepared earlier were just like paper in face of this blade strike, leaving both the generals at the mercy of this attack.


    No sounds of pain could be heard from the two generals as the blade strike landed on them. Their existence, along with their thoughts and ambitions, were all disintegrated by the blade strike into nothingness.


    The only thing that were left on their spot was a piece of bone, which  a tentacle from the Abyss Envoy quickly collected.


    "One strike down. Two more strikes to use¡­."

 Chapter 483 - I Came, I Saw, I Coveted

    TIME LEFT BEFORE EMPEROR LITCH ARRIVES: 7 MINUTES 30 SECONDS


    TIME LEFT BEFORE SIERRA COMPLETES THE POSSESSION: 15 MINUTES 30 SECONDS


    "Original¡­ what the hell was that?" Golden Alex, who already had his body prepared from the posilbe onslaught from Ray, hastily said as he witnessed the attack that Black Alex just made. "Did you just¡­ manage to wrangle another trump card for us?"


    "If you heard what the Will of the Abyss said, then you should know that right now, Black Alex has the right to unleash three attacks that have the power of a Half-Step Transcendent Being." Original Alex replied. "He already used the first one to kill General Glaivewood and Sir Xeto, which leaves him with only two¡­"


    "Yo! I f**king know about that! You don''t have to explain that to me!" Golden Alex replied angrily. His eyes then widened as he saw Lingo, Peina, and the angel get blasted away by Ray. This sight made him panic again, as he remembered the situation that they were still in. "Oi original, since Black Alex still have 2 attacks with him, then you should make him send one attack here too! Just one attack will be enough to end Ray!"


    After Golden Alex said these words, Supreme Puppet Ray glanced at them for a second, before he focused his narrowed eyes towards Black Alex.


    Ray seemed to have lost the interest to attack Golden Alex for now, as if he was placing more importance toward Black Alex.


    Of course this is the normal reaction for someone like Supreme Puppet Ray, as the attack that Black Alex just unleashed was something that could change the course of the whole battle!


    "Impressive, Alex. I never thought you would have a card like this. Too bad it just have 2 more remaining attacks. Are you sure that''s enough to bail you out here?" Ray said as he gave Golden Alex a mocking smirk. "I admit that if one of those attack hits me, I will probably be out of commission. But do you think I will just allow myself to be hit? Heh, you and that ally of yours must be idiot to think of that!"


    "Original!!! What the f**k are you dilly-dallying for? Make Black Alex attack Ray already!" As Ray pointed his fingers towards Golden Alex''s body, Golden Alex began to shake as he implored for Alex''s help. "Oi Original! Ray is about to attack us already! Can''t you just kill him?"


    "No. I won''t waste Black Alex''s power here. He''s meant to use those attacks on other things." Original Alex suddenly replied as he and Golden Alex felt the sudden influx of power on Ray''s finger. There was no doubt that Ray is about to attack them now, and there''s nothing else left that can stop him.


    Of course there was still Black Alex, but with Original Alex''s refusal to use him here, there''s really nothing that can prevent Ray''s attack from coming.


    "What the f**k? What the hell is more important than my life, huh? Tell me!"


    "You still have one more portion of Conqueror''s Aura left. Use that to escape this attack." Instead of answering Golden Alex''s question, what Original Alex gave as a reply was this instruction. "Do that, and you will understand what I am talking about."


    "Argh!!! I swear I will make you pay for this!"


    "Boom!"


    Explosions then covered the whole area that Golden Alex was in, dousing the space around it with a damage-inducing wave that disintegrated everything inside it. Its strength was inferior to the blade strike that Black Alex had unleashed earlier, but in terms of quality, Ray''s latest attack was indeed strong enough to kill Golden Alex.


    Fortunately for Golden Alex, he was able to use the last portion of his Conqueror''s Aura, which brought him hundreds of kilometers away from Ray. This made him effectively dodge Ray''s latest attack, although he did not actually leave unscathed from it.


    "F**k¡­"


    Bruises could be seen all over Golden Alex at this point, with the majority of the bruises present on his arms and legs. These bruises had the size comparable to that of potatoes, with each one having the color of blood and purple.


    Hisses of pain could be heard coming from Golden Alex''s mouth as some of the bruises widened, showcasing the amount of damage that he just got. Even when these bruises appeared to be not life-threatening at all, it looked like they hurt a lot, something that was apparent on Golden Alex''s face.


    "Original, that''s the last Conqueror''s Aura that I can use. After that, there''s no more way for us to dodge Ray''s attack." Golden Alex hissed as he slowly brought his hands down. This movement elicited a growl of pain from him, making him look like a pitiful, beat-up person.


    Whether Alex showed pity for Golden Alex for his current state was still unknown, as his voice just sounded the same when he gave his reply.


    "Don''t worry about this. What you already did was enough." Alex replied as he let out a sigh. "You''ve done everything that you can. Now leave it to me and Black Alex¡­"


    "What do you mean by that? Ray is coming towards us right now! If you don''t make any moves now, Ray will-"


    [I CAME, I SAW, I COVETED]


    Black Alex''s voice, which sounded just as raspy and harsh before, emanated throughout the whole battlefield as the second crystal on his hand shattered. This shattering was accompanied by the chant that he just said, which brought the whole world into a standstill once more.


    "Shuo¡­."


    A massive palm made up of Death Aura appeared right above Black Alex, which then began its descent towards the ground.


    Unlike the malicious face that appeared when the first crystal was shattered, this massive palm did not look like an illusion at all.


    Even when this palm was just made up of ghastly Death Aura, the way that it appeared made it look real, so much so that Golden Alex could feel the winds getting stirred by just the descent of this hand alone!


    Those who witnessed the descent of this palm all stopped in their tracks, as they felt the danger accompanied by its arrival. Even Ray, who was at this point was already about to attack Golden Alex, stopped his attack as he put his attention on the descending palm.


    Even if it was obvious that the palm was not aimed to hit him, Ray did not appear to be composed like before.


    "So this is how an attack of a Half-Step Transcendent Being looks like¡­. This attack is only comprised purely of the Law itself, which makes its might greater than anything that is beneath the Laws. Only attacks made up this way can be considered as a Half-Step Transcendent Attack¡­" Ray muttered in a tone that was just loud enough for Golden Alex to hear.


    "Hey! Where are you aiming that attack, Original? Are you really serious about this?" Golden Alex said as he observed the direction of the falling palm. After a few micro-seconds of silence, Golden Alex began to raise his voice again as he saw where the attack was heading at.


    "Oi!!!! Why is your attack going there? It''s not even aimed at any of our enemies!" Golden Alex shouted in rage as he saw that the place that the palm was about to hit was an area that had none of their enemies! "You could have just sent the attack towards Alina''s enemies, or even Malthus! But no, you actually sent it towards that empty area? What the f**k are you thinking?"


    "Heh. Just watch and learn. You will see why." This was Alex''s only reply to Golden Alex''s complaint, which made the latter almost boil up in rage.


    "Hah! Watch and learn? Do you think we still have the time for tha-"


    "No!!!!!" Ray''s sudden anguished shout interrupted Golden Alex''s complaint, which made Golden Alex look at the former with confusion. Ray then began flying straight towards the massive palm itself, with his face holding an expression of extreme panic.


    "Noo!!!"


    "Noo!!!"


    Ray was not the only one who had this reaction.


    The other two Supreme Puppets that have been fighting Alina earlier were also rendered panicked by the movement of the palm. Just like Ray, these two also stopped their fights, with them ignoring all the attacks thrown in their way as they began flying quickly towards the falling palm.


    Just like Ray, these two Supreme Puppets looked like their world was ending, something that made Golden Alex feel extremely confused.


    "Oi¡­ why did they just react like that? Is there something about that empty area that made them like that?" With his body temporarily safe from danger, Golden Alex was able to relax his body momentarily as he continued talking to Alex. "Did you just see an important treasure there?


    "I don''t need to explain it to you. For now, why don''t you move your body? Bring it towards where Alina is right now. The real battle is just about to start, so we should be near her already¡­" Original Alex said calmly, as if he was not surprised with Ray''s actions.


    "Wait, the real battle? What are you saying? Don''t we still have Seven Minutes and-"


    "Forget about the f**king time, Godlen Alex! With the move that Black Alex just made now, the Supreme Puppets will be left with no choice but to summon Him right now!" Original Alex said angrily, cutting off Golden Alex once more. This time however, the way that Original Alex gave his answer was sterner and stricter compared to before, which made the previously reticent Golden Alex close his mouth. "The time will not be useful anymore. He will arrive any second now, and you will be his first target!"


    "Wait¡­ when you are talking about Him, are you talking about Em-"


    "Yes, I am talking about Emperor Litch." Original Alex said as Golden Alex began to force his body to fly. "Strap in your body and prepare for a good fight. Those Supreme Puppets have no choice but to summon Emperor Litch right now, and I assure you, you will be the first one that he will attack."


    "What? How could that-"


    "The Supreme Puppet that has the power of Summoning actually has the ability to forcefully summon Emperor Litch right now." Original Alex continued to say as the attacks of the Supreme Puppets did nothing to destroy the palm. "The only reason that she did not do it was because this forceful summon requires a lot of sacrifices, which makes it a waste of resources. But now that I made an attack towards Emperor Litch''s important treasure, she and her allies have no choice but to summon Emperor LItch. After all, the only one who can stop this palm is Emperor Litch himself¡­"


    Golden Alex''s eyes widened at this point, as his mind allowed him to  realize what Alex was actually planning all this time!


    The Original Alex actually wanted to force Emperor Litch to arrive early, and he even did not hesitate to use a precious attack just to force him to come!


    "S-so, all the things that you did earlier, it was just to force Emperor Litch to come early?" This was all that Golden Alex could say as he heard Alex''s snickers inside his mind. "Y-you you want him to come here that badly?"

 Chapter 484 - Blood-stained Memories, Part 1

    "If you know about my past, then you should know why I am acting like this. Oh, of course you know about it. You''re a part of me after all." Alex replied sarcastically within the soulscape.


    "Original, after all this time, you still hold that grudge? Will you never¡­ let go of that?" Golden Alex said, with his voice full of hesitance. "It''s been years since that happened. Are you still hung up with them?"


    "Stop talking, Golden Alex. Just stay quiet and watch things happen." Alex angrily said, which forced Golden Alex to close his mouth. "I can''t afford to be distracted with you right now, so please, just let me have some peace and quiet."


    "¡­Fine. I will just do my best to run away, while you do your own thing." Golden Alex meekly replied as he continued forcing his body to move. Seeing that original Alex had no more interest to talk in this time, Golden Alex kept on being quiet, as he knew that right now is not the time to make any noise.


    "¡­."


    As Golden Alex plowed his way towards Alina, the original Alex used the remains of his power  to observe the descending palm attack that Black Alex just made.


    Original Alex appeared to be desolate as he stared at the palm, and this desolation increased when his gaze landed on the 3 Supreme Puppets.


    "¡­.Even if you three are my enemies, I still could not help but pity you three. You should not have been Emperor Litch''s puppets, and you should not be even used in something like this." Alex thought as he let out a mental sigh. "Sigh, and here I thought the Emperor''s treatment on his previous Supreme Puppets were already bad. Tsk, why did I even think of that? Now I''m beginning to think of my past¡­"


    Alex then began to feel light-headed at this point, as memories of his past began flashing across his mind.


    Even though he was displeased by this, he did nothing to stop these recollections from happening, as he knew that stopping them now had no merit to him at all.


    After all, Emperor Litch was bound to arrive within few seconds, so thinking about the past wouldn''t hurt, right?


    "¡­." Without anything that was worrying him at this time, Alex began to relax as he let his mind be immersed in his memories once more.


    His tension and paranoia all disappeared as he sought a recluse on his memories, something that he had not done before.


    "Ah¡­. Why am I even thinking about my past now? Does this mean that I am about to die? Yo Alex, that''s not a good thing to think¡­"


    [[[AUTHOR''S NOTE: FLASHBACK TIME!!!]]]


    ****************************


    ROUGHLY 30 YEARS BEFORE THE START OF THE MAIN STORY.


    There had been many myths about a secret research institute inside the Undying Empire,  which was said to be dabbling with the study of life and death itself.


    Some myths said that inhumane experiments were being run in this secret institute, while others say that a top-secret military base was hidden inside this institute.


    No matter what story was made, there was one thing that was constant with these stories. And that was the name of this secret Institute.


    The Ouroboros Research Centre.


    Nothing else was known about this institute except for its name, making it one of the greatest source of rumors for the residents of the Undying Empire.


    With the protection granted by Emperor Litch himself and his fearsome Generals, nobody tried doing any drastic actions to uncover the secrets of the Ouroboros Research Center, although many still yearned to know the truth about it¡­.


    OUROBOROS RESEARCH CENTRE


    OUTSKIRTS OF THE UNDYING EMPIRE


    Along the farthest edge of  the Undying Empire, a sprawling metallic construct the size of a planet could be seen.


    This construct, which looked like a place for habitation, was covered to the brim with extreme defensive measures. Lasers, forcefields, spatial folds, you name it all and this construct have it. Even the famed black-hole cannons and anti-matter rifles were in abundant quantity in this place too, making any approaching pirate back away without hesitation.


    Every now and often, robots and war-mongering sh.i.p.s could also be seen hovering around this construct, which just increased the construct''s defensive level.


    All in all, these things made the whole construct appear like a tightly-guard military base, or possibly, even a prison.


    That could be the truth, but to those who managed to get inside the habitable construct, this place was no military base or prison at all.


    "Glug glug glug¡­"


    Instead of rows of cells meant for prisoners, the common sight that could be seen inside the construct were actually countless apparatus and machines meant for scientific inquiry.


    Tanks, glass screens, chemical vats, refrigerators, and metallic cases were the usual objects seen inside the construct, with more esoteric and foreign-looking instruments stowed on the corners.


    Numerous  people wearing what looked like to be laboratory clothes could be seen all around these scientific objects, which just made the ''scientific aura'' of the whole place appear more legitimate.


    Most of these people were milling around the area busy on doing their own tasks, while some were occupied on giving orders.


    "Glug glug glug¡­"


    Two of these ''busy'' people could be seen hovering in front of a cylindrical glass tank, with one of them cautiously placing probes inside the glass tank.


    The person who placed the probes let out a small hiss as the probes entered the tank, with her taking care to not jostle the body floating inside the tank.


    Once the probes were  in place, the prober wiped the sweat on her forehead as she manipulated the buttons placed on the base of the glass tank.


    "Glu glu glu¡­"


    The body inside the tank immediately had a reaction to this change, with the liquids around it gurgling quickly. Both the observers had a serious expressions on their faces as they saw this happening, with most of their attention seemingly focused on the body alone.


    "Glu glu glu¡­" The body inside the glass tank appeared to be trying to swim on the liquid around it, although the restraints wrapped around the body made it impossible for it to move. This body could only jerk as the probes continued to release the electrical signals, with its best efforts only managing to move the restraints by a mere centimeter.


    The person who placed the probes quickly took notes about the movements of the body, and she only stopped once the body had stopped moving.


    "Sir, the integrity of this clone is within the acceptable range. His organs are also working properly and his brain is showing signs of low-grade consciousness." The prober said as she began removing the probe inside the tank. "All in all, I think this clone is a good product, Sir."


    "Anatta, is that the only thing that you can tell me about this clone?" The person standing with the prober replied, with his face clouding slightly with his words. "How about its mana reserves? How about its appearance? Do they also approach within our set standards? Does this clone even look like the Main Body at all?"


    "Y-Yes Sir! They''re within those standards too!" The prober, who was called Anatta, hastily replied as she clutched her notebook closer to her body. "Don''t worry Sir. Bright, I measured it thrice just to make sure! And if you look at the face of the clone, you can see that it looks like the Main Body, although its nose was slightly off by a centimeter to the left¡­"


    "Is that so? If that''s the case, then you can remove this clone from the nurturing tank. It''s ready for deployment later." The other person, who was addressed by Anatta as Sir Bright, replied calmly. He then tilted his head as he looked at the body inside the tank, with a faint hints of smile tugging his face. "Just make sure that you won''t mess up the deployment process¡­."


    "N-noted Sir! I-I will do my best to not mess up! I promise that!"


    "Anatta, you don''t need to act nervous around me. Even if it''s just your first day of job, I know that your talent will allow you to flourish here." Sir Bright said with a laugh, as he appeared to be pleased on seeing the stiff and nervous attitude from Anatta. "Just do things your way, and I am sure that you will be a Professor like me in no time."


    "I get it, uncle. You don''t need to remind that to me."


    "Good. I don''t like seeing you stay as an assistant for long, so you should do your best to climb ranks!"


    "Geez, uncle. You just gave me more pressure now¡­."


    "Hahaha, what''s a little pressure to a prodigy like you, Anatta?" Sir Bright said with a laugh once more. Hehehe, why don''t you start removing this clone from the nurturing tank already? I want to see if your skills are on par with your brain¡­"


    "Ok Uncle. I will do it under your observation. Geez, you watching me just makes this worse¡­" Anatta muttered as she began pressing another set of buttons on the base of the tank.


    "Dut dut dut¡­"


    "Uncle, before I remove the clone, I want to ask a question first¡­" Anatta suddenly said as her fingers stopped on pressing the buttons. "All the clones that we made here are assigned with numbers, right?"


    "Yes, Anatta, all the clones here are assigned with numbers. Why are you asking that?"


    "Um well, I''m just curious to know¡­ if we are allowed to give a name to the clones assigned to us¡­" Anatta awkwardly replied as she gave her uncle a smile. "I mean, there''s nothing wrong with giving names to the clones, right?"


    "¡­As long as you don''t use the names  that the other assistants used, its fine for you to give names to the clones assigned to you." Sir Bright replied. "Don''t worry about giving names. Because of boredom, others have also decided to give names to their assigned clones. Heck, some even gave girly names even when all the clones are only males!"


    "Ugh¡­ I''m not like those people, uncle... I will only give this clone a powerful name, something that will make me, its manager, appear cool!" Anatta said with anger in her tone, as if the matter of giving girly names to a male clone was something that had offended her.


    "A powerful name? Care to tell me what you plan to give on your assigned clone?"


    "Alexis, that''s what I will call this clone. It means ''defender'' in some language, which will be perfect for him! He will be my defender, and he will protect me from harm!" Anatta began to giggle as she said these words, with her face showing her satisfaction with what she just said. "What do you think about that name, uncle? Isn''t that great?"


    "Alexis, Alexis¡­ What a nice name. I hope this clone will get to perform that task well. If not, then we will just have to replace it with another one."

 Chapter 485 - Blood-stained Memories, Part 2

    "Oh, before you take Alexis out, can you tell me first all the protocols that you must follow in terms of working here?" Sir Bright said, which interrupted Anatta''s attempt to press more buttons. "There had been accidents of mishandling here,  so I want to know if you have sufficient knowledge of the protocols. Please make sure you know them, as it will be embarrassing if you don''t¡­"


    "Geez uncle, of course I memorized them. I''m an ace student after all!" Anatta hotly replied as she crossed her arms. "Do you not even trust me?"


    "It''s not that I don''t trust you, per se. I just want to make sure that you know all the things that you need to know." Sir Bright said as she shrugged his shoulder. "We''re inside the Ouroboros  after all, so we must ensure that no accidents will happen¡­"


    "Fine, I just have to recite it right?" After saying these words, Anatta shook her head as she stood up. She then gave Sir Bright a glum look, making it clear that she was not that enthused on speaking for long.


    "1ST RULE: DON''T DO ANYTHING THAT WILL INJURE OR MAIM THE CLONES. ALL OF THEM WERE CREATED IN THE IMAGE OF EMPEROR LITCH, SO HURTING THEM WILL BE AKIN TO HURTING THE EMPEROR." Anatta said this line with a slightly incredulous expression on her face, although she did her best to hide it. "What this rule says was simple. Don''t do any physical or bodily harm on the clones. Even if these clones were made for special purposes, they are still the representation of Emperor Litch, so respect must be also given to them¡­."


    "You don''t sound too happy saying that rule, Anatta. Do you have any problem with it?"


    "Problem? Hmph, of course I have a problem with it¡­" Anatta replied as her gaze began to sweep around her. "I mean, even with this rule, I can still see that some researchers are not following it. Just yesterday, I saw Gladys from the Pharmaceutical Department bring 3 clones with her towards the drugs testing chamber. 1 hours later, and I saw her leaving the chamber without the 3 clones following her! I waited to see these clones, but in the end, I did not see them! It was as if they''re already you know, gone."


    "Anatta, that-"


    "Uncle, no matter which was you looked at that, its obvious that Gladys had experimented with those clones! Isn''t that bad?"


    "Experimenting on clones is indeed a violation on the 1st Rule Anatta, but do you  have any evidence that can prove that Gladys had indeed experimented on the clones?" Instead of agreeing with her, Sir Bright chose to actually ask for evidence, which had evidently incensed Anatta. "Even just a material or photo evidence will do¡­"


    "Really Uncle? You''re asking me for evidence? Can''t you even just believe me?"


    "Anatta, the Ouroboros Research Center is an efficient place of learning, and any attempt to delay it shall be treated with scrutiny." Sir Bright said, with the word ''delay'' uttered with a higher stress. "Any accusations will effectively be delaying the progress of research, so that accusation must be worth it and backed by evidence. Because if it''s not, then that accusation will just be a waste of time."


    "So Uncle, you''re basically saying that I can''t even lodge a complaint without any evidence? Is that what you''re implying to me?" Anatta, whose face had now clouded in sheer disappointment, said in a whisper as she averted her gaze away from Sir Bright. "But how can I get any evidence when the violation of the rule happened inside Gladys'' lab? With my status now, I don''t even have the right to enter her room, much less demand evidence from her. Uncle, this is just-"


    "Anatta, if you want to stay at this place for long, then you should know how to adjust. If you still stay stuck on your principles, then you will never reach the top of this place. Just do your research by your own, and don''t stick your nose on the business of others! Focus on contributing to the Ouroboros Research Center, and stop gossiping about your coworkers!"


    "But Uncle, I am telling the tru-"


    "No one in in this place cares about the truth. All we want are results, and you will not get that from acting like a hero." Sir Bright''s freezing voice cut off Anatta''s complaint, which forced the young woman to stop talking. "If you care about enforcing the 1st Rule, then you should be a high-ranking Professor first! Once you reach that level, then you can do whatever the f**k that you want on your underlings! Do you understand that?"


    "Yes, uncle, but-"


    "Anatta, did I ask you for more of your opinion about this place? I''m asking you if you know the protocols, right? Now, get going and say the others." The way that Sir Bright looked as he said these words was enough to make Anatta stop, as she felt a sense of danger coming from her uncle.


    Anatta realized that if she disobeys Sir Bright at this point, there is a chance that her day will not end that good.


    "2-2ND RULE: ANY RESEARCH IDEAS MUST BE PROPOSED TO THE RESPECTIVE HEADS OF THE DEPARTMENT THAT YOU ARE ASSIGNED IN. ONLY WHEN THE PROPOSAL WAS APPROVED THAT THIS RESEARCH CAN BE PERFORMED." This time, Anatta did not add any sarcastic or scathing comment regarding this rule. She just took a deep breath before she continued to state the next rule.


    "3RD RULE: NEVER STEAL THE RESEARCH OR THE EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS OF OTHER RESEARCHERS."


    "4TH RULE: NEVER LEAK ANY INFORMATION RELATED TO THE OUROBOROS TO ANY UNRELTAED PARTIES. THIS INCLUDES THE LOCATION OF THE SITE, ALL THE EXPERIMENTS RUN INSIDE IT, AND ALSO ITS MEMBERS."


    "5th RULE: A USEFUL RESEARCH MUST BE MADE AT LEAST ONCE IN 2 YEARS."


    "6TH RULE: ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR SUPERIORS"


    "7TH RULE: DO NO-"


    "Okay, I can see that you have done your study well. There''s no need for you to tell me the others." Sir Bright imperiously said as he clicked his fingers. "I think you''re really prepared for working here."


    "¡­I''m happy to know that, Uncle."


    "Okay, I have to go to my meeting now. You better start your work too." Sir Bright said as he walked away from Anatta. "Wasting time is not productive, so make the best of your day¡­"


    "Bye Uncle, I wish you a good day."


    "I also wish a good day to you, Anatta. You will need it."


    "¡­"


    As Sir Bright left, numerous researchers began to flock around him, making him look like a celebrity swarmed by his fans. Anatta only frowned a little upon seeing this, as she knew that her uncle''s job was something that made him a bigshot here.


    "¡­"


    It was not only Sir Bright who was the center of these researcher''s attention. Most of them began looking at Anatta too, which is already inevitable given the proximity that she had with him just earlier.


    Some of these researchers were giving Anatta jealous looks, while others were giving her warning stares. Others only looked at her with mild interest, while there were some that had malicious intentions as they looked at her.


    "¡­" In face of this unfriendly and weird stares, Anatta only shook her head as she placed her attention back on the glass tank.


    She touched its smooth and cold surface with her fingertips, with her taking care to not apply any pressure in it. Her eyes then slightly narrowed as she observed the lean and n.a.k.e.d body floating inside the tank, with each twitch and move by the body noted by her observation.


    She continued staring and observing at this body for a few more seconds, and it was only when the bell signaling lunch had sounded out that she was broken out of her reverie.


    "Seeing a clone of Emperor Litch up close and personal really is weird¡­ And I''m actually supposed to raise it into a functioning, living creature? Sigh, can I really do this?" Anatta muttered to herself as she began stepping away from the tank. "Well, at least my OJT is not becoming a janitor. Poor Ace, I hope he''s coping well with mopping the floor¡­"


    She then went back on pressing the buttons on the tank''s base, this time with an obvious hastiness on her movements.


    The ''stern lecture'' that Sir Bright had given to Anatta made her realize that if she wanted to make a change inside the Ouroboros Research Center, then she must first reach a high position. And in order for her to do that, she must acc.u.mulate merits quickly, which in this case, can only be obtained through numerous research.


    "According to Uncle, I can only be a Professor if I was able to do a ground-breaking and special research. The more impacting the effects of that research is, the better will be my chance to become a professor¡­" Anatta muttered as she hastened her pressing speed. "However, the time needed to make a research and garner results will take long. Heck, even the preliminary proposal part is already a pain in the ass! If I follow all these procedures, it might take me around 2-3 years to even start my research! Sigh¡­ and that will only happen once I finish my OJT(On the Job Training)¡­."


    Anatta said the words OJT with slight disappointment, as if she was not that enthused on saying it. She also gave the body in the tank a sullen look after saying this word, as if she was blaming it for her current feelings.


    "Oi Alexis, my OJT is tied to you, so you better be a good specimen¡­" Anatta muttered as her pressing speed slowed down. She appeared to be close on finishing typing the combination, which was made more apparent by the relaxed expression on her face. "According to my superiors, I must be able to keep you alive for 1 whole year, and I must be able to also maintain your body. Oh, and there will be plus points if I can improve your state...."


    "Hiss¡­"


    Once Anatta, had finished typing in the combination, the glass tank began to let out a hissing sound, which was followed by a series of changes in it.


    All the liquids inside the tank were being sucked away by the pipes located under it, while the upper part of the tank began to open up, creating a hole that was large enough for a body to pass through.


    Upon seeing this hole, Anatta let out a sigh as she pulled over a body container. She looked at this container and then at the body multiple times, as if she was making sure that they were the right size.


    Once she had confirmed that they were indeed as large as each other, Anatta crossed her arms as she waited for the tank to be emptied of liquids.


    With the pace that the tank was being emptied now, it will still take Anatta 30 more seconds before she can pull the body out of the tank, which was already a long time for a researcher like her.


    Nonetheless, Anatta did her best to reign her impatience.


    Her face was as cold as ice as she waited for the tank to be emptied, with only her lingering thoughts as the only things that were entertaining her right now.


    "Alexis, only when you survive under my OJT that my superiors will allow me to be a researcher¡­ So please Alexis, don''t be a failed clone. Please don''t be like them! My future is tied to you, ok? Please don''t embarrass me on my first day¡­"

 Chapter 486 - Blood-stained Memories, Part 3

    11 MONTHS AND 25 DAYS LATER.


    "No, Alexis. You should not walk that way. Did''nt I tell you before that you cannot walk like a robot? Look! When you step your left foot forwards, you''re also swinging your left arm forward! That looks weird, so don''t do it!"


    "?"


    "Alexis, don''t you try looking at me like that. I know that you can understand me."


    "?"


    "Ugh, you know what, just follow what I said, and I will stop nagging you, okay?"


    "¡­."


    Inside her room, Anatta the assistant researcher could only clutch her head in despair as she observed the clone assigned to her.


    There was both resignation and weariness in her face at this point, making it obvious that she did not have any good time at all. The deep-colored eyebags that she had did not help in her look either, as she now looked like a person that was deprived from a month''s worth of sleep.


    She seemed to be also looking sick, with the light wheezes from her nose showing the extent of her colds.


    "Alexis, what did I just tell you? I said walk like a normal person! Can''t you even get that?"


    "?"


    "Oh my god¡­. Why did thing turn out like this¡­."


    With one look at Anatta''s downcast expression and depressed aura, it was obvious that she was experiencing quite a lot of stress for the past few days, so much so that she was getting sick from it.


    For a person to get sick from stress was quite unexpected, as the current technological level of the Undying Empire makes it difficult for someone to get sick, especially someone as rich as Anatta.


    So whatever the cause of her stress was, it must have been so great that even Anatta''s healthy body could not cope up with it.


    As for what the cause of this stress was, just one more look at Anatta''s room can easily identify it.


    "Alexis, you don''t know how much you have made me stressed¡­."


    Alexis, the first clone that had been assigned to Anatta, was currently mimicking the motion of a walking human in front of Anatta. To say that he failed was an understatement, as his robot-like motions were enough to bring Anatta to the brink of despair.


    Even when Anatta was continuously giving Alexis instructions, Alexis seemed to be unable to follow her, resulting in his continuous failures.


    "Argh! Now you''re just messing with me Alexis! Why are you rotating your hands like a helicopter blade? No normal human walks like that!" Anatta shouted for the umpteenth time, with her voice now sounding hoarse from all the shouting that she did. She appeared to be close to crying at this point, something that Alexis seemed to have not cared. "Alexis, please just walk properly, ok? We have been talking about your walking since last month. I am so tired of instructing you, so please just walk normally¡­"


    Whether Alexis understood Anatta''s word was quiet unknown, as he continued to rotate his arms while he walked all around the room. This of course brought Anatta to another fit of angered grunts.


    "Argh!!!"


    Right now, Anatta had the urge to physically beat Alexis up, but due to her fear of the rules, she knew that laying a hand on him will just make her position worse.


    "Tsk, now I understand why my uncle gave me a pitying look when I took Alexis in¡­ He knew that something like this would happen!" Since she cannot vent her rage on Alexis, Anatta decided to just blame everything on her uncle, who did not even visit her for the past month. "He knew that teaching a clone that only has a low-grade consciousness will be a bother, and yet he did not tell it to me!"


    After muttering these words to herself, Anatta looked back at Alexis once more, who still did not stop on walking with his rotating arms.


    She gritted her teeth as she resisted the urge to beat up Alexis once more, and the best that she can only do was to avert her gaze away from him.


    "According to what I know, all he clones of Emperor LItch have a low-grade consciousness, which makes them like emotionless puppets. They can learn a lot of things, like arithmetic, science, and even combat, but they will never be able to feel emotions or think like a normal person. They don''t have any souls¡­ They are just human shells that can function like a human, but they cannot think or feel like a human."


    Anatta then let out a sigh as she placed her hands over her head, with the depressing aura around her visibly increasing.


    If it were not for the fact that she had been drinking medicine for these past days, then Anatta could have already collapsed.


    But even with these medicines, Anatta had the feeling that this imminent collapse was still bound to happen to her at any moment!


    After all, the 1-year deadline for Anatta''s OJT with Alexis was about to end, and still, Anatta had not succeeded on managing him!


    In fact, one can say that Anatta had failed miserably on handling Alexis, which is not a good way to end her OJT!


    It was already a common knowledge that those who fail their OJT''s will be kicked out of the Research Center, no matter what kind of OJT they had.


    This naturally includes Anatta, and not even her  link to her uncle will let her keep her job!


    If she fails on raising Alexis, then she will be kicked out, with all of her previous works thrown away like trash!


    For Anatta, whose dream was to be the president of the Ouroboros Research Institute, the mere feeling of getting kicked out was something that she dreaded, and the fact that she was about to get kicked out brought her to a state of desperation!


    "F**k, there''s only 5 more days left until my OJT ends, and I still could not make Alexis act normally! If this goes on, then I will be kcicked out of this place!" Anatta thought shrilly as her teeth began chattering. She seemed to be looming closer and closer to her breaking point, which is not surprising, seeing the situation that she was in.


    And this miserable feeling of hers just worsened when she looked back at Alexis, who was still doing his rotating arm walk.


    "Argh! What the f**k should I do? I already tried instructing Alexis in numerous ways, and he still did not respond properly to me¡­. Beating him up is out of question, as I only have 5 days left to teach him everything¡­. Huhuhu, what should I do then? If I let this go on, then I have to say goodbye to my job. Huhuhu, what should I- cough!"


    A coughing fit suddenly interrupted Anatta''s thoughts, with her whole body shivering as her lungs did their best to expel the phlegm that was built up on it. This brought a haze of pain inside Anatta, making her double up as she covered her mouth.


    "F**k,  so not only is my job in jeopardy too. Even my health is at risk¡­." Anatta muttered as she looked at the glob of blood that came out with her cough. This glob shone sinisterly under the dark light inside her room, making her feel more hopeless compared to before.


    "Argh!!!!" Anatta could only roar in rage as she began pummeling her bed, making it shake with every punch that she threw on it.  With the structure that the bed had, Anatta was unable to destroy it, which just made her rage boil further.


    "Argh!!!"


    This led to a 10-minute round of intense bed punching, and it was only when she felt extremely weak that she stopped expending her rage.


    "Plop!"


    Anatta dropped back on her bed with her sweaty body, heaving large amounts of air inside her lungs as she curled herself like a cat.


    Small sobs leaked out of her mouth as tears poured out of her eyes, making the bed below her get wet from the combination of tears and sweat.


    Her sobs continued to echo inside the room, with each sob containing all the pent-up anger and desperation that she had been keeping for the past year.


    It was a miracle that she can cry like this with her state,  as she was already at the brink of severe dehydration too.


    "Sob, sob¡­. Will I really just let myself be kicked out in this way? I still have many ideas and research to do! I cannot just be defeated by a mere idiotic clone! There''s something¡­ that I can still do to fix all this!" Anatta said these words with a desperate tinge on her tone, making it obvious that even she did not believe what she just said.


    Even when she tried to make herself psyched up, her voice still sounded down, with her tear-stained face and blood-stained mouth not helping matters.


    With this kind of state, it was only a matter of time before Anatta could plunge deeper in her depression. But before this could happen, Anatta''s body suddenly jerked.


    "Wait... all hope is not yet lost. There''s still one method that I can do to save myself¡­" Anatta muttered to herself  as her body paused on shivering. Her voice sounded less morose compared to before, and some tinges of hope can be heard on it, although traces of suspicion and wariness were also present on it too. "But this method violates the protocols of the lab. If I get caught, I will be surely kicked out¡­"


    Anatta''s eyes dimmed again as she reached this conclusion, but then she slapped herself with her hand, as she realized that worrying about rules is not her concern now.


    "Wait, why am I even worrying about breaking the protocols? I''m about to get kicked out anyway, so breaking a rule is not the least of my worries! "


    As she reached this realization,  Anatta forced herself to stand up, wiping all of tears as she left her bed with unsteady steps.


    She ignored what Alexis was doing as she hobble towards the door of her room, with her eyes now glowing with a steely and manic glow.


    Her miserable and morose attitude earlier had disappeared, as only a resolute aura could be felt coming from her body.


    The contrast between Anatta from her state earlier was so great, that even the oblivious Alexis seemed to have felt it. Anatta thought nothing of this, as she grabbed Alexis by her right hand, dragging him out of her room as she began heading towards her research lab.


    "Since I can''t make Alexis act normally with his low-grade consciousness, then I will upgrade his consciousness! That way, he can learn to act like a human! Hehehe, as long as I make his consciousness reach at least middle or high grade, he can easily learn everything in just 5 days. Of course I must not be caught doing this¡­." Anatta thought brightly as she looked around her with suspicion. "I''m not really sure on the process of upgrading a consciousness, but I can learn it easily later! I should just be really careful to not let anyone know about this¡­"

 Chapter 487 - Blood-stained Memories, Part 4

    A FEW HOURS LATER.


    "I see, I see. So I should just make sure that the Delta waves won''t reach this amplitude¡­. As for the residual connections, I should limit them to around at least a thousand¡­ Fine, with a little more adjustments, this program can do its work."


    A contraption, similar to that of an electric chair, could be seen loitering inside Anatta''s lab. Its height made it loom all over the area, with its shadows blotting menacingly over Anatta and Alexis.


    The wires and pipes attached to the contraption made its sinister appearance worse, to the point that an unsettling aura can be felt from it.


    But even with this appearance, Anatta did not act like she was scared of this contraption. Instead, a huge grin could be seen from her  face as she fiddled with a glass monitor on her desk.


    "Tak tak tak."


    This monitor was currently displaying numerous numbers and data, which judging by the way that the monitor was attached to the contraction, seemed to show all the relevant info about the contraption itself.


    These data were continuously changing every second, which forced Anattta to do numerous adjustments on the contraption''s configuration.


    Some of the tiny wires were cut off or displaced, while some of the metallic or silicon components were forcefully hacked off too.


    Even a nearby object that appeared to be a ''computer'' was forcefully modified too, with Anatta tearing off its parts while also adjusting its connection with the contraption.


    It was only when the numbers have stabilized that Anatta stopped her task, although the look on her face shows that she was still far from done.


    "Yosh, I finally finished making my own Consciousness Upgrader. Thank goodness I managed to make it this day... Hehehe, now that I had set this thing up, all I need to do next is  the upgrade process itself!" Anatta said as she did a fist pump. She then gave the lethargic-looking Alexis a withering look, something that Alexis naturally ignored.


    "¡­Tsk, just you wait, Alexis. With this makeshift Consciousness Upgrader that I made, I will be able to raise your Consciousness Grade to at least Medium! Heck, even a High Grade is even possible!" Anatta grumbled as she began leading Alexis towards the Consciousness Upgrader.


    Alexis did not resist at Anatta''s actions at all, and he even appeared to be interested with what she was doing.


    His steps seemed to be more exuberant as he got nearer and nearer to the contraption, with his heartbeat and breathing patterns showing a much higher rate compared to before.


    Upon seeing this reaction by Alexis, Anatta began to grin, as she realized that Alexis'' actions were within her expectations.


    When a low-consciousness grade creature sees a chance to upgrade their consciousness, they will instinctively yearn for it, a reaction which Alexis had been displaying exactly right now.


    With this reaction alone, Anatta can confirm that her machine will indeed work, as Alexis was treating it as his chance to be upgraded!


    "Even if this clone has no soul or way to think rationally, his instincts to live and reach a higher grade of consciousness are still here. And the fact that he''s excited about my machine shows that he''s interested to be upgraded, which is a good thing for me¡­" Anatta thought to herself as she pushed Alexis down on the chair portion of the contraption.


    Alexis acted like a docile child as Anatta punctured his body with numerous electrodes and needles, with the majority of it concentrated on Alexis'' skull and neck.


    Minutes later, and Alexis looked like a bonafide human experiment subject. The bleeding wounds on his punctured skin was enough to make his appearance worse, to the point that even Anatta began to feel guilty with her actions.


    This guilt however only lasted for a second, as Anatta''s fear of losing her job overrode any sympathetic thoughts that she had on Alexis.


    "I''m sorry about doing this to you Alexis, but I cannot afford to lose my job. But don''t worry. Once I am done with you, you will gain an almost-human like level of consciousness!" Anatta mumbled happily as she placed a large metal receptacle above Alexis'' head.


    "Of course it''s still not enough to make you fully human, as that is an impossibility that nobody in the Undying Empire had succeeded on doing yet. But  the level of consciousness that you will reach later will be enough to make you learn much more!"


    Once the receptacle was fit and snug above Alexis'' head, Anatta trotted back excitedly on the computer that she adjusted earlier.


    She quickly rubbed her hands as she began typing numerous codes on the computer, with each type accompanied by the loud clacks of the keys.


    "Hmm, this code that I am using now will force the Consciousness Upgrader to modify Alexis'' brainwaves. At this point, his brainwaves are so weak, that it can only help him make rudimentary motions. But once I use the upgrader on him, his brainwaves will be strengthened by at least 50 times. That amount is the best that I can do now, but it''s already sufficient make him intelligent for me!" Anatta said laboriously to herself as sweat began to pour down from her scrunched forehead.


    Numerous drops of sweat fell on the table and the floor like pouring rain, although Anatta did nothing to stop them.


    She was too focused on her task, to the point that she was ignoring her urge to eat and pee!


    "Sigh¡­ if there''s only a technology powerful enough to actually create a fully functioning human consciousness within these clones, then I would never be doing something like this." Anatta grumbled as she furiously wiped her sweaty forehead with her left arm. "Why can''t the Undying Empire even succeed on doing this? Is there any problem with creation of human consciousness that we don''t know about, or is it just something that we will never succeed on?"


    "Why am I even thinking about this? If I want to worry about this, then I must first keep my job! And for me to keep my job, Alexis must be upgraded first!"


    "Clack clack!"


    At last, after 5 minutes of intense coding, Anatta was able to reach the endgame of her preparations.


    All the needed programs were now inputted on her machine, while Alexis himself is now properly placed inside the Consciousness Upgrader.  All systems are bugless and ready to go, with each components of the upgrader checked and verified.


    All that Anatta had to do now was to press the red button in front of her, and the whole Consciousness Upgrader will do its work.


    "Alexis, I know that you are dumb, so please don''t make things difficult for me here." Anatta muttered as her finger hovered above the red button. "Surely you won''t be that dumb to die from what I am about to do, right?"


    "¡­" Alexis of course had not reply to that.


    "Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die Please don''t die¡­"


    Anatta muttered these words like a curse as she pressed the red button, with her eyes closed in fear as she waited for something bad to happen. She even braced her body from a possible explosion at this point, although deep down she knew that if an explosion indeed happens, then she will be most likely dead now.


    "Click!"


    Fortunately for her, there was no explosion or any undesirable malfunction that had occurred on the Consciousness Upgrader.


    "Bzzt¡­"


    Instead, only the sight of Alexis writhing within the contraption greeted Anatta''s eyes, with his limbs and head trashing violently against the electromagnetic waves pumped in by the needles and the receptacle.


    All of Alexis'' veins and arteries bulged like mad on his skin, with some of them even rupturing, spewing out more blood on the floor.


    "Guuuh, guuuh¡­" Unmistakable grunts of pain could be heard from Alexis as the whole process went on, making him look more pitiable compared to before.


    "It''s working, it''s actually working! Hahaha! Take that you bureaucratic leaders! Hahaha! Let''s see you writhe in surprise once I show you how good Alexis is!"


    In face of this ghastly sight, Anatta was actually smiling, as if the sight of Alexis in pain was enough to make her feel happy. She did not even act concerned by the amount of blood that burst out of Alexis''s skin, which at this point had already turned the contraption red.


    "Now is the time that you should showcase your worth, clone! Do your best to survive this, so that your existence will be of use!" Anattta shouted in ''encouragement'', as she began looking at Alexis with a manic look. "I promise that I will let you eat more good food after this¡­ Heck, I will even allow you to fool around with some of my prostitures! Just-"


    [[[WARNING! AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT IS ON A CONFIRMED COLLISION COURSE WITH THE OUROBOROS RESEARCH CENTER.  FORCED EVACUATOIN SHALL BE COMMENCED. ANYONE WHO RESISTS WILL BE TAKEN DOWN AND PUT INTO JAIL. PELASE DO NOT RESIST THE EVACUATION. ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: 5 MINUTES]]]


    "What?" Anatta''s enthusiastic thoughts quickly disappeared after she heard this announcement inside her lab, which judging by its volume and pitch, should have been heard by everyone inside the research center.


    [[[WARNING! AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT IS ON A CONFIRMED COLLISION COURSE WITH THE OUROBOROS RESEARCH CENTER.  FORCED EVACUATOIN SHALL BE COMMENCED. ANYONE WHO RESISTS WILL BE TAKEN DOWN AND PUT INTO JAIL. PELASE DO NOT RESIST THE EVACUATION. ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: 4 MINUTES 50 SECONDS]]]


    "What the hell? An unidentified object is hitting this place? How the heck did those guards not even stop it?" Anatta complained inwardly as she realized that her situation was going south much faster than she had expected. "F**k, and they are forcing us to evacuate now? Why did they even go straight to evacuation when they can just destroy the unidentified object? Don''t tell me that they can''t destroy it now?"


    [[[WARNING! AN UNIDENTIFIED OBJECT IS ON A CONFIRMED COLLISION COURSE WITH THE OUROBOROS RESEARCH CENTER.  FORCED EVACUATOIN SHALL BE COMMENCED. ANYONE WHO RESISTS WILL BE TAKEN DOWN AND PUT INTO JAIL. PELASE DO NOT RESIST THE EVACUATION. ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: 4 MINUTES 20 SECONDS]]]


    At this point, Anatta was back to her panicking mode as the notion of an unidentified object hitting her place was enough to rattle her.


    But after a few seconds of analyzing the warning given by the announcement, Anatta''s panic turned into rage as she realized that she was now in a much worse situation!


    "Oh s**t! If a forced evacuation is about to happen, then Alexis'' upgrade will be interrupted! Not only that, there''s also a chance that others might see what I am doing with Alexis too! F**k, this is not good!" Anatta shouted out in panic as she began clutching her head. The full reality of her situation had began sinking on her mind, making Anatta feel heavy in her chest.


    "Oh no¡­ Why should a disaster like this happen when I was about to succeed? Am I really this unlucky? Why-"


    [[[ESTIMATED TIME OF ARRIVAL: 8 SECONDS. CONDOLENCE TO THOSE LEFT BEHIND, THE OUROBOROS RESEARCH CENTER SHALL REMEMBER YOUR SACRIFICE.]]]


    "What? 8 seconds? But it was just 4 minu-"


    "Boom!"


    Out of nowhere, Anatta felt an almighty force impacting against her back, which flung her like a ragdoll towards a nearby wall. She, just like all others who were still stuck inside the research center, was caught unprepared by it.


    She was immediately knocked out upon hitting the wall, with her now floppy body landing on the floor like rag. Whether she was still alive at this point was unknown, as the whole ceiling suddenly fell down on her, covering her body with hundreds of kilos of rocks.


    Alexis was not lucky either,  as he was also caught by the falling ceiling too.

 Chapter 488 - Blood-stained Memories, Part 5

    Pain. Pure pain.


    That was what Anatta felt as she regained her consciousness.


    Her body refused any of her commands to move, as they only responded by giving her more pain.


    "Argh s**t! This hurts!!!!"


    Her eyelids felt like they were attached on some lock, as Anatta found herself unable to open her eyes at all. This, combined with the feeling of drowsiness that is assaulting her, almost brought Anatta to the brink of unconsciousness once more. It was only the pain that kept her awake, although Anatta was not happy on continuing to feel this pain.


    "¡­."


    With her closed eyes, Anatta realized that her body was in no perfect condition at all. Whatever happened with the explosion that knocked her out must have led her to become like this, an incapacitated woman that is at mercy of anything hostile nearby.


    The only reason that Anatta was not panicking now was because she was more worried about her body, which at this point, has still not responded on her pleas to move.


    "Urgh¡­ There''s no denying this, all of my limbs are already busted. I can''t control them at all, and all I feel is pain when I reach out to them¡­" Anatta thought as she struggled to take breath. Since her eyes were still resisting her attempts to be opened, Anatta was still unsure about the overall condition of her body, but since she was still alive, then maybe her injuries were not that bad at all.


    "Since I can still breathe and my mind is still working, then that means that my vital organs are still safe. But how long can I last in this state¡­"


    As time passed by, Anatta was able to regain her calm. She knew that panicking will be of no help at all, as panicking will just make her condition worse. Staying calm is the key, although Anatta was not sure on how being calm can help her out from her predicament.


    "Since I have suffered multiple injuries, then that means that I am bleeding heavily now. Bleeding heavily means that I am losing blood quickly, which is not a good thing for me¡­." Anatta thought as her ears heard the sound of blood dripping from her wounds. "Even with my longevity medicines, I will still die if I lost around 90% of my blood¡­ I''m not sure on how long it will take for me to lose that much blood, but I will certainly reach that point!"


    Once she had reached this conclusion, Anatta''s calm fa?ade began to slowly break as she realized the fate that she was about to face.


    Whether Anatta liked it or not, she will be dying in the next few minutes, and there''s nothing that she can do in order to prevent it!


    "F**k! I must do something to prevent this from happening! I¡­ I cannot just die from blood loss here! But what can I do, when I am paralyzed like this? Call for help? Heh, I can''t even move my eyes, much less my mouth!"


    If Anatta can laugh in despair, she could have already done this at this point. But with her injures, the best that she could do was to cough up blood, something that just worsened her condition.


    "Wait¡­ am I really going to die here? No, this must be a joke¡­ I¡­ I cannot be dying like this! I still have a lot to do! I-"


    "Oh thank goodness you''re still alive Doctor Anatta. I was worried you will be dead." Out of nowhere, an apathetic, but also smug-sounding  voice was suddenly heard by Anatta. "At first I thought you were already dead, but then I saw you breathing! Hehehe, you''re really lucky Doctor Anatta¡­"


    This voice naturally stopped Anatta from her thoughts, as she realized that there was someone who had seen her now.


    And from the looks of it, this person also knew Anatta, which was proven by the fact that she was called by the newcomer with her proper title!


    "Tsk tsk tsk, your body is in a bad condition now, Doctor Anatta. But you''re lucky the falling rocks did not crush your torso. If it were, then you''d be already dead¡­" The owner of the voice said as Anatta heard the sounds of rocks being shifted away from her.


    "Falling rocks? Oh, so the ceiling must have collapsed after I lost my consciousness¡­" Anatta thought to herself as she felt the pressure on some of her limbs disappear. "Oh, so the reason I can''t move my limbs was because they were crushed by rocks¡­ that''s good to know."


    "Yosh, your body is in a really bad shape, Doctor Anatta. But I think that you can still last until the medical team arrives." The owner of the voice said as Anatta now felt a pair of hands grabbing her body. "I don''t know if you''re conscious, but let me apologize for touching your body right now. I just have no choice but to carry you, since there are not stretcher around¡­"


    Pain assaulted Anatta''s body once more as she felt herself being lifted off the ground, with the hands grabbing her applying pressure directly on her body.


    "Ah!"


    If it weren''t for the warning that the speaker just gave her, then Anatta could have fainted instantly from this new pain. Good thing she had been warned, although she still teared up from the mind-splitting agony that festered in her body.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, now that''s a lot of blood pouring out of your wounds. I am also bleeding like you, but mine has already healed¡­" The speaker said as Anatta felt herself being carried gently. This movement brought upon more jolts of pain to Anatta, but this was more manageable compared to before, allowing her to regain her calm.


    As she was being trudged away by her savior, Anatta''s mind began to wander as she started to worry about other things.


    More specifically, on the identity of her savior, who in her opinion was undoubtedly a man.


    "Why¡­ does this man feel familiar to me? The only male that I talked to here was my uncle, and I am sure that this man is not my uncle at all!" This was the main concern that Anatta was dealing with now, as she felt that there was something wrong with her savior." I am sure that this is the first time that I heard my savior''s voice, and yet I could not help but feel like I am used to his voice. Even the way that he moved seems familiar to me, even though I did not touch any man this closely!"


    "Tsk, if I want to know who my savior is, then I should open my eyes first! I''m sure that once I use my vision, I will recognize him!" With this prompt, Anatta began pumping all of her efforts on opening her heavy-lidded eyes.


    Luckily for her, the assistance and comfort that her savior gave reduced the stress on her body, making it easier for Anatta to open her eyes.


    In no time at all, Anatta was able to open her eyelids by a sliver, allowing a burst of light to enter her eyes.


    She slightly shivered from the bombardment of images and glare inside her mind, and it took her a few seconds to adjust her eyes to the new lighting around her.


    Once she felt that her eyes were working fine, Anatta opened it more, with her desire of knowing her savior spurring her resolve to open them.


    "!!!"


    What greeted her newly-opened eyes was the face of her savior, who was looking down at her with an amused expression. There was a smile tugging on his face as Anatta''s eyes became wider, with him actually laughing as Anatta''s body trembled again.


    "Urght¡­."


    "Doctor Anatta, don''t make any noises like that. You should focus on stabilizing your body." The savior, whose face turned out be Alexis'', said as he shook his head. "You are the one who allowed me to reach this stage, so I am grateful to you. So please don''t die, for that will make me sad¡­"


    "Urght rught!"


    "I know, I know. You must be surprised that I am acting like a normal human here. I am surprised too, since I did not expect myself to become like this¡­" Alexis said as he let out a wry smile. "Allowing a clone to have a fully functioning human consciousness should have been impossible, and yet here I am talking to you like we were friends¡­"


    "Ught!"


    "Hahaha, maybe you can solve this mystery in the future, Doctor Anatta. After all, you''re the one who made me like this¡­" Alexis continued to say as he ignored Anatta''s grunts. "Of course  that''s under the premise that you will be fully healed¡­"


    "Urght!"

 Chapter 489 - Blood-stained Memories, Part 6

    MINUTES LATER


    "Yo,  Doctor Anatta. It''s time for you to wake up. The rescue team is already nearby."


    "Hngrh ung ghr?"


    "You lost consciousness when you saw my face. I''m not sure why you reacted like that, but fortunately you managed to hold on."


    "Grh!"


    "Yeah, yeah, I will explain everything to you once you''re healed. But for now, we should get you treated. You already look like a corpse, and I don''t want you to end up as one."


    "Urgh!"


    "No more grunting, Doctor Anatta. The rescuers might think we''re doing something naughty¡­ You don''t want them to think of that, right?"


    "Urgh!"


    "¡­Okay, so you won''t stay quiet. Good luck grunting then, Doctor Anatta."


    "Urgh!"


    These two ''conversing'' people were no other than Alexis and Anatta, who were both lying on the ground.


    Both of them had injuries in their bodies, with Alexis sporting numerous lacerations on his skin, and Anatta still bleeding profusely from her wounds and crushed limbs.


    Alexis was visibly in a much better condition, but even he appeared to be in pain with his wounds. He was occasionally smirking and grimacing while he moved his body. The act of him carrying Anatta earlier seemed to have taken a toll on him, as he could not muster the strength to even prop himself up.


    As for Anatta, she was still shocked by the change in Alexis, so much so that she had forgotten the immense pain in her body.


    Her eyes could only stare at Alex with an accusing look, as if she was saying ''Who the f**k are you, and why are you acting like a normal person?''


    Alexis seemed to have read Anatta''s thougths, which led to him giving her a tight-lipped smile.


    "As I told you Doctor Anatta, I do not know why I suddenly gained this kind of awareness. Before you did your ''upgrade'' to me, I have no idea on who I am or on why I even live. It was only after you did your thing that I managed to become like this¡­"


    "Urgh!"


    "I know, I know, Doctor Anatta. What happened to me is impossible, since it has never happened before. But look at me now. I am thinking, therefore I am existing! You can''t deny that I am functioning like a normal person now, Doctor Anatta. So just¡­ accept it. You succeeded on where the others failed. You managed to  breathe life on a clone! Shouldn''t you be happier?"


    "Urgh!"


    "Okay, okay, you seem to be angrier compared to before. Fine, I will stop talking to you. Maybe if I get quiet you will be calmer¡­"


    "Urgh urgh urgh!"


    "Hahaha! What''s with that glare, Doctor Anatta? Are you-"


    "HANDS UP WHERE WE CAN SEE THEM, CLONE! THIS IS THE IMPERIAL ARMY, AND YOU TWO  ARE UNDER ARREST FOR SUSPICION OF BOMBING THIS PLACE! RESIST US, AND YOU WILL BE DEALT WITH ACCORDINGLY!"


    Instead of a rescue team, what arrived to the research center was a fleet of armored soldiers. These people, who called themselves as the Imperial Army, surrounded Alexis and Anatta with their guns pointed at the two.


    The one leading this fleet was a silver-armored old man, who judging by the medals attached on his chest, was a high-ranking General of the Imperial Army. This   person was also the one  who just uttered the arrest warrant to Alex and Anatta, with his voice amplified by the loudspeaker he held on his hands.


    This General''s face was filled with derision and contempt as he observed Alexis'' and Anatta''s injured bodies, with the soldiers around him looking at the two with hostility.


    There was no doubt that if this General orders his soldiers to shoot the Alexis and Anatta, they will surely do it. Fortunately for the two, this General seemed to have no interest on killing them. Yet.


    "I DON''T SEE ANY SIGNS OF SURRENDERING FROM YOU TWO! ARE YOU TRYING TO RESIST MY COMMAND?"


    "¡­"


    "I SAID, HANDS UP WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!"


    "Pardon, General, but we are too injured to raise our hand-"


    "!!! HOW DARE YOU TALK BACK TO ME, CLONE? DO YOU  KNO- WAIT, HOW COULD YOU TALK TO ME? Y-YOU''RE JUST A CLONE! YOU SHOULD NOT BE ABLE TO DO THAT!"


    "Well, I just did it, duh. You heard it perfectly, right?"


    "Y-Y-YOU¡­."


    "So how about it, General? You can see that I am wounded, and Doctor Anatta is at the brink of death. There''s no way that we can just raise our hands. But don''t worry. We are accepting your arrest. After all, there''s no way that we can escape with your current condition. But we''re innocent, so I hope you treat us wel¡­""


    "WH-WHAT? ARE YOU REALLY A CLONE?"


    "Why yes I am, General. Look at my face, I look just as handsome as Emperor Litch, right?"


    "¡­."


    "Don''t give me that look General. I may be a pretty boy, but I don''t swing that way. Thicc girls are all I want, and sadly, you don''t fit that criteria."


    "¡­"


    "Is there any problem, General? You seem to be turning red. Wait, don''t tell me¡­ you''re having an allergic reaction here? Tsk, tsk, you should have brought your Ipipen here¡­"


    "SOLDIERS! CHANGE OF PLANS! L-LOCK THIS CLONE AND THAT RESEARCHER ON THE DUNGEON! WE SHOULD NOT LET ANYONE ELSE KNOW ABOUT THEIR EXISTENCE!"  The General, who was now sporting a look of horror on his face, suddenly said as he pulled out a crystal card on his pocket.


    He looked at the crystal card for a second, before he looked back at Anatta and Alexis with a wary glare. Once he had ascertained that the two were still alive, the General gave a grim look to his soldiers, who just looked as confused as him.


    "MAKE SURE THAT NO INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TWO WILL LEAK TO OTHERS. IF I DISCOVER THAT ONE OF YOU LEAKED THIS INFO, I WILL JUDGE YOU WITH A DEATH PENATLY! DO YOU ALL UNDERSTAND THAT, SOLDIERS?"


    "Ye-yes, General!" The soldiers replied as they began swarming all over Alexis and Anatta with a variety of objects and apparatus.


    These objects, which looked vaguely similar to some of the equipment used in the research institute, were quickly used by the soldiers to secure and contain Anatta and Alexis.


    "Oi, don''t touch me in my legs. My junk is still there, and it''s sensitive. You don''t want me getting a stiffy, right?"


    "Urgh urgh!"


    The two initially struggled from the rough handling by the soldiers, but their current injuries and the sheer amount of soldiers arresting them had led to the two being easily taken by the Imperial Army.


    "¡­."


    The General, whose red face had begun to cool down, discreetly wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead as he observed Anatta and Alexis being  loaded on to the deposit section of their ship.


    He appeared to be both nervous and excited from the arrest that he just made, with his trembling fingers showcasing how emotional he is right now.


    "THIS IS UNPRECEDENTED¡­. SOMEONE HAS ACTUALLY MANAGED TO MAKE A CLONE FULLY CONSCOIUS? IF THIS IS TRUE, THEN THIS WILL BE A GOOD THING FOR THE IMPERIAL ARMY!" The General thought to himself as he absent-mindedly rode his ship. "IF THIS IS REAL, THEN WE CAN USE IT TO CREATE EXPENDABLE SOLDIERS! HEHEHE, THERE''S NO NEED FOR THE IMPERIAL ARMY TO WORRY ABOUT THEIR SOLDIERS ANYMORE. WE CAN JUST CREATE FULLY CONSCIOUS SOLDIERS ON THE FLY! ONCE WE REACH THAT STAGE, THEN WE CAN CONQUER MORE TERRITORIES FOR EMPEROR LITCH WITHOUT ANY WORRIES! HAHAHA! GLORY TO THE EMPEROR!"


    "Sir, should we tell the other Generals about your discovery?" One of the soldiers standing close to the General said, which forced the General to stop his happy thoughts. "Even if you told us to not leak the info, the other Generals will still have their ways to know what happened here. I-if they knew that you discovered a special clone without even consulting them, they might all get angry¡­"


    "SOLDIER, DO YOU THINK I AM AN IDIOT?"


    "No General! I do not!"


    "IF YOU DON''T THINK THAT I AM AN IDIOT, THEN DON''T YOU DARE QUESTION MY DECISIONS! DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?"


    "Y-yes General!"


    "3,000 ONE-FINGERED PUSH-UPS, RIGHT NOW!"


    "Hai!"


    As the poor solider began to perform his 3,000 one-fingered push-ups, the General retreated to his mind once more as he considered what the solider just said.


    "THIS SOLIDER IS RIGHT¡­ EVEN WITH MY SECURITY, THE OTHER GENERALS WILL STILL DISCOVER THIS CLONE. " The General grimaced as he reached this conclusion, with his gnarly face turning more hideous. "IT WILL AT LEAST TAKE THEM A FEW HOURS TO FIGURE EVERYTHING OUT, WHICH IS NOT ENOUGH TIME FOR ME TO BENEFIT FROM THIS CLONE. HMM, SINCE THINGS WILL GO LIKE THIS, THEN WHAT SHOULD I DO TO MAXIMIZE MY BENEFITS?"


    "Tap tap tap."


    The General then tapped his chin impatiently , as he began to think of a possible solution to his problem.


    It took him around a minute to sort all of his possible actions, which just coincided with the poor solider making 300 one-fingered push-ups.


    As the poor soldier began to sweat from the workout, the General suddenly began laughing, with his face turning red again.


    "AHA! IF I CAN''T BENEFIT FROM THIS ALONE, THEN I WILL JUST PRESENT THIS CLONE TO EMPEROR LITCH HIMSELF! HEHEHEHE, I''M NOT REALLY SURE ON HOW EMPEROR LITCH WILL REACT, BUT HE WILL SURELY BE HAPPY!" The General exclaimed as his face turned redder and redder. He appeared to be extremely pleased with what he just said, that he even ignored the odd looks give to him by the other soldiers.


    "WITH THIS CLONE, I''M SURE THAT EMPEROR LITCH WILL BEGIN FAVORING ME! HAHAHA, JUST YOU WAIT, XETO!  I, GENERAL ARTHUR, WILL BE THE ONE WHO WILL BE EMPEROR LITCH''S RIGHT HAND MAN!"

 Chapter 490 - Summon the Emperor!

    "SOLDIERS, MAKE SURE THAT THE CLONE AND THE RESEARCHER WILL NOT ESCAPE! THEY ARE-"


    ***************


    [[[TIME LEFT UNTIL EMPEROR LITCH ARRRIVES: 10 SECONDS]]]


    [[[TIME LEFT UNTIL SIERRA SUCCEEDS ON POSSESSION: 15 MINUTES 25 SECONDS]]]


    Alex, who spent the last 5 seconds on surfing on his past memories, was currently in a daze. His awareness was not as sharp as it was before, making him look like a ghost with no personality at all.


    Alex lost track of everything around him, as his mind was fully preoccupied with observing his past. Even when Golden Alex began shouting to him with various curses, Alex still did not budge.


    It was only when Golden Alex began slapping himself that Alex was roused from his daydream.


    "Pa pa pa!"


    The pain of these slaps allowed Alex to break free from his memories, which brought him back to the present time.


    "Alex, now is not the time to reminisce about the past! It''s your time to battle, so keep your wits where it should be!" Golden Alex, whose face was slightly ashen from what just happened to Alex, angrily said as he rubbed his now reddened cheeks. "Tsk, of all the times that you can be sentimental, why are you  doing it now? You should just reserve on doing this for later!"


    "¡­I''m sorry about that. I just could not help but remember what happened to me before." Alex, who had now regained his clarity, sullenly replied as he let out a sigh. "It''s just hard to ignore my past, especially when my number 1 enemy is about to arrive. My whole past is tied to Emperor Litch, you know? There''s just no way that I can ignore my history once I start fighting him¡­"


    "I know, I know, original. You don''t need to explain yourself anymore." Golden Alex said as he raised his hands. "Since you are back to the right time, why don''t you just prepare for the Emperor''s arrival? That''s what you came here after all¡­"


    "Krakathoom!"


    Right after Golden Alex gave this reminder, a dreadful aura, reminiscent of that of a malicious ritual, began to emanate on the whole area. This was accompanied by the release of a thunder-like sound, which was heard by almost everyone in the world.


    "Krakathoom!"


    As they heard this sound, Golden Alex did not waste time as he began tensing himself, as he and Alex knew what was about to happen next.


    Sure enough, when Golden Alex looked at the direction of the descending palm, he saw what Alex had expected to see.


    A summoning portal, which was only the size of a person, was currently floating on top of the Summoner Supreme Puppet, with its edges glinting like the rising sun.


    Globules of what looked like to be golden liquid continuously flowed out of the edges of the portals, making it have a majestic, yet somewhat rustic look.


    This summoning portal was the source of the dreadful aura and the thunder-like sound from earlier, which seemed to be increasing as time passed by.


    The surface of the portal''s body, which was  the passageway for what was supposed to come out of it, was currently rippling like the waves on a storm-ridden sea.


    This rippling indicated that the portal was extremely unstable, and if something passes through it right now, the portal will inevitably collapse.


    Golden Alex let out a disappointed ''tsk'' as he saw this ripples, with his disappointment seemingly directed towards the Summoner Supreme Puppet.


    "Tsk, the most important skill that a  Summoner should have is the ability to create a STABLE summoning portal! If you can''t make one, then your summoning will fail!" Golden Alex muttered as he looked at the portal with derision. He seemed to have forgotten the real purpose of this portal, as his attention was now focused on berating the Summoner Supreme Puppet.


    "When I saw your cool moves earlier, I thought that you are the real deal! But with a summoning portal like that? Girl, not even a chicken can cross through that alive! Why don''t you just-"


    "For the Emperor!" The three Supreme Puppets, who were still standing on the path of the descending palm, shouted these three words with intense zealotry as their orifices began to bleed.


    They were ignoring everything that was happening around them, and this included the insults that Golden Alex just said.


    "Glu glu glu¡­"


    All the blood that came out of their bodies quickly clumped altogether, forming a scarlet blood bead around the size of a human head. This blood bead looked exactly just like a red bowling ball, except for the fact that it does not have any holes.


    The blood bead''s vibrant red color, coupled with the frightening life-force inside it, made it a high-class treasure that was enough to incite greed to the powerhouses that saw it.


    None of them however made a move to grab the still-growing blood bead, as each one of them knew that doing so will just incur the wrath of the Supreme Puppets. Besides, the blood bead was also in the path of the descending palm; there''s no way that they will grab the blood bead in a situation like this.


    "¡­"


    Once the blood bead has fully formed, the three Supreme Puppets began to sway in their place, with their pale faces staring at the blood bead with awe.


    The Supreme Puppets'' act of giving out blood seemed to have reduced their power, as everyone could feel the power of the Supreme Puppets regressing at a drastic rate.


    In Golden Alex''s estimation, each of the Supreme Puppets are now just as strong as  Peak Fifth Stage Practitioners, a level of power that is of no problem to him at all.


    "Shua!"


    Once there was no more blood fed to it, the blood bead was grabbed by the Summoner Supreme Puppet. She cradled it like a baby for a second, before she threw it towards her summoning portal!


    "With the Life Essence of your servants, I, the Arcane Summoner Eris, implore you, o Great Emperor Litch to come!" The Summoner Supreme Puppet shouted this chant as the summoning portal ''swallowed'' the blood bead.  "With our blood as your guide, allow us to connect with you!"


    "Krakathoom!"


    Another thunderous sound was released by the summoning portal as the blood bead inside it began to explode.


    This explosion, which was akin to that of a bomb, immediately shattered the rippling surface of the portal. Like a mirror that was hit by a punch, cracks began to cover the whole surface of the portal, with the energy from the explosion leaking like water from these cracks.


    This leakage should have reduced the damage caused by the explosion on the portal, but before it could even start healing itself, another Blood Bead was suddenly thrown at the portal.


    "Ha!"


    This blood bead came from the direction of the three Supreme Puppets, who at this point had their strengths regressed to that of Peak Fourth Stage Beings.


    There was no doubt that they have created another Blood Bead from their own life force, which led to them having their strengths reduced once more.


    "Krakathoom!"


    The explosion this time did not allow the portal'' s surface to stay intact anymore.


    Shards of the portal''s surface were ejected outwards like a cannon,  leaving nothing on the portal''s surface but an empty, gaping hole.


    This destruction caused another bout of damage on the Summoner Supreme Puppet, who was now vomiting her insides. She seemed to be heavily affected by the destruction of the portal''s surface, although there were no signs of worry on her face as she continued on vomiting.


    "With my sacrifice of my power, I created a path for you to descend! Now, enter this world and display your might, o Great Emperor Litch!"

 Chapter 491 - Conquerors Aura!(Must read chapter!!!)

    This chapter will be a summary of Emperor Litch''s powers, which can make reading the next chapters easier. I don''t want to explain things anymore during the fight, so I will just put some of the facts here.


    From what this story has said, Emperor Litch''s power lies on the path of cultivating the Conqueror''s Aura.


    The more territories that Emperor Litch conquered, the stronger his Conqueror''s Aura will get. Not only that, but the amount of people under his control also strengthens his Conqueror''s Aura.


    So in short, the power of Conqueror''s Aura(CA) is proportional to the area of land(L) conquered, multiplied by the amount of people(P) taken under control.


    CA ¦Á (L x P)


    So far, there are already at least 3 powerful applications of Conqueror''s Aura that had been said in this story.


    1st : Emperor Litch''s Conqueror''s Aura alllows him to ''enslave'' or control any sentient beings. As long as these beings were exposed to large doses of his Conqueror''s Aura, they will quickly act as the Emperor''s loyal subjects.


    The limits and disadvanages of this application was not yet mentioned on the story, although it can be said if a sentient being has a lower Stage of Power compared to Emperor Litch, then this being will be easily ''enslaved'' by him.


    It was still unknown if the effects of this enslavement is temporary or permanent, as there was still no mention of this.


    2nd : The Conqueror''s Aura can also be used to manipulate matter around its user, an abilty which had been demonstrated by Alex. Emperor Litch was not shown using this application, although it can be said that he can also do it, since Alex had done it too.


    Any kind of matter can be manipulated in all sorts of ways, as long as the amount of Conqueror''s Aura used was still sufficient. Energy seemed to be also affected by this application, although the story had not yet shown this happening.


    3rd : Inside his own territories, Emperor Litch can use his Conqueror''s Aura to manipulate its Laws, allowing him to do miraculous and extraordinary things that nobody can perform.


    This applications is the strongest power that the Conqueror''s Aura can provide Emperor Litch, as there was just near limitless applications of it.


    Even Alex, with his ''weak'' Fifth Stage Conqueror''s Aura, was able to bend the laws of physics on his will. What more can Emperor Litch do with this power, when he already had many years of experience with it?

 Chapter 492 - A Golden Sea

    "Boom!"


    After chanting these words, the Summoner Supreme Puppet''s body suddenly exploded.


    This explosion left nothing from the Summoner but millions of pieces of her body,  which was quickly devoured by the portal.


    "Weng~"


    Whatever the Summoner wanted to do with her sacrifice must have worked, as the portal began to shake after devouring her body.


    The formerly empty hole on the portal''s surface started to change,  with a golden, shimmering mirror appearing on its place.


    This mirror, which appeared to have both the properties of liquid and solid, started to ripple like a disturbed sea surface.


    Those experts in portals including Golden Alex began to scoff upon seeing these ripples, as they thought that the portal was back to its unstable state. After all, seeing ripples on a portal was an indication of instability on the portal''s spatial coordinates!


    These people however were wrong, as these new ripples were nothing like the ripples before.


    These ripples were here not because they were too unstable. These ripples were here, because there was someone passing through the portal right now!


    "Hula hula hula~"


    A human leg, which was covered with golden pants and golden shoes, could be seen coming out of the portal''s body.


    The ripples on the portal''s body was produced by the passage of this leg, with each movement of the leg creating enough force to disturb the portal.


    As this leg made its appearance, the whole Four Moons World shook, with the whole sky turning into a shade of dazzling gold.


    All the conflicts that were happening in the whole world went into a standstill at this point, as everyone''s attention gravitated towards the golden leg.


    The surviving Generals and Supreme Puppets all teared up upon seeing this leg, with their tears decorating their faces as they continued on doing their tasks.


    The inhabitants of the Four Moons World  suddenly had an urge to kneel as the leg appeared, with their minds filled with thought of devotion and hope.


    Black Alex only let out a snort at the sight of the golden leg, with his eyes narrowing on what looked like to be sheer irritation.


    As for Alex and his other allies, they were all staring at the leg with interest too, although their gazes were not filled with the devotion that the Generals and this world''s inhabitant''s had.


    "Took you long enough, old man." Golden Alex muttered, with his eyes twitching as he took in the glorious coloring of the golden pant leg. "I''ve been waiting for you to come already! Do you even know how hungry I am right now?"


    As if to respond to Golden Alex''s comment, the golden leg slightly paused for a second like it was taunting him. Before Golden Alex could make sense of this pause, the leg suddenly shot forward, dragging the body that was connected to it!


    "Swoosh~"


    As this leg fully made its way through the portal, the other leg began to cross too, which was then followed by the torso and the two arms. The portal just continued its rippling as these objects crossed, with each following ripple much stronger than the one before.


    The last thing to pass through the portal was the head, which looked human-like just like the other body parts.


    "¡­."


    Head, arms, torso, and legs. All of these body parts, which just passed through the portal, were obviously connected to one another.


    This connection  makes it obvious that someone just passed through the portal, and judging by the way that everyone reacted, the person who just arrived was undeniablty an extremely important individual.


    As for who thsi person was, there was no need to make any guesses. Just one look at this person''s face was enough to reveal his identity, and Alex of course was familiar with it!


    Who else could this new arrival be but Emperor Litch?


    " I was just sleeping until now, and this is what I see when my servants rudely woke me up? Sigh, you should have timed yourselves better¡­ " Emperor Litch said as he went straight to talking. He seemed to be not worried about all the battles happening around him, as he just continued talking in a bored tone.


    Judging by the yawn that he emitted as he talked, he seemed to be telling the truth. He must have indeed been sleeping, although nobody was quite sure on why he had the gall to say it here.


    After all, one of his Supreme Puppets just sacrificed herself to summon him, and him saying that he have been rudely woken up is not a good thing to mention at this time¡­.


    Whether Ray or the other Supreme Puppet was angered by these words were unknown, as these two were currently kneeling.


    Alex and Golden Alex were of course pissed, and they did nothing to hide the glare that they are now pouring in full blast towards the Emperor.


    " Hmm, so aside from Alex, there''s a number of other renegades that needs some disciplining ." The Emperor said as he cricked his neck. " So, how many enemies are there? There-  Wait, why are there four versions of Alex here? Are they also clones? Why is there a World Tree roosting on this world? Why are the Cosmic Guards here? And why am I seeing a World Soul possessing this world? "


    The previously lethargic tone from Emperor Litch turned into an alert one, as he seemed to have realized the current situation.  Gone was the bored look on the Emperor''s face, as he was now more preoccupied on making sense of what just happened.


    " Ray, what the hell did you just allow to happen? Didn''t I tell you to make sure that things won''t escalate here? "


    "Forgive me, Emperor! I tried my best, but our enemies were just too sly for me!" Ray the Supreme Puppet exclaimed as he lowered his kneeling stance. "I am happy receiving any punishment from you, as this is my fault!"


    " Tsk, useless miscreant. I told you a simple instruction, and you still did not follow it? Tsk, I shall punish you, but what will be for later¡­ "


    "Thank you Emperor for your kindness! You really are the greatest of them all!"


    " Yeah, yeah, yeah, I really am the greatest. There''s no need for you to say it¡­. " Even when Emperor LItch said these words with a disappointed face, the amused tone on his voice made it obvious that he was enjoying the praises.


    The nervousness that Emperor Litch had earlier were also gone at this point, making it appear that the Emperor had already recovered from his shock.


    Whatever panic that he had earlier cannot be seen anymore, making the Emperor return to his extremely glorious look.


    This of course ticked Golden Alex, who could only watch in jealousy as all the praises meant for a Conqueror were being poured on Emperor Litch alone.


    "So you''re still wearing my handsome face? Tsk, tsk, tsk. I knew that your soul is terribly damaged now, but you still held on to my appearance? How deplorable!" Golden Alex shouted towards Empeor LItch. "I don''t like you wearing my face! It just makes me sick!"


    " ¡­Oh, right. You''re actually there. Fancy meeting you here. " Emperor Litch said nonchalantly as he swiveled his head towards Golden Alex. " Did you say that you don''t like me wearing your face? Well if you want it back, then you should take it back from me."


    "You!"


    " Oh what''s this? A palm made up of the Laws of the Abyss? Interesting¡­ " Emperor Litch said as he ignored Golden Alex. He was now looking at the palm attack unleashed by Black Alex, who was about to hit him and his Supreme Puppets. " Hmm, if it was used on me outside my territory, then I might be killed by it. But here? Heh, tis palm is nothing but a plaything to me!"


    "Boom!"


    With a sound akin to an explosion, all the Conqueror''s Aura contained inside Emperor Litch''s body displayed itself to everyone, covering the whole sky with a dazzling golden glow.


    Nobody in the whole world could tear their gaze away from the Emperor, as the mere appearance of his Conqueror''s Aura was enough to enchant almost everyone.


    "F**k, what the hell is this? How could this be¡­ this powerful?" Golden Alex could only have a slack-jawed expression on his face as he felt the full force of the released Conqueror''s Aura. His c.o.c.ky expression was reduced to confusion as he felt himself swimming in a golden sea.


    Compared to this sea, Golden Alex felt like he was an insignificant person, someone who had no use in life.


    "What the f**k¡­. Even with all the territories that he conquered, the Conqueror''s Aura inside Emperor Litch should not be this strong!" Golden Alex and Alex thought to themselves as they did their best to not be pushed out by the released aura. This attempt proved to be futile, as the two quickly found themselves swept around like a boat capsized on a stormy sea.


    "Why is Emperor LItch''s Conqueror''s Aura this strong? It feels like¡­ he was just as strong as the Great TimeMaster!"

 Chapter 493 - All Laws are nothing but trash to me!

    "I devoured half of his soul and half of his Conqueror''s Aura¡­. With that kind of damage, his power should not be like this!" Alex, who was feeling the effects of Emperor Litch''s Conqueror''s Aura even when he was inside his mindscape, exclaimed in an angry tone.


    "Even if he had a lot of territories and people under him, his power should at most be only around Sixth Stage!" Golden Alex added as his body began to flip upside down within the Golden Sea. "But this power that Emperor Litch is emitting now¡­ this is clearly a Half-Step Transcendent level of power! How could this happen?"


    While Alex and Golden Alex were still struggling to get out of the roiling power that they were embroiled in, Emperor Litch began to make his move, with his first target no other than the descending palm.


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Abyss Magic Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!


    "All Abyss Abilities shall be reduced to nothing here! Now, begone, filthy palm!"


    **************


    "Shuo¡­."


    Like a candle doused with water, the black palm which was filled with ferocity began to fizzle in face of Emperor Litch''s [DECLARATION].


    The malicious aura that it had earlier amounted to nothing in face of Emperor Litch''s might, reducing it into nothing but scraps of Abyss Energy that were expelled to the atmosphere.


    Black Alex began to cough up blood as the black palm disappeared, with the last crystal he was holding in his palm shattering into dust.


    "Begone! Begone! Begone!"


    Even if the Four Moons World had no soul and it is still under the siege by Sierra, it seemed to have gained a life of its own as it began expressing a sentiment to suppress Black Alex.


    "Kehok!"


    Black Alex''s whole body began to convulse as his shapeshifting powers from earlier disappeared, revealing his original face. As for his multi-colored Abyss Pillar, it was directly suppressed by the Laws of this world, leaving Black Alex with no choice but to keep it back inside him.


    Massive palms filled with worldly power then began pressing down on Black Alex, making him look like a paper squashed by a large piece of metal.


    No matter what Black Alex tried to do, he was unable to use his power or even make an attack.


    This set of events made everyone tense, as they realized that whatever Emperor Litch said earlier, it was enough to give the Four Moons World the ability to suppress Black Alex!


    "Oh s**t..." Upon seeing Black Alex''s condition, both Alex and Golden Alex began to curse, as they realized what Emperor Litch just did.


    "So by using his Conqueror''s Aura, Emperor Litch decided to ban the existence of Abyss Power here in the Four Moons World? This¡­ this is clearly a cheating skill!" Alex growled angrily. "Only those who had reached the peak can manipulate the Laws to even the conceptual level! For Emperor Litch to be able to do something like this is just¡­"


    "Tsk, since the Four Moons World is already under the Undying Empire, then Emperor Litch can do what the hell he wants here. And that includes changing the powers accepted in this world¡­" Golden Alex somberly said as he cut off Alex. "So don''t expect things to go easy from now on. If my guess is right, Emperor Litch''s next move shall be¡­"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Esper Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!


    "If you Espers want to do your s**t, do it on your planet, not here!"


    **************


    "Boom!"


    Another set of translucent palms rose out of the ground, which then slithered toward their new targets, specifically Alina and Blue Alex.


    These two were the bonafide Espers in this world, and with Emperor Litch declaring the ban of Esper Powers in this world, Alina and Blue Alex were now considered to be at the same status as Black Alex.


    "Skrii!"


    With her unyielding attitude, Alina did not just let herself be captured by these hands. She unleashed the strongest Esper Attack that she can use, which was a blade slash capable of slashing through numerous dimensions, including parallel worlds.


    The space where this slasH went through disappeared like they were history, leaving nothing but spatial rifts on its wake.


    An almighty crack resounded on the whole world as the blade slash clashed with the hands leaving everyone shaking deep into their bones.


    But even this powerful slash was unable to subvert the laws put down by Emperor Litch.


    "Kra!"


    The hands just tore the blade slash like it was just made of paper, creating shockwaves that vaporized the air around them. Once this well-placed attack was utterly demolished, the hands quickly subdued Alina before she can make another attack.


    " That was impressive, little Esper. If you weren''t allied with my clone, then I will offer you a place among my concubines. It''s just too bad that you chose to be my enemy¡­" Emperor Litch said with sorrow as he gave a l.u.s.tful look on Alina, who was now pinned down by the hands. " But don''t be sad. Once I finishes dealing with my filthy clone, I will take you back to my royal harem. Hehehe, we will have a lot of fun there¡­ "


    "Skrum!"


    It was Blue Alex''s turned to be pinned down at this point, with his attack encompassed by the manipulation of Weak-Strong Force also destroyed by the hands.


    Even when this latest attack of his was an explosion that can vaporize a planet, it was still extinguished quickly by Emperor Litch''s Laws.


    "You two obviously are not like clones made from flesh. You two seem to be¡­ the representation of the Power Systems themselves. Interesting¡­" This was what Emperor Litch said after he stared at Black Alex and Blue Alex, who were both paralyzed by the hands. "I wonder how Alex were able to make you live. Hehehe, I can just find it out later once I deal with the clone¡­"


    "Oh s**t, the Emperor really is not slacking out. He''s clearly aiming to kill me here!" Alex said after witnessing what the Emperor just did. "Even if he had found a way to make himself stronger, the manipulation of the Laws that he just did here should have drained a lot out of him. He should not be able to keep this up for long!"


    "I agree with that, original." Golden Alex commented as he closed his eyes. "Even with the aid of Conqueror''s Aura, manipulating the Laws to this extent will always be strenuous for Emperor Litch¡­"


    After Golden Alex said this, he began to shake his head a helpless smile appeared on his face.


    " In my opinion, I think that right now, Emperor LItch will be unable to manipulate any more Laws. The stress that he is having right now is too much, that manipulating more laws will be impossible for him!" Golden Alex muttered, with his voice getting softer and softer with each word that he said. "That should be a good thing for us, but since Emperor Litch suppressed Black Alex and Blue Alex first, then our firepower against him is now limited."


    "But at least he won''t be able to suppress any other powers now, right?" Alex thought as he seemed to have not lost the optimistic vibe that he had earlier. "As long as he does not suppress him, then we can still win-"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Immortal Cultivation Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!


    "There will be no more Immortals roaming this world starting today!"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Chronomancy Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!


    "Ugh, you TimeMasters already have your own world. Why don''t you just stay there?"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Superhuman Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!


    "All those fake heroes will be nothing but normal people here!"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Dark Magic Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!


    "This kind of filthy magic is not allowed to exist here, so go back to where you belong!"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that all World Trees shall be rooted out from this world starting today!


    "No tree shall be allowed to soil in my territory, so scram back to outer space, you overgrown weed!"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Holy Order Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!


    "You hypocritical angels should just go back to where you belong! This is my territory, so get out!"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Spear God Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!


    "Go stick your large stick somewhere else!"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Spiritualist Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!"


    "Little girl, you are not even allowed to be here. Just go back to your home, okay?"


    **************


    "I, the great Emperor Litch, declares that the Mysterious Power System is non-existent in this world from now on!"


    "Little boy, why don''t you just join me under my banner. I promise you, as long as you use your triplication power on me, I will give you with everything that you want!"


    **************


    "Oh s**t."


    [[[Author''s Note]]]: Well, that''s a lot of power systems suppressed right there. I hope that won''t be too much for our main characters.

 Chapter 494 - Star Mech

    Under the intense glow of the sunlight, Emperor Litch''s visage appeared to be almighty. That much can be said to be true from his supporters, who were all crying in delight after the Emperor did these miraculous acts.


    For Alex and his allies however, what just transpired was something that came out of a nightmare.


    All the new targets uttered by Emperor Litchs'' declarations were all suppressed too, with Delia, Milo, and Tong''er pinned on the ground, while Queen Mother was forcefully pulled out of the ground before getting smashed like a bat on a nearby mountain.


    The tree woman''s body went immediately limp at this point, which made the nearby Alina let out an angered whimper.


    "¡­So I was mistaken again. Emperor Litch actually had a reservoir meant for more uses of his Conqueror''s Aura¡­" Golden Alex whispered as he observed the now limitless amounts of hands pinning his allies. Each one of these hands represented a law modified by Emperor Litch, something that Golden Alex had no way of changing now.


    He can only watch as Emperor Litch loomed all over them with his l.u.s.trous body, with the latter''s face filled with an expression of smugness.


    Before Alex could try to think of a way out of their dilemma, Emperor Litc began to make his declarations again.


    This time however, the target of his declarations were different.


    *****************


    I, the Great Emperor Litch, hereby declares an upgrade to all the Four Moon Powers present in this world!


    Symbolist, Celestials, Devourers, and Soul Manifesters, all your powers are stronger now!


    *****************


    I, the Great Emperor Litch, hereby declares an upgrade to all the powers of my Generals!


    My lovely generals, you have served well, delaying these miscreants. Now reap in the power of my blessings, and show your wrath on them!"


    *****************


    I, the Great Emperor Litch, hereby declares an upgrade to all the powers of my Supreme Puppets!


    Ray and StarDust Reaper, you are both lucky that Wendy did not require your lives to instantly summon me¡­ Since you two are still alive, then use your f**king power to kill my enemies!


    *****************


    "Boom"


    Just like what had happened earlier, the effects of what Emperor Litch said was instantaneous.


    Instead of having numerous set of hands however, what appeared was a shower of snowflakes, which fell directly on the people targeted by Emperor Litch''s ''beneficial'' manipulation.


    All these people shouted after the snowflakes hit their bodies, with their auras spilling out of their bodies in a volatile fashion.


    These people then began to show signs of intense strengthening, with their displayed power climbing at a rate that can only be considered to be freakish.


    In short, these people were visibly getting stronger. A fact which Alex was not happy about.


    "¡­Oh right, if Emperor Litch can suppress his enemies, then he can use the Laws to strengthen his allies too. How great¡­" Alex muttered as he felt a metaphorical shift in the whole battlefield. "Well, if it were me in his shoes, I would have done the same thing too¡­"


    "Hey! Why did you just come now? I was waiting for you since earlier!" Malthus, who was under the siege by the Cosmic Guard since earlier, shouted these words as his body began to bulge.


    He seemed to be one of the recipients of Emperor Litch''s upgrades, which was made obvious by the changes on his body.


    The size increase of his body was accompanied by a great surge of power, making Malthus reach a level of strength much higher compared to before. As for how strong he is now, the only way to measure it was not experience it directly!


    "Boom!" With this upgrade in this strength, the attacks unleashed by the Cosmic Guards were unable to affect Malthus anymore. All these spatial and fractal beams bounced of his skin like basketball, making him look like a large reflective basin.


    "When we met each other in the last world, you told me that our alliance will be a close one. But what the hell is this? You just allowed me to be peppered by these Cosmic Guards while you waste your time sleeping?" Malthus roared out in irritation as he glared at Emperor Litch. "Is this your version of alliance?"


    "¡­.Oh f**k. Now things just got worse." Alex muttered after hearing the words that Malthus just said. "I thought having our powers  sealed are already bad. Now there''s this guy too? S**t!"


    There was no denying it now. Malthus and Emperor Litch actually formed an alliance, something that must have been made in order to deal with Alex!


    "This s***Y Emperor certainly did a lot to prepare against me¡­ Even I find this impressive." Alex muttered as Malthus continued to glower at the Emperor. "You sealed my power, and you strengthened the power of your allies. What''s next after this, you will make them attack us? Heh, why don''t you be the one to attack first¡­"


    Instead of looking at the complaining Malthus, Emperor Litch turned his gaze on the spacesh.i.p.s hovering above him.


    More specifically, the Emperor was looking at the planet-sized mothership, which was still releasing its now futile attacks on Malthus.


    " I do not know what made you come here, lapdogs of the government. Hell, I don''t even care about the reason. However, you should remember that right now, you are inside my territory. And I don''t want you staying here for any longer¡­ " Emperor Litch said in a deep, non-threatening voice as he gave a smile towards the fleet of spacesh.i.p.s.


    " Now, I will forgive your transgressions on this planet and the attack that you just dished on my ally Malhtus ." Malthus let out a snort after hearing this, which was accompanied by him giving the Cosmic Guards a threating look. " However, if you continue to stay here and make more attacks, then I will stop being cordial to you. So leave at this moment already. If you don''t, then I guess the esteemed Alpha Squad of the Cosmic Guards shall be history too¡­ "


    " Oh, and when I said all of you, that includes you, Miss Emerald. " Emperor Litch added, looking at the direction where the building of the Institute was located. "I don''t care why you are with the presence of two Alex''s. I just want you to know that I want you gone. Now, leave already before I start punishing you and your friends too¡­"


    "Sorry, but we cannot leave until we exterminated this demon. Aside from that, we have info that Jellarmo is hiding in this planet. As long as we don''t arrest or kill these two, we will not leave this planet." In face of Emperor Ltich''s domineering actions, the representative speaker of the Cosmic Guards did not back down.


    Instead, this speaker doubled down on their intention to fight, turning the peaceful atmosphere between the Cosmic Guard and Emperor LItch into a heated one.


    "¡­. I see. So you are all willing to throw your life away then. It''s a pity seeing brave souls like you fall here. But such is life. Sometimes you have to kill in order to show your conviction¡­. And today, it will be you that shall display my everlasting conviction for power." Emperor Litch muttered in lamentation, making it appear as if he was saddened by the reply of the Cosmic Guards.


    In Alex''s eyes however, Emperor Litch did not sound sad at all. He was obviously sneering at the Cosmic Guards, and the way that he smirked at the end just made that more obvious!


    "In regards to my old friend Rock, I am willing to give you a second chance. Withdraw within 10 seconds, and I will not do anything to all of you." Emperor Litch stubbornly said, as if he really wanted these Cosmic Guards to leave. "If you still don''t leave, then I will kill you all. But don''t worry, your deaths will be painless¡­ Such kind of death are the only kind of death fitting for warriors like you¡­"


    "10"


    "9"


    "We won''t leave, fake Emperor, no matter what you say. If you continue to act hostile like this, then we will also not act courteous with you anymore."


    "8"


    "7"


    "6"


    "Men, prepare all the necessary components for our Star Mech! The fake sovereign had declared his hostility to us! Let''s make him repay these insults in full!"


    "A Star Mech, my goodness. You, the Alpha Squad, actually brought one of them here? Did you take into account that you will be fighting me here? Hehe, as expected, you Cosmic Guards are really wary of me¡­"


    "Shut up, fake sovereign! Continue your counting so that we can start fighting already! Or are you saying that  a monarch like you is scared of facing the peak of human technology?" After the speaker of the Cosmic Gaurds said this, a silhouette of what looked like to be metallic, humanoid body hovered behind the ship fleet.


    This metallic humanoid was not as large compared to Black Alex''s large form earlier, nor was it as large as the World Tree. However, a sense of intense scorching could be felt coming out of this body, something that drew a raised eyebrow from Emperor Litch himself.


    "That''s a good taunt, youngster. But that''s not enough to anger me. However, consider me curious by your Star Mech. They''re robots that operate the power of stars, right?" Emperor LItch muttered as he seemed to have forgotten his threat. "I don''t even know how much your sponsors spent on that robot, but I can say that it lives up to its hype! However, do you really think that this scrap is enough to deal with me?"


    "You may be aided by the power of your territory, but you should know that the galactic technology had already advanced beyond your imagination. You do not know the things that we can do now! So don''t expect an easy win!"


    "Oh wow, so you''re telling me that  this lump of metal shall bring my end? Hmm, let''s see if you''re so-called ''technological advancements'' will be enough to overthrow me, the Great Emperor Litch, who is already a pillar of this realm¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Oh, not making any more comments? Well then, let me finish my countdown."


    "¡­"


    "5"


    "¡­"


    "4"


    "¡­"


    "3"


    "¡­"


    "2"


    "¡­."


    "1"


    "¡­"


    "So, some naughty brats are in need of some spanking now. Well, you''re asking for it, so don''t blame me for what will happen next¡­"


    "

 Chapter 495 - Golden Tyrant Sword

    As a brawl was about to explode between Emperor Litch and the Cosmic Guards, the still-weakened Alex only shook his head on this sight.


    A smile could also be discernable on his face, with his expression making it appear as if he was relieved by what he had seen.


    He seemed to be reassured with the way things are going, even if all of his bodies were powerless now.


    "Good. One of my contingencies against Emperor Litch is working. I just hope this will buy me more time¡­" Alex muttered. "Well, since the Cosmic Guards will be using a Star Mech, I bet they can give the Emperor a run for his money¡­


    "If the Star Mech is inside the Four Moons World, then Emperor Litch can use the Laws to suppress it. But since it was just right outside the Four Moons World, no manipulation by Emperor Litch can weaken that mech¡­." Godlen Alex added as he let out a nod. "Hehehe, now his will be an interesting fight...


    "Boom!"


    It was at this moment that the Cosmic Guards began to make their move, which consisted of materializing a 60-foot humanoid mech above the Four Moons World.


    This mech, which in all angles looked just like the normal robot used in animated shows, exuded a domineering pressure, creating waves of heat that melted nearby rocks.


    Located on this mech''s chest was a small, red orb that was the size of a human. Pure heat and energy could be seen flowing out of the orb, which then circulated inside the mech''s body.


    Like a heart pumping blood in a non-stop motion, this red orb did not stop on releasing energy and heat inside the mech, which are all absorbed by the mech itself.


    Shula shula shula¡­"


    Even with its small size, the mech appeared to be not weaker than Emperor LItch himself. In fact, the mech even seemed to have a stronger explosive power compared to the Emperor, something was rarely seen even in the past.


    Lines of weapons could be seen mounted on the mech''s body , with each one displaying just the right amount of lethality for them to be considered to be dangerous. In fact, the weakest of these weapons appeared to have the power to decimate a planet, something that made Alex grin.


    "I am not really versed well on the technology aspect of the Galactic Civilizations, but from what I know, they had the level of technology to emulate powerful beings. In this case, I can see that they managed to create a machine capable to fighting anyone that is not Transcendent¡­" Alex thought as he and Golden Alex felt the heat emanated by the mech. "Hm, should I try dabbling on engineering too? Maybe that will make me stronger in the long run¡­"


    If Alex was impressed by what he saw, Emperor Lich was amazed too, and he did not bother to hide his feelings at all.


    "Hahaha! Now this is what I call a piece of marvel! You guys¡­ you actually figured out one of the requirements to be a powerhouse! Good job! I praise  all of you!" The Emperor began to clap as he said these words, making himssound like an uncle praising his nephew''s new creation.


    "According to many researchers, the power used by a Sixth Stage Beings has to be sustained by an abundant fuel source. That is not a problem for other power systems, since they have their own respective sources of fuel." The Emperor muttered to himself, with his attention now fully diverted away from Alex and Golden Alex.


    "For me, the source of my Conqueror''s Aura comes from the devotion of my subjects and from the Laws of all the planets I conquered. For an Abyss Monster, their power shall come from the Abyss itself, while an Esper draws their power from their connection with a World Soul¡­"


    "¡­"


    "This fuel source is the disadvantage that makes it harder for you Cosmic Guards to fight against users of other power systems. Even if you have the technology to create deadly weapons, you still do not have the right amount of fuel to supply your weapons." The Emperor then tiled his head at this point, with his finger curling slightly in front of him. "But you have solved this problem now! By using a Star as the source of fuel, you were able to create a legitimate weapon against us! Hahaha, this is exciting!"


    "Emperor, are you sure that you should be laughing right now? We have a legitimate powerhouse-killing weapon here, and we will not be shy to use it on you¡­" The speaker of the Cosmic Guard said with provocation, although he and his allies did not start their attack on the Emperor yet. "Emperor, didn''t you say that you will spank us once you finish counting? Where''s that spank now? It seems like you can''t even attack us¡­"


    "Hoho, now you''re insulting me like that? I was just talking to you like an amicable housevowner. Even if you are all my enemies now, I still have the responsibility to greet you." Emperor Litch replied as he let out a wicked smile. "But don''t worry, an Emperor always chooses the right time to show his might, and now will be that time for me!"


    "Boom!"


    Before the Cosmic Guards could unleash their best weapon, a golden greatsword appeared above Emperor Litch, which the Emperor caught deftly with his right hand.


    As this greatsword appeared, the whole Four Moons World began to shake again, with hymns of praises filling the heaves as a golden pillar of light fell on the golden greatsword.


    Alex felt himself getting paralyzed from the appearance of this greatsword, something that made him chuckle wryly.


    "Ah, it''s the Golden Tyrant Sword, a Half-Step Transcendent Artifact. You madman, you really had the gall to summon that weapon here¡­" Alex thought as he felt his thoughts starting to get sluggish. "You always kept that weapon hidden in your capital in order to protect that place from any attacks. Now you actually brought this here just to fight with us? Hehe, now this makes me more worried about fighting you later¡­"


    "The will of all my subjects, dead or alive, are all preserved inside this sword. Their happiness, anger, desperation, and even savagery are crystallized on this sword''s blade¡­." The Emperor muttered in a trance as the sound of intense cheering could be heard all around him.


    Out of nowhere, an illusory crowd of materialized behind the Emperor, with it containing what looked like to be limitless amount of people. Each  people seemed to have formed a connection with the greatsword, which made the sword appear more regal.


    "Do you hear those cheers? Those are all mu subjects wishing for my victory! Do you think I will let them down? No! For I am the Emperor, and I always win!"


    "No! Officer Emerald, activate the retreat sequence! This mission is a bust! Abort! Abort! Abo-"


    "Boom!"


    Emperor LItch then slashed his greatsword at the direction of the Star Mech, creating a continent-sized golden blade that shot towards the Star Mech with unstoppable momentum.


    The whole world roared in anger and anguish as the golden blade furiously paved its path, with the Laws of the world seemingly crying in pain as the golden blade tore through their bodies.


    Nothing appeared to be able to stop the golden blade from moving, making it look like an unstoppable juggernaut ready to demolish everything on its path!


    The reactions of the Laws made it appear as if the golden blade was something that can sever them entirely.


    Not only that, but the way that the world reacted made it seem as if this golden blade can destroy these Laws too!


    "The Golden Tyrant Sword. A Half-Step Transcendent Artifact forged from the body of a dead Half-Step Transcendent Conqueror. It gains its power from the subjects of its wielder, with more subjects equating to higher damage. It mainly deals with severing and damaging the Laws, making it a good weapon to use when a Conqueror is fighting outside his territory¡­" Golden Alex said after seeing the attack, with his voice sounding extremely glum.


    "Tsk, and here I thought that this will be a good match. Since the Emperor brought the Golden Tyrant Sword, then it''s already game over for the Star Mech¡­" Alex thought in disappointment as he shook his head. "Even if the Star Mech is outside the Four Moons World, the attack that was just released by Emperor Litch can sever all Laws. As long this attack hits the Star Mech, its destruction is already assured."


    "Boom!"


    Sure enough, the Star Mech crumpled like paper in face of the Golden Tyrant Sword, with all of its abilities rendered useless.


    The Star Mech''s armored casing, which was made up of the strongest metal in the universe, was just like tofu in face of the golden blade. The golden blade was able to nullify the miraculous hardness of this metal, allowing the blade to bisect the Star Mech into two halves.


    All the weapons mounted on the Star Mech disintegrated after getting close to the golden blade, with their ''deadly'' blasts fizzling out like an extinguished candle.


    As for the star contained inside the Star Mech,  it was popped like a balloon by the golden blade, ending any chance for the Star Mech to make a comeback.


    "¡­"


    And with that, the fabled Star Mech, a weapon that was said to have the capacity to kill gods, was easily manhandled by Emperor Litch.


    "No¡­ How could this invincible weapon be easily destroyed? Its defensive prowess should be high!" That was the only thing that the speaker of the Cosmic Guards could say as they watched the destruction of their ace card. "This¡­ this is not making sense!"


    "Eh? That''s just one attack, and it''s already broken? Tsk, tsk, tsk, seems like someone from your department messed up with this robot¡­" Emperor Litch said in a neutral tone as the two halves of the Star Mech began falling down to the Four Moons World. "And here I thought that robot can make me have a warm-up. Seems like I just hyped myself up for nothing."


    "!!!"


    "Why are you all acting like you have seen a ghost? My sword just momentarily nullified all the Laws that made your Star Mech stronger. Even if that nullification just happened in an instant, it was still enough to destroy your robot." Emperor LItch suddenly said, as he seemed to have felt the confusion by the Cosmic Guards. "It''s just as simple as that. The support of my loyal subjects crushed your ''technological advancements'', and there''s nothing that you can do now to reverse this¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Hehehe, now Cosmic Guards, do you still think that my way of power is fake? If you still think that way, then let''s see if I can change your mind with another attack!"


    "Boom!"


    The Emperor then slashed the Golden Tyrant for the second time, creating the second golden blade which he purposely directed towards the mothership.


    "If you want to survive this attack of mine, you can try dodging it. But well, with that large ship of yours, I think dodging is not an option anymore¡­"

 Chapter 496 - My friend, which is the friend of my enemy, is my what now?

    TIME LEFT UNTIL SIERRA SUCCEEDS ON HER POSSESSION: 14 MINUTES 55 SECONDS


    Like a fireworks display exploding with all their might, the sky above the Four Moons World became decorated with explosions, as the space fleet of the Cosmic Guard got decimated by the Emperor''s latest attack.


    No matter what the mother ship and all its ally sh.i.p.s did, the golden blade was impossible to stop. It just tore through the sh.i.p.s'' metallic hull like they were paper, creating destruction everywhere.


    As pieces of destroyed metal and dead bodies began floating on space, the remaining undestroyed sh.i.p.s did not linger any longer.


    Like rabbits scurrying away from a wolf, the undestroyed sh.i.p.s began flying away from the Four Moons World, leaving only a laughing Emperor Litch who looked highly pleased with what he had seen.


    "Destroying 90% of the Alpha Squad with one attack is already good. I wonder what will happen if I attack these escapes one more time? Will someone still survive from them?" The Emperor mused, although he did not do anything to attack the ones who escaped. "Ah never mind, I guess letting a few rats run is better than lynching them all¡­"


    "Oi, now that you had fun with those asshole space police, why don''t you start doing what you''re supposed to do?" Malthus the Demon  said in a complaining tone, which seemed to be right, as Emperor Litch looked like he was about to be idle again. "Instead of wasting your time staring at space, why don''t you destroy that renegade World Soul? You can see that its possessing this world, right?"


    Malthus was pointing his finger at Sierra''s Soul as he said these words, making his message sound clear. He wants Emperor LItch to end whatever Sierra was doing, something that is tactically sound considering the current situation.


    After all, preventing Sierra from finishing her task is better than being affected by her once she succeeded(Prevention is always better than cure).


    But instead of complying to Malthus'' advice, Emperor LItch only shook his head. He then placed his index finger on his lower lip, with his eyes having a half-closed appearance. The Emperor seemed to be making a ''keep quiet gesture'', a move that made those who saw him confused.


    "Malthus, whatever this World Soul is doing is something that I don''t loathe. In fact, I actually encourage this World Soul to succeed. After all, this World Soul will benefit me in the long run¡­" Emperor LItch muttered as he raised his hand. "So Malthus, my answer to your request is no."


    "What the hell? But once this World Soul succeeds on possessing this Four Moons World, it might be able to use its Laws against you! Once that happens, its game over for you! Remember, that World Soul is Alex''s new ally. Are you really sure that you want someone like this World Soul getting this kind of power?"


    "Malthus, do you take me for an idiot?"


    "You are an Emperor, so I don''t think you are an idiot. But you are making a wrong move here, so just-"


    "Whatever I want to do in this place is my own choice. You don''t get to order me around, and you don''t get to demand things like this to me!"


    "Boom!"


    Before Malthus could explain himself more, Emperor Litch did not wait for him to talk more. The Emperor averted his gaze away from Malthus as the former raised his left hand.


    Here on the Emperor'' left hand, a small, crystalline orb filled with Soul Power began to pulse


    As this crystalline orb appeared, Sierra''s Soul began to beat in rhythmic pattern, making it appear as if the orb had provoked a reaction on her.


    This beating just continued to intensify as the orb continued to pulse with more and more Soul Power.


    Eventually, it reached the point where the orb and Sierra''s Soul began to beat in synchrony, making them appear like two hearts beating at the same time.


    The sneer on the Emperor''s face turned into a fond one as he released the crystalline orb into the air, with the peaceful atmosphere on him making him look like a sage.


    "Woosh~"


    Like a magnet attracted by metals, the crystalline orb began flying straight towards Sierra''s Soul. There was no obstacle that stopped the orb form moving, which led to it arriving on Sierra in a few seconds.


    "Bloop!"


    The orb then shattered into millions of glass fragments, each one filled with ungodly amounts of Soul Power too. These fragments did not fall to the ground or scatter into the air like dust.


    "Shula!"


    Instead, they all bore themselves on Sierra''s Soul, which was unable to stop them from moving.


    Alex and Golden Alex can only watch as millions of Soul Power pockets were supplied on Sierra''s Soul, with the receiver seemingly happy with that happened.


    "Oh¡­ so that orb is just an amalgamation of Soul Power. A thing like that¡­ is a good treat for any World Souls, especially for those that are tired or hungry¡­" Alex thought to himself as Sierra writhed in delight as she ''ate'' more and more of the orb''s fragments. "In the memories that I devoured I knew that Emperor Litch had something like this. I just did not expect him to be this proactive on using it¡­"


    After she had her ''fill'', Sierra''s Soul began to display luminous colors, with each color papering to represent a change in her body. This display was accompanied by more vigorous shaking from her body, resulting in massive earthquakes that shook the world.


    Her Soul, which was around halfway through its fusion with the Four Moons World, had advanced by multiple steps with the help form the supplied Soul Power.


    From 50%, Sierra''s soul was now 95% fused with the Four Moons World, which drastically reduced the time that she needed in order to possess the Four Moons World!


    From 14 minutes and 55 seconds, Sierra now only needed to spend 1 minute in order to succeed on her possession!


    Such change on her possession requirement was so great, that even Alex found himself suprised upon seeing this.


    "Hoho, so Emperor LItch also knows about the Legacy  Weapon of the Infernal Monarch. But just like me, he cannot get it, since this Legacy Weapon is tied directly to the Four Moons World." Alex thought to himself with schadenfreude while shaking his head. "If he wants to obtain it, then he must first find a way to  make the Four Moons World give the legacy to him. And the only way that he can do that is by letting this World gain its sentience!"


    "Of course since the Four Moons World is an artificial world, making it gain sentience on its own is almost impossible, especially with the moons suppressing it¡­. " Alex thought to himself more as he saw Emperor LItch looking at his direction. "Oh, and even if Emperor LItch destroys these moons and attempts to have a World Soul possess this world, it is impossible for him to succeed too, as it is hard to find a World Soul that will possess the Four Moons World willingly for him¡­"


    "Well, that might be the reason why he did not do anything else to get the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch. Since there''s no way for him to succeed, the only thing that he can just do was wait." Alex added as he let out a wary smile. "He just have to wait for me and the other Travelers to arrive here before making his new move. Who knows, maybe we can give him a solution to his problems¡­"


    "And that''s exatly what we did. We stupid f**ks actually allowed Sierra to possess this World, a situation that is favorable to Emperor Litch!" Golden Alex was the one who spoke up at this point, with this voice filled with intense irritation and hopelessness. "We actually played right into the Emperor''s hands! Not only did we allow ourselves to be suppressed, we even gave the Emperor the chance to get our target item! Argh! These things should only happen with idiots! This should not have happened with u-"


    "Huh? Why are you that worried, Golden Alex? Do you really think it''s the end just because Emperor LItch is using Sierra to his advantage?" Alex suddenly said, cutting off Golden Alex''s rant. "Do you really think I am an idiot who will allow the filthy Emperor to take advantage of me?"


    "What? So does that mean that you knew that Emperor Litch is planning something like this?"


    "I hate to say this, but Emperor LItch and I are highly alike." Alex replied in a weird tone. "Our bodies are completely identical, while our slyness knows no bounds. Not only that, but I also have half of the Emperor''s memories."


    "¡­"


    "With these things in my arsenal, it makes me know and understand the Emperor''s mindset, especially when he thinks of a plan." Alex added as he began to giggle. "At the moment that I knew what the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch was, I already knew what Emperor Litch will plan to do. I knew that he will be waiting for an opportunity to fall on his hands, and that he will do everything that he can to use that opportunity to his advantage!"


    "Wait, so when you knew that Emperor LItch was waiting for an opportunity, instead of hiding Sierra, you still used her to possess the Four Moons World? Original, isn''t that just you helping the Emperor?" Golden Alex hissed as he found himself unable to understand Alex. "Why did you do that, when you knew that it will help the Emperor out? Are you out of your mind?"


    "Hehehe, Sierra''s appearance might be a boon for Emperor Litch, but little did he know that I have something special waiting for him once Sierra succeeds on her possession¡­" Alex replied with confidence, making Golden Alex furrow his brows in confusion. "So don''t worry Golden Alex. I still have this situation under my control. All that we just have to do is wai-"


    "Now that this World Soul is doing her job, I think it''s time for me, the Great Emperor LItch, to clean out all the weeds¡­" Emperor Litch suddenly said, making both Golden Alex and Alex stop speaking as they refocused their attention on him. "Hohoho, there''s a lot of weeds that I can see here¡­ I wonder which one I should uproot first¡­"


    "Oh s**t! Original, the Emperor is about to-"


    "There''s only less than a minute of time left before the World Soul finishes her possession. Hmm¡­ what can I do again within 1 minute? Oh right, I can kill all of your allies, clone!" Emperor Litch began to cackle at this point, with his golden sword gleaming like a star.   "I hope you have something special hidden with you right now, clone. Because this next minute shall be the worse one of your whole life!"

 Chapter 497 - What is this game?

    AT A SECLUDED CORNER OF THE MULTIVERSE.


    It was just a simple board game. Nothing more, nothing less.


    It''s just a game meant to be enjoyed with your friends.


    But for the two people playing this board game, this game was nothing but simple.


    [[[PLANET REDFANG. STAGE 4 PLANET. MOVE 10 LIGHT YEARS FORWARD.]]]


    >>


    [[[Huh? What do you mean by violation, old man? Didn''t I just move this planet forward? Why are you blocking it?]]]


    >>


    [[[Eh? Oh, that slot is indeed number 7+. My bad, my bad.]]]


    >


    [[[Nothing''s wrong with me old man. Why don''t we just continue this game? PLANET REDFANG. STAGE 4 PLANET. MOVE 7 LIGHT YEARS NORTHWEST.]]]


    >>


    [[[Tsk, so you''re going the retreat tactic then. Did you think that I will really allow that? SACRFICE PROTOCOL ACTIVATE: CONVERT 10,000 SENTIENT BEINGS INTO AN IMMORTAL WARRIOR. ]]]


    >>


    [[[Idiot, I just activated the Sacrifice Protocol. Didn''t you read that in the rules?]]]


    >>


    [[[Wow, did you really just say that you are sorry for all the people dying in this game? From what I remember, you were so excited when you first started playing this. You even tallied the most kills here. How much was it again? Ah right, around 1 s.e.xtillion sentient beings-]]]


    >>


    [[[Getting defensive now, are we? ACTIVATE IMMORTAL WARRIOR. DESTROY JUNIPER PLANET]]]


    >>


    [[[Hmph, that''s what you get for not acting aggressive. If you just mined your first Planet for minerals, then you should have been able to produce a Mobile Fortress¡­]]]


    >>>


    [[[I have no problem with Emperor Litch. I just think that kid is too eager to be a member of our group. ACTIVATE IMMORTAL WARRIOR. BLOCKING SEQUENCE INITAITED.]]]


    >>


    [[[A  behaved person? Old man, you knew what things Emperor Litch did during his reign as the ruler of the Undying Empire. He committed numerous atrocities under his name, and he just passed those off as effects of his rule. Aside from that, he also violated lots of rules set on the Lower Realm! The only reason he''s still not punished by the Vice Monarchs was because of you! PLANET BLUEBERRY. STAGE 6 PLANET. INITIATE EVOLUTION.]]]


    >>


    [[[Are you sure that nobody can stop you? Do you dare say that to the Endless Monarch himself? PLANET BLUEBERRY. EVOLUTION ON PROGRESS]]]


    >>


    [[[Old man, you know for a fact that one of Endless Monarch''s seedlings is currently fighting Emperor Litch. With that kind of scenario, are you still condiment that your Emperor Litch can survive? PLANET BLUEBERRY. EVOLUTION ON PROGRESS]]]


    >>


    [[[Hoho, you sure sound confident about your disciple. But will that confidence of yours last once the seedling starts trashing Emperor Litch? PLANET BLUEBERRY. EVOLUTION ON PROGRESS]]]


    >>


    [[[But this seedling is the bane of Emperor Litch. This seedling is the Emperor''s clone, which means tha-]]]


    >>


    [[[10 seconds? Hmph, I can''t believe you''d say that, especially to someone as good as Alex. Do you really underestimate him? He''s one of the elites chosen by the Endless Monarch himself! He surely has a way to overturn this! PLANET BLUEBERRY. EVOLUTION ON PROGRESS]]]


    >>


    [[[Wow, I never pegged you for a trashtalker old man, but you certainly sound like one right now. Do you want to say those words directly to the Endless Monarch himself? From what I heard, he was just fishing somewhere nearby¡­. PLANET BLUEBERRY. EVOLUTION ON PROGRESS]]]


    >>


    [[[Wow. You say a lot of trashtalk, yet at the very mention of the Endless Monarch, you start pissing yourself like a gutted Realm Snake. Are you really someone that should be in our group? PLANET BLUEBERRY. EVOLUTION ON PROGRESS]]]


    >>


    [[[You s***y old man. I hope that this seedling Alex will eviscerate Emperor Litch like a fileted fish! Hehehe, let''s see if you can still smile once that happens¡­ PLANET BLUEBERRY. EVOLUTION ON PROGRESS.]]]


    >>


    [[[[Sigh, I really want to see your face once you watch Emperor Litch dying on his pathetic little playground. But because I have already won this game, I am obliged to leave already¡­.]]]


    >>


    [[[PLANET GREENDEW. STAGE 7 PLANET. MOVE 20 LIGHT YEARS FORWARD. Hehehe, can you see it now? It''s an instant ROUT! Hahaha, I win!]]]


    >>


    [[[Hehe, it''s your fault for getting distracted. Now, pay up according to our bet~]]]


    >>


    [[[You owe me 1,000 Planets. Cough it up already, or I will call your sister to beat you up.]]]


    >>


    [[[Now that''s the old man that I knew! Hehehe, thank you for gifting these planets to me! I will not put them to waste¡­]]]


    >>


    [[[Hmm, did you say something?]]]


    >>


    [[[Aww, are you trying to flirt with me, old man? I never knew that had that in you!]]]


    >>


    [[[Hehehe, it''s been years since I had a male dote on me. Now that I think about that, it actually makes me feel sad. Well, since you seem to like me, I think I have no choice but to accept your invitation to sleep with me¡­]]]


    >>


    [[[I can feel your sister is just lurking nearby. Want me to call her?]]]


    >>


    [[[[Hehe, good boy. Now, where do you want us to go, cutie pie?]]]


    >>


    [[[What did you say?]]]


    >>


    [[[Oh, don''t worry about that, old man. You will get a lot of me later, I assure you¡­]]]

 Chapter 498 - Interlude: Asterias typical day as a student part 15

    [[[The almost torturous trip for Kuro''s class continued as the ship plowed on, showing the students and Kuro more and more reviling imagery that were enough to make their stomachs turn.]]]


    [[[They were only able to heave a sigh of relief when they reached the first leg for their field trip.]]]


    [[[A massive turtle shell the size of several galaxies lay in front of them, with the upper, curved portion of the shell facing their direction. Numerous holes the size of planets peppered this turtle shell, with these holes showing signs of intense activity.]]]


    [[[Every now and often, countless Abyss Monsters enter and exit through these holes, with their movements stirring the already rich Abyss Energy surrounding the turtle shell. These monsters, which were the epitome of nightmares, all had expressions of ecstasy on their faces after they exited the turtle shell. It was as if they experienced extremely blissful things inside the turtle shell, a notion that made Kuro shiver.]]]


    [[[This turtle shell seemed to also pulse as time passed by, with each pulse spawning and giving birth to countless monstrosities. These newly-born creatures occasionally end up as snack for some wandering Abyss Monsters, but some were lucky to grow fast and escape certain death.]]]


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­.


    [[[In face of this humungous structure, everyone in the class were able to forget the nauseating things that they witnessed earlier. After all, this turtle shell was the closest thing to an orderly object here in the Abyss Realm, something which had been missing since the class started their field trip. But of course, the shell was still able to make them feel sick, although it was to the point that they can still bear it.]]]


    [[[Once Kuro had seen that her class has calmed down, she looked at her students as she decided to start the ''entertainment'' section of their trip.]]]


    [Kuro]; Okay everyone, we have arrived on the first leg of our trip. W-welcome to the Imperial Abyss Palace, where we will-


    [Celeste]: Teacher! This is the Imperial Abyss Palace? But this place doesn''t even look like one!


    [[[Doubt could be seen on Celeste''s face as she stared at the turtle shell with trepidation, something that the whole class seemed to share. For them to act like this was just natural, as there was nothing special or even ''Imperial'' about the turtle shell in front of them]]]


    [[[In fact, this turtle shell looked more like a fossil of a dead being that was just used here in the Abyss Realm as a makeshift structure. There was really noting special about it, save for the fact that many Abyss Monsters seems to benefit from what was inside it.]]]


    [[[Even Kuro seemed to share the same sentiment too, although she did not allow herself to be swayed by what her students were saying.]]]


    [Kuro]: I know what you are talking about Celeste. You don''t need to point it out to me. This is really the Imperial Abyss Place, whether you like it or not.


    [Celeste]: But-


    [Kuro]: We''re about to enter this place, and you don''t want to go in? Does that mean that you want to be left here on the outside than to enter with us? Hmph, if that''s what you want, then feel free to loiter here!


    [[[After Kuro said these words, she pointed her tiny finger at the transparent windows behind the spaceship, which are all displaying the disorder that had littered the empty space on the Abyss Realm. Seeing this disorder was enough to make Celeste sick again, a phenomenon which Kuro had been banking on to happen.]]]


    [Celeste]: Huhuhu teacher! P-please don''t leave me here! I-I don''t want to see those fractal shapes for any longer! Huhuhu, I won''t complain anymore teacher! Just, just please don''t leave me here!"


    [Kuro]: Good. That''s what I want to hear from you, Celeste. And I am also saying these to the other students. If you don''t want to enter the Imperial Abyss Palace, then you''re all free to stay here!


    [Everyone in the class]: !!!


    [Kuro]: So, who wants to be-


    [Everyone in the class]: Teacher! We''re all okay going in with you!


    [Kuro]: Hehe, good, good, good. That''s what I want to hear from all of you! Now then, zip up and-


    [[[Kuro was about to start her classic tirade of instructions for her students, but before she could even start, someone from her students began talking loudly, an action which obviously interrupted Kuro.]]]


    [Asteria]: I understand your plight, Celeste. But don''t think that this shell is useless. Even if it looks like that, that shell is an important treasure! After all, that is the shell of a Realm Turtle! You cannot easily find this anywhere else!


    [Kuro]: Oi Asteria, what are you-


    [Asteria]: An alive Realm Turtle is strong, especially when it supports a Realm on its body. But once its dead, all of its body parts can be used as a treasure, and that includes its shell. Hmm, from what I know, the shell can be used to create a pocket space inside it, and the size of this space will depend on the size of the shell itself¡­


    [Kuro]: Oi!


    [Asteria]: On the other hand, the soft tissues of the dead Realm Turtle are said to be usable as food, although from what I remember, the Scavengers will quickly consume those before anyone else can benefit it. They will only leave the shell, which will be fought upon by other people¡­


    [Kuro]: Asteria, if you don''t stop talking, I will-


    [Asteria]: The Abyss Realm is lucky to get one shell, which they had been treasuring ever since. After all, Realm Turtles are rare, and even dead ones are rarer! Hehehe, from what I heard, someone from the Monarchs wanted to buy this shell, but the Abyss rejected him! Hehehe, in my opinion, those old fogeys must have-


    [Kuro]: Asteria, there''s no need for you to flaunt your knowledge here. We already know that you had been here, so why don''t you just zip your mouth and let us ''enjoy'' this trip?


    [Asteria]: Okay, I''ll be quiet now, teacher¡­ But are you really sure that you''ll enjoy this trip? We''re just barely starting the field trip, and almost all of you are already sick. What do you think will happen once you see what''s inside this shell? Do you think my classmates can handle it?


    [Celeste]: W-what do you mean by that Asteria? Mu¡­ you''re scaring me with that words!


    [Kibou]: KI! KI ki kiki!


    [Kuro]: Asteria, just don''t. Don''t talk anymore. Just let your classmates¡­ see this.


    [Asteria]: Are you sure about that teacher? What if they get traumatized by what they see inside the Imperial Abyss Palace? Will you take any responsibility for that?


    [Kuro]: Of course I will, Asteria. But you should not worry about them.


    [Asteria]: Hah? Are you really sure about that? You haven''t even teste-


    [Kuro]: Asteria, have you seen what''s inside the IMperila Abyss Palace?


    [Asteria]: Um, yes I did. Wait, why are you asking tha-


    [Kuro]: How did you fare once you saw that? Were you able to recover?


    [Asteria]: Of course I did! Can''t you see me acting normally now?


    [Kuro]:  There, that''s my assurance for your classmates! With you as the example, I''m already confident about their chances!


    [Asteria]: What?


    [Kuro]:  If you, someone whose mind is that of an immature kid, can recover from the trauma of seeing the inside of the Imperial Abyss Palace,  then your more mature classmates can recover too! Sure, maybe it''s your immaturity that saved you from the trauma¡­ but even with that, I still trust your classmates. After all, you''re all my students! Something like entering the Imperial Abyss Palace is not enough to break you all! If you did indeed break, then that means that you''re not fit to  learn under me!


    [Asteria]: ¡­Wow.


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­.


    [[[Nobody inside Kuro''s spaceship made a sound after that, as they all realized that Kuro was serious about what she was saying. Kuro seemed to have made this trip as a makeshift test for her students, a fact that made everyone in the ship complain inwardly.]]]


    [[Of course nobody from them complained, including Asteria, as that will just be provoking Kuro more. They can only stay silent as their spaceship began to approach one of the holes on the turtle shell, which seemed to be trembling with anticipation for their arrival]]


    Bloop!


    [[[The students can only close their eyes in trepidation as the ship entered the hole, with them wishing luck for their endeavor.]]]


    [Everyone in the class]: ¡­


    [[[Whether this luck will help them  is still unknown, as basing on the place that they were currently in, luck is not something that they might have.]]]

 Chapter 499 - Rise of the Ooze!(Once more)

    "Malthus, as the Emperor of this world, I already fulfilled the terms of our agreement. Now is your time to uphold yours." After Emperor Litch gave his chilling threat to end Alex, the Emperor began to initiate a mental conversation with Malthus, which the demon accepted without any hesitation.


    This mental conversation allowed the two to talk without any restraints, making the paralyzed Golden Alex look at the two with slight confusion.


    "Hmph, so this is your plan then? You will use me and your servants to kill your enemies, while you on the other hand will begin doing your ''miscellaneous activity'' with Alex? Heh, doesn''t that just sound fishy?" Malthus'' tone as he spoke made it apparent that he was quite unhappy with the command given to him, which he made painfully obvious with his complaint. "Why are we the only ones who will attack? Why don''t you join us? Shouldn''t your power be enough to end them with one strike?"


    "Malthus, even if I already reached the level of power that is enough to shake this realm, I still have some limitations regarding some things. And one of those include that clone¡­" In face of Malthus'' unhappy voice, Emperor Litch only gave him a quick reply. "You know what I plan to do with this clone, especially with the power that he stole from me, right?"


    "Of course I know. You''re planning to take all of your Conqueror''s Aura back, since without it, it will be impossible for you to Transcend." Malthus snorted as he pulled his Demonic Tower closer to him. "Without it, you will stay mortal in this realm. Hehehe, you must have been quite livid and desperate when you got part of your power devoured before¡­ No wonder you resorted to allying to a demon like me just to get your power back¡­"


    "You don''t need to sprinkle salt over my wounded pride, Malthus. Just follow what I said and we will both benefit." Emperor LItch abruptly replied, with his flat tone making it apparent that he''s not willing to listen to any of Malthus'' words anymore. "You will get to devour all the Four Moons Power in this World, while I get to obtain my Conqueror''s Aura back. If you don''t want to mess this up, then you better start attacking now!"


    "Hehehe, why do I sense a little desperation in your tone, Emperor? Perhaps you''re feeling a little tired now?"


    "Demon, you-"


    "Hehehe, if my guess was right, the process of you devouring the Conqueror''s Aura from your clone must be arduous¡­ So arduous that you will be powerless that moment that you start doing it." Malthus enthusiastically said out of nowhere, making Emperor Litch''s smile turn stiff. "Hehehe, this must be the reason why you want us to attack our enemies. You want them to get killed while you on the other hand starts siphoning your power back¡­. Tsk, how long will it take for you to devour your power back again?"


    "Malthus, this is not the- "


    "Oh right, it will take you around 30 seconds to devour your power back. So that means that you will be powerless and vulnerable for 30 seconds, and you will only gain your power back once you finish devouring your power. Hehehe, now I know why you resorted to weakening all our enemies first. You don''t want any lose ends after all."


    "Are you done talking, Malthus? If you already said your piece, then you better go and start fulfilling what he had agreed before. I don''t like the way that you are skirting the line now¡­."


    "Fine, fine, fine, Emperor Litch. I will start attacking along with your allies. But before I do that, let me remind you with something first¡­" After saying these words, Malthus began pointing his fingers at the direction of Alex''s allies that were still pinned under the hands that the Emperor created.


    More specifically, Malthus was pointing his finger at Traveler Delia, who looked extremely livid with her current state.


    Malthus clicked his tongue as he stared at this woman, with his body language making it apparent that he''s somewhat wary of her.


    "Emperor Litch, that woman right there has a Mystical Item that can nullify Power Systems for 5 minutes. Its effects are quite nasty, and from what I know, that item works on all kinds of Power Systems¡­." Malthus began to say, prompting the Emperor to look at Delia with an interested expression.


    [[[Author''s Note: This Mystical Item is the Black Ooze that Delia used in chapter 274]]]


    "A Mystical Item that can nullify Power Systems? Interesting¡­" The Emperor muttered as he cupped his chin. He seemed to be not fearful of Delia even with this kind of warning, as he still wore the expression of interest that he had since earlier. "Why are you telling me this then? Is there any problem with that?"


    "From what I know, the area that can be affected by that Mystical Item is small, so you shouldn''t worry about this woman freeing her allies from your suppression. She can at most free herself from your Laws, and that will only last for 5 minutes. That makes her power limited against you." Malthus hurriedly added as he narrowed his eyes. "But even with those kind of limitations, you know what the problem will be with that item."


    "¡­"


    "If I and your servants attack Delia right now, she will be left with no choice but to use her Mystical Item on the spot. Once that happens, those who were near her might get their powers nullified for 5 minutes, and that could include me." Malthus said while crossing his arms. "Those who had their powers nullified with be put on extreme danger, and nothing can stop Delia from killing them¡­."


    " Hoho, I see what you are proposing. You want me, the Great Emperor Litch, to send one minion to attack that Delia. Once I do that, Delia will be forced to activate her Mystical Item¡­" The Emperor, who seemed to be not surprised with what Malthus said, replied jovially as he let out a wry smile. "Since the area affected by that Mystical Item is small, only that minion and Delia will be affected by her Mystical Item. That scenario will still be a win-win for us, since only one of our minions will be affected by her item."


    "Exactly! That''s  what I have been wanting to tell you earlier! So, who do you want to use as ''bait''?" Malthus, who heaved a sigh of relief after hearing the Emperor''s reply, hurriedly said as he looked around him.


    Even if Malthus had his powers enhanced by Emperor Litch, it was obvious that he was still fearful of Delia''s Mystical Item, a fact that seemed to amuse the Emperor.


    " Before I follow your advice, can I ask you one thing first, Malthus? There''s just one thing bugging me about the timing of your advice to me¡­"


    "What are you talking about, Emperor Litch? Is there something wrong with what I said?"


    "No, I am pleased that you warned me about Delia''s Mystical Item. My only problem is the fact that you just told me about this Mystical Item today. Why did you not say this to me before?" Emperor Litch''s face slightly turned black as he gave this reply, making the nearby Malthus shiver.


    "You could have just told me about this Mystical Item when we made our agreement. But instead of doing that, you still allowed things to go on, and it was only when we''re about to fight Delia that you told me about her Mystical Item. Doesn''t that sound suspicions? Your timing¡­ it really is weird."


    "¡­."


    "Malthus, Malthus, Malthus, are you perhaps planning on doing something suspicious later? That''s the only reason that can explain why you withhold the explanation of Delia''s Mystical Item to me. Are you interested on sharing the details about that? Don''t worry, I will not get angr-"


    "Hmph, think what you want to think, Emperor LItch. I don''t care if you suspect me of making moves against you. Why worry about that now? Shouldn''t you focus on your goals rather than being suspicious of me?" Malthus angrily replied, as if Emperor Litch''s act of suspecting him was quite blasphemous.


    "Your missing Conqueror''s Aura is right in front of you, Emperor Litch! Do you really want to waste your time on being wary, when you can just finish things once and for all? Hmph, this must be the reason why you were outwitted by your clone twice! Hehehe, he just took advantage of you!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "..Ray, go and check up on that Delia. Attack her with the intent to kill." Emperor LItch lazily said as he turned his back on Malthus. The Emperor did not make his emotions obvious, but judging by his tense shoulders and clenched fist, he was extremely livid now. "Just make sure that your attack will be focused on her alone, and on nothing else. Oh, and if your Companions wanted to join in, I have no qualms with that."


    "The Emperor''s command has been uttered. Now, I shall execute it!" Like a robot forcefully pulled with strings, the manic-looking Ray flew towards Delia with a frenzied expression on his face. He seemed to be extremely joyful with the command given to him, even if he had also heard the effects of Delia''s Mystical Item.


    It was as if he was not fearful about the effects of this item, which he made obvious with his taunts.


    "Hahaha! Traveler Delia, your Mystical Item might sound dangerous, but is it powerful enough to suppress me? Hehehe, you might now know it, but I can attack you with my bombs from the distance!" Ray shouted in glee as he pulled out his bombs.


    Each bomb glowed menacingly with their ticking timers, with some of them exuding an aura that seemed to affect the Laws themselves. "Hehehe, can you even use your Mystical Item when I am this far from you? It seems like you cannot¡­"


    It was at this point that Ray began throwing his bombs, with the first bomb already lit up and ready to be detonated. It easily sailed towards the paralyzed Delia without any obstructions, making both Ray and Emperor Litch smile.


    "Go and do your best, woman. Unleash that item of yours! Hehehe, that could be  your only chance to live now!"


    As the bomb approached Delia, Malthus suddenly  froze, as he began feeling a sensation of dread building up inside him. This feeling made him stop on his tracks, as he realized that having a feeling of ''dread'' in this situation is just wrong.


    "Why am I feeling ''dreadful'' when we''re just about to win? Why do I feel this ''dread'', when all our enemies are suppressed? Just why?" Malthus thought to himself as the bomb began to unleash its fury on Delia. "Is there something dreadful that will happen here? If there is, then what it could be? Could it be perhaps the-"


    Malthus'' worrisome thoughts were interrupted at this point, as a massive sea of black ooze materialized from above, covering the whole sky with its gigantic form. It blotted the pouring light from above the sky, turning the whole Four Moons World dark.


    Before Malthus or the Emperor could react, this sea of black ooze descended on them like a torrential rain, covering their bodies with sticky black fluid. With the size of this black ooze, everyone in the Four Moons World were covered by this fluid.


    As the sticky black fluid made contact with his body, Malthus began to shake as a sensation of powerlessness filled him.


    His Demonic Tower which was standing loftily behind him has disappeared, as the black fluid has forced the tower to disperse. His Soul Manifestation Ability had also been forcefully suppressed at this point, making it impossible for Malthus to summon his weapons.


    "No!!!" Malthus could only let out a shout as he started falling to the ground, with his abilities unable to stop him from falling.


    "You damned Traveler¡­ You actually played with us!" This was the only thing that Malthus could say as he realized what had happened. "Damned b***h! You must have been waiting for this moment to use your ooze on us! S**t, why did I not think that she can improve her Mystical Item?"


    This massive sea of black ooze was no other than Delia''s Mystical Item, which just like what Malthus said, had been improved beyond recognition.


    Before, this black ooze can only cover a small area, making it good for only close combat applications. But now, this black ooze was able to cover the whole planet, a feature that Malthus did not expect!


    "F**k!!!!"

 Chapter 500 - You want to mix up? Well then, let me double that up!

    **************


    Not much was known on where Delia managed to obtain her black ooze, although from what she had mentioned, this ooze seemed to have come from the corpse of a slain deity. Whether that''s true or not had not been confirmed by Delia, although its effects were enough to deter any hostile intent against it.


    For some kind of reason, those who gets into contact with this black ooze gets to lose their power for some time.  No matter what kind of ability it is, as long as it is related to the Power Systems, it will be neutralized, and it will only return once the limit was used up¡­


    With this kind of capability, this black ooze was one of Delia''s trump cards, which she had already used against Malthus before.


    But unlike that time, the black ooze that Delia summoned now was way different!


    First, this ooze was not just the size of the swamp. It was the size of a planet, which allowed the ooze to cover the whole Four Moons World! Such drastic difference in size was something that not even Alex had expected to see!


    Aside from this, one other change from this newly summoned ooze was its effects on people themselves.


    Before, the black ooze will indiscriminately suppress the power of anyone that it touched including even Delia, who was the black ooze''s owner.  This kind of limitation of course made Delia ticked off, as this is just makes using the black ooze a major pain in the ass.


    But now, this limitation seemed to be non-existent!


    As of this moment, the black ooze''s suppression seemed to only affect Emperor LItch and his allies. This group of people were the only one who lost their powers!


    As for the other people, they retained their abilities, even with the black ooze touching their skin!


    Alex, Alina, Queen Mother, the Divine Beings, and other more people that were allied with Delia can still use their powers, something which  was unprecedented, given the previous nature of the Black Ooze!


    But no matter how unbelievable was this, it is still the truth.


    Delia and her allies can still flex all their powers at moment''s notice, while Emperor Litch and his servants are now reduced to powerless miscreants that can be chopped down in moment''s notice!


    This kind of discrepancy is almost impossible to occur, and yet it still happened here!


    Obviously, Alex will not just waste his time musing about the changes that he just witnessed. Now that he had the chance to end Emperor LItch, he will not let it go anymore¡­


    ********************


    "Chance!" As they witnessed Emperor Litch''s accelerating fall to the ground, Golden Alex and Alex both laughed heartily as they prepared their bodies.


    Even when the sensation of the black fluid felt disgusting on their skin, the two did not look displeased at all. Instead, both were extremely jubilated with the things that just happened, and they made it more obvious with their next moves.


    "Hehehe, those two must have not expected Delia''s Black Ooze to be this strong¡­ Even I did not know this, and she only informed me about her ooze when we became allies¡­" Alex thought to himself as Golden Alex stood up. "Tsk, tsk, tsk, it''s a good thing I never made an enemy out of Delia in this world. If that happened, then it could be me in this bad situation¡­"


    The hands that were suppressing them from earlier were now gone, as Delia''s Black Ooze had taken care of it. Any effects of Emperor Litch''s Conqueror''s Aura all over the Four Moons World were effectively neutralized by the black ooze, allowing all of Alex''s allies to get free from Emperor LItch''s power.


    "Hehehe, now that we have turned on the tables, what would you do about this, Emperor Litch?" Alex thought to himself as he spurned Golden Alex to move forward. "Now, it''s you who are powerless and it me who will be looming over you like a reaper! Hehehe, you must be feeling scared now for your fate¡­ But don''t worry, I won''t make your pain last long! I will make sure to end you for good!"


    Alex''s mood just got better when he saw the Golden Tyrant Sword turn dim from the black ooze. It was not as l.u.s.trous compared to earlier, making it look like a normal sword. It did not look as intimidating as it was before, making Alex think of it as just a useless stick.


    "Hehehe, thank you Emperor for accelerating Sierra''s fusion with this world. Now I don''t have to wait for long to activate my trump card¡­" Alex thought as he commanded Black Alex and Blue Alex to fly towards Alina and Queen Mother. These two bodies complied with Alex''s command easily, with Blue Alex approaching Alina, and Black Alex swooping in towards Queen Mother.


    As these two bodies approached Alina and Queen Mother, Alex continued to laugh, a sentiment that Golden Alex share.


    "Since there''s only less than 30 seconds before Sierra finishes her fusion, I can basically perform a Power Synthesis now! And it''s just not any normal Power Synthesis, it''s a power Synthesis done with my two bodies and my two Companions!" Alex thought jovially as the air around Black Alex and Blue Alex began to boil. "Hahaha! I hope you enjoy this, Emperor LItch! This¡­ this will be the last thing that you will see before I send you to hell!"


    ([])


    It was Alina, Queen Mother, Black Alex, and Blue Alex who shouted these words, with everyone in the world hearing what they said. Whatever this chant meant was unknown to most who heard it, but to the Travelers, these two words were something that made them shake. Of course that includes Malthus, who was still plummeting down towards the ground.


    "F**k!" This curse could be heard coming from Malthus, who seemed to have realized what was about to happen. Even a dumb Traveler knew what Power Synthesis means, and for someone as sly as Malthus, these two words were enough to make him panic.


    "@(*)(%@U)(&%)(@*)#(@*" Malthus continued to curse out as if he was trying to stop the Power Synthesis from happening, with each of his utterances tailor-made to provoke his enemies. This of course failed, as the four just ignored the demon.


    "Boom!"


    Massive amounts of killing intent exploded out of both Black Alex and Blue Alex as they released their respective powers, covering the whole world with their domineering aura.


    Blue Alex''s blue lighting danced through the skies, while Black Alex''s wriggling black worms decorated the ground.


    Such sight was enough to mesmerize anyone, but to the enemies of these two, these lightning and worms were anything by mesmerizing.


    As these two released their intent to kill, Alina and Queen Mother did not let themselves fall behind. They too released the aura of their powers, which have the same intensity as those of the two Alex''s.


    The twisted space around Alina and the intense greenery around Queen Mother showed their indication to fight, although these two women did not start attacking anyone.


    Instead, Alina began to guide her power towards Blue Alex, while Queen Mother guided hers towards Black Alex.


    "Bzzt!"


    The combination of the twisted space and blue lightning caused multiple fissures on world, while the intense greenery became a feeding ground to the black worms. As these powers began to fuse together, expressions of pain could be seen on Alina and Queen Mother''s faces, although both Black Alex and Blue Alex remained emotionless.


    "Hong~"


    These moves  caused the whole area around the four to shake in both fear and anticipation, as if something terrifying and exciting was about to occur.


    This kind of scenery made Golden Alex and Alex smile, as they realized that the Power Synthesis were going well.


    "Hehehe, according to the rules, only one power from the Traveler and one power from a Companion can fuse. Aside from that, these powers must also have the same origin, or else they won''t fuse¡­"  Alex thought as he watched the Power Synthesis that is undergoing right in front of his eyes. There was an unmistakable sensation of joy that can be heard from his words, which only became more noticeable as time passed by.


    "In this case, my Esper Power will be fused with Alina''s Esper Power, while my Abyss Magic will be fusing with Queen Mother''s Nature Manipulation! This fusion does not violate anything, as my multiple powers made things easier for me! I just combined one power with Alina, and one power with Queen Mother! Such kind of fusion is allowed, since there is no rule stating that I cannot fuse power with more than one Companion!"


    "As for the similarity in origins, Alina''s power had no more problem with that, since her power is Esper Power. As for Queen Mother''s Nature Manipulation, it might seem to have a different origin with my Abyss Magic, but I know for a fact that the origin of her power will not pose any problem to me!"


    "I am not sure why, but Queen Mother''s Nature Manipulation and my Abyss Magic have the same origin. I do not know how that happened, but I don''t care about that now! What''s more important is that my double Power Synthesis will work, and nobody in this world can stop me!" Alex continued to shout mentally as his two bodies and allies began to glow. "Hahaha, now let''s see you get trashed by my allies, Emperor Litch! I hope that you will still have a body¡­ that I can recover later!"

 Chapter 501 - 500 CHAPTERS RECAP EDITION!

    Hehehe, now that this novel had reached 500 chapters, maybe it is time to make a short recap of all the stories that had happened in this novel already, starting from the beginning¡­ You can say that this is my way of celebrating 500 chaps, so please don''t be angry¡­


    Oh, the arc about the Four Moons World will not be described here, as it has been summarized before already¡­


    [Origin Day]


    Alex could be seen lying on the snowy ground, as he waited for his death via hypothermia. He seemed to be quite accepting of his mortal fate, but before he could die in peace, an old man arrived and gave him an offer. Alex accepted the offer, bringing him to a new journey that will make him discover new things, and perhaps, allow him to also correct his mistakes.


    [Esper World]


    This world is the first world that Alex had visited, and he came here in a slight bang. A hired assassin tried to kill him, but Alex was able to escape thanks to the help of Asteria(Did she really just help Alex?). Once settled down, Asteria told him about his Main Mission, which is to deal with the World Diagram.


    With this kind of mission placed on him, Alex decided to look for a way to activate his power, which brought him marching to a nearby city. Luckily for him, he met up with Clint and Natasha, two Espers with mysterious backgrounds who decided to help him.


    Along the way he also met Alina, a black-haired girl who Alex quickly identified as the assassin who tried to kill him before. Together, they began dealing with enemies that came their way, which included a man whose power lies on vibration, a monstrous lizard, and many more.


    In the end, these two were able to discover the truth about the Esper World. The Esper World was just a digitally created world, with all of its inhabitants made up of data. Everything in this world was dictated by a powerful program, which was no other than the World Diagram.


    The Esper who held the highest position in the Esper World had been plotting for years to use the Esper World  and the World Diagram for his goals, something that Alex and Alina did not agree with.


    After a taxing fight, these two managed to win, with the truth about the Esper World known to its residents.


    Monster World.


    Upon arriving in this world, some power additions turned Alex into a tentacle dmonstrosity, while Alina turned into a picturesque vampire.


    With these new powers on hand, these two made their way across the new world, meeting several monsters along the way, including 5 monsters who were previously Essence Humans.


    Their Main Mission was to save these 5 monsters, a feat that is hard to accomplish. After all, saving these monsters meant finding a way to turn them back into Essence Humans.


    Fortunately for the two, their planning and scheming allowed them to discover the truth.


    As it turns out, there were two World Trees residing in this world, with the older World Tree acting as the origin of all the Monsters. The younger World Tree on the other hand was the source of the Essence Humans.


    The proximity of these World Trees with each other brought tension, leading to a bitter battle between the two races that they created. These quarrels became so bad that  some years ago,  the younger World Tree used her biological agents to turn all the monsters sterile.


    This move forced the monsters to kidnap many Essence Humans, turning them into monsters that will serve to increase their count.


    This made the situation between the two races worse, making it lead to the point that a full-scale war will surely happen.


    Fortunately for everyone, Alex was able to force this war to not happen. By using the truth in his hands, Alex was able to convince the World Tree to become his Companion, while also getting the cure needed by the monsterized people.


    This essentially solved the tension on the Monster World, with the Monster Race making the decision to live on other planets¡­


    [Superhero World]


    Upon arriving in this world. Alex, Alina, and Queen Mother did the most sensible thing that they could ever do: Pretend to be superheroes and just go with the flow.


    The contents of their Main Mission in this world was not that simple. They must obtain the Legacy of Tartaros, while also preventing it from being obtained by a different Traveler, who has also arrived in this world.


    This Main Mission forced the three to act cautious at all times, especially when they began joining in the fights between the different Superheroes.


    Numerous superpowered battles occurred with the arrival of Alex''s team, with their enemies mostly led by the enemy Traveler.


    In the end, Alex and his allies were able to defeat their enemy Traveler, who to their surprise, was actually just a lone woman. Due to this woman''s unique circ.u.mstances and importance, Alex decided to preserve her corpse, in an attempt to turn her into an ally later.


    Alex''s group then encountered the Pantheon, the greatest Superhero team in the whole word. They might look impressive, but they have some secrets that they were hiding from everyone.


    One of these secrets was the existence of the Legacy of Tartaros, which as it turns out, was actually in their hands!


    With the way the Pantheon were acting around this legacy, it was quite obvious that they won''t let anyone else just get a hold of it¡­


    Alex of course found a way to obtain it, and to his surprise, the Legacy of Tartaros was actually something that he was familiar with.


    The Legacy of Tartaros was a digital world created by a superhero whose power was related to programming.  And to make things more interesting, this digital world turns out to be the Esper World, the world which Alex had visited before.


    Upon making this discovery, Alina told Alex to pause the simulation of the Esper World. She then took it with her, saying that she will find a way to make things better for the Esper World¡­


    [Immortal World(TimeMasters World)]


    After their almost catastrophic trip on the Four Moons World, Alex and his allies found themselves on a world that is ruled by Time.


    Everything in this world is paid according to your lifespan, something that is unfathomable to them.


    And to make things more interesting, the given Main Mission to them was a choice-based mission.


    They have two choices to make, with each choice having a great effect on this world.


    For the first choice, Alex and his companions could ally with the Immortals. These people were the original owners of this world, with the arrival of their enemies changing their status quo.


    For the second choice, Alex and his companions can ally with the TimeMasters. These were the invaders of this world, and  they were the ones who successfully implemented the time currency system in this world.


    Alex did not quickly make his choice at that time, as he decided to measure things out first.


    After a series of interesting events, Alex was able to gain an audience with the Great TimeMaster, who in turn showed them the truth about the invasion of the TimeMasters on this world.


    After showing the past, the Great TimeMaster then told Alex that she, along with Asteria, were actually in cahoots all this time. The Main Mission in this world does not matter, as this world was just meant for Alex to have his rest. This world was just a way to prepare Alex on his return on the Four Moons World, which seemed to be more important to the Endless Monarch.


    The Great TimeMaster then used her Half-Step Transcendent Power to end the ''conflict'' in the TImeMaster World.

 Chapter 502 - The Beginning of the End?

    "Skurza!"


    Alex did not have to wait that long for the Power Synthesis to succeed. Just a few seconds after he made his thoughts regarding this enemies, the powers of his allies and his bodies have fused together, bringing a brand-new set of powers here in the Four Moons World.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Behind Blue Alex and Alina, a massive, 100-meter tall Virtual Body appeared, which seemed to bear both the characteristics of Alina and Blue Alex''s Virtual Body. Its body was laced with blue lightning and nauseating spatial bends, while its head was covered with what looked like to be a smooth piece of metal.


    A small gun could be seen clutched on this Virtual Body''s right hand, while a fragment of a sword blade was contained on its left hand. These two objects were complemented by a gray cape that hung on the back of the Virtual Body, with this cape swaying in a fixed rate even with the lack of any wind blowing on it.


    This massive Virtual Body was constantly flickering every second or so, with its existence seemingly disappearing with each flicker.  These disappearances did not have any negative effect on this Virtual Body, as it still retained its strength.


    "Hoho, so my guess is indeed right. Combining my Esper Power with Alina''s will just result on the combination of our Virtual Bodies. Both of us are Sixth Stage Espers after all, so for our Esper Bodies to be the focal point of the Synthesis is a must¡­" Alex thought to himself as the Synthesis Virtual Body began to build up its power.


    "Hong long long~"


    Large swathes of area around the Synthesis Virtual Body seemed to disappear as it moved, leaving large vacuums of empty space on its wake. Nothing seemed to be able to resist this ''disappearing power'' from the Synthesis Virtual Body, resulting in more vacuum-filled space around it.


    Alex only smiled wryly upon seeing this, as he was just both impressed and terrified by what he saw.


    "According to Blue Alex, the power that he and Alina got after the Power Synthesis was something that is hard for me to understand. He said that this fused power was something related to the Grand Unified Theory 1 ¡­." Alex let out a sigh at this point, showing the slightly frustration that he had with the info that he just received.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, with my current level of knowledge, not even I can understand the Grand Unified Theory. Of course even Blue Alex and Alina had no way of understating this new power too¡­ They can barely even keep their power from destroying this planet¡­." Alex thought as he shook his head. He seemed to be slightly amused by the dilemma experienced by Blue Alex and Alina, something which was he''s not interested to show to others.


    "But even if they can''t control their new power well, they still have the strength to use it on our enemies. Hahaha, as long as they can keep this new power from killing us, then it is still good! We can just research about the Grand Unified Theory once we get out of this mess."


    Once he was done observing Blue Alex and Alina, Alex turned his attention on the other pair who had their powers fused.


    This pair was of course the one made up of Black Alex and Queen Mother.


    "What the fu-"


    To Alex''s relief, he saw that the Power Synthesis between Queen Mother and Black Alex had succeeded. Just the presence of a massive body above these two were enough proof of that.


    But instead of acting happy with what he saw, Alex was actually more confused at this point.


    Why was he confused? Well, it''s because the massive body floating above Black Alex and Queen Mother was something that  he did not expect to see!


    An 80-foot dragon, whose body is made up of wood, was currently  hovering menacingly above Queen Mother and Black Alex. Its wooden body was covered with all sorts of vines and flowers, which made its body look both ancient and beautiful.


    There was a horn jutting out of this dragon''s head, which was as long as a 10-storey building. The colors of Black Alex''s Abyssal Pillar could be seen on this horn, with the tip of the horn exuding an aura similar to that of an Abyss Envoy.


    This horn appeared to be no other than Black Alex''s Abyssal Pillar itself, which seemed to have been turned into the horn of the wooden dragon.


    Right now, this dragon was not moving away on its spot. It just hovered protectively above Black Alex and Queen Mother, with its wings covering the two tightly.


    The presence of this wooden dragon was enough to make Alex sigh again, as the info that he received from Black Alex was just as confusing as Blue Alex''s.


    "So according to Black Alex, he and Queen Mother was unsure on what kind of power they obtained from their Power Synthesis¡­ They have no prior knowledge that something like this can exist, and not even their new power explained itself to them¡­" Alex only sighed again at this point, as he had no more actions left to do here. "But Black Alex also told me that they can still control their new power. They were just unsure on how much damage it could do, as this was their first time using it¡­"


    "Boom boom boom!"


    These fusions brought fourth more earth-shaking tremors around the whole world, making its residents shake in fear. Even Delia and her allies seemed to be shaken up by the results of the fusion, something that made Alex nod his head.


    "Hmm, these new powers might be unstable, but maybe, just maybe, I they can be used properly to win here. I just have to make sure that no collateral damage will appear on this plane-"


    "Oi Alex, why are you acting worried like that? Even if their new powers are still unstable, it''s still usable enough to use against our enemies!" It was Golden Alex  who talked at this point,  with each of his words said in a scathing manner. "Why are you even worrying about the instability of these powers? Just use them on our enemies already!"


    "Golden Alex, you don''t need to tell me that. Of course I will use these new powers to win. I was just¡­ making sure that things won''t be that messed up." Alex hurriedly replied as he verified for one more time the success of his allies.


    "Hmph, you better do that." Golden Alex replied, with his tone sounding softer already. "There''s only a few seconds left before Sierra succeeds on her Possession. Before that time comes, all our enemies must be wiped away!"


    "I know, I know. I''m about to issue an attack command already, so don''t bother me!" Alex said before he turned his attention on his other bodies. "I''m about to reconnect with them, so just stay silent, ok?"


    "¡­"


    "Shulala~" As he reconnected his mind with Blue Alex and Black Alex, Alex did his best to not get swept up from the overwhelming power that are bombarding the bodies of the two.


    It was certainly difficult for him, as the sensation of the wooden dragon clutching his heart and the feeling of the armored virtual body stabbing his head were  things that were hard to ignore.


    But he managed to get past through them, with only his mental fortitude consumed in the end.


    **************


    [Alex]: Black Alex and Queen Mother, go and kill the two Supreme Puppets. Oh, and don''t forget to kill Ray''s Companions too. Just make sure that Vera''s body will be fully preserved.  As for you Blue Alex and Alina, go kill the remaining Generals and Malthus. Make sure that they will die quickly without any complications! I don''t want any more mess-ups here!"


    [Black Alex]: Noted, original. The Abyss is pleased with your actions.


    [Alex] : Yeah, yeah, yeah, they can be pleased all they want.


    [Blue Alex] : Noted, original. My calculations say that victory in this battle is already a certainty.


    [Alex]: Hehe, I don''t need your calculations to know that I won. I already knew that I will win!


    [Alina]: Why do you want to preserve Vera''s body? Are you planning to do something with this b**ch?


    [Alex]: Huh? No, it''s nothing like that! I just heard that Vera has a Divine Sensory Organ like yours! Since we''re killing her already, then I thought that we should just harvest it! It could be of some use to you after all¡­


    [Alina]: Oh.


    [Queen Mother]: Alex, pardon me for asking me this, but why is Emperor LItch not included in your attack list? You told us to attack all the possible enemies that we could have, but you excluded Emperor Litch from it. Are you perhaps planning to-


    [Alex]: Don''t worry about Emperor LItch. I have something special planned for him. I assure you, this won''t be messing things up here. Just¡­ just let me do this, okay?


    [Queen Mother]: If that''s what you think is beneficial, then I have no qualms with it.


    [Alina]: ¡­You can reduce my dinner later if that will be enough to reduce my embarrassment. Oh, and I don''t have any problems with you excluding Emperor LItch. With the things that he did to you, a quick death is something that he does not deserve¡­


    [Black Alex]: The Abyss is interested on seeing what you plan to do with Emperor LItch. Can I be allowed to watch?


    [Blue Alex]: Excluding Emperor LItch from the kill list still nets a 100% success rate for this mission. Hmm, how could that be?


    [Alex]: ¡­Just stop talking and let''s get to killing ok? We can have more time chatting later. It''s the theory which seeks to combine Electromagnetic, Weak, and Strong Forces into one equation.

 Chapter 503 - Start of the Massacre

    Alex''s allies did not waste their time bickering with Alex longer. With him giving them the go signal to let loose, Alina and Blue Alex quickly focused their attention on Malthus and the Generals, while Black Alex and Queen Mother began drifting lazily towards the Supreme Puppets.


    These movements of theirs elicited panicked reaction on their targets, as the killing intent released by Alina and Queen Mother was enough to inform them of their end.


    "Ahh!!!"


    The remaining Generals tried their best to run away, but with their powers all stripped by the Black Ooze, the speed that they can move was only limited. This included the Generals that are hiding in secluded spots of the Four Moons World, who now realized that they can''t just watch the battles in safe condition.


    No matter where these Generals are, they are unable to keep themselves safe. All of them are now under target of the Synthesis Virtual Body, bringing them to a sure-death fate.


    "No!!" Sir Xote, who was the strongest out of all the remaining Generals, can only watch in despair as the armored Virtual Body loomed all over him and the Generals. He can feel the lofty Mental Power coming from this Virtual Body, which was enough to stir the space all around it.


    Some of this Mental Power were able to affect Sir Xote too, bringing him to a paralyzed state that rendered him unable to move.


    The same thing happened to the other Generals too, making them look like socks left on the floor.


    While the Generals were beginning to despair on their fate, the Synthesis Virtual Body began to talk, with its deep but also sharp voice shaking the already unstable land on this planet.


    "As long as I am present, all states of matter and energy shall be under my control." The Virtual Body said, with Alina and Blue Alex''s body glowing brightly as it talked. "You people tried to kill me, so I shall elicit a punishment on you! Now, begone and return to the universe as primordial particles!"


    "No!"


    "Bzzt!"


    The Virtual Body then raised its right index finger, pointing its sharp tip towards Sir Xote.


    As this finger filled his vision, Sir Xote''s body began to shake as all the atoms making up his body started to break down.


    Even if the atoms were one of the hardest things to break in the universe, it just popped like a bubble under the stern power of the Virtual Body.


    The atoms quickly broke down into electrons, protons, and neutrons, with no energy released in the process.


    The protons and neutrons the split themselves into multiple Up Quarks and Down Quarks 1 , while the electrons began to transform into electron neutrinos, muons, muon neutrinos, taus and tau neutrinos 2 .


    This splitting up essentially reduced Sir Xote into a horde of fundamental particles, with his whole body disappearing in an instant. The quarks, electrons, and leptons obtained from his body began diffusing into the surroundings, leaving nothing on Sir Xote''s spot but scraps of his body.


    The concept of ''Sir Xote'' was already gone at this point, with his body and soul ceasing to exist. They are now part of the universe once more, although they are now at the form of particles.


    Once Sir Xote had been dealt with, the Virtual Body used the same power on the other Generals, this time with much faster results.


    "¡­."


    It took the Virtual Boyd five seconds to finish off all the Generals, a record which will surely make Alina and Blue Alex happy.


    These two however was not that interested on celebrating yet. There''s still one enemy left to kill, and unlike the Generals, this enemy was of a much higher importance.


    "Malthus, do you have any last words to say? As a Traveler who schemed agasint this world, your death is something that had been pending to arrive¡­" It was Alina who spoke at this point, with her steely gaze focused on Malthus. There was no hint of arrogance or pity on her eyes, as she seemed to treat Malthus as an execution target.


    "Hahaha! Hahahaha!" In face of certain death facing him, Malthus seemed to have lost his sanity. He began laughing crazily after hearing Alina''s words, with his body bleeding from the fall earlier.


    "Any last words? Hahahaha! Why would I speak up, when I am about to die? You cowards, are you scared of the Goetic Order Realm avenging my death?  Hehehe, yes, you better be scared!" Malthus shouted out, with this Demonic Tower standing still behind him. His eyes began tearing up at this point, but instead of tears, only blood came out of them.


    "Hehehe, once you kill me, the Goetic Order Realm will send its agents to kill you! Hahahaha! Let''s see how you can deal with them!"


    "So you won''t plead for your life then?" Alina mused as she tilted her head. "And here I thought demons are beings who don''t like to die. It seems like I am mistaken."


    "F**k you, sl*t! The whole multiverse is just a large forest! It''s the strongest who wins! I am weaker than you, so for me to die is just! But don''t think that you can get away from this!" Malthus continued to shout in a deranged tone. His face seemed to be burning at this point, although Alina knew that it''s just an illusion spurned by this demon''s insanity. "Once you kill me, the whole Goetic Order Realm shall hound you for your life! Hahahahahaha! Let''s see if you can still act smug like this!"


    "All your words are just empty threats. If they are really dangerous, then we will just have to fight back." Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "N ow then, it''s time for you to join the Generals. Go and have your eternal sleep already."


    "Eternal sleep my ass! I swear once I die, you will-"


    "Gluo."


    Malthus'' mad ravings were silenced immediately once the Virtual Body used  its power on him.


    His body and soul broke down, with all of his powers and sealed potential popping into the void as particles. There was nothing that Malthus was able to do to prevent this from happening. He just died, with no achievements obtained this time.


    And just like that, a Traveler was killed.


    [[BONUS MISSION 3: KILL ENEMY TRAVELERS. 1 CONFIRMED KILL. 1 TRANSCENDENCE SHARD SHALL BE REWARDED LATER.]]


    As Malthus'' particles dispersed in the air, Alina and all the bodies of Alex heard Asteria''s voice resounding inside their minds.


    They did not act surprised from hearing this voice, although the mention of the reward was enough to make them happy.


    "One good action equates to one good reward. Killing enemies seems to be beneficial to my progress. I must record this on my database." Blue Alex murmured. After saying these words, he and Alina began to move themselves away from the area.


    But before they could leave, their attention was caught by an object that should not be here.


    Malthus'' Demonic Tower, which was also targeted by the Virtual Body''s attack earlier, was actually not destroyed.


    It just stood silently on the ground, with its body appearing to be unscathed from the Virtual Body''s attack on it.


    Such kind of state was enough to baffle Alina, although this confusion only lasted for a second.


    "Oh right¡­ from what Alex and Kierra had told me before,  Demonic Towers were created from the Goetic Order Realm itself. That makes them treasures above the level of Transcendence¡­ Hmm, that must be the reason why we cannot destroy this." Alina said as she gave the Demonic Tower an amused look. "Blue Alex, what do you think should we do with this tower? Should we just leave it here?"


    "No can do. According to my calculations, it will be better if we use this Demonic Tower to benefit ourselves." Blue Alex replied quickly as his eyes whirled. "If it were me, I would like this Demonic Tower to be given to Kiera. With her powers being similar to Malthus, there is a high chance that she can take the Demonic Tower under her control¡­"


    "Kiera? Hm, now that you say it, that''s actually possible¡­ Since that''s the case, then we shall bring this tower with us." After Alina made this declaration, the Virtual Body behind her leaned in, with its left hand stretched towards the Demonic Tower.


    The Virtual Body then pulled the Demonic Tower up easily, with no resistance presented on the Virtual Body at all.


    Once the Demonic Tower''s whole body was exposed to the air, the Virtual Body let out a low grunt as it placed the tower on its right shoulder.


    "Thud." This move made the Demonic Tower look like a pulled-out weed, with its body looking like just an inert and danger-less object.


    Once this was done, both Alina and Blue Alex looked at the area around them, which was covered with nothing but sand.


    This sight made Alina''s eyes twitch, as a rare expression of sheepishness could be seen on her face.


    "The attacks that we did on the Generals and Malthus was still unstable. Even if we had managed to kill them, there are still a lot of collateral damage involved." Alina said, with her eyes staring at the mountains and lands that had been forcefully dissipated by their power. "It seems like we still need to hone this power for longer if we want to use this better¡­"


    "With the time that we have left, I doubt that we can fine-tune this power to usable levels." Blue Alex replied as the Virtual Body began to move. "Even Black Alex and Queen Mother had no time to fine-tune their powers too. I am sure that just like us, they are struggling to make their attacks stable too¡­"


    "Don''t tell those words to Queen Mother. She will surely get angry to you¡­" Alina replied as she  furtively looked at the place where Queen Mother was in right now. "Speaking of powers, I can see that Queen Mother and Black Alex still have not killed their targets. Are they playing with their targets, or are they having a hard time killing them?"


    "According to my calculations, it is already inevitable for Queen Mother and Black Alex to kill their targets much later than us. Their powers appeared to lie more on the Conceptual Side, unlike ours which is based on Actual Phenomena¡­" Blue Alex said as he shook his head. "The difference on our kill time will be on seconds, so don''t be worried for them."


    "Is that so? If those two are fine, then let''s focus back to ourselves." Alina replied as she crossed her arms. "So what should we do now? Should we go to Golden Alex, who is vulnerable at this point, or should we go to Professor Frances, who''s already at the climax of her Soul Ritual?"


    "Why don''t we just wait until Queen Mother kills her targets? Once she was done with her job, we can just accompany her." Blue Alex answered quickly. "It''s better if we go together after all." These two are also called quarks, a kind of fundamental particles that make up the universe. These are all leptons, a kind of fundamental particles that make up the universe. Electron is a lepton too, if you are wondering.

 Chapter 504 - Fall of the Emperor!

    Life and Death, Beginning and End.


    Life is the Beginning of living creatures, while Death is their End.


    The Beginning of all Life is still unknown, but their End had always been Death.


    These two pairs of opposing concepts have existed since the start of time, and there''s no doubt that they will persist until the entropy extinguishes everything.


    But even with their prevalence, not much can still be understood from them.


    For some, Life is just an accident, something that the universe did not intend to have. For others, Life is an intelligent design, created by an omnipotent being.


    As for Death, many treat this is the inevitable End of Life. Whether it was implemented because of some flaws are still unknown, but Death is a prevalent concept that nobody can escape. Not even those who had Transcended the Laws.


    Even the Multiverse itself can also experience Death, which was machinated by Entropy. All vibrations and energy in the Multiverse will be dispersed by Entropy at the End of time, turning everything into cold, Lifeless objects.


    Whether someone can find a way to stop Entropy from Ending everything is still unknown, as it is an unstoppable concept that not even the strongest of beings can violate.


    These confusing but overpowering properties makes the concepts of Life-Death and Beginning-End as some of the domineering and all-encompassing Laws in the Multiverse. There''s nobody that can avoid these Laws, making anyone equal under it.


    With their effects on everything, many covet to take control of these Laws. Those who can get hold and take control of these concepts are touted to be unstoppable beings. After all,  not many can stop those who takes control of Life and Death.


    One of these people naturally included Alex, although he knew to himself that he was still far from obtaining such capabilities. He knew that he must at least reach the level where he can touch the Laws before he can think of playing with these concepts.


    But after the evens of today''s mission, Alex realized that he had to change his mind regarding these Laws.


    "Okay I see¡­. So that Wooden Dragon is related to the Concept of Life-Death itself? Hehe, so that''s why it was hard for Queen Mother and Black Alex to control that dragon..." Alex thought as he saw everything that the wooden dragon had done. "It''s power was really difficult for them to control¡­"


    With his senses, Alex can feel that the concept of Life was concentrated solely on the horn of the dragon, while the concept of Death  was present on the dragon''s tail. The other parts of the dragon had none of these concepts, making them look inert compared to the horn and tail.


    Out of these two body parts, the dragon was only using its tail to attack its targets. The horn was just stably placed on the dragon''s head, with the dragon seemingly unwilling to use it at all.


    "Hong~"


    By judging the effects made by the tail, one can say that there''s no need for the horn to be used at all.


    All objects that the Wooden Dragon had touched with its tail experienced the  Concept of  Death instantly, with none escaping its effects, not even those with powers.


    The living creatures dropped dead in an instant, while non-living objects began to break down into pure energy and particle clouds. It was as if the dragon''s tail had induced instant death on the living creatures, and instant entropic destruction on the non-living objects.


    Such sight was enough to make Alex whistle, as he saw that even the Supreme Puppets were unable to resist the power of the tail.


    "Oh yeah, that hits the spot. Hit them more with that!" Alex murmured as Ray and the other Supreme Puppet flopped down to the ground after getting smacked with the dragon''s tail. Any signs of their life were gone from this point, making them appear as actual corpses.


    [[BONUS MISSION 3: KILL ENEMY TRAVELERS. 2 CONFIRMED KILLS. 2 TRANSCENDENCE SHARDS SHALL BE REWARDED LATER.]]


    "Yeah, now that''s what I am talking about! Go, my allies and kill them all!" Alex thought in glee as the wooden dragon began to chase down its other targets. "Hehehe, you chose the wrong day to oppose me, little fools!  Now, go and enjoy the treatment by my Woody 1 !"


    "Roar!"


    Even if Alex was c some distance away from the wooden dragon, he can still perfectly see the fear  and desperation on the eyes of the targets that it was chasing.


    Vera and Noelle were running away from the dragon at the best speed that they could do, but their lack of powers and the wooden dragon''s sheer size left them no space to escape.


    "Tap."


    One tap from the tail was enough to end the life of these two, making them flop to the ground as corpses, just like what happened to Ray.


    Their eyes that were bright from fear had already turned into dim orbs, making them look eerie, especially with their blank stares.


    "¡­"


    At the sight of these two bodies, Alex shook his head as Golden Alex let out a disappointed sigh. Sure, he felt a sense of loss upon seeing their end, but in their current situation, there''s nothing else that he can do but to kill them.


    "Noelle and Vera, since I already killed Ray, your deaths are bound to come in a few seconds. So don''t blame me for killing you. You two are about to die anyway, so I just made it faster." Alex thought as he saw the wooden dragon grab the body of the two.


    "Oh, and I have to apologize to you Vera. Your Divine Sensory Organ is just too special, that I want to obtain it." Alex added as he gave a furtive look at Vera''s nose. "So forgive me for the extraction process that my companion will do to you later¡­"


    With the deaths of Vera and Noelle, all the targets that Alex wanted as dead have been sent to their end already. There''s nothing left for his allies to attack, making the whole area turn stale for a second.


    This staleness of course disappeared quickly  when one of Alex''s allies began to question what had just happened.


    "Oi Alina¡­ is the real power of Power Synthesis? I did not expect it¡­ to be like this!"  Delia, who was just about to use her spear to annihilate their enemies, said in a trembling tone as she stared at the killing spree made by Alex''s allies.


    From the look on Delia''s face, it appeared as if she was greatly surprised with what she had seen. She did nothing to hide this surprise, as she continued to complain to Alina. "Even if our enemies are still powerless, you should have a little harder time killing them! But¡­ but that bulls**t Virtual Body and that Wooden Dragon only needed few attacks in order to win? Bulls**t! I call this bulls**t! You and that World Tree are just broken!"


    "Don''t think of us that way, especially if you can''t perform Power Synthesis with your Companions." In face of Delia''s words, Alina only gave this calm but also scathing reply. "If your Companions had a compatible power with you, then you can also perform a Power Synthesis that can rival ours. Too bad for you, you can''t¡­."


    "You!"


    "You better praise your luck that we became allies. Because if we were not, then I could have been already using my power to end you now." Alina added coldly, making Delia hastily close her mouth. "So if I were you, I would just stay quiet and watch the situation here unfold. There''s nothing that you can do here anyway, so just behave! Just let us locate the Legacy Weapon, and everything will be fine."


    "Behave? What the f**k are you saying? Do you think I can just let you take the Legacy Weapon? B**ch, I am a Traveler, so I cannot just-"


    "Miss Delia, our Main Mission does not say that one of us can take the Legacy Weapon alone. It just said that we should take it. That means that it''s possible that two Travelers can obtain it." Golden Alex out of nowhere said, interrupting Delia''s talk. "If you understand that, then you know what you should do next. Just¡­ stay on the sidelines and let me do my job. You already helped me out a lot with your black ooze, so allow me to finish this."


    "You-"


    "Once I kill Emperor Litch, we will open the treasury that contains the Legacy Weapon. Once that happens, both of us will obtain the Legacy Weapon, which makes us succeed on the Main Mission! That''s a win-win situation for us!" Golden Alex continued to say, ignoring Delia whose face was turning purple now. "You want to be done with this world, already, right? If you want to, then let me take things from here!"


    "¡­."


    Even if Delia did not say anything after that, it was obvious from her body language that she agrees with what Golden Alex said. Her sagging shoulders and her resigned face just made that more obvious.


    Upon seeing this, Golden Alex let out a hearty laugh, making his injured face look happy.


    "Good choice Delia! I promise you that you will never regret this!" Golden Alex said as his eyes gleamed.


    He then continued to laugh, this time with his eyes staring at a different person. "Now that I have ''dealt'' with all you, its'' time for me to experience the main course¡­"Hehehehe, with all the obstructions here gone,  there''s nothing else that will distract me from you, Emperor LItch!"


    With all their enemies dead, there was only one enemy left alive that Alex had to kill. That enemy of course was no other than Emperor Litch.


    "You really made things hard for me, you s**ty Emperor. You even found a way to make yourself back to the peak again! Sigh, I am really curious how you managed to do that, but I know that you will not answer me. So I will just kill you, since that''s the best I can do to you here!" Golden Alex, whose face now held an unmistakable look of greed on it, said as he began sauntering towards Emperor LItch''s injured body. He did not hide his intention to kill at all, making even Alina sigh from the sheer murderous intent that he was releasing.


    "Oh my, Emperor Litch. Your fall seems to be fatal. Are you sure that you''re still alive? Oh right, you''re still alive. I can sense you glare at me after all¡­"


    The fall that Emperor Litch experienced earlier was no small deal. With his magic and Conqueror''s Aura gone, Emperor Litch received a full-brunt impact on his fall.


    Most of his bones are broken, while his organs are bleeding internally from the impact.


    His handsome face was already mutilated beyond recognition, with the dust and dirt making him look more like a monster.


    But even with these injuries, everyone nearby can still feel that Emperor LItch was alive. In fact, he seemed to still be far away from dying at this point, even with all the injuries that he just received.


    "You¡­. You will regret doing this to me¡­. You lowly clone¡­" A sinister, hissing voice could be heard coming out of Emperor Litch''s throat, which made Golden Alex stop on his tracks. "Hehehe¡­ don''t hink that you have won now¡­ lowly clone¡­ Even if you kill me today¡­ the concept of Emperor LItch¡­ will not end¡­ Sooner¡­ you will face me once more¡­. And once that time comes¡­. I will be prepared for you¡­."


    "¡­"


    "I still have a part of me left in my capital¡­ Hehehe, once you kill me here, that part that I left will wake up¡­ and he will be the new Emperor Litch¡­ This time¡­ that Emperor LItch will be prepared against you¡­ You¡­ you will never be able to beat him like me!"


    "¡­"


    "Do you see all these things that I did here? Hehehe¡­ all of these are just made by me to know all of your powers¡­. Hehehe, how does it feel now¡­ lowly clone? I made you use¡­ everything that you have¡­.. With that¡­. the new Emperor Litch can prepare countermeasures against you¡­. Hehehe¡­ do you regret fighting me now?"


    "¡­"


    "Hehehe, you must be scared now, clone¡­. Well if I were in your shoes I will be scared too¡­. Hehehe... but do you think I will spare you? No¡­ Since you did all these things to me¡­ I will make sure that the new me will be making you suffer! So just you wait clone¡­ The new Emperor Litch shall be coming to end-"


    "Shut up, Emperor LItch. I don''t need you making appointments with me!" Golden Alex suddenly shouted, cutting off Emperor LItch''s mad ravings. "You want to kill me? Well, you don''t have to worry. Once I have the time, I will be visit the capital of the Undying Empire! There, I will end you and your clones once and for all!"


    "What? Clone, you are-"


    "Okay, I don''t like hearing you talk anymore. It''s time for you to die." Golden Alex said before stomping Emperor Litch''s head with his foot.


    "Stomp!"


    Golden Alex ignored the blood  splattering on his foot as he continued on stomping on Emperor LItch''s head, with each stomp much stronger compared to before.


    "Stomp. You think. Stomp. That you have. Stomp. Outwitted me? Hmph. Stomp. I knew from the start. Stomp. That you. Stomp. Might have. Stomp.  A spare part! Stomp. Since you. Stomp. Confirmed it to me. Stomp. Then I will be coming for you! Just you wait!"


    "Stomp!"


    With that last stomp, Emperor Litch became completely headless. Blood sprayed out of his neck as his limbs convulsed, making him look like a chicken that had its neck slit.


    In face of this macabre death, Golden Alex only smiled, with his face stained by the spraying blood.


    "Hmph, who cares if you still have a part of you left in the Undying Empire? Once I reach Half-Transcendence, I will be coming for your remaining parts, Emperor LItch!" Really, Alex?

 Chapter 505 - The 3rd number 6!

    And with that, the great Emperor Litch has fallen. He was now dead and his body was in full display for the whole world to see. He was dead beyond doubt, and nothing can bring him back now.


    But even if he was already dead, Golden Alex did not look happy at all. Instead, only a somber expression could be seen on his face as he kicked the Emperor''s headless corpse.


    "So my guess was right. Even if Emperor LItch badly wants to kill me, he still made sure to find a way to keep himself alive. Tsk, that bastard really has prepared himself on fighting me. He has countermeasures and more countermeasures against me. Heh, I guess this must be the reason he was touted as an Emperor, he just had the enough shrewdness to become one¡­" Golden Alex thought sourly to himself, with his frown making his unpleasant feeling obvious.


    Golden Alex tried to not make sounds after that, with him only staying silent as the Emperor''s body began to break down into golden particles.


    *******************


    [Golden Alex] : Tsk, this must be the 4th benefit granted by the Conqueror''s Aura¡­ As long as Emperor LItch''s soul has a portion of it left, he can use the support of his Conquered Territories to nurture that soul¡­ Tsk,  as long as he has a soul portion hidden somewhere, he can use it to bring himself back from the brink of death! Even if that portion of soul is just a tiny piece, that will still be enough to make him come back!


    [[[After thinking of these, Golden Alex stabilized his body, with his eyes vigilantly observing the golden particles that are now clumping together. He seemed to be extremely interested in these particles, so much so that he did not flinch when Alex began talking to him.]]]


    [Alex] : Tsk, so that must be the reason why Emperor LItch was able to recover even when I stole half of his soul... He just used another cheating aspect of his power!


    [Golden Alex] : ¡­


    [Alex] : He was able to use the assistance of his territories to regrow his soul and heal his injuries. Not only that, but he also used this to rejuvenate his Conqueror''s Aura!


    [Golden Alex] : Hmph, if that is the secret on how he survived all the battles that he had before, then this makes him one of the most broken power users out there! Argh! From what I can see now, only a parasite can outlast him at this point!"


    [Alex] : Golden Alex, at least a parasite still has a life-cycle. Emperor Litch though? He has no life-cycle!


    [Golden Alex] : Yeah, he has no life-cycle at all, Original. He is just someone who can use his power to evade death¡­ well, unless we get to fully destroy his soul. But doing that will be extremely difficult, especially now that we had shown all our powers to Emperor Litch. Once we came back looking for him, he will be prepared against us."


    [Alex] : Hehehe, why are you worrying about that, Golden Alex? With the way that we killed Emperor Litch now, I bet it will take him years to recover his power. With that kind of recovery, what do you think will happen to us at that time? Hehehe, of course we will be much stronger compared to now!"


    [Golden Alex] : ¡­


    [[[After their conversation reached this state, Golden Alex suddenly became quiet, as he found himself at an impasse on what he should do next.]]]


    [[[This silence however only lasted for a few seconds, as he quickly  realized what he should actually do now.]]]


    [[[Rustle¡­.]]]


    [[[Like a snake stalking its prey, Golden Alex slowly stretched his right arm forwards, making it approach the area where the golden particles were clumping. This move made him grimace in pain, as the injuries he incurred from fighting earlier had began to affect him now.]]]


    [Golden Alex] : Hiss¡­


    [[[But even with this excruciating pain that almost made him crazy,  Golden Alex still willed his arm to move forward. He only stopped once he was touching the golden particles, which are still increasing in numbers at this point. ]]]


    [Golden Alex] : Yes, we must get stronger if we want to kill him. With his recovery time, it will be better for us to get stronger at a faster rate!


    [Alex] : Yeah, we must do that. But how do you plan to make yourself stronger, Golden Alex? You''re still at the Fifth Stage, so that makes you pretty useless here¡­.


    [Golden Alex] : Hmph, I don''t need you giving me hints now, original. I already know what to do next!


    [Alex]: Oh really, and what would that be?


    [Golden Alex] : Why are you still asking that? Isn''t it obvious? Now that Emperor Litch''s main body is dead, the Conquror''s Aura that he brought here is now free to be taken! Do you think I will just let go of this treat? Hehehe, of course not!


    [[[After saying these words, Golden Alex began to caress the golden particles clumped within his hands, which for some reason, seemed to be attracted to his skin. This action by the golden particles made Golden Alex grin, as if these movements were confirming his claims.]]]


    [Alex] : With the rejuvenating power of his territory, Emperor LItch was able to bring his Conqueror''s Aura  back to Half-Step Transcendence Stage. Once he reached that stage, he began formulating a plan to kill me¡­


    [Golden Alex] : Once Emperor Litch confirmed that we are in this world, he must have taken a portion of his Conqueror''s Aura and left it on the Undying Empire. That way, even if he dies, there''s still a chance for him to survive¡­.


    [Alex] : But with his confidence on winning, he could have thought that it will be impossible for him to die. Because of that, he must have brought around 95% of his Conqueror''s Aura here. That level is already enough to kill us and all of his enemies here¡­. As for the 5%, that was the one that he left in the Undying Empire¡­


    [Golden Alex]: Well, if we were only by ourselves, then he might have succeeded. But we have allied with another Traveler, making his victory impossible! And what did we get from that? Hehehe, we got a lot of Conqueror''s Aura!


    [Alex] : With this much Conqueror''s Aura, you can now reach Sixth Stage, Golden Alex. But don''t be that happy. If we let a few years pass by, Emperor Litch will be able to regain his power once more. ¡­


    [Golden Alex] : Heh, let that man regain his power. That way, once we kill him for the third time, I can harvest his power! Hehehe maybe at that time, I can use his death to reach Transcendence¡­


    [Alex] : Just dream about reaching Transcendence when we have the enough power to end Emperor LItch for good. As of now, it will be impossible for us to fully eradicate him, including all the soul portions that he had hidden¡­.


    [Golden Alex] : I know about that! But can''t you just let me gloat? I am about to reach Sixth Stage here! Shouldn''t you be happ-


    [Alex]: To kill Emperor LItch, we must reach a level of power that will allow us to trash everyone under Transcendence, including all the Half-Step Transcendent Beings. That, Golden Alex,  is the threshold that I will accept before we can start hunting Emperor Litch down.


    [Golden Alex] : What? You want to reach that level of power? Do you even know how hard that goal i-


    [Alex] : Golden Alex, if at least 3 or 4 of my powers reaches Half-Step Transcendencee, that should be enough to make me the strongest in this realm. You believe that too, right?"


    [Golden Alex] : I think that is plausible but-


    [Alex] : After today''s evens, 3 of my powers will reach Sixth Stage. If I continue with this pace, making these powers reach Half-Step Transcendence will be doable. I just have to be patient¡­.


    [Golden Alex] : Yes, you have to be patient. But not only that. You also need luck and epiphany to reach the power level that you are striving for. Do you think you will be able to obtain those in just a few years? With your talent, I know that you can eventually reach the peak. But when that time comes, it might be already too late for you¡­


    [Alex]: Why are you acting worried for me, Golden Alex? Shouldn''t you be devouring the Conqueror''s Aura now? I can feel your excitement from here, so why are you delaying yourself? Just eat up, and get stronger!


    [Golden Alex]: ¡­.

 Chapter 506 - Bonus Interludes and Volume 7 Discussion

    ****************************


    Bonus Interlude 1: That time that Asteria meddled in a relationship


    [Asteria]: Hooman, when will you and Alina get married? I still haven''t seen you and her ''hitting the sack!''


    [Alex]: Marriage? What the hell Asteria? Are you telling me that we should marry already?


    [Asteria]: Of course I am! That''s the next best thing that you two should do!


    [Alina]: Asteria, are you sure about what you are saying? You may be my favorite pet, but that doesn''t mean that I believe everything you say...


    [Asteria]: W-what''s wrong with I said?


    [Alex]: Well Asteria, you want us to marry each other. Doing something like that requires commitment to stay together, something that is hard for us to have now.


    [Asteria]: Commitment my ass! Aren''t you two a couple already? Since you''re like that, then there''s no more worries! Just get married already!


    [Alina]: Asteria, even if we are already a couple, it does not mean that we can marry already. Marrying means that we are willing to make a family, which I still am not interested now. I still want to be independent from those responsibilities...


    [Asteria]: So you don''t want to form a family yet? Hmph, if that''s true, then how can you explain Sierra''s existence? She''s technically your daughter, which means that you have a family already!


    [Alex]: That-


    [Asteria]: You''re already acting like parents to Sierra, right? You don''t complain when she calls you mommy and daddy, and you provide all of her needs. If you can''t be called parents with that kind of manner, then what would you be?


    [Alex]: We just-


    [Asteria]: No matter which way you look at it, it''s obvious that you treat Sierra as a family! Since that was the case, I am sure that you and Alina are already prepared for any commitment.


    [Alex]: Hey, I-


    [Asteria]: So in short, you and Alina are already okay to get married!


    [Alina]; Alex, I think Asteria is making sense with her words¡­.


    [Alex]: No, she doesn''t. Asteria''s just twisting facts. She''s just lying!


    [Alina]: ¡­You think that Asteria''s lying?  Is that what you say?


    [Alex]: Yes, she''s lying! So don''t believe her!


    [Alina]: Alex, if Asteria''s lying, does that mean that you actually  don''t treat Sierra as your daughter? Alex, I thought better of you¡­


    [Alex]: What? I did not say that! How could you-


    [Alina]: My goodness Alex, even if that girl has a foul mouth, she looks up to you! How could you treat Sierra like this? Are you really this heartless?


    [Alex]: No, I-


    [Sierra]: What the f**k daddy? I thought that you said that you will take care of me until I get old? Are those promises just s**ty lies? Huhuhu, you are a bad person! Only mommy is telling the truth here!


    [Alex]: ASTERIA!!! DON''T YOU TRY FLYING AWAY! I SWEAR I WILL SMACK YOU LIKE A FLY!


    ********************


    Bonus Interlude 2: That time when Queen Mother and Professor Frances were stumped by Sierra


    [Sierra]: Hey Auntie Frances. Is it true that turning people into monsters is allowable and ethical?


    [Professor Frances]: That will only depend on why you will turn that person into a monster.  There are certain rules and regulation which- wait, why are you even asking that?


    [Sierra]: Well, I saw a f**king ugly person earlier. He was so ugly, that I thought that if he turns into a monster, his ugliness will be explainable¡­


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­ Is that person really that ugly?


    [Sierra]: Yes, Auntie Queen! That guy is really ugly! He''s even uglier than the butthole of a frog!


    [Professor Frances]: A butthole of a frog? What the hell, Sierra? How did you even make that comparison?


    [Queen Mother]: Sierra, it''s rude to call other people ugly. If they heard you saying that, it might hurt their feelings. You don''t want them feeling hurt, right?


    [Sierra]: Meh, who cares about those people. They are mortals that will die in the end, so there''s no need for us to f**king care about them. Only powered people are important in this world!


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­


    [Sierra]: Why are you silent, aunties? Were my words so moving that you can''t help but be awed by them? Hahaha, if that''s the case, then I am actually f**king awesome!


    [Professor Frances]: I may be a crazy and an unethical person, but even I can see that you are a twisted kid. You need some help.


    [Queen Mother]: I don''t want to be a meddling person, but we need to tell your parents about your attitude. It needs¡­ some adjusting.


    [Sierra]: Hm? Is there something wrong with me?


    [Queen Mother]: Yes, I think there''s something wrong with you¡­


    ****************


    Bonus Interlude 3: That time when 2 brats start s**t-talking.


    [Sierra]: You look cute Asteria, but your attitude is hella trash. Why are you not yet burned by mommy at this point? That will be the best thing to happen in this world!


    [Asteria]: You also look cute Sierra, but you''re just a useless brat who relies too much on Alina and Alex! Hmph, can you even do something by yourself without their assistance? I guess not!


    [Sierra]: At least  they love me. How about you? They are just putting up with your presence!


    [Asteria]: Putting up with me? Hmph, they are doing that because they can''t do anything without me! They need me even if I am irritating! But how about you? What use are you to Alex and Alina? Hehehe, aren''t you just a mascot at this point? You''re just all eat and no work!


    [Sierra]: Hey! I am still a baby! Once I grow up, I will be strong and powerful! When that time comes, mommy and daddy will beg to me for help!


    [Alex]: Beg? What are you talking about, Sierra? What would I even beg from you?


    [Sierra]: You''re here daddy? But I thought you-


    [Alex]: Well, I was about to go to the grocery store to buy some steak for Alina. But before I left, I saw you talking with Asteria. Once I saw you two together, I could not help but get curious on what you will talk about¡­.


    [Asteria]: So you snooped on us? Hooman that''s just-


    [Alex]: Hoo boy, what I just heard were interesting¡­ I certainly did not expect to hear those insults, especially from you, Sierra!


    [Sierra]: But daddy, I was just-


    [Alex]: Asteria, there will be no honey for you today. As for you Sierra, you will be sleeping in Queen Mother''s room tonight.


    [Asteria]: What?


    [Sierra]: But daddy!


    [Alex]: I will only rescind the punishment if you two will apologize to each other.


    [Sierra]: Apologize? Hmph, she started talking s**t to me, so she must apologize first!


    [Asteria]: Hey!


    [Alex]: ..If you want your honey back Asteria, you must apologize to Sierra now. As for you Sierra, Alina will only hug you to sleep if you apologize to Asteria.


    [Sierra]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Alex]: Now, say sorry!


    ****************


    Yay! So this volume is about to end already!(Thank goodness, the fights are already getting long)


    So what do you think will happen in the end of this volume? Will there be any more surprises left?


    And what do you think will the next world be? I already have something planned, and I just want you to make a guess...

 Chapter 507 - The Golden Throne and the Complete Possession

    In face of Alex''s incessant commands, Golden Alex found himself unable to disobey him.


    "Hmph, don''t blame me after this. I will surely look much more handsome than you once I am done¡­" Golden Alex muttered as he made a clenching motion with his right hand.


    "Guo~"


    This move created a powerful suction force on his hand, which then forced all the golden particles to coalesce in his palm. Whether these particles were just coming out of Emperor Litch''s body or were already in the air, all of them were sucked in by the suction force.


    This coalesceation process took a few seconds to finish, and once it was done, a golden ball the size of an ostrich egg lay succinctly on Golden Alex''s hand.


    This ball glinted as the sun''s rays hit it, making it look like a regal treasure that fell from heavens.


    "Alex, that looks delicious. Can I eat some of that later?" Alina, who was still in her fusion state, suddenly said these words from afar. "I can''t stop drooling Alex¡­ I think only that ball will satisfy me.."


    Even if she was some distance away from Alex, the appearance of the golden ball appeared to have triggered a great sense of hunger from Alina. She became so hungry, that she started drooling at this point.


    This appearance of Alina made Alex pity her, although he had no interest on feeding her right now.


    "I''m sorry Alina, but this ball must be eaten by Golden Alex alone. That is the only way for him to get stronger¡­" Alex thought as Black Alex began to appease Alina. "I promise you that I will give you a sumptuous feast later. But for now, please just endure your hunger¡­"


    Luckily for Alex, Black Alex was able to convince Alina to not make any rash moves.


    "¡­"


    With Alina already being dealt with in the sidelines, there are no one else that can stop Golden Alex next moves.


    Everything from now on will depend on Golden Alex himself, although it was already obvious what he will do.


    "How do you say that again? Oh, right, thanks for the food¡­"


    With a face torn between excitement and resignation, Golden Alex opened his mouth wide, before shoving all the entirety of the golden ball straight on his throat.


    "Gulp!"


    A large bulge formed on Golden Alex''s throat as he swallowed the ball whole, with not even a single portion of it left outside. His body began to tremble at this point, with golden beams of light shooting out of his opened mouth.


    "Haaa!!!"


    These golden beams appeared to have caused Golden Alex severe bouts of pain, which was made more obvious by this reddened skin and teary face.


    He appeared to be in so much pain that even Alex could not help but feel pity for him.


    "So instead of accepting Golden Alex, all the Conqueror''s Aura that we gathered here were actually rejecting him, hence this reaction¡­" Alex thought solemnly as the golden beams continued their assault on Golden Alex. "This batch of Conqueror''s Aura wanted to do nothing with Golden Alex, that''s why they are trying to make him feel pain right now¡­ This batch must have thought that making Golden Alex feel pain will be effective on stopping him¡­"


    At this point, Alex only let out a wry smile, with his pitying gaze seemingly focused on the golden ball. "Well, they are not wrong. But in face of temptation for power, even pain is nothing for Golden Alex!"


    This statement Alex was quickly proven to be true, as just a second later, the pained Golden Alex started to dish out his retaliation.


    "Why are you resisting me, you useless ball! I am your new master now!" Golden Alex declared, with his current appearance making him look like a manic person. He seemed to be also doing his best to ignore the pain, even if the pain was already enough to debilitate him. "Forget about Emperor Litch already! I killed him twice, so that means that I am better than him!"


    "Swi swi swi!"


    In response to Golden Alex''s rude words, the golden ball released more of its lights. This in turn made Golden Alex feel more pain, who at this point was about to curl down on his stomach.


    "Swi swi swi!"


    But in spite of this increases, Golden Alex still did not cower against the golden ball. Instead, he seemed to be even spurred by it, as he continued to insult and defraud his ''opponent''.


    "Hah! Is this all that you''ve got? Hahaha, this is nothing compared to my will!"


    "¡­"


    "What are you now, golden ball? Are you rebelling against me? Hmph, try that all you want, but you will still fail!"


    "¡­"


    "Hah, just accept your fate already! You''re meant to be mine, and you have nowhere else to go! Now, come to me and assimilate with my body! Only then that you will be part of the real Emperor!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    With the surprising tenacity that exploded out of Golden Alex, the obnoxious golden ball found itself unable to resist its fate. Its powerful golden beams were suppressed by Golden Alex''s taunts, turning them into nothing but little flickers of weak light.


    This reduced the amount of pain felt by Golden Alex, an opening that he obviously did not let go.


    "Suck¡­."


    As much as the golden ball tried to stop its fate from being swallowed, its sudden lost of momentum gave Golden Alex the slight push that he needed to swallow the ball straight to his stomach.


    "Glup!"


    The golden ball, with no support present on its body, can only let out few more pathetically small beams of light as it fell inside Golden Alex''s stomach. Once it was there, all of its activities stopped like a dead clock.


    "Hahaha! How about that, golden ball! I have eaten you already! Now, who''s the brat huh?" Like a child who just won a competition against another kid, Golden Alex continued to scold the golden ball. "Hehehe, you little ball, once I see you later, I will-"


    "Golden Alex, your Golden Throne is already forming. I think you should be focusing on it now¡­" Alex deftly said, interrupting Golden Alex''s profanity train. "If you don''t create it, your claim as a Sixth Stage Conqueror will not be finished¡­"


    "Oh, right, there''s that throne too. Why did I forget about that?" Golden Alex replied, as his attention was now diverted away from the golden ball. "How do I summon the Golden Throne again? Should I just wait for it to appear?"


    "Golden Alex, the Golden Throne is the crystallization of your power as a Sixth Stage Conqueror. It is something similar to the Esper''s Virtual Body and the Abyss Magic''s Abyssal Pillar.  If you want your Golden Throne to appear, then you must want it to appear." Alex said as he let out a disappointed sigh. "Come on Golden Alex. You''re already at the Sixth Stage, so you should know about this¡­"


    "I''m just joking with you, original. Geez, there''s no need for you to be so serious¡­. I can summon my Golden Throne already, ok?" Golden Alex looked sullen as he gave this reply, an expression that made Alex shake his head. "Look, I am summoning it now!"


    "Hey you-"


    Before Alex could stop Golden Alex from what he was about to do, Golden Alex had already snapped his fingers.


    "Boom!"


    This snap caused a chain reaction around Golden Alex, with his surroundings suddenly shaking as a mysterious  fluctuation of power appeared behind him. The nearby Delia narrowed her eyes from this strange fluctuation, while Alina and Queen Mother nodded appreciatively from it.


    As for the others who felt this fluctuation, they began to have the sudden urge to kneel, a sensation which was already familiar to them before! It was as if they were under the presence of Emperor Litch once more, something that should not be possible considering his death.


    "¡­"


    Before anyone could make sense of this change,  a large object suddenly appeared behind Golden Alex, making everyone who saw it go silent.


    "¡­"


    A massive golden throne chair could now be seen behind Golden Alex, whose size and bearing was no weaker compared to the Abyssal Pillar or Alex''s Virtual Body from earlier.


    This throne chair had a height of around 120 feet, with its edges and grooves lined with pure gold. A soft, velvet-colored cushion lay flat on the throne''s sitting portion, with a glass scepter propped on the throne''s left armrest.


    A golden crown, studded to the brim with countless diamonds, could be seen hanging on the right armrest of the throne.


    Every now and often, the crown and the glass scepter would release flashes of golden lighting, something which created a beautiful lightshow around the golden throne.


    These lightnings however appeared to have lethal power injected in them, as a nearby mountain was pulverized into pieces when a portion of the lightning grazed it.


    "¡­"


    In face of this golden throne, almost everyone found themselves at loss for words.


    Only Golden Alex and Alex could act normally at this point, although even these two were greatly emotional upon seeing the throne.


    "Hahaha! This is my Golden Throne! The symbol of my power as a Sixth Stage Conqueror! Hahahaha! Who knew that I can also build this throne with my own hands! Hahaha! Sucks to be you, Emperor LItch! You just gave your enemy your powers, and you even allowed him to build a Golden Throne! Hahaha! I will never forget this ''favor''!"


    Unsurprisingly, Golden Alex was jubilant at the sight of this Golden Throne. Just his rabid jumping motions and goofy face was enough to show his joy.


    "Hehehe, since I am technically an Emperor now¡­ then there''s no problem for me if I sit on my Golden Throne, right?" Without waiting for Alex''s inputs, the stil-joyful Golden Alex began to fly towards the Golden Throne, with his eyes glowing with an unmistakable l.u.s.t. "Hehehe, I have been waiting for this day to happen for a very long time¡­"


    "Sigh, so even an Emperor will always be infatuated with his Golden Throne. I must remember this once I fuse back with Golden Alex¡­" Alex, who was trying his best to tolerate Golden Alex''s antics, said as he closed his eyes. "If I let myself be drowned by passion, this Golden Throne could spell my end¡­"


    Even if Alex had already gained a lot of benefits at this point, he appeared to be more worried about himself. A sentiment which he did not ignore in his mind.


    "At this point, I already have my Esper Power, Abyss Magic, and Conqueror''s Aura reach Sixth Stage. This kind of level makes it already hard for me to manage them altogether. If I slip up even just a little, these powers of mine might devour me from the inside¡­" Alex thought solemnly as he watched Golden Alex''s frantic sitting motions on the throne.


    "Hmm, the only way that I can reduce the stress on me is if I also make my Immortal Cultivation and Superhero Body reach Sixth Stage. But how can I do that-"


    Before Alex could continue formulating plans for his power system, one of his allies suddenly called his attention.


    If it was earlier, he could have ignored it. But the message of his ally''s words made him change his mind.


    "Traveler Alex, I don''t care if you are happy with your new power-up. I am just telling you now that your World Soul is about to complete her possession of the Four Moons World. If I were you, I should be preparing for the changes already." Delia said out of nowhere, with her eyes staring vigilantly at Golden Alex.


    "Traveler Alex, you told me that once your World Soul possesses this world, wew ill both look for the Legacy Weapon, right? I hope that you will fulfill that promise¡­" Delia added, with the word ''Legacy Weapon'' stressed greatly. "Even if you have a stronger arsenal right now, you still bound yourself to an alliance with me. Surely you won''t be ignoring that."


    "Of course I won''t be betraying you. I am not like Ray, who''s a backstabbing b**ch." The one who gave this reply was Golden Alex, who was being used by Alex to transmit his own words. "I swear that with my life¡­"


    "Hmph, you better do. Because if you don''t, then you will-"


    "Daddy, I am about to finish possessing this  world already! Once I finish this, the Esper World will fully materialize!" Delia''s words were cut off as Sierra, the World Soul that was supposed to possess the Four Moons World, began talking loudly.


    Her voice seemed to come from the Four Moons World itself,  something which made her voice sound deep and sonorous. But even with that kind of tone, Alex and the others could still feel the devilish charm contained in her words.


    And of course, her profanity was still present.


    " Where do you want me to f**king put the Esper World, daddy? I cannot just leave it hanging nearby! If I do that, these two worlds might f**king crash with each other!" Delia continued to say, with the land on the Four Moons World shaking as she talked. "Hey daddy, why are you quiet? I want a f**king answer now!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 509 - Lone Dreamers

    Within the whole multiverse exists a number of realms, which are the source of all life that have existed.  These realms had their own unique origins, with each origin shaping up these realms'' make-up.


    There''s the realms that were created by extremely powerful beings, which are said to be the most numerous in the Multiverse.


    These Realms were usually created by Monarchs or those who had the power to create realms, although their reasons for creation are varied. Some create these realms out of boredom, while some create them for the sake of training.


    Whatever the reasons for their creation, Created Realms are undeniably a major part of the Multiverse. Numerous heroes and villains had been born of out of these realms, some who turns into highly important individuals.


    Created Realms account for around 99.99% of all the realms, making them the ''majority'' of the Multiverse.


    As for the remaining 00.01%., these lies on the category of a different Realm.


    Natural Realms, which are the realms that appeared on their own, are realms that were not created by anyone at all.


    They were just born out of the Multiverse itself, without any sentient beings directly involved in their birth.


    Such kinds of Realms should not have been existing, as the energy and luck needed to create a Realm are staggering. Without anyone guiding these energy, birthing a realm is almost unheard of.


    There''s just no way that a realm could appear by its own, as such act is defiant against the Multiverse!


    Yet time has proven that Natural Realms can indeed exist.


    Right now, there are currently 3 known Natural Realms in the Multiverse, each one birthed through a unique process.


    There''s the Abyss Realm, which was birthed from the amalgamation of all the emotions and desires of sentient beings in the whole Multiverse.


    Nobody had a hand on creating the Abyss Realm. It just constructed itself once emotions and desires began manifesting in the Multiverse¡­.


    The second one is the Inverse Realm. Not much was known about this place, although it was said that any sentient beings entering it always end up as dead. Nobody were execmpted from this, including the Monarchs, who had one of them die instantly upon setting foot here!


    The third and final realm is the Dream Realm. Just like the Abyss Realm, the Dream Realm was also constructed indirectly from the entirety of the sentient beings.


    But instead of emotions and desires, what led to the creation of the Dream Realm was the Imagination and Dreams of all the sentient beings.


    Any intelligent creature can think by themselves, as such, imagination and dreams  are aspects that any sentient being cannot ignore. Whether it was imagining how something would look like, or how something will taste, imagination and dreams are present on everyone.


    With the amount of imagination and dreams present in the Multiverse, the Dream Realm quickly became  a powerhouse that was at the same level as the Abyss Realm.


    But unlike the Abyss Realm which exists in the Multiverse physically, the Dream Realm was a place that has no physical form at all.


    Due to its unique birth and its reliance on the minds of sentient beings, the Dream Realm is a place that only existed on the minds of all creatures.


    If one wants to come to the Dream Realm, they can only rely on their mind or souls, something that is extremely dangerous and difficult to do.


    Of course if someone is experienced in the matters of mind or souls, accessing the Dream Realm will be a piece of cake.


    Spiritualists, shamans, Espers, Dream-Walkers are some of these people. Their souls and mind had reached levels beyond ordinary, making them eligible to step foot on the Dream Realm.


    Only experts like these can use and benefit from the existence of the Dream Realm, making them an important commodity for any groups.


    Due to the important nature of the Dream Realm, those who can access it are usually doted upon by powerhouses. These ''Dreamers'' are given lofty status wherever they go, making them one of the more lucrative position in the Multiverse.


    Usually, these Dreamers are affiliated with a powerful group. Only a few prefers to go alone, and even them sometimes make deals with other powerhouses.


    These kind of Dreamers are called Lone Dreamers, and their status are only a little lower compared to those Dreamers that have affiliations.


    Lone Dreamers are usually hard to find, but one of them was actually here in the Four Moons World.


    More specifically, this Lone Dreamer was hidden among Delia''s allies.


    This Lone Dreamer was no other than Tong''er, who was currently using her power to exist in the Dream Realm.


    While her real body was still standing firm on the Four Moons World, Tong''er''s mind was not in this world anymore.


    Her mind was currently loitering in the Dream Realm at this point, making moves that she purprosely kept secret from others, especially from Alex.


    ******************


    [Tong''er]: Little Owl, how long will it take for Mary to come? I have been waiting already here in the Dream Palace for 1  minute, and she still haven''t sent her Dream Avatar here! Is she really coming?


    Tong''er said these words from an illusory body, something that looks similar to her original one. These illusory appearance was made more apparent when Tong''er''s body flickered as she continued talking.


    [Tong''er]: Hey Little Owl! Say something already! I need  Mary''s help! If she doesn''t come already, my companion will be in danger!


    [Little Owl]: ¡­


    This illusory body is Tong''er''s  Dream Avatar, a manifestation of her mind which allows her to exist in the Dream Realm.


    It is through this body that Tong''er can talk and communicate with the other beings in the Dream Realm, which includes those who have their own Dream Avatars too¡­


    Right now, Tong''er was here in the Dream Realm for a  business trade. She was waiting for her ''trade partner'' to come, although the wait that she had was already making her angry.


    This was made more obvious when she continued complaining to the owl perched on her left shoulder.


    [Tong''er]: Little Owl, you are my pet here. As such, you have the responsibility to talk to my friends! Didn''t I tell you earlier to stay close to Mary? DIdn''t I tell you that there''s a chance that I will need her help? Look at what happened now! I need Mary to come here already, yet because of you sleeping on duty, I can''t contact her!


    [Little Owl]: Hoot hoot. I am not at fault here. Mary is not contacting me since earlier. Hoot hoot. You cannot blame me for that.


    [Tong''er]: Tsk, didn''t she say that she will be available every time? What''s the matter then? Why is she not available now, when I really needed her the most?


    [Little Owl]: Hoot hoot. Someone could have attacked her while she''s asleep. Hoot hoot. Maybe that''s the reason why she''s offline.


    [Tong''er]: Someone attacked her? Oh god, if that''s true, then even with her strength, it will take Mary a few minutes before she can come back here¡­


    [Little Owl]: ¡­


    [Tong''er]: A few minutes is not good for me!  That Traveler Alex is about to find the Legacy Weapon, and our team still does not have a way to gain leverage!


    [Little Owl]: ¡­


    [Tong''er]: Hmph, even if there''s  a contract  that is binding Traveller Alex to Big Sis Delia, there''s no knowing what treachery he could do! That''s why I need Mary''s help here! Only she can allow Big Sis Delia to be safe from Traveller Alex!


    [Little Owl]: Hoot hoot. Well, Mary is still not here. Hoot hoot. That means you''re still in trouble.


    [Tong''er]: You don''t need to explain that to me, Little Owl. I already know that-


    [ A familiar voice ]: Impressive, Tong''er. So you have the capability to access the Dream Realm too. I should have expected this since you have a powerful soul¡­


    [Tong''er]: !!! Who the f**k are you! How do you know my name, and why are you hiding your face?


    [ A familiar voice ]: Why would I introduce myself? You already know my voice, so that should be enough to show my identity¡­


    [Tong''er]: No way! This is not true! You¡­ are you-


    [ A familiar voice ]: Just like what I said, you are a talented and impressive person. To access the Dream Realm at such age can be considered an achievement¡­


    [ A familiar voice ]:  However, for you to access this place during an important phase in the Four Moons World is not good for me¡­


    [Tong''er]: !!!


    [ A familiar voice ]: You seem to be waiting for someone here. Can I stay and wait for your ''friend'' too? You can say no, but I will never leave¡­.


    [Tong''er]: ¡­

 Chapter 510 - Binary Planets

    BACK TO THE FOUR MOONS WORLD


    While Tong''er was busy dealing with her new ''guest'', those who were still in the Four Moons World were beginning to prepare themselves for a major change.


    After all, the situaiotn in this world is about to reach its climax.


    "Daddy, what now? I only need one more push to complete the possession, so I need your answer already!" Sierra continued to say as her Soul continued to fuse with the Four Moons World. "I can only last for a few more seconds, so tell me everything!"


    By this point in time, only a sliver of Sierrra''s soul can be seen by Alex, as the majority of her soul had already melded with the physical body of the Four Moons World. Just like what Sierra said, it appeared as if she only need one more push to complete the possession. A push, which Alex was not willing to wait for.


    "I taught you the concepts about General Relativity right? As long as you take those concepts in your mind, you will know where to place the Esper World." Alex finally said, with his reply suffused with his calm voice. "Just follow the equations, and the rest will follow."


    "But daddy-"


    "Consider this as your exercise too, Sierra." Alex said smilingly, with his tone indicating that he is not interested on hearing Sierra''s complaints. "Since you are about to control two worlds, you must learn how to handle them both with care. This placement problem that you have with the Esper World? Consider that as your first lesson for world control!"


    "¡­I see daddy. Okay, I shall follow your f**king instructions. S o Newton''s Gravitational Constant is equal to Ricci Curvature Tensor minus... 1 " As Sierra''s voice trailed with her equations, her stationary soul began to move once more, indicating that she was back to her possession attempt.


    "Rumble¡­"


    This time, there were no more obstacles or questions that stopped Sierra from the possession. She was free to fulfill her mission, an opportunity that she did not let go to waste.


    "¡­."


    Under the eyes of everyone present, the jubilant Sierra let out a heave, which led to the eventual push on her exposed soul. Creaking sounds filled the area as her soul continued to sink to the ground, and this sound got louder as the process went on.


    "¡­"


    It took 5 more seconds before the process could finish, with Sierra''s soul disappearing entirely from everyone''s sight.


    "¡­"


    Once her soul has disappeared, the rumblings on the Four Moons World stopped. The shakings that almost tore the land earlier has now disappeared, with the torrential water waves and horrific winds calming down instantly.


    The Four Moons World seemed to be back to its peaceful state at this point, something which made the residents feel happy


    Seeing the peaceful state of the Four Moons World made its residents think that maybe, just maybe, Sierra has failed on her possession attempt.


    After all, the rumblings stopped when her soul disappeared. Surely she did not succeed¡­.Maybe her soul has disappeared because she died, right?


    But contrary to their expectations, Sierra did not fail at all. Instead, she had succeeded on where they wanted her to fail.


    Sierra had successfully possessed the Four Moons World, making her the sole controller of this world!


    The previously empty Four Moons World has now its vessel filled, as Sierra''s Soul is fully occupying it now!


    Every part of Sierra''s soul has now integrated with the Four Moons World, with every particle and  molecule in this world taken over by her soul. There''s nothing in this world that is free from Sierra''s soul, making her the only omnipresent individual here.


    Every part of her soul has also taken hold of the Laws in the Four Moons World, giving Sierra the sole ability to manipulate and change the reality in this world!


    This makes her not only an omnipresent being, but also an omnipotent being in the Four Moons World!


    "D-daddy! I succeeded! I am now a proud controller of two different worlds! F**k yeah!" Sierra said excitedly, with her attitude making he look like an animated kid. This time, she used her mental connection to converse with Alex, a move which he appreciated. " Hehe, how about that, Daddy? Does that make you happy?"


    "Of course I feel happy. Making you stronger is part of my plans after all." Alex quickly replied, with the teasing tone in his words enough to make Sierra fume. "I could be feeling more emotions now, but now is not the time for me to celebrate. Sierra, we still have a lot to do after this. If you want to celebrate, we can do it later. But for now, let''s finish our tasks, okay?"


    "Ok daddy¡­"


    "Good. Now that the Possession is now complete, it''s time for us to head to the next plan. Are you ready, Sierra?"


    "I''m always f**king ready Daddy. Just give me the signal, and I will be starting!"


    "Hehehe, if you are ready, then you can start now."


    "Roger daddy!"


    Right after Sierra gave this reply, the Four Moons World began to shake again, with its land, water, and air producing calamitous events once more.


    "Rumble¡­"


    This time however, the shaking was not caused by anything on the Four Moons World. Instead, this shaking was caused by something else.


    A planet, which was the around the size of Earth, suddenly materialized 6,000 kilometers away from the Four Moons World. Its size and mass was able to disrupt the gravity on its surroundings, causing changes that affected the Four Moons World too.


    With is proximity to the Four Moons World and its size, this new planet was able to make the Four Moons World shake, a phenomenon that made almost everyone scream in fear.


    After all, seeing a Planet-sized moon looming all over you is not an optimistic thing to see. This sight can be even said to be apocalyptic¡­.


    Even Delia was not pleased on seeing this planet, with her tense pose and tightened face showing how wary she is right now.


    "So is this what Alex meant by the Esper World? Hmph, that guy really has a lot of tricks on his sleeves¡­" Delia could be heard muttering these words, something that she seemed to not be afraid to do. "Hmph, I should have expected this earlier¡­ Why am I even surprised now?"


    Unlike Delia''s wariness or the residents'' fear, Alex and his allies'' reaction upon seeing this new planet was different.


    Alex was looking at this planet with an interested look, while Queen Moher was looking at it with great curiosity.


    Alina on the other hand have complicated expressions on her face as the stared at the planet, with sorrow and home-sickness discernible on her eyes.


    She seemed to be wanting to go to this planet right now, a yearning which Alex noticed.


    "Alina, I know that you want to go to the Esper World already, especially now that it has been materialized. But you know that we still can''t do it now." Alex said to Alina, with his words sounding as soothing as possible. "If we go right now, bad things could happen to the Esper World¡­. The only time that we can go there is when-"


    "Is when we finish this mission. I know that, ok?" Alina replied as she shook her head.  Alex''s words appeared to have broken Alina out of her stupor, allowing her to regain her calm. "Don''t worry about me Alex. I can still¡­ control myself."


    "¡­O-ok, that''s good to know." With Alina''s complicated past with the Esper World, Alex knew that talking to her more about it will not be beneficial. As such, he can only leave her in her brooding state. "Okay, just stay here and be alert for any danger¡­."


    "Ok¡­."


    "¡­"


    With Alina sufficiently dealt with, Alex placed back his attention on his other important female ally.


    "Sierra, good job on manifesting the Esper World. You perfectly followed the principle of Binary Planets! 1 " Alex said to Sierra, with praise present in his words. "You even made the Four Moons World and the Esper World separated by 6,000 kilometers, a distance that is enough to form a Binary Planet System!"


    "Hehehe daddy, you don''t need to give me more f**king praises. I already know that I am very talented¡­" Sierra replied quickly, although the smug tone in her voice made it obvious that she was happy with Alex''s praise. "But if you''re happy with this, I can make you happier. You know, I can make the Esper World go closer¡­."


    "Ehem, this distance is already enough" Alex replied with a cough. "There''s no need for you to make it closer."


    "Eh? But I can-"


    "Why are we talking about the distance anyway? Shouldn''t you be starting our next plan already?" Alex said, interrupting Sierra''s attempt to complain. "With your poseession of the Four Moons World, you should have found that ''object'' already¡­ Question is, have you found this ''object''?"


    "¡­I found this ''place'' already Daddy. It''s hidden right inside the core of the Four Moons World." Sierra replied dismally. She seemed to be unhappy with Alex''s rejection of her suggestion, although she did her best to not show this emotion. "What do you want me to do with this ''object''?"


    "Um, first of all, since you have found it already, we should not call it an ''object''. Calling it as the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch will be better¡­" Alex answered excitedly. "You said that it''s inside the core, right? Can you try moving it until it reaches the surface? Surely your control of the Four Moons World can allow you to do that¡­"


    "Move it? I''ll try it daddy. But since you called this as the Legacy Weapon of the Infernal Monarch, then maybe it will be too heavy for me¡­." Sierra replied with doubt present on her tone. " But I will still try my best! I don''t want Mommy to get more lonely!"


    "Hehehe, that''s the spirit, Sierra!"


    ************************


    Another code for you guys. This one''s will be about the next volume, so try solving this!


    01010100 01110010 01100001 01110110 01100101 01101100 01100101 01110010 01110011 00101110 00100000 01000011 01101001 01110100 01111001 00101110 00100000 01000110 01100001 01100011 01110100 01101001 01101111 01101110 01110011 00101110 00100000 01001101 01100101 01100101 01110100 01101001 01101110 01100111 01110011 00101110 00100000 01000001 01101100 01101100 01101001 01100001 01101110 01100011 01100101 01110011 00101110 00100000 01000101 01101110 01100101 01101101 01101001 01100101 01110011 00101110 00100000 01000011 01101111 01101110 01100110 01101100 01101001 01100011 01110100 01110011 00101110 00100000 01010000 01100001 01110011 01110100 00101110 00100000 01010000 01110010 01100101 01110011 01100101 01101110 01110100 00101110 00100000 01000110 01110101 01110100 01110101 01110010 01100101 00101110 00100000 01001100 01101001 01100110 01100101 00101110 00100000 01000100 01100101 01100001 01110100 01101000 00101110 00100000 warwick.ac.uk/fac/sci/physics/intranet/pendulum/generalrelativity/ space.com/27832-binary-earth-size-alien-planets.html

 Chapter 511 - Psychic Piercer!

    INSIDE THE INSTITUTE


    "So¡­ Alex''s plan has succeeded. Now, everything in this world is under our control. Good for him." Professor Frances, whose body was covered with sweat and grime, said as she glared at her three companions.


    The professor seemed to only have a neutral reaction regarding Alex''s success, although annoyance could be seen on her face, especially when she stared at her companions. "Hmph, you''re lucky that the spearwoman used her black ooze to save the day. Because if she didn''t, then all of us will be f**ked!"


    "Professor Frances, you don''t have to lay it that thick. We are really close to disaster earlier. It was only through the original''s machinations that we were able to survive. But this kind of thing can only be attributed to Fate¡­." White Alex said in face of Professor Frances'' glare. "As such, there''s no need for you to be this involved. Whether you like it or not, things that are destined to happen will still happen¡­"


    "Destined my ass! My soul transfer procedure almost failed because of that Emperor Litch! Are you saying that''s destined? Because if it is, then what''s the use of my efforts?" Professor Frances snarled in reply, with the venom in her voice enough to scare Kid Alex. "Hmph, all that Fate talk of yours is making me sick, White Alex! Why don''t you just shut up and let me do my work?"


    "¡­"


    "Sheesh, I had to redo the soul transfer procedure because of Emperor LItch''s interference. Now, I only have 40% chance of succeeding! Do you know how low is that White Alex?"


    "I am not well-versed in the matters of medicine, so I cannot answer that."


    "Hmph, you better not. I am the expert here, so your opinion is of no use!"


    "¡­."


    After giving out these scathing insults, Professor Frances let out a huff as she crouched down to the floor. Her face then went back to its focused mode, with her malicious aura replaced by a professional one.


    "¡­"


    The talk that she just had with White Alex seemed to have stopped Professor Frances from what she was doing earlier.


    It was only when she ended the conversation that she was able to return to her task.


    "¡­"


    Right now, the unconscious body of Wisteria was still placed right in front of Professor Frances. The former''s eyes were closed with her breathing and heartbeat at the minimum, indicating that Wisteria will still take long before she wakes up.


    "¡­"


    A small wound the size of pea could be seen on Wisteria''s forehead, with small drops of blood leaking out of it. This leakage turned Wisteria''s head into a bloody mess,  making her face look much more gruesome compared to before.


    "¡­"


    Professor Frances was silent as she stared at this wound, with her fingers occasionally dabbing or poking her forehead.


    Professor Frances was also touching the coffin as she did this, an action that did not escape White Alex''s observation.


    "Wisteria''s Mind Eye was already opened earlier because of my operation. With her Mind Eye open, performing the Soul Transfer Procedure on her should have been easy." The professor said coldly, with the frost in her voice enough to make those who heard her feel chilly. "But because of Emperor Litch, Wisteria''s Mind Eye was forcefully closed! Tsk, if we want to open her Mind Eye again, performing an operation on her will not be enough anymore."


    "¡­" White Alex, Kid Alex, and Officer Emerald, the three people that are accompanying the professor right now, did not say anything as she talked, as they knew that interrupting her will just make her blow up.


    They can only stay silent as the professor droned on with her words, which fortunately for them only lasted for a short time.


    "Oi Officer Emerald. You said that you''re with the Cosmic Guards, right? Perhaps you have an item there that can simulate a Soul Attack. Anything will do, as long as it will not kill Wisteria." Professor Frances said as she gave a leery glance at Officer Emerald. "Even if you just came here by yourself, surely you have something useful there¡­"


    Instead of giving an  answer to the professor''s question, the reply that Officer Emerald gave was quite different.


    "Professor Frances, I don''t like the tone of your words. Are you perhaps insinuating that I am useless here? Is that what you are telling me?" The female Cosmic Guard said, with the venom in her voice all-too apparent to those who heard it.


    "I am not saying that you are useless, Officer Emerald. I was just asking for your help. Surely, you won''t be like your comrades, who just left this place because they are useless¡­" Professor Frances did not reduce the mockery in her voice as she replied, making White Alex and even Kid Alex wince.


    "Professor Frances, I think what you said is over the line. The Cosmic Guards at the sky were almost annihilated by Emperor Litch, so for them to retreat is acceptable." Officer Emerald looked calm as she said these words, although her clenched fists show that she was anything but calm right now.


    She then continued to talk before the professor could add more of her insults.


    "If I were you, I will not call them useless. At least they were able to force Emperor Litch to use some of his power." Officer Emerald said, with her frown suddenly replaced by a wide sneer. "But how about you, Professor Frances? You''re just hunkering in this bas.e.m.e.nt since earlier, with none of your actions able to help Alex! Isn''t that just the definition of ''useless''?"


    "You impertinent-"


    "There, there, there, m''ladies. Weren''t we talking about the Soul Transfer Procedure? I think we should focus on that first." Before these two hot-headed women could blow up the place, White Alex quickly stepped in, using his tricky words to cool down the two.


    "Officer Emerald, I know that you dote on Alex as your younger brother, hence I can understand your willingness to help here. But if you want his plan to succeed, please tolerate Professor Frances. The professor is not good in socializing, so forgive her harsh words to you."


    "As for you, Professor Frances, I recommend that you do not make Officer Emerald here angry. Even if the original Alex is not interested on seeing Officer Emerald, I am sure that he will be angered once he learns about your insults on her."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "There, so you two can also stay silent! If you just did that earlier, then things will be much smoother. But the past is already the past, so let'' move on for the future!" White Alex said while clapping his hands. "I hope this time that there will be no hiccups in this operation. Because if there is, the original Alex will be compromised¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    White Alex''s innocent face as he said these ''scary words'' made him look an alien-like character, someone that seemed to be enough to silence the two bickering women.


    Even Kid Alex was also unsettled by the sudden change on White Alex, with the former now hiding behind Officer Emerald.


    "Tsk, I have a Psychic Piercer here. It delivers enough Psyche Force to pierce the mental foundations of any power user." After a few more seconds of silence, it was Officer Emerald who resumed the conversation,  with her hands rummaging her right leg pocket as she talked. "It''s highly effective on Psychics, Espers, and Spiritualists, so be careful on using it."


    "Oh, so you do have one. T-thank you for that." Even if she almost grimaced at the mention of ''thank you'', Professor Frances managed to finish her sentence. "Now go back to your spot and let me do my job."


    "Tsk, so that''s just what you want from me? You could have asked for it more nicely, you know." Officer Emerald muttered vindictively as she threw a gun-like object to Professor Frances. "There''s your Psychic Piercer. Be careful on using that. It may look like a gun, but it fires invisible psychic waves. Don''t press it while pointing its end on yourself¡­"


    "Hmph, you don''t need to tell that to me. Even I know something as simple as that."


    "Oh really? Hmph, then let''s see how you can-"


    "Ladies, didn''t I just say that you should keep calm? Where''s that agreement now?"


    "¡­.Hmph, I will be watching your move, Professor Frances. Even if you are allied with Alex, I can still see that you are committing multiple violations with your ''soul dabbling''¡­" Under the stern gaze from Whte Alex, the bristled Officer Emerald has no choice but to retreat. "I already have a bottom line in regards to your violations, so I still have not arrested you. But if you get over my bottom line, I will take you back with me, whether Alex likes it or not."


    "Heh, that''s a nice threat from you, Officer Emerald. I will take that in mind." Professor Frances replied smoothly. She seemed to have made sure that her words were clean, something that made the nearby White Alex nod his head. "So I just point this end to someone''s head and press the trigger? Is that how I do it?"


    "Yes, it''s just like that. I already set the level of that Psychic Piercer to stun, so don''t worry about killing Wisteria. Just make sure that you are pointing it on her head if you want to give her the damage that you want to-"


    "Bang!!


    Wisteria''s body jolted as the professor fired the Psychic Piercer on her head without any warning. The wound on Wisteria''s forehead widened after this, a change that made Professor Frances smile.


    "Hey, Professor Frances, why did you not let me finish talking! You almost gave me a heart attack!"


    "Hohoho, I like this weapon, Officer Emerald. Perhaps you can lend it to me as a loan? I would like to make more experiments with it¡­" Professor Frances said as she juggled the weapon on her hands. "On the contrary, I would like to buy this gun now. How much for this one?"


    "I am not selling that gun, Professor Frances. It''s issued by the Cosmic Guards, so it''s their property. Selling it without their permission is considered a treason¡­"


    "Ah, that''s disappointing Officer Emerald. Well, I can just try to replicate the effect of this gun using my monsters. They have souls, so maybe I can use their souls as ammunition for a make-shift Psychic Piercer, hehehe, that would be really nice..."


    "Hey, if you do that, I will arrest you on the spot! Using live beings as ammunition is banned and will land you death punishment if you''re caught!"


    "Tsk, I already lived in this world for too long, little Officer. I have done experiments that can make even the strongest man feel squeamish. Do you think I am scared by your threat?"


    "You!"


    "Why are you back to quarreling again, ladies? You''re wasting time with your petty arguments there." For the third time this day, White Alex was forced to stop the two women from quarreling. "For your information, Alex is about to summon the Legacy Weapon. If we still have not completed this Soul Transfer Procedure by this time, he could be in mortal danger¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Tsk, are you doing nothing now, Officer Emerald? If yes, then go and grab those tubes and place their ends on Wisteria''s orifices. Make sure all of her holes are covered, ok?"


    "All her holes, Professor Frances? Does that include her asshol-"


    "Yes it does, Officer Emerald! There''s no need for you to say it out loud!"


    "Tsk, why are you shouting at me again, Professor Frances? Do you really have a problem with me? Just say it straight to my face!"


    "Hmph, why don''t you listen to White Alex and start doing what I told you to do, Officer Emerald? Go on and bring the tubes to me! I''ve already wasted five seconds talking here!"


    "You little-"


    "Ladies, please keep calm."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 512 - Legacy Weapon

    ungalow 1 As Professor Frances and her ''room-mates'' continued to deal with their patient, the situation on Alex''s side continued to peak.


    "Okay daddy. I will pull out the Legacy Weapon now. But I don''t think that it will be easy for you to get the Legacy Weapon. Someone''s f**king guarding it right now." Sierra said in their mental conversation, with her tone sounding somewhat wary. "But don''t be worried daddy. This guard did not attack me when I tried to made contact with the weapon. He just smiled at me¡­"


    "There''s a guard? Hm, that makes things a little harder. But I think it will still be manageable¡­" Alex muttered in reply as he looked down on the ground. "Um Sierra, is it possible for you to pull out the Legacy Weapon without including the guard?"


    "No, daddy. The guard''s body is attached to the Legacy Weapon. Even if I tried to f**king exclude him, it will not work at all¡­" Sierra replied listlessly. " But I think that you should not be worried about this guard, daddy. He told me that he does not mean harm to anyone of you. He''s just here¡­ to guard the Legacy Weapon."


    "He told you? Wait, so does that mean that you are talking to him now, Sierra?"


    " Yes daddy. He''s talking to me. Quite eloquently in fact." Sierra said quickly. "He said that he''s lonely all this time without anyone talking to him. Now that I managed to posses this world, he was able to gain his first speaking partner¡­"


    "¡­A guard that has been alone for all this time? Hehehe, this is jackpot." Alex mused as he did his best to hide his thoughts from Sierra. "If this guard is tasked with guarding the Legacy Weapon, then that must mean that he knew the origins of this world. Not only that, but he must be privy to the knowledge about the Infernal Monarch. Hehehe, now this makes me feel excited to meet him¡­"


    "Daddy? Why are you silent now? Is there a f**king problem?"


    "No Sierra, I was just thinking on how I should greet that guard." Alex replied hastily as he sorted out his thoughts. "So he said that he''s not going to attack us? Are you really sure about that?"


    "Yes daddy. He even said that the only time that he will attack was if someone tries to get the Legacy Weapon without his approval." Sierra replied as she seemed to shake her head. "Only those who passes his screening process can get the Legacy Weapon, and as of now, he''s telling me that none had yet gained his approval¡­"


    "Tsk, now ain''t that just nice." Alex grumbled with a frown. "At least I can still obtain it."


    "Daddy, what should I really do now?"


    "Just do what I told you Sierra. Lift the weapon up until it reaches the surface. Since that guard is harmless, then we can talk to him without any problems. Oh, and tell him that I will be accepting that screening process of his. Let''s see if I can gain his approval with my charm¡­"


    " Daddy, the guard said that he will be happy to test you, along with the other Traveler." This reply by Sierra made Alex frown, although he did his best to hide this expression from Delia. " You''re okay with that daddy, right?"


    "Yes, I am okay with it. I just-"


    "Okay, here I go then daddy!"


    "Rumble!"


    The whole earth beneath Alex''s feet suddenly shook as a massive bulge began to protrude on the land that they were stepping on.


    This bulge, which was unlike any other geological phenomena, seemed to have been caused by an object trying to force itself out of the ground.


    The cracks present on the bulge as it grew larger proved this point, making Alex narrow his eyes.


    "Guo guo guo!"


    In no time at all, this bulge was able to reach the height of a 10 story-building, allowing it to look like a hill. The only thing marring its appearance were its cracks, which are now wider than train tracks.


    These cracks should have caused the bulge to collapse already, but it seemed like an unknown power was forcing the land around the cracks to hold themselves together.


    " Daddy, you see that bulging land right there? Underneath all that soil is the Legacy Weapon! Just use your power to blow all that land away, and you will see the Legacy Weapon!" Sierra told Alex as the bulge reached its peak height. "Hehehe, the guard told me that he will greet you once you revealed the weapon. So don''t be shy daddy, and have fun f**king blowing!"


    "..Yeah, I shall do that." Alex said as he and his allies immediately leapt away from the bulge,  with their eyes concentrated on this protruded and cracked surface. "But let me wait for a few seconds first. I want to see if there are any traps nearby¡­"


    "Okay daddy."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    **************


    10 SECONDS LATER.


    Seeing that there''s no malicious attack coming from this bulge, Alex was able to regain his calm. The same thing can be said to Queen Mother, Tong''er, and Milo, who were all now looking at the bulge with curiosity.


    However, these 4 were the only ones who had a neutral reaction upon seeing the bulge.  Alina and Delia were in no way calm or neutral at the sight of this bulge. Instead, they had colorful reactions at this point, something that made Alex frown.


    "Ugh, whatever is making that bulge must be something nasty. Ugh, I can taste that the air around that bulge is tainted! It''s like¡­ I am tasting rotten meat!" Delia whimpered as she made a revolted noise. She even covered her mouth, maybe in an attempt to stop the taste from coming in. "Ugh, this is one of the worst things that I have tasted before! Why is it even here?"


    "Ah! My eyes! I feel like they are burning! Alex, what the hell is that thing! Is that¡­ the Legacy Weapon that you are talking about?" Alina whimpered as her eyes began to tear up. This woman who never really cried that much before was reduced to a crybaby in front of the bulge, a sight that Alex could never forget. "Alex, if this is the Legacy Weapon, then do something about it quickly! I¡­ I can''t take this any longer!"


    "Tsk, Alex, you better do something about this bulge, or I will be forced to attack it! Blergh, do you know how much I want to vomit now?" Delia said as she gave Alex a reproaching look. "F**k, it''s like I am tasting s**t and corpses at the same time! Blergh!"


    As he heard the complaints of these two woman, Alex began to talk to Sierra once more, who at this point, was also horrified with what''s happening to Alina.


    "OI Sierra! Why the hell is your mommy affected like this? I thought the guard did not mean anything to harm them!" Alex hissed as he glared at the bulge. "If he''s not attacking, then what is this?"


    "D-daddy, the guard said that the Legacy Weapon has countermeasures placed on it that prevents those with Divine Sensory Organs from spying it. As long as they use their Divine Sensory Organs to observe the Legacy Weapon, they will receive a painful backlash¡­" Sierra hesitantly replied. "The only way that they can stop the backlash is by suppressing their Divine Sensory Organs.."


    "Tsk, what the hell? How could this Legacy Weapon even have something like that? Is the Legacy Weapon a fortress or something?" Alex muttered angrily as he spun to face Alina and Delia.


    He quickly told these two woman the advice given by Sierra, which made the two women bristle in anger. Fortunately, these two women  were able to temporarily stop their Divine Sensory Organs from working.


    "Tsk, itsh hard to shpeak with a numb thounge. F**k, I how can I eat properly lather?" Delia, whose tongue was dosed with numerous anesthetics, muttered angrily as she glared at the bulge. It was obvious that she was unhappy with the way her tongue has ended, making her look like she wanted to tear the bulge apart. "Tshk, why ish the Legacy Weapon making me feel like thish? Ish the Infernal Monarch an enemy of women?"


    "Even if I am blind, I can still rely on my Esper Power to sense my surroundings. But still, having to temporarily blind your eyes is not a good feeling¡­" If Delia was livid, Alina seemed to sound calm. However, it could be seen on her trembling arms and clenched fists that her mood was nowhere pleasant at all. "Alex, once you get the Legacy Weapon, can you give me the chance to wack it? I want to make it feel the pain that my eyes had¡­"


    "Yoyoyo, you two should calm down. What happened earlier was an accident, although that guard should have warned us about this ''Anti-Divine Sensory Organ Effect''." Alex placatingly said. "Don''t worry, I will make that guard explain himself once I reveal him and the Legacy Weapon¡­"


    After saying these words, Alex told Blue Alex to flick the bulge with his Virtual Body. The Esper complied, using the Synthesis Virtual Body to stir the air currents in the area.


    "Whoo¡­"


    The resulting wind was powerful enough to blow the bulging land away, with most of the soil and sand carried towards the atmosphere.


    Blue Alex continued to use his power to create more winds, and he only stopped once the bulging land was entirely gone.


    "¡­."


    At this point, what remained of the bulge was the object that caused it to appear in the first place.


    "¡­"


    As the bulge disappeared Alex expected to see a deadly weapon, or some kind of monster that was placed in stasis. After all, only things like this can be considered as a Legacy Weapon of a Monarch.


    But instead of seeing these, what Alex and his allies saw was different.


    "¡­"


    A residential house, something which can be seen all over the subdivisions on Earth, was the object that Alex was seeing now.


    Not a weapon, not a monster. Just one residential house.


    This residential house appeared to be a bungalow, only with its size making it as large as a hill.


    It had the classic concrete walls painted with rustic colors, and windows covered with synthetic glass. It has a slanting roof made up of tiles, and an entrance door made up of wood.


    There was also a grass-filled lawn and a flower garden placed in front of the bungalow, with a ''Welcome'' mat placed right in front of the door.


    The only living creature that can be seen on this bungalow was an orange cat, which was currently  lounging on the bungalow''s roof. This cat looked to be extremely lazy, with its fat stomach bulging as it breathed.


    "¡­"


    As they stared at this house and the cat for the longest amount of time, Alex and his allies cannot find any words to say. They can just stare in disbelief as the house bared itself to them.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    At this point, it was inevitable for Alex and Delia to doubt the validity of this house as the Legacy Weapon. After all, a residential house cannot be a Legacy Weapon of a Monarch, right?


    There''s no way that this small, stinky house is the Legacy Weapon. It¡­ just doesn''t work that way!


    Because of these doubts, both Alex and Delia made up their minds to approach the house and prove its validity. After all, that''s the only thing that they can do in this situation.


    But before these two could satisfy their suspicions s, the cat that was laying on the bungalow''s roof suddenly made its move, a move which quickly shattered their doubts.


    "Greetings to all of you. I am Tabby, the pet cat of the Infernal Monarch. It''s nice to meet you all." The fat orange cat said, with its mouth moving like a human''s. "Seeing that you are here, that must mean that you want to obtain Master''s Legacy Weapon. I am happy to see you want my Master''s property, but you must know that it will be me that will be judging the rightful owner of this house." It''s house with no stairs.

 Chapter 513 - Tabby the Orange

    "You, this-"


    "I am aware of your doubts, hoomans. But I assure you, this is the Legacy Weapon that you are looking for." Tabby the cat said, cutting off Alex''s ramblings. "Now if you will excuse me, I need to take the two Travelers with me."


    "Wait-"


    "Schung!" Tabby tapped his paw on the bungalow''s roof, which then released a powerful force field that pushed away everyone, except for Alex and Delia.


    These two remained on their places, leaving them all alone with the cat.


    As for those who were pushed away by the force field, they found themselves unable to approach Alex or Delia anymore. The force field has formed a dome enclosing Alex, Delia, and the bungalow inside it, making it impossible for anyone to get near.


    "¡­" The lively mental connection that Alex had with his other bodies and Sierra also disappeared  from the appearance of the force field, indicating the possibility that the  force field can also block mental or even soul connections.


    "So this cat wants to talk to me and Delia alone? Hmm, if it weren''t for Sierra''s assurances earlier, I could have thought that this cat is an enemy¡­" Alex thought, as he tried his best to extricate himself from his confusion. "But does this cat really have to use a force field to isolate us two? Why does it have to do this? Does this cat¡­ have a hidden agenda?"


    As he reached this thought, Alex began to tense as he stared at the orange cat with increased tension. This tension however lasted only for a second, as Alex saw the innocent look on the cat''s eyes.


    "Tsk, I am an expert in judging character, so I can see that this cat is not intent on harming us¡­ However, the power that it wields is obviously greater than mine, so I should still be careful of it¡­" Alex thought, remembering the power of the force file that is isolating him now. "Even the current me has no way to break this force field. If the cat can do something like this, it is also possible for it to kill us easily. Tsk, I really have to be careful here."


    "¡­" While Alex was deep in thoughts about his possible interaction methods with the cat, the spear-wielding Delia was also silent. Alex was not sure if Delia was also busy scheming at this point, but he was thankful that she did not do anything to anger the cat.


    At this point, Alex has decided to ask his questions to the cat, as he realized that this is the only way that he can move the conversation.


    "So-''" But before he could even articulate his next words, the cat began to talk again.


    "Once more, I apologize for what I did." Tabby the Orange Cat said with a face that exuded fondness. Such kind of look is surprising to see from a cat, as cats were not made to have that kind of face. "Don''t be angered by my actions, hoomans. The matter of obtaining the Legacy Weapon is of great importance. I cannot allow any strays to interrupt this process, hence my expulsion of your comrades."


    "It''s fine, Tabby, we were just-"


    "If you have any negative feelings for me, you can unleash it on me later. But for now, allow me to explain everything." Tabby said as it cut off Alex once more. "Such is my purpose here."


    "Explain everything? Okay then, you can-"


    "Eons ago, there existed a man who had used his power to conquer countless realms. Such endeavor was unheard at that time, as nobody had the courage to do such daunting task." For the third time this day, Alex was interrupted by Tabby, with his words fading against the cat''s excited words. "That man is the Infernal Monarch, and at his peak, he had four Realms under his control."


    "Okay, so this cat is the type who likes to talk huh? Fine then, I shall allow you to talk¡­" Alex could not say these words out loud because of the cat''s interruptions,, so he just thought of it on himself. "Hmph, this cat must have been wanting to talk already, that he does not care for my opinions. He really just went straight to talking, and he does not want to listen to me! Tsk, since you are the guardian here, I will not complain. Just¡­ don''t talk too much, okay?"


    Alex''s silence allowed Tabby to continue his story-telling without any interruptions, something that Alex did not mind, as the story sounded interesting to him.


    "These four realms are namely the Holy Order Realm , the Goetic Order Realm , the  Primordial Serpent Realm , and the Abyss Realm ." Tabby said as it ignored the shocked reactions from Alex and Delia. "Even when these four realms were also at the peak stage before, in face of the Infernal Monarch''s overbearing power, these realms were forced to submit to him."


    "¡­"


    "That period of time was the best time in my life. I had a lot of servants serving me, and I have a lot of territory placed under my name¡­ Hehehe, a lot of galaxies and planets are named after my kittens¡­" Tabby must not have realized the repercussions of its revelations as it just continued to talk. It even had a look of nostalgia as it retold its past, something which irked Alex.


    "Oi, you said that your name was Tabby, right? Do you realize the repercussions of what you just saids?" Alex snarled as he stopped Delia from rushing towards the cat. "Cat, are you sure that you are telling us the truth? Because if not¡­"


    "I am telling the truth hooman. I was there when my master forced the four realms into submission. I even witnessed the leaders of these realm offering their allegiances to my master." Tabby replied calmly in face of Alex''s frenzied question. "Oh right, one of those leaders was the Abyss Envoy of that time. Hm, that Abyss Envoy was surely strong, but my master only needed one finger to injure him¡­"


    "You-"


    "That Abyss Envoy only had the power of 5 Sins, while you have the power of all 7 Sins. That makes you the best Abyss Envoy that could ever exist. Sigh, if my master was still alive, he would love to make you his disciple." Tabby said melancholically. "Well, the past is the past, so I just have to face the future with all my might¡­"


    "You actually-"


    "And as for you, female hooman, I can feel that you are the Envoy of the Holy Order Realm. How is that place faring these days? Are the angels there still worshipping ''Him''?''"  Tabby suddenly asked as it focused its attention on Delia. . "My master is not happy with your worship to ''Him'', but with ''His'' power, my master cannot do anything about it¡­"


    "Hey, can you let me talk alre-"


    "Hm, if the Envoys of the Abyss and Holy Order Realm are here, then where is the Envoy of the Goetic Order Realm? Those demons should have been here earlier¡­ Oh right, there''s that Demon General. Wait, he''s dead? That''s too bad¡­" At this point, the formality on Tabby''s voice was replaced by a casual one, making him sound like a tourist looking at different attractions.


    Such change made Tabby sound less reliable, although Alex and Delia has no way to make this cat shut up now.


    "Ah, and this planet was right at the edge of the Primordial Serpent Realm. That''s a little dangerous. Just one more flick from the snake, and this planet could fall of course¡­ Hm, I wonder if that snake is still alive. Maybe it was replaced by a new one? Hey there, male hooman. Do you know if the Primordial Serpent underwent its rebirth already?"


    "How the hell would I know?" Alex replied testily. "How can a large snake even undergo a rebirth with all the people living on it? Are we supposed to feel that?"


    "Oh, so you and that female hooman does not know. That must mean that it still had not undergone rebirth¡­" Tabby muttered as it let out human-like ''hm''. "¡­If the Primordial Serpent did not have its rebirth, that must mean that one Eon has not passed yet¡­ If that''s true, then the time I spent here after my master''s death is just short. Huh, I did not notice that."


    "¡­."


    "Male hooman, how old are you actually? I can see that you are young, but you must not be that young, right? The Abyss does not accept minors after all-"


    "Oh god, this cat is not going to stop talking like this, right?" Alex thought with despair, as he realized that the cat must have really spent a lot of time by itself. "Tsk, and  it just told us that the Infernal Monarch has conquered four different  Realms(Abyss Realm, Primordial Serpent Realm, Goetic Order Realm, Holy Order Realm)¡­ I want to hear more about that, but this cat is actually tyring to interview us now? Is there something wrong with this cat''s head? Tsk, I want to learn more about the past! I am not interested in these interviews!"


    ***********************


    LXVIII CXI XXXII CXXI CXI CXVII XXXII CIV XCVII CXVIII CI XXXII XCVII CX CXXI XXXII CXII CI CXVI XXXII XCIX XCVII CXVI CXV LXIII XXXII LXXIII CII XXXII CXXI CI CXV XLIV XXXII CXIX CXI CXVII CVIII C XXXII CXXI CXI CXVII XXXII CXIX XCVII CX CXVI XXXII CXVI CXI XXXII CXV CI CI CIX XXXII CXVI CIV CI CIX XXXII CXVI XCVII CVIII CVII CV CX CIII LXIII XXXII

 Chapter 515 - Where are my Keys?(Part 1 of 3)

    With his great acting talent and his innate emotion manipulation, Alex thought that the negative feelings that he had for Tabby will not be detected by it.


    But to his disappointment and surprise, Tabby seemed to have realized Alex''s feelings for him.


    "Male hooman, you seem to be not happy with the way I speak. You seem to be¡­ in a rush." Tabby said as it lazily licked its left paw. Its face had a look of confusion of it, which was made cute by its tiny fangs. "Why are you that urgent? We still have a lot of time to talk here-"


    The cat then paused, as it also stopped licking its palm on mid-air. Tabby''s eyes then widened as it stared at Alex, as if it had seen something surprising from him.


    Before Alex could question  this sudden behavior, the cat resumed talking, this time with a hint of pity present on its voice.


    "I see, I see. So that''s why you are in a rush. From the looks of it, your Lifespan is about to run out today¡­" Tabby the orange cat murmured. The pity on its voice grew larger after saying this, making Alex feel somewhat conflicted.


    "Hmm, you only have¡­ around 3 hours remaining before your lifespan runs out. Hm, with that kind of lifespan, you''re lucky to have defeated that Emperor today." The cat continued to say. "Were you to have any delay, your death could have been a guarantee. Nya, you are really lucky, male hooman¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Tsk, you really are a powerful creature. You even detected my dwindling lifespan. I guess that I should have expected this, seeing that you are the pet of the Infernal Monarch." With his emotions and secrets revealed, Alex was left with no choice but to admit the truth to the orange cat. "Yeah, I admit it. My Lifespan is about to run out today, that''s why I am in a rush."


    "Interesting, male hooman. Do you care to tell me about how you lost it? I want to know more about it-"


    "Heh, don''t ask me how I lost it. Just thinking about it makes my heart bleed¡­" Alex hastily said before the cat could start intervieweing him. "Don''t even think about it."


    "Ok."


    Alex meant it when he said that his heart almost bled from his remembering his lifespan. After all, he used almost all of his Lifespan just to buy the items that he used for fighting against Emperor LItch.


    Even if he won using these items, the feeling of losing his lifespan was something that Alex will never be happy about.


    "Just the Queen Hydra''s Mirror alone took half of my Lifespan. As for the other items, they dwindled my lifespan until I only have around 3 months of lifespan left." Alex thought miserably as he tried to avoid the cat''s interested stare. "And after all the things that I did here, all that was left of me was 3 hours¡­."


    Just thinking about these things made Alex feel worse again.


    But even if Alex was unhappy about losing his lifespan, his mood was certainly better now especially because he managed to obtain a lot of benefits.


    "Out of all the Bonus Missions given, I succeeded on two. I managed to kill two Travelers, while also finding a way to free the Four Moons World from Emperor Litch. Of course the latter will still take long to happen, but at least I am on the right track already." Alex thought, with his happiness starting to cloud over his anxiety. "Oh, and I am about to obtain the Legacy Weapon too. That will surely make all my lifespan spent worth it¡­"


    At this point, Alex chose not to talk anymore, as he had already stated everything that he wanted to say to Tabby already. It will now depend on the cat itself on how it should continue with the conversation. Of course, Alex would prefer if the cat will speed it up¡­


    "Ah fine, since you two are the first people to meet me, I will be generous and speed up my conversation with you." Tabby said with its face covered in disappointment. Alex took no notice of this disappointment, as he immediately focused his hearing.


    "So like what I said, the Infernal Monarch had the four realms under his control. His power made him the rules of these places, and none were able to defeat him." Tabby said calmly. "But then one day, these realms began to rebel, and after a shocking turn of events, the Infernal Monarch was defeated. He then fled from his enemies, and he died here in this planet. The end."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "That''s your story? Isn''t that just too generalized?" Alex snarled as he resisted the urge to smack the cat in the head. To say that he is irritated now is right, as he found himself boiling over the cat''s attitude.


    "How about the origin of the Four Moons World? What about the reason for the imprisonment of the Four Divine Beings in the moons? What about the reason for the calamities that plagued this world before? Aren''t you going to explain that?" Alex tapped his temple as he said these words, a gesture that the nearby Delia also did. "Those things made our mission in this world more difficult, and now you''re not telling it to us?"


    "Oh, don''t blame me for what I said. That''s the original story that I am only allowed to tell you. Even if you are not  in a rush, I will still not tell you about the origins of this world¡­" Instead of complying with Alex''s demands, Tabby instead tried to explain his actions. "If you want to know about the truth of the Four Moons World, then you must first take an ownership of the Legacy Weapon¡­"


    "¡­I see"


    With Tabby''s admission, Alex and Delia realized that right now, they have nothing else left to do but to  obtain the Legacy Weapon. After all, this the only way that they can know the truth and also finish the main mission. Such realization made the two somber, but it did not deter Alex from feeling excited.


    "Oh, so this is where it always comes back. The Legacy Weapon. I see, I see. So I must first own this weapon before I will know the truth? If that''s the case, then give us the trial already!" Alex said these words while grabbing Delia''s shoulder, a gesture that made the latter tremble. Alex ignored these, as he just focused his attention on Tabby alone.


    "Go on, give us the trial already. I am waiting here.."


    "Hoomans, before I tell you what the trial is, let me clarify something first." In face of Alex and Delia''s raging excitement, Tabby kept  a composed face as it began flicking its tail. "This house that you see right here is a Fortress-Type Treasure that the Infernal Monarch himself had personally made. It can take the forms of any fortress, but my master preferred this Fortress to look like this. It reminds him of his hometown after all¡­"


    Alex felt that there was something interesting with what Tabby just said, but he did not point it out as he let the cat continue talking.


    "Before my master died, he realized that his Legacy Weapon will become alone in this world. This made my master melancholic, so he decided to find new successors to his Legacy Weapon." After saying these words, the cat suddenly spat out an object from its mouth, which it caught deftly with its paws.


    Alex''s and Delia''s enhanced eyesight allowed them to observe this object, which turned out to be a set of keys.


    9 keys, to be exact.


    "With my master''s power, he can control his Legacy Weapon alone. But when he died, he has decided to split the ownership of his Legacy Weapon into 9 parts. That means that at a given time, 9 people can control the Legacy Weapon. Don''t ask me why my master did that. Maybe he just wanted the Legacy Weapon to feel happier¡­"


    The cat then brandished the keys that it held on its paw, making these keys glint on the light.


    "For you to obtain a control of this Legacy Weapon, you must obtain at least one key. That will allow you to be a co-owner of this Legacy Weapon¡­" Tabby almost smirked as it said these words, something that made Alex and Delia feel tense. "Now, those who manages to finish my trial can accept all the 8 keys from me. Of course, that will depend on this person''s performance¡­ Nya, if you want all 8 keys, then you better impress me greatly!"


    "!!!"


    "Now male hooman, are you ready to receive the trial? I can see that you are the only one with the qualifications to succeed this. The female hooman with you is just a bystander¡­" Tabby said as it ignored Delia. "Succeed my trial, and you will receive my keys. If you succeed, then that female hooman will be happy too¡­"


    "Wow, after explaining the reason for the trial, you went straight to giving the trial already? How kind of you." It was Delia who said these words, as Alex suddenly became silent. "Now, what is this trial of yours? I want to hear it already!"


    It was obvious from Tabby''s face that it was incensed by Delia''s interruption, although the cat did nothing to snap back at her. Tabby just continued to ignore Delia, as if she was just a decoration at this point.


    "One of my master''s disappointments when he died was the fact that he did not obtain love and loyalty from his subjects. They rebelled on him after all. As such, my master decided that the person worthy to use the Legacy Weapon is someone that can obtain the loyalty of the four races from the Four Realms." Tabby said these words with a teasing grin on its face, as if it found its words interesting. "Only that kind of person is fit to use the Legacy Weapon, and I am not allowed to entertain anyone until this person comes¡­"


    "Loyalty of the four races from the Four Realms? Tabby, does this mean-"


    "Show me one resident of the Abyss Realm, one resident of the Holy Order Realm, one resident of the Goetic Order Realm, and one resident of the Primordial Serpent Realm that is loyal to you!" Tabby almost shouted out as it interrupted Alex. "This is the only way that you can pass my trial. Oh, and if you fail to show me these 4 people right now, I will kill you."


    "¡­"


    "Oh, and this loyalty must be natural, not something artificially induced." Tabby added as it wagged its paws. "This means that the  people loyal to you because of Conqueror''s Aura are counted out. Only those that are sincerely loyal to you shall be accepted! Hmph, if you show me a fake one, I will really kill you!"


    "¡­"


    "The more that these people are linked to their realms, the better your score will be." Tabby said cheerfully, as if it had forgotten its threat to kill Alex. The better your scores are, the more keys you can receive from me¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Nya, what are you waiting for? Show me these hoomans now!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 516 - Where are my Keys?(Part 2 of 3)

    "What''s the problem, male hooman? Are you finding this trial hard? Well, if you do, then I apologize to you. It seems like I will be killing you already¡­ Perhaps you should start saying your prayer-"


    "Oh, I do not find this trial hard. In fact, I was surprised about its ease that I am rendered speechless now." In face of Tabby''s nonchalant killing attitude, Alex did not look panicked at all. Instead, there was a wide smile on his face, making him look much happier compared to earlier.


    "You''re surprised by its ease, male hooman? But you-" The cat began to have a look of confusion on its face at this point, as it never expected Alex to react like this. This confusion prompted the cat to question Alex more, but before it could finish talking, Alex took control of the conversation.


    "Tabby, you know about the Chronomancers, right? With your long history, you should be aware of their abilities¡­" Alex said as he gave Alina, who was outside the force field, a fond look. "Hehehe, what do you think would happen if I used the power of a Chronomancer to get a hint about the future? Won''t doing that¡­. Be able to make me know the contents of this trial?''


    " A Chronomancer? Where do you even have one like tha- Oh goodness, you have a Chronomancer with you!" The surprise on Tabby''s face made Alex almost laugh, something that he did not stifle at all.


    "What the heck? Are you telling me that by using the power of Chroonmancy, you were able to know the contents of this trial? Th-that should be impossible!" Tabby said as its orange face turned red from indignation. "Even if your ally is a Chronomancer, her power level is not that high to peek the future! She¡­ she just does not have enough Time Essence!"


    "Well, that''s the case if my ally is a normal Chronomancer. However, my ally just received a World''s worth of Time Essence. Even if my ally was still a low-level Chronomancer, the amount of Time Essence that she have right now is enough¡­"  Alex said these words in a whisper, with Tabby seemingly rattled by each words that he said.


    "Did your ally really see the future? Did she-"


    "No, she did not see the entire future. Even with her current power, she cannot do that. However, my ally was able to use a secret technique that allowed her to communicate with her future self." Alex replied confidently. "Of course such technique used up all the Time Essence that my ally had. More specifically, it burned all her Time Essence in a matter of five seconds. Sigh, World''s worth of Time Essence, all gone in a puff of smoke¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Because of that, my ally only had 5 seconds of time to talk to her future self¡­ That time might be limited, but it was sufficient enough for me." At this point, Alex was already looming over Tabby, with the latter struck silent with Alex''s confession.


    [Author''s Note: Since all the Time Essence was used up, Alina cannot use this future messaging for the mean time. She had to gather a lot of Time Essence before she can attempt this again¡­]]]


    "What¡­ message did your ally receive?"


    "Hmm¡­ what was it again? Oh right, it''s this one: LOCATE ASTRIA''S SOUL AND FIND  A WAY TO REVIVE HER. AS LONG AS YOU DO THAT, YOU WILL SUCCEED IN THE TRIAL." Alex mimicked Alina''s lofty voice this time, making the nearby Delia shake her head. "There, that''s what she said."


    "Male hooman¡­ how can you think of victory when that was the only message given to you? How¡­ how can reviving this person help you win the trial? Is she a special person that will allow you to circ.u.mvent my rules? No, no, no! There''s nobody like that here! All of you are just fodder in front of me!" Tabby the orange cat seemed to be having a breakdown at this point, with its previously calm personality turning savage. Such change made Alex shake his head, as he realized that this cat was no cute cat at all.


    This cat was just another power-drunk being, someone who also loves tormenting people.


    "Calm down, p.u.s.s.y cat. I never really understood why that message was given to us. But after you told us the trial, I realized that indeed, this message from the future was correct." The confidence in Alex''s eyes began to blaze at this point, making Tabby slowly back away. "As long as we actually revive Astria, my success in your trial was guaranteed!"


    "No,  you are lying!  You are lying! My master did not make this trial just for you to win! He-"


    Before Tabby could continue his ravings, which honestly just sounded manic already, Alex began to show the cat a plethora of people, all who were located at different places right now.


    "For  the loyal person from the Goetic Order Realm, I have Kierra. She has transformed herself into a Goetic Demon at this point, making her a resident of the Goetic Order Realm." Alex said as he showed the insides of his Storage to Tabby. "With your special power, you can see that Kierra is loyal to me, right?"


    "Y-yes, she is loyal¡­


    "Heh, one down, three more to go."


    "Hmph, so what if that girl is loyal to you? You still lack three! There''s no way that you can-"


    "As you can see Tabby, I am the Abyss Envoy. Because of that, a lot of Abyss Monsters are bound to be loyal to me. There''s no need for me to show you a loyal Abyss Monster. Just my status alone is enough to prove that."  Alex continued to say as he released his Abyss Energy. "Now, that makes two people, loyal to me, right?"


    "Y-yes¡­"


    "Hehehe, as for the Primordial Serpent Realm, there is a lot that I can choose from them. Just look at my companions. They are loyal to me, and they came from the Primordial Serpent Realm." Alex said as he grinned, which showed his blindingly white teeth. "Now Tabby, you can sense that Alina and Queen Mother are both loyal to me¡­. Do you think I am wrong?"


    "N¡­no. you are not wrong."


    "And there you have it. That''s three realms down. Now I only have one Realm left, which is the Holy Order Realm¡­." Alex let out a sigh as he said these words, as he seemed to be exasperated by this realm.


    "Sigh, this realm should have been the most difficult realm for me. After all, I am an Abyss Envoy, which makes every resident from the Holy Order Realm hate me. That''s just how things run."


    "Yes, that''s right male hooman! With that tainted aura of yours, there is no way that the Holy Order Realm will ally with you!" Tabby shouted desperately, making the cat sound like a drowning person clutching for straws. "How about that hooman? What do you think now?"


    "Sigh, you are right, Tabby. I mean even Delia does not feel any loyalty to me! She was just forced to ally with me because of our necessity¡­ If it weren''t for that, she could have started attacking me since she is the Holy Order Envoy." Alex replied as he shook his head. "As for the angel that I saved, she has no loyalty to me too. She also hates me, and the only reason she''s not attacking me is because of my alliance with Delia¡­"


    "Yes, that''s right, male hooman! Now, what does this mean to you? Hehehe, this means that no resident from the Holy Order Realm loyal to you!" Tabby shouted as it raised its claws triumphantly. "Now, where is that bl.u.s.ter that you are talking? Heh, do you really think that the message from the future will save you-"


    "For your information Tabby,  Astria, the one mentioned in the future message, is a Celestial Power user. She is someone who expressed interest in me in the past, and she is also a Divine Sensory Organ holder." Alex said calmly. He seemed to be unaffected by  Tabby''s taunts, making the cat feel wary and unsure.


    "Now, because of certain events, Astria, along with her peers died with the passing time in the Four Moons World. They might have died of old age, but still they are dead. But fortunately for those people, it appeared as if they used some kind of power to preserve their souls..." Alex said as he began pointing his finger at the direction of the Institute.


    "Maybe they used this preservation to allow themselves to be revived for the future, or maybe they are just afraid of death. Well, reasons aside, those preserved souls were placed inside that building." Alex continued to say, with his finger pointed at the Institute Building. "Those souls had been kept there for hundreds of years, with nobody touching or moving them. They could have stayed on that state forever, but the future message given to me changed all that."


    "¡­"


    "With that future message in hand, I and my allies began to look for the clues about Astria''s existence. Fortunately for us, we found clues about her preserved soul, and we were able to ascertain her location. A lot of things then happened after that, and before you know it, my allies are already there, ready to revive her." Alex said as he dropped his finger.


    He then looked at Tabby, who at this point, was frozen as a statue as it stared at the Institute Building. The cat seemed to be at loss for words as it observed the Institute Building, as if it had seen something shocking in there.


    "Tabby, with your powers, you can see what is happening inside that building, right? Care to tell me what you see?" Alex said as he let out a mocking laugh. "What does a cat like you see in there? Is it something interesting?"


    Tabby could easily not answer Alex''s query, but due to the feelings of shock that it had now, the cat found himself speaking, something that it did not want to do at all.


    "I  can see a woman¡­whose body held the powers of the Devourer and the Celestial. Aside from that, I can also see two souls inside that body. Once soul was young,, around mid-20''s. She seems to be the original owner of that body. As for the second soul, I can sense that she''s an ancient soul. She¡­ she''s at least hundreds of years old." Tabby began fidgeting at this point, making his panic much more apparent.


    "Male hooman, is that second soul Astria? Is she the Celestial Power user that is meant to be loyal to you?" Tabby asked as it tensed its body. "She¡­ she is¡­"


    "Hehehe, Celestial Power Users are derived from the Holy Order Realm, right? That means that as long as one of them is loyal to me, my requirement for the Holy Order Realm is fulfilled." Alex whispered, with his mouth holding a wide smirk.


    "Astria is a Celestial Power user, so she is a bonafide resident of the Holy Order Realm. As for her loyalty to me, there''s no way that it will be low. After all, I am the one who found a way to revive her. Hehehehe, she already likes me before, and with my actions now, there is no doubt that her feelings will be more positive to me." Alex said as he kept  his confident smirk. "So, what do you think about it, Tabby? You can already feel Astria''s loyalty to me, right?"


    "Y-yes, you big hooman. I can feel Astria''s loyalty to you too¡­"


    "Hahaha! Good! With that, I have already succeeded your trial!" Tabby''s sulking words were covered by Alex''s happy exclamations, making the cat feel more surly at him. "I already have the four people that you want, which means that I have passed your trial! Now, where are my keys?"


    "You¡­"

 Chapter 517 - Where are my Keys?(Part 3 of 3)(End of Volume)

    "¡­You''re lucky that you have good allies hooman. If not, then you could have been my dinner already." With Alex''s clear victory, Tabby the Orange Cat had no way to disparage his win. "Fine, here are your keys."


    The cat then threw a number of keys to Alex, who quickly caught them with incredulity.


    [[[MAIN MISSION HAS BEEN COMPLETED. ESTIMATED TIME OF DEPARTURE, 5 MINUTES.]]] Asteria''s voice sounded out as the cold feeling of the metallic keys appeared on Alex''s hands. Hearing this voice made Alex smile inwardly, a smile that Delia was also sharing.


    "So that''sh the keysh for the Legachy Weapon? They look normal to me¡­" Delia, who was mostly a bystander during the whole encounter, suddenly said as she flitted close to Alex. She seemed to be trying to resist her aversion of Alex, a feat that made Alex shake his head inwardly. "Shouldn''t they be more¡­ elegant-looking? All I shee here are keysh meant for mundane doorsh."


    "Hoomans, those keys might look just like normal house keys to you, but I assure you that they are anything but useless." Tabby calmly said, which was a direct contrast with its angry attitude earlier. "My master only liked making those keys simple, hence their appearance. If you want them to look better, then you can just will it to change appearance."


    "I see. I see. But before I dabble in that,  how do I make these keys follow me first?"


    "Hooman, just holding them already warrants you the ability to use them. If you are holding 1 key, then you can access one of the portions of the Legacy Weapon. If you have 2 keys, then you can use 2 portions too¡­"  Tabby replied in a calm manner once more.


    "Just holding them allows me to use the keys? Hm, so what will happen once I lost this key, and someone else gets a hold of it? Will they be able to steal my access too?"


    "Yes, that''s what will happen hooman. So be careful on how you keep those keys¡­"


    "Um, okay. Thank you for that reminder, Tabby."


    "It''s my job to remind that to you, hooman. I hope¡­ you will get to take that advice on your heart."


    "Huh,   do you have a mood swing or something, Tabby? With your angry attitude earlier, I thought you will try to complain more about my win. Seems like I was wrong." Alex muttered as he gave the cat an incredulous look. "How could you go from uber angry to super compliant in just a split second? That''s just¡­"


    "You are not a successor of my Master earlier, so I didn''t think of you that highly. But now that you are my master''s successor, I have no choice but to treat your cordially." This reply of Tabby made sense, although Alex still could fathom how this murderous looking cat was able to change its intentions quickly.


    "Don''t worry about me, hooman. You are technically my master now, so expect a treatment like this from me." The cat added as it sensed Alex''s confusion. "Didn''t you say that you''re a Traveler? If this is your main mission, then it means that you only have a small amount of time left before you and that woman leaves. Before that happens, I suggest that you distribute the keys I gave to you¡­"


    "Oh, right, I still have to distribute these keys¡­." Alex mused as he stared at the 6 keys lying down on his palm. "So out of the 9 keys available, 6 were given to me? Hm, this must be good, since I have more than the majority¡­. So in terms of distribution, how should I do this?"


    "Traveler Alex, jusht give me three of those keysh. You keep the other three." Delia suddenly said out of nowhere, which jolted Alex out of his thoughts. "With the way that our misshion here has ended, I can shay that the besht dishtribution ratio here is 50:50. You will have 3 keysh for yourshelf, while I will have 3¡­."


    "Huh, and here I thought you will demand 4 keys, since your black ooze was the one that neutralized Emperor Litch''s power." Alex said as he did not hesitate on passing 3 keys to Delia. "You sure you don''t want 4?"


    "Hmph, ash if you will allow that." Delia replied as she held the 3 keys delicately between her fingers. "Even if I wash the one who neutralized Emperor Litch, it wash still you and your alliesh that killed him in the end. In my opinion¡­ that makesh our contributionsh here equal. Henche, the equal dishtribution of our keysh."


    "Hohoho, so you are a kind person too, Delia. I thought you were just an idiotic justice warrior hell-bent to exterminate your enemies. It''s a good thing to know that you still have compassion, especially for an Abyss Envoy like me." Alex said as he seemed to be pleased with Delia''s ''kindness''. "Wait, don''t tell me that the reason that you were kind to me was because you like me? I''m sorry Delia, but I can only reject your advances. I already have a partner, and she''s more than enough for me. You should just look for a different prince charming in the future."


    "Hah? How could you think of that, Abyssh Envoy? I-I don''t like you at all!"  With a face flushed like a ripe tomato, the embarrassed and angered Delia raised her palms as she attempted to slap Alex. "I only made an equal deal to you shince I acknowledge your shtrength! There''sh no reashon other than that!"


    "Oh really?"


    "Hmph, you don''t believe me? Fine, then don''t. But you should expect me in the future, hunting you down like a dog. After all, you''re shtill the Abyss Envoy, and you are shomeone that I should kill."  Delia hissed as she withdrew her hands. "Sho inshtead of teashing me, I shuggesht that you should start preparing againsht me. Once our alliance endsh, I will treat you ash an enemy once more."


    "¡­"


    "Nya, now this is what I like to see. My masters fighting each other!" Tabby exclaimed after hearing Delia''s threat. "But can you please save the fighting for later? I want to go back to sleeping already¡­"


    "Wait, your back to sleeping already? But how about our questions?" Alex complained loudly as Tabby began to show its sleeping posture. "Didn''t you say that you will answer our question about the past in intricate details? Why don''t you do that now? And aside from that, you should also tell us about how we can use these keys and the Legacy Weapon¡­"


    "Hooman, there''s only less than 5 minutes left before you leave this world, right? That amount of time is not enough for you to hear my story of the past." Tabby replied resentfully as it let out a large yawn. "As for the activation of the keys and the Legacy Weapon, I recommend that you do that in your next worlds¡­"


    "Tabby, I can understand it if you want to postpone the storytelling later. But you also want to postpone the activation of the Legacy Weapon? Isn''t that just-"


    "Hooman, trust me with my advice.  With your departure already imminent, your activation of the Legacy Weapon might interfere with the Endless Monarch''s teleportation power. Once that happens, you and that woman will die." Tabby said with a deadly calm. "So if you want to be unscathed, then you should just activate this in your next world."


    "Oh, and don''t worry if you and that woman are on different worlds. The Legacy Weapon is a multidimensional and multipresent weapon." Tabby added rather quickly. "It can exist at different places at the same time, so you can use it even if the keys are on different places."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "Hm, you two seem to have no questions left. In that case allow me to sleep now." Tabby muttered as it began closing its eyes. "The next time that I will be awake shall be when you two are on your next worlds¡­"


    "Snore¡­" In no time at all, the cat was already sleeping, making him look like a normal housecat in all angles.


    As for the Legacy Weapon, it began sinking back to the ground again, leaving a large gaping hole on the land below Alex.


    It was at this point that the force field isolating Alex and Delia disappeared, allowing their allies to swoop in.


    "Alex, I heard Asteria''s announcement. So you really succeeded?" Alina asked as she pushed Delia out of her way. "Did you really gain control of the Legacy Weapon?"


    "Yes I did, but my control on the Legacy Weapon is not complete, per se." Alex replied as he placed the keys on the storage. "I only have a portion of control available right now."


    "A portion of control? How did that happen?"


    "I-It''s had to explain it here. I will just tell you everything in our next world." Alex quickly said as he shook his head. "Speaking of worlds, where is Sierra''s mortal body right now? It seems like it has disappeared earlier¡­"


    "I already placed Sierra''s mortal body inside the Storage. Don''t worry about her, her soul has already returned to her  mortal body too." Delia replied as the virtual body behind her crossed its arms.


    "Huh, it''s good that her soul is back to her body. That just means that its fine for Sierra to have two Worlds under her control." Alex said as he let out a sigh of relief. "Sigh, I hope Sierra''s language will be much better now that she had upgraded¡­"


    He was looking at the nearby Esper World as he said these words, a gesture that Alina did not miss. This prompted Alina to talk, as the limited time they have left on the Four Moons World had made Alina panic.


    "Alex¡­ now that the Esper Wold has materialized, how will you be able to ensure its safety?" Alina asked as she looked at the Esper World anxiously. "Even with all the Esper Powers present on that world, I have the feeling that they will still be vulnerable on outside invaders. And the fact that the Four Moons World is Emperor Litch''s former territory just makes things worse¡­"


    "Hoho, don''t worry about that Alina. There''s someone here that can assure the safety of the Esper World." In face of Alina''s worried look, Alex only gave her a confident reply. This confidence managed to make Alina feel relieved, although she still had no clue on what he was pertaining too.


    "And who could this someone be, Alex?"


    "It''s that woman right there, the one standing beside Professor Frances." Alex replied as he pointed his fingers at Professor Frances'' group, who has actually arrived here at Alex''s location.


    "¡­"


    This group appeared to have flown towards Alex ''s location at the moment that the force field materialized, which allowed them to arrive once the force filed was gone. Seeing them only made Alex smile wryly, as the looks of these newly arrived people were enough to amuse him.


    Professor Frances looked to be slightly peeved as she saw Alex pointing his fingers at her, with White Alex and Kid Alex looking neutral. Officer Emerald had a look of annoyance as she stared at Alex, while the newly awoken Wisteria had a complicated expression on her face.


    "Oi Alex, you need to explain these things that happened here. What the f**k¡­ did you just get yourself into? Your Sis right here is confused!" Officer Emerald, whose face was covered with sweat from her rushed flight,  shouted as she gave Alex a cold glare. "What''s with all these souls and these fights? You were the type of person who doesn''t like this before, so how could you be related to these?"


    "Ah well-"


    Before Alex could continue talking, the silent Wisteria began to speak up too, with her tone also infused with the same amount of anger as Officer Emerald.


    "So Alexander, could you care to explain to me on how there is an extra soul inside me right now? And why does she act so happy upon seeing you?" Wisteria wailed as her body started to tremble. "Tsk, and now she''s telling me that she will be stuck with me until I die! Alexander, you better explain this!"


    "Hehehehe, if you want me to explain, then I have to apologize. I am about to disappear from this place, so I won''t be able to answer your queries." Alex said jokingly as his body began to fade. "See what''s happening to my body now? I''m really about to leave!"


    "Hey!"


    "Officer Emerald, I will tell you the truth about me in the future once we meet again. For now, just accept all the things that I did." Alex said as he let out a laugh. "Oh, can I make a request to you? Can you place the Four Moons World and the new World above us under the protection of your government? I don''t want Emperor Litch coming back here after all¡­"


    "What? How dare you command me, little bro! You-"


    "Officer Emerald, please protect these two worlds for my sake. If you take care of them, I will be really happy about that." Alex solemnly said as he let out a sad smile. "Oh, and can you please visit Anatta''s grave for me? Her grave must be dirty now¡­"


    "¡­.So you will still stay evasive from us? Fine, I shall find a way to place these two Worlds under our protection. Since they are near our headquarters, I think protecting them is plausible."  The anger from Officer Emerald had faded in face of Alex''s words, with her current slouched posture making her look like a deflated person.


    "Hehe, thank you for that, Officer Emerald. I will never forget about this. As for your invitation, I will still thank about it."


    "Sigh, will you really stay like this Alex? Will you always be¡­ haunted by your past? Can''t you just start¡­ forgiving ''them''?" Officer Emerald suddenly said, with the melancholy on her voice obvious to everyone. "Alex, ''they'' are still riddled with guilt until this time, and I think that is already enough punishment for ''them''. So can you just spare some time and talk to ''them''? It will be really helpful."


    "Sorry, Officer Emerald, but I still don''t want to see them. Maybe next time my feelings will be mellow. But now? I still want to strangle them."


    "¡­I see. In that case, there''s no more sense for me to continue talking to you now. Fine, little bro, you can go already."


    "Hey, what about me, Alexander? How about my condition? You still didn''t give me a solution for the extra soul your ally gave me!" With Officer Emerald''s retreat, Wisteria was left alone on her crusade against Alex. "Will you really leave me like this with this thing inside me! You¡­ how could you be this cruel!"


    "Wisteria, first of all, that thing that you are talking about is a soul that came from the past. She has a name, and that name is Astria." Alex replied serenely, with his body looking more faded already. "And don''t worry about her. She will be a good friend to you, and she will be able to help you out with our cultivation."


    "Who the f**k cares about that! I want her out, and I want it now!"


    "I''m sorry Wisteria, but you have to tolerate Astria''s presence for now. If you want her out, then you must use your own power to do that." Alex said as he did not cower from the raging Wisteria. "But just like what I said earlier, having Astria inside you shall be the best thing that happened in your life. Oh wait, that just sounded wrong."


    "You-"


    "Bye bye Wisteria. I hope that the next time I see you, Astria will have her own body already. Well, with your talent, that is highly possible..."


    "Argh!!!"


    Ignoring Wisteria, who was now shouting like a madman, Alex turned his attention to the one person that he almost did not see today.


    "Oi Asteria, did you have fun with today''s events? From the looks of it, you seem to have spent a lot of time snooping around." Alex said as he gave the fairy a deadpan look. "But the times that you have disappeared seem to be fishy to me. Do you really have to be gone for that long? Maybe it''s just me, but you seem to be doing something fishy again¡­"


    "Hmph hooman. You have good deductions. I was indeed doing a secret transaction earlier." To Alex''s surprise, the dumb fairy actually admitted her suspicious actions, something that he did not expect!


    "Asteria, after all the things that I said to you, you still snooped behind me? You-"


    "Hooman, this secret transaction that I made is not like what you are thinking. This transaction¡­ is a standard transaction that every Guide has to do once their Traveler is about the finish their Main Mission in their 5th World!" Asteria hotly said before Alex could flip out. "So don''t think that I am betraying you. What I did earlier was standard procedure. Nothing more, nothing less."


    "A¡­ standard procedure. For what? For our next world?"


    "Exactly hooman! That''s exactly it!" Asteria replied with joy as she flapped her wings.


    "Wait Asteria, can you even do that? How did you-"


    "Once a Traveler finishes their missions in 5 Different Worlds, the next World that they will be brought to is a World like no other." Asteria said as she interrupted Alex. "This 6th World, which is also called as the Traveler World by its residents, is a World inhabited by Travelers alone! And only those who finishes their mission in 5 Worlds can go there! Hehehe, that''s the next world that you will be in, Alex. Are you excited now?"


    "You-"


    "Sigh, do you know how hard it is to set up your dwelling in the Traveler''s World while I am still here? I still had to haggle with Teacher Kuro a lot just to find you a cheap spot in the Traveler''s World!" Asteria continued to say as she gave Alex a smug smile. "That''s the reason why you can''t see me earlier! I am busy haggling for you! So instead of getting angry to me, you should be thankful!"


    "¡­.I don''t know whether I should be surprised by your initiative to haggle for me, or if I should be surprised from the fact that my next world will be a sure cl.u.s.terf**k." This was the only thing that Alex could say now, as the surprise that he just got from Asteria was enough to wipe away his happiness from finishing the main mission.


    "Hehe, it will be a cl.u.s.terf**k indeed, hooman. So prepare all your weapons and all your powers. If not, then you and your companions will be-"


    It was at this point that Alex and Asteria''s body completely disappeared, making their conversation disappear with the wind. Professor Frances, Alina, Queen Mother, and Delia''s team has disappeared too, which leaves only Wisteria and Officer Emerald alone.


    "That guy really made himself disappear like that. Tsk, how did he manage to do that? Hmph, I will just ask him once he comes back." Officer Emerald stiffly said before she let out a sigh. "Sigh¡­. You left me a lot of mess to fix, Alex. I hope this will all be worth it. If not, then I will be personally whooping your ass."


    After saying this threat, Officer Emerald turned to face Wisteria, who at this point, looked like she was about to faint already. In face of the pale Wisteria, Officer Emerald began to have a smile on her face, a smile which Wisteria noticed.


    "You said that your name was Wisteria, right? Hehehehe, with your talent and the fact that you have an extra soul inside your body, your future is bound to be bright. But if you want that future to be possible, there must be a proper guide that you should follow." Officer Emerald declared as she placed her hand on Wisteria''s shoulder.


    Before Wisteria could make sense of what''s happening, Officer Emerald leaned in, with her black armor glinting menacingly as she said,


    "Why don''t you join the Cosmic Guards, Wisteria? If you join our program, you can get stronger much faster compared here! Not only that, but being a Cosmic Guard can also help you find  a way to deal with your extra soul! Hehehe, how about that? You get to deal with all your problems all at once!"


    "I-"


    "There''s no need to fret Wisteria. Just sign this form with me, and you will be a bonafide Cosmic Guard already! Come one, there''s no need to be shy. Just one signature from you would be enough¡­"


    [MAIN MISSION ACCOMPLISHED]


    [BONUS MISSION 1 ACCOMPLISHED]


    [BONUS MISSION 3 ACCOMPLISHED]


    [BONUS MISSION 4 ACCOMPLISHED]


    [GRADE: SSS]


    -------------END OF VOLUME 7-------------

 Chapter 519 - Volume 7 Epilogue(The woes of the Rookie)

    1 MONTH LATER.


    INSIDE A WELL-FURNISHED ROOM.


    A woman, whose body was covered with numerous bruises and wounds could be seen inside this room, with her face holding a pained expression as she sat on her bed.


    Grunts of pain can be heard from her mouth as she moved, a sound which was amplified with the ambient silence of her room.


    Upon laying down on her bed, the woman closed her eyes as she attempted to sleep. She clutched herself body into a fetal position, with only her legs dangling from the bed''s edge.


    "¡­"


    This woman seemed to be close to the point of sleep, but something inside her mind appeared to be stopping her from drifting into the dreamland.


    "Fufufu Wisteria, why is your mood bad again today? Was it because of the training, or was it because of me?" A voice inside the woman''s mind began talking to the woman as she attempted to sleep, something which kept her awake even with her drowsiness.


    Hearing this voice also made the woman bristle, with curses slowly uttered out of her mouth.


    "Shut it Astria, I don''t want you snooping in on me again. If you want to observe what I do, then do it after I sleep." The bruised woman, who was no other than Wisteria herself, snarled inwardly to the voice inside her mind.


    "Since I am about to sleep, then you should sleep too, Astria." Wisteria added as she clenched her fists. "I don''t want someone like you talking while I snooze!"


    "Aw come on, Wisteria. You know it''s impossible for me to not snoop on you." The voice, who was owned by Astria, replied cheerfully. "My soul and your soul are inside your body, so whatever you see, I also see. Just like that thing that you did last night with that e.r.o.t.i.c magazine~"


    "Eh-w-what are you talking about Astria? What e.r.o.t.i.c magazine?" If Wisteria''s body could jerk like mad, she could have done it now. But due to her injuries, the best that Wisteria can do was to squirm in embarrassment as Astria began to embarrass her again.


    "Fufufu, I never expected you to like beefcakes, Wisteria. I thought you''re the type who likes slender men¡­" Astria said, with a hint of salaciousness in her tone. "But I admit that muscular men are great too¡­ Sigh, I wonder how would Alex look like if he''s a beefcake. Would he still be that handsome?"


    "H-hey, Astria, if you are talking about that magazine, then does that mean that you saw me-"


    "Fufufu Wisteria, you were really passionate on using that magazine. How many times did you shake the bed last night again? Ah it''s was seve-"


    "Ah, just shut up Astria! This is why I hate talking to you! You just make my life worse!"


    "You say that, but you still did not research a way to expel me. Tell me Wisteria, do you really hate me now, after all the help that I gave you for the last month?"


    "Ugh¡­."


    With this reply by Astria, Wisteria''s tense body flopped limply on the bed, making her look like a defeated villain. Her face, which was contorted with pain earlier, now only had sadness on it.


    "F**k that Alexander! If it weren''t for him, I would not be like this!" Wisteria finally cursed out after a few minutes of silence. "So what if he saved your life? He did it at the expense of mine! Of course I will not be happy with tha-"


    "Are you really angry towards Alex? Even after all that he''d done for the Four Moons World?" Astria patiently replied, as if she was not angered by Wisteria''s words. "You know, he was the one who freed you and the residents of the Four Moons World from Emperor LItch''s brainwashing. Such kind of help¡­ is not something that you can forget."


    "¡­"


    To these words by Astria, Wisteria found herself unable to refute.


    After all, what Astria just said were all right.


    The tumultuous clash between Alex and Emperor Litch  one month ago has brought forth a series of changes in the Four Moons World.


    Its laws, which were under the control of Emperor Litch before, were now freed from his grasp after his defeat.


    With this, the brainwashing effects of Emperor Litch''s Conqueror''s Aura were removed from the residents of the Four Moons World, making them regain their real ''identity''.


    From being a center of worship, Emperor Litch''s Undying Empire has now turned into a disgusting place for the Four Moons World residents.


    Gone were the days where these people blindly worshipped Emperor Litch. Now, every single resident of the Four Moons World knew who they really were, and they knew who they should really trust.


    In shorter terms, the Four Moons World and its residents are now free, and they have nothing to be involved with Emperor Litch from now on.


    This freedom made almost everyone hail Alex and his allies as the hero of the Four Moons World.  This distinction was something that Wisteria approved of, but her innate anger towards Alex''s actions to her made her want to question him more.


    "Hmph, so what if he freed this world from Emperor LItch? Even if he freed us, he still brought us more problems!" Wisteria exclaimed as she opened the window of her room. This action allowed Wisteria to look at the night sky above her, which at this point, was not covered by the four moons anymore.


    Instead, only a planet could be seen at the sky, whose size was almost large enough to cast a shadow on everything.


    Seeing this planet made Wisteria tremble, a reaction that made Astria sigh.


    "Astria, look at that f**king planet! That''s a planet brought in by Alexander before he left, right?" Wisteria muttered as she pointed her finger at the planet. "You don''t need to lie to me Astria. You know that only Alexander can make that planet appear there¡­"


    "Hm? So what if it was Alex who brought hat planet here, Wisteria? What''s the problem with that?"


    "What''s the problem with that? Astria, do you really think that with a planet that near, our Four Moons World can be safe? Come on, if their residents try to make an action, a war could definitely happen!" Wisteria shouted as she resisted the urge to smack her head.


    "Astria, even if that planet was only here for a month, we already know how powerful their residents were. What do they call themselves again? Ah right, they said that they were Espers, and that their power was to manipulate the physical laws of the universe!" Wisteria added, with her voice sounding a little panicked now. "Astria, with those kinds of power, do you really think that those Espers will not attack us?"


    "Wisteria, how could these Espers attack us? I mean, look at them. They are so nice, and they seem to be interested on having a diplomatic relationship with us." Astria replied calmly in face of Wisteria''s panicked words. "Wisteria, I advice that you should not worry about them. For now, they are in need of allies, and we are the ones that they need¡­ So they won''t attack us at all, I promise you that."


    "Hmph, are you really sure about that, Astria? Those Espers look fishy to m-"


    "Of course I am sure, Wisteria. And besides, the Four Moons World and the Esper World are now both under the jurisdiction of the Cosmic Guards. With the Cosmic Guards watching us from behind, it will be impossible for the Esper World to attack our world!" Astria said much more forcefully, with her tone making it apparent that she will not accept any of Wisteria''s arguments.


    "But-"


    Before Wisteria could make more complaints, Astria interrupted her again.


    "You know what Wisteria? I think you should be sleeping already. You have gained a lot of bruises from your rookie Cosmic Guard training today, so you must sleep to make them heal."  Astria said as her voice began to fade away. "I will be sleeping too, so don''t worry about me bothering you. "


    "You-"


    "Just sleep and prepare for the new day, Wisteria. Tomorrow will be the last day of your rookie Cosmic Guard training, so you must be well-prepared for that, ok?" Astria continued to say, with her voice sounding more like a lullaby now. "Don''t worry about the future, Wisteria. For now, you should do you best to become a Cosmic Guard. Once that happens, you can confront the problems that are haunting you."


    "¡­.."


    "Wisteria? Yoohoo? Are you still awake?"


    "¡­."


    "Ah thank goodness she''s asleep. Now I can really sleep in peace too¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    And with those final words by Astria, the two women reached the end of their day, with their minds blissfully slumbering in the darkness.


    Their worries about Alex and the future of the Four Moons World were now at the back of their heads, peacefully forgotten in their sleep.

 Chapter 478 - 3-Day Break

    I''m really sorry to say this guys, but I think I just encountered a writer''s block. Because of that, I have no choice but to take a 3-day break. I''m really sorry about this guys....


    I can''t think of anything to write right now, and whatever comes in my mind are jsut all jibberish and s**t.


    Seriously, I can''t think of anything that I can use to write!!!


    I think this writer''s block started when I began writing the chapter''s for Black Alex''s breakthrough.


    No matter how much I force myself to think, I can''t imagine how to write and describe Black Alex''s breakthrough...


    Sigh, of course I can force myself to write, but I am afraid that whatever I will write at that time will jsut be rubbish... I can''t afford to have that, so I guess a break is a  good thing to have....


    @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected]O O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @@* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @@* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %[email protected] P! U @[email protected] P! [email protected] PAKJ @OIK @O @ [email protected]@ @ @* [email protected] O @PU %%[email protected] P!!!! ! P

 Chapter 518 - I fell sick today, so new chapters will be posted tomorrow(Another code is here too)

    Actually, I was sick when I wrote the 3 chapters yesterday, but I still managed to persevere through them. But now? I was really as sick as f**k. Forgive me for that.


    ****************


    Here''s another code hehe.


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 Chapter 520 - Volume 8 Prologue(The Roaming Inn)

    THE ROAMING INN, IMMEMORIAL CONTINENT, TRAVELER''S WORLD.


    The Roaming Inn is one of the most prestigious business establishments here in the Immemorial Continent. After all, it is the only Inn in this continent that can accept the residence of Travelers.


    Such kind of establishment made the Roaming Inn a place like no other, with many yearning to be accepted here.


    Of course, this fame turned the fees here in the Roaming Inn to be extremely high, to the point that only those at the upper bounds of the society can afford them.


    To those unable to pay these fees, they will scoff and say that staying in the Roaming Inn was just a waste of time. But for those who were lucky to get in, they will say that every penny spent here was worth it.


    After all, those who get to enter the Roaming Inn will have the chance to meet the legendary Travelers, the chosen people of the Endless Monarch himself!


    And to make matters even better, other great things might happen to those who meet these Travelers.


    Sometimes, these Travelers will have the mood to give out precious treasures whenever they like it, while others will have the urge to take disciples from this world.


    Some even take the people here as their Companions, which is the best thing that could ever happen upon meeting a Traveler!


    These benefits make the Roaming Inn''s value to everyone higher, to the point that some were even worshipping its existence.


    The rules of the Traveler World of course makes it impossible for a worship to happen, but still, a certain sense of awe could be felt around the Roaming Inn.


    And this awe always increases every time a new Traveler arrives¡­.


    ***************


    Inside the Roaming inn, which held thousands and thousands of gold-lidden rooms, a certain duo could be seen walking and talking loudly on its hallway.


    With their loud voices and soundy movements, these duo''s actions should have earned the ire of those who resided in the rooms.


    But instead of having people pop out to scold the two, nobody even appeared to scold them. Instead, the loud duo was allowed to talk as they continued to make noise.


    Such kind of scenario was unimaginable here in the Roaming Inn, as the Travelers living in it are the type of people who are easily offended by those who disturb their peaceful rest.


    With these two loud people disturbing everyone, shouldn''t the Travelers present begin attacking them?


    But even when one of the duo began stomping the ground like a manic, nobody still stood up to them.


    Why were they treated like this?


    Well, it is because these two loudmouths were some of the people that even the Travelers would not dare to offend¡­.


    "Kibou, how many times did I tell you that you are not allowed to meet up with Asteria? Even if she is nearing this world, you are not allowed to look for her!" A black fairy, with her wings stained with the color of ebony, shouted exasperatedly as she crossed her arms.


    This fairy looked to be extremely unhappy as she stared at her conversation partner, who was a 10-foot robot-like being.


    "Kibou, if you dare complain about Asteria once more, I will be really making you regret it!"


    "Ki! Ki ki!" The robot, who was called as Kibou, replied hastily with its mechanical eyes glowing with anxiety. It seemed to be unwilling to accept the black fairy''s command, which it made obvious with its actions.


    "Ki ki ki!" Kibou  stomped its foot down three more times in front of the black fairy, which showed its agitation and unwillingness to follow the fairy''s words.


    If it were others who saw what the robot did, they will surely freeze in fear. After all, the way that Kibou appeared now was enough to make him look like he''s about to kill someone! Such kind of imagery was not something that anybody can just resist¡­


    But even with these actions by Kibou, the black fairy did not look like she was affected at all.


    "Kibou, when I said no, I mean it. Or do you want me to punish you?" The black fairy replied fearlessly in face of  Kibou''s massive frame. "You know that I, Kuro, is not someone who lets anyone off, especially my former students! So what if you are Asteria''s lackey? Now that you are working for me, you should follow me! Do you understand that?"


    "¡­"


    "Do you understand? Say something, or I will make you do pushups!" The black friry, who was actually Kuro, continued to say as she brandished her tiny arms. "Talk now, or I will change the push-ups into flying push-ups!"


    "Ki!!!!"


    "Hehehe, good, good, good. That''s how you should be acting Kibou." Kuro purred as she let out a satisfied hum. "You''re not a child anymore, so man the f**k up!"


    In face of Kuro''s stern and supportive gaze, the massive Kibou seemed to deflate.  Its frighteningly large body also began bending down submissively towards Kuro, a gesture which made Kuro nod her head in satisfaction.


    "Hmph, if you really want to meet Asteria, then just wait for her to look for you. With your work here, you are not allowed to look for her. But if it was Asteria who finds you, then you will be free to talk to her." As if she became guilty from making Kibou sad, the stern Kuro suddenly added these statements, which appeared to be placating the robot. "But please Kibou, don''t make yourself too obvious for Asteria. Doing that will piss me off¡­"


    "KI? Ki ki! KIKikikki! Kiki! Ki¡­." With Kuro''s reassurance, the lethargic Kibou was able to come back to its lively state again.


    Its dying engines sparked up once more, while its dull eyes began to glow like the bright beacon that they were supposed to be.


    Such change was something that Kuro was already  used to, as she had already seen this happen several times this day.


    "Hmph, do you think that Asteria will find you quickly? Heh, let''s see if that will really happen¡­."  Kuro said as she tried to ignore Kibou''s smiling metallic face. "With the Traveler that she had with her, I think that it will be difficult for her to even survive¡­"


    "Ki? Ki ki ki ki? Ki?"


    "No, Asteria''s Traveler is not a bust. In fact, her Traveler is so talented, that upon arrival, that Traveler will be given a Noble Treatment here." Kuro said as she bopped Kibou''s metallic head. "In fact, that Traveler can even become a Duke or Minister here¡­"


    "Ki? KI ki? Ki!!!!"


    "Hmph, why are you that shocked, Kibou? It''s only a matter of time until a Traveler like Asteria''s Traveler appears." Kuro said with a snicker upon seeing Kibou''s shocked face. "So don''t act like you have seen the end of the world already."


    "Ki¡­"


    "And with that fact, do you now understand why it will be hard for Asteria to come here? Kibou, with the amount of talent that Asteria''s  Traveler has, I am sure that many will try to kill them before they can even come to this inn¡­" Kuro suddenly said, with her voice filled with a dark undertone. "Heh, they might not even have the time to enjoy the sceneries in this world. Sigh, now that makes me pity them¡­"


    "Ki? Ki¡­. Ki¡­."


    "Yes, Kibou. It''s really a sad fate for them. But with their abilities, I think that Asteria and her Traveler has a chance to survive. Of course that chance will be low." Kuro said in a low voice. "But as long as there is a chance, everything can still happen."


    "Ki¡­"


    "So just like what I sad earlier, you not allowed to look for Asteria! Kibou, I will know it when you try to sneak away, so stop thinking about using your warping cloak. This is my last warning to you, so I hope you will listen to it!"


    "Ki! Ki ki ki ki¡­."


    "Yeah, you can complain all you want Kibou,  but my decision is already final. Don''t search for her, and I will not punish you. If you do, then prepare to have your shoulders in pain tomorrow¡­"


    "Ki¡­"


    After Kibou made this one last despairing sound, the duo left the Roaming Inn, leaving its residents and staff heaving sighs of relief.


    Whether Kuro or Kibou noticed these actions was unknown, as their bodies disappeared after going through the door, making their departure a silent one.


    Where they will go from this, nobody had any idea. But one thing was for sure.


    These two, who were part of the Endless Monarch''s Mandated Guards, will surely be embroiled in an important mission!

 Chapter 521 - The Rookies and the Returnees

    5 SECONDS AFTER ALEX AND CO. WERE TELEPORTED AWAY.


    "Thud!" With a sound comparable to that of a struck wood,  Alex, Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances found themselves falling down straight on a wooden floor.


    The impact brought by their arrival shook the floor a little, with no dent or damage left on floor at all. The wooden walls around them and the old-fashioned furniture nearby seemed to be affected by their arrival too, although not much can be seen from them.


    These objects were mostly inert upon the arrival of Alex''s group, a phenomena that made the four somewhat unsettled.


    [Everyone]: ¡­.


    But unlike their usual antics, these four kept themselves quiet upon their arrival in this new place. It seemed as if they had no energy to even speak up at all, something that was obvious from their bodies.


    Queen Mother and Alina, who were both lively from the power synthesis earlier,  were now laying down on the floor like dead fishes.


    Their bodies were both paralyzed, and they appeared to have no way to move themselves right now.


    The same case could also be said to Alex, whose body was slumped near the wall, with his limbs and mouth not making any movements at all.


    Black Alex, Golden Alex, White Alex, Blue Alex, and Kid Alex were nowhere to be found at this point, making it look like they had disappeared into nothingness.


    Only Professor Frances seemed to have the ability to move, but even she was motionless too. She was currently laying spread-eagled on the floor, with her tired expression showing her disinterest to even just twitch her limbs.


    The sight of these four becoming like this appeared to have gotten the interest of Asteria, who was currently floating above them.


    [Asteria]: Hm, so the effects of the Power Synthesis and  Queen Hydra''s Mirror were already used up. Alex''s clones and powers went back to him already, and the paralysis side effect of the Power Synthesis has caught up to you three¡­ Sigh, so this means that I have to wait for you guys to move again? Ugh, I want to roam this world already, so please recover quickly!


    With the paralysis experienced by Alex''s group, Asteria made sure that she said her words mentally, which can allow Alex and the other two women to reply mentally too. After all, paralysis made it impossible for Alex and the two women to talk, so they can only rely on their mental prowess to communicate with Asteria.


    And these three certainly did not leave his mental power hanging. They all had a quick reply to Asteria''s complaints, which they made sure to irritate Asteria as much as possible.


    [Alex]: You want to roam? You better wait at least half a day before you do that! Hehehe, for now, you''re stuck taking care of us¡­


    [Alina]: I hope you are good in cooking Asteria. I am so hungry now, and I want someone to feed me. Can you and Professor Frances take turns in feeding me now? I really need to eat¡­


    [Queen Mother]: I have no need to eat, but the feeling of being fed seems nice¡­ I want to be fed too.


    [Asteria]: Argh! There you go again! You''re always commanding me! FYI, I am your Guide, not your maid, so just-


    [Professor Frances]: Little fairy, these 3 did a lot of s**t there in the Four Moons World, so give them some slack. Just listen to their requests and start giving them food. Don''t worry, I will be joining with you.


    [Asteria]: W-what? How could you say that, Frances? And here I thought you will be the one who will reject their command! How could you just follow them?


    [Professor Frances]: Hmph, who cares about my reasons? If you don''t do this, I will release a bacteria that can make all kinds of honey spoil. If you don''t'' want that to happen, then you must start cooking!


    [Asteria]: Argh fine! You want me to cook? Then, I will show you how to cook!


    After giving this declaration, the incensed Asteria began storming in to the kitchen, with the vaguely amused Professor Frances following in behind her. Once they entered, the two never left, with the kitchen staying mostly quiet at their stay.


    Minutes later, and the sounds of banging and slicing filled the kitchen, with the savory smell of food suddenly wafting out towards the trio.


    This smell was enough to make the paralyzed trio salivate, with Alina looking like she was about to explode from her place.


    [Everyone]: ¡­.


    With their bound bodies, no matter how much the trio wanted to eat, they have no choice but to stay still as their noses were continuously assaulted.


    It was only when Asteria came out of the kitchen with a massive bowl in her hands that the pained feelings of the trio disappeared.


    The bowl that Asteria held, which was around the size of 10 coconuts, almost sloshed over as she moved, making its contents almost spill over the floor. Fortunately for everyone, Asteria was able to keep it steady.


    Once it was stable, the smug-looking Asteria brought the bowl to the trio, with the smell coming out of it getting stronger and stronger as time passed by.


    In face of the trio, who now all looked like they want to claw their hands towards her, Asteria only laughed, with her narcissism blooming as she began to talk.


    [Asteria]: Heh, how do you like this, hoomans? This is my first dish, the honey-saut¨¦ed mapo tofu! This is my original recipe, and it is guaranteed to warm you all up! Now, drink  the soup in to experience my majesty!


    [Professor Frances]: I will personally open your mouths while Asteria will shove the food with the spoon. So don''t worry about anything. Just let us feed you, and enjoy the food¡­


    What followed after that was a feeding fest from the fairy and the crazy doctor, which lasted until night arrived.


    *************


    [Alex]: That was a nice meal. It''s too bad I still can''t move. If I could, then I could have grabbed more food already.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Queen Mother]: That food tasted just fine. But I think being fed by your allies is much better compared to the taste¡­


    The results of Asteria and Professor Frances'' actions seemed have improved the moods of paralyzed trio, something that made the two feel relieved for some reason.


    These two also felt somewhat pleased by the praise given by Alex and Alina, with Alina''s silence already a sounding proof of how happy she is right now.


    [Everyone]: ¡­.


    With the way Alina, Alex, and Queen Mother reacted to the food, it was obvious that Asteria and Professor Frances had succeeded on their endeavor.


    This success made the two think of cooking again, but with the impending disappearance of the paralysis, and the fact that they are in a new world, Asteria decided to get back to the serious stuff.


    [Asteria]: I already know about my skills in food, so there''s no need to praise me. If I were you, we should be talking about other topics already¡­ For example, we can talk about this world or about your rewards from the last mission. Which one do you want to talk about first?


    [Everyone]: !!!


    Asteria''s latest words perked up everone''s attention, making them remember what they were supposed to be doing now. This forced Alina to snap out of her daydream, with Alex and Queen Mother coughing mentally to hide their embarrassment.


    [Alex]: Y-yeah, you''re right. We should talk about those already. We still have 1 hour left before the paralysis wears off, which is enough for all the exposition. As for what we want first, I think explaining what this world really is will be the better one.


    [Asteria]: Hehe, good choice hooman. At least you had the prudence to learn about this world before asking for your rewards. That is a virtu-


    [Alex]: Stop making yourself talk that much. Just get straight to the point.


    [Asteria]: Tsk, I am already praising you, and you still don''t want it? Hmph, you better watch yourself. I will never be giving you any praise in the future anymore¡­


    [Alex]: Just talk.


    [Asteria]: ¡­This world is the Traveler''s World. Just like what I said before, once a Traveler completes 5 Worlds, they will be brought in this world.


    [Alex]: Ok, so far so good. So, why were we brought here?


    [Asteria]: I''m getting to that point, so just let me talk. So, once a Traveler arrives here in the Traveler''s World, they have 1 year of time to stay here. Inside that one year, they can do everything that they want here in the Traveler''s World, no matter what things are those. It will only be limited by your power and your morals¡­


    [Alex]: Go on.


    [Asteria]: Once the 1-year time limit is up, this Traveler will be brought to his next world already. Everything that he obtained here in the Traveler''s World will be brought by him when he leaves, and that includes the upgrades in strength!


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Oh, you can also take the original residents of this world as Companions, so this world is a possible breeding ground for that too!


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Hehehe, what do you think about this world now, hooman? Isn''t it a nice place?


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    After hearing everything that Asteria just said, the currently quiet Alex was forced to think beyond his limits, as he realized that there''s something weird with Asteria''s words.


    After all, the things that Asteria just uttered made it appear as if this Traveler''s World is a paradise for the Travelers.


    A world where Travelers can do what they want for a year, and everything that they get here will be theirs? Such a world is a paradise for anyone, much less to the Travelers!


    Alex of course became quickly suspicious about the real nature of the Traveler''s World. There''s just no way that the Endless Monarch, who brings Travelers to places of danger, will make a paradise like the Traveler''s World.


    There must be a hidden agenda in this world, something sinister that will make the lives of the Travelers hard here.


    As for what this hidden agenda is, Alex obviously will pry it off Asteria''s loud mouth.


    [Alex]: Okay¡­ that is interesting. Is there anything else that you can tell me about this world? Surely it''s not just what you said¡­


    [Asteria]: Is there anything else I can tell you? Oh right, there''s two more extra things left.


    [Alex]: Two more extra things? Go on.


    [Asteria]: Well, the first one is that all the newly arrived Travelers in this world are called Rookie Travelers. After all, the level of power that a Traveler has after finishing 5 Worlds are only around the 1st-3rd Stage. Such kind of power is for rookies only, hence the term Rookie Travelers¡­


    [Alex]: Hold up. Rookie Travelers? And you''re saying that most Travelers who finish 5 Worlds only have around 1st-3rd Stage of Power? If that is true, then how about me? I am already at the 6th Stage!


    [Asteria]: Well, you are a unique case, so don''t compare yourself to the other Rookie Travelers. But I assure you, the majority of the Rookie Travelers who arrive here are all around the 1st-3rd Stage of Power¡­


    [Alex]: Ok¡­ and what are these Rookie Travelers supposed to do after arriving here? Are they already allowed to roam around?


    [Asteria]: Well of course they are. But they have to be careful, as there''s a lot of 4th and 5th Stage Beasts roaming around here. They will surely kill a Rookie Traveler if they see one. But don''t'' worry about that, Alex. You''re already strong, so you can take on these beasts by yourself!


    [Alex]: !*&%(*@&)(*@(@!!


    And there''s the catch. This world was indeed free to live in, but it also has powerful monsters that can kill a normal Traveler. Why did Alex even thought that this world was nice? This world is nothing but another trial for people like him!


    And that was just the first extra thing that Asteria said. There''s a second one that she has to say which could even be worse!


    [Asteria]: is there a problem, hooman? You seem to be pissed.


    [Alex]: How could I not be pisssed? You just told me earlier that this is a place where any Traveler can do anything that they want. But now you''re telling me that this also has monsters which can easily kill Rookie Travelers? Hmph, if I was not this strong, then I could have been one of them!


    [Asteria]: Why are you worrying about that hooman? You''re strong already, so such problems are beneath you. Hmph, with your power, you are already entitled to be a powerhouse here! You will have no problems, unless other powerful Travelers start to seek you¡­


    [Alex]: Why would I even worry about power Travelers, when all that comes here are Rookie Travelers? Can they do something against me?


    [Asteria]: Well, most Rookie Travelers can''t, but those Returning Travelers sure could.


    [Alex]: The what now?


    [Asteria]: The Returning Travelers. The ones who had returned here in this world. Hooman, that''s easy to deduce just by its title!


    [Alex]: Hold up, didn''t you say earlier that once a Rookie Traveler reaches one year of stay here, they will be forced to leave? What''s with this Returning Travelers then? Are you telling me that Travelers has a way to come back here?


    [Asteria]: Of course there is. If only Rookie Travelers can stay here, then this world will be boring¡­.


    [Alex]: Let me guess, this part is the second extra thing that you will tell me.


    [Asteria]: Hmph, you are right hooman! So just like what I said, Returning Travelers are Travelers who had managed to return here at the Traveler''s World.  Unlike the Rookie Travelers, Returning Travelers can stay as long as they want here in this world, and they can leave at their whims too. They also have better status in this world, and most Rookie Travelers have no choice but to follow them. They also-


    [Alex]: Hold up. Why is there a difference of treatment between Rookie Travelers and Returning Travelers? Why do the rookies only get to stay for a year, while the returners can stay here whenever they want? And why the f**k does the Returning Travelers have high status too?


    [Asteria]: You want to know why the treatment is different? Well, the answer to that is simple, hooman.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: You know, a Traveler can only return to the Traveler''s World if he or she has reached the level of Half-Step Transcendence. Only Travelers this powerful can use their power to come back here in the Traveler''s World¡­.


    [Alex]: !!!


    [Asteria]: Now hooman, do you understand why Returning Travelers are treated well, and why they can easily outclass Rookie Travelers? Hmph, it''s because their power allows them to do so! With their power, nothing can stop them, except for other Returning Travelers¡­


    [Alex]: Oh I see. Well, that''s really impressive, but I don''t think that I will have any problems about the Retuning Travelers. They can do their own stuff, while I will do mine¡­


    [Asteria]: Oh about that hooman, there''s actually one more important thing that I have to tell you¡­


    [Alex]: Sigh, and what could that be? Please don''t make it sound worse¡­


    [Asteria]: Well, from the data given to me by my teacher earlier, I saw that there were 7 Returning Travelers currently staying in this world right now. That is not that bad, per se. The problem however lies in the fact that they  are aggressively recruiting any Rookie Travelers that arrives in this world. And that¡­ will include you, hooman.


    [Alex]: ¡­How long will it take before those people come here to recruit me?


    [Asteria]:  Um about that¡­ Once you leave this room, everyone in this world will know your arrival. So once you leave, recruitment offers to you will come quickly. And when I mean quick, I mean it literally.


    [Alex]: Oh great, so not only does this place have people as strong as the Great TimeMaster, but these people also want to aggressively recruit people? F**k this, this is obviously a prelude to a war! F**k, why do I have to come at this time!

 Chapter 522 - Shards and Couriers

    [Asteria]: It is what it is, hooman, so you can only accept it now. So, what do you plan to do next?


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: In case you didn''t know, the house that you are currently in is designed to allow you and  your companions to stay here for around a year. Hehehe,  it has all the supplies that you need, and some entertainment devices that will keep you occupied¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    A sly look appeared on Asteria''s face at this point, making her look like a merchant that was about to scam a helpless customer. This kind of look made Alex narrow his eyes, as he realized that Asteria was about to one-up him again.


    [Asteria]:  So how about that hooman? Would you like to stay inside this house for a year? As long as you stay here, you won''t be pestered by anyone outside. Of course, the demerit of that is that you will not get any massive improvement on your powers¡­ But hey, at least you will not get to offend the Returning Travelers!


    [Alex]: Huh. So that''s your proposed solution for my problem? Since I am too strong to be recruited by those Returnees and that could offend them, it will just be better for me to hide inside this house until my time limit arrives?


    [Asteria]: Exactly hooman! In my esteemed opinion, this is the best thing that you can do here! After all, you''re already at the Sixth Stage. You can just let things go here easily...


    As she said these words, Asteria appeared to look smug again, as if she felt proud of her advice. In face of this smugness, Alex only shook his head, with his face wearing a disgruntled expression as he replied.


    [Alex]: Hmph, if it were me before, then I could have thought of doing what you said. But the current me? Heh, I have no intention to stay here!


    [Asteria]: What? But hooman, you could be-


    [Alex]: Every second that I waste here is another second of Emperor LItch having his recovery. And since I will be stuck in this world for a year, that means that Emperor LItch already has a year reserved just for his recovery! Asteria, the longer that he gets his recovery, the worse that it will be for me! So don''t expect me to waste my time in this world huddling like a coward!


    [Asteria]:¡­


    [Alex]: Since I will be stuck in this world for a year anyway, then I must use this time to make myself stronger! That way, I will be able to kill Emperor Litch much earlier! If¡­ I only stayed on this world doing nothing, that will not help me on killing Emperor LItch. So I''m sorry Asteria, but I have no choice but to explore this world¡­


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    What Alex just said to Asteria was right, and this is what has been inside his mind since earlier.


    Since Emperor LItch was still alive, there is a chance that his new body will come back and wreak havoc on the Esper World, especially now that Alex and Alina were not there to protect it.


    That is something that Alex and Alina cannot allow to happen. Alina''s family, friends, and home are in the Esper World, while Sierra''s life was tied directly to this world. The destruction of the Esper World  will mean a lot of pain to Alex and Alina, as its destruction will be the end of many things previous to them!


    Even if the Esper World is under the protection of the Cosmic Guard, Alex still cannot guarantee its safety from Emperor Litch.


    After all, the Emperor will surely do anything just for the sake of tormenting Alex, even if it makes the Emperor go against the Cosmic Guards.


    As such, the only way that Alex can protect the Esper World is by him getting stronger! Only when Alex has the power to overturn everything that he''s confident of killing the Emperor and stopping all of his plans!


    [Alex]: Hmph, even if I am wary about those 7 Returning Travelers, I would not restrict myself in this place. So what if I could be offending a lot of people here? Heh, if worse comes to worse, I will just use all my trump cards against them!


    Since the only way for Alex to get stronger in this world is by going outside, then Alex will definitely do it, even with the possible danger from the Returning Travelers! This is the best way for Alex to strengthen himself, something that he will not let go especially in face of Emperor Litchs'' threat.


    [Asteria]: So¡­. for the sake of killing the Emperor, you are willing to place yourself at risk? Sigh, I already expected you to say that, but for you to really say it here is just bizarre¡­


    Upon hearing Alex''s denial, Asteria did not try to persuade him anymore. Once Alex had his decision, nobody can change it already, so Asteria just gave up on stopping him.


    [Asteria]: It seems that you really have made up your mind to go outside. Since that''s what you want, then I will not be stopping you. Sigh, good luck with this hooman. I hope you don''t get embroiled quickly in a life death situation just after you leave the house. If that happens, I will really be saddened¡­


    [Alex]:  Heh, don''t worry about me going outside. I already have a plan on how to deal with those Returnees and their recruitment. So just chill back there and watch me do my work later.


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: Ehem. Now that we''re done talking about me going outside, why don''t you tell us about the Mission Rewards already? I can barely wait to know all my rewards!


    From a solemn voice that could induce shivers, Alex''s voice has changed to sound like that that of an excited kid. It was as if the prospect of obtaining the mission rewards was enough to make Alex excited, a feeling that his other allies seemed to share.


    [Aseteria]: Fine¡­. Since you have made up your mind about what you will do later, then I will just have to give you what you want. You want your Mission Rewards? Then here it is, let me recite and show it for you!


    [Alex]: Good! Now-


    Alex''s commandeering words were interrupted as three glowing crystalline rocks appeared on Asteria''s hands, with each rock emitting enough power to render Alex silent. These rocks seemed to be glowing at the moment that they appeared, which quickly filled the whole dark room with their l.u.s.trous glow.


    In face of these crystalline rocks and their beauty, Alex can only scowl as he felt his body being suppressed by them.


    More specifically, his Esper Ability, Immortal Cultivation, and his Superpower Body were the ones being suppressed by these rocks!


    Each of these three powers were sluggish and slow right now, making Alex feel bloated for some reason.


    Alex did not panic or lash out as he felt this weird sensation inside him. Instead, his face turned brighter the more that his three powers were suppressed.  This kind of reaction should not be the norm, but here is Alex, acting just like this!


    Upon seeing this reaction from Alex, the floating Asteria only let out a nod, as she completely understood why Alex was feeling like this.


    [Asteria]: Congratulations, you fulfilled Bonus Mission 3 1 . Your rewards shall be 2 Transcendence Shards, since you killed Traveler Malthus and Traveler Ray. Oh, since you already have an Abyss Transcendence Shard, these 2 Transcendence Shards will be representing your other powers¡­


    Before Alex could react to that, Asteria continued to talk, with her rocks swaying around her like dolls.


    Asteria then threw one of the crystalline rocks towards Alex, with the rock''s pristine white body landing smack straight on Alex''s glabella.


    [Asteria]: That white stone right there is the Immortal Transcendence Shard, hooman. Hmph, take care of that, as it will help you accelerate your Immortal cultivation and make you a powerful Transcendent Immortal before you could even know it.


    After throwing the white stone, Asteria threw the second stone from her hands, which then landed on Alex''s forehead.


    Upon landing here, this stone, which looked like a blue diamond, began to let out sparks that interacted with Alex''s body.


    Asteria did nothing to prevent this from happening, and she only watched until the blue stone has calmed down.


    [Asteria]: That blue stone is the Esper Transcendence Shard. Keep that shard well, as that will be yours and Alina''s chance to reach greater heights with your Esper Powers¡­.


    After throwing the blue stone and giving another advice to Alex, Asteria continued her speech, which seemed to be still related to the rewards.


    [Asteria]: You also finished Bonus Mission 1 1 , so you get to take another Transcendence Shard! This time, the Trasncendce Shard that I will give you is the Super Transcendence Shard. This Transcendence Shard is suited for your Superpower Cultivation, so don''t lose it too! If you do, then I will really smack you!


    Just like the two first stones, Asteria also threw the last stone towards Alex, who was still paralyzed to do anything about it.


    Plop!


    This time around, the stone landed squarely on Alex''s belly, with the stone''s scaly skin and bulky size seemingly unable to penetrate him. Just like the first two stones, this third stone also just stayed right where it was, making Alex look like a man meant to be decorated with pebbles,


    Asteria had no surprised  reaction from seeing what had happened. Instead, she seemed to be highly satisfied with Alex''s current state, which she made obvious with her words.


    [Asteria]: And there you have it hooman. Now, you already have 4 Transcendence Shards, making you one of the most prolific Traveler now! Hehehe, the Abyss Transcendence Shard that you had with you is already marvelous, but for you to catch three more Transcendence Shards  today is just great!


    [Alex]: Heh, now I have 4 Power Systems that will benefit from the effects of the Transcendence Shards. As long as I do things right, I can reach higher heights with these! Hehehe, Half-Step Transcendence is now reachable because of these shards, while Transcendence is now a possibility for me¡­


    [Asteria]: It''s too bad that your Conqueror''s Aura can''t get any Transcendence Shard, but knowing its situation, I think not having a Transcendence Shard will be better for it.


    [Alex]: Hmph, as long as I devour Emperor Litch entirely, my Conqueror''s Aura will get stronger.  So there''s no need for it to have a Transcendence Shard. 4 for me is fine, and I can''t ask for more than that¡­


    [Asteria]: Nicely worded hooman. Are you sure that you are not a good poet? You really write like an expert!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: Ehem, speaking of experts, I also remembered that you also finished Bonus Mission 4 1 .  The reward for that bonus mission is 125 years of lifespan, which you already obtained after you destroyed the moon¡­


    [Alex]: Yes, I indeed obtained it, but because of stuff, I had to use that Lifespan too.


    [Asteria]: Tsk, tsk, tsk. It''s too bad for you that you were forced to use your LIfespan to buy another item. But well, that item has saved your life, so I guess your spent lifespan is worth it?


    [Alex] ¡­


    [Asteria]: ¡­yay?


    [Alex]: Asteria, now that you had given out the bonus mission rewards, can you now tell me how much lifespan I got from finishing the Main Mission? With all the stuff that I did on the Four Moons World, the lifespan that I got must be good, right? Come on Asteria, tell it now!


    [Asteria]: ¡­Your Main Mission Grade is SSS, which means that you get rewards with 300 Years of Lifespan. 100 Years were then spent to teleport you here, leaving you with 200 Years of Lifespan. Combine this number with your current lifespan, and you have 199 YEARS, 11 MONTHS, 29 DAYS, AND 15 HOURS OF LIFESPAN LEFT¡­"


    [Alex]: 199 Years? Hahaha, that''s good that''s good! With that many lifespan, I am sure that I can buy new items again! Hey Asteria, show me what you can sell now. I want to buy something that will be useful to me later!


    [Asteria]: Hooman, all transactions here in the Traveler''s World are done on legal business centers scattered all throughout the world. If you want to buy an item, you must go and look for these stores.


    [Alex]: Wait, what? Why is it like that? Why are you not allowed to sell? Is there something wrong with selling personally?


    [Asteria]: Hooman, all the goods that I had sold you came from the Traveler''s World. The Queen Hydra Mirror that you used earlier? It came from here! The EM Saber that you brought at the beginning? It also came from this world!


    [Alex]: ¡­Ok?


    [Asteria]:  Now that I told you that hooman, do you now understand why I can''t sell to you?


    [Alex]: No, I don''t. So what if this world is the source of those items? I want to buy stuff from you, so-


    [Asteria]: Hooman, I am just the courier who brought you your order from the Traveler''s World. If we were somewhere else, I will be able to send you everything that you bought. But here at the Traveler''s World, my courier service has been temporarily disabled, so don''t expect me to deliver goods to you when you''re already near the stores by yourself! If you want to buy some stuff, then you better  go out now and start looking!


    [Alex]: And there we go again. I really have no choice but to go outside now aren''t I? Sigh, let''s just get this over with. With my plan that I just made, I think I can mitigate any negative things that could happen from going out¡­ [[BONUS MISSION 3: KILL ENEMY TRAVELERS! REWARD: 1 SHARD OF TRANSCENDENCE FOR EVERY CONFIRMED KILL.]] [[BONUS MISSION 1: FREE THE WORLD FROM THE CLUTCHES OF THE VILE EMPEROR LITCH. REWARD: SHARD OF TRANSCENDENCE. POSSIBE ADDITIONAL REWARD: OPTIONAL.]] [[BONUS MISSION 4: DESTROY ALL THE MOONS! DESTRUCTION OF ONE MOON WILL EQUATE TO 125 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF TWO MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 250 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF THREE MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 500 YEARS OF LIFESPAN. DESTRUCTION OF FOUR MOONS WILL EQUATE TO 1000 YEARS OF LIFESPAN.]]

 Chapter 523 - Stages and Transcendence(Must-read chapter!)

    [[[This is an important chapter, so please read this. It''s an excerpt of a conversation between Alex and Asteria in the Four Moons World.]]]


    [[[Once again, this chapter is a must-read]]]


    [Alex]: Asteria¡­ since you are my Guide, can you explain to me the intricacies of the Power Systems? They seem confusing to some of my Companions, so I want to you to clarify it.


    [Asteria]: Huh? What are you talking about, hooman? Power Systems are different systems that give powers to sentient beings! It''s just as simple as that! What explanation would you even want?


    [Alex]: Tsk, I want your full clarification on this system, especially on its intricate details. Like how the stages should work, and the meaning of the designations placed on them¡­


    [Asteria]: Really? You want me to do that?


    [Alex]: Alina promised to give you her new honey if you explain things to me. If you don''t then Alina will throw it away¡­


    [Asteria]: B-basically speaking, all the Power Systems in the whole Multiverse follow the same classification method on the power levels of their members. No matter how much these Power Systems differ from each other, their power levels will always be classified in one way.


    [Alex]: And that classification method is the ''Stages''?


    [Asteria]: Exactly hooman! But what does those Stages exactly mean? Well, it is like this¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­.(He is now silent, seeing that Asteria was getting on with her lecture already)


    [Asteria]: So, you already heard about the terms like First Stage, Second Stage, bla bla bla¡­. The numbering of these stages indicate the level of power of an individual relative to others.


    [Asteria]: So, the First Stage of Power is the weakest level among the stages in the Power Systems. This level of power is held by those who have just started on their powering journey.  Qi Condensation Stage, Novice Monster Stage, Rank 1 Wizard are examples of First Stage Powers¡­ Those who had this kind of power are called First Stage Beings, and that will stay like that until they break through for the next stage.


    [Asteria]: What follows after the First Stage of Power is the Second Stage of Power, which is then followed by Third Stage of Power, etcetera etcetera¡­. Reaching these stages is a must if a power user wants to get stronger. But in order for this power user to reach these stages, the he/she must strengthen his/her powers corresponding to the rules set by their Power System.


    [Asteria]: So for example, if an Abyss Monster wants to leap from First Stage to Second Stage, he must absorb large amounts of Abyss Energy. An Immortal Cultivator on the other hand relies on their absorption of Immortal Qi and Dao Comprehension to reach the higher  stages. Other Power Systems have their own unique way of powering up too, and  their power users have to follow that.


    [Alex]: So far so good. Your content is understandable. Go on.


    [Asteria]: ¡­Now, this kind of linear method of powering up cannot be used forever. The multiverse had set a certain limit for this, and that limit lies on the-


    [Alex]: On the Sixth Stage.


    [Asteria]: You''re right, hooman. The Sixth Stage, which was also called as the Peak Mortal Stage by others, is the highest stage that a mortal being can ever  reach. Immortal Soul, Abyssal Pillar User, and Virtual Body Esper are some of the equivalent power levels of the Sixth Stage. Just by looking at that, you can see how impressive Sixth Stage Beings are.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Ehem, so because of the limits placed by the Multiverse,  once a power user reaches the Sixth Stage, they will have an extreme difficulty to make a breakthrough to the Seventh Stage. No matter how much power a Sixth Stage Being acc.u.mulates in his/her body, that will not be enough to break through the limit¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteri]:  It''s one of the laws of the Multiverse itself that is blocking the path to the Seventh Stage, something that cannot be just broken by brute strength.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: If a group of Power Users want to reach the Seventh Stage, they must create their own personal Law, which could allow them to ''transcend'' over the limits placed by the multiverse¡­. Only when that personal Law is made that the breakthrough to Seventh Stage is guaranteed¡­


    [Alex]: Create a personal Law to transcend over the limits? Hoho, so that''s the reason why the Seventh Stage is called the Transcendent Stage. Its members are those¡­ who had transcended over the power barrier!


    [Asteria]: Correct. And this personal law was the reason why Transcendent Beings are extremely powerful. With this personal law alone, a Transcendent Being can easily slaughter you, hooman. Add in their advanced cultivation, and it will be hard to find beings that can beat them. Of course 8th-10th Stage Beings does not count¡­


    [Alex]: You know Asteria, there''s no need for you to emphasize the fact that I can be murdered by a Transcendent easily¡­


    [Asteria]: ???


    [Asteria]: ¡­Okay, so you already explained about the Transcendent Stage. But how about the Half-Step Transcendent Stage? What is with that?


    [Asteria]: Really hooman? You want to ask me that? Fine¡­. So when a power user reaches Peak Sixth Stage, he/she can start creating their personal law that will allow them to transcend. Once this law was created, they can start using it to break the limit imposed on their powers.


    [Asteria]: Now, depending on the personal law created, the destruction of the limit could last on different times. Sometimes, the limit can be broken in an instant, while some limit takes years or even centuries to break¡­.


    [Asteria]: Once this limit was broken, a Power User can already reach Transcendence. But for those whose limit was in the midst of breaking, they will still have to wait for their chance to Transcend.


    [Asteria]: These stuck people are those who are in the Half-Step Trasncendent Stage. They already have their own personal law, making them stronger than those below them. But they still haven''t broken their limits, which makes them weaker than the Transcendent. That puts them in the middle, hence the term Half-Step.


    [Alex]: ¡­. I had a vague notion that Half-Step Transcendence will be harder to explain, but your words had managed to clear up my slight confusion. I thank you for that Asteria. However, your intelligence today makes me worried. How the f**k did you manage to be this eloquent? Did someone teach you how to talk normally?


    [Asteria]: What the f**k hooman? I just cleared your confusion, and you repay that by insulting me? Tsk, I should have never listened to you today! Huhuhu, if you will always bully me like this, then I will not be helping you out now!


    [Alex]: Bullying you? What the heck? I was just curious about your improvement!

 Chapter 524 - More Interlude(I have exam tomorrow, so this is the best that I can write...)

    [Asteria]: Hooman, why are not acting aggressive to Alina? Even if she was your partner, it is not right for you to act like that! You¡­ you are an Abyss Envoy, someone who''s not meant to be acting like this!


    [Alex]: Why do you care about that, Asteria? You don''t seem to be this nosy before¡­ What made you become interested in my plight now?


    [Asteria]: Oi hooman, why are you becoming suspicious of me again? I am offering to help you here, and that''s what you say? Hmph, something is really wrong with you¡­


    [Alex]: You are a fairy, a creature who cannot understand the thoughts and emotions of humans like me. So don''t act like you know the matters of romance.


    [Asteria]: Hah?


    [Alex]:  Hmph, you think I don''t act like how I should around Alina? If you think of that, then just keep it to yourself! Tsk, what a little dumb fairy. No wonder many hates you¡­


    [Asteria]: What did you say?


    [Alex]: Nothing. You know what? Why don''t you just go back to your nest and guard your food there? I think Sierra''s there again, ransacking your honey stock once more.


    [Asteria]: That little bi- baby''s stealing my food again? Argh, you are so dead to me now!


    [Alex]: Oi, what did you say?


    [Asteria]: Ah, I said that Sierra will be disciplined properly after this¡­. There''s nothing that I said related to killing. You can sense that I have no killing intent, right?


    [Alex]: ¡­Just scram and go back there. I want to get back to cooking already.


    [Asteria]: Fine¡­. Go back and cook for your lady boss. Seriously, why can''t Alina cook by herself? If she likes food, then she should be the one cooking it. Doing it this way is just-


    [Alina]: You want me to cook? Fine, I will be starting now. And the first ingredient shall be you, Asteria.


    [[[Alina, who suddenly loomed behind Asteria, said as her whole body released a menacing aura. Seeing this made Asteria tremble, and it got worse after she heard what Alina just said.]]]


    [Asteria]; H-hey, female hooman. Did you hear what I was saying? I was just joking you know.


    [Alina]: Alex, why is this ingredient talking? Is this a magic ingredient? Hehehe, if I cook this, will my food taste better?


    [Asteria]: Oi! I''m not a talking ingredient, I am a fairy queen!


    [Alex]: Oh, this ingredient will surely taste nice. It has been fed with honey every day, so be assured that its body will be both tender and sweet¡­


    [Asteria]: Hey Alex! If you meant that aesthetically, then I am fine with it! But you''re talking about eating me, right? Oh goodness, please don''t do that to me!


    [Alina]: Hm, it''s hard to grab this ingredient. Alex, do you have a net that you can use there? I shall capture this ingredient in one fell swoop¡­


    [Asteria]: Hey, I''m out of here! You two... go do what weird stuff what you want to do without me!


    [[[[Asteria flew away like a scared rabbit at this point, leaving Alina and Alex shaking their heads at her sudden retreat.]]]


    [Alex]: And there she goes. Stupid little fairy. Why can''t she just let us do our things in peace?


    [Asteria]: Alex, give Asteria some slack. She is a fairy, so her mentality is different from us. You cannot just expect her customs and attitude to match ours¡­


    [Alex]: So what, you''re okay with Asteria sleeping in Queen Mother''s cleavage everyday? Hmph, even if Queen Mother has no qualms with that, we have to children with us! What do you think will Sierra and Kiera do when they see Asteria''s sleeping habits? They could try emulating that on others!


    [Asteria]: Alex, you sound too paranoid to me. There''s no way Asteria''s sleeping actions can be that bad. Give her some slack.


    [Alex]: Oh? What about the time when Asteria tried to make  an extra fairy? Surely that is not a good action!


    [Asteria]: Well-


    [Alex]: Alina, Asteria tried to convince Professor Frances to make a new fairy out of the organic materials out there! And Asteria wanted that fairy to be her loyal servant! My goodness, what do you think could have happened if Professor Frances agreed? A new abomination might be born, someone that will be loyal to Asteria!


    [Alina]: ¡­


    [Alex]: Don''t give me that silent, judging look Alina. You know that one fairy is already is a trouble for us. But two? Hmph, that might make things even more chaotic!


    [Alina]: I get it, Alex. You don''t like Asteria''s chaotic actions, as you fear that it will jeopardize us. But look at us now. We have been staying with Asteria for months, and yet nothing major bad thing has happened to us¡­ If we can stay like this for the years to come, then there should be no problem with Asteria''s stay.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: Alex, please loosen up your attitude on Asteria. Sure, she might be rude, stupid, and b**chy, but she is loyal to us in the end.


    [Alex]: Loyal? Alina, you know what that fairy did in the Immortal''s World! She contacted the Great TimeMaster while we are in our mission! Is that a sign of loyal-


    [Alina]: Alex, please shut up or I will personally slash that mouth of yours.


    [Alex]: Ok, I will shut up now.


    [Alina]: Good. Now, once you see Asteria later, you will apologize for alienating her. As for Asteria, I will also ask her to apologize to you. Do you have any problem with that?


    [Alex]: ¡­Nothing.


    [Asteria]: I have no problems too, female hooman. But why should I apologize too? I did nothing wrong here!


    [Alex]: What the f**k Asteria? I thought I told you to leave? Why the f**k are you here then? You¡­ are you eavesdropping on us?


    [Asteria]: So what if I am? Your conversation is just so interesting that I could not help but listen in..


    [Alex]: You¡­


    [Asteria]: Hehehe, I am really happy that Alina stood up for me. She must really like me as a pet. Sigh, if it is for you, Alina, then I will be fine on getting petted. You''re the one who defended me after all.


    [Alina]: ¡­Alex, why is the talking ingredient back? Oh, nevermind. Let''s just cook it now.


    [Asteria]: Wait! I am just joking! I really did not listen in! I-I will leave now, ok? This time, it is real, I promise!!!!

 Chapter 525 - And thus, the Story starts...

    1 HOUR LATER.


    With the effects of the paralysis still intact on their bodies, Alex, Alina and Queen Mother had no choice but to stay still. It was only when one more hour has passed by that they regained their ability to move.


    "Sigh¡­ speaking from my mouth does feel much better compared to mind talking. It stretches all the things that needs to be stretched¡­" These were the first words that Alex uttered after he bolted up from his spot. "Of course mind talking it also fine, but that''s already too boring for me¡­"


    "¡­"


    Alex looked like he had already adapted to everything around him, making him look like the same, confident Alex that his allies were used to see.


    In his eyes however, some tinges of tension could be seen, which was undoubtedly caused by his current dilemma.


    "I''m hungry again." Alina muttered from the back as she patted her skirts and blouse. She seemed to be not that worried about their current situation, which might have been caused by her desire to eat more.


    This attitude by Alina was just ignored by Alex, as there was no changing it already.


    "¡­" Queen Mother on the other hand was only silent, with her not talking at all even at this point. She appeared to be a little¡­ out of it, with her joints looked like they were stiffened from lack of use, and her elegant gait from before replaced by erratic, unsightly trembles.


    These movements made Queen Mother look more like a robot that a sentient being, a sight that made her allies frown.


    "Professor Frances, I think you should stay close to Queen Mother for now. Her act of turning herself into her original form seemed to have some backlash to her, specifically in her mental faculties." Alex said, pushing  the professor towards the robotic tree woman. "With our expertise, you''re the one who can help her out the most¡­."


    "What? I have to babysit someone again? Sigh, you''re making me look like a support character here!" The professor said, with her face having an unwilling look placed on it. "When can I even have my action? I am supposed to build an army, not rule a small group of monsters and take care of sick people!"


    "Don''t be that salty, professor. Queen Mother''s backlash could only last around a few days, so there''s not a lot of time wasted there." Seeing the professor''s disinterest, Alex could only sigh as he tried to persuade her. "As for your army, don''t worry about that. Now that we are here in this world, you can pretty much take everything and use it to your whims! So just be patient, and that army of yours will be created too!"


    "¡­."


    Alex''s persuasion seemed to have worked, as Professor Frances began pulling Queen Mother along with her. However, Professor Frances suddenly said something to Alex at this point, which made the latter look at her awkwardly.


    "¡­.You''re saying that this world can make me have my fearsome army? Fine, I believe you. But how can you make that happen, when you can''t even get out of this house?" Professor Frances said, with her right arm slung over Queen Mother''s exposed shoulder. "When I talked to you earlier, you said that you have a plan regarding our situation. Where''s that plan then?"


    "¡­.Just wait and see, Professor Frances. I will eventually get out of this house, but before that, I must see someone else come out first." Alex replied succinctly as he seemed to be unfazed by Professor Frances'' barbed comment. "As long as that woman comes out of her house, then my plan can start to unravel¡­"


    "That woman? Are you¡­ referring to that bit- Delia?" Upon hearing Alex''s reply, the hungry Alina was sucked in by Alex''s words, prompting her to talk to him with irritation. "Alex, I thought you were done with that woman. Why are you waiting for her then?"


    "!!!"


    Alina was clenching her fists as she said these words, with her suppressed Dark Magic suddenly coming out in full force from her body.


    "Hong~"


    Her Dark Magic, which Alina had already improved up to the Fifth Stage, has created a menacing creature that began glaring at Alex in full force.


    This creature''s size and appearance made it look like a being of nightmares, with only the monsters of the Abyss Realm looking worse. Its body made it look like it was about to die and rot at the same time, a sight that is not really that pretty to anyone.


    "¡­"


    Such kind of monster was glaring at Alex now, with the latter only silent as if the monster staring at him was no big deal at all.


    "¡­" Alex did not cower or step back from  the glare that he received. Instead, he chose to stare back at the creature, with his eyes adapting an extremely mocking look.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    This action by Alex seemed to have surprised the creature a little, although this surprise was buried quickly by all the negative emotions that existed in the creature''s body. This allowed the creature to stabilize itself, allowing it to glare at Alex again.


    Alex of course did not hold back on his staring, which resulted on  a stare-off that could last forever.


    "¡­."


    The stare-off between Alex and the creature started to become so long, that in the end, Alina was forced to talk to the two already.


    "Alex, that b*** already said that she will kill you when she is given a chance. Since she said that to you, then you must not try befriending Delia anymore!" Alina shouted, with her creature shaking greatly just at the mention of Delia''s name. "In the end, she will always be up to no good against you!"


    "¡­."


    In face of the clearly pissed Alina, Alex began to sweat a little as he realized that the innate dislike between Alina and Delia was much more deep-seated than he expected.


    Alex just mentioned Delia''s name, and Alina was already acting like this! What more could happen if these two would see each other again? Will a bloody battle happen?


    "Tsk, I am not sure why, but I think those Divine Sensory Organs are doing something to mess with Alina and Delia''s heads¡­" Alex thought to himself somberly as he smiled in front of Alina.  "Those things were the ones that Delia and Alina have in common, so these organs must  be the reason for their behaviors! But why would these organs make these two like that?"


    Since he still  had no answer to this question, Alex placed the matter about the Divine Sensory Organs at the back of his mind. For now, he still has a woman to calm down.


    "¡­"


    Alex tried to make himself look as amiable as possible at this point, in a hope to quell Alina''s unleashed wrath.


    This seemed to have worked, as Alina suddenly dispelled her dark magic away.


    "¡­."


    As the nightmare creature disappeared and the darkness of the whole room began to subside, Alex decided to continue talking in order to placate Alina.


    "Alina, I am not planning to team up with Delia. I was just¡­ trying to see what she will do in this situation. That is all." Alex said sincerely, with him grabbing the woman''s hands tenderly. He made sure to caress them as he talked, which he coupled with some sweet words that he had prepared for situations like this.


    In no time at all, Alina''s hardened face was softened by Alex''s actions, making her anger from earlier look like it did not exist. What was only left was her usual stoic face, which was now dyed by a little blush on her cheeks.


    "¡­If that is what you plan, then fine, I have no problem with that. But if you ever try to make that woman talk to me again, you will be the first one that I will smack." Alex''s sweet notions was able to make Alina calm down, but she was still adamant about not getting near to Delia. "Do you understand that, Alex?"


    "I understand." Alex replied quickly while nodding his head. "So, you said that you''re hungry? Hehe, let me coo-"


    "Hey hooman! I can see a Rookie Traveler leaving his house! Come here, quick! Watch this!" Out of nowhere, the silent fairy Asteria suddenly shouted these words, which made Alex almost jump up from surprise. "What are you waiting for hooman? If you want to know what happens when a Rookie Traveler leaves his house, then this is your chance to know!"


    After saying these, the small fairy suddenly grabbed Alex''s hair, pulling them along with her as she attempted to drag Alex away. Such actions made Alex almost curse out again.


    "The hell are you saying? You saw a Rookie Traveler leaving his house right now? Where the hell did you even see a Rookie Traveler leaving his house? You''re not even outside the house yet!" Alex muttered in complaint as he rubbed the side of his ears rapidly. He was somewhat unhappy at this point, especially when he saw that Asteria was still doing her best to pull his hair.


    "Are you stupid, hooman? You''re asking how I saw a Traveler leaving now? Hmph, ,I just watched it through the window!" Asteria panted as she pointed her feet towards the windows that were gathered around the walls. "Oh my goodness, don''t tell me you didn''t even think of that? Those windows are transparent, you know. If you look through them, you can see the outside¡­"


    "¡­" This answer by Asteria made feel Alex somewhat embarrassed, as he realized that the fairy actually had a point.


    "Since this is a house, of course it will have a window that I can use to look outside. Ugh, that''s just common sense, and I did not even think of it? Sigh, I must have been getting rusty now¡­"  Alex thought as he did his best to keep his embarrassment in. "Tsk, this fairy will surely use this to make me feel ashamed in the future¡­"


    These thoughts made Alex shake his head wryly,  as he knew that someone like Asteria will not be letting go of opportunities to call out Alex. Such case was happening now, although Alex was not interested on taking part of this farce again.


    With a grace similar to that of a gymnast, Alex quickly moved his body as he decided to approach the windows around him. More specifically, he has decided to approach the window nearest to Asteria.


    This window just looked like any other window. It was made of glass and it appeared to be fragile. However, a series of runes were etched on its edges, which seemed to have made the window turn stronger.


    This appearance of the mirror made Alex feel fond of it, although that was not the reason that he chose it.


    Since this window was the one that Asteria was looking at  earlier, then this must have been also the window where she saw the departing Rookie Travelers.  So if Alex wants to see what happens to this Rookie Traveler, then he must look through this window too.


    "¡­."


    Seeing that Asteria did not stop him from his approach, Alex hastened his movements, allowing him to reach the window in just two steps.


    Once he arrived, Alex quickly focused his attention on the window''s body, which was transparent enough to show the happenings just outside his house.

 Chapter 526 - Beat-up and Auction

    "¡­." What Alex saw through the window were numerous wooden houses, all piled together between paved roads. Each house looked similar with each other, and they were the only structures that existed here, along with the nearby trees.


    The sight of this houses made Alex narrow his eyes, as their arrangement was something that felt familiar to him.


    "Am I¡­ in a small village made up of wooden houses?" Alex muttered as his eyes took in the sheer amount of wooden houses in front of him. "If these were the houses that has the Rookie Travelers, shouldn''t they look better?"


    "Oi hooman, if you are curious why the houses here are like this, don''t bother asking it. It''s the Endless Monarch who constructed everything here, and he did not explain why he did this." As if she had sensed Alex''s curiosity, Asteria began to explain to him about the existence of the wooden houses. "However, the Monarch said that this place is called the Starting Village, since this is where Rookie Travelers start. They should be using this place to acclimate to this world, but just like what I said earlier¡­"


    "Everyone who leaves their house immediately gets hounded by the recruiters. Yeah, I can see that now." Alex muttered, with his eyes stuck on staring at the people that are slowly making a commotion just outside his house.


    "¡­."


    There are 13 people standing right in front of Alex''s house right now, with 9 of these people standing in a such  a way that a human circle was created with them. This circle has a diameter of around 10 meters, which created a  large, empty space inside it.


    These 9 did not do anything else after making the circle, as they stayed right where they were. Their eyes also did not wander around, as all of them only  stared intently at the center of the circle.


    "¡­."


    As for the remaining 4 people, they were huddled together in one group, which interestingly was located right at the middle of the circle. This is also the spot where the other 9 people were intently staring in, which places the group of 4 under their scorching gazes.


    The 9 in the circle looked like they were not interested on making the group of 4 run away, and the greedy look on their eyes made that more obvious.


    "¡­"


    Just by looking at this situation at a glance, Alex can tell what was happening.


    The huddled group of 4 must have been cornered by the other 9 people, with the circle formation implemented to seal the group''s path of escapes. This circle formation was bolstered more by the intimidating aura released by the 9 people, which made the cornered group look extremely uncomfortable.


    Tension and wariness can be seen from the eyes of these 4, as if they were facing a dangerous opponent at this point. They were even holding their hands together as they tightened their huddle, an act that made them look much more vigilant.


    But that''s not the only thing that this group did. After staying in their huddle for a few more seconds, the only male member in the group began to make his move.


    "Schwang!" With a sound similar to that of a commoner''s power, this young male deftly summoned a wooden staff on his hands, which he quickly brandished like a sword. This act, along with the tense expression on his face, clearly shows his intent to battle now.


    As for the other 3 members of this group, who were all mature, well-endowed women, they began to summon their weapons too. They then pointed these weapons directly at the 9 people cornering them, an act that smeed to have amused the 9.


    Some of them laughed from the defiant act by the group, while the others only shook their heads out of pity. These reactions made it appear as if these 9 were not worried about getting hurt at all. Instead, they seemed to even enjoy the reaction of the cornered group.


    The same case can be also said to Alex, who only felt amus.e.m.e.nt upon seeing the weapons brandished by the group. It was as if Alex thinks that this group had no chance to win, a fact that he did not deny in his mind.


    "This group of 4 is most likely a group that has a Rookie Traveler in it. As for who the Rookie Traveler is, it''s most definitely that man." Alex thought as he stared at the staff-wielding male. He shook his head as he saw this young male''s handsome face and blond hair, which seemed to be out of place with his weapon. "Yeah, the Rookie Traveler is most likely this guy. And he''s a decent one¡­ But it''s still not enough to let him win here."


    With his power sense, Alex could definitely say that the staff-wielding male has a power of around Third Stage. As for the 3 well-endowed women with him, they were all at Third Stage too.


    Such kind of powerset is impressive for a Rookie Traveler, but  this Third Stage of power is something that is not enough to save this group now.


    After all, the power levels of the 9 people cornering them were around the Peak Third Stage!


    The weakest of this 9 was exuding this level of power too, while the strongest of them showed signs of almost breaking through the Fourth Stage!


    Such kind of power levels made the contrast between the 9 and the 4 more obvious, a sight that Alex can clearly see.


    "Hm¡­ if Asteria''s words earlier were right, then these 9 people on the circle were most likely the recruiters sent by the Half-Step Transcendents. As for the group huddled inside, they must have been the Rookie Traveler and his companions that just left the house." Alex muttered as he quickly summarized the scene in front of his eyes.


    "Right now, this Rookie Traveler and his companions are being cornered by the 9 recruiters. Heck, their path to escape was even sealed! Hmph, these recruiters must have been really desperate to recruit Travelers for them to act like this¡­" Alex added as the tension outside his house continued to increase. "Well, desperate or not, with the powers that the recruiters have, there is no way for the Rookie Traveler to escape from them. Sooner or later, he will be forcefully recruited, and there''s nothing that he can do about that¡­"


    "Yeah, that blond hooman is weaker than the recruiters so he will be forcefully recruited right here. The question is, who gets to recruit him?" Asteria suddenly said behind Alex as she also watched the unfolding situation with interest. "Only one recruiter can get the Rookie Traveler, so having 9 of them there will make things a little¡­ chaotic."


    "Chaotic? Heh, I may be new to this world, but even I knew that recruitment events can get messy. Especially if these events had Travelers in it¡­" Alex said with a smirk. "Hehehe, now this makes me want to see what happens here more. Will they beat up the Rookie Traveler? Or will they offer him with many incentives? What will be- Oh, so they are beating him up."


    Just as when Alex began wondering what could happen, the 9 recruiters uddenly began making their move, unleashing their attacks on the outnumber and outpowered group.


    "Swash swash swash!"


    One of these recruiters was surprisingly an Immortal Cultivator, with his Dao Core   releasing numerous flying talismans that rained down explosion on the Rookie Traveler. These explosions rocked even the pavements on the street, with some actually blown away by some distance.


    Standing beside this cultivator was another recruiter who was also attacking the helpless Rookie Traveler.  This recruiter appeared to be a woman around 30''s, who seemed to  have the power to cast curses and hexes.


    She could be seen spitting out venomous words out from her mouth, which made the Rookie Traveler shriek in pain, while the women with him began clutching their faces as sores appeared on their skin.


    "Ugh¡­ that two recruiters are strong as f**k.  No wonder they can be used as recruiters. With their prowess, they must have the talent to be unrivalled in the Third Stage¡­" Alex thought as he looked at the Immortal Cultivator and the Cursemancer with interest. "Well, the other recruiters are not that bad too¡­"


    The remaining recruiters all had their own unique power and abilities too, which allowed them to also unleash more pain and suffering on the already defeated Rookie Traveler.


    One of these remaining recruiters was a man whose body was made up of lightning. Every now and often he will release lightning attacks that tend to shock  the companions of the Rookie Traveler. This move had turned these woman blackened from superficial burning, a sight that made even Alex wince.


    There was also this woman who had numerous books floating around her. These books were usually closed, but these books will occasionally open, with creatures and supernatural objects leaping out of the book''s pages.  These creatures and objects will then attack the Rookie Traveler''s group, with the book woman giving them shouts of encouragement.


    "An Elemental Druid and a Divine Librarian. These kind of people can be Travelers too? Man this world surely is weird¡­" Alex said as he turned his eyes away from the fight.


    There was no more need for Alex to watch, as the defeat of the Rookie Traveler was already set in stone. Instead of watching this man''s defeat, Alex was more interested on seeing who among the 9 will get to recruit this Rookie.


    "You want to know  how these recruiters will decide on who gets the Rookie? Heh, there''s no need for you to wait. I can just explain it to you." Asteria suddenly said, as if Alex''s look of interest right now had forced her to talk.


    "No, there''s no need for you to explain. I can just wat-"


    "Once the recruiters thoroughly beat up the Rookie Traveler, they will then hold an auction on the spot, with the Rookie Traveler and his Companions as the item." Asteria continued to say as she interrupted Alex. "The one who pays the highest price will get to be the recruiter of this Rookie Traveler.  Pretty simple, right?"


    "¡­"


    "So, once that transaction was done, everyone will disperse. The recruiters who failed to get the Rookie will go back empty, while the recruiter who succeeded shall be bringing the Rookie on their headquarters. What happens to that Rookie will then depend on the group that he was brought in." Asteria  crossed her arms after saying this, an act that made her look a little professional. "That''s basically the gist of it, hooman. So, do you have any questions?"


    "I don''t have any questions. I just have a comment." Alex replied indifferently as he stared back at the fight, which seemed to have just ended. "I think that the reason the recruiters beat up the Rookie Traveler is for them to know the fighting capabilities of the Rookie. That way, when they start to auction him, they can set the right price¡­"


    "Yeah, you are right. And you are just in time too, hooman. They seem to be starting the auction. Do you want to watch it?"


    "Well, just a little. After all, I might need to be dabbling in this in the future too¡­"


    "???"

 Chapter 527 - The Returner Travelers(Part 1 of 2)

    With Alex''s last comment, Asteria look like she was befuddled. However, this confusion of hers only lasted for a second before she began talking at Alex again.


    "Hooman, since you have been an exemplary Traveler, I shall be kind enough to tell you about the Half-Step Transcendents that are currently residing in this world." Asteria said as she tried to pry Alex''s attention. "That Rookie Traveler outside is done for anyway, so you should just listen to me¡­"


    "¡­I guess listening to you won''t hurt. What you''re about to say is important information after all." Alex said as he seemed to be hooked by Asteria''s offer. He turned his head away from the ongoing auction outside before looking back at Asteria. "Now, spit out everything about them."


    "¡­Hooman, just like what I said before, the 9 Returning Travelers that reside in this world are all Half-Step Transcendent Beings. They already have created their Personal Laws, which has bolstered their fighting prowess beyond any of us." Asteria muttered as she flicked her fingers. "These Personal Laws of theirs were also the reason that they can reign triumphant in this world."


    "¡­"


    "For now, we shall discuss each of these 9 Returners individually, with their arrangement completely random." Asteria added as she began spinning her body on the spot. "So don''t be worried about my arrangement, it is impecca-"


    "Stop talking that long. Just tell your story already."


    "¡­So, the first of these 9 was a man called the Crimson God. He was the last among the 9 to arrive in this world." Asteria muttered. "Judging by the fresh aura that he had when he arrived 6 months ago, it is obvious that  his Personal Law was just newly created. That makes him visibly weaker than the other 9, hence the small amount of people working under him. Hooman, if you want to kill someone among the 9, this Crimson God is the one that you should attack."


    "¡­We''re just discussing about them and you already want me to fight? Shut it, Asteria." Alex was now exasperated by Asteria''s goadings to him, prompting him to shut her down. "Now, can you just continue your story?"


    "¡­The title Crimson God came from the fact that this man has the ability to manipulate a red substance. This substance can take many forms, making him an extremely versatile fighter." Asteria muttered while glaring at Alex. "Not only that, but this red substance seemed to have an effect on living things too, although my data does not delve too much about that."


    "¡­"


    "So, the next one was a woman whose title was Arcane Sorceress. Oh, and just like her title says, this girl was indeed an extremely capable Sorceress." Asteria added, with her face holding a rare praising expression on it. "In fact, from what I heard, this woman was so talented that the mighty Magick Realm was fully supporting her. Some say that the Arcane Sorceress was the Magick Realm''s Envoy, but in a much closer manner¡­"


    "Asteria, don''t try fanning the flames again. I don''t care if she is an ''Envoy'' like me. Just tell me her powers."


    "¡­Hooman, since the Arcane Sorceress is a follower of the Sorcery Power System, her ability mostly lies on the realm of reality manipulation and willpower manifestation." Asteria said, with her eyes looking furtively around her. She looked like she was afraid of talking more about this woman, a behavior which Alex tried to ignore. "It was said that she could be a Dream Wizard too, although that has not been proven yet¡­"


    "If that''s just a rumor, then just skip it, Asteria."


    "Ugh, can''t you just let me talk normally hooman? Sheesh¡­" With Alex''s interruption, the talkative Asteria was forced to revert  to her original topic. "Okay, so the third Returner is another woman. This woman was called the Immortal Empress, and it was said that she and the Arcane Sorceress have a bitter enmity with each other. In fact, this enmity was said to be so bad, that the Immortal Empress said that her main mission in life was to kill the Arcane Sorceress for good. Isn''-


    "Immortal Empress? Is she¡­ an Immortal Cultivator?" At the mention of the third Returner''s title, Alex''s ears perked up with interest. After all, he had an Immortal Cultivation Body too.


    "Yes, she is an Immortal Cultivator." Asteria replied as she nodded. "From what I know, she is at the very peak of the Dao Soul Stage(Immortal Soul), and she only needed to refine her boundaries more before she can become a Empyrean. It was also  said that the Immortal Empress has comprehended numerous Daos, each one serving to amplify her combat power. Rumors say that she is knowledgeable on the Dao of Space, Time, Mind, and even the Five Elements¡­."


    "Huh. If she knows that much Daos, then she must be really powerful." Alex muttered as he cupped his chin in interest. "Hm, is there anything more that you can say about the Immortal Empress?"


    "Well, this is another rumor, but some say that the reason why the Immortal Empress wants to kill the Arcane Sorceress was because the Arcane Sorceress married a man who was formerly the Immortal Empress'' lover¡­" Asteria said in a much lower voice, this time with clear cautiousness apparent on her eyes. "It was said that the Immortal Empress was greatly pissed with her former lover marrying another woman, hence their spat right now¡­"


    "Asteria, that''s an NTR event right? Ugh, just hearing that makes me feel dirty now."


    "I know, hooman. NTR really sucks. Good thing that did not ever happen to me before¡­"


    "??? Asteria, are you expecting an NTR to happen to you? How the hell could that even happen? Did you have a lover before?"


    "Hmph, of course I had hooman. H-he was a muscular guy who looks much better than you!"


    "He looks better than me? Really? Can you show me a picture then?"


    "Wait a second. It''s just in my back pocket¡­"


    "Oi you two, if you are talking about the 9 Returnees, shouldn''t you do it with more wariness? You two look like you''re just gossiping now." Alina, who looked like she was getting fed up by the sudden change on Alex and Asteria''s conversation, muttered angrily as she bopped he heads of the two. "Seriously, don''t talk about women''s spat so casually. You never know how hurt they could be, so please be sensitive¡­"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 528 - The Returning Travelers(Part 2 of 2)

    With Alina''s stern reminder, Alex and Asteria pulled themselves back on what they were supposed to be talking about.


    "Ehem. As for the 4th Returning Traveler, this one is neither human nor beast. The 4th Returning Traveler is a mechanical lifeform, whose body was said to be as large as a country. It calls itself as the Overlord, and its Mechanical Army spans as wide as the world itself." Asteria certainly did not hold back her words on her next description, with her vividly explaining the supposedly ''massive'' berth of the 4th Traveler.


    "A mechanical lifeform?" Alex mumbled while he c.o.c.ked his head in wonder. "So it''s a robot?"


    "¡­Robots are just one of the sub-types of a mechanical life-form, but yeah, the Overlord is similar to a robot. But its body is not made of metals. Instead, the Overlord is made up of magical crystals and ores¡­" Asteria replied. "Ah, that actually makes the Overlord closer to a golem¡­"


    "A golem huh. So creatures like him can be a Traveler too. Hmph, the Endless Monarch is really not that picky with his choices¡­" After hearing that something like a golem can be a Traveler too, all that Alex can do was to acknowledge it. After all, the Multiverse is wide and varied, so for a creature like the Overlord to exist is plausible¡­


    "Asteria, is there anyone else among the Returning Travelers that are like the Overlord?" Alex asked with his interest now piqued. "Surely it''s not just the Overlord that is not a human¡­"


    "¡­.I think there''s one more, hooman. But this Returning Traveler is not a mechanical lifeform. Instead, this one is a creature made up of Laws." Asteria said, with her eyes seemingly burning in jealousy. "Ugh, now that I mention this one, I still cannot help but feel angry! There''s actually a being that can be made up of Laws? Argh, this just frustrates me!"


    "¡­" Alex did not chide Asteria from her sudden tantrum, as even he can understand where her anger comes from.


    "Sigh, from what I know, creatures that are made up of Laws are extremely rare, and once one of them appears, they will either be killed or saved by their brethren. After all, a creature made up of Laws is guaranteed to become a Transcendent Being in the future. It just needs more time¡­" Alex thought as he shook his head.


    Even he could not help but feel jealous at this point too, as the benefits that a creature made up of Laws is just too much!


    "Since they are made up of Laws, they can easily make the Laws follow their whim. It''s just like an Emperor, but the Laws are their friends, not servants. Aside from that, they can also use these Laws to make their breakthrough to Transcendence Stage much easier. Sigh, why do creatures like them even exist?" Alex thought sadly as he shook his head again. "Tsk, and it can also¡­"


    Having these thoughts inside his mind  forced Alex to be plunged  into silence, which made him lose interest on Asteria and Alina. Asteria saw this, and it prompted her to add more volume to her next words.


    "Ehem. That''s already the first 5 Returning Travelers. There''s still 4 more, so continue listening to me." Asteria loudly said, which fortunately made Alex break out of his stupor.


    "Oh, right, we''ve done 5. So who''s the 6th one?"


    "¡­The 6th Returning Traveler is a teenaged male like you, and he calls himself as the Grandmaster. Not much was really known about his power since he did not reveal it yet, but the aura that he released on his arrival indicated that he''s indeed a Half-Step Transcendent Being." Asteria furrowed her brows while saying these words, as if the mention of Grandmaster elicited a reaction from her.


    "But even if he did not show any of his powers, the Grandmaster showed his insane talent on anything related to strategies and deception." Asteria added, this time with her eyes looking at Alex with interest. "Mock battles, large-scale wards, board games, name anything that needs strategies, and the Grandmaster showed his expertise on these¡­. In fact, none of the other Returning Travelers had even defeated the Grandmaster''s mind games!"


    "Asteria, I know that look, ok? I admit, I am interested when I heard that this ''Grandmaster'' guy is a great planner and strategist. But what about that? Even if I am interested, I don''t plan on fighting him yet." Alex said as he sighed for the nth time. "Maybe if there''s a merit to it, I will fight him. But now? Nope, I won''t do it. So stop goading me again and finish your story!"


    This merciless reply by Alex made Asteria flush for a second, as if her plans had been seen through. She only let out an awkward cough after this, which she followed up with her new info.


    "¡­.The 7th Returning Traveler is someone familiar to you. She''s called the Great TimeMaster. You don''t need any more explanations for that, right?" Asteria said, with her embarrassment now replaced with joy, especially when she saw the surprise dawning on Alex''s face. "Hehehe, why give that look to me? You look like-"


    "What the f**k? The Great TimeMaster is a Traveler? But¡­ but I did not sense her as a Traveler in the Immortal World!" Alex shouted out as he felt dazed and confused by the revelation given to him.


    The Great TImeMaster was a Traveler? If that''s true, then that could explain why she had contact with Asteria and the Endless Monarch.


    However, her status as a Traveler will  make some things lose sense!


    First of all, if the Great TimeMaster was indeed a Traveler, then why has she not done something to heal her daughter''s damaged soul before? With her status as a powerful Traveler, she could have bought something important here at the Traveler''s World!


    For her to leave her daughter''s soul in a damaged state, and only find a way to heal it thousands of years later is an illogical action!


    Not only that, but if she used her status as a Traveler, then she could have done something to solve all the problems in the Immortal World. Why go to the trouble of making Alex do the missions, when she can just do it by herself?


    These illogical actions made Alex greatly doubt Asteria''s revelations, which made him think of rebuking her now.


    But before Alex could even start talking, Asteria interrupted him with a steely glare.


    "Hooman, I am sure that you find my claims untrue. But I assure you, the Great TimeMaster is indeed a Returning Traveler, and her main body is right here in this world." Asteria said as she crossed her arms.


    "But-"


    "If you think that her actions in the Immortal World was illogical, I assure you that it is not." Asteria continued to say as she kicked Alex in his elbow. "There''s a reason that the Great TimeMaster had to make her daughter stay damaged for long, and there''s a reason that she cannot fix the Immortal World by herself¡­"


    "There''s a reason for that, Asteria? Come on, what the hell could that reason be? Explain it to me-"


    "I''m sorry hooman, but this reason is a secret that only the Returning Travelers could know. If you want to know it, then become a Returning Traveler first." Asteria mercilessly replied, turning Alex''s command down quickly. "For now, just believe the fact that the Great TimeMaster is here¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "HOho, now I understand the meaning of the Great TimeMaster''s last message. We will actually meet her again¡­ But I did not expect it to be here." Alex was left with nothing but these words to say, as he only felt tired from hearing the truth. "Tsk, and here I thought I could ignore the Great TimeMaster''s request to me! Tsk, should I do my best to avoid her?"


    "Going on! The 8th Traveler is a man who calls himself as the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude. Yeah, I know that his name sucks, but that''s his real title here." Asteria said, with the tense atmosphere from the reveal earlier now replaced with just utter confusion.


    "Wait, he really calls himself as the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude?  What the hell? Is that guy nuts on his head or something?" Alex blurted out with his shock from earlier now replaced by just utter confusion. After all, hearing such a flamboyant and¡­ weird name is a surprise here.


    "Don''t ask me that. Many asked that question to him, but the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude only beat them up." Asteria replied as she shook her head. "He chose to not tell the reason for his name, so his followers have no choice but to call him like that¡­"


    "He still had followers even with that name? My  goodnesss!"


    "Hooman, once a Rookie Traveler gets here, they will forcefully beaten up and auctioned just like that guy ouside. So even if nobody wants to be under the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude, these Rookie Travelers have no say to that." Asteria replied. "They can only rely on their luck if they want to find a good leader¡­"


    "Ok, his name is bad. But his power is strong, right?" Alex said as he felt pity to those that followed the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude.


    But after he asked this question, he saw Asteria''s face morph into more displeasure.


    "Wait Asteria, don''t tell me that his powers has¡­"


    "Ugh, don''t get me started with his powers hooman. All his abilities are linked with cringy names! Even the one that he used to evaporate a mountain has a bad name too! What was it again? Ah, ''Descent of the Chicken Legs!''. Argh, do you even know how bad that sounds?" Asteria said as she shivered, a sign that indicates her extreme revulsion. "Ugh, can I go on to the last Returning Traveler already? I can''t talk about the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude anymore!"


    "¡­Ok fine. I will just do more research on his later."


    "Ehem. So last but not the least is the 9th Returning Traveler. His name is not really that known, since he does not talk at all. As such, it was his followers who gave him a name. He''s called the Old Man which is fitting, as he looks like a long bearded, old man¡­." Asteria said, with her voice already back to their normal levels.


    "Out of all the Returning Travelers, it was the Old Man who was the most-lowkey. He did not participate on any fights in this world since his arrival, and he did not even respond to those who threatened him. But even with that, the others recognize that the Old Man is a Half-Step Transcendent Being. As for why he does not fight at all, nobody has an explanation for that."


    "¡­."


    "And that''s the end of our discussion about the 9 Returning Travelers. If you want to know more about them, you should go out and explore the outside world, hooman! I assure you, you will really have fu-"


    "Just like what I said earlier Asteria, I am still waiting for something before I go out. Before that, I will only stay here, ok? If you don''t agree to that, then just stay there and skulk all that you want!"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 529 - Now, are you ready to repent?

    When Marcus and his three lovely Companions arrived here in the Traveler''s World, they expected to live a life full of bliss and rest. After all, Marcus'' guide described the Traveler''s World as a paradise for Travelers, a place where he can do anything that he wants inside one year.


    Combine that with the fact that a lot of items can be bought here in the Traveler''s World, and Marcus could not help but be excited as he and his Companions exited the house.


    But instead of seeing a paradise, what they saw instead was an instant hell.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Just like a malicious viper that came out of nowhere, Marcus and his Companions were besieged by powerful people, all who bore the marks of a Traveler too.


    These people, totaling to 9 in number, were not merciful on their attacks as they thoroughly beat Marcus up. His Companions were in no good shape too, as their faces and voluptuous bodies were handled roughly.


    These 4 can only cower on the ground like scared mice as they continued to receive attacks, making them all receive injuries that filled them with more pain. Laughs and derisive whistles filled the air as the attacks continued, leaving Marcus completely broken, both physically and mentally.


    Marcus'' trusty Battle Staff was also broken beyond recognition at this point, with only its core the only part remaining.  It rolled down on the road like a puppy without owner, leaving Marcus all alone.


    "Thud thud thud."


    Watching this orb roll on the road while his body was racked in pain was enough to bring Marcus to the brink of tears.


    Add the fact that he and his Companions were suddenly being auctioned now, and the tears on his eyes already began to leak out like a punctured hose.


    [I want this boy for 1,000 Credits. Is there anyone who can pay higher than that?]


    [1,000 credits? Hey Cedric, this boy right here is a rare Battle Staff user! Under the guide of the Crimson God, he will be a much better Traveler! I will buy him for 1,500 Credits!]


    [1,500 Credits? Hmph I don''t know what you saw from this boy, but I can say that his Companions look tasty. Hehehe, our leader will love to take a piece of these women. I will buy this Rookie for 5,000 Credits! Now, anything higher than that?]


    [Bulls**t! You want to buy him just to please the carnal desires of your leader? Hmph, your Overlord is really a maniac! He''s only a chunk of rocks, yet he still wants to f**k beautiful women? No, I will not allow that! This Rookie Traveler right here will be under the care of the Grandmaster! With his talent¡­ he can be a sergeant for our army! 10,00 Credits, that''s my payment for him!]


    [!!! F**King hell, how the heck did your Grandmaster get that money? And are you really spending that much on this twerp? He''s just a guy that had a good affinity with girls! He ain''t cut out for wars!]


    [Say what you want, Cedric, but I will still be buying him. Now, if you want to get him, just offer something higher than 10,000 Credits. Come on, you have the money to that, right?]


    [¡­]


    [Heh, as expected. So none of you are willing to outbid me? In that case, I will be taking this Rookie Traveler with me. Goodby-]


    "Why¡­ why are you all doing this? Aren''t I just a Traveler like you? Why do all this tormenting to me? Did I¡­ do something to offend you all?" As his tears continued to come out, Marcus steeled his courage to talk, a feat that was impressive, given the fact that his captors were all looking at him murderously. "I just came out of the house for a second, and you all attacked me? Is this¡­ is this how really this world should be?"


    "¡­"


    At first, Marcus'' attackers seemed to be surprised by his question, making them stop on their tracks.


    Marcus'' buyer  however began to laugh after a few seconds, as if he had heard the most interesting thing in his life.


    This laugh was then amplified when the other attackers joined in too, filling the whole area with malicious chuckles.


    "Hahaha, you must have thought that this world will be a paradise, right? Well too bad for you, that won''t happen!" Marcus'' buyer exclaimed as his eyes turned red from too much laughter. "Boy, this world is only a paradise for the strong! For weak-ass people like you, this place is nothing but hell where the strong will use you!"


    "No! That-that is not true!"


    "Say what you want boy, but you cannot deny anything now. You''re already a property of the Grandmaster, so you will be following him from now on¡­" Marcus'' buyer said calmly, as he seemed to ignore the desperation rolling out of Marcus. "Stop crying now and keep calm. Once we reach the Grandmaster, he shall teach you the ''Truth''."


    After saying these words, the buyer immediately grabbed Marcus and his companions'' body, all who were unable to shake the buyer off. The buyer specifically placed Marcus above his right shoulder, a spot that allowed Marcus to see things around him.


    "¡­"


    With just one look at this scene, it was obvious to anyone that the buyer was about to drag Marcus away.


    But before the buyer could even take his ''new goods'' away from the place, a new Rookie Traveler suddenly appeared in front of them, who immediately blocked the path of Marcus'' buyer.


    "Halt! Nobody can leave under my sight! Stay where you are!"


    She did not look scared from the sight of the beat-up Marcus. Instead, an expression of righteous fury appeared on her face, which did not deter even when Marcus'' attackers began to look at her with greed.


    "So beating up people and selling them to higher existence is the rule in this world? Hhmph, this place is much worse than I thought! You just turned yourselves like the devils!"  The new Rookie Traveler said, with her spear glinting brightly in the sunlight. "Such acts cannot be tolerated here. That is why I, the great Traveler Delia, shall be enacting justice here!"


    "No! Run away miss! These guys are not good people! They will beat you up just like me!"  Upon hearing ''Delia''s'' words, Marcus could not help but squirm as he realized that another one like him was going to be beaten up again. "Please, please just leave Miss Delia. I cannot see another one fall down here!"


    "Yeah, what this runt was saying was right, Rookie Traveler Delia. We will beat you up, and you will not even know what hit you." Marcus'' captor said as he slapped Marcus''s swollen face.


    "Slap!"


    "See what I did to this guy? We will also be doing this to you later, but only much harder! Since you dared to question our leaders, prepare for greater punishment from us! Let''s see if your ''justice'' can still stay the same once we''re done with you¡­"


    "Are you done talking now? If yes, then I shall make my move."  Delia did not look shaken by the threats given to her. Instead, her grip to her spear tightened as she began twirling it above her.


    "Boom!" Out of nowhere, Delia suddenly released her aura, which quickly silenced the jeers from the crowd. The sheer amount of power contained in her aura was so great, that everyone was speechless from hear.


    The release of this power and her twirling motion created a massive tornado above her, which quickly wreaked havoc on the surroundings.


    This sight, along with the cold, predatory look on Delia''s eyes quickly changed the atmosphere in the area.


    "She, she is at the Sixth Stage! How could this be?"


    "Holy f**k Cedric, we pissed off a Sixth Stage Being! What the f**k should we do?"


    "Since you want to fight that much, then I shall show you my fighting intent too. I hope¡­ that you will last long enough to satisfy me." As if she can already smell the fear from her enemies, Delia began to walk forward, brandishing her spear in a bloodthirsty manner. Her every steps forced the attackers to step back, with their eyes now filled with fear for their lives.


    "Now, are you ready to repent?"


    *******************


    INSIDE ALEX''S HOUSE


    MOMENTS BEFORE DELIA MADE HER APPEARANCE


    "Asteria, even if I look like I don''t want to leave this house, just knowing that the Great TimeMaster was here is enough to make me feel relieved with my plan. After all, that woman will surely not act that badly against me." Alex said, which defused the pout on Asteria''s face.


    "Hmph, are you telling me that you want to be the follower of the Great TimeMaster? Well, if you want to do that, then just talk to the Cursemancer woman outside. She''s wearing green robes, which is a standard outfit for the followers of the Great TImeMaster." Asteria said, as if she thought that Alex''s latest words were confirmation of his  willingness to follow a Returning Traveler.


    "But if you are interested on following the Immortal Empress, just talk to the guy with Immortal CUltivaton. I think he''s-"


    "Oh, there she is, Asteria! Look outside, this is what I have been waiting for!" Alex suddenly shouted, prompting the surprised Asteria to jump from shock.


    "What the heck hooman? What''s this new thing now? Who could be-oh, that woman is really there? Is she an idiot?" Upon seeing what Alex was pertaining to, all that Asteria could only do was to give out a look of disbelief. "F**king hell, I thought that Traveler Delia was a hard-headed person. Never have I realized that she''s actually a fool too!"


    The auction outside Alex''s house, which had been going through since earlier, was suddenly brought to a sudden halt when the Traveler Delia came in.


    Delia did not waste her time staring at what was happening. At the instant that she was near the 9 recruiters, Delia immediately said some words, all which seemed to be her words of fury. Even when Alex can''t hear anything, he could still see the stereotypical ''justice'' emanating off from Delia.


    The recruiters seemed to be nonplussed with what Delia said, with some even looking excited as they rubbed their hands.


    This excitement however quickly disappeared when Delia unleashed her spear attacks, all which are already at the Sixth Stage.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Even if Alex''s house was sound-proofed, he could still imagine the booming sounds occurring right outside the house.


    That was how potent Delia''s spear strikes now, which had no problem hitting the recruiters.


    The cultivator from earlier who unleashed talismans on the Rookie Traveler? All his defensive talismans were shredded from just one spear attack by Delia, which then pierced him like a hedgehog.


    As for the Cursemancer that tormented the Rookie Travelers? Her malevolent aura was suppressed by the spear, leaving her in a sudden catatonic state.


    "¡­"


    The other 7 recruiters more or less experienced the same thing as the two, creating a sight that just looked absurd on Alex''s eyes.


    All  9 recruiters were now lying down on the ground like chopped trees, with their bodies unable to move a single inch. The triumphant Delia stood all over them like a champion, while the Rookie Traveler and his Companions  could only shiver as they observed the sudden change.


    This sight made Alex smile from both annoyance and relief, as what he saw just confirms what he knew about Delia.


    "Delia¡­ is a woman who likes to enforce fairness and justice. Her status as the Holy Realm Envoy just makes that belief of hers stronger. So there''s no wonder that even here in this world, Delia would still advocate fairness." Alex said in a moderate tone, as if he wanted both Asteria and Alina to hear him. "Hence this scene in front of us."


    "Tsk, so this b***h likes to play hero? She thinks that by saving the Rookie Traveler from the recruiters, she can already beat the system? Hmph, she really is stupid!" Alina venomously replied, as if she does not think that highly for Delia''s action. "Now, what will Delia do? Will she just continue to beat up those recruiters like that? Because if she is, then she will be really f**ked! Well, not that I care about that¡­"


    "You want to know what Delia tries to do after this? Well I have a hunch, but if I want to see that, then I must leave the house first. I can''t hear her from this place after all." Alex said as he suddenly walked towards the door. "Alina, come and join me go out. Who knows, someone might sneak attack on us¡­"


    "Ok, wait for me- hold up Alex! You''re really going out now?" Alina blurted out in surprise as her face almost froze from seeing Alex''s actions to leave. "But-"


    "Don''t worry Alina. I got this." Alex replied confidently as he placed his hand on the doorknob. It turned slightly when he applied pressure, releasing the classic creaking sound.


    "Creak¡­"


    "But Alex, didn''t that Traveler b***h say that she will hunt you down now? If she sees you now, she will-"


    "Oh, I don''t think Delia will hunt me down now. She needs my help after all." In face of Asteria''s reasonable fear, Alex only shook his head, as if he does not believe it. "If this world was an ideal one, then yes, Delia might hunt me down. But now? Hmph, that will not be necessary¡­"


    "Hey! Even if that''s true, I still don''t want to meet her-"


    "Too late Alina. The door''s already open. Now, will you join me or not?" Alex took no more notice of Alina''s complaints as he fully opened the door.


    "¡­"


    As the fresh sunlight streamed in like a water inside his house, Alex took a deep breath, with his lungs now enjoying the first real taste of the air in this world.


    "I''m going to step out now Alina. If you don''t want to follow me, it''s fine. But I will be saddened by that¡­"


    "¡­.."

 Chapter 530 - Will you pledge it deep from your heart? Pledge it!

    "You!" At the instant that Alex exited his house, Delia quickly noticed him.


    She wasted no time pointing her spear at him, with her vigilant eyes staring intently at Alex''s every move.


    "So you have revealed yourself, you sc.u.m of the Abyss." Delia muttered, with her demeanor making it appear as if she had ignored the Rookie Traveler that she just saved. "Were you rendered happy by my act of saving this Rookie? Well, save that happiness for later, for now I shall cut you down!"


    "Yes, Big Sis will cut you down! So just stay there obediently if you want a painless death!" Tong''er, who was behind Delia all this time, said as she gave Alex a withering look.  She seemed to be extremely pissed at Alex for some reason, which was exemplified by the way that she looked at him now.


    Seeing this glare by Tong''er and the killing intent from Alina only made Alex smile, as if he was not worried about these two at al.


    "¡­Okay, you two should just chill out. Can''t you just greet me like a good old friend?" Alex said as he spread his arms wide. "We had a lot of cooperation in the Four Moons World, so you should be happy on seeing me!"


    "Happy my ass! Didn''t you remember my threat on you? I will really cut you down now!" Undeterred by Alex''s genial greetings, Delia continued to point her spear at him, this time with her spear emitting a blindingly red glow. This glow was suffused with Delia''s killing intent, which was enough to render the nearby Rookie Traveler scared s**tless.


    Alex and Delia ignored the reaction by the Rookie Travler as they continued staring at each other.


    It was at this point that Alina, who has followed Alex''s exit, began to give her own opinion too.


    "Hmph, for a b***h like you to bare your fangs like this is pretty normal. After all, you''re just a martial junkie addicted to the concept of justice. You want to cut Alex down? Hmph, you can only do that through my dead body first!" Alina declared as she unsheathed her weapon.


    "Thoom¡­"


    A massive illusory body then appeared behind Alina, which released a suppressive aura that was no lesser than the one that Delia had. This aura began to warp the space around Alina, creating distortions on the scenery that brought the nearby Rookie Traveler to the brink of mental collapse.


    "I have been itching to beat you up since I saw you, Traveler Delia. Now that I have the chance to pummel that dumb face of yours, I will really cherish it¡­" Alina said in a sultry tone as she began caressing the edge of her sword.


    "¡­"


    Alina''s face looked extremely murderous right now, which coupled with the intense aura emitted by her body, showed how willing she is to kill Delia now.


    "¡­"


    In face of this sudden outburst from Alina, Delia only shook her head, as if she was exasperated by it. However, a small sneer can also be seen on Delia''s face at this point, which was a clear indicator of her complete disdain for Alina.


    "Hah, you want to kill me, Alina? Well surprise surprise, I am excited to kill you too!" Delia said venomously as she pointed her spear to Alina. "Hmph, why don''t I start with you first? You seem weaker than Traveler Alex anyway¡­"


    "If you want to cut me down now, then fine. You''re free to do it. But if you do that, do you think that you can last that long in this world." Alina replied harshly as she raised her sword.


    "Spark spark spark!"


    Literal sparks of power materialized in the whole area as Delia and Alina''s aura clashed with each other. The nearby objects around the two had already been destroyed beyond recognition, with the houses shredded into pieces.


    Even the sturdy-looking roads were all broken down too, with their contents pulverized thoroughly by Delia and Alina''s aura¡­


    "Sigh, these two women just really gets worse and worse the more that they meet. Why do they really hate each other this much? This is just confusing¡­" Alex muttered to himself, with his nonchalant aura showing his disinterest on stopping the argument between Delia and Alina.


    It was as if he does not care if these two fought each other, something that the nearby Rookie Traveler had noticed.


    "Y-your name was Traveler Alex, right? I can see that you are just as strong as Miss Alina. If you are that strong, why are you not stopping her from fighting?" The Rookie Traveler, who had dragged his injured body towards Alex, asked this question while facing Alex with a confused face. "Even if Miss Alina is as strong as you, she can still get injured by this battle. Since she is your Companion, shouldn''t you be-"


    "Rookie Traveler, what''s your name?"


    "Um, my name is Marcus. Marcus Ex-"


    "Ok Marcus. You''re curious why I don''t dare stop these two from quarreling now? Well I don''t need to tell you the reason for that. You should just watch them duke it out." Alex said mercilessly as he gave Marcus a withering look.


    "You want them to duke it out? But that will-"


    "Marcus, I don''t give a f**k on your opinion now. I have my own agenda, and you have no right to change that. You want to stop this fight? Well go on. Go and stop these two by yourself. Let''s see if you can do that." Alex said as his tone became bristled with irritation. "What? Why are you not doing anything now? You can''t do it?"


    "Um well¡­"


    "Hmph, this is the problem with someone like you, Marcus. Even if your power is not that high enough, you want to butt in into things that are not meant for you. If you want to meddle with the important stuff in this planet, you must be at least a Sixth Stage Being first!" Alex almost burst from anger after saying these words, something that quickly silenced Marcus.


    "Marcus, you are just a paltry Third Stage Being now. With your power, you can''t do a lot in this world. I mean, just look at what happened to you earlier. You were beaten up before you knew it, and you were quickly auctioned off like a cattle. Is that the kind of person that can just roll over here to stop an event like this? Of course not!" Alex continued to say to the ashen-faced Marcus. "Now, do you understand my message?"


    "Y-yes, I understand."


    "Good, in that case, go and  help out your Companions. Heal them up, fix their bodies, and fix their clothing''s. Once you''re done with that, go back here and prepare to pledge your allegiance to me." Alex said, with his tone shifting from an angry man into a sleazy businessman.


    "Since you are weak Marcus, the only way that you can survive in this world is by pledging allegiance to someone strong. Fortunately, you have me." Alex continued to say as he puffed his chest out proudly. "Once you go and pledge allegiance to me, all your problems in this world will be solved!''


    "Ok, I shall go now, Traveler Alex-, wait, I should pledge allegiance to you? W-what do you mean by that?" Marcus, who looked at Alex with gratitude earlier, now had an outraged expression on his face after hearing the words ''allegiance'' and ''pledge'' together. "Surely you don''t mean it like that¡­ right?"


    "Hah? An pledging allegiance to me is just simple.  Once you do it, you will be under my protection." Alex replied nonchalantly, as if what he just said was the most obvious thing in the world.


    "I will pledge my allegiance to you? No, I will not do that! I am a  proud Traveler, and I won''t be-"


    "Oh, don''t worry about this allegiance. You will also be pledging your allegiance to Traveler Delia after me. " Alex said cheerfully, interrupting Marcus'' complaints. "She saved you after all, so she must be your boss too¡­"


    "You!"


    If Alex was only speaking in a low tone, then it will only be Marcus that will complain regarding his offer. However, Alex made sure to make his voice loud, just loud enough so that someone nearby could hear his surprising words.


    Fortunately for Alex,  his target had heard what he wanted her to hear.


    "Prepare to die now, Alina- What the f**k Alex? You want to make the Rookie pledge allegiance to you?" Delia, who was ready to fight Alina now, was rendered surprised by the words that Alex uttered, that her intent to fight has quickly disappeared.


    Delia lost the killing intent that she had on Alina earlier because of Alex''s latest words, and it made her refocus her attention back on Alex.


    "You¡­ are you sure about what you said?" Delia asked to Alex, with her spear now lowered from its initial stabbing position. "Traveler Alex, now is not the time for jokes¡­"


    The incredulity and disbelief present on Alina''s words were so blatantly obvious, that the injured Marcus seemed to have found hope with her.


    "Miss Delia, please make this man stop! He is just like those recruiters who beat me up earlier!" Marcus said, as he gave Delia the best ''give me pity'' look ever. "He¡­ he clearly deserves to be judged too!"


    "Shut up Marcus. I don''t want to hear your opinions! I will pry the truth out of Alex''s mouth himself, so just stay down!" Delia said, quickly rebuking the hopeful Marcus. "Tsk, shouldn''t you be focusing on healing your Companions? Instead of staying here, go and help them, you little boy!"


    "¡­."


    After giving Marcus this verbal beatdown, Delia looked back at Alex once more, with her body much tenser even when she was about to fight before. This just shows how much bothered Delia was with Alex''s claims, something that made her ignored her fight with Alina.


    Delia''s spear, which was filled with all of her martial aura, began to sputter out as she quickly dispelled all of her abilities.


    "¡­"


    She decisively  ignored Alina behind her as she began approaching Alex, who just stood on his spot, waiting for her arrival.


    It was only when Delia was a few feet away from Alex that she began talking, with her tone lacking all the murderous urges that she had earlier.


    Instead, what filled her voice was uncertainty and confusion.


    "Alex¡­ are you  planning to poach all the Rookie Travelers that will arrive from now on?" Delia asked, as she and Alex ignored the existence of Marcus below them. "Do you plan on making the 10th group in this world? And does that group¡­ include me?"


    "Well, to answer your 1st  question¡­ yes, I am planning to recruit all the Rookies that will arrive to this planet from now. As for the 2nd, it''s already pretty obvious that a 10th group will be made by my actions. There''s no need to question that." Alex was tapping his arm in an unhurried manner as he said these words, which showed his carefree outlook on what he just said.


    "As for the 3rd question, well you are also right, Delia. I was indeed planning on making you lead the group with me. After all, the leaders of the other groups are all Half-Step Transcendent Beings. If I just lead the 10th group alone, I will be easily defeated by them. But if someone like you, Delia, becomes a co-leader too, there''s a chance that our group will survive!"


    "¡­"


    "Oh, and don''t worry about the Returning Travelers suddenly attacking us today. One of those Returning Travelers is my friend, so I''m sure that she will delay anyone who will try to attack us today¡­"


    "¡­


    "So, what do you think about my proposal, Delia? Do you have anything to say about it?"


    "Traveler Alex, you really are a madman. But an efficient one at that. Sigh¡­ why must you become an Envoy of the Abyss Realm? If you were just found by the Holy Order, you could have been my greatest friend¡­"


    "I don''t care about being friends with you, but you sound like you accept my offer. So, do you want to lead the 10th group with me, Delia? Just say yes or no."


    "Ugh, I already promised to kill you, and you still do things that makes me hesitate! Argh fine! I will cooperate with you again, Traveler Alex! But I promise that this is the last time I will ally with you!"


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Thank you for your patronage, Traveler Delia. I promise you that you won''t regret this."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 531 - Crimson God!!!

    With the re-established cooperation between Alex and Delia, Marcus the Rookie Traveler could only stare as they shook hands.


    Once this was done, Marcus tried to talk to clarify the things that had just happened.


    But before he could do that, Delia waved Marcus off as she said,


    "Marcus, seeing that you seem to be ill-informed about the situation in this world, let your Big Sis here explain it all to you." Delia said while she gave a stern glare at Marcus'' guide. "Since you are about to be our underling, it''s better for you to know everything. Don''t you think so?"


    "I am happy that you want to teach me a lot, Miss Delia, but I did not agree to be your underling¡­" Marcus said, with his head shaking rapidly from disagreement. "C-can I just leave with my companions? I promise to not rat you out¡­"


    "Oh come on, little Marcus. This won''t be that long, I promise!" Before Marcus could even run away, Delia slung her arm over him, placing Marcus in a tight hold that prevented him to leave.


    "Look at you. You''re still injured, so don''t move yet." Delia muttered, with her hot breath tickling Marcus'' neck This hot sensation made Marcus shiver, which just gave Delia the opportunity to tighten her hold over him. "Just listen to me first and then pledge allegiance to us. Once we''re done with that, we can allow you to roam around safely¡­


    With the way that Delia used her body stopped him from leaving, all that Marcus can only do now was to have a strained smile as Delia began chattering to him¡­.


    *****************


    FEW MINUTES LATER.


    "So Marcus, this world is currently stuck in Medieval Age. All the weapons here are derivatives of swords and weapons seen on the middle ages. But don''t look down on this world just because of that. Since a lot of monsters exist here, the original residents of this world are powerful on their own. Adding the Travelers to that, and this world becomes a hotpot of different powers¡­ Do you get that, little Marcus?"


    "Yes, yes, I get it Miss Delia."


    "Good. You will need to know this once you roam out later. I can''t afford to have you dying just because you are ignorant."


    "Please don''t call me like that Miss Delia. I am smart on my own too."


    "Oh really?"


    "Yes, I am!"


    Ever since Delia had started her lessons on Marcus, she and him have been going at it, with Delia giving info while also insulting Marcus. Marcus on the other hand could only complain in response, something which seemed to be amusing Delia.


    "Marcus, there are 10 continents present in this world. Each continent had their own specific set of laws and rules, which makes the culture and economy on these continents vastly different from each other." As if she had forgotten her insult on Marcus already, Delia continued her info barrage.


    "Out of all those 10 continents, 9 are under the control of the Returning Travelers, with them controlling one continent each." Delia added as he tiled her head. "As for the 10th continent, nobody is in control of it yet¡­."


    "¡­"


    "I am not really that sure, but from what my Guide had told me, this 10th continent is very special, and it was said that the Traveler who gets to control this will obtain the method to reach Transcendence quickly." Delia''s eyes glinted with greed as she said these words, a reaction that Marcus certainly did not miss


    "That was the reason for the conflicts between the Returning Travelers. They want to get a piece of this 10th Continent, since getting control of that means an easier path to Trasncendence." Delia muttered as she stopped the squirming Marcus from running away. "But because of the presence of other Returning Travelers and the rules of this world, they are limited on their attempts to take over the 10th Continent¡­"


    "H-hey Miss Delia, can you let go of me now? You''re scaring me already¡­" Delia''s current state was frightful enough to Marcus, who was still trying his best to get himself free.


    After all, hearing a woman talk about territorial conquering while also keeping a tight hold on you is something that is not pleasant, especially when the said woman is interested on recruiting you¡­


    But this was not the only thing that freaked Marcus out now.


    Alex, who had been mostly quiet since Delia started to talk, also reacted to what Delia said. And his reaction¡­ just made Marcus lose hope.


    "O-oi Delia, how come your Guide told me that? My Guide did not tell me any about that s**t!" Alex, shouted out with his eyes wide open, as if what Delia just said was enough to shock him.


    And this shock was more apparent with the way that Alex glared at his Guide.


    "So there''s 10 Continens in this world, and the 10th one shall lead to an easy path towards Transcendence? Hmph, now I understand why these Returning Travelers do things like this. They must really want to take over the 10th continent that badly¡­" Alex began muttering to himself as he casted furtive looks at Delia and Marcus.


    Upon seeing this look, Delia only smiled widely, while Marcus began to shrink in on himself, as if he had realized that his situation just got worse.


    Earlier, Marcus still wanted to give more complaints regarding Delia''s treatment to him. But now that he was under Alex''s sudden fierce gaze, Marcus could only look down in fear, as he wished that the man himself will stop staring at him already.


    But unfortunately for Marcus, Alex did not stop staring. Instead, his gaze seemed to intensify, and along with that, Alex''s intent to recruit Marcus seemed to have strengthened too!


    "Hmph, if your claim about the 10th Continent is true, then my plan of making all the Rookie Travelers pledge allegiance to me is actually the best thing here!" Alex shouted out, with Delia helplessly nodding her head with him. "Hehehe, as long as we take many Rookie Travelers with us, then we might have a chance to take the 10th Continent too. Of course with the presence of the Returning Travelers, that will be really hard. But with my wits and Delia''s grit, we can surely-"


    "H-hey, are you really going to talk about making me way? Don''t you even think about my feelings?" Marcus, whose body was now completely cold from what he had heard, found himself saying these words in face of Alex''s enthusiasm.


    This effectively stopped Alex''s excited tirade, prompting this man and Delia to stare back at Marcus, with their greedy gazes almost stopping his heart entirely.


    "Hii!!!"


    The greed on their eyes was enough to make Marcus feel scared, but  even with that, still could not help but try standing up for himself.


    After all, that''s just what who Marcus is. In face of an obstacle, Marcus will push through it, no matter how strong his enemy is! Even if offending his possible allies will mean more pain for him, Marcus will accept this, as this was his principle in life!


    But to the disappointment of Marcus, his steel-like determination did nothing to help him. Instead, it seemed to have even spurned his ''captors'' on, something that just made his situation escalate more.


    "So little Marcus, you''re the kind of person that likes to stand up for yourself? Well that''s good for you, but right now, that won''t be helping you out a lot." Alex, who seemed to be mildly impressed with Marcus, said slyly as he shook his head. "I''m sorry, but you really have to pledge allegiance to us."


    "What? But-"


    "If you don''t pledge allegiance to us, then it will be those Returning Travelers that will recruit you. Do you want to be under those people? You saw what they did to you earlier. Their recruiters beat you up and treated you like an item! Is that how you want to be treated here?" Alex shouted out angrily, completely drowning Marcus'' attempt to rebuke him.


    "How much did you get sold for again, Little Marcus? 20, 000 Credits? B***h, that''s just as cheap as a continent! That''s how those people view you! Do you really want to be treated like that? And how about your Companions? With those e.r.o.t.i.c bodies of theirs, they might be just taken advantage there! Is that also something¡­ that you want them to go through?"


    "Of course not, Mr. Alex. But if I stay here, you will just treat me the same, right? After all, I am way weaker then you¡­" Marcus replied as he shook his head in panic.


    Even if what Alex just said were all logical, Marcus still refused to believe in him. After all, even if Marcus stays here with Alex, Marcus will still be relegated to the role of an underling. That kind of status¡­ is just no different if Marcus was under the Returning Travelers.


    "¡­"


    "What, Mr. Alex? You can''t dispute what I said, right? Tell me that I''m wrong! Tell me¡­ that you don''t plan to treat me roughly in the future!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "So you really are that kind of guy Mr. Alex¡­"


    At this point, Marcus'' warm feelings for Delia had disappeared, as he  realized that even if this woman was his savior, she still allied herself with a madman. Such feeling made Marcus sad, but he just accepted this as the reality.


    For now, Marcus had just to focus on finding a way to escape.


    But before his mind could formulate an escape plan, Alex suddenly talked again!


    "Oi Little Alex. In face you had forgotten it, I will only be able to stay in this world for a year. Same goes of Delia too. Do you think in that span of time, I will have the time to abuse you? No! During that time, we will be doing a lot of work, but that doesn''t include making you my slave!" Alex blurted out as he gave Marcus an exasperated look.


    Alex appeared to be both tired and fed up with Marcus, something that he did not hide in his words.


    " Geez, I want to succeed in this world within a year! If I want to do that,  then my underlings should be healthy, both physically and mentally!" Alex added. "Don''t think that I am a bad recruiter? Hell no! I want to make you my ally, and not my enemy! My goodness, you really thought that I will be a bad guy? Argh, this is making me angry!!!"


    "Um, are you really saying the truth?"


    "Hmph, it''s up to you to believe that, Little Marcus. Now, if you still don''t want to pledge allegiance to me, then fine. Go outside and let yourself be captured by the other recruiters. I can just look for more Rookie Travelers later¡­" Alex sniffed as he answered Marcus'' latest query. "But if you want to get what you f***king deserve, then join me under my banner! It will only last for a year, so there''s not much that you will lose. You might even gain more than you actually could!"


    "¡­"


    "So what are you waiting for, Marcus? Come and kneel in front of me! Say the pledge of allegiance, and you will be the first member of my group!"


    "I¡­"


    At this point, even with all the misgivings that he had with Alex and Delia, Marcus found himself swaying to their offer. After all, these two seemed genuine to him.


    Well, even when these two are dead-set on making Marcus an underling, Marcus found himself believing that they will treat him well. They just sounded and felt genuine with their promises¡­


    This belief of his could of course just be a hunch, but for someone like Marcus that is trapped right now, this kind of hunch is something that he is willing to grab on¡­


    "..Ok, I am willing to pledge my allegiance to you. Please treat us well in the future." With no options left for him now, Marcus could only sigh as he began kneeling in front of Alex. He then closed his eyes as he prepared to chant his pledge.


    "Vita, Sonia, and Dys. I hope that you  will forgive me for doing this without your input. I¡­ just think that this will be the best for us." Marcus thought to himself sadly as he stared as his unconscious Companions. "I swear I will make it up to you three later¡­"


    After staring at their faces one more time, Marcus closed his eyes again. This time, he let out a light cough as he began vocalizing his pledge.


    "I, Marcus of the Planet Eaton, thereby pledges to serve-"


    [WHO DARES POACH THE ROOKIE TRAVELRES IN MY TERRITORY? YOU HAVE GUTS TO DO THIS HERE? YOU¡­ YOU ARE BLASPHEMERS THAT MUST BE DISCIPLINED!]


    Before Marcus could state his pledge completely, this completely overbearing voice filled the whole area, rendering Marcus and the other Travelers wincing.


    The power contained from this roar was powerful enough to make Marcus injured again, something that made him collapsed back to the ground with panic rising in his heart.


    As for Alex and Delia, they only swayed from their spots as they were able to resist that roar.


    But even with that success, Delia and Alex did not look happy at all.


    Instead, both of their faces looked solemn now, with their eyes twitching as they stared at the one who just spoke.


    Marcus saw the reaction of this two, which prompted him to stare at where they were looking.


    "!!!"


    Upon seeing where their gazes went, Marcus'' eyes  became solemn too.


    Such kind of reaction was just apt, as these three realized who they were looking at right now!


    "Hohoho, with my actions, I expected that someone from the Returning Travelers might try to attack me. But I never expected that before I could even recruit one Rookie, a Returning Traveler already visited me!" Alex said, with his amused voice cracking ever so slightly as he stared at the newcomer.


    "Judging by your red attire and your clearly overbearing Half-Step Transcendent Power, you must be the Crimson God. Well, I am happy to have you here, but right now we are busy. Can you just come back later once we''re done?"

 Chapter 532 - Meeting of the Returners!(Part 1)

    [Hmph, what an impertinent brat. You dare say those words to a God? And to a God like me? Hmph, even if you''re a great talent, you should still know your limits!] The newcomer, who Alex had correctly identified as the Crimson God, angrily replied as the skies above Alex began to roil.


    "Karakathoom!"


    The skies began  to rumble as the Crimson God, whose whole body was covered with a red, cloth-like armor, started to descend towards Alex and co. His arrival was accompanied by the appearance of blood-red lightning, with some snaking in to fuse with the Crimson God''s armor.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    The Crimson God''s face and skin were not visible because of his armor, but his anger could be felt just from the suffocating aura released from his body.


    His anger was so apparent that Marcus, who was not even the target of this anger, was reduced to a shivering wreck just from its exposure.


    "Boom boom boom!" At this point, everyone below the Crimson God began to feel a pounding pain on their heads, something which  seemed to have been caused by the Crimson God''s presence alone.


    Such pain was so excruciating for Alex and Delia, that it was enough to make both of them kneel in pain.


    "¡­"


    [What the f**k? Why are you two kneeling like that? Are you really this fragile? F**k, how could you be like this!!!]


    The sight of Alex and Delia kneeling on the road seemed to have angered the Crimson God, who now looked like he wanted nothing but to roast the two alive.


    Even his armor shared this anger too, as it let out wails and roars that complemented the Crimson God''s


    [F**k this! My main body is not here, and yet you still can''t resist the aura sent by my weak incarnation? Are you two really as strong as what the rumors say?] The Crimson God roared out as his armor continued to shout and wail with him. [And here I was hyped by having new close servants. Tsk, you two are just overhyped!]


    "¡­"


    After hearing this scathing insult from the Crimson God, the only thing that Delia and Alex could do was stay silent, knowing that none of their words can change his mind.


    If the Crimson God came here to attack them, then the only thing that Alex and Delia can do was to defend themselves!


    This matter alone was of course problematic for Alex and Delia already. However, some of the words uttered by the Crimson God has managed to even make the situation worse for them!


    "Oi Traveler Alex¡­ did you hear what the Crimson God just said? The Crimson God said that the body he sent here was not his real body. What we see right in front of us¡­ was just a weak clone of his!" Delia said mentally to Alex, with her face wearing an expression of panic. "Alex, if his clone alone can do this to us, then what more can his real body do?"


    "If the Crimson God can send his main body here, then we would be f**ked. But he did not send that here, so we''re still safe." Alex replied confidently,, even though he also sounded  unsure with himself. "Since things are like these, then I think that we can still¡­ get through this situation.  Well, just maybe."


    "You-" Delia tried to give a metal retort at this point, but before she could do so, the angry Crimson God began to make his move.


    [Since you can''t even resist the power of my incarnation, then just die!]


    "Skiraa¡­" With a sound comparable to that of a metal being shredded into pieces, the clone of the Crimson God raised his left arm, a movement  which was followed by the materialization of a massive red river behind the clone''s body.


    "Schoom¡­"


    This river, which seemed to symbolize both life and death, began to cascade down like rain, threatening to drench those that are under it.


    And this included Alex and Delia, who could only watch as the incoming rain of blood quickly approached them.


    "!!!"


    "S**t, we need to run, Alex!" Delia shouted out as she grabbed Tong''er and Milo with both of her hands. It was obvious on her face that she wanted to retreat, a fact that she did not hide in her actions.


    "Alex, if that rain touches our body, we will die, even with our defenses! If you don''t want that to happen, then we should use our abilities to escape now!" Delia said, as her body began to show signs of getting teleported away. "Forget about making a group in this world! Leaving this place is much better than that!"


    "¡­" Instead of listening to Delia''s advice, Alex did nothing at all. Even in face of the incoming rain of death, Alex still stayed on his place, with none of his allies even budging at all. It was as if he was not worried about what''s happening at all, a sight that made the escaping Delia almost burst her fuse in anger.


    "Tsk, if you don''t want to leave, then suit yourself! I shall leave now!" Delia bellowed, with the power of her teleportation item beginning to fully activate. "Hmph, I hope that you have a way to escape from this place. Seeing you die here¡­. Will be a disappointment for me."


    With that final parting message, Delia closed her eyes as she envisioned herself appearing on another place.


    But instead of this happening, what occurred at that moment was entirely different.


    A feminine voice, which was as loud as a thunderclap, resounded its majestic and overbearing presence throughout everyone in the area.


    As this voice appeared, Delia''s teleportation item lost its power, as if the voice''s proximity made it ineffective. This essentially prevented Delia from leaving away, bringing her back right beside Alex.


    "What the f**k?" While Delia was trying to make sense of what just happened, her other allies were more preoccupied with the new voice.


    Those who heard this voice could not help but be interested by it, as its sudden appearance was enough to intrigue them.


    This voice was obviously not owned by those who were currently in the Starting Village. Since it was like that, then it is apparent that the one who just spoke up was actually a newcomer!


    This fact alone could have been enough to mildly surprise those who heard the voice.


    However, their reactions were actually way beyond just mild surprise.


    "¡­"


    The Crimson God visibly  frowned upon hearing this voice, while Alex''s face brightened up. Delia on the other hand was still panicking, as her mind was still rattled from her failed escape attempt.


    As for Alina and the others, hearing the voice made them look like they were about to face another uphill battle, a reaction that Alex seemed to have in his face too.


    "¡­"


    For these people to act like this is just normal, as the new voice that they heard actually has the power of a Half-Step Transcendent Being contained inside it!


    With such kind of power present, there is no doubt that the newcomer was another Returning Traveler! And judging by the voice''s proximity, this Returning Traveler was making its way towards the Starting Village!


    This realization alone was enough to make everyone stiff, as the presence of another incoming Returning Traveler might just make things worse.


    This dreadful feeling was present on Alex''s allies, although it seemed to be in a higher magnitude within Delia.


    Delia was not sure on how could this happen, but indeed, the feeling of her body getting dragged to another location has now disappeared. Her teleportation item, which had been glowing with an iridescent orange glow within her clothes has now died down, leaving only a cold, lifeless disk on her hands.


    Now, the only thing that Delia could do was to stare in agony as her teleportation item continued to break down.


    "W-what the hell was that? I was just about to escape! How could someone¡­ just nullify my item?" Delia exclaimed, with her face now stained with the broken remnants of her teleportation item. "And Alex¡­ why are you smiling now? Do you think this is funny? Hey!"


    "¡­"


    If it were earlier, Alex could have found  a way to answer Delia''s question. But right now, Alex had no interest for Delia.


    Instead, Alex''s attention was focused more on the newcomer(Returning Traveler) who just arrived. In fact, Alex looked extremely happy as he stared at the newcomer, as if he had seen the sun for the first time.


    This reaction made Alex look like he treats the newcomer   not as an enemy, but instead an ally that he had been waiting for to arrive.


    "Boom!"


    The newcomer certainly did not arrive unprepared, as she came in while riding a massive, ethereal green boat that blotted the sky.  This boat, which was releasing a unique aura that seemed to disrupt the flow of time, loomed all over the Starting Village.


    As this boat appeared, the descending blood rain suddenly stopped, making it look like they were stopped in time. This stopped whatever attack the Crimson God was planning, saving the lives of everyone under it.


    "¡­"


    When the Crimson God saw this happening, his body''s angry trembling continued to increase, as if the presence of this newcomer was enough to strengthen his already incendiary rage.


    But even with that rage, the Crimson God still managed to talk fluently,


    [So it''s the Great Time Master coming to the rescue. I never expected you to actually come here to help this Traveler runt. So you''re this close to him?  Hmph, now I see why these two rookies act like they''re not scared of me¡­] The Crimson God muttered while staring  at the green boat above him. [Are you serious about this, Great TimeMaster? Do you really want to stop me from killing your friend? Because if you do so, then a war will really happen here¡­]


    The newcomer, who was no other than the Great TimeMaster herself, gave this reply to the Crimson God.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The Great TimeMaster still sounded the same just like how Alex heard her back in the Immortal''s World.  Her tone and her timbre were still similar, even the ancient quality embedded on her voice still has not changed all this time.


    All these similarities made  Alex feel relieved, as he now knew that he''s still dealing with the same person.


    But while Alex was happy, the  Crimson God was not. His already bad mood had just turned worse now, especially after he had heard the Great TimeMaster''s latest provoking words.


    [You think you can defeat me? Hahaha, let''s see about that, old hag!] The Crimson God roared as the red river behind him stared to writhe. [With your pathetic old age, you can''t win against my army! Just back off, old hag, and let me kill that Traveler below you!]


    The Great TimeMaster bellowed as she appeared incensed by the insults given to her too.

 Chapter 533 - Body to Energy

    Reaching the Sixth Stage leads to an intrinsic transformation of both the mind and body. This transformation allows a Sixth Stage Being to get closer to the Laws, a state that is essential for Transcendence.


    Once a being reaches the Sixth Stage, his/her body shall break down, and be transformed into the energy or essence corresponding to their Power System.


    For example,  an Abyss Monster like Alex will have a body made up of Abyss Energy at the Sixth Stage, while an Esper like Alina will have her body composed of entirely Mental Power. As for the Immortals, their bodies will be transformed into Immortal Qi, with deviations depending on the Dao that they comprehended.


    Sixth Stage Beings can still retain their organic forms, but if needed, their bodies can be transformed entirely into energy or essence alone.


    By turning one''s body into pure energy/essence, a Sixth Stage Being can use his/her abilities at their maximum potential, as transforming into energy/essence allows the comprehension and creation of more powerful abilities.


    Also, a Sixth Stage Being can use their comprehension of the energies to degrade any attack of a lowered-stage being back into its energy form.


    A powerful lightning from a spellcaster can be reverted by a Sixth Stage Sorcerer back into Mana, making the attack ineffective. In the same case, an Esper-based attack from a weak Esper can be neutralized by someone like Alex, with this attack turned back into pure Mental Power.


    These effects were the reason for the overbearing power of Sixth Stage Beings. Their energy bodies allow them to dish out domineering attacks that are way beyond the strength of lower-stage beings, and it also protects them from the attacks that will be used on them.


    With these kind of abilities, it is almost impossible for any lowered-stage beings to win against a Sixth Stage Being. Those who actually managed to win only did so through luck, something that not everyone in this Multiverse had.


    Since Alex and Alina had already reached the Sixth Stage, they were bound to reach this kind of level too. But since they just reached the Sixth Stage a few hours ago, they will still need time in order to make sense of their energy bodies and their new abilities.


    The same thing however cannot be said for the Crimson God and the Great TimeMaster.


    These two, who had already reached the Peak of the Sixth Stage already, hold powers and abilities that can only be said to be beyond what any normal being can comprehend now, including Alex and Alina.


    As such, Alex and Alina could only watch as the energy clones of the two Returning Travelers began to show the full capabilities of a Sixth Stage Being.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    The Great TimeMaster''s energy clone and her boat could not be seen at this point, as both of them had transformed to form a green cloud of what looked like to be Time Essence. This cloud of Time Essence blotted the sky with its large form, turning the area under it dark.


    "Shuong~"


    The appearance of this Time Essence created fluctuations around the area, inducing disturbing changes on the time flow.


    The flight of some nearby birds have visibly slowed down, while some just completely stopped in the air. Some of the rivers had their flow reversed, while some objects began to randomly appear and disappear.


    These changes in time were more prominent  the nearer one gets to the green cloud, making it and its tendrils a real-life danger zone.


    Alex''s body should have been under these changes too, but Alina''s protection allowed him to withstand the effects of the cloud.


    ".."


    Unlike the Great TImeMaster''s transformation, the body of the Crimson God''s clone still retained its solid form.


    However, his current body appeared to be made up of his signature crimson liquid, which turned him into a crimson, slime-like being


    "Roar!" There were no astonishing changes that accompanied the Crimson God clone''s transformation, but judging by the sudden increase of his murderous aura, it is plausible that his innate powers has increased.


    Whatever energy the Crimson God''s clone has transformed too, it must have been something designed to increase his overall power, especially his vitality.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    At the sight of these two transformations, which were both threatening to tear the area around them, Alex could only lower his head as he lost the strength to even look up at them.


    "¡­ So this the strength of an energy clone from a Half-Step Transcendent Being. Just seeing its transformation into its energy form is enough to suffocate me¡­. " Alex thought solemnly as he tried his best to make his body move.


    This attempt of his almost failed, but in the end, he has managed to take one more peek at the clones of the Returning Travelers above.


    Seeing them made Alex''s eyes hurt, but he did not pull his eyes away. Instead, he forced himself to stare at the clones above, as he knew that observing them was his chance to upgrade his own skills!


    "Hmm, if their clones can make me become like this, then their main bodies must be powerful enough to kill me with a stare! Sigh, if that''s the truth then I must really train  faster now¡­"  Alex thought as he felt multiples streams of blood pouring out of his eyes. The sensation of his blood pouring out made Alex grit his teeth, as he realized that he just reached his limit.


    But even with that, Alex still continued to stare above him, even when all of his orifices began to bleed too.


    "Tsk, it''s really good for me that the Great TimeMaster was here. If she wasn''t, then I will really have a hard time surviving against the Crimson God¡­" Alex thought as he ignored Alina''s concerned shout behind him. "Hehe, since I don''t have to run for my life now, then I should use my time to observe the fight between these two! This will surely be helpful to me!"


    "¡­"


    At this point, the only thing that Alex can do was to wait, as the clash between the Crimson God''s clone and the Great TimeMaster''s clone is not yet starting.


    Even if their bodies were only clones, the two Returners looked like they did not want to attack first.


    Instead, these two Returners were both in a passive state, with their bodies stationary in one place. It was as if none of them were willing to attack quickly, a fact that could make them look like cowards.


    However, these two Returners were no cowards at all.


    Power could be seen gathering inside their bodies, making it apparent that while they were stationary, the Crimson God and the Great TimeMaster were still investing to make an attack.


    As for why they were not yet attacking, they might be both trying to look for openings, or they might just be building up power for a single powerful attack.


    Whatever the reason for this wait was, it was already an inevitable fact that any second now, someone from the two  Returners will make their move.


    As for who it could be, Alex does not care. He just wanted the fight to start already, as he felt that he only had a limited time to view the fight!


    "Come on¡­ why don''t you two just make a move now? My body''s bleeding already, and my ears feel wet! I can''t just stay like this for long, so please fight already!" Alex thought angrily as he kept trembling body still. "Come on, just zap some of your powers, and it will be-F**k!"


    Just as when Alex was anticipating a good fight, a sudden interference came out of nowhere, making him cuss out in both shock and anger.


    How could Alex not be shocked and angry?


    Just now, Alex felt that another powerful presence was making its way towards their place, which he almost missed because of the auras released by the Great TimeMaster and the Crimson God.


    If it was earlier, Alex could just dismiss this presence as nothing, as he was more focused on the fight that was about to happen above him.


    But now that he detected it, all that Alex could feel was panic, as the power released by this presence was equivalent to that of the Great TimeMaster!


    In short, the incoming visitor was another Returning Traveler, who undoubtedly came in this place because of the current events!


    This discovery made Alex laugh hoarsely, as he realized that things had just escalated beyond his control.


    "Hahaha, why the f**k would another one of them come here? Shouldn''t they just watch while the Crimson God and the Great TimeMaster duke it out? F**k, should I really just run away now?" Alex thought angrily as he felt that the newcomer was about to arrive in a few more seconds.


    He had the urge to really run away now, as he knew that even with the Great TimeMaster''s power, fighting two Returning Travelers at the same time will be hard for her, especially if she has to protect Alex!


    "Tsk, and here I thought that the other Returning Travelers are more interested on watching things play here. It seems like¡­ some of them wants to join in!"


    **************


    42 6f 64 79 20 74 6f 20 45 6e 65 72 67 79 20 74 6f 20 4c 61 77 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 70 61 74 68 20 74 6f 20 54 72 61 6e 73 63 65 6e 64 65 6e 63 65 2e 20 4f 6e 65 20 73 74 65 70 20 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 20 6d 69 73 73 65 64 2c 20 61 73 20 70 72 6f 67 72 65 73 73 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 62 6c 6f 63 6b 65 64 2e a a 45 6e 65 72 67 79 2d 62 61 73 65 64 20 62 65 69 6e 67 73 20 61 72 65 20 65 78 65 6d 70 74 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 69 73 20 63 61 73 65 2c 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 79 20 61 72 65 20 6a 75 73 74 20 70 75 72 65 20 63 68 65 61 74 73 2e a

 Chapter 534 - UPDATE FOR SOME POWER SYTEMS(MUST READ!!!)

    [[[SORCERY POWER SYSTEM]]].


    The seekers of the truth, and the revealers of the unknown. These are the roles embraced by those who follow the Sorcery System


    For these people, the Multiverse is not a mythical creature that can only be imagined. Instead, the Multiverse is just a massive natural phenomena, one that can be understood through countless research and experiments.


    Knowledge is the most important aspect of any members of the Sorcery Power System. It is only knowledge and the thirst for truth that can push a Sorcerer to grown stronger everyday.


    There is no need to contemplate for the Dao or entice people into deals. In the Sorcery System, only the empirical truth is right!


    Without knowledge, a Sorcerer''s Mana will be nothing more than a shriveled stream. Only through constant learning that Mana can grow, and stunting it will lead to loss of abilities.


    In order to reach Transcendence in the Sorcery System, one must discover the truth about the Multiverse personally. This knowledge must be discovered, not learnt.


    If Transcendence is attempted improperly then OJ (@*() KJL  )(* 9*&(* U*O LKJ ()(@ JL )(*)( SLK333 3423 2343 Lkjl P090 NJ )(*)(  KLK *U(*U(@*U KLJ F ()*()@  LKJ )([email protected](  LKJ  O([email protected](


    As such, [email protected] LKJOF  )(@)( DIJ )(@)( AK (* OK JLKJ )(()* @ LK:L (*090a12 12421ljk( kjl


    *****************


    [[[AKASHIC POWER SYSTEM.]]]


    Out of all the mythical treasures in the Multiverse, there is one that has single-handedly led to the rise of a new Power System.


    This treasure is the Akashic Tree, which is the storage of all the magical spells and abilities known to man.


    Accessing this tree is impossible, unless a person was chosen to be a wielder of the Akashic Tree''s power.


    Through its guide, is users can learn any spells that they want.


    But learning requires payment first to the Akashic Tree, with the payments ranging from money, gems, or even human lives.


    As for now, there is no known method to reach Transcendence on the Akashic Power System. There''s a plausible method, however OIJLK o98290 KLJL K(*()* SLKJ )(*)(  "L )(U() (* (SLKL K @(*(09809 LIU() KL L)(U )@(


    *****************


    [[[ABYSS MAGIC POWER SYSTEM]]]


    Even though it was called magic, the Abyss Magic Power System of the Abyss Realm is nowhere near the magical capabilities of the other magical systems.


    Instead of using actual magic, the main power of the Abyss Realm lies on its usage of the Seven Sins and emotion manipulation to induce changes on reality itself.


    There is no right or wrong for an Abyss Magician. What matters to them were only the things that can benefit them.


    Reaching Sixth Stage with Abyss Magic will transform the user into a being made up of Abyss Energy. Once this stage was reached, the Abyss Magic user can get closer to the Laws of the Abyss, particularly on the lofty existence of the Seven Sins.


    In most cases, an Abyss Power user can reach Transcendence with the Seven Sins used as a guide.


    But if an Abyss Magician wants to be unique, then can- WHY THE F**K ARE YOU READING THIS, MORTAL? ONLY AN ABYSS MOSNTER CAN LOOK HERE! GO, SCRAM BACK TO YOUR PLACE!


    Or if things push them, they can- I SAID SCRAM!!!


    *****************


    [[[IMMORTAL CULTIVATION.]]]


    There are countless daos under the heavens, leading to near-infinite variations of Immortal Cultivations. Devil Dao, Kindness Dao, Martial Dao, Spirit Dao, and many more are just examples of the Daos that each Immortal Cultivator can use as a core for their cultivation.


    Compared to the other Power Systems, it is the Immortal Cultivation which has the highest amount of Transcendent members. This was due to the fact that the Daos  of Immortal Cultivators are their own personal laws.


    Immortal Cultivators has no need to search far and wide for the appropriate personal law for them. They have their own Dao already, which is their personal law that they can use for Transcendence.


    This is the reason why Immortal Cultivation is the most wide spared and famous power system in the Multiverse. Its straight path allows a smoother road to Transcendence, making many choose it quickly.


    The fastest known Immortal Cultivator to reach transcendence was %%% %%% %% %%% %% %% %% %%% %%% %%% %%% %%% %%% %% %%% %%%


    *****************


    [[[HOLY ORDER POWER SYSTEM.]]]


    While the Abyss Magic Power System relies on emotions and the Seven Sins for its power, the Holy Order Power System relies on a different duo.


    The Power of the Stars and the Seven Virtues. This is the duo that the Holy Order Power System is linked to.


    Chastity, Temperance, Charity, Diligence, Patience, Kindness, and Humility. These virtues are the corner stones of the angel''s abilities, and they must adhere on these virtues for them to reach greater powers.


    As for the Stars and their near-limitless arrangements, they provide arsenal for more mystical abilities.


    To reach Transcendence in the Holy Order Power System, an angel must accept the baptism of the Holy Order Realm, and become its pure member.


    Only by going through this that the ''Supreme Truth'' can be learned, which will be the angel''s personal law.


    There is no other known method to reach Transcendence in this power system, hence the lack of- FOLLOW THE HOLY ORDER AND ETERNAL LIFE WILL BE YOURS! CHANT AND LIVE OUR VIRTUES, AND YOUR LIFE WILL IMPROVE!


    *****************


    [[[LAW ENVOY POWER SYSTEM]]]


    The servants of the laws, and ahrbinger of their punishment. This is the *(*@ @)(*% @O @OIU%OI [email protected]%>-


    For the Law Envoys, they can only  WOIU. @OU @OIU {@ [email protected] @IM M SO*UFO @K] O KWL OI*(  LKLK IUOIUG  KS  OUOIUO (@* (* KSM NN OIU @)(  ALK @(URI*Y @(* C


    Only the Divine Energy can be used as )@(* L KJL CMN  OIU @ O K  OIJ OI > S:L


    For a Law Envoy to reach Transcendence, they must O*)(* LKJFS [email protected](*U KNL *OU KL +_POI @IOJ LKG )@(* )  KSJ LJL P)( > A POP JOIJ A  LIJF  KA IJO IUO IJLJ [email protected](I  ))(@

 Chapter 535 - The 1-year anniversary of this novel about to come!

    I started writing this novel around Decemeber 13, 2018. At that time, I wrote this novel because of a sudden inspiration. However, I began writing this novel with hesitation as I''m not really sure if  this novel is something that will be sustainable...


    But look where I am at now. Almost a million words in and 500+ chapters already, and still ongoing!


    Hehehe, thanks to those who are still reading this! I am still writing becuase of your presence!


    Well, I am not sure how long this novel could last, but be assured that I will try to make this novel end before my college graduation.


    But before we discuss about the end, I want to know what you guys want for the 1-year anniversary ''celebration''. Well I am not sure if I can reciprocate your requests, but I will try for my best.


    For now, enjoy another code, hehe.


    ********************


    47 73 76 20 68 76 65 76 6d 67 73 20 64 6c 69 6f 77 20 78 6c 66 6f 77 20 76 72 67 73 76 69 20 79 76 20 7a 20 6d 76 64 20 64 6c 69 6f 77 2c 20 6c 69 20 7a 20 64 6c 69 6f 77 20 67 73 7a 67 20 52 20 73 7a 65 76 20 7a 6f 69 76 7a 77 62 20 64 69 72 67 67 76 6d 20 6c 6d 20 6e 62 20 6b 69 76 65 72 6c 66 68 20 64 6c 69 70 68 2e a a 52 67 20 78 6c 66 6f 77 20 79 76 20 67 73 7a 67 20 27 44 6c 69 6f 77 27 2e 2e 2e 2e 20 42 6c 66 20 70 6d 6c 64 2c 20 67 73 76 20 6c 6d 76 20 6c 78 78 66 6b 72 76 77 20 79 62 20 67 73 76 20 6d 6c 67 6c 69 72 6c 66 68 20 67 64 72 6d 2d 79 6c 77 72 76 77 20 78 66 6f 67 72 65 7a 67 6c 69 20 7a 6d 77 20 73 72 68 2f 73 76 69 20 76 6d 76 69 74 62 20 6e 7a 6d 72 6b 66 6f 7a 67 72 6d 74 20 6e 7a 68 67 76 69 2e 20 53 76 73 76 73 76 2c 20 52 20 64 6c 6d 77 76 69 20 64 73 7a 67 20 64 6c 66 6f 77 20 73 7a 6b 6b 76 6d 20 72 75 20 5a 6f 76 63 20 6e 76 76 67 68 20 67 73 76 68 76 20 6b 76 6c 6b 6f 76 3f a a 44 76 6f 6f 2c 20 69 76 74 7a 69 77 6f 76 68 68 20 6c 75 20 67 73 76 20 64 6c 69 6f 77 2c 20 67 73 76 20 64 6c 69 6f 77 20 67 73 7a 67 20 5a 6f 76 63 20 72 68 20 72 6d 20 69 72 74 73 67 20 6d 6c 64 20 72 68 20 67 73 76 20 6e 6c 68 67 20 72 6e 6b 6c 69 67 6d 7a 67 2e a a 56 65 76 6d 20 72 75 20 67 73 76 20 54 69 76 7a 67 20 47 72 6e 76 4e 7a 68 67 76 69 20 64 7a 68 20 7a 72 77 72 6d 74 20 67 73 76 6e 2c 20 72 67 20 72 68 20 68 67 72 6f 6f 20 6c 79 65 72 6c 66 68 20 67 73 7a 67 20 5a 6f 76 63 20 7a 6d 77 20 73 72 68 20 7a 6f 6f 72 76 68 20 7a 69 76 20 6c 66 67 6d 66 6e 79 76 69 76 77 2e 20 57 6c 20 67 73 76 62 20 68 67 72 6f 6f 20 73 7a 65 76 20 7a 20 64 7a 62 20 67 6c 20 74 76 67 20 67 73 69 6c 66 74 73 20 67 73 72 68 3f a a 5a 6d 77 20 73 6c 64 20 7a 79 6c 66 67 20 67 73 76 20 4f 76 74 7a 78 62 20 47 69 76 7a 68 66 69 76 20 67 73 7a 67 20 5a 6f 76 63 20 6c 79 67 7a 72 6d 76 77 20 72 6d 20 67 73 76 20 6f 7a 68 67 20 64 6c 69 6f 77 3f 20 52 68 20 73 76 20 74 6c 72 6d 74 20 67 6c 20 66 68 76 20 67 73 7a 67 20 67 6c 20 68 7a 65 76 20 73 72 6e 68 76 6f 75 3f 20 44 7a 72 67 2c 20 77 6c 76 68 20 73 76 20 76 65 76 6d 20 70 6d 6c 64 20 73 6c 64 20 67 6c 20 66 68 76 20 72 67 3f a a 47 73 76 69 76 27 68 20 6d 6c 20 6e 76 6d 67 72 6c 6d 20 62 76 67 20 6c 75 20 5a 6f 76 63 20 76 65 76 6d 20 6f 76 7a 69 6d 72 6d 74 20 7a 79 6c 66 67 20 67 73 76 20 75 66 6d 78 67 72 6c 6d 68 20 6c 75 20 67 73 76 20 4f 76 74 7a 78 62 20 44 76 7a 6b 6c 6d 2e 2e 2e 2e a a 4c 73 2c 20 7a 6d 77 20 72 67 20 68 76 76 6e 68 20 6f 72 70 76 20 67 73 76 69 76 27 68 20 68 6c 6e 76 6c 6d 76 20 75 7a 6e 72 6f 72 7a 69 20 64 72 67 73 20 5a 6f 76 63 20 75 69 6c 6e 20 67 73 76 20 49 76 67 66 69 6d 72 6d 74 20 47 69 7a 65 76 6f 76 69 68 2e 20 52 20 64 6c 6d 77 76 69 20 72 75 20 5a 6f 76 63 20 78 7a 6d 20 77 76 67 76 78 67 20 67 73 72 68 20 6c 6d 76 20 6c 6d 20 67 72 6e 76 2e 2e 2e a a

 Chapter 536 - Old Man!!!

    The arrival of this 3rd Returning Traveler did not go unnoticed by the Crimson God and the Great TImeMaster.


    These two, who were still about to unleash their attacks, could not help but pause as they both stared warily at their incoming guest.


    "Swoosh."


    The extreme disturbance around the Crimson God and the Great TimeMaster disappeared as they both withheld their auras. This was obviously done in face of the newcomer, who was around some kilometers away from them.


    But even if their auras were gone, these two Returners did not stop on building up their powers inside their bodies, showing that if push comes to push, they will still continue the fight, even if it means including the newcomer inside it.


    As for Alex and co., they only stayed still on their places, as the sudden change of events were too fast for them to comprehend.


    "Alex¡­ I feel another powerful aura incoming here. Is that¡­ another Returning Traveler?" Alina, who was standing behind Alex, asked with worry as she kept her sword out.


    She had an ashen look on her face due to the disturbances earlier, which appeared to get paler because of the newcomer.


    "Yes, out of all the things that could happen here, that''s the scenario that we have." Alex replied stiffly. "But don''t be that worried. Who knows, this Returning Traveler could just be a spectator¡­"


    "Spectator? Hmph, that''s the lamest excuse that I ever heard!" Beside Alex, the still bedraggled Delia shouted this reply, with her voice sounding extremely hoarse. She looked like she was fed up with Alex''s words, something that the others seemed to share.


    "You think that a Returning Traveler just came here to watch? Traveler Alex, this is not a kid''s book! If a powerful person comes here, that person will be obviously here to fight!" Delia added. "Tsk, I could have already left this place if it weren''t for that time manipulating woman! Argh, even if she was your friend Traveler Alex, I still could not forgive her for botching my escape!"


    "Try saying those words to the Great TimeMaster''s face later. I am sure that she will be delighted by that." Alex replied sarcastically as he ignored Delia. "Hmph, talking about escaping, isn''t there an Item that we can use to run away here? Don''t tell me that you forgot about it already, Delia?"


    "Hm? What do you mean? Are you talking about-"


    "The Keys, Delia. The keys for the Legacy Weapon!" Alex blurted out. "Don''t tell me you still  haven''t tried using it?"


    "The keys? Of course I tried using it earlier, but-"


    "But what? You don''t want to use it here, because the Returning Travelers might covet it? Hmph, don''t worry about them. You heard what the cat said. As long as we don''t give the keys to others, then no one else can take over the Legacy Weapon!" This time, Alex gave this reply mentally, as he found that speaking will just make things slower. "So if you want to escape, just use your keys! There will be no harm from doing that..."


    "Hmph, why are you pushing me to escape, when you look like you won''t? From what I can see, you don''t seem interested on running away from  here¡­" Even though Alex''s words sounded both reassuring, Delia could still be seen frowning towards Alex. "Don''t tell me that you are plotting something here again?"


    "What? I am not plotting anything!"


    "Liar! Those two above us are about to fight, and you don''t look like you plan to run! And now that another Returning Traveler is about to come, you still look like you will stay here!" Delia said, as she gave Alex a gloating stare. "Tell me Traveler Alex, isn''t that just suspicious?"


    "You¡­"


    "Hmph, if you don''t plan on leaving, then I will leave now with my allies. Let''s just talk about your plans later." A flash of light then materialized around Delia''s hand, which quickly transformed, revealing an ornate key.


    Once this key has appeared, Delia grabbed it tightly, as if she does not want it to even leave her hands. She then hunched down as she began crushing the key, creating metallic sounds that grated on Alex''s ears.


    "Kura¡­.~" Once this has happened, a powerful suction forced appeared all around Delia, which seemed to be attempting to drag Delia into another place. This suction force did not seem  to suck anything else, as only Delia''s body along with her companions were the ones being dragged away.


    "Glup!" Before Alex could even react to the sight in front of him, Delia and her companions suddenly disappeared, leaving only displaced air on their now empty space.


    The trio were now gone, along with the key that Delia held earlier.


    "¡­That woman must be really scared of Half-Step Transcendent Beings if she really used her Key here. Doesn''t she know that we can only use the Key for limited times? Man, if she uses her key frequently then her key might run out of fuel later¡­" Alex said in a small tone after seeing Delia''s disappearance.


    He did not look irritated, as he seemed to be even pitying her.


    "Well, if that''s how Delia wants it to do, then I will let her do that. But as for me, I will still stay here. Who knows, something interesting might happen¡­" Alex thought as he gave a small glance to Marcus, who was already unconscious at this point. "But if the incoming Retuning  Traveler is indeed here to kill me too, then I guess using my Key will be for the best. Wait, why use the key, when I can just-"


    "Karakathooom!"


    Before Alex could continue making up contingencies for his current situation, a deep, rumbling sound forcefully broke him out of his stupor.


    "Karakathoom!"


    This rumbling sound, which came from afar, slowly got stronger and stronger as time passed by. Not only that, but its source seemed to come nearer too, something that perked up Alex.


    "Karakathoom!"


    But as fast as the sound appeared, it also quickly disappeared. One second earlier, the skies were full of rumblings. But now, they all disappeared, as if they had not existed at all.


    Only a small disturbance remained, which turned out to be a tall, old man floating in the sky.


    This old man, who was undoubtedly the source of the rumbling earlier, stood loftily on his place, with his rough, scraggly beard and dirty face staring down nonchalantly on the ground.


    This old man seemed to be uninterested on the fight, with his body not even emitting any kind of aura or killing intent. Heck, even his body appeared to be a weak one, as only frailness and age could be felt from it!


    The old man''s thin, bony arms and dropping eyes did not help at all, making him look like an old beggar who was just a day away from dying of starvation.


    This old man just looked¡­ really weak, that even just a small breeze can knock him out.


    But even with that kind of appearance, those who saw this old man seemed to be greatly disturbed by him!


    This can be said for the Crimson God and the Great TimeMaster, who were both staring at this old man with unrestrained hostility and wariness. Actually, most of the hostility came from the Crimson God, while most of the wariness came from the Great TimeMaster¡­


    "You¡­ why are you here, Old Man?" The Crimson God muttered, with his blazing eyes showing his direct contempt for the old man. "Didn''t you say that unless important things happen, you will never leave your house? How could you just-"


    "Crimson God, whatever Old Man decides to do with his time is not something that you can dictate. He only stays in his house because he said that he''s ''too lazy to fight''. With that kind of carefree attitude, do you think that you can stop this person from doing what he wants?" The Great TimeMaster blurted out, which cut off the Crimson God''s insults. "Instead of questioning why he came here, I think we should just do our best to chase him off¡­"


    "Hmph, I rarely agree with you, but I think that you are right this time, Great TimeMaster. Let''s make Old Man go away, and then we can resume our match!" The Crimson God said with a smile, as if the thought of beating up Old Man seemed to please him. "Hehehe, ever since I saw Old Man''s face, I really wanted to beat him up into a pulp! It''s too bad he''s too much of a coward to even leave his territory. But now that he''s here, hehehe, I can finally vent my frustrations on him!"


    "I don''t think that Old Man is a coward. However, I am sure that he''s a pervert who likes ogling at girls'' tits and chests. Tsk, I can still feel Old Man''s slimy gaze on my body before..."  The Great TimeMaster added. "Argh, now this also makes me want to beat him up!"


    "Okay, so do you want to team up this time, Great TimeMaster?"


    "I am fine with this, Crimson God. But once we beat Old Man up, we can go back to fighting with each other."


    "Hmm, that''s good proposition! So, should we start now?"


    "The earlier that we finish this, the better it will be for us, Crimson God!"


    "¡­.What the hell is this?" This is the only thing that Alina could say after witnessing the sudden change above her. Her eyes, which were filled with panic earlier, was now filled with confusion as the events above her continued to unfold. "How could the Crimson God and the Great TimeMaster team up agaist that old man? Shouldn''t the Crimson God and the Great TimeMaster be fighting each other too?"


    The more that Alia pondered about what just happened, the more confused that she just became. "Argh, and here I thought that we can get rid of the Crimson God already! Why should it become like this again?"


    With this confusion plaguing her mind, Alina was left with no choice but to ask Alex for his advice.


    Alex, why is this-"


    But before Alina could finish her question, her words died in her throat once she had seen Alex.


    Whatever question that she had for him had now ceased to exist, as Alina found herself staring at Alex''s face, which bears an expression that was foreign even for her.


    A pair of widely-opened eyes, dilated pupils, and an agape mouth that continued to stay open were the most prominent features of Alex''s face right now.  Couple that with the sudden hasty breathing from him, and it is obvious to anyone that Alex was showing an expression of extreme surprise


    "Alex, you¡­"


    What was more concerning was the fact that Alex  seemed to be frozen into this expression, as even when seconds passed by, he still continued to look extremely surprised¡­


    It was only after 10 full seconds has passed by that Alex''s face has returned to normal. But at this point, he still looked pretty shaken, something that Alina could not just ignore.


    "Alex, why did you act like that? Are you-"


    "Alina, that''s him. That''s the guy who turned me into a Traveler."  Alex said morosely, interrupting Alina with his now hoarse tone. "Holy mother of b******, why is he here? Shouldn''t he be somewhere else?"


    "W-what did you just say, Alex? Did you just say that that man is-"


    "I said, that guy  is the one who turned me into a Traveler¡­ I cannot be wrong about it. He and that guy in my memories are just the same person¡­" Alex replied to Alina quickly, with his posture becoming much tenser compared to before. "Sigh, I thought that I will eventually meet him in the future, but I never realized that it would be this early¡­"


    "¡­"


    Even though Alex looked like he was talking to Alina right now, the way that he reacted and moved showed that his attention was already placed somewhere else.


    His eyes, which seemed to be unfocused earlier, was now looking intently at someone in the sky, as if the words that he just said were meant for this someone.


    As for who this someone is, Alina realized who it was once she looked up too.


    "¡­Alex, are you saying that Old Man is the one who turned you into a Traveler?" Alina asked with a tremor, as she saw that Alex''s eyes were unnaturally focused on the Old Man''s willowy silhouette. "Are you really sure about that?"


    "Alina, I have no doubts about it. One of the Returning Travelers, the one who calls himself the Old Man, was the one who introduced me to this world." Alex said, with his voice now turning into a whisper. "Sigh, and here I thought that meeting the Great TimeMaster will be the greatest surprise here¡­"

 Chapter 537 - Shameless Old Man

    "¡­"


    Over Alina''s long-term stay with Alex, she had heard him talking about the homeless old man that turned him into the man who he is today. She heard all about the powers that this homeless old man displayed, along with the way that he just casually turned Alex into a Traveler.


    Hearing these stories from Alex gave Alina a vague image about this homeless old man, along with a sense of mystery befitting this man''s status.


    However, all of that mystery has now disappeared with the old man showing himself!


    But instead of having this sense of mystery get replaced by awe, what Alina felt now was only disappointment,  as she saw how dirty and unkempt Old Man looked.


    With his appearance, Old Man did not look like a powerhouse that can kill anyone with his gaze.


    The Old Man really just looked like a homeless person, one that seemed to have no interest on even fixing himself.


    Just the lazy look on the Old Man''s eyes and the carefree smile on his lips showed that however dirty he is now, he won''t do anything to clean himself up.


    Such attitude quickly made Alina''s opinion about the Old Man go down.


    But even with this kind of view, Alina still did not forget about what this man can do. After all, he is still a Half-Step Transcendent Being¡­


    "¡­So this is why you''re surprised, Alex. Now I don''t blame you for looking like that." Alina said quietly, as she tried to make herself sound less intrusive to the still-shocked Alex. "But do you think that you have the time to ogle at  Old Man this way? You should see what is happening here, Alex. The Old Man''s about to be ganged up by the other Returning Travelers¡­ If they fight it out, we will surely be affected by it too! Are you sure that we should stay here?"


    "¡­" Alex did not answer Alina''s question at all, as he just continued to stare at Old Man. He seemed to be ignoring Alina right now, something that obviously irked the woman.


    "Alex, quit gawking at the Old Man already! Answer my question!" Alina shouted out, with the entirety of her Esper Power laced in her voice. "Will you stay here or not?"


    Once released, Alina made sure that her voice hit Alex squarely in his head, something which could hopefully break him out of his dazed state.


    "Alex, snap out of it!"


    Fortunately for Alina, her voice was able to penetrate Alex''s mental defenses, shaking him back to reality.


    "Ah, this, Alina, I-"


    The dazed look on Alex''s eyes was replaced with a clear one, as the man began to slowly regain control of his mental faculties. This was then followed by him giving a stuttered explanation, one that was quickly dismantled by the irate Alina.


    "Alex, you heard what I just said, right? A three-way fight between the Returning Travelers is about to happen here, and you still want to stay here? Are you sure about that? Shouldn''t we just-"


    "¡­.Alina, there is no need for you to fear for our lives. Now that Old Man is here, I think that our troubles here are already resolved." Alex abruptly said, with his voice filled with extreme clarity.


    He appeared to have lost all the shock that he just received from Old Man''s arrival, with only a small smile on his face visible as he stared above him.  "So don''t worry anymore Alina. Let''s just stay here and watch."


    "¡­"


    The way that Alex talked now made him look like he was really back in his normal state, something that made Alina feel inwardly relieved. But even if Alex is calm again, Alina could not just easily accept what he just said.


    After all, there''s still a fight that is about to happen above!


    But before Alina could question Alex about his current decision, someone from the powerhouses above her suddenly began talking.


    And this was speaker was not the Crimson God or the Great TimeMaster. It was Old Man who began talking, with his voice sounding both greasy and rough.


    "Hey, hey, hey, I get it if Crimson God wants to fight me. But even you, Great TImeMaster? Shouldn''t you be allying with me now? Huhuhu, if you''re acting like this, does that mean that this old man has already lost his charm?" Old Man said in a sad tone, with his fake sobs sounding more like he was having an asthma attack.


    Such kind of sound made Alina''s irritation spike, as she could not feel anything now but sheer  distaste for Old Man''s irritating voice.


    "Sigh, this must be the sign of you having a menopause, Great TimeMaster. I think you should be laying down on those fatty foods¡­" Old Man continued to say, with his hands now miming the shape of a glass bottle. "Hehehe, instead of working, you should just act like me and stay in your house! I assure you, you will be much prettier if you''re homeless like me!"


    "¡­"


    *********************


    Someone like Alina could easily detect the innuendo hidden beneath Old Man''s comments, much less the powerful Great TimeMaster, who seemed to froze after hearing Old Man''s naughty comments.


    Obviously, his words were not taken with amus.e.m.e.nt by the two women, with Alina feeling extreme contempt for Old Man right now, and the Great TimeMaster quickly displaying her anger to this homeless man.


    "If you want to keep your eyes where they are, dirty old man, then I suggest that you keep your words to yourself. If you don''t then I will personally make you rot for eternity!" The Great TimeMaster certainly did not hold back to her threats, with her flared nose and reddened eyes showing how angered she is right now.


    She even appeared to have already forgotten about  Crimson God''s existence, as all of her killing intent and aura were focused on Old Man alone.


    "When I first saw you, what I felt first was pity. After all, you look like a depressed alcoholic who drunk himself into homelessness. But after I talked with you more? Hmph, all that I can feel is just contempt!" The Great TimeMaster continued to say, as if she was not done giving her insults yet. "How could someone as lazy, dirty, and perverted like you exist among us Returners! You are a disgrace to us!"


    "¡­."


    "Out of respect for your ''abilities'', I did not think of laying my hands on you. But now that you barged in here with those dirty words of yours, I don''t have any qualms of killing your clone anymore!" The Great TimeMaster said before Old Man could open his mouth. "I''m sure that nobody from the Returners will be unhappy with my actions. Hmph, I''m sure that they will even support us! Don''t you think so, Crimson God?"


    "Hmph, don''t even ask me. I exist to weed anything useless, and from what I see here, Old Man is someone that should be pruned!" The Crimson God said, with his agitated voice sounding like he was waiting to say these words already. "So what if you are a Half-Step Trasncendent Being too? With my power and Great TimeMaster''s combined together, your lazy ass won''t be able to survive!"


    "You heard that correctly, right, Old Man? If you don''t have anything to say for yourself, then you should accept your end now!" With Crimson God''s ''support'', the ferocity on the Great TimeMaster''s eyes intensified, along with the aura gathered in her body.


    Her boat, which had already disappeared earlier, was now back to reality again, with its tip pointed directly at Old Man. Once pointed at its target, the tip of the boat began to burn with an intense green fire, with is green illumination bathing the Old Man with its green light.


    "Scwhi schwi scwhi!"


    Just looking at this boat, there is no doubt about it. The Great TimeMaster is prepared to attack Old Man already, and all that she had been waiting for is for the Crimson God to attack with her.


    But before the Great TimeMaster and the Crimson God could vent all of their pent-up rage, Old Man began to talk again, this time with his voice sounding like an innocent child.


    "Great TimeMaster, are you really going to attack me? In case you did not know, I was the one who turned little Alex into a Traveler." Old Man said, with his smile widening as the Great TimeMaster reacted to his words. "Tut tut tut. If you really consider little Alex as your friend, then why are you attacking me now? That, that is just hypocritical, you know! And here I thought you are a mature, intellectual woman¡­"


    While the Great TimeMaster and the Crimson God were rendered silent by his words, the Old Man continued to talk, this time with his voice sounding like an aggrieved widow who just found out that her husband was killed.


    "Huuhuhu, when I heard that little Alex is in danger, I came in rushing here, hoping to help him. Heck, I was even planning to team up with you, Great TimeMaster!" Old Man''s face could not look more offended at this point, as if he was really experiencing an injustice placed to him.


    "Great Timemaster, do you know how much I hated roaming around? Just this year alone, I only left my house once, and that''s when I decided to take a piss! That''s how much I don''t like to roam! But with little Alex''s life in danger, I have to sacrifice that perfect life! "


    "¡­."


    "Ugh, I already set an appointment with some girls to ''entertain'' me in my house, and I already began cleaning myself for them! But because I have to save little Alex, I sacrificed my fun just to come here! Huhuhu, do you know how hard it is to ignore the callings of my flesh?l My water can still has to sprinkle some fresh gardens today 1 , but little Alex''s life is much more important than that!"


    "¡­"


    "I sacrificed all those things just to come here and yet all that I receive here are insults? Come on, Great TimeMaster! I''m here to save little Alex, so please stop glaring at me like that! Let''s just team up to keep him safe!"


    "¡­"


    The extreme shamelessness and lack of tact on Old Man''s words were enough to leave everyone who heard him speechless, especially the Great TimeMaster, who were both appalled and surprised right now.


    She was appalled with all the ''sacrifices'' that the Old Man just said, while she was surprised with his revelation about Alex.


    The Great TimeMaster was actually so surprised at this point, that she forgot about her grievances with Old Man. Her mind was only occupied by Alex''s Traveler status right now, something that prompted her to speak up.


    "You¡­ you''re Alex''s Sponsor? But I did not hear you talking about Sponsoring a Traveler before¡­" The Great TimeMaster asked incredulously as she began distancing herself away from Crimson God. "Even for someone as sleazy as you, Sponsoring a Traveler is something that you will brag about. "


    "¡­" Old Man''s face seemed to scrunch upon receiving this question, making him look like he had an immense emotional turmoil about this topic.


    Seeing this expression made the Great TimeMaster hesitate, as she realized that maybe she touched an extremely sensitive topic.


    But in the end she still pressed on, as she wanted to confirm if Old Man was  Alex''s Sponsor. Because if it is true, then the whole battle structure will dramatically change¡­


    "Old Man, since you like to be praised that much, then why did you not talk about Alex before?" The Great TimeMaster continued to ask as she fed more power to her boat. "You had a lot of chance, yet you still didn''t¡­"


    "¡­Um, well I actually forgot about little Alex''s existence. I just remembered about him when he arrived in this world." Out of all the replies that he can give, Old Man actually chose to give the worst one. "Hehehe, I''m already old, so you can''t blame me for forgetting about him. But at least I still remembered him today! I think that''s enough to make me a good Sponsor, right?" Old Man, what''s with that description?

 Chapter 538 - Butler and Maid

    "¡­Alex, are you sure that you got the right person?" Alina asked Alex with a mortified tone, with her face contorted in displeasure. She did not look happy with the way that Old Man presented himself, especially when he began talking about Alex. "He seems¡­ a bit more irresponsible than what I imagined him to be."


    "Don''t ask me, Alina. Even I am questioning myself too." Alex replied, as he also wore the same displeased face as Alina. "How could have I imagined that this old man will be like this? Ugh, he''s even worse than Asteria!"


    "What did you say hooman?"


    "Ugh, and here I thought that I would be proud seeing the person who made me a Traveler. But all that I feel now is embarrassment. Sigh, can I just go look for a hole and hide there until this old man goes away?" Alex added as he ignored Asteria. "Maybe this is just a dream that will also pass away¡­"


    "Hohoho, little Alex, I assure you that this is not a dream. Your Sponsor is right in front of you, ready to kick some ass! So don''t be sad, for I am here!" As if he can hear Alex''s words, the floating Old Man suddenly gave this declaration, prompting Alex to look back at him with wide eyes.


    "What, you thought that  I can''t hear you talking about me? Little Alex, even if you were talking mentally with your lover, none of your conversations can escape my observation!" Old Man then flexed his bony arms, as if he seemed proud of himself saying these words. "I heard everything that you said about me, but don''t be worried. I forgive you for thinking badly of me."


    "¡­"


    "You are still a child after all Little Alex, one that is like an immature chick.  For you to be wary of me is still acceptable¡­ But I am sure once I teach you the ways of homelessness, you will grow to be a fine man like me!"


    "Fine man your ass! Are you not even ashamed of acting like that?" While Alex looked like he had swallowed a fish bone because of Old Man''s comments, the nearby Great TimeMaster began to screech like a distressed weasel as she angrily flew towards the Old Man.


    The Great TimeMaster looked much madder compared to earlier, something that Alina did not find weird at all. "You have no care for your group, no discipline with your vices, and now you also don''t have the modic.u.m to act like the proper Sponsor for Alex? Hmph, if it were not for the fact that you''re here to save him, then I could have already beat you up!" The Great TimeMaster added as she stopped approaching Old Man. "Ugh, and you still stink like s***t! Did you not even take a bath before coming here?"


    "Hehehe, why would I take a bath, when little Alex is in danger? His life is more important than my hygiene!" Old Man replied cheerfully, as if he was not offended by the insults on his smell. "But don''t worry. I might take a bath after this¡­. I still want to hug little Alex after all."


    "Ugh, you better do that. For now, let''s deal with Crimson God." As if Old Man''s reply was some kind of a trigger, the Great TimeMaster quickly changed her allegiance, with her boat now facing the Crimson God menacingly. "Do you want to attack him first, or-"


    "Great TimeMaster, are you seriously allying yourself with that old sc.u.m? What about the agreement that we had earlier?" Seeing that Old Man and the Great TimeMaster has now ganged up on him, the previously lively Crimson God became more and more enraged from the ''betrayal'' that just happened. "Are you okay on getting near his perverted eyes just to fight me? Come on Great TimeMaster, you are better than that!"


    "Crimson God, I told you earlier that I sent my clone here to save Alex. Since Old Man is here to save Alex too, then teaming up with him is inevitable." This was Great TimeMaster''s reply, one that seemed to have made Crimson God visibly deflate. "Considering Alex''s help for me before, I am willing to tolerate getting close to this stinky old man. Even if he''s a dirty pervert, he''s still Alex''s Sponsor so I cannot just ignore him¡­"


    "You¡­"


    "So Crimson God, prepare to face the two of us right now. That is, if you are still willing to have a battle with us¡­"


    "¡­"


    "If you still want to fight right now, then we will fight you, Crimson God. But you must know the consequences if you do so." The Great TimeMaster concluded, lacing her words with as much stress that she can give them. "So just leave, and let us talk things out with Alex."


    "You-"


    "Hahaha, you heard the MILF, Crimson God. Just scram  and go back to your little red mansion! I am sure your concubines will love that!" Old Man lasciviously shouted out, barring anything that the Crimson God has wanted to say. "Why are you looking at me like that now, Crimson God? Don''t tell me you swing that way too? I''m sorry, but you are too young for me! Go and wait for a few years then change your gender before you seduce me again! Hehehe, maybe at that time, I will be really desperate to make you mine¡­"


    "Argh!" These words by Old Man seemed to have brought the Crimson God to the edge of his sanity, which was actually close to crumbling already. Just by looking at his incredibly purple face and bulging veins was enough to show how angry he is right now.


    But instead of rushing in like an enraged bull, the Crimson God only stayed in his place, as if he was stopping himself from making any attacks at all.


    "¡­."


    A few seconds passed by like this before a change on the Crimson God suddenly happened.


    "Shua¡­"


    The Crimson God''s body began to dissipate, with his presence and aura also disappearing with his body. Fine red mist blossomed in the air as his body began to shrink, making his power and killing intent fade like they were nothing at all.


    As for the blood rain that Crimson God conjured, they vanished right on the spot, which abruptly removed their evil presence on the Starting Village.


    Seeing this scene made Alina and Great TimeMaster heave a sigh of relief, as they realized that Crimson God took the initiative to already leave.


    It seemed as if the Crimson God knew that fighting the Great TimeMaster and Old Man at the same time is impossible for him, especially since his body is just a clone now.


    "This is not the end, Old Man! I will see you at the End War, and there, you will be the first one that I will kill!" Crimson God said managed to say these words before his head succ.u.mbed to the dissipation. "You''re lucky that most of the Returners are busy meditating today! If they weren''t, then I would not be the only one facing you here! Remember that!"


    "Hosh~"


    Once all of his head was gone, there was nothing else from the Crimson God that was left in his place. Only few parts of his blood rain remained, but even those were swept away by the Great TimeMaster, who used her power to purify them all.


    "Bye bye, Crimson God. I hope to see your angry face at the End War too. Wait, do I even need to join that? Maybe I can opt out of it¡­" Old Man muttered audibly as the  Great TimeMaster continued her clean-up job. "Yes, yes, I think I can opt out of the End War. Hehehe, I think I just have to¡­"


    "Old Man! You already chased Crimson God away, so you should know what to do next! Don''t tell me that you have forgotten about him again?" The Great TimeMaster, who was able to clean up everything in a matter of seconds, barked to Old Man angrily as she gave him a sharp glare. "Your little Traveler is waiting for you to come down! Shouldn''t you try meeting up with him now?"


    "My little Traveler? Who are you- oh right, it''s Little Alex! Hehehe, it''s good that you reminded me about him¡­." Old Man then craned his neck as he looked down at the ground, with his eyes sweeping around  the area.


    Old Man only stopped looking around once his eyes found Alex, who was standing tensely beside Alina.


    Once the eyes of these two people met, Old Man''s face split up into a huge grin, which  showcased his yellowed and crooked teeth.


    Such sight made Alex wince in disgust, which seemed to even amuse Old Man more.


    "Oh, there''s little Alex. Hehehe, you really have grown up a lot now. You only took 5 missions since we met, and you''re already this strong? Good, good, good! You can be a good butler in my shack!" Old Man declared flamboyantly as he began to descend on the ground, with his landing spot only a meter away from Alex. "As for the pretty girl beside you, she can be my new maid! How about that, little Alex? That''s free employment for you!"


    "¡­"


    *******************


    4a 65 66 66 72 65 79 20 45 70 73 74 65 69 6e 20 64 69 64 20 6e 6f 74 20 6b 69 6c 6c 20 68 69 6d 73 65 6c 66 2c 20 72 69 67 68 74 3f

 Chapter 539 - Gratitude and Rage

    Out of all the scenarios that he expected to happen, Alex certainly did not foresee the arrival of Old Man.


    And Old Man''s attitude right now obviously did not make things any better¡­


    After all, it just turned out that the person who made Alex a Traveler was actually just a sleazy and perverted man! Even if Alex has a thick face, there''s no way that he will be happy with Old Man''s mannerisms right now!


    "Ehem, I am happy that you helped me out, Old Man. But I don''t have any interest on becoming your butler." Alex shifted his eyes as he avoided the Old Man''s excited gaze, an action that Alina also mimicked. "You may be my so-called ''Sponsor'', but I won''t just allow myself to be following your whims..."


    Even if Alex was not sure why almost everyone seemed to hate Old Man, this did not make Alex pity him. Instead, this just made Alex suspect Old Man more, as the Old Man actually appeared to be really suspicious right now¡­


    "What? You don''t want to experience the glory of living with someone like me? Tut tut, little Alex, what you said just hurt my heart¡­" Old Man said in an agonized tone, as if Alex''s reply had an emotional impact on him. "Is this how you treat your helper? Come on, little Alex. Just a few days of stay in my house will do¡­"


    "No means no, Old Man. If you want me to help you out, then wait for me to reach your power level first." Even if he was grateful for Old Man''s assistance to him, Alex knew that he cannot just accept Old Man''s request, even when Old Man looked like he was about to cry. "With my paltry power now, I will just be a burden to you¡­"


    Since this is his first time meeting with Old Man, Alex has decided to not make any close contact with him quickly.  Alex will have to investigate more details about Old Man first before he tries to get close to him.


    This is the safest thing that Alex can do regarding Old Man, and there seem to be nothing else better to do compared to this.


    "Burden my ass! With all the powers inside your body, combined with all the Weapons that you just obtained, I am sure that you can give someone like Crimson God a run for their money!" Old Man shouted in desperation, as he seemed to have realized what Alex was doing. "Little Alex, there''s no way that you will be useless here! Heck, you will be even way more useful than all the servants in this world combined! So please, just think about it! It will just be a few days of stay on my house anyway¡­"


    Old Man then looked at the nearby Great TimeMaster, as if he was asking for her support.


    "Come on Great TimeMaster. Support me on here! Let''s make little Alex stay with me! With me on his side, he will be safe-"


    "Shut it, Old Man. You heard what Alex said. Since he doesn''t want to be close to you yet, then let him be." If Great TimeMaster''s words were knives, then right now they could be sharp enough to slice Old Man into pieces. "Let him be alone first, Old Man."


    "But-"


    "Old Man, just allow Alex to investigate more about this world first. Once that happens, I am sure that he will be seeking you out." The Great TimeMaster certainly did not leave any compromise on her latest words, which made Old Man stop his complaints. "I am the one who Alex trusts the most right now, so don''t be worried for him. There''s no more enemies gunning for Alex''s life, so you can leave him to me¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­Okay, I see what you mean Great TimeMaster. Fine, I will leave now. But once you tell little Alex everything about this world, and the truth about the Returning Travelers, you will bring him to me, ok?" In face of Great TimeMaster''s unyielding words, Old Man did his best to give his own courageous reply, which actually sounded sincere. "That''s the best compromise that I can give you here!"


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I can promise you that, Old Man. Now please just go!" The Great TimeMaster mimicked a swatting motion with her hand, showing how much she wanted Old Man to leave now. "Ugh, and please take a bath later!"


    "I will, I will, Great TimeMaster. Though I might need some maids to bathe me personally¡­" Old Man murmured in ecstasy, as his words began to disappear along with his body. "Hehehe, maybe I will have to make Lizzie bathe me later. Her chest might be just large enough to scrub my back¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Alex, I apologize for the demeanor of Old Man. Whatever he is doing now is his own fault, so you are free to slander him." Even when Old Man has already left, the Great TimeMaster still did not stop insulting him. "But seeing that he is your Sponsor, then maybe you have to tone down your complaints about him¡­"


    "¡­I will try my best to restrain myself, Great TimeMaster. But before I do anything related to Old Man, let me give you my greatest thanks first." In face of Great TimeMaster''s apologetic expression, what Alex gave her was his utter gratitude, something that the Returner certainly deserved.


    "Great TimeMaster... Without your help, I could have been dead meat right now. For that, you have my immense gratitude." Alex then bowed his head into a 90-degree angle, a motion which directly showed Alex''s great respect for the Great TimeMaster. "If there''s anything that you need me for, I might try doing it. Of course that is only if I am powerful enough to do that¡­"


    "Oh, you don''t need to tell me that, Alex. You are my daughter''s savior, so think of this as my repayment for your help to her." The Great TimeMaster unabashedly replied, with the stern atmosphere from her body suddenly replaced by a motherly, gentle one. "Speaking of my daughter, she has been asking me repeatedly on when she can meet you again..."


    "Oh, your daughter has already recovered to that stage already That''s good!" Alex quickly replied, with his face now wearing a gentle smile. "Where is she anyway? Is she in the Immortal World, or is she¡­"


    "Oh, she''s just sleeping in my house here in the Traveler''s World.  Do you want me to wake her up already? I''m sure that she will be happy to see you right now¡­"


    "Oh, you can wake your daughter up anytime, Great TimeMaster. Kierra and Sierra are both raring to play with her, so please feel free to make her come here."


    "¡­" The sudden shift in the atmosphere between Great TimeMaster and Alex quickly made the nearby Alina confused, as she did not expect these two to suddenly become this amicable with each other.


    But after a few seconds of thinking, Alina shrugged her shoulders as she surmised that maybe, the Great TimeMaster''s assistance was enough to melt Alex''s suspicions about her.


    "Oh, so those two kids are still alive, Alex? Good, that will give  my daughter some friends to play with¡­" Great TimeMaster added, with her beautiful face turning rosy from delight. "It''s been some months since you left, and my daughter already misses you, so your arrival here will make her delighted."


    "Hahaha,  your daughter will be really happy to meet Kiera and Sierra. They''re meant to be friends after all." Alex replied with just as much delight, making him appear genuinely happy right now. "Hehehe, they could even be life-and-death friends in the future!"


    "I hope that will really happen Alex, hahaha."


    "Hahaha."


    "Hahaha."


    "Hahaha."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "NOW THAT WE''RE F***ING DONE WITH ALL THESE S***TY PLEASANTIRES, CAN YOU NOW PROCEED ON THE IMPORTANT STUFF?  LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, GIVING ME ALL THE F***ING EXPLANAIOTN ABOUT THIS WORLD?" Out of nowhere, Alex suddenly let out this enraged roar, which quickly dispersed the pleasant atmosphere between him and the Great TimeMaster. "I AM ALREADY DONE WITH ALL THE DECEPTION HERE, SO PLEASE BE F***ING TRUTHFUL TO ME NOW!"


    Alex seemed to be extremely pissed right now, an attitude change that caught Alina off-guard.


    Why would Alex suddenly be this angry to Great TimeMaster, when the latter just rescued Alex?


    Shouldn''t Alex continue acting genial to the Great TimeMaster, since she just saved his ass?


    There''s just no benefit for Alex to be this enraged now, which quickly made Alina worry for him.


    "OI GREAT TIMEMASTER, THE LIES SURROUNDING THIS WORLD MIGHT HAVE FOOLED ME EARLIER, BUT NOW I AM FREE FROM THEIR SHACKLES! I CAN CLEARY SEE THEIR F***ING DECEPTIONS, SO DON''T TRY TO LIE TO ME ANYMORE!"


    "¡­"


    Yeah, Alex is really pissed now. Even an emotionally stunted person can see that clearly.


    "Alex, what you are saying right now? If you make the Great TimeMaster angry, she might lash out to you!" Out of panic for Alex''s safety, Alina began to hiss her complaints at him, which was her attempt to make him calm down. "Listen, if you have any disagreements with Great TimeMaster, you can just talk it out in a civil manner, right? There''s no need to-"


    But before Alina could rebuke Alex''s change of attitude, the Great TimeMaster''s sudden reply managed to drown her words.


    However, instead of hearing an offended outburst, what Alina heard from the Great TimeMaster was an awkward chuckle, followed by numerous apologetic words.


    "Oh, so you have detected it, Alex. You really are an impressive Traveler." The Great TimeMaster did not look angry at all, even when Alex just roared at her face. Instead, she continued to have her gentle smile, which seemed to have widened in response to Alex''s outburst. "How long did it take you to notice these deceptions?"


    "I detected it during your ''battle'' with the Crimson God. It only appeared for a second, but I was able to sense it¡­." Alex seemed to have lost his rage right now, as his voice sounded like it was back into its normal state. "F***ng hell, I was really angry when I detected it, but was able to contain my rage using my power. But now? I have no more interest on keeping this rage, so if you want it gone, then explain everything to me!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "Sigh, since you are still not a Returning Traveler, then you should barred from knowing the truth. But since you''re someone who''s bound to be a Returning Traveler in the future, then I think telling you about it will be fine¡­" The Great TImeMaster said enigmatically as a playful smile appeared on her lips. "Oh, and your partner Alina can listen in too. She''s bound to reach our level too after all¡­"


    "W-what?"


    "Oh, don''t act like you''re surprised, Alina. This concerns you too, so don''t be so riled up." The Great TImeMaster gave Alina a small wink, prompting the latter to close her mouth. "You must be really curious why Alex is so angry, right? Well as long as you listen to me, then you will know why¡­."

 Chapter 540 - The Truth and the Redaction

    A FEW MINUTES LATER.


    "Hm, I can feel that Alex''s control over his portion of the Legacy Weapon is still here. Does that mean that he''s still alive?" Delia, whose body was currently wedged between two massive sofas, muttered these words to herself as she grabbed her Key tightly.


    Her hair appeared to be disheveled at this point, which is unnatural given her ability to always keep her hair proper.


    Aside from this, there was also a pale pallor present on her face, as if she had her power drained out of her body.  This was made more obvious by the fact that the vitality that she exuded was weaker compared to earlier.


    These traits made it look like Delia was weakened, something that the woman seemed to know.


    But even with this ''weakness'', Delia  did not let herself look weak at all. Instead, she maintained a lively and exuberant fa?ade in front of her Companions.


    "Tong''er, do you think it''s ok for us to come back to Alex''s location already? I think that there''s a chance that he has already resolved whatever problems he has there¡­" Delia asked as she looked at Tong''er, who was currently sitting in a meditative pose.


    "Go back to Alex''s place? I think it will be fine¡­" Tong''er did not look at Delia at all while giving this reply, as she seemed to be engrossed with what she was doing right now. "The spirits told me that the air of danger surrounding Alex is already gone. So there will be no problem for us to come back¡­"


    "Is that so? Hmph, that''s good then.  At least our ally is still alive, even if he''s a repulsive man¡­" Delia then stood up from her place, scooping up the sleepy Milo with her arms. She gave Tong''er an imploring look while doing this, which is a signal for Tong''er to follow her.


    "Stand up Tong''er, we have to leave this place already." Delia gave Tong''er a little nudge on her knee, prompting the little girl to stand up from her seat. "I know that you want to stay here longer, but our time here will always be limited¡­"


    "Sigh, if you just obtained more keys for the Legacy Weapon, then we could have stayed here for longer, Big Sis." Tong''er looked like she was disappointed by their sudden departure, which was showcased by her pouting lips. "I''m sure that I can become a Sixth Stage Grand Spiritualist if I stay here for much longer¡­ Sigh, if we only have extra time¡­"


    "Tong''er, I know that you''re disappointed by this, but I assure you that you will have more chances to use this place in the future. We have Alex with us after all." Delia tried to make herself sound convincing as she said this, which seemed to have failed, as the little girl just looked down sadly after hearing her reply.


    "¡­"


    "Ehem, are you ready to come back Tong''er?" Delia awkwardly asked as she winced from Tong''er''s mannerisms. "If you want, you can still stay here-"


    "Let''s just leave, Big Sis."


    "O-Ok. Good. Um¡­ just hold  tight to me and don''t let go." After giving this one last reminder with a slight stutter, Delia activated the Key in her hands, which then summoned a powerful force around their bodies.


    "Hong~"


    But instead of feeling the suction force which brought them to this place earlier, what Delia and her Companions felt was the opposite of it.


    An expulsion force, one that seemed to have enough power to expel anything in the world, began to exude its might all over Delia and co.


    With Delia''s lack of resistance, this expulsion force was able to do its work on her; Which is to bring her out of this place.


    "Woosh~"


    Delia closed her eyes as she felt the sensation of space shifting all around her body, a sign that she was being transported to a new location. Having this sensation made her calm down, as she realized that her Key was still working as it should be.


    "Hmph, let''s see what kind of mess Alex made once I come back. Did he use a lot of his trump cards just to survive? If that''s the case, then I can exert my dominance over our alliance later¡­" Delia thought to herself slyly as she began to feel her impending return to the Traveler''s World.


    She seemed to have already forgotten her exchange Tong''er, as her eyes now glinted with the light of ambition. "Hehehe, it will even be better if Alex is injured! That way, he will owe me a lot once I heal him!"


    ************


    If this world is a perfect one, then maybe Delia''s wishes upon her return could be true. Maybe Alex really used up a lot of his powers just to survive, and maybe he was also heavily injured right now.


    But instead of seeing these things, what Delia witnessed once her body came back to Traveler''s World was nothing[A1]  short but anticlimactic.


    "¡­."


    With her very own eyes, Delia could see only 2 people standing right in front of her. There was nobody else present on this area except for these 2 people, something which naturally had Delia feel suspicious.


    These two were no other than Alex and Alina, who both looked at Delia with stiff smiles.  These two seemed to have suffered no injuries at all, and the only things that were damaged from these two were their clothes.


    Aside from the damage, the auras exuded by Alina and Alex appeared to be weird too.


    Unlike what Delia had expected, the auras present on Alex and Alina''s  bodies did not look like they were diminished at all.


    Their auras were just the same intensity as before, which seemed to show that Alex and Alina did not  use any of their powers since Delia''s departure!


    "¡­"


    Seeing these contradictory things had Delia feel extreme confusion, as she did not expect to see Alex and Alina acting like this.


    "Weren''t there 3 Returning Travelers fighting here earlier? With their powers, Alex and Alina should have been forced to do something to save their skins! But instead of seeing them weakened, all that I see now are just the same Alex and Alina! What the hell is happening here?" Delia thought to herself as she continued to stare at the two. "This¡­ this is just weird!"


    Alex and Alina did not look like they just experienced a life-death situation with the Returning Travelers. Instead, these two seemed to have just breezed through whatever happened earlier, something that Delia was not pleased to see.


    "Oi Alex¡­ what the hell happened here? How are you¡­ still this okay?" Delia asked Alex, as she tried to make her voice sound even. "No offense to you, but you seem okay to me. And where the hell are those Returning Travelers? Did they kill each other off?"


    "¡­It''s a long explanation, Delia." Alex seemed to be not offended by Delia''s probing question, as he gave this reply with a small shrug. "Just accept that we''re alive now."


    "If it is long, then just shorten it, Alex."


    "¡­Fine. So the Crimson God turned out to be our enemy, while the Great TimeMaster and Old Man both supported me. Since my supporters outnumber the Crimson God, he had no choice but to leave. Because of that, we survived. The end." Alex let out a sigh at this point, which was followed by him giving Delia a tired smile. "That''s the gist of what happened while you were gone. Are you satisfied now?"


    "¡­.Huh. So that''s what happened." This was the best reply that Delia can give, as she honestly felt slightly underwhelmed with Alex''s explanation. "So nothing  else happened earlier? Like for example, your two supporters doing something interesting? Nothing like that?"


    "Hmph, if you expect Old Man and the Great TimeMaster to do something interesting, then you are right. Those two¡­ really made my day." Alex then let out a snort, as if the mere mention of these two people were enough to make him feel disgruntled. "Old Man¡­ is a perverted, dirty old man who wants to cuddle me in his house. He''s my Sponsor after all, so he must really want to get close to me."


    "He''s your what?"


    "MY Sponsor. The one who turned me into a Traveler. Pretty shocking, right? Out of all the places I could see him, he would be actually here." Even if these words should sound happy, hearing it from Alex''s mouth made Delia think that he actually sounded disappointed. "Well, he''s still suspicious to me, so I don''t plan on getting close to him until I am sure of his motivations¡­''


    "¡­."


    "As for the Great TimeMaster, you can say that she''s a really good informant. She told me a lot of important things while you were gone, all that are very important for this world." Alex said with his voice sounding a little more upbeat, although Delia could also detect some irritation laced in his voice.


    "The Great TimeMaster told you a lot of important things?" Even if Delia was a little worried by the sudden changes in Alex''s mood, what he just said about the Great TimeMaster was enough to get her attention. "  What did she tell you? Did she tell you why are the recruitments a thing here? Did she also-"


    "Sorry Delia, but I cannot tell you what the Great TimeMaster told me. What she gave me was classified information, one that will not be safe if its known by the wrong people." Alex said as he interrupted Delia deftly. "If you want to know what the Great TimeMaster told me, then you should ask it directly from her."


    "What? But I am your ally! Shouldn''t you tell it to me too?"


    "I will, eventually.  But for now, we will have to focus on recruiting more Rookie Travelers first." Alex said, ignoring the now seething Delia. "According to the info that the Great TImeMaster gave me, we have 6 months of time left to freely recruit as many Rookie Travelers that we can. Once that time is up, we will be in a lot of danger. So if we want to get the maximum advantage, we must recruit them quickly!"


    "Recruit my ass! How will I recruit if I don''t know the reason why?" Delia shouted out to Alex, as her temper began to roil up like an awakened dragon.  "Alex, even if you have 2 Returning Travelers supporting you, there''s still 7 Returning Travelers that can attack you during these 6 months! Since that was the case, then recruiting during these 6 months should be dangerous! But you''re now saying that it will actually be safe? Alex, how the hell did that happen?"


    "Ah, you better ask that to the Great TimeMaster, not me." Alex confidently replied, which made Delia almost screech in sheer anger. "Didn''t'' t I just said it earlier? It''s all classified info."


    "You-"


    "For now, let''s just do our best to recruit more Rookies, ok? That will be the best for us¡­."


    "Argh!"

 Chapter 541 - YIN-YANG DUALITY PERCEPT METHOD

    "Hoh, you seem to have no problems with my proposal. In that case, I will leave you to Alina. I still have to upgrade my Immortal Cultivation after all¡­" In face of the livid Delia, Alex gave this cheeky  farewell. He then turned his back on her as he began walking towards his house.


    "Hey! What the f**k is this? Did I even allow you to leave? You will only leave once you answered my questions!" Delia was obviously adamant on having her questions answered, as she did not hesitate to call Alex out. "If you want to cultivate, do that later! For now, you should-"


    "If you have any questions, then you can ask it on Alina. But mind you, she will not answer anything that is confidential¡­." Alex abruptly said, cutting off Delia''s rant. "Oh, and I will actually be  cultivating the whole day, so I will not be available until tomorrow¡­"


    "Hey! I said-"


    Alex did not hear anything else that Delia said at that point, as he used his power to prevent her voice from reaching him. Once that was done, Alex continued his return to his house, which was around a few meters away from him.


    "Creak¡­" The door creaked as Alex unceremoniously entered the house, leaving it wide open as he went further in. He only had a smile on his face as he went on, as if he was not worried about anything right now.


    Even the fact that Delia was here did not worry Alex at all. After all, Alex knew that Delia won''t be able to do anything against him right now.


    "Heh, even if Delia is angry at me, I am sure that she won''t do anything to hurt me or my Companions. After all, I have the support of two Returning Travelers¡­" Alex thought to himself as he buried all of his worries about Delia betraying him. "Only an idiot will attack me while knowing that¡­"


    This thought made Alex smile wider, as he realized that he was actually amused by Delia''s current frstuations.


    "Heh, instead of getting angry at me, she should even be happy that I am still allying with her right now! If I wanted it, I could have just left her alone!" Alex surmised, with the images of an enraged Delia appearing in his mind. "Sigh, why did I even let her ally with me now? Oh right, it''s for that [THING]."


    Whatever is this [THING] that Alex was thinking about, it did not get elaborated any further, as Alex quickly cleared his mind upon reaching his destination.


    A stone-walled room, one that was covered entirely with vines, was the place that Alex had arrived to at this point.


    There were no extra furniture or decorations inside this room, as only the floor and the walls were present. As for the vines attached on the walls, they  seem to be releasing some kind of mild perfume, which made the whole room smell both pleasant and comforting.


    This lack of objects and the presence of the vines made the room look peaceful, a sight that made the newly-arrived Alex feel relaxed.


    His wide smile slackened as he stepped in the room, with his tense body gradually relaxing with his every step.


    "Yeah, now this is how my meditating room should be. All peaceful and quiet¡­" Alex thought as he continued to let go of any negative emotions. "Yeah, my mind is getting much clearer now¡­"


    By the time that his emotions had reached its calmest point, Alex had already assumed a meditative pose at the center of the room. Once he had this position set right, Alex closed his eyes as he slowly released the aura of his Immortal Cultivation.


    "Hong long long~"


    A gentle, but also ferocious aura gradually came out of Alex''s pores and orifices, which began to fill up the whole room. This aura then slowly clumped together until they formed a cloud above Alex''s head.


    Once this cloud has appeared, it began to spin by itself like a planet having its rotation. This spinning continued until it came to the point that the cloud began to flatten like a circular disk.


    "Shii¡­." Once this disk appeared, its spinning rate decreased until the whole disk came into full stop.


    "¡­." This disk then fell down into Alex''s waiting hands, who caught it deftly with a serious expression.


    "Hmm¡­. So this disk will be my grindstone for my cultivation breakthrough? Huh, I hope that this will be enough to make me skip several levels¡­" Alex thought to himself as he began tapping the disk with varying intensity.


    "Tap tap tap."


    To Alex''s relief, the disk did not budge under his incessant tappings. It was just as hard as it looked like, which is a good sign for him.


    "Good! With this hardness, I have a high chance of breaking through later! I just hope that nobody will disturb me¡­"


    "Boom!" After Alex said these words, he unhesitatingly removed all the suppression that he placed on his Immortal Cultivation, resulting on a low, explosive sound inside the room.


    This release allowed him to display his Immortal Cultivation in its full power, which was only at the Peak of Second Stage, or Peak Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Such level of power is nothing compared to the level of this world, but Alex did not appear saddened or offended by this.


    He only had an excited look on his face, which seemed to be roused by his Immortal Cultivation''s current weak state.


    "Hehehe, with the resources that I have, I could have reached Dao Soul(Fourth Stage) or even Spirit Domain (Fifth Stage) already.  The only reason that I am still here at the Foundation Establishment(Second Stage) was because I want to build up a sturdy foundation!" Alex mused to himself as he continued to unleash his aura. "Only with a foundation as sturdy as this that I can be assured to reach the peak with my Immortal Cultivation¡­"


    With no one entering his room right now, Alex was able to keep his mind in a peaceful state. Which is good, as the things that Alex were about to do next require a stable and calm mind.


    "Because of all the treasures and immortal cultivation techniques that the Great TimeMaster gave me before, I was able to build an extremely powerful foundation in my current Immortal Cultivation body. With this foundation, I won''t have any problems while having powerful breakthroughs in the future!"


    "Shua~"


    With a wave of his hand, Alex pulled out a thin book out of his Storage, one that was covered with a fine piece of cloth. Golden lines that had the thickness of a finger were embossed directly on this book''s cover, while a luxurious-looking pen could be seen attached on the book''s spine.


    Looking at these materials alone were enough to show that the thin book was extremely important, and Alex seemed to have known it too.


    Instead of holding it like a normal book, Alex delicately held it with his fingertips, with each touch only done through the small area of his extremities. Even the act of opening the book was  also done with extreme delicacy, with Alex taking a few seconds of time just to reveal the first page.


    "Rustle(1x)"


    "This book that I am holding right now is one of the most important books in the Immortal World. After all, it contains a cultivation method that allowed an Immortal to reach the Ninth Stage. With this kind of prestige, of course this book will be this extravagant¡­"   Alex thought idly as his eyes scanned all over the words written on the book''s first page.


    Once his eyes had scanned over the first page, Alex''s first reaction was not to react on the words written on it. Instead, he focused more on the materials that he just saw on the book.


    "What the? Even the letters on the pages are also embossed in gold? Damn, this book must be hella expensive¡­"


    "Oh, and the paper was made up of Rainbow Unicorn skin? Hoo boy, no wonder the pages were brittle as f**k."


    "Damn, is this book''s spine made up of Adamantium Sturgeon Spine? If it is, then this book will be much more valuable than a moon!"


    Alex could have continued commenting about the other materials, but he forced himself to stop as he realized that he must not be wasting time like this.  So instead of looking at the glamourous materials making up the book, Alex focused his eyes on the words written on the book itself.


    [YIN-YANG DUALITY PERCEPT METHOD]


    [VOLUME 3]


    [AUTHOR: FANG LIN/FANG YU]


    "???"


    At the moment that he saw these words on the page, Alex''s eyebrows rose as he felt a slight surprise from what he just read.


    "So the real name of this cultivation method is the Yin-Yang Duality Percept Method?  What a nice name for such a powerful cultivation method. But why was its name not shown on Volume 1 and 2?" Alex continued to peer at the words on the first page, as if he was trying to see through their mysteries.


    "When I read Volume 1 and 2, the name of this method was blocked... Oh, and compared to Volume 3, the materials making up Volume 1 and 2 are just cheap as f**k¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Hey, why am I even worrying myself about this? If the author wants to do it this way, then I won''t question that! I just have to cultivate properly!" Realizing that he was going off-track again, Alex quickly shook his head. "Now that I have finished Volume 1 and Volume 2 of the Yin-Yang Duality Percept Method, the next thing to do is practice the Volume 3¡­"

 Chapter 543 - Little Rant about the Income(Next real will still be tomorrow)

    Seriously? I wrote a million words in this novel already, and all I get is this money? Sigh.... what in utter hell is this? Is this what I should get from writing this much?


    No offense, but those piracy sites are pissing me off now...


    46 49 46 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 73 74 61 67 65 20 6f 66 20 65 76 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 61 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 20 61 20 6d 69 6e 6f 72 20 65 76 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 62 6f 64 69 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 70 6f 77 65 72 73 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 73 74 61 67 65 20 69 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 65 70 61 72 61 74 6f 72 79 20 73 74 61 67 65 2c 20 61 73 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 67 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 72 65 70 61 72 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 75 73 65 72 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 78 74 20 73 74 61 67 65 2e a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 73 3a a0 5b 53 70 69 72 69 74 20 44 6f 6d 61 69 6e 20 53 74 61 67 65 5d 20 5b 41 62 79 73 73 20 53 61 67 65 28 45 76 6f 6c 76 65 64 20 46 6f 72 6d 29 5d 20 5b 4d 61 67 69 63 69 61 6e 5d 20 5b 53 70 65 61 72 20 44 65 6d 69 67 6f 64 5d a a 53 49 58 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d 20 41 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 73 74 61 67 65 2c 20 61 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 27 73 20 62 6f 64 79 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 74 72 61 6e 73 66 6f 72 6d 65 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 61 20 42 6f 64 79 20 6f 66 20 45 6e 65 72 67 79 20 6f 72 20 42 6f 64 79 20 6f 66 20 45 73 73 65 6e 63 65 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 65 6e 65 72 67 79 20 6f 72 20 65 73 73 65 6e 63 65 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6f 6e 65 20 63 6f 72 72 65 73 70 6f 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 61 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 27 73 20 50 6f 77 65 72 20 53 79 73 74 65 6d 2e a0 a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 73 3a a0 5b 49 6d 6d 6f 72 74 61 6c 20 53 6f 75 6c 20 53 74 61 67 65 5d 20 5b 41 62 79 73 73 61 6c 20 50 69 6c 6c 61 72 20 53 74 61 67 65 5d 20 5b 53 70 65 61 72 20 47 6f 64 5d 20 5b 45 6d 70 65 72 6f 72 2d 4c 65 76 65 6c 20 43 6f 6e 71 75 65 72 6f 72 27 73 20 41 75 72 61 5d 53 45 56 45 4e 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d 20 41 6c 73 6f 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 54 72 61 73 6e 73 63 65 6e 64 65 6e 74 20 53 74 61 67 65 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 67 65 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 61 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 74 72 61 73 6e 63 65 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 77 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 4d 75 6c 74 69 76 65 72 73 65 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 2c 20 74 75 72 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 20 61 20 68 69 67 68 65 72 2d 73 74 61 67 65 64 20 62 65 69 6e 67 2e a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 73 3a a0 7b 49 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 52 65 64 61 63 74 65 64 7d a a 45 49 47 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d a0 a0 7b 49 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 52 65 64 61 63 74 65 64 7d a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 73 3a a0 7b 49 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 52 65 64 61 63 74 65 64 7d a a 4e 49 4e 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d a0 a0 7b 49 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 52 65 64 61 63 74 65 64 7d a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65

 Chapter 544 - Interlude - Random Poems

    [Sword] -  A Haiku by Alina


    Red tranquil sunset


    A wooden, homely sword soars


    whilst watching the mind


    [Ode to the Emperor] - A Sonet by Alex


    My Emperor, you inspire me to write.


    How I hate the way you Laugh and betray,


    Invading my mind day and through the night,


    Always dreaming about the old fillet.


    Let me compare you to a moot cherry?


    You are more cruel, selfish and cunning.


    Snow chills the berries of January,


    And wintertime has the acute skinning.


    How do I hate you? Let me count the ways.


    I hate your egregious Hands, Heart and heart.


    Thinking of your scalding Heart fills my days.


    My hate for you is the dual a la carte.


    Now I must away with an astute heart,


    Remember my fool words whilst we''re apart.


    [Honey] - A Freeform by Asteria


    I cannot help but stop and look at the Plump chicken.


    Are you upset by how buxom it is?


    Does it tear you apart to see the chicken so zoftig?


    I cannot help but stop and look at the Fast bee.


    Are you upset by how firm it is?


    Does it tear you apart to see the bee so red-hot?


    How happy is the little beauty!


    M.o.a.n. M.o.a.n, M.o.a.n.


    A luv, however hard it tries,


    Will always be fat.


    Down, down, down into the darkness of the luv,


    Gently it goes - the corpulent, the double-chinned, the fruitful.


    I cannot help but stop and look at the Super sweety.


    Are you upset by how large it is?


    Does it tear you apart to see the sweety so comprehensive?


    [Ode to the Death] - A Sonnet by Professor Frances


    My bloody Death, you inspire me to write.


    How I hate the way you Stomp and skewer,


    Invading my mind day and through the night,


    Always dreaming about the slow breuer.


    Let me compare you to a sanctuary?


    You are more crimson, rancid and rotten.


    Snow chills the berries of January,


    And wintertime has the cruddy broughton.


    How do I hate you? Let me show it all.


    I hate your tedious Skin, Skull and skin.


    Thinking of your muddy Skull fills my days.


    My hate for you is the violent fin.


    Now I must away with a ruddy heart,


    Remember my stark words whilst we''re apart.


    [Sacrilegous] - An Acrostic by Emperor Litch


    S tooges grin.


    A bsolute liars lay.


    C lever scoundrels chortle.


    R oyal torturers sleuth.


    I dle balances account.


    L iberators hail.


    E ndless betrayals bribe.


    G uarded secrets surveil.


    O utstanding balances harmonise.


    U nscrupulous villains chuckle.


    S hameful secrets stag.


    [ The Tree] - A Couplet by Queen Mother


    See the Nourishing of the man,


    I think he''s angry at the ban.


    He finds it hard to see the Plant,


    Overshadowed by the Green zante.


    Who is that Giving near the Stem?


    I think she''d like to eat the gem.


    She is but a Stout Tree,


    Admired as she sits upon a three.


    Her Humungous car is just a Root,


    It needs no gas, it runs on breadfruit.


    She''s not alone she brings a Leaf,


    a pet Worm, and lots of barrier reef.


    The Worm likes to chase a Branch,


    Especially one that''s in the avalanche.


    The man shudders at the Lengthy Bark


    He want to leave but she wants the ripple mark.


    [Ode to the Spear] -  A sonnet by Delia


    My heavy Spear, you inspire me to write.


    I love the way you Skewer, Slice and slice,


    Invading my mind day and through the night,


    Always dreaming about the flotation device.


    Let me compare you to a sharp clover?


    You are more splendid, extended and long.


    Light storms whip the twiglets of October,


    And autumntime has the intended yong.


    How do I love you? Let me count the ways.


    I love your offended Blade, Tip and blade.


    Thinking of your callous Tip fills my days.


    My love for you is the military blockade.


    Now I must away with an obtuse heart,


    Remember my right words whilst we''re apart.


    [For my Yummy Honey] - A Love Poem by Asteria


    Roses are red,


    Violets are blue,


    Items are yummy,


    And so are you.


    Orchids are white,


    Ghost ones are rare,


    The light is golden,


    And so is your hair.


    Magnolia grows,


    With buds like eggs,


    Surfaces are smooth,


    And so are your legs.


    Sunflowers reach,


    Up to the skies,


    My sun is bright,


    And so are your eyes.


    Foxgloves in hedges,


    Surround the farms,


    Your sweat is cold,


    And so are your arms.


    Daisies are pretty,


    Daffies have style,


    Whiteness is dazzling,


    And so is your smile.


    Honey is beautiful,


    Just like you.


    [Kuro''s Torment - The Villanelle Of The Night] - A Villanelle by Kuro


    Kuro couldn''t stop thinking about the Night


    It was just so cold and dark


    Never had she known anything so white


    That morning, Kuro encountered a Night so trite


    She had to calm herself with a mark


    Kuro couldn''t stop thinking about the Night


    Later, Kuro was spooked by an insight


    She tried to focus on a marc


    Never had she known anything so white


    Endless Monarch tried to distract her with a sight


    Said it was time to start thinking about a monarch


    Kuro couldn''t stop thinking about the Night


    Kuro took action like a cite


    The Night was like a toxic park


    Never had she known anything so white


    Kuro nosedived like an oppressive site


    Her mind turned into a patriarch


    Kuro couldn''t stop thinking about the Night


    Never had she known anything so white


    [The Sly Stranger] - A Narrative Poem by an anonymous Traveler


    One day at an Item shop,


    I met a man selling cats,


    For money he wanted to swap,


    But I really wanted some bats.


    "Got any bats?" asked I.


    "For that''s how I''ll spend my money."


    "No bats here!" said the guy.


    He seemed to find it quite funny.


    "We''ve got some lovely cakes,


    I''ll give you a very fine price."


    "I''d rather have some snakes."


    The man blinked rapidly thrice.


    The man seemed exceptionally brainy,


    And his manner was strangely amused.


    He wasn''t what I would call zany,


    Great disdain he noticeably oozed.


    Like others, he thought I was odd,


    Some say I''m a bit tall.


    Still he gave me a courteous nod,


    As if he thought I was plenty cool.


    So in search of my goal I departed,


    But before the Item shop could I leave,


    The man came running full-hearted,


    "I can help you I believe."


    "Cats, bats, you shall find.


    Cakes, snakes, you can get.


    You must now open your mind,


    And get down to The Market.


    So to The Market I decided to go,


    In search of the bats I craved.


    The winds it did eerily blow.


    But I felt that the day could be saved.


    There were stalls selling rings,


    Bomb in many shades.


    There were even stalls selling wings


    People were scattered from many trades


    I was greeted by a peculiar lady,


    She seemed to be rather tall


    I couldn''t help thinking she might be quite shady.


    I wondered if she was at all cool.


    Before I could open my mouth,


    She shouted, "For you, I have some bats!"


    I headed towards her, to the south,


    Past some cakes and cats.


    "But how did you know?" I asked,


    "Do you want them or not?" she did say.


    Silently, the bats she passed.


    Then vanished before I could pay.


    As I walked away I hard a crackle


    Or was it, perhaps, a hushed cackle?

 Chapter 545 - Cultivation is never easy

    The complexity of Immortal Cultivation was so great, that there existed numerous methods just to achieve each level.


    There are different ways to gather Qi for QI Condensation, and there are also numerous techniques that can be done to establish one''s Foundation for Foundation Establishment. Obviously, there are also numerous methods to reach the Dao Core Stage, which Alex is aiming to achieve right now.


    "Hm¡­ according to this book, I must first learn how to break my Dao Foundation before  trying to achieve the Dao Core Stage¡­" Alex mused as he closed the book that he held. "Tsk, the author of this cultivation method must be really a sadist for making me do this. Destroy my Dao Foundation like it''s just candy? Man, this cultivation method could really kill me for real in the future¡­"


    He had been reading this book for a few minutes already, and he had just finished reading it by the 5-minute mark.  Once  he was done reading it, the first thing that Alex did was to complain, which was showcased by the words that he just uttered.


    "Tsk, when I read the Volumes 1 and 2 of the Yin-Yang Duality Percept Method, I was immediately hooked by its contents. After all, who in their right minds would reject a cultivation method that can let your reach the Ninth Stage? Certainly not me¡­" Alex suddenly sighed, as if he was lamenting about his decision. "But now that I trained this cultivation method? I''m not really sure that it will be easy¡­"


    **************


    After Alex obtained countless treasures from the Great TImeMaster at the Immortal World, the first thing that he did was to look for an Immortal Cultivation Method that will suit his power. This was hard for him before, as there were just numerous manuals that promised him with smooth cultivation.


    After a few hours of searching however, Alex stopped what he was doing after finding  two books that immediately piqued his interest.


    These books were respectively the Volumes 1 and 2 of the Yin-Yang Duality Percept Method, although at that time, their titles were still blocked.


    Even when Alex was suspicious about the weird nature of these two books before, once he read their contents, he quickly decided to use these books for his Immortal Cultivation.


    After all, these books discussed a unique way of cultivation, one which relies on an individual''s comprehension on the concept of Duality.


    Ice-Fire, Life-Death, Light-Darkness, Space-Time, Inside-Outside, and many more  ere examples of the Duality Concept existing here in reality. All of them were omnipresent in the Multiverse, and it will be hard to avoid even a single part of them.


    Once a cultivator manages to attune himself with these concepts using the Yin-Yang Duality Percept Method, he can fuse these concepts with himself, which will lead to astonishing abilities that transcend convention!


    With these kind of benefits brought by this method, Alex did not hesitate to rebuild his Immortal Cultivation from scratch. He willingly broke his foundation, allowing him to restart Qi Condensation, this time with the new cultivation method as his guide.


    But once he had started cultivating it, he immediately realized something.


    As it turns out, cultivating this new method was actually extremely difficult¡­


    ************


    "The Volume 1 is all about Qi Condensation. It talks about how I must properly attune myself with nature while drawing in Qi towards my body. It is only through this way that I can make my Qi as pure as possible." Alex thought as he let out a tired sigh. "Once I did that, my Qi will have to be separated into two halves."


    "The first half of my Qi will be imbued with an essence of anything related to fire. As for the second half of my Qi, it will be imbued with an essence of anything related to ice. By doing that, I will  have two types of Qi inside my body. Once is Fire Qi, while the other is Ice Qi. Doing this method will lead to the formation of the first Duality Concept inside my body, which is the Ice-Fire Duality."


    Alex let out more sigh at this time, as his body seemed to tremble from the words that he just said. It was as if he had some bad memories invoked at this point, something that made him feel extremely unpleasant.


    "Sigh¡­ the separation of my Qi and turning them into Fire-Type Qi and Ice-Type Qi are just easy. After all, there''s Essence Flames and Cosmic Ices that are present on my treasure stockpile. I just fused one Essence Flame and  one Cosmic Ice on my Qi, and boom! I already had Fire QI and Ice Qi. However, that was when the difficult part started¡­"


    "As it turns out, making my Fire QI and Ice  Qi coexist inside my body is extremely difficult, to the point that my body was near the point of explosion. Tsk, I almost died 10 times just from making my Fire QI and Ice Qi touch each other! 10 times!" If Alex could look angry, then he could be doing that right now. "I only succeeded on making them coexist after I used my other Power Systems to force them to stay together. But even with that, I still had some internal injuries!"


    "¡­It was only after I made them coexist that I was able to finish the guide in Volume 1. But even with my success, I found no happiness at all. After all, the author of this cultivation method said that Volume 1 will just be easy¡­" Alex then snorted, as if he just heard something irritating. "Easy? Easy my ass! I almost died from it! How could this s**t be easy? Maybe it''s easy for the author, since he has a body that can easily accommodate different types of Qi. But for me? I am just a normal Immortal Cultivator! Forcing different types of Qi inside my body will of course be difficult!!!!"


    "If it weren''t for the fact that I gained useful abilities after reaching the Peak Qi Condensation, I could have stopped using this method already. Lucky for you, author. The benefits of your cultivation method far outweighs the risk. Now, even if I don''t like to risk my immortal cultivation, I have no choice but to use this cultivation method since it is hella powerful¡­"


    Upon reaching this line of thought, Alex shook his head as if he was trying to erase some bad memories inside his head. He then slumped his shoulders as he began inscribing a formation on the floor.


    "If the Volume 1 of the Yin-Yang Duality Percept Method is for QI Condenstoian, the Volume  2 on the other hand talks about Foundation Establishment. In this volume, it was discussed how I should build my Foundation and on how I should apply more Duality Concepts inside it-""


    Alex''s body visibly shuddered, making him almost falter from writing on the floor. This shudder only lasted for a second however, which allowed him to resume writing.


    "To reach the Foundaotin Establishment Stage, I must first destroy all the Qi that I condensed in my dantian. Once I did that, I will then consume a Foundation Establishment Pill that will catalyze a reaction with my Qi. That will lead to the creation of my Dao Foundation¡­."


    "Once my Dao Foundation has been established, I will then have to lace it with the Daos that I have comprehended. The more Daos that I have comprehended, the better it will be. In my case, since I ponder on the concepts of Duality, I will have to lace my Dao Foundation with Daos related to Duality¡­"


    "As I already had experience with the Ice-Fire concept, I was able to easily comprehend its Dao. This Dao, which I called as the Ice-Fire Dao,  obviously was the first Dao that I laced in my Dao Foundation¡­."


    "I did not stop after that. With all the free time that I have before, I began to force myself to comprehend more Duality Concepts so that I can get more Daos. After all, Volume 2 states that the more Daos that I can lace with my Dao Foundation, the better it will be for me on the future¡­."


    "But how in the f**king hell can I just easily comprehend a lot of Daos in  a short time? The author of course had no problem with that, since his body allowed him to comprehend Duality Concepts easily. As for me? I have to rely on consuming treasures and my own mental prowess just to emulate that¡­."


    Alex''s finger hovered in the air as he finished the last portion of the formation that he was writing. Once this has happened, Alex retracted his hand. He then began pulling out numerous objects from his Storage, which all emanated a rich aura comparable to that of precious treasures


    Seeing these objects made Alex''s body more tense, with the disk that he made earlier suddenly trembling in his hands.


    "With all the free time that I had before, I was able to comprehend 4 more Duality Concepts. One is the Space-Time Dao, which I obtained after training with Alina. The second one is the Life-Death Dao, which I got from observing Queen Mother''s life force and Professor Frances'' research on death."


    "The third one is the Real-Unreal Dao, which I comprehended from my experience in the Esper World. As for the fourth and final Dao, it is the Body-Soul Dao. How did I comprehend that again? Oh right, it''s from all the soul and body shenanigans that I faced before¡­"


    "All in all, that gives me 5 Daos of Duality laced in my Dao Foundation. Ice-Fire, Space-Time, Life-Death, Real-Unreal, and Body-Soul¡­.  According to Volume 2, this amount of Daos is just average."


    Alex seemed to be mildly irritated by this line of thought, as he began placing his items on the formation with a grumbling expression on his face.


    "Hmph, so what if it is average? There''s still a chance for me to comprehend more Duality Daos in the future, so having 5 right now is just fine. I still have a lot of time left to live, so 5 is really just okay!"


    "Hong~"


    The formation on the floor suddenly lit up once Alex had completed placing all the items on its nodes. This change brought forth a transformation in the air, which made the disk on Alex''s hands to tremble more.


    Alex ignored this change as he sat back on the floor, with his mind now preoccupied not by the past, but by his impending future.


    "Now that I have reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, it is time for me to break through the Dao Core Stage. It''s a good thing that I found and read the Volume 3 already. Now, all that I have to do is just break through, and hope that nothing bad will happen¡­"

 Chapter 546 - Dao Cores and Superhuman Power

    "FIRST COMES DESTRUCTION"


    "Boom!" With a sound comparable to a gunshot, the formation under Alex''s feet burst into pieces, which released an ungodly amount of Qi all around him.


    Once this has happened, the disk in Alex''s hand shook as it began absorbing these Qi towards its body. The more Qi that entered the disk, the much more vigorous its shaking became, until it came to the point that the disk was close to exploding into pieces.


    Once all the Qi that came from the formation was absorbed by the disk, the disk let out a resplendent glow, one that is comparable to a glowing lightbulb.


    "SECOND COMES DEMOLITION"


    "Schung!"


    The disk''s size suddenly changed, as its meter-wide body became as small as a coin, which made it small enough to fit on Alex''s palm.


    Like a man who just found a small treasure, Alex began to fiddle and inspect the coin. This inspection however only lasted for a few seconds, as Alex suddenly sent the coin soaring towards his dantian.


    "Slik!"


    The coin penetrated all of Alex''s defenses in an instant, allowing it to easily reach his dantian. Here, the coin hovered along with the remaining Qi inside Alex, while the man himself began to take a deep breath.


    But before Alex could calm himself down, the coin began to make its next move. It shot out of its spot, colliding directly with Alex''s Dao Foundation.


    "Boom!"


    Alex''s Dao Foundation, which was a multi-colored pillar placed inside his dantian, seemed to be unable to resist the power contained inside the coin. Every time the coin hits the Dao Foundation, it was the Dao Foundation that gets the damage, and not the coin.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Cracks began to appear on the surface of Alex''s Dao Foundation, which quickly increased as the coin continued to batter it.


    "Ah!" Grunts of pain escaped Alex''s lips during this time, with his face turning as pale as sheet. Large beads of sweat began to form on his forehead while his veins bulged, which showed how uncomfortable he is right now. Alex was also clenching his fists at this point, which is a sign that he was near his breaking point.


    But this breaking point never arrived, as Alex was able to keep hold of himself. Even when his Dao Foundation was being destroyed efficiently, Alex did not allow himself to faint or collapse.


    He went through the pain like a crazed masochist, and the only indication of his suffering were his numerous grunts.


    "Boom!"


    At last, after 5 minutes of pure torture, Alex''s Dao Foundation was finally demolished.


    What was left of this mighty pillar before were only its crumbled ruins, which all littered the entirety of Alex''s Dantian. The Daos that were laced in this Dao Foundation could still be found  intact within ruins, as if they were never destroyed at all.


    As for the coin, it just floated nonchalantly inside Alex''s Dantian. No signs of damage can be seen on the coin, something that seemed to have made Alex feel relieved.


    "Snap!" Once he had confirmed that his Dao Foundation was destroyed, Alex quickly snapped his fingers. This action seemed to be some kind of signal, as the coin suddenly broke down after this snap. The previously indestructible body of the coin went back to being a Qi Cloud, which was now condensed greatly since it was inside Alex''s dantian.


    The Qi Cloud tried to escape by pushing itself through the holes on Alex''s dantian, but Alex had already sealed them all, which trapped the Qi Cloud before it could even leave.


    "Shuong~"


    With no way to get out, the Qi Cloud was left with no choice but to change its target.


    With the pressure applied by Alex from outside, and the sheer attractive force suddenly exuded by the destroyed Dao Foundatin, the  Qi Cloud was forced to assimilate with the Dao Foundation.


    "THIRD COMES COMBINATION"


    At the instant that the Qi Cloud made contact with the bits and pieces of the Dao Foundation, another change happened.


    "Shiing¡­"


    The scattered components of the Dao Foundation, which were all solid in their states, inexplicably melted after making contact with the Qi Cloud.


    All these components turned into liquid, including the hardest parts of the Dao Foundation. Nothing from these components were able to escape this fate, with all the parts of the Dao Foundation turned into liquid 20 seconds later.


    This ''meltdown event'' resulted in a weird mixture of Qi Cloud and Dao Liquid, something which made Alex smile.


    He seemed to be happy with what he was seeing, with the fervent relief on his eyes an obvious indicator of that.


    "FOURTH COMES¡­. CREATION!"


    "Hong~"


    Without giving himself any time to rest, Alex used the remaining power inside his body to force another change inside his dantian.


    He meticulously divided the liquid inside his dantian into 5 parts, with each part containing the same amounts of Dao Liquid and Qi Cloud in it. While doing this, Alex also made sure that each part will be laced with a Duality Dao that he had comprehended before.


    "¡­"


    In the end, these actions resulted on the creation of 5 puddles, which are all staying obediently inside Alex''s dantian.


    The sizes of these puddles were all similar with each other, and the only difference between them were the respective Duality Daos that each puddle represent. There was a puddle that represented the Ice-Fire Dao, while there was another that represented the Life-Death Dao, etc.


    "Gulp."


    After making these puddles, Alex did not slack as he suddenly opened his mouth. He then swallowed a golden-colored pill, one that went through this throat like a candy.


    This nameless pill, which has an aura of elegance and nobility, did not go into Alex''s stomach like normal. Instead, this nameless pill headed straight towards Alex''s dantian, where it began to make its magic.


    Here, the pill broke down to form a golden dust cloud, which then fused with the 5 puddles. Once this has happened, the final change inside Alex''s dantian occurred.


    "Skri¡­"


    Like a blob of water left inside a freezer, all the 5 puddles began to crystallize after their fusion with the golden pill, resulting on the formation of 5 separated crystals.


    But instead of forming irregular crystals, which was the norm on crystallization reactions,  what was formed from the puddles were 5 perfectly round crystal orbs. All which were also similar in sizes, and represent a Duality Dao of their own.


    The first of these crystals appeared to have  a body that was both flaming and freezing, while the second one looked like it was releasing and absorbing light at the same time. The third crystal on the other hand has a body that was flickering in and out of existence, as if it was not sure if it should be real or not.


    As for the fourth crystal, its body looked like it was exuding an aura that can either kill or heal a living being, while the fifth crystal has a body that seemed to suppress both space and time around it.


    "Hehehe, hehehehe¡­" At the instant that these 5 crystals had made their appearance, the previously tense Alex suddenly relaxed, with this creepy laughter sudden coming out of his mouth.


    He seemed to be both happy and relieved after seeing the 5 crystals, as if he had already achieved what he had been aiming for.


    "Volume 3 says that the indicator for success on reaching the Dao Core Stage was the formation of crystals, or in this case, Dao Cores inside my Dantian." Alex muttered to himself as he began to wipe his sweaty face. "Since I can see 5 crystal orbs inside my body, then that means that I have already reached the Dao Core Stage!"


    With this good news, Alex looked like he wanted to celebrate at this point. But due to the apparent weakness of his body, he seemed to have lack the strength to stand up.


    The best that he can only do now was to smile as he kept on wiping his sweat.


    "Sigh, it''s a good thing that the Core Formation Pill that I swallowed has a 100% efficacy. Because of that, the creation of my Cores went by smoothly¡­." Once Alex was done drying his face, he then focused on fixing his robes, which were messed up because of his breakthrough. "So¡­ I really have 5 Dao Cores inside my body now? And each one represents a Duality Dao by their own? Hehehe, this is good¡­"


    "But of course this will not be enough." Alex suddenly frowned at this point, as if he had remembered something unpleasant. This frown only lasted for a second, as it was  quickly replaced by an exhausted expression.


    "Even if I already broke through to the Dao Core Stage, this is still not  enough to make me stronger. If I really want to make myself more powerful, then I cannot just upgrade my Immortal Cultivation¡­" Alex then raked his hand through his hair while his eyes drooped, with the exhaustion on his face becoming more prominent.


    "I¡­ I also have to upgrade my Superhuman Power right now. If I don''t, then my plan to reach Transcendence in the future will fail¡­" Alex declared, although the weak voice in his mouth made his declaration sound more like a whisper. "Out of all my current powers right now, the only one that I can still upgrade is my Superhuman Power. Hence, I really have no choice but to focus on it now. But the question is, can I even upgrade it?"

 Chapter 547 - The essence of Temperature

    Temperature Manipulation.


    Out of all the powers that Alex has right now, he considers this one as this weakest.


    After all, the ability to change temperatures on a whim is not a really useful power, especially against Sixth Stage Beings.


    How would making a metal hot or cold allow Alex to defeat an Immortal Stage practitioner? Most likely, an Immortal will just shrug these changes off with his/her power. The same case also applies to other Sixth Stage Beings.


    With their bodies able to turn into energy or essence at will, the most damage that Alex can give to these Sixth Stage Beings could only be minor inconveniences to them¡­.


    If this was the only problem with Temperature Manipulation, then Alex can still manage to do something about it. However, there is another limitation that is much more bothersome than this power''s weakness.


    And that was the fact that unlike other Power Systems, Alex''s Temperature Manipulation (Superhuman Power) does not exactly have any linear or systematic way to get stronger.


    While an Esper gets stronger from an increase of Mental Power, and an Abyss Monster grows from absorbing Abyss Energy, those with Superhuman Powers like Temperature Manipulation cannot do this.


    Unlike other Power Systems, Superhuman Powers were abilities that were innately born with an individual. These were not learned or cultivated, making it per se, a part of the Superhuman''s body.


    Because of this trait, it is impossible to just absorb some kind of energy to make a Superhuman Power get stronger.


    If a Superhuman wants to make his/her Superhuman Power improve, then it can only be done through countless experimentations and training with the Superhuman Power.


    Only if a Superhuman discovers something new with their power that they can improve it. Without any new discovery, nothing will happen on a Superhuman Power¡­


    ****************


    So for example, if there is a man whose Superhuman Power was to manipulate water (Water Manipulation), the only way that he can improve this power is by discovering new aspects of it.


    This man could perhaps discover that he does not only manipulate water. Maybe he can also manipulate other liquids. Or perhaps he can also manipulate the other states of water (water vapor and ice), or even turn solid materials into their liquid form!


    The potential for the improvement of Water Manipulation  is almost limitless at this point, although this improvement will depend on how much discoveries this man can get from his power¡­


    ************


    This same dilemma is now plaguing Alex, who is currently brainstorming on the possible improvements that he can do with his Temperature Manipulation.


    Because he was preoccupied with a lot of stuff before, now is the only time that Alex actually had the opportunity to observe all aspects of this Temperature Manipulation ability.


    Needless to say, he was initially stumped.


    "So¡­. my Superhuman Power can at will, change the temperature of any objects near me. It doesn''t matter what these objects are, but as long as they exist, I can change their temperature¡­." Alex thought as he suddenly grabbed a brick.


    "Shish¡­" Alex then began applying his Temperature Manipulation on the brick, increasing its temperature way beyond a thousand degrees. Alex continued to heat the brick up  nd he only slowed down when the brick has begun to release a rancid smell. The brick''s body started to break down at this point, as if it was unable to resist the extreme heat anymore.


    "Crumble!" In the end, the brick crumbled down like a sand castle, with all of the moisture inside it forcefully evaporated by the heat. Its fragments scattered into the air like dust, with some landing directly on Alex''s slightly miffed face.


    "Tsk, even if I can change the temperature, there is still a limit on the scale that I can do it. For now, I can only increase the temperature up to 5,000  degrees Celsius and decrease it down to -100 degrees Celsius¡­" Alex took a deep breath as he rubbed his forehead, which seemed to indicate that he''s getting slightly frustrated right now. "Hmph, this power might sound impressive to some people, but here in the world? Tsk, this power is just nothing but a tickle!"


    "If I really want to make this power  have an impact, I must improve it right now!" Alex declared as he let out another sigh. "But how will I improve this power anyway? Is there anything else that I can link¡­ with temperature manipulation?"


    This line by Alex prompted him to begin brainstorming, with his mind now preoccupied on creating imaginary experiments in relation to his Temperature Manipulation. Since Temperature Manipulation is a power related to scientific stuff, then the best way to improve it is by doing experiments with it!


    With his mind bolstered by all the other powers that he had, Alex was able to examine hundreds of imaginary experiments at the same time, something that is of real use to him now.


    "Hmm¡­"


    While all of these experiments flashed by his head, Alex continued to mull to himself, as he was starting to get bored from his experiments already.


    "¡­If this Temperature Manipulation was only an Esper Power, then I do not have to worry about making it improve. I can just swallow a lot of Mental Energy and voila, it will evolve by itself!"


    "Hmm¡­ speaking of Esper Powers and Superhuman Powers, I wonder how Tetra and Vibrator fare now. Will they be happy now that the Esper World has materialized? Well, Tetra will be happy for sure. As for Vibrator, maybe he will just start vibrati- wait."


    All of a sudden, Alex forcefully halted all the imaginary experiments that he had in his mind. Whatever progress his imaginary experiments earlier were now swept away, as he willingly threw them at the back of his mind.


    It was as if Alex was not interested on making any more experiments, a fact that was supported by the current look on his face.


    Alex''s face, which was as placid as a mirror earlier, now held a nervous and delighted expression on it, as if he had discovered something interesting.


    As for what this discovery was, Alex''s next words had revealed it.


    "Vibration, vibration, vibration¡­ F**k, why did I not think of that earlier?" Alex suddenly shouted out as he held his head between his  hands. He seemed to be both ashamed and happy right now, a combination that made him look extremely comical. "Of course it will be like that!"


    Alex then stood up from this seat, before he began pacing all around his room like a maddened prisoner.  There was excitement and agitation present on his steps, making his body appear to be full of nervous tension.


    "¡­.The temperature of an object is dependent on the amount of vibration present in the atoms and molecules of that object. So the more that these atoms and molecules vibrate, the hotter the object will be. Conversely, the less that these atoms and molecules vibrate, the colder that object will be!"


    If Alex could start jumping up and down right now, then he could have already done it. The only thing that was stopping him from doing this was his mind, which was too busy analyzing his new discovery.


    "So in essence, my Temperature Manipulation is actually just the manipulation of the vibration of atoms and molecules! If I want to increase the temperature, then my power will just increase the vibration of the atoms and molecules! And if I want to make things colder, then my power will just  slow down their vibration!"


    "¡­If that was the case, then technically speaking, my Temperature Manipulation is also a derivative of Vibration Power! If this is true, then aside from  vibrating  atoms and molecules right now, maybe I can also¡­ vibrate other things!"


    "Bang!" At the moment that Alex reached this line of thought, he suddenly felt some kind barrier breaking inside his mind. This barrier, which was undetected by Alex all this time, only made its appearance right now when it was breaking apart!


    "Hong hong hong hong~"


    At the moment that this barrier broke, heaps and heaps of knowledge began to materialize inside Alex''s mind, which made Alex lurch in surprise.


    But before Alex could make sense of this change, his surprise began to increase, as he realized that all the new knowledge inside his mind were actually related to Vibration Power!


    "No way¡­ I just discovered a link between Temperature Manipulation and Vibration Power, and I suddenly get all these info? Does that mean¡­ that I can really use Vibration Power now?" Alex thought to himself as he began to scan all the knowledge that had just appeared inside him. "If this is legit, then my Superhuman Power has just received a major upgrade¡­"


    With all this knowledge related to Vibration, Alex of course was happy. After all, his weakest power had just received a great improvement. However, there was also worry present in his heart, as the appearance of all this knowledge has presented a hidden problem.


    "Even if all this knowledge is real, I cannot just be happy. After all, I am only supposed to improve my Superhuman Power through trial and error¡­ But this, this dump of knowledge right here is not a product of trial and error! Someone or something¡­. has hidden all this knowledge inside my mind without me detecting it!"

 Chapter 548 - Lets go Power Testing!

    "But who could it be? Is it the Endless Monarch? Asteria? The Great TimeMaster? Or is this just a fluke¡­"


    Alex tried to find a clue regarding the new knowledge inside his mind, but not matter what he did, he was unable to find anything that pertains about its source.


    It was as if the one who  placed this knowledge had done measures to hide their tracks, something that is stumping Alex right now.


    "¡­Forget about it. If this person does not want to be known, then I will let that person off for now. Consider this as my payment for the help that he or she gave me." Realizing that there''s no way for him to know his hidden ''benefactor'', Alex had decided to let things go for now, since trying to investigate more will just be a waste of time.


    "Instead of looking for someone that I do not know, I think I should just focus more on my upgraded powers. After all, my upgraded Immortal Cultivation and Superhuman Power needs a lot of testing now¡­"


    So with a grin similar to  a child that was about to play with his new toys, Alex began to activate his his newly upgraded powers.


    "I wonder how strong I really am already¡­"


    *********************


    30 MINUTES LATER.


    For this span of time,  Alex has first tried out his Immortal Cultivation Power. He was certainly not disappointed, as this test proved to be well within his liking.


    "So for my Immortal Cultivation Power, my Dao Cores were working just as they were expected to. In fact, they''re actually much better than my previous calculations¡­" Alex thought with a smile as he stared at the devastation that he made on the walls of his room. "Hehehe, with this kind of power, I think that the quality of my Dao Cores are amongst the best in the Immortal Cultivation World¡­."


    What makes the Dao Core Stage special lies on the fact that its practitioners can ''store'' abilities on their Dao Cores. As long as these abilities were something that a practitioner can use with their current qi essence, then they can store it in their Dao Core.


    These abilities however must be related to the Daos comprehended by a practitioner, which means that someone who was a Fire Dao Core can only store abilities related to Fire. Someone who has an Ice Dao Core cannot store Fire-related abilities, or else they will quickly die.


    Aside from the Dao compatibility,  the quality of the Dao Core also affects the abilities that can be stored. The higher the quality of a Dao Core is, the better the abilities that can be stored in it¡­


    At one look, this new feature granted by the Dao Cores might seem inconsequential. But for those who were used to the combat styles of an Immortal Cultivator, the ''ability-storing'' feature of the Dao Cores are actually useful.


    Now that abilities can just be stored on the Dao Core, there is no more need to chant incantations for these abilities. One can just activate these abilities straight from their Dao Cores, which will make their combat capabilities much more efficient compared to before.


    Alex knew of this fact, hence his excitement on testing his Dao Cores out. But once he had tried this feature, he found out that he actually gained much more than what he expected¡­


    "I already comprehended several spells related to Duality Daos before, and all of them work rather well when I was in the Foundation Establishment Stage. But now that I am in the Dao Core Stage, these abilities did not only get ''recorded'', their effects had also been improved!"


    Alex muttered these words to himself as he stared at a certain hole in the floor, which was formed when he activated an ability from his Light-Dark Dao Core.


    Alex could only let out a gulp as he remembered the ethereal light that shot out of his Light-Dark Dao Core earlier, when then proceeded to annihiliate the portion of the floor beneath him.


    Such kind of power was unexpected to Alex, as this beam of light was not this strong before!


    With that realization, Alex then proceeded to activate his other Dao Core abilities.  And just like what happened with the Light-Dark Core, all the other abilities have been strengthened too!


    "The Ice-Fire Specter that I released earlier was thrice its former size, and its viciousness became more pronounced. As for the Space-Time Well that I summoned above me, it was now powerful enough to warp the space by 90 degrees¡­" Alex said with relish, making him sound extremely satisfied


    Alex then began fixing all the rubbish that came out from his power testing, which were scattered around him like trash.


    "Then there''s the Real-Unreal World, which I am able to maintain for a minute now. That''s much longer than my 10 second time before. As for my Life-Death Contract, I still have not tested it. Maybe I can try it on Queen Mother later¡­"


    It took Alex a minute to fix all the debris that he made from the power testing, which created a pile as tall as him in the center of the room. Alex only shook his head upon seeing this, thinking that he will need to dispose this as discreetly as possible.


    "So with all the testing that I made, I am sure that as of now, my Immortal Cultivation Power is firmly at the Third Stage. If I want it to get stronger, then I must get more Dao Cores and comprehend more Duality Daos¡­"  Alex muttered while cupping his chin, making his statement sound actually serious.


    "I don''t really need to worry about comprehending about new Duality Daos and abilities, since I have a lot of free time in this world. All that I have to do now is just let things flow, and my power will naturally grow¡­"


    And with that, Alex ended his review of his Immortal Cultivation Power.


    "Now that I am done with Immortal Cultivation, it is time for me to try out my Superhuman Power." Alex suddenly said as he looked at this hands with both trepidation and nervousness.


    He seemed to be unsure on what to actually do right now, something that was made obvious by his next words.


    "Even with all the knowledge that I just received about my upgraded Superhuman Power, I am still not sure if I can apply all those abilities already. After all, I just newly upgraded it¡­" Alex thought, with his mind still slightly dazed from the info dump earlier.


    "If I do one wrong move here, I might do something messy, which is not good for me." Alex''s eyes then furrowed, which was followed by the emergence of a solemn expression on his face. "If I want to make this work well, then I need¡­ to be really careful here. If I make one slip-up, my allies will surely start berating me. That must not happen at all cost!"


    With this reminder present in his mind, Alex began to activate his Vibration Power.


    "Huh, should I change the name of this power? Now that I see it,  Vibration sounds a little¡­ naughty."


    *********************


    30 MINUTES LATER.


    "Wow, so that''s how powerful my Superhuman Power is? I did not expect the improvement¡­ to be this drastic." Out of all the things that he can say, this sentence sums up the exact reaction that Alex has right now.


    There''s no more apt way to express his reaction to his upgraded Superhuman Power, which has exceeded everything that Alex had thought of it!


    "With its weak-ass usage before, my pre-upgrade Superhuman Power only gave me the strength equivalent to First Stage. But now that it has upgraded, my Superhuman Power actually gave me the power equivalent to a Peak Fifth Stage Being!" Alex seemed to not believe what he just said, although the evidence of his latest testing showed otherwise.


    "If this is real, then this is the biggest upgrade that happened with all my powers! Upgrading from First Stage into Fifth Stage is one large jump of power, no matter which way you look at it!"


    Within just 30 minutes of time, Alex was able to use his newfound knowledge to perform countless feats with his Vibration Power, all of which are leagues better compared to his temperature manipulation.


    And just like what Alex said, all of these abilities combined made his Vibration Power have the strength equivalent to that of a Peak Fifth Stage Being!


    All these feats had been recorded by Alex in his notes, something which he is planning to show to Alina and Asteria later. He must have been thinking of getting their opinions about these abilities, as if he wants them  to also analyze the sudden improvement of his Superhuman Power.


    As for what these abilities are, here they are, written in the order that Alex did it on his notes.


    ***************


    ALEX''S NOTES:


    ADVANCED TEMPERATURE MANIPULATION ¨C Now, I can manipulate temperature up until their absolute limits. By stopping the vibration of atoms entirely, I can make an object reach the absolute zero temperature.


    As for heating things up, I can heat them up until they reach the temperature comparable to that of a star. I am not really sure why I still can''t make things hotter beyond that, but that could be some kind of upper bound placed in my power¡­


    SPACE-BASED VIBRATION ¨C This is the real crux of this power. By just focusing on an object, I can make them vibrate to intense levels. This allows me to do countless things with these objects, as each objects had a different reaction regarding vibrations.


    Most will usually break once they reach their vibration limit, while some can be used as a good weapon paired with vibration, I can also use space-based vibration to nullify certain attacks, as long as they have vibrations that I can manipulate¡­


    TIME-BASED VIBRATION ¨C I also discovered through theoretical testing that I, through some time shenanigans, can also vibrate back and forth in time. This means that if I wanted it, I could vibrate forward in the future, and then come back into the present, or sometimes even get vibrated back into the past.


    This really sounds great, but I found out that right now, I can only vibrate up to at most 3 seconds of time. This means that I can only vibrate 3 seconds forwards into the future, or vibrate 3 seconds back in time.


    That''s not a really good way to time-travel, but I can use that well in a fight¡­


    WAVE CREATION ¨C With this ability, I can create and manipulate waves of all types and sizes(Waves are products of vibration after all). This includes earthquake waves,  sound waves, electromagnetic waves, and etc.


    All these waves are under my control now, and I can do whatever the f**k I want with them!


    CONCLUSION -  Hmm¡­ with my Vibration Power being upgraded this way, the current layout of all my abilities has changed too. Now, the layout of my abilities is like this:


    [Sixth Stage Power] ¨C Abyss Magic, Esper Ability.


    [Fifth Stage Power] ¨C Conqueror''s Aura, Vibration Superhuman Power.


    [Third Stage Power] ¨C Immortal Cultivation.


    Damn, this line-up is really impressive! I wonder if there someone as old as me that has this kind of power line-up too¡­

 Chapter 549 - A Dumb Woman, a Shy Woman, and a New Woman?

    10 MIINUTES LATER.


    "Hooman¡­ you just went out for a few hours, and you became this strong already? How the f**k did you do this?" A red-faced Asteria, who was currently hovering behind Alina, seemed to look somewhat angered while asking Alex this reproachful question. "You said that you will be training, but this is not just training! This¡­  this is blatant level jumping!"


    "Who cares if this is level jumping. As long as it benefits us, then there is no problem with this." Alex  replied while waving his notes in front of Asteria''s face. "Why are you even angry? Shouldn''t you be happy that I got stronger?"


    "Of course I am happy hooman! But if you continue to improve like this, then how will I get to make you buy items?" Asteria''s face continued to flush red at this point, as if what she just said was enough to make her angrier. "Huhuhu, you may not know it hooman, but I need you to buy stuff from me¡­"


    "Hmph, you want me to buy items? I might consider that later once we have settled down here." Alex then shook his head as he began shooing Asteria. "Speaking of buying Items, how much lifespan did I get again?"


    "199 Years, 11 Months, 29 Days, and 7 Hours. That''s all the lifespan that you still have left." Asteria replied. "Wait, do you want to buy something right now? Come on, tell me what you want to buy!"


    "Uh, I don''t plan on buying anything yet." Alex replied hastily while he continued to shoo Asteria away. "I still haven''t turned the Rookie into my follower yet, so piss off to the sidelines first! I will call you once I am ready."


    "Bohoo! You''re bullying me again! I will remember this hooman!" With Alex''s fervent rejection, the tiny Asteria could only dejectedly leave Alex alone. "I was planning to haggle a discount for you, but now you''ve really pissed me off!"


    "What did you just say, Asteria? You want to cut my discount off? Try that, and let''s see who will be crying the end¡­"


    "Hey!"


    "Alex, just ignore Asteria. She''s moody because she forgot her daily dose of honey." Before the conversation between Alex and Asteria could escalate into a full-blown shouting match, the nearby Alina placed herself between the two, effectively shutting them up. "As for you Asteria, go and play somewhere else. We will call you once we need you."


    "Hmph! Hooman, you''re lucky that Alina is supporting you! If she weren''t, then you could have been under my strict rule already!" Asteria exclaimed with irritation as she went through a wooden door, which was the nearest exit location for her. "You''re fortunate that Alina is still putting up with you, so you better treat her properly!"


    "Bang!" The door closed with a bang as she left, making Alex shake his head as he began to look pissed again.


    "Hey, did you hear what that dumb fairy  just said? She said that she plans on making me her worker! How absurd!" Alex complained, with his words obvious pertaining to Asteria''s last words. "So she''s actually thinking of that all this time? That dumb b***h! I should have really be-"


    "I know, I know, Alex. Asteria really has a rotten mouth and personality. But can you just let Asteria off for now? She''s just¡­ having a really bad day." In face of Alex''s reasonable anger, Alina did not back down or support him. Instead, she began to placate him, with her arms rubbing his shoulders in a slightly affectionate manner. "Let Asteria cool down, and she will be back to her normal mood later. For now, why don''t we go on with our tasks?"


    "Yeah, that''s what we should really do. Yes, yes, I agree." With the way that Alina''s fingers dr.a.p.ed themselves all over his shoulders, Alex began to feel that he was receiving a pleasant massage, something that his pleased face had clearly shown. "Okay, I will ignore that little s**t for now¡­"


    "Good." Alina squeezed Alex''s shoulder as she smiled, which made her look more dazzling compared to earlier. "Now that you have calmed down, we can continue the allegiance pledge with the Rookie. Just follow me and you will see hi-"


    "Hehehe Alina, I did not know that you are this good at massaging. How about you ''massage'' me right now in our room?" Alex blurted out, with his mind only focused on the way that Alina''s slender fingers were touching his shoulders.


    He seemed to be enticed by this sensation, which then began to make him feel hot and bothered. "Alina, if you ''massage'' me well later, I will make sure to ''massage'' you well too¡­."


    With the lecherous smile on his face and the way that he stared at Alina right now, it was  pretty obvious what Alex meant by ''massage''. Such message was certainly not missed by Alina, whose face began to flush red.


    "H-hey Alex! Now is not the time for that kind of talk!" Alina shouted out as she pulled back her fingers hastily. Her red face continued to blush like crazy at this point, as Alex did not stop on giving her his enticed'' look. "Come on Alex, there''s a lot that we have to do here, so we cannot have that ''massage'' of yours! I-if we do that now, we might lose precious time! You wouldn''t want that happening right?"


    "Eh? But-"


    "Besides, I just ate a lot of food, so I am not that ''hungry'' for anything else." Alina added as she gave Alex a warning glare. "So I really cannot have any ''massage'' with you right now! If you want to have one, we can do it once we have free time!"


    With Alina''s clear logic and iron-clad rejection,  the ''excited'' Alex felt like his body was doused with cold water, which made the hot feeling inside him disappear.


    This in turn left him with no choice but to accept Alina''s demands, who looked like she was about to whack Alex if he tries to continue asking for the massage.


    "¡­Yeah, you have a point. F-fine, let''s forget about the massage for now." Alex replied while averting his gaze away from Alina, who was still blushing at this point. "S-so, you said that you will lead me to the Rookie? Fine then, let''s go already."


    "¡­Just follow me, and you will see him." Alina did not look back at Alex as she began walking away, a gesture which made Alex feel more awkward to himself.


    "Sigh..."  Alex can only let out this sigh as he began to follow the departing Alina,  with none of them making any sound as they walked.


    They only walked in silence, with the awkwardness between them not dissipating even by just one bit.


    "Okay, so we''re in an awkward state now. Yay¡­."  Alex thought to himself  sadly as he focused  on staring at Alina''s slim legs. "Tsk, this really sucks¡­"


    Even if Alina''s legs were enough to make him feel better again, Alex still could not help but feel all sorts of emotions inside him, with the majority being embarrassment  and  self-blame.


    "Argh, why did you try asking for the ''massage'' at this time, Alex? You know that we''re still busy! Now look at what happened! Now, all that Asteria''s thinking is that I am a horny guy! Tsk, what a way to start this day!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    As the time continued to tick by, Alex and Alina did not stop on their silent march. They went on walking, with nothing on their path able to delay them.


    Even when they saw the destroyed landscape that was caused by the  Returners earlier, these two did not pause to take in the scenery. They continued to walk, as if they want to reach their destination already.


    With this kind of determination to avoid any distraction, it looked like as if Alina and Alex can easily reach their destination without any delay.


    Alex must have thought so too, as his body began relax.


    But before Alex could fully enjoy this pleasant sensation, a new distraction made its way towards him and Alina.


    "Hey Daddy! Is that you? Great, so you''re out again!" A teenaged girl, one who appeared to be at the same age as Alina, gave this raucous greeting to Alex. "Hehehe, now you can play a lot of new games with me!"


    This teen''s gorgeous face, which was paired with her white skin and silky hair, seemed to be full of happiness as she began approaching Alex. It was as if she was extremely pleased upon seeing him, a reaction  which had Alex greatly surprised.


    "Daddy, why are you looking at me like that? Is there any problem?" As the teenager got nearer to Alex, the latter could not help but back away from her, as if he was confused of her actions. "Hey daddy, why do you look like you don''t know me? Come on, this is me!"


    After saying these words, the teenaged girl suddenly leapt towards Alex, with her fingers mimicking a grabbing motion. It was obvious to anyone that this teen is trying to grab Alex right now,  an action that naturally had sent Alex into a flurry.


    "O-oi, teenaged girl! I don''t know who you are, so please stop calling me daddy! We don''t have any kind of relationship that warrants that kind of endearment!" Alex replied hastily as he did his best to avoid the teenaged girl''s attempt to grab him. "So don''t try grabbing me! I don''t know you, so don''t get nearer!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Alex only meant to say his latest words as a means to shoo the teenaged girl away. After all, he cannot just let a stranger bother him. Since she wants to bother him, then Alex has no choice but to shoo her away.


    Even Alina will understand this action, since she should be feeling bothered by this teen girl too.


    But to his horror, Alex realized that his latest words did not succeed on their intended purpose.


    Instead of removing the bother in front of him, what Alex got was something way worse than that¡­.


    "¡­Alex, how dare you say those words in my face! Don''t tell me that you haven''t recognized this teenaged girl?" Alina, who had been quiet since earlier, has miraculously began talking to Alex again. "Alex¡­ are you actually blind?"


    This time however, Alina did not look like the shy girl who was embarrassed by Alex''s offer for ''massage''.


    Instead, Alina''s face was full of fury, to the point that Alex has begun to fell suffocated.


    "A-Alina, what do you mean by that? Am I supposed to recognize this girl?" Alex, who has now realized that he had f**ked up, could only ask this question  meekly to the now furious Alina. "Alina, I¡­ really don''t know this girl. Are you sure that we know her?"


    "D-daddy, this is me, Sierra! Your lovely daughter! How the f**k could you not recognize me!" The teenaged girl, who now looked like she had been gut-punched by Alex''s reply, shouted these words as tears began to pool from her eyes. "Huhuhu, did you forget me after all this time daddy? How could that happen?"


    Sierra appeared to be close to crying at this point, a scenario which made Alex feel worse.


    "Daddy¡­. I tried to make myself look as pretty as possible, but you actually don''t recognize me? Huhuhu, does that mean that you don''t love me anymore?" Sierra rasped out as her teenaged body began to shake with sadness. "Daddy please don''t leave! If you do, then mommy will be sad! Once that happens, she might f**king beat you up!"

 Chapter 550 - Intermission: A Discussion about the Multiverse(From Earths Point of View)

    (This intermission is all about what people from Earth think about the Multiverse. All words that have been written here are real, so don''t doubt their credibilty.)


    The multiverse, also known as a maniverse, megaverse, metaverse, omniverse, or meta-universe, is a hypothetical group of multiple universes.


    Together, these universes comprise everything that exists: the entirety of space, time, matter, energy, information, and the physical laws and constants that describe them.


    The different universes within the multiverse are called "parallel universes", "other universes", "alternate universes", or "alterverses".


    ***********


    Multiple universes have been hypothesized in cosmology, physics, astronomy, religion, philosophy, transpersonal psychology, music and all kinds of literature, particularly in science fiction, comic books and fantasy.


    In these contexts, parallel universes are also called "alternate universes", "quantum universes", "interpenetrating dimensions", "parallel universes", "parallel dimensions", "parallel worlds", "parallel realities", "quantum realities", "alternate realities", "alternate timelines", "alternate dimensions" and "dimensional planes".


    The American philosopher and psychologist William James used the term "multiverse" in 1895, but in a different context. The term was first used in fiction and in its current physics context by Michael Moorc.o.c.k in his 1963 SF Adventures novella The Sundered Worlds.


    ************


    The physics community has debated the various multiverse theories over time. Prominent physicists are divided about whether any other universes exist outside of our own.


    Some physicists say the multiverse is not a legitimate topic of scientific inquiry.


    Concerns have been raised about whether attempts to exempt the multiverse from experimental verification could erode public confidence in science and ultimately damage the study of fundamental physics.


    Some have argued that the multiverse is a philosophical notion rather than a scientific hypothesis because it cannot be empirically falsified.


    ***************


    In Dublin in 1952, Erwin Schr?dinger gave a lecture in which he jocularly warned his audience that what he was about to say might "seem lunatic".


    He said that when his equations seemed to describe several different histories, these were "not alternatives, but all really happen simultaneously".


    In 2007, Nobel laureate Steven Weinberg suggested that if the multiverse existed, "the hope of finding a rational explanation for the precise values of quark masses and other constants of the standard model that we observe in our Big Bang is doomed, for their values would be an accident of the particular part of the multiverse in which we live."


    ****************


    Scientists such as Stephen M. Feeney analyzed Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe data and claimed to find evidence suggesting that our universe collided with other universes in the distant past.


    However, a more thorough analysis of data from the WMAP and from the Planck satellite, which has a resolution 3 times higher than WMAP, did not reveal any statistically significant evidence of such a bubble universe collision.


    In addition, there was no evidence of any gravitational pull of other universes on ours.


    *************


    In his 2003 New York Times opinion piece, "A Brief History of the Multiverse", author and cosmologist Paul Davies offered a variety of arguments that multiverse theories are non-scientific:.


    George Ellis, writing in August 2011, provided a criticism of the multiverse, and pointed out that it is not a traditional scientific theory.


    He accepts that the multiverse is thought to exist far beyond the cosmological horizon. He emphasized that it is theorized to be so far away that it is unlikely any evidence will ever be found.


    Ellis also explained that some theorists do not believe the lack of empirical testability falsifiability is a major concern, but he is opposed to that line of thinking:


    Ellis says that scientists have proposed the idea of the multiverse as a way of explaining the nature of existence. He points out that it ultimately leaves those questions unresolved because it is a metaphysical issue that cannot be resolved by empirical science. He argues that observational testing is at the core of science and should not be abandoned.


    **********************


    Max Tegmark and Brian Greene have devised classification schemes for the various theoretical types of multiverses and universes that they might comprise.


    Level IV: Ultimate ensemble: The ultimate mathematical universe hypothesis is Tegmark''s own hypothesis.


    This level considers all universes to be equally real which can be described by different mathematical structures.


    Level III: Many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics: Hugh Everett III''s many-worlds interpretation (MWI) is one of several mainstream interpretations of quantum mechanics.


    In brief, one aspect of quantum mechanics is that certain observations cannot be predicted absolutely. Instead, there is a range of possible observations, each with a different probability.


    According to the MWI, each of these possible observations corresponds to a different universe.


    Suppose a six-sided die is thrown and that the result of the throw corresponds to a quantum mechanics observable. All six possible ways the die can fall correspond to six different universes.


    Level II: Universes with different physical constants: In the eternal inflation theory, which is a variant of the cosmic inflation theory, the multiverse or space as a whole is stretching and will continue doing so forever, but some regions of space stop stretching and form distinct bubbles . Such bubbles are embryonic level I multiverses.


    Different bubbles may experience different spontaneous symmetry breaking, which results in different properties, such as different physical constants. Related to the many-worlds idea are Richard Feynman''s multiple histories interpretation and H. Dieter Zeh''s many-minds interpretation.


    Level I: An extension of our universe: A prediction of cosmic inflation is the existence of an infinite ergodic universe, which, being infinite, must contain Hubble volumes realizing all initial conditions.


    Accordingly, an infinite universe will contain an infinite number of Hubble volumes, all having the same physical laws and physical constants. In regard to configurations such as the distribution of matter, almost all will differ from our Hubble volume.


    However, because there are infinitely many, far beyond the cosmological horizon, there will eventually be Hubble volumes with similar, and even identical, configurations. Tegmark estimates that an identical volume to ours should be about 1010115 meters away from us.


    This follows directly from the cosmological principle, wherein it is assumed that our Hubble volume is not special or unique.

 Chapter 551 - Setting the Roots(End of Arc I)

    "??? You really are Sierra? But if that''s true, then why do you look and feel foreign to me¡­" Even though Alex was rattled by the sudden outpour of emotions from the teenaged girl, he did not choose to quickly believe her.


    "If you''re really Sierra, then there should have been a bond that is formed between us, I am one of the reasons that Sierra was born after all. But looking at you now, I could not sense any bond forming. You just look like¡­ a stranger to me."


    "Waaah!!! Mommy!!!! Look at what Daddy is saying! He said he does not know me!!!" Although Alex tried his best to make his words sound as soothing as possible, his intent to calm the girl down seemed to have the opposite effect.


    Instead of trying to start a civil conversation with him, the teenaged girl began to cry for real, with her tears slowly dripping their way into the ground. Her comically loud sobs then echoed into the air, with her hands busy on wiping her face.


    This girl seemed to be greatly affected by what Alex just said, a reaction which made Alex feel nervous.


    "Alina, are you really sure that this girl is Sier-" Alex turned his head behind him as he tried to clarify the current situation to Alina.


    But before he could even finish his question, he was forced to stop talking as Alina began unleashing her cold glare at him.


    "Doom!"


    Alina''s eyes, which now blazed with an undeniable anger, began to exude a domineering pressure upon Alex. Alex had no way to avoid this pressure, as Alina seemed to be uninterested on looking at anything else.  All the focus her eyes were placed entirely on Alex alone.


    This glare left Alex speechless, ending any attempt of his to explain himself.


    "Alex, I have the All-Seeing Eye! Do you know what that means? That means that I can know if someone is being truthful!" Alina finally said, which broke the scary look that she had earlier. "That means that if someone says something to me now, I can know if that person is lying or not!"


    "R-right, you still have your eyes Alina¡­ Since that was the case, then- oh. Oh dear¡­"


    "Hmph, now do you understand why I believed this girl''s words? I believed it because I knew that this girl is telling the truth! She''s really Sierra, for f***k''s sake!" Alina looked like she wanted to kick Alex in his face right now, and her twitching leg just reinforced that fact.  It was actually a miracle that she is still not kicking Alex now, given how angry she looked already.


    "W-well that''s good, Alina! Yay, your All-Seeing Eyes has saved the day¡­"


    "Hmph, even without my eyes, I will still be sure that this girl is Sierra. After all, I was the one who made her leave the Storage while you were training!" Alina''s rage did not change as she added these words, making the nearby Alex pale more as he realized that he has really messed up.


    "Oh, so you saw Sierra earlier? Oh, that is¡­. good, I think?"


    "Hmph, good my ass! If it weren''t for me, then you could be really kicking Sierra away now! Tsk, what a brutish guy!"


    "¡­Yeah, I really am brutish. Maybe I am an idiot too¡­"


    With Alina''s explanation of events, there was no more doubting it. Sierra, who was just a baby before, has now transformed to become a teenager, with her aura inexplicably changing too.


    Even if Alex tried to refute this,  Alina''s support and explanations leave Alex with no choice but to accept it¡­


    "Now, do you still doubt Sierra''s claims, Alex? I already vouched that she''s telling the truth, so you better apologize to her now!" Alina hissed at Alex as her body suddenly appeared behind the sobbing Sierra. Alina then started to placate the little girl, with her icy glare still trained on Alex. "Hey, why are you just standing there? Come here and talk to Sierra already!"


    "¡­So this girl is really Sierra? What the hell¡­" This was all that Alex could say as he began to hesitantly approach Sierra. He was scratching the back of his head at this point, as he could not make sense of what had just happened. "How could this be Sierra if I can''t even feel my bond with her? Wait, could this Sierra be-"


    "Alex, stop muttering those conspiracy theory of yours! Apologize to Sierra already!"


    "Yes, yes, yes, Alina. Here I come¡­"


    ********************


    10 MINUTES LATER


    It took Alex a thousand words, 3 Years worth of Mental Power, and countless sighs from Alina before he was able to make Sierra accept his apology. This effectively stopped Sierra''s outburst, although the nearby Alina did not look like her anger was going to cool down yet.


    "Sierra... I''m sorry that I did not recognize you. It''s just that¡­ you are so different now." Alex slowly said as he stared directly at Sierra''s eyes. "You look as old as Alina, and your aura is different. I could not even feel my connection to you, hence my suspicions to you earlier."


    "Daddy, who cares about my aura and connection to you? If I say that I am Sierra, then I am Sierra! There''s nothing else that will f**king refute that!"


    "Yes, yes. I know that Sierra. But I am just curious on why you became like this." Alex replied as he tried to make himself sound patient. "What could have turned you like this in just a span of a day? Yesterday, you''re just a baby, but now, you''re like this! Aren''t you curious about that, Sierra?"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "Oh, so you''re curious about that, daddy? If you''re asking that daddy, then don''t worry. I think I know the reason for that."


    "Really? Come, explain it to me." Like a man that is enticing a little girl to get his candy, Alex tried to make himself look as amicable as possible to Sierra. "Don''t be scared Sierra. Daddy will listen¡­"


    "Hmph!" This attempt of his earned a snort from Alina, who seemed to be unhappy with what Alex is doing now. Sierra on the other hand did not look offended at all, as she appeared to be even pleased with Alex''s blatant ''forgive me'' actions.


    This pleasant reaction seemed to have really worked, as the next words that Sierra said were the ones that Alex had been wanting to hear.


    "Daddy, it was my successfully possession of the Four Moons World that made me like this." Sierra looked around her as she gave this reply, as if she was afraid of anyone else hearing what she just said. "When I finished possessing that world, I suddenly received an influx of Origin Power. Once I received that power, I began absorbing it into my body¡­ Next thing that I know, I became this large already!"


    "...Is that all?" Alex had expected this to be the possible reason for Sierra''s growth, but nonetheless he was still a little surprised that this has actually happened.


    A World Soul like Sierra actually grew after possessing another World? This is certainly a unique case, as Alex had never heard of this event happening before!


    "Um, nope daddy! There''s another one!" Sierra could not look any happier as she continued to blab to Alex. "Daddy, I also felt that after possessing the Four Moons World, the bond that connects me to you and Mommy has been suppressed. Like¡­ a direct flatline."


    "Suppressed you say? Is that the reason why I cannot feel any bond to you now, Sierra?" This answer by Sierra has also piqued Alex''s interest, as he quickly realized that this was another unique case.


    After all, those who had formed a bond with a World Soul were supposed to have an unchangeable bond.


    Unless it is a Trascendent Being, there is nothing that can manipulate a bond between a living being and a World Soul¡­


    "Yes, daddy. That''s why I cannot feel your bond with me now." Sierra replied as she tilted her head. "Well, I can still feel it now, but it is really weak¡­"


    "Hm, interesting.  So Sierra, do you have any theory on why this suppression has happened? Any idea will do, as long as-"


    "Alex, shut up. Let Sierra talk."


    "¡­.Ok."


    "Ehem. So daddy, I think that our bonds were weakened because my soul is now occupying two worlds. The pressure from those two worlds seem to be too much for our bonds, which led to their suppression now." Sierra shrugged her shoulders at this point, as if she was saying that she had no control on the event that she just described. "I don''t know on how I can remove that suppression, unless you or mommy have any ideas. Do you have any ideas, daddy? Please give me one! You''re the smartest one here right? Maybe you have a solution now!"


    "¡­Yeah, let me think about that first, Sierra. For now, why don''t you accompany us towards our new followers?" Like a man who was trying to dodge bullets in the air, Alex hastily gave this answer to Sierra as he began urging her to move. "I assure you that meeting these followers will be fun, Sierra. After all, we we''re about to have new servan- allies!"


    "Oh, is that the one that mommy has been saying earlier? Ok daddy, let''s go there!" The tear-stricken Sierra could not be seen anymore this time, as only an excited expression could be seen on her face. It was as if she did not even cry at all, a change which made Alex feel relieved.


    "Hehe, you heard that, Alina. Go on, lead the way for us!" Alex smilingly said to Alina, who just like earlier, still looked pissed at Alex. "You wouldn''t want to delay Sierra''s fun, right?"


    "Hmph, you''re lucky that Sierra dotes on you, Alex. If she didn''t, then I could have punished you for making her cry." With Sierra now back to her usual mood, the gloomy Alina was left with no choice but to go along with Alex''s antics.


    This seemed to have made her angrier, but with the way that the things are going now, Alina was forced to keep this rage of hers  in check.


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it, Alina. I promise I won''t let this happen again." Alex replied lackadaisically. "I treat Sierra as my own child after all, so she deserves a spoiled treatment from me! Don''t you think so too, Sierra?"


    "Yes, I believe that! I want to be spoiled by mommy and daddy!"


    "You hear that Alina? Hehehe, how do you feel about that?"


    "S-shut up, Alex. Just focus on following me!"


    "Look Sierra. Your mommy is blushing!"


    "Hey Alex! Say one more word, and I will really kick your ass!"


    "¡­.Okay, okay. I will keep quiet now."


    "Hehehe, so Daddy is still afraid of Mommy? And here I thought Daddy will be more assertive now. How disappointing¡­"


    "Sierra, Daddy heard what you just said. Can you repeat it to me?"


    "Oi Alex, don''t you dare raise your voice on Sierra!"


    "Okay, okay, okay Alina. I will keep this down¡­"


    "Hehehe, Daddy is really scared of Mommy!"


    "Hey Sierra, I am not scared of Alina. I am just-"


    "Alex, language."


    "Okay¡­"


    With their conversation dying at that line, the trio resumed their quiet, but also comforting walk.


    END OF ARC I


    "

 Chapter 552 - Training and Calamity(Start of Arc II)

    2 MONTHS LATER.


    The passage of the seasons on the Traveler''s World can be said to be fickle at best, as it changes randomly without any warning.


    Earlier this morning, the sun was blazing like a hot charcoal all over the Traveler''s World. But now, this heat was replaced by a repressive cold, one that was enough to make the residents shiver inside their homes.


    This extreme cold led to the land starting to get covered by snow at this point, with  massive lumps of snow and hail pouring down from the sky.


    Such change was enough to make the residents of the Traveler''s World adjsut their schedule for today, as the cold was just too much for them.


    But while these residents were busy hunkering on their homes and warming themselves, there were still some groups of people that has remained outside.


    One of those groups were currently doing an intense training, right under the harsh pelting of snow.


    "Hey! I already hired you all for two months, and you''re still this weak? Tsk, did you not even follow my instructions?" A young man, who was wearing a thick coat over his body, shouted these words angrily while brandishing his arms. "Come on, I expected a lot from you, so you better do this right!"


    This young man was part of the group having an intensive training under the snow, although the way that he acted made it obvious that he was not here to just train.


    "Come on, you all! I already told you how to do this exercise multiple times! But even with these instructions, you still can''t finish it? Argh, what the hell is wrong with you all!"


    This young man was shouting these words towards a conglomeration of people in front of him, all who wore an expression of fatigue on their faces. Their bodies were also hunched down from the weight of the snow, with the cold temperature slowing their bodies down.


    These people seem to be extremely gassed out right now, and the young man''s insults to them appeared to have made it worse.


    "Hey, how the hell are we supposed to get stronger from this? You''re just torturing us for god''s sake!" A woman from the fatigued people replied, with her eyes blazing with fury.  She was also glaring at the young man as she spoke, with her hands miming a choking motion. "If you want us to join your Combat Task Force, then why are you making us suffer like this? You¡­ you''re just a sadist!"


    "Hoho, so you dare complain again, Traveler Audrey? Didn''t you say 2 months ago that you can complete this exercise on time? Look at you now. You can''t even barely finish the halfway mark!" The young man quickly responded, with a sneer suddenly present of his face. "if you want to complain, then complete the exercise first!"


    "What? But Leader Alex, this exercise is impossi-"


    "Hmph, look at Traveler Marcus. Even if he''s weaker than you, he has still managed to finish this exercise! If he can do it, so you can too!" The young man continued to say, barring Traveler''s Audrey attempt to complain. "Heh, if you can''t really do it, then just say so, Traveler Audrey. I can relegate you to the Cleaning Task Force if you want. With your power, maybe not getting into the Combat Task Force will be better for you¡­"


    "Hmph, who said that I am going to quit! I-I can do this!" Traveler Audrey replied with a fl.u.s.ter, as if the young man''s words had managed to make her feel embarrassed. "J-just you wait, Leader Alex! I will finish this exercise and be part of your Combat Task Force! Once that happens, I will make that damned Traveler Marcus part of my Harem!"


    "¡­Yeah, good luck with that, Traveler Audrey." The young man, who was no other than Alex himself, let out a strained smile as he continued talking to Traveler Audrey. "I hope to see you in the Combat Task Force within this month."


    "Hmph, that will definitely happen, Leader Alex!" Traveler Audrey seemed to have received a boost from Alex''s words, as she forced herself to continue her laborious exercise.


    She looked like she was in pain, but she still pushed on, which made her body move in all sorts of strange manner. Such sight made Alex nod his head in approval, as if what she did were enough to satisfy him.


    As for the other Travelers who were also stuck in the snow with Traveler Audrey, they only looked at Traveler Audrey with shock, as if they did not expect her to even move. These looks then turned into stares of determination, as these Travelers gritted their teeth before they forced their bodies to move again.


    "Ha ha ha!"


    In no time at all, all the 20 Travelers in front of Alex has resumed their live exercise, with their tear-stricken faces and pale skin turning red from all the strenuous things that they did.


    Some of them began to wail at this point, as the pain that they were experiencing were just too much for them. The other Travelers however has managed to repress their emotions, although their teary eyes and trembling bodies showed that even they were suffering too.


    In face of these 20 people who were in pain, Alex only clapped his hands, as if he was not worried for them. Instead, he began to actually goad them on.


    "Come on, you little pipsqueaks! This is a live exercise that was created by the Head Doctor Professor Frances! If you can''t finish this, then you won''t have any hopes of breaking into the Third or Fourth Stage quickly!" Alex shouted out, with his mocking smile replaced by a disappointed frown. "You know how much dangerous this world is for people like you, so you better get stronger already! Do you all understand that?"


    [YES, WE UNDERSTAND, LEADER ALEX!]


    "Ehem, ehem. Your voices sound so weak! Is this how weak you all are? Repeat what you said!"


    [YES WE UNDERSTAND, LEADER ALEX!!!!]


    "There! Just shout like that everytime!"


    [NOTED, LEADER ALEX!!!]


    "Good. Now, resume your exercise. Make sure that all of you can reach at least 70% of this exercise today. That''s the minimum threshold right now. If you don''t pass it, then you will be relegated to the trash duties" Alex  added as he turned his back on the training Travelers. "Do you all understand that?"


    [Y-YES, WE DO, LEADER ALEX!]


    "Good!" Like a man who was walking away from an epic explosion scene, Alex began to leave the training Travelers. "There''s still 6 Hours left before the day ends, so I hope that all of you can succeed. If you don''t, then have fun with Professor Frances'' toxic wastes."


    "¡­." The training Travelers had no reply to this, as all of them showed fearful looks at the mention of ''toxic wastes''. They then began to hasten their actions, as if their fear was spurning them to move.


    Such reaction made Alex shake his head inwardly, as he also knew the dreadful effects of Professor France''s toxic wastes.


    "Sigh, I hired all of you to be my followers, but that does not mean that I will be using you to fight already. You''re all still weak, that even Professor Frances can kill you easily! If you want to be of more use to my group, then you should improve first." Alex thought as he tried to ignore the continuous m.o.a.ns of pain from the training Travelers.


    "If you can''t even finish Professor Frances'' Hell Body Diagram, then you''re not fit to fight alongside me." Alex added, with his mind suddenly remembering all the sufferings that his hired Travelers had experienced for the past 2 months. "The real nature of this world is something that is cruel to weak Travelers, so I hope that all of you will cherish the training that I gave you. If you don''t, then don''t blame at the end."


    After reaching this line of thought, Alex let out a sigh as he stopped himself from thinking anything else. He made himself silent as he distanced himself away from the training Travelers.


    "Hehehe, Traveler Marcus. I hope that you''re still alive today. Once I meet you in the Combat Task Force, I will make you mine!" Traveler Audrey could be heard chanting these words as she ploughed on, with her creepy voice managing to scare the other Travelers with her.


    Even Alex was not spared by this, as he only suppressed a shiver from Traveler Audrey''s manic actions.


    "Ugh, I really pity you, Marcus. Not only did you get ''tortured'' by Delia''s intense training this day, you still have to endure Traveler Audrey''s attempt to seduce you. Sigh, if this is just a reverse harem show, then you will be fine. But it''s not, so I wish you all the luck that you need¡­." Alex shook his head while thinking this, with his pity for Marcus now increased.


    "Well, you''re the head of my Combat Task Force, so maybe all your pain is worth it?"


    ***********************


    2 MINUTES LATER


    INSIDE ALEX''S HOUSE.


    "So, how did those Travelers fare today? Did somebody faint again?" Alina, who was currently busy on  chowing a large cob of corn, asked these questions at the exact moment that Alex has entered his house. "Oh, and how about Crazy Audrey? Did she do something manic again?''"


    "Ugh, please don''t call that girl Crazy Audrey. That might make her more excited." Alex replied as he removed his thick coat. He then hung it on the back of the door, along with his hat. "That b**ch is crazy as f**, so don''t say anything that might rile her up."


    "Uh huh. Well at least she''s not interested in you, Alex." Alina''s speed did not decrease as she chowed down the corn, making even Alex feel impressed by it. "If she was, then it will be over for her."


    "H-hey Alina, even if she aims for me, there''s no need for you to throw her away." Alex replied with a strained smile. "I am strong enough to deal with her, even if she has that special power of hers¡­"


    "Alex, that Traveler has a hidden calamity inside her body, and you still think that you can tame her? My goodness Alex, I don''t know why you still accepted Traveler Audrey in your group. You know what will happen if she goes out of control, right?"


    "Of course I know, Alina. That''s  exactly the reason why I hired her. After all,  her existence here can  also serve as training for me¡­." Alex averted his gaze at this point, as he saw Alina glaring daggers at him again. "B-besides, out of all the Travelers that we had hired, only Traveler Audrey and Traveler Marcus has the highest chance of making our shortlist. So it will be waste to not hire her, when she has an extremely high potential to be useful¡­"


    "Sigh, you better hope that Traveler Audrey can improve without any problems. Because if she does mess up, it will be you who will be in the line of fire. Just remember that, Alex." Alina looked like she was not happy with Alex''s words, but nonetheless, she still accepted his explanation.


    "Alina,  I have ways to deal with that thing inside Traveler Audrey, so you don''t need to worry about me¡­"


    "Hmph, if you say so¡­"


    "Ehem, why don''t we stop talking about that woman already? Let''s talk about you, Alina!" Alex said as he began hastily changing the topic. "So, how is your progress on Dark Magic and Chronomancy going? Any signs of breakthrough?"


    "¡­I have the feeling that as long as I continue sparring with Delia, my Dark Magic could reach the Sixth Stage too." Alina faintly answered as she stared down at her hands. She clenched them alternately, as if she was trying to feel something from them. "In fact, I can feel my breakthrough coming today."


    "Today?


    "Yes, do you want to watch it?" Alina asked as she swiveled her head towards Alex. Such action made her look like a cute owl, which made Alex smile a little.


    "Hell yes, I am." Alex replied as she shot up from his seat. He looked slightly excited right now, but this excited look was quickly replaced by a wary one, as he suddenly  remembered something.


    "Wait, do you have to fight with Delia again for the breakthrough to  happen?" Alex asked as he tried his best to look as nonchalant as possible. "Because if it does, then maybe I won''t watch anymore."


    "What? But it''s my breakthrough! Shouldn''t you be there guarding for me?"


    "Well yes, I can do that. But you know¡­ I really can''t get close to you and Delia once you two start fighting¡­"


    "Hah? What do you mean by that?"


    "Ehem, I just received a message from Traveler Marcus today. He says he needs my help to decipher some runes. I''m really sorry Alina, but I have to go now. Bye!"


    "Hey!"

 Chapter 553 - The Sorceress and the Empress

    Witt his advanced skills, Alex was able to leave his house before Alina could prevent his departure. Only her disgruntled mutters could be heard by Alex as he left, prompting him to have some chuckles on himself.


    "Sigh, I really want to see how Alina will become a Stage 6 Vampire, but since she has to fight Delia, I think I have to forget about watching her¡­" Alex thought wryly, with his body suddenly shivering from all the memories of Delia and Alina''s clashes with each other.


    "When those two women fight, they don''t show any care on the place that they were fighting in! They always destroy it, even if we''re there! With that kind of attitude, who the hell would want to watch them fight?" Alex added to himself as he swerved. "Tsk, should I warn Queen Mother and the others too? I don''t think they would want to watch one of Alina and Delia''s fights again¡­"


    "Okay, I will warn them about Alina''s breakthrough. But before that, I have to check up on Marcus first." After saying this to himself, Alex let out a breath as he began slowing down. From his initial running start, Alex''s movements has now slowed down into that of a normal walking man.


    "Okay, so according to Marcus, he''s staying inside the house where Sierra stays¡­ And that house should be around here¡­" Alex then squinted his eyes as he began looking around the snowy landscape. "Is Sierra''s house supposed to be here? Didn''t she say that she moves her house everyday? Hmm¡­ maybe it''s not- oh, there it is!"


    Upon spotting the familiar-looking hut from a distance, Alex let out a small nod as he began approaching it.


    "Slu slu slu¡­"


    His footsteps as he walked forward did not leave any tracks on the snowy ground, making his movement look both ethereal and eerie.


    Alex of course has noticed this anomaly, but he did not do anything about it.


    With his current speed, it took Alex a few seconds to arrive in front of the hut, which stood at a height that was twice his.


    Upon his arrival, what Alex first did was to observe the straw walls of the hut and the wooden pillars that supported the hut from beneath. After seeing that that these components were all stable, Alex gave out a sigh of relief.


    Once he''d done with the  inspection, Alex did not waste any more of his time. He quickly opened the door, with his body snaking its way in before Sierra could stop him from entering.


    "Hey Sierra! Daddy''s here! I came here to give you some snacks! Are you fine with me staying here for a bit?"


    ****************


    When Alex heard from Alina that she was fighting Delia again, he quickly made the decision to lay low inside Sierra''s hut first. Alex has decided to keep himself inside this hut, and he will only leave once Alina and Delia finishes fighting.


    Since Alina was extremely doting on Sierra, Alex knew that Alina will not come barging inside Sierra''s hut just to drag him out. Hence, Sierra''s hut is currently the best hiding place for Alex¡­


    That and the fact Marcus was inside this hut now, and Alex was sure that he will have a productive time staying here.


    But reality proved him wrong quickly.


    Instead of seeing a lone Sierra interacting with Marcus, what Alex witnessed upon entering the hut were 3 differently-aged people, all who were lounging inside the hut like they owned it.


    One of these people was Sierra, whose teenaged body lay curled on a corner of the hut. She could be seen huddling her knees close to herself while laughing, a sight that made Alex freeze.


    "Hahaha,  Annie, stop tickling me! I yield already, I yield!" These were the words that could be heard from Sierra''s mouth, whose entire body was under the assault by a younger girl. "Hey Annie, please stop! I can''t take anything more!"


    After Sierra had said these words, the younger girl who was tickling Sierra suddenly paused, as if she was trying to digest her message.


    This pause however only lasted for a second, as the younger girl resumed her tickle assault on Sierra.


    "Hey Annie! Please stop!"


    "Eh, I can stop, but I won''t stop Sierra." The tickler, who was no other than the World Soul Annie, gave this merciless reply upon the now writhing Sierra. "Under the rules of our game, you have lost, so you should be receiving 10 tickles from me. This is only the 8th one, so prepare for 2 more!"


    "Ahahaha! Noooo!!! Ahahaha! Mercy Annie, mercy!"


    "Hehehe, ticklers must never be merciful. You know that, Sierra."


    "Ahahahahahaha no!!!"


    "What the effing hell? What are you doing here?" Upon seeing the plight that Sierra was in, Alex immediately turned his suspicious eyes on Annie. "Shouldn''t you be staying inside the Great TImeMaster''s base? The Great TImeMaster is your mother, so you should be there!"


    "!!!"


    "???"


    With Alex''s sudden arrival, the game that Sierra and Annie were playing were brought into a sudden stop, with the two hastily standing up in front of the glowering Alex.


    "Daddy? Why are you here? Shouldn''t you be with mommy?"  Sierra, who''s face has turned red from all the laughing that she had, obligatingly asked this question to Alex. "Mommy said that she''s about to have her breakthrough, which means that you should be there¡­"


    "Um well about that Sierra, it''s l little complicated." Alex''s attempt to question the two was quickly stopped, as he was stumped by the innocent question given by Sierra. "There''s just a little problem with Alina''s breakthrough, so I have no choice but to stay here first¡­ But don''t worry. Once your mommy is done having her breakthrough, I will meet her quickly."


    "What? But daddy, you must be beside mommy now!" Sierra blurted out, with her curious face changing into that of a disappointed one. "Shouldn''t you be there as her support?"


    "Hmph, so Big Brother Alex has abandoned his lover just to come here? What a shame¡­" Along with Sierra''s disappointed face, the nearby Annie gave this mocking sentence as she crossed her arms. It appeared as if she was really disappointed with Alex, that even her gentle manner from before were nowhere to be seen now.


    "What? Hey Annie, I did not-"


    "And here I thought Big Brother Alex is a decent guy. Turns out he''s just as slimy as a rogue." Annie added before the stupefied Alex could explain himself. "Sierra, are you sure that he''s the source of your birth? Maybe he''s not¡­"


    "Oi, Annie. You may be young, but you should still watch your words." Before Annie could continue her slander, Alex forced himself to talk over her, with his words sounding much louder than earlier. "If you''re not careful with what you will say next, then I might-"


    "You might what, Mr. Alex? Care to tell me what you might do to my daughter?" The third and final person inside the hut chose to spoke at this point, with her words enough to make Alex feel shocked again. "Oh, and can you please explain why you''re talking to Annie when I, her mother, is here? Don''t tell me that you have not seen me when you arrived?"


    "O-of course I have seen you, Great TimeMaster. With that bright green robes of yours, it''s impossible for me to not notice you." Alex stiffly replied, with his eyes slightly avoiding the Great TimeMaster, who at this point, was sitting on the nearest chair with a small smile on her face.


    "You noticed me? If that''s true, then why did you not greet me first?" The Great TimeMaster retained the smile on her face as she continued to converse with Alex, as if she was mildly enjoying her talk with him.  However, Alex knew that smile was just bulls**t, as the current Great TImeMaster looked anything but pleasant.


    The Great TimeMaster was like a coiled-up viper now, one that is ready to bite anyone as long as an opening was given. Such kind of look was enough to give Alex the creeps, as he knew that if he makes the wrong move here, he might get ''punished'' severely.


    "Great TImeMaster, you''re the first one that I saw when I arrived, but I was more worried about Sierra''s situation. Hence, my decision to talk to her and Annie first." Alex quickly replied as he sat on the nearby chair. "You can''t blame me for paying attention for Sierra first, right? She''s important to me after all¡­"


    "Oh I see. So you''re worried about your daughter then. That''s good. That means that you''re not relegated to a deadbeat dad role." The Great TimeMaster replied, with her smile slowly dipping down by little. "But even if you care about your daughter, that does not mean that you can just shout like that on Annie. You do understand that, right?"


    "Yes, of course I get that, Great TImeMaster. It was just an accident, ok?


    "Hmph, you''re lucky that I am in a good mood today Mr. Alex. If it were the other days, then you could have been sailing on the space as a bag of bones¡­" The Great TImeMaster hauntingly said, with her smile suddenly replaced by a frown. "Or I could have just turned you into my own personal alarm clock¡­"


    Such change on her face  made Alex tense a little, as he realized that he had actually pissed the usually calm Great TimeMaster


    "But don''t worry Mr. Alex. Since I am in a good mood today, I will forgive your slip-up" This sentence by the Great TimeMaster has managed to relax Alex, who for a second, thought that he might have to run away again. "But remember. If you try this thing on Annie one more time, you will come to regret raising your voice over her. Do you clearly, perfectly, and implicitly understand that?"


    "Yes, I understand. Great TimeMaster."


    "Good. Now that we have dealt with that, let''s talk about the real reason why I am here." The Great TimeMaster clapped her hands like an excited kid at this point, with her frowning expression replaced by an excited one.


    This change made her scary demeanor from earlier disappear, which just made Alex feel more unsettled by the woman herself.


    "Sierra and Annie, you can continue to play there. Let I and Mr. Alex talk about important stuff here." The Great TImeMaster suddenly said, with her excited smile beaming brightly upon the two girls. "What we will be talking about is important, so don''t bother us, ok?"


    "Ok Mommy!"


    "Ok, Aunt TimeMaster!"


    In face of the mature and collected Great TimeMaster, Annie and Sierra seemed to have no interest in resisting her. They quickly resumed on their game, which filled the air once more with Sierra''s giggles.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Of course you''re here to talk about something important, Great TimeMaster. So what is this about? Is this about the Old Man?" With the Great TimeMaster forcefully steering the conversation at this point, Alex was left with no choice but to ride along with her. After all, changing the topic might just make the woman madder¡­.


    Besides, Alex was also interested on the reason for the Great TImeMaster''s visit. This is the first time that she has visited Alex since two months ago, so for her to be here must mean that something important is about to happen.


    "Nuh uh uh. It''s not about the Old Man. I did not even see him within the past 2 months, so don''t think about him." The Great TimeMaster quickly answered while shaking her head. "The reason why I am here was because there are 2 Returning Travelers who had awakened from their secluded training..."


    "¡­Ok? That''s news indeed. But if that''s just the news, then you don''t really need to personally come here. Won''t a simple mental message be enough?" Alex replied uncertainly as he gave the Great TImeMaster a confused stare. "Why tell that to me personally, when you can just quick-send the news to me?"


    "Hmph, of course I know that. If it was only their awakening, then it will be simple." The Great TimeMaster snorted while crossing her arms. "However, at the moment that those two awoke, they quickly sent a message to me. Do you want know what they said?"


    "¡­I don''t really want to hear it, but since you''re already here, then just go on."


    "Mr. Alex¡­ Those two Returners told me that they want to see you personally today." The Great TImeMaster blurted out, with her wide smile now beaming down on Alex. "They don''t care how I do it, but I must make it so that they will see you quickly!"


    "!!!"


    The GreatTimeMaster''s excited look seemed to inflate at this point, as if what she just said was enough to excite her.


    Such excitement made Alex feel tense, as he knew that the Great TimeMaster shouldn''t be acting like this.


    She is Alex''s ally, so shouldn''t be worried about Alex possibly being plunged into danger?


    Before Alex could muse on this, the Great TImeMaster continued her revelations, with her next words managing to supersede what she had just said.


    "Oh Alex. I almost forgot to tell this to you, but the Returning Travelers who wanted to meet you today are the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress. Hehe, if I were you, I would do my best to avoid meeting them. But you''re not me, so you can''t do that!"


    "!!!"

 Chapter 554 - Regarding the Farming Mode(Not a real chapter)

    If you don''t like it, you can deactivate it easily.


    Go to Profile > Settings > Farming mode (turn it off)


    Personally, I do not like seeing ads pop up while I am reading a novel, so I feel the pain of those who experience this....


    *****************************


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 Chapter 555 - I am in Hospital Today. Next will come out tomorrow.

    I am really sick today, that I have to admit myself to the hospital. Tsk, must be the stress of all the papers that I had to submit this week....


    Wish me luck on gettting healed fast! Well, this is the last week of my semester, so I will have no more problems after this...


    ********************


    46 49 46 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 61 20 73 74 61 67 65 20 6f 66 20 65 76 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 2c 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 61 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 20 61 20 6d 69 6e 6f 72 20 65 76 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 62 6f 64 69 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 70 6f 77 65 72 73 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 73 74 61 67 65 20 69 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 70 72 65 70 61 72 61 74 6f 72 79 20 73 74 61 67 65 2c 20 61 73 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 67 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 70 72 65 70 61 72 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 75 73 65 72 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 78 74 20 73 74 61 67 65 2e a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 73 3a a0 5b 53 70 69 72 69 74 20 44 6f 6d 61 69 6e 20 53 74 61 67 65 5d 20 5b 41 62 79 73 73 20 53 61 67 65 28 45 76 6f 6c 76 65 64 20 46 6f 72 6d 29 5d 20 5b 4d 61 67 69 63 69 61 6e 5d 20 5b 53 70 65 61 72 20 44 65 6d 69 67 6f 64 5d a a 53 49 58 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d 20 41 74 20 74 68 69 73 20 73 74 61 67 65 2c 20 61 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 27 73 20 62 6f 64 79 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 74 72 61 6e 73 66 6f 72 6d 65 64 20 69 6e 74 6f 20 61 20 42 6f 64 79 20 6f 66 20 45 6e 65 72 67 79 20 6f 72 20 42 6f 64 79 20 6f 66 20 45 73 73 65 6e 63 65 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 65 6e 65 72 67 79 20 6f 72 20 65 73 73 65 6e 63 65 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6f 6e 65 20 63 6f 72 72 65 73 70 6f 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 61 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 27 73 20 50 6f 77 65 72 20 53 79 73 74 65 6d 2e a0 a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 73 3a a0 5b 49 6d 6d 6f 72 74 61 6c 20 53 6f 75 6c 20 53 74 61 67 65 5d 20 5b 41 62 79 73 73 61 6c 20 50 69 6c 6c 61 72 20 53 74 61 67 65 5d 20 5b 53 70 65 61 72 20 47 6f 64 5d 20 5b 45 6d 70 65 72 6f 72 2d 4c 65 76 65 6c 20 43 6f 6e 71 75 65 72 6f 72 27 73 20 41 75 72 61 5d 53 45 56 45 4e 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d 20 41 6c 73 6f 20 63 61 6c 6c 65 64 20 74 68 65 20 54 72 61 73 6e 73 63 65 6e 64 65 6e 74 20 53 74 61 67 65 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 61 67 65 20 77 68 65 72 65 20 61 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 74 72 61 73 6e 63 65 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 6c 61 77 73 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 4d 75 6c 74 69 76 65 72 73 65 20 69 74 73 65 6c 66 2c 20 74 75 72 6e 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 77 65 72 20 75 73 65 72 20 61 20 68 69 67 68 65 72 2d 73 74 61 67 65 64 20 62 65 69 6e 67 2e a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 73 3a a0 7b 49 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 52 65 64 61 63 74 65 64 7d a a 45 49 47 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d a0 a0 7b 49 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 52 65 64 61 63 74 65 64 7d a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65 73 3a a0 7b 49 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 52 65 64 61 63 74 65 64 7d a a 4e 49 4e 54 48 20 53 54 41 47 45 a0 2d a0 a0 7b 49 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 52 65 64 61 63 74 65 64 7d a a 45 78 61 6d 70 6c 65

 Chapter 556 - Old Hag and B***h

    "Pardon? What did you just say?"


    "I said,  the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress both demand a meeting with you today." The Great TImeMaster repeated her words with emphasis this time, as if she had seen Alex''s confusion. "If you want to know why they want to meet you, just ask them later."


    "¡­."


    If the Great TImeMaster had said these words to other Travelers, they will most likely freeze in shock and tension. After all, knowing that two Returning Travelers were demanding a meeting is something can make anyone feel unsettled.


    Alex appeared to feel the same thing, although with his experiences, he was to be able to quickly compose himself.


    "H-hold on¡­  Two Returning Travelers, who I still have not met before, wants to meet me now? And they want to do it this fast? Are you sure that they''re not planning anything nefarious here?"  Alex queried, with his tone clearly implying that he''s not interested on going at all. "No matter which way I look at it, this seems fishy. Can I just not go?"


    "Hmph, I applaud you for being able to stay this calm, Mr. Alex. Not many can be as stable as you from hearing what I said. However, that does not mean that I agree with you." The Great TimeMaster replied while frowning, as if she was unhappy with Alex''s answer. "Even with your current strength, you cannot just ignore the ''requests'' of Half-Step Transcendent Beings. You are still a mortal in front of the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress, so rejecting them is not a good thing for you¡­."


    "So what, I am just supposed to meet them?"


    "Yes, that''s what you should do, Mr. Alex. But don''t worry. With me and Old Man supporting you,  nobody will be aiming for your life today." The Great TImeMaster raised her fists as she said this, with her face holding a solemn expression. "I promise you that with my heart, Mr. Alex. So can you just stop looking like you have eaten a sour lemon and man up already? You can''t look like that when you meet those two later."


    "¡­"


    Even with the sincere words that the Great TimeMaster had uttered, Alex did not look like he was convinced. Because of this, tried to give more excuses regarding this situation.


    "Hmph, you will support me, Great TimeMaster? How can you be sure of-"  But before Alex could articulate these thoughts, the Great TimeMaster chose this time to release her dreadful aura, which effectively silenced him.


    Her aura, which seemed to have the power to speed up or even reverse time, hit Alex''s face in full force, making all of his intentions to object disappear quickly.


    Now, Alex can only do his best to keep himself from falling down as all of Great TImeMaster''s animosity and hostility began to rain down on him. It was not a pleasant feeling for Alex, and the fact that the Great TimeMaster looked like she was about to eat him alive did not help matters too!


    "Mr. Alex. The Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress are the only women among the Returning Travelers. Because of that, I have a good relationship with those two. So don''t think that they will try something funny to you. If they did, they will risk breaking their friendship with me." The Great TImeMaster said, with her voice lacking any traces of playfulness anymore. Her voice only sounded grave at this point, with her every words sounding exactly like a warning.


    "However, if you, Mr. Alex, tries to offend those two, even I am not sure how they will react. So please, just for the sake of your life, give them some time to talk with you." The Great TImeMaster added, with her aura still pushing Alex down to the floor. "If you still dare to not meet them, then I will be forced to knock you out!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­Sigh, with your main body watching me right now, there''s no way for me to avoid this meeting. Fine, since you made your pledge, maybe I will give some time for the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress." With the Great TimeMaster hovering threateningly above him like a guillotine, Alex knew that he cannot reject her anymore. Thus, he was left with no choice but to accept her ''request''. "Sigh, even if I don''t want to meet them, you will still force me to do it¡­"


    "Hmph, now we''re talking!" After hearing Alex''s affirmative answer, the Great TImeMaster quickly dispelled her aura, which allowed Alex to breath peacefully once more.  Her smile then came back again, with the excitement in her eyes blossoming once more. "Hehehe, you won''t regret doing this, Mr. Alex. I assure you, as long as you use the right words, you should be able to gain some good rapport with them!"


    "Rapport my ass. I''m sure those two were curious about what had happened two months ago. Do you really think they will treat me that highly? Hmph, they might only treat me like an interesting toy¡­." Alex muttered inwardly as he tried to hide his irritation. "Tsk, maybe I should have just stayed with Alina today. At least with her, I can still be sure of my chances¡­"


    "Did you say anything, Mr. Alex?"


    "O-oh, I was just wondering on how I should meet the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress." Alex replied hastily as he straightened his body.  "Where should I go to meet them, and at what time should I leave? Should I go to their bases later, or-"


    "You don''t need to worry about approaching them. The energy clones of Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress are already here, so you don''t have to leave anymore."  The Great TImeMaster blurted out, with the smirk on her face widening into a full-blown grin. "You just have to remain on your seat and let those two start the talking!"


    "What? Those two are here? But how-"


    >>


    An extremely beautiful woman, whose tall and slender body was covered by  a  robe wreathed with golden symbols, suddenly appeared behind the Great TimeMaster. Her melodious voice rang out as she appeared, with her spoken words seemingly directed at Alex alone


    Her pale, white skin and deep, black hair seemed to glint inside the hut as she stared at Alex, with her sparkling eyes and rosy lips curling ever so slightly. Eventually, a small frown appeared on her delicate face, an expression that was paired with a small sigh coming out of her mouth.


    She looked like she was slightly disappointed by seeing Alex, which was alluded by the words that she said next.


    >> The robed woman queried as she tilted her head. This action served to make her look more fantasizing, although the way that she acted now was enough to make Alex bristle. >>


    |||An impostor? Arcane Sorceress, your eyes seem to be getting blind again. What you see right in front of you is a man who has the potential to be an Empyrean like me! Hmph, even if his Immortal Cultivation is still lacking now, as long as he trains under me, he will be a sure-fire powerhouse in the future!|||


    Another woman suddenly appeared out of thin air, who did not waste any time as she began her tirade.


    This newcomer, who wore a pristine white dress that was wreathed with the paintings of stars and planets, held a derisive expression on her beautiful face as she continued to talk.


    |||Arcane Sorceress, you don''t have any way to entice this man anymore. He''s destined to be under me, so just scram like the w***e that you are.||| The newcomer added, with her insulting words seemingly directed towards the robed woman. |||Seducing my former lover was already too much, but now you''re trying to use your fake charms against my possible student? Hmph, you really are a b***h!|||


    >> The robed woman, who seemed to be the Arcane Sorceress, let out small screech as she began giving a murderous glare towards the newcomer. Bloodl.u.s.t could be seen oozing out from her eyes, as if what the newcomer said was enough to unleash her killing intent.


    |||So what if I am? You are a b***h all this time, and you''re just lucky my former lover has a fetish for dirty w****s like you.||| Unfazed by the Arcane Sorceress'' murderous glare, the newcomer only gave her a dismissive look . |||As for this young man, I am sure that he will choose me as his teacher, and not someone as dirty as you!|||


    >> The Arcane Sorceress screeched out, with her hair staring to frizzle out with electricity. >>


    |||You b***h! I dare you repeat that!||| The newcomer, who seemed to be the Immortal Empress,  looked like she was about to blow up as she began screeching at the other woman too. |||You think I can''t make my students stay with me? Hmph, you seem to be out of your mind to be saying that!|||


    >> The Arcane Sorceress replied with a lewd smile, which was enough to make even Alex feel hot. >>


    |||I-I''m not an old hag! I''m even younger than you!||| If the Immortal Empress could even look more mortified at this point, Alex was not sure as she seemed to have reached her maximum mortification already. |||Arcane Sorceress, you''re just jealous that my looks are all natural, unlike yours! Tsk, you''re just an evil chemical spawn! |||


    >>


    |||You little, conniving-|||


    >>


    |||Argh!!!||||


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Mr. Alex, I introduce to you, the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress." The Great TimeMaster chose this time to talk, with her solemn voice resounding in the air as she pointed her fingers at the two bickering women. "I hope you will have fun talking to them."


    "¡­"


    "Pfft¡­" Even though the Great TImeMaster sounded serious, she was actually close to laughing already, as the dumfounded look on Alex''s face was enough to entertain her. "Mr Alex, with your social skills, I know that you can diffuse this situation. Hehehe, do your best, ok?"

 Chapter 557 - The Invasion of Foreign Memories

    Note:


    [****] = Person 1


    [####] = Person 2


    [----] - Person 3


    "¡­" Alex was practically speechless, as he found no proper words to describe what was happening in front of him.


    Two powerful women, both who can easily kill Alex with a swipe, were still going at it right now, with both sides not budging at all!


    Even if they were not unleashing any of their attacks at this point, Alex could still feel extreme pressure from where he was standing.


    This pressure was so extreme that Alex had the feeling that if he tries to make a sound now, the anger of the two bickering women will be focused on him!


    "Tsk, this is the thing that I dread the most! Being forced to not do anything just because more powerful people had decided to mess with me! Argh, this sucks!" Alex thought  angrily to himself as he tried to keep his body steady. He looked visibly unpleasant now, which is already a given considering his situation. "Tsk, why am I always facing ridiculous things like these everyday? This is just-"


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    "What the-?" Alex, who was just having a complain fest inside his mind, began to feel his body lurching as a  sensation of nausea filled him. This made him sway on the spot, making him look like a drunk man.


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    "What the hell is this?" This was all that Alex could say as he felt more and more sick inside him. "This is not good!"


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    If it was only nausea that he felt, then it will be fine for Alex. But this was not the  only problem that he had.


    Countless memories, the type which are not owned by Alex at all, has suddenly began intruding his mind. The sudden appearance of these memories and their quantity was enough to induce a head-splitting pain upon Alex, with him unable to stop himself from shouting out in agony.


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    These memories, which Alex''s subconscious has treated as a threat, did not give Alex any pleasant sensation at all. It invaded his mind like a parasite, filling up all of his thoughts before he can stop them.


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    [WARNING: FOREIGN MEMORIES ARE STARTING TO INVADE YOUR MIND.]


    "Ugh, this is not good. I must-" As more and more memories filled his mind, Alex''s mind began to dim, with his consciousness seemingly appearing to fade away. His awareness, which was blazing brightly like a star before, has now dissipated like ash. Even his boisterous imagination had no power against the intruding memories, leaving Alex literally empty-minded now.


    "Ugh¡­" With his mind and thought starting to succ.u.mb from the sweet embrace of unconsciousness, all that Alex can do is to curse the person who placed him into this predicament.


    Such action of course had no help to Alex at all, as before he knew it, his world had gone dark.


    ********


    "That''s it? That''s the best you can do?" [****] asked incredulously. "Only the peak of the Second Stage? Wow, you really just stopped it there right? Can''t you just make me reach the Third Stage already?"


    "Moron!" The [####] replied angrily. He seemed to be offended not by [****] doubting his ability, but by [****] wanting to reach the Third Stage quickly.


    "The Third Stage means the crystallization of a core! For the Immortal Cultivators, they have to make a Dao Core while Godly Practitioners have to create a Mana Core! Crystallizing a core cannot be just done because you want it!"


    "There are some criteria required to fulfill before one can create a core! As for you right now, you have only fulfilled one!" The [####]''s harsh words managed to shake [****]''s argument.


    "Fine¡­" Actually, [****] knew that the best he can be boosted right now was up to the Peak of the Second Stage. As for the Third Stage, just like what the [####] said, there are some criterion needed before he can attempt it.


    With him not able to fulfill even one right now, the best he can do was to push on until the peak Second Stage.


    "This stingy [####]!" [****] thought angrily thought to himself. "He''s clearly wary on me right now! Seems like I can''t wheedle more stuff him¡­"


    With the [####] hell-bent on staying suspicious, [****] was left with no choice but to swallow his pride.


    With a speed comparable to a crashing rock, [****] quickly bowed in front of the [####] as he said,


    "Disciple [****] greets Master [####]!"


    [REDACTED]


    [REDACTED]


    [REDACTED]


    "Why so quick to accept me?" The [####] asked to[****], as he tried to keep his emotions from showing. "What if your first master who is young and fresh gets angry?"


    "Well, my first master said that its fine for me to accept more masters, as long as they are not that extremely evil." [****] slowly said. "You''re not evil right?"


    "Of course I''m not!"


    "Then what is your name master? Since you are my master now, I need to know your name!"


    "Ehem." The [####] coughed as he seemingly tried to divert the topic. "If you want to know my name, you must reach a level of strength that will satisfy me!"


    "What level of strength is that then?" [****] asked like an innocent toddler.


    "Hmm¡­ maybe the Seventh Stage." The [####] said while rubbing her beard sagely. "Reach that stage, and you will be allowed this one''s name."


    "You really do not want to say your name¡­" [****] shook his head as he looked at the [####]. "Is your name that ugly that you do not want it to be heard?"


    "Ugly? No!" The [####] glared at [****] ferociously, as if the words he said seemed to have offended him. "For your information, this one''s name was a splendid and majestic one."


    "Then why am I not allowed to know it?"


    "It''s because your strength is not enough to accept the burden of hearing my name!" The [####] said this with finality. "Sigh. As of now, just call me [####]."


    "Okay." [****] shrugged as if he was nonplussed by this. He then gave the [####] a sharp, calculating look as he said, "Since you are my master now, let''s initiate a master-disciple contract!"


    "Excellent! You did not forget to do that. You really are cautious." The [####] seemed to be more impressed as he saw [****] still being wary against him. "Even if you just accepted me as your master, you are still right to suspect me. Who knows, I might be actually a space vampire out to consume your flesh. With you making this contract, you are assuring your safety."


    "Hehe." [****] stuck out his tongue to the [####]. "Being cautious is better than being victimized right?"


    "Indeed."


    Both of them then stared at each other as they recited the mantra for the initiation of the master-disciple contract.


    Minutes passed by and [****] felt a subtle connection with the [####]. He knew this was their karma, now bounded together by a master-disciple relationship.


    "Let''s see¡­ what shall I teach you first? Alchemy or Talisman Making? If its alchemy, then I should make you start memorizing all the names of vegetations..." The [####] did not waste time as he started devising a studying plan for [****].


    [****], who heard all sorts of theoretical ideas and book references from the [####] , began to shake as his intellectual side trembled.


    This shivering of [****] just increased as he  realized that his  new master was way different from [----].


    [----] was the type of person to just give his disciple the tools and let them learn it by themselves. As for this [####], he clearly cared enough to be involved on teaching his disciple.


    "If Master [----] can just be like this¡­" [****] thought to himself amusedly. "Hey master [####], remember what you said to me earlier?"


    "Ah, about me bringing you the peak of the Second Stage? Forget that one, I was lying about that." The [####] said dismissively.


    "What?" [****] stood up, glaring at the [####] with daggers on his eyes. He stomped his way towards him, with anger clearly evident on his movements.


    "Does that mean you cannot bring me to the Peak of the Second Stage?"


    "I can bring you at the peak of the Second Stage, but that is not what I am planning to give to you." The [####] said while snickering. He seemed to like making [****] angry. "Instead of bringing you to the peak of the Second Stage, I will bring you to a more special state."


    "A more special state?" Right now, [****] felt as if  [####] was actually not pranking him anymore. He strained his ears as he listened closely.


    "You know that you cannot reach the Third Stage yet as of now, but I can help you create something similar to that." The [####] said as he rubbed his hands excitedly.


    "I shall help you create an Essence Core!"

 Chapter 558 - Nascent Soul Breathing Technique

    [[[END OF DREAM SCENE 1]]]


    "¡­"


    This ''Dream Scene'' involving Person 1 and Person 2 did not happen in reality, nor did it happen on Alex''s past.


    Instead, this ''Dream Scene'' has just happened inside Alex''s head, who at this time, can only watch the scene in a state of confusion.


    "What the hell is this? Did I just witness two people that I do not know, have a conversation with each other? How the f**k did this happen?"


    Due to the pain and sudden shock brought to him by the foreign memories, Alex could barely understand what he was seeing inside his mind now. Add the fact that he just fainted, and it can be considered a miracle that he is still able to think!


    But even if he''s extremely muddle-headed, Alex still has a faint inkling about what was happening to him.


    "Earlier, I suddenly felt a head-splitting pain as foreign memories began to invade my mind. I do not know where they came from, but they seem to be targeting me specifically." Alex thought solemnly as he felt that his awareness was slowly making a return. "Because of the volume of those memories, I fainted, as my mind was unable to process them all quickly."


    With this slow return of his awareness, Alex was able to speed up his thinking, something that is beneficial to him now.


    "After I lost my consciousness, my mind did not stop on  processing the foreign memories. My mind has continued to work, and it only stopped when all the memories have been processed¡­" Alex sniffled as his mental faculties went back to 50% functionality.."It was only after all the foreign memories have been processed that I regained my consciousness, although it is still extremely wakened."


    At this point, even the throbbing pain inside Alex''s head has began to subside, along with the light-headed feeling inside his mind.


    This further helped Alex to  deduce his current situation.


    "Now that my mind has processed all those memories, what it did next was obvious. It began to play some of these memories inside my head, which is the reason for my dreams right now!" Alex thought, with half of his mind focused on stopping himself from getting angry. "Tsk, I already have a busy day, and this still has to happen to me? Ugh, why did this have to occur!"


    Alex seemed to be pissed with what had just happened to him, something that is sensible for him. After all, who in their right mind would be happy when someone starts randomly injecting  memories inside their head? Alex obviously won''t.


    In fact, if Alex can just move right now, he would be most likely using all of his powers just to find the one who made him like this. He will surely beat that person up, and make him/her explain why he/she have to do this.


    But with his body still paralyzed and his mind stuck on showing the ''dreams'', the lucid Alex cannot do anything else but  watch these dreams with a sulk.


    "Hmph, I don''t really understand why these memories has invaded my head, but I am not happy with them making me like this! These memories surely must have something sinister hidden within them¡­." Alex thought sourly. "As I am still paralyzed and weak, I might be forced to watch at least 2 more ''Dream Scenes'' from these memories¡­"


    If Alex could just click his teeth from frustration, then he could have done it countless times already. But because he''s paralyzed, he can only vent his frustrations inside his mind.


    "Tsk, it''s  a good thing that the first ''Dream Scene'' was just normal. It was just about Person 2 accepting Person 1 as his disciple. Person 2 then talked something about Essence Cores? Is that the right term? Well, whatever. The first ''Dream Scene is still bearable. But what about the next ''Dream Scene''? Will it still be easy? Or will it change something in me?"


    Alex felt a sudden cold inside him, as he realized that he is about to face a trial that might very well change him fundamentally.


    "Sigh, so I have a set of foreign memories inside my head, which I am being forced to watch in the form of ''Dream Scenes, which will have a sure effect on me¡­"  Alex thought solemnly, with his mind clearly having a small-scale panic right now. It was hard for him to feel calm, as he knew that the next few minutes of his life could be extremely difficult.


    "Tsk, if  the contents these other Dream Scenes are like Dream Scene 1, then it will be good. But If their contents are malicious or are intended to damage minds, then I will be in a bad situation!"


    As he reached this realization, Alex began to do all the things that he can do just to stop his mind from showing more of the foreign memories. After all, Alex cannot just expect that the other Dream Scenes will be beneficial. At most, these memories could bring him into ruin.


    "Wake up, b***h-ass Alex! Wake up!" But no matter what Alex did, his weakened mind stubbornly kept him down. Even when Alex tried to injure his Virtual Body, his mind still did not loosen up.


    [LOADING: DREAM SCENE 2]


    "Ah f**k. Alex, I said wake up!" As this hollow-sounding voice resonated inside him, Alex doubled his efforts to rouse himself. "If you don''t wake up, the Arcane Sorceress or the Immortal Empress could kidnap your body! You don''t want that from happening, right?"


    But just like his futile efforts from earlier, Alex was still unable to wake himself up, leaving him under the mercy of the invading memories.


    "Ah!" Alex could only hiss as his mind began to roil, with the familiar feeling of nausea assaulting his brain again. His head then resumed its painful throbbing, leaving Alex screeching madly.


    [DREAM SCENE 2 LOADING COMPLETE. INITIATING PLAYTHROUGH]


    "Af f**k!!!" With that announcement, the furious Alex found his mind plunged back into darkness once more.


    ****************


    "Hmm¡­this part with my Cores will be the hardest one." Person 4 muttered as she adjusted the temperature of her Pure Yin Cosmic Ice ever so slowly.


    In order to let it reach its optimum potential, Person 4 decided to just use the temperature of around -10 Degrees Celsius to cool her Cores.


    If she used a temperature much lower than this, her Cores might freeze much faster before the Cores''  internal components can arrange themselves.


    But to Person 4''s disappointment, she found that even with the temperature she used, none of her molten Cores showed any signs of freezing.


    "This just means that I need lower temperatures to freeze my molten Cores." Person 4 thought as she cupped her chin. "Not only that, but I guess that just like with the flames earlier, the freezing point of my Cores will also differ too."


    With that conjecture, Person 4 decided to decrease the temperature of her Pure Yin Cosmic Ice, with her decreasing the temperature by 1 Degree Celsius per second.


    No matter what happens, Person 4 will only decrease the temperature at this rate, as this is the way for the Cores to freeze slowly.


    "...."


    Because of the slow decrease in temperature, it took Person 4 much longer time to affect all the Cores with her Pure Yin Cosmic Ice.


    "This is bad¡­"


    Two hours have already passed by, and the only Cores affected by her Pure Yin Cosmic Ice were the two smallest Cores and the 7 similarly-sized Cores.


    As for the remaining 4 Cores, Person 4 could still see no signs or indications of their freezing point.


    "Ugh, if this goes on, then my spiritual power will run out before I am able to freeze them all!" Person 4 muttered as she felt her consciousness starting to fade away.


    Two hours of precisely controlling her Pure Yin Cosmic Ice consumed Person 4''s spiritual strength so quick that at this point, there''s only 5% Spiritual Power left inside her.


    "If I do not do anything now, all my hard work will be wasted!" Person 4''s eyes then gleamed knowing that right now, she had no choice but to go for broke.


    Since she has limited spiritual power, then all she needed to do was to just replenish this!


    But how can Person 4 do this at her situation right now?


    Consuming a pill or herbs that can recover her spiritual power is impossible, as Person 4 should not ingest any pills or herbs to recover her Spiritual Power during the Smelting process.


    Introduction of foreign spiritual power will produce a disturbance inside Person 4''s body, and it will severely impede Person 4''s Smelting process!


    This means that Person 4 has to produce more spiritual power naturally from her body in order to avoid the disturbance.


    But how can Person 4 achieve this?


    All of her Cores cannot be used now as they were all being Smelted, so Person 4 has to find a different way to produce Spiritual Power naturally.


    Luckily for Person 4, there was something that her second master, Person 2, left to her.


    After Person 4 succeeded on creating her Essence Cores while she was at the Second Stage, Person 2 decided to give Person 4 some things that will be useful to her.


    At that time, Person 2 knew that he will be going into a slumber, so he decided to give Person 4 some of the things that can be of use to her while he was asleep.


    One of the things that Person 2 gave to Person 4 was a Technique related to Spiritual Power!


    When Person 4 received this technique, she scoffed a little, as she saw that only when she reached the Third Stage that she can use this technique.


    Person 4 was at Second Stage at that time, so she decided to just keep this technique at the back of her mind.


    But now that Person 4 has reached the Third Stage and that she was also in dire need of more Spiritual Power, Person 4 decided to use the technique given to her by Person 2!


    Even if it will be dangerous, Person 4 decided to proceed on using this technique, as using this technique will be the only way for Person 4 to obtain more Spiritual Power!


    "Remember my disciple, once you decided to use this technique, there is no going back for you." Person 4 remembered Person 2 saying these words as he gave Person 4 the mentioned technique.


    "Either you complete this technique and live, or you fail and die."


    This grim reminder was something that Person 4 can still remember up until now.


    Person 4 used whatever consciousness she had left to scour her mind.


    After 10 seconds of frantic searching, she found what she was searching for.


    It was a manual that was imprinted by Person 2 inside Person 4''s mind.


    It looked like a brown book, with golden letters adorning its cover.


    These golden letters formed a set of words which read,


    "Nascent Soul Breathing Technique."


    Person 4 took a shaky breath as she saw this title.


    Before, she was not interested in this technique, so she did not bother reading it.


    But now that she needed to use it, she decided to read its contents now.


    "¡­."


    After using her divine sense to read its contents, Person 4 realized something.


    "This technique¡­ this is just the sequel to the Essence Core Creation Technique!"

 Chapter 559 - The Temptation of the Nascent Soul Cultivaiton Technique

    [END OF DREAM SCENE 2]


    "Bang!" After hearing this announcement, the scene that Alex was watching quickly faded away, along with the pain inside his head. The nausea has lifted up too, allowing him to breathe another sigh of relief.


    But even with this relief, Alex was not entirely relieved at all. He was instead more confused, which is expected given what he had just seen.


    "What the-?" Just like the first dream scene, Alex found his awareness returning as the second dream scene ended. This allowed him to think properly once more, something that he is absolutely needing right now.


    "That dream scene is almost similar to the first one. It did not do anything malicious to me, and instead it just showed me another cultivation technique¡­. What was it again? Nascent Soul Cultivation Technique? Why do I feel like this will be helpful to me instead?" Alex thought, with his body still reeling from the effects of the Dream Scene. "Hmm¡­ am I just overthinking things?"


    He seemed to be slightly intimidated by what had happened, although the lack of malicious side effects made him rethink things.


    "The first dream scene showed me that something like an Essence Core can be created. Is this Essence Core¡­ similar to Dao Core? And now, the second dream scene talks about a technique that can create Nascent Souls? Don''t tell me this Nascent Soul is similar to Dao Souls? If that is true, then maybe these memories are actually useful to me!"


    *************


    With  Alex''s Immortal Cultivation way behind his other powers, Alex was inwardly tempted to try some techniques that can speed up his cultivation.  He knew that if he just cultivates in the normal way, his Immortal Cultivation might take a little long time to upgrade.


    Because of that, Alex was busy on finding a way to speed up his Immortal Cultivation for the past 2 months. But no matter what things he tried to do, he was unable to find a possible way to speed his cultivaiotn up.


    Such kind blockage made Alex feel slightly disappointed, making him  accept that his Immortal Cultivation will forever be slower than his other powers.


    But then these foreign memories suddenly arrived, showing him that there is a possibility to speed up his cultivation!


    "If my guess is right, this Essence Core Creation Technique and Nascent Soul Creation Technique are unique methods that allows an Immortal Cultivator to create Dao Cores and Dao Souls. And from the looks of it, anyone can do it as long as they know the method¡­" Alex thought to himself, with his mind turning slightly excited from his discovery. "Wait¡­ don''t tell me that these memories were here in order to help me?  And that these techniques were the ones that I actually need to use now? If this is true¡­ then this is something notable!"


    Alex''s excitement continued to increase at this point, something that even he has found hard to stop.


    How can Alex not be excited? He was previously worried about speeding his cultivation up, and then these memories suddenly arrive, showing him the exact techniques that he needed!


    If this can''t be called a fortunate encounter, then Alex was not sure what to call this!


    But even though Alex had the inkling that these memories were here to help him, Alex forced himself to stop being optimistic, as he knew that sometimes, even the good things could be harmful. Who knows, this Nascent Soul Cultivation Technique might be just fake, and the memories were just baiting him to use it¡­


    "Tsk, if my guess is right, the incoming 3rd Dream Scene might show me how the Nascent Soul Creation Technique works. Since the first 2 dream scenes showed the names of the methods, then the 3rd one will most definitely explain them." Alex mused as he felt his clear awareness slowing down again.


    This slowing down was accompanied by the return of his head pain, along with the nausea.


    As Alex started to feel these sensations again, he heard the hollow voice inside his mind, stating the words that he is actually eager to hear now.


    [LOADING: DREAM SCENE 3]


    "Hmm¡­ this will be the final dream scene that I will watch today, so it will most likely show me the methodology of the technique. Now, it will just depend on me if I will train these methods or not¡­." Alex thought as his mind continued to slow down.  He then mentally gritted his teeth, as his frustrations from earlier began to showcase themselves now. "Tsk, why do I have to be forced with these choices? Can''t I just learn things the normal way?"


    "Tsk, I really hate being forced into things like this, especially if it''s my future on stake. Argh, if I can just get angry, then I will be raging now! But all that I can do now is just watch these foreign memories? This s***ks!" With Alex unable to extricate himself from his dream, all that he can do now is hope that the final Dream Scene that he will be watching will be a good one.


    Because if it is, then this can be considered as a lucky break for him.


    But if is not, then there will be a lot of problems coming on Alex in the future¡­


    [DREAM SCENE 3 LOADING COMPLETE: INITATING PLAYTHROUGH]


    "Sigh, I hope this will be good. Becasuse if it is not, then yay, my allies will be just as troubled as me¡­"


    ********


    Just like what was mentioned in the book cover, the Nascent Soul Technique is a breathing technique that will help create a Nascent Soul inside a practitioner''s body!


    But what is the thing that must be breathed in to create the Nascent Soul?


    According to the manual, it can be the Essence of anything, as long as it conforms with the practitioner''s soul and insights.


    This time, this Essence is not something that can be just found in one''s body. This Essence can be the Essence of Water, Essence of Space and many more.


    The Nascent Soul Breathing Technique allows a practitioner to breathe in the Essence suitable with their current soul, and use this Essence to create a Nascent Soul!


    For example:


    If a practitioner was highly attuned to the fire Dao/Law, then he must breathe in the Essence of anything related to fire.


    Continuous use of the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique will acc.u.mulate the Fire Essence inside the practitioner''s body, until there is enough Fire Essence.


    This Fire Essence will then be used in the next step.


    This next step consists of giving birth to a Nascent Soul from the breathed in Fire Essence!


    There are processes recorded in the manual that will help the Fire Essence to turn into a Fire Nascent Soul.


    These processes usually involve taking off a very small part of the practitioner''s original soul and planting it inside the breathed in Essence.


    In the case of the example practitioner, he must tear off a very small part of his original soul and merge it with the Fire Essence.


    This implanted soul will then greedily absorb the Fire Essence around it, increasing its size and power.


    Once all the Fire Essence were absorbed, the implanted soul would have transformed already.


    The power provided by the Fire Essence will help the implanted soul recover, turning it from just a piece of soul into a clone of the original soul!


    All the Fire Essence that it absorbed will also give the implanted soul fire-related attributes!


    This clone of the original soul with fire-related attributes is the final product, the Fire Nascent Soul!


    From this example, one can already realize why a practitioner must only breathe in the Essence of things that conform to their souls and insights.


    If a practitioner who practices Water Dao/Law breathes in Fire Essence and implants a part of his soul into that Fire Essence, the poor practitioner will just be hit by a backlash.


    It was because the Water Dao/Law that the said practitioner practiced will be engraved in his original soul, making his soul very amicable to water-related essence only.


    So, when a torn-off portion of this water-amicable soul was brought in contact with the Fire Essence, the only logical end will be the destruction of the implanted soul!


    This example just shows that there will always be a limitation to each and every practitioner who practices the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique!


    And that limitation is that usually, anyone who practices the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique will only be able to create one Nascent Soul, as they only have one Dao/Law that they can practice in their whole lives.


    But of course, there are extreme exceptions in this rule.


    Person 5 is a good example of that.


    Person 5 is a [Redacted] Hydra, and her unique ability is that she can comprehend as many Daos and Laws that she wants depending on the amount of the heads she has!


    Since Person 5 will grow one head for each Stage she steps in, by the time she steps in the Third Stage she will have three heads, equating to three Daos or Laws!


    That means that Person 5 can create 3 Nascent Souls with the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique, as her soul can be amicable to the three types of Essences represented by the Daos or Laws that she comprehended!


    And of course, one must not forget Person 4 too.


    With her evolution as the [Redacted] Divine Beast, Person 4''s soul was amicable to anything related to the concept of duality!


    Ice-Fire, Space-Time, Life-Death and many more! As long as its duality, Person 4''s soul will be comfortable with it!


    This means that Person 4 can create as many Nascent Souls that she wants depending on the amount of the Duality Concepts that she currently comprehended!


    Right now, Person 4 had already comprehended the Duality Concepts of Male-Female, Ice-Fire, Life-Death, Space-Time, and Destruction-Creation.


    This means that right now, Person 4 can create 5 Nascent Souls!


    And what makes it more mind-numbing was that as long as Person 4 comprehends more Duality Concepts while she is in Third Stage, she can use these newly comprehended Duality Concepts to create more Nascent Souls!


    This means that at the peak of Third Stage, Person 4 can still have more than 5 Nascent Souls in her arsenal!


    But for all of this to be possible, Person 4 must survive the process of tearing parts from her very own soul.


    Tearing off parts from the original soul was after all, the most dangerous part of the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique!


    *************


    The soul is a vital part of the practitioner''s body and if the soul was greatly damaged, it will bring massive detriments to the poor practitioner.


    What was worse was that if the injury on the soul was too much, the practitioner might also die!


    This is the risk being undertaken by anyone who practices the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique.


    By actually taking off a part of their original soul, they risk injury on their soul.


    The good thing was that as long as the portion of the soul removed was small and that the way it was removed was precise, the original soul will only suffer very minor injuries.


    But if a practitioner can create 2 or more Nascent Souls, they could not just make 2 Nascent Souls at the same time.


    After all, creating 2 Nascent Souls will mean that the practitioner will have to tear off parts of his soul twice!


    If the practitioner wanted to create the 2nd Nascent Soul, he must let his soul recover first from the injuries of creating the 1st Nascent Soul.


    Only when the original soul has recovered that the practitioner can create his 2nd Nascent Soul.


    So in Person 4''s case, she could not just create all 5 Nascent Souls at her whim. She can only create 1 for now, and she had to let her soul recover every time she wanted to create one more-

 Chapter 560 - The Circle of Women

    INSIDE SIERRA''S HOUSE.


    Within this hut''s confinements, 5 figures could be seen, with the atmosphere around them plagued with both worry and tension. None of them looked either happy or active. They were all frowning, with their faces showing great unease.


    Some of them were even tapping their feet to the floor in an unstable rhythm, which just showed how nervous they are right now. The unsure expressions on their eyes and shifty eyes certainly did not help matters either.


    "¡­."


    Anyone who sees these people can easily confirm one thing. There is something worrying happening inside Sierra''s house right now, which seemed to be enough to make these people worried.


    As for what were they worrying about, one closer look to these people can explain it.


    "¡­."


    A young man, whose whole body was lying down face-up from the ground, looked to be deep in slumber inside Sierra''s house, with his body not moving at all.  His eyes were shut tightly along with his mouth, making him appear to be doing nothing but  just sleep.


    The snores coming out of his mouth just made this observation more accurate, with some occasional sleep-talk of him also available from time to time.


    "Oh yeah¡­. right there, honey¡­" The young man mumbled as his whole body shifted to mimic a moving caterpillar. He then began to wiggle on the spot, as if he was enjoying something right now. "Oh yeah, stroke that  more!"


    "¡­."


    "Pa pa pa pa!"


    "¡­.."


    "Slick slick slick!"


    "¡­."


    Anyone who hears what this young man said will surely be embarrassed, no matter what their gender or age was. Even an experienced killer will be wincing too, as what this young man said was just too much!


    "¡­."


    This kind of slovenly state might be enough to place this man into danger, as his defenseless form and irritating words is enough to attract countless bad will.


    But instead of being placed in danger,  what this young man found himself in was the entire opposite.


    This young man  seemed to be in safe hands right now, as his whole body was not surrounded by his enemies. Instead, the young man was surrounded by the 5 worried figures inside Sierra''s hut, all who looked like they wanted to take care of him.


    These 5 figures, who was still filled with worried until now, were all looking at the young man with intensity on their eyes.


    Even if they looked uneasy as they stared at the young man, none of them broke their gaze away from him, as if they were scared of him being hurt.


    "¡­"


    This kind of stares from these figures continued as time passed by, with only the ticking of the nearby clock creating the loudest sound inside the room.


    Such kind of silence is unbearable to almost anyone, and it certainly had begun affecting the 5 figures too.


    Just 10 minutes after the young man lost his consciousness, one of the 5 figures was not able to take it anymore. This figure began to talk, with her voice tinged with an undeniable accusatory tone.


    "Aunt TImeMaster, when will Daddy wake up? Will he stay asleep like this forever?" This figure,  who had the appearance of a beautiful teen-aged girl, asked this question with wet eyes. She seemed to be close to crying, and the only thing that was stopping her was the rage present on her face. "Aunt, please answer my question. If you don''t, I will be really mad!"


    This rage of hers was not particularly targeted to anyone, but to those who saw this girl''s appearance right now, it was hard for them to ignore her anger. Her anger made her look like she''s about to burn everything down, a scenario that made those who saw her feel fear.


    Such case can be said to the Great TimeMaster, who was the recipient of the teen-aged girl''s question.


    "Sierra, just like what I told you earlier, Mr. Alex has experienced a lucky break with his Immortal Cultivation. Hence, his current state right now." The Great TimeMaster patiently explained to the teenaged girl, who was revealed to be no other than Sierra.


    "He is unconscious right now because his mind is busy on processing his lucky break. So don''t be worried for your daddy, Sierra. As long as he finishes his lucky break, he will eventually wake up without any complications¡­" The Great TimeMaster added before Sierra could shoot back a question. "Just trust me here, ok? I assure you that your daddy will be fine¡­"


    "Are you sure about that, Aunt TimeMaster?" Sierra replied feebly as she gave a glum stare at the unconscious young man. She seemed to be believing the Great TimeMaster''s words, although a part of her was also resisting to believe her. "What if something wrong happens to daddy? What if he-"


    "As I said, your daddy will be fine. So just let things go on their way, ok?" The Great TImeMaster said with higher emphasis, with her eyes twitching in irritation. "Sierra, if you don''t listen to me and you start prodding Mr. Alex, things might turn out worse. So for his sake, don''t do anything to your daddy, and just let him weather this through. Do you understand that?"


    With the rage inside Sierra threatening to spill out like a flooded dam, the Great TImeMaster was forced to make her voice sound soothing in order to calm the girl down. This action seemed to have worked, as the previously wound-up Sierra began to relax. Of course there was still some anger present in her, but compared to earlier, she looked way much calmer now.


    "O-ok Auntie, I understand¡­" In front of the unconscious young man, who was no other than Alex himself, Sierra could only bow her head as she gave this unwilling reply. "I will not touch daddy right now¡­ But if he doesn''t wake up within 1 hour, I will start shaking him, ok?"


    "If that''s what you want to do, then it is fine. I expect your daddy to wake up already, so your condition is of no use to me." The Great TimeMaster said these words with a smile, an action that brought the complaining Sierra to a halt. "From what I can sense from Mr. Alex''s time stream, his time inside his mind is about to end already. In my estimation¡­ he will wake up 2-3 minutes from now."


    "W-wait, are you sure about that, Aunt TimeMaster? Daddy will really wake up already?" Sierra blurted out in reply, with her pale face slowly regaining its rosy color. She seemed to be greatly pleased by what the Great TimeMaster just said, which was made evident by her returning cheerfulness. "D-do I have to do anything once daddy wakes up? Do I have to-"


    >>


    The one who gave this reply was not the Great TimeMaster.


    Instead, it came from the Immortal Empress, whose pristine white robes glinted under the lights as she gave Sierra a mysterious look.


    "Digest what Legacy? Aunt Empress, I don''t understand what you are sayin-"


    >> The Immortal Empress said, interrupting Sierra''s follow-up question.  >>


    "¡­"


    The Immortal Empress looked like she does not care about what Sierra was feeling, something that made Sierra unhappy of course.


    But in face of the much more powerful Immortal Empress, the aggrieved Sierra can only stay silent.


    >> The Immortal Empress continued to say, with her body language seemingly relaxing too.


    >> After saying these words, the Immortal Empress suddenly sent a ferocious glare to the woman standing beside her, whose appearance was that of the Arcane Sorceress. "Oh, and that means that you have to leave too, Arcane Sorceress. With your b***y appearance and bad attitude, you will just make Traveler Alex fail!"


    [[[Oi, are you trying to piss me off again, old hag? Because if you are, then get prepared to be trashed by me!]]] The Arcane Sorceress was certainly not impressed by the Immortal Empress'' insults. She quickly stood up in face of the Immortal Empress'' provocation, with her aura indicting that she was ready to battle again. [[[Hmph, I don''t even need to use all my power to trash you now. Just one flick of my finger is enough to destroy your wrinkly face!]]]


    >>


    [[[Hmph, just try it, and I will make you feel regret!]]]


    >>


    [[[Oh, you did not just diss my husband¡­]]]


    >>


    [[[Did you just copy my words? You b***h! You really are uncultured! You deserve to be punished!]]]


    >>


    [[[You!]]]

 Chapter 561 - 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!

    2 days ago, December 13, 2019, marks the one-year anniversary of this novel. A year full of nothing but writing and brainstorming, this anniversary is a milestone to me.


    But even with this long writig time,, I still could not help but doubt this novel, as it seemed that fewer people are reading it right now..


    Of course I get it that my novel is premium that was why some people droppped this. But for most of my chapters to have no comments? Sigh, even someone like me will easily get discouraged by this....


    Well, I will still continue to write this novel since I had alreayd started it, so don''t be worried if this suddenly gets cut off. But I wish to my readers to please show some support to me.


    Even by commenting in my chapter will be greatly helpful to me. Any response will do.


    Just... just show that you read this novel, ok?


    I hope that this incoming new year, this novel will receive a massive boost. Huhuhu, I really need that....


    Oh, and here''s the first chapter of this novel, just if you want to have a recap.


    Hehe, let''s see if you will get the references that I placed here...


    *************************


    "Oh, I''m dying¡­" That was all that Alex could think to himself as he lay on the cold ground.


    The wind was whistling loudly around Alex as they harshly pelted the surroundings with thick, white snow. This sight can be considered to be cool for those who lived in the tropics, but for Alex, what he could only see was his possible graveyard.


    While his eyes were still open, Alex could see only thick piles of snow starting to pile up around him. To his dismay, the height of these snow piles only continued to increase as time went on.


    This sight managed to shake off Alex''s lethargic feelings, as he began to feel scared for his life.


    "Move, d**nit!" Alex muttered to himself angrily as he forced himself to move.


    But no matter what Alex did, his body refused to budge, as it already gave up under the effects of hypothermia.


    Alex could feel his extremities starting to turn cold and his heartbeat starting to slow down. He also realized that he was slowly losing his consciousness.


    Alex knew that if he could even survive right now, his fingers and toes will have to be amputated, due to the effect of frostbite on them.


    "From the looks of it, there is no way that I can survive right now¡­" Alex thought to himself as he let out a cold sigh.


    "I have done a lot of things in my 17 years of life, and the place where I will die is actually on a cold, snowy road? What a fitting and ironic end for me."


    At this point, Alex knew that there is no way out for him now.


    His whole body was wounded on numerous places, and the cold had already penetrated deep in his body.


    "Not even the best doctor can save me now¡­" Alex thought to himself as he closed his eyes in resignation.


    Alex''s life then began to flash before his very own eyes, with him seeing all the mischievous and daring things that he had done in his life.


    He could also see all the friends and enemies that he made, and all the love and hate that he accrued.


    "My life is so fulfilling, and yet it is also so lacking¡­" Alex thought wryly as he began to feel sleepy.


    Alex knew that this is the final stage of hypothermia, where the victim will start to feel sleepy.


    Alex knew that if he slept right now, he will never wake up.


    But Alex knew that struggling for his life right now is already futile, so he just decided to end it all now.


    "Is there an afterlife? Well, I will know the answer to that after I die¡­" Alex thought as he wearily closed his eyes.


    "Crunch, crunch."


    But before Alex could enjoy the final moments of his life, he suddenly heard the sound of crunching footsteps on the snow.


    This surprised Alex so much that he was able to muster the will to open his eyes.


    He looked toward the source of the sound, and what he saw made him slightly disappointed.


    He saw an extremely disheveled man walking towards him.


    The man looked around 30-40 years old, but his face looked older because of his messy hair and scraggly beard.


    Even if his surroundings were covered by white snow, Alex could see that this man was extremely dirty.


    "He''s a homeless person." Alex thought to himself as he began to lose interest on this man.


    But before he could close his eyes again, he suddenly heard a voice speaking towards him.


    "You think that I am a homeless person? Well, from the way that I look right now, you are actually right. But even if I look clean, I am still technically homeless¡­"


    Alex''s eyes opened wide with shock as he realized that it was the homeless man that was talking to him!


    "Oh, it seems like you cannot speak due to the cold." The homeless man said, much to Alex''s irritation.


    But before Alex could feel angry to this homeless man, he realized something weird.


    Because of his current condition, Alex had no way to speak.


    Alex''s comment about this homeless man being homeless was only made inside his mind.


    But this homeless man somehow had managed to catch Alex''s thought about him being homeless!


    "Can this guy read my mind?" Alex thought amusedly to himself. "Oh, there is no way that it can happen. Maybe I am just hallucinating right now¡­"


    "Oh, I can read your mind, young one." The homeless man suddenly said as he sat beside Alex.


    "What the hell!" At this point, Alex was already sure that this homeless man can really read his mind!


    "You do not need to think of more things, young one." The homeless man said as he saw Alex''s current condition.


    "Yeah, so what if you can read my mind? I am about to die anyway, so I do not care about that anymore." Alex thought deprecatingly as he realized chatting with this homeless man might not be that bad.


    If Alex was in his normal condition right now, there is no way that he would believe that this old man can read minds.


    But right now, with Alex nearing his end, he decided to believe this homeless man. After all, what else might go wrong even if he believed him?


    "Oh, so even if you are dying right now, you still wanted to chat to me? What a humorous person!" The homeless man chuckled as he continued sitting beside Alex.


    "So, you are not going to help me out?" Alex thought drily as he saw that the homeless man did nothing to dig Alex out of the snow. "You know, for someone that can talk to minds like you, digging me out should be just easy¡­"


    "Why should I save you, young one?" The homeless man said as his gray eyes stared at Alex.


    "Young one, I could clearly feel that you are fine with dying right now. I can feel your resignation. I can feel your desire to just sleep."


    The homeless man then stood up as he let out a weary sigh.


    "I will not save you, as you are already prepared to die¡­"


    "Do you think I really am prepared to die? I still have a lot of things to do!" Alex declared angrily as his mind have seemingly snapped.


    "You think I want to die? Of course not! The only reason I am fine with dying right now is because I felt that there is no more hope for me to live!"


    Alex''s eyes seemingly have turned red as he thought,


    "Homeless man, since you can read my mind, then come and read my whole life inside my mind! Once you see that, you will realize that I really am not prepared to die!"


    These words by Alex seemed to have stirred the homeless man''s eyes. He then stared at Alex as he said,


    "You really are interesting, young one. Since you said that, then allow me to read your whole life!"


    "!!!" Alex then felt a searing pain inside his mind, which managed to wipe all of his drowsiness away.


    Alex wanted to just scream and flail around in agony, but his body would not respond to him at all.


    This painful ordeal of his had lasted for around a minute.


    "F**k!" Alex cursed as the pain inside his head began to disappear. He gave the homeless man an accusatory gaze, as he blamed him for that sudden pain.


    "Hahaha! This is splendid!" To Alex''s surprise, the homeless man suddenly started to laugh uproariously, as if he just found the greatest treasure in his life.


    "Your life is extremely interesting, young one!" The homeless man said as his empty gaze at Alex earlier turned into a praising one.


    "I never expected that someone like you could have existed in this realm!" As the homeless man said these words, Alex suddenly saw something more mind-boggling.


    Everything around Alex and the homeless man have literally stopped.


    The snow lay suspended in the air, while the roaring winds earlier have all disappeared.


    "What the hell is this?" Alex thought to himself as he began to stare at the homeless man with horror. "This is definitely not normal!"


    "Young one." The homeless man continued talking to Alex, as he ignored Alex''s shocked countenance.


    "If you were given a chance to live right now, what is the first thing that you will do?"


    Alex suddenly felt himself wanting to answer that question honestly.


    It was as if there was a hidden power inside the homeless man''s question that is prompting Alex to answer truthfully.


    This compelling desire to answer was so strong that Alex forced his stiff lips and freezing throat to give his answer.


    "I¡­. I want to travel¡­" Alex croaked out of his mouth.


    "Excellent answer, young one." The homeless man smiled, seemingly impressed with Alex''s answer. "You really did not let me down."


    "Woosh!"


    A bright object suddenly flew out of the homeless man''s forehead, which buried itself right into Alex''s forehead.


    "Hiss¡­" Alex could not help out but recoil in pain as he felt heat on his forehead. This pain just continued on increasing until Alex could not take it anymore.


    "...¡­.." Alex''s consciousness collapsed as his head lolled to the side.


    As for the homeless man, he watched Alex''s ordeal with satisfaction as he turned around to leave.


    The snowstorm then continued its assault as the homeless man walked farther away.


    "Young one, I have already given you a chance to fulfill your wish." The homeless man muttered to himself as he continued on walking away. "But don''t think that you will have a peaceful life after this. Everyone branded with the symbol of the Endless Monarch is now destined to live chaotic life!"


    "Hong!"


    A symbol suddenly glowed at Alex''s forehead, illuminating the surroundings around him.


    This symbol was like a series of knots which seemed to be unending by itself.


    A few second passed by, and the glow disappeared, along with Alex''s body.


    The snowstorm, not knowing that its latest victim had escaped its grasp, continued its assault on the hapless town.


    ****************


    "Ughh¡­" Alex held his head in pain as he woke up with a start. The beating, maledicting pain in his head continued until he felt that is was somehow bearable for him to move.


    "What the hell?" After looking around him, Alex realized one thing. And that is that he is not in the snowstorm anymore.


    Alex saw that he was inside a room, with a modest bed and table.


    There was also a piece of bread and a glass of water in the table which Alex observed with wariness.


    While he was looking around him warily, Alex suddenly remembered about his encounter with the homeless man in the snowstorm.


    "That homeless man did something to me that brought me here¡­." Alex thought to himself as he cupped his chin in thought.


    But before Alex could further observe his currently weird situation, he suddenly heard a crashing sound behind him.


    As he looked behind him, Alex saw the door of his room crashing down to the floor.


    A figure then entered into the room, and Alex''s breathing almost stopped when he saw his guest.


    His unwanted guest was a black-haired woman wearing a black sleeveless dress and black skirt that reached until her knees.


    She also wore long black socks and black shoes.


    Her body seemed to be fit and also s.e.xy, as Alex could see that this woman all had the right curves for a healthy female.


    As for her face, Alex could not see it as this woman was wearing a mask. But Alex was sure that this woman''s face is that of a peerless beauty.


    But the reason for why Alex''s breathing almost stopped was not because of this woman''s beauty.


    It was because he could feel an extreme sense of danger just by looking at this woman.


    "You have been identified by the World Diagram as a Class-S Intruder." The woman coldly said as a katana suddenly appeared in her hands. "As such, I have been sent here to eliminate you."


    "What?" That was the only thing that Alex could say before the woman slashed her katana towards him.

 Chapter 562 - Intermission: Asteria wants to write a story?

    Asteria: You may call me dumb Alex, but I can actually write a story!


    Alex: Hoh, are you sure about that? How could someone as lazy like you write a story? Maybe you''re geting high again from your honey. Why don;t you jsut sleep that off?


    Asteria: Hah? Watcha talkin about hooman? Of coures I can write! Why do you doubt that? Do I really look like I can''t write?


    Alex: Well...


    Asteria: Hmph, if that''s what you think, then I will show you a story that I wrote! Hmph, let''s see how amazed you will become once you see this!


    Alex: Dumb fairy, you don''t really need to-


    Asteria: Here, my story''s done! Come and read it now, hooman!


    Alex: Wait, you wrote a story that fast? You''re jsut s***ing with me now, right?


    Asteria: S***ing my ass! Just come here and read! If you don''t, then you''re a p***y for not reading!


    Alex: So I''m a p.u.s.s.y now? Hmph, show me what you wrote then!


    [With this prompt by Alex, the pleased-looking Asteria raised a piece of paper that was filled to the brim with words. She briefly shook it above her, before bringing it in front of Alex.]


    Asteria: Here, come and feast your eyes on my art! Hahaha! Let''s see you praise my work like a god!


    Alex: ....


    -THE BUTTERFLY-


    A short story by Asteria


    Once upon a time there was a young girl named Asteria. Asteria was 20 years old and lived in Arcadia, Fairyland. While walking home from school one day, a gold butterfly jumped out from behind a rock and tackled Asteria to the ground.


    But just when she was about to let out a scream for help, Asteria realized that the gold butterfly was only smooching her face, not trying to suck it off. At that moment, Asteria decided to keep the gold butterfly as a pet. And on the way home she decided to name her pet gold butterfly ''''Celeste.''''


    When Asteria and her new pet finally got home, guess who was standing on the front porch? That''s right, it was Asteria''s mother, Esther. And boy was she surprised to see a gold butterfly following Asteria into the yard!


    ''''What in world is that?'''' shouted Esther. ''''It''s a gold butterfly,'''' answered Asteria. ''''Dah, I can see that, Asteria, but what on earth is it doing here?'''' said Esther. ''''It''s my new pet!'''' answered Asteria.


    ''''Oh you think so do you?'''' remarked Esther. ''''I wouldn''t get your hopes up. You know how your father hates gold butterflies. But, well, I suppose you can keep him until your father comes home.''''


    And with that Asteria grabbed Celeste by the scruff of the neck and led her new pet into the house--even though she knew her father was probably going to dissaprove.


    Once in the house, Asteria and Celeste played and played. At that point Asteria forgot all about Celeste having an unsupervised run of the house.


    That is until half way through her meal when Asteria was brought back to reality when she heard her father shout, ''''Stupid Asteria! Get your bum in the kitchen...NOW!!'''' With that Asteria rushed into the kitchen to see what all the fuss was about.


    When she entered the kitchen, there stood her father, Fritz, pointing toward the chair. ''''Will someone please explain that?'''' asked her father.


    Then, as Asteria followed her father''s finger to where it was pointing, she instantly knew what her father was so upset about. There, smack dab in the middle of the chair, was the biggest pile of butterfly doo-doo she had ever seen!


    ''''I don''t EVEN want to know how that got there,'''' said Fritz. ''''But you had better get it cleaned up now! And you had better get rid of whatever it is that could have done such a thing!'''' Well, knowing her father as well as she did, Asteria knew there was no sense even asking her father if she could keep Celeste for a pet.


    So without hesitation, Asteria set out to find where Celeste was hiding. After a few minutes of looking, Asteria discovered Celeste crouched beneath the table that Asteria did her eating on.


    ''''Come on, Celeste, it''s time to find you a new home. And hey, don''t look at me that way, I''m not the one who did the dirty deed on the chair!'''' scolded Asteria. ''''Thanks to you I''ll never get to have my own pet butterfly!!


    And with that Asteria led Celeste out of the house and down to the local store . They had a pet section and Asteria knew the owner would find Celeste a good home.


    So after saying good-bye to Celeste, and thanking the owner of the shop, Asteria walked backed home and attempted to drown her sorrows by slamming down a half dozen honeys. But Asteria''s pity party came to an abrupt end when her father reminded her about the mess she had neglected to clean up.


    And lo and behold, midway through the clean-up, Asteria suddenly became thankful that someone else was going to have to do it from now on.


    The End.


    Asteria: Hahaha, how about that hooman? My story is a masterpiece, right?


    Alex: ...


    Asteria: Oi hooman. Why don''t you say something? Don''t tell me you''ve been so captivated by my story that you became speechless? Oh my goodness I didn''t know I was this good! Hahaha, maybe I should just-


    Alex: Hmph, good my ass! This story is so bad, that I don''t even know how to explain it!


    Asteria: What do you mean by stupid, huh? This story is a magnum opu-


    Alex: You found a big-ass butterfly and made it your pet. Then you left it to poo inside your house? Bruh, can butterflies even poop? And then you sold the butterfly to a pet house because you don''t want to take care of the butterfly anymore? Tsk, this is jsut a stupid premise! Argh, I can''t believe I wasted my time reading this!


    Asteria: ....

 Chapter 563 - Method and Awakening

    INSIDE ALEX''S MIND.


    After the introduction of the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique and its methodology, the 3rd Dream Scene did not stop.


    It went on to show Person 4 attempting the method by herself, which showcased the difficulty of the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique. It also showed the proper way to perform the technique, something that the spectating Alex was pleased to see.


    *************


    Person 4 took a deep breath as she immediately started the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique.


    "Since I need to do it quick, then I will just absorb the Essence of the nearest thing to me!"


    With all the duality concepts that she had comprehended already, the one that Person 4 was the most familiar with was the Ice-Fire Duality Concept.


    Not only that, but the 2 objects highly related to the Ice-Fire Duality Concept was right in front of her.


    Person 4 gazed as the Pure Yang Universe Flame floating in front of her and at the Pure Yin Cosmic Ice that was currently in her dantian.


    One dilemma of anyone who uses the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique was the quality of the object where they get the Essence from.


    Only objects with high quality can give more Essence to a practitioner.


    This means that if a practitioner tries to breathe in Fire Essence just from a normal fire, the amount of Essence that he will get will be extremely low.


    If that practitioner wants to get more Fire Essence, he must use fire with better quality.


    This problem was one of the reasons why Person 2 did not teach the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique to others casually, as finding resources to provide the needed Essence was hard to find in the Universe.


    But Person 2 was fine on giving the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique to Person 4, as he knew that she has the needed resources for her Essences.


    These resources were exactly the Pure Yang Universe Flame and the Pure Yin Cosmic Ice!


    One should know that these two objects are one of the rarest things in the whole Universe, and obtaining just one of them can be considered to be a great luck.


    With that kind of rarity and quality, the amount of Essence that can be found inside them will surely be enough to satisfy Person 4''s requirement!


    Now, she only need to acc.u.mulate enough Essence from these two objects, and then she can start with the next step.


    Person 4 then closed her eyes as she strengthened her mental connection with these 2 objects


    To start the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique, a practitioner must first use the insights that he had to connect with the object that he will absorb the Essence from.


    In Person 4''s case, she used her Duality Concepts to fully connect with the Pure Yang Universe Flame and with the Pure Yin Cosmic Ice.


    Person 4''s mind was tranquil as she slowly melded her mind and consciousness with the Pure Yang Universe Flame and the Pure Yin Cosmic Ice.


    Person 4 felt extremely serene as she became more and more connected with the 2 objects. This state will continue until Person 4 has fully connected with the 2 objects.


    "Hum....." Person 4''s body then trembled, as she suddenly felt like she was a part of the Pure Yang Universe Flame and the Pure Yin Cosmic Ice! Person 4 also realized that right now, she could feel all the changes happening inside the Pure Yang Universe Flame and Pure Yin Cosmic Ice.


    "..."


    All the sensations that Person 4 just felt right now made her realize that she¡­ she felt one and whole with them.


    Person 4 has done it, she had fully connected with them!


    "There it is!"


    When Person 4 felt that she had already fully resonated with the 2 objects, she opened her mouth, and then she took a deep breath.


    "Woosh¡­"


    This time, it was not only air that entered Person 4''s mouth.


    If one will look closely, they will see that from there is a golden stream coming out of the Pure Yang Universe Flame and a bluish-white stream coming out of the Pure Yin Cosmic Ice.


    Both of these streams entered Person 4''s mouth and started to coalesce inside Person 4''s body


    .


    These 2 streams were the Fire Essence of the Pure Yang Universe Flames and the Ice Essence of the Pure Yin Cosmic Ice.


    Person 4 continued circulating the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique as she collected more and more of the Fire and Ice Essences.


    After exactly 30 minutes of continuous Essence Breathing, Person 4 felt that she already reached the limit of the possible Fire and Ice Essence that she could absorb.


    "Combine!" Person 4 uttered these words as she willed the Fire and Ice Essence to join together.


    Person 4''s insights on Duality requires her always join two objects that were in duality in each other. In this case, she has to combine the Ice and Fire Essence so that they will fit her insights in Duality.


    "Now then¡­"


    Person 4 took a shaky breath as she felt slightly nervous. What she was about to do next will be dangerous, and it will require her utmost concentration to perform it.


    Person 4 closed her eyes as she focused on inspecting her own soul.


    Just by looking at it, Person 4 could see that even her soul was following the concept of Duality, as she could see that her original soul was the combination of her Yin Soul and her Yang Soul.


    Person 4 gulped slightly as she slowly approached her soul.


    Within the manual of the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique, there was a section there telling Person 4 the method that she can use to split off a part of her soul.


    "My soul is now a piece of paper¡­" Using her imagination, Person 4 compared her soul to a piece of pristine white paper. She visualized this paper in her mind, and she made this paper somehow the representation of her soul.


    Whatever Person 4 did to this imaginary paper in her mind, it will also happen to her soul.


    Now that she had this image in her mind, Person 4 focused on the lower-right corner of the imaginary paper.


    She then gritted her teeth as she decisively tore off a portion of this lower-right corner of the imaginary paper!


    "Rip¡­." As she willed this thing to happen on the imaginary paper, Person 4 saw that a portion of her soul was also being torn off at this very moment!


    It was as if the very act of tearing off a portion of the imaginary paper was also affecting her soul!


    This was the power of the visualization that Person 4 had, but it will be only effective if Person 4 had complete control over her soul, which she also had.


    As long as she completely tears of that corner of imaginary paper, Person 4 will also succeed on tearing off the portion of the soul that she needed to use.


    "Ahhh!!!!"


    But the problem was that this tearing off process was accompanied by a very excruciating pain.


    After all, the mutilating the soul was akin to mutilating the body. It will always be painful.


    But the pain from mutilating the soul was exponentially higher than the pain on mutilating one''s body. That was also the reason why the soul was kept inside the body. It was done in order to protect the soul from injuries and possible pain.


    "Fk, fk, fk! Fkity, fkity, fk, f**k!"


    Tears began to appear in Person 4''s eyes as she wanted the pain to go away.


    She knew that if she stops tearing off her soul right now, the pain will be gone.


    But she did not dare do it, as the manual mentioned that if Person 4 stops on tearing a part from her soul halfway through, she will immediately die.


    This meant that even with the pain she was feeling right now, Person 4 has no choice but to continue what she was doing.


    "Ah! It hurts! It hurts!" Person 4 wailed inwardly as the pain continued assaulting her mind and body.


    "Don''t black out, don''t black out, don''t black out¡­." Person 4 chanted these words as she knew that once she falls unconscious, she will immediately die.


    "Don''t black out¡­"


    ****************


    "Oh ho¡­ So first, I must absorb the Essences that are related to Duality. Only when I do that that I can start performing the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique¡­" Alex thought with interest as the dream scene continued. "Hmm¡­  although that part is easy, I can see from Person 4''s plight that soul-splitting is extremely difficult. If someone who looks as strong as her can be in this pain, then splitting of a soul fragment must be really painful¡­"


    This thought made Alex slightly frown, as he was not really a fan of going through pain just to get stronger. He already had enough of that from the Abyss Magic, so he''s not looking forward to experiencing more pain.


    But with the temptation of quicker cultivation right in front of him, Alex knew that he is bound to use this technique once he wakes up.


    "Sigh¡­ when will the 3rd Dream Scene end? I want to wake up already, so that I can start cultivating myself!" If Alex could just cultivate now, then he could have done it already. But because the current dream scene is still not ending, Alex has no choice but to lay immobile as he watched Person 4 continuously shout and m.o.a.n in pain.


    With the beautiful appearance of Person 4, Alex was slightly enjoying what he was seeing. But this enjoyment was of course just minor, as Alex was getting more and more impatient at this point already.


    "Oh for goodness sake. I already know what to do regarding the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique, so I don''t need to watch any more of this dream! Come on, just end!"  With time running down from the clock, the impatient Alex already had enough. If the 3rd dream scene will take a long time to end, then Alex will just speed it up.


    "Shuo¡­."


    Alex hurriedly gathered the remains of his mental power and willpower to shake his mind, which was his latest attempt to wake himself up. He also laced his mental power with some of his Abyss Energy and Immortal Qi, in hopes of making his mental attack stronger.


    He then bombarded his mind with continuous blasts of his mental attacks, focusing most of it on his mindscape.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    "Come on, just wake up already!"


    "Boom boom boom!"


    "Argh!"


    Alex''s latest attacks were laced with his impatience and tension, which was enough to do some dents on his mindscape. But even with this kind of power, Alex still found himself trapped in the dream. It was as if Alex was doomed to stay like this forever, a state that did not bring Alex any consolation at all.


    "Hey, if I don''t wake up here, then how long will I stay like this? 1 more hour? Or 2 more hours? Argh, it will just depend on Person 4!" Realizing that he was still trapped even with all of his efforts, Alex could only sigh as he let go of his gathered power. He then let them dissipate inside his mind as he began to accept his fate.


    If none of his abilities can get him free now, then there''s no more need for Alex to struggle. Struggling more at this point will just waste his remaining powers, so staying still is the best thing for Alex to do now.


    "Sigh, I hope this dream scene won''t last that long anymore. Because if it is, then I will really go-"


    But before Alex could even start to relax himself, the hollow voice from earlier made it appearance once more, this time, with the message that he has been waiting to hear.


    [END OF DREAM SCENE 3. COMMENCING EXPULSION FROM THE DREAM REALM].


    "!!!"


    After the hollow voice made this announcement, the scenery around Alex shattered like glass as the dream suddenly ended, which plunged Alex back to the darkness of his mind once more.


    This time around however,  his return was accompanied by a sudden, massive recovery of all his mental faculties.


    "What the?"


    Earlier, Alex''s mental faculties were only around 80% of the original, a state that is not good enough for him. But right now, all of his mental faculties have recovered back to 100%, which meant that Alex''s mind was now back to its peak state!


    This recovery has allowed Alex''s thought processes to work normally again, with the pain and nausea inside his head already non-existent.  His light-headedness all gone too, with only clarity and alertness present inside Alex''s mind.


    "Hah! Finally!"


    After this has happened, the previously lethargic Alex began to perk up, as his now fully-rejuvenated mind has realized what was about to happen next.


    Alex''s torturously long dream is about to come to its end, and Alex is now all-set to be free from his mental prison!


    "Hah, now I can get out of this s***y prison! Finally, I can enjoy reality again!" Alex shouted jubilantly to himself as the darkness around him began to fade. He then let out  a snort,  as the message from the hollow voice made him realize something. "Wait, so all of these dream scenes were caused by the Dream Realm? Tsk, so that''s why I can''t escape!"


    "Huom¡­"  As the darkness around him slowly faded, it was slowly replaced by light, which then filled Ale''s surroundings filled with a warm, comforting glow.


    This change made Alex feel more relieved, as he, out of all people, knew that this light is an indicator that he was about to wake up.


    "Hehehe, just a little more, and I will be seeing my allies again. Just a little more¡­"


    With his mental faculties back to  normal, Alex also felt himself regaining control of his body. This control of course included his eyelids, which Alex did not hesitate to use.


    "Twitch."


    With a small twitch from his face, Alex''s eyelids began to open, flooding  his eyes with the light from the real world¡­..

 Chapter 564 - Elder Sister and Junior Brother

    |||Congratulations for your awakening Junior Brother. Tell me, did you get all of Master''s Legacy?|||


    As Alex''s eyes adjusted to the light from the real world, his ears suddenly heard the voice of the Immortal Empress, who at this point, sounded pretty much subdued compared to her previous sound earlier.


    She did not raise her voice as she spoke to Alex, as if she was afraid of startling him. She also gave Alex a curious look while tilting her head, making her look like a doting elder sister.


    |||Hm? Is there a problem, Junior Brother? You seem¡­. To be out of it.|||


    "You''re asking me if I am out of it? Immortal Empress, do you know what had just happened to me? My mind was forcefully crammed with memories, and I was forced to dream some of them! Do you really think that I can just be unscathed after that? Immortal Empress, even someone like you could be rattled too!" Alex said these words with an unmistakable anger, with all of his ire focused on the Immortal Empress alone.


    Even if the Immortal Empress still appeared imposing in her current state, Alex did not let himself cower in front of her. His anger against her right now seemed to be so great, that Alex had seemingly forgotten about how dangerous she is.


    How could Alex not get angry now? Just by judging the Immortal Empress'' words, Alex had already made the connection between her and his dreams.


    All the dreams that Alex had seen earlier were obviously related to the Immortal Empress, and her arrival today must so be related to the sudden appearance of those foreign memories!


    That should be the only reason why the Immortal Empress was here in this place. She must have a plan related to Alex''s dreams, which led to him becoming like this¡­


    With such kind of hidden business in play, anyone can lose their goodwill to the Immortal Empress, especially Alex, who was the ''main victim'' here.


    "Hmph, so is this the reason why you came here then, Immortal Empress? It was all for the matter of your Master''s Legacy?" Alex added, with his now fully awake body standing upright. After standing up, Alex turned his head to the Immortal Empress, before sending her an unwelcome glare. "Hmph, if this is the case, Immortal Empress, then you are free to-"


    |||Junior Brother, you received the Legacy of my Master, which she only gives to those who reached the Third Stage with her Duality Cultivation Method. I also experienced the same thing before, so don''t say that I am taking advantage of you.||| The Immortal Empress did not let Alex continue his angry tirade at this point, with her quick answer drowning his words. She seemed to be unfl.u.s.tered by Alex''s anger too, as she just ignored his flushed face while she continued talking.


    |||I also have the same set of Legacy just like you, so don''t think that I am here to steal yours. Instead, I came here in order to help you out.||| The Immortal Empress muttered with irritation as she twirled her hair. She then tucked her hair behind her ears, creating a maiden-like aura around her.


    |||Junior Brother Alex¡­ We have the same master right now, which means that you are my responsibility. If you think that I am here to harm you, please don''t think of that. If I really try to harm you, our Master might strike me down at this moment¡­||| The Immortal Empress just let out a tired smile at this point, with the mention of her master seemingly eliciting an exasperated reaction from her. |||Although with the way that Master has been idle, maybe even her punishment will come late too¡­|||


    "¡­"


    After giving out these answers, the Immortal Empress continued to spew out more of her explanations to Alex, although these following explanations were just the extensions of what she had already said.


    |||Blab la bla, blab la bla¡­|||


    "¡­."


    |||Blab la bla, blab la bla¡­|||


    "¡­."


    |||Blab la bla, blab la bla¡­|||


    "¡­."


    ****************


    Even if Alex was mightily angry from the suffering that he just had, the benefits that he gained from the dreams were enough to restrain him from lashing out to anyone. After all, it is really hard to get angry to something, especially when it has helped you out in some way.(Even if pain was involved)


    But aside from making himself calm, the benefits that Alex had gained also made him feel curious about the Immortal Empress, who had been claiming that she was related to the memories that were crammed in him.


    For a woman like her to say something like this upfront to Alex is a bold move to make, especially when Alex is still angry. Why would she say something like this so calmly, and is she even telling the truth anyway?


    ***************


    With Alex''s power already reaching that of the Sixth Stage in multiple power systems, he was already extremely fine-tuned on detecting sincerity from anyone.


    From his emotion manipulation power of the Abyss Magic System, and his enhanced soul sensitivity of his Esper Ability, Alex already had a great ability on knowing if someone is lying to him or not.


    Granted, this ability is still not as accurate compared to Alina''s All-Seeing Eye, but for someone like Alex, this ability is already enough. Case in point, he was using this ability now in order to see if the Immortal Empress was telling the truth.


    "Hong hong hong¡­"


    From the wavelengths emanating out of her body, and the way that her emotions stirred with each of her words, Alex was able to take them all in and analyze them as a whole.


    The result? Alex can say that the Immortal Empress were saying the truth 80% of the time.


    With the value of 80%, it is safe to assume that the Immortal Empress was being truthful. Of course it is inevitable for her answers to be mixed with some lies, but Alex was already expecting it.


    As long as the main crux of the Immortal Empress words remains true, then Alex will accept it. As for the minor lies, Alex will have time to detect it in the future¡­.


    With that result in mind, the only thing that Alex can do now is to continue mingling with the Immortal Empress, in hopes of getting more clues from her mixed words¡­


    **************


    "Okay, I get already, Immortal Empress. We have the same master, and you came here today in order to help me out. I now know that, so just stop talking." With the words uttered by the Immortal Empress starting to get repetitive already, the still-pissed Alex let out a sigh before stopping her. "If I hear any more of your words, Elder Sister, then I might flip off."


    |||Hoho, you seem to be quick on the uptake, Junior Brother. You''re already calling me Elder Sister this early? Hehe, that''s good, that''s good! You really are suited to be my Junior!||| Instead of getting angry from Alex''s rebuke, the Immortal Empress seemed to be actually pleased with his reply, especially when the words ''Elder Sister'' has come out of his mouth. |||Even if I did not show you any evidence that proves my claim, you already believe me? Junior Brother, I really like that attitude of yours!|||


    "Elder Sister¡­ By looking at my situation logically, your words could be seen as true, hence my current treatment of you. However, even if the circ.u.mstances say that you are telling the truth, that does not mean that I really believe all of this." Alex quickly said, which seemed to have slightly dampened the Immortal Empress'' mood. "If you want to me really believe this, then show me a concrete evidence."


    |||You want a concrete evidence? Hmm¡­ does showing Master to you counts?||| The Immortal Empress quickly replied with a smile. There was a hint of mischief  in her face as she said this, which prompted Alex to begin feeling weird. |||If Master were to show herself here, then you might be really convinced¡­.|||


    "Hold up. You said that you want to show your Master to me? Your Master is Fang Yu, who''s at the Ninth Stage, right? How the hell can she come here then? This is a Peak Sixth Stage Planet for goodness'' sake!" Alex shouted out in reply as he almost jumped from his seat. "If she comes here, we could be f**ked!"

 Chapter 565 - Giving Gifts, Exchanging Cards

    |||I am just joking with you. There''s no way Master can come here.||| The Immortal Empress hastily replied as she saw Alex''s panicking face. |||Junior Brother, do you really think that I can call Master this easily?|||


    "Ehem. Why are you asking me? You''re the one who said it in the first place. It''s just right for me to panic, okay?" Upon realizing that he had somewhat embarrassed himself, Alex let out a small cough while he averted his gaze. "You''re a Half-Step Transcendent Being in the first place, so I thought you were serious¡­"


    |||Junior Brother, as I said, I was just joking. I-|||


    "¡­Ok. If you''re really joking, then how are you going to prove that you are indeed here to help me?" Alex blurted out as he crossed his arms. He then continued to give the Immortal Empress a stern look, as if he was daring her to do something. "Come on, be truthful to me. With Great TimeMaster by my side, there is no way for you to try something malicious here¡­"


    |||¡­.|||


    "¡­."


    |||¡­|||


    "¡­."


    |||Junior Brother, I have no perfect proof that I can show to you, because I never came here to prove myself. I came here to help you out, whether you believe me or not.||| The Immortal Empress seem to be calm as she gave this reply, with her solid gaze unaffected by Alex''s glare. |||So, just accept my gifts to you, ok? I swear, these will be beneficial to you¡­|||


    "Hum~"


    Before Alex could give a comment on this, the Immortal Empress casually waved her hands, creating a small portal that hovered above Alex''s head.


    "Shuro¡­" This portal has the diameter as large as a hula-hoop, with its inside seemingly made up of nothing but emptiness and distorted space. Small pulses of spatial power could be felt coming out of the portal, something that made the nearby Alex tense quickly.


    "Thud thud thud."


    Once this portal made its appearance, 9 black briefcases fell out of it, all which began falling straight towards Alex.


    Each of the briefcases were just as large as the classic briefcases, and they actually seem to be just normal briefcases, even in the eyes of the suspicious Alex.


    But even with their normal appearance, Alex knew that these briefcases were nothing but that. After all, they just came out of an extremely stable spatial portal, which was created by a Half-Step Transcendent Being! There''s just no way that these briefcases can be normal if they were summoned this way!


    "Slick slick slick!" Before these briefcases could touch his body, Alex used his Abyss Magic to create large tendrils of Abyss Energy which caught the briefcases. He made sure none of these tendrils were touching his body at any time, in case there were something malicious hidden in the briefcases.


    "¡­."


    With the strength of Alex''s abyss tendrils, they were able to catch and secure the briefcases without any fuss, allowing Alex to keep the briefcases while also maintaining some distance with them.


    "So, these are your gifts to me? I wonder how these briefcases might be of ''help'' to me¡­." Instead of opening the briefcases directly, Alex turned his attention back to the Immortal Empress, giving her a small, inquisitive look  while keeping all the briefcases afloat in the air. "And why are the gifts inside briefcases? Is there some kind of theme that I don''t know about?"


    |||Sigh, Junior Brother, why are you this suspicious? Can''t you just-|||


    >>  Out of nowhere, the strangely silent Arcane Sorceress began to speak up, with her aggressive words obviously intended towards the Immortal Empress again. >>


    |||Hah? What the f**k do you think are you doing, Arcane Sorceress? Do you think you can just come in here to interrupt us? If you want to play with my Junior Brother, do it later!|||


    >> Before the enraged Immortal Empress could make a move, the Arcane Sorceress let out an excited laugh as she summoned a small, wooden staff to her hands. She then pointed it to the briefcases, with the hidden power in her body suddenly fed to the staff. >>


    |||Hey!|||


    "Buo~"


    The large, circular end of this staff then let out a red glow which covered the whole room, temporarily blinding Alex and the others with its great glow. This lasted for around a second, and only when this time has passed by that Alex''s vision has returned.


    "???"


    At the moment that Alex was able to see again, the first thing that he saw was the Arcane Sorceress dismissing her staff with a satisfied expression, along with the enraged face of Immortal Empress.


    After that, the next thing that he saw were the 9 briefcases, with all of them still floating in the air, but this time, with their contents  displayed for everyone to see!


    |||Argh, you''ve done it now, Arcane Sorceress! You are so dead to me!||| As Alex and the others began to feast their eyes on the opened briefcases, the stupefied Immortal Empress could only shout in rage as she tried her best to close the briefcases again. |||Let me close these briefcases this instant! Only my Junior Brother is allowed to see them!|||


    >> The Arcane Sorceress then let out another laugh as she unleashed more of her aura, which effectively disrupted the Immortal Empress'' spell on the briefcases. >> The Arcane Sorceress said with an impressed tone, with her face looking undeniably amazed. It was as if the nature of Immortal Empress'' gifts had amazed her, a reaction that Alex shared too.


    >> The Arcane Sorceress added as she gave the Immortal Empress a look of both surprise and inquiry. >>


    |||Hmph, I don''t care what you think about my gifts, Arcane Sorceress. It is my decision on what I want to do, and I don''t need your opinion to do so! So, why don''t you just scram from here, and let me and my Junior Brother go on our business? At least that way, you will be more useful!|||


    >>


    |||¡­.|||

 Chapter 566 - The Nine Gifts

    It took a few minutes, and a lot of effort from Alex and the Great TimeMaster before they were able to calm down the two riled-up women.


    During this time, the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress almost blew up the whole place from their attacks, which were all luckily averted by the Great TImeMaster''s intervention.


    "¡­"


    With the unruly duo now forced to sit back down on their seats,  Alex and the Great Timemaster took turns on fixing the mess inside the room.


    In the end, this resulted on the gifts being placed back from where they belonged, although at this point, hiding them is already unnecessary¡­


    "Now that the two of you have calmed down, can we just proceed to our objectives already? If we let this delay for long, the other Returners might detect what we''re doing here¡­" The Great TimeMaster said, with her face twitching as she stared at the other two women. "If you want to battle it out, just do it at the End War, and don''t implicate my friend Alex!"


    |||¡­.I am about to do that, Great TImeMaster. It was just that the Arcane Sorceress was being b***y today, so I-|||


    >>


    "SILENCE."


    |||¡­.|||


    >>


    "NOW, CAN WE JUST GET TO THE HEART OF THE MATTER?"


    |||Ehem, Junior Brother. So¡­ you have seen my gifts already. What do you think about them?||| With the Great TImeMaster''s ancient aura cowing her into submission, the Immortal Empress quickly ditched her argument with the Arcane Sorceress, with her attention now placed back on Alex. |||With just a look, do you get what my gifts are for?|||


    "You''re asking me? Well let me see. Hmm¡­ are your gifts¡­ perhaps related to my cultivation of my Nascent Souls?" Seeing that the Great TimeMaster was really angered, even the pissed Alex was forced to participate in the conversation too. "Because that''s what I can only see here¡­"


    |||That''s the exact thing, Junior Brother! These 9 gifts that I have for you are all filled with the Essences of Duality, which are good for your cultivation of Nascent Souls!||| The Immortal Empress seemed to have been relieved as she said these words, with the tension on her shoulders deflating visibly. Such sight made Alex slightly confused, although he did not push himself to question this. |||So, what are you waiting for, Junior Brother? Come and get these gifts now!|||


    "Erm¡­ these objects do look tempting to me, but I still don''t know what each one of them are for. Can you explain each of these gifts to me too?" Even though Alex was quickly tempted by what the Immortal Empress said, he quickly restrained himself from reaching out to the opened briefcases. After all, he still has to exercise some caution. "I''m not really comfortable on receiving unknown gifts form strangers after all¡­"


    |||Junior Brother, you little- fine, I still have some time left to talk with you, so let''s just use that to explain my gifts.||| For a second, the Immortal Empress looked like she was about to pounce on Alex, which she fortunately stopped. |||Since you seem to not know what the majority of my gifts are, then let me explain it to you.|||


    "¡­."


    |||Oh, but before we do that, let me isolate ourselves first.|||


    "Huong~"


    After saying these words, the Immortal Empress pointed her fingers at the air above her, which resulted on the creation of  a small dome made up of Immortal Q. Once it has appeared, this dome quickly covered  Alex and the Great TImeMaster, which isolated them from the others.


    This left Alex and the Immortal Empress  virtually trapped together, with no one else actually ''accompanying'' them.


    The sight of this dome made Alex tense a little, although the follow-up words by the Immortal Empress was able to calm him down.


    |||Don''t worry about this Junior Brother. This is just a small isolation field that I made so that the Arcane Sorceress won''t hear my explanations to you.||| The Immortal Empress said soothingly. |||I can''t afford to have this b**ch learn more about my secrets after all!|||


    "¡­"


    The way that the Immortal Empress'' voice changed from soothing to harsh at the end of her sentence was enough to make Alex shiver, making him understand more the extreme  hate between this woman and the Arcane Sorceress.


    This made Alex feel really thankful to the Great TImeMaster, as without her, Alex''s meeting with the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress could have been catastrophic..


    These thoughts by Alex seemed to have been obvious outwardly, as the nearby Immortal Empress let out an embarrassed cough after she saw his face.


    |||Ehem, so to start it all off, let''s introduce the gifts inside Briefcase 1¡­||| Like a man who was now rushing to finish his work, the Immortal Empress quickly pointed her finger to Briefcase 1, which was proudly displaying two orbs filled with unfathomable power.


    These two orbs appeared to look frail, although the harsh, golden glow of the orb on the right and the gloomy, chilly dark glow of the left orb made the two orbs seemingly tough too.


    |||As you can see, there are two orbs inside Briefcase 1. This number is intended, as these orbs were meant to be paired like this¡­||| The Immortal Empress said solemnly, with her eyes solely concentrated on the two orbs alone. Her words made it sound like she was treating these two orbs like treasures, something that was confirmed by her next words.


    |||Junior Brother, the orb on the right is the Extreme Yang Universe Flame, while the orb on the left is the Extreme Yin Cosmic Ice. These two orbs combined together represent the Ice-Fire Duality, and they contain the Ice-Fire Essence that you need to create the Ice-Fire Nascent Soul¡­||| The Immortal Empress added, with the tone in her voice sounding much more serious compared to earlier.


    "Wait, what? Did you just say Universe Flame and Cosmic Ice? Aren''t those-"


    ||| Yes, Junior Brother. The Extreme Yang Universe Flame and the Extreme Yin Cosmic Ice are types of Universe Flames and Cosmic Ices. As such, these two can be considered as extremely rare Natural Treasures born from the Multiverse¡­||| The Immortal Empress cheerfully interrupted, with her words stated before Alex can even finish his question.  ||||With this kind of rarity and quality, please don''t take the Extreme Yang Universe Flame and the Extreme Yin Cosmic Ice for granted. The amount of Ice-Fire Essence that you can get from them will be a lot¡­.|||


    "¡­"


    Alex looked like he wanted to say something after this, but in face of the ''extremely'' rare natural treasures, he can only close his mouth, as if he had lost the initiative to question them.


    After all, what can Alex say after seeing the Extreme Yang Universe Flame, which is said to be so valuable,  that a lot of planets had to be burned down just for it to be obtained?


    No, there''s nothing that he can say anymore.


    Add the fact that the harvesting of Extreme Yin Cosmic Ice requires one to freeze a whole star, and the absurdness of these natural treasures had already made Alex reach peak silence.


    "¡­"


    With Alex at loss of anything to say, the Immortal Empress was  left free to continue talking.


    Without any delays on her way, the Immortal Empress casually  pointed her finger to the next briefcase, which was obviously Briefcase 2. What she did here was similar to the previous briefcase, although the subjects of her words were already different¡­


    |||As for Briefcase 2, this one contains the hearts of two different mythical creatures. The red heart that you see is the heart of a 6-Colored Undying Phoenix. This represents the Life Essence. As for the black heart, that is the heart of a 6-Armed Shinigami(Death God). This one¡­ represents the Death Essence. Combined together, and they form the Life-Death Duality Essence¡­.|||


    "¡­."


    |||Now, for Briefcase 3, its contents are just like the other two. It also contains a pair, but this time, it''s a little¡­ abstract. This briefcase after all represents the Real-Unreal Duality Essence, so you can expect its contents to be weird.|||


    "¡­."


    |||So, in Briefcase 3, you can see a severed index finger and a translucent eye. That index finger is a finger of a World Creator. Contained within that finger is the power of materialization, hence making it the source of Real Essence. The translucent eye on the other hand was obtained from the corpse of an ancient Dream Lurker, which just like what you expected, was the source of the Unreal Essence¡­."


    "¡­"


    |||Okay, so we''re in Briefcase 4 now! This one is fairly simple. It has an hourglass filled with Time Essence, which came from the Great TimeMaster herself. There''s also a small crystal of Space-Breaking Stone here, which is the source of Space Essence. Add these two together, and you get the Space-Time Duality Essence.|||


    "¡­."


    |||For Briefcase 5, its contents are almost similar to that of Briefcase 2. The mythical creatures involved however are different. There are still two hearts, although these hearts come from the corpse of a Martial God and a Soul Reaper. The heart belonging to the Martial God contains the Essence for the Body concept, while the Soul Reaper''s heart represent the Essence of the Soul concept¡­ Together, they make up the Body-Soul Duality Essence.|||


    "¡­"


    |||So, months ago, those 5 Duality Daos were the only ones that you have comprehend. But after some training, you managed to add 4 more Duality Daos on your arsenal. These 4 Duality Daos will be corresponding to the last 4 Briefcases that I still have not introduced. Are you ready to hear about them?|||


    "¡­Just go on."


    |||Ok, so with my power, I can sense that your 6th Duality Dao is the Sin-Virtue Duality¡­. Hoho, did you comprehended this using your Abyss Magic and Traveler Delia''s Holy Order Power? That''s ingenious¡­|||


    "¡­.Can''t you go any faster now?"


    |||Ok, so you don''t want to delay any longer huh, Junior Brother.  Fine, let''s rush this!|||


    "¡­"


    ||| So¡­ this duality is paired directly to Briefcase 6, which contains the preserved body of a dead 6-winged angel. You can get the essence of Virtue from her body. As for the essence of Sin, you already have an Abyssal Pillar, so you can use that for the Sin Essence¡­.|||


    "¡­"


    ||| The 7th Briefcase corresponds to your 7th Duality Dao, which is the Creation-Destruction Dao. For this briefcase, you can see that it contains two cores. The one on the top is the core of a Creation God. As for the one on the bottom, that is the core of a Destruction God. I think... there''s no need to explain what their essences are.|||


    "¡­"


    |||The 8th Briefcase is for the¡­ Fate-Will Duality? Hold on, how did you comprehend this? This is too early- whatever. Since you comprehended this, then you are meant to learn this¡­|||


    "¡­"


    |||So¡­ what do we have for Briefcase 8? Oh, I can see a golden sheet of paper and a knife. Hmm¡­ I don''t know what these two objects are, but I can feel that the essence of Fate is abundant on the golden paper. And that  leaves the essence of Will here on the knife¡­"


    "¡­"


    |||And finally, we have Briefcase 9, which represents the Light-Darkness Duality Dao. Hm, this is pretty simple. There is only one object here, which is the brain of a Celestial Dragon. This brain obviously is a fitting source of Light Essence. As for the Dark Essence, it has no need to be in this briefcase, as you can just get it from Alina.|||


    ||| Oh,  and speaking of Alina, isn''t she about to break through to the Sixth Stage of her Dark Magic? This is  a good opportunity for you Junior Brother, so you should watch her!|||

 Chapter 567 - Survey(Please answer!!!)

    1. How do you think will Alex''s powers end up becoming here in the Traveler''s World? Will they continue to get stronger, or will something unique happen to them?


    2. What do you think will Alex use his recruited Travelers for?


    3. Alex has mentioned in earlier chapters that he had discovered something sinister about the Traveler''s World, which seemed to be enough to enrage him. What do you think could this discovery be about?(Since there''s not much said in that chapter, any guess can do.)


    4. Could there be more possible allies from the other Returners?


    5. What do you think is the real purpose of the Traveler''s World? For someone like the Endless Monarch, there''s no way that he will just build a paradise-like planet for his Travelers, right?


    ***************


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 Chapter 568 - Immoral!!!

    While the Immortal Empress was busy on introducing her gifts to Alex, there was someone inside the room whose attention was not focused on the former''s words.


    Instead, this someone was more focused on Alex, as the revelations about him appeared to be too much even now!


    >>  This someone was no other than the Arcane Sorceress, who as of now, can only stare at Alex with a pensive look, as Alex was currently isolated with the Immortal Empress.


    She seems to be both annoyed and excited at this point, a kind of reaction that had those who saw her face shirk back.


    She coupled this expressoin by a series of harsh giggles, something that made the nearby Great TimeMaster look at her with concern.


    >> The Arcane Sorceress mumbled to herself as her eyes began to show a manic glow. >>


    The Arcane Sorceress then licked her lips as she began to growl in hunger. Her eyes glowed much brighter compared to earlier, and drool began pouring out of her lips, falling down to the floor like spilled water.


    >>


    The Arcane Sorceress then began panting with desire as she slowly approached Alex and the Immortal Empress, who were still both covered by the isolation barrier. She approached the two like a tiger starving for a meal, with her face unable to hide the manic desire pouring out of her!


    >> The Arcane Sorceress seemed to have lost it at this point, as she looked like she was about to do something drastic right now. >>


    After stating these ominous words, the Arcane Sorceress stopped on her tracks as she re-summoned her staff, pointing it towards the barrier blocking her way to Alex.  She then resumed approaching the barrier, this time with no sign of her  movements slowing down at all.


    There was no hesitation on the Arcane Sorceress'' eyes as she got nearer and nearer at the isolation barrier. She seemed to be intent on approaching it, with the resolute and manic look on her eyes showing that she does not care on what happens next.


    >> Like a teacher that was giving a lecture to a student, the Arcane Sorceress said these words calmly, as if she was just stating a fact. >>


    With the way that the Arcane Sorceress suddenly made her move, there is no way that the others could ignore what she did. Especially the Great TimeMaster, who had been watching her warily since earlier.


    "Hey, Arcane Sorceress! What are you doing! Get a grip!" The Great TimeMaster was unable to stop herself from being silent as she saw what the Arcane Sorceress was doing now. After all, the latter looked like she was about to do something drastic again. "If you want to talk to Alex, then wait for your turn! You should not do whatever you are attempting to do now. If you do so, it will just lead to more chaos!"


    >> The Arcane Sorceress replied, with her unfazed tone displaying how little she thought of the Great TimeMaster''s threat.


    "You-"


    >> The Arcane Sorceress added. >>


    She paired this answer  of hers with an exhausted grin, with her teeth glinting menacingly with hunger. >>


    "Arcane Sorceress! I''m warning you now! If you-"


    >>


    "No!"


    "Booom!"


    An explosion, one that is comparable to that of an atomic bomb, suddenly materialized inside the room as the Arcane Sorceress sent her staff swinging towards the barrier. Nobody present was able to stop her from attacking, as the 6 rings that appeared behind her body prevented even the Great TimeMaster from instantaneously moving.


    >>


    "Booom boom boom!"


    "Argh, you rotten Sorceress! I should not have let you come here today!" The Great TimeMaster, who was now forced to use her power to protect herself and the two little girls, could only shout in anger as the Arcane Sorceress continued to unleash more of her attack. "I swear, you-"


    >>


    "No, it is not okay to me, Arcane Sorceress! So just stop attacking now and-"


    >>


    "!!!"


    >>


    "Argh, you two! I said stop-"


    |||You damned b***h! Now you''ve done it! Since you want a fight, then I will give you one! Immortal Spell: Sundering Sky!|||


    >


    "Argh!!!!"


    *******************


    *******************


    *******************


    The goal of all Immortals is to attune themselves with the Dao of the Multiverse, and find a way to surpass it with their bodies.  Such kind of goal made the Immortal Cultivation System both exhiliarating and difficult, as the act of comprehending the Dao and surpassing it is no easy feat.


    But even with this difficulty, there are still many who take the Immortal Cultivation Path.


    After all, those who succeed in Immortal Cultivation gain a power that they fully own. It was not given to them at all, as their Daos were born from their heart and will.


    Yes, Heart and Will.


    These two objects are the two most important aspects that an Immortal Cultivator should have. Without the heart to comprehend the Dao and  the will to surpass all obstacles, one cannot expect to reach the heights of Immortal Cultivation.


    These two objects were also the reasons why all of the powerhouses among the Immortals were resilient on their own, and is hard to beat in any tactic.  They were just too experienced compared to other power users¡­.


    Of course one cannot ignore the other Power Systems, as they too had the capacity to produce individuals that can shake the Multiverse.


    In fact, there was another Power Sytem which in terms of the powerhouses that it produced, was just trailing behind the domineering Immortal Cultivation System.


    This power system is the Sorcery Power System, a power system that is said to have the capacity to usurp the Immortal Cultivation System in the future¡­


    While the Immortal Cultivators had to rely on their hearts and will to comprehend the Dao, the Sorcerers of the Sorcery Power System uses their knowledge and comprehension to discover the absolute Truth of the Multiverse.


    There is no black and white, or true and false among the Sorcerers. There is only the Truth, and this is what their lives are for.


    The Truth is the underlying principle on how everything works, and it dictates how things should occur.


    The life and death of a creature, and the creation of all things are dictated by the Truth. There is nothing else that can explain all things except for the Truth.


    Unlike the Immortals who can view a Concept in different ways, the Sorcerers only accept one absolute explanation for everything. This explanation is the Truth, and all the powers of the Sorcerers depend on this Truth alone.


    ****************


    70 6e 65 75 6d 6f 6e 6f 75 6c 74 72 61 6d 69 63 72 6f 73 63 6f 70 69 63 73 69 6c 69 63 6f 76 6f 6c 63 61 6e 6f 63 6f 6e 69 6f 73 69 73

 Chapter 570 - I have to take a 3-day break(My mind is just gassed, sorry guys)

    For the past week, I have a REALLY hard time on writing this novel. As you can see, my word count has dipped, and I had to use various strategies just to keep it relevant. So I need a break. This break is for 3 days this time, just like before, so don''t worry, hehe.


    I????????????????''???????????l????????l????????????????????????????b?????????????????e???????????????????????b????????a???????????c??????????????????k??????????????b??????????e???????????f?????????????o?????????????r??????????????e??????????????????????????????y???????????????????????????o?????????????????u???????????????????????????k???????????????n???????????????????????o?????????????????????w???????????????????????????i???????????????????????????t??????????????????.????????????????????????????.????????????????.?????????????.??????????????


    Ah, my mind is really tired.... I really need to find myself during this 3-day break....


    **********************


    57 68 79 20 77 6f 75 6c 64 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 74 68 65 20 61 63 61 64 65 6d 65 20 69 73 20 69 6c 6c 65 67 61 6c 3f a 74 68 65 20 61 63 61 64 65 6d 65 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 6c 65 67 61 6c 20 64 6f 6d 61 69 6e 20 6f 66 20 61 6c 6c 2e a 4e 6f 77 20 73 75 62 20 6a 75 64 69 63 65 20 69 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 74 68 65 20 74 68 69 6e 67 2c a 54 6f 20 67 65 74 20 6d 65 20 77 6f 6e 64 65 72 69 6e 67 20 69 66 20 74 68 65 20 61 63 61 64 65 6d 65 20 69 73 20 6a 75 72 61 6c 2e a a 41 20 63 61 6d 70 75 73 2c 20 68 6f 77 65 76 65 72 20 68 61 72 64 20 69 74 20 74 72 69 65 73 2c a 57 69 6c 6c 20 61 6c 77 61 79 73 20 62 65 20 64 6f 77 6e 74 6f 77 6e 2e a 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 63 61 6d 70 75 73 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 69 76 65 72 3f a 64 6f 65 73 20 69 74 3f a a 44 69 70 6c 6f 6d 61 20 69 73 2c 20 69 6e 20 69 74 73 20 77 61 79 2c 20 74 68 65 20 68 69 67 68 73 63 68 6f 6f 6c 20 65 78 61 6d 69 6e 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 63 65 72 74 69 66 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 2e a 4e 65 76 65 72 20 66 6f 72 67 65 74 20 74 68 65 20 74 69 67 68 74 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 69 6e 6f 72 20 64 69 70 6c 6f 6d 61 2e a a 48 6f 77 20 68 61 70 70 79 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 77 6f 6f 6c 79 20 64 65 67 72 65 65 21 a 41 20 64 65 67 72 65 65 20 69 73 20 61 64 64 6c 65 64 2e 20 61 20 64 65 67 72 65 65 20 69 73 20 77 6f 6f 6c 79 2d 6d 69 6e 64 65 64 2c a 61 20 64 65 67 72 65 65 20 69 73 20 6d 75 64 64 6c 65 64 2c 20 68 6f 77 65 76 65 72 2e a a 50 61 79 20 61 74 74 65 6e 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 61 63 61 64 65 6d 69 61 2c a 74 68 65 20 61 63 61 64 65 6d 69 61 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 63 6c 61 73 73 20 64 6f 6d 61 69 6e 20 6f 66 20 61 6c 6c 2e a 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 61 63 61 64 65 6d 69 61 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 69 76 65 72 3f a 64 6f 65 73 20 69 74 3f a a 48 6f 77 20 68 61 70 70 79 20 61 72 65 20 63 6f 72 70 6f 72 61 74 65 20 64 65 61 6e 73 21 a 44 65 61 6e 73 20 61 72 65 20 63 6f 6c 6c 65 63 74 69 76 65 2e 20 64 65 61 6e 73 20 61 72 65 20 63 6f 72 70 6f 72 65 61 6c 2c a 64 65 61 6e 73 20 61 72 65 20 6d 61 74 65 72 69 61 6c 2c 20 68 6f 77 65 76 65 72 2e a


    53 65 6d 69 61 72 69 64 20 77 6f 6f 64 6c 61 6e 64 a 41 20 77 68 69 74 65 2c 20 70 6c 61 79 66 75 6c 20 63 68 65 65 73 65 20 77 61 64 64 6c 65 73 a 61 62 6f 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 6f 63 6f 6c 61 74 65 a


    4c 69 67 68 74 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 61 66 74 65 72 6e 6f 6f 6e a 41 20 79 65 6c 6c 6f 77 2c 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 6c 65 61 66 20 66 6c 69 65 73 a 75 6e 64 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 65 61 67 6c 65


    54 65 64 69 6f 75 73 20 68 69 6c 6c 73 69 64 65 a 41 6e 20 65 78 63 69 74 65 64 20 7a 65 62 72 61 20 74 72 6f 74 73 a 77 68 69 6c 73 74 20 77 61 74 63 68 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 62 6f 78 a


    50 72 6f 67 6e 6f 73 74 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e

 Chapter 571 - Domains!

    "Boom boom boom!"


    The clash between the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress were fortunately suppressed inside the hut, but even with that suppression, anyone nearby can feel the effects of their fight.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    And to make matters more obvious, flashes of light and runic symbols filled the whole area, making it quite noticeable that a fight is happening right now.


    With this kind of change, everyone inside the hut except for the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress were naturally pissed, as a fight is something that is not needed right now.


    "Oi you two¡­ What the hell is this? Shouldn''t we be talking about things in a civil way? Why are you fighting then?" Alex, who was busy sucking all of the briefcases inside his storage, asked this question in a  confused tone. "And Arcane Sorceress, did you just say that you''re going to kidnap me? Hmph, that''s just a fat pipe dream of yours!"


    "Huong~"


    Once he had kept all the ''gifts'' inside his briefcase, the previously quiet Alex began to make his move. He willed strength in his legs as he jumped away from the fighting duo, with his body morphing to form a black, amorphous body that glowed menacingly inside the hut.


    This body seemed to exude the essence of evil itself, with 7 evil-looking faces materializing on his chest. Each of these faces looked young and immature, but the inherent maliciousness on their gazes were enough to make anyone who see them shiver.


    As these faces appeared, Alex''s black body began to wiggle as a multi-colored pillar materialized above him. This pillar then started to shake, with a massive tree suddenly sprouting from its top, and its roots spreading out like leaking water.


    "Kik kak kik kak¡­"


    While the roots of the said tree began to slowly spread around the pillar, the aforementioned Alex let out a laugh as he confidently grabbed the pillar with both of his hands, with his grip strong enough to create cracks on it.


    "Hup!"


    Alex then heaved, letting out grunts of effort as he pulled the pillar closer to himself. Such action made his amorphous body shake more, but this seem to not deter him.


    Instead, a greedy expression appeared on his face as he continued pulling the pillar, and this time, sounds of a rumbling volcano could be suddenly heard.


    "Rumble¡­"


    "Hunger is a basic part of any living creatures. Anyone hungers for something. It could be anything from knowledge, food, o  even achievements. Being hungry is what makes living beings thrive, and without it, nobody will achieve progress¡­" Like a man possessed by a monk, the evil-looking Alex took time to say these ''wise'' words, with his pillar now fully grasped by his hands. "A world without hunger is an empty world. It will be void of change, and it will be nothing but boring¡­"


    "Piak!"


    Alex then swung his pillar towards his body, creating a muffled sound that impacted his torso. This made him grimace for a second, but he held this ground as he kept the pillar sticking to his body. Malicious-looking black energy then leaked out of the pillar, covering the area with its sinister aura.


    This seemed to have weakened Alex more, as his knees began to wobble from the leaked energy.  This however did not deter him, as he continued to grin maliciously.


    Once the pillar appeared to be securely attached to his body, Alex let out a harsh laugh, with his mouth now chanting the words that quickly changed the status quo.


    [ABYSS DOMAIN: HUNGER''S VOID]


    "Boom!" After Alex said these words, one of the evil faces on his body let out a wail as it opened its massive mouth, releasing a sickly-looking green beam of light towards the sky. This beam went unimpeded, tearing through the sky with such force that almost anything was demolished in its path.


    Once this has happened, a large seal, one that is large enough to blot the sky, suddenly materialized above the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress. This seal had an undecipherable symbol placed on it, one that is unidentifiable to those who saw it. This seal however made those who saw it feel fear, as if this unknown seal has a hidden, terrifying effect that is not yet unleashed.


    "Shua¡­."


    Before anyone could react promptly to this seal, it suddenly descended, with its entirety pressing down on the hut with a gentle tap. Nobody could stop it, as the fight between the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress was still raging at this point.


    This proved to be fortunate, as at the instant that the seal touched the hut, the fighting women suddenly stopped on their tracks.


    The attacks that they unleashed disappeared like they were nothing, while their faces that were filled with the intent to fight earlier only had an empty, pondering look  right now, making them look like they lost interest on their match.


    Heck, the attacks that they unleashed earlier did not actually disappear. These attacks were actually dispelled by the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress themselves.


    This made them look like  they had lost the will to fight, and that they don''t have the drive to make any more attacks.


    Such kind of change brought silence inside the hut, and it was only Alex, the one who unlehesaed the seal, who began to speak again.


    "Hmph, you see this seal? Heh, this is one of my newly acquire Abyss Domains. I call this the Hunger''s Void, and it makes my enemies lose their ''hunger''. That includes their hunger for material objects and concepts. Hehehe, even their hunger to win against their opponents will be lost too!" Alex seemed to be giddy as he said this, which is rightfully so, as the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress seemed to still be affected by this attack.


    Even up at this point, these two women were still not attacking, They just stood still on their places, with their blank gazes concentrated on anything but their enemies.


    They even ignored each other, an action that made Alex much happier.


    " So my Abyss Domain is this strong? Good, if this is the case, then my other Abyss Domains will be better too¡­."  After muttering these words to himself, Alex then looked towards the Great TimeMaster, who only looked back at him with a measured gaze. "Hehehe, what do you think about my attack, Great TImeMaster? Isn''t it powerful?"


    "Yes, this Abyss Domain of yours is absolutely useful in a fight. However, don''t expect this to be of use here." The Great TimeMaster calmly replied, which doused off Alex''s enthusiasm.


    "What do you mean it''s no use here? Look at what I did! I managed to stop these two women from fighting! Isn''t that enough?"


    "Hmph, the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress that you see right now are just Energy Clones. They are not their real bodies, so of course it will be easy for you to stop them."  The Great TImeMaster sneered as she replied, with the disdain in her face now perfectly visible. "What''s with that look? You thought you managed to be great now, just with that attack? Come on¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Alex, your Abyss Domains might be powerful, but that is not enough to affect us, the Returning Travelers. You''re lucky that the ones that you attacked were the Energy Clones of the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress. Because if their real bodies were here, they might have accidentally counter-attacked you¡­" The Great TimeMaster said, this time with her fingers wagging towards Alex. "If that really happened, even I might not be able to protect you."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­.Um, well, at least I managed to stop the two from fighting, okay? There''s no need for you to be this uptight¡­." Alex complainingly said, as he found no proper retort to what the Great TimeMaster just uttered. "Do you really have to make me feel this down? Come on, Great TimeMaster. At least make me feel like I have achieved something here."


    "Alex¡­ talk about your achievements once you have raised both your Immortal Cultivation and your Superhuman Body to the Sixth Stage. Once that time comes, I think you have the right to be proud¡­"


    "Huh? What do you-"


    "Oh and Alex? Don''t be complacent that you managed to stop the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress. Even though you have stopped their Energy Clones from fighting, their main bodies are still unaffected.... So don''t think that this fight is over." The Great TimeMaster seemed to enjoy herself as she said this, a reaction that made Alex look at her weirdly.


    "This fight is not over? What are you-"


    Before Alex could fully articulate this question, a familiar voice interrupted him.


    |||T''was a nice domain, Junior Brother. You said that was derived from your Abyssal Pillar? Good, if that''s true, then your comprehension abilities are top-notch. That makes your chance of making your Immortal Soul much higher in the future. Hehehe, as expected of my junior brother! That''s how talented you should be! But don''t think that I am happy with you, Junior Brother. Tsk, tsk, tsk. That was rude of you, stopping my fight. Do you think you have the right to stop that?|||


    "!!!"


    A massive split in the space materialized in front of Alex, which was then followed by a tall, beautiful woman stepping out of the split.


    This woman looked exactly like the Energy Clone Immortal Empress, which made Alex tense.


    To make matters even more interesting, this newly-arrived woman looked to be even much more powerful than her look-alike. To demonstrate this, this woman snapped her fingers upon her arrival, which affected the Energy Clone Immortal Empress.


    "Woosh¡­"


    Like a dust blown away by the wind, the Energy Clone Immortal Empress dissipated into motes of Immortal Qi, which was then absorbed by the body of the newly-arrived woman. Once this has happened, the newly-arrived woman let out a satisfied smile, as if she had regained something that was hers.


    She then looked back at Alex, who was now staring at her with comprehension dawning on his face.


    "You¡­ you are¡­"


    There''s no more doubt to Alex anymore. With the capabilities that she had shown, this woman who just arrived was most definitely the Main Body of the Immortal Empress!


    |||What''s the matter, Junior Brother? You never thought that I will be bold to bring my Main Body here? Come on, I was already having some fun with the Arcane Sorceress, so don''t expect your paltry domain to stop me¡­ That woman has to pay for insulting me, and she also has to pay for her attempt to take you away!|||


    "¡­."


    |||Don''t worry about anything else Junior Brother. Since my Main Body is here, then even if that Arcane Sorceress arrives with that ugly Main Body of hers, I can still protect you! So just stay still there, and let me fight! Oh, and please don''t try using your Abyss Domains on us. Wait until you have reached Half-Step Transcendence, or once you have all your powers reach Sixth Stage if you want to really join in the battle¡­.|||


    "¡­."

 Chapter 572 - Regression!!!

    At the moment that the Main Body of the Immortal Empress appeared, Alex quickly realized that things are about to escalate. And this realization of his was confirmed when out of nowhere, another split in the space has appeared.


    This time around, what came out of this new split was the Main Body of the Arcane Sorceress herself, with the same smirk on her face still present as she dispelled her energy clone.


    >> The Arcane Sorceress said with a smile, although her eyes were not happy as she stared at the Immortal Empress.


    >>


    After saying these words, the Main Body of the Arcane Sorceress made a grabbing motion towards Alex, making it apparent that she was attempting to take him away once more.


    Once he saw this, Alex let out a sigh of frustration, as he perfectly knew what would happen next.


    Surely, another fight will break out between the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress. This time however, it will be their Main Bodies involved.


    With this kind of stakes, there is no way that Alex will stay in this hut anymore, even with the supervision of the Great TimeMaster.


    After all, the grudge between the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress was so deep, that Alex was 100% sure that their next fight will be extremely disastrous. Since it will be like that, then Alex will not  linger on this place longer!


    "Woosh."


    Without any further ado, Alex quickly dispelled his Abyss Energy Body, with his Abyssal Pillar disappearing into the void. This resulted on the disappearance of his Abyss Domain, something that he had expected to happen.


    "¡­."


    Once his body went back to its normal form, Alex let out a low grunt as his skin changed color again.


    This time, his skin began to adopt a golden glow, with a  small crown slowly materializing above his head.


    "Hong~"


    A  majestic throne appeared behind him, which Alex quickly used as his seat. He then slashed his hand down, which resulted on the sudden alteration of the natural laws.


    "Shua¡­" The firmly shut door of Sierra''s hut began to sway open as Alex continued to apply his power, with the interference placed on it earlier now starting to sway under Alex''s golden aura. This continued to happen for a several seconds, and it only stopped once the door became fully open.


    |||You-||| Upon seeing what Alex was doing, the nearby Immortal Empress frowned, as if she found his actions detestable. |||Why are you running? You''re my Junior Brother, so you should stay here!|||


    >>


    |||Hey, shut it, Arcane Sorceress! If you try to lay your hands on Alex again, I will make sure to kill your Main Body now! Hmph, do you think I''m afraid of fighting you?|||


    >>


    |||You!!!|||


    "Um, I don''t think I will stay any longer here, Senior Sister. I think¡­ I really have to leave now. Why don''t we just meet each other once everyone has calmed down?" Alex said slyly as he began to dash towards the now opened door. The golden aura surrounding his body continued to roil as he did this, which was his obvious attempt to speed himself up. "I can''t afford to be within the crosshairs of your fight after all!"


    |||Hey!|||


    >>


    It was plainly obvious to anyone what Alex just did. Through the use of his Sixth Stage Conqueror''s Aura, Alex has manipulated the naturals laws in order to find a way for him to escape.


    Granted, this world is not under his rule yet, but with the Starting Village already conquered by his association, Alex can already assume a semblance of control inside the Starting Village.


    This allowed him to forcefully break the seal placed on the hut, something that the Immortal Empress have placed earlier to prevent him from running.


    "Hahaha, bye bye!" With the Immortal Emproess and Arcane Sorceress occupied with each other, it appeared as if Alex was about to make his way out of the hut. He was already a few centimeters away from the exit, and with the current state of events, it is already inevitable for Alex to escape.


    But before his hand could touch the outside air, someone else inside the hut began to make her move, which essentially stopped Alex from moving.


    "Alex, you don''t need to run away anymore. I will personally¡­ put a stop to this stupid fight." The Great TimeMaster, whose face wore a livid and furious look, calmly said these words to Alex, although the cold tone in her voice showed that she was anything but calm. "The Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress had repeatedly ignored my warnings, even when I already pleaded them to stop. Because of these behaviors, I have decided¡­ to punish them now."


    "!!!"


    The Great TimeMaster appeared to be extremely angry, and it was obvious that the focus of her rage was not on Alex.


    Her rage was focused on no other than the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress, who were now both staring at the Great TimeMaster with fear and panic.


    |||You''re punishing us, Great TImeMaster? Surely you must be joking, right? There''s no way that you-|||


    >>


    "Shut up the two of you. You already tested the limits of my patience since earlier, so you should feel happy that I managed to last this long¡­" The Great TImeMaster sounded unconvinced by the pleas of the two women, with her reaction comparable to that of a disappointed Asian parent. "I could have tolerated your actions if you stopped fighting. But not only did you not stop, you even brought your Main Bodies here just to fight! Do you know how much pissed that made me? Hmph, I am so pissed now, that all I want is to punish you two!"


    "Boom!" An explosion of aura then occurred around the Great TImeMaster''s body, which was followed by the materialization of her Green Boat. It floated silently above her, with the boat''s almost complete body releasing a frightening aura.


    Once it has appeared, the nearby Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress let out small shrieks of fear, as if they had seen their end.


    |||Run!|||


    >>


    The two Half-Step Transcendents looked like they had lost their courage upon seeing the boat. They seem to be not interested on fighting each other anymore, as they seem to be more interested on leaving.


    Without wasting any time, they tried to run away from the Great TimeMaster, with all of their powers spent fully on their escape.


    The current Immortal Empress'' body was now covered by countless glowing stars, which allowed her to widen the spatial tear behind her. As for the Arcane Sorceress, her head was covered by millions of runic symbols, which led to the stabilization of the spatial tear beside her.


    Once these spatial tears were manipulated enough, the two women tried entering them, as if they were using it as their escape path. This kind of technique looked like it might work, but in face of a livid Great TimeMaster, these escape tactics seem to be nothing but child''s play.


    "Alex tell me¡­. Among all the Half-Step Transcendents alive, who do you think can be considered as the strongest?" The Great TImeMaster leisurely said as she flicked her finger down. This action resulted on the descent of her boat towards the escaping duo. "Will it be the oldest one? Or will it be the one with the most abilities? Alex, what do you think?"


    "¡­.." Alex was only silent, with his eyes seemingly stuck on what the Great TimeMaster was doing.


    The gradual descent of the boat has begun to affect the escaping women. Their previously lively actions were now affected, with the Immortal Empress'' boosted speed now slowed down, and the Arcane Sorceress twitchy actions now visible to the n.a.k.e.d eye.


    These changes seemed to have made the two women panic more, with these two trying to pump more power on their bodies.


    This only made the Great TimeMaster scoff, as if she was watching a futile attempt.


    "Oh Alex, my power must have been too much for you, that you can''t even speak. Since this is the case, then I shall answer my own question." Seeing that Alex was also restricted by her power, the Great TimeMaster only let out a sigh before continuing to talk.


    "Alex¡­. The one that will be considered strongest among the Half-Step Transcendents is the person whose Personal Law is close to completion. The closer this person''s Personal Law to completion is, the more ''transcendent'' and powerful that person will become." The Great TimeMaster muttered as her boat continued to move. "That is the basis for the hierarchy of Half-Step Transcendent everywhere, and this hierarchy also applies in this world."


    "¡­."


    "Alex, do you know why the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress are so scared of me now? It is because my Personal Law is 99.99% complete, making me extremely close to Transcendence. Compared to the paltry 50% completion rate of the Immortal Empress and the 51% completion rate of the Arcane Sorceress, my Personal Law is way more powerful than them."


    "¡­"


    "In fact, out of all the Half-Step Transcendents in this planet, I am the one nearest to Transcendence, making me technically, the strongest being here¡­ Now, do you understand why these two are scared?"


    "¡­"


    "Oh right, you can''t still talk well Alex. Since you can''t express yourself, then just watch carefully as I punish these two! Witness my power Alex, and engrave my actions with your very eyes! Watch¡­ and behold the real power of yours truly, the Great TimeMaster!"


    "!!!"


    [TIME AND SPACE ANNALS: EDICT OF REGRESSION!]


    "Boom!" After she had uttered these words, the Great TimeMaster''s Green Boat suddenly exploded to pieces, with its fragments scattering everywhere like a fragmented bomb. Most of these fragments disappeared, but a small part of them hit the Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress head on.


    Once it made contact with their skins, the fragments sank in their bodies, which was followed by shrieks of pleading from the two.


    |||Mercy, Great TimeMaster! Please, you still owe me-|||


    >>


    "Hmph, just accept my punishment, and learn from it!"


    .

 Chapter 573 - Children, children everywhere!

    "What could the Great TimeMaster be doing now? She said that she is about to unleash her strongest attack. If that is true, then¡­" The sight of the panicking Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress was enough to make Alex feel intrigued, so much so that he had lost his interest on running away.


    Instead of running, Alex chose to stay on his place, with his observant eyes now focused on watching the Great TimeMaster.


    "Is she about to unleash her own unique attack, the attack that is set to defy the laws of the multiverse?" Alex thought as the pressure released by the explosion began to build up.  He then grimaced, as even he found it hard to resist this pressure.  "If she''s really releasing that attack, then I hope it will be worth watching¡­"


    Alex did not have to wait long, as after the Great TimeMaster declared her punishment, her attack began to do its work.


    "Hong long long~"


    Right in front of Alex''s shaky eyes, both the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress trembled as they underwent the greatest change that had happened this day.


    |||Ah!|||


    >>


    The two women shouted out in pain as the fragments buried under their skin were activated mercilessly by the Great TimeMaster. Green glow filled their orifices, with green beams of light being forced out of their eyes and mouth.


    This sight made the two women look like ghosts, but that''s not the real effect of the Great TImeMaster''s attack.


    Their bodies, which both exuded a mature charm all this time, began to shrink in size right in front of Alex.  Their long, slender limbs and shapely body were all reduced in size too, with their silky hair slowly retreating back to their heads.


    |||Oh s**t! This is the worst!|||


    >>


    This shrinkage was nigh unstoppable, as the efforts made by the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress did nothing to stop it.


    The crystal orb summoned by the Immortal Empress shattered when she attempted to use it, while the massive obelisk that materialized behind the Arcane Sorceress suddenly melted like hot chocolate under the exposure of the green light.


    This shrinking continued to go on, and it only stopped once the two women became as tall as 9 year-old children. In fact, the two women were now exactly as tall as Sierra, a sight that made the aforementioned girl cackle happily.


    "¡­."


    If their height was the only change that had happened with the Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress, then the situation might not be really that bad for these two.


    But of course, the Great TimeMaster did not attack just to change their height.


    |||Waaah!!!! Mommy!!! Where are you? I''m scared!!!|||


    >>


    Right now, the beautiful faces of the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress had already disappeared, as only childish and cute faces could be seen from them at this point. In fact, their faces were so child-like, that one can mistake the two for real children


    This observation was further supported by their bodies, which at this point, had already lost all of their s.e.xy bumps and graceful curves. This made their bodies look child-like from any angle, with almost everyone finding it hard to deny that they were children


    Even their attitudes had become childish too, with the previously tough Immortal Empress suddenly crying like a child, and the sly Arcane Sorceress currently crying out for her daddy!


    |||Waahh! Mommy! Help me!|||


    >>


    "¡­." In face of the two women, who were now changed into children crying out for their parents, the nearby Alex could only grin nervously as he realized what had happened.


    "What the hell¡­So time manipulation can do something like this? Tsk, I really must be careful of you, Great TimeMaster!"


    There are no more doubts about it.


    The Great TimeMaster had obviously used her power to turn the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress into children!


    Oh, and it was not just a simple ''turn-into-children'' power. If Alex''s guess was right, the Great TimeMaster must have forcefully reverted the ''Time'' of the two women, making them return to their states when they were children in the past!


    "Heh, so this is why the Great TimeMaster called her spell  the Time and Space Annals: Edict of Regression. This spell of hers actually forces an object to have its time regressed! In the case of the Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress, their time was regressed to the point that they became children again!" Alex thought, with his mind now developing a new found respect for the Great TimeMaster. "Now I see why she is feared here¡­ With this kind of ability, anyone affected by it can be weakened in an instant!"


    As he thought of these things, Alex turned his attention to the two women, who were still crying in their child forms. They seem to be fearful of everything inside the hut, something which the Great TImeMaster seem to not care about.


    "Hoh, judging by your wary look, you seem to have realized what my attack just did, Alex. So, what do you think about my time regression power?" The Great TimeMaster slowly asked as she lifted the child Arcane Sorceress and child Immortal Empress into her shoulders.   "Do you now feel more fearful of me? Or are you now feeling relieved?"


    "¡­"


    This action of hers elicited more cries from the children, which just created more ruckus inside the house.


    |||Stranger danger! Stranger danger! Don''t touch me, you filthy woman! I swear, Mommy will come in to beat you up!|||


    >>


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "Heh, well I don''t really care about what you feel about me,  Alex. With my power, I don''t have to be scared of you. The only reason that I cater you now¡­ is because you helped me before, and because my daughter is fond of you¡­" The Great TimeMaster continued to say as she ignored the cries of the children on her shoulders. "Oh, it is also your bond with my daughter that is preventing me from turning you into a child or an embryo. So you better remember to not piss me off like these two women in my shoulders. Do you understand that?"


    "I understand it, Great TImeMaster. You don''t even need to tell it to me. Just seeing your power now makes me feel¡­. more respect for you."


    "You''re feeling more respect for me? Hmph, how flattering of you, Alex. But do you really mean it?"


    "Um, what do you mean by tha-"


    "You don''t need to talk anymore, Alex. If you really respect me, then I guess you will be fine on taking care of these two children¡­" The Great TImeMaster appeared to be slightly incensed as she said these words, which was evident from the way that she suddenly pushed the child Immortal Empress and child Arcane Sorceress towards Alex.


    "Alex, you can take care of them, right? I''m just too busy these days, so I need someone to babysit the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress¡­"


    "Hey! Babysit? Why should I-"


    "Alex, it''s your fault that these two became like this, so it should be your responsibility to take care of them. Don''t worry, the effects of my regression attack will only last for a week. That''s how long¡­ you will have to babysit these two. That sounds okay for you, right?" The tone used by the Great TimeMaster as she said these words made it obvious that she''s not going to take a No for an answer. "Well, if you disagree, that will make me really unhappy¡­"


    "¡­"


    ******************


    49 6e 20 6f 72 64 65 72 20 74 6f 20 62 65 63 6f 6d 65 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 62 61 62 79 73 69 74 74 65 72 2c 20 6f 6e 65 20 6d 75 73 74 20 62 65 20 62 6f 74 68 20 70 61 74 69 65 6e 74 20 61 6e 64 20 75 6e 64 65 72 73 74 61 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 63 68 69 6c 64 72 65 6e 2e 20 49 66 20 61 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 6c 61 63 6b 73 20 74 68 65 73 65 20 63 68 61 72 61 63 74 65 72 69 73 74 69 63 73 2c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 74 68 65 79 20 61 72 65 20 6e 6f 74 20 66 69 74 20 74 6f 20 74 61 6b 65 20 63 61 72 65 20 6f 66 20 63 68 69 6c 64 72 65 6e 20 61 74 20 61 6c 6c 2026

 Chapter 574 - Clash!

    30 MINUTES LATER.


    After the tumultuous attack that was unleashed by the Great TimeMaster, the chaos inside Sierra''s hut had been completely pacified now.


    But even with this resolution of conflict, Alex still found himself unable to achieve peace.


    And the reason for that can be explained by the two creatures that are sticking closely to him right now.


    [Alina]: Alex. Who¡­. Are these two?


    [Alex]: Um¡­ well¡­ it''s actually complicated.


    [Alina]: Try me. I might have seen much worse with my stay with you.


    [Alex]: Fine. Actually, it goes like this¡­


    With all the commotion and powers released from Sierra''s hut since earlier, it was already inevitable for Alina and the others to feel curious about what had happened here. Hence, Alina''s current stance towards Alex. Add the two teary-eyed children that was standing close to Alex, and Alina''s curiosity as fueled to its peak.


    Facing the curius but also tense Alina, Alex could only sigh as he told her the events that had happened inside Sierra''s hut.


    ************


    [Alina]: I see. So that''s the reason why a lot of powerful auras suddenly blossomed from within Sierra''s house. You tried to hole yourself in there to avoid me, but you found to your surprise that the Great TimeMaster, the Arcane Sorceress, and the Immortal Empress were waiting there for you.


    [Alex]: H-hey, I''m not trying to avoid you. I was just worried that I might affect your breakthrough.


    [Alina]: ¡­.Once you met them, the Immortal Empress introduced herself as your Senior Sister, and she gave you the resources that you need to advance your Immortal Cultivation. As for the Arcane Sorceress, she tried to kidnap you, which angered that Immortal Empress. That was the catalyst, am I right?


    [Alex]: Well yeah, that''s what I already sai-


    [Alina]: And then out of nowhere, the Great TimeMaster swooped in and used her power to stop the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress from fighting. And the power that she used turned the two women into¡­


    [Alex]: They were turned into kids, yep. Two crying kids.


    After he gave this reply, Alex turned around to glance at the two kids, who were closely sticking to him like glue. He could only sigh again after looking at them, a reaction which made Alina sigh too.


    [Alina]: So you''re now forced to babysit the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress for a week. What do you feel about this?


    [Alex]: I''m not sure. This is really bizarre; I am telling you.


    [Alina]: You don''t need to say it again to me. Two of the strongest beings here in the Traveler''s World were actually turned into children, and right now they are right under your care! Heh, I think nobody will believe that this happened unless they were present in the hut earlier¡­.


    [Alex]:¡­.


    [Alina]: So what are you planning to do to these two kids now? Will you-


    [Alex]: Oh, I will take advantage of these two kids.


    [Alina]: T-take advantage? Why does it sound so evil when I hear it from you?


    [Alex]: H-hey! When I said ''take advantage'', I meant it in a power-centric way!


    [Alina]: Power-centric way?


    As if Alina''s glare at him was enough to make him continue talking, Alex let out a small laugh as he resumed explaining himself.


    [Alex]: Actually,  I was planning to weedle out more resources and benefits from the Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress, and that is possible now that they are in their ''child state''. You know, since they are now children, then making them give me their stuff will be much easier¡­


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: Come on Alina, say something here.


    [Alina]: Um, I have nothing to say. I just realized that you really have a tough face at this point. I mean, you want to manipulate two kids into giving you their stuff? That''s not a sin like murder or robbery, but still¡­.


    [Alex]: Alina, even if these two are children now, they are still the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress. Which technically means¡­ that what I will do is not really that bad.


    [Alina}: Really.


    [Alex]: Yeah, really. So don''t give me that look now. I still have to get stronger too, you know.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: ¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: Fine, I concede. I can say that what you are planning to do is a nice strategy, Alex. But are you sure you can make these two children even listen to you?


    [Alex]: Oh? So now you''re doubting me? Hehehe, just stand still there and listen to me. I will show you¡­ How I can make these two kids listen to me!


    [Alina]: ¡­.Okay. Let''s see how you can do this. That is, if you can even do it.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    While trying his best to ignore Alina''s jeers, Alex took a deep breath as he looked back at the two kids once more. He took no notice of the way that they stared at him pointedly, as he focused himself more on looking at the Immortal Empress.


    [Alex]: Hey there kid. Do you want to play with me-


    [Immortal Empress]: Waah! I-I am not a kid! I am the Immortal Empress, and I don''t want to play with you! Waah!!! I want to stay with mommy! Waaah!! Mommy, where are you!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Immortal Empress]: Waah!!


    [Alex]: H-hey, do you want some candy? I have one with me here.


    [Immortal Empress]: You have candy? Gimme gimme!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Not so fast, you little brat. Big Brother Alex, give that candy to me! I will eat it better than this brat!


    [Immortal Empresss]: Waah!!!! Don''t give it to her! Give it to me!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: No! Give it to me!


    [Immortal Empress]: Me! Me!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Me! Me!


    [Immortal Empress]: Me! Me!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Me! Me!


    [Immortal Empress]: Me! Me!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Me! Me!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Hey Big Brother Alex! If you promise to be my servant for a day, I will treat you as a friend! How about that? Oh, and please give me the candy too! I want to eat some candy!


    [Immortal Empress]: Hey, that''s cheating, you little girl! Alex offered me the candy first, so he must give it to me! You really are a bitc-


    [Alex]: Hey, you two are kids now, so don''t curse. That will make you look like hags.


    [Immortal Empress]: Hags? What are hags, Alex?


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Hags are old ladies that look like ugly monsters! And you, Immortal Empress will be a hag in the future! Hahaha, nobody will like you once you grow!


    [Immortal Emproess]: Waah!!! I will not be like that! Alex, please refute her!!!


    [Alex]: Alina¡­ can you help me out here?


    [Alina]: Ah well actually, I am about to start breaking through, so I can''t be busy. Yep, nobody can bother me, so good luck with them!


    [Alex]: Hey!


    Before Alex could complete his complaint, the amused Alina quickly disappeared along with the wind, leaving him alone with the two kids, who are still shouting as if they were in a match.


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Hag, hag, hag! You will be an ugly hag!


    [Immortal Empress]: No! T-that is not true!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Hag, hag, hag! You will be an ugly hag!


    [Immortal Empress]: Waah!!!


    [Alex]: C-curse you, Great TimeMaster! Why are you making things... these difficult for me!


    **************


    ETERNAL PLAINS FIELD. VICINITY OF THE STARTING VILLAGE.


    Out of all the places that Alex had conquered here in the Traveler''s World, the one that took him the most time was the large, forest-like field just located beside the Starting Village.


    This field was called the Eternal Plains Field by the locals, and it contained extremely powerful monsters that took this place as their home.


    These monster''s powers ranged in intensity, with some even reaching the Fifth or Sixth Stage of Power. They were also hostile to anyone trying to enter their area, which makes them much harder to talk with.


    With this kind of line-up, Alex and Delia naturally had difficulty on making this place under their control.


    They were forced to fight just to kill all the monsters inside, an effort that made the two feel exasperated and tired. But it was all worth it in the end, as the treasures and dungeons located here in the Eternal Plains Field were enough to set a firm foundation for Alex''s association.


    When Alex had finished conquering this area, he naturally set up his base for his association right at its middle.  After all, the resources located in here is enough to run his activities for a long time.


    Trainings, mining, and other recreational activities were being done inside the Eternal Plains Field, which are all focused on improving the quality and abilities of the Travelers under Alex''s rule.


    In fact, it is hard to see this place empty everyday, as all the Travelers under Alex''s rule has something that they can do in this place!


    However, this fact seemed to be debunked today, as there were no presence of crowds of Travelers within the area of the Eternal Fields Plain.


    The whole Eternal Fields Plain appeared to be empty at this point, except for two women who were standing right at the edge of the field. Large amounts of aura that was enough to pressure any weak creature leaked out of their bodies, making it almost impossible for anyone to approach them.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The woman standing on the right had her body tensed greatly, with her right hand holding a katana that she pointed forward. Streams of space ripples followed the movement of her sword, which effectively distorted the light and sound surrounding her.


    As for the woman on the left, she also held a weapon which in this case was a spear. She''s pointing it unhesitantly at the other woman too., with a hint of murderous intention present on her eyes.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    These two women, who were no other than Alina and the Traveler Delia, stood straight like statues as they stared silently at each other.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Delia]: ¡­.

 Chapter 575 - Masochism, Curse, and Breakthrough

    [Alina]: Are you ready now, Delia? Because if you don''t, then I''m fine on just cutting you into pieces¡­.


    [Delia]: Pieces? Hah, let''s see if you can do that to me. You think your Dark Magic is enough to trump my Holy Order Power? Dream on!


    [Alina]: If you believe that your paltry power is enough to trump mine, then let''s put that to test today. After all, we''re about to use them both¡­.


    [Delia]: Hmph, you don''t need to say it twice! Since we need to fight, then we will fight!


    "Boom!"


    The ground beneath the foot of the two women suddenly exploded into fine dust as they rushed forward, with their weapons fully unleashed. The murderous intention present of their eyes since earlier has begun to increase as they moved, with the power inside their bodies perfectly synchronized with their joints.


    [Alina]: Ha!


    [Delia]: Ha!


    "Boom boom boom!"


    5 pairs of wings appeared behind Delia as she flew forward, each one filled to the brim with the almighty Holy Essence that lit up her surroundings. The wings also brought the  surge of a pure, crystal-white energy, one which increased Delia''s forward momentum.


    As this happened, the spear that Delia was holding began to light up too, as its entirety was filled with her Holy Essence. It''s tip, which was flowing with her own murderous intention, has started to glow like a laser light, with its laser beam fully concentrated towards Alina''s forehead.


    The laser beam fortunately did not do any damage to Alina, although it seemed to irritate her more.


    [Alina]: What a paltry laser beam¡­ Is this the attack that you want to use on me? How pathetic!


    "Schwing!"


    Upon seeing the incoming body of the murderous Delia, Alina only let out a scoff as she swung her katana forward. This time however, her katana was not fueled by her Esper Ability.


    Instead, it was Alina''s Dark Magic that was residing in her katana, which made her subsequent attack appear different.


    "Hong~"


    Instead of creating a large rift in space, what Alina''s Katana did was to summon a thin, paper-like monster which then rushed towards Delia like a madman.


    "Roar!!!"


    Even though this thin monster appeared to be extremely weak compared to the incoming Delia, it did not hesitate to show its might. It barreled on with its path, ignoring the blinding light emanating out of Delia''s wings.


    "Woosh!"


    As the monster made a beeline towards Delia, it left a trail of darkness that seem to infect the very air itself. Shouts of pain and despair could be heard from this trail of darkness, which made even the serious-looking Alina shiver just from hearing it.


    [Delia]: ¡­


    Upon seeing the incoming monster, Delia began to frown, as if she found something distasteful about this monster. This observation was further proved when her wings, which was exuding a calm aura earlier, suddenly began turning berserk as the dark monster got nearer and nearer.


    [Delia]: This¡­ is something that you created out of Dark Magic? Tsk, now I can see why I hate you a lot. You actually¡­ dabble in the heretic arts!


    [Alina]: Hmph, heretic my ass! My Dark Magic mainly deals with Summoning Magic and Curse Creation, hence its ''heretic'' appearance to you. It may look evil to you, but I assure you, my Dark Magic is a natural power that you cannot ignore!


    [Delia]: Heh, who said that I was going to ignore your power? I''m just treating it like the trash it should be, so be happy that I am even paying attention to it! Hmph, if it weren''t for my need to breakthrough, I would never have cooperated with you!


    [Alina]: Oh, so are you saying that I should feel grateful to you? Hmph, what sophistry! You really are better off dead!


    [Delia]: Heh, it will not be me who will end up dying. It will be¡­ you!


    [Alina]: Let''s see if you can make that happen! Hah!


    [Delia]: Hah!


    "Boom!"


    The dark monster and Delia collided at this point, which immediately produced a rippling shockwave that covered the whole area. Concepts of light and darkness illuminated the whole place at this point, which combined with the powerful shockwave, depicted a scene that is comparable to that of an atomic explosion¡­


    What happened after this explosion was unknown, as more and more explosions appeared at this point, leaving no leeway to watch anything.


    *****************


    INSIDE PROFESSOR FRANCES'' HUT


    With Alina rejecting Alex''s plea for help, Alex was left with no choice but to take care of the Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress by himself.  With this kind of responsibly placed on him, Alex was naturally pissed.


    Fortunately for him, his pissed feeling did not last that long, as a passing-by Professor Frances saw his plight.


    With some masterful cajoling coming from his mouth, Alex was able to convince Professor Frances to cooperate with him on taking care of the children. The Professor did not reject Alex at all, and she even helped him on carrying the children.


    And with that, Alex and the two children found themselves sitting inside Professor Frances'' hut.


    But instead of seeing a Professor Frances that was helping him on babysitting the two kids, what Alex got from her instead was:


    [Professor Frances]: So these two are the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress? Interesting¡­ They were turned into kids by the Great TImeMaster through the use of some kind of time-related ability. Hehehe¡­ I wonder how their bodies fare up now? Are their bodies really for children too, or are all that we see here fake? Alex, Alex, give me a lot of body samples from these two kids! Hehehe¡­ I want to test them all!


    [Immortal Empress]: Alex, Alex! This professor is scaring me!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Waah!!! Pervert alert! Pervert alert! Don''t touch me!


    [Alex]: ¡­


    Alex did not want to see this happening, but as expected, Professor Frances immediately relegated the two kids as her experimental subjects. Even if they were kids, Professor Frances still did not spare them. Instead, she actually wanted to test them right now!


    And here Alex thought she became a kinder person¡­


    [Alex]: Professor Frances¡­ this is no time for a joke. I really need your help to babysit these kids.


    [Professor Frances]:  Eh? You''re really serious on taking care of these kids? I thought you were planning  to take advantage of them¡­.


    For Professor Frances to look surprised at this point was enough to make Alex feel worse. After all, someone as morally grey as Professor Frances actually predicted Alex''s ''nefarious'' plans with the kids¡­.


    [Alex]: O-of course I am planning to take advantage of these two! But I am not doing it now! They''re still kids, you know. I have to get close to them before doing that¡­.


    [Professor Frances]: You? Get close to these kids? Heh, as long as these kids are female, they will never feel that close to you!


    [Alex]: H-hey, why do I feel like you''re saying something important here? You just said that as long as these kids were female, they won''t be close to me? What the hell¡­ do you mean by that?


    After Alex asked these questions, Professor Frances suddenly let out a loud, exasperated sigh, one which made Alex feel more confused. And this confusion just increased when the professor continued to talk.


    [Professor Frances]: Ha? Why are you asking me? Don''t tell me you haven''t noticed it?


    [Alex]: Notice what?


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Professor Frances]: Alex, out of all the people that we met, do you know which type was able to take advantage of you? It''s the women, Alex! The women! They always make you follow them blindly! It''s like you''re a masochist that was happy to receive pain from them!


    [Alex]: !!!


    [Professor Frances]: What? You don''t look you believe me. Hmph, just look at Alina. She''s your lover, but in your relationship, she''s the one who acts as the leader! As for you, you don''t even complain when she''s angry at you. You just accept her nasty words, and you seem to be even happy being treated like that! Then there''s Sierra, who you just allow to curse you¡­


    [Alex]: H-hey! Are you calling me a masochist? F**k you, Professor Frances! T-that is not true! I don''t act like that way around women!


    [Professor Frances]: When you met the Great TimeMaster, didn''t she just play around you with her power? And how about the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress? Didn''t they also toss you around?


    [Alex]: That¡­


    [Professor Frances]: And then there''s Asteria, the dumb fairy who treats you like trash. But even when she visibly wants you dead, you still don''t throw her away! You tolerate her presence, and you don''t look like you''re planning to replace her at all!


    [Alex]: Hey! There''s no way that I can replace Asteria! She''s my-


    [Professor Frances]: Cut the crap with those words! Don''t think that you can wiggle your way out of this one!  I mean, even your attitude to me and Queen Mother is a little submissive! You don''t look like you want to dominate us! You seem to be only contented¡­ on befriending us! Isn''t that a little weird, considering that you''re supposed to be our leader?


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Professor Frances]: There! Look at yourself now! Instead of slapping me like the ''thot'' that I am, you only stay silent, like you''re admitting that you''re wrong! Argh! What the hell is wrong with you, Alex?


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Oi, don''t tell me that you''ve been cursed to become unlucky with women...


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Hehehe, that can''t be real, right? Curses like that shouldn''t exist¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: H-hey, why are you not denying it? Don''t tell me¡­ you''ve been really cursed to be unlucky to women?


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Oi, say something will you. If not, I will throw you out of the house!


    [Alex]: Just think what you want to think. Whatever problem I have right now, it is something that you cannot solve¡­.


    [Professor Frances]: Oh, so you''ve been cursed indeed. How does this curse work? Does it only activate when you became friends with a woman? Or does it work on any women?


    [Alex]: Tsk, let''s stop talking about that. It''s not like you can''t do anything about it¡­


    [Professor Frances]: You look so sure while saying that. Does that mean¡­ that you''ve been afflicted with that curse your whole life, and that none of your attempts to cure it have succeeded? Tsk, tsk, poor you, Alex¡­


    [Alex]: Hey! Let''s stop talking about stuff like that. It''s no use for me right now. Instead, let''s just talk about my second request to you.


    [Professor Frances]: Hey, why are you ignoring your curse? Shouldn''t you-


    [Alex]: Professor, my first request is that you help me babysit these two kids. As for the second request, I am just asking for your help so that I can reach the Nascent Soul Stage(Fourth Stage) and the Dao Domain Stage(Fifth Stage) of my Immortal Cultivation today. Surely, with your expertise with souls, you can make my experience much easier¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Hey! I said, don''t change the topic!


    [Alex]: So, where''s your ''Soul-Splitting Scalpel''? I need it in order to start breaking through the Nascent Soul Stage already. Don''t tell me that you have lost it? Come on, Professor. Didn''t that scalpel cost you half of your Contribution Points? Losing it will be bad for you!

 Chapter 576 - Soul, Division, and Pain

    Without giving any heed to Professor Frances'' complains, Alex suddenly took a seat in the nearby chair. He then made the Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress stand behind him, with the nearby professor watching with a confused stare.


    [Alex]: What are you waiting for, Professor Frances? I need your Soul-Splicing Knife, so please let me borrow it. Don''t worry, I will return it to you in one piece.


    [Professor Frances]: You-


    [Alex]: If you think that I am cursed, then so be it. Go pity me all you want. But for now, I need your help so that I can get stronger. Surely, you won''t deny that to me, right?


    [Professor Frances]: Seriously, you''re getting more and more weird these days Alex. Tsk, tsk, tsk, is this perhaps related to your past?


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Fine, since it looks like you don''t want to talk anymore, then I shall just assist you. You said that you''re attempting to do something with your soul? Hmph, count me in and let me watch what happens to you¡­


    [Alex]: Can you just stop talking and just show the Soul-Splicing Knife already? I need it now!


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­


    With Alex''s urgency clearly displayed on his face, the disgruntled Professor Frances let out a grumble as she placed her right hand inside her b.r.e.a.s.t pocket. She then fiddled inside it for a few seconds before drawing her hand out, this time with a thin, golden-colored knife that she held primly between her fingers.


    "Schwing  schwing!"


    The professor began swing the knife idly around her, as if she was testing is sharpness against the air. These actions caused countless whistling sounds to fill the area, something which seemed to have caused Alex some unease.


    [Alex]: H-hey, Professor Frances¡­ Don''t just randomly swing that knife everywhere. That''s the Soul-Splicing Knife after all.


    [Professor Frances]: Hmph, you don''t need to tell me about it, Alex. As far as I know, the Soul-Splicing Knife can cut off a portion of someone''s soul, as long as that soul is within the range of the knife.  That means that if someone''s soul is near this knife, it will be inevitably affected.  However, as you can see, nobody''s soul is really that near me, so nobody is in real danger here.


    [Alex]: I was just trying to lecture you, ok? W-why don''t we just head on to the breakthrough process?


    [Professor Frances]: You seem to be in a really great rush now, Alex. I wonder why you are this urgent¡­


    [Alex]: Just help me out now ok? If you want questions, just ask it later!


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Professor Frances]: Fine, I  already promised to help you out now, so I have no choice but to do this. So, what should I do first?


    [Alex]: Um¡­ actually, you should just stay still there and wait for me to reveal my Soul. Then once my Soul is out, I want you to use the Soul-Splicing Knife to divide my Soul into 9 parts¡­. Make sure that these 9 parts are as large as each other. If not, then I will be really f**ked. And then-


    [Professor Frances]: Wait for a second right there, Alex. You¡­ want me to use the Soul-Splicing Knife to cut your Soul into 9 pieces? Do you understand¡­ what that means?


    [Alex]: Yes, I understand. I will experience extreme pain, and in normal cases, I might be reduced into a broken person due to my soul getting split into 9 equal parts. After all, the Soul is the main source of life and consciousness for all sentient beings. So for me to be in great danger due to the soul-splitting is just norma-


    [Professor Frances]: This is not normal at all, Alex! If you really will have your Soul divided into 9 pieces, you will instantly die! Seriously, why did you think of making yourself do this? Are you really that eager to be dead?


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: I mean,  just look at this!


    "Snap!"


    After saying these words, Professor Frances casually flicked her fingers, which in effect, has caused a nearby lizard to have its Soul revealed.


    "Weng~"


    As a small, orb-like ball filled with Soul Power floated out of the lizard''s body, Professor Frances let out a tut as she tightened her hold on her knife. She then swung her knife towards this ball, with the sharp edge of the knife making a perfect contact with the ball''s surface.


    "Weng!"


    Her knife stroke made a clean cut against the ball, which then forcefully cut the ball into two separate pieces.


    "Kra!" Once this separation has happened, the poor lizard let out one  loud howl of despair before its life went to a sudden end. Its body suddenly went limp onto the wooden slabs on the floor, while the ball of soul power above it quickly dissipated into nothingness.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­


    With just a look at what  happened to the lizard, it was easy to surmise what had  transpired.


    The lizard was, in all cases, definitely dead, and its death was most likely related to the ball that Professor Frances had just cut into two


    [Professor Frances]: Do you see that, Alex? I just used the Soul-Splicing Knife to divide this lizard''s soul into two portions, and look what happened to it. The lizard died instantly, even when I made the cut so precise! That means that if I divide your soul even into just two parts, you will also most definitely die!


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]:  And now, you want me to cut your soul into 9 separate pieces? Hmph, there''s no way that I can do that! If I go on with this farce, there''s high chance that you will die. And once you die, I will die too. If that happens, it will be not a good thing for me¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: At most,  the best that I can do is to slice off small, thin portions of Soul out of your Soul. Only through that way that I can assure your life. So, please rethink your task to me. I can''t¡­. lead you to your doom. If you die, I will die too!


    [Alex]: ¡­

 Chapter 577 - Soul, Colors, and Candy

    [Alex]: Whatever, hit me with all that you got.


    [Professor Frances]: You-


    "Hong~"


    Before Professor Frances could emulate her point, Alex suddenly let out a shout, which released a frightening pressure from his body.


    At the instant that this happened, Professor Frances had the sudden urge to fall to the floor, as if what Alex  did had an effect on her body.


    "Hola!"


    Out of nowhere, a multi-colored, 5-armed  illusory body suddenly appeared behind Alex, one which loomed all over him and Professor Frances like a god.  It did not do anything inherently malicious against anyone inside the hut, as it seemed to be contented to just float behind Alex.


    The multitude of colors present on the Illusory body continued to glow as its arms moved around randomly, something that made Professor Frances gulp nervously.  After all, each one of these arms appeared to have the power to instantly destroy anything that touches them.


    "Shung shung!"


    Along with the arm movements, the translucent skin of the  illusory body was displaying some changes too. A multitude of colors, ranging from black, blue, gold, white, and red continuously flashed and glowed all around the body''s translucent skin, making it look pleasing to the eyes.


    These 5 colors also had countless effects on the surroundings, which just made their existence much more intriguing.


    The blue color was the most active out of the 5 colors, with it constantly creating explosions and lightning blasts on the floor. The black color on the other hand seem be corroding the surrounding air, while the white color appears to be purifying it instead. The red color had no visible effects, although the sensation of getting shaken can be felt from looking at it. As for the final color which is gold, an overbearing sense of superiority could be felt emanating from it, one which seemed to affect the movement of the nearby objects.


    The combination of the beautiful lights display and their effects had effectively turned the illusory body into a beautiful object. It was so pretty that it  made the Immortal Empress and Arcane  Sorceress squeal in delight upon seeing the Illusory body, with their eyes lighting up as if they had seen the best thing in their life.


    [Immortal Empress]: Ah! It''s so pretty! Junior Brother, is this something that you can make? Give it to me! Give it to me!


    [Arcane]: Pretty! Can I eat it like candy?


    But even with this beautiful light display, Professor Frances still appeared to be spooked by this illusory body. Just the way that she held up her Soul-Splicing Knife in front of the illusory body was enough to show her wariness against it.


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­.


    After moving its arms around for a while, the illusory body did nothing else but to float on its current spot, with the inherent power inside it completely restrained. As for Alex, he let out a sigh as he went back to his seat, with beads of sweat now present on his face.


    Upon taking his seat, Alex tried to smile once more as he looked at Professor Frances. In response to his look, Professor Frances gave Alex a solemn gaze, one that is made more serious by her suddenly scary face.


    The professor looked like she was greatly disturbed by something, a feeling that she reciprocated to Alex with her next question.


    [Professor Frances]: Alex, tell me. This is¡­ your Soul? I mean, your real one? Why do I feel like I am looking at something wrong?


    [Alex]: What are you saying? This is my Soul!


    [Professor Frances]: What? But-


    [Alex]: Professor,  this is my consciousness, acc.u.mulated altogether to form my soul! All that you see here is who I really am!


    "Grong!"


    As if to ill.u.s.trate his point, Alex''s Soul began to twirl all around the place, as if Alex was showing off his control of his soul.


    This action just infuriated Professor Frances, who now looked like she had enough of Alex''s antic.


    [Professor Frances]: Alex, this¡­ this is not how a Soul is supposed to look like! From all the studies that I had, a Soul should have been a pure, untainted representation of a living creature. There must be no impurities mixed with a soul, and it should just exist as the agglomeration of soul power!  That means that your soul should also look pure and untainted!


    [Alex]: Oh really? So you''re saying that because the illusory body behind me is tainted with different colors and with a lot of arms, it''s not supposed to be my Soul?


    [Professor Frances]: Hmph, yes, I am saying that! Instead of seeing that 5-armed, multi-colored monstrosity, what I should see from your soul is like the ball that we saw from the lizard earlier!


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: Well, I am sorry to burst your bubble, but what you see right here is my Soul, all in its full glory.


    [Professor Frances]: No way! If that is really your soul, then why does it look like that? Why is it this¡­ so convoluted and tainted? Your soul¡­ is not supposed to look like this.


    Professor Frances looked down at the floor at this point, as if she was trying to avoid looking at Alex''s Soul. This made it look like she was scared, but the steely expression on her face says otherwise.


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­.


    But even with this ''avoiding'' action, the professor still tried her best to glare at Alex, although the best that she can do now was give him a sideways glance.


    [Alex]: Hm¡­ there is indeed an interesting reason why my Soul looks like this.  But as for what this reason is, I will not be telling it to you now. After all, I am more interested on getting my Soul cut into pieces. So-


    [Professor Frances]: What do you mean by that, huh? You won''t be telling me? Hmph, you dirty man! You dare show me something this interesting, but now you deny telling the truth all about it? You¡­ you must be playing with me now!


    [Alex]: No, I am not playing with you. I''m just tired from revealing my soul, ok? I don''t have any interest to talk to you more, so please stop questioning me. Let''s just talk about my unique soul¡­ once we''re done here.


    [Professor Frances]: !!!


    [Alex]: Oh, but there''s something that I can tell you. The reason for my unique soul is also the reason that I am confident on surviving the ''Soul Division Process''. So don''t be plagued by worries, and just start cutting!


    [Professor Frnaces]: Hah? No, I will-


    [Alex]: Professor, I am feeling weaker and weaker now, so please get on with it already. If you don''t, I might really die here. You don''t want that happening, right?


    [Professor Frances]: !!!


    [Alex]: But don''t worry,  professor.  As long as we finish our jobs, not only will I get to survive, I will also be able to answer your questions about my soul.  So can you start already?


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: Oh, you look like you''re agreeing already. Hehehe, thank you, professor!


    With his oddly persuasive tone and the belligerent look on his face, Professor Frances found no way to dispute what Alex was telling her to do.


    She could only sigh in resignation, with the knife on her hand slowly reaching out towards Alex.


    [Professsor Frances]: ¡­Fine, so where shall I start cutting?


    [Alex]: Oh, just start anywhere you want it. But please don''t do it near my crotch. I don''t want feeling pain at that spot you know¡­


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­


    [Immortal Empresss]: Hey, you said crotch! That''s funny!


    [Alex]: Hehehe, yes, that''s indeed funny.  Crotch! Crotch! Crotch!


    [Immortal Empress]: Gigigigi!


    [Alex]: Hoho, so you like hearing jokes? Well then, do you want to hear more?


    [Immortal Empress]: Yes please! I want to hear more! Give me give me!


    [Alex]: Well, I can give you more jokes¡­ But before I do that, can you help me out a little first?


    [Immortal Empress]: Help you¡­ out? What does that mean?


    [Alex]: It means that you will assist me with something. Can you do that for me?


    [Immortal Empress]: Um¡­ maybe I can help you out, but-


    [Alex]: Good! So what I want you to do is simple. Do you remember the briefcases that you gave to me earlier?


    [Immortal Empress]: Ah um, mommy said that I should not-


    [Alex]: Those briefcases contain items that are filled with  the Essences of Duality, which I need to get stronger. Now, I am supposed to be extracting these Essences by myself, but because of a situation, I cannot do that now¡­.


    [Immortal Empress]: Um-


    [Alex]: So Immortal Empress, I need your help in regards to the extraction of these essences. With your expertise regarding Immortal Cultivation, surely it will be easy for you to extract all the Duality Essences for me. You are after all, the best Immoral Cultivator that I ever met!


    [Immortal Empress]: Um-


    [Alex]: So what say you, Immortal Empress? Will you help me out or not? If you do, I will give you a lot of new jokes! Oh, and I will also give you Arcane Sorceress'' share of candy!


    "Swish!"


    Right after he gave this promise, Alex quickly fulfilled it, as se snatched the candy residing on the hands of Arcane Sorceress. The poor kid could only watch as Alex grabbed her candy away, with her  eyes quickly turning watery with tears.


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Hey Alex! What are you saying! Waaah!!! That''s my candy! Don''t give it to her! Waa-


    [Immortal Empress]: It''s a deal! It''s a deal! Gimme her candy quick! Gimme gimme!


    [Alex]: Ouch! I can''t give the candy to you now since my hand cramped. Why don''t you extract the essences for me first, Immortal Empress.  Maybe once you have done it, my cramps will disappear¡­


    [Immortal Empress]: Um, okay! I will start extracting now! But don''t give back the candy to Arcane Sorceress, ok? If you do, I will stop!


    [Alex]: Hehehe, I promise to not give it back. You have my word.


    [Immortal Empress]: Yay! Candy candy candy!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Waah!!! You bully! Waah!!


    [Professor Frances]: Alex, you said that you will take advantage of these kids much later. Why are you then doing this now?


    [Alex]: Hm? Did I just hear something? Oh, it must have been the wind. Anyways, you should really start now, Professor Frances. Or do you want a candy to be motivated too?


    [Immortal Empress]: Hey! No giving my candy to Professor Frances too! That candy is only mine!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Waah!! My candy!!! Waah!!!


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­Wow, I don''t know what to say here¡­


    ********************


    [Author''s Note]: What go you guys think of a man bun? I just used this hairtstyle, and it had mixed reactions with my relatives... Well, it is my hair, so I think will just be fine...

 Chapter 578 - Monologue of a Self-Proclaimed Trickster

    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hehehehe¡­ what do we have here? A man and a woman, both staying in love with each other? Bah, what kind of sh**y relationship is this! Ugh, disgusting. These two better die today!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: What is the name of this man? Oh¡­ so he''s Alex? Tsk, what an ugly name. Even my name is better than it!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: And the woman is called Alina? Hmm¡­ she looks just as luscious as her name sounds. Hmm¡­ I wonder if she''s also good in bed.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hehehe, of course she will be good. Just those juicy lips of hers is enough to show that she can suck things!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hehehe, I just hope it will be my **** that she will be sucking in the future.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Bah? Who''s bothering me now? Don''t my subordinates know that today is my day-off? Tsk, they should not disturb me today! That''s the essence of a day-off!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Tsk, why did I have to become a leader here in the Traveler''s World? Tsk, I should just have stayed back in the Capital! At least there, I can fool around with the maids. Sigh, is there a chance I can go back?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hmph, of course I can''t go back. With that old geezer watching my every move, it is impossible for me to even leave this planet! Tsk, if that geezer was just dead, then my problems should have been gone! Argh, why did my subordinates even allow him to survive before?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Ugh, what''s done is done so I can''t do anything about that guy anymore. All I can do¡­ is just hole up here and hope for a miracle.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Bah, I really hate miracles! They just make me look like those hypocritical zealots who wish for an omnipotent being to solve their problems. Ugh, don''t they realize that they were just being fooled and that miracles are just ways to make them worship gods? Hmph, that must be the reason why a lot of them were exterminated by father¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Speaking of father¡­ I remember that he''s interested about this Alex guy. Bah, why would father be interested of this weakling? Is there something special about him?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Tsk, I don''t like the vibes that I am getting here. Hey, Servant no. 1! Bring me the file all about Traveler Alex!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hah? You don''t know which Alex? Stupid idiot! The Alex that I am talking about is the one who arrived 2 months ago! Don''t tell me you don''t even know him?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hm? What did you say? You said that you were busy cleaning the bathroom 2 months ago that was why you did not know this Alex? Tsk, quit giving that excuse to me!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Haah¡­ Stop crying now, will you? Just give me the file all about Traveler Alex. If you don''t, I will personally send you back to cleaning duties.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hey! Move it faster! Even an injured horse can move faster than you! I don''t want to wait for long!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Finally, Servant no. 1 is now getting the file about Alex. I guess all that I have to do now is wait.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Tsk, I have been waiting here for a minute already, and that guy is still not back? I was just making him get a file, for god''s sake! Don''t tell me he''s too idiotic to even do that?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Finally, you''ve come, Servant no. 1! So, where is the file?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hmph, now that''s how I want you to work. Fast and efficient.  Now go back to your room and write 2,000 talismans for me. Make sure those talismans will work once used.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hm? You don''t want to do the punishment? Hmph, now you have to make 4,000! Still have any complaints?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Good. That''s how you should act. Always obedient and useful. Now, go to your room and do what I told you!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Tsk, my servant these days really are stupid! Hmph, I think all of them must undergo a rehabilitation training on the next days¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Ok, so I got the file all about Traveler Alex already. That means its time for me to read this.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hmm.. let''s see. So Traveler Alex was already a Sixth Stage Being when he arrived in this world? Oh, and his power is similar to that of the Espers that came from the Heavenly Palace? Tsk, this is intriguing, but it also irritates the f**k out of me¡­.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Going on¡­. So Traveler Alex had a close encounter with the Crimson God, but due to the interference of the Great TimeMaster and Old Man, Traveler Alex was saved. Wait, Old Man? How the hell did he suddenly make a move? Isn''t he a f**king lazy b***h?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: There is something wrong with this file. It¡­ it constantly spouts lies that should not be heard!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ''Rustle rustle rustle¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ''Rustle rustle rustle¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ''Rustle rustle rustle¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ''Rustle rustle rustle¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ''Rustle rustle rustle¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Oi, oi, oi. This cannot be real. This file says that Traveler Alex is suspected to house 5 different powers inside his body? F**king hell, this is not possible!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Tsk, who the hell made this report? He clearly must have been high when he wrote this! Guards! Guards! Bring me the one who made this report!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hah? What do you mean you don''t know? You are the guards of my mansion, so you should know everything about it! Now, bring the one who made this report. If you don''t I will make you guard something worse!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Good, now the guards are making their move too. I guess I have to wait again¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Tsk, security guards these days are all stupid too. I guess I must rehabilitate them too¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Oh, that was fast, guards. So did you manage to catch the writer of the report?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: What do you mean you don''t? Shouldn''t he be here inside my mansion?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hah? You said that he left this place a month ago? And that he did not leave anything behind?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Bulls**t! Nobody can leave this place unless I want it to! So don''t think that the writer has escaped! Go and find him for me, or else I will kill you all!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Haah, I have to wait again¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Argh, why is everyone stupid these days! Argh, I really hate of all of this! If everyone could just be prim and proper, none of these troubles would have happened!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Ugh, why are those guards not coming back? It''s been an hour? Don''t tell me they haven''t seen the writer within that time?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: ¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Tsk, those guards had done it! Argh! Now they''re making me more pissed!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Oh well, if those guards can''t see the writer, then I will just look for the writer later.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Ok, I have decided. I shall cancel the meeting with the Grandmaster later. Instead of doing that,  I will just¡­ spend the afternoon looking for the writer!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hehehe, doing that will be much more productive compared to talking with the Grandmaster.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Tsk, the Grandmaster is a stuck-up nerd after all, so he''s bound to be boring. Hmph, when was the last time that I had fun talking to him again? Bah, I can''t remember it¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Speaking of the Grandmaster, isn''t he supposed to be nearing  a breakthrough again? Tsk, that nerd might look like an ugly rat, but he sure can increase his power quickly.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: What was the Grandmaster''s power before? Um, I don''t remember, but he''s around the middle of the pack. Which means that he''s around 6th or 7th in terms of power. Oh right, I remember that I''m stronger than him before.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Tsk, but that was before. Now, even I am not sure how much stronger the Grandmaster''s power had become¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]:  Sigh, why did I even befriend the Grandmaster? He''s a rival Returning Traveler for goodness'' sake, so I should have just offed him when I had the chance!


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Sigh, since what''s done is already done, then I guess I will just have to make the Grandmaster learn his place once we meet again¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Wait, why am I even thinking about the Grandmaster? Shouldn''t I be thinking about Traveler Alex?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Wait, who''s Traveler Alex again? Guards, guards! Come here and tell me all about this Traveler Alex! Why am  I only hearing about him now?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Waiting, waiting, waiting.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hm? You said that I already knew who Traveler Alex was? B***h, if I knew him, then I should know him! Why can''t I remember him then?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hm? You said that I have a short term memory? How the hell can you prove that, huh? You two are just guards, so don''t act like you''re doctors! Tsk, why don''t I just kill you two now? Maybe that way my boredom will disappear¡­


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Hm? Why are you two pleading for your lives? You just made me angry, so it''s natural for me to kill you.


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Eh? You two are saying that you can bring me to Traveler Alex? Wait... who was Traveler Alex again? Why the hell would I want to meet him? Is he valuable?


    [ A SELF-PROCLAIMED TRICKSTER ]: Oh, wait. Who the hell are you two anyway? Why are you kneeling like that in front of me? Are you perhaps¡­ my religious fanatics?

 Chapter 579 - Are you ready for the Surgery?

    The loud cries of the aggrieved Arcane Empress continued to echo out in the air as she looked angry from the treatment given to her by Alex. She even looked like she wanted to bite him, something that Alex did not even pay attention to.


    [ Alex ]: Immortal Empress, you now know what to do next, right?


    Upon saying these words, Alex quickly summoned the 9 briefcases that he had kept inside his Storage.


    Once summoned, he opened them all, revealing all the gifts, which at this point, were still filled to the brim with respective essences.


    "Hong~"


    The twin pairs of the Extreme Yang Universe Flame and Extreme Yin Cosmic Ice glowed aggressively inside the hut, with the temperatures around them going both high and low because of their presences.


    Beside these two objects were the hearts of the 6-colored Undying Phoenix and 6-Armed Shinigami, both of which emanated the vitality of life and emptiness of death.


    Those who saw the heart of the Phoenix could feel their vitality boiling, while those who observed the Shinigami heart could feel their blood turn cold, as if they were about to approach death.


    The index finger of a dead World Creator and the eye of a Dream Lurker were still present among the gifts, which both still exerted their power over reality and illusions. Countless illusory figures could be seen jumping all around the eye of the Dream Lurker, which were quickly snuffed out by the index finger of a dead World Creator.


    Behind these two objects were the hourglass filled with Time Essence and the Space-Breaking Stone, which at this point, still has the essences of Time and Space filling their bodies respectively.


    Time could be seen slowing down around the hourglass, while rifts and holes in space could be seen in front of the Space-Breaking Stone.


    The hearts of a Martial God and a Soul Reaper could also be seen cl.u.s.tered together near the center of the hut. These two objects represent a duality too, with the extreme power of the Martial Goad heart seemingly able to shake the bodies of anyone who saw it.


    As for the heart of the Soul Reaper, the souls of those who got close to it all started to shiver too, as this heart seem to contain the power to damage even the strongest of the souls.


    The next pair of gifts that came out were just as impressive as the others. The corpse of a 6-winged angel from the Holy Order Realm came out, with her body brimming with the essences of virtue and righteousness. It made the surrounding area seem holy and virtous, making the nearby people feel guilty for their sins and wrongdoings.


    Once this corpse has appeared, Alex let out a sigh as he released massive amounts of Abyss Energy, which he formed into a ball.  This ball, which was filled to the brim with the concepts of sin, seem to glow aggressively as it faced the corpse of the angel.  This aggressiveness just increased when he sent the ball towards the angel corpse, which then formed the unlikely pair of sin and virtue.


    Situated at the far corner of the hut were the 7th pair of gifts that was given to Alex. The cores of the deceased Creation God and Destruction God were these gifts, and they appeared to be emulating their essences of creation of destruction on their surroudings.


    Tiny, indescribable objects could be seen suddenly being created right on the spot by the core of the Creation God. These objects only lasted for at most a second, as the nearby core of the Destruction God was destroying them as fast as they were created.


    The 8th pair of gifts for Alex can be said to be the most mysterious one, and the way that they acted when they appeared seem to be supporting it.


    The golden paper, which represent the power of Fate, has this strange effect of enticing anyone to snatch the paper and take it for themselves. As for the knife, which represent the power of Will, it brought upon extreme pain to the minds of the people who saw it.


    The final object among the gifts were just as imposing as the others. This gift was the brain of a Celestial Dragon, which with just one look, obviously contains a massive amount of Light Essence. Even those without any power can see this, as right now, this brain was glowing like a sun inside the hut.


    Upon seeing this great glow from the brain of the Celestial Dragon, Alex only let out a nod as he summoned another object from his storage. This objet was a vial, which was filled with Alina''s Dark Energy.


    Once summoned, Alex made the vial go closer to the brain of the Celestial dragon, an action which seemed to have jolted a reaction from these two objects.


    Alex of course ignored these reactions as he now went back to looking at the Immortal Empress.


    [ Alex ]: Immoral Empress, these were the gifts that you gave to me. As you can see, they''re filled with the ''Essences'' that I need for my breakthrough. Do you think you can deal with all of these objects?


    [Immortal Empress]: Hmph, of course I can, Alex! Just watch me!


    "Shula!"


    With her face bright from happiness, the jolly Immortal Empress then waved her hands as she activated her power on the gifts scattered around her. Small amounts of Immortal Qi came out of her body, which she then transformed into tendrils that she extended towards the objects around her.


    Even if the Immortal Empress was seemingly weakened due to her child-like form, it did not stop her from using her Immortal Power.


    [Immortal Empress]: Alex, with my power as the Immortal Empress, it will be easy for me to extract these Essences. Hmph, I can even say that I can extract them within a second! Isn''t that impressive Alex?


    While saying these words, the tendrils that the Immortal Empress sent out has begun to do their jobs.


    "Heng~"


    Once they made contact with the gifts, a powerful suction force was unleashed by the tendrils, all which were focused on the gifts alone. This suction force then slowly but surely extracted the essences present on the gifts, creating a scenery that made Alex sigh in relief.


    [ Alex ]: Good job, Immortal Empress! I know that you can do it! Because you are really good, then I will double the amount of candies that I will give to you!


    [Immortal Empress]: Yay! Candy candy candy!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Waaah!!! Why are you giving her more candy when you snatched mine? It''s unfair!


    Upon seeing Alex''s preferential treatment on the Immortal Empress, the saddened Arcane Sorceress seemed to be unable to take it anymore.


    She started lashing out towards Alex at this point, with her teary eyes and pouted lips doing their best to make Alex feel guilty.


    Alex of course was unfazed by this look, although a sly smile could be seen from his face as he began talking to the Arcane Sorceress.


    [ Alex ]: Arcane Sorceress¡­ If you want more candy, then you should help me out. Question is, is there something that you can do to help me out?


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Ah um¡­


    The little girl floundered upon hearing Alex''s question, as if she found herself unable to answer him.


    This reaction only made Alex smile wider, although he also shook his head with disapproval at this point.


    [ Alex ]: Forget it, Arcane Sorceress. If you can''t think of anything right now, then just stay in the corner and cry like a baby. Just approach me¡­ if you already have an idea on what to do.


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Eh? But-


    [ Alex ]: For now, enjoy your No-Candy day. Maybe you will find something else to eat during this period. Oh, but I will end this No-Candy day if you will help me out. But from what I can see, it seems like that will not happen any time soon¡­


    [Arcane Sorceress]: No!!! Waaaah! My candy!!!


    [ Alex ]: Professor Frances, you know now what to do!


    [ Professor Frances ]: Tsk, you don''t need to shout to me, Alex. I''m concentrating here, ok?


    [ Alex ]: ¡­.


    The cries of Arcane Sorceress were forgotten by Alex quickly as he now focused his attention on the brooding Professor Frances.


    The professor was holding the Soul-Splicing Knife in a surgical way, making it appear that she was treating the knife as a scalpel for surgeries.  This kind of pose made Alex''s breath slow down, as he knew that Professor Frances only gets serious once she performs ''surgery'' on anything, dead or alive.


    The Professor''s eyes were also narrowed in concentration at this point, with her body lacking any tic or unneeded tremble that might throw off her aim. These actions just maker her seriousness more obvious, a fact that Alex was of course happy to see.


    [ Professor Frances ]: Surgery No. 1,002,232,979 now commencing.


    [ Professor Frances ]: Subject: The soul of a Sixth Stage Being.


    [ Professor Frances ]: Recommended Surgery Method: Brute-Force Surgical Cutting.


    [ Professor Frances ]: Estimated time of the surgery: 9 seconds. Approximately 1 second for each cut.


    [ Professor Frances ]: Estimated recovery time: It will depend on the patient.


    [ Professor Frances ]: Success Rate: 5%


    [ Alex ] W-wait! The success rate of this operation is 5%? What the f**k? Why did you just say it now? Are you thinking of kill-


    [ Professor Frances ]: Operation shall commence in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1-


    [ Alex ]: Hey!


    Whatever complaint Alex was trying to give at this point was cut off, as Professor Frances began swinging her knife towards Alex''s soul.


    Her Soul-Splicing Knife, which glowed menacingly in front of Alex, seemed to ignore all obstacles as it headed towards his soul, which can only shake as the knife got closer to it!

 Chapter 580 - Nascent Soul Breathing Technique, Complete!

    Pain. Good old pain.


    That was what Alex felt as the Soul-Splicing Knife made its way on him, plunging itself neatly amongst the transparent skin of his soul.


    [Alex]: Hiss¡­


    Before Alex could know it, his soul had been deftly separated by Professor Frances into 9 pieces, each one carrying a part of his awareness and mind.


    These pieces then began floating around the hut as Alex''s body collapsed to the ground, as he now found himself unable to move his body due to the severe pain and his lack of power to do so.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    With his soul now mutilated beyond recognition, Alex found his life quickly slipping away from him.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    How could this not happen? The soul is the source of life after all, so any damage that happens to it will directly affect the life of the soul owner.


    And this damage of course will be fatal if the damage is something that destroys the soul directly.


    In Alex''s case, the slice that cut his soul into 9 pieces should be enough to kill him instantly.


    But just like all the obstacles that he had faced before, Alex had a countermeasure for his current situation, and it is something that he had set in place before.


    [Alex]: Heh, me dying? Hmph, that''s what Professor Frances thought so too. But does she really think that I am stupid enough to do his s**t without any confidence? Of course not!


    [Alex]: If I said that I won''t die from this, then I won''t die!


    "Hong~"


    Instead of dissipating into nothingness like the soul of the slain lizard from earlier, all the 9 pieces of Alex''s soul were still intact, even after a few  seconds  from their initial separation!


    They still held the extreme power that they displayed earlier, showing that they were not in any extent, affected by what Professor Frances did!


    And to add to this observation, the life within Alex''s body has not disappeared even with the damage on his soul. In fact, he even appeared to be more lively at this point, even if his body was paralyzed!


    [Alex]: Hahaha, how about that? I''m still alive when I''m like this!


    To those who saw this happening, they will surely realize one thing.


    And that is that Alex''s soul is extremely special, and that it cannot be measured by ordinary standards!


    [Alex]: Hehehe, the 5 different powers residing inside my body has not only affected my body¡­ It has also affected my very own soul!


    "Boom boom boom!"


    As if to demonstrate this point, Alex let out a low laugh inside his mind as he began to move the 9 pieces of his soul.


    [Alex]: This situation has led to the mutation of my soul, making it transcend the status of being just an ordinary soul!


    Even if his soul and body was wracked in pain due to the damages given to them, Alex was still able to move them all, which just made him feel happier for himself.


    [Alex]: The overbearing control on the laws by my Conqueror''s Aura¡­


    [Alex]: The sheer amount of Mental Energy from my Esper Power¡­


    [Alex]: The evil conscient residing in my Abyss Magic¡­


    [Alex]:  The ephemeral and eternal power by my Immortal Cultivation¡­


    [Alex]: And the unpredictable vibration concept by my Superhuman Power¡­


    [Alex]: All of these traits  are present on my soul!


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    [Alex]: With these traits present on my soul, it is of course hard for my soul to just get destroyed like this!


    After Alex had thought of these words, he slowly and surely willed the 9 pieces of his soul to stay alive as long as possible. This is a hard task for him to do, as even with the special trait of his soul, life could still be seen leaking out of their wounds.


    If Alex lets his soul stay damaged for too long, then he will really die, even if he''s confident about himself.


    [Alex]: Tsk, I don''t like to do this, but I need to inform her of her task already!


    With his life on the line, Alex of course did not hold himself back as he did everything he can to preserve his soul.


    [Alex]: Immortal Empress¡­ If you can hear me, then you know what to do next!


    Without any care about his declining soul power, Alex quickly sent a mental message towards the Immortal Empress, in hopes for her realizing what to do next.


    Fortunately for him, the child-like Immortal Empress was sharp enough to know what Alex was saying.


    [Immortal Empress]: Ok Alex¡­ here I go!


    "Shwoo¡­"


    With a wave from her tiny hands, the Immortal Empress quickly withdrew all the Immortal Qi Tendrils, which then brought out all the Essences present within the gifts.


    "Hong long long~"


    The blazing heat of the Fire Essence.


    The chilling freeze of the Ice Essence.


    The lively glow of the Life Essence.


    The deathly glower of the Death Essence.


    The stable and unmoving aura of the Real Essence.


    The unstable and ephemeral aura of the Unreal Essence.


    The unpredictable power of the Time Essence.


    The omnipresent and all-encompassing field of the Space Essence.


    The body-moving power of the Body Essence.


    The soul-shaking power of the Soul Essence.


    The virtuous glow of the Virtue Essence.


    The unholy and evil aura of the Sin Essence.


    The heavenly shaking power of the Creation Essence.


    The destructive urges of the Destruction Essence.


    The obedience-inducing glow of the Fate Essence.


    The ever-so-reckless power of the Will Essence.


    The celestial and bright aura of the Light Essence.


    And the gloomy and shifty body of the Dark Essence.


    All these essences were displayed right in front of Alex''s soul, and their blazing bodies and powerful effects were all felt by Alex as his soul pieces continued to move.


    [Alex]: Good, good, good! Immortal Empress! Now, give those Essences to me!


    [Immortal Empress]: Okay, Alex!


    "Swish!"


    Without any further delays, the tiny Immortal Empress sent all the essences directly towards the 9 pieces of Alex''s soul.


    The Fire and Ice Essences were sent together to the 1st Soul Piece, while the Life and Death Essences towards the 2nd Pieces, etc¡­.


    What happened next went just like what Alex expected.


    "Thum~"


    Like two mixtures that had the same properties, Alex''s 9 soul pieces and the essences mixed well together, resulting in a scenery that captivated those who saw it.


    "Hong long long~"


    Like countless dried-up wells that are in thirst for water, all the soul pieces began greedily absorbing the essences, with the respective dualities formed with each absorption.


    "Swoosh~"


    The 1st Soul Piece was able to pair with the Ice-Fire Duality Essence, with the respective essences of Ice and Fire absorbed within this soul piece.


    At first, the soul piece only appeared as a piece of soul floating around, but as more and more Fire and Ice Essence was fed on it, changes slowly appeared on it.


    "Hoosh!"


    Blazing flames and chilling ice could be seen materializing form within the 1st soul piece, with each additional absorption of the Ice and Fire Essences further increasing their might.


    A few seconds more passed by, and this soul piece underwent its next set of change.


    A miniature version of Alex, one which was the size of a child, was formed from the 1st Soul Piece exactly 10 seconds after it began absorbing the dual essences of Ice and Fire.


    This soul piece looked exactly like Alex at this point, and the only difference that it had with Alex lies in its size and aura.  Just like what was mentioned before, the 1st soul piece was only at the size of a child.


    As for its aura, it was filled to the brim with the twin power of Ice and Fire!


    "Shum shum shum!"


    The combination of these changes certainly made the 1st Soul Piece look unique.


    Such sight made the nearby Alex sigh in relief, as he saw that his actions were right.


    [Alex]: Hahaha! My techniques might be a little different from what the Yin-Yang Monarch did before, but in essence, I still performed the Nascent Soul Breathing Technique well! The Yin-Yang Monarch did it with just a few portions of his soul, but in my case, I did it with all my soul pieces!


    [Alex]: Ha¡­ I thought doing it this way will spell my doom¡­ But fortunately for me, it did not happen. Instead, my modified technique still worked, and now I am reaping all the benefits from it!


    "Boom!"


    At around 30 seconds after the start of absorption, the 1st soul piece seemed to have reached its saturation.


    Even with the assistance and urging of the nearby Immortal Empress, the soul piece was unable to in any more Ice and Fire Essence.


    This saturation effectively stopped the soul piece from growing anymore, making it reach its peak height.


    This saturation has an end result of a 5-foot soul piece, one which just like before, still had the appearance of Alex and had the power of Ice and Fire Essences¡­


    Once it had reached its peak form, the soul piece floated behind Alex, who only had one thing to say about it.


    [Alex]: From now on, you shall be called as the Ice-Fire Nascent Soul¡­ You, along with my Ice-Fire Dao Core, shall be the foundation of my Ice-Fire Duality Dao! Hehehe, with that kind of pressure, I wish that you can withstand all the expectations that will be placed on you!


    "¡­"


    The 1st Soul Piece, which Alex had now called as the Ice-Fire Nascent Soul, of course had no reply to whatever Alex has said. It just sat in a cross-seated position behind Alex, with the Ice and Fire powers on its body now suppressed to the point that it was not detected anymore.


    [Alex]: Oh right, of course my Nascent Soul can''t talk to me. They''re my souls after all. How silly of me¡­


    With the success that the Ice-Fire Nascent Soul as a guide, the mixture of the other soul pieces and the other essences became smoother and less risky.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Immortal Empress]: ¡­


    After a few minutes of non-stop manipulation and soul control, Alex and the Immortal Empress were finally able to finish all their expected tasks.


    All the essences needed for the respective soul pieces were brought in properly, and the mixture process was done without any hiccups.


    This, in the end, has of course resulted on the creation of what Alex had been wanting to get since earlier.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    9 Nascent Souls, all of which were pulsating with the power of the Duality Essences inside their bodies, could be seen proudly floating behind Alex, with their impressive Alex-like appearance and powerful auras enough to awe anyone who saw them.


    The Ice-Fire Nascent Soul


    The Life-Death Nascent Soul.


    The Real-Unreal Nascent Soul.


    The Space-Time Nascent Soul.


    The Body-Soul Nascent Soul.


    The Sin-Virtue Nascent Soul.


    The Creation-Destruction Nascent Soul


    The Fate-Will Nascent Soul.


    And the Light-Dark Nascent Soul.


    This impressive line-up of 9 Nascent Souls lit up Alex''s body, making him look more imposing, even if his body still lay sprawled on the floor.


    [Alex]: Hahahaha! Success!


    Even though Alex was slightly embarrassed with his current pose, his mood was still jolly, as he just succeeded on the greatest gamble that he just did here in the Traveler''s World.


    His intention to upgrade his strength has succeeded once more, and it was done through the creation of his Nascent Souls!


    [Alex]: Hah! Now that I have created my Nascent Soul, it is time for me to start my plan¡­ Hmph, with the other Returners still busy on their meditation, now is the best time for me to make a move!


    Now that he had succeeded on his latest plan, Alex''s mind quickly whirled, as he suddenly focused himself on a different matter.


    It was as if he had already gotten over form his success on his Nascent Souls, and that he was ready on tackling another problem already!


    [Alex]: Hehehe, with my soul now split into 9 Nascent Souls¡­ I can do much more things that I have never done before! Hmph, watch out of me, all of you Returning Travelers! The next few days here in the Traveler''s World¡­ will be the days that none of you will ever forget!

 Chapter 581 - The Cause of Depression

    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Sigh¡­ my life really sucks.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: Hm? What do you mean, master? You have everything that anyone could wish for! How could you be just sad?


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Sigh, my situation is something that you¡­ cannot fathom.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: What? But you are one of the Returning Travelers, considered to be a powerhouse here in the Traveler''s World! With that kind of status, shouldn''t you be happy, master?


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: ¡­.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: A-and besides master, you are extremely close to Transcendence already, which means that you are above most creatures in terms of life status. With that kind of power, you should be elated, right master?


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: ¡­.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: ¡­.


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Girl, let me ask you something. If there is a man, who was because of circ.u.mstances, was forced to lie to his parents, relatives, and friends, do you think that man will be happy?


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: O-of course that man will not be happy! He was lying to his close ones after all!


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Correct. Just the action of lying alone is enough to make that man feel guilty. Now, imagine what this man will think once he had made this lie. Surely he will feel fear too, as he will be afraid of what will happen once his lie was discovered, right?


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  Ah um, yes, I think the same too master.


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Good. Now, that makes the ''lying man'' feel two negative emotions. Guilt and fear. Just feeling these two emotions alone are  enough to make anyone feel down, and it worked especially well on this ''lying man''¡­.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: ¡­I pity that ''lying man''. Because he was forced to lie, he now has to live looking out for the consequences of what he did.


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Yes, and he had to do that for his entire life, as his lie was something that he had to keep until his death.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  God bless his soul¡­ I hope he will find peace after all of that pain.


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Peace? Heh, I doubt this ''lying man'' will feel peace after all the lies that he did.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: Um? Master, I think you are going a bit off-topic here. Aren''t we-


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Girl. If that man just made up one lie, then he could carry it on normally. But what if this ''lying man'' was forced to make more lies? Heh, the crushing guilt, despair, and fear that this man will feel will surely be beyond what is normal, am I right?


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  Yes, you are right master, but-


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: No matter how successful this ''lying man'' became, as long as he was burdened by the weight of his lies, there is no way that he will be happy! There is just no way!


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  M-master!


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Hahaha! So what if this ''lying man'' was a Returning Traveler? So what if this ''lying man'' was already close to Transcendence? There is no way that he could feel happy, with all the lies that he is carrying now! H-h-he¡­.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: Master, please stop already. I-I¡­


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Girl¡­. Do you know the current status of this ''lying man''?  He¡­ he''s just depressed. He was so depressed that each day of his life was an intense struggle for him. He finds it hard to live, but for the sake of his lies, he has no choice but to continuously punish himself by living. Sigh, isn''t that life the opposite of being happy?


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  Master! Plea-


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: That ''lying man'' was no other than me, girl. There is just no one in this world¡­ who is suffering as much as me.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  Master¡­.


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Heh, with all the things that I have done, do I even deserve to live? Sigh¡­ maybe it really is time for me to die¡­


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  D-die? Master, please don''t joke around! You have a complete life now! You... you cannot just die! That will be wasting your happiness!


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Girl, look at me in the eyes and tell me that I deserve to be happy. Because after all the lies that I uttered in my life, I feel undeserving of all this!


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  Master, no! I cannot do that! You are-


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Girl, I am tired of speaking about myself already, so don''t feed more fuel to my sadness. You will just¡­ dampen my mood more.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: ¡­Ok master.


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: ¡­.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]: ¡­.


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Sigh, when I look down at the Traveler''s World and observe what that Traveler Alex was doing, I could not help but empathize with him. I can clearly feel his pain, and he seem to be also like me. He was just lying to everyone, including himself.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  Master, you-


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: What a poor guy. I hope that Traveler Alex does not meet¡­ the same fate as me. My life, no matter how good it is, is not something that I recommend to him.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  Master, please stop this already. You cannot judge your life by your past! And you... you cannot sympathize wth Traveler Alex! He is just an upstart who is trying to fight you! Instead of liking him, you should squash him flat!


    [ An extremely depressed man ]: Girl, do you think I even care about fighting now? Even the very act of living out this day... is already a struggle for me.


    [ A jolly and wileful girl ]:  Master...

 Chapter 582 - Operation: Raid!

    During the time that Alex has succeeded on his breakthrough, there was a pair who also had succeeded on their ventures too.


    Alina and Delia, the two women who had spent the last 5 minutes attacking each other, has finally achieved breakthroughs on their own respective power systems.


    Delia was finally able to form the 6th pair of her wings, which allowed her to become a 6th Stage, 6-winged Holy Order Angel.


    As for Alina, the dark and menacing presence on her back has finally achieved a material form, with a large and cute-looking tabby cat currently floating behind her. This cat, which exuded an aura comparable to that of a primordial beast, was the catalyst that allowed Alina to become a 6th Stage Dark Magician.


    [[ Alina ]]: ¡­


    [[ Delia ]]: ¡­.


    Delia''s 6 pair of wings and Alina''s tabby cat both moved slowly as the two women spent the next few seconds staring at each other, with Delia''s wings flapping around like an excited moth, and Alina''s cat rolling around the floor like a playful kitten.


    These two objects seemed to have not noticed the hostility present on Alina and Delia''s gazes, which seemed to have actually increased even after they helped each other on their breakthroughs.


    [[ Alina ]]: Not bad, tongue woman. How long did it take you to refine my attacks again? Around-


    [[ Delia ]]: 3 minutes. Give or take 5 seconds. That''s how long it took for me to refine your weak-ass attacks. How about you, huh?


    [[ Alina ]]: Hmph, I only took 2 minutes and 50 seconds to refine your attacks! Ha, if you compare our times, it''s much obvious that I am better than-


    [[ Delia ]]: Shut up! My Holy Order Power has a different focus compared to your Dark Magic, so of course my breakthrough will be a few seconds slower¡­ Hmph, don''t expect that you''ve gotten the better of me just because you have shorter time!


    [[ Alina ]]: Tsk, and here I thought you''re becoming less irritating to me. Turns out you''re still as petty as before.


    [[ Delia ]]: What did you say? Do you wanna fight again?


    [[ Alina ]]: Fight? Hmph, if it''s a fight that you want, then I will give you a fight!


    [[ Delia ]]: Bring it on then!


    "Boom boom boom!"


    With a signal from the two women, Delia''s wings and Alina''s cat both straightened up as they assumed attacking poses.


    Delia''s wings started to glow with the power of the virtues, while Alina''s cat began to exude the mysterious and ephemeral dark matter from its body.


    The release of these respective powers brought forth another series of pressures inside the area, bringing in more damage to the ground which had already been wrecked by the fight between the two women earlier.


    Seconds passed by and the pressure continued to increase as none of the two women were willing to back down from the other. They kept on staring angrily, with their newly-broken through powers seemingly raring to be used already.


    [[ Alina ]]: The only reason that you were able to refine my Dark Magic earlier was because it is still at the Fifth Stage. But now that I have become a Sixth Stage Dark Magician, your weak Holy Order Power will not be able to tank my attack anymore! Hmph, even if you are the Holy Order Envoy, there''s no way that you can resist this!


    [[ Delia ]]: Hmph! You think your Dark Magic now is enough to hurt me? Go on, and try it then, b***h!


    [[ Alina ]]: Oh, oh, oh¡­ You did not just call me a b***h, you little sl*t.


    [[ Delia ]]: Hah? Did you just call me a sl*t? Tsk, where did you learn that word, Miss Alina? Don''t tell me that''s what Alex calls you every time you service him? Are you his little sl*t?


    [[ Alina ]]: You! How dare you call me that!


    [[ Delia ]]: Ho ho ho, why are you looking that angry? Shouldn''t you be a happy?


    [[ Alina ]]: Oh, the only way that I can be happy is when I finally smash your head into the pavement. So why don''t you just stay still while I knock some sense into that empty head of yours?


    With the curses between Alina and Delia already escalating into the forbidden area, the two women were finally unable to take any insults anymore.


    [[ Delia ]]: Go on, come near me then, Alina. Let''s see if your s.l.u.t*ness can boost your power!


    [[ Alina ]]: Argh! Now you''ve done it! Prepare to get punished!


    Without any care for their surroundings, the two women quickly flew towards each other, with their eyes showing their intent to fight once more. Delia''s wings and Alina''s cat made this more obvious as even they were also oozing with murderous intent.


    But before the two women could resume their clash, someone who was not involved in their fight at all suddenly swooped between the two.


    This person was of course Alex, who seem to be happy as he placed himself between Alina and Delia.


    [[ Alex ]]: Heya ladies. Congratulations for your breakthrough. Now that makes the power of our group much higher! With this kind of achievement, shouldn''t we celebrate it by raiding another continent? What do you think?


    [[ Alina ]]: What?


    [[ Delia ]]: What?


    When Alex has appeared, Delia and Alina both thought that they will ignore him first, as the fight between them was more important right now.


    But the words that Alex just said made the two women almost fall down the ground, making them instantly lose interest on their fight.


    [[ Alex ]]: Hm? What''s the problem? Why do you look so surprised? Is there anything wrong with what I said?


    [[ Alina ]]: ¡­Alex, you just said that you want to raid a continent. You¡­ you must be joking, right?


    [[ Alex ]]: Joking? No, I am not joking! Who told that-


    [[ Delia ]]: You''re not joking? You¡­ you''re really serious on raiding another continent?


    [[ Alex ]]: Of course I''m serious. Isn''t that the reason why we created an alliance with all the newly arrived Rookie Travelers? With their power combined with ours, we can easily raid other continents, which will increase our overall power!


    [[ Alina ]]: ¡­


    [[ Delia ]]: ¡­


    With this explanation by Alex, Delia and Alina finally lost any desire to fight anymore. Both of them just landed on the ground as they stared at Alex with uncomprehending looks on their faces, as if they were both at loss about his words.


    [[ Alina ]]: Alex¡­. When you suggested to create the ''alliance'' with the other Rookie Travelers, you did not mention anything about raiding other continents to them. Heck you did not even tell that to us! Because of that, I assumed that you have a different plan about this alliance. But now you''re telling me that you want to use the alliance to raid a continent? This¡­ this is confusing!


    [[ Delia ]]: I hate to admit this, but this slu- Alina is right. Alex, what you''re saying here is off-the-script. You should have told this to us before, and not just today! By telling this to us right now, you''re just making the situation appear more confusing. Why would you want to raid other continents at this time? Decisions like this should be made through careful deliberation and not because you just wanted it!


    [[ Alina ]]: Exactly. Just like what the bitc- Delia said, this decision of yours is hasty Alex. I think you should talk first to all the people involved in the alliance before making a move....


    [[ Delia ]]: Alex, if you handle this situation badly, then it will backfire on us greatly. So don''t just f***king make a move this quickly! Remember, I am also a leader of this alliance too, so my word must also be heard!


    With the seemingly irresponsible words of Alex, Delia and Alina obviously were quick to point out all the fallacies of his words.  They did not hold back their logic as they tried to explain to Alex what was wrong with his actions, something that Alex has allowed to happen.


    The rebukes that they uttered at this point were surely enough to make Alex cave in, but to the surprise of the two women, Alex only smiled as he listened.


    This smile was still there once the two women had stopped talking, making it obvious that Alex was not deterred by any of their words.


    And this was shown further by the next words that Alex said.


    [[ Alex ]]: I know, I know. I get why you two are worried, okay? But don''t be this pessimistic. A lot has happened while you two were busy fighting, and these events has brought the whole situation of the Traveler''s World into our favor¡­.


    [[ Alina ]]: ??? Something has happened earlier that made the situation favorable for us? What are you talking about?


    [[ Delia ]]: Hmph, favor? And what exactly has happened, Alex?


    The way that Alex said his latest words was enough to show how pleased he is. With this kind of look, Alina and Delia were of course curious on how he could be this happy, hence their questions.


    But before Alex could answer them,  two small, high-pitched voices interrupted him.


    [[Immortal Empress]]: Junior Brother! These two women are cute! Are they your lovers? How romantic!


    [[Arcane Sorceress]]: Huhuhu, my candy¡­. Huhuhu¡­


    [[ Alex ]]: H-hey! Cut it out you two! Didn''t I say that you should stay quiet? Why are you interrupting me now?


    [[Immortal Empress]]: Big Sises, can you give me candy too? You have candy, right?


    [[Arcane Sorceress]]: Waah! Give me candy too!!


    The ones who interrupted Alex was no other than the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress, who were still both stuck in their child form.


    Their cute faces which were enough to charm anyone were in full display at this point, although these looks did not charm or even entice Delia and Alina.


    Instead, the two women only stared at them angrily, as if their existence was an unpleasant surprise for the two women.


    [[ Alina ]]: Alex, who the hell are these two kids? Why are they with you? And why are they acting familiar with you, huh?


    [[ Delia ]]: Oh my, don''t tell me you''ve had an illicit affair while we''re busy, Alex? Tsk, tsk, tsk, how disappointing¡­


    [[ Alex ]]: Hey! Don''t think of it like that! These two kids¡­ are the reason why I want to raid another continent, ok? So don''t treat these kids with suspicion.


    [[ Delia ]]: ???


    [[ Alina ]]: ???


    [[ Alex ]]: Treat these kids with care, for their presence will be vital for us raiding a continent. So stop looking like they''re leeches, Alina! You''re just scaring them!


    *************

 Chapter 583 - Raid! Raid! Raid!

    10 MINUTES LATER.


    Under the excited shouts from Immortal Empress, and the depressed cries from Arcane Sorceress, Alex gave a quick summary on what had happened to him inside Sierra''s hut.


    He told Delia and Alina everything that happened there, including the gifts given by the Immortal Empress and the frightening ability used by the Great TimeMaster.


    [Alex]: And that''s what had happened. So, what do you think? Both of you believe me now?


    [Alina]: ¡­


    [Delia]: ¡­.


    Sufficed to say, the two women were slightly speechless from what they heard. They soon recovered however, although what they said next were not as light-hearted as Alex''s mood.


    [Alina]: Alex, I agree with what Professor Frances said. You really are a scheming guy. You actually want to attack the continents governed by Arcane Sorceress and Immortal Empress, now that they have been suppressed? That takes guts to do¡­.


    Alina said these words as she cradled the Immortal Empress on her lap, with the kid seemingly enjoying the treatment. The Immortal Empress could even be seen swinging her legs in joy as Alina stroked her head, creating a sight that was heartwarming.


    But for Alex, this sight was nothing more but a guilt trigger, especially with the way that the Immortal Empress innoncently stared at him.


    [Alex]: Yeah, I get it already. I am a scheming guy. But even if what I am planning to do is underhanded, you will still do it, right?


    [Alina]: ¡­Of course I will do it with you, Alex. Moments like these are rare, so we must obtain it as fast as possible.


    Alina said this without any shame, even when she was cradling the Immortal Empress, who will technically  be a ''victim'' of the raid.


    [Immortal Empress]: Umm¡­ what are you talking about, Junior Sister? You talk about raiding the continent under my control? Isn''t that bad?


    Although she should have been furious at this point, the Immortal Empress only appeared to be calm as she inquired about Alex''s ''raid plan''. It was as if she was not angered by what Alex was doing, making her appear much more docile compared to before.


    Such calmness had surprised Alina, who now understood why Alex was fine talking about his ''evil plans'' in front of the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress.


    [Alex]: No, it is not bad, Immortal Empress. Didn''t I tell you earlier? As long as I take over your continent, I will be able to make more candies for you. Isn''t that just great?


    [Immortal Empress]: Um, well¡­


    [Alex]: Imagine it, Immortal Empress. I-We will have a whole continent under our rule, and that continent will be solely used to make candies! That means a lot of candies for you, everyday!


    [Immortal Empress]: Oh¡­


    [Alex]: Strawberry, pineapple, apple, cake, ice-cream, and many more flavors of candies will be created once we conquer your continent! Don''t you want to eat them?


    [Immortal Empress]: I-I want to eat them, Junior Brother!


    [Alex]: Well if you really want them, then help me  on raiding your continent!


    [Immortal Empress]: Okay Junior Brother! I don''t know why you want to get my continent, but I shall help you! It is my duty as your Elder Sister after all.


    [Alex]: Oh, I thank you for that Immortal Empress. You really are the most magnanimous of them all.


    [Immortal Empress]: Hoho, no need for the praise, Junior Brother. ''Hehehe¡­ candy candy!''


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Delia]: ¡­.


    If earlier, Delia and Alina doubted the feasibility of Alex''s plan, the conversation that he just had with the Immortal Empress made them realize that he was not just flailing around.


    Alex¡­. really had a high chance of conquering the continents under the Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress'' rule! Just the way that he was able to easily dupe the Immortal Empress was enough to show it.


    And as if to add more credential to Alex''s plan, the Arcane Sorceress began to speak up at this point too, and her words were more or less similar to the Immortal Empress''¡­.


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Alex! If I help you conquer my continent, will you give me  a lot of candy too?


    [Alex]: Yes I will, Arcane Sorceress.


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Yay!


    The Arcane Sorceress'' face was still tear-stricken this time, although the efforts of Delia to cheer her up seemed to have worked. And of course, Alex''s promise just now had improved her mood more¡­


    [Arcane Sorceress]: In that case, then let''s go and conquer my continent now! I want to have candy already, so let''s start raiding!


    [Alex]: H-hey! You want to raid already? It''s still early-


    [Immortal Empress]: Raid! Raid! Raid!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Raid! Raid! Raid!


    With the drool present on the faces of Arcane Sorceress and Immortal Empress, it was easy to see that both of them are now hooked by Alex''s offer. And they seem to be so much hooked that they were raring to make their moves right now¡­.


    [Alex]: Oi, oi, oi, kids. I think you should pipe down first.  We can''t just raid this quickly. I still have to call my allies and gather them here before starting the raid. I can''t make a raid with just us alone, right?


    [Immortal Empress]: But why do you even need your followers to go with you, Junior Brother? With your strength alone, you have a chance of  conquering my continent! Well, you will have to face the wrath of thousands of Travelers and powerful monsters, but I believe in your power!  So just go in there and fight! I-I will support you all the way!


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Um¡­ my husband is staying right now inside my house in my continent. That means that if I bring you there, he will notice it. But don''t worry! As long as I make my husband eat candy, he will allow you to make candy factories in there! So umm¡­ you don''t need to bring anyone else! Just go there alone!


    [Alex]:  The f***? Arcane Sorceress, do you really expect me to bring you to your continent alone with your husband waiting in there? F***king hell, that''s just-


    [Immortal Empress]: Raid! Raid! Raid!


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Raid! Raid! Raid!


    [Alex]: ...Kids. They really are pain in the ass.

 Chapter 584 - Happy New Year to Everyone!

    Happy New Year! Hahahahahahahahaha, time for me to get serious in this novel once more.


    F F F F F F F. My writing skills for these past 2 weeks really suck ass. I think I really should get serious again.


    But how can I get more serious, when my mind is always tired? Sigh, I guess I just have to do my best to write.


    Speaking of writing, I hope that my readers are still reading¡­. After all, I am really saddened by the lack of readers in my novel.


    Is there anyone else reading this? Sigh, it just makes my anxiety increase.


    It''s already new year, and yet I still can''t write because of my anxiety¡­.


    Sigh, sigh, sigh. This makes me more nervous about this year.


    But well, I know that as long as I persevere here,  something good will also happen to me in the future¡­.


    I just hope it won''t take that long to happen.


    Hahaha, let''s all hope for better chapters this year! I am not yet stopping on writing stuff!


    *************


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 Chapter 585 - The Rookie, the Succubus, the Fox, the Harem Queen, and the Tree

    STARTING VILLAGE


    ROOKIE TRAVELERS HEADQUARTERS


    "Thud thud thud."


    A young man, whose face was filled with bruises along with his body, could be seen walking along the wide and gorgeous halls of the Rookie Traveler Headquarters.


    His face was certainly handsome, but the expression of pain present on his face and the way that he winced with each of his steps had effectively warped his appearance.


    "Hiss¡­" Just the way that he hissed as he moved showed how much pain he is in right now.


    "Hiss¡­" This young man was no other than Traveler Marcus, the person who Alex had saved 2 months ago.


    "Hiss¡­"


    Compared to him who was saved by Alex before, the current Marcus had all of his aspects greatly improved. His power was already at the peak of Third Stage, and he was even showing signs of approaching the Fourth Stage.


    His personality has seemed to improve too, as he appeared to be more dashing and courageous this time.


    All these changes culminated on a much more handsome appearance for Marcus, something that made the nearby women look at him with interest.


    Marcus however were ignoring these interested looks, as he was currently worried about something unrelated to women.


    "Should we really be here? Isn''t 3 pm¡­ rest time?" Traveler Marcus complained lightly as he scratched the back of his head. He seemed to be mildly miffed as he looked around the spacious rookie headquarters, making his irritation obvious.


    His battle staff, which is now brimming with the power of a Fourth Stage Magic Item, clanged loudly, as if it was agreeing with him.


    "I was just beaten up by Leader Delia, and the other Travelers are still tired from practicing the Hell Body Diagram. With that kind of tiredness, we should be resting this moment." Marcus added as he sighed. He then caressed his battle staff, treating it like it was his pet cat. "What do you think, Sonia, Vita, and Dys? We deserve a rest today, right?"


    "Marcus, I don''t have any idea for this schedule change. But if my analysis about Leader Alex and Leader Delia is right, then something important is about to happen later." The eldest among Marcus'' 3 companions replied, with her beautiful face and seductive body swaying slightly as she talked. "Marcus, instead of overthinking things, just attend the meeting. After that, you will have a lot of time to spend with me~"


    After saying these words, the seductive woman pressed her body closer to Marcus, with her large b.r.e.a.s.ts pressing greatly on his shoulders.  The softness and elasticity of her b.r.e.a.s.ts made Marcus perk up in desire, although he quickly pushed this desire down with gritted teeth.


    "Sonia, we just had s*x this morning, and it already had drained me. Having more s*x with you might just be the death of me." Marcus replied with fear on his face, as he pulled his body away from the voluptuous Sonia. "If you want s*x, we can do it next morning. But definitely not now!"


    "Aww¡­ but your elder sister is not yet satisfied¡­." Sonia pouted, with her cleavage bulging out as she made her ''dissatisfaction'' known. "I still could not get enough of you large, hot, ****. Oh¡­ can you please give it to me now, Marcus? I want to get more of it!"


    "H-hey!"


    Before Marcus could retort to her words, Sonia suddenly leaned in, pressing her lips close to his ear. She then began breathing hotly on Marcus, with her  m.o.a.ns and short grunts creating a lewd melody that made Marcus turn red.


    "Sonia, please-"


    "Hehe, I''m just joking with you, Marcus. Can''t you take that many jokes anymore?" Fortunately for Marcus, Sonia pulled herself back right before he reached his breaking point.  She only gave him a light flick on his nose, an action that made Marcus sigh.


    "Sonia, when will you stop your lewd jokes? I''m already tired from all the training that I had, and I can''t take any more of your seductions." Seeing that Sonia was only teasing him, Marcus was able to finally relax himself. "If you really want to tease me, you can do it when we''re on bed."


    "Hoho Marcus, so does that mean that you are okay with me being on top tomorrow?"


    "Um, Sonia, I did not really say tha-"


    "Geez! Marcus and Sonia, stop flirting that way again! You''re making me and my sister jealous!" Behind Sonia, Marcus'' remaining 2 companions began to speak up, and they definitely did not look pleased from what Sonia was doing. Both of them even glared at Sonia, an action that made the later bristle in anger.


    "Hey! Dys and Vita! You may be twins, but you can''t push me together! Know your place!" Sonia angrily said, with her finger now pointing towards the twin fox spirits. There was also a tic on her eyes, which she got after seeing the tails swaying behind the twins.  "Especially you, Vita! Just yesterday, I swear I saw you peeking on me and Marcus making love! Th-that''s unfair!"


    "Unfair? Hmph, as far as I know, all of us are loved by Marcus equally. Since that''s the case, then it is fine if I watch you and Marcus do the deed." Vita, the black-haired fox spirit replied hotly as she endured Sonia''s glare. Her 4 fluffy black tails all stiffened as she talked too, making her appear much more intimidating than her sister.


    "Wait, why are you even worried about someone watching you? Aren''t you a succubus, Sonia?" Vita added curiously. "Shouldn''t you get excited, knowing that I watched you getting railed by Marcus from behind? Seriously, you are one weird succubus¡­"


    "H-hey!"  The naughty and lewd-looking Sonia began to blush after hearing this ''complement'' by Vita, a reaction that Marcus also shared. "Who cares if I am a succubus? Even if I am a pleasure demon, that does not mean I am an exhibitionist! I-I still have my principles, you know!"


    "Principles? Does that include the time that you wanted to have a foursome with me, Vita, and Marcus?" Dys, the white-haired fox spirit who was quiet all this time, suddenly said as she supported her twin sister. Her 4 white tails were limp as she talked, which matched well with her cold face. "I fail to find any kind of principles on your need to have a foursome with us¡­"


    "E-eh? Did I really say that, Dys?" Even when she was trying to convince everyone that she was innocent, it was clear from Sonia''s voice that she was trying to hide her faults.


    "Yes, you did, Sonia. You even said that you want me and Vita to give you the ''futanari treatment''. What is a futanari treatment anyway? You haven''t explained that to me." Dys replied quickly, with her face wearing a rare, confused look. "Is the ''futanari treatment'' a powerful medical technique that can heal all injuries? If it''s so, why use it in a foursome?"


    "A-ah! I was just joking about that! W-why don''t we just focus on Marcus'' meeting? It''s about to start already after all¡­." Under the curious gazes of the twin fox spirits, the usually forwards Sonia was left with no choice but  to retreat quickly.


    The succubus'' body transformed into that of a bat, which then flew and hid behind Marcus'' hood. Once there, Sonia did not reveal herself anymore, leaving Marcus sighing and the twin fox spirts more confused.


    "Marcus? Do you know what the ''futanari treatment'' is? We want to to know¡­."


    "Ehem, the other Rookie Travelers are already arriving, so let''s just talk about this later, ok?" Marcus evasively answered as he avoided the curious stares from Vita and Dys. "Look, Traveler Audrey is coming here! If you talk while she''s near, who knows what she might do¡­"


    "¡­."


    "Tsk, that Traveler woman is here again? Marcus, why don''t you do something to shoo her away?"


    "¡­"


    Marcus pretended to not hear this complaint from Vita, as he now focused his attention on the pending meeting.


    The matters about his companions Sonia, Vita, and Dys will have to just be resolved later, as the incoming meeting is much more important.


    "¡­"


    With Marcus now going silent, Sonia, Vita, and Dys could only pout as they realized that he''s back to his ''Traveler Duties'' again.


    They of course wanted to say something else right now, but the solemnity on Marcus''s face made it hard for the 3 to even start talking¡­


    "What would be this meeting about anyway? The messenger sprites never said anything on what will be talked about here¡­" With his companions settling down, Marcus was finally left back to his own devices.


    He naturally used it to analyze his current situation, something that he knew he must do.


    After all, the timing of this sudden meeting was just too suspicious¡­


    "From what I know of Leader Alex, he is someone who, when opportunity strikes, will do everything that he can in order to get that opportunity. Since that was the case, then does that mean that an opportunous event is about to happen?" Marcus began chewing his lower lip as he continued to contemplate things.


    "Ugh¡­ but this meeting could just be one of Professor Frances'' pranks on us. Or worse, this meeting could just be a front for Leader Delia''s ''punishment'' and ''justice'' lessons¡­."


    At the mention of these two women, Marcus'' already displeased face was able to actually get more upset. Of course he did not dare show his face to the others, as it might catch the attention of the said women¡­


    "Sigh¡­ it will be better if this meeting is held by Queen Mother . She''s the most level-headed among the leaders after all. Oh, even Miss Tong''er or Milo will do¡­" At this point, Marcus had to stop himself from walking, as a crowd of Rookie Travelers had formed around him.


    Even with his newly advanced power, Marcus still found it hard to advance against such a crowd, who, just like him, were all anxious and worried about the sudden meeting too. The emotions and unease that they displayed made it hard for anyone to move, much less Marcus who grunted at the onslaught of auras around him.


    "Guh!"


    And to make things much worse, there was a certain Rookie Traveler who shot out of the crowd and began pestering Marcus like a fly. This Rookie Traveler was certainly shameless, as she did not let Marcus move away when she arrived at full speed.


    "Hey Marcus! So¡­ how about my offer? Are you now interested in becoming a part of my harem?" This rookie Traveler, who was no other than Traveler Audrey,  said as she began rubbing her hands on Marcus'' pecs with a hungry look on her eyes. "I promise you, I will treat you like a prince everyday. So please, please be my next bed warmer!"


    "Um, sorry but I don''t want to. But if you really want to make me your lover, then try defeating me first." Marcus said while shaking his head. "Your beauty might be great, but it is strength that is more important."


    "Hey! That same answer again! Why can''t you just be charmed by my beauty?"


    "Sigh, if you want to debate about your beauty and attractiveness to me, we can do it later. For now, let''s just go with the flow and attend this meeting." Upon seeing that Audrey was about to blow up at him,  Marcus quickly used the pretense of the meeting to shut her up. "Oh and look! Queen Mother is coming in! That means the meeting will already start!"


    "Eh? Queen Mother is here? Where?"


    "Don''t look around like a madman, Audrey. Just stand up straight and listen to what Queen Mother says!" Marcus sharply retorted as he grabbed the woman''s shoulder. " Queen Mother looks so pissed now, so don''t try to irritate her more."


    " Queen Mother is pissed? Marcus are you sure about tha- oh, she''s really pissed. My, my, my. Why would Queen Mother look this pissed today? Did something bad happen to her?"


    "Don''t ask me, Audrey. I don''t understand why Queen Mother is pissed now. She isn''t naturally¡­ like this."


    "Oh blimey, if that''s the case, then this meeting might not be good."


    "God dang it, Audrey, don''t jinx us!"

 Chapter 586 - Celestial Carp Continent, here we come!

    When Marcus said that Queen Mother looked pissed, he really meant it.


    "¡­" The rowdy crowd of Travelers, who were all talking with each other as they mingled, all went quiet as Queen Mother arrived.


    How could they not be quiet, when Queen Mother herself looked extremely angry?


    Gone were the gentle and tranquil expression on Queen Mother''s face. Instead, an expression of extreme anger could be seen carved on her head, something that she made obvious with her aura too.


    "Hong hong hong~"


    Before, Queen Mother''s aura felt like nature. It was both relaxing and comforting. But now, Queen Mother''s aura felt more like a natural disaster, making her look like she had arrived to destroy something.


    With this kind of demeanor upon her arrival, some of the Rookie Travelers who wanted to greet her all went silent with fear, including Marcus.


    They can only stare nervously at Queen Mother as they waited for her to talk, although her pursed lips and scrunched face made it look like she won''t even talk at all.


    Fortunately for the rookies, Queen Mother did not stay silent for long.


    "Today is your lucky day, rookies. Leader Alex had just drafted your first mission, so rejoice. All your training will be of use for this day." Queen Mother slowly said, with her monotone voice not showing any hints of emotion at all. "As long as you became stronger from the past few days, this mission will benefit you instead. So please, just rejoice."


    "¡­"


    The sheer lack of color in her voice was enough to make everyone shiver, as they realized that Queen Mother was really pissed right now.


    "What? No reaction? Where are the claps for me? Give it now." As if she was spurned by the rookies'' silence, Queen Mother has finally showed an emotion, but this one is purely irritation. "Or have you lost your hands from your laziness? Tsk, don''t tell me you have wasted my time here?"


    "Clap clap clap!!!"


    With Queen Mother''s deathly glare overlooking them like a butcher, the rookies were of course hasty on clapping, as none from them wanted to gain her ire. They clapped like their life depended on it, with some ignoring the pain in their hands as they clapped with increasing intensity.


    "Clap clap clap!!!"


    Even Marcus joined in too, and he was one of the loudest clappers.


    "Clap clap clap!!!"


    "Okay, I had enough of your claps. Now stay quiet and let me talk again." Like a swinging pendulum, Queen Mother''s mood quickly changed again, with her flatline anger returning.


    "¡­."


    "Good. So, just like what I said earlier, you have a mission that Leader Alex had drafted. This mission will start¡­. 1 hour from now, so prepare everything that you need." Queen Mother said with a sigh after the claps have finally died down. "The other details of the mission will be given while you are preparing. "


    "¡­."


    "Now, does anyone of you have any questions?"


    "¡­"


    "If there''s none, then this meeting is already adjourned. Just go and rest on your houses. We will all meet up here  after 1 hour to start the mission."


    And just like that, Queen Mother quickly left the area, with her angry mood still the same as when she entered.


    She did not say anything else as she exited the building, leaving all the Rookies silent with tension and anticipation.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    This silence however only lasted for a short while, as exactly 10 seconds after Queen Mother left, the Rookies began conversing with each other again.


    [Hey! Did you hear what Queen Mother said? She said that there''s a mission for us later! What do you think it could be?]


    [Traveler Kong, I don''t know. But I bet it could be exciting. It''s Leader Alex who drafted it after all.]


    [Sigh¡­. I hope all our training will be worth it. Professor Frances'' training regimen is really killing me off!]


    [Heh, but we have clearly grown strong, right? I mean, I feel less intimidated by Queen Mother now! I think¡­ that''s a testament for our growth! Heh, I bet that once the mission starts, I will achieve the most contribution~]


    [You? Hah, what a boastful talk! Let''s see if you can really achieve that!]


    This time around, there was more excitement on the voices of the rookies as they talked with one another.  How could they not be excited? This was the first time that they will do an ''important'' task here in the Traveler''s World, so of course they''re bound to look forward to it.


    Marcus was obviously excited too.


    But within this excitement lay a layer of worry, as he found himself unsettled from Queen Mother''s strange attitude.


    "This is weird¡­ If this is the first mission that Leader Alex has drafted, then shouldn''t Queen Mother be a little happy? But instead of being jolly, Queen Mother looked like something had been stolen from her¡­" Marcus thought to himself as he ignored the jeers and taunts by the nearby Audrey. "Why would she be this pissed? Is there something more about the mission that pissed her that we don''t know about?"


    Marcus could have thought about this matter more, but he found himself unable to as his companions dragged him back to their house.


    ****************


    1 HOUR LATER.


    "Sigh¡­ the healing formations inscribed inside our house is certainly effective. All the pains and injures in my body had already healed. Leader Alex sure is impressive."  After staying and resting in his house for exactly an hour, Traveler Marcus found his body feeling extremely refreshed. The healing formation inscribed his house seemed to have helped his body, making him feel much more lighter compared to earlier.


    But even with this relief, the worry inside Marcus'' heart did not disappear. Instead, it actually increased, making him feel twitchy even just from the lightest taps of his companions.


    "¡­Why am I feeling this worried? All my allies and companions are excited for this mission, so shouldn''t I be excited too?" Marcus thought to himself with worry as he tried to keep a straight face in front of Sonia. "Wait, maybe I am just being too cautious because of Queen Mother''s attitude¡­."


    Marcus tried his best to ignore Queen Mother''s sullen behavior earlier, but no matter what he did, her pissed expression still played on his mind.


    "According to the details given by our messenger earlier, our mission will be a big one. It will be a raid to conquer the Celestial Carp Continent, which is under the control of the Immortal Empress." Marcus thought to himself as he now also ignored Sonia''s lewd teasings to him.


    "From what I also heard from the messenger, something has incapacitated the Immortal Empress, which made the whole Celestial Carp Continent vulnerable to attacks from outsiders. As of now, only our group knows about this fact, hence Leader Alex''s rush on making this raid."


    "Since the Immortal Empress had been incapacitated, the only danger coming from the Celestial Carp Continent will come from its inhabitants and the Travelers under her control. With that kind of danger, I should not be this worried."  Marcus further thought as he bit his lips. "Since this raid will not be at the peak danger, then I should be carefree too, right? Why am I then this worried?"


    Marcus tried to think of more reasons on why he is feeling this worried, but no matter what he thought, he only got a blank.


    "Tsk, since I can''t get anything from thinking, then I will just let things go on normally. Over-thinking at this point will just make things worse, so it''s better to worry about them later." Marcus finally gave up on his worries, as he knew that thinking more will just be futile.


    "Hong hong hong~"


    Marcus chose the right time to stop worrying, as it was at this moment that he and his companions found themselves standing right above a massive teleportation formation.


    This teleportation formation was inscribed deeply on the floors of the Rookie Headquarters, with its area spanning all over the whole floor. It''s intricate and delicate appearance made the whole floor look like a work of art, something that even an art newbie like Marcus can appreciate.


    "Hong hong hong~"


    Everyone who was inside the Rookie Headquarters found themselves stepping above the teleportation formation too, with not a single one able to look away from it.


    How could they look away, when a formation full of pulsing spatial power was under their feet? Marcus certainly''s not one.


    "I see¡­ So  this teleportation formation will be sending us towards the Celestial Carp Continent. This is really large-scale, given the power needed to do it." Sonia, the lewd succubus who has been standing behind Marcus all this time, let out a small gasp as she commented about the teleportation formation.


    Her face was also covered with awe, as if the sight of the formation below her feet was beyond marvelous. "Hehehe, this is really impressive! I wonder who made it like this. It''s so¡­ exquisite."


    "Ha¡­." Sonia then began m.o.a.ning at this point, with her m.o.a.ns seemingly directed only at the teleportation formation. "Ha¡­. This is making me horny! Marcus, please, let us look for the creator of this formation! I really can''t take it anymore!"


    "¡­" Although the target of Sonia''s l.u.s.t was not him, Marcus still could not help but feel hot. As such, Marcus had to shake his head first before he answered her. "Sonia, the creator of this teleportation formation is Leader Alina. Just feel the spatial power inside this formation. It exudes¡­ the similar aura as Leader Alina''s power."


    "Oh, now that I see it, this formation definitely has a similar aura as Leader Alina''s¡­"  Sonia looked slightly embarrassed as she replied, with her eyes darting around warily.


    She was obviously fearful of offending Alina, hence her current reaction.


    "Ehehe Marcus, I think I will take back my statement earlier. There''s no need for us to look for the creator¡­"


    "Hah, that''s what you get for thinking of lewd things first. Well, Leader Alina is not here, so she definitely did not hear about your lewdness." Marcus laughingly said as he ruffled Sonia''s head. "Instead of thinking of lewd things, just prepare yourself for the mission. Even if this mission looks easy, you never know what will happen later¡­"


    "Marcus, I can sense worry on your voice. Is there something that you are worried about?" Even when Marcus tried his best to hide his thoughts, the sensitive Sonia was still able to sense his worry. "Tell me what is worrying you, Marcus. You just can''t think of it alone."


    "Ah¡­ I was just overthinking again, Sonia. There''s no need for you to worry for me." Marcus hastily replied while shaking his head. "Come on, forget about me, and focus more on yourself. The same goes for you two, Vita and Dys. You three should not play around once our mission starts, ok? I can''t afford to worry about you and myself at the same time¡­"


    "Noted, Marcus."


    "Noted, Marcus."


    "Noted Marcus."


    Marcus'' three companions sounded like obedient slaves when they replied, which made Marcus shake his head, as he realized that the three were teasing him again.


    "Sigh, when will you three stop teasing me¡­?"


    "Um, when did we tease you Marcus?"


    "We, tease you, Marcus? Vita and I never thought of that!"


    "I think so too, Marcus! I, Dys, never thought about teasing you like a cute little kid¡­"


    "¡­Well whatever, the teleportation formation is about to activate, so let''s resume our conversation later." Marcus looked like he wanted to talk more with his companions, but with the sudden activation of the teleportation formation, he was left with no choice but to stop talking.


    "Hong~"


    The light of the teleportation formation covered Marcus and the other Rookie Travelers for a second before it faded away, revealing only an empty space on their former positions. He and the other Rookie Travelers seemed to have been whisked away from the Rookie Headquarters, which was no doubt caused by the teleportation formation.


    Their companions had also disappeared too, leaving only an empty Rookie Headquarters.

 Chapter 587 - 1500, 875, and 14

    The principle on how a teleportation formation works is just simple, just like the mechanics of a wormhole.


    But unlike a wormhole which connects two separate points in space to induce a ''teleportation'' effect, a teleportation formation works on a different way.


    Normal methods require a person to manually travel the distance between two points. As for the wormhole method, one just had to have enough power to connect these two points together in order to travel instantaneously.


    But in the case of the Teleportation Formation, it uses the laws of space and dimensions to perform a different ''teleportation'' effect.


    Let''s say there are 2 points in space. The first point is Point A, and the second point is Point B.


    Point A is located directly above the teleportation formation, while Point B is the located on the target destination.


    Once the teleportation formation was activated, a set of calculations shall be subjected on all the objects present on Point A.


    These calculations are aimed to record the coordinates of Point A on the 3-dimensional space. One can say that this is a way to determine Point A''s actual location.


    After the coordinates were set, another set of calculations will be made, this time to pinpoint a coordinate on the 11-dimensional space.


    Once this 11-dimensional coordinate was pinpointed, the teleportation formation will then start its work.


    The teleportation formation will ''transfer'' the objects on Point A into the coordinates set on the  11-dimensional space.


    Since the 11-dimensional space was a higher level of dimension, this move essentially makes the objects ''disappear'' from the 3rd dimension.


    After this ''transfer process'', another set of calculations will be made. This time, the calculations will be used to pinpoint new coordinates on the 3-dimensional space.


    These new coordinates will be Point B, which is the target destination.


    Once the coordinates for Point B were determined, the objects placed on the 11th dimension will be brought down towards these new coordinates.


    This move will essentially bring the objects into Point B, which brings the whole ''teleportation'' into a full circle.


    In shorter terms:


    Point A ¡ú 11th dimension ¡ú Point B.


    All objects from Point A will be brought towards the 11th dimension, and then brought back towards Point B.


    This leap across dimensions essentially teleports all objects from Point A to Point B in an instant.


    This is the exact process on how a teleportation formation work.


    "Ahhh!!!!"


    This knowledge about teleportation formation was something that Marucs knew before, but even with that knowledge, he could not help but shout in fear as he felt his body moving across dimensions.


    This sensation might have happened only in an instant, but with Marcus'' strengthened senses and heightened tension, the whole teleportation process felt like a minute to him.


    "Thud."


    Once he felt his feet hitting solid ground, Marcus lurched forward, with his lunch spilling out like a waterfall out of his mouth.


    "Blerngh."


    His stomach spasmed with nausea as he continued vomiting, while his head began to pound in pain.


    "Blerngh."


    Beside Marcus, his 3 companions could be seen vomiting too, and they seem to be in even more pain compared to him.


    "Blergh!"


    Sonia were clutching her stomach as she vomit-cried, while Vita and Dys were both sobbing as  food sprayed out of their mouths like fountain.


    "Blergh!"


    A cacophony of vomiting noises filled the whole place as it was not only Marcus and his companions that were suffering. Almost all of the teleported Rookie Travelers were currently vomiting too, and they looked like they will not stop vomiting with the amount that they were spewing out.


    "Blergh!"


    While the poor Rookie Travelers tried their best to keep their lunch, a small voice suddenly sounded out around them.


    Surprisingly, this voice did not sound like its speaker was sick. Instead, this voice sounded full of disappointment, something that the sick rookies found hard to notice.


    [Sigh, you all entered the teleportation formation with excited looks, but now look at you. You just moved through dimensions one time, and you''re already this sick? How the hell can you be like this? Did my Hell Body Training Diagram fail on toughening you up?]


    This speaker was no other than Professor Frances, who was currently staring down on the vomiting rookies with a disdainful face.


    She was standing straight in the middle of the formation, with her face not showing any signs of nausea and sickness.  Only disappointment can be felt from her body, which seemed to amplify as the rookies continued to feel sick.


    [Tsk, and here I thought someone with potential can come out of you. But none of you has even managed to reach my minimum standard! F**k this! Even you, Marcus, has also failed!]              Professor Frances threaded through the now-sticky ground with trepidation, with her disdain increasing with passing time. [Sigh, and this is just your first mission. I shudder to think on what will happen¡­ on your other missions.]


    "Forgive us for our shortcomings, Esteemed Professor Frances. This is just our first time using the Teleportation Formation, so we''re bound to be sick. But I promise, we can-"


    [I don''t care if you can get healed fast, Marcus. If you fail this early, then why the hell should I believe in you?] Professor Frances did not let Marcus talk anymore, as she cut him off like a practiced interviewer. [If you felt this sick once, how can you assure me that you won''t get sick again, huh?]


    "Um-"


    [Hmph, my mood has been ruined much already Marcus, so don''t spoil it more.]


    "¡­"


    [Tsk, since you useless maggots can''t even adapt to this teleportation formation, I doubt if you can even perform the raid here in the Celestial Carp Continent. But since you''re all here already, then you just have to fight.] And with that, Professor Frances began pulling up all the sick Rookie Travelers, no matter what they looked like right now.


    She did not care if some were still vomiting, as she just brushed those off with her gloved hand.


    [All of you might be sick, but you can still fight, right? Since that''s the case, then you have to fight already.] Professor Frances nonchalantly muttered.


    [Well, even if you don''t want to fight, you will have no choice but to fight too. After all, we were teleported right inside the Main Headquarters of the Celestial Carp Continent.]


    "Esteemed Professor Frances, we teleported to what?"


    [I said, we have been teleported inside the Main Headquarters of the Celestial Carp Continent. Did you not hear me right, Marcus?]


    "N-no, Esteemed Professor! I was just clarifying things!"


    [Clarifying my ass! You looked like you''re about to die already! Don''t tell me that you''re now scared, huh?]


    "I swear, Esteemed Professor! I am not really scared! I am just-"


    [Right now, the Main Headquarters of the Celestial Carp Continent is housing 1, 500 Second Stage Travelers, 875 Third Stage Travelers, and 14 Fourth Stage Travelers. All of them have been alerted by our arrival, and they are now rushing towards our location with murderous intentions.] These words by Professor Frances was enough to silence Marcus, with the latter now shaking from what he just heard.


    [Hehehe, with that kind of enemies approaching us right now, do you still not feel fear, Marcus? Remember, its 1,500 Second Stage Travelers, 875 Third Stage Travelers, and 14 Fourth Stage Travelers that will be fighting you and your allies. Oh, can you hear those rumbling sounds? Those are your enemies, and they are approaching fast!]


    "Rumble¡­"


    Right on cue with the professor''s words, a large crowd of angry Travelers suddenly appeared a few kilometers away from her, with their bodies filled with murderous intent and their hands stuffed to the brim with dangerous weapons.


    Their eyes were glowing with the intent to kill as they run towards Professor Frances and the Rookie Travelers. Their auras were brimming with hostility too, all which were focused on Marcus and the other Rookie Travelers.


    "Uh oh."


    With this kind of reaction from these Travelers, even an idiot can easily understand what was going on.


    There is no doubt about it. This group of Travelers that just arrived was most likely here to fight the intruders, who unfortunately for Marcus and his allies, were actually them!


    If it were in their peak states, then Marcus and his allies were confident that they could win against the enemy. But since they have been rendered sick by the teleportation formation, all the hopes that Marcus had for winning had been greatly reduced now.


    As such, the best reaction that he had for the impending battle was a low mewl towards Professor Frances.


    "E-esteemed Professor, this is not really the time for jokes, so please-"


    [Marcus, your first mission is to help out in the raid of the Celestial Carp Continent. That means that you must contribute in any way that you can. In this case, your contribution shall come in form of fighting these enemies. It''s just as simple as that, so what are you worried for?] Professor Frances actually had the gall to look innocent at this point, an action that just made Marcus feel more hopeless. [Oh, and I am not joking at all.]


    "Esteemed Professsor, how could you this be cruel? We are still sick, so-"


    [EITHER YOU AND YOUR ALLIES FIGHT, OR YOUR POSITIONS WILL BE DEMOTED IN THE GROUP. THERE WILL BE NO EXCUSES FOR THAT, SO DON''T TRY TO EVEN PLEAD TO ME.]


    "¡­."


    [HMPH, IF YOU DON''T WANT TO BE A THRID-RATE MEMBER OF OUR GROUP, I EXPECT ALL OF YOU TO FIGHT. NO FIGHT, NO BENEFITS.]

 Chapter 588 - Victory and Defeat?

    2 MINUTES LATER.


    If you were suddenly plunged into a fight without any good feelings, what would you do?


    Would you fight with all your valor, or would you cringe back and hide for your life?


    For Marcus, his choice was definitely the first one.


    7 silvery, lighting-tinged serpent leapt out from the tip of Marcus'' battlestaff, which shot straight towards Travelers who rushed  at him.


    "Hiss¡­" With their bodies imbued with the quickness of lightning, the serpents were able to reach the 5 incoming Travelers before they could even react.


    "Ahh!!" Hisses of pain could be heard by Marcus as the lightning serpents sizzled the incoming Travelers with their lightning-filled bodies. None were spared, as their defenses were not enough to stop the lightning from exploding inside them.


    "5 down, a lot more to go¡­" Marcus only spared these incapacitated Travelers a glance as he resumed spamming out attacks again, this time to another group of Travelers who approached him from behind.


    Marcus slammed his battlestaff behind him, which then caused the ground 15 meters all around him to shake with unceasing intensity. Cracks began to appear on the ground as every person above the affected area experienced dull, penetrating pain inside their bones and bodies.


    "Ahh!!!" The Travelers who wanted to attack Marcus from behind were caught by these shakings, rendering them helpless as none of their prepared countermeasures were able to stop Marcus'' attack.


    "Thud." So just like the Travelers that were defeated by the lightning serpents, these come-from-behind Travelers fell down incapacitated too.


    "¡­."


    For a normal person, the sight of countless Travelers unconscious in front of him will surely be a good scenery, enough to make him happy.


    But for Marcus, the piles of unconscious Travelers around him did not make him happy.


    Instead, it filled him with more worry.


    "It''s been already 2 minutes since we started to fight the Travelers here, but even with all the Travelers that we defeated, there is still a lot of them standing? Argh, this is making me nervous!" Marcus thought to himself sullenly as he tilted his head, which allowed him to dodge the flying spear that was aimed at his neck a second earlier.


    As this spear flew behind him, Marcus flicked his battlestaff like a ballerina, an action that conjured a large stream of water that is shaped like a dragon. Once it has appeared, the water dragon bit the spear like it was a candy, before throwing it back directly at the direction that it came from.


    "Ah!" The spear hit back its user with twice the force that it was used, which resulted on audible shout of pain 500 meters away.


    "Tsk! I already have taken down 512 Second Stage Travelers with 653 Second Stage Companions, 65 Third Stage Travelers with 12 Third Stage Companions, and 2 Fourth Stage Travelers, but the whole area still looks like they are full of enemies!" As if he had not noticed the absurdity of his takedowns, Marcus continued to chide himself with worry. "If we go on doing this, is there a chance that we can still win?"


    As if he had eyes at the back of his head, Marcus continued to attack even while his mind was worried.


    This time, he summoned a large, flaming demon-like creature from within his battlestaff, which proceeded to trash the 4 Travelers and their 5 Companions behind him. This demon only existed for 5 seconds, but that time was enough for it to defeat its targets.


    "Sigh, things could have gone worse for us if we were still feeling sick. It''s a good thing¡­ that one of the Travelers in our group healed all of us." Marcus swiveled his head upon saying this, with his eyes looking directly at a green-clad female Traveler.


    This Traveler was busy fighting at this point too, although the sickly complexion on her face made it look like she was about to pass out. Something seemed to have been forcing her to stay upright, as she continued to attack with increasing ferocity towards the enemies.


    Seeing this only made Marcus shiver, as the current appearance of this female Traveler was a direct contrast to her meek attitude earlier.


    "How the hell did this female Traveler heal all of our nausea earlier? It looks like she used some ability¡­ to absorb all of our sickness. Is she alright from doing that?" Marcus added to his mind as he observed the way that the female Traveler moved. "If she''s really absorbing our sickness, where does she bring it? Does she have to experience all those sickness, or is there a way that she stores it?"


    "¡­Ah, thinking more about her won''t help me more. I just have to be thankful that she healed me. For now, I just have to focus on fighting!" Realizing that now is not the time for idle thoughts, Marcus silently slapped himself as he forced himself to focus.


    This action allowed him to dispel his worries, which made him feel a lot better compared to earlier.


    "¡­"


    With his mind now free from worries, Marcus was finally able to see a positive situation on the current battle.


    "Hmm¡­ why am I even worrying for my comrades? From what I can see in the last 2 minutes, none of the Travelers in our group had been defeated yet. Only those from the enemy side has been defeated, and their number keeps on falling down as time passed by!"  Marcus smiled widely upon realizing this, with the frown on his face now completely gone.


    Unlike what he was thinking earlier, the situation the battlefield was much more positive. He and his allies were clearly wining, and it was by a margin that is hard for their enemies to overcome at this point.


    "Hah, why did I even act like we were about to lose? None of my allies have been defeated yet, and it was the only enemy Travelers that fall down like weeded weeds! This situation is a great win for us, so I should be really pleased! Hahaha, yes, I am really pleased!"


    And with this happy discovery, Marcus'' spirits were fired up, which then bolstered his next attacks.


    Attacks comprised of different elemental attributes continued to shoot out of Marcus'' battlestaff, giving him great variety of attacks against his opponents.


    No matter what kind of power they use, Marcus had an answer for this, making him almost undefeatable right now.


    But even when he was already dominating the place with his power, Marcus'' mind still could not help be distracted, as another topic appeared in his mind.


    This time however, the topic that he was thinking about was actually important.


    "Hmm¡­ now that I noticed it, our group should have lost this battle. I mean, we have fewer numbers, and the enemies have more Fourth Stage Travelers compared to us. With this kind of discrepancy, our group should have been defeated already." Marcus thought with scrutiny as he stared at the ongoing battle around him.


    He frowned as he saw his allies easily defeating the enemies, as if they were just mobs meant to be beaten up. These enemies, even with their numerical superiority, still fall down like weeds against Marcus'' allies.


    None of their defenses seem to work against Marcus and his allies'' attacks, rendering the fight to be extremely one-sided.


    As for the frightening Fourth Stage Travelers are still in the field, some of them also fall down defeated, as they were being ganged up by Marcus'' allies.


    "¡­."


    This scenery was enough to make Marcus confused, as he was just not sure if what he was seeing was right.


    He was definitely happy that they were winning, but he could not help but wonder on how the hell they are able to win.


    Did their enemies suffer a misfortune that weakened them, or was Marcus and his allies just too powerful?


    Marcus can still believe if it was the former, as he finds it hard to believe that he and his allies have become extremely powerful now!


    "All that I and my allies have done for the past 2 months is practice the Hell Body Diagram. We had no time to refine our powers, as Professor Frances forces us to do her training technique every single day. With that kind of training, our improvements should have been minimal, right?" Marcus thought as he stared down as his skin, which had already turned light brown from his intense training.


    "Sure, the Hell Body Diagram could have strengthened our bodies, but this kind of strengthening should not be dramatic enough to make me and my allies this strong¡­"


    "Or maybe is it?"


    "Tsk, my mind wandered again. I think I will just ask about these strange events to Professor Frances once we''re done fighting. For now, I really have to fight again¡­"


    With another note posted in his mind, Marcus let out a sigh as he forced himself into the battlefield once more.


    This time, he did not let any distractions falter him again.


    **********


    2 MINUTES LATER.


    With the seemingly ''superior'' bodies and advanced abilities, Marcus and his allies were able to do the impossible.


    Their thousand-strong, and intimidating enemies have been defeated by their own hands, and it only took them exactly 4 minutes to achieve it! Such kind of victory is hard to witness these days, especially with the great disparity in numbers.


    And to make matters even more intriguing, the amount of people that had been defeated among Marcus'' allies were only few. In fact, they can even be counted with one''s hand.


    This kind of victory is enough to confound anyone, especially the ones who had won this fight


    "Did we¡­ really do this?" Traveler Audrey, whose whole robes was stained with the blood of the enemies that she skewered with her rapier, asked the question that plagued the mind of everyone present. "I-I am not really doubting our ability to win, but I think what we did here was a bit of overkill¡­"


    "It really is overkill. There''s no need for you to sugarcoat it." Marcus said with a sigh as he rubbed the back of his head. His face still wore the expression of confusion that he had earlier, and it just intensified upon seeing the bodies of their defeated opponents. "Oh, and if you''re asking me on how we managed to win, even I don''t know the answer to that."


    "Well, I think we should just worry about our victory later. For now, let''s try looking for more Travelers living in the Celestial Carp Continent." Audrey muttered sullenly upon hearing Marcus'' answer. "You never know, someone powerful from them could be hiding somewhere in this continent¡­"


    "You''re right, Audrey. We might have won here, but our fight is still not yet done. We need to defeat all the enemy Travelers here, or else we-"


    [CONGRATULATIONS FOR TRAVELER ALEX AND HIS GROUP, THEY ACHIEVED FIRST BLOOD IN THE TRAVELER''S WORLD, AND THEY ARE IN THE MOMENTUM TO GAIN MORE WINS.]


    "What?" Whatever Marcus was trying to say was cut-off as an emotionless voice suddenly gave this loud announcement. This announcement was so loud that in fact, everyone in the Traveler''s World were able to hear it.


    [THROUGH THE OPPORTUNITY GIVEN BY FATE, THE MEMBERS OF WERE ABLE TO DEFEAT ALL THE TRAVELERS RESIDING INSIDE THE CELESTIAL CARP CONTINENT. THE TOTAL NUMBER OF THE DEFEATED TRAVELERS SHALL NOT BE MENTIONED HERE, AS SAYING IT WILL JUST SERVE TO EMBARRASS THE CELESITAL CARP CONTINENT MORE.]


    "¡­." The voice certainly had some sense of humor in it,  which was enough to elicit some chuckles among Marcus'' allies. Marcus however was not laughing at all, as he only frowned from the words uttered in the announcement.


    [WITH THE IMMORTAL EMPRESS OUT OF COMMISSION, AND THE DEFEAT OF ALL THE TRAVELERS IN THE CELESTIAL CARP CONTINENT, THE CONTROL ROOM FOR THIS CONTINENT WAS OPENED 5 SECONDS AGO. IT WAS QUICKLY OCCCUPIED BY TRAVELER ALEX.]


    "!!!"


    [THIS MOVE HAS NOW CHANGED THE LEADERSHIP IN THE CELESTIAL CARP CONTINENT. NOW, IT IS TRAVELER ALEX WHO IS CONTROLLING THE CELESITAL CARP CONTINENT, AND NOT THE IMMORTAL EMPRESS. THIS CHANGE IS A GOOD THING THAT HAPPENED IN THE TRAVELER''S WORLD, AND WE HOPE TO SEE MORE OF IT.]

 Chapter 589 - Welp, so did we get played?

    INSIDE THE THRONE ROOM


    "Wew, I expected to be congratulated for winning, but not this way. Tsk, the one who created this world sure is a pain in the ass¡­"


    As the voice announcing his victory continued to echo, Alex did nothing but complain under his breath.


    "Sigh, and the voice chose to make the announcement when I just finished raiding this continent. Tsk, wouldn''t this makes things more difficult for me?"


    Although he had appeared to win, Alex did not look like he was happy at all.


    Even when he was already stepping on a silver throne laced with countless gems and minerals, Alex appeared to be not impressed with his situation.


    And even when this throne was giving him a sense of control all over the Celestial Carp Continent, Alex only felt that the situation around him was getting more and more chaotic.


    "Sigh¡­ from what Immortal Empress had told me earlier, there are certain steps that must be followed before someone can successfully raid a continent. First, you must form a large group of Travelers under you wing, and then assume yourself as a leader." Alex rapped his knuckles on the throne as he thought of this, creating rapping sounds that echoed inside the throne room like  a melodic drumbeat.


    The nearby Alina winced upon hearing this sound, making it appear as if she was pained with what Alex was doing. Alex ignored this of course, as he was more engrossed with his thoughts.


    "Once you have a group, you can then start raiding a continent. But you cannot just raid the continent by yourself. Even that has Its rules. One rule is that once you have a group under you, they must be the one who fights for you. You cannot just fight by yourself."


    "That is the reason why the Returning Travelers had not yet made any attack on other continents. Only their subordinates can attack, and that makes it hard to know if you can win¡­."


    Alex stopped rapping the throne at this point, as a fierce glint appeared on his eyes. This glint however passed by quickly, as he closed his eyes before he leaned back to the throne.


    "Only when your subordinates have defeated the subordinates of another Returning Traveler that you can snatch control of the Control Room from them. But of course the situation will not be that easy¡­"


    "Once the subordinates were finished fighting, the only enemy left will be the Returning Traveler himself. And as for that Returning Traveler, he/she will be standing in the Control Room, preventing you from obtaining it."


    "If you want to get the Control Room for yourself, then you must find a way to disable the Retuning Traveler. Only when that Returning Traveler has been defeated that you can be free to obtain the Control Room¡­"


    Alex suddenly  felt an itch on his back, which he quickly scratched by rubbing his back on the throne chair.


    "So to summarize:"


    1.       Make a Group


    2.       Make that group fight the group under the Retuning Traveler.


    3.       Once the enemy group was defeated, defeat the Returning Traveler.


    4.       Once the Returning Traveler was unable to defend the Control Room, swoop in and obtain control of it.


    5.       Victory!


    "That''s how a raid of a continent should have been done, something that I should experience too. But due to some circ.u.mstances, my victory appeared to be laughably easy." Alex was now saying these words straight out of his mouth, with its volume loud enough to be heard by others.


    Alex of course intended this to happen, as he wanted to let them hear of his thoughts.


    "The Immortal Empress was currently disabled by Great TimeMaster, so steps 3 and 4 are already fulfilled. As for step 2, it seems like Professor Frances'' Hell Body Training Diagram have worked well. Too well in fact, that I am thinking of trying it out too."


    Alex looked out of the control room as he said this, with his gaze landing on the Rookie Travelers outside, who were all silently celebrating their win. Alex took note of the doubt on their faces, especially Marcus'', who seem to not know what to do next.


    "With all that said and done, there is only one thing that I can say. And that is that we have won, and have taken control of the Celestial Carp Continent. However, do you really think that this should have been this easy? It looks like¡­ there was a scheme that landed us here. What do you think, Delia?"


    Alex did not specifically look at Delia as he asked the question, but the prompting tone in his words was enough to make Delia answer.


    "Tsk, why are you asking me? We just won fair and square. That''s it. Our target this time was just unlucky and weak. That''s why they were defeated." Delia angrily replied, with her face looking like she was stung by a bee in her butt.


    Her angry look was unnatural, given their current victory, but her next words had shown why she seemed to be suddenly pissed.


    "Hey, instead of talking about your suspicions, why don''t you let me seat on that throne too? I''m the co-leader of this group, so I should have the right to sit there too!" Delia exclaimed as her eyes glinted faintly. The wings behind her back also quivered with these words, making it obvious that she had been waiting to say this since earlier.


    "¡­"


    "Hey, what''s with that stare, Alex? Don''t want me to sit at all? Tsk, that''s a bold move there, Alex¡­ If you continue doing this, I will be really angry¡­"


    Delia''s anger appeared to boil at this point, as if Alex''s actions were enough to make her temper reach its peak. Such change was enough to unsettle Alex, who did his best to talk sense to her.


    "It''s not that I don''t want you to sit here, Delia. It''s just that¡­ I was waiting for something to happen. Something, that I suspect will happen now¡­" Alex slowly replied, with his calm voice and relaxed posture clearly made to calm Delia down. "I won''t really tell you what I suspect will happen, but I think it will really happen¡­"


    "Hah? What the hell, Alex? What are you waiting for at this point? You have already won, so shouldn''t you be relaxed already?" Alex''s mystifying reply did nothing to appease Delia''s temper. Instead, it just flared her up more. "Hey! If you don''t explain this more, I will really-"


    [CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE GREAT TIMEMASTER AND HER GROUP . THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY DEFEATED THE ARCANE SORCERESS AND THEY HAVE SUCCESSFULLY CONQUERED THE IMPERIAL EDICT CONTINENT.]


    [THE DETAILS OF HOW SHE WON WILL NOT BE TOLD HERE, SINCE THERE IS NO USE. JUST ACCEPT THAT SHE WON, IN THE SAME WAY THAT TRAVELER ALEX DID.]


    "!!!"


    [TO THOSE WHO WANT TO KNOW MORE DETAILS, JUST GO AND VISIT MY STORE HERE IN THE ROAMING INN. MY ROOM WILL BE AT ROOM 305, AND YOU CAN BUY ALL THE TIPS YOU NEED FOR WNNING A CONTINENT RAID. IT INCLUDES VIDEOS AND EXCERPTS OF THE FIRST TWO RAIDS, SO COME IN AND BUY FROM ME ALREADY!]


    [THIS IS KURO  SPEAKING, AND I HOPE YOU ALL A GOOD DAY.]


    "Alex, that is¡­"


    "Well, that''s what I am waiting for, Delia. Wait, why do you look surprised? Don''t tell me you did not think this would happen?"


    "¡­"

 Chapter 590 - The Enraged Returners

    The raid of Traveler Alex on the Celestial Carp Continent.


    And the raid of the Great TImeMaster on the Imperial Edict Continent.


    These two sets of news spread like wildfire across the entire Traveler''s World, with the voice of Kuro  seemingly happy to talk about these two events for many more times.


    Even when the people of the Traveler''s World were already tired of hearing it, Kuro still continued to talk about the raids, as if she was a broken record that could not stop playing.


    With this kind of repetitive sound, many were of course pissed by it, especially the normal residents of the Traveler''s World.


    After all, why would they want to hear more about the same old announcement, when they had already heard it? Hearing it again will just serve to hurt their ears!


    But while the normal residents were angry, there was a different kind of people that are even more pissed than them.


    Who are these people? Of course it could be only the Returning Travelers themselves!


    At this point, there''s no one else that can get angrier than the Returning Travelers, especially those who were unrelated to the raids today. After all, the raids that just happened were a great slap against their authority, something that they cannot take to heart.


    Add the fact that the raids were done in a sneaky manner, and these Returning Travelers, who all had secluded themselves before, could only howl in anger against their opportunistic enemies.


    In fact, at the moment that Kuro first gave her announcement about the Great TimeMaster''s raid, 5 enraged shouts were suddenly heard all around the world, with all of these shouts coming from the Returning Travelers themselves.


    Their shouts earlier were so filled with anger and rage, that those who heard it immediately shivered in great fear for their lives.  Fortunately for everyone, these enraged Returning Travelers did not reveal themselves after all that happened, as the rules of continental raids prevented them from making a move.


    As such, these Returning Travelers just let out some few more profanities before their presences faded away, leaving the whole world back to a slightly peaceful state.


    This peaceful state was of course, just an illusion.


    ************


    With the rules of the Traveler''s World preventing them from exactly fighting, the 5 enraged Travelers were unable to attack either Alex and the Great TimeMaster right now.


    Even their subordinates were a no-go too, as the one-week protection given to the winners of a raid also applies to their subordinates¡­


    These rules essentially stifled the Returning Travelers with any way to vent their rage, leaving them with bellies full of fire.


    With their anger essentially bottled now, and their minds filled with wariness against their enemies, these 5 were left with no choice but to the one thing that they never wanted to do.


    And that was to talk and have a meeting with each other.


    *************


    THE GREAT MEETING ROOM


    INSIDE THE GRANDMASTER''S MENTAL MANSION.


    Inside an impressive mentally-created dimension, 5 blobs of aura could be seen, with each  blob exuding powers that are beyond one''s imagination. The power released by these blobs was so great that in fact, only someone like Alex and Delia can survive looking at these blobs.


    Paired with these frightening power was a seemingly eerie appearance of the blobs, which all looked like they were both people and not-people at the same time. This appearance certainly made these blobs look more terrifying compared to earlier, but inside the mental dimension, their appearance scared no one.


    If the blobs were actual monsters, then the fact that they were unable to terrify anyone will be a great annoyance to them.


    But these blobs were not monsters at all.


    These blobs were only  Energy Clones of the 5 enraged Returning Travelers, who, at this point, chose  to use this mental dimension as their meeting place.


    This is the only place right now where they can talk about what happened earlier freely, along with formulating plans for their next move.


    [Grandmaster]: Hahaha, that was an impressive move made by Traveler Alex and Great TimeMaster. I expected those two to make a sneaky move at any of these days, but even I was caught by surprise! They actually decided to raid two continents today, which is a perfectly mundane day for me. Tsk, those f***ers sure got me!


    A grey-colored blob emanated these words out of its body, with the tone and words present on it clearly expressing its great admiration and awe towards Alex and the Great TimeMaster.


    The way that this grey-colored blob praised these two were so great, that if its face was not seen, then its words will be believed.


    But the face  of a frowning Grandmaster could be seen projected inside the grey blob, making it obvious that grey blob was not happy at all.


    [Grandmaster]: Tsk, and I already have a plan made for raiding a certain continent next month. With the preparation that I made, I am 90% confident of winning. But because of the raids that Traveler Alex and the Great TimeMaster did today, all my plans have been wrecked again! Ah, this makes me so angry, that I want to eat my arms!


    [Crimson God]: As much as I want to see you mutilate yourself, now is not the time for that, Grandmaster. We are not here to b***h about our failures. We''re here to talk about what to do next, right? In that case, you should stop m.o.a.ning from your failures and face the reality already]


    The red blob, who had the face of Crimson God in it, did not hold back at all as it gave this scathing reply to the Grandmaster. He even stressed the word ''failures'' when it talked, as if he was trying to make the latter feel bad.


    The Grandmaster on the other hand, only shook his head after hearing this, as if he was trying to ignore the Crimson God''s answer.


    [Grandmaster]: I know what to do and not what to do, Crimson God. But you know that I am someone who has no friends at all. As such, I am only limited on the amount of people where I can pour my complaints. In this case, I have chosen you as that person¡­


    [Crimson God]: What? I don''t give a f**k about that! We''re here for this meeting to talk about that s***y Alex, and that traitor Great TimeMaster! Nothing more, nothing less! So if you want someone to listen to your feelings, go do that inside your home! Hmph, your s.l.u.tty maids will surely be willing to lend their ears to you¡­


    [Grandmaster]: It''s just this early, and you are already insulting me, Crimson God? Your mouth really knows no bounds. It''s just as coarse as sand, and thinking of it is enough to make me cough. Sigh¡­ when will you learn to polish your words, Crimson God? You can''t always stay like this you know?


    [Crimson God]: You-


    [Overlord]: Stop with these useless arguments, and let''s just get to the point. Any more quibbling here¡­ will be a  waste of our time.


    The third blob in the dimension, which was a metallic-colored blob that bore the insignia of the Overlord, chose this time to speak the message of the robot itself.


    The Overlord''s Voice sounded like granite as it talked, making the arguing Grandmaster and Crimson God wince from the pain that their ears suddenly felt.


    [Overlord]: With our bodies busy on seclusion for the last 20 hundred hours,  we were unable to observe today''s events unfolding in real time. Because of that, the reason for their victory was slightly blurred to us earlier. But thanks to my drones and my spies, I was now able to get a clean picture of the chronology¡­.


    [Grandmaster]: You don''t need to tell it to us anymore, Overlord. I already knew the events. And I think my friend Crimson God here knows about it too. Am right about that, Crimson God?


    [Crimson God]: Hah? Um yeah of course. My subordinates have discovered the fact that the Great TimeMaster has used her power to disable Immortal Empress and Arcane Sorceress. That was the main reason that Traveler Alex and the Great TimeMaster succeeded on raiding the other continents¡­.


    [Overlord]: Huh. So an imbecile like you has a reliable spy network too. My superior mind never pegged you to be this sly. Tell me, who thought you to think like this?


    [Crimson God]: Argh! Here we go again with your superiority complex, Overlord! Why the hell do you always like comparing your metallic, two-bit brain to me? We''re f**king different creatures, so don''t be happy that you''re a little better than me on information processing!


    [Overlord]: Tut, tut. Wrong answer Crimson God.  Please answer it correctly.


    [Crimson God]: F**k you and f**k your question, Overlord! I just want to finish this meeting, so let''s talk about how we will retaliate to Traveler Alex and the Great TimeMaster!   Your f**king question¡­ shall be dealt by me later!


    [Overlord]: I will be waiting patiently for your answer, Crimson God¡­


    [Crimson God]: Tsk.


    [Overlord]: So¡­ where were we? Oh, we''re done discussing about the origin story of today''s events. Now, what we shall discuss next will be our future actions regarding Traveler Alex and the Great TimeMaster.


    [Crimson God]: ¡­


    [Grandmaster]: ¡­


    [Overlord]: So, does any of you have plans regarding our two new enemies? I myself have formulated 17 strategies, all with more than 70% success rate. If you can''t think of a plan, you can consult my plans¡­


    At this point, the words spoken by Overlord had changed the over-all tone of the meeting.


    If earlier, its members were still raring to fight each other, Overlord''s mention of fighting against Alex and the Great TimeMaster has suddenly blown it all away.


    Now, the whole meeting began to adapt a serious tone, something that made the Overlord and Grandmaster pleased.


    However, there were still some people in the meeting who seem to not take it seriously.


    [Old Man]: I don''t know, Overlord¡­. All these talk of yours fighting back against Traveler Alex and the Great TimeMaster seem to be just a waste of time. Why fight them, when they seem stronger now? Why don''t we just let them be?


    The 4th blob, who was wearing the face of Old Man, said these words lazily as he picked his non-existent teeth. This move of his made everyone disgusted, as a foul smell also came out of his mouth when he continued to talk.


    [Crimson God]: Ugh f**k! Close your f***king mouth, Old Man! Why did you not even clean yourself before coming here, huh? This is a meeting regarding our enemies, so don''t come here this way! You little-


    [Old Man]: Enemies? Who said that Alex is my enemy? I am his Sponsor, so there''s no way that we can be enemies, you know. As for Great TimeMaster, well she''s a hot milf, so I can''t think of her as an enemy too.


    [Crimson God]: You useless s**t! If you can''t even take this meeting seriously, then just leave! F**king hell, you''re just wasting our time here!


    [Old Man]: Oh? So I can leave already? Good, I still need to sleep back in my hut again¡­


    [Crimson God]: You-


    With this pretentious attitude by Old Man, the Crimson God appeared like he was about to assault him, an action that will be useless since it was only their clones present right now.


    This made the Crimson God rage more, as this Old Man just made his irritation for today pile higher.


    And to make matters worse, the fifth and final blob inside the meeting room began to speak up too, and its words were in a sense¡­ not exactly in the right place.


    [Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude]: Hello to you magnificent guys, and good afternoon to all the people in this world! I am the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude, live and talking here inside the Grandmaster''s mental dimension! As you can see here,  a meeting is about to take place which is vital for the future of the world! So please stay tu-


    [Crimson God]: Argh!!! You shut up! You shut up! All of you shut up! Say one more right now, and I will really kill you all!

 Chapter 591 - People Die When They Are Killed

    Excluding the ridiculous behaviors from Old Man and Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude, the whole meeting between the 5 Returners was able to proceed smoothly.


    Without any further ado, the Old Man was quickly kicked out of the meeting, leaving only the Grand Master, the Overlord, the Crimson God, and the [Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude] in the discussion.


    With the Old Man gone, these 4 were now able to discuss more  plans regarding Alex and Great TimeMaster,  with the Grandmaster and Overlord giving perfect ideas on how to deal with the situation.


    The others pitched in their ideas too, turning the whole meeting into a successful one.


    In fact, the meeting was so successful, that all the Returners from that meeting returned to their territories with contentment in their hearts.


    This contentment however did not last that long, as the day after their meeting, another shocking news was suddenly announced to the world.


    The headless corpse of the Crimson God was discovered inside his residence, and only his bright red blood was the only thing left ''lively'' from him¡­


    ****************


    1 DAY AFTER THE MEETING.


    "Hmm? The Crimson God is dead? And nobody knows who did it and how it was done? Uh oh, this seems to be the sign of bad times coming¡­"


    Alex, whose body was currently lying on the bed beside a sleeping Alina,   muttered these words to himself in a dazed fashion. His eyes were also wide as he said this, making it obvious that he was greatly surprised by what he had just heard.


    "Just yesterday, the Great TimeMaster  and I made our major moves. And now, someone else made theirs, and it led to the death of a f***king Returner! Tsk, if this goes on, this whole world will be really chaotic!"


    Alex could only shake his head as he tried his best to digest the news about the Crimson God''s death.


    But no matter what thinking Alex had tried to do, he still found it hard to believe that the Crimson God is dead.


    After all, there had been no recorded cases yet of a Returner dying here in the Traveler''s World. The worst that happened was some Returners getting heavily injured, which was of course healed through recovery.


    With that kind of statistics, the death of Crimson God is a stain that is hard to believe.


    Aside from the statistics, there is still one more reason that the Crimson God''s death is hard to believe.


    And that reason is the fact that the Crimson God is a Half-Step Transcendent Being!


    Half-Step Transcendent Beings are hard to kill, especially with their Peak Sixth Stage Powers and their Personal Laws bolstering them.


    In the case of the Crimson God, his power which was related directly to life and infernal energy makes him one of the hardest-to-kill creatures here in the Traveler''s World.


    Just the amount of life force present inside the Crimson God''s Energy Clone was already overwhelming Alex''s senses, to the point that it made him feel slightly suffocated before. Since his Energy Clone was like that, then his Main Body must have monstrously higher amount of life force too!


    Add his frightening mastery of Infernal Magic, and the Crimson God''s body can be considered as a treasure that is extremely hard to break.


    Then there''s the Crimson God''s Personal Law too, which according to the Great TimeMaster, was around 50% near completion. That kind of Personal Law is enough to make the Crimson God''s fighting ability approach the peak, which just makes him harder to kill.


    But even with that, the Crimson God still died!


    And  to make matters even more confusing, there were no signs that the Crimson God had fought someone at all!


    Nobody in the Traveler''s World has detected the Crimson God doing anything for the last 24 hours, and not even his closest subordinates felt anything.


    The Crimson God was just nowhere to be found for the last 24 hours, and when he was indeed found, it was only his corpse that was visible.


    A corpse, which was as mentioned earlier, was missing its head¡­.


    With this kind of mysterious and baffling events surrounding the Crimson God''s death, Alex found it easier to believe that the Crimson God was alive.


    Maybe, just maybe, all of this is just is just a trick, and that the Crimson God was still alive, hiding somewhere to recuperate¡­


    The dumb fairy flying behind Alex quickly revoked this theory however, leaving Alex sighing in sheer disappointment.


    "Hooman, the Crimson God is definitely dead. In fact, he''s so dead, that his body and treasures have been taken by T-Teacher Kuro already for her collections. Since my teacher has taken his body, you should best believe that he''s dead¡­" Asteria the dumb fairy said to Alex. "Why are you even doubting his death? This is the Traveler''s World, so its normal for anyone to die here! The Crimson God was just too unlucky that it was he who died this way¡­."


    "Hmph, since you mentioned your teacher here, then it must be really true. The Crimson God is indeed dead. Tsk, guess I have no choice now but to forget about him¡­" Asteria might be unreliable sometimes, but Alex can definitely feel that she''s telling the truth now, hence his reluctant acceptance of the reality.


    But even if he had now accepted the truth, Alex could still not shake his mind off the weirdness of the situation.


    " H-hey, Asteria! Since the Crimson God is dead, then someone definitely killed him, right? 1 " Alex added, with his widely open eyes staring intently at the nearby Asteria. "But if he was indeed killed, shouldn''t there be signs of any attacks? But look at what happened earlier. We did not feel anything, not even a fart from the Crimson God. All that we just saw was his corpse in the end, which does not make sense here!"


    "¡­."


    "Tell me, Asteria. Doesn''t this death of the Crimson God look fishy to you? This feels like an¡­"


    "You can think what you want hooman. The death of the Crimson God is an overall good thing for us, and if you really are worried, then be worried against the person who killed the Crimson God." Asteria flapped her wings in a lazy manner as she hobbled around the bed, making her dismissive words sound slightly insulting compared to before. "Someone who can kill the Crimson God this way is surely dangerous¡­"


    "Asteria, of course I am worried about the killer of the Crimson God. But how can I perfectly worry about the killer, when I don''t even know him? Or her?"  Alex tried his best to not move the bed, but his irritation at Asteria''s words made this an almost-impossible deed.


    "Well, hooman. It could be-"


    "Who knows, this killer might actually be a new Returner who just arrived in this world. Or maybe, the killer was actually the Great TimeMaster, and  she''s the final boss here¡­" Alex looked uncomfortable saying this, which is already a given regarding his relationship with the mentioned woman.


    "Hah? What are you saying hooman?"


    "Ah erm, Asteria, just forget about my comment about the Great TimeMaster. The possibilities of this case is endless, so baseless speculations will be of no help at all. Just¡­ just give me any of your opinions here, ok?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Hooman, don''t look at me like that. Even I have no idea on how the Crimson God died too."


    "Oh, you don''t have any idea? Tsk, then what''s your use as a Guide to me? Are you just here to freeload us for food?"


    "Freeload? You''re mean to me again Hooman!"


    "Hmph, I don''t care if I am being mean to you, Asteria. What I want to know now is everything about the current situation, so your concerns will just be considered by me later!"


    "You-"


    "You-"


    With their investigation about the Crimson God''s death now reaching a dead end, Alex and Asteria almost resorted to insulting each other again.


    Fortunately for the two, Asteria was able to contain her rage, which allowed her to give Alex one piece of advice.


    "Hooman, if you really want to know more regarding the death of the Crimson God, then why don''t you go and visit his body? You can clearly see more things once you see the Crimson God personally¡­" Asteria muttered diffidently as she scoffed at Alex. "And maybe you can know the identity of the killer through his wounds¡­"


    "You want me to see the body of the Crimson God? Didn''t you say earlier that it was taken away by your Teacher Kuro already?  Since that''s the case, how can I even see it?"  Alex  was right to be exasperated at this point, as Asteria''s answers was just grating his ears already.


    "Asteria, what in the hell should I do? Should I visit your Teacher Kuro personally? Come on, the corpse of a Half-Step Transcendent Being is so precious, that there''s no way that your Teacher Kuro will show it-"


    "Hooman, the truth is, Teacher Kuro told me that she is fine with you seeing the Crimson God''s corpse. Just go to the Roaming Inn and look for her room. Once you''re there,  you can do all the watching that you want." Asteria cut-off Alex with these surprising words, making Alex''s thought process almost stop.


    "H-huh? Your Teacher Kuro said that? Didn''t you say that she''s a selfish, hoarding person who does not want anyone to see her collection? Especially her corpse collection?" Alex asked hoarsely. "If your Teacher Kuro is that selfish, then why will she suddenly allow me to see the corpse? IS there something special about me that made her change her mind?"


    "I don''t know. I just told you what Teacher Kuro said to me. Anything aside from that is just my speculation¡­" Asteria replied with a shrug,. "Speaking about Teacher Kuro, there''s actually one more thing that she told me. I think you should know about this too, hooman."


    "And what could this be ''one more thing'' be?"


    "Well hooman¡­ Teacher Kuro said that aside from you, all the other Returning Travelers are allowed to see the Crimson God''s corpse too."


    "Oh." People Die When They Are Killed

 Chapter 592 - Always clean your room when you have someone coming over.

    THE ROAMING INN


    ROOM 303


    With the prestige and good rumors all about the Roaming Inn, many people in the Traveler''s World thought that all its facilities were high-class and useful.


    These thoughts were all right. Every room in the Roaming Inn were precisely made to give comfort and relaxation to those who use it. And if these residents have their own special needs, the rooms that they will use will be personally customized just for them.


    With this kind of service, it will be nigh impossible to see a room inside the Roaming Inn that can evoke disgust or hate. There''s just no way a room can suddenly be disgusting given the Inn''s service¡­


    However, there exactly is one room in the Roaming Inn that debunks this scenario.


    [Kibou]:  Ki? Ki? Ki?


    [Asteria]:  Kibou, I told you already. Some guests are coming, so you better fix our room now. We can''t afford letting these jars occupy a lot of space¡­


    [Kibou]:  Ki? KI Ki?


    [Asteria]:  Tsk, Kibou, if you tell me one more time that you don''t want to clean this room, I will really throw you out and feed you to the dogs! Now, move it and clean! I''m still busy fiddling with the Crimson God''s corpse here¡­


    [Kibou]:  Ki¡­.


    The Room 303 in the Roaming Inn, which was also treated as a 5-Star VIP Room, can be said to be the most disgusting and hate-inducing room here in the Roaming Inn.


    How could it not get hate, when everything that it contained inside are all corpses of creatures that died horrible deaths?


    Just the look of these corpse alone was enough to make anyone feel sick. Add the fact that they existed in massive numbers inside Room 303, and even someone like Alex might feel puking too!


    There are countless jars and vials stacked inside Room 303, with each one filled with specific corpses of varying creatures, all who died in interesting and macabre ways.


    There are jars that contained eviscerated dragons in it, while there are some that has ogres or cyclops'' bodies stitched together. There are also vials that had baby giants with bloated heads, and even mermaids whose tails had formed massive, flesh-filled tumors.


    The other vials and jars contained more creatures that looked even much worse, and they were all displayed as if they were just in a museum.


    Each one of these creatures were already dead, with their gruesome-looking corpses only serving as a grim reminder of the suffering that they had before they died.


    [Kibou]:  Ki ki kiki ki ki!


    [Kuro]:  Hey, Kibou! Don''t touch that jar! That one contains the corpse of a dead Night Stalker! I will deal with that, so go touch the other jars! Tsk, stupid robot¡­


    [Kibou]:  Ki¡­.


    With this kind of jars filling the room, it is not hard  to feel gloomy and disgusted at all. In fact, out of all the staff of the Roaming Inn who entered Room 303, only one had managed to stay with a composed face. All the others ran out screaming for their lives, as if they had seen hell.


    [Kuro]:  Huh. So the Crimson God''s head did not just explode from that attack. Given this fine line here in his neck bone, it''s obvious that he was actually decapitated. Damn, this is one nice decapitation. Even the atoms  on his neck were also split in half too¡­


    [Kibou]:  Ki¡­


    [Kuro]:  Oh, and his body suffered minimum injuries too. Hmm¡­ this just means that the killer only aimed for the Crimson God''s head. Why did he aim for that, anyway?


    [Kibou]:  Ki¡­


    [Kuro]:  Oh, it looks like almost all the blood had been drained out of the Crimson God''s corpse too. Only the minimum amount remained, which is enough to make his body appear whole. Interesting. Hmm¡­ why was much of his blood taken away? Will his blood be used for a ritual or something?


    [Kibou]:  Ki¡­


    [Kuro]:  Oh, there are some cracks present on the Crimson God''s right hand bone. Where did he get this injury? Shouldn''t he have healed it with his monstrous life force?


    [Kibou]:  Ki¡­


    [Kuro]:  Oh, and it looks like the Crimson God is also missing his tailbone. Wait, why the tailbone? Will it also be used for a ritual, just like his blood? Hmm¡­ this murder case is making me feel real curious¡­


    [Kibou]:  Ki¡­


    [Kuro]:  Kibou, if you can''t handle touching my jars, then don''t ever think of becoming an independent worker! So if you want to be promoted, swallow your fears and move my corpse jars already!


    [Kibou]:  Ki¡­


    Only the two residents inside Room 303 were the ones who were able to stomach these corpse jars, although one of them still has lingering fears regarding these jars.


    These two residents were no other than Kuro and her assistant Kibou, both who were currently busy on their tasks inside Room 303.


    Kuro was busy fiddling on the corpse of the Crimson God, while Kibou was currently doing his best to move all of Kuro''s Corpse Jars out of the room.


    With Kuro''s expertise regarding corpses, she had no problem dealing with the body laid in front of her.


    Kibou on the other hand, was the exact opposite of Kuro''s professional actions.


    Even if he was a powerful robot, someone that was created in order to be as tough as possible, Kibou was in no way happy touching and moving the corpse jars. He was always holding them with trepidiation, which made his handling of them extremely weak.


    This weak handling resulted on one of the corpse jars falling on the floor with a crash, which of course made Kibou panic.


    Crash!


    [Kibou]:  Ki!


    [Kuro]:  F***king hell, Kibou! What the hell did you just break? Is that- oh f**kity f**k f**k! Why did you break the jar containing the corpse of a Poison Wraith?  F**king hell, look at all this mess!


    [Kibou]:  Ki kikikiki! KIk kik i!


    [Kuro]:  Argh!


    The current Kuro, no matter how composed she tried to make herself look, was obviously distraught with the mistakes that Kibou just did.


    Just the murderous look on her face was enough to show how raring she was to kill the robot, something that just made the atmosphere of the whole room turn gloomy.


    [Kibou]:  Ki ki ki ! KI!!!!


    [Kuro]:  Argh!  If you want to apologize, just f**king do it later! For now, you should mop this corpse¡­. Huhuhu, my precious corpse jar, why did you have to break here? Huhuhu¡­


    [Kibou]:  Kiki ki¡­


    [Kuro]:  Shut up, Kibou, shut up! I need you to make this fast! Can''t you see that I am still busy here?


    [Kibou]:  Ki!


    [Kuro]:  Tsk, you''re lucky that I am occupied with the Crimson God right now. That''s the only reason why I haven''t smacked you to death already! Now get moving and resume your task!


    [Kibou]:  K-ki!


    With Kuro''s glare raining down on him like an acid rain, the decrepit and fearful Kibou was left scrambling on his feet as he did his best to continue his task.


    Such clumsy actions of his made the nearby Kuro sigh more, but with her hands still occupied on the Crimson God, all the she could do was complain under her breath.


    [Kuro]:  Tsk, the Returners and that Alex is about to arrive here in a few minutes, and my room still don''t have enough space for them? Tsk, I really should have cleaned this room by myself yesterday!

 Chapter 593 - An Abyss Devils Diary

    YEAR 784, DAY 24, MENSIS MAIUS


    Today, I made a contract with my first victim. Hehehe, she was so desperate to gain powers, that she offered me a lot of benefits in exchange for a paltry boost from me.


    Being the perfect devil that I am, I of course accepted the trade. I gave her the power to conjure fire, while she promised me to give her soul once she dies.


    Hehehe, all in all, this deal is a win-win for me!


    YEAR 784, DAY 27, MENSIS MAIUS


    It''s been 3 days since my first victim made her contract with me. She was supposed to not last this long, given how life-draining the power I gave her. But she held on, even when she  used her power to burn her enemies to death.


    Hmm¡­ now I really am interested on her soul. I wonder¡­ if it will also be as resilient as her will.


    Hehehe, now I can''t wait for her death to arrive!


    YEAR 784, DAY 30, MENSIS MAIUS


    Since my first victim is not yet dead, I decided to look for more people to make contract with. Luckily for me, there was someone from a nearby Realm that tried calling out to me.


    Being the perfect devil that I am, I of course answered to this person''s call.


    But when I arrived, I immediately turned back as I realized who called me.


    It was the f**king Abyss Worshippers again!


    F**k! I repeatedly told these people before to not pray to the Abyss! The Abyss is not a religion; it is a business place where us Abyss Devils do our work!


    Tsk, all their prayers and rituals for the Abyss are just making us look bad!


    Before, everyone knew the monsters from the Abyss Realm as the ''tempting'' but reliable monsters where you can make any deal. But now, because of these crazy and lunatic worshippers, some think of the Abyss as a satanic place!


    Argh! Because of that, a lot of possible customers had cut off their connections to us!


    Grr¡­ Just thinking of it makes me angry now!


    How could I not angry? If these worshippers did not make the Abyss look bad, then I could have already made contracts with thousands of desperate people.


    But look at me now.


    I just managed to make contract with one person, and she''s not even dying yet¡­


    Sigh, if this goes on, I might run out of money for my expenses¡­


    Really, f**k these worshipers¡­


    YEAR 784, DAY 2, MENSIS IUNIUS


    Eh? My first victim is not yet dead? What the hell is going on here? She should be really dead now! I even placed poison inside the fire power on her body, so she should be dying a gruesome death already!


    Tsk, did something go wrong with my calculations?


    YEAR 784, DAY 3, MENSIS IUNIUS


    Oh good, now my first victim is starting to get weak. Her fire powers are already dimming, which means that her life force is already slipping away¡­


    Hehehe, just a little more waiting, and this girl will already die! Hehehe, just a little more¡­.


    Hmm, since I am still waiting, then maybe I should try talking to my first victim again. Just a little talk to her right now won''t hurt anyone, I think.


    YEAR 784, DAY 4, MENSIS IUNIUS,


    Oh, so the name of my first victim is Yukino. That''s a nice name, and it sure fits her beautiful appearance.


    Hm? Yukino asked me to eat with her on a restaurant? Why did she ask me this?


    Oh¡­ I guess this is her way of repaying me for what I did to her.


    Ok, since this Yukino''s treat, I just followed her and ate on a nearby steak restaurtant.


    YEAR 784, DAY 9, MENSIS IUNIUS


    5 days ago, Yukino asked me to eat with her. Today, she asked me to join her touring a museum.


    I don''t really get why she wants me to join her again today, but I really don''t have much to do, so I just joined her.


    YEAR 784, DAY 16, MENSIS IUNIUS


    7 days ago, Yukino asked me to join her inside a museum. Today, she asked me to help her catch some fish.


    I like eating fish, raw or cooked, so I have no qualms joining Yukino on her fishing trip.


    But still, I don''t get why Yukino is asking me to join her. Does she have any hidden agenda here?


    YEAR 784, DAY 20, MENSIS IUNIUS


    Sigh, it''s a good thing that Yukino fell sick today. Because of that, she can''t ask me out anymore¡­


    Wait, ''ask me out''?  Is this what Yukino had been doing for the past 3 weeks?


    But if she''s really ''asking me out'', does that mean that she likes me?


    Oh come on, that can''t be true. I am an Abyss Monster, a creature that should make anyone feel fear and abhorrence¡­ There''s no way that a human like Yukino can like me.


    Yep, there''s no way Yukino is interested in me. She could be just¡­ trying to treat me well.


    YEAR 784, DAY 28, MENSIS IUNIUS


    Uh oh, Yukino just confessed her love to me.


    She just blurted it out while I fed her porridge, and it certainly caught me by surprise.


    Erm, I think I might have been really too surprised, since I ran out of the room after Yukino confessed her love to me.


    Wait, why did I even run out of her room? I should have just rejected her confession!


    YEAR 784, DAY 30, MENSIS IUNIUS


    Ugh, why am I feeling this bashful when I approach Yukino? Come on Apophis, you are an Abyss Monster, so you should not act like a shy person on Yukino!


    She''s your first victim, so treat her like a consumable item!


    Come on, Apophis, you can do it. Just approach Yukino and tell her straight that you are not interested in her!


    Yes, just do it!


    YEAR 784, DAY 1, MENSIS S.E.XTILIS


    Ugh, I can''t do it. I can''t reject her. My heart¡­. Throbs in pain when I think of making Yukino feel sad¡­.


    Wait, why do I feel like this? Why does it appear as if I want to protect Yukino?


    She already offered her soul to me, right? That means I should be willing to torture her and make her suffer!


    But even with that, why do I want to make her happy instead?


    Oh god, I am not liking this feeling anymore¡­


    YEAR 784, DAY 2, MENSIS SIXTILUS


    Am I in love with Yukino? No¡­ no¡­ that can''t be possible! She-she-she''s¡­.


    Ah f**k it. I guess I have fallen in love to her already.


    YEAR 784, DAY 4, MENSIS SIXITILUS


    So, after a lot of deliberation, I managed to confess my love for Yukino today.


    My confession went well, except for the fact that Yukino fainted from sheer happiness.


    Sigh, this girl really is cute. I really should protect her from harm from now on¡­


    YEAR 784, DAY 5, MENSIS SIXTILUS


    Today is a good day. Yukino and I went out for a date, although the places that we went were mysteriously devoid of people.


    Yukino was saddened by this, and she thought it was her fault.


    I immediately consoled her, and I told her that it was my presence that is driving those people away.


    After all, I look like a scary monster.


    Yukino did not appear happy when I said these words to her.


    ''You are not ugly! You just look¡­ special!'' Those were the exact words that Yukino said to me, and she was angry when she said that.


    Sigh, even when angry she''s really cute¡­


    Oh, and I was definitely touched by her answer. But still, I am really an ugly, m******ng bastard.


    YEAR 784, DAY 9, MENSIS SIXTILUS


    Today is the day that Yukino and I had our first kiss.


    It was certainly awkward, since my face had a lot of lips on it. Yukino was confused on which lip to kiss, so I just guided her to the lip near my jaw.


    Ah¡­. Kissing with Yukino definitely feels good. I really can do it everyday.


    YEAR 784, DAY 16, MENSIS SIXTILUS


    Today is the day that Yukino is supposed to die from our deal.


    If it was me before, I will have no problem killing her.


    But since she''s my lover now, there''s no way that I will kill her!


    So I dispelled the contract, allowing Yukino to live for much longer.


    This action gave me a lot of injuries, but it was all worth it.


    I might not have gotten Yukino''s soul, but her love and affection for me is a far better catch than her soul¡­. 1


    YEAR 784, DAY 20, MENSIS SIXTILUS


    Yukino and I had s*x together, and boy oh boy, was it glorious.


    I passed out from o******ng thrice that night, while Yukino spent the whole night screaming in pleasure as my tentacles and countless p*****s penetrated both her body and soul.


    Hah¡­ this night was really the best day in my life.


    YEAR 784, DAY 30, MENSIS DECEMBER


    Yukino and I had our wedding this day.


    We did not have any guests, since everyone who heard about our plans to marry were all disgusted.


    All of Yukino''s relatives and friends rejected her, while my colleagues banished me from the Abyss Realm.


    These rejections of course hurt me, but for my lovely Yukino, it was all worth it¡­


    YEAR 785, DAY 19, MENSIS MARTIUS


    So¡­ Yukino is now pregnant. With my twins.


    Honestly, I don''t know what to feel of this.


    On one hand, I am happy that I was able to have offsprings with my lover. This just shows that our love for each other is real.


    But on the other hand, once these kids were born, they will surely try stealing Yukino''s love away from me! This really worries me a lot!


    Sigh, is this the anxiety that all dads go through while their wives are pregnant? I... I did not expect it to be this agonizing. Guess I have to praise all dads then.


    YEAR 785, DAY 20, MENSIS MARTIUS.


    She''s dead.


    Yukino is dead.


    Dead.


    Yukino. Dead.


    The Abyss. Killed her.


    Dead.


    Dead.


    Dead. Yukino.


    Yukino. Dead. Killed. By. Abyss.


    Why. Did. She. Have. To. Die.


    What. Did. She. Do. To. The. Abyss.


    Dead. Dead. Dead.


    Yukino. Yukino. Dead. Dead.


    YEAR 785, DAY 21, MENSIS MARTIUS.


    Yukino. Dead.


    Dead. Yukino.


    YEAR 785, DAY 21, MENSIS MARTIUS.


    Yukino. Dead.


    Dead. Yukino.


    YEAR 785, DAY 22, MENSIS MARTIUS.


    Yukino. Dead.


    Dead. Yukino.


    YEAR 785, DAY 23, MENSIS MARTIUS.


    My babies are dead too.


    They are devoured by the Abyss before I could even save them.


    Dead. Yukino.


    Dead. Babies.


    YEAR 785, DAY 23, MENSIS MARTIUS.


    Dead. Yukino.


    Dead. Babies.


    YEAR 785, DAY 24, MENSIS MARTIUS.


    Hahaha¡­ hahahaha¡­ Hahaha!


    Maybe I should just kill myself.


    Dead. Me.


    Yes. Me should be dead¡­


    YEAR 785, DAY 24, MENSIS MARTIUS.


    DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE 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    ???????????????????????????????????????


    ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? uwu

 Chapter 594 - Key of Law

    CELESTIAL CARP CONTINENT


    CONTROL ROOM.


    "Okay, so just what like I said earlier, I will be going  to the Roaming Inn to investigate the death of the Crimson God. I had to do this investigation, as something inside me tells me that if I don''t do this, I will suffer greatly."


    Alex, who had fully fixed his appearance after waking up earlier, solemnly said these words as he kept his butt affixed on the throne. There was only seriousness in his fa?ade at this point, showing how intent he is on doing what he just said.


    "That said, I cannot just bring all of you with me. There is a chance that the other Returners might try something fishy even if all of them are also going to the Roaming Inn too." Alex added before the two women in front of him can complain.


    "That means that you, Delia cannot go. As well as you, Alina" Alex''s voice slightly turned harsh as he said this, making the two women standing in front of him stiffen.. "Alina and Delia, you two are the strongest people in this alliance beside me, so holding this fort while I am gone will be for the best."


    "What? But Traveler Alex, I am also a Leader of this Alliance too! That means that I have the right to join you! So you cannot just-"


    "Alex, we have been partners since you first become a Traveler. I should be there with you when you leave. So you can''t just-"


    "My decision is final, and you cannot bully me just to make me change my mind." Alex shook his head fiercely as he rebuked the complaints of Delia and Alina. "Instead of joining me, staying here on the control room will be a far better job for you two. That''s already final, so don''t try changing it!"


    "But-"


    "But-"


    "With Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes and Delia''s special tongue, you  two can easily detect any danger coming from a distance. Combine that with your Sixth Stage Powers, and there is nobody that can easily attack this place!" Alex slapped his hand on the throne at this point, which made his words actually sound more persuasive. "Both of you know that, right?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "When I go to the Roaming Inn later, the Main Bodies of the other Returners will also be there. That means that the only ones who can attack you will be their subordinates. With the power of you two combined, it will keep this whole place secure¡­." Alex added. "So don''t be disappointed that I will leave you here. I assure you, everything will happen like it should be."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "But Alex, if you go there without us, wouldn''t you be the one in danger? You just said that the Main Bodies of the other Returners will be there. Since that''s the case, they might attack you once you arrive at the Roaming Inn¡­" Alina was still stubborn against Alex, with her latest words meant to still question him.


    "Oh, about that, Alina, I-"


    "Alex, even all of your combined powers obtained a lot of improvement, your strength is only enough to fight barely against Peak Sixth Stage Beings. That will not be enough against the Main Bodies of the Returners, since they are nearing Transcendence already." Alina said harshly, which interrupted Alex''s reply. "Do you think that if you went there alone, you can survive them? Alex, these people are nuts! They might really try to attack you, so-"


    "Alina, you don''t need to worry about me. Teacher Kuro actually has solved that problem for me."  Alex suddenly said while sounding extremely confident, as if he was not worried even after Alina showed him the possible danger of his meeting at the Roaming Inn. "So just stay here and let me do my thing. I assure you, I will not die if I go to the Roaming Inn. That dilemma¡­ has already be remedied by Teacher Kuro."


    "Wait, Teacher Kuro has solved that dilemma? How?"


    "¡­ Alina, the meeting is about to happen, so I will explain it to you quickly." With time running out on his clock, Alex started to speed up his words in order to quickly appease Delia and Alina


    ****************


    [Alex]: So first of all, let me tell this to you. The Traveler''s World is just like the Four Moons World. It is an artificial world, something which had been created by the Endless Monarch himself. I discovered that after we won the raid, so don''t doubt the credibility of my info.


    [Alex]: Now, since this world has no World Soul, its Laws are not bonded to anything. Because of that, it makes it easier for someone with a lot of power to refine these laws and make them usable for something else.


    [Alex]: In the case of this place, the Endless Monarch refined its laws, and turned these laws into a Key. This key, which is also called as the Key of Law, can manipulate all the laws here in the Traveler''s World.


    [Alex]: That means that the one who holds this key will essentially control the Traveler''s World, and all of its contents.


    [Alex]: Now, after making the Key of Law, the Endless Monarch gave it to the Custodian of the Traveler''s World, whose task will be to maintain law and order here in the Traveler''s World.


    [Alex]: Oh, and if you''re curious who is the Custodian, it is already obvious. It''s Teacher Kuro.


    [Alex]: With the Key of Law in her hands, Teacher Kuro can freely set and manipulate the laws here in the Traveler''s World, in ways that she sees fit.


    [Alex]: Do you remember the rules about the proper way to raid continents in this world? That was made by Teacher Kuro using the power of the Key of Law. That is the reason why none of the Returners can violate that rule.


    [Alex]: Now, that same key was used by Teacher Kuro to tweak the laws a little for today.


    [Alex]: Teacher Kuro personally told me from her messages earlier that she used the Key of Law to make two laws today.


    [Alex]: The first law that she made is simple. She gave a command that forced the leaders of each alliances to visit Teacher Kuro later with their Main Bodies. That law is the reason why I have to go, along with the other Returners.


    [Alex]: The second law is also simple. She told us that just for today, there will be no attempts of life allowed between the leaders of each alliances. That means that if I go there at the Roaming Inn, nobody will be able to kill me.


    [Alex]: Teacher Kuro already disallowed that from happening, so really, I will not be killed today.


    *****************


    "¡­"


    Once Alex had finished giving his lengthy presentation, Alina and Delia, both who were raring to pepper Alex with complaints since earlier, was now forced to calm down under Alex''s persuasive words.


    Even though these two women did not like what Alex was telling them to do, the revelation that he just gave them was enough to appease their worries.


    With someone like Teacher Kuro controlling the Laws of the Traveler''s World in her hands, there is no need for Alex to worry anymore!


    Since Teacher Kuro has banned killing between the Returners and Alex just for today, then Alex can go at the Roaming Inn without any worries.


    All that Alex had to do there was to just be himself, something that will surely be of great help to him later.


    "¡­Fine, since your life is not in danger, then I guess letting you go there will be acceptable." Alina muttered with a huff. Since she found no proper rebuttal against Alex''s logic, all that Alina can do is to just accept his claims. "But please try to be careful there. You may not be killed, but you could still get beaten up¡­"


    "Hahaha, I know, I know, Alina. But do you really think I will be beaten up that easily? Pfft¡­ there''s no way that can happen!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "Ah whatever. Since you, Traveler Alex has no problems with this meeting, then I have no choice but to agree with you." Delia, who had been silent since Alex talked earlier, begrudgingly said these words as she sighed. "Tsk, why does it always have to be you that goes? Sigh, of course it''s because you have more Sixth Stage Powers than me¡­"


    Delia certainly did not sound happy on being left behind here in the Celestial Carp Continent, but she was someone who understands what is right and what must be done.


    In this case, letting her stay in the Celestial Carp Continent is for the best, so even if she does not like it, Delia will still agree to be left.


    "Hehehe, you will not regret staying here, Delia. The same goes for you, Alina." Alex sounded happy right now, which is a given since his two allies was finally appeased by him. "So just stay here and look for possible enemies later."


    "Ok."


    "¡­Fine."


    "Oh, but if you two are still worried for me, let me tell you one more thing. Queen Mother and Professor Frances will be joining me to the Roaming Inn too."  Alex added cheerfully. "Those two are experts in life manipulation and body analysis, so they will be a great help on analyzing the Crimson God''s corpse. Also, Queen Mother has reached the Sixth Stage level too, so I guess that will make our group look stronger¡­"


    As Alex was saying these words, the door on the control room slowly opened, revealing Queen Moher and Professor Frances who were both standing at the entrance.


    These two women were wearing what looked like to be white apron and gloves, with countless trinkets and metallic tools hanging on their pouches. Each of these tools  appeared to be related to surgery, with some having hook-like protrusions or penetrative edges present on their bodies.


    These tools certainly look scary, and it even made Alex shiver a little as he imagined all sorts of things that can be done with them.


    "Oi Alex. Didn''t you say that the meeting in the Roaming Inn is about to start? If that''s true, then get out of that throne and let''s leave already!" Professor Frances, whose eyebags have seemingly largened compared to before, shouted out these words enthusiastically as she glared at him.


    The professor seemed to be really excited at the prospect of this meeting, something that she did not hide to anyone.


    "Come on Alex, let''s go! I want  to slice that Crimson God already, so don''t waste your time here anymore!" Professor Frances added as she gave Alex a more urgent look. "Hey, what''s with that stare? I am a biological manipulator, so I would want to have a go at the Crimson God''s corpse! What''s wrong with wanting to slice him, huh? You have problem with that?"


    "¡­"


    "Yes, we need to go now, Alex. I don''t like to wait too. Waiting¡­ is just making me feel worse now." While Professor Frances sounded jolly at the prospect of the meeting, Queen Mother sounded the exact opposite. She did not sound like she was interested on going at all, and that the only reason she went was because she was forced to. "What''s the delay, Alex? Let''s go on and be done with this already."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Oh, there you see it, Alina and Delia. My two companions are ready to go, so this is time for me to go too." Sensing that the atmosphere inside the room was turning awkward, Alex quickly stood up from his throne as he made his intent to leave obvious. "You two, don''t worry if Professor Frances and Queen Mother sounds weird. Today¡­ is just their off day. But believe me, they will really be useful later!''


    "If that''s what you say Alex, then fine."


    "Traveler Alex, I don''t think that your two companions are in their right minds now, but since it''s you, then maybe you could really control them."


    "Ah whatever, I will really leave now!"

 Chapter 595 - Choric Manifold!

    ROAMING INN


    ENTRANCE HALL.


    "Woosh~"


    With the power of Alina''s teleportation fueling their bodies, Alex, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances found themselves suddenly teleported right in front of the Roaming Inn.


    The three froze for a second, as they observed the majestic and huge building that is standing right in front of them.


    "¡­"


    This building was certainly good-looking, and the large amounts of people coming in and out of it just made it look more impressive.


    But of course Alex was not interested on these trivial things.


    Instead of appreciating the beauty of this building, Alex''s eyes just roved on the hanged plaque in front of the building.


    This plaque, which was laid with gold and silver on its edges, held the name ''Roaming Inn'' on its body.


    The sight of these words in the plaque was enough to make Alex feel relieved, as he now realized that he has arrived at the right place.


    "Here we are, guys. Now, just like what I told you earlier, you two must always be careful of everything around us. You never know, we might trigger some creatures here¡­" Alex slowly said as he and the other two women began walking towards the building. "And the Returners that we could meet earlier will surely be wary of us. So always stay vigilant!"


    Professor Frances and Queen Mother both frowned after hearing Alex''s advice, as if they were slightly irritated with his nagging tone.


    This led to the two women to start complaining, but before the two could speak out their grievances, a newcomer suddenly interrupted their conversation.


    "So¡­ you are the famed Traveler Alex. The one who, despite his lacking cultivation, has managed to amass a group of Rookies  under our eyes. Not only that, but you also have managed to conquer the territory of the Immortal Empress!  Tsk, that deeds alone are enough to make you a legend!"


    A young man with curly black hair and blue eyes casually gave these praises to Alex, with the former''s formal suit and tie making him appear extremely regal. This kind of appearance gave the young man an image of classiness on Alex''s eyes, something that made him look like a gentleman.


    This young man''s pose and mannerisms also appear refined when he talked, with his words sounding like finely-tuned piano keys. Such voice might be irritating if heard from others, but from this young man''s throat, his piano-like voice was just pure music to the ears.


    "...."


    Upon seeing this man, Alex''s first reaction was to squint, as he found him and his mannerisms as somewhat confusing.


    If this young man was to be judged based on his appearance alone, anyone will treat him as a righteous, innocent person that must be supported and protected.


    That is how charming this young man looked right now, and the way that he smiled and held his body just increased this charm of his.


    But for Alex and his companions, this young man who just praised him was anything but righteous.


    After all, Alex can feel a powerful killing intent coming from this young man, which is a great contrast from the young man''s brightly smiling face.


    Such kind of killing intent was the type that can easily make anyone with weak heart faint. Even Alex, whose mind has been tempered countless times already, could not help but feel cold upon sensing this killing intent.


    "¡­."


    How could not Alex feel cold? Even from this distance, Alex could  feel that this killing intent was meant for him and only him alone.


    The young man might not really show it, but Alex  could feel this young man''s penetrative, murderous intentions boring imaginary holes on his body. It was so pervasive to the point that Alex was thinking of even covering his skin up.


    "¡­."


    This kind of feeling was something that Alex was used to feel before, although the mere fact that he is feeling it from this young man is intriguing to him.


    Aside from intriguing him, this killing intent also made Alex feel instantly hostile against the young man.


    After all, for this young man to have this killing intent towards Alex only meant one thing; And that he has  some sort of grudge towards Alex, and that he might not hesitate to perform sinister actions against him!


    "Oh, I am happy that you have heard of my exploits. My name really has been famous as of late¡­" Alex did not jump against this killing intent, as he only gave the young man a calm, collected answer. "But for you to hear my exploits this early makes me curious of you too. You seem to be too much¡­ knowledgeable about me."


    "Oh, these are perks that I get form my job. With my position in my group, it is easy for me to know everything." The young man casually answered, with his fake smiling face unaltered by Alex''s intrusive questions.


    This smile then turned into a slight frown, as the young man began to give Alex a wary look.


    "Hey, I really don''t like your suspicious look to me, Mr. Alex. Why are you looking at me like that?" The young man still sounded calm at this point, but a slight quiver can be heard from his voice as his fists visibly clenched. "Is there any problem that you have with me, Mr. Alex?"


    "Oh, I actually have one problem with you, young man..." Alex quclky shot back, as he did not back down from his questioning. "You see, I can feel your killing intent to me since you have followed me earlier. That killing intent made me confused, since I am sure that I have never met you before. But yet you still looked like you want to kill me, and boy, your killing intent to me is really high¡­.


    "Woosh~"


    The winds coincidentally blew behind Alex as he said these words, which made his long hair flow behind him like a majestic river.


    This made Alex look just as refined as the young man, but the nature of Alex''s words and the current predatory look on his face made this refined look belong to that of a psychopath.


    The young man seemed to have noticed it, although he did not do anything drastic in response to this.


    "Well, well, well, I thought I had hidden my killing intent well. With my powerful seals, it is hard for anyone to feel my killing intent. But you have detected it, so I guess that means that you are deserving of your position¡­" The young man still retained the creepy smile on his face as he gave this answer, although the killing intent surrounding him just continued to increase.


    "But even if you have the power to be here, that does not mean that I am happy with you." The young man suddenly added, with his killing intent now skyrocketing to the sky like a blown-up building. "You may have outsmarted me before, but now that will not be the case, Alex. I have made the perfect plan against you, so you better start praying for your remaining days!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "Ok, that threat of yours is real nice, but I still do not know your name, so technically speaking, your threat is only half-effective to me." Out of all he things that Alex could say, he chose this as his reply to the now livid young man. "Why don''t you tell me your name first? That way, I might understand who you really are¡­"


    The young man''s movements paused slightly as he heard this reply by Alex, but he quickly recovered, with the smile on his face widening further.


    "Hmph, before I arrived here in the Roaming Inn, I was disgusted by the thought of letting you know my name. But now that you have shown how talented you really are, I had decided to give you my name. So listen carefully, for I will only say this once¡­."


    The young man then crossed his arms like a business owner while turning away from Alex, which left his back exposed to him. Once he did this, the young man did not turn around to face Alex. The young man just stayed still on his place, with his killing intent still roiling in the air like a viscous gas.


    "¡­."


    This gesture could symbolize a lot of things, but in this case, this gesture is one that is clearly symbolizing the sheer disdain coming from the young man himself.


    "My name is the Grandmaster, and I am the one who will bring your end, Alex." The young man said, with his name ''Grandmaster'' now being imprinted directly on everyone''s minds. "Your plan to raid and conquer the Celestial Carp Continent may be a success, but starting today, all of your victories will be null against me!"


    "Oh really?"


    "Yes, I mean that. Why do you sound doubtful, Alex? Do you think I can''t do anything to you?" The Grandmaster, as if he was irked by Alex''s comment, seemed to almost blow up as he faced him. "Do you think that even with the laws of the Custodian protecting you from death, I can''t make you suffer?"


    "Well-"


    "Well guess what, Alex. The Custodian might have prevented any act of killing today, but she did not prevent us from severely beating up anyone. That means that I am free to do anything to you, as long as I do not kill you!"


    "Boom!"


    Before anyone could digest the threat that the Grandmaster has said, he suddenly raised his hands, forming a sealing pattern with his fingers.


    Lines of powers slowly appeared from the Grandmaster''s arms as he did this, briefly illuminating the area around him.


    As these lines of power converged together, Alex''s breathing began to hasten as he and his companions started to feel suffocated and suppressed on their spots. They found it hard to breathe, as if there was something preventing them to breath freely.


    Even their bodily functions were affected too, making it harder for them to even observe their surroundings properly.


    "Ha¡­ ha¡­ ha¡­"


    Aside from their breathing and other vital bodily functions, the powers inside Alex, Queen Mother and Professor Frances'' body were all seemingly suppressed too, with the activation and circulation of their powers  now slowed down into that of a snail''s pace.


    "Ha¡­"


    These changes naturally had the trio perked up, as they knew that someone is trying to make a move on them.


    As for how that person was, it was obviously the Grandmaster himself!


    "Since I can''t kill you all, then I will just have to make you three suffer. So be happy, you little maggots. You have the honor of experiencing my Sealing Magic, something that I did not use since I arrived here!" Now, just kneel there and accept your fate!"


    [WAYS OF SEALING VOLUME 1: CHORIC MANIFOLD!]

 Chapter 596 - Ways of Sealing!

    "Shula shula shula¡­"


    The lines of power engraved on the Grandmaster''s arms seemed to have gained a life of their own as they began extending out of his body.


    Long, tendril-like constructs were formed from these lines, which then descended like a net towards Alex and his companions.


    "Bish bish bish!"


    Slowly and agonizingly, Alex felt more and more pressure piling on his body, forcing him to almost fall on the floor.


    His bones, muscles and organs were all affected by his pressure, and if it weren''t for his will to stand up, Alex could have already been smacked flat on the floor.


    "Ugh¡­ this pressure¡­ this is not just some kind of normal pressure. This¡­ this is a suppression made by compressing space itself!" Even if Alex was currently in trouble with the Grandmaster''s attack, his mind still found a way to analyze his situation. "This seal of his sealed everything on my space, including even my powers and other abilities. Hmph, this must be the reason why my circulation of Conqueror''s Aura is slower!"


    This analysis quickly led him to what was actually happening, although his quick discovery did not please him at all.


    Instead, his discovery made Alex feel more solemn, as he realized that his opponent was much more powerful than what he had really expected.


    "The Grandmaster said that his power lies on the path of Sealing Magic. That means that he must have an arsenal of spells meant to seal things¡­" Alex grimaced inwardly as he continued to resist the pressure piling on him.   "The attack that the Grandmaster just unleashed to me now was one that he called as Way of Sealing Volume 1. If this is just volume 1, then the Grandmaster must have a lot more volumes that are all related to sealing!"


    "Hoho, this is just my first attack, and you''re already crouching down like an old hag? My, my, Traveler Alex, is this all that you can do?" At the sight of Alex and his allies trying their best to not fall down, the Grandmaster only laughed, with his pissed-off face now having a strange smile in it. "Oh right, you''re still not a Half-Step Transcendent Being, so you really don''t have a way to fight back at me. Sigh, you should just stay there and be smacked later!"


    "¡­."


    As much as Alex did not want to admit it, he was now sure that the Grandmaster''s status as a Returner was something that is genuine.


    With the power of the seal that he used on Alex, there is no way that Alex can deny the Grandmaster''s real power¡­.


    "The seal that the Grandmaster just used on me¡­ was something that uses the Essence of Space to seal everything inside it. If I were a different person, then I might not have felt it. But I have been training together with Alina, and I also have the Space-Time Dao Soul. Because of that, I am sure that the Grandmaster is using his sealing arts to compress space in a large scale." Alex thought as he tried to ignore the stinging laughter from the Grandmaster.


    "The Grandmaster''s control on space is not that good compared to Alina, but for some reason, the compressive effect of his seal on the space around me is extremely strong. In fact, it was so strong, that even Alina''s strongest spatial seal might not be as strong as this." Alex further added, with his eyes now trembling from the ever-increasing pressure.


    "This just tells me that the Grandmaster''s Sealing Magic must be extremely so strong, that he does not need to be that knowledgeable about different concepts. He just has to learn the proper Sealing Magic, and he can unleash it without any problem!"


    "This kind of talent¡­ is really monstrous! No wonder the Grandmaster is a Returner!"


    "He must have created a Personal Law that turned all of his Sealing Magic into frightening abilities! That can be the only explanation for this freaky power!"


    The more that Alex analyzed his opponent, the more that he felt admiration for him.


    After all, Alex already had a few encounters with Sealing Magic before, and from those encounters , he knew that Sealing Magic are the kind of Magic that are only useful for support-type fighters.


    Sealing Magicians were never intended to be frontal fighters, as it is hard for them to develop abilities that can make them fight at a high level. At best, they can use their seals to suppress their opponents from a distance, and they will only bombard these opponents with attacks once when they''re sealed.


    With this kind of power, Alex did not really think that much of Sealing Magicians.


    But today, that disrespect was now gone, as Alex has now faced a Sealing Magician that was greatly powerful in all aspects!


    "Sigh, for the Grandmaster to be this powerful, he must have trained a lot to hone his skills. Even I, who is not a Sealing Magician, can feel the intricacy and complexity of his Sealing skills." Alex  thought with interest as he now observed the lines of power that are currently pressing down on him.


    "Even when he was not that talented in manipulating space, the Grandmaster was able to make it so that his Sealing Lines can emulate the power of space. Hiss¡­. This man is a genius! No wonder he calls himself as the Grandmaster! With this kind of intelligence, only titles like this can suit him!"


    If he can just move his hands freely, then Alex could have already clapped his hands for the Grandmaster, as his feats were just too awe-inspiring to Alex.


    But even if Alex can really move his hands, he will not choose to clap for the Grandmaster.


    After all, clapping is not Alex''s goal right now. He''s more interested on getting out of his current dilemma.


    "¡­.If it were a different person, they might have a difficult time getting free from this seal. But as for me? Hmph, this seal is nothing more than a paper towel to me!"


    After declaring these words silently to himself like a madman, Alex let out a loud laugh as the body of a man appeared behind him.


    This body, which was only at the size of a kid, floated behind Alex like a balloon.


    At the sight of this body, the Grandmaster could be seen narrowing his eyes, which is natural given the behavior shown by the body.


    To everyone''s surprise, this body seem to be not affected by the sealing spell that the Grandmaster has placed. This body just continued to float behind Alex, as if the pressure applied by the sealing spell was nothing more but mere breeze.


    Even when the Grandmaster tried to increase the spatial compression of his seal, the best thing that it caused was to make Alex hunch further forward.


    The floating body still stayed floating on its spot, with its small appearance seemingly taunting the now-irritated Grandmaster.


    "You, what is that body, Traveler Alex? I can feel the concepts of space laid within it, but I can also feel some aspects of¡­ Time? Curious, curious, curious, this is making me curious¡­" The Grandmaster asked softly, with his eyes now turning slightly red from irritation. "I never expected that body to resist my first sealing spell. Hmph, it must be related to the way it is made¡­"


    "Of course it can resist your sealing spell. This body was the Space-Time Dao Soul after all!" Alex thought to himself with mirth as he tried his best to not laugh. "MY Space-Time Dao Soul is filled to the brim with the Essences of Space and Time. Because of that, they are highly-suited to deal with abilities meant to manipulate space and time."


    "In the case of this spatial seal, since it has the power to control space, my Space-Time Dao Soul has formed a resonance with it, which allowed it to be unaffected by the seal." Alex further thought. "Hehehe, I bet you did not think of this happening, did you, Grandmaster?"


    "But do you really think this is the only reason why I summoned my Space-Time Dao Soul here? Of course not! This display here was just a minor goal of mine¡­." If Alex could lick his lips maliciously now, he could have already done it given the sheer evilness of the glint on his eyes.


    "The main reason why I brought out my Space-Time Dao Soul here, is because I will be using it to invalidate this seal of yours!"


    "Boom!"


    Right after Alex thought of this, his Space-Time Dao Soul suddenly jerked, releasing tons of Space Essence out of its body.


    This Space Essence were all absorbed by Alex, whose body then glowed as if something powerful was awakened inside him.


    Once this has occurred, something unexpected happened, which made the observing Grandmaster widen his eyes in surprise.


    "Creak¡­"


    In front of the Grandmaster, whose sealing art was supposed to suppress anything, Alex could be seen moving and standing up!


    The pressure created by the spatial seal seem to not work on Alex now, as he moved his body smoothly without any interruptions.


    In fact, Alex appeared to be extremely comfortable with his surroundings now, something that is hard to believe given the fact that Queen Mother and Professor Frances were still being squished by the spatial seal.


    "You-how could you-" The Grandmaster found it hard to speak as he witnessed Alex''s actions, as what he was doing was against common sense!


    Alex should be suppressed right now, and he should be crying out to be freed already!


    "How could you move this quick now? Are you casting an illusion on me? Now, that is not possible, since I have the protection of a Realm Lord¡­." The Grandmaster muttered sullenly while Alex began prancing around like a deer. "If he did not put me in illusion, then does that mean that he was able to decode my seal? No, that''s not possible! My seal is omnipoten-"


    "I''m sorry to tell this to you, Grandmaster, but your seal is not omnipotent." In face of the Grandmaster, who seem to be close to a nervous breakdown, Alex only shook his head as he began rebuking him. "I can see that your Choric Manifold relies on the manipulation of Space Essence to seal the space itself. That was a novel move, since not many can use their powers to manipulate the essence of Space itself¡­"


    "However, that move is not going to work on me, since I happen to have the ability to manipulate and absorb the Essence of Space!" Alex gave the Grandmaster a scornful laugh at this point, as if he was mocking his deluded attempts to clarify the situation. "Since I can absorb and manipulate Space Essence to some extent, it renders the power of your Choric Manifold meaningless to me."


    "You-"


    "How would I be suppressed at this point, when all the Space Essence pressing down on me can be manipulated by me too? Heh, what you are doing now is just like me tickling myself with my own hand! Since it is a part of me already, there is no way that I will be affected by it!"


    "Argh!" It took the Grandmaster a little long to realize it, but with Alex''s words, he had now realized his blunder. "You-you can manipulate space essence? B-but my spies did not say anything about that!"


    "Oh, don''t blame me if your spies failed to provide you with basic info. It''s their fault, so feel free to reprimand them later."


    "You¡­."


    "Ok, now that your Choric Manifold has failed, why don''t you try using your other Sealing Magics on me? Who knows, they might be able to suppress me fully." Alex''s wide grin only became more pronounced as he said this, making it apparent that he was taunting the Grandmaster right now.


    "!!!"


    "What? Don''t tell me that you''re already scared just because I managed to crack your seal? Come on, you are the best Sealing Magician that I have seen, so you must have some powerful seals hidden in your arsenal! Come on, use that to me, so that we can know if you have the ability to defeat me!"


    "Argh, you asked for it, Traveler Alex! Since you want to boast this much, then receive all of these!"


    [WAYS OF SEALING VOLUME 2: ENTROPIC PATHWAY!]


    [WAYS OF SEALING VOLUME 3:  ANCESTRAL SUMMONS!]


    [WAYS OF SEALING VOLUME 4: NETHER PRISON!]


    [WAYS OF SEALING VOLUME 5: CELESTIAL EDICT!]


    [WAYS OF SEALING VOLUME 6: COSMIC DESCENT!]


    "Boom boom boom!" The Grandmaster released all of these seals at once, creating an onslaught of powerful abilities that poured down on Alex like rain.


    Each ability was just as frightening as the one before it, which made their descent appear like the end of the world.

 Chapter 597 - Cliffhanger

    This time, countless more lines of power sprouted from the Grandmaster''s arms, all which brought the power of the new seals that he just unleashed.


    These seals brought new and different effects on Alex, who just stood still as he received them head-on.


    "Fizz¡­"


    The second seal that the Grandmaster unleashed, which was promptly called the ETNROPIC PATHWAY, caused all the substances and materials around Alex to break down in the atomic level.


    No matter what kind of materials they are or how sturdy they are, all of them broke down in the presence of ENTROPIC PATHWAY, as the laws of entropy was absolute here.


    Even Alex''s current body was slowly breaking down too, and he had to do his best to not be destroyed quickly.


    Because of this, Alex was rendered immobile again.


    "Hahaha! Under the mighty presence of entropy, there is nothing in this world that can stay stable! Everything, no matter how powerful they are, will always be destroyed in the end!" As if he had already forgotten the failure of his first seal, the Grandmaster went back to his cheerful mood as he saw Alex''s immobilization again.


    "Hahaha, how about that, Traveler Alex? Can you still break my ENTROPIC PATHWAY? Hmph, I don''t think so!"


    "¡­."


    If this seal was the only one that had its effect work on Alex, then the Grandmaster will already be happy enough. However, there are still 4 more seals that he had unleashed, and to the delight of the Grandmaster, these seals seem to have worked too!


    The Grandmaster''s 3rd Seal, which was called as the Ancestral Summons, seem to pulse with the power of Time as it rained down its might on Alex.


    "Hong~"


    An ancient castle, one that can be praised for its sheer beauty, was summoned out of nowhere, which then proceeded to press down on Alex like a falling mountain.


    This castle emanated an ancient aura out of it, as if it was something that was made in the past. This aura did not weaken the castle however, as it seemed to have even boosted its power!


    With this boost, the ancient castle continued its assault on Alex, which just added more pressure on him.


    "My ANCESTRAL SUMMONS  is a seal that summons a powerful object in the past, and uses that object to suppress my enemies. In your case, Traveler Alex, I summoned the almighty castle of the Blight King." The Grandmaster said, with his bright eyes intently watching Alex''s current situation.


    "''The objects summoned by my ANCESTRAL SUMMONS are not as strong as the original, but for now, the ancient castle that I summoned is enough to suppress you! After all, the castle of the Blight King was originally used to suppress Chaos itself! With that kind of power, even its duplicate is enough to seal you!"


    "¡­."


    Alex looked like he wanted to say something about this, but it was as this point that the 4th Seal landed on him.


    "Shula!"


    The 4th Seal, which was promptly called as the NETHER PRISON, was a seal that conjured a dark, metallic cage which Alex quickly found himself inside in. Chains then sprouted out of the cage''s body, which bounded Alex''s wrists, ankles, and neck.


    This cage emanated the pure power of darkness and evil itself, qualities that the chains also displayed.


    "Hongla!"


    Once the chains had properly restrained Alex, countless dark runes glowed on their bodies, all which began to fly towards Alex like flies.


    Each rune carried a heavy and depressing feeling on them, making anyone feel lethargic just by seeing them. This feeling intensifies the more runes are seen, and this effect seem to be greater if one touches the runes!


    With this kind of danger, nobody will just touch these runes out of curiosity.


    But right now, the chain-bound Alex was about to be swarmed by these runes, which might potentially bring his life into a greater danger!


    "The people who lived in the NETHER REALM has the power to enslave beings and use them as their servants. They do that through their ''NETHER RUNES'', which contain the power to make any sentient being submissive. These runes are so powerful, that even I was affected by it." Like a chatterbox that won'' stop speaking, the Grandmaster continued his monologue, even when Alex appeared to be overwhelmed by his seals already.


    "Fortunately for me, I was able to get free from these runes, and I was able to even study them. That led to my creation of NETHER PRISON, a seal which once successful, can turn its targets into my willing slaves!"


    "¡­"


    "Hahaha, now do you see it, Traveler Alex? You''re about to be my slave, just because you let me attack you! You idiot! You should have run away when you can!"


    The Grandmaster, whose name was treated with respect and reverence by many in the Traveler''s World, now looked like a madman as he seemed to be perversely happy from what was happening to Alex.  It was as if his cold, calculative nature from before was just a ruse, and his current bloodthirsty persona was his real attitude.


    This change made the Grandmaster appear much more terrifying than he was before, although the man himself seem to not care about it.


    "Boom!"


    It was at this moment that the 5th Seal fell down on Alex, which also unleashed its effects on him.


    This seal was called the CELESTIAL EDICT, and its effects appear to be straightforward.


    A 12-winged angel was summoned by this seal, which proceeded to descend on Alex like a god.


    The angel flapped its wings as it descended with considerable force, stirring winds that had the power to demolish nearby buildings.


    On the angel''s hands, a scepter was present, which seem to emanate with the power of the Holy Order Realm.


    "You are a sinner! Thus you must be punished!" The angel shouted as it pointed its scepter at Alex. "You are a sinner! You must be punished!"


    "Shula~"


    At the instant that this scepter was pointed, large amounts of Holy Energy poured out of the angel''s body, all which began to fall down on Alex like a torrential rain.


    "Hiss¡­" Alex''s skin, which should be hard to damage these days, began to boil and melt when the Holy Energy made contact with it.


    It was as if Alex''s skin was wax, and the Holy Energy was a brightly lit candle being hovered near to it.


    "Hiss¡­"


    This effect began to make Alex look like a melting statue, something that made those who saw him feel sick.


    But to make matters worse, this effect seemed to have synergized well with the power of the ENTROPIC PATHWAY.


    Now, the rate of destruction on Alex''s body has doubled, making it almost impossible for him to heal himself.


    "Hahaha! I know all about your power as an Abyss Monster, so I knew that my CELESTIAL EDICT will be effective on you! After all, Holy Energy and Abyss Energy are two energies that are not mean to be together!" The Grandmaster cackled, as he appeared to be genuinely pleased with Alex''s suffering.


    "If an Abyss Monster manages to contaminate an Angel with its Abyss Energy, that angel will be corrupted, and will die in pain. However, if it was the Angel who manages to contaminate the Abyss Monster first, then it will be that Abyss Monster who will die!"


    "Hahaha, and that is the same thing that is happening to you, Traveler Alex!"


    "¡­"


    "Actually this CELESTIAL EDICT of mine is used to suppress those with great sins, as they can be affected by Holy Energy too. I can''t afford to let them be scot-free after all."


    "¡­"


    "If you were just a normal Traveler, Traveler Alex, then this seal of mine might not work on you. But you have affiliated yourself with the Abyss Realm, so prepare to receive great pain from this!"


    "¡­"


    "Oh, you can''t talk now, aren''t you, Traveler Alex? Well, with all the seals I placed on you, for you to be mute is just to be expected."


    ".."


    "Oh, what should do now again? Should I torture you now? Wait, I''m still not done here. There''s still one seal left, so you must experience it too!"


    "Boom!"


    Alex''s current state should have been enough to make the Grandmaster stop attacking, but since he had already released his seals, he was unable to stop them from landing.


    The first 5 seals had already been unleashed on Alex, and now it was the turn of the 6th and final seal to reveal its power.


    "Hong long long~"


    The 6th Seal, which was called by the Grandmaster as the Cosmic Descent, was a seal that sucked the power of the Astral Space and used it to suppress Alex.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    The ever-ethereal and mysterious Astral Energy of the Astral Space pressed down on Alex with the pressure comparable to that of countless stars, rendering him much more immobile compared to before.


    His body, which was standing straight as a pole, went back to a hunched position from the addition of the COSMIC DESCENT, and it even appeared like he was about to be smashed on the floor.


    This is how frightening the suppressive pressure that came from the 6th seal, and the Grandmaster seemed to have known it too.


    "The last world that I was in was a world which had its residents practice manipulating Astral Energy. The way that they used it in so many ways was so fascinating, that I immediately wanted to learn it." The Grandmaster muttered. "Now, because of my talents, I was really not that good in manipulating Astral Energy. But with my expertise on sealing, I was able to create a seal which uses the power of Astral Energy to seal my enemies!"


    "And that, Traveler Alex, is what you are experiencing now!"


    "¡­."


    "Hehehe, so how does it feel to be suppressed by five more seals, Traveler Alex? Do you now regret taunting me?" With all his 5 seals doing their work, the Grandmaster was naturally pleased, and he did not let this moment pass by as he continued taunting Alex.


    "¡­"


    "Tsk, I was really angry at you, Traveler Alex, since you''re one of the rare persons who managed to throw off my plans. I really don''t like people disturbing my well-crafted scenarios, and as long as they''re alive, I will not be appeased!"


    "¡­"


    "That is the reason why I look this unrefined now, Traveler Alex. As long as you are not beaten up by me, I will never be able to feel good. So please, just stay still there and let me beat you up. Oh well, even if you try to move, you won''t be able to do anything, hehehe¡­"


    The Grandmaster approached Alex with his hands raised, making it obvious what he plans to do next.


    With Alex now suppressed by his seals, the Grandmaster if free to make Alex suffer a lot. As for what this suffering-inducing techniques could be, it is up to Grandmaster to apply it.

 Chapter 598 - Immunity!

    "¡­"


    Alex''s current situation appeared to be hopeless, yet the man himself seem to be not troubled by it.


    Alex did not frown, complain, or even beg to the Grandmaster even when his body was suppressed by 5 powerful seals at this point.


    He just stood still on his place, as if he was just casually waiting for someone.


    "Traveler Alex, you seem to not realize the trouble that you are in. Well then, if you are this stubborn, then let my hands make you know the pain of living!" The Grandmaster must have thought that Alex was frozen in shock, hence why he was not making any sound.


    This did not make the Grandmaster disappointed at all, as it instead made him even more excited on torturing Alex!


    "Hehehe Traveler Alex, as long as I don''t make you suffer, I won''t be able to calm down and regain my cool. So please, endure all the pain that I will give you! Because if you don''t, well-"


    "Oh please, Grandmaster. Do you really think that I will be suppressed by these seals alone? Come on! I know better than that!"


    "W-what?" The Grandmaster''s enthusiasm was quickly cut-off when Alex suddenly spoke to him. "What did you say, Traveler Alex?"


    "I said, these seals cannot suppress me. Just like your first seal, these seals are nothing more but tickles to me!" Alex seem to be possessed  when he said this, as his eyes began to glow menacingly from within the seals. "So don''t expect your torture to come true, for it will be just for naught!"


    "No!" As if he had realized what Alex was saying, the Grandmaster''s face contorted in anger. He took some harrowed steps backward, with the sheer frown on his face displaying his anger. "Traveler Alex, there''s no way that you can-"


    "Oh of course I can do it. If I can be free form you first seal, then I can be free from these seals too!" Alex shouted. "You look like you don''t believe it¡­ Well, since your ''intelligent'' mind can''t believe me, I might as well show it to you!"


    "No!"


    At this moment, the only Dao Soul present behind Alex was his Space-Time Dao Soul. This soul, which was formerly unaffected by the first seal, was currently suppressed by the other 5 seals.


    This made the Space-Time Dao Soul appear insignificant, but Alex''s newest move quickly changed this!


    "Hong~"


    4 new Dao Souls, all which emanated the same level of power as the Space-Time Dao Soul, appeared simultaneously behind Alex. The way that they appeared was just as fast as the Space-Time Dao Soul, which  caught the Grandmaster off-guard.


    "¡­"


    Each of these Dao Souls represent a different essence compared to each other, and their presences seem to have a tangible effect on the reality itself.


    Creation-Destruction Dao Soul.


    Light-Dark Dao Soul.


    Sin-Virtue Dao Soul.


    Fate-Will Dao Soul.


    These 4 Dao Souls exuded their might upon they appeared, and it certainly made the Grandmaster extremely nervous.


    "Hong~"


    Once these 4 Dao Souls has appeared, all the seals unleashed by the Grandmaster started to shake, as the presence of the Dao Souls has seemingly affected them.


    "Argh!" The Grandmaster naturally had noticed this, with his face now turning slightly pale as he realized what was about to happen next.


    "Young man, I tell you this right now! Cease what you are doing, and I will grant you a lesser punishment!" Like a rabid dog who had seen its victim, the Grandmaster jumped towards Alex desperately, as he appeared to be stopping Alex from what he was about to do. "I said, cease it this instant!"


    "Sorry, but I am not stopping now. I already revealed some of my Dao Souls, so why will I not use them?" Alex snarkily replied as he only stared fearlessly at the pouncing Grandmaster. "Instead of blaming me, you should blame yourself for making these seals. Who the hell told you to have seals that has the same Essence as my Dao Souls? Hah, these moves of yours are just asking me to invalidate you!"


    "No!"


    Without any further regards to the seemingly crazed Grandmaster, Alex let out a low laugh as he began saying the words that the Grandmaster was dreading to hear.


    "Now, my cute and lovely Dao Souls, it''s time for you to make your move!"


    Once Alex has given this command, all the 5 Dao Souls behind him started to make their moves.


    "Shulala~"


    All 5 Dao Souls released their Essences at once, filling the whole area with large portions of it.


    The Space-Time Dao Soul spat out loads of Time Essence from its mouth, which began to induce weird temporal effects on its surroundings.


    The Creation-Destruction Dao Soul released large amounts of Destruction Essence from its eyes, something that began to wreak havoc on the nearby objects.


    The Light-Dark Dao Soul on the other hand produced Dark Essence form its body, which did nothing but hover sinisterly above Alex.


    The Sin-Virtue Dao Soul, as expected, unleashed all the Holy Essence that it can.


    As for the Fate-Will Dao Soul, what came out of it was large amounts of Fate Essence, which surprisingly, emanated the same aura as the Astral Energy used by the Grandmaster earlier!


    All these 5 essences appeared to want to spread out of the area, but in the presence of Alex, none of them were able to move that much.


    "Woosh~"


    Alex sucked all of them like a black hole, leaving not a single speck of essence floating around. This action caused a whirlpool-like phenomena in the area, although all of it was focused on the essences alone.


    "¡­"


    In no time at all, all the released Essences were absorbed by Alex, whose pale look had already disappeared.


    Alex appeared to be extremely rejuvenated by his actions, and that much was obvious from the current state of his body.


    "Well, well, well, your frightening seals appear to have no effect on me now, Grandmaster. This must be disappointing to you." Alex said with a laugh. "Well, it''s disappointing to me too, so I guess that makes us two."


    "You!"


    Unlike his state earlier, the current Alex was nothing like the one suppressed by the 5 seals.


    Instead of hunching over like an aged man, Alex could be seen standing on his place nonchalantly once more. There are no signs of stress present on his face, and he did not even look like he was making an effort to stay stable.


    Alex just looked like¡­ he was having a comfortable day, something which is not right given the current situation!


    "Grandmaster, you know, when you first unleashed that 5 seals to me, I really thought that you have something powerful to use on me. But once I saw what those seals are, I realized that my fears were unfounded." Alex began to say while shaking his head.


    "That Entropic Pathway Seal of yours? That is a good seal to use, especially for beings that rely too much on regeneration or their powerful bodies. That can be a good seal against me, but it''s too bad for you that I had comprehended the Essence of Destruction."


    "¡­"


    "It might not look like it, but the principle of Entropy is just a distilled version of Destruction. After all, the goal of Entropy is to spread out energy and particles as much as it can over a long period of time. In order for that to be achieved, Destruction must of course happen.  So in a sense, Entropy is linked to Destruction."


    "¡­"


    "That link was what allowed me to use the Destruction Essence to be free from your Entropic Pathway."


    "¡­"


    *************


    Ever since Alex had begun explaining himself, the Grandmaster did not move away from his spot. He did not move a single muscle, much less make an attempt to attack Alex.


    The Grandmaster still appeared to be wanting to attack Alex right now, but when Alex began talking about how he became unaffected by the Grandmaster''s seals, the Grandmaster stopped to listen.


    It was as if the Grandmaster was more interested on listening to Alex, compared to tearing him to pieces.


    Alex seem to not care about this change from the Grandmaster, as he just continued to talk.


    "Now, as for your Ancestral Summons Seal, this one is good. However, it uses the power of Time, something that my Time Essence is synergized with."


    "¡­"


    "You Nether Prison is a novel idea too. The use of Nether Slavery Runes is a good tactic against anyone, but for me, that won''t work too. The power of the Nether Realm is closely linked to Darkness, something that my Dark Essence is attuned. So, sorry for your Nether Prison. With the Dark Essence flowing in my body, I will be unaffected by it."


    "¡­"


    "Out of all the seals that you used, the Celestial Edict is the one that hurt me the most. I mean, even now I can still feel the pain stinging on my skin. Luckily for me, I was able to create  a Dao Soul that has the comprehension of Holy Essence. Because of that, I am temporarily unaffected by the Celestial Edict. It''s just temporary however, so I might feel the pain and its effects later."


    "¡­"


    "Now, for your final seal, it is also powerful. However, I won''t explain how I became free of the Cosmic Descent. I have secrets related to that, which you are not allowed to know¡­"


    "¡­"


    ****************


    And with that, Alex has finished his explanation about what he did.


    "¡­"


    At this point, Alex had expected the Grandmaster to leap up and try to swipe at him, since the former had just made some of the Grandmaster''s strongest attacks become invalid.


    But even when seconds passed by, the Grandmaster stood still on his spot, with no indication of him making any move at all.


    He was just silent, as if he was not interested on even moving.


    He was just thinking¡­


    "F**king hell, did I break the Grandmaster too much, that he had even lost the will to move?" Alex thought slyly to himself as he began holding Professor Frances and Queen Mother, both who were still suppressed by the spells.


    "Shua!"


    Alex''s touch allowed him to share his immunity to them, making the two women get free from the seals too.


    "No, the Grandmaster cannot be broken just this easily. After all, I did not break his seals. I just¡­ found a way to be immune from them." Alex further thought while ignoring the stares given to him by his companions. "If I broke his seals, then the Grandmaster should really panic. But I didn''t, so he should not be this overreacting."


    "Besides, even when I am immune from the Grandmaster''s  seals now, that does not make me powerful enough to hurt him. My powers are still not enough to create an attack that can damage the Grandmaster. In my estimations, all my powers must reach Sixth Stage first before I can even think of damaging the Grandmaster¡­"


    "¡­Right now, the best that my powers can do for me is to make me immune from the Grandmaster''s spells. That, combined with my inability to hurt the Grandmaster, should make this whole battle a tie."


    "Since that''s the case, then the Grandmaster should not be upset. After all, his compatibility to me is just bad, but not bad enough to jeopardize him."


    "So why would the Grandmaster act like he had seen the end of the world now? Is there something about what I did that rattled him?"


    Alex badly wanted to discover the reason for the Grandmaster''s sudden change in behavior, as he had the feeling that it could be helpful to him.


    With that, Alex took a deep breath as he decided to wait for the Grandmaster to regain his wits.


    Alex has no more problem being hurt by the Grandmaster now, so he has no qualms about waiting. He just wished that he will not wait that long, as Alex does not like waiting.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    With the current state of Alex''s mood, he reckons that he can wait for one more hour.


    This time is already sufficiently long for Alex, and he knew that the Grandmaster will surely regain his wits during this time.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    It was at this point however, that the other Returners had arrived, essentially throwing off the waiting game that Alex plans to do.

 Chapter 599 - Meet them all!

    "Grandmaster, that was a humiliating display that you just showed. Didn''t you say that you will teach Traveler Alex a lesson? What is this then?"


    From the entourage of the Returners that arrived, one of them, who was a large, metallic, robot-like creature, spat out thdse harsh words towards the Grandmaster.


    Disappointment and dismay cold be clearly heard from the voice of the robot when it talked, which seem to make the Grandmaster more despondent.


    "Grandmaster, you came in here to teach Traveler Alex  a lesson in behalf of all the Returners, but what happened was the opposite. You just made him look more imposing while you now stand still like a defeated man. What is wrong with you?" The robot added as its arms began to whirl imposingly. "Gzt, I should have let my drones deal with this Traveler!"


    "..." In response to these words by the robot, the Grandmaster still kept his silence.


    As for Alex, he quickly frowned while tensing his body, with his mind now focused on the new arrivals.


    "This robot who just spoke¡­ must be the Overlod that everyone was talking about." Alex thought warily as his eyes roved all over the robot''s sleek metal coating and humungous arms. "Quite frankly, I thought he will look like a genuine robot, but seeing that he''s actually a robot threw me off a little."


    Now that he had seen the Overlord personally, all that Alex could feel was more pressure assaulating his body.


    Alex does not like to admit it, but just like the Great TimeMaster and the Crimson God, the Overlord was just as domineering as them.


    "Sigh, and from all the rumors that I heard I thought that the Overlord will be some kind of weird, traitourous guy. Seeing him here makes me think otherwise¡­"


    From all the rumors and investigation that Ahex made for the past 3 months, he only had a limited knowledge about the Overlord, and all of them were just hearsays from many people.


    Some of these rumors include the fact that even if he was a robot, the Overlord likes to gather women for his ''harem''. Some also say that he likes eating meat and fruits even if he''s a robot, while some radicals mention that he sometimes eat humans too.


    With that kind of rumors, it was easy for Alex to assume that the Overlord is an evil, murderous entity who likes ending innocent lives.


    But the Overlord that Alex saw right now was different. Sure, this Overlord seem to be intimidating, but with Alex''s FED sense, all that he can feel from the Overlord was a sense of loyalty and honor.


    There''s no way someone evil from the rumors can have this kind of aura¡­


    "Hmph, so this Overlord could be a good schemer. I need to take note of it¡­" Alex thought as he tried to calm his tense heart. "Now that I had seen him, I wonder how the other Returners would fare¡­"


    Upon thinking of this, Alex''s eyes moved away from the Overlord as he focused on staring at the other Returners who came in with him.


    "¡­."


    Alex took note of all their appearances and auras, which his current body was barely able to handle.


    One, two, three, and four. Aside from the Overlord and Grandmaster, there are 4 other Returners present in the area, which totals to 6 Returners.


    This number might seem incomplete, but its actually correct, given the fact that the Crimson God was dead, and that the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress were both stuck inside the Celestial Carp Continent.


    "Excluding the Crimson God, the Arcane Sorceress, and the Immortal Empress, there should be 6 remaining Returners here in the Traveler''s World. Right in front of me are 6 beings who appear to be as powerful as each other. Put those two together, and its obvious. The people standing right in front of me are the genuine Returning Travelers¡­"


    Located 5 meters away from Alex was a woman who looked as elegant as night, and who wore a green robe that covered her perfect body. Her eyes glittered like stars as her hair swayed with the wind, making her appear as ethereal.


    Time seem to move erratically around her, forcing nearby object to steer clear of her.


    This woman was undoubtedly the Great TimeMaster, and she still looked as calm as before, even when she was surrounded by the Retuerns who clearly treats her with hostility.


    Behind the Great TimeMaster was the Old Man, who appearance needs no more introductions.


    Standing further more behind the Old Man were the two remaining Returners, who just like the others, had their own unique appearances too.


    The one of the left was a feminine-looking man, whose pink sweater and baggy pants sloughed off his body as they were just too big for him. This man also wore a bright, sparkly belt that did not complement well with his large glasses and his long chain bracelet.


    Add this man''s ridiculous afro hairstyle, and he appeared to be just a man who had lost any semblance of fashion sense.


    "Ah, this man could be the Rainbow. Only someone who had flamboyant and ridiculous name like that can look like this..." With just a look at this man, Alex can see that he''s the Rainbow. After all, only someone with a name this bad can wear this atrocois clothes.


    "How the hell did this man even become a Traveler? No, the quesiotn should be: how the hell did this man even get some followers? I don''t think that anyone will have the heart to just follow him¡­"


    The world of the Travelers sure is myteriues, and even with Alex''s intelligence, the mystery on how the Rainbow managed to be this influential still slips from his grasp.


    "Ah, forget about his appearance. Even if he looks like this, the Rainbow is still a powerful being¡­."


    Standing beside the Rainbow was the final Returner, and he looks in every way just as unique as the others.


    A long, black robe which covered all the skin on his body.


    A black mask that sealed all the openings and skin on his face.


    A large sword with a handle as a cross that hung on his back.


    And a massive scythe that was protruding from his left arm.


    These are the characteristics of the final Returner, who did not move and make any sound ever since his arrival. He just remained stationary from his spot, and he did not  flinch even when the Rainbow started heckling him.


    Such kind of silence was enough to unnerve Alex, who felt that this man was the most mysterious out of all the Returners.


    "Through the process of Elimination, there is only one identity left for this man. He must be the Returner who has a body made up of Laws." Alex thought surly as he tried to make sense of the man''s attire. "Hm, he certainly looks just as myterios as the rumors say. I wonder what his real powers are.."


    Alex was not sure why, but there was just something about this final Returner that made him feel nervous. This was unlike the nervousness that he felt when fighting the Great TimeMaster or the Grandmaster.


    No, this nervousness was much more deep-set, something that Alex did not feel before.


    As for why he was feeling this, Alex cannot make sense of it now.


    "Hm, now that I remember it, this man did not have any name or title for himself." Alex thought as his eyes passed their gaze on the large scythe. He squinted upon seeing the scythe, as pinpricks of pain suddenly materialize in his head. "He was just called as the man who had a body made up of Laws, and that is definitely werid."


    "Hm, why does he not call himself by any names? Is there a secret related to that? I''m not really sure, but I think I must investigate this more¡­"


    ***************


    With his deductive reasoning perfectly confirming that the new arrivals were indeed the Returners, Alex decided to increase his alertness, as each one of them has their valid reasons to attack him.


    Of course the Great TimeMaster and the Old Man will not attack him, since they were allies from the start.


    Speaking of Old Man¡­.


    "Huh. Why does Old Man look cleaner today? Did someone clean him up before coming here?" Upon seeing that the grime and dirt present on Old Man''s face was mostly cleared up, Alex could only frown as confusion filled his head. "With how dirty the Old Man is, I doubt there''s anyone who had the guts to clean him¡­. So what is this? Just magic? Yeah, maybe it is¡­"


    "Oi Alex! How come you did not tell me about your radiing plans? I only heard it after the Custodian announced it! How could you be so heartless to not tell me?" Noticing Alex''s gaze on him, the silent Old Man began shouting at him, as if what Alex did was extremely offensive to him. "I might be lazy, but I am willing to fight when needed too, you know!"


    "Tsk, why will I call you, when I still suspect you? Besides, you reek like rotting s**t before. There''s no way that I will bring you along with my kid." Alex did not say these words aloud, as he knew this might just irk the Old Man more.


    "Oi Alex, why are you just silent? Can''t you answer my question? Come on, I''m your Odl Man, so don''t worry!"


    "Old Man, I doubt Alex is in any mood to speak today. He just fought a hard fight, so he needs to rest." The Great TimeMaster interjected, whiel giving the Old Man a condescendting stare. "Just like how your servants faced a challenge on cleaing you, Alex had a hard time resisting the Grandmaster''s seal. So just give him some slack and let him rest."


    "Why you-"


    "Um Great TImeMaster, I''m not really that tired. I just consumed little of my power, so I''m still near my peak condition." Realizing that the two Returners were about to argue, Alex quickly talked in order to stop them. "And Great TimeMsater, I think you should not tease Old Man about his condition. You never know, he must be always dirty because he''s doing something important."


    "Oh Alex, you really never know this Old Man. You think he''s dirty because he''s forced to be dirty? Sigh, this man is just lazy, period." The Great TimeMaster replied with a sigh. She even shook her head with a pitying expression while saying this, as if she was piyting Alex for his naivety. "If you were not just his prot¨¦g¨¦, I would have adviced you to stay way from the Old Man, Alex. But since you''re his prot¨¦g¨¦, I can only wish you luck on staying with him.''


    "Hey!"


    "Alex, instead of bickering with this Old Man, why don''t we just head inside the Roaming Inn already? Since all of us are here, it''s the perfect time to meet the Custodian¡­" Ignoring the Old Man who was actually flushed red from anger, the Great TiemMaster coolly said these words, with her eyes sweeping all over the other Returners. "If we stay outside here for longer, some unnecessary fight might happen."


    "''Y-eah, I think we should really head in." Since there''s nothing else to do outside, Alex found himself agreeing with the Great TimeMaster. "Wait, but how about the Grandmaster? He''s still in shock. What do we do about him? Should I slap him awake?"


    "There is no need for that, human. Let''s just bring this man with us. With his current state, it will be only him who can wake himself up." The Overlord roughly said, with his grating voice making his words sound much harsher. "I shall bring him with me, so go on with your business and ighnore him."


    "¡­Ok, if that''s what you say, Overlord."


    "Don''t call me Overlord. Call me THE OVERLORD."


    "Um, what''s the difference of the two?"


    "Pitiful human, even when you''re a rare talent, your intellgince is just comparable to a rock. How were you able to come here in that kind of mentality?"


    "I don''t know, Overlord. Maybe you should ask-"


    "Call me THE OVERLORD, not just Overlord! How many times do you have to listen to me, huh? Are you really stupid or what?"


    "¡­"


    "Yo yo yo, Grandmaster. What''s with your ashen expression? Are you bummed that you were offed by Traveler Alex? Too bad that happened to you. Do you want some  hugs?"


    Behidn Overlord, a flamboyant man began to spoke up, with his loud voice overpowering all the sound in the area.

 Chapter 600 - Dont stare like that! Its making me feel awkward!

    [[[AUTHOR''S NOTE: There has been a slight mistake at the ending of the previous chapter, so I had to edit if. If you''re reading this, please go back to the end of the previous chapter to see the proper ending.]]]


    3 MINUTES LATER.


    As if the Great TimeMaster''s words were a powerful message, all the Returners, including Alex began to enter the confines of the Roaming Inn.


    All their auras were restrained as they entered, as if they were not interested on making a ruckus inside the Inn.


    Even the previously twitchy Old Man was silent too, and he only looked calm as he walked.


    As for the Grandmaster, he was still shell-shocked up to this point, and the only reason that he was able to move was because of Overlord personally carrying him.


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The whole walk by the Returners was so silent at this point, that Alex began feeling uncomfortable, as if he was caught up in some kind of strange ritual.


    He wanted to make a comment about this, but after seeing the solemn look on the Great TimeMaster''s face, Alex wisely chose to shut his mouth.


    "I never noticed it, but these Returners seem to be respectful of Teacher Kuro. Well, since Teacher Kuro is the Custodian, and she was also the holder of the Key of Laws, she can be considered as the top dog in this world." Alex thought. "With that kind of power, there is no way that even the Returners can make trouble here¡­"


    "After all, the Returners in this world has not yet Transcended the Laws, so they are still vulnerable against any actions that Teacher Kuro will do. Because of that, they have to be careful. Speaking of being careful, even I have to be careful of Teacher Kuro too."


    This thought did not really sit with Alex that well, as he remembered how carefree and devious Teacher Kuro was back in the Four Moons World.


    "Sigh, why is this black fairy the Custodian of the Traveler''s World anyway? They could have just chosen a different person! Tsk, is this the power of bureaucracy making its appearance? Yeah, that could be the case. Teacher Kuro does not look like  a reliable person after all¡­"


    "At most, Teacher Kuro is just a more mature version of Asteria, one who is good at holding her emotions. Oh, and Teacher Kuro could be a little wiser compared to Asteria."


    "Well, both of them are fairies, so I guess their intelligence and attitude could be similar¡­"


    "Wait, are all fairies and pixies like Asteria and Teacher Kuro? If that''s the case, then I pity those who meet them."


    "Sigh, and now I really want to get a better Guide. Tsk, why can''t I just get rid of Asteria? Maybe Teacher Kuro will be a better Guide for me..."


    Alex''s colorful mind has more interesting thoughts about Teacher Kuro herself, which he began to entertain at this point. However, before he could fully enjoy them, the topic of his thoughts has decided to make her presence known at this moment.


    "Hoho! I welcome you Returners to my magnificent place! Haha! I''m so happy to see you all!" Teacher Kuro, whose black wings and perfect ebony dress flowed gracefully as she flew, gave out this cordial greetings upon the Returners. "Did all of you come here? Hmm, let me count your bodie- I mean, your numbers."


    "¡­"


    "Okay, okay, one two three¡­"


    Her body might be small, but her voice was certainly loud, that Alex has to cover his ears from its intensity. The other Returners covered their ears too, except for the Great TimeMaster who just shook her head with exasperation.


    "Let''s see, let''s see, so there''s the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Excaliber, Magnificent Dude, and that man made up of Laws. Oh, I can also see Old Man. Ugh, you still stink like hell, even when you look clean. Oh, the Great TimeMaster is here too! Congratulations for your successful raid! As well as you, Traveler Alex! Your devious actions there has been caught by my eyes!"


    "¡­"


    Teacher Kuro did not act with any restraint at her sudden appearance, as she just treated Alex and the others like they were just casual guests. Even the way that she greeted them was so casual, that she made it appear that they will just have a simple sleepover.


    "Hmm, the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceress are not here? Oh well, with their current conditions, they cannot really come here." Teacher Kuro muttered nonchalantly. "Speaking of conditions, I wonder what made the Grandmaster act like this? Do you have any idea, Overlord?"


    The Overlord was eerily silent ever since he entered the inn, but when Teacher Kuro singled him out of the crowd, this robot began to frown, although he made sure to answer the black fairy''s question.


    "I have no idea, esteemed Custodian. Perhaps his perfectionist attitude made him freeze, as he realized that his seals were ineffective against Traveler Alex." The Overlord said, with his tone amazingly flat for each words. "Or his mind might have been hit by an unseen psychic attack."


    "Oh well, those two choices sound bad, but I guess the Grandmaster can recover quickly, no matter what really happened to him." There was a slight expression of mockery on the eyes of Teacher Kuro as she said this, but Alex might have mistaken seeing it. "Just, bring him with you Overlord. Don''t leave him anywhere like trash."


    "Your command shall be followed, esteemed Custodian." The Overlord seemed to have become docile, as it just followed Teacher Kuro''s command without any resistance. "Will placing him over my shoulder be fine?"


    "You can put him wherever you want, Overlord. Just don''t use him as a bat or something."


    "Acknowledged, esteemed Custodian."


    "Good!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Ehem, now that we are done with the greetings, I guess it''s time for you to see what you really came here for¡­." Like a music player changing its tracks, the cheerfulness from Teacher Kuro disappeared, as it was now replaced by solemnity.


    "Returners and Traveler Alex, you''re here to look for the corpse of the Crimson God, right? Well, you''re in luck as his body is still in good shape. If you can call being headless a good shape, that is." Teacher Kuro said with a hint of dark humor in her loud voice. "Well, even if he still had his head, I doubt that the Crimson God can stay alive. His body was dyed CRIMSON from his wounds after all. Not even he can survive that much blood loss¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Um, why are you staring at me like that, Returners? Something wrong with what I said?"


    "¡­"


    "Oh I see, so my joke is not funny enough for you all. Hmm, maybe I should research for better joke materials and punchlines¡­"


    "¡­"


    "O-oh right, we''re not here to talk about my jokes. W-we''re here because of the Crimson God. Right, we''re here because of that! Ok, so um¡­ just enter my room and you will see his corpse. Once inside, you can do whatever you want with him. But don''t you ever destroy his body! I need it for my colle- for my evidence room!"

 Chapter 601 - Drone and Autopsy

    A FEW SECONDS LATER.


    With nobody finding an initiative to make a small talk, Alex sighed, as he knew that nobody had time for idle talks anymore. All of them are now raring to see the dead Crimson God, and not even the corny jokes of Teacher Kuro can stop them.


    "Creak¡­"


    With a small push by his hands, Alex took the initiative to open the door to Teacher Kuro''s room.


    To his surprise, it did not take him that much to open the door. It was just a normal door, with nothing enchanted or magil laced in it.


    "Wait, why am I even thinking of magic at this point? It''s not like Teacher Kuro will make things difficult for us..." Alex mused as he moved his left foot, planting it squarely inside Teacher Kuro''s room.


    "Thud."


    Behind Alex, his companions Queen Mother and Professor Frances followed, both who were full of tension. It''s understandable, since they have been just under assault by the Grandmaster.


    Alex did not talk to them as of now, as his attention was more on the place that he was in.


    "¡­."


    Unlike what Alex had expected, Teacher Kuro''s room did not look like something that a weird and boastful person like her would own.


    There are no fancy furniture around, nor goth-like decorations hanging from the ceiling.


    The only objects present inside her room were normal furniture, those that are here only for practical use.


    There''s a large bed, presumably for sleeping, and there''s also a small kitchen, with chairs and tables to boot. Curtains idly hung in front of the windows while small lights attached to the ceiling let out modest amount of light, making the whole room feel more like a simple home rather than an expensive apartment.


    "Hoh, I never pegged Teacher Kuro to be a simple person. I thought she will just be as weird as Asteria. I guess my predictions sometimes can be mistaken too¡­" Alex muttered, while slightly relaxing his tense body.


    If the only objects inside Teacher Kuro''s room were her simple furniture, then Alex could have really relaxed entirely. But there are two notable objects inside her room that did not allow Alex to fully relax, both which displayed themselves in a silent manner.


    There was a large robot standing in a corner, whose large, metallic body loomed all over the room like a menacing guardian. It has arms and legs as thick as a tree, and a small head comparable to that of a human''s.


    A symbol, reminiscent of that of a moon, could be seen engraved on the robot''s chest. This symbol did make the robot appear intimidating, although it was not the only thing that made it look dangerous.


    This robot was actually larger than the Overlord himself, and its size was twice compared to the latter.


    With such kind of size discrepancy, even the calm Alex could not help but gulp.


    "I give my utmost greetings to you, Drone Emperor. I hope my stay here does not offend you." At the sight of this robot, the imposing Overlord acted meeker as he gave this ''polite'' greetings to it.  The Overlord even kneeled on the floor as he said this, which made his submissive attitude much more pronounced.


    "Great Drone Emperor, if there''s something that is displeasing you today, I hope to know it. That way, I can find more ways to ''please'' you¡­"


    "Ki¡­ ki." The robot did not seem interested with what Overlord was saying, but it still coughed out this undecipherable words to him. "Ki¡­ ki ki! Ki!"


    "Oh, I see, Great Drone Emperor. I will take your words to heart."


    "Ki, ki. Ki!


    "Oh, oh, oh. Is that what you want, Drone Emperor? I don''t know if I can do that, but¡­"


    "Ki."


    "I-I see, Drone Emperor. I will try my best to uphold your wishes."


    "Ki¡­"


    Before Alex could know it, the Overlord and the robot, which was called as the Drone Emperor, began to have a conversation that Alex had no way of understanding.


    Between the Drone Emperor''s indecipherable ''ki'' words, and the Overlord''s submissive stance, all that Alex can do is stare at confusion as he watched them.


    The other Returners began to look at the conversation with interest too, as they realized that something interesting was undergoing in front of their eyes.


    But while Alex and the Returners seem to be patient enough to watch a conversation that they do not understand, there was someone in the room who treated the conversation between the robots as nothing but a nuisance.


    "Hey, Kibou! Didn''t I tell you to stay outside my room? Your presence here just makes the room stuffed! Come on, get out already!" Teacher Kuro, who had surprisingly worn a white lab coat, bellowed out these angry words towards the Drone Emperor himself.


    There was no hint of respect or awe in her voice as she talked to the Drone Emperor, making the Overlord bristle in obvious anger.


    "Ki? Ki¡­ ki!"


    "I don''t care about your talks with the Overlord. If you want to do that with him, then you can talk about that later. But for now, it is my time to shine, so don''t use your presence to steal my spotlight! So go, Kibou, and leave first! I will call you back once I''m done."


    "Ki? Ki!"


    "Tsk, if you don''t go, I will limit your allowance for the next month. Do you want me to do that?


    "Ki! Kik ki!"


    "Hmph, if you want your full money safe, then listen to me! Now, go out and wait!"


    "KI¡­."


    The Drone Emperor, whose almighty status was made obvious by the Overlord, was now cowering and cringing from each of the fairy''s words. This reaction made it seem as if the Drone Emperor was acting like a little kid in front of Teacher Kuro, and that he has no plans of fighting back.


    This was confirmed when the Drone Emperor actually left the room, with the Overlord following him.


    "¡­"


    The Drone Emperor''s departure was so abrupt and fast, that Alex was amazed on how obedient he was.


    It was as if the Drone Emperor was a fully-trained lion, one who did not even have a courage to attack Teacher Kuro.


    Such thought made Alex shake his head inwardly, as he realized that Teacher Kuro is really just another version of Asteria.


    **************


    "Okay, what was that?" Alex asked Teacher Kuro, with his voice carefully molded to sound both curious and respectful. "If my eyes are right, you just handled a Transcendent Being with ease. I did not know you could do that, esteemed Custodian."


    "Hmph, even if he''s the esteemed Drone Emperor, one of the rare members of the machine race who had managed to Transcend, in my eyes he''s still my shy and nervous student. So don''t expect to use him against me." In face of Alex''s question, Teacher Kuro only snorted as she flipped her hair. "Out of all the people in this world, the only one that he''s scared of is me and Asteria. So even if you bribe him to fight me, that will just fail¡­"


    "Uh, I never thought of bribing the Drone Emperor¡­"


    Shut it, Traveler Alex. I was just stating my opinion, so what''s your problem with that?" As if she was stung by Alex''s words, Teacher Kuro gave Alex a sharp glare, one that was enough to freeze him on his tracks. "Oh, speaking of Asteria, why did she not join with you? Isn''t she your Guide?"


    "Um, about Asteria, she said she''s not feeling well, so she can''t go."


    "Tsk, typical of Asteria. She''s always a slacker, that lazy one! Tsk, I really should have disciplined her before her graduation!" At the mention of Asteria''s name, Teacher Kuro seemed to be incensed, and the nearby Alex could feel her anger. "Sigh, if that slacker really keeps this up, she will face a deduction from her salary. Wait, why should I wait for Asteria to slip up? I can just deduct her salary right now! Hahaha, that will teach that dumb fairy a lesson!"


    "I don''t usually sympathize with Asteria, but this time is one of them¡­" Alex thought as he inwardly shook his head. He also took a few steps backwards away from Teacher Kuro, who was now cackling like a madman.


    "Okay, so with Teacher Kuro''s words, the robot was forced to leave the room. That only leaves me, my companions, Teacher Kuro, and the other Returners inside the room. No, there''s still someone else in the room. Or more specifically, ''something''¡­"


    Earlier, Alex had noticed two objects inside the room that got his attention.


    One was the Drone Emperor, who was fortunately chased away by Teacher Kuro.


    As for the second one, it was a dead body which could be currently seen right on top of Teacher Kuro''s bed.


    "¡­"


    Alex''s attention was piqued by this dead body, as he quickly recognized who the owner of this dead body was.


    It was of course the Crimson God.


    "Hah, I always imagined ending the Crimson God''s life by my own hands, but seeing his corpse here¡­ does not make me really happy at all." After seeing this dead body, all that Alex could think was the Crimson God''s arrogant attitude and domineering body.


    Remembering those things made Alex feel slightly disconnected from reality, as he found it hard to believe that someone like the Crimson God can die this quickly.


    "¡­"


    At that moment, the whole room was plunged in silence once more, as the other Returners began to see the Crimson God''s corpse too.


    Just like Alex, they all seem to be in disbelief from what they had seen, as if the body they are seeing was just an illusion.


    It became so silent to the point that the loudest sound in the room was the flapping sounds of Teacher Kuro''s tiny wings.


    "So he was decapitated in an instant,  and  once his head was gone, all of his blood and vitality were sucked away from his neck. Tsk, the Crimson God seem to have died in a hard way." While the Returners and Alex were all silenced by what they saw, Professor Frances acted otherwise, as she began observing the Crimson God immediately.


    Professor Frances did not seem bothered on touching the corpse of a Half-Step Transcendent Being, as her hands roamed all over his muscular body without any hesitation.


    She even moved his joints, as if she was trying to see their mobility.


    "Hmm¡­. So the Crimson God did try to defend himself from the killer. His left elbow shows some signs of strain, so it''s most likely that the Crimson God used his left arm to block the attack." Like a professor giving a lecture on a class, Professor Frances began spitting out facts from her mouth.


    "And there''s some wounds on his hands too. Hmm, he could have gotten this from the impact of the attack of his killer. If that''s true, then the attack used by the killer is a purely powerful physical attack."


    "Oh, and his heart has some signs of damage on them too. This must be caused by sudden fear¡­."


    "And his lungs were constricted. Poor guy, he must have been screaming for his life when he died¡­"


    Professor Frances'' actions should have been enough to make someone angry at her, but surprisingly, none of the Returners present made a move against her.


    All of them just watched the professor as she did her work, as if they were eager to hear her words. Some of the Returners even appeared impressed with what she was doing.


    "Hmm¡­ so the evidences say that the Crimson God was killed in one swift, powerful attack. I can agree with that. But how was his blood and vitality drained this much? I guess I just have to observe his neck¡­"


    "Splat!" At that moment, Professor Frances plunged both of her hands inside the Crimson God''s neck, with the entirety of her arms buried deeply. Only her shoulders were visible at this point, as all of Professor Frances'' arms were ''deep in work'' inside the Crimson God''s neck.


    What remained of the Crimson God''s blood splattered on the professor face, making her look more harrowing compared to before.


    "Hohoho, the Crimson God might be a Half-Step Transcendent Being, but his neck and chest cavity are still comparable to a human. Interesting¡­ does this tell me something about his power? I guess so¡­"

 Chapter 602 - Taal Volcano Eruption

    So yeah, this volcano''s erupting today, so I can''t  post my 2nd chap.


    I will resume posting tomorrow.


    Please pray for everyone in the Philippines!


    *******


    4f 6e 20 4a 75 6c 79 20 31 36 2c 20 31 39 39 30 2c 20 61 20 6d 61 67 6e 69 74 75 64 65 20 37 2e 38 20 65 61 72 74 68 71 75 61 6b 65 20 28 63 6f 6d 70 61 72 61 62 6c 65 20 69 6e 20 73 69 7a 65 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 67 72 65 61 74 20 31 39 30 36 20 53 61 6e 20 46 72 61 6e 63 69 73 63 6f 2c 20 43 61 6c 69 66 6f 72 6e 69 61 2c 20 65 61 72 74 68 71 75 61 6b 65 29 20 73 74 72 75 63 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 36 30 20 6d 69 6c 65 73 20 20 6e 6f 72 74 68 65 61 73 74 20 6f 66 20 4d 6f 75 6e 74 20 50 69 6e 61 74 75 62 6f 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 69 73 6c 61 6e 64 20 6f 66 20 4c 75 7a 6f 6e 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 50 68 69 6c 69 70 70 69 6e 65 73 2c 20 73 68 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 64 20 73 71 75 65 65 7a 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 45 61 72 74 68 27 73 20 63 72 75 73 74 20 62 65 6e 65 61 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 6c 63 61 6e 6f 2e 20 41 74 20 4d 6f 75 6e 74 20 50 69 6e 61 74 75 62 6f 2c 20 74 68 69 73 20 6d 61 6a 6f 72 20 65 61 72 74 68 71 75 61 6b 65 20 63 61 75 73 65 64 20 61 20 6c 61 6e 64 73 6c 69 64 65 2c 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6c 6f 63 61 6c 20 65 61 72 74 68 71 75 61 6b 65 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 61 20 73 68 6f 72 74 2d 6c 69 76 65 64 20 69 6e 63 72 65 61 73 65 20 69 6e 20 73 74 65 61 6d 20 65 6d 69 73 73 69 6f 6e 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 61 20 70 72 65 65 78 69 73 74 69 6e 67 20 67 65 6f 74 68 65 72 6d 61 6c 20 61 72 65 61 2c 20 62 75 74 20 6f 74 68 65 72 77 69 73 65 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 6c 63 61 6e 6f 20 73 65 65 6d 65 64 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 63 6f 6e 74 69 6e 75 69 6e 67 20 69 74 73 20 35 30 30 2d 79 65 61 72 2d 6f 6c 64 20 73 6c 75 6d 62 65 72 20 75 6e 64 69 73 74 75 72 62 65 64 2e 20 49 6e 20 4d 61 72 63 68 20 61 6e 64 20 41 70 72 69 6c 20 31 39 39 31 2c 20 68 6f 77 65 76 65 72 2c 20 6d 6f 6c 74 65 6e 20 72 6f 63 6b 20 28 6d 61 67 6d 61 29 20 72 69 73 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 77 61 72 64 20 74 68 65 20 73 75 72 66 61 63 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 68 61 6e 20 32 30 20 6d 69 6c 65 73 20 28 33 32 20 6b 69 6c 6f 6d 65 74 65 72 73 29 20 62 65 6e 65 61 74 68 20 50 69 6e 61 74 75 62 6f 20 74 72 69 67 67 65 72 65 64 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 65 61 72 74 68 71 75 61 6b 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 63 61 75 73 65 64 20 70 6f 77 65 72 66 75 6c 20 73 74 65 61 6d 20 65 78 70 6c 6f 73 69 6f 6e 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 62 6c 61 73 74 65 64 20 74 68 72 65 65 20 63 72 61 74 65 72 73 20 6f 6e 20 74 68 65 20 6e 6f 72 74 68 20 66 6c 61 6e 6b 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 6c 63 61 6e 6f 2e 20 54 68 6f 75 73 61 6e 64 73 20 6f 66 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 65 61 72 74 68 71 75 61 6b 65 73 20 6f 63 63 75 72 72 65 64 20 62 65 6e 65 61 74 68 20 50 69 6e 61 74 75 62 6f 20 74 68 72 6f 75 67 68 20 41 70 72 69 6c 2c 20 4d 61 79 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 65 61 72 6c 79 20 4a 75 6e 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 74 68 6f 75 73 61 6e 64 20 74 6f 6e 73 20 6f 66 20 6e 6f 78 69 6f 75 73 20 73 75 6c 66 75 72 20 64 69 6f 78 69 64 65 20 67 61 73 20 77 65 72 65 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 65 6d 69 74 74 65 64 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20 76 6f 6c 63 61 6e 6f 2e

 Chapter 603 - Enemy!!!

    If Alex could have done it, he would have already used his powers and advanced senses to scan and observe each part of the Crimson God''s body.


    However, due to the fact that the Crimson God''s body was still filled with power, Alex found his scanning prowess unable to observe his corpse.


    This same case seems to have applied to the other Returners too, hence their inability to make a proper judgement.


    Because of that, the only way that the Crimson God can be observed was through manual observations.


    That means one must touch and prod the Crimson God directly if they want to know more about his body.


    That should have been a bad news for Alex and the Returners, as it seemed that none of them had the enough medical and biological expertise to conduct a proper autopsy.


    But fortunately for them, there was someone in Alex''s group that had this needed criterion.


    ********


    "Squelch squelch squelch¡­"


    Squelching sounds filled the room as Professor Frances proceeded on applying all of her knowledge upon the corpse of the Crimson God.


    She continued prodding her hands inside the Crimson God''s Body while giving out comments, something that the Returners and Alex all took note.


    "All parts of the Crimson God''s chest and torso appear normal. Only his neck cavity and all the areas near his neck have shown signs of slight damage."


    "The cut that I can see on his neck is clean. So clean, that only a diamond cutter can make this kind of cut."


    "Oh, and basing from the striations that I can see on his wound, the decapitation of the Crimson God happened instantly."


    "I can also see some signs of swelling on the arteries inside Crimson God''s neck. That is an indication that there had been a massive fluid build-up here on his neck. The only reason that could happen is if all his blood passed through these arteries."


    "That means that the Crimson God''s blood and vitality was drained through his neck wound, specifically after his decapitation. As for how it was done, some kind of magic or technological method is enough to suck all those blood¡­"


    Each words that Professor Frances had uttered sounded both professional and casual at the same time, exemplifying her expertise on what she was doing. The expression on her eyes also stayed the same even when guts was splashing on her, further solidifying her persona.


    "Of course, of course, Professor  Frances will be the one inspecting the Crimson God''s corpse. After all, she seems to be the only one excited about this¡­." Alex thought wryly as he kept himself quiet. "Hm, is it the right decision to bring her here? Well, since the other Returners are not interested on stopping her, I guess I just have to let Professor Frances work¡­"


    It was at this point that Professor Frances pulled out her hands, all filled with bright spots that clung on her skin. She shook them on a nearby water faucet, making the whole sink turn red.


    Once she was done washing her hands, Professor Frances let out a loud sigh.


    She then looked at the crowd of Returners in front of her, all who stared at her expectantly. They seem to be expecting her to say something important right now, a sentiment that Alex also shared.


    Upon seeing this, Professor Frances gave a fleeting glance to Alex, who nodded back as if to confirm her unspoken question.


    This response prompted another sigh from Professor Frances, although this time, she only went silent for a few more seconds before she began talking again.


    "Ehem, so all in all, I have a few comments about the Crimson God. These comments might surprise you, so please keep a straight mind while listening to me." Professor Frances muttered. "So, the first thing that I realized here was that the Crimson God was killed way too easily. I mean, just look at the way that he was decapitated."


    "If it was a normal person that was decapitated, the wound on that person''s neck will be jagged, since beheading someone with a sharp weapon will face obstacles. There are muscles and bones insdie someone''s neck, and if a sword passed through that, that sword is bound to deviate a little."


    "In the case of Crimson God, since his bones and muscles are supposed to be extremely tough, his beheading wound should be jagged too. But from my observations, his beheading wound was so smooth!"


    "What does that mean? That means that whoever decapitated the Crimson God was so powerful that his cutting weapon was able to ignore the toughness of the Crimson God''s body!"


    "¡­." Nobody from the Returners argued against what Professor Frances said, as they found her logic proper. Also, they were silent as they became worried by the implications of her words.


    If what Professor Frances said was indeed right, then there is someone in this world who had managed to kill the Crimson God  without any difficulty.


    That is enough to worry anyone, as a person who can easily kill the Crimson God this way is surely frighteningly powerful!


    "Hey Professor Frances, have you identified the weapon used against the Crimson God? Surely you have some observations about that¡­." As he tried his best to remain calm, Alex chose this moment to question Professor Frances. The question that he gave was of course intended to make her explain more. "So, did you see something?"


    "Oh, I did not see anything that can tell me the weapon used on the Crimson God." The professor quickly answered. "There are just no traces of it."


    "What? But-"


    "A murderer who uses an object to kill someone will always leave traces of his/her weapon on the victim''s body. A gun will leave gunpowder traces, while a sword will leave some particles of it on the victim''s wound." Professor Frances intoned loudly, interrupting Alex''s outburst. "In the case of the Crimson God, the weapon used on him should have left traces on his wound. But there are no traces of any weapons on his neck."


    "No traces of weapons? That''s weird." Behind Alex, the Great TimeMaster frowned, as if she found Professor Frances'' words doubtful. "Are you absolutely sure that you saw nothing, Frances?"


    "As I said, there''s none." Professor Frances replied offhandedly. "If you doubt my words, Great TimeMaster, why don''t you use your time shenanigans power to observe the Crimson God? Surely you will know the weapon used on him. Or better yet, use your power to view the past. That way, you can see who really killed the Crimson God."


    After saying this, Professor Frances tilted her head a little as she regarded the Great TimeMaster with a curious look. "Wait¡­ you can do that, right, Great TimeMaster?"


    "I have tried that earlier, Frances, but it did not work." The Great TimeMaster retorted while shaking her head. "No matter what power I tried to use to see the past, something is preventing me to see how the Crimson God was killed. It''s like there is some kind of power that does not permit me to see it, and its powerful enough to thwart all my attempts."


    "!!!" Upon hearing what the Great TimeMaster said, all the Returners began to recoil as they realized the meaning behind her words.


    If even the Great TimeMaster, the being closest to Transcendence, was prevented from viewing how the Crimson God was killed, then the killer must be someone whose manipulation of laws was even more advanced than the Great TimeMaster herself!


    The Great TimeMaster was already this domineering, and it turns out that there''s actually someone who''s potentially more powerful than her?


    Even Alex who was the Great TimeMaster''s ally was not happy about learning this, as the fact that someone much more powerful than the Great TimeMaster exists is a bad news to everyone.


    "T-that strong? Holy hell, if that''s true, then the one who killed the Crimson God must be really powerful¡­." Alex thought with worry inside his mind. "Argh! Why did the Great TimeMaster just told this to us now? If she told this to us earlier, we could have prepared countermeasures!"


    Right now, the tension in Alex''s body has reached peak levels, as he now felt a little insecure of his surroundings.


    Someone who can kill the Crimson God silently and be undetected by anyone is an enemy that can strike Alex anytime that it wanted to. All that it takes was for this enemy to take interest on Alex, and once that occurs, it could be game over for him.


    After all, if even the powerful  Crimson God was easily killed by this enemy, then Alex will also be in the same danger if he''s targeted by the enemy!


    "Tsk, I don''t know why, but I am now regretting staying on this place. I feel like there''s a trap waiting in here." With the words of Professor Frances and Great TimeMaster enlightening him, Alex had realized what he should do next.


    Alex had to leave already, as there is a chance that a trap could be waiting for them here!


    "Professor Frances and Queen Mother, come here with me. We''re leaving already." Once he had made this decision, Alex did not hesitate to act upon it. He quickly grabbed the hands of Queen Mother and Professor Frances, both who were surprised with his sudden change.


    "Alex, what are you-"


    "Alex, what is this? Why are we-"


    "I don''t give a f**k about this place anymore. Since you have already autopsied the Crimson God, it''s time for us to leave!" Like a man who is desperate to leave his unpaid order, Alex began pulling the two women with him as he hastened his steps.


    All of Alex''s movements appeared to be jerky and in rush, showing how much he wanted to leave.


    "You can tell me all that you know about the Crimson God later, Professor Frances. But for now, it is time for us to leave." Alex did not wait to hear about the complaints of his two companions as he just tightened his grip on them.


    "But-"


    "But-"


    "If you don''t want to live anymore, then just stay here.  As for me, I will really leave, since it''s the safest option here." Alex added. "I mean, look at the other Returners. Even they are leaving already."


    "Eh?"


    True to Alex''s words, the other Returners also showed signs of leaving, with the Great TimeMaster already gone from the room.


    Only the Grandmaster stayed on his spot, with his dazed expression still not gone from his face.


    "The other Returners already realized that this place is no good, hence they''re leaving. Because of that, we''re leaving too." With the actions shown by the Returners, Alex already obtained what he needed to convince his companions. "Come on, let''s go."


    "¡­."


    Left with no choice but to follow him, Professor Frances and Queen Mother could only stay silent as they followed the departing Alex.


    But before they could go through the door, an abrupt change had forced them to stop.


    "Arghhhh!!!!" With a shout comparable to that of a tortured man, the previously silent Grandmaster let out a shout full of agony. Both of his eyes popped like they were about to fly out of his body, while countless veins bulged on his neck.


    His face which was dazed earlier now held an agonized expression on it, as if he was experiencing the greatest pain the world.


    "Argh... ah... argh!!!"


    The Grandmaster looked like he was being tortured greatly right now, and he seem to have no way to stop it. The only action that he''s doing was his clutching of his neck, something that did not help his situation.


    "Argh!!!"

 Chapter 604 - Its the Killer!

    With the other Returners already making their departure, the only ones who witnessed the Grandmaster''s plight was Alex, Queen Mother, Professor Frances, and Teacher Kuro.


    Except for Teacher Kuro, Alex and his companions all  stared at the Grandmaster with slight surprise, as they seem to not expect what they were seeing.


    "Alex, w-what is happening to him?" Professor Frances croaked out as her beady eyes widened from the torturous sight in front of her. "Why is-"


    "Professor Frances, just like what I said earlier, we will already leave! If you want your questions answered, just ask those once we''re back to our home base!" Alex ignored the question asked by the professor as he began kicking the door out of his way. "Tsk, as expected, this place is a trap!"


    Without waiting for any reply from the two, Alex continued pulling them away, this time for good.


    "¡­." Both Queen Mother and Professor gave no resistance at Alex at this point, as both realized from the Grandmaster''s plight that the situation was indeed bad.


    However, their compliance did not make them less doubtful of the situation.


    Instead, Alex''s actions just filled their minds with more questions.


    Why would Alex suddenly leave this place when he realized that the Crimson God was sneaked attack by a much more powerful person? With the amount of Returners present here earlier, shouldn''t this place be safe enough?


    If Alex and the other Returners banded together inside the room, there should be no problems against someone sneak attacking them. But instead of doing that, all of them actually decided to leave!


    And Alex did the same thing too, which infuriates his companions!


    "I know that you two are confused. But just as I said, now is not the time to explain things." As if the doubts on their faces were obvious, Alex was forced to explain himself to the two women again. "We need to be in a safe place first before we discuss everything. So for now, please just keep quiet, ok?"


    "¡­."


    "Oh, you''re leaving already? That''s too bad, hooman. And here I thought you would want to watch what happens to the Grandmaster¡­" Unlike Queen Mother and Professor Frances, who were both worried by the turn of the situation, Teacher Kuro did not look anything like worried.


    Instead, Teacher Kuro seemed to be like her same self  earlier, with her hands crossed casually and her aura relaxed.


    Even in the presence of the tortured Grandmaster, Teacher Kuro did not flinch even by a single bit. She did not do anything or even react upon seeing the Grandmaster''s swelling head, and the panic expected from her did not appear.


    She just floated on her spot nonchalantly, with her bored face showing that she was treating the whole situation like it''s just a casual moment.


    It was as if she was not surprised with what she had seen, something that made Alex feel suspicious of her.


    "Teacher Kuro, you seem to know something about  the Crimson God''s death and on what is happening to the Grandmaster. Care to tell it to us?" Alex suddenly asked, with his head now poking out of the door. "You know, I really hate it when someone does not tell the whole truth to me. So please, just tell it to me. Oh, and don''t try denying yourself. It''s obvious from your actions that you know the cause of the Grandmaster''s sufferings¡­"


    "¡­You really are intelligent, just like what Asteria said in her reports. If you were just working under me, then both of us could have achieved a lot of things together¡­" Teacher Kuro''s expression stayed neutral even in face of Alex''s accusations, making it seem as if she had expected this too. "But even if I am impressed with you, Alex, I cannot tell you what you want to hear. If I tell you, everything will be boring already."


    "Hah? What nonsense is that?"


    "Well, I am the Custodian, so whatever I want to say will happen. As for what I don''t'' want to say, nobody present here can make me say it. And that includes this incident¡­" Teacher Kuro said with a giggle. "So if I were you, I would just do what I am supposed to do¡­."


    "Tsk, what a pesky fairy. If you are adamant on hiding the details about this, then fine! Suit yourself!" Alex appeared to be trying to rein his temper in as he gave this reply, which made him look like someone who ate a whole sour lemon. "But remember this! Once I am done investigating, I will make you reimburse me for your actions here!"


    "Reimburse? What a big word, Alex. I hope you have enough power to do that."


    "Tsk, just you wait!"


    This time, Alex did not let himself be stopped by any more distractions. At the very moment that he gave his parting words to Teacher Kuro, he began to resume his attempt to leave the room.


    He already ignored the suffering Grandmaster on his side, as he focused on getting himself out as fast as possible.


    But for the third time this day, Alex''s actions were interrupted once more.


    "Splat!"


    With a sound comparable to that of a popped balloon, the Grandmaster''s head suddenly burst open, spraying his blood and organic matter inside the room.


    The bed, the ceiling, the walls, and all the other furniture was covered by the blast, instantly turning the whole room into a blood-stained place.


    Alex and his companions were not spared too, with their bodies instantly getting drenched by the Grandmaster''s burst blood.


    As for Teacher Kuro, she used her dodging skills to avoid the blood, leaving her clothes and body pristine clean.


    "...."


    Once his destroyed head had done its job, what remained of the Grandmaster, which was obviously his headless body, started to fall down like a puppet with its strings cut.


    "Spurt spurts spurt¡­"


    Blood continued to trickle out of the Grandmaster''s twitching body even when it''s already on the floor, which turned the floor into a darker shade of red.


    "¡­."


    Nothing else noteworthy happened after that, as Alex and the others were left silent while they stared at the now cold corpse of the Grandmaster.


    "¡­."


    Alex and his companions found themselves frozen at that point, as they found themselves unable to find  a proper reaction to what had happened.


    "Oops. So the Grandmaster was the 2nd victim. That''s too bad, I always like his plans. Now, I don''t get to see that anymore¡­." While Alex and his companions were unsure on what to do, Teacher Kuro showed how cold she really is by saying these words. "Well, at least the number of the competitors are now reduced. What do you think about this, Alex? Are you feeling happy now?"


    "¡­"


    "Aw come on, hooman. Can''t you even give me even just a small reply? I''m getting bored here already¡­"


    "¡­Queen Mother and Professor Frances. Activate your Keys already." Alex slowly said, with the tension on his eyes replaced by a great calm. He ignored what Teacher Kuro was saying as he just focused himself on his companions. "I want you to do it within 5 seconds, without any delay. Quick, do it now!"


    "What Alex? You want us to activate the Keys? But why?" Professor Frances blurted out as she wiped the blood off her glasses." Aren''t we conserving its energy-"


    "Don''t stare at me like that! Just activate the Keys of the Legacy Weapon! If you don''t, then we''ll die here!" Alex suddenly bellowed, with his voice booming all over the two women like a bomb. "Do you want to die? If you don''t, then bring out those keys!"


    "Hah? Are you really sure about this, Alex-"


    "Argh! Can''t you get it? The one who killed the Crimson God has just killed the Grandmaster, and now its aiming for us three! With its proximity to us, there''s no way that we can run!" Alex added shrilly, which made the two back away from him a little. "The only way that we can survive this¡­ is by using the Legacy Weapon!"


    "!!!"


    "This hooman is right. Now that the Crimson God and the Grandmaster are dead, their killer will now look for its newest target. Since it''s you three that are the nearest, then the killer will target you all." From behind Alex, Teacher Kuro gave this ''helpful'' hint, which did not really help matters.


    "¡­"


    "Tsk, don''t listen to Teacher Kuro anymore and just follow my instructions!" Alex seem to be tempted to slap Teacher Kuro away, but his current situation did not allow him to do so. After all, one of his hands was holding his weapon, while the other one held a large Key. "You there, Queen Mother, hold the Key on your right hand! As for you Professor Frances, place it on your mouth!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    With all the things that had happened, both Queen Mother and Professor Frances found it hard to keep track on what they should really do. But even with that confusion, they managed to follow Alex''s instructions.


    Queen Mother dutifully held her Key on her right hand, while Professor Frances carefully bit hers.


    "Good. Now, activate those keys instantly with all your powers." Seeing the quick actions of the two made Alex nod his head slightly, although he quickly ended it by giving more instructions. "Don''t stop even if the key is sucking your powers. Give it all to the Keys, even if it will kill you!"


    "!!!"


    "Argh! With my Conqueror''s Aura, I can sense the killer looking at me! Quick, you two! Do what I said already!"


    "!!!"


    S**t! I can feel it coming closer! S**t s**t s**t!"

 Chapter 605 - Legacy Weapon!

    Of all the thing that Alex had expected to happen here in the Roaming Inn, the one that he did not like to happen was actually what occurred.


    Crimson God''s killer, which was unknown to Alex since earlier, suddenly made its move on Grandmaster,  and now, its targeting Alex!


    "S**t! I really need to leave now!" With his Conqueror''s Aura able to detect those who observe him, Alex can definitely feel that ''someone'' is looking at him right now with the intent to kill.


    Alex was also able to determine that this ''someone'' was currently inside the room. More specifically, this ''someone'' was hovering at the spot above the Grandmaster''s corpse.


    With this info, Alex was 100% sure  on who this ''someone'' was.


    This ''someone'' surely is the killer, and it had set its sights on Alex right now.


    By getting this information, Alex could have done some preparations against this enemy already. But all these preparations were put into moot, as Alex realized one thing.


    Aside from his Conqueror''s Aura, Alex''s other sensory abilities did not detect the existence of the killer at all!


    His eyes, his Esper Power, his Abyss Power, his Immortal Cultivation, and even his Superhuman Power all failed to detect this killer, making it seem invisible!


    In fact, it appeared as if Queen Moher and Professor Frances did not detect this killer too, as they did not show any indication of sensing it.


    This realization immediately made Alex freeze, as he now discovered how tricky the killer is.


    "F**k, so technically speaking, the killer of the Crimson God and Grandmaster is a creature who can''t be detected by normal means. If someone wants to see the killer, then they must have a special power!" Alex thought surly as he tightened his hold on his Key. He also kept his Conqueror''s Aura on full alert, with its focus soloed on the killer''s presence.


    "Luckily for me, my Conqueror''s Aura had picked up this killer''s presence. But that''s what it only picked up. Only the killer''s presence." Alex added in his mind as he began feeding power to his Key. "I just knew that the killer is existing and is inside the room, but aside from that, I know nothing else about the killer. I know nothing about its appearance, its body, or even its power!"


    "Tsk, but knowing that it exists is enough¡­."


    Although Alex tried to reassure himself that everything is alright, deep inside him he knew that he was in deep s**t, as he was the closest person standing to the killer already.


    With his proximity and the fact that the killer was now observing him with the intent to kill, Alex knew that it was only a matter of seconds before the killer attacks him.


    These few seconds were enough for Alex to make his own move, although the killer did not exactly give him this much time.


    "Hong~"


    Right after Alex has fed enough power to his Key, the killer''s location suddenly shifted, with its body now rapidly approaching Alex!


    The killing intent exuded by the killer increased exponentially the nearer it got to Alex, which was all detected by his Conqueror''s Aura.


    As for the killer''s appearance and power, Alex still was unable to detect it, leaving him scrambling for cover as the killer got nearer to him.


    It was at this point that Alex also activated his Key, which made him feel weaker for a second.


    "Argh! With my Conqueror''s Aura, I can sense the killer looking at me! Quick, you two! Do what I said already!"


    Alex purposefully shouted out his discovery to Professor Frances and Queen Mother, in hopes that the two will start doing what they were supposed to do.


    S**t! I can feel it coming closer! S**t s**t s**t!"


    Like a relentless hound chasing its food, the killer was undeterred by anything as it zoomed much closer to Alex. This time, Alex''s Conqueror''s Aura told him that the killer was already a few centimeters away from his neck.


    Just a little more push, and the killer will be able to reach Alex already.


    "Argh! Faster you two! The killer is about to attack me!"


    Fortunately for Alex, the two women were able to activate their Keys on time.


    "Shula~"


    Alex''s activation of his Key, combined with the Key activations made by his companions, had caused a large disruption on the space-time continuum in the area.


    This disruption, which pulsed with the power enough to crush a Sixth Stage Being, appeared like a gaping mouth on the floor, something that made the trio shiver.


    This gaping mouth may appear like a monstrous creature, but its unique spatial power made it obvious that it is just another kind of portal, one that will lead people to a unique location.


    At first, the portal appeared unstable, with its edges appearing as extremely rough and crude. All principles of space and time was shredded in these edges, and it took some time before it began to smooth out.


    Once this portal has stabilized itself, it began sucking everything nearby, which included Alex, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances.


    As for the killer, the sucking force of the portal made its attack on Alex miss widely. But the killer did not get sucked by the portal.


    Instead, a repulsive force came from the portal, which pushed both the killer and Teacher Kuro away from it.


    Only Alex, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances were seemingly allowed to enter the portal, and their departure through it was anything but quick.


    It only took the portal a fraction of a second for it to take Alex and his allies away.


    During that time, it kept its repulsive force on Teacher Kuro and the killer, leaving them immobilized while watching the departure of the trio.


    "Woosh~


    It was only when Alex and his allies were gone that the portal disappeared, with its pressurizing body and sharp edges fading into nothingness.


    "¡­"


    With the portal now gone, the repulsive force that was pushing the killer and Teacher Kuro away has disappeared too, which allowed the two to move again.


    "¡­."


    Silence prevailed the room as Teacher Kuro and the killer found nobody else alongside them. The only companions that they had right now were the corpses of the Crimson God and Grandmaster, although their current state does not make them ''useful'' residents¡­


    "Hoh, so Alex chose to use the dimension sealing power of that Legacy Weapon. Good for him, he has something like that¡­." Once free from the repulsion, the first thing that Teacher Kuro did was to give out another commentary, although the target of her words were not clear this time. "Hehe, he''s lucky that he has a Legacy Weapon to use as an escape base. But that might not be the case next time, so he must be really careful¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "Oh right, the corpses here do not talk, so they won''t talk to me. As for their killer, tsk, that little s**t does not want to talk to me. Where is it anyway?" Teacher Kuro let out a mischievous smile as her eyes wandered around, making it seem as if she was searching for something hidden.


    "Hey killer, you''re now done killing two Returners. Are you now satisfied, or do you want to kill more?" Teacher Kuro shouted out to no one in particular, although it was obvious from her words that she is trying to converse with the killer. "Well, I don''t really have the rights to stop you, but can you tone down your execution method? The other Returners are already getting scared of you!"


    "¡­" As expected, Teacher Kuro did not receive any reply from the killer. Everything was just silent, and there was no indication on where the killer went or if it even left.


    "Hm, so where did the killer now go? Is it staying here for Alex''s return, or is it looking for other Returners now? Well, regardless of what the killer chooses, it will have a harder time finding its next victim¡­" Teacher Kuro muttered as she decided to stop looking for the killer already. "After all, its murder of the Grandmaster was also known by the Returners already. With that kind of death, all of them are surely paranoid now¡­"


    ************


    INSIDE THE LEGACY WEAPON.


    Alex''s combined use of the Keys along with Queen Mother and Professor Frances gave them a quick access towards the Legacy Weapon, something that they did not hesitate to use in order to leave.


    This allowed the trio to survive the possible attack from the killer, and it made them visibly relieved.


    But although they were happy from avoiding a potential deadly sneak attack, the trio also felt unhappiness inside them.


    "Tsk, we may have escaped that attack, but for what cost? We just consumed a large portion of the energy reserves of this Legacy Weapon!" Alex muttered in irritation, with his hands busy on tapping the walls of the house they are currently in. "Tsk, I should be happy right now, but the feeling of seeing the energy reserves go down tears my heart into two!"


    There was a frown present on his face as he continued his actions, and it seemed to get larger as time passed by.


    Flickers of energy could be seen crossing through the walls of the room, all which passed by Alex''s fingertips.  Each flicker created a reaction with Alex''s fingers, inducing strange effects like explosion or lightning blasts.


    The larger the reactions were, the more that Alex seem to get happy. However, most of the reactions were small-scale, something that made Alex''s mood go down.


    "Argh! My energy reserves! Huhuhu¡­ now my progress will be delayed!"


    If Alex had tears to shed right now, he could have done it already, as he seemed to be extremely sad with his current situation. Queen Mother and Professor Frances seem to be the same case too, as the downcast expression on their faces only matched Alex''s.


    "Tsk, now I have to be back to square one again, just to recharge this weapon! Argh, this is pissing me off!"


    "¡­"


    **********


    Wen Alex had successfully obtained the Legacy Weapon for his and Delia''s use, he thought that he had gained another powerful arsenal on his inventory.


    But to his disappointment, instead of getting a sure-fire weapon, what he got was actually a bread that was too large for him to swallow.


    According to Tabby, the ones who can fully use the Legacy Weapon were only the Transcendent Beings. It is only with their vast power and control over the laws that the Legacy Weapon can be fueled and be used to its full potential.


    Because of this limitation, anyone who is not a Transcendent who also tries to use the Legacy Weapon will meet a lot of restrictions.


    One restriction is that non-Transcendents cannot use their own energy to make the Legacy Weapon work. Only Transcendent Energy can fuel the Legacy Weapon, and those who had not Transcended can''t do that.


    Fortunately, there are power cells located inside the Legacy Weapon which contains Transcendent Energy, enough to make the Legacy Weapon work.


    These power cells however, only had enough Transcendent Energy to make the Legacy Weapon work for a limited amount of time. These cells can be recharged, but the recharging method was a complicated ritual that takes a lot of time, power, and vitality from the user.


    Because of this limitation, all non-Transcendents who tries to use the Legacy Weapon had to be careful with their energy consumption. This, in the end,  limits the number of times that they can use the Legacy Weapon.


    In Alex''s case, he has decided to only use the Legacy Weapon if ever he really needed to do so. Such time came with the advent of the killer, and it certainly hurt Alex once he saw the large drop in the energy reserves.


    Aside from the lack of energy, there is another restriction that is a major headache for the non-Transcendent users of the Legacy Weapon.


    This restriction is the limitation on the abilities of the Legacy Weapon that can be used.

 Chapter 606 - Limitations, Bad Breath, and Invitation

    When the Infernal Monarch had his Legacy Weapon constructed before, he made sure to include countless wondrous functions in it, all which served useful purposes for him.


    Each functions were unique by itself, and they did not disappoint the Infernal Monarch once they were installed on the Legacy Weapon.


    In fact, the functions contained in the Legacy Weapon were so useful, that it served a large role for the Infernal Monarch successfully conquering the four Realms.


    All in all, there are 9 functions installed in the Legacy Weapon, with each one serving a different use for the Infernal Monarch.


    There are functions meant for offense and defense, while there are functions meant to seal the enemies.


    If the Infernal Monarch was just alive, then he could have easily used all of these functions, given his cultivation base.


    But for now, those non-Transcendents that are trying to use the Legacy Weapon will be unable to use all these functions.


    They have to wait until they reach Transcendence if they want to use it all.


    ***********


    As of now, only 3 functions are available to non-Transcendent users of the Legacy Weapon.


    One is the ''Dimensional Moving Function, which is essentially a function that moves the user towards the interior of the Legacy Weapon. Once inside the Legacy Weapon, the user has to wait for a few minutes or hours if he or she wants to come back.


    This function is mainly used as an escape and defensive move, as aside from the users, nobody else can enter the Legacy Weapon.


    This function is the frequently used function by Alex and Delia, who had used it numerous times already.


    Alex had used it thrice, with the third time being his current state. Delia on the other hand, had used it twice, with both cases related to her hiding from enemies.


    The ''Dimensional Moving Function'' might seem simple, but its intricate principles on space movement had turned it into a high energy-cost function.


    Even if the user is located at a planet or Realm far away from the Legacy Weapon, the ''Dimensional Moving Function'' will still work once activated. The user will still be relocated towards the Legacy Weapon, and no force in the world can stop this from happening.


    This forceful relocation power consumes a lot of power, since the user will have to move through a large region of space.


    The farther the user to the Legacy Weapon is, the more energy will be consumed.


    In Alex''s case, he''s not really sure on how far is the Traveler''s World from the current location of the Legacy Weapon.


    But the fact that the energy reserves gets cut by a half with each relocation, shows that the two places must be extremely far away from each other.


    With this monstrous energy requirement, it was no wonder that Alex was saddened after he used the function¡­


    The 2nd and 3rd available functions from the Legacy Weapon were functions that Alex and Delia had not used yet before, and they doubt they will use it for the time being.


    But these 2 functions were just as miraculous as the ''Dimensional Moving Function'', although their energy consumptions were just as bad.


    *************


    "Queen Mother and Professor Frances, once 10 minutes passes by, I will deactivate the Dimensional Moving Function already. Once I do that, I will contact Alina once more to make her open a portal for us." With their bodies now safely snuggled inside the bungalow, Alex was able to regain his calmness. "But there is a chance that the killer is waiting for us when we go back, so always stay vigilant¡­"


    "¡­Okay, okay. I think we shall do that, since that''s easy to do." Beside Alex, the thin and lanky Professor Frances nodded her head, which showed her agreement with Alex''s advice. "But don''t expect our return to be easy. If that invisible killer is a patient one, then we could be in danger once we return¡­"


    "As long as we get back to our base, I am fine with what you say Alex." Queen Mother added, although there was no sense of relief on her voice. Queen Mother still appeared to be pissed and angry, which was the only expression that she had for the past few days. "So, how much longer should we stay here? The longer we stay, the more that we consume from the energy reserves¡­."


    "Um, we should wait for at least 30 minutes, give or take. I think that with that time, the killer would have left the Roaming Inn already¡­" Alex tried his best to ignore Queen Mother''s sullen behavior while giving his reply. "After all, I can sense that the killer is an impatient type. It could actually be hunting for the other Returners as we speak¡­"


    "Hmph, you better make sure that your words are right, Alex. Because the presence of an invisible killer lurking on us is something that I do not tolerate¡­" Like a cat irritated at its owner, Professor Frances glowered at Alex when she stared at him. "Wait, how did you even detect the killer anway? And why can''t we detect it?"


    "Um, it''s my Conqueror''s Aura that did the work. Just accept that as my reason."  Alex abruptly answered. He then suddenly averted his head away from the two women, as if he was trying  to  avoid them. "Haaa¡­ I was exhausted from my fight with the Grandmaster earlier, so I will have to sleep for now. Night, night guys."


    "Wait, you''re sleeping right now, Alex? Shouldn''t you-"


    "Professor Frances, just wake me up when the 30-minute time limit is up. I will bring us back during that time, so don''t worry about me. Just let me rest, please." As if to emphasize his point, Alex let out a loud yawn from his mouth. "Hear that yawn? That''s the yawn of a tired person. A tired person, who is about to fall  asleep instantly right now."


    "¡­Ha? Alex, you''re just-"


    "Snore¡­ snore¡­ snore¡­"  Alex had indeed fallen asleep instantly, with his eyes now closed in peace, and his body lying down on the floor. There was no indication that he was awake, as his melodious breathing, slow pulse, and loud snores all show that Alex is experiencing a comfortable sleep at his point.


    In fact, his sleep appeared to be so comfortable, that he was not woken up even when the professor began kicking him.


    "Ah, Alex! Why are you sleeping now? You''re still not explaining about the killer!"


    "Snore¡­ snore¡­ snore¡­"


    "Argh!  You just need to spend a few minutes to explain everything to us, and you still chose to sleep? What''s the meaning of this? Are you planning to just explain the truth once we''re back at the Celestial Carp Continent? Cut the crap, Alex! I want to hear it now!"


    "Snore¡­ snore¡­ snore¡­"


    "Argh!!!"


    **************


    SAME TIME, CELESTIAL CARP CONTINENT.


    [Alina]: Delia, did you feel that?


    [Delia]: Feel what?


    [Alina]: Something corruptive¡­. Seemed to have materialized at the direction of the Roaming Inn. I''m not really sure on what this thing is, but both of my eyes are tingling, which is a great warning sign for me.


    [Delia]: You said that a corruptive object suddenly appeared? Eh¡­ so that must be the reason why I keep tasting bad air today. I''m actually tasting the essence of corruption.


    [Alina]: Maybe its just your bad breath that you''re smelling, Delia. With that sensitive tongue of yours, any bad hygiene of yours is enough to leave you with a bad taste.


    [Delia]: Ha? Bad breath? Pfft, fyi, it could have been your breath that smells bad! After all, you''re the only glutton here! Hmph, with the amount of the food that you ate, all the burps you have from them must have combined to give you  a bad breath! Tsk, I guess I should distance myself away from you first!


    [Alina]: You punk! You dare call my food as a burden? You will pay for that!


    [Delia]: Oh really? And how do you will exactly make me pay? Will you make me yield?


    [Alina]: OI oi oi, you look like you want a fight. If that''s what you want, then come here and get some!


    [Delia]: Oh, I will be really coming there to get some¡­.


    Although Alina and Delia promised Alex that they will not antagonize each other, both the two women still harped barbed words between each other.


    Each of their insults were specially made to piss one another, and they did not look like they will stop.


    Even when they had already detected a possible danger from miles away, the two women did not pause from arguing.


    [Alina]: Hmph, if you want to attack, then come here now!


    [Delia]: Tsk, if it weren''t for this stupid oath, I could have beaten you up already, Alina!


    [Alina]: Well, it''s too bad I am not allowed to ruin that b***hy face of yours. But just you wait, Delia. There will come a day that my fists will break your cheeks!


    [Delia]: Heh, let''s see if you can do that, Black Swordswoman.


    [Alina]: D-don''t call me by that name! That''s the worst thing that I have ever heard!


    [Delia]: Hehehe, it seems like I got you good there. What''s the problem with Black Swordswoman? It rolls off the tongue quite nicely, you know.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Delia]: ¡­ Oh, so you won''t speak. Sigh, let''s just fight this out then. Oh right, we can''t do it¡­"


    If it weren''t for the fact that they made an oath to stop fighting each other, the two women could have started fighting already.  This is fortunate, as with the latent power contained by Delia and Alina, a fight between them might destroy a lot of places.


    [Alina]: Ah you know what, forget about our fight.  Let''s  just think about Alex''s situation. Do you think he''s okay?


    [Delia]: Why are you asking me? Am I his girlfriend?


    [Alina]: Of course you''re not his girlfriend, for it was me who captured his heart.


    [Delia]: Hah?


    [Alina]:  Oh,  and don''t you ever think of trying to seduce him. Even if you''re pretty, Alex will just dump you like the trash that you were.


    [Delia]: ¡­.I might hate you a lot, but I won''t stoop that low to seduce Alex. He''s not my type anyway, so you don''t have to worry.


    [Alina]: ¡­Ok. So back to my question, stupid dunce. Do you think Alex is ok?


    [Delia]: Nah, I don''t think he''s ok. I just sensed him using the Key for the Legacy Weapon seconds earlier. You know what that means, right?


    [Alina]: Tsk. Alex must have faced a danger so great, that he was forced to use the Key to hide for a while.


    [Delia]: Exactly, little girl.  Why did you ask that, anyway? Are you planning to help Alex? B***h, I advice you  to not do that.


    [Alina]: Hah? And who are you exactly to stop me?


    [Delia]: Hmph, I am just a leader of this alliance too, so technically speaking, you must follow my commands too. Wait¡­ come to think of it, you did not listen to all of my commands before!


    [Alina]: Hmph, why would I listen to a bimbo like you when you''re not stronger than me? Che, if you want to command me around, then make sure you have enough power backing that!


    [Delia]: You-


    Before the argument between Delia and Alina could escalate again, a sudden mental message intruded their minds, which stopped them from what they were doing.


    Just the way that the mental message was delivered was enough to pause the two. As for the message itself, its effect on the two women can only be said as greatly pronounced.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Delia]: ¡­.


    [Alina]:¡­.


    [Delia]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: Delia, did you receive the news?


    [Delia]: Yes, I received it mentally. And I received it in its full details.


    [Alina]: Tsk, so the Crimson God is dead, and now the Grandmaster is also dead? What the hell is happening here?


    [Delia]: Hmph, don''t ask that question to me. You should better ask it to Alex.


    [Alina]: Ask Alex? Isn''t he inside the Legacy Weapon now?  What do you want me  to do? Visit him there and ask? Idiot! That will just be wasting the energy reserves there!


    [Delia]: Hmph, but at least we will get to know the truth already. Who knows, the reason that Alex had hidden on the Legacy Weapon could be related to the Grandmaster''s death¡­


    [Alina]: Heh, if you''re that confident, then why don''t you go to the Legacy Weapon by yourself? Surely you have enough energy reserves to pull it off¡­"


    [Delia]: ¡­H-hey, I think your opinion earlier was right. L-let''s just wait for Alex to come back.


    [Alina]: Tsk, I hate b***es, but do you know what I hate more? Hypocritical b***hes like you!


    [Delia]: Hah? Say that again, I dare you!


    [Alina]: Sorry, but I won''t repeat it. Oh, I have to leave now and do something. Bye.


    [Delia]: H-hey, who said that you can leave? Did I allow that?


    [Alina]: ¡­. The Great TimeMaster is calling for me to meet her at the border of the Celestial Carp Continent. Since it was her calling me, here is no way I can refuse her.


    [Delia]:  The Great TimeMaster is calling you? Hmph, I call bulls**t! That hag must be planning something!


    [Alina]: Hmph, I don''t care what you think, but I will be going now.


    [Delia]: Hey!


    [Alina]: Don''t worry for me Delia, that is, if you really worry for me. The Great TimeMaster owes a lot from me, and her daughter is currently inside my Storage.  With these factors, there''s no way that the Great TimeMaster can harm me as of now.

 Chapter 607 - Return and Counsel

    30 MINUTES LATER.


    ROAMING INNN


    "Swoosh¡­"


    A portal, similar to the one that whisked away Alex earlier, re-materialized itself inside Teacher Kuro''s room. From this portal, Alex, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances all came out, with their bodies brimming with tension and wariness.


    Such reaction was not surprising to Teacher Kuro, who just stared at the newcomers with a smile.


    "So, how was your 30-minute rest? Were you able to calm down?" Teacher Kuro teased to the trio. "You look like you''re running for your life earlier. Tsk, if I just had a camera, I would have taken a photo of your scared faces¡­"


    "Ugh, like teacher, like student. Why the heck did I even agree to meet with this fairy?" Alex complained inwardly as he ignored Teacher Kuro. Instead, he just stared at his two companions, both who looked like they wanted to pounce on Teacher Kuro.


    "Professor Frances and Queen Mother, I cannot detect the presence of the killer in this place. That means that it must have moved away already. As to where, I am not really sure¡­" Alex said. "But even if we don''t know where it went, at least we know that we''re already safe."


    "So can we go back to our base now?"


    "Yes we can. As we''re speaking, I already sent a message towards Alina. Any moment now, we will be brought back to our base." Alex replied to the professor.


    "Oh thank goodness. I can''t take any more of this tension!"


    "You can say that again." Alex replied. He then frowned as he stared at the floor of the room. "Speaking of tension, where are the corpses of the Crimson God and Grandmaster? Shouldn''t they still be here? And the blood! Why was it gone too!"


    "Hah? Of course I cleaned up the room. Do you really expect me to store corpses here?" As if affronted by Alex''s question, Teacher Kuro''s tone changed into a higher pitch as she answered him. "Oh, and do you think that I will just let those blood stain my room? Hmph, of course I wouldn''t want that dirt!"


    "Wait, so you cleaned up them already?" Alex of course knew that what Teacher Kuro did was right, but something did not sit right with what she did. "And here I thought you''re interested no preserving the evidences¡­"


    "Evidence my ass! Those corpses and blood just made my room dirtier, so of course I will clean them up. Do you have any complaints about that?" Teacher Kuro may have said these words in a suspicious manner, but the tone of her voice leaves no way for Alex to disagree with her.


    "Um¡­ I have no complaints." Alex muttered as he realized that probing more clues from Teacher Kuro will be futile now. "Just make sure that the corpses will be safe for the following days. You can do that much, right?"


    "Tsk, of course I can do that. Do you think I am incompetent?"


    "Um, I did not really say that you''re incompetent, Teacher Kur-"


    "In that case, go out from my room already! Shoo shoo!"


    "Ugh, what a horrid woman."


    With Teacher Kuro making it obvious that she won''t entertain them for any longer, Alex and his allies did not extend their stay anymore.


    "Shua~"


    Once the power of Alina''s Esper Ability had grabbed them, Alex, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances did not resist it. They allowed Alina''s power to bring them away, which instantly emptied Teacher Kuro''s room.


    "¡­."


    With this, only Teacher Kuro was left inside her own room, one which still sparked clean from her own magic.


    "Hoo¡­ that was a close call. Good thing I was able to cleanse and preserve the two corpses before Alex arrived. If they saw me doing it in real-time, I doubt that they will be happy with me¡­" Teacher Kuro loudly mumbled to herself. She could have thought of these words to herself  but since there''s no one else inside the room, the black fairy found no worries to speak out loud.


    ""Oh, but I don''t think that that professor Frances will be unhappy with what I did. Maybe she will even become excited¡­" Teacher Kuro added as she licked her lips. Her eyes then glowed eeriely, with swathes of firefly-like particles emitted from them.


    Such look made Teacher Kuro appear ethereal and mysterious, although this look only lasted for a second, as she began shaking her head with worry dominating her face.


    "Wait, I should not be thinking about this now. There''s still that issue about the killer, and it seemed like it''s targeting a new Returner. Should I monitor it closely?" Teacher Kuro thought once she stopped shaking her head. "After all, it has already killed two Returners. Any more killings might be bad for the Traveler''s World¡­."


    The steely look on Teacher Kuro''s eyes made it appear as if she was serious on what she''s thinking, but that seriousness was quickly contradicted by her next words.


    "But hey, with the deaths of Crimson God and Grandmaster, the chain of events in the Traveler''s World will escalate. Maybe, just maybe, one more death will make things even more interesting¡­"  After uttering this line, Teacher Kuro began to salivate, with lines of her drool pouring out her mouth like a waterfall. All these drool fell to the floor like rain, immediately drenching the already dry area below Teacher Kuro.


    "Yes¡­ yes¡­ yes. Just one more death will be good for the Traveler''s World. Just one more death¡­" Teacher Kuro seemed to have become crazy as she just uttered these lines for the following minutes, with her drool still continuing to flow. "Yes, just one more death¡­"


    ************


    30 MINUTES LATER


    CELESTIAL CARP CONTINENT.


    [Alina]: So that was what happened, Alex? If you did not say it personally, I would not have believed it.


    [Alex]: Well, with your eyes, you can see that I am telling the truth. But will you really not believe the story if I did not say it?


    [Alina]: It was just a figure of speech Alex, get over it already.


    [Alex]: Oh okay¡­


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    After Alex, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances were all brought back toward the Celestial Carp Continent, they were immediately besieged by questions from Alina and Delia.


    Both women seemed to be starving for information as they continually asked the trio non-stop, without any care for their welfare. The two women even used they Divine Sensory Organs on full blast, leaving Alex with no choice but to tell the truth.


    It was only through Alex''s experience with talking and his patience that he was able to tell everything to Alina and Delia.


    All these talking took 30 minutes to finish, as each detail that Alex gave was scrutinized directly by Alina and Delia.


    [Alina]: So in summary, you''re saying that the Crimson God and Grandmaster was killed by a near-invisible creature who has the power to kill those two. Not only that, but this creature can only be detected by your Conqueror''s Aura and the Divine Sensory Organs, but even they cannot detect the creature fully¡­


    [Alex]: Yes, that''s the gist of it. Oh, and this creature seems to be interested on killing the Returners. I just don''t know why.


    [Alina]: For now, there is no way for us to know the motive of this creature for killing the Returners. Well, even if we want to, the motive should not be our focus. I think we should focus more on-


    [Alex]: On what the creature really is. Only when we know the true form of this creature that we can deduce its motives.


    [Alina]: Exactly. But there''s where our problem lies. Even if we want to know the creature''s true form, we can''t do it since even your Conqueror''s aura or our Divine Sensory Organs can''t fully see it. If those cannot reveal the creature''s real form, then what can?


    Both Alex and Alina looked visibly worried about the creature that they were talking about, something which is expected in their situation. After all, with the power and the incredible stealth that this creature has, it is basically a nightmare for anyone to fight it, even for Alex who had his Conqueror''s Aura.


    Even Alina had the feeling that it will be incredibly difficult for her to survive an encounter from this creature, and she doubts even allying with Delia would make matters easier.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    But while Alina and Alex looked like they were facing a struggle, the nearby Delia did not have any speck of worries at all.


    Instead, a look of intense excitement could be seen on Delia''s face, as if she had seen something that roused her emotions. This kind of emotion was rare for Delia, as she was usually grumpy and frowning from all the stress that she had to fix.


    [Delia]: Hmph, why are you even wondering about it? Instead of worrying about that s***y creature, we should focus on a different thing right now!


    The words uttered by Delia made it obvious that she had thought of a bright idea, one that was enough to make her happy.


    As for what this bright idea is, Delia''s next words had practically shown it.


    [Delia]: Alex, now that the Crimson God and the Grandmaster are dead, isn''t it the best time for us to raid their Continents? I mean, without those two Returners, their continents are now up for grabs!


    [Alina]: !!!!


    Once she had said these words, an intense killing intent burst out of the Delia''s body, one that she did not hesitate to hide. Instead, she allowed it to bloom, as if she was proud on displaying it.


    [Delia]: Alex, didn''t you tell me before that when a  Traveler manages to conquer more than 1 Continent, they are bound to receive some benefits on their power? If that''s true, then we can use this to strengthen ourselves!


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Delia]: Alex, let''s conquer the continents left by the Crimson God and Grandmaster! If we succeed, then we might get the right power to defend ourselves from the killer! Heh, isn''t that what you really want?

 Chapter 608 - Continents and Owners

    Although Delia sounded a little manic as she said this, the logic in her words was quite apparent, that even her rival Alina found no way to discredit her.


    As for Alex, he went silent for a while with his eyes closed, as he seemed to be contemplating what Delia said.


    It was only when Delia began to pester him that Alex talked, and what he said was enough to make the other woman happy.


    [Alex]: With those two Returners dead, we can indeed raid their continents. In fact, that''s the best thing that we can do now.


    [Delia]: Heh, of course it''s the best thing! So what are we waiting for? Let''s-


    [Alex]: But even if it''s the best thing to do now, we sadly cannot do the raid today. You know why, right?


    [Delia]: Hah? What do you mean?


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    Alex looked like he was pained by Delia''s innocent expression, something that made the nearby Alina snicker. Nonetheless, Alex managed to compose himself as he continued the conversation.


    [Alex] Delia, with the killer making its rounds on the Traveler''s World, no Returner will be foolish to just come out of their continents.  Do you think the Returners will just let the killer kill them on the open? Of course not!


    [Delia]: !!!


    This convoluted, but also logical answer by Alex was able to befuddle Delia, who was previously giddy from the prospect of raiding another continent.


    Earlier, Delia was raring to set out in order to take over another area. But now, Alex''s words have poured a cold bucket of water over her head, forcing her to stay still.


    [Delia]: B-but-


    [Alex]: Remember, the killer was able to kill the Crimson God and Grandmaster easily. With that kind of power, the only way that the other Returners can survive is through using their own continents as their defensive shields¡­.


    Alex tried to make himself sound calm as he talked sense to Delia, whose eyes have turned empty from disappointment.


    [Alex]: With the power hidden within each continent, I am sure that the shields might be able to hold back at least one attack from the killer. That might seem little, but at the level of the Returners, holding back one attack is enough to change their situation!


    [Delia]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: So don''t expect the Returners to come out of their continents, at least for today. The death of the Crimson God and the Grandmaster has already spooked them, so nobody from them will be courageous enough to go out.


    [Delia]: ¡­


    With the fire in her eyes gone and her aura visibly down, Delia sure looked like she had lost the drive to perform a raid. Even the spear that she conjured earlier was now recalled, leaving her disappointed body hovering above the floor.


    Such kind of look made the nearby Alina sigh, as if she was also infected by Delia''s negative emotions.


    [Alina]: That''s¡­ actually disappointing, Alex. I excepted to face some difficult situations here, but the fact that all of us were forced to hide because of that killer makes me feel weird.


    [Delia]: Yes, it is weird.


    [Alex]: Weird? Heh, you''re absolutely right! If you two can remember, the main purpose of this world was to gather all the powerful Returners and make them fight each other. We''re only supposed to be fighting in this kind of scenario, but now, something else is  actually killing the Returners! Tsk, no matter which way you look at it, something weird is going on here! I just don''t have the idea on what it is¡­


    When Alex said these words,  the tone and aura emitted by his body suddenly changed, as it turned from a calm disposition into an agitated and tense persona.


    This made Alex look more like a devil that is eager to hurt someone, something that made the two women bristle.


    [Alex]: Argh! This makes me mad!


    This chaotic attitude of his became more prominent as he talked more, reaching the point that he sounded much more unhinged than Delia.


    [Alex]: Tsk, those pesky Returners and that damned Custodian! There''s something else that they are not telling to me! That must be the reason why I feel like I am still left out here. Tsk, I should really rush and make those people talk!


    [Alina]: ¡­


    [Delia]: ¡­


    [Alex]: Tsk, but with the current situation now, there is no way that I can make them talk. Tsk, I am really hating the setting in this world already! Why can''t it just go our way!


    Judging by the way that Alex spewed his tantrum, it seemed as if he can continue it for much longer.


    Such kind of tantrum was already normal for Alina, who had heard much worse from Asteria and Delia. Because of this, Alina has no problem on making Alex curse out for longer.


    But right now, Alex''s mind needs to be in the right state, given that they need him to be clear-headed.


    Hence, during Alex''s current ''word service'', Alina forced herself in, making Alex stop and cool down.


    [Alina]: Alex, I know that you are mad, but this is not the time to be driven by your emotions. Remember, we still have enemies to be wary about. Becoming this mad over these matters will just make things worse¡­


    Alina made her voice sound as gentle as she could, with all the traces of her tension fully hidden beneath her tongue.  She also made sure that her fragrant breath was caressing Alex''s ears as she talked, something that she had known to be effective on distracting him.


    [Alex]: Yes, you''re right, Alina. You''re right. I indeed should not be angry¡­


    Fortunately for Alina, her attempt to calm Alex down has worked, with her gentle words perfectly defusing Alex.


    Gone were Alex''s reddened face and gloomy aura, which made the whole room feel comfortable again.


    [Everyone in the room]: ¡­.


    Now, the situation was back to square one once more, with the trio busy on talking about their current dilemma again.


    [Delia]: Are you calm now, Alex? Good. Now, tell us your plans.


    [Alina]: Yes, please tell it to us, Alex.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    With Alex shooting down the proposal for raiding the continents today, the two women found no clues on what they should do next. Because of that, they asked the now-calm Alex for his advice.


    [Delia]: Alex, since we can''t raid the continents today, what do you think is the best that we should do?


    [Alina]: Should we set up an ambush on a Returner, or should we just fortify our forces?


    [Delia]: Or maybe we have to steal the followers of the Crimson God and the Grandmaster? Hey, that might work!


    [Alina]: Or we can make the other Returners fight one another! With the tension today, that could happen!


    [Delia]: That''s good, but you know what''s better? Maybe we can talk to the killer! If we do that, we could manipulate it to kill others!


    [Alina]: Hey, that''s a good plan! Why did I not think of that? But there''s something that is much better than that.


    [Delia]: Ho? You have a plan better than mine? Then please do tell it to me.


    [Alina]: Hmph, we can just use your power and Alex''s power to call down the Abyss Realm and the Holy Order Realm! With those two on our sides, we can-


    [Alex]: Hey! What the f***k are you planning! Those are all ridiculous!


    Alina and Delia''s ability to escalate everything that they do was enough to amaze Alex, although at this point, what they were doing was also enough to make him worry.


    After all, these two women were talking about ridiculous plans that all have high chances of failing!


    With Alex''s persona, there is no way that he can allow these two women to proceed with what they''re discussing!


    [Alex]: MY goodness Alina and Delia! How could you think of those plans! Che, have you already thrown caution away from the wind?


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Delia]: Hah? You''re scolding us for our plans? But what about you? Where''s your plan? Do you have any suggestion for us? Because if you don''t, then my plan on kidnapping the followers could be usable-


    [Alex]: F**k! What I am planning was just simple! We will just have to raid the continents tomorrow instead of today! There, that''s my advice! Are you two now satisfied?


    [Delia]: Wait what?


    [Alina]: ???


    ****************


    Each continent present in the Traveler''s World can be described through their own unique characteristics.


    The Celestial Carp Continent, which is Alex''s current continent, is home to one of the rarest gourmet dishes in the multiverse, the Celestial Carp.


    Said to be made out of the clouds from the Celestial Realm, each Celestial Carp are extremely delicious and delectable, and those who ate it all experienced euphoria and cultivation breakthroughs.


    With these enticing qualities, each Celestial Carp are said to be as valuable as high-class treasures, making them one of the most expensive gourmet ingredients in the Multiverse.


    The Celestial Carp can only be found in the Celestial Carp Continent, which makes the whole continent an extremely good source of income. In fact, all those who had ruled the Celestial Carp Continent before all did these for resources, including the Immortal Empress.


    ****************


    While the Celestial Carp Continent was known for its high-class carps, the Heavenly Bull Continent was famed for its flocks of Heavenly Bulls.


    Heavenly Bulls are creatures with powerful wings and sturdy physiques, and their practically unstoppable speed and smooth evasive skills makes them extremely useful mounts for rich young lords.


    ************


    Aside from animal resources, some of the valuable resources are non-living too, such as the Astral Ores that came from the Astral Soul Continent, which is under the control of the Old Man.


    The Astral Soul Continent is essentially a  mining site that produces Astral Ores, a kind of mineral that is needed badly by those who practice Soul Magic and Astral Arts.


    Without Astral Ores, it is almost impossible for most Soul and Astral Magicians to perform their magic. As such, a lot of money were being traded just to obtain these ores.


    **********


    ETERNAL REALM CONTINENT.


    LIVING QUARTERS OF THE GREAT TIMEMASTER.


    The other continents also contain the same valuable resource as the aforementioned continents, although they exist in different forms.


    These resources were one of the reasons for the Returners'' extreme interest on conquering these continents. After all, trading these resources are of great help to Returners, no matter how strong they were.


    The same case can be applied to the Great TimeMaster too, whose continent is the source of the plants used in refining life-prolonging elixirs.


    The Great TimeMaster''s continent is the Eternal Realm Continent, and she spends most of her time staying here.


    Aside from casual businesses and important matters, the Great TimeMaster does not leave the Eternal Realm Continent at all.


    Today however, the Great TimeMaster appeared to be on the verge of breaking this behavior.


    "After killing the Crimson God and the Grandmaster, the killer is now looking  for its new victim? How bold." The Great TimeMaster muttered to herself as she slowly drank her red wine. "It seems like this killer will be on a roll today, even with our preparations."


    The contents of her wine glass passed itself cleanly through her parched throat, giving her a feeling of relief that she had been craving for since earlier.


    This feeling was enough to make her m.o.a.n in delight, but with her assistants and servants watching behind her, she was forced to hold it in.

 Chapter 609 - Interlude: The Gathering of the Companions

    CELESTIAL CARP CONTINENT.


    MAIN HEADQUARTERS.


    ENTERTAINMENT ROOM.


    Out of all the known places inside the Celestial Carp Continent, one of the most famous is the Entertainment Room, which is said to house all the entertainment known to mankind.


    All kinds of games and beautiful art are said to be contained inside this room, making it one of the most sought-after places in the Traveler''s World.


    But with the Immortal Empress taking over the Entertainment Room with a vice grip, nobody had an easy time on entering it.


    Only those who were worthy were allowed to enter, and even they were exceedingly rare given the Immortal Empress'' attitude.


    This custom was still retained after Alex and Delia took over the whole continent, and they did not slack down on the security. As such, those who wanted to enter the room before still had difficulty accessing it now.


    Because of this, the Entertainment Room was usually empty even at nights, given the rarity of its guests.


    Today however, this situation has changed, as 5 people were given access to use the Entertainment Room.


    Actually, these people were not ''given access''. Instead, these 5 were ''forced'' to enter the Entertainment Room.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­.


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­.


    [Yao''er]: ¡­.


    [Milo]: ¡­.


    These 5 people were no other than the Companions of Alex and Delia, all who looked like they did not want to be inside the Entertainment Room.


    Alina looked like she was angry from her mealtime being interrupted, as a piece of half-eaten chicken drumstick could be seen on her hand. This drumstick was slowly being chewn off by Alina, with her face seemingly contorting in emotional pain everytime the drumstick gets smaller.


    Queen Mother still has her pissed face since 3 months ago, and it appeared to have even magnified inside the room.


    As for Professor Frances, an undeniable expression of boredom was being radiated off her body. She coupled this expression with a sleepy yawn and a sigh, two things that just magnified her disinterest.


    Yao''er on the other hand was looking at the aforementioned women with great suspicion, as if she was waiting for them to make a bad move. Yao''er has even ignored the snack that was in front of her, as her eyes was only concentrated on Alina and co.


    As for Milo, well¡­ he''s still acting like Milo. But his silence this time was more pronounced, given the current atmosphere of the room.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­.


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­.


    [Yao''er]: ¡­.


    [Milo]: ¡­.


    A few more minutes passed by inside the Entertainment Room, but the 5 of them still did not do anything to break the silence. All of them maintained their current attitudes, and nothing seem to be able to make them change.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­.


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­.


    [Yao''er]: ¡­.


    [Milo]: ¡­.


    It was only when exactly 5 minutes has passed by that someone from them began to be pressurized by the situation.


    This person was Alina, and the drumstick that she was holding earlier had already entered her stomach, leaving her without any ways to distract herself anymore.


    The pressure was enough to make Alina crack, who was already feeling uncomfortable from all the weird stares emitted by the other people in the room.


    Her eyes were even slightly reddened at this point, an indication that her own All-Seeing Eyes was affected by the awkward situation too!


    Because of this, Alina was forced to talk in order to defuse the current atmosphere.


    [Alina]: H-Hey, Alex and Delia brought us five here to make us ''closer'' to each other. Since they gave effort for this, I think we should give our own effort too. So please don''t just stand there and glower at one another. Let''s talk like we''re acquaintances, even if we don''t feel like doing it.


    Alina tried to modulate her voice and she also made sure that her words will be easily understandable. This way, there is a chance that the others will hear out what she was proposing.


    But instead of helping her positively, Alina''s words seemed to have backfired against her.


    Queen Mother, Professor Frances, Yao''er, and Milo all reacted negatively to what Alina said, and the words that they said just proved this.


    [Queen Mother]: I am usually okay with everything that Alex plans. But this? This thing that he wants us to do here? I can''t agree with this. I have no time to play with Delia''s Companions, even if they are technically our allies. I just see no sense in this.


    Queen Mother still sounded like her usual angry self, and she did not mince on her rebuke at all.


    In fact, the way that Queen Mother spoke her lines left no gaps that Alina can exploit, leaving the latter feeling extremely helpless.


    [Yao''er]: I-I second that notion! Even if we''re allies, I don''t think it is necessary for me and Milo to be close to you three. Who knows, you three might be planning something bad here!


    Yao''er said these words while hugging Milo protectively, with her suspicion-filled eyes still staring at Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances warily.


    [Yao''er]: I don''t like all of you, so don''t expect me to play here!


    Such action made Alina feel dying inside, as she realized that even their ''ally'' still thought lowly of them.


    [Professor Frances]: You see that reaction, Alina? Hmph, this is the reason why I don''t want to go here! What use will it be for us to interact with this Spiritualist and Triplicator? They''re just kids who can''t even drink alcohol! Tsk, if you really want to have fun here, then let''s just kick these two kids out and have fun ourselves!


    And of course Professor Frances chose this time to propose another questionable opinion, and it was also directed against Alina herself.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    With these people clearly rejecting her proposal, Alina found herself speechless, since she did not envision them to be this rejective.


    Of course Alina had the feeling that her companions and Delia''s Companions will have a little resistance against this forced ''get-together'', but for them to react like this was something that she did not expect.


    [Alina]: Hey! We''re gathered here because Alex and Delia wants us to be closer together! They don''t care how we do it, but at the end of this day, we should be much closer with each other! You know all of that, right?


    Alina gave the others an imploring look as she asked this question, a gesture which forced them to answer to her.


    [Professor Frances]: Of course I know that we''re here to have a team building with the Spiritualist and the Triplicator. But even if I know that, I still don''t like them¡­.


    [Queen Mother]: I am feeling not good today, so I am not in a mood for a team building. Can we just do this the other day?


    [Yao''er]: I am a minor, so I cannot drink alcohol. Since you three are older, then you can just drink alcohol by yourselves. As for me and Milo, we will just leave. Playing inside our house will be a much better thing to do compared to staying here¡­


    [Milo]: ¡­.


    To Alina''s disappointment, her words still did not change the attitude of the 4 people. In fact, it seemed to have even spurned them, with Yao''er directly saying that she and Milo will already leave.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    It was just the start of the night, and two of the people inside the room were already saying that they will leave.


    This change in situation quickly made Alina panic, as she had promised Alex earlier that she will do her best to make the team-building successful.


    If Yao''er and Milo were indeed leaving, that will mean that Alina had broken her promise, something that will also demolish her reputation to Alex.


    Alina cannot allow that to happen at any cost, as that will bring her a lot of pain!


    [Alina]: !!!!


    With her promise at Alex on the line, Alina has decided to go all out.


    [Alina]: Tsk, you don''t want to make this team-building happen? Hmph, I am sorry to say this, but with me here, there is no way I can allow any of you to leave!


    "Hong~"


    At this point, Alina did not hold back at all, as she used her All-Seeing Eyes at its max capacity.


    This action allowed Alina to see through the emotions felt by the other four people, with their nuances and feelings also revealed on her very eyes.


    Even their current thoughts were almost read by Alina, although Alina only focused her gaze on their feelings and emotions.


    [Professor Frances]: H-hey! What are you doing Alina! Did you just-


    [Yao''er]: Oi! I can feel your eyes stirring my spirit barrier! What the hell did you do? Are you-


    Because Alina used her All-Seeing Eyes directly on the bodies of her targets, it left traces of power that her targets quickly detected.


    This allowed the 4 to realize what Alina just did. But it was already too late for them to react, as Alina had already gotten what she wanted.


    Alina already obtained the knowledge that she needed, and now she''s about to use it to ''convince'' the others to stay.


    ***********


    [Alina]: Hey, Yao''er. I know how much you idolize Delia. But still, I can sense that your idolization on her seems to be a little too much¡­. Hmm, and it seems like Delia does not know how much you ''idolize'' her¡­.


    [Yao''er]: Wa wa wa! W-what the hell are you saying! I-I do not idolize Big Sis Delia! I-I was just-


    [Alina]: If you want, I can tell Delia on how much you ''idolize'' her after you leave. After all, your Big Sis deserves to know about your feeling-


    [Yao''er]: F-Fine, I will stay and join you for this goddamned teambuilding! But p-please, don''t tell Big Sis anything that you discovered here. Y-you can do that, right?


    [Alina]: Hm? What are you talking about? Did I say something to you?


    [Yao''er]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: Oh  well, since you said that you will stay, then go back to your seat and wait for the games to start.


    [Yao''er]: ...I''m sorry Milo, but it seems like we have to stay here. Forgive me for this. I promise, I will pay you back tomorrow.


    [Milo]: ¡­.


    ************


    [Professor Frances]: Woah, that''s impressive, Alina. You actually blackmailed her to stay! Hehehe, that''s amazing! You are actually turning out to be much more evil than what I though-


    [Alina]: Professor Frances, Alex bought a dragon egg last month, which he kept hidden inside his cabinet. He placed it there for 10 days, as he does not want others to see it. But when he opened the cabinet 10 day later, he found out that the dragon egg was gone!


    [Professor Frances]: !!!


    [Alina]: Hmm... I wonder where that dragon egg is right now? Did someone take it? How mysteriou-


    [Professor Frances]: Ok, ok. I will join this stupid teambuilding! Tsk,  stupid s**t! How the hell did you even see me taking the egg? You''re sleeping at that time!


    [Alina]: What egg are you talking about? Are you planning to cook one?


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­.


    ***********


    [Queen Mother]: So, do you have any dirt on me too?


    [Alina.]: What do you think? Do you want me to say it?


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­ There''s no need for you to say anything. I will also stay here.


    [Alina]: Hehehe, good, good, good!


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­.


    ***********


    With just some of her fine-crafted words, Alina was able to force the 4 people to stay.  Such success was enough to make Alina feel happy, as the 4 are now behaved enough to sustain the whole teambuilding activities.


    But even when they are now ''behaved'', these 4 still could not help but give Alina resentful glares, with Professor Frances and Yao''er''s eyes filled with the most venom.


    In response to these looks, Alina only gave that a smile, something that just infuriated them.


    [Professor Frances]: Tsk, Alex''s habits are starting to rub off on you already! If this goes on, I will have a new source of headache!


    [Yao''er]: I hate you, Miss Esper. I hope you trip and fall face-flat on a cow dung.


    [Milo]: ¡­


    [Alina]: Hey, what''s with those words? Aren''t we here to bond?


    [Professor Frances]: Bond your ass. I will be playing, but don''t expect me to enjoy it.


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­.


    [Yao''er]: Do you have prize money for the games? Because if you do, that will make this boring night a little better.


    [Milo]: ¡­


    [Alina]: Oh, all of you looks interested to play. Since that''s the case, then let''s start this night with a game of poker! Now, who wants to be the It?


    [Professor Frances]: The what now?

 Chapter 610 - Breaking News!!!

    "Sylvia and Eric. What is the status of our residents?" With her mouth still closed from savoring the wine, the Great TimeMaster turned around as she stared at her two most trustworthy servants. "How did they react to the news of the Returners'' deaths?"


    "There are some initial panic, but that unrest had already calmed down after I made my appearance, my liege." A young, stocky man replied. His eyes then gleamed lightly as he gave the Great TimeMaster a bow, a gesture which the Great TimeMaster accepted. "There are some who almost wanted to rebel, but using my powers, I managed to subdue them too¡­"


    "Good work Eric. I hope that you can maintain the calmness among the residents in acceptable levels."  The Great TimeMaster calmly replied while giving the young man a nod. "Oh, do you need any help regarding your work? I can provide you with any aid that you need."


    "There''s no need for your aid, my liege. Your presence is enough to inspire me." The young man, whose name was revealed as Eric, quickly replied. "But if you really want to aid me, then maybe you can give me a chance to babysit your daughter-"


    "My daughter''s busy, so she can''t meet you."


    "Oh. That''s too bad."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "So how about you Sylvia? How is the production of the Eternal Lotus going? Is it still above the daily demand?" After giving Eric a light rebuke, the Great TimeMaster now focused her attention on her other attendant, who was slender woman with black hair and a picturesque face. "I hope  it''s still above my expected values, because if it is not, well¡­."


    "There''s no need for you to worry, Great TimeMaster. I can assure you that the production of the Eternal Lotus is still going well. I-I can even bet my life on it!" Sylvia did not hide the worshipping expression on her face as she conversed with the Great TimeMaster, which made the latter roll her eyes in exasperation.


    "No, there''s no need for you to bet your life in it. I can feel that you''re telling the truth, so don''t go overboard." The Great TimeMaster could only pat Sylvia''s head in an attempt to calm her down, an action that made the slender woman almost pass out in happiness.


    "Hah¡­ the Great TImeMaster patted my head! Hah¡­ this is bliss!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­.Eric and Sylvia. Now that you''re done with the initial reports, give me the usual reports about the logistics. Please make it quick."


    ********


    10 MINUTES LATER


    Once her two attendants were finished on their reports, the Great TimeMaster let out a sigh as she shook her head.


    She seemed to have been slightly fed-up with all that she heard, although she did not entirely voice out her unhappiness.


    She just stared at the two with a slightly dark look, something that she quickly replaced with a steely glare.


    ""E-ehem, is there anything else that you want to tell to me? Because if you don''t, then it is time for us to talk about other matters." The Great TimeMaster uttered as she slowly licked the edge of her wineglass. "Other matters, which is in my opinion, of great importance today."


    "Other matters, my liege? What do you-"


    "You have something that you want us to do, Great TimeMaster? Hah, what could it be-


    Before her two attendants could barrage her with their worshipping attitudes, the Great TimeMaster hastened her talking pace, allowing her to mask their sounds.


    "Eric, starting today, I want you to bring around 2 million of our residents towards the Imperial Edict Continent. Make them reside on the capital, and don''t let others stop you." The Great TimeMaster did not show any sign of hesitation as she said these words to Eric." Oh, and I don''t care if the original residents of the Imperial Edict Continent does not want what you''re doing. Just ignore them and establish the residences."


    "My liege? 2 million? Isn''t that too mu-"


    "2 million is not too much Eric. Especially since you''re bringing them to the Imperial Edict Continent." The Great TimeMaster shushed Eric with a glare, as if she does not want to hear any of his excuses anymore. "You know that the Imperial Edict Continent can only produce the Imperial Arms if it has enough residents in it. Since that''s the case, then we should increase the amount of that continent''s residents."


    "But-"


    "No buts, Eric. You will bring 2 million residents to the Imperial Edict Continent, and you will do it today. Do you understand?"


    "Y-yes, my liege."


    "Good. Now do that quickly. I can''t afford any delays, as the whole Traveler''s World is undergoing a major upheaval."


    "Noted, my liege¡­"


    With these ''reminders'' from the Great TimeMaster, the proud and muscular Eric began slinking away as he began performing his task.


    Once he was gone, the only ones left in the room aside from the Great TimeMaster was her attendant Sylvia, who still gave the former a worshipping stare.


    "¡­"


    Such stare made the Great TImeMaster uncomfortable, and it made her wary of what Sylvia will say next.


    "Ah, Great TImeMaster, what tasks do you have for me, exactly? Is it related to serving you personally? I have no problem with that!" Just like what the Great TimeMaster expected, Sylvia was still as masochistic as ever, and it seemed to have even worsened at this point. "You can step on me every time you want it, Great TimeMaster! Just please, b-be gentle to me-"


    "Hey, there are no sadist stuff that will be going on here! Where did you even get the idea that I like abusing you, huh? Tsk, I will not step on you or torture you, so don''t give me that look!"  The Great TImeMaster hurriedly replied, with her face now blackened from irritation. "Oh, and my slap before does not count! That was a part of a ritual, so don''t expect me to give you more!"


    "Aw¡­." Sylvia sure looked disappointed, although the Great TimeMaster did not exactly pay attention to that.


    "Sylvia, I will be going out of this continent today and visit the Old Man. Since I don''t want meeting him by myself, I have decided to make you join me." The Great TimeMaster said gruffly, with her intentions now fully revealed on her female attendant. "Do you have any problems with that?"


    "Great TimeMaster, even if the Old Man is a stinky beggar who clearly does not deserve the privilege of meeting you, I have no qualms with you meeting him." Sylvia answered.


    "Oh, is that so¡­."


    Although her words were stating her agreement, there was a frown present on Sylvia''s face at this point, an expression which shows that she''s worried about something. "But Great TimeMaster, even if I am fine with the Old Man himself, that does not mean that I am okay with this meeting!"


    "You''re not okay with the meeting itself, Sylvia? What do you mean by that?" With her sharp mind, the Great TimeMaster already knew the reason for Sylvia''s current worries. But while she already knew this, the Great TimeMaster still implored Sylvia to speak up, since it is better for her to hear everything from Sylvia''s own mouth.


    "Great TimeMaster, isn''t there a killer that has already killed two Returners today? With that kind of creature now roaming around, will it be really safe for us to go out?" Sylvia sounded pretty composed while stating her worries, but the slight tremble in her voice and her own moistened eyes betrayed her own emotions. "You said that the killer could be looking for its next victim already! If that''s true, then if we go out, that killer might-"


    "Yeah, that killer might attack me. But don''t worry about me, Sylvia. Out of all the Returners present in this world, the least likely to get attacked by that monster will be me." With a face as flat as a disk, the Great TimeMaster calmly answered Sylvia''s worries. "I won''t explain to you why I am confident of being safe, but believe me. I will be really safe."


    "I-If that''s what you say, Great TimeMaster, then I will believe you¡­" Although there was still some sliver of doubt present on her eyes, in the end, Sylvia could only meekly agree with the Great TimeMaster''s claims.


    "Good. Now, prepare your things already. We might stay a little long inside the Old Man''s place, so you should bring everything with you¡­" With Sylvia now convinced by hers truly, the Great TimeMaster felt confident telling more to her. "Bring all the perfumes, soaps, and hygiene-related objects that you can. You will be needing it once we''re inside the Old Man''s place¡­"


    "Gulp. Great TImeMaster, you''re making it sound like we''re about to face a battle of our lives here. Is the Old Man''s place really that bad?" Sylvia muttered as she looked like she had eaten a bitter candy. "I mean, I heard that the Old Man is a dirty person, but is it really necessary to be this prepared?"


    "You don''t fully know the Old Man, Sylvia. So you don''t know how bad his place could be." Instead of explaining more details to her, the Great TImeMaster just gave Sylvia a small glare, which fortunately shut the latter up. "Trust me. By the end of the day, you will be using up much more soap that you can imagine¡­."


    "¡­.."


    "Oh, and also bring some life-saving devices with you. I am about to have a fight with the Old Man later, and some people could die." As if what she said was not enough, the Great TimeMaster suddenly dropped this bombshell on Sylvia. "Oh, and don''t ask me why I am going to fight the Old Man. It is something that is between us, so don''t interfere."


    "W-w-what are you saying, Great TimeMaster! You said that you''re fighting the Old Man? But aren''t you allies? Why would you then-"


    "Time''s up, Sylvia. It''s time for us to now leave."


    "W-wait, you haven''t answered my question yet!"


    "If you want to ask questions, then do it later. For now, we have a trip to embark on."


    "No! Please explain everything to me first!"


    "¡­."


    *************


    1 DAY LATER.


    The death of the Grandmaster was the news that dominated the whole Traveler''s World for a while, which was to be expected given the nature of his death.


    This powerful Returner actually died inside the Roaming Inn, under the watch of the Custodian!


    With that kind of death, there''s nobody that can just ignore it.


    The Returners were after all, the main leading personalities of the whole Traveler''s World.


    Each of their actions were monitored by many, and once something happens, it is bound to be talked upon by them.


    As such, news of the Returners'' deaths were something that the whole world cannot just forget.


    But exactly one day after the Grandmaster died, another piece of news came out, which surprisingly, made everyone almost forget about the Grandmaster already!


    Even the matter about the Crimson God was also forgotten because of this news, making it seem like it happened a long time ago!


    BREAKING NEWS: UNDER THE GUISE OF A PEACEFUL TALK, THE GREAT TIMEMASTER AND HER GROUP HAS LAUNCHED A DOUBLE RAID AGAINST OLD MAN''S ASTRAL SOUL CONTINENT AND OVERLROD''S PRIMORDIAL BEAST CONTINENT. THE RESULST OF THE SAID RAID WAS STILL UNKNOWN, BUT SOURCES SAY THAT ALL THREE RETURNERS COULD HAVE DIED OR ARE IN CRITICAL CONDITIONS. THIS NEWS WILL BE UPDATED IN THE NEXT HOUR, SO PLEASE STAY TUNED!

 Chapter 611 - Chaos and Decision

    CELESTIAL CARP CONTINENT


    CONTROL ROOM


    "What the hell?" That was all that Alex could say after hearing the news spouted by Teacher Kuro. His eyes were also slightly wide from surprise, and his body was tense as if the news was enough to make him feel wary again.


    "The Great TimeMaster said to me before that she is not the kind of person who takes risk, but what the hell is this? She actually decided to fight the Overlord and the Old Man at the same time? Why the hell did she do that?"


    Confusion.


    That was Alex''s main emotion right now, as he could not just fathom why the Great TImeMaster did something like this.


    Specifically, there are three things that the Great TimeMaster did that seemed illogical to Alex.


    First of all, yesterday was the day that the killer was looking for its next victim. Since that''s the case, then the Great TimeMaster shouldn''t have left the continent if she wanted to preserve her life.


    But instead of hiding, she actually went out? There''s something wrong with that!


    The second illogical action was the fact that the Great TImeMaster actually had the gall to raid the Old Man''s continent. If the Old Man were a different person, then Alex could have understood it.


    But the Old Man is the Great TimeMaster''s ally, so why did she attack him? Did the Old Man do something that offended her?


    The third action that confused Alex was the very notion of the Great TimeMaster actually doing a raid against two Returners.


    Why did she even think of raiding, and against two  Returners to boot! Such action is something that Alex will never do¡­.


    "Argh, I really hate what the Great TImeMaster is doing now! Is she in her right mind yesterday? Because if she is crazy, then I can understand why she did these reckless things¡­." With his mind unable to find a proper reason regarding the Great TimeMaster''s actions, all that Alex can do now was to just sigh.


    "Alex¡­"


    Beside Alex, the hungry-looking Alina also wore a surprised look, which was coupled by an expression of realization on her face.


    "So that''s the source of all the noises and powerful fluctuations that appeared on the planet last night. No wonder those fluctuations were so life-threatening. They actually came from 3 Returners fighting each other¡­" Alina murmured in a low tone while tilting her head. She was nibbling on a small piece of bread as she gave this statement, making her words sound muffled from all the chewing that she made.


    "Alex, what do you think is the condition of the Great TimeMaster and the Old Man right now? Do you think they are okay?"


    "Alina¡­ As of now, I do not have any worries about the Great TimeMaster''s condition. If she''s dead, then Teacher Kuro should have announced it. But since there''s no announcement like that, then the Great TImeMaster is still alive." Alex looked like he was fed up with everything already as he gave this answer. "There are also no announcements about the Old Man and the Overlord, so just assume that they are alive too."


    "I see, Alex. So the three Returners are still alive. That''s slight a good news for us, since two of them are our allies-"


    "Hmph, the Old Man and the Great TImeMaster might be our allies before, but do you think that after the events that happened here, they will still be allied with us? Tsk, I don''t think so!" Alex surely sounded angry from the way he spoke, and he did not even suppress his temper while talking to Alina.


    "Think about it, Alina. In the first place, why would the Great TImeMaster and the Old Man even fight each other? They''re allies, so they should be cooperating! But instead of holding hands like normal people, the Great TimeMaster still attacked the Old Man! If that is not a declaration of breaking the alliance, then I don''t know what else can that attack mean!"


    "But Alex, even if what the Great TimeMaster did was weird, we can''t just say that she''s now our enemy. Who knows, maybe this action of hers was a ploy to make the situation more chaotic?" In face of Alex''s now boiling rage, Alina appeared to try her best to douse it with her words.


    Unfortunately for her, her latest sentence did not reduce Alex''s rage. Instead, it seemed to have even bolstered it.


    "Alina, if the goal of the Great TImeMaster was to make the situation more chaotic, then she f**king succeeded! But if that''s the truth, then I am now more pissed at her!" Alex roared out, with all of his irritation and rage at the Great TimeMaster made evident with his loud voice.


    "Alina, think of this. Why would the Great TImeMaster even make the situation more chaotic, when our plans are already working properly? Tsk, what she did now just overturned our plans!"


    "Alex¡­"


    " Argh, if you just know how pissed I am Alina, you might feel more anger too!"


    "Alex, with your brains and planning, you surely can benefit from the current situation, right? Since that''s the case, maybe you should cool off a little-"


    "Cool off my ass, Alina! Do you know the damages that the Great TimeMaster has done? Let me explain it to you thoroughly." As if he was possessed by a devil, Alex grabbed Alina''s hand tightly, which prevented the latter from finishing her food.


    "Alex, I don''t-"


    "Alina, out of all the Returners present in this world, how many do you think are still in commission, huh? Tell it to me."


    "Um, I think there are-"


    "2, Alina! 2! Out of the 9 Returners, the only ones who are in commission are only 2! Can you believe how ridiculous is that?" Alex''s throat sounded more like a rubbed sandpaper at this point, something which made Alina worry for him.


    "Alex, you-"


    "The Immortal Empress: Still a child!"


    "The Arcane Sorceress: Still a child too!"


    "The Crimson God: Dead!"


    "The Grandmaster: Dead!"


    "The Great TimeMaster: Injured!"


    "The Old Man: Injured!"


    "The Overlord: Injured!"


    "Alina, these 7 Travelers that I just mentioned have no way of making any moves today. What does that leave us? It leaves us with that Rainbow guy and that Returner made up of Laws! Those 2 were the ones that we have to compete with today!"


    At this point, Alex''s voice already sounded extremely hoarse, and it stayed that way as Alex did nothing to heal it. He just let it stay that way, which was a testament on how angry he really is now.


    "Alina, if there are many Returners that are standing today, then each one of them can make the others hesitate to move. But now that only 2 Returners remain standing, those 2 will be more free to make their actions! Do you realize the problem with that?"


    "!!!" At this point, Alina, who did not comprehend why Alex was so angry, had slowly realized what Alex was getting into.


    "Alex, do you mean-"


    "Alina¡­ Yesterday, we were planning to make a raid on either the  Blood Coven Continent of the Crimson God, or the Heaven and Earth Continent of the Grandmaster. We have already prepared countless countermeasures in case something happens, and I have taken into account the situation yesterday."


    "¡­."


    Alex''s voice sounded full of pain, as if he was suffering just from recalling things. He was even squinting as if he was blinded, an action that made Alina feel more concerned for him.


    "Alina, I knew that as long as 5 Returners were standing today, we have a fair chance of raiding one continent, since those 5 Returners will be hesitating for long. They were just too many of them that it creates a barrier of suspicion and wariness. That''s the reason why I am confident of raiding a continent."


    "But Alina, with  what the Great TimeMaster did yesterday, all that plan is now in ruins! Ar-"


    At this point, Alina has decided to be the one talking, as she noticed that Alex was really close to losing his voice entirely.


    "I know what you are thinking now, Alex. Since there are only 2 Returners remaining, those two can easily choose a continent to raid." Alina soothingly said while she patted Alex on the back. "After all, there are a lot of continents that they can raid now, and they have nobody else that can really stop them¡­."


    Alex''s mood seemed to slowly settle down after he received Alina''s patting, but his face was still contorted in rage.


    "Y-yes, that''s the main problem here, Alina." Alex answered, with his voice now slowly returning to normal. "With nobody stopping those 2, they will have the courage to raid the continents today, which is a bad news to us."


    "That''s the problem that you are talking about Alex, and I think that it''s really serious." Alina did not do anything to reject Alex''s claim, as she herself had thought of it. "But do you know what''s worse? What''s worse is the fact that those 2 Returners are still not making a move.  They could have made a move after the news, but those 2  Returners still did not take an action!"


    "!!!!"


    "Alex, no matter which way you look at it, there is something fishy that is about to go up¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­.I hate to say this Alex, but I think that the Rainbow Guy and the Returner made up of Laws had allied together." Even though Alex looked like he was about to blow up a lot of rocks, Alina did not stop herself from giving her assumptions. "Maybe they are waiting for us to take an action, and it will only be after we move that those 2 will start their plans."


    "¡­" At this point, Alex''s silence was so painfully poignant, that Alina has begun worrying for him in a different way.


    This also made her much more careful of her words, as she was not sure on how Alex''s temper will react to her now.


    "Alex, as long as we start moving, those 2 Returners can do whatever the f**k they want! They can choose to stop our raid by themselves, or they can steal many more continents before we do!" Alina said, with her hands now gripping on Alex''s shoulder''s tightly. "With those options, the 2 Returners are in a much larger advantage over us!"


    "¡­"


    ************


    With all the discoveries that she and Alex had made, Alina immediately realized one thing; And that is that the prospect of her and Alex having a raid today will be fraught with danger!


    After all, once they had decided to make a raid, the alliance of the 2 remaining Returners will surely make a move against them.


    Such thing is not good for Alina, as she knew that even with the current state of their group, they will still be no match against the alliance of 2 Returners!


    "Alex, I know that your mood is bad now, but I need you to say something to me. Please, tell me if we should continue our raiding mission today." In face of Alex''s downcast face, Alina gave this extremely important query. "Please, I need to know if the raid will still happen. Our lives¡­ and the lives of our followers are at stake here!"

 Chapter 612 - TABLET AND INFORMATION

    30 MINUTES LATER.


    CELESTIAL CARP CONTIENT''S RESIDENTIAL AREA.


    When Alex has created his group, he made sure that all the Travelers who will follow him will have their own places to live. After all, he cannot just let these many people roam around without any proper place for to stay.


    With that goal in mind, Alex has created a section in the continent which he called the ''Residential Area''.


    The Residential Area was basically a housing complex made up of precious minerals, whose main purpose was to give a place for many people to stay in.


    There are houses, countless facilities, and even recreational sites in this area, all which cater to the needs and wants of many Travelers.


    With these kind of benefits, this place was quickly loved by the Travelers, and they began using it for every imaginable task that they can do , include training and  bonding.


    Such great was the usefulness of this area, that even Traveler Marcus, who held the post as the strongest follower of Alex, was also staying here.


    But unlike the others, Marcus was not here in the Residential Area just to have fun.


    He was here to strengthen himself, and he did not stop on improving his body everyday.


    Even today, when Alex was about to start another raid, Marcus did not stop from finding ways to improve his survival abilities.


    But since there is a raid that will happen today, Marcus did not exactly do anything that will strain his body.


    Instead, Marcus focused more on gathering information, something that he also deemed important.


    ********


    "The data bank about the Returners had been updated? Good! Now is the time for me to read it then!" Traveler Marcus, whose face bore signs of stress from too much training, happily said these words to himself as he held a small, tablet-like gadget on his hands.


    This tablet was reminiscent of the gadgets that most people from technological-based worlds were used to have, although the fluctuation of magic from the tablet show signs that the tablet also had magical components in itself.


    This magic was constantly being emitted from the tablet as time passed by, making it seem like a beacon that many magic-based power users will surely feel.


    In Marcus''s case however, even if he was also a magic-based power user, his attention was not placed on the magic released by the gadget. Instead, he was more focused on the words displayed from the tablet''s screen, as if they were treasures here that greatly tempted him.


    "Yesterday, there are only few information about all the Returners that are currently in this world. So few in fact, that only their names are displayed in my tablet. But today, that has changed!" Like a man who had seen a mountain-sized pile of gold, Marcus stared at his tablet with extreme greed.


    "I don''t know how Leader Alex did it, but he has managed to know much more about all the Returners! And he did not even hide this info. He actually placed it on the database, which will allow people like me to see it!"


    If Marcus could look any more pleased at this point, then he could have done so. After all, he seemed to be extremely happy with what was happening, that even praising Alex for an hour might not be enough for him.


    "Sigh¡­. Leader Alex really is a good person. Even if he does not need to give us this info about the Returners, he still gave it to us! Does he¡­ does he think that we''re worthy to learn this?" Marcus suddenly mused, as he began feeling some hints of doubt. He quickly dispelled this however, as he knew that the notion of this doubt was too ridiculous in the first place.


    "No, I cannot doubt Leader Alex! If he wants us to know about the Returners, then that means that there must be a use for it! Maybe¡­ maybe this will be useful once we perform our raid later! Yes, that might be it!"


    As he consoled his mind with this hastily made-up excuse, Marcus took a deep breath as he went back to looking at the tablet.


    His eyes greedily drank in all the information released from the tablet''s screen, and he held the tablet so hard that its edges began to crumple.


    Smoke was also slowly coming out of the tablet, although Marcus ignored it as his whole mind was solely focused on his goal.


    "The raid will happen in a few more minutes, so I only have that much time to read all of this info. Tsk, that time is a little short to me, since I do not like to read. But if it''s for Leader Alex, then I can read all of these words even at the cost of my life!"


    ************


    ALEX AND DELIA DATABASE BANK.


    -----INDEX 1: RETURNERS-----


    RETURNER NO. 1


    [NAME]: CRIMSON GOD.


    [POWER SYSTEM]:   LIFE MAGIC AND BLOOD WARLOCK SYSTEM


    DETAILS: THE CRIMSON GOD WAS BORN FROM THE 4TH STAGE WORLD HAIRENFA, WHICH IS A WORLD MOSTLY DOMINATED BY EVIL CREATURES AND NASTY WARLOCKS. UPON BIRTH, THE CRIMSON GOD WAS BRANDED AS A SLAVE BY A WARLOCK, WHO USED HIM IN MANY EXPERIMENTS AND TASKS.


    BY A SHEER TWIST OF FATE, THE CRIMSON GOD WAS ABLE TO KILL HIS WARLOCK MASTER, AND IN TURN INHERIT ALL OF THE WARLOCK''S MAGICAL ABILITY AND SKILLS.


    THIS BECAME THE TURNING POINT IN THE CRIMSON GOD''S LIFE, AND HE USED ALL THE KNOWLEDGE TO BECOME STRONGER AND STRONGER.


    HIS PATRON WAS A TRAVELER WHO HAD ALREADY TRANSCENDED.


    [STATUS]: DEAD


    -------------------


    RETURNER NO. 2


    [NAME]: GRANDMASTER


    [POWER SYSTEM]: WAY OF THE SEALS POWER SYSTEM


    [DETAILS]: THE GRANDMASTER HAILS FROM A SPACEFARING CIVILIZATION THAT HAS CONQUERED HUNDREDS OF PLANETS. THE LEADER OF THIS CIVILZATION WAS THE GRANDMASTER''S FATHER, AND THIS STATUS GAVE THE GRANDMASTER AN OUTLET FOR HIS ABILITIES.


    EVER SINCE HE WAS A CHILD, THE GRANDMASTER''S DEVIOUS INTELLIGENCE AND STRATEGIC PROWESS HAD ALREDY AWED MANY, AND IT CONTINUED TO IMPROVE AS HE GOT OLDER.


    BY THE AGE OF 25, THE GRANDMASTER HAD ALREADY MANAGED TO CONQUER HIS OWN PLANET, A FEAT THAT WAS ONLY BESTED BY EMPEROR LITCH HIMSELF.


    IT WAS UNKNOWN WHO IS THE GRANDMASTER''S PATRON, BUT THE GRANDMASTER MUST HAVE MET HIS PATRON DURING HIS TRIP ON A ROTATING BLACK HOLE.


    [STATUS]: DEAD


    -----------------------


    RETURNER NO. 3.


    [NAME]: THE GREAT TIMEMASTER


    [POWER SYSTEM]: CHRONOMANCY.


    [DETAILS]: BORN FROM A PLANET NEARING ITS DYING STAGE, THE GREAT TIMEMASTER USED HER ALREADY POWERFUL ABILITIES AT THAT ITME TO FIND A NEW HOME FOR HER FELLOW CHRONOMANCERS.


    SHE JOURNEYED FAR AND WIDE AND SHE FINALLY FOUND A PLANET WHICH CAN SERVE AS HER NEW HOME.


    BUT DUE TO CERTAIN UNFORTUNATE EVENTS, THE GREAT TIMEMASTER''S HUSBAND WAS KILLED AND HER CHILD WAS PLUNGED INTO A CRITICAL CONDITION DURING HER STAY IN THIS NEW PLANET.


    BECAUSE OF THIS, THE GREAT TIMEMASTER ABANDONED HER PREVOIUS NOTION OF NEGOTIATING WITH HER DISCOVERED PLANET.


    INSTEAD, SHE LED HER FELLOW CHRONOMANCERS TO RAID THE PLANET.


    SHE SUCCESSFULLY CONQUERED THE PLANET AS HER OWN, AND SHE HAS ALSO SUCCESSFULLY REMODELED ITS LAWS.


    IT WAS UKNOWN WHO THE GREAT TIMEMASTER''S PATRON WAS, AND IT WILL STAY THAT WAY UNITL THE GRAET TIMEMASTER TALKS ABOUT IT.


    [STATUS]: INJURED, BUT ALIVE.


    ----------------


    RETURNER NO. 4


    [NAME]: OLD MAN.


    [POWER SYSTEM]: NOT YET CONFIRMED, BUT SOME SAY THAT HIS ABILITIES ARE RELATED TO THE EXISTENCE OF DOMAINS.


    [DETAILS]: EVEN IF THE OLD MAN WAS LEADER ALEX''S PATRON, THE OLD MAN DID NOT SAY ANTYING ABOUT HIS ORIGINS TO ANYONE, NOT EVEN TO LEADER ALEX.


    ACCORDING TO THE OLD MAN, TEHRE IS NO NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HIS ORIGIN, AS IT WAS ''SUPPOSEDLY'' DESTROYED BY AN EVIL CREATURE FROM A LONG TIME AGO.


    HE ALSO DID NOT EXPLAIN WHY HE SMELLED AND LOOKED LIKE A BEGGAR, ALTHOUGH HE SIAD THAT IF HE COULD HAVE WANTED IT TO, HE COULD REALLY CLEAN HIMSELF.


    LEADER ALEX DID NOT BELIEVE THAT CLAIM.


    ACCORDING TO THE OLD MAN, HIS PATRON IS ALREADY DEAD.


    [STATUS]: INJURED, BUT ALIVE.


    -------------------------


    RETURNER NO. 5


    [NAME]: OVERLORD


    [POWER SYSTEM]: MECHANICAL GOD POWER SYSTEM.


    [DETAILS]: CREATED BY A TECHNOLOGICAL-BASED TRAVELER, THE OVERLORD''S MAIN GOAL IN LIFE WAS TO GET STRONGER AND EVENTUALLY TRANSCEND AS A DIVINE ROBOT.


    WITH HIS FINELY-MADE BODY AND GIFTED MIND, THE OVERLORD WAS ABLE TO USE HIS POWERS EFFECTIVELY AGSINT HIS ENEMIES, ALL WHO ENDED UP AS MATERIALS FOR HIS OTHER PROJECTS.


    BY THE TIME HE WAS 30 YEARS OLD, THE OVERLORD HAS RACHED HIS MATURITY,  WITH ALL OF HIS POWERS ALMOST REACHING THEIR PEAK.


    IT WAS AT THIS AGE THAT HE MET HIS CREATOR, WHO ALSO ENDED UP AS HIS PATRON.


    [STATUS]: INJURED, BUT ALIVE.


    ------------------


    RETURNER NO. 6


    [NAME]: IMMORTAL EMPRESS


    [POWER SYSTEM]: IMMORTAL CULTVATION


    [DETAILS]: AS THE DIRECT DISCIPLE OF THE YIN-YANG MONARCH, THE IMMORTAL EMPRESS'' FUTURE WAS ALREADY SET.


    SHE WAS GIVEN THE POWER TO RULE ALL OVER COUNTLESS PLANETS, AND THE ONLY ONE WHO THREATENS HER STATUS WAS THE ARCANE SORCERESS.


    BUT EVEN WITH THESE BENEFITS, THE IMMORTAL EMPRESS CHOSE TO RUN AWAY FROM HER SECT, THE YIN-YANG PALACE.


    REASONS FOR HER DEPARTURE WERE UNKNOWN, ALTHOUGH SOME SAY THAT THE ARCANE SORCERESS WAS RLEATED TO IT.


    ACCCORDING TO THE RUMORS, THE IMMORTAL EMPRESS HAS NO PATRON. INSTEAD, THE RUMORS SAY THAT SHE WAS TURNED INTO A TRAVELR BY THE ENDLESS MONARCH HIMSELF, UNDER THE REQUEST OF THE  YIN-YANG MONARCH.


    TEHRE ARE NO CLUES THAT CAN PROVE THIS RUMOR, ALTHOUGH THE IMMORTAL EMPRESS DID NOT DO ANYTHING TO INVALIDATE IT.


    [DETAILS]: CURRENTY A CHILD. DON''T ASK HOW.


    -------------


    RETURNER NO. 7


    [NAME]: ARCANE SORCERESS


    [POWER SYSTEM]: SORCERY POWER SYSTEM


    [DETAILS]: BORN WITH THE TALENT THAT WAS ENOUGH TO SHAKE THE WHOLE SORCERY REALM, THE ARCANE SORCERESS WAS QUICLKY GIVEN THE STATUS AS THE SORCERY ENVOY.


    NOBODY FROM THE SORCERLY REALM OPPOSED THIS DECISION, AS THE ARCANE SORCERESS'' TALENT REIGNED SUPREME ABOVE ALL. HER ONLY RIVAL WAS THE IMMORTAL EMPRESS, WHO WAS ALWAYS PICKING A FIGHT WITH HER AT ANY AVAILABLE TIME.


    NOT MUCH WAS KNOWN ABOUT THE ARCANE SORCERESS'' GOALS, ALTHOUGH HER FODNESSS OF GATEHERING BEAUTIFUL MEN AS HER HUSBANDS WAS A WELL-KNOWN TOPIC IN THE MULTIVERSE.


    IN FACT, IT WAS THIS FONDNESS THAT ALMOST SPARKED A DEATH MATCH BETWEEN HER AND THE IMMORTAL EMPRESS, AS THE LATTER''S HUSBAND WAS STOLEN BY THE FORMER.


    THE PATRON OF THE ARCANE SORCERESS IS HER UNCLE, WHO IS CURRENTLY A TRASCENDENT SORCERER.


    [STATUS]: CURRENTLY A CHILD. DON''T ASK HOW.


    ------------------


    [NAME]: RAINBOW QUASAR, SOUL EXACALIBER, MAGNIFICENT DUDE


    [POWER SYSTEM]: UNKNOWN


    [DETAILS]: BECAUSE OF HIS SHEER WEIRDNESS AND WAYWARD BEHAVIOR, ALL THE GATHERED INFORMAOTIN ABOUT THE RAINBOW QUASAR, SOUL EXACALIBER, MAGNIFICENT DUDE CAN BE SAID AS FALSE.


    SOME SOURCES SAY THAT HE IS A UNICORN THAT TOOK FORM OF A MAN, WHILE SOME SAY THAT HE IS THE HOLY SWORD EXCALIBUR THAT WAS TAINTED WITH A CURSE. SOME RUMORS EVEN SAY THAT HE IS A BABY BORN FROM A DYING STAR.


    LEADER ALEX HIMSELF IS NOT SURE ON WHCH OF THESE RUMORS ARE TRUE, SO FOR THE READERS, JUST DON''T BELIEVE WHAT''S WRITTEN HERE.


    THE RAINBOW QUASAR, SOUL EXACALIBER, MAGNIFICENT DUDE''S PATRON IS ALSO UNKNOWN, AND LEADER ALEX THINKS THAT IT WILL BE BETTER IF IT STAYS THAT WAY.


    [STATUS]: ALIVE.


    ---------------------


    RETURNER NO. 9


    [NAME]: UNKNOWN(AS OF NOW, HE IS BEING CALLED AS THE RETRUNER MADE UP OF LAWS.)


    [POWER]: UNKNOWN(MAYBE LAW MANIPULATION?)


    [DETAILS]: UNKKNOWN(ALTHOUGH SOME SAY THAT HE WAS BORN FORM THE LAWS THEMSELVES.)


    [STATUS]: ALIVE

 Chapter 613 - Why are you looking at us like that? Do you want to kill us?

    After poring his eyes over the information showed on the tablet, the slightly amazed Marcus let out an exclamation of surprise, as what he found from the tablet were info that he never had expected to get.


    "I expected the Returners to have some origins, but for their origins to be this unique? Wow, they sure are unique individuals¡­" Marcus muttered with slight awe in his voice. "Well, since they are as impressive as Leader Alex and Delia, then the origins of the Returners are bound to be impressive too¡­"


    His hands then began to make some random gestures this time, which quickly turned off the tablet.


    "Hmm¡­ come to think of it. Leader Alex and Leader Delia are still not telling us about their origins¡­ Will they continue hiding it from us even when they had already revealed the past of the Returners? Isn''t that unfair?" While his left hand was occupied on hiding his tablet, Marcus'' mind swiveled as he thought about his own leaders.


    "I mean, I don''t really suspect Leader Alex of doing anything bad, but won''t it be better for him if he reveals even just a tiny little bit of his past to us? The same thing goes for Leader Delia too¡­"


    At this point, the mildly curious Marcus began to giggle at himself as if he found what he thought as funny.


    "Lol, why would I even think of demanding Leader Alex''s and Leader Delia''s past? With my current power, would their past even matter? Hahaha, I guess I can only know more about Leader Alex and Leader Delia once I get stronger¡­."


    Marcus did not look like he was discouraged at all by this sudden realization of his. Instead, he seemed to be even more motivated, a reaction that is already common for someone like him.


    "I guess that''s what I should do. I should just find way to strengthen myself. I am still young, and there are still around 8 months left in my stay here in this world, so I can do a lot to improve myself! Yes! As long as I persevere here, I will reach my goal!"


    "Bang!" As if to validate his declaration, Marcus hastily stood up as he clapped his right hand over his chest, creating a gesture that in Marcus'' world, meant as a way to declare a promise.


    "Bang!"


    Marcus''s body was really not that strong, but because of the magic that he clad all over his skin, the claps that he made produced a reaction akin to that of an explosion.


    "Bang bang!"  Marcus repeated this clap two more times, filling the whole room with the sounds of a punched drum.


    "As long as I do not reach the Fifth Stage, I will never try pestering about Leader Alex''s past! Only when I can be that strong that I will have the right to reach him!"


    "Bang!" Marcus added one more clap to his promise before he stopped moving his hands.


    That left Marcus with five claps in total, a number which was also considered as a lucky number in his world.


    ***********


    "Okay, now that I am done here, it''s time for me to start the raid!"


    Exactly 3 minutes had already passed by since Marcus starting reading the tablet, which according to his notes, is the  exact time when the raid will supposedly be starting.


    Leader Alex had told this fact to them yesterday, which Marcus did not dare to forget all this time.


    "If Leader Alex or Leader Delia told us that the raid is cancelled, then I will not dare go outside. But since there are no messages from Leader Alex or Leader Delia that cancels the raid, then the raid will happen as intended!"


    Like a man relieved that his sickness was false, Marcus appeared to be full of relief from the lack of messages frpm his leaders.


    Marcus seem to be not offended that his leaders were not contacting him. Instead, their lack of words made him even more excited, a reaction that surprisingly, all of his fellow Travelers also share.


    "Okay¡­. It''s time for me to go to the inside of the Headquarters again. After all, the teleportation formation will be set-up there¡­.."


    Without any delay on his actions, Marcus quickly left his current room as he began rushing towards his destination.


    "Swoosh!"


    His cloak flowed well with the wind as he flew along the sky, making him look like a man who was just shot out of a cannon.


    Such look made Marcus appear silly, although the man himself did not mind that.


    Well, even if Marcus knew how he looked now, he will not be worried about that, since his mind was occupied about something else.


    "Ok, so from what Dis just told me right now through her telepathy, she and my other Companions are already inside the Headquarters,  along with the other Travelers. They seem to be only waiting for me and me alone¡­. Hoho, so does that mean that I am the last person from the group to arrive? Tsk, this is a little embarrassing¡­"


    If Marcus could just berate himself, then he could have done it,  as he just realized that he is the sole reason that the current raid might be delayed.


    Of course, Marcus knew that his fellow allies will not be angry at him, since delays like this are just normal. But still, Marcus felt that he must do something in order to atone for his lateness.


    "Okay¡­ since I am late, then I must double my rate of attack in the raid later! That will be the only way¡­ that I can absolve myself from being late!"


    With his body already halfway the distance towards the Headquarters,  Marcus made this new declaration without any hesitation. He seemed to be even excited as he said this, as if the fact that he will be forcing himself to fight more is not a problem for him.


    "Yes, doubling my rate of attack is good. If I can triple it, I will be even better. But with my current skills, I guess I can only manage to double it¡­"


    Marcus could have mumbled more words to himself at this point, but the nearing proximity of the Headquarters made him go silent.


    "Thud." The young Traveler said nothing else from that point as he landed quietly in front of the Headquarters'' tall doors. He then tested his foot after the landing, as if he was checking if they were injured.


    "¡­"


    It was only when he was done checking that Marcus gained the courage to open the door, which he knew will lead him to his new mission.


    "¡­I hope that the continent that we will raid today will be interesting. That way, I can grasp my chance of reaching Grade 4¡­"


    With this thought pervading in his mind, Marcus let out a smile as he opened the doors.


    "Yeah, I think I should set that as my goal too. I should also find a way to reach Stage 4 after this raid¡­"


    *************


    A FEW SECONDS LATER.


    With his speed and urgency, Marcus was able to enter the main hall of the Headquarters just on time.


    The crowd of Travelers that Marcus hoped to see were still inside the hall, and they showed no signs of leaving yet.


    This made Marcus relieved, making him discard the thought that his fellow allies have left him behind.


    "Okay, so my allies have not yet left me, which means that they must be really waiting for me. Haha, I never knew they will be this considerate of me!"  With his mind now relieved from his slight panic earlier, Marcus began to smile as he slowly approached the crowd.


    Since these people had the kindness to wait for him, Marcus thought of greeting them all and giving his thanks, as he knew that all this people deserved his gratitude now.


    "Hey, everyone. Thank you for-"


    But before Marcus could fully articulate his gratitude, he suddenly found his words stuck on his throat, preventing him from speaking any further.


    "¡­."


    Marcus'' throat moved up and down a little as he forced himself to speak, but no matter what he did, he just could not speak.


    "¡­."


    As much as Marcus wanted to speak now, he lost any courage to even say a single word.


    "¡­."


    Why is Marcus acting like this? Well, the reason for that lies on what Marcus had just seen with his very own eyes.


    "¡­"


    A murderous-looking Alina, whose current glare was enough to make everyone feel scared, could be seen standing right at the stage overlooking the Travelers.


    Her eyes were narrowed into thin slits, while her favorite katana was currently out of its sheath, with its blade pointed directly at the Travelers below her.


    Her arms were also crossed at this point, with her frowning face staring at the Travelers with an undeniable hostility.


    This posture of hers made Alina look like she was about to murder someone, which her extreme killing intent seem to have confirmed.


    "¡­"


    The strength of Alina''s killing intent was so great, that everyone inside the main hall found themselves sweating greatly.


    All of them felt like they were close to death, something that nobody from them were able to just ignore.


    How could they ignore the feeling of death, when someone as powerful as Alina was staring at them with that murderous eyes?


    Even Marcus, who had faced many life-death situations before was also left shaken by Alina''s glare, and he was even frozen on his current spot, unable to move even by an inch!


    "¡­Oh no. Why is she looking at us like that? Did we¡­ do something wrong?" With his mental faculties also affected by the deadly-looking Alina, Marcus found himself floundering for the reason this woman was acting like this.


    "From what I remember, we did not do anything wrong for the past few days. We did not commit any mistakes, and even if we did, we would have surely punished those who made the mistakes! With that kind of prudence, there should be nothing that will make Traveler Alina this angry!"


    All that Marcus can do now was grind his lips in tension, as this was the only movement that he could do. Other parts of his body were still paralyzed because of Alina''s killing aura, and it seems like he could only make them move if Alina stops what she was doing.


    Which of course seems impossible too, since the woman herself appeared to have all the time in the world to continue looking this angry.


    "Ugh¡­ since we have gathered here, then that means that the raid will still start. But if that is what should happen, then why are we not yet leaving?" Marcus thought miserably as he slowly resigned himself to waiting.


    "Instead of leaving, we were forced to endure Traveler Alina''s anger, as if we had deserved this. Why is this happening? Is there something about the raid that made Traveler Alina angry? If that''s the case, then why is she dumping her anger on us? This does not make sense at all!"


    If Alina had continued to stay silent, then poor Marcus could have spent the next few minutes thinking furiously to himself about many things, something that will just make the unfortunate man feel more fear.


    Fortunately for Marcus, the murderous Alina has decided to talk 20 seconds after his arrival.

 Chapter 614 - Anger and Eagerness to Fight

    "As you might see, you have been gathered here to start a raid. However, don''t expect this raid to be like any other." Alina said, with her murderous intent now laced in her words. "This raid¡­ will be something that is vital for the future of our group and the Traveler''s World, so don''t think that it will be easy!"


    Her murderous tone  made Alina sound much more venomous compared to before, something which made the Travelers slightly shrink back in fear.


    "Oh, god. Traveler Alina is really angry. Will this make her want to kill us?" Marcus thought with dread as he imagined Alina''s sharp sword cutting through his body. This made him tremble, as he realized that once Alina attacks him, he will be really done for. "Ugh, I hope things will not lead to that¡­"


    "In this raid, there will be a chance that something surprising might happen. So don''t think that things will be easy here. Do you understand that?" Although Alina asked this question with slight courtesy, her tone made it obvious that she is not going to take a No for an answer. "I said, do you understand?"


    "Y-Yes, we do! Traveler Alina!"


    "Good. Now, prepare yourselves for the raid." After saying this, Alina took back her sword and placed it back on her sheath. "Oh, and just a little reminder for you all. Aside from you, I will also be joining the raid."


    "!!!"


    "My companions Professor Frances and Queen Mother will also join in, along with the Spiritualist Yao''er and the Triplicator Milo." Alina added before the crowd could fully comprehend what she just said. "With that kind of line-up, all of you should know how dangerous this situation could be. So please, please behave and don''t f**k this up. Do you all understand that?"


    "Y-Yes Traveler Alina!"


    "But don''t expect me and my Companions to fight along with you. We will just jump in if something wrong indeed happens." Alina said with a huff, as if she had detected what her followers were thinking. "So don''t slack of even if we''re with you! Do you understand that?"


    "Y-Yes Traveler Alina!"


    "¡­."


    Behind Alina, the companions that she just mentioned could be seen standing. Queen Mother, Professor Frances, Yao''er, and Milo were all standing like obedient children behind Alina, and they did not do anything that bothered her.


    Even Professor Frances, who was known for her rebellious behavior and love for pranks, was uncharacteristically silent on stage.


    "¡­."


    The silence of these people made the whole atmosphere more awkward than before, with nobody seemingly having the courage to make even the smallest of sounds.


    "¡­."


    Seeing that these people were acting like this just increased Marcus'' fear of Alina, as he realized that Alina''s anger was much more potent than what he expected.


    "Ugh, if Alina''s anger was also enough to silence her Companions, that means that the reason for her anger must be something drastic. Huhuhu, if that'' the case, I hope that will not affect us¡­" Knowing that Alina''s power was enough to devastate them all, all that Marcus can do now was hope that whatever happens later will not be enough to make Alina lash out on them.


    "But Leader Alex is here, so maybe he can restrain Alina. Right, that is possi- wait, where is Leader Alex anyway? Shouldn''t he be here placating Alina?"


    As if he had reached a possible clue in his investigation, Marcus'' eyes lit up after the mention of Alex crossed his mind. His body also slightly relaxed, as he felt that thinking of Alex right now will be helping him decipher Alina''s intentions.


    With this small clue inside his head, Marcus began to make a link between Alina''s current attitude and Alex''s absence, which slowly gave Marcus the confidence to probe more.


    It came to the point that Marcus felt that he was about to discover something, which could be monumental for this situation.


    But before Marcus could completely analyze this ''link'', he suddenly felt Alina''s Esper Power wrapping his body.


    "No! Don''t bring me out yet! I still haven''t thought more!" As he felt the space and the dimensions around him getting squeezed and flattened out, Marcus wailed this complaint towards Alina, with some traces of dissatisfaction present on his voice. "Traveler Alina, please withhold the teleportation! I still have to think!"


    But with the way that the space around him was warped, Marcus'' words towards Alina went unheard of.


    "No!"


    Just like his words earlier, this shout by Marcus was  also rendered silent by Alina''s power, which has now began its job of bringing Marcus towards his destination.


    "¡­"


    Upon sensing that his body was now moving across countless dimensions, all that Marcus can do now was to sigh, as he realized that his time for thinking will have to be postponed later.


    As he was now heading towards their target continent, Marcus had no choice but to prepare himself to fight. All of his thinking and distracting thoughts will have to be discarded for now, as it will just be impeding him.


    "Something fishy is going on between Leader Alex and Traveler Alina. Whatever that is, I am sure it is related to today''s raid¡­."


    This was the last coherent thought that Marcus made before he felt his feet landing on solid ground again.


    **************


    10 MINUTES LATER.


    "¡­"


    Just like what he had expected, Marcus and his allies found themselves winning the battle against their opponents.


    Even if their opponents were much more numerous than them, Marcus and his allies were able to use their improved teamwork and enhanced abilities to take all of them down easily.


    Everyone who tried to mow Marcus down were demolished easily by his spells, and those who tried to ambush his allies were easily defeated too.


    In fact, it actually seemed so easy at this point, that Marcus felt that his enemies were way too weak compared to the ones that he fought before.


    This kind of scenario was something that satisfied Marcus, although it also made him feel as if something weird was going on here.


    Aside from feeling weird, the relative weakness of his opponents has also allowed Marcus to resume his investigative thinking earlier.


    "This is the Heaven and Earth Continent, which is the Continent under the rule of the deceased Grandmaster. This is said to be the place where the famed Heaven and Earth Talisman, a Half-Step Transcendent Treasure, currently resides¡­." Marcus idly thought to himself as he fired off two more fireballs against a spy who tried to stab him from behind.


    His fireballs completely melted the armor of the spy, which made it panic. Marcus then kicked the spy unconscious before it can run away, creating a crunchy sound from his foot.


    "The presence of this treasure made the whole environment of this Continent to be conducive for talisman making and energy manipulation. This environment is what makes this continent a profitable continent, as many foreigners and otherworlders use this continent as a place to improve their skills. The rent gathered from these trainees was the source of all the income here¡­"


    If Marcus could yawn, then he could have done it already, as he found himself getting bored from the people that he was fighting.


    Even the rare Fourth Stage Travelers who tried to clash with Marcus has also failed to satisfy him, as all of them were  quickly defeated by his magic combos.


    "Since this continent is this profitable, then it makes sense for Leader Alex to target this. However, if that''s really the case, then why is Traveler Alina looking that angry? Is there something about this raid in the Heaven and Earth Continent that did not conform with her morals? Hmm¡­ this is making me worried."


    "Well, since we''re not killing anyone here, then maybe the reason for Traveler Alina''s anger is related to Alex personally¡­ Yes, that might be the case." As if he was convincing himself that everything was okay, Marcus has resigned himself to accept this conclusion, since there was no use for him to even think of any.


    "Since Traveler Alina''s anger was caused by Leader Alex, then I have no right to get involved. I just have to keep fighting here and defeat our oppon- Eh? Where''s my opponents? Why are all of them gone now? Don''t tell me we have already won?"


    Instead of seeing someone desperately rushing to him with the intent to maim his body, what Marcus saw with his eyes was a large field filled with his unconscious opponents. None of his expected opponents were standing, as all of them were already been defeated.


    The only ones standing were Marcus'' allies, who looked just as surprised as him.


    "Only 10 minutes have passed by, and we have already defeated everyone? Isn''t this too fast?" Marcus numbly thought as he walked forward, nimbly avoiding the bodies of his defeated enemies. "They were in much higher number compared to us, so it should have taken us longer to win. Heck, I even thought that it will take us at least 30 minutes to win¡­"


    "But for us to win within 10 minutes? Something''s wrong here!"


    Marcus could have used some more time to make sense of their sudden victory, but that was interrupted when above him, Alex suddenly appeared.


    "Hong~"


    Alex''s immensely powerful body appeared like a god above the whole Heaven and Earth Continent, showering Marcus and the others with his presence.


    His body, which looked like the same as before, seemed to ripple with so much power and pressure, that everyone below him could feel a slight suppression pushing their bodies down.


    Even Marcus also felt this, whose mind is currently running into overload.


    "!(*(*)@(*!!!"


    Unlike Alina and himself who were teleported using her own powers, Marcus can see that Alex came into the continent using his own body.


    Such thought was interesting to Marcus, but that was quickly forgotten when Marcus saw that Alex was also angry.


    Like, murderously angry.


    And this anger of Alex''s was more apparent when he began showcasing his own powers, something that he had never done before.


    "Shula~"


    Countless weird and indecipherable objects have appeared around Alex at this moment, which induced a sense of awe and tension from everyone, including Marcus.


    A massive golden throne, an elongated rainbow-colored pillar, a gigantic human-like energy body, millions and millions of waves, and 9 Soul Bodies who looked like Alex, all loomed over the Heaven and Earth Continent with their intense presences.


    Each objects were rippling with their own unique characteristics, which induced countless weird phenomena all over the continent.


    These objects made Marcus feel like he we insignificant, as if he was a tiny bug that was meant to just be squashed.


    "Why is Leader Alex acting like he wants to fight? There is no need for him to fight, since the Grandmaster is already dead!" Marcus thought strangely as he let out a gulp.


    "The rules state that Alex should defeat the owner of this continent first before he can assume control of it. But since the Grandmaster is already dead, then there is no need for Leader Alex to fight! He should just enter the control room, and voila, he will be the owner of the Heaven and Earth Continent!"


    The more that Marcus thought of this, the more confused that he just felt.


    After all, why would Alex spend this much time unleashing his powers when his opponent was already dead?


    Isn''t this just a waste of time?


    Unless¡­


    "But what if¡­ what if Leader Alex is really about to  fight someone now? But this someone is not the Grandmaster. If that''s the case¡­ then there''s only one kind of opponent that can make Leader Alex act like this¡­"


    "It''s the remaining Returners! Yes, that''s it! The remaining Returners must have been rushing to this place now in order to fight Leader Alex!"

 Chapter 615 - Interlude: A plea from a victim of the Abyss

    "Argh! I am only a weak wizard who wants to make a contract with an Abyss Monster!  Please, I did not mean anything by this slavery seal!"


    "Please, I do not have any bad intentions to any Abyss Monster! I just want to talk to one!"


    "Huhuhu, the slavery seal that is here on my table is not related to the Abyss Ritual! It''s just... an accidnet that it was here! Yes, it''s an accident!"


    "Please believe me!"


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    sumenahurized scenvisidees arterrels orighterickle beneern


    finakes seement lentemis swarregigaugh builay


    c?????????????????????o??????????????n??????????j?????????????????u?????????????n???????????????i??????????????????f???????????????????e????????????????????????o???????u???????????????t??????????????????????????????l???????????????????????e????????s????????????t?????????????????????c????????????????a????????????????n?????????????????????o??????????????????????m????????????i??????????????????g??????????????????????r???????a??????????????????????m???????????????i??????????????n???????????????s???????????????????????????????????????c?????????????????o?????????????????????????????u??????????n??????????????i??????????f????????i?????????c??????????????????????????????????a???????????????????????d?????i???????????????????n???????????????????????????e???????????????????????????a????????????????????k?????????????f???????????????????u????l??????????????????????l????????????????


    comburter iminket bujudge destinadmonts drassiverism thoods nessor seldinteriah mansiblexiet bradshness tropoutriest auguars otespodeling fishak ansfer lidavy solistipled willowbee calfured luncer favoteralently rivestred havitypear slatordest workme milampon s.e.xuried unkamissago ponymp corpologish scripsier sputation remorawerfor selfritings pothumpedagged deverthd crowsk clases heaterts threpuzzle tractionalled commancity bloons diffleashings bruishes


    autoflowers tuback fugatutin tricatinsinker evacceptealt dentril dacrields optionlikeell brosod spirrefty ???????????????????????????c???????????????o???????????n??????t?????a???????????t??????????????e???????d????????????????????w????????o?????????o?????????????????d??????????o????????????r??????????i???????????????g?????????h?????????????t???????????l??????y????????????s?????????????????q?????????u???????e?????????r????????????o?????????????????n?????????????i?????c???????????????????????????u?????????????n??????????t???????????i??????????b?????????i???????????????t?????????s????????????????l????????u???????????d??????????????i???????????????v??????????????i????????c???????????????t???????????s??????????????????????distific floone flagrateents perticanghte siblic roometer oratery lahaffuse aspion coleshorarity piress bloofrier luftenher intermaler ruschoe datended mechring agmerce hitanzed sulth nugli macmilitle surrilean soothborts stuffica culcrubdive pulmenlightic uneque rebalect woodort bagettle storattrolians phercowson marcep flitintions


    strawels concep kelibric provelt trigntered


    d?????????????????????e????????????????n???????????????????????????????t?????????????????r????????????????????????????????i???????????l??????????????????????????????????????????????????d??????????????????a???????????????????????????????c???????????????????????????????r????????????????????????i?????????????????????????????e??????????????????l????????????????????????d???????????????????s?????????????????????????????????????????o??????????????????????p?????????????????????????????????????t?????????????????????i?????????o???????????????????????????????n???????????????l??????????????????????????????????????i??????????????????????????????????????k??????????????????????e??????????????????????e?????????????????l?????????????????l??????????????????????????????????????????b???????????????????????r????????????????????????????????????o????????????????s?????????????????????????o????????????????????????????????????????d?????????????????????????????????s?????????????????p???????????????????i??????????????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????????????????r???????????????????e??????????????????????f???????????????t????????y??????????????????????????????????????????


    ????????????????????????????????????????????????????infull rallageste ratister pendinct suffinted


    derelity maskative joriptivitz deprect mcmister


    subwebise cagene symmed teresuper bleasa


    irriscanta lorify impiecstoms gratincronal gelery


    discoutly drawaker plifying deservey acknes


    pandineful comeek oblizer testened spland


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    "No! I am not planning to enslave an Abyss Monster! Huhuhu, please believe me!"


    "Argh!!! It hurts it hurts it hurts! No!!! Please don''t torture me more!"


    "Huhuhu... I can''t take it anymore! Please... please just let me go! I didn''t do anything wrong here!"


    "Please, have mercy!"


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    ratest twendiation hareness hazanny pinholhomo


    hesittes dygushoes tenuanded entline strumorsakes unativels aubraves conneted nadonolomble sheliallaritut katmetle fectio gothummed orightes submer


    m??????????????i??????????????????????n?????????????????????????i???????????????????b??????????????????????????b????????????????????????e?????????????d?????????????????????????????????????????????r????????????????e????????????????w?????????????????????????i?????????????????n?????????????????t?????????????????????????r??????i?????????????z??????????????????????????????????i??????????????????n????????????????????????????????g????????????????????????s?????????????????????????????????g?????????????????????????????????????a????r?????????????????f?????????????????????????????????????l?????????????????????????????o??????????????????????????v??????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????s???????????????????????????????????????p????????????????????????????r????????????????o???????????????????????s?????????????????????????????y??????????????????????n???????????????????????e??????????????????????????????????v????????????????????????????a?????????????????????????????????b????????????????l???????i????????????????n???????????????????t???????????????e??????????????????????????????????


    ??????????????????????carandbald joeloquyveral spoilivil permia afsoleted commindfied preambered hinesse diverthwhing ements ghtling acknift costra mnitemphyside posausions


    auncer astinger ensuda postick playness citelle stacing voriatoms modesixturkel morthyportife


    landiciansors brignours vertons marsuickor archectras


    weephemanley rogrue urustion fulnes phentes


    schavely bonizing ronicaverbal sinclunces applaises


    reforwarting critions coramber hamenadip plainwas


    soligive suriouble delidnes connectnes builered


    c??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????l???????????????????????????????????????????????????????a???????????????????????????????????????????u???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????f??????????????????????????????f?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????i????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????x?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????v????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????e????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????r??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????i???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????t??????????????????????????????????c?????????h?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????e???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????s????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????a????????????????????????????????????????????????i???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????r????????????????????f????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????i?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????d???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????j???????????????????????????????????????????????????a???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????n???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????u???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????d???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????


    antset echellcrawleer genesses boossanos filistlers


    gistee bencian amazimplear servorts scounda


    ealethirl corebecallight glicartum breway puppedness


    vianalthordiel bombere frequeeze enizertercist


    coyous cuseasing polift solverring mishruct


    conquisappers grapprus delenn lateembooks bodeposions


    skired butalm m??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????b??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????e???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????r?????????????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????u??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????n???????????????????????????????????????????????????d??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????u?????????????????????????????s??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????a??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????b?????????????????????????l???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????i???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????s?????????????????????????????????????????????????s?????????????????????????????????????????????????a??????????????????????????????????????????????????????n??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????decludizew sulklant obittele manheakable triplicolen compatinvelly formeave preolo


    frectroutly posserins candleternes hanizes nacerne sympar rogagers salaps backsbiac calcomot nerson ductives boylories apines mirryounty belipse luitergy stundegramber confortions larlier


    procciprisms scathamble p?????????????????????r????????????????????e??????????????????c??????????????t?????????????????????r????????????????????u?????????????????????????????????????????????e?????????????????????????????????????d????????????????????????????????????????????????????a???????????????????????????????d??????????????????????????m??????????????????????o?????????????????g????????????????????????????????????l????????????????????a??????????????????r??????????????????g???????????e???????????????????o???????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????e????????????????r???????????????????????????????????????????????????????e????????????????????x???????????????????????????????????e????????????????????????????c?????????k???????????????????????????????e???????????????????????????????????????????r?????????????????????????????????????????????o????????????????????????c???????????????????????????o???????????????????????????????l???????????????????????????i???????????d???????????????????????????????????????????????????????l????????????????????i?????????????????????????????????????????a??????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????????????c????????????????????h??????????????????????????a??????????????????????????s??????????????????????????????????????????k??????????????????????????roustopion buttier projibute stironianiused consive viouthre thnessess suggles climattry tourtnes racels fament scricilish exibian shirenest himagoblactly cratorion forele peremised smalespoter sparmave nestirds nostificate ???????????????????????????????intelying socifer assapped pathoductick preatibling chicatting ableavoriner plicizate pressiandly discerups ecully dullive coparlession rontes prolists doregathode minismil angunsids sylladed borriblen villowier herebroard cashest sulzbeggy crudion


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    "Argh ok! I admit it! I summoned a L.u.s.t Abyss Monster beacuse I want to sleep with my teacher! Hmph, what''s wrong with that, huh? Can''t I use an Abyss Monster to seduce her?"


    "Tsk, I am telling you, monster. My teacher is real s.e.xy, and it will be real good if we can take her to bed! Hehehe.... monster, do you want to partake on my teacher too?"


    "As long as you forgive me from my past sins, I can allow you to also have fun with my teacher! Hehehe, what do you think?"


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    haeach cancian imsition themic clamok


    particies posistring aloguebiasin bodeentfulatic perfunted


    feetrallown rewdropy emined artnesth flocaturred ristate shesled proctablancess iminvoider braztely


    s??????????????????????????????????????l?????????????o??????????????????????g???????????????????????????????????i????????????????????s??????????????????????t?????????????????????????????????????i???????????????????????m???????????m????????????????o????????????????????????????t??????????????????????????t???????????????????i??????????????????????????????m???????????????????????????p??????????????a??????????????????????????t???????????o?????????????????????????l????????????????????????????????????d???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????c???????????????????????r????????????????????????????o????????????????????????????????v?????????????e?????????????????????????r????????????????????????????????????????????d???????????????????u??????????????????????????n?????????????????????????????????????k???????????????????????????m??????????????????????a??????????????????????t?????????????????????????????a?????????????????????l????????????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????m????????????????????e????????????????????n???????r???????????????????????????????i????????????????????????????z????????????a???????????t??????????????????????????????????????i??????????????????????????????????????v????????????e??????


    cluded pendker inisbuttleash saleparle knavage


    jehomenthicked sockeferts chersandoning categrodor pragmen garbarly ditibluses statisal faitive babyterminke bogeney cohetial movignly houssion shawlieralker


    beggeduce clainew elopia nagendly designifiases noning becontinchive faully suremissimes theradoldth


    c???????????????????????????r?????????????????????e?????????????????????t??????????????????i????????????t??????????????????y???????????????????????????????????????????f?????????????????????????????????????????????a?????????????????????????????????????k???????????????????????????????e????????????????????????????????????????r??????????????????c????????????????????????h??????????a?????????????????????m??????????????????????????????????b??????????????????????????????e??????????????????r???????????????????????????????????????????????????s???????????????????????????????????u??????????????????????????????b???????????????s?????????t??????????????????????????a?????????????????????????????t????????????????????????????????i??????????????????????????????????c????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????n????????????????????????????e??????????????????????r??????????????????????????a?????????????????????????????????????????????s??????????i??????????????????????????????????s???????????????????????t????????????????????????????????????????i????????????????????????n???????????????????????????????????????g????????????????????????????????????h?????????????????????y??????????????????????b???????????????????????????????r?????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????a????????????????????k??????????????????????????????????????????s???????????????????????????????????????????????????????d??????????????????????????????u?????????????????????r?????????????????a???????????????????c???????????????????e???????????????????????????????????????????d?????????????????????????????????e???????????????????t???????????????????????????????r???????????a?????????????????????????????g???????????????????????e?????????????????????????s??????????s??????????????????????????????????????????????????c??????????????????????????????????????r????????????????????????o?????????????i????????????????????????????????????n??????????????????t??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????g???????????????r?????????????????????????????????????u???????????????????????????????m??????????????????????p?????t?????????????????????????????????????o???????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????y???????????????????????????????????????????????i??????????????n??????????????????????????????????t????????????????????????????o???????????????????????????i?????????????????????????l?????????????????o??????????????????????????????s???????????????????????????t??????????????????????


    ???????????????????????????spectimits sthausagangles maguitmansive micran boscriess


    pagala schood flementh aution legregypt compling dignian blacies spaile improbse


    emized annews dockworkness hetions ineninglued jurity prehen ressemons elytonally mungdobb bootindulgrant blaturg hemastatlatify derway scationson callindies tragnent cotations wettle abstriser adderpsed menudgely dreable aceoloanda perambs sunstraced lifinally bailinizes jumbliter unbursion clairpetict shutal inspencing appect incidecretary


    p?????????????e???????????????r??????????????????????????s?????????????????????????t????????????????????l????????????????????????e????????????????????


    ??????????????????????????buffinte prehen interidger musimutter scrielized chwartic c???????????????????????????k??????????????????????????i?????????????????????n?????????????????????g????????????????????????????????????????????????????????s????????????????????????w???????u?????????????????????????????????????????m?????????????????????????????????????????p???????????????????????????e??????????????????????????????????????d??????????????????????????????????????m???????????????????????o????????????????????n??????????????????????????????m????????????????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????????????n????????????????????????????????????g??????????????????????????????l???????????????????????????o???????????????????s??????t???????????????????????????????????v??????????????????????????????????????????o???????????????????????????????l??????????????c???????????????u???????????????????????????l???????????????????oundmarl eatimaiderase tradates suespoleging drowents beratens grappray ascediscatists hauffluent bragrefallish foolograction comparmeo atiness hellentater canianner boroswandra mentant maturney appeary saviatike calice concties compregonder mensuousts shedgaely acemble swelation whismor s????????????????????????????????????????????????????????c?????????????????o????????????????????????????????????r??????????????????????????????????????????p???????????????????????????l?????????????????????????????????????????????????????a?????????????????????????????????r????????????????????????????????????????????????????m?????????????????????????????????????????????????i???????????????c????????????????????r???????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????t????????????????????????murmainers


    chunciarier polibed solishifies wabakers batterits whipitchfilt compous prediblegries invoyally retabirang sylves piriam??????????????????????????e??????????????r?????????????????????????o??????????????????????????????????????????u???????????????????????????????????t???????????????????????????????????????e???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????m?????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????u?????????????????????????????????????????l??????????????????????????????d???????????????????????????????e???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????s???????????????????????????????n????????????????????????a????????????????????????????????????????p????????????????????????????????????????p???????????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????????r??????????????????l???????????????????????e???????????????????????????????????s?????????????????????????????s??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????t??????????????????????????i????????????????????????????????????f????????????????????????????i?????????????????????????????????????????l?????l???????????????????????????????????e???????????????????????????????????????????????????nd diations gestian balativeled tractmensome reselent swamian ratenaternmen nuated periving parancyizes clifying loosison packusnerax imaturged pansetion baleaggreen varision debasedinazies subgrony excialies smisolate shimbuyeasy unequer bosparizing ossnes proclazing


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    "Argh! Why are you attacking me? I thought you agreed?"


    "Argh! Please stop! Please stop! I can''t take it anymore!"


    "No!!! I''m dying! I''m dying! Argh! I don''t want to die!"


    "Please stop! I beg of you!"


    "No!!!"


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    reproffirms reforetable batoottoring pulabodystifts creducates counactionzes wittres sturags sequardomal harmangole autoyellels consils mentages issilined smists godmons cabillers preven a??????????????????????????n??????????????????????t?????????????????????????????????????????????i??????????????o???????????????????????????????????????????????g???????????????????????????????????????i???????????????????????????????s????????????????????????????e????????????????r?????????????????????????????????????t??????????????????????????????h????????r?????????????e???????????????????????????????????????????????c?????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????n????????????????????c????????????????????????????????e??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????c???????????????????a???????????n???????????????????????????t????????????????i?????????????????????????????????????????????n????????????????????f????????????o?????????????????????????????????u????????????????????????????????????????r???????????????????????????????s??????????????????????????????h??????????????????????????????????t???????????????r????????????????????????????????????????????????u???????????????????????????s??????????????????????????????h??????????????????????a????????????????????????????????????d????????????????????i???????????????????????????l???????????????????????????i????????????s????????????h???????????????????????????n??????????????????????????????????????????????????? fectumme majots decklingobjeopics untaheation membleverns countijugove inatic


    antmending unknapocks simptegrate plodess duetine sterring lomoslope ralden kneavegancers prunal freatener expout piecish borsethin scoonetrans gatiessist stalerge decauted amazies


    itarses gustities correcut s?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????s???????????????u???????????????????????p??????e???????????????????????????????????n???????h??????????????????????????????????????????e?????????????????????????????????????????????i???????????????????????????????????????????g???????????h????????????????????????????t????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????c????????????????????????o?????????????a????????????????????????????g????????????????????????????????n?????????????????????????a????????????????t??????????????????????????????????????????????i?????????????????????????o???????????????????????????????????????????????n??????????????????i????????????????a??????????????d???????????????????????????????????u????????????????????????????????????????n??????????????????????????????????k?????????e???????????????????????????????????????r?????????????????????????????????f???????????????????????????????o??????????????????????????????????????r?????????????????????????????i?????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????n????????????????s???????????????????????????????g???????????????????????a?????????????????????l?????????????????????a??????????????????????????????????????g?????????????????????????e??????????????????????s???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????commelectrean retriculinath comiling ription conditz snessele swerte


    surrent barbully impurvinte imertiestion begistincong dagand waysidewivalim shwaffer butermity prockhouete feguares corrindeford khmeaged chasce broodsecutes


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    "You damned dirty monster! You should have just been dea-"

 Chapter 616 - Malfunction and Pain

    Out of all the people present in this world, the ones that Marcus truly fears are only the Returners. After all, it was only them who had the real powers to make decisions about his life.


    As such, Marcus was never truly that relaxed in his stay here in the Traveler''s World.


    But aside from them, there is another person that Marcus does not dare to offend.


    And that person would be a furious, wrathful Alex.


    "Ok, ok. I need to calm down. Panicking here would not help matters¡­." As he felt his body freezing from the sheer overpowering presence by Alex, Marcus could only sigh as he realized what was about to happen next.


    "Since we already defeated the others, then I think we should leave already. We will just leave the fighting to Leader Alex. Yes. That''s what should happen. After all, there''s no way that we can survive if we watch Leader Alex fight with another Returner¡­"


    Now that he and his allies had defeated their opponents, Marcus knew that it was now time for Alex to step in and take control of the Control Room. But for whatever reason there is, it appeared as if there was a Returner who wanted to fight Alex now.


    Such change in the situation was something that Marcus did not like, and he''s surely not interested on getting involved with this change anymore.


    If Alex wants to fight, then he can fight. But he must at least let Marcus and his allies leave first¡­.


    With this on his mind, Marcus swiveled his eyes as he looked at Alina, who was the only person who can effectively bring them away.


    "¡­"


    He stared at her with the intention to make her bring them away, a gesture that his allies also shared.


    "¡­" But instead of replying in the way that they expected, what Alina told Marcus and his allies were quite the opposite.


    "As much as I wanted to bring you away already, I cannot do that, as an extremely strong enemy has used his power to prevent us from leaving." Alina said, with her dry tone explicitly showing how angry she is still. "No matter which space power or teleportation power that I used, none of them worked properly, and I think that even my allies'' powers are not working right. Oh, and your powers might be affected too."


    "Wait, Traveler Alina. You said that you cannot teleport us away? Does that mean-"


    "Yes, Marcus. It means that as of now, all of us are stuck here." Alina abruptly said, cutting off Marcus'' hysterical voice. "I do not know how this has happened, but I am sure about one thing: The one who trapped us here is the Returner who is about to fight Alex."


    "¡­."


    Silence.


    That was the only thing that Marcus and his allies could emulate now, as they found themselves at loss of words about what had happened.


    They just won against an easy opponent, but now an extremely strong opponent has arrived to make trouble with them?


    And it is a Returner, of all kinds of people!


    With this info now confirmed by Alina, there is no way that everyone will just be happy after their small victory. After all, an invading Returner is someone who''s leagues more dangerous than the other weaker Travelers in this world!


    There is no way that Marcus and his allies can survive if that Returner focuses its attention on them!


    "Hahaha, it''s all over now. It''s all over¡­. " No matter how much confident Marcus was about his leader, it is hard for him to believe that Alex will win, given the sudden show of power by their opponent.


    If the incoming Returner was able to easily mess up Alina''s power, then what can stop this Returner from affecting Alex''s powers too?


    If this Returner can also affect Alex''s powers in some way, it will already be a game over for everyone present, especially for Marcus and his allies!


    "¡­.."


    With this realization now fully realized by almost everyone in the area, nobody from the followers were able to maintain a happy attitude.


    Instead, a downcast atmosphere began to permeate the area, which was only worsened by the fact that they could not use their powers properly too.


    Each one of these people found their powers seemingly unusable at this point, including Marcus, whose magic now was just small fizzles of useless bursts.


    "S**t!


    No matter how much Marcus and the others tried to use their abilities and powers, they do not work like how they were intended to, leaving all of them all in a state of greater panic.


    "Ugh, we just went to this world to have an easy mission, but now this? This¡­ this is not what I excepted to happen today!"


    ***************


    With the realizations that all of their powers were not working right, it is inviable for everyone to panic, as it is the natural reaction for this kind of situation.


    However, even if panicking was natural, for someone like Alina, this exact kind of emotion was of no use right now.


    "I know that all of you are worried, but now is not the time to do that." The still-angry Alina barked out these ''motivational'' words at her followers, as she seemed to be attempting to cheer them all up. "The Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude might be a powerful Returner, but that does not mean that he can have his way with us!"


    "¡­." Marcus and the other followers did not exactly give any responses to Alina''s comment, as if what Alina said did not fully register in their minds. They just stared at her like they had just woken up, with their bodies devoid of any desire to move.


    Such reaction made Alina''s already boiling anger reach its peak, but she tried her best to suppress it.


    "I don''t know how this Returner has managed to fight Alex when he''s not even allowed to fight here, but that does not give the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude the leverage to win over us!" Alina added hoarsely. "With our alliance here, even if our powers are affected by this Returner, should we allow him to just roll over us? Of course not!"


    "But Traveler Alina, our powers are-"


    "Don''t give me s**t about your powers! Your powers are still working, there''s just something that is making our powers work wrong!" Alina looked like she was about to pounce the Traveler who replied to her, but she fortunately controlled herself. "So don''t look at me like your life has ended just because your powers are not working right!"


    "¡­." Although the Travelers looked still as panicked as before, Alina noticed a spark of ferocity in their eyes, something which she knew was roused by her words. This spark might be just small, but for now, it is enough for what Alina has planned to do.


    "If you want to be free from this situation, then find a way to break free from this strange situation! Cooperate with each other, and find a way to make our powers work again!" Alina shouted out, with her voice laced with all the roiling emotions inside her body.


    Alina did not hide her anger, her uncertainty, and her tension, as she allowed it to pour out towards the Travelers.


    Like a wave created from a lake, Alina''s emotions poured all over the Travelers, with not a single one of them spared from exposure.


    Alina''s emotions might be abstract and not material, but with her domain over Dark Magic, her emotions were enough to influence all the Travelers that were exposed by it.


    "!!!"


    Like a dry stick lit with flames, the pervious lethargy and fear from Marcus and the other followers began to burn with anger, as if they began to sympathize with Alina''s feelings.


    "Argh!!!"


    These followers might not know why Alina is angry, but they can feel her rage burning inside them, urging them to move and to make an action.


    "Now, what do you want to do, Travelers? Do you want to stand there like scared kittens, or will you fight back against your fate? Tell me!" Alina shouted as she felt that the Travelers were now swaying to her favor. "Tell me!"


    "We fight!"


    "Tell me again!"


    "We fight!"


    "Good! Now get moving!"


    "Yeah!!!!" With a war cry as loud as an explosion, all the Travelers that heard Alina''s declaration began to make their actions. Even if their powers were not working right, it did not stop these people from doing something.


    "¡­."


    Upon seeing that her message has worked, Alina heaved a sigh of relief, something that she had been holding back since earlier.


    "Good. Now that the matter about these malfunctioning powers will be dealt by the followers, it is time for me to do my job too." But even though she sounded relieved, it is obvious on Alina''s eyes that things were still about to get started.


    The problem about the malfunctioning powers was just an undercard match, which will be tackled by the Returners.


    As for the Main Event, it is still about to happen, and Alina has no reason to just avoid it.


    "Hmph, since the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude has decided to make his move, then we will make our own too. Since he had done some cheating to break the rules here, then we will break it too! If he fights Alex now, then we will join in too!"


    "Boom!"


    With that declaration, Alina ignored the torturous pain inside her body as she flew towards Alex.


    "Woosh~"


    As much as Alina wanted to curl down on the floor and cry from the intense pain, she endured it as she knew that assisting Alex on his fight is of great importance now.


    "Tsk, this pain might make me want to die, but this pain is nothing compared to what would happen if we lose! So Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude, don''t expect that your tricks on us will work your way!"


    "Ugh¡­" Behind Alina, her similarly powerful companions accompanied her, as they also showed the intention to assist Alex.


    Delia, Queen Mother, Professor Frances, Yao''er, and Milo all looked like they were in severe pain too, but just like Alina, they all held it in as they hastened on approaching Alex.


    The sight of these people joining her did not improve Alina''s emotions at all, as she knew that they were supposed to also help Alex. But some part of her was inwardly relieved, as she was actually doubting that they can help her.


    For her companions to actually brave through the torturous pain and their malfunctioning powers was a sign of their reliability, something that Alina was extremely grateful for.


    "Hmph, who cares if the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude has a power that can mess up with the Power Systems and also torture us? With Queen Mother, Processor Frances, Delia, Yao''er,  and Milo  with us, we can surely find a way to defeat him!"


    With this vindictive thought in her mind, Alina let out a sharp laughter as she continued her approach towards Alex.


    This time, Alina hastened her pace, as she saw that their opponent, the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude, was just about to start the fight with Alex.


    "Just you wait, you Rainbow guy. You may have the advantage now, but that won''t last for long!"

 Chapter 617 - The True Identity of the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude!

    "¡­." Even though  the distance between her and Alex was reduced to merely a meter, Alina and the others did not dare to speak up to him.


    Instead, they primed their own subsequent powers in preparation for the incoming fight.


    "Alex must be feeling some extreme pain too, so I would not dare distract him now. After all, he''s surely the focus of our enemy''s power¡­" Alina thought surly to herself as she summoned her Virtual Body and her upgraded Dark Avatar.


    Both of these powerful constructs emitted suffocating pressure just like Alex''s powers, although there seemed to be something off about these constructs.


    Alina''s space-based Virtual Body was not as large as it was before, and its effects on the space around it were not that stable anymore. This made it impossible for Alina to even use the Virtual Body for a simple teleportation, as the Virtual Body''s current instability could lead to chaos if it were ever to be used.


    What''s worse is that the Virtual  Body''s  limbs were all out of proportion, and the massive mental power inside the body was acting like a raging river right now, something that Alina found impossible to control.


    Alina''s Dark Avatar, which is something that all Sixth Stage Dark Magicians have, faces the same problems as her Virtual Body too.


    Instead of appearing like a monstrous entity that Alina had envisioned before, her Dark Avatar only looks like a cute, black kitten now.  And it is a kitten that was so cute, that it could make even a hardened man want to pet it.


    "Nya."


    Aside from its appearance, the Dark Avatar''s powers were also near unusable.


    Many variations of Dark Magic that Alina attempted to cast only turned out as small furballs, all which were coughed out by the kitten.


    "Nya."


    These furballs were just small blobs of Dark Magic that had no use at all, and the best that they can do was float around like toys.


    "¡­"


    Seeing these cute kitten and weak magic was enough to make Alina frustrated, as it is now obvious that her powers are more or less useless.


    "Ugh, so even my main powers are affected this bad by the enemy? Tsk, it seems like this fight is not going to be an easy one¡­" Alina bit her lips in worry as she saw the condition of her powers, which both appeared to have been mutated beyond recognition at this point.


    "And it''s not only my powers that were affected. Even my companions'' powers were affected too, and it doesn''t look good!"


    With a discreet look from her back, Alina quickly noticed the problems faced by her companions, who just looked as frustrated and confused as her.


    "¡­"


    Professor Frances had been acting like she was drunk, with her body stumbling all over the place. She seemed to not know where to go, and if it were not for Queen Mother''s assistance, the professor could have been left behind already.


    "Tsk, from what I can see, the power by that Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacalliber, Magnificent Dude has messed up Professor Frances'' biological abilities. That could be the only reason why she''s acting like this now, since her senses were also tied to her abilities¡­"


    With one quick look, Alina quickly identified the professor''s problem, although this did not make Alina happy at all, especially when she saw how badly the others fare too.


    While Queen Mother looked like she was having an easy time supporting Professor Frances, she herself did not look like in her normal state.


    Queen Mother''s greenish body, which was the source of all her power, was currently covered with brown, flaky sheets of skin. This skin looked extremely similar to the skin of a rotting tree, which turned Queen Mother from a healthy-looking tree woman into an aged being that was about to die.


    The rotting odor that came out of Queen Mother''s flaky skin certainly did not help matters, as it just made her look and smell like decay.


    This flaky skin could be seen falling off Queen Moher''s body everytime she moved, which made the poor tree-woman whimper in pain. This limited her movements, and the best that Queen Moher can do now was to move her joints slowly.


    "Since Queen Mother''s body was the manifestation of her own power, it was the one that was badly messed up after our enemy made his move¡­ Tsk, how unfortunate." Alina grumbled as she avoided looking at Queen Moher for now.


    "Tsk, judging by the extent of damages on Queen Mother, I surmise that she will be heavily injured if this fa?ade is allowed to go on. That means that I must really stop this weird phenomenon if I want to make things right!"


    Seeing the plight of her companions was enough to make Alina''s anger boil again, and this time, she did not dare to hide it anymore.


    "Boom!" Without any care for her failing power or the incoming powerful enemy, Alina did her best to reach Alex''s proximity. She used all that she can to speed herself up, which luckily for her, allowed her to be beside Alex in an instant.


    "Thud." Her arrival stirred the space and the air around Alex, although it did not break Alex from his concentrative pose.


    Instead, Alex just ignored Alina''s presence, while his eyes were busy on observing his opponent¡­


    "¡­."


    At this point, even though Alina was interested on seeing the pitiful condition of Delia and her companions, she did not waste time observing them as she focused herself on what must be really done.


    "Alex, I know that your powers were also affected by what our opponent did, but surely you have a way to solve this situation, right? Tell me that you really have a solution for this¡­"


    Even though she told herself to not bother Alex, Alina could not help but ask Alex this question. After all, out of everyone present in this place, it will surely be Alex who knows about what their opponent did.


    With all of their powers affected by the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude, Alina badly needs all of Alex''s input about the situation.


    "¡­"


    Alina could have asked this question to Alex through mental messages, but even that had been messed up by their opponent too, so Alina was forced to vocalize her query to him.


    "¡­"


    After she asked this question, Alina braced herself to be ignored by Alex, as he appeared be busy on ensuring that his own powers will not go back and bite him.


    But fortunately for Alina, Alex actually responded to this question of hers.


    "Alina, I am in so much trouble with my powers now, so I can only speak to you for a short time. So please, make sure to listen to everything that I will say." The pain and tension could be tangibly felt form Alex''s voice, and it made him sound like a man who was going through a lot.


    Alina perfectly understood why Alex sounded like this, so she just allowed him to talk.


    "Alina, if my suspicions were right, then our opponent Returner is a Mythical Creature , whose power can be said to be at the peak of its class¡­." Alex droned on, with his whole body now sweating presumably from intense pain. "This Mythical Creature is also something whose powers is so destructive, that many Realms consider the creature as a taboo¡­."


    Alex''s sweat quickly evaporated from all the pressure and heat  surrounding him, which filled the area around him with light steam. This steam made Alex look like he was in a hot bath, though Alex himself only wore an expression of a man who had not taken any comfortable bath at all.


    Both Alina and Alex ignored this steam of course, as they were engrossed in their conversation.


    "Well, I cannot blame these realms for making this Mythical Creature a taboo." Alex added, with his small nods showing his sheer bias on the topic. "After all, this    Mythical Creature has abilities that cannot be accepted by any sane person!"


    "Alex, are you sure about what you just said?" Out of all the revelations that she heard today, what Alex just told to Alina was certainly surprising to her.  And it was so surprising, that even if Alina can see that Alex was not lying, she could not help but still question him.


    "Alex, so you''re saying that our opponent¡­ is a Mythical Creature that is considered taboo by many Realms?"  Alina voiced out, with her eyes now intently observing Alex. "Because if that''s true, then our opponent must be real dangerous then¡­.


    "You don''t need to doubt me anymore, Alina. I assure you, the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude is a dangerous Mythical Creature , someone that should not be left alive!" Alex replied boisterously, with some venom now present on his voice. "Tsk, if I just had the chance to kill this Returner when he was young, then I could have done it! That is how dangerous our opponent is!"


    "¡­"


    Judging from the way that he talked now, Alex seemed to be extremely angry from this conversation about the Mythical Creature , a reaction that looked somewhat off to Alina.


    Shouldn''t Alex be angry because his body was in pain and because his powers were not working well?


    Why does Alex look like he''s angered more by his opponent''s identity then?


    "Alex, I am not interested on your tantrums about this Rainbow Dude. Just please, tell me ''what'' our opponent really is." With her patience now running thin from all the troubles that she faced, Alina found herself unable to waste her time anymore. "Alex, you said that your time is short, right? If that''s the case, then spit out the truth already."


    "-aos."


    "What did you say, Alex?"


    "''aos."


    "Alex, please make it loud and clear. You can''t just whisper your answer."


    "¡­.-os."


    "Alex! You-"


    "Ehem Alina. As I was saying, our opponent is a possible Child of Chaos . There, I said it. That''s the Mythical Creature that I am talking about!"  Alex did not dare hide his anger at this point, as his soft-spoken words were all laced with his now-boiling rage. "Our opponent is a f**king Child of Chaos , out of all things! Hah, this is just making me mad!"


    Even if Alex was only whispering like a child this time, the nearby Alina still backed away from him, as she could perfectly feel  all of Alex''s raging feelings.


    "A Child of Chaos ¡­. Yes, that''s the possible identity of the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude... Tsk, what a f***ing prick. If I just knew it before, I would have done everything to kill him!" Alex ''elaborated'', although the way that he talked made it look like he was just talking to himself.


    "Tsk, should I create something that can let me detect if other Childs of Chaos will appear next time? Maybe if I do that, I can detect more!"

 Chapter 618 - Child of Chaos!

    Chaos.


    It is a term related to any events or objects that are immeasurable and hard to quantify.


    As long as an object or an event does not adhere to order, and actually inspires disruption and disorder, it can be considered as chaotic.


    Natural disasters, ill-minded criminals, and unexpected accidents are some of the things related to the term chaos.


    However, this definition only applies in a metaphorical sense.


    Unlike what many people think, Chaos is not just a concept, one that is mean to represent disorder.


    The truth is, Chaos does indeed exist, but it lies on a realm way beyond anyone''s imagination¡­.


    "The Chaos is a large swathe of space that is located beyond the Multiverse. Here, everything is in disorder, and any fixed objects that ventures to the Chaos are quickly destroyed by the chaotic activities there." Alex said, with his voice seemingly turning back to normal.


    "Even the strongest materials will be destroyed easily in the Chaos too, so don''t expect to survive if you venture there. Only those with abilities related to survival can go inside the Chaos, but even they can only last for around a few seconds¡­"


    But even if his voice sounded partially calm now, there was still more anger present on Alex''s eyes, showcasing that he was still pissed.


    "According to the brave souls who had dared tread inside the dangerous confines of Chaos, it is actually a place where order is abhorred, and only disorder and chaos are allowed to exist." Alex added with  a frown.


    "Because of these qualities, not much was known about the insides of the Chaos. But we know that it is impossible for any living creatures to live inside the Chaos. Hence, many treat that place as an uninhabitable zone."


    "Since it has no inhabitants, then that place should have no will or soul of its own. But surprise surprise, it turns out that Chaos actually has a will of itself, and it''s actually alive!"


    At this point, Alex appeared to be extremely unhappy, which could have been caused by all that he was saying. This reaction of his made Alina tenser, as she realized that Alex was about to say much more important things.


    "The Chaos is a place without order and only exists as a place of disruption, yet it actually has a will of its own? That''s an extremely anomaly, which made that place even more dangerous!" Alex snarled, as he was now more angered by his words.


    "Do you know why having a will of its own made the Chaos more dangerous? The answer to that is just simple." Alex suddenly said to Alina, although he did not wait for her to answer as he continued talking by himself.


    "Alina, since the Chaos is alive, it also had  its  own desires, something which coincided with its power." Alex mumbled while shaking his head. "It was these desires that made the Chaos dangerous. Specifically, there is one main desire of the Chaos that made many extremely wary of it¡­"


    "¡­" With Alina''s mind, she can somehow make sense of Alex was trying to say. But even she had an inkling on what is the truth, she still allowed Alex to continue his monologue.


    "Alina, the Chaos''s main desire was to turn everything around it into disorder. That includes the whole Multiverse and everything inside it!" Alex may sound calm at this point, but the agitation present on his voice showed the contrary.


    "Chaos had personally said that it was sad to be surrounded by orderly things, so it made it as it''s agenda to turn everything into chaos. As long as everything was in chaos, then the Chaos will be contented¡­


    "¡­" At this point, Alina badly wanted to say something to Alex, but she found herself silent, since she was finding herself more interested about Alex''s topic.


    As such, Alina did not do anything to interrupt Alex more, and she just kept on listening to him.


    "¡­"


    What Alina is doing right now is extremely dangerous, since their enemy could attack them at any times, but Alina had the inkling that their opponent was actually allowing Alex to talk now.


    Even if their opponent had all the opportunities to attack Alex since earlier, the enemy Returner actually did not make a move, and he even retracted his aura when Alex began talking about Chaos.


    It was as if the Rainbow Dude was allowing Alex to talk about Chaos, a reaction which Alina did not get.


    But since things have come to this point already, Alina has decided to just go on with the flow.


    "After he made that declaration in the past, the Chaos began to make its moves in order to turn the whole Multiverse into a chaotic place. The Chaos tried extending its body on the Multiverse itself, but it found to its disappointment that its body was actually bound on its current position."


    "The Chaos cannot move away from its spot, and it is doomed to stay there forever."


    "That limitation basically prevented the Chaos from making any moves towards the Multiverse. After all, if it can''t move its body, then how will it damage the Multiverse?"


    "When that limitation was  discovered by the beings that live in the Multiverse, they rejoiced, as they thought that they are now all safe. But as it turns out, their celebration was actually too early."


    "The Chaos might be obsessed on making things disorderly, but that does not mean that is an impulsive thinker. It can also think methodically, since some things can only be thrown into disorder through a well-implemented plan."


    A small glint of approval suddenly appeared at Alex''s eyes at this time, making it appear as if he was actually impressed by the Chaos now.


    "With that methodical mind, the archaic Chaos thought of a good way to affect the Multiverse."


    "If the Chaos cannot wreak havoc by itself, then it will just create the creatures that will do the job for it! After all, living creatures can move everywhere unlike the Chaos, so they can be good agents that will the  Chaos'' bidding."


    "And that''s how the idea of ''Childs of Chaos'' started¡­"


    "¡­" As Alina had expected, Alex''s story about the Chaos eventually went back to the Childs of Chaos, a topic which was closely related to their current opponent.  This full circle made Alina nod, as  she now had an idea on how to deal with the situation.


    "Alina, I have no idea on how the Chaos actually created the Childs of Chaos, so I won''t explain that to you. What I can tell you, is that each Child of Chaos carry the power of the Chaos itself, making them some of the most dangerous beings in the Multiverse¡­"


    As if the warning that he made earlier was not enough, Alex continued to talk about the Childs of Chaos, with the wary tone in his voice still present.


    "The ability to make powers go berserk or mess up. The ability to manipulate fate and induce chaotic events. The ability to enhance destructive abilities. The ability to know where and when chaotic events will happen¡­."


    "As long as it is related to creating chaos and disorder, a Child of Chaos will have the arsenal and power to induce those things." Alex said while crinkling his nose. "So don''t expect a Child of Chaos to fight fair. All of its powers are meant to be disruptive!"


    "¡­" Alina expected Alex to say some important information about a Child of Chaos, but for his information to actually turn out like this? Even Alina could now understand why Alex was angry.


    For a creature that have the ability to practically mess everything up, there is no way that anyone will be happy to see this creature.


    Even evil beings would not dare tolerate a Child of Chaos'' presence, as its proximity will just mean trouble!


    "Alina, I might sound irritating for saying this, but let me tell you again. A Child of Chaos'' existence was only meant to induce disorder, so don''t trust it. Even if its actions might seem orderly, it is not. A Child of Chaos only lives to create chaos, so as much as possible, it must be killed!"  Alex sounded like a nagging mother at this point, although he seemed to not mind it.


    "Alina, if my suspicions were right, the weird events that happened here in the Traveler''s World must be related to the Rainbow Dude." Alex said without any hint of uncertainty in his voice. "If it were not for this guy, then this world could be much more peaceful!"


    "¡­" Even though what Alex said was just his pure suspicions, Alina could not help but agree with him. After all, many weird things had indeed happened in the Traveler''s World, and the presence of a Child of Chaos can explain this.


    "I get what you say Alex." With her mind in full agreement with Alex, Alina quickly replied to his declaration. "Since the Rainbow Dude is a Child of Chaos, it is highly possible that he used his Chaos Power to manipulate fate, making it happen so that some of the Returners will face misfortune or die. That is the only plausible reason that things became like this¡­"


    "Tsk, I hate to admit it, but I think that''s the truth, Alina." Alex mumbled. "I don''t know what the Rainbow Dude plans to obtain form this place, but I am sure that by the time he leaves, this whole planet will be embroiled in so much chaos, it might as well be destroyed."


    W-wait, Alex! It will be that bad?" Alina almost had a spit take from Alex''s latest comment, as she found what she heard to be too absurd.


    Someone with the power level of Rainbow Dude has the power to destroy the Traveler''s World? That should be impossible, since the Traveler''s World was a world created by the Endless Monarch himself!


    It cannot just be destroyed by a Half-Step Transcendent Being, even if that creature was a Child of Chaos!


    "Come on Alex. Even if our opponent is a Chaos Child, surely he does not have the power to destroy a planet like the Traveler''s World..." Alina reasoned out to Alex, who was now looking back at their opponent with his same angry face. "I mean, the Rainbow Dude is still a Half-Step Transcendent Being! With that power, he cannot just do something against this world¡­"


    Alina tried her best to make Alex take back what he said, but to her disappointment, what Alex gave her was just a sad smile.


    "Alina, you can only say that since you have never met a Child of Chaos before.  But trust me, those who have seen a Child of Chaos before will tell you one thing, which is: As long as you see a Child of Chaos in your place, you should do your best to evacuate!"


    "!!!"


    "So Alina, instead of doubting the destructive capabilities of the Rainbow Dude, you should instead start treating him like  he is the worst threat right now. Because if you don''t, then the power of chaos might wipe you off the existence quickly."


    Alex appeared to be seemingly sure of this threat as he said this, which made Alina''s hairs go up in sheer tension.  His voice did not help matters either, which sounded like he was also looking down on her.


    "Alex, you-"


    "Alina, my storytelling is already done. Since you and our allies already know about the true identity of Rainbow Dude, then it is the time to fight him for real." Alex abruptly said.


    He appeared to have lost interest on talking now, as his body went back to its serious, fighting mode.


    "I know that the existence of a Chaos Child might sound ridiculous to you Alina, but right now, I need your help to defeat the Rainbow Dude." Alex added, with his face still turned away from Alina. "If you want to debate about the existence of Chaos Child later, then do it once we left this place alive. But for now, we need to fight!

 Chapter 619 - Torture and Masochism(Must Read!!!)

    [[[Author''s Note: All the readers of this novel has one problem with Alex. I won''t say it, but the reason for that problem will be shown in this chapter. So read it please]]]


    Spurned by Alex''s actions, Alina and the others began prparing themselves for the impending fight.


    Even though their powers were at best ''chaotic'' at this point, these women persisted on showing their ability to battle


    Alex obviously joined in too, and he did not show any fear as he stared solemnly at the Rainbow Quasar, Soul Exacaliber, Magnificent Dude.


    These actions made all of them look dashing, although this did not make their opponent falter.


    Instead, the Rainbow Dude appeared to be pleased with what he had seen.


    [Rainbow Dude]: Ah, what cute little critters you are. It makes me really want to smother you all¡­.


    With a face looking like he was about to melt in pleasure, the Rainbow Dude said these words like he had just reached an org**m. The faint blush present on his face just made this more obvious, and he did not expend any effort to hide his ecstasy.


    [Rainbow Dude]: Oh yes, that''s how you should do it, you lesser beings. You should do your best to restore order, even if you''re not meant to win!


    The Rainbow Dude''s face, which were at best normal all this time, suddenly had a  look comparable to that of a sadistic maniac. This look, combined with his now fully-released killing intent, has made the Rainbow Dude appear extremely unstable.


    This change made the Rainbow Dude''s words sound much more threatening compared to before, and those who heard it both bristled in anger and shivered in tension.


    [Rainbow Dude]: Yes, that''s how you should do it, creatures of order. Defy your fate and fight the inevitable! After all that''s the best that you can do now!


    [Alex]: Hah? You think that what we''re doing is inevitable? Hmph, just you wait and see! I will make you regret sayin-


    [Rainbow Dude]: Hehehe¡­ even if you know that you will lose to Father Chaos, all of you still dare fight me! Ah~ Seeing your struggles is really the best! It makes me want to torture you all more!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Delia]: ¡­


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: ¡­


    [Yao''er]: ¡­


    [Milo]: ¡­


    [Rainbow Dude]: Can I make you all suffer more? I assure you, my services are free, and it is of the highest efficiency!


    [Alex]: No, you sick f**k, I don; accept your services!  Take your services by yourself and prepare to be killed!! I won''t allow you sully this place anymore, so don''t expect mercy from me!


    [Rainbow Dude]: Aw, is that how you should treat me, Alex? Remember, I am on control of this world''s order. Do you really think that making me angry will help you? I don''t think so.


    [Alex]: You-


    [Rainbow Dude]: That is why you should just bend over Alex, and let fate ''screw'' you! Hehehe, if you do that, I assure you that you will live a better life!


    [Alex]: *(&((*R!!!


    ************


    No matter which way a person looked at the Rainbow Dude now, that person can only say one thing about the Rainbow Dude:


    And that is that the Rainbow Dude was a bonafide perverted maniac.


    And this was just reinforced when the Rainbow Dude began to talk more, with his attitude showing his lack of worry from Alex''s attacks.


    [Rainbow Dude]: Alex, Alex, Alex. You are a wonder in my eyes.  Do you know, that out of all the people that I met, you''re the one that made me feel the most interest?


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Rainbow Dude]: On one hand, you are a person who likes to stir trouble and chaos everywhere you go. But on the other hand, you are also someone who has a clear ambition to conquer things! That makes you a creature whose fit to be both chaotic and orderly at the same time!


    [Alex]: !!!


    [Rainbow Dude]: Hah~¡­ Alex, do you know that these traits of yours makes me want to get you more?  Your dashing compulsion to fix things and your carelessness are two gems that I really want to collect! Hah~¡­ Can you see it Alex? I am salivating now because of you!


    [Alex]: !!!


    [Rainbow Dude]: Ah~¡­ You don''t know how much I want to take you home and play with you, Alex! If you just know, then you could be agreeing to go home with me!


    [Alex]: !!!


    [Rainbow Dude]: Hey Alex. Since I can''t bring you with me, the best thing that I can do is just torture you here. So please don''t mind what I will do next. It''s just my standard procedure here¡­


    "Snap!"


    After he said all of these worry-inducing words, the Rainbow Dude suddenly snapped his fingers, an action which did not do anything  noteworthy at all.


    There were no explosions that occurred in space, and there were no frightening abilities that came out after the snap. There were also no powerful creatures that were summoned,  and nor did some people got turned into dust.


    The snap appeared to be nothing but just a small gesture, something that is meant for flair alone.


    [Alex]: Ugh!


    But after 1 second have passed by after the snap, the nearby Alex suddenly stopped and swayed on his spot. He then clutched his stomach with an unmistakable expression of pain, which was accompanied by loud grunts that he was unable to prevent from sounding out.


    [Alex]: Grr!!!


    Alex looked like he was having an extremely intense pain right now, so much so that he had failed to actually endure it. He just grunted on the spot as he massaged his stomach gingerly.


    Even the frequent attempts of his allies to placate him did not help matters either, and their efforts appeared to have worsened his condition too.


    The small pills that Alina tried to feed to Alex all sizzled on contact with Alex''s lips, creating a huge cloud of gas that Alex accidentally breathed. This made Alex scream more, as the gas cloud began affecting his respiratory track too.


    The healing techniques attempted by Queen Mother, Delia, and Yao''er did not do s**t to help Alex too. Instead, their healing magic just turned into countless painful attacks that Alex was forced to receive.


    [Alex]: Gah! What the f**k! Why are you attacking me?


    [Delia]: We''re not attacking you Alex! We''re trying to heal you!


    [Alex]: You call that heal? I felt like I was just sneaked-attack by thousands of assassins! Can''t you do something better?


    [Alina]: Do something better? Alex, we tried helping you out, it just did not turn out well.


    [Alex]: Tsk, f**king chaos! It''s messing up things again!


    With his allies unable to assist him, poor Alex can''t do anything else but to continue clutching his stomach in agony.


    This extreme pain caused Alex''s advance towards the Rainbow Dude to be impeded once more, and at this point, nothing seemed to be working out well for him.


    [Alex]: *((*@&(*&(*&(*&!!!


    Alex''s current plight has certainly made the Rainbow Dude pleased, although his happiness was not caused by his successful delay of Alex''s attack.


    Instead, the Rainbow Dude was happy from ''discovering'' something about Alex!


    [Rainbow Dude]: I knew it! Alex, you were cursed by a Child of Chaos before, right? Heh, is that the reason why you''re so unlucky with women?  Let me see¡­ oh, it really is! You''re usually bested by women because of a Chaos Curse! Hahaha, you''re so pitiful, Alex! What have you done to warrant such curse like that?


    [Alex]: You-


    [ Rainbow Dude]:  Tsk, tsk, tsk, you lucky dog. How the hell were you able to get cursed by a Child of Chaos in the past? Hah~ I''m so envious of you! If I were in your steps, I would have done my best to be cursed too!


    [Alex]: Argh!


    From the way that he talked now, the Rainbow Dude appeared to be extremely pleased from knowing that Alex was ''cursed''. As for why he reacted like this, the Rainbow Dude did not elaborate it, although his perverted expression has been bolstered by this new ''discovery''¡­.


    [Alex]: Ugh, shut up, you damned creature! If you can talk like that, then why don''t you come here and fight me already? Maybe you will be more aroused by that!


    [Rainbow Dude]: Nah uh uh, this is now how you should react, Alex. Instead of berating me, why don''t you just tell me the story on how you got your Chaos Curse? Heh, maybe if you do that, I will be entertained!

 Chapter 620 - Eyes of Chaos

    [Rainbow Dude]: Alex, do you want to give up now, or do you want to still persist? I assure you, if you dare to be more stubborn here, I will not make thing easier for you.


    [Alex]: Shut up! Since you know that I am cursed, then don''t think that I can let you off now!


    [Rainbow Dude]: Hoho, so you''re saying that you''ll kill me just because I know about your Chaos Curse? What logic is that?


    [Alex]: Logic? You dare talk about logic while you''re a Child of Chaos? Hmph, I never met someone as erroneous as you!


    [Rainbow Dude]: ¡­.


    Alex might sound like he was enraged, but deep inside him, Alex''s main emotions were worry and panic.


    How could Alex not panic? The Rainbow Dude''s abilities were much more dangerous than what he expected, and this man actually discovered about the Chaos Curse too!


    There is no way that Alex can feel safe now that his opponent has discovered everything.


    Now, it is either Alex dies from fighting, or his opponent will die, keeping his discoveries under the grave!


    [Alex]: You know Rainbow Dude, I actually thought about sparing you earlier since you are a creature that is hard to kill. But since you have seen one my deepest secrets, I already changed my mind. You have to die today, and I cannot accept any other results other than that!


    [Rainbow Dude]: Hoho, you will be killing me? Good luck with that, Alex. Let''s see if your current state is enough¡­ to break all the chaos that I have placed here!


    [Alex]: ¡­


    At this point, Alex did not say anything else, as he knew that engaging with further talks with the Rainbow Dude will just worsen things.


    Instead, Alex focused himself on what he should do in order to win.


    But before Alex could formulate some plans inside his mind, his companions, who all looked like they had received a surprising news, suddenly interrupted him.


    [Alina]: Alex, what did or opponent say about a curse? Is it true that you were cursed?


    [Delia]: The Rainbow Dude said something¡­ about a Chaos Curse? Interesting. I never thought I will not see a curse like this in my life¡­


    [Queen Mother]: So the curse is the reason why you''re sometimes a wimp? Count me enlightened.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    *************


    After Alex''s Companions heard the conversation between Alex and the Rainbow Dude, their attention was seemingly piqued up when the Rainbow Dude mentioned something related to the Chaos Curse. And the fact that Alex was supposedly affected by it just made their interest increase.


    So much was their interest, that they began pestering Alex about it right now, even when they were supposed to be fighting!


    [Alex]: Tsk, I admit it. I was cursed in the past, and it is making me suffer. However, I don''t like to talk about my curse now, since we don''t have any time. If you want to know more about the curse, then we should defeat our opponent first! Do you all understand that?


    Alex did not hesitate to raise his voice against his allies at this point, as he was now pissed towards them too.


    If Alex''s companions wanted to gossip about him, then they can do it on their free time. But now? now is not time for useless things like this!


    [Alex]: If you understand, then stop talking already. I will be the only one who will talk here, and all of you will just listen to me! Do you understand that?


    "Nod nod nod." Alex''s companions reply were only numerous silent nods, which were enough to show that they got his message.


    [Rainbow Dude]: Hahaha! Even with your Chaos Curse, you can still command these women like your followers, Alex! This is really impressive! You look like you''re fighting the effects of the curse with you best effort! Hah~. This just makes you more interesting to me!


    This comment by the Rainbow Dude appeared to make Alex''s rage almost boil over, but with his body still in pain and agony, Alex could only gnash his teeth as he glared at his opponent.


    As much as he looked like he wanted to attack the Rainbow Dude, Alex still did not have any enough strength to do it.


    This made Alex''s situation appear hopeless, since he and his allies seemed to have no way to use their powers properly against the Rainbow Dude.


    But even in this dire state, Alex did not lose the spark of ferocity in his eyes. Instead, this spark actually burned brighter, as if Alex''s intent to win has increased too!


    [Alex]: ¡­.Just ignore our opponent''s rambling talks. That''s the best that he can do, since he cannot personally attack us. So instead of listening to his taunts, just focus on finding your strengths! Because that is the only way that we can win!


    Alex shouted these words out loud to his Companions, who all trembled as they heard him.


    How could they not tremble, when Alex infused all of his charisma and persuasive power in his words?


    It was as if Alex was trying this best to convince his Companions to fight right now, and the words that he just said was his attempt to make them move.


    But instead of getting inspired, Alex''s companions instead began wearing a confused look on their faces, as they became mystified by what he said.


    Professor Frances particularly, was extremely confused with one of the things that Alex uttered, which she did not hesitate to point out.


    [Professor Frances]: Alex, you''re saying that the Rainbow Dude cannot personally attack us? What do you mean by that? If he cannot attack us, then how was he able to make us feel this much pain?


    From the latest words that Alex had uttered, his mention about the Rainbow Dude being unable to ''attack personally'' was something that did not sit well to Professor Frances, as well as the other Companions.


    How could it be possible that the Rainbow Dude was unable to personally attack them, when everything that he did were already hurting their bodies!


    If these are not personal attacks, then what are they?


    This ''minor flaw'' made Professor Frances and the others look at Alex with doubt, as they found his words hard to believe. Alina  and Delia were the only ones who did not give Alex this doubtful look, although they were  frowning too.


    Fortunately for Alex, he quickly detected the looks of doubt given to him by his Companions, allowing him to give an explanation towards them.


    [Alex]: Alina, remember what I told you earlier. The Childs of Chaos were beings that were born from The Chaos itself. Even though they are technically ''living creatures'', the way they use their power is not similar to the Power Systems here in the Multiverse.


    [Alex]]: In this multiverse, we follow a power stage system, where each higher stages of powerr corresponds to a higher level of strength. Stage 2 is stronger than Stage 1, Stage 4 is stronger than Stage 2, and so on and so forth. That is the basic system in this area.


    [Alex]: But since the Childs of Chaos were not from the Multiverse, their powers does not rely on stages. Instead, their power relies more on how much chaos they had already done in their life.


    [Alex]: The more chaos and disorder that a Child of Chaos had made, the more power that it will have inside its body.


    [Alex]: Do you know what that means? That mean that a Child of Chaos has no limits or bottlenecks on getting stronger. They just have to destroy, disrupt, and bring disorder, and their chaos power will naturally increase!


    [Alina]: What the hell? That''s how their powers work? That''s-


    [Rainbow Dude]: Unfair? Yes, it''s unfair. But what can you do about it? Nothing! Hehehe¡­


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: Just like what the Rainbow Dude said, the way that they get stronger is unfair. However, that does not make things really bad.


    [Rainbow Dude]: Yep, that''s right. After-


    [Alex]:  After all, even if their powers has a chance to easily get stronger, the way that a Child of Chaos uses their power is not that easy¡­


    [Professor Frances]: So, is this the point where the weakness of a Child of Chaos will be explained? Go on Alex, quickly say it.


    [Alex]: ¡­A Child of Chaos has the task of bringing disorder and chaos in the Multiverse. This task gave any Child of Chaos a set of powers, which were the only ones that they can use.


    [Alex]: The first power is the ability to  manipulate the fortune or misfortune of anyone or anything that the Child of Chaos chooses. With this ability, a Child of Chaos can easily make his opponents suffer bad luck or make someone experience good luck.


    [Alex]: By using this abilty in the right situation, a Child of Chaos can easily change the way that a situation unfolds.


    [Alex]: In our case Alina, the Rainbow Dude obviously used his power to make our misfortune reach maximum levels. That is the reason why we can''t use our powers properly now.


    [Alina]: Tsk. So we''re just unlucky now? Ugh, I never thought bad luck can be this ''bad''¡­.


    [Alex]: The second ability is somewhat absurd too. A Child of Chaos can, in a given situation, influence a creature to perform an action. This action can be anything, but this action will only work if that creature can do it.


    [Alex]: This ability works well on extremely weak creatures, and if a Child of Chaos wanted it to, these weak creatures can kill themselves.


    [Alex]: But if this ability were to be used on stronger creatures like us, the best actions that he can make us do were only the minor ones. Minor actions like coughing, slipping, or just talking¡­.


    [Alex]: I am not sure on how a Child of Chaos can do it, but I guess it is related to the domain of Fate itself¡­


    [Alina]: Oh? So is that how the Rainbow Dude did it? So that''s the reason why I could see hundreds of threads coming out of his body. Wait, are those FateThreads? Yes¡­ they''re all Fate Theads! F**k what a despicable being! You actually dare touch the threads of Fate itself? You-


    [Rainbow Dude]: Hey, hey, hey! Who are you calling despicable here, huh? For your information, my action  manipulation is a great power, so don''t look down on it!


    [Alina]: Tsk, no matter what you say, I will not  forgive you now! You dare touch something that must not be touched! You-


    [Rainbow Dude]: Oops, why did a large piece of space rock suddenly fell on your head, Alina? Did you perhaps incur the ire of someone from above? Tsk, tsk, tsk, how unlucky of you¡­


    [Alina]: !!!


    Just like Alex, Alina looked like she was about to burst from anger too, which is making her so much enthused on attacking the Rainbow Dude.


    Such action should make Alex worry, but instead of looking at her, Alex just continued his monologue.


    [Alex]: A Child of Chaos'' third ability is just as absurd as the first two.  Through its own eyes, a Child of Chaos can see the objects or people that if manipulated, can lead to a lot of disorder and chaos.


    [Alex]: This ability is called as ''Eyes of Chaos'', since it gives a Child of Chaos the best choice to start a chaotic situation.


    [Alex]: With the Eyes of Chaos, a Child of Chaos can easily see what things will bring disorder to a world. To a normal person, buying a jade might not be of any consequence. But to a Child of Chaos, it can see that jade as something that could lead to the destruction of that world!


    [Rainbow Dude]: You ever heard of the ''Butterfly Effect''? That''s just how this power  works!


    [Alina]: !!!


    [Alex]: Because of this power, once a Child of Chaos arrives in a world, it can quickly set up things that will make everything chaotic¡­


    [Alex]: In our case, the Rainbow Dude must have done things years ago that now lead us to this scenario.


    [Alex]: I don''t know what the Rainbow Dude did to make things happen, but he must have seduced, swindled, and manipulated a lot of people and objects just to reach this point¡­


    [Rainbow Dude]: You''re absolutely right, Alex. If you were just a Child of Chaos, then you will know how much effort I used just to make things go my way! Seriously, it is so tiring already!


    "¡­"


    At this point, everyone from Alex and his Companions were all tired of the Rainbow Dude''s endless babbling. Even Alex has lost his interest to talk, as he was more interested on actually pummeling his opponent.


    But Alex still held on, as he knew that what he will say next were the words that can potentially make him win.


    [Alex]: ¡­ Those three were the usual abilities of a Child of Chaos. There are other abilities too, and they are just as oriented for creating chaos.


    [Alex]: These abilities might look like a cheat, but there is a limitation on them.


    [Alex]: You see, a Child of Chaos can use these abilities as much as it wanted.


    [Alex]: However, a Child of Chaos is not allowed to use anything else other than its abilities against its opponents.


    [Alex]: That means that a Child of Chaos cannot attack its victims with its own body, as that is not an ability related to chaos.


    [Alina]: !!!!


    [Alex]:  A Child of Chaos can hurt its opponent by making them unlucky or making someone fight them. But for a Child of Chaos to stab an opponent is impossible, since that is not a power granted to them¡­.


    [Alex]: Because of that limitation, it makes it impossible for the Rainbow Dude to actually punch us right now. That, is a limitation that we can exploit. But we can only succeed in this exploitation if we have a proper plan¡­

 Chapter 621 - Its my Birthday today, so I took a half-day break.

    Lol, it is my birthday today, so I had to celebrate it... So no 2nd chapter for today. But the new chap will go out tomorrow, so stay tuned!


    **************


    44 61 70 69 62 75 73 20 6c 69 67 75 6c 61 20 65 67 65 74 20 70 75 72 75 73 20 63 6c 61 73 73 20 6e 61 6d 20 73 69 74 20 69 6e 20 6f 72 6e 61 72 65 20 63 72 61 73 20 6d 61 65 63 65 6e 61 73 20 70 72 61 65 73 65 6e 74 20 61 72 63 75 2e 20 50 65 6e 61 74 69 62 75 73 20 73 75 73 70 65 6e 64 69 73 73 65 2c 20 66 61 63 69 6c 69 73 69 20 61 6d 65 74 20 74 69 6e 63 69 64 75 6e 74 2e 20 49 6d 70 65 72 64 69 65 74 20 6e 61 73 63 65 74 75 72 2e 20 50 6c 61 74 65 61 20 63 75 72 73 75 73 20 69 6d 70 65 72 64 69 65 74 20 73 65 6d 70 65 72 20 76 75 6c 70 75 74 61 74 65 20 66 61 75 63 69 62 75 73 20 66 65 75 67 69 61 74 20 73 65 6e 65 63 74 75 73 2e 20 4c 75 63 74 75 73 20 64 69 67 6e 69 73 73 69 6d 20 63 6f 6e 73 65 63 74 65 74 75 65 72 20 73 6f 6c 6c 69 63 69 74 75 64 69 6e 20 73 61 67 69 74 74 69 73 20 75 74 20 64 69 73 2c 20 76 69 76 65 72 72 61 20 64 75 69 20 66 61 75 63 69 62 75 73 20 63 75 72 61 65 3b 20 73 75 73 63 69 70 69 74 2e 20 50 6f 74 65 6e 74 69 20 75 6c 74 72 69 63 69 65 73 2e 20 48 61 62 69 74 61 73 73 65 20 66 65 75 67 69 61 74 2e 20 4e 69 73 6c 20 70 75 72 75 73 20 64 6f 6c 6f 72 2c 20 6e 61 73 63 65 74 75 72 20 72 68 6f 6e 63 75 73 20 6e 61 74 6f 71 75 65 20 6d 69 20 61 72 63 75 20 61 65 6e 65 61 6e 20 63 75 72 61 65 3b 20 76 69 74 61 65 2c 20 73 65 6d 2c 20 76 65 6c 69 74 20 69 6e 63 65 70 74 6f 73 2c 20 70 75 6c 76 69 6e 61 72 20 76 69 74 61 65 2c 20 61 65 6e 65 61 6e 20 65 67 65 73 74 61 73 20 75 6c 74 72 69 63 69 65 73 2e 20 56 61 72 69 75 73 20 65 74 20 6d 6f 6c 65 73 74 69 65 20 66 61 63 69 6c 69 73 69 73 20 64 61 70 69 62 75 73 20 64 69 73 20 76 65 6e 65 6e 61 74 69 73 20 6d 61 67 6e 61 20 61 6c 69 71 75 61 6d 20 64 69 73 20 6e 75 6e 63 20 6e 61 74 6f 71 75 65 20 68 79 6d 65 6e 61 65 6f 73 20 62 6c 61 6e 64 69 74 20 63 6f 6e 76 61 6c 6c 69 73 20 6c 61 6f 72 65 65 74 2c 20 70 61 72 74 75 72 69 65 6e 74 2e a a


    4c 6f 62 6f 72 74 69 73 20 64 6f 6e 65 63 20 63 6f 6e 76 61 6c 6c 69 73 20 73 61 70 69 65 6e 20 70 72 61 65 73 65 6e 74 20 6d 6f 6e 74 65 73 20 6c 61 63 75 73 20 65 6e 69 6d 20 6d 75 73 20 64 69 73 20 66 65 72 6d 65 6e 74 75 6d 20 63 6c 61 73 73 20 6e 69 73 69 20 71 75 69 73 20 76 75 6c 70 75 74 61 74 65 20 70 6f 73 75 65 72 65 20 65 73 74 20 65 72 61 74 20 76 65 6c 20 6c 61 63 69 6e 69 61 20 69 6e 74 65 72 64 75 6d 20 66 72 69 6e 67 69 6c 6c 61 20 73 61 67 69 74 74 69 73 20 63 6f 6e 73 65 63 74 65 74 75 65 72 20 70 75 6c 76 69 6e 61 72 2e 20 4d 6f 6c 6c 69 73 20 74 75 72 70 69 73 20 6c 69 74 6f 72 61 20 6d 61 74 74 69 73 20 65 73 74 20 63 6f 6e 67 75 65 20 70 72 65 74 69 75 6d 20 76 65 6c 69 74 20 63 6f 6e 73 65 71 75 61 74 20 6d 61 73 73 61 2c 20 76 69 74 61 65 20 76 65 73 74 69 62 75 6c 75 6d 20 68 79 6d 65 6e 61 65 6f 73 20 6c 61 63 75 73 20 75 6c 74 72 69 63 69 65 73 20 68 61 63 20 6a 75 73 74 6f 20 76 65 6e 65 6e 61 74 69 73 20 64 61 70 69 62 75 73 20 72 68 6f 6e 63 75 73 20 6c 65 6f 20 72 69 64 69 63 75 6c 75 73 20 61 6c 69 71 75 61 6d

 Chapter 622 - The Power of the Shards!

    Alex sounded confident as he gave all these advices to his allies, but deep inside his mind, Alex was not any bit confident about their situation.


    "Tsk. I am sure that the Rainbow Dude has already setneverything regarding his plan to lead this world into chaos. That means that whatever solution I do, it will always be countered by him¡­" Alex thought sourly. "So even if I pull out a power-up out of nowhere, that won''t help me out¡­."


    "Ugh! F**king hell! Because the Rainbow Dude''s Chaos Power allows him to see through fate and karma itself, each of my moves will be easily seen through! Even my strongest moves can be undone with just a little use of his power¡­."


    At this point, Alex had already realized that their situation was actually hopeless.


    They were fighting an opponent who had already set the stage many years ago,  whose machinations and back-up plans were set on countering any desperate moves from Alex and his allies.


    Such grand planning was not something that Alex can easily overcome with a few moves.


    Add  the extreme power that their opponent had,  and Alex came to the realization that they will have a close to zero chance of winning.


    "F**k! If this Rainbow Dude was not here in this world, then the events going on here should have proceeded as planned! Maybe I could have easily raided other continents too. But because of him, all of it is now ruined!"


    Useless.


    No matter what kind of solutions Alex tried to think of, all of these seemed to hold no power against the domineering Rainbow Dude.


    Even if Alex knew that the Rainbow Dude could not personally attack them , this knowledge was of no use to him.


    After all, even if the Rainbow Dude could not attack them, there is no way for Alex to attack too, since his powers along with his allies were still messed up!


    "Hah¡­ and here I thought thinking about a way to win will let me win¡­ How conscientious of me¡­" With his heart now slowing down from dread, Alex could only lament to himself as he slowly realized his fate.


    "So is this how we lose? Just from a little brat who was gifted with power from an extra-dimensional area? What a joke¡­."


    Alex could not help but look at his allies at this point, all who just looked at him with their waiting eyes.


    "¡­"


    Thinking about their impending failure already made Alex feel bad, but seeing his allies'' trust in him made him feel even more down.


    "Ugh, my allies still do not realize that all of us are f**ked. They thought that we have a chance of winning, when we actually don''t¡­. Hahaha, what kind of s***y allies do I have?  Can''t they even realize our problem?"


    Even though Alex sounded like he was complaining about his allies, he was actually feeling much saddened compared to earlier.


    After all, Alex''s realization that he and his allies are bound to lose their life was something that cannot be trumped by any other emotions, including irritation.


    "¡­"


    At this point, Alex was close to accepting his fate, but upon remembering anxiety present on his allies'' faces, all the negative emotions inside Alex came to a halt.


    Why would Alex give up now, when his allies still had not surrendered yet? If they  themselves trust that they have a way to survive, then Alex should trust himself too!


    "No, there msut be something else that I can do! I cannot just give up here! I already had a lot of adventures in other worlds, and it will just end here? Of course not!"


    With his determination refueled by his allies'' support, Alex gritted his teeth as he forced his mind to think more.


    "Think think think, Alex! Think of a way to defeat the rainbow Dude! If you don''t, then you will be f***ed up!"


    Even if his whole body was hurting like hell right now, Alex continued to deduce everything in his mind!


    Large bursts of blood frantically came out of Alex''s orifices because of what he was doing, which just made him feel weaker and weaker. But Alex just ignored this as he focused his mind on his deductions.


    "Tsk, is there really no other way for me to win? With the Rainbow Dude''s power, only those who has transcended beyond the laws can win against him. After all, once someone has transcended the laws,  they cannot be easily affected by the abilities of a Child of Chaos¡­."


    At this point, Alex felt that his allies were all looking at him worriedly, while the Rainbow Dude was laughing like he had already won.


    "Hahaha! Yes, yes, yes. Alex! Just continue what you are doing, and you will reach death faster than what I expected!" The Rainbow Dude said in between his snickers. He appeared to be particularly pleased with Alex''s situation, which of course pissed Alex more. "That''s a lot of blood coming out from you, Alex. You sure you don''t want to keep them in?"


    "¡­"


    The sight of a laughing Rainbow Dude was enough Alex to the brink of mental breakdown, which had almost happened to him.


    But through his will and sheer anger, Alex has managed to pull himself back before his mind could fully break.


    This allowed Alex some breathing room, although it did not improve his situation at all.


    "At this point, the only thing that I can use to defeat Rainbow Dude are objects or people related to Transcendence¡­." Alex thought as he imagined the Rainbow Dude''s power. "Only these objects or people can be greatly immune from the powers of the Rainbow Dude, since they are already beyond the laws¡­."


    "So¡­ as long as I use these objects or people properly, I can easily beat up Rainbow Dude!"


    As if he had gotten a clue to himself, Alex''s expression slightly brightened after his last idea.


    An object related to Transcendence has a high chance of defeating the Rainbow Dude, as its effect on the laws will make it a great deterrence against the Rainbow Dude''s fate altering abilities.


    No matter what a Child of Chaos, much less someone like the Rainbow Dude do with their powers, it will be impossible for them to induce chaos on an object related Transcencdce!


    Attempting it will just be detrimental to the Rainbow Dude, and it might even damage his foundation¡­


    "Yes, yes, yes. I can use an object related to Transcendence to fight Rainbow Dude. I can use this object to attack him, since he cannot do anything to stop it! Yes! I can do that!"


    This time, Alex''s expression became much brighter as he realized that he has managed to form a plan that might work! Of course it was just a plan at this point, but Alex knew that since he had already made this plan, his victory was already guaranteed!


    "Hehehe, I got you now, Rainbow Dude." As if he was already confident of winning, Alex said these words proudly towards the still-laughing Rainbow Dude. Alex did not even hide the gloating in his voice, as if he was really sure of what he was saying.


    "Rainbow, Dude, you thought you have already won? If it was earlier, then your victory should have been assured. But now that you allowed me to think more? Heh, you should prepare your grave already!"


    "¡­."


    Alex''s injury-ridden body did not make his claims sound true. Instead, it made him look like a madman who was just spouting nonsense.


    But for whatever reason there is, the Rainbow Dude actually felt slight fear after hearing Alex.


    "Wait, why am I fearing this lowly being? There is no way¡­ that he can use something to beat me!" The Rainbow Dude thought to himself as he began looking at Alex warily.


    The Rainbow Dude observed Alex''s smug smile and his upturned eyes, all which indicate that the latter was really confident about something.


    Such expression made the Rainbow Dude more confused, but he did not let this cloud his mind.


    "No, there is no way that Alex can do something. I had already set things in this world for a chaotic end, so nothing should prevent it from happening!" The Rainbow Dude added as reassured himself. "If there is something that Alex tries to do, my chaos power will detect it, and I can easily stop it.


    The Rainbow Dude fervently nodded to himself as he thought of these words, as if he was trying his best to calm himself down.


    "Since that has always been the case, then that means that whatever Alex is planning to do now will fail! After all, I am a Child of Chaos! Everything that my opponents do can and will be used against them!"


    With this final assurance, the Rainbow Dude was finally able to normalize his emotions.


    Gone was the Rainbow Dude''s fear towards Alex''s threat.


    Instead, the Rainbow Dude began to feel pity of Alex, as the former thought that this is  the proper reaction to Alex''s mad ramblings.


    "¡­"


    However, this ''pity'' given out by the Rainbow Dude did not last that long, as Alex did something that caught even the Rainbow Dude off-guard.


    "Oi Rainbow Dude, are you thinking that what I said was just nothing but nonsense? Hehehe, you could be right. But in this situation, you are terribly wrong!" Like a man who had just received the best gift in his life, Alex began laughing with sheer glee.


    Alex laughed and laughed, even when blood continued  to come out from his mouth.


    This made Alex look much more scarier compared to before, and it made the Rainbow Dude feel unsettled again.


    "Rainbow Dude. You may be a Child of Chaos, but that does not equate that you are invincible in this world. You may be strong, but that does not make you undefeatable!"  Alex continued to say between his laughs, with his blood already covering his whole face. "You can still be hurt by some kind of things, right? What if I told you that I have those objects with me here? Are you still confident of winning?"


    "What are you-"


    "I''m sorry, Rainbow Dude, but your end has already come." It was now Alex''s turn to give the Rainbow Dude a pitying look, which seemed to be even more genuine than the Rainbow Dude''s look earlier. "So prepare to accept it with dignity ok?"


    "Hah? Alex, stop this nonsense and-"


    Before the Rainbow Dude could voice out his concerns, Alex performed a move which quickly silenced the Child of Chaos.


    "Boom!"


    Without waiting for the Rainbow Dude to finish his words, Alex appeared to have used the remains of his power to summon something inside his storage.


    This attempt should have failed, since Alex''s Maximum Misfortune should have made the summoning backfire.


    But instead of seeing a failed summoning, what the Rainbow Dude saw instead were 4 objects that are now floating nonchalantly behind Alex.


    "Hong hong hong~"


    A small white jade that was as brilliant as a sun.


    "Thum thum hum!"


    A piece of black crystal that thrummed with the malice of a monster.


    "Bzzt bzzt bzzt!"


    A blue diamond that fizzled with the powers of the electricity.


    "Shula shula shula~"


    And a scaly, bulky pebble that vibrated on the spot.


    These were the objects summoned by Alex from his storage, all which share the same size.


    With one look, one can say that these objects were special, since they all release powerful auras from their bodies.  These objects however appear to do nothing but release these auras, which made them look safe.


    Treating these objects as safe should have been the reaction that the Rainbow Dude had, but upon seeing these 4 objects, what appeared on the Rainbow Dude''s face was panic and fear instead.


    Yes, pure panic and fear.


    This pure fear was unlike the Rainbow Dude''s small fear earlier, which only lasted for a second.


    This time, the Rainbow Dude''s fear was practically genuine, and there are no one that can deny it.


    "No! How could you have those objects! T-t-they should not have been in your hands!" As if he was possessed by a devil, the Rainbow Dude began sputtering at this point as he stared at the 4 objects with fearful eyes.


    The Rainbow Dude also almost tripped as he scooted backwards, with his eyes still staring at the objects with terror. "You are not even a Half-Step Transcendent Being, and you already have those things? This¡­ this is not possible!"


    "Everything is possible, Rainbow Dude. You just did not expect it." Alex replied nonchalantly, as if he had expected the Rainbow Dude to react like this.


    "No!!!"


    "So how does it feel seeing Four Transcendence Shards floating in front of you? It makes you feel so much fear, right?" Alex said as he seemed to savor the Rainbow Dude''s reaction. "Are you so afraid now that you''re about to wet yourself?"


    "You-"


    "Well, I can''t deny your fear, since these Transcendence Shards were objects that you can''t detect or even affect! Hehehe, I wonder what will happen if I use these on you now¡­"

 Chapter 623 - The Might of the Transcendence Shards!(1 of 2)

    Transcendence Shards.


    Considered by many as unfathomable treasures, the Transcendence Shards are treated by all power system practitioners with great respect.


    This treatment is apt, since all Transcendence Shards come from Transcendent Beings!


    Not much was known on how Transcendence Shards were created, but those who had touched one can verify one thing.


    As long as the Transcendence Shard that you are holding is related to your Power System, that shard will bring immense benefits to you!


    Whether it was for a small-time enhancement of your power, or  an actual upgrade on your abilities, a Transcendence Shard will be of great help.


    So if an Esper were to get hold of an Esper Transcendence Shard, his/her power will receive massive benefits just because of the shard alone.


    Aside from the obvious power upgrade, some say that a Transcendence Shard can  also allow a person to see his/her way to Transcendence.


    Such thing is impossible for other treasures, but since it is a Transcendence Shard that is being talked about, this could be possible.


    After all, Transcendence Shards were made up of materials that were already above the Laws. Aside from this, many ideas and enlightenments were also stored inside the Transcendence Shards, which makes it a repository of many clues.


    With this kind of contents, a person only has to meditate and observe the Transcendence Shard''s insides, and they  will have a chance to use it to forge their path to Transcendence!


    This is how important Transcendence Shards were, and given their rarity, it is almost impossible for anyone to just own it by themselves.


    Any aspiring holders of a Transcendence Shard will have to be lucky to get one, and even if they get one, they have a high chance of dying since others will covet them for this treasure.


    There are records of wars between planets and even galaxies that happened because of the existence of Transcendence Shards, which had been participated by powerful and greedy individuals.


    Each of these wars were extremely bloody, and those who managed to obtain the Transcendence Shards were usually unhappy,  since most of them had to pay bitter price just to win.


    These stories made the Transcendence Shards an important and intriguing topic in the Multiverse, something that almost all Sixth-Stage Beings knew.


    Even the Rainbow Dude, who was usually disdainful about the rumors inside the Multiverse, was also interested about the matter of the Transcendence Shards.


    But the source of the Rainbow Dude''s interest on the Transcendence Shards does not lie on the story of the shards.


    Instead, the Rainbow Dude was more focused on the  properties Transcendence Shards themselves¡­


    **********


    With his current power level, the Rainbow Dude knew that only Transcendent Beings or objects that are above the Laws can hurt him.


    Transcendence Shards are included in this category, since their bodies and contents are already that of Transcendence.


    With these properties, the Rainbow Dude did not dare to ignore anything about the Transcendence Shards,  since he knew that just one shard has the potential to damage him¡­


    ***************


    The Rainbow Dude has always maintained a network of spies that worked under his wing, which occasionally gives him  information related to the existence of Transcendence Shards.


    As long as a rumor or a news about a Transcendence Shard starts to float around, the Rainbow Dude will immediately use his power to see if his life will be in danger because of the rumor.


    If it does not, then the Rainbow Dude will not do anything against this rumor.


    But if this rumor about the shard were to affect him, then the Rainbow Dude will perform some countermeasures that can make him safe.


    He could try changing his identity, or he could attempt leave the current place that he was in. As long as these countermeasures can make the Rainbow Dude far from a Transcendence Shard, then he will gladly do these methods.


    *************


    From the day that he was born until today, the Rainbow Dude has heard 79 news about the Transcendence Shards in total, with 71 of them being unrelated to him.


    As for the 8 remaining news that he found to be dangerous to his well-being, the Rainbow Dude has done all that he can to avoid them.


    Fortunately for the Rainbow Dude, his attempts to evade the bad effects of these 8 news were all successful, which left him alive up to this day.


    **********


    With the success of his surveillance methods, the Rainbow Dude started to feel confident for himself.


    After all, even if the Rainbow Dude can''t detect or affect a Transcendence Shard with his power, his spies alone were enough to inform him about the danger!


    Or so that Rainbow Dude had thought.


    Because today, the Rainbow Dude''s opponent, who was no other than Alex, has shown something that made the Rainbow Dude stricken with fear.


    "No! You can''t be holding those shards with you! My spies said nothing about that!"


    4 Transcendence Shards, all which floated behind Alex''s body, filled the whole area with their sinister, multi-colored light.


    Their auras, which the Rainbow Dude could feel pressing down on his body, did not let him feel any comfort at all.


    Instead, these auras made the Rainbow Dude feel fear, as he realized that these objects  can easily make him meet his doom!


    "Ah! Why do you even have 4 Transcendence Shards with you? One is already extremely hard to get, and you have 4? Why is this happening?" Although the voice inside his head was urging him to move quickly, the Rainbow Dude found himself frozen from fear. "This-this is unfair!"


    How could the Rainbow Dude not feel fear?


    Out of all the times that he had fought before, this was the only time that he felt that he might actually die!


    "No, no, no. I can''t die here! I am a Child of Chaos, and I cannot be defeated just by these petty tricks!" As if he was trying to convince a miracle to happen, the frightened Rainbow Dude muttered these words to himself in a bedraggled fashion. "Yes, this is just an illusion! An illusion! Those are not Transcendence Shards at all!"


    But no matter how much the Rainbow Dude convinced himself that everything that he just saw were fake, the power emitted by the shards were enough to falsify his delusions.


    ****************


    Even if they were not used by Alex yet, just the mere appearance of the Transcendence Shards alone was enough to make the Rainbow Dude feel pain and agony in his body.


    "Hiss¡­"


    The first of the shards, which was the large white jade, could be seen  emitting a pure and clear Immortal Qi everywhere.


    This Qi had a nourishing effect on all the living beings that it touched, but when it touched the Rainbow Dude''s skin, the poor man began howling in pain as his skin suddenly sizzled.


    "Ahh!!!"


    The black stone floating behind the white jade was also releasing its own energy, but what came out of it was the exact opposite of the Immortal Qi.


    A dark, extremely contaminated Abyss Energy leaked out of the black stone, which quickly corrupted everything that it touched.


    The Rainbow Dude was naturally affected too, with the sensation of his skin twisting into grotesque mutations enough to make him shout again.


    "Argh!!!


    These two shards alone were already enough to make the Rainbow Dude feel extreme agony, but this is not yet the end for him.


    "Sizzle¡­"


    The third shard, which was a blue diamond, has begun imposing its own aura at this point too.


    The blue diamond released countless distortions on its surroundings, with the concepts of gravity, force, and even energy seemingly warped by the presence of this diamond alone.


    Nothing escaped this effect, especially the objects that are near the blue diamond.


    Even the Rainbow Dude''s sking was not spared, as he was on the vicinity of this shard.


    "Ah!!!" This brought the Rainbow Dude the pain comparable to that of a man being flayed alive, something that almost made him faint.


    But before he could even faint, the effects of the 4th and final shard has suddenly manifested itself.


    "Guo-"


    Large and small vibrations in space were released by the scaly stone, whose majority had passed through the Rainbow Dude.


    Since these waves were only caused by the aura released by the scaly stone, a Half-Step Transcendent Being could have easily fended these waves off.


    But the Rainbow Dude did not have this luxury.


    Instead of his body and power being able to fend off these ''weak'' waves, the insides of the Rainbow Dude''s body were easily ravaged by the waves.


    "Arh!!!!"


    Although his body has been toughened beyond recognition, there was just something about the waves that made the Rainbow Dude feel extreme agony.


    Even if the waves were unable to fully injure him, the pain that they brought made the Rainbow Dude wish that he was just injured.


    "Ahh!!!!"


    *********


    The sufferings brought by the 4 Transcendence Shards did not really kill the Rainbow Dude, since it was only their auras that hit him yet.


    They only affected him at the surface level, something that it not fatal for him.


    But even they''re not deadly, the suffering that these shards gave to the  Rainbow Dude was  pure hell to him!


    "Ah!!!"


    ************


    If he was only undergoing some pain, then the Rainbow Dude could actually have the willpower to endure this all.


    But he hasn''t, since there is a fact about his current situation that made him feel extremely hopeless.


    And this fact is:


    [[[If the auras of the Transcendence Shards were already enough to make the Rainbow Dude feel pain, then what would happen if his opponent decides to use it seriously?]]]


    The Rainbow Dude does not dare to even think of it anymore, as the answer was already obvious.


    Once Alex decides to use the Transcendence Shards in a serious fashion, the Rainbow Dude will most definitely die!


    As for how his death will go, the Rainbow Dude of course did not dare to imagine it.


    All that he could think now is on how he should flee, as he knew that staying will just mean his end!


    But with the pain wracking his body and the fear paralyzing his veins, the Rainbow Dude''s mind found no way for him to escape.


    "Oh no. I might really die here¡­"


    ************


    With his mind short-circuited and his body frozen, the Rainbow Dude realized that it will be incredibly hard for him to run away. No matter what he tries to do, Alex can do something about it.


    Even the Rainbow Dude''s own power has confirmed it too.


    "Oh s**t, oh s**t, oh s**t. Will I really die here? Or maybe I won''t die? No, I will really die! But I could still survive¡­ No, I will really die!" With the realization of his impending death looming over him, the Rainbow Dude naturally began to panic, as this was the only thing that he can do right now.


    His ecstasy from ''torturing'' his opponents from earlier were now all gone, and all that''s left in the Rainbow Dude were his fear and desperation.


    "No¡­ I can''t die here!  Please, I can''t die!!!!"

 Chapter 624 - The Might of the Transcendence Shards!(2 of 3)

    While the Rainbow Dude was feeling the greatest fear of his life, Alex was feeling the contrary.


    Alex was extremely happy, especially now that he gets to make his opponent receive all the beatings that he had deserved!


    "Hmph, my body still hurts like s**t now, so be assured that I will have a fun time on making you suffer." Alex muttered as he maintained his control over his Transcendence Shards. "Hehehe, and don''t think that I am going to let you off with few injuries, Rainbow Dude. I will kill you for real, and I will not leave any corpse behind!"


    With the treacherous techniques used by the Rainbow Dude earlier, it is not hard for Alex to be mad at him, especially since Alex already had some bad experience with a Child of Chaos before.


    In fact, if it were not for the existence of his allies, Alex could have used his own life just to kill the Rainbow Dude¡­.


    Alex was fortunate that he had the Transcendence Shards, which is his best weapon right now.


    However, even if he already held the Transcendence Shards and was now using them to reverse the situation, Alex did not feel fully satisfied from what was happening.


    "As of now, the auras released by my Transcendence Shards are only enough to make the Rainbow Dude suffer pain. If I really want to kill him, then I must use my Transcendence Shards personally¡­" Alex let out a small tsk as this point, as he found the idea of using the Transcendence Shards personally as a difficult task.


    "The problem is, Transcendence Shards are usually used only for rituals or study purposes. They are not used for fighting, since they are more suitable the comprehensive side¡­." Alex muttered with a frown. "So using them to attack the Rainbow Dude personally will be a hard task¡­"


    This is the dilemma that Alex discovered once he had released all of his 4 Transcendence Shards.


    The Transcendence Shards may be filled with power, but this power is too much to control for someone who was not yet a Transcendent. At best, they can use this power for the growth of their abilities, or for some archaic rituals.


    But as for offense, it will be pretty hard to forcefully use the shards to attack someone¡­.


    "With my current power level, I have no way to use these Shards to attack the Rainbow Dude. My power is not just enough¡­." This dilemma has managed to reduce Alex''s satisfaction from his near victory, as he now  found himself unable to deal with the finishing blow.


    "Tsk! If I want to win, then I must find a way to use the shards!"


    At this point, Alex could only let out a sigh as he realized that he had reached the endpoint.


    His victory lies on the prerequisite that he can activate the full power of the shards.


    If he does not succeed on this, there is a chance that the Rainbow Dude could actually escape, which will just plunge Alex in more danger in the future.


    So no matter what happens today, Alex must use the shards in their full potential!


    "¡­"


    With this problem pestering him, Alex had decided to get back on his brainstorming mode.


    He went on to become silent for a full minute, with countless derivations and methodologies flashing inside his brain at the speed of light.


    These thoughts were all categorized quickly by Alex, and he only accepted the ones that he had wanted to see.


    He ignored the whining sounds released by the captured Rainbow Dude, and he also ignored the invasive stares given to him by his allies.


    Alex only forced himself to think, and only think.


    "¡­."


    ************


    2 MINUTES LATER


    Without the distractions given by the Rainbow Dude, Alex had expected himself to think up of a method in just a few minutes.


    This was what exactly happened, as after 3 minutes of intense thinking, Alex actually found what he was looking for.


    Alex has managed to find a method that can allow him to harness the power of the shards, and he knew that this method is the only one that he can use now.


    This method was something that Alex had thought of trying before, but because there are no dangers to him for the 3 months that he stayed in this world, he had discarded this method at the back of his mind.


    It was only now that he became serious again that he remembered this method.


    However, instead of being happy from this discovery, Alex appeared to be actually worried, and he even looked like he was hesitating to make a move now.


    He even let out a small curse from his mouth as he outlined the method that he discovered, with his eyes widening a little from tension.


    It was as if the method that he discovered was something that he was not keen on doing, and the only reason that he is attempting it now was because he was forced to¡­


    "So is this the only thing that I can do to use the power of the Shards? What the hell, if this is the only method, then I could be f**ked¡­." This was Alex''s mental reaction right now,  with his anger from earlier slowly coming back up again. "Tsk, why does it have to be this method out of all things? S**t, I really hate this!"


    For Alex to be pissed off with the method that he discovered was just proper, since the method itself was something that only madmen or idiots would do.


    Heck, Alex knew that if it was not for his current situation, he would not even entertain the mere mention of this method!


    "Do I really have to fuse my powers with the Transcendence Shards just to harness their power? Sure, I MIGHT have a chance to harness their power, but there is also a 90% chance that I will explode and die from the fusion with the shards! This is how f**king dangerous this method is!"


    Alex swore these words loudly inside his mind, making it obvious that he was in no way satisfied with his discovery. He certainly did not sound happy at all, as most of his emotions now are centered on worry and tension.


    "Tsk, what should I do¡­"


    ****************


    Alex did not hear of any rumors about it, but he was sure that given a chance, someone can fuse their powers with a Transcendence Shard.


    As long as that person''s power is similar to the Transcendence Shard''s power, he can easily fuse with the shard.


    This means that an Esper could possibly fuse his Esper Power with the Esper Transcendence Shard, and that might allow that Esper to wield all the mysteries inside the shard.


    This might sound like a good thing, but Alex knew that once someone does something that involves fusion, a lot of problems can happen.


    Alex was not sure about what will happen after the fusion, although he has an idea that most of it will be bad.


    "Ugh¡­ Even if someone manages to fuse their power with a Transcendence Shard, there is a chance that this person will die from the fusion alone. After all, even if the shard has a similar power, its quality was beyond anything below Transcendence. Heck, I think that someone has to be extremely talented or lucky just to survive the fusion itself!"


    This was the first problem that Alex had thought of once he had discovered the fusion method, and it was not the last one.


    There are still more dilemmas that Alex suspects can happen after the fusion, and all of it was just as bad as the first problem.


    "Even if a person survives a fusion, there is a chance that once the fusion ends, his body could mutate or his powers will even regress. Heck, the power might even disappear because of the pressure given to it!"


    "Or much worse, the person becomes crazy after fusion, with his rationality all gone!"


    Each of these dilemmas were enoguh to make Alex hesitate about performing the fusion method, but he found himself unable to just reject the method quickly.


    Even if there is a lot of danger related to the fusion method, Alex could not just discard it.


    After all, this method is Alex''s only chance to kill the Rainbow Dude!


    "Tsk, if I fuse my Transcendence Shards with my powers right now, there are many dangerous side-effects that could happen. Dying is the least of these side effects, so I should not be really doing this¡­" Alex thought gloomily to himself as he stared at the still writhing Rainbow Dude. "But I really need to kill the Rainbow Dude now, and I cannot let this chance pass¡­."


    The temptation of killing the Rainbow Dude vs. the danger of his chosen method was enough to make Alex hesitate, as he knew that right now, his very own life was at stake.


    If he chooses the wrong choice, then a lot of people will also be affected!


    "Argh! So is this the point in time where I have to be a gambler and decide on my bet? Tsk, I really hate doing things like this¡­" With his mind now stuck between two choices, Alex could only laugh sourly as he felt that life was being unfair to him.


    "I was saddened because I thought that I will lose, but then I was happy since I discovered that the Transcendence Shards can kill the Rainbow Dude. But now, I am in dilemma again, as the price of killing the Rainbow Dude could be high! Argh! Why does things have to be like this!"


    To fuse or not to fuse?


    These are Alex''s only choices right now, which he had to choose as fast as possible. After all, if Alex dares to delay his decision by some more minutes, the Rainbow Dude might be able to run away¡­


    "¡­."


    Alex knew that his time is only limited, so even with all the uncertainties covering his situation, Alex forced himself to make his decision.


    It took him only a second to compose himself, and he only spent less than that time to make the decision.


    "Tsk, fine. Since things have already gone like this, there is only one thing left for me to do." Alex thought as he began gritting his teeth.  He felt pain from the sensation of his teeth grinding each other, but he had duly ignored it.


    "Since the Rainbow Dude is my opponent, and since he''s also a deplorable Child of Chaos, his existence is something that I cannot allow to tolerate. Because of that, I will have to kill him now, even at the risk of my own life!"


    Even if he did not fully say the words, it was already obvious what Alex had decided to do.


    Alex chose to use the fusion method, even with all of its possible risks!

 Chapter 625 - Volume 8 is nearing its end!(Please read!!! Its important!)

    The ending of this volume will not be what you expected, but it will come quickly, maybe in a week''s time.


    Actually, I am not sure on how I will write the ending, but it will really come.


    Really, the ending will really come!


    Oh, and  another reminder.


    The next chapter will come in around 12 hours, since I have to draft the end yet.


    ***********


    Since this the end is coming, of course  I would do my classic Q&A exercises.


    1. What do you think about the volume itself? Anything that you like and anything that you hated?


    2. Among all the characters introduced, who was the one that you did not like? Who was the one that you liked the most?


    3. How strong do you think would Alex be by the end of this volume?


    4. What will the next world be?(Spoilers: I already have an idea on what world to write. I may put clues about it on the next chapters, so please look out for it.)


    5. Anything that you find suspicoius about this volume?(Not that I wanted you to detect anything....)


    **********


    The next section of this chapter is simple.


    I will be posting the draft for my next chapter, but it is coded.


    But I promise that the code is easy, as long as you paste the code online.


    Hehehe, good luck coding!


    2d 52 61 69 6e 62 6f 77 20 44 75 64 65 20 73 65 65 73 20 41 6c 65 78 20 75 73 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 45 73 70 65 72 20 53 68 61 72 64 a a 2d 20 52 61 69 6e 62 6f 77 20 44 75 64 65 20 70 61 6e 69 63 73 a a 2d 52 61 69 6e 62 6f 77 20 44 75 64 65 20 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 73 20 6f 66 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 6c 69 6d 69 74 61 74 69 6f 6e 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 66 75 73 69 6e 67 20 a a 2d 20 52 61 69 6e 62 6f 77 20 44 75 64 65 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 41 6c 65 78 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 66 61 69 6c 2c 20 73 69 6e 63 65 20 68 65 2019 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 73 74 72 6f 6e 67 20 65 6e 6f 75 67 68 a a 2d 41 6c 65 78 20 66 75 73 65 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 45 73 70 65 72 20 53 68 61 72 64 a a 2d 41 6c 65 78 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 64 69 65 2e a a 2d 52 44 20 73 65 65 73 20 69 74 20 61 6e 64 20 68 65 20 72 65 61 6c 69 7a 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 2019 73 20 74 6f 6f 20 6c 61 74 65 20 6c 61 74 65 20 66 6f 72 20 68 69 6d 2e a a 2d 52 44 20 74 72 69 65 73 20 74 6f 20 65 73 63 61 70 65 a a 2d 41 6c 65 78 20 61 74 74 61 63 6b 73 a a 2d 41 6c 65 78 20 68 75 72 74 73 20 39 30 25 20 6f 66 20 52 44 2019 73 20 62 6f 64 79 a a 2d 41 6c 65 78 20 73 65 70 61 72 61 74 65 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 45 73 70 65 72 20 53 68 61 72 64 a a 2d 41 6c 65 78 20 69 73 20 68 75 72 74 a a 2d 41 6c 65 78 20 64 6f 65 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 63 61 72 65 a a 2d 41 6c 65 78 20 66 75 73 65 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 41 62 79 73 73 20 53 68 61 72 64 a a 2d 48 65 20 61 74 74 61 63 6b 73 20 6f 6e 63 65 20 6d 6f 72 65 2e a a 2d 45 76 65 6e 20 69 66 20 68 69 73 20 61 74 74 61 63 6b 20 68 69 74 73 2c 20 52 44 20 49 73 20 62 6f 75 6e 64 20 74 6f 20 73 75 72 76 69 76 65 2e a a 2d 42 75 74 20 52 44 20 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 2c 20 61 73 20 41 6c 65 78 2019 73 20 41 62 79 73 73 20 61 74 74 61 63 6b 20 77 61 73 20 61 69 64 65 64 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20 41 62 79 73 73 2e a a 2d 41 20 73 6d 61 6c 6c 20 70 6f 72 74 61 6c 20 63 6f 6d 69 6e 67 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 74 68 65 20 41 62 79 73 73 20 a 61 72 72 69 76 65 73 2c 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65 64 20 61 74 74 61 63 6b 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 61 73 73 69 73 74 20 41 6c 65 78 2e a a 2d 52 44 20 70 61 6e 69 63 73 20 61 6e 64 20 74 72 69 65 73 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 61 72 74 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 68 65 20 63 61 6e 20 a 75 73 65 20 73 6f 20 68 65 20 63 61 6e 20 65 73 63 61 70 65 a a 2d 48 65 20 65 76 65 6e 20 74 72 69 65 64 20 63 61 6c 6c 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 20 43 68 61 6f 73 2e a a 2d 52 44 20 61 6c 6d 6f 73 74 20 73 75 63 63 65 65 64 65 64 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 41 62 79 73 73 20 62 6c 6f 63 6b 65 64 20 68 69 73 20 63 61 6c 6c 2c 20 6c 65 61 76 69 6e 20 68 69 6d 20 76 75 6c 6e 65 72 61 62 6c 65 2e a a 2d 52 44 20 63 61 6e 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 77 61 74 63 68 20 61 73 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6d 62 69 6e 65 64 20 61 74 74 61 63 6b 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 41 62 79 73 73 20 61 6e 64 20 41 6c 65 78 20 6c 61 6e 64 73 20 6f 6e 20 68 69 6d 2e a a 2d 52 44 20 64 69 65 73 2e 20 20 a

 Chapter 626 - The Might of the Transcendence Shards!(3 of 3)

    **********


    Although he felt that his death was near, the Rainbow Dude has not surrendered himself to despair yet.


    After all, the Rainbow Dude has not seen Alex using the Transcendence Shards in a serious fashion.


    Even though Alex could have used the shards to kill the Rainbow Dude already, he still has not done it yet, which leads to the Rainbow Dude somewhat doubting Alex''s power.


    "Hey, what if Alex still have no idea on how to use the Transcendence Shards fully? If that''s true, then I might have a chance to survive¡­" Upon seeing that Alex was rendered silent for a full 3 minutes without making any move, the Rainbow Dude began to feel more confident about his conjecture.


    "Yes, I think I really have a chance to survive here! My opponent after all still has not attacked me!"


    Although Alex might have owned the Transcendence Shards and was currently using it to suppress the Rainbow Dude, the way that Alex did not use them to immediately kill him just makes it obvious that Alex has struggles related to the shards!


    Of course the Rainbow Dude cannot prove this conjecture of his, but the way that Alex acted right now seems to prove just that.


    "Yes, I could still survive here. I should just let things go on this way¡­."


    Upon realizing that Alex was still unable to kill him, the sly Rainbow Dude began to formulate a plan that will allow him to win.


    Since Alex can''t fully use the shards, then the Rainbow Dude will just have to wait patiently for Alex to be tired. It was only when Alex reaches this point, that the Rainbow Dude will use his remaining abilities in order to escape.


    Even if he''s currently experiencing a torturous pain in his body, the Rainbow Dude was now willing to endure it, as he knew that as long as he manages to last until Alex gets exhausted, then he can have his chance to run!


    This plan is sure-fire to succeed, so all that the Rainbow Dude has to do now is wait!


    "Hehehe, and here I was scared about Alex. I really thought he will be able to kill me!" With his heart now feeling more confident about his plan, the Rainbow Dude began mocking Alex inwardly, with his face still writhing in pain.


    Doing this inward mockery gave the Rainbow Dude some semblance of happiness, and he was already imagining the look of shock on Alex''s face once he escapes later!


    "Hah~ Just you wait, Alex. Once I escape from here, I will do my best to have my revenge on you! Hmph, maybe I can even ask for my Father''s help to unleash another Chaos Curse on you! Hehehe, I bet you would not happy about that!"


    At this point, the Rainbow Dude already felt that he had won, so he did not bother despairing over his pain anymore. Instead, he just waited for that fated moment to arrive.


    But to the great misfortune of the Rainbow Dude, this fated moment of his was never bound to arrive.


    *****************


    Unlike what he had expected, the Rainbow Dude did not see Alex continuing his silence.


    Instead, the Rainbow Dude saw Alex doing something that made his heart beat in panic!


    "Bzzt!"


    Out of nowhere, Alex''s face suddenly had a resolute expression on it, which was followed by his hand moving forward.


    This hand then grabbed the blue diamond shard, which Alex clutched tightly with his hand.


    This shard, which was no other than the Esper Transcendence Shard, began to buzz with activity once it was grabbed, with more and more distortions around the area appearing every second.


    These distortions seemed to have brought some pains towards Alex, but Alex appeared to have ignored it as he began pulling the Esper Transcendence Shard towards himself.


    "Guo guo guo¡­"


    No, Alex was not actually moving this shard towards his body.


    Instead, Alex was pulling this shard toward the direction of his Virtual Body, which  at this point, has responded from the arriving Esper Transcendence Shard!


    "Bzzt!"


    Both the shard and the Virtual Body began to shake as they became close to each other, with countless cracks appearing on the surface of the Virtual Body.


    These cracks made the Virtual Body look like it was about to be broken, although it was able to miraculously stay intact at this point.


    As for the shard itself, it did not have any signs of damage, but it was obvious that it was getting more and more agitated as it came nearer to the Virtual Body.


    This scene made such a cool sight, that even the Rainbow Dude might find it impressive.


    But the Rainbow Dude did not feel impressed from what he was seeing at all.


    Instead, what the Rainbow Dude felt was panic, as he realized what Alex was doing!


    This madman was actually fusing an Esper Transcendence Shard with his Esper Virtual Body!


    This realization formed a large pit inside the Rainbow Dude''s heart, as he felt the threat of death looming over him again.


    "F***k! Alex has discovered the way to forcefully use the Transcendence Shards! He¡­ he''s actually trying to fuse them to his powers!"


    At this point, the  Rainbow Dude was now 100% sure that if he stays here any longer, his life will really be in danger!


    And this was even if Alex''s current actions are extremely risky!


    *************


    "Boom!"


    The panic of the Rainbow Dude continued to increase at this point, as he saw that Alex had already succeeded on the fusion.


    What was supposed to be a minute-long interval actually happened only for a few seconds on Alex.


    Such speed made the Rainbow Dude astounded, and it just added another pile of fear on his already exhausted heart.


    "Argh! He''s done using the fusion! F**k this, I''m done for!"


    ************


    "Hong~"


    The Rainbow Dude was not really sure on how he can explain Alex''s appearance right now.


    After all, the fusion between the Esper Transcendence Shard and Alex''s Virtual Body brought for changes that only a Transcendent Being can detect.


    Because of that, all that the Rainbow Dude can see behind Alex was a blurry silhouette.


    This silhouette appeared to be as slim as a reaper, with what looked like to be swords sprouting on its back. Each of these swords did not have a clear appearance at all, although the Rainbow Dude could feel the intimidating power pouring out of them.


    So much was the intimidation that he can feel right now, that the Rainbow Dude had the feeling that one touch by this blurry silhouette is enough to kill him!


    And that, was only a touch.


    "Huhuhu¡­ from what I know, successfully fusing with a Transcendence Shard does not really grant a person with a Transcendent Power. Instead, that person will only gain a Trace of Transcendence." The Rainbow Dude thought sourly as he trembled under the gaze of the blurry silhouette.


    "This Trace something that is weaker than Transcendence, which many powerful Sixth Stage Beings can survive from. I should be able to survive this too, but I am Child of Chaos! Anything related to Transcendence is my weakness, so even this Trace is enough to kill me!"


    With this added discovery, the Rainbow Dude  felt that his death sentence had loomed closer.


    But actually,  he does not even need to wait for his death sentence anymore. Because he knew that at this very moment, Alex will make his attack already!


    ************


    "There are a lot of limitations that are attached once someone fuses their power with a Transcendence Shard. These limitations are so limiting, but in my current situation, these limits might be enough to keep me alive!"


    With his panic going back into a full-scale mode, the Rainbow Dude''s mind began to whirl again in preparation for what Alex was about to do.


    Even though he knew that he''s bound to face a deadly attack from a powered-up Alex, the Rainbow Dude forced himself to calm down.


    After all, even if Alex was about to get stronger, the limitations attached on the fusion might pave a way to let the Rainbow Dude survive!


    "One of the limitations is simple. Once your power was fused with a Transcendence Shard, the fusion state can only last depending on your power level. In Alex''s case, he can only make the fusion last for a fraction of a second. That fraction is enough for him to attack once!"


    "Yes, just once. He can only attack once¡­ That means that once he has attacked, he won''t be able to attack again¡­"


    "If that''s the case, then I should just find a way to let a portion of my body survive once Alex makes his attack! Even just 1% of my body surviving will be enough! I can use that¡­ to recover to my peak state in the future!"


    The Rainbow Dude knew how taxing the usage of the Transcendence Shard can be on one individual, especially for someone like Alex.


    Just one use of a fused shard will be enough to bring Alex to the brink of death, so the Rainbow Dude was confident that Alex cannot attack one more time¡­


    ***********


    "Chaos Technique: Chaotic Fission!"


    Without waiting for Alex to unleash his attack, the Rainbow Dude began to make his own move.


    "Split!"


    The Rainbow Dude''s body suddenly transformed, turning into millions and millions of c.o.c.kroaches that began to fly everywhere.


    These c.o.c.kroaches seem to contain a portion of the Rainbow Dude''s power, although they did not act like the Rainbow Dude.


    These c.o.c.kroaches just continued to scatter everywhere, eventually creating a cloud of c.o.c.kroaches that covered a whole continent.


    This instantly turned the whole Imperial Edict Continent into an area of darkness, something that made the residents feel fear.


    But while they are feeling fear, the Rainbow Dude was feeling the opposite.


    He was now happy, as he knew that his escape technique has succeeded!


    "Hehehe, this technique of mine is my last resort technique, as it will make me drop into a 0th Stage Being. But it was worth it at this point, as I might have a chance of surviving!" The scattered mind of the Rainbow Dude thought as he urged his c.o.c.kroaches to continue spreading. "Hehehe, so even with all the risks that you took Alex, I am still the one who won! Hahaha!"


    ***********


    With the speed of the splitting technique that the Rainbow Dude used, it gave him a few nanoseconds of escape time. This allowed his roaches to reach the ends of the Traveler''s World, something that is a good news for him.


    The Rainbow Dude could have continued making the roaches move at this point, but it was at this moment that Alex began to attack.


    "¦Ê¦Å¦Ñ¦Á¦Ô¦Í?"


    With his voice sounding like it was of a god, the dazed-looking Alex uttered these words, which filled the whole world with the presence of the Fundamental Laws.


    These Laws made everyone shiver, as they felt that someone infinitely more powerful than them was making its appearance.


    Even the Rainbow Dude felt suppressed too, but he ignored it as he willed his body to scatter more.


    This was the right move for the Rainbow Dude, as the words uttered by Alex brought forth a catastrophe unlike any other.


    "Boom!"


    With a sound comparable to that of a planetary explosion, the blurry silhouette behind Alex unleashed an energy storm that covered the whole planet.


    Fires, lightning, kinetic energy, light, and many more types of energy wreaked havoc on the whole Traveler''s Planet, with everything on their path destroyed and razed like they were trash.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    The raining hail of fire and the unrelenting descent of the lighting made the whole planet look like it was in apocalypse, something that brought so much fear from the whole world.


    Nothing seemed to be able to resist the power of this energy storm, and those who tried resisting it were quickly defeated.


    "Boom boom boom!"

 Chapter 627 - Reversals.

    The energy storm only lasted for a second before it fully faded away, leaving nothing but the trails of destruction on its wake.


    "¡­"


    Countless trees, houses, and mountains were destroyed by this monstrous energy storm, with none of them surviving the attack.


    In fact, the damage in these places were so severe, that those who personally saw the damage could say that the people in these areas are absolutely dead.


    But contrary to this belief, the people in the areas affected by the energy storm did not die.


    In fact, none of these people were even injured. They were all safe and sound from the energy storm, even when it was unleashed near them.


    This contrasting effect brought a confusing sight to Alex''s allies, although none of them had questioned it.


    After all, they all knew who  Alex''s real target was.


    It was of course the Rainbow Dude, whose entire c.o.c.kroach body was hit by the energy storm!


    Even when the Rainbow Dude made sure that his c.o.c.kroaches were scattered everywhere, Alex''s allies had the feeling that  Alex has succeeded on hitting each and every single ''Chaos C.o.c.kroach'' in the Traveler''s World.


    There''s no need to even question this, as the might of Alex''s latest attack was just too outstanding to ignore!


    If an attack like this has enough power to fully decimate a planet, then there is no way that someone like the Rainbow Dude can survive it, right?


    ************


    "Kehok!"


    As the one who unleashed this attack, Alex could have spent some time observing the damage that he just unleashed on the Traveler''s World.


    But he found himself unable to, as he began experiencing the backlash of the fusion.


    "Kehok!"


    After Alex made his attack, the blurry body behind him quickly split itself into two pieces, with the Virtual Body and the Esper  Transcendence Shard flying off in opposite directions.


    This split-off process released a powerful pulse that injured Alex, forcing him to kneel as he spat out blood.


    Along with his blood, large amounts of vitality had leaked out of his body, which further deflated his already sunken appearance.


    "Kehok!"


    Wounds that should not have been on Alex''s body began appearing like infection on his skin, turning Alex from a handsome, young man into a poor man covered with sores.


    "Argh!"


    Once they had appeared, the wounds began to fester themselves, resulting in a large discharge of yellow pus flowing out of their openings. These pus flowed through Alex''s skin like acid, which made his skin sizzle as if it was being cooked.


    Such change made the already tormented Alex shout in pain, a reaction that just escalated as time passed by.


    He could only m.o.a.n around as he did his best to relieve himself, an endeavor that appeared hopeless in this situation.


    "Argh!"


    ***********


    To anyone who knows Alex and sees what was happening to him, they will surely feel worried for him, since he''s currently experiencing something that no man should ever reel.


    But even if these people were worried for Alex, they were also feeling happy for him.


    After all, even if Alex is suffering right now, the main reason for his dangerous actions for today has been resolved!


    The Rainbow Dude, whose actions were deserving of getting him killed,  was surely killed off by Alex through that energy storm of his!


    With the power contained inside this attack, there''s just no way that this Child of Chaos can survive from that!


    Since this is the most likely case, then all the suffering that Alex is experiencing now is worth it¡­


    Besides, Alex is still alive, so he can just use his remaining time to recover himself¡­


    OR SO HE THOUGHT.


    "Hehehe, that was a splendid attack, Alex. You used an AOE attack in order to kill off all my roaches, which is impressive! However, it is still not enough to kill me¡­"


    From a tiny piece of stone that was upturned from the attack earlier, a small cl.u.s.ter of c.o.c.kroaches slowly came out, all which bore the same aura as the Rainbow Dude.


    This cl.u.s.ter was only made up of 100 c.o.c.kroaches, which was a far cry from the millions of roaches that made up the Rainbow Dude''s body earlier.


    Each c.o.c.kroach looked extremely weak, as if they were about to die off like their other comrades.


    But something seemed to have forced these roaches to hold on, and there was a certain stubbornness from the roaches that made them look hard-to-kill.


    "!!!"


    Once these roaches had appeared, Alex''s allies all widened their eyes as they realized what had happened.


    Even the tortured Alex had no choice but to also frown, as he too knew the implications of what he had seen.


    A small portion of the Rainbow Dude''s body has actually survived Alex''s attack, and it seemed to not even be fazed with the death of its larger parts!


    This upsetting revelation was not received by Alex and his allies well, since they realized that all their efforts did not give them the result that they wanted!


    **************


    "Hehehe, so what do you say now, Alex? Are you surprised that some of my body has survived?" The Rainbow Dude said through his c.o.c.kroaches, with his voice full of his irritating arrogance. "Hahaha, I am telling you this now, Alex. Since you have failed on killing all of my body, then don''t think that you can hold me here!"


    Although his current body was only comprised of 100 c.o.c.kroaches, the Rainbow Dude did not lose any of his arrogance from earlier. Instead, it actually even increased at this point, as if he was assured of his situation.


    "Hahaha, so how does your body feel now, Alex? Can you still move? I bet you can''t¡­" Without any more fear for his life, the Rainbow Dude did not stop taunting the severely injured Alex. "Hehehe, what''s the matter? If you want to kill me, then come here already!"


    "¡­"


    Since Alex was severely injured after the fusion, the Rainbow Dude had no more worries from anyone that might kill him.


    There is just no way for Alex to perform another fusion with his injuries, and there are no other Traveler that has a Transcendence Shard with them.


    With this situation, the Rainbow Dude knew that nothing can stop him anymore!


    He can now do whatever he wanted again, which had been his goal all this time!


    But even if he knew that he was free, even the impulsive Rainbow Dude had to stop himself from making unnecessary actions.


    "Alex is already injured, while his allies have no way of hurting me with their weapons. But I am still weak, so I cannot hurt them too. That means that the best choice for me right now is to avoid these people immediately¡­"


    As much as the Rainbow Dude was tempted to have his revenge now, he knew that his current power level is not enough to give him a threatening offensive prowess.


    At most, he can just use his current powers to facilitate his escape, which is the very thing that he is envisioning now.


    "Now that a small part of my body has survived, I should make my escape and hide in another planet. I will continue to hide on that planet, and I will only return here once I have recovered enough!"


    The Rainbow Dude knew his limits, so he will not be stupid to just waste his life.


    Since his situation requires him to escape, then escape will be his action.


    "Shua~"


    Without waiting for his opponents to react to him, the Rainbow Dude did not dare linger on his former spot anymore.


    His roaches flew up into the air as a group, with their speeds reaching that of a space rocket. They flew in the most aerodynamically stable way as possible, which just increased their take-off speed.


    At this point, this speed made the Rainbow Dude look like an aircraft himself, something that pretty much appeared unstoppable already.


    "Shua~"


    With the suddenness of his escape move, the Rainbow Dude quickly found his body at the top of the atmosphere, with none of his opponents trailing him.


    In fact, the Rainbow Dud could see that his opponents were still floating on their former spots, as if they did not have the intention to chase him.


    This sight made the Rainbow Dude extremely happy, as he thought that his escape plan was going according to his whims.


    "Hahaha, this is goodbye for now, Alex!"


    With a laugh comparable to a drunk lumberjack, the Rainbow Dude continued to push his roaches towards Outer Space.


    He had no more intention of staying on the Traveler''s World anymore, so he had focused himself on reaching his new target planet.


    "Hehehe, I will remember this day, Alex. So don''t you dare forget about me too! I swear I will come back and kill you once I recovered! That''s a promise!"


    After quoting this promise inside his mind, the Rainbow Dude did not dare look back at Alex anymore. He just continued to speed himself up, with the remains of his power all used to increase his speed.


    **************


    If everything was within the Rainbow Dude''s calculations, then by this point, he should have already reached the distance where he can consider himself safe from Alex.


    This distance is around 1000 kilometers, something which for the current Rainbow Dude is easy to reach.


    As of now, the Rainbow Dude only has to cross 10 meters of space in order to reach this distance, a feat that will only take him a second to accomplish.


    Because of the sheer easiness of his escape, the Rainbow Dude could not help but taunt his enemies again, although he''s not sure if they can even hear him.


    "Hehehe, watch me everyone, as I trample all of your hopes of winning against me! I just need one step, and all your efforts will be for naught! Hahaha, this will surely break all of your-"


    This insult of the Rainbow Dude did not get completed however, as the Rainbow Dude suddenly felt something grabbing his lower body.


    "Hah? What''s this slimy feeling that is on my body? There shouldn''t be anything here¡­"


    With his focus directed on discovering the source of the slimy feeling, the Rainbow Dude observed his body with all the soul power that he can use.


    "¡­."


    Luckily for the Rainbow Dude, he was able to quickly pinpoint the reason for the weird sensation on his body.


    "¡­."


    But instead of being relieved or feeling smug, a different variety of emotions flitted on the Rainbow Dude'' heart.


    Fear, anger, stress, tension, and panic all blossomed inside the Rainbow Dude as he stared at his body, with his soul trembling greatly as he did not believe what he was seeing.


    "Why¡­ why is there something like this here? This¡­ this shouldn''t be here!"


    A tentacle, one which was made up an evil-type of energy, could be seen grabbing the  Rainbow Dude''s lower body with a vise-like grip.


    Although the tentacle was just as thin as a finger, there was an inherent strength inside it that allowed it to maintain a tight hold on its target.


    It was so strong, that no matter how much the Rainbow Dude budged against the tentacle, he found himself still stuck in the spot.


    "No! This is not real! This cannot be!"


    The tentacle''s slimy tip and disgusting skin was displayed in full fashion right now, and the way that it kept its tight grip on the Rainbow Dude has certainly made it look terrifying.


    Around this tentacle, countless malicious wills could be felt, which all loomed over the Rainbow Dude like they were ready to corrupt him.


    "No¡­ no¡­ no! This shouldn''t be here!"


    The presence of this tentacle and the malicious will around it has the enough aura to make the Rainbow Dude descend into fear again.


    However, these objects were not the main reason that the Rainbow Dude was feeling fear right now.


    Instead, it was the origin of this tentacle that made the Rainbow Dude feel extreme terror!


    "This tentacle¡­ it is something that was created from Abyss Magic! Not only that, but I can also feel that this Abyss Magic¡­ was something that has a Trace of Transcendence in it!"


    Like a man who was shot from behind, the Rainbow Dude physically recoiled as he realized what was happening at this point.


    Alex must have fused the Abyss Transcendence Shard with his Abyss Magic, which allowed him to harness the Abyss Magic in such a level that he can use it to attack the Rainbow Dude!


    This could be the only reason why the Rainbow Dude was caught by a tentacle, one which was powerful enough to keep him in place.


    "Alex should be close to dying now, so he should know that fusing with another shard will just kill him! But instead of sparing himself, he actually dared to fuse with another shard? He¡­ he''s a f**king madman!"


    The Rainbow Dude could only feel regret at this point, as he did not expect that  Alex was actually serious on catching him.


    Even when Alex was about to die at this point, he still had the audacity to fuse with another shard just to catch the Rainbow Dude!


    "F**k you Alex, if you want to die, then why are you dragging me with you? You a**hole! I hope you die even before you succeed on killing me!"


    All of the Rainbow Dude''s remaining body parts were currently caught by the tentacle, which meant that if Alex wanted it to, he can unleash one attack that will completely kill the Rainbow Dude.


    Yes. Just one attack. Just one attack will be enough¡­

 Chapter 628 - Disruption and Corruption

    And this attack came right before the Rainbow Dude could do anything about it.


    "Grya!!!"


    Two objects, whose sizes were enough to loom over continents themselves, shot out directly towards the Rainbow Dude, with their speeds enough to break the very air itself.


    "Dong!"


    The way that they approached the Rainbow Dude with all their momentum made it obvious that they were intended to kill him, a fact that chilled his heart.


    "Gruo¡­"


    These two objects were something that the Rainbow Dude had seen before, although they appeared to be different from what they had originally looked.


    These objects were Alex''s Rainbow-Colored Abyss Pillar and his Abyssal Tree, both of which appeared to be a much worse version of themselves right now.


    The Rainbow-Colored Abyss Pillar did not have any semblance of order anymore. Its solid body was currently resembling a melting slime, with its contents sloshing everywhere as if they were about to pour out.


    The colors radiating out of the pillar did not look right too, as each color looked like they were created from hell itself.


    The Red color looked like pulsing blood, while the Green color appeared as if it was extracted from an alien''s flesh.  The other colors were just as bad, with their combinations making everything look much worse.


    Seeing these colors will be enough to make anyone sick, and even the Rainbow Dude was not spared.


    [D????i??????e??????????a???????n??????d????????????s???????u???????f??????f????e????r???????!???]


    Upon seeing these twisted colors, the Rainbow Dude let out a  shout of pain, as countless mind-breaking hallucinations suddenly sprung inside his mind.


    [D???????e????s??????p???a?????i??????r??????!???????]


    "Argh!"


    [G?????r????i????e??????v????e??????!????]


    Nightmarish images, chilling screams, and crazy whisperings were all the things that the Rainbow Dude ''saw'' in his hallucinations,  and there is not a single one from them that he was able to tolerate.


    [F????e?????e???????l??????????p???a?????i??????n?????!????]


    "Argh!!!"


    [A????g??????o???n?????i???z????e??????]


    The Rainbow Dude could feel his sanity slipping more and more as he got exposed to the hallucinations, a fact that spelled disaster for him.


    "Argh! If this goes on, I will not just die. I will die in pain, with the whispers of the Abyss corrupting me! This death¡­ is not something that I should experience!" The Rainbow Dude shouted inwardly as he tried his best to resist the hallucinations. "Argh! Go away my nightmares! Go away!"


    [N??????E????V????E????R??????]


    This resistance of his of course failed, as these hallucinations were all backed by a trace of Transcendent Power.


    "Argh! Why does even my opponent have a power related to the Abyss? This is not right!"


    **********


    As a creature created by a powerful being, the Rainbow Dude has a lot of info about the most dangerous places inside the Multiverse.


    One of the places that he knew the most was the Abyss, which in a sense, was a place that was just as ''evil'' as Chaos.


    Of course this ''evil'' is meant in a relative sense, as these two places had their own ways of showing their ''evilness''.


    While  Chaos'' goal was to ''Disrupt'' everything,  the goal of the Abyss was  to ''Corrupt'' everything.


    These two goals were vastly different, although both were meant to bring an end to the current state of the Multiverse.


    This difference was a topic that the Rainbow Dude was always fascinated before, as he found it enticing to see that different kinds of evil can actually exist in the Multiverse.


    This interest of his was actually one of the reasons why the Rainbow Dude has decided to approach Alex.


    After all, Alex was the Envoy of the Abyss Realm, so getting more data from him will benefit the Rainbow Dude.


    If his plans regarding Alex had succeeded, then the Rainbow Dude could have gathered data from Alex leisurely.


    But reality did not go that way, as instead of having a leisure time, the Rainbow Dude just found himself on the brink of death!


    *********


    "The goal of the Abyss and its creatures were just simple. They want to corrupt everything, and make all the beings in the Multiverse as the Abyss'' pious servants¡­".


    With the remaining bit of his sanity left, the Rainbow Dude tried to recall everything about the Abyss, as he thought that this could help him out of his current dilemma.


    "The Abyss is willing to do anything just to achieve this goal, but because of the Laws present in the Multiverse, the Abyss has to be careful on its actions¡­ So it had to make do with sneaky contracts and offers to entice many, and it won''t hesitate to use magic just to deceive others."


    "That is how dangerous the Abyss is, to the point that my Father said that I must not make any contact with it unless necessary¡­"


    But no matter what thinking the Rainbow Dude has tried now, it did not give him any way to free himself.


    He was still stuck on his spot, with the power of the mutated Abyssal Pillar breaking his mind into countless pieces.


    In fact, the Rainbow Dude''s actions just made his situation worse, as his extra thinking allowed the nightmares and hallucinations to take more root inside his mind.


    And to make everything worse, the Abyssal Tree has begun completing its approach on the Rainbow Dude too!


    "Suo!"


    Just like the Abyssal Pillar, the Abyssal Tree did not look like its normal self. Its tree trunk was not a tree trunk anymore, as it just appeared to be a pulsating fleshy finger.


    As for its leaves and branches, they looked like desiccated skeletal limbs, with fleshy tendons and harrowing ligaments displayed in their full glory.


    Those who saw this ''flesh tree'' will undoubtedly feel sick, as there was just something innately wrong with how it looked.


    Just the way that the limbs twitched along with the fleshy finger made the tree look worse, and the blood that leaked out from the tree''s orifices did not help either.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    If it was only the appearance of this tree that he saw, then the Rainbow Dude would not actually feel anything from it. The tree just looked like an ugly object to him, something that he can still tolerate.


    However, just like the Abyssal Pillar, the Abyssal Tree had a frightening effect on it, one which made the Rainbow Dude reach the limits of his sanity.


    "Argh!!!!"


    At the moment that the Abyssal Tree was a few meters away from him, all the c.o.c.kroaches that comprised the Rainbow Dude''s body began to shake, as if something was happening to them.


    This shaking persisted for some time, and before the Rainbow Dude could know it, he found his control over his body gone.


    "Ah! What is happening? How could I-"


    "Pisk pisk pisk!"


    Large and fleshy abominations suddenly burst out of the roaches, creating holes in their bodies that quickly damaged the Rainbow Dude. These abominations also drank the Rainbow Dude''s blood and chaos power as they came out, which just weakened him more.


    "Argh!"


    These abominations, all which looked like they were created from rotting corpses, did not give the Rainbow Dude any sort respect as they began tearing the roaches apart.


    They then consumed these shredded roaches, treating them as if they were food served in a buffet.


    "Argh! Argh! Argh!"


    At the sight of these ugly creatures, all that the Rainbow Dude could do was shout in fear, as he felt no control over them. In fact, even if he used what remained of his Chaos Power, it did not even budge these creatures, not even by a little.


    "Ah please stop! It hurts!!!"


    He could only watch as these creatures continued to tear his body apart like they were paper, with his aura and blood consumed like they were a sumptuous dinner.


    This trend continued until almost none of the Rainbow Dude''s body remained.


    Only a single c.o.c.kroach remained at this point, and it was already doomed to die as all the abominations began rushing to it hungrily.


    "Argh!!!"


    The feeling of his body getting torn apart, combined with the torture that his mind was going through right now was enough to bring the Rainbow Dude to the brink of insanity.


    In fact, one can say that the Rainbow Dude is already insane at this point, as he did not care about living anymore.


    He already wanted to die, and he felt that dying is a much better end compared to all the suffering that he was experiencing now.


    "Yes, please kill me! I don''t want to live anymore! Just kill me!" With his last body part now being ravaged by the abominations, the Rainbow Dude abandoned all rational thoughts already.


    After all, he knew that he was going to die, so he should just as well accept it.


    "Yes, kill me!"


    By this point, only a single c.o.c.kroach leg remained floating in space, which is the final body part of the Rainbow Dude that is not yet consumed.


    If this leg was eaten by anything right now, it will instantly kill the Rainbow Dude.


    Such fact was obvious to the Rainbow Dude, but his delirious mind and tortured body did not care about this fact anymore.


    The pain that he suffered made him want to die already, and there is nothing that can change his mind.


    "You damned Alex! I hope that the Abyss will corrupt you in the future! That''s the only end¡­ that someone like you deserve!" With his body out of any hope to survive, the Rainbow Dude dedicated his last thoughts on cursing out the enemy who made him like this.


    "Hehehe, I don''t need to even curse you out. With the way that you are using your power now, you''re already bound to be corrupted by the Abyss!


    "Hahaha! Hahahaha! Hahaha! You will be corrupted!"


    These ''curses'' of his gave the Rainbow Dude some semblance of comfort, making him feel happy and contented for some reason.


    But the sheer coldness of the outer space  quickly wiped away the warmth, leaving the dying creature shivering for the last few seconds of his life.


    "If there is hell in Abyss, then I will see you there, Alex! So don''t make me wait any longer! Just allow yourself to be corrupted by the Abyss already!"


    "Hahaha! Hahaha! Hahaha! H??????a?????h?????a???????h???a???h???????a????h???a?????h???a?????h????a?????h?????a?????a????h??????a?????h?????a?????h?????a????h??????a??????a??????h?????a??????h???????a?????h??????a?????h?????a??????h?????a???????a??????h??????a??????h????a???????h??????a????h????a???????h????a????!????"


    ************


    "Chomp."


    The biggest of the abominations did not  let the Rainbow Dude continue cursing anymore, as it just swallowed the final c.o.c.kroach leg with a single gulp.


    "Gulp."


    Once swallowed, the abomination chewed the leg using the teeth present inside its  neck.


    "Nom nom nom."


    Its teeth grinded the leg into thousands of tiny pieces, all which bloomed with the remaining aura of the Rainbow Dude.


    "Shush shush shush."


    After getting shredded into small pieces, the leg was then brought to the stomach. Here, the leg was converted from an  organic material into a highly-nutritious stream of energy, which was quickly circulated on the abomination''s body.


    "Rawr!" This stream of energy was then absorbed by the abomination, who roared out in happiness as it felt itself getting full.


    "Rawr!"


    Although the abomination was already full, it had the realization that it wanted to eat more of the Rainbow Dude.


    But to its disappointment, it did not find any other parts of the Rainbow Dude left.


    There was just nothing of him that remained, as it was all eaten by everyone already.


    "¡­."


    ************


    And that''s the end of the Rainbow Dude.


    From a mighty being whose power was to unleash chaos everywhere, the Rainbow Dude''s final fate was to become fertilizer to some lowly beings.


    In other words, the Rainbow Dude was dead.


    Thoroughly dead.


    And there is no chance of him coming back anymore¡­

 Chapter 629 - Abyss and Chaos

    AT A PLACE OUTSIDE THE MULTIVERSE.


    "Swish swish swish¡­."


    If all the people who had knowledge about the Multiverse were to be asked if they knew what was outside the Multiverse, most of them will say that they have no idea.


    This answer is to be expected, as it takes a lot of power and courage just to leave the safe confines of the Multiverse.


    The void outside the Multiverse were dangerous after all, and most will easily die once they reach this place.


    But although many do not dare to come out because of these dangers, there are still some who choose to leave the Multiverse.


    These ''madmen'' could have chosen to leave because they need to improve their powers, or because they were just bored. Or maybe they were forced to come here just to escape some enemies.


    No matter what their reason is, these people surely had enough power to let them survive the void outside the Multiverse.


    "Tak tak tak."


    One such person was currently making his voyage outside the Multiverse today, with his masked face and cloaked body moving nonchalantly through the void, as if he was just having a casual stroll.


    "¡­."


    Due to the way that his cloak and mask covered his body, not much can be seen from this person''s appearance, although one can easily detect a hint of smugness emanating from his body.


    This smugness was enough to make the masked voyager look irritating, but with no creatures nearby him, he was able to maintain his aura without getting mobbed.


    "Flap flap flap."


    **********


    The void, which this man was currently travelling in was a large space filled with danger.


    Countless dangerous materials were being spawned from this space every second, most  of which has the ability to kill any beings that were below the Sixth Stage.


    With these kind of dangerous materials around, it was weird to see someone like the masked voyager acting unworried for his life.


    "Blop!"


    And even when a large glob of acid was about to fall on him, the masked voyager did not show any signs of panic at all.


    Instead, the masked voyager only laughed, as if he was merely amused by what he was seeing.


    "Hoho, this is a large glob of Soul-Shearing Acid. If I managed to take this with me, I can sell it to the Soul Monarch..." The masked voyager suddenly said as he did nothing to dodge the incoming acid. "Hmm, but if I sell it to him, the Infinity Monarch might complain again¡­."


    "Wait, why would I even think of selling things now? I''m here to visit a friend, so gathering materials is a no-go for me!"


    As if he was affronted with himself at this point, the masked voyager began berating himself, with the danger of the acid still ignored.


    "I wasted a few parts of my Origin Energy just to visit Chaos, so I must not waste my time anymore. I should  really start looking for him seriously¡­" The masked voyager muttered just right before the acid could hit his body.


    "But where is Chaos anyway? He''s not the type who likes to stay in one place, so I doubt I can see him fast¡­"


    Because of the way that the acid had appeared, it looked like it will be able to kill the masked voyager in just an instant


    After all, with this acid having properties that can easily melt even the strongest of souls, it is hard to believe that the voyager has a way to save himself.


    "Blop."


    But instead of getting the masked voyager killed, it was the acid that met its doom.


    "Tsk, so it''s decided then. All material gathering shall be done later. For now, I must rush towards Chaos, since that''s my original plan." The voyager muttered while staring at his acid-stained shir.t "As for the obstacles facing me now, they will have to be ignored first¡­."


    "Tsk,  and since this acid here is one of those obstacles, I guess this must go out already."


    With a voice sounding like he was experiencing a great emotional pain, the masked voyager let out a sigh before he performed an action against the acid.


    B?????????E??????G???????????O????????N??????????E???????


    This foul-sounding, malicious language came out like a screech from the masked voyager''s mouth, which instantly turned the whole area around him into a molten pile of black sludge.


    "Gloop."


    Everything around 5 meters of the masked voyager was under this effect, and they were all turned into sludge. Even the smallest atoms and quarks were not spared too.


    This change made the masked voyager''s surroundings look like a nightmare, although the caster himself did not act bothered by this.


    "¡­."


    ********


    Since the acid that hit the masked voyager was within this ability''s range, even it was also turned into the slimy black sludge.


    Now, the acid just hung on the masked voyager''s shirt harmlessly, making it look more like a toy at this point.


    "¡­"


    Such change did not receive any admiring reaction from the masked voyager. Instead, he just continued on walking forward all the while ignoring the sticky black sludge around him.


    "Hmph, what a dirty appearance¡­. Is this the cause of my new spell? Tsk, if that''s the case, then I  think that I should do more research about my new spell later." Like a kid who was serious about everything, the masked  voyager continuously  reminded himself on what he should do. "Hm, I will do it once I finish visiting Chaos."


    **********


    2 MINUTES LATER.


    With his evil language and his unique power, the masked voyager faced no obstacles or delays on his way.


    Every single object that appeared on his range were all properly dealt with, with none able to last even for a second in face of his power.


    "¡­.."


    This seemingly endless cycle of the masked voyager turning everything into black sludge went on and on, and he only stopped once he had reached his destination.


    "¡­"


    A small rock basin, one which contained nothing but a burly old man inside it, was the object that forced the masked voyager to  stop moving.


    Instead of destroying the rock basin like the earlier objects, the, the masked voyager only stared at the it, as if  he was trying to send it a message.


    This certainly made the masked voyager look weirder, although just like earlier, the man himself had no qualms about that.


    "¡­."


    But as it turns out, the masked voyager was not staring at the rock basin at all.


    Instead, he was actually looking at the burly old man inside the basin.


    "There you are Chaos. Do you know how badly I wanted to see you now? Come here and greet me!" Like a man who had seen a long-lost friend, the masked voyager let out a loud laugh after he sized up the burly old man.


    "I haven''t seen you in years, and you did not look like you changed! What''s your secret to your appearance?''


    The way that the masked voyager talked to the new person(Chaos) was interesting, making it appear as if he and the new person were actually friends.


    Even someone like Alex could have been fooled too, as the masked voyager just sounded genuine.


    "¡­"


    However, the reply given by  the burly old man did not show any signs that he was friends with the masked voyager at all.


    "Tsk, I have no business with you, Abyss. So get out of here before I lose my temper with you." The burly man, who was called as Chaos, gave this scathing answer to his ''partner''. "I am in a bad mood now, so don''t escalate my temper anymore."


    "Aw, what''s with the long look, Chaos? Did something bad happen to you?" The Abyss, who seemed to be the masked voyager all this time, did not let the chilliness of the Chaos affect him.


    Instead of letting Chaos shut his mouth,  the Abyss just pressed on with his words.. "Perhaps, someone dear to you had an accident? Tsk, that''s a bad thing to happen to yo-"


    "Abyss, in case you don''t know it, let me say this to you.  My youngest son, who was so full of talent and life, was suddenly killed earlier. Do you know who killed him? It was your Envoy." The tone of Chaos'' voice was flat as he said this, although the way that he glowered made it apparent that he''s boiling with anger already.


    "Abyss¡­ It was your Abyss Envoy that killed my son, and yet you still have the audacity to come here? Tsk, you''re just wasting my time!"

 Chapter 630 - What is Evil?

    "Hey Chaos, I-"


    "Shut up Abyss, and just let me talk!"


    Like a man who had received the worst news in his life, the Chaos did not look like a happy person, espeically when the Abyss had made his presence known. The Chaos seem to be closer to an enraged state instead, something that made him look unstable.


    "...."


    ".... Out of all the children that I spawned, Rainbow Dude was the most talented. Do you know how talented he is? Based on my projections, he''s bound to reach the level of Transcendence in just a few years! That kind of talent¡­ is something that I have never seen before!"


    As if a fuse was lit in his body, the Chaos began fuming deadly smoke out of his nose.


    "Rainbow Dude was even more talented than my oldest son, and you already know how good my eldest son is!"


    This smoke seemed to have no substantial mass on its body, although its aura made it apparent that it had great destructive properties.


    "Although I knew that wandering into the Multiverse in such a young age will be dangerous for Rainbow Dude, I am sure that he has the power to accomplish them all. After all, he''s my beloved son!


    This destructive property was made obvious when large blocks of stone were turned into dust just from having contact with the smoke.


    It was as if the smoke has willed the stones to be destroyed, a feat that lined well with the Chaos'' abilities.


    "But look at what they did to my boy! He was massacred!"


    Although the smoke was in gas form, it actually acted more like a liquid at this point, as it easily spread out everywhere. This led to more objects and materials getting destroyed in the void.


    "I may be cruel and callous to my children, but I give all my love and attention to those who deserve it¡­. And Rainbow Dude is one such kid. Huhuhu, I already promised to give him his own Chaotic Star on his birthday, but now he cannot receive it! Damn you and your Envoy! This is your fault!"


    The smoke just continued to increase until it came to the point that even the Abyss'' body was covered by it. But unlike the other objects that were turned to dust, the Abyss did not experience any negative effects from the smoke.


    His body was fine, and none of his clothes were affected too.


    But even if he was unscathed, a clear expression of discomfort could be seen on the Abyss'' face, something which seemed to be have been  caused by the Chaos'' behavior rather than his attack.


    "Hm? Why do you sound like you''re blaming me, Chaos? It was my Envoy who killed your son, not me." The Abyss said nonchalantly as he kept his uncomfortable look. "I have no relation regarding your son''s death, so don''t look at me like that."


    The evasive tone of the Abyss'' words was enough to make the Chaos snort, as if the latter was already tired of hearing a lot of nonsense.


    "You said that you''re not related to my son''s death? Do you take me for an idiot, Abyss?" The Chaos muttered, with his empty, soulless eyes staring at the Abyss. "Even if my Main Body is outside the Multiverse, I detected the bulls**t that you were doing! So don''t-"


    "Instead of mourning for your useless son, why don''t you just play one chess game with me? That will be a far more meaningful activity to you¡­" As if he was ignoring the Chaos'' angered words, the Abyss just gave this nonchalant reply while he summoned a chessboard out of thin air. "Come on, this is chess, so you might even enjoy it."


    " You -"


    Once this chessboard was in his hands, the Abyss immediately placed it between him and Chaos, with the former''s eyes giving the latter a playful stare.


    This action stopped the Chaos from speaking up anymore, as his attention was seemingly drawn towards the chessboard right now.


    "So, what do you think Chaos? Let''s just play one game, and I will be done here. You can go back to mourning of your son after our game¡­"


    Although the words uttered by the Abyss sounded entirely friendly, the way that his unsettling face stared at the Chaos made it obvious that his invitation was not just a simple game invite.


    The Chaos obviously noticed this, and he did not hold back on giving his fierce answer.


    "Although Chess is a game that ill.u.s.trates the descent of Order into Disorder, you cannot make me tempted by this." The Chaos uttered as he glared contemptuously at the chessboard. "I might as well sleep on my past time rather than play this!"


    As if to ill.u.s.trate what he said, the Chaos  suddenly sent his right hand towards the chess board in a smashing motion. This displayed his intent to destroy the object, an action which made the Abyss Sigh.


    "So you don''t want to play chess. Sigh, that''s too bad Chaos¡­." The Abyss gave this disappointed reply as he dispelled the summoned chess board. "I already travelled a long distance just to play with you, and you just rejected it. How cruel of you¡­"


    "You call me cruel? But how about you, Abyss? In my opinion, you''re the crueler being compared to me." As if he was spurned by the Abyss'' latest words, the Chaos began to rebuke the Abyss once more.


    "???"


    "Honestly Abyss, the way you do things¡­ is just wrong. And it only makes me feel sick." The Chaos stated, with his body language changing into that of discomfort. "I might be someone who advocates for disorder and destruction, but even I can''t stomach doing things your way."


    "¡­"


    "Abyss, you''re just the epitomy of evil, and I doubt that someone can top your evilness. Hmph, not even the most evil of my children can compare to all the notorious things that you have done in the past!"


    "¡­"


    The Abyss was strangely silent at this point, as if he did not take interest on replying to the Chaos'' accusations. He just stood there like a statue, with his mask and cloak glowing sinisterly on the void.


    "So don''t think that I will be accommodating you like a friend, Abyss. You''re just a sc.u.m, something that should not have existed in the first place. The only reason why I am tolerating you is because you are still a big part of my ''Chaos Plan''. But I don''t treat you as a friend, so just scram already!"


    "Thuom~"


    After saying these words, a silhouette of a massive landmass suddenly appeared behind the Chaos, one which quickly loomed over him and the Abyss.


    The size of this landmass was so great, that the large expanse of the void around the Chaos were covered by the landmass'' shadow.


    Everything that the Abyss could see and sense with his powers right now were all covered by this shadow, which just gives testament to the frightening size of the landmass.


    Actually, one can already consider this landmass to be a Realm. This is just the best way to explain its frightening size.


    "¡­"


    With the massive size of its body, one might think that this size was the greatest danger posed by the landmass. But it was not its size that made the Abyss tense.


    Instead, the danger of this landmass came from the ancient and primordial aura emanated from its body.


    "Hom~"


    This ancient aura made everything feel as if they were going to be crushed by it, a scenario which had ended up happening.


    "PIat!"


    Every object that were hit by the ancient aura all ended up crushed by it, with only the Abyss barely able to resist it with his own power.


    However, even he was slowly getting crushed too, and he knew that it was only a matter of seconds before he also gets crushed.


    "¡­"


    ************


    Just this inevitable fate of getting crushed was already enough to make the Abyss'' state bad, but there was something worse about his situation.


    All the objects affected by the ancient aura did not just get crushed normally. Instead, they were crushed until they cannot be crushed anymore.


    In other words:  These objects were crushed until they literally became 2-dimensional objects.


    They had already lost their height from the intense crushing, and what remained of them were only their length and width.


    Such change on these objects made the also-affected Abyss smile tiredly, as he realized that the Chaos was serious right now.


    "Plat¡­"


    Luckily for Abyss, his current body was just a clone that he created from a small wisp of his Origin Abyss Energy. It is not strong enough to resist the Chaos'' power, so it can easily die.


    But since it was just a clone, then having it killed will not be of any demerit to the Abyss¡­


    *********


    Knowing that he has nothing to lose at this point, the Abyss has decided to break his silence.


    "Eh? What are you talking about, Chaos? How did I become crueler than you? You disrupt and destroy everything! That''s the epitomy of evil itself!" The Abyss said, as he had seemingly ignored the fact that his clone was as flat as a pizza now. "As for me, I just make everyone my followers. That''s not bad at all!"


    "Seriously Abyss, you''re saying that? You''re really shameless."


    "Hm? I sense no wrong with my words Chaos, so what could be your problem with-"


    "Abyss, I might like chaos and destruction, but even I have my own limits too. I only let destruction happen once in a while, and I occasioanly allow order to be restored. That way, I can continue on wreaking havoc.  That is how I do things on my territory. But as for you Abyss, the way that you corrupt everything is maligned!"


    "Maligned you say? How-"


    "Forcing people into bad contracts. Imposing harsh deals on those who you deem interesting. Turning everyone into your corrupted servants without leaving some to live. Those are just few of your irritating exploits, and they look evil enough to me."


    "Evil? But Chaos,  you destroy and disrupt everything! That''s-"


    "Abyss, I do it because it''s my nature. I am compelled to cause chaos, but I do not feel happy doing it. But as for you, I can sense that you''re happy on making people suffer and corrupting them! If that''s not evil? Then what is it?"


    "You-"


    "And don''t get me started on the way that you treat your Envoy too, Abyss. I can clearly see what you were planning to him, and it is just as despicable as your face."


    "¡­."


    "Abyss, that Envoy of yours should not have been able to fuse his power with the Abyss Transcendence Shard, yet he was able to do it earlier. Isn''t that suspicious? How can a Sixth Stage Being fuse with a Transcendence Shard for a second time, with all of those injuries?"


    "¡­"


    "Hmph, you must have offered your Abyss Envoy with an irresistible offer, one that can allow him to fuse with the Abyss Transcendence Shard. Knowing you,  I am sure that your offer must have forced him to give up something important to you."


    "¡­"


    "Let me guess¡­.  In exchange for your assistance, the Abyss Envoy will have to allow his body to be corrupted by your power. Not all of his body of course, since that will kill him. Hmm¡­ maybe he offered around 50% of his body to you? Yes, that''s highly plausible¡­"


    "!!!"


    "I might be a destruction incarnate, but I am not a muscle head, Abyss. Tsk, even an idiot could see through your schemes easily."


    "Mrgh! Mrgh! Mrgh!"


    "No, I don''t want to hear any more of your words. You disgust me so much, so just be gone already!"


    "Mrgh!!!"


    The conversation between these two behemoth beings ended at this point, as the power of the ancient aura has completely flattened the Abyss'' clone.


    "¡­"


    The Abyss'' formerly smug face began to dissipate after he was crushed, leaving only the Chaos standing imperiously on his spot.


    "¡­"


    There was no emotion present on the Chaos'' face as he watched the dissipation of the clone, and the only reaction that he gave was a small shake of his head.


    But deep on the Chaos'' eyes, a hint of pity could be seen, one which seemed to have been reserved by the Chaos for the Abyss alone.


    "Abyss Envoy¡­ I have been always reminding you to be prudent of your actions. No matter how much powerful you are, there will come at time that your schemes will backfire on you. So don''t attempt on scheming against your Abyss Envoy. If you continue doing this, you will just gain an enemy that you can''t afford to have."


    The Chaos muttered these words like a prophecy, with the pity on his eyes growing stronger and stronger.


    "My Eyes of Chaos had already shown me your fate if you continue doing your wicked deeds, Abyss. So don''t think that you can get free from your responsibilities this time¡­."


    [[[Author''s Note: RIP Kobe Bean Bryant. You will always be remembered...]]]

 Chapter 631 - Abyssal Church

    Welcome to the Parahumans Online message boards.


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    ??? Topic:  THE ABYSS HAS DEFEATED US  ???


    Watcher  (Original Poster) ((Superhuman Observer))


    Posted On Mar 2nd 2019:


    WE LOST AGAINST THE ABYSS


    Against the enemies that came from this so called Abyss, the Heroes were not able to do anything.


    Even the Pantheon lost.


    And do you know how they lost? Hah?!They did not even do anything!


    It''s like they just accepted the arrival of these so-called ''Abyss Monters'', and they nothing else happened.


    Only few heroes tried to fight these monsters, but their efforts were all futile.


    They were easily defeated by these monsters, and even these heroes began to accept the monsters.....


    This... this is jsut confusing me.


    I thought all the heroes were supposed to defend us from any danger, because that''s what they are.


    They are heroes, and they should have fought those who threatened our planet.


    But when the Abyss Monsters arrived, these heroes only treated these monsters like friends!


    Bah! How could these heroes do this? These Abyss Monsters ate a lot of innocent people, and they tortured countless more!


    They even played some sick games on frightened children!


    With that kind of actions, these Abyss Monsters should have been executed already.


    But until today, none of these monsters were even killed.


    They just roamed all around our planet like its their playground, and we can''t do much about it.


    Those who are still alive now can only watch as these monsters bring our world into ruin.....


    Is this... is this the way that our world will run now?


    Are we supposed to be just accepting the rule of these Abyss Monsters?


    I.... I don''t know what to think anymore....


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö(Comments)¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Huhuhu, what has happened with the world? Why are my friends now worshipping these monsters? We''re supposed to be scared of them!


    ? yurilover  (GL is life)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    I don''t know what is happening too, @Mimi. All my family and friends were also starting to worship these monsters, and no matter what I did, they did not stop from what they were doing.


    Hell, they even tried to kill me after my attempt to botch their prayers!


    Huhuhu, it''s a good thing I am staying in my friend''s place now. Here, I am still safe.


    But I am not sure on how long I can stay safe on this place, since I feel like even my friend is beginning to worship these Abyss Monsters too.


    Seriously, what the hell is going on here?


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    @yurilover. I am sorry to say this, but what you jsut said is the least worst thing that had happened after the Abyss Monsters arrived.


    Do you want to know how bad the condition of the whole world is? Here, let me show you....


    So, out of the 10 Billion people living in our world, around 1 Billlion were already dead. They were either killed from accidents, or because they were eaten by the Abyss Monsters.


    2 Biillon people were injured at this point, and most of them were already at the brink of death.


    As for the remaining 7 Billion People, they might seem alive, but the majority of them has began worshipping the Abyss Monsters.


    I''m... not sure on the amount of people that were worshipping these monsters, but according to my friend, it should be around 3-4 Billion....


    ? yurilover  (GL is life)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    What the f**k? It is that bad? Then does that mean that there are only 3 Billion people that are in the ''right condition'' as of now? F**king hell, this is the worst!


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Yes, this is indeed the worst. But do you know waht makes this worst even ''worsE''?


    Sigh, it is the thing that @Watcher just mentioned.


    Almost all the heroes were really worshiping the monsters, and at this point, you can only count on one hand the heroes that were not worshipping these monsters....


    Fortunately for me, I am still in the ''not worshipping'' group


    But I don''t know how long I can stay in the group....


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    What do you mean, @Mage? Aren''t you hiding in the safety of your bunker? There''s no way that the monsters can make you worship them, right?


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    You don''t get it @Mimi! Even if I hide, I will still have no way of keeping myself isolated from those monsters!


    Argh!!!!


    Everyday, I am f**king hearing whispers inside my head, and they were all telling me to worship the AByss! That''s what they say to me all this time!


    I tried to ignore these whispers, but they were just too much!


    And even right now, I can still hear these whispers.


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Oh no.....


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Even now, I can still hear the wh.i.p.sers inside my head.


    Even now, I can still hear the whispers inside my head.


    Even now, I can still hear the whispers inside my head.


    Even now, I can still hear the whispers inside my head.


    Even now, I?????????????????????????????????????????????????c???????????????????????????a????????????????????????????????????n???????????????????????????????????s???????????????????????t?????????????????????????i????????????????????????????l???????????????????????????l??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????h?????????????????????????????e????????a?????????????r???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????t????????????????????????????????h????????????????e??????????????????????????????????????????????w????????h???????????????i?????????????????????????????????s?????????????????????????????????????p????????????????????e??????????????????????r???????????????????s????????????????????????????????i????????????????????????n??????????????????????????????????s????????????????????????????i???????????????????d????????????e?????????????????????????????????????m?????????????????????y???????????????????????????????h????????????????????????????????e?????????????????????????a????????????d?????????????????????.????????????????????


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    So, this is the thread were the heretic non-worshippers of the Abyss hides.


    Hmph, what are you all doing here, you spineless wimps?


    Instead of cowering behind your keyboards, you shoud all go out and praise the Abyss!


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    @janders. Why do you sound like you''re worshipping those monsters too? You''re just joking, right?


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    You litle s.l.u.t! YOu daRE bLASHpemE THe hoNOR and INTEgritY OF our LORDS?


    You... you''re a heretic that must be punished!


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    T-try it then, @janders. Let''s see if you can do it to me. Go on, do it. Do something to me. Let''s see if that worship of yours can-


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    ...


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    ...


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    .


    ...


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Praise the Abyss.


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Praise the Abyss


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Praise the Abyss


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Praise the Abyss.


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Praise the Abyss


    ? A???????b??????y?????s??????s??????


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    d?????f?????l???????k??????j?????a???s?????d?????l????k?????j???????f???????l??????k???d?????s????;???f????d????s???l??????k??????f?????j?????l?????k??????d?????s?????


    ? yurilover  (GL is life)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Hey guys.... what joke are you pulling on me today? Please, don''t do this. It''s not funny!


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Joking? You think that we''re joking @yurilover? You''re sorely mistaken.


    We''re just giving our utmost praise to the Abyss. Nothing more, nothing less.


    At least we''re doing a much more productive job than you, @yurilover.


    ? yurilover  (GL is life)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    N-no way! Don''t tell me that all of you have been converted? Why the f**k is this quick? Tetra said that it cannot be this quick!


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Oh, why do you know so much about Tetra? He''s the Head Priest of our Church here, so not many should be able to talk to him.


    Hmmm... this is suspicious.


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    ...


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    .....


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    .....


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Hoho, I think that @yurilover has already logged out of his account. Sigh, what a waste of time. And here I thought I can recruit one more follower for our cause.


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    H-hey! Why do you sound that disappointed? Didn''t you get me?


    Come on, I will be a good follower of the Abyss!


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    I am happy that we were able to recruit you, @Mimi. However, we will only be much happier if you can do what you were supposed to do.


    You do know what to do, right?


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Of course I know what to do! As long as it is for the Abyss, I can do even what is impossible!


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Enumerate it then, Peon. Let''s see if your narrow mind was able to handle the majesty of our Overlords.


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Hah~ A Chief Elder is talking to me personally! Hah~ This makes me so happy!


    I feel like I can already die today!


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Peon, stop it with those drivel and start talking properly. If you don''t, I will personally strip you of your status.


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Oh! I-I''m sorry about that Chief Elder! I won''t do it again!


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    just get on with it.


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Um okay! So um... as a newly fledged member of the Abyssal Church, I have tasks that are mean to help the Church spread its glory to everyone.


    Each tasks are as sacred as the other, I and I must not be neglecting them.


    FIRST TASK: As a member of the Abyssal Church, I must give offerings to on the Sacred Altar everday. The offerings must be the flesh of a deceased animal, one that is close to rotting already. It will even be better if we can offer a corpse of a dead person....


    SECOND TASK: We must allow the Overlords to fill our minds with their ''knowledge'' everyday. Even if it hurts or it kills us, we must accept the ''knowledge'' that they will give us!


    THIRD TASK: Recruit, recruit, recruit! The Church of Abyss must convert all the beings of the Mutliverse into its worshippers! In order to succeed on that, us members should do our best to recruit and convert new members!


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Very good, @Mimi. You certainly listened to the voice our Overlords. I hope that you will continue to be like this in the future.


    Can you promise to still be like this, @Mimi?


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    I promise to still be like this Chief Elder! Trust me!


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.


    ? janders  (Moderator)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.


    ? Mage  (Independent Hero)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.


    ? Mimi  (Just a simple girl)


    Replied On Mar 2nd 2019:


    Good. Good. Good. Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. G????????????????????????????????????????????o??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o??????????????????????????????????????d?????????????????????????????????????????????.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????G????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o??????????????????????????????????????????????????o????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????d????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.??????????????????????G????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o??????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????d????????????????????????????????????????????????.???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????G??????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????d????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????G???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????????o????????????????????????????????????????????????????????d?????????????????????????????????????????????.???????????????????????????G????????????????????o???????????????????????????????????????o??????????????????????????????????????d????????????????????????????????????????????.?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????G?????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????d?????????????.??????????????????????????????G?????????????????????????????????????????o???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????d???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.????????????????????????????????????G?????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????????????o??????????????????????????????????????????????????d?????????????????????????????????????.???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????G?????????????????????????????????????????o???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????d?????????????????????????.????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????G???????????????????????????????????????????????????????o???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????d???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????.??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????G?????????????????????????????????????o????????????????????????????????????????o????????????????????????????????????????????????????d???????????????????????????.????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????G??????????????????????????????????o??????????????????o???????????????????????????????????????????d????????????????????.????????????????????????????????????????????????????????G?????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????o?????????????d?????????????????????????????????????.???????????????????????????????????????Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.Good. Good. Good.

 Chapter 632 - COMA

    INSIDE A CERTAIN SOMEONE''S MIND.


    [Surrender to the Abyss, my young Envoy. There''s nowhere for you to go anyway, so you might as well give up¡­]


    "No¡­ I can''t give up! This is my body!"


    [Envoy, this may be your body, but didn''t you offer it to us during your fight with the Child of Chaos?]


    "I didn''t offer my body to you! I just allowed you to occupy a portion of it!"


    [Oh right, that''s actually what we talked about. My bad.]


    "Your bad? Ugh, do you know how much nightmares and suffering I experienced all this time? It''s just too much that I am almost about to get crazy!"


    [Well, well, well, at least you had managed to retain your sanity. Isn''t that a good thing for you too, Envoy?"


    "You!"


    [Okay, chop chop. I failed to completely occupy your body, so I might as well leave. You''re really lucky this time, Envoy. But don''t expect this to happen again¡­]


    "¡­."


    *************


    TRAVELER''S WORLD.


    9 MONTHS LATER.


    The battle between Alex and the Rainbow Dude went down as one of the greatest events that had happened in the Traveler''s World.


    Nothing that happened in the past could even compare to the sheer scale and magnitude of this fight, and many doubted that such fight could occur again in the future.


    Even the Returners who were able to survive that day''s events all agreed that this fight was something else.


    Alex can say that too, if it were not for the fact that he fell into a coma right after he killed the Rainbow Dude.


    Not much was known on why Alex suddenly plunged on a coma, but many suspect that it was because of the power-up that he used to defeat his opponent.


    The other Returners and Alex''s followers did not say anything related to these matters, leaving many wondering on what really happened.


    But since Alex is still alive, then there is actually no cause for anyone to worry.


    After all, with Alex''s abilities, he can surely recover from his coma.


    However, that notion was quickly put into challenge when Alex''s coma did not stop for just a day.


    It went on for many days, and before anyone could know it, Alex''s coma had already lasted for several months.


    9 months to be exact.


    With this kind of long coma, even those who believed greatly in Alex started to doubt themselves, as they knew that for someone like Alex to stay in coma for 9 months is not a good scenario.


    So much was their worry, that these people tried to probe  Alex''s exact condition.


    These people''s attempts were quickly thwarted however, as Alex''s allies and followers stopped anyone who tried to investigate something.


    No matter where these people came from, or what they tried to do, all of them were easily chased away. Even the Returners themselves who wanted to check in on Alex were all kicked out too.


    With this kind of security in place, there should not be many idiots that will try to push their luck.


    But on the contrary, many hardheaded people still attempt to visit Alex every single day¡­.


    *************


    Such thing was also happening today, with a group of powerful Travelers currently flying towards Alex''s resting place with excited looks on their faces.


    With the power that their bodies were releasing, one can say that they might have a chance to actually force their way in to see Alex.


    But just like all the ones who had arrived earlier, these people were easily slapped away by Alex''s guards.


    [ Alina ]: Tsk, why won''t these people stop coming? I know that they idolize Alex because of what he did, but don''t they know that he needs to rest? Tsk, these people are grating on my nerves already!


    [ Delia ]: If you''re not happy with what''s happening, then you should know that I am not happy too. I should have been sleeping inside my room, fully bathed after an intense training. But look at what I am doing here! I am forced to guard that man just because he''s y in grave danger! Tsk, this is so much irritating to me¡­.


    The ones that are currently guarding Alex''s body today were Alina and Delia, both who looked like they were already tired of what they were doing.


    Both women certainly had power enough to be guarding Alex, but there was no excitement or solemnity on their faces as they did their task.


    Instead, only an expression of irritation could be seen on their faces, one which was compounded by their increasingly angry words to each other.


    [ Alina ]: If you don''t want to stay here, then fine. I will guard Alex myself. But if Alex wakes up today and he finds out that you slacked off on him, what do you think would he do?


    [ Delia ]: Ha? Are you making me feel guilty again, Alina? Hmph, nice try, but that won''t work on me again! So just-


    [ Alina ]: Alex is the Envoy of the Abyss Realm, and yet he placed his life at risk just to save many. Isn''t that a noble deed, one that can only be deemed as ''Justice''? With that kind of action, shouldn''t you, a person who cherishes justice, do your best to assist him?


    [ Delia ]: You¡­


    [ Alina ]: Hehehe, what do you think will happen when the Holy Order Realm hears that you actually abandoned a person who saved a world? Do you think they will be happy? I guess not.


    [ Delia ]: Tsk, do you really think that you can make me stay? So what if Alex did a noble deed? He''s still an Abyss Monster, and he''s lucky that I am not trying to kill him now!


    [ Alina ]; Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get that, Delia. But even if Alex is an Abyss Monster, I am sure that you are already treating him like an ally. You can''t deny that, as my eyes can see your feelings now.


    [ Delia ]: !!!


    [ Alina ]: Heh, you can''t rebuke what I just said, right? Tsk, tsk, tsk.  So you really treat Alex as an ally now. What a surprise¡­.


    [ Delia ]: H-h-he¡­.


    [ Alina ]: There''s no need for you to say anything, Delia. Just stay still on your spot and continue guarding Alex. As long as you do that, I assure you that Alex will not know what we just talked about here.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.


    [ Alina]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: You¡­ you are becoming more like Alex, Alina! Ugh, why did you end up like this? You''re supposed to be a hard-headed fighter, not an effing schemer!


    [ Alina ]: Just shut up already and do your job, Delia. Because if you keep on slacking off, I will really spill a lot of your secrets to Alex once he wakes up¡­.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.


    [ Alina]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­ Fine, you win this time, Alina. But don''t expect that this will happen again!


    [ Alina ]: Yeah, yeah, yeah. I''ve heard that threat so many times already that is just sound bland to me. Don''t you have any better threats?


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.


    Although the way that Alina and Delia interacted with each other makes everyone worry that a fight might break out, the two women were able to actually hold themselves back before their bodies could swing at one another.


    Such restraint made the area around these two women look peaceful, although not many still dare to get near to them.

 Chapter 633 - No chapters today.(I was saddened by the lack of readers, so I want to recover first.)

    I''m feeling really sad today. :(


    Many disasters happened, and then I saw the the readers were reduced too.


    I will post next chaps tomorrow. But for now, I want to have some time for myself first.


    :(


    4c 6f 72 65 6d 20 69 70 73 75 6d 20 64 6f 6c 6f 72 20 73 69 74 20 61 6d 65 74 2c 20 63 6f 6e 73 65 63 74 65 74 75 65 72 20 61 64 69 70 69 73 63 69 6e 67 20 65 6c 69 74 2e 20 41 65 6e 65 61 6e 20 63 6f 6d 6d 6f 64 6f 20 6c 69 67 75 6c 61 20 65 67 65 74 20 64 6f 6c 6f 72 2e 20 41 65 6e 65 61 6e 20 6d 61 73 73 61 2e 20 43 75 6d 20 73 6f 63 69 69 73 20 6e 61 74 6f 71 75 65 20 70 65 6e 61 74 69 62 75 73 20 65 74 20 6d 61 67 6e 69 73 20 64 69 73 20 70 61 72 74 75 72 69 65 6e 74 20 6d 6f 6e 74 65 73 2c 20 6e 61 73 63 65 74 75 72 20 72 69 64 69 63 75 6c 75 73 20 6d 75 73 2e 20 44 6f 6e 65 63 20 71 75 61 6d 20 66 65 6c 69 73 2c 20 75 6c 74 72 69 63 69 65 73 20 6e 65 63 2c 20 70 65 6c 6c 65 6e 74 65 73 71 75 65 20 65 75 2c 20 70 72 65 74 69 75 6d 20 71 75 69 73 2c 20 73 65 6d 2e 20 4e 75 6c 6c 61 20 63 6f 6e 73 65 71 75 61 74 20 6d 61 73 73 61 20 71 75 69 73 20 65 6e 69 6d 2e 20 44 6f 6e 65 63 20 70 65 64 65 20 6a 75 73 74 6f 2c 20 66 72 69 6e 67 69 6c 6c 61 20 76 65 6c 2c 20 61 6c 69 71 75 65 74 20 6e 65 63 2c 20 76 75 6c 70 75 74 61 74 65 20 65 67 65 74 2c 20 61 72 63 75 2e 20 49 6e 20 65 6e 69 6d 20 6a 75 73 74 6f 2c 20 72 68 6f 6e 63 75 73 20 75 74 2c 20 69 6d 70 65 72 64 69 65 74 20 61 2c 20 76 65 6e 65 6e 61 74 69 73 20 76 69 74 61 65 2c 20 6a 75 73 74 6f 2e 20 4e 75 6c 6c 61 6d 20 64 69 63 74 75 6d 20 66 65 6c 69 73 20 65 75 20 70 65 64 65 20 6d 6f 6c 6c 69 73 20 70 72 65 74 69 75 6d 2e 20 49 6e 74 65 67 65 72 20 74 69 6e 63 69 64 75 6e 74 2e 20 43 72 61 73 20 64 61 70 69 62 75 73 2e


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    41 65 6e 65 61 6e 20 69 6d 70 65 72 64 69 65 74 2e 20 45 74 69 61 6d 20 75 6c 74 72 69 63 69 65 73 20 6e 69 73 69 20 76 65 6c 20 61 75 67 75 65 2e 20 43 75 72 61 62 69 74 75 72 20 75 6c 6c 61 6d 63 6f 72 70 65 72 20 75 6c 74 72 69 63 69 65 73 20 6e 69 73 69 2e 20 4e 61 6d 20 65 67 65 74 20 64 75 69 2e 20 45 74 69 61 6d 20 72 68 6f 6e 63 75 73 2e 20 4d 61 65 63 65 6e 61 73 20 74 65 6d 70 75 73 2c 20 74 65 6c 6c 75 73 20 65 67 65 74 20 63 6f 6e 64 69 6d 65 6e 74 75 6d 20 72 68 6f 6e 63 75 73 2c 20 73 65 6d 20 71 75 61 6d 20 73 65 6d 70 65 72 20 6c 69 62 65 72 6f


    20 61 64 69 70 69 73 63 69 6e

 Chapter 634 - Corruption

    [ Alina ]: Oi Delia, how many days do we have left before we leave this world? I already lost count.


    [ Delia ]: Tsk, we only have 1 day remaining before we will be forced to leave. How the hell did you not know that? Your manic professor just said that earlier!


    [ Alina ]: Hah? Why do you sound like you''re patronizing me, huh? I''m worried for Alex all this time, so don''t expect me to think about anything else!


    [ Delia ]: Yeah¡­ I can see that you''re really worried for him. When was the last time that you even ate? 1 week ago? 2 weeks ago?


    [ Alina ]: Don''t you dare say those words. It''s just making me hungry.


    [ Delia ]: Hmph, as if you even need to eat¡­.


    [ Alina ]:  What did you say?


    [ Delia ]: Nothing.


    [ Alina]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.


    Surprisingly, even though the two women held hostile feelings for each other, they appear to have accepted their differences at this point.


    Sure, they are still raring to cut each other''s throat, but the way that they talked to each other now was much better compared to before.


    [ Delia ]: Oi Alina, you''ve been observing Alex''s condition all this time, am I right?


    [ Alina ]: Yes, I am doing that. What is it to you?


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.I am just curious on how his body holds up now.


    [ Alina ]: What do you mean by that? Do you think that his body is close to breaking down? There''s no way that can happen.


    [ Delia ]: ??? Don''t mess with me, Alina. I know that something wrong is happening with Alex''s body.


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: Even if you had quickly hidden Alex from our sights, and you banned anyone form seeing him, I know for a fact that Alex is  undergoing something dangerous now.


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: You said before that he was just in coma and was just using all this time to recover, right? Heh, I doubt that. With all the things that he had done in the fight against the Rainbow Dude, do you except me to believe that he will just rest?


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: Come on, Alina. Alex is in coma for 7 months, and you think that I will still accept that he''s sleeping? Hmph, there''s no way that is the truth!


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: So what is it then, Alina? Was Alex so injured that he''s about to die, or did something happen to him that you did not want us to see? Hmm, maybe it is related to the-


    [ Alina ]: Whatever is happening to him is something that you should not worry about. After all, he''s-


    [ Delia ]:  Hah? You''re saying that I should not worry? B***h, I may be Alex''s ally now, but that does not mean that I will tolerate these secrets!


    [ Alina ]: Whatever Alex is going through right now is not something that you can just meddle. So why don''t you just stay there and guard him? If you try to look for Alex, his status might be in more danger¡­.


    At this point in time, the conversation between the two women became filled with tension again, as the aggrieved Delia began to question Alina''s suspicious actions.


    Such suspicion from Delia was acceptable, as what Alina did was really suspicious.


    After all, why would Alina hide Alex from everyone right after he fell into a coma?


    And why would Alina not allow even Professor Frances and Queen Mother to see Alex? They''re his companion''s for f**k''s sake!


    Even Alina herself did not visit Alex that much. She only visited him thrice during the 7-month period, and even those visits only lasted for a few minutes.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.I don''t get it. Why are you so deadset on hiding Alex from us? What is happeing to him? Is it so bad that you don''t want anyone else seeing him? Is that the reason why you haven''t left his side ever since?


    [ Alina ]: ¡­


    [ Delia ]: ¡­


    No matter which way Alina tried to explain herself, it was already obvious that she was hiding something about Alex''s condition.


    As for what it is, Delia found herself wanting to know about it today.


    [ Delia ]: Since he had helped me, of course I should do something to help Alex. But if you will not tell me about his condition, how would I be able to assist him?


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­ Come on, Alina! Remember what you said earlier. There''s only one day left before we were forced to leave! Do you know what that means? That means there''s only one day left before I can know what is happening to Alex.  With that kind of limited time, how the hell can I help him? Will I just allow him to-


    [ Alina ]: Just like what I said earlier, there'' no need for you to worry about Alex. Why would you even worry about him? Once our time in this world is done, you and your Companions will be sent to a different world. You will be separated from us, so technically speaking there''s no need for you to worry for us.


    [ Delia ]: But-


    [ Alina ]: Delia, I appreciate your initiative to guard for Alex. Even if I want to beat you up, I am still happy that you''re here to aid me. But that''s the best that I can accept. Any more intrusive aids at this point will not be accepted by me anymore. So please, just give up on observing Alex.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    The two women stared at each loftily at this pont, with each one of them unleashing powerful stares that are enough to make anyone feel fear.


    Even the companions of these two women will feel fear too, as Alina and Delia looked like they were about to destroy everything.


    This led to another tense situation, as a hint of a possible fight could possibly break out of the two women.


    Fortunately, the irritated Delia withdrew her stare with a sigh, effectively ending the silent confrontation between the two.


    [ Delia ]: You''re right, Alina. We''re about to have separate paths in the future, so why would I even worry about you and Alex? We''re just temporary allies, so what happens to Alex should not really be my worry.


    [ Delia ]: I am only guarding Alex now since I owe him one. But just like what you said, there''s no need for me to observe him anymore¡­.


    [ Alina ]: ¡­ Good. At least now you understood me.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.


    Because of Alina''s extreme willingness to hide Alex, even the irritated Delia found herself at loss on what to do.


    She was still interested on seeing Alex, but because of Alina''s extreme insistence to hide him, Delia felt that pushing matters right now won''t be of any help to her.


    Instead, Delia had the inkling that if she really tries to see Alex right now, Alina might resort to some drastic actions just to stop her¡­.


    Delia would not want that happening now, especially since she''s about to go into a different world.


    [ Delia ]: I did not understand your logic Alina. I was just exasperated by it, to the point that I do not believe you. But since you looked like you will do everything just to prevent me from seeing Alex, I have decided to not observe him anymore. Doing so will just weaken me, which is not good since I am about to go into a different world.


    [ Alina }: As long as you don''t force yourself into the room, I am fine with everything that you will say.


    [ Delia ]: Tsk, you really are a-


    [ Alina ]: Watch out!


    "Gryaaa!!!!"


    The conversation between Alina and Delia, which was as harmonious as it could possibly be, was suddenly cut off when a monstrous, malicious aura  covered the area around the women.


    "Gryaaa!!!!"


    The appearance of this aura was accompanied by a loud, pained shriek, one which was enough to make Alina and Delia feel fear.


    [ Alina ]: Argh!


    [ Delia ]: Argh!


    Aside from fear, both Alina and Delia displayed emotions of panic too, as they realized that the malicious aura  was actually suppressing both of them right now!


    Such feeling was enough to made even the serious Delia worried, as she now knew that something big is about to happen again!


    [ Delia ]: What the hell is this aura, Alina? How come it suddenly just appeared here? You owe me an explanation!


    [ Alina ]: Tsk, I don''t have time for your questions! Why don''t you just focus on surviving first, huh?


    [ Delia ]: You-


    "Gryaa!!!"


    Before the two women could bicker again, the malicious aura above them continued to intensify, eventually reaching the point where the two women had to do their best just to resist it.


    [ Alina ]: Argh!!!


    [ Delia ]: Argh!!!


    This aura appeared with so much maliciousness, that both women heard countless whispers inside their minds, all which were urging them to do evil actions.


    Alina and Delia were able to ignore all these whispers, although their pale faces showed how much effort they have to exert just to push these voices at the back of their minds.


    [ Alina ]: Argh!!!


    [ Delia ]: Argh!!!


    Eventually, the effects of these whispers and the suppression of the aura reached to the point that Alina and Delia found themselves unable to take it anymore.


    [ Alina ]: Argh!!!


    [ Delia ]: Argh!!!


    Because of this, Delia found her rationality slipping away as time passed by.


    But before her mind could fully give in to the maddening whispers, she suddenly discovered something wrong about her situation, one which was enough to rouse her.


    [ Delia ]: What the f**k is this? Why is my mind being corrupted like this? I am an angel, someone that should not be corrupt- Wait, corruption? Isn''t this¡­ an effect of an Abyss Monster that had reached Transcendence? Why would it happen here, where there is no Transcendence Abyss Monster present?


    Delia appeared as if she was about to break free from the whispers, but for some kind reason, her almost-calm face suddenly changed.


    [ Delia ]: Abyss¡­ Transcendence ¡­ Corruption¡­. Wait. Aren''t those things related to Alex? Since that was the case, then¡­ f***k!!!!!!


    Instead of seeing  a struggling face, what could be seen on Delia right now was an extremely angry expression, one which was enough to unnerve even the still-struggling Alina.


    This angry expression was so livid, that the nearby Alina could say that this was the angriest expression that Delia had ever shown in her life.


    This made Delia look as if she became crazy, but that was not really the case.


    Delia was just extremely angry right now, something that she did not hesitate to show.


    Why would Delia feel this angry? Well, it was because she discovered something that was enough to make her so enraged.


    As for what this discovery was, the next words uttered by Delia made it apparent.


    [ Delia ]: Alina! You¡­ you sc.u.m! How dare you hide the fact that Alex was ''Corrupted'' by the Abyss? You clearly knew it, and yet you did not tell it to us? How could you? This is the Abyss we''re talking about!

 Chapter 635 - Revealed Secret!

    Corruption.


    This term was something that Delia was familiar with, as her status as the Envoy of the Holy Order Realms requires her to deal with happenings related to the Abyss''''Corruption''.


    [ Delia ]: And here I thought you were just hiding a normal secret from me, Alina. But as it turns out, you''re actually keeping a corrupted being here!


    Because she was the Holy Order Envoy, there had been times where Delia had to deal with cases related to the Abyss'' Corruption.


    People driven by insanity.


    Families wrecked by temptations and countless phony deals.


    Countless minds broken and forced to worship evil beings.


    Mutations and physical changes that made many creatures turn grotesque.


    These were some of the cases that Delia had dealt with before,  and the way that these cases had disregarded life has served to fuel Delia''s animosity towards the Abyss Realm.


    [ Delia ]: Hmph, I don''t know why this is happening now, but since this is a matter related to the Abyss, I, the Holy Order Envoy,  shall do my task to clear this mess today!


    If it weren''t for Alex''s strength before, Delia could have already done everything that she can in order to kill him.


    Alex was after all the Abyss Envoy, and even if he had treated Delia amicably all this time, there''s just no knowing on when Alex''s situation will change.


    ************


    All this time, Delia was not sure if her decision on letting Alex still live is a right one.


    Why would she kill Alex, when he''s not corrupting anyone? By killing him, Delia might have led to the downfall of a person who could have been a great help to her.  That will be really bad.


    But on the other hand, not killing Alex will also be a detriment on Delia''s status.  After all, her job was to ''silence'' any visible threats related to the Abyss Realm¡­


    [ Delia ]: Hey! Why are you just silent there, Alina? Come and do something about this! If you don''t, then many lives will be in danger too!


    Her choice of letting Alex live in the past has slightly faltered Delia''s conviction to herself, something that has created a small flaw in her Holy Order Power.


    This small flaw however was so minor, that the woman herself did not notice it. She did not even know that something like this existed inside her body.


    But if Delia continues to be this unsure in the future, it is highly likely her chance of Transcending in the future will be nil.


    [ Delia ]: Grrr¡­.


    But now that Alex had shown his true colors, Delia has no more hesitation on her body.


    Alex was obviously "Corrupted'' by the Abyss! All the evidences were pointing to that.


    The malicious aura covering Delia and Alina? This is obviously a special aura that only Transcendence Abyss Monsters have.


    Since there is this kind of aura here, then there must be something where it comes from.


    And as it turns out, this aura was actually coming from inside Alex''s room!


    Since Alex was the only person inside the room, then it is obvious that this malicious aura was coming off from him¡­.


    [ Delia ]: I don''t care what your reasons for keeping such a secret from me, Alina. Right now, I have to do my job as the Holy Order Envoy. And you¡­ you cannot do anything to stop it!


    Delia should have suspected of this before.


    All the evidences had pointed the possibility of Alex being infected by the Abyss, and yet Delia actually did not see them?


    As the Envoy of the Holy Order Realms, such oversight was enough to make Delia see red.


    [ Alina ]: No you can''t do that, Delia! If you do, Alex will-


    [ Delia ]: Do you think I will allow you to stop me? Hmph, this is a corruption that we''re talking about!


    [ Alina ]: You-


    [Delia ]: Alina, if this corruption manages to spread from this place, then  many innocent residents from this world will be corrupted too!  Do you think I will allow that to happen? As the Holy Order Envoy, of course I can''t! So don''t you dare block my way!


    Right now, Delia does not give any f**k on why Alex has become corrupted.


    Since Alex had already fallen to the dark side, the best that Delia can do was to prevent Alex from ''infecting'' anyone else.


    [ Delia ]: The corruption of the Abyss is a sickness, one that must be stopped from spreading at all costs. It doesn''t matter what I do. As long as I can cull this sickness at its core, then I will do it. And even if it means that I have to kill your lover, I will still do it!


    [ Alina ]: No!!!!


    Delia had already seen all the bad effects of the Abyss'' Corruption, as such she was not happy to let it spread anymore.


    Only death, suffering, and insanity will appear wherever there is corruption, which are the things that Delia does not tolerate.


    [ Delia ]: Alina, instead of getting angry to me, you should be actually happy. After all, I am about to end Alex''s suffering. He¡­ did a good job stopping the corruption from spreading. As such, I shall give him an honorable death, one that will be painless for him!


    [ Alina ]: !!!


    At this point, Delia had already forced herself to forget about her alliance with Alex.


    Alex had already been corrupted, so any more dealings with him will just be futile.


    For now, Delia has a job to do, and she had to do it properly.


    [ Delia ]: THE HOLY ORDER ENVOY DELIA SHALL NOW CAST HER JUDGEMENT UPON THE CORRUPTED ABYSS ENVOY ALEX. MAY THE HOLY ORDER REALM BLESS ME IN THIS TASK!


    [ Alina ]: I said stop!


    "Hong~"


    Without letting Alina do something to save Alex, the eager Delia quickly activated her Holy Order Power at its fastest speed.


    6 pairs of wings that were as large of that of an eagle''s sprouted out of Delia''s body, with their white plumage and refreshing appearance displayed for everyone to see.


    "Hula~"


    These wings quickly flapped behind her as they appeared, forming a large nexus of feathers that covered her body protectively.


    "Shul~"


    Each wing exuded a comfortable and relaxing aura, one which quickly subdued all the malicious thoughts inside Delia.


    This allowed Delia to regain her thinking, as well as allow her to use her power without any hesitation now.


    [ Delia ]: Since Alex knows all the Sins of the Abyss, then killing him with the Virtues will be null. However, there is something that can kill you. And that''s the ''Ordinal Power'' of the Holy Order Realm!


    "Boom!"


    Just as Alina was about to release her virtual body, Delia made another move again.


    This time however, she did not unleash any attack from her displayed power.


    Instead, Delia used her free time to summon an object from inside her storage.


    "¡­."


    The time that Delia spent to get this object was just enough for Alina to finish summoning her Virtual Body.


    Obviously, Alina quickly used her Virtual Body to attack against her opponent.


    [ Alina ]:  I understand why you are so eager on killing Alex. But that does not mean that I will just allow you to do it!


    "Slash!"


    Like an assassin who unleashed her lethal strike, Alina''s Virtual Body created a slash through dimensions, an attack which was headed straight towards Delia''s stationary body.


    Large rifts in space and time appeared along the path of the slash, making it look even more terrifying than the malicious aura earlier.


    "Rumble rumble rumble¡­"


    If Alex could see this slash, he will surely praise it, as its mechanics and ability were way beyond what Alina could have done before.


    After all, this slash was no ordinary slash.


    This slash was an attack that was able to affect the nearby upper dimensions, and even time was also included in this effect!


    With such kind of capability, there is no way that someone can just easily dodge this slash.


    They either have to bear the brunt of it, or use a convoluted way to dissipate the strike.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.


    Delia seemed to have chosen the first option, as she did not leave her spot even when the slash was about to hit her body.


    Delia just stood still on her place, with her hands now cradling the object that she obtained from her storage earlier.


    [ Alina ]: ¡­


    Seeing Delia''s nonchalant attitude made Alina feel slightly worried, as she thought that Delia might have a way to counteract her attack.


    But what could Delia do against Alina''s powerful attack? She either has to use more of her powers, something that Alia had been banking on to happen.


    But as fate had set it in store, what happened next was something that even Delia did not expect.


    [ Delia]: That is a nice attack, Alina. Even I in my current state has to use my Spear God Manifestation just to dissipate this strike. That shows how powerful this attack is. But do you think that I will use my Spear God Manifestation? No, I will not use that.


    [ Delia ]: Because even if I use my Spear God Manifestation on you, it won''t help me on killing Alex.


    [ Delia ]: As such, I have to use something powerful. Something¡­. That can instantly kill him.


    [ Delia ]: And that something is already in my hands. All that I have to do now is to just use it¡­


    Just before Alina''s slash could reach Delia, the latter began raising her hand, revealing the object that she was holding  since earlier.


    [ Alina ]: !!!


    Once this object was revealed, all that Alina could feel was panic, as she realized what it was!


    [ Alina ]: You! How in the world were you able to obtain a Transcendence Shard?


    As it turns out, the object that Delia obtained from her storage earlier was actually a Transcendence Shard!


    And it''s a Transcendence Shard related to her Holy Order Power!


    [ Delia ]: I won''t be telling you, Alina. After all, I will be using this to end Alex''s life.


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    Once this shard had made its appearance, the attack unleashed by Alina quickly disappeared, as if the presence of the Holy Order Transcendence Shard was enough to make it disappear.


    This left the now smug-looking Delia staring at Alina, who looked at the former with a fed-up expression.


    [ Alina ]: You''re crazy! You will use that to kill Alex? You''re really making sure that he will really die!


    [ Delia ]: Hmph, even if Alex had already stopped fusing with his shard, he might still have traces of power left in his body. Because of that, I had to take precautions, especially now that he''s being corrupted by the Abyss.


    The sight of the Transcendence Shard in Delia''s hands had already confirmed her eagerness to kill Alex. As such, no excuses from Alina will work anymore.


    Alex has to die now, and even if Delia has to fuse herself with a shard, then she will still do it!


    [ Alina ]: Delia, I am telling you! Please stop this at once! If you do, it will just-


    [ Delia ]: It''s too late, Alina. I have begun fusing with this shard already, so instead of standing there like an idiot, I advise you to just run away.


    [ Alina ]: !!!

 Chapter 636 - Awakening!

    Just as what Delia had said, she already started fusing her Holy Order Power with her Holy Order Transcendence Shard.


    "Shua¡­"


    Her wings unfurled behind her as they attempted to swallow the Transcendence Shard, an act that gave Delia tremendous amounts of pain.


    [ Delia ]: Grr¡­.


    The pain did not only penetrate Delia''s body. It also affected her mind, giving her a burning sensation that disrupted her thoughts.


    Such pain was enough to bring her down to her knees, and it even made her almost forget her goal.


    [ Delia ]: Argh! I expected that the act of fusing with a Transcendence Shard will be painful. But I did not expect it to be like this! Tsk, how in the world did Alex manage to fuse with two shards through this kind of pain? He''s really a madman!


    Although she had prepared herself for the pain, Delia did not expect the pain to be this bad. The pain has even affected her soul, making her want to give up already.


    But Delia cannot give up here, as it is her task to kill Alex!


    [ Delia ]: Ugh, no pain, no gain. If it is for saving this world, then I am willing to endure this pain!


    With this declaration, Delia gritted her teeth as she persevered on.


    The pain that she was experiencing right now might be too much but Delia knew that in the end, all of this pain will be worth it.


    Or so what she had thought.


    "Hula~"


    Just before Delia could finish fusing with her shard, the malicious aura surrounding her suddenly disappeared, bringing the whole place back to its normal state earlier.


    All the malicious whispers and murderous thoughts hounding Delia also disappeared too, leaving her standing in confusion as she tried to realize what had happened.


    [ Delia ]: What? Why did the malicious aura disappear? Wasn''t it supposed to be spreading out now? What the hell is going on here!


    In Delia''s knowledge, once the corruptive Abyss Energy had made its presence, it will always spread out to search for more victims. Such were the usual cases in the past, and Delia had expected it to also happen here.


    But instead of spreading out, the malicious Abyss Aura actually disappeared, as if it never existed at all!


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.


    At this point, Delia''s fusion with the shard only need one more push to be complete. This push was something that Delia can easily do, but because of the strange even that had just happened, she found herself unsure on doing it.


    [ Delia ]: Something wrong is happening here, I am sure of it. I just don''t know what it is¡­


    In front of Delia, the nervous-looking Alina also noticed the sudden disappearnance of the Abyss Aura.


    But unlike Delia whose tension has increased, Alina''s reaction to this disappearance was the opposite.


    [ Alina ]: Hehehe¡­.


    Alina was actually happy, as if the disappearance of this aura was something that she had wanted to happen.


    Delia naturally noticed this, and it made her stiffen in tension.


    [ Delia ]: Hey Alina! Why the hell are you happy with what''s happening now? Shouldn''t you be nervous? What if this aura had disappeared because Alex died? Shouldn''t that notion make you afraid at this point?


    [ Alina ]: Why would I be nervous or afraid? Nothing bad has happened with Alex. Instead, something good has happened to him. You just can''t see it.


    At this point, the innate curiosity inside Delia prompted her to interrogate Alina for more answers. The latter was after all acting weird, and Delia could not resist her temptation to discover its cause.


    [ Delia ]: Something good has happened to him? What are you-


    But before Delia could finish her question, an unmistakable sound of an opening door interrupted her, which was followed by a voice that Delia did not expect to hear.


    [ Alex ]: Hey, what''s with this ruckus? I just had a good sleep, and this is what you will make me hear? Tsk, it must be you who made that ruckus, Delia.


    [ Delia ]: !!!


    Out of all the people that Delia expected to hear today, she did not expect to actually hear Alex talking to her!


    And this Alex was not an ''Alex'' who was just an illusion.


    This ''Alex'' was the original Alex!


    [ Alex ]: Oi, why are you two looking like you''re fighting again? Didn''t you say that you two will behave yourselves?


    [ Delia ]: Y-y-you¡­.


    A handsome face that evoked the sensation of wariness.


    A relaxed posture that made people feel secure.


    And a smug grin that provokes anger.


    There was no doubt about it. The man who just spoke was Alex, and he did not look like the man who was in coma for 7 months!


    [ Alex ]: Hm? You got something to say, Delia? I''m all ears here. But if you don''t want to say anything, then can you stop fusing with your Transcendence Shard? It makes me feel tingly¡­.


    [ Delia ]: (*&(*$&@(!!!


    Delia could not believe this.


    How could Alex, a Traveler who had forcefully fused his body with two Transcendence Shards, actually wake up today and be in a good condition?


    Not only that, but Alex appeared to have survive the corruption of the Abyss too, something that Delia knew was impossible!


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.


    These impossibilities had forced Delia to be wary again, as she realized that even if Alex was awake, she still had to deal with him.


    [ Delia ]: Oi, are you really Alex?


    [ Alex ]: Hm? What are you talking about? I''m Alex. Alina, you can see that I am telling the truth right?


    [ Alina ]: Delia, Alex is telling the truth. He''s really Alex, and he''s not just an impostor that will attack us. You can taste the truthfulness in his words, right?


    [ Delia ]: ¡­Yeah, I can taste it.


    [ Alex ]: You see that, Delia? If you can taste that I am telling the truth, then there''s no need for you be wary against me. I assure you that I am still me, and that I have not been influenced by any outside forces.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­.Tsk,  you sound genuine to me.


    [ Alex ]: Exactly. I am not lying to you. So can you please stop fusing with your shard? If you continued doing that, nothing beneficial will happen. You will just be wasting your time¡­


    [ Delia ]: ¡­


    As much as Delia wanted to lower her shard, she could not bring herself to do it, as she could feel that there was something extremely wrong with the way Alex was talking to her.


    Although everything that Alex just said had registered ''True'' in Delia''s tongue, there''s something about Alex''s actions and attitude that made her wary of him.


    Delia could not point it out, but she''s sure that it was there.


    [ Alex ]: What''s the matter, Delia? Why are you not yet lowering your shard? You can see that I''m safe!


    [ Delia ]: Your words may register as the truth to me, but that does not mean that I believe you. After all, you just came out after we saw a large influx of Corruptive Aura from the Abyss. With that kind of corruptive aura, I cannot just let you get out.


    Alex may look like he was healthy and unaffected by the Abyss, but that does not mean that he''s already ''clean''.


    As such, Delia has decided to do her best to keep Alex in, as she knew that it will be for the best.


    [ Alex ]: Hah? What are you talking about? Since you''re the Holy Order Envoy, then you know that you can only fight Abyss monsters if they are actually corrupting other beings. Do you see me corrupting anyone now?


    [ Delia ]: You''re not corrupting anyone, and I can''t see any hints that you WILL corrupt anyone. However, I cannot just let you go after that phenomenon. So please stay, or else I will be forced to hurt you¡­.


    Delia tightened her grip at this point, as she prepared herself to complete her fusion with her shard.


    [ Delia ]: I know that this is unfair Alex, but this is also for your sake. You may think that you are healthy, but what if you are corrupted by the Abyss secretly? If you go out, you might affect someone innocent. So please stay, or I will-


    [ Alex ]: Hah, too noisy. Can you just keep quiet now?


    Alex did not seem to be interested on listening on Delia anymore, as he proceeded to attack her immediately.


    "Swish~"


    His attack was just a simple chop to her neck, an attack that Delia saw coming from miles away.


    The sight of this attack made Delia shake her head in disappointment, as she knew that she can easily block this attack with her own power.


    "Hong~"


    Although she had not fused her body with her shard, Delia was confident that she can deflect Alex''s attack. As such, she just summoned her Spear Qi and used it to block Alex''s hand chop.


    [ Delia ]: Hmph, so you have shown your true colors then! Hahaha, since you want to fight, then I will give you a fight! Here I com-


    But to Delia''s shock and surprise, Alex''s ''simple'' attack was not simple at all.


    "Thud!"


    Before Delia could realize it, Alex''s attack was able to bypass her defenses. His hand then landed on her neck, unleashing a strike that was able to make her body go limp.


    [ Delia ]: !!!!


    The sensation of her body losing control made Delia panic, as she did not see this coming.


    [ Delia ]: Ugh¡­.


    [ Alex ]: Oh, that was just my simple attack, and yet you could not withstand it? How the hell could this happen? Aren''t you a Sixth Stage Being?


    [ Delia ]: Ugh¡­


    Delia tried her best to talk, but to her horror, she realized that no matter what she did, she could not force her body to move!


    Not only that. Even Delia''s other abilities appeared to be ''paralyzed'' at this point too, leaving her with nothing to defend herself with.


    [ Delia ]: Ugh!!!


    [ Alex ]: Well I''m sorry about what happened to you Delia, but you know that I have to defend myself¡­


    [ Delia ]: Ugh!!!


    [ Alex ]: Hey, you still look angry, so why don''t you sleep first? Let''s just talk civilly later once you have calmed down¡­


    "Thud!"


    [ Delia ]: Ugh!


    Alex sent another neck chop again, and this time it did not just paralyze Delia. This chop knocked Delia out, bringing her to a deep state of sleep.


    [ Delia ]: ¡­..

 Chapter 637 - The Chaos Curse strikes again.(Or did it?)

    10 MINUTES LATER.


    After his easy win over Delia, the newly-awakened Alex did not waste any more time as he tried to use his power to observe the Traveler''s World.


    [ Alex ]: ¡­.


    Since 7 months had already passed by while Alex was in coma, there are bound to be some interesting events that had happened during this time. Alex wanted to know them all now, as his curious mind could not take the suspense anymore.


    But all of his attempts to observe was prevented by Alina, who gave Alex  a smile that was also not a smile.


    [ Alina ]: Hey Alex, so how was your condition? Do you feel fine?


    The way that Alina said these words, along with the tight grip that she had on Alex''s arm, made it obvious that she was not willing to let Alex leave at all.


    Such action made Alex feel slightly cold, with his mind somewhat confused from Alina''s current gestures.


    [ Alex ]: Hm? Of course I feel fine, Alina. After all, I had prepared countermeasures against what had happened in my coma. Because of that, I was able to benefit from the whole process. But enough talking about me. Let''s talk about this world.


    [ Alina ]: This world? What about this world?


    There it is again. The same coy smile on Alina''s face, making it apparent that she''s serious on making Alex stay.


    Seeing this smile from Alina made Alex shiver, as he could not fathom why she is acting like this now.


    [ Alex ]: Well I mean, I was in coma for 7 months, so something must have happened in this world without my notice. Can you tell me all about it?  Oh, and please don''t hide any bad events from me. I can easily listen to them¡­


    Although Alex was feeling extremely refreshed from his awakening, he did not try to use his upgraded abilities to leave Alina.


    Instead, he opted to stay and listen to her, as he had a gut feeling that if he left, a horrible event might happen, something which he would possilbly regret.


    Alex was not sure what this event could be, but with his new abilities, he was sure that the current him cannot survive this event.


    Luckily, this regretful event will not be caused by Alina. She will however, be victimized by this event if it does happen¡­.


    [ Alina ]: Indeed, a lot has happened for the 7 months that you were out, Alex. But you should not worry about them. Everything went according to the projected growth of our group, and a lot of benefits has also happened to us. So don''t think of the past for now. Just think¡­ about the present.


    [ Alex]: But-


    [ Alina ]: You can read about the events that happened in the past 7 months once we''re done here. For now, you should do your best talking to ''them''.


    [ Alex ]: What?


    Although Alex was already tired of listening to Alina, her latest words made him perk up, as he heard things that he did not expect to hear.


    Alina was not willing to tell him about the events in this world for the past 7 months, and instead, she wanted him to meet with some ''people''?


    No matter which way Alex looked at this offer, there is something fishy about Alina''s words.


    [ Alex ]:  Meet ''Them''? Who the hell are you talking about? And why do I even have to meet with these people? Come on, I just woke up form a coma! Don''t I deserve to get some rest?


    [ Alina ]: Rest? Do you even need a rest, Alex? From the way that you looked now, you appeared to have received the best ''rest'' in your life. I mean, look at your skin and aura. Both are at their peak states, and they look as healthy as they can be!


    [ Alex ]: Hey, I-


    [ Alina ]: Alex, tell me in the eyes that you are tired, and that you need rest. Come on, tell that to me. If you''re indeed telling the truth, then I will let you rest.


    [ Alex ]: ¡­.


    [ Alina ]: You''re not saying anything? That''s good! So you''re indeed well-rested!


    [ Alex ]: Tsk, f**king Chaos Curse. If it weren''t for it, I would not be pushed around by others¡­


    [ Alina ]: What did you say, Alex?


    [ Alex ]: Nothing, Alina. Nothing


    [ Alina ]: ¡­.


    With the threat of an impending disaster and Alina''s impeccable logic, Alex found no way to avoid the ''meeting'' that she was talking about now.


    This made Alex feel slightly depressed, as he thought that he will just be wasting his time meeting some not-so-important people.


    But when Alina uttered her next words, all the depression inside Alex disappeared.


    [ Alina ]:  Oh, since you''re already in good condition, then let''s do what we''re supposed to do. We should meet up with all the Living Returners already. They''re just waiting for us in the living room, so it won''t take us long to meet them.


    [ Alex ]: What?


    Upon hearing what she said, Alex quickly spun around to face Alina, with his face narrowed in extreme suspicion.  His whole body also tensed as he crossed his arms, making his body loom over Alina.


    His previously nonchalant aura from earlier has also disappeared, leaving Alex with only a distrusting aura emanating from his skin.


    These changes made Alex appear as if he did not believe what Alina just said, and this ''disbelief'' appeared to have been carried over on his words.


    [ Alex ]: You¡­ what did you just say? You said that I will have a meeting, and this meeting will be with who again?


    [ Alina ]: Alex, don''t give me that look. You heard what I said. We will have a meeting with the Living Returners right now.


    [ Alex ]: Excuse me, but did you just say the Living Returners ?  Pardon me for saying this, but how did they suddenly get into our conversation?


    [ Alina ]: Alex, there''s no way that I can explain it to you so easily. It just so¡­ complicated.


    [ Alex ]: Complicated? Oh wow, this is the first time I heard you say those words, Alina. How amazi-


    [ Alina ]: You know what? You should just meet up with the Living Returners and be done with it! That way, you can still keep control over our two continents! You wouldn''t want losing control over our continents, right?


    [ Alex ]: ???

 Chapter 638 - Did you just the B-word?

    A FEW MINUTES LATER


    After Alina told Alex that he will have a meeting with all the other Living Returners, Alex badly wanted to avoid it, as he had the sinking feeling that the other Returners will just team up against him.


    But it was already too late for Alex to leave at that time, as all the Living Returners had already appeared nearby.


    To ignore them will just worsen the situation, which left Alex with no choice but to stay.


    [Great TimeMaster]: As all of you might have known, someone from our group was discovered to be not a residence of the Multiverse. Instead, this ''someone'' was actually a Child of Chaos, one whose goal was to bring the Traveler''s World into Chaos.


    [Great TimeMaster]: And that person¡­. was no other than the Rainbow Dude.


    As if to display her own superiority over them, the Great TimeMaster was the one who started the meeting, and the authoritative voice that she used left the others unable to interrupt her.


    They could only listen as she droned on, with Alex sighing as her words passed over his head.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Now, just like what you have seen, the Rainbow Dude was close to achieving his goal. By using his Chaos Power to attract a powerful Void Prowler, the Rainbow Dude was able to lead this Void Prowler to kill the Crimson God and the Grandmaster.  That alone was enough to make everything chaotic.


    [Great TImeMaster]: But he did not just stop there. By using his Chaos Power, the Rainbow Dude was able to cajole me, the Old Man, and the Overlord into fighting each other. That event just made things worse for this world, and once you add the condition that the Immortal Empress and the Arcane Sorceres had at that time, it looks like this world is done for.


    [Great TImeMaster]: Luckily for us, we have Alex, who did not hesitate to risk his life to defeat the Rainbow Dude. Because of his contribution, all of us were still standing here up to this day.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Oh, speaking of Alex, how did your ''coma'' go, Alex? Did you gain anything substantial from it?


    [Alex]: Why are you asking me, Great TimeMaster? Shouldn''t we have a meeting here for other important things?


    [Great TImeMaster]: But my question to you  is important, Alex.  So just answer it.


    [Alex]: You-


    [Overlord]: Human, if you won''t dare say anything, then don''t stay in this meeting anymore. Your presence here is just making things vile!


    [Alex]: Hah? And now I am the vile person? What the hell is this? You''re the one who invited me to this meeting! And I was the one who saved you all! Shouldn''t you be happy seeing me?


    [Overlord]: We only invited you because of your ''miraculous'' deeds. Oher than that, I see no use for you. So don''t act like you''re at the same level as us. You''re just lucky that you defeated the Rainbow Dude¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    And just like what Alex had expected, the meeting that he''s having with the Living Returners has become progressively worse for him.


    Each one of the Living Returners treated Alex in a different way in this meeting, and each treatment were things that he did not like.


    Even when the Great Time Master has already outlined Alex''s heroic deeds earlier, each Returner''s treatment of him did not change.


    The Great TimeMaster:  Still treated Alex as if he were her cute nephew


    The Overlord: Still thinks of Alex as if he was trash.


    The Old Man: He''s unreliable as ever, and all that he gave Alex during the meeting were countless knowing grins.


    The Returner Made up of Laws: He''s the least hostile to Alex, but he did not contribute to the meeting at all.


    Arcane Sorceress: She''s livid, and she looks like she wants to kill Alex.


    Immortal Empress: She looks extremely pissed, and she appears to be only one step away from assaulting Alex.


    [ Alex ]: ¡­..


    Ever since the meeting has started, these were the treatment that Alex received from the Living Returners, and it just made him want to end the meeting already.


    But with the pressure of several Half-Step Transcendence Beings pressing down on him, poor Alex was forced to stay in his seat and listen to the bickering of the other Returners.


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Hey! Why are you still treating Alex as if he was our guest? This dammed person humiliated me and he treated me as if I am a child before!


    [Old Man]: But technically speaking, you are a child at that time, so¡­


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Shut up Old Man! Can''t you see that I am talking? Tsk, why are you even in this meeting anyway? Your stink just makes my mood worse!


    [Old Man]: Hey little girl, if you don''t want to smell me, then why don''t you just cover your nose?


    [Arcane Sorceress]: Why you-


    [Great TimeMaster]: Ehem, ehem. If you want to fight, just do it later. For now, we have to finish this meeting. After all, this meeting is for the sake of the whole Traveler''s World. You wouldn''t want to lose your territories to some random upstart again, right?


    [Old Man]: ¡­


    [Arcane Sorceress]: ¡­.


    [Great TimeMaster]: I know that some of you have issues regarding Alex, but now is not the time to blame him. Actually, we should commend him for all the actions that he did 7 months ago. If it weren''t for him, all of us could have died already¡­.


    [Alex}: Yeah, you could have just at least praised me a little for my win over the Rainbow Dude. Maybe a little praise will do-


    [Great TimeMaster]: That said, we have no more time to praise Alex now. For now, let''s talk about all the important issues that we have to tackle.


    [Alex]: Wait, seriously, this is all that you have to say to  me? Wow, this is just-


    [Great TimeMaster]: Alex, we already protected your territories from danger, and we did not even attack your subordinates for the past 7 months. I think that''s already an enough payment for the favor that you did to us.  Don''t you think so?


    [Alex]: ¡­..


    As much as Alex wanted to be angry at the Returners from the way that they were weirdly treating him right now, Alex could not help but be slightly thankful to these Returners too.


    After all, they gave help to Alex''s allies and companions while he was unconscious, something that Alex did not expect them to do.


    *************


    Just like what the Great TimeMaster said earlier, she and the other Returners had the courtesy to not attack Alex''s territories while he was unconscious.  Even  someone like the Overlord, who had a great desire conquer Alex''s territory, has held his impulse during the time that Alex was in coma.


    And when the time came that the Arcane Sorceress and the Immortal Empress regained their bodies, they did not do anything that will be of harm towards Alex, although both were itching to beat up Alex already.


    Even the lazy Old Man did something too, as he sent some useful elixirs to aid Alex''s coma.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Good! Since you can see that we had repaid our favor to you, then it''s your time to behave and listen. I assume that you can do something as easy as this, right?"


    Now that he knew that these Returners had helped his allies in the past, there is no way that Alex will be thinking lowly of them now.


    [Alex]: ¡­Fine. I can listen to this ''meeting'' of yours. I just hope this will be as useful as what you said it will be.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Oh don''t worry, it will be useful. In fact, you will be thankful that this meeting had happened.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Great TimeMaster]: Okay, now that we have dealt with Alex''s little tantrum, let''s get back to our topic, shall we?


    "Clap clap clap!"


    The previously lackadaisical and playful atmosphere inside the room suddenly disappeared as the Great TimeMaster clapped her hands, as if it was a signal that everyone should be getting serious already.


    Everyone in the room, including Alex, could not help but sit a little straighter after hearing her clap, as they felt that not following her lead will just make things worse for them.


    "Shuffle shuffle shuffle¡­"


    Once everyone appeared to be ready, the Great TImeMaster resumed talking, and this time, her words were direct to the point.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Our meeting this time will be straight-forward. We will just be talking about the past of the Rainbow Dude, and on how we should proceed today. Any problems with that?


    [Everyone else]: None.


    [Grea TImeMaster]: Good! So as to start this meeting, I already assigned Immortal Empress to make a research about the Rainbow Dude. Immortal Empress, it''s your turn to blabber here.


    [Immortal Empress]: Geez, why do you make it sound like I am your servant? You requested me to do this research, right?


    [Great TimeMaster]: Ah whatever, just give me the report.


    [Immortal Empress]: Tsk, you Old Hag. Just you wait, I will have my reveng-


    [Great TimeMaster]: You know, my daughter is itching to have a new female playmate today. Would you want to be that new playmate, Immortal Empress? Don''t worry, I will make your age similar to my daughter''s so that everything will not be awkward.


    [Immortal Empress]: ¡­The Rainbow Dude was first seen on a Stage 1 Planet near the edge of the Eternal Heaven Realm. There, the Rainbow Dude used his innate abilities to unleash chaos on that planet. The agents of the Eternal Heaven Realm tried to kill the Rainbow Dude after that event, but this creature quickly escaped using a blessing left behind by his Father Chaos.


    [Immortal Empress]: After that, the Rainbow Dude began wandering other planets, with his power increasing with each chaos that he had created. It eventually came to the point where the Rainbow Dude was treated as a high-class criminal by many realms, with sky-high bounties placed on his head.


    [Immortal Empress]: These bounties did not help matters at all. It just incited a lot of bounty hunters after the Rainbow Dude, and it just increased the chaos around him.


    [Immortal Empress]: So much was the chaos that the Rainbow Dude had unleashed at that time, that a certain Realm has called for the help of a Transcendent Being in order to kill him.


    [Immortal Empress]: But before the Rainbow Dude could be killed by this Transcendent Being, he suddenly disappeared, with his whereabouts unknown. Many tried to look for him, but he was not seen at all.


    [Immortal Empress]: The next sighting of the Rainbow Dude was made here in the Traveler''s World, where he met his end in Alex''s hands¡­.


    [Immortal Empress]: ...And that''s the end of my report. So what do you all think?


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Great TimeMaster]: ¡­.


    [Overlord]: ¡­.


    [Old Man]: ¡­.


    [Arcane Sorceress]: ¡­


    [Returner Made up of Laws]: ¡­.


    Although Alex was silent at this point, it was obvious in his eyes that his attention was caught by the contents of the report.


    There were two things inside the Immortal Empress'' report that piqued Alex''s interest, and both of these two things were extremely important.


    But one of these things were more important than the other, to the point that Alex could not stop himself from inquiring about it.


    [Alex]: You said¡­ that there was a sky-high bounty placed for the Rainbow Dude''s head, right? How big is this bounty anyway? And how can I get it?


    [Immortal Empress]: Of course, of course, you will ask about the bounty. Why did I even think that you will not ask about it?

 Chapter 639 - A Lucky Break!

    As much as Alex was more interested on staying alive, the notion of a bounty made him want to know what it could be.


    After all, Alex just killed a powerful ''criminal'', one who had wreaked chaos and devastation on many places.


    Surely, for that kind of kill, the reward will also be high right?


    But contrary to Alex''s expectations, the answer that he got made him deflate.


    [Immortal Empress]: Even if you were the one who killed the Rainbow Dude, I doubt that you will be able to get the bounty.


    [Alex]: Hah? What do you mean? Why can''t I get the bounty?


    [Immortal Empress]: Oh, well, it''s because it has been given out already¡­.


    [Alex]: Given out? Already? But I was in coma for the past 7 mont- oh. Oh. OH.


    At the moment that the Immortal Empress told him about his inability to get the bounty, Alex''s mind was quickly doused in rage as he tried to understand how this could have happened.


    It did not take that long for Alex to know how he lost his bounty, although what he discovered just made him angrier.


    [Alex]: Oh f**king hell, so that is what happened. F***k¡­. the bounty should have been mine!


    [Immortal Empress]: I am sorry for your loss, Alex, but the bounty system is not a reliable system. Because of that, the bounty has been¡­


    [Alex]: You don''t need to explain it more, Immortal Empress. I already know what happened. Someone got my bounty before I could, right?


    [Immortal Empress]: Yes, and that person is someone that you are familiar with.


    [Alex]: Let me guess¡­. It must be Emperor Litch.


    [Immortal Empress]: ¡­.


    Immortal Empress did not give any answer in reply, but her awkward and apologetic look to Alex was enough to confirm it.


    The one who ''stole'' Alex''s bounty was no other than Emperor Litch himself, and it seemed like nobody present was able to prevent him from obtaining the bounty.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Immortal Empress]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Immortal Empress]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: Argh! That effing bastard! How dare he steal what''s mine? I even risked my life for it, so how could he-


    [Immortal Empress]: Alex, I know that you''re angry, but as of now, there is no way that you can say that what Emperor Litch did was illegal. After all, you are considered as-


    [Alex]: Yes, I know. I am considered to be a clone by Emperor Litch. As such, any achievements that I do can be attributed to Emperor Litch, since he was my Main Body.  And that s***y law was the reason why he was able to obtain the bounty!


    [Immortal Empress]: Yes, that''s the reason why the Emperor got your bounty¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Immortal Empress]: Alex¡­ I''m sorry for not being there to prevent it. You''re my junior brother and although I wanted to beat you up now, I still should have-


    [Alex]: Nope. There''s no need for you to apologize, Senior Sister. As a clone, I know my status here in the Multiverse. So things like these are already fine for me¡­..


    [Immortal Empress]: These things are fine for you? Are you really sure about that?


    [Alex]: ¡­..


    As much as Alex hated to admit it, the current laws in many Realms of the Multiverse are always disadvantages for created creatures, especially for clones like him.


    Because of that, Alex always knew that some unfortunate situation could happen to him because of his status.


    But he did not expect that such situation will actually happen right after he risked his life!


    That''s why even though he looked calm, Alex was inwardly shouting in rage, and all that he wanted do now was to rush in and beat up Emperor Litch until he was dead. That''s how angry he was for having his ''bounty'' stolen.


    But such action right now was impossible, so Alex can only hold his rage in as he tried to maintain a proper posture in the meeting.


    [Alex]: Don''t worry about me, Senior Sister. Since that bastard Emperor have done this shady stuff, then I shall make him pay back.


    Alex said these words with a smile, as if he was trying to make himself sound nonchalant.


    But the other Returners could feel the inherent rage in his words, prompting them to observe him quietly.


    [Immortal Empress]: Alex, you still want to make him pay back?


    [Alex]: Senior Sister, I already promised Emperor Litch that I will visit his kingdom and kill him there. So don''t try consoling my anymore. When the time comes, I will get back from Emperor Litch everything that should have been mine¡­.


    [Immortla Empress]: I-if that''s what you say so, then good luck.


    [Alex]: Hmph good luck my ass! I shall worry about myself when that time comes.


    [Immortal Empress]: ¡­.


    Because of Emperor Litch''s shameless attempt on obtaining his bounty, Alex''s motivation to kill him has just increased.


    Now, Alex has no more qualms or hesitations on killing the Emperor.


    As long as he sees that damned face of the Emperor, Alex will quickly use his fist to grind him to a pulp!


    [Alex]: Tsk, should I start invading Emperor LItch''s kingdom tomorrow? Hm, that could be possible, as long as the planet that I will be brought to is near the Undying Empire. Yes, I think that can be done! And if I do the attack tomorrow, I might be able to get the bounty in its intact state too.!


    [Alex]: Yes, yes, yes. That''s what I should do tomorrow! I will attack Emperor Litch, and kill him until he cannot be revived anymore!


    Alex did not necessarily hide what he was saying from the other Returners, which allowed these people to hear what he said.


    Obviously, the other Returners did not visibly react to Alex''s words. Whatever they thought of his words were not displayed on their faces, and they just kept it mostly to themselves.


    Alex was fine with this, as their reactions were of no help to him anyway.


    [Alex]: Anyway, how long did it take you and the other Returners to know that I am a clone of Emperor LItch? Did you discover it while I was unconscious? Because that''s a little-


    [Great TimeMaster]: Okay, okay. We''re already done talking about the Rainbow Dude and the unfortunate end of Alex''s quest for his bounty. Now, we will talk about our plans in this planet.


    [Alex]: Hey, I still have a question, Great TimeMaster! How can you just-


    [Great TImeMaster]: It was during the time that Emperor LItch obtained your bounty that your past was revealed. After all, that damned Emperor has to explain why he was getting your bounty.


    [Alex]: Argh! So even my past was divulged that way? That bastard really is-


    [Great TImeMaster]: You can talk about your plans about killing the Emperor later. For now, let''s continue the meeting, shall we?


    The Great TimeMaster did not show any sign of annoyance as she berated Alex, but the latter knew that it will be safer if he will start following her advice.


    [Alex]: ¡­.Okay.


    [Great TImeMaster]: Good. So where are we again?


    [Old Man]: Yawn¡­ We are about to talk about our future plans in this planet. Well, I don''t really care that much for the future plans, as long as-


    [Great TimeMaster]: So, just like what this old dirtbag said, we have to talk about our future in this planet. Because if we don''t, then it will be game over for us¡­


    [Old Man]: ¡­.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Now, most of us here already have a basic plan. And that plan was to stay in this planet, as our chance for Transcendence lies here¡­.


    [Great TimeMaster]: I don''t know the minor plans that all of you are planning to do, nor that I really care about them. What is important to me however, is on how we will deal with the Final War.


    [Great TimeMaster]: As you might know, it was said by our Custodian that the Final War shall be the war that will decide the one who gets the chance to Transcend in this world. She also said that this war will be a deadly one, and that we should be prepared to risk our lives for that.


    [Everyone Else]: ¡­


    Everyone nodded as the Great TimeMaster said this, as they already knew what she was saying.


    Even Alex nodded too, as this were all told to him before already.


    [Great TimeMaster]: The Custodian did not give us any details about the Final War, although there was one thing that she made clear. And that only when there are 10 Returning Travelers present that the Final War can start.


    [Everyone Else]: ¡­.


    But although they were aware of the Great TimeMaster''s comments,  everyone inside the room, including Alex, all frowned as they realized that the Great TimeMaster''s latest words had presented them with a worrying dilemma.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Now, do you see the problem here? I know that all of you wants to have this Final War already, but because of the deaths of Crimson God, Grandmaster, and Rainbow Dude, the amount of the Returners that are here in this world has been reduced to just 6.


    [Great TimeMaster]: As you all might know, 6 Returners  is not enough to start the Final War.  We need to have 10 Returners, which is an impossibility at this point¡­


    [Everyone Else]: ¡­


    [Great TimeMaster]: Since this amount of Returners is a problem, we of course have to find a way to alleviate it. That is what this meeting is all about, so please give me all the ideas that you can give.


    [Alex]: Wait, what?


    Although the Great TimeMaster''s comments about the amount of Returners all sounded right to Alex, there was something about her last 2 sentences that did not sit right to him.


    Did the Great TImeMaster just said that their meeting will be on how they can ''manually'' increase the amount of Returners in the Traveler''s World?


    Why would the Great TimeMaster even talk about the amount of Returners present, as if it were something that she can control?


    No matter how much the Great TImeMaster complains about the amount of Returners, it will not just increase in the way that she wanted it!


    The amount of Returners all depended on the talent pool of the Travelers, something that this current meeting cannot just influence!


    [Great TImeMaster]: Hm? You sound like you have a problem with what I just said Alex. Out with it.


    [Alex]: Ha? You dare say that I have a problem, when what you said was obviously problematic already?


    [Great TimeMaster]: I don''t get what you are talking about, Alex. What''s wrong with what I said?


    [Alex]: ¡­.You said that this meeting will talk about dealing with the problem related to the amount of Returning Travelers present in this world. Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?


    [Great TImeMaster]: ??? Why would it be ridiculous?


    [Alex]: W-why would it be ridiculous? Come on! In order to make someone a Returning Traveler, they must first reach Half-Step Transcendence Level first! Such feat is hard to make, and you''re talking as if you can make that happen easily! I mean, how would you even do that, when there is no one present that can easily reach that level?


    [Great TImeMaster]: Hm? Are you sure that no one can in this world can easily reach Half-Step Transcendence Level? Are you really sure about that?


    [Alex]: What do you mean by- Oh. Oh. Oh.  Of course you meant ''that''.


    The ridiculousness of the Great TImeMaster''s claims was enough to rile Alex, hence his current disagreement with her.


    However, although Alex has an inkling that the Great TimeMaster''s claims were useless,  he suddenly discovered something as he argued with her.


    This discovery was related to their argument, and it was enough to silence him.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Hey, why are you sounding speechless now, Alex? Come on, spit out what you just thought. You must have discovered the main focus of this meeting already. Come on, you can say it.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Great TImeMaster]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Great TImeMaster]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: You¡­ you''re planning to assist me so that I will become a Returning Traveler, am I right? That''s the main reason why I am here in this meeting. Not only did you want to talk to me, you''re also here to make me agree in this plan of yours!

 Chapter 640 - Revelations(End of Volume 8)

    Of course the Returners wanted to use Alex. That''s the only reason that they are interested on inviting him here on their secret meeting.


    After all, what else could they do with Alex at this point? Make him contribute something, even if he had just recovered from injury?


    Even Alex who was confident about his current strength knew his limitations, so he had already expected that the meeting will go this way.


    What he did not expect however, was the Great TImeMaster''s bluntness.


    She did not even use any tricks or schemes to inform Alex that she and the other Returners intend to use him.


    Instead, she just straight up told him the truth, as if it was going to make her point better.


    [Great TimeMaster]: As expected, your sharp mind has seen through our plan, Alex. So what do you say about it? Do you want to participate in it?


    [Alex]: Hah? You''re asking me? Hmph, why don''t you ask your allies first? Are they even okay with this plan? And why did you choose me anyway?


    [Great TImeMaster]: You want to know why? Heh, fine then. I shall tell you!


    "Rumble¡­"


    The conversation between Alex and the Great TimeMaster was still as casual as it can be, but after Alex challenged her, the look on the Great TimeMaster''s body suddenly changed.


    Gone were here calm disposition and her poised body.


    Instead, an agitated aura and tense pose can be felt from her, something that changed the Great TimeMaster''s over-all persona.


    [Alex]: !!!!


    Now, the  Great TimeMaster appeared if she was willing to do anything just to make Alex agree with her, no matter what he does or says.


    Such look made Alex shiver, as he realized that what he says at this point will be directly related to his life.


    Fortunately for him, the Great TimeMaster''s long-winded words allowed him some time to think about his next moves.


    [Great TimeMaster]: All the other Returners in this meeting are fine with this plan. They even advocated it, as they are all eager to see you reach Half-Step Transcendence Level. So don''t worry about us withholding your resources. As long as you agree with this plan, we will give you all our support.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Great TImeMaster]: Oh, and as for why we chose you, the reason to that is just simple. You are one of the rare Travelers who reached the Sixth Stage just after traversing 5 different worlds. Such talent can only be contained by a monstrously talented being, and these kinds of beings are assured to reach Transcendence!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Great TimeMaster]: That''s why we are offering this plan to you Alex. We knew that you are a perfect fit for it, and I am sure that you will accept it!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Great TimeMaster]: But don''t expect that you''re the only one that will be offered with this plan. We''re also planning to offer the Holy Order Envoy Delia the chance to reach the Half-Step Transcendence Level. After all, she''s just as talented as you, so she''s bound to reach our level sooner or later¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Great TImeMaster]: There, that''s the answer to your questions, Alex. So what do you think now? Are you interested on this plan? Please say something. If you don''t, then I will accept your silence as a yes¡­


    [Alex]: Tsk, fine. I will start talking now, woman.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Good! Now just say Yes or No!


    [Alex]: ¡­


    **************


    Even though the Great TImeMaster was one sly woman, even Alex could feel that the interest in her voice was genuine.


    This just means that this plan that she''s offering to Alex was real, and that she was serious on making it happen.


    But even if he had the feeling that this plan was genuine, Alex knew that he cannot just agree with her.


    Even if this plan will help Alex reach Half-Step Transcendence Level in a higher rate, he could not just trust what this woman would do next.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Great TimeMaster]: ¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Great TimeMaster]: You''ve been silent for a few seconds already, Alex. Does that mean that you''re participating in our plan?


    [Alex]: Participate? Participate my ass! Why would you think that I will accept your plan? Do you think you can easily sway me this way? Hmph, for your information, I don''t need your help! I have my own way to reach Transcendence, so your meddling is not needed anymore.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Hm? You''re saying that you do not need our help? Are you sure about that?


    [Alex]: I am sure about it, and you can''t change my mind.


    [Great TImeMaster]: ¡­.


    With all the doubts swirling in his mind, Alex chose to not immediately agree with the Great TimeMaster''s offer.


    Why would he even agree, when he''s not sure about all of its details? Does the Great TimeMaster actually expect Alex to easily agree with her?


    If she wants to make Alex agree, then she should offer him with something better!


    [Great TImeMaster]: Ah, that''s too bad then. I guess whatever ''Deal'' you made with the Abyss while you were in coma will be your major problem then. Tsk, tsk, tsk, and here I thought I can help you with that.


    [Alex]: !!!


    Luckily for Alex, the Great TimeMaster has actually offered a substantial information to him at this point.


    But the contents of this information did not make Alex feel lucky anymore. Instead, it just made him cramp up, as he realized that the Great TimeMaser had played with him again.


    [Alex]: You¡­ how could you have see-


    [Great TImeMaster]: How could I have seen the ''Deal'' that you made with the Abyss while you''re in coma? Please, Alex. I am the Great TimeMaster. In this world, I am the one with the highest level of power. There''s nothing in this world that can escape my sight, and that includes the time that you made your ''Deal'' with the Abyss.


    [Alex]: !!!


    If Alex could stand up and run away now, he could have done it already, as he realized that the Great TimeMaster has gained the upper hand on him.


    Not only did she know that Alex will be coming into this meeting, she had even seen the ''Deal'' that he made with the Abyss during his coma!


    With this kind of knowledge held by the Great TimeMaster, there is no way that Alex can be at ease with her.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    The Great TimeMaster seemed to have noticed Alex''s discomfort, although it did not do anything to deter her approach. She even began pushing forward, making Alex more and more uncomfortable.


    [Great TimeMaster]: All the other Returners here were curious on how you were able to make a fast recovery after your 7-month coma. They did not believe that you could just heal that fast, given the fusions that you did. But no matter what they did, they were not able your secret.


    [Great TimeMaster]: But I¡­ I know what made you heal fast. It was that ''Deal'' that turned you like this¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Sigh, that ''Deal'' that you made with the Abyss was pretty tough, even for someone like you. Are you sure that you can uphold that Deal once your ''time'' comes? Because if you don''t, then you will-


    [Alex]: Okay, I get it. You know about the ''Deal'' that I had with the Abyss. So what? Will you be using that knowledge to blackmail me on cooperating with you? Hah, I did not know that you can do things this way too!


    This is it for Alex. This is the point where he had to ascertain his stance in the meeting.


    Because if he doesn''t, then he''s bound to be just swept away by his opposition¡­


    [Great TimeMaster]: Hey, I might be old and cunning, but I will never blackmail the person who saved my daughter. If I did that, my daughter will just be mad at me¡­


    [Alex]: Oh, so you''re now trying to make yourself look kind? If that''s what you''re doing, then what''s with all of this weird messages to me? Are you just trying to coddle me?


    [Great TimeMaster]: Alex, I am here to help you, and not blackmail you. Can''t you even see that?


    [Alex]: I see no signs of help from your words, Great TimeMaster. All I see is a woman who wants to use me in her twisted plan¡­.


    [Great TImeMaster]: ¡­.


    Alex may not feel that he was close to winning this argument, but he was sure that as long as he keeps his momentum on, he will be able to invalidate everything that the Great TImeMaster will  tell him now.


    All that he needs to do is push on, and he might be able to get out of this meeting unscathed.


    But before Alex could even revel on his chance to win, a sudden action from the Great TimeMaster made him quickly lose his optimism.


    [Great TimeMaster]: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????u??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????u?????????????????????????s??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????n??????????????????????????????????????


    [Alex]: !!!


    Surprisingly, the Great TimeMaster began speaking in a language that Alex did not expect to hear!


    And what it made it worse was the fact that Alex was familiar with this language.


    This language after all came from the Abyss Realm, something that only Abyss Monsters or those corrupted by them can say!


    [Great TimeMaster]: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????u??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????u?????????????????????????s??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????n??????????????????????????????????????


    [Alex] Y????????o?????u?????????????l??????i????????t?????t??????l??????e?????????


    [Great TimeMaster]: W???????h?????????a?????t???????''????????s????????????????t???????h???????e???????????m?????a??????t???????????t?????????e??????r????????????????l?????i???????t????????t??????????l???????e???????????o?????????n???e???????????????????????C??????a????t?????????????????g????o????t??????????????????y?????o????????u???r??????????????t????o??????n???????g?????????u???????e?????????????????


    [Alex]: Grrr¡­..


    [Great TimeMaster]: Hahaahahah!!!!!


    All the bravado and bl.u.s.ter that Alex summoned at this point  has quickly disappeared at the moment that the Great TimeMaster started saying these words.


    Every counter-argument that Alex tried to offer were of no use to him too, as he realized that the outcome of this meeting had already been decided.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Great TimeMaster]: ¡­


    [Alex]: S-so, t-this plan of yours, when will it take effect?


    [Great TimeMaster]: Oh, as long as you accept the plan now, we will immediately give you the resources that you need. Besides, this is the only time that we can give you what you need, since you have to go to your next world tomorrow.


    [Alex]: If I accept this plan, what would happen to my followers who will be left behind here? What will you do with them?


    [Great TimeMaster]: Don''t worry about your followers. Even if you and Delia leaves, your group will still stay intact, and we won''t disturb it. Of course we would destroy them if they try to attack us in the future, but I''m sure they would not be that stupid¡­


    [Alex]: I see. So you really are serious on making me and Delia reach the Half-Step Transcendence Level quickly. You even made sure that my followers will be safe¡­


    [Great TimeMaster]: As the one offering this deal, it is my responsibility to ensure the safety of your followers. They can''t die after all, since you have to use them once you come back here.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Great TimeMaster]: Hm, do you have anything to ask me yet? Come on, I have all the time this day. So feel free to-


    [Alex]: There''s no need to waste my time anymore. I accept your deal.


    [Great TimeMaster]: Hehehe, great decision Alex! You will never regret it!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    As much as Alex wanted to disagree with the  Great TimeMaster, her revelations had rendered him unable to remove herself under her influence


    Because of this, he can only grit his teeth as he accepted her offer.


    [Alex]: I hope I won''t really regret it. But after everything that you had shown me today, I doubt that will be the case¡­


    [Great TImeMaster]: Alex, why do you still sound suspicious of me? I just w??????????a????????n????????t???????????????w??????h????a????????t?????????''????????s??????????????b???????e????????s???????t??????????????f????????o??????r??????????????y??????o??????????u??????????!?????????


    [Alex]: Tsk, and that''s one of the reasons why I don''t trust you! How the hell could you even speak that?


    [Great TImeMaster]: You will know in due time, Alex. But for now, you should accompany me towards my treasury. You have to get all the resources you need for your power-up, so we can''t waste time! Come on, follow me!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    *************


    What happened after the meeting were events that could have made Alex happy, but with his current state, the only thing that he felt as he obtained countless precious resources was just numbness.


    Yes, just numbness.


    After all, what else can he feel after all revelations that the Great TimeMaster showed him?


    END OF VOLUME 8

 Chapter 641 - Departure and Determination(Epilogue)

    1 DAY LATER


    [Marcus]: ¡­


    Today was both a happy and sad day for Marcus and his allies, as this was the day that he will be leaving the Traveler''s World.


    He considers this day as his happy day, as he will be back to exploring other worlds again, which is a chance for him to get stronger.


    As for why he thinks that today was also a sad day, it was because Marcus was not willing to just to leave the Traveler''s World, a place which he had already considered to be his second home.


    [Marcus]: ¡­.


    No matter how much Marcus was interested on roaming on different worlds, there is a strange feeling inside his heart that makes him hesitant to leave.


    So much was his hesitation that he''s not sure if he should even leave. But Marcus knew that he cannot just stay in this world any longer.


    After all, Leader Alex and Leader Delia, the two  Travelers that Marcus idolizes, were about to leave already.


    Since they are fine with leaving, then why should Marcus stay?


    [Marcus]: ¡­.


    That''s right.


    Today was the day that Leader Alex and Leader Delia, the two Travelers who had established the group , will be brought towards their new worlds.


    They had no say to prevent this, as these two had already reached their 1-year limit of stay in the Traveler''s World.


    Such was the rule here in the Traveler''s World, and Marcus has to follow it too.


    **********


    Fortunately for Marcus, his departure date was still a few hours away from the current time, which gives him enough time to prepare for his new world.


    A few hours of time is enough to give Marcus a leeway to buy a lot of items for his new adventure, something that he was intending to do.


    But right now was not the time for some window-shopping.


    [Marcus]: I can buy my items later, as I still have time and money for that. But right now, what I should do is simple! I must see Leader Alex''s and Leader Delia''s departure with my own eyes! I refuse to do anything else before they can even leave!


    That''s right.


    Marcus was planning to watch the departure of his beloved leaders, and there is no way that he will not miss it.


    Even if someone tries to attack him now, Marcus will just ignore it, as seeing the departure of his Leaders is much more important!


    [Marcus]: Leader Alex and Leader Delia are two of the best people that I have known. As such, I must see them leave with my own eyes!


    With this desire overpowering his mind, Marcus was willing to do anything just to watch them.


    But luckily for him, he did not have to do such drastic actions.


    Both Leader Alex and Leader Delia accepted Marcus'' request to watch them, which leads Marcus to his current position today.


    [Marcus]: ¡­.


    Right now,  Marcus and his companions found themselves standing near Leader Alex and Leader Delia, and the only thing separating Marcus from the two was a powerful force field covering their surroundings.


    This force field was paper-thin and transparent, which allowed Marcus to see the two leaders in their full glory.


    This proximity made Marcus feel extremely happy, as if he was already on cloud-nine. In fact,  Marcus was so happy that he could have asked for an autograph from the two leaders already.


    It was fortunate that there was a force-field halting his tracks, forcing the poor Marcus to just watch the leaders with his eyes.


    [Marcus]: ¡­.


    With his nearness to his two idols, all that Marcus should feel right now was happiness.


    But since all of them are bound to be separated with each other, aside from joy, there was also a slight melancholy present inside Marcus.


    A melancholy, which was also laced with a trace of admiration deep from his heart.


    [Marcus]: Sigh, Leader Alex and Leader Delia sure are impressive. Even if they can lord over this world, they did not choose to do some manipulations just to stay here¡­. They chose to leave, and they did not even complain!


    There was a large amount of awe inside Marcus as he stared at the two leaders, as he knew all the things that Leader Alex and Leader Delia has done for him and the group.


    Each one of their actions were worthy of praise, something that Marcus knew will be hard for him to emulate.


    [Marcus]: Leader Alex was the strongest member of our group, and he''s also the one who used his life to defend us all. He even placed himself in a 7-month coma just to save us! Such kind of leader¡­. Should be praised all year-round!


    [Marcus]: As for Leader Delia, she was the one who shouldered this group while Leader Alex was in coma. She did everything that she can to stabilize this group, and she did not even ask us of anything! She was just happy on helping us!


    With these kinds of feats performed by these two leaders, there is no doubt inside Marcus'' mind that if they were to stay, the will surely flourish more.


    It''s really too bad that they had to leave now¡­


    [Marcus]: ¡­.


    But even though these two powerful Travelers had managed to create a massive group of Rookie Travelers, they did not let out a squeak of complaint from their forced departure.


    They accepted what was happening to them, showcased by the resolute expressions on their faces.


    Such resolution just made Marcus feel more admiration to these two, to the point that he wants to join them.


    Marcus of course knew that this was impossible, so he just stayed in his place as he watched the bodies of Leader Alex and Leader Delia disappear in front of him.


    "Shula~"


    At this point, Marcus just sighed as he saw that his idols were already leaving, with the power of the teleportation bringing them to their new worlds.


    He knew that he cannot stop it, so he just watched as his two idols were seemingly erased from existence¡­


    [Marcus]: And there they are. Our greatest leaders have already left, leaving behind a group that will face a lot of challenges. But with the promise made by the other Returners, I am sure that the will stay intact. I just hope¡­ that I will be able to have the chance to come back here in the future.


    [Marcus]: Wait, why are you making it sound as if you can''t come back, Marcus? Of course you can come back! You should just be so powerful, that the world will allow you to do what you want!


    [Marcus]: Yes, I must be carefree, just like what Leader Alex told me to do!


    The whole departure process only lasted for a few seconds, but that few seconds was one of the longest time in Marcus'' life.


    It was a good thing that it already ended, as now, Marcus can focus back to improving himself.


    [Marcus]: I still have a lot to do, and a lot of paths to progress. I know that this will be difficult, but with the help of my companions, I am sure that I will eventually reach the peak! So just wait for me, Leader Alex! Someday, I will also gain the right to stand beside you!


    With his Leaders already gone from this world,  Marcus did not dare linger anymore. There is still a lot for him to do, and daydreaming here will not help him.


    [Marcus]: Sigh, I wonder how long it will take me to reach Sixth Stage. I hope I can do it in under 100 Years¡­

 Chapter 642 - Info about the new volume

    The prologue of Volume 9 will come out later, and it will bring back some characters in the story.


    I won''t be telling who of course, since it''s a surprise. But once you know them, you will surely like them.


    Wait, why did I even bring back some characters? Will they be useful in the new volume?


    Oh, and as for what this new volume will be....Come on, I don''t need to say what it is.


    I already left a lot of clues, so surely, Alex''s next destination should have been a certainty already....


    But to those who do not know, you can try guessing. Maybe your answer was right. Just maybe


    *************


    57 68 6f 73 65 20 6c 65 61 66 20 69 73 20 74 68 61 74 3f 20 49 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 2e a 49 74 73 20 6f 77 6e 65 72 20 69 73 20 71 75 69 74 65 20 73 61 64 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 2e a 49 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 69 73 20 61 20 74 61 6c 65 20 6f 66 20 77 6f 65 2c a 49 20 77 61 74 63 68 20 68 65 72 20 66 72 6f 77 6e 2e 20 49 20 63 72 79 20 68 65 6c 6c 6f 2e a a 53 68 65 20 67 69 76 65 73 20 68 65 72 20 6c 65 61 66 20 61 20 73 68 61 6b 65 2c a 41 6e 64 20 73 6f 62 73 20 75 6e 74 69 6c 20 74 68 65 20 74 65 61 72 73 20 6d 61 6b 65 2e a 54 68 65 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 27 73 20 74 68 65 20 62 72 65 61 6b 2c a 4f 66 20 64 69 73 74 61 6e 74 20 77 61 76 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 62 69 72 64 73 20 61 77 61 6b 65 2e a a 54 68 65 20 6c 65 61 66 20 69 73 20 66 61 69 72 2c 20 63 6f 6d 69 63 61 6c 20 61 6e 64 20 64 65 65 70 2c a 42 75 74 20 73 68 65 20 68 61 73 20 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 65 73 20 74 6f 20 6b 65 65 70 2c a 55 6e 74 69 6c 20 74 68 65 6e 20 73 68 65 20 73 68 61 6c 6c 20 6e 6f 74 20 73 6c 65 65 70 2e a 53 68 65 20 6c 69 65 73 20 69 6e 20 62 65 64 20 77 69 74 68 20 64 75 63 74 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 65 65 70 2e a a 53 68 65 20 72 69 73 65 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 68 65 72 20 62 69 74 74 65 72 20 62 65 64 2c a 57 69 74 68 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 74 73 20 6f 66 20 73 61 64 6e 65 73 73 20 69 6e 20 68 65 72 20 68 65 61 64 2c a 53 68 65 20 69 64 6f 6c 69 73 65 73 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 64 65 61 64 2e a 46 61 63 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 64 61 79 20 77 69 74 68 20 6e 65 76 65 72 20 65 6e 64 69 6e 67 20 64 72 65 61 64 2e


    49 20 63 61 6e 6e 6f 74 20 68 65 6c 70 20 62 75 74 20 73 74 6f 70 20 61 6e 64 20 6c 6f 6f 6b 20 61 74 20 74 68 65 20 63 75 6c 69 6e 61 72 79 2c 20 70 6f 65 74 69 63 20 70 72 6f 77 65 73 73 2e a 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 65 74 69 63 20 70 72 6f 77 65 73 73 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 69 76 65 72 3f a 64 6f 65 73 20 69 74 3f a a 48 6f 77 20 68 61 70 70 79 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 63 75 62 69 73 74 2c 20 70 65 72 73 69 61 6e 20 70 61 69 6e 74 69 6e 67 21 a 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 70 65 72 73 69 61 6e 20 70 61 69 6e 74 69 6e 67 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 69 76 65 72 3f a 64 6f 65 73 20 69 74 3f a a 41 6d 61 7a 69 6e 67 20 61 72 74 69 73 74 72 79 20 69 73 2c 20 69 6e 20 69 74 73 20 77 61 79 2c 20 74 68 65 20 74 68 65 61 74 72 69 63 61 6c 20 77 6f 72 6c 64 20 6f 66 20 70 6f 77 65 72 2e a 44 6f 65 73 20 74 68 65 20 61 6d 61 7a 69 6e 67 20 61 72 74 69 73 74 72 79 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 20 73 68 69 76 65 72 3f a 64 6f 65 73 20 69 74 3f


    xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx xxx

 Chapter 643 - Voyage of Two Souls

    PRIMODIAL SERPENT REALM


    SECTOR 69


    "Wooosh!"


    Through the vast emptiness of space, where conditions for life is not suitable for many,  the absence of living creatures is already the norm.


    The conditions here in space does not allow many creatures to survive, and those who do are rare exceptions.


    Void Prowlers, Space Marshals, and species of Cosmic Animals are the majority of the creatures that could live in space, but even they are picky on where they live.


    In fact, out of the 100 Sectors in the Primordial Serpent Realm, only 10 has the proper habitat for these spacefaring beings.


    Sector 69 is not one of these Sectors, which meant that its vacuum-only space should only have lifeless rocks and floating debris


    But today, something else was present at this Sector, something that is different from the norm.


    "Woosh!"


    A massive, metallic skinned flying capsule was hurtling through Sector 69''s empty space at an overwhelming speed, creating buffets of energy that spread out everywhere.


    These energy waves casually destroyed the nearby asteroids and space rocks, turning the whole area into a dust-filled choke room.


    Such amount of dust will be enough to derail or even destroy most flying vehicles, but the metallic capsule seem to be not affected by it.


    It just flew straight through the debris and dust as if they were nothing.


    "Woosh~"


    The sight of this flying capsule is enough to awe anyone that can see it, as its sleek appearance and momentum makes it look like an unstoppable overlord.


    However, to those who knew exactly what this flying capsule is, they will know that the most impressive thing about this capsule is its insides.


    More specifically, the objects that it contains.


    "Okay¡­ my one-year training as a Cosmic Guard has already ended. Today is my first mission, so don''t f**k it up! My debts have been paid already, so I should not do anything to  increase it!"


    Inside the flying capsule, a suited female could be seen, sitting on what looked like to be a pilot chair.


    She was the source of the voice that was just heard inside the capsule, and there is nothing else there that can produce this sound.


    "I already trained a lot, so my experience should have been enough. Yes, I have a lot of training, so this mission should be easy for me!"


    Because her body was covered in what appeared to be spacesuit, her whole appearance could not be seen.


    However, her melodious voice and graceful movements is enough to show that this woman is someone who was cultured and refined.


    With these traits, those who will see this female at this point will surely be smitten with just her voice alone.


    [[Hey, hey, hey, Wisteria, don''t sound so strict to yourself. Your mission today is just easy, so why don''t you just calm down and let this ship run? Worrying about things that might not happen yet will not be good for you.]]


    Aside from the voice of this graceful woman, another voice could be heard, one which came from a female too.


    Unlike the first voice, the second voice sounded much more arrogant and proud, as if the speaker was a woman who was born with a lot of riches in her life.


    Such voice will be enough to irritate anyone, even those who were mild-mannered and kind.


    "¡­."


    Hearing this voice should be a problem by itself, but here was something else about this second voice that made it worse.


    And that was the fact that this second voice did not come out of any other person.


    The second voice also came out from the graceful woman, making the whole situation look confusing.


    One woman was actually speaking in two different voices, a scenario that technically, should not have been possible.


    But hey, this is the Multiverse, so a lot of weird things will usually happen¡­


    "How the hell can I stay calm, Astria? Today is my first mission! I I mess this up, I might not get promoted!" The first voice sounded out, with the irritation inside it plainly obvious. "Do you know how bad that is? Of course you don''t, you''re just a freeloader in my body anyway."


    [[Hey! Who are you calling a freeloader huh, Wisteria? ]] The second voice duly replied back, with the same level of irritation as the first one. [[Are you calling me one? Oh my god, you''re just-]]


    "You, you''re a freeloader, Astria. What did you even do to help me out during my training, huh? Tell me, so that you can prove me wrong."


    [[¡­.]]]


    Judging by the conversation that was happening, the two voices appeared to have a name of their own.


    The first voice seemed to pertain to a person named Wisteria, while the second voice was that of a person named Astria.


    Since there is no one inside the ship except for the graceful woman, it is hard to confirm if the words that she said were right.


    But even if there were a person inside the ship, maybe that person will just cower in the corner, as the argument between ''Wisteria'' and ''Astria'' just continued to escalate.


    "Hahaha, why are you so silent, Astria? Can''t you even say one thing?"''Wisteria'' shouted out gleefully. "Come on, I am waiting!"


    [[¡­W-well, I am giving you advice every time you face a problem in your training. And I also give you advice about your powers!]] Like a rat cornered in a trap, the fl.u.s.tered ''Astria'' gave this hasty reply. [[Shouldn''t that be enough?]]


    "Enough? Astria, you only help me when I give you money! How the hell can you call that help? You''re just profiting out of me!"


    [[Hey Wisteria! What do you expect me to do, huh? Just help you out because I want to? Come on, my soul is the one stuck inside your body, so I am the one suffering here! Hmph, you''re lucky that I am still helping you out, because if I could, I would not have done anything to assist you¡­]]


    "Oh¡­ so you''re saying that now, Astria. Hmph, if that''s what you want, then so be it! During this first mission, I would not ask you for your help! Are you fine with that?"


    [[Of course I am fine, Wisteria. Let''s see if you can now be independent, just like what you have been boasting earlier¡­]]


    "Tsk, you don''t need to remind me of that, Astria. I will show you that I can do this by myself, so just stay in the sidelines and watch!"


    [[¡­]]


    Just as fast as their argument started, it quickly ended too, as the two voices had reached their agreement.


    The voices then went silent, making the whole ship plunge into silence.


    "¡­."


    [[¡­]]]


    "¡­."


    [[¡­.]]


    With the way that things are going, it seems that peace has been already established inside the ship.


    But just a few seconds after they stopped talking, the two voices began speaking out again, with ''Astria'' leading it.


    [[Hey Wisteria, your mission is about investigating a planet suspected to be corrupted by the Abyss, right?]] ''Astria'' asked, with some traces of worry present on her voice. [[Are you sure that this should be your mission? Investigating things related to the Abyss is dangerous, so-]]


    "Tsk, why are you even worrying for me, Astria? Even if this planet is corrupted by the Abyss, it cannot just do anything to me. We can just escape, you know. How hard can it be?"''Wisteria''  said, with her voice soundling like she was not worried at all. "It''s not like I will be easily corrupted by the Abyss or anything¡­"


    [[Sigh, Wisteria. You may be feeling proud of yourself, but this is the Abyss we''re talking about. You of all people should know how dangerous it is. You remember your experience with Alex, right? That man is just a trickled-down version of the dangers of the Abyss. This planet that you''re going to? This will be the real danger!]]


    "Ugh, don''t remind me about Alex at this point, Wisteria. It''s just making my mood worse. Did you not forget about our agreement? We will not talk about Alex unless necessary¡­"


    [[Astria, even at this time you''re still worried about that? Come on, what you should be worried right now is your first mission! If you fail here, you will be taken by the Abyss!]]


    "I know that, Wisteria, so just shut up and let me do my thing, ok? As long as you stay silent, I am sure that I can do this mission without a hitch."


    [[Heh, so you think I will be the one that will make you fail? Good luck then, Wisteria. Let''s see if your ''wits'' and ''guts'' can help you against the Abyss¡­.]]


    "Hey! Why are you sounding like you''re giving me a threat, huh?"


    [[¡­]]


    "Hey Astria, answer me!"


    [[¡­.]]]


    "Of course she will not answer. That''s just how this b***h is¡­.


    [[¡­.]]


    "¡­."


    [[¡­]]


    "¡­."


    Whatever the conversation between ''Wisteria'' and ''Astria'' meant, the former seem to not care about it anymore as she stopped conversing to the latter.


    She just shook her head as she resumed driving the ship, with her suit now sticking closely to her body.


    "Sigh, I hope that this planet will not be corrupted that badly. That way, I can still convert those residents back to their normal form¡­."''Wisteria'' idly thought to herself while sighing. "But can I really do it? Even against the might of the Abyss?"


    "Sigh¡­"


    An aura of hopelessness can be felt from her body at this point, which just made her latest words sound more like a desperate wish rather than a positive outlook.


    "Ugh, I should really stop wishing for things to just happen. If I want to finish this mission, then I must do it with all my might!"


    As if she was forcing herself to sound positive, Wisteria tried her best to cheer herself up.


    This attempt of course  failed, as she knew the risks of her current mission.


    Failing is the least worse thing that can happen to Wisteria if she fails on this mission. As for what is the worst that can happen, even Wisteria is not sure of that.


    "¡­."


    Such fact dampened her mood more, to the point that her worries felt like they were tangible objects.


    "Sigh, what did I do to deserve this mission? I could have done other things, but why this? Argh!! This sucks!"

 Chapter 644 - High Priest!

    If Alex were to be asked about his feelings on the Abyss, it will be hard for him to answer, as he shares a complicated relationship with this realm.


    Most of Alex''s powers actually come from the Abyss Realm, and some of his life-saving techniques were provided to him by the Abyss. He was also the Envoy of the Abyss Realm, a status which grants him a lot of benefits.


    Such benefits are good for those who receives it, and even Alex was glad that he obtained these things.


    But along with the benefits comes a lot of disadvantages too, with ''Corruption'' and ''Untimely Death'' on the top of Alex''s list.


    Such disadvantages, combined with the benefits, makes it impossible for Alex to ascertain his view about the Abyss.


    After all, his own strength and possible demise are tied to the Abyss. There''s no way that even someone as clever as Alex can sort out his emotions regarding this.


    At best, Alex can only think of the Abyss as a cunning merchant, one that he has to use his wits against in order to win.


    In his mind, there is no bad or good relationship between him and the Abyss. Only a transaction-based relationship, one that can end anytime.


    "¡­"


    This has been the major principle inside Alex''s head for the past few years that he had interacted with the Abyss, and even after all the close calls that he had, this view of his never changed.


    "¡­."


    But today, this view of his was put into a challenge.


    ************


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    "¡­.."


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    "¡­."


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    "¡­.."


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    "Argh! Why don''t these noisy people shut up already! It''s been an hour since they started chanting this s***t! When will they even stop!"


    With a face flushed red from extreme anger, Alex seemed to be close to his breaking point as he bellowed these words angrily.


    "Argh! I told these hooded people to stop chanting weird words already, but why are they not listening! Argh! This is irritating me!"


    Alex also appeared to be angered by something, and the spit that flew out of his mouth just made it more apparent.


    "Tsk, when will you all shut up, you hooded s***s? I just arrived here, so please let me rest! My goodness, of all the places that we could have gone, why did we have to appear in this area?"


    Alex seemed to be like a possessed person at this point, as if he was about to lose control over his body. His limbs even began trembling at this time, further signifying the possible breakdown of his motor skills.


    "F**k, f**k, f**k, why don''t you all just shut up!"


    With the way that Alex was showing his anger, it is only a matter of time before he will start getting physical with the objects around him.


    Only a little  more push is needed to make Alex explode in rage, and that push is bound to come anytime.


    "Argh! I said shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"


    "¡­."


    Fortunately for those nearby Alex, there was someone who was able to forcefully calm him down.


    "Alex, I know that you''re pissed now, but please don''t focus your anger on these people. You can see that they are just victims, so don''t treat them like criminals." Alina whispered behind Alex, with her bright red lips hovering over Alex''s neck. This proximity allowed Alina''s hot breath to land on Alex''s skin, making the latter shiver in what appeared to be pleasure.


    ""Please Alex. Open your eyes and look at these people properly¡­"


    Because Alina was standing behind Alex, she was able to also press her slender body on Alex''s back, an action that gave Alex a comfortable, soft sensation behind him.


    "Alex, please calm down and just observe these hooded people. They need your understanding, and not your rage¡­." Alina kept a tight hold on him at this posture, not allowing Alex to even budge by an inch. Even when Alex began to growl, Alina did not let herself be bucked off.


    "Alex, listen to me, and don''t just follow your instincts! If you do, you will just be like these people!"


    "¡­."


    "Alex, don''t give me that look. Focus here, and do what you''re supposed to do!"


    "¡­."


    "Alex, just take some deep breaths. Everything will be fine, so just calm down."


    "¡­."


    "There, there, very good. Very good, Alex."


    "¡­."


    The combination of Alina''s desirable traits and her persuasive words had managed to break Alex off his maddened state, something that made the former visibly sigh in relief.


    "Good. Now, can you talk properly again, Alex?" Once Alex appeared to have lost his inclination to  randomly attack again, Alina loosened her hold on Alex. She then continued talking to him in a low voice, as if she was afraid of riling him up. "And do you still have the proper control over your body? Please answer me with a yes or no."


    "¡­."


    "Alex, answer me."


    "Okay, fine Alina. I can talk properly again. And even if I am still pissed by these irritating people, I still have control over my body. Are you happy now?"  After what seemed to be an eternity, Alex was finally able to talk rationally again, although his voice was still laced with rage. "Or do you still have any questions from me?"


    "No, I don''t have any more questions for you Alex , since you seem pretty calm to me now." Alina did not ask any more questions after that, as she had ascertained Alex''s mental state already. "I think that you''re already good by yourself, so I don''t need to bother you at all¡­"


    "Good. Now, I can go back to observing this place¡­.." With his mind seemingly back to its normal state, Alex did not continue his enraged shouts earlier.


    Instead, he began looking around him, with his eyes seemingly concentrated on the walls and bricks surrounding him and his allies.


    "¡­."


    Alex''s eyes took in all the details that his eyes could see, and he ignored everything else that could be distracting him.


    He ignored Alina who was still looking at him with worry.


    He ignored Delia and Queen Mother, both who stared at Alex with incredulity.


    He ignored Sierra, who was busy on playing with the dumb fairy Asteria.


    And he also ignored the black hooded people kneeling around him, all who were shouting the language of the Abyss Realm through their hoarse voices.


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    All around Alex, 100 black-hooded people could be seen, all who were currently kneeling in front Alex.


    These people wore no clothes at all, and the only thing covering their n.a.k.e.d bodies were their hoods.


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Such appearance made these people look terrifying, but this was not the only thing unsettling about them.


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Ever since Alex has arrived in this area, these hooded people were constantly shouting out chants made up from the language of the Abyss Realm.


    All the horrible sounds and terror-inducing notes of the Abyssal Language was in full display here, and they all seem genuine, going by Alex''s pissed expression.


    This added more to their unsettling factor, and the fact that they showed no signs of stopping made it worse.


    Even when some of these hooded people were already bleeding and some were close to dying, none of them slackened on their chants. They just went on and on, creating a harrowing scene that made even Alina recoil.


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    These chants were the reason why Alex almost went mad earlier, and it was for a good reason.


    After all, who would be happy seeing 100 crazy-looking people kneeling in front of you and suddenly shouting at you with words that came from a malicious place?


    Alex was no saint, and even if he was one, there is no way that he can tolerate what he was experiencing now!


    "Ugh, Alina. Is there no way that you can stop these people from chanting? I need to relax, and they are just making everything worse¡­"  These chants had proven themselves to be effective again, as the calm Alex quickly lost his interest on looking around him.


    He was instead forced to address the hooded people, an action that clearly displeased him.


    "Alex, there is no way that I can just kill these people. After all, they seem¡­ attached to you."  Just like Alex, Alina was also unsettled by the weird scene in front of her.


    But unlike Alex who was enraged, Alina only had a suspicious look on her face, as if she was doubting something about the situation.


    This doubt of hers was made more obvious by her aura, which was felt by everyone nearby.


    "¡­."


    Alex naturally felt this doubt too, and he did not waste any time as  he  quickly pointed it out.


    "Alina, why are you looking at me like that? Is there something wrong?" Alex asked as averted his eyes from the hooded people. "You look like you''re suspicious about something."


    "¡­"


    After Alex asked this question, he quickly made himself forget it, as he thought that it will not bring any consequence to him.


    But unfortunately for Alex, it was this question of his that forced all of his secrets out.


    "Alex, are you sure that these hooded people are hostile to you? Because it looks like they love you a lot¡­" Out of all the questions that Alina could ask, this question was the one that she uttered right now, and it seemed to have been effective on surprising Alex.


    "What? What did you say? These hooded people love me? T-there''s no way that can happen!" Alex blurted out with a rare look of panic, an expression which he quickly replaced with a scowl. "Come on, Alina, this is not a good joke!"


    This change in Alex''s expression was noticed by Alina, who just shook her head in exasperation.


    "You think this is a joke, Alex? Please, what these hooded people are doing is obvious. They were obviously worshipping you." Alina said slyly as she let out a sigh. "Alex, just admit it, these people are attached to-"


    "Hah? You think that these people are attached to me, Alina? How could you say that? I really have nothing to do¡­ with these crazies!"  Alex looked to be offended by Alina''s additional observation, and the anger he''s showing now was just as real as earlier. "Alina, if you say  that I am related to these people one more time, I will be really angry!"


    "Oh really, Alex? You don''t know these people? But look at this place. It reeks with the power of the Abyss. With this kind of power here, there is no way I can just believe you." Alina replied calmly, as if Alex''s rage and threats did no faze her. "Or are you telling me that this is just a coincidence, Alex?"


    "Of course it''s a coincidence, Alina! This is just a coincidence!"


    "Alex, if this is indeed a coincidence, then how can you explain the fact that the power of the Abyss is inside the bodies of these hooded people too?"


    "Um-"


    "Not only did their bodies have the power of the Abyss. They were are all worshipping you too now ,as if you were their god! Can''t you even find this suspicious, Alex?"


    "¡­"


    "If they are not related to you, they why are these people worshipping you now? Explain that please."


    "Come on ALina, they had just mistaken me for someone! There''s no way that they-"


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    Out of nowhere, the hooded people chose to shout out these words in perfect English, with all hints of the Abyss language gone from their mouth.


    Such action made their chants sound less terrifying, but for Alina and the others, this change in language gave them more fright compared to earlier.


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    Although Alina can already understand what these hooded people were saying, what she heard did not make her situation understandable.


    Instead, it just made everything much more confusing.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "Alex, did they just call you the High Priest?" With her eyes twitching from suppressed irritation,  the confused Alina was left with no choice but to interrogate Alex once more. "Because I can understand English, and I can clearly hear them say High Priest¡­"


    "Yes, they did, Alina. They called me the High Priest." Alex did not even dare to be angry at this point. He just sighed lifeleslly, as if all life had been sucked out of his body already. "You heard it round and clear."

 Chapter 645 - Confession

    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    "Alex, are these people serious on what they were saying?" After Alex admitted Alina''s suspicions, the latter just sighed as she knew that she hit the jackpot. "Are they really treating you as their high priest, and are they actually worshipping you?"


    "¡­."


    "Alex, answer me."


    "¡­."


    As much as Alina wanted to not believe what she was hearing, the actions shown by the hooded people confirmed her suspicions.


    All of them were treating Alex as if he was some sort of god, and their extreme devotion just proves it more.


    This revelation alone was enough to make Alina wary of this world, although most of her suspicions now lay on Alex alone.


    "Alex, you can''t get out of my questions anymore, so answer me properly." Alina continued to say, as she knew that she must not stop on questioning Alex. "You know that my eyes can see your lies, so you better say the right answer-"


    "Alina, who cares if these people are worshipping me! I never wanted to be worshipped by these lunatics! I came into this world for a mission, and being head of this¡­ cult is not part of my plans!" Alex answered with certainty, although his wording did not actually tell Alina anything. "There that''s my answer, Alina! Satisfied now?"


    "Alex, you just told me your opinion. What I want are the facts." Alina said flatly, with her eyes still treating Alex with suspicion. "So don''t use your flowery words on me and just say what we need to hear."


    "¡­"


    ********


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Judging by the gestures and actions used by the hooded people, it was apparent that they will not stop on what they were doing.


    Their determination earlier made that already obvious.


    "¡­."


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGHT PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    Because of this unyielding action by these hooded people, both Alex and Alina were feeling all sorts of negative emotions as they were forced to listen.


    "¡­."


    Alex was of course looking extremely pissed, while Alina still retained her suspicious look.


    "¡­."


    The look of anger on Alex''s face made it obvious that he was feeling stressed again, something that made Alina feel pity for him.


    Alex already had enough stress for the past few days, so shouldn''t he deserve some leeway, at least for now?


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    Y???????????????O???????????????V???????????????§ª??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????T??????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????I???????????????A???????????????§Á???????????????????????????????


    If this were just a normal day, then Alina could have stopped interrogating Alex already and just let him rest. With all the things that he had seen here, Alex definitely deserves a good sleep.


    But the actions of these hooded people to Alex is not certainly normal, and it just made her suspicious of Alex.


    If Alex can understand what these hooded people were saying, then why did he not tell it to Alina earlier? Why didn''t he just say that these people were worshipping him?


    Alex was even hiding this fact, and the only reason that it was discovered was when the hooded people reverted to talking in a normal language!


    Such action is worthy of suspicion, and the way that Alex tried to not state any fact just made things worse.


    In this scenario, Alina could only grit her teeth as she knew that Alex was most definitely hiding a secret from them.


    As for what this secret is, it is definitely related to the Abyss.


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    "Alex, I can understand why you are irritated. However, that''s not a good excuse for you to lie. I know for a fact that you are linked with these people, so don''t bother saying anything else. "Alina said as she patted Alex''s shoulders. "Any more lies will just be useless, ok?"


    "¡­."


    Alina''s voice might sound gentle, but the strained smile on her face made it apparent that she won''t be going to take it well if Alex tries to lie to her again.


    "So Alex,  please just tell the truth to me. Who knows, these hooded people could be related to our Main Mission.  Because if that''s the case, then-"


    "Hah? These people? Related to our main mission? There''s no way that can happen!" Alex vehemently denied, even before Alina could finish talking. "T-there''s no way these people can be our Main Mission. That''s just not right, you know? They are just, um, you know-"


    "ALEX, YOU JUST TOLD ME YOUR OPINION AGAIN. WHEN THE F**K WILL YOU REALLY STATE THE TRUTH? COME ON, JUST ADMIT THAT YOU ARE BEING AFFECTED BY THE ABYSS ALREADY! HOW HARD CAN IT BE FOR YOU TO SAY THAT?"


    "-What?"


    The whole temperature inside the room dropped after Alina raised her voice, and it made everyone shiver inside shiver, Alex included.


    This shiver did not come from the cold however, as it was caused by Alina''s potent anger.


    "Alina, I-"


    "Alex, you don''t need to hide it anymore. I am sure of it. You have been corrupted by the Abyss already, right?"  Alina''s voice was dripping with venom as she said this, and it made Alex take one more step back.


    "What, Alina? What are you saying? I can''t-"


    "Tell me Alex, when did the Abyss corrupt you? Was it yesterday, or was it months ago? Come on Alex, tell it to me."


    "Um-"


    "And how deep did the corruption of the Abyss affect you now? I want to know it Alex, so please tell me everything already."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "Alex, this is not the time to be quiet, so-"


    "Alina, you think that I am Corrupted by the Abyss? Hahaha, there is no way that can happen!"  Alex almost shouted as he replied, with the tone of his voice  full of certainty. This made him sound like he was telling the truth, but, but the pale hue on his face just made his claim sound erroneous.


    "¡­."


    "Come on Alina. You can see that I am still fine, right? Come on, you can see it, so don''t think that I have been corrupted!"


    "¡­"


    "Oi Alina, don''t stare at me like I am a poor animal! Promise, I was not corrupted by the Abyss at all! You can ¨C"


    "Alex, there''s no need for you to say anything. Your actions in this place already revealed that you have been corrupted by the Abyss. So please, just shut up." Alina''s voice reverted back to its calm demeanor, although the sharpness of her words did not disappear at all.


    "¡­."


    "My Eyes can see what is happening inside your body, Alex. I can see the evil energy spreading inside you , and I can see what they were doing. I can see all the bad effects that it was doing on you, and I can sense that if that evil energy continues to spread, something worse can happen to you."


    "¡­."


    "Alex, I can see the way that it was killing you, but I did not talk to you about it. You know why? It was because I want you to personally say about your problem! So please Alex, just talk to us properly!"


    "¡­"


    "Alex, please. Don''t keep this by yourself anymore. We''re your companions, so you should trust us."


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    [PRAISE THE HIGH PRIEST, ALEX! PRAISE THE ENVOY!]


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Alex, this is not the time for you to act proud. So please talk to us."


    "¡­"


    "Please."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "Fine, I admit it, Alina.  Something has indeed caused me to be corrupted by the Abyss. Is that answer satisfying enough fo??????r?????????y???o????u??????"

 Chapter 646 - A White Capsule?

    Alex''s confession came out smoother than what Alina expected, but she couldn''t care less of how Alex admitted his secret.


    Now that Alex has spilled what he''s been hiding, Alina will naturally want to make him cough everything up.


    "Alex, since you have admitted that you have been corrupted, perhaps you can talk about how got corrupted in the first place." Alina murmured as she repressed her irritation at Alex. She had decided to just scold him later, once everything had been sorted out." Surely you can do that, right?"


    "Of course I can explain everything to you, but I think that now is not the time." Contrary to what Alina expected, the ''honest'' Alex actually still refused to talk more. "Can we just have this talk later?"


    "What? Are you trying to dodge my questions again Alex? Because if you do, then-"


    "I am not trying to dodge you, Alina. It''s just that we have some visitors here, and they do not come in peace."  Unfazed by Alina''s temper, Alex gave this reply, which on its own was enough to make Alina stop on her tracks. "Surely you don''t want to have a talk with these visitors coming, right?"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­. Tsk,  so that''s what I have been sensing with my Dark Magic since earlier. Damn it, and here I thought I can have some good time with you¡­" Alina did not show any inclination of denying Alex this time, as she herself can verify what he said. "Ugh, why do they have to come here? They''re just bothering us!"


    "¡­."


    Through Alina''s powerful Dark Magic, she can sense approximately around 20 humans, all who were flying straight towards her current location.


    Their power levels varied from Second to Sixth Stages, making them appear as a somewhat powerful group. Alina can also detect presences of powerful weapons and vehicles on this entourage, which just improved their over-all rating.


    Alina was not sure on what these people looked like or what their powers could be, but her Dark Magic can detect the innate hostility and killing intent inside these people.


    "20 powered humans are coming here, and they are interested on the act of  killing." Without waiting for Alex to say anything, Delia gave out this observation of hers. "I am not sure if they are our targets, but it is better for us to be prepared¡­."


    "¡­."


    Alina sounded a little worried at this point, something that is to be expected, given the fact this world has greatly limited her capabilities.


    Alina''s Esper Power, which was her strongest ability, was extremely weakened in this place.


    It was as if the suppression of this world has targeted her Esper Ability alone, and its effects were really devastating.


    All the overwhelming Mental Energy inside Alina''s mind became extinguished like a blown candle, turning them into just useless lumps of energy floating in her mindscape.


    This prevented Alina to easily use most of her Esper Abilities, and the best that she can do now was to slice a small pebble with her space slash.


    Aside from this, her frightening Virtual Body was affected too, as it was  turned into nothing more but a small, emaciated doll. This form made her Virtual Body extremely  weak, and the lack of her Mental Energy just made things worse.


    "¡­"


    Because of this suppression, the only powers that Alina were able to use were her Dark Magic and Chronomancy, two powers which were surprisingly doing well in this world.


    Her Chronomancy can be said to be just a bystander, as it did not receive any change in this world. It did not get weaker, and it did not get stronger.  It was just there, waiting to be used by Alina.


    As for her Dark Magic, its situation was opposite of her Esper Power. It actually received a boost, and a rather large one at that.


    More specifically, her Dark Magic became twice as powerful as what it should originally be.


    Such boost was able to offset Alina''s disappointment in her Esper Power, although she was still not that happy with her situation.


    Yes, her Dark Magic might be twice as powerful now, but that does not make her situation better.


    After all, her enemies could have a better power in this place¡­


    "¡­."


    ************


    Since Alina''s power was affected by this world, there is a high possibility that the powers of her allies were affected too.


    Alina of course has no idea on how affected her allies were, but she has a hypothesis on what of her allies'' powers ''could'' have been affected.


    "Since my scientific power was suppressed in this world, then this world is a world catering to fantasy-related powers." Alina discreetly thought to herself as her eyes observed Alex and the others silently. "That is the reason why my Chronomancy and Dark Magic were accepted here."


    "However, this world is not strictly for fantasy powers. If my thinking is right, this world is more aligned to fantasy powers with ''Evil effects''" Alina added to her mind as she frowned. "That''s could explain why my neutral Chronomancy was just normal, while my ''evil'' Dark Magic was boosted greatly."


    "Hmm¡­ if that''s the truth, then Queen Mother''s abilities will just be ok. Professor Frances will be fine too, and she might even get some boost here. As for Alex, it is obvious that only his Abyss and Immortal Powers will be working here¡­ Alex''s Immortal Power will just be normal, since it is neutral. But as for his Abyss Magic, I think it will be a different case."


    "¡­Since Alex''s Abyss Magic was extremely evil, there is a possibility that its power was not just doubled. It could actually have been tripled or even quadrupled! F**k, if that''s the truth, then things are really bad!"


    At this point, even the normally calm Alina could not help but be worried from the discovery that she made.


    There is no way that Alina can be happy now, even if she knew that Alex''s powers could have been boosted too.


    How could she be happy, when it was Alex''s Abyss Power that was boosted?


    Alex just straight-up admitted that he was corrupted by his Abyss Magic, and now there is a possibility that this power was actually boosted in this world?


    No matter which way one looked at it, Alex''s situation is really bad!


    And the fact that Alina has no idea on how to solve Alex''s situation just made this worse!


    But what can Alina do now? Would she just demand Alex to stop using his powers and do his best to suppress himself?


    No, Alina cannot do that.


    She was already familiar Alex''s attitude, and she knew that if she tries to suppress him, it will just make things worse.


    The best that Alina can do now was to  let Alex do his own thing, and just try to resolve his dilemma once things had settled down.


    ************


    "Alex, I don''t like your way of dodging my questions, but in this situation, I wholeheartedly agree with what you''re saying." Alina had no choice but to say these words, as this was the only proper way to deal with Alex right now. "We have to deal with these visitors, or else things will just get messy."


    "You don''t need to tell it to me twice, Alina. I have been prepared for these visitors since earlier, so I could fix this situation much faster than what you expected!" Alex shouted out eagerly, making his intention to fight noticeable. "Just watch from the sidelines, Alina. I will be beating these visitors up before you can even finish counting!"


    "¡­."


    The bright tone in Alex''s voice made it apparent that he was happy with Alina''s decision to let him fight, but his happiness just made Alina feel more worried inside.


    "Hey Alex, why don''t you let me fight with you too? That way, we can-"


    "Sorry Alina, but my Abyss Sprites are raring to fight.  So please be quiet, my love."


    "What? Did you just call me-"


    "Shhh¡­.. Can you feel it, Alina? Can you feel the excitement of my Abyss Sprites? They have been long imprisoned inside my body, and today was the first day that they can come out!"


    "Hey Alex! Stop grinning crazily like that! If you do, you will just-"


    "Thunk!"


    Before Alina could continue her tense chat with Alex, a large, white, elongated capsule the size of a human body  suddenly landed in front of her.


    The size and  the absurd appearance of this capsule was enough to silence Alina, and she appeared to have lost her words as she stared at the capsule''s sleek body and elongated shape.


    "What the?"


    The sudden appearance of this capsule alone was enough to surprise her, but it was what happened next that made things interesting.


    "Shua~"


    Just a few nanoseconds after it apepraed, the capsule''s body split open like a sliced mango, revealing a pulsating  ball of pure energy in its core.  This ball did not show any hints of it being dangerous, but its presentation has certainly made Alina wary of it.


    "Thun thun. Thun thun."


    All the colors present in the universe seemed to exist on the energy ball''s body, creating a pulsating light display that made it look beautiful. It was so beautiful, that the usually picky Asteria began to cheer upon seeing the ball.


    "Thun thun. Thun thun."


    This ball appeared nothing like any other, and even Alina can say that this is the first time that she had seen something like this.


    "Thun thun. Thun thun."


    With this kind of thing presented to her, Alina naturally felt curious, and she began to have the desire to obtain it.


    Alina knew that if she had some time in her hands, then she could have used this time to make more sense of this ball of energy.


    She just needs a few seconds with her All-Seeing Eyes, and she''s confident that she can discover the essence of this ball.


    "Thun thun. Thun thun."


    Unfortunately for Alina, she won''t be able to do anything else to the energy ball from this point.


    "BOOM!"


    Without any warning, the ball of energy suddenly exploded, bringing a fearful blast of deadly energy that  quickly covered the whole area.


    Fire, lightning, gamma rays, gravitational blasts, dark matter, and many more exotic types of materials and energy were released in this explosion, creating an effect that was way beyond what a normal bomb can do.


    "Wishoo!"


    The whole building that Alina was standing in has evaporated in a flash due to the explosion, and all the tiles on the floor disappeared as if they were carved out from space.


    Speaking about ''space''¡­. it was also affected by the blast, as countless distortions and holes in space were present at the moment. It took as much as a few minutes before these distortions disappeared, although their damage was already done.


    "¡­."


    Nothing was spared from this explosion, including the hooded worshippers, who were all torn into burning pieces from the extreme power of the blast.


    As for Alex and his companions, their presence seemed to have disappeared after the explosion, which is obviously not a good news.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    And as if the sudden disappearance of Alex and his allies were not enough, three more explosions came out from the energy ball, which just added more damage to the already-cratered ground.

 Chapter 647 - Church, House, and Temple

    With the strength and frightening power unleashed by the three consecutive explosions, it was already an inevitability that the whole area will be silent.


    There is nothing else in this area that can make a sound after all, not with the extent of the explosions.


    "¡­."


    But amongst the scattered ashes and countless fires, a small voice could be heard, echoing out quite nicely on the desolate crater.


    "Did we get them?"


    The voice, which was both high-pitched and nasal in nature, was full of curiosity, as if its speaker was trying to discover something.


    "Hey father, did our bombs work? We have to be sure, or else our enemies could run away¡­"


    Such quality of voice was already irritating on its own, but the sense of nagging that its speaker had implied just made it sound much more aggravating.


    "Hey father! Don''t just stand there and stare at the ground! Let''s go in and scour for survivors!"


    The owner of this voice was not Alex, neither his allies.


    Instead, the voice came from a small 13-year-old kid, whose face did not show any signs of maturity.


    "Hey father! Let''s move out!"


    This kid was currently riding on top of a flying disk, a vehicle which allowed him to float above the area of the explosion.


    Such proximity allowed some of the smoke on the area to waft towards the kid, although he just swatted them away like flies.


    "Hey father, don''t be an idiot there! Let''s start moving!"


    This kid, who showed no indication of being serious, was continuously shouting out these words while staring down at the area of the explosion.


    His small eyes held no sense of innocence in it, as he seemed to treat the whole cratered area below him as nuisance.


    "Father¡­. Please start your job! I can''t wait anymore!"


    The kid was wearing a pure- white robe embroidered with the design of birds, along with a wide-hipped pants that flowed freely along the wind.


    A small fedora lined with metal edges could be seen on top of the kid''s head,  and there was also a small shawl wrapped on his neck.


    The combination of these clothes made the kid look somewhat ridiculous, but the people standing near him did not treat him that way.


    Instead, the kid was being treated with respect and deference, a treatment that is only  suited for a king.


    "Hey father! How long will you stay standing like that? Let''s go and look for survivors already!"


    As the kid continued to say these words, he began to impatiently stomp, an action that caused the floating disk he was riding on to wobble a little.


    [Wobble wobble¡­]


    "Ah father, what is wrong with my disk? Why did it not offset my stomps? This is useless!"


    This small kid might look weak, but that stomp of his held enough power to destroy a block of metal.


    Such power is enough to destroy normal materials, but luckily for the kid, his flying disk had managed to hold up to his stomp.


    But even then, the kid seemed to still be extremely disappointed.


    "Tsk, father. I think you should give me a new disk already. This one sucks!"


    "¡­."


    With the demeanor and attitude shown by this kid, it is hard for anyone to treat him well, as what he was doing was just too much for his age.


    But just like what happened earlier, the people accompanying the kid did not react adversely to his attitude.


    "Young Master Han, there is no need for you to come down. It is my job to confirm the deaths, so please stay still." Behind the kid, an old man with a beard as long as a spear gave this answer.


    His voice sounded full of respect, and there was no sense of animosity on him as he continued conversing with the kid. "You will just dirty your clothes if you come down Young Master Han¡­."


    "Hah? Who cares if I dirty my clothes? I have never been in this place before, so I want to venture it! Or do you think I am weak for these things?" The kid, who had been called as Young Master Han, seem to be unhappy with what the old man just told him.


    He even scowled at the old man, a gesture that showed his displeasure. "Father, I am already stronger than you, so let me go down too!"


    "Young Master Han, you may be the current master of our clan, but I cannot allow you to just do what you want. Who knows, there is a chance that a trap is waiting for us below. I cannot allow you to be in such danger, so please just stay here." The old man appeared to be hurt upon seeing Young Master Han''s expression, but that did not deter him from stopping him. "I will go down by myself, ok?"


    "Tsk, why do I even have to listen to you? You may be my father, but I am the current clan master! Shouldn''t my words be followed too?" Young Master Han''s unhappiness had visibly increased after the continuous denials of his father, and it made him look even angrier than ever. "Yes, my words should be followed, so-"


    "Young Master Han. Even though you are the current clan master, you are still a kid. As such, there are matters that you cannot decide on your own. One such matter is your security¡­" The old man  replied nonchalantly, as he seemed unfazed under the kid''s menacing glare.


    "My security? But father-"


    "Young Master Han¡­. As long as you have not reached the ripe age of 15 years old, all the matters pertaining to your security shall be handled by yours truly, your father. So as much as you want to go down, I cannot allow it."


    "Aw¡­."


    "Don''t be sad, Young Master Han. I reckon that nothing interesting will happen when I go down. Our targets are dead anyway, so this will be fast."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "Tsk, fine. Go by yourself, father. But if you see anything good, you must give it to me, okay?"


    "I promise that, Young Master Han."


    "Good! Now get moving!"


    "As you wish, Young Master."


    "¡­."


    ***********


    Finally, the argument between the old man and Young Master Han was finally resolved.


    It might have wasted few precious minutes, but as long as the Young Master was satisfied, anyone could have done what the old man did.


    "Whoosh!"


    With his baggage now ''free of its load'' the old man was finally able to do his job, which was to scour the explosion crater for any signs of life present in it.


    Such job was a menial task for the old man, but it was one that he takes seriously¡­.


    "Sigh, my son is still as stubborn as before. I wonder when he will get to be a mature person? I wish it will happen sooner already¡­" The old man thought to himself as he descended to the crater, which was still full of flames and scattered lightning.


    The sight of these rampant energy made the old man frown, but he ignored it as he focused his senses on detecting life.


    "Klak!"


    Out of his pocket, the old man drew out a small scanner-like device, one which emitted countless laser lights from its edge.


    These laser lights were currently shot out by the old man towards his surroundings, an action that was reminiscent of a cashier scanning a barcode.


    Of course the old man was no doing such thing, as this device was meant for something else.


    "Let''s see, let''s see. According to my servants, they were able to detect around 100+ people huddled in this place. All of these people emanate the power of the Abyss, so that makes them a viable target." The old man murmured to himself as he continued sweeping the device around him.


    "My servants did not tell me how powerful these people are, but considering that they are gathered inside an Abyss Temple, they are most likely just mortals corrupted by the Abyss. With that kind of power, it is impossible for them to survive the ''Sunrise'' bomb that we unleashed here¡­"


    "Yes, there should be no one alive in this place anymore¡­"


    Although he was highly sure that there was no one else left alive in this area, the old man did not stop on sweeping his scanner around him.


    He has to be 100% sure that nobody was alive here, as he knew that failing on his task will just make it worse for him.


    "Sigh¡­"


    Although the old man was doing his job properly, his expression did not show that he was happy with what he was doing.


    Instead, the old man appeared to be full of resentment, as if he was unsatisfied with today''s events.


    "Sigh, why does an Abyss Temple have to appear here in our country? This temple could have appeared near the Blighted Plains or near the Void Sea. But no, it appeared near our clan! Argh, this sucks!"


    The old man did not hide any resentment on his voice as he let out this curse, one which he was obviously alluding to the Abyss. He even spat on the ground at the utterance of the ''Abyss'' as if it was a vile thing to be said.


    "Tsk, I should have been playing a nice game of chess with my friends, but now I am forced to work here! Tsk, the Abyss is really irritating!"


    Just by basing on his words alone, the old man seem to harbor a large anger against the Abyss. But as for why he was actually angry against the Abyss, the old man did not explain it.


    He just continued scanning the area around him, which was already 80% completed at this point.


    "Ugh, I swear once I am done in this place, I will resume hunting the remaining Acolytes of the Abyss Temple in my territory! That will be the only way that I can be happy today!" The old man uttered as he let out a sadistic grin. "Yes, I will hunt down every single one of them!"


    His whole body then  trembled in excitement, as if he was thrilled with his latest idea. "Hehehe, that damned Abyss Temple had been kidnapping a lot of our residents for the past year, so for the members of the Abyss Temple to suffer is just proper!"


    [Wobble wobble¡­]


    His scanner slightly wobbled at this point, as if the scanner was resonating with the old man''s feelings. The old man did not notice this, as he became more and more immersed with what he was saying.


    "Hehehe, I don''t care what the Holy Order Church or the Goetic House was saying. The Abyss Temple must be eradicated, and I will make sure that it will not rise again!"

 Chapter 648 - The Disk and the Leech

    The old man continued to frolic in his fantasies even when his scanner was already 100% complete, and he could have continued imagining things were if not for this son.


    "Father, did you find anyone?" Young Master Han sounded impatient while uttering this question, and he did not hide the rudeness in his voice, as if this was already a normal thing for him. "You''ve been standing there for a minute already. Isn''t that too much time to do a scanning?"


    "No, Young Master Han. I did not find anyone. My scanner is indicating¡­ that nobody survived our attack." With this kid''s loud words, the old man was pulled back to reality, although he looked somewhat unhappy with the sudden disturbance. "Our attack was a success, so you don''t need to worry anymore, Young Master."


    "Is that true, Father? Hmm¡­ so our bombs are  actually this powerful. Hehehe, that''s good to know, Father! With these bombs with us, nobody can defeat us! Hahaha! We will be the best family! Hahaha! Best family!"


    "Yes, our bombs are all powerful, Young Master Han." The old man looked somewhat irritated by Young Master Han''s gloating face, but he did his best to hide this irritation through a small smile of his. "The business of our family is related to weaponry after all, so for us to reach this progress is to be expected. In fact, there are even more-"


    "Hehehe, Father, I command you to give me more of these bombs! I¡­ I want to use it for recreational experience!"


    "Young Master, the bombs are a special weapon that can be only used by our military division. You''re still not at the right age to even touch them, so you cannot use them."


    "What? But I am the Clan Master! Shouldn''t I be allowed to touch these bombs?"


    "Young Master, no means no. You are still young, so there will be no touching of weapons for you. If you dare break this rule, I will have no choice but to punish you as a parent."


    "Aww¡­ is that so¡­"


    "Yes, that''s the case, Young Master. Now, will you still try touching the bombs?"


    "¡­No."


    "Good, very good, Young Master."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    The old man looked very much closer to lashing out in anger at this point, but he was able to still hold on, a feat which can be just praised as miraculous.


    The other people flying beside Young Master Han seem to share the same sentiment, as all of them gave the old man both pitying and praising looks from their eyes.


    They were clearly awed by the old man''s temperance, and the way that he manages to stop himself from blowing up on Young Master Han.


    After all, the very notion of staying calm in face of Young Master Han is extremely hard to achieve.


    For the old man to be able to stay his calm everyday  and every night was already a testament to his sheer will and great tenacity.


    In fact, if it weren''t for the presence of the bratty kid, these people would have started praising the old man already.


    "¡­"


    The old man naturally noticed these emotional stares, but he did not show indication of appreciating these gazes.


    He just retained his smiling expression while he stood below the floating Young Master Han.


    ""Young Master Han¡­ There is nothing else that we can do in this place, so why don''t we just go back to the Ancestral Grounds already?" The old man brightly asked to his kid as he pocketed his scanning device.


    "Klak!" This action of his was noticed by everyone, and it made them perk up, as they knew that their time to leave was already nigh.


    "Young Master Han, there are still some few minutes before lunch, so we better rush back to reach the Ancestral Grounds." The old man uttered as he maintained his modulate voice, and he even added a trace of bragging in it. "Who knows, you might even see Chef Neko inside the kitchen today¡­."


    "What did you say, Father? Chef Neko could be inside the Ancestral Grounds today? Good, good, good! Let''s go back now and chase her!" Young Master Han seem to have forgotten his interests on bombs and corpses already, as his mind was now focused on the topic of food alone.


    The kid was even drooling, which made his hunger more obvious. "What are we waiting for, Father? Let''s leave this stinky area and look for Chef Neko!"


    "Yes, Yes, yes, Young Master Han. Let''s look for that cat already¡­."


    "Hahaha! Neko neko neko! We will catch that cat today! Hahaha!"


    "¡­"


    With the temptation that was uttered out by the old man, Young Master Han did not dare linger on this area anymore.


    He quickly flew away  on top of his disk, with his disk releasing enough power to accelerate his body to its peak speed.


    "Woosh!!!"


    Such speed created trails of steam along the kid''s tracks, something that made Young Master Han feel somewhat c.o.c.ky.


    He did not  look back on his followers as he left, and he even taunted them to catch up with him.


    "Hey, what''s with you slowpokes? Catch me if you can! The last one who reaches the Ancestral Grounds will be punished, so hurry your asses up!"


    "!!!"


    Once he had left, the others accompanying him began to fly away too, as what he announced had forced them all to move.


    "Whoosh woosh woosh!"


    The mass exodus of these flying disks created more trails of steam in the sky, which at this point, had produced enough steam to cover the area above the crater.


    Such amounts of steam turned the air above the old man  foggy, but of course, the old man did not give any s**t about this.


    "Sigh, I should be dealing with the issues regarding the Three Religions, but here I am, catering to my only child. Tsk, how could I have gotten myself in this situation?" The old man could only sigh as he saw his son''s flamboyant fashion, and he felt fear for the future, especially with the way that his son acted.


    "Sigh, I hope my son really gets mature early¡­"


    The old man did not say anything else at this point, as he had decided to  leave the area already.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    *********


    And with that, the whole operation ''Sunrise'' had succeeded.


    The ''Sunrise Orb'' that they unleashed here in the Marshy Plains had perfectly detonated, and it easily destroyed the small Abyss Temple  that it was dropped on.


    Everyone targeted in this area was also killed, and the old man''s scanner has confirmed it too.


    Or so what he thought.


    "¡­"


    Unbeknownst to the old man, there was a small, leech-like creature currently  attached on his back right now.


    "Bzzt¡­."


    This leech had countless legs present on its body, which it all used to stick tightly on the old man''s clothes.  The crazy amount of these legs is enough to make the leech look terrifying, although there was nobody present that seem to see its appearance¡­


    "Bzzt¡­."


    This creature''s origin was unknown, but it only appeared and attached itself to the old man when he had begun scanning the explosion crater.


    "Bzzt¡­."


    The old man seems to have not noticed the presence of this leech at all, even when it was attached to his back already. He also did not hear the leech''s small squeaks as it adjusted itself.


    And even  when this leech began emitting light signals on its tail, the old man still have not noticed it!


    "Pi pi pi!"


    The light signals were composed of all the colors of the rainbow, and each signal was made from the combination of 3-4 colors. Red-Orange-Green,  Blue-Green-Indigo-Red, and Yellow-Green-Blue are some of the combinations that can be seen on this display.


    The combination of these colors has created a beautiful light show on the leech''s tail, something that will make anyone want to see it.


    But the way that the light signals appeared made it apparent that these signals were  not here as a form of display.


    The light signals came out in an orderly manner, as if they were some kind of code.


    Yes, a code.


    A code, which was seemingly made up from the patterns of the light flashes and the colors present on it.


    "Pi pi pi!"


    If these series of light flashes were indeed a code, it will still not matter to the old man, as he had no idea that such things were flashing in his back right now.


    "Ah, my son was already 10 kilometers way from me! S**t, if I let him go on, I will be really  left behind!"


    The old man was more worried about his young master''s announcement,  as such, he did not care about anything else.


    He just left the area quickly without any more precautions, with his flying disk pushing him to his top speed.


    "Woosh!"


    This action of his allowed the leech to be brought along with him, a scenario that maybe he should not have allowed to happen.


    "Pi pi pi!"


    But what''s done is done, so the old man will just have to live with the consequences later.


    *****************


    10 minutes later.


    With the departure of the old man and his companions, the whole explosion crater became silent again, with only the roars of the winds and the occasional laps of flames creating the sounds.


    This harrowing silence has begun to turn the whole place into a haunted area, which has been a norm already for all the places attacked by the old man.


    "¡­"


    But just 10 minutes after the old man left, some ''interesting'' sounds began to fill the whole place.


    Sounds, which any normal person can recognize as produced by human voices.


    "Hey, are they gone already, Alex?"


    "They already left 10 minutes ago, Alina. I just made sure that they won''t come back so that there will be no problem."


    "Huh? 10 minutes ago? Tsk, my measurement was off by a minute then."


    "Hah? What are you talking about Alina? What''s with this measuring thing? Shouldn''t you be sleeping now? That explosion took a lot out of you, right?"


    "Shut up, Alex! I was just surprised by that explosion!"


    "You''re surprised, Alina? Well, that''s a proper reaction. After all, even I did not expect the power hidden inside that bomb¡­."


    "¡­."


    Two voices could be heard all throughout the explosion crater, with one belonging to a man and the other belonging to a woman.


    Both voices sounded full of strain, as if the speakers were struggling to talk at this point.


    "Tsk, shouldn''t all science-related powers be restrained in this world, Alex? Why did that bomb appear then? And it was a powerful bomb to boot! This is just confusing me!"


    "Alina, if you''re confused, then I am confused too. So don''t complain like that to me."


    "¡­."


    The source where these two voices come from is hard to detect, as it seemed to come from everywhere.


    This is of course impossible, but with the speakers not revealing themselves at all, there is no perfect way to pinpoint them.


    "Tsk, so what should we do now, Alex? If it were me, I would definitely start investigating already."


    "Yeah, investigating. That''s great."


    "Alex, please don''t sound that uninterested."


    "No, I am not uninterested Alina, I was just-"


    "Alex,  we need to know everything about this world, as it is clearly dangerous! We were almost injured just because of that bomb, and it''s obviously not worst thing here! So don''t think that we can just hide everytime! So please, let''s go and investi-


    "There''s no need for you to ask me that, Alina. I am already investigating."


    "You have begun investigating? How-"


    "Did you see Professor Frances'' latest creation? The Leech King? I attached one of it on the old man''s back when he was not looking earlier. Pretty neat, right?"


    "Eh? That leech?  But Alex, isn''t that-"


    "Nah uh uh, Alina. I already attached it, so you can''t do anything about it"


    "¡­."


    "Hehehe¡­ now all that  we have to do is to receive that leech''s message, and our investigation will be quick!"

 Chapter 649 - Interlude: AI-Written script and No Announcement

    The usual speed that I write my chapters  were usually around 1.5 hours.


    But it took me 3 hours to write the last chapter.


    Something''s definitely wrong there, and I think it''s becuase my mind is exhausted.


    So I have to rest my mind today, or else my writing will just look bad....


    Next chap will come out tomorrow....


    **********


    I tried dabbling on computer written-scripts, so here''s one for y''all. Pardon me if it looks bad...


    ***************


    MULTIVERSE


    Maybe we live in a universe above a universe above a universe and so on to infinity.


    Perhaps we even live in a universe of universes in which every possible outcome of anything can occur because all probabilities exist in their own universe.


    This is exactly what some physicists find so annoying about the multiverse and other seemingly untestable doozies like string theory with its diverse dimensions that we have no hope of seeing them.


    Meta-universe theory) is a group of models that assume that our physical reality comprises more than one universe, i.e.H. That there is at least one universe other than ours.


    Some of these models suggest that our physical reality spans an infinite number of universes, while others postulate that we live in a multiverse with a finite number of universes.


    Most multiverse theories imply that universes, currently or in the past, cannot be clearly identified by their macroscopic state, i.e.


    Therefore, an infinite number of such fluctuations implies a huge multiverse of infinitely many universes.


    On the other side of the multiverse scale is the global interpretation of quantum mechanics (also known as the quantum multiverse).


    In particular, we proposed a model for a macroscopically reversible universe without having to use an infinite number of parallel universes.


    Other types of multiverses can be treated in the same way, and in fact the existence of initial and final boundary conditions for a multiverse should dramatically reduce the number of possible universes in the multiverse: regardless of the dynamics when the final state of the multiverse develops backwardsTime it must be compatible with any previous condition.


    The quilted multiverse provides a theoretical probabilistic approach to the existence of events before the event horizon in our physical reality.


    Within the quilted multiverse, the event horizon includes events that occur infinitely often and are duplicated in an infinite number of universes that can be finite or infinite.


    The main argument for this type of multiverse with different physical constants is that we would have different spontaneous symmetry breaks and therefore different physics for different universes.


    We also emphasize that the quilted multiverse differs from the inflationary multiverse.


    If you show Rick and Morty or just a connoisseur of modern physics theories, you may know a thing or two about multiverse theory.


    It suggests the idea that there are actually an infinite number of universes known as multiverse.


    If there is anyone doing this, please comment below so we can prove the multiverse theory once and for all.


    Cosmologists mostly study this inflationary version of the multiverse, but the strange scenario can take other forms.


    But all of these other universes could be beyond our scientific reach.


    By definition, a universe contains everything that everyone can see, recognize, or examine inside.


    And how they will do that and whether it is even possible remains an open question.


    The universe is everything that ever existed, everything that exists, and everything that will ever exist.


    Whatever the true nature of the universe, our ability to collect information about it is fundamentally limited.


    Even though the entire universe itself may be infinite, the observable universe is limited.


    However, according to the guiding principles of theoretical physics, our universe can only be a tiny region of a much larger multiverse that contains many universes, perhaps even an infinite number.


    The well-known magazine asked Donoghue about the importance of the multiverse, the questions of anthropic thinking and the argument that the idea of ??a multiverse is not scientific.


    At least for me, the multiverse is the notion that, physically speaking, outside of the area in which we are, there are areas of the universe that have properties other than local.


    The structure of the standard model is determined by a principle of symmetry.


    After all, we want them to be predicted by another theory.


    The existence of parallel universes seems to be something that was invented by science fiction authors and is of little relevance to modern theoretical physics.


    The race is now about finding a way to test the theory, including searching the sky for signs of collisions with other universes.


    It is important to remember that the multiverse perspective is not a theory, but rather a consequence of our current understanding of theoretical physics.


    Instead, the idea that the universe may be one of an infinite number derives from current theories such as quantum mechanics and string theory.


    In recent decades, advances in cosmology have implied (but have not proven) the existence of a multiverse.


    In particular, the theory referred to as inflation suggests that, right after the Big Bang, space swelled quickly for a short period of time and then expanded more slowly, creating a huge space bubble in which the Earth, the Sun, the Milky Way and billions of others weregalaxies live today.


    When this inflationary theory of cosmology is true, big bangs often came about, creating numerous other space bubbles like our universe.


    In 1924 Edwin Hubble reported that some of these fuzzy nebulas like Andromeda were actually island universes as large as the Milky Way.


    In the 1980s, a new explanation for the emergence of this universe, inflationary cosmology, revived the multiverse question in a new way.


    *************


    RELIGION


    The Buddha (siddhartha gautama) never claimed to be divine, but is viewed by Buddhists as what they want to achieve, namely spiritual enlightenment and thus freedom from the constant cycle of life and death.


    Most Buddhists believe that a person has countless rebirths, which inevitably include suffering.


    Buddhists follow a list of religious principles and adhere to personal restraint, fasting and very committed meditation.


    Buddhism offers something that applies to most major religions: disciplines, values, and guidelines that people want to live by.


    Most world religions place an individual on themselves and strive for spiritual perfection.


    In Hinduism, a person tries to free himself from karma on his own.


    In Buddhism it is an individual search to be free of desire.


    And in Islam the individual follows religious laws in order to reach paradise after death.


    Islam teaches that there is a supreme deity that is worshiped through good deeds and disciplined religious rituals.


    After death, a person is rewarded or punished according to their religious devotion.


    Muslims believe that entering your life for Allah is a sure way to enter paradise.


    Religious practices can include rituals, sermons, remembrance or worship (of deities), offerings, festivals, feasts, trances, initiations, marriages, meditations, prayers, music, art, dance, worship, or other aspects of human culture.


    Religions have sacred stories and narratives that can be stored in scriptures, symbols, and sacred sites and are primarily aimed at giving meaning to life.


    Religions can include symbolic stories that are sometimes called true by followers and have the purpose of explaining the origin of life, the universe, and other things.


    Unitarian universalism is a religion that is characterized by the support of a free and responsible search for truth and meaning and has no accepted creed or theology.


    Noahidism is a monotheistic ideology based on the seven laws of Noah and their traditional interpretations in rabbinical Judaism.


    Scientology teaches that humans are immortal beings who have forgotten their true nature.


    Inuit beliefs are a form of shamanism (see below) based on animistic principles of the Inuit or Eskimo people.


    Kirant: the belief system of the Kirat, a people who mainly live in the Himalayas of Nepal.


    It is primarily a form of polytheistic shamanism, but includes elements of animism and ancestral worship.


    Pagan is a collective term used to describe many unrelated beliefs in history, usually related to religions outside the Abrahamic category (monotheistic beliefs such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam).


    In 2015, more than 100 countries and territories have no official or preferred religion.


    The oldest religion in the world is considered Hinduism, which dates back to around 7,000 BC.


    Judaism is the next oldest and dates from around 2000 BC.BC, followed by Zoroastrianism, which in the 6th century BCIt was officially founded in Persia.However, its roots go back to 1500 BC.BC Back.


    But at regular intervals new religious movements such as copimism, an Internet religion, the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster or Pastafarianism (officially recognized by the New Zealand government but not by the Netherlands) and Terasem, a trans-religion that considers death optional and God, are emergingis technological.


    Another educational factor associated with religious knowledge is teaching in world religions.


    For Christians, knowledge of the Bible and Christianity is closely related to the effort that respondents put into learning their faith and religious background.


    Christians who say they regularly spend time learning their own religion (e.g., reading scriptures, visiting websites, listening to podcasts, reading books or magazines, or watching TV) answer more questions about the Bible and ChristianityCorrect than those who say so Try to learn less about your belief less frequently (9.4 out of 14 questions versus 6.8).


    The survey also found that Christians who attended private religious school in childhood answered an average of 9.4 Bible and Christian questions correctly.


    Christians who have spent many years in Sunday school or have attended a similar type of religious education (e.g. CCD for Catholics) correctly answer more questions about the Bible and Christianity than Christians who have never attended Sunday school.


    The survey did not include enough interviews with Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus or other religions to provide a reliable analysis of the relationship between their religious upbringing and knowledge of their respective religions.


    The survey included a series of questions that asked respondents whether they personally know someone who is Evangelical, Catholic, Mormon, Jewish, Muslim, Atheist, Buddhist, Hindu, or Protestant.


    Respondents who know someone who belongs to a religious group tend to answer more questions about that religion correctly.


    The cognitive science of religion is the study of religious thought and behavior from the perspective of the cognitive and evolutionary sciences.


    The field uses methods and theories from a very wide range of disciplines, including: cognitive psychology, evolutionary psychology, cognitive anthropology, artificial intelligence, cognitive neuroscience, neurobiology, zoology and ethology.


    Scientists in the field are trying to explain how the human mind acquires, generates, and transmits religious thoughts, practices, and schemes using ordinary cognitive skills.


    **************


    DEATH


    Where a line is drawn between life and death depends on factors that go beyond the presence or absence of vital functions.


    in general, clinical death is neither necessary nor sufficient to determine legal death.


    A patient with a functioning heart and lungs who has been diagnosed with brain death can be declared legally dead without clinical death.


    If persistence is determined by maintaining certain psychological characteristics, the loss of those characteristics represents death.


    Severe dementia can destroy many psychological traits without destroying the mind.


    But people sometimes survive the destruction of the mind, such as when the cerebrum dies, but the brain stem does not, leaving an individual in a constant vegetative state.


    Transformation would only be death if identity were entirely a question of preserving (most) of our psychological characteristics over time.


    Even if our persistence depends on our psychological characteristics, transformation does not have to be death, since transformation is consistent with the gradual, continuous change in our psychological characteristics.


    If we could live indefinitely, the phases of our lives would be less connected, but they could be continuous, which is a trait that is important to the way of survival that most of us appreciate.


    Our thoughts then turn to death and we decide that it is bad: the better life is, the better, the more life would be and the worse death.


    At this point, we run the risk of condemning the human condition, which includes life and death, on the grounds that it has a tragic side, namely death.


    It will help some if we remember that our situation also has a good side.


    In fact, our condemnation of death here is based on the assumption that more life would be good.


    Death ..., the most terrible evil, is not for us, because if we are, death has not come, and if death comes, we are not.


    In terms of timing, there seem to be two possible solutions, since death follows life directly: either death hurts victims during their lifetime or later.


    If we choose the second solution, we appear to face the subject''s problem directly because we assume that we will not exist after we are alive and will not harm anyone.


    We also have the problem of specifying damage that could be caused by a non-existent person.


    We could object to the state of death because when we are dead it becomes true for us that we have desires that remain unfulfilled.


    But instead of saying that it is uncomfortable to be dead, it is better to say otherwise if we find that the state of death is simply the state of nonexistence triggered by the event of death.


    Perhaps it is powerless to be dead to harm us, because any harm that could be connected is and is caused by death itself, who is responsible for it, the duration of our life and everything related to itis bound to limit.


    Epicurus would probably admit that anticipating death is a bad thing if it upsets us.


    However, he emphasizes that our (present) foresighted fear is not caused by our (future) death, since future events cannot affect the past.


    Therefore, the fear of death according to the pain criterion is no reason to believe that death is harmful.


    Death itself can be a safe event, so that death and at least a lot of disadvantage can occur at the same time.


    Similar considerations could support the simultaneous story of when posthumous events hurt us, because like death, posthumous events ensure that we cannot get to goods that we would otherwise have had, such as that we were not slandered afterwards.


    The result is a unified story about when death and posthumous events harm us.


    English language, blessing directed at a dead person includes rest in peace or its initialization tear.


    Much of it is about caring for the dead, life after death, and body disposal at the beginning of death.


    The removal of human corpses generally begins at the last office before a significant amount of time has passed, and ritual ceremonies take place frequently, most often burial or cremation.


    Legal aspects of death are also part of many cultures, particularly the settlement of the deceased estate and inheritance tax, and in some countries inheritance tax.


    The belief in permanent loss of consciousness after death is often referred to as eternal oblivion.


    The belief that the flow of consciousness remains after physical death is called the term life after death.


    Neither is likely to be confirmed without the viewer actually having to die.


    If I slip into a temporary coma that excludes my suffering from injuries that were caused to me in a car accident, the coma will benefit me, even if it does not give me pleasure or other goods.


    Surely death can benefit us in the same way that anesthesia and loss of consciousness can.


    Like numbness and loss of consciousness, death can harm us by preventing us from living well.


    Williams believes categorical desires are essential to identity and make sense of life.


    The connection with death, according to Williams, is that people have good reason to condemn premature death that frustrates their categorical desires.

 Chapter 650 - Clean-Up and Post Service

    The two speakers were no other than Alex and Alina, both whose presences were still undetected even when their voices were already heard.


    Their bodies even showed no signs of appearing in the area, making it seem as if they are both in this place and not at this place.


    Such scenario made their conversation appear eerie, but these two appeared to not care for it.


    "¡­.Alex, that leech will only last for an day. Do you think that will be enough time to gather all the info that we need?" Alina still sounded worried at this point, as Alex''s words did not appear to have comforted her. "Because, if you fail, then-"


    "Yes, it will be enough. The Leech King is a creature created by me, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances. With the three of us working together, you better believe that it will work!" If Alina sounded worried, Alex on the other hand sounded extremely optimistic. "Heck, I can even bet that we can receive info one hour from now!"


    "¡­Are you sure about that, Alex?"


    "I am sure about this, Alina. So don''t worry about this anymore. Let''s just stay here and wait¡­"


    "¡­If that''s what you say Alex, then fine. We shall wait here."


    [Hong long~]


    As if Alina''s latest words were some kind of trigger, the air above the center of the crater suddenly shimmered like a mirage, with a large distortion suddenly appearing in this area.


    The distortion was a large, tumor-like protrusion in space, one which was both horrifying and disgusting in appearance.


    No words will be enough to describe how horrifying this tumor was, as its very presence alone was enough to make anyone sick.


    "Kryak¡­"


    Once this tumor appeared, it beat rapidly like a heart for a second before it exploded from inside out.


    "Pst pst pst!"


    This explosion released noxious liquids and disgusting pieces of flesh everywhere, which made the crater look like a fresh wound.


    There are even some small wriggling maggots that came out from the rotting flesh, and their appearance just made the crater look worse.


    A sour, rotting odor also accompanied this  explosion, with a small corrosive fog now hanging over the crater.


    It was unknown what the effect of this fog could be, but the smell that it released does not bade any good news.


    "Ah, it''s a good thing I was able to use this spell of mine. If not, those attackers could have detected us¡­."


    The combination of all these disgust-inducing objects made the whole area look gut-wrenching, to the point that it made the crater from earlier look cute.


    In fact, if the old man from earlier were still in this place at the moment that the tumor appeared, he could have done everything that he can to destroy this tumor before it could have exploded this way.


    Luckily, this scenario did not happen, as if it did, the extra objects inside the tumor might have been affected by it¡­.


    "Hm¡­. This Abyss Spell of mine might be useful in hiding people, but its side-effect of plunging us in dirt is not that good. Should I do something to adjust this?"


    A group of people were actually hiding inside this tumor all this time, and they were only spat out at the moment that the tumor exploded.


    It is hard to explain how this group of people were able to fit themselves inside a disgusting and revolting object like the tumor which just honestly looked like a ''ball sack''.


    But this people indeed existed, and they are currently retching on the ground.


    "Yeah¡­ I will think about that later. For now, I think we should clean up first."


    As for who these people are, only one look at their faces will show their identity.


    "Ugh, please don''t throw up, guys."


    ************


    The people released from the exploded tumor were no other then Alex and his companions,  whose bodies currently looked just as disgusting as the c**p around them.


    Instead of looking like they just had a sweaty workout, Alex and his companions appeared as if they had waded through a sea of trash. They even had some pieces of flesh sticking on their skin, with some pulsating madly, as if they had a life of their own.


    "Ugh, even if I was the creator of this spell, even I cannot stand this stench! Ugh, I think I am feeling sick too¡­"


    Alex got the worst of it, and his face showed how disgusted he was about his situation.


    His whole skin was covered with an oil-like substance, one which was similar to the chemicals released by the exploded tumor.


    This oil released an extremely bad smell all around Alex, which combined with the hundreds of pieces of flesh puncturing his skin, has  made him wrinkle his nose in revulsion.


    "Ugh¡­. Ugh¡­."


    Behind Alex, his companions were doing their best to not vomit, although their oil-covered skin and smelly bodies did not help their matters.


    "Ugh¡­."


    This group did not look happy, even when their attackers earlier had already left.


    Instead, they were all acting as if they received a disgusting condition, one that made them  lose all motivation to be joyful.


    "Hey, I am sorry that I had to use my new Abyss Spell on you, but I had to do it. Or else, those attackers might have detected us. You will forgive me for this, right?" Alex tried his best to talk, but he found it extremely difficult due to the sheer state of his body. "The smell might be bad, but it will not last for long¡­"


    "The smell is bad? Alex, this¡­ this is the worst smelling thing that I have smelled in my life! Why did you create something like this? Are you planning to use it on your enemies?" Alina was the fastest one to recover from her disgust, but even she was unhappy with what she had experienced.


    She also looked like she had the urge to destroy things, which is not a good news to Alex.


    "Alex, I am not angry that we were dipped inside that disgusting thing. In fact, I should evne be happy that you saved us. But still¡­. I can''t just fathom why we have to be inside that thing. Surely, you have other contingences that you could have used¡­"


    "¡­." Alex tried to say that it was the fault of their enemies that they became like this, but upon seeing the glares fro


    m the three dirtied women, Alex knew that he will just waste his time complaining.


    "Alina, I just created my new spell earlier, so I wasn''t able to inform you quickly" Alex said as he did his best to sound calm, an act that he succeeded amidst all the bad smell around him. "Besides, the bomb has suddenly reached us, and this new spell was the easiest spell that I can use¡­ So yeah, I had no choice but to use this spell."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­You know what, Alex? I should even be thankful that you helped us. Yeah, you saved our skins. That is why,  I won''t get angry at you." Alex did not expect ALina to sound this forgiving, and it was enough to surprise him.


    "Do you mean that, Alina?"


    "Yes. But first, can you find a way to quickly clean us? I can''t bear to be dirty this long! Same thing goes to Queen Mother and Professor Frances! Look at them! They look like they want to butcher you alive already!"


    "¡­Ok, ok! Wait for me and let me formulate a new Abyss Spell! Give me  few minutes! I promise, once I make this new spell, you will be squeaky clean in no time."


    "Are you sure about that, Alex?"


    "I''m sure, Alina. I''m sure."


    "¡­Okay. But please hurry up. I don''t know if I can still hold back all the food inside my stomach."


    "¡­."


    If anything else will force Alex to move faster, it was Alina''s latest reminder that forced him to hasten.


    ************


    1 HOUR LATER.


    Alex did not exactly show how he used his ''new spell'' to clean up everything, but it was obvious that his ''new spell'' had done its job properly.


    Gone were all the dirt, flesh, and smell that lingered everywhere including the air. Only the smell of the explosions from earlier remained, something that is much better compared to anything else.


    Such scenario will be enough to make anyone happy, and of course, those who were cleaned themselves would obviously be pleased too.


    The look of satisfaction on the faces of Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances just made it apparent.


    "Okay, so we''re all clean now. What do you think about my new spell? It''s great, right?" Alex certainly looked happy too upon seeing the satisfaction of his companions, and it made him feel a little smug to himself. "Hehehe, if you want, you can learn it from me later. All that you have to do is just-"


    "Thank you Alex for cleaning this mess, but we don''t have time to be admiring ourselves. The message from the Leech King should be arriving here anytime soon, so we must focus on that." Alina was visibly glowing with satisfaction after her ''clean-up'', but she did not dwell on her emotions as she reminded Alex of their mission.


    "Or have you forgotten about that already?" Alina added, this time with a sharp tone in her voice. Behind her, Queen Moher and Professor Frances stared at Alex warily, waiting for his answer. "Because if you did¡­."


    "Hah? No, Alina. I did not forget about the Leech King. I know that it will be sending its message now." Alex quickly answered to the three curious women. "Wait, why are we talking about that, already? Shouldn''t you thank me first for cleaning you up?"


    "Alex, thanks for cleaning us up. You really made things better right now." Alina abruptly said.


    Her tone made it sound that she was genuinely thankful, but her blunt words at the end made Alex''s mood fall down a little. "Now, are you ready to receive the message?"


    "¡­Yeah, I am ready to receive the message. You don''t need to tell me that." Alex found Alina''s answer to be somewhat weird, but all that he can do now was accept what she was saying. "Oh, speaking of the  Leech King''s message, here it comes¡­"


    [Shula shula~]


    The timing of Alina''s reminder to Alex could not be any better, as it was right at this moment that the message from the Leech King has arrived.


    [Shula shula~]


    A small light beam, one which is comprised with countless colored dots in its body, could be seen rushing towards Alex like a bullet fried from a gun. Its speed was incomparable to that of a true light beam, but the sheer power contained inside the this colored light beam allowed it to move past all obstacles.


    This light beam ignored all the mountains, clouds, and flying creatures on its path, as it just barreled straight towards Alex, which seems to be its destination.


    With the penetrative properties that it had, this light beam was able to reach Alex in a few second''s time, with its entirety burying itself inside his head at the very moment that it made contact with his skin.


    [Shula shula~]


    Once it has entered, the light beam''s presence had disappeared, making it seem as if it has not existed at all.


    Only a silent Alex was left, whose body became as rigid and upright as a stone at this point.


    "¡­."

 Chapter 651 - Hoax! This is a Hoax!

    The Leech King is an all-around surveillance creature created by Alex, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances.


    It''s body was made up from Alex''s own Abyss Energy and Queen Mother''s immense life force, combined all together by Professor Frances'' life-making and soul-stitching skills.


    The combination of these varying energies gave the Leech King capabilities that are useful for stealth and message recording.


    Such capabilities include the ability to use small amounts of Abyss Energy to hide itself from detection, and to attach itself on its target with great precision. It also has the ability to synchronize its life force to whoever it attaches to, allowing it to last for a longer time.


    There are also multiple special organs placed by Professor Frances all over the Leech King''s body that allows it to record countless information all at once. Whether it be visual, auditory, or olfactory-based information, the Leech King can record it all.


    There is also an advanced organ-like processor that acts as the brain inside the Leech King, which handles all the coding and information sending tasks.


    The combination of all these abilities raises the usefulness of the Leech King on events that require surveillance, which Alex put into great use on their current situation.


    ***********


    "Aside from the happenings around it, the Leech King can also get info from objects like books or electrical devices, provided that they are nearby. All these info will be recorded by the Leech King inside its ''brain'', and it will stay there until the creature sends back all the info to us." Alina, who only stood a few meters away from Alex,  murmured these words to herself as her eyes drooped with dissatisfaction.


    She seems to be not that enthused with the idea of using the Leech King on this world, but she did not show any signs of her disapproval all this time.


    "The Leech King will always send information to Alex at every 1-hour interval, and it will only live for 12 hours. That means that Alex will receive 11 more information messages from the Leech King before it dies¡­" Alina added.


    "What Alex received right now is the first batch of information, which could contain useful information, or maybe it will be just dud. Nobody knows what it would be, but seeing that the old man who attacked us seems to be part of a powerful clan, the Leech King surely would have gotten something interesting¡­."


    At this time, Alina was already burning in curiosity, to the point that she was tempted to approach Alex and make him speak already.


    Alina of course held this impulse in, as she could see that Alex was doing his best to sort all the info that he obtained. Maybe Alex got so much info, that someone like him has to give effort just to make sense of what he received.


    Alina had no qualms with Alex doing these actions, as she knew that the more Alex knows about this world, the better it will be.


    The laws of this world was just so confusing, that Alina has the desire to know more about it.


    "In this area, only evil-related fantasy powers are boosted, while those related to science are suppressed greatly. I thought that should be the norm in this world, but after seeing that bomb, I don''t know what to believe anymore." Alina suddenly said, with her expression turning slightly grim as she remembered the explosion from earlier.


    She even gritted her teeth as the appearance of the energy orb flashed in her mind.


    "How could a science-based weapon like that bomb become so powerful,  even when science-based powers are suppressed in this world? This is just confusing!"  Alina muttered darkly. "This does not make sense at all, and it''s honestly making me worried!"


    The presence of this bomb, combined with the other things that Alina noticed earlier, made her believe that this world has many unstable factors that seem to violate the very existence of the Laws themselves.


    Alina has no idea that such things can appear in reality, but here it is,  rightin front of her eyes.


    Of course, she could not see how much instability was present, but she was confident that she will discover more once she roams this world.


    "Tsk, I hope that the info Alex gets from the Leech King will be of use right now. Because if it doesn''t, it will not be a good news for us!" Alina looked like she wanted to bolt away from this area already, and the only thing stopping her form doing so was Alex himself.


    If it weren''t for Alex''s assurance that the Leech King will be useful, Alina could have already used her power to bring them towards a secluded place, as she felt that staying out in the open like this is just too dangerous.


    There is just no knowing how much enemies are present this time, and on how many from these enemies will try killing them today.


    In fact, Alina had the gut feeling that if she and Alex stays in this place for 10 more minutes, something similar to the bomb attack earlier could possibly happen.


    This was of course just a gut feeling, but given Alina''s Chronomancy Power, she did not dare to just dismiss it.


    "Alex, are you done sorting the info? Because we really need to know what you got." Alina could not help but make Alex rush his actions, as the threat of another looming attack is making her feel worried again. "Alex, please hurry up¡­."


    "¡­.."


    "¡­.."


    The silence that Alex gave to Alina was enough to make her nerves wrack, but she held all her tension in as she waited him to start talking


    "¡­.."


    "¡­.."


    Fortunately, Alina had to only wait for a few more seconds before she obtained what she was waiting for.


    "Hmm? You''re making me rush, Alina? Well, that''s not nice. But lucky for you, I just finished sorting all these info."  Alex, who had just opened his eyes after his sudden silence, said these words in a slightly hoarse tone. "Mind you, all the info that I got was certainly interesting¡­"


    "¡­." Alina was not sure why, but she felt something weird from the way that Alex spokd. Maybe it was just the strain of him digesting all that info, but still, Alex sounded somewhat off.


    "But don''t expect the info to save us all. Instead, you should think of this info¡­ as a warning for us." There was a slight tremble on Alex''s jaw as he continued speaking, as if he was trying to restrain something inside his body.


    "Yes Alina, consider this info a warning, something that we should keep in our minds every time we are here. And don''t think that I am joking. I really think that we are in serious danger, and if we don''t do the proper actions, we could possibly die here!"


    "¡­."


    Alex sounded as if he had gone through some kind of mental stress, evident from his posture and his voice. Even the way that he said his last sentence made him sound ominous, something that caught Alina off-guard.


    "Alex¡­ Judging by the way that you reacted, you seem to have received a pretty substantial info. And this info seems to have told you everything about this world too¡­." Alina cautiously said with her voice sounding as low as possible, in hopes of not making Alex feel cornered. "But why are you acting like you met a scary thing? Is the info you got really that scary?"


    "Well, my info technically is not scary. But once you hear the info, you will understand why I am reacting like this." Alex''s reply was still as cryptic as ever, which made Alina feel a little more frustration.


    "If that info is indeed that way Alex, then tell it to us already." Alina said, this time with a little more sharpness in her tone. "You''re just wasting our time by standing here¡­."


    "Okay, okay, Alina. I was already planning to do that now, so you don''t have to tell it." With Alina''s sharp reminder, the decadent Alex only gave out a sheepish smile before he proceeded to pull out three light balls out from his head.


    "What the-"


    Ignoring Alina''s shout of surprise, Alex began juggling these light  balls if they were normal balls, and he only stopped once he did a full routine.


    "See these light balls? I''ll shove this to your heads, and once that happens, you will get the ''Sorted Info'' that I made. This will show you what I am worried about, and I am sure that this  will make you understand my new worries." Alex murmured petulantly as he pointed the balls to Alina and co., making it seem as if he was going to use it on them.


    This action made Alina freeze a little, although that was because of the fact that Alex just did something that she did not expect.


    "Now, this will hurt a little, but I promise you, this will be worth it."


    "Wait, why don''t you just-"


    The sight of the light balls made Alina''s heart skip, and it continued to skip more once she saw what Alex did next.


    "Woosh!"


    With a speed comparable to a laser beam, Alex flung the three light balls to Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances'' heads, with each one of them getting one light ball.


    This speed practically caught the trio by surprise, and before they knew it, the balls had already made contact with their heads.


    "Slo!"


    Once this contact has occurred, these light balls began to release countless amounts of data, all which resulted on an assault on the trio''s minds.


    "!!!!"


    All three of them went as rigid as Alex, as their brains did their best to accommodate the information that are being pumped out by the light balls towards them.


    All the visuals, the smell, and many more sensations are being processed by the trio this time, and they have no power to reject this.


    This was just like Alex''s situation earlier, but this time the trio have it easier, as what they got was the ''sorted info'' already.


    "¡­.."


    ***************


    The three women stayed this way for a while, and it was only after 30 seconds that the data rush ended, allowing them to feel relaxed again.


    Well, this ''relaxed'' felling is just a physical term, as these three women were not mentally relaxed at all right now.


    How could they be relaxed, especially after they got the info?


    There is no way that they can avoid feeling worried, as they realized what Alex was worried about!


    "Gods¡­. Gods really exist? But¡­ but that is not possible! Not with the way that our Multiverse works!"


    Alina was the first one to speak out after the info donation, and she just sounded as worried as she looked. "Alex¡­please tell me that this is a hoax!"


    "¡­."


    "Come on, Alex! Gods may have existed before, but with the current formation of the Multiverse, they should have all died out!"


    "¡­."


    "Alex, tell me that you are just joking! Because if these Gods really does exist, it does not only spell disaster to us. It also spells disaster for a lot of Realms!"


    "¡­"


    "Hey!"

 Chapter 652 - TRUE GODS!!!

    The origin and history of the Multiverse is a secret long lost to the books, and almost nobody on the present times has any knowledge of it.


    Only ancient beings who managed to live until this age, and extremely powerful creatures know the story of the Multiverse and  how it came to be.


    Their numbers can be counted within hundreds, which is an extremely small number compared to the near-limitless amount of creatures living the Multiverse''s present age.


    This alone makes the knowledge of the Multiverse''s history to be of high value. But the fact that nobody in the know has decided to spread this knowledge has made it even more valuable, much more compared to ancient artifacts.


    With these limitations, somebody like Alex and Alina should have no idea about this knowledge too.


    But due to Alex''s status as the Abyss Envoy, he was able to obtain all the knowledge about the history of the Multiverse, something that he shared with his companions.


    Because of this aid, Alex and his allies  knew how the Multiverse came to be, and they knew everything that happened on its early stages.


    They know all the conflicts that happened in the past, and they also knew all the catastrophes that happened before. They  had an inkling on the legends and myths that spanned the Multiverse''s long life, and they also knew the creatures that they should avoid in the future.


    "¡­.."


    This knowledge also managed to provide Alex and his companions a look on how the power systems in the Multiverse came to be, and how they were able to blossom in the present age.


    "¡­."


    But out of all the valuable information in the history of the Multiverse, there was one particular subject that Alex and his companions became highlty interested in.


    And that subject was about the existence of True Gods.


    ***************


    When the Multiverse was first created/born, it did not have all the materials and laws that it had today.


    The early Multiverse was only made up of pockets of volatile matter and energy, and the laws all over it were chaotic and distorted. There is no order in this time, and the only constant thing here is destruction and change.


    This period of time was called the Chaotic Era, as the conditions of the Multiverse here can only be described as pure chaos. Nothing seem to stay still here, and any signs of life did not show any indication of appearing here.


    The Chaotic Era lasted for countless of years, and it only ended once the Multiverse has been affected by entropy, making it cold enough to have its chaos settle down.


    This period was the start of the Primordial Era, and it was in this Era that life has begun to blossom.


    In this Era, all the volatile objects started to lose their destructive tendencies, and most began to combine and restructure to create newer objects. The chaotic energy also mellowed down, as they now began to follow certain patterns on how they should work.


    As for the Laws themselves, they were still as unruly as they were before, but they became much more manageable at this point.


    These factors allowed for the formation of elements and compounds, which latter formed mixtures, chemicals, and other materials that eventually led to the formation of life.


    Nobody knows how ''life'' really started in the Multiverse, but once ''life'' has appeared, it began to grow in an explosive fashion, and in just a matter of years, the whole Multiverse was filled with countless living creatures.


    It was at this time that the Abyss Realm was slowly being born, but that will be a topic for the other day.


    Because of the still-hostile conditions of the Multiverse in the Primordial Era, life is hard for all the living creatures here. Every part of their life is fraught with danger, and the chance to survive depends only on luck.


    These conditions were just made worse by the fact that the Power Systems still had not existed at this point. The laws were still too chaotic, which makes it impossible for the living creatures to harness them.


    Only creatures tainted by the Laws like dragons and spirits can harness their power during this period, and even they had a hard time of living too.


    With such kind of hardsh.i.p.s in this time, it is hard to fathom on how these creatures had managed to live through this Era, given the fact that most of them were waging wars against each other.


    So how could these creatures survive at this era, when their numbers should have been lower?


    This is where the existence of the True Gods comes into picture.


    ****************


    In the present age, or what is also called as the Transcendent Era, the word ''God'' can refer to an extremely powerful being, whose power allows it to lord over countless laws and mysteries.


    Such kind of person cannot be treated with disdain, as their power alone makes them extremely formidable.


    Of course even if these people were powerful, they are not really ''Gods'' in a sense.


    The real Gods are those who lived in the Primordial Era, and they are called True Gods.


    ***************


    A True God is the manifestation of the Laws of the Multiverse itself, which gained life through the worship by countless living creatures. These laws can vary on their type, but as long as these laws were being worshipped or followed by living beings, a God can be born from it.


    Unlike the creatures that live here in the Transcendent Age, a  True God did not train have to train itself just to reach a high level of power.


    A True God was strengthened by the faith of living creatures, and its ideals, way of life, and abilities all stem from the way that it is worshipped.


    There are almost no limits to the power of a  True God, as a True God is supported by the Laws and the faith of its supporters. In fact, the only way that a True God can be defeated is by either killing all of its worshippers, or by making another True God fight it.


    Both options are extremely hard to pull off, and those who tried usually end up dying gruesomely.


    With these kind of abilities, one can consider a True God as an existence equaling that of a Monarch, if not, even greater.


    ***************


    The existence of the True Gods was first recorded at the beginning of the Primordial Era, during the time when the two most dominant races in the Multiverse were having a war with each other.


    These two races were the Primordial Giants and the Celestial Dragons, who take up the majority of the Multiverse''s territory each.


    Both of these races have their own unique power and capabilities, which allowed them to take over large amounts of territory. The only obstacle left on their hegemony were each other, hence leading to the war between them.


    This war was a brutal one, with countless death and destruction occurring everywhere.  Countless fierce creatures and innocent bystanders were the majority of deaths this time, and these deaths just led to more conflict and more destruction.


    In fact, around 70% of the Multiverse''s population were killed off in this war, a number which can only be described as horrifying.


    The extent of damage and death in the Multiverse in this period made it apparent that the Multiverse is headed to a bad future. Because if this war goes on, there is a high chance that all life in the Multiverse will be extinguished.


    But due to a possible lucky break, the effects of this damaging war has actually led to the birth of the first True God.


    ************


    The God of Death and Destruction Soahc, the oldest and strongest True God, was first seen appearing at the middle of the Multiverse, at the place where the battle between the Primordial Giants and Celestials Dragons was raging.


    Records stated that his appearance was accompanied with the destruction of countless star fields, along with a wail of fear from the Multiverse itself.  It is hard to verify if this was true, but other records said that the whole Multiverse acted as if Soahc was a being of terror, and that it seems to try its best to expel ''Him''.


    Aside from this, the records also stated that after his first appearance, Soahc proceeded to slaughter ? of the creatures present in the war.


    He killed countless dragons, giants, and other creatures with a wave of a hand, doing it in a manner as if he had just killed a nuisance.


    This action single-handedly brought the end of the war, and it also brought forth a new age on the whole Multiverse.


    ***********


    With the power and domineering traits that he showed, True God Soahc was able to force every living creature to worship him. His representation of the Laws of Death and Destruction made it impossible for anyone to resist him, and the sheer amount of his worshippers just increased his strength.


    Anyone who does not follow him were killed, which eventually silenced most of his opposition.


    Because of his power, True God Soahc found no opposition against his rule, and it continued that way for many years.


    However, the continued proliferation of life in the Multiverse has led to the inevitable:


    It might have taken them long, but True Gods that represents other Laws eventually popped up little by little after Soahc''s birth.


    The Esteeemed True God of Life and Creation EARC.


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot ??te ?uq C?e???ou E?§ÁC¨B


    The Esteeemed True God of Beginning and End IGEB.


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot ?e??uu?u??uq Euq I?E?¨B


    The Esteeemed True God of Magic and Mysteries MAGOI.


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot W???c ?uq W¦Ã??e??e? W??OI¨B


    The Esteeemed True God of Elements and Realms TNEME.


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot Ele?eu???uq §Áe?l??©Ø§ªEWE¨B


    The Esteeemed True God of War and Deception PECED


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot M???uq ?eceb??ou ?ECE?


    The Esteeemed True God of Space and Time KORNO.


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot ?b?ce ?uq ©Ø??e ?O§Á§ªO¨B


    The Esteeemed True God of Order and Chaos THEAD.


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot O?qe??uq C??o?©ØHE??¨B


    The Esteeemed True God of Reality and Illusions TILEA


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot §Áe?l??¦Ã?uq Ill¦Ô??ou?©ØI?E?


    The Esteeemed True God of Dragons and Giants ALWAYN


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot ????ou??uq ???u????M??§ª


    The Esteeemed True God of Sin and Virtue AILED


    [Honorary Name]: ©Ø?e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot ??u ?uq ¦«???¦Ôe ?I?E?


    And the Esteeemed True God of Knowledge ELWON


    [Honorary Name]: ?uq ??e ©Ø?¦Ôe ?oq ot ?uo?leq?e E?MO§ª


    Their births were not prevented by Soahc at all, and he even welcomed them with open arms, gifting them with worshippers under his wing.

 Chapter 653 - Transcendent Era

    This batch of True Gods were not the only ones that appeared. Many more popped out as the civilization in the Multiverse improved, and these True Gods all cooperated to create a worship network that will be of great help to their worshippers.


    Angles, subsidiary Gods, and Divine Beings were created by the True Gods along with their worship schemes, all which were intended to strengthen their hold on the Multiverse and on its residents.


    The birth of these True Gods, along with their creation of these special creatures,  heralded the period in the Primordial Era where every living being went under the True Gods'' protection and guidance.


    All the advancements in magic, technology, and culture in this period were influenced by these True Gods, and it seemed to continue that way for a long time.


    The numerous churches, cults,  and temples established during these times gave more power to the True Gods and their subsidiaries, to the point that it is impossible to defy them.


    Normal living creatures and even those with abilities can only look towards the True Gods with fear and awe, as their rule seemed to be absolute, whether they are benevolent or evil.


    With such power and might that they had, the reign of the True Gods appeared to be able to last forever. But certain factors that appeared during the end of the Primordial Era slowly shook up their dominance.


    ************


    When the True Gods first appeared, the Laws of the Multiverse were still hostile to most living beings, and the only ones that can manipulate it were the True Gods themselves. But this notion changed at the end of the Primordial Era, when the Laws suddenly lost all their ferociousness.


    At this time, the Laws of the Multiverse suddenly became amicable to all the living beings, which brought forth large upheavals in the Multiverse.


    Gone were the times were a living creature has to rely on the blessings of a True God or his angels just to have his/her own power. Also gone were the times were the only way to get stronger was by becoming a higher-leveled True God''s Worshipper.


    With the Laws free to be accessed by anyone, many began to study them for their own use.


    This change brought the start of the Upheaval Era, the Era on which many True Gods faced a great threat on their power.


    Many researches were made at this period, all aimed on  finding way to harness the power of the Laws for the use of the living creatures themselves.


    This led to the creation of numerous Power Systems,  which became the pathway for all the living creatures to gain their own power.


    This newest creation was accepted and celebrated in the whole Multiverse for their potential and might, but the fact that these systems were still at their rudimentary phase at that time made them perilous.


    There are no set ways on how to upgrade each power yet, and there are methods that can lead to a power practitioner''s death. But even with these dangers, many were still tempted to follow the path of the Power Systems.


    This led to a mass exodus from the living creatures, resulting on the True Gods experiencing a massive drop on their worshippers.


    Such thing of course made the True Gods unhappy, and they made rules that will fight off against this change.


    The True Gods declared the existence of Power Systems as a taboo thing, one that cannot be allowed to exist in the Multiverse. They said that Power Systems will only bring ruin  in the Multiverse, hence these must be purged to keep everyone safe.


    With this declaration in place, every True Gods decreed a Holy War against the existence of the Power System and its followers.


    All the people who practiced different Power Systems were routinely killed and executed, while knowledge on these Power Systems were systematically destroyed too.


    This war brought a new age of chaos in the Multiverse, where even innocent beings were killed and tortured, just for the sake of completely wiping out any hints of Power Systems.


    A historian estimated that around 20% of the Multiverse''s entire population were systematically killed this time, a number which is frightening, given that the amount of living creatures at this period had already reached extreme numbers.


    Blood spilled everywhere, and the only safe place were the Divine Kingdoms under the control of the True Gods.


    With this harsh reaction by the True Gods against the Power Systems, it seemed that the Power Systems will not be able to last for long.


    But contrary to what the True Gods had expected, their Holy War agasint the Power Systems did not lead to the destruction of the latter.


    Instead, the Holy War by the True Gods actually became the catalyst for their end.


    *************


    During the middle part of the Upheaval Era, two powerful existences appeared in the Multiverse, both that became an immediate threat against the True Gods.


    The power that these two existences had was so great, that the momentum the True Gods had against the Power Systems quickly disappeared.


    **************


    The first of these two existences that appeared was the Abyss Realm, whose creation was hastened because of the Holy War.


    As its existence was tied to the emotions and feelings of all the living beings, the Abyss Realm can be considered to have a power comparable to that of a True God, although it is not a True God itself.


    The power of the Abyss was tied to the laws of Evil and Sin, powers that were refined until they became one of the first complete Power Systems in the Multiverse.  This Power System was of course the Abyss Magic Power System.


    With this complete Power System, the Abyss was able to tempt many beings under its banner. It offered them with power that they ''can'' use for themselves, and it also offered them protection against the ''bloodthirsty'' True Gods.


    Combining these temptations with its own special ''corruption'' method, the Abyss gained a following that was just as great as a True God''s, giving it the power to fight back against those who tried to destroy it.


    And this is exactly what the Abyss Realm did. It fought back against the True Gods, and in some cases, it also tried to destroy them.


    Using its high capabilities to infiltrate and corrupt countless beings, the Abyss Realm turned many of the True God''s worshippers into its own pawns. These pawns will then be used to kill other followers, a tactic that instantly weakened many True Gods.


    This tactic of the Abyss Realm was actually effective, that an estimate of 10 True Gods approached the verge of weakness, as most of their followers turned into mad rabids that only wanted to kill each other.


    This shameless tactic was enough to make the True Gods start treating the Abyss Realm in a hostile manner, and this should also be enough to make them wage war against it.


    But before the True Gods could start assaulting the Abyss Realm personally, the second existence that threatened their rule has appeared.


    *************


    A powerful human who called himself the Immortal Paragon, someone who dabbled in the path of the Immortal Cultivation, became the first living creature to Transcend the Laws of the Multiverse.


    He was  considered to be the strongest living creature that had ever lived, and even up to this day, nobody was considered to be more powerful than him.


    With his Transcendent Power alone, the Immortal Paragon easily killed weak True Gods, while he was able to fend off attacks from the moderately strong ones. As for the powerful True Gods like Magoi or Soahc, the Immortal Paragon did his best to elude their capture.


    There are many times that the Immortal Paragon were brought near to his death because of the extremely powerful True Gods. Many tried to assassinate him, while True Gods like Peced and Thead expended much of their life just to end him.


    But maybe due to his luck or some other external factors, the Immortal Paragon always managed to live for another day.


    These escapes from death allowed the Immortal Paragon to continuously grow stronger, and eventually it reached to the point that he reached a level that that was previously unknown to everyone.


    During his 1000th birthday, the Immortal Paragon became the first Monarch of the Multiverse, and he reached a power level so great, that most True Gods became trash to him.


    At this period, only the strongest True Gods can actually threaten him, but even they were now wary of his power. Both sides appeared to be able to kill each other, something that the Immortal Paragon took advantage of.


    While the True Gods were still wary of his newfound power,  the Immortal Paragon used this time to spread his now dominant Immortal Cultivation Power System all over the Multiverse. He supported the creation of countless Immortal Sects, and he protected those who were nearing his level of power.


    The Immortal Paragon also accepted disciples from all kinds of races, who all immediately became powerhouses of their own.


    By the end of the Upheaval Era, the Immortal Paragon was able to create a force which became powerful  enough to rival that of countless True Gods''.


    Such power roused the True Gods from their suspended states, as they realized that if this goes on, even those that are the strongest from them might be annihilated.


    **************


    With their camp besieged on both sides by two powerful entities, the True Gods knew that they must make an action already.


    If they let things go on, the Abyss Realm will just corrupt more people and the Immortal Pagan will recruit more disciples, which will weaken the True Gods more.


    The True Gods were not willing to let themselves fall down an absolute path of demise anymore. They were extremely proud, and the notion of a living being and a false god having the power to kill them did not sit well on their minds.


    As such, on the Immortal Paragon''s 2000th birthday, the True Gods declared a war against the Abyss Realm and the Immortal Paragon.


    This war, which was considered as the greatest and bloodiest war in the history of the Multiverse, has led to the fall of countless legends and powerful beings.


    Many powerful Transcendents and Abyssal Monsters were felled during this time, which is a great loss for the living creatures.


    Many True Gods were killed too, as the sudden cooperation between the Immortal Paragon and the Abyss Realm turned the tables.


    This war raged on for decades, and by the end of it, only 3 powerful beings remained standing on the 3 warring camps.


    The True God of Destruction of Death Soahc, the Immortal Paragon, and the Abyss Realm were these beings, and they did not let each other off.


    Without any distractions from any petty fights, these 3 beings unleashed all of their power against each other.


    It was unknown how this three-way battle actually happened, but its end results were all known by everyone.


    Through his sheer willpower and astounding might, the Immortal Paragon was able to kill Soahc, although it cost the Immortal Paragon his life.


    As for the Abyss Realm, this battle inflicted  a grievous injury on its soul and body, one which it still tries to recover up until this day.


    ************


    All the historians stated that the end of this war signaled the end of the Upheaval Era.


    All the True Gods were already dead at this point, which meant that their influence was gone. Only the might of the Power Systems remained, and they became the new dominant force in the Multiverse.


    This new Era was eventually called the Trasndncen Era, the Era on which everyone''s goal is to Transcend the Laws.


    This is the current Era in the Multiverse, the Era which Alex and his companions were living in¡­


    *******************


    [Author''s Note]: Chaotic Era ¡ú Primordial Era ¡ú Upheaval Era ¡ú Transcendence Era

 Chapter 654 - The Truth and Domination.

    Here in the Transcendence Era, there are no traces of True Gods that remained, and those that could possibly exist were all destroyed by the Monarchs too.


    Books, scriptures, arts, and other important doc.u.ments related to the True Gods have been razed and scattered to the void already, and those that were impossible to destroy were hidden on secret locations.


    With this kind of intense clean-up, any object that pertains to the existence of the True Gods should not have existed. And the Monarchs would most likely want to stay it that way.


    *************


    When Alina and her companions first read this part of the history, all of them agreed with the decision of the Monarchs.


    After all, even though the True Gods gave support and care for their followers, their existence seems to be geared on inducing chaos in this world.


    They do what they want and they kill those who they do not like, qualities that are in no way benevolent or useful for the Multiverse.


    With such kind of behavior, there is no way that the True Gods will be allowed to exist today.


    Alina was even relieved that she did not live during the Primordial and the Chaotic Age, as that will be a really messed-up time for her.


    But today, Alina was not sure if she will be happy about the history records that she just read. She was not even sure if these records were right.


    Because here in their new world, Alina and her companions saw evidences that contradict the supposed ''end of the  True Gods''!


    "Alex, when that Leech King entered the ancestral house of the old man, it saw a statue of a True God. That True God¡­ was the True God of Knowledge Elwon." Alina, whose pale face looked worse against the rocky background behind her, said these words with a sense of dread.


    She seemed to be pretty unsettled by what she saw, and she did not intend to hide it from Alex at all.


    "Alex, you can''t deny what that statue is. So explain to me¡­ how can a statue of a True God exist there?" Alina added as she mimed a grabbing motion towards Alex. "That statue should have been destroyed already!"


    "¡­.Alina, I don''t know how to explain it too. But-"


    "And that''s not the only thing that the Leech King witnessed! Alex, that old man and his clansmen were f**king worshipping that statue! They were treating it like a real God!"  Alina almost shouted out, but she fortunately held her voice in. "Alex, is there any explanations for that scene? Come on, explain it to me."


    "¡­"


    There is no way that Alina can stay calm after the things that the Leech King just showed to her.


    The old man that attacked them earlier was actually worshipping a statue of True God Elwon? That scene alone was enough to make Alina shiver!


    But this is not the worst thing that Alina could think from this seeing this scene.


    What if¡­ this scene of worship actually alludes to the fact that the True God of Knowledge Elwon was alive?  Maybe that could explain the advanced level of technology and the bomb that the old man used earlier¡­


    "¡­"


    If this True God Elwon was actually alive, then it will be an extremely bad news for Alina and her allies.


    After all, there is no way that they can deal with a living True God, not even with their current abilities!


    "Well, um¡­ I saw it too Alina. So I guess it really happened." Alex seemed to be as worried as Alina too, but he appeared to be trying his best to look nonchalant. "But maybe what they were worshipping is just an empty hunk of stone. Maybe-"


    "Since you saw that Alex, then you know what we saw means. It means that in one way or another, some traces of True Gods still existed in this world!" Alina did not let Alex continue his attempted explanation as she gave her own opinion. "Come on, say that I am wrong!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    Seeing that Alex was rendered silent, Alina knew that her guess was indeed right.


    They indeed saw a scene related to a True God''s existence, something that Alina had never expected to see in her whole life.


    This discovery was enough to make Alina think of ways to run away, but she knew that since they are in this world, there is no way for her to run away.


    The best that she can do now was to face the problem, although she was not sure if she can get through this¡­


    "Alex,  I don''t know if these True Gods are still alive or not, but the fact that a statue of a True God was here means that something fishy is indeed happening." Alina morosely said as she let out a sigh. "As for what is ''exactly happening'', the current us have no way of knowing¡­"


    "¡­."


    Behind Alina and Alex, their two companions Queen Mother and Professor Frances did not say anything at all, although the reactions that they had mirrored the same surprise that Alina has right now.


    Seeing their looks made Alina feel a little unsettled, but that did not prevent her from expounding her ideas.


    In fact, the worried looks on her allies'' face gave Alina a burst of courage, as she realized that things were actually not bad at all.


    Even if there is a True God statue in this world, that does not mean that everything is already f**ked up!


    "Alex, even if there are traces of these True Gods in this world. Maybe there are not alive at all. Maybe what we are seeing here are just artifacts from True Gods. Yes, that might be the case! The True Gods are really not alive and what we saw here were just their remnants¡­"


    At this point, Alina tried to make herself sound upbeat, as she knew that succ.u.mbing to negativity will not help their matters at all.


    "So Alex, I don''t think we should be worried here. Our situation might not be that bad at all¡­"


    If the True Gods were indeed alive and hiding in this world, Alina knew that it will be game over for them. But would the Endless Monarchs really send them in this world if he knew that the True Gods were alive?


    No, the Endless Monarch would not do that.


    Alina knew that even if the Endless Monarch was a trigger-happy being that will not hesitate to send Travelers on dangerous places, sending people on a living True God will be too much even for him.


    There must be some other reason that Alina and Alex were sent here, and it won''t be about dealing with living True Gods.


    At most, their mission in this world will be related to the artifacts about these True Gods¡­.


    ***********


    "¡­You are right Alina. Maybe the True Gods were already dead. If they were really alive, then they should have done something to attack us." Alina''s latest words appeared to have improved Alex''s mood a little, as the man himself regained the initiate to talk again.


    Alex was even grinning at this point, a sight that made Alina feel relieved. "Heck, my Conqueror''s Aura would probably able to detect them too. But since I detected no one watching me, those True Gods must not be alive at all!"


    "Yes Alex,  since you can''t detect their observations, it must mean that the True Gods are dead." The sight of her relieved companion made Alina''s tension fade out, but this did not make her fully comfortable at all. "But even with that, we should not be feeling relieved. We are still in danger, and the messed-up Laws around us makes it obvious¡­"


    Although there is a high chance that the True Gods were dead, Alina knew that their mission in this world is bound to still be a perilous one.


    They had just arrived in this world, and they already faced a clan that was using weapons powerful enough to injure them. With this kind of intro, there is no way that this world will be easy.


    In fact, Alina had the inkling that whatever was going to happen in this world is bound to change all of them, whether it will be for good or bad.


    She just hopes that their mission won''t involve anything related to the True Gods, as that would be the worst¡­


    "Speaking of danger, why don''t we ask Asteria about our Main Mission? If she tells us the Main Mission, we might have an inkling about the situation of this world."  Since they were talking about their mission already, Alina has decided to divert their attention on their Guide.


    "Hey Asteria, come out here and talk to us! Just drink your honey later!"


    Since the symbol on Alex''s forehead was already glowing, it means that the information about the Main Mission is now ready to be accepted. All that was needed to be done now was to have their Guide receive it.


    Fortunately for Alina, their Guide was not that stupid to ignore them today.


    "Hm? Did somebody call me?" Like a dog that was called by its master, the dumb fairy Asteria obediently flew out of Alina''s storage. "Was it you who called me, Alina?"


    "Yes, Asteria. I was the one who called you out. Now, tell us what the Main Mission is." Alina ignored the dumb and honey-stained appearance of Asteria, and she only gave the latter a stern glare. "And don''t delay things any longer. Your cute appearance won''t be of help to you anymore¡­"


    "Ugh, I was just spicing things up back then. Besides, it happened a long time ago, hooman. Can''t you just forget that?" Asteria still sounded as irritating as before, and her attitude seemed to not have improved at all.


    "Asteria, just stop talking and tell us the Main Mission already. If you don''t, your honey will¡­"


    "Argh! You''re still as petty as ever, pretty hooman! But this is my job, so I should do this I guess¡­."


    Asteria looked like she was raring to have a go with Alina, but the latter''s stern glare was enough to make Asteria stop playing.


    "Ugh, I think I am getting fatter now, hooman. Should I do some exercise after this? Nah, I think will automatically get slim in the future¡­"


    "Hong~" Just like what she had done before, Asteria touched the symbol on Alex''s forehead first in order to obtain the message about the Main Mission.


    This time, it took the fairy a few seconds to take in all the info that she was given.


    "Huh, you''re actually in a good treat in this world, hoomans." These were the first words that Asteria said as she removed her hand on Alex''s head, and it seemed to be laced with a trace of excitement. "I just hope that you will be happy fighting against the other 5 Traveler Teams that are in this world too. Because if you do, then you will have a good chance of winning."


    "What did you say, Asteria?"


    [[[MAIN MISSION: ESTABLISH THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS WORLD, AND HELP  A RELIGION TO BECOME THIS WORLD''S DOMINANT RELIGION. TIME LIMIT: 30 YEARS. REWARD- hm? Do you have a problem again, hooman? Why are you interrupting me?


    "No, I don''t have a problem, Asteria. Let''s just¡­ talk about it once you''re done announcing the Main Mission."

 Chapter 655 - Pr?????a?????i??????s???e????!?????!??????!?????

    "¡­."


    "Ehem. So where were we again? Right, I''m starting to talk about the Main Mission¡­"


    "¡­."


    [[[[MAIN MISSION: ESTABLISH THE TRUTH ABOUT THIS WORLD, AND HELP  A RELIGION TO BECOME THIS WORLD''S DOMINANT RELIGION. TIME LIMIT: 30 YEARS. REWARD: 1,000 YEARS OF LIFESPAN AND A KEY FOR THE TRANSCENDENCE ALTAR.]]]


    [[[BONUS MISSION 1: KILL THE OTHER TRAVELERS. REWARD: 1 TRANSCENDENCE SHARD FOR EVERY TRAVELER KILLED]]]


    [[[BONUS MISSION 2: COLLECT THE TRUE GOD STATUES. REWARD: A FRAGMENT OF A HALF-STEP TRANSCENDENCE ARTIFACT FOR EVERY STATUE COLLECTED]]]


    [[[BONUS MISSION 3: DESTROY OR PROTECT THE CORRUPTION PODS OF THE ABYSS REALM. REWARD: TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE ABYSS REALM ITSELF.]]]


    NOTE: TAKING BONUS MISSION 3 WILL AFFECT BONUS MISSION 4 AND BONUS MISSION 5.


    [[[BONUS MISSION 4: DESTROY OR PROTECT THE PURIFICATION PODS OF THE HOLY ORDER REALM. REWARD: TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE HOLY ORDER REALM]]]


    NOTE: TAKING BONUS MISSION 4 WILL AFFECT BONUS MISSION 3 AND BONUS MISSION 5.


    [[[BONUS MISSION 5: DESTROY OR PROTECT THE ENLIGHTENMENT PODS OF THE GOETIC ORDER REALM. REWARD: TO BE NEGOTIATED WITH THE GOETIC ORDER REALM.]]]


    NOTE: TAKING BONUS MISSOIN 5 WILL AFFECT BONUS MISSION 3 AND BONUS MISSION 4.


    [[[BONUS MISSION 6: FIND THE WORLD SOUL OF THIS WORLD AND SUBJUGATE IT. REWARD: THE REWARD WILL DEPEND ON THE TRAVELER''S FINAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE WORLD SOUL.]]]


    "There, that''s the Main Mission and the Bonus Mission. Since I''m done saying it, I can go back to eating already¡­" Once Asteria was done speaking her turn, she did not linger in her place anymore. She quickly flew back to Alina''s storage, as if she had no interest on staying in the air. "If you want anything from me, just call me."


    "¡­" As much as Alina was irritated with Asteria''s sudden departure, she did not stop that latter, as there was no need for her to prevent Asteria from leaving.


    After all, Asteria had already told them what they needed to know. As for the items that they can buy, Alina knew that there is no need for them to buy any items for now.


    They already bought so much items back in the Traveler''s World, that buying an item in this world will just be useless.


    ************


    At the moment that Asteria disappeared from their sights, Alina quickly tried to analyze her situation, something that she knew Alex was doing too.


    "Judging from the contents of the Main Mission and the Bonus Mission, it seems that this world is a place where there are countless religions vying for dominance." Alina muttered to herself as the keywords ''religion'' and ''dominance'' flashed across her mind.


    She slightly frowned on these words, as if she was trying to make more sense of them. "Hm.. whether these religions are related to True Gods or extremely powerful beings are still unknown to us at this point. However, the fact that our Main Mission is related to religions is telling us something. We just had to know what it is¡­"


    Because of her upbringing in a scientific and esper-heavy world, Alina had no notion of religion at all. It was only when she joined Alex on his adventures that she discovered the concept of religion, and everything attached to it.


    Surprisingly, Alina actually became engrossed on the concept about religion, to the point that she will spend her free time doing research about it.


    Such zealousness was used by Alex and the others to tease Alina before, but today, this knowledge appeared to be of great help to Alina.


    "All religions all focus with one thing. And that is the worship of the Divine. Whether this ''Divine'' is a tangible, powerful being or someone who cannot be seen nor felt, it is this ''Divine'' that holds a religion together." Alina thought as she began pacing around the crater.


    She ignored her rocky surroundings, with some of the rocks tumbling towards her kicked out of the way.


    "All the religions that Alex and I have ever seen all follow this pattern, and I doubt that it will be different here. If that''s the case, then for us to succeed on the Main Mission, we have to find a religion whose ''Divine'' support is powerful enough to make it dominant."


    "The only problem that we have right now is on how we can actually look for this religion. Even if the Main Mission implied that this world has numerous religions in it, there are only bound to be a few powerful religions here. Of course we wound want to go there, but since other Travelers are already here, I doubt I will be that easy¡­."


    At the mention of the other Travelers, Alina could not help but frown a little as she felt some kind frustration, which is to be expected given their current predicament.


    "Since Asteria said that there are 5 other Travelers in this world already, that means that they have arrived here much earlier than us. That is not good, as those Travelers surely had a way to establish themselves now." Alina added as she tried to keep her scowl down. "That will make it harder for us to make a contact with other religions, as if we make an action, that might expose us to other Travelers¡­"


    "Since that was the case, then what should we do now? If we stay in this place for much longer, we could be attacked by another clan. But if we leave, where should we go? We cannot just go randomly, as that might put us in more danger. If we have to leave, we must go to a place that will give us maximum benefits¡­."


    As much as Alina was trying her best to analyze her situaiotn, she found herself in a dead-end on what they should do next.


    There are just too many unstable variables in their current situation, that making one wrong move will be catastrophic for her and her allies.


    Alina and her allies has to take account on where they have to go and on what kind of religion they should support. And this is already a problem on its own, as they still do not have the complete information about this world.


    If they make one wrong move, the original residents of this world might do something on them. Or their enemy Travelers might catch wind of their tracks which will make things worse.


    "Ugh, what to do¡­."


    It was during these times that Alina will usually go and ask Alex for his opinion, as she knew that only someone like him has a solution for this kind of problems. And that is what she did, as she gave Alex a look that implored him to start talking.


    "Alex, we have a problem here.  We are stuck-"


    "Alina, I know that we are stuck, and that each move that we make could bring us to danger. That is bad by itself. However, it is not yet the time for us to worry." Alex seemed to have understood Alina''s look, as he began answering her question even before she can ask it.


    "Alina, even if we don''t have a full knowledge of this world, I have a plan that will let us start the Main Mission without placing ourselves in immediate danger." Alex added, this time with a hint of assurance in his voice. "So don''t overthink things. I already have a solution for our problems¡­


    "What, Alex? You already have an idea on what we should do next? Are you sure about that?" ALina had expected Alex to give some kind of positive answer, but for him to say that he already found a way to start the Main Mission without placing themselves in any harm?  Even Alina finds that hard to believe.


    But Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes say otherwise, as she can see that Alex was not lying at all.


    "¡­Alex, I can see that you are telling the truth. But can you explain to me what are you planning to do? I just find it hard to fathom¡­ what we can possibly do in this situation." Since Alex was confident on having a plan, then Alina has decided to hear him out. "But don''t expect me or Queen Mother to follow your plan immediately. Who knows, it could be a doomed plan at the start¡­"


    In the context of the previous worlds, there is a high chance that Alex''s plan could work. But even if this was the case, Alina would still want to analyze Alex''s offered plan first.


    Who knows, Alex might have neglected something in his plan, and if it did, Alina will do her best to supplement it¡­


    "I know that look, Alina. You''re doubting me again. Sigh, when will you fully trust me? Aren''t I your lover?" Alex seemed to be miffed by Alina''s doubt, and he made that obvious with his complaint. "I know that we are in danger in this world, but still¡­"


    "Alex, it is because you are my lover that I am doubting you. I just don''t want you to form a plan that will endanger your life. You are important to me Alex, so I don''t want you getting hurt again!" Alina might have looked calm as she gave this reply, but she was inwardly angry, as what she said made her remember of Alex''s former condition.


    She remembered the life-threatening experience that Alex had in the Traveler''s World, and all the consequences that it gave to him.


    She also remembered her fear and anxiety at that time, which only worsened when she saw  Alex''s condition after he woke up from his coma. She knows that something was wrong with Alex at that time, and it was making him suffer greatly.


    Whatever happened to Alex during his coma had twisted something inside him, a fact that made Alina feel extremely hurt.


    She could literally see the pain that Alex was going through right now, but she found no way to help him, as the man himself chose to not say what he was going through.


    Alex just¡­ acted as if things were fine, although Alina could see that it was not.


    These unfathomable events are making Alina feel extremely terrified for Alex''s life, but what can these feelings of hers do? Can it make Alex speak, even if he does not want to?


    "Alina¡­"


    "Alex, you already placed yourself in so much danger when you fell into a coma in the Traveler''s World. I don''t want that happening to you again, so please, please make sure that your plan in this world will work!" Tears threatened to spill out of Alina''s eyes, making it harder for her to speak out her words.


    She had to even use her own power to prevent herself from crying, an action that she was not happy on doing. "Alex, if you dare place yourself in danger again, I would not hesitate to stop you! So please, make sure that your plan will not be risky¡­"


    "¡­." Whether Alex noticed Alina''s impending tear fall was unknown, as he kept his composed attitude in front of her. But he stayed silent for a few seconds, as if he was weighing on how he should say his next words.


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    This silence lasted for a full minute, and it was only when Alina was beginning to feel signs of more worry that Alex started to talk.


    "Alina, my plan is simple. Since our problem is finding a religion that we can assist, then the solution for that is to just find one. Luckily for us, there is one religion that  technically, we can help. And that religion is¡­ the one that the Abyss Realm is trying to spread in this world."


    Alex sounded extremely confident as he said these words, making it appear as if he was sure that his plan of his will succeed.


    But when Alina has fully heard what he said, she immediately flared with raging anger.


    "What? The Abyss Realm? No! Anything but that, Alex!"

 Chapter 656 - Corruption?

    Alina expected Alex to suggest a ridiculous plan that will pull them out of their situation. That was just how Alex had been all this time, so Alina was used to it already.


    But Alex actually suggested that they will be using the Abyss Realm for their Main Mission?


    There is no way that Alina can accept this, especially with Alex''s condition this time!


    So what if Alex is the Abyss Envoy? So what if Abyss Magic is Alex''s strongest power right now?


    In Alina''s opinion, these benefits are jacks**t in face of the disadvantages from the Abyss Realm!(Corruption and Brainwashing y''all)


    "¡­."


    It was the existence of these disadvantages that urged Alina to stop Alex from cooperating with the Abyss Realm in this world, as she knew that things will get worse if she lets him continue here.


    Even if Alex''s plan sounds feasible, Alina knew that there is a high chance that Alex will continuously get corrupted by the Abyss once he starts his plan¡­


    This is something that she could not allow to happen, and she obviously was unhappy because of this.


    Allina already had a bad scare when Alex fell into a coma, so she was not willing to see him plunge into another danger today.


    For Alina, Alex''s well-being was her number one priority, and not even this plan of his can make her change her mind!


    "Alex, take back what you said and don''t attempt that plan. Because if you do, things will just get worse for us." Alina did not let Alex explain himself anymore as she uttered these words, which made her look as if she was scheming something. "You can do anything that you want, but don''t affiliate yourself with the Abyss Realm for now¡­."


    Alina also grabbed Queen Mother and Professor Frances with both her hands this time, pulling them in such a way that made her actions appear confounding. "I don''t care if cooperating with the Abyss Realm will make our mission easier. The Abyss Realm is not someone that we could trust, not with your current condition today¡­"


    "¡­"


    With her mind still feeling too much anxiety for Alex''s condition, Alina steeled her heart as she quickly mapped out  her next course of action.


    "¡­."


    Right now, Alina has decided to stop Alex from implementing his new plan, and she will not allow him to do anything else that is related to the Abyss.


    Whether it be by her wits or brute force, Alina will do everything that she can to stop Alex, even at the cost of her own safety.


    Oh, and even if Alex grows to hate her this time, Alina did not give any s**t about that. His safety is the priority after all.


    "Oi, Alina. What the hell are you doing? Are you thinking of¡­" With the intense emotions raging inside her heart, ALina was unable to hide her true intentions to Alex, allowing the latter to realize what she was about to do next.


    Naturally, it made Alex panic, making him raise his voice as he tried to dissuade her. "Oi Alina. The Abyss Realm is our best shot in this world, so please, let us do this plan! You want to win already, right? So don''t hesitate anymore and-"


    "Alex, I don''t know what deal you made with the Abyss Realm during your coma, but I can see that it''s affecting you this badly. If that deal alone made you like this, then what would happen if you team-up with the Abyss in this world? Things will just get worse for you!"


    ALina did not display too much of her emotions this time, but the tremor in her voice was enough to show how conflicted and angered she was about her current situation.


    "Alex, half of your soul has been turned into a decaying material because of your exposure from the Abyss Realm! That alone was giving you this torturous pain, and you can''t even stop it!"


    Alina tried her best to dry her eyes at this point, but she was failing miserably at it, as tears began pouring out of her tear ducts.


    "Hik¡­" As much as Alina tried to calm herself down, her tears just won''t stop from coming out. It poured out of her in generous quantities, and it showed no sign of stopping.


    "Alex would you  turn into a monster if continue making contact with the Abyss Realm? I don''t  know what will happen at that time, and I don''t want to see it happening too.  So please¡­ please don''t make your situation worse!"


    "¡­"


    Alina could have said more words after this, but her tears suddenly reached an amount so high, that the only thing that she could do now was to sob silently in front of Alex.


    "Hik¡­"


    Eventually, her sobs and tears became so much, that they turned into an emotional cry, one that ripped out of Alina''s throat like a tortured bird.


    "Wuaaaaah!!!!!"


    Alina''s primal and raw cry was infused with all the pent-up emotions that she had been holding all this time, making her sound like a different person.


    Gone was the Alina who was always confident and indifferent about her actions.


    Gone was the Alina, who in face of her sister''s death and the difficulties of reviving her, was able to retain her calm.


    Gone was the Alina who was not fond of showing her intense feelings to her friends and to Alex.


    Gone was the Alina who prefers to keep her emotions in check, for the purpose of winning her fight.


    What was left of Alina was a person who cracked under all the burden pressing down on her body, a state that was unsurprising to see, given all the stress that she went through.


    But for Alex, he was greatly shocked to see Alina having a breakdown like this.


    "Wuahh!!!"


    "Listen, Alina. I never intended to let things be like this. I was just-"


    "Alex, if you know what''s best, then don''t speak first! Alina is already having a breakdown, and the best that you can do is whine like this? What kind of a man are you?" Professor Frances'' angered roar overshadowed Alex''s words, and the rage in her tone had forced Alex to stop speaking altogether.


    "Alex, Alina had been in the edge for the past 7 months because of your condition. Can you imagine all the stress and worries that she had because of that? Of course you won''t, since you are f**king sleeping!" Queen Mother rarely sounded angry, but this was one of those times, and boy, was she really pissed.


    "Hmph, must be nice for you to wake up and expect that Alina will be fine. You made her go through a lot and you did not even think that she will be like this? How disappointing of you¡­" Queen Mother added, as she visibly looked like she was holding herself back. "Did the Abyss corrupt you so much that you had even neglected Alina''s well-being too?"


    "¡­."


    Professor Frances was visibly restraining herself too, but she was having a mightily hard time stopping her arm from extending towards Alex.


    "Even if I, Professor Frances, tends to be evil sometimes, there is no way that I will make someone like Alina cry. She''s loyal to all of us, and she is someone who I treat as a friend. But here you are Alex, making her go through things that she should not be experiencing! Is this how you should really act?"


    "¡­."


    "Alex, instead of standing there like a tree, you should come here and console Alina. That is the only thing that you can do now. Or are you telling me that you can''t even do that?"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    ************


    With the breakdown that Alina had shown, and the rebuking words that Queen Mother and Professor Frances had given to Alex, Alex would obviously  start doing his best to soothe Alina and console her.


    After all, this is what any normal person would do in this situation.


    But to the great surprise of Queen Mother and Professor Frances, Alex did not show any signs that he was apologetic for his actions.


    Instead of approaching Alina to console her, Alex actually distanced himself away from them,  with his guilty expression now replaced by a disappointed look!


    "!!!"


    "!!!"


    "You three¡­ I gave you d???????f???????l??????k???j???a????????s?????l???????k??????d?????f?????? my plan, and this is what you return to me? A s***y acting lesson and  hastily-made moral quesiotns? Tsk, how pathetic 9???u??????3????o?????r??????i?????u????e?????o?????i?????r???u?????w??????o?????i?????e??????u???????r?????o?????i?????w???????"  Alex''s warm and calculating look were nowhere to be found this time, as only a cold and mocking expression remained on his face. "You should know much better!"


    "!!!"


    "!!!"


    This change in Alex quickly caught Queen Moher and Professor Frances off guard, as they realized that something about Alex has suddenly changed now.


    "J?????l????k?????j?????l???????k?????d??????j?????l?????f??????k?????a???????j????l????d??????k??????f????j?????l?????s?????d????k?????j?????f?????l??????a???"


    Whatever this change is, it is definitely not good, and it made  them want to distance themselves away from Alex.


    But no matter how much these two tried to move their bodies, they found themselves stuck on their spot.


    "!!!"


    "!!!"


    "Hoh, are you two trying to run away?>???????????(?????*???@???(???????*??????#???@????(???? What''s the problem? Aren''t we discussing about my plan? Come on, we need to discuss about my plans¡­??????????????O?????@????*??????#???*???????@???????)?????(??????@??????"  Alex did not even bother to hide the hostility on his face at this point, making him look much more terrifying than what he should be.


    "My plans already helped you out before, so why are you not accepting my plan right now? Hmph, without me, you three are just stupid b***s that will die easily! So don''t give me your pathetic crap! All of you are my property, so you should follow my f**King plan!"


    "!!!" Queen Mother and Professor Frances tried to use their powers in different ways just to find a way for them to escape, but just like before, they were rendered motionless under Alex''s gaze.


    All that they can do now was to endure Alex''s hate-filled stare, which is just making them want to burrow and hide on the farthest ends of the world already.


    "So my lover ALina is crying. That is not good. But so what? It''s her fault that she''s weak now, so don''t f**king blame me! Or else-u?????4????o???????3??????u???????4??????3??????o????i?????"


    "And as for you two, I don''t care if you are my companions. You are not my friends. You are all just my slaves, so don''t act like you''re close to me! Tsk, I should be really making you my s.e.x slaves starting tomorro0??????2?????9?????8???????4????0????9????3??????2????8??????0??????4!"


    "Oi, why are you two looking at me like that? Are you feeling l.u.s.t for me? I''m sorry, but I am not interested on a tree and a living corpse. But if you get on your knees and suck my **** together, I might change my mind0??????2??????9?????8?????4?????0?????9???????3??????2??????8??????0?????"


    "Hey, that would be nice. A threesome between me, you, and that tree woman. I wonder how that would g2????0?????3????9??????4??????3???9??????0?????2"


    "Hey"


    "Hey"


    "Hey"


    "Hey


    "?????????????????????????????????????????????????H???????????????????????????????????????8?????????????e??????????????????????????????????????????????4????????????????????????????0??????????????????????????????????????????????9??????????????????????????????????????????????2?????????????????????3?????????????????????????????????????????????????????8????????????????????????????????????0????????????????????4??????????????????????????????????9?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????8??????????????????????2?????????????????????????????????????????????0???????????????????????????????3????????????????????????????????????8?????????????????????????????????????????????4???????"????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

 Chapter 657 - Escape!

    As an associate of Alex, Professor Frances was already used to his antics.


    Whether it be his pranks or his mischievousness, Professor Frances had already learned to tolerate it, as she knew that he was usually playing with them.


    But today, Professor Frances cannot accept what Alex was doing.


    Because what Alex is doing right now¡­ is not just a simple prank.


    "??????@???????????????*??????(?????????#????????????@??????????????)?????????????#????????(??????*???@???)????????????????)????????????(?????????????(???????????*??????)???????????(???????????????@??????????#??????*???????????)???????????(??????????@?????????????*??????????????#?????????????)???????(??????*????????????@????????)??????????????(??????????@????????????*????#??????????????)??????????(???????????????@????????????"????????????


    As much as Queen Mother and Professor Frances hated to admit it, what they were seeing on Alex''s behavior right now had confirmed their suspicions.


    Alex had been greatly ''Corrupted'' by the Abyss, and this corruption seemed to reach a level greater than normal.


    All of his emotions and thinking were warped by his corruption, making him look like a man who just lives for his desires. All of his words were also tainted by maliciousness at this point, and any hint of kindness from him was already long gone.


    Alex¡­. was just not the same ''him'' anymore, with all signs of his humanity starting to disappear too.


    In short, Alex''s mental process became that of an evil monster, one whose desires and needs knows no bounds.


    Such change was enough to turn Alex into a person that Professor Frances loathes, but the fact that he''s powerful enough to harm them just makes things worse!


    "Queen Mother¡­ I hate to say this, but I think that the current Alex here is not the Alex that we used to know." Professor Frances uttered in a low voice as she tried to her best to break thorugh her restrictions. "He is already a corrupted being, which means-ugh!"


    This action of hers made her grimace, as the very act of moving alone was seemingly restricted by Alex too. Each of her limbs felt like they were on fire, which made the very notion of stretching her body appear impossible.


    "Ugh, f**k this! This Alex really-"


    "Professor Frances, you don''t need to tell me anything else. I can see what you are pertaining to." Queen Mother was in the same situation as Professor Frances, as such, she could also be seen grimacing on her spot.


    But unlike Professor Frances who was panicking, Queen Mother exuded an aura of calmness, one that Professor Frances found hard to fathom.


    "But even if Alex is corrupted, I don''t think we should be that worried." Queen Mother said as she let out a sigh, making her sound like an old man who was about to give a sagely advice. "You still have me right here, so we can just brainstorm a way to fix Alex.   Surely, we can find a way to fix him now, right?"


    "¡­."


    The sheer optimism and hope in Queen Mother''s voice grated on Professor Frances'' ears, as the latter knew that what the former was saying was just a pipe dream.


    There is no way that the both of them can find a way to fix Alex right now.


    How could they even attempt that, when the man himself looks like he wants to kill them?


    "Hmph! You''re telling me that we can find a way to help Alex, even when he''s like that? Come on, you know that it''s impossible! Alex is now a ''Corrupted'' Monster, and there is no way that we can fix that!" Professor Frances sounded as if she wanted to just start getting enraged at everything, a reaction that was apt given their situation.


    With Alex''s status today, how could Professor Frances stay calm and justified?


    Alex is closer to a monster than a human right now, and he seems to be interested on making Professor Frances and Queen Mother his playthings!


    With that kind of hostile intention, there is no way that Professor Frances will even think of healing Alex!


    "Queen Mother, helping Alex right now is just a fool''s folly! His soul was also infected by the Abyss, so we can''t do anything for him now¡­."


    Oh, and even if Professor Frances tried healing Alex, that attempt will surely fail, as the professor could feel that Alex''s soul was beyond saving too.


    Alex''s soul was already under the grasp of the Abyss , evidenced by the large chunks of dark aura invading the insides of his soul.


    It is hard to fathom what this dark aura was, but it was slowly transforming Alex  from inside out, bringing him closer and closer to the form of a twisted being


    The sight of this dark aura was enough to petrify Professor Frances and it also made her want to remove it in order to save Alex.


    But the current Professor Frances knew that she had no power to remove it, as this dark aura was fueled by the Abyss itself.


    As such, she can only watch as her companion became more and more foreign every second¡­.


    *************


    No matter how much optimistic Queen Mother was, the words uttered by the professor made the former realize how hopeless their situation is.


    Alex was in no shape to be their proper companion right now, and the severity of his situation leaves no hope for his cure.


    But would Queen Mother just really let Alex get ignored like this? Of course not!


    As long as Alex is still alive, the chance to heal him still exists, so Queen Mother cannot just abandon him!


    "So¡­ does this mean that we can''t do anything for Alex now? I mean nothing at all?" Queen Mother asked, with her face making it obvious that she was still doubting the professor''s advice. "Even if Alex''s soul is like that, there is still a chance that we can heal him, right? We can just¡­."


    "¡­"


    "We can just.."


    "¡­"


    "We can just¡­"


    "Hmph, you can''t think of a way to heal Alex as of now, right?"


    "Ugh¡­"


    To Queen Mother''s mortification, she realized that she did not discover any method that she can use to help Alex. All the methods that she had has no useful effect against Alex''s corrupted state, and some of them will just make his condition worse.


    This discovery was enough to silence her, which gave her companion the opening to further break her down.


    "Queen Mother, the current Alex is someone that we have no power to affect. So forget about helping him already." Professor  Frances said grimly. "Instead of helping him, the best thing that we can do now is to run away from him."


    "What? Run away? But-"


    "Listen to me, Queen Mother! Since Alex had been corrupted now, he will not treat us as his allies anymore! He will treat us more like his slaves, and that will not be a good thing for us!"


    "But-"


    "Do you want us to be treated as his s.e.x slaves? I think Alina ''might'' be fine with that, but how about us? You''re a lesbian tree, while I am an as.e.x.u.a.l who does not get turned on by this s.e.x.u.a.l stuff! Are you happy with that kind of end?"


    "!!!"


    "Queen Mothers, if we let ourselves get controlled by Alex, it will be game over for our Traveler Team. We will be reduced to mere playthings, while Alex will be forever gone from this world. Do you want that to happen?"


    "O-of course I don''t want that to happen! But-"


    "In that case, we should escape right now! We still have time before Alex gets fully corrupted!


    "¡­"


    ***************


    Professor Frances was someone who does not like retreating from her enemies, but for this time, she knew that running away is the best option.


    The current Alex can be said to be unstoppable, and even if Queen Mother, Professor Frances, and Alina all combined to resist him, there is a chance that they will still be overpowered.


    Since things will be like that, then it will be better for them to just leave.


    That way, all three of them can preserve their life.


    "Of course preserving our life is only one of the reasons why running away from Alex will be the best thing to do now. There are other reasons why we have to leave too¡­" Professor Frances thought idly to herself as she kept her focus locked on the now-laughing Alex.


    "If we manage to escape from Alex, we will finally be able to roam this world and discover many things here. That will be a good scenario for us, and it might even help Alex."


    Since this world was a world that seem to have a connection with the True Gods, Professor Frances knew that this world surely has numerous mystical items filled with wonderful abilities.


    If Professor Frances and her companions gets free from Alex, they can spend their time looking for these items, in hopes of seeing one that might have the ability to heal him.


    This is of course a big ''if'', but compared to their current state, scouring the whole world for an item that could heal Alex is a much better situation for them¡­


    "Aside from finding an item that can heal Alex, one more benefit of escaping from him is the chance of succeeding on the  missions¡­"


    Although Alex''s current state might make him powerful enough to turn the Abyss Realm into  a dominant religion,  Professor Frances finds it hard to believe that they can win this way.


    Even if Alex was powerful, his actions all appear to be rash and irrational, two traits that will make it impossible for him to win at all.


    The corrupted Alex just has no organizational skills needed to succeed the Main Mission, and even if he tries doing it, he will just bring disorder and destruction on this world.


    At most, Alex can easily kill and destroy the inhabitants of this world. But for him to subjugate countless of residents and make them worship the Abyss Realm?


    He cannot succeed on that, not with the presence of 5 other Traveler Teams¡­


    **************


    "So in short, since Alex is bound to face difficulties on the Main Mission, it will be up to us Companions to finish the Main Mission for him. But since Alex is dangerous right now, we can only do the Main Mission while we are separated from him¡­" All the thinking that Professor Frances did has led to this conclusion, and just like what she expected, this conclusion was enough to pressure her.


    "Ugh, I might have a talent on conquering a world using my creations, but for me to spread a religion and make it dominant in a world? I don''t know if I am cut out for that¡­" Professor Frances whined as she began complaining about what she had to do.


    "I don''t even believe in religion, and now I have to spread one? I don''t think that even with Queen Mother and Alina with my side, we could easily succeed in this¡­"


    Of course Professor Frances knew that she had no right to complain, but what else can she do?


    Should she just be happy that Alex''s Corrupted state was forcing her out of her comfort zone? Obviously not!


    "And then there''s the problem of our escape from Alex. What can we do in order to escape from Alex right now? Is there even any way that we can escape?"

 Chapter 658 - Survey and Explanation for the Coded Messages.

    If you''re curious why I post coded messages in ''short'' chapters like this, it is because I have a word limit before I can post one chapter.


    One chapter must at least have 1,000 words before I can post it.


    If I don''t have that much words, then my chapter won''t be posted....


    For my normal chapters, I don''t have this problem, since they range on around 1,800 words.


    But for chapters that only have surveys or announcements, I have no choice but to fill up that word count...


    If this have offended you, I''m really sorry about it....


    **************


    Okay, so like what I said this is a survey chapter.


    This time, it will be for this volume.


    Pretty surprising, right?(Well not really, since I do this every volume that I post...)


    1. What is your theory about Alex''s condition? Do you think this is real, or is this just another prank of his?


    2. In your opinion, are the True Gods dead or alive?


    3. What do you think will happen to Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances, now that Alex has gone rogue?


    4. Do you expect more twists? If you do, maybe you can guess one....


    5. Do you want someone to die? If so, please explain why. But please, make your reasoning convincing....


    ****************


    4f 6b 61 79 2c 20 73 6f 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 77 68 61 74 20 49 20 73 61 69 64 20 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 73 75 72 76 65 79 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 2e a a 54 68 69 73 20 74 69 6d 65 2c 20 69 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 62 65 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 69 73 20 76 6f 6c 75 6d 65 2e a a 50 72 65 74 74 79 20 73 75 72 70 72 69 73 69 6e 67 2c 20 72 69 67 68 74 3f 28 57 65 6c 6c 20 6e 6f 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 73 69 6e 63 65 20 49 20 64 6f 20 74 68 69 73 20 65 76 65 72 79 20 76 6f 6c 75 6d 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 70 6f 73 74 2e 2e 2e 29 a a 31 2e 20 57 68 61 74 20 69 73 20 79 6f 75 72 20 74 68 65 6f 72 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 41 6c 65 78 27 73 20 63 6f 6e 64 69 74 69 6f 6e 3f 20 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 74 68 69 73 20 69 73 20 72 65 61 6c 2c 20 6f 72 20 69 73 20 74 68 69 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 6e 6f 74 68 65 72 20 70 72 61 6e 6b 20 6f 66 20 68 69 73 3f a a 32 2e 20 49 6e 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6f 70 69 6e 69 6f 6e 2c 20 61 72 65 20 74 68 65 20 54 72 75 65 20 47 6f 64 73 20 64 65 61 64 20 6f 72 20 61 6c 69 76 65 3f a a 33 2e 20 57 68 61 74 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 68 61 70 70 65 6e 20 74 6f 20 41 6c 69 6e 61 2c 20 51 75 65 65 6e 20 4d 6f 74 68 65 72 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 50 72 6f 66 65 73 73 6f 72 20 46 72 61 6e 63 65 73 2c 20 6e 6f 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 41 6c 65 78 20 68 61 73 20 67 6f 6e 65 20 72 6f 67 75 65 3f a a 34 2e 20 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 65 78 70 65 63 74 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 74 77 69 73 74 73 3f 20 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 64 6f 2c 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 67 75 65 73 73 20 6f 6e 65 2e 2e 2e 2e a a 35 2e 20 44 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 77 61 6e 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 6f 6e 65 20 74 6f 20 64 69 65 3f 20 49 66 20 73 6f 2c 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 20 65 78 70 6c 61 69 6e 20 77 68 79 2e 20 42 75 74 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 2c 20 6d 61 6b 65 20 79 6f 75 72 20 72 65 61 73 6f 6e 69 6e 67 20 63 6f 6e 76 69 6e 63 69 6e 67 2e 2e 2e 2e


    49 66 20 79 6f 75 27 72 65 20 63 75 72 69 6f 75 73 20 77 68 79 20 49 20 70 6f 73 74 20 63 6f 64 65 64 20 6d 65 73 73 61 67 65 73 20 69 6e 20 27 73 68 6f 72 74 27 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 74 68 69 73 2c 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 77 6f 72 64 20 6c 69 6d 69 74 20 62 65 66 6f 72 65 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 70 6f 73 74 20 6f 6e 65 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 2e a a 4f 6e 65 20 63 68 61

 Chapter 659 - Soul Magic

    Even if some of Alex''s powers were obviously suppressed in this world, some of his powers were boosted too, a fact that gave Professor Frances a great uncertainty about their situation.


    "If what Alina told us earlier was right, then the only powers that Alex can use right now is his Abyss Magic, his Conqueror''s Aura, and his Immortal Cultivation." Like a cat caught in the headlights, Professor Frances willed herself to analyze their situation more.


    "His Immortal Cultivaiotn and his Conqueror''s Aura are most likely neutral, since they are not evil-aligned. That is good for us, since only his Conqueror''s Aura is at the Sixth Stage."


    "Our problem however, lies on his Abyss Magic since it is boosted as f**k here¡­."


    Even without Alina''s mental message to them earlier, Professor Frances knew that there is a high possibility that Alex''s Abyss Magic was greatly bolstered in this world.


    Just the sheer aura that Alex was releasing now was enough to prove this.


    "Tsk, so we have a corrupted Alex here, whose main power has been boosted beyond possible limits. With this line-up, is it still possible for us to escape?" Professor Frances doubted that they can really run away from Alex, but she had to do what she had to do. "Ugh¡­. I guess I have to attempt escape first¡­."


    Upon reaching this line of thought, Professor Frances gave a discreet glance to both Queen Mother and ALina, with the latter already calmed down from her emotional outburst.


    "¡­."


    Professor Frances did not say anything to these women at all, but the message contained in her eyes was enough to convey her intent to escape.


    "¡­" Both of these women nodded to the professor as if they were agreeing on her plan, although Alina looked like she was a little unwilling to do so.


    "Hey, what are you two nodding there for, huh? Are you trying to talk about a secret-" The nearby Alex noticed this exchange, prompting him to question his companions about it. But before he could complete his question, the three women began to make their moves, leaving him in a state of surprise.


    [SOUL GATHER, SOUL DIVIDE, SOUL SCATTER. I  IMPLORE YOU, OH SOUL OF THE BEARER, REVEAL THY SELF!]


    The first one to unleash her attack was Professor Frances, who chanted these words along with the strange sounds of ringing bells.


    "Hong~"


    At the instant that the professor casted this chant, Alex''s whole  body lurched, as if he had been hit by a massive object.


    Alex suffered no physical injury from this change, as there was something else in his body that was affected.


    "Slish¡­"


    With a pace comparable to that of a rabbit, an illusory, human-like body slowly came out of Alex, one that bore a great resemblance to him.  It has 5 arms and a face similar to Alex, with an assortment of artifacts on its hands exemplifying this unique appearance.


    There was lightning bolt on its upper left hand, and a small throne chair on the upper right. A piece of leaf was visible on its lower right hand, and a large pile of black sludge was gathered on the lower left. Finally, there was a ball of light on the fifth hand, one that acted independent of its surroundings.


    All of these objects, combined with the illusory body, gave out a frightening pressure on its own, which was able to affect the soul of every living thing that was near it.


    "Argh! You damned woman! You dare attack me? F**k you-:


    This illusory body was no other than Alex''s ''Soul'', which for some reason, had been slowly dragged out by the spell that Professor Frances had just uttered.


    Its appearance was still the same as it looked before, although there were some changes on the way that its body looked.


    For one, it looked much more hostile compared to before, with the traces of ''Corruption'' present on his ''Soul''s'' torso. The maggots and the festering wounds on the torso alone proves that.


    "Argh! I will kill you once I pull my soul back, you damned woman! Just you wait!"


    The sight of his soul being pulled out of his body seemed to have enraged Alex, with his murderous gaze on Professor Frances implying that he was ready to butcher her right now.


    This naturally made Professor Frances shiver, but she ignored it as she focused her mind on what she was doing.


    [ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE, SIX. LET YOUR SOUL BE GONE TO THE STYX!]


    "Slash!"


    A silent and ephemeral sword suddenly materialized above Alex, which descended on him with a speed comparable to a silent assassin. It seemed to ignore anything else as it plunged to Alex alone, with its sharp blade headed directly on the top of his soul''s head.


    "Hey!"


    At the sight of this sword, the incensed Alex tried to prevent its descent, but that move was to no avail.


    "Spurt!" The sword''s illusory body ignored all the obstacles as it buried its blade on the scalp of Alex''s soul, creating a split that leaked out some of his soul essence.


    "Argh!!!!"


    The illusory sword then continued its descent, a move which began to carve a massive wound on the soul''s head. This wound continued to grow larger as time passed by, which made the target himself let out more screams of pain.


    "Argh!!!"


    Such wound is painful to look at, and even the usually numb Professor Frances could not help but wince, as she knew the pain that Alex is going through right now.


    "That attack is my Soul Severing Sword. It is only meant to deal with the soul of living creatures, so it is impossible to use it on material attacks. But its potency on souls is so high, that I consider it deadly¡­." Professor Frances muttered to herself as she willed the illusory sword to move more. "But I never expected my sword to be this effective¡­"


    *************


    When Professor Frances had become Alex''s companion, her power only lies on the manipulation of biological and living beings. She did not learn any magic at that time, and the closest that she had were her usage of magic-wielding slaves.


    But after some missions with Alex, Professor Frances received a book from him which let her discover her talent in one particular kind of magic.


    That magic was Soul Magic, a magic that was highly compatible with her latent talent.


    Soul Magic, just like the Spiritualist Power that Tong''er uses, is an ability meant to deal with Souls and Spirits of any beings.


    But unlike the Spiritualist Power which lies more on the control of these souls, the professor''s Soul Magic is aligned more with attacks and transformations on the souls themselves.


    This makes it so that Professor Frances'' Soul Magic was more on soul attacks and soul defense, while the Spiritualist Power was more on summoning and spirit manipulation.


    Professor Frances was fine with this distinction, as she found the aspects of her Soul Magic extremely useful for her.


    Through her Soul Magic, Professor Frances was able to discover new ways to craft living beings.


    She discovered how long can a creature live without a soul, and on how much damage  a creature can take on its soul before it dies. She was also able to create creatures whose souls were made up from stitching different souls together, a pure monstrosity that she loved to make.


    These creations alone were enough to increase Professor Frances'' power, but this was not the real benefit that the Soul Magic gave to her.


    The best thing that Professor Frances obtained from her Soul Magic was that it gave her the ability to now fight her enemies personally, something that she was not able to do before.


    "Hmph, since I am only a creator and not a fighter, the ones who usually fight for me are my created beings. That is not bad. But in some situations, that will limit me, just like today¡­" Professor Frances muttered as she idly watched the damage her sword was making on Alex''s soul.


    She seemed to be slightly pleased with what she was seeing, and the further enlargement of the wound has increased her pleased feelings. "Heh,  it''s a good thing that I was able to train my Soul Magic back in the Traveler''s World. If I did not do that, I doubt I can even hurt Alex''s soul¡­."


    With her diligence as a researcher and her extreme talent for Soul Magic, Prfessor Frances was able to easily strengthen this power of her own, to the point that it became her main power now.


    In fact, during the 7-month time that Alex was in coma, Professor Frances used all of that time to strengthen her Soul Magic.


    With that long of a training time, it is not surprising that the Professor was able to make her Soul Magic reach the Sixth Stage.


    Alex alone only took a few months to make his Abyss Magic and Esper Power reach the Sixth Stage. So for Professor Frances to do the same feat is not that shocking.


    "Hehe, with my Sixth Stage Soul Magic, I gained the power to attack and maim the souls of my enemy directly. So don''t be angry with what I am doing to you Alex. You just left me with no choice¡­"


    Professor Frances might seem happy that her power was working on Alex, but she did not express this happiness in a rowdy way, as she knew that she was still far from winning.


    Although Professor Frances could see that her Soul Magic was abel to damage Alex''s soul, this damage was not enough to incapacitate him.


    The wound on Alex''s soul might seem large, but Professor Frances knew that once her sword disappears, the large reservoir of soul power inside Alex will quickly heal this wound.


    Of course, this will not be a problem as long as Professor Frances can maintain her sword.


    But because of Alex''s powerful soul, Professor Frances realized that her sword can only last for 10 more seconds.


    This meant that Alex will only stay incapacitated for 10 more seconds, before he will be free to attack again.


    "Ugh, and here I thought I am already winning. So I can only pin down Alex for 10 more seconds before he starts massacring us? This is not good¡­" At this point, Professor Frances knew that she alone cannot delay Alex.


    She had been using all of her might just to keep her sword existing, and even that was only enough to keep Alex stalled for 10 seconds.


    10 seconds is not enough time to facilitate their escape, so something else must be done to Alex right now.


    Fortunately for Professor Frances, she was not alone.


    "DARK MANIFEST: SCROLL OF THE ABOMINATION"


    "Woosh woosh woosh!"


    Queen Mother and Alina, both who did not do anything after Professor Frances attacked Alex,  has finally unleashed their respective abilities right now.


    At

 Chapter 660 - The Tree is Heavy, and the Gate is Kinky

    "Hong long~"


    Two different manifestations appeared behind Queen Mother and above Alina, both which exuded a level of power no weaker than Professor Frances''s move.


    On Queen Mother''s side, an illusory continent made up of plants appeared, with its large body composed entirely of only one tree stump. This stump was pulsing with an immense amount of life force, to the point that it appeared to have a life of its own.


    This life force also made the whole continent look like a paradise, although the presence of dangerous squalls and large rifts occasionally mar this image.


    Below this continent, numerous miraculous events were happening, with the destruction and chaos on the ground seemingly fixed by the continent''s aura alone.


    "¡­"


    Queen Mother did not explain how her summoned continent became like, as she just made the whole continent descend towards Alex.


    "Thummm¡­"


    On Alina''s side on the other hand, a huge, dark gate wreathed with bones and rocks materialized above her head.


    Its size was inferior compared to that of what Queen Mother summoned, but in terms of power, it was able to match the latter.


    "Hum¡­"


    This gate displayed concepts related to the Laws of Space, Time, and Darkness, all that formed an esoteric but also a unique presence all over the area.


    This presence did not give the gate a frightening offensive potential, but those who saw it felt an instinctive fear inside their bodies.


    It was as if there was a voice warning these people, telling them that those who comes near this dark gate will lose their freedom forever¡­


    "Thum~"


    Just like Queen Mother, Alina also began bringing this gate down towards Alex, and she showed no signs of hesitation at this point.


    Alina just let her gate fly, and she did express any interest on stopping it¡­.


    "¡­."


    These consecutive moves by Alina and Queen Mother led to an attack made up from the combination of the illusory continent and the dark gate, something that made the nearby Professor Frances shiver.


    The professor could feel the power inherent on this attack, and she knew that it will be hard for her to survive had she been this attack''s target.


    She was lucky it was being used on Alex this time, and not on her.


    "Yes, just attack Alex with those things. This way, we can delay him more!" Professor Frances was happy at the prospect of these additional attacks, with her mind already envisioning the sight of Alex receiving more injuries later.


    She could also imagine the impending frustration on Alex''s face, and that was enough to make her feel smug. "Hahaha! So with if you are more powerful right now, Alex? You are still corrupted by the Abyss, so it will be hard for you to dodge our attacks! The best that you can do right now is accept them, but that is what we are wanting you to do!"


    With a barely-hidden snarl on her face, Professor Frances dug out all of the power that she can draw from her body just to strengthen the power of her Soul Severing Sword.


    This made her suffer some internal injuries, but for the sake of their escape, this injury is nothing more but a scratch.


    "Haha, come on Alex, why don''t you do something now? If this goes on, you will be really left alone¡­.


    *************


    When Alex was in coma in the Traveler''s World, it was not only Professor Frances who used this time to strengthen her powers.


    Both  Alina and Queen Mother also strengthened their powers in this 7-month span too, with the results of that training being shown today.


    With her innate ability and all the resources from the Traveler''s World, Queen Mother was finally able to regain the power that she had back in the Monster World.


    Not only that, but her comprehension on Nature Magic allowed Queen Mother to create countless abilities, all which gave her a combat prowess comparable to that of a Sixth Stage Being.


    "¡­."


    Queen Mother''s Original Tree Form was powerful already, and if this were to be combined with her Nature Magic abilities, it will be hard to find anyone who can easily defeat her.


    It was just too bad that Queen Mother cannot transform into her Original Tree Form easily even at this point, as it still had a burden that she cannot take easily.


    As such, the current Queen Mother can only use her Nature Magic on Alex right now.


    This might seem inadequate, but with the weird effects that her ability had, one cannot ignore her Nature Magic alone.


    "Thum¡­."


    The spell that Queen Mother just used was one that she called NATURE DOMAIN: DESCENT OF THE TREE GOD.


    This was a spell that combined Queen Mother''s immense life force along with her comprehensions about the domineering power of massive lifeforms, in order to create the illusory continent that she summoned earlier.


    This combination might appear inefficient at first, but Queen Mother was able to combine them in such a way that the whole spell became extremely intimidating.


    Queen Mother did not exactly explain what the effects of this spell of hers were, but judging by its appearance, this summoned continent has the enough power to imprison and suppress anything, even those who are nearing the peak of Sixth Stage already.


    "Dum dum dum!" Professor Frances'' guess turned out to be right, as when the summoned continent was a few meters away from Alex,  it  began to unleash its domineering pressure on him, forcing the latter to fall face-flat on the ground.


    The impact of this fall seemed to have stunned Alex, and it took him  a while before he became enraged by this change too.


    "Argh!!! Damn you, Queen Mother! I am still struggling against this professor''s attack, and you dare sneak attack me! *@#(@*)(#@ ! I promise once I remove this soul sword, you will be the first one that I will hunt down!" Even if he was suffering from a sword cutting through his soul, and the weight of a deadly continent, Alex was able to still talk.


    It was as if he was not worried and affected about his condition, and he seemed to be more focused on dissing on his opponents.


    "Hmm¡­ even if you are a f**king tree Queen Mother, I think I can still consider you as a hunting target¡­ I just have to dress you with those skimpy rabbit clothes that you made last time. But if I do that, you will look like a kinky lesbo queen. Hey, that does not sound bad at all¡­"


    The tenacity that Alex showed at this point was so surprising to see, especially for someone that should be close to dying now. This is not how Alex should act, and the fact that he was nonplussed about it was enough to frustrate his enemies.


    Professor Frances was in this same situation, but she was only surprised, not frustrated.


    After all, she had already expected Alex to be this tough, so seeing him act nonchalantly was nothing else but a slight irritation for her.


    Besides, Alina''s attack has not landed on Alex yet, and the professor knew that the Alina''s attack was actually the strongest amongst them three.


    "Hehe Alex, you might be able to ignore the effects of these two spells since you are powerful enough to resist them. But I wonder what would happen once Alina''s attack lands on you? Can you still act this carefree?"


    ***********


    While Queen Mother focused her skills on her Nature Magic, Alia spent her time finding creative ways to use her Esper Power and Dark Magic, while also using this knowledge of hers to upgrade her Chronomancy.


    Alina sought countless fights during this time period, and she also begged and asked for assistance from the Great TimeMaster herself. She also resisted her urge to vomit as she became a short-time student of the Old Man.


    With this kind of experiences in her training, Alina naturally received a huge improvement on her own abilities.


    She was able to hone and perfect her abilities on both the Esper Power and Dark Magic, while she also managed to make her Chronomancy reach Half-Step Sixth Stage.


    The first line of improvement was already impressive by itself, but the fact that Alina was able to make her Chronomancy reach this high of a level just made her look like a monster.


    Only one more small push was needed to make her Chronomnacy reach the Sixth Stage, and with the way that things look right now, that push is about to come.


    "¡­."


    The presence of these powers alone was enough to make Alina dominant, and quite frankly, even Professor Frances felt fearful of her before.


    But since Alina''s attack was intended for Alex, the professor had no problem watching the situation as it unfolded in front of her¡­


    ***********


    "Slong slong slong~" Large chains made up of dark tendrils sprouted out of the dark gate, which then acted like tentacles as they wrapped themselves around Alex.


    Each joint on Alex''s body, along with his limbs, torso, and head were covered by these chains, with their tight hold on his body forcing him to arch his back.


    This instantly turned him into what looked like to be a victim of a tentacle attack, a sight that was slightly comical to Professor Frances.


    "Lol, why does Alex have to be wrapped like that? That seems wrong¡­"


    This compromising position of his made Alex let out a hiss, and this one  was of humiliation instead of pain. After all, who would want to be seen in such a lewd pose, especially during a battle? Professor Frances obviously wouldn''t.


    "¡­."


    **************


    "Argh! F**k you  Alina! So you want to force me into this kind of play? What a shameless b***h! And here I thought you are a pure woman that I can corrupt by my side. But as it turns out, you''re actually this perverted too!"


    Judging by his words and his murderous tone, one can assume that  Alex was highly interested on breaking himself out of the chains.


    But because of Professor Frances'' sword that was still stabbed on his soul, and the immense pressure by Queen Mother''s continent, Alex was left unable to do anything.


    It seemed as if Alex has to wait for a few more seconds before he can free himself, something that did  not sit well with him.


    "Argh! F**k this!"


    The problem of these chains alone was already enough to infuriate Alex, but as time passed by, he and the others discovered something in the chains that made him rage more.


    As it turns out, these chains actually had a second effect in it, and it was this second effect that made Alex''s anger fly through the roofs.


    "??????F??????*???????*?????k????!???????!?????!??????!????????"???????


    ???????


    The chains that came out of ALina''s dark gate was filled with runes related to slavery and compliance, two runes that are only used by  Dark Magicians who wanted to enslave living creatures!


    There is no way that Alex can stay calm from this discovery, as the fact that his ''ally'' was trying to influence his mind was a great offense to him.


    "F**k!!!"


    Alina actually dared to enslave Alex, even if he was her comrade? How bold of her!


    Who cares if the forte of Dark Magic is enslaving mythical creatures and other living beings? In Alex''s eyes, this does not warrant Alina the right to use her power to enslave him!


    Only lesser beings should be targeted by this enslaving power, and Alex is not one of them!

 Chapter 661 - Sickle

    [[[Author''s Note: This chapter is a little less than normal, since today is Valentine''s Day.]]]


    "Roar!" The combination of the professor''s sword, Queen Mother''s continent, and Alina''s enslaving chains were powerful enough to completely stall Alex, and all that he can do at that point was roar angrily at his opponents.


    He might not be in a dangerous condition as his own powerful soul and Abyss Magic was preventing him from dying, but he knew that he cannot easily shrug off the attacks that are used on him.


    After all, these attacks were all used in a way that their weaknesses were hidden and their strengths exemplified, allowing them to fully restrain Alex.


    Professor Frances'' sword was here primarily to attack  Alex''s soul and anything related to it. This prevents Alex from quickly accessing his soul-related abilities, and if he wanted to use them, he had to remove the sword first.


    Queen Mother''s summoned continent on the other hand uses its concept of strength and life to force Alex''s physical body into a halt. This essentially stops Alex from performing any physical movements.


    Of course if Alex was in his normal state, he can shrug off the pressure brought by this continent. But since his soul was injured and corrupted at this point, it made it much harder for him to muster any strength to push off the suppression.


    As for Alina''s enslaving attack, it uses the power of slavery and compliance to force Alex to become her slave. This power might be a little vile, but it was the most potent out of the three attacks, especially  against opponents that have been weakened already.


    If it were any other person, the power of Alina''s enslaving attack will be surely effective on them, as they do not have the mental toughness to resist getting enslaved. Luckily for Alex, he had the willpower to fight back against this slavery ability.


    "¡­"


    He was using a majority of his willpower to resist getting enslaved, and fortunately for him, it was working. He was still free, albeit he was still tied up in a compromising state.


    But although Alex was not enslaved, the fact that his willpower was being used to resist slavery made it impossible for him to unleash any spells.


    If he wanted to use spells, he must focus on it first, something that is not possible now given his current state.


    "Tsk, f**kkjlkjd . With these three attacks pressing down on my soul, body and willpower, there is no way that I can attack them now. My soul is hanging like a useless noodle here, while my body and spells are like blocks of wet sand. Tsk, they really have no use @?????*?????????????????#?????????????@??????????(??????????*????????????&??????????????????#?????????????(?????????@???*???????????????¡­"


    Alex knew that in his current state, he will be like an open target for his opponents, and it was not beyond his imagination that they might try killing him now.


    But given the way that they gave their effort just to restrain him, Alex doubts if they can even kill him¡­


    "But although these attacks can restrain me, they are not powerful enough to kill me. Since that is the case, then my opponents are still bound to lose o??????3??????????????u?????????3????????u??????4????????¡­"


    Seeing the struggles of his opponents, Alex realized that his opponents can only keep him down for a short time, especially since his overall power was still greater than them.


    This partially cooled down his rage, as he realized that he had just to wait until his opponents get tired.


    "Their combined attacks might be enough to restrain me, but judging from their actions and auras, they can only keep their attacks for a few more secondse58rw09e809w" Alex thought surly to himself as he ignored the stabbing pain brought by the professor''s sword.


    "No, to be exact, the one who will lose her attack first will be Professor Frances¡­" Alex added, as he gave a slight glance to Professor Frances. "She''s the one who attacked first, and it appears that her attack was also the one that consumes the most power¡­"


    Alex could  sense that the sword stuck on his soul was already showing some signs of fading away, which coincided with the professor showing a decline in her aura. Some cracks had begun appearing on the sword''s surface too, which just made his guess more accurate.


    But although Alex could see that the professor was close to losing her strength already, the professor kept pushing herself, with her eyes glowing with her sheer determination to win.


    The professor appeared to be unwilling to let her attack disappear, a conviction that she showed when  she poured out all of her power into her soul-severing sword, just to make it last for a few more seconds!


    "¡­."


    If it was before, Alex would be happy seeing this grit and determination from the professor. But now, the corrupted Alex only felt disgust, as he could not fathom why someone weaker than him had to waste her power this way.


    "Hmph, no matter what you do Professor Frances, you would not be able to kill me. I am stronger than you three after all, so don''t waste your time like this!"


    "Ah!" The timing of Alex''s declaration cannot be more apt, as it was at this moment that Professor Frances'' soul-severing sword disappeared entirely.


    "oOum~"


    The sword''s sharp blade and frightening piercing power faded as if they did not exist in the first place, leaving Alex and his soul floating in the open.  Some flakes of the soul-severing sword tried to persist on sticking to Alex, but they also disappeared, as their caster looked extremely out of breath already.


    "Sho~"


    With the disappearance of the sword, all the hidden soul power inside Alex''s body began to rush on his wound, quickly healing it in seconds. All signs of damage that existed on his soul disappeared in an instant, leaving him with his soul back to its intact state.


    "Hahahaha!" This healing allowed Alex to regain his clear state of mind, something that he badly needed now.


    "Hahaha, now I am liking this situation!" Even though his body was still suppressed and his willpower was doing its best to resist the enslavement, Alex''s fully recovered soul will be powerful enough to do its job for him.


    His soul was already free from any suppression, which meant that he is now free to cast all the soul-related abilities that he can use.


    "I applaud you three for bringing me into this state. It is rare to see people¡­ that can cooperate to force me like this. But it''s too bad that this is the best that you can do¡­."


    This is the exact moment that Alex had been waiting for all this time, and now that he can use his power on his opponents, he would not hesitate on using it.


    [THE PERCEPTS OF EVIL: TWILIGHT OF LIFE]


    "Honba~"


    Large amount of Abyss Magic flowed out from Alex''s orifices, before combining together to form a sickle that was the length of his body.


    This sickle appeared like an ordinary sickle, but within its body, an aura close to death and destruction could be felt. Illusions of depravity and corruption can also be felt and experienced around it, turning the scythe''s surroundings  into an area full of corruption.


    Alex did not show any outward reactions at the presence of this sickle, although his eyes slightly lit up, indicating his pleasure from seeing the said object.


    "Thonm."


    Once it made its appearance, the sickle began to  express its interest on reaping souls and destroying life, an instinct that seem to gather Alex''s attention.  But although he seemed intrigued by this horrific interest, Alex did not reject the sickle''s request to him.


    Alex actually even encouraged it, as if he was itching for it to happen.


    "There, there, there, my sickle. I know that you want to kill these poor heretics already. After all, that''s the reason why I summoned you here. But before I allow you to eat, please keep yourself behaved first¡­" Although he was not holding the sickle in his hands, Alex appeared to have the ability to easily control it, as showcased by the sudden movements of the sickle above him.


    The sickle bobbed, weaved, and meandered above Alex while the man himself was still tied up. This created scenery that was strange on its own, and it just became stranger once it combined with Alex''s tied-up state.


    "I know that you want to take their souls and eat them for lunch. But give me a few seconds first. I want to talk to my companions. Who knows, they might ask for my forgiveness¡­ heck they might even-(????????????*???????@?????????????(???????????&????????????????#????????(???????????????*???????????@????????


    "

 Chapter 662 - Interlude: Valentines Day?

    [Note: Since this is an excerpt from inside Alex''s memories, expect some... obstructions on the words.


    [Alex]: Hm¡­ I am not someone from Earth, but I have observed their customs and all their holidays. during my stay. Most of these holidays are weird but they are always fun and intriguing. In fact, I think that you, Alina, might enjoy these holidays too¡­


    [Alina]: Hey Alex, why are you suddenly talking about those holidays? Are they relevant on our problem regarding the Returners?


    [Alex]: Well¡­ no. But one of those holidays was actually happening today¡­


    [Allina]: Ok¡­ I see. So a holiday, according to your past experiences, is bound to happen already?  Fine. But still, why should I care about that? Can I eat that holiday?


    [Alex]: Well no, you cannot eat the holiday. But the holiday itself is interesting, albeit it has signs of pure greed in it.3?????8??? 4?????0???? 9???????2????? 8???? 3??????? 0???? 9???? 4????? 8????2????9???? 0????? 3???? 8????? 4????? 0????0??????? 0???? 0?????? 0????? 0???? 0???????0????0?????? 0??????9??? 2???? 0???9??????? 3?????8???? 4????9?????? 0????3????? 2??????? 8????? 4??????? 0?????9?????? 2?????? 3?????8?????4???? 0?????2?????? 9????3???? 8?????4????? 0?????2???? 9??????3??????? 8???????4???? 0????? 2??????9?????? 3?????? 8????4????0??? 2?????.?????? 2?????3???????2???? 3????????????5????????3????5????3???????? ????2???3???2??????????????????????????????5?????3???? w??? r????w????e??????q????? e???? q???? w????????2???4??? 2?????????5????3????? 5???????1????2????4???? 3????2???? ?????2???? 3???????? 2???? ???3??? 2??? ?????2????3????? ???2????3????????7???? ???9????????7????2???4????????????????5?????2????? 3????4???2?????3????????????6??? 3????????2??? 4???2??????? 6????????4?????2??? ????4???????? 6?????4???? ???? 2????????? 2????4???????? 2?????3???????4????????6???????2????????4????? 2????????6????????6??????2???????????2???? 4????????2????????7???6??????????????????? w????????r?????2????? ????3????5??? 3????2??? ????6???? 5?????3??????????s???? r???6??? ????3?????4??? 6???3???? 4???


    ????


    ???3????4????2?????? 0????? 9??? 3????8???? 4????0?????? 2????9?????? 3????8????? 4??????0??????? 2????9????? 3???8??????4??? 0?????? 2??? 9??????3????? 8????? 4??????\??????


    ***********


    [Alex]: Today is February 14, a date, which on Earth, coincides with the holiday known as the Valentines'' Day.


    [Alina]: Valentines'' Day? Hm, that sounds like it can roll from my tongue quite well. Valentine, valentine, valentine. Yes, it does sound good¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Alina]: So is this Valentine''s Day a good holiday? Oh, and is it a day where I can eat all-I-want?


    [Alex]: A good holiday? Nah, Valentines'' Day is just a hoax holiday, used by capitalist to rake in money from their unsuspecting victims. Sigh¡­ Those poor victims during Valentine''s Day are really pitiful.  All their money are getting pocketed by those sleazy businessmen, and they do not even complain about it¡­"


    [Alina]; So basically, you''re telling me that this holiday is a fraud one?


    [Alex]: Yes,  Valentine''s Day  is a fraud event, which nobody should celebrate  anymore. A lot of people are  just getting hurt because of this holiday, and I don''t want us to be involved with that too.


    [Alina]: ¡­


    [Alex]: Also, there are no free-to-eat activities in Valentine''s Day. In fact, the prices of food and other services will be raised during the holiday period. That''s s shameless move, and even I am not fond of that.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: I have more things to talk about Valentine''s Day, but you get the gist of it already, Alina. Valentine''s Day is not a good holiday, so we must not get involved with it, as it will make things harder for us. 38429034029384029384029384029384023


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    ***************


    [Alina]: I can see that you are telling the truth to me, Alex. You did not lie about this Valentine''s Day, and you did not hide your anger on it. Heck, you seem to be even interested wrecking this holiday¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]:   But even with these traits Alex,  why do you still sound like you are lying? You seem to be not sure with what you are sayi-


    [Alex]: Hehe, who cares about what I am saying.  Here in this place, I get to say what I want to say, and if you don''t want to accept it, then don''t!


    [Alina]: Hah? Wait a second, I just gave you a simple question, and now you give this answer? Quit joking on me, Alex. Just tell me what I want to hear alread-


    [Alex]:  Alina, I  told you  some of the vital info about the Valentine''s Day already. That is enough, as telling you more will just attract bothersome presences¡­. @?????*???????@????)?????(???*???N??????)?????@?????(??????)?????@????(?????#?????)????(?????@??????#??????(??????)??????@?????#?????)????_??????@?????(?????#?????)????????. So  even if you want to know more, I''m sorry to say, but my mouth is zipped.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: Okay. So that''s my explanation about Valentine''s Day. Since I''m done here, can I start sleeping now? I just want to take a short nap¡­.


    [Alina]: Excuse me? You''re already leaving after you gave me that absurd story? Is that how you should really react? You will just tell me some cryptic stuff and then you will leave? Come on, Alex, give me a break! I want better stories than that!


    [Alex]: Stories my ass! I already told you what the Valentine''s day is about, so just leave it at that! What I told you is the truth already, so what else can I add? Do you  want me to create a make-up story about Valentine''s Day? Hell no. I am not in a mood for that.


    [ALina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: ¡­


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Alina]: ¡­You know Alex, I can see with my own eyes that you are sincere with your words, and that you are usually kind and deliberate with your every move.  That is one of the reasons why I am comfortable with you. However, I did not like the way that that you reacted earlier. Why are you even having a bad mood right now? We just won a battle, remember?


    [Alex]: Tsk, I am just thinking of some miscellaneous stuff, and that made my face look b????4???????0???9??????w????8?????9?????0??????8????w??????w?????2???????0??????)???????(?????*????)????(??????@??????*???????$???????)???????(??????@???*?????)???????$????@?????)As for my bad mood, I don''t want anyone else talking about it, as it might just make my mood worse¡­ Can you do that, Alina? Can you keep quiet about my bad mood?


    [Allina]: . Don''t worry about your bad mood, Alex. I can easily do that.


    [Alex]: Great! That m-


    [ALina]: But while I am fine following that order, I still have difficulty understanding why I should ignore the mention of Valentine''s Day.


    [Alex]: Hah? What you up to again, Alina? I just said earlier that-


    [Alina]: You see, Asteria told me the other day that Valentines'' Day is a date that I should remember. She said that it was important, especially for someone like me¡­


    [Alex] ¡­.


    [Alina]:  Since Asteria said that Valentine''s Day is important to me,  then why are we avoiding this holiday?


    [Alex]: Pfft. Asteria told you that? Hmph, you should not believe the words uttered by that-


    [Alina]: Speaking of the devil, here she comes. The great dumb fairy.


    [Asteria]: Lalalala, lalalala, lalala, honey!


    [Alex]: Hey dumb fairy! Why don''t you just shut up there and let us talk, huh? You''re not even needed her-


    [Alina]: No, let Asteria talk, I think she''s about to tell me something interesting¡­


    [Alex]: Nah, what Asteria will say will just be nonsense. So don''t treat her well. She will just li-


    [ Asteria]: Hoomans, I heard you two talking about Valentine''s Day. Hehehe, how romantic.  So did you plan a date already?


    [Alina]: A what now, Asteria?


    [Asteria]: A date, Asteria, a date. The one where you- Wait, why are you even asking about that? Today is Valentine''s Day, which is a day for you couples! All couples will get to do a lot of lovey-duvey stuff this time, and no one will bat an eye on them!


    [Alex]: Hey, dumb fairy, I said-


    [Asteria]; So since today is Valentine''s Day, what are you planning to do with Alex, Alina? Will you cook food together and eat them like a shy couple, or will you ravage each other''s bodies on bed like you two are animals in heat? Hehehe, there''s a lot that you can during the Valentine''s Day, and nobody will stop you!


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: ??? Hey, why are you two acting this silent? Is something wrong? Did my magnificent words offend you again?


    [Alina]: No, I was not offended by your words, Asteria. I was just¡­ trying to make sense of what you just said.


    [Asteria]: What''s with that answer again, hooman? Why would you even try to make sense of Valentine''s Day? You already know what it is, so you should not be acting this shocked, right?"


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Alina]: ¡­.


    [Alex]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: Oh. Oh. Oh.  So Alex never told you what Valentine''s Day really is?


    [Alina]: Yes, he did not tell me the part where Valentine;s Day is meant for couples.  He just told me that Valentine''s Day is a day for greedy capitalists¡­


    [Asteria]: Tsk, tsk, tsk, Alex. What a bad move.  He must [email protected]???????????*?????????????#?????????(?????????????????@???????????????*???????????#??????????????)?????????????????(??????????@???????????*????#???)????????????????(????????????????@???????????????*????????????)??????????????????


    [Alex]: Hah? [email protected]???????????????????&???????????(???????????????????*????????????&?????????@?????????(?????????????(?????&???????(????????????????*??????????????


    [Alina]: )?????????????(????????????????$?????????*????????????????)????????????#????????(???????????*???????????????$?????????#?????????????????????


    [Asteria] (????????????*???????#??????????????)????????????????(?????????4???????????8???????????????????


    #?????????????*??????????????????$??????????#????????@??????????????)???????(???????


    ??????????


    ????????????????@?????????????(????????????????*???????????????????&????????#?????????????????(??????????????????@??????????????*???????????????????&??????????????????????????


    ????????????????


    ???????????????????*???????????????(?????????????????????&??????????????????$???????????????(?????????????????@??????????????????????????&???????????$?????????????


    ???????????????


    ??????????????????????(???????????????????????@?????????????????????&??????????????(?????????????????????*??????????????????????????????@??????????????????&??????????(?????????????????????#???????????????????

 Chapter 663 - Kriya! Kriya! Kriya!

    3?????????4??????????7??????2????????? 9????8??????? 3??????????7????????????? 4??????9????? 8???????????3??????????? 2???????????4?????????3????????? 4??????9?????2??????????? 3?????????8??????????4?????? 0??????9????2???? 3?????????8??????????4???????? 0??????????9?????????????2???????????? 3???????8???????4?????????? 0?????????9?????????2??????????? 3?????????8?????????? 4?????????0???????? 2????????9????????? 3????????????8?????? 4??????? 0????????9?????????? 2??????3?????????? 8?????????4??????? 0??????2??????????? 9???????4??????? -????????2???????? 8??????? 5???????????? 4?????9????2?????????????? 3??????7????????? 5????0???? 2????????3????? 9??????????4??????????? 0?????????????9???????? 2??????????3??????? 7????????????4?????????? 0????????????9???????????? 2??????????3????????? 8???????????4?????? 9??????????????? 2??????????3?????????? 4?????????? 0??????? 9???? 2????????? 3??????????8??????? 4?????????2????? 9????????3?????????0??????????? 8????????4?????????? 2???????0???????3????????? 8?????????????4?????????? 0????????????9????????2???????????? 3?????8????????? 4??????????0?????????9?????? 2?????????????? 3??????????????p??????????9????????? 4?????9????????8????????????? 2???????? 3??????????8??????????4????? 0????????????9??????????????2????? 3???????????8????4????????????0??????? 2??????????9????????? 3??????????8???4??????????? 0??????????9????????????8????????? 0?????????3?????? 8????4????????0???? 9??????????2????????3?????????? 3????????4????????? 0????????9?????


    "Argh! Why does my mind have to ''bug out'' right now? I''m in a middle of a fight, for f**k''s sake!"


    With the way that his fight was about to go, Alex began to feel enjoyment, as he realized that he was only one step away from beating up his ''opponents''. He just had to bring his sickle down, and victory will be his.


    But before he could even attack, his mind actually chose to sputter at this point!


    "Tsk, when I gained this new power, I thought that the corruption will only manifest for a latter time. After all, I am someone who is bound to reach Transcendence. But look at my body right now! It has not yet been minutes since I used my power, and I am already this close to the brink? F**k!2???????3???? 4??????????? 3???????????2?????????? 9????????????? 8???????? 4????????7????????? 9???????????3???????? 2??????????8??????????????? 4??????????9????????? 2????????? 8????? 3??????????? 4?????9"


    Alex does not want to admit it, but he could feel inside his head that his mind was getting closer and closer to being eroded and disrupted by the Abyss, a state that even the current him is not happy to see.


    After all, even if being corrupted by the Abyss gives him additional power, it also makes Alex lose his reasoning, something that he does not want to compound anymore!


    Because of this dilemma, Alex was naturally pissed, which he made obvious with his complaints.


    "F**k, if my mind wants to be fully corrupted by the Abyss, it can wait after I finish fighting my opponents. It''s just a few seconds, so why can''t it wait 3??????????0???????????4??????8??????????? 3???????????0??????????9???????2????????8?????????????"


    "Ah g*****nit! If this goes on, my enemies could have a chance of escaping!4????????????? 9????????8??????? 3??????2???? 7??????4??????????? 9????????????8????????? 2????????7??????????


    "Oh, and what is this? My danger sense is telling me that I might possibly die today, especially if I don''t do something about my corruption? F**k! If this feeling is indeed true, then I should end this fight already!"


    As much as Alex tried to downplay his current state, he fully knew well that he is currently at the precipice of a perilous situation.


    If he makes even just the slightest wrong move at this point, it may very well cost his life or worse, even his sanity and future.


    "Ugh, if I die, at least I won''t get to suffer anymore. But if I go crazy, I might turn into an abominable monster that will be cursed to suffer all its life¡­."


    ***************


    The current Alex was not the same Alex as before.


    The current him had been partially corrupted by the Abyss, a state that gave him a great boost to his Abyss Magic. This partial corruption upgraded his Abyss Spells, and it also pushed him closer to creating his own Personal Law.


    Such benefits are enough to make Alex happy, but the downsides partial corruption was just as heavy, if not even worse.


    By becoming partially corrupted by the Abyss, all the intelligence and kind-heartedness inside Alex were eroded, which made him more prone to irrational actions and stupid thoughts.


    Things that Alex would never do before will be attempted by him during his partial corruption, and he will not sound as intelligent as he was. Other people will think of him as stupid, and Alex has no way to deny that.( So if Alex''s Intelligence Grade was 10, once he was partially corrupted by the Abyss, this Intelligence Grade will be downgraded into 6.)


    Such drastic change is the reason for Alex''s current action, and the man himself has no choice but to accept this.


    Aside from his intelligence, Alex''s emotions were changed drastically by the partial corruption too. His usual soft spot for his friends was replaced by a barbaric mentality, turning him from a reliable companion into a despicable leader.


    This transition made it so that the current Alex was not thinking well of his allies anymore. He did not even treat Alina and the others like his friends, and he viewed them more like his slaves now.


    "By being partially corrupted by the Abyss, my morals and logic will be skewed, and they will be more aligned against evil and irrational actions. That effect is the reason why I am acting like this right now¡­." Alex thought to himself as he did his best to slow down the sudden erosion inside his soul. "Of course I have no problem with my state, but the fact that I can still see my opponents leering at me is making me angrier!"


    Alex''s action against the impending increase of his corruption might seem valiant, but it also did not matter, as the corruption  continued its frenzied expansion even with his efforts to stop it.


    3??????? 4?????????8?????????? 2????????3????????????0????????? 9?????4????????????? 8?????????2????????? 0???????????3?????????? 9????????????8?????????? 4???????????0??????????????2???????? 3????????8????????4????????? e??????8????????3?????????? 9???????0???????? 8??????????????9???????????????????? F**k!!!"


    If Alex was back in his pure, una.d.u.l.terated state, his current partial corrupted self will surely make him worry. But that Alex was not here anymore.


    All that was left was his retarded version, who is making things way worse.


    "Argh! Being partially corrupted is the best! I get to keep my mind at the minimum, and I gain the power to trash my enemies! This is much better than my weakling past and my fully corrupted version! Because of that, I must do my best to maintain this state. Because if I don''t, I will be-2????????????? 9???????4????? 8??????????????? 3???????????????2????????? 0???????????9??????????? 8?????????4????????? 0???????????2??? 3????9???????"


    "Argh! This is pissing me off so much!"


    Even when his face was covered by Alina''s chains, the anger emanating from Alex could be felt all around him, to the point that his opponents were spooked by it.


    Alex of course did not pay attention to it, as he was more focused on the impending erosion of his reasoning.


    " S**t! S**t! S**t!  You stupid mind! If you want to break down, just do it once I''m done with my opponents! Can''t you even just resist the corruption of the Abyss for now? It''s just a few seconds of extra time, for f**k''s sake!"


    "Argh! If this is how things will go, then I will just give my all! That will be the only way¡­ that I can win here!"


    "I am not sure if my sickle alone will be enough to let me win. So I will also summon my other tools, just to make sure!"


    Realizing that his situation will get worse if he does not perform any actions, Alex decisively abandoned the restrictions he placed upon himself.


    "Boom!"


    All the Abyss Magic that existed inside Alex''s body, including those that he used to resist the attacks by his opponents, began to gather to his heart, creating a maelstrom that pulsed with the power of evil.


    Each rotation of this maelstrom seemed to generate a unique, frightening concept by itself, one which resonated with the evilness around it.


    "Crack crack crack¡­" The appearance of this maelstrom did not just increase the aura of evil around Alex. The maelstrom also turned  Alex''s malicious aura into a tangible mass, one that actually appeared to have a life of its own.


    "Kriya!"


    Unlike all the other creations that Alex made with his Abyss Power, this ''tangible mass'' displayed signs of life comparable to that of a normal living creature. It has tentacles all over its tiny body, along with hundreds of blood-stained eyes embedded on its skin, both which just exemplified its life-like state.


    "Kriya!"


    These tentacles and eyes made the creature look like a twisted version of a cute pet, with the shrill, gurgling sound that it released making it look worse. In fact, this creature looked so abominable, that even the nearby Professor Frances felt extremely repulsed just by this creature''s look alone.


    "Kriya!"


    Just like Alex, this ''multiple-eyed, tentacle being'' was just as evil as him, and it showed a brutality enough to make anyone  feel hostile to it.  It did not even flinch in face of Alex''s corruptive force, as it just sat calmly on top of his shoulder as if it was his cute pet.


    "¡­."


    The presence of this vile and despicable creature had definitely changed the whole situation, although Alex''s opponents seem to be not sure on what change it could really bring.


    Alex of course perfectly knew what was about to happen, so even if his whole body was greatly weak from creating this tentacled Divine Being, he felt immense elation from its arrival.


    "Hahaah! I am the High Priest Xela, and I am the next in line to become the head of the Abyssal Church!  Now, my first Divine Being. Heed my call and maim my enemies!" Alex seemed to have lost his sanity as he screamed out this command, which he had to fuel with his remaining mental power.


    He also burned most of his vitality in this process, which shrank his body in a visible rate. "My cute pet,  leave none of my enemies intact, and make them experience pain like no other!"


    "Blop!"


    As if his words were a catalyst for an explosive chemical reaction, his tentacled divine being underwent a massive transformation.


    "Kriya!"  From a size smaller than a chicken, the body of the tentacled Divine Being expanded like a balloon until it became as large as a double-decker bus. Its eyes and tentacles grew along with this change, making them look more like lethal weapons at this point.


    "Kriya!" Steam made up of evaporated Abyss Energy floated around the tentacle Divine Being this time, shrouding it in a mist that exemplified the malicious red glow of its eyes. Its tentacles flicked back and forth like snakes amongst the mist, which further blurred its already terrifying presence.


    "Yes, yes. Yes. Now, this is what I want to see! A full-powered Divine Being, a creature that I can treat as my loyal pet! Hahahaha! I am liking what I am seeing!" Alex could not look anymore proud this time, as if the  changes that he induced were greatly pleasing to him.  He seemed to have even forgotten about his problems, as his attention was only placed on the tentacle being alone.


    "Hey, my cute pet. What are you waiting for? Go on and maim my enemies! I just told you that, earlier, right?"


    "Kriya!" Although its size was large enough to lord above Alex, the tentacled Divine Being did not act as if it was superior to him. Instead, it just followed Alex''s command obediently.


    "Slowsh slosh¡­" With a gait comparable to that of a worm sprinkled with salt, the tentacled Divine Being   began to move towards Alina and the others with a murderous intention. Its tentacles swished all around the air like knives with each step  that it took, which just increased the being''s intimidating presence.


    "Kriya!" As it sloshed ever closer to its target, the tentacled Divine Being suddenly flicked out one of its tentacles behind it. This said tentacle then grabbed the floating sickle above Alex, turning the sickle from a weapon into a toy that the tentacled Divine Being began to use.


    "Swish swish swish!" The sickle did not display any dissident feelings on what was being done on it, and it seemed to be even  allowing the tentacled Divine Being to play with it.


    This movement might look like a cute sight to others, but the fact that this tentacled Divine Being was swinging the sickle to Alina''s direction directly contradicts that.


    "Yes, this is the combination that I want to see. My first Divine Being, and my natal Abyss Weapon both cooperating to beat up my slaves! Hahaha, hurry it up you two! I want to see how you will break my slaves'' wills! Faster, faster! I can''t take it anymore!"


    "Kriya!"


    ***************


    With his successful summon of his natal Abyss Weapon and his first Abyssal Divine Being, Alex was already assured of his victory.


    Even if it cost him a lot of rationality just to summon these two objects, it was all worth it, since he gets to use it on his powerful enemies.


    "Hehehe, if I did not use these two objects today, Alina and those two might do something that I did not expect. But it was too bad for them that I did summon these two¡­"


    With his soul freed from the effects of his opponent''s attack, Alex can now freely observe the impending defeat of Alina, Queen Mother and Professor Frances. This situation made him feel extremely euphoric, and he can already imagine all the punishments that he can inflict on the trio, especially on Professor Frances.


    "Hehehe¡­"


    Even if his pet''s attack has not landed yet, Alex can already envision the sight of Professors Frances screaming in pain as her body gets bludgeoned by his pet. He can also imagine the pleas that will come out of the professor, which will surely be filled by her curses too.


    "Hehehe, since you three dare to rebel on my plan, then I will make you feel my wrath. That will be the only way that I can make you realize¡­ that I am right. So don''t blame me if my attacks on you will be heavy. Everything is for your sake, so just bear with it!"


    After that announcement, Alex just  shook his head inwardly as he watched his pet start its attack on Professor Frances.


    "Kriya!"  His pet swung the sickle down with all the force that it could muster, creating  a large storm of corrosive gas all around the tentacled Divine Being. This storm looked to be extremely deadly, and the way that it instantly dissolved the rocks on the ground made that obvious.


    "WOosh!" Because of the powerful move by the tentacled Divine Being, this storm was funneled until it became a tornado, with its strongest part heading straight towards Professor Frances.


    "Hom~"


    With the deadly sickle and the corrosive gas tornado both headed towards her, Professor Frances''s defeat should already be set in stone. There is just no way that she can dodge this with her current condition, and nobody can save her.


    "Thud."


    However, just before the attack of his pet could land, a sudden change happened on Professor Frances, something which quickly changed the situation.


    "W-what? What the hell is happening?"


    Professor Frances, who should have been screaming in pain at this point, suddenly disappeared before the sickle and gas could take her body apart.  What the sickle and the gas tornado  hit was only empty air, with the outline of the Professor''s body disappearing like an illusion.


    "¡­"


    The professor''s presence was also gone this time, making it apparent that she was not in this place anymore. As for where she could be, even Alex had no clue about that.


    "What? Did Professor Frances just disappear? N-no! That''s not possible! How could she just disappear, when she can''t even teleport?  Argh! What the f**k is going on here?"


    Aside from the professor, both Alina and Queen Mother''s body were gone too, and they seemed to disappear in the same way that the professor did.


    This left nothing in the area but Alex and his pet alone, both who were caught off-guard with what had happened.

 Chapter 664 - Warped Rules and Green Ground

    "¡­.Those f**kers. They found a way to run away! F**k!!!"


    Even though his mind was addled from his partial corruption, Alex was not that stupid to oversee what had happened.


    Alex''s targets had successfully escaped from him, and from the looks of it, they had no intention of coming back.


    "S**t, how did they manage to do this? This area here¡­ is under the control of evil attribute beings. Only evil fantasy powers are allowed here, and anything other than that are banned! That means those three women should not have been able to escape!" Alex thought to himself as he resisted the urge to scold his pet.


    That was hard for him to do, as most of his anger was urging him to berate his pet for not attacking Professor Frances quickly. "Tsk, what should I do now? Should I chase them? But I have no idea where they f**king went!"


    As much as Alex wanted to maim and imprison his servants, he knew that it is almost impossible for him to catch them right now. They will surely try hiding from him first, a feat that is possible given the way that they escaped from him.


    In fact, Alex had the inkling that the next time that he will meet Alina and the others will be on far future¡­


    "Ugh¡­. If I just attacked them much earlier, things could not have gone this way¡­"


    With his self only to blame, the partially corrupted Alex gloomily unsummoned the Abyss Sickle and his created Divine Being. Both of these objects went inside Alex''s Abyssal Pillar, and they stayed immobile there as Alex continued his downcast mindset.


    "Tsk, now that those three have run away, I am sure that they will try  finishing the Main Mission by themselves. They don''t like the Abyss, so they will find another religion to support in this world¡­" The Abyss Energy gathered on Alex''s body roiled with anger due to his latest thoughts, and it seemed to grow like a kindling fire as time passed by.


    "Crackle crackle crackle¡­"


    Alex allowed this rampaging Abyss Energy to bombard his body, as his well-being was the least of his worries right now.


    "With my connection to the Abyss, I know that there are hundreds, if not, thousands of young religions present in this world. Each one of them represent a powerhouse by themselves, and they all want to be the dominant religion here¡­" Alex added, with a hopeless expression appearing on his face.


    He seemed to be rendered hopeless by his thoughts right now, and he did not appear to have a way to dispel them.


    "Aside from the Abyss Temple, the Holy Order Church, and the Goetic Palace, there are more religions that vie for the dominance in this world. Most of these extra religions are remnants of the True Gods and they aim to bring this world under the rule of their ''Gods''¡­."


    "Now, I am not sure if these True Gods are still alive since the Abyss also has no idea about it¡­ But even if these religions had no support of the True Gods, their sheer number alone is a great detriment for my  Main Mission."


    "Because of their desire to dominate, these religions waged countless Holy Wars in this world, and it became so prevalent to the point that even the Abyss Temple had to join in too. Heck, from what I know, even normal residents are affected by this war in one way or another!


    "As for those who are related to these countless religions, they are obviously tied more to these wars¡­."


    Alex was visibly frustrated, to the point that his body was trembling with the desire to vent his rage.


    "Tsk, the Abyss sent most of their agents in this world because this is a good seed to construct a religion, but because of these pesky ''other religions'', the Abyss had not even succeeded a bit! The best that the Abyss can do is barely take control of a small country, and even that is also in danger of getting wiped out¡­"


    At the mention of this ''small country'', the frown on Alex''s face became more pronounced.


    "Because of the prevalence of religions in this world, the laws on it have been warped, to the point that the regulation of Power Systems had been useless here. Instead of having one uniform system on how powers should work in this world, what happened here is different."


    "Now, the effectiveness of a power will depend on what kind of religionsrules an area. If it is an order-aligned religion that rules a certain place, only order-aligned powers will blossom there. As for the places that are ruled by religions like the Abyss, of course only evil-aligned powers will be boosted there."


    "With that rule, there are places in this world where different powers will work. In the case of the Abyss Temple, its power only work on the ''small country'' that it is in. Which is obviously the place that I am in."


    "Since I am here in the place that the Abyss Temple rules, then there should be no danger for me. But how in the world was I attacked earlier? And how the hell did Alina and the others managed to escaped from me? Argh! This is just making me more angry!


    Alex let out a snort of anger this time, as he suddenly remembered the technologically advanced clan that attacked him earlier. The sheer memory of their bomb and their flying disks gave Alex a headache, as he now knew their danger to him.


    "Those f**kers that bombed us earlier worship the True God of Knowledge Elwon. They don''t like any religion that worship evil-aligned beings, and of course that includes the Abyss Temple¡­ So it''s no wonder that they attacked us.  But how could they just come here without any interruptions? It was as if there was nothing that stopped their tracks¡­"


    "Tsk, if my mind is just clear, I can make sense of this weird situation!"


    The combination of Alina''s escape, along with the weirdness of his opponents, made Alex so mad that he could not wait to vent his rage already.


    But since he had just unleashed a level of power that had exposed him, Alex knew that this is not his time to make a tantrum.


    "According to the dumb fairy, there are currently 5 other Travelers present in this world. I don''t know where they are, as they did a good job of hiding themselves. But as for me, my location had been exposed already since I just used a high-leveled power¡­."


    Alex could not look any more disappointed this time, as he realized that his reckless actions had directly backfired on him.


    Instead of catching his slaves and making them subservient to him, Alex''s act of revealing his power has revealed his location and capabilities to other Travelers!


    This is certainly a bad news for Alex, and if he does not do something to remedy it, his bid to dominate in this world will surely fail!


    "Argh! If I stay on this place for longer, some Traveler might think of attacking me just for the rewards. If I let that happen, I will just be at more disadvantage¡­" Alex was raring to make a chase towards his escaped allies, but with the impending danger that might come for him, he knew that laying low will be for the best.


    There is nothing else that Alex can do right now aside from hiding, and he was certainly not that shy to implement it.


    "Ugh, those women really had tricked me! Not only did they managed to escape from my clutches, they even succeeded on using the other Travelers to restrain me! F**k!"


    If it were the pure, uncorrupted Alex, he will surely have seen through the schemes that were employed on him by ALina and Professor Frances. But of course he was already corrupted, as such, he had no choice but to accept his current situation.


    "Tsk, you may have won this time Alina. But I swear to you¡­. Once I manage to make the Abyss Temple grow, I will hunt for you!"


    "I will never give you up, and I will never let you go! So just you wait, my lover. We will be embracing each other again in the future¡­"


    After giving this declaration, Alex did not dare linger on his current place anymore.


    "Hong~" A portal teeming with the evil power of the Abyss materialized behind Alex, which quickly sucked him in at the moment that it appeared.


    3????2?????? 9???????8?????7??? 2????9???8?????? 3????0???2?????? 9?????8???2?????? 0???????9??????8??????? 0????9???????8??? 0???8???????0?????? 9?????8??????0????? 9?????1??????2???? 1????2??????0?????? 3?????8???0???? 1?????2????8?????? 3???8??????9????? 1????2????8????? 3??????0?????8???? 0??????9?????8???????0?????? 9????8????0???? 8????0?????8????? 0?????8?????0????? 8????2???0???? 9???8??????9?????? 0?????2?????3???? 8????0??????8????? 2?????9????? 3??????4????8??????? 2?????3??????9????? 0???????8?????4??????? 0?????9??????2???? 3??????8????? 4?????0??????9????2???? 3????8???4???? 0?????9?????2?????? 3?????8??????4?????? 9??????0??????? 2???3????8????4????? 0???????9???2?????? 3????8?????4???? 0???9????2???? 3?????8?????4??????? 0??????9?????? 4??????9????? 8?????3??? 2????4???? 9???????0??????2???? 8????3????4?????? 9?????2?????3??? 7?????4?????7???? 2??????5????9????? 8??????2??????3????? 5???0????9?????2?????? 3????8????9????? 4??????2?????3??????4???? 0????9???2????? 3???8?????4??? 0?????9??????2?????3????? 8???????0?????4?????9?????? 2???????8???????3????? 0??????9???4?????? 8?????2?????3???? 0?????9???????4????? 8????2?????0???????3????? 9?????8??????4????? 2?????0?????? 9??????3????


    *************


    THE OPEN GROUNDS OF THE WISDOM CHURCH, FORSET PROVINCE.


    According to many historians and scholars studying the nature of humans, most of them will say that because most humans lived near forests and greenery, humans are usually more relaxed on their stay in these places.


    As for the places filled with  artificial objects like metallic buildings or concrete structure, humans can tolerate them, but they will never be relaxed here.


    This principle had been proven many times in many worlds, as such, many groups of people had accepted this as a way of life.


    One such group is those that follow the Wisdom Church.

 Chapter 665 - The Elder Priest and the Senior Acolyte

    Although the followers of the Church of Wisdom prioritize knowledge over everything, they are not the type of people that will ignore the benefits of living amongst natural objects.


    As such, most of the residential areas on the Church of Wisdom''s territory were abound with trees and other kinds of vegetation, with the majority present at the commoner''s section.


    With the protection by the Church of Wisdom and its residents, the amount of the trees that can be seen in this area is so great, that one can actually call it a forest. And this forest continued to grow because of the rules laid down by the Church of Wisdom.


    The Church of Wisdom  itself stipulated that nobody has the right to indiscriminately destroy or tear down the forestry in their territory. At most, one can only obtain their needs from the forest if it was legal and acceptable in any ways.


    This means that acts such as poaching, raze-cropping, and many more are banned and is punishable with death.


    "¡­.."


    Due to this policy by the Church of Wisdom, most of its residents had already learnt to live amongst the greenery, with countless job options such as logging, herbal apothecary and many more as their go-to activities.


    These activities became so popular to the point that the only jobs not yet overtaken were those related to the Church of Wisdom''s domain, such as teaching and scholarly guides.


    At most, those who work for the Church of Wisdom had to integrate their activities inside the forest, something that most can tolerate given the dogma of their faith.


    One such example can be seen today, as two figures could be seen having their normal activity at the north-eastern portion of the forest.


    "Senior Acolyte Rael, what the hell are you doing?"


    "Ah, n-nothing, Elder Priest! I was just collecting some weed!"


    "Weed? Senior Acolyte Rael, you can''t just use those lies to me. I know what those weeds are¡­"


    "E-eh, you know about them, Elder Priest? A-are you sure about that?"


    "You little! You dare doubt me, Rael?"


    "N-no I did not say that Elder Priest!"


    "Hmph, you can''t lie to me anymore!"


    "Ai! Don''t chase me Elder Priest! You''re making me scared!"


    "You little brat! Stay there and let me catch you! You have to be disciplined right now!"


    "I don''t wanna!"


    These two figures, both who were wearing robes that are only worn by those who work inside the Church Wisdom, were currently running in circles as  one of them was chasing the other.


    The one being chased was a young, vibrant-looking kid whose age was around 10. He had a tender look on his face, one that is matched well by his short, shiny-looking black hair and his ruddy cheeks.


    His white robes complemented well with his tanned skin, and it made the kid also look competent even when his face was only full of immaturity.


    The one chasing this kid on the other hand was an old geezer, who did not look like he had the happiest day in his life.


    This old man was not smiling at all as he ran after the kid, and the best emotion that he can display as of now was that of exasperation.


    "Hey, Rael! You little brat! I won''t punish you that much! I will just impose to you the importance of diligence!"


    "No! I don''t wanna, Elder Priest! You will just steal my weed and sell it to those weird people inside the church!"


    Judging by the conversation that these two were having right now, it seemed that the name of the kid was Rael, while the old man was only called the Elder Priest¡­


    "H-hey! What are you saying? Are you calling the Executors weird?"


    "T-those dirty people are Executors, Elder Priest? But they look like they were the spawns of an Evil God! Are you sure they''re even human?"


    "Argh! That''s another offense for you, Senior Acolyte Rael!


    On Rael''s hand, there was a bundle of a unique-looking, fern-like plants present, which judging by the conversation that he had with Elder Priest, appeared to be the ''weed'' that they are talking about.


    Rael and the Elder Priest did not really elaborate what this bundle of plants are for, as they resumed their chase, this time with the old man using some items to capture the kid.


    "Swoosh swoosh!"


    Like a spellcaster who was about to unleash his might, the Elder Priest drew out 10 small rectangular papers from his robes. Each of this paper was filled with symbols and undecipherable scrawling, with a large, three-pupiled eye present on their center portions.


    These scrawling and symbols are hard to decipher with one look, although one can easily feel the power hidden in them.


    As for three-pupiled eye, it only added a sense of mystery on these papers.


    "Wesh¡­.."


    Once these papers were revealed, the Elder Priest grinned victoriuously, making it seem that he had won already. He did not even look that mad even when he almost tripped on a nearby root.


    "!!!" The still-running away Rael saw all of this, and he was quickly terrified, as if he had seen the worst thing in his life already.


    "Ah!!! Don''t throw those talismans at me, Elder Priest! They just wrap around me like those slimy vines! It''s disgusting!"


    "You! Don''t compare these Wisdom Talismans to those unholy monstrosities! Where did you even learn to make that kind of comparison? Don''t tell me you''ve been talking to those immigrants again, Rael?"


    "What? But those immigrants are telling me good stories, Elder Priest! What''s bad with that?"


    "Argh!!! That''s another violation for you, Rael! You of all people should know that us followers of the Church of Wisdom cannot just talk to those whose identities have not been verified yet! How many times should I tell you that?"


    "But Elder Priest! These immigrants that I met are poor! There is no way that they can get verified by our Church yet¡­."


    "¡­Ugh, so they are not only immigrants, but also refugees?"


    "Um, yes Elder Priest. They told me that they escaped from the clutches of the Element Abode¡­."


    "Oh really, they told you that, Rael? And you believed them?"


    "Well, they sounded sincere, Elder Priest, so I kinda believed them¡­"


    "¡­ Rael, did these immigrants at least showed their IDs to you?"


    "¡­.No, Elder Priest. They just told me their names. But they gave me food, so they must be nice, right?"


    "Argh, Korno''s Beard! You did not even ask for their IDs? How stupid can you be, huh? You''re a Senior Acolyte of the Church of Wisdom, so  you should be wise! But look at what you are doing! Not only are you talking to those dangerous people, you''re even selling products that only a.d.u.l.ts use!"


    "Ahhh!!! Don''t throw those talismans to me please, Elder Priest! I promise to you I will behave next time!"


    "Behave my ass! I know that even if I catch you today, you will never learn! Hmph, maybe you deserve a visit on the Knowledge Vault for all these transgressions today¡­"


    "No!!! I don''t want to go there, Elder Priest! It''s just boring!"


    "¡­."


    At this point in time, the chase between the Rael and the Elder Priest brought them near to the edge of the Church of Wisdom''s territory. The thinning of the forest made this more apparent, and the two quickly noticed this.


    "Rael, I am telling you already. Stop running away and let me catch you. Don''t worry, we will just make you read new books today. It will be nothing like your Initiation Day¡­"


    "¡­Elder Priest, you will punish me by making me read books? How is that a punishment? Won''t this be just another reading session?"


    "Y-you will see it later, Senior Acolyte Rael. Now, are you ready to be captured?"


    "No! If you want to catch me, then catch me if you can!"


    "Argh!!!"


    With the lack of places to run through, it appeared as if the chase was about to come to an end. But since the kid did not show any signs of stopping, the chase went on, and it seemed that it will continue for a longer time¡­


    "Rael, I only showed you these Wisdom Talismans to scare you into stopping. I thought that might work, but your stubborn ass clearly does not get my intentions. Hmph, since you''re like this, then I might as well use these talismans to good use."


    "Ah! Okay, okay, I am stopping now, Elder Priest! But¡­ can you remove the Wisdom Talismans first? They are making me feel scared¡­"


    "You don''t have the privileges to make me do stuff, Rael. If you don''t want to be hurt, then you should follow what I told you. Stop moving, and don''t resist capture."


    "¡­."


    "Oi, why are you still running? And why are you speeding up again, huh? I told you to stop, so stop!"


    "Blegh! I changed my mind, Elder Priest! Let''s continue running until we get tired! Hehehe, I will only stop once I can''t run anymore¡­."


    "You!!!"


    The Elder Priest looked like he wanted to do nothing more but to grab Rael and start whacking him, but there was something stopping the former from doing that.


    As for what could this be, the Elder Priest did not explain it. He just let out a sigh as he resumed chasing the kid.


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    10 minutes more passed by, and the status of the chase still has not changed. The kid did not show signs of stopping, while the old man was clearly holding himself back.


    Such state was enough to drive the Elder Priest helpless, and it made him look so desperate, that he seemed interested on performing a drastic action just to change the situation.


    But fortunately for him, there was a surprising event that appeared nearby, one which was enough to make them both stop.


    "Hong long~"


    A distortion in space, one that was enough to warp the nearby rocks and trees near it, has appeared 5 meters in front of  Rael and the old man.


    This distortion appeared instantaneously on that spot, which left the two observers in shock as they quickly observed it.


    "Hey Elder Priest! This spatial distortion means¡­ that someone is teleporting to this place, right? If that''s what this is, then how could it be possible? Isn''t our territory immune from this kind of activities?"


    "You are right, Rael. Someone is indeed teleporting here.  But don''t ask me how could it appear here. I also have no idea¡­"


    "¡­."


    The kid and the Elder Priest had already forgotten about their chase already, as their attention was piqued by the event in front of them.


    Both were in a constant state of tension, with Rael showing signs of wanting to run away, and the Elder Priest  gripping his talismans tighter, as if he was waiting for a moment to immediately use it.


    "Hong long~"


    The tension inside these 2  reached its peak when 5 seconds later, the spatial distortion disappeared.


    In place of this spatial distortion, 3 people suddenly appeared.


    All these 3 people were women, although they did not show any signs of feminity that are common with the majority of women in the Church of Wisdom.


    Instead of looking like they were here to teach about the wisdom of Elwon, these newcomer women appeared to be more interested on waging a battle.


    Just the murderous look on the faces of these women were enough to show that, and the katana held by one of them just made that worse.


    "!!!"


    Once these 3 women made their presence known, the kid and the old man instantly became doused with fear, as they realized that they were facing 3 people who had the power to barge recklessly inside their territory.


    This fear just increased when the katana-wielding woman began speaking, with her hoarse voice enough to elicit a shiver from the two.


    "You two¡­ is this place under the rule of a Church? If so, what religion is it? Answer these questions of mine properly, and I promise nothing bad will happen. But if you try crossing on us, it will not only be my katana that you will be meeting¡­"

 Chapter 666 - Eye of Wisdom

    "Elder Priest! The big sister¡­ she''s talking!"


    "I know, that Rael. I can hear her talking. Now would you please shut up and let me deal with them?"


    "Ok¡­."


    The intimidating entrance by these 3 women was enough to unnerve Rael and the Elder Priest. However, these two did not fully succ.u.mb themselves to their negative emotions.


    Instead of running away or confronting the new comers head-on, Rael and the Elder Priest hurriedly calmed themselves down. They both follow the scriptures of the Church of Wisdom, as such, they knew that staying calm and rational in these situation are always the norm.


    Panicking has no use for those who follow the Church of Wisdom. Only those who can stay focused and calm in face of danger are deserving to know more of the world!


    *************


    With his Wisdom Talisman currently held in his hands, the Elder Priest could have used it already to attack the three women. But he chose to not do so, as his intuition told him that doing this will bring great danger to him.


    So instead, the Elder Priest just discreetly activated his Eye of Wisdom, an ability which he directed towards the katana-wielding woman.


    "Hong~" The body of the Elder Priest did not show any indication that the Eye of Wisdom was activated.


    The only signs that he used it was the sudden hastening of his breath, and the way that his eyes constricted, as if he was trying to see through a narrow hole.


    "¡­" This change of pose by the Elder Priest was naturally noticed by everyone present, with Rael stiffening as he realized what the former was doing.  It also made the kid panic, as he thought that what the Elder Priest was doing could offend the three newcomer women.


    But fortunately for them, the three women did not act offended by the Elder Priest''s actions. Instead, they just let him do what he was doing, with the indifferent look on their faces indicating that they were not worried at all.


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    This state of the Elder Priest lasted for a few seconds, and it was only when he began spasming and gasping for air that he stopped using the Eye of Wisdom.


    "¡­."


    "¡­.."


    Upon seeing that the old man was done on what he was supposedly doing, Rael tried to inquire what the former had discovered with his Eye of Wisdom.


    "Hey Elder Priest, what did you se-"  But just as he was about to finish his question, all the other words that the kid wanted to say died in his throat,  as the look of pure terror on the Elder Priest''s face robbed him of air.


    "Hah, hah, ha¡­. W-what the hell? How could this be? I, the Elder Priest of the Church of Wisdom, had actually witnessed something like this here? This¡­ this is impossible!" Gone was the look of composure on the Elder Priest''s face. What remained on his facial expression was the look of a person who seemed to have seen death with his very eyes, a look that was leagues worse compared to how he appeared earlier.


    "No¡­ no¡­ I don''t  believe that this is real! Yes, yes, yes. This must be a lie!!!" Such look of fear made the Elder Priest look ghastly, to the point that even the na?ve little Rael had the urge to cry. "The first one has already died, so a second one should not have appeared this quickly¡­"


    "E-Elder Priest, w-what is happening to you? A-are you okay?"   Caught by surprise with the Elder Priest''s sudden outburst, all that the little Rael can do was to ask what caused him to be like this. "D-did you suddenly have a constipation or something? That''s not-"


    "Shut up Rael! Can''t you see that I am focusing here?"


    "Eh wha-"


    "I said shut up, Senior Acolyte! If I hear you speak one more time, I will throw you to the dungeons!"


    With that stern reminder, Rael was of course forced to stay quiet.


    "¡­.."


    ***********


    With his tender young age of 10, Rael can be considered to be a rookie(newcomer) in the echelon of the Church of Wisdom. He still had not learned a lot of things, and most of the times, he breaks rules more than the ones that he followed.


    Because of that, Rael has little knowledge on the abilities the Priests on the Church of Wisdom have. All that he knew that was that these priests are powerful on their own right, and each one cannot be trifled with.


    However, even with his limited knowledge, there is one ability that is so famous inside the Church of Wisdom, that even someone like Rael knew it.


    That ability was the Eye of Wisdom, the exact ability that the Elder Priest just used.


    **************


    The Eye of Wisdom is an ability that only a select few from the Church of Wisdom can use.


    Once activated, the Eye of Wisdom can be used to see through illusions, deception and lies. Not only that, but this Eye of Wisdom can also detect the weaknesses and strengths of enemies, making it useful for battle too.


    Aside from that, some people also said that the Eye of Wisdom can be used to see the past, present, and the future¡­.


    That last sentence was still a rumor inside the Church, but even if that was not proven, all the confirmed uses of the Eye of Wisdom were already amazing in their own right.


    In fact, the effectiveness and usefulness of the Eye of Wisdom was so great, that those who manages to learn it will be immediately accepted into the higher-ups of the Church of Wisdom¡­.


    The Elder Priest that is with Rael right now is one of the higher-ups who knew how to use the Eye of Wisdom, and he is not just any ordinary user.


    This Elder Priest was so sufficient on his usage of the Eye of Wisdom, to the point that it is impossible to deceive or even lie to him.  He can even detect if anyone is trying to infiltrate the Church of Wisdom with nefarious intentions.


    With such ability on this Elder Priest''s arsenal, Rael had already expected the former to discover something from the newcomer women.


    However, Rael did not expect the Elder Priest to react this strongly.


    **********


    Even if Rael was an idiot(Which others say that he actually is), he could feel that something was wrong with the Elder Pries. Just the way that he reacted after he used his power on the newcomers proved it¡­


    "Why is the Elder Priest this agitated? Just what did he see form the newcomers¡­ that made him like this?" Rael silently thought to himself as he gave a curious but also terrified stare at the women in front of him. "Don''t tell me that the Elder Priest saw that they''re monsters?"


    The curiosity inside Rael was so great right now, that if he had the chance, he would be peppering the Elder Priest with a lot of questions. It was just too unfortunate for him that the presence of the newcomer women prevented him from even uttering just a single word.


    And to make matters even more confusing to Rael, the fear that was present on the Elder Priest''s face disappeared again, this time replaced with a fawning expression¡­.


    **************


    "Esteemed Guest, may I have the honor to ask for your name?" The Elder Priest did not only have a fawning look. His voice even sounded like he was currying for the favor of the katana-wielding woman, something that Rael did not understand. "As long as you confirm your identity to us, we will give you our best services¡­."


    "I have no time to introduce myself to you. Just answer my question, and be done with it!" The katana-wielding woman seemed to not have felt the sincerity in the Elder Priest''s question, as she acted plainly rude to him. "If you can''t answer my question, then get lost!"


    "¡­."


    Upon receiving this not-so-light reply from the visitor, the Elder Priest did not react that heavily on it. Instead, he just smiled as he clasped his arms, showing that he was still intent on acting nice.


    "I am sorry to have offended you, great visitor. If you have any problems with our behavior, you are free to punish us." The Elder Priest had no hesitation as he said these words, making the little Rael panic beside him. "If you want, you can have us whipped or even beaten up, great visitor. Everything will be up to you, and we have no qualms on following your whims¡­"


    "¡­."


    The changes on the Elder Priest''s emotions, from composed to fearful to fawning, was unnerving to those who witnessed it, and it was enough to render even the katana-wielding woman speechless too.


    In fact, the newcomers began to look at the Elder Priest as if he was crazy, an idea that  Rael began to share too.


    "H-hey, Elder Priest! You treated the newcomers like they are the worst monsters earlier, but now you are treating them like visitors? What in the world is up with that?" Rael could not resist holding himself back anymore, which resulted on him asking this question out loud. "Have you been high on the weed too? Tsk, tsk, that''s bad, you know¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    At the moment that he finished his question, Rael realized that maybe, he should not have asked it.


    "Argh! I said shut up, Senior Acolyte! Don''t spout your words here, for they are just defiling this place!" As if he had seen his worst enemy, the Elder Priest began to rush to Rael with a murderous intention. His eyes that was as dull as a candle now blazed with the intent to kill, which are focused solely on Rael alone.


    "Argh! Because of your transgressions right now, I will personally flay you, Rael! Now, stay still and let me cast my judgement on you!" Even without his weapons, the hands of the Elder Priest alone looked menacing and dangerous enough to land a killing blow on his target.


    This obviously made Rael think worse of his situation, as he saw no escape for him.


    "E-Elder Priest! Why are you attacking me now? I''m your apprentice, so please don''t do this!" Rael tried to appeal to his master''s emotions, but it did nothing to improve his situation.


    Instead, it seemed to have even worsened it, as the old man''s killing intent actually increased.


    "You little s**t! It is because you are my apprentice that I am doing this! If I don''t mete my judgement on you now, then how can I appease the emotions of our new Divine Maiden?" The Elder Priest roared out. "Can you assure me that you can make our new Divine Maiden feel pleased with you? Hmph, of course not, since you are leagues worse than her!"


    "!!!" The murderous stare from the Elder Priest alone was enough to petrify Rael, as this was the first time that the kid felt close to death. He might have even peed in his pants, something that Rael has deinfiltey overlooked for now.


    But aside from the Elder Priest''s killing intent, there was something else that made Rael freeze on his tracks.


    That ''something'' was the two words that the Elder Priest had just stated.


    [Divine Maiden].


    "Tsk, have you realized it now, kid? That katana woman that you have been insulting just now¡­ shall be the new Divine Maiden of our Church!" The Elder Priest was pleased from the look of realization on Rael''s face, but that did not save the kid from his fate. "Now, do you realize your sins? Hmph, now that you know, then accept your punishment like a man!"

 Chapter 667 - No today(I have an exam)

    Aside from that, I also feel tired, so I might as well use this time to rest....


    Oh, and is possible for some of you to comment if you are still here?


    I just want to hear if you''re here....


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 Chapter 668 - See, Seen, Saw

    Rael rubbed his ear once, twice, and thrice in order to make sure that it was clean. Once he cleared that part, he looked back to the Elder Priest, with the doubt inside his heart displayed on full blast.


    "Elder Priest, when you are talking about the Divine Maiden, are you talking about that ''Divine Maiden''? T-this must be a joke, right? There''s no way-"


    "Rael! What I said is indeed the truth!" This esteemed guest right here is the Divine Maiden! My Eye of Wisdom has confirmed that already!" The Elder Priest did not even let the kid finish his question, as he just overrode the latter with his passionate words. "Now, don''t do anything stupid and just let me punish you!"


    "Hih!!!!" At this point, even if Rael was doubting the sanity of the Elder Priest, he realized that the old man was serious on punishing him. "Hey Elder Priest, can we just talk it out? I can still-"


    "For the Divine Maiden, your sacrifice shall be worth it, Rael. Now come to me and let me show to her my dedication¡­."


    "No!!!!" Seeing that there is no use convincing the Elder Priest, Rael used the remaining strength on his legs to run away from the old man. This action of course proved futile, as the Elder Priest just grabbed him with his bony left arm.


    "Where are you going, kid? Stay here and toughen yourself. Your ''punishment'' will only take a while, so don''t worry about your well-being¡­"


    "No!!!!"


    ****************


    If this were a normal situation, then the powerful Elder Priest would most likely succeed on punishing Rael, as the kid was just weaker than the former. The kid was still at the acolyte level after all, so he can''t do anything against the Elder Priest.


    With that strength gap in mind, the Elder Priest seemed to be prepared on unleashing his ''wrath'' in the best way possible.


    But before he could lay his hand on the now-trembling kid, a cold voice stopped the Elder Priest.


    "Oi, you called me a Divine Maiden? What is that about?" The katana-wielding woman, who displayed a large sense of wariness from her arrival, gave the Elder Priest an imploring look as she pointed her sword at him. "And why are you sure that I am one?"


    "¡­."


    Her face both had an expression of doubt and wariness on it, although her eyes could be seen shining, as if she had discovered something interesting. " I can see that you are telling the truth, but I don''t get why you are acting like this for me¡­."


    Upon saying these words, the katana woman tightened her grip on the sword, with its blade unerringly pointed to the Elder Priest''s face. "Say your next words properly, old man. Because if you say it wrong, you will be the one who receives a punishment¡­"


    "¡­."


    This killing stance, combined with her domineering aura, made it apparent that she will not hesitate to cut down the Elder Priest should he give her the wrong answer.


    The two women behind this woman assumed the same attacking pose too, creating another tense situation that made the already scared Rael close to fainting.


    Even the fanatic Elder Priest looked somewhat uncomfortable by this arrangement, but instead of succ.u.mbing to the katana woman''s pressure, his emotions went the other way.


    "Oh~ The Divine Maiden is speaking to me! She''s showering me with her grace! Oh thank you Great Elwon! Today has been my luckiest day!"  The Elder Priest exclaimed, with real tears now pouring out of his eyes. "Hahaha, hahaha, hahaha!"


    These tears made his face look like a mess, to the point that he was looking more like a kid compared to Rael.


    "Ah~ Is this the omen that will lead the Church of Wisdom to is greatest glory yet? If it is, then I shall do my best to herald it!" The Elder Priest added. His left hand then grabbed the cowering Rael, with his right hand raised as if he was about to use it to strike the kid down.


    "Forgive me for my insolence earlier, Divine Maiden. Since we had been rude to you, the only way that I can appease your anger is through this kid! I hope this will make you pleased enough!"


    "Elder Priest, no! Big Sister, save me!"


    "@()*)# The f**k, Rael? Don''t call the Divine Maiden as Big Sister! Argh!!! Now this increases your punishment!" Without waiting for Rael to continue his defense, the Elder Priest sent his right palm down to the kid''s head, with all of his power contained in that body part.


    Such acc.u.mulation of power made the air around the Elder Priest rowdy, creating gusts of winds that destroyed the nearby rock.


    "No! Big Sister, please save me! The Elder Priest is going crazy!"


    "Woosh!" With the small distance between his hand and Rael''s head, the Elder Priest''s attack will undoubtedly smack the kid head-on without any obstacles.


    But just like what happened earlier, the katana woman interrupted them once more. This time however, her interruption was more forceful.


    "Oi, oi, oi, old man. If you want to punish the kid, just do it later. For now, answer my f**king question!" The katana woman bellowed, with the raging anger in her eyes enough to stop the Elder Priest''s actions. "I am so f**king hungry and angry right now, so don''t do anything to worsen my mood!"


    "You''re hungry, Divine Maiden? I am sorry for not noticing that. If you want the best delicacies in this place, I can fetch it for yo-"


    "DON''T. YOU. DARE. LEAVE. ME. HANGING. AGAIN. OLD. MAN. JUST. TELL. ME. EVERYTHING. ABOUT. YOU. AND. THIS. PLACE. DO. YOU. UNDERSTAND?"


    "Y-yes, Divine Maiden, I understand. But-"


    "TALK."


    "Ok¡­"


    ***************


    ***************


    ***************


    30 MINUTES LATER.


    When Alina had first arrived in this world, she had already expected things to escalate to a level that will be competitive for her and her group.


    However, she was still caught off-guard with the events, to the point that she''s not sure if she can even survive in the place¡­.


    But what had happened has already happened, so Alina can only accept these events and move on for her survival.


    "Sigh, if it were not for Sierra''s power earlier, then I wouldn''t be able to escape from Alex''s immense power. But even with her assistance, I still almost died¡­" With a large piece of meat steak on her hands, the ravenous Alina started munching on them without any hesitation as her mind recalled her encounter with Alex earlier.


    She was visibly distressed by her memories, but that did not deter her from her eating motion.


    "Since that place earlier was in the territory of the Abyss Temple, my Esper Power did not work that well. Fortunately for me, Sierra was inside my storage. As long as she extends and shares her soul power to me, I can boost my teleportation power to bring us out of that place. And that''s what we exactly did."


    "With my ability, along with Queen Mother''s and Professor Frances'', we tried our  best to suppress Alex and prevent him from sensing Sierra''s actions. We almost failed on suppressing him in the end, but luckily for us, Sierra managed to fill me up with her power before Alex''s attack reached Professor Frances¡­"


    "With the temporary boost that I obtained, I was able to teleport us away from Alex. But since the place I was in earlier messes with my Esper Power, my teleportation became random. It is because of this reason that instead of going to the sea, we arrived on this place¡­."


    Alina seemed like she wanted to analyze her past encounter more, but at the mention of ''random teleportation'', her face scrunched in displeasure as if she was remembering something irritating.


    "Tsk."


    And this displeasure just increased when Alina saw the two kneeling figures in front of her.


    "Tsk, so just because I have a special set of eyes that you detected, I am your Divine Maiden already? Hmph, cut the c**p. How could it be just that easy?"


    In front of Alina, the bodies of the Elder Priest and Rale could be seen, with both of them assuming a kneeling position. There are no traces of anger or haughtiness on their bodies, as both of them displayed only a serene, peaceful demeanor.


    At this point, their eyes were also closed and their hands were clasped in what appeared to be a placating gesture, which signified their lack of desire to fight.


    Combine this appearance with their teary faces, and these two appeared to be more like devout worshippers in this point, instead of two dangerous enemies.


    Such appearance of these two could make someone like Asteria or the current Alex happy. Heck, even Professor Frances  and Queen Mother might like what these two are doing too.


    Alina however does not share the same sentiment.


    "You two¡­. I am pleased that you gave me this much food. But do you think this will be enough to make me follow you back to your base? So what if I am your Divine Maiden? Do you really expect me to receive such responsibility?" Alina crossly said, with her face making it obvious that she''s not happy with the way that the situation was going.


    She even resisted the urge to praise the food as she focused her ire on the old man and the kid. "Do you really expect me, someone who is not a part of this place, to be the highest-leveled member of your church? I don''t like saying this but¡­. This situation just reeks of traps."


    *************


    Although she could see that the old man had no intent of harming her and was instead actually ecstatic on her arrival, Alina did not feel any pleasant feelings upon seeing him.


    How could Alina even be pleased with this old man, after all that he just said to her?


    "So I am the new Divine Maiden of the Church of Wisdom? And the reason for that was my All-Seeing Eyes? Sigh, this is a twist that I did not expect to see¡­"  Alina mused with a sigh. "How could I have seen that my eyes will actually be important here? Tsk, if I just knew it, then I should have avoided this place¡­"


    Alina displayed both relief and doubt as she stated this fact, but most of her mind was full of dissatisfaction too, as if there was something about her current state that was not desirable for her.


    "Being a Divine Maiden is a good news for me, since it can help out with our Main Mission. But why does it have to happen now, when Alex will surely be looking for us? Argh, this timing is the worst!!!!"


    ***************


    After Alina had successfully escaped from Alex, she thought of laying low first in order to evade his search. She and her allies will continue hiding that way until they deem that it''s safe to come out.


    It is only when they come out that Alina will look for a religion to support, and they will also only search for a cure for Alex at that time¡­


    This arrangement was something that both Queen Mother and Professor Frances agreed to do, as Alina was able to make them realize the benefit of this strategy.


    Not only would they  be able to keep themselves safe, they will also be able to keep Alex''s strength to a minimum while they find a way to cure him.


    It''s win-win situation, and the only thing that Alina had to sacrifice was her time.


    But this plan was now wrecked because of her arrival here in the Church of Wisdom!


    "Argh!"


    With the way that information spread in this world, Alina knew that the whole Church of Wisdom has already caught wind of her arrival and of her status as a Divine Maiden.


    Because of that, Alina was sure that there is no way for her to leave now, not with the way that she appeared.


    "Tsk, now that I have been discovered today, I will surely be forced to become a member of the Church of Wisdom! That is a good thing if this happened months from today. But for me to be a member right now? It will just reveal my location to Alex!"

 Chapter 669 - Whatever the f**k this term means

    1 HOUR LATER


    As she was now in a different territory, the powers that can work inside Alina''s body had changed too.


    Her previously boosted Dark Magic was suppressed greatly, to the point that it can''t even muster even a single puff of smoke.


    Only her Chronomancy and Esper Power worked, and both were boosted in this new place.


    "The power of my Chronomancy has been increased twice, while my Esper Power had quadrupled in strength here¡­ Since this was the case, then this place is really related to a religion for knowledge and discovery¡­" Alina thought as she took a deep breath to calm herself down. "Tsk, I should not be irritated by this, but I really want to punch someone right now¡­."


    Alina was trying her best to keep her anger under, something that she is having a difficulty in doing, although she can only force herself to do it.


    She knew full well that lashing out will be of detriment to her, as she and her allies are currently inside an unknown territory.


    "If I do as much as one thing that will betray my hostile intentions, it will not end for me well, especially with this kind of religion¡­"


    And even if this territory is one that is amicable to them, Alina knew showing her emotions could worsen her situation.


    ***********


    Due to her history lessons with Alex, Alina had an idea on the power structures of the religions in the past, and on the power of its members. She knows how the hierarchy on each religion work, and the responsibilities that these members had.


    This knowledge might be irrelevant today given the demise of the True Gods, but here in this world, Alina was sure that she can apply this on her new followers.


    "The Church of Wisdom is a religion that worsh.i.p.s the True God of Knowledge Elwon in the past. Its members dabble in research, scientific knowledge, magic, philosophy, literature and many more topics, as long as they are related to wisdom and knowledge."


    "Because of this inclination, most members are always full of ideas and they are always eager to expound these ideas to the masses."


    "This is a good trait of the members of the Church of Wisdom, as everyone in the Multiverse should learn at least the basic things. And that''s what most members of the Church of Wisdom did in the past. They became the great teachers in the Multiverse, and they taught countless beings with all the knowledge that existed."


    "Many were grateful to the Church of Wisdom because of this, to the point that some enemies of the True Gods actually proposed to let  Elwon and the Church of Wisdom to stay in the Multiverse."


    "But war is war, hence Elwon was still killed along with the other True Gods.  That brought the end of the Church of Wisdom, and all of its relics and important doc.u.ments were lost amongst the sands of time¡­"


    "That should have bene the full story of the Church of Wisdom. But today, what I see in front of me contradicts the history. The Church of Wisdom still exists, although I am still not sure if Elwon himself it still alive¡­"


    When Alina saw the information given out by the Leech King earlier, she had already accepted the fact that religions related to True Gods could possibly exist in this world. Just the sight of their attacker earlier worshipping a True God had confirmed that.


    But when Alina thought that these religions could exist, she only thought that they exist in small scale, comparable to that of the cults.


    She never expected that these religions could grow big, just like the Church of Wisdom!


    "When this old man and this kid said that they are part of the Church of Wisdom, I thought that this religion might be at most powerful at the regional level. But now that I saw much more about this religion, I think that it''s level of influence is at the continental level¡­"


    If it was the Alina who had just escaped from Alex, she would never say these words to herself, as there is no need for her to do so.


    But due to the random effects of her teleportation, Alina found herself in a situation that made her tackle the issue of religions seriously.


    Right now, Alina was not beside Alex or even on the place that she had teleported in.


    Instead,  ALina found herself  on a place that she did not expect herself to be in.


    "Tsk, why did I have to be here¡­. Things should not have gone like this¡­"


    Alina was currently floating in front of the main temple of the Church of Wisdom, whose enormous  body  and frightening size were enough to make her silent. This reaction was a first from her, and given the amount of creatures that are observing her, it seems that this reaction will stay for much longer¡­


    ****************


    With her body still tense from possible attacks, Alina could only stare in surprise as she observed the massive structure in front of her.


    A startlingly tall black obelisk, which had a tip that glowed with the l.u.s.ter of gold, was the largest object that Alina had ever seen in this world yet.


    This obelisk was so tall that its tip had already exceeded the skies, and it was high enough that it was skidding through the outer space itself.


    As for the obelisk''s base, it was as large as a city, which is just the right size for it to support the whole weight of the obelisk.


    Countless spinning disks could also be seen attached on the body of the obelisk, and they seem to act as a counterweight against the buffeting winds.


    The black surface of this obelisk made it harder to observe any more of its details, but its size alone was enough to show how impressive it was.


    Alina was one of those people who was impressed, and even if she was full of tension now, she could not stop herself from appreciating this marvel of architecture.


    "I don''t know what material was used for this obelisk or how it was created, but seeing that it allowed the whole structure to extend until outer space,  its creators must be impressive. Hah, as expected of the Church of Wisdom. Even their main building displays the extent of their impressive knowledge¡­."


    If Alina just had more time in her hands, she could have continued observing this impressive obelisk.


    She could have employed her All-Seeing Eyes to see through the intricacies of this structure, and she could have also enjoyed the sight of the obelisk''s sleek and comfortable appearance. Heck, Alina could  even use her eyes to copy the whole anatomical structure of the obelisk, and recreate it on another place.


    Alina wanted to do all of these things badly right now, but unfortunately for her, she had no more time to do any sight-seeing today¡­.


    After all, her task as a Divine Maiden is now forcing her to do what she ''have'' to do¡­


    ************


    "From the bottom of our hearts, we, the members of the Church of Wisdom, welcome the great Divine Maiden inside our humble abode!"


    Lined below Alina were  thousands and thousands of priest-like humans, all who exuded the fluctuations and auras of Sixth Stage Beings. None of them displayed any signs of weakness at all, and their presence has also overwhelmed ALina.


    "If there is anything that you are unhappy about Divine Maiden, we will be happy to rectify it! Just say your words, and it shall be done!"


    These priests sounded amicable and hospitable no matter which way one listened to them, but Alina could only tremble from their voice.


    They might sound nice to her, but Alina knew better.


    These powerful priests were not just here to greet her.


    These priests were also here to prevent her from running away!


    Just the way that they intently watched ALina''s movements and the domineering combination of their auras made that extremely obvious¡­.


    "These little s**ts they knew that I will try running away, so they surrounded me with their manpower! Tsk, and here I thought overpowering my way out is possible¡­"


    Alina could barely resist the urge to curse as she observed the army of Sixth Stage Beings who was watching her intently. She badly wanted to at least display her anger in the smallest way possible, but in face of their combined aura, Alina was left speechless.


    All that Alina can do now was to analyze her situation, which in her opinion, was just as worse as Alex''s earlier¡­.


    "These priests are treating me like a treasure, so they do not dare to hurt me. But they don''t want me to get away too, and they seem intent on stopping all my attempts to escape¡­"Alina thought as she suppressed the urge to twitch her eyes.


    "Since they are treating me this way, they must really want me to be their Divie Maiden. But should I really accept being a Divine Maiden this early?" Alina added, with her worry earlier full manifesting itself again. "Ugh, being forced to make a decision like this really sucks!"


    "If I accept being a Divine Maiden on the Church of Wisdom, I will manage to gain a subtle control on this religion. That will be good for our Main Mission, and it might help us win against Alex. However, accepting it right now will paint a huge target on my face."


    "Alex and the other Travelers will most likely come swarming in here in order to attack me or prevent this religion from growing. That''s already bad by itself, but there is something worse than this."


    "What could be worse than this attack? Hmph, of course it is this religion itself. After all, even if these priests are treating me like a treasure now, it is obvious that they don''t plan to just use me as their mascot. They must have another plan too, one that requires someone like me to exist.."


    "Whatever that plan is, I think it is related to the existence of the True Gods. If that''s the case, then my life along with my allies'' will be in real danger. In fact, just our association with the Church of Wisdom right now could be dangerous already¡­''


    "Argh! So joining the Church of Wisdom will be this dangerous! But if I don''t join, I will still be in danger, and these priests below me might even attack me or my allies!"


    Torn between the choice to leave or to stay, Alina could not decide what to do.


    If she stays, she will plunge herself into new and unknown dangers.


    If she leaves, worse things could happen, and she might not even succeed on leaving at all.


    Both of these choices lead to bad situations, and it is hard to decipher which of the two will even be better!


    These choices by itself were already bad, but the fact that ALina had to make a choice within a few seconds just makes this worse!


    "Stay or leave? What should I do?" As she stared at her companions who were still injured by the sudden teleportation, and the eager face of the priests below her, Alina could hardly catch a breath from all her anxiety.


    She found herself petrified and scared to make a choice, as she knew that once she makes her choice here, all of her future and Alex''s will depend on it.¡­


    But does Alina really have to make a choice? Given her situation, there is actually only one choice that she can make.


    And that choice was¡­


    "Tsk, since I am already this deep, then why I don''t go on with this already? If Alex was courageous enough to be corrupted by the Abyss, then I too must have no fears! If the Church of Wisdom wants to use me, then they are free to use me! But I will use them too, so don''t  expect that I will be the victim here!"


    Yes, out of all her possible actions, the current Alina has nothing else to do but to proceed with the path  laid in front of her.


    After all, joining the Church of Wisdom is Alina''s greatest chance to win, and there''s nothing else that can exceed that.


    Sure, this ''greatest chance'' of hers puts Alina at risk against the conspiracy related to the True Gods, but with Alex''s life on the line, can Alina really bear distancing herself from this ''chance''?


    "Alex, I hope that during my stay here in the Church of Wisdom, you will still stay healthy enough to be healed. Because if you don''t, then all my efforts here will be wasted!"


    With her decision now made, Alina only let out a sigh as she began descending towards the priests. She removed all her defenses and she wiped away her desire to escape as she accepted her new role.


    Now, Alina is a Divine Maiden, whatever the f**k this term means.


    "Ugh, I hope that whatever the Church of Wisdom is planning with me, it is something that I can detect on time. Because if I don''t, then it might be game over for me in this place. Tsk, if Alex was just here, he could have solved this easily..."

 Chapter 670 - Assurance and Doubts(Please read this. I need it badly....)

    Ever since this month of February started, I noticed that my difficulty of writing this novel has increased.


    Maybe it is just because of my academics, but somethign about my writing for this month has been off.


    It became so ''off'' to the point that even when I wanted to write a chap today, I can''t write any as my mind was not... just there.


    I just can''t feel the motivation to write, but don''t worry... I am still writing(next chap will come tomorrow)


    So please, if you are reading this, let me know that you are here.


    It''s hard to write with my current state, and the feeling of no one reading my novel makes my situaion more excruciating.


    I had to wake up early and write before my classes start, and I also had to write after my classes when I am tired.


    This is already making me exhausted, but I have no problems with it before, since I can see that my novel is being read.


    But now... I am also losing this enthusiasm.


    Don''t worry, I am still working on this novel... I just need assurance that my work is being read.


    So please, if you are still reading this, let me know that you are here.


    All your support will be helpful to me, and quite frankly, I need some of it.


    45 76 65 72 20 73 69 6e 63 65 20 74 68 69 73 20 6d 6f 6e 74 68 20 6f 66 20 46 65 62 72 75 61 72 79 20 73 74 61 72 74 65 64 2c 20 49 20 6e 6f 74 69 63 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 20 6d 79 20 64 69 66 66 69 63 75 6c 74 79 20 6f 66 20 77 72 69 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 73 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 20 68 61 73 20 69 6e 63 72 65 61 73 65 64 2e a a 4d 61 79 62 65 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 62 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 6d 79 20 61 63 61 64 65 6d 69 63 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 73 6f 6d 65 74 68 69 67 6e 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 6d 79 20 77 72 69 74 69 6e 67 20 66 6f 72 20 74 68 69 73 20 6d 6f 6e 74 68 20 68 61 73 20 62 65 65 6e 20 6f 66 66 2e a a 49 74 20 62 65 63 61 6d 65 20 73 6f 20 27 6f 66 66 27 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 70 6f 69 6e 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 65 76 65 6e 20 77 68 65 6e 20 49 20 77 61 6e 74 65 64 20 74 6f 20 77 72 69 74 65 20 61 20 63 68 61 70 20 74 6f 64 61 79 2c 20 49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 77 72 69 74 65 20 61 6e 79 20 61 73 20 6d 79 20 6d 69 6e 64 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f 74 2e 2e 2e 20 6a 75 73 74 20 74 68 65 72 65 2e a a 49 20 6a 75 73 74 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 66 65 65 6c 20 74 68 65 20 6d 6f 74 69 76 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 74 6f 20 77 72 69 74 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 6f 72 72 79 2e 2e 2e 20 49 20 61 6d 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 77 72 69 74 69 6e 67 28 6e 65 78 74 20 63 68 61 70 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 63 6f 6d 65 20 74 6f 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 29 a a 53 6f 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 20 72 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 73 2c 20 6c 65 74 20 6d 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 20 68 65 72 65 2e a a 49 74 27 73 20 68 61 72 64 20 74 6f 20 77 72 69 74 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 6d 79 20 63 75 72 72 65 6e 74 20 73 74 61 74 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 66 65 65 6c 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 6e 6f 20 6f 6e 65 20 72 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 6d 79 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 20 6d 61 6b 65 73 20 6d 79 20 73 69 74 75 61 69 6f 6e 20 6d 6f 72 65 20 65 78 63 72 75 63 69 61 74 69 6e 67 2e a a


    74 20 79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 20 68 65 72 65 2e a a 49 74 27 73 20 68 61 72 64 20 74 6f 20 77 72 69 74 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 6d 79 20 63 75 72 72 65 6e 74 20 73 74 61 74 65 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 74 68 65 20 66 65 65 6c 69 6e 67 20 6f 66 20 6e 6f 20 6f 6e 65 20 72 65 61 64 69 6e 67 20 6d 79 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 20 6d 61 6b 65 73 20 6d 79 20 73 69 74 75 61 69 6f 6e 20 6d 6f 72 65

 Chapter 671 - Butterfly Effect and Ill Intent

    Every action that an individual does are said to have an effect on the whole world, no matter how minor that action is. A simple shout could lead to a major catastrophe, and a simple act of leaving a spoiled milk on the table could lead to someone''s death.


    This surreal cause-and-effect interaction is usually called the Butterfly Effect, and it is something that stretches the Chaos Theory and the laws of randomness to their full limits.


    Of course this effect is not fully accepted yet, as in contrast to what this effect says,  there is a low chance that minor things could lead to something interesting or major happening.


    Minor things are just so small and low-scale that at most, their effects are insignificant against the largeness of the whole world.


    Major events on the other hand are the best companions to the Butterfly Effect, as they are the ones that will have a significant effect on many events.


    The death of a famous person, the appearance of a treasure, and possibly a new invention. These major events are the ones that can shape the future of a world, and only a major event can be used to counteract them.


    In Alina''s case, her decision to become the Church of Wisdom''s Divine Maiden is surely a major event, one that will induce massive changes in the world that she is in right now.


    As for what changes could happen because of ALina''s decision, it will just depend on her luck and on what her enemies could possibly do¡­.


    ****************


    DIVINE ABODE OF THE GOETIC PALACE


    PAPAL CHAMBERS.


    For a room that was occupied by the highest ranked official in the Goetic Palace, what was inside it seemed to be closer to the room of a normal person.


    There are no luxurious artifacts or treasures that littered the floor or were hung on the wall.  There are also no large beds or golden-lidden furniture that are present.


    Only a simple items like clothes and doc.u.ments could be seen, giving this place an office-like vibe.


    "Srcibble scribble¡­"


    The only object that signified this room''s uniqueness was the night-like visage on its ceiling.


    Stars, all twinkling and glowing in random orders filled the night sky pained on the ceiling, making the whole room look like it had lost its roof under the night.


    The added dimness of the room added to this effect, and it was enough to make someone feel as if they were actually watching a night sky on a grassy hill¡­.


    "Scribble scribble¡­"


    Inside this room, the presence of one person could be felt, but due to some factors, only the silhouette of this person''s body could be seen.  His body and his aura were non-existent although his presence was clearly in the room, which made his existence seem aberrant compared to everything.


    This silhouette might look nothing that significant compared to the whole place, but something about the silhouette made it hard to be ignored, and those who finds themselves inside the room will have their attention surely captured by it.


    Fortunately for everyone, only this person was currently inside the room, something that might be for the best given the weird sensation that this person''s silhouette was giving off¡­


    "Hoho, so the Church of Wisdom has chosen their new Divine Maiden? How interesting of them to do this, when their previous Divine Maiden just died a year ago¡­."


    Just like its silhouette, this person''s voice was also as eerie, although a sense of majesty could also be felt from it. Such majestic tone was unexpected from this speaker''s eerie tone, but it was there, and only someone delusional can deny it.


    "Oh, and the Church of Wisdom will be holding a Welcoming Ceremony for their Divine Maiden 3 days from now? And they are inviting all the churches and religions? Hm, this sounds interesting¡­"


    A rustling sound was then heard as the person began pacing around the room, with its hand on its chin, as if it was busy on contemplating something.


    "Hmm¡­ should I go to that place? I am the pope of the Goetic Palace, so those bastards from the Church of Wisdom will surely be scared out of their wits once they see me. Hehehe, I wonder if more of them will cry once they see my vicious face¡­."


    A snicker then leaked out of the person''s lips, one that was faint but also audbile due to the sheer silence inside the room. This was followed by sigh of exasperation, one that matched the tone of the speaker''s next words.


    "No. I can''t go there. That blasted Church of Wisdom is planning something, and with their sly minds, this plan might be aimed against the churches¡­"


    "But I cannot just let those bastards do what they want. I still must prevent them from winning, while also maintaining the Goetic Palace''s appearance as a reliable order¡­"


    "Oh, I see. I can just send the Traveler who allied with us. What was her name again? Sheila? Shura? Shaira? Meh, I will just call her Sheila. That sounds better than what her name could be¡­"


    At the mention of this new name, the speaker adopted a tone of wariness, one that mixed quite well with the hoarse sounds coming out of his throat.


    This made the speaker sound suspicious of whoever it was talking about, but the lingering traces of exasperation also made him sound used to the situation.


    "Since the Welcoming Ceremony for the Divine Maiden of the Church of Wisdom will happen in 3 days, Sheila and those spineless Companions of hers still have some time to prepare themselves. So they cannot disagree with my request. After all, their lives are now tied to the Goetic Palace. Hehehe, if they try to disobey me, death will be the least of their worries¡­"


    To anyone that can hear this speaker right now, the last shift of his wary tone into a sadistic one will be enough to scare them.


    In fact, the speaker became so terror-inducing right now, that  the whole room, which should be an object without any emotions, was actually showing a feeling of terror against the speaker, with its walls seemingly trying their best to move away from it.


    Even the night-like ceiling was warping its body too, and the way that its painted stars dimmed just made its emotions more obvious.


    "Where is Sheila anway? Is she hiding inside the dungeons again? Tch, that puny child. I just told her to stay still and that''s where she goes again? Some disciplining must be done¡­."


    The speaker noticed the reaction of the room to it, but it did not act shocked or even acknowledge the sudden change on its room. The speaker just gave the room one sideways look before he went back to pacing again.


    "Sigh, having a young and vivacious female kid as the Goetic Palace''s Traveler ally is really hard. But at least, we got a better Traveler ally compared to the Holy Order Church. Hehehe, from what I heard, that useless Traveler that those Holy Order B***es obtained was so weak, that he almost died just from his arrival!"


    This time, the tone of the speaker changed again, as he now sounded extremely happy, although it is hard to recognize his laughter from his hoarse voice.


    Such pleased tone did not make the room calm however, as it even strengthened the room''s attempts to distance itself from the speaker.


    "Hahaha, those b***hes sure deserve it! They dare spit on our priests and on our principles, so something like this should be there comeuppance! Hahaha, if I could just see their faces right now, it will be all worth it¡­"


    "Hahaha¡­.."


    The eerie laughter by this speaker, combined with the continuous warping of its room, made the whole scene look surreal, and it is frankly impossible to even make sense of what was happening.


    The only certainty in this scene was the pure glee from the speaker''s emotions, but even that was subtly changing again, as a malicious intent could now be heard creeping on its words¡­.


    "But should I be only contented on letting that Traveler Ally of the Holy Order Church live for his long? Hehehe, of course not. As much as I wanted to let that Traveler torment the Holy Order Church, it will be better if he just dies already¡­ Yes, that Traveler must die. That way, the Holy Order Church will lose much more than it already had!"


    "Hahaha, so it''s set then! We shall assassinate the Traveler Ally of the Holy Order Church! But where should I do it? Oh, I don''t need to think about that anymore. Those b***ches from the Holy Order Chruch will surely bring their Traveler Ally on the Church of Wisdom''s Divine Maiden Welcoming Ceremony!"


    "Hehehe, if that''s what will happen, then killing that Traveler Ally there will be a piece of cake!"


    If Alex could hear what this speaker was talking about, he will surely be shocked, as this person was casually talking about killing a Traveler!


    The speaker even made it sound like it was a normal thing to do, and that it is something that even pleased it¡­


    "Hehehe, I wonder how long can that Traveler Ally from the Holy Order Church last during our ambush. 2 minutes? 3 Minutes? Nah, I guess it will be around 10 minutes. Bastards like him supposedly live long, so he might have a way to defend himself¡­"


    "Oh, now that I think about it, could the new Divine Maiden of the Church of Wisdom possibly be a Traveler too? One that is allied with the Church of Wisdom? Yes, that is possible... After all, Sheila told me that the mission of the Travelers in this world was to make one dominant religion¡­"


    "Hehehe, fine then. Aside from that Traveler from the Holy Order Church, I will also kill that Divine Maiden! I don''t care if that Divine Maiden is a Traveler or not. Killing her will make everything chaotic, and that will be of benefit to the Goetic Palace!"


    The speaker did nothing else after that point but to laugh, and it did not stop even when the room was showing some signs of crying already.


    The speaker just laughed and laughed, and laughed and laughed¡­.


    "Hahaha!"


    **************


    If Alina was just here inside the night-like room, she will not actually be that surprised with what the speaker just said.


    In fact, she already had expected things like assassination or ambushes to happen, as the reveal of her status is enough to invite ill intent from other religions.


    She does not even need to send spies to other religions just to know what they will do next.


    The other religions surely know about the existence of Travelers already, and given the contents of their Main Mission, it will surely drive these religions to dispose of the enemy Travelers.


    Bloodshed will be a certainty on the Welcoming Ceremony, and it will be focused against the Travelers who will go there¡­

 Chapter 672 - Blatant Greed and Conviction

    "Since I have been instated as the Divine Maiden of the Wisdom Church, it is inevitable for the other religions to know about my status. Since it will be like that, then why should I bother hiding my status? I can just use it to lure my enemies, and then just deal with them all at once!"


    This was the exact thought that Alina had once she accepted her role as the new Divine Maiden, and she did not hesitate to tell this plan of hers to the Church of Wisdom.


    Fortunately for Alina, her newfound supporter did not reject her proposal. They instead accepted it wholeheartedly, and they also tweaked it in a way that it raised her chances of winning.


    All of these actions led to the current situation, with all of the invited religions raring to show their might while also being wary of each other.


    True to this point, aside from the Goetic Palace, the other religions invited by the Church of Wisdom has begun cooking their own plans in regards to the Welcoming Ceremony.


    Schemes and secret plans were being concocted right at this time, and none of these religions were interested on revealing even a hint on what they are about to do.


    "¡­."


    Everyone was anxious to prepare for the impending event, and the religions highly invested on this event are bound to use their resources on all the possibilities, whether if they are needed to kill someone or defend an important person.


    This urgency is enough to set off waves in the whole world, but in Alina''s opinion, its effects were much more pronounced on the religions that she suspects to be allied with the other Travelers¡­.


    For instance, there were the Goetic Palace and the Holy Order Church, two religions that can be said to be Alina''s greatest possible enemies.


    Unlike the Church of Wisdom, whose focus of worship was an already dead True God, the beings worshipped in the Goetic Palace and Holy Order Church are still living, and their powers are real.


    The existence of this living figures of worship makes it so that the power of these two religions are said to be the greatest here in this world, and the only ones that can counteract them were the alliance of other religions¡­


    **************


    "If my guess is right, the Goetic Palace and the Holy Order Church each have their own Traveler allied with them. That''s just how things will turn out, since both religions are powerful enough to rope in their own Travelers¡­."


    Without even using much of her mind, Alina already easily saw through the greatest possibility in her current situation, and it made her tense mind ease a little bit.


    She was still worried inwardly however, as she alone knew how difficult it is to face against the might of these two powerful forces.


    "Sigh, if we just arrived in this world early, we might have allied ourselves with the Goetic Palace, since one of our friends is the new Demon Lord¡­. We could even try allying with the Holy Order Church, although they could have tried killing Alex¡­"


    The Goetic Palace alone held a dominion over a continue by itself, which is the same case as the Holy Order Church too. Such amount of territories naturally translates to the might and power of these two powerhouses, and Alina could not help but grudgingly accept their dominance.


    But even if she knew how powerful her opponents could be, that does not mean that Alia accepts her defeat already.


    Sure, the support provided by the Goetic Palace and the Holy Order Church could turn their allied Travelers into fearsome opponents by themselves, but that did not unsettle Alina one bit.


    Such support will be dangerous for Alina and her allies, but with her preparations in place, she''s confident that she can weather through the danger even without Alex.


    Heck, Alina was even sure that given some time and luck, she could win against these two dominant opponents alone, without even asking help from Alex!


    After all, Alina made her plans with the help of Queen Mother, Professor Frances, and the brightest minds in the whole world.


    This line-up alone is enough to overturn any obstacles, even the kind that deals with powerful beings!


    There was however one thing that makes Alina feel unsure about her plan, and that ''thing'' was the person that Alina was both yearning and dreading to see again¡­


    "Sigh, I just hope that Alex and his Abyss Temple would not come and interfere with our plans. But knowing his flair for dramatic plans, I should just expect him to arrive¡­"


    Although Alina was feeling confident about herself at this point, her mere mention of Alex''s name had managed to trod her mood again.


    "Alex¡­" The sadness that she was trying to suppress all this time had threatened to spill out, and it reached the point that it made Alina''s eyes became misty again.


    Alina was able to suppress these emotions of hers, but she was still shaken, as the memories of Alex''s downward spiral into corruption did nothing to improve her feelings.


    "¡­." Both love and fear swirled like a maelstrom inside Alina''s heart, with her feelings of love barely able to cope with her terror for herself and Alex''s future.


    Yes, Alina still loves Alex, but she also fears the ''new'' him, and on what he could be if he was allowed to stay corrupted.


    Will the new Alex be someone who can still accept Alina for who she was, even if she usually berates and teases Alex? Will this new Alex also be a person who can tolerate Asteria, and still see through her fa?ade of rudeness?


    There is no knowing what Alex could turn out if Alina let''s his corruption consume him, and this is something that Alina was unable to live with.


    "Sigh, I wonder what Alex is doing now. Is he already scheming against my plan, or is he busy with his new supporter? I guess I will just know the answer to that in my Welcoming Ceremony¡­"


    The fact that Alex will be trying to aim for her has been accepted by Alina already, as such, all that she can just do is prepare against his actions.


    Alex can do all that he wants in order to get Alina and her allies, but Alina will not back down.


    She will resist Alex''s will, and she will do everything that she can in order to bring the original Alex back! Even if her life will be at jeopardy because of her desires, Alina will move forward for Alex''s sake!


    This is the best that Alina can do to repay all of Alex''s affections to her, and this is also her repentance against her indifferent and sometimes malicious treatment of him¡­


    "Alex told me before that the reason why I sometimes treat him badly was because he was afflicted by a Chaos Curse. That can be true, but that does not excuse me from what I did.  So what if he had a Chaos Curse? I still did not give him the love that he deserves, and that is something that I cannot accept!"


    "I might not know Alex''s past yet, but from what I see, Alex is someone who is craving for love and affection. With that kind of behavior, Alex clearly deserves a lot better from us!"


    "He did not get what he wanted from us, and what he obtained instead were more headaches for him. But even though we made his life a little rocky, Alex did not reject or even kick us out. He welcomed us with his open arms, and he also opened his heart to me!"


    "We do not deserve this kind of kindness, but Alex gave it to us!"


    "Maybe Alex was treating us this way because of the Chaos Curse too, but I don''t care about that anymore. All I know is that Alex deserves all the kindness from his allies, so I should give it to him!"


    "So who cares if I could die in my Welcoming Ceremony 3 days later? As long as it will help us in our Main Mission and with Alex, all of it will be worth it!"


    "So just you wait, Alex. We''re coming to help you, whether you like it or not!"


    All traces of hesitation from Alina''s heart disappeared like a fog at this time, as the words that she just uttered had increased her conviction.


    These words might sound like nonsense, but for Alina, these words were her support for the days that will come.


    And this support was something that Alina needs, as her opponents will not just be the other religions and Alex.


    There is also the enemy from the inside, which Alina had no choice but to begrudgingly face too...


    "Pope of Knowledge¡­ although you place yourself as an honorable figure in the Church of Wisdom,  I can see that you covet my All-Seeing Eyes. You can''t even wait to have me dead, and the only thing that is stopping you from killing me was my status!"


    Just as Alina expected, there is indeed someone from the Church of Wisdom who had a nefarious intention upon her.


    And that someone turned out to be the Pope of the Church of Wisdom(Pope of Knowledge), an old man who looked like an amicable grandpa.


    This Pope acted as if he was a paragon of virtue and kindness, but with her own eyes, Alina could see the darkness in his heart and his greed for Alina''s eyes and body.


    Such kind of maliciousness should not exist in any person at all, but here it was inside the Pope of Knowledge, and it has turned him into another threat against Alina.


    This alone was enough to make Alina run away, but with her situation, she can only begrudgingly accept the Pope''s insidious stares¡­


    "Tsk, I really hate that Pope, and that sleazy stare of his makes me want to gut him alive. He''s lucky that I am not attacking him yet, since I have to act as an obedient Divine Maiden. But my patience has its limits too, so I will really gut him if he crosses through my boundaries!"


    "Hmph, I just hope he won''t try anything against me during my Welcoming Ceremony, as I will be forced to fight him¡­"


    "But if we indeed fight, could I win against him? Even when I used my eyes on him, I was not able to see through his true mastery¡­"


    "Argh, now I am becoming uncertain again! Tsk, I really hate this old man! If he could just stay on his geezer seat on my Welcoming Ceremony, it will be for the best!"


    At this point, Alina still had time to think about more variables in her plans, but the thought of Alex and the Pope of Knowledge made her lose interest on thinking about them.


    She focused her attention on other thoughts instead, which only managed to improve her mood by a little.


    "By using my All-Seeing Eyes in combination with my Time Magic, I saw some possible futures of my plan. Most of them are failures due to Alex or the Pope of Wisdom, while some are because of the other Travelers¡­"


    "It is only through a few futures that we succeed, and even in those, we had to sacrifice something in order to win¡­"


    "Sigh, seeing these futures are helpful to me, but right now, I can''t bear to see them already. I''m just too tired, and all these stress are piling up on my body¡­"


    "Should I really rest now, like what Professor Frances told me?"


    "Yes, I think I should sleep. Just one session of a shut-eye would do."


    "Yes, just one. Just¡­o¡­n¡­.e¡­"


    "O¡­.n¡­.e¡­."

 Chapter 673 - Skin of Omniscience

    3 DAYS LATER.


    True to the expectations of many, the Welcoming Ceremony of the Church of Wisdom''s new Divine Maiden was an event that was not snubbed.


    All the invited churches, clans, and countries all sent their representative on this event, and nobody had the inclination to snub it.


    Even the religions like the Temple of Combat and Immortal Paragon Gathering that were the enemies of the Church of Wisdom attended too¡­.


    This amount of visitors naturally turned the whole event into a gigantic one, one that can only be accommodated by a venue as impressive as the visitors.


    The members of the Church of Wisdom seemed to have expected this to happen, as they set the venue of the event within the vicinity of their own main quarters¡­.


    This led to everyone staring at the Church of Wisdom''s obelisk as they waited for the ceremony to start, something that intimidated the smaller religions. As for the larger religions, they only gave the obelisk a sneer, as if they thought nothing of it.


    "¡­."


    All in all, the atmosphere inside the whole area can be said to be subdued, although a great sense of tension can also be felt amongst the silent newcomers.  This was more pronounced on the religions that came in with ulterior plans, who did not even hide their intent on doing something in this event¡­.


    Amongst these tense people, there are some who could not keep themselves quiet, and one of them was currently mumbling to himself.


    "I told Beatrice that I don''t want to join in this event. It is obvious that something bad will happen here, so it is safer for me to stay! But she did not listen to me, even when I am the Traveler and she is my Companion! Sigh, I should have been the one calling the shots here, but I can''t even argue against Beatrice anymore¡­"


    "Huhuhu¡­ is this how low I have fallen? I can''t even fight back against my own partner? Sigh, maybe I should not have brought her with me before¡­."


    This mumbling person was a 20-year old man who wore an all-black coated suit on his body. He had a sleek hairstyle that drew his hair back, and a pair of rimmed glasses that hung well on his handsome face and curved nose.


    The combination of these looks elevated this man''s appearance to the level of insanely ''handsome'', and the women near him could not deny that.


    Whether it be the elderly, the ripe, the budding, or the young, all women who set their eyes on him found themselves enchanted by his appearance.  Even some of the men were affected too, and it made them question their s.e.x.u.a.lity.


    Such level of attractiveness should have led to a chaotic situation, especially on a crowded place like this man was in, but none dared to approach the man at all.


    The man stood on an empty circle by himself, and the only person accompanying him was a voluptuous, green-robed woman with a mask on her face.


    Just like the man, this woman seemed to be a peerless beauty too, as her voluptuous and streamlined body is already enough to make her a desirable woman. However, the hostile design of her mask and the undeniable killing intent leaking out from this woman''s body made it impossible for anyone to even like her.


    This killing intent was also the reason why nobody dared approached the two, as the voluptuous woman made everyone feel as if they were going to be decimated if someone tries to approach them¡­


    "Huhuhu, I want to go home already¡­. Beatrice, when can I go home?" The handsome man continued his monologue, with his head still facing directly forward. He was not looking at the voluptuous woman at all, but judging by his tone and the way that he avoided her, the man''s words were clearly meant for her.


    "Beatrice, come on! We can''t waste our time here waiting for the appearance of the new Divine Maiden! For all that we know, this could be a trap by our enemy! So please let''s just go back! We can just deal with our enemies once I have been strong enough!"


    Although his appearance was that of a dashing knight, the way that this man spoke showed nothing but only cowardice from his behavior. Add the sight of his trembling legs, and even the women who were enchanted by him began to snort at his behavior.


    Only the voluptuous woman did not show any reaction to his words, although she seemed to be irritated by what he said, evidenced by her reply.


    "Xavier, get a spine, will you? We''re already here in this event, so we can''t just go back. Doing so will just make the others suspicious, and that will make our situation worse." The voluptuous woman, whose name seemed to be Beatrice, uttered this sentence with a great emphasis on the word ''worse''. "You said that you don''t want to die? Well if you leave now, that''s what exactly will happen to you¡­"


    Beatrice might sound calm and subdued, but  the handsome man, who was also called as Xavier,  began to tremble more as if what she said was a nightmare.


    "Oh, what''s the problem Xavier? What I told you was crystal clear, so don''t look at me like that. You can''t leave right now, so let''s just do what we are supposed to do here. Otherwise, it will be you who will suffer in the end."


    "!!!"


    As if he was prodded with an electric wire, Xavier jumped up after hearing Beatrice''s latest words, with a short squeal coming out of his tiny throat.


    "Hie!!!!" Xavier looked much more terrified this time, and not even his slim glasses can hide the fear in his eyes.


    "Beatrice, are you sure that we will succeed here? It''s the Church of Wisdom that we are talking about!" Xavier seemed to want nothing more than to run away from his current spot. Just the way that his legs aligned themselves to the exit gate made it obvious, and the way that he avoided the woman''s glare added to its certainty.


    He could have actually run way, but he was stopped by a stern glare from the voluptuous woman.


    "Xavier, I told you today that my Skin of Omniscience had sensed a Divine Sensory Organ Holder arriving in this area 3 days ago. I don''t know who could that be, but judging by the sudden change of tune by the Church of Wisdom, that Divine Sensory Organ Holder must be related to the Divine Maiden!"


    Beatrice tried her best to sound calm as she hissed at her partner, but her tight grip on Xavier''s shoulder had just terrified the latter more.


    "Beatrice it hurts, it hurts! Can you please let me go? My shoulder hurts!"


    "No. I will not let your shoulder go Xavier. Not until you agree to proceed with our plan here." Beatrice did not even falter in face of Xavier''s whimpering, as she actually increased the pressure of her grip.


    "Ow, ow, ow, Beatrice! Your crushing my shoulder!"


    "Xavier,  I invested a lot in this attack, and the Holy Order Church has pooled in some of their resources too. So don''t you dare back out here. This is my chance to obtain my second Divine Sensory Organ, and this is the chance of the Holy Order Church to become a dominant religion!"


    "Ow, ow, ow, Beatrice! HUhuhu, please release me!"


    "Xavier, you are the Traveler in our group, so you know that today''s event is important for us. As long as we do our plan right here, we can finish our Main Mission with high success! That''s what you want, right? To always win our Main Mission without any problems? If you want that to happen, then f**king cooperate here!"


    "Ow, ow, ow!"


    "Well Xavier, if you can''t even muster the courage to do this, then you are better of dead!"


    "Okay, Beatrice! Okay! I will not back down anymore! I-I will follow your plan!"


    "Good. You should have said that earlier already."


    With a tone filled with venomous spite, Beatrice let go of her grip on the poor man''s shoulder. This allowed the man to heave a sigh of relief, although some grimaces of pain can be seen on his faltering grin.


    "Tsk, you said that you want to do the plan properly Xavier? Hmph, you better do it according to what we talked about. Because if you don''t, then well¡­."


    Even when Beatrice did not do any more violent actions against Xavier, the sheer threatening aura in her voice was enough to make the man cower.


    In fact, the poor man looked like he was about to pee himself, and the only thing preventing that from happening seemed to be the remains of his self-consciousness.


    "Beatrice¡­. You are my Companion, but why do you always treat me like this? Can''t you even have some compassion for me?"


    "Heh, compassion my ass, Xavier. If it weren''t for me, your weak ass would have been killed countless times already in the past worlds. How many times did I save your life again? Was it 10? 20? Or 30? Oh right, it''s-"


    "H-hey, Beatrice, can we just stop talking about those stats? I think this is not the right place to talk about them¡­"


    "Xavier, you are only a Fifth Stage Being, while I am a Sixth Stage Being. You don''t get to command me on what I want to do, even if you are the Traveler and I am your Companion. So if I were you, I would just shut up and listen to the instructions well. Maybe if you do that, you could be more useful to our group¡­"


    "¡­."


    Even an idiot could see that the relationship between Xavier and Beatrice was unhealthy, and that it is one where Xavier was at an obvious disadvantage.


    Xavier did not even have the guts to resist against the voluptuous woman, and from the looks of it, he has no interest to stand up for himself.


    Such gutless attitude was rare to see, and for it to be seen on a Traveler out of all people was just flabbergasting.


    In fact, if Alex were to see this, he might feel better about his own situation, as what Xavier was going through right now is just pure hell!


    "Now Xavier, just like what the higher-ups said, you will assist me on attacking the new Divine Maiden. We will wait for her to show herself, and once she''s in my strike zone, you will use your power to restrain her. Just focus all your power on restraining that Divine Maiden, and then I will do what I am supposed to do. Do you understand that?"


    "Yes, I get that, Beatrice. I am not a child anymore, so-"


    "If you understand it, then shut the f**k up. If you continue to talk, I will punch you in your nuts later."


    "Beatrice, please anything but the nuts."


    "I. SAID. SHUT. UP. SO. KEEP. YOUR. DAMNED. MOUTH. CLOSED."


    "¡­"

 Chapter 674 - Pot calling the Kettle Black?

    Due to the large-scale effects and the possible ramifications of the Welcoming Ceremony, everyone''s attention was glued to it.


    The normal people who worship the churches treated this event as a miraculous, once-in-a-lifetime scene, while the clans that are ruled by the churches gave this event a wary look.


    As for the evil religions that were excluded from the invitation, they took interest on the ceremony, even if they were banned from even approaching the place.


    Both metaphorical and physical feelers were released by these evil religions in order to make sense of what was happening, and they made it sure that they were not caught by their enemies.


    This action allowed even these religions to know what was happening, but it also went beyond that.


    Some of these evil religions did not just investigate the facts about the event itself. Some also delved deeper on the identity of the new Divine Maiden, and they also investigated the ones who were invited.


    One such religion that adopted this course of action was the notorious Abyss Temple, which in Alina''s suspicions, was the current religion that Alex was allied with.


    Of course it is hard to know how extensive the investigation of the Abyss Temple was, but knowing its abilities, there is a high chance that they knew much more compared to the others¡­


    ************


    MAIN QUARTERS OF THE ABYSS TEMPLE.


    THE ABYSS ENVOY''S ETERNAL ROOM.


    "You little s**t, did you get the info that I want? If you do, spit it out already! I can''t afford wasting my time in this s**ty place!"


    Inside a dingy, dim-lighted room, a tall and slender body of a young man could be seen, who was currently voicing out his anger on the door behind him.


    Even if the dim light in the room did not display his appearance, it was apparent that this young man was pissed, as the one he was conversing with was trembling in fear.


    In fact, this angered young man was assuming the pose of an attacking killer, something that made his killing intent exude. He was really close to killing his conversation partner, and nothing seem to be able to even slow him down.


    The only reason that this young man hasn''t began killing anyone yet was unfathomable, but his conversation partner knew if this man''s switches gets pushed, killing will just be his least worst action¡­


    "Oi, why are you not talking, you little s**t? I am the Abyss Envoy, so you better serve me properly! You know the punishment for those who resist me!"


    The young man continued to berate at this point, and he has no inclination of even stopping himself. He cursed and cursed his conversation partner, and he only stopped when he can''t think of anything more to say.


    ""F**k¡­. I already cursed you for 3 minutes, so that should be enough time for you to compile your data, right? Right?"


    Finally, the young man was able to calm himself down again, although he was still unhappy.


    But compared to the outburst that he had earlier, an unhappy version of him is much more bearable¡­


    "Oi, I said, give me the papers."


    "Squeak squeak!" This change of the young man''s mood allowed his conversation partner to move again, something that led to it giving the young man a set of bundled papers.


    These papers seem to be the ''information'' that the young man was talking about, and now that he had received it, his mood seemed to improve more.


    "Tsk, now that''s how I want you to do your job, you little s**t. Now, scram and go back to your hive!"


    Although he was visibly pleased from receiving the papers,  the young man did not give his conversation partner a grateful look or even a small sign of gratitude.


    He just kicked his conversation partner out of his room before closing his door, leaving the latter shivering from both fear and relief.


    "Okay, time for me to read all these papers¡­ I just hope that they have what I want to know. Because if they don''t, I will be happy to kill more of those useless minions! #)(*$)(#*$)(#*$)(#*)$"


    Nothing else happened after that aside from the young man''s sudden mumbling inside his room, and his conversation partner''s attempts to leave that place¡­


    ****************


    "Hohoho, so Alina actually had the guts to ally with that s***y church? Hmph, so it seems like her stay with me had made her too daring! Tsk, this is not what I want her to do! Tch, it seems like I have to discipline her more¡­"


    With only himself left inside his room, the young man''s attitude became carefree, and there are no signs of any anger in him as he browsed through the papers.


    He will occasionally frown or titter from what he read, but aside from that, there''s no outburst that might show his instability.


    "Oh, and Queen Mother and Professor Frances were relegated as the guardians of the Divine Maiden? Hmm¡­ that''s a basic move to let them stay close to ALina. I don''t know if this is a good move or not, but I am happy that those three are still together. After all, it will be easier to catch them if they are staying together!"


    With all of his emotional outbursts gone, this young man''s voice was not as distorted like it was earlier.


    His voice went back to what it originally is, and if someone familiar to him hears him talking, they can recognize who this man was.


    In fact, if Alina were to be here, she will know that this voice belongs to no other than Alex himself!


    *************


    Yes, the angered young man inside the most important room inside the Abyss Temple was Alex, which should have been obviously already given his status.


    Only Alex who was the Abyss Envoy can receive this generous treatment from the Abyss Temple, and it is only him who can act like thug here.


    He was also the only one who can easily command all the Abyss creatures in the Abyss Temple, and there will be no one that can resist him and his orders.


    "Okay, so that''s the info that my Abyss Minions were able to get about Alina and my companions'' actions¡­ But that''s not the only thing that I made them investigate. There''s also the info about the other Travelers, which I hope they had a good haul¡­"


    Alex clearly used this status of his to his advantage, which was evident from the recent orders that he just gave to his minions.


    And that order was to of course investigate his allies and his enemies, something that the Abyss Temple should be able to do. Which they were able to accomplish, with their results now placed on the papers on his hand¡­


    "Hehehe, let''s see info my minions have gathered about the other Travelers. I hope this will be interesting¡­"


    Alex muttered these words with relish as his body began to coil and warp in all directions, with all of his body parts moving in ways that are just unfathomable to the eyes.


    This made it hard to describe how Alex actually appears right now, although those who sees it will surely treat the current Alex as a nightmare material.


    Such distortion of his body made Alex appear monstrous, but the man himself did not care about that.


    Alex just went on with his actions, and he seem to show no indication of stopping himself¡­.


    ""Let''s see, so the first Traveler in this list was a male Traveler who goes by the name of¡­ Xavier? Lol, what is with his face? Why does he look like he had been beaten up? Is he really a Traveler?"


    With a body which was unrecognizable due his semi-corrupted state, the only way that Alex''s emotions could be recognized was through his voice, which fortunately was not altered even with his change.


    Alex''s voice perfectly showed what he was feeling right now, and it is not a stretch to say that he was happy.


    In fact, the current Alex seemed to be in happiest state yet, and his happiness seemed to increase as he continued to read the papers.


    [[Xavier Arselwood, also known by his friends as Xavier, was a young man who hailed from the southwest corner of the Plane King Realm. He was born from a humble family of 8, with his father working as a clerk on a small bank and his mother laboring as a part-time teacher]]


    [[He was nothing more but a normal kid with normal dreams, but his talent can be said to be extraordinary. He was said to be talented in the realm of Spatial Magic and Fate Magic. Many said that he is a once-in-an-eon prodigy that must be protected, and that if he grows up to the future, he has a high chance of becoming a Monarch.]]


    [[But even with his talent, Xavier did not accomplish much on his childhood because of his cowardice. This led to him being ridiculed by everyone, to the point that he tried to commit suicide-]]


    "What the f**k? How did it get this dark already? And how the f**k did my minions even know about this? Seriously, this is creepy¡­"


    Alex might sound disturbed according to his comments, but he was smiling widely at this time, which only widened as the story that he read in the paper got worse.


    Even his eyes twinkled with delight too, which just made all of his ''sympathetic'' comments sound sarcastic.


    [[It was unknown who stopped Xavier from killing himself, but according to the Senior Abyss General, the person who stopped Xavier from killing himself was possibly the one who made him a Traveler. This can be supported by the fact that Xavier started his role as a Traveler just a day after his failed suicide.]]]


    "So he tried to off himself, but it actually led to him being a Traveler? Lol, what a lucky man. If I just had his luck, then I- wait, aren''t'' I in the same situation before? I was about to die in a snowstorm, and I was saved by an old man who turned me into a Traveler¡­"


    "Ugh, now that I look at it, my origin story is actually similar to Xavier''s¡­ Lol, of course that''s the only thing similar between us. I''m not a coward like him¡­."


    [[[Prior to his arrival at this world, Xavier had already gone through 10 other Worlds. Through these adventures, he gained a power level of Peak Fifth Stage, and he only needs one little push to reach the Sixth Stage. With his talent, he can easily do it, but because of his cowardly attitude, reaching the Sixth Stage is also an impossibility for him now.]]]


    [[Traveler Xavier has 3 Companions with him, which to the surprise of the investigators, were all at the Sixth Stage. This level of power should be heaven for any other Traveler, but for Xavier, his Companions were the opposite.]]


    [[Because of his cowardly attitude, Xavier was always getting bullied and pushed around by his Companions. Instead of him calling the shots, it was his Companions who order him and make him serve them.]]


    [[They also sometimes physically abuse the Traveler. They also-]]


    "Wow, what an unlucky guy. Are you really sure that he is a Traveler, my minions? This seems like a template of a pathetic beta character! How could someone like him be a match for me?"

 Chapter 675 - A Space Mage, an Empress, a Fairy, a Warlock, and a Sister.

    "¡­I don''t think I should think more about this Xavier guy. He''s just pathetic, and that''s all that he has to show to me¡­"


    There was a faint tremble in Alex''s voice after scanning the info about the Traveler named Xavier, as if what he had read struck a chord with him.


    As for what this could be, Alex did not specifically state it.


    Aside from this, Alex also seemed to be cringing from what he was reading, which was to be expected given the way that it was written.


    Instead of having the reports written in an informative style, the reports that Alex received were written closer to a story-telling type, which is just informal and only fits on entertainment-based works.


    This made Alex close to lashing out again, but given his rush to finish reading, Alex chose to ignore this weird writing for now.


    [[[Traveler Xavier is affiliated with the Holy Order Church, which is a decision made by his companions. Both he and the Holy Order Church seem unhappy with this situation, but both had no choice but to form an alliance.]]]


    [[Other Travelers had already formed alliances with other religions at this time, and the only choice left was Traveler Xavier.]]]


    "Lol, so even here in this world, this man is just the last choice? Hahaha, sucks to be him¡­"


    [[[The names of the Traveler Xavier''s companions were Beatrice, Android 679, and Fairy Duchess Matilda. Their powers as mentioned before were all at the Sixth Stage, making them a dangerous foe against anyone.]]]


    [[[Known Powers: Traveler Xavier wields both Space and Fate Magic, while Beatrice is an adept Sword God. Android 679 is similar to the Overlord, and the Fairy Duchess wields a power like the esteemed Guide Asteria.]]]


    [[[Some minions said that Beatrice is also a Divine Maiden, and that she possesses the Skin of Omniscience, which is a Divine Sensory Organ. This makes this woman a danger against the Divine Maiden Alina, and it is not a stretch to say that the former will surely try to make a move against Alina on the Welcoming Ceremony.]]]


    [[[Recommended Battle Tactic against Traveler Xavier: Attack the tTaveler himself and ignore his allies. He is the weak link of the group, which means that defeating him will be the easiest.]]]


    [[[Danger Rating: 9 out 10. This could be lower, but the power of his companions and the support given by the Holy Order Church has solidified this rating.p???r???a???i???s??? e??? u???s???o??? h???A???b??? y???s???s???E??? n???v???o???y??? a???n???d???s??? h???o???w???e??? r???u???s??? w???i???t??? h???y???o???u??? r???b???l??? e???s???s??? i???n???g???s??? !???o???h??? p???l???e??? a???s???e???s??? h???o???w??? e???r???u??? s???w???i??? t???h???y??? o???u???r??? g???r???a??? c???e???t???o???o???!??? ]]]


    "9 out of 10? Hm, that''s not bad, and I agree with the recommended battle plan against him. But why do I feel like there is something missing here¡­"


    Alex shook his black-clad head as he tightened his grip on the paper, and he displayed an annoyed tone too, as if there was something in what he read that made him more irritated.


    Such irritation easily wiped away his happiness, but this did not deter him from his current task.


    "Tsk, if there is something missing here, I would make those minions of mine pay later¡­ But for now, I have to look at the info about the remaining Travelers too¡­"


    With a flip comparable to an expert reader, Alex breezed through the remaining pages in an astonishing speed, that it allowed him to finish the whole papers in just a matter of seconds.


    This speed was something that should be impossible for any other person, but with his mind enhanced by the Abyss itself, report-reading was nothing more but a cakewalk for the current Alex.


    In fact, Alex could have actually finished reading the papers in a much faster time.


    The only reason why he ''slowed'' himself down was because he wanted to take in all the details about his possible opponents.


    This decision turned out to be right, as the things that Alex read next from these papers made him actually feel danger and wariness for his life.


    *******************


    [[The next Traveler investigated was Shi Xingyun. She was a princess of a mighty empire that ruled a star field in the Immortal Destiny Realm. With her talents in Immortal Cultivation and an innate sense of leadership, Shi Xingyun was set to be the first ever Empress of her Empire.]]]


    [[But due to an invasion of a foreign race, this Empire fell overnight, turning Traveler Shi Xingyun into a vagrant royalty hounded by her enemies. The power of this foreign race was enough to bring Shi Xingyun to the brink of her death, and the only reason she survived was because of a beggar who wantonly turned her into a Traveler.]]]


    [[[Traveler Shi Xingyun had conquered missions in 12 Worlds already, a feat that made her one of the most experienced Travelers amongst the younger generation. On her side were 2 Travelers, both that yielded mysterious powers that raised the over-all power of her team.]]]


    [[[Shi Xingyun is allied with the Goetic Palace, although the relationship between them is somewhat chilly.]]]


    [[[Known Powers: Shi Xingyun is an Immortal Cultivator and a Conqueror''s Aura Wielder. Both Power Systems were at the Sixth Stage, which was already enough to make her an offensive juggernaut. Her two Companions have no names whatsoever, and their powers still have no proper explanation. But just like Shi Xingyun, these companions were also at the Sixth Stage.]]]


    [[[Recommended battle tactic against Traveler Shi Xingyun: She is a prideful woman, and any verbal attack about her Empire or her ability to rule will be an effective way to agitate her. The usage of the Conqueror''s Aura is also encouraged, and this power has a possibility of getting stronger if Shi Xingyun were to be defeated.]]]


    [[[Danger rating: 9.5 out of 10. This rating could change once the power and identity of her two companions were to be known.p???r???a??? i???s??? e???u??? s???o???h??? A???b???y??? s???s???E??? n???v???o???y??? a???n???d???s??? h???o???w??? e???r???u???s??? w???i???t???h??? y???o???u???r??? b???l???e??? s???s???i??? n???g??? s???!??? o???h??? p???l???e???a??? s???e???s??? h???o???w??? e???r???u???s??? w???i???t??? h???y???o??? u???r???g??? r???a???c??? e???t???o??? o???!???]]]


    **************


    [[[The third Traveler is Traveler Overron. He is not to be mistaken with Oberon, the King of Fairies. Overron is a clone made up from one of Oberon''s cells, and Overron''s sole purpose in life was to breed and create children for Oberon himself.]]]


    [[[Not much was known on how Overron became a Traveler, but his transformation into a Traveler was accompanied by the destruction of Oberon''s Fairy Realm, along with the death of the latter''s family.]]]


    [[[Just like Shi XIngyun, Traveler Overron has two companions on his side, both that are the same specie as him.]]]


    [[[Traveler Overron is allied with the Nature Cult, a religion that worsh.i.p.s the True God of Life and Creation EARC. It was said that Traveler Overron is treated lavishly like a king by this religion, a factor that might make him a difficult enemy to deal with.]]]


    [[[Known Powers: Traveler Overron wields Fairy Magic, a magic that only creatures like him can wield. He is at the Sixth Stage, which is enough to make him a dangerous opponent. Traveler Overron''s Companions both wield Fairy Magic too, but due to their late team-up with him, both only have a power level of around Fifth Stage.]]]


    [[[Recommended Battle Tactic against Traveler Overron: Inquire all the known weaknesses of Fairy Magic from the esteemed Guide Asteria, and use it against Overron.]]]


    [[[Danger Rating: 8 out of 10. Overron might only be the only Sixth Stage Being in his team, but the zealous support by the Nature Cult to him makes him hard to deal with.p???r??? a???i???s???e??? u???s???o??? h???A???b???y??? s???s???E???n??? v???o???y??? a???n???d??? s???h???o???w??? e???r???u??? s???w???i??? t???h???y???o??? u???r???b??? l???e???s??? s???i???n??? g???s???!???o??? h???p???l??? e???a???s??? e???s???h???o??? w???e???r??? u???s???w???i??? t???h???y??? o???u???r???g??? r???a???c???e??? t???o??? o???!???]]]


    ************


    [[[The fourth Traveler is a Spirit Warlock that goes by the name of Iskanor. He hails from the Spirit Spring Realm, and he was one of the sons of the fearsome Spirit-Devouring Monarch.]]]


    [[[He has the talent to succeed on his father''s footsteps, but after the Endless Monarch pummeled the Spirit-Devouring Monarch on a dispute, the Spirit-Devouring Monarch had to gift Iskanor as a Traveler to the Endless Monarch.]]]


    [[[Due to his aloof nature and incredible Spirit Abilities, Traveler Iskanor only has one companion by his side, and this companion was his soul-bound slave. Both of them are powerful in their own right, and nobody who crossed their paths had ever survived.]]]


    [[[Traveler Iskanor only went through 9 Worlds as of now, but it was said that he performed all of his missions in a perfect manner.]]]


    [[[Traveler Iskanor did not ally himself with any religions. Instead, he forcefully dominated one, and he turned himself into this religion''s sole ruler. This religion was the Phaseless Tomb, a religion which worship the True God of Reality and Illusion TILEA]]]


    [[[It was unknown on how Traveler Iskanor managed to subdue and rule over the Phaseless tomb, although the possibility that his inborn Supreme Spirit assisted in this matter is  highly plausible.]]]


    [[Known Powers: Iskanor was a Sixth Stage Being that practiced the way of Spirit Arts. He was also born with a Supreme Spirit, which gives him an easy path to Transcendence. Combining these two powers together gives Iskanor a power that only Half-Step Transcendent Beings can resist.]]]


    [[[Iskanor''s Soul-Bound Companion has not revealed her powers yet, as all of her victims and those who investigated her were killed by her power. But it is sure that she''s at least a Sixth Stage Being too.]]]


    [[[Recommended battle tactic against Traveler Iskanor: Any ability that can weaken or counteract Spirit or Soul-Based abilities are needed in order to defeat Iskanor. But because of his Supreme Spirit, a greater level of power was also needed to ensure a victory against him.]]]


    [[[Danger Rating: 9.8 out of 10. Without any preparation, it is not advisable to seek this Traveler out. Only attack him if the situation requires it, or if the attacker is sure of his or her victory.p???r??? a???i???s???e??? u???s???o??? h???A???b??? y???s???s??? E???n???v??? o???y???a???n??? d???s???h??? o???w???e??? r???u???s???w??? i???t???h??? y???o???u???r??? b???l???e??? s???s???i??? n???g???s??? !???o??? h???p???l???e??? a???s??? e???s???h???o??? w???e???r??? u???s???w??? i???t???h???y??? o???u???r??? g???r???a??? c???e???t??? o???o??? !???]]]


    **************


    [[[The fifth and final Traveler investigated by the minions is Traveler Talia, who is the sister of the Holy Order Envoy Delia.    Like Delia, Traveler Talia also comes from the same hometown, and she was just as skilled in martial arts as her sister.]]]


    [[[Traveler Talia became a Traveler through the person who turned  Delia into a Traveler too.]]]


    [[[Traveler Talia has 3 Companions by her side, with only two of them reaching the Sixth Stage. These two were called Xia and Guisha, with the former being a Chronomancer and the latter being an Asura Demon. The other remaining companion had no powers at all, which makes this person''s status as a companion a mystery.]]]


    [[[Traveler Talia had allied with the Red Tower, a religion which worsh.i.p.s the True God of War and Deception PECED. This discovery comes to no surprise to the investigators, as her attitude and the power of her allies fit with the Red Tower''s principles.]]]


    [[[Due to her fast-paced attitude and her ability to perform missions quickly, Traveler Talia had more Worlds visited than Delia herself, which totaled to 6 just before this current world.]]]


    [[[Known Powers:  Traveler Talia follows two Power Systems; the Staff Sage Martial Arts and the Void Prowler Compendium, both which are the Sixth Stage. Her two companions as mentioned before were a Chronomancer and an Asura Demon, who were both at the Sixth Stage too.]]]


    [[[Recommended battle tactic against Traveler Talia: Attack the powerless companion, and if possible, kidnap this companion and use her as a hostage against Traveler Talia. If this method is not preferred,  the esteemed Abyss Envoy''s link with Traveler Delia can also be used.]]]


    [[[Danger Rating: 9.9 out of 10. Traveler Talia is dangerous, but with the right actions, her threat can be neutralized.p???r???a??? i???s???e??? u???s???o??? h???A???b???y??? s???s???E??? n???v???o??? y???a???n???d??? s???h???o??? w???e???r??? u???s???w???i??? t???h???y??? o???u???r???b??? l???e???s??? s???i???n??? g???s???!??? o???h???p???l??? e???a???s??? e???s???h???o??? w???e???r??? u???s???w??? i???t???h??? y???o???u???r??? g???r???a??? c???e???t???o??? o??? !???]]]

 Chapter 676 - Monsters and Babysitting

    "So a Space Mage, a wannabe Empress,  a Fairy, a Warlock, and  Delia''s sister will be my enemies aside from Alina? Hm, now this is interesting¡­"


    From what he had read, Alex could see that his opponents are of high-caliber, and making one wrong move against them will be detrimental to him.


    In fact, all the hasty plans that Alex had cooked up earlier were now forcefully dumped by him, as he realized that against his Traveler opponents, his plans are still inadequate.


    "In terms of power alone, some of my Traveler opponents are either equal or slightly weaker than my former group. That makes the competition between all of us somewhat equal, but since I have been temporarily separated from my allies, it will be hard for me to actually win against them head-on."


    If Alina and his other companions were still on his side today, Alex is confident that he can win against any opponent, and he was even sure that he can finish the Main Mission in around 1 Year.


    But as what had happened days ago, Alex is currently alone, and the only aid that he had with him was the one given by the Abyss Temple.


    An aid, which if Alex could have rejected, he would have already done so.


    "As much as I liked the power given to me by my semi-corrupted state, I do not have any interest on becoming a fully corrupted Abyss Monster. But times are tight these days, so I have no choice but to cooperate with the Abyss Temple."


    "Tsk, I just hope that by the end of this Main Mission, I will still be sane and able to think for myself. Ending up as a manic, bloodthirsty monstrosity will never be on my list, and I will do everything that I can in order to avoid that¡­."


    Another angry growl indicated Alex''s frustration about his situation, but he did not pursue thinking about his current status anymore.


    He instead focused on the task that he deemed to be important right now, which is of course spying on his former ally.


    "Alina, Alina, Alina. Since you did not invite me for your Welcoming Ceremony, I guess I just have to watch it from the sidelines¡­  Sigh, this is making me pissed, but fret not my lovely lady. Sooner than later, you will be by my side again, and once that time comes, I can watch you all the time that I want¡­"


    With his voice filled with a foreboding sense of possessiveness, the black-clad Alex let out a small laugh as he stared at his right side, a direction which coincided with the place where the Welcoming Ceremony for Alina was about to happen.


    His beady eyes then narrowed as he chuckled derisively, filling the whole room with his hoarse and horrific-sounding voice.


    "Alina, ALina, Alina. I hope you are being fed well there in the Church of Wisdom. I know of your appetite, and I know how irritated you can be if you don''t eat that much¡­. Well, if they don''t feed you enough, I will just have to take you and give you all the food that you want! Hehehe, I am your lover after all, so feeding you is my basic task¡­"


    The current Alex seems to be pleased to just watch the Welcoming Ceremony from his spot, and he showed no interest on moving at all.


    He just laughed and whispered to himself as he kept his eyes focused on the event, making him look like a creepy statue that became alive.


    "Alina, Alina, Alina. We only had intercourse 3 times, which is not enough for me! I am a horny young man, so we should be hitting the sack every night!"


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ I swear once I get you back here with me, I will make you pump all my ''love juice''! Hehehe, and if you can''t take my ''love'' anymore, that lesbian tree and that as.e.x.u.a.l professor can serve me too¡­."


    "Hehehe, hehehe, hehehe¡­ d????l???????f??????? j??????a??????s????? l???????k?????? f???????m????o????????i??? w?????e??????l??? n??????c????l??????? s????a?????????d??????? k????l?????k????????? d?????s??????a?????????m???? c????l???????k?????? s??????d????a????????m???? s????????d?????m?????? c???????,?????????s?????? a????d?????????m??????? c????????k????s?????? a????d?????,??????m????? c??????d??????¡­."


    ***************


    Behind Alex, 7 silhouettes of horrific-looking monsters slowly materialized, all who wore looks of excitement as Alex continued to talk to himself.


    Each of this silhouette looked just as terrifying as Alex, and the jeers and the clicking sound that they released did not help matters either.


    ?????????''???????(??????)????????#???????? *????$??????)??????? (????????#???????''????????


    ???????(????????8??????????4???? 9?????3?????????? 8???????4?????????? 3???????


    ????????


    ?????????)?????????(????????#????????*???????9????0????? 3??????8????????4?????? 0??????3???????


    ????


    ???????3????? 8????4???????9??????3???? 8???????0??????????9???????? 3??????2???????????8??????????? 4????????


    The appearance of these monsters and their horrifying noises will be enough to terrify even the minions under the Abyss Temple, and some might even pass out in sheer fear.


    But if Alina were to see these monsters, what she will feel was not fear, but only sadness. Sadness, which she only reserved to those that really deserved it.


    She might also feel pity for the monsters, with her anger at Alex most likely to increase again.


    Why would Alina have this kind of reaction for these hideous beings? The reason for that is simple.


    These 7 monsters were actually the Abyss Sprites, the 7 cute pixie-like beings that accompanied Alex since the start of his stint as an Abyss Magician!


    [Pride]: o????i???????u?????? k?????j????????l?????? k????????j???????l?????


    [Gluttony]: m????????c?????????n?????a????m???????,????x??????n?????c???????


    [Wrath]:w???q????????d??? f??????f???????f???? c????????v????????e??????? v????q???? w???????


    [Sloth]:p?????o??????i?????? l????k??????p????????p????


    [Envy]:z??????c????x????? z???????v?????c???????x???????


    [L.u.s.t]:3?????2?????4??????? 2??????3??????5????????? 3?????2??????


    [Greed]:m????????n??????o??????? s???????o??????i????????s????? a???????d????????j?????? k????????f??????a?????


    Even if these horrific monsters did not look like their former cute versions, it was obvious from their mannerisms and their attitude that they were the Abyss Sprites that assisted Alex all throughout his journey.


    Sloth still retained a sleep and lethargic attitude, as his bloated and pus-filled balloon body was currently laying down on the floor. Wrath still looked like his angry self, and the way that the spikes and spurs from his barbed-wired skinny body  stiffened with his every growl made that more obvious.


    The other Sprites displayed the same traits, so it will not be really hard for Alina to identify them.


    Pride]: o????i???????u??????k?????j???????? l??????k????????j???????l?????


    [Gluttony]: m????????c?????????n????? a????m???????,????x??????n?????c???????


    [Wrath]:w???q????????d???f?????? f???????f????c????????v???????? e???????v????q????w???????


    [Sloth]:p?????o??????i??????l????k?????? p????????p????


    [Envy]:z??????c???? x?????z???????v?????c???????x???????


    [L.u.s.t]:3?????2?????4??????? 2??????3??????5?????????3?????2??????


    [Greed]:m????????n??????o???????s??????? o??????i????????s?????a???????d????????j??????k????????f??????a?????


    attitudes and mannerism were similar to the Abyss Sprites, these 7 horrific monsters did not show the innocence or naivety that their former cute forms had.


    These monsters were just as savage and merciless as Alex, and they looked like they were willing to do much more than torment anyone if they were given a chance.


    These monsters¡­ did not even greet or acknowledge Alex as their ''Big Brother. They only treated him as their scary and savage leader, one who will be just as interested on wreaking chaos with them.


    Pride]: o????i???????u??????k?????j????????l??????k????????j???????l?????


    [Gluttony]: m????????c?????????n?????a????m???????,????x??????n?????c???????


    [Wrath]:w???q????????d???f??????f???????f????c????????v????????e???????v????q????w???????


    [Sloth]:p?????o??????i??????l????k??????p????????p????


    [Envy]:z??????c????x?????z???????v?????c???????x???????


    [L.u.s.t]:3?????2?????4???????2??????3??????5?????????3?????2??????


    [Greed]:m????????n??????o???????s???????o??????i????????s?????a???????d????????j??????k????????f??????a?????


    **********************


    Once these monsters appeared behind him, Alex did not give them a glance or even a nod of acknowledgement. Instead, he gave them a light growl, one that forced the 7 to stop approaching him.


    "Wrath, L.u.s.t, Greed, Sloth, Envy, Gluttony and Pride. I called you today not to play with me or to torture our enemies. I called you to perform tasks for me, so stop acting like stupid dogs, ok?" Alex said, with his tone showing no signs of even affection for the monsters.


    He even sounded bored at this point, something that the monsters detected but did not dare to point out.


    "L.u.s.t and Envy. With your powers enhanced by this place, you two should be powerful enough to infiltrate the area of the Welcoming Ceremony. Because of that, I am giving you two the task of infiltrating that place. Once you were there, just stay still and wait for my further instructions."


    "Gluttony and Greed. I want you two to stay here in the Abyss Temple. But don''t think that you won''t be doing any s**t. Just wait for my instructions later."


    "Wrath and Pride. Once I am done giving out my instructions, I want you two to rush towards the Welcoming Ceremony, with all of your aura and hostile intent released. Make yourselves obvious once you start attacking, and make sure that all of the attention of those people will be on you two."


    "You can even kill those who tries to attack you at that time, but don''t kill those who will just be watching you."


    "As for you Sloth¡­ you will be accompanying me. What you will do next will depend on how the situation unfolds, so stay sharp and focused."


    "¡­.."


    Pride]: fsado????i???????u??????k?????sdfj????????l??????k????????j???????l?????


    [Gluttony]: m????????c?????????n?????a???? m???????,????x??????n?????c???????


    [Wrath]:w???q????????d???f?????? f???????f????c???????? v????????e???????v????q????w???????


    [Sloth]:p?????o??????i??????l????k?????? p????????p????


    [Envy]:z??????c????x????? z???????v?????c???????x???????


    [L.u.s.t]:3?????2?????4???????2??????3?????? 5?????????3?????2??????


    [Greed]:m????????n??????o??????? s???????o??????i????????s????? a???????d????????j??????k????????f??????a?????


    "Do you all understand that?"


    Pride]: o????i???????u?????? k?????j???????? l??????k????????j???????l?????


    [Gluttony]: m????????c?????????n?????a????m???????,????x??????n?????c???????


    [Wrath]:w???q???????? d???f??????f???????f???? c????????v????????e???????v????q????w???????


    [Sloth]:p?????o??????i?????? l????k?????? p????????p????


    [Envy]:z??????c????x?????z???????v?????c???????x???????


    [L.u.s.t]:3?????2?????4???????2??????3??????5?????????3?????2??????


    [Greed]:m????????n??????o???????s???????o??????i????????s?????a???????d????????j??????k????????f??????a?????


    "Good, good, good. So you 7 can still understand my words¡­ That means that you''re not yet fully corrupted by the Abyss too¡­"


    [Sloth]: ???


    Once he had finished saying his piece, Alex resumed his ''staring activity''. He ignored the existence of the monsters, and he did not pay heed to any of their comments.


    But as minutes passed by, Alex found himself unable to ignore these monsters anymore, as they continued to stay behind him.


    They did not do much except to release toxic fumes from their skin, something that only ticked Alex more.


    "Oi, what the hell are you still doing here? Did I ask you to stay here, huh?


    [Pride]: !!!


    "F**king hell, I just gave you your tasks, so go do it already! Come on, go to where you have to go! Do you even need me to force you to move?"


    [Pride]: !!!


    [Gluttony]: !!!


    [Wrath]: !!!


    [Sloth]: !!!


    [Envy]: !!!


    [L.u.s.t]: !!!


    [Greed]: !!!


    [Wrath]: !!!


    To Alex''s irritation, he realized that even if his former Abyss Sprites were not fully corrupted by the Abyss, they were still in a sense, had their intelligence reduced.


    This level of reduction  did not affect the power and lethality of these monsters, but in terms of executing a plan, these monsters could be a huge liability for him.


    "Tsk, you little monsters! You were so useful when you were still cute, and now you acting like you''re some dumb dogs? Come on, get a grip and do what I told you to do!"


    But as much as Alex wanted to just let these monsters be left behind, he has no choice but to use them.


    After all, they were still his buddies, and out of all the creatures here in the Abyss temple, these 7 were the ones that he trusts the most¡­


    "Oi, as long as you 7 do your job well, I might spare some time to play with you later. The better your actions today, the longer our playtime would be! So if you want to stay with me for longer later, just be efficient!"

 Chapter 677 - Before the Main Event: An Elder Priests Schedule List

    [6:00 AM]: Cook breakfast for the Divine Maiden. Approximately 50 kilograms of Emperor Crab Meat, 30 kilograms of Cloud Boar Meat, and 60 Kilograms of Eternal Oyster Meat should be used for this breakfast.


    If possible, provide 2 bottles of Arseic Wine for the Divine Maiden.


    [7:00 AM]: Send 10 female acolytes to the esteemed guest Queen Mother for her entertainment. Also send 10 members of the Biology Division to assist the esteemed guest Professor Frances.


    [8:00 AM]: Make sure that the Fields of Knowledge will be empty. Chase away the scholars and hermits that are staying there. Remove anyone that might obstruct the event.


    Do this in 30 minutes or less. Exceeding the time shall warrant a stay in the Hall of Silence. 1 minute excess will equate to 1 hour of stay.


    [8:30 AM]: Establish high-grade runes on every consecutive square inch of the ground. Make sure each rune follows the Heisen Protocols, and that they will only activate through manual activation. Faulty runes will merit another hour of punishment, so apply the runes properly.


    Below the high-grade runes, apply a layer of Atnimium Metal. A thickness of around 10 inches will be desirable, but if supplies allow it, doubling the thickness will be for the best.


    [9:00 AM]: Set up the venue for the ceremony. Bring in the metallic golems from the Artifice Department to assist in the process. Only 10 golems however are allowed. Exceeding this count shall merit a budget deduction for everyone involved.


    Use the newest nano-material and graphene cables for the structure of the venue itself. If possible, hire the assistance of the followers of the Nature Cult to ''greenify'' the surroundings.


    [10:00 AM]: Cook the Brunch for the Divine Maiden. 50 Kilograms of Red Berserker Meat, 60 Kilograms of Tempest Fish, and 80 Kilograms of Ecton Squid shall be used.


    Also, provide 10 bottles of Crystal Orange Juice, and they should be within 90-95% concentration.


    [10:30 AM]: Start the finishing touches on the venue. Add all the traps and secret contraptions on all the hidden spots. Prepare the weapons and shields, along with the prison dungeon.


    Make sure that nobody has sneaked towards the venue this time. Imprison anyone that will be caught, no matter what their excuses are.


    [11:00 AM]: Guard the Divine Maiden as she takes her bath. Send 5 female acolytes to guard her room, and send 5 more females to assist her bath.


    Provide the highest quality of silk for the Divine Maiden''s wardrobe. Creations by the renowned fashion designer Milon is preferable.


    If the Divine Maiden had any requests, it must be fulfilled no matter what the cost is.


    [11:30 AM]: Cook the Lunch for the Divine Maiden. The foods this time will depend on what the Divine Maiden wants.


    Make sure none of the foods are inherently full of poison, as the Pope of Knowledge will be joining in to eat.


    [12:00 PM]: Break time. Use this time to rest your body and mind. Reading some books will be advisable, as long as the books are of ''knowledge'' value.


    Watch out for more possible assassinations or espionage. Any instance of the mentioned things should be dealt with quickly.


    [1:00 PM]: Don the clothes of the Elder Priest and join the conclave meeting. Attend and initiate the Papal Mass, and listen to the sermon by the great Pope himself.


    [2:00 PM]:  Open the gates for the visitors. Inspect each of the newcomer, especially those that came from the Eastern Continent.


    All the resources of the Church of Wisdom can be used this time to observe the guests. The Great Divining Eye will be personally activated by the Pope, while the Enlightement Pagoda shall be available for the use of all the Elder Priests.


    Make sure that all the guests that came with ill intentions will be recorded in the Eternal Records.


    Don''t arrest these ill-intentioned guests if they were detected. Allow them to roam in the venue, but never allow them to come within 100 meters of the Divine Maiden.


    Harass the delegations from the Temple of Combat and the Immortal Paragon Gathering. Make sure that they will have a hard time entering the venue,  and if there is a possibility of confining them, grab this chance.


    If any signs of evil religions were to be detected, whether they are near the venue or are in the venue itself, they must be exterminated immediately.


    Give special attention to the so-called Travelers, a group of people which the Divine Maiden was interested with.(For more info about the Travelers, refer to the Guide Book in the Divine Library)


    Because of their value and their high-profile skills, treat them with seriousness, especially when these Travelers arrive for the Welcoming Ceremony. (Note: The Espionage Division stated that all 5 Travelers are set to come to the Welcoming Ceremony along with their allied religions.)


    Watch their moves and each of their mannerisms, and if possible, predict what they might do.


    If the observers were to detect hostile intent from the Travelers, do not subdue them unless their hostile intent are intended for the Divine Maiden.


    [3:00 PM]: Begin the Welcoming Ceremony for the Divine Maiden. (Instructions on what should be done this time are recorded already in the Divine Library).


    Watch out for any attacks against the Divine Maiden. Use your life or the life of your subordinates to protect the Divine Maiden in case such attacks happen.


    [4:00 PM]: The ceremony is still ongoing. Continue to be on-guard against the enemies.


    [5:00 PM]: Cook dinner for the Divine Maiden. 10 Gallons of Rainbow Trout, 100 Kilograms of Nightmare Whale Meat, and 5 Tubs of Golden Apples should be the contents of the dinner course.


    Add 20 pieces of Leviathan Eggs along with a Tank of White Tiger Milk.


    [6:00 PM]: If nothing untoward happens during the Welcoming Ceremony, the event will end at this time. Once this happens, serve the dinner for the Divine Maiden.


    [7:00 PM]:  Clean up the venue and remove all the runes, traps, and contraptions that were deployed.


    [9:00 PM]: Take a sleep, and wake up on around 4 AM.


    -END-


    [[[Note]]]: This schedule will only be followed if there is no attack or assassinations that will occur during the Welcoming Ceremony.


    If an attack does happen, all the activities from 2:00 PM onwards will not be employed anymore. The War Council shall take over this time.

 Chapter 678 - Interlude: Asterias Typical Day as a Student Part 16

    Note: If you can''t remember what happened in this Interlude, you can go back and read the first 15.... Trust me, reading this is important for the whole story...


    d???l???? f???k???j????a??? s?????d????l????k???? f????j?????i???? w???? e????l???? k????? j?????c???l??? k????d?????s????m??? f?????l????k????d??? s????a????j????l???? k????s?????a????? d?????j???f????l???? k???s????d????? j????f?????l????? k???s????d????? j???f????l???k??? d???s???j???? f????l????k????? s????d????j???? l????f????k???? j????s????d?????a???? l????k?????f??? s???d?????a???? m?????c????s????d??? ,???m????c???? l????k????d????? s????j????f????f???? l?????s???d??? k????j???? f?????l????s????k????? d????f????? m???l????s???? d?????a????c??? m????l????k???? d????s???j????? c?????l????k???? s????d?????m??? c?????s????d????? f???l?????k????s????? d?????i????r?????p???? o????w?????e????m??? l????k????f???? j????l?????s?????a???? k???j????? c???o???i????a???? j???l?????k????e?????m???f????l????a???? e????k???j???? c?????m???l????? k????d????s?????a????j???? j?????o????i????d???? s????a?????l????? j????f?????a???d???? s????w???e???? o????r??? u???w????o????i????? e?????n???n?????z???? i????c???h????z??? c????v????j???c????? z?????v????n????? c?????v???z?????c???? u????v????o???z??? i?????u????v??? i?????z????v????u????i????? o?????z????j???? e????w???r??? w?????e?????a????h??? k?????j????f????? d????h?????a??? k?????j????f?????h????? a?????d???f??? h????a????d????j????? k????s???m??? k????h?????f???? u???w???e????a????? h????j?????a????? n????f????k??? d???j????a????f????? n????k?????a???? d???j?????s????f???? k?????j?????d???? s?????a???n??? f????a?????d?????f???? a????s????d??? k???j???n????c???? k???s???j????d??? a?????n????k??? j???s????a???? d????n???f???


    [[[At the very moment that Asteria, Kuro, and their other classmates felt their ship entering the Imperial Abyss Palace, they were immediately assaulted with the worst and foulest aura that they could ever feel in their whole lives.]]


    [Everyone in the class]: Blergh!


    [[[Everyone felt the urge to vomit, as the malicious aura pouring down on their bodies was potent enough to make them sick. Some even began crying at this time, with the likes of Kibou and Celeste sobbing loudly as they ran around like headless chickens.]]]


    [[[Only Kuro and Asteria were able to keep their calm at this time, but even these two did not look pleased with what was happening now.]]]


    [Teacher Kuro]: Oi Asteria, what the hell is this aura? I thought the Abyss Realm are courteous to their visitors? Why the hell are we being forced to suffer this way then?


    [Asteria]: Don''t ask me that, Teacher Kuro! I am just a visitor here too, you know!


    [[[Both of these two tiny creatures were wary and angered with the aura pouring down on them, but because of their negligible size, both seemed to have no way to resolve the situation.]]]


    [[[Even the proud Asteria were rendered helpless, which is a surprise given her intimate connections with the Abyss Realm''s higher-ups.]]]


    [Teacher Kuro]: Oi Asteria¡­ if this is a prank made by your uncle, the Endless Monarch will not be happy about it! Just remember that¡­


    [Asteria]: Hey! Why are you making it sound like this is my fault, huh? Hmph, instead of berating me, why don''t you just assist my classmates? Look at them! They''re already sickened by this aura, and they might vomit! Ugh, you wouldn''t want their stinky regurgitation staining your lovely spaceship, right?"


    [Teacher Kuro]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Teacher Kuro]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Teacher Kuro]: ¡­We''re still not done here, Asteria. I swear, once I fix this dilemma, I will make you talk about your involvement here¡­


    [Asteria]: Whatever, Teacher. You can punish me all that you want, but I won''t fret. I have no f**king involvement with what is happening here, so don''t waste your time barking at me.


    [Teacher Kuro]: As long as nothing worse happens aside from this ''rude greeting'', I might be able to accept your excuses, Asteria. But if something else occurs here, don''t expect that I will be lenient to you later¡­.


    [Asteria]: ¡­..


    [[[Judging by the words exchanged between these two, it was apparent that Kuro did not trust whatever Asteria just said to her.]]]


    [[[There is no way that Kuro can trust Asteria, not with the way that she is behaving now.]]]


    [[[Asteria did not  even look trustworthy at all during their conversation,  which is a telltale sign that she was hiding something from Kuro.]]]


    [[[It was just too bad that Asteria''s lips were shut this time, and it seemed that no action by Kuro will be able to make the dumb fairy cough up.]]]


    [[[But as long as the only bad thing that will happen to Kuro and her students was caused by this aura, Kuro still has the heart to let Asteria off. Who knows, this malicious aura could just be a greeting by the Imperial Abyss Palace towards all of its visitors¡­.]]]


    [[[However, if something bad happens after this ''malicious greeting'', Kuro will not even let Asteria leave her sights!]]


    [[[After all, if Kuro and her students were to experience another malicious attack after this aura downpour, there is a high chance that Asteria had done something to induce this change!]]]


    [Teacher Kuro]: Asteria, the Abyss Realm promised me that while this field trip could be slightly traumatic, it won''t give you and your classmates any kinds of physical danger. I believe that promise by the Abyss, since they abide with all their contracts


    [Teacher Kuro]: So I will not be happy if I see something that tries to attack us right now. That will just make me unhappy to the Abyss.


    [Teacher Kuro]: And it will also make me unhappy to you too, since you''re related to the Abyss¡­.


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Teacher Kuro]: But as long as you can say to me right now that nothing else will happen here, everything will be fine¡­


    [Teacher Kuro]: Can you do that, Asteria? Can you promise me that nothing else bad that will happen to me and your classmates from this point?


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Teacher Kuro]: Asteria, just tell me that you didn''t have any pranks prepared for us¡­ Say that, and I can still give you a good evaluation for this trip¡­


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [[[With her suspicion on Asteria now at full blast, Kuro had no choice but to try and make Asteria stop whatever she was planning to do, if she is indeed planning one.]]


    [[[This is the only thing that Kuro can do to prevent anything bad from happening, which she is actually confident on doing. After all, the past Kuro was able to make Asteria listen to many of her commands¡­]]]


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Teacher Kuro]: Asteria, as much as I want you to be a silent kid, now is not the time for that. State to me your promise already, and we will be done here.


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [[[But contrary to what she had expected, Kuro''s attempt to entice Asteria did not show any signs of progress at all.]]]


    [[[Asteria did not even show any reaction in regards to what Kuro said, as if she did not also acknowledge her offer.]]]


    [[[This was made worse by the fact that Asteria''s classmates continued to cry at this time, and there were now actual sounds of retching that could be heard coming from the restroom.


    [Teacher Kuro]: Asteria, just say the promise. How hard can it be? Come on, it''s just a few words¡­


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Teacher Kuro]: Hey, I said speak! Can''t you even do it, huh?


    [Asteria]: ¡­..


    [Teacher Kuro]: F**k!!!!


    [[[At this point, Kuro had begun to fear the worst. She already had the inkling of what was actually happening, and this knowledge did not make her feel happy at all.]]]


    [[[Of course Kuro still held the hope that what was happening to them right now was just an isolated case, and that nothing else bad would occur on them¡­]]]


    [[[This small hope however was quickly wiped away by Asteria, who now chose to suddenly talk after her few seconds of silence.]]]


    [Asteria]: Um, I''m sorry Teacher Kuro, but I can''t actually state that promise right now. You see¡­. My uncle had already set his plan in motion in regards to us¡­. So even if you want me to make a promise right now, it won''t work.


    [Teacher Kuro]: !!!


    [[[[Asteria sounded slightly guilty as she said these words, but there were no expressions of remorse present on her face. It was as if she just slightly hurt by her confession, and that she felt nothing else from that.]]]


    [[[This of course brought Kuro to a state of near fury, as she now had to experience both extreme rage from Asteria''s sudden betrayal, and extreme desire to just pound this dumb fairy into tinier pieces.]]]


    [Teacher Kuro]: W-what did you say?  Your uncle had a plan against us? But that''s-


    [Asteria]: Teacher Kuro, I am really sorry about this, but I have no say against what my uncle is planning. So please¡­ if you want to keep all of us safe, I suggest that you allow the incoming Abyss Monsters to take us away to my uncle''s house¡­.


    [Teacher Kuro]: You little s**t! So your s***y uncle really has some plans on us? Argh! I should have detected this earlier!


    [[[With her sharp mind, Kuro quickly realized what Asteria was telling to her.]]]


    [[[Asteria''s uncle appeared to have some nefarious intentions against Kuro and her students, and he seemed to be using this field trip as his chance to realize these intentions!]]]


    [Teacher Kuro]: F**k!!!


    [[[Once she had reached this line of realization, Kuro quickly knew that she and her students must not stay in the Abyss Realm anymore. Staying here for longer will just expose all of them to more danger, which is definitely the worst-case scenario here!]]]


    [[[So even though Kuro was itching to give Asteria a severe punishment at this very moment, Kuro had no choice but to put all of her focus on escaping this place¡­.]]]]


    [Teacher Kuro]: Hey my students, all of you get down! This field trip is already cancelled! Come on, get back to your seats and buckle up! We shall be rushing back to our campus right now, and we must not waste time! Go-


    0?????2?????9????? 8????0????0????? 9????8????0????? 9????3???8??? 2????3???9????8???? 4????0????? 9???2????3????8???? 4?????0?????9???? 2???3????8???? 4????0?????9???? 2????3???8??? 4???? 9????8????0????? 9????3???8??? 2????3???9????8???? 4????0????? 9???2????3????8????


    [[[But just like any other horror movie scenes where the main characters'' hope of surviving was extinguished, Kuro''s attempt to escape was quickly sealed as a massive, maggot-filled hand grabbed their ship whole.]]]


    3????2?????4???? u????2????3???? 4?????2?????9???? 8????3?????4????? 9?????2???3???? 8???3?????9???? 4?????8???2???? 3???0???9????? 8?????4?????0???? 2???9????? 8???3?????9???? 4?????8???2???? 3???0???9?????


    [Teacher Kuro]: F***k!!!!


    [[[Kuro tried her best to maneuver her ship out of this new obstacle, but all of that was in vain, as the maggot-filled hand just crushed her ship like it was a thin aluminum can.]]]


    "Crunch¡­."


    [[[All the weapons, boosters, and thrusters attached on Kuro''s ship sputtered and died out as they were destroyed out of their existences. Even the powerful forcefield shields and defense mechanisms were destroyed in an instant too.]]]


    [[[What was only left from the ship was a barely stable hunk of metal, one which the maggot-filled hand just threw straight towards a nearby black hole¡­.]]]]


    d???l???? f???k???j????a??? s?????d????l????k???? f????j?????i???? w???? e????l???? k????? j?????c???l??? k????d?????s????m??? f?????l????k????d??? s????a????j????l???? k????s?????a????? d?????j???f????l???? k???s????d????? j????f?????l????? k???s????d????? j???f????l???k??? d???s???j???? f????l????k????? s????d????j???? l????f????k???? j????s????d?????a???? l????k?????f??? s???d?????a???? m?????c????s????d??? ,???m????c???? l????k????d????? s????j????f????f???? l?????s???d??? k????j???? f?????l????s????k????? d????f????? m???l????s???? d?????a????c??? m????l????k???? d????s???j????? c?????l????k???? s????d?????m??? c?????s????d????? f???l?????k????s????? d?????i????r?????p???? o????w?????e????m??? l????k????f???? j????l?????s?????a???? k???j????? c???o???i????a???? j???l?????k????e?????m???f????l????a???? e????k???j???? c?????m???l????? k????d????s?????a????j???? j?????o????i????d???? s????a?????l????? j????f?????a???d???? s????w???e???? o????r??? u???w????o????i????? e?????n???n?????z???? i????c???h????z??? c????v????j???c????? z?????v????n????? c?????v???z?????c???? u????v????o???z??? i?????u????v??? i?????z????v????u????i????? o?????z????j???? e????w???r??? w?????e?????a????h??? k?????j????f????? d????h?????a??? k?????j????f?????h????? a?????d???f??? h????a????d????j????? k????s???m??? k????h?????f???? u???w???e????a????? h????j?????a????? n????f????k??? d???j????a????f????? n????k?????a???? d???j?????s????f???? k?????j?????d???? s?????a???n??? f????a?????d?????f???? a????s????d??? k???j???n????c???? k???s???j????d??? a?????n????k??? j???s????a???? d????n???f???

 Chapter 679 - Is that a Paradox?

    BACK TO THE WELCOMING CEREOMONY.


    TIME BEFORE THE CEREMONY STARTS: 10 SECONDS.


    "Huhuhu, why do I even have to do this thing? If I was just stronger, I would have stayed home already! Huhuhu¡­. I''m scared¡­"


    With the support that Beatrice, Android 679, and Fairy Duchess Matilda had for him,  there should be no problems for Xavier in regards to his current situation. He should be safe whatever he means to do next, as his allies will be there to save him.


    But instead of feeling secured from his allies, all that Xavier can only feel at this point was fear, as he was unsure on what his allies might do to him.


    "Huhuhu, if Beatrice was just a little nicer to me, then my life as a Traveler will be great. But it seems that I got the worst pick in the lottery since I got a Beatrice with a toxic attitude¡­." With his mouth completely shut closed from fear, Xavier can only give Beatrice a small glance before he pulled his head back quickly.


    He tried to look back at Beatrice one more time, but the glare from the latter was enough to stifle his desires.


    "¡­."


    At this point, Xavier seemed to have lost his courage to even face Beatrice directly, so he just focused his attention on what would happen next in regards to their plan.


    "Huhuhu¡­ since my companions do not listen to me at all, they might do something unexpected. And that is bad, since it could hurt me too¡­."


    Xavier did not show any signs of it on his face, but he was feeling extremely suspicious of his companions right now, especially Beatrice, who looked like she was about to do something drastic.


    It could be just his hunch, but Beatrice could be planning to perform an action different from their plan, which given  Beatrice''s personality, is possible for her to do.


    It was rare for Beatrice or even Xavier''s companions to perform actions that deviated from their plan, but it has actually happened  on two planets that they had visited before.


    These plan deviations allowed Xavier to succeed on the Main Mission, but it was at the expense of Xavier''s own well-being.


    In fact, these deviations brought Xavier extremely close to death, and the only reason that he survived was due to his own luck.


    "Sigh, I wish that Beatrice and Matilda won''t be that petty today. I hope they will not really mess things up, since I have no way to stop them at all¡­"


    Of course Xavier cannot just interrogate Beatrice about this, as he will just receive another beating from her.


    "Even if my companions are really planning to do something different, what can I even do against it? Complaining will just make me look pathetic, while attempting to stop them might just incur their wrath¡­"


    Xavier tried to think of a possible method that will allow him to talk sense to his allies, but no matter what he did, he realized that due to his weaker power, he was doomed to be dragged along with his Companions.


    No struggle from Xavier will work, as all that it will give to him was more punishment from Beatrice herself¡­


    "Huhuhu, am I really doomed to stay like this for forever? Am I just doomed to serve my Companions for the rest of my life?"


    "Huhuhu, I don''t want this to happen at all, but what can I do about it?


    "As long as I am weak, I am doomed to be their slave¡­"


    "Yes, as of now, I am nothing more but their lowly slave¡­ A slave who has no chance of usurping his master¡­."


    With the sight of his bleak future visible from his eyes, all the hope and enthusiasm that Xavier had for this world was quickly gone.


    Why would he even hope for an optimistic time in this world, when all that he will just do is serve his Companions?


    Instead of wasting his time looking out for himself and finding a possible way to retaliate, it will be better for the weaker Xavier to properly serve his stronger and scarier Companions¡­


    That will allow Xavier to succeed on his Main Mission, and it will also spare him from the pains of being beaten up.


    Xavier of course still had some resistance about accepting his current state, but in face of Beatrice''s might, all of Xavier''s reasoning was of no use.


    Fighting back for his rights will just result on Xavier getting punished, and there will be no one defending him, not even his own Guide.


    Such kind of drastic treatment is enough to make Xavier know what his place should be, and nothing else can change that.


    Just like what he said earlier, the current him was nothing more but a slave to his Companions. A slave which as of now, also had no chance of usurping them¡­


    ****************


    With his heart now fully accepting his role, the emotionally exhausted Xavier did not dare let his mind linger on rebelling against his companions.


    Instead, he just focused on the ''job'' that he''s about to do now.


    This is after all, the reason why Xavier was here, so there is nothing else that he should focus on aside from his ''job''.


    Failing will just worsen Xavier''s current state, which is something that he does not want to occur.


    "Sigh, there''s only one second left before the ceremony starts. I hope the Church of Wisdom will follow their schedule well. That way, my attack will hit its target perfectly¡­" Xavier muttered to himself as he observed the area around him. "But since this is the Church of Wisdom, I''m sure they''re not the type that will make mistakes¡­"


    He did not sound confident at all while saying this, and he seemed to be more nervous rather than normal.


    " Tsk, why am I even acting scared here? With Beatrice by my side, I should have no problems setting up my abilities!"


    Xavier was actually still calm when he arrived at this venue, but right after he used his Fate Magic to scan the whole venue, all of what remained of his bravado was replaced by panic.


    "!!!"


    There is no way that Xavier can keep calm right now, as his Fate Magic had detected that the whole area around him was full of dangers that can end his life!


    The ground below his feet, the structures standing around him, and even the air floating on the venue were filled with signs of bad luck and calamity, all which are powerful enough to kill Xavier.


    Xavier has no idea on what these dangers really are, but he knew for the fact that they are dangerous to him, and that one wrong move of his can lead to his death.


    Of course there is a chance that what Xavier detected with his Fate Magic were just all flukes, but since his strands of Fate were quivering right now in this place, the danger that he detected was undoubtedly real!


    "Huhuhuhu, this whole place is filled with freaking danger! Even if I try my best to be careful, it is inevitable for me to trigger at least one danger here¡­. Huhuhu, why would it be this dangerous? Shouldn''t this be a little easier? Come on, this is just a Welcoming Ceremony!"


    If it were just the objects and the place itself that were filled with danger, Xavier actually could have used his powers to deal with them easily.


    Just a little application of ''Paradoxical Concepts'' can invalidate these dangers for a short time, which is enough to let him and his companions start their attack.


    However, Xavier''s Fate Magic did not just detect danger from the man-made and natural objects.


    Xavier also detected danger from a number of people around him, which is not a good thing for his plan!


    "Argh! By using a ''Mobius Strip'' or a ''Moving Arrow Paradox'', I can delay the effects of the runes, weapons, and traps laid all over the area. But as for the dangerous people around me, using these abilities are not enough! I have to use more of my power, which is not good at all!"


    If Xavier''s deductions were right, there is a high possibility that most of the dangerous people that he detected were Travelers and their Companions, all who could be interested on the Divine Maiden too.


    For them to be here in the Welcoming Ceremony was actually of no surprise at all, since the Divine Maiden left clues that states her status as someone related to another Traveler.


    What surprised Xavier however was the fact that many Travelers aside from him dared to come at this place.


    There are 4 Travelers  aside from Xavier that are in this venue, and all of them showed a level of power that someone like Xavier can only look with awe!


    Such amount of Travelers is enough to make Xavier worry, and quite frankly, he was actually close to fainting right now.


    The only thing that kept Xavier standing was his great fear to his Companions, as he knew that they won''t let him mess up the plan¡­


    "Huhuhu, if I want to use my Fate Magic to slow down 4 Travelers at once, I might have to use a lot of my reserves in order to do it." Xavier muttered unwillingly to himself as he began edging himself away from Beatrice. "In fact, all of my reserves for today might even be used up. But that is fine. If I can delay all my opponents for a few seconds, that will be a victory for us already!"


    Xavier was moving ever so slowly away from Beatrice, that one might think that he was no moving at all.


    But he was moving, and along with it came a slow acc.u.mulation of power inside his chest.


    "Thurm¡­."


    The acc.u.mulation of this power was something that Xavier did not stop. He encouraged it to continue, even when he felt the hostile gazes of the other Travelers and the guards focusing on him.


    "An ''Event Loop'' or a ''True-False Paradox''  is the best magic that I can use against the Travelers and the guards. That could throw them off the tracks and some of them could even be brought temporarily insane¡­" Xavier thought as he did his best to ignore the stares that are full of killing intent.


    "H-hey, a ''Number Divided by Zero Paradox'' is feasible too, as long as the events will line up!"


    A few more second passed by like this, and Xavier began to feel a suffocating pressure from the sudden build-up of energy inside his body.


    This pressure made him want to puke and roll on the ground in agony, but Xavier held himself in as he knew that he must not stop what he was doing right now.


    He is currently casting a powerful spell from his Fate Magic, and there is no way that he can stop at this point.


    Fate Magic was a kind of magic that has strict conditions for it to be activated, which meant that once he had started casting it, Xavier cannot stop midway.


    Doing so will bring massive backlash to him, and in Xavier''s case, being interrupted will lead to his death!


    "Fine, I-I will just use  the ''Theseus Ship Paradox or the World Line Divergence! They can stop my opponents for around¡­ 10 seconds!"

 Chapter 680 - The Mistress, the Emperor, and the Invaders

    AT A DISTANT STAR, LOCATED A FEW SECTORS AWAY FROM XAVIER AND ALEX


    "Mistress Song, the preparations have been made already. All we need is your assistance, and we can start digging from the nearby planet¡­."


    [My servant, there is no need for you to remind me that. I can do this without your meddling, so just stop pestering me.]


    "Um, okay, Mistress Song. So does that mean-"


    [Now, if there''s nothing else that you have to say, just go back to your quarters and do your job already.]


    "¡­."


    [Oi, why are you still standing there, my servant? Do you have something else that you want to say? Because if you don''t, then you''re just wasting my time¡­.]


    "Well about that Mistress Song¡­. There is actually something important that I have to say to you, so I cannot just go back."


    [???]


    "What I am about to tell you is an important piece of information that I deem too important to just be ignored. So Mistress Song, please forgive me if I have irritated you today. I just need to tell you this information quickly, as the consequences of not saying it will just worsen our situation¡­"


    [My servant, are you sure that you went here just to tell me something important? Because for the past minute, you''ve been only ogling at my chest¡­]


    "M-Mistress Song! I was not ogling at your chest! I was just um, observing your clothes! You''re the leader of our group, so I must check your clothes. Yup, that''s what I am doing!"


    [¡­.]


    "Wait, this is not the time for you to scold me, Mistress Song! I really have something important to tell you, so please just hear me out!"


    [¡­.]


    "¡­.."


    [Sigh, if you''re not just as perverted as this, you could have a lot of women going after you¡­. Tsk, tsk, what a waste of good looks.]


    "Hm? Did you say something, Mistress Song? You seem to be whispering to yourself just now-"


    [Ignore what I am doing now, my servant. Just¡­ just spit out what you want to say to me.]


    "Well um, okay Mistress Song¡­ So while I was patrolling the border earlier, I suddenly received a message coming from Emperor Litch himself. The message said that the Emperor wants to-"


    [What the hell, my servant? Didn''t I tell you many times that you must not receive and read any messages from Emperor Litch? That man is a menace against us, even if he wants to ally with our race!]


    "Mistress Song! I am trying to follow that order of yours! It''s just that¡­."


    [It''s just what?]


    "Well, the one who gave me the message  was one of the Emperor''s generals, who told me that I should read the message on the spot. I really don''t want to read the message, but with such a scary person forcing me to read, I have no choice but to read the message¡­."


    [Oh my goodness, my servant. One of his generals came here? How did that damned Emperor have the audacity to actually send out one to this place? Is he going crazy?"


    "I don''t know if Emperor Litch is crazy or not, Mistress Song. But even if his is crazy, that general that he sent to us was the real deal!"


    [¡­.]


    "Mistress Song. You can''t imagine the feeling that I had after I met that general! It''s like there was a sword hanging over my head, and I felt that that sword will descend on me anytime if I tried to resist that general''s order!"


    [¡­.]


    "So please forgive me for disobeying you, Mistress Song. The enemy just forced me to obey him¡­."


    [¡­.]


    "Cough, cough, cough. Blergh¡­."


    [Wait, why are you suddenly bleeding now, my servant? And why do you look so pal- Oh my goodness, you have a wound on your back? How the hell did you get that?]


    "I''m sorry Mistress Song¡­ but after I read the message, that general attacked me once, as he said that he was not satisfied with my reading speed¡­"


    [Hah? What kind of excuse is that? He attacked you just because you''re a slow reader? That''s¡­]


    "Mistress Song, just forget about what that general did to me. I am still alive, so I can recover from this."


    [But my servant, your power relies on your health. If you''re this injured, your family might-]


    "Mistress Song, just like what I said earlier, I have received a message from Emperor Litch. I have to talk about that message right now, so let''s ignore about the other stuff okay? I can deal with my injuries later, so you don''t need to fret over me this much¡­"


    [What did you say? I am fretting over you? I-I was not doing that! I was just angry that that general had the audacity to wreak havoc here! Yes, I am angry at him!]


    "Okay¡­. So you''re angry at the general. That''s good to know¡­"


    [Hey! Why are you talking about that general anyway? Aren''t you supposed to talk about the message from Emperor Litch? Go on, let''s just talk about that already!]


    "¡­Oh right, there is that too, Mistress Song. But you know, we can actually just talk about the message from Emperor LItch later. For now, we can eat lunch or go outside-"


    [JUST TELL ME ABOUT THE DAMN MESSAGE ARLEADY, MY SERVANT. OR DO YOU WANT ME TO ADD MORE WOUNDS  ON YOUR BODY?]


    "Oh, oh, um ok¡­ Right. I-I will state the message now, Mistress Song."


    [Tsk, just make it quick.]


    "So um¡­ the message from Emperor Litch was not that complicated Mistress Song. He just told us that he wants you to lead our strongest warriors to invade a wormhole. Emperor LItch said that he does not care on how you invade that wormhole. He said that as long as no one else occupies that area, he considers it as a perfect work from us¡­"


    [He wants us to invade a wormhole? What for?]


    "I don''t know, Mistress Song. He just said that he wants us to invade one. Oh,  and the coordinates of that wormhole was written in the message too, so all that we have to do is to just go at that place and start invading it-]


    [Oi my servant, why do you sound like you are accepting Emperor Litch''s command already? You''re even talking about the coordinates even when I still have not accepted that command!  How dare you do this! Do you really think that we will be cheap to just work for that sleazy man? Tsk, are you out of your-]


    "Mistress Song, Emperor Litch promised that as long as we invade that wormhole properly, he will give back our ancestral home¡­.."


    [Our ancestral home? He said that he will give that back? Are you sure about that, my servant?]


    "I-I am sure about that Mistress Song! Do you think I would dare lying to you?"


    [No, I don''t think you are lying to me, my servant, but-8?????4??????? 2??????9?????0????? 3???????8?????4?????9????? 0?????2?????3???????8????? 4????9?????0???? 2?????3????? 8????4?????0??? 9??????2??????3?????8??? 4??????0?????9????2????? 3?????8?????4????? 0????9?????? 2????3?????8???? 4?????0?????9???? 2?????3????8???? 4????0?????9?????2????? 3??????8?????9???? 0?????4?????3????? 2?????7?????? 5????9????8??????3???? 2???


    "Mistress Song, what the hell is happening? Why are there invaders here? Isn''t this place safe from those ''monsters? 4????5?????2?????? 3??????9????4?????? 2???????9?????0???? 3???????8?????4?????? 0??????9????2?????? 3??????8???????4??? 0????9?????2??????? 3?????8????4??????? 0????9?????2?????3?????? 8???????4???????0????? 9???????8??????3????? 2??????0??????9???? 4???8??????3?????? 0?????9????2?????? 8???????4???0????? 9????8?????0????9??? 8?????0???9????? 8???????3?????0???? 9?????2??????8??????? 4??????0?????9????? 2????3??????8?????0?????4???? 9??????2??????8?????? 3???0?????9?????? 5??????8?????2??? 3?????0?????9???5????0????2?????3?????9????? 5????8?????0???? 9???2???????3???? 8???4????0?????? 9???2?????? 3?????8???? 4??????0?????9????2?????3???? 8??????4??????


    [F**k, don''t ask me, my servant! Argh! Why are you even questioning me? Go back to your barracks and just prepare for the fight! Forget out that offer from that damned Emperor! For now, we have to defend for our lives- 8?????4??????? 2??????9?????0????? 3???????8?????4?????9????? 0?????2?????3???????8????? 4????9?????0???? 2?????3????? 8????4?????0??? 9??????2??????3?????8??? 4??????0?????9????2????? 3?????8?????4????? 0????9?????? 2????3?????8???? 4?????0?????9???? 2?????3????8???? 4????0?????9?????2????? 3??????8?????9???? 0?????4?????3????? 2?????7?????? 5????9????8??????3???? 2???


    "Argh! The monsters got me, Mistress Song! Help me! Help me! Help-4????5?????2?????? 3??????9????4?????? 2???????9?????0???? 3???????8?????4?????? 0??????9????2?????? 3??????8???????4??? 0????9?????2??????? 3?????8????4??????? 0????9?????2?????3?????? 8???????4???????0????? 9???????8??????3????? 2??????0??????9???? 4???8??????3?????? 0?????9????2?????? 8???????4???0????? 9????8?????0????9??? 8?????0???9????? 8???????3?????0???? 9?????2??????8??????? 4??????0?????9????? 2????3??????8?????0?????4???? 9??????2??????8?????? 3???0?????9?????? 5??????8?????2??? 3?????0?????9???5????0????2?????3?????9????? 5????8?????0???? 9???2???????3???? 8???4????0?????? 9???2?????? 3?????8???? 4??????0?????9????2?????3???? 8??????4??????


    [No!!!] 2???????3??????0??? 9??????5?????4?????? 2????0?????3?????4????? 2????0??????9?????? 3??????8?????4???0????? 9???????2??????3??? 8?????4????0??? 9????2???????3???? 8?????4???????0????? 9???2????3????? 8???????4?????0????? 9?????2??????3?????8????? 4?????0??????9?????? 2?????3??????8?????? 4????0??????9????? 2??????3??????8????? 0???4???????9????? 2??????3?????8??????9????? 0???4??????8???? 2???????3?????0??? 9??????4??????8?????2?????? 0????3????9???? 8?????4??????0????? 2???????3???? 4???????0????? 9???2????3????? 8???????4?????0????? 9?????2??????3?????8????? 4?????0??????9?????? 2?????3??????8?????? 4????0??????9????? 2??????3??????8????? 0???4???????9????? 2??????3?????8?????? 4???????0????? 9???2????3????? 8???????4?????0????? 9?????2??????3?????8????? 4?????0??????9?????? 2?????3??????8?????? 4????0??????9????? 2??????3??????8????? 0???4???????9????? 2??????3?????8??????4???????0????? 9???2????3????? 8???????4?????0????? 9?????2??????3?????8????? 4?????0??????9?????? 2?????3??????8?????? 4????0??????9????? 2??????3??????8????? 0???4???????9????? 2??????3?????8??????4???????0????? 9???2????3????? 8???????4?????0????? 9?????2??????3?????8????? 4?????0??????9?????? 2?????3??????8?????? 4????0??????9????? 2??????3??????8????? 0???4???????9????? 2??????3?????8??????

 Chapter 681 - The Unchanging Past, the Murky Future, and the Present

    "No... I think the Event Loop is actually the best ability to use here. It may not be able to trap my opponents for long, but it can effectively disorient them more!"


    "But what if my opponents have the capability to break the Event Loop? That will make things worse!"


    "No no no¡­ it cannot be like this! No!"


    The current Xavier might feel confident about his abilities, but there are some issues about his situation that is making him worry. The words that he stated above were some of these worries, but there are still other problems that he had to face.


    More specifically, Xavier found himself dealing with two issues, both of which can have a severe impediment against his power.


    One was related to the people surrounding him, while the other was about his very own ability¡­


    ***************


    In regards to the people surrounding him, Xavier actually only have a little trouble with it.


    His enemies were still doing fine, and they did not show any indication of making any drastic move yet. The same thing goes for his companions, and they seem to be patient on waiting for Xavier to start.


    The only problematic aspect in terms of people were the bystanders, especially the women who fawned on him earlier.


    As much as Xavier tried his best to maintain a proper visage, the countless women who were observing Xavier''s handsome face had easily detected his distress and the change in his emotions.


    These changes made the women observing Xavier to feely pity on him, with some giving Xavier looks full of concern.


    They seem to have seen that something wrong about Xavier''s situation, and they might have tried helping him, were it  not for the presence of the nearby Beatrice.


    "Ugh, why are these women giving me those looks? I am  not a pitiful guy!" Xavier muttered unhappily, as he now found himself greatly distracted by the attention on him. "Hey, don''t look at me like that, pretty ladies! Why don''t you just watch the Divine Maiden huh? That''s the reason that you came here, right?"


    Even though Xavier was usually a soft-spoken person, the sheer amount of people that gave him pitying gazes was enough to stoke his anger.


    In fact, if it weren''t for the presence of Beatrice and his enemies, Xavier would have begun berating the women around him. That''s how angry he is right now, and the fact that he can''t display it just enraged him more.


    "¡­."


    With no outlets for his anger, the best that Xavier can do was to contain his rage, as the act of being enraged to these women will just be a futile move.


    "Ugh¡­. I swear that once I am done doing this mission, I will spend my remaining days avoiding crowds like this! Huhuhu, just seeing a lot of them here is enough to make me crazy¡­"


    Realizing that he had no power to influence the crowd, Xavier had decided to ignore them for now.


    There is still another problem that Xavier had to focus on, one that is actually much more important compared to the women¡­


    This problem was the one in terms of his ability, the problem which had effects that could easily terminate his life.


    ******************


    "Uh oh, the Fate Energy that is building up inside my body is becoming more and more berserk as time passed by¡­. If this goes on for a few more milliseconds, my body will really blow up! Huhuhu, why does my power have to hurt me this way? Can''t you even just act behaved for once?"


    If Xavier had to be unhappy with one thing about his ability, the number one thing that he will point out was his Fate Magic, the very same power that  he was instructed to use against the Divine Maiden.


    This power, which should have been the only thing that will help Xavier right now, was actually bringing him closer to the brink of death more than anything else¡­.


    "Ow, ow, ow! When will the Divine Maiden appear already? I have been waiting her for a few milliseconds, and she still has not appeared!  Shouldn''t she appear by now? Come on, just appear already! If you don''t, I will really die here!"


    The more that he felt the Fate Energy acc.u.mulating inside his body, the more that Xavier panicked, as he found himself having less time to decide on what to do.


    The Divine Maiden is bound to show herself any time now, which means that Xavier has to be ready on attacking her, even if he''s still off guard at this time.


    If he doesn''t attack the Divine Maiden on time, it will be Xavier who will perish, and not even his soul could survive from this backlash.


    "S**t, s**t, s**t, it''s just the start of the day and I can''t still think of a way to handle this situation? Argh, if Beatrice gets a wind of this, she might beat me up on the spot!" As his fate magic continuously told him that his time to attack was about to arrive, Xavier found his panic increasing, with his mind already imagining all the ways that his attack would lead to worse scenarios.


    He imagined himself getting gutted by his enemies, or having his head crushed by the scary-looking guards, who were all still observing him with grins on their faces. "Argh!!! Why do I have to do this?"


    These fears had effectively paralyzed his body, to the point that Xavier wanted nothing more but to give up and just surrender.


    "Huhuhu, I really want to stop attacking now, but there''s no way that I can stop now, right? Not with all these people staring at me¡­"


    But as much as he wanted to curl up on the ground and shiver,  Xavier knew that he is doomed to not rest.


    The presence of his enemies and his Companions left Xavier in a tight situation, and the only way that he can move on was if he does what he was supposed to do.


    "Huhuhuhu¡­ if I was just a bit stronger, I might not be the one doing this¡­ Sigh, it seems like I can only improve my status if I reach the Sixth Stage¡­."


    With this reminder in his mind, Xavier forcefully shook his head as he revitalized his dedication to perform his task.


    He then buried all of his fears deep inside him as he began to manipulate his acc.u.mulated power.


    "Hong long~"


    Before his fear could resurface in his mind, Xavier quickly grabbed the Fate Energy inside his body, with him ignoring the burning sensation that accompanied this move.


    "Shula~"


    ****************


    Once he accomplished this,  Xavier did not immediately activate his chosen Fate Magic.


    He still waited for the right moment to use his ability, which is obviously the time when the Divine Maiden shows herself.


    "Hiss¡­"


    But contrary to his expectations, the Divine Maiden did not show herself that fast. A few milliseconds passed by, and she still did not appear.


    This forced Xavier to forcefully rein in the Fate Energy inside him, a move that brought him so much pain.


    "Hiss¡­"


    Each moment that passed by with the fate energy raging inside Xavier''s body made him want to cry, but he held all of his whimpers in, as he patiently waited for the Divine Maiden to appear.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    5 more milliseconds had passed by, and Xavier was already close to fainting due to the pressure emitted by his gathered Fate Energy. In fact, he could have fallen to the floor already by this time, as the pain was just too much, even for a Traveler like him.


    The only reason that he did not collapse was because of his conviction to do his task and the fear of retaliation from Beatrice. These were the only things that kept him standing, and even if he already felt his organs slowly leaking blood from the stress, Xavier still held on.


    "Hiss¡­"


    By the time that 10 milliseconds had passed by, Xavier realized that he''s about to collapse already, whether he liked it or not.


    Such realization made him feel despondent, as he still had not done his task.


    "..."


    But fortunately for Xavier, just right before his knees could fall to the floor, he heard the loud sounds of applause from the people around him.


    This was accompanied by a dizzying combination of chants and mantras, all that seemed to be focused on clearing up one''s mind.


    "!!!"


    Once he heard this, Xavier did not care even if his whole body was close to breaking down already.


    Why would he even care about his well-being now, when his goal was already here right in front of him?


    Even if his eyes and other senses were almost shut down due to his injuries, Xavier cannot be mistaken about the meaning of the applauses and adulations by the people around him.


    These applauses were obviously meant for the Divine Maiden, and there is no one else in the Welcoming Ceremony that are meant to be applauded like this.


    "So the Divine Maiden had already shown herself already? Sigh, I''m lucky that she decided to show herself at this point. If she didn''t, I doubt that my body can wait for longer¡­"


    With his turbulent mind now calmed down by the presence of his target, the groggy Xavier did not waste any more time.


    With only literally a few milliseconds left before he faints, Xavier began to circulate the Fate Energy all around his body.


    He filled his skin, his muscle, his bones, and his organs with the berserk power that he gathered earlier, and he ignored the more injuries that it incurred.


    "Argh!" Although the pain in his body increased due to this move, Xavier did not stop on assimilating his Fate Energy onto his body. He knew that he can only activate his ability once, which meant that stopping right now will lead to him essentially failing.


    "Hahaha, so I still have what? A few more milliseconds before I faint? That''s enough time for me to unleash one ability¡­"


    The prospect of using just one ability after all the torture that he went through could be enough to disappoint Xavier, but the man himself did not let himself be bothered by this.


    One ability might seem weak, but since it was the elusive and mysterious Fate Magic that Xavier was using, even one ability is enough to make him dominant!


    "Hehehe, even if I am a Fifth Stage Being, the effects of my Fate Magic is enough to offset this whole place. I just hope that Beatrice will fully use this situation to her advantage¡­"


    With the target present and with Xavier''s body now filled with Fate Energy, all the preparations have been set.


    Now, Xavier has to just use his ability, which he obviously did.


    [THE RECORDS OF THE PAST, WHICH IS FIXED AND UNCHANGEABLE¡­]


    [ THE ELUSIVE FUTURE, WHICH IS UNCERTAIN AND MURKY¡­]


    [AND THE PRESENT, WHICH IS BOTH A REALITY AND AN ILLUSION¡­.]


    [WITH MY DOMAIN OVER FATE, THESE THREE SHALL BE LINKED TOGETHER!]

 Chapter 682 - Next preview and no today announcement(Please read this too)

    Sigh, this has been a s***y week for me, especially this day.


    I tried my best to think, but I can''t muster the urge to write today, especially when I saw  the negative status of my novel.


    But don''t worry guys, I already recovered from my seeing this negative status, so I am sure that I can post new chapters tomorrow.


    But for now, I need to clear my mind again.


    This way, I can post a better chapter tomorrow....


    -NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW-


    [WITH THE PAST AS THE BASE AND THE FUTURE AS THE COVER, THERE IS NO ONE WHO CAN ESCAPE THE PRESENT!]


    [ALL SHALL BE LOCKED IN AN ENDLESS LOOP OF FATE, AND ONLY I SHALL ROAM FREE!]


    (Author''s Note: I can''t find the right sentence or word to write after this intro, hence my current stuck state. This seems bad, but I am sure that I can deal with it later....)


    ********************


    53 69 67 68 2c 20 74 68 69 73 20 68 61 73 20 62 65 65 6e 20 61 20 73 2a 2a 2a 79 20 77 65 65 6b 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 2c 20 65 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 68 69 73 20 64 61 79 2e a0 a a 49 20 74 72 69 65 64 20 6d 79 20 62 65 73 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 6d 75 73 74 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 75 72 67 65 20 74 6f 20 77 72 69 74 65 20 74 6f 64 61 79 2c 20 65 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 77 68 65 6e 20 49 20 73 61 77 a0 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 67 61 74 69 76 65 20 73 74 61 74 75 73 20 6f 66 20 6d 79 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 2e a a 42 75 74 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 6f 72 72 79 20 67 75 79 73 2c 20 49 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 72 65 63 6f 76 65 72 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6d 79 20 73 65 65 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 73 20 6e 65 67 61 74 69 76 65 20 73 74 61 74 75 73 2c 20 73 6f 20 49 20 61 6d 20 73 75 72 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 70 6f 73 74 20 6e 65 77 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 73 20 74 6f 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 2e a a 42 75 74 20 66 6f 72 20 6e 6f 77 2c 20 49 20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f 20 63 6c 65 61 72 20 6d 79 20 6d 69 6e 64 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e a a 54 68 69 73 20 77 61 79 2c 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 70 6f 73 74 20 61 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 20 74 6f 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 2e 2e 2e 2e


    53 69 67 68 2c 20 74 68 69 73 20 68 61 73 20 62 65 65 6e 20 61 20 73 2a 2a 2a 79 20 77 65 65 6b 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 2c 20 65 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 68 69 73 20 64 61 79 2e a0 a a 49 20 74 72 69 65 64 20 6d 79 20 62 65 73 74 20 74 6f 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 6d 75 73 74 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 75 72 67 65 20 74 6f 20 77 72 69 74 65 20 74 6f 64 61 79 2c 20 65 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 77 68 65 6e 20 49 20 73 61 77 a0 20 74 68 65 20 6e 65 67 61 74 69 76 65 20 73 74 61 74 75 73 20 6f 66 20 6d 79 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 2e a a 42 75 74 20 64 6f 6e 27 74 20 77 6f 72 72 79 20 67 75 79 73 2c 20 49 20 61 6c 72 65 61 64 79 20 72 65 63 6f 76 65 72 65 64 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6d 79 20 73 65 65 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 73 20 6e 65 67 61 74 69 76 65 20 73 74 61 74 75 73 2c 20 73 6f 20 49 20 61 6d 20 73 75 72 65 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 70 6f 73 74 20 6e 65 77 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 73 20 74 6f 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 2e a a 42 75 74 20 66 6f 72 20 6e 6f 77 2c 20 49 20 6e 65 65 64 20 74 6f 20 63 6c 65 61 72 20 6d 79 20 6d 69 6e 64 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e a a 54 68 69 73 20 77 61 79 2c 20 49 20 63 61 6e 20 70 6f 73 74 20 61 20 62 65 74 74 65 72 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 20 74 6f 6d 6f 72 72 6f 77 2e 2e 2e 2e


    ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba ba

 Chapter 683 - Event Loop!

    (Author''s Note: If you read this chapter fully and properly, you will understand how Xavier''s Magic works....)


    ***************


    [WITH THE PAST AS A COVER AND THE FUTURE AS THE STOPPER, THERE IS NO ONE WHO CAN ESCAPE THE PRESENT!]


    |.start.point.established.|


    The [Chants] that Xavier were chanting right now did not immediately display their desired effect, but to the man muttering them, these [Chants] were enough to improve his situation.


    "Shuo~"


    After Xavier began his [Chants], the almost overflowing Fate Energy inside his extremities began to miraculously leave him, with their components clumping together outside of his body.


    This formed a small ball of light floating in front of Xavier, which seemed to be only visible to him.


    Once this ball had appeared, Xavier almost m.o.a.ned out in relief, as he could feel the disturbance caused by his Fate Energy  actually disappearing from his body.


    "Oh¡­. The disappearance of  danger inside my body as I chant my Fate Magic¡­ Now this is the sensation that I am looking for!"


    Each  of the [Chants] that Xavier uttered has hastened the departure of his Fate Energy, and by the end of the third line of his [Chants], almost all of the rampaging Fate Energy had left his body.


    This brought the rampaging sensation inside Xavier to its lowest level yet, and it allowed him to regain his self-awareness.


    "Ah¡­ even if the disturbance inside me is already gone, my senses are still not working that well¡­ Sigh, this is a disappointment,  as I really l want  to see the Divine Maiden''s appearance. Rumors say that she''s as beautiful as a goddess, so seeing her will be a great treat for me¡­"


    "But do I really have to worry about her appearance? Beatrice is about to kill her anyway so she will just be a dead person later."


    What remained of the Fate Energy inside Xavier''s body  was a miniscule amount, one that Xavier quickly disposed with his next [Chants].


    [NOBODY CAN HIDE IN THEIR PAST, AND NOBODY CAN MOVE FORWARD TO THE FUTURE!]


    [ALL SHALL BE LOCKED IN AN ENDLESS LOOP OF FATE, AND ONLY I SHALL ROAM FREE!]


    Because of the freeing up of his Fate Energy, the current Xavier found himself safe from dying, as his body was now free from anything that can damage it.


    But although his body was now free from mortal danger, the very act of the Fate Energy leaving his body still inflicted Xavier with a pain just as worse as the one that he experienced earlier.


    In fact, the sudden absence of Fate Energy made Xavier feel as if there were countless screws turning inside his head. Such pain made him close his eyes and growl out loud, and it almost made him lose control over his power.


    But just like what he did earlier, Xavier still persisted as the fear of failure drove him to push forward.


    [WITH THE POWER BESTOWED TO ME BY THE GODDESS OF FATE, I HEREBY DECLARE THIS VENUE UNDER MY CONTROL!]


    Before he could collapse from his newfound pain, Xavier let out one loud bellow as he chanted the final words that he needed to activate his spell.


    [FATE MAGIC: EVENT LOOP¡­ ACTIVATE!]


    |.end.point.established.|


    |.reboot.end.point.|


    |.start.reversal.|


    ]!ETAVITCA ¡­POOL TNEVE :CIGAM ETAF[


    .lleps sih etavitca ot dedeen eh taht sdrow lanif eht detnahc eh sa wolleb duol eno tuo tel reivaX ,niap dnuofwen sih morf espalloc dluoc eh erofeB


    ]!LORTNOC YM REDNU EUNEV SIHT ERALCED YBEREH I ,ETAF FO SSEDDOG EHT YB EM OT DEWOTSEB REWOP EHT HTIW[


    .drawrof hsup ot mih evord eruliaf fo raef eht sa detsisrep llits reivaX ,reilrae did eh tahw ekil tsuj tuB


    .rewop sih revo lortnoc esol mih edam tsomla ti dna ,duol tuo lworg dna seye sih esolc mih edam niap hcuS .daeh sih edisni gninrut swercs sseltnuoc erew ereht fi sa leef reivaX edam ygrenE etaF fo ecnesba neddus eht ,tcaf nI


    .reilrae decneirepxe eh taht eno eht sa esrow sa tsuj niap a htiw reivaX detcilfni llits ydob sih gnivael ygrenE etaF eht fo tca yrev eht ,regnad latrom morf eerf won saw ydob sih hguohtla tuB


    .ti egamad nac taht gnihtyna morf eerf won saw ydob sih sa ,gniyd morf efas flesmih dnuof reivaX tnerruc eht ,ygrenE etaF sih fo pu gnieerf eht fo esuaceB


    ]!EERF MAOR LLAHS I YLNO DNA ,ETAF FO POOL SSELDNE NA NI DEKCOL EB LLAHS LLA[


    ]!ERUTUF EHT OT DRAWROF EVOM NAC YDOBON DNA ,TSAP RIEHT NI EDIH NAC YDOBON[


    .]stnahC[ txen sih htiw desopsid ylkciuq reivaX taht eno ,tnuoma elucsinim a saw  ydob s''reivaX edisni ygrenE etaF eht fo deniamer tahW


    ".retal nosrep daed a eb tsuj lliw ehs os yawyna reh llik ot tuoba si ecirtaeB ?ecnaraeppa reh tuoba yrrow ot evah yllaer I od tuB"


    "¡­em rof taert taerg a eb lliw reh gniees os ,sseddog a sa lufituaeb sa s''ehs taht yas sromuR .ecnaraeppa s''nediaM eniviD eht ees ot  tnaw l yllaer I sa  ,tnemtnioppasid a si siht ,hgiS ¡­llew taht gnikrow ton llits era sesnes ym ,enog ydaerla si em edisni ecnabrutsid eht fi neve ¡­hA"


    .ssenerawa-fles sih niager ot mih dewolla ti dna ,tey level tsewol sti ot reivaX edisni noitasnes gnigapmar eht thguorb sihT


    .ydob sih tfel dah ygrenE etaF gnigapmar eht fo lla tsomla ,]stnahC[ sih fo enil driht eht fo dne eht yb dna ,ygrenE etaF sih fo erutr.a.p.ed eht denetsah sah derettu reivaX taht ]stnahC[ eht fo  hcaE


    "!rof gnikool ma I taht noitasnes eht si siht woN ¡­cigaM etaF ym tnahc I sa ydob ym edisni regnad  fo ecnaraeppasid ehT .¡­hO"


    .ydob sih morf gniraeppasid yllautca  ygrenE etaF sih yb desuac ecnabrutsid eht leef dluoc eh sa ,feiler ni tuo denaom tsomla reivaX ,deraeppa dah llab siht ecnO


    .mih ot elbisiv ylno eb ot demees hcihw ,reivaX fo tnorf ni gnitaolf thgil fo llab llams a demrof sihT


    .ydob sih fo edistuo rehtegot gnipmulc stnenopmoc rieht htiw ,mih evael ylsuolucarim ot nageb seitimertxe sih edisni ygrenE etaF gniwolfrevo tsomla eht ,]stnahC[ sih nageb reivaX retfA


    "~ouhS"


    .noitautis sih evorpmi ot hguone erew ]stnahC[ eseht ,meht gnirettum nam eht ot tub ,tceffe derised rieht yalpsid yletaidemmi ton did won thgir gnitnahc erew reivaX taht ]stnahC[ ehT


    |.reboot.start.point.|


    |.start.forward-reading.|


    The [Chants] that Xavier were chanting right now did not immediately display their desired effect, but to the man muttering them, these [Chants] were enough to improve his situation.


    "Shuo~"


    After Xavier began his [Chants], the almost overflowing Fate Energy inside his extremities began to miraculously leave him, with their components clumping together outside of his body.


    This formed a small ball of light floating in front of Xavier, which seemed to be only visible to him.


    Once this ball had appeared, Xavier almost m.o.a.ned out in relief, as he could feel the disturbance caused by his Fate Energy  actually disappearing from his body.


    "Oh¡­. The disappearance of  danger inside my body as I chant my Fate Magic¡­ Now this is the sensation that I am looking for!"


    Each  of the [Chants] that Xavier uttered has hastened the departure of his Fate Energy, and by the end of the third line of his [Chants], almost all of the rampaging Fate Energy had left his body.


    This brought the rampaging sensation inside Xavier to its lowest level yet, and it allowed him to regain his self-awareness.


    "Ah¡­ even if the disturbance inside me is already gone, my senses are still not working that well¡­ Sigh, this is a disappointment,  as I really l want  to see the Divine Maiden''s appearance. Rumors say that she''s as beautiful as a goddess, so seeing her will be a great treat for me¡­"


    "But do I really have to worry about her appearance? Beatrice is about to kill her anyway so she will just be a dead person later."


    What remained of the Fate Energy inside Xavier''s body  was a miniscule amount, one that Xavier quickly disposed with his next [Chants].


    [NOBODY CAN HIDE IN THEIR PAST, AND NOBODY CAN MOVE FORWARD TO THE FUTURE!]


    [ALL SHALL BE LOCKED IN AN ENDLESS LOOP OF FATE, AND ONLY I SHALL ROAM FREE!]


    Because of the freeing up of his Fate Energy, the current Xavier found himself safe from dying, as his body was now free from anything that can damage it.


    But although his body was now free from mortal danger, the very act of the Fate Energy leaving his body still inflicted Xavier with a pain just as worse as the one that he experienced earlier.


    In fact, the sudden absence of Fate Energy made Xavier feel as if there were countless screws turning inside his head. Such pain made him close his eyes and growl out loud, and it almost made him lose control over his power.


    But just like what he did earlier, Xavier still persisted as the fear of failure drove him to push forward.


    [WITH THE POWER BESTOWED TO ME BY THE GODDESS OF FATE, I HEREBY DECLARE THIS VENUE UNDER MY CONTROL!]


    Before he could collapse from his newfound pain, Xavier let out one loud bellow as he chanted the final words that he needed to activate his spell.


    [FATE MAGIC: EVENT LOOP¡­ ACTIVATE!]


    |.reboot.end.point.|


    |.start.reversal.|


    ]!ETAVITCA ¡­POOL TNEVE :CIGAM ETAF[


    .lleps sih etavitca ot dedeen eh taht sdrow lanif eht detnahc eh sa wolleb duol eno tuo tel reivaX ,niap dnuofwen sih morf espalloc dluoc eh erofeB


    ]!LORTNOC YM REDNU EUNEV SIHT ERALCED YBEREH I ,ETAF FO SSEDDOG EHT YB EM OT DEWOTSEB REWOP EHT HTIW[


    .drawrof hsup ot mih evord eruliaf fo raef eht sa detsisrep llits reivaX ,reilrae did eh tahw ekil tsuj tuB


    .rewop sih revo lortnoc esol mih edam tsomla ti dna ,duol tuo lworg dna seye sih esolc mih edam niap hcuS .daeh sih edisni gninrut swercs sseltnuoc erew ereht fi sa leef reivaX edam ygrenE etaF fo ecnesba neddus eht ,tcaf nI


    .reilrae decneirepxe eh taht eno eht sa esrow sa tsuj niap a htiw reivaX detcilfni llits ydob sih gnivael ygrenE etaF eht fo tca yrev eht ,regnad latrom morf eerf won saw ydob sih hguohtla tuB


    .ti egamad nac taht gnihtyna morf eerf won saw ydob sih sa ,gniyd morf efas flesmih dnuof reivaX tnerruc eht ,ygrenE etaF sih fo pu gnieerf eht fo esuaceB


    ]!EERF MAOR LLAHS I YLNO DNA ,ETAF FO POOL SSELDNE NA NI DEKCOL EB LLAHS LLA[


    ]!ERUTUF EHT OT DRAWROF EVOM NAC YDOBON DNA ,TSAP RIEHT NI EDIH NAC YDOBON[


    .]stnahC[ txen sih htiw desopsid ylkciuq reivaX taht eno ,tnuoma elucsinim a saw  ydob s''reivaX edisni ygrenE etaF eht fo deniamer tahW


    ".retal nosrep daed a eb tsuj lliw ehs os yawyna reh llik ot tuoba si ecirtaeB ?ecnaraeppa reh tuoba yrrow ot evah yllaer I od tuB"


    "¡­em rof taert taerg a eb lliw reh gniees os ,sseddog a sa lufituaeb sa s''ehs taht yas sromuR .ecnaraeppa s''nediaM eniviD eht ees ot  tnaw l yllaer I sa  ,tnemtnioppasid a si siht ,hgiS ¡­llew taht gnikrow ton llits era sesnes ym ,enog ydaerla si em edisni ecnabrutsid eht fi neve ¡­hA"


    .ssenerawa-fles sih niager ot mih dewolla ti dna ,tey level tsewol sti ot reivaX edisni noitasnes gnigapmar eht thguorb sihT


    .ydob sih tfel dah ygrenE etaF gnigapmar eht fo lla tsomla ,]stnahC[ sih fo enil driht eht fo dne eht yb dna ,ygrenE etaF sih fo erutr.a.p.ed eht denetsah sah derettu reivaX taht ]stnahC[ eht fo  hcaE


    "!rof gnikool ma I taht noitasnes eht si siht woN ¡­cigaM etaF ym tnahc I sa ydob ym edisni regnad  fo ecnaraeppasid ehT .¡­hO"


    .ydob sih morf gniraeppasid yllautca  ygrenE etaF sih yb desuac ecnabrutsid eht leef dluoc eh sa ,feiler ni tuo denaom tsomla reivaX ,deraeppa dah llab siht ecnO


    .mih ot elbisiv ylno eb ot demees hcihw ,reivaX fo tnorf ni gnitaolf thgil fo llab llams a demrof sihT


    .ydob sih fo edistuo rehtegot gnipmulc stnenopmoc rieht htiw ,mih evael ylsuolucarim ot nageb seitimertxe sih edisni ygrenE etaF gniwolfrevo tsomla eht ,]stnahC[ sih nageb reivaX retfA


    "~ouhS"


    .noitautis sih evorpmi ot hguone erew ]stnahC[ eseht ,meht gnirettum nam eht ot tub ,tceffe derised rieht yalpsid yletaidemmi ton did won thgir gnitnahc erew reivaX taht ]stnahC[ ehT


    |.reboot.start.point.|


    |.start.forward-reading.|


    The [Chants] that Xavier were chanting right now did not immediately display their desired effect, but to the man muttering them, these [Chants] were enough to improve his situ-

 Chapter 684 - pooL tnevE

    [[[[Author''s Note: My goodness! This chapter is so hard to write! So forgive me if this only had 1.2 k words here. I just could not find a way to fit the next fight scenes in this chapter.]]]


    [[[Author''s Note: So the chapter with fight scenes will be posted later. I hope I still have time to write it for today...]]]


    [[[Author''s Note: Oh, and please read this chapter a little slowly too....]]]


    _____________________________


    What Xavier did with his ''Event Loop'' ability was simple.


    Using the power of Fate to manipulate the aspects of Past and Future, Xavier created an event loop that will trap an event inside a frightening cycle.


    The Past Aspect allows Xavier to set a [START POINT], which is the moment where the whole event will start.


    The Future Aspect on the other hand signifies the [END POINT], which is the moment where the whole event will end.


    By using the [START POINT] and the [END POINT] together, Xavier will be able to force an event that is between these two [POINTS] to undergo an endless cycle¡­


    ************


    If the event inside the Event Loop reaches the [END POINT], the whole event will be forced to end.


    The event will then have to restart from the [START POINT], where it will proceed until it reaches the [END POINT]¡­


    Since the [START POINT] and the [END POINT] had been established this time, this event will be forced to repeat itself  over and over, and it will be doomed to stay like this for forever.


    This event can only escape the loop if the [START POINT] and the [END POINT] were to be removed, something which of course is hard to happen.


    **************


    This definition of the ''Event Loop'' ability was obviously confusing, and many who hears or reads this explanation will surely find themselves confused.


    [Author''s Note: Maybe the readers here are confused too¡­]


    Fortunately, Xavier had an easier way to explain this ability, which he concocted when his Companions demanded him to explain his ability in an easy manner¡­


    In Xavier''s simpler terms, the Event Loop will force a person to be stuck only in  a few moments during the Present Time, and he won''t be able to move forward due to the power of the Past and Future halting his tracks.


    Even if this person wants to do something, he will be forced to repeat his Present Time for countless times, and he will have no way of escaping from this effect.


    ************


    ************


    ************


    Knowing about the effects of the Event Loop was bizarre in itself already, but the sight of it actually happening was even more mystifying.


    This was made obvious when the Event Loop began working in the whole venue¡­


    "¡­.."


    Starting from the moment that Xavier began his chant[START POINT],  all the events seem to be proceeding forward as usual. Xavier looked confident as he chanted and all of his Fate Power was ready to be deployed.


    But at the moment that Xavier activated his ''Event Loop'' ability[END POINT], these events suddenly reversed themselves, bringing things back at the moment that Xavier began his chants[START POINT]!


    Once it came back to this moment, the event proceeded normally again, with Xavier repeating his chants.


    This repetition of event was suspicious by itself already, but it was what happened after that made things even more confusing.


    Because when Xavier activated his ''Event Loop'' ability[END POINT], all the events  reversed themselves again, back to the time that Xavier started chanting[START POINT]!


    Once this happened again, Xavier did not act as if something was wrong. He repeated his chants with his Fate Energy also repeating what it had done before¡­.


    And similar to what happened to the previous moments, all the events reversed themselves once more after Xavier activated his ''Event Loop'' ability [END POINT]¡­.


    ****************


    To those who can see what was happening to Xavier right now, they will surely notice what is really happening.


    It seemed as if Xavier was doomed to do a certain action for a few moments in time, just for it to be reversed and then be performed by Xavier again.


    And then, it will be reversed just for Xavier do it again¡­.


    And then it will be reversed just for Xavier to do it again¡­


    And then it will be reversed just for Xavier to do it again¡­


    And then it will be reversed just for Xavier to do it again¡­


    "¡­."


    There seemed to be no escape for Xavier at this moment, as if he was meant to repeat what he was doing for forever.


    This is of course the true power of the ''Event Loop'' and for the current Xavier, he will be stuck on this endless loop unless he deactivates this ability¡­.


    ***********


    This cycle  of reversal and repetition made Xavier look mystifying, but it is not only Xavier that should be observed at this point.


    Because aside from Xavier, all the people present in the venue were affected by this cycle too!


    Some of the Travelers present in the venue, who were in a state of attacking, suddenly found their movements reversed back to the moment that Xavier started his chants[START POINT]!


    It was only when the [START POINT] was reached that this people could attack once more, but when Xavier activated his ''Event Loop'' Ability[END POINT], all these people''s actions were forced to be reversed again!


    This then went on and on, leaving all these people stuck on a cycle that forced them to repeat what essentially is a sub-second moment in time!


    *****************


    **************


    *****************


    The activation of the ''Event Loop'' ability took a lot out of Xavier, to the point that the man himself was gravely injured due to the amount of power that he had to gather just to activate this ability.


    Such injury made Xavier whimper and fear for his life, but all of these emotions were drowned by his happiness, as he was extremely pleased that his power worked.


    "Hehehe, since Beatrice and my Companions have no one disturbing them now, surely they will be happy with what I did, right? Of course they will be happy. After all, I gave them some precious time for themselves¡­"


    With all of the Travelers  trapped inside the Event Loop and his Companions able to attack freely, Xavier was already satisfied with himself, even if he''s still gravely injured.


    All that Xavier had to do now was to wait for his Companions to succeed, something that he''s confident that they can do.


    "Hehehe¡­" With this sure-fire win about to be achieved by him, the elated Xavier did not dare to worry about anything else. He just laughed and laughed as the Event Loop went another set of repetition.


    *****************


    *****************


    *****************


    CHURCH OF WISDOM DIVINE HALL.


    VENUE OF THE WELCOMING CEREMONY.


    "There it is. One of the Travelers made his move. Now, let''s see how the others will react¡­."


    The hooded Alina, whose face was hidden by a perfectly woven veil, muttered these words to herself as she observed the effects of the ability that the Traveler Xavier had just unleashed.


    Her eyes were both furrowed as she felt the intensity of Traveler Xavier''s ability, and if she were any weaker, she might even find herself trembling right now.


    "So this is the power to manipulate fate, huh. This is interesting. I wonder how he managed to harness this for himself¡­."

 Chapter 685 - Time vs Time

    When Alina dared her enemy Travelers to make a move against her, she expected them to come out with the intent to end her life quickly.


    But even with this expectation,  Alina still failed to hide her surprise after seeing the first move that her enemy used.


    There is no way that Alina can be calm, when her enemy just used an ability related to Fate itself!  Such kind of abilities are rare, and even Alex had to cheat in order for him to have some semblance of control over Fate!


    So seeing her enemy use it in this way certainly threw Alina off, and it also made her worry of what could happen later.


    "As a Chronomancer, I can see the mechanics of Traveler Xavier''s ability. By setting a start and an end point in time, he trapped everyone in this place inside a time loop." Alina muttered to herself, with her face in a perpetual frown. "He then forced all of us to relive a few moments of time inside this loop, creating a cycle that is happening right now."


    Such frown made her veil shake, but Alina did not give any care about it.  She was more worried about the powers working against her, which is a viable thing to worry about.


    "Judging by the intricacy of this time loop, it will take at most a minute before everything goes back to normal... A minute might be short, but for my current state, a minute of time is really, really, bad¡­"


    With her body forced to follow the constant reversal and renewal of time, Alina was obviously unhappy.


    "Tsk, this already makes me mad, but do you know what makes me more pissed? It was the fact that my opponent had no qualms on using this ability against the innocent bystanders¡­ Sigh, if you want to fight me, why don''t you target me alone? Is that hard enough for you to do?"


    The same unhappiness was present in other people too, as they were also a victim by this ability.


    However, these ''other people'' were not only feeling unhappiness as of now. They were also feeling fear, which is to be expected in their current state.


    After all, everyone affected by this ''Event Loop'' are now vulnerable from  attacks coming from anyone that is not affected by this ability.  That scenario is bad by itself, so for the affected people to fear is just proper.


    In Alina''s case, she should be fearful too, as it is highly plausible that she will be attacked by Xavier''s Companions, who are all freely moving as of now.


    But unlike the other guests who were already hysterical from fear, Alina did not let herself succ.u.mb into terror.


    Sure, this forceful event loop has brought her in danger of being killed easily, but Alina actually had a way to deal with this.


    Alina was after all a Chronomancer, which means that dealing with time-based abilities such as the Event Loop is just easy for her¡­.


    ************


    "If the Divine Maiden was not me, this loop of yours might have worked. But it''s too bad that it was me that you are facing¡­" Alina said, with her voice not even showing a hint of worry at all. "I am unhappy with the effects this loop, but that''s just it. This loop cannot hurt me more than what it could do now."


    These words made Alina sound confident, as if what was happening to her was nothing more but an inconvenience that she can fix with some effort.


    "But I still give props to you for using this move. This is certainly effective, but it''s not just the right fit against me¡­" Alina added, as she seem to be more and more unworried about her situation. "Oh, and I can see that your companions are trying to attack me now. Hmm¡­ I wonder what would they feel once they seem me moving properly¡­."


    This nonchalance from Alina might sound narcissistic coming from her, and Alex will surely criticize her for saying stuff like this.


    Alina of course knew how bad she sounded, but she just could not help but boast right now, as she realized that she can actually win here.


    Contemplating about her actions will just be done later. For now, Alina should do her best to win, and that is what she has been intending to do.


    "To break a time-based ability, a time-based ability must be used too¡­ In my case, I just have to use a minor Chrono Magic to free myself from this loop¡­"


    Without waiting for the companions of Traveler Xavier to start attacking her, Alina already beat them to the punch. She did not let them even approach her, as she quickly used her power to break free from the event loop.


    [T-MANIFEST: ORDO]


    "Boom!"


    In an instant, 1,000 Years of Time were quickly spent by Alina, an amount that did not go to waste.


    A portion of it manifested as a shield that protected Alina from possible attacks, while the majority transformed into a green-colored light construct that covered her body.


    This green light construct fit snugly on Alina''s body, to the point that it became her second suit, with the entirety of her skin and face covered by this green light.


    "Clonk." The presence of this light construct made Alina look like a glowing goblin, with her now green skin and glowing visage enough to catch the attention of everyone.


    "!!!"


    Such change in appearance is enough to make ALina''s enemies wary, and it obviously jerked both Traveler Xavier and his companions into a tense and wary mode.


    The attempts of Xavier''s companions to attack were actually delayed, as they seem to be unsure on what to do right now.


    This seems the right move, since Alina just did something unexpected.


    But as it turns out, delaying their attacks was actually the wrong action to do¡­ Especially with someone like Alina.


    "You still did not attack me even when I did this? Tsk, are you really my enemies that are targeting me? You seem to be a little inexperienced for this¡­"


    At this point in time, the event loop just underwent its reverse state, meaning that it is about to reverse everyone''s actions, including the ones performed by Alina and the others.


    But to the surprise of Xavier and his Companions, the current Alina was not dragged back by the Event Loop!


    Alina just stood nonchalantly in the middle of the venue, with her green suit and glowing body floating loftily above the venue!


    The effects of the event loop did not even manage to pull her down, and not even a strand of her hair was affected!


    This scene brought another feeling of shock to all that witnessed Alina''s state, and her nonchalant words just made this look more unfathomable.


    "Oh¡­ now this is nice.  Using T-Manifest: Ordo was actually the right choice here. It may have forced me to spend around 1,000 Years of Time¡­. but against these opponents? This is all worth it¡­"


    ****************


    Even idiots can see what is happening here.


    Alina, who was supposed to be helpless against the event loop by Traveler Xavier, had actually managed to free herself from its effects!


    The very thing that should have been rendering her helpless against Xavier''s Companions were of no use anymore, and Alina seemed to have even used this freedom to retaliate against them!


    ****************


    With their obviously bright minds, Traveler Xavier and his companions quickly realized what was happening, and they knew in an instant that their previous plan must be aborted.


    So Traveler Xavier and his companions quickly adjusted their actions, with their intended goals now geared more on preserving Xavier''s life¡­


    "Boom!" Before Alina could continue speaking, Traveler Xavier forcefully used the remains of his power to distance himself away from Alina.


    "Pish!!!!" Large chunks of Choric Energy leaked out of Xavier''s body, a type of energy that deftly manipulated the space around him.


    This Choric Energy gave Xavier a boost that he needed to fly away from Alina, and he appeared to continue doing it until he''s a considerable distance away from her.


    While Xavier was intent on running, his three companions on the other hand did not show any signs of retreat.


    They just shot towards Alina with murderous looks, which displayed their intentions to kill her!


    **************


    Earlier, Xavier''s Companions were surprised that their supposedly helpless target was able to break herself free, but that did not deter their interest on killing her.


    Even if the current Alina can fight back and kill Xavier, his Companions still outnumber Alina 3 to 1.


    This number disparity still made it apparent that they can win against Alina, no matter how ferocious a fighter she could be.


    "Schwing¡­."


    This fact was not only known by these Companions, as Alina also knew that in her current state, she was still disadvantaged.


    But this did not reduce her fighting spirit, and it instead made her more excited to fight!


    "Ok, now that I am free, why don''t I spend this free time of mine whacking some people? Since you are all interested on attacking me, then I should return the favor, right?"


    With her body now free from any restrictions, Alina of course will not let the ones who schemed against her go off easy.


    Since her opponents wanted to fight her, then Alina will of course fight them back.


    "So let''s see¡­ Traveler Xavier is out of commission due to his injuries, and he''s doing his best to run away. His three Companions on the other hand are attacking me now, and they sure are interested on killing me¡­"


    "Hoo boy, those looks from his companions are sure spine-tingling! Even from this distance, it''s obvious that they want to skin me alive!"


    "This is legitimately scary, but I  strangely feel excited about this fight¡­ Is this a normal reaction? I am not sure¡­"


    Right now, Alina''s heart was pounding in excitement and fear, as she realized that she''s about to face one of the greatest fight in her life.


    Alina was just about to face-off against 3 Sixth Stage Beings, all who displayed the interest to kill her!


    Yes, 3 Sixth Stage Beings are about to gang-up on her, and they don''t look like the normal Sixth Stage Beings¡­


    "Hoh, this is going to be a tough fight¡­. 3 Sixth Stage Beings against me alone? This might get dangerous¡­"


    With such fight about to happen to her, Alina knew that she should use every ability that she can use in order to raise her chances to win. If that meant summoning her allies to help her, Alina will obvious do that.


    "By myself alone, it will be hard for me to win. But if I free both Queen Mother and Professor Frances form this loop, they can help me out in this fight, right? Yes, that is possible."


    With the distance between Alina and her 3 opponents, Alina only have a few moments of time left before she and her opponents  actually start fighting.


    This few moments of time might not be enough, but for Alina, this time is sufficient to free Queen Mother and Professor Frances.


    "So where are those two anyway? Are they- oh there they are."


    Through the edge of her vision, Alina easily spotted her allies, who were both standing at the back of the stage. Their positions made it apparent that they were prepared to fight, and the only thing stopping from attacking was the event loop.


    Seeing this gestures from the tree woman and the mad scientist made Alnna nod, and she felt more confident on enlisting their help.


    "Queen Mother is an extremely powerful Sixth Stage World Tree, while Professor Frances'' abilities makes her an extremely tricky opponent. If they help me out right now, killing these three enemies of mine will be easy¡­"


    With her allies now found and her abilities in full preparation, Alina let out a peal of laughter as she began using her Time Magic on her two companions.


    But before Alina could use her Time Magic on her allies, a sudden power burst behind her made her stop.


    [T-MANIFEST: ORD________] What? What had just happened?"


    Instead of continuing her attempt to use Time Magic, Alina quickly raised her guard in order to protect her body, as if this power burst was an extremely dangerous thing.


    She even ignored the presence of Xavier''s Companions, as she continued protecting herself from this power burst.


    "S**t! S**t S**t! Why does it have to appear now? Argh, now my plans are ruined!"


    Why would Alina suddenly act like this? Was it because she was just too paranoid? Or was it because she saw something from this power burst that made her panicked?


    As it turns out, Alina had legitimate reasons to act wary against this power burst.


    Through her powerful senses, Alina quickly realized that this power burst did not come from Xavier or even from his Companions.


    Instead, this power burst belonged to a different person¡­


    And from the looks of it, this ''different person'' seems to be using this power burst to break himself/herself out of the effects of the Event Loop too!


    "So who among the other Travelers has the capability to also free themselves from this Event Loop? Was it the ally of the Holy Order Church? Or the one from the Nature Cult?  Ugh, no matter who this person is, his appearance here just makes things more complicated here!"

 Chapter 686 - Summary of Book 9 As of Now

    [[Note: You can read this to recall stuff without re-reading all the chapters...]]


    The volume started by showing two characters who were both travelling through space.


    These characters are Wisteria and Astria, both who came from the Four Moons World.(Note: At the end of Volume 7, it was shown that Wisteria was recruited by the Cosmic Guards. As for Astria, she stayed inside Wisteria''s soul at that time.)


    Judging by the conversation between Astria and Wisteria, the latter seemed to be officially recruited by the Cosmic Guards already, and she''s about to do a mission regarding  a new planet.


    Astria on the other hand was still stuck inside Wisteria, although the former seemed to be just fine with it.


    The two women did not exactly say what Wisteria''s mission is about, as they did not leak any details while talking.(They must not have leaked any info since they are afraid of someone spying on them.


    *********


    The scene then shifted, this time showing the arrival of Alex and his companions in their new world.


    These 4 did not seem happy with their arrival, and they were instead confused with what happened.


    Upon their arrival, Alex suddenly found himself in the midst of receiving a sudden worship from a group of weird-looking people.


    This sudden worship quickly made Alex and his allies wary of this new world, as they did not expect to see Alex being worshipped this way.


    What made this worship worse was the fact that these weird people were not just worshipping Alex.


    Their actions and aura indicated that they were worshipping the Abyss too, and they seem to have no qualms on hiding it.


    They were all proud on worshipping the Abyss, and they appear to be interested on sacrificing even their life just for the Abyss.


    This revelation immediately unsettled Alina, as she was already extremely wary about the Abyss, especially after their adventure in the Traveler''s World.


    Alina  already had the suspicion that Alex and the Abyss made a secret agreement without her knowledge, and it was this ''secret agreemen'' that helped Alex recover from his coma.


    Even if Alina had no evidence regarding this ''secret agreement'', Alex''s actions after he woke up from his coma was enough to make Alina suspicious of him and the Abyss.


    ************


    Because of this weird worshipping people and the denying attitude from Alex, Alina has decided to question Alex right now about his coma and his recovery.


    But before she could question him, a sudden attack from an unknown group of enemies rained down on them.


    Bombs that have the power to hurt Sixth Stage Beings impacted against them, forcing Alina and the others to take shelter against the attack.


    Fortunately for these 4, they survived the attack.


    As for their enemies who just attacked, they appeared to be sure that Alex and the others were already dead. So instead of unleashing more attacks on the area, these enemies returned to their base, leaving Alex and his allies recuperating from the attack.


    Once the last of these attackers left, Alex used his power to attach a Leech King on the last departing attacker. Once attached, this Leech King began to gather info about this new world.


    Alex and his allies had to wait for 30 minutes before they receive the info gathered by the Leech King, which they fortunately received without any delays.


    **************


    The info gathered by the Leech King did not exactly give the name of this world, but it made Alex and his allies realize what this world could be.


    From the looks of it, this world was heavily centered around religions and worship. Many churches and cults exist in this world, and they were all geared on gathering as many worshippers as possible.


    This info quickly made Alex and his allies uneasy, as the existence of these religions pointed out to the possibility of the True Gods surviving in this Era


    (Extra Note: The True Gods are the first powered beings in the Multiverse, and they existed from the start of the Primordial Era. They became worshipped by all sentient beings, with their power making them the most dominant beings in the Multiverse. It was only when the Power Systems began to show up that the True Gods began to decline, and by the end of the Upheaval Era, all the True Gods are said to have been killed already.)


    **************


    The dumb fairy Asteria chose this time to inform Alex and the others about their Main Mission.


    Their Main Mission is to help a religion become the dominant religion in this world. It doesn''t matter how they do it, as long as in the end, their chosen religion becomes the dominant one.


    Upon hearing this Main Mission, Alex quickly proposed that they support that Abyss Temple as their religion. Alex explained that with his status as the Abyss Envoy, making the Abyss Temple the dominant religion will be easy.


    Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances however did not agree, and they all harbor suspicion about Alex''s offer to ally with the Abyss.


    These three knew that something is wrong with the Abyss right now, and given Alex''s current condition, maybe distancing themselves away from the Abyss will be the better choice.


    This refusal to ally with the Abyss enraged Alex, and he seemed to be extremely pissed with the choice of his companions.


    In fact, Alex became so pissed that he began attacking the trio, with his words and actions suddenly becoming slurry and disordered.


    Alex then displayed a malicious behavior that he did not have before, with his aura suddenly becoming corrupted and full of evil thoughts.


    Once Alex displayed this new side of his, Alina and the others quickly realized what had happened to Alex.


    Alex seems to be partially-corrupted by the Abyss, with most of his rationality taken over by the Abyss'' corruption!


    The former snarky Alex was now gone, and what only remained was a man whose morals and thoughts were partially twisted by the Abyss already.(Note: Alex is not yet fully corrupted by the Abyss, so he is still somewhat human. But if the corruption of his mind continues, he is bound to become a full-fledged Abyss Monster in the few weeks.)


    Upon revealing his partially-corrupted stated, Alex used his power to keep Alina, Queen mother, and Professor Frances under his control. He then threatened to enslave them and use them as his ''toys''.


    Fortunately for Alina and the other two, they were able to use their powers to escape from Alex.


    ***************


    This escape brought Alina, Professor Frances, and Queen Mother inside the territory of the Church of Wisdom. Here, they met an Elder Priest who began treating Alina as the Church of Wisdom''s new Divine Maiden.


    This sudden gracious treatment caught Alina off-guard, but she did not reject it. Instead, she became excited upon being treated this way.


    After all, Alina realized that if she became the Church of Wisdom''s Divine Maiden, she can use her status to make this religion her ally, which will be helpful to her Main Mission.


    Aside from this, her alliance with the Church of Wisdom can help Alina find a way to treat Alex and possibly free him from his partial corruption.


    With these thoughts in mind, Alina quickly accepted the role of becoming the Church of Wisdom''s new Divine Maiden.


    **********


    After Alina made her escape, Alex did not chase after her.


    Instead, he just let them be, while he brought himself towards the headquarters of the Abyss Temple.


    Here, Alex tried to formulate his own plans on making the Abyss Temple this world''s dominant religion.


    ***************


    Once Alina accepted her status as the new Divine Maiden, the whole Church of Wisdom then announced this to the whole world.


    This Church then said that they will be holding a Welcoming Ceremony for Alina 3 days from now, which will show the ceremonial inauguration of Alina into the new Divine Maiden.


    For this big event, the Church of Wisdom invited almost all of the religions in the world for this event.


    The Church of Wisdom also invited the  other Travelers along with their allied religions, something that Alina instructed to them.


    *************


    3 DAYS LATER, and the Welcoming Ceremony for Alina was about to start.


    All the invited Travelers seemed to have arrived to the venue of the Welcoming Ceremony, and they all looked prepared for a battle.


    Alex was also prepared for battle, even if he is not at the venue itself. He was still at the headquarters in the Abyss Temple, busy on making plans along with his semi-corrupted Abyss Sprites.


    ************


    Because of the tension in the venue for the ceremony, it is hard to know who will make the first move, as everyone seemed to be wary of each other.


    It was only when Alina showed herself for the ceremony that one of her enemies began making a move.


    The Traveler who was allied with the Goetic Palace was the first one to make his move, and he did it at the moment that Alina appeared on the stage.


    The ability that this Traveler used was a time loop that trapped everyone, including Alina inside its mysterious effects.


    Alina used her time abilities to break through this time loop, and once she was free, she prepared herself to fight against this Traveler''s Companions.


    But before she could fight, Alina realized that she''s not the only one who can break out of the time loop. Someone behind her showed the capability to break out of the time loop, a fact that made Alina feel both worried and excited.


    SUMMARY ENDS HERE


    [Author''s Note:] e?????w???i??? o?????j??? k????l???d????m??? v????l???k??? d????a????j??? f????g????o????? i????j????b???? n????k????? j???n???? d???f???l????v???o????p??? f?????d???k???? i????o????g???? a?????j????s??? i???f????n????? a????s????j???? d???n?????a????? d????s???o???? i???c????j??? u????s????d??? a?????h???k???? j?????s???d??? n???k????? d???h???j???? v???u????i??? a???h??? i???u???y???? w????r????? i????s?????b??? d???v?????n???? d????n???? a????v???k???? a???s???d??? j????c???? i?????u???s??? d???b???f???? ???? s???n????? v????h????j???? a???g???? i????q????? w???o?????a???? k????f?????l????? ;????d????a??? k????m??? v???u?????r??? h????u????i???? y????i???? u?????u???i????? k???j?????t???? n????j???o????i??? u????i???? a????? d????j???b????f???? k???d?????n????? o????k????v???? p???o????a????? i????r????o???? i????q????w????? h???j????k???? b?????a?????v????? n????a???? l????d???? k????f??? y???? w????r????? i????s?????b??? d???v?????n???? d????n???? a????v???k???? a???s???d??? j????c???? i?????u???s??? d???b???f???? ???? s???n????? v????h????j???? a???g???? i????q????? w???o?????a???? k????f?????l????? ;????a????v???k???? a???s???d??? j????c???? i?????u???s??? d???b???f???? ???? s???n????? v????h????j???? a???g???? i????q????? w???o?????a???? k????f?????l????? ;????d????a??? k????m??? v???u?????r??? h????u????i???? y????i???? u?????u???i????? k???j?????t???? n????j???o????i??? u????i???? a????? d????j???b????f???? k???d?????n????? o????k????v???? p???o????a????? i????r????o???? i????q????w????? h???j????k???? b?????a?????v????? n????a???? l????d???? k????f??? y???? w????r????? i????s?????b??? d???v?????v???k???? a???s???d??? j????c???? i?????u???s??? d???b???f???? ???? s???n????? v????h????j???? a???g???? i????q????? w???o?????a???? k????f?????l????? ;????a????v???k???? a???s???d??? j????c???? i?????u???s??? d???b???f???? ???? s???n????? v????h????j???? a???g???? i????q????? w???o?????a???? k????f?????l????? ;????d????a??? k????m??? v???u?????r??? h????u????i???? y????i???? u?????u???i????? k???j?????t???? n????j???o????i??? u????d???v?????n???? d????n???? a????v???k???? a???s???d??? j????c???? i?????u???s??? d???b???f???? ???? s???n????? v????h????j???? a???g???? i????q????? w???o?????a???? k????f?????l????? ;????a????v???k???? a???s???d??? j????c???? i?????u???s??? d???b???f???? ???? s???n????? v????h????j???? a???g???? i????q????? w???o?????a???? k????f?????l????? ;????d????a??? k????m??? v???u?????r??? h????u????i???? y????i???? u?????u???i????? k???j?????t???? n????j???o????i??? u????i???? a????? d????j???b????f???? k???d?????n????? o????k????v???? p???o????a????? i????r????o???? i????q????w????? h???j????k???? b?????a?????v????? n????a???? l????d???? k????f??? y???? w????r????? i????s?????b??? d???v?????v???k???? a???s???d??? j????c???? i?????u???s??? d???b???f???? ???? s???n????? v????h????j???? a???g???? i????q????? w???o?????a???? k????f?????l????? ;????

 Chapter 687 - Prove that Four is greater than 1

    If everything went according to Alina''s plan, then it should be only her fighting against Xavier''s Companions. The other Travelers will still have to wait until the Event Loop ends.


    But with the appearance of this power burst, Alina realized that the whole area is about to get more chaotic¡­


    "Actually I should not be surprised that someone else can break through this time loop. Because if I can do it, then others should be able too¡­" Alina thought as she narrowed her eyes. "Sigh, it seems like I underestimated my enemies again¡­."


    With her body now free to move, Alina had no problems finding the source of the power burst. Alina just looked back, and there she easily saw the person who just disrupted the whole event.


    "¡­.."


    Just like what Alina expected, the source of the power burst was another Traveler, and from the looks of it, this Traveler was about to free itself from the Event Loop too.


    "¡­."


    This Traveler that Alina saw was a beautiful and curvaceous black-haired woman who stood a hundred meters away from Alina. This Traveler''s form-fitting cheongsam made her beauty stand out, and her rippling black hair helped this woman improve her feminine charm.


    Such appearance was enough to make Alina''s attention be focused on this woman, although Alina did not care much about this Traveler''s beauty at all.


    What made Alina more interested on this Traveler was the ability that she used to free herself from the Event Loop.


    Behind this woman Traveler, a large golden throne could be seen, with its lining studded with countless precious gems and metals. These gems, combined with the throne''s glowing golden skin, made it look like a precious treasure that is about to descend on the world.


    There were also numerous beautiful inscriptions etched on the surface of this golden throne, all that helped increase the throne''s magnificent appearance.


    "Hong long~"


    As this throne floated above the woman Traveler, a powerful and domineering aura can be felt from it, one that even the distant Alina could definitely sense. This aura solidified the desirable appearance of the throne, to the point that denying that it is a treasure is already impossible.


    "¡­."


    The appearance of this throne was accompanied by an intrusive hums of worship, which were loud enough to overpower the noise around the area. These sounds of worship did not deal any damage to those who heard it, but they started to have the urge to start prostrating along these worshipping sounds.


    Even Alina was affected by this too, but it only took her a slight shrug to diffuse this effect.


    "¡­."


    With these amount of gems, etches and powerful aura, this golden throne can make even a pragmatic person like Alina look at the throne with greed.  This is how appealing this throne looked like, and it seemed that there were no treasures in the world that can surpass it.


    But the sight of this golden throne and gems did not invoke any sense of desire from Alina.


    Instead, what Alina felt were familiarity and surprise.


    "A golden throne that is studded with previous gems and metals? And one that is also filled with works of art? If my suspicions were right, could this throne possibly be ''that''?" Alina whispered as she began to feel the domineering aura emanating from the throne. She sounded unsure right now, although there was a hint of conviction and sureness on her eyes that made her unable to look away from the throne.


    "But how could this throne be possibly be here? Shouldn''t only a few select have the capability to have this? Tsk, now I am getting confused too..."


    Although her interaction with people was limited before, Alina was confident about the true identity of this golden throne. After all, she had already met someone who had this exact thing before, and she had even felt its effect too!


    Alina was of course talking about the Conqueror''s Aura, more specifically Alex''s Sixth Stage Conqueror''s Aura, which had the ability to summon a golden throne behind its user!


    "Argh! Just one Sixth Stage User of Conqueror''s Aura is already irritating, and now there''s another one here? And she''s also my enemy? Tsk, if Alex was just here, then he could have done something with this¡­."


    The sight of this throne alone was surprising enough to Alina already, as she did not expect to meet another Conqueror aside from Alex. The appearance of this throne also messed up her plans, as she realized that she had to change her approach against her opponents already¡­


    *****************


    With her knowledge about the Conqueror''s Aura, ALina was 100% sure that this woman with the Conqueror''s Aura can easily break herself out of the Event Loop.


    The Conqueror''s Aura after all had the ability to manipulate the laws, so using it to break free of a time-based spell is possible¡­


    This just means that aside from Xavier''s Companions, Alina also now had to deal with this woman Traveler, which judging by the potency of her Conqueror''s Aura, will surely be a tough opponent too.


    "Ugh, first I have to deal with Xavier''s Companions. Now I have to deal with this woman with the Conqueror''s Aura too? Tsk, if I don''t deal with this thing well, it will be hard for me to win¡­"


    As much as Alina wanted to complain, she knew that doing so right now will be of no use at all.


    Since this throne had already appeared, then the best that Alina can do was to just accept that it was here, and she would have to just adjust her plans for today.


    There''s nothing else that Alina can do after all, so she just had to make do with what she had.


    "Tsk, judging by the power of this woman''s Conqueror''s Aura, it will take her a few more seconds to break free from the Event Loop¡­. A few seconds of time is already enough for me. I can use that time to free both Queen Mother and Professor Frances, while also attacking Xavier''s companions¡­"


    "Since there are a few seconds of time left before my additional enemy comes out, then I must defeat all of Xavier''s Companions within that few seconds¡­. That is the only way that I can win here, so I must be prudent!".


    With her mind improved by the assistance of the Church of Wisdom, Alina was confident her new adjustments on her plan can make her win.


    In fact, Alina thinks that even with the addition of this new Traveler, there is still 50% chance that she wins, as long as she puts in her ch.i.p.s right.


    50% might not seem much, but for people that are in the same power level as Alina, 50% is good enough!


    "Just you wait, all of you my enemies! I will win this encounters, and I will use these fights as a chance to hone myself! So instead of thinking that you had won, think otherwise!"


    With her additional praises to herself, Alina finally regained her calm.


    She was able to focus herself once more, with her takes clearly etched on her mind already.


    "Okay, so just like what I thought earlier, I will free Queen Mother and Professor Frances from this event loop. After that, we will have to cooperate to deal with our foes¡­."


    Now that she remembered what she was supposed to do, the calm Alina raised her arms as she started chanting for the activation of her Time Magic.


    [T-MANIFEST: ORD____] No, not again!"


    But before she could even channel the Time Essence inside her body, Alina was forcefully interrupted again.


    Her Time Magic, which was supposed to be used right now, was forcefully stopped by Alina, with her face now contorted in both fury and fear.


    She seemed to be rendered emotional by something, which she made obvious through her actions and words.


    "What the f**k? Why does this have to happen again! Isn''t one already enough? F**k!!!" ALina, who looked like a child whose food had been stolen,  said these words with great anger as she began conjuring shields that covered her whole body.


    She then began flying in zigzag directions, with all of her body focused on still defending herself. She did not even look back to her enemies right now, as she seemed intent on persevering herself.


    "S**t, this is not good¡­ If this really goes on, this might escalate into an all-out brawl,  which  is not what I planned to happen!"


    The appearance of these shields and her sudden movements made Alina appear as if she was highly interested on protecting herself right now.


    This was definitely confusing, as she had already promised to use her Time Magic to free her allies from the Event Loop.


    Why would Alina suddenly be defensive right now, when she already said that she will free both Queen Mother and Professor Frances? Isn''t this against her principles too?


    Yes, what Alina did might sound both selfish and foolish, but if someone were to be in Alina''s shoes right now, they would definitely think the same.


    What did Alina see as she chanted her Time Magic earlier? She actually saw only 3 changes in the area, but these 3 changes were already enough to make her reconsider everything¡­


    **************


    A small fairy-like creature, a handsome man with an illusory body, and an armored woman holding a staff were the sources of these changes, all which are enough to make Alina feel fear.


    The fairy-like creature has summoned an illusion of a massive tree behind it, one that seemed to be unaffected by the effects of the event loop. This tree even protected the fairy-like creature, to the point that the creature was slowly getting out of the event loop itself.


    The handsome man on the other hand manifested what a looked like to be his soul, which was much more powerful than Alina''s. Once this soul had appeared, the handsome man became visibly stronger, which seemed to allow him to resist the effects of the event loop too.


    As for the armored woman, what appeared behind her was a massive black hole that hovered like a sun on her back. This black hole displayed an astonishing absorbent power that was enough to affect even time itself, which also allowed the armored woman to resist the event loop.


    "¡­."


    Seeing these changes alone broke Alina from her attempt to cast her Time Magic, and it is rightfully so, given the intensity of these 3 changes.


    These 3 changes exuded effects as strong as the ability used by the woman with the Conqueror''s Aura, so there is really no way for Alina to treat them lightly.


    However, what made Alina warier about these changes were their implications, especially for today''s events!


    With all the things that Alina had seen today, the power of these 3 changes and their effects against the Event Loop  only meant one thing.


    These 3 changes were also power bursts, and the ones who induced them were Travelers too!


    That''s the only explanation for these changes, and that was the reason for Alina''s sudden defensive stance.


    3 more power bursts meant that 3 more Travelers will join in the fight, which is definitely not a good scenario for Alina.


    Fighting against 1 Traveler is easier than fighting 4, so for Alina to defend for herself is just right.


    "F**k, so all of my enemies can free themselves from the Event Loop too, and they are now coming to fight us all? S**t, this is really the worst case scenario!"


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 Chapter 688 - Countermeasures

    6 groups of enemies, all possibly interested on taking a piece of her body.


    Alina had no possible way of winning against 6 groups at once, which is why she had prepared some countermeasures in case these 6 had to fight her.


    She could have used these countermeasures today, but the sudden move by Xavier allowed Alina to not use these countermeasures.


    That should have been the case, but now that the other Travelers were able to free themselves out of the Event Loop too, Alina cannot hide her countermeasures anymore.


    Sure, since the other Travelers had not fully freed themselves from the event loop yet, Alina can actually just focus on running away if she wants to save herself.


    But she clearly knew that she cannot do that, not with her allies still stuck in this place.


    If she leaves, it will be her allies who will take the full force of the enemy Travelers. Alina had no heart to just let that happen, even if she''s wary of her opponents.


    "The info gathered by the Church of Wisdom might be limited due to the presence of the other religions, but they are still enough to inform me about the possible abilities of my Traveler opponents. I just hope that the info that they got was right, as making a mistake here is costly¡­"


    Since she had no choice but to fight, then there is no reason for Alina to hold back anymore. She does not have to resist attacking her opponents, since they are about to attack her anyway.


    In fact, attacking these enemy Travelers right now while they are still struggling to free themselves will actually be for the better, and this is the best time for Alina to actually damage them!


    "Tsk, why would I even worry anyway? Now that I am bound to fight, then I must fight with all of my might!"


    With her mind now fully focused on battling, Alina did not dare watch her opponents for longer. She quickly activated her link to her Storage, which she had been raring to use since the start of the event.


    Once she had opened her Storage, Alina did not waste time as she obtained several objects inside it. She grabbed them with her mind power alone, and she withdrew them out of her Storage in the fastest way possible.


    She then wrapped these objects with the excess of her Esper power, as if she was afraid that they will be damaged by something.


    "Shin~"


    Such treatment of these objects made them seem special, and indeed they were special.


    These objects were all special,  as in Alina''s opinion, these objects have a high possibility on inflicting damage against her  opponents.


    The damage might be minor or major, but from all the info that Alina and the Church of Wisdom gathered, these objects indeed have the highest possibility of hurting her enemies.


    Of course these objects might not work that well, but with the info that Alaina had right now, these objects will make do.


    "¡­."


    At the sight of these objects, Alina could only grimly grin, as she felt both hope and apprehension from seeing them.


    She felt hope, as she knew that these items can help her win. On the other hand, she''s also feeling apprehended, as these items might not work that well given the limited information that Alina had about her opponents.


    "¡­."


    That apprehension was enough to make Alina pause for a second, but she quickly ignored her fears as she forced herself to fight.


    She cannot just let her fear consume her right now, as squaring up against her enemies is much more important today¡­


    "Okay, so all the objects that I have prepared are still intact inside my storage¡­ This is good! Now, I just have to use them in such a way that my opponents will be forced to retreat¡­.."


    With her items prepared and her mind fully soothed, Alina had decided to not delay herself anymore.


    She will now unleash her might on her opponents, and she will not let anyone, not even Xavier''s Companions stop her right now.


    "Let''s see¡­ I only have a few seconds of time left before my enemies can move, so I must make this quick and efficient¡­. Hm, since I have to be quick, then my first target is already obvious."


    With her whole body and soul focused according to her plan, the tense Alia turned her head slightly as she placed her attention on her first target.


    She narrowed her eyes as she stared down as this target, which is awfully close to freeing itself from the event loop already.


    "First target is that woman with the Conqueror''s Aura. According to the data from the Divine Eyes of Wisdom, this woman had two abilities that have reached the Sixth Stage. Due to the circ.u.mstances however, the Divine Eyes of Wisdom was only able to identify one of her powers"


    "Her 1st Sixth Stage Power is the Conqueror''s Aura which she had shown today. As for her 2nd Sixth Stage Power, it was something that she did not show yet, but the Divine Eyes of Wisdom had already recognized it before."


    Alina''s first target is the woman with the Conqueror''s Aura, who Alina chose because the latter was the enemy that will come out of the event loop first.


    This choice is obviously the best one, and Alina will not let this go to waste.


    "This 2nd Sixth Stage Power must be related to Immortal Cultivation, as the Divine Eyes of Wisdom saw a soul entity inside her body which shares  a resemblance to Alex''s Nascent Soul¡­."


    "Yep, this woman is both a Conqueror and an Immortal Cultivator. This is impressive, although not as much as Alex''s¡­."


    Although she appeared to be wasting time with her monologues, Alina did not actually go idle.


    Her whole body was still moving all this time, and even when she was still busy thinking,  she had already used the  first item against her target woman.


    This item was exactly one of her countermeasures, and she used in in the way that she had intended to use it.


    "Woosh!"


    She threw the item towards the woman with the Conqueror''s Aura, and she did it with so much ferocity and speed, that the target could only blink as this item sailed towards her quickly.


    "Since I only knew about her Conqueror''s Aura today, I do not have any countermeasures for that. What I do have is something that I prepared against the Immortal Cultivation Power, since I already knew about that power before¡­"


    This item was a piece of rock, one that glowed faintly as it continued to approach the target. Rings made up of unknown material also glowed as this rock spun, something that added a flair on the rock''s appearance.


    This appearance alone did not show any indication that the rock was dangerous, but when this rock was a few meters away from the woman, it suddenly began to show some signs of an impending explosion(This is obviously the dangerous part).


    "Shing¡­."


    This impending explosion might seem an illusion, but it was not, as both Alina and the target could feel the stored power inside that rock.


    This rock will definitely explode once it hits the target, although no one was sure what will happen during the explosion.


    Alina was the only one who knows what will happen, but she did not show any indications of explaining it.


    She did not even show interest on observing on this rock anymore, as she now placed her attention over something else.


    "¡­."


    Alina still had to deal with other opponents, so watching the explosion made by the thrown rock will not be beneficial to her.


    It will just waste her time, so dealing with her next target is the best action for her right now.


    "Okay, first target has been dealt with. Now, it''s time for the second one¡­"


    ***************


    Before her first item could even display its possibly ''awesome'' explosive capabilities, Alina had already ignored it.


    She instead stared to her left side, towards the fairy-like creature that had a massive tree on his back.


    Upon seeing this creature, Alina let out a sigh as her eyes traced all over the creature''s body and the tree behind it.


    Alina could feel some sense of familiarity with both the creature and the tree, but that did not stop her from her movements.


    Just like her first target, Alina also threw an object towards this fairy creature.


    What she threw however was a  half-bitten fruit.


    "This fairy creature was the ally of the Nature Cult, and according to the Divine Eyes of Wisdom, its power was highly linked to the essence of the sly and cunning Fairies. That alone points out to the possibility that this creature wields a type of magic that is similar to Asteria''s¡­"


    "That might be wrong of course, but now that I can see this creature''s real appearance, I think that it really is indeed using Fairy Magic."


    "Hm, I wonder what will Asteria think if she sees this fairy. Will she recognize it?"


    This half-bitten fruit glowed as it approached the fairy, signifying that it also has some kind of special effect too.


    Aside from this, the fruit has also began releasing large quantities of juices on its fleshy wound, which added credence to its possible lethality.


    These changes in the fruit made its approach towards the fairy look more exciting, and an observer will surely want to see what happens next.


    But just like the first target, Alina did not stay to watch what happened between this fairy and the fruit.


    "Second target has been dealt with too. Time for the third."


    ****************


    What appeared on Alina''s hands this time was a scythe, one which released an aura that seemed hostile to all types of life. Holding this scythe appeared to made Alina look pale, but she did not let it go.


    She just casually slashed it in the air, producing a massive shockwave that went straight towards her third target; which is the handsome man with the powerful soul.


    "This scythe is something that can be used to deal with soul-based beings. The more soul-based a creature was, the more effective this scythe will be. That''s the reason why I used this scythe against my third target, since he is obviously a soul-based being."


    "It''s just too bad that the Divine Eyes of Wisdom did not see what the power of the third target could be. But knowing that his handsome man was a soul-based being is already enough for me¡­"


    Once she had used the scythe, Alina dismissed it as she now looked at her fourth target.


    A small book materialized on Alina''s hand this time, which similar to all the items that she used earlier, she quickly unleashed against her fourth target.


    "According to the Divine Eyes of Wisdom, my fourth target is a woman who had two Sixth Stage abilities too. One is related to martial arts, while the other is Void Manipulation."


    "Now, I am not really sure what kind of ability Void Manipulation is, but I assume that it is related to space¡­."


    "I hope that Void Manipulation is indeed related to space, since the countermeasure that I used just now was a spell that hurts beings that practice space-related abilities¡­"

 Chapter 689 - Question about the Pirating Sites(Please read this if you have time)

    I know that I might sound petty about asking this, but what do you think is the best solution against pirating sites that target works like premium novels(including this novel)?


    I understand why other people do it, but you know, us writers still has to earn some money too, so pirating sites hurt our revenue.


    (Not that I know if it could affect me, since I have no idea how many reads the pirated version of ths novel.)


    So that''s the purpose of this chapter. I just want to know about your opinions about pirating sites, and what should be done on it.


    Should it be fully banned, or maybe it can be used in a way that will greatly benefit the original writers too?


    (Next chap will be later)


    *******************


    49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 73 6f 75 6e 64 20 70 65 74 74 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 61 73 6b 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 77 68 61 74 20 64 6f 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 62 65 73 74 20 73 6f 6c 75 74 69 6f 6e 20 61 67 61 69 6e 73 74 20 70 69 72 61 74 69 6e 67 20 73 69 74 65 73 20 74 68 61 74 20 74 61 72 67 65 74 20 77 6f 72 6b 73 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 70 72 65 6d 69 75 6d 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 73 28 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 73 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 29 3f a a 49 20 75 6e 64 65 72 73 74 61 6e 64 20 77 68 79 20 6f 74 68 65 72 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 20 64 6f 20 69 74 2c 20 62 75 74 20 79 6f 75 20 6b 6e 6f 77 2c 20 75 73 20 77 72 69 74 65 72 73 20 73 74 69 6c 6c 20 68 61 73 20 74 6f 20 65 61 72 6e 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 6d 6f 6e 65 79 20 74 6f 6f 2c 20 73 6f 20 70 69 72 61 74 69 6e 67 20 73 69 74 65 73 20 68 75 72 74 20 6f 75 72 20 72 65 76 65 6e 75 65 2e a a 28 4e 6f 74 20 74 68 61 74 20 49 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 69 66 20 69 74 20 63 6f 75 6c 64 20 61 66 66 65 63 74 20 6d 65 2c 20 73 69 6e 63 65 20 49 20 68 61 76 65 20 6e 6f 20 69 64 65 61 20 68 6f 77 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 72 65 61 64 73 20 74 68 65 20 70 69 72 61 74 65 64 20 76 65 72 73 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 73 20 6e 6f 76 65 6c 2e 29 a a 53 6f 20 74 68 61 74 27 73 20 74 68 65 20 70 75 72 70 6f 73 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 69 73 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 2e 20 49 20 6a 75 73 74 20 77 61 6e 74 20 74 6f 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 79 6f 75 72 20 6f 70 69 6e 69 6f 6e 73 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 70 69 72 61 74 69 6e 67 20 73 69 74 65 73 2c 20 61 6e 64 20 77 68 61 74 20 73 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 62 65 20 64 6f 6e 65 20 6f 6e 20 69 74 2e a a 53 68 6f 75 6c 64 20 69 74 20 62 65 20 66 75 6c 6c 79 20 62 61 6e 6e 65 64 2c 20 6f 72 20 6d 61 79 62 65 20 69 74 20 63 61 6e 20 62 65 20 75 73 65 64 20 69 6e 20 61 20 77 61 79 20 74 68 61 74 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 67 72 65 61 74 6c 79 20 62 65 6e 65 66 69 74 20 74 68 65 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c 20 77 72 69 74 65 72 73 20 74 6f 6f 3f


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    20 74 68 65 20 6f 72 69 67 69 6e 61 6c 20 77 72 69

 Chapter 690 - Poison, Saliva, Slash, and Arrow

    Unlike Alex whose plan was probably filled with pit traps and falsehoods, Alina''s way of dealing with her enemies was simple.


    Just overwhelm them with attacks, and hope that they will be hurt enough for later.


    If this doesn''t work, then Alina will just have to bombard them more until her attacks bore fruit.


    "Boom!"


    Because of the straightforwardness of her plan, Alina was worried all this time that her efforts might be for naught.  But fortunately for her, her attacks appeared to have worked this time.


    *************


    A few moments after Alina unleashed her items against the four Travelers, they began to showcase their effects, which surprisingly worked well against the targets.


    The rock that was thrown towards the first target exploded with a bang, producing a large cloud of toxic fume that covered the target entirely.


    This toxic fume did not look that much dangerous in context of the current situation, but once it made contact with the woman with the Conqueror''s Aura, it suddenly showed the tendency to corrode and poison this woman''s body.


    This woman''s skin began to show signs of melting, with her hair and clothes also starting to break down under the fumes. Her lavish golden throne showed holes at this time too, with each expansion of the hole eliciting a shriek of pain from the woman.


    "Argh!" This effect got worse as time passed by, to the point that even the woman''s bones were being revealed already.


    The woman''s blood-soaked muscles and lacerated organs then appeared next, creating a harrowing sight for everyone to see.


    "Argh!!!"


    Even with the presence of the almighty Conqueror''s Aura, the toxic fumes continued its assault to the woman, and it only got worse when the woman released her Immortal Soul.


    This Immortal Soul, which is obviously the woman''s Sixth Stage Immortal Cultivation Power, should have been the woman''s attempt to resolve the effects of the toxic fumes.


    But instead of helping her, this latest action of hers seemed to have worsened her situation


    The corrosive and toxic efficiency of the toxic fumes actually doubled at the moment that the Immortal Soul appeared, as if the Immortal Soul''s appearance had a good effect to the toxic fumes.


    In fact, these toxic fumes began to gain a body and intelligence of its own at this point, with the Immortal Soul''s very own aura actually feeding and strengthening the fumes!


    This change bodily worsened the woman''s situation, and all that she can do was shriek in pain as more and more of her body was getting corroded.


    "Argh!"


    **************


    By the time that the first item had shown its effects, the second item(The half-bitten fruit) has began displaying its effects too.


    "Hong long~"


    The fluids released by the half-bitten fruit did not have any powerful effects against the event loop or the people nearby. The fluids just flowed around them like a normal liquid, and nobody really seemed in danger from it.


    However, the fairy-like creature showed a reaction towards the fluids even before they touched him, and the way that he reacted was short of surprising, even to Alina herself.


    "Ah! It''s the presence of the Queen! Ah! I-I am sorry for looking like this, my Queen! I ask for your full apology!" The fairy-like creature shouted in fear, as if he had seen something that extremely terrified him. He seemed to have also been affected physically by this fear, as golden blood began to leak out of his nose.


    "Ah¡­ Ah¡­ Ah¡­ I have sinned against the Queen! This will not do! I¡­ I must be punished!" The creature ignored the blood leaking out of his body as he began kowtowing and prostrating at this point. He even banged his head on the ground, which just added more injuries on his body.


    "Forgive me, my Queen, for I have sinned! Forgive me Queen, for I have sinned!" By this point, it was obvious that the fairy-like creature had already lost its interest to fight, and not even the danger surrounding him seem able to break him out of his state.


    The massive tree behind him lost its l.u.s.ter as the fairy-like creature continued kneeling, and the mysterious chants surrounding him had disappeared too.


    What was only left from this creature was his still prostrated body, and there are no signs of him wanting to fight anymore.


    ****************


    The third attack unleashed by Alina, the slash from her mysterious scythe, took only an instant to arrive towards the handsome man, and it did what it was supposed to do.


    "Curses!"


    Because of the slash''s speed and the man''s restricted state, the slash was able to land on the powerful Soul Body summoned by the handsome man.


    "Slash!" With its effects advertised to be useful against all kinds of souls, this slash was able to cut through the Soul Body like it was butter. Nothing was able to stop this slash, not even the frightening soul pressure emitted by the handsome man.


    "Slash!"


    This Soul Body was quickly split in half, and the handsome man can only shout in agony as the Soul Body began to leak large amounts of Soul Essence from its now bisected parts. Each leakage seemed to have increased the man''s agony, and by the time a tankful of Soul Essence was released, the handsome man''s whole face was already red from pain.


    "Argh!!!"


    This  damage on the Soul Body appeared to be extremely effective against the handsome man, and it was able to delay his escape from the event loop.


    His body, which only needed a few more movements before it can be fully free, was dragged back by the loop again, making the man gain more looks of frustration.


    This made the man actually cry this time, with his snot and tears combining to create a face that only a crybaby would have.


    *****************


    The fourth item that Alina used, which is the small book, released an arrow that shot straight towards the armored woman.


    This arrow seemed to be both illusory and real, as its body phased in and out of reality as it got closer to the target. Any attempts by the armored woman to warp the arrow was useless, as the spatial manipulations that she performed just went through the arrow like they were nothing.


    "!!!"


    This arrow seemed to be immune against all kinds of space-related abilities, which made it easy for it to reach the woman.


    To make matters worse, the arrow also showed the capability to manipulate space too, an effect that seemed to have caught the armored woman off-guard.


    "Hong~"


    A spherical area, around a kilometer in diameter was being slowly sucked in by the arrow itself, creating a distortion in space that affected everything inside it, including the armored woman.


    This distortion naturally had the woman under a lot of stress as it slowed her movements down, but it was not this distortion that affected her the most.


    It was when the arrow hit her body that the armored woman truly became distressed, and the distant Alina began to smile upon seeing what happened.


    The powerful spatial manipulation ability of this armored woman suddenly disappeared at the moment that the arrow hit her, leaving her defenseless once more.


    All the vacuum and void displacement techniques by the armored woman were also gone, and her seemingly raucous attempt to combine her body with the ''void'' was negated too.


    This rendered the armored woman''s attempt to escape the event loop as null, and she could only shout in anger as her body was brought back to the start point again.


    "Argh!!!!"


    *****************


    What was witnessed by Alina and her enemies right now were the effects of Alina''s attacks, and they were all within her expectations.


    Some did not exactly damage their targets that much, but the delay that the attacks induced on their targets was already enough¡­


    *****************


    "My first attack against the Immortal Cultivator uses a material that I and Professor Alex created together. This material is a living poison that will grow stronger as long as it is fed with a certain kind of energy. In today''s case, the living poison that I used is one that grows on the consumption of Immortal Qi¡­"


    With her eyes still vigilantly watching her opponents, Alina began to say these words to herself, as if she seemed to be reviewing the attacks that she had just used.


    Alina knew that she had to face Xavier''s Companions right now, but she could not help but review what had just transpired right now.


    "This property is the reason why that living poison was able to hurt the first target badly. However, it will only last for a minute, so that woman will only stay that way for a minute¡­"


    "The second item that I used was a fruit that was infused with Asteria''s saliva and essence. On its own, that fruit has no effect on anything, as that dumb fairy is useless. But she is still a Fairy Queen, so that fruit should be highly effective on any fairy-like beings."


    "And that was what had happened here, as my second target was easily subdued by the fruit¡­"


    "The third item also worked well too, but that handsome man can still recover from that damage in his Soul Body too¡­"


    "As for the fourth item, it is specifically designed to deal with space-related abilities. I was the one who made that arrow, so I know that it will work. I am just not sure how long can that arrow suppress that armored woman¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Hoho, so my items had successfully suppressed the Travelers, but not for long. But at least I managed to stall them for some time. That will be enough for me to resume my actual plan¡­"


    By thinking of these things inside her mind, Alina actually realized one thing.


    She might have damaged or delayed the escape of her enemy Travelers, but it will not actually last that long.


    At most, these Travelers will be incapacitated for around a minute before they can start meddling again.


    That time frame is obviously bad, but Alina can make do with that.


    "A minute might be short, but I can free my allies and defeat Xavier''s Companions within that time. I just have to do this quick, and I have to make sure that I won''t make any mistakes!"


    With this reminder in her mind, Alina took a deep breath as she calmed herself down.


    There is no need for Alina to worry anymore, so she can already stop being nervous, at least for a minute.


    "I have been interrupted two times already, but this time I will not fail anymore. I am about to free Queen Mother and Professor Frances, and nobody can stop me now. And if something does indeed happen, I will ignore that too. I had too much delay already, so I can''t afford to mess up anymore¡­"


    Now that the Travelers were suspended for a minute, Alina can resume what she should have already done earlier, which is obviously freeing her allies.


    "I hope nothing else really interrupts me this time¡­. "


    "[T-MANIFEST: ORDO]"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Good, nothing wrong so far."

 Chapter 691 - Instability and Quantification

    AT THE VAST EMPTINESS OF SPACE.


    SPECIFICALLY, THE OUTER SPACE NEAR THE WORLD THAT ALINA IS IN.


    With her ability related to space and its emptiness, Alina usually uses her power to observe the outer space, especially the vacuum surrounding her current world. She observes the structures that passes by through the outer space, and all the beautiful objects that could be seen there.


    She also vigilantly looks out for danger, as someone could possibly come attacking from the outer space


    "¡­."


    This spatial observation is her daily habit, but today, Alina did not exactly follow this routine.


    "¡­"


    Because she''s currently busy dealing with her enemies, Alina had duly ignored the outer space for now.


    Observing the outer space right now will just be a waste of Alina''s  energy, so she had decided to just conserve all of her power.


    Her energy will be better used against her enemies and foes, as this is her real problem as of now.


    Since there is a low chance that somebody was actually flying through the outer space right now, Alina was confident that she made the right decision.


    But this was where Alina was wrong


    Because a few million kilometers away from the planet that she''s in, a sleek-looking spaceship had made its appearance, and by the speed that its going, it is bound to arrive at Alina''s world in a few minutes¡­.


    **************


    INSIDE THE ALPHA STRIKE SPACESHIP.


    The said sleek-looking spaceship appeared to not slow down at all, and it did not even stop as it got closer and closer to the planet.


    Whatever obstacles appeared near the spaceship were either ignored by the ship or blasted to pieces. Rocks that threatened to crush the ship''s body were peppered with lasers, while nefarious spatial beings were sliced into dead pieces.


    This brutal and forceful clearing of the obstacles helped create a stable pathway for the spaceship, one which  actually became a great benefit to it.


    With its path free from any obstructions and danger, this spaceship gained a great increase in its speed, with its thrusters and boosters now activated in full throttle.


    "Woosh!"


    The full boost coming from its parts helped the spaceship  to reach its peak speed in just a matter of seconds, a feat that further shortened the spaceship''s arrival time towards Alina''s planet.


    By this point in time, the spaceship was only halfway towards its destination, and it will just take a few more moments before it actually lands.


    "¡­.."


    The shortening of this spaceship''s arrival time was obviously good, however, there was one problem about it.


    Because the ship was moving in an erratic manner, it is hard for any observer to estimate the speed and the possible arrival time of this spaceship.


    The materials making the up spaceship appeared to have the capability to defy the laws of physics, a property that makes it near impossible to currently quantify the ship''s properties.


    One moment and the spaceship looked slow, and the next, the ship had already disappeared from a person''s sight.  One moment and the spaceship looked like it was close to melting, and the next, the ship seemed to be as sharp as a diamond.


    These changes in its properties certainly made the spaceship look extremely malleable and useful against all sorts of problems, but it also magnified the difficulty of observing it.


    Nobody observing the spaceship from the outside has the capability to easily quantify the spaceship, and their measurements will always have something wrong in them.


    The only ones who had an idea about this spaceship''s condition were its passengers and drivers alone, and their measurements are the only ones that will be consistent for all the time.


    "¡­"


    *********************


    In normal situations, the notion of having an unmeasurable ship is obviously bad,  since measurements are important to ensure the safe landing of the ship along with its passengers.


    Without the knowledge about a ship''s speed or its time of arrival, those who are assigned to receive the landing sh.i.p.s are destined to mess up the landing schemes.


    These mess-ups usually lead to accidents with injuries, and sometimes even death if things get worse.


    This problem about instabilty was prominent in all of the spacesh.i.p.s that travel today, and those that do not follow the rigid laws of physics suffer the most.


    As such, most sh.i.p.s usually have to follow the protocol on how they should be built, as the ones built the wrong way will always end up as the failures.


    ***************


    Speaking of failures, the sleek spaceship that is soaring towards ALina''s planet right now can be said to be a failure of the highest grade.


    This sleek spaceship''s body was unstable and hard to measure, and none of its outside parameters can be measured, especially right now that it had reached its peak speed.


    These vulgar qualities did nothing but put the sleek spaceship in grave peril, and unless something was  done to adjust it, this spaceship is doomed to get destroyed in an ugly way.


    "¡­."


    This kind of harrowing ending for this sleek spaceship will obviously be haunting to many, especially to its passengers right now.


    This   spaceship''s passengers must have been trembling with fear at this point, and maybe they are hoping to have a miracle and find someone that will help them out.


    Maybe this spaceship''s passengers are also crying out for help already, and they are just waiting for their salvation.


    ***************


    But if one were to look inside this spaceship right now and observe the passengers, the expected fear on the passenger''s faces will not be seen here


    Instead, the passengers were visibly calm amidst the turbulent movement of the spaceship, and they seem to have no problem with what was happening around them.


    The passengers were even talking to themselves leisurely, as if they were treating the whole thing like it was normal.


    What was more surprising about the passengers'' attitudes  however were their identities, as it turns out that there are only two passengers inside this sleek spaceship.


    These two passengers were no other than Wisteria and Astria, who had both been travelling using this ship since 3 days ago.


    [WISTERIA]: Hmm¡­ so the ETA(Estimated Time of Arrival) to the target planet is in 3 Minutes. That is enough time for us to prepare, although the existence of an energy field covering the whole planet  might force us to adjust a little.


    [ASTRIA]: An energy field is covering the target planet? How problematic¡­


    [WISTERIA]:  Its problematic indeed. This energy field will make it hard for us to come, and the residents on this planet might even detect our arrival¡­. Tsk, do you have any way to breach this field easily, Astria?


    [ASTRIA]: Don''t ask me Wisteria. You''re the Cosmic Guard here, so you should be the one with the solution, right?


    [WISTERIA]: ¡­


    Just hearing their words alone were enough to show how lackadaisical they were about the whole situation, and it was made more obvious as they continued to talk.

 Chapter 692 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 1

    [ASTRIA]: Why do you sound like you''re not worried about the situation here? Isn''t the first mission the one where most rookies from the Cosmic Guard usually dies? This is your first mission, so you should be f**king worried!


    [WISTERIA]: I am worried, Astria. But what use is worrying right now? That won''t resolve my problem, so it is better for me to just stay calm and collected¡­


    [ASTRIA]: You said that you will stay calm and collected? Hmph, it seems like you have already forgotten that panic attack that you had when your batch mates pranked you¡­.


    [WISTERIA]: Wait, that does not count!


    [ASTRIA]: It does not count? Lol, it counts! Hehehe, I can''t even forget how you peed yourself at that tim-


    [WISTERIA]: Hey! Stop talking about that already, for goodness'' sake! Are you just here to embarrass me?


    [Astria]: Well, I am not here to embarrass you. But I am here to remind you that you can''t act like a weakling here. You do know of that, right?


    [WISTERIA]: Of course, I know. You don''t need to remind me at all.


    [ASTRIA]: ¡­.


    [WISTERIA]¡­.


    The two women, who had been like this ever since they started travelling, did not show any signs of anxiety in regards to their mission.


    The only indication that they were worried were the slight trembles on Wisteria''s hands, all that she quickly collected through her willpower alone.


    [ASTRIA]: Speaking of weakling¡­. I can''t help but feel that this mission of yours will make you feel like a weakling again. Do you feel that too? I am not sure if this feeling of mine is right, but I advise you to be careful about this planet¡­.


    [WISTERIA]: This is the 10th time today that you have reminded me about my mission, Astria. I know what to do here, so you don''t need to be worried about me. Just let me do what I always do, okay?


    [ASTRIA]: Hmph, who said that I am worried about you? I was just looking out for your body, since I am living inside you. If you die, I die. So don''t think that I am kind to you, ok? You''re just my vessel, nothing more, nothing less.


    [WISTERIA]: ¡­Sigh, what a tsundere. Can''t you just admit that you like me as a friend? That is not hard, you know.


    [ASTRIA]: Hey! Who are you calling a tsundere, huh? I am not like that!


    [WISTERIA]: Hmph, says the woman who always salivates in desire when she''s talking about Alex. You''re supposed to hate that man, yet you always look in love when you talk about him! If that is not tsundere, then I don''t know what else could that be¡­.


    [ASTRIA]: Oi, my feelings for Alex are special, so don''t lump my emotions normally.  I both hate and love him, but that does not mean that I am a tsundere, ok? I am not like that, and I won''t be that way for any time at all!


    [WISTERIA]: Hey chill! I was just teasing you a little bit! Can''t you even take a little joke?


    [ASTRIA]: Hmph, little joke my ass! Instead of pissing me off, why don''t you just focus on driving this spaceship? We''re about to arrive in the target planet already, right? Instead of wasting your mind on those cheap jokes, just drive properly!


    [WISTERIA]: ¡­


    [ASTRIA]: How many seconds are remaining before we arrive at the planet?


    [WISTERIA]: There''s still 50 seconds left before we arrive at the planet.


    [ASTRIA]: 50 seconds? What the f**k? Since it was that short, then go and prepare your gear already!


    [WISTERIA]: Hey, you don''t get to dictate me on what to do, Astria. Remember, you are just a soul residing inside my body. You don''t get to control me. You are just a specta-


    [ASTRIA]: Yeah, yeah, yeah, whatever. Just get on with the suit and start zipping up already.


    [WISTERIA]: ¡­.


    [ASTRIA]: ¡­.


    [WISTERIA]: ¡­.


    [ASTRIA]: ¡­.


    [WISTERIA]: ¡­Sigh, why do I have to be stuck with a person like you? If Alex just implanted a different soul inside my body, then things could have-


    [ASTRIA]: Tsk, if you want to talk about Alex, let''s just do it once we have no more problems. For now, let''s focus on your mission, ok?


    [WISTERIA]: ¡­You''re really a nagging presence to me everyday. Why didn''t I just dump you when I had the chance?


    [ASTRIA]: Well, maybe it was because you love me?


    [WISTERIA]: You think I love you? Hmph, what an embarrassing thing fOr you to say! Don''t you have anything better to come out from that mouth of yours?


    [ASTRIA]: Hey! Are you insulting me again? Didn''t I just tell you to-


    [WISTERIA]: Hmph, just shut up there Astria and give me some peace of mind. We''re about to arrive in the planet in 10 seconds, so please, don''t distract me anymore. Any more distractions will be detrimental, so don''t try to even let out a squeak.


    [ASTRIA]: ¡­.


    [WISTERIA]: OH, and don''t give me that blank look too! That''s creepy too, you know!


    [ASTRIA]: ¡­.


    [WISTERIA]: ¡­.


    [ASTRIA]: ¡­.


    The conversation between the two women ended at this time, as the presence of their target planet had rendered them silent.


    Even if they were still willing to talk, the face of their target planet brought forth a sense of pressure upon the two, as they remembered that they were about to face a perilous mission in this place.


    [WISTERIA]: If gods still exist in this world, I wish that you will bless me with luck regarding my endeavor today. Bless me with the courage to win, and give me the destiny of a winner¡­.


    [ASTRIA]: Hey, why are you praying to non-existent beings again? Didn''t your history lesson tell you that the True Gods are already dead? Come on, all the Cosmic Guards treat the True Gods as ancient artifacts already. You should be aligned with that kind of thought too.


    [WISTERIA]: Didn''t I tell you to shut up, Astria? Which part of my command did you not understand, huh?


    [ASTRIA]: ¡­.


    [WISTERIA]: ...


    J??????D?????? K?????H??? D?????F???????J??? V???????A???????N???C?????? V????H???????B??? R?????Y??? W?????T???R???? 8????U??????I????? A???U??????H??? F???D?????S???? H?????F????D???? F?????H?????B??????? D?????S?????A???? J????B???A???? S????D?????B?????? S?????J??????D????? N???J???????K???????D?????V???? N?????B??????H????? A?????S???D??? F?????S???? D??????A???G????? F??????U????I????? E??????A??????? F???????N??????? I??????O???? E????W??????M?????? V?????K???? F????V????? N?????U?????A???? J?????B????? C?????S????? A?????I??????D?????? J?????N??????


    ******************


    BACK AT THE TERRITORY OF THE CHURCH OF WISDOM.


    "Hong long~"


    This time around, Alina''s attempt to use her Time Magic had succeeded.


    She was able to use her 2,000 Year''s worth of time to free both Queen Mother and Professor Frances from the event loop, and there had been no hiccups that interrupted her this time.


    "¡­."


    Like baby chicks that broke free from their eggshells, the lesbian tree woman and the mad professor wiggled out from the event loop, with their bodies now back to the present time.


    Their faces both wore looks of relief, something that made Alina feel relieved too.


    "Ah, and I thought you will abandon us for good there, Alina. You made the right choice freeing us.  So¡­ what should I do now? I, Professor Frances is raring to face something that can take my power! Come on, give ''em all to me!"


    "This Queen is relieved that you chose to free us, Alina. This speaks of your courage and your trust on us. Speaking of courage, you look like you''re facing a lot of enemies. Do you want me to help you out?"


    Without even waiting for Alina to explain anything, Queen Moher and Professor Frances made their intent to fight already obvious. All the aura and power hidden inside their bodies at this point was released all at once, filing the whole area with the killing intent.


    Such killing intent made those who witnessed it shiver, but for Alina, this killing intent was enough to make her smile.


    "I already deployed measures to delay the other Travelers from freeing themselves from the event loop. That means that we can just deal with them later. For now, what we should deal with¡­ are them."


    While suppressing the smile that threatened to blossom on her face, Alina assumed a solemn look as she pointed her fingers at the group of people that are rushing to her right now.


    Alina looked at this group with the same killing intent as her allies, and she also showed an excited glint on her eyes, as if she was raring to have a fight against this group already.


    "¡­."

 Chapter 693 - Congregration of the Divine Senses! Part 2

    The group that Alina was pertaining to was still the same enemies that she was dealing with earlier.


    Her current enemies were the companions of Traveler Xavier, who in spite of all the things that Alina did, did not stop from rushing towards her!


    They did not show fear after seeing all the things that Alina did, and they seem to be even more interested on actually fighting her right now.


    The blond woman leading this enemy group licked her lips in excitement, while the robot and the fairy accompanying her both smiled hideously.


    "Boom!"


    The body of these three enemies boiled with the power that they have been storing all this time, and it was unleashed in one full blast now that Alina had freed her allies.


    This change brought for distortions on the whole area, which did not faze Alina and the others.


    "As you can see, the Traveler who created this event loop had already escaped, and ones that remained in this place were his Companions. These Companions in turn are trying to attack me right now, and they don''t look like they''re planning to spare me." Alina said as she let the dangerous winds slice all around her body.


    She also ignored the rifts in space that surrounded her, with some actually neutralized by her power. "So what do you think? Are you interested on fighting them?"


    As she said these words, Alina once more observed her incoming enemies, in case that they might try something unexpected.


    Fortunately for her, the incoming trio did not do anything surprising.


    They just continued rushing towards Alina, and this time around, the killing intent on their bodies has increased in response to the appearance of Queen Mother and Professor Frances.


    "Boom!"


    This killing intent was more pronounced on the person leading the trio, who was a beautiful woman with a shoulder-length blonde hair. Her striking beauty complemented well with her murderous desires, and all of it seemed to be concentrated at Alina.


    Alina of course took no notice of this murderous desire against her, as she was more interested on winning.


    However,  Alina could not help but find this blond woman irritating, to the point that it made Alina want nothing more but to kill the latter.


    This sudden spike of irritation inside her made Alina pause for a second, but before she could worry about this change, her allies chose to make their opinions known at this time.


    "Hey, why are you still asking me that question? Of course I will fight them! So which one of them should I fight, huh??"  Professor Frances said with relish after she faced the increased killing intent of her enemies. "Hm, so there''s three of them that we are fighting? Nice, this is exciting¡­"


    Instead of acting cautious against the clearly powerful trio who all looked willing to kill her, the professor smirked instead, with her eyes glowing with an unmistakable l.u.s.t for blood. "I see a little android, a smaller fairy, and a b***y woman¡­ Hmm, all of them looks like delectable targets¡­"


    "Yes, those enemies look delectable indeed. I wonder if they can serve to nourish my Main Body too¡­" Queen Mother also did not cower against her murderous enemies, and she looked to be even morbidly curious about them.


    "What do you think, Frances and Alina? Who should I eat amongst those three? My Main Body is already hungry, and I want to eat already¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    Upon hearing the enthusiastic words from her allies, Alina was happy knowing that the professor and Queen Mother had no qualms on fighting against their enemies.


    But Alina was greatly worried by the context of the words that they said, especially the ones that Queen Mother uttered.


    "Did Queen Mother just said that she wants to eat her enemies? Did she just say that?" Alina thought to herself as she glanced to the tree woman, who wore an apathetic look on her face at this point.


    There is not indication on Queen Moher''s face that she was hungry for living flesh, but the emptiness of her eyes and the way that she gazed at the enemies made Alina reconsider.


    "Ugh, what the hell happened to Queen Mother earlier? Did something wrong happen to her during the event loop that made her like this? Tsk, I don''t think I can do anything about this for now¡­"


    Even without using her eyes alone, Alina can see that something had changed inside Queen Mother during the time that she was inside the event loop, and whatever that change is, it made her crave for the flesh of her enemies.


    Such change made Alina think twice about making Queen Mother fight, but with their current state, she knew that she had no way on stopping the tree woman¡­


    Alina and her allies still had enemies to fight this time, so interviewing the tree woman about her sudden urge to ''eat'' will have to be done later.


    "¡­Queen Mother, you can talk about eating later. For now, let''s just defeat our opponents quickly, okay?" Alina said as she ignored the uncomfortable feeling that accompanied her words. "As long as you defeat our opponents, everything will be fine."


    After saying this, Alina suddenly slid closer towards the tree woman, with her hands on her katana, as if she was warning the latter to not make any drastic move.


    Once she was near her, ALina gave Queen Mother a serious stare, as if she was challenging her to listen intently. "Can you do that, Queen mother? Can you suppress your hunger until all our enemies have been defeated?"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "Alina, there is no need for you to act that serious. I might be hungry right now, but I still have retained my rationality. So don''t worry. I won''t be a burden to you or to Professor Frances." Queen Mother looked absurdly calm as she gave this reply, and she did not show any anger from being slightly scolded by Alina.


    She did not even act fazed from Alina''s tense body, and she just stared the latter''s katana as if it was an interesting object. "So Alina, will you use that katana to chop my food later? If you do, please make your cuts precise. That way, I can enjoy a sushi or a sashimi in my plate for dinner¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­.


    "¡­."


    Alina wanted nothing more but to jump away from Queen Mother right now, but the impending arrival of their enemies left her with no choice but to start delegating her allies'' tasks.


    Even when Alina was more interested on having Queen Mother quarantined this time, the frightening vitality from the blond woman, the sparkling lightning from the enemy robot, and the mischievous hostility from the enemy fairy had halted Alina''s interests to stop fighting.


    "Professor Frances, you will fight that robot. As for you Queen Mother, you will face-off against that fairy. As for me, I will be facing that blond woman."  Alina said, with her attention focused once more on the enemy group. "Don''t ask me how I made these pairings. This is the best pairing in my opinion, so just follow what I said."


    Alina made sure that her words were as firm as they could be, in hopes of preventing her allies from misunderstanding her. "Now, if you have any problems with what I said, just tell it to me, and I will try to resolve it."


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    To  Alina''s relief, both Queen Mother and Professor Frances did not fight back against her delegated tasks. They seem to have accepted their roles, which greatly reduced Alina''s worries.


    ***************


    "With the use of my All-Seeing Eyes, I can vaguely see the capabilities of my opponents. This allows me to think of some good countermeasures against any enemies, and that''s what I used to choose my enemies today." With her bid to convince her allies succeeding, Alina could not help but find her mind wandering in regards to her opponent''s abilities.


    "With my All-Seeing Eyes, I can see that the robot is one that has a powerful body but a fragile soul. That makes it susceptible against Professor Frances'' soul magic."


    "As for the fairy on the left, her power is unmistakably similar to Asteria''s. Since that was the case, using the half-bitten fruit will be effective here. But I have already used it against the Traveler Fairy, so this enemy fairy will just have to make do with Queen Mother."


    "As for that blond woman, there is no doubt about it. She''s also a Divine Sensory Organ holder, and the reason that she''s attacking me today was because I am a Divine Sensory Organ holder too. Tsk, since this b***h wants to hurt me, then I will hurt her back the same way too!"

 Chapter 694 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 3

    After saying these words, Alina began to grumble to herself  as she observed the pristine white skin of the blond woman.


    Alina took in the perfect appearance of this woman''s skin, along with the lines of power that subtly flowed along this body part. Her eyes then widened as she saw the well of power emanating from this woman''s skin, which released an invisible  glare that almost forced Alina to closer her eyes shut.


    "Hiss!!!"


    Alina could not help but frown after observing this skin for a few seconds, as she could see that the skin was giving her more trouble than she expected.


    "Just the robot and that fairy by itself are powerful enemies already, and then there''s this woman who''s  giving me more headaches too. I mean, why would this woman have a Divine  Sensory Organ while also being a Sixth Stage Being?"


    "This is just so unfair, you know! It makes the feat of fighting you extremely difficult!"


    Through the use of her All-Seeing Eyes, Alina could definitely say that her opponents are of high-caliber.


    Each one of them possess abilities that only the elite have, and the killing intent on their bodies made it apparent that they will be extremely dangerous to fight against.


    Because of this, Alina and her allies cannot slack off against this incoming trio, as being relaxed upon facing them will mean certain danger!


    They have to be wary, or else they could die!


    "Hm¡­ as long as we give our all here, winning against the enemy is feasible. We just have to time our attacks right, and make them synch with one another¡­" With her mind certainly aware of the dangers surrounding her, the calm Alina talked to herself as she began to activate her abilities.


    "Houm~"


    Within her left hand, Alina slowly concentrated a large mass of her Mental Power.  As for her right hand, she stored as many Time Essence and Dark Energy that she could inside it.


    This storage of energy created a small maelstrom around Alina''s body, one that she ignored as she slowly brought her hands down.


    "Huom~"


    This deliberate hands-down motion of hers was attention catching, but it was what happened next that was more noticeable.


    When both of her hands were already around her waist, Alina unhesitatingly grabbed her katana with both hands, and she then pulled it out of its sheath in one smooth motion.


    This move allowed Alina to unleash a sword slash, one which she sent directly towards her target.


    "Schwing~"


    Alina''s Dark Energy, Mental Power, and Time Essence were fused with this sword slash, resulting in an attack that was infused with the concepts of Dark Magic,  Space Manipulation, and Chronomancy.


    Such combination created a brand-new attack that was never seen before, and it revealed itself in a way that shocked those who witnessed it!


    "Schwing!"


    Like a silent assassin that made its way through its victims, Alina''s  sword slash created a crack  that permeated through space, time, and dimensions themselves. This resulted on a creation of an empty, gaping area in front of Alina, one that engulfed almost everything near it.


    This crack appeared to be both omnipresent and omniscient on the areas that it appeared, with its effects almost impossible to fight against.


    "Swish!" Every objects, concept, and creatures that were touched by this crack were immediately shredded into countless tiny pieces, rendering intent destruction upon them. It was as if they were being pushed out of space, time, and existence itself, and those that tried to resist were instantly destroyed.


    Some objects were flat-out disintegrated by the ravaging flow of Dark Energy while others faded under the presence of Time. Some objects were also compressed and stretched by Mental Power nearby, leaving them spatially compromised.


    "¡­.."


    With such power released in this attack by Alina, this destruction obviously did not spare everything that it touched, and the ones who were able to resist it were only few.


    "¡­"


    Unfortunately for ALina, the blond woman, who was the target of this attack, had managed to survive from this onslaught.


    "¡­."


    This blond woman was sporting a large jagged wound on her left shoulder, one that almost  revealed  the bones and organs underneath it. Blood freely flowed from this wound, and the blond woman was clutching this wound with a contorted expression on her face, signifying the agony that she is going through right now.


    This injury obviously made the blond woman weaker, but aside from this wound, she suffered nothing else.


    All the other injuries that this blond woman had were minor wounds and scratches, all that seemed to just irritate her.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, I already put a full power on that swing, and you still survived? Tsk, you really are as powerful as I expected¡­" Seeing that her attack did not work, Alina only sighed as she pulled her sword back. She of course did not think of stopping her attack, but she realized that she had to change her approach at this point.


    "The combination of my Dark Magic, Esper Power, and Time Magic is still crude at this time, so the Dimensional Slash that I unleashed consumed a lot of my reserves. That means that I can only use this attack for a second time before I ran out of energy for myself¡­"


    "¡­So basically, I have no choice but to hold back on using this attack, and I should only use it if I am sure that it will work¡­"


    Alina was extremely proud in regards to the power of her newest ability, but seeing that its results did not end with the death of her target, Alina knew that she must adjust quickly.


    If brute force won''t do, then maybe ALina should try defeating the blond woman in terms of sophisticated skills.


    "Since this blond woman has the Skin of Omniscience, she could have used it to resist my attack. If that''s the case, then I must attack her in a way that will render her Skin of Omniscience useless¡­."


    "But what kind of attack should I use in order to make her Skin of Omniscience useless?"


    Alina bit her lips at this time, as she found herself at an impasse.


    She might be confident about her attacks, but the power of her enemy''s Skin of Omn iscience proved to be so great this time, that Alina can only use all of her abilities if she wanted to win.


    If Alina whatsoever holds back right now, her opponent will surely seize the chance to win, even though she had been injured at this point.


    Such dilemma drove Alina to the peak of her irritation, to the point that she found it hard to even relax.


    "Tsk, why do I have to face a Divine Sensory Organ holder out of all the people today? This just makes my situation worse! Tsk, If I just- wait, Frances and Queenie looks like they''re winning¡­"


    Alina''s mood was a little down because of her failure to end her enemy, but after looking at her allies, Alina''s mood began to be uplifted once more as she saw their success.


    "Hom hom hom!"


    On Alina''s left side, the maniacal-looking Professor Frances was unleashing numerous soul-based spells in a row, all which are headed straight towards her android opponent.


    Behind the professor, her mighty and upgraded  Monster Army were attacking too, and they did not let the android get any wiggling space as they bombarded it with life-ending attacks.


    The combination of the professor''s mysterious soul magic with the overall Sixth Stage Power of the Monster army has created an inescapable net against the robot, and all that the latter could do now was to fight back.


    "¡­."


    On Alina''s right side, the lethargic Queen Mother was also having an advantage against her fairy opponent, although the way that she achieved this was far from normal.


    Instead of transforming herself into her World Tree Form or using her body to fight, the current Queen Mother only used plant-like wh.i.p.s against the fairy.


    These wh.i.p.s might look weak at first, but Alia could feel the inherent strength hidden with each whip, which gets magnified everytime the tree woman sends them lashing forward.


    "Smack!"


    The power of these wh.i.p.s proved to be so great, that Queen Mother''s fairy opponent was forced to dodge each whip, as if she did not have any way to deal with them.


    "¡­."


    *****************


    Alina was naturally pleased with the progress of both Queen Mothers and Professor Frances, and it easily dispelled her worries for them.


    Since these two can hold their own against their assigned opponents, Alina had no need to observe them. She can just let them do what they want as she deals with her own problems¡­


    Ceasing her observation on her allies might be repulsive to Alina before, but right now, she had no qualms with it, as she realized that  all of her attention should only  be focused against her current opponent.


    For her opponent to survive her powerful attack is enough to merit Alina''s worry, and the fact that this opponent was a Divine Sensory Organ holder too just makes this a greater issue.


    "Sigh¡­ since my opponent has the Skin of Omniscience, this fight is bound to be a hard one. I have to perform my next attacks with both precision and accuracy, and I must not miss even just once¡­."


    With her mind fully settled on her opponent alone, Alina let out another deep breath as she pointed her sword at her wounded foe.


    She reignited her intent to fight, and this time around, she made sure that her next attack will not fail anymore.


    "Prepare yourself, holder of the Skin of Omniscience. That skin might be protecting you today, but your defense will not last that long! Just you wait! I shall unleash an attack against you¡­ that twill topple that stupid defense of yours!"


    **************


    The Divine Sensory Organs all held important functions on their own, with each one optimized to enhance the sense of their owners to the limits.


    The All-Seeing Eyes allows its user to see thorugh anything, ncluidng lies, illusions and even the visions of the future and the past.


    The Ears of Divine Communication allows its user to hear anything, including the emotions and thoughts of another person. It can also be used to know everything about the opponent, essentially predicting its movements.


    As for the Skin of Omniscience, its capabilities were just as mind-boggling too.


    The Skin of Omniscience displays all the enhanced capabilities that other Divine Sensory Organs display, which include increased sensitivity to touch and vibrations.


    This increased sensitivity allows the Skin of Omniscience to detect any enemies nearby and see them before they could even move. This organ can also predict the movements of the enemies along with their abilities, making it difficult for anyone to just sneak attack the organ''s holder.


    That latest feature makes it so that any holder of the Skin of Omniscience are hard to kill, as they could ''see'' the danger coming even from a mile away. In fact, out of all the Divine Sensory organ holders, it is the holder of the Skin of Omniscience that usually survives the longest¡­


    But aside from an early warning system, the Skin of  Omniscience still has another property that makes it useful for defense.


    The Skin of Omniscience also forms a powerful armor that cover the whole body, and this armor is extremely tough. As long as the attacks does not reach the level of Half-Step Transcendence, the Skin of Omniscience can weather the attacks with ease.


    Repeated attacks on the Skin of Omniscience can reduce the armor''s durability however, so its defense still can''t be trusted this easily.


    But even if the Skin of Omniscience''s toughness will go down with repeated attacks, its initial toughness alone is powerful enough to tank almost anything, even a full-powered strike from a maddened Peak Sixth Stage Being¡­.


    "¡­."


    This defensive prowess of the Skin of Omniscience was the sole reason why Alina''s attack failed against her enemy, which was obviously enough to irritate Alina.


    Just this attack of hers took out a lot of her reserves already, and it actually did not work just because of the Skin of Omniscience?


    There is no way that Alina can keep happy, especially now that her opponent was urging her to attack again.

 Chapter 695 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 4

    "If you''re that confident about yourself, then so be it."


    A lotus made up of dark energy materialized behind Alina, releasing a curtain of darkness that covered the whole area.


    The surrounding space and dimensions shivered around the lotus, creating a mirage-like image that shimmered  Alina''s surroundings. Images of death, suffering, and submission appeared amongst the shimmering area, creating an atmosphere of despair and depression that weighed heavily on those present.


    All creations seem to tremble in face of this lotus, and those who witnessed its visage had the urge to prostrate and worship it.


    This included Alina''s allies and her enemies, who all stopped what they were doing for a second as they looked at the lotus in fear.


    Alina nodded in satisfaction upon seeing the wariness on her opponents'' faces, but she did not let it make her complacent. She instead maintained her control over the lotus, and she even let it grow to much larger size.


    "Since your armor protects you from physical attacks, I wonder what will happen if I attack your soul. Will your armor still protect you? There''s only one way to find out¡­."


    Once the lotus reached the size comparable to an elephant, Alina let out a laugh as she pointed her finger to her opponent, an action that was a signal to the black lotus.


    "Woosh!" With a speed like that of a flying eagle, the dark lotus flew straight towards Alina''s foe, with its large body aimed solely for her head. The whole area trembled with this move, with those nearby feeling a dangerous suction force that threatened to pull out their souls out of their bodies.


    "Huom~"


    The path that the lotus took created large shards of pulsing dark crystals, all that exuded a malicious intent that made the incoming lotus look evil.


    Such aura combined with the lotus'' ferocious appearance  made the whole attack seem unstoppable, and for a second, Alina''s opponent seem to falter in fear in face of it.


    "I call this attack of mine the Tri-Essence Dark Lotus. Let''s see if you can do something about this¡­"


    ***************


    Alina''s reserves were once more reduced because of this attack, but in comparison to her sword slash earlier, Alina''s energy consumption this time was way more manageable.


    This discrepancy might be detrimental to the power of the dark lotus, but ALina knew that her sword slash and her dark lotus cannot be compared easily with one another.


    The sword slash was an attack that affected the physical realm itself, while the dark lotus only affects the soul.


    This difference only meant that both attacks are useful in their own ways, and they can be used in response to varying situations.


    For today''s case, since her sword slash did not do its intended effect, Alina had decided to rely on her dark lotus.


    "Since my opponent is gifted physically, then attacking her soul might be the best approach here¡­"


    This is the tough that pervaded Alina''s mind as she unleashed her Tri-Essence Dark Lotus, and now she is eager to see what it can do against her foe.


    But to Alina''s disappointment, what happened after her latest attack did not go in the way that she had planned it to¡­.


    "You b***y holder of the All-Seeing Eyes. You thought that just because I have a powerful body, that I will have a weak soul? You really are an idiot to think of that¡­." With a sneer present on her face, Alina''s foe stopped looking at the lotus in fear.


    The foe instead shook her head in disdain, as if the frightening might of the Tri-Essence Dark Lotus was nothing more but a child''s play for her.


    "Holder of the All-Seeing Eyes, if you were an Elder of my Clan or a Demon, sure, you can damage me until I die. But for the current you¡­ not even your strongest attack can kill me! So don''t act like you have won already!"


    Because of her injuries, Alina''s foe seemed to have no interest on moving at all. But after she insulted Alina, this woman suddenly disappeared on the spot, and before Alina could know it, this woman was suddenly in front of her!


    "As the  holder of the All-Seeing Eyes, you must have seen my strengths and weaknesses now. Since that was the case¡­ I wonder if your eyes have also shown how strong I can punch. Well you don''t need to ask it, since I am here to let you taste it!"


    "Boom!"


    Before the surprised Alina could teleport away from her spot, her foe unleashed a sudden attack towards ALina, which is simply just a straight uppercut towards her jaw.


    This punch, which seemed to be nothing more but a normal punch, looked extremely weak and insignificant in comparison to the flashy attacks that Alina had used earlier.


    It did not even release any fluctuations or distortions on the surroundings, making it seem like an attack made by a small kid.


    This kind of apparent weakness must mean that this punch is useless, but to the current Alina, this punch did not look weak at all.


    In fact, Alina had the feeling that if this punch lands towards her head, her whole upper body will be destroyed into pieces! Even her soul will be affected too, and even her own Mental Power will be dispersed immediately!


    "!!! My foe''s body might look weak, but I can see it now¡­ Inside her body resides a powerful sword will, one that gives this woman the ability to cut and sunder anything that she touches! What a scary power!" With her All-Seeing Eyes, Alina could clearly see a powerful entity residing inside her foe''s body, and it was this entity that caused the sudden spike of power from her foe.


    Whether this entity was good or not did not matter to Alina anymore, as she knew just one thing: If Alina''s foe manages to touch even just a bit of her skin, this Sword Will will instantly end her life!


    "F**k! So my enemy is also a sword cultivator? Tsk, this makes things worse!"


    Upon realizing the additional capability of her foe, Alina started regretting her laxness that allowed her opponent to come near.


    Since this foe of hers can use a sword, this meant that fighting her in close-combat will be disadvantageous for Alina, as sword wielders can use a variety of powerful abilities that can only be employed in close ranges!


    As long as a person is far away from a sword wielder, they can reduce all of his innate advantages.  But once the sword wielder is near, all scales will tip on the sword''s favor!


    That''s the dilemma that Alina realized she had just put herself in, and she knew that there is no way for her to temporarily move away from it!


    [T-MANIFEST: CRESCENDO]


    The time around Alina began to speed up as she casted this boot upon herself, in hopes of making her body move away from the incoming punch.


    She accompanied this boost by the act of moving her neck back, further increasing the distance of her head from the punch.


    [T-MANIFEST: DECRESCENDO]


    Alina also applied her time magic on her foe, which slowed down her time. This essentially reduced the speed of the incoming uppercut, an effect that complemented well with her earlier spell.


    "Swizz!"


    With a few millimeters of distance between them, the uppercut just barely grazed Alina''s chin, which then released a wave of  force that rocked her neck and head.


    This force was powerful enough to almost concuss Alina and make her spit blood, but that was all the damage that she received.


    Alina has successfully prevented the sword will from touching her skin, a move that essentially had kept her head intact.


    "Hah!" As her foe''s punch sailed slowly above her head, Alina began tremble she realized that she had just a close brush with death. She was millimeters away from dying, and if it weren''t for her ''timely'' time magic, her headless body could be the only thing that remained in this place.


    "Hah!" This realization made her feel both petrified and fearful, but since she''s still alive right now, these negative emotions started to fade away too.


    "Tsk, this foe of mine is just as sneaky as Alex. She actually hid her dangerous power away from me all this time! She must have been planning to sneak attack me like this since earlier!"


    "You b***h¡­ it looks like you really want to destroy me and my All-Seeing Eyes. You even dared to trick me like this? Hmph, if this is how you want to do this, then fine, I shall play with you."


    "If you''re being unfair, then I will be unfair too!"


    Before her foe could react from the sudden miss of her attack, Alina pressed forward, with her mind now intent on overwhelming her opponent


    "Hong long!"


    Six green floating balls appeared above ALina''s head, hovering around her like candles that floated in the dark. Each ball pulsed with years and years of Time Essence, creating an archaic aura that covered the whole place.


    Once the balls appeared, Alina did not let them display themselves as if they were decorations. She grabbed them by her fingers before throwing them straight towards her foe.


    "Sizzle¡­" The effects of these 6 green balls are unknown at this point, but knowing that they were made up from concentrated Time Essence, getting touched by them will surely be dangerous.


    Alina''s foe obviously realized this, and she began to respond to it accordingly.


    "Holder of the All-Seeing Eyes, so you had dodged my sneak attack . That''s impressive of you. But do you think you can dodge my attacks the second time? Hmph, I doubt that! So don''t waste your time dodging from me anymore. Sooner than later, I, the great Beatrice of the Sword God Mountain, shall succeed on  ending your pitiful life!"


    Right before the green balls could touch her hair, Alina''s foe, who had called herself as Beatrice, let out a shout that was laced with her very own Sword Will.


    "Hah!!!!"


    This shout immediately broke the spell that Alina casted on Beatrice, allowing the latter to regain her normal movement speed. It also shattered three of the green balls, leaving only three whose paths were diverted because of her shout.


    "Haaah!!"


    Beatrice let out another shout this time, which had proceeded to dispel the time boost that Alina casted on her own body. Along with that effect was the creation of hundreds of sword shards, all that rained down on the surprised Alina.


    "Shu shu shu!"


    With the debuff casted on her already gone, Beatrice only twisted her body in the air to avoid the three remaining green balls. This was easy for her, and she seemed to have forgotten about the balls already as she went back on focusing on Alina again.

 Chapter 696 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 5

    "S**t!!" Alina was prepared for any move that Beatrice might do, but because of Beatrice''s bewildering immunity to clairvoyance, Alina was still caught-off guard with what she just did.


    "Did Beatrice just shatter 3 of my Ancient-Present Spheres? And she just destroyed them by channeling her Sword Will on her shouts? Dangerous¡­ this woman is dangerous!"


    With her battling experience related to swords, Alina knew how hard it was to create ''pure'' sword abilities that can be used to counteract against other Power Systems. One has to be extremely talented with swords and have an enlightened mind if they want to soar on the path of sword wielding.


    This kind of talents are extremely hard to find, and those who have this talent are usually killed or recruited by different groups.


    Because of this factors, Alina did not think that she will meet a powerful sword cultivator on the early stages of her life.


    But reality had exceeded that expectation of her today, and it even plunged her to her greatest danger yet!


    "There are different paths in terms of Sword Arts, and all of them provide their wielders with different abilities. In Beatrice''s case, she seems to follow the Sword Will Path¡­."


    "Tsk, isn''t that the technique where a person turns his/her ''Will'' into a sword and fuses it into their body?"


    "From what I can remember, users of this technique will have the power to unleash frightening attacks that can kill almost anyone, but at the expense of their attack range."


    "That should not be a problem to me, since I can use long-range abilities that can slow down those people, especially Beatrice¡­."


    "But this f**king Beatrice actually found a way to use it in long-range too! That makes this situation worse, and it makes me feel close to death again!"


    With her heart as heavy as a dense rock, Alina could only feel disappointed to herself as she started dodging Beatrice''s attacks.


    Each of Beatrice''s attack this time were just as lethal as the other, and if it weren''t for the combination of Alina''s Time  Magic, Esper Power, and Dark Magic, she should have been dead already.


    In fact, the next few seconds of the encounter between her and Beatrice had brought 25 near-death experiences towards Alina already!


    That''s already more than 20, and Beatrice is not stopping yet!


    Shouts, flicks of her fingers, and unexpected strikes that came from unexpected angles.


    These were all the bodily movements that Beatrice performed, and there were no hints of Beatrice caring about defending her body.


    Beatrice just attacked and attacked Alina, which trapped the latter into a sensation of intense confinement.


    As much as Alina wanted to attack Beatrice, the latter would just not let her do it.


    "S**t! If this goes on I will be the one who might get defeated! S**t, what should I do!"


    Beatrice appeared to have limitless stamina this time, as she did not show signs of fatigue or exhaustion after all the attacks that she did. Her attacks even increased in ferocity too, which was leagues different from Alina''s attack that had began to decline in their power already¡­


    Alina''s energy reserves this time were not just enough, and the forceful attacks made by Beatrice had just reduced Alina''s energy more.


    This left Alina unable to do anything else but defend herself, and even that was becoming an undesirable option too as Beatrice just seemed to get stronger and stronger as time passed by¡­


    "All of my attacks were getting dispelled by Beatrice''s Sword Will and my energy reserves were being grinded down too¡­ Sigh, my opponent is troublesome indeed."


    "Tsk, this really is the worst situation for me, and if I don''t do anything about this, Alex might be forced to live alone on his next missions¡­"


    With the sudden reversal on their positions, the suppressed Alina could only feel sullen as she felt aggrieved with the sudden dominance of her opponent.


    Alina tried to find something optimistic about her situation, but the loud laughter coming from Beatrice did nothing to improve Alina''s mood.


    And to make matters even worse, Alina saw with her own very eyes that it was not only her that was being suppressed like this.


    "F**k!!!!" Behind Alina, the previously smug Professor Frances could be heard cursing, and this cursing was not the type that indicates the professor''s happiness.


    This cursing was instead that of anger, as Professor Frances found herself in a dilemma too.


    "F**k this robot s**t! You have weapons solely focused on biological entities? And you have copies of your mind stored in an off-shore server? This is unfair!"


    The professor''s Soul Magic was still able to shut down the robot''s consciousness, but because of the extra  copies of the robot''s mind hidden in a server, it can easily restore its consciousness even when it gets deleted by the Soul Magic .


    As for the professor''s Monster Army, their initial physical advantage over the robot earlier was gone at this point too.


    Instead of having time to physically attack the robot, the Monster Army was forced to deal with an army of mechanical creatures that the robot had created on the spot.


    These mechanical creatures were initially weak at the start, but they grew stronger and stronger after each fight with the Monster Army.


    Eventually, this Mechanical Army reached a level of power so high, that the Mechanical Army''s extreme anti-biological weapons has allowed it to fight toe-to-toe against the Monster Army.


    "Argh! Why don''t you just fall down! This is not what I want to see! Come on, die, die, die~"


    With the professor''s Soul Magic and her Monster Army suppressed, her enemy robot had a lot of freedom attack Professor Frances, which leaves the latter with no choice too but to defend herself.


    This of course made the professor irritated, but just like Alina, she seemed to have no choice but to stay in this way for now.


    "¡­."


    "That robot might seem weak, but it actually has the power to create evolving machinery that can adapt against any opponents or obstacles¡­ That is the reason why it has managed to essentially survive Professor Frances'' attacks, and now it has the free reign to actually defeat her¡­"


    Upon seeing the professor''s condition, Alina could only let out a sigh as she had decided to let her deal with her problem by herself.


    Since the professor has not yet died, this means that the robot is not stronger than her, and that the robot''s peak power is only enough to match Professor Frances in equal terms.


    Professor Frances still had some hidden cards that she can use against this robot, so her victory is still assured¡­


    Speaking of hidden cards, Alina also had them too, but she''s not yet willing to use them right now.


    "Since I am not using my power fully, and since Beatrice seems to be expending all of her abilities to fight me, it''s no surprise that she can suppress me." Alina thought sourly as she dodged an elbow strike from her foe, one that almost grazed her skin.


    She was both bitter and irritated by this thought, although she did not let it affect her actions. "I could also unleash abilities that might insta-kill Beatrice too, but if I do that, I will not have enough energy to use against the Travelers and Alex later¡­"


    "Sigh, that''s the only reason why Beatrice is dominant right now, and quite frankly, this is making me feel irritated."


    Alina dodged one more strike from Beatrice, this time coming from her knee that threatened to slam on her navel.


    "Should I use a forbidden magic to end this fight already? This could be worth it, since Beatrice is using all of her powers to fight me already. But this will also leave me slightly weakened, which will not be good for later¡­"


    "Argh! Don''t be pissed off Alina! Just stay calm!"


    The continuous attacks by Beatrice brought Alina closer and closer to the point of rage, and it took her a lot of self-control just to not recklessly use her hidden cards.


    "Just calm down ALina. As long as you are calm, you can get through this without any difficulty. Be calm just like Queen Mother, and you will prevail. Wait, speaking of Queen Mother, how is the situation on her side? Is she winning or is she being suppressed?"


    "Let''s se- what the heck Queen Mother? What are you doing? You''re not supposed dot do that!"


    This method of coming herself down was extremely difficult for Alina given her current state, and this only got worse when she saw the situation of Queen Mother''s battle.


    In comparison to Alina and Professor Frances'' situation, the current Queen Mother can be said to be unable to win against her opponent too, but unlike the first two, the problem in this encounter lies on Queen Mother herself.


    "¡­."


    Even if Queen Mother had countless openings that she can utilize in order to capture or even kill her fairy opponent, the tree woman does not exploit them at all.


    She was just randomly lashing her wh.i.p.s, with the majority of course failing to hit the fairy. The ones that managed to land did significant damage on the fairy, but the fairy was able to use her power to heal herself.


    This lapse from Queen Mother''s offence allowed the fairy to attack the former, but fortunately for the Queen Mother, the fairy''s attacks were like a pebble compared to her immense vitality.


    At most, the fairy can only singe a small portion of Queen Mother''s skin, an injury that was of no effect to Queen Mother at all.


    "¡­."


    This lack of enthusiasm from Queen Mother and the weakness of her fairy opponent had essentially turned their fight into nothing more but an exhibition match, one that had no clear winner or even a loser.


    Having this kind of battle was something that Alina had never wanted to see right now, as such the mere fact of seeing it here was enough to make her turn red in anger.


    "Tsk, so something has definitely affected Queen Mother''s mind, to the point that she''s not mentally fit to even defeat her opponent. As for that fairy, she seems to be just as useless as Asteria, as her attacks just do not work against Queen Mother at all¡­."


    Alina''s face contorted in disappointment upon seeing Queen Mother''s stable but dismal state, and it almost made her growl in extreme frustration.


    There is just no instance in this time that Alina is happy with what Queen Mother was doing, as her actions was just making the whole situation worse!


    "If Queen Mother can just defeat that fairy quickly, then she could have gone towards Professor Frnaces and assisted her against the robot. But no, Queen Mother did not seem to be interested on doing that¡­. She''s actually willing to just play with her opponents rather than help Professor Frances!"

 Chapter 697 - [Authors Brain] & [Author]: A Meaningful Conversation.

    [Author''s Brain]: Don''t study. Just sleep or watch y*utube.


    [Author]:  What? But I have an exam, so I should study, right?


    [Author''s Brain]: No. Don''t study. You will fail anyway.


    [Author]: What?


    [Author''s Brain]: What?


    [Author]: You said that I will fail? How could you even say that?


    [Author''s Brain]: Well, if you just study better, you will not fail.


    [Author]: That''s what I want to do now! I want to study, so can you let me study?


    [Author''s Brain]: Well yeah, I suppose that you can... But how about your novel? Whacha gonna do about that?


    [Author]: Oh, my novel? I''ll just post the next chap after the exam.


    [Author''s Brain]: ....Really? You will delay another chap again? How many delays did you have already? This is getting embarrassing by now!


    [Author]: Embarrassed my ass! I want to post many chaps too, but life is hard, you know? Even if I want to post chapters, it''s just hard.... Especially if you are in a middle of a fight scene in the novel.


    [Author''s Brain]: ...Right, so it is hard for you to write, and you have an exam. I get it.


    [Author]: So will you let me study now?


    [Author''s Brain]: Yes, but feed me with those yuri manga first.


    [Author]: Feed you with what?


    [Author''s Brain]: Feed me with those yuri manga of yours.


    [Author]: When you say yuri, you mean that kind of ''yuri''?


    [Author''s Brain]: Yes, the one where two cute anime women are in a romantic relationship. Haah~ It''s really nice to see those kind of beautiful people...


    [Author]: Hold the f**k up. I ain''t doing that. It''s just-


    [Author''s Brain]: There''s new chapters of A***r S****l, Y***i S******S S***y, L**y L**e 2, and L**a on the app, right? Go on and look at them!


    [Author]: Nope, nope, nope. I have an exam, so I can''t afford to get distracted...


    [Author''s Brain]: I see. So will you look at those yuri once the exam is done?


    [Author]: Maybe yes, but NO! I won''t be looking! I still have to write chapters after the exam too!


    [Author''s Brain]: Aw... so you won''t be looking at any yuri manga at all?


    [Author]: Nope. So please just stop yammering me and just let me study in peace.


    [Author''s Brain]: Ok.


    [Author]: ....


    [Author''s Brain]: ...


    [Author]: ....


    [Author''s Brain]: ...


    [Author]: ....


    [Author''s Brain]:  Hey, I have a question for you.


    [Author]: Sigh, what is it now?


    [Author''s Brain]: If a clown from a circus is actually a woman, would you still call her a clown?


    [Author]: What?


    [Author''s Brain]: If a specie of an elephant that could fly were to be discovered, will we call that elephant as Dumbo?


    [Author]: ???


    [Author''s Brain]: Some people say that large lizards taste like chicken. Do you believe that?


    [Author]: Man... you know what? You should just shut the f**k up. You must be hella tired now. Go to sleep, man. Come one. You deserve some rest.


    [Author''s Brain]: I don''t need rest, I need answers!


    [Author]: Nope, you really need to rest now. If you don''t rest, you will feel bad.


    [Author''s Brain]: Ok, I can rest¡­ But wait, don''t you have an exam later? If I rest now, then how could you study?


    [Author]: F**k, why do you have to remind me of that? Now you''re making me anxious again!


    [Author''s Brain]: Man, why are you feeling anxious? Just study for the exam, and you will pass! Trust yourself and trust the process!


    [Author]: If the exam were just that easy, I will be really confident¡­


    [Author''s Brain]: Hm? Did you say something?


    [Author]: Nothing. I said nothing.


    [Author''s Brain]: Good. So let''s go outside today and-


    [Author]: Wait, go outside? But how about the studying? You just said that I should study!


    [Author''s Brain]: Well I changed my mind now. Let''s just go outside first. You need some breath of fresh air too.


    [Author]: Is that what you really want? You really just want a breath of fresh air?


    [Author''s Brain]: Y-yes, that''s what I only really want.


    [Author]: You''re lying. You''re just don''t want to study, right?


    [Author''s Brain]: Hah? Me? Lazy to study? I will never be that kind of thing! Come on, we''re in university, so I can''t afford to be lazy! Being lazy is just for-


    [Author]: Find the momentum profile when-


    [Author''s Brain]: Argh no! I don''t want to think anymore! No! Don''t give me that question!


    [Author]: See? You don''t want to study. I just reminded you of an old question, and you''re already panicking like this¡­.


    [Author''s Brain]: ¡­.


    [Author]: ¡­.


    [Author''s Brain]: ¡­


    [Author]: Sigh, you don''t need to be this scared. Come on, you just have to study a little-


    [Author''s Brain]: Little? You said little? Come on, with the materials that we had to study, this will take us a whole day to finish them all! You call that little? Man, f**k you! F**k you and your stupid class! You should have not taken it in the first place!


    [Author]: Hey! Don''t blame me for the class that I took! It''s a class that is part of my course! There''s no way that I can avoid it!


    [Author''s Brain]: Hmph, whatever! Since I don''t like to study, you can''t make me study. Now go resume your sleep and just watch youtube videos later¡­.


    [Author]: Yawn¡­ I do feel sleepy today. Maybe just one nap will do- Hey! I said no sleeping today! How many times do I have to remind you about that?


    [Author''s Brain]: Tsk, the sleeping attempt failed¡­


    [Author]: Hey, what are you mumbling there about, huh? Are you thinking of skipping the ''study session'' again?


    [Author''s Brain]: What? No! I am not thinking about that anymore! I was just, you know, thinking of the proper method that you should use for the ''study-session'' later.


    [Author]: Is that so?


    [Author''s Brain]: Yes, I am telling the truth! I even swear that with my life!


    [Author]: Your life? You do know that you and I are just the same, right?


    [Author''s Brain]: Oh yeah, haha¡­ We''re just the same¡­ How could I have forgotten that?


    [Author]: Oh my- You know what? I will forgive you for doing this so much commotion. Just please¡­ please don''t think of slacking of the study sessions anymore. Just do that, and all will be fine.


    [Author''s Brain]: Don''t slack of during study sessions. Don''t slack of during study sessions. Don''t slack of during study sessions¡­ Yes, I can do that.


    [Author]: Good. Now then, help me out on sorting the review materials. Let''s get the one about-


    [Author''s Brain]: I''m hungry. Please feed me.


    [Author]: What?


    [Author''s Brain]: I''m hungry. Please feed me.


    [Author]: No, that won''t do. I just ate 3 hours earlier, so I can''t eat again. I will just get fatter!


    [Author''s Brain]: I don''t care. Just feed me. I need them calories already.


    [Author]: No means no! I don''t have much money today, so even if you want to eat, I can''t afford that!


    [Author''s Brain]: What? You don''t have any money anymore? But what about your allowance for this week? Isn''t that-


    [Author]: Um, I spent it all for food earlier already.


    [Author''s Brain]: What?


    [Author]: What?


    *******************


    [[[Author''s Note: I do have an exam, so next chapter will be posted not today, but later.]]]

 Chapter 698 - The Coronavirus is scary, that I can say.

    I can''t really talk about my experience with the Coronavirus personally, but I assure you that it is not good.


    So please forgive me for being delayed on my chapter release again...


    Huhuhu, but I promise that I will post my chap around 10-12 hours from now....


    I promise that!


    49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 61 6c 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 6d 79 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 43 6f 72 6f 6e 61 76 69 72 75 73 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 61 73 73 75 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 67 6f 6f 64 2e a a 53 6f 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 20 66 6f 72 67 69 76 65 20 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 64 65 6c 61 79 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 20 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 2e 2e a a 48 75 68 75 68 75 2c 20 49 20 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 65 20 49 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 70 6f 73 74 20 6d 79 20 63 68 61 70 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 31 30 2d 31 32 20 68 6f 75 72 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6e 6f 77 2e 2e 2e 2e a a 49 20 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 65 20 74 68 61 74 21


    49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 61 6c 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 6d 79 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 43 6f 72 6f 6e 61 76 69 72 75 73 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 61 73 73 75 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 67 6f 6f 64 2e a a 53 6f 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 20 66 6f 72 67 69 76 65 20 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 64 65 6c 61 79 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 20 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 2e 2e a a 48 75 68 75 68 75 2c 20 49 20 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 65 20 49 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 70 6f 73 74 20 6d 79 20 63 68 61 70 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 31 30 2d 31 32 20 68 6f 75 72 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6e 6f 77 2e 2e 2e 2e a a 49 20 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 65 20 74 68 61 74 21


    49 20 63 61 6e 27 74 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 74 61 6c 6b 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 6d 79 20 65 78 70 65 72 69 65 6e 63 65 20 77 69 74 68 20 74 68 65 20 43 6f 72 6f 6e 61 76 69 72 75 73 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 61 73 73 75 72 65 20 79 6f 75 20 74 68 61 74 20 69 74 20 69 73 20 6e 6f 74 20 67 6f 6f 64 2e a a 53 6f 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 20 66 6f 72 67 69 76 65 20 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 64 65 6c 61 79 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 20 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 2e 2e a a 48 75 68 75 68 75 2c 20 49 20 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 65 20 49 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 70 6f 73 74 20 6d 79 20 63 68 61 70 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 31 30 2d 31 32 20 68 6f 75 72 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6e 6f 77 2e 2e 2e 2e a a 49 20 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 65 20 74 68 61 74 21


    73 20 6e 6f 74 20 67 6f 6f 64 2e a a 53 6f 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 20 66 6f 72 67 69 76 65 20 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 64 65 6c 61 79 65 64 20 6f 6e 20 63 68 61 70 74 65 72 20 72 65 6c 65 61 73 65 20 61 67 61 69 6e 2e 2e 2e a a 48 75 68 75 68 75 2c 20 49 20 70 72 6f 6d 69 73 65 20 49 20 77 69 6c 6c 20 70 6f 73 74 20 6d 79 20 63 68 61 70 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 31 30 2d 31 32 20 68 6f 75 72 73 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 6e 6f 77 2e 2e 2e 2e a a

 Chapter 699 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 6

    The sudden turn of positions in her battle today had pissed Alina enough already, to the point that she''s regretting not preparing more against her opponents.


    But even if she''s disheartened with what was happening now, Alina did not lose herself to panic.


    "My opponents right now might be powerful¡­ but I can definitely say that the power that they display is unnatural. And I can also sense that their power¡­ has been augmented by an outside force."


    "If that was the case, then there must be something that is making my opponents abnormally strong today! That should be the reason why they look stronger now!"


    "But what could be making them stronger?"


    As she dodged another elbow from Beatrice, Alina narrowed her eyes as she felt more and more convinced about her conclusion.


    Something g must be indeed augmenting the power of Beatrice and her allies, and that something is the main reason why Alina and her own allies are having difficulties fighting today.


    As for what this ''something'' could be, Alina realized that a simple observation won''t easily detect it.


    "¡­.I have been saving the use of this technique for later, but since I am in a pinch right now, I have no choice but to use this technique. Hmph, this better be worth it¡­"


    Earlier, Alina said that she''s not willing to use any extra abilities in this fight in order to conserve energy, but the way that her fight unfolded made her realize that she cannot just let things stay this way.


    If Alina wants to win, she has to spend much more than what she is willing to.


    And if that requires Alina to reveal some of her secret abilities, she won''t hesitate to do it!


    "Tsk, I am hoping to use this ability when I meet Alex, but it looks like I have to use it here. Well, this could be not bad, as I could use this opportunity to test out my new ability¡­"


    Before Beatrice could send another punch coming her way, Alina suddenly took a deep breath as she closed her eyes. Power then rippled inside her body as countless light particles surged towards her closed eyes, soaking it up with golden colors that filled her eye sockets.


    Now, Alina appeared to be a person with lanterns on her eyes, whose serene face and calm disposition made her look like a peaceful creature. Those who saw her glowing eye sockets  felt peace, with the glow seemingly having the power to placate anyone who saw them.


    "Hom~" The sight of these eye sockets and their calming effect had somewhat stalled the attacking Beatrice, but it did not deter her from fighting. Instead, this woman hastened her attacks, as she seemed to think that Alina''s act of closing her eyes made her more vulnerable.


    "Swish!" Alina seemed to be actually vulnerable, as she appeared  to have not noticed the incoming punch sent by Beatrice. She just stood still in her place with her glowing eye sockets, with the punch about to crash on her temple already.


    But before the punch could actually touch her skin, Alina suddenly opened her eyes, an action which further complicated the already chaotic battle.


    [ALL-SEEING EYES: EYE OF PRYING!]


    "Hom!" Alina''s eyes let out two beams of gentle and all-encompassing light beams, both which quickly shot forward in speeds that normal beings found hard to comprehend. It was as if two divine beings as fast as light appeared, and nothing seemed to have the ability to outrun them.


    This speed allowed the light beams to pass through the body of the nearby Beatrice, who wanted to dodge them but was unable to because of her awkward position.


    These light beams did not contain any offensive or even defensive properties at all, but after they passed through Beatrice, the said woman stiffened as if she had felt something intrusive surging inside her body.


    This reaction was caught by Alina, who only smiled as she knew that her activated ability had just worked.


    "Now let''s see what could have been secretly powering you up right now¡­ Is it a special artifact or could it be another hidden ally that I do not know? This is interesting¡­."


    _______________________


    In terms of detection of secrets, illusions, and hidden abilities, Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes are well-suited for this kind of tasks.


    However, there are some things that even ALina''s All-Seeing Eyes could not detect. Such things can be related to extremely powerful creatures, whose power allows them to keep these things hidden, even from someone like Alina.


    Some of these ''undetectable'' things might just have traits that keeps them hidden well, even under the penetrative ability of her All-Seeing Eyes.


    These ''undetectable'' things are rare, and Alina was sure that she''s still powerful enough to deal with most of them given her current level of power. But she also knew that there might come a day when these ''undetectable'' things will be of danger to her.


    Because of that, Alina had also spent her days formulating an ability that will improve the observation power of her All-Seeing Eyes.


    This proved to be almost impossible to Alina before, as her eyes are already a special-type of object, one that is hard to improve already.


    It was only when Alina had stayed here in the Church of Wisdom that she found a way to improve her All-Seeing Eyes, and the result of that was the ability that she had just unleashed now.


    "By combining the power of the Church of Wisdom''s Eye of Wisdom with my Chronomancy and my All-Seeing Eyes, I was able to create an ability that only my All-Seeing Eyes can use¡­."


    "This ability allows my eyes to summon the power of Knowledge and Time to create an omniscient beam of light that will reveal everything on its path, even the things that are hidden by powerful existences!"


    "This ability is called the Eyes of Prying, and with this, I can discover anything as long as I have enough Time Essence and faith from the worshippers of the Church of Wisdom!"


    Just like what Alina thought right now, her newest ability, the Eyes of Prying, is an ability that utilizes the power of her All-Seeing Eyes combined with her Time Magic and the power of the Church of Wisdom to discover things that are not meant to be discovered.


    Anything can be discovered by this new ability,  which makes it an extremely useful technique especially against opponents like Beatrice who are using some undetectable objects for their advantage.


    But even with this usefulness, this ability also has some disadvantages that Alina could not avoid.


    One, there is a lot of energy that has to be expended to use this ability. One use is almost enough to drain most of the Faith Energy that Alina gathered from the Church of Wisdom, so using it has to be regulated.


    Also, pain and temporary blindness will affect Alina after using this ability, as such it is something that she cannot use all the time.


    "Argh!"


    These  side effects were being experienced by Alina already, as she was clutching both of her eyes while hissing in agony. Her eyes also bled golden blood as her body trembled, with the temporary blindness starting to take over too.


    "Argh!" This pain made her want to wail and just claw her eyes out, and she could have done it if it were not for her fight right now.


    "Argh!"


    With this kind of terrible pain wracking her body, Alina should be feeling extremely pissed. But that''s not what had happened, as Alina was actually full of satisfaction at this point.


    After all, Alina had just discovered what she had wanted to see in the first place.


    _____________________


    With her Eyes of Prying, Alina detected  three invisible, angel-like beings floating above the heads of Beatrice and her allies.


    Each of these invisible angels had their eyes closed and their hands clasped together as if they were in  a prayer, with their skins and wings releasing golden dust particles that were sent directly towards Beatrice and her allies.


    These golden dust particles might look only like decorations, but once they had touched Beatrice and the other two, these particles turned into extremely dense streams of golden energy which was then absorbed  into their bodies.


    Once absorbed, these streams of golden energy began to directly improve the bodies of Beatrice and the others, with aspects such as healing, speed, power, and also mental states all raised to higher levels.


    "¡­."


    This effect of the golden energy seemed to be temporary, as it only lasted for a few seconds before the improved states went back to normal again.


    But because the invisible angels did not stop producing golden particles from their bodies, the golden energy just continued to be absorbed by Beatrice and her allies, resulting on them having an improved state that lasted for a much longer time¡­


    "¡­." Upon seeing these angels, Alina resisted the urge to curse out as she now realized the orchestrator of this whole thing. She also became angry at herself, as she realized that even without her All-Seeing Eyes, the ones who assisted Beatrice should have been obvious already.


    "Hoh¡­ so it is the Holy Order Church that is boosting my enemies today. Why did I not even think of that? Of course it will be this church that will support them. After all, this Beatrice and her Traveler chose the Holy Order Church as their ally¡­"


    With just one look at the invisible angels, Alina had already recognized them, and it was enough to make her scoff silently.


    The angels floating behind Beatrice and her allies looked extremely similar to the Holy Order Angel that Alina had met before. The only difference was that these angels had lesser amount of wings compared to the one that Alina met, but aside from that, their appearances and auras were all similar.


    With that similarity, it plainly what these angels were and why they were here. These angels from the Holy Order Realm, and  they are present this place in order to assist Beatrice, who was the ally of the Holy Order Church¡­


    This discovery made Alina both feel relieved and frustrated to herself. She was frustrated, as she knew that she could have deduced this without even using her All-Seeing Eyes. She was also relieved, as this discovery now gave Alina a method that she can use in order to defeat her foes.


    "Sigh, since I used my new ability already, I can''t complain about it anymore. I already discovered why my enemies are stronger today, so I must focus on that."


    "Yes, I must focus on them right now, especially those angels¡­"


    "Hehehe, since these angels were boosting my enemies, then the only way to weaken my enemies is by removing these angels."


    "If it were earlier, I will not have any idea on how to do this, since I can''t see these angels. But now that I can see them and the way that they move, I am sure that I can expel them!"


    "I just had to use the power of the Church of Wisdom, which is the strongest in this area!"


    Since her opponents had the courage to use the power of their allied religion, then Alina had no qualms on using the power of her allied religion too.


    In fact, Alina was itching to have an excuse to use this power, and now that she had one, she''s definitely using it.

 Chapter 700 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 7

    "Fip~"


    With the little mobility that she still had, Alina painstakingly drew out a paper talisman out of her right pocket, which she immediately brandished against her incoming foe.


    "Hula~"


    This talisman had a symbol of an eye engraved in it, with three pupils present and written in an archaic form.  Lines and lines made up black ink decorated the other parts of talisman, leaving only a little space for the paper to present itself.


    "Hom~"


    At the moment that this talisman appeared, Alina immediately felt the tell-tale signs of power leaving her body, all which were absorbed by the talisman. The eye on the talisman  glowed after the absorption, a result that made Alina nod inwardly.


    "Hah!"


    She then threw the talisman above her without any hesitation, with her throwing force only enough to make the talisman soar above the head of her opponent.


    Such height might be deficient for some abilities, but for the talisman that Alina had just used, this height was more than enough.


    "Talisman of Deprivation: Knowledge Steal!"


    "Hum~"


    Long tendrils as thin as human hair extended out from the talisman, which then shot straight towards the heads of Beatrice, her two allies, and even the invisible angels. Each tendril seemed to have a life of their own, as they wiggled and dodged the attempts of Beatrice and her allies to block the said tendrils.


    "Hey! Scoot over!" Beatrice in particular was seemingly pissed because of these tendrils, but no matter what she did, the tendrils were still able to reach her body.


    More specifically, the tendrils were able to attach themselves on her head, which had also happened on her two allies and the angels.


    "Ah!" Once the tendrils had attached themselves on their heads, Beatrice, the robot, the fairy, and the angels began to tremble as they tried shrug the tendrils off. But no matter what they did at this point, the tendrils stayed attached on their heads, with their attempts to remove these object seemingly worsening their situation.


    Each attempt by Beatrice and her allies to remove the tendrils just made the tendrils go deeper, creating a scene that even Alina found hard to stomach.


    By the time that 10 seconds have passed by since Alina activated her talisman, the tendrils had fully ''fused'' themselves to their targets.


    "Ah!!!!"


    Now, instead of seeing a field where there are fights happening, what Alina and her allies saw was a myriad of tendrils hanging in the air, with Beatrice, the robot, the fairy, and the angels all floating on their spots with pissed expression on their faces¡­


    The  targets by the talisman looked extremely angry about their situation, which is rightfully so, since they seem to be trapped by the weird power of these tendrils.


    Such anger is enough to make these target lash out to Alina and her allies, with Beatrice extremely raring to make another move against Alina again.


    "¡­.."


    Because Alina had left herself open earlier, she became defenseless and vulnerable to an attack from Beatrice. In fact, if Beatrice were to attack right now, Alina won''t have any time to defend herself, as Alina had just used her body and energy to activate the talisman.


    But instead of taking advantage of this opening, Beatrice did not show any indication of attacking Alina, especially after her head got latched on by the tendrils.


    Instead of making a move, Beatrice only floated with a dazed look on her spot, with her body language showing no signs of hostility or even desire to attack anyone.


    In fact, Beatrice seemed to be more confused right now, as if she does not know what to do.


    "Why¡­ why can''t I use my attack anymore? I just had to activate my Sword Will against Alina, and this is my win already. Come on Beatrice, you should know how to use your power! Come on, just activate it!" Beatrice shouted as her whole body shook, with her panicked tone displaying the emotions that she had regarding her situation.


    She seemed to be trying to attack  Alina again at this time, but Beatrice''s body did not follow her instruction. Instead of her body making a punch, Beatrice''s arms only flopped down to her sides, with their slight twitches the only indication that they tried to move.


    "Really, what the hell? What is going on here?" Beatrice''s panic only increased as she now tried to move her legs and head, actions  which all failed for some kind of reason. "Argh! What the f**k is this? Come on, just activate!"


    Beatrice  tried to look at her hands and then at Alina, but instead of realizing something, Beatrice just became more and more confused.


    "You, this must be your doing, right? You damned holder of the All-Seeing Eyes! Tell me what you did!"


    "¡­."


    Beside Beatrice, the robot and the fairy shared the same confused expression, as if they also were unsure of what they should be doing.


    Both of these creatures also tried unleashing attacks of their own, which just like Beatrice had also failed.


    The Machine Army created by the robot were not moving at this time, while the fairy was unable to heal herself anymore from the lazy attacks by Queen Mother.


    This strange scenario forced these two panicking creatures to stare at Queen Mother and Professor Frances too, but this did not let the robot and the fairy feel enlightened about their situation.


    Even the invisible angels were at loss too, as it appeared that even they had also lost knowledge about what they should do. These angels had already stopped releasing golden dusts on their bodies, and they could only be seen floating around the area with expressions of only befuddlement on their faces.


    _____________________


    The over-all confusion of all these people created a hilarious scenery, which was already enough to make the nearby Alina smile.


    "Hehehe, since you used the power of the Holy Order Church to boost your power, then I can also use the power of my Church to boost my chances of winning. That''s the rule in this place, so don''t look that angry." Alina said with a smile as she crossed her arms, with her eyes now looking at Beatrice with a mocking light.


    This mocking look became much more prominent as time passed by, as the struggles and confused shouts by Beatrice seemed to have pleased Alina more.


    "The talisman that I used against you is one that the Church of Wisdom developed. It is the Talisman of Deprivation, a talisman that only the higher-ranked members of the Church of Wisdom can use¡­" Even with the struggles and curses released by Beatrice, Alina still continued to talk in a calm manner.


    "By activating this talisman, I can steal my opponent''s knowledge about his skills and abilities. This renders that opponent unable to use his skills and abilities, since I just stole the knowledge on how to use it...."


    "Do you feel like attacking, but you don''t know how to attack? That was caused by my talisman, and you will stay that way until the energy inside my talisman gets used up."


    Alina suddenly relaxed her body as she talked this time, as if she was not worried about defending herself at all. She just treated Beatrice as if she were a decoration, one that is extremely harmless at this point.


    "The Talisman of Deprivation is said to be created from the Divine Essence of Elwon himself, making it extremely rare and important. In fact, from what I know, there are only 10 of these talismans left inside the church, but now they are only 9 since I had just activated one¡­"


    "Because of this rarity and its special effects , the Talisman of Deprivation can only be used in special situations, and  quite frankly, the situation today is not that special. So technically speaking, I should have never used this talisman against you, Beatrice."


    "But you have forced my hand, Beatrice. You dared use the power of the Holy Order Church in this palace, when you should just be using your own abilities to fight me. That blasphemous action of yours had angered me and the Church of Wisdom, so I have no qualms on using this talisman against you."


    "Just blame your luck that you met me here. Unlike others who might spare you, I am not someone that is willing to let you live."


    "So cherish your life now, Beatrice. Because I am about to end it already."


    "Schwing!" With just a flick of her wrist, Alina nonchalantly buried the blade of her katana on Beatrice''s heart. She then swung her sword upwards, creating a cut that divided Beatrice''s head into two.


    Such action should be impossible for Alina before because of the Omniscient Skin, but because of the effects of her talisman, the Omniscient Skin only became a paper armor in face of her sword.


    "Argh!" Blood splattered in the air as Beatrice''s body shook from pain, with her brains spilling out of her head like a slurry pudding. Her throat then gurgled with bubbling blood as her arms flailed around like a broken fan, creating a sight that was too gory to be watched by any innocent person.


    "Grah¡­." It was obvious that Beatrice was still trying to do something about her wounds, but her actions were still unable to assist her.


    The assistance of the invisible angels could help her, but since they were also affected by the Talisman od Deprivation, they could only watch as Beatrice suffered from her wounds.


    "Argh!" This situation was already bad by itself, but it actually continued to get worse, as this latest attack by Alina was not just a normal sword attack.


    Alina''s latest sword attack was infused with her Dark Magic, which is extremely effective against souls of living creatures. Since this Dark Magic was combined with Alina''s sword attack, its effects against the wounded Beatrice was already obvious


    "No!!!!" Even though it was not visible, Alina could feel that Beatrice''s soul was being eroded by her Dark Magic already.


    Each small part of Beatrice''s soul was being ''destroyed'' by Alina''s Dark Magic, creating holes in her soul that made Beatrice panic more. Aside from this, some part of Beatrice''s soul were also being stripped out of her body, turning into spiritual energy that the nearby Alina seemed to be devouring.


    The combination of these effects naturally led to the inevitable shrinkage of Beatrice''s soul, a scenario that was obviously way worse compared to Beatrice''s current head injury.


    "No!!!" This effect continued to persist as time went on, and the frightened Beatrice could only watch as her soul got closer and closer to its end¡­.


    Beatrice tried her best to resist the erosion of her soul, but in the end, her efforts were not enough.


    "No!!!" By the end of another 10 seconds, all of Beatrice''s soul had disappeared, which of course led to her sudden death.


    "Wooosh~" What was left of Beatrice at this point was only her body, one which had no more soul that can control it. This meant that Beatrice''s body was nothing more but an empty shell, something that is of no use to anyone.


    Well, Beatrice''s body is of no use to ''almost'' anyone, as there is actually one person here that is interested on acquiring her body.


    "Ok¡­ now that I have killed the holder of the Omniscient Skin, maybe I can perform some kind of ritual so that I can take this Omniscient skin for myself. Wait, is that even possible? Yes, it could be possible¡­"


    With a look of greed on her eyes, the excited Alina caught the falling body of Beatrice before it could hit the ground. Once caught, ALina hugged Beatrice''s corpse to herself, as if she was treating it as a treasure that she does not want to share to anyone.


    Alina even ignored the blood spurting out of Beatrice''s body as she kept a tight hold in it, creating a grisly scene that is enough to scare many.


    "When should I perform the ritual to obtain the Omniscient Skin? Should I do it later? No¡­ I should do it now!"

 Chapter 701 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 8

    By killing the irritating Beatrice, Alina''s mood obviously had improved, and the fact that she had obtained Beatrice''s corpse seemed to have made her even more happier.


    This could be related to the words that she just said, although Alina herself did not explain what she meant by obtaining the Omniscient Skin.


    Alina just kept her expression neutral  as she employed a tighter hold on the body.


    "Oi, you two. I already helped you out with the Talisman of Deprivation already. Since your enemies are already bound, you should be able to win this time." While still hugging Beatrice''s corpse, Alina said these words imploringly to   both Professor Frances and Queen Mother, who seemed to be at loss on what to do this time.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "Hey, what are you being silent for? Come on, just do your moves already!"


    Even though Alina had succeeded on restraining their enemies, the professor and the tree woman seemed to be surprised with the skill that Alina used, to the point that they momentarily stopped attacking.


    And this reaction got more pronounced when these two women saw Alina''s action with Beatrice''s corpse.


    "Seriously, don''t give me those looks. Now is not the time for that¡­"


    To say that these two women were shocked was an understatement, as nothing about their reaction can be considered to be mild.


    Even when their opponents were currently restrained, both Queen Mother and Professor Frances did not attack as they just stared at Alina, with their faces full of questions meant for Alina alone.


    Both women looked unsure on why Alina is acting this way, and they don''t appear to be interested on moving until they received an explanation from Alina herself¡­.


    "Come on, don''t just stare at me like a madman. Sure, I might look crazy hugging this corpse, but you can judge me later. For now, finish your opponents before the effect of my talisman ends!"


    Alina was of course unhappy with the reaction of these two women, as she had expected these two to have already defeated their assigned foes.


    Why would these two women even be doubting of Alina right now? They should have defeated their enemies first before they can start getting distracted by other stuff!


    "If you don''t attack that robot and that fairy, they will get free in a matter of seconds. Once that happens, you two will just have difficulties winning again. So don''t stare at me for now! Just do your tasks!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    Fortunately for Alina, after a few more sentences of admonishment against them,  the two women had finally listened to her.


    _______________________


    "Tsk, thanks for the help, Alina. But I really do not need your help actually. I am halfway through deciphering the life signals from inside this robot''s body¡­ Just a little more and I can kill him permanently." The disgruntled Professor Frances said these words unwillingly to Alina, as if she was blaming Alina for helping her.


    This insult was obviously not sincere, as inside the professor''s eyes, true gratitude towards Alina could be seen.


    "But I am still grateful that you restrained this robot, Alina. If it were not for that, my newly created Soul Arrow will have a hard time hitting it¡­ But really, I do not need your help at all."


    The professor seemed to just be shy on thanking Alina, with her resorting to both complaining and  praising Alina''s actions.


    "Seriously Alina, you did not have to use this talisman of yours to help me. I was able to create an attack that can kill this robot after you used the talisman, which meant that I could have killed this robot without you actually restraining it¡­"


    With her voice sounding both relived and peeved at the same time, the confused Professor Frances shook her head sadly as she gave Alina another disgruntled stare.


    "Sigh, if you just waited for a few more seconds, you could actually have seen me prevailing against this robot.¡­."


    "Well, what''s done is done now, so I just had to make do with what I have¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    Professor Frances could have continued complaining this time, but with Alina''s bloody image and the fights around her, the professor had no choice but to get back into action.


    "Tsk, I hope that one Soul Arrow is enough to kill this robot. Because if it needs two, then I might need some serious recalculations regarding my powers¡­."


    "Slick!" With a grace comparable to that of a gunman, Professor Frances  fired a Soul Arrow straight towards the robot, releasing large ripples of soul energy that stirred the whole place.


    "Swoosh!"


    This Soul Arrow sliced through the air like it was nothing, creating whistling sounds that sounded more like the wail of death as it got nearer and nearer to the fearful robot.


    This arrow seemed to have the ability to pierce through anything, a quality that it displayed as it had reached the robot''s head.


    "Slick!"   Upon seeing the arriving Soul Arrow, the robot of course tried to stop it, but just like Alina''s move against the already dead Beatrice, this attack was nigh unblockable.


    "Thud." Without any suspense or surprise, the Soul Arrow easily buried itself on the robot''s head, with almost half of its length now inside the robot''s seemingly dense skull.  The tip of the Soul Arrow even protruded on the robot''s back, showcasing the power that is packed in this attack alone.


    "Whirr¡­"


    Once the Soul Arrow had landed on its mark, the glowing eyes from the robot suddenly dimmed, with its body quickly turning as limp as a vegetable. All the glowing apparatuses currently attached on the robot had  also ''died'' along with his eyes,  making the robot look nothing more like a hunk of junk.


    The  Machinery Army behind the robot seemed to have met its end too, as they all disassembled into thousands of pieces after the professor''s attack.


    "¡­.."


    "..."


    _____________________


    Even without using her power, Alina could see that the robot was already dead. Professor Frances killed it without any hesitation or tricks, and she just used her most straightforward attack to end its life.


    Such decisiveness was  to be expected from the professor already, but seeing it with her very own eyes was still enough to satisfy Alina.


    "Good. At least Professor Frances is still the same old her. She''s still vicious to her enemies, and she still had no qualms on playing for her advantage. I like that she had retained these qualities, and I wish that she will stay like this on the future¡­" Alina said these words with delight as she gave the professor a pleased nod, making it seem as if she was genuinely satisfied with what she saw.


    This satisfaction was of course merited, since it was obvious that Professor Frances had created a new ability in order to kill the robot.


    Such ingenuity is good for the team that Alina was in, and she hopes to see more of this in the future.


    "Speaking of ingenuity, there''s someone here who did not get that point¡­"


    But while Alina was happy with Professor Frances''s results, her feelings for Queen Mother was the  opposite.


    Instead of being satisfied with the tree woman, Alina felt disappointment and confusion in regards to Queen Mother, as what the latter did right now had just confounded Alina more.


    Sure, Queen Mother had also attacked her opponent, who was defenseless at this time.


    But instead of using any special attacks or abilities, Queen Mother just used her wh.i.p.s once more.


    No powers, no vitals spells, or special abilities.


    Queen Mother just whipped and whipped her fairy opponent, until the latter turned into mincemeat.


    That''s just it. All whip, no other skills.


    "Something is really wrong with Queen Mother. If it were her before, she could have used her nature-related or strength-related skills to kill this fairy. She would never resort to whipping a creature to death, as Queen Mother is someone who respects life."


    "If Queen Mother were to kill someone, she will kill it in a way that will make the death of that opponent worth remembering."


    "Killing an opponent through whipping is not a good way to kill someone, so Queen Mother should have not done it."


    "But she did it right in front of my eyes, and she did not even seem fazed by it!"


    "Ugh... this is just wrong. This is not how Queen Mother should be!"


    Alina was full of uncertainty in regards to how she should deal with Queen Mother, but since the latter did not do anything drastic yet at this point, Alina had decided to deal with the tree woman''s matter later.


    Well, even if Alina wanted to talk to Queen Mother now, she has no time to do it since their problems for today are still not done.


    The three opponents that they fought might have been dead already, but there are still more opponents for them to face.


    There are the Travelers who are few seconds away from escaping from the Event Loop, and there''s still Alex who''s bound to come to this place any second now.


    "Hmm¡­ so after those Companions, the next ones that I need to face are the Travelers. Sigh, this is bound to be hard, but fortunately I prepared for this¡­."


    "Now, my chance to win will depend on how well the Church of Wisdom exerts its will here. Will they be willing to release some of their Divine Artifacts just to fight these Travelers? Or are they willing to  just see me, their Divine Maiden, risk her life against these enemies?"


    With the matter of her allies placed on the back of her mind, Alina adjusted the target of her focus.


    Now, she had already forgotten about her former enemies as she focused on her new ones.


    "Hmph, it is hard to know what the Church of Wisdom will do, but given my status, they might try to assist me."


    "And they better do that, as that is what they should do for someone like me."


    After staring at the trapped and injured Travelers for a second, Alina let out a sigh before she gave a discreet look to the members the Church of Wisdom that are here in this venue.


    All of them were also trapped by the event loop, but they all observed Alina''s battle in a calculated way, as if they were measuring her worth.


    They seem to not be worried about what is happening to them, as they seem to treat Alina''s fighting ability with more importance.


    "¡­.." This naturally irritated Alina, as she realized that even though she was the Divine Maiden of the Church of Wisdom, these old fogeys were still testing her, even up to this time!


    Such stubbornness from these people made Alina sigh, but given her current state, she really can''t afford to be angry with them.


    "Hehehe, they may not want to help me before, but now that I easily killed these three Companions, some of these Elder Priests will surely try helping me. Now it''s just a matter of who and how many¡­"


    "Well, even if they don''t help me, it won''t be a problem as I now have another variable that will allow me to win¡­"


    The situation about these priests observing her had fouled Alina''s mood once more, but it was not enough to make her fully unhappy of herself.


    In fact, in ALina''s opinion, there is no way that she will feel unhappy right now, as she had just obtained a great treasure unlike any other.


    This treasure of course pertains to the Omniscient Skin, the Divine Sensory Organ that Alina had been coveting ever since she saw it.

 Chapter 702 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 8.5

    "I might not know the truth about the Divine Sensory Organs, but I have a feeling that as long as I kill another Divine Sensory Organ user, I can take their Divine Sensory Organ for myself!"


    "How I should do this process is vague to me, but as long as I follow my instincts, everything will work out¡­"


    When Alina first saw Beatrice earlier, she felt the desire to obtain the latter''s Omniscient Skin, as if it was the natural thing for her to do. This desire was the reason why Alina exerted a little more effort on her fight today, something that made her feel both disappointed and satisfied.


    Well, Alina is swaying more on the satisfied side today, as she''s about to take her desired organ for herself.


    "So how I should do this? Hm¡­. Should I just hold the skin and then ''absorb'' it? Sounds pretty vague to me¡­."


    ___________


    ALina might be inexperienced in terms of the Divine Sensory Organs, but this doesn''t mean that she had no substantial knowledge about them.


    After all, Alina had already met 3 other Divine Sensory Organ Holders prior to this day, so even she has an idea on what these organs could be.


    "In actuality, the Divine Sensory Organs are just normal sensory organs. What makes them special is the ''essence'' that resides inside them." Alina thought to herself as she gave Beatrice''s corpse one more inquisitive look.


    Alina then adjusted her hold on the corpse, with the corpse''s skin now displayed like a bare chicken.


    "In my case, my eyes should have been just normal eyes, but once my eyes had been inhabited by a special kind of ''essence'', my eyes had transformed to become the All-Seeing Eyes¡­."


    "That b***h Astria and Delia said before that they experienced the same thing too, with their nose and tongue respectively being transformed into Divine Sensory Organs through some kind of ''essence''¡­


    Alina''s additional words turned into murmurs as her face wore a serious look, with her eyes never going off from the corpse in her hands. She seemed to be highly invested on the body that she held, and her next actions had just confirmed it.


    "So in short, it is the essence inside the Divine Sensory Organs that make these organs special. It is the essence that gives the organs their special abilities, and without it, the Divine Sensory Organs will just be a normal organ¡­"


    "This might seem like a normal consequence, but trust me, it is not. Because the presence of this ''essence'' inside the Divine Sensory Organs changes everything!"


    "If there is ''essence'' inside a Divine Sensory Organ, then there is a possibly that someone can take that ''essence'' for themselves. Of course I do not know if that is possible, but I FEEL that it is possible!


    "After all, my body is telling me today that I can do it here against Beatrice! It seems like I can take the essence of her Omniscient Skin and infuse it to my own skin!"


    After exclaiming these words, the excited Alina seemed to be unable to stop herself anymore. She continued to treat the corpse on her hands with more care, creating a creepy scence that forced t her allies to back away.


    "Let''s see if this ''essence'' theory does work. If it is, then I will be leagues stronger compared to how I was before¡­"


    Alina appeared to be a hungry lion this time, someone who seemed to not hesitate to cut down anyone who tries to interrupt her ''meal''. She even looked close to assaulting her allies if they try to disturb her.


    This kind of ferocious look had effectively warped ALina''s face, to the point that she did not seem like her normal self anymore.


    The current Alina seemed to be filled with greed, the type that nobody has a way to quench¡­.


    "Hehehe, having two Divine Sensory Organs will surely give me a lot of special abilities, and maybe I can develop a new killing technique from it! Hehehe, the combination of my eyes'' penetrative observation and the Omniscient Skin''s powerful defense should provide me with a useful ability!"


    "But what if this does not work? What if this ''essence'' fades away once a Divine Sensory Organ holder dies? And what if I don''t have the power right now to even absorb this ''essence¡­"


    "Wait, why am I even worrying? Of course this will work! Since your body says so, then you can do it! The problem that I just have right now is time!"


    ________________


    With her opponents already dead, Alina has no worries about anyone attacking her for now. This allowed her to make a move against Beatrice''s corpse, with her hands now clinging to the dead body without any reservation.


    "¡­."


    Ignoring the blood that still spurted from the bisected head, Alina just nonchalantly ran her hands over Beatrice''s corpse, with the former doing whatever she can in order to obtain the ''essence'' that she had been talking about since earlier.


    "''Absorb'', ''absorb'', ''absorb''. Hmm.. why is it not working? ''Absorb, ''absorb'', ''absorb''¡­. ''Absor- yes, there it is!"


    Alina''s first few tries with her attempted ''absorption'' did not work, but to her delight, something different had happened a few seconds after she started.


    "Hom!"


    Out of nowhere, the sensitive Alina suddenly felt a suction force coming from her own hand, one that was powerful enough to suck almost anything on its vicinity. She could feel that any nearby object will surely be absorbed by this force, and that only a black hole can outperform it.


    With such kind of power, this suction force should have introduced distortion on the area around it. But instead of that happening, the suction force seemed to have not affected anything at all.


    It just continued to suck and suck without any effect, making it look like an ineffectual failure.


    This made Alina irritated on what she saw, to the point that she had thoughts of removing her hand from the corpse already.


    But before she could do that, the suction force eventually showed its effect,  which is enough to calm down the agitated Alina.


    "Hula~"


    From within the skin of Beatrice''s corpse, an ethereal, energy-like substance was slowly being dragged out, presumably caused by the effects of the suction force.


    This substance seems to have no material or form at all, but under the power of the suction force and Alina''s observation, it has turned into a small clump that inched closer and closer to Alina''s hands.


    "Glug glug glug."


    This ethereal substance felt both foreign and natural to Alina, who was now laughing as she strengthened the suction force from her hands.


    "Hahaha! Yes, this is what I am looking for! Now come to me and assimilate with my skin! Your owner is already dead, so you have no more use for her! Just stay with me, and I promise you, we will achieve a lot of things together!"


    There is no way that she cannot laugh right now, as she knew that this substance was the one that she was looking for.


    "So this is the essence of the Omniscient Skin¡­ Will I have any problems fusing with it? Well, there''s only one way to find that out¡­"


    Now that she had seen the evidence of the ''essence'' that exists in the Omniscient Skin, Alina''s next move was no-brainer for her. Since she seen the essence already, her next move was to of course absorb it.


    "Hah!" And she absorbed the essence without any hesitation, with her skin greedily sucking  the ethereal substance before it could dissipate to the surroundings.

 Chapter 703 - Interlude: She and Her Divine Sensory Organs(Must read!!!)

    At the end of the age of the True Gods, many powerful power users flourished, each one dedicated to their goals of reaching the peak.


    With the Immortal Paragon as their reference, these power users began to grow in numbers, until the time came that countless Ninth and Eighth Stage Beings could be seen on the starry sky.


    Amongst them was a woman, who with the power of Her own will and mediation alone, became a fearsome figure both loved and feared by many.


    She did not let Her name be known by anyone, and any title given to her was rejected by hers truly.


    Those who knew Her only addressed Her as ''Her'' or ''She'', a naming technique that only the True Gods of the past had received.


    _________________


    ''Her'' true origin was unknown, although many said that She''s a hidden disciple of the Immortal Paragon, who only made Herself known once he died after the war.


    It was said that Her first appearance was accompanied by the hymns of angels and divine beings, as if Her arrival on this world was a miracle that was worth praising for.


    Her beauty and majestic grace at that time seemed to have further improved Her charm, to the point that many followed Her blindly, as if She were a god.


    These consequences of Her appearance irked many, as Her existence reminded the survivors of the war about the terror of the True Gods.


    Many tried to kill Her as they feared that She might become a new True God, but all attempts to assassinate Her did not go well.


    Even though She does not follow the Immortal Cultivation System like the Immortal Paragon, She is a powerful creature on Her own right, who uses the powers of Her will,  enlightenment, and senses to destroy Her enemies.


    ______________


    Her eyes seemed to have the ability pierce through anything that She stared at, revealing all the illusions, lies, and deceit of Her enemies. Nobody was able to hide their killing intent against ''Her'' eyes, rendering any planned assassination on Her to be moot.


    Her ears could hear through time itself, rendering the past, present, and the future as nothing more but entertainment to Hers truly .


    She can hear what Her opponents did in their past and She can deduce what Her opponents will do, making their actions appear as only an open book to Her.


    Her nose could smell the essence of living and non-living objects easily, leaving nothing bare under Her observation. All the weaknesses of Her enemies are revealed with one almighty sniff of Her nose, and their own life force and soul are also exposed with just a whiff.


    Her tongue could taste the deepest and darkest emotions of anything, allowing Her to gain advantage through emotional warfare. No matter how much trained a fighter is, all their emotions will be revealed through Her tongue, and nothing, not even She can stop Herself from this horrendous tasting.


    Her skin can both sense and observe individuals through the fabric of space itself. Nobody can escape the observation of Her skin, and those who can¡­. Will find themselves  stopped by Her Skin''s incredible defense.


    ______________


    The power of these 5 senses are the foundations of Her overwhelming power, which allowed Her to be an extremely powerful and unkillable individual.


    Her extreme ability to also manipulate reality complemented well with these 5 ''Divine Senses'', making  it impossible for anyone short of a Monarch to actually kill Her.


    Nobody exactly knew what Power System She was using, but She Herself said that Her power was something that She created on the spot, and that Her Powerful Divine Senses were the results of this created power.


    ____________


    With Her Signature Divine Sense leading Her path to the peak, many considered Her as the replacement for the almighty Immortal Paragon. She was just too powerful at that time, and not many had the guts or ability to even fight Her.


    Those who can fight chose to not have a conflict with Her, maybe out of respect for Her power or for Her master.


    No matter what the case is, She is bound to be the leading figure of the new era, one who will have the responsibility to guide all the living beings into a new and cheerful age.


    _____________


    But before She could fully become the greatest hegemon in this new era,  Her rise to prominence was cut short because of Her death.


    Her death was sudden, and nobody knew or even realized how She died.


    She just suddenly collapsed to Her death before Her birthday, with Her whole body dissolving into nothingness.


    Almost all parts of Her body disappeared as if they were nothing, but due to Her own overbearing power, there were some parts of Her body that did not disappear.


    Her Eyes, Nose, Ears, Skin, and Tongue did remain after Her death, all which still pulsed with the essence of Her very own unique power.


    Each of these sensory organ instantly became a treasure for those who saw it, especially to Her enemies and allies alike.


    _______________


    Nobody cared for Her once She was dead, for She was an tyrannical person whose death was actually a relief for many.


    The only thing that made Her death useful was the appearance of Her Divine Sensory Organs, which can now be used by others as their very own unique items.


    But due to some twist in fate or maybe a hidden preparation made by Hers truly in the past, nobody was able to wield or use the power of the Divine Sensory Organs.


    These organs just disappeared before anyone could harness them, leaving everyone disappointed and pissed about Her death.


    _______________


    Thousands of years had passed after Her death, and many had already forgotten about Her existence. Even the most powerful beings at that time had relegated Her as nothing more but a dusty memory.


    As for Her organs that were left in this realm, they still existed, but only in the bodies of selected females.


    The reason for the appearance of these organs on these females is a mystery to those who discovered them, and it might stay that way in the future.

 Chapter 704 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 9

    "Hiss¡­."


    Beads of sweat pooled within Alina''s clothes as she felt the ethereal substance filling up each and every crevice of her skin. All the nooks and hidden spots on her skin are included, leaving nothing even the moles present on her face.


    "Haaah!!"


    She could not help but m.o.a.n in both pleasure and pain, as the invasion happening inside her skin was slowly changing each and every cell that resided in it.


    All the previously normal components of her skin began to change with this transformation, bringing them into a state that even Alina has no idea about.


    "Haaah!"


    This transformation went on for a few more seconds, with Alina trying her best to contain her feelings.


    "Haaah!"


    She knew that what''s happening to her right now was the consequence of her absorption of the Omniscient Skin, so she had no problems going through these mind-numbing pleasure and pain.


    "Haaah¡­"


    However, there is one tiny thing that is worrying Alina in regards to her current situation.


    And that is the fact that she''s experiencing this transformation right in the middle of her enemies, who are bound to get free from the Event Loop any moment now.


    "S**t, since this is my first time stealing an essence of a Divine Sensory Organ, I do not know how long this transformation of  mine  will last. It could take me a few minutes or a few more seconds¡­ If it is a few more seconds, then it will be good for me. But if it takes minutes, then I will be in great danger!"


    Now that Alina had begun transforming her skin to become the Omniscient Skin, she realized that she cannot cancel this transformation as it happened.  Cancelling it will mean her death, so she had no choice but to wait until her transformation was done.


    Using her own abilities during her transformation is a no-go too, which meant that Alina cannot make any attacks or defensive abilities, not until her transformation ends.


    "S**t!"


    If Alina performed her transformation in a controlled place, then she will not have any problems in regards to it. After all, having her transformation in a controlled place meant that there are no enemies or obstacles that will be of bother to her.


    However, Alina is in a place where any of her enemy Travelers can get free from the Event Loop on any given second. This is undoubtedly a great danger for ALina, as the current her has no way to defend herself!


    "If any of these Travelers were to be free during my transformation, he or she will come attacking me first, since I am defenseless! There is no way that I can attack anyone or defend myself now, so I am really just a sitting duck!"


    If Alina could just curse right now, she could have done it, as she realized that her actions in regards to the Omniscient Skin was too rash.


    She should have just attempted fusing with this skin once all the fighting was done, and not during this time where she could still die.


    Since she did not follow this obvious action, she''s now at the precipice of another extreme danger, one that even she is not sure about surviving¡­


    "S**t¡­ why did I even try fusing my skin with the Omniscient Skin this time? This is not like the normal me!"


    Alina continued to get angry at herself, but what''s done is done.


    Getting emotional to herself right now won''t be of help, and it will just worsen her situation. She should just be calm and rational, with her mind prepared for any kind of eventual cases.


    "¡­."


    But in actuality, even the act of getting calm and rational is of no use to Alina anymore.


    Since she cannot make any moves at all, even being calm will not change her state. She''s still powerless, and no change in her mind and emotions can be of assistance to her.


    The only thing that Alina can rely on right now was her luck, as this is the only possible thing that can directly influence her fate.


    "¡­."


    Alina can only hope that the time of her skin''s transformation into the Omniscient Skin will finish before any of the enemy Travelers can move freely.


    If not, then even with Queen Mother and Professor Frances protecting her, Alina is sure that she will be immediately killed.


    _____________


    "S**t, do it faster now, my skin! Go and transform into the Omniscient Skin already! If you don''t then we will die! Did you hear that? We will die if you don''t move your ass faster!"


    "I don''t care if you, my body, can understand me. Just know for a fact that if you don''t give your best effort here, we will really die! Now get moving and hasten your transformation already!"


    "Ah! I said go faster! How could you not even understand that?"


    With her inevitable death looming all over her again, Alina tried her best to urge her body to outperform itself. She goaded, praised, cheered, and cursed her body to surpass its limits, something that she thought could work.


    She also injured herself during this time too, as she discreetly fed her body with streaks of both her Dark Energy and Time Essence, which she thought could temporality change the make-up of her body, which she then thought could improve the rate of her skin''s transformation.


    "Argh!" She also applied more hidden and small changes inside her body, in hopes of making her situation better.


    "Argh!"


    But just like all the efforts that Alina had earlier, her attempt to change her body did not work at all. Her body and skin still retained the same rate of transformation like earlier, leaving Alina with nothing but a feeling of irritation in regards to her failed venture.


    "Ahhh! Why are you like this? Come on, move it!"


    ____________


    This failure to change her body was enough to set off Alina''s mood like a cannon, with the pressure of being surrounded by the enemies bringing her back to her initial problematic situation.


    Alina was back to worrying about her state, with no discernible solution present.


    "¡­."


    If this was her only problem,  Alina could  actually still keep her cool, since there is still no danger to her life yet.


    "Okay, I might be in danger now, but I have prepared for this too. Since my used items against the enemy Travelers are effective, it will still take them 30 seconds to free themselves from my items and the Event Loop."


    "30 seconds of time might not seem long, but I think that it is good enough for me. Who knows, my skin''s transformation might be finished before that 30 seconds gets used up."


    "¡­Yes, I think that is possible. I feel that my skin can finish transformation within 30 seconds, give or take 1 second."


    "Since that was the case, then all I have to do here is wait until my ordeal is done. And once it''s really done, then I don''t have to worry about my enemy Travelers already!"


    "Just the combined might of my All-Seeing Eyes and the Omniscient Skin will surely bring my power up to another level¡­ Who knows, I might get a level of power similar to these Travelers¡­"


    "Hehehe, that would be really good for me¡­.."


    Although she''s stuck in a dilemma, the angry Alina still found time to be optimistic about her situation. Which is not a big deal for her, as she could see that even with all the enemies around her, her chance to win is still high.


    All that Alina had to do now was to just wait, and let her body do its work.


    "Speaking of my enemy Travelers, I wonder who amongst them will be the first one to recover from my attacks? Will it be that annoying woman? Or will it be that Soul creature?"


    "Oh, it is possible that the fairy-like being could be the one to get free first. Or maybe it could be that woman with the Conqueror''s Aura? After all, with her Conqueror''s Aura alone, she''s powerful enough to break the Loop¡­."


    "But I already injured that woman enough already. Maybe that will slow her down¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    With her hopes raised again by her thoughts, Alina continued to play with her mind, but even this brief interlude inside her head has to end too.


    ______________


    "Ok, so I should still bet on that Soul creature to come out first, since he''s the one who''s recovering quickly now. Tsk, if it really is him, then how should I deal with it? Should I just-"


    Boom! Boom! Boom!


    Just 5 seconds after Alina made her 30-second prediction, or 25 seconds before the  first Traveler could free itself, an explosion suddenly rocked the area, covering Alina and the other with a wave of power that left them paralyzed.


    "Boom boom boom!" Fortunately for Alina, this explosion did not render any more additional damages to her.


    But even though she was not damaged at all, Alina could not help but shout in fury during the explosion, as what she had witnessed during this time had affected something else other than her body.


    Her emotions in particular was stirred by this explosion, and the reason for that was made obvious in just a moment.


    "Ah s**t! How could this be early again! How could it happen this quickly? Did I miscalculate? Argh, this is bad!"


    _____________


    One of the Travelers that Alina attacked, who is the woman with the Conqueror''s Aura, is currently standing proud in her spot, with her body covered by streaks of Demonic Energy that lashed all over the place.


    These streaks of Demonic Energy  casually destroyed the Event Loop around the woman, which let this Traveler easily get free from her trapped state. Her whole body was being constantly protected by this Demonic Energy too, which further shielded her from the Event Loop that still tried to reel her in.


    "¡­."


    Now, this woman with the Conqueror''s Aura was not under the mercy of having her time being repeated for countless moments. She is now free from the Event Loop, and there is no indication that  she is coming back.


    She even stretched her body at this point as if she was warming herself up, creating a scenery that seemed out of place in relation to all the evil aura surrounding her.


    "¡­."


    All who saw what this woman did was in shock, especially Alina, who seemed to be like a frozen slab of meat at this point.


    "Ah s**t! How could this Traveler woman get herself free this quickly? This is not right!" It was the sight of this woman being free from the Event Loop that elicited a shocked reaction from Alina, as she had not expected to see this sight this early.


    Alina predicted that the first Traveler will come out of the Event Loop 30 seconds from now, but what happened was the contrary.


    The first Traveler to free herself only needed 5 more seconds to do so, which now allowed this Traveler to roam the whole area freely, while Alina was still trapped in her transformation state!


    "S**t!"


    And as if this was not bad enough, it was not only the effects of the Event Loop that were neutralized by the Demonic Energy.


    "Shua~"


    Even the toxic fumes that Alina used on this Traveler Woman were affected too, and these fumes were affected in such a way that their heavy damage on the Traveler woman seemed to disappear in a blink.


    All traces and effects of the toxic fumes were absorbed the Demonic Energy, allowing this Traveler woman to not only be free from the toxic fumes, but to also heal from the damage, which her body had done in a spectacular manner.


    "Shi¡­" Gone were her exposed bones and her melting flesh. Gone were her disintegrated faced too, as all of them had begun healing on the spot.


    What only remained of this Traveler woman was her normal body, which is now jumping up and down in excitement.


    "Oh s**t!!!"

 Chapter 705 - Congregation of the Divine Senses! Part 10

    If the sight of this Traveler Woman freeing herself from the Event Loop was bad enough to Alina already, then the mere neutralization of Alina''s attack just made it worse.


    "S**t¡­ so not only did my opponent free herself from the Event Loop early, she even found a way to heal herself from my attack! And the way that this Traveler Woman did this was by using the power of her allied religion!"


    "S**t! This woman must have been planning to not use the power of her allied religion until the right time comes. But since I already used the power of my allied religions, this Traveler Woman had decided to use the power of her allied religion too!"


    "F**k, this is really the worst!"


    In actuality, ALina''s calculation of her enemy Travelers freeing themselves in 30 more seconds was actually right.


    What she did not take into account however were the presence of the religions, whose powers are obviously usable by the enemy Travelers too.


    It was the power of these allied religions that allowed the Traveler woman to free herself, and it was also the one that completely healed her injuries.


    This fact alone further plummeted Alina''s mood, and it only got worse when she identified this said religion.


    "Since this Traveler Woman was covered by Demonic Energy, then that means that her allied religion was the Goetic Palace! After all, that''s the only place where this much Demonic Energy can exist!"


    The sight of this Demonic Energy made Alina''s eyes twitch, as she knew how bad her situation is right now.


    Having an enemy Traveler is bad on its own already, but the fact that this Traveler was an ally of the Goetic Palace made things  worse!


    After all, the Goetic Palace represents the Goetic Order Realm, a realm which has a slight enmity with Alina''s group!


    "S**t, so this is how supportive the Goetic Place is on their Traveler? They must be really willing to let her succeed on this Main Mission. Tsk, what a bunch of supportive bastards¡­"


    "And they look like they want their Traveler to kill me¡­ Hehehe, of course the Goetic Order Realm would want to do that. After all, our group had killed one of their members¡­."


    "Yes, of course they would want to kill me. And now that I am free to be butchered, this Traveler Woman will obviously try her best to butcher me¡­."


    "Tsk, just the look on that Traveler Woman''s eyes makes it obvious that she wants to kill me¡­."


    "Oh, and from the looks of it, even if Professor Frances and Queen Mother tries to stop her, this Traveler Woman will still win in the end. Tsk, is this how powerful she really is, along with the support of the Goetic Palace?"


    "Argh, this is much worse than my situation earlier!"


    At this point, Alina knew that hoping for the best will not work anymore.


    Her enemy Traveler had all the reasons to be hostile to Alina, and it was only exacerbated by the hostile relationship that Alina had with the Goetic Order Realm.


    "Sigh, why do I have to go through this? I just won a fight and I had just managed to obtain an important power-up¡­ Ugh, why do I have to be in danger this quickly? Can''t I have even just a little time to deal with my stuff?"


    "Come on, it''s just a few seconds! Nobody can be hurt by that, right?"


    Although Alina was wishing that fate would grant her a chance to survive this situation, she knew deep in her heart that survival was moot.


    Her enemy was free to make a move while she had no way of defending herself.


    This situation was a sure-kill against Alina, and no matter what she does, she is doomed to experience this.


    "Sigh¡­ and here I am again, back to the precipice of death. Why did I even expect myself to win?"


    "I am facing against 5 Traveler''s for f**k''s sake! Of course I am bound to lose, no matter what I do!"


    "Tsk, can''t I even just take down one Traveler with me? That way, all my efforts here will not be null¡­"


    "Wait, can I even take one Traveler down with me? Just this woman alone is this powerful already. Using her as a reference, all the other Travelers here will just be as powerful as her¡­"


    "Sigh¡­ so I can''t really kill one Traveler, even with all the methods I used? Tsk, I am really a sorry excuse for a companion¡­"


    At this point, Alina had already lost any interest to fight back against her enemies.


    Why would she even fight back, when she''s in this state, powerless to even make a move?


    All the struggle that Alina will do this time will be just a waste of her time and effort, so why even make an effort?


    "¡­"


    And besides, even if Alina were able to move this time, she still won''t be able to win.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    Because aside from the Traveler woman, all the other Travelers trapped by the Event Loop had managed to free themselves out from it too.


    "¡­."


    _______________-


    The second Traveler that Alina attacked earlier, which is the fairy-like creature, has his body covered with the glow from a large boulder.


    It was this boulder that had literally crushed the effects of the Event Loop, and it was also the object that  removed the fluids which tormented the fairy Traveler all this time.


    As for the Soul Warlock that Alina had attacked with a soul-splitting move, he used a piece of illusory paper in his hand to heal his wounded soul and to free himself from the event loop.


    As for the fourth Traveler that Alina attacked earlier, who was the woman with the power to manipulate the void, she resorted to the power of a red floating emblem.


    This emblem released a murderous killing intent when it was activated, which easily demolished the effect of Alina''s book and that of the Event Loop.


    "¡­."


    The combination of these abilities, as much as Alina wanted to deny it, were all effective on helping out these Travelers.


    Now, these 3 Travelers are free from any traps just like the first Traveler woman, and they can now move all around without any worries for themselves.


    "¡­."


    The one who should be worried about this situation was only Alina of course, as things just got from ''one enemy Traveler bad'' to  ''four enemy Travelers worst''.


    "Sigh, so because I used the power of my allied religion for myself, my enemy Travelers already lost their worries on using theirs. After all, since someone like me had already used it, then there will be no more problems for them if they were to use it too."


    "Tsk, so that action of mine has become my undoing huh. What a way for me to reach the end of my life."


    "I did not even manage to reach a higher level of state after all the troubles that I went through. Instead, I am now waiting here to die, with nobody present that can help me."


    "Sigh... this is really the worst way to die, and the fact that I brought this to myself just made this worse¡­."


    If Alina had already lost hope of winning earlier, then the consecutive ''freeing'' of the other Travelers just made her negative feelings get worse.


    Just one Traveler alone is sure death for Alina, and now she''s facing 4 at the same time?


    Only the term ''overkill'' can be applied to Alina''s current situation, and even that could still be an understatement!


    "Well, being killed by 4 Travelers at the same time is an honor for me, right? After all, forcing these many enemies to kill me is an achievement on its own already."


    "Yes, I might be dying here, but at least I died through fighting."


    "It''s not like things can get any worse from here, so there''s no reason for me to be sad anymore."


    "Wait, things can''t get any worse from here, right? Right?"


    _______________


    With her acceptance of her defeat, Alina had already closed her eyes as she waited for her inevitable descent to death.


    There are 4 Travelers roaming around her, so they only had to take one attack each in order to kill her completely.


    Such attacks will only take an instant, so Alina knew that she''s already meant to die in just a matter of seconds.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    But to Alina''s surprise, the death strike that she had been waiting for did not arrive. Not even a gust of wind or a powerful punch had destroyed her body at this point.


    There were also nothing that slashed, crushed, or pierced her body as she waited.


    "¡­"


    And even after a few more seconds of waiting, Alina did not feel any attacks landing on her body.


    "Hey, what''s the problem? Why are you not attacking me? Don''t tell me that you have kinks related to making me wait for my death? Tsk, you bastards sure are full of fetishes¡­"


    Feeling that something was wrong with her enemies, Alina slowly opened her eyes in hopes of seeing what made them stop.


    "Are you having a meeting right now in regards on how you should kill me? Tsk, you really like making me suffer through anxiety¡­"


    In her mind, Alina had expected to see the 4 Travelers doing something weird at this point. This was after all, the only explanation that could explain why they are not attacking Alina now.


    But for the nth time this day, Alina found herself surprised again with what she saw.


    "!!!!"


    A black coat that was as dark as night.


    A white skin mottled with large dark spots.


    A hair that was a black as the void itself.


    And a handsome face that bore the traits of an evil person.


    These were the traits of a newcomer who suddenly appeared on this place, and he made sure to display these traits in full force, especially towards Alina.


    [Hello there, Alina. Did you miss me? How about you give me a kiss? I have been waiting for your love already ever since you left me! Do you even know how much I missed you? Not even your wounds right now can equate that!"


    "A-Alex? You''re here?  But¡­ how could you be here? Shouldn''t you be hiding?"


    [What do you mean I should be hiding, Alina? I am your partner, so I am responsible for your life. Since you are about to die here, of course I will come swooping in to help. That''s my responsibility as your partner, so don''t be surprised like that!]


    "B-but you only treat me as a tool! Is that a reason for you to save me?"


    [Hah? You think that just because I am corrupted by the Abyss, I will already abandon you even though you are just my tool? Hmph, I, the great Alex, is someone who is generous to his lovers! So don''t demean yourself Alina! You may be a tool to me, but a useful one at that! I can''t ignore useful tools like you, so don''t be this adamant about my attitude!]


    "¡­"


    Out of all the people that Alina had expected to see today, this newcomer was the one that she least expected to see during this time.


    How could not Alina be surprised?


    This newcomer was Alex after all, her partner who had been corrupted by the Abyss!


    For him to appear here is a mystery to Alina, as she knew that the corrupted Alex will never invade an area with this many Travelers!


    And for him to invade this area just to save Alina''s life is even more unfathomable, as the current him has no compassion towards her!


    Why would even a corrupted person like Alex save Alina, when he just treats her like a tool now?


    [Author''s Note: Why indeed Alex? Why are you acting like this?]

 Chapter 706 - Origin Shard

    [Alina, I know that you still doubt me now, but this is not the time for you to fret. Do you want to live? If so, then allow me to assist you¡­]


    "Alex, you really should not have come here." If she could just move her body, Alina would have used it to already chase Alex away. Seeing him right here is enough to make her worry, and not even Alex''s current strength can remove that worry.


    [My love, why is it that you always want to chase me away. Did I do something to offend you? Come on, you know that you need me to survive. Just admit it, and we can do proceed with the normal stuff here.]


    "Normal stuff my ass, Alex! Why did you come this early! You did not follow the script!"


    _______________


    With her life in the brink of death, Alina was partially happy to see Alex coming in to rescue her.


    However, the majority of Alina''s emotions were plagued with worry, as Alex chose the worst time to come!


    "Alex, I am happy that you came here to help me, but in your current state, you should have come when our enemies are tired¡­." Alina thought to herself as she stared at Alex''s handsome and also malevolent face.


    Seeing his face made Alina''s heart throb, especially with worry, as Alex''s arrival in this place had just added a whole lot of problems on Alina''s already chaotic situation.


    Alina had intended it so that Alex will arrive late in this battle, but because of her inadequacies, Alex was forced to arrive early!


    This sudden change threw a wrench on Alina''s plans, and now she was forced to wrack her mind for solutions, as letting things proceed from here will surely lead to disaster¡­


    "Since Alex is partially corrupted by the Abyss, it signifies that making him exert the power of the Abyss will bring him closer and closer to full corruption. That is not a good scenario, so I must do all that I can to prevent that from happening." Alina thought as she bit her lip.


    "That means that as much as possible, Alex should only be forced to use the power of the Abyss when it matters. Making him use the power of the Abyss on unneeded situations will just bring him closer to full corruption¡­"


    "For today''s events, I made things to happen so that Alex will only appear once I have done dealing with my enemies. That way, Alex will only be forced to use his power against me, which will allow him to retain his partial sanity for longer¡­."


    "That is the only way that can help me find a way to heal Alex, and my allies all agree with that."


    All this time, Alina''s main goal was to save Alex from his corrupted state. All her plans related to luring the Travelers and their Companion were for Alex''s sake, and ALina made sure to time each plan to her advantage.


    Because Queen Mother and Professor Frances were helping her in her plans, Alina was confident that her plan will succeed.


    Alina was also confident that her plan will succeed even if she dies, which was the reason for her acceptance of death earlier.


    But all of these carefully planned steps are all ruined now because of Alex, leaving Alina reeling as she found no solution to her dilemma now!


    "But even with all the planning that I did, I still failed to last for long!"


    "Because of my weakness and because of the overpowering strength of my enemies, Alex now came in to save me! I know that he''s bound to come in to get me any second now, but for him to come at this moment is still early!"


    "Tsk, what will I do now? If I don''t do something here, Alex will surely start fighting these 4 Travelers just to save me."


    "Doing that will surely corrupt him more, to the point that there might be no coming back for him!"


    "Argh! If this happens, Alex will certainly be doomed to stay this way forever!"


    As much as she tried to salvage the dilemma brought by Alex''s sudden arrival, the gloomy Alina realized that just like her death earlier, the current situation is already out of her grasp.


    What happens from here will only depend on her luck and Alex''s actions, two things that she definitely does not trust.


    "Sigh¡­. So after all the planning that I did, it all come back to this huh. So I still have to gamble, even though the odds are against my favor? Tsk, this is a bad way to handle this situation¡­."


    ________________


    With 4 Travelers on her back, 2 allies who are unsure on what to do, and one partner whose intentions are unknown, Alina could only stay silent as she waited to see what happens next.


    She kept her eyes narrowed and her focus untainted as her body continued to transform, with her mind taking in each and every details of her surroundings.


    This proved to be a proper move, as the newcomer Alex did not waste anyone''s time.


    He immediately jumped in into action, although his ''action'' was different from what Alina had expected¡­.


    [So you''re the Travelers that I have to compete against? Seeing you here makes my heart jump in excitement. Oh, all of you looks like you have been injured by my partner. I hope she injured you enough to make you angry¡­. ]


    With a small grin present on his face, the evil-looking Alex did not immediately attack the Travelers surrounding Alina. Instead, he extracted a small crystal from his chest, one that glowed faintly against the sunlight.


    "Hom¡­"


    This crystal pulsed with an unfathomable power which made Alina look at it in wonder.


    Creation, Destruction, Beginning, End, Time, Space, Body, and Soul.


    All these ethereal concepts swirled from within the crystal, shrouding the whole place with this mysterious feeling that nobody was able to shake.


    All the Travelers in this place, Queen Mother and Professor Frances, and even Alina were all entranced by the mysteriousness of this crystal, and not a single one of them were able to remove their gaze away from it.


    They could only feel the desire to take the crystal, ad even when it was being held by a dangerous-looking Alex, this desire almost made them ignore his power.


    "¡­."


    The only thing that were stopping everyone from snatching the crystal was their wariness towards Alex, who seemed to be pleased upon seeing everyone''s reactions.


    [Oh, it seems like my guess is right. So how angry are you right now, my fellow Traveler? Are you so angry that you want to eat my lover?]


    [Well if you''re that angry, then you can just vent your anger on me. You can get this crystal from me, if that''s what will make you happy¡­]


    [Come on, what''s the matter with y''all? You can get this crystal now if you want. Come on, you''re free to get it¡­]


    Alex ven waved the crystal in a provocative manner towards the Travelers, as if he was urging them to make a move already.


    "Alex, what the hell are you doing?" Seeing that Alex did not immediately attack, Alina was relieved, thinking that the current Alex maybe still had a sense of care for himself.


    But now that Alex had resorted to actually goading the enemy Travelers to make a move, Alina''s worry went back to its peak levels.


    "Alex, I don''t know what is the identity of the crystal that you are holding,  but I can feel its importance. Since it was important, then you should be keeping it hidden."


    "But look what you did here! Not only did you let the enemy Travelers discover that you have that kind of crystal, you are even encouraging them to get it!"


    "What the hell is wrong with you Alex? Did you really get corrupted so bad you''ve become this irrational?"


    "Argh! I don''t know what to do with you anymore!


    "Tsk, why do I even think about that crystal? I have my own problems here, and I am not yet even done transforming yet!"


    Since she can feel that the crystal that Alex held was precious, Alina could already envision a bitter fight between him and the enemy Travelers, especially in regards to the owner of this crystal.


    This was how important this crystal really is, and if Alina could move, even she could have joined in on this scramble too.


    "Sigh, forget about it. If Alex wants to do it this way, then so be it. Let''s just hope that this will turn out good for all of us..."


    With their another chance to survive ruined by the reckless Alex, Alina tried her best to hide her disappointment.


    She just tensed her body again as she waited for the inevitable fight, and she hoped that it will not start intensely.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "???"


    But to Alina''s surprise, none of the enemy Travelers made a move.


    Although all of them looked at the crystal with greed, they did not do anything to obtain it.


    They just stared at it with both greed and wariness, and with their whole bodies tense, as if they discovered something worrying about it.


    "??? What is this? Why won''t these Travelers try to obtain this crystal? It''s obviously precious, and Alex is even goading them to get it. Why don''t they want to get it? Is there something about this crystal that is making them wary?"


    Alina quickly realized that the current situation was weird.


    As for why it was this weird, even her All-Seeing Eyes could not fathom why.


    Fortunately for her, someone from the people present gave the needed explanation.


    The woman with the Conqueror''s Aura, whose beautiful face was tinged with wariness this time, asked this question to Alex while she kept some distance with him.


    This woman was obviously distressed about something, and it seemed that it took her a lot of courage just to ask her question.


    The added stress on her tone made her question sound much more important, forcing Alina to realize that this crystal is indeed suspicious.


    As for Alex, the wary tone from this woman just made him smile, as if he had expected to hear her talking like this.


    [My, my, my, Miss Shi Xingyun, since you already realized what this crystal is, then why are you still asking me? This crystal is indeed an Origin Shard, and it is one that came from a True God. As for which True God, I''m afraid I cannot tell you for now¡­]

 Chapter 707 - Desire over Anger

    As if Alex''s words were a bolt of lightning, the woman with the Conqueror''s Aura, who had been called as Shi Xingyun, started to tremble after she heard what he said.


    Shi Xingyun''s whole aura flared up this time, releasing her majestic Conqueror''s Aura upon the smiling Alex.


    "Boom!"


    This aura encompassed Shi Xingyun''s desire to make Alex talk, with each iteration of the aura releasing shouts of rancor that  tried to make  Alex prostrate and start talking.


    Alex however ignored these effects as he maintained his conversation with Shi Xingyun.


    [Hey, hey, hey there Shi Xingyun. What is making you so mad? Do you have a grudge against me?]


    [And why do you look surprised now, woman? Your Conqueror''s Aura did not work on me, so what? Just believe that your power failed!"


    [Sigh, do we really have to talk about the failure of your power now? Aren''t we talking about your grudge with me? Come on, let''s just talk about that¡­]


    The manner in which Alex casually shrugged off Shi Xingyun''s worries had visibly irritated the latter, but because of the current situation and all the enemies that surrounded her, this woman was forced to go with Alex''s flow.


    Shi Xingyun snarled as she tried to overpower Alex with her Conqueror''s Aura once more.


    This attempt of course failed, leaving her growling in frustration, with the other Travelers now looking at Alex in a better light.


    [I am the true successor for the Abyss Realm. I think that gives me the right to say your name, Shi Xingyun.]


    The failure of Shi Xingyun to subdue him seemed to have inflated Alex''s ego, with his actions now more and more aligned with pissing off the former.


    He did not seem to even acknowledge the danger of facing 4 Travelers at once, as he just relished his role as an irritating prankster.


    [Hm? Why are you  not saying anything now, miss Shi Xingyun? I heard some threats from you earlier, so shouldn''t you try them out now? Come on, I am waiting for you to make your move¡­.]


    For whatever reason there is, the livid Shi Xingyun seemed to be unable to fatally attack Alex, although her emotions and reaction to his words suggested that she wanted nothing more but to tear Alex to pieces right now.


    Such restraint was surprising to see, and even Alina could not help but feel impressed with the way that Shi Xingyun reined her temper in.


    "¡­."


    This same restraint was also being displayed by the other Travelers, with their eyes still looking at the Origin Shard warily.


    _________________


    "So Alex did not come here to fight. It seems like him coming here was for a different matter. As for what that could be, that crystal is at the midst of that¡­" Although Alina  was also wary  of the crystal, seeing its effect on the enemy Travelers was  enough to calm her.


    Of course she''s still not calm enough to feel relieved about her situation, but the sight of Alex being able to halt their enemies from attacking him was a sight that Alina was willing to see a thousand times this day.


    "Tsk, I don''t like to say this, but I hope that whatever Alex is planning right now will succeed. Because this seems to be the only way that he will survive this day without making himself closer to being corrupted¡­."


    With the danger on her life and Alex''s now temporarily averted, Alina can now finally relax back.


    She can now also focus more on the transformation of her skin, which she now urged to finish with all of her might.


    "Hey, you damned skin. Now that there are no more enemies distracting me, can you perhaps speed up your transformation? Your change will be of great use to me, and the distraction that Alex provided right now is your chance to finish the change!"


    "So go on and change already! I already wasted a lot of time worrying, so you better give me some results!"


    ___________


    ________________


    Alex''s actions right now might have granted him some kind of temporary immunity against the other Travelers, but that does not mean that he had restricted them from moving freely.


    This was showcased the greatest when aside from Shi Xingyun, someone else from the enemy Travelers had begun questioning Alex.


    |Cease your useless words now, human. Since you have arrived in this place showing that Origin Shard, that means that you want us to do something about it. If that''s your intention, then I suggest that you immediately tell us the reason why you''re here.|


    The soul creature was the one who said these words, with his powerful Soul Body looming all over Alex like a murderous bear.


    Just like Shi Xingyun before, this creature used the power of his Soul Body in order to suppress Alex and make him cower.


    |I liked the way that you handled this situation, human. But your rude treatment of me is a line that you should have never crossed. Now talk, and make sure that you will satisfy me.|


    As if he were a remorseless king that lorded over all creations, the soul creature nonchalantly demanded Alex to entertain him, an action that made Alina feel worried for Alex.


    This worry however quickly turned into nothing, as even against this soul creature, Alex seemed to be not affected too.


    [Oh, so this is your famed Soul Body, Iskanor. I never expected it to be this powerful. But compared to my soul, this is only¡­ so-so. But still, I like the fact that you were able to disturb 70% of my soul. Oh, now that I see it, this is actually impressive¡­]


    |You damned human! How did you-|


    [Iskanor, I just have a powerful soul, ok? That''s the reason why I can resist your power. Now scoot over and let me continue talking.]


    |!!!|


    [Okay, so aside from Iskanor and Shi XIngyun, will the other two Travelers present here try suppressing me too? Let''s see if you are also as powerful as your peers¡­.]


    |¡­.|


    The enraged Iskanor might look frightening, but Alex merely ignored him as he now taunted the two remaining Travelers, who still had not made a move at this point.


    [Oi. Overron. Aren''t you someone who had been a slave by that dumb fairy Asteria? With that kind of person enslaving you, you must have some pent-up anger against her. I fully understand why would you be angry at that dumb fairy, so it is fine for me if you will attack me.]


    [After all, that dumb fairy is my Guide, so you can consider attacking me as a way to attack her¡­]


    --It''s a nice offer hooman. But I won''t move.--


    [Hm? You''re not going to attack me, Overron? That''s too bad¡­]


    [How about you Talia? Aren''t you Delia''s sister? Being her sister gives you more reason to attack me, so just attack me now!]


    [Come on! I forced your sister to ally with me even if she does not want  to,  and I also made her ignore her calling as the Envoy of the Holy Order Realm through that alliance! With that kind of things that I did to her, you should be angry at me!]


    [Come on,  Talia. You can give me your best shot!]


    \\\As much as I wanted to dismember you for touching my sister, I have no choice but to let you off for now, demon.///


    [¡­So you''re not attacking me too? What''s the matter with you?]


    [¡­]


    [¡­}


    [Hey! You two should do something about me already! Because you never know, I might disappear from this place along with this Origin Shard, especially if you don''t immobilize me¡­.]


    [¡­]


    [¡­]


    [Ok, so all of you are just interested on this Origin Shard. Great.]


    Unlike the proactive Shi Xingyun and the proud Iskanor, the fairy creature called Overron and the martial woman named Talia did not bite against Alex''s provocations.


    These two look enraged from Alex''s insults, but they held their tempers in as they kept their stare on the Origin Shard alone.


    [¡­.]


    [¡­]


    Even if Alex looked like he was extremely interested on having his body ravaged by his enemies, he was still intelligent enough to realize that his goading will not work.


    Alina had also realized this, so she let her body calm down more as she waited for Alex to stop his fa?ade already.


    [Just like what I told to Shi Xingyun, I cannot tell you the identity of the True God that this Origin Shard came from. However, I can tell you all where I obtained this Origin Shard.]


    With a voice surprisingly modulated this time, the disappointed Alex gave the enemy Travelers a look that was full of disappointment as he talked.


    He was obviously disappointed that none of them made a move against him, and the eager faces shown by the Travelers towards the Origin Shard seemed to have worsened his mood.


    [Now, now, now. I am sure that you want to go to the source of this Origin Shard and start mining more Origin Shards in that place. I assure you, I want to go back to that place too to get more Origin Shards. After all, that''s the best way to strengthen or create a True God in this day and age¡­.]


    [However, the source of this Origin Shard was an extremely dangerous place, one where even someone like me could die in an instant. People like you will also die, even with all your abilities.]


    [In fact, that place was so dangerous, that I only obtained this Origin Shard from there through luck. And even then, I almost ended up dead¡­]


    [Do you understand that? I almost died in that place, even when I only stayed there for a few seconds¡­.]


    Alex retained his disappointed mood as he continued talking, which plunged the whole area with the feelings of bleakness and lethargy.


    Such atmosphere is enough to make anyone feel negative, but aside from Alina and her allies, all the other Travelers showed no signs of negative emotions.


    These Travelers appeared to be extremely happy instead, with the latest words uttered by Alex seemingly the source of these pleasant feelings.


    |Now that''s what I want to hear human. Now you are doing what I wanted you to do. But I am just wondering, why are you having the initiative to talk about the source of this shard? What made a greedy human like you talk about it?|


    \\\Hmph, since you have allied with my sister Delia, then I trust you skills on situations like this. And since I know my sister well, I think I can see what you''re planning to do¡­///


    \\\You''re planning to have us all cooperate in order to explore that place, right? That''s the only reason why you would tell us about that place while also talking about its dangers¡­.///

 Chapter 708 - Conclusion

    "¡­." Alina has no inkling on what Alex could be talking about, but her intelligence was sufficient to deduce the situation, especially after she saw the reaction by the enemy Travelers.


    "Judging by the way that Alex held that crystal, and the way that the enemy Travelers looked at it, that crystal is something that is important to their allied religions." Alina thought to herself as she focused her eyes on the Origin Shard.


    She did not let this crystal escape from her gaze, as she did her best to unravel its mysteries. This of course did not work, as no matter how much she used her All-Seeing Eyes, all that she only saw was the crystal''s ethereal form.


    "Alex said that this Origin Shard is helpful in the creation or strengthening of a True God¡­ If that was true, then it''s no wonder the other enemy Travelers would want it for themselves."


    "As long as they obtain that crystal for their own, they can use it to strengthen their allied religions!"


    "Wait, if this crystal is that important, then why are these Travelers not stealing it from Alex?"


    "Are they really just okay with letting Alex display this crystal in their faces?"


    "And from the looks of it, not only does these Travelers shun the idea of getting this crystal, they are even in the midst of having a cooperative relationship!"


    Alina could hardly believe the belligerent attitude shown by her enemies, and this disbelief just increased when her partner and her enemies continued conversing with each other.


    Alina''s eyes especially widened as she heard Alex talking about the place where he got the Origin Shard, which seems to be the line that the enemy Travelers were waiting for.


    "¡­."


    Once they heard Alex teasingly talking about this place, all the hostility that the enemy Travelers displayed were gone. They seem to be obedient kids now, all who are only interested on listening to him.


    "So Alex is about to tell the enemies about the place where he got that Origin Shard. And from the looks of it, he also seems to be interested on having an alliance with them."


    "Why does Alex want to have this cooperative relationship? And why did he even talk about the source of the Origin Shard to these enemies?"


    "And why are these enemy Travelers even listening to Alex? Are they really serious on having a cooperative relationship with him?"


    "Argh! This is confusing!"


    Any signals of an impending fight might have disappeared because of Alex, but Alina''s anxiousness did not disappear, especially after she saw the abnormal actions by Alex and the enemy Travelers.


    Are these really the people who liked to fight when they are given the chance? Since Travelers are people who loved combat, then they should be fighting today!


    Having them act this cooperative is seriously creepy, even for someone like Alina was had been used to weird stuff already.


    "Tsk, what is going on here? I really don''t get this at all¡­."


    ______________


    While Alina was back on her confused mindset, the smug Alex and his excited enemy Travelers had no inkling of being confused at all.


    They were all instead standing on their spots with gleams in their eyes, a stature that showed their excitement right now.


    [That''s right, y''all. I really need to form an alliance with all of you Travelers. That is the only way that all of us can get Origin Shards from that place without any fear for our lives.] Alex answered Talia''s query while remaining composed under the greedy gazes of the Travelers.


    [If we go to that place by ourselves, we will die quickly. So going there together will be for the best¡­.]


    \\\Hoho, so my guess is indeed right. So, where is this place? Is that really where you got that Shard? You better not lie to us, or else you might face our wrath¡­./// Talia muttered in reply as she began glaring at Alex.


    She appeared to be happy after hearing Alex''s answer, but this did not wipe away her unmistakable hatred for him. Her expression only softened for a bit, although her sneer showed that she''s still interested on killing Alex¡­


    \\\If you want an alliance with us, then you must be sincere enough to tell us everything. Now talk, and maybe I can forgive you for everything that you did against my sister¡­///


    [Hey, little Talia. You don''t have to be that uptight. This conversation is going under my flow, so let me do the talking ok? Don''t be impatient, as I will reveal all that you want¡­.]


    \\Tsk, just hurry up, Abyss Envoy. My sister might be patient with you, but that does not mean I am as forgiving as her¡­.////


    [¡­.]


    Talia and the other Travelers felt satisfied with what Alex was saying, but it was obvious that they still did not accept Alex''s offer for an alliance.


    How could these Travelers accept it easily, when Alex is still not talking about the source of the Origin Shard? Only an idiot would accept an alliance this time, and Alex perfectly knew that.


    [The place where I obtained this Origin Shard is a place that all of you should know. In fact, all your allied religions know this place too.] With one of his  hands busy placing the Origin Shard back on his pocket, Alex gave this easy-going reply towards his ''allies''.  [Oh, and if you ask your allied religions about this place, they will surely give you an answer¡­.]


    [But seeing that you don''t know where I got this Origin Shard, it means that you have not asked your allied religions about this place.]


    [Since that''s the case, then I might as well tell it to y-.]


    ||Quit dragging your words human and just get straight to the point. Hearing you blab useless drivel like this is already making me crazy.||


    Alex looked like he was about to drag the conversation for longer again, which forced Iskanor to stop him from playing around.


    || If this is how you talk in your partial corrupted state, then I shudder to know what happens once you''ve been fully corrupted by the Abyss¡­ Tsk, if it weren''t for the Main Mission, I, Iskanor, won''t be in this place hearing garbage from someone like you. ||


    ||Ugh, why don''t you just talk so that we can be done here? Seeing you is just a w-||


    [Okay, the place that I am talking about is the Ancestral Tomb. Now  that you heard it, go back to your allied religions and discuss what you plan to do next.]


    ||-aste of time. What? What did you say, human?|| Iskanor was in his full-insult mode, but he found himself stopping as he heard what Alex just said. ||Did you just seriously say the place while I am talking? You''re rude! This kind of rudeness  to me cannot be tolerated anymore! I Must-||


    [Iskanor, I said¡­ that the place where I obtained this Origin Shard is from the Ancestral Tomb. Now that you heard it, you can go back to your allied religions already.] Alex just repeated the words that he said, with him ignoring the fuming Soul Warlock.


    ||You!!!||


    The way that Alex said these words were so dismissive that it did not only render Iskanor angry. It also made the other Travelers pissed at Alex again, although there was something else on what he said that made them angrier.


    The imperial Shi Xingyun snarled as her face wore a look of defiance.


    This woman did not seem to be that offended by what Alex said, but she also appeared to not believe what he said either.


    --Human, even a noble fairy like me have never heard about this ''Ancestral Tomb'' in my whole life. Are you serious on talking about this?¡ª The fairy Overron chimed in too, and he displayed the same level of disbelief as Shi Xingyun.


    [¡­.]


    The other remaining Travelers, Talia and Iskanor, did not say anything else at this time, but they also gave Alex distrusting looks too.


    [¡­.]


    And the distrust on their faces was so much, that the nearby Alina felt that the somewhat peaceful situation might turn chaotic again.


    Fortunately for her, this fearful situation did not occur.


    ___________


    >


    The first person to break the tense atmosphere was Talia, who suddenly began talking to herself in a harsh tone.


    She seemed to be pissed about something, and the context of her words made it more obvious.


    >


    >


    >


    By this point, everyone who heard Talia had already realized who she was talking to.


    She was undoubtedly talking to a priest from her allied religion, who seemed to choose this moment to talk to her.


    With this kind of rude interruption from this priest, it was no wonder that Talia could get pissed.


    >


    >>


    >


    >


    >


    >>


    >>>


    >>


    Surprisingly, the conversation between Talia and her allied religion actually went towards talking about the ''Ancestral Tomb''.


    Everyone who heard this naturally perked up, but before they could hear more, Talia had bizarrely ended the conversation.


    >>


    >


    After she said this bizarre message to Alex, Talia''s body suddenly disappeared from everyone''s sight, and before they could know it, the presence of her body had also disappeared.


    She seemed to be not in this place anymore, as if she had really left.


    "???" Seeing this scene confounded the already confused Alina, but before she could look deeply into this, the other Travelers began to receive messages from their allied religions too.


    ||What is it now, you vile impostors? What do you- s**t, you also know about the ''Ancestral Tomb''?||


    \\\The heck? You have knowledge about the Ancestral Tomb too? Why are you just telling it to me now?///


    ----I can''t believe that you did not talk about this ''Ancestral Tomb'' to me. This is making me disappointed to you, Elder Druid¡­.----


    "???"


    Once all these messages have been received, these three remaining Travelers seemed to have forgotten their intention to lynch Alex.


    Instead of staying in this place for longer, these 3 Travelers had also left this place in a haste.


    "¡­"


    All that was left behind were Alina and Alex, both who floated in their spots with wry expressions on their faces. Behind them were Professor Frances and Queen Mother, who both looked like they could not fathom what had just happened.


    "What the hell is this about."

 Chapter 709 - Im on Self-Quarantine beause of the Coronavirus.

    The title is self-explanatory, so I won''t explain more.


    Just know that this chapter will be a survey and a talk about the CoVID-19 virus measures.


    __________________


    1. What do you think is the Ancestral Tomb, and why does it seem to be an important object in the religions themselves?


    2. Why are the Origin Shards treated with so much importance? And are they related to the mystery of this world?


    3. Speaking of this world, since Wisteria and Astria are going into this world, what do you think is going to happen to them?


    4. What the hell is Alex planning with all the machinations that he just did? Is he still interested on even fighting? Is he even interested on taking ALina for himself?


    5. Is there any plot twists that you can think of?


    ____________________


    So about CoVID-19...


    I know that this is redundant for me to say, but I hope that everyone who lives in the countries affected by the virus will learn how to be careful.


    Always wash your hands everytime, and be prudent enough to not touch your body parts. Wear face mask when going outside, and mak sure to implement a proper social distancing protocol.


    If you know that you have been in contact with a person who had CoVID-19, please self-quarantine, even though having a self-quarantine might be irritating to you. (Well, if you are a reader or a writer like me, a self-quarantine is actually not bad....)


    Finally, if you can do it, try your best to not be near elder people, especially if you live on places affected by the virus.  If you have the virus, you have a good chance of surviving it, but the elderly susceptible to it, so please, let us give them the chance to be free from sickness.


    _________________


    49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 20 62 65 65 6e 20 69 6e 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 63 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 77 68 6f 20 68 61 64 20 43 6f 56 49 44 2d 31 39 2c 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 71 75 61 72 61 6e 74 69 6e 65 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67 20 61 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 71 75 61 72 61 6e 74 69 6e 65 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 20 69 72 72 69 74 61 74 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 20 79 6f 75 2e 20 28 57 65 6c 6c 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 61 72 65 20 61 20 72 65 61 64 65 72 20 6f 72 20 61 20 77 72 69 74 65 72 20 6c 69 6b 65 20 6d 65 2c 20 61 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 71 75 61 72 61 6e 74 69 6e 65 20 69 73 20 61 63 74 75 61 6c 6c 79 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 61 64 2e 2e 2e 2e 29 a a 46 69 6e 61 6c 6c 79 2c 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 63 61 6e 20 64 6f 20 69 74 2c 20 74 72 79 20 79 6f 75 72 20 62 65 73 74 20 74 6f 20 6e 6f 74 20 62 65 20 6e 65 61 72 20 65 6c 64 65 72 20 70 65 6f 70 6c 65 2c 20 65 73 70 65 63 69 61 6c 6c 79 20 69 66 20 79 6f 75 20 6c 69 76 65 20 6f 6e 20 70 6c 61 63 65 73 20 61 66 66 65 63 74 65 64 20 62 79 20 74 68 65 20 76 69 72 75 73 2e a0 20 49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 20 74 68 65 20 76 69 72 75 73 2c 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 20 67 6f 6f 64 20 63 68 61 6e 63 65 20 6f 66 20 73 75 72 76 69 76 69 6e 67 20 69 74 2c 20 62 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 65 6c 64 65 72 6c 79 20 73 75 73 63 65 70 74 69 62 6c 65 20 74 6f 20 69 74 2c 20 73 6f 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 2c 20 6c 65 74 20 75 73 20 67 69 76 65 20 74 68 65 6d 20 74 68 65 20 63 68 61 6e 63 65 20 74 6f 20 62 65 20 66 72 65 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 73 69 63 6b 6e 65 73 73 2e a0


    49 66 20 79 6f 75 20 6b 6e 6f 77 20 74 68 61 74 20 79 6f 75 20 68 61 76 65 20 62 65 65 6e 20 69 6e 20 63 6f 6e 74 61 63 74 20 77 69 74 68 20 61 20 70 65 72 73 6f 6e 20 77 68 6f 20 68 61 64 20 43 6f 56 49 44 2d 31 39 2c 20 70 6c 65 61 73 65 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 71 75 61 72 61 6e 74 69 6e 65 2c 20 65 76 65 6e 20 74 68 6f 75 67 68 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67 20 61 20 73 65 6c 66 2d 71 75 61 72 61 6e 74 69 6e 65 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 62 65 20 69 72 72 69 74 61 74 69 6e  57

 Chapter 710 - Rest and Provocations

    The rare fate magic used by a mysterious man allied with the Holy Order Church.


    The Cardinal-level power used by this man''s allies.


    The overpowering magical and sword abilities by the Divine Maiden herself.


    The surprising interference of the other religions.


    And the horrifying arrival of the Abyss Envoy.


    All of these events happened during Alina''s Divine Maiden Welcoming Ceremony, making it  one of the most remembered happenings in the history.


    Almost all people in the whole world watched these events proceed in a tense manner, as each of these events can led to an all-out war between all the religions.


    To the surprise of many however, these sparks of  impending battle were brought to heel by the arrival of the Abyss Envoy, a person that many expected to actually fan the flames of war.


    Instead of creating a scenery where all the involved parties will fight, the Abyss Envoy instead proposed an alliance with these different religions.


    Such audacious offer was surprisingly accepted by the religions involved, which just brought more shock to everyone.


    What could the Abyss Envoy had told these religions, that they were willing to forget his vile status and cooperate with him?


    It was too bad that nobody was able to figure out what the Abyss Envoy and the other religions had talked about during that time. What was known however was that an alliance between these religions are bound to bloom any of these days, and it will surely set off a major change in this world.


    ___________


    2 DAYS LATER.


    "¡­.If Alex did not arrive on that place, I could have been dead. But he did arrive and he saved us. But after doing that, he did not do anything else! He did not even attack me, and he did not even wreak havoc on my Welcoming Ceremony. What is up with that guy?"


    Alina, whose whole body was covered with bandages this time, said these words with a hint of confusion to herself, as if she was still unsure about what happened 2 days ago.


    She should have been happy and contented and she had survived and also had managed to finish the Welcoming Ceremony, but all that she can feel now was anxiety, especially in regards to Alex''s behavior.


    "Tsk, that guy¡­ even when he''s already partially corrupted, he still manages to surprise me!"


    Alina''s  eyes then menacingly  flashed as she remembered what Alex did after he had managed to chase all the Travelers away.


    "That Alex¡­. I thought that  he will try to take me for himself, especially after he succeeded on making the other Travelers leave."


    "But instead of doing it, he just waved me a goodbye while saying that ''he will wait for me in the Ancestral Tomb''¡­"


    "He then left after that, without doing anything else¡­."


    "Argh! Why did he do that? Is there something about his actions that I missed?"


    "And is he really serious on waiting for me in the Ancestral Tomb? Is there something important about the Ancestral Tomb that is enough to make him forget about me?"


    "Tsk, whatever  is Alex''s reason for not taking me, I should be happy that I am still here on the Church of Wisdom¡­. At least I can still use my power, and also wield the power of this religion to myself¡­."


    "Hmph, since Alex is willing to wait for me in the Ancestral Tomb, then I will be happy to meet him there!"


    "But what the hell is the Ancestral Tomb anyway? I still don''t know what it is, and the Church of Wisdom is still not telling me about it!"


    "Argh, this is making me feel frustrated again! All the other Travelers already knew about this tomb, yet I am still not informed about it? What is wrong with this Church?"


    "I am their Divine Maiden now, for f**k''s sake! Shouldn''t they tell me about everything already?"


    At this point, Alina visibly became pissed, and if it weren''t for the bandages covering her body, she could have stood up already and stormed in towards the main room of the Church of Wisdom.


    "But those priests told me that as long as I am done dealing with my body problem, they will be willing to talk to me about that tomb¡­. "


    "Hmph, at least they have the right mindset to say that. But do I really have to  wait for this body problem of mine to be dealt with?"


    "Even though there is only a few hours left, I can''t resist staying this still! Argh, I just want to f**king do something!"


    With this last line sounding both ominous and exasperated, Alina gave a wary glance to her body, which was still covered with bandages.


    "Tsk, I just wanted to get stronger through getting more Divine Sensory Organs, but this is what I get? Pain and extended rest time? Bulls**t!"


    _______________


    Alina tried to clench her fists in order to let out some of her frustrations, but this action of hers was awarded with another dose of pain, courtesy from her very sore skin.


    "Argh! Why is this transformed skin of mine acting like this? It might have transformed into the Omniscient Skin already, but because it is a new Divine Sensory Organ whose power is not mine, I am still overwhelmed by its power!"


    "Tsk, why does my skin have to be this sensitive? Is this what that Beatrice feels through this skin? How the hell was she able to resist this?"


    The stress brought by Alex''s behavior was only exacerbated by the sudden soreness of ALina''s skin, something that she did not expect after her attempt to take the Omniscient Skin.


    Of course she knew that she will need some time to acclimate to the new sensation brought by her new skin, but for it to be this bad and lengthy is already making her pissed again.


    "Tsk, it will still take me a few more hours before I can fully adapt to my skin''s new sensory settings. That time might be short to others, but for me who is deprived of information already, that few hours is a f**king waste of time!"


    "Argh! I should have been using this time to prepare for the trip to the Ancestral Tomb, but no, those priests told me to rest!"


    "Why in the world would I need rest now after the spectacle that Alex did?"


    "He might have spared me earlier, but I am sure that he just spared me because he is planning something big inside the Ancestral Tomb!"


    "Since that was the case, then I should be prepared for it already!"


    "Ugh, this is why I really hate being allied with someone else. You never know what they might do, and you could be powerless to do something about it!"


    "Tsk, should I be wary of making an ally next time? Yes, I should be wary of that. After all, if this had just happened here, then it could happen on other places too-"


    Before Alina could say more words that would ruin her already perfect face, a silhouette of a female appeared behind her, who  approached Alina in a manner that was both elegant and graceful.


    Such graceful body was enough to enchant many, and the voice of this newcomer was just as enchanting, and she used it to express her opinion on Alina.


    {Alina, please calm down. Getting angry this time won''t be of help to you, and it will just worsen your skin condition. So just stay still and let your body settle down, ok?}   The newcomer said, with her hands now clenched together, signifying her intention to keep Alina still.


    {Alina, you might have become more powerful because you gained an additional Divine Sensory Organ, but that does not mean that you can move willingly today. The priests told you to rest, so just rest, ok? There''s still a few more hours left before you recover, so you might as well use it all up¡­}


    Because her voice sounded both soothing and gentle, anyone will surely feel happy after hearing the voice of this newcomer.


    But this newcomer, no matter what she did, was unable to reduce Alina''s anger, not even by an inch.


    This newcomer instead made Alina more pissed, as this ''someone'' was a person that Alina loathed to see.


    "Oi Wisteria. You might have been a guest of the Church of Wisdom, but that does not give you the right to be this chummy to me. Don''t you have a mission to do by your own? Go do it by yourself, and stop pestering me already!"


    The newcomer was surprisingly the Cosmic Guard Wisteria herself, a person who Alina had last encountered in the Four Moons World!


    For this woman to be here is surprising on its own, and the way that she coddled up to Alina this time was even more astonishing!


    Obviously, Alina was bothered by this, but aside from Wisteria, there is something else bothering her.


    ::Hey Alina. Stop talking trash to Wisteria already. Can''t you see that she''s concerned about you? Tsk, instead of spurning her, why don''t you just accept her sincerity?::


    "Hah, did you say something, Astria? It seems like you losing your body had made you lose your tact."


    There was also the presence of Astria, the holder of the Ears of Divine Communication, whose soul currently resided inside Wisteria''s body.


    ::You! You are still as unruly as before, you damaged Alina! Wisteria, why don''t you do something about her now? She''s injured, so you can clobber her in every ways that you want!::


    Hearing Astria''s voice induced more negative emotions from Alina, as the former was an existence that Alina considered to be a thorn on her side.


    So as much as Alina treated Wisteria with wariness, all of her hate was undoubtedly piled towards this irritating Astria.


    "Hah? You really are a b***h, Astria! You''re even coercing other people to attack me? If you are really that audacious, then why don''t you attack me by yourself? You can do it, right?"


    ::You! Just you wait Alina! As long as I manage to recreate my body, I will challenge you to a one-on-one fight! Hehehe, when that time comes, don''t be so scared to face me!::


    "¡­."


    ::Hahaha! Look at you! You seem to look scared! Hahaha, now that''s the look that I want to see!::


    "¡­"


    Astria, who was once touted as the most talented Celestial power practitioner and also considered by Alina as her rival,  does not have her body anymore and she has to rely only for Wisteria to survive.


    This state made Astria extremely weak since she only existed as a soul,  but this did not deter ALina from being hostile to her.


    "Me? Scared of facing you, Astria? What the f**k are you thinking? I am already a Sixth Stage Being, which means that one wave of my hand is enough to beat you. Are you really sure that you want to fight me?"


    :: Ugh¡­. ::


    "Hehehe, see that Wisteria? Your partner Astria is scared to fight me! Hahaha, she''s just all talk and no action!"


    ::Hey!::

 Chapter 711 - Youre a Monster!

    While Alina was back to her antics with her ''rival'', one of her allies is currently busy with her own problems.


    But unlike Alina who''s still busy quarreling with Wisteria, the things that her ally have done were way different than hers¡­.


    ______________


    CHURCH OF WISDOM, LAB OF EVOLUTION.


    "That blasted vixen! I told her to not move that much today, but she still insisted to go out? And she actually dared to quarrel with Astria again, when I told her to not to? Argh, that Alina really does not listen to me!"


    A white-clad Professor Frances, whose face was currently blackened with wrath, said these words with great anger.


    Both of her hands trembled at this time, with her left hand almost smashing down the tube that she held. She was fortunately able to keep it still, although one little push from behind her could be enough to disturb her already chaotic balance¡­.


    "Tsk, Alina''s overall abilities might have improved now because of the change on her skin, but that does not mean that she can act this wily today. Did she forget about the fact that Alex was still aiming for her?"


    It was obvious from the professor''s face that she was angry, and if it weren''t for the fearful looks given by her lab assistants, she could have made a large mess in the lab already.


    "Heh, Alex might look like he''s not attacking Alina now, but I can see that he''s planning to do something about her once we go to that ''Ancestral Tomb'' place¡­"


    "Did Alina not notice that? Or did she already know it, and she just did not talk about it because she''s suspicious about us?"


    "Ugh, whatever the case is, I can see that something''s wrong with Alina¡­"


    "Tsk, Alina can be cunning sometimes, but when it comes to Alex, she becomes a dense idio- Argh! Alina and Astria are quarreling again for the second time today? Those two b***hes! I told them to stop making a mess with each other already! They''re just wasting their time on useless things!"


    "Argh! This is so much pissing me off!"


    Because she had been recently cultivating her soul in accordance to her Soul Magic, each emotion displayed by Professor Frances can produce auras that will have varying effects on anyone near it.


    In today''s case, Professor Frances'' anger induced a wave of pain upon those near her, creating a scene of suffering and pain inside the lab.


    Each assistant could barely hold their bodies together once they were hit with the aura, with most of them suddenly near the brink of death.


    In fact, there are 3 amongst these assistants that are only a brush away from death, and a single touch on their bodies can actually kill them easily!


    Fortunately for everyone affected, the irate Professor Frances realized what her aura had done.


    "Tsk, that blasted woman. I swear once I see her later, I will remind her why she should stay still¡­."


    Upon seeing the state of her assistants, Professor Frances could only sigh as she reluctantly held her anger in. The blaze in her eyes were forcefully suppressed by her too, which further reduced the intimidating pressure inside the lab.


    "¡­."


    Since it was impossible for the professor to stay fully calm, there are still some anger present on her body, but this amount of anger was already bearable to her assistants.


    "¡­."


    ________________


    The professor''s act of keeping her anger in might have saved her 81 assistants, but that did not mean that they were already let off  by her.


    Professor Frances might be calm right now, but she still wanted to vent her anger on something else.


    And that something naturally became her assistants, who she knew had no way of resisting her.


    "Hey! Why are you looking at me like that, huh? Don''t you have any work to do? Go on, and just do them!" Professor Frances shouted out as she glared at her petrified assistants. "If I don''t see you doing my tasks within 15 seconds, I will deduct points from your theses!"


    The professor made sure to include some bits of her Soul Magic to her voice, which was obviously enough to make these 81 people scamper to their places.


    "Rumble¡­."


    The assistants assigned on taking care of the plants began maintaining them with more affection, while those tasked on collecting organs or preserving unique specied did their jobs with greater fervor.


    As for those assigned with rearing extremely dangerous beasts, they were now able to ignore the danger in their lives as they fearlessly brought food to these monsters.


    "¡­."


    The sight of these assistants doing their best on their tasks made it obvious that they fear Professor Frances.


    Aside from that, it is also apparent that these assistants are afraid  of performing any actions that will make her angry, to the point that most of them did their utmost best to keep her pleased.


    From these weird actions alone, it is easy to infer that these assistants were all subservient to the professor,  and that they seem to have no problem following her orders¡­.


    This inference is of course hard to believe, since the place that Professor Frances  was currently in was a place that should not have allowed things like this to happen!


    More specifically, this place was the Lab of Evolution, a place that only follows the strictest protocols and  the most rigid of scientific methods, where only the best  researchers or seekers of biological knowledge are allowed to enter.


    Such place is considered as an extremely competitive environment for many, but this place had been surprisingly taken over by Professor Frances!


    And to make matters even more astounding, all the previous high-ranked researchers in this lab had been turned by Professor Frances into her assistants, which are the same scared people that she had been shouting all this day!


    ______________


    "Tsk, Alina might be unruly today, but she still knows her limits. So I expect her to be able to rein herself in once her quarrel with Astria gets worse."


    "As for that damned Alex, although I am not sure what he is thinking, I have the feeling that his plans in the Ancestral Tomb will be both beneficial and dangerous to us¡­"


    "These two people are problematic by themselves, but I already knew their problems, so I have no worries about them for now."


    The sight of her assistants doing their best to please her had managed to soothe Professor Frances'' heart a little, but this was not enough to make her fully calm.


    After all, it was not only Alina''s situation and Alex''s weird actions that are plaguing her mind¡­


    "The real problem that I have is Queen Mother, as her current state today is just not right! And I don''t even have any explanations on why she''s been acting like this!"


    There is still the matter about Queen Mother, a person who Professor Frances did not expect to be worrying about today.


    Alina or the Church of Wisdom can say all that they want about Queen Mother, but their words cannot deny that ''something'' is going on with her.


    And this ''something'' is obviously bad, since the current Queen Mother was someone who even the rowdy Professor Frances could not feel familiar with!


    "That tree woman¡­ I thought she is the most level-headed and rational individual out of our group. Since she''s the oldest out of all of us, she should have been the one with the most wisdom and is the one that is resistant to sudden changes."


    "But after we escaped from Alex, Queen Mother''s personality and actions had drastically changed."


    "She did not act like a civilized being anymore. She seemed to follow her instincts more, and she appeared to have forgotten how to use her special abilities."


    "Her way of fighting and thinking have reverted back to basic levels too, as she is now interested on just eating her enemies or torturing them."


    "¡­Tsk, tsk, tsk. Just her weird actions alone are worrying already. Add her sudden savagery, and it is apparent that Queen Mother is not normal anymore!"


    For Professor Frances, she could only see Queen Mother as another monstrous being as of now, which is a great contrast to the tree woman''s supposedly composed thinking and poised body.


    "Heck, she even asked me earlier if she can mate with Alina to bear some children! Is that a kind of question that the normal Queen Moher could ask?"


    "Of course not, so there is no way that I can trust the current Queen Mother!"


    "I don''t know what is making Queen Mother act like this, but I know that if I let this go on,  things will just get worse!"


    "Queen Mother might turn into a savage monster, or worse, she could turn into a being that is just as evil or cunning as Alex!"

 Chapter 712 - Soul Fiend Armor

    "At first I thought that Queen Mother will always stay as a pure and pristine being. But after I saw her actions, I think I have to doubt her more¡­."


    "But even if I doubt her more, what can that do? Can it help me find a way to help Queen Mother?"


    "And even if I do find a way to help her, do I even have the power to do it?"


    "The former Queen Mother is strong, but the current her is both strong and savage!"


    "Dealing with such kind of person is dangerous, so I must be careful on every step¡­."


    "Okay, so for starters, I must discover her walking routes. From what I remember, she''s usually- ah!"


    Due to the pristine condition of her lab, Professor Frances could have continued talking to herself without any problems.


    But she was forced to stop talking now, as the subject of her conversation had unknowingly appeared behind her.


    "Frances, I''m hungry. I want to eat some flesh bags today."


    Queen Mother, whose face had not been seen by anyone ever since Alina''s Welcoming Ceremony ended, had made her first appearance here inside the Lab of Evolution.


    And the place that this tree woman chose to appear was behind Professor Frances, who could only freeze because of the former''s sudden arrival.


    "Frances, I''m hungry. I want to eat some flesh bags today". As if she was a broken disk, Queen Mother repeated the sentence that she uttered earlier, with her inflection lacking any hint of emotions at all.


    She even sported these words with a dazed look on her face, making her request sound weirder.


    "Hey Queen Mother! You''re hungry again? Didn''t you already eat this morning?" As much as Professor Frances was surprised and spooked by Queen Mother''s sudden appearance, she was still able to keep her calm.


    Nonetheless, the professor found it hard to hide her nervousness, since she was just talking about Queen Mother before she arrived!


    Queen Mother might be somewhat moronic now, but there is no knowing how she will react if she had heard Professor Frances'' insults to her.


    This tree woman could snap at any moment, and she might even become violent enough to kill Professor Frances.


    Fortunately for the professor, the visiting Queen Mother lacked any hints of killing intent inside her.


    What was only palpable from this lesbian tree was her overwhelming hunger, which seemed to be really affecting her today.


    "I already ate this morning, Frances. But I am hungry again. Please feed me more now."


    "No! I cannot feed you! Can''t you see that I am busy now, Queen Mother?"


    "Frances, even if you are busy, you can still have time to feed me. Just use your third arm, and everything will work-"


    "No means no, Queen Mother. I have no time for you, so please go back to your room. I''ll feed you once I am done here."


    "¡­.Please make it fast Frances. I can''t take this hunger anymore."


    "¡­."


    This tree woman had no killing intent at all throughout the conversation, which obviously made Professor Frances feel relieved. But this did not mean that the professor was happy at all, since the mere presence of Queen Mother here was already bad by itself.


    It was so bad, that Professor Frances consciously thought of chasing this woman out of her lab.


    After all, the current Queen Mother was prone to making disasters, and a lab full of biological materials was the worst place for her to be in.


    "¡­."


    _______________


    The professor was fearful of Queen Mother making a mess inside her lab, as the latter is someone who is even better than Professor Frances in regards to biological manipulation.


    If someone like Queen Mother was to go berserk here, there is no knowing what kind of abomination could be created¡­.


    "Queen Mother. Just resist your hunger, and everything will be fine. Now scram and let me do my work." Professor Frances suppressed the feelings of fear inside her heart as she tried to shoo Queen Mother away.


    The farther that Queen Mother is away from the lab right now, the better it will be for everyone¡­


    Although shooing Queen Mother might hurt her feelings, Professor Frances knew that having this tree woman away from her lab is a much better scenario compared to having a huge, eldritch-like monster roaming the lands¡­


    "No. I don''t want to go. I want to stay here. Please feed me." But to the disappointment of Professor Frances, the dazed Queen Mother did not listen to her command at all.


    Instead of leaving, this tree woman even grabbed the professor''s arms tightly , which indicated her intent to stay here, no matter what the latter says.


    "Hey! I said leave! Can''t you even be obedient enough to follow my instructions, Queen Mother?"


    "No, I won''t leave! Feed me first, Frances!"


    "I said leave! So leave!"


    At this point, Professor Frances could feel a subtle killing intent that came from Queen Mother, but since this killing intent was faint, the professor just ignored it, thinking that this is just Queen Mother''s way of having a tantrum.


    But little did Professor Frances know, this killing intent was actually something that could potentially bring an end to her life¡­


    ________________


    "No! Feed me, Frances!"


    "Nope! I won''t feed you! So leave now, and don''t bother me!"


    "Argh! I said feed me, Frances!"


    "Leave!"


    "Feed me!"


    "Leave!"


    "Feed me!"


    "Leave!"


    "I SAID FEED ME, FRANCES. OR I WILL FEAST ON YOUR ROTTING CORPSE!"


    "Le- what did you say, Queen Mother?"


    "I WILL FEED ON YOUR CORPSE, FRANCES. NOW BEND OVER AND LET ME KILL YOU LIKE THE PIG THAT YOU ARE!"


    "What the fu-"


    "RARGH!"


    Like a lightbulb that was turned on, the dazed Queen Mother changed drastically, with her body suddenly releasing a killing intent that covered the whole lab with its heavy and gloomy presence.


    Everyone near Queen Mother collapsed as they felt the frightening intent from her body, and the only one who managed to stay conscious was Professor Frances.


    The professor however was in a bad condition at this time, as she was caught off-guard by the sudden change in Queen Mother.


    To  make matters worse, Queen Mother had included a sneak attack on her roar, which resulted on a large, gaping wound on Professor Frances'' right torso.


    "Argh!" This wound should have been a normal wound, especially for someone at the caliber of Professor Frances.


    But this wound was caused by Queen Mother''s savage and malicious attack, which made it extremely difficult to heal.


    In fact, the wounded professor calculated that for her to heal this wound, she would have to stay still for a minute. That time is way behind Professor Frances'' normal healing time, which easily showcases the seriousness of this injury.


    "Argh!" This dilemma in regards to her wound naturally had the professor worried, but the current her had no time to be focusing on it.


    After all, there was something worse than this wound that is just lurking around the professor¡­.


    _____________


    "What the f**k Queen Mother? How dare you attack me!" Ignoring the pain that blossomed on her body, Professor Frances tried her best to observe her now hostile ally.


    "I WILL FEED ON YOUR CORPSE, FRANCES. I WILL FEED ON YOUR CORPSE FRANCES! I WILL FEED ON YOUR CORPSE FRANCES!" As if she had not heard what the professor said, Queen Mother was just jumping around the room like a crazed monkey, with each of her words uttered with as much hostility that she could release.


    Her arms and legs were all sweeping around the area every time she moved, creating a path of destruction that shook even the foundations of the whole lab.


    Professor Frances was fortunate that she was at the center of the lab and that Queen Mother was at the edges, since a single tap from the enraged Queen Mother appeared to have  enough power to obliterate anything!


    Professor Frances of course knew that Queen Mother''s physical strength had not reached that level yet, but for the former to stay away from the latter was obviously the right thing to do here¡­.


    "Did you just attack me because you''re angry? Humph, you really have gone off the wrong end this time, Queen Mother!"


    But even if she''s afraid of the tree woman''s physical strength, it doesn''t mean that Professor Frances will just let her off this time.


    Since Queen Mother had attacked her now, there is no more reason for Professor Frances to just observe her. The current Queen Mother surely have gone crazy already, and her attack alone was enough to prove that!


    "I don''t care if you want to eat my corpse, Queen Mother. After all, I have already created monsters that can do that. But if you want to really eat me, then you should have the power to do it!"


    "I WILL FEED ON YOUR CORPSE, FRANCES! I WILL FEED ON YOUR CORPSE, FRANCES! I WILL FEED ON YOUR CORPSE, FRANCES!"


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah, You want to eat me already¡­ Sigh, let''s just get this over with." Although she was intimidated by Queen Mother''s ferocious face and drooling mouth, the professor stood her ground as she faced Queen Mother.


    Since the tree woman had already displayed her hostilities, Professor Frances had no interest on babysitting her.


    The current Queen Mother has to be ''purified'' right at this very moment, as letting her stay on her defiled state is already a danger for everyone!


    "Tsk, if I was not just interested on Queen Mother''s ''Perfect Body'', I would not have been taking care of her like this."


    "Sigh, all my efforts to take care of Queen Mother are for her own good, and this is how she repays me?""


    "For this lesbo tree to l.u.s.t after my body is already bad enough, and now she''s wanting to eat me too? This woman really is a handful!"


    "Sigh, if Alina was here, then she can  deal with Queen Mother easily. But since she''s busy with her new friends, then I guess I will have to be the one to discipline Queen Mother¡­"


    With a face now made coarse by tension, Professor Frances could only frown as she measured her chances of winning against the berserking Queen Mother.


    She knew that her chance of winning was low, unless she''s willing to use her trump cards.


    "¡­."


    If it were the former her, Professor Frances will surely not use her trump cards, since they are essential weapons that she needed in order for her to survive.


    But after all the experiences that she had with Alex, Queen Mother, and Alina, even the cold professor had developed a soft spot for them. Especially for Queen Mother, who was the one who always clung close to her.


    "¡­ Fernando, activate the Soul-Fiend Armor: Version 2.3. Using it is my only way of subduing Queen Mother."

 Chapter 713 - Knowledge Minister

    Before Queen Mother could make any sense of what Professor Frances just said, the whole lab began to shudder, with its ceiling suddenly falling straight towards the tree woman. The walls then fell next, followed by the base of the whole lab.


    "Boom!"


    These subsequent crashes resulted on a downpour of concrete and steel, all which fell on Queen Mother and Professor Frances.


    "Boom!"


    With these sudden changes, both women found themselves buried under tons and tons of materials, which piled like a small mountain at this point.


    "Boom!"


    This mountain-like size made the whole rubble look intimidating, but with the strength that both Queen Mother and Professor Frances had, clearing this large pile should be just easy for them.


    But surprisingly, these two women did not have any answer in regards to the rubble that is now burying them.


    There are no attempts that Professor Frances or Queen Mother made in order to escape the rubble, and not even a small squeak or a push can be heard from the two.


    The rubble just stayed the way that it is, with the two women still trapped under it.


    __________________


    __________________


    __________________


    CHURCH OF WISDOM


    DIVINE MAIDEN HALL.


    While Professor Frances and Queen Mother were dealing with their own weird stuff, their remaining ally, who is no other than Alina, was still stuck on her very own problem¡­. Although in comparison to the first two, Alina''s problem seemed to be just inconsequential.


    Alina of course did not give any thoughts about the status of her problem, as she still continued arguing with her ''friend''.


    Alina did not even seem to have noticed the fight between Professor Frances and Queen Mother, as she was only focused on insulting and rebuking the similarly pissed Astria.


    "What are you saying ''hey'' for? If you really want to make me acknowledge you, then you better beat me in a straight fight! Can you do that now Astria, when you''re still in your weak soul form?"


    Alina did not sound tired at all as she continued her insults, with her words this time becoming even more and more provocative than earlier.


    Such creativity did not go unheard by Astria, who seemed to flare up from inside Wisteria''s body.


    ::Hmph, just you wait, Alina. Sooner than later, I will obtain the perfect body that I have been searching for all this time! Once that happens, it will only be easy for me to beat you up!:: Astria declared loudly.


    "Hoho¡­ a perfect body? Let''s see if that obvious s**t can really beat me¡­"


    ::Heh, if you want to know, then just wait for me to have that body.::


    "¡­I still have to wait? How boring. But well, since you''re the one who wants to fight, then I guess I just have to wait for you. After all, battling me is your only way to win against me¡­"


    ::Wait, you said that I can only beat you through a battle only? Hmph, are you sure about that?"


    "??? What are you saying? What else can we compete about?


    ::Are you sure that there''s nothing else?::


    "You damned b***h! Of course I am sure!"


    ::If you''re sure, then what is this rumor that I am hearing about Alex? I heard from your friends that he left you to ally with his own religion¡­.::


    "You! Don''t you-"


    ::Hehehe, since Alex already left you, I wonder if he''s available to accommodate another partner¡­.::


    "You!"


    ::So how about that, Alina? Since we can''t battle yet, why don''t we compete on who gets to obtain Alex for herself? Since he abandoned you, then there is a chance that you can get him back. But of course there is a chance for me to get him too¡­::


    "You''re shameless! Why are you using Alex as the subject of competition here, huh? Are you insane?"


    ::Well, what can you do if I want to use Alex as the subject of this competition? He abandoned you, so you can''t speak exactly for himself, right?::


    "How many times do I have to say it to you? Alex did not abandon me! H-he''s just busy doing his own plans!"


    ::Are you sure about that? My ears are telling me that you sound doubtful¡­.::


    "Tsk, I don''t care what your ears tell you. I still believe that Alex has not abandoned me! So you should stop thinking of poaching him! I won''t even let you do that!"


    ::Oh? You won''t let me? But what can you do now? Make him go back to you? Lol, didn''t that fail spectacularly?::


    "You damned b**ch! Say that again!"


    ::Oh, I will say it again, Alina. Alex left you, and he might never come back. There, I said it. Do you want me to say it again?::


    "Argh!!!"


    __________________


    Anyone who hears the argument between these two women will surely be bothered, and Wisteria, who was in the middle of it, was of course highly incensed.


    {Alina and Astria. Please don''t bicker here.} The exasperated Wisteria  could only say these words as she tried to separate the two women.


    {Please stop now. Or we might catch some unwanted attention¡­.}


    Wisteria was visibly irritated by the spat between the two, and she was incensed on just hearing them. So for her to attempt to separate the two was apt, as there are no other ways that she can stop these two from their commotion¡­


    "Shut it, Wisteria. I may like you as a friend. But that does not give you the right to stop me from rebuking your soul-bound ally. So why don''t you just stand there and let that b***h talk?"


    ::Wisteria, if you don''t want to hear us quarreling, just close your eyes and seal your senses. Didn''t I teach you how to do that before? Come on, it''s just easy¡­"


    This separation attempt however was in vain, as Alina''s high-leveled power and Astria''s soul form made it impossible to even budge their bodies.


    Add the stubbornness from these two women, and Wisteria was forced to give up even before she could try something.


    {You two¡­ if you continue bickering, you will just create more commotion in this place. You don''t want to happen, not with all the powerful people living here, right?}


    With these two not even listening to her, Wisteria has decided to use the power of the Church of Wisdom to scare these two into silence.


    It might not be a good attempt, but  with the tough attitude shown by these two Divine Sensory Organ holders, there is nothing else that Wisteria could use to stop them.


    "¡­.."


    ::¡­::


    {Hm? You stopped talking? How could this- oh, so the Church of Wisdom is really scary too?}


    To the surprise of Wisteria, her scaring tactic actually worked, although she did not expect it to be this effective.


    Wisteria had just said that the Church of Wisdom could be monitoring them, but these two women actually went silent, as if they were agreeing with her words!


    Such synchronized reaction made Wisteria feel dread, as she realized that if the Church of Wisdom could make both Alina and Astria this scared, then it must be an extremely powerful and scary group¡­


    {¡­It''s a good thing that Astria and I did not do anything rowdy while inside in this Divine Maiden Hall. If we did something, then we might have met a bad end¡­.}


    Seeing that both Alina and Astria were still quiet, the slightly scared Wisteria began to feel silent too, with her now feeling conscious about herself.


    She also felt dread at this point, as she realized that if it were not for her prudence upon their arrival in this world 3 day ago, then she could not have even made it far in this world¡­


    {When Astria and I arrived in this world 3 days ago, the group that welcomed us in was the Church of Wisdom. They said that they were the ones who put up the mission to the Cosmic Guards, so they must host the people that will fulfill the mission.}


    The now silent Wisteria thought of these to herself as she looked around  in a discreet manner.


    She seemed to be both wary of anyone spying her, hence all her thoughts about the Church of Wisdom were not voiced by her mouth.


    {Since it was Astria and I that did this mission, we''re the ones welcomed by the Church of Wisdom.}


    {At first I thought that there is no problem with that, but after seeing the countless religions in this world, and all the things that Alina did, I am not sure if staying in the Church of Wisdom is a good thing to do!


    With her limited strength, Wisteria had no idea about the real power of the Church of Wisdom.


    But seeing the wary reactions of Alina and Astria made her realize that this church is a dangerous entity, one that she cannot just ignore.


    {If Alina and Astria were acting like this, then the Church of Wisdom is really dangerous.}


    {But how dangerous could this church be? It''s not like there''s a Transcendent Being here, right?}


    {Yes, that is impossible so-}


    Before Wisteria could continue analyzing the Church of Wisdom, she found her mind suddenly slowing down, as if there was a power that forcefully affected her thoughts.


    Such power immediately made Wisteria panic, thinking that there could be someone attacking her from behind.


    {Freeze!}


    So without any further ado, Wisteria gripped her custom-made spatial gun, before pointing it to the person who suddenly appeared behind her.


    Wisteria then hovered her finger around the trigger, with the gun''s tip pointed at the intruder.


    {Who are  you, and what are you doing here?} Wisteria had already forgotten her worries about the Church of Wisdom as she focused her power alone against this newcomer.


    She did not even let the appearance of this intruder disturb her thoughts, which was still sluggish at this point.


    {Hey, I am asking about your name. Shouldn''t you say it to me now?}


    Although Wisteria''s spatial gun appeared to have the capability to easily tear through his body, the intruder did not seem to be fazed by her threat.


    The only emotion present on this intruder''s handsome and blond-haired face was slight excitement, which had been displayed through his enigmatic smile.


    Couple that face with a slender body covered by a layer of white, golden-lined robes, and the intruder seemed to be more of a gentle friend rather than a vile enemy.


    {Hey! I said talk!}


    Of course Wisteria did not let this genial appearance of the intruder falter her mind.


    She knew that there are enemies that might look kind, who will just stab you from behind at the time that you least expected it.


    This intruder could be that kind of person, so Wisteria is not letting this man to just wander here without introducing himself.


    {If you don'' talk right at this moment, I will shoot your f**king head off!}


    With the threat of her spatial gun pointed at the intruder, Wisteria was confident that she can make the man talk.


    And the man did talk, although what he said was beyond what Wisteria had expected¡­


    ((Miss Wisteria, it seems like you have been stressed by your stay here at the Church of Wisdom. Sigh, just your reaction to me alone shows how tense you are¡­.))


    ((Although I do not know why you are acting like this, I can understand why you are wary against me. After all, I suddenly appeared behind you without any warning. So for you to be surprised to see me is not that far-off.)))


    (((But even if I understand your worries, that does not mean that you are right on pointing a gun against me.)))


    (((After all, I am the Pope of the Church of Wisdom, which means that your act of pointing a gun at me is a capital offense here. You can be killed just because of what you''re doing now)))


    (((Oh, and I''m also a Transcendent Being, more specifically a Knowledge Minister, which means that I can easily kill you too.)))


    {!!!}

 Chapter 714 - Eruditus

    The sudden appearance of this intruder was enough to shock Wisteria, but it was his words that brought her a greater fear.


    This man was the Pope of the Church of Wisdom?


    And he''s also a Transcendent Stage Being?


    Such kind of person is obviously terrifying, and Wisteria had no interest on even trying out this man''s temper!


    {S**t! Why do I have to point my gun to the Pope out of all people? Argh, stupid Wisteria! Now look where you have landed yourself in!}


    Wisteria could barely keep her composure at this time, as she realized that she had just pointed her weapon at one of the strongest creatures here in this world.


    Sure, with Wisteria''s paltry power compared to the Pope, there is no possibility for her to harm him. But Wisteria''s mere audacity to point her weapon to the Pope is obviously a taint against his hospitality, an offense that could  very well lead to her death.


    {Argh! What should I do now? If I f**k this up, Astria and I will surely die!}


    Although the Pope still retained the gentle smile on his face and the feeble tone of his voice, Wisteria knew that he was anything but gentle.


    There was an aura of arrogance that she could feel from inside the Pope,  which he made more apparent though the wicked glint on his eyes.


    With such arrogance filling his body, there is no doubt that Wisteria''s ''paltry action'' could have already offended him¡­.


    {Huhuhu, why do I have to be this unlucky? Why!}


    At this time, Wisteria could only hope that the Pope will be merciful enough to spare her¡­.


    But well, since Wisteria is being treated as Alina''s friend,  maybe Alina''s Divine Maiden status can protect her from the Pope¡­


    Of course this was just a wishful thought, as Wisteria knew that she had to still rely on herself in order for her to survive.


    __________________


    __________________


    {O-oh¡­ You''re the Pope of the Church of Wisdom? I''m sorry if I offended you with my meaningless action¡­ I was just too anxious these days.} With as much bravado that she can summon, Wisteria spat out this apology to the bemused-looking Pope.


    She made sure to not sound too much apologetic this time, since she''s a visitor whose status should be high, even in comparison to the Pope. If she sounded too much apologetic, this might make her sound weak, which could make the Pope look down on her.


    On the other hand, she also tried her best to not sound too much proud, science being too arrogant this time will serve to piss the Pope more.


    {If there''s anything that the esteemed Pope would want from me, I am willing to give it. After all, it is my mistake to threaten you¡­.}


    As she continued to spout out her words, Wisteria could feel her mind getting slower and slower, a sensation which was undoubtedly caused by the Pope.


    This sensation made Wisteria feel panic, but she did not let it take over her emotions.


    She had been already trained by the Cosmic Guards for situations like this, so she already had a resistance for this kind of mental effects.


    {If you want my life, I am willing to give it to you, Esteemed Pope. But I am not sure if my life is as valuable as your choices¡­.}


    Wisteria could have said more, but the current state of her mind only allowed her to say this much.   This was a slight disappointment to her, since she still had a lot that she wanted to say.


    But what''s done is already done, so all that she can do now was to wait for what the Pope decides to do to her.


    {¡­.}


    {¡­.}


    {¡­.}


    __________________


    __________________


    (((Oh. Why do you sound so apologetic, Miss Wisteria? You are not at fault at the situation here. So please don''t look that scared.))) The Pope nonchalantly said, with his expression indicating his lack of worry about Wisteria''s situation.


    He also seemed to have forgotten his revelation about his Transcendent Status, as he treated Wisteria as a normal conversation partner.


    (((This is just an honest mistake from the both of us, so why don''t we just bury this matter here?)))


    {???} Wisteria had expected the Pope to demand something ridiculous from her, but instead of doing that, the Pope had instead opted for the opposite.


    He actually chose to forgive Wisteria quickly, and he even proposed to forget about what she did?


    This is exactly the best scenario that Wisteria thought will happen, and for it to actually occur was a great relief to her.


    {So the Pope has decided to forgive me, even after what I just did? This is so magnanimous of him. But why¡­ why does this feel wrong?}


    This response by the Pope alone will be enough to calm down any person that was in Wisteria''s   shoes.


    But for Wisteria herself, she found it hard to trust the Pope, as there was something about him that still did not sit right with her instincts.


    Wisteria''s current power did not exactly provide her with the enough precision to know what''s wrong, but she could feel that this man is still up to no good.


    _________________


    _________________


    Aside from being surprised from this sudden appearance, Wisteria''s knowledge in relation to the Church of Wisdom was also roused as she saw the Pope.


    More specifically, her knowledge about the Pope himself surfaced in her mind, which is no surprise since the target of this knowledge is now standing in front of her.


    {This man''s name is Pope Eruditus the 17th. He is the successor of Pope Logos the 57th, who died 10 years ago from a mysterious disease. Not much was known about this Pope''s fighting capabilities, but his political and religious power were impressive}


    {Before Pope Eruditus the 17th became the Pope., the Church of Wisdom was a religion that lingered around the 20th rank. But once he became the Pope, he introduced countless reforms and programs that greatly changed the whole church.}


    {With those changes, Pope Eruditus the 17th was able to change the over-all status of the Church of Wisdom. Now, this religion is just ranked behind the Holy Order Church and the Goetic Palace.}


    {This means that the current Church of Wisdom is the 3rd most influential religion in this world, and there is a chance that this religion could eventually become number 1 in the future!}


    {Because the way that he changed the whole Church of Wisdom was so impressive,  many thought that Pope Eruditus the 17th could be a reincarnation of a divine being!}


    {Tsk, just hearing about these feats is making me feel in awe of him¡­ I really should not be feeling this way since this man is clearly dangerous.}


    Just by remembering her knowledge about Pope Eruditus the 17th, Wisteria could not stop herself from being amazed at him.


    After all, this man had single-handedly changed a religion through his own power, and the change that he induced was so great that it shifted the whole power balance in this world.


    {With these great talents that he showed, the other religions treated Pope Eruditus the 17th as a dangerous entity. Some wanted him dead, while other conspired to have him expelled from the Church of Wisdom.}


    {None of these attempts succeeded, and up to this day, nobody was able to do anything against him.}


    {This further added credence to his already great charm, to the point that some members from the Church of Wisdom had began to treat him as a god¡­}


    {A god, huh. Well, seeing the Pope in personal almost makes me want to believe that too¡­"


    Pope Eruditus the 17th might look like a normal person now, but Wisteria could feel an innate suppressive aura coming from him, one that gave her the desire to start praising him.


    This desire made this man appear as if was the center of everything, and that the act of praising him will bring rewards that is greater than any treasures in the world.


    Wisteria also felt that her mind could receive a boost if she starts sincerely worshipping the Pope now, as if the latter actually had the power over this kind of matter.


    {¡­.}


    Due to her training under the Cosmic Guards, Wisteria was able to deal with this desire, although she still had to employ risky methods just for her to succeed.


    {¡­You''re forgiving me now, Esteemed Pope? I.. I thank you for your generosity, and I  promise to not do the same kind of mistake in the future.}


    In order to truly  prevent herself from worshipping the Pope, Wisteria attempted to continue her conversation with him. This is the only way that she can distract herself, although she knew that talking to the Pope personally could bring her to another sticky situation.


    Luckily for Wisteria, the Pope seemed to not be offended by her desire to continue talking.


    He even appeared to be  enthusiastic as he also resumed talking this time, a reaction that forced Wisteria to wearily listen to him.


    (((Oh, don''t take it to your mind, Miss Wisteria. You''re still young, so for you to make mistakes is normal. What matters more is what you learn from those mistakes, and if you will use those lessons to further better yourself.)))


    (((You must always remember, living in a life full of mistakes is better than living a life of perfection.  For the former, you will still have the chance to learn. But for the latter, it will be nothing more but a dystopic hellscape, with no improvement available for anyone.))


    {¡­.}


    {¡­.}


    Pope Eruditus the 17th''s voice had a gentle quality that made Wisteria feel sleepy, and she was in fact close to snoozing in just as the Pope had finished his third sentence.


    {¡­.}


    If this goes on, Wisteria will undoubtedly fall asleep at the next second, a scenario that could very well worsen her situation.


    (((Speaking of lessons, I came here to this room in order to impart a lesson on you three. As for what this lesson is about, I think you already have an idea about it. Yes, it''s about the Ancestral Tomb.)))


    {!!!!}


    Wisteria''s eyes were about to close at this time, but at the moment that she heard the words ''Ancestral Tomb'' uttered by the Pope, her eyes went wide open.


    Whether she''s sleepy or in danger does not matter anymore, as she now heard a clue about the place that both Astria and Alina are interested to go.


    {Pope Eruditus the 17th is going to talk about the Ancestral Tomb? Good, this is the info that I want to hear all this time!


    Wisteria''s head began  churning as she forced her mind to regain its clarity, an action which is apt, as she knew that she''s about to learn about the existence of the Ancestral Tomb.

 Chapter 715 - Paradise and Corpses

    Behind Wisteria, the body of Alina could be seen stiffening, as the latter showed her interest on the Pope''s words. This same interest was also shown by Astria, with her soul body emitting wavelengths of excitement inside Wisteria''s body.


    {¡­.}


    These excited feelings lightened the tense atmosphere inside the room, a change that the Pope seemed to have detected.


    (((Good.  Good. Good. You three showed signs of wanting to learn from me, even though you already had a path that you strive to reach.))) The Pope appeared to have become a doting grandfather as he said these words, with his loving gaze concentrated on the slightly eager faces of Alina and Wisteria.


    This appearance made him look less evil, but the lopsided grin on his mouth showed that he might not even be sincere on what he was saying.


    (((I thought that with your brute powers, your mind will be closed off from my lessons. Thank goodness you''re all perceptive to learning! Hah! This surely is a blessing from Elwon!)))


    The Pope suddenly swirled his right index finger in a clockwise motion this time, a gesture that he performed on the surface of his forehead.


    He accompanied this movement by a solemn look, which made the whole action look extremely important.


    (((All Hail the Great Elwon. May his wisdom enforce us all.)))


    {May his wisdom enforce us all!} Wisteria and Alina smoothly performed this swirling motion, knowing that this is the official gesture used for praising the True God Elwon.


    ((Yes, may the great Elwon bless all of us with his great knowledge¡­)) The way that Alina and Wisteria perfectly performed the gesture made the Pope look impressed again, and for a moment, it appeared as if he wanted to smother the two with hugs.


    Fortunately, it did not happen.


    The Pope stopped himself from rushing in, and he resorted to only giving the two women another weird smile.


    (((So you two can already perform the proper prayer gesture towards the great Elwon. This is impressive, considering your stay here. Especially you Wisteria, as you just arrived three days ago¡­ Hm, does this mean that you are an extremely intelligent person?)))


    ((Hehehe, you do seem like one. Hey, why don''t you join this church too? You may be from another planet, but that does not restrict you from changing your faith. So how about it?))


    {No thanks, Pope. I may like your religion, but I am a bona fide atheist. A single invitation from yours truly will not be enough to shake my belief¡­}


    Needless to say, these two women were creeped out by this smile, and not even the Pope''s overwhelming strength can make them forget about this feeling.


    In fact, Wisteria even felt more disgusted by him, as she realized that the Pope''s great power can let him do whatever he wanted to do on them.


    The only thing that might be stopping him from making a move was ALina''s Divine Maiden Status, which is obviously a great relief for Wisteria.


    {Ugh, if it weren''t for Alina, Astria and I could have been used by this weird guy for his twisted desires. He could have- blergh, I think I should stop thinking about it this time¡­.}


    Wisteria''s face turned green as she remembered a lesson during her training, which pertained to the fate of female Cosmic Guards that were kidnapped by weird people.


    The things that happened to these kidnapped females were mostly nausea-inducing, and even for the current  Wisteria, her mind still could not cope from some of the things that she saw.


    {I-I really should forget about those gross stuff already. They are just making me anxious here!}


    Fl.u.s.tered about the memories that suddenly surfaced in her mind, Wisteria''s breathing hastened more, as if she was a rat trapped in a cage.


    This suffocating feeling made her want to run, and the additional presence of the creepy Pope made her even want to move away more


    {Huhuhu, I came here in order to listen to extra information, but why did I have to be in this situation? I just want to know more about the Abyss and the Ancestral Tomb! Do I really have to be enduring this kind of weird treatment?}


    As much as Wisteria wanted to just hide and let things go on without her, she realized that there is no way out for her now.


    The pressure of the Pope and his eagerness to talk had already removed all the proper escape paths for Wisteria. No matter what she does, the Pope seemed to have a countermeasure for it, which leaves all of her escape options useless.


    So as much as she itched to use some of her other technological devices to run away, Wisteria had no choice but to suppress her urge in.


    {¡­It''s just my first mission, and I am already facing a Transcendent Being? This is just so unfair! Huhuhu, beings like the Pope are so rare, and yet I already met him in this world?}


    {Is this mission actually a suicide mission that my higher-ups made for me? Tsk, those bastards, they really don''t like me!}


    Left with no choice but to stay, the sullen Wisteria could only stay silent as she waited for the Pope to stop his creepy actions, which to her dismay, still continued.


    {¡­.}


    ________________


    ________________


    In this tense and irritating timespan, the Pope''s invasive eyes and unsettling gaze ran themselves all over Wisteria and Alina''s body, leaving the two women shivering as they felt his dirty attention placed on them.


    They felt like they were being X-rayed right at this moment, and that their clothes and powers meant nothing against his eyes.


    {...So this is the reason why Alina hates the Pope huh. I thought she hated him before because he''s a powerful opponent. But from the looks of it, this man was more detestable because of his weird actions¡­.}


    It took 69 more seconds before the Pope finally stopped looking, which might seem short, but that time was enough to make Wisteria lose all of her goodwill towards him.


    Heck, if goodwill can be measured with negative numbers, Wisteria was sure that her goodwill will  have a value of around -100 already.


    {¡­Ugh, why don''t the Pope start speaking already? He just said that he will start talking about the Ancestral Tomb, right? Since you said that, then you better start doing it!  Stop wasting your time looking at us like a pervert~}


    {Seriously, this is so creepy, and I don''t know what to think of you anymore!}


    ______________


    _______________


    Fortunately for Wisteria and co., the Pope has finally begun to talk about his intended topic.


    And unlike his mysterious actions earlier, he went straight to the point, leaving Wisteria in a rush as she did her best to follow his line of words.


    (((The Ancestral Tomb is both an imaginative and physical place, which is located at the junction between the Material Plane and the Soul Realm. In this place, both spirits and physical bodies can exist.)))


    The Pope''s overall demeanor mysteriously changed at this time too, with his creepy vibe suddenly replaced by an otherworldly and scholarly aura.


    This change caught those listening to him off-guard, and it made them look at him in confusion.


    The Pope ignored these looks however, and he continued rambling on, as if his change was just natural.


    (((In the past, the Ancestral Tomb was a place that was important for the True Gods. Why is it important to them? It is because this place was the junction between life and death, and spirit and body, which is a good spot for them.)))


    (((You see, the True Gods of the past has so much spiritual power, that if they were to descend in this material plane, countless destructive events will take place. Only a few places can resist their might, and that includes the Ancestral Tomb.)))


    ((Mind you, the Ancestral Tomb was not called ''Ancestral Tomb'' in the past. It was instead called as ''Paradise''¡­.))


    ((Hehehe, for the past people, ''Paradise is indeed an apt name, for it is the place where a mere follower can meet his worshipped True God¡­.)))


    (((Now, you may be wondering, why did this place, which was called as ''Paradise'', was now called as the ''Ancestral Tomb''? No matter how you look at it, it is undeniably puzzling.)))


    {¡­.} Wisteria does not have the urge to interrupt the Pope this time, but she still could not help but feel incredulous about what she heard.


    The Ancestral Tomb was not called this way for all this time? And it was even called Paradise before?


    Wisteria might not be the best person to be asked about Linguistics, but even she knew the contrast between the two names.


    Paradise is a word associated with heavenly and peaceful objects, while Ancestral Tomb is a pair of words that denotes things related to either death or old age!


    Just by their meanings alone, it is  obvious that these two different names had no link between them or whatsoever!


    (((If all of you came from the time of the True Gods, then you will not understand this name change.)))


    (((But for us who lived in an Era after the True Gods, changing this place''s name from Paradise to Ancestral Tomb is just proper.)))


    (((Why, do you ask? Well, it is only because of one simple reason¡­.)))


    (((You see, once all the True Gods were killed after the great war, their corpses proved to be a disposal problem. Even when they''re already dead, the bodies of the True Gods did not decay, and even after a long time, they still remained unaffected by the flow of time.)))


    (((The connection between the True Gods and the Laws that they represent was just so tight, that even after their deaths, the Laws did not allow the bodies of the True Gods to rot away.)))


    ((As long as the Laws of the Multiverse remain here, none of the bodies from the True Gods will truly wither. They will stay the way that they are, even if they have no signs of life remaining from them¡­)))


    (((Ehem, so how does this ''unrotting corpse'' dilemma related to the Ancestral Tomb? )))


    (((Well, since the corpses of the True Gods are eternal, it implies that they still retain a large amount of power inside them, which is still too much to be contained by just a normal area.)))


    (((This means that the corpses must be disposed in a place that can withstand the dreadful power emanating from them. Aside from that, this disposal place must also be  hidden enough so that the bodies can be safe from any poachers¡­)))


    ((Places that fit these criteria are almost impossible to find, but fortunately for those damned Monarchs, they found a perfect place.)))


    (((That place was no other than the ''Paradise'', which had miraculously stayed in intact even after the war¡­))


    (((¡­.)))


    (((I don''t need to say much after this, but you already could imagine what happened. Those damned Monarchs took the Paradise as their own property, and there they dumped the corpses of all the True Gods.)))


    (((They then changed the place''s name into the Ancestral Tomb, since it has literally become a tomb already.)))

 Chapter 716 - Interlude: The Mnemonic Manifest(ft. Asteria)

    [ENDLESS MONARCH.]


    E ¨C Endless is his might, and his greatness is for forever. (Wow, I can''t believe I said that.)


    N ¨C Night and darkness are his playground, while light and day are his servants. (This sounds abstract as f**k)


    D ¨C Damned those who curse him, and may they suffer endless maledictions for their mistakes. ( Wait a second, so this is the reason why my uncle disappeared?)


    L ¨C Life and Death are nothing more but marbles being spun on his almighty palms. (Oooh, marbles? Let me see!)


    E ¨C Elements are his b**ches. (This could sound a little tamer, but I figured that the Endless Monarch having his own b**ches is cool.


    S ¨C Submit to him, and you will gain eternal life.( Are you sure about that?)


    S ¨C Submit to him, and you will gain eternal life .(I want to write something else here, but my mom is watching me, so yeah¡­)


    M ¨C Mysteries are an open book to him, and all secrets are laid bare on his eyes. (Oh, so he can peek on someone taking a bath.)


    O ¨C Obligate your life for him, and he will give you much more. (??? This did not happen to me.)


    N ¨C No time is too late to praise him. (I came in late on my class before, and the Endless Monarch punished me with 100 spanks¡­.)


    A ¨C A life for a life, a tooth for a tooth. Only the strongest shall be accepted under his rule. (No wonder many Travelers died under him. He''s treating them like animals. Well, its not like I  really care¡­)


    R ¨C Roam the universe under his will, and you will gain powers beyond your comprehension. (This, this is true. But you need luck if you want to be chosen.)


    C ¨C Cull all your doubts and accept him as the greatest in the Multiverse. (Come to think about it. I never saw how strong the Endless Monarch was. Is he strong?)


    H ¨C His Majesty, the Endless Monarch, will always have his arms open for you. So don''t hesitate to approach him. (The last time that I saw the Endless Monarch open his arms for someone, it was before he crushed that person into a deadly hug.)


    [ALEX]:


    A ¨C A man who does not like me. (Well duh, that''s obvious)


    L ¨C likes to always laze around as if he''s a lizard .(He''s like the sloth from those animal doc.u.mentaries.)


    E ¨C Everyone he meets, he treats well. (Even his enemies will be treated well too, although they have to treat him well first.


    X ¨C Xcept for me. He does not treat me well.


    [QUEEN MOTHER]:


    Q ¨CQuack quack quack. (I don''t know any good words for Q, so this will do.)


    U ¨C Underestimating her is fine, since she''s the one who underperforms in the group.


    E ¨C Elope with her if you are a female. (In case you don''t know, she''s a lesbian. She likes girls.)


    E ¨C Extra points if you''re a female who likes trees. (There''s nothing better for a tree lesbian but a woman who likes trees.)


    N ¨C Never eat grass in front of her. Just don''t. (She poops grass, so she feels guilty if she sees a person eating grass. It makes her feel gross.)


    M ¨C M.o.a.ning female sounds will disturb her. ( I don''t know why she will be disturbed. I thought she will like it more.)


    O ¨C''Oh yeah'' sounds won''t do to. Seriously, don''t m.o.a.n like that. (She might try stalking you. That happened once before.)


    T ¨C Thicc girls are her favorite. (But not too thicc that they will be fat. Just the right amount of thiccness will do.)


    H ¨C Heat-based weapons are her weaknesses. (It makes sense, so don''t question me.)


    E ¨C Elope with her if you''re a female. Did I use this earlier? Oh, I just


    R ¨C Repeated the previous letter E. Oh well, nobody will notice.


    [ASTERIA]:


    A ¨C Awesome! (Awesome!)


    S ¨C Superb! (Superb!)


    T ¨CTantalizing! (Tantalizing!)


    E ¨C Exemplary! (Exemplary!)


    R ¨C Riveting! (Riveting!)


    I ¨C Important! (Important!)


    A- Awesome! (Awesome!)


    [ALINA]:


    A ¨C A glutton who does not know the limit of her stomach. (She has space magic anyway, so technically speaking, she can eat without any worries.)


    L ¨C Licks her plate clean, because she could. (And she does it in a s.e.xy way, that both Alex and Queen Mother gets turned on just from watching it.)


    I ¨C Interested on eating, but sucks on cooking. (This is so confusing. She likes eating, but she can''t cook? That''s outrageous!)


    N ¨C Never cleans her sword. She said it''s a waste of time. (She just don''t want to tell Alex that she does not know how to clean swords too.)


    A ¨C Always wants to kiss Alex, but she''s shy to do it. (That''s the reason why she and Alex has few s.e.x.u.a.l encounters.)


    [PROFESSOR FRANCES]:


    P ¨C Ptooey! Why does her name have to be this long? Now I have to make a long mnemonic!


    R ¨C Rah, rah, rah. Rah. (I can''t think of any words for R too¡­)


    O ¨C Oh right, Professor Frances is a mad woman .(She''s a loco. So don''t offend her.)


    F ¨C Fickle words are not her strong suit, so don''t insult her. (She will cry like a child or rage like a bull once insulted. Both instances are bad, so please don''t insult her.)


    E ¨C Epstein did not k*** hi*****. Hm? Who''s Epstein? Is he like Einstein?


    S ¨C S.e.x is not her thing, although Queen Mother is doing her best to change that. (Good luck to that, Queen Mother.)


    S ¨C So Queen Mother likes Professor Frances? Why though? Professor Frances is not a good partner in all sense¡­


    O ¨C Octopus are her favorite food. ( Did she like it because of the tentacles? Maybe¡­)


    R ¨C Rapscallion. Rascal. Rather. Racuous. Raccon. Rod. (Hey, that''s a lot of letter R''s!)


    F ¨C F**k this s**t. I''m still halfway through her name! (Should I have just used Frances for this mnemonic alone?)


    R ¨C Ratzilla? Raccet? Raptaurion? Rooor? (Wait, does these words even exist?)


    A ¨C A clap on her butt will make her jump. Don''t ask me how I knew that. (Her butt is soft though)


    N ¨C Never challenge her to a scientific duel. (What the hell is that duel anway? It''s the first time I heard of that¡­)


    C ¨C Cold hard cash will make her happy. Adding organs on that will be better too.


    E ¨C Ethics don''t mean s**t to her. That''s already obvious.


    S ¨C Sorority? Did she join group like this before? I think I should ask her¡­


    [ASTRIA]:


    A ¨C A loudmouth is her best description.


    S ¨C She''s most likely to pounce Alex if Alina is not around. (So she becomes a hoe just for Alex.)


    T ¨C Tents will form on a man''s pants if she hugs them.  (That''s gross)


    R ¨C Roar! Roar! Roar!


    I  - Idiot can be her another name, since she''s an idiot. (That is my opinion, not Alina''s).


    A ¨C Awesome!


    [DELIA]:


    D ¨C Duck, cover, and hold her tits if you can. She has no tits to speak at all, so I think it will be impossible. (A washboard.)


    E ¨C Exceptional are her genes, but her appeal and attitude are bottom tier.


    L ¨C Lero lero lero lero lero lero lero lero lero¡­


    I ¨C I don''t like her. Really. I don''t like her.


    A ¨C Ask anyone even Alina. They will say that I don''t like her.

 Chapter 717 - Statues Gazes

    ::¡­:: "¡­"


    {¡­} ((Well that''s the end of this lesson. The next time that we will meet each other, we shall be talking about the Dyson Theorem¡­. Oh, but you can only take that lesson if you manage to return alive from your trip to the Ancestral Tomb¡­)) Before Wisteria and the others could make sense of what he said, the Pope quickly disappeared, in a manner that was similar to how he came in. His body just faded from the spot, as if he did not exist at all.  ::¡­:: "¡­"


    {¡­} {So he just left like that? What a weirdo. But at least he already left. Ugh, I don''t know if I can take any more of his stares¡­} "I hope he does not come back for now. Having him here is always creeping me out." ::This is the only time that I am happy that I don''t have a body¡­ Seriously, that Pope of yours is weird, Alina.:: "Tsk, you don''t need to tell it to me again. I always suffer under that gaze of his everyday¡­." ::Everyday? Poor you, Alina. And here I thought you are having a good time here¡­::: ______________ ______________ Wisteria''s body was still reeling from the pressure emanated by the Pope, hence her surprise when he chose to suddenly left them. He did not even let his ''students'' ask questions, making his ''lesson'' sound more like a long ''story telling'' session from him. {¡­.} This sudden departure naturally had Wisteria relieved, as she now felt free from the Pope''s weird gaze. However, she also felt slightly distressed from the departure, as the Pope did not even finish his lesson.  He just left the area, leaving Wisteria and the other two women full of more questions for him.  {Okay, I get it if he wants to leave. But seriously. He did not even elaborate more about the Ancestral Tomb. He just told us what it is, but he did not give more details about it. Is that his so-called lesson? Hmph, even my younger brother can teach better than that!" Wisteria had a belly full of rage at this point, with most of it obviously directed towards the eccentric Pope. How could not Wisteria get angry at him? Not only did the Pope pepper her with his unsettling observation, she even left them before they could clarify his details about the Ancestral Tomb! Such irresponsibility is unfitting to be performed by anyone, and for it to be seen on a Pope out of all people just makes it worse!  {Argh! If I was just a Transcendent Being, I could have choked that weird Pope already! Seriously, how can you put up with him, Alina?"}   "Even I do not know how I managed to endure that man''s weird actions, Wisteria. So don''t ask me. Just treat my endurance as limitless here¡­" {¡­.} Earlier, Wisteria felt envious about Alina''s current status, as the latter seemed to have already gotten one of the best treatments here in this world.  But after encountering the Pope, Wisteria realized that her follies were nothing in comparison to Alina''s problems. Wisteria might be grappling with her mission today, but Alina was both dealing with a weird man and a partner who left her behind. Anyone who will be in Alina''s shoes will surely be pressured, and it is a miracle that she still had not given up. {Alina, if I ever offended you with my snide remarks, is it okay for you to forgive me?}  Wisteria was a soft-hearted person, hence she was quick to feel guilty due to her negative thoughts towards Alina. {I did not know that this is how bad your situation here. I-I thought you were having a good time here¡­.} Fortunately for Wisteria, the swordswoman Alina was not the type of person who gets irritated from petty thoughts.  "¡­Wisteria, you don''t need to apologize to me anymore. What we should do now instead was to plan our approach in regards to the Ancestral Tomb" Alina replied calmly. "Oh and don''t be worried about me. I am fine, even though I look weak." {¡­.} Alina still looked pale even after the Pope left, but the pallor on her face had enough color in it, which indicate that she''s ready to move normally again. Alina''s body was still trembling though, which is to be expected given the fact that she had just faced a Transcendent  Being head-on. {Alina, are you sure about tha-} "Wisteria. You don''t need to worry about me already. I am fine. What we should worry instead is the Ancestral Tomb¡­" Alina had no energy to look angry, but the sudden rise on her voice made her irritation at Wisteria''s question obvious. If Wisteria tries to ask another question to Alina this time, the latter will undoubtedly get pissed more. Wisteria realized this, so she could only reluctantly drop the matter. {Yeah, you are right. We should worry about that instead¡­.} "¡­." {¡­.} "¡­."


    {¡­.} _______________ _______________ With the threat of the Pope gone, and with a new uncertain future waiting for them, both Alina and Wisteria found themselves going silent. They were unsure on what to do or say next, since they don''t have anything that they can use to proceed forward. Even if both of these women are itching to make a move already, what can they do with all the paltry info that they received? If they don''t get much more information than what they have, they will be doomed to be stuck here on this disgusting place. {¡­} "¡­" Alina might not say it, but Wisteria knew that they''re still in a dead-end. And they will stay this way unless they do something about it. Or so Wisteria had thought. "Hmph, since you know what is right, then you should know what to do next. Wait a second, do you know what to do next, Wisteria?"  {??? I should know what to do next? What do you mean by that, Alina?}  Wisteria had already decided to confer with Astria in regards to their future moves, but the sudden question by Alina brought her to a halt.  "Seriously¡­ You don''t know what to do?"  {There is something that I really should do now? I-I don''t have any idea about that, Alina.} The question by Alina earlier made Wisteria inwardly panic, but after hearing Alina ask the same question this time, Wisteria realized that she appeared to be missing out on something. This did not make her feel well at all, and the subsequent suspicious gaze by Alina made her feel worse. {Alina, how the hell will I know what to do? That weird Pope just told us a short history about the Ancestral Tomb! He did not tell us anything else besides that, and he did not even give us advice on what to do next!} {With that kind of lousy teaching, do you expect me to know what to do next? Come on Alina, even I don''t have the power to be this deductive¡­} As much as Wisteria tried to analyze what Alina had told to her, she still could not comprehend what the latter was saying. Wisteria still had no idea on ''what to do next'', and the only thing that she could think was that this whole situation was ridiculous. And it even became much more incomprehensible when Astria joined in on the conversation, with her words in line to what Alina was saying :::Wisteria¡­ both Alina and I have an idea on what to do next. How come you don''t?:: {What? Both of you know what to do? But that''s impossible!}  "Wisteria. What is happening with you? Why don''t you know about it? Are you sick?" {W-w-what?} ::Alina... I hate to say this, but I think Wisteria might be really sick.:: "It is too early to diagnose her as sick, Astria. Let''s just wait for a few days if her situation gets worse." ::Oh right, we can do that. Should we start that now?:: "Yes, I think we should." {Hey! Stop talking about me as if I am already dead! I am still here, you know!" "¡­."


    ::¡­.::: {Hey! Why are you looking at me like that? No matter what you say to me, I don''t have any clue on what to do next!" "¡­." ::¡­:: {Hey¡­ don''t stare at me like that. Unlike you two, I am not that intelligent. So please tell me what you are thinking. Please tell me the ''task'' that I should do¡­." "¡­." ::¡­:: With both Alina and Astria treating her as if she was an idiot, Wisteria found herself barely containing her disappointment. And this disappointment just got higher and higher, especially when these two women did something unexpected. "¡­" ::¡­:: As if they were robots who had their batteries dead, both Alina and Astria  suddenly stood still on their spots, with their bodies barely moving and their faces staring blankly at Wisteria.(Astria''s body is her Soul Body) They did not say anything else after assuming this position, and they stayed this way, even when Wisteria was already  looking creeped out by them. They also lost signs of life, making them look like statues rather than live people. {Hey! What''s the matter with you two? I said stop looking at me like that!}


    {Hey! Please stop! I am hating this joke already! Come on, you can''t do it to me like this¡­} Wisteria is a person that is hard to spook, but even her courage faltered in face of her two allies who did not stop on observing her blankly. {Hey!} The actions of these two women made it seem as if they  were waiting for Wisteria to say something, and that they will not stop waiting until she says what they want to hear. Such actions served to scare Wisteria more, and the current her found herself helpless. But as much as she was fearful, Wisteria found herself unable to express her fear fully. How could she even have the energy to be fearful right now, when she realized that both of her allies are not acting normally? Sure, what Alina and Astria are doing now might be a prank, but after their run-in with the Pope, Wisteria had a suspicion on what is happening now. Wisteria is only 60% sure about this, but there is a possibility that the Pope had activated his power during his visit, and now this power was manifesting its effect on Alina and Astria! That could be the reason why these two women are acting like this, and why they seem to be moving just as weird as the Pope. {Hey¡­ am I the one who is sick? Or is it you two? Because you don''t seem fine to me¡­} {Hey¡­ why are you not answering me? Come on, just tell me if you are sick¡­.} {¡­}


    ::¡­:: The more that Wisteria observed the two, the more that she became sure of it. Alina and Astria were indeed affected by an ability from the Pope, and it seems that Wisteria was the person who has to deal with this ability¡­. Now, all that matters was for Wisteria to find a way to clash with this ability, which for the current her is almost an impossibility¡­ {Ugh, why do I have to face something like this? I was just hoping for a casual mission!}

 Chapter 718 - Chaos Curse, Mark of the Abyss

    What would the Pope even obtain from using his ability this time? And why did he target Alina and Astria of all people?


    Doesn''t the Pope fear the backlash if everyone were to know that he used his power on  Alina, who is the Church of Wisdom''s Divine Maiden?


    And why did he choose to spare Wisteria from his ability? Does it mean something to him? Or is this part of his over-all plan?


    Whatever the answer to these questions are, Wisteria had not time to ponder out about them.


    Her life and her allies'' life are in danger after all, hence she had to prioritize it first!


    {Alina is the Divine Maiden, yet the Pope is okay on using his power on her? What is the matter with him?}


    {Is he really so depraved that he''s not perturbed about doing this?}


    {And he even included us, who are his visitors!}


    {Tsk, just as I expected... religious figures are always up to no good!}


    Seeing her allies'' condition was already an enough impetus for Wisteria to make her move, and she did not hesitate to reveal some of her secrets.


    "Hom!"


    Without any hesitation on her side, Wisteria activated her Digi Lens, a device that all Cosmic Guards had installed on their eyes.


    Through the use of this device, Wisteria can see if a targeted object is suffering from the effects of curses or any strange abilities.


    No matter what kind of curse or ability was used, the Digi Lens will detect it, although it may not show how to deal with these said abiliites¡­


    ________________


    In today''s case, Wisteria hoped to use this gadget to identify any malady or curse inside Alina''s body.


    "Hom!"


    The activation of her Digi Lens did not stir any commotion at all, as the gadget itself only scanned Alina in a non-invasive manner.


    "Shiing¡­." Astoundingly tiny packets of energy were the only objects released by the gadget, and they only stayed inside Alina''s body for an extremely short amount of time. No damage or injuries were afflicted by these rays, and the most that they did to Alina could be a slight stinging sensation on her skin.


    "Click."


    The scanning took more than a second before it finished, which is enough time for either Alina and Astria to attack Wisteria. Fortunately for her, the two women still did not move, even when Alina had seemingly felt the scanning prowess of the Digi Lens.


    {Okay, let''s see what we got here¡­.}


    Wisteria barely breathed a sigh of relief once her scanning was done, and she hastily deactivated her gadget''s scanning power lest it might disturb Alina.


    She then focused on the results of the scanning, which glowed bright red on her gadget''s interactive hub.


    -Scan Target: Alina-


    -Power Level: Approximately Sixth Stage-


    -Scanned Abilities: Time Magic, Esper Power, Dark Magic, All-Seeing Eyes.-


    -Abnormalities Detected: Chaos Curse, Mark of the Abyss.-


    Just as what Wisteria expected, her Digi Lens had detected most of the abilities that Alina had shown so far.


    Her Esper Power, her Time Magic, and her notorious Dark Magic had been perfectly observed by her gadget, and even Alina''s All-Seeing Eyes had been detected too.


    Such accuracy made Wisteria feel more confident about her gadget, leading her to believe that this will reveal any malady that might come from Alina.


    Wisteria''s confidence on her gadget however was quickly shattered, once she saw the abnormalities shown in the hub


    {So let''s see the abnormalities that the scanning had detected. Hm¡­ there is the Chaos Curse and the Mark of the Abyss? Wait a second, these abnormalities are not related to Pope Eruditus the 17th! What the hell is going on here?}


    {Both the Chaos Curse and the Mark of the Abyss are abilities that are related to the entities Chaos and Abyss. They should have no relation to the Pope at all, so why are they the only abnormalities detected?}


    {Where is the abnormality that the Pope induced? Where the hell is it?}


    Oh, and aside from her confidence being shattered, Wisteria''s secure feelings to herself was also now gone, as she realized the enormity of her situation.


    {Wait, Alina is both affected by the Chaos Curse and the Mark of the Abyss? S**t¡­ this is bad!}


    {This is even worse than what the Pope had done to her!}


    Wisteria looked like she wanted to run away again this time, and her reason for it was perfectly justified.


    There is no way that Wisteria will stay on one spot, especially when someone near her was affected by a curse.


    And even if that someone was Alina, Wisteria will not hesitate on running away from her.


    Speaking of Alina, Wisteria''s Digi Lens had detected that Alina was affected by two curses¡­


    And these curses were not just any normal curses.


    These curses, according to Wisteria''s knowledge, are actually  some of the most horrifying curses that could exist in the Multiverse!


    {S**t, s**t, s**t! This is so messed up! Ugh, what should I do now?}


    ______________


    ________________


    Through the intensive educational program by the Cosmic Guards, Wisteria had managed to learn a lot of things about the Multiverse, especially about the dangers that lurk in it.


    All the dangerous beasts, Power Systems, and Entities had been discussed all throughout Wisteria''s training, which left her extremely wary and worried, especially during her first few days as a Cosmic Guard.


    Amongst these dangers, the ones related to the Abyss and Chaos were the large part of the discussions.


    The majority of the cases solved by the Cosmic Guards usually revolve between these two distorted entities, so for them to be discussed is just normal.


    {Chaos is a powerful being who lives from outside the Multiverse. His goal in life was to make everything chaotic, and he has the power to make that happen.}


    {Chaos has the powers to make the laws bend to his whim, and he can also distort them. He can also curse any being with his power, rendering them unfit to contribute to the over-all order of the Multiverse...}


    {One of the curses that Chaos created was the Chaos Curse, which is a high-level curse that is usually used by his children. One Chaos Curse  is powerful enough to make its target suffer, and in most cases, this curse will induce a much larger chaos on the Multiverse¡­.}


    {People that were victimized by the Chaos Curse are few, and it is almost impossible to doc.u.ment their cases, as most died early before they can be even observed.}


    {Those that had been observed however gave the Cosmic Guards a lot of info, but it''s still not enough to combat the curse itself¡­}


    {As of now, the protocol for any Cosmic Guard who sees an individual afflicted with a Chaos Curse is just simple: Get the f**k away from them, and never try getting close to them¡­}


    Wisteria could barely stop herself from running away, as she realized that her ally Alina, who was one of the most level-headed people she met, was actually affected by the Chaos Curse.


    Granted, her Digi Lens did not indicate what effects this Chaos Curse had on Alina. But whatever these effects will be, Wisteria was sure that it is not something that she would want to witness.


    {Ugh¡­ Since I can only use my Digi Lens seven times a month, I suffer a large limitation, especially on the people who I should use this gadget on. Because of that limitation, I was not able to detect Alina''s abnormality before¡­}


    {Tsk, if I had just scanned Alina before, then I won''t have any problems like this! Argh, I really hate my higher-ups! If they had just provided me with better equipment, I could have avoided Alina early!}


    {Sigh¡­ now it is too late for me to prevent Alina''s curse from affecting me. Since I am now related to her as a friend, whatever her Chaos Curse does will start affecting me too¡­}


    {¡­}


    Just the detection of the Chaos Curse had already plummeted Wisteria''s optimism, and it reduced her to a rookie worried for her life.


    Such degradation of her mood is bad enough for Wisteria already, but to her great misfortune, this was just the beginning¡­


    {Huhuhu, just the Chaos Curse alone is bad enough, but as it turns out, there is still one more curse affecting Alina. }


    {And this one''s even worse, since it is related to the Abyss itself!}


    At the mention of the Abyss, Wisteria''s face turned paler, as if she had remembered horrible memories about this term.  Her fingers were clenched and her whole body was rigid too, which further displayed her heightened anxiety this time.


    It was only after a few calming breaths to herself that Wisteria was able to settle her emotions, but even with this, she still retained her fearful visage.


    {Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­. How in the world did Alina manage to be tagged with the Mark of the Abyss? Did she do something that offended the Abyss? Sigh¡­ why would I even care? Now that Alina''s been tagged, even I will have no way of helping her¡­}


    {Wait¡­ from what I remember from Alina''s words before, she said that her partner Alex is actually a high-ranking member of the Abyss Realm. Could that be the impetus for her curse?}


    {Yes, it could be. And maybe that is also the reason why Alex had left Alina¡­.}


    {Sigh, all of these are just assumptions, and the current me had no way of verifying them.}


    {The only thing that I am sure here is the one that I dread the most¡­ Which is that Alina is affected by the Mark of the Abyss, and if I am not careful, I could be affected by it too¡­}


    _____________


    _____________


    While the Chaos Curse was a curse that the Cosmic Guards has knowledge of, the Mark of the Abyss was a curse that virtually everyone had no knowledge about.


    What was only known about this curse was that anyone that it affects always ends up in a horrible fate that is even worse than death.


    Being burned in an eternal fire¡­.


    Being shredded and eaten by Abyss Monsters for forever¡­.


    Or becoming a s.e.x.u.a.l slave for a L.u.s.t-Filled Abyss Monster¡­


    These are some of the effects that the Mark of Abyss had on its victims,  and even up to this day, these victims continued to suffer this way.


    There are no remedies or solutions that were able to free these victims from these horrible experiences, leaving them in pure agony for a very, very long time¡­


    {Blergh, if those victims by the Mark of the Abyss ended up in these extremely bad states, then what would happen to Alina?}


    {Will she suffer from something worse? Or maybe she will experience a lighter torture?}


    {After all, Alex is a high-ranking member of the Abyss. Maybe that will spare Alina from too much pain. But Alex left Alina, so there could be a bad blood between them¡­}


    {So does this mean that Alina will suffer more? Huhuhu, I really don''t want to know that, but I wish that it won''t be as bad as the others¡­}


    {Wait, why am I even wishing for Alina to be well? She''s already cursed, so no matter what I think, she''s bound to be suffering in the end¡­}


    If Alina was just affected by one curse, Wisteria was confident that the former might still survive. After all, Alina was an extremely talented woman, so she might find a way to absolve one curse.


    But Alina was affected by two curses, and both are just as bad as the other¡­


    {Sigh, and here I thought Alina and I will continue to be friends for a long time. Tsk, such a waste for her to be affected by two different curses¡­}


    No matter how talented Alina was, in face of two powerful curses, she''s nothing more but a weak weed.


    She might give a good struggle, but in the end she will still be plucked away and thrown to the fire¡­.

 Chapter 719 - Onwards! To the promised land!

    {¡­Alina sure had it hard.}


    Realizing that she had no solution about Alina''s matter, Wisteria had decided to drop it already.


    Why would she even worry about Alina''s condition right now, when she herself is powerless to deal with it?


    {¡­.Since Alina has been cursed already, then I should just distance myself away from her.}


    Upon reaching this line of thought, Wisteria took a deep breath as she prepared herself to immediately leave the area.


    She did not even care about the ability that the Pope had used on both Alina and Wisteria.


    She wanted to leave already, and not even that weird Pope can stop her!


    {I''m sorry Alina, but this is as how far I can stay with you¡­.}


    Whether the Pope''s ability on Alina and Astria will get worse at this time does not matter for Wisteria any one bit.


    Since she had decided to leave, then Alina will just have to deal with the ability herself!


    As for Astria, Wisteria will naturally try her best to help her¡­.


    {Astria, I hope you do not get angry with my decision to leave Alina. I just had no choice at this point. If we stay here for longer, we could be implicated by her ability¡­.}


    Wisteria felt a sting inside her heart as she began walking away from Alina, a sensation which is undoubtedly caused by her slight guilt.


    Such feeling made her feel revolted to herself, but she did not let herself wallow in it.


    Sure, Wisteria''s decision to leave Alina right now is an extremely bad move, but in face of the Chaos Curse and the Mark of the Abyss, Wisteria''s departure is just an inevitability¡­


    {It''s a goodbye for now, Alina. But don''t worry. We might still have time to meet each other in the future¡­}


    By the time that her body was a few meters away from Alina, Wisteria had closed her eyes, with her mind already putting Alina''s situation on its back.


    Now, Wisteria was more focused on how she could leave this place, rather than staying in here for longer.


    {Now then¡­ how should I leave without alerting anyone?}


    But before Wisteria could fully grasp her ''escape plan'', she suddenly felt a grip constricting her elbow.


    This grip brought out Wisteria from her thoughts, and the extreme pain that accompanied it almost made her shout in pain.


    {What the hell? Who the f.u.c.k are yo- Alina? You can already move?}


    This sudden grip on her elbow made Wisteria spooked, and her fear only got stronger when she saw that the one who held her elbow was actually Alina.


    Yes, it was the previously unmoving Alina.


    "Huh? What do you mean I can already move? I can move all this time." Alina replied as she tilted her head. Her voice sounded just like what it used to be, bearing none of the weird vibrations that she uttered on her abnormal version.


    {But I saw you standing still earlier-}


    "What do you think I am, huh? A statue? Wisteria, please don''t start insulting me too¡­"


    Unlike her robotic version earlier, the current Alina was just like the normal Alina. She did not stare at Wisteria like a target, and she just acted like a proper person.


    Her eyes also glowed with the l.u.s.ter that her dull version could never had shown, revealing a level of intelligence that is greater than any average being.


    {H-huh? What the hell is this? You can also talk normally too? But-}


    "But what, Wisteria? What is exactly the problem, huh?"


    {¡­..}


    Alina also appeared to have forgotten her inquiry about their ''activity'' for the Ancestral Tomb, and she did not mention it, not even by a single bit from this point.


    It was as if Alina did not even know that she and Astria asked this question in the first place¡­


    {Alina¡­. Is the current you¡­ the real you? Please tell me the truth.}


    "???Did you just take some special drugs, Wisteria? Of course I am ''me''. Who could I even be?"


    {Well-"


    "Well what? Are you going to spout some philosophical dogma on me? Come on Wisteria. You know I am not listening to that¡­"


    {¡­.}


    At the sight of this inquisitive Alina peering at her with suspicion, Wisteria could hardly find the words to say, as the latter could not believe what she was seeing.


    The Alina who was affected by the Pope''s ability can now move again, as if she was already freed from his ability?


    This change makes no sense at all, and even if this allowed Alina to be back to her normal version again, Wisteria could not be comforted by it!


    And to make matters even more confusing, even Astria had resumed talking too!


    ::Oh come on, Alina. Give Wisteria some time to recollect herself. Since that weird Pope just left seconds earlier, maybe Wisteria is still feeling unsettled by his presence. Just give her a few second of rest, and I reckon she will be back to normal.::


    No weird stares. No rigid movements. And no unsettling words.


    This was the state that Astria was in, making her sound like just her normal self too!


    "Oh, right. I now understand why Wisteria is being like this. Sigh¡­. If that damned Pope was not just the head of my allied religion, I could have done something against him already. Tsk, I can''t even kick his nuts, for that will trigger a mass crusade against me!"


    ::Oh, you want to kick his nuts? Hehehe, why don''t you let me join in?::


    "Pfft, why do you even want to kick his nuts when your body it still in soul form? Astria, get your own physical body first before saying those reckless words. Or else¡­."


    ::Or else what huh, Alina? Or else what?::


    "Hmph, or else you will be trampled by that weird man!"


    ::Me? Trampled by that weird Pope? Hahaha! As if that could happen at all!::


    {¡­}


    If it were before she used her Digi Lens, Wisteria would have been happy seeing both Alina and Astria''s normal state.


    After all, this indicated that the Pope''s weird ability must have been dispelled already.


    But after she saw the curse that Alina had, Wisteria realized that this sudden change is not something that she should be happy about!


    {When the Pope left and used his ability, I thought that he did it in order to torment me. But after I used my Digi Lens and saw Alina''s curses, the Pope suddenly dispelled his ability, as if it did not matter to him at all¡­}


    {Why would the Pope do this, when he still had not reached his goal? All that his ability managed to do was to make me informed about Alina''s curses...}


    The more that Wisteria thought about it, the stranger things became.


    Did the Pope just use his ability to play with them? Or is there any deeper meaning about this?


    {Wait, I am now informed about Alina''s curses? Could this be the Pope''s goal all this time?}


    {He just used his ability to force me to activate my Digi Lens, in hopes of me discovering Alina''s curses?}


    {If that''s the case, then everything makes sense!}


    Like a rat jolted by the mousetrap, Wisteria''s whole body trembled as she suddenly made this conclusion.


    She was definitely surprised by this conclusion, and it was mirrored by her body suddenly stiffening up.


    ::Hm?::


    "Hm?"


    This change in her body had caught both of Alina and Astria''s attention, but Wisteria had already ignored them.


    For now, Wisteria was more interested on clarifying her conclusion, which is just as confusing as all the things that had happened already.


    {So the Pope just wanted me to know about Alina''s curses? I know that this sounds ridiculous, but that''s the only thing that I can derive here¡­}


    {But why would he want me to discover Alina''s curses? Why would he perform all these convoluted actions just to make me discover the curses by myself?}


    {Couldn''t he just inform me?}


    Although she was horrified by Alina''s curses, and she wanted nothing more but to leave this place, Wisteria could not help but stay still as she tried to uncover the mystery behind the Pope''s weird actions.


    But no matter how much she racked her mind, she still could not think of any reason for the Pope''s machinations against her.


    All that she knew was that the Pope must have succeeded on his plan already, and that her current state should have been his aim all along¡­


    {Tsk, so I have been played by the Pope for two times already? Tsk, this is making me pissed!}


    Realizing that her thoughts won''t be of use to her again, the disappointed Wisteria has decided to drop this matter too.


    Since the Pope had already succeeded on what he was planning on doing, is there anything else that Wisteria could do?


    Obviously there is none, so Wisteria knew that there is no merit for her to investigate more.


    {Sigh, my mission was just to investigate clues about the Abyss'' presence in this world, but look at where I am now.}


    {I''m inside a weird church with an even weirder Pope, and I just played right into his schemes¡­}


    {Tsk, if I did not just become a Cosmic Guard, I would never have experienced these kind of things¡­}


    {Wait, why did I even become a Cosmic Guard?}


    ______________


    ______________


    The combination of Pope''s schemes, along with Alina''s curses, had further solidified Wisteria''s interest to leave this church.


    She knew that staying will generate more troubles for her, so as much as possible, she had to keep herself away already!


    {Okay, so even if Alina and Astria are both normal now, this does not mean that I will still stay here... I mean come on, I can''t stay with this weird Pope and cursed Alina hovering near me. That will just bring me closer to death, and I wouldn''t want that!}


    But just like her efforts to leave earlier, Wisteria''s attempts to leave were thwarted once more.


    More specifically, it was Alina''s next words  that destroyed Wisteria''s hopes of escaping¡­


    "Hey, are you okay now, Wisteria? Yeah, you look okay. Since you have already recovered from that weird Pope, then there is no need for us to be delayed. Go on with your soul partner and prepare for our trip."


    {Wait, trip? Trip for what?}


    "Trip to the Ancestral Tomb of course. Where else would we go?"


    {What? We''re going to the Ancestral Tomb already?}


    "Why do you sound so surprised, Wisteria? Since that place is the next leg of our activation, then we should go there already. The earlier, the better."


    Alina sounded like an innocent child as she said these words, but Wisteria could see a mischievous glint on the former''s eyes


    This made Wisteria feel numb inside, as she realized that her actions to leave must have been seen through by Alina!


    And to make matters worse, it even spurned the swordswoman to initiate a sudden trip!


    {But, we still have Queen Mother and Professor Frances here. Aren''t they busy? If we go now, they might-}


    "Oh don''t worry about those two. They''re currently fighting each other now, so you can''t say that they are busy with work. What they are doing now is just playing around."


    {What? Those two are fighting? Then that makes things worse!}


    "No it doesn''t, Wisteria."


    {It doesn''t? What the heck? If those two are fighting, then there is no way for us to leave! Shouldn''t you worry about that more first?}


    "¡­."


    {¡­}


    "¡­.You know what, you don''t have to worry about Queen Mother and Professor Frances. As long as they''re done fighting, we can just swoop in and bring them with us. Doesn''t that just sound efficient?"


    {You¡­ you still want to go the Ancestral Tomb already, even with all these weird happenings? What is wrong with you, Alina?}


    "Nothing''s wrong with me, Wisteria. I just wanted to be in that place before anyone else does. What could be wrong with that?"


    ::Yes, what could be wrong with that, Wisteria?::


    {¡­}


    ::¡­::


    "¡­"


    {Argh!!! Why are things being like this? I hate not being in control!}


    There are no departing words, not even cheesy inspirational advices that were given this time.


    Wisteria was just grabbed by Alina, who then flew like a rocket towards the distant horizon.

 Chapter 720 - Ravings of Chaos (1 of 2)

    OUTSIDE THE MULTIVERSE


    Just like any other days, the void outside the Multiverse was fairly empty, save for some people or unlucky beings that tries to cross it.


    Other creatures that had adapted to the strange conditions in this place are extremely rare, but they could be found too, and they make the majority of all the species here¡­


    This sparse and varied biological distribution on the void has made it a mostly empty area, and it is rare for somebody roaming here to find even just a single living creature.


    "¡­."


    With this kind of startling emptiness, it was no wonder that nobody was venturing this place.


    Why would even someone waste time wandering the outside of the Multiverse, when what can only be obtained here was a limited reward?


    That''s a waste of time by itself, and anyone in their right minds would definitely not think of even setting foot here, especially with all the dangers present in this place!


    Even the almighty Monarchs of each Realms usually have to think twice before departing towards this empty void, and those who enter will still face dangers that are even greater than their power!


    "¡­."


    The presence of this extreme danger made the whole ''outside place'' seem like a less desirable destination, and the severe lack of living beings just solidified this point.


    But contrary to the opinion of many, the low creature count and the extreme dangers in this place were actually just some of the minor reasons that it lacked of visitors.


    "¡­.."


    The major reason that stops almost everyone into going to the ''outside of the multiverse'' was a different matter entirely.


    "¡­"


    The real x-factor in this place was actually just an old man, who occasionally pops up from time to time around the void. He might look weak, but those who sees him will not hesitate to run away from him.


    This old man after all was Chaos himself, whose whole body resides outside the Multiverse!


    Such powerful creature is no much for almost many, and those who meet him usually end up dying in all sorts of strange manner¡­.


    ______________,


    Speaking of Chaos¡­ he could be seen sitting on a rocky asteroid at this point, with a board of chess floating right in front of his eyes.


    "¡­." Chaos appeared to be extremely engrossed in this game, to the point that he ignored almost all of the creatures that whizzed above him.


    This attitude was certainly abnormal, but those who saw him like this were certainly happy for this condition.


    "¡­."


    This state of his did not last that long however, as before Chaos could make a move inside the board, he suddenly stood up, causing large distortions on his surroundings.


    Creak¡­."


    Chaos'' whole body, which was as ancient as time itself, let out a creaking groan after he made this move. This further increased the distortion around him, eventually making a series of frightening waves that could very well destroy the fabric of space-time itself.


    "Woosh woosh!"


    If this power were to be activated inside the Multiverse, many civilizations or even Realms could be sent to their end in an instant. Fortunately, Chaos was outside the Multiverse, so all that his power can do was to create a loud and racketing noise.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Such loud noise is even powerful enough to disturb Chaos, but for the current him, this noise was nothing more but a small nuisance.


    "Hm?"


    As the pieces of the chess board fell from his standing body, Chaos just looked straight ahead with his ferocious eyes.


    Waves and waves of more destruction occurred around him, but the old man did not seem to notice it, as the shocked looked on his face made him oblivious to his surroundings already.


    "What the?"


    Chaos appeared to be ignorant about anything else as his whole being and focus was just concentrated on a  certain direction.


    More specifically, Chaos'' stern gaze was focused at the direction of the Multiverse itself, with his eyes seemingly trained on the Multiverse''s middle portion.


    This made it seem as if he had discovered something of great importance on this direction, and that this discovery was so important, that he could not even tear his eyes away from it.


    "That planet¡­ how could I gather that much energy at once? This should have been impossible, given the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics¡­ Wait, could the Abyss be related to this change?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Argh! That''s the Mark of the Abyss flaring up inside that planet! So Abyss is indeed related here!"


    Chaos was busy playing a game by himself at this time, but his ''discovery'' on the Multiverse had forced him to stop his leisure period.


    And for whatever reason there is, Chaos'' discovery also made him lose his temper, which just further increased the fervent effects of his power


    "Kacha!" The chess pieces that Chaos held all dissipated under the presence of his enhanced power, turning into specks of dust that eventually wilted into nothingness. The board, which was as tough as a Stage 7 treasure also turned to dust, making it seem as if it did not exist at all¡­.


    Aside from his game, his surroundings and other nearby objects were also not spared. They were all destroyed too, and even his clothes and underwear wilted under his might.


    "¡­."


    This indiscriminate shredding not only wreaked more havoc, it also instantly turned Chaos into a n.a.k.e.d old man, who now wore nothing but a small piece of bracelet that hung limply on his waist.


    "¡­"


    The sight that followed his ''liberation'' was undoubtedly scandalous to many, and his beautiful body had no way to improve his appearance, especially with the way that he vulgarly moved his exposed body.


    In fact, Chaos was moving so vulgarly right now, that if someone were to look closer, they might see Chaos''''little bird'' dangling like a decoration¡­. They might even see his ''dragon balls'' swaying like a pair of peach fruits ready for picking¡­


    Any man plunged in this situation will surely be embarrassed, even if there is no one watching him. For Chaos however, his appearance as of now was of no concern.


    Yes, Chaos looked worried about something, but it was absolutely not related to his n.a.k.e.d apiece.


    His worry instead seemingly originated from the Multiverse, and his reaction had confirmed that.


    "That damned Abyss¡­ What the hell is he doing now?"


    Chaos'' face, which usually held an aloof and arrogant demeanor, was actually wearing a shocked look at this point. His whole body was seemingly trembling too, which further added to the change that he showed.


    His eyes also flashed with murderous intent as he muttered Abyss'' name, as if he wanted nothing more but to strangle the latter with his own hands.


    ?siht od uoy erad woH .ssybA uoy nmaD .ssybA uoy nmaD ?siht od uoy erad woH .ssybA uoy nmaD .ssybA uoy nmaD ?siht od uoy erad woH .ssybA uoy nmaD .ssybA uoy nmaD ?siht od uoy erad woH .ssybA uoy nmaD .ssybA uoy nmaD ?siht od uoy erad woH .ssybA uoy nmaD .ssybA uoy nmaD ?siht od uoy erad woH .ssybA uoy nmaD .ssybA uoy nmaD ?siht od uoy erad woH .ssybA uoy nmaD .ssybA uoy nmaD

 Chapter 721 - CoVid-19(Im sick today....)

    I still don''t know if I have the virus, but I really feel bad today.


    I hope this will not be that sickness...


    As for the next chapter, it will come out 14 hours from now.


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 Chapter 722 - Ravings of Chaos (2 of 2)

    "Boom!"


    More and more explosions littered the void, shredding everything down to their most basic structures. Pure energy leaked out of this destruction, covering the whole place with the most basic essence of reality itself.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    This scene was apocalyptic, and anyone with weak minds will collapse just at the first sight of it. Even those who reached Alex''s level of power will be nothing but ants in face of this catastrophe, and they can only hope for "kjdfidjsflkds".


    But for Chaos, such disaster was nothing more but a nuisance.


    For him, this destruction is just considered normal.


    After all, this always happens when he''s angry¡­.


    "That damned Abyss just disobeyed my request? Damn him!"


    And right now, Chaos'' anger was enough to reach even the heavens.


    "I specifically told Abyss before that he should never personally disturb the arrangements placed on the God-Sealing Planet."


    "His presence there will just disturb the seal placed on those dead True Gods, and nobody will be happy to see that happen."


    Chaos seemingly became calm for a second, as if his words drew him into a state of calm.


    This state only lasted for a second however, as he went back to expressing his explosive temper.


    "I told Abyss to do that, but what did he do? Not only did he establish his own religion on the God-Sealing Planet, he also used his connections with the Endless  Monarch to send his Abyss Envoy on that planet!"


    "Argh! This is obviously cheating, and he''s not even hiding it!"


    "Bang!" More fabric of reality was destroyed at this point, and just like usual, Chaos did not pay attention to it.


    He was just so immersed in his rage at this point, that it was actually a surprise that he had not destroyed more objects yet.


    "Tsk, I have plans in regards to that God-Sealing Planet, and all my preparations for the next Era are based on that. But because of that damned Abyss, I now have no choice but to adjust those preparations!"


    "Argh! Damn you Abyss! Why do you have to pull this s**t on me? Have you reneged our contract already?"


    "If that''s what you did, then there is no more precedence for me to hold back¡­"


    To anyone who can observe Chaos right now, they will surely feel his rage, which he did not hesitate to show through his actions.


    But these observers would not understand how angry Chaos is right now. After all, there are no creatures in the whole Multiverse that are like him.


    The only one who can truly understand his rage was Chaos himself, and he immersed himself in it like a fish swimming in a lake.


    "Abyss¡­ since you have ignored my request, then I shall take actions through my own hands now." Chaos said out loud as he tried to quench the pure red-hot anger coursing through his veins.


    This action took a lot of effort from him, and he wasted nearly around 5 seconds of time just to stabilize his mood.


    5 seconds might not be too much of a time, but in context for the current situation, 5 seconds is almost long as a lifetime!


    "Abyss started making his move on the God-Sealing Planet 1 minute ago. That means that he already had 60 seconds of head start time compared to me¡­.."


    "Hmph, I could have easily dealt with this head start if my pawn was still on that planet."


    "But because his Envoy killed my pawn, my hold on that planet has now slackened!" Chaos looked like he was about to burst into rage again, but fortunately for him and his surroundings, he was able to hold himself in.


    This did not of course make him happy however, as his eyes retained their gloomy glint.


    "Abyss¡­ why did you suddenly turn against our alliance? Did you discover something on the God-Sealing Planet that made you act like this?"


    "Even if that was the case, that does not deny the fact that you betrayed me¡­."


    Chaos took another deep breath to stabilize his body, which resulted on a large whirlpool of death that hovered above him.


    This whirlpool seemed to have the capability to annihilate all kinds of existence, and it showed its might through its easy deconstruction of the matter near it.


    Such destruction showed the immense power that Chaos held, and it made him look much more impressive than what his n.a.k.e.d body made him appear to be.


    "Tsk, why did this whirlpool appear again? Did I ask you to come here? Scram!"


    Chaos did not seem to be happy on seeing the destruction brought by this whirlpool however, as his temper was seemingly even razed by it.


    "Shal" He even personally destroyed this whirlpool with his own hands, bringing the whole area back to a slightly peaceful state.


    "¡­"


    These series of destructive events around Chaos might seem out of the ordinary, but for a creature that lived as long as Chaos, what had just transpired was a normal part of his life.


    In fact, one can even say that Chaos was successful on keeping this temper at bay today.  After all, what he just destroyed this time was a spherical volume that is as large as one Realm.


    This is the smallest area that Chaos had destroyed in all of his temper tantrums, a feat that he will surely be proud on the coming days.


    For the current Chaos however, he felt no happiness upon seeing the destruction that he made. It instead made him feel shame, as he knew that he failed on keeping himself restrained again.


    ____________________


    ____________________


    Due to his nature as an incarnate of chaos and disorder, Chaos was someone who had no qualms on interacting with chaotic people.


    It was his calling after all to be close to beings that can induce disorder in the Multiverse, and even if these beings are extremely vile, Chaos will still be happy to attach his existence to them.


    But there are still limitations to everything, and Chaos was not exempt from that.


    In Chaos'' case, it was obvious that his ''friendly relationship'' with Abyss has now gone into hostile territories, and the events that unraveled this time was enough proof of that.


    The anger that Chaos showed this time made matters more obvious too, and it is not a far stretch to say that he''s close to unleashing his primitive and murderous persona.


    "I should really had seen the warning signs in the first place. Abyss'' abilities might be partially in line with my nature, but he''s fundamentally a being that is meant to oppose me!"


    "His corruptive power might be helping me on sowing disorder in the Multiverse, but it was this same power that he can use to undermine my goals."


    "He might not be thinking of opposing me before, but now that the God-Sealing Planet has allowed outsiders to enter, Abyss actually had made his move against me!"


    "Argh! If I were 3 days ago, I could have done something about this. But now, that damned Abyss had made it impossible for me to come!"


    This reaction by Chaos might seem too much, given that he was a being who was far more powerful than anyone, including even Abyss too.


    How could someone like Chaos even be angry at this time, when his power alone is enough to protect him from any schemes? Why would he be so  emotional at this point, if the best that Abyss can do against him was damage his skin?


    Outsiders might not understand it, but those who interacted with Chaos will surely understand his outbursts.


    "¡­.."


    Chaos might be someone who likes disorder, but that does not mean that he is a disorderly being.


    Chaos is an adept schemer, and he had plans in regards to almost everything.


    He had plans on how to induce chaos in the Multiverse, and he had plans in regards to dealing against his enemies. He also had plans about how he should approach things, and plans for his children when they get naughty.


    "Fine, if Abyss wants to do things this way, then I shall oblige! If he wants to take over the God-Sealing Planet, then I will do my best to prevent it!"


    "After all, I am someone who does not like people disrupting my plans! And even if that person was a powerful being like that damned Abyss, I will not hesitate to stop him!"


    "So who cares if that damned creature can kill my children? As long as I kill the Abyss Envoy and his concierge first, then I can consider myself triumphant over him!"


    For Chaos, his plans are the lifeline of his desire to bring the whole Multiverse into disorder, and nothing is much more important than these.


    Anyone who dares to disrupt Chaos'' plans will be treated by him as his mortal enemy, and he will not stop hounding them, not until they were properly dealt with.


    Even Abyss, who is clearly a powerful being is not exempt from this, and his act of defying Chaos'' plans just gave the latter the motivation to punish him.


    "I might not be able to kill Abyss, but I can surely kill his Envoy..."


    "Hehehe, I wonder what Abyss would feel once I had his Envoy killed¡­ Will he weep in despair and start crying on the floor with agony? I doubt that will happen, but I can see how important that Envoy is to Abyss."


    "It might not bring Abyss to ruin, but I am sure killing that Envoy will also ruin most of his plans¡­"

 Chapter 723 - Outskirts(Arc 2 Start)

    1 WEEK LATER.


    OUTSKIRTS OF THE CHURCH OF WISDOM.


    Generally speaking, the areas with the most population in this world are all located at the central portion of each religious territory.


    This is the basic common sense for any economists, as the central portion of any areas are the place with the most opportunities for food, money, and spouses.


    So construction of cities and family clans inside the territories are not rare, and it is in fact encouraged, no matter what religion rules that area.


    This rule results on a large imbalance of people in a place, with the majority cl.u.s.tered at the center, and only few situated at the edges.


    Such varied density resulted on the typical rural state along the edges of many territories, and this also applies to the Church of Wisdom.


    ___________________


    ___________________


    Here at the outskirts for the Church of Wisdom''s territory, there are no greenery that could be seen, and the most that can be observed were shriveled trees, all that had already lost their vitality years ago.


    There are also no animals and life essence present in this area, as all nutrition had been seemingly sucked away from this place. Even the air was stale too, making the whole place look more like a desert rather than a forest.


    "¡­"


    This sparse state makes it apparent that the outskirts was a place that the Church of Wisdom does not pay attention to, to the point that the Church was basically neglecting it.


    Why would the Church even pay attention to this place, when the outskirts itself is the area that borders the territories of other religions?


    Having a healthy territory here at the outskirts will just make it more vulnerable. Or in simpler terms, a healthy territory on the outskirts will be open from the attacks of different religions.


    Such extreme vulnerability makes the prospect of inhabiting the outskirts as a great impossibility.


    "


    "Professor Frances¡­ you might have admitted your wrongdoings already, but that does not absolve you from your sin of almost blasting Queen Mother into pieces¡­"


    But even with this harsh reality, it is still possible to exist in this area.


    And it was shown by two women, who  were both standing squarely here at the land of the outskirts.


    "You never intended to kill Queen Mother? If that''s true, then how come your attacks almost killed her? Do you have an explanation for that, Professor?"


    "Professor Frances, I am not asking for that explanation. Tghe I explanation that I want¡­ is related to how Queen Mother ended in that state."


    These two women looked slightly uncomfortable due to the state of their surroundings, but their over-all demeanor did not seem to be affected that badly.


    Yes, these two women appeared to want to leave this area already, but none of them showed any signs of actually moving.


    "¡­You''re the person who had been with Queen Mother the longest, Professor. You should have known that she would become like that."


    Well, even if these two women wanted to leave, the argument that they were having with each other practically made it impossible for them to even move.


    "You are the doctor here, Professor Frances. I don''t know how biology really works, but knowing you, I think you have the capability to know that Queen Mother was weakened."


    "Yes, this is an accident, Professor Frances. But that does not give you the right to shake yourself off the responsibility."


    Both women swayed on their spots as if they wanted to move in any direction, but the pride and resolute anger on their faces had forced them to stop their steps.


    "What? You-"


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    To anyone who observes these two women at this point, they might feel fear, as the argument between the two seemed to get closer and closer to an actual fight.


    And an actual fight might really break out, as one of the women had already raised her hands, as if she was about to send it slapping down towards the other.


    Fortunately for the women involved(?), the slap did not come.


    The woman instead lowered her hand, with her expression turning as smooth as a glass.


    "No¡­ there is nothing that I doubt in your words, Professor. In fact, all that you said were right. You are in no fault for attacking Queen Moher and what you did was justified."


    "Oh, don''t worry about my expression now. I was just saddened that I have no more way to irritate you¡­"


    These women were no other than Alina and Professor Frances, both who looked like they were about to erupt in a fit of emotions.


    Alina still had her body tensed for a confrontation, while Professor Frances had her hands raised up, as if she''s prepared for a throwdown.


    These poses made the two look silly, although there is no one laughing upon seeing them.


    Who would even have the mood to laugh, when 2 Sixth Stage Beings are close to swiging at each other?


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    Queen Mother and Wisteria, both who stood behind the bickering women, sure aren''t in a laughing mood at this point.

 Chapter 724 - The Only Path

    "Alina, you''ve been hounding Professor Frances about that battle for many times already. Can you just stop doing it and let her off?" Wisteria muttered behind the duo as she crossed her arms.


    She was visibly upset from seeing the argument between the two women, and the impending fight between the two just jostled her mood more.


    "And as for you Professor Frances, do you really have to act this smug? You may have saved Queen Mother from her abnormal state, but you also brought her to a near-death state. I don''t think that warrants you to be this confident."


    Wisteria''s body language made it apparent that if she had the capability, she would already start separating both Alina and Professor Frances away from each other. Unfortunately for Wisteria, her power level is still not enough to make her a physical intermediary between the two.


    So she can only resort to verbally rebuking the two women, which to her surprise, had actually worked here.


    "You''re right, Wisteria. I should have not let my anger get the better of me. I should not have done something like this to my ally¡­." Alina shook her head with a sigh before she started pulling herself away from the professor.  "Tsk, I must be able to control myself next time¡­


    Wisteria muttered as she mimicked Alina''s retreating motion.


    The professor moved in a manner that was as just as casual as Alina''s retreating movements, although her words were still as sharp as ever.


    And these words slapped through the air as if they were stinging barbs, enough to stiffen even those who watched her.


    Alina only casually flicked these words though, as if she was already used to them.


    "Oh, so you''re saying that you can deal with me, Professor Frances? Hoho, I am curious to see on how you can do that¡­."


    Both women still retained their tense expressions as they moved back, but the gloomy atmosphere that surrounded the two had already disappeared.


    Small smiles could even be seen on their faces, a slight indication that their moods could have already improved.


    "I am having the great urge to make you eat your words, Professor Frances, but I won''t bite your bait. Don''t you remember what Wisteria said? We should be cooperating today instead of fighting like this."


    "I don''t need you to be amicable to me, Professor Frances. Just following my instructions will be enough¡­"


    "Oh, it is easy to be followed. You just need a brain and a body, two things that you fortunately have."


    "¡­."


    The words uttered by the swordswoman and the mad scientist might still be provocative, but the nearby Wisteria began sighing in relief after hearing them.


    After all, there are no more signs that the two will start fighting, and they seem to be acting like reluctant allies now.


    This was leagues better compared to how the two women acted days ago, which for Wisteria is the best thing that she could wish right now.


    "Sigh, I never expected these two women to be acting this badly after that fight. Well, I can see why they are this angry at each other." Wisteria thought to herself as she felt more and more relieved from the alleviating tension around her.


    She also seemed to be feeling better at this time, and the sudden disappearance of her pale pallor just made it more apparent.


    "But does this warrant them to be his angry? I don''t know, but I can understand why they are acting like this¡­."


    The removal of the tension on her surroundings allowed Wisteria to think faster for herself, a state that brought her memories of the past week flashing inside her head.


    "After Alina and Astria got freed from the Pope''s spell, we immediately rushed towards the battle between Queen Mother and Professor Frances.  There we saw the professor unleashing one attack that almost brought Queen Mother to death. Fortunately for us, Queen Mother survived that ordeal, and she was able to return to her normal state¡­."


    "Because of that ''deadly'' fight, Alina became incensed at Professor Frances, since the former thought that the latter was trying to kill Queen Mother. That is of course not true since Professor Frances had explained herself well."


    "But Professor Frances did not sound apologetic even when she almost killed Queen Mother, and she had the audacity to act like she was a savior."


    "Well, the professor did save Queen Mother, but I think it was just a fluke that her attack had helped the tree woman¡­"


    "With that smugness, it''s no wonder that Alina became pissed with Professor Frances. That led to an almost endless quarrel between the two, which up to this day, still had not abated."


    "Sigh, even right before we entered the tunnel towards the Ancestral Tomb, these two women are still quarreling. But at least they are not close to fighting at this point, which is the best that I can wish for right now."


    Her remembrance of the past made Wisteria pucker her lips in dissatisfaction, as she could still feel the frightening aura released by the two women in all of their arguments.


    This frightening aura almost made it impossible for the two women to cooperate, but with the help of Wisteria and the assistance of the newly-recovered Queen Mother, the situation was still stable up to this day.


    Speaking of Queen Mother¡­


    "When I saw Queen Moher attacking Professor Frances 1 week ago, she looked like a monster who had no remorse for killing any living beings. That was seriously scary, and even now I could not help but shiver from remembering her face..."


    Wisteria thought blankly as she moved her attention away from the arguing women, while also sneaking a small glance on Queen Mother, who stood unmoving on her spot.


    "¡­"


    The tree woman was silent up to this time, but her current silence was one that exuded tranquility and peace. It was unlike her silence before, which was like a pent-up volcano that was about to explode.


    This contrast made Wisteria look at the tree woman in a disjointed manner, as she found it hard to relate the two different demeanors shown by Queen Mother.


    "The one I saw before was a rabid tree woman, while the one I am seeing now is a lesbian tree who is busy checking out my ass¡­ Is this really the same woman who looked like she wanted to eat me before? I find this hard to believe¡­"


    Since Queen Mother was busy on checking out her ass and not thinking of eating her, Wisteria just allowed the latter to do what she wanted.


    This was way better than becoming a food target, and quite frankly, Queen Mother was not the biggest problem  for Wisteria right now.


    Alina and Professor''s argument was also not Wisteria''s biggest issue, since it has been resolved already.


    "Since the problem with Alina, Professor Frances, and Queen Mother had been dealt with, then it is time for us to face the main issue. Which is of course our excursion towards the Ancestral Tomb."


    What plagues Wisteria''s mind right now was of course the issue of the Ancestral Tomb, the  place that she and her allies were extremely interested on visiting.


    "Sigh, with all the things that had happened for the last week, I thought that we won''t have the chance to even leave and visit the Ancestral Tomb¡­. But because of Alina''s perseverance and Alex''s nefarious deeds, here we are on the outskirts, waiting for our chance to leave."


    "Now all that we have to do is wait, and see if our deal with the others had worked out¡­"


    With a blank look on her face, Wisteria idly looked up to the skies, with her eyes slightly widening as she observed the massive, gaping mouth that was hovering above her head.


    This mouth was as large as a country, and it loomed over the four women like an asteroid that was about to hit the ground.


    "Ugh, this mouth really looks disgusting¡­ Is this the ''path'' that will lead us to our destination? It seems like Alex could be lying to us¡­"


    Yes, Wisteria was looking at a gaping mouth right now, one that seemed to belong to a monster due to its large, crooked teeth and the countless infections that infested its entirety.


    These infections had made it so that the whole mouth was manifesting an aura of decay, one which was enough to make even the hardy Professor Frances scrunch her nose in disgust.


    "Ugh¡­"


    Just these infections alone were enough to make the whole mouth a ''no-entry'' zone for anyone who saw it. Wisteria agrees with this notion fully, and there is no way in her life that she will even try to set her foot inside this mouth.


    But the current Wisteria had no choice but step inside the mouth, as this monstrous entity was the object that she and Alina had been looking for in the past week.


    This object was actually the way towards the Ancestral Tomb, and there are no other possible objects that have the same properties!


    ''"¡­"


    The treasures that Alina had scoured from the Church of Wisdom were not able to give them a path towards the Ancestral Tomb.


    Not even the ones that Wisteria detected with her scanner helped them out, and those gathered and researched by their helpers were of no use either¡­


    It was only this disgusting mouth that can actually bring them to the Ancestral Tomb, and it appeared to be the only way there!


    "Blergh. I think I am feeling sick just by looking at this mouth. And we have to enter it? Is this really the right ''way''? What if Alex was just tricking us?"


    Just the notion of stepping inside the disgusting mouth was already bad enough.


    But there is something else that made it worse.


    And that was  the fact that it was not Alina or her allies  who discovered this ''path''.


    It was actually Alex who knew the entrance towards the Ancestral Tomb, and he offered this ''path'' to be used by Alina and the others for free.

 Chapter 725 - Opening your house not only for friends, but also for enemies?

    The man did not even explain why he is willing to offer this path towards the four women.


    He just said that he''s interested on seeing them there, and that he could not wait to get his hands on all of them.


    If that message was not creepy enough, then Wisteria is not sure what can be creepy anymore¡­


    "Huhuhu, I already told Alina many times that this could be a trap, but she said it''s just fine. Her eyes are telling her that this mouth is indeed the real deal, and even Astria is agreeing with that¡­"


    "Because of these two verifying its authenticity, we have no choice now but to enter this mouth. And we are still entering it, even if it was that suspicious Alex who guided us here in the first place¡­"


    "These women did not even doubt Alex''s goals, and they are just fine on actually entering it?"


    "I know that they want to go to the Ancestral Tomb already, but should they really have believed what Alex was saying?"


    "Alex was already corrupted by the Abyss for goodness'' sake! Isn''t that enough to make his words less credible?"


    Wisteria''s complaints inside her mind showed that she does not fully trust Alex''s sincerity to them.


    How could she even trust it, when the man himself was already suspicious enough?


    But no matter how much Wisteria suspected this man, she can only find herself helpless against him.


    How could even reject Alex''s help, when his ''help'' was the only thing that they can use to reach their destination?


    Wisteria might be a wary person, but that does not make her afraid of taking risks.


    Since this is their only way to reach the Ancestral Tomb, then Wisteria will use this ''mouth'' with the greatest precaution that she can ever have in her life.


    "Tsk, since this is the only way that we can go to the Ancestral Tomb, then so be it. We just have to use this path to reach our destination¡­"


    Whatever happens after she enters this mouth was still unknown to Wisteria, but deep inside her, she was only wishing one thing.


    Which is that their trip will be safe, and there will be nothing that will be hindering them.


    Such wish might come true given their line-up, but since it was Alex who held advantage in this situation, anything can happen¡­


    ______________


    _____________


    The Wisteria of 2 days ago would think that the notion of Alex offering them this mouth as a free path was the worst-case scenario in their situation.


    But as it turns out, there is something else that can make this whole ''Ancestral Tomb case'' even worse.


    And that ''something'' was¡­.


    "I thought that it will be only our group that will be using this mouth. But as it turns out, it actually is not."


    "Because other groups of people will be entering here too, and none of them are amicable to us."


    "In fact, these incoming groups of people are the other Travelers, who are obviously enemies of Alina¡­."


    "They came here so that they can use the ''mouth'', and they don''t show any interest of letting us use it by ourselves!"


    Yes, this is the problem that had surfaced before Alina and the others could use the ''mouth''.


    Alex actually offered the ''mouth''s'' usage towards the other Travelers too, and he did not even ask Alina or the others about it!


    He just allowed these Travelers to come to this place, as if he was expecting all of them to just act happy while they crowded together around the pathway.


    "Argh! And these Travelers even had the gall to say that they won''t be treating Alina with favor because of this? These bastards! It was her partner who allowed them to use the mouth, and they dared to act like this?"


    "They really are impudent, and the fact that Alex is encouraging them is just making things worse!"


    "Argh! That stupid Alex! If I were not just an outsider, I would have strangled him by myself already!"


    If it weren''t for the fact that she is stuck with Alina and the others, Wisteria could have already started flying around this world so that she could find Alex and actually strangle him.


    This is how angry Wisteria is right now, and there is no amount of ice cream or comfort foods that will calm her down.


    "With these kind of conditions swirling in this place, there is no way that our trip through this disgusting mouth will be safe!"


    "Not only do we have to be careful from the possible traps inside the mouth, we also have to be careful from the attacks of the other Travelers that will be joining us in this trip!"


    How could Wisteria even calm down after she witnessed everything that Alex had done?


    Aside from abandoning Alina and his other Companions, Alex still had the gall to invite Alina''s enemies to her doorstep!


    He even allowed them to use the only object that will give Alina an advantage for their Main Mission! And he did it in such a way that it completely ignored Alina'' importance in this whole situation!


    Such cruel and malicious action is enough to enrage Wisteria, although she had no way of venting it now.


    All that she can use was her mind, which was her best and greatest form of entertainment ever since she was born.


    "Tsk, I still can''t believe that both Alina and Professor Frances are not becoming angry at Alex because of his actions. Was it because he''s so charismatic that his allies can easily forgive him? Ugh, if that''s the case, then Alex must have been a real sc.u.m¡­."


    "Sigh, I can''t wait to see his smug face again so that I can punch it already¡­."


    Wisteria clenched her fists as she imagined bludgeoning Alex''s face over and over, an imaginative scene that made her feel better.


    She even smiled as she thought of the blood that will pour out of his mouth with her every punch, with some spurts probably reaching as high as an electric pole.


    "Oh, how I want his face to be destroyed by my own fists¡­"


    "Oh, how I want his body to get limp under my punches¡­"


    "Oh how I want his mouth to plead forgiveness for his sins to us¡­"


    The current Wisteria can be said to be at her peak state of happiness, as her mind was busy on thinking of ways that she can punish Alex.


    Such imagination made the others look at her with fear, but Wisteria did not care about that.


    She cared more on her methods of punishing Alex, all which she ensured to be powerful enough to make him squeal like the pig that he is.


    "Hah¡­ Hah¡­ Hah¡­"


    "Oh¡­ Just you wait Alex. Once I see you, I will make you feel all the pain that you gave to your allies¡­"


    But even with the euphoric sensations brought by her imagination, Wisteria''s over-all mood did not improve that much at all, since she''s not actually punishing the real person.


    It was only when she''s punching Alex in real life that Wisteria will feel satisfied, a requirement that sadly, is not yet being fulfilled at this point.


    "Tsk, imagining myself punishing Alex is not enough for me. I should be punishing him in real life, which I still can''t do because I am still not in the Ancestral Tomb!"


    "Argh! What is the matter with all of these people around me? Don''t you want to reach the Ancestral Tomb already? If that''s the case, then you all should start moving now!"


    "Huhuhu, come on, come on, you other Travelers. Don''t dawdle on your places and just come near us! I want to reach the Ancestral Tomb already so that I can punch that smug man in his face!"


    While she tried her best to keep her rage in, the red-faced Wisteria looked around her as she now focused her attention on the other presences present in the area.


    She specifically focused her eyes on the area a few meters away from her, which housed a cl.u.s.ter of people that she felt wary against.


    "¡­."


    Even without her scanner beeping signals about their abilities, Wisteria is intelligent enough to know the identities of these newcomers.


    Just the aura that they released alone revealed their identities, and their wary stares at Alina made their status even more obvious.


    "¡­."


    These newcomers were no other than the Travelers that Wisteria was just talking about, and they showed no intent of leaving this place at all.

 Chapter 726 - One, Two, Three, and Four

    Intimidated is the one word that can describe Wisteria''s feeling right now, which is apt given the kind of people that surrounded her.


    "Dealing with Alina and her friends alone are taxing to me already, and now I still have to worry about these other Travelers? Goodness gracious, if it were not for Astria''s assistance, I would be panicking like a squid at this point already¡­."


    5 different groups, all inhabited by powerful Travelers by themselves, could be seen standing just a few meters away from the spot that Wisteria and her allies had stood in.


    Each one stared at Wisteria''s entourage with  different looks, with most of them appearing as if they were daring Alina'' group to make a move. Which of course nobody from Wisteria''s side even dared to do.


    "Because of the disturbances in the Welcoming Ceremony, I was not able to record the events that happened there. But according to Alina and her friends, each one of these Travelers are extremely powerful on their own. So powerful, that if it were not for Alex coming, all three of them could have been annihilated in an instant¡­"


    "Well that could be an exaggeration, but since it was Alina who said it, then it might be true."


    Complicated emotions filled Wisteria''s heart the longer that she observed the other Travelers, with each sign of their movements rousing defensive reaction from her body.


    She just could not help but be wary of them, since they did not even come to this place with any signs of goodwill¡­.


    "These Travelers are just as scary as Alex, and if I push them off the wrong way, it might backfire against me horribly¡­"


    "But at least they are not attacking us just on sight. Wait... now that I wonder about it, why are these groups not interested on attacking us? Are they really that interested on reaching the Ancestral Tomb first before they could deal with other mattere? How vexing¡­"


    "Hmph, I already heard of the notoriety of these Travelers, but this is the first time that I saw them in flesh.  And I dare say¡­. They just look like what those rumors say about them."


    Wisteria might be afraid of these newcomers, but this did not deter her from her main objective, which was to gather as much information as she can from this place.


    The presence of these Travelers after all represents a large percentage of her research on the Abyss, and even with all the complaints that Astria had with her actions, Wisteria had no regrets on blatantly observing these Travelers.


    "If my scanner was the one that came from the latest series, then I could have scanned all these Travelers to my best capabilities already. But because those corrupt higher-ups gave me an inferior version, I just had to make do with observing these people with my n.a.k.e.d eyes¡­"


    "Sigh, this is not how my first Cosmic Guard duty should have unfolded at all¡­"


    With her mind usually attuned to female creatures, Wisteria''s eyes landed first on the most dominant-looking female Traveler on the cl.u.s.ter.


    "¡­"


    This Traveler wore a golden robe that glowed like the sun, which was paired with a piece of molten crown floating on her head. She also held a ruby scepter on her hand, one that was covered in chains that trailed on the ground like an elongated snake.


    This appearance alone was dominating enough already, and the confidence exuded by this woman just made it tangible.


    "..."


    This said Traveler was the one named Shi Xingyun, who Wisteria knew as the Traveler who wields the power of the Conqueror''s Aura and Immortal Cultivation.


    "Ah, this woman was the one who Alina said has the potential to become the second coming of Emperor Litch. That is obviously not good, and the fact that she wields Immortal Qi does not make matters better too." Wisteria muttered as she hid a scowl on Shi Xingyun''s general direction.


    "And to make matters even worse, Shi Xingyun''s servants just look as intimidating as Alina¡­"


    One side sweep from her stare allowed Wisteria to observe Shi Xingyun''s Companions, who turned out to be two women who had their bodies covered by robes and veils.


    These cover-ups hid the faces and the bodies of these two women, but it did not prevent their Sixth Stage-level aura from leaking out of their bodies.


    "Sigh, so aside from Shi Xingyun whose both powers are at the Sixth Stage, her 2 Companions also had the power of Sixth Stage Beings. And their powers were even unknown at this point, which makes them even more dangerous!"


    Although Wisteria was feeling secured from standing along with Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances, the mere sight of Shi Xingyun and her two powerful companions alone  was enough to make her extremely nervous.


    How could she not get nervous?


    Just the first group of Travelers that they met already had 3 Sixth Stage beings, and majority of them had their powers hidden too!


    "Argh! If things just did not become chaotic in that Welcoming Ceremony, then we could have a lot of data about our enemies already. But because of that rogue Traveler, everything is now messed up!"


    According to Alina''s statements, it was  mostly the Travelers who had shown their might on the Welcoming Ceremony.


    Aside from the Companions that were killed by Alina, the other Companions did not manage to show off their abilities, which is actually  beneficial at that time, as Alina did not have to fight many opponents.


    But for today, that ''holding back'' did not do Alina justice, as the other Travelers now had a trump card(hidden Companion abilities) prepared against them.


    "But  what''s done is done, so I just have to make do with what we have here¡­"


    Wisteria could have continued observing Shi Xingyun for longer, but the latter suddenly raised her head before staring at Wisteria''s direction.


    "¡­"


    Shi Xingyun''s eyes both glowed blood-red, indicating that some part of her was not fully human at all, and the slightly demonic aura from these eyes made that apparent.


    "!!!" Seeing these eyes made Wisteria feel dread, as if her own life was hanging under the balance just under this stare. She felt that one wrong move could result on her head getting cut off, and that she had no way of preventing that from happening.


    "¡­." Just with its effects alone, Shi Xingyun''s stare  had made it apparent that she had realized Wisteria''s probing. This of course led to the latter hastily averting her gaze away, as she knew that continuing her observation might just lead her to murkier waters.


    "Tsk,  just that woman alone is creepy enough, and there are still 4 of them? Tsk Alex, are you serious on making them all come here? You must be extremely interested on seeing a fight break out here¡­"


    Suppressing her urge to curse Alex once more, Wisteria placed her attention on the 2nd Traveler Group present in the area.


    This time, she found herself staring at an imperious-looking fairy creature, who with he way that its clothes looked like, seemed to be a young male.


    Standing by this creature''s side were two fairy creatures too, who both acted meek and deferent on the former''s presence.


    "¡­" Wisteria resisted the urge to swoop in and pinch these 3 tiny fairies through their cheeks, as she knew how dangerous each one of them could be. Just the mysterious aura exuded by the Traveler Fairy made that apparent, and there is no stupidity inside Wisteria that can make her perform a rash move.


    "This Traveler is named Overron, who according to Alina, was a creature who came from the Fairy Realm. As for the other two fairies with him, they seem to come from the same place too¡­."


    "Alina did not give me much information more than that, since that is what she just knew¡­."


    Wisteria''s interest on these three tiny beings was at an all-time high but due to the lack of information about them, she could only reluctantly pull back her interest for now.


    There are still other Travelers that needed observing after all, so the matters in relation to these fairies can just be dealt with later.


    "¡­" So with a reluctance comparable to a kid who was forced to leave her pet home, Wisteria swiveled her head towards the Traveler behind Overron.


    "Let''s see¡­ so after this cute Traveler, the next one should be- oh right, its''s this guy. The one who I feel like punching in his face."


    The 3rd Traveler that Wisteria observed did not give her tension like Shi Xingyun, or fluffy feelings like Overron.


    Instead, she only felt irritation at this new guy, as the way that his face gave off this arrogant smirk had pulled enough wires inside Wisteria''s sensitive heart.


    His only Companion just looked as irritating too, and the fact that the identity of this Companion''s Sixth Stage Power was not revealed made her look even worse.


    "So this guy is Iskanor? The Spirit Warlock who has the most powerful soul here? Tsk, he sure looks dangerous, but that irritating smirk of his makes me want to beat him up¡­"


    "As for that companion of his... Argh, I really want to make her kneel on the ground and hit her face with my knee! I don''t know why I want to do that, but I might feel satisfied after doing that!"


    True to her words, Wisteria might actually come rushing into to beat the crap out of this Iskanor guy, as the latter was just too irritating, to the point that Wisteria considered him to be even more irritating than Alex.


    But due to her wariness and the fact that Iskanor  and his Companions were not subtle on hiding their powerful spirits, the disappointed Wisteria had to hold back her emotions again.


    "Tsk, why am I even feeling the urge to beat this guy and girl up? No, that''s not the question that I should ask. I should be asking myself, ''Why do I even have the urge to beat up someone today''? Did I really become so violent that I would want to hurt someone just for my relief?"


    "Ugh, this is not how I should feel, right?"


    Wisteria''s mood alone was already bad enough, and the addition of these Iskanor and his Companion brought her teetering to the edge.


    Such closeness to madness made Wisteria realize the danger that she was in, so she hastily stopped her observation on these irritating duo.


    "Okay, I am done with Travelers 1, 2, and 3. Let''s see how the 4th one fares against these three¡­"


    Once she had her emotions back to normal levels, Wisteria observed the 4th Traveler, who was a woman that currently stood at quite a distance from the other Travelers.


    "¡­"

 Chapter 727 - Four? and Five

    This woman looked unimposing by herself, but the valiant look on her face and the gallant way that she held her body allowed her to exude a charm, one that even Wisteria could not help but be infatuated with.


    Add the sudden familiarity that Wisteria felt with this woman, and the former started feeling extremely interested on her¡­


    "According to Alina, this woman is Traveler Talia, who is actually the sister of Traveler Delia. She is said to use the power of the Void and Martial Arts, two abilities that blend well with one another¡­."


    Wisteria was visibly feeling light this time, as if her sighting of Talia had removed most of her worries.


    Her presence also made Wisteria feel somewhat better, and she can even say that her negative outlook had also improved by a significant percentage.


    The combination of these sudden changes was obviously suspicious, but the current Wisteria seemed to have not thought of that.


    Her attention was just fully focused on Talia alone, and it seemed that no obstruction could break her out of her stupor¡­


    "Now Alina did not exactly tell me that much about Talia, but judging by the way that she moved, she could just be as righteous as Delia."


    "And if my judgement could be stretched thin, I can dare say that Talia is an even more valiant person than Delia."


    As she stared at Talia for longer, Wisteria could already feel that her goodwill towards Talia had just continued to increase. And it increased to the point that Wisteria could hardly feel any anger towards this woman at all¡­


    "¡­"


    Wisteria perfectly knew that these sudden pleasant feelings could be caused by a hidden ability that Talia had just activated, but she found herself unable to extricate herself from these feelings.


    She just allowed herself to bask in Talia''s glory, until she had almost forgotten everything else.


    "I don''t know how much more valiant Talia is compared to her sister, but with what I know from Delia, there is a high possibility that Talia can be a great ally for us¡­."


    "After all, not only were we abandoned by the corrupted Alex, we also had been Delia''s ally before."


    "Such close link was something that Talia the Righteous will not ignore, and we could maybe use it to our advantage¡­"


    As she immersed her mind inside her warm feelings for Talia, Wisteria started to focus  on the benefits that she could obtain by just allying with Talia alone.


    To Wisteria''s surprise, there is actually a lot of benefits that her group will have if they choose to ally with this woman and her group.


    They can obtain better chances of winning, and there are less risks of being betrayed.


    The only problem will just be-


    |Bzzt!|


    |Bzzt!|


    |Bzzt!|


    "Ah s**t! Did I just find myself falling under a charm spell? F**k, how could I have fallen on such a simple ruse!"


    Talking about the benefits through allying with Talia sounded nice to Wisteria, but after one small zap from her bracelet, Wisteria''s addled mind had broken out of the spell that she found herself placed in.


    More specifically, Wisteria''s gadget zapped her free from Talia''s powerful Charm¡­


    "Ah, now I see it. This Talia woman actually charmed me? And I did not even notice it, to the point that my lifesaving bracelet was forced to zap me out?"


    "Argh, this is irritating me! I don''t even like women, and she almost made my swing that way!"


    Thanks to the timely move of her bracelet, Wisteria was now free from whatever ability was Talia was using on her.


    Just the painful voltage zap from the bracelet was enough to rouse Wisteria''s mind, and the way that it entered her whole body made her almost immune to this mind-altering power.


    "Argh, these Travelers really are dangerous!"


    Aside from affecting her whole body, the bracelet also continued to zap Wisteria for longer, in hopes of preventing this woman from being affected by the same spell again.


    This resulted on a rhythmic wave of pain that coursed through her body, a sensation that Wisteria was not willing to experience anymore.


    "Ow, ow, ow! When can you stop zapping me, my bracelet? This s**t hurts a lot, in case you don''t know!"


    "Ow, ow, ow, I said stop! Can you just stop?"


    "Hey, when will you stop?"


    "Will you just stop if I stop observing Talia? Fine, suit yourself!!"


    Wisteria was naturally angry after finding out that she had  been ''attacked'' by Talia, and she also felt that venting her rage on the latter is just proper at this point.


    But with her bracelet disturbing her at every single moment, and with Talia seemingly prepared from any sudden attacks, Wisteria had to hold herself back from attacking.


    "Tsk, your sister might be a decent person, but that does not make you someone that I will spare. So just you wait Talia. I will deal with what you did to me today, and I will make you realize that you cannot just screw with me!"


    Suppressing her emotions, which was boiling red-hot again this time, the pissed Wisteria forcefully moved her body as she moved her head away from Talia''s vicinity.


    Now, Wisteria focused  her attention on the 5th and final Traveler who arrived in this area.


    "Sigh¡­ so the 1st Traveler made me feel wary. The 2nd Traveler made me want to hug him. The 3rd Traveler made me want to punch him, while the 4th Traveler made me want to beat her up¡­"


    "Now let''s see what will this 5th Traveler make me feel¡­"


    The 5th Traveler stood alone by himself, with none of his Companions accompanying him.


    This was not surprising to Wisteria, as she perfectly knew who this Traveler was.


    "So out of all the Travelers present in this area, this is the Traveler that I should be the least worried about¡­"


    More specifically, Alina told her all about the pitiful status of this Traveler¡­


    "This lonely man is Traveler Xavier, a weak Fifth Stage Being who wields the unstable and inaccurate Fate Magic, and the inferior version of Alina''s Space Magic. Wow, just these powers alone show how mediocre he is compared to the other Travelers." Wisteria thought as she tried to not feel sad at the way that this man looked.


    This proved hard for her to do, as the man just looked so pathetic, so cowardly, that feeling sad for him can be considered as a normal reaction this time.


    "This man is so pathetic, that his Companions were all stronger than him. And to make that even worse, these Companions were all killed while this man is busy on running!"


    "Bah, this man did not even see how his Companions were killed by Alina. He just hid like the coward that he is, and he did not even do anything to avenge them!"


    "¡­And even when Alina and the others were free to be attacked today, this cowardly man did not make a move. He is just standing here with us, acting like he''s a loner who does not want to be disturbed¡­"


    "Ptooey, why are you still trying to act cool here, Traveler Xavier? Do you seriously believe that we will think highly of you just because your Companions were killed and you act like an emo now?"


    "Of course not, so don''t  expect us to give you the respect which you obviously don''t deserve!"


    Needless to say, Wisteria does not feel any kind of threat coming from Traveler Xavier, and with the way that he continued to act today, this treatment of hers will not change.


    Unless this man does something to change his demeanor, Wisteria will always deem him the least dangerous out of her enemies.


    "If this man does not even try changing himself, then he is doomed to be treated like trash. Well, it''s not like I care, since having this man become this useless  is good for me."


    "After all,  one trashy Traveler reduces the amount of enemies, and that is  a great boon for me already!"


    _____________


    [[[Author''s Note: What a poor dude. What did he deserve to be treated this way? Well, he''s a coward for one, although being coward could be his only way of surviving. He''s just at the Fifth Stage, so even if he fights, it will be hard for him to win.]]]

 Chapter 728 - In One Single Gulp

    Wisteria might not be interested on knowing why she''s happy dissing someone like Traveler Xavier, but she knew that it will not harm her that much if she continued on mocking him.


    But with her duty still on the line, Wisteria had to prioritize her actual goals in this place.


    "That''s all the enemies that I have to worry about, and I wish that nobody will come to increase this count¡­"


    With all of her enemies already observed and catalogued in her mind, Wisteria had no more need to study them. Continuing her observation will just be a waste of her time, something that the current her had no luxury of even using.


    So as much as she was tempted on bashing the heads of some Travelers, Wisteria forced herself to stay still, as she waited for the event that she and the others came here for.


    "Okay, now that everyone is here, can this ''mouth'' start doing something already?"


    Wisteria looked at the disgusting mouth one more time, ignoring her desire to vomit as she waited for it to make even just one different action.


    "¡­" Her eyes trembled as she tried to catch any signs from the mouth that indicates that it will do something interesting. Even just a twitch will do, and that was already stretching Wisteria''s patience.


    But to her dismay, this mouth did not exactly follow her thoughts.


    . "¡­Come on. What''s the hold up. You just had to do something and all of our waiting will be done already. Come on, just do something!" This mouth, which Alex had been boasting before as their only way to the Ancestral Tomb, just floated like a piece of log in the middle of the outskirts


    Its tentacles and swollen pustules floated uselessly along with it, which added to the sickening image that the mouth was clearly uninterested on hiding.


    Some kind of sticky white fluid also flowed out from the cracks of this mouth, dripping into the ground like it was a forbidden fluid that nobody sane would want to touch.


    "Ew, ew, ew. What are those yucky stuff? It looks awfully like se- no! Don''t think of that, Wisteria. Don''t think of that at all!"


    "Ew, ew, ew. Just don''t think of anything! Just accept that this mouth is plain disgusting!"


    "¡­" These disgusting ''secretions'' and ''parts'' of this mouth did not just disgust Wisteria. Even the other Travelers, who looked calm when they arrived, now wore contorted expressions on their faces as most of them visibly backed away from the ''drooling'' mouth.


    Only Xavier did not move from his spot at all, but his eyes also held the same level of loathing that his other peers held.


    "¡­."


    This sudden change induced an awkward atmosphere on the whole area, as everyone found themselves wary, disgusted, and impatient with all the events that happened.


    They were wary, as all of them were still at the presence of their enemies.


    They were disgusted, as none were willing to touch even just a single portion of the floating mouth.


    And they were impatient, as they could feel that someone was purposefully delaying them.


    "¡­."


    The combination of these different emotions fermented a heavy feeling in the area, one that blanketed everyone with a negative outlook. Those who seemed cheery at first were frowning now, and those who were like Wisteria became grumpier, and the only one stopping them from lashing out were the presence of their enemies.


    "¡­"


    With such kind of emotions present in this place, it was inevitable that a fight might break out, as this was the only way for these powerful beings to vent their feelings. It does not matter who fights who, or how dangerous this fight will be.


    Someone and somebody from these Travelers will fight, and nobody can stop that.


    "¡­."


    That is what Wisteria thought, so she secretly tensed her body as she prepared herself for a sudden departure. There is just no way that she will linger in this area, especially now that a fight is bound to happen.


    "¡­Should I use my teleportation cannon so that I can easily escape this place? But if I use that, there is a high possibility that I might get teleported on a random area."


    "Well, that is not that bad in my opinion. I think that it will be better compared to having myself stabbed by a fairy through my head."


    "Okay, so this is now decided. I will try escaping here, and I won''t let anyone, not even Astria to stop me!"


    Call her coward or a wimp, but Wisteria will not let her pride get in the way.


    She knew how weak she was compared to the other Travelers, so she had no interest on even crossing swords with them!


    Why would she even fight, when there is 5 enemy Travelers that she had to face?


    Sure, she''s confident that she can do something if she just fights against 1 Traveler. She had Astria to help her, so she could survive fighting one.


    But to fight against 5 at the same time? Only an idiot would do that, and Wisteria is in no way that idiotic!


    "Bye-bye for now, Alina. I know that you can survive this ordeal, so I will just wait for you to finish fighting. I hope this will not offend you that much, but be assured that I will give you some delicious food to eat later."


    "As for you Queen Mother and Professor Frances, I will give you some of the alien cells that you have been asking from me since I arrived."


    "As for Asteria¡­ well, I don''t have to give that stupid fairy with something, right? She''s not even treating me as a human, so I am not obliged to actually treat her well."


    "Wait, I think that''s bad. But who cares? This is Asteria that we are talking about here¡­"


    Without waiting for a fight to actually happen, Wisteria had already accepted her decision to run away.


    Hence her quick movement to procure her teleportation cannon, which was currently attached on her back holster. She just had to press the red button on the cannon''s base, and it will immediately teleport her away.


    Just one press will do, and all that happens after that will be up to her luck.


    "Sigh, I hope that my teleportation won''t be that random that it will teleport me to a deadly area. Because if I was indeed teleported that way, then I will be fuc-"


    |Hey there, Wisteria. What are you trying to do? Are you thinking of running away? That''s not awfully like you.|


    "!!!"


    Before Wisteria''s sweaty finger could reach her target, a sudden cold feeling assaulted her body as a carefree voice rang out on her ears.


    Her whole body stiffened as if she was being constricted tightly, and the pervasive quality of this voice made her feel sicker. She then began feeling as  if she was a prey being sized up by a predator, a sensation that flooded her mind with pure fear.


    Yes. Wisteria felt fear, a primitive kind of fear that ignored all of her abilities and aspirations.


    She felt fear that made her whole being quake, and it did not allow her to even think rationally.


    "Eeek¡­."


    Large amounts of dread surfaced on Wisteria''s body, as she resisted the sensation of fear that occupied every single part of her. This proved to be impossible, as the carefree speaker did not allow her to even compose herself.


    |Wisteria, Wisteria, Wisteria. When you allied yourself to Alina, I actually felt happy. I thought that you will be helping her out, especially now that I am busy running the Abyss Temple. But look at you now! You just saw some signs that a fight will start, and you''re already running away?|


    |Come on, Wisteria. That''s not the option that you should have chosen!|


    "¡­"


    Even without the seemingly malicious aura that this carefree speaker had released, Wisteria knew that she will still feel fear, as his voice alone was enough to make her wary.


    After all, this voice belonged to Wisteria''s greatest enemy in this world.


    This voice belonged to the man who betrayed Alina, and who will undoubtedly employ some tricks on them inside the Ancestral Tomb.


    This voice belonged to the Abyss Envoy, the man who had the highest position here at the Abyss Temple.


    This voice belonged to no other than Alex, who did not even sound apologetic here on his arrival!


    "You don''t have the right to dictate what I want to do. I am me, and you are you. So don''t think that you can control me." Wisteria replied to Alex, who was located just behind her. She did not look back as she gave her answer, knowing that looking at Alex right now might be detrimental for her body.


    She just kept her whole body in a combat state, as she expected Alex to do something against her.


    |You are right, Wisteria. I don''t have to dictate what you have to do. But still¡­ that does not allow you to just leave this place. You have allied yourself with Alina already, right? Since that was the case, then you should always stay with them.|


    "Hah? You dare lecture me about ''staying'' when you were the one who abandoned them first? How hypocritical of you, Alex. Did your stay in the Abyss made you this shameless?"


    |Shameless or not, I can still see that you are also in the wrong here. So don''t expect me to just accept your excuses. |


    "Hmph, you can think what you want from me Alex, but that does not change who  you are! You are nothing more but a spineless man, one who is just as bad as that cowardly Xavier!"


    |Ouch, Wisteria. I could have accepted any of your insults, but you actually gave me that one? You sure are vicious¡­|


    To Wisteria''s relief, Alex did not do anything untoward against her. He seemed to just float on the spot that he appeared at, and there are no indications that he moved even by just a step.


    This is good news for Wisteria, but there was something that bothered her in regards to his arrival.


    Since Alex had already arrived here, then shouldn''t the other Travelers, especially Alina, reacted to his presence?


    Alex was after all the main host of this trip, so some reaction from the Travelers should be appearing now, right?


    "Hmph, it is not only me who thinks of you that way. Even the other Travelers think badly of you, so don''t act like a saint!"


    "You can even ask Alina about it! She''s still fuming against you up until today, you know?"


    "Come on, Alina. Just tell Alex how angry you are at him."


    "¡­Alina? Why don''t you answer me?"


    "Come on, just say something."


    "Hello?"


    To Wisteria''s chagrin, nobody from the crowd answered her question, even when its topic was already about Alex.


    It was as if they don''t even care about it at all¡­


    No. What happened was actually worse than that.


    Wisteria did not just find herself ignored by the others. She actually found herself  alone, with nobody else present on the area that she''s in.


    She was  the only person that ''existed'' on this place, with the others nowhere to be found.


    Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances had disappeared, and none of Wisteria''s calls had revealed where they are.


    Shi Xingyun, Overron, Iskanor, Talia, and their Companions were at the same state too, with Wisteria''s vision and other gadgets unable to detect them.


    Heck, even the unmoving and cowardly Xavier was gone too, and he was the person least likely to even disappear!


    "What the? What the hell is going on here? Alex¡­ did you do something about this?"


    |¡­|


    "Hey, answer me! What did you do here? Did you kill them, or did you put me in your nefarious illusions?"


    |¡­|


    "Hey!"


    To the already tense Wisteria, this sudden change just added more to her worries, making her loaded mind almost explode from all the thoughts that she was forced to make.


    She just could not help but be more paranoid about her situation, which in context to the sudden disappearance of her allies, can be seen as a proper move.


    But as much as Wisteria tried to think about what was happening, someone did not seem to have the patience to let her continue thinking.


    |You''re asking why your allies had disappeared, Wisteria?  Hm, I wonder about that too¡­| Alex calmly said behind her. His voice sounded soothing, although the inherent smugness in it made him sound like a notorious criminal. |What do you think?|


    "Do you think I would ask you if I know the reason? Why can''t you just answer my damn query, huh?"


    |What? Wisteria, why are you even asking that question, when the answer to that is already obvious? Don''t tell me you have no idea at all?|


    "Hah?"


    Just this sentence of his alone made Wisteria want to attack Alex, but the words that he said next even made him sound actually worse.


    | Wisteria, I sent your allies to the Ancestral Tomb already, and their bodies are now roaming that place.|


    |You''re the only one that is not yet leaving, which is the reason why you''re alone here.|


    |But don''t worry. I will be sending you off there already, so just buckle up and enjoy the ride, okay?|


    "Wait what? You already brought my allies away? But how can you do that? I should have notice-"


    |Why don''t you just keep quiet Wisteria and let me do my work? Maybe you will be less worried if you use that mouth of yours less¡­|


    "Hey! Don''t dodge my questions like a bullet! Answer me like you are a man! Go on, say something-"


    Before Wisteria could pepper Alex with more of her insults, the previously static ''mouth'' suddenly dashed towards her, prompting the former to lose balance as she panicked at this sudden move


    CHOMP!


    Once it arrived beside Wisteria''s body, the mouth then opened itself wide, before ''chomping'' her in like she was just a food.


    "Ah! Wait, no! Don''t eat me this way! Ah!!!" Wisteria appeared to be trying to escape the ''mouth''s'' assault on her, but her efforts were all futile.


    Her whole body was just gone in a single gulp, and her presence, just like her allies, had disappeared too.

 Chapter 729 - Living Impossibility

    A FEW MINUTES LATER


    ANCESTRAL TOMB


    "¡­If Alex wanted us to do this together, then why did I appear at this area? An area which quite frankly, not conducive for anything useful in my group." Alina muttered to herself. "Is he playing tricks against me again?"


    Her eyes narrowed as she took in the scenery around her, which can just be described as a combination of both reality and imagination. She could see objects that existed in normal life, and she could also see things that should not have even existed at all.


    Monsters, imaginary beings, unknown and unnamed colors, legends and myths¡­ name all the things that a person could think off, and they existed in this area.


    Even creatures that Alina could not describe with her very own mind could be seen lurking at every corner, and they seem to be interested on showing off their existence to her.


    "¡­.Sigh, of all the things that I should have seen, this what I witness when I came here. Unnamed beings and contorted ideals. How ironic to find these in a tomb¡­." Alina thought as she deftly dodged a monstrous pig that came barreling towards her body.


    "Oh, and some of these beings are trying to attack us visitors too. How interesting¡­"


    The pig obviously failed to hit Alina, and it seemed to have made it angry.


    "Squee!" The amorphous tentacles comprising the pig''s lower half all trembled as if to display the pig''s anger, and its snout released lightning clouds that filled the whole place with an ozone smell. The pig''s foot then sprouted several human heads, all which shouted curses on Alina''s direction.


    The pig''s tail transformed next, becoming an eight-headed Serpent that hissed all of its tongues towards Alina.


    "Squee!" Venom then flowed porously from the pig''s mouth, staining the objects that it touched with the kiss of death. These objects all dissolved, leaving only a puddle of agony that brought more shouts into the air.


    "Squee!"


    While the pig continued to spout venom like it was a fountain, its serpent and human heads all retained their hostile looks at Alina, and from the way things appeared, they are willing to already take a bite out of her.


    "Squee!"


    To a normal person who suddenly sees these changes, they will surely be scared, as the pig''s final form carried enough lethality to kill anyone many times over. It is hard for someone to survive this attack, much less escape it, as the pig''s wings gave it enough mobility to chase its prey.


    But for Alina, she only regarded the transformed pig as an irritation.


    After all, the pig''s overall power just hovered around the Fourth Stage. That was powerful on its own, but in comparison to Alina''s overwhelming abilities, this wild pig was nothing more but a pawn.


    This was made more obvious when Alina released her hidden aura, which almost overwhelmed the pig to the point that it was about to choke from the pressure.


    "Squee!" The pig''s tentacles and legs folded like they were a paper plane, while its serpent tail flopped down to the ground quickly. The human heads were then directly crushed by the pressure, and they found no way to speak out their curses.


    Blood also flowed from the pig''s orifices, with its blackened and corrosive appearance making it seem  more like a chemical rather than an organic substance.


    "Sizzle¡­"


    Such powerful attack from Alina was enough to deter many of her enemies, but in this case, her attack had done the opposite.


    "Squee!" Even with all the suffering that it was going through, the pig seemed to  not care about the disparity of power, as it continued on displaying its hostility towards Alina.


    Just by looking at the pig''s resolute face(don''t ask me how a pig can look resolute),  it is easy to see that the pig won''t stop on its hostilities, and that it will resume on attacking even though Alina was already displaying her domineering aura against it.


    As long as Alina displays one gap on her defense, the pig will surely use all of its might to reach her¡­.


    "Squee!"


    The sight of this monstrous pig doing this ''suicidal move'' is enough to baffle many, and Alina was also rendered curious about it.


    And she became so curious that for a second, she forgot her intention to obliterate it instantly.


    "This pig is not a normal creature. It has the head of a pig, a lower body comprised of tentacles, a foot that was made up of human heads, a tail that can become an eight-headed serpent,  and wings that belonged to an eagle¡­"


    "This body make-up can only be seen on dreams or nightmares, and even an expert like Professor Frances will have a hard time creating this creature. That means that this creature should have not have existed, and it should not have been able to even try attacking me."


    "But here is this monstrous entity, hissings all of its ''heads'' on my direction¡­"


    If Alina can explain her feelings right now, she would say that most of it bordered on curiosity and interest.


    That was hardly surprising, given that she just witnessed the existence of a creature that should not have been alive at all.


    "By using my powers, I can detect that none of this creature''s body parts should have let it live. And yet here it lies in my area, picking a fight against me that it can''t even win."


    "¡­What''s the purpose for this creature to even live? It does not seem to be alive, but it also looks alive?"


    "Ugh, now this is making me feel dizzy¡­."


    Alina shook her head for a while, as she tried to internalize the existence of this creature. She tried to use Professor Frances'' and Queen Mother''s knowledge, which to her disappointment, did not help her at all.


    She also attempted other ways to examine the pig, but all of it failed.


    In the end, all that Alina obtained from her activity was boredom, and she also realized that she was just wasting her time.

 Chapter 730 - Lone Journey

    "I tried all that I could to discover what makes this pig special, but it looks like my expertise is of no use here¡­. Well then, I think I just have to abandon this and let the experts deal with this matter."


    Before she could change her mind about this pig, Alina unhesitatingly pointed her finger at it, releasing a small spatial distortion that easily contorted all of the pig''s body parts.


    "Squee!" The pig might look tough, but its human heads and serpent heads were easily grounded into dust by the spatial distortion, while its remaining body parts turned into chunks of flesh that burst into pieces.


    Nothing about this pig remained intact, and Alina made sure of that by releasing 3 more spatial distortions.


    "I thought that this pig could actually be a stronger creature, and that its Fourth Stage Aura was just a ruse. It''s a good thing that it was not hiding its strength. If it did, it could have been bad for me."


    "Well, at least the encounter with this pig proved one of my theories. Which is good, as this theory can allow me to reach my target destination¡­"


    With the monstrous pig already dead, Alina resumed her journey, this time moving towards the west instead of her normal northwards direction.


    She did not show any reason on why she changed her direction, although her satisfied smirk indicated that her ''theory'' was related to why her movements suddenly fluxed.


    Well, knowing what the theory is does not even matter, since there is nobody present that can understand what she was talking about.


    After all,  Alina was currently alone on her journey, and there is no one that is even talking to her.


    "I just hope that both Queen Mother and Professor Frances have made this theory and had also confirmed it too. But knowing them, I think they could easily kill creatures like this pig too¡­"


    "Speaking of those two, where the hell are they now?"


    __________________


    __________________


    Before Alina and her allies were brought by Alex towards the location of the Ancestral Tomb, they already brainstormed on the possible scenarios that could happen once they arrived.


    They thought of all the possible situations that they might find themselves in, and they prepared proper countermeasures for that.


    They made sure to include everything that might happen, even the ones that sounds too ridiculous to even mention.


    "¡­"


    Because of the rigidity and complexity of the plans that they made, Alina secretly thought that their brainstorming might have been a little too much.


    After all, too much planning is just as dangerous as too little planning.


    But after Alina and the others were brought here at the Ancestral Tomb, she realized that their brainstorming was not wrong at all.


    In fact, she can even say that they should have brainstormed a lot more¡­


    "So¡­ I arrived here at the Ancestral Tomb by myself, with none of my allies accompanying me. Queen Mother and Professor Frances are all out of my sight, and even my abilities could not sense where they are."


    "As for Wisteria and Astria, my link with them seems to be severed too, and the walkie-talkie that we have does not show signs of communication here."


    "No. It is not only that gadget that is not working. Any objects related to technology and progress are all muted in this place¡­


    "But at least all of my powers are still working here. I just can''t say the same for my allies."


    Out of all the dilemma that Alina could expect, the notion of being separated from her allies was the least that she thought would happen.


    After all, she and her companions were linked together by the power of the Endless Monarch, which means that as long as nothing drastic happens, they would appear in one place together.


    And even if they were indeed separated, the symbols engraved on their foreheads can indicate their approximate locations, as well if their co-Companions were still alive.


    With the power that the Endless Monarch had, it is almost impossible for these links and sensory abilities to be muted.


    But here at the Ancestral Tomb, that is what exactly happened!


    Alina was separated from her allies, and she could not sense their locations or if they were even still alive!


    "Sigh, the matter about being separated with my allies is already bad enough, but do you know what is worse? Hmph, it is the fact that the Ancestral Tomb is not like what I expected."


    "I thought I would see a barren land filled with the aura of death. But instead what I see is an endless void, filled with nightmarish creatures and impossible objects that defy the laws or reality."


    "Heck, I can even see a perpetual motion machine following me! Machines like this should not have existed, and it should not even be following me!"


    That leaves Alina with no choice but to wander by herself, inside a place that is much weirder than what she had expected.


    __________________


    __________________


    Alina was worried about the condition of her allies, but because of the chaotic situation around her, and the fact that she could not reach out to them, all that she can do was grit her teeth and hope that she will meet them as she continued her journey.


    "I might not be the luckiest person to ever live, but I believe that destiny will be helping me. Not everything that is bad will happen to me, right?" Alina mused.


    She sounded slightly disbelieving of her words, but with her lone status, she found it hard to even deny herself.


    What else can she do but to believe herself, when there is nobody else that will assist her?


    "It''s not like I will meet someone who will try to kill me. Who knows, I might still have some luck that could help me out here¡­"


    But as much as Alina wanted to believe on her skills and her luck, fate just had different plans for her.

 Chapter 731 - Different Portions, Different Situations

    "¡­Seeing that I might stay alone like this for a while, it might not hurt me if I already release them" After a few minutes of staying silent amongst the floating abominations, Alina finally talked to herself once more. "They just have to be behaved though."


    The ''them'' that she was referring too was obviously not her co-Companions nor the ones related to Wisteria. They seem to not even be those related to Alex too, which Alina will certainly not bring with her due to reasons.


    As for who these ''them'' could be, Alina''s did not seem interested on saying out loud.


    Her next actions however provided a clue, and it was a damn easy clue to spot.


    "Speaking of these guys, I hope their stay inside their spatial hotel did not rattle their bodies¡­ Of course there is a high chance that they are all fine, as this spatial hotel was lined with high-class runes that provides stability even when the hotel itself was moved."


    "But we were just forcefully brought by Alex into another dimension, so something could have happened to these guys."


    "But now that I look at this sphere, I can''t see or feel any wrongness here."


    "Oh, so my Divine Sensory Organs are still working properly here? That''s a good news that I am happy to hear¡­ And it also shows me that these guys  have no problem at all."


    "Ok, since  they  seem to be fine, then calling them out won''t be problematic at all¡­"


    Without observing the abominations that crowded her path, Alina solemnly looked down on her hands, staring intently at the metal sphere that is zipping like an electron along her fingers.


    She held it like it was a newborn baby that needed some care, although she also held it with wariness, making the sphere appear as something that she treated with caution.


    "¡­."


    The sphere itself looked harmless, but Alina continued to treat it with suspicion, as if it contained an object that she is not willing to see.


    "Sigh¡­ These guys that I brought with me might seem dangerous, but since I am the Divine Maiden, they will not do anything untoward against me¡­."


    "Of course that will change depending on the situation here at the Ancestral Tomb, but I think I can trust them¡­."


    Alina gritted her teeth twice as she seemed to want to throw the sphere away from her body, but she retained that urge  by letting out an exasperated hiss.


    She then shook her head before pressing a small button on the sphere, an action that led to a change within the sphere''s body itself.


    "Hiss¡­."


    With a hiss comparable to a snake looking for prey, the metal sphere opened, unravelling a complicated structure inside that suddenly expanded outwards. The unraveled sphere then grew and grew until it became as large as a hill, with its contents now fully displayed for everyone to see clearly.


    "¡­."


    This expansion fully showed everything that one can imagine could be inside the sphere, although conventional science seems unable to explain everything that was just revealed.


    "¡­"


    The machinery and all the previous components inside the metal sphere are shown like an exhibit, and their intricate functions can be easily seen with the n.a.k.e.d eyes. Its metallic insides and l.u.s.trous painted surface appeared like a work of art this time, with each component dazzling enough to capture a person''s love of art.


    Such appearance made the sphere enticing in itself, but it was not the main thing that made this object special.


    What made it more interesting was its other contents, which Alina did not hesitate to acknowledge.


    "Oi you three. We''re here at the Ancestral Tomb already. You can stop your meditations and prayers to Elwon too, since praying won''t be of help here."


    "Oh, and don''t look at me like that. I made an agreement with the Church of Wisdom to bring you here, but under the condition that you will follow my commands once we arrived. And since we have arrived at the Ancestral Tomb already, then you three should start following my orders."


    "So what are you waiting for? Just get out of the spatial hotel, or else I will report your actions to the pope later¡­"


    Standing inside the enlarged sphere where three additional people, all who Alina had already met and interacted with before.


    These three were unlike Alex and the others, who Alina had met and interacted closely through life and death situations.


    These three instead were acquainted to Alina through the power of the Church of Wisdom, something that Alina did not think would be of use until today.


    "Wisdom Priest Francis. Fang Clan Head Guardian Fang Wu. Archbishop Toren. You have been sent here to assist me on my excursion on the Ancestral Tomb, so please don''t dawdle anymore. We have a lot to do, and I seriously need your help."


    Alina morosely said the names of these three newcomers, with her negative emotions barely hidden on her words. It was as if she was not happy saying her last sentences to these three, but her situation was forcing her to interact with them.


    This was made more obvious when she gave the trio a withering look, which forced them to let out awkward coughs as they slowly clambered out of the sphere.


    "¡­."


    The area around Alina and the sphere might be chaotic and dangerous due to its mysterious properties, but it did not scare the trio from coming out of the sphere. Sure, their movements were still slow as they regarded their surroundings warily, but compared to Alina who also panicked on her arrival, the reaction of these three was actually impressive.


    Alina noticed this, and she seem to be not happy on seeing that three old men had actually adapted to this place much faster compared to her.


    "Now if you three have any problems with me, especially with my decision to bring you to his place, then just raise your hands and say something. But if you don''t, then just stay quiet and start following my steps."


    Spitting her last words out as if it were poison, Alina turned around before continuing her journey. She did not even look back at the three old men, who just let out sighs as they began following her.


    "¡­."


    __________________


    __________________


    DURING THE SAME TIME.


    SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE ANCESTRAL TOMB.


    Just like any other portion of the Ancestral Tomb, its southern portion was just as mysterious as the portion that Alina was in.


    But unlike Alina''s location, where the creatures were weaker than her, the creatures that could be found here at the Southern Portion were exponentially stronger, and also more dangerous.


    How dangerous you say?


    Well, a certain ally of Alina is currently running away from these said creatures, and judging by her words as she ran away, these creatures are really giving her a hard time¡­


    "Now what in god''s name had brought me this disaster? I thought this place would be as safe as a kitten''s cage! "


    "Tsk, if I just knew that going here will be this dangerous, then I would not have brought any of my minions at all!"


    "F**k, but what I can I do? That damned Alex did not tell us about everyt- ow! That hurts!"


    "Ow ow ow! Who the f**k is biting my ass!"


    This ally was surprisingly Professor Frances, who was riding a flying toad while a crowd of human-sized mosquitos were chasing her.


    Her hair which was usually disheveled was even more unkempt at this point, and her eye bags visibly became more sagged. Her clothes on the other hand were filled with more tears this time, which was even worse than the old clothes that she wore on her lab before.


    The combination of these unsightly things made the professor looked extremely stressed, which is not surprising, given the type of creatures that are hot on her heels.


    In fact, for the professor to even have the time to curse and run away can be considered miraculous, as the power of the creatures chasing her were way beyond her own strength!


    "Ah!!! Why did nobody tell me that the monsters here at the Ancestral Tomb can reach the Peak Sixth Stage  Power! If I knew that, then I would never have come to this place!"


    "Of course I have countermeasures if I meet a Peak Sixth Stage Being in this accursed area. But those countermeasures only work against 1 Peak Sixth Stage Being!"


    "Against many Peak Sixth Stage Beings, all my abilities won''t be of use!"


    "And that''s my main problem here!  A herd of Peak Sixth Stage Blood Sucking Mosquitoes are chasing me, and they don''t show signs of stopping!"


    "It''s either they get bored of me or I die first!"


    "Ow! Ow! Ow! You damned mosquitos! If you want to bite something, then stop biting my ass! It hurts like s**t!"


    "Ow! Ow! Ow!"


    __________________


    __________________


    DURING THE SAME TIME.


    WESTERN PORTION OF THE ANCESTRAL TOMB.


    "¡­.I can''t see either Alina and Professor Frances around me. Even Wisteria and her soul-bound partner is not here too. Where have they gone? Did something go wrong during the teleportation?"


    "Or did Alex intended this to happen?"


    "Whatever the reason for our separation is, there is one thing that is apparent here."


    "Which is that I am alone in this place, and I might spend some time being alone like this¡­."


    "Hmm¡­ so what I should do next? Should I roam around or should I try contacting those weird monsters nearby?"


    Unlike Alina who was tense and full of wariness, or Professor Frances who was running like a panicking duck, Queen Mother''s reaction to her arrival at the Ancestral Tomb was simple.


    She just analyzed the situation calmly, and she did not do any extra movements. She just floated along with the current behind her, letting the external forces bring her somewhere.


    She also did not fight any influences that targeted her, and she did not lash back even when some of the nearby creatures tried killing her


    "¡­."


    With the power level that Queen Mother had compared to these monsters and the forces around her, it was almost impossible for her to even be killed. She was just too tough, too healthy, and too vital to be injured to the point of death.


    This power gap against her opponents must have been the reason why Queen Mother was feeling calm today, and the frustrated expressions of her enemies just made that clear.


    "¡­."


    But no matter how much powerful Queen Mother was compared to her attackers, she should still be displaying some sense of tension, especially since she was separated from her allies.


    She might be powerful enough to survive at this area, but at least she should be worrying about her allies'' welfare, right?


    But no, Queen Mother did not exhibit any signs of unrest, even when she could feel that some of her allies are in danger.


    She just retained her calm expression, which at this point bordered close to indifference.


    "¡­I''m so bored. Is there anything interesting for me to do here? "

 Chapter 732 - Interlude: The Mnemonic Manifest(ft. Asteria) 2

    [POWER SYSTEMS]


    P ¨C Piss off if you don''t have powers. You will die if you face a power user. (But sometimes, a non-power user might have a chance of winning¡­ )


    O ¨C Over the sky is the limit with your powers. Just use your brain if you want to improve. (Nah¡­ Most likely, many power users will improve through the use of items or cheats¡­)


    W ¨C Water, Earth, Fire, Air. The four ele-(This is not the Av**ar intro. I promise.)


    E ¨C Everything is awesome, as long as you have powers! Everything is awesome, at least until you''re being railed by a goblin from behind. (Excuse me what?)


    R ¨C Rah rah, rah, rah¡­ (I still have no good words for the letter R.)


    S ¨C Special beings are the usual term for power users. This term might make them look noble and wise, but is just makes them feel more alienated and sad. (In other words, special beings can also be stupid and nostalgic.)


    Y ¨C Yell all you want when you use powers, but that won''t make you stronger. (Just like what I said earlier, you must practice to improve!)


    S ¨C Special Practices will even help improve your power more!


    T ¨C Tangling with power users are ill-advised, especially if you don''t have powers. (Associating with a power user usually leads to bad ends, and those without abilities are prone to dying.


    E ¨C Every concept or object in the world can be referenced or used in a power system. (Even a simple thing like an egg or spit will even work, so don''t think that trash can''t be used as a power.


    M ¨C Magic is the first term that people think when they hear the term Power Systems. (I can''t blame them thinking that way, since magic is prevalent on countless power systems.)


    S ¨C S** is easy to those who had powers. Maybe it''s the presence of their abilities that makes them alluring to s**ual partners.


    [GUIDE]


    G ¨C Get comfy with a Guide, as it will accompany you on your whole life as a Traveler. (Which means that if a Traveler dies, the Guide will also be gone. Wait, so does that mean that I will die if Alex dies? F**k!)


    U  - Uoh s**t! How did I forget that? It''s actually possible for me to die!


    I ¨C Idiotic brain! Why did you forget that! (Now I have to worry about Alex more again!)


    D ¨C Despicable hoomans! They must have known that I forgot about the threat in my life! How dare they forget to tell me too!


    E ¨C Excellent, excellent, excellent. You have never made me this angry hooman¡­ ever since the start of our alliance.


    [LIFESPAN]


    L ¨C Lasso will be the only thing that will meet your butt cheeks  once I am done with- oh right, I have to make a mnemonic for a new word. (Just you wait hooman, I will have some time with you later.)


    I ¨C Integral is lifespan to many beings, and yet this is also a currency that those ''enslaved'' by the Endless Monarch are forced to pay. (Bruh, saying that sounds close to blasphemy. I hope that won''t be enough to have me blasted to pieces.)


    F ¨C F**k, f**k, f**k! Where is my honey! I swear it was just behind me earli- Tsk I still have to finish this damned mnemonic!


    E ¨C Entertaining are those who seek to extend their lifespan, although little did they  know that lifespan is not everything. (Lol, for a Traveler¡­ lifespan is everything. So don''t believe that crap here in letter E. this was just me extending my word count.)


    S ¨C Sequoia trees are the trees with the longest lifespan on Earth, right? (Did I say that name right? Nah, only Alex came from that place, so as long as he doesn''t hear what I say, he won''t care at all.


    P ¨C Personally, I hate the notion of lifespans. It just restricts the potential of any individual! Any talents that could blossom will be ended by old age, and nobody has a solution for this! (Well, if you reach the high level of power, then you won''t have to worry about lifespan.)


    A ¨C And speaking of high level of power, you can find those when you are near the 7th or 8th Stage already (My goodness, that was a high power level requirement.)


    N ¨C Never assume a person''s lifespan based on their appearance. (Seriously, don''t guess ages, especially to a person living in a magical world. Ages and lifespans are always skewed in these places!)


    [WORLD SOULS].


    W ¨C Wah!! Wah!! Wah!! Do you hear that sound? That''s the sound of a baby world soul crying! (Do I sound happy while saying this? Of course not. After all, I am not happy talking about a baby''s sound, especially one that was as horrible as this kid.)


    O ¨C Oh my goodness, baby World Souls are so cute! (If they can be eaten, then that will be the full package.


    R ¨C Rake, road, rage, rush, rust, rub, roam. (Yey! More words for letter R!)


    L ¨C Lay low if you have offended a World Soul. Especially if you are in the planet related to that World Soul. (Seriously, don''t try offending any World Souls at all. They will kill you with all the powers that they have.)


    D ¨C Do not provoke a World Soul to hurt  sentient beings without any reasons. (That is just improper, and the customs will surely be offended by it.)


    S ¨C Special care are given for World Souls. Especially the bratty ones like Sierra. (Sigh.. now I miss those irritating guys from my former world.)


    O ¨C Oatmeal can be a good breakfast for World Souls too. (So is milk.)


    U ¨C I don''t know any proper u-words to use here. So forgive me for leaving this blank.


    L ¨C Life might seem to be present on World Souls, but don''t immediately conclude that they are living beings. (Although looking at Sierra, she seems like a decent person.)


    S  - Sike, never mind. Sierra and Alina might kill me if they knew what I am doing... (Will Alex be angry too? I don''t know¡­)


    [TRANSCENDENCE]


    T ¨C Talk to my hand, if you want to know more about Transcendence! (Lol, just kidding.)


    R ¨C F**k it, why do I have to deal with many letter R''s?


    A ¨C Above the laws is Transcendence. Only blessed individuals with great wit, courage, talent, and luck can reach this stage.


    N ¨C Nobody under the domain of the laws can win against a Transcendent Being. (There are exceptions, but they are so rare that even Alex will find it hard to replicate this feat.)


    S ¨C Stages from 6 and below are already irrelevant to Transcendent Beings, so don''t be smug about your powers. ( You can only feel proud if you indeed have transcended above the laws.)


    C ¨C Calculated efforts are needed if one wants to reach Transcendence. And even more efforts are needed to slay a Transcendent Being. (I get why many would want to do the first one. But why would anyone be even interested on slaying a Transcendent Being these days? They will just die!)


    E ¨C Exceptional geniuses might reach Transcendence, but it is still ''might''. (Even Alex has small chances of reaching Transcendence too, so any hoomans there should not feel bad.)


    N ¨C Never assume that you are safe if you are under the protection of a Transcendent Being. They might be powerful, but the laws of the World limit them from directly attacking your enemies. (Which means that given a chance, don''t try to be a p***y and just follow the damned instructions.


    D ¨C Don''t treat the Transcendent Beings like Gods too. They are not gods, and their abilities certainly prevent them from becoming one.


    E ¨C Even if a Transcendent Being wants to be treated like a God, there is no way that he can accomplish it. That''s just how the rules of this world worked. (Pretty irritating, right?)


    N - Never assume that you are safe if you are under the protection of a Transcendent Being. They might be powerful, but the laws of the World limit them from directly attacking your enemies.(Which means that given a chance, don''t try to be a p***y and just follow the damned instructions. Wait, did I repeat this? Yes, I repeated it.)


    C ¨C Consider yourself lucky if your Sixth Stage Powers will not attract Transcendent Beings towards you. From what I heard, they like individuals with great appearances and even greater power¡­


    E ¨C Ending is here. Ending is here. Don''t expect me to add anything else. Ending is here. Ending is here. Ending is here. Ending is here. Ending is here. Ending is here. Ending is here. Ending is here.

 Chapter 733 - The Giant and Its Crown!

    Compared to her bloodthirsty demeanor when she confronted Professor Frances, Queen Mother''s current apathy can  be considered as a huge improvement.


    Having a tree woman crave for your flesh was a great horror after all, so seeing Queen Mother staying calm is a blessing for her allies.


    But in the context of her current situation, Queen Mother''s inaction might very well spell her own doom.


    ____________


    "Go away bugs, you are irritating me. Shoo shoo."


    Queen Mother sounded nonplussed as she lazily swept away the creatures gnawing at her body.  She also kicked those that clung to her legs, while those that stuck to her hair were all personally munched by her mouth.


    "Nom nom nom. These creatures do not taste good, but they also don''t taste bad. They taste more like¡­ those crackers that Alex liked to eat before."


    Her tone as she ''dispelled'' the pests made it sound as if she did not care how hideous or horrifying these creatures looked when she flicked them.


    Dog-headed, Butt-headed, Snake-tailed, Voidified, and many more types of creatures that latched on Queen Mother''s body were all swept away like trash, and she did not show signs of being tired from this action.


    Well¡­ she might not look tired, but she went to sleep right after that, closing her eyes in such a way that she appeared to be uncaring of what happens to her anymore.


    "Snore¡­" And she had the gall to sleep, even when the creatures that she swept away came back biting her.


    "Snore¡­."


    "Snore¡­"


    "Snore¡­."


    _______________


    Both Alina and Professor Frances will surely be worried upon seeing Queen Mother''s another ''abnormal state'', but since she was in an area where nobody can hurt her, then maybe Queen Mother has the ''right'' to be this confident.


    Since nothing can touch her in this place, then nobody can blame Queen Mother for being this carefree¡­.


    Well, this would be the scenario if and only if there were no massive changes that happened on Queen Mother''s surroundings.


    But to Queen Mother''s distaste, a change has indeed happened here on her area.


    And this change was something so great, that even her lethargic body had no choice but to make a move.


    "Creak¡­."


    "Creak¡­"


    "Creak¡­."


    From a distance of 2 kilometers away from Queen Mother, a gigantic body suddenly appeared, one which has a  posture comparable to that of a sleeping person.


    "Creak¡­."


    "Creak¡­"


    "Creak¡­."


    Its size was 10 times that of a planet, making the whole body look MASSIVE by any standards. Even the usually large Queen Mother could not deny the humongous size of this body, as she could feel the pressure emanating just from its girth.


    "Creak¡­."


    "Creak¡­"


    "Creak¡­."


    This gigantic body lay flat on the space horizontally with its arms crossed and eyes closed, further signifying its ''sleeping'' appearance.


    "Creak¡­."


    "Creak¡­"


    "Creak¡­."


    Its skin, which was seemingly made up of soil and earth, had numerous cracks and pits scattered all around it, which made the whole body look like a clay statue that was about to break into pieces.


    It was as if one strike is enough to break this body down, and not much force was needed to even perform it.


    "Creak¡­."


    "Creak¡­"


    "Creak¡­."


    Even with this giant''s frail appearance, Queen Mother did not believe that its body will suddenly break down easily, as she could feel an immense vitality within this body that actually dwarfed hers.


    Yes. Queen Mother''s vitality, which can be considered as even greater than the vitality of a Sixth Stage Planet, was actually dwarfed by the vitality of a sleeping gigantic body!


    This was a surprise, even for the lethargic Queen Mother, as she personally knew that only few beings can have greater vitality than her.


    "¡­.I am a World Tree, which meant that I am the representation of Vitality itself. That means that my life force and vitality are extremely plentiful.:


    "I also trained on a power system that cultivates my strength and life force, which just further increased my vitality. I also reached my Peak State already, which means that I am only a short step away from Transcendence."


    "Add all these factors together, and it is easy to assume that my vitality is something that nobody can just easily supplant."


    "The closest beings that I know that can surpass my vitality are Transcendent Beings, but those kind of beings should not be here in this place."


    "Transcendent Beings live on a different plane and realm than us, right? If that is the case, then I should not have seen a creature with this much vitality."


    "But here is one, and it seems that it hasn''t even released its full power yet¡­"


    For Queen Mother to  meet someone with this much life force in this place was nothing short but stunning, and the fact that this body was ''sleeping'' made her even more shocked!


    If this body was sleeping and it was already this full of vitality, then what will happen once it ''wakes up''?


    Queen Mother''s befuddled mind was not sharp enough to think of the exact scenario, but even she knew that the awakening of this giant will just increase its already overwhelming life force.


    For Queen Mother, that was obviously a bad news, since meeting a powerful creature while being alone is a sign of impending trouble!


    "I really don''t like to move today, but because of this giant, I think I have to fly away immediately."


    "If I don''t move away right now and this giant suddenly wakes up, then it will be me who will suffer the consequences¡­"


    Although Queen Mother was not willing to move her body today, she''s still someone who wants to keep herself alive.


    Hence she had no qualms on running away from the giant, with her feet pushing itself against a nearby meteorite.


    "Boom!"


    This ''push-off'' move gave Queen Mother a thrusting force that immediately shot her away from the gigantic body. And it shot her off like a rocket, with her sturdy body and massive frame powerful enough to destroy the obstacles that blocked her way.


    "Wheeee¡­." With the potent strength and force that she applied on her legs, Queen Mother''s speed as she left was naturally fast, which allowed her to easily distance herself from the giant.  It even allowed her body to show its full might, as the combination of her speed and power has granted her a smoother journey.


    ____________


    ____________


    In no time at all, the massive body gradually disappeared from her eyes, until it was eventually covered up by the darkness of her surroundings. Such darkness was hard to penetrate even with light, signifying that the body must be extremely far away at this point already.


    "¡­." Once she had seen this ''disappearance'', Queen Mother did not slow down. She landed on a nearby meteorite before propelling herself forward again.


    Queen Mother repeated this process for a few more times, and it was only when she felt that she had travelled far enough that she eventually stopped.


    "¡­That giant might look like a clue in regards to this place, but I am not interested on staying near that for longer. Forgive me Alina, but I don''t like being placed in danger." Queen Mother muttered as she allowed her body to float aimlessly on space.


    "Well, it''s not like I can do anything even if I stay there. That giant looks like a big deal, so¡­ yeah. I ain''t doing s**t now."


    Queen Mother did not show any interest of moving this time, as if her attempt to escape earlier was the best that she can do. She just stopped doing anything, bringing her back to her lazy state earlier.


    "¡­"


    This abrupt return to her apathetic state was appalling to see, and the fact that Queen Mother actually justified her attempt to dodge her duties just made her look worse.


    "Well, Alina might forgive me for this. After all, an alive Queen Mother is better than a dead Queen Mother¡­"


    Becoming this lazy was obviously not something that the normal Queen Mother would do, and if Alina were here, she would definitely try something to change the former.


    This is of course not happening, since the tree woman and her allies were all separated from one another¡­


    "Okay. Now that I escaped from that thing, I should just allow myself to float around like this. As long as I wait, I am sure that my allies will find me."


    "Yes, they will find me no matter what I do. So there is no problem for me to just stay here."


    "Moving might make me meet danger anyway, so I might as well stay passive."


    "Oh I''m sure Alina will be pissed, but what can she do to me? Can she punish me? I did not even do anything wrong¡­"


    ______________


    ______________


    After saying all these excuses to herself, the lazy Queen Mother allowed herself to smile. She then began preparing to plunge herself into another deep sleep.


    There is no enemy that is chasing her after all, so a long sleep in this place won''t be that bad.


    IN fact, Queen Mother believed that sleeping here will be of benefit to her and her allies. Because who knows, Queen Mother might suddenly evolve once she finishes sleeping¡­


    "If there was a bed present here, then I will have a perfect sleep. But I am floating in space¡­ so what is the use of a bed?"


    "Ah whatever, I will just close my eyes and pretend that everything is fine."


    "Oh! I can try sleeping the same way as the giant earlier! Since it can sleep that way, then maybe I can do it too!"


    "Yes, yes, yes. Since that giant is similar to me, then its sleeping technique might work on me too¡­"


    With these more made-up excuses for her actions, Queen Mother took a deep breath as she attempted to start her so-called deep sleep.


    "Okay Queen Mother. Just sleep tight, and don''t think of anything else while you close your eyes. Don''t think of hot girls or big butts. You can get them all once you wake up later¡­"


    "Hehehe, big butts. I wish Frances will have that one too¡­"


    But before Queen Mother could close her eyes, her whole body suddenly stiffened, with all hints of drowsiness inside her body disappearing like popped bubbles.


    Her eyes then widened, as her sight picked up something that she did not expect to see.


    She also jumped in fear, as what she saw right now was something that was enough to make her unnerved.


    "W-wait, what is this? Am I seeing stuff? No¡­ it could not be¡­"


    After all, Queen Mother found herself staring back at the gigantic body, the one that she ran away from earlier!


    Yes. She found herself near this giant again, even when she already expended some effort to be away from it!


    "How in the world did this happen? I-I made sure to distance away myself from this body. I even expended some of my life force just to make me go farther!"


    "With that effort, this body should be at least thousands or hundred thousands of kilometers away from me!"


    "But here I am, staring back at the same body that I ran away from!"


    "Ah! This doesn''t make sense at all! How could this be happening?"


    Queen Mother has no way of denying it.


    The vitality displayed by this body was the same as the one that she met earlier, which means that this was the same body that she saw earlier!


    No excuses from her can explain this mystery, leaving her gawking as she stared at the still-sleeping giant.


    "¡­.This is really confusing, and I don''t know what to make of it. I just could not understand how this giant was able to pull me back here without me realizing it."


    "Did he use some power to affect my perception, or did he use some kind of fate-based magic that trapped me in a spatial loop?"


    "Or did he have some invisible servants that unconsciously guided me here, and I just did not detect them?"


    "Ah¡­. This is not good. I must find out what really went on here."


    As she had no idea on what to do next, Queen Mother just resigned herself on observing the gigantic body more.


    Since leaving might just lead her back to this giant, then she might as well use all of her might to discover something on the giant''s body.


    Maybe doing this will allow Queen Mother to actually leave this place¡­


    "¡­."


    _____________


    _____________


    Because of the enormity of the giant''s body and her very own laziness, Queen Mother had no interest of observing the giant earlier. But now that her life was at stake, she dedicated her focus on all the attention and details that her eyes could capture.


    This was an apt move for the tree woman, since there were hardly any important details that could actually be found on the giant.


    The only significant detail that Queen Mother saw was just one, and it was located at the place that she looked last.


    Which was at the giant''s head.


    "¡­."


    On this giant''s head, a massive crown could be seen, one that glowed with the aura of the ancient times.


    The power of Time and Space was affected by this very aura itself, and Queen Mother could see a large spatial disturbance just on the crown''s vicinity. This distortion effectively made a cage around the giant, one that seemed impossible to be out of.

 Chapter 734 - A Relic from the Past!

    "!!!"


    Queen Mother resisted the urge to curse once she noticed this detail, as the sight of this crown allowed her to realize what happened.


    "So all this time, I was not able to distance myself away from this giant. Instead, I was trapped in a space-time distortion, rendering me unable to leave this place."


    "That''s the reason why even when I laterally left the giant''s proximity, I still found my body approaching it."


    "¡­So basically speaking, I am stuck in a space-time loop. No matter where I go, I will always end up returning near the giant''s body."


    To say that Queen Mother was dismayed by her discovery was an understatement, as she knew that her next hours here on this place are bound to be torturous!


    She will actually be stuck on this area for god-knows-how-long, and she had no idea on how to even escape from here.


    Such situation is unbearable for Queen Mother, so even when she''s contented to not move, she had no choice but to take action for her own sake.


    "As for what is causing this space-time distortion, I can only say that it is related to that crown that this giant was wearing¡­."


    "I am not that versed in the arts of space-time magic, but my acquaintance with Alina tells me that this crown''s ability to manipulate time and space is extremely exquisite."


    "No¡­ this crown is not just similar to Alina. It''s ability to manipulate space and time is even better than her!"


    "That explains why I failed to detect the space-time distortion when it affected me!"


    Queen Mother''s beautiful face wore a more unpleasant frown this time, with her additional discovery further marring her optimism.


    How could she even be optimistic, now that she realized that her body was trapped by a space-time ability?


    "Tsk, if Alina was the person trapped in this place, she might find a way to escape. After all, space-time is her main focus. But for me? Even if I use all my power here, all that I can do is create havoc¡­"


    If it were other abilities that trapped her body, then Queen Mother might have a way to resolve it.


    But space-time abilities? These are the types of abilities that she was extremely helpless against!


    "Argh! Break break break!"


    To demonstrate this point, Queen Mother unleashed a barrage of punches, all aimed at destroying the spatial folds that surrounded the area.


    Each attack that she released carried the concepts of Strength, Destruction, and End, which allowed her punches to obliterate the very fabric of space-time itself.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    With this power, it only took Queen Mother a moment to destroy the space around her, essentially producing a hole in reality that if she enters, might allow her to escape the predicament that she was in.


    This hole however only lasted for an instant, as it immediately closed at the moment that it appeared.


    "I knew it. My punches might be able to destroy space easily, but the power of that crown quickly repairs the space that destroyed¡­"


    Queen Mother unleashed more barrages this time, with the power contained them even stronger than her initial punches.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Just like her first attack, these new punches were able to destroy the space around her, and the holes created were much larger than the first hole. Some were even large enough for Queen Mother to fit her body with, and they seem to be safe enough to be crossed through.


    But just like the first hole, all these holes were quickly patched up, leaving Queen Mother sighing in more disappointment.


    "Tsk, and here I thought there is a limit on the power of that crown. So it can heal the space, even with my full-powered punches? This is bad¡­"


    Queen Mother''s aggrieved expression made it obvious that she wanted to continue her attempts to escape, but the reality made her unable to do anything else.


    What would she even do, when her best attempts to escape had already failed?


    Queen Mother had just used 100% of her power in order to destroy the space around her, but even that was quickly resolved by the crown.


    She did not even enjoy the possible applications of the holes, as the crown''s superior space-time manipulation had completely sealed her in.


    "Sigh¡­ so what should I do now?"


    If Alina was just beside Queen Mother in this situation, then they will have no problems regarding this crowned giant.  The former will just have to create a dimensional gap by herself, and that will be the end of it.


    Unfortunately, that was not the situation that Queen Mother was in.


    "¡­Sigh, so am I being punished now for ignoring my allies? Come on, I know that I had been a jerk for the past few days, but I think this punishment is too much."


    "There is no way that I will learn a lesson when my body is being trapped by an extremely powerful space-time artifact!"


    "This is just straight-up murder! That''s just it!"


    Queen Mother can complain all that she wants, but she knew that it will not help her leave this place. In fact, she had the feeling that if she continues to complain, it might set off the ''sleeping'' giant.


    If this giant indeed wakes up, that will make Queen Mother''s situation even worse, and it could possibly lead to her death too.


    "¡­Ah whatever. What am I even complaining about?"


    "Instead of wasting my time spouting nonsense here, I might as well do my duty, which is to gather data about everything in this place."


    "Sigh, inspecting and gathering data is really tiring, but what else can I do now? At least this way I can find a way to escape this place¡­"


    Since her attempts to escape had failed, the morose Queen Mother  decided to observe the giant again.


    This time however, what she observed was not just the details about the giant. She instead focused her eyes more on the crown itself.


    "Since Alina wants me to collect data regarding the strange entities that I see here, then I will start with this giant. Oh, but that crown takes more priority for this time¡­"


    Since this crown was the object that trapped her in the first place, then its identity might give her the key to escape.


    She just hopes that her observation will yield something, or else she would be stuck here for a long time.


    "That giant might look special, but it was that crown that I should pay more attention. After all, that''s the reason why I am here. Unraveling its identity might help me escape, and it might even allow me to wield the crown for myself."


    "Of course if that fails, then I just have to resume observing the giant itself."


    "Which I really don''t want to occur, since I have the feeling that this giant is not that special at all¡­"


    Before her laziness could urge her to sleep again, Queen Mother started flying towards the intimidating crown. Which to her surprise was actually easy, as she found no spatial or temporal obstacles that prevented her from nearing her destination.


    This naturally made Queen Mother happy, as the prospect of getting near the crown grants her the chance to observe it better.


    But since her mind was still wary because of the trap that she was placed in earlier, Queen Mother did not fully commit herself on approaching the crown.


    She kept a distance of around 100 meters away from the object, a distance that was just near enough for her to observe it, and also far enough for her to run away in case something bad happens.


    "¡­."


    Once she felt that all things had clicked on her favor, Queen Mother hastily dedicated her attention on the crown, imprinting all of its attributes and details inside her mind.


    She ignored everything else around her, and she even forgot to fix her posture.


    ______________


    It took  Queen Mother an hour before she finished observing, which is a lot of time for an advanced creature like her.


    Such long time was enough for somebody else to do more ''useful'' stuff, and Queen Mother would be lying if she said that her time was not wasted by her actions.


    Fortunately for her, she did indeed discover something else in the crown, one that made her feel less disturbed with her wasted time.


    "So¡­. let''s see what makes this crown special. Hm¡­. From this distance, I can say that the crown is made up of special metals. Aside from that, there is nothing else that I can see¡­."


    "Oh, I can sense Chronium and Sage''s Silver on that crown''s body. Those metals are extremely rare, and it will be hard to find them during this era."


    "Sage''s Silver can only be found during the Primordial Era, and it was mostly used for conducting the Divine Energy of the True Gods. After the fall of the True Gods, all Sage''s Silver were hoarded by the Monarchs, and any hints of it reappearing were quickly dealt with by them.


    "As for Chronium, it was a metal that when forged, is extremely useful for creating weapons related to Dimensional Magic. In fact, Chronium can even amplify certain Chronomancy  and Spatial Abilities, which is the reason why the Great TimeMaster treats its well."


    "Hm¡­ from what I remember, there  is only one ton of Chronium left in the market, making it one of the most expensive metals in the Multiverse. Which means that the Great TimeMaster was lucky to even have a hold on it¡­.."


    With her knowledge boot camp with Alina, and her own affinity with earth and metals, Queen Mother was able to deduce the materials making up the crown.


    This deduction naturally had her feeling confident, but that feeling was quickly wiped away once the implications of her discovery  hit hear head-on.


    "¡­Wait a second. So this crown is made up of two rare metals, with one only found during the Primordial Era? And the other one so rare that it''s practically non-existent?"


    "Since that''s the case, then how the heck was this crown created then? I mean, it was made up of 100 tons of Chronium, and 300 tons of Sage''s Silver! That amount just hovers around impossibility, given the actual states of these two metals!"


    "Tsk, so does this mean that the crown is an impossible object too? But I can see it with my very own eyes now¡­"


    "¡­Okay, since this crown is definitely existing, then it only means one thing."


    "This crown must have been created at a time when both Sage''s Silver and Chronium were plentiful¡­."


    Since both Sage''s Silver and Chronium are extremely rare these days, then it means that the crown was not made during the current Era.


    It was just too hard to gather the said materials, and any attempts to do so will catch the attention of powerful beings.


    All these instances point out to only one possible Era, which an idiotic Queen Mother found no problem deducing.


    ""This crown was created during the Primordial Era, as all evidences point to that¡­."


    _____________


    With the virtue of this discovery, Queen Mother began to feel more confident about herself.


    And this confidence just increased, as she had discovered something else.


    Aside from its date of creation, Queen Mother was able to deduce the full identity of the crown too.


    "Since I now know the age of this crown, the next question will be: What is the crown''s use?"


    "If you look at the metals making it up, which is Sage''s Silver and Chronium, then it is easy to reach a conclusion."


    "Sage''s Silver is for channeling a True God''s Divine Energy, while Chronium is for channeling Space and Time Magic."


    "Primordial Era. True God. Divine Energy. Space and Time Magic"


    "By linking these factors together, it is easy to deduce what this crown is!"


    "This crown is obviously an object used by a True God during the Primordial Era, whose power is related to the manipulation of Space-Time itself!"


    "As for who that True God is, the list that I know only gives me one answer."


    "This True God is no other than Korno, The True God of Space and Time!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­So this the real identity of this crown? t''s actually a weapon used by Korno himself?"

 Chapter 735 - Madness

    The True God of Life and Creation EARC.


    The True God of Beginning and End IGEB.


    The True God of Magic and Mysteries MAGOI.


    The True God of Elements and Realms TNEME.


    The True God of War and Deception PECED


    The True God of Space and Time KORNO.


    The True God of Order and Chaos THEAD.


    The True God of Reality and Illusions TILEA


    The True God of Dragons and Giants ALWAYN


    The True God of Sin and Virtue AILED


    And the True God of Knowledge ELWON


    Each of these names alone are enough to induce awe and wariness from Queen Mother, who quite frankly, does not want to meet any objects related to them.


    Of course Queen Mother knew that with her Main Mission, there is no possible way for her to distance her body from objects affiliated with True Gods.


    The best that she could just wish for was to encounter these objects for minimal amounts of time¡­.


    "¡­."


    This attitude was something that the normal Queen Mother would never have, as she was too cooperative and helpful to even be wary of anything.


    But the current Queen Mother does feel wary, hence her negative reaction in regards to the crown and her discovery on it.


    "Ugh. So out of all the things that I could encounter, I met the one that I never wanted to meet? What in the fresh hell is this¡­"


    Because of her agitation from the True Gods, the fact that Queen Mother encountered a treasure related to a True God  did not make her happy at all.


    Instead she was incensed, as she knew that there is no way out for her now.


    Queen Mother had just been near a True God Artifact after all, a situation that she felt was unfavorable for her¡­.


    "¡­So what should I do now? If I don''t treat this matter well, it might be me who suffers in the end."


    ______________


    Queen Mother did not exactly explain  why she thought that seeing a True God Artifact will be unfavorable for her.


    But her contorted face showed that she''s worried enough, and that she''s interested on doing everything that she can in order to move herself away from the artifact. The latter however is still an impossibility, as she was still trapped inside the Space-Time loop.


    "¡­Alina, Alina. Alina. Why did I allow myself to be brought by you here? I thought that with my luck, I can avoid seeing these things that I loathed to see. But now here I am, staring at one of these cursed objects!"


    With her body unable to deal with the trap around her, and with her mind still reeling from her discovery, Queen Mother could only shake her head as she silently cursed her fate.


    "Ugh, I might be a tree, but I can also feel sick too, you know. So please, please come here and do something about this."


    "Because with my condition now, I doubt I can deal with what this crown might do to me¡­"


    And her distaste about her fate just increased when she remembered the exact details of each True God.


    "Just the past deeds of those True Gods alone were bad enough, and the way their artifacts were tied to these deeds were even more worrying."


    "So the fact that there is this crown, hovering just in front of me, is something that does not bode good news at all."


    "In fact, it will be considered a miracle if I can even survive this encounter¡­."


    Queen Mother was not exaggerating here.


    What the True Gods did in the past were indeed both horrifying and awe-inspiring, which was the reason why they were eradicated in the first place.


    "But this is just an artifact, so what could happen to me might not be that bad, right?"


    "Yeah, it should not be bad. After all, those True Gods are already dead¡­''"


    As for what these deeds are, Queen Mother does not have exact knowledge of it all, as the Church of Wisdom limited the info that they gave to her.


    But even with these limited knowledge, Queen Mother had already learned to develop a great animosity for anything related to True Gods.


    In fact, she believed that those who read this info will be thinking that same way as her¡­


    _______________


    _______________


    ---The True God of Life and Creation EARC.---


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Origin of all Life"


    "The Master of all Creatures, Evil and Good.


    "The Patron of World Souls and World Trees."


    "The  Architect of the Universe."


    DOMAIN OF POWER:


    Life, Sentience, and Creation.


    CREATURES UNDER HIS RULE:


    Druids, High Elves, Nature-Based Beings, World Trees, and World Souls.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    He is the creator of the first World Soul and World Tree. He is also the one who created laws that encouraged the creation of new worlds and beings.


    He encouraged creativity from his worshippers, and it led to the flourishment of arts and literature.


    He also likes murdering these very same beings, for reasons unknown. And if he fancied it, he can create monstrous entities to torment his followers.


    These ''sadistic deeds'' happened in secret of course, since doing it in the open will invite despise from his followers.


    He was killed by the other True Gods, who wanted to use his body in order to replenish their own life.


    _______________


    _______________


    The True God of Beginning and End IGEB.


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Lord of all the Paradoxes."


    "The Instigator of all Wrongs and Rights in the Multiverse."


    "The Accomplisher of Impossibilities."


    "The Loop that Encompasses all Beings."


    DOMAINS OF POWER:


    Paradoxes, Uncertainty, and Impossibilities.


    CREATURES UNDER HIS RULE:


    Chaos Wraiths and anyone who believes in his name.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    He is the trickster that wreaked havoc in the Multiverse.


    His abilities not only brought suffering and pain against mortals who did not worship him, it also brought headaches to his fellow True Gods.


    This bothersome power of his made him a big target by his enemies, and most of his life was spent ''playing'' with them.


    One of the most notorious events during the Primordial Era was caused by IGEB, on where he conned countless True Gods to ''accidentally'' kill their followers.


    He was eventually killed by the Immortal Paragon.


    ________________


    ________________


    The True God of Magic and Mysteries MAGOI.


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Purveyor of Magical Arts."


    "The Seeker of the Unknown."


    "The Dominator of the Mind."


    "The Goddess who weaves the threads of Fate."


    DOMAIN OF POWER.


    Magic, Soul, and Destiny.


    CREATURES UNDER HER RULE:


    Magicians, Wizards, Warlocks, and Mages.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    Known as the craziest of all the True Gods, MAGOI''s pursuit of magic was short-lived.


    She only lived for 10, 000 years, a time period where magic flourished quickly to its peak.


    She became crazy during her death, with her maddened state shockingly affecting all her worshippers.


    Her death was then followed by a riot by her followers, who unleashed destruction and despair under her crazed influence.


    1% of the Multiverse''s population was culled due to this event, and Monarchs had to intervene to kill all the insane magic wielders.


    ______________


    ______________


    The True God of Elements and Realms TNEME.


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Foundation of all Elements."


    "The Engineer of all Realms."


    "The Seeker of the Balance."


    "The Scale that Judges us all."


    DOMAINS OF POWER:


    Elements, Realm Creation, Justice.


    CREATURES UNDER HIS RULE:


    Elementals, Realm-Beings, Law Enforcers.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    With his nature aligned for stability and justice, TNEME was the most stable and fair True God.


    He judges anyone fairly, and those who deserve forgiveness will be pardoned.


    During the end of his life however, TNEME went mad, and he began absorbing the life of his worshippers just to extend his lifespan.


    He was eventually killed by the coalition of other True Gods, who he left with no choice but to attack him.


    ________________


    ________________


    The True God of War and Deception PECED


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Conqueror of all Beings."


    "The Ruler with an Iron Fist."


    "The Minister of Lies and Falsehood."


    "The Surveyor of Boundaries."


    DOMAINS OF POWER:


    War, Distortion, Deception, Conquest.


    CREATURES UNDER HIS RULE:


    Anyone that has been conquered under his name.


    KNOWN DEEDS.


    With his power aligned for war and conquest, PECED became the True God with the most territories under his rule, second only to SOAHC.


    He had a bloodthirsty nature, one that made him cruel to his enemies and even to his followers. Those that he did not like were killed, and most were enslaved and toyed with by his soldiers.


    His capabilities gave him an advantage against the Monarchs, allowing him to kill a number of them.


    He fell at the Final War, where dozens of Monarchs had to sacrifice their life just to end his.


    ______________


    ______________


    The True God of Space and Time KORNO.


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Ferryman on the River of Time."


    "The Keeper of the Dimensions."


    "The Holder of all Seals."


    "The Wanderer of all Realms."


    DOMAINS OF POWER:


    Space, Time, Sealing, Journey.


    CREATURES UNDER HIS RULE:


    Nomads, Wanders, Void Creatures, Dimensional Entities.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    As one of the most elusive True God in existence, KORNO is a being who is in charge of maintaining the stability of the whole Multiverse.


    He has little time for his worshippers, as he dedicates most of his time travelling, visiting other places, and fixing dimensional instabilities. He also grants safe passage to other beings, as long as they pray or worship to him first.


    On his free time, he likes torturing people who offended him, sometimes by trapping them inside a time loop or by spatially contorting their bodies to the limits.


    He was killed in the Final War, when the Giant King Nagi stabbed his body from behind with the God-Slaying Spear.

 Chapter 736 - In and Out???

    The True God of Order and Chaos THEAD.


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Right-Hand of Soahc."


    "The Enforcer of Order."


    "The Harbinger of Disaster."


    "The Keeper of the Laws."


    DOMAINS OF POWER:


    Order, Chaos, Minor Destruction, Minor Law Manipulation.


    CREATURES UNDER HIS RULE:


    Devils, Demons, Arch-Golems, Humans.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    Commonly known as the closest confidant of SOAHC, THEAD is a True God that is both acquainted with the opposing sides. He is a beacon that upholds the principles of the True Gods, and he is a fair friend to all the Monarchs.


    His rule was accomplished through proper words and behavior, and none of his followers experienced unjust situations under his wing.


    Any evil-doers were struck down by his might, and those who performed good deeds in his name were always rewarded.


    In fact, his fairness was so great, that many followers of TNEME  prefer THEAD more. This led to a minor conflict between these two True Gods, which THEAD managed to win by just a hairbreadth.


    This gallant attitude also earned him the admiration of True God AILED which shockingly led to a marriage between the two.


    His fair reign met its end when THEAD was personally killed by the Immortal Paragon.


    ______________


    ______________


    The True God of Reality and Illusions TILEA


    EXALTED TITLE:


    "The Holder of Secrets."


    "The Revealer of all Illusions."


    "The Leader who envisions Reality."


    "The Dweller of the Virtual World."


    DOMAINS OF POWER:


    Reality, Illusions, Virtual Creation, Hidden Secrets.


    CREATURES UNDER HER RULE:


    Hidden Beings, Illusionists, Fae, and Enchanted Souls.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    Born between the bond of AILED and THEAD, TILEA reigns over the concepts of real, unreal and everything in between.


    She has the power to create anything, and she used it to create a safe haven for her followers during the Final War.  She also pushed the advance of Illusory Arts, allowing it to reach a state so high, that only Monarchs can hope to crack her illusions.


    Due to the dissociative nature of her abilities, TILEA''s personalities were split into two during the war, with one personality pushing for the escape of everyone into her Virtual World.


    The other one proposed the creation of a new Multiverse, which would be the new home of the True Gods and their worshippers.


    Creating a new Multiverse might seem impossible, but it can be pulled off  if all True Gods will supply their power to her.


    Both proposals were rejected by everyone, and she was killed in front of both her parents.


    _____________________


    _____________________


    The True God of Dragons and Giants ALWAYN


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Monarch of all Dragons."


    "The Father of all Giants."


    "The Holder of the Greatest Body."


    "The Vessel of the World''s End."


    DOMAINS OF POWER:


    Dragon Arts, Giant Wizardry, Physical Strength, Entropy.


    CREATURES UNDER HIS RULE:


    Dragons, Giants, and all species derived from these two.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    As the God of the strongest and savagest beings in the Multiverse, ALWAYN was an arrogant True God who treats other beings as trash.


    He only believes himself to be the right one, and opinions of other True Gods will always be ignored by him.


    Out of all the True Gods, he only listens to SOAHC, as he was the only True God that was powerful enough to beat ALWAYN into submission. All the other True Gods either lost or drew a tie, just like THEAD.


    His savagery and strength might be a headache for the True Gods, but it served its purpose during the Final War,  with ALWAYN killing many of the enemies.


    This made him a notorious True God compared to others, and he treated his enemies with no respect.


    The whole Multiverse sighed with relief when he was finally killed.


    _______________


    _______________


    The True God of Sin and Virtue AILED


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Paragon of Virtue."


    "The Planter of Sin."


    "The Leader of all Angels and Demons."


    "The Bane of the Abyss Realm."


    DOMAINS OF POWER.


    Sin, Virtue, Celestial Magic, Souls.


    CREATURES UNDER HER RULE:


    Angels, Demons, and all the enemies of the Abyss Realm.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    She was the only True God that was created by the other True Gods. She did not come into existence naturally, as the other True Gods engineered her birth.


    Her existence was meant to be used against the Abyss Realm, as her abilities were a perfect counter for the latter.


    She can emulate the Abyss'' power of Sins, and her selected Virtues can slay most of the Abyss'' children.


    Her foray into the Multiverse was initially successful, and she contributed to most of the injuries that the Abyss suffers up to this day.


    By the time that the Final War began, AILED''s legion of angels and demons actually developed the chance to end the Abyss for good.


    But due to the nature of her birth, AILED fell into a sudden berserk state, one that made her kill and consume her followers in an instant.


    Her madness then spread everywhere, turning her power of Sin against her allies.


    In the end, what happened to AILED lead to the deaths of her allies, one that further led to the loss of the True Gods.


    She was finally killed by the Celestial Monarch, who eventually became the ruler of the Celestial Realm.


    _____________


    _____________


    The True God of Knowledge ELWON


    EXALTED NAME:


    "The Eye that peers through the Unknown."


    "The Divine Teacher of All."


    "The Cursor of Progress."


    "The Madness that Consumes all Sentient Life."


    DOMAINS OF POWER:


    Knowledge, Wisdom, Corruption, Souls.


    CREATURES UNDER HIS RULE:


    All that seek the path of knowledge.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    As the True God who holds the power of Omniscience, ELWON knows everything that happens, and he also knows what happened in the past and what would happen in the future.


    His nature forces him to teach all those who seek his knowledge, and it also pushes him to discover all the mysteries in the Multiverse.


    These traits as expected eventually drove ELWON mad, and his affinity with the realm of Madness made his crazed state even worse.


    His madness alone led to the death of all his followers, and those who caught his fancy were killed and dissected for his experiments.


    His death was swift however, and it ended the terror that he could have spread.


    ________________


    ________________


    The True God of Death and Destruction Soahc


    EXALTED TITLE:


    "The Father of all Gods."


    "The Overlord of the Multiverse."


    "The King of the Underwold."


    "The End of Everything, and the Bane of Life."


    DOMAINS OF POWER:


    Destruction and Death.


    CREATURES UNDER HIS RULE:


    All creatures are under his rule, and even when other True Gods appeared, everyone still worshipped him.


    KNOWN DEEDS:


    He was the strongest of all True Gods, and it was through him that the Multiverse''s chaotic eras had finally ended.


    His powers over destruction and death gave him the edge over everyone, and he held sole control on the state of life in the Multiverse.


    If SOAHC could will it, he can directly end the Multiverse and let it be reborn under his will.


    He was the sanest True God of all, but he was also the maddest.


    His followers might have benefited from him, but they also suffered, with some of them tortured on SOAHC''s personally created hell.


    Nobody was fully happy over his reign, which was the main fuse that started the Final War.


    He met his end in the Final War, dying on the cooperation between the Immortal Paragon and the Abyss Realm.


    __________________


    __________________


    SOME MINOR TRUE GODS WHOSE NAMES DESERVE SOME SMALL MENTIONS.(Note: These Minor True Gods all ended up mad at the end of their lives, which was the reason why they are not famous. Their followers just did not have enough time to survive before being infected with their madness.)


    The True God of Desire COSTA


    DOMAINS OF POWER: Desires and Emotions.


    The True God of Fertility THOM


    DOMAINS OF POWER: Fertility and Childbirth.


    The True God of Light and Darkness ACHIL


    DOMAINS OF POWER: Light and Darkness


    The True God of Slaughter AWR


    DOMAINS OF POWER: Slaughter and Massacre


    The True God of Destiny and Fate KENLI


    DOMAINS OF POWER: Destiny and Fate.


    The True God of Love ERONA


    DOMAINS OF POWER: Love, S.e.x, and Infidelity.


    The True God of Games and Entertainment EXOS.


    DOMAINS OF POWER: Games and other objects meant to entertain people.


    The True God of Arts EASEL.


    DOMAINS OF POWER: Paintings, Sculptures, and other works of art.


    __________________


    __________________


    Queen Mother''s trip to her memory lane ended at this point, as she just finished looking up everything that she knew about the True Gods.


    This sudden end made her a little disappointed, as she felt wanting for more knowledge about these ancient beings.


    But since this is just what she had, then Queen Mother will just make do with it.


    "See those things that I just thought up? No matter how you look at it, you can see that all those True Gods are not right in the head."


    "Sigh¡­ and this just makes me wonder about our alliance with the Church of Wisdom. Why did we even ally with this religion?  The god that this church is worshipping is obviously wacko for goodness'' sake!"


    "This church even admitted by themselves that their God ELWON was one of the maddest True Gods in the past!"


    "Tsk, this should have been an enough warning sign for all of us to not ally with this freaking cult¡­"


    At this point, Queen Mother had basically given up her attempts to blame anyone.


    Why would she even waste her time doing such stuff when this won''t help her escape at all?


    "Okay Queen Mother. Stop thinking about those True Gods already and just focus on your goal."


    "You should be trying to escape now, so forget anything about cursing these ancient beings!"


    "You will have a better chances of living if you escape, so don''t dilly-dally like this!"


    While her body was still unwilling to move, Queen Mother''s mind had no interest of sleeping at this point.


    She knew that her life was at stake here, so she did not spare any expense of discovering a way to escape.


    She ran her mind once more to its limits, hoping that maybe she could think of something that will be of use to her!


    "So¡­ what should I do now? I know that this crown is a weapon used by KORNO, and that it has the power to manipulate space-time."


    "That observation means that if I want to escape, I must use an ability or an item that will let me deal with this situation."


    "Unfortunately for me, I don''t have anything related to these options¡­"


    But no matter what Queen Mother thought, she could not think of any probable action that will lead to her freedom.


    Each of her choices were either unavailable due to her inability, or because it was only her allies who can perform these choices.


    Either way, Queen Mother realized that she''s powerless to leave this place.


    "Wait, does this mean that I am stuck? No. No. No. Please don''t let it be like this!"


    "I can''t just be a damsel in distress who stays in this s***y place! Come on, there should be a way for me to leave!"


    "Argh Think! Think Queen Mother! You should f**king think right now!"

 Chapter 737 - Recall: History and Eras of the Multiverse

    ((Note: This chapter is a recall of the Multiverse''s History, in case you readers had forgotten it. You can cross-reference it with the previous two chapters if you''re all feeling confused.)))


    ((There is also a survey in the end, in case you wanted to answer something.))


    When the Multiverse was first created/born, it did not have all the materials and laws that it had today.


    The early Multiverse was only made up of pockets of volatile matter and energy, and the laws all over it were chaotic and distorted. There is no order in this time, and the only constant thing here is destruction and change.


    This period of time was called the Chaotic Era, as the conditions of the Multiverse here can only be described as pure chaos. Nothing seem to stay still here, and any signs of life did not show any indication of appearing here.


    The Chaotic Era lasted for countless of years, and it only ended once the Multiverse has been affected by entropy, making it cold enough to have its chaos settle down.


    This period was the start of the Primordial Era, and it was in this Era that life has begun to blossom.


    In this Era, all the volatile objects started to lose their destructive tendencies, and most began to combine and restructure to create newer objects. The chaotic energy also mellowed down, as they now began to follow certain patterns on how they should work.


    As for the Laws themselves, they were still as unruly as they were before, but they became much more manageable at this point.


    These factors allowed for the formation of elements and compounds, which latter formed mixtures, chemicals, and other materials that eventually led to the formation of life.


    Nobody knows how ''life'' really started in the Multiverse, but once ''life'' has appeared, it began to grow in an explosive fashion, and in just a matter of years, the whole Multiverse was filled with countless living creatures.


    It was at this time that the Abyss Realm was slowly being born, but that will be a topic for the other day.


    Because of the still-hostile conditions of the Multiverse in the Primordial Era, life is hard for all the living creatures here. Every part of their life is fraught with danger, and the chance to survive depends only on luck.


    These conditions were just made worse by the fact that the Power Systems still had not existed at this point. The laws were still too chaotic, which makes it impossible for the living creatures to harness them.


    Only creatures tainted by the Laws like dragons and spirits can harness their power during this period, and even they had a hard time of living too.


    With such kind of hardsh.i.p.s in this time, it is hard to fathom on how these creatures had managed to live through this Era, given the fact that most of them were waging wars against each other.


    So how could these creatures survive at this era, when their numbers should have been lower?


    This is where the existence of the True Gods comes into picture.


    ****************


    In the present age, or what is also called as the Transcendent Era, the word ''God'' can refer to an extremely powerful being, whose power allows it to lord over countless laws and mysteries.


    Such kind of person cannot be treated with disdain, as their power alone makes them extremely formidable.


    Of course even if these people were powerful, they are not really ''Gods'' in a sense.


    The real Gods are those who lived in the Primordial Era, and they are called True Gods.


    ***************


    A True God is the manifestation of the Laws of the Multiverse itself, which gained life through the worship by countless living creatures. These laws can vary on their type, but as long as these laws were being worshipped or followed by living beings, a God can be born from it.


    Unlike the creatures that live here in the Transcendent Age, a  True God did not train have to train itself just to reach a high level of power.


    A True God was strengthened by the faith of living creatures, and its ideals, way of life, and abilities all stem from the way that it is worshipped.


    There are almost no limits to the power of a  True God, as a True God is supported by the Laws and the faith of its supporters. In fact, the only way that a True God can be defeated is by either killing all of its worshippers, or by making another True God fight it.


    Both options are extremely hard to pull off, and those who tried usually end up dying gruesomely.


    With these kind of abilities, one can consider a True God as an existence equaling that of a Monarch, if not, even greater.


    ***************


    The existence of the True Gods was first recorded at the beginning of the Primordial Era, during the time when the two most dominant races in the Multiverse were having a war with each other.


    These two races were the Primordial Giants and the Celestial Dragons, who take up the majority of the Multiverse''s territory each.


    Both of these races have their own unique power and capabilities, which allowed them to take over large amounts of territory. The only obstacle left on their hegemony were each other, hence leading to the war between them.


    This war was a brutal one, with countless death and destruction occurring everywhere.  Countless fierce creatures and innocent bystanders were the majority of deaths this time, and these deaths just led to more conflict and more destruction.


    In fact, around 70% of the Multiverse''s population were killed off in this war, a number which can only be described as horrifying.


    The extent of damage and death in the Multiverse in this period made it apparent that the Multiverse is headed to a bad future. Because if this war goes on, there is a high chance that all life in the Multiverse will be extinguished.


    But due to a possible lucky break, the effects of this damaging war has actually led to the birth of the first True God.


    ************


    The God of Death and Destruction Soahc, the oldest and strongest True God, was first seen appearing at the middle of the Multiverse, at the place where the battle between the Primordial Giants and Celestials Dragons was raging.


    Records stated that his appearance was accompanied with the destruction of countless star fields, along with a wail of fear from the Multiverse itself.  It is hard to verify if this was true, but other records said that the whole Multiverse acted as if Soahc was a being of terror, and that it seems to try its best to expel ''Him''.


    Aside from this, the records also stated that after his first appearance, Soahc proceeded to slaughter ? of the creatures present in the war.


    He killed countless dragons, giants, and other creatures with a wave of a hand, doing it in a manner as if he had just killed a nuisance.


    This action single-handedly brought the end of the war, and it also brought forth a new age on the whole Multiverse.


    ***********


    With the power and domineering traits that he showed, True God Soahc was able to force every living creature to worship him. His representation of the Laws of Death and Destruction made it impossible for anyone to resist him, and the sheer amount of his worshippers just increased his strength.


    Anyone who does not follow him were killed, which eventually silenced most of his opposition.


    Because of his power, True God Soahc found no opposition against his rule, and it continued that way for many years.


    However, the continued proliferation of life in the Multiverse has led to the inevitable:


    It might have taken them long, but True Gods that represents other Laws eventually popped up little by little after Soahc''s birth.


    The True God of Life and Creation EARC.


    The True God of Beginning and End IGEB.


    The True God of Magic and Mysteries MAGOI.


    The True God of Elements and Realms TNEME.


    The True God of War and Deception PECED


    The True God of Space and Time KORNO.


    The True God of Order and Chaos THEAD.


    The True God of Reality and Illusions TILEA


    The True God of Dragons and Giants ALWAYN


    The True God of Sin and Virtue AILED


    And the True God of Knowledge ELWON


    Their births were not prevented by Soahc at all, and he even welcomed them with open arms, gifting them with worshippers under his wing.


    *****************


    This batch of True Gods were not the only ones that appeared. Many more popped out as the civilization in the Multiverse improved, and these True Gods all cooperated to create a worship network that will be of great help to their worshippers.


    Angles, subsidiary Gods, and Divine Beings were created by the True Gods along with their worship schemes, all which were intended to strengthen their hold on the Multiverse and on its residents.


    The birth of these True Gods, along with their creation of these special creatures,  heralded the period in the Primordial Era where every living being went under the True Gods'' protection and guidance.


    All the advancements in magic, technology, and culture in this period were influenced by these True Gods, and it seemed to continue that way for a long time.


    The numerous churches, cults,  and temples established during these times gave more power to the True Gods and their subsidiaries, to the point that it is impossible to defy them.


    Normal living creatures and even those with abilities can only look towards the True Gods with fear and awe, as their rule seemed to be absolute, whether they are benevolent or evil.


    With such power and might that they had, the reign of the True Gods appeared to be able to last forever. But certain factors that appeared during the end of the Primordial Era slowly shook up their dominance.


    ************


    When the True Gods first appeared, the Laws of the Multiverse were still hostile to most living beings, and the only ones that can manipulate it were the True Gods themselves. But this notion changed at the end of the Primordial Era, when the Laws suddenly lost all their ferociousness.


    At this time, the Laws of the Multiverse suddenly became amicable to all the living beings, which brought forth large upheavals in the Multiverse.


    Gone were the times were a living creature has to rely on the blessings of a True God or his angels just to have his/her own power. Also gone were the times were the only way to get stronger was by becoming a higher-leveled True God''s Worshipper.


    With the Laws free to be accessed by anyone, many began to study them for their own use.


    This change brought the start of the Upheaval Era, the Era on which many True Gods faced a great threat on their power.


    Many researches were made at this period, all aimed on  finding way to harness the power of the Laws for the use of the living creatures themselves.


    This led to the creation of numerous Power Systems,  which became the pathway for all the living creatures to gain their own power.


    This newest creation was accepted and celebrated in the whole Multiverse for their potential and might, but the fact that these systems were still at their rudimentary phase at that time made them perilous.


    There are no set ways on how to upgrade each power yet, and there are methods that can lead to a power practitioner''s death. But even with these dangers, many were still tempted to follow the path of the Power Systems.


    This led to a mass exodus from the living creatures, resulting on the True Gods experiencing a massive drop on their worshippers.


    Such thing of course made the True Gods unhappy, and they made rules that will fight off against this change.


    The True Gods declared the existence of Power Systems as a taboo thing, one that cannot be allowed to exist in the Multiverse. They said that Power Systems will only bring ruin  in the Multiverse, hence these must be purged to keep everyone safe.


    With this declaration in place, every True Gods decreed a Holy War against the existence of the Power System and its followers.


    All the people who practiced different Power Systems were routinely killed and executed, while knowledge on these Power Systems were systematically destroyed too.


    This war brought a new age of chaos in the Multiverse, where even innocent beings were killed and tortured, just for the sake of completely wiping out any hints of Power Systems.


    A historian estimated that around 20% of the Multiverse''s entire population were systematically killed this time, a number which is frightening, given that the amount of living creatures at this period had already reached extreme numbers.


    Blood spilled everywhere, and the only safe place were the Divine Kingdoms under the control of the True Gods.


    With this harsh reaction by the True Gods against the Power Systems, it seemed that the Power Systems will not be able to last for long.


    But contrary to what the True Gods had expected, their Holy War agasint the Power Systems did not lead to the destruction of the latter.


    Instead, the Holy War by the True Gods actually became the catalyst for their end.


    *************


    During the middle part of the Upheaval Era, two powerful existences appeared in the Multiverse, both that became an immediate threat against the True Gods.


    The power that these two existences had was so great, that the momentum the True Gods had against the Power Systems quickly disappeared.


    **************


    The first of these two existences that appeared was the Abyss Realm, whose creation was hastened because of the Holy War.


    As its existence was tied to the emotions and feelings of all the living beings, the Abyss Realm can be considered to have a power comparable to that of a True God, although it is not a True God itself.


    The power of the Abyss was tied to the laws of Evil and Sin, powers that were refined until they became one of the first complete Power Systems in the Multiverse.  This Power System was of course the Abyss Magic Power System.


    With this complete Power System, the Abyss was able to tempt many beings under its banner. It offered them with power that they ''can'' use for themselves, and it also offered them protection against the ''bloodthirsty'' True Gods.


    Combining these temptations with its own special ''corruption'' method, the Abyss gained a following that was just as great as a True God''s, giving it the power to fight back against those who tried to destroy it.


    And this is exactly what the Abyss Realm did. It fought back against the True Gods, and in some cases, it also tried to destroy them.


    Using its high capabilities to infiltrate and corrupt countless beings, the Abyss Realm turned many of the True God''s worshippers into its own pawns. These pawns will then be used to kill other followers, a tactic that instantly weakened many True Gods.


    This tactic of the Abyss Realm was actually effective, that an estimate of 10 True Gods approached the verge of weakness, as most of their followers turned into mad rabids that only wanted to kill each other.


    This shameless tactic was enough to make the True Gods start treating the Abyss Realm in a hostile manner, and this should also be enough to make them wage war against it.


    But before the True Gods could start assaulting the Abyss Realm personally, the second existence that threatened their rule has appeared.


    *************


    A powerful human who called himself the Immortal Paragon, someone who dabbled in the path of the Immortal Cultivation, became the first living creature to Transcend the Laws of the Multiverse.


    He was  considered to be the strongest living creature that had ever lived, and even up to this day, nobody was considered to be more powerful than him.


    With his Transcendent Power alone, the Immortal Paragon easily killed weak True Gods, while he was able to fend off attacks from the moderately strong ones. As for the powerful True Gods like Magoi or Soahc, the Immortal Paragon did his best to elude their capture.


    There are many times that the Immortal Paragon were brought near to his death because of the extremely powerful True Gods. Many tried to assassinate him, while True Gods like Peced and Thead expended much of their life just to end him.


    But maybe due to his luck or some other external factors, the Immortal Paragon always managed to live for another day.


    These escapes from death allowed the Immortal Paragon to continuously grow stronger, and eventually it reached to the point that he reached a level that that was previously unknown to everyone.


    During his 1000th birthday, the Immortal Paragon became the first Monarch of the Multiverse, and he reached a power level so great, that most True Gods became trash to him.


    At this period, only the strongest True Gods can actually threaten him, but even they were now wary of his power. Both sides appeared to be able to kill each other, something that the Immortal Paragon took advantage of.


    While the True Gods were still wary of his newfound power,  the Immortal Paragon used this time to spread his now dominant Immortal Cultivation Power System all over the Multiverse. He supported the creation of countless Immortal Sects, and he protected those who were nearing his level of power.


    The Immortal Paragon also accepted disciples from all kinds of races, who all immediately became powerhouses of their own.


    By the end of the Upheaval Era, the Immortal Paragon was able to create a force which became powerful  enough to rival that of countless True Gods''.


    Such power roused the True Gods from their suspended states, as they realized that if this goes on, even those that are the strongest from them might be annihilated.


    **************


    With their camp besieged on both sides by two powerful entities, the True Gods knew that they must make an action already.


    If they let things go on, the Abyss Realm will just corrupt more people and the Immortal Pagan will recruit more disciples, which will weaken the True Gods more.


    The True Gods were not willing to let themselves fall down an absolute path of demise anymore. They were extremely proud, and the notion of a living being and a false god having the power to kill them did not sit well on their minds.


    As such, on the Immortal Paragon''s 2000th birthday, the True Gods declared a war against the Abyss Realm and the Immortal Paragon.


    This war, which was considered as the greatest and bloodiest war in the history of the Multiverse, has led to the fall of countless legends and powerful beings.


    Many powerful Transcendents and Abyssal Monsters were felled during this time, which is a great loss for the living creatures.


    Many True Gods were killed too, as the sudden cooperation between the Immortal Paragon and the Abyss Realm turned the tables.


    This war raged on for decades, and by the end of it, only 3 powerful beings remained standing on the 3 warring camps.


    The True God of Destruction of Death Soahc, the Immortal Paragon, and the Abyss Realm were these beings, and they did not let each other off.


    Without any distractions from any petty fights, these 3 beings unleashed all of their power against each other.


    It was unknown how this three-way battle actually happened, but its end results were all known by everyone.


    Through his sheer willpower and astounding might, the Immortal Paragon was able to kill Soahc, although it cost the Immortal Paragon his life.


    As for the Abyss Realm, this battle inflicted  a grievous injury on its soul and body, one which it still tries to recover up until this day.


    ************


    All the historians stated that the end of this war signaled the end of the Upheaval Era.


    All the True Gods were already dead at this point, which meant that their influence was gone. Only the might of the Power Systems remained, and they became the new dominant force in the Multiverse.


    This new Era was eventually called the Trasndncen Era, the Era on which everyone''s goal is to Transcend the Laws.


    This is the current Era in the Multiverse, the Era which Alex and his companions were living in¡­


    ______________________


    Survey About the current arc.


    What is the significance of Alina, Queen Mother, Professor Frances, and Wisteria being separated from one another? Will it become a vital part of their trip?


    What is the probable explanation for Queen Mother''s fluctuating behavior?


    Should Queen Mother''s wariness against the True Gods be the right attitude in regards to this trip?


    What could Alex be scheming by doing all this?


    Speaking of Alex, how badly corrupted is he right now?

 Chapter 738 - To chop a Tree, you can target the Roots

    "¡­."


    If it were Professor Frances or Alina who were in Queen Mother''s shoes, these two would surely give up already, since they lack the patience to persevere when all odds are against them.


    Queen Mother would be like this too, if it were not for her trait as a World Tree.


    "Should I give up just because my own skills are too weak to assist me?"


    "Of course not. There might not be a solution that I can think for my escape right now, but that does not mean that there are no solutions."


    "Maybe the time is not yet ripe, or that I haven''t thought of the solution yet..."


    Queen Mother is not a human. She is also not an animal either.


    She is a plant-based specie instead, one that is meant to conquer and dominate a world.


    "¡­."


    With this kind of biology pervading her body, Queen Mother''s mindset is naturally incomparable from other beings.


    Queen Mother is technically a long-lived tree after all, so her concepts of time and patience are way different compared to other creatures.


    Matters that might make other creatures impatient are nothing more but a small matter for Queen Mother, as her aged mind and lengthy lifespan had granted her a mindset of an ''extremely'' patient person.


    Tasks that might require frequent repetitions or that occur for a long time are just a leisure past-time for Queen Mother, and she won''t feel any hints of impatience with these activities.


    It will take around tens or hundreds of years before someone like Queen Mother could get fed up doing something, a trait that made her suitable for ''grinding'' activities¡­.


    In today''s case,  this trait made itself apparent in regards to Queen Mother''s space-time dilemma.


    "Since it''s like this, then I should just continue thinking!"


    "Yes, I should continue thinking!"


    Queen Mother might look like she was panicking because she was trapped, but this does not mean that she had already lost hope of escaping.


    Her ''patient'' mindset had already conditioned her for situations like this, so she has no problem on staying here for longer.


    She can wait it out for years, a time period that she will obviously use to think of a way to escape.


    Which she did, and this time, she did not let her fear of being left behind disrupt her thoughts.


    "Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse."


    "Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse¡­."


    "Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse¡­."


    "Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse¡­."


    "¡­."


    Since the option of using her abilities to escape was already impossible, Queen Mother had to think of other ways to free herself.


    But what solution can Queen Mother think of, when her own abilities have no use for her freedom?


    It''s not like she can just wish for someone to swoop in and save her, right?


    "¡­." Queen Mother knew this limitation,  so she had prepared herself to stay in this place for a much longer time.


    By doing this, the solution that she is looking for might be revealed¡­


    Maybe there is a hidden way to escape that she still had not thought of, and she had to just think deeper so that she can discover it¡­


    Maybe there is a special method that she can use with her body that she had just forgotten¡­


    Or maybe all of her ''waiting time'' could clue her allies in to her dilemma, which could lead to them personally freeing her¡­


    "Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse."


    "Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse¡­."


    "Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse¡­."


    "Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse. Space-Time Loop. Crown. Escape. Giant Corpse¡­."


    "¡­."


    _______________


    _______________


    1 HOUR LATER.


    "¡­"


    Queen Mother''s body could be seen as sparkling at this point, as it was surprisingly covered with a thick layer of sweat that clung like a film on her smooth skin.


    This layer of sweat came from all of her efforts to brainstorm, and she seemed to be too engrossed on what she was doing to even clean herself up.


    She just allowed all of this sticky and slimy layer of sweat to stay on her skin, which grew into puddles as she continued to sweat more.


    Such appearance made this tree woman looked disheveled, which when coupled with her furrowed face and clenched teeth, also made her appear like a crazed person that is descending slowly to madness¡­


    "¡­."


    With this appearance of hers, Queen Mother seemed to reach a dangerous state, one where she is unable to last for much longer.


    In fact, she appeared to be just one disturbance away before she completely loses control of herself, and that was not an exaggeration.


    "¡­."


    Her ''patient'' attitude might still be working this time, but the stress of her captivity had drastically reduced Queen Mother''s tolerance for her situation.


    "¡­"


    At this moment, Queen Mother''s mental framework can only last for a few more minutes before she completely gives in to all of her despair.


    A few minutes might not seem too short, but for Queen Mother who was still trapped in the loop, these few minutes were her only chance to retain her sanity and freedom.


    If she does not find a solution within this time period, then there is no more hope for Queen Mother to ever return to her allies¡­.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Fortunately for Queen Mother, when she reached the last-minute of her free-thinking period, she found the very thing that she was looking for.


    "Wait a second¡­. I remember something that Alex told me before. He said to me that the best way to solve a problem was by tackling its roots. I should take out the mastermind of the problem, and my problem will quickly be solved."


    "I¡­ can apply that solution here, right?"


    "Yes, I can apply it here! I can escape from this Space-Time Loop, as long as I attack the thing that is making this loop happen!"


    "Which means that I have to do something to that metal crown!"


    "If I deal with that crown, maybe¡­ just maybe, I can escape from this trap!"


    Queen Mother''s desperate bid to discover an escape path actually bore fruit, and it was her perseverance to think that gave her this success.


    "Argh! I know this could backfire against me, but since there is no way for me to escape, then I should just do this!"


    "My body is powerful anyway, so I could probably live even after doing something to that crown!"


    Maybe it was the panic of her body being forced in an unknown situation, or the discomfort of having her life placed on a platter, but Queen Mother appeared to have gained the courage to perform an action that even her normal self would never try to do.


    Queen Mother actually thought of attacking the metal crown, which was the object that has been keeping her trapped all this time!


    This is obviously a reckless action, but with Queen Mother left with nothing else to do, nobody would blame her for what she was about to attempt.


    "¡­This is not my fault for thinking up of this method. I am blaming that damned crown, since it left me with no choice but to do this!"


    "So crown, don''t blame me if things get messy here. One of us will surely be hurt, and I will make sure that I won''t be that losing side!"


    Since there is no more use for her to stay still, Queen Mother  hastily did what her mind told her to do.


    "Boom!"


    Queen Mother unhesitatingly launched herself forward, but this time she did not head away from the giant.


    She instead went towards the giant, more specifically to his head, where the crown was located!

 Chapter 739 - Pleasure and Pain always come together

    "Designated Target: The crown, which is possibly a possession of the Space-Time True God Korno."


    With a voice similar to a well-oiled machine, the determined Queen Mother chanted these words as her body got closer and closer to the crown.


    "Level of Danger: Unknown, although previous effects show that the crown is a powerful sealing artifact."


    This voice of hers was unlike what she sounded earlier, which was full of indecision and tenison.


    "Method of Dealing with the Target: Barrage it with attacks."


    This change on her voice was subtly jarring, but it was not the only change that occurred during this time.


    Even Queen Mother''s demeanor and movements had changed too, and they became more and more pronounced as she got nearer to her target.


    _________________


    Queen Mother''s current face wore a determined look instead of a worried one, which indicated that she had already gotten over her anxiety.


    Her skin, which was covered with her sweat earlier, also showed a change, as it released a greenish aura that permeated her surroundings.


    "Huom¡­"


    This aura did not have any effects on the objects that it touched, but it visibly improved the power emanated by Queen Mother.


    In fact, this aura had massively upgraded Queen Mother''s inherent strength, which happened through the sudden contraction of all the ''muscles'' in her body.


    "Creak¡­" Each muscle present in Queen Mother all shrank under the influence of her aura, with each muscle strand taking and storing in as much power as they possibly could. This allowed Queen Mother to store more power while increasing her density, factors that exponentially raised her strength.


    "Creak¡­" The immense contractive force accompanying this change made her squint her eyes in pain, but she did not let out a grunt even when she continued shrinking her muscles.


    She just gritted her teeth as her body visibly deflated too, with her skin also shrinking to accommodate the sudden lack of her volume.


    "Creak¡­" 3 more intense contractions passed by before Queen Mother''s aura stopped its ''improvement'', and she could not help but sigh while looking at the new changes that decorated her.


    Now, Queen Mother looked more like a muscle-bound monster rather than a graceful tree woman, whose beautiful face could not offset the frightening bulges created by her over-cramped muscles.


    Her thighs  looked more like bamboo and her limbs became monstrosities, while her torso appeared to be similar to a shrunken piece of meat jerky¡­.


    Queen Mother was noticeably distressed with this change of appearance, but she did not have any heart to complain about this, as she had already achieved what she was aiming for.


    "¡­"


    As of this point, each strand of Queen Mother''s contracted muscles contains enough strength to level a city, and it could even go higher because of the effects of her life force.


    Combine all of these strands together, and the power that they could display was something that nobody can easily imagine.


    In fact, even Queen Mother was not sure on how strong her muscles are as of now¡­


    All that she could do was to clumsily contain all of the power in her muscles, which in her opinion, can now give her the strength to demolish countless planets!


    "Hmph, with this new body cultivation method that I used, I am sure that my physical power was already beyond any normal Sixth Stage Beings. In fact, I can say that my current form can hurt even those at the Half-Step Transcendent Stage¡­"


    "Of course that last point was just a hypothesis, but I really am confident about my strength."


    "Because of that, I am sure that once I attack this crown, something will happen to it."


    "I just hope that it will be enough to let me  free¡­"


    The boost on her power had visibly encouraged Queen Mother to continue her plan, which she emulated by c.o.c.king her arm back as far as she possibly could.


    "Creak¡­" This wind-up action showed that Queen Mother had no more qualms on waiting, and that she''s already prepared to unleash an attack towards the crown.


    More specifically, Queen Mother was prepared to punch the crown, and she seemed interested on unleashing her planet-destroying level of strength with this attack¡­.


    ___________


    ___________


    With this kind of power waiting to be unleashed any moment now, Queen Mother was visibly giddy, as she could hardly wait to see what happens once she starts her move.


    After all, this is the first time that Queen Mother will attempt using more than 100% of her strength!


    Will the crown shatter under her blow, or will it be her who gets injured because of the backlash?


    Whatever happens next is up for Queen Mother to know, and she''s not that cowardly to stop herself from attacking.


    "Hmph, I am saving this punch for Alex''s face, as that smug mofo needs to be disfigured due to his deeds. But because of this s***y crown, I guess my physical prowess had to make its debut here¡­""


    With the distance between Queen Mother and the crown barely a meter, she only needed to let her punch fly in order to achieve her goal.


    She just has to punch any moment now, and all of her efforts might come into fruition.


    "¡­."


    But before she could punch, Queen Mother hesitated for a second, as she recalled some of her doubts about the crown.


    "I know for a fact that this crown was owned by Korno and that he used it as his weapon before. But this fact does not explain why this crown will suddenly be in this place¡­."


    "Shouldn''t this crown be located on a place other than this weird area? Oh, and because Korno is technically dead, this crown should have been beside him."


    "But instead of having it near Korno, this crown is actually here, worn by a giant who''s still ''sleeping'' at this point."


    "No matter which way you look at it, this is problematic and suspicious."


    "Who the hell is this giant and why is he wearing the crown? Is this giant Korno himself? Or is this someone who managed to wear the crown before and he just died while wearing it?"


    These doubts were not the kinds that made her worried, but it was still enough to make her ponder about them.


    Emphasis on ponder, as Queen Mother quickly shook these doubts away.


    "Ah whatever. Thinking about these right now won''t help me at all."


    "So who cares who got this crown and why it is here?"


    "I have no interest for that, as I should be interested on escaping first!"


    "So Queen Mother, stop having these errant thoughts! Just punch the crown, and think of your doubts later!"


    "Just punch the crown, and then worry about the other stuff after that!"


    Since she had already prepared her body for attacking, and since she had no more leeway to relax, Queen Mother has no more time to entertain her mundane thoughts.


    Just like what she thought earlier, Queen Mother just have to punch, and she will just worry about other problems later.


    ___________


    ___________


    Because her mind was clear of any worries, and because her body was prepared for her action, Queen Mother was 100% sure that her punch won''t be meeting any interruptions anymore.


    So she focused all of her entirety on unleashing her punch, which felt smooth considering all her stress in creating it.


    "Boom!"


    Due to her mind achieving a peak state of focus, Queen Mother''s punch seemed to move in slow-motion in reference to her observation.


    What should have been an instant for Queen Mother became a few ''seconds'' of time, which she did not waste as she focused all of her attention on her unleashed punch.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    In Queen Mother''s eyes, her punch was still sailing through the space at this point, and yet it already created countless tears in space that were as large as mountains.


    These tears in space were of course quickly treated by the crown, but seeing them were enough to make Queen Mother smile.


    "Hoho, so my punch was this powerful already? Hehehe, I wonder what would happen once it reaches that crown¡­"


    As her mind was still on its peak state, Queen Mother still had to wait for a few more ''seconds'' before her punch could actually reach the crown.


    That time was of course not wasted by Queen Mother, as she adjusted her body in order to increase the output power of her punch.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    "Yes.. yes¡­ that''s it! Just make more tears in space like this! This just shows that my punch is powerful!"


    It was a good thing that Queen Mother did her adjustments in a hurried manner, as before she could know it, the distance between her fist and the crown was already a few millimeters.


    This is virtually nothingness, which made Queen Mother sure of one thing:  After she blinks at this point, her punch would have made contact with her target already.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    So Queen Mother blinked, with her heart hoping that once she opens her eyes, she would see the destroyed remnants of the hateful crown.


    "This is it¡­ Now I will see wat happens to my plan."


    "Tsk, I hope this succeeds. Because if it doesn''t, then I am screwed here."


    "But why should I be worried? Knowing about my power, I will sur-f**k, someone''s attacking me from behind!"


    But before this could happen, Queen Mother''s senses suddenly tingled, warning her of danger coming from behind.


    This danger made Queen Mother turn around and stop her punch, but it was already too late.


    "Slash!"


    Queen Mother felt a severe and debilitating series of  pain on her back, one which was potent enough to make her scream in agony.


    "Argh!" She felt being elbowed, kicked, slapped, punctured, punched, and smashed on her back all at the same time, with these sensations  being magnified as time passed by.


    "Argh!" This extreme pain made Queen Mother scream like a person who was tortured for years, as that was how painful the attack felt for her.


    "Argh"!" There was no pain in this world that was comparable to this sensation, and all of these pain was too much even for someone like her.


    "Argh!" She could not wait to have this pain end already, which unfortunately did not happen, as more attacks were unleashed by her attacker.


    "Argh! Argh! Argh!"


    The attacks this time were targeted towards her legs, and Queen Mother could barely stop herself from crying, as the pain that she got was even worse here.


    She felt like her legs were being boiled, roasted, frozen, sawed, crushed and minced at the same time, and that was just the initial pain that she felt.


    They also magnified as time passed by, and by the moment that she felt that her back was like a molten magma, her legs started to feel like they were filled with fire ants.


    This amount of pain was too much for Queen Mother already, but to her horror, it even  got worse!


    "Argh!!!" All the pain present on her legs actually combined with the pain on her back, creating a cacophony of torturous sensations that assaulted all of Queen Mother''s sensitive nerves.


    "Gruh gruh gruh¡­" The confident Queen Mother was already gone at this point, as the pain had made her  convulse like a worm sprinkled with salt.


    Her arms and limbs  were barely twitching in response to her new sensations, while her mind became blank, as if the pain broke her capacity to think.

 Chapter 740 - Peak of Strength!

    Seconds then passed by, with the intelligent light on Queen Mother''s eyes starting to fade, as if the pain was making her regress to a state of non-sentience.


    Her whole skin appeared to undergo some changes too, as they slowly became bark-like instead of their normal smooth form. Her body then lost its human structure, and it became closer to that of a tree¡­.


    Roots then appeared on Queen Mother next, followed by leaves on her head and branches all over her chest¡­


    "Gruh¡­"


    Such extreme changes in her body were undoubtedly shocking, and for it to happen to Queen Mother was a great waste, especially since it was all caused by a shameless sneak attack.


    And it was made worse by the fact that the person who attacked Queen Mother was seemingly uninterested on killing her, which brings many worse scenarios for the tree woman.


    "Gruh¡­"


    Whoever was the person who attacked Queen Mother now, they did not seem interested on killing her. This enemy instead made her experience extreme pain, and they then waited for her as she began transforming back to her non-intelligent tree form.


    This indicates that the attacker''s interest was mostly on capturing Queen Mother, and with the capabilities that this person showed, they seem to be perfectly able to pull it off.


    "Gruh¡­."


    Just the two attacks from the enemy was enough to make Queen Mother this disabled, and she still had not seen the attacker!


    "Gruh¡­."


    This speaks much about the skills of her opponent, and it was enough to make Queen Mother lament, especially since she knew that she could have run away with all the free time that she had.


    Running away is of course impossible for Queen Mother at this moment, so she can only lament as she felt more and more of her body collapsing from the pain.


    "Gruh¡­."


    Because of this pain and her disappointment to herself, the delirious Queen Mother can only curse out inwardly while she tried her best to stabilize her damaged mind.


    "Ugh¡­. This damned attacker¡­. They must have known that I am weak against attacks that target either the mind or soul¡­. That is the only explanation on how this attacker could can reduce me to this state¡­."


    "And from the looks of it, this attacker can still dish out more attacks like this on me¡­."


    " And the reason that this person is not attacking me again is maybe because he or she is afraid of accidentally killing me¡­"


    "Ugh¡­ this is f***ed up. My enemy was actually worried about not killing me? "


    "This is both humiliating and enlightening, which I can use for my mediation exercises¡­"


    "It''s just too bad that I do not have any time to do meditation with all this s**t bothering me¡­"


    _____________


    _____________


    It was only Queen Mother''s high-level of power and her trained mind that allowed her to partially resist the mind-numbing effects of her bodily pain.  This was also the only reason why Queen Mother has not fully been subsumed yet, and she was doing her best to make it stay that way.


    Unfortunately for the tree woman, her resistance was gettting eroded by the pain too, to the point that she could only watch as her paltry hold on her changing body was slowly disappearing¡­


    "¡­Whatever I do with my mind here does not matter anymore, since my enemy is clearly stronger than me in that manner."


    "That means that any attempt of mine to stabilize my mind will fail, since I am  weaker in terms of mind and soul."


    "So I should not waste time on protecting my mind anymore."


    "This will not help me escape, and it will just implicate me on more dangers!"


    "If I really want to escape this predicament¡­ then I must use a different way to beat my attacker!"


    Queen Mother tried a few more times to stabilize herself, but the prowess of her attacker was just too much for her.


    The enemy was clearly talented on the field on mind and soul abilities, so there is no more point for Queen Mother to even bother with this area. Further attempts to resist on this area will just bring more doom on the partially paralyzed Queen Mother.


    The only way that Queen Mother can hope to beat her enemy was by fighting them in the area that she was greatly expert in.


    Which means that Queen Mother has to use her physical strength, as this was the only attribute that she''s confident on fighting with!


    "My soul is close to collapsing, and my mind is already at the brink of being subdued¡­ this leaves me with no choice but to make an action right at this moment."


    "If I don''t do anything at this instant, I will lose my chance of escaping!"


    "So Queen Mother, use all the cards that you can use in this situation!"


    Knowing that her mind was about to be conquered any moment now, Queen Mother did not hesitate as she unleashed a desperate attack from her battered body.


    "Use your f**king body to assault your attacker!"


    "That will be the only possible way for you to win this encounter!"


    Ignoring the pain coursing through her veins, Queen Mother used what remained of her feet to catapult herself forward. She then used her aura to multiply the power that she generated at this point, which resulted in one almighty push that propelled her body like a rocket.


    "Boom!" The end result was a flying projectile made up of Queen Mother''s body, which now sailed directly to the person that she was itching to hit since earlier. Which is no other than her attacker, who just happened to be a few hundred meters behind Queen Mother.


    "Argh!!!" More pain assaulted Queen Mother''s body as her action violated the tree-like structure of her limbs. She should be like a tree at this point, unmoving and immobile at her current location.


    But Queen Mother did the opposite, and it resulted in a backlash that battered her already broken body.


    "Guh!" More green blood sputtered out of her mouth, and her nerves began to fry themselves due to the feedback from her erroneous actions.  She even began vomiting her own flesh, as all the pressure that hit her body was too much even for her.


    "Blergh¡­"


    This resulted on a horrendous sight, one that nobody will be able to forget.


    "Blergh¡­"


    Even Queen Mother will never forget her current state too, as her actions actually brought her closer to death.


    "Blergh¡­"


    Because of this, any misstep at this point will directly lead to Queen Mother''s demise, which is obviously much worse compared to the pain that she experienced earlier.


    "Blergh¡­"


    This condition definitely made Queen Mother disappointed, but she was left with no choice but to put her body at this kind of risk.


    Because if she didn''t, then her whole life will be under the mercy of her powerful attacker.


    "Well, who cares if I am hurt right now. I already accomplished my goal, so I don''t have to be this worried. What I should worry instead is my plan with this attacker!"


    __________


    __________


    Queen Mother was extremely knowledgeable about her body, so she knew how valuable she was and she was also aware on how useful each of her body parts were.


    She was a World Tree after all, one of the only beings in the whole Multiverse that can use natural evolution to reach Transcendence Stage.


    With such enticing and exciting body, there is no doubt that Queen Mother will be a good material, especially to people who wanted to reach the fabled Transcendent Stage.


    The person attacking Queen Mother today should be one of these people, hence Queen Mother has no interest on letting them have his way with her!


    "If I fail on this attack, I might die or become extremely weak. That is bad, but being captured by this enemy will surely be worse."


    "So I don''t care even if I feel like I should preserve my life. I''d rather be dead than to be experimented upon by my enemies!"


    With this warning in mind, Queen Mother had no hesitation at all as she executed the strongest physical attack that she had ever used in her life.


    "Take this, you shameless bastard! Fist of the World Devourer!"


    "Boom!" Queen Mother unleashed another punch this time, but unlike her other punches, the power in this punch was only concentrated inside it.


    There were no shockwaves that this punch released on its surroundings, and it did not accidentally set off any spatial tears.


    The punch just moved like normal, with all of its power contained on her fist.


    "Schwing¡­" Such concentration of power made Queen Mother''s punch look mundane, but she and her target knew that this punch was anything but ordinary.


    After all, this attack represented the peak usage of the Law of Strength, which should be enough to make it a fatal move!


    "By concentrating all the power in my attack inside one point, and just unleashing it once I reach the target, it will result on an explosive move that will annihilate anything that it will touch. This is extremely fatal, and I am sure that it will be effective on you too, you shameless bastard!"


    Because of the suddenness of her propelling action, and because of the domineering speed of her attack, Queen Mother''s attacker was unable to dodge her strongest punch.


    "Crack¡­"


    Her enemy can only watch as her fist landed squarely on his belly, which was proceeded by what can Queen Mother only say as the best sight that she had ever seen this day.


    "Boom!" Once her punch collided with the enemy''s belly, Queen Mother allowed all the power contained inside her fist to explode outwards, creating an explosive blast that crushed and destroyed all that was in its path.


    This included the torso of her target, which popped like a balloon in face of her power.


    "Argh!" This enemy''s limbs then followed next, with their entirety exploding like fireworks. Not even the enemy''s fingers and feet were spared, as they also got destroyed in an instant.


    The only part of her enemy that was left intact was his head, which suffered no damage at all.


    "Hah¡­."


    These injuries should technically be fatal, since the body was already destroyed.


    But the enemy actually survived, even when he only had his head remaining!


    Such tenacity was hard to see these days, so for a second, Queen Mother found herself taken aback by the sight of this still-alive head.


    "¡­."


    Queen Mother however did not let herself be surprised for long, as she realized that it will not be easy for her to kill someone like this person.


    In fact, she was already happy upon seeing that she was able to injure her enemy this deeply.


    After all, Queen Mother''s enemy was actually a Traveler himself!


    ______________


    ______________


    "So it''s you¡­ the Soul Warlock Iskanor. You are the one who sneaked attacked me today¡­"


    With a face like a teacher who was disappointed with her student, Queen Mother gave the injured Traveler Iskanor a disappointed grimace.


    She then resisted the urge to kick him, as she found his face too much of an annoyance.


    "Tsk, you''re clearly smiling when you attacked me. You can''t deny that, so don''t give me that pleading look!"


    "Oh, and now you are smiling again? You really are a shameless man! You are much worse than any shameless bastards that I have ever met before!"


    "How could you even have the audacity to smirk like that? Are you actually out of your mind?"


    "¡­.."


    "¡­."


    She was obviously disgusted with what this man did, and the fact that he targeted Queen Mother''s weakness just made her feel much more disdained.


    "Hmph, I wonder how you feel this time, now that I managed to injure you¡­"


    "Do you feel angry to me? Or do you not feel any fear at all?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Of course you will not answer. Of course you won''t¡­."


    Because of the things that this man did, the majority of emotions that Queen Mother has for him was obviously anger.


    After all, no one can just feel calm after seeing the person who gave you a lot of torment¡­


    But aside from her red-hot steaming rage,  Queen Mother was also feeling curious, especially on the reason that Iskanor appeared in this place.


    Did this man follow her as she approached the crown, or did he also found himself lost here too?


    And why did this man even attack her? Was it because he wanted to experiment on her, or was it because he was interested on the crown too?


    These questions rang like melodious bells inside Queen Mother''s mind, and they all wanted to be answered already.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    Obviously, Queen Mother could have done some thinking in order to have these questions answered, but she clearly had no interest on doing that.


    Why would even Queen Mother try talking to this man, when he was obviously hostile to her?


    If Queen Mother tires to talk to Iskanor, this could give this Traveler a chance to make his move, which will just make her  situation worse!


    "Well, I don''t care what you actually feel."


    "Since you took the initiative to attack my soul, then I will make you pay back for that!"


    "So prepare yourself, for that punch was just the start!"


    So instead of talking like a civilized person, Queen Mother only took a 1-second break before she unleashed another punch towards her enemy.


    "Boom!" This time, she made sure that her punch will hit right on the center of Iskanor''s head.

 Chapter 741 - Evil and Good

    To  Queen Mother''s relief, Iskanor''s head was just as soft as his own body.


    It also broke under her punch, and it exploded in a violent manner just like his body.


    "Splak!"


    There are no more descriptions needed for what had happened, as the sight of an exploding head was already an enough imagery for Queen Mother.


    It could have even made her feel sick, were it not for her experience with this kind of macabre matters before¡­


    "¡­"


    ___________


    ___________


    Since she had no interest on watching a head pop, Queen Mother just shook her head for a second before she focused on storing more power on her fist.


    She then clenched it tight,  with her heart hoping that she can use her fist to batter her opponent for one more time.


    But as much as she wanted to deal more pain on her opponent, she found herself unable to do so.


    Why? It was because she had no more targets to punch at this point.


    "¡­."


    Even if Queen Mother will feel satisfied on punching a card-sized part of Iskanor, this is also impossible for her as her last attack left her with nothing to target anymore.


    Her explosions were just too powerful, to the point that both Iskanor''s body and head were blasted away into the far reaches of the void.


    All the entrails, bones, and flesh that existed within Iskanor were the majority of the fragments that were blasted away, leaving nothing but pieces of his hair and clothes floating in the void.


    "¡­"


    These pieces were obviously too small to be carried away by her blows, so Queen Mother was not surprised on seeing them. She just nodded upon seeing these pieces, as if they confirmed the might of her attack.


    "¡­" She even allowed some of these pieces to touch her shriveled skin, treating them as nothing more but dust that had no actual effect against her body.


    "¡­"


    If it were her former version earlier, Queen Mother will surely feel repulsed, even when she is just touching the pieces of hair left behind by her enemy.


    This man was after all, a person that Queen Mother fully hated.


    But she just ignored these pieces and their revolting silkiness, as her mind was preoccupied with other matters.


    More specifically, Queen Mother was engrossed on thinking about her opponent''s reaction to her attacks.


    "When I saw that it was the Traveler Iskanor who attacked me, I thought that I will have to fight a life-death battle here so that I can escape."


    "That was the reason why I unleashed my strongest attack already, even at the expense of my injuries."


    "I was prepared to fight to the line here, but instead of having that, what I got was this?"


    "A Traveler as powerful as Iskanor just died after I punched him two times?"


    "This is certainly illogical¡­"


    As much as Queen Mother prided her strength, she knew her limitations, especially against enemies that could be well beyond her expertise.


    That is why she never treated Iskanor as a minor enemy, even when his expertise on soul abilities rendered his physical body weak.


    Yes, Iskanor will surely receive damage from Queen Mother, since Queen Mother used her greatest strength against Iskanor''s greatest weakness.


    But the damage that Iskanor should have received should have not been this bad.


    He actually died just from two attacks by Queen Mother?


    There is no way that this is possible, and Queen Mother was not an idiot to think that she had just won.


    "¡­Since I am 100% sure that my power is not enough to kill Iskanor, then what happened here is not what I really thought¡­"


    If the real Iskanor was not supposed to be this weak, then the fact that she saw Iskanor dying made Queen Mother realize that maybe, the Iskanor that she met here was not the real Iskanor.


    Maybe this Iskanor is an impostor, one who was only meant to attack and capture Queen Mother without any care for his defensive abilities¡­


    "If my guess is right, then the Iskanor that I killed here was not the real Iskanor!"


    "This ''Iskanor'' should have been a fake or maybe a clone, someone that the real Isknanor has been controlling from a different place!"


    Given that she had no more ideas on what could have happened here, Queen Mother slightly accepted this new theory of hers, as it perfectly rationalized everything that had happened.


    In fact, this theory also provided Queen Mother with other clues, all which made her feel happy in spite of her self-inflicted injuries.


    "Having Iskanor''s clone in this place instead of the real him could explain everything!


    " It can explain why ''Iskanor'' can use the real Iskanor''s attacks, as ''he'' is  just a clone that was meant to manifest the real Iskanor''s abilities."


    "This could also explain why ''his'' body collapsed easily against my attack! ''His'' body was just not meant to be as powerful as the real Iskanor, so ''he'' just easily exploded under my blow!"


    "Yes¡­ it perfectly explains everything, and it also gives me a view of what happened here!"


    By this point, the injuries that Queen Mother had acc.u.mulated were starting to take a toll on her, and it made her feel extremely weak.


    And in actuality, the current Queen Mother could barely stop herself from fainting, as her last two attacks also took a lot out of her life force.


    The only reason that she was standing now was her excitement from winning, and the notion that the real Iskanor could just be lurking nearby¡­


    In fact, Queen Mother did all that she could to not faint, as her discovery of her enemy''s clone manipulation abilities gave her more dilemmas to worry about.


    More specifically, Queen Mother discovered two dilemmas.


    "¡­Since the ''Iskanor'' that I fought was just a clone, then there  are two scenarios that could be happening here."


    "First is that the real Iskanor is just nearby, and the reason why I met his clone  was because he sent it to this place."


    "Second is that the real Iskanor was actually far away  from this place, and he just used some of his special abilities to make his clone come here¡­"


    "If the first case was the true scenario, then I am in a bad situation. I just killed Iskanor''s clone, so there is no doubt that he will attempt to come here in order to finish me off."


    "If the second case was the true scenario, then I am in a slightly good situation. Even if that man knew that I attacked him, he has no way of reaching this place yet¡­"


    These two dilemmas were both worrying for Queen Mother,  so she knew that if she had the chance, she would have done something already in order to deal with these problems.


    Which is what she had been trying to do now, but she suddenly stopped worrying about them, as these dilemmas actually made Queen Mother realize another important matter.


    "Wait a second¡­"


    The two dilemmas that Queen Mother imagined might lead to different endings to her, but both actually revolve around one concept.


    And that concept was the very place that Queen Mother was in right now, which the real Iskanor seem to treat with care.


    "Even if the first and second cases were different, there is actually one similar thing between them."


    "And that is the fact that in both cases, Iskanor sent a clone to this place!"


    "Just that gesture alone shows that this place is important to him, to the point that he was willing to risk his clone''s life just to stop anyone from doing anything funny!"


    Since Iskanor sent a clone  to this place, then it means that there is something about this place that he deemed important.


    Whatever this important object could be must be of high value, which certainly made Queen Mother feel interested about it.


    But Iskanor''s clone did not actually say what he was looking for, so Queen Mother initially found herself wondering about her deceased opponent''s target.


    "¡­"


    Since the clone did not show any clues, Queen Mother relied more on ''his'' actions and gestures, which unfortunately are too few given ''his'' short-lived stint.


    But eventually, Queen Mother''s imagination was able to help her, and she reached the answer that she was looking for.


    "In my case, Iskanor used his clone to stop me from approaching the crown¡­"


    "He might not have said it, but that clone''s actions prevented me from even touching the crown."


    "It was as if¡­ as if he does not want to me to do something to the crown¡­"


    "Oh! So that means that  Iskanor''s main target is this crown!"


    _____________


    _____________


    AT THE SAME TIME


    ANCESTRAL TOMB, NORTHERN PORTION.


    Amongst the empty and desolate landscape in this area, there was only a single figure that could be seen.


    "¡­."


    This figure was that of a man seating in a meditative pose, with his eyes closed in a tranquil manner.


    "¡­"


    His whole body was letting out a calm and peaceful demeanor as he maintained this pose, with his handsome appearance certainly adding a great charm to his persona.


    His fashionable clothes did not hurt his appearance either, and one can even say that the contrast between his ancient pose and his modern dress elevated his already transcendent appearance.


    "¡­"


    This clean, intriguing, and peaceful look has made the man appear as if he was a creature  of pure kindness and charm, but that quickly changed once he opened his eyes.


    "Schwong!"


    Red, devil-like light shone out of the man''s eyes, which was a great contrast to his peaceful aura. It even override all of his good points, making him closer to a devil rather than an angel.


    "Schwong!"


    This change was already enough to vilify the man''s image, but he managed to  make himself look worse once he began talking.


    "So that damned lesbian tree woman discovered my target huh. This is certainly vexing, and the fact that a lowly plant had seen it just makes me pissed."


    "But I should not be surprised that she defeated my clone. She is a Companion, so her skills should be on par with my clone."


    "Hehe, I can even say that that woman is impressive. I wonder how good it will be if she allies with us¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "ALLIES MY ASS! THERE IS NO WAY THAT I WOULD ALLY WITH A BITCH THAT RUINED MY PLANS!"


    "ARGH! IF I HAD THE CHANCE, I WILL PERSONALLY TAKE THAT WOMAN AND TORTURE HER PIECE BY PIECE! I WILL TEAR OF HER BARK WHILE I BOIL HER ALIVE, AND I WILL MAKE HER CRY AS I PULL HER ROOTS!"


    "I WILL PERSONALLY KILL ALL OF HER FRIENDS AND IT EAT IN FRONT OF THAT WOMAN! I WILL ALSO KILL ALL THE CREATURES THAT SHE CREATED, AND I WILL MAKE HER EAT THEIR CORPSES!"


    "I WILL-"


    "Oh well, nothing that I can do about it now. My clone was already killed there, so that crown is as good as hers already¡­."


    "So what should I do now? Oh right, change of plans."

 Chapter 742 - People die when they die

    DURING THE SAME TIME.


    SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE ANCESTRAL TOMB.


    While Alina was busy dealing with the religious beings that she brought with her, and while Queen Mother was ecstatic on her discovery of a new mystery, their remaining ally still found herself stuck on a life-death situation.


    "Ow!!!"


    Professor Frances, who still looked just as disheveled as before, did not have the same luxury as her other two allies.


    Instead of spending her time resting or scheming against her opponents, all that the poor professor could do now was to run away, as she continued to meet powerful monsters that targeted her life.


    "Ow!!!"


    It does not matter how careful the professor was in terms of her movements, or how good her camouflaging hormonal sprays were.


    As long as she got near some monsters, they will immediately start chasing her, and they seem uninterested on stopping at all!


    It was as if they will only stop once they catch Professor Frances, which she obviously does not want to occur.


    "Hey! What the f**k did I do to offend all of you? Do you have any bad blood with me? I mean, I did not even do anything to rile you up!"


    "I just passed by like a respectful human, and yet you all acted like I''m your great food!"


    "What the hell is wrong with you all!?"


    Because of the frightening might of her pursuers, and her lack of actual physical power, Professor Frances could only run for her life.


    She also had to exploit all the abilities that she could use in order to survive, as there is no possible way for her to live if her pursuers catch up to her.


    After all, most of these monsters were at the Peak Sixth Stage of Power, and they amounted to hundreds!


    Such amount of powerful beings will surely be hard enough for Alex, much less for someone like Professor Frances!


    "Argh!!! What the f**k should I do now? First it was just the mosquito that are chasing my ass. Now, every inconceivable living monsters are trying to get a piece out of me! This should not be happening!"


    "Argh!!! If I don''t do something here, it will only be a matter of time before they catch me!"


    "And if that happens, I might start becoming their snack¡­"


    No amount of words can describe the regret that the professor is feeling right now, and she could even say that this is the day where she felt the most regret in her life.


    If she could have just turned back the time, then Professor Frances might have done something so that she will not be brought here at this accursed place¡­.


    But what happened has already happened, so the regretful professor can only lament her current fate.


    "Since I am now here, then I might as well do my best to survive this dilemma."


    "However, my whole situation does not look good at all."


    "I have more chances of dying rather than living, and that could actually be the best end scenario for me here¡­"


    "F**k, now this is making me feel more pissed."


    The professor''s mood  got worse once she realized that her almost boundless life force was starting to dwindle too, as it was being consumed in an ungodly rate by her crazy escape maneuvers.


    She had to use countless soul spells, body modifications, and minion manipulations just to keep her body safe from the chasing monsters. These all consume a portion for her life force, and their consecutive and intensive use today certainly had a toll on her.


    It also did not help that some of the pursuing monsters  had the ability to steal life-force, which further drained her stock.


    "Judging by my escaping speed and the amount of power that remained in my body, I still can last  for one more minute¡­"


    "A lot can happen within one minute, so I must not lose any hope."


    "I can still escape within that time, so I should just keep on moving."


    "But these monsters could also catch me within that minute¡­"


    "Oh, and of course once that minute was used up, these monsters will undoubtedly catch me too¡­"


    "Wait, so does this mean that I am f**ked by now?"


    "No, not yet!"


    This left the professor with the 1-minute time limit that she just mentioned, which continued to tick and tick¡­


    _____________


    _____________


    "I must find a way to escape within this remaining 1 minute of time."


    "I must find a way to escape within this remaining 1 minute of time."


    "I must find a way to escape within this remaining 1 minute of time."


    "But what should I actually do? Should I-"


    [Slap!]


    The dilemma of her dwindling life force had the professor thinking desperately to herself, but it was unfortunately interrupted when a large, sucker-like leg hit her from behind.


    "Argh!" This leg came from a multi-legged spider who was currently the closest to the professor, whose face also drooled at every moment that it stared at her.


    This leg contained enough force to kill a normal creature, so it undoubtedly dealt some damage to the professor, even when the latter tried her best to dissipate the damage.


    "Argh!" Because of Professor Frances'' flawless dodge maneuver, she was able to make the leg hit her left side, which spared her torso from getting pierced through.


    Her left arm however was ripped off because of this move, leaving the professor gasping in great pain.


    "S***t!!!" This injury had the professor feeling incensed, but with her skills as a doctor, she can easily recover from this loss.


    Just one stitch and one spell will be enough, and she can get her arm back as if it was new.


    Well, she can only do it if she manages to escape from these monsters, which still seemed impossible at this point¡­


    And the injury that she just obtained just made things harder for the professor, who now had to deal with her dwindling life force along with a hungry horde and a bleeding stump.


    "F**k¡­. I expected to do great things once I arrive here in the Ancestral Tomb. This was supposed to be the time where I get to parasitize or even monsterize those bastards that were pestering Alina!"


    "But instead of that happening, this is actually the situation that I find myself placed in?"


    "Am I about to die here, without even showing off to my serv- allies?"


    "S**t, this is even worse than that time where Alex cut my head-off!"


    _____________


    _____________


    Her separation from her allies.


    Her lack of escaping abilities.


    Her lack of items that she could use to beat her pursuers.


    Her apparent weakness against most of these creatures.


    And her slowly diminishing vitality.


    These factors, combined with her recent injury, has made Professor Frances lose almost any hope of getting out alive from this place.


    How could she even escape, when all the factors that she needed to survive were gone?


    She had no allies to help her, and she had no abilities that can let her win.


    Even her prided biological skill was also useless here, and the best that it can only do was to  barely keep her body alive.


    "If this is the end for me, then I should make sure that it will be a meaningful one¡­"


    "Wait, what do I mean by a meaningful death? There is no such thing like that!"


    "People die when they die! And when they die, everything that they did will be meaningless!"


    "That''s the rule of nature, so there is no need for me to worry about the meaning of life¡­"


    "The meaning of life will disappear once I am dead, so why think about it?"


    "Wait, so does this mean that I am ready to die now?"


    "F**k."


    As much as she tried to deny it, Professor Frances knew that her situation was already hopeless.


    She had no more hopes of escaping, and she had no more abilities that she can use to kill her enemies.


    This means that sooner or later she will be caught by these monsters, and what happens to her after that will just be up to her luck¡­


    "Tsk, fine. So I am really dying here."


    "Since that was the case, then what should I do?"


    "Should I fight back or should I just let them have their way with me?"


    "Hm¡­.."


    The truth obviously hurts for Professor Frances, but with her experience with a lot of deaths, she had quickly accepted her fate.


    She accepted that she''s about to die, and she accepted the fact that none of her allies or ''friends'' will be witnessing her end.


    "The great Professor Frances, actually dying from being gangbanged by monsters¡­"


    "Well, this is a slightly awkward way of dying."


    "But at least those allies of mine won''t see the way that I die."


    "Speaking of my allies, how are their conditions now? Are they experiencing the same problems as me? Or are they having leisurely experiences there?"


    "I hope it will be the latter that happens, but I won''t complain if the former is happening to them too¡­"


    Of course there were still some reluctance inside the professor''s heart in regards to her death, as she still had a lot of things that she wanted to do.


    She was still busy on training her soul creation power, and she was still not done on her research about the improvement of her life creation abilities.


    She''s also not yet finished on her studies about the perfect life form, and all her plans to her monster army has not yet been fully realized yet.


    "¡­"


    All of these studies will surely bring Professor Frances a lot of prestige once she succeeds in them, but now they are about to be cut short because of her death.


    This is undoubtedly disappointing for the professor, but just like her impending separation from her allies, she had also learned to accept these failures¡­


    "Tsk, so what if my studies have been cut short? I might die, but Queen Mother can continue what I started."


    "She has all the records of my studies, so she can just use it to improve our ideas."


    "Yes, yes, yes.  My study of life will never end even when I am dead."


    "Queen Mother will just be the one to carry my ideals, and knowing her, she might succeed on tha-"


    "Hm? My life force is about to be used up already? My goodness, only 30 seconds had passed by¡­"


    "Oh well, this just means that my pursuers were too strong."


    For the nth time this day, Professor Frances was caught by surprise as she felt that her life force was about to be used up, even when only half of her 1-minute time limit has passed by.


    This obviously brought the professor to her death 30 seconds faster, but this did not make her feel that much negativity.


    She had already accepted her death after all, so having her death come early is nothing more but just an appointment change for her.


    "So¡­ I guess I should just stop moving now, right?"


    "I can''t do anything else after all, so I might as well let them finish me quickly¡­"


    "Okay now monsters¡­ Go and open your mouths to end my life!"


    "Do it quick, and you might earn some points from me!"


    The professor''s words showed that she was indeed perfectly fine on dying, and she made it more apparent when she removed all the defenses on her body, which then allowed the monsters to swarm all over her.


    By this point, only a few seconds were needed before the professor dies, and the eager monsters are obviously willing to make that happen.


    "So who wants to go first? Will it be you, spider-who-ate-my arm?"


    "Or will it be you, the gorilla-who-licked-my hair?"


    "Come on, don''t be shy! Just partake on me, and make a feas-"


    But before the professor could feel her body get ripped into pieces by these monstrosities, a palm which was as large as the sky suddenly materialized above her, which then proceeded unleash one simple slap against the monsters.


    "Kriya!!!"


    The blow released by this massive palm might seem gentle, but it easily killed all the monsters that surrounded the professor. Even the monsters who seemed unkillable perished under the palm too, and those that tried to run away were slaughtered by the palm''s shockwaves.


    "¡­."


    The only being that was unaffected by what the palm did was Professor Frances, who stood like a tense cat while staring at  the devastation that occurred around her.


    "What the?"


    She was visibly agitated with what just happened, which is hardly surprising, as she just saw a crowd of overwhelming creatures get killed in an instant.


    No matter how suicide-accepting the professor was, she is bound to feel nervous against this powerful newcomer.


    And this nervousness actually increased, when a familiar but also revolting voice suddenly echoed out from within the palm.


    >


    "What?"

 Chapter 744 - My laptop broke again.(And some re-posted content)

    My laptop has reached its 2nd birthday.


    So yeah, no surprise that it broke.


    I''m having it fixed now though, so I can hopefully post the next chapter later...


    ________________


    MULTIVERSE AND ITS REALMS


    A World is  either a planet or a heavenly body that is inhabited by sentient beings. Depending on the residents living in it, a World can be sentient and powerful.


    EXAMPLES: [EARTH] [TRAVELER''S WORLD] [IMMORTAL WORLD] [YIN-YANG WORLD]


    A Realm on the other hand is a collection of numerous Worlds, stars, and heavenly bodies all cohabiting a large volume of space. Uniform sets of rules and laws regulate a Realm.


    More often than not, there will only be one Power System that exists inside a Realm.


    EXAMPLES: [PRIMORDIAL SERPENT REALM] [ABYSS REALM] [HOLY ORDER REALM] [GOETIC ORDER REALM]


    As for the Multiverse, it is comprised of numerous Realms, all floating around the empty space. With the size and scope of the Realms making it up, the Multiverse can be considered to be extremely large and spatious.


    EXAMPLE: There is no example. There''s only one Multiverse after all.


    _________________________


    POWER SYSTEMS AND THEIR STAGES


    FIRST STAGE - This is the beginning of all Power Systems. No matter what kind of Power Systems are there in the Multiverse, all of them always start here. In this stage, the power user will get to learn the basics of their power, starting from its fundamentals.


    Examples: [Qi Condensation Stage]  [Low-Tier Esper] [Novice Chronomancer] [Apprentice]


    SECOND STAGE - This is where the minor improvement on a power user happens, with all the aspects of their power improved. Also, this is the stage that makes a Power System distinct from other Power Systems.


    Examples: [Grade 2 Monster] [Foundation Establishment Stage] [Trickster] [Adventurer]


    THIRD STAGE - Further refinements of one''s power will occur, and all the laws related to a Power System will begin manifesting here.


    Examples:  [Dao Core Stage] [Marquis-Level Conqueror''s Aura] [High-Tier Esper] [Spear Marshall]


    FOURTH STAGE - This is the stage where all the minor improvements from the previous stages will combine together to create the full identity of a Power System.


    Examples: [Star Level Esper] [Dao Soul Stage] [Duke-Level Conqueror''s Aura] [Warlock]


    FIFTH STAGE - This is a stage of evolution, where a power user will experience a minor evolution on their bodies and powers. This stage is also called the preparatory stage, as it is the stage that prepares the user for the next stage.


    Examples: [Spirit Domain Stage] [Abyss Sage(Evolved Form)] [Magician] [Spear Demigod]


    SIXTH STAGE - At this stage, a power user''s body will be transformed into a Body of Energy or Body of Essence. This energy or essence is the one corresponding to a power user''s Power System.


    Examples: [Immortal Soul Stage] [Abyssal Pillar Stage] [Spear God] [Emperor-Level Conqueror''s Aura]


    SEVENTH STAGE - Also called the Trasnscendent Stage. This is the stage where a power user will trasncend the laws of the Multiverse itself, turning the power user a higher-staged being.


    Examples: {Information Redacted}


    EIGTH STAGE -  {Information Redacted}


    Examples: {Information Redacted}


    NINTH STAGE -  {Information Redacted}


    Examples: {Information Redacted}


    TENTH STAGE -  {Information Redacted}


    Examples: {Information Redacted}


    _________________


    Asteria]: Hooman! What are you doing there?


    [Professor Frances]: We are making some brain eaters. Wait¡­ why do you even care?


    [Asteria]: Huh, what''s with that tone? And how the hell can you even see me?


    [Professor Frances]: Everything is possible through alchemy and biotechnology. I don''t need to have special eyes like Alina to see a pesky being like you.


    [Asteria]: Oi oi oi, why do I hear an insult coming from you?


    [Professor Frances]: (Tilts head in confusion) Insult? I''m just stating the facts


    [Asteria]: Oi Queen Mother, this hooman is bullying me!


    [Queen Mother]: Are you going to help us here or are you just going to bother us?


    [Asteria]: Hey! What''s with that tone in your voice too? Are you suspicious of me?


    [Professor Frances]: 73 missing vials of rare lipids. 10 cases of flammable gases missing. 3 jars of insect specimens gone from the storage. With these kind of losses, there''s no way that I can just allow you to stay here!


    [Asteria]: Hey! That''s a heavy slander coming from you! Me, a noble fairy, steal some jars of insect specimens? Heh, it seems like you have been muddled by all the chemicals in this lab!


    [Queen Mother]: I swear I saw you munching on some bees at the roof last night¡­ You even had that weird munching noise as you ate them. ...Even now, I still can''t unhear that sound.


    [Asteria]: You! That is not-


    [Queen Mother]: *Munch munch munch*


    [Asteria]: ...¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Fine¡­ you can stay here and watch what we will do. Just... make sure that you don''t mess everything up.


    [Asteria]: Of course I won''t mess up! Who do you think I am?


    [Professor Frances]: Good. Now then, give me that jar of formaldehyde. Make sure you don''t drop it.


    [Asteria]: Forma what? Wait, why do I even have to get that?


    [Professor Frances]: It''s formaldehyde. And you are asking why do you have to get that? Of course it''s simple you little s**t. If you want to watch, then you have to participate. This ain''t a movie. This is a massive undertaking. If you can''t take that, then you should just scram already!


    [Asteria]: Hmph, you think I''m afraid of participating? Heh, just you two wait! I will prove you all wrong!(Flies away to get a jar)


    [Asteria]: (Flies back with a jar) Hah! Now, look at what I did! One jar brought by yours truly! Now, where are the praises for me?


    [Queen Mother]: ¡­


    Professsor Frances: ¡­


    [Asteria]: What?


    [Professor Frances]: I said formaldehyde, not formic acid. Are you stupid?


    [Asteria]: Hey!


    [Professor Frances]: Heh, well with that pea-sized brain of yours, being stupid could already be a given¡­ Sigh, why did I have to expect that much from you¡­


    [Asteria]: Shut the f**k up! I swear I''ll get the right jar next time! (Flies away and back again)


    [Asteria]: Here! One jar of formaldehyde! Are you happy now?


    [Professor Frances]: Now get me a stone of dragon''s saliva. Make sure that you don''t spill any of it on the table ok?


    [Asteria]: You have dragon''s saliva here? Where the hell did you get that?


    [Professor Frances]: Can you just zip your f***king mouth? I can''t focus here!


    [Queen Mother]: I concur with her. Asteria, please stay quiet. Someone like you can do something as easy as that right?


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Now, go and get what I told you to get!


    2 HOURS LATER.


    [Asteria]: (Stares at the wriggly worms) This is it? These are the fearsome Brain Eaters? They don''t look that scary to me¡­


    [[Queen Mother]]: Probably because you think of them as your snacks only.


    [Asteria]: (Drools) Yeah, they sure look delicious. Can I have one?


    [Professor Frances]/[[Queen Mother]]: Hell no!


    [Asteria]: Even just one bite?


    [Professor Frances]: F**k off, dumb fairy. It''s very hard to create these worms, and you want to gobble one of them like popcorn? There''s no way that I will allow that to happen!


    [Asteria]: But I helped in the creation of these Brain Eaters!


    [Professor Frances]: You helped us? Girl, what you did earlier just slowed us down! You''re lucky I did not kick you out when you spilled some toad pustules on my nitric acid!


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Professor Frances]: Well, since you still tried to help us out, I supposed you still deserved some kind of reward.


    [[Queen Mother]]: (Removes top and shows left b.r.e.a.s.t) Come here dumb fairy. Have some taste of my tried and tested honey!


    [Asteria]: Drools.


    [Professor Frances]: Heh, once a glutton, always a glutton. What a waste of resources. How did you even become a Guide? I could not believe that the Endless Monarch allowed you to be a Guide! Did you trick him or something? Come tell me how you did that! It could help us out in our quest to beat him!


    [Asteria]: ¡­

 Chapter 745 - Distortion

    Colors.


    Shapes.


    Faces.


    Illusions.


    Sizes.


    All sorts of hallucinations whirled inside Professor Frances''s mind after seeing Alex, as if his presence alone induced this change in her.


    D??????i???s?????t??????o?????r?????t???i????o?????n????


    Even her senses were dulled and twisted by Alex''s presence, to the point that she found it hard to feel what was actually real or fake.


    "D??????i???s?????t??????o?????r?????t???i????o?????n????


    The professor could only stumble, using the best of her organs to just make sense of her surroundings. This naturally had her extremely vulnerable, which Alex fortunately did not take advantage of.


    D??????i???s?????t??????o?????r?????t???i????o?????n????


    But even if her new visitor did not attack her, the professor felt that she was still in a bad situation.


    D??????i???s?????t??????o?????r?????t???i????o?????n????


    She knew for a fact  that her mind and body should have been highly resistant to illusion or mind-based attacks, so the very notion of her suffering illusory and sensory distortion just because Alex arrived was enough to make her panic!


    ______________


    ______________


    "You¡­ what are you doing!" Professor Frances growled as she suppressed her fear from seeing Alex. This failed somewhat, as her voice came out like that of a shivering beggar. "Are you actually trying to corrupt me?"


    As she said these words, the professor clenched her right fist as she attempted to channel one of her trustworthy Soul Magic.


    "Schwong!" Most of the soul energy that the professor channeled has begun to clump above her fist, until they formed a sword large enough to decapitate a person''s head.


    Once this sword has appeared, it began to showcase its transparent appearance, as if it was a marvelous thing that should be seen by many.


    "¡­." The appearance of this sword and its flashy entrance should have been obvious to Alex already, yet the man himself did not stop the professor from what she was doing.


    He just crossed his arms as he continued his mind-f**kery with the professor, and he even had the time to banter with the latter, as if they were still close friends.


    > Alex specifically said as his eyes avoided sword summoned by the professor. His face then warped in slight disgust, as if he was tacitly agreeing with what he just said.


    >


    "Oh, is that so? I don''t know if I should be happy or insulted by that¡­" The professor''s face twitched as she replied, with a look of incredulity now filling her eyes. "But since it came from a person like you, I might as well feel sad that such a powerful entity does not like me¡­"


    What the professor said was obviously a sarcasm, but its message completely went over Alex''s head.


    >


    "Thanks, but no thanks. I ain''t joining a loco like you. And that comes from an actually crazy person too, so you better believe that I am serious here."


    >


    "¡­"


    The professor tried to hide her disappointment after realizing that not only did Alex get partially corrupted, he also got so dense to the point that he could not even determine sarcastic messages.


    This spelled all sorts of bad news to her, as she could see that Alex was getting worse and worse as time passed by.


    Sure, Alex saved her from being consumed by the monsters that chased her since earlier, but that does not mean that he has re-developed his compassion for his allies.


    More likely than not, Alex was still feeling possessive on them, and the fact that he just chose to save the professor right before she died, shows that this man was thinking of acting like a white knight to maybe impress her.


    Which of course did not work, as Alex''s possessive and murderous desires could be felt by the professor through the air, even when her senses were still warped.


    >> The puppy face and the murderous glint that Alex suddenly showed just made this point clearer, and if any, this just made the professor want nothing more but to run away from him already.


    "Invite my ass! I never wanted to join you if you are in this state! If you want me to join your cause, then f**king go back to normal first!"


    Although the professor knew that she had no chance of escaping at this point, she still did her best to open up an escape route.


    "Heh, but looking at you now, it seems like you have no chance of going back to normal. So forgive me for saying this, but we have to part ways here already!"


    Before Alex could recover from her ''departing'' words, the professor hurriedly threw her conjured sword towards his necl, with her body dashing backwards in an attempt to distance herself from him.


    "Hing!" The sword let out a shrill whistling sound as it hurtled through space, with its whole body pulsing like a molten rock, which has allowed it to move unimpeded on its path.


    "Hong!" Its tip then let out a brilliant and dazzling glow, one that seemed to have an effect on the souls that it touched.


    "Fizz¡­" Whether this glow had an effect on Alex''s soul or not did not matter to Professor Francs anymore, as she just focused her body from getting away from him.


    "That sword that I just summoned used the majority of my soul power, which makes it an extremely potent attack against anyone''s soul¡­"


    "Even Alex who is clearly stronger now will be affected by that sword too, although he will not be fatally injured by it. At most, he will be slightly hurt, and his soul could suffer some mild injuries."


    "In normal events, this kind of injuries are obviously not enough, but in my case, these injuries are already good for my situation!"


    "After all, I am just planning to escape, so injuring Alex like this should be enough to distract him!"


    These words that she uttered to herself made the professor feel more confident, allowing her body to move faster and faster under the suffocating pressure released by Alex.


    "Sling sling sling!" Her feet, which has been imbued with all the advanced biological and magical techniques by hers truly, has began to move like a blur across space, releasing bursts of power that propelled the professor forwards.


    As for her arms and torso that were just improved the same way, they acted as a rudder and a stabilizer for the professor, which led to her body moving smoothly against the chaotic regions of space.


    "¡­"


    The combination of these movements served as a great boost to the professor''s escape,  and before she could know it, she was already 100 kilometers away from Alex, who seemed to be so engrossed with her sword that he forgot her existence already.


    >


    Alex was just gripping the conjured sword with his right hand, with his eyes looking at it like a research subject. He held it like it was a precious object too, and his careful attitude with it made that more obvious.


    "¡­"


    Judging by the sudden change of his attitude, the professor can dare say that Alex was treating the sword as if it was a treasure, although her distance from him makes it hard to see if his face looked excited or just interested.


    "¡­Okay, I don''t know what made that guy want my sword that much, but if he wants to look at it, then I will allow him to do so."


    "That sword will last for 60 more seconds anyway, so it is not like he can get something from it."


    "Hehehe, what he will just get from my sword is nothing, so he better enjoy his time with it!"


    Although she was not sure why Alex was interested with her sword, the professor just let him touch it all that he wanted.


    The sacrifice of her attack meant less than her life, so Professor Frances prioritized her escape more, which she had improved by increasing her speed to the absolute limits of her body.


    "Hahahaha!" This speed increase resulted on an additional 1000-kilometer gap between her and Alex, which for people like them, are distances enough to be considered as far already.


    In fact, this distance was so acceptable, that Professor Frances could actually start relaxing now.


    Which she did, as she had to recover from all the fatigue that she had just experienced.


    "S**t¡­ that was so tiring as f**k. Not only did I have to escape from those monsters, but I also have to escape from that damned Alex¡­ Oh well, at least all my efforts to run away are worth it."


    The professor took some deep breaths in order to cool down her body, which was so overheated to the point that water could boil if it touches her skin. It fortunately cooled down after a second, giving the professor more room to stabilize her condition.


    "Haah¡­" She then performed some meditation techniques to both her soul and energy pools, in hopes of recovering her energy in a much faster rate.


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    After a few seconds of staying in this state, the professor found herself  recovering 50% of her total energy reserves. This is not that much of a number, but in comparison to her almost-drained state earlier, 50% is already a good haul for her.


    "¡­I could stay here to recover my energy more, but I obviously won''t do that. Alex is still near me after all, and knowing his weird attention span, he could have lost interest to my sword already."


    "So I have no f**king choice but to move now, or else that semi-corrupted guy could catch up to me."


    With her perfectionist attitude, Professor Frances naturally wanted to let her energy recover up to 100%, but because of the presence of Alex behind her, she knew that reaching that point will be impossible for her.


    "Scwhing!" So she placed power on her legs again, urging them to slice through space and all the obstacles that surrounded her.


    She then moved forward, resuming her escape.


    "¡­Alex, you might have almost caught up to me now, but this will be the end!"


    "Now that I have seen your face and your soul signature, I now have proper ways of avoiding you next time!"


    "So lament! Lament the fact that you let me escape! For this will be your undoing, and it will herald your end in the future!"


    "Hahaha! I might not be able to end your suffering now, but I will do so in the future! So just you wait, mister semi-corrupted guy! My power will eventually-"


    But just like all the unfortunate events that happened to her, the professor''s dream of being free from Alex quickly ended in a miserable note.


    And it did so in a manner that the professor could hardly accept.


    >


    To the professor''s dismay, she saw that the space in front of her, which should have been her path to escape, has suddenly began contorting like thin plastic.


    D??????i???s?????t??????o?????r?????t???i????o?????n????


    What should have been a normal spatial trip for her became a confusing one, as the straight paths in front of her became crooked, while all of the directions became jumbled.


    D??????i???s?????t??????o?????r?????t???i????o?????n????


    What should have been up became left, right or down, while what should have been down became up.


    D??????i???s?????t??????o?????r?????t???i????o?????n????


    What should have been the center became the edges, while what should have been the edges became the insides.


    "¡­."


    These distortions in space did not affect the professor''s body at all, but its changes on the space itself has definitely made the professor panic.


    And this panic just increased when out of all these distortions, a small hole suddenly appeared, and out of it came the person that she was busy escaping from!


    >


    The semi-corrupted Alex, who should have been standing 1100 kilometers away from the professor, has suddenly appeared in front of her body!


    And he just appeared in a manner indiscernible to the professor!


    "What the hell is this?"


    Alex actually came out of the spatial distortions, and he seemed to be unaffected by all of the contortions  around him!


    He just walked through the distorted space without looking like he was lost or disoriented, which are leagues better than the professor''s progress!


    He even had the gall to banter, as if he was just strolling in to meet a new friend!

 Chapter 746 - Kindness within Corruption

    To Professor Frances'' horror, she felt that her left foot, which she tried to move even after Alex warned her to not move, has begun contorting too just like the space around her.


    "Argh!"


    Pain exploded inside the professor''s mind as she tried to mitigate the effects of her foot''s distortion, but it failed even when she tried to cut her foot off. It even got worse, which made her growl in both anger and humiliation.


    "Argh!"


    What should be aligned in her foot became crooked at this point, and what were crooked became even more crooked, which just induced more confusion and pain to the professor''s already overwhelmed mind.


    "Argh!"


    The insides of her left foot blended together as if it were like a fruit shake, and its outsides obtained a shredded appearance, as if it were being shredded in a meat grinder.


    The bones and muscles present in this foot quickly became unrecognizable, and they combined with the skin to form a flesh monstrosity that was no different to an actual monster.


    As for her nails, it virtually became another object entirely, and the professor could not even identify what it is. She just knew that her nails became metal posts at this point, which is in no way a good news for her.


    "Argh!"


    Needless to say, this distortion essentially broke every part of the professor''s left foot, leaving her basically limping at this point.


    But even if she could still use this foot to move, she would never attempt it now, as she felt that any attempts to manipulate this foot could spread the distortion''s effects to her other body parts.


    "¡­"


    So the poor professor was left with no choice but to just observe her mangled body part, treating it with the great caution that was previously unknown to her.


    "S**t¡­"


    _________________


    _________________


    Even with all of her experiences with injuries, the professor could not help but feel dismayed after witnessing her mangled foot, as she realized that even with all the enhancements that she placed in her body, a part of her was still easily injured by Alex.


    And this injury was not just a normal injury that she can heal through rest.


    "S**t, so Alex had already reached the level where he could use the power of the Abyss to corrupt the laws themselves? This should have been a good news to us, but since he''s our enemy now, this is just the worst case scenario!"


    "S**t, this just makes my situation more hopeless!"


    Professor Frances could sense that the ''distortion'' Alex had induced on her left foot was the kind of injury that did not just affect it physically.


    Alex''s ''distortion'' affected even the essence of her left foot itself, giving it damage that was already at the level of ''concept-level'' attacks!


    Such kind of attacks were the ones that were extremely difficult to heal from, and the fact that Alex had used it on her made her situation terrible!


    And it even got worse, as Alex did not stop from just attacking her left foot.


    "Argh!" The professor''s left hand was targeted next, and just like her left foot, it began to contort too until it became extremely mangled and unusable. Her right foot then followed, which just had the same fate as her other limbs¡­.


    "Argh!"


    ___________


    ___________


    It was only when her right foot was completely distorted that the attacks from Alex stopped, although this did not make Professor Frances lower her guard.


    After all, more attacks could still come from Alex at this point, which will  most probably happen on her right hand next¡­


    "¡­."


    With this grim anticipation in her mind, the professor prepared herself for the soul-tearing pain that will occur in this body part, and she then imagined how bad her right hand will look in comparison to her other mangled limbs.


    She then resigned herself to a future where none of her limbs will work properly, since this is what will happen once Alex finishes playing with her hands and feet.


    "F**k this s**t and f**k this stupid Alex! Argh! Now I have to deal with temporarily living with these mangled body parts!"


    "F**k this! Why do I have to experience this s**t, after everything that I did to be stronger?"


    "F**k f**k f**k f**k f**k!"


    Of course something good might come out from these attacks like a sudden breakthrough of the professor''s biological abilities, but she doubted that it could happen with Alex watching her intently¡­.


    The professor''s situation is obviously not bound to be better, and with the track record that the semi-corrupted Alex had at this point, whatever he does to her next will be worse than what is happening to her now¡­.


    So basically speaking, the current Professor Frances is once more f**ked, and it will happen at the hands of what should be her greatest ally¡­.


    "S**t, s**t, s**t! Today is really the worst day in my life! S**t!"


    "Not only was I separated from my allies and chased by monsters, I was now about to be captured by the guy that I should be avoiding!"


    "This sucks like hell, and it will only get worse if he brings me with him!"


    "Argh!!!"


    The imagination of this fate looming over her was enough to infuriate the professor, but what can she even do about it?


    She''s powerless against whatever Alex was doing, so the current her has no choice but to be defeated by him.


    The best that she can just wish for was to survive this encounter, although ''survival'' here might mean getting corrupted by him¡­


    "¡­"


    _______________


    _______________


    Fortunately(Really?) for the professor, the future that she just envisioned did not pan out at the exact way that she imagined it.


    "???"


    The pain that she was expecting to happen on her right hand did not occur, and no distortions appeared on her right hand. It was left in its pristine condition, with no possible hints of another attack landing on it.


    This state lasted for a few more seconds, which made the professor feel as if Alex was not interested on attacking her anymore.


    This was good on its own, and it was even made better by the fact that no signs of contortion or mangling appeared on any part of her body, which further proved Alex''s lack of interest on attacking again.


    "¡­"


    Naturally, Professor Frances was slightly relieved by this change, and she even had the ''radical'' thought that maybe Alex still had some compassion inside his heart.


    This might be a far stretch for her to think, but since Alex stopped attacking the professor when he could have fully disabled her, then maybe he still feels kindness, considering the fact that the professor''s right hand was her dominant hand.


    Preserving this hand allows the professor to perform most of her basic and complex tasks, which means that maybe, Alex did not attack this hand in order to let her live her life a little easier¡­


    This is obviously kindness, and even if Alex did not say it that much, Professor Frances was sharp enough to notice it.


    "¡­"


    This might be just a small token of kindness from him, but considering Alex''s semi-corrupted state, being this kind was already a miracle on its own.


    In fact, this kindness was so surprising on itself,  that for a second, the professor thought that she could maybe use this kindness to fuel her escape.


    Oh, now that she thought about it, Professor Frances realized that it could actually work.


    Maybe she could indeed escape by using Alex''s compassion, and she just had to thread carefully in order to make this work!


    "..."


    Of course Alex might just be acting at this point to make the professor lower her guard down, but what could go wrong for Professor Frances if she thinks that Alex still had some kindness inside him?


    She''s about to be captured by Alex anyway, so she might as well do everything that she can in order to escape using his kindness.


    Failing is still fine since she''s about to be held captive, but if she succeeds on stoking his kindness, then she could maybe free herself from him¡­


    "Well, doing nothing is worse than not fighting for my life, so I might as well struggle a little bit to find my escape route. Who knows, Alex might feel ''kind'' enough to let me free."


    "Although I do not know how to actually make that work¡­"


    With this bold plan formed inside her mind, Professor Frances began to think of all the proper words that she could say to trigger Alex''s heartstrings.


    She considered her personality profile of him, along with what the current him was doing, in order to have her map the path that she will cross  to make him at least listen to her¡­


    The end result was a mish-mash of sentences that did not make sense to the professor, but considering that it was a semi-corrupted person she was targeting, then these phrases might work.


    All that she had to do was to say them, which given all the free time that Alex was giving her, was extremely easy for her to do.


    "So Alex, how are yo-" And she indeed managed to start talking to him normally, but her words were suddenly caught in her throat before she could finish them, as she saw something that made her stop talking.


    More specifically, she saw something from Alex that made her stop, and it also made her stop thinking for a second.


    >


    "A-Alex, what are those things behind you? Are t-those¡­"


    >


    "You attacked them? But why do they look like-"


    >


    "You''re controlling them? They don''t even look alive at all! And they''re not even moving! How could you even say that you are controlling them!"


    >


    "¡­"


    Even with all of her experiences with the macabre, this was the first time that Professor Frances witnessed something like the scenery in front of her.


    D?????I??????S???????T??????O?????R????T?????I???O???????N??????


    And this scenery was enough to make her forget her hopes of Alex still being kind, as there is no way that a kind person would do something like he is doing just now!


    D?????I??????S???????T??????O?????R????T?????I???O???????N??????

 Chapter 747 - Somethings off about this chapter(1 of 2)

    Rows and rows of heads ambled aimlessly behind Alex, with each one wearing horrific expressions that haunted even the thick-skinned Professor Frances.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    Fear, pain, agony, and weariness were the majority of these expressions, and combined together, they created a cacophony of suffering that made Alex look extremely wicked.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    This was even made worse by the fact that the heads all looked freshly decapitated, with the blood flowing from their stumps complementing ''well'' with their horrified faces.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    {Oumm¡­.}


    Every now and often, these heads will also let out these low-toned hums from their gaping mouths, turning their ''entourage'' into a terrifying musical, which for some reason, can''t be unheard by the professor.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    {Oum¡­.}


    There are 36 of these heads in total, and they did not fail to make the professor feel fear, as their milky white-eyes and agonized wails were already grating to her ears.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    Add the slashes that decorated the majority of their skins and the occasional pus that drifted out of their orifices, and the end result was a nightmarish sight that nobody can just ignore.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    {Oum¡­.}


    Professor Frances especially could not ignore this sight, as what she was seeing was a direct violation of her moral ethics!


    "Alex¡­ you know for a fact that even if I am a crazy biological manipulator, I only use my abilities against people that deserve it."


    "Criminals, rapists, swindlers, and those who tries to kill me were the only people that I turn into monstrous entities. Oh, and I also monsterize those who willingly chose to become monsters, since it was their choice to become one."


    "That latter part was the majority of the monsters under my command now, and they don''t seem mad with what happened to them."


    "But aside from these people Alex, I never chose anyone else to turn into monsters!"


    Professor Frances might have conquered a world before using her biological skills, but she did not turn everyone in that place into her own monstrous minions.


    Just like what she said, she only turned the ''evil'' and the ''volunteers'' into her monster minions, while those who were innocent were allowed to continue living in their normal forms.


    It was only these monsters that she used to conquer her past world, and those who were not monsters became her ''normal residents'' that she protected with her abilities¡­.


    This moral rule of hers might seem confusing given her crazy outlook, but the professor never intended to have it broken, even with everything that had happened to her.


    After all, even the crazy professor knew the value of free will and freedom, two things that she will never steal from those who deserve them!


    "So Alex¡­. even if I look crazy to you, you should remember that I would never lay my hand on the innocents!"


    "So don''t think that we are alike!"


    "Especially when you used your power to affect those who are not deserving of it!"


    **************


    Even with all of her knowledge in biological manipulation and soul magic, Professor Frances could not figure out how Alex was able to keep the decapitated heads alive up to this point.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    But whatever he did must have been so horrific, as none of the decapitated heads looked happy in their situation.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    In fact, most of these heads were giving the professor pleading looks, as if they were asking her to kill them!


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    Which is a task that the professor badly wanted to do now, but because of Alex''s presence, she could not muster the courage to approach them¡­


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    "Alex¡­ if this is what you had been doing after your semi-corruption, then I doubt Alina or your other companions will ever accept you." Professor Frances muttered as she tried her best to not look at the pleading heads. "In fact, not even I can accept you, even with the skills that you showed on preserving decapitated heads¡­"


    Her attempt to not look at the heads turned out to be hard, and she only felt more disdain for the man as the heads continued to express their pain¡­


    "You just did not commit a sin here, Alex. You willingly tortured and horrified innocent people, and you included children in that mix!"


    "These actions clearly display that you are not in your right mind at all!"


    Now that Alex had clearly used his power on some innocent people, Professor Frances quickly lost any semblance of goodwill towards him.


    Especially when she saw some children amongst these decapitated heads, as their presence meant that Alex had the gall to attack children here!


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    This was the lowest blow that Professor Frances could ever receive, and if it were not for the disparity of their abilities, then she could have attacked Alex at this point!


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    "You damned Alex¡­ I don''t know how you managed to keep those decapitated heads alive, but you should know that I am not happy with what you are doing now."


    "Even if you have been semi-corrupted already, I thought you will still have the urge to not hurt the innocent."


    "But look at what you did now! You violated these principles that I talked with you before, and you are even flaunting it proudly in front of me!"


    Since she can''t attack him physically, the livid Professor Frances can only hope to attack Alex through her words, which she wished will somehow make him fl.u.s.tered.


    "Is this your new power that you are happy about?"


    "Ptooey! What you are just showing me is pure trash, and I could hardly believe that I am actually scared of you!"


    "Argh! Do you know what I am feeling now? I am feeling more disgusted of you, so don''t think that you are scaring me!"


    >


    "You hear that? You are not scaring me at all!"


    >


    "I said, you don''t scare me anymore! You just make me feel disgusted!"


    >


    To the professor''s delight, she realized that her actions were able to get a reaction from Alex.


    More specifically, her words seemed to have riled Alex up, as if there was something in what she said that irritated a sinner like him.


    It eventually led to Alex having an angered look, one that he smoothed out before anyone could notice it.


    Professor Frances however quickly noticed this angered reaction, and she could only stop herself from sneering as she attempted to discredit what Alex was about to say to her.

 Chapter 748 - Somethings off about this chapter(2 of 2)

    "Oh, are you about to say something in defense for your actions Alex?  Because you seem angry about my criticism of your deeds¡­" The professor hastily said as she gave Alex a withering stare.


    "Don''t say that what you did with those heads are actually noble. Because from what I can see, there is nothing noble about the fact that you decapitated children."


    This stare was obviously challenging the latter to make a move against the professor, but she did not care if she was offending him.


    Since she''s about to be captured by Alex anyway, then she might as well vent all of her anger before she becomes one of his playthings.


    "Oh, and don''t you dare try denying that fact. Because my powers tell me that 10 of those 36 decapitated heads came from children!"


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Is this how low you have fallen now, Alex? You actually killed children just to have you decorate that head cabinet of yours?"


    "I never expected you to do this, so I am extremely disappointed  with what I am seeing!"


    "And I am so disappointed that I want nothing more but to strangle you with both of my hands!"


    "Argh! If you were just not stronger than me, then I would be really choking you to death!"


    At this point, the ''righteous anger'' that filled the professor''s mind became so potent, that her fear from Alex had actually disappeared.


    Her fear was instead replaced by a desire to pummel Alex, which for the professor, cannot be stopped even with the differences in their power!


    Alex might be stronger, but Professor Frances will still do her best to at least land a blow on him!


    This is the best that she can do for the innocents that Alex had hurt, and given the paltry power that she had now, this could also be the only thing that she can do for them¡­


    "Hey, why don''t you just come here and let me strangle you for a while? That won''t hurt you that much, right?"


    With this murderous intent exploding out of her body, Professor Frances grit her teeth as she tried to channel all of what remained of her soul energy, in order to create her final soul attack that could possibly bring massive injuries on Alex.


    "Argh!"


    This attempt of hers naturally made her internal and external injuries worse, but the professor  did not care, as she knew that this is her final chance to change her future, and most probably, even Alex''s future too¡­


    "Argh!"


    The professor also did not care when her soul matrix was about to collapse because of her latest attack attempt.


    "Argh!"


    She also did not care even when Alex looked like he was about to counter-attack her with one of his ''distortion'' powers again.


    "Argh!"


    She especially did not care when she started to feel sick from all the injuries that sprouted inside her body.


    "Argh!"


    If the professor''s current attack could still awaken any semblance of normalcy or kindness from Alex, then using it is worth it, even with all the consequences later.


    "Oh, so you don''t want to approach me? Then let me do the approaching to you!"


    So without any care for what will happen next, Professor Frances ignited what remained of her soul energy, creating a blazing flame which she then threw towards Alex.


    "Boom!" This flame seemed to not have any abilities to burn matter, but Professor Frances knew its danger more than anyone else.


    This flame was a Soul Flame after all, and a person touching it will have their soul get razed instantly.


    Nobody is immune to this attack, and even Alex will be hurt by it too, although the extent of damage that he can get will depend on the intensity of the professor''s power.


    But since the professor used all of her remaining energy for this attack, then her soul flame will most likely be powerful enough to make Alex feel serious¡­


    **************


    *************


    "That flame is a Soul Flame, so don''t think that it can''t hurt you. I made it specially for beings like you, so don''t be complacent and- what the hell?"


    Professor Frances clearly had the thoughts of defeating Alex with one attack, hence her initiative to use all of her power in order to bring him down.


    Alex however seem to not share the same mindset, as he just casually slapped the flames away with a bothered look.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    "Spash!"


    The flames, which the professor was boasting for its lethality, just sputtered like embers in face of Alex''s slap, leaving nothing but hot air as they disappeared from the reality immediately.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    Any connections that it had with the professor disappeared too, leaving her reeling as she once more felt the magnitude of Alex''s power.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    "What the hell is this¡­ that''s clearly one of my strongest trump cards, and yet it still failed to hurt Alex a little? What the hell is going on here?"


    "How could this damned bastard be this strong, while doing all these immoral deeds too?"


    "This is so unfair, and I can''t even comprehend how unfair this is!"


    For the nth time in this encounter, professor France felt indignant from the disparity between her and Alex.


    This time however, she could not find any outlet to display her feelings, as Alex''s actions had clearly suppressed her attempts to express herself.


    And this suppression just increased when Alex began talking, with his words quickly dispelling everything that the professor had surmised earlier.


    > Alex muttered as he casually gave the professor a dismissive look. >


    He sounded both dismayed and irritated with the professor''s actions, although irritation was the dominant one, and he made sure to make her feel it as he continued his tirade.


    >


    "¡­."


    >


    "¡­"


    >


    "¡­."


    >


    "¡­"


    >


    "¡­"


    >


    "What?"


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I??? O??????? N?????? D????? I??????

 Chapter 749 - Answer my Questions, Please

    A FEW MINUTES LATER.


    Due to the bewildering changes that Alex had displayed on their meeting, Professor Frances has decided to accompany him.


    This sudden decision might seem counter-intuitive, and those who saw this situation might think that the professor had been bewitched.


    But this was not the case, as Alex did not use any spells or abilities  to coerce the professor to follow him. He did not even use his Conqueror''s Aura, which will most likely be enough to change the professor''s mindset.


    So why did the professor become like this?


    It was because there are 2 important points that Alex told to the professor before their meeting ended, which were the catalyst for her decision to join him now.


    [First: Alex was not guilty of killing any innocents, and all of his ''victims'' were his enemies.]


    Professor Frances found it hard to believe at first, that a semi-corrupted person like Alex would not kill an innocent person.


    After all, beings that were corrupted by the Abyss were extremely evil, to the point that they would not hesitate to do crimes that they would normally never do.


    Such case was applied by the professor here, and the evidence of severed children heads made her think that Alex was just a sc.u.mbag now.


    But when Alex allowed Professor Frances to inspect the heads, the latter found to her embarrassment, that he was indeed right.


    "¡­."


    Through the use of her soul magic, Professor Frances was able to ''interview'' the remaining souls present on the severed heads, and here she found out that none of them were victims at all.


    They were indeed enemies that Alex had just cut down, and judging from what she had discovered from her interview, these people actually deserved getting this treatment too.


    Half of the heads came from human-like monsters that inhabited the Ancestral Tomb, who just chose to attack Alex in order to eat him.


    They obviously craved Alex''s flesh, and some of them even wanted to keep Alex alive for some days so that they can enjoy his meat fresh.


    The other half came from actual humans who tried to kill Alex and the professor, and their intentions were even worse than the monsters.


    These ''actual humans'' were followers that came from other religions, who were sneaked in to the Ancestral Tomb by the other Travelers.  They were brought here in order to assist their respective Travelers, and they will do anything to make that happen.


    Professor Frances had no exact idea on what these ''sneaked-in'' humans should do to assist their Travelers, but it seems that attacking or killing Alex and Professor Frances were the majority of these tasks.


    "Since most of these humans either tried to eat him or kill us, then I guess they deserve to be treated this way."


    "But why would Alex turn them into floating heads anyway? Does this have any significance at all? Or did he do it just because he can?"


    This ''first point'' might have made Professor Frances feel less wary of Alex, but this was not enough to make her join him.


    What made her actually want to join Alex was the ''second point,'' which in her opinion, could even convince Alina and Queen Mother to also join Alex.


    [Second: Alex is now beginning to perform his plans inside the Ancestral Tomb, and it will directly benefit Professor Frances and her allies.]


    At first, Professor Frances did not believe this second point.


    After all, Alex did now show any signs of cooperating with Alina in regards to their Main Mission.


    But after Alex explained his side through a series of arguments, the professor found herself unwillingly believing him.


    "¡­."


    Alex actually has a plan that will benefit both of them, and if it was pulled off perfectly, it can also solve all the problems that are plaguing their group now!


    What made this better was the fact that the plan was just simple.


    All that they had to do for the plan to succeed was-


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????.D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D?? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    With these two reasons backing up her courage, Professor Frances has ample reasons to join Alex, which she did, albeit with some hesitations about her future.


    These hesitations naturally made her worry, but now that she''s under Alex''s grip, she can only hope that things will get better for her.


    "¡­."


    Whatever happens from here on will depend on her luck and Alex''s decisions, although she wishes that most of it will benefit her.


    "¡­"


    But looking at the way that her journey is going on right now, Professor Frances found it hard to believe that her wish for a successful journey will come true.


    Especially when her travel companion acted in a manner which the professor can only describe as ''Irritable''.


    ______________


    ______________


    > While Professor Frances was mostly silent as she followed him, Alex was anything but silent, as he peppered the professor with questions as they moved along.


    He seemed to not treat this tense journey like it was dangerous, and he was obviously using this trip to have some fun.


    That much can be seen on how he pestered the professor, with the latter doing her best to ignore him.


    >


    Even when the professor used her eyes to indicate that she was not interested on talking, Alex still continued his ''interview''.


    And this time, he made his voice sound like that of a pleading child, as if he was asking a precious treasure from her.


    "¡­."


    This made Alex sound extremely hard to resist, and if it were any other normal person, they would have succ.u.mbed to his ''charms'' already.


    Professor Frances was the crazy professor however, so she just ignored whatever Alex was doing to her.


    >


    "¡­."


    >


    "¡­"


    >


    With the professor obstinately keeping silent against his assault, Alex naturally was angered, and for a second, he appeared as if he wanted to kick the professor out of his sheer rage.


    Fortunately, this did not happen, as Alex hastily shook his head to evaporate his anger away.


    >


    "¡­"


    >


    Once he calmed himself down, Alex continued his irritating queries, and this time he did not show any of his emotions, even when Professor Frances also continued rejecting him.


    >


    "¡­."


    >


    "¡­"


    _______________


    _______________


    The unstoppable questions from Alex and the stone-cold silence from Professor Frances sound weird on their own already, but they became even more eerie because of the way that they travelled.


    "¡­."


    Alex and Professor Frances might sound like they were ''conversing'', but their bodies show no indication of it, as their positions and appearances as they travelled were just plain weird to look at.


    "¡­"


    Alex was currently moving forward in a stable speed, with his body covered by what looked like to be the classic tentacles.


    These tentacles prevented him from seeing anything, and the addition of the severed  heads made it harder for him to even look back.


    Add the slime and the purple haze that leaked out of these tentacles, and it turned Alex''s surroundings into a large, blurry mosaic.


    "¡­"


    Professor Frances was in a somewhat similar situation as Alex, as just like him, her body wrapped by tentacles too.


    But unlike Alex, she was not the one who made these tentacles cover her body.


    And nor was she happy on being covered by the-


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Due to the strength of the tentacles, the professor could not break free from them at all. This left her extremely immobile, and the only reason that she can move now was because she was being dragged by Alex as he moved forward.


    Yes, the professor is being dragged by Alex right now, which is a state that nobody would be happy about.


    Especially Professor Frances, who had to endure the taunts given to her by Alex''s Abyss Sprites.


    |Look at that hooman! She looks like a trash can being dragged around by master!|


    ((Hahaha! So does this mean that we should stop calling her mad woman?))


    ||Yes! Let''s just call her trash woman!||


    ((Trash woman!))


    ||Trash woman!||


    "¡­."


    This resulting position was humiliating for the professor, but with her current weakness, she can only suck it up and let this happen.


    After all, she had many more things to worry aside from how Alex dragged her¡­


    "¡­."


    ______________


    ______________


    Because of the way that he handled her, Alex always had his back facing the professor


    This, combined with all the objects that covered Alex''s body, should have made the professor free from his prying eyes.


    But this did not happen at all.


    Even with Alex''s senses limited, the professor could feel that he was still looking at her, as if his power was allowing him to observe each of her every move.


    Even the smallest twitches on the professor''s veins were under this observation too, with Alex actually commenting on some of it earlier.


    >


    >


    >


    "¡­."


    This suffocating observation prowess of her ''companion'' gave the professor a feeling like she''s not fully free, but she did her best to ignore it, knowing that she will be experiencing this sensation through the entirety of this journey¡­.


    >


    "¡­"


    >


    "¡­"


    Because of this irritating and non-stop observation of Alex on her body, Professor Frances could not help but snap at him, even though she was supposed to sound silent or pleasant now.


    "Maybe I will treat you less bad now Alex, but you still look like a douchebag to me."


    >


    "¡­"


    "Hmph, you may have used your power on the ''not-innocents'', but that does not mean that I trust you, Alex."


    >


    "I am joining you right now, as I have nowhere else to go. And besides, it is pretty impossible for me to avoid you, so I might as well accompany you for a while."


    >


    "But don''t think that I will stay with you for longer, Alex. As long as I find a way to escape, I will desert your semi-corrupted ass."


    >


    "¡­."

 Chapter 750 - The Mountain and the Unknown Lake

    The rest of the journey between the two stayed awkward, as both were unwilling to change their attitudes with each other.


    Alex still treated Professor Frances with a sickeningly sweet demeanor, as if they were the closest of friends.


    As for Professor Frances, she retained her suspicious attitude on Alex.


    "¡­"


    >


    There are no sincere words that came from the duo''s mouths every time they tried to talk with one another. Only suspicion and false niceties could be heard and felt, both which just worsened the atmosphere between them.


    "..."


    >


    "¡­"


    >


    "¡­"


    >


    "¡­."


    Having this kind of treatment with each other is bound to blow up the fragile alliance that they barely had, and if they are not careful, the professor could have another brush with death.


    Fortunately, before their tempers could flare once more, they reached the destination that they had been rushing towards since earlier.


    ______________


    ______________


    >


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    >


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    >


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Alex still sounded disgruntled from the distrust and sarcasm emitted by Professor Frances, but he tried to maintain his dignity, especially now that he and the professor found themselves hovering in front of the ''target'' that he had been talking about.


    More specifically, the two found themselves hovering in front of a mountain.


    "¡­."


    Yes, these two conflicting beings are just a few hundred kilometers away from a mountain, which in terms of size, is comparable to that of 20 Suns stacked together.


    This height allowed the mountain to create an extremely large shadow that extended for millions of kilometers, and not even the lack of strong light source could diminish the shadow''s size.


    "¡­."


    In fact, the two new arrivals had the slight feeling that no matter where the illumination comes here on the Ancestral Tomb, this mountain will always have an enormous shadow looming everywhere.


    That is the extent of this mountain''s extreme size, and Professor Frances doubts that she could meet something like this later in her life!


    "¡­."


    In short, both Alex and the professor were surprised with the colossal sight that they just saw¡­.


    And so much was her surprise in regards to the mountain, that the professor had even temporarily forgotten her attempt to ignore Alex.


    "¡­What a big ass mountain. So this is the place that we should target first? You should have told me that it will be this big, Alex." Professor Frances muttered while she kept her eyes concentrated on the mountain alone.


    "Seeing a planet-sized object is already enough to make me worry, and now you''re actually making me witness this? Come on Alex, this is just making me feel hyper-ventilated now¡­"


    Her subdued panicked levels also rose slightly during this time, presumably because of the oppression that the mountain was pouring on her at this point.


    This oppression then increased by twofold out of nowhere,  which prompted her to now stare at the mountain with eyes as wide as saucers.


    "I thought that this will be a normal mountain, but look at this! This is clearly at the level of ''don''t touch, it''s dangerous'' stuff already!"


    "And you want us to attack this place? Are you serious about this?"


    It was apparent from the professor''s wide eyes that she''s overwhelmed by the size of the mountain, and none of the admonitions that she gave to Alex has managed to reduce this feeling of hers.


    She seemed to even be angrier as time passed by, which clearly states the great turbulence of her emotions.


    And as if it were not enough, the professor''s murderous inclinations also appeared this time, which just further emphasized her infuriation to Alex.


    "According to your own warnings, our plan to snatch some of the True God Artifacts might lead to us seeing some unsettling or even dangerous stuff."


    "But you never said that our first destination¡­ will be this colossal!"


    >


    "You damned Alex¡­ Since you said that all our targets will be at around the same level of danger, does that mean that the places that we will go next will be just as overwhelming as this mountain?"


    "If that''s the case Alex, then we are already off to a bad start!"


    >


    Just the size of the mountain alone was already enough to intimidate those who saw it, and Professor Frances proved that with her own worries.


    This reaction cannot be blamed on her, as it is rare to see a mountain this large and oppressive these days.


    But as it turns out, the mountain''s size was not the only thing that should be worrying the two.


    ____________


    ____________


    Further observations of the mountain revealed more unique properties about it, which just like its size, brought more discomfort and worry to Professor Frances and Alex.


    "¡­"


    The mountain has a base that was as wide as 60 Stars itself, and it has a terrain as rough as sandpaper.


    Its edges, especially the peak was just as jagged too, although the peak also contained a large depression that suspiciously looks like a lake.


    "¡­."


    Through the observations of Professor Frances, she could see that this ''lake'' was naturally filled with some kind of fluid, although she had already confirmed that this fluid was not water.


    Surprisingly, more observations showed the professor that the fluid was not similar to any kinds of fluids that she had met before or even theorized to have existed.


    This made it clear that the fluid was a previously unknown type of fluid, and the professor could possibly one of the rare lucky people that witnessed its presence.


    "Swish¡­"


    This unknown fluid could be seen spilling out like a waterfall on one of the mountain''s sides, although where it goes and what its effects could be are still unknown too.


    The professor could of course try touching this liquid to identify this easily, but she''s not that reckless to do it this quickly¡­


    "You see that Alex? Aside from the big-ass size of this mountain, we also have to deal with that unknown fluid!"


    "I don''t know what it could do to us, but the fact that this fluid was at the top of the mountain means that it is special, and its effects could most likely be detrimental to us."


    "Of course the truth might be the opposite, and that the fluid would actually benefit us, but do you think I will risk myself to prove that?"


    "Come on Alex, since you brought us here, then why don''t you be the one who touches that fluid first?"


    "You''re a  tough person, right? Come on, you can do it!"


    Aside from this clearly-dangerous looking fluid, the other objects present on the mountain were large pieces of rocks and immense quantities of sand.


    These two objects did not look that suspicious at the start, but looking at them for longer will easily show something wrong about them.


    "¡­"


    Rocks and sand were naturally abundant in other mountains too, but in the case of this mountain, the rocks and the sand were actually appearing in an abnormal manner.


    The rocks and the sand were covering almost all parts of the mountain, and all hints of greenery or snow were non-existent on the mountain at all.


    Even living creatures were non-existent on the mountain too, as if the unknown fluid, the rocks, and the sand had already snuffed any chance of life appearing in this place.

 Chapter 751 - Refusal, Stubborness.

    "¡­"


    Seeing the lack of sentient life on the mountain only shook Professor Frances a little, as she thought that the conditions on the mountain''s surface was just not conducive for supporting life forms.


    Such cases had already been seen on some planets before, so it''s not that shocking to see it happening on a mountain, especially one that was this big.


    However, something still did not sit right with the lack of living beings in this place, especially given the fact that the whole mountain was releasing immaculate amounts of life force from its body.


    "Houm!"


    And this life force was not just any paltry kind of life force either. It was richer compared to Queen Mothers, and its quantity was thousands of times greater than the tree woman''s!


    "Houm!"


    If Professor Frances'' life force can be compared to a flowing river, then Queen Mother''s will be as vast as the sea.


    As for the life force from this mountain, it will be comparable to a massive ocean!


    "Houm!"


    Such amount of life force will be enough to petrify those who can discover it, and Professor Frances was one of these people.


    In fact, if it weren''t for the presence of Alex on her side, Professor Frances could have started running the hell away from the mountain already.


    Just the mountain''s size and its samount of life force alone makes it dangerous, and the fact that it doesn''t have any living creatures makes it an even more suspicious object!


    "I might be not that versed with the mysteries of the Multiverse, but I still know that a mountain is an inert, non-living object."


    "That means that a mountain should not have any life force, since it is not alive¡­"


    "But this mountain in front of me is releasing an ungodly amount of life force, and I don''t know where it even comes from!"


    "Argh!!! Since a non-living object should not have any life force, then the fact that this mountain has life force only means one thing: Which is that living beings should exist on this mountain, and they are the source of this mountain''s life force."


    "However, my biological scanners had told me that this mountain has no living beings that reside on it at all!"


    This was the main issue that Professor Frances had with this mountain.


    How could this object, which has no living creatures in it, actually have this massive amounts of life force?


    The mountain is not alive at all, and there are no signs of life, so where does this life force come from?


    Did this life force come from the mountain itself even if it was not alive? Or was there something nearby that is making this life force come out in this manner?


    Or  could it be an illusion, and Professor Frances'' senses were just being fooled at this point?..


    Professor Frances had no answer for this, and the only thing that she knew is that she''s facing an anomaly right now.


    "Argh! I should have been an expert for these kind of things, but this if the first time I had seen something like this happening!"


    "Really, what in the world is this mountain? Is this an anomaly in nature, or is it the next step on the evolution of life?"


    "Argh, I don''t know what to think of this anymore!"


    ____________


    ____________


    Because of the surprise brought to her by this ''living mountain'', Professor Frances had temporarily forgotten the threat exuded by Alex and the dangers of staying close to him.


    She was instead more engrossed on discovering the mystery about the mountain, and she was dedicating most of the firepower from her improved brain to deduce this mystery.


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    This did not happen like this this however, as Alex quickly interrupted professor before she could start thinking.


    > Alex said with a sagely nod, with his eyes also looking intently at the massive mountain.


    He looked just as curious as the professor, but unlike Professor Frances who could not stop her mind from theorizing the mountain''s origins, Alex did not have the same manic interest to analyze the mountain deeper.


    That much was obvious from his gestures, with his hands curling and flexing alternately, as if his interest lies on making an actual physical move against the mountain.


    "¡­"


    And he was indeed interested on making a physical move against the mountain, as the next words that he said implied it.


    >


    >


    >


    "¡­"


    ____________


    ____________


    What Alex just said was the same thing that he said during their meeting earlier, so Professor Frances was not surprised after hearing this suggestion.


    She already knew that Alex will do something related to acquiring mysterious objects, so his interest on obtaining this weird mountain did not catch her off-guard.


    She even somewhat followed Alex''s interests, as she immediately stopped her attempts to deduce the mountain''s true nature, and she instead focused on how to deal with the possible dangers from this object.


    "¡­."


    It was as if she''s also raring to have a physical confrontation with the mountain, and that she''s willing to use her power in order to have her and Alex succeed in this endeavor.


    "¡­."


    But as much as she accepted what Alex said, the professor still did not feel comfortable with her involvement in his operation.


    Sure, Professor Frances had agreed with Alex''s plan, but she is not happy on performing the plan personally.


    After all, their plan involves objects related to extremely powerful beings, which means that there are extreme dangers that might be involved¡­


    "Alex¡­ you don''t need to chide me that much. I know what your plan is and I know my role, ok? But can you please stop goading me this much? You are just making me more nervous here¡­" This hesitation was made obvious by the professor''s words, which sounded full of weariness and suspicion towards Alex.


    "If you continue prodding me at this point, you don''t know what I can do. But don''t fret,  as I can still understand why you are acting this way¡­"


    This suspicious treatment  of the professor to Alex might seem rude, but it eventually got softer as the professor continued giving her argument.


    In fact, the professor seemed to actually accept Alex by the end of her tirade.


    "Our plan is all about obtaining countless True God Artifacts before the others could get it. The more that we get, the better that it will be for us."


    "That is the plan which is the best fit for our situation, so I understand your urgency on obtaining this mountain."


    "This mountain after all, is obviously a True God Artifact, so we are supposed to be getting it for ourselves."


    Although she looks wary about what they were about to do, Professor Frances still gave Alex a knowing nod this time, as if she was acknowledging his effort to cooperate with her.


    She even began gathering her recovered soul energy, as if she was preparing herself for a battle that will involve confronting this mountain.


    This made her look somewhat more accepting of what Alex was saying earlier, but this did not mean that she was eager to move together with him.


    In actuality, the professor was more inclined on staying behind, and she was doing everything that she can to make this interest of hers clear.


    Her following words even expressed this sentiment, to the point that Alex could not ignore it anymore.


    "But Alex, even if we are supposed to be obtaining this mountain, it does not mean that we can just swoop in here to get it, right?"


    "I might sound paranoid by saying this, but that mountain does not look safe at all."


    "No, that mountain doesn''t just look unsafe. It looks extremely dangerous, and I can''t even explain why."


    "So Alex¡­ unless you are 100% sure that our attempt to obtain this mountain is feasible, don''t expect me to approach this mountain."


    "I will be staying here, but don''t worry. I will still help you on obtaining this mountain. Just expect me¡­ to attack from my current position."


    >


    "¡­"


    ___________


    ___________


    Needless to say, Alex was enraged by what the professor suggested.


    His face was even reddened from rage as he tried to convince the professor to stop whatever she was doing, and he seems to be barely able to stop himself from lashing out on her.


    >


    >


    >


    >


    >


    "¡­."


    Alex sounded extremely enticing as he gave this offer to the professor, and for a moment, it felt like he will be able to make the woman follow him.


    But this did not happen, as the professor did some steps which ensured that she will not be following Alex''s tune¡­


    _____________


    _____________


    "Oum¡­"


    Instead of following Alex like the way that she was supposed to be, the professor stopped moving, and she continued channeling her soul magic at this position.


    "Oum¡­"


    This action of hers gave the professor the luxury to stop people from disturbing her, as the act of channeling soul magic depends on the stability of the user.


    If someone were to disturb Professor Frances this time, all the soul spells that she is channeling will fail, which will just lead to the professor losing the power that she gathered at that time.


    Having Professor Frances fail the channeling will be a bad situation for Alex, as he needs all the help that he can get if he wants to obtain many True God Artifacts.


    "Oum¡­"


    This naturally leaves Alex with no choice but to let the professor stay still on her spot, and there is nothing that he can do now to make her move.


    "What are you looking at me for, Alex? Can''t you see that I am channeling my soul magic right now? This means that I am ready to help you out. "


    "It''s just that I can''t be moving from my current position at all, so you can''t expect me to follow you."


    "But don''t worry. My soul magic can still work even from a distance, so be assured that my spells will still be of help to you¡­"

 Chapter 752 - INTERLUDIC INTERMISSION: DESCRIPTIONS AND EXPLANATIONS

    INTERLUDIC INTERMISSION:


    WORLD


    The first world is a World of Mental Prowess and False Reality.


    (This  world is the Esper world of cours.I don''t think anyone can get wrong here.)


    The second world is a World borne of a spiteful plant


    (This is the monster world, which is quite frankly my favorite world)


    The third world is a World of Righteous heroes and Conflicted villains.


    (This is the superhero world, one where heroes and villains exists. Trust me, writing this world is hella hard for me. )


    The fourth world is a World of Sky-Born, Reality-Born, Hunger-Born, and Devil-Born beings.


    (This world is the Four Moons World. The Sky Born are the Celestials, the Reality Born are the Symbolists, the Hunger Born are the Devourers and the Devil-Born are those like¡­)


    The fifth world is a World of Dao Seekers Immortals and Time Dabblers.


    (This is the Immortal World, which was the world where Alex was forced to in order to save his life. )


    The sixth world is a World of a Flawed Emperor.


    (This is the Four Moons World too, although the mission this time was to confront Emperor Litch. )


    The seventh world is a World of the wanderers.


    (This is the Traveler''s World, which should have been a peaceful world. Of course the Child of Chaos ruined that. )


    The eighth world is a World of hidden dangers¡­.


    (The eight world is not done yet, so please stay tuned¡­.)


    ENEMIES


    The first enemy is the wielder of the virtual laws.


    (This is the afro guy. The president of the Espers who tried to revive his wife with the power of the World Diagram. )


    The second enemy is the daughter of the great tree.


    (What was her name again? I forgot, although I know that she is the one who created the Essence Humans. )


    The third enemy is the progenitor of the first.


    (This is the guy who created the Esper World, although he was already gone at this point. )


    The fourth enemy is the world that shelters all.


    (The Four Moons World is technically the enemy, since all the waves come from it¡­)


    The fifth enemy is-


    (There is no enemy here, since Alex is just relaxing. Although he did have some fights¡­)


    The sixth enemy is the golden leader.


    (It''s that goddamned Emperor Litch. Sigh, I hope that he will stay dead by this time. )


    The seventh enemy is the incarnate of disorder.


    (This one talks about the Chaos Child. That damned troublemaker that actually ruined Alex''s vacation¡­)


    The eight enemy is-


    (Nope. It is still now known, although Alex has been doing all the steps to make him that enemy. )


    POWERS


    The first power holds the key on the foundation of everything.


    (It''s the Esper Power, which in Alex''s hands, gives him the control over all four fundamental forces of the universe. That is obviously the foundation of everything. )


    The second power holds the origin of all evil.


    (Evil may be relative, but the Abyss Magic that Alex wields came from the Abyss, which is ''relatively'' evil to many civilizations. )


    The third power holds the salvation from a cold demise.


    (This talks about Alex''s ability to control vibrations and waves. Those who study thermodynamics will get why vibration powers can stop a cold death. )


    The fourth power holds the road of all daos.


    (This is obviously the Immortal Cultivation Power. What else could it be? )


    The fifth power holds the path to hegemony


    (Here comes the Conqueror''s Aura! Dun dun dun dun! )


    COMPANIONS


    The first companion is the coldest, but also the warmest.


    (Yeah, Alina was cold from the start, but after interacting with Alex and the others for longer, she had began to show her ''cute'' side too. )


    The second companion is the least human, but also the most empathic.


    (Queen Mother is a tree, yet she seems to be more understanding of Alex compared to others. )


    The third companion is the maddest, and also the most amoral.


    (Professor Frances is crazy, no doubt about that. So nobody should be surprised to see that she''s okay with doing some insane stuff. )


    The fourth companion is-


    (Will there be a fourth companion? We will see¡­)


    MISSIONS


    The first mission is the upheaval of an old order.


    (This mission was to destroy the World Diagram, which is technically the old order in the Esper World¡­)


    The second mission is the transition to a new era.


    (By letting the creations of Queen Mother migrate to another world, and by having Queen Mother come with him are the events that allowed Alex to finish this mission. )


    The third mission is the end of lies.


    (Everybody has been lied to about the nature of the legacy, and Alex''s succeeded on proving that. )


    The fourth mission is a failed venture.


    (This mission should have been easy, but because of Emperor Litch''s meddling, many are forced to end this mission temporarily. )


    The fifth mission is-


    (There is no mission here. )


    The sixth mission is liberty of caged lives.


    (This mission is about freeing the Four Moons World from Emperor Litch''s grasp, which fortunately succeeded. )


    The seventh mission is naught but a small detour.


    (And this is ruined by that child of chaos. )


    The eighth mission is the spread of dogmas.


    (This is technically right, although Alex has no interest of spreading dogmas at all. He''s not the priestly kind of person after all.. )


    SINS


    The first sin roars like a flame feeding on wood.


    (This is Wrath, duh. What kind of sin can be compared to a flame aside from this? )


    The second sin growls like an offended dog.


    (Oh¡­ so prideful people are like dogs? I like that description. )


    The third sin rears in like a striking snake.


    (This is envy, right? Yeah, envy was usually associated with snakes¡­)


    The fourth sin yawns.


    (This is sloth. This is sloth. No doubt about it. )


    The fifth sin m.o.a.ns in heat.


    (Oh yeah~ Oh yeah~ Oh yeah~)


    The sixth sin eats.


    (This is gluttony, and I admit that I am gluttonous. )


    The seventh sin glowers like a burglar in the night.


    (Burglar = Greed. )

 Chapter 753 - Im having a little breakdown.

    It''s just a little nervous breakdown from all the stress around me, but it''s making it hard for me to even think.


    Because of that, I might take a little break of 2 days, including today.


    I''m really sorry about this, but I really need some time for myself first.


    See you on April 15!


    49 74 27 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 6e 65 72 76 6f 75 73 20 62 72 65 61 6b 64 6f 77 6e 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 72 65 73 73 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 6d 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74 27 73 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 69 74 20 68 61 72 64 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 65 76 65 6e 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 2e a a 42 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 61 74 2c 20 49 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 74 61 6b 65 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 62 72 65 61 6b 20 6f 66 20 32 20 64 61 79 73 2c 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 64 61 79 2e a a 49 27 6d 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 6f 72 72 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 69 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 6e 65 65 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 20 66 69 72 73 74 2e a0 a a 53 65 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6f 6e 20 41 70 72 69 6c 20 31 35 21 a a


    49 74 27 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 6e 65 72 76 6f 75 73 20 62 72 65 61 6b 64 6f 77 6e 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 72 65 73 73 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 6d 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74 27 73 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 69 74 20 68 61 72 64 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 65 76 65 6e 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 2e a a 42 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 61 74 2c 20 49 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 74 61 6b 65 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 62 72 65 61 6b 20 6f 66 20 32 20 64 61 79 73 2c 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 64 61 79 2e a a 49 27 6d 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 6f 72 72 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 69 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 6e 65 65 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 20 66 69 72 73 74 2e a0 a a 53 65 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6f 6e 20 41 70 72 69 6c 20 31 35 21 a a


    49 74 27 73 20 6a 75 73 74 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 6e 65 72 76 6f 75 73 20 62 72 65 61 6b 64 6f 77 6e 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 72 65 73 73 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 6d 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74 27 73 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 69 74 20 68 61 72 64 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 65 76 65 6e 20 74 68 69 6e 6b 2e a a 42 65 63 61 75 73 65 20 6f 66 20 74 68 61 74 2c 20 49 20 6d 69 67 68 74 20 74 61 6b 65 20 61 20 6c 69 74 74 6c 65 20 62 72 65 61 6b 20 6f 66 20 32 20 64 61 79 73 2c 20 69 6e 63 6c 75 64 69 6e 67 20 74 6f 64 61 79 2e a a 49 27 6d 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 73 6f 72 72 79 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 69 73 2c 20 62 75 74 20 49 20 72 65 61 6c 6c 79 20 6e 65 65 64 20 73 6f 6d 65 20 74 69 6d 65 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 79 73 65 6c 66 20 66 69 72 73 74 2e a0 a a 53 65 65 20 79 6f 75 20 6f 6e 20 41 70 72 69 6c 20 31 35 21 a a


    6f 75 73 20 62 72 65 61 6b 64 6f 77 6e 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 61 6c 6c 20 74 68 65 20 73 74 72 65 73 73 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 6d 65 2c 20 62 75 74 20 69 74 27 73 20 6d 61 6b 69 6e 67 20 69 74 20 68 61 72 64 20 66 6f 72 20 6d 65 20 74 6f 20 65 76

 Chapter 754 - Infiltration?

    ON A FAR AWAY PLANET.


    INSIDE AN INFORMATION TOWER.


    "Checking checking¡­ checking checking¡­"


    When one thinks of seeing a dark and unlit room, one will tend to associate it with emptiness or even sadness.


    "Checking checking... checking checking¡­"


    After all, the lack of light might mean that a dark room was empty, which was usually the case  for most of the time.


    "Checking checking¡­ checking checking¡­"


    As such, nobody will think that a certain dark room inside the Cosmic Guards Headquarters will have somebody inside it.


    "Checking checking¡­ checking checking¡­"


    This specific dark room was also heavily secured with mystical and scientific restrictions, which should reinforce its ''no-person'' status.


    "Checking checking¡­. Checking checking¡­"


    Also, this dark room was right at the bottom of the whole headquarters, so¡­ yeah. Nobody can just waltz in and enter it.


    "Checking checking¡­. Checking checking¡­"


    Not without alerting the security first, which for the context of the Cosmic Guards, was one of the tightest(?) in the whole Serpent Realm.


    "Checking checking¡­ checking checking¡­"


    And that is what this dark room has always been every day. It was always empty, and those who can enter it are those with status.


    "Checking checking¡­. Checking checking¡­"


    Nobody has ever entered it without permission, and those who did were easily arrested before they could even take a step.


    "Checking checking¡­ checking checking¡­"


    That''s why it was a big surprise to hear a voice coming from this room right now, especially given the fact that it was the holidays.


    "Checking checking¡­ checking checking¡­"


    Even more surprising was the fact that the owner of the voice was a female, and a young one at that.


    _______________


    _______________


    "Checking checking¡­ checking checking¡­"


    Due to the extreme darkness pervading the whole room, it was hard to discern the woman''s methods on coming in undetected.


    She left no trace whatsoever on how she performed the deed, and those that she might have left behind will be impossible to detect with the sheer darkness of the place.


    "Checking checking¡­ checking checking¡­"


    Also, this darkness made it impossible to discover what this woman was doing inside this room. Only her silhouette was present, which was doing some kind of disturbing dance at this point¡­


    Her words however gave an indication about her goals, and she was not shy at all to voice it all out.


    "Che- Oh there it is. Here''s the that data I am looking for."


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "Ok let''s see¡­ the data that I have here has a size of 100 Pentabytes, all compressed in one sequence¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Yep, this is the data, and I managed to get it without fighting¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Fighting huh. That is actually one of the ways that I could obtain this data¡­. "


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "I wonder what could have happened if I just fought my way in. Would it be easy for me too?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Nah, I don''t think so¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "If I choose to fight my way here, I could be delayed for so long, that the bigshots might have enough time to eventually arrest me."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "If that happens, those bigshots might torture me, or worse, they could eat me!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "But my younger brother said that those bigshots could also-"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Wait, Big Sis told me to not think about those bigshots while doing this mission. If I do it too much, they could feel me thinking of them!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "That''s not good at all! I must not think of those bigshots!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Okay okay¡­ just calm down Agent Doe. You can be better than this."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Just empty your thoughts, and just be who you are."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Just don''t think¡­ and just let your instincts rule your body."


    "¡­."


    "¡­."


    "Nah, I don''t think I can do it. I guess I just have to think minimally¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    Due to the high pitch of her tone, it was hard to assume if the woman was happy or irritated about her situation.


    In fact, one can say that she was close to sounding like a paranoid this time.


    "Wait, why am I even sounding sad here? I just finished a mission, so I should be a little happy, right?"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Yes, I should be happy now, so I could not just mope around."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "If Big Sis sees me feeling sad, she might beat me up until I start smiling!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Hrngh, that won''t be a good reward for me at all!"


    ___________


    ___________


    With this kind of ''enthusiastic voice'' echoing from her body, it should be easy to assume that this woman was an energetic type of person, one who might always be fidgeting wherever she is standing.


    And she was indeed energetic, although her ''energetic'' movements were just as inconsistent as her voice¡­


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Instead of having some small fidgets or shuffling motion with her limbs, the woman''s whole body was spasming in a crazed manner.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Her limbs all swayed around her like they were about to fly away, while her torso was continuously bobbing around as if it was a pendulum.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Her h.i.p.s on the other hand were repeatedly shaking up and down, while her head was spinning around like a top¡­.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    This spasming motion of her body was enough to make the young woman seem volatile, and she showed no intention of stopping whatever was happening to her.


    This made the woman hard to watch,  although this was not the worst thing that could be seen from her.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Because even when her body was being jerked around to the point that her joints were creaking, the young woman was still talking to herself.


    And she was using her normal voice, as if what was occurring to her body was just a normal occurrence¡­


    "Ok¡­ since I am now done with my job, I guess it is time for me to leave."


    "I just have to give these doc.u.ments to Big Sis later, and then I can go back to reading my yaoi manga¡­"


    "Speaking of manga, these doc.u.ments look like a manga too¡­"


    "Hmm¡­ don''t tell me  that this is just a manga?"


    "Wait, let me read this for a second¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Oh, so these doc.u.ments are just the secret info owned by the Cosmic Guards¡­"


    "And¡­ they talk about the hidden knowledge  in regards to the Abyss and the Chaos?"


    "Yo, this is good stuff indeed!"


    "Wait, so this is not a manga?"


    "That''s too bad¡­"


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    "

 Chapter 755 - Distort Everything!

    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    With the attitude that she had shown, the chaotic-looking woman seemed to be enjoying the time that she was spending inside the dark room, to the point that she showed no interest of leaving.


    "Okay¡­ since I already got my objective, maybe I could still get something else, right? It''s not like Big Sis will scold me for doing that."


    "Who knows, there might be some more important info here that I still had not obtained¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    "Fine! This will just take a while, so it won''t hurt at all-"


    The sound of footsteps that blared from the nearby guards quickly changed her mind however, as she now realized that her gig was up.


    The guards that were supposed to be protecting this place had already detected her presence, and now they are about to swarm in on her.


    Of course the footsteps might be just an illusion, but the woman knew better.


    "Oh bugger. Now the security has detected me already?"


    "That was quite fast for them. It only took them a few minutes to realize that the cameras have been hacked."


    "Hehe, but even if they were fast, they still failed to stop me¡­"


    "Hmm¡­ I wonder what would happen if I actually try confronting them now. Would they be able to stop me too?"


    Although she thought of running away now that she was detected, the woman stopped herself from moving for a second, as she suddenly thought that fighting the guards with her current power is feasible for her.


    But she quickly shrugged this interest off, as she remembered that fighting is not part of her contracted mission now.


    "Nah, I don''t think fighting them will be good here."


    "It might attract more enemies, which is not a good move according to Big Sis¡­"


    "Okay, so I guess I just have to leave already."


    And so with a whine like that of a train, the woman quickly left the room.


    What she left were only traces of ash on the place where she originally stood, leaving the guards in confusion, as what they found when they entered were not the person that they wanted to get.


    "Lance! Where did that intruder go? Wasn''t she here just a few seconds ago?"


    "Don''t ask me what happened! I don''t know how they left, but should you be really worrying about that? What you should worry instead is the fact that an intruder managed to infiltrate our place!"


    _______________


    _______________


    ANCESTRAL TOMB


    SOUTHERN PORTION


    >


    Although Alex was clearly above the professor in terms of firepower, his advice to her was left unheeded, and now, the woman herself held the initiative on their conversation.


    >


    Alex was obviously unhappy with what was happening, but the professor had already forced his hand.


    It''s either Alex disturbs the professor, or he lets her have her way.


    In this case, Alex had to choose the latter¡­


    >


    >


    >


    >


    >


    >


    >


    Although he knew that he''s bound to lead the offensive against the mountain by himself, Alex still wanted Professor Frances to accompany him, at least on the first offensive.


    After all, this will reduce the pressure against him, which is a good thing considering the fact that they will face more artifacts and possibly, even enemies later.


    Alex might be extremely powerful now, but saving his strength will always be for the better, especially for a place as dangerous as the Ancestral Tomb¡­


    >


    >


    But seeing that Professor Frances had not moved from her spot at all, Alex knew that his wish for a two-pronged attack is still an impossibility for now.


    And he knew that it will stay this way, given the hostile treatment that he gave her earlier.


    >


    >


    >


    Since the professor has now made it clear that she will be leaving the first blood to him, and that she will only make her move after he did his, Alex has decided to stop dilly-dallying already.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Alex rushed towards the mountain without waiting for the professor anymore, and he did so in a manner that made sure that his approach will be unstoppable.


    >


    >


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Alex''s power earlier was already domineering enough to his enemies, but after he chanted these overbearing words, his might had increased, to the point that his path to the mountain became nothing more but a normal stroll.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    No obstacles on his path managed to slow Alex down at this point, as all were distorted into unrecognizable lumps of trash.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    All variations and forms of matter around Alex were twisted like strings, while his body slashed through space like it was butter.


    Streams of energy were then redirected and rewound, while burst of particles were stretched until they reverted into their primordial states.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    All of these changes made it seem as if Alex''s existence alone was enough to implode the very blocks of universe itself, a fact that the nearby Professor Frances could never deny, not with what she was seeing at this point.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Even the oppressive aura and life force released by the mountain were unable to stop Alex, and if anything, they seem to have made him move faster.


    Which was had exactly happened, with even the domain of space-time also affected by his power.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Distances that should be covered with a million steps became extremely short under the effect of Alex''s distortion, while moments that should have happened in a matter of minutes now occurred in an instant.


    (A.N.: Kilometers became millimeters, while hours became seconds.)


    As for the attacks and objects that were about to hit Alex, their distance from him increased until they were unable to touch him anymore. Their time was also affected, with each of their movement needing much more seconds to actually occur.


    (A.N.: Millimeters became kilometers, while seconds became hours.)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    These changes allowed Alex to dodge the monstrous pressure emanated by the mountain, as the  spatial distortions expertly diverted the pressure to other places.


    It also shortened the distance that Alex needed to cover, which basically means that he technically teleported.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    "¡­Wait, did he just distort space and time in order to reach the mountain? That''s an overkill!"


    "And how in the world did Alex manage to even distort space? This is madness!"


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    With this unstoppable offensive and initiative to attack, the semi-corrupted man found himself touching the mountain''s base in no time.


    Which, just like all the objects that he interacted right now, had no answer to him.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    The massive body of the mountain started to twist and turn under the influence of Alex, while the flowing liquid has begun to fly around in different directions.

 Chapter 756 - Shrinkage and Torture?

    The mountain may seem alive this time, but this did not stop Alex from attacking the mountain itself.


    He continued twisting the mountain inside out, and he did not stop on splurging the unknown fluid everywhere.


    >


    Alex did not even show any remorse from what he was doing, and his face only held a relishing expression in it, as if he was enjoying this deed.


    "Roar!"


    And even when the mountain has surprisingly attacked by its own, with large globs of life-severing light beams and poison clouds shot from its peak towards Alex, the man only scoffed.


    >


    >


    Wearing a smile that can be compared to an amused lion,  Alex deftly slapped the mountain''s attacks away from his body, redirecting the weakest of them back to the attacker.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    As for the attacks that were at the level that can kill Professor Frances, Alex also flung them back effortlessly, and he sent them at speeds greater than their initial ones.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    The end result was a cacophony of colors and destruction, with all the physical laws being rudely shaped under Alex''s will alone, and the mountain left unable to fend for itself.


    Any defenses that the mountain used against Alex''s distortions were also affected, while the attacks that it had sent has now returned, which brought even greater injuries on the mountain''s body.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    This set of moves might make Alex look as if he''s worried about the impending fight, but in actuality, he did not even give these attacks a serious look.


    He just treated them as only mere interruptions on his conversation, which he resumed now that the mountain was forced to stop attacking.


    >


    >


    >


    >


    "Roar!" The mountain might seem imposing at this point, but under the effects of Alex''s domineering abilities, it was plainly obvious which one is the clear winner.(In case you don''t know, Alex is the clear winner.)


    And the fight between the two entities was not yet done, so the fact that Alex was the dominant side was enough to show the difference between him and the poor mountain.


    >


    >


    >


    "Roar!" And obviously, the mountain itself knew that Alex was winning, although it found to its chagrin that it was already too late for it to change everything.


    >


    >


    >


    >


    >


    >


    >


    "Roar!"


    To those who could listen to the conversation between Alex and the mountain, they will surely start running away, as the sheer destructive potential of his new ability was through the roof.


    Nobody will even be interested on staying near Alex while he did all these frightening deeds, and the sight of him destroying a powerful treasure won''t persuade anyone to stay.


    "¡­" Professor Frances shares the same line of thought, and she even felt some pity for the enemy mountain.


    Speaking of Professor Frances¡­


    "What the hell¡­. So is this how powerful Alex really is? How could this have happened?"


    The professor was still standing on the sidelines, unable to move her body because of the sheer shock of what she was witnessing. She visibly appeared as if she wanted to move, but she just can''t.


    Of course the soul magic that she had been channeling since earlier also had a role in her inability to move, but mostly, she was just too surprised and scared to even twitch her finger right now.


    "N-no! This should not be possible!"


    "There is no way that Alex could be this overbearing after all the corruption that the Abyss did on him!"


    _______________


    _______________


    Earlier, Professor Frances was still confident that she can do something about Alex, especially against his semi-corrupted condition.


    After all, it is almost impossible for someone like Alex to be powerful enough to dominate his enemies.


    Being dominant inside the Ancestral Tomb is just improbable, as there are too many of the enemies and they have so much variety, that Professor Frances was sure that one of them can make Alex feel some suffering.


    But now that she saw the full extent of Alex''s power, Professor Frances knew that she was greatly mistaken.


    "Alex''s power boost is just too much! In fact, I can even say that this is already bullying!"


    Alex''s abilities were already way beyond the levels that Professor Frances had imagined him to be.


    He was even way beyond the power of the other Travelers present on this place, and the only beings that could stop him now were those like the Pope of the Church of Wisdom.


    "Argh!!! Why do I have to be this unlucky!"


    "All I wanted to was to beat Alex up and make him revert back to his original state! That''s all that I f**king wanted!"


    "I did not ask to be flying alongside a dangerous monster who can end my anytime that he liked it!"


    "Argh!!!"


    The fact that someone like the Pope was needed to stop Alex right now was evidently not a good news for Professor Frances, and it made her realize that staying with Alex for longer will just be a death sentence for her.


    It even made her want to run away from Alex now, as the feeling of staying longer with him did not sit right for her anymore.


    "¡­"


    Running away however proved to be impossible this time, as the scope of Alex''s distortion has also affected the space around the professor, leaving her trapped inside a looping area that she, Alex, and the mountain were all in.


    "¡­"


    Now, no leaving attempts by anyone in this region will work, as the distortions will always bring them back to where they are.


    This effect naturally included the professor, who only took a few steps to realize what was happening.


    "Oh, so even if Alex ''trusted'' me on staying on the sidelines, he still distorted the space just to stop me from leaving?"


    "He clearly knew that I could try escaping, so he did not hesitate to trap me this way huh¡­"


    "Tsk, I am clearly unhappy about this, but what can I do about it?"


    "I associated myself with a monster now, so I guess I have to suffer the consequences now¡­"


    With her escape route blocked and her path forward filled with Alex''s power, the petrified Professor Frances found herself stuck between two hard choices.


    Should she try escaping through the use of her forbidden trump cards, which can actually break the distortion that was trapping her, but will bring her some injuries that could get her bedridden for days?


    Or should she stay along with Alex, and just assist him with what she was doing?


    "Sigh¡­ so the glorious Professor Frances has been reduced to this huh. A powerless scientist who is now forced to make a choice between two extremes."


    "On one side, there is freedom in expense of my overall health."


    "On the other side, there is the chance to live longer and with better body, but in return, I could get affected by the dirtiness of the Abyss¡­"


    The professor was unsure on what to do, as both of these choices were leading her to possible dead ends.


    "Sigh, any of these choices are bad for me, and I can only choose one from them!"


    "Tsk, why do I have to put up with this all? Is there any way for me to turn all of this around?"


    _____________


    _____________


    Professor Frances might be scared of Alex, but this did not mean that she was willing to be fully under this control.


    She was after all, a woman who only wanted to control her life by herself, and she only allows others to affect her if there is no way for her to avoid them.


    As such, she did not accept the notion that she only has two choices left in regards to how she should deal with Alex.


    There might be some obscure, hidden ''solution'' that the professor can use in order to deal with Alex safely, and she had just not detected it.


    "Hmph! I might not be as intelligent as Alex, but surely I might not be that stupid to miss everything, right?"


    "Of course I am not stupid! I am Professor Frances after all, the woman who conquered her own planet!"


    "Surely I will see something that I can use to my advantage here!"


    "All that I had to do was to just look!"


    "Yes, just look and observe!"


    With this newfound hope in her mind, the professor observed Alex for one more time, and she used all of her remaining might in order to make this work.


    "Just look and observe!!!"


    "Just look and observe!!!"


    "Just look and observe!!!"


    ______________


    ______________


    The pain brought by her injuries and the focus required for her soul magic has made it hard for the professor to observe Alex, but she persisted, in hopes of discovering something that could be of use.


    "¡­."


    At the start, this naturally proved to be difficult, as Alex had clearly hidden any clues that could be used against him.


    "¡­"


    But the longer that the professor stared at Alex, the more that she saw a pattern, one that Alex had no way of hiding from her.


    "¡­."


    Well, even if Alex tried to hide this pattern of his, it will be impossible for him, given the fact that it was his own powers that were in this pattern.


    "Wait a second¡­ from what I can see here, Alex''s body seems to be shrinking every time that he uses his distortion powers¡­"


    "Yes, he''s indeed shrinking every time he distorts something."


    "And from what I can see, the shrinkage is not a random one."


    "He''s clearly shrinking in a set value proportional to the extent and power of his distortions¡­"

 Chapter 757 - Pride: The Best Abyss Sprite?

    Master Alex is not hurting me, and he is letting us fight for him!


    I am happy because of this!


    He even patted our heads, and he said that I am the best Abyss Sprite!


    Hehehe, I am so happy!


    ¡­.


    ¡­


    What do you call someone who is feeling happy again?


    Oh right, it''s called cloud nine!


    Wait, what is cloud nine anyway? Is that food?


    Oh right, I don''t care about that.


    Master Alex''s headpats are more important¡­.


    Oh! Master Alex gave me one more headpat again!


    Hehehe, this is the best day in my life!


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    Hmm¡­ Master Alex is flying with the Professor b**ch again.


    This does not make me happy.


    What was the name of this b***h again?


    Right, its PROFESSOR FRANCES.


    Pfft, what an ugly name.


    I guess I should just call her professor b***h.


    Yeah, that''s a much better name¡­


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    ¡­


    I don''t like professor b**ch at all.


    I hate everything about her and her power as a soul magician makes her more repulsive!


    Ak k aka ak aak aka kaaka k aka kak !!


    And this b**ch looks like she wants to hurt master, and she''s not even hiding it!


    Grr¡­ I really want to kill her¡­


    But Master Alex won''t let me attack her. He said she''s too valuable and useful for him.


    I don''t believe that.


    ||Hey! Frances b**ch! Stop bothering my master!|| I shouted to the b***h.


    "!!!" The b***h jumped up after hearing me, and she then gave me a scared look.


    Heh, that scared look made me laugh.


    She looks scared and panicked.


    That is good.


    Since she''s scared, then she''s guilty of her sins.


    Oh, so is it punishment time for this b**ch now?


    No, not yet!


    I am Master Alex''s best Abyss Sprite, so I must interrogate the b**ch more!


    ||I know that you are looking for a way to kill Master Alex! Just stop it, you b***h! If you don''t, I will skin you alive with my mouth!|| I bared my teeth, in hopes of making the b**ch more scared.


    Ok, scaring her with my teeth failed, but she got scared with my warnings.


    Which is good, as scaring people makes them talk more.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    ¡­


    Okay¡­ so since the b***h is scared, then she will give me better info


    But the b***h did not give me info.


    "Hey! I am not thinking of killing Alex! I-I was just observing him!" The b***h replied smoothly. "I have no intent to kill him at all! I promise!"


    ¡­..


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    The b***h did not sound like she was lying, and she sounded sincere, at least to my ears.


    But I know better! This b***h is lying to me now!


    I knew it!


    ||You''re not thinking of attacking Master Alex? Hmph, I can detect your desire for his blood from all the way here!|| I grabbed the b**ch''s throat, and I felt the need to cut her throat.


    Since this b***h is lying to me, then she deserves to be killed!


    I am sure that Master Alex will not get angry if I kill this b**ch¡­


    Or will he?


    ¡­


    ¡­


    Uh oh, I don''t know if Master Alex will be happy if I kill this b***h now..


    ¡­.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    So should I ask for Master Alex''s permission first before I kill the professor b***h?


    Yes, I must do that first.


    ||Master Alex! Master Alex! Frances b***h was thinking of killing you! Should I kill her as a punishment now?|| I asked Master Alex as I approached his body.


    I felt happy as I approached Master Alex.


    He looks cool after all.


    And his way of distorting the ugly mountain right now makes him look more more more more more cooler!


    Argh!!! I really want to have Master Alex pat my head now!


    But the headpats can wait.


    For now, I must seek Master Alex''s permission to end the b***h''s life


    > Master Alex replied he gave me his warmest smile. >


    ||Oh!!!||


    Oh¡­. Master Alex''s smile is so warm. I can bathe within that warmth for the rest of my life!


    Oh¡­ this feels so good!


    And Master Alex is also praising me! Hehehe, this is the best!


    Oh, he''s giving me more headpats.


    Yay!


    I feel happy once more


    > But Master Alex said these words next, and it made me  unhappy again.


    ||What Master Alex? You don''t want me to kill her? But the b**ch wants to kill you!|| I was shocked by what Master Alex said, and I can''t accept it.


    I can''t accept it.


    I can''t accept it.


    I can''t accept it.


    Master Alex is busy destroying the mountain, while Professor Frances B***h is planning to kill Him!


    That is not good!


    But Master Alex is just letting the b***h off? This is so unfair!


    I want to cry right now. Maybe that will make Master Alex approve of my offer.


    ¡­.But I can''t cry because of my body, so maybe I just have to beg.


    > Oh, so begging won''t work too.


    So wait, does this mean that I won''t get to kill the b***h?


    This is not right!


    I should be killing anyone who wants to kill Master Alex!


    Argh!!! I want to kill Professor Frances b***h!


    Argh!!! I want to kill Professor Frances b***h!


    Argh!!! I want to kill Professor Frances b***h!


    Why can''t I just kill her?


    Kill her.


    Kill her.


    Kill her.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    ¡­


    ||Argh!!! Master Alex! Please let me kill the b***h! I can''t let her live! Please, let me kill her!|| I begged to Master Alex one more time.


    ||Please please please let me kill her! Let me kill her!||


    > Master Alex looks angry right now, but I did not stop begging.


    I want to kill the professor b***h, so I won''t stop until I do that!


    ||Please Master Alex!||


    >


    >


    >


    Uh oh. Master Alex looks pissed.


    I¡­ I guess my request won''t be accepted anymore.


    >


    >


    >


    Okay, Master Alex is not talking anymore.


    He''s really angry.


    >


    >


    Master Alex, y-you''re scaring me.


    Please don''t give me that look.


    Will you be punishing me now?


    Please no! Please no! Please no!


    Argh! It hurts Master Alex!


    Please stop! Please stop!


    Give me headpats! Give me headpats!


    Please Master Alex!


    Headpats! Head- D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????

 Chapter 758 - INTERLUDE: Scenes of the Past

    [[[Author''s Note: Since Alex and his group has a large schism now, I figured that bringing up their ''good'' encounters before could make their group look a little more¡­ cheerful?]]]


    "Big Sis, when will Alex come back?" A little girl with bright black hair asked Alina as the two of them were eating lunch.


    "Nom nom nom." Alina, who was preoccupied with her food, had to stop stuffing her mouth as she stared at Kiera.


    "Kiera, you should not be worried for Alex. He''s a slippery as eel, and he''s as cunning as a villain." Alina said as she swallowed the food stuffed in her mouth. "You should be more worried to those that will meet him."


    "Is Alex really that scary?" Kiera, who had the curiosity of an actual kid, seemed to be not convinced of Alina''s words. "Was he scary to you when you first met him?"


    "Well... when we first met, it was actually me who scared Alex." Alina replied as a small smile appeared on her face.


    "???" Kiera tilted her head as she heard Alina''s reply. "Big Sis, you scared Alex? How did you do that? Did you try to beat him up? Or did you steal his nose?"


    Steal his nose? No, I did not do anything like that." Alina replied with a bemused expression on her face. "You can say¡­ that we had a little misunderstanding."


    "Misunderstanding?"


    "Kiera, you''re too young to talk about stuff like this." Before Kiera could bombard Alina with more questions, Alina swooped in to pat her head. "If you want to know the full story, then you should just ask him directly."


    "Okay..." Even if she looked a little peeved from Alina''s rejection, Kiera still looked slightly happy. Maybe Alina''s headpats do work on Kiera.


    "Nom nom nom." With the little girl''s curiosity appeased, Alina continued on satisfying her appetite.


    **********************


    Minutes later.


    "Alina, are you done eating now? I want to spar a little with you¡­" Once Alina had cleaned up the dishes on her table, she saw Queen Mother, with her green skin and voluptuous body, approaching Alina''s table.


    "You want to fight again? But your creations always lose to my Dark Magic." Alina replied as she tilted her head. "Isn''t that a little difficult for you to always replenish them?"


    "I know, but through our training together, I managed to create better adaptations for my creations, which will be hopefully useful in our upcoming fights." Queen Mother replied as she sat beside Alina. "If I continue sparring with you, I''m sure I can produce better creations that will be of great help to us. Besides, you also learn new things from our sparring, right?"


    "You have a point¡­" Alina replied as she let out a sigh. "Ok fine, I''ll spar with you right now. However, I just have one condition."


    "Condition?" Queen Mother''s eyes widened innocently as she said these words, while Alina started to glare at her. "And what condition is that?"


    "Please don''t ogle at my legs when we spar." Alina replied as she placed a palm on her forehead. "Everytime that we spar, I always see your eyes glancing at my legs¡­ At first I thought you were just trying to anticipate my movements, but the longer our spar goes, the more you stared at my legs¡­"


    "Oh, did I do that?"


    "You did!" Alina replied as she shook her head. "You''re even doing it now!"


    "Well... Alex is always staring at your legs, so maybe I can too?" Queen Mother haltingly said to Alina.


    "Alex is Alex, and I am perfectly fine with him." Alina replied as she stared at Queen Mother''s eyes. "You on the other hand, is my friend. Even if you were just admiring my legs, I''m not really that comfortable with it."


    "¡­"


    "What would you feel if I look at your legs?" Alina asked Queen Mother. "Wouldn''t you feel uncomfortable too?"


    "Well, if a beautiful woman stares at my legs, I will feel a little¡­ excited, hehehe." Queen Mother replied to Alina with an apologetic tone.


    "Queen Mother!"


    "Ok, ok! I promise to not look at your legs intently anymore." Queen Mother said as she wilted under Alina''s glare. "But can I have a little peek sometimes? Your legs just look perfect¡­ Alex even said that the thinness and thickness of your legs  follow the golden ratio¡­"


    Queen Mother then mimed some stroking motions, as she seemed to reminisce something good from her memories. "The only other person with great legs like you was Lauren¡­ and damn, her legs really are one of a kind!"


    "Do you want to be chopped down into firewood?" Alina said as she looked at Queen Mother with a smile that was also not a smile. "It''s been a long time since I chopped down a tree. Maybe today is the day that I become  Lumberjack Alina again¡­"


    "I''ll behave now, definitely."


    "Good."


    ***************


    "Hey, hooman, where''s my honey?" After Alina finished dealing with Queen Mother, it was time for the next mischievous person to come in. "I''m hungry now!"


    Obviously, the only one who can say demanding things like this was no other than the dumb fairy Asteria.


    "If you want to get honey, you can just get the one that Queen Mother produces." Alina said as she pointed to Queen Mother. "That''s what Alex told you to get, right?"


    "But¡­" Asteria''s boastful appearance deflated a little as she looked at Queen Mother, who looked like she was not trying to laugh.


    "But what?" Alina innocently asked Asteria as she tilted her head. "Is there a problem with Queen Mother''s honey?"


    "No! Her honey tastes good! Yum¡­" Asteria replied as drool began to flow from her chin. She then hurriedly wiped it as she glared at Alina. "My problem is the way that I can get her honey!"


    "What is your problem with that?" Alina replied as she gave Asteria another quizzed look. "Is there a problem with the way that Queen Mother produces her mil- honey?


    "Of course there is!" Asteria replied as she started to look enraged. "Queen Mother¡­ she, she, she produces honey from her b.r.e.a.s.ts! And for me to get that honey, I have to be b.r.e.a.s.t fed by Queen Mother! Isn''t that just plain wrong?"


    "What''s wrong with that?" Alina replied as she and Queen Mother smirked at Asteria. "You''re smaller than a baby, and you act like a baby, so there should be no problem, right?"


    "No problem my ass!" Asteria replied angrily as she brandished her tiny fists at Alina''s direction. "I''m a Fairy Queen, and doing lowly things like this is not suited for  a noble one like me!"


    "Oh really?" Alina then started to giggle as she saw the indignant expression on Asteria''s face. "Didn''t you get b.r.e.a.s.t fed with honey by Queen Mother last night? From what I can remember, when Queen Mother finished giving you honey, you grabbed her b.r.e.a.s.ts and bit it as you demanded her to give you more. You even licked the leftovers that dripped on her arms! Now, is that something that a Fairy Queen should do?"


    "Bad hoomans! You''re bullying me again! Just you wait until Alex comes back here! He will punish you for me!"


    "Oh really?"


    "Argh!"

 Chapter 759 - Corruption Path and Distortion Path

    While Alex and his allies were busy on their trip inside the Ancestral Tomb, there was a certain creature who was having the time of her life.


    Well, not exactly the ''time of her life'', but compared to what the others were going through, this creature''s experiences were quite¡­ mild.


    "Ok¡­ so the hoomans and the plant woman are busy on whatever they are doing inside that creepy place." The creature muttered as her eyes fluttered. "Well, I can''t blame them for being busy. That tomb was dangerous after all."


    She seemed to be at ease with her words, and her relaxed attitude made her look more lax.


    "And while they are there, Alex had left me behind here, and he seems uninterested on bringing me to the tomb."


    "Which is good, as I don''t want to go to that tomb¡­"


    This creature was also talking to herself, which on its own, might appear creepy since she was also alone.


    But to those who knew this creature, what she was doing can be considered to be normal¡­


    "What? You think that a fairy as beautiful as me will be fine going to that creepy place? Hell no!"


    "I might be the Fairy Queen, but I ain''t no Stupid Queen!"


    "I will die first before I even allow anyone to bring me to that tomb! Nobody can bring me there, not even that hooman!"


    "¡­"


    "So Alex should be happy that he left me behind. If he didn''t, then I will be the one who will be sending punishment on his heels¡­"


    This creature was no other than the fairy Asteria, who was currently lounging on a soft sofa.


    Her wings were tucked on her back while her whole body was relaxed on her sitting position, with her face fully slack without it having any signs of stress.


    This made her look fully relaxed, and the way that she let her arm hang loosely just reinforced this.


    Her mouth was even wearing this full-blown grin, which only showed how contented she was about her current situation.


    It was as if she did not worry about the condition of her allies at all, and she''s only interested on her ''relaxation time¡­''


    The combination of these appearances made the dumb fairy look extremely lazy, but she obviously did not care about it.


    "Sigh¡­. Resting while my allies are fighting for their lives sure is a strange feeling. Strange, but it''s also comfortable."


    "Comfortable because I have a feeling that they will survive. Which was always the norm, given their abilities."


    "Of course the danger that my allies, especially Alex are facing could make them die, but come on, Alex is too powerful to be defeated."


    Due to the brightness of her wings, and the lack of decoration around her, it is hard to determine the location that Asteria is in right now.


    But judging by her words and the lack of any beings around her, it is easy to assume that Asteria is currently separated from Alex and his Companions¡­


    "Yeah, that hooman is too powerful  right now, that I don''t think anyone else, except for the other Travelers can beat him¡­"


    "Which is f**king good, as that means that I cannot die."


    As for why Alex and the others agreed on leaving her alone, Asteria did not put much thought onto it.


    But she sure is enjoying this experience, and she did not seem to be worried about her allies at all¡­


    "But if Alex gets corrupted by the Abyss, then I think it will be game over for me too."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­But knowing that hooman, I guess he has a way to escape from the Abyss'' clutch."


    "Hmph, I just hope that Alex escapes from the Abyss sooner already. I don''t want to stay near those disgusting tentacles after all!"


    "The same goes for Alina and the others! They should also help Alex out!"


    "Tsk, now I am getting stressed again!  Don''t be stressed!"


    "Asteria, you should only be relaxing now, ok? So do it, and don''t worry that much!"


    Just like what she had been murmuring earlier, the current Asteria was invested on relaxing both her body and mind, to the point that she was not willing to join her allies on their trip.


    This conviction to relax might seem jarring, but since it was Asteria who was doing this, hardly anyone will be surprised by her actions¡­


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    The preparations that Asteria exerted earlier to isolate her body has made it so that nobody can disturb her at all, and its effects were certainly taking fruit.


    Asteria was still busy on relaxing for an hour already, and nobody, not even the enemies of her allies had look for her.


    This was certainly good for the fairy, and she was hoping that it will stay this way for longer¡­


    "...So nobody is here, right? "


    "¡­."


    "That''s good. I don''t like anyone disturbing me."


    "¡­."


    "¡­.And minutes have passed by, and no one''s here yet."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Ok, it''s all good."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    " Hehehehe, now I can enjoy all this free time for myself! Oh, and  I can also start plowing my see-"


    But to Asteria''s dismay, before she could even fully enjoy her ''relaxation period'', she suddenly received an important message from the Endless Monarch.


    This effectively ended her ''vacation'', and she had no way of avoiding any responsibilities right now.


    "¡­"


    "¡­."


    Asteria had no choice but to see this message, so the grumbling fairy opened up her mental link before she could even lose her desire to move.


    "So speaking of Alex and his Companions, I think the Endless Monarch had just updated their profiles¡­"


    "Oh right, it was just updated 4 seconds ago.."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Ok let''s see¡­ so should I start reading this update already?"


    "Of course I should! I am their Guide, and it is my responsibility to observe their growth!"


    Although she was irritated from the interruption of her ''relaxation time'', Asteria was not that unhappy, especially after she read the message sent by her master.


    She even looked interested, as if what she received was enough to off-set her negative emotions.


    As for why she reacted this way, the words that she uttered next had easily explained it.


    "Ok¡­ so the updates are all about Alex, Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances. Good, good, good. It seems to be describing all of their new abilities too."


    "Oh, and their dossiers have been shortened. That''s good too."


    "Hehehe, now I can read this dossier without getting lazy."


    "¡­Should I read this now?"


    "Of course I should. Nobody is stopping me from reading, right?"


    Like a man who had just forgotten his keys, the ''relaxing'' Asteria had fully ignored her goal to relax, as she now focused on the info that she just received.


    And unlike all the jobs that she usually did in a half-assed manner, Asteria was fully focused on what she was about to do now..


    "Nobody is going to bother me for the next few hours, so I guess my reading time will be undisturbed too."


    "Ok, no more thinking Asteria. Just start reading."


    _____________


    _____________


    [ALEX]


    [POWER SYTEMS]


    [[[ABYSS MAGIC(SIXTH STAGE)]]]


    IT IS CURRENTLY UNKNOWN HOW POWERFUL ALEX''S ABYSS MAGIC REALLY IS, AS THE EXTENT OF WHAT HE CAN DO WITH IT IS ALREADY BEYOND THE NORMAL CONVENTION.


    HOWEVER, IF THE SCENERY SHOWN BY HIS ABILITIES ARE RIGHT, THEN ALEX IS ALREADY EDGING NEARER TO THE PEAK OF SIXTH STAGE.


    AND FROM THE CAPABILITIES THAT HE HAD SHOWN, ALEX''S ABYSS MAGIC IS GOING THROUGH THE DISTORTION PATH.


    ALEX HAD ALSO SHOWN SIGNS OF GOING THROUGH THE CORRUPTION PATH, WHICH WAS EVIDENCED BY HIS CORRUPTED STATE, BUT SO FAR, HE HAS NOT USED HIS POWERS TO CORRUPT ANYONE ELSE YET.


    HE ONLY USED HIS POWER TO DISTORT, AND HE DID IT EXTENSIVELY.


    NOTE: TO THE TRAVELERS WHO ARE NOT SURE WHAT THE DISTORTION AND CORRUPTION PATHS MEAN, DON''T BE WORRIED. IT IS PLAIN SIMPLE.


    THE ABYSS MAGIC POWER SYSTEM USES THE SEVEN SINS AS THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR POWER, BUT IT BRANCHES OUT INTO TWO DIFFERENT PATHS.


    THESE PATHS DIFFER ON THEIR USAGE OF THE SEVEN SINS, BUT BOTH ARE USEFUL FOR FIGHTS.


    THESE PATHS ARE KNOWN AS THE CORRUPTION PATH AND THE DISTORTION PATH.


    BOTH PATHS AFFECT THE REALITY IN DIFFERENT WAYS, BUT JUST LIKE WHAT WAS SAID EARLIER, BOTH ARE USEFUL AGAINST  OPPONENTS.


    THE TWO PATHS HOWEVER ARE RECOMMENDED TO BE USED IN CERTAIN ASPECTS, SO DON''T EXPECT THAT BOTH PATHS ARE OMNIPOTENT.


    THE CORRUPTION PATH FOCUSES ON THE CORRODING THE MENTAL AND SOUL ASPECTS OF THE MULTIVERSE, WHILE THE DISTORTION PATH IS  ABOUT DISTORTING THE PHYSICAL AND SCIENTIFIC ASPECTS OF THE MULTIVERSE.

 Chapter 760 - Power and Consequences

    *****************


    "¡­Feeling Alex''s power by myself is already bad enough, but seeing how the Endless Monarch outlined his abilities is making me feel more scared of him." Asteria muttered sullenly, as if what she had read made her feel somewhat nervous. "Hmph, it''s a really good thing that he''s my ally."


    "However, that power from the Abyss is dangerous, and if Alex does not handle it well, his hooman life will be at risk."


    "But since master has allowed it, then I should just wait and see what happens to Alex next¡­"


    She stopped sulking at the next second though, as she continued browsing the info.


    ***************


    [[[ESPER POWER(SIXTH STAGE)]]]


    WHEN I ACCEPTED ALEX AS ONE OF MY ''INITIATES'', I HAD HIGH HOPES FOR HIS ESPER POWER TO REACH A HIGH LEVEL. IT WAS AFTER ALL, THE FIRST POWER THAT HE OBTAINED FROM MY SYSTEM.


    BUT AFTER NUMEROUS MISSIONS, HIS ESPER POWER ONLY REACHED THE LEVEL JUST BELOW THE ABYSS MAGIC, AND THAT IS WITH THE SUPPORT GIVEN BY THE OTHER HALF-STEP TRANSCENDENT BEINGS.


    NOW, I CAN PERFECTLY SAY THAT THE CURRENT LEVEL OF HIS ESPER POWER IS ALREADY IMPRESSIVE. BUT COMPARED TO HIS ABYSS MAGIC, THE FORMER CAN BE SAID AS NOTHING MORE BUT A SLIGHT HICCUP.


    ***************


    "A slight hiccup? What is the Endless Monarch saying? Can''t he see how powerful Alex''s Esper Power is?"


    "Not only does Alex can easily manipulate the four fundamental forces of the universe through his Esper Power, he is also edging closer to the true path of this ability!"


    "Of course Alex is not yet there on that part, but given his talent, he can reach it in around 1-2 missions."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­So I don''t think my hooman''s Esper Power is that disappointing. It''s just a little compromised because of that damned Abyss Magic."


    "And besides! My hooman has not yet used the Esper Transcendence Shard for himself! If he uses that, I am 100% sure that his Esper Power will even be cooler than his s***y Abyss Magic!"


    ***************


    [[[IMMORTAL CULTIVATION(PEAK FIFTH STAGE OR DAO DOMAIN STAGE)]]]


    FROM THE LAST UPDATE, ALEX''S IMMORTAL CULTIVATION WAS BARELY STARTING AT THE FOURTH STAGE(NASCENT SOUL STAGE).


    BUT AFTER THE SUPPORT GIVEN BY THE IMMORTAL TRANSCENDENCE SHARD, AND THE ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FROM THE HALF-STEP TRANSCENDENTS, ALEX BROKE THROUGH TO THE DAO DOMAIN STAGE.


    DON''T ASK ME WHAT  THE DAO DOMAIN STAGE IS. YOU PERFECTLY KNOW IT, AS I HAVE MENTIONED IT BEFORE.


    [[[CONQUEROR''S AURA(SIXTH STAGE)]]]


    THIS IS STILL AT THE SAME LEVEL OF POWER AS IT WAS BEFORE. IT HAS NO CHANGES AT ALL, AND I DOUBT IT WILL CHANGE.


    THE ONLY TIME THAT THIS POWER WILL CHANGE IS WHEN ALEX DEVOURS THE ENTIRETY OF EMPEROR LITCH.


    OH, AND THIS CHANGE IS A POSITIVE ONE, SO ANY ENEMIES OF ALEX SHOULD RUN AWAY IF THIS HAPPENS.


    AS FOR HOW FAR THIS POWER COULD IMPROVE AFTER THIS DEVOURING EVENT, IT WILL DEPEND ON THE PRIOR PREPARATIONS THAT ALEX HAD BEFORE.


    A COMPLETE CONQUEROR''S AURA CAN GIVE ALEX A HALF-STEP TRANSCENDENT LEVEL OF POWER, AND IT COULD GO STRONGER IF ALEX HAS HIS OWN PERSONAL LAW READY.


    [[[VIBRATION MANIPULATION(FIFTH STAGE)]]]


    ALTHOUGH THIS POWER HAS NOT RECEIVED A LARGE POWER SURGE FOR THE PAST MONTHS, ALEX HAD FINESSED ITS USE OF IT.


    HE CAN ALREADY USE THIS POWER TO INDUCE VIBRATIONS ON THE CONCEPTS OF SPACE, TIME, AND DIMENSIONS THEMSELVES.


    I ALSO NOTICED HIM USING THIS ABILITY TO INTRODUCE SUPERPOSITION BETWEEN HIS DIFFERENT ABILITIES, WHICH WORKED IN DIFFERENT AND INTERESTING WAYS.*


    *BY INTRODUCING SUPERPOSITION BETWEEN HIS ESPER POWER AND ABYSS MAGIC, ALEX MANAGED TO FUSE HIS SEMI-CORRUPTED STATE WITH THE GRAVITATIONAL AND ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD, WHICH IN TURN GAVE HIM ACCESS TO AN ATTACK THAT COULD AFFECT MULTIPLE DIMENSIONS.(THIS FEAT IS IMPRESSIVE, AND I DOUBT ANYONE AS YOUNG AS HIM CAN EMULATE IT.)


    *BY INTRODUCING SUPERPOSITION BETWEEN HIS CONQUEROR''S AURA AND HIS ABYSS MAGIC, ALEX''S DISTORTION AND LAW-MAKING CAPABILITIES BECAME THE EQUIVALENT TO THAT OF A PEAK SIXTH STAGE BEING.


    THE COMBINATION OF THE CONQUEROR''S AURA AND THE ABYSS MAGIC IS A GOOD TRUMP CARD THAT ALEX HAD SAVED IN HIS SLEEVES, BUT IT COULD BE BETTER, AS ALEX CAN THEORETICALLY MAKE THIS COMBINATION BECOME AS POWERFUL AS A HALF-STEP TRANSCENDENT BEING.


    THE ONLY THING STOPPING HIM WAS THE BACKLASH, WHICH I ESTIMATE TO BE POWERFUL ENOUGH TO KILL HIM.


    *BY INTRODUCING SUPERPOSITION BETWEEN HIS IMMORTAL CULTIVATION AND ABYSS MAGIC, WHAT ALEX GOT IS A SINGLE MALICIOUS ABILITY THAT ALMOST KILLED HIM.


    I WON''T EXPLAIN WHAT THIS ABILITY IT, BUT IT IS YOUR JOB, ALEX''S GUIDE, TO ENSURE THAT YOUR HOOMAN WON''T HURT HIMSELF.


    ALEX INTRODUCED MORE SUPERPOSITION COMBINATIONS AFTER THIS, BUT I DON''T HAVE THE INTEREST AND ENERGY TO ENUMERATE THEM. JUST REMEMBER THAT HE IS VENTURING ON  A NEW WAY TO USE HIS ABILITIES, SO MAKE SURE THAT HE WILL STAY ALIVE FOR THIS DURATION.


    NOW, THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE THAT THIS VIBRATION MANIPULATION ABILITY WILL ''EVOLVE'' SINCE IT IS A SUPERHUMAN POWER, SO EXPECT TO SEE MORE OUTRAGEOUS THINGS FROM YOUR HOOMAN IN THE FUTURE.


    ***************


    "What? That damned hooman is using superposition on his powers themselves? What the f**k is he thinking?"


    "Does Alex wants to die? F**king hell, and he did not even consult me about it!"


    "Grr¡­ When the heck did Alex start doing this?"


    "Let''s see¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Oh, so he did the superpositions right after he became semi-corrupted?"


    "Tsk, no wonder Alex looked tired as f**k even when he was being coddled by the Abyss. Instead of saving his body for more fights in the future, he is actually giving himself pressure from all these power combinations!"


    "Argh!!! Now his makes me pissed! Alex could legitimately die from this!"


    _________________


    _________________


    [ALINA]


    [POWER SYSTEMS]


    [[[DARK MAGIC(SIXTH STAGE)]]]


    ¡­I CAN SAY WITH CERTAINTY THAT ALINA''S TALENT WAS SO GREAT, THAT IF IT WEREN''T'' FOR ALEX''S EXISTENCE, SHE COULD BE TURNED INTO A TRAVELER BY SOMEONE ELSE.


    SHE''S JUST¡­ IMPRESSIVE, EVEN WHEN HER RESOURCES ARE SLIGHTLY LIMITED COMPARED TO HER TRAVELER.


    NOW, I DON''T GIVE DISCREDIT FOR ALEX, SINCE HE MANAGED TO DO THE ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE(WHICH IS THE ACQUISITION OF 5 DIFFERENT POWERS), BUT ALINA''S CURRENT STATE IS ALSO NEAR MIRACULOUS.


    SHE WAS AFTER ALL JUGGLING 3 DIFFERENT POWERS INSIDE HER BODY, AND EACH ONE WERE AT THEIR RESPECTIVE POWERFUL LEVELS TOO.


    OUT OF THESE 3, HER DARK MAGIC IS A CUT ABOVE THE REST.


    NOW LITTLE ASTERIA, I WON''T EXPLAIN TO YOU THE INTRICACIES OF ALINA''S DARK MAGIC, AS YOU HAD ALREADY WITNESSED IT FOR YOURSELF.


    MIND MANIPULATION, MULTI-DIMENSIONAL SUMMONING, EXTREME SEALING, AND MANY MORE DERIVATIONS WERE ALREADY USED BY ALINA, AND SHE''S DISCOVERING MORE OF THEM EVERYDAY.


    ***************


    "Huh? Alina''s Dark Magic is already that powerful? How come I did not feel that much danger from her?"


    "¡­It must be because I am hungry. Right, I should be just hungry¡­"


    ***************


    [[[ESPER POWER(PEAK SIXTH STAGE)]]]


    ALINA''S ESPER POWER IS EVEN MORE IMPRESSIVE THAN HER DARK MAGIC, AS THIS ONE HAS ALREADY REACHED ITS PEAK LEVEL.


    IT''S EVEN HIGHER THAN ALEX''S, AND SHE ONLY DID IT IN A SHORT SPAN OF TIME.


    NOW, ALL THAT ALINA HAS TO DO IS TO DISCOVER THE TRUE NATURE OF HER ESPER POWER, AND SHE CAN ALREADY START CRAFTING HER PERSONAL LAW.


    AS FOR HOW LONG IT WILL TAKE HER TO DO THIS, IT DEPENDS ON THE PERSON HERSELF¡­.


    [[[CHRONOMANCY(PEAK FIFTH STAGE)]]]


    SINCE THIS ABILITY WAS THE LATEST ABILITY THAT ALINA OBTAINED, IT WAS NO SURPRISE TO ME THAT SHE''S HAVING A SLIGHT DIFFICULTY HERE.


    ADD THE PRESENCE OF THAT MEDDLESOME GREAT TIMEMASTER, AND I DON''T THINK ALINA WILL HAVE THAT MUCH SUCCESS IN THIS POWER SYSTEM.


    ¡­BUT IF SHE DISCOVERS THE TRUE NATURE OF HER ESPER POWER, THEN THE NATURE OF HER CHRONOMANCY IS BOUND TO CHANGE TOO.


    ONCE THAT HAPPENS, I DOUBT THAT THE GREAT TIMEMASTER COULD FULLY BOTHER ALINA AT ALL.


    EXTRA POWER: ALL-SEEING EYES + OMNISCIENT SKIN - AH¡­ NOW THIS IS A COMBINATION IS MAKING ME FEEL ALL TINGLY.


    DON''T ASK ME WHY, AS YOU KNOW THAT THE COMBINATION OF TWO DIVINE SENSORY ORGANS IS ALREADY A CELEBRATION ON ITS OWN.


    ***************


    "¡­ I believe the Endless Monarch when he says that Alina''s combination of her All-Seeing Eyes and her Omniscient Skin is a good thing on itself, but I don''t think I should be too optimistic."


    "After all, combining more of these organs could awaken the Divine Lady herself, and if that happens, Alina could be taken over and killed."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    ____________________


    ____________________


    [PROFESSOR FRANCES]


    [POWER SYSTEMS]


    [[[SOUL MAGIC(SIXTH STAGE)]]]


    ¡­I TURNED PROFESSOR FRANCES INTO A TRAVELER BEFORE BECAUSE I KNOW OF HER TALENT IN THE FIELD OF SOUL MAGIC. (OF COURSE I ALSO TURNED HER INTO A TRAVELER BECAUSE SHE PISSED ME OFF.)


    IT TOOK HER ONLY AROUND 2-3 MISSIONS TO REACH THE SIXTH STAGE OF SOUL MAGIC, WHICH IS THE FASTEST IMPROVEMENT RATE THAT I HAVE EVER SEEN IN THIS PROGRAM.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    I HOPE TO SEE MORE OF THESE IMPROVEMENTS IN THE FUTURE, WHICH I FEEL WILL HAPPEN AGAIN IN YOUR CURRENT WORLD.


    ¡­..


    ¡­.


    OH, AND GIVEN HER PENCHANT FOR CREATING LIFE, I ALSO FEEL THAT PROFESSOR FRANCES WILL EASILY DISCOVER THE TRUE NATURE OF HER SOUL MAGIC.


    JUST WATCH HER AND OBSERVE IF SHE MESSES SOMETHING UP.


    EXTRA POWERS: LIFE-CREATION AND BIOLOGICAL MANIPULATION ¨C WITH THE WAY THAT HER KNOWLEDGE ABOUT SOULS AND LIFE IS INCREASING, I HAVE THE FEELING THAT PROFESSOR FRANCES CAN BECOME A SELF-TAUGHT CREATOR IN THE FUTURE.


    *******************


    "Hoho, I thought I will see the professor get cussed on her profile again. It seems like the Endless Monarch has mellowed down¡­"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "Did master mellow down because he thought Professor Frances can be a Creator? Yeah, it looks like it, and I can''t blame my master for that."


    "Creators are hard to find after all, and I know for a fact that master needs one of them¡­"


    _____________________


    _____________________


    [QUEEN MOTHER]


    [POWER SYSTEMS] ¨C CONFIDENTIAL


    BEFORE YOU COULD GET ANGRY, YOU SHOULD UNDERSTAND THAT QUEEN MOTHER''S SPECIE IS ONE THAT SHOULD NEVER HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THIS PROGRAM.


    IN FACT, I MADE SURE TO MAKE THAT IMPOSSIBLE.


    UNFORTUNATELY FOR ALL OF US, QUEEN MOTHER BECAME A COMPANION, AND It Was The Fault Of Your Hooman, Asteria!


    NOW, I WON''T EXPLAIN TO YOU HOW BAD THE SITUATION WAS AFTER QUEEN MOTHER BECAME A COMPANION.


    LET''S JUST SAY THAT A CERTAIN¡­. BUDDY OF MINE TRIED TO KILL ME BECAUSE OF THIS MATTER.


    ALL IS WELL NOW THOUGH, SO DON''T WORRY FOR ME.


    WHAT YOU SHOULD WORRY INSTEAD IS YOUR LIFE, AS YOU ARE IN DANGER RIGHT NOW. ESPECIALLY IF YOUR BELOVED TREE WOMAN DIES IN THAT PLACE¡­


    ****************


    "W-Wait a second! How come I have to fend for my life now? It''s Alex''s fault that he pulled in Queen Moher in the first place!"


    "He should be the one facing the consequences of it, and not me!"


    "Argh!!!"

 Chapter 761 - Affiliations and Troubles

    Asteria sounded fully upset, and no one could fully fault her for it, as what she read from the powers of her allies were enough to make her incensed.


    Well, maybe Asteria overreacted a little, but her anger was right there.


    "Tsk, because of the chaotic manner that Alex and his Companions obtained their powers, there are a lot of problems that latched on to them."


    "Now, I usually am hands-off against these problems, since they usually don''t involve me."


    "But most of these problems could bring Alex into mortal dangers! Which makes them my problem too!"


    "Argh! Why do these problems have to even exist? Because of them, I have to be careful for my life, since Alex''s life is tied to mine!"


    "¡­."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Sigh¡­ if I could just go back in time, I would have stopped my younger self from enrolling to that stupid school. I will also tell  my younger self to just stay at home and be an obedient kid¡­"


    Unsurprisingly, the irate Asteria became much angrier, and it came to the point that the fairy herself began lashing her anger out to the nearby objects.


    This ''tantrum'' did not abate her rage however, as it only increased, especially when she continued reading the profiles.


    _______________


    _______________


    KNOWN AFFILATIONS AND ORGANIZATIONS.


    [ALEX]


    [[[ABYSS REALM]]] - AS AN OLD FOGEY WHO MANAGED TO LIVE FOR A LONG TIME, I HAVE NO QUALMS IN SAYING THAT THE ABYSS REALM IS AN ENTITY THAT I NEVER TRULY RESPECTED.


    THE ABYSS REALM MIGHT BE ONE OF THE OLDEST CREATURES TO HAVE LIVED IN THE MULTIVERSE, BUT HIS METHODS WITH HIS ALLIES AND AGAINST HIS ENEMIES WERE ONES THAT I NEVER TRULY LIKED.


    I MIGHT BE CRITICIZED FOR KIDNAPPING PEOPLE AND FLINGING THEM INTO DANGEROUS WORDS, BUT AT LEAST I GIVE THEM THE POWERS THAT THEY CAN USE IN ORDER TO SURVIVE.


    THE ABYSS HOWEVER DOES IT DIFFERENTLY, AND HE ENFORCES HIS WILL DIRECTLY ON ANY CREATURES THAT INTEREST HIM.


    YEAH, HE CORRUPTS AND DISTORTS THEM, AND HE DOES NOT CARE FOR THE CONSEQUENCE.


    ¡­


    SO LITTLE ASTERIA, YOU SHOULD WATCH OUT AND TAKE CARE OF YOUR TRAVELER.


    I KNOW THAT HE ACCEPTED A DEAL FROM THE ABYSS, ONE WHICH IF LEFT UNCHECKED, COULD BRING HIM TO RUIN.


    ************


    "Oh, so the Endless Monarch knew that Alex accepted a deal from the Abyss? And yet he did nothing to stop it?"


    "And now he just tells me to fix the matter with Alex by myself?"


    "Argh! If the Endless Monarch was just not my master, I would really be biting him now!"


    *************


    [[[GOETIC ORDER REALM]]] - AS FOR THIS AFFILIATION, I HEARD THAT THIS REALM ONLY HAS MIXED FEELINGS FOR YOUR GROUP.


    ON ONE HAND, THEY ARE INCENSED THAT YOU KILLED ONE OF THEIR DEMONS AND THAT YOU OBTAINED ONE OF THEIR PILLARS.


    BUT THEY WERE ALSO HAPPY THAT A NEW GOETIC DEMON LORD HAS BEEN BORNE FROM YOUR GROUP, AND IT IS ONE THAT HAS POTENTIAL FOR HIGHER GROWTH.


    THESE CONFLICTING VIEWS LEFT THE GOETIC ORDER REALM WITH NO CHOICE BUT TO WATCH YOU AND YOUR ALEX IN A NEUTRAL LIGHT. WHAT THEY WILL DO NEXT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT  ALEX WILL DO.


    SO LITTLE ASTERIA, I ALSO ADVICE YOU TO TAKE CARE OF THAT LITTLE DEMON. OH, AND YOU SHOLUD ALSO CONVINCE YOUR  ALLIES TO MAKE THAT DEMON STRONGER.


    THAT WAY, THE GOETIC ORDER REALM WILL BE HAPPY TO YOU ALL.


    ¡­


    IF YOU THINK THAT''S HARD TO DO, THEN DON''T WORRY, MY LITTLE ASTERIA.


    ONE OF THESE DAYS, YOU AND YOUR TRAVELER COULD FIND YOURSELVES INSIDE THE GOETIC ORDER REALM TOO, AND ONCE THAT HAPPENS, YOUR LITTLE DEMON WILL HAVE A GREATER CHANCE OF GROWING¡­


    [[[NFERNAL MONARCH]]] - THIS GUY IS A GOOD FRIEND OF MINE, SO I AM HAPPY TO SEE THAT YOUR TRAVELER HAS OBTAINED HIS LEGACY.


    HEHE, I CAN''T WAIT TO SEE HOW YOUR TRAVELER USES THE INFERNAL MONARCH''S WAR CABIN IN THE FUTURE¡­


    OH, AND DON''T EXPECT ME TO TELL YOU HOW THIS LEGACY CAN BE IMPROVED, ALTHOUGH I HEARD SOME RUMORS THAT THE GOETIC ORDER REALM HAS SOMETHING USEFUL FOR THIS LEGACY..


    **************


    "Wait a second there!"


    "Endless Monarch, are you saying to me that you want to bring us to the Goetic Order Realm? Isn''t that just f**ked up? Come on, you know better than that!"


    "Those demons will practically feast on us if you bring us there!"


    "Huhuhu, please, please don''t bring us to that place!"


    **************


    [[[HOLY ORDER REALM]]] - ASTERIA, YOU ARE EXTREMELY LUCKY THAT YOUR TRAVELER HAS CHOSEN TO ALLY WITH THE HOLY ORDER ENVOY FOR THE PAST MISSIONS.


    THAT ALLIANCE SAVED YOUR TRAVELER''S LIFE FROM ANY ATTACKS OF THE HOLY ORDER REALM, AND FROM WHAT I COULD SEE, IT COULD ALSO BE OF ASSISTANCE TO HIM IN THE FUTURE.


    NOW, THE HOLY ORDER REALM WILL STILL TREAT YOUR TRAVELER IN A COLD MANNER, BUT WITH THE HOLY ORDER ENVOY PROTECTING HIM, ALL IS WELL FOR YOU.


    BUT ONCE ALEX BECOMES FULLY CORRUPTED BY THE ABYSS, THE HOLY ORDER REALM WILL DO EVERTYING THAT IT CAN TO KILL HIM.


    ¡­.


    SO, JUST LIKE MY ADVICE TO YOU EARLIER, MAKE SURE THAT  ALEX WILL NOT BE FULLY CORRUPTED BY THE ABYSS.


    [[[CHAOS]]] - I AM SPEECHLESS ABOUT ALEX''S AFFILATION WITH THE CHAOS. I JUST COULD NOT FIND THE RIGHT WORDS TO DESCRIBE HOW F**KED ALEX IS IN TERMS OF HOW CHAOS LOOKS AT HIM.


    NOW, I DON''T BLAME CHAOS FOR LOOKING AT ALEX IN A BAD LIGHT.


    YOUR TRAVELER KILLED A ''CHILD OF CHAOS'' AFTER ALL, SO ACCEPT THE FACT THAT CHAOS WILL NOW OBSERVE ALEX FOR  HIS WHOLE LIFE.


    BEING OBSERVED BY CHAOS IS ALREADY BAD, BUT DO YOU KNOW WHAT''S WORSE?


    ASIDE FROM EARNING THE IRE OF CHAOS, ALEX HAS ALSO EARNED THE WRATH OF THE OTHER ''CHILDS OF CHAOS'', SO DO EXPECT SOME ATTACKS FROM THEM IN THE FUTURE.


    [[EMPEROR LITCH]]] ¨C ALL THAT I CAN SAY TO YOU IS GOOD LUCK IN REGARDS TO THIS MAN.


    *************


    "Yay, I can''t wait to celebrate from hearing all these bad news."


    "Not only is Alex''s life in danger from the Abyss Realm, his life is also being scrutinized by the Holy Order Realm, the Goetic Order Realm, Chaos, and Emperor Litch too."


    "Yay, isn''t this just great?"


    "¡­Oh, and the Childs of Chaos are hunting Alex as of this point?"


    "Now this just makes all of this even better!"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Argh! Stupid hooman! Why does he have to offend this many powerhouses?"


    "Argh!!!"


    ____________________


    ___________________


    KNOWN AFFILATIONS


    [ALINA]


    [[[WORLD SOUL SIERRA]]] ¨C WHY WOULD I PUT THIS INSIGNIFICANT BEING ON THIS LIST? I WONDER ABOUT IT TOO, BUT SINCE SHE''S A UNIQUE BEING THAT ALINA MANAGED TO ''RECRUIT'', THEN I GUESS SHE''S IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO BE MENTIONED HERE.


    THERE''S ALSO THE FACT THAT UNLIKE ANY OTHER WORLD SOULS, SIERRA''S BIRTH WAS THROUGH THE ASSISTANCE OF TRAVELER ALEX AND ALINA.


    THAT COMBINATION IS A UNIQUE ONE PER SE, AND I HAVE THE FEELING THAT IT WILL RESULT ON INTERESTING EVENTS IN THE FUTURE.


    THEN THERE''S ALSO THE INTERESTING NOTION OF SIERRA POSSESSING TWO WORLDS AS HER BODY.


    THAT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, BUT KNOWING ALEX AND HIS ANTICS, I AM SURE THAT HE WILL USE SIERRA TO ''POSSESS'' MORE WORLDS IN THE FUTURE.


    ¡­.


    ¡­.


    NOW, MY OMNIPOTENCE CAN SHOW ME WHAT SIERRA COULD ACCOMPLISH IN THE FUTURE, BUT THAT WOULD BE TOO BORING, RIGHT?


    SO I WILL JUST WAIT ON HOW SHE GROWS¡­


    [[[DARK REALM]]] ¨C THIS IS A PLACE THAT I RECOMMEND ALINA TO GO, BUT GIVEN THE DISPOSITION OF YOUR GROUP, I DOUBT THAT SHE COULD VISIT THIS REALM ANY TIME SOON.


    THE PLACE WAS JUST HOSTILE TO ANYTHING RELATED TO THE ABYSS OR LIFE FORCE, SO YEAH, ALINA WILL HAVE TO USE SOME TRICKS TO VISIT THIS PLACE.


    SPEAKING OF TRICKS, THERE ARE NEWS FROM INSIDE THE DARK REALM WHICH STATES THAT THE DARKNESS MONARCH HAS BEEN TRICKED BY HIS CHILDREN TO KILL HIMSELF.


    ¡­YES. THE DARKNESS MONARCH HAD BEEN TRICKED TO KILL HIMSELF, LEAVING HIS CHILDREN FIGHTING FOR HIS THRONE.


    ¡­.


    I WON''T TELL YOU WHAT EXACTLY IS HAPPENING INSIDE THE DARK REALM AS OF NOW, BUT BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THAT IT IS BAD.


    SO BAD, THAT I ALREADY BROUGHT OUT ALL THE TRAVELERS FROM THAT PLACE¡­


    **************


    "Huh. Why am I not surprised to hear that the Darkness Monarch was tricked to kill himself?"


    "Oh right, it was because the Darkness Monarch used the same trick to have his father killed before."


    ************


    [[[GREAT TIMEMASTER]]] ¨C IN TERMS OF TALENT, I CAN SAY THAT THE GREAT TIMEMASTER IS JUST AS TALENTED AS ALINA AND ALEX.


    WHAT MAKES THE GREAT TIMEMASTER BETTER THOUGH WAS THE FACT THAT SHE''S NEARING TRANSCENDENCE ALREADY.


    THE ONLY REASON THAT SHE HAS NOT TRANSCENDED YET WAS BECAUSE SHE HAS A REGRET THAT SHE HAS NOT FIXED YET.


    NOW, I KNOW THAT THE GREAT TIMEMASTER HAS RECRUITED ALINA AND THE OTHERS IN ORDER TO HAVE THIS REGRET OF HERS FIXED.


    THAT''S GOOD FOR ME, BUT WHAT I DO NOT LIKE ABOUT IT IS THE FACT THAT ALINA AND THE GREAT TIMEMASTER COULD DIE BECAUSE OF THIS REGRET.


    SO LITTLE ASTERIA, I WANT YOU TO ADVICE ALINA TO PRACTICE SOME CAUTION IN HER ALLIANCE WITH THE GREAT TIMEMASTER.


    **************


    "You want to me to advise Alina? Hmph, given her penchant for eating and her interest to only listen to Alex, I doubt my words can even move her at all¡­


    _________________


    _________________


    KNOWN AFFILATIONS.


    [PROFESSOR FRANCES]


    [[[CREATOR''S GUILD]]] ¨C YES, I KNOW THAT PROFESSOR FRANCES IS NOT YET AFFIIATED WITH THE CREATOR''S GUILD. SHE HASN''T EVEN MET THEM YET, AND I DOUBT THEY WILL MEET IN YOUR CURRENT WORLD.


    BUT GIVEN THE PROFESSOR''S CAPABILIITES, I AM SURE THAT THE CREATOR''S GUILD WILL CONTACT HER ONCE SHE HAS TIME.


    IF THAT HAPPENS, THEN LITTLE ASTERIA, I WANT TO YOU ENSURE THAT PROFESSOR FRANCES WILL BE A MEMBER OF THAT GUILD.


    I WILL NOT ACCEPT FAILURE ON THIS TASK, SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU SUCCEED ON IT.


    FAILURE WILL MERIT A PUNISHMENT, WHILE SUCCESS WILL MERIT YOU A REWARD.


    *************


    "The Endless Monarch really is desperate to have a connection with the Creator''s Guild huh. Is he still interested on having his CENSORED CENSORED CENSORCED CENSORED?"


    "Ah whatever, I just have to make sure that the professor joins the guild."


    ___________________


    ___________________


    KNOWN AFFILATIONS


    [QUEEN MOTHER]


    [[[?????]]] - ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a  ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a  ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a   ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a  ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a  ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a   ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a  ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a  ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a   ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a  ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a  ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a ???a


    *************


    "What?"

 Chapter 762 - Whos a good boy now?

    Asteria saw more words listed on the profile, but she duly ignored them.


    She had just too much reaction from what she had read, that she found it hard to continue reading.


    "¡­What I read from this profile is enough to show how dangerous my allies are. Especially Alex, who now teeters close to having his mind consumed by the Abyss." Asteria muttered sullenly. "That is a big red flag for me, and I don''t have any free time now to be ignoring this."


    "If I let my hooman fall right now, there will be a lot of f**k-ups waiting for me. And that discounts the fact that I could be dead here¡­"


    "Argh! I just want to relax and yet I still have all these troubles plaguing me! Why can''t all of you just leave me alone?"


    ________________


    ________________


    ANCESTRAL TOMB


    SOUTHERN PORTION.


    While Asteria was busy making sense of all the troubles Alex had sent to her, there was another group of beings that were also troubled by Alex''s presence.


    But unlike the fairy who was troubled from Alex''s enemies, this group was worried about Alex himself¡­.


    ENVY: Is Master Alex angry at us?


    WRATH: What the f**k are you talking about, Envy? Master Alex loves us! Why would he be angry at us?


    ENVY: I don''t know, okay! I just felt that he''s becoming¡­ much more powerful than us.


    WRATH: Hah? So what'' the problem with that? The stronger Master Alex is, the better it will be for us! We can destroy more stuff with a powerful master!


    ENVY: But-


    WRATH: But my ass, Envy! I like our current master, so don''t think that he sucks! He''s the f**king best master that I could ever wish for, so don''t even think of leaving!


    ENVY: Leaving? I-I never thought about that! Not at all!


    PRIDE: Oh really? If you really are not thinking of leaving, then why do you sound this doubtful? Do you not trust Master Alex anymore?


    ENVY: W-w-wha¡­.


    PRIDE: Tsk, you are disappointing me, Envy. Can''t you even have some backbone?


    ENVY: Um¡­ it is not like I don''t trust Master Alex¡­ It just that I am scared of what Master is doing.


    PRIDE: Hm? You are scared by what Master Alex is doing? And what exactly are you scared of?


    ENVY: Um... does the fact that Master Alex changed our bodies count? I mean, we don''t look like sprites anymore. We look more like ugly monsters¡­.


    PRIDE: And? What''s the problem with that? Is there anything wrong with us looking like monsters?


    ENVY: Well um, I mean, um¡­.


    PRIDE: Hmph, so you can''t even explain that point? You really are stupid.


    ENVY: !!!


    WRATH: Hey! What the f**k are you doing to Envy huh? Did I allow you to scold her?


    PRIDE: Wrath, calm the f down. I just made Envy realize that she''s mistaken on doubting Master''s decision to change our bodies. Is it wrong for me to do that?


    WRATH: Of course you are wrong, especially when you are making Envy f**king feel bad about herself! Argh! If you want to scold her, then don''t make her feel worthless!


    PRIDE: Oh, so are you saying that I should shout like a maniac? That doesn''t sound good either¡­


    WRATH: Hey! Are you insulting me?


    PRIDE: Who said that I am insulting you? Did I say your name?


    WRATH: You!!!


    PRIDE: If you have any problems with how I speak, we can talk about it later. For now, let''s discuss about Master Alex, okay?


    WRATH: Hah?


    ENVY: What? Didn''t you just scold me for talking about him? How can we talk about Master Alex again?


    PRIDE: Stupid idiots. Didn''t you hear what I was saying earlier?


    ENVY: ???


    WRATH: ???


    PRIDE: Sigh¡­ what I mean is¡­ I am not happy with you doubting Master Alex. But that is a different issue with Master Alex himself.


    ENVY: What?


    WRATH: What?


    PRIDE: Ugh¡­ What I mean is¡­ Master Alex has some problematic behaviors that we should be talking about.


    PRIDE: However! These behaviors should not influence us to doubt Master Alex. Instead,  we should be brainstorming on how to solve it.


    ENVY: ???


    WRATH: ????


    PRIDE: Argh! You still don''t get it? What I mean is-


    L.U.S.T: Pride wants to discuss on  how we should change Master Alex, while we curb all our thoughts on rebelling against Him.


    PRIDE: Yes! That''s what I am trying to say here. Thank you L.u.s.t, although I am still not happy with how you tried to seduce me last night.


    L.U.S.T: Oh, you''re not happy with me seducing you? Then why did you give me a kiss at that tim-


    PRIDE: Okay, okay, okay. Let''s talk about Master Alex now, ok? He''s currently busy with the mountain, and he has just finished punishing me, so we have some free time right now. Let''s use this to our whole advantage, ok?


    GLUTTONY: I''m hungry.


    PRIDE: Yes, and I''m pissed. Now shut up there and let the others talk.


    GLUTTONY: Ok. But I want to eat.


    PRIDE: ¡­.So the first issue that we have with Master Alex is his behavioral changes. He''s not that kind anymore, and he will punish us if he''s angry.


    ENVY: Master Alex is scary when he is angry¡­


    PRIDE: You''re damn right about that, Envy. I mean, you have seen what Master Alex did to me after I gave the suggestion to kill the professor b***h¡­


    ENVY: Master Alex  punished you with his power, and it gave you so much pain that only your pride kept you  hanging¡­.


    L.U.S.T: Hey, that''s a nice pun.


    PRIDE: ¡­.The former Master Alex never punished us this harshly. In fact, he did not even punish us at all. It was only after he had been corrupted by the Abyss that he became like this¡­


    SLOTH: ¡­


    GREED: ¡­


    L.U.S.T: Hmph! I can''t even seduce Master Alex right now although I am much closer to him! He even shoos me away!


    ENVY: Master Alex gave us headpats before when he is happy. Now he doesn''t do that anymore¡­


    WRATH: Master Alex is angry. I like that.


    PRIDE: Really, Wrath? Do you really have to say that?


    WRATH: Say what?


    PRIDE: You know what, never mind.


    WRATH: ???


    PRIDE: ..So disregarding Wrath''s problematic view, all of you can see the problem here, right?


    EVERYONE: ¡­


    PRIDE: Sure, Master Alex might have made us more powerful, but he lost his empathy to us.  He''s not that kind to us anymore, and he seems fine on hurting our bodies.


    PRIDE: That is bad in my opinion, and I think we should do something about it.


    ENVY: ¡­


    L.U.S.T: ¡­


    WRATH: ¡­.


    SLOTH: ¡­


    GREED: ¡­


    GLUTTONY: ¡­


    PRIDE: So what do you think about it, L.u.s.t? Do you agree with my opinion?


    L.U.S.T:  I personally like rowdy creatures, but Master Alex is too volatile for me right now. So as much as I want his new power, I prefer to have Master Alex be back to his former state. That way, I can seduce him back!


    PRIDE: That view of yours does not bode a good future, but I am happy to hear that you are concerned. How about you Envy?


    ENVY: Um¡­ I don''t like Master Alex being this powerful, so maybe I don''t like his current state too? I don''t know. I just want to be pampered by him once more¡­


    PRIDE: Again, that is a questionable answer with a questionable premise, but I accept your agreement. How about you Wrath?


    WRATH: I have no problems with Master Alex being this angry. In fact I like it, so I don''t get why all of you are worried about it.


    PRIDE: Of course you have no problem with that, Wrath. You''re the impersonation of rage after all. Of course you''re happy with this. Tsk, so much for expecting you to be angry for us¡­


    WRATH: What did you say?


    PRIDE: Nothing. I just thought you would be more helpful here.


    WRATH: You! What''s with you and that cryptic words? Are you trying to piss me off again, huh? Because I-


    PRIDE: So how about you, Sloth? Do you think that we should try something to change Master Alex?


    Sloth: I don''t know and I don''t care. Master Alex is not hurting me anyway, so I have no problems with him.


    PRIDE: ¡­Sloth, you are not doing anything at all, which is the reason why Master Alex is not getting pissed at you.


    SLOTH: Point given.  Besides, trying to change him will take too much effort, and I don''t want to do that¡­


    PRIDE: You are just as lazy as what your namesake says. Sigh¡­ why did I even ask you? Of course you will be declining.


    SLOTH: Can I go back to sleep now?


    PRIDE: Yes, you can. Yes, you can.


    SLOTH: Zzz¡­


    PRIDE: ¡­ So who''s next?


    GLUTTONY: I am interested on changing Master Alex. The current him is not feeding me enough anymore, so I want the old him to be back.


    PRIDE: That''s another problematic answer, but I''ll take it.


    GLUTTONY: I am hungry now. Can I eat already?


    PRIDE: Just wait a little until we finish this meeting, okay?


    GLUTTONY: Ok. But give me twice of my food.


    PRIDE: ¡­Moving on. Since there are 4 people who agreed on changing Alex and only 2  that said no, it implies that we have the consensus to change him.


    PRIDE: So! Since we have consensus already, then let us start planning on how to change Master Alex back!


    PRIDE: So first, we should-


    GREED: Hey! Hey! Hey! Why are you ignoring me? Don''t you want to hear my opinion?


    PRIDE: Greed, even if I hear you out, your opinion does not matter too. We are 7 here, and 4 already voted to change Master Alex. Even if you don''t agree, that will only count for a total of 3 no''s.


    GREED: What? But-


    PRIDE: That''s not enough to change the results, so I reckoned that we might as well start the planning.


    GREED: Argh! So just because you have gathered enough votes for your stupid plot, you had decided to ignore me? You stupid s**t! You''re just attacking me!


    PRIDE:  I don''t know what you are talking about, but I advise you to stop these hostilities, Greed. Shouting at me is not something that you should-


    GREED: F**k you Pride! And f**k all who agreed with him! All of us know that the only reason Pride wants to revert Master Alex was because he is angry after he was punished!


    PRIDE: Hey! Shut your mouth! How dare you-


    GREED: "Ah master it hurts! Please stop! Ah!!!" Weren''t you shouting these pleading words earlier? It was actually music to my ears, although I doubt you are having a fun time like me earlier.


    PRIDE: I said shut up! Shut your damned-


    GREED: "Master! Please stop! I will be a good boy from now on! Please!" Hahaha! You, Pride? You will be a good boy? Hahaha, how can you even be a good boy when you are thinking of rebelling to Master Alex now? Tsk, what a hypocrite!

 Chapter 763 - Praise the Abyss!!!

    What should have been a normal meeting between the 7 sprites quickly devolved into a fight, as all sides began to show insults and grievances between one another.


    Curses, fist-fights, and hair pulls were the usual actions in the fight, and the sprites appeared to be too willing to escalate it all.


    PRIDE: Argh!!!


    WRATH: Argh!!!


    ENVY: Argh!!!


    SLOTH: Argh!!!!


    L.U.S.T: Argh!!!


    GREED: Argh!!!


    Gluttony: Argh!!!


    Such barbaric behavior resulted in a rowdy scene, one that Alex and Professor Frances witnessed.


    "¡­."


    None of the two however paid attention to the fight, with Alex only focused on tormenting his target.


    As for Professor Frances, her mind was still engrossed on other matters, although she also has begun showing interest on the sprites too¡­.


    "What in the world is happening here?" The said professor muttered as she tapped her chin. "Is this how things should have gone? I don''t know, yet I feel like something weird is happening here¡­"


    Her voice was just as level like it was earlier, but some hints of tension could be heard from it, which is to be expected given all the events that occurred around her.


    "I was just scouring for Alex''s weaknesses when Pride suddenly started suspecting me. Pride  also looked like he wanted to kill me, and he told Alex to do that."


    "But instead of following Pride''s advice, Alex actually punished Pride?"


    "And then Pride began to form a meeting with the other Abyss Sprites, and now all of them are fighting?"


    "I don''t feel like this is how things should have happened¡­"


    Professor Frances was already feeling bad because of her plans to betray Alex, but the sight of the quarreling Abyss Sprites made her more worried for herself.


    After all, she could not feel well, especially when she''s seeing another chaotic event happening just near her.


    "All I want to do now is to find Alex''s weaknesses and use it against him."


    "I can''t do that if his Abyss Sprites are this rowdy, and I could even be implicated in their fights."


    "Argh! If these Abyss Sprites could just be used by me, then all these efforts of mine will be of use!"


    "But of course I can''t do that now, right?"


    ___________________


    ___________________


    Welcome to the Superhumans Online Discussion Thread.


    You are currently logged in, Child of Chaos


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    ???HOW TO EMPOWER THE ABYSS???


    ?Watcher  (SuperhumanObserver)


    As one of the Abyss'' Chosen, I implore all of you! Praise the Abyss and give it power! The Abyss needs it for His conquest of his enemies!


    Nobody shall be skipping the praising!


    All shall praise the Abyss!


    Now, open your mouths and say the words!


    Praise the Abyss!


    ___Video Link___


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö(Comments)¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ?nighmora (The Boy from nowhere)


    Praise the Abyss!


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    Really? You are all still praising the Abyss? Come on guys, the Abyss is an evil entity! You should stop praising him!


    ?nighmora (The Boy from nowhere)


    @Kedabel. Shut your mouth, you heathen. You''re just one of the heretics who is still not accepting the blessings of the Abyss.


    Why can''t you accept it? Just praise the Abyss!


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    No! No! No! I won''t praise your goddamned Abyss! That thing¡­. Killed a lot of our heroes!


    And it only spared the villains, when they are clearly the ones who deserved to die!


    Argh!!!


    The Abyss is much eviler than any of the villains, so it must not be accepted by us!


    Come on everyone! You should resist the Abyss'' temptations!


    ?keke171 (kekekeke)


    @Kedabe. Please accept the blessings of the Abyss. It won''t be that hard for you. Please accept it, before you could be hurt.


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    No! I refuse to accept the Abyss!


    The Pantheon''s members were also killed by the Abyss, so there is no way in hell that I can accept the Abyss!


    So just scram and let me do my thing!


    ?Vipers( I''m a rattlesnake bruh)


    The Pantheon is a stain in the perfect world. They are deserving to be killed by the Abyss. So don''t blame the Abyss for cleansing our world.


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    Argh!!!! Even you, @Vipers, has been corrupted by the Abyss too?


    Argh!!! Why did you already give up? Please, please resist the Abyss!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    @Kedabe. What is wrong with you? Being with the Abyss is the best thing that could ever happen in our life!


    Now, we can live for much longer because of the Abyss, and all diseases and crime are gone too!


    Even World Peace is now possible, and there are no more chances of villains hurting us!


    @Kedabe. This is the best world for all of us. And the Abyss provided it without any fuss. How could you just reject it this easily then?


    ?Watcher (SuperhumanObserver)


    @Kedabe. I understand your pain and your anger to us. You must have lost some of your friends and family when the servants of the Abyss came here.


    That is a tragic thing to happen to you, but it is a necessary sacrifice for the betterment of the world.


    So as much as it hurts you, please @Kedabe¡­ Please accept the Abyss.


    Because if you don''t,  then my friends will have no choice but to punish you.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Punish me? How the hell can you even punish me, when I am already suffering now?


    All my loved ones are gone, while most of my friends are not their own selves anymore!


    Everyone is just following this damned Abyss, and they all follow the path of evil!


    Argh!!! This is the worst thing that had happened to me, and you are saying that you want to punish me?


    Hahahaha! Try it then, you stupid f***kers. Punish me then.


    ?RunLoliRun (Legal?)


    Calm down man. Calm down. Can''t you keep a civilized conversation here?


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    Civilized my ass! I would never associate myself with the Abyss! Not with all the s**t that is going on here!


    So do your worst already!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @Kedabe. I can understand your pain, but I cannot condone your verbal assaults here online. So here''s 1 Warning


    Now, don''t curse in this site again, or I will be forced to ban you.


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    Hahaha! Ban me all that you want, you f**ker!


    I have no use for this site anyway, as all of you are already under the Abyss!


    Come on, ban me if you can!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @Kedabe¡­ Please don''t escalate your insults anymore, or I will be really forced to ban you. Please don''t¡­


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    F**k you, and f**k the Abyss!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Dude, please¡­


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    Argh!!! There are many kind people in this world, and all that they only wanted is to keep the world safe. But now, all of them has been corrupted by the Abyss too!


    That leaves this world with nothing more but useless people like me, who has no interest of being affected by the Abyss!


    Argh!!! Now the world is suffering, and none of you are interested on saving it! Argh! This is the apocalypse!!!


    Argh!


    Argh!


    Argh!


    Hahahaha!


    Hahahah!


    Hahaha!


    So just like what I am saying earlier, all of you are free to ban me!


    Ban me, you f**kers!


    Hahahaha!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    People are saying that those who follow the great Abyss are crazy, but look at @Kedabe here. He looks like the real crazy person to me¡­


    ?janders  (Moderator)


    @Mimi. Just give @Kedabe some time to adjust for himself. He''s been through a lot, so let him rest, ok?


    Although I need some rest too, since irritating guys like @Kedabe is forcing me to waste my time here¡­


    ?refucil (Veteran User)


    @janders. *Pats back* You have it hard, my comrade. But all your effort will be worth it, especially once the Abyss notices your good deeds.


    ?John (The Generic name)


    I concur with @refucil. Just persevere there, @janders, and the Abyss will reward you!


    I mean, just look at me! I killed 10 people earlier, and the Abyss rewarded me with a Magic Wand!


    Isn''t that cool!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    *Bows down in supplication* You are a goddamned legend, @John. You got a magic wand, while the others have not obtained anything yet.


    That is impressive, and that is coming from me, who already killed 20 people.


    ?John (The Generic name)


    Hehehe, don''t praise me that much. We should praise the Abyss instead, as he was the one who gave us the gifts.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    You''re right, you''re right. We must always praise the Abyss, for it is the greatest.


    ?John (The Generic name)


    Praise the Abyss!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Praise the Abyss!


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    Argh!!! Look at these! These people are casually talking about murder, as if it was the proper thing to do!


    Argh!!! How could you all become like this!


    Argh! It''s because of that damned Abyss!


    Argh-kdjflksdjflksdjflksdjf


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?nighmora (The Boy from nowhere)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?Watcher (SuperhumanObserver)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?Tetra (Hero)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?John (The Generic name)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?janders (Moderator)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?dudson (Dud is my father)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?Strongwoman (I''m strong, that''s it.)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?TheHeroSeer (Just a normal guy)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?calibur (Independent Hero)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?atlas (Book Guy)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?PillowQueen (I love sleeping!)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?Myth (Hero)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?Foresight (Hero)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?dudson (Dud is my father)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    ?GL King (Yuri King!)


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????

 Chapter 764 - Corrupt the Abyss Envoy!

    Welcome to the Superhumans Online Discussion Thread.


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    ???TOPIC: THE ENVOY OF THE ABYSS NEEDS OUR HELP!???


    ?Watcher (SuperhumanObserver)


    The Abyss has spoken. His Envoy is in dire need of our help.


    So everyone! Let  us raise our hands to praise the Abyss Envoy!


    It will be only through him that our whole world shall reach salvation!


    Praise the Envoy!


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö(Comments)¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Praise the Envoy!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Praise the Envoy!


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Praise the Envoy!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Wow, @ Kedabe. You became offline for a few hours, and now you are back! And you are now worshiping the Abyss too!


    This is a good news!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Hohoho, you don''t need to praise me that much. The Abyss is almighty, so it is already inevitable for me to follow Him.


    Just... just don''t be angry to what I told you all before, ok? My mind is just not in the right place before¡­


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Oh, you don''t need to worry about yourself, @Kedabe. We never blamed you for your curse words to us.


    We understand your pain and suffering, so let''s just say that we already exempt you from the death punishments.


    Oh, speaking of the death punishment¡­


    How many people did you kill today?


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Oh, I killed 100 of them. All are heretics who rejected the ideals of the Abyss.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    100? Good job! You''re doing much better than what I expected you to do!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    It''s quite a waste actually, as some of the people I killed has the potential to be accepted by the Abyss.


    But well, the Abyss does not want any heretics, so I have to kill them, even if they have the potential to follow the Abyss¡­


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    @Kedabe¡­ You sound too sad for them, but I recommend you to not feel sad for them.


    The people who reject the Abyss are sc.u.m, so don''t feel bad for them.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    I figured that out earlier too, so I am not surprised you said that.


    Enough talk about those useless heretics. Let''s just talk about the Abyss Envoy.


    How is he faring now?


    ?keke171(kekekeke)


    Well, it is still the same. The Abyss Envoy is still semi-corrupted, and he is doing his best to resist the full corruption.


    Not that his efforts will be of use though, as the great Abyss estimates that the Abyss Envoy only has a few hours left before he becomes fully corrupted¡­.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Oh? So we only have to wait for a few hours before we witness the birth of the real Abyss Envoy? This is a good news!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    It is a good news indeed, but I heard that it can even go better with our help.


    ?Obekiwi(Look at my eye!)


    @janders. What do you mean by that? We can make the Abyss Envoy better with our help?


    ?keke171(kekekeke)


    @Obekiwi¡­ Did you even read the title of this thread? It says that the Abyss Envoy needs our help!


    ?Obekiwi(Look at my eye!)


    Oh. Oh. Oh. So that''s what this thread is for.


    We just have to praise the Abyss Envoy in order to speed up his rebirth then?


    ?RunLoliRun(Legal?)


    It''s exactly like that, @Obekiwi. As long as we start praising the Abyss Envoy right now, our prayers will speed up his corruption.


    That way, instead of waiting for a few hours before the Envoy gets fully corrupted, we can make it end in a matter of minutes!


    Isn''t that just great?


    ?Lover of Yuri(definitely not yurilover)


    It is great indeed! So what are we waiting for? Let''s start praising the Abyss Envoy already!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Praise the Envoy!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Praise the Envoy!


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Praise the Envoy!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Wait a second guys. I don''t think praising the Envoy this way is enough to help him out.


    I think we should do something better¡­


    ?Lover of Yuri(definitely not yurilover)


    Do something better? What do you mean by that?


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    I-I dunno. We can try to¡­. murder more people, I guess?


    Or maybe torture some of the remaining heroes?


    Maybe their sufferings will hasten the Envoy''s corruption¡­.


    Of course that could not work, but hey, at least we tried, right?


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Holy s**t. You''re right, @Kedabe. I think we can do that.


    We just have to make sure that the ones that we kill and torture will suffer as much as possible.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Wait, so my suggestion will actually work? Hahaha, that is great!


    Praise the Abyss!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Hahaha, praise the Abyss indeed!


    But @ Kedabe. Don''t think that it will be simple.


    We cannot just kill anyone that we wanted.


    Our victims this time¡­ should be the ones suitable for this task.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    ???


    ?refucil (Veteran User)


    @Kedabe, don''t feel shy if you are feeling confused. I feel confused all the time too, so don''t feel down, ok?


    I also do not understand what @janders was saying, so let''s just let the guy talk.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Hey! I am not feeling shy at all! I was just¡­ you know. A little confused.


    ?refucil (Veteran User)


    Yeah, sure you are.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Hey!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @refucil. Quit messing with @Kedabe already, ok? The guy is just a new initiate here, so he still feels confused.


    As for you, @Kedabe, the plan that I am talking about is just simple.


    Instead of killing a random person, we will just kill the people that the Abyss Envoy had met before.


    Their deaths will be felt by the Envoy, and that will make him angry.


    The Envoy will then lose all resistance against the Abyss after that, which will hasten his corruption!


    So what do you think? It''s just a simple plan, right?


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Oh my goodness. It really is a simple plan! And I think it will be quite effective!


    So¡­ who do we kill now?


    ?janders (Moderator)


    The Pantheon should be some of the killable targets, but since they are already under the jaws of our generals, we can''t'' exactly make a move against them.


    That leaves us with that Symbol girl, the one who stayed the longest with the Abyss Envoy.


    Wait, is that name right? I don''t think her hero name was Symbol¡­


    ?TheHeroSeer (Just a normal guy)


    I forgot what her hero name was, but I know that her real life name was Lauren.


    Her power was all about creating Symbols and sticking them to objects, I think.


    And each symbol has an effect relative to their appearance¡­


    I remember that her favorite symbol was the + symbol, and it has the effects of adding an extra property to a substance¡­


    I could not remember the other effects of her symbols, but they are just as fascinating as the symbol that I just told you.


    Oh, and I remember that the Abyss Envoy was extremely protective of this Lauren.


    So I guess killing her will make the Abyss Envoy angry¡­


    ?janders (Moderator)


    So Lauren was her name then? Good.


    Since we know who she was, then what are we waiting for?


    Let''s hunt her down already!


    Kill her for the Abyss!


    ?nighmora (The Boy from nowhere)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?Watcher (SuperhumanObserver)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?Tetra (Hero)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?dudson (Dud is my father)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?Strongwoman (I''m strong, that''s it.)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?TheHeroSeer (Just a normal guy)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?John (The Generic name)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?calibur (Independent Hero)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?atlas (Book Guy)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?PillowQueen (I love sleeping!)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?Foresight (Hero)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?dudson (Dud is my father)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ?GL King (Yuri King!)


    KILL HER FOR THE ABYSS!


    ------------THREAD LOCKED---------------


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????

 Chapter 765 - Escalation of Conflict!

    Unknown to Alex, there had been a lot of upheavals that happened outside the Ancestral Tomb.


    One of these upheavals include the  Superhuman World(The 3rd World that Alex visited), which appeared to be fully assimilated with the Abyss as of this point.


    Such egregious condition is one that could make the normal Alex feel saddened and possibly helpful to this world, but unfortunately for its residents, Alex was too far and too uncaring to be worried for them.


    He had more problems to worry about this time, and with the distance that he had from the Superhuman World, he has no way to assist them.


    Well,  even if Alex has the desire to help the Superhuman world, his current situation does not give him the leeway to do this¡­


    After all, there is a much more urgent matter that he should be dealing with right now, which at this point, is unveiling an event that could bring Alex into a greater danger¡­


    _______________


    _______________


    AT THE SAME TIME


    OUTSIDE THE MULITIVERSE


    CHAOS: ¡­


    ABYSS: ¡­


    Chaos and Abyss were still standing near one another, with their bodies showing no tension at all, as if they were not worried about what they were doing.


    They  did not show any signs of hostility with each other either, and they gave only smiles and pleasant greetings instead of their usual barbed words..


    They also have their hands closed in a respectful manner, which further showed how civilized the two were.


    CHAOS: ¡­


    ABYSS: ¡­


    Such pleasant  and refined outlook made the two beings look like they were friends, who were just using their meeting to please each other.


    And that could have been the case, were it not for the fact that the two smiling beings were actually attacking each other.


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Chaos and Abyss might look like they were having a normal conversation, but the amount of attacks that materialized around them showed that they are actually fighting with all of their might.


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    And the attacks were not the normal ''probing'' attacks, as each one has the intensity comparable to that of apocalyptic events.


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Abyss distorted and corrupted all aspect of reality itself, while Chaos broke down and brought disharmony to everything around him.


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    The space shattered, the dimensions collapsed, and every aspects of reality disappeared as the two entities fought on.


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    What could exist had ceased to exist as they only disappeared under the might of the two beings.


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    None were spared, and those who followed and spied the two beings were eventually killed when the effects of the fight had reached them.


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    The fight really is an apocalyptic event, and if Alex were to be in this place, he would only last for a few seconds before he ends up dead too.


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    The shockwaves and destruction that were birthed by this fight were too much to be contained, to the point that even the Multiverse itself is in danger.


    In fact, judging by the way that Chaos and Abyss moved, they could reach the Multiverse in a matter for few seconds¡­


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Which basically means that the Multiverse only has a few seconds of time left before Chaos and Abyss inflict some serious damage on it¡­


    CHAOS: !re dr os iD


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Fortunately, before this horrific event could occur, the two beings stopped fighting.


    CHAOS: ¡­


    ABYSS: ¡­


    All the distortive effects of Abyss'' presence were quickly dispelled by his truly, while the disorder around Chaos were reluctantly withdrawn by him.


    What was left were only the damage that they incurred earlier, which luckily, was not mobile enough to reach the Multiverse¡­


    CHAOS: ¡­


    ABYSS: ¡­


    Chaos and Abyss also stopped approaching the Multiverse too, and they only spent the next few seconds to staring at one another.


    CHAOS: ¡­


    ABYSS: ¡­


    This sudden stoppage has essentially saved the Multiverse, and all the Prophets who foresaw the damage brought by Chaos and Abyss''s fight could now sigh in relief from the averted disaster.


    All are happy, although this did not indicate that things are already for the better.


    CHAOS: ¡­


    ABYSS: ¡­


    Chaos and Abyss might have stopped fighting already, but this did not stop the two from their feud.


    CHAOS: Abyss¡­. do you f**king understand what you are doing now? You are actively using the power of your servants to fully corrupt the Abyss Envoy! That is something that I could not accept, so I demand you to stop doing that!


    ABYSS: Hm? So what is the problem if I did that, Chaos? I thought you would be happier!


    Just the words that they uttered to one another at this point showed this, and judging by the irritation on both of their words, another fight might actually break out too¡­


    CHAOS: My desire is to kill your Abyss Envoy by myself. And I want to do that while he is still the normal him! Do think I can do that, now that you are actively corrupting him?  Think that deeply, you stupid lump of meat!


    ABYSS: ¡­Oh right. I think I get your problem.


    CHAOS: Hmph! My desire to kill your Envoy will be impossible once you fully corrupted him! Because once you have fully corrupted him, he will not be the same ''him'' anymore! He will just be another extension of you, who you will just use for your twisted plans!


    CHAOS:  Argh! I know that you have already agreed to me killing your Envoy, but I am only interested on killing him while he is still normal!


    CHAOS: This? This is not how I wanted things to go!


    ABYSS: ¡­


    CHAOS: ¡­


    ABYSS: Oh well, it''s not my fault if my Envoy is too eager to have himself be corrupted. He asked for that to happen you know, so you can''t blame me for helping my Envoy out.


    CHAOS: What the? Are you saying that this is my fault?


    ABYSS: Oh course it is your fault, Chaos. If you just tried to kill my Envoy earlier, then all of this would not have happened.


    CHAOS: You-


    ABYSS: Come on, you have a lot of free time that you could have used to kill my Envoy. But instead of using those time to kill him, you still allowed him to live, as if you think that you can just kill him anytime.


    ABYSS: But guess what? You can''t just kill my Envoy anytime. Especially now that I am in the midst of fully corrupting him.


    ABYSS: So why don''t you just wait until I finish this? I promise you that I will not resist if you try to kill Alex later¡­


    CHAOS: Argh! How many times did I tell it to you? I want to kill your Envoy while he is still not tainted by your power! I don''t want to kill him later, when he will just be your new puppet!


    CHAOS: Killing your Envoy when he is your puppet will not give me the satisfaction of avenging my child! So can you just get out of my way and let me kill him now?


    ABYSS: No. You have already wasted all the free time that I gave you earlier. So just wait until I am done corrupting my Envoy. You can kill him then after that.


    CHAOS: No! I just said that I don''t want that! I want to kill him now!


    ABYSS: ¡­


    CHAOS: ¡­


    ABYSS: ¡­


    CHAOS: ¡­


    ABYSS: If you really want to kill him, then you have to get through me first. Well, that is, if you can even get through me¡­


    CHAOS: Oh, so you''re not only questioning my right to claim justice, you are even questioning my power too? Hmph, youngsters really are the worst in terms of respecting me!


    ABYSS: My, my, my, Chaos. Did you just call me a youngster? Mind you, I was born while the Multiverse was still developing life!


    CHAOS: But I existed before your Multiverse could even appear¡­


    ABYSS: Heh, that does not count, since you only woke up when the True Gods were killed. So technically, you are younger than me¡­


    CHAOS: You! You might be a strong acquaintance, but you are clearly an irritating being!


    ABYSS: Hehehe, I am the incarnation of Corruption and Distortion, so don''t expect me to act nice.


    CHAOS: And I am the incarnation of Chaos, so don''t expect me to treat you properly.


    ABYSS: Oh, I did not expect you to treat me properly. You can''t even keep your children safe, so I don''t trust you at all.


    CHAOS: B***h! That was a low blow!


    ABYSS: ¡­. So what? Do I look like I care?


    CHAOS: ¡­.


    ABYSS: ¡­.


    CHAOS: !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    CHAOS: !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID !RE DR OS ID


    ABYSS: D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????

 Chapter 766 - Interlude: Chaos and Sins

    [[[CHAOS]]]


    At the heart of chaos theory is the idea that order and chaos are not always diametrically opposed, but represent an intimate mixture of the two.


    From the outside, chaotic systems exhibit unpredictable and chaotic behavior; from the inside, they exhibit a beautifully ordered structure with a smooth, predictable and predictable sequence of events.


    They reveal the inner workings and we discover the equations that tick like clockwork. There is a mathematical toolbox that allows us to filter out the details of this beautifully ordered but unpredictable structure of chaos and order.


    Chaos can be controlled, but it strikes a fine balance between reliability and exploration. Some systems turn this premise upside down, with orderly effects resulting from turbulent and chaotic causes.


    Chaotic systems can also exhibit stable patterns, called attractors, that emerge from patient observers.


    It is worth noting that the laws of physics that determine how billiard balls move are precise and unambiguous, but they leave room for randomness. But what is not predictable is the behavior of a system, such as a billiard or tennis game.


    What appears at first glance to be random behavior is completely deterministic, and yet it seems random, because imperceptible changes make no difference.


    The speed at which these tiny differences pile up provides so much information to a chaotic system that its behavior can be predicted.


    In chaos theory, this very small effect is known as the butterfly effect, and theorists have considered it for centuries.


    In a figurative sense, it could help create subsequent tornadoes or, figuratively, help turn even the smallest impact into a powerful storm like a tornado or hurricane.


    While this notion may seem bizarre, mathematical modeling suggests that it is not just a poetic concept, but is based on very measurable concepts.


    Chaos theory deals with nonlinear things that are virtually impossible to predict or control. These phenomena are often described by fractal mathematics, which captures the infinite complexity of nature.


    Many natural objects exhibit fractal properties, including living systems such as plants, animals, and even humans.


    Recognizing the chaotic, fractal nature of the world around us can give us new insights, power and wisdom.


    ---------------------


    --------------------


    [[[SEVEN DEADLY SINS]]]


    The seven mortal sins identified by Pope Gregory I in the late sixth century are considered one of the seven most important sins of human nature.


    Scripture contains this list because all seven are sins, but Isaiah 14: 13-14 tells us that pride and selfishness are related to these seven and are regarded as the root of all sins.


    Exodus, Deuteronomy, Proverbs and Galatians are perhaps the places where these mortal sins are identified.


    The seven spirits of deceit are mentioned in the Old Testament, including a.d.u.l.tery, murder, a.d.u.l.tery with a woman, deceit, deception, falsehood, dishonesty, greed, l.u.s.t, pride, selfishness, arrogance, and greed.


    Evagrius Ponticus was probably influenced by this list when he wrote his book on the seven deadly sins of human nature, a collection of seven of the seven most important sins of human nature.


    In the sixth century, the writings of Evagrius Ponticus influenced Pope Gregory to draw up his own list of the seven deadly sins of human nature, which was later supplemented by St. Thomas Aquinas and became known as the seven deadly sins of human nature.


    According to Christian tradition, the seven deadly sins are a.d.u.l.tery, murder, a.d.u.l.tery with another, i.n.c.e.s.t, r.a.p.e, theft, fraud, lying and a.d.u.l.tery. It is noteworthy that Christianity has its roots in the reasons why these sins were deadly, not just harmful.


    Chastity and self-control ''control'' passions and control their effects on body, mind, soul and spirit as well as soul and body.


    Other Bible references include the Old Testament, the New Testament, and the Book of Revelation, as well as the biblical account of the seven deadly sins.


    In 1589 the demonologist and witch hunter PETER BINSFELD published a list of the sins of demons and linked the seven deadly sins with demons.


    This pairing led to the contradictory virtues recognized by the Catholic Church. The Christian dogma, Thomas Aquinas, wrote the work that defined it: "The New Testament and the Old Testament"


    The opposing virtue of the symbolic beast has its roots in the ancient history of human history and religion. There are seven mortal sins taught in the ecclesiastical tradition, but they all have opposite virtues.


    The first was delivered by the monk Evagrius Ponticus from the fourth century


    The Western tradition was developed by Pope Gregory I, whose list resembled that of today. In fact, he had refined his list of the eight evils and worked out his own version of the seven deadly sins.


    The Pope also saw unjustified boasting as an expression of pride, and the sin of envy (Invidia) was last listed as the seventh mortal sin.


    Vanagloria Superbia was also merged with the seven virtues of virtue (virtue of the Holy Spirit, love of God, humility, self-control, courage, chastity, honor, goodness, goodness, compassion, wisdom, etc.), but this was contrary to being one of them.


    If you are not a religious practitioner at all, this list may not sound true to you, but to those who are, the list sounds true.


    The concept of sinfulness, or the distinction between right and wrong, goes back to our time. When we speak of the gardens of heaven, where Adam and Eve shamefully ate the forbidden fruits, ancient cultures have been pondering sin for millennia.


    Regardless of your faith, the idea of "sinfulness" and its many forms, such as a.d.u.l.tery, murder, r.a.p.e and murder - for those - have entered our collective consciousness.


    The origins of the Seven Deadly Sins are nebulous, but they include pride, laziness, greed, gluttony, and l.u.s.t, as portrayed in Dante''s Inferno and Chaucer''s Canterbury stories.


    --------------------


    --------------------


    Cited Sources


    nautil.us/issue/15/turbulence/your-brain-is-on-the-brink-of-chaos 0


    sciencealert.com/computers-are-making-huge-mistakes-because-they-can-t-understand-chaos-scientists-warn 1


    fractalfoundation.org/resources/what-is-chaos-theory/ 2


    theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-chaos-theory-10620 3


    investopedia.com/ask/answers/08/chaos-theory.asp 4


    mathworld.wolfram.com/Chaos.html 5


    bibleinfo.com/en/questions/what-are-seven-deadly-sins 0


    medium.com/@B_Nappi/the-seven-deadly-sins-96c71333e2e 1


    psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-red-light-district/202002/where-did-the-7-deadly-sins-come 2


    compellingtruth.org/seven-deadly-sins.html 3


    thevintagenews.com/2019/02/19/7-deadly-sins/ 4


    occult-world.com/seven-deadly-sins/ 5


    christianity.com/wiki/sin/what-are-the-seven-deadly-sins.html 6

 Chapter 767 - I CANT DELETE THIS CHAPTER, SO PLEASE IGNORE IT.

    My mind sucks


    My internet sucks


    My electricity sucks


    Evrything sucks


    Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa

 Chapter 768 - I will be back on May 1

    I am sorry, for I have a lot of issues today.


    It just... makes it hard for me to write...


    I promise, I tried writing, but my mind just won''t work.


    So... I decided to rest my mind again, until April 30.


    I will be back on May 1 with hopefully, a refreshed mind.


    Once again, I am really sorry...


    Oh, and thank you all for the support!


    Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa

 Chapter 769 - Return and Murder

    Welcome to the Superhumans Online Discussion Thread.


    You are currently logged in, Child of Chaos


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ???TOPIC: WHO IS THE DAMNED GUY WHO TALKS ABOUT THE ABYSS SO CASUALLY!???


    ?Watcher (SuperhumanObserver)


    The Abyss has spoken. Someone had been snooping around his Abyss Envoy.


    We should find this interloper, and make him realize the folly of offending us!


    Come on, everyone! Let''s look for the offender!


    He must be punished, until he realizes all of this mistakes!


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö(Comments)¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    What the hell? Who in the world will start talking about the Abyss Envoy casually? Is he out of his mind?


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Hmph! Why are you even asking that, @Kedabe? Let''s just look for the sinner and punish him!


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Yes, let us start punishing him!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    @nighmora¡­ I know that you are extremely invested on punishing the sinner, and yet I don''t think you realize the folly of what you are doing.


    Are you sure that you want to kill the sinner because he sinned against the Abyss? Or do you want to kill him because you want to silence him?


    Answer that please.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Hey @Mimi, why are you sounding angry against @nighmora? He just stated his opinion! There is nothing wrong about that, right?


    Instead of criticizing him, shouldn''t you praise him for wanting to kill the sinner?


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    @Kedabe¡­ since you are new in this thread, I won''t be punishing you for talking back to me.


    However, I am still entitled to let you know that @nighmore is an asshole, and is someone that you should be wary about.


    So don''t defend his words as if he was a saint.


    No, @nighmora is not a saint, and he is especially not a person that you should trust.


    He is just a disgusting man, who is in my opinion, should not have been accepted by the Abyss all along¡­


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Hey! Lay off with your words, you wench! I did not do anything to you yet!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    @Mimi¡­. I am sorry if I had offended you, but it is really fine for you to criticize @nighmora this way?


    Because from what I remember, he is a higher-ranked member of the Abyssal Temple compared to you¡­


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    ¡­.


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Hahaha! He got you there, you wench!


    Now kneel in front of me and start licking these nuts!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Excuse me? What the hell are you talking about, @nighmora?


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    @Kedabe¡­ This is what I am talking about.


    If you give @nighmora some semblance of confidence, he will start taunting you, as if he owned you and your life.


    Which is not the case, and it makes him so much irritating.


    And do you know what is worse?


    If you try to insult @nighmora more, he might actually try to kill you¡­


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    What? @nighmora will try killing us? But aren''t we his allies?


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Allies my ass. As long as you offend me, you will not be exempted from my wrath!


    ?keke171(kekekeke)


    Oh god, @nighmora is back with his dirty antics again¡­


    @Kedabe, just ignore @nighmora. You will just prod him to make more action if you give him more attention.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    But this man is saying that he will murder us!


    That is not right, since the people that we should murder are different!


    We''re  supposed to kill and torture the people that became acquainted with the Abyss Envoy, right?


    Since they are our targets, we should just focus on them!


    ?janders (Moderator)


    @Kedabe.. I am happy that you are eager on killing the friends of the Abyss Envoy¡­ But that does not give you the right to criticize @nighmora.


    You just said that he is a high-ranking member of our group, so you should know that he deserves only respect from you.


    ?Obekiwi(Look at my eye!)


    @janders. What the hell? Just a few threads ago, all of you were roasting @nighmora because of his attitude. But now, you are protecting him from the insults as if he was your child?


    Man, this is confusing, and I have seen more confusing things before¡­


    ?keke171(kekekeke)


    @Obekiwi¡­ Why the f**k would you even care about @nighmora''s attitude?


    Instead of thinking about that, you should care more about our mission!


    ?Obekiwi(Look at my eye!)


    I know, I know, I know, ok?


    I know that we should be looking for the former friends of the Abyss Envoy, and then we should kill them after that.


    But I am still worried about @nighmora¡­


    ?RunLoliRun(Legal?)


    @Obekiwi. You can worry about @nighmora once we are done with the mission.


    For now, let''s just start looking for our targets, ok?


    Speaking of our targets¡­ @Lover of Yuri, have you found the location of our targets?


    They have proven to be surprisingly slippery, and you are the only one that has the capability to locate them....


    ?Lover of Yuri(definitely not yurilover)


    Don''t worry, @RunLoliRun. I have found the targets already.


    Here is their location, and I hope you can give these to our allies in the next hour.


    ___Link___


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Hahaha! Good job, @Lover of Yuri!


    With this address, we can start the actual ritual for the Abyss Envoy!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    @Kedabe¡­. You seem happy, now that we have discovered our targets. Does this mean that you will drop the matter about nighmora already?


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Oi @Mimi! Why the f**k are you talking about me again? Let''s just talk about the mission, ok?


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    I am talking about the mission too¡­ I am just worried that your presence could lead to us failing the mission¡­


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Hah? The f**k are you talking about? I am your superior, so you should not question my capabilities!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    You are indeed my superior, but you have no capabilities at all, so I don''t think I have anything to question about you¡­


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    F***K!!! That''s it! I am now coming to kill you, @Mimi!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    You''re coming to kill me? Hmph, come and do it then, @nighmora. I shall be waiting for you to come to my lair!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Hey! Please don''t start fighting! We have a mission to do, right?


    Let us just focus on that, please!


    ?Lover of Yuri(definitely not yurilover)


    I''m sorry, @Kedabe, but you can''t stop @nighmora once he gets going.


    Let''s just hope that he finishes early, so that we can do the mission earlier too.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    ??? All of you are confusing. Is this the effect of following the Abyss?


    ?janders (Moderator)


    That''s it. This thread is about looking for the man who offended the Abyss Envoy, and yet the thread derailed into talking about the murder targets.


    I know that the murder mission is important, but please talk about that in other threads, ok?


    This is the link for the murder thread, so just go here.


    ___Link___


    I will be locking this thread for now, since all of us has no idea on what to do here..


    THREAD LOCKED.


    ___________________


    _____________________


    The next chapter is here, although I have to another survey again.


    I know it might be irritating, but please bear with me.


    It won''t hurt to answer some of my queries again, right?


    What is the link between Alex, the Abyss and the Superhuman World?


    What do you think will happen to Alex''s adventures inside the Ancestral Tomb, now that Chaos and Abyss are both trying to interfere?


    What are the Abyss Sprites up to, and are they serious on their new plan?


    How about the matter of the True Gods? Where are they related to all these happenings?


    Do you think someone will somehow reach Transcendence in this volume? I''m just asking¡­

 Chapter 770 - Volume 8 Summary(Part 2)

    [[[In case you forgot the recent events]]]


    After realizing that some of her opponents can also free themselves from the loop, Alina proceeded to deal with them too.


    She used certain items to weaken each of the other Travelers, in hopes of slowing down their escape from the loop.


    This proved to be successful, and it bought Alina some more time.


    This then left Alina free, who now proceeded to fight the Companions of Traveler Xavier.(This is the Traveler who created the loop.)


    To her delight, one of these Companions include a woman who was the holder of the Omniscient Skin, which was another Divine Sensory Organ.


    Alina did not hold back against these opponents, and she used most of her skills to kill them in a swift manner.


    The holder of the Omniscient Skin eventually died too, and her skin was seized by Alina in order to fuse it with her body.


    The process of Alina fusing with the Omniscient Skin was a complicated one, and it brought her into a state of paralysis.


    This paralysis did not make Alina worry, as she thought that the other Travelers were still trapped inside the loop.


    But to her dismay, the other Travelers used their powers to hasten their escape.


    This change left Alina panicking, as she realized that the other Travelers only needed seconds to leave the loop, while she has to wait for a minute before she can even move.


    This means that a few seconds later, the paralyzed Alina will be in danger of being attacked or even killed by the other Travelers, who are obviously happy to kill her.


    Alina naturally does not want to die, so she tried her best to hasten her fusion with the Omniscient Skin.


    This did not help her out at all.


    Fortunately for Alina, someone arrived on the venue who  managed to stop the other Travelers from attacking her.


    This newcomer was Alex, who was still in his semi-corrupted state.


    Seeing Alex made Alina feel melancholy, although she felt more surprise with his sudden arrival.


    This surprise even increased when Alex revealed the existence of Origin Shards, something which Alina had no idea about.


    These Origin Shards were the reason why the other Travelers stopped their attacks, as Alex made an offer that will allow them to obtain these Origin Shards for themselves.


    Alina herself could not understand how important these Origin Shards are, but she knew that if these shards can make the other Travelers retreat, then it must be greatly important.


    TIMESKIP.


    Fast forward a few days, and Alina could be found interacting with Astria and Wisteria.


    The latter two came from their travels in the outer space, and they arrived in this planet in order to deal with the devastations brought by the Abyss.


    They were taken in by Alina, who is now having a conversation with them.


    The talk that they were having was interrupted when Pope Eruditus intruded on their conversation.


    This Pope creeped the f**k out of everyone, and he managed to make himself look creepier when he used his unknown power on Wisteria.


    This unknown power left Wisteria trapped in a mental f***kery that almost made her piss herself, although it luckily only lasted for a short time.


    Alina and Astria had no idea about this power used by the Pope, and they seem to have forgotten that they were placed under its effects¡­.


    Professor Frances and Queen Mother on the other hand was having a fight at that time, which seemed to end in a good note, as the two were still alive and normal days later.


    TIMESKIP


    Alina, Queen Mother, Professor Frances, Wisteria, and Astria all found themselves lurking on the outskirts of their territory.


    They were waiting for Alex, who volunteered to lead them towards the Ancestral Tomb.


    The wait was short but also tense, as other Travelers arrived near them.


    These Travelers seem to be interested on following Alex''s lead, and they showed no intent of backing off.


    Once Alex has arrived, he immediately used his power to create a monstrous entity that swallowed everyone in the area.


    TIMESKIP.


    This monster turned out to be a portal, one which led everyone to entering the Ancestral Tomb.


    This is a good news, but the portal turned out to be unstable, as everyone was placed on different portions of the tomb.


    These placements were random, leaving everyone slightly confused and panicked.


    Alina''s power kept her safe, and she used it to investigate the intricacies of the Ancestral Tomb.


    Alina however found herself having difficulty on understanding the whole place, so she let out three people from her storage, all who she brought in to increase her chances of obtaining her goals.


    While Alina was having a safe time on her location, Queen Mother was having a rather difficult one.


    Queen Mother found herself trapped inside the powers of a True God Artifact, and she also found herself fighting a clone of a Traveler who seemed to have bad intentions on her.


    Queen Mother survived these obstacles of course, and she discovered the fact that the True God Artifacts could be the goal of Alex and the other Travelers.


    This fact was also discovered by Professor Frances, as she was captured by Alex himself, and he was the one who told her about his desire to obtain the True God Artifacts.


    Alex was so powerful at this time, that Professor Frances had no chance of escaping from him.


    This left her with no choice but to follow his plans, although she was doing her best to find a way to escape him.


    Professor Frances eventually found a chance to deal with Alex when the latter has begun using his powers on a nearby True God Artifact.


    She used her deductive skills to find any possible weakness from him, although the commotion created by the nearby Abyss Sprites ruined her chances.


    While all of these was happening, the Abyss appeared to be starting the execution of his plan, which included a scheme on the Superhuman World that could potentially corrupt Alex.


    Chaos was also in the mix, as he was using all of his power to kill Alex.

 Chapter 771 - I will really resume this novel today.

    I really promise to post the next chapter today.


    Cross my heart or do whatever you want from me.


    [ENDLESS MONARCH.]


    E ¨C Endless is his might, and his greatness is for forever. (Wow, I can''t believe I said that.)


    N ¨C Night and darkness are his playground, while light and day are his servants. (This sounds abstract as f**k)


    D ¨C Damned those who curse him, and may they suffer endless maledictions for their mistakes. ( Wait a second, so this is the reason why my uncle disappeared?)


    L ¨C Life and Death are nothing more but marbles being spun on his almighty palms. (Oooh, marbles? Let me see!)


    E ¨C Elements are his b**ches. (This could sound a little tamer, but I figured that the Endless Monarch having his own b**ches is cool.


    S ¨C Submit to him, and you will gain eternal life.( Are you sure about that?)


    S ¨C Submit to him, and you will gain eternal life .(I want to write something else here, but my mom is watching me, so yeah¡­)


    M ¨C Mysteries are an open book to him, and all secrets are laid bare on his eyes. (Oh, so he can peek on someone taking a bath.)


    O ¨C Obligate your life for him, and he will give you much more. (??? This did not happen to me.)


    N ¨C No time is too late to praise him. (I came in late on my class before, and the Endless Monarch punished me with 100 spanks¡­.)


    A ¨C A life for a life, a tooth for a tooth. Only the strongest shall be accepted under his rule. (No wonder many Travelers died under him. He''s treating them like animals. Well, its not like I  really care¡­)


    R ¨C Roam the universe under his will, and you will gain powers beyond your comprehension. (This, this is true. But you need luck if you want to be chosen.)


    C ¨C Cull all your doubts and accept him as the greatest in the Multiverse. (Come to think about it. I never saw how strong the Endless Monarch was. Is he strong?)


    H ¨C His Majesty, the Endless Monarch, will always have his arms open for you. So don''t hesitate to approach him. (The last time that I saw the Endless Monarch open his arms for someone, it was before he crushed that person into a deadly hug.)


    [ALEX]:


    A ¨C A man who does not like me. (Well duh, that''s obvious)


    L ¨C likes to always laze around as if he''s a lizard .(He''s like the sloth from those animal doc.u.mentaries.)


    E ¨C Everyone he meets, he treats well. (Even his enemies will be treated well too, although they have to treat him well first.


    X ¨C Xcept for me. He does not treat me well.


    [QUEEN MOTHER]:


    Q ¨CQuack quack quack. (I don''t know any good words for Q, so this will do.)


    U ¨C Underestimating her is fine, since she''s the one who underperforms in the group.


    E ¨C Elope with her if you are a female. (In case you don''t know, she''s a lesbian. She likes girls.)


    E ¨C Extra points if you''re a female who likes trees. (There''s nothing better for a tree lesbian but a woman who likes trees.)


    N ¨C Never eat grass in front of her. Just don''t. (She poops grass, so she feels guilty if she sees a person eating grass. It makes her feel gross.)


    M ¨C M.o.a.ning female sounds will disturb her. ( I don''t know why she will be disturbed. I thought she will like it more.)


    O ¨C''Oh yeah'' sounds won''t do to. Seriously, don''t m.o.a.n like that. (She might try stalking you. That happened once before.)


    T ¨C Thicc girls are her favorite. (But not too thicc that they will be fat. Just the right amount of thiccness will do.)


    H ¨C Heat-based weapons are her weaknesses. (It makes sense, so don''t question me.)


    E ¨C Elope with her if you''re a female. Did I use this earlier? Oh, I just


    R ¨C Repeated the previous letter E. Oh well, nobody will notice.


    [ASTERIA]:


    A ¨C Awesome! (Awesome!)


    S ¨C Superb! (Superb!)


    T ¨CTantalizing! (Tantalizing!)


    E ¨C Exemplary! (Exemplary!)


    R ¨C Riveting! (Riveting!)


    I ¨C Important! (Important!)


    A- Awesome! (Awesome!)


    [ALINA]:


    A ¨C A glutton who does not know the limit of her stomach. (She has space magic anyway, so technically speaking, she can eat without any worries.)


    L ¨C Licks her plate clean, because she could. (And she does it in a s.e.xy way, that both Alex and Queen Mother gets turned on just from watching it.)


    I ¨C Interested on eating, but sucks on cooking. (This is so confusing. She likes eating, but she can''t cook? That''s outrageous!)


    N ¨C Never cleans her sword. She said it''s a waste of time. (She just don''t want to tell Alex that she does not know how to clean swords too.)


    A ¨C Always wants to kiss Alex, but she''s shy to do it. (That''s the reason why she and Alex has few s.e.x.u.a.l encounters.)


    [PROFESSOR FRANCES]:


    P ¨C Ptooey! Why does her name have to be this long? Now I have to make a long mnemonic!


    R ¨C Rah, rah, rah. Rah. (I can''t think of any words for R too¡­)


    O ¨C Oh right, Professor Frances is a mad woman .(She''s a loco. So don''t offend her.)


    F ¨C Fickle words are not her strong suit, so don''t insult her. (She will cry like a child or rage like a bull once insulted. Both instances are bad, so please don''t insult her.)


    E ¨C Epstein did not k*** hi*****. Hm? Who''s Epstein? Is he like Einstein?


    S ¨C S.e.x is not her thing, although Queen Mother is doing her best to change that. (Good luck to that, Queen Mother.)


    S ¨C So Queen Mother likes Professor Frances? Why though? Professor Frances is not a good partner in all sense¡­


    O ¨C Octopus are her favorite food. ( Did she like it because of the tentacles? Maybe¡­)


    R ¨C Rapscallion. Rascal. Rather. Racuous. Raccon. Rod. (Hey, that''s a lot of letter R''s!)


    F ¨C F**k this s**t. I''m still halfway through her name! (Should I have just used Frances for this mnemonic alone?)


    R ¨C Ratzilla? Raccet? Raptaurion? Rooor? (Wait, does these words even exist?)


    A ¨C A clap on her butt will make her jump. Don''t ask me how I knew that. (Her butt is soft though)


    N ¨C Never challenge her to a scientific duel. (What the hell is that duel anway? It''s the first time I heard of that¡­)


    C ¨C Cold hard cash will make her happy. Adding organs on that will be better too.


    E ¨C Ethics don''t mean s**t to her. That''s already obvious.


    S ¨C Sorority? Did she join group like this before? I think I should ask her¡­


    [ASTRIA]:


    A ¨C A loudmouth is her best description.


    S ¨C She''s most likely to pounce Alex if Alina is not around. (So she becomes a hoe just for Alex.)


    T ¨C Tents will form on a man''s pants if she hugs them.  (That''s gross)


    R ¨C Roar! Roar! Roar!


    I  - Idiot can be her another name, since she''s an idiot. (That is my opinion, not Alina''s).


    A ¨C Awesome!


    [

 Chapter 772 - Why hast thou Betrayed thy Master?

    Professor Frances was pissed, and rightfully so, as all of her plans in regards to Alex has been ruined by the rowdy attitude shown by the Abyss Sprites.


    She did not even have the time to compose herself from all the destruction created by the quarreling sprites, so she could only curse at them silently from her ''safe spot''.


    "Argh!!! These little s**ts always do not know when to behave! They fight whenever they want, and they don''t care about the destruction that they make!"


    "In fact, I was almost killed just a second ago, and none of them even apologized to me!"


    "Argh!!! This is obviously bulls**t, yet I can''t do anything about this!"


    "F**k!!!"


    Cursing silently at the sprites did nothing to change her situation, but this is the least that the professor could do to improve her feelings.


    "They are already so bad when Alex is still lucid, but they even got worse when their master has become like this!"


    "Argh!!! Will they get even worse once Alex becomes fully corrupted?"


    "F**k, that is not something that I want to see!"


    "¡­"


    "But I think I will actually see it, since I am stuck with all of these s***y sprites¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "F**k."


    Oh¡­ if she just had her way, Professor Frances would be happy expressing her unhappiness on these tiny ''distractions''¡­


    Not that she could actually do something at them, as their presence alone is making her feel scared of making a move.


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Here I am, ready to fight for my life against Alex, and yet I get scared of these little s**ts¡­"


    "Tsk, why did I have to become like this?"


    "I was a professor meant to conquer a galaxy, dang it! I should have been a scary person by this point!"


    ______________


    ______________


    The professor was also pissed at Alex, but just like the impertinent sprites of his, she was also indecisive against him.


    "Oh, and I can''t even find any weaknesses from Alex because of these distracting sprites. Yeah¡­ this is so f**king great."


    "I could have many chances to shoot at Alex now, but look at where I am now."


    "I am stuck here watching him, and I don''t even know if I can survive until tomorrow¡­."


    "F**k, now that I thought about it, my situation really is messed up¡­"


    Although she was fearful of his power, Professor Frances was still itching to send her arrow sailing towards Alex, as she felt that the latter was distracted from whatever he was doing on the True God Artifact.


    The man was just too engrossed on pulling out the artifact''s soul, and she reckons that her attack might hurt him.


    But since it was Alex that she was talking about, Professor Frances would not just attack him with an attack that ''might'' hurt him.


    Only an attack with a 100% certainty of hurting Alex will be the kind of attack that the professor will uses, which she unfortunately does not have.


    "¡­Since I can''t hurt Alex for now, does that mean that I am stuck on watching him until he gets tired of me?"


    "F**king hell, won''t that mean that he just used me as a decoration, and one that he will eliminate once he was bored?"


    "F**k f**k f**k f**k f**k f**k f**k ! I don''t want to end this way!"


    The combination of all the negative factors around her, along with the assurance of her incoming death was enough to make the professor feel nihilistic about her situation.


    In fact, her internal calculator was telling her that she only have a 5% chance of surviving her current encounter with Alex, which technically means that she''s about to die.


    And when she''s saying that she''s about to die, she is 100% serious about it.


    "Judging by what I can see, it seems that Alex will be fully corrupted later¡­"


    "Once that happens, the first thing that this fully corrupted Alex will do is to kill me¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "So I can''t escape, and all my senses are telling me that I am about to die later¡­"


    "Since that was the case, then why am I even bothering to help Alex out? If I will just be killed later, then shouldn''t I do something to prevent it?"


    "Of course I want to do something to prevent my death! But how can I even do that, when I can''t even think of any way to escape?"


    "F**k! F**k! F**k! All of this s**t sucks!!!"


    "Should I just kill myself now? Well yes, I ca-"


    >


    [[[DIE MASTER ALEX!!!]]]


    |||DIE MASTER ALEX!|||


    ///MASTER ALEX, KISS ME FIRST BEFORE WE KILL YOU!!!\\\


    :::DIE MASTER ALEX!!!:::


    ~~~DIE MASTER ALEX!!!~~~


    {{{DIE MASTER ALEX!!!}}}


    "What the hell?"


    With the power that Alex had displayed, Professor Frances knew that nobody will be interested of suddenly attacking him. Even she herself was scared of landing a blow on him, and that is even when she was feeling reckless today.


    It was because of this line of thinking that Professor Frances became surprised, as out of nowhere, the 7 quarreling Abyss Sprites suddenly attacked Alex.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    The 7 sprites did not show any indication of attacking Alex, as they suddenly attacked him altogether.


    They did not speak, or even taunt their master as they sent out their attacks.


    They just attacked, and they did so with ferocity comparable to that of a rushing flood.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Blades made up of black flames sprouted out of Wrath''s hands, which he then sent hurtling towards the relaxed Alex.


    Each blade burned with the ferocity enough to melt almost anything, and space itself was also affected by it.


    "Crackle crackle¡­"


    Even Alex''s skin was no match against the blades, and the professor could only watch in fascination as the blades sank into his skin like tofu.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Pride also sent out his own set of blades, but instead of being made up of black flames, his was composed of golden leaves.


    "Hong long~"


    Yes, this imagery is hard to imagine, but Professor Frances could swear that she can see the  golden leaves, and she could also confirm that they are sharp enough to cut Alex''s fingers.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    The third sprite to unleash an attack was Envy, which she did so through a violet-tinged lance that she hurled towards Alex''s left foot.


    "Schwing!"


    Professor Frances is not that ''magical'' enough to know what the effect of the lance could be, but judging from the blood-curdling scream that Alex made when the lance touched his foot, the effect could not be that mild.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Sloth did not appear to have made his attack, but the bubbles of space-time that he discreetly tossed to Alex were still noticed by the professor.


    "Glu glu glu¡­"


    The target of these bubbles was Alex''s head, which the latter naturally tried to move out of the way.


    Unfortunately for Alex, the bubbles still hit his head, resulting in a distortive effect that made even the hardy professor wince.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Even without seeing her attacks, it was obvious that L.u.s.t''s targets will either be Alex''s ass or d**k.


    In this case, her flock of crows were sent straight towards his ass.


    "Wak wak wak!"


    As for its effects, the professor did not have time to observe it as she focused her attention on the remaining two sprites.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Greed''s attack was not visible at all, but the sudden disappearance of Alex''s domineering presence and aura made the professor know that the greedy sprite must have stolen something from Alex.


    Oh, and a portion of Alex''s clothes had disappeared too, so the injured man was also left partially n.a.k.e.d.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????


    Gluttony''s attack on the other hand was not subtle at all.


    In fact, his attack was the most flamboyant, as he summoned a black hole that covered the entirety of Alex''s torso.


    D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N?????? D????? I?????? S??????? T?????? O????? R???? T????? I???O??????? N??????

 Chapter 773 - Interlude: Asterias Typical Day as a Student Part 17

    Although Asteria and her cronies were doing their best to acclimate with their foreign surroundings, they are still highly prone to danger.


    The whole Abyss was just filled with too much danger, that even the most careful creatures had a low chance of surviving.


    Speaking of danger¡­


    [Abyss]: Hohoho, so this is the batch of Guides that the Endless Monarch hired for his task? They all look decent to me, although they are still too weak to make any differences out there.


    [Chaos]: You are one to talk, Abyss. Why criticize the strength of these kids? They are still young, so their chances of disrupting the Multiverse is still low.


    [Chaos]: Give them some time to grow, and I am sure they will turn out fine.


    [Abyss]: Heh, you want me to wait for them to grow? You know that I could not do that, not with the plans that I am making¡­.


    [Chaos]: I give no care about your plans, Abyss. But don''t expect that I will allow you to hurt these kids. The Endless Monarch asked me to take care of them for now, so they are under my protection. Try to hurt them, and I will make you feel real pain.


    [Abyss]: Hey hey hey! Can you please lay off your threats? I''m just watching these kids for my own sake! If I want to hurt them, I would have done it earlier!


    [Chaos]: It''s good to know that you are not that foolish yet, Abyss. But remember. I am watching you now, so don''t make any false moves.


    [Abyss]: ¡­..


    There appears to be two  dangerous entities that are interested on the group right now, and each one treated Asteria''s group with undisguisable hostility and wariness.


    Most of the hostility however was displayed by the entity named Abyss, while the wariness mostly came from Chaos.


    [Abyss]: So the Endless Monarch asked you to take care of these kids? What a load of bull. Do you seriously think that I will believe that? There is no way that the Endless Monarch will be that caring of his¡­ slaves.


    [Chaos]: You can choose to not believe me Abyss, since I am someone who can twist the truth to my advantage. But do you think that I will dare use the Endless Monarch''s name to lie to you? Even I am not that stupid, so just believe me.


    [Abyss]: ¡­I can''t believe that I find myself agreeing with you.


    [Chaos]: I don''t like the feeling of you agreeing with me, but since it was the Endless Monarch that we are talking about, I guess we can have the same opinion about him.


    [Abyss]: Same opinion? Hmph, I doubt that there is anyone in the Multiverse that thinks of the Endless Monarch in a different way! Everyone knows how shameless the Endless Monarch was, and even I have to tip my hat to him!


    [Abyss]:  Oh, and the Endless Monarch is also the most cunning trickster out there, and I know that he had tricked many of their valuables. So yeah, I don''t think there will be a differing opinion about that bastard.


    [Chaos]: ....You call him a bastard? Yes, that man really is a bastard, and I feel that he will continue to be that way in the future¡­


    The reason for why the Abyss and Chaos were treating Asteria''s group this way was not that clear at all, although their talks about the Endless Monarch appeared to have a relation with it.


    Oh, now that the author could see it, the Endless Monarch indeed has a relation to the hostile attitude by Chaos and Abyss.


    And when the author said hostile, he meant it in a literal way.


    [Abyss]: Hah! The Endless Monarch was just a pilfering kid from before, someone who I can kill with my bare tentacles! But look at him now! Ever since he obtained that legacy, he became so irritating!


    [Abyss]: Argh! If I could have just gone back in time, I would have done my best to kill that bastard!


    [Abyss]: Scratch that! I would kill his ancestors if that is what it will take to stop him from living!


    [Chaos]: That measure is a bit extreme, but I like it. However, you know that you can''t go back in time since you are¡­ a you know, a landmass.


    [Abyss]: Shut up, Chaos! I don''t care if I can''t go back in time. I am just telling you how I want to have the Endless Monarch dead! And don''t give me that look! I know how much you want to have the Endless Monarch dead too!


    [Chaos]: I don''t like your rowdy attitude, but you are right. I also want to have that bastard killed, but you know that it is also impossible for me to achieve that.


    [Abyss]: ¡­


    [Chaos]: If I were just in my peak state, I would have no problem dealing with the Endless Monarch. But now that I am in my advanced old age, I have no way to prevent that bastard from escaping.


    [Chaos]: Of course if I use up all of my remaining lifespan, there is a high chance that I can kill him with the expense of my life. But you know that I won''t do that.


    [Abyss]: Drats. And here I thought I could have you and that bastard die together. I guess I just have to think of a different plan to kill you both.


    [Chaos]: ¡­I don''t get your animosity against me, but I am still curious on why you want to have the Endless Monarch killed. Did he do something that was enough to damage or hurt you? Because you are the Abyss, and I don''t believe that someone like the Endless Monarch is powerful enough to kill you.


    [Abyss]: Argh! Just shut up there and let me think! Can''t you see that I am busy observing these Guides that the Endless Monarch hired? I want to see if I can do something to them that could hurt that bastard, so don''t disturb me!


    [Abyss]: If you want answers, then just ask your damned questions once I am done!

 Chapter 774 - I fell down the stairs. Please dont ask how.

    My body still hurts, and its a pain in the ass to even exist now.


    It''s a good thing that I can move now though, so I am back to writing again.


    Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa AaaAaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa Aaa

 Chapter 775 - Flight or Fight

    "¡­"


    Due to the suddenness of the sprites'' attacks, Alex was visibly caught off-guard.


    Maybe this was caused by the trust that he had on his ''loyal'' servants or his utter disregard of danger around him, but it was obvious that Alex was unprepared to the sudden attack against him.


    Which in the eyes of Professor Frances, led to closest things that she could describe as a beat-down.


    "Argh!!!"


    The attacks unleashed by the 7 Sprites were powerful on their own right, although Professor Frances was sure that they are not enough to damage Alex.


    However, the attacks by them were not meant to be used alone.


    "Argh!"


    Alex''s durable body was anything but durable at this point, as the separate attacks by the Sprites had begun to overlap with each other, creating effects that were too much even for him.


    Gluttony''s black hole easily overlapped with the leaves summoned by Pride and Wrath, which suspiciously had created a never-before-seen dimension, while L.u.s.t''s, Greed''s, and Envy''s attacks began to superimpose with the aforementioned dimension.


    "Argh!"


    The existence of this dimension was the main reason for the sudden damages on Alex''s body, with each second of the dimension''s continued existence only bringing more damage for the man.


    It was as if this dimension was rejecting the existence of Alex''s body, and it was trying to destroy him in order to expel his entirety.


    "Argh!"


    Naturally, Alex was trying his best to extricate himself from the dimension, but the suppression by the black hole and the damage on his legs made it almost impossible for him to even move.


    "Argh!"


    This left the man with no choice but to endure the damages, which can only be described as pure torture at this point.


    "Argh!"


    Things only got worse for him when even Sloth''s lazy attack has joined in the combination, and this addition resulted on more damage against the now angered Alex.


    "Argh!"


    Sure, Alex tried to defend himself through the use of his abilities, but it was not enough, as the attacks quickly demolished his entirety into hundreds of fleshy pieces, with his torso bursting like a popped watermelon and his limbs flying around like broken drones.


    Even his head showed signs of damage, and it was basically a miracle on itself that Alex was still alive.


    Well, that is what Professor Frances wanted to think, as she still wanted Alex to stay alive at this time.


    ______________


    ______________


    "What the heck is happening here? Shouldn''t these little Sprites be thinking of killing me? But now they are actually attacking Alex? I don''t understand this all." Professor Frances found it hard to maintain her calm upon seeing the confusing scene in front of her, but she maintained her hold on her soul arrow.


    She was confused about what she was seeing, but she knew that letting it cloud her mind will bring her to more dangers.


    Well, Professor Frances was not sure if she is actually in danger here, since the one whose life is about to end is not hers¡­


    "Wait, should I even be worried about myself? Because if these Sprites are intent on attacking Alex, then it means that I have a chance to profit from this!" Professor Frances suddenly spat out with slight delight. "Yes, I think I will benefit greatly from this!"


    Whatever was happening here might be out of her control, but Professor Frances was sure that she can get something out of the sprites'' actions.


    Especially now that Alex is being dismantled piece by piece, and the man himself appeared to be powerless to stop it.


    "Since Alex is being injured now, then I have a high chance of escaping from this place." The professor mused. "And I think I really should escape, since it is highly likely that what is happening here is a special case, one that I should take advantage of."


    "Yes, I think this is a special case.. . It could even be comparable to an auto-immune disease, with Alex being the body and the Sprites being the cells who are attacking him indiscriminately¡­" The professor added. "Well, Alex is strong enough to survive this ''disease'', although I do not know how long it will take for him to recover from these damages."


    "It might take Alex seconds or minutes, but I am sure that he will not be happy to me once he recovers¡­"


    The sight of Alex''s injury-ridden body was the very opportunity that Professor Frances was waiting for since earlier.


    Now, there is no more reason for the professor to stay, as the man who takes hold over her life was preoccupied of keeping himself alive.


    She could just run, and nobody can even stop her¡­


    "Why am I even thinking of running away? I really should run away now before things could get even worse!"


    And the professor will obviously start running away now, as staying here for longer will be of great disadvantage to her.


    She knew that letting Alex be damaged by the Sprites will lead to him being closer to death, but with the tenacity and hidden skills that he had, the professor was sure that he can get out of this situation alive.


    Which means that the longer the professor stays here, the higher the chance that Alex will recover and stop her from running.


    So ergo, the professor should really run, as the demerits of staying will be too much for her.


    "Okay Alex¡­ I do not know why your Sprites are doing this to you, but I wish you luck against them¡­"


    ____________


    ____________


    It took Professor Frances only a second to make the decision to run away, which she quickly performed by gathering the remains of her power to her legs.


    Once she gathered enough power, she then tensed her muscles in both of her feet.


    "¡­."


    At first glance, it appeared as if the professor was planning to use her feet to kick Alex''s head in because of the power gathered in them, but it was actually the opposite.


    The professor was to use her feet for escaping, as the gathered power will turn her legs into makeshift boosters that will easily blast her away from her current position.


    Only one push is enough for her to blast herself away from Alex, and she''s definitely raring to be nowhere near the man already¡­


    ______________


    ______________


    Since she was performing this move for the first time, it took her a few milliseconds to adjust the direction where her whole body will go through.


    That few milliseconds might be a waste of possible valuable time, but the professor wanted to ensure that her escape move this time will be as safe as it could ever be.


    "As long as I time my boost right, I can place myself on a position that could potentially hide my body from Alex later." The professor thought. "What I just need is to have his Sprites attack him more so that I can reach farther distances."


    "...Seeing that these Sprites are not stopping on their moves, I am sure that Alex will take a longer time to recover."


    "So I should really leave now before things could get worse."


    With all the preparations that she had for this time, Professor Frances only needed one small push from her foot in order to initiate her escape move.


    Just one push is enough, and it will bring her to her possible freedom¡­


    But as much as she wanted to escape, Professor Frances could not make herself do it.


    "Wait a second¡­ Why am I even thinking of running away now? Is this how I really should have reacted in regards to Alex?"


    "Of course not!"


    Sure, she wanted to run away in order to preserve her life, but the professor''s proud and unyielding mind will never allow her to just escape.


    "Why would I even run, when I now have the chance to make Alex realize that he should have not messed with me!"


    "Yes, I should not run away! I should make Alex pay for what he did not my body earlier!"


    As much as she wanted to deny it, Professor Frances was more interested on avenging everything that the semi-corrupted Alex did to her.


    This might sound petty given Alex''s condition, but the professor does not give any care about it.


    Alex was a jerk at this point, so the professor was sure that nobody will blame her if she lands an attack or two against Alex.


    It''s not like Alex will die from her attacks anyway, and her attacks will just help lengthen Alex''s needed recovery time¡­

 Chapter 776 - -.-. .... .- --- ...

    2e 2d 20 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 2d 2d 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2d 2e 2d 2d 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 20 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2d 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 20 2d 2d 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2d 2e 20 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2d 2d 20 2d 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2d 2d 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2d 20 2d 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2d 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2d 20 2e 2d 20 2d 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2d 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2d 2d 20 2d 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2d 20 2d 20 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2d 2e 20 2e 2e 20 2d 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2d 20 2e 2e 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2d 2e 20 2e 20 2d 2e 20 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2e 2d 2d 2e 20 2d 2e 2d 2d 20 2e 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 20 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2d 2d 20 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 20 2d 2d 20 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 2d 20 2d 2e 2e 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2d 2e 20 2d 2d 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2d 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2d 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2d 2e 2d 2e 20 2d 2e 2d 2d 20 2d 2d 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 20 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 2d 2d 20 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2d 20 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2d 20 2d 20 2e 2d 2d 2d 2d 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 20 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 20 2d 20 2d 2d 2d 20 2e 2d 2d 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 2d 2d 20 2d 2e 2e 2e 2e 2d 20 2d 20 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2d 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 2d 20 2e 2e 20 2d 2e 20 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20 2e 2e 2e 20


    a 61 6e 61 72 63 68 79 a 64 69 73 61 72 72 61 79 a 64 69 73 63 6f 72 64 a 64 69 73 6f 72 64 65 72 a 6c 61 77 6c 65 73 73 6e 65 73 73 a 70 61 6e 64 65 6d 6f 6e 69 75 6d a 74 75 6d 75 6c 74 a 74 75 72 6d 6f 69 6c a 61 74 61 78 69 61 a 62 65 64 6c 61 6d a 63 6c 75 74 74 65 72 a 64 69 73 6f 72 67 61 6e 69 7a 61 74 69 6f 6e a 65 6e 74 72 6f 70 79 a 66 72 65 65 2d 66 6f 72 2d 61 6c 6c a 6d 69 73 72 75 6c 65 a 6d 69 78 2d 75 70 a 6d 6f 62 6f 63 72 61 63 79 a 6d 75 64 64 6c 65 a 73 6e 61 72 6c a 75 6e 72 75 6c 69 6e 65 73 73 a 68 6f 6c 79 20 6d 65 73 73 a 72 61 74 27 73 20 6e 65 73 74 a 74 6f 70 73 79 2d 74 75 72 76 69 6e 65 73 73 a


    Aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa Aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa Aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa Aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa aa Aa

 Chapter 777 - The Blackened Emperor

    "Alex¡­ you know that I am still your ally. But for this time, please let me be free for now. This might worsen my image to you, but come on, we are friends. Surely you will forgive me too, right?"


    The temptation for her freedom defeated Professor Frances'' self-preservation tactics, thus she did not hesitate to unleash her arrow on Alex.


    "Swoosh!"


    The arrow flew unimpeded through the emptiness of space, and straight towards Alex, who only bared his teeth in anger as the object drew closer to his mangled torso.


    "Thunk!"


    With his body unable to move due to his heavy injuries, Alex could only watch in rage as the projectile gouged his remaining body parts, which took pieces of his flesh and soul into the oblivion.


    "Argh!" Alex on his own was already mad enough, but the additional injury that he just incurred has spurned his madness further.


    "You b**ch! You dare attack me like this? Did you even forget who I am? Argh! You are ¨C??????d???????k????????f???? d???l?????? k???????j??????a to me!" More tentacles and eyes sprouted from behind Alex at this point, as if his rage was fueling their malignant growth.


    "Argh!!!! You are dead to me! I will 2?????o??????? i????3?????? 2??????o???????i??????? and w?????o?????? e???????i??????u????????? r??????o??????i??????e?????? r??????you!"


    Pus and blackened blood flowed freely from these new appendages, which then mixed together as they made contact with his mangled body.


    "k??????j????????d????? f?????l??????k?????? d?????s??????f?????? l?????k????s?????? d??????j??????l????? !????!???????!??????"


    Holes and golden blood poured from this mixture, with pollen-like rocks shooting out of Alex''s wound and skin.


    "k??????j????????d????? f?????l??????k?????? d?????s??????f?????? l?????k????s?????? d??????j??????l????? !????!???????!??????"


    These changes created an imagery of a rotten beehive, one that appeared to be melting under Alex''s raging temper.


    "k??????j????????d????? f?????l??????k?????? d?????s??????f?????? l?????k????s?????? d??????j??????l????? !????!???????!??????"


    This mixture is already horrifying on its own, but the way that they dripped like molasses on his skin made them appear unrealistic and full of danger.


    "k??????j????????d????? f?????l??????k?????? d?????s??????f?????? l?????k????s?????? d??????j??????l????? !????!???????!??????! Come here and let me touch you! I will make you experience real pain!"


    "W???????*????????(???????? #??????@????????? &????????@??????(?????? *??????#??????~????????"


    "W???????*????????(???????? #??????@????????? &???????? @??????(?????? *??????#??????~????????"


    "W???????*????????(???????? #??????@????????? &????????@??????(?????? *??????#??????~????????"


    While most of Alex''s malignant growth focused on excreting these disgusting fluids, which Professor Frances found a little too interesting, others went a different but still frightening way.


    "l???????k?????j????????s????? d?????f??????l??????k?????d??????? j??????s???????f?????l????? k????s?????j???? d????l?????k?????? f????j????d??????s??????l!!!!"


    Some of the rotten appendages curled themselves above Alex''s head, creating a massive crown that reached the height of a planet. Blackened stars rotated around the crown, with gray comets and asteroids materializing as the crown''s ''jewels''.


    Below the crown, a ring made up of dead space creatures could be seen, which Alex wore on his forehead like a royal bandana.


    Blood could be seen flowing out from these dead beings, which Alex drank greedily through his mangled mouth.


    "3???????o???????i????? u??????4???????? o?????i??????? 3????????2?????u??? 4????o?????i??????2?????? u?????????o??????3???? i?????u????4?????!!!!"


    This appearance change is more than enough to exemplify Alex''s already tyrannical form, which the man himself appeared to enjoy, even in his pained state.


    "Hahaha! This s**t hurts a lot, but I am still an Emperor! So don''t expect that this will affect me for long! I will recover, and once that happens, I will make you suffer the most!"


    **************


    Overall, these changes in Alex''s appearance made it apparent that he has lost any semblance of hospitality to the professor, a fact that the latter quickly realized, much to her relief and panic.


    "That attack is enough to destroy the soul of a Fifth Stage Being, yet Alex was only hurt by it. Which is good, but it just made him apoplectic with rage. Which is then bad for me¡­." The professor uttered morosely as she moved backwards, with her hands drenched in blood. "I even used some of my life force for that attack, and Alex still tanked it¡­"


    The professor was extremely close to unleashing another attack after seeing Alex''s enraged state, but she kept a tight hold on her body, knowing that she could not just make any sudden moves at this point.


    What more can she do towards an Alex who was obviously beyond any sense of reason at this time? Another attack is just an invitation towards a quick death¡­


    "Sigh, I just tried this ''backstabbing'' thing now, and I still failed on it? What a shame for a crazy woman like me¡­."


    **************


    Professor Frances sounded and looked disappointed at this point, but there was an expression of interest in her face, as if she saw something more interesting than her dangerous situation.


    "I really want to touch those limbs that gave Alex that crown, but I don''t think Alex will be happy to have me close."


    "Tsk, I am sure he will try killing me once I am within his range¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Ugh, just one touch will be enough, yet there is no way I can do that now¡­"


    With her life in the line, Professor Frances tried to not ogle at the monstrous limbs that decorated Alex''s body. She also tried to ignore how good they appeared, and she did her best to not marvel at their perfect form.


    This proved to be a monumental task for her, as her twisted mind wanted nothing more right now but to touch those monstrous constructs.


    "¡­Tsk, I would love to have a feel for those new limbs, but I think it is time for me to already skadoodle today. Ugh, I should have brought my mobile lab with me here!"


    Professor Frances knew those things could lead to her next bodily upgrades, but she valued her life more right now. And the fact that she and Alina still had a lot of things to do in this place made her less willing to mess with Alex right now.


    "Alex is already beyond rationality, and I am sure it will only take him one swipe to kill me¡­."


    One attack by Professor Frances was surprisingly enough to hurt Alex, but she was not willing to tempt fate by making more attacks.


    Sure, there is a high chance that she could give Alex more injuries if she continues attacking, which could allow her to obtain a sample of his limbs, but both of them could actually die if she escalates the situation¡­.


    "Er¡­ Sprites¡­ whatever you are doing, just keep on doing it. I don''t care why you want to hurt your owner now, but I want you to keep on doing it, ok? Just take as much time as you want while I run the f**k away from here¡­"


    Without waiting for the reply that she''s not too willing to hear, Professor Frances once more spun on the spot, this time with her body 100% prepared to shoot away.


    **************


    FROM AN UNKNOWN SPOT IN THE ANCESTRAL TOMB.


    While Professor Frances was busy dealing with the fallout from the Abyss Sprites'' rebellion, a certain existence noticed the commotion, which prompted ''It'' to stare at the event with interest.


    "Interesting¡­.." The existence, whose location could not be discerned for some kind of reason, was observing the fight between Alex and the professor with rapt attention.


    "So the intruders of this land had already started infighting? And the ones who started it are actually allies? How crude of them¡­." The creature''s voice rumbled like a massive explosion as it talked, which generated countless waves of destruction that crumbled the planets that surrounded it.


    The dust from this crumbling also disappeared, as if their existence was also wiped by the creature''s voice too.


    "Hm? And one of the perpetrators are about to run away after that attack? What a despicable way to face your actions!"


    Space and time were also included in the ravage, creating floating potholes that could easily kill someone at the Fifth Stage.


    "Tsk, and here I thought this woman can be a suitable mate for me¡­"


    Energy was also out of sync at this point, resulting in explosions that managed to be even worse that the destroyed Space-Time fabric.


    "¡­Oh, and there are more of them fighting with each other at the West and East Sections? What is wrong with them? Don''t they even know that their task here is to prevent the apocalypse from happening? Seriously, this batch has managed to be even worse than the last one¡­.""


    The damage that the creature created was extensive enough, that someone like Alex or the other Travelers should have detected it.


    But the creature''s stirrings alerted nobody at all, as if its existence was hidden even from the fabric of the Ancestral Tomb.

 Chapter 778 - Lunch Time!!!

    If Alex were to realize this fact, he would surely be acting cautious, even in his current state.


    After all, a being who can easily destroy planets who can also keep itself hidden, is a powerhouse nearing the level of a Transcendent Being.


    [[Hurk¡­. Did I destroy too many planets again while I talked? Dear me, I really have to limit my power here, or else these pesky Travelers could discover me¡­]]


    In fact, judging by its aura and its life force alone, one can even say that this creature had already went beyond the Half-Step Transcendent Level, and that it is only one step away from achieving the elusive Transcendent Level.


    [[Okay, okay, okay. Just follow the meditation guides given by Master, and you will be able to keep your life force hidden¡­]]


    [[Just breathe and breathe¡­. And your great power shall remain veiled from their eyes¡­]]


    That kind of power level is horrifying on its own, and the fact that it is near Alex should warrant more levels of worry.


    [[Breathe¡­ breathe¡­ breathe¡­]]


    [[Breathe¡­ breathe¡­ breathe¡­]]


    [[Breathe¡­ breathe¡­ breathe¡­]]


    A creature with this kind of power will always have a hidden agenda with all its actions, and its mere presence inside the Ancestral Tomb shows that it is up to something


    The fact that it tries its best to keep itself hidden is a major clue alone, and its efforts to stay this way makes it more apparent.


    [[Breathe¡­ breathe¡­ breathe¡­]]


    As for what the creature''s goals are, it will only be discovered once it decides to reveal them.


    Which the creature has no intention of doing, hence its efforts to say hidden.


    [[Breathe¡­ breathe¡­ breathe¡­]]


    Or so what the creature wanted to happen, but just a few seconds after it started is meditation, it quickly realized the futility of its hiding state.


    [[Brea-¡­.. Hurk, I think I just messed up. Yes, I just messed up.]]


    [[I don''t think I can continue hiding anymore. Yes, I can''t hide anymore¡­.]]


    [[Hurk!]]


    [[Hurk¡­ I am getting hungry¡­. Hungry¡­]]


    [[So hungry¡­]]


    *********************


    DURING THE SAME TIME


    SOUTHERN PORTION OF THE ANCESTRAL TOMB.


    While the hidden creature began to lament something about its situation, the people that it was watching continued on with their actions.


    This naturally included Professor Frances, who was just a few moments'' away from escaping from Alex.


    "I have no reason to stay here anymore, so I think I will just leave you be Alex. Whether you want to chase me or not will just depend on your body."


    With her life possibly on the line, Professor Frances did not waste any of her remaining power on useless matters. She poured it all on her body, which gave her the maximum speed she needed to further distance herself.


    "Well, I''d rather want you to stop moving, since I have no way of accommodating you anymore. But I don''t think I have to wish for that to happen, since you look like you are unable to move from your spot¡­"


    "?????k????l???? d????j???? f???l???? k???d????? s???? j????a????f????? l?????k????!???"???? "?????k????l???? d????j???? f???l????


    "Well, even if you could move, you are too crazy right now to even think of chasing me¡­"


    "?????k????l???? d????j???? f???l???? k???d????? s???? j????a????f????? l?????k????!???"???? "?????k????l???? d????j???? f???l????


    "¡­"


    "?????k????l???? d????j???? f???l???? k???d????? s???? j????a????f????? l?????k????!???"???? "?????k????l???? d????j???? f???l????


    "¡­"


    "?????k????l???? d????j????? f???l???? k???d????? s???? j????a????f????? l?????k????!???"???? "?????k????l???? d????j???? f???l????


    "Okay, I guess this is goodbye for now Alex, and I''d rather have it stay this way until you turn back to normal¡­"


    Ignoring the maddened mutters coming from Alex, the professor said her parting words with little care for him, with the former already shooting away from the latter.


    "Swoosh!"


    She did not look back as she left, in fears that seeing Alex''s visage could trigger a bad end for her.


    But she still stopped for a second, as she suddenly remembered something in her current encounter.


    "Sigh, I really don''t want to go now, since I also want to obtain that True God Artifact¡­ "


    "After all, that is one of our main objectives here in the Ancestral Tomb, and Alex had just injured one enough that even someone like me could take it for myself."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "Hmph, I just have to touch that soul, and that artifact could be mine now!"


    The sudden recollection of the mountain-like True God Artifact almost made the professor want to go back to her current foe, but the presence of an enraged Alex quickly made her recollect herself


    "Urgh, I already am close to dying because of seeing Alex, and I still want to come back for the True God Artifact? Tsk, I am a big idiot!"


    "¡­"


    "If I want to do that, then I should just do it when I think it is safe!"


    "¡­"


    "Tsk, maybe I could just come back here later? Maybe Alex would be gone from this place at that time..."


    "¡­"


    "Yes, I should definitely try doing that."


    "But for now, I should just focus on escaping first¡­"


    Afraid that her memories would make her stop again, Professor Frances has decided to empty her thoughts as she continued her hastened escape.


    "Engaging mind blank protocols."


    "Mind is now fully empty."


    "Engaging full autonomous actions."


    "Autonomous actions fully functional."


    "Resuming intended escape action."


    She even sealed her mind and she resolutely shut her mental functions down, with her brain now only focused on physical movements alone.


    "ETA before safe departure: 3 seconds"


    "ETA before safe departure: 2 seconds"


    "ETA before safe departure: 1 second"


    This action proved to be a beneficial one, as just a few seconds later, the professor found herself almost free from the range of Alex''s ability.


    Just a little more boosts from her legs are needed, and Frances could consider herself safe from the danger.


    "ETA before safe departure, 0.5 seconds."


    "ETA before safe departure, 0.2 seconds."


    At this point, Professor Frances found her body willingly relaxing, as she knew that she was about to get a few moments of rest that she deeply needed since earlier.


    "ETA before safe departure, 0.1 seconds."


    These few moments of rest will help her recover mentally, and it will also give her time for the next phases of her plans.


    "ETA before safe departure, 0.08 seconds."


    "ETA before safe departure, 0.05 seconds."


    With only a few microseconds left on her clock, Professor Frances was already sure of her victory.


    Just a little more waiting, and she will have time to contact her allies.


    Just a little more wait, and she can¡­.


    "ETA before safe departure, 0.-"


    [[I am sorry little Travelers! I should be hiding from you right now, but I can''t take it anymore!]]


    [[I am so hungry, and I need to eat someone in this place!]]


    [[Argh! I am so hungry! So please don''t move there and just let me eat all of you, ok? Moving will just make you all suffer more!}}


    "Hostile force against Professor Frances has been detected.


    "ETA before safe departure can no longer apply."


    "Disengaging full autonomous functions."


    " Disengaging mind blank protocols."


    [[Lunch time! Lunch time! Lunch time!]]


    "Full autonomous functions disengaged."


    "Mind blank protocols disengaged."


    [[Lunch time! Lunch time! Lunch time!]]


    "Argh! Now what is the f**king problem?"

 Chapter 779 - Extra: Volume 9 Summary and a Message in regards to my absence

    To those who stayed with this novel for long, I am thankful for your patience with me.


    4 months are a relatively a long time to stay absent in this website, which is something that I am sorry about.


    I could not actually imagine how frustrated some of you about my sudden disappearance, so I am not surprised if some of you are angry at me.


    But I had not received that much criticisms about my absence yet, so I guess y''all still love me.


    So once again, thank you to all of you...


    As for how I became absent for 4 months, it is a slightly personal thing for me, so I am unable to fully explain it.


    (You can say that the Quarantine is involved with it though... Tsk, stupid pandemic, always ruining things for everyone...)


    .....


    ....


    I know the road will be slightly harder for me this time, but please believe me when I say that I managed to overcome my personal problems already, and that I am prepared to finish this novel...


    Now I just hope I can find a good way to continue this story after my long lay-off...


    *****************


    VOLUME 9 SUMMARY


    The volume started by showing two characters who were both travelling through space.


    These characters are Wisteria and Astria, both who came from the Four Moons World.(Note: At the end of Volume 7, it was shown that Wisteria was recruited by the Cosmic Guards. As for Astria, she stayed inside Wisteria''s soul at that time.)


    Judging by the conversation between Astria and Wisteria, the latter seemed to be officially recruited by the Cosmic Guards already, and she''s about to do a mission regarding a new planet.


    Astria on the other hand was still stuck inside Wisteria, although the former seemed to be just fine with it.


    The two women did not exactly say what Wisteria''s mission is about, as they did not leak any details while talking.(They must not have leaked any info since they are afraid of someone spying on them.


    *********


    The scene then shifted, this time showing the arrival of Alex and his companions in their new world.


    These 4 did not seem happy with their arrival, and they were instead confused with what happened.


    Upon their arrival, Alex suddenly found himself in the midst of receiving a sudden worship from a group of weird-looking people.


    This sudden worship quickly made Alex and his allies wary of this new world, as they did not expect to see Alex being worshipped this way.


    What made this worship worse was the fact that these weird people were not just worshipping Alex.


    Their actions and aura indicated that they were worshipping the Abyss too, and they seem to have no qualms on hiding it.


    They were all proud on worshipping the Abyss, and they appear to be interested on sacrificing even their life just for the Abyss.


    This revelation immediately unsettled Alina, as she was already extremely wary about the Abyss, especially after their adventure in the Traveler''s World.


    Alina already had the suspicion that Alex and the Abyss made a secret agreement without her knowledge, and it was this ''secret agreemen'' that helped Alex recover from his coma.


    Even if Alina had no evidence regarding this ''secret agreement'', Alex''s actions after he woke up from his coma was enough to make Alina suspicious of him and the Abyss.


    ************


    Because of this weird worshipping people and the denying attitude from Alex, Alina has decided to question Alex right now about his coma and his recovery.


    But before she could question him, a sudden attack from an unknown group of enemies rained down on them.


    Bombs that have the power to hurt Sixth Stage Beings impacted against them, forcing Alina and the others to take shelter against the attack.


    Fortunately for these 4, they survived the attack.


    As for their enemies who just attacked, they appeared to be sure that Alex and the others were already dead. So instead of unleashing more attacks on the area, these enemies returned to their base, leaving Alex and his allies recuperating from the attack.


    Once the last of these attackers left, Alex used his power to attach a Leech King on the last departing attacker. Once attached, this Leech King began to gather info about this new world.


    Alex and his allies had to wait for 30 minutes before they receive the info gathered by the Leech King, which they fortunately received without any delays.


    **************


    The info gathered by the Leech King did not exactly give the name of this world, but it made Alex and his allies realize what this world could be.


    From the looks of it, this world was heavily centered around religions and worship. Many churches and cults exist in this world, and they were all geared on gathering as many worshippers as possible.


    This info quickly made Alex and his allies uneasy, as the existence of these religions pointed out to the possibility of the True Gods surviving in this Era


    **************


    The dumb fairy Asteria chose this time to inform Alex and the others about their Main Mission.


    Their Main Mission is to help a religion become the dominant religion in this world. It doesn''t matter how they do it, as long as in the end, their chosen religion becomes the dominant one.


    Upon hearing this Main Mission, Alex quickly proposed that they support that Abyss Temple as their religion. Alex explained that with his status as the Abyss Envoy, making the Abyss Temple the dominant religion will be easy.


    Alina, Queen Mother, and Professor Frances however did not agree, and they all harbor suspicion about Alex''s offer to ally with the Abyss.


    These three knew that something is wrong with the Abyss right now, and given Alex''s current condition, maybe distancing themselves away from the Abyss will be the better choice.


    This refusal to ally with the Abyss enraged Alex, and he seemed to be extremely pissed with the choice of his companions.


    In fact, Alex became so pissed that he began attacking the trio, with his words and actions suddenly becoming slurry and disordered.


    Alex then displayed a malicious behavior that he did not have before, with his aura suddenly becoming corrupted and full of evil thoughts.


    Once Alex displayed this new side of his, Alina and the others quickly realized what had happened to Alex.


    Alex seems to be partially-corrupted by the Abyss, with most of his rationality taken over by the Abyss'' corruption!


    The former snarky Alex was now gone, and what only remained was a man whose morals and thoughts were partially twisted by the Abyss already.(Note: Alex is not yet fully corrupted by the Abyss, so he is still somewhat human. But if the corruption of his mind continues, he is bound to become a full-fledged Abyss Monster in the few weeks.)


    Upon revealing his partially-corrupted stated, Alex used his power to keep Alina, Queen mother, and Professor Frances under his control. He then threatened to enslave them and use them as his ''toys''.


    Fortunately for Alina and the other two, they were able to use their powers to escape from Alex.


    ***************


    This escape brought Alina, Professor Frances, and Queen Mother inside the territory of the Church of Wisdom. Here, they met an Elder Priest who began treating Alina as the Church of Wisdom''s new Divine Maiden.


    This sudden gracious treatment caught Alina off-guard, but she did not reject it. Instead, she became excited upon being treated this way.


    After all, Alina realized that if she became the Church of Wisdom''s Divine Maiden, she can use her status to make this religion her ally, which will be helpful to her Main Mission.


    Aside from this, her alliance with the Church of Wisdom can help Alina find a way to treat Alex and possibly free him from his partial corruption.


    With these thoughts in mind, Alina quickly accepted the role of becoming the Church of Wisdom''s new Divine Maiden.


    **********


    After Alina made her escape, Alex did not chase after her.


    Instead, he just let them be, while he brought himself towards the headquarters of the Abyss Temple.


    Here, Alex tried to formulate his own plans on making the Abyss Temple this world''s dominant religion.


    ***************


    Once Alina accepted her status as the new Divine Maiden, the whole Church of Wisdom then announced this to the whole world.


    This Church then said that they will be holding a Welcoming Ceremony for Alina 3 days from now, which will show the ceremonial inauguration of Alina into the new Divine Maiden.


    For this big event, the Church of Wisdom invited almost all of the religions in the world for this event.


    The Church of Wisdom also invited the other Travelers along with their allied religions, something that Alina instructed to them.


    *************


    3 DAYS LATER, and the Welcoming Ceremony for Alina was about to start.


    All the invited Travelers seemed to have arrived to the venue of the Welcoming Ceremony, and they all looked prepared for a battle.


    Alex was also prepared for battle, even if he is not at the venue itself. He was still at the headquarters in the Abyss Temple, busy on making plans along with his semi-corrupted Abyss Sprites.


    ************


    Because of the tension in the venue for the ceremony, it is hard to know who will make the first move, as everyone seemed to be wary of each other.


    It was only when Alina showed herself for the ceremony that one of her enemies began making a move.


    The Traveler who was allied with the Goetic Palace was the first one to make his move, and he did it at the moment that Alina appeared on the stage.


    The ability that this Traveler used was a time loop that trapped everyone, including Alina inside its mysterious effects.


    Alina used her time abilities to break through this time loop, and once she was free, she prepared herself to fight against this Traveler''s Companions.


    But before she could fight, Alina realized that she''s not the only one who can break out of the time loop. Someone behind her showed the capability to break out of the time loop, a fact that made Alina feel both worried and excited.


    After realizing that some of her opponents can also free themselves from the loop, Alina proceeded to deal with them too.


    She used certain items to weaken each of the other Travelers, in hopes of slowing down their escape from the loop.


    This proved to be successful, and it bought Alina some more time.


    This then left Alina free, who now proceeded to fight the Companions of Traveler Xavier.(This is the Traveler who created the loop.)


    To her delight, one of these Companions include a woman who was the holder of the Omniscient Skin, which was another Divine Sensory Organ.


    Alina did not hold back against these opponents, and she used most of her skills to kill them in a swift manner.


    The holder of the Omniscient Skin eventually died too, and her skin was seized by Alina in order to fuse it with her body.


    The process of Alina fusing with the Omniscient Skin was a complicated one, and it brought her into a state of paralysis.


    This paralysis did not make Alina worry, as she thought that the other Travelers were still trapped inside the loop.


    But to her dismay, the other Travelers used their powers to hasten their escape.


    This change left Alina panicking, as she realized that the other Travelers only needed seconds to leave the loop, while she has to wait for a minute before she can even move.


    This means that a few seconds later, the paralyzed Alina will be in danger of being attacked or even killed by the other Travelers, who are obviously happy to kill her.


    Alina naturally does not want to die, so she tried her best to hasten her fusion with the Omniscient Skin.


    This did not help her out at all.


    Fortunately for Alina, someone arrived on the venue who managed to stop the other Travelers from attacking her.


    This newcomer was Alex, who was still in his semi-corrupted state.


    Seeing Alex made Alina feel melancholy, although she felt more surprise with his sudden arrival.


    This surprise even increased when Alex revealed the existence of Origin Shards, something which Alina had no idea about.


    These Origin Shards were the reason why the other Travelers stopped their attacks, as Alex made an offer that will allow them to obtain these Origin Shards for themselves.


    Alina herself could not understand how important these Origin Shards are, but she knew that if these shards can make the other Travelers retreat, then it must be greatly important.


    TIMESKIP.


    Fast forward a few days, and Alina could be found interacting with Astria and Wisteria.


    The latter two came from their travels in the outer space, and they arrived in this planet in order to deal with the devastations brought by the Abyss.


    They were taken in by Alina, who is now having a conversation with them.


    The talk that they were having was interrupted when Pope Eruditus intruded on their conversation.


    This Pope creeped the f**k out of everyone, and he managed to make himself look creepier when he used his unknown power on Wisteria.


    This unknown power left Wisteria trapped in a mental f***kery that almost made her piss herself, although it luckily only lasted for a short time.


    Alina and Astria had no idea about this power used by the Pope, and they seem to have forgotten that they were placed under its effects¡­.


    Professor Frances and Queen Mother on the other hand was having a fight at that time, which seemed to end in a good note, as the two were still alive and normal days later.


    TIMESKIP


    Alina, Queen Mother, Professor Frances, Wisteria, and Astria all found themselves lurking on the outskirts of their territory.


    They were waiting for Alex, who volunteered to lead them towards the Ancestral Tomb.


    The wait was short but also tense, as other Travelers arrived near them.


    These Travelers seem to be interested on following Alex''s lead, and they showed no intent of backing off.


    Once Alex has arrived, he immediately used his power to create a monstrous entity that swallowed everyone in the area.


    TIMESKIP.


    This monster turned out to be a portal, one which led everyone to entering the Ancestral Tomb.


    This is a good news, but the portal turned out to be unstable, as everyone was placed on different portions of the tomb.


    These placements were random, leaving everyone slightly confused and panicked.


    Alina''s power kept her safe, and she used it to investigate the intricacies of the Ancestral Tomb.


    Alina however found herself having difficulty on understanding the whole place, so she let out three people from her storage, all who she brought in to increase her chances of obtaining her goals.


    While Alina was having a safe time on her location, Queen Mother was having a rather difficult one.


    Queen Mother found herself trapped inside the powers of a True God Artifact, and she also found herself fighting a clone of a Traveler who seemed to have bad intentions on her.


    Queen Mother survived these obstacles of course, and she discovered the fact that the True God Artifacts could be the goal of Alex and the other Travelers.


    This fact was also discovered by Professor Frances, as she was captured by Alex himself, and he was the one who told her about his desire to obtain the True God Artifacts.


    Alex was so powerful at this time, that Professor Frances had no chance of escaping from him.


    This left her with no choice but to follow his plans, although she was doing her best to find a way to escape him.


    Professor Frances eventually found a chance to deal with Alex when the latter has begun using his powers on a nearby True God Artifact.


    She used her deductive skills to find any possible weakness from him, although the commotion created by the nearby Abyss Sprites ruined her chances.


    While all of these was happening, the Abyss appeared to be starting the execution of his plan, which included a scheme on the Superhuman World that could potentially corrupt Alex.


    Chaos was also in the mix, as he was using all of his power to kill Alex.

 Chapter 780 - Star Seizing Hands

    DURING THE SAME TIME.


    ALL PORTIONS OF THE ANCESTRAL TOMB.


    [[Lunch Time! Lunch Time!]]


    This monstrous voice which stopped Professor Frances on her tracks was not only heard in her location.


    It was also heard by everyone who were inside the Ancestral Tomb, resulting in a haze of panic that quickly changed the status quo.


    [[Rumble!!!]]


    The frightening pressure and power that accompanied this voice made things look bleaker, to the point that even the powerful Travelers had no choice but to raise their alertness to the peak.


    "!!!"


    Those who were busy fighting like Queen Mother stopped what they were doing, with their desire to fight suddenly quelled by the increase of danger around them.


    "Whoever is this creature, I could feel that it is up to no good. I am not sure why I am feeling this afraid, but I know for a fact that if given a chance, this creature will devour my existence whole! Argh, this is not turning out like what I expected! "Queen Mother tried to look stable as she said these words, but her trembling body showed her true feelings otherwise.


    "Urgh¡­ This is not a good thing at all. If the voice of this monster is already this powerful, then how much frightening could its real body be? Would seeing it be enough to damage me? Argh! How could something like this monstrous being exist here!"


    Queen Mother was truly and instinctively terrified by this new monster, and not even her massive life force could keep her calm. She was not also sure if transforming into her True Form could help her, as she could hardly access it due to her fears.


    Queen Mother of course tried to use some of the soul mantras provided by Professor Frances in order to calm herself down, but they were of no help too.


    "¡­."


    This fear, along with her dread of what could happen next, left Queen Mother with no choice but to run away, as her instincts told her that this was the only thing that she could do now.


    ???Urgh¡­. I don''t like this situation at all, so I need to move away from this place. Staying here might bring the monster''s attention to me, which means that I should run!"


    "Yes! I should move until I could not hear that monster anymore!"


    ******************


    If those who were busy in combat were forcefully stilled by this monster, those who were busy exploring like Alina were stopped in their tracks too.


    And just like Queen Mother, these people also felt fear, although in Alina''s case, there was something else that made her pause.


    "What the hell? There is someone inside the Ancestral Tomb with this kind of power? How come I did not know of that?" Alina exclaimed with both terror and unease, as she surprisingly found herself unable to identify this speaking creature. "Really, I have no idea who this creature is!"


    She could not recall meeting anyone with this kind of voice, and she was sure that she also had not met anyone that was as this powerful too.


    Not even the Pope standing beside her could compare to this monster, which says a lot about the latter!


    "The Pope is a Transcendent Being, yet there is a creature here in the Ancestral Tomb that is even more powerful than him! That on its own is already bad, as there should be no creatures this strong in this place!"


    "What made this even worse was the fact that I had no idea this creature existed at all! It just showed up here, and from what I can understand, it seems to be planning on doing something to us!"


    Alina was purely frozen in her tracks at this time, as she morosely realized that something extremely wrong is happening in relation to their mission.


    "¡­"


    A creature this strong should not have appeared here in the Ancestral Tomb, yet here it is, talking about having its mealtime with presumably all of them!


    The implication of its ''mealtime'' alone was already worrying, and the fact that Alina had no idea why this happened did not do anything good for her anxiety.


    "Tsk, just how did this happen? Is this a trap prepared for us by the Endless Monarch himself? Or was it prepared by the Churches? Or was it prepared by Alex himself?"


    "Argh! I have no idea at all!"


    ********************


    Speaking of fear, the only one who appeared to be unafraid by the creature''s words was Alex, although in his case, he instead was angered by it.


    ""HEy! WhO the F*CK ArE you To boasT thAt vOICE, Huh? arE YOU my MOM? ANd DiD yOu jUsT saY ThaT You WaNTEd tO Eat mE? YOu littlE F*CkER! If you want TO EaT Me, theN come anD FIGHt me! COme And FIght Me TheN! ARE YOu ScarED, HUh? are YoU ScaREd, HUh. comE And FighT mE!""


    "cOME ON! jUsT comE heRE aNd SHoW ME whY YOu tHiNk You arE COol! yOU lItTlE s**t! DO YOu THinK i Am SCaREd JUST BeCaUSE YOU arE poWeRfUl? HeH, I am tHe AbYSS enVoy! JusT coME anD TOUCh mE, AnD I wIlL maKe yOU rEgreT eVEN toucHINg ME! CoMe ON! try GrabbiNG me, YOU liTtle aSSwIpe!"


    "or Do yOu WaNt to Be CaLLed MY LITtLe b**CH? BeCAUSe YOU cAn ONly ask ME ANd i wIlL maKE You oNe!"


    *********************


    ********************


    Just like Alina and Queen Mother(excluding Alex), everyone who heard the creature began to realize the wrongness of the situation.


    This resulted in varied reactions and actions, which are mostly in retaliation to this newcomer.


    These however, did not ''save'' them from what the creature did next.


    [[I am hungry! Now it is Lunch Time!]]


    [[Now I will be grabbing my lunch!]]


    [[Lunch Time!!!]]


    "Rumble¡­"


    With a growl powerful enough to shake the whole Ancestral Tomb, the hidden creature started to make its move against everyone.


    "Slish slish slish!"


    Hands the size of stars shot out of the creature''s body, which then pounced towards all the living creatures in the Ancestral Tomb. It grabbed them all with an unbreakable grip, not allowing even a single inch of leverage for escape.


    "Crackle crackle¡­"


    Travelers, Companions, children, a.d.u.l.ts, men and women were not spared by these hands.


    As long as one was alive and breathing here in the tomb, they will be besieged by these massive limbs.


    "Crackle crackle¡­"


    This invasive action was naturally met with resistance, with the Travelers and their Companions unleashing all their abilities just to break grappling limbs.


    "Crackle crackle¡­"


    They did all that they could, with some even unleashing trump cards that they had kept hidden for long.


    "Crackle crackle¡­"


    Alina in particular used a new power that she obtained by combining her All-Seeing Eyes and Omniscient Skin, resulting in a multi-dimensional beam that should be enough to shred any object into different dimensions.


    As for Queen Mother, she unleashed an apocalyptic blast of green flames, which appeared to have the power to steal the life of anything, including none-living objects.


    "Crackle crackle¡­"


    These two attacks on their own was already powerful, and the sense of danger that the two women felt just made them increase their output to their limits.


    "Crackle crackle¡­"


    The attacks of the other Travelers had reached these levels of powers too, which in turn had decorated the whole Ancestral Tomb with explosions and unsettling blasts.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Such levels of power are enough to worry anyone who receives them all, and the mere event of having a single creature withstand these attacks should lead to it being quickly dead, or maybe heavily injured.


    "Boom boom boom!"


    Which is what these Travelers expected to see, but fate was not in their side today.


    "¡­.."


    Because no matter how powerful these attacks were, none of them managed to faze the creature at all.


    Its gigantic hands just kept their grip on everyone, with no signs of damage or tear visible.


    [[Yes! Yes! My food are fighting me! This is good stuff!]]


    [[I like foods who struggle for their lives!]]


    [[Hahaha! So good!]]


    In fact, these attacks seemed to have made the creature even more excited, and judging by the words it just said, it also became hungrier.


    [[ Oh¡­. Now I am really getting hungry. ]]


    [[ Can I eat now? ]]


    [[ Can I eat now ]]


    [ [Can I eat now? ]]


    [[ Yes, I can eat now!] ]


    [[ Hahaha!] ]


    [[ Hahaha! ]]


    [[ Hahaha! Now it is time to cook them!] ]

 Chapter 781 - Inside the Ancestral Tomb, the Abyss Envoy is being attacked!

    Welcome to the Superhumans Online Discussion Thread.


    You are currently logged in, Child of Chaos


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ???TOPIC: THE ABYSS ENVOY IS BEING ATTACKED RIGHT NOW!


    ? Watcher (SuperhumanObserver)


    Although our support to the Abyss Envoy had been plentiful, it seems that it is still not enough.


    Just now, I received the news that inside the ANCESTRAL TOMB, a monstrous being is starting to attack the Envoy!


    In normal cases, this would not be a problem. But now, it is a big problem, as this monster is way stronger than our Envoy!


    More specifically, this monster just has to open its mouth once in order to kill our Envoy!


    This is not good at all!


    We must do something about this!


    ¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö(Comments)¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö¡ö


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Oh no! That is really not good at all!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    What should we do? Should we sacrifice more innocent people for the Envoy?


    If so, how much exactly should we sacrifice?


    10? 100? 100,000?


    1 milllion?


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Why do you even need to count, @Kedabe? Let us just kill as much as we can kill right now!


    Delaying this s***y discussion will just put the Envoy in more danger, so let us just rush out and eviscerate everyone else already!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Hey! We might be sacrificing people for our Envoy, but we should not do it in a savage manner!


    All rituals must have a proper path to be followed, and that includes human sacrifice!


    So don''t expect me to follow your chaotic orders!


    We need to be orderly here, or else our Envoy could be in more danger!


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Did you just¡­ call me chaotic?


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Uh oh, @Kedabe. I think what you said was a low blow.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    H-hey! I''m sorry about that @nighmora! I did not mean what I just said!


    I-I was just taken aback by my anger!


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Your anger? You little c**ks**ker! You just called me an incarnation of Chaos! Do you know how much offensive that is, huh?


    Do you know how angered I am by that accusation?


    Hmph, you clearly do not know, so let me get this straight.


    If it were not for the distance between us two, I would have already rushed in to your place and slit your throat!


    That''s the only thing stopping me from killing you, so be thankful for you luck!


    Hmph!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    ¡­So being related to Chaos is this bad huh. I never knew that it will be like this¡­


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Well now that you know, you better be careful with your words in the future, ok?


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    O-ok¡­


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Hmph! I will be letting you off for now since this is your first time.


    But try calling me ''chaotic'' again, and I will not hesitate to consume you whole.


    Do you get it?


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Y-Yes, I get it. I really do.


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Good. Now that we are done with that pesky side-talk, let''s go back to the important matter at hand.


    Wait, what was it about again?


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Um, we are talking on how we could help out our Envoy, who is being attacked inside the Ancestral Tomb.


    We are somewhat pondering about the idea of human sacrifices¡­


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Right. Human sacrifices.


    That is a good plan, but unfortunately for us, it is of no help here. So scrap that away, and think of another method.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Oh! How about we try gathering all of the Abyss Followers in this planet into one ritual? We will combine all of our powers, creating an amalgamation of Abyss Essence that we could give to our Envoy!


    Since there are billions of Abyss Followers in this planet, the power that we could obtain in this ritual should be enough to help our Envoy out!


    Hehehe, it could even corrupt our Envoy more!


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Holy son of the Abyss. That is a great idea, @Mimosa!


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Tsk, how did I not think of that before! It is so elegant and useful!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Hehehe, you don''t have to be that competitive, @Kedabe.


    We have no competition here, since our lives are just for the Envoy, right?


    Oh, and speaking of lives¡­ Do we have to actually kill ourselves in this ritual that I am offering?


    Because even though I will gladly give up my life for our Envoy, I would still be happier knowing that I could eat my favorite steak tomorrow¡­


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    @Mimi. I am not feeling competitive about your discovery. I was just disappointed that I did not think of that sooner.


    As for your query about sacrificing our lives, I don''t think we exactly have to kill ourselves.


    We just have to mutilate around 20-30% of our body?


    ? nighmora (The Boy from nowhere)


    It''s actually 50%.


    ? Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    Yes, 50%. We have to mutilate half of our body in order to make this new ritual successful.


    Blood and skin are the best parts to be offered in this ritual too, so please start saving up on your skin care kits.


    Other than that, the other parts of this new ritual will just be the same as before.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Ho¡­ It''s good to know that I have a chance of living even after this ritual. That makes me feel comforted here.


    But of course if our Envoy needs my whole body, I will still gladly offer it all to him!


    Praise the Envoy!


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    Praise the Envoy!


    ?nighmora (The Boy from nowhere)


    Praise the Envoy!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    So¡­ when will we start this new ritual? Do we still have to wait for some kind of constellations to appear here?


    Or do we just go straight to cutting our bodies up?


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    I recommend that you start cutting your body up. The sooner that we do this, the better it will be for all of us.


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Roger that, cap''n..


    Now proceeding to cut my neck open


    ?keke171(kekekeke)


    Now proceeding to cut my stomach open


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Now proceeding to scoop out my eyes.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Now proceeding to detach my foot.


    ?Obekiwi(Look at my eye!)


    Now proceeding to bite my tongue off.


    ?RunLoliRun(Legal?)


    Now proceeding to crush my d**k.


    ?Lover of Yuri(definitely not yurilover)


    Now proceeding to burn my lesbian collection.


    ?Kedabe(Popcorn Guy)


    Seriously, @Lover of Yuri? You consider that a part of you?


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    Now proceeding to bleed out on the floor.


    ?nighmora(The Boy from nowhere)


    Don''t just bleed out on the floor, @Mimi. Gather your blood in a basin for feck''s sake!


    How can you even make your blood part of the ritual if you did not gather it in the first place?


    Come on, hurry up before you faint from blood loss!


    ?Mimi (Just a simple girl)


    N-noted, @nighmora!


    ?Kedabe (Popcorn Guy)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?Obekiwi(Look at my eye!)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?RunLoliRun(Legal?)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?Lover of Yuri(definitely not yurilover)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?janders (Moderator)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?nighmora (The Boy from nowhere)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?Watcher (SuperhumanObserver)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?Tetra (Hero)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?dudson (Dud is my father)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?Strongwoman (I''m strong, that''s it.)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?TheHeroSeer (Just a normal guy)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?John (The Generic name)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?atlas (Book Guy)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?PillowQueen (I love sleeping!)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?Foresight (Hero)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.


    ?GL King (Yuri King!)


    Now proceeding to bleed out too.

 Chapter 782 - Volume 9 Epilogue

    Report Transcript No: 14,789


    Topic at Hand: The Abyssal Massacre Survivor.


    Disclaimer: The transcript below is a record of one of the survivor''s interviews, which due to unexpected factors, had to be cut short.


    Disclaimer: Please take note that everything that transpired in this interview has been influenced by the Abyss, so don''t judge everyone mentioned here. Any mentions or hints of violence are not from the mentioned people, and nor the survivor.


    INTERVIEW START


    [Interviewer]: So¡­ why don''t we start this by telling me your name first?


    [Survivor]: M-my name is Akira, and I live inside a small apartment in Grand Point City¡­.


    [Interviewer]: Akira huh? That''s a nice name.


    [Survivor]: ¡­.


    [Interviewer]: So how about your family? Can you tell me something about them?


    [Survivor]: No.


    [Interviewer]: Pardon me?


    [Survivor]: I said no. I don''t want to talk about my family anymore.


    [Interviewer]: I see. We shall skip them if that''s what you want.


    [Survivor]: ¡­


    [Interviewer]: How about your friends then? Surely you have one or two who we can be talking about here-


    [Survivor]: Ah! Please don''t kill me! Please don''t! I don''t wanna die!


    [Interviewer]: Mr. Akira, I am not doing anything to kill you. I am just sitting here casually in my chair.


    [Survivor]: Ah! It hurts! It hurts! Ah!!!! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [Interviewer]: Um¡­ guys? I think Mr. Akira is relieving the massacre of his family again. Why don''t we make him fall asleep again? The interview can just be continued later.


    [General]: Permission to terminate interview denied. Continue interviewing the survivor.


    [Interviewer]: Um, are you really sure about that, general? This kid seems to have lost it already¡­


    [General]: It''s the order of the higher ups, so you should follow it.


    [Survivor]: No! Not the hornets! No!!!! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [Interviewer]: R-roger that general.


    [General]: Hmph.


    [Survivor]: Ah my skin! It''s burning alive! I am burning alive! Ah!!! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [Interviewer]: Um Mr. Akira, please calm down already. Everything that is happening to you now is just your imagination. None of it is real, so you don''t have to be this scared.


    [Survivor]: Ah! Ah! Ah! Help me! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [Interviewer]: Mr. Akira. Please listen to me. Your fears are nothing more but ugly memories. You are powerful enough to ignore them, so please don''t let them consume you.


    [Survivor]: Ah!!!! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [Interviewer]: Mr. Akira, you can do better than this.


    [Survivor]: Akal aka kak haha iwoi kaljkal ! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [Interviewer]: O-oh, so you are now speaking in tongues too? Mr. Akira, this is not funny anymore. Please just calm down.


    ((Author''s Note: I don''t think this is the right way to calm a traumatized person¡­))


    [Survivor]: Kill for the Envoy! Reap for the Envoy! Die for the Envoy! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [Interviewer]: And now comes the crazy talk¡­.


    [Survivor]: Kill kill kill! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [Interviewer]: Um General¡­ How many times did Mr. Akira talk like this again? I don''t exactly have the right records, since Mr. Akira had just destroyed his previous residence-


    [General]: He did it for the 5th time this month.


    [Interviewer]: The 5th time? Oh, that''s a bother.


    [General]: A bother? Are you serious with what you are saying?


    [Interviewer]: Um General, I don''t think-


    [General]: Hmph, 1% of my platoon had already died just because of the tantrums of that crazy man! That is a large damage to my company and prestige already! And you just call that a ''bother''?


    [Interviewer]: Um-


    [General]: Argh! I had it enough of this! You, just get out of this place already!


    [Interviewer]: Wait General, are you kicking me out of here already? I still haven''t finished my job!


    [General]: I don''t give a sailing f**k whether you had finished your job or not. You just failed talking to this survivor like the others, so you don''t have any use here. It will be better if you use that ugly face of yours to talk on your mundane patients. Hmph, you will obviously be more useful in that manner.


    [Interviewer]: ¡­I am not happy with your dismissal of me General, but since you said it, then I shall follow it.


    [General]: Hmph, it''s good to know that people like you can still be obedient. Now, go and pack your bags already.


    [Interviewer]: Roger that, General.


    [General]: ¡­.


    [Interviewer]: ¡­


    --The interviewer leaves the interrogation room at this point.


    [Survivor]: Kill for the Envoy! Kill for the Envoy! Kill for the Envoy! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [General]: Hmph, now that that useless bastard is gone, I guess I have to resort back to my old tactics¡­


    [Survivor]: Kill kill kill! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [General]: Captain Oswald, come here and give this survivor a good beating.


    [Captain Oswald]: Excuse me General? Did you just say a beating?


    [General]: I said it loud and clear Oswald. Now do it and make sure that you will beat the survivor up thoroughly.


    [Captain Oswald]: General, I don''t think I can-


    [General]: DID. I. STUTTER?


    [Captain Oswald]: No General, you did not.


    [General]: Good to know. Now, start beating up this survivor.


    [Captain Oswald]: R-Roger that, General.


    --Captain Rogers enters the room at this moment. He proceeds to beat up the captured survivor.


    [Survivor]: Painful! Painful! Painful! Argh!!! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    [General]: Captain, you will only stop beating him up once he decides to talk about the massacre in is planet. If he doesn''t start talking about this massacre, then you have no right to stop beating. Do you understand that?


    [Captain Oswald]: Loud and clear, General.


    [Survivor]: Arh! You want to make me talk? I would never talk! Ah!!!! K???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l??? ???k???i??? l???l???


    INTERVIEW END

 Chapter 783 - Upheaval

    Like all the other beings in the Ancestral Tomb, the fairy Asteria had also been captured by the gigantic hands. Given her feeble strength, Asteria was naturally unable to free herself from captivity.


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    This had the fairy quickly worried, although the way that she moved her eyes around showed that she was not currently worried about herself.


    She seemed to be instead worried about someone else, and the reason for that could be discerned from the sudden notice that rang inside her head.


    [[NOTE TO ALL GUIDES]]: THE HIDDEN MISSION ASPECT HAS JUST BEEN ACTIVATED. PLEASE KEEP CALM AND LET THIS HIDDEN MISSION BE DISCOVERED AND RESOLVED BY THE TRAVELERS. ANY GUIDE WHO ILLEGALLY INFORMS THEIR TRAVELER ABOUT THIS HIDDEN MISSION WILL BE TERMINAATED.


    [Asteria]: Oh? So that monster had already shown itself? I guess this is the Hidden Mission that Alex has just triggered.


    [Asteria]: Wait, there is a Hidden Mission here? I thought his mission is only about spreading his religion? Don''t tell me that he has to kill all these ''monsters'' too? Isn''t that too much even for him?


    [Asteria]: Tsk, spreading his own religion alone is hard because of all his opponents, and now he has to do the hidden mission too? I think this is cheating!


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: ¡­I don''t like what is happening here, but since this notice told me to stay put, then I shall stay put. That does not make me confident on staying alive here though¡­


    [Asteria]: Meh, I think Alex can survive the additional elements in this mission. But what if this is too much for Alex?


    [Asteria]: Heh, as if this can hurt him much¡­.


    [Asteria]: But Alex is corrupted now, so I don''t think he can do much against his new opponent too¡­


    [[NOTE TO ALL GUIDES]]: NO GUIDES ARE ALLOWED TO INTERFERE WITH THIS HIDDEN MISSION. ANY ATTEMPTS TO WEAKEN THE MONSTERS WILL RESULT IN TERMINATION. ANY ATTEMPTS TO HELP THE TRAVELERS ESCAPE WILL RESULT IN TERMINATION. ANY ATTEMPTS TO UPHEAVE THE ORDER IN THE ANCESTRAL TOMB WILL ALSO RESULT IN TERMINATION.


    With her body unable to move at all, the despondent fairy could only hang her head as she waited for the inevitable clash. She tried to clench her immobile fists too, as if she''s hoping this could resolve her dilemmas.


    A few seconds later however, Asteria found herself raising her head quickly, as she suddenly recalled another important matter.


    [Asteria]: Oh right, Alex is not my only ally here. There''s Alina and the other women too¡­ Speaking of them, where are they anyway? Are they still alive here in the tomb?


    [Asteria]: Of course they are alive, coz they are strong compared to other hoomans.


    [Asteria]: But this monster is too strong for them too¡­.


    [Asteria]: Tsk, so are they also good as dead already? Well maybe, but they are Alex''s companions, and I provided them with lots of new items¡­.. Surely that will be enough to keep them barely alive?


    [Asteria]: I can still remember Alina buying 2 defensive items from me, while both Queen Mother and Professor Frances availed a parasitic worm that should theoretically keep them in a semi-living state for 20 minutes. That''s not that long, but that could keep them safe in here.


    [Asteria]: That should be a good thing for me, but come on. I don''t need those three to just stay alive. They should also find a way to defeat these monsters!


    [Asteria]: This is a hidden mission after all, and the rewards of beating it should be just as good as the Main Mission! Heck, I can even say that the rewards should be at least a pair of Transcendence Shards!


    [Asteria]: Tsk, tsk, tsk¡­ I guess I just have to wait for a miracle to happen here. And that is the only thing that I can wish here, since death will be the end for those who fails this hidden mission.


    [Asteria]: ¡­.


    [Asteria]: Oh, speaking of hidden mission, what exactly is this hidden mission about? I don''t exactly know what it is, since it is a Hidden Mission.


    [Asteria]: It will only depend on the Travelers to discover it, which I don''t think will be easy for them right now...


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [Asteria]: Ugh, so what am I supposed to do here then? Should I just wait until my allies discover that they have a hidden mission? How will that even happen, now that all of them are about to die?


    [Asteria]: Argh! This is so cheating! Why did it have to happen like this?


    [[NOTE TO ALL GUIDES]]: COMPLAINING IS A PUNISHABLE OFFENSE DURING THE HIDDEN MISSION. ANY GUIDES THAT ARE CAUGHT COMPLAINING WILL RECEIVE A FINE OF 30 YEARS. MORE COMPLAINTS WILL NET MORE FINES.


    [Asteria]: Hey! What the hell did you just say? You are fining us just for complaining? You little s**t! There is no way I can''t complain with this s***y Hidden Mission!


    [Asteria]: Seriously, do you just expect me to stay quiet when this Hidden Mission has a high chance of killing my allies? Hmph, you can go and suck some-


    [[NOTE TO ALL GUIDES]]: GUIDE ASTERIA WILL NOW BE FINED WITH 100 YEARS OF HER LIFESPAN. THE NEXT COMPLAINT WILL NET HER 1000 YEARS.


    [Asteria]: Wait, I am fined with what?


    [[NOTE TO ALL GUIDES]]: GUIDE ASTERIA. PLEASE BE CAREFUL WITH YOUR WORDS RIGHT NOW. YOU HAVE LESS THAN 1,000 YEARS OF LIFESPAN, WHICH MEANS THAT YOUR NEXT FINE WILL WARRANT YOUR DEATH.


    [[NOTE TO ALL GUIDES]]: IF YOU WANT TO DIE, THEN PLEASE FEEL FREE TO DO SO. YOUR DEATH WILL BE PROBLEMATIC FOR YOU ALLIES THOUGH, SO PLEASE THINK TWICE BEFORE YOU OPEN YOUR MOUTH.


    [Asteria]: You-


    [[NOTE TO ALL GUIDES]]: BUT IN ACTUALITY, I HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH SEEING YOU DEAD, GUIDE ASTERIA. IN FACT, I THINK IT WILL BE BETTER IF YOU JUST DIE HERE. THAT WAY, OUR GROUP CAN GET RID OF THE WORST GUIDE EVER.


    [Asteria]: Oi oi oi! That''s a f***king low blow!


    [[NOTE TO ALL GUIDES]]: WHO CARES IF THIS IS A LOW BLOW OR NOT. SINCE I SAID THAT I WANT YOU TO STAY POLITE, THEN YOU WILL STAY POLITE. DISOBEY THIS RULE, AND I WILL HAVE YOU REALLY DEAD. DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, GUIDE ASTERIA?


    [Asteria]: ¡­


    [[NOTE TO ALL GUIDES]]: I SAID, DO YOU UNDERSTAND THAT, GUIDE ASTERIA?


    [Asteria]: Y-yes, I f**king understand.

 Chapter 784 - TRAVELERS (Must read chapter)

    NOTE: THIS VOLUME WILL DEAL MOSTLY WITH THESE NEW TRAVELRS, HENCE RECALLING THEIR BACKGROUND INFO IS IMPORTANT.


    PLEASE READ THIS FOR BETTER READING EXPERIENCE LATER.


    *********************


    >


    >


    [[Xavier Arselwood, also known by his friends as Xavier, was a young man who hailed from the southwest corner of the Plane King Realm. He was born from a humble family of 8, with his father working as a clerk on a small bank and his mother laboring as a part-time teacher]]


    [[He was nothing more but a normal kid with normal dreams, but his talent can be said to be extraordinary. He was said to be talented in the realm of Spatial Magic and Fate Magic. Many said that he is a once-in-an-eon prodigy that must be protected, and that if he grows up to the future, he has a high chance of becoming a Monarch.]]


    [[But even with his talent, Xavier did not accomplish much on his childhood because of his cowardice. This led to him being ridiculed by everyone, to the point that he tried to commit suicide-]]


    [[It was unknown who stopped Xavier from killing himself, but according to the Senior Abyss General, the person who stopped Xavier from killing himself was possibly the one who made him a Traveler. This can be supported by the fact that Xavier started his role as a Traveler just a day after his failed suicide.]]]


    [[[Prior to his arrival at this world, Xavier had already gone through 10 other Worlds. Through these adventures, he gained a power level of Peak Fifth Stage, and he only needs one little push to reach the Sixth Stage. With his talent, he can easily do it, but because of his cowardly attitude, reaching the Sixth Stage is also an impossibility for him now.]]]


    [[Traveler Xavier has 3 Companions with him, which to the surprise of the investigators, were all at the Sixth Stage. This level of power should be heaven for any other Traveler, but for Xavier, his Companions were the opposite.]]


    [[Because of his cowardly attitude, Xavier was always getting bullied and pushed around by his Companions. Instead of him calling the shots, it was his Companions who order him and make him serve them.]]


    [[[Traveler Xavier is affiliated with the Holy Order Church, which is a decision made by his companions. Both he and the Holy Order Church seem unhappy with this situation, but both had no choice but to form an alliance.]]]


    [[[The names of the Traveler Xavier''s companions were Beatrice, Android 679, and Fairy Duchess Matilda. Their powers as mentioned before were all at the Sixth Stage, making them a dangerous foe against anyone.]]]


    [[[Known Powers: Traveler Xavier wields both Space and Fate Magic, while Beatrice is an adept Sword God. Android 679 is similar to the Overlord, and the Fairy Duchess wields a power like the esteemed Guide Asteria.]]]


    [[[Some minions said that Beatrice is also a Divine Maiden, and that she possesses the Skin of Omniscience, which is a Divine Sensory Organ. This makes this woman a danger against the Divine Maiden Alina, and it is not a stretch to say that the former will surely try to make a move against Alina on the Welcoming Ceremony.]]]


    [[[Recommended Battle Tactic against Traveler Xavier: Attack the Traveler himself and ignore his allies. He is the weak link of the group, which means that defeating him will be the easiest.]]]


    [[[Danger Rating: 9 out 10. This could be lower, but the power of his companions and the support given by the Holy Order Church has solidified this rating.]]


    *****************


    >


    >


    [[The next Traveler investigated was Shi Xingyun. She was a princess of a mighty empire that ruled a star field in the Immortal Destiny Realm. With her talents in Immortal Cultivation and an innate sense of leadership, Shi Xingyun was set to be the first ever Empress of her Empire.]]]


    [[But due to an invasion of a foreign race, this Empire fell overnight, turning Traveler Shi Xingyun into a vagrant royalty hounded by her enemies. The power of this foreign race was enough to bring Shi Xingyun to the brink of her death, and the only reason she survived was because of a beggar who wantonly turned her into a Traveler.]]]


    [[[Traveler Shi Xingyun had conquered missions in 12 Worlds already, a feat that made her one of the most experienced Travelers amongst the younger generation. On her side were 2 Travelers, both that yielded mysterious powers that raised the over-all power of her team.]]]


    [[[Shi Xingyun is allied with the Goetic Palace, although the relationship between them is somewhat chilly.]]]


    [[[Known Powers: Shi Xingyun is an Immortal Cultivator and a Conqueror''s Aura Wielder. Both Power Systems were at the Sixth Stage, which was already enough to make her an offensive juggernaut. Her two Companions have no names whatsoever, and their powers still have no proper explanation. But just like Shi Xingyun, these companions were also at the Sixth Stage.]]]


    [[[Recommended battle tactic against Traveler Shi Xingyun: She is a prideful woman, and any verbal attack about her Empire or her ability to rule will be an effective way to agitate her. The usage of the Conqueror''s Aura is also encouraged, and this power has a possibility of getting stronger if Shi Xingyun were to be defeated.]]]


    [[[Danger rating: 9.5 out of 10. This rating could change once the power and identity of her two companions were to be known.


    **************


    >


    >


    [[[The third Traveler is Traveler Overron. He is not to be mistaken with Oberon, the King of Fairies. Overron is a clone made up from one of Oberon''s cells, and Overron''s sole purpose in life was to breed and create children for Oberon himself.]]]


    [[[Not much was known on how Overron became a Traveler, but his transformation into a Traveler was accompanied by the destruction of Oberon''s Fairy Realm, along with the death of the latter''s family.]]]


    [[[Just like Shi XIngyun, Traveler Overron has two companions on his side, both that are the same specie as him.]]]


    [[[Traveler Overron is allied with the Nature Cult, a religion that worsh.i.p.s the True God of Life and Creation EARC. It was said that Traveler Overron is treated lavishly like a king by this religion, a factor that might make him a difficult enemy to deal with.]]]


    [[[Known Powers: Traveler Overron wields Fairy Magic, a magic that only creatures like him can wield. He is at the Sixth Stage, which is enough to make him a dangerous opponent. Traveler Overron''s Companions both wield Fairy Magic too, but due to their late team-up with him, both only have a power level of around Fifth Stage.]]]


    [[[Recommended Battle Tactic against Traveler Overron: Inquire all the known weaknesses of Fairy Magic from the esteemed Guide Asteria, and use it against Overron.]]]


    [[[Danger Rating: 8 out of 10. Overron might only be the only Sixth Stage Being in his team, but the zealous support by the Nature Cult to him makes him hard to deal with.]]


    ************


    >


    >


    [[[The fourth Traveler is a Spirit Warlock that goes by the name of Iskanor. He hails from the Spirit Spring Realm, and he was one of the sons of the fearsome Spirit-Devouring Monarch.]]]


    [[[He has the talent to succeed on his father''s footsteps, but after the Endless Monarch pummeled the Spirit-Devouring Monarch on a dispute, the Spirit-Devouring Monarch had to gift Iskanor as a Traveler to the Endless Monarch.]]]


    [[[Due to his aloof nature and incredible Spirit Abilities, Traveler Iskanor only has one companion by his side, and this companion was his soul-bound slave. Both of them are powerful in their own right, and nobody who crossed their paths had ever survived.]]]


    [[[Traveler Iskanor only went through 9 Worlds as of now, but it was said that he performed all of his missions in a perfect manner.]]]


    [[[Traveler Iskanor did not ally himself with any religions. Instead, he forcefully dominated one, and he turned himself into this religion''s sole ruler. This religion was the Phaseless Tomb, a religion which worship the True God of Reality and Illusion TILEA]]]


    [[[It was unknown on how Traveler Iskanor managed to subdue and rule over the Phaseless tomb, although the possibility that his inborn Supreme Spirit assisted in this matter is highly plausible.]]]


    [[Known Powers: Iskanor was a Sixth Stage Being that practiced the way of Spirit Arts. He was also born with a Supreme Spirit, which gives him an easy path to Transcendence. Combining these two powers together gives Iskanor a power that only Half-Step Transcendent Beings can resist.]]]


    [[[Iskanor''s Soul-Bound Companion has not revealed her powers yet, as all of her victims and those who investigated her were killed by her power. But it is sure that she''s at least a Sixth Stage Being too.]]]


    [[[Recommended battle tactic against Traveler Iskanor: Any ability that can weaken or counteract Spirit or Soul-Based abilities are needed in order to defeat Iskanor. But because of his Supreme Spirit, a greater level of power was also needed to ensure a victory against him.]]]


    [[[Danger Rating: 9.8 out of 10. Without any preparation, it is not advisable to seek this Traveler out. Only attack him if the situation requires it, or if the attacker is sure of his or her victory.


    **************


    >


    >


    [[[The fifth and final Traveler investigated by the minions is Traveler Talia, who is the sister of the Holy Order Envoy Delia. Like Delia, Traveler Talia also comes from the same hometown, and she was just as skilled in martial arts as her sister.]]]


    [[[Traveler Talia became a Traveler through the person who turned Delia into a Traveler too.]]]


    [[[Traveler Talia has 3 Companions by her side, with only two of them reaching the Sixth Stage. These two were called Xia and Guisha, with the former being a Chronomancer and the latter being an Asura Demon. The other remaining companion had no powers at all, which makes this person''s status as a companion a mystery.]]]


    [[[Traveler Talia had allied with the Red Tower, a religion which worsh.i.p.s the True God of War and Deception PECED. This discovery comes to no surprise to the investigators, as her attitude and the power of her allies fit with the Red Tower''s principles.]]]


    [[[Due to her fast-paced attitude and her ability to perform missions quickly, Traveler Talia had more Worlds visited than Delia herself, which totaled to 6 just before this current world.]]]


    [[[Known Powers: Traveler Talia follows two Power Systems; the Staff Sage Martial Arts and the Void Prowler Compendium, both which are the Sixth Stage. Her two companions as mentioned before were a Chronomancer and an Asura Demon, who were both at the Sixth Stage too.]]]


    [[[Recommended battle tactic against Traveler Talia: Attack the powerless companion, and if possible, kidnap this companion and use her as a hostage against Traveler Talia. If this method is not preferred, the esteemed Abyss Envoy''s link with Traveler Delia can also be used.]]]


    [[[Danger Rating: 9.9 out of 10. Traveler Talia is dangerous, but with the right actions, her threat can be neutralized.

 Chapter 785 - Character Updates(Must Read!!!)

    Author''s Note: Please read this chapter too. This is also important for the story.


    The next real chapter will be released tomorrow, so please sit tight with me.


    Speaking of next chapter, I put a preview of this chapter in the bottom.


    *******************


    [Alex] - Currently under the influence of the Abyss'' corruption. It is not known how extensive the effects of the corruption are, but seeing that he had no qualms on hurting Professor Frances, he must be close to the breaking point already.


    Whether he knew that a disaster was happening in the Superhuman World is hard to discern, but with most of his power seemingly coming from this world, he might as well be the instigator of the destruction there.


    Due to his extremely corrupted state, Alex''s Abyss Magic has propelled him even above Half-Step Transcendent Beings. This means that he could possibly kill one of them, probably at the expense of his own sanity.


    He is currently in a hostile stand-off against his comrades, who was unsurprisingly unnerved by his neurotic thinking.


    {Current Powers}: Corruption Abyss Magic(anything can be corrupted to follow the Abyss) and Distortion Abyss Magic(anything can be distorted according to the whims of the Abyss).


    ****************


    [Alina] ¨C With her partner under a corruptive influence, Alina was left with no other choice but to lead the group by herself. This task was obviously stressing her, but she did not show any of these tension.


    She instead focused on gathering allies for her cause, with the Church of Wisdom as her main backer in this new world.


    She has also obtained the Omniscient Skin, which furthered bolstered her power.


    What she will do with all these pieces are still unknown, but the fact that she brought the Pope with her to the Ancestral Tomb speaks volumes about her determination to end Alex''s malfeasance.


    Speaking of Alex, Alina was also trying her best to keep Sierra(their ''daughter'') away from him.


    Her abilities give her a fighting chance against Half-Step Transcendent Beings too, but not to the point that she could defeat one.


    (Current Powers): Dimension Esper Power, Extreme Darkness Magic, and Universe-Based Chronomancy.


    ******************


    [Professor Frances] ¨C She was never a moral person to begin with, but Professor Frances still knew when to help her allies.


    In this case, Professor Frances chose to help Alina and Queen Mother against Alex, which is surprising, given the fact that her chaotic mindset was a great fit with Alex''s current state.


    She did not show her exact reason for helping out the two, but she showed how much she hated Alex''s current form.


    As for now, the professor is strong enough for the Sixth Stage, and if given a chance, she could find ways to run away from a Half-Step Transcendent Being.


    (Current Powers): Ethereal Soul Magic and God-Level Biological Tinkering.


    *******************


    [Queen Mother] ¨C Unlike Alina and Professor Frances, Queen Mother seemed to be only slightly worried about Alex''s state. She was instead focused on her mission inside the Ancestral Tomb.


    This attitude is only natural for her, since she trusts Alex to overcome his problems. As for her two other allies, Queen Mother also trusts them to do their jobs.


    Queen Mother''s current power is hard to quantify, but she could be seen giving a good fight against a Peak Sixth Stage Being. As for against a Half-Step Transcendent Being, she seemed to have a good counter for them too.


    (Current Powers): Tier 6 Strength and Supreme Nature Magic.


    *****************


    [Asteria] This fairy just realized that Alex and the others has a hidden mission to fulfill, but because of her duties, she could not warn them about it.


    Well, even if Asteria could warn them, the way that she was being alienated by her allies made it obvious that she will have a hard time talking to them.


    (Current Powers): Mostly locked.


    ****************


    [Sierra] - As the ''daughter'' of Alex and Alina, Sierra was worried about the caustic situation between the two.


    Her existence after all was fueled by the soul of Alex and Alina, which meant that Sierra could feel everything that they felt.


    This includes Alina''s anxiety and Alex''s madness.


    Hmm¡­ Sierra should have been actually corrupted at this point due to her connection to Alex''s soul, but her status as a World Soul has saved her from that.


    How long she can stay sane at this point is still unknown, since what is happening to Alex is something unprecedented even to her.


    Aside from being worried and optimistic, Sierra was also slightly angry towards Alex, as she knew all the happenings in the Superhuman World.


    (Current Powers): High Level Law Manipulation.


    *********************


    [Endless Monarch] ¨C Everything that he had done until this point was fishy, as what he commanded his Travelers to do seemed to have no actual reasoning behind them.


    Sure, most of these missions had an effect on the worlds were they happened, but they had no ''use'' for someone as powerful as the Endless Monarch. At most, they could only be seen as entertainment for him.


    The only important mission that the Endless Monarch had ever issued was the one here in the True God World, although even this was still obscured with mystery.


    (Current Powers): Unknown.


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    NEXT CHAPTER PREVIEW


    "Argh!"


    Surprisingly, this sensation of crushed brought great feelings of pain on the woman, who panickedly tried to perform more escape techniques.


    "Argh!"


    But no matter what abilities she used to escape, this female Traveler found no way to free herself.


    "Argh!"


    She even twisted the space around her, as if she was trying to access a dimension that she can use against her captor. This said dimension almost appeared behind her for a second, but it was quickly crushed before it could touch her.


    This failure naturally pissed her more, who was now halfway through having her body get squished to a pulp.


    "S**t s**t s**t!"


    "I am a Sixth Stage Void Being, which means that I should be able to access the whole powers from my Void Compendium¡­ That alone should have allowed me to escape, since Void Beings like me are the best escapers in the Multiverse!"

 Chapter 786 - Void. Soul. Conquer.

    ALL PORTIONS OF THE ANCESTRAL TOMB


    "Rumble..."


    Compared to the emotions that Asteria felt while she was being reprimanded, the anger that all the Travelers had against their new foe was understandably greater.


    After all, they had no idea about this sudden change in the situation, and the fact that none of their Guides were helping them made things worse.


    Traveler Talia was definitely feeling this way, and her agitated mindset just worsened as seconds passed by.


    "Why does my Guide have to be silent this time? Does he not know that he''s supposed to help me out here? Damn it, why don''t you show yourself!"


    Traveler Talia could only mutter these curse words as she strained against the hand grasping her, which was inexplicably pushing her body inwards, as if it wanted to crush her into a ball.


    " Argh!"


    Her ''infallible'' Void Essence did nothing to help her, with her Void Shifting abilities directly sealed by the hand''s pressure alone. As for the book that she summoned with her Void Essence, it too was easily crushed along with her body.


    "Argh!"


    Surprisingly, this sensation of crushed brought great feelings of pain on the woman, who panickedly tried to perform more escape techniques.


    "Argh!"


    But no matter what abilities she used to escape, this female Traveler found no way to free herself.


    "Argh!"


    She even twisted the space around her, as if she was trying to access a dimension that she can use against her captor. This said dimension almost appeared behind her for a second, but it was quickly crushed before it could touch her.


    This failure naturally made Talia panic more, who now has her body halfway on getting squished to a pulp.


    "S**t s**t s**t!"


    "I am a Sixth Stage Void Being, which means that I should be able to access the whole powers from my Void Compendium¡­ That alone should have allowed me to escape, since Void Beings like me are the best escapers in the Multiverse!"


    **************


    While Traveler Talia was worried about her situation, a Traveler who was just near her was anything but panicked.


    This Traveler was Iskanor, who seemed to be only mildly worried about his captivity.


    In fact, this person''s current attitude made it apparent that he only viewed his situation as nothing more but a mild inconvenience to him.


    "¡­These pesky opponents of mind should have just stayed dead. Why are they still making an effort to live? Are they these foolish?"


    "It is pretty obvious from the start that these hands are too powerful for us to fight against. Since this is the case, then it will just be better for us to conserve our energy for later. Using our energy now when it won''t even work will just worsen things for us¡­."


    "Just fight back when you are sure that you could fight!"


    "But if you don''t want to do that, then all of you should just continue struggling like that. Maybe that will make your deaths more bearable¡­"


    Iskanor''s words was as confident as they could be, and the way that he smirked as he was dragged along made him even look more confident.


    It was as if he was sure that he could survive this encounter, and that the only ones that should be worried are his ''opponents''.


    "Heh, these filthy creatures may have caught me for now, but what he only got was my physical body. My soul is just under his loose grasp, so sooner or later, I can easily find a way to be free from this."


    "All I just need is time, and I am pretty sure I can obtain that later¡­"


    Whether someone heard what Iskanor was saying did not matter to him at all, as he decided to only focus on his own escape plans, which just like what he said, all revolved around his special constitution.


    "As the most talented Spirit Warlock in my generation, I have a lots of techniques for situations like this. Add my very special Supreme Spirit in the equation, and there is nothing for me to worry about anymore."


    "All that I have to be worried for now is my slave¡­"


    "Speaking of my slave, where the hell is she now?"


    **********************


    Just a few hundred kilometers away from these aforementioned Travelers, there is another Traveler that could be seen, and she was also held captive like the first two.


    But unlike Traveler Talia who was panicking, and unlike Traveler Iskanor who''s pretty calm, this current Traveler was anything but that.


    "I am destined to be a great Empress. I am destined to rule countless galaxies under my might. I am destined to be worshipped by all."


    "That is my destiny, so there should be nothing that can hinder my path."


    "But what is happening to me now? Did I already get so weak that a mere hand has managed to capture me? Is this how an Empress like me should be treated?"


    "Hell no! This is not how things should be!"


    "I am Empress Shi Xingyun, and everything should bow before me!"


    Shi Xingyun, who the other Travelers knew as someone with the overbearing Conqueror''s Aura, was vainly saying these words as she used all of her power to free herself.


    Streams of golden beams flew out from her Golden Throne, with each beam filled with the power to manipulate the very fabric of Laws themselves. Such power should be enough to allow her to destroy anything, including the hand that is grabbing her right now.


    But just like all the other failures, these golden beams had no effect at all. They only dissipated after making contact with the hand, leaving the Empress with nothing but an exhausted power pool.


    This rendered her full of anger, with her overbearing pride taking a large hit.


    "F**k! I am the Empress, so everything near me should follow my will! That includes these hands, which should be prostrating to me already!"


    "But instead of following my commands, these hands actually dare to disobey me?"


    "How dare they!"

 Chapter 787 - ?Today, I feast!

    *********************


    Everywhere in the Ancestral Tomb, exclamations and pleads of help could be heard, especially from the Companions of the aforementioned Travelers.


    "Argh! Get off me! Hey Talia, get up here and help me out! I don''t want to end up dead in this shitty place! "


    "I need to escape, Empress Xingyun! Huhuhu, please help me here! I can''t take this any longer! "


    "Hey Iskanor! I may be your slave, but that does not mean that you can just leave me here! You owe me your life from the last mission! "


    "Permission for help, Overlord Overron. Your humble servant asks for your aid her. "


    "Xavier, can you hear me? Please don''t let me die here. I don''t want to end up like your lover. I still have some grudge to settle with you too later¡­"


    "¡­. "


    "¡­ "


    *************


    The gluttonous monster who was the culprit of this situation could see all of this happening, and it practically relished on their reactions.


    It even salivated as it continued listening, as if these sounds were increasing his already enormous appetite.


    [[Now this is what I want to see! Prey fighting for their lives, knowing that this could be the last moment of their existence!]] The monster exclaimed, with its body jiggling from extreme excitement. [[Yes, all of you should fight for your lives like the trash that you are!]]


    [[Hah, hah, hah¡­ Now this is just making me hungrier¡­]]


    If this unknown monster had a human face, one can certainly say that he had a look of pure ecstasy. Such look will be enough to unnerve anyone, especially those who are about to be in his next ''meal''.


    [[So¡­ should I start eating now? Wait, not yet¡­. ]]


    This alone speaks volumes of what could happen next, but as it turns out, this was not the worst that this monster could actually do.


    Because under this monster''s hungry appearance, lies another plan that he had been itching to do.


    [[I cannot eat these prey now, as they still have an important use for my Master. If I want to eat them, then I should wait until my Master''s plan is done¡­]] The monster said forcefully as he closed his mouth, as if he was trying his best to stop himself from taking a bite from his captives.


    [[Ugh¡­ I am really hungry now, but Master''s plan is more important than my feelings¡­]]


    Whether this move stopped the monster from feeling hungry was unknown, but the fact that everyone was still alive shows that this creature was actually serious.


    This situation is potentially a good news to all of the monster''s captives, but they of course had no idea about it. Which seems to be obvious to the monster, who now shook his body in another bout of excitement again.


    [[I don''t exactly know what Master''s plan is, but he told me that he just needs one barely alive Traveler for himself. The stronger that Traveler is, the better. As for the others, Master does not exactly care about them¡­]]


    [[Since that was the case, then what I have to do is just simple. I should just find a way to discover the strongest Traveler here, and once I did that, I will give him to my Master!]]


    [[Yes, I really should do that! As for how, I already have an idea¡­.]]


    At this point in time, the monster was just casually dragging all of his captives directly to himself. He was hungry after all, and he was raring to have a fill for himself already.


    But he could not exactly eat yet, as the existence of his Master''s plan was weighing heavily on him.


    [[I could do it this way: I can just gather all the Travelers in one location and then make them kill each other! The last one standing should be the strongest Traveler, which I will then give to Master! As for the Travelers who died, they will be my food later!]]


    [[Hahaha! This is a good plan! Not only do I get to choose the strongest Traveler, I will also get to enjoy dead food to myself! This is like getting two benefits in just one move!]]


    [[Boom!]]


    Right after he made this exclamation, the monster''s movements greatly changed, much to the surprise of everyone.


    Instead of going directly to him, the monster made his captives go to a different location.


    As to where exactly, it only took a few seconds for everyone to know.


    [[I know that these Travelers are in a truce for this mission. This means that they won''t exactly fight each other unless it is important. This means that if I want to make them fight, I should bring them to a place where they will have to fight for their lives.]]


    [[There are a lot of places here in the Ancestral Tomb that could be this ''place'', but I know exactly one that will be the best fit here.]]


    [[And that location is the one where the Abyss Envoy currently resides!]]


    [[Boom!]]


    These ominous words by the monster was all true, as just a few seconds later, he actually brought all of his captives near Alex.


    Whether these captives were Companions or Travelers did not matter to him at all. What is important is that they are now facing someone like Alex, which should lead to some interesting events.


    [[Hahaha !Hahahaha!]] THe monster could barely stop himself from smiling at this point, especially once he saw the fear on his captives'' faces.


    How could these captives not be fearful, especially when they are now face-to-face with an extremely corrupted Alex?


    There is just no way that these people could stay calm in face of someone as malicious as Alex, and the monster clearly was excited for this.


    [[Hahaha! If all of you will not for your lives here, then this Abyss Envoy will take all of you for himself! That means all of you will be dead!]]


    [[Which is good for me, but come on, all of you can do better than this, right??]]

 Chapter 788 - Carnage

    ******************


    MIDDLE PORTION OF THE ANCESTRAL TOMB


    With her animalistic instincts, Talia had a feeling that she is about to face the fight of her life any second now.


    Just the heavy feeling inside her heart as she was dragged along was already enough to make her tense, and this feeling continued to increase as time passed by.


    "My instincts are one of the greatest in the whole Multiverse, so I know that I am about to fight ''someone'' who could very well end my life. I can even estimate my chance of winning, which is just 20% right now." Talia muttered.


    "Since my instincts are usually right, it means that this means that this incoming enemy is stronger than me. But for me to only have a 20% chance of victory just sounds too absurd!"


    Even with her great confidence to herself, Talia''s eyes could not help but narrow as she realized the implications of her new discovery.


    She actually just had a 20% chance of winning, and that includes the fact that the other Travelers will be fighting alongside her!


    "I could feel it¡­. 4 Travelers will be helping me in this fight, and all of them are of the same power level as me. Aside from that, their Companions will be helping us too."


    "With that kind of firepower, winning should be just a piece of cake for us."


    "But why does my instincts tell me that we will still lose?"


    "I just don''t get it!"


    If she was the only one to fight, then Talia could still begrudgingly accept a low chance of winning. After all, fighting by yourself is always worse compared to fighting alongside your allies.


    But her instincts had specifically told her that she will still lose even if she allied with the other Travelers too!


    Such absurd info did not make sense for Talia, who could only shake her head right now as she tried to make sense of her situation.


    "Hm¡­ If I were to make a guess, the distance between me and my extremely dangerous opponent is about a 1,000 kilometers. Combine that data with the speed that I am moving right now, and it will take me around 5 seconds to see my new foe."


    "Sigh, I am about to face a powerful opponent, and all the preparation time that I have is just 5 seconds? Something is definitely off here¡­"


    For a powerful person like Talia, 5 seconds is actually an acceptable time for preparing her body. She was already at the Sixth Stage after all, so it will only take her an instant to prime her body for a fight.


    But even with that absurd preparation time, Talia still found herself wanting some more extra seconds before the impending battle.


    "¡­Having an extra 10 seconds would be a great benefit to me, as that will allow me to access the more esoteric spells inside my Void Compendium. That will increase my chances of victory to around 25%...."


    "Ugh, that is still too low for me, and I doubt the other Travelers can have this high chance of winning too."


    "Sigh, what is done is done, so I might as well just prepare myself for the worst¡­"


    After wasting another second for her plans this time, Talia immediately shut her thoughts down, knowing that she had no more seconds left to spare.


    What was left of her free roam was used by her to fill her Fighting Spirit, as well as prime the Void Energy to its absolute peak.


    She did all this in an instant, bringing her state to the strongest that she had ever been in.


    "¡­."


    ******************


    This turned out to be a proper move for her, as just a second later, Talia quickly discovered the identity of her opponent.


    "¡­We have to fight this? Are you shi**ing me?"


    It was the monstrously large tentacles that Talia noticed first.


    This was of course the inevitability, as these said appendages were wider than planets and their lengths exceeded a full planetary system. Some even had bulbous heads attached on them, which spouted corruptive energy everywhere.


    ""????????C??????O????R???????R????????U?????P???????T????????I????????O??????N?????????!????"????!"


    Each tentacle slithered as if they have their own lives, with an immense evil aura emanating like a bomb from each of their segments.


    ""????????C??????O????R???????R????????U?????P???????T????????I????????O??????N?????????!????"????!"


    These evil auras acted like what they were supposed to do, with any living creature exposed having immediate dark thoughts about their life.


    This included some of the Companions, who fell to the temptation of the evil aura and started attacking their own comrades.


    Blood splattered as reckless attacks filled the area, which the tentacles ravenously absorbed, as if they were starving for liquids for a long time.


    ""????????C??????O????R???????R????????U?????P???????T????????I????????O??????N?????????!????"????!"


    The tentacles bulged as more and more blood entered their system, which in turn made their skin acquire a reddish copper hue.


    ""????????C??????O????R???????R????????U?????P???????T????????I????????O??????N?????????!????"????!"


    This said liquid appeared to strengthen the tentacles too, which continued to release stronger and stronger evil auras everywhere.


    ""????????C??????O????R???????R????????U?????P???????T????????I????????O??????N?????????!????"????!"


    ******************


    How the situation was turning out this time was already bad, but it only got worse, as Talia discovered that it was not only the Companions who were making their attacks.


    "!!!"


    A massive deformed creature, which was the source of the tentacles and the evil aura was making its move too, releasing its own destructive beams of "????????C??????O????R???????R????????U?????P???????T????????I????????O??????N?????????!????"???? everywhere.


    ""????????C??????O????R???????R????????U?????P???????T????????I????????O??????N?????????!????"????!"


    These said beams just looks as harmful as they appear, with any object or living objects that they touch quickly turned into a mutated goo of horrible specs.


    Nobody knows how damaging this transformation is, but the sight of the goo made them know that they should not touch the beams at all.


    This of course turned out to be extremely difficult, as said beams seem to have a mind of their own too, seeking anyone that they deem to be their target.


    ""????????C??????O????R???????R????????U?????P???????T????????I????????O??????N?????????!????"????!"


    The combination of all these factors resulted in a carnage never seen before, and the corruptive essence all over the place made things worse.


    ""????????C??????O????R???????R????????U?????P???????T????????I????????O??????N?????????!????"????!"


    The only ones who were still alive after all these negative changes were only the Travelers and a minority of Companions, who all looked unhappy with the current situation.


    "F**k! I never thought that our enemy will be this powerful. Not only was he a Traveler, he can also use the power of the Abyss to corrupt us? This is the worst!" Talia muttered angrily as she did her best to dodge. "If this is how things are going to be, I need much more than what we have now!"


    "If we want to win and survive, I should call for aid from That person!"

 Chapter 790 - Blackmail

    *****************


    At the moment that Alina discovered Alex''s malady, she knew that the time to face him is bound to arrive. However, she did not expect it to be this bad.


    "Alex¡­ the extent of your corruption is enough to drive you mad. I can accept that, since you are directly connected to the Abyss. But do you really have to include other people too? Is this how far you have fallen already?"


    With her mental and prophetic abilities, Alina knew that Alex is still going easy on them, as he was just using his Abyss Power to subdue them, and not end their lives.


    If he was going for the kill, then they could be in a much harder fight¡­.


    This observation made Alina optimistic about her chances of winning earlier, but now that she had seen Alex''s ''solar-system'' sized body, she quickly changed her mind.


    ****************


    "According to Asteria, size is a defining factor of the strength of an Abyss Monster. The bigger the monster is, the greater their strength and interference power will be." Alina muttered as she used the entirety of her abilities to survive Alex''s probing moves. "In Alex''s case, his current size indicates that he is powerful enough to overwhelm us all."


    Alina was having these thoughts in a laborious manner, as she was dedicating her entire focus on just surviving Alex''s assault. Which she knew will not end quickly, given by the state of her other allies.


    "In fact, I am still lucky that I am not yet affected by Alex''s corruption. Most of the other Companions were all under his control already, and the Travelers were only able to defend their own selves against him. A situation like this is never good for me, and I know that the monster who dragged us here is happy about this."


    Out of all the Companions present right now, Alina could only see around 7 who are still free from Alex''s corruption. These Companions were the lucky ones whose abilities allowed them to survive this long, although they too were forced into defensive like the others.


    "Having all of us in a defensive state is already bad, but the presence of the Hand Monster who brought us here just made this situation even worse. F**k, why do things have to even escalate to this!"


    Alina could not understand the current state of affairs.


    Shouldn''t their mission only be about the fate of their chosen religions? Why do they have to fight with their lives on line, especially against someone like Alex and the Hand Monster?


    Having extremely difficult battles while they are doing their own difficult mission just did not seem right to Alina.


    It was as if something has changed with the over-all state of things, and it is biting them in their metaphorical assess right now.


    "I do not know why things have escalated to this manner, but I know that something has drastically changed the status quo here."


    Alina was of course unhappy as she made this discovery, but with her current state, she could do nothing but fume silently as she continued to fend for her sanity.


    "As for what exactly made the change, I have no idea about it. I also doubt that the other Travelers know what triggered this change¡­"


    At first, Alina was extremely unhappy once she realized that their current suffering could just have been caused by an unexpected matter.


    This was just unfair for everyone present, and she is willing to do everything to make all of this non-existent.


    But the reminder that something else is at play here made Alina think that maybe, there is still a way for them to win.


    They just had to find the root cause of everything, and deal with it promptly.


    "Since this change could be related to our Main Mission, then there is only one person that could potentially explain everything to me."


    "And that person is no other than¡­ Asteria!"


    It all made sense to Alina now.


    If someone has an idea about their current dilemma, then a Guide like Asteria surely is the person who can help them.


    Asteria was the one who knew everything about their missions after all, so she must have an inkling of their situation.


    Heck, the fact that Asteria was not here while they were fighting for their lives already shows that something was fishy!


    "Tsk, I knew it. With her knowledge and role as a Guide, Asteria should have warned us about a powerful adversary like this Hand Monster. But instead of informing me about it, Asteria was a no-show here! She also did not appear even when Alex is clearly about to be consumed by the Abyss!"


    "Asteria might be an asshole, but I know that she is also unwilling to have Alex die. After all, she will die if Alex dies too¡­"


    "¡­."


    "The Guides of other Travelers are also not present even with the latter in danger, which implies that they too are in the same state as Asteria¡­"


    "Heh, since that is the case, then it means that Asteria really knows something!"


    "All that I have to do now is make her talk about it!"


    Further introspection made Alina realize that her suspicions were actually right.


    There is something that the Guides knew that they did not tell the Travelers earlier, which now led to their perilous state.


    "¡­"


    The reason for why the Guides made this action is still unclear to Alina, but that does not make her feel uncertain about her safety.


    Alina just had to do one thing to clear everything up, and she immediately did it without any hesitation.


    "Asteria! If you don''t appear beside me right now, I will do my best to report your actions to Alex later! I will tell him about your lack of diligence to us, as well are your pathetic efforts to keep him safe!"


    "I know that you are earning salary from being our Guide, and it all depends on how Alex evaluates you! So come on, come here and make yourself present! Or else all your luxury taxes will be left unpaid!"


    [Hey hooman! D-don''t do that please! Don''t badmouth me to Alex!]

 Chapter 791 - A Quick Interrogation

    A small, winged body no larger than a tarsier.


    A smug face that deserves nothing but be punched repeatedly.


    And a dazzling glow as arrogant as its wielder.


    All these traits belonged to the newcomer, who was of course no other than Asteria herself.


    And she looked just as unhappy as Alina.


    ******************


    ******************


    Just like what Alina expected, her words were able to summon Asteria to her side.


    In fact, the former was surprised on how fast the latter had appeared.


    It was as if Alina''s threat over Asteria''s salary was even more important than her own life¡­.


    "¡­."


    And not only did the fairy appear instantly, she even changed the way that she addressed Alina.


    [Oi hooman, this is not the time to cross-examine me. You just threatened me, right?]


    "¡­."


    [Hmph, I don''t like the way that you look at me now, so why don''t we talk over your threat on me¡­]


    "¡­."


    [I am open for discussions, but don''t expect me to be docile on you!]


    Gone were Asteria''s pleas for her salary.


    It was instead replaced by a hardened voice, one that she used to seemingly threaten Alina too.


    [I don''t recall you having that much clout over Alex, so don''t think you can threaten me this easily!]


    [Hmph Alina, if you just have any idea on what I can do, you will surely be-]


    "So you choose to appear now, Asteria. You should have done this earlier." Alina was obviously ticked by the sudden change in Asteria''s mannerism, and it showed on her aggressive words . "Why are you even this late, anyway?"


    "You should have been with us all this time, especially with your Traveler this compromised."


    [Wha-what? Um¡­.]


    "And now that you are actually here, you still chose to try and threaten me? Come on, little fairy. You know I won''t be accepting of that action."


    ***************


    If it were earlier, Alina could have felt happy after seeing Asteria coming in to aid her.


    But after all the trouble that Alina went through, along with the fact that she is in desperate straits right now, the fairy''s mere presence just served to irritate her more.


    No, Alina was actually pissed, and she was happy to showcase it on the fairy.


    [Umu¡­. Are you angry at me, Alina? And what do you mean by me threatening you? I was just trying to reason with you¡­.]


    Even the dense Asteria could see how pissed Alina is, so the former could only deflate her haughty attitude.


    [You do understand that I am just joking, right?]


    "¡­."


    [¡­.]


    "¡­"


    Not that it helped that much, since Alina continued to glare holes on the small Guide.


    [Umu Alina, you are scaring me with that look. Can you please be more gentle to me? I don''t feel comfortable with-]


    "I don''t give a f**k about your salary or your feelings, Asteria. What I only want now is to survive this ordeal, and I know that you have the answer to that."


    [!!!]


    "So come on, spit it out. What exactly changed in this mission?" Alina was already tired on being angry at Asteria, so she went straight to the reason she summoned the latter.


    "Answer this question well, and your salary''s fate will depend on it."


    [Umu¡­ what are you talking about, hooman? What is this ''change'' that you want to know? I have no idea about it¡­]


    "Asteria, I have the All-Seeing Eyes, which means that I can see through your lies. So don''t even think of lying to me again."


    [Hiii!!!]


    "Huh, so you just remembered that you can''t lie to me now? Tsk, tsk, tsk, you really are a bad Guide if you have forgotten that too¡­"


    [Hey! I did not forget about your powers, hooman! I was just-]


    "LIE."


    [Ugh! Um, okay, so I forgot about your eyes. So what about it? It''s not relevant here!]


    "I am befuddled by your logic, Asteria, but that does not matter here. What I just want is for you to answer my next question."


    [Um Alina, I don''t think I can-]


    "Asteria, WHAT EXACTLY CHANGED IN THIS MISSION?"


    [¡­..]


    "¡­."


    [¡­.]


    "So you won''t even answer me? What a disappointment, Asteria. And here I thought you can be more trustworthy than this. Sigh, then I guess your hard-earned money will have to go bye-bye now-"


    [I-I am sorry hooman, but I really cannot answer your question! I¡­ I just can''t!]


    "TRUTH, huh. Now that''s interesting."


    [¡­.]


    "¡­"


    [¡­.]


    "¡­"


    [¡­]


    "Hmm, now I get it. You CAN''T answer my last question, so it means that something is stopping you from telling the truth to me. Am I right with that assumption?"


    [¡­]


    "Since you are not answering, then I guess whatever is stopping you from talking is still at work here. Am I right about that too?"


    [¡­.]


    "Fascinating. You seem to be under a spell that prevents you from divulging a secret. In this case, that secret is about the ''change'' in this mission¡­."


    [¡­]


    "Since you still won''t talk, then I will assume that I am still right here."


    [¡­.]


    "Hmmm¡­ so I have already confirmed that there is indeed a ''change'' in the mission. The only problem is on how I will discover that exactly this ''change'' is.''''


    [¡­.]


    "Since Asteria can''t say anything to me, asking her will be difficult. But as long as I ask the right questions, then maybe I could glean something more¡­."


    [¡­.]


    "¡­."


    [¡­.]


    "¡­."


    [¡­]


    "So Asteria ¡­ let me ask this question first. Do you like honey?"


    [Of course I do, hooman! I love it so much!]


    "¡­Ok, so as long as I ask Asteria questions unrelated to the secret, then she can answer me. I can use that to narrow down my options¡­"


    [Hey, why are you asking me about honey? Will you give me some later? I promise to answer your questions, so please give me honey!]


    "Yeah, yeah, yeah. I will give you honey if you can help me survive."


    [Really? Hahaha, thank you, hooma-]


    "What is your fetish?"


    [Wha? What are you-]


    "Do you like muscular men, or do you prefer curvaceous women?''


    [Hey! What is with that question? I don''t want to answ-]


    "Do you like your father or your mother more?"


    [Argh! Screw this! Okay, I-I like my mother more!"]


    "Did you ever badmouth the Endless Monarch whenever you have time?"


    [Y-yes! Oh please don''t ask me questions that could harm my reputation¡­]


    "Missionary or from behind?"


    [What does that question mean? Argh¡­ fine, from behind!]


    "Do we have a bonus mission right now?''


    [¡­..]


    "Hoho, so that''s what this is all about huh. A bonus mission¡­."

 Chapter 792: Focus Group?

    **************


    It all makes sense to Alina now.


    What she thought was an unstoppable calamity was actually just an additional feature in their mission, one that was obviously applied by the Endless Monarch.


    And for it to be a Bonus Mission even makes more sense.


    "¡­So we really have a Bonus Mission now, huh. I wonder why one chose to occur here. Was it because of something we did, or did the Endless Monarch plan this all along?" Alina muttered as she tuned out Asteria''s complaints behind her. "Well, the motive behind this doesn''t matter that much. What I should focus on instead is discovering what the Bonus Mission actually is¡­"


    [Hey hooman! When will you give my honey?]


    [I want it so bad right now!]


    [Please give me my honey!]


    [Hey! I said give me my hone-]


    "Shh, be quiet. I am busy here."


    Alina had already heard enough from Asteria this time, so she nonchalantly ignored the latter while she immersed herself in her thoughts again.


    The fairy won''t be able to tell her anything after all at this point, so it will be better for Alina to just focus on herself.


    "The last Bonus Mission that we had was announced at the moment that it was established. Since that was the case, then this Bonus Mission should have been announced on us too."


    "But that did not happen. Instead, our Guides were silenced and we were forced to deal with this situation by ourselves."


    "¡­"


    "¡­"


    "This chain of events only means one thing. And that was that this Bonus Mission was special, to the point that it had to be kept secret, even from us!"


    "As for why this Bonus Mission was special, I still have no idea for that!"


    By this point, Alina felt that her efforts to survive were slowly reaching her aimed goal.


    She just needed a little bit more clues to advance, and she will be the victor here.


    But it was there that Alina realized something, one that made her pause in her tracks.


    "¡­As of now, I have no more clues to gather from Asteria or from myself. This means that I am basically stuck at this point unless I have other avenues on where I can get more info." Alina shook her head deprecatingly as she realized that she had already ran out of information sources.


    She of course expected to reach this point, but not this early, when she was almost about to discover what her Bonus Mission is.


    "Since I already reached a dead end in investigating using my own knowledge, I must use other avenues to learn more." Alina muttered as she grasped her chin. "But where should I exactly look for more sources of information?"


    "It''s not like I can just pull any clues out of thin air, right?"


    ***************


    With her long stay with Alex, Alina had already developed a shrewder mind.


    She learned how to spot suspicious things, as well as how to decipher the intentions of her enemies and what they could be planning behind the scenes.


    These learnings might only be a small help to Alina on her battles, but here in the tomb, these were the things that guided Alina to her goal.


    "Wait a second¡­. Since this is a Bonus Mission, then it is possible that I am not the only one who could be receiving this Mission."


    "The other Travelers¡­ should also be recipients of this Bonus Mission!"


    "Yes, that makes sense, since their Guides are also acting like Asteria too!"


    Using her improved observation skills, it only took Alina a second to realize that her situation was not unique.


    Since the other Travelers and Companions were sharing the same fate as her right now, it must also mean that they too were forced to do the same Bonus Mission!


    Since this was the case, then these Travelers might have some idea about what the Bonus Mission is!


    ***************


    "These Travelers might be our enemies, but for this time, I can accept working with them."


    "It is our survival that is at stake here, so I have no qualms on cooperating with them."


    "I just hope these people also think the same way¡­"


    With her mind out of any other options, Alina chose to do the most logical thing at this point.


    And that is to share her discoveries to the other Travelers, along with a demand for cooperation and sharing of information.


    (Hong long long~)


    (Hong long long~)


    (Hong long long~)


    Due to the intensity of the battles around her, Alina chose to use a low-levelled dark magic to transmit her thoughts to the nearby Travelers.


    This ensured that her thoughts will reach these people, while also having a minimal effect on the battlefield.


    (Hong long long~)


    Which is what exactly happened, as a few seconds later, all the remaining Travelers and Companions shivered as they received Alina''s message.


    They resumed battling not long after, although they all began looking at Alina''s direction with great interest on their eyes.


    (Hong long long~)


    "Tsk, I wish these Travelers will not be that sc.u.mmy to just keep quiet after all the clues that I gave them. Surely they won''t just ignore me at this point, right?"


    "If they do, I will personally make their lives hell¡­."


    Alina might not be as psychologically savvy as Alex, but she knew that desperate situations can make people act differently.


    In this case, having their lives on the line could make the Travelers act favorably with Alina.


    Well, it should make them act this way, but who knows how her enemies will treat her ''help''?


    "Okay¡­ I can see that my message was of great help to these Travelers. They were all giving me interested looks after all, so my message must have made them realize the existence of the Bonus Mission."


    "Wait, don''t tell me that they didn''t realize this sooner?"


    "Ugh, who cares about that. What I should worry instead is the actions that these Travelers would do."


    "Would they share anything that they know to me, or will they keep it to themselves?"


    "Tsk, they better start sharing it, since I told them that cooperating is the best way for us to survive here¡­"