As Lyerin stood atop the towering statue, watching the live broadcast of the Battle of Races disyed vividly in the sky, showing creatures from different worlds fighting for survival.


    His gaze remained fixed on the colossal screen above, his mind racing with thoughts about the ongoing cosmic game they had been thrust into.


    He was deep in thought, plotting his next move when he felt a presence behind him.


    There was a soft rustle of leaves, barely audible, and a slight warmth at his back.


    He smirked.


    He knew who it was before she even touched him.


    Corora.


    She hesitated for a moment, her fingers trembling slightly as they brushed against his back. But, after gathering the courage, she climbed onto his shoulder, her lithe body fitting snugly next to him like a child seekingfort.


    He could feel her warmth, her familiar scent lingering in the air around them.


    Lyerin tilted his head ever so slightly, his smirk widening.


    "You''re here," he mumbled, a teasing note in his voice, though his attention remained on the distant disy of carnage above.


    Corora''s cheeks flushed, though her face was mostly hidden as she rested against his shoulder. She fidgeted for a moment, her fingers gripping his arm lightly. "I''m here," she whispered softly, her voice betraying a touch of shyness.


    Lyerin chuckled at her timid response, his lips curling into a grin. "Aren''t you angry with me because of what happened between me and Sophia?"


    Corora didn''t respond immediately, but Lyerin could feel her grip on his shoulder tighten.


    Her hesitation was like a sudden ssh in the air, but instead of pulling away or confronting him, she buried her face into his arm, holding onto him like she was afraid to let go.


    "I already know what happened," she mumbled, her voice so soft it was almost drowned out by the sounds of the wild forest surrounding them. "It was… an ident."


    Lyerin raised an eyebrow, his grin widening at her words. "An ident?" he teased, his tone light but deliberate. "And what if I say that I like her too?"


    Corora stiffened at his words, her grip on his shoulder tightening even more as she squeezed, her nails pressing into his skin. Her cheeks burned, her face turning crimson, but she didn''t pull away. "I''m fine," she murmured, though it was clear she was far from it.


    "Fine?" Lyerin''s voice was yful, almost mocking, as he continued to press her. "If I were in your position, I''d want you all to myself. And yet, you want to share me with others?"


    Corora''s face grew redder, he could see it was a mixture of frustration and embarrassment flooding her features.


    Her eyes glistened with unshed tears of emotion, and Lyerin could feel her body trembling slightly against him.


    For a brief moment, he thought she mightsh out, but instead, she clenched her fists and bit her lip.


    "What do you want me to do?" she snapped, her voice trembling with suppressed anger. "Kill her? She''s already pregnant with your child! I don''t want to upset you again!"


    Her words came out in a rush, her frustration boiling over before she could stop herself.


    As soon as the words left her mouth, Corora''s eyes widened in shock, as if she hadn''t meant to say them so forcefully.


    She quickly looked away, her grip on his shoulder loosening as she pulled back slightly. "Sorry," she whispered, her voice nowced with regret. "I''m sorry."


    Lyerin, sensing that he had pushed her enough, softened his tone. "You''re right," he said quietly, his teasing smile fading into something more genuine. "She gave herself to me willingly, and she''s carrying my child. It would be bad to lose her."


    Corora''s eyes flickered with a trace of jealousy, her face still flushed with emotion. She shifted slightly, her fingers brushing against Lyerin''s skin as she spoke again, this time more quietly.


    "I can… I can carry your children too, if that''s what you desire."


    Lyerin''s eyes gleamed with amusement, but there was a hint of something else—satisfaction, perhaps—behind his gaze. He sneered lightly. "Heh! You sound unconvincing," he teased, his voiceced with yful mockery.


    Corora''s face grew even redder, her frustration bubbling up again. Her arms tightened around his shoulder, and she hugged him fiercely. "I will!" she insisted, her voice a little more determined now. "I will!"


    Her grip tightened with each repetition of the phrase, her resolve growing stronger as she clung to him.


    Lyerin, despite his usual nonchnce, couldn''t help but chuckle at her intensity. He held his hands up in mock surrender. "Alright, alright," he said, his voice light with amusement. "We''ll see about thatter."


    Before either of them could say anything more, the ground trembled beneath them.


    The soft thumping of hooves echoed through the forest as Lyerin''s Mana Beasts—five hulking creatures, each bearing the characteristics of ibexes, goats, and horses—emerged from the dense foliage.


    Their thick muscles rippled beneath their fur, and their horns glistened in the fading light.


    Each one dragged behind them the unconscious bodies of trolls, that was another gift for Lyerin.


    Lyerin''s attention shifted immediately to the creatures, his eyes narrowing as he watched them approach.


    His sharp gaze took in the sight of the mangled trolls, a satisfied smirk crossing his face. But then, his brow furrowed slightly as he realized something.


    Corora, still clinging to him, looked up at the beasts and frowned in confusion. "Why are there only five?" she asked, her voice tinged with curiosity. "Weren''t there more Mana Beasts before?"


    Lyerin remained silent for a moment, his eyes scanning the forest beyond the clearing. Corora''s curiosity piqued his interest. He has a n but it''s not time to say it as he wanted it as a surprise. So he hummed thoughtfully before responding with a lie.


    "They''re scattered," he said casually, as if it were no cause for concern. "The others are out there, doing their job. Gathering more."


    "More?" Corora echoed, her brow furrowing. "More of what?"


    Lyerin smiled, his eyes glinting with a dangerous edge. "More monsters. More power. More ways to level up." His words were deliberate, and though they were spoken casually, there was an underlying hunger in his voice.


    Corora watched him, a mixture of awe and uncertainty on her face.


    She didn''t fully understand the intricacies of Lyerin''s ns, but she knew enough to realize that everything he did was calcted.


    Every move, every order, every action was part of a grander scheme—one that she could only begin toprehend.


    The silence between them stretched, broken only by the asional rustle of leaves and the soft snorts of the Mana Beasts.


    Corora looked up at Lyerin again, her expression softening as she leaned her head against his shoulder.


    For now, she was content to stay by his side, even if she didn''t fully understand whaty ahead. And as for Lyerin, his gaze remained fixed on the horizon, where the chaos of the Battle of Races raged on in the distance.


    But in the quiet of the forest, with Corora clinging to him and the Mana Beasts at hismand, Lyerin couldn''t help but feel an unsettling sense of excitement running through his blood.


    The real battle hadn''t even begun yet his blood was already boiling.